Awards Chatter

'Awards Chatter' is a podcast that features in-depth interviews with the most interesting and accomplished people in show business. Created and hosted by: Scott Feinberg

TV & Film
Film Interviews
451
Matt Walsh - 'Veep'
The co-founder of Upright Citizens Brigade and Emmy nominee for his portrayal of Selina Meyer's bumbling press secretary explains why he abandoned a career in psychology for comedy, why he's drawn to improv and what it's like working opposite perhaps the funniest TV actress alive today.
46 min
452
Hank Azaria - 'Ray Donovan'
The 27-year 'Simpsons' vet discusses getting his voice insured, the acting teacher who convinced him he could do more than just voices, the challenges and rewards of guest acting (which he's previously done on 'Friends' and 'Mad About You') and more.
41 min
453
Hugh Grant - 'Florence Foster Jenkins'
The king of the rom-com, who is now 55, discusses why he stopped making movies for several years ("terrible and embarrassing" stage-fright attacks) until he was coaxed out of retirement to star in a dramedy opposite Meryl Streep ("If you play tennis with Rafa Nadal, you play better tennis").
23 min
454
Eddie Murphy - 'Mr. Church'
29 min
455
RuPaul - 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
The 55-year-old icon, Emmy-nominated for the first time, recalls his discovery of drag ("Bugs Bunny was my first introduction"), clarifies misconceptions ("It was never about being a woman at all, it was always about f-you to society") and reveals why he today resists getting glammed up and won't for the Emmys ("You won't see in my drag if I'm not getting paid").
52 min
456
Taraji P. Henson - 'Empire'
The Oscar and Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner discusses her uphill climb to stardom (she's been a single mother since college), the first project she discussed with Lee Daniels ("I wanted to play Precious!"), why she refused to play Cookie unless her 'Hustle & Flow' costar played Lucious and more.
44 min
457
David Schwimmer - 'The People v. O.J. Simpson'
The beloved 'Friends' alum, who will turn 50 this year, talks about the dark side of celebrity, turning down Will Smith's part in 'Men in Black' and why he decided to return to TV to play Kim Kardashian's dad.
42 min
458
Meryl Streep - 'Florence Foster Jenkins'
The legendary actress, who's poised to add to a string of summer hits unprecedented for a woman over 60, sounds off on why its 'bad business' to bet against women, why Oscars matter, why 'the greatest' label gives her 'agita' and much more.
28 min
459
Bob Odenkirk - 'Better Call Saul'
The comedy vet explains why he should have been fired from 'SNL,' how 'Mr. Show' landed him 'Breaking Bad' and how 'How I Met Your Mother' almost cost him the gig that has netted him two consecutive best actor Emmy noms — for a drama.
51 min
460
Will Forte - 'The Last Man On Earth'
The quirky SNL vet-turned-Emmy nominee on why he initially turned down Lorne Michaels ("I was tortured"), the grind of writing and starring in a network series ("Nothing prepared me for this") and what's next (another 'MacGruber' and more).
68 min
461
Sophie Turner - 'Game of Thrones'
The 20-year-old rising star discusses landing her first pro gig, the part of Sansa Stark, at 13, growing up in the public eye ("It can really get you down") and Sansa's season-six evolution ("She really showed people what she could do").
37 min
462
Michael Eisner - 'BoJack Horseman'
The storied exec reflects on his years at ABC, Paramount and Disney, and offers his take on Ovitz ("a mistake"), Katzenberg ("had to let him go"), Iger ("different than me, but equally good or better"), the Weinsteins ("troublemakers") and the Clintons ("an absolutely real relationship").
87 min
463
Justin Lin - 'Star Trek Beyond'
The Taipei-born filmmaker, who made his name with a Sundance sensation before helming four 'Fast and Furious' blockbusters in eight years, opens about his youth as an undocumented immigrant, Hollywood's resistance to diversity and his handling of his "most personal" film yet.
40 min
464
Richard Dreyfuss - 'Madoff'
The 68-year-old discusses his iconic 1970s films, his descent into darkness in the 1980s ("I spent those years being a low-down dirty dog and drugging myself into oblivion") and why he un-retired to play a "sociopathic son-of-a-bitch" in an ABC miniseries ("I literally did not know how to feed my family").
70 min
465
Bill Maher - 'Real Time with Bill Maher'
HBO's provocative talk show host discusses his rise through the comedy ranks, Donald Trump ("he's LOL every day"), Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert ("never say anything that challenges their own audience") and his 1-for-35 track record at the Emmys ("I wear it as a badge of honor at this point").
48 min
466
Robert Wagner - 'NCIS'
The 86-year-old legend reflects on his rise to prominence during Hollywood's Golden Age, his four-year affair with Barbara Stanwyck, his late wife Natalie Wood and his Emmy-contending guest spot on CBS's highest-rated drama series.
44 min
467
Neil Meron & Craig Zadan - 'The Wiz Live!'
Hollywood's go-to producers for anything related to musical theater — the movie musical 'Chicago,' music-filled Oscar shows and NBC's live musicals — dish on color-blind casting, hate-watching and plans to bring 'The Wiz' and 'Bombshell' to Broadway.
71 min
468
Julian Fellowes - 'Downton Abbey'
The creator, sole writer and executive producer of the dearly-departed drama series talks about his decades as a character actor (he appeared in a Bond movie), his transition to writing (he won an Oscar at 52 for his first produced screenplay) and the evolution — and potential future — of the Crawleys.
76 min
469
James Lipton - 'Inside the Actors Studio'
The legendary interviewer, who's nearing his 