Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist - podcast cover

Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist

Willie Geist, Sunday TODAYwww.nbcnews.com
NBC's "Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist" provides sharp, conversational coverage of the day's news, along with in-depth profiles of the people and ideas shaping our culture. In his “Sunday Sitdowns,” Geist chats with some of the biggest names in news and pop culture, from actors and musicians to presidents and CEOs, about the stories behind their success. This podcast features the full, unedited versions of those conversations for an even deeper look at the names in the headlines. "Sunday TODAY" airs live on NBC from 8 a.m. - 9 a.m. ET. Check your local listings.
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Episodes

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson’s breakthrough in the cult classic “Pulp Fiction” came at the age of 45, after he had already lived a full life both professionally and personally. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks to the legendary actor about his prolific movie career since then and the road to becoming the most bankable star in Hollywood. He also opens up about his latest project – bringing the iconic role of “Shaft” back to the big screen.

Jun 16, 201938 min

ICYMI: Ina Garten

Ina Garten is a beloved chef in part because she seems like one of us – she has no formal training and she taught herself how to make a great meal by experimenting with cookbooks. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist travels to the Hamptons for lunch with the television host and bestselling author to talk about her life before “The Barefoot Contessa,” her down-to-earth approach in the kitchen, and the release of her 11th cookbook “Cook Like a Pro.” (Original broadcast date: October 28, ...

Jun 09, 201939 min

Bill Hader

Bill Hader’s rise to stardom began behind the scenes on movies and TV sets, before he took an improv class and quickly made the leap to “Saturday Night Live.” In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks to the actor and comedian about what he calls his journey from "preschool to Harvard,” his Emmy-winning HBO series “Barry,” and his lifelong dream to meet the subject of his most famous impression: “Dateline” correspondent Keith Morrison.

Jun 02, 201956 min

Olivia Wilde

You may be accustomed to seeing Olivia Wilde in front of the camera, but the Hollywood star has recently taken her talents behind the scenes. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist chats with the actress about her directorial debut in the hit new film “Booksmart,” her experience learning from some A-list directors, and the push to give more women similar opportunities behind the camera.

May 26, 201942 min

David Letterman

Almost exactly four years ago, David Letterman signed off his show for the last time, after 33 years that revolutionized late-night television. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist chats with the iconic TV host about his relatively quiet lifestyle since leaving that role, the second season of his hit Netflix show "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction," and the state of comedy in today’s political climate.

May 19, 201949 min

Keanu Reeves

Keanu Reeves has been a Hollywood star for the past 30 years since "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" broke through the box office and put him on the map. He has made his name starring in big movies like "The Matrix," "Speed" and "Point Break." Through it all, Reeves has stayed grounded and kept his personal life private. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown" Willie Geist talks with the actor about his latest movie "John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum," his long career in Hollywood and everything in b...

May 12, 201942 min

Bill Geist

In this special episode of "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist sits down with his dad, Bill Geist, to talk about his new book "Lake of the Ozarks." It's a hilarious memoir nearly 40 years in the making about Bill's teenage summers working at his Uncle Ed's Arrowhead Lodge in Missouri. He talks about how the characters he encountered there shaped his sense of humor and led to a 31-year career covering unique stories for CBS.

May 08, 201945 min

Viola Davis

Viola Davis’ journey to the top of Hollywood’s A-list began on a former plantation in South Carolina, where she was born. She moved to Rhode Island at a young age and grew up poor, but found her way out through acting. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks to the actress about her extraordinary life and career, as well as a new project that’s close to her heart - a documentary about the diabetes crisis in the United States.

May 05, 201944 min

Jeremy Renner

At this point, you've probably already seen "Avengers: Endgame," the highly-anticipated twenty-second installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Willie Geist talks to one of the stars of the film, Jeremy Renner, about his role as one of the six original Avengers, Hawkeye. They also talk about the evolution of his career, from Oscar-nominated leading man to new ventures in music and home remodeling.

