Lily Collins joins the show to discuss her performance in David Fincher's new film, “Mank,” in which she plays Rita Alexander, secretary to the legendary screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz (played by Gary Oldman) as he writes the script for “Citizen Kane.” She talks about the intense audition process, her experience on set, and her love for old Hollywood movies. Collins also talks about the phenomenon that is her new show “Emily in Paris,” and how she flew back and forth from Paris to shoot “Mank” i...
Dec 11, 2020•49 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Throughout her career, Amanda Seyfried’s range has been center stage, from her roles in "Mean Girls” to “Lovelace” and “Les Miserables.” And in her latest film “Mank,” directed by David Fincher, she scales new heights, delivering a revelatory performance as actress Marion Davies, the long-term lover of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst. In this interview, Seyfried discusses her research for the role, what she wanted to make sure she captured about Marion, and why she particularly relish...
Dec 04, 2020•42 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Six-time Academy Award nominee Amy Adams joins the show to discuss her latest film “Hillbilly Elegy,” based on the bestselling memoir by J.D. Vance, and directed by Academy Award winner Ron Howard. It’s the story of three generations of an Appalachian family struggling with volatile relationships, poverty, and drug addiction; and Adams delivers a powerhouse performance as J.D.’s mother Beverly. In this interview, Adams talks about why she was drawn to this story, her preparation for the role, wh...
Nov 25, 2020•54 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Actress, comedian, author, and podcaster Michelle Buteau joins the show to discuss her uproarious new Netflix special: “Michelle Buteau: Welcome to Buteaupia.” The mom of twins has been on a non-stop run of projects lately, hosting and narrating the reality show phenomenon “The Circle,” appearing in films like “Always Be My Maybe” and on shows like “First Wives Club” and “Tales of the City.” "Survival of the Thickest," her debut book of essays, will be published this December. In this interview,...
Sep 30, 2020•41 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Millie Bobby Brown sat down with Present Company to discuss her latest Netflix project, “Enola Holmes,” in which she plays the intrepid teenage sister of Sherlock Holmes. Brown not only stars in the film but also produces, making her one of the youngest Hollywood actors to have a producing credit on a feature film. In this interview, Brown talks about why she was so passionate about playing Enola, what she found most rewarding about producing, and why she loves working on projects that have a br...
Sep 23, 2020•28 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Emmy-winning actress Sarah Paulson joins the show to discuss her riveting new drama series “Ratched,” created by Ryan Murphy, her long-time champion, and Ian Brennan. As the show’s lead, Paulson steps into the shoes of one of the most notorious female villains of the modern age: Nurse Ratched of the novel and then the film, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. In this interview, Paulson talks about the trepidation she had in taking on such an iconic role, and she discusses the evolution of her rela...
Sep 18, 2020•37 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Tom Pelphrey joins the show to talk about his much-discussed performance as Ben, brother to Laura Linney’s Wendy Byrde, on season three of “Ozark.” Pelphrey devoted himself to the task of playing a man living with bipolar disorder, working to ensure the condition was portrayed with both accuracy and thoughtfulness. Born and raised in New Jersey, the Rutgers graduate got his break on the soap opera “Guiding Light,” for which he won two Daytime Emmys, and since then he has worked across film, thea...
Jul 31, 2020•52 min•Season 1Ep. 45
As an Academy-Award winning actress, producer of critically acclaimed film and television, long-time activist, and single mom, Charlize Theron has helped reinvent what the model of success can look like for women in Hollywood. And with her relentless work ethic, eye for challenging material, and willingness to commit to radical physical transformations, she’s created a remarkable gallery of performances, from “Monster” to “Tully,” “Mad Max: Fury Road” to “Bombshell.” In this interview, Theron di...
Jul 10, 2020•37 min•Season 1Ep. 44
The documentary series “Lenox Hill,” directed by Ruthie Shatz and Adi Barash, has captivated viewers with its intimate portrait of four doctors dealing with a host of complex personal and professional issues inside a New York City hospital. One of those doctors, Amanda Little-Richardson, a Chief Resident in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the time of filming, joins the show to reflect on the impact the series has had on viewers. She discusses the importance of diversity in medicine, the challenges ...
Jul 03, 2020•34 min•Season 1Ep. 43
Shira Haas joins the show to discuss her astonishing performance in “Unorthodox,” the Netflix original limited series about a young woman from the Hasidic community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn who breaks out of her arranged marriage and travels to Berlin to find herself. Directed by Maria Schrader, created by Anna Winger and Alexa Karolinski, and inspired by Deborah Feldman's bestseller of the same name, “Unorthodox” has captured the imagination of viewers around the world. At 25 years old, Haas i...
Jun 19, 2020•37 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Over the course of three decades, Laura Linney’s body of work has spanned the worlds of theater, film, and television, resulting in a long list of accolades, including Tony, Oscar, and Emmy nominations, as well four Emmy wins. Her vast range of choices means fans might cite any number of projects when they approach her — some are Broadway aficionados who loved her performance in “The Little Foxes” or “My Name Is Lucy Barton,” others cite “You Can Count on Me” or “The Savages,” or they might refe...
Jun 12, 2020•47 min•Season 1Ep. 41
In the decade that “Friends” was on the air, from 1994-2004, Lisa Kudrow experienced the heights of fame and success that come with starring in a smash-hit show with legions of fans worldwide. But Kudrow’s boundless curiosity and creative instincts have led her far beyond the world of the show, to writing and producing, and starring in independent films. In the course of her career, she has created a gallery of complex, original, captivating women, from Phoebe Buffay in “Friends” to Valerie Cher...
Jun 05, 2020•47 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Kumail Nanjiani joins the show fresh off the success of his new hit movie “The Lovebirds,” the romantic comedy in which he stars opposite Issa Rae. It’s been a remarkable decade for the actor, comedian, screenwriter and podcaster. He’s appeared on some of the most beloved cult comedy shows in recent memory, from “Portlandia” to “Inside Amy Schumer,” “Community” and “Key & Peele,” and he starred in the hit show “Silicon Valley.” He became an Oscar nominee, alongside his wife Emily V. Gordon, ...
May 29, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 39
David Letterman joins the show and reflects back on his early career and explains why he thinks the high time for the art of comedy is now. He discusses family and fatherhood, the cost of success, and how he dealt with his depression. He also talks about “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction,” his Netflix series for which he has interviewed everyone from Jay Z to Howard Stern. And he shares a surprising obsession, who he’d love to do a Freaky Friday life swap with, and his thoughts on whether com...
May 22, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 38
As an actor, writer, and Emmy-winning comedian, Patton Oswalt has created a vast body of work, from his stand-up specials and best-selling books, to his work in television and film, including acclaimed performances in movies as varied as “Young Adult” and “Ratatouille.” In this episode, Oswalt talks about his new stand-up special “Patton Oswalt: I Love Everything.” He also reflects on his childhood, the early days of his career, and the moment that first felt like success. He discusses how deali...
May 15, 2020•35 min•Season 1Ep. 37
It took Jon Hamm ten years of hard work in Hollywood before he got “Mad Men” and made not only his character Don Draper but also himself a household name. Since then, he’s shifted effortlessly between drama, with films like “Beirut” and “The Report,” and comedy, guest-starring in shows like “30 Rock” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” and hosting SNL three times.In this interview, he shares how he discovered his love of acting as a child, how he felt when he first arrived in Los Angeles, and the a...
May 12, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 36
Rashida Jones joins the show to discuss her new comedy series #blackAF from Kenya Barris, the creator of "Black-ish” and "grown-ish." In this series, based upon his life, Kenya and Rashida play a husband and wife with 6 children, navigating relationships, race, and culture, as well as newfound success. As an actress, writer, producer, and director, Jones' career has run the gamut, from roles in television smash hits like “Parks & Recreation” and “The Office,” to feature films like “Social Ne...
Apr 17, 2020•52 min•Season 1Ep. 35
From his critically acclaimed sketch series “Kroll Show” to his many roles in film and television, his Broadway show "Oh, Hello," and his stand-up, Nick Kroll has long-established himself as one of the keenest comedic observers of our times. In this episode, the comedian, writer, actor, and producer, discusses “Big Mouth,” the Emmy-nominated hit adult-animated series which he co-created, writes and produces, in addition to performing over thirty voices. And he talks about the upcoming new spinof...
Mar 20, 2020•51 min•Season 1Ep. 34
The story of the fashion house Rodarte began with two cinephile sisters, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, living in a sleepy California suburb, waitressing and selling their record collection to finance their dream of becoming fashion designers. What followed is an extraordinary, shot-out-of-a-cannon success story. The sisters would go on to be anointed by the Editor in Chief of Vogue, win a CFDA award, see their work exhibited in museums, create costumes for the opera and for Natalie Portman for the fi...
Mar 06, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 33
In today’s episode, Coach Monica Aldama joins the show to discuss "Cheer," the Netflix documentary series that everyone’s talking about, from Ellen Degeneres to A-listers at the Oscars and SNL. With her fierce competitive spirit, laser-like focus, and no-nonsense style, Coach Monica has captured the imagination of the show’s legions of fans who have followed along as the Navarro College cheer squad navigates the highs and lows of working to win a coveted national title. Aldama talks about the im...
Feb 14, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 32
In this episode, two-time Academy Award nominee Scarlett Johansson joins the show to talk about her new film “Marriage Story,” from Academy Award nominated filmmaker Noah Baumbach. It’s an incisive and compassionate look at a marriage breaking up and a family staying together, in which Johansson stars opposite Adam Driver, and alongside Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta. Following breakout performances in Robert Redford’s “The Horse Whisperer” and the acclaimed independent film “Ghost World,...
Feb 03, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 31
By the time she was 29, Whitney Cummings had not one but two network television shows on air: “Whitney,” and “2 Broke Girls,” which she co-created with Michael Patrick King. In this episode, the writer, director, producer, actress, stand-up comedian, published author, and podcaster (check out her show “Good for You”), discusses how she handled that early success and how she dealt with the headwinds that came with it. Cummings also talks about the evolution of her Netflix stand-up special, “Can I...
Jan 30, 2020•57 min•Season 1Ep. 30
Gillian Anderson joins the show to discuss the second season of the heartfelt and hilariously awkward “Sex Education,” in which Anderson plays Jean Milburn, sex therapist and mom to the show’s young lead Otis, played by Asa Butterfield. Anderson of course occupies an iconic place in the pop culture galaxy, thanks to her portrayal of Agent Dana Scully in “The X-Files,” a role that would pave the way for a new kind of female character on television. Now, Anderson is based in London, and her career...
Jan 17, 2020•43 min•Season 1Ep. 29
RuPaul and Michael Patrick King join the show to discuss their new show “AJ & The Queen,” a heartfelt, gritty comedy in which Ru stars as Robert Lee, better known as the drag queen Ruby Red, who — when faced with a broken heart and a stolen dream — meets a streetwise 10-year-old and assumes the role of de facto parent. RuPaul’s career achievements are, of course, both legion and legend, and include “The RuPaul Show,” “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” and RuPaul’s DragCon. Michael Patrick King's vast bod...
Jan 10, 2020•54 min•Season 1Ep. 28
Adam Driver joins the show to discuss his new film “Marriage Story,” from Academy Award nominated filmmaker Noah Baumbach, in which Driver plays Charlie, a husband and father navigating his marriage breaking up while trying to keep his family together. Starring opposite Scarlett Johansson, and alongside Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta, Driver delivers a stunning performance in a film that’s both incisive and compassionate. In the past decade, Driver has become that rare movie star that can...
Jan 07, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 27
America fell in love with Alan Alda as Hawkeye Pierce in the legendary show M*A*S*H, for which he received a staggering 25 Emmy nominations, winning 5 times. He’s also a three-time Tony award nominee, a best supporting Oscar nominee for Martin Scorsese’s “The Aviator,” and he has six Golden Globes to his name.But beyond his work in entertainment, Alda has devoted himself to innumerable avenues, including the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, writing his memoirs, and creating his own po...
Dec 16, 2019•46 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Jenny Slate joins the show to discuss her Netflix special “Stage Fright” -- which combines her stand-up with personal clips of her childhood and interviews with her family in an intimate look at her life -- and her New York Times bestseller, “Little Weirds." It’s been a significant year for the writer, actress, and comedian, who recently became engaged and is now enjoying a bi-coastal existence, splitting her time between Los Angeles and her bucolic home on the South Coast of Massachusetts. Slat...
Dec 10, 2019•45 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Academy Award nominated filmmaker Noah Baumbach joins the show to discuss his new film, the critically acclaimed “Marriage Story.” Starring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, and co-starring Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta, Baumbach’s film about a marriage breaking up and a family staying together is filled with honesty, humor, and compassion. Baumbach, now 50, began his writing and directing career in his twenties with the comedy “Kicking and Screaming,” and his films since then have inc...
Dec 05, 2019•39 min•Season 1Ep. 24
With his flawless comedic timing and instinct for capturing the frustrations of the everyman, Paul Rudd has carved a singular path in Hollywood, making audiences love him, root for him, and cringe for him in hits like “Clueless,” “Anchorman,” “Knocked Up,” and “I Love You, Man.” In addition to his comedy stardom, Rudd is now a bona fide action hero, having stepped into the Marvel universe in his forties as Ant-Man. In this episode, Rudd discusses the arc of his career, and he talks about his new...
Nov 27, 2019•45 min•Season 1Ep. 23
In this special episode, Oscar-winner Sir Anthony Hopkins joins the show (he prefers to be addressed as Tony), to discuss his new film “The Two Popes,” from Academy Award-nominated director Fernando Meirelles. Inspired by true events, the film is a fascinating tale of an unprecedented transfer of power in the Catholic Church. It follows the imagined conversations between two very different men about the role of the Church in a changing world — one a traditionalist (Hopkins as Pope Benedict), and...
Nov 21, 2019•46 min•Season 1Ep. 22
