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 M...
Oct 29, 2018•52 min•Ep. 246
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 lea...
Oct 22, 2018•2 hr 37 min•Ep. 245
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 ...
Oct 14, 2018•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 244
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 w...
Oct 08, 2018•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 243
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
Oct 01, 2018•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 242
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 ab...
Sep 24, 2018•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 241
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
Sep 17, 2018•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 240
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: ...
Sep 12, 2018•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 239
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...
Sep 03, 2018•54 min•Ep. 238
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 ...
Aug 29, 2018•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 237
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 'K...
Aug 20, 2018•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 236
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...
Aug 14, 2018•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 235
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 ...
Aug 09, 2018•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 234
The TV icon best known for 'Cheers' reflects on his unlikely casting on that NBC classic, the struggles that followed its 11-season run and how roles on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' and 'Damages' rebooted his career and prepared him to play the character for which he is nominated for an Emmy. But first: Pamela McClintock, a senior film writer and box-office analyst at THR, joins Scott to discuss this summer's biggest blockbusters, the surge of hit docs and the crash of MoviePass. Credits: Hosted by Sc...
Aug 07, 2018•2 hr 34 min•Ep. 233
The stage and screen veteran reflects on why she was so averse to doing a soap opera or a sitcom before making her name on 'One Life to Live' and 'Who’s the Boss?,' and what she's learned since returning to the theater (she's one of only six performers to win Tonys in back-to-back years) and TV (she's landed Emmy noms for 'Ugly Betty,' 'Transparent' and 'Versace'). Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...
Jul 31, 2018•2 hr 43 min•Ep. 232
Nominated for the best actor in a drama series Emmy for the second year in a row, the 41-year-old reflects on his journey to acting, almost quitting the biz after his stints on ‘Gilmore Girls’ and ‘Heroes’ ended and how he wound up playing everyone’s favorite TV dad of the Peak TV era. But first: Kevin Cassidy, THR’s international news editor, joins Scott to preview the fall film fests. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choic...
Jul 26, 2018•2 hr 48 min•Ep. 231
One of the most popular entertainers ever to emerge from Puerto Rico — a two-time Grammy-winning singer, a dancer and now an Emmy-nominated actor — reflects on growing up with Menudo, his 'Livin' La Vida Loca' era and the personal and professional rebirth he has experienced since coming out as gay in 2010. But first: Rebecca Ford, THR's awards editor, joins Scott to dissect the Emmy nominations that were announced on Thursday. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew W...
Jul 17, 2018•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 230
One of the last male stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age — the top one at Warner Bros. from 1955 through 1959 — died on Sunday at the age of 86. In this 2015 interview, he spoke about what it was like making movies — and being gay — in the fifties, what happened after his star faded and how he hoped to be remembered. But first: Andy Lewis, THR's books editor, joins Scott to discuss the best Hollywood-related reads of 2018 so far. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. ...
Jul 12, 2018•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 229
One of the most significant figures in the history of the music industry looks back on his rise from studio sweeper to engineer (for John Lennon and Bruce Springsteen) to producer (for Tom Petty and U2) to label founder and chief (Interscope, which made hip hop and gangsta rap mainstream), and his unlikely friendship with Dr. Dre, with whom he founded Beats Electronics (which they sold to Apple for $3.2 billion in 2014), which is chronicled in an acclaimed new HBO docuseries. But first: Gregg Ki...
Jun 26, 2018•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 228
The comedy actor who became famous as Joey Tribbiani on NBC’s 'Friends' dishes on the strange series of events that led him from blue-collar work to acting; why, after the failure of 'Joey' and five years out of the biz, he returned to series TV on Showtime; and how he feels about the prospect of a 'Friends' reboot — and retirement. But first: Aaron Couch, the senior editor of THR's 'Heat Vision' blog devoted to fanboy entertainment, joins Scott to preview the summer movie season. Credits: Hoste...
Jun 22, 2018•2 hr 31 min•Ep. 227
The jovial host of late night's most iconic program reflects on his journey from doing childhood impersonations to appearing on 'SNL,' how Lorne Michaels recruited him to 'Late Night' (despite opposition from network suits) and then Johnny Carson's old job and, in an emotional exchange, how his infamous 2016 interview with Donald Trump has — and hasn't — changed him and his show. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded by Gary O'Keefe and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your...
Jun 19, 2018•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 226
The two-time Emmy winner reflects on child stardom (she burst onto the scene at 14 on 'My So-Called Life'), embarking on a film career (but passing on 'Schindler's List' and 'Titanic') and returning to the small screen and experiencing career rebirth through the TV movie 'Temple Grandin,' followed by seven seasons playing a bipolar CIA officer. But first: Matthew Belloni, THR's editorial director, joins Scott to discuss a week of Hollywood wheelings and dealings: Disney and Comcast's fight over ...
Jun 15, 2018•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 225
The legendary singer, songwriter, actress, writer, producer and director opens up about her odds-defying career ("I didn’t want to be a singer"), why she fights for creative control over her work ("I am not a diva") and what convinced her to embark on a rare concert tour that was later turned into a Netflix variety special — even though, as she puts it, "I just don’t enjoy singing live." Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded by Dennis Schweitzer and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn mo...
Jun 13, 2018•53 min•Ep. 224
One of the few people who has played multiple iconic TV characters reflects on child stardom as a Mouseketeer, becoming "America's Sweetheart" at 21 on 'Felicity' and then, after almost quitting the biz, re-emerging as a Soviet spy for six seasons on one of the best shows of the Peak TV era. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 11, 2018•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 223
One of the reigning kings of comedy — a standup, writer, producer and director who has been a driving force behind many of the funniest TV series and films of the last 30 years — reflects on the roots of his sense of humor, his decision to move from doing standup to writing to producing/directing and his epic documentary-tribute to one of his mentors and heroes. But first: Lesley Goldberg, THR’s west coast TV editor, joins Scott to discuss ABC's historic cancelation of 'Roseanne,' attempts to eq...
Jun 05, 2018•2 hr 41 min•Ep. 222
One of the most talented comedy performers in the business looks back on his childhood at Nickelodeon ('All That' and 'Kenan & Kel'), losing his identity thereafter and then finding a new home in Studio 8H (where he is in his 15th season, making him the longest-tenured performer in the variety show’s history). Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded by Ryan Gabos and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 30, 2018•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 221
The star of TV’s highest-rated new network drama, whose portrayal of an autistic surgeon has already brought him a Golden Globe nom, looks back on child stardom, re-emerging as an adult on the drama series 'Bates Motel' (he received Critics' Choice noms for three of its five seasons) and then heading right into another, very different show. But first: Borys Kit, a senior staff writer at THR who oversees its 'Heat Vision' blog, joins Scott to discuss this weekend's release of 'Solo: A Star Wars S...
May 25, 2018•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 220
The actress-producer discusses how she wound up on '7th Heaven' at 14 (it became TV's longest-running family drama ever), growing up in the biz, making an eclectic mix of films and returning to TV in a limited series she also produced, which became 2017's most-watched new basic-cable show, and for which she received Golden Globe and Critics' Choice noms. But first: Gregg Kilday, THR's film editor, and Chris Gardner, a senior staff writer at THR, join Scott to recap the 71st Cannes Film Festival....
May 22, 2018•2 hr 33 min•Ep. 219
One of the most likable — and reliably good — actors in the business reflects on his child stardom, how he then experienced a dark decade before re-emerging as the industry’s go-to straight man in comedies and why it means so much to him to now be able to juggle acting and directing. But first: Booth Moore, THR’s Style & Fashion News Director, joins Scott to discuss the recent Met Gala, the ongoing Cannes Film Festival and the upcoming Royal Wedding, as well as Vogue's controversial new profile ...
May 18, 2018•2 hr 30 min•Ep. 218
The British actress, best known for playing Daenerys on TV's most acclaimed show, opens up about striking gold with and learning to navigate her first professional role, why she's sick of talking about her nude scenes, what led her to turn down 'Fifty Shades of Grey' but do 'Solo: A Star Wars Story,' plus more. But first: Stephen Galloway, THR's executive editor (features), joins Scott to discuss his recent article about Hollywood publicists and the period of upheaval currently impacting their c...
May 14, 2018•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 217