Apr 28, 201936 min

Shaquille O'Neal

NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most dominant athletes in the history of sports. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the basketball legend to talk about his success on and off the court, including his second act as a prolific businessman and analyst on “Inside the NBA.”

Apr 21, 201948 min

Kit Harington

Even if you haven’t kept up with the HBO show “Game of Thrones” since its debut in 2011, there’s no avoiding the cultural phenomenon based on the books of George R.R. Martin. At the center of it all is the heroic Jon Snow, played by Kit Harington. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks with Harington about the show's highly anticipated final season and what it will be like to say goodbye to the series that launched his career, introduced him to his wife and changed his life forever....

Apr 14, 201935 min

Danny DeVito

After a nearly 50-year run in Hollywood, Danny DeVito is the kind of star with generations of fans. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks to the actor and Oscar-nominee about that lengthy career, from his first big role in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” to “Taxi,” “Twins,” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” as well as his latest performance in the new live-action version of the Disney classic “Dumbo.”

Apr 07, 201939 min

Tracy Morgan

Tracy Morgan rose to the heights of comedy from the depths of poverty, growing up between Brooklyn and the Bronx. But five years ago, he nearly died in a horrific accident when the van he was riding in was crushed by a speeding tractor trailer. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks to the former Saturday Night Live star about that accident and how it changed him, his return to comedy, and the newest season of his hit show “The Last O.G."

Mar 31, 201944 min

Lupita Nyong'o

In Jordan Peele’s highly-anticipated new horror film “Us,” Lupita Nyong’o plays both the hero and the monster. It’s a new genre for the 36-year-old actress who starred in last year’s cultural phenomenon “Black Panther” and won an Academy Award in 2014 for her performance in “12 Years a Slave.” In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks to Nyong’o about her journey from Kenya to Yale Drama School to the Oscars stage, and the whirlwind 6 years she’s had since then.

Mar 24, 201940 min

Woody Harrelson

Over a 35-year career in Hollywood, Woody Harrelson has remained Woody: the one-of-a-kind guy you want to hang out with. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the legendary actor in Austin, Texas to talk about his long run in show business, from the early years on “Cheers” to big budget turns in “The Hunger Games” to his latest Netflix film “The Highwaymen,” and he opens up about his biggest influences along the way.

Mar 17, 201930 min

Brie Larson

This weekend Brie Larson arrives as “Captain Marvel,” starring in the first solo, female-led film from the storied Marvel universe. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist chats with the 29-year-old actress about the training and physical transformation she underwent for that role, how winning the Best Actress Oscar for “Room” catapulted her career, and what’s next on her bucket list.

Mar 10, 201933 min

ICYMI: Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt had never starred in a movie with husband John Krasinski until the two worked together on the horror film “A Quiet Place,” which Krasinski also directed and co-wrote. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," the British actress talks to Willie Geist about working with her husband as well as what it’s like to have the stamp of approval from "The Devil Wears Prada” co-star Meryl Streep and the original Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews.

Feb 24, 201929 min

Liam Hemsworth

Liam Hemsworth is the youngest of the famous Hemsworth brothers, best known for starring with Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” movies and for his recent marriage to Miley Cyrus. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist chats with the Australian actor about the legendary brother fights in his household growing up, and later fighting his brother Chris for the role of “Thor.” Liam also discusses trying his hand at comedy in the new movie “Isn’t it Romantic.”

Feb 17, 201927 min

Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper is one of the biggest actors in Hollywood right now thanks to the success of his Oscar-nominated film "A Star is Born," which he both directed and stars in. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” the seven-time Oscar nominee talks to Willie Geist about the making of that film, what is was like to work alongside Lady Gaga, and when he first fell in love with movies and directing. He also opens up about his supportive mom and how his late father would react to his success in Hollywood....

Feb 10, 201931 min

Amy Adams

Amy Adams is one of the most respected actors in Hollywood with six Academy Award nominations over the years in movies like “The Fighter” and “American Hustle.” In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist chats with the actress about her latest Oscar nomination for the film “Vice,” where she plays former Vice President Dick Cheney’s wife, Lynne. She also talks about her journey from childhood in Colorado to performing dinner theater in Minnesota to making it big in Hollywood, and why she choos...

Feb 03, 201934 min

William H. Macy

When people think of William H. Macy, they often think of his Oscar-nominated performance in the movie “Fargo” or his nine-season run on the hit TV show “Shameless.” In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist chats with the actor about those iconic roles, as well as many others he’s had throughout a long career in Hollywood. He also opens up about the man who was the biggest influence on his career and the secret to his 21-year marriage to fellow actor Felicity Huffman.

Jan 27, 201941 min

Andy Samberg

Andy Samberg arrived at Saturday Night Live as a Featured Player in the fall of 2005, and within a couple of months he shook up the legendary show and brought it into the digital age. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks to the SNL alum about his time on the show and those infamous digital shorts that he produced with his comedy group “The Lonely Island.” Samberg also talks about the new season of his hit NBC comedy “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and the fans who kept the show alive after i...

Jan 21, 201943 min

Natalie Portman

This year will mark the 25th anniversary of Natalie Portman’s film debut in “Léon: The Professional,” where she played a 12-year-old child assassin. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks with the Israeli-born actress about the ups and downs of her long career since then, which included a four-year break to earn a degree from Harvard. She also opens up about the dark role she takes on in her latest film, “Vox Lux.”

Jan 13, 201934 min

Margot Robbie

Last January, Margot Robbie was racking up nominations for her performance in the hit movie “I, Tonya.” She was also uniting with other women in Hollywood to wear black on the Golden Globes red carpet in support of the newly created “Time’s Up” movement. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks with the Australian actress about the one year anniversary of that movement's launch, running her own production company, and her latest performance as Queen Elizabeth I in the film “Mary Queen...

Jan 06, 201927 min

Jennifer Lopez

In 2001, Jennifer Lopez became the first artist in history to have America’s #1 movie and #1 album in the same week. Since then, she has added a clothing line, perfume, and a production company to her empire. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks with the superstar about building that empire, her rise to stardom, and the critics she’s faced along the way.

Dec 23, 201828 min

Jerry Seinfeld

It’s been more than 20 years since “Seinfeld” left the air as the #1 show on television. Since then, Jerry Seinfeld has continued the career of a stand-up comedian that started when he was just a 20-year-old from Long Island. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist chats with the comedy legend about that lengthy career, why he still loves the craft of writing jokes, and his latest residency at the Beacon Theater in New York City.

Dec 16, 201846 min

Ben Stiller

Ben Stiller is known for a great run of comedy hits, including “There’s Something About Mary,” “Meet the Parents,” and “Zoolander.” In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks with the actor about that long career, as well as his latest project behind the camera, directing the dramatic new Showtime series “Escape at Dannemora.”

Dec 09, 201856 min

Benedict Cumberbatch

Oscar-nominated actor Benedict Cumberbatch has inspired a worldwide phenomenon known as “Cumbermania,” but long before his army of fans began to sweep the globe, Cumberbatch was a successful stage actor in the UK. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown” Willie Geist chats with British actor about his rise to fame, from his on-screen breakthrough in “Sherlock” to his latest, more family-friendly role as “The Grinch,” and the reputation he has built as one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood....

Dec 02, 201835 min

Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman is often considered to be the nicest guy in Hollywood, and it’s easy to see why. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks to the actor about his wide-ranging career spanning from Wolverine to “The Greatest Showman,” his love of the stage, and his starring role as Gary Hart in the new film “The Front Runner” about the former politician’s scandal-rocked presidential run.

Nov 25, 201846 min
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