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.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Amanda Seyfried

Amanda Seyfried began her career as a teenager riding the bus back and forth between her hometown of Allentown, Pennsylvania and New York City for auditions. Then in 2004, she shot to fame in the hit movie Mean Girls playing the memorably ditzy Karen. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks to the star about her career since then, including roles in Mamma Mia! and Les Misérables , and her latest Oscar-nominated performance in the acclaimed film Mank .

Apr 11, 202147 min

Andra Day

Andra Day is a Grammy-nominated musician best known for her powerful anthem “Rise Up.” Recently, though, she has stunned Hollywood in her first ever movie after reluctantly accepting the lead role in The United States Vs. Billie Holiday . In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the star to talk about playing the jazz icon, a performance which has already earned her a Golden Globe award and an Oscar nomination.

Apr 04, 202140 min

Sharon Stone

In many ways, Sharon Stone is the very picture of a movie star – bursting onto the scene with her unforgettable performance in Basic Instinct and earning an Oscar nomination for her role in Casino . But around that success there has been a great deal of struggle. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Stone to talk about her journey from a small town in Pennsylvania to Hollywood’s A-List and her new book The Beauty of Living Twice about her near-death experience 20 year...

Mar 28, 20211 hr 8 min

Michael J. Fox (2020)

Michael J. Fox was just 29 years old and at the peak of his acting career when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, but he continued to work in movies and television before stepping away to create his now-famous research foundation. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Fox to talk about his new book “No Time Like the Future” in which he reveals a recent breaking point in his 30-year fight against the disease. (Original broadcast date: November 22, 2020)

Mar 21, 202142 min

Guy Fieri

Guy Fieri and his famous red Camaro have been a staple of the Food Network for over 15 years, as he built a vast collection of shows, products and restaurants around the world. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks to the star chef about building that empire and his fundraising efforts over the last year to feed frontline workers and help restaurant employees during the pandemic.

Mar 14, 20211 hr

Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler spent 7 seasons as one of the biggest stars on Saturday Night Live , followed by 7 more on the beloved NBC series Parks and Recreation . In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Poehler to discuss her journey to comedy stardom, hosting the Golden Globes with her friend, Tina Fey, and her buzzed-about new Netflix movie Moxie , which she directs and stars in.

Mar 07, 202154 min

Jim Gaffigan

Jim Gaffigan’s relatable, family-focused stand-up act has made him one of the biggest draws in comedy, with Forbes recently ranking him 3rd on the list of highest-earning comedians. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Gaffigan for a conversation about his 30 years in the industry and a lesson in his newest quarantine hobby: cross-country skiing.

Feb 28, 20211 hr 3 min

Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson is an American icon and music legend, winning 10 Grammy Awards over the course of his eight decades in the industry. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the country singer to talk about 80 years of music, including his latest album “That’s Life,” a tribute to his friend Frank Sinatra.

Feb 21, 202131 min

Kenan Thompson

Kenan Thompson is the longest-running cast member on Saturday Night Live , playing an endless range of characters and performing a record number of celebrity impressions throughout his 18 seasons on the show. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the actor and comedian to talk about pulling double duty with SNL and his new sitcom, Kenan , which films in Los Angeles.

Feb 14, 202132 min

Jared Leto

Jared Leto is known for his fully-immersive transformations in movies, including Dallas Buyers Club , Suicide Squad and his latest film, The Little Things , which just earned him a Golden Globe nomination. In this week’s "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist talks to the actor about working on that movie alongside one of his heroes, Denzel Washington, and his other career as a rock star in the band 30 Seconds to Mars .

Feb 07, 202133 min

Dax Shepard

You might call Dax Shepard an unlikely Hollywood star, and he’d probably agree with you. He grew up outside Detroit and moved to Los Angeles for college, where he spent over a decade struggling as an actor before his big break. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the actor to talk about that journey to stardom, his latest dream job on Top Gear America and his wildly popular podcast “Armchair Expert.”

Jan 31, 202143 min

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson was just 21 years old when she won a Golden Globe for her role in Almost Famous . In the two decades since, she has starred in a run of romantic comedies, launched a successful athleisure brand and raised three children ranging in age from toddler to teenager. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Hudson for a virtual conversation about her life and career, and what quarantine has been like with those three kids.

Jan 24, 202144 min

Rob Lowe

Rob Lowe was just 18 years old when Francis Ford Coppola cast him in the 1983 movie The Outsiders, and he quickly became a fixture of 1980’s Hollywood. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Lowe to talk about the pitfalls that came with that early success and how it propelled a run of nearly 40 years on screen, including in his latest show 9-1-1: Lone Star .

Jan 17, 202127 min

Rachel Brosnahan

Rachel Brosnahan’s performance in the hit series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has earned her an Emmy, two Golden Globe Awards and international recognition as the spirited stand-up comic, Midge. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Brosnahan in New York City to talk about filming that show in the place she calls home and her buzzed-about performance in the new film I’m Your Woman .

Jan 15, 202129 min

Gal Gadot

Gal Gadot was ready to walk away from show business before she teamed up with director Patty Jenkins on the blockbuster movie Wonder Woman , which became a cultural phenomenon and made Gadot a role model for women and girls around the world. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Gadot for a virtual conversation about the film’s highly-anticipated sequel, Wonder Woman 1984 .

Dec 27, 202023 min

Taraji P. Henson

Taraji P. Henson is synonymous with Cookie Lyon, the unforgettable matriarch she played on the hit series Empire which earned her a Golden Globe award. But she has also won praise her performances in films like Hustle & Flow , Hidden Figures and The Curious Case of Benjamin Butto n. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Henson over Zoom to talk about a different kind of project – her new Facebook Watch series Peace of Mind with Taraji , where she hosts open, honest...

Dec 20, 202025 min

Bryan Cranston

Bryan Cranston earned four Emmy Awards for his role as Walter White on Breaking Bad , which is widely regarded as one of the best shows in the history of television. Since the series ended in 2013, he has won a pair of Tony Awards and earned an Oscar nomination for his leading role in Trumbo . In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Cranston over Zoom to discuss his latest series Your Honor , the legacy of Breaking Bad, and how he always finds himself playing the part of...

Dec 13, 202031 min

Keegan-Michael Key

You may know Keegan-Michael Key as one half of the comedy duo “Key and Peele” or as President Obama’s anger translator, Luther. But Key has recently found his way back to the dramatic acting that interested him back in high school, and he is now starring opposite Meryl Streep in the new Netflix movie musical The Prom . In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the actor over Zoom to talk about his road from drama class to the big screen, and his 16-year detour into comedy....

Dec 06, 202032 min

Al Pacino (2020)

The name Al Pacino calls to mind some of the most memorable performances in the history of film, from The Godfather and Scarface to Scent of a Woman and Heat . In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the Hollywood icon to talk about his legendary career, including his Oscar-nominated performance in The Irishman and his Amazon series Hunters . Plus Willie takes Al for a cruise around Beverly Hills in a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado. (Original broadcast date: February 23, 2020)...

Nov 29, 20201 hr 17 min

Michael J. Fox

Michael J. Fox was just 29 years old and at the peak of his acting career when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, but he continued to work in movies and television before stepping away to create his now-famous research foundation. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Fox to talk about his new book “No Time Like the Future” in which he reveals a recent breaking point in his 30-year fight against the disease.

Nov 22, 202042 min

Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton grew up in a small cabin in Tennessee with no running water or electricity, but she climbed her way to the top of the music world and American culture over the course of an iconic career. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Dolly to talk about her latest Christmas album, her new Netflix film and her upcoming book about the stories behind her greatest hits.

Nov 15, 202033 min

Chris Stapleton

20 years ago, Chris Stapleton left his small hometown in Kentucky and moved to Nashville to chase his dream of being a songwriter. Five years ago, the dream got bigger when he released his own album, won a pair of Grammy Awards, and established himself as one of the most distinctive voices in all of music. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together virtually with the country star to talk about that journey and his latest album, Starting Over .

Nov 08, 202045 min

Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey is known for his free-spirited, easy-going philosophy on life, as embodied in his famous catchphrase “Alright, Alright, Alright.” The actor first uttered those words in the movie Dazed and Confused and they have followed him through a long career in Hollywood, from romantic comedies to TV series to an Academy Award for Dallas Buyers Club. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with McConaughey over Zoom to talk about that journey, and what it was like to ...

Nov 01, 202040 min

Drew Barrymore (2020)

Drew Barrymore has spent almost her entire life in the public eye, starting with her breakthrough role in E.T. at just 7 years old and continuing over four decades of acting, producing and directing. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the Hollywood star to talk about her long career in the spotlight and making the transition into daytime television with her new talk show “The Drew Barrymore Show.”

Oct 25, 202037 min

Lorne Michaels

45 years ago, a new era of American comedy began with the premiere of Saturday Night Live and a young producer named Lorne Michaels calling the shots. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the SNL creator and executive producer in famed Studio 8H to talk about the show’s legacy, and how they put on a live production in the middle of both a pandemic and a presidential election.

Oct 18, 202029 min

Ina Garten (2020)

Ina Garten has spent the last seven months of the pandemic at her home in East Hampton, trying out recipes for her new cookbook Modern Comfort Food with her husband Jeffrey as the lucky taste-tester. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the Barefoot Contessa for a virtual catch-up to talk about that new book and what it’s like to film her cooking show by herself at home. Plus Jeffrey and Willie’s wife Christina make a special appearance, as the couples get together fo...

Oct 04, 202042 min

John Cusack

John Cusack has been on our screens for the better part of four decades, first in movies like Better Off Dead and Say Anything and later starring in classics like Grosse Pointe Blank and Being John Malkovich . In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the actor over Zoom to talk about that long career of memorable roles and his latest shift into television with the new Amazon Prime series Utopia .

Sep 27, 202037 min

DJ Khaled

DJ Khaled has made a name for himself in the music industry with his infectious beats and famous collaborators, but he’s also known for his relentless hustle, positivity, and self-confidence. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the radio DJ turned hip hop mogul to talk about his rise to the heights of music, his latest album, and what life has been like in quarantine with his wife and two young sons.

Sep 20, 202043 min

Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson won the first season of American Idol nearly 18 years ago, and since then she has sold more than 45 million albums and won 3 Grammy Awards with her powerful voice. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the singer to talk about her transition into hosting a daytime talk show, her new music, and what life has been like during quarantine.

Sep 13, 202040 min

Mary J. Blige

The groundbreaking career of Mary J. Blige is all the more impressive when you consider she escaped a troubled childhood in the projects of Yonkers, New York and was discovered while doing karaoke at a local mall. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks to the Grammy winner about her journey since then including her debut album “What’s the 411?,” the new music she’s been writing during quarantine and her latest venture into the world of wine.

Sep 06, 202025 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android
Open in Metacast