Awards Chatter

In front of an audience at the Virginia Film Festival, the legendary actress who is one of only 10 living winners of the triple crown of acting — she has won two Oscars, three Emmys and a Tony — reflects on being cast out of nowhere in 'King Kong'; turning around her career with 'The Postman Always Rings Twice,' 'Frances' and 'Tootsie'; why 'Grey Gardens' and 'American Horror Story' reinvigorated her; and why she'd be content if her latest role — as Mary Tyrone, who she'd previously played on stage — ends up being her last.

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In front of an audience at Chapman University, the breakout multi-hyphenate reflects on the breakup that blew up his personal and professional life, but after which he began to find success; his mixed-feelings about his early work on social media (COVID-era publicist for banana bread) and TV ('English Teacher' and 'I Love LA'); and what inspired him to write, direct and star in a film about a party promoter who stays too long at the party (which became a sensation at and the year's biggest sale out of Cannes — $17 million).

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In front of an audience at the Newport Beach Film Festival, the legendary playwright/screenwriter-turned-director reflects on the art of writing great opening and courtroom scenes, the challenges and frustrations of directing, and what it was like revisiting the topic of Facebook 16 years after 'The Social Network.'

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In front of an audience at Chapman University, the 25-year-old actress, who shot to the top of Hollywood's A-list after her $750,000 indie horror flick grossed more than $500 million, reflects on her path to the role of Nikki Freeman; the making of the film, including scenes that were shot but cut; how she is processing sudden fame; and details about what's next, including the role of Rogue in Marvel's reboot of 'X-Men.'

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The gifted Irish actor best known for 'Sherlock,' 'Fleabag,' 'Ripley' and 'All of Us Strangers' reflects on how a childhood lisp led him to acting; the impact on his career of his 2013 decision to publicly come out as gay; how he handled the sudden interest in him after playing the "hot priest" opposite Phoebe Waller-Bridge; and why he was so drawn to the story of 'Chariots of Fire' actor Ian Charleson that he signed on not only to play the man in 'Elsinore' but also to produce that film about the remarkable final chapter of Charleson's life.<...

In front of an audience at Chapman University, the veteran character actor and activist for Latino representation in Hollywood reflects on how he discovered comedy and acting; the challenges of breaking into the biz as a Latino in the '90s, and how they led him to make six solo stage shows; and why it means so much to him to be a part of Christopher Nolan's non-traditionally-cast epic, for which his performance as Eumaeus has garnered him raves.

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In front of an audience at 1 Hotel Toronto during the Toronto International Film Festival, the first Spanish actress to win an Oscar reflects on her path to acting and Pedro Almodóvar, building a career on both sides of the Atlantic, and how she crafted award-worthy performances in no fewer than three 2026 films.

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In front of an audience at Chapman University, the revered Emmy-nominated actress reflects on how a decade of unsuccessful auditions paved the way for her casting on 'Better Call Saul,' how she reacted to learning that Vince Gilligan had written 'Pluribus' for her, and why playing Carol Sturka on that hit Apple TV show is both the most challenging and rewarding job she has ever had.

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The consummate character actor reflects on how he landed and approached his star-making part of Ron Swanson on the comedy series 'Parks and Recreation,' why he relished playing a dramatic part on 'The Last of Us' en route to an Emmy, and how he tackled the two parts for which he's Emmy-nominated this year: a corrupt drunk who winds up as vice president and a former pro wrestler/recovering addict trying to reconnect with his daughter.

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One of the hottest young actresses in Hollywood, who at just 30 already has Tony and Emmy noms to her name, reflects on her Broadway breakthrough in 'Stereophonic,' the most Tony-nominated play ever; the challenges of playing Carolyn Bessette, one-half of a couple who lived and died in the public eye, in an FX limited series; and the oddness of suddenly, through playing Bessette, losing her anonymity, just like Bessette did.

the challenges of landing and playing her breakthrough role, as Carolyn Bessette; and

And her Emmy nom, for...

The longtime actor, now experiencing newfound appreciation for his portrayal of Dr. Jack Abbot on TV's top drama, reflects on starting in the biz in his teens; his special relationship with TV creator John Wells, which spans 20 years and five projects (including 'ER,' 'Southland,' 'Animal Kingdom' and 'The Pitt'); and how he feels about calls for a 'Pitt'-spinoff about the titular hospital's night shift.

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The beloved actress/writer reflects on the huge influence of The Groundlings on her career, how being fired from 'Frasier' and taking a small part on 'Mad About You' paved the way for her being cast as Phoebe Buffay on 'Friends,' and why her post-'Friends' journey playing fictional actress Valerie Cherish has been "in some ways the highlight" of her career.

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In front of an audience at the Burbank International Film Festival, the legendary standup and late night host reflects on his ascent from sleeping in an alley near the Hollywood Improv to succeeding Johnny Carson at 'The Tonight Show,' his complicated relationships with David Letterman and Conan O'Brien, and how Donald Trump has changed late night shows.

