Dacre Montgomery chats Dead Man's Wire, working with Gus Van Sant, life after Stranger Things and just how to pronounce his name.  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when your own eyes and ears become a weapon against you? This week, Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott is joined by Simu Liu (Shang-Chi) and Melissa Barrera (Scream, Abigail) to declassify their mind-bending new Peacock series, The Copenhagen Test. (It’s seriously so good!)   (And yes, Simu was asked about Oh, Mary!)   Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott sits down with the legendary Stephen Lang to discuss the next chapter of the Avatar saga. Known for his powerhouse portrayal of Colonel Miles Quaritch, Lang takes us behind the scenes of the upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ash and reveals how the shifting landscape of Pandora is changing the man we thought we knew.  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yes, Asher Grodman is a two-time Critics Choice nominee for his performance as Trevor on CBS’ Ghosts, but he knows what you (and host H. Alan Scott) really wants to talk about: his legs. Sure, the work too, but as a ghost who has to “live” for eternity with no pants on, one is bound to wonder just how Grodman keeps it all… in. We chatted about that, the incredible ensemble on Ghosts, why his performance and character are surprisingly nuanced, and where he thinks things are going for him this season. (There’s romance!) He also attempts to explain sports to H. Alan.   Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Director Paul Feig wants you to support local movie theaters, ideally at his new movie The Housemaid, based on the popular book series by Freida McFadden. “My last three movies have been streamers, and thank God I got to make movies, but I make movies for audiences in a room.” Adapting a popular book into a film is “intimidating,” but Feig is content with McFadden’s approval. “She said she thinks it’s better than the book. That was a huge thing to hear from the author.” The film follows Millie (Sydney Sweeney), a live-in maid for Nina (Amanda Seyfried), who begins to discover this perfect family is hiding dark secrets. “The marketing department’s line says, ‘Spend the holidays with a family more dysfunctional than yours.’ And I think that’s kinda true.” Best known for directing comedies like Bridesmaids and Spy, Feig has created his own genre of thrillers with a comedic edge.  Watch my interview with Paul, Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney: https://www.newsweek.com/entertainment/paul-feigs-genre-expanding-take-housemaid-11221295  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

James L. Brooks, director of classics like Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News and As Good as it Gets, returns to form with Ella McCay, his first film in 15 years. Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott chatted with Brooks about the inspiration behind the story and how the women in his life inspired so many of his iconic female characters. Later in the chat Scott chatted with Jamie Lee Curtis about what it’s like to be asked to be in a Brooks film and Emma Mackey on the stress of playing the title character.   Watch the video: https://youtu.be/9plwtg4aemo  Read the feature in the latest issue of Newsweek: https://www.newsweek.com/entertainment/james-l-brooks-returns-to-form-with-ella-mccay-11183470  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wagner Moura chats with Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott about The Secret Agent, the Oscars buzz surrounding it and why “carrying Brazil with us” makes the moment so special.  Transcript: https://www.newsweek.com/entertainment/wagner-moura-on-the-secret-agent-oscars-and-his-return-to-brazilian-film-11182568  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott sits down with the iconic Susan Powter, the original wellness influencer of the 90s, to discuss her unexpected journey from the heights of fame to driving for Uber Eats. Her journey is documented in the Jamie Lee Curtis produced documentary ‘Stop the Insanity: Finding Susan Powter.’ In this candid conversation, Susan opens up about her decision to step away from the spotlight, the challenges she faced, and the resilience that kept her going. Discover the untold story behind "Stop the Insanity" and how Susan's energy and authenticity continue to inspire. This is a raw and real exploration of life beyond the limelight.  Video: https://youtu.be/CyMBQ6MNSPg  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Daniel Craig and Rian Johnson discuss faith in “Wake Up Dead Man,” praising Josh O'Connor’s humor and Glenn Close’s legendary performance in the new mystery. Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott chats with Johnson and Craig about the origins of the story; O’Connor about his love of comedy; and finally Close about how her time in a cult as a child inspired her performance.   Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Erika Alexander and Kim Coles join Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott to chat about their podcast ReLiving Single, the "limitless creativity" of Living Single and the sitcom's enduring impact on pop culture.  You can watch the first season of ReLiving Single on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReLivingSinglePodcast  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star and New York Times bestselling author Heather Gay joins Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott to discuss her powerful new special, Surviving Mormonism. We dive into how reality TV has become an unexpected frontier for defining Mormon culture, why women are leading that charge, and how Heather is navigating her own journey from "Bad Mormon" to cultural trailblazer.  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Initially, Kal Penn was hesitant to do a podcast because “every actor has a podcast.” Fortunately for us, he created Here We Go Again, focused on why history keeps repeating itself. “I loved the fact that you could talk about history repeating itself through pop culture, through politics. But it’s not a political podcast by any means.” That said, Penn, an actor who took a break from Hollywood to work in the Obama administration, still very much has a foot in advocacy. “If you wanna go through the death spiral of social media and make yourself anxious,” go for it, he says, but he’s not going to join. Instead, he’s going to invite people to “come knock on doors...it’s gonna move the needle on real conversations.” And one thing fans continue to discuss is their love for his Harold & Kumar franchise. Recounting a time he ran into political adviser Karl Rove and found out he was a fan, Penn realized, “as long as we stay truthful to the characters, the hope is that as polarized as this world is, we can still make a movie for everybody.”    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ comes to an end, Gaten Matarazzo, 23, is focused on soaking in the final moments. “I really want to take it in and enjoy it. I don’t think I’ll ever be in something that makes quite as much of an impact the way ‘Stranger Things’ has.” Matarazzo plays Dustin, who we see grappling with a loss. “I wanted to see a bit of a pessimism that I think [is how] a lot of children approach their grief.” He’s grateful to have understood the scale of the sci-fi series. “I spent a good chunk of my time trying to really recognize how special it was. And to live very much in the present.” But that last day on set was surreal. “It was a good day, but it was a very weird next morning. One of the most eerily quiet, melancholy kind of mornings that any of us had ever experienced.” But Hollywood did what Hollywood does, it moves on. “It kind of hurts your feelings how quickly everything starts getting turned over. It’s like, ‘Please don’t touch anything for a while.’”  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Clear the stage and light the lights! Drag superstars Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme return to the podcast to pull back the curtain on their brand-new tour, The Jinkx and Dela Holiday Show.   We discuss their creative partnership, DeLa's growing empire as a director for drag's biggest stars, and Jinkx's show-stopping, history-making turns on Broadway in Chicago and Oh, Mary! From holiday camp to the Great White Way, this chat has it all.  For more on the new holiday show, visit https://www.jinkxanddela.com/  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Actor Ed Helms loves a deep dive into a snafu from the past. “I love the hubris, our amazing capacity for ineptitude and terrible decision-making.” He’s turned that obsession into the hit podcast SNAFU, inviting guests to break down some of history’s most entertaining bloopers. “The snafu is often not just the initial problem, but it’s [a] sort of scurrying aftermath of people trying to cover their tracks.” Each prior season focused on one historical moment, but season four has a new one every episode—and “dramatically” more episodes. “It is proving to be a ton of work, but it’s super fun.” Hit podcast host is a new turn for Helms, best known for his work in TV and film. “Office fans are just so, so sweet and delightful. Hangover fans can be a little more aggro, but that’s good.” But it’s that intimate relationship he creates with podcast fans that feels more earned: “Those feel like my deep peeps.”  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For Melissa Peterman, the first season of NBC’s Happy’s Place was a dream come true; getting a second season is an embarrassment of riches. “Getting a pilot is the lottery. Getting that pilot picked up is another gigantic win that is getting rarer and rarer.” Peterman plays Gabby, friend and co-worker of Bobbie, played by Reba McEntire, owner of the fictional tavern Happy’s Place. The sitcom reunites Peterman and McEntire, who first appeared together on Reba. “I think there is value in the second banana. There’s value in the sidekick.” While fans see her as way more than just a sidekick, Peterman knows how rare it is to get a second chance with a hit sitcom. “It’s almost more precious because I know how rare it is to get a second chance with your best friend.” Busier than ever, Peterman also co-hosts Hallmark’s Finding Mr. Christmas. “I would be really sad if I didn’t get to host a game show or go be with people. I genuinely like people.”  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Considering the number of iconic women that have worked on Ryan Murphy projects, it’s shocking Glenn Close hasn’t. That’s changing with Hulu’s All’s Fair. “I was intimidated until I started to understand the tone. And once I understood the tone, then it became really fun,” Close told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. Close plays Dina, a powerful lawyer in an all-female firm that includes actors Kim Kardashian, Sarah Paulson, Niecy Nash and Naomi Watts, among others. “To bring all that energy...and all that experience together is bound to create something really unique.” It also created a special bond. “This group of women, they’ll be my friends for the rest of my life.” Part of what keeps Close working, beyond immense talent, is that she refuses to repeat herself—“I’m basically up for anything as long as it represents a new exploration.” She’ll next be seen in Rian Johnson’s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, offered the same week as All’s Fair. “I got two Ryans in the same week. It was like, what?”  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, I have a serious and emotional conversation with actor Michael Chernus about his challenging new role as John Wayne Gacy in Peacock's Devil in Disguise. He shares how he mentally prepared to play the serial killer and why this limited series is different by focusing on the victims of these horrific crimes.  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Padma Lakshmi’s new cookbook, Padma’s All American, is a natural extension of her Hulu series Taste the Nation. In fact, the documentary laid the groundwork for the book, says the former Top Chef host. “Once we had done the show, I had all these communities I had already embedded myself in,” she told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. Beyond recipes, the book carries an important message: Lakshmi “was trying to...really highlight the positive effects of having all these contributions from immigrants.” For Lakshmi, the recipes are ultimately a vehicle for connection. “I am hoping that the food will entice you, will almost be like a bait to get closer to your neighbors. Hopefully you’ll be curious enough to get to know the culture that the food came from and the people that are making this food.” Lakshmi returns to TV with the new CBS reality competition series America’s Culinary Cup, where elite chefs compete for a major prize. “It doesn’t look like any other TV set or studio I’ve ever seen.”  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“I need to get obsessed by projects so I can be involved in. I want to be entirely disappearing in a project.” And that’s exactly what Marion Cotillard has done in joining season four of The Morning Show (Apple TV+). Cotillard plays Celine Dumont, the new board president of the fictional news network who hails from a French dynasty and has plans to shake things up. The Oscar-winning actress found her first TV series “very different from a movie,” but leaned into the “best advice” from co-star Billy Crudup. “He knew that I was freaking out. He said, ‘You know what they did on the first three seasons. You know how smart they are. Give your total trust and be a happy puppet. Let them direct you.’” Part of what interested Cotillard about the series is what it says about the state of journalism. “Journalism sometimes has to have strong opinions [in order] to dig into subjects, but also to open the door of very ugly things.” Joining a TV series fits with how Cotillard has led her career since winning the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose. “I was solely following my choices. I never had any plan. I was so lucky that amazing directors offered me amazing journeys.”  Subscribe to my newsletter: https://link.newsweek.com/join/for-the-culture  Follow me: https://linktr.ee/halanscott  Subscribe to Newsweek’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/newsweek  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.