Awards Chatter

The biggest female movie star of the last 30 years, "America's Sweetheart" herself, reflects on pre-stardom life and loss, how she wound up in 'Pretty Woman' and becoming the queen of rom-coms and what it's like to now be playing a mom (she's getting some of the best notices of her career for her turn as a mother trying to help her drug-addicted son in Peter Hedges' latest film) and starring on series TV. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An actors’ actor who is just 33, but already has more than a decade of acclaimed stage and screen work under her belt, on breaking out of period pieces, overcoming fears and her latest role, in which she gives, in the view of the New York Times' film critic, "the best performance of any I’ve seen in film this year." But first: Roger Ross Williams, the first black director ever to win an Oscar, and Kristi Jacobson join Scott to discuss their Oscar-eligible documentary short 'Take Back the Harbor,' which shows how high school students are using oysters to clean the polluted waters around New York. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most multi-talented stars in showbiz history — an Australian man of Hollywood films and Broadway theater who is the living embodiment of "the triple threat" — reflects on his dark childhood, playing the same superhero in more films and over more years than anyone else in history and now portraying a real and still-living person for the first time. But first: Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster, the investigative journalists who teamed up to direct the documentary feature 'Science Fair,' join Scott to discuss the acclaimed National Geographic film, which chronicles the lives of nine high school students on their quest to compete and win at the International Science and Engineering Fair. The film won audience awards at the Sundance and SxSW film festivals. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded by Ryan Gabos and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The small, scrappy, tough-as-nails New York filmmaker behind classics such as 'She's Gotta Have It,' 'Do the Right Thing' and 'Malcolm X' reflects upon the challenges of making indie films over the last 32 years, the impact of and controversies surrounding his work and what he makes of Hollywood and America's fraught relationship with race in the past and present — the subject of his most recent project. But first: Scott Feinberg, the host of 'Awards Chatter,' reflects on the podcast's origins and evolution — and his 10 favorite episodes. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded by Ryan Gabos and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most prolific and admired directors in TV history — the go-to guy for sitcom pilots — reflects on how Mary Tyler Moore helped him break into the biz, the 15 years he split between 'Taxi' and 'Cheers' (he co-created the latter) and being at the center of NBC's 'Must See TV' era with 'Frasier,' 'Friends' and 'Will & Grace.' But first: Natalie Jarvey, THR's digital media editor, joins Scott to discuss her recent profile of Vice Media and its new CEO Nancy Dubuc, who ran A&E Networks until Shane Smith hired her to right the ship of his $5.7 billion youth-centric media company. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ‘12 Years a Slave’ director and producer (the first black producer ever to win a best picture Oscar) opens up about how his work in art led to his career in film, his close collaborations with Michael Fassbender and why he followed his big Oscar night with an elevated heist flick he has been mulling for 35 years. But first: Matthew Heineman, a 35-year-old filmmaker best known for his Oscar-nominated doc ‘Cartel Land,’ explains how he came to make his narrative directing debut with ‘A Private War,’ a new film about war correspondent Marie Colvin. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the greatest basketball players of all time reflects on his career on the hardwood, transitioning into retirement and using his profile to call attention to socially-significant films. But first: Gabe Polsky, the director of the new documentary ‘In Search of Greatness,’ joins Scott to discuss his quest to determine what separates the greatest athletes from the rest. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded by Dennis Schweitzer and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most popular singer/songwriters of all-time — a woman who The Guardian described as “the biggest star country music has ever produced,” and who has crossed back and forth, for more than 40 years, between country and pop, while also starring in movies and on TV — discusses her Appalachian roots and road to Nashville, the backstories of her greatest hits ("Jolene," "9 to 5," "I Will Always Love You") and how she came to provide the soundtrack — and Oscar-contending single 'Girl in the Movies' — for a new Netflix movie. But first: Alex Honnold, the professional rock climber who is the subject of the new National Geographic documentary 'Free Solo,' joins Scott to discuss his death-defying free solo — as in, climb without ropes — of Yosemite National Park’s 3,000-foot El Capitan wall, which has been called "the moon landing of free soloing" and "the most impressive athletic achievement of our lifetimes." Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about

One of today's few true movie stars — people buy tickets to see a movie because she's in it — opens up about the source of her early self-esteem and confidence; the crazy way she wound up performing standup and then improv; why she was planning to quit showbiz just before she landed 'Gilmore Girls'; how the blockbuster success of 'Bridesmaids' and an Emmy win for 'Mike & Molly' within just a few months of each other changed her life; and why she's now expanded beyond comedy into drama, or at least dramedy, playing a real person for the first time in her career — not counting 'Spicey' — and garnering some of the best reviews of her career. But first: Ivana Kirkbride, an expert and thought leader in the over-the-top video space, joins Scott to discuss her time at YouTube and Verizon's go90 and speculate about the future of 'premium mid-form content' and 'micro-windowing.' Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adcho