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The hugely inventive young Japanese-born director and producer reflects on how he began his career making music videos and installations, and then transitioned to longer-form projects; his special friendship and collaboration with Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino, which includes 'Atlanta,' 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith,' 'Guava Island' and 'This Is America'; and why Katie Dippold recruited him to help her build the world of a comedy/horror show about a fictional New England island town — which is now nominated for 19 Emmys!

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The actor and rising star who plays Dr. Langdon on HBO Max's Emmy-winning drama series reflects on the years of personal and professional ups and downs that preceded him landing that role at 35; how his theater experience, real-life dynamic with Noah Wyle and battles with addiction have shaped his performance; and why he has returned to the stage even while shooting the TV show.

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The Emmy and Tony-nominated character actor reflects on his decades of struggle prior to landing 'Stranger Things,' and the toll that both anonymity and fame took on his mental health; why, for his first post-'Stranger Things' project, he was drawn to producing and starring in an HBO limited series that raises questions about present-day masculinity, for which he is now a double Emmy nominee; and what's next for him, including a reunion with his 'Stranger Things' costar Millie Bobby Brown.

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In front of an audience at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the master cinematographer best known for his collaborations with Oliver Stone (12), Martin Scorsese (7) and Quentin Tarantino (5) reflects on how problems with hearing may have heightened his sight; how he worked with different cameras and film stocks on 'JFK,' cranes on 'Casino,' top-light on 'Kill Bill,' digital and 3D on 'Hugo' and ultra-wide on 'The Hateful Eight'; and Jana Hojdová's new documentary about his life and work.

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The revered British writer on film — a critic, historian and author of more than 40 books, most famously one first published in 1975 under the title ‘A Biographical Dictionary of the Cinema’ and updated and reissued five times since as ‘The New Biographical Dictionary of Film’ — reflects on how a childhood stammer led to his fascination with words and desire to speak out; the happy accidents that led to his dictionary, and why there won’t be a seventh edition; and why he believes — and asserts in his latest book, out July 7 — that the proliferation of anti-heroes on screens big and small may have led t...

The second generation writer/director behind some of the most envelope-pushing and polarizing small and big screen projects of the last decade — among them 'Malcolm & Marie,' 'The Idol' and his HBO drama series that catapulted Zendaya, Jacob Elordi and Sydney Sweeney onto Hollywood's A-list — reflects on his own battle with addiction, "social media mobs" and the real-life tragedies that shaped his show's third and final season.

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The stunning and versatile actress reflects on how modeling led her to acting via a 1996 magazine cover; the challenge of finding multi-dimensional parts even as she rose to prominence in horror (two 'Final Destination' and three 'Resident Evil' films), comedy ('Legally Blonde') and superhero ('Heroes') projects; and why the part of Angela Norris opposite Billy Bob Thornton in Taylor Sheridan's dramedy series is a dream come true.

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In front of an audience at Chapman University, the former child actor-turned-multi-hyphenate reflects on his five years of work in front of and behind the camera on 'Ozark,' the unanticipated success of his — and Will Arnett and Sean Hayes' — podcast 'SmartLess,' and stepping outside his acting comfort zone on two limited series over the past year.

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The chameleonic character actor reflects on the importance of his college training and getting sober, his career-changing turn as the bipolar brother of Laura Linney's character on 'Ozark' and how becoming a parent with wife Kaley Cuoco helped to prepare him for his role of a lifetime opposite Mark Ruffalo in Brad Ingelsby's follow-up to 'Mare of Easttown.'

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In front of an audience at the Newport Beach TV Fest, the prolific multi-hyphenate reflects on the evolution of his interests in animation, comedy and music; the longevity and future of 'Family Guy'; and why he insisted upon expensive CGI for Peacock's adaptation of his films about a foul-mouthed teddy bear.

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The trailblazing standup comedian, actress and writer, whose seventh hourlong comedy special recently dropped on Netflix, reflects on why she left a job at the NSA at the age of 27 to pursue standup, how her comedy changed after she divorced her husband and came out as gay, and what she makes of "cancel culture."

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The actor, writer, director and producer, who is best known for playing emergency room doctors on two Emmy-winning drama series 16 years apart, reflects on the pros and cons of landing his big break at 22, the creative frustrations and rewards of the years between Dr. Carter and Dr. Robinavitch, how COVID sparked the conversations that led to a reunion with 'ER' showrunner John Wells and writer R. Scott Gemmill, and what it’s like to now be back at the center of the cultural conversation after so many years away from it.

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In front of an audience at the Newport Beach TV Fest, the trailblazing writer/director/producer/actress reflects on her time on 'The Office' and how it shaped the series she subsequently created, including 'The Mindy Project,' 'Never Have I Ever' and 'The Sex Lives of College Girls'; the sense of responsibility and pressure that comes with being an American-Indian creator and making shows with American-Indian protagonists; and why she has enjoyed working strictly behind the camera on her most recent series.

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Six Broadway standouts — nominated this year for 'The Lost Boys,' 'Fallen Angels,' 'Ragtime,' 'Giant,' 'Death of a Salesman' and 'Titaníque,' respectively — discuss the challenges and rewards of working on the Great White Way.

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The ultimate character actor — and guide to Italy’s food and culture — reflects on early-career frustration with being asked to portray stereotypes of Italian-Americans, and how it led him to his breakout film 'Big Night'; the pros and cons of a career in which he has tended to play small parts in large projects and large parts in small projects; and the little-known story of how his food-centric shows, for which he has won three Emmys, grew out of a battle with oral cancer that forced him to eat his own food through a tube.

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In front of an audience at Meta House during the Cannes Film Festival, the celebrated comedy actress reflects on how a bruising experience at 'SNL' inadvertently led to 'Seinfeld,' why 'Veep' was such a different and exciting acting challenge, and what led her to a new animated film in which she provides the voice of a wife and mother who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

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In front of an audience in the Campari Lounge at the Cannes Film Festival, the Oscar-nominated German actress, who is in the midst of one of the great years in film history, reflects on her breakthrough roles in 'Toni Erdmann,' 'Anatomy of a Fall' and 'The Zone of Interest'; how she approaches art house projects, like those she accompanied to Berlin and Cannes this year, versus studio films, like her recent collab with Ryan Gosling; and why she is so excited for people to see Alejandro González Iñárritu's 'Digger,' in which she stars opposite Tom Cru...

In front of an audience of students at Chapman University, the 32-year-old veteran actress reflects on child stardom and what she learned from co-stars like Sean Penn, Denzel Washington and Tom Cruise; how she navigated growing up, on screen and off; and why she has done some of her best work yet in limited series, including 'The Alienist,' 'Ripley,' 'The Perfect Couple' and, most recently, Peacock's show about the kidnapping of a child.

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In front of an audience of students at Chapman University, the legendary Broadway star — who has been nominated for and won more acting Tonys than anyone else — and TV character actress reflects on the early struggles that led her to attempt suicide, finding her voice and confidence on stage, overcoming her fear of screen acting and, most recently, highlighting a little-known chapter of Black history on three seasons of Julian Fellowes' critically-acclaimed HBO drama series.

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In front of an audience at the Napa Valley StreamFest, one of TV's most prolific creators reflects on being fired early in his career from 'Boy Meet World,' 'The Nanny' and 'Friends,' how he wound up co-creating and running 'Spin City' while in his 20s, the happy accidents that led to 'Scrubs' and 'Ted Lasso,' and why his Apple TV Emmy contender is being extended beyond its original three-season plan.

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In front of an audience at the Napa Valley StreamFest, the legendary TV actress and breakthrough film director reflects on following her late mom Jayne Mansfield into the business; playing sex crimes investigator Olivia Benson for 27 years and counting (making her the longest-running character in an American primetime live-action show); and exploring her complicated personal history in a 2025 HBO doc that is now eligible for an Emmy.

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In front of an audience at the Boulder International Film Festival, the veteran star of screens big ('The Hunt for Red October' and 'The Cooler') and small ('30 Rock' and 'SNL') reflects on how he stumbled into acting, what forced his pivot from leading man to character parts, how we wound up impersonating Trump and what his life has been like since the tragic accident that claimed the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of 'Rust' in 2021.

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The legendary star reflects on how clinical depression led him to acting, the unlikely ways he broke into the movies and was cast in 'Star Wars,' why he long yearned to escape "leading man" roles and to play "character parts" and why he so loves his current challenge of playing an acerbic psychotherapist battling Parkinson's disease on Apple TV's Emmy-nominated comedy.

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The Oscar-winning producer of films like 'Chariots of Fire,' 'Local Hero,' 'The Killing Fields' and 'The Mission,' who was once described by the New York Times as "the white knight of the British film industry," and who later became the first non-American to run a Hollywood studio, reflects on his path from school dropout to ad industry phenom to filmmaking; why he so often bet on first-time directors, non-star actors and character-driven dramas; and his brief and turbulent time running Columbia Pictures.

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In front of an audience at Chapman University, the co-chairs/co-CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group reflect on their paths through the business as producers and execs over the last three decades; their crazy 2025, during which they went from almost losing their jobs to presiding over one of the most successful years any studio has ever had; and what it's like being behind both horses in a two-horse best picture Oscar race, 'Sinners' and 'One Battle After Another.'

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The legendary punk and rock singer/songwriter, who was a key part of the MTV-driven “Second British Invasion” back in the ’80s and has been a major figure on the global music scene ever since, reflects on coming to America, his greatest hits and the new documentary about his rollercoaster journey.

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In front of an audience at Chapman University, the celebrated Danish-Norwegian writer and director reflects on his family's history in film; what led to his celebrated "Oslo trilogy" of 'Reprise,' 'Oslo, August 31st' and 'The Worst Person in the World'; and why he decided "tenderness is the new punk" en route to his latest film, which is nominated for nine Oscars — more than all but three other non-English-language films in history — including best picture, international feature and, for him personally, director and original screenplay.

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