Emmy-winning editor and co-producer Timothy Good ('The Last of Us') joins Christina to break down the episode everyone’s talking about — Season 2, Episode 2, “Through the Valley.” This unforgettable episode took over a year to bring to life, and Timothy takes us deep behind the scenes of its emotional and technical construction. From Joel’s (Pedro Pascal) fate to the extraordinary work behind that scene, Tim unpacks the editing process, his collaboration with Craig Mazin and director Mark Mylod,...
Apr 21, 2025•35 min
The 2025 Cannes lineup was just announced, and there’s a lot to talk about . Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) joins Christina to break down the buzziest titles heading to the Croisette—including Wes Anderson, Ari Aster, Kelly Reichardt, Spike Lee, and yes… Tom Cruise. And the notable names missing from the lineup. They also dive into last week’s surprise announcement at CinemaCon of a Quentin Tarantino–David Fincher collaboration, and share their reactions to the full trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson’...
Apr 10, 2025•1 hr 28 min
Christina is honored to speak with the brilliant Christine Tremarco from the powerful, hit series Adolescence . Written by Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne, the show follows a 13-year-old boy named Jamie who is arrested for the murder of a girl from his school. Tremarco plays Jamie’s mother, Manda. Adolescence is a raw, unflinching exploration of internet culture, toxic masculinity, and the online radicalization of young boys. It’s also a story about parenting in an increasingly complex world. In ...
Apr 04, 2025•31 min
On this episode of Pop Culture Confidential , we’re diving deep into the latest TV must-watches! Join us as we break down some of the biggest shows of the moment— Severance, The White Lotus, and The Pitt —all heading into their highly anticipated season finales. Plus, we discuss Adolescence , one of the most impactful TV experiences in recent memory, and look ahead to the upcoming premiere of The Studio. And that’s not all! We also talk about John Mulaney’s new talk show and the buzz surrounding...
Mar 31, 2025•41 min
In this episode, Christina is joined by Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch to break down the latest trailers for some of the year’s most anticipated upcoming movies. Some look awesome, some look... questionable — and a few totally surprised us! We talk about Celine Song’s Materialists , Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another , Pixar’s Elio , the Minecraft movie, Happy Gilmore 2 , F1 , Spinal Tap II , Ryan Coogler’s Sinners , and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoi...
Mar 25, 2025•1 hr 26 min
This week on Pop Culture Confidential, Christina chats with actor Taylor Dearden, who delivers an incredible performance as Dr. Mel King in the gripping new medical drama The Pitt—now streaming on Max. From producer John Wells (ER), creator R. Scott Gemill, and actor/writer Noah Wyle, The Pitt follows doctors and nurses over a 15-hour shift and has been praised for its realistic portrayal of emergency medicine. In a wide-ranging conversation, Christina and Ms. Dearden discuss filming the intense...
Mar 13, 2025•30 min
Sean Baker makes history. Conan triumphs. Christina & Ryan McQuade (Executive Editor, AwardsWatch) react and recap the 97th Academy Awards— the winners, the losers, the surprises, the speeches, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 04, 2025•1 hr 36 min
Christina and Ryan McQuade (Executive Editor of AwardsWatch) go through their final Oscar predictions for the 97th Academy Awards! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 25, 2025•1 hr 52 min
It’s been a wild few weeks in pop culture! Ryan McQuade (Executive Editor, AwardsWatch) joins Christina for a massive recap—Kendrick, SNL 50, Cher & Costner, Meryl, the BAFTAs, Matt Damon & Nolan, SAG predictions, awards season scandals, and more. It’s a bonanza! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 19, 2025•1 hr
Things are heating up! Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AwardsWatch, Erik Anderson, joins us with a comprehensive update on the state of the Oscar race! From all the surprises to Anora's sweep last weekend, actor frontrunners, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 15, 2025•32 min
Chris Ryan, co-host of The Watch , joins Christina for a wide-ranging conversation about the 2025 TV season. They discuss the new seasons of Severance and The Pitt , the 50th season of SNL , trends, and much more. Don’t miss it! Chris Ryan is the Editorial Director at The Ringer and co-host of The Watch . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 07, 2025•32 min
Christina & Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) recap the Oscar nominations 2025. The surprises, the snubs and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 23, 2025•1 hr 38 min
Ryan McQaude (Executive Editor, AwardsWatch) joins Christina for a MASSIVE 'Most Anticipated Movies of 2025' episode! Paul Thomas Anderson, Luca Guadagnino, Spike Lee. Cruise, Blanchett, Chalamet. 2025 is shaping up to be a great year at the movies! Plus Oscar nomination predictions ahead of Fridays announcement. Listen now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 21, 2025•1 hr 52 min
Mona Fastvold talks to Christina about the award-winning epic 'The Brutalist' which she co-wrote with partner and director Brady Corbet! On her writing process & collaboration with Corbet, the filmmakers personal connections to the story and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 20, 2025•20 min
Christina is honored to be joined by actor Alessandro Nivola for a wide-ranging conversation about his incredible performances, his role in the critically acclaimed epic 'The Brutalist', how he drew from his own family’s experience shaping the character and much more. Mr. Nivola is a triple threat this season, delivering three incredible performances. He stars in Pedro Almodóvar’s English-language feature debut 'The Room Next Door'. As 'Rhino', the villan in J.C. Chandor’s Spider-Man spinoff mov...
Jan 17, 2025•59 min
Christina speaks to pop superstar Robbie Williams about his new movie 'Better Man', based om the true story of Robbie's stratospheric rise to fame, his dramatic falls and remarkable comeback as a record-breaking solo artist! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 09, 2025•13 min
Sophia Ciminello & Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch.com) join Christina to talk about their immediate reactions to the Golden Globes 2025. The winners, losers, best speeches, surprises, fashion and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 06, 2025•1 hr 30 min
Christina talks to director RaMell Ross & cinematographer Jomo Fray about their brilliant new move 'Nickel Boys'. A conversation about their powerful visual and emotional approach to the Colson Whitehead novel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 01, 2025•31 min
Writer, director, actor Jesse Eisenberg joins Christina to talk about his brilliant film 'A Real Pain', a funny & moving story about two cousins who embark on a trip to Polen to honor their dead grandmother. This episode also includes Christina's live interview with Eisenberg from the Stockholm Film Festival, where he received the Stockholm Achievement Award. Christina talked to Jesse Eisenberg about the very personal nature of 'A Real Pain', dealing with grief, generational trauma, his role...
Dec 21, 2024•40 min
Christina is joined by prosthetics and makeup effects designer Pierre Olivier Persin to talk about his work on Coralie Fargeat’s body horror hit The Substance , a dark satire about beauty standards, aging, and the entertainment industry. His sensational work is already receiving awards buzz. The Substance stars Demi Moore & Margaret Qualley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 17, 2024•26 min
Bill Skarsgård joins Christina for a conversation about his role as Count Orlok in 'Nosferatu', one of 2024's most anticipated movies! Bill talks about first being introduced to the classic 'Nosferatu' (1922) by his father actor Stellan Skarsgård, his immense preparation for 'Nosferatu', working with director Robert Eggers, creating the voice, why he's attracted to playing villains and much more. Photo: Shane Anthony Sinclair for Universal Pictures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho...
Dec 14, 2024•24 min
Ryan McQuade, Executive Editor of AwardsWatch.com, joins Christina to discuss the Golden Globe nominations, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association & NY Film Critic Circle winners, the AFI list and more. What these jam packed awards season weeks tell us about the Oscars! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 09, 2024•1 hr 14 min
Christina is joined by actor and advocate Sean 'Dino' Johnson. Mr. Johnson stars in 'Sing Sing' (also starring Colman Domingo and Paul Raci) which follows a theater production at the maximum security prison Sing Sing. A moving film about the power of art. The film is based on Mr. Johnson's actual RTA participation (Rehabilitation Through The Arts Program). He discovered the theater program while incarcerated at Sing Sing serving a 15 year prison sentence. Mr. Johnson talks to Christina about his...
Nov 26, 2024•25 min
Christina is thrilled to have writer/director Sean Baker ('Tangerine'. 'The Florida Project') on Pop Culture Confidential! His wonderful new movie 'Anora' won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and is receiving major awards buzz. In this wide ranging conversation Christina talks to Baker about 'Anora', Mikey Madison's career making performance, exploring the lives of sex workers in several of his films, how his own addiction and recovery factors into his stories, his writing process and ...
Nov 17, 2024•28 min
We are thrilled to have Ryan McQuade (executive editor, AwardsWatch.com) back for a jam packed episode! After an emotional week we thought it would be fitting to discuss what has made us emotional at the movies. We pick our most emotional scenes in 2024, so far. Plus our reactions to this week's big premiere Gladiator II. And from Ridley to Francis to Clint, we talk about octogenarian (and nonagenarian!) directors who are everywhere right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...
Nov 12, 2024•1 hr 6 min
Karla Sofía Gascón, groundbreaking star of ‘Emilia Pérez’! Catch my subtitled interview on YouTube or listen on Pop Culture Confidential. The trans actress is making history this awards season! She talks to me about the incredible reactions from audiences to ‘Emilia Pérez’, her own difficult and inspiring journey, how she’d love to star in an action film next and much more. (This interview first aired in May 2024) WATCH subtitled on YouTube. Exclusive interview with 'Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofí...
Oct 30, 2024•38 min
With less than 2 weeks until the US election Christina is joined by journalist Chris Smith, contributing editor at Vanity Fair and best-selling author of The Daily Show (the Book), to discuss Harris and Trump's media strategies. They talk about the candidates many podcast interviews, media appearances and their messaging. If celebrity endorsements move the needle, Elon Musk, SNL, the political power of popular culture this election and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...
Oct 24, 2024•35 min
This is an encore episode (previously aired in Feb 2024) When Robert and Trude Steen's son Mats passed away at age 25 from a degenerative muscular disease they grieved over what they thought had been an isolated and lonely life but what they found out would change everything. Mats, a gamer known as 'Ibelin' in World of Warcraft, had despite his physical disabilities formed strong friendships, fallen in love and was a beloved and vibrant member of his digital community. Christina was honored to t...
Oct 17, 2024•56 min
It's time for Pop Culture Confidential's first Oscar predictions episode of the season! Ryan McQuade, (Executive Editor @ AwardsWatch) joins Christina for a huge Academy Awards predictions show. With the Venice, Telluride & Toronto film festivals behind us what is the state of the race? What films are dominating the awards conversation? Ryan & Christina dive into an exciting awards season! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Oct 08, 2024•1 hr 40 min
Christina had the honor of interviewing the brilliant Ken Leung! This bonus episode includes their previously unaired talk about the season finale of 'Industry' now that the episode has aired. Christina is joined by actor Ken Leung for this wide ranging conversation! Ken Leung is electrifying in his role as Eric on Industry (HBO Max) which takes place in the cutthroat world of finance and is now on it's critically acclaimed third season. Ken Leung's career includes roles on TV shows like Lost an...
Sep 30, 2024•45 min