One of Hollywood's most versatile actors opens up about his discovery of improv en route to 'The Daily Show,' how a small part in 'Anchorman' led to a star-making role in 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin' which, in turn, saved the fledgling 'The Office,' and why he ventured into darker material with 'Foxcatcher,' for which he received an Oscar nom, and his newest film. But first: Sandra Lee, the Daytime Emmy-winning TV host, bestselling author and first lady of New York, joins Scott to discuss 'RX Early Detection: A Cancer Journey with Sandra Lee,' an HBO documentary short about her battle with breast cancer. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A queen in the past in 'Hyde Park on Hudson,' in the future on 'The Crown' and in the present in Yorgos Lanthimos' latest dramedy reflects on her beginnings in comedy, how the British indie film 'Tyrannosaur' and TV series 'Broadchurch' exploded her profile and what it's like to now be the center of so much attention. But first: Elsie Fisher, the 15-year-old actress who starred in this summer's breakout indie 'Eighth Grade,' joins Scott to discuss her career, social media and her collaboration with Bo Burnham. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded by Ryan Gabos and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of Hollywood's most colorful characters — he has morphed from bit player to leading man to matinee idol to Oscar winner over the last 25 years — shares the backstories of "Alright, alright, alright," his big break, his rom-com/shirtless era and one of Hollywood's most remarkable career-reboots, 'the McConnaisance.' Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The living legend, one of only 21 EGOTs, opens up about falling in love with music, being black in Hollywood, talent cultivation (Michael Jackson, most famously) and discovery (from Oprah to Will Smith) and what he thinks of music and America today. But first: Al Hicks and Rashida Jones, the co-directors of the acclaimed new Netflix doc 'Quincy,' discuss the making of the film and its enigmatic subject. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The twice Oscar-nominated British actress, who has been on Hollywood’s A-list for the last 15 years, opens up about how acting helped her to overcome dyslexia, how sudden celebrity caused her to have a breakdown and why she has always been drawn to — and done much of her best work in — period pieces. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The English Oxford alum turned Bond girl turned best actress Oscar nominee opens up about breaking out of early typecasting with 'An Education,' playing her first leading film role in 'Gone Girl' and, in perhaps her most challenging assignment yet, portraying war correspondent Marie Colvin in Matt Heineman's new film. But first: Matt Belloni, THR's editorial director, joins Scott in Toronto to discuss the 43rd TIFF, Venice's award winners and the Academy's tabling of the popular Oscar. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded by Eric Taylor and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The living legend of stage and screen — who is the most Oscar-nominated living performer without a win, at 0-for-6 — talks about growing up in a cult, her later-than-usual film debut and how she made up for lost time, aging in Hollywood (she went to TV and back to Broadway) and the performance that has made her, at 71, the best actress contender to beat. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The star of Marvel's first film to center on a black superhero shares why Phylicia Rashad and Denzel Washington are responsible for his shift from writer/director to actor, how he weighed the honor of playing black icons against the fear of being typecast and what he makes of Wakanda's cultural significance during the Trump era and the Academy's new popular Oscar. But first: Stephen Galloway, THR's executive editor of features, joins Scott to preview the Venice and Telluride film festivals that will kick off the awards season later this week. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emmy-nominated for both Ryan Murphy's 'Glee,' in 2015, and now for an FX limited series in which he played serial killer Andrew Cunanan, the Filipino-American discusses 'passing' as white, pre-'Glee' life (he made a living playing piano at Maggiano's) and the tricky terrain of being a straight actor who has made his name playing LGBTQ parts. But first: Lacey Rose, THR's executive editor of TV coverage, joins Scott to discuss Jim Carrey's upcoming return to the spotlight in the Showtime series 'Kidding.' Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The world's most recognizable living scientist, who is to behavioral sciences what Albert Einstein is to physics, reflects on 58 years of studying chimpanzees in Gombe, encountering sexual demands and objectification in the workplace, turning unexpected fame into a tool for activism and being the subject of dozens of documentaries, the best of which is now nominated for seven Emmys. But first: Rebecca Ford, THR's awards editor, and Rebecca Sun, a senior reporter at THR, join Scott to discuss the upcoming all-Asian film 'Crazy Rich Asians.' Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most significant and beloved figures in TV history, best known for her groundbreaking variety sketch program 'The Carol Burnett Show' (1967-1978), reflects, at the age of 85, on the Cinderella story that led her to showbiz, doing things that other women hadn't done before and her and her show's impact more than a half-century after its debut. But first: Matt Belloni, THR's editorial director, joins Scott to discuss the hugely controversial changes to the format of the Oscars that the Academy announced this week. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices