Awards Chatter

Best known for his work as a director (he was half of the Merchant-Ivory team famous for its high-production-value literary adaptations), but poised to win his first Oscar for a screenplay (at 89, he'd be the oldest winner ever), he reflects on his late partner Ismail Merchant, his love of Italy and his two movies — 30 years apart — about young gay lovers. But first: Rebecca Ford, The Hollywood Reporter's awards editor, joins Scott to discuss BAFTA results, daunting stats for best picture Oscar nominees and the too-close-to-call best original song Oscar race. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most recognizable and admired big screen character actors of the last 30 years reflects on decades of juggling experimental theater and films, his unconventional face and why he so often lands in edgy projects like the one for which he recently received his third Oscar nom. But first: Adam Irving, a filmmaker who received a best first documentary feature Critics' Choice Documentary Award nom for his 2016 directorial debut 'Off the Rails,' joins Scott to discuss this year's Oscar snubs of 'Jane' and 'Kedi,' doc Oscar theories of Adam Benzine and Bryan Glick and the power of Netflix in the awards sphere. But first: Adam Irving, a filmmaker who received a best first documentary feature Critics' Choice Documentary Award nom for his 2016 directorial debut 'Off the Rails,' joins Scott to discuss this year's Oscar snubs of 'Jane' and 'Kedi,' doc Oscar theories of Adam Benzine and Bryan Glick and the power of Netflix in the awards sphere. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matth

The youngest best actor Oscar nominee in 78 years — who is just 22 — reflects on the importance of his public school arts education, his early work on TV ('Homeland') and in films ('Interstellar') and the making — and crazy aftermath — of three massively acclaimed films released in 2017. But first: Roger Durling, the executive director of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, joins Scott to discuss Santa Barbara's recovery from recent fires and mudslides, the fest's evolution during his 15 years on the job and highlights of the nominee-packed 33rd edition. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the top up-and-coming actresses in the business, who burst onto the scene in 2012 as Marnie on Lena Dunham’s HBO series 'Girls,' talks about emerging from her famous father's shadow, landing her breakout part despite her refusal to do on-screen nudity and holding out for years for the ideal debut film role until Jordan Peele's script came along — as a result of her starring role in NBC's 'Peter Pan Live!,' of all things — and she knew it was the one. But first: Matthew Belloni, The Hollywood Reporter's editorial director, joins Scott to discuss the nominations for the 90th Oscars, Fox Searchlight's awkward post-noms predicament, snubs of the streaming services, how #MeToo could shape the results and why we may be underestimating 'Get Out.' Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Oscar and Grammy winning composer, who has masterfully scored some 150 films, reflects on his musical influences; how he began combining instruments and technology to produce new sounds; why he nearly passed on projects for which he later produced iconic work, including 'The Lion King'; and what is at the heart of his 13-year collaboration with Christopher Nolan. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded by Pete Orlanski and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The newly-minted Golden Globe and Critics' Choice winner for best actress in a comedy series reflects on a childhood divided between acting and wrestling, her Emmy-nominated turn on Netflix's 'House of Cards' and landing the role of a lifetime — as a 1950s New York housewife-turned-standup comedian — on Amazon's new dramedy, which has resonated with women and men of all ages. But first: The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival's Krystof Mucha (executive director) and Karel Och (artistic director) join Scott to discuss the past, present and future of their annual gathering, which stands alongside Cannes, Venice and Berlin as one of Europe’s truly great film festivals. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded by Dennis Schweitzer and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The legendary actor of stage and screen, who made his film debut 60 years ago and, at 88, is still going strong, reflects on why he long felt that being angry and drunk were musts for an actor, why he has conflicted feelings about 'The Sound of Music' and what it was like reshooting all of Kevin Spacey's scenes in nine days for Ridley Scott. But first: Rachel Morrison, a 39-year-old cinematographer, joins Scott to discuss the dearth of female practitioners of her craft, how it feels to know that most people will see a Netflix-distributed film on a small screen and what it has been like making history this season — she became the first woman ever to win the best cinematography New York Film Critics Circle Award and the first woman ever to be nominated for the American Society of Cinematographers' top award, and could soon become the first woman ever to be nominated for the best cinematography Oscar. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded by Matthew Whitehurst and Dennis Schweitzer and produced by Matthe

The 45th vice president of the United States discusses why, after the 2000 presidential election, he decided to devote himself, body and soul, to the cause of raising awareness about the threat of climate change and promoting ways of combating it before it’s too late for our planet; how he wound up the subject of the Oscar-winning 2006 doc 'An Inconvenient Truth' and its sequel 11 years later; and why he thinks Donald Trump needs to resign immediately. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the all-time most beloved and respected film actors reflects on his tumultuous childhood and becoming a dad at 21; why, in the years after 'Big' made him a star, he grew tired of playing "pussies," and how he managed a remarkable career reinvention capped by Oscars in back-to-back years; and what it was like making a period piece about obstacles faced by women in the workplace and journalists standing up to a hostile president at a time when those issues are front and center again. But first: Bob Gazzale, the president and CEO of the American Film Institute, joins Scott to discuss the organization's 50-year history, its "all-time 100 greatest" lists and its recent AFI Awards ceremony honoring 2017's top 10 films and top 10 TV shows, as determined by AFI juries. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded by Ryan Gabos and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul," whose first album was released 25 years ago, and who has since won nine Grammys encompassing R&B, rap, pop and gospel songs, reflects on the pain that preceded the music, the struggles with substances that nearly cost her everything and the attraction to acting that led her to the part of a 1940s wife and mother on a Mississippi plantation, for which she has received widespread acclaim. But first: Thomas Doherty, Brandeis University professor of American Studies and noted film scholar, joins Scott to discuss historical precedents for the sexual misconduct scandal engulfing Hollywood, the rise of political correctness on college campuses and his next book, 'Show Trial: Hollywood, HUAC and the Birth of the Blacklist,' due out April 10. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded by Dennis Schweitzer and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The VP of original documentary and comedy programming for the world's leading streaming service discusses how she came to the company when it was still in the DVD-by-mail biz, how docs and comedy have evolved since and the stories behind her most lauded projects — including four doc features ('Chasing Coral', 'Icarus', 'One of Us' and 'Strong Island') and two doc shorts ('Heroin(e)' and 'Ram Dass, Going Home') that have been Oscar-shortlisted this season. But first: Alison Brower, THR's deputy editorial director, joins Scott to discuss her path to journalism, her prior work at women's magazines and THR's coverage of President Trump and Hollywood's sexual misconduct scandal. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The dashing Oscar nominee looks back on 25 years in the biz, from kid parts ('City Slickers') to teen roles ('Donnie Darko') to his first grown-up characters ('Brokeback Mountain'); lessons learned from the flop of 'Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time'; and how recalibrating his approach led to a streak of great performances ('Source Code,' 'End of Watch,' 'Prisoners,' 'Nightcrawler,' 'Southpaw,' 'Nocturnal Animals' and 'Stronger'). But first: Lynne Segall, EVP and group publisher of The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard, joins Scott to discuss THR's history and brand, how awards season impacts ad sales and what it was like following Tichi Wilkerson and Katharine Graham into publishing when few other women were in positions of power in media. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded by Ryan Gabos and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most powerful and influential people in the history of the music industry — a producer, A&R executive and record label chief who has been nicknamed "The Man with the Golden Ear" — reflects on his "epiphany" at the Monterey Pop Festival 50 years ago; discovering Janis Joplin, Bruce Sprinsteen and Whitney Houston, among many others; and how, at 85, he remains cool and in-tune with the culture. But first: Bryan Fogel, the director of the Oscar-shortlisted Netflix doc 'Icarus,' joins Scott to discuss how a movie about super-sizing himself morphed into an expose of Russian sports doping — and compelled the International Olympic Committee to ban Russia from the 2018 winter games in Pyeonchang. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arguably the finest screen actress of her generation reflects on her unlikely journey to 'Titanic' — in which she played her first leading role, at 21 — and the massive celebrity that came with its success; why, seven years later, 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' proved a career game-changer; and why she despised Harvey Weinstein long before the revelations about his sexual misconduct. But first: Dr. Ross Melnick, an associate professor of film and media studies at UC-Santa Barbara and and an expert on film exhibition (he's one of two 2017 Academy Film Scholars), about recent acquisitions of movie theater chains, closings of art-house movie theaters in America and how MoviePass actually works. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The woman who has co-produced every James Bond film of the last 22 years, with her step-brother and EON Productions partner Michael G. Wilson, grants a rare interview about the origin and evolution of the 007 franchise, how her own contributions to the films have grown over the years and why she spent 31 years fighting to produce her latest film — an adaptation of Peter Turner's memoir about his relationship with the actress Gloria Grahame — which was made on a far smaller scale than any Bond film, but means every bit as much to her. But first: Jeffrey Mantor of Larry Edmunds Bookshop and Nadine Vassallo of Book Soup join Scott to discuss the best Hollywood-related books of 2017 — and of all time. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the occasion of his first foray into directing, the greatest screenwriter of the last 25 years — for screens small ('The West Wing') and big ('The Social Network') — opens up about his unlikely journey from actor/bartender to writer, dissects his strengths (dialogue) and weaknesses (story) and opens up about past controversies (drugs, the Sony hack) and criticsms (how he handles female characters). But first: THR reviews editor Jon Frosch joins Scott to discuss critics' feelings about 2017 films, including how he and other members of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association recently arrived at their picks for the 43rd LAFCA Awards. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most famous, accomplished, beautiful and enigmatic women in the world opens up about her love-hate relationship with acting (and how her choice of roles has been impacted by her rollercoaster of a personal life), her gravitation toward directing (her fourth directorial effort, a Khmer-language drama, is Cambodia's entry in this season's best foreign-language film Oscar race) and why being a mom — of six — and a humanitarian means more to her than anything else. But first: 91-year-old Marcia Nasatir, who, in 1974, became the first female VP at a Hollywood studio, reflects on the progress that women in film have made since then, the causes and effects of sexual abuse in the business and why she urged United Artists to make 'The Star Wars' years before Fox did. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Mexican auteur reflects on the supernatural experiences that shaped him, lessons he learned from films that got derailed and why his latest work — "a musical-thriller-drama Douglas Sirk version of a monster movie" about "outsiders" striving to save "a filthy thing that came from South America" — is not only his favorite but "me, in my totality." But first: Annette Insdorf, a professor in the Graduate Film Program of Columbia University's School of the Arts, joins Scott to talk about her new book Cinematic Overtures: How to Read Opening Scenes, great opening scenes of 2017 films and the differences between Academy members in New York and LA. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The biggest star in Hollywood opens up about the evolution of her career and feelings about celebrity, the phone hack that left her feeling "gangbanged by the fucking planet" and her work with Darren Aronofsky on the most grueling and controversial movie of her career ("I kind of made it and broke it"). But first: Sid Ganis, the former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, joins Scott to talk about the organization's expulsion of Harvey Weinstein, the Disney-LA Times standoff, Ganis' favorite movies of 2017 and the new music doc he executive produced, 'BANG! The Bert Berns Story.' Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The multi-talented, enigmatic artist reflects on juggling filmmaking with college, graduate and Ph.D studies; how an epiphany during the making of 'Pineapple Express' made possible his Oscar-nominated performance in '127 Hours'; and why he's drawn to eccentrics like the one he played in 'Spring Breakers' and Tommy Wiseau. But first: Will Arnett, the popular comedy actor, joins Scott to talk about Louis C.K.'s fall from grace, voiceover acting, 'Arrested Development' and the animated feature 'The LEGO Batman Movie,' in which he voices Bruce Wayne/Batman. Credits: Hosted by Scott Feinberg, recorded and produced by Matthew Whitehurst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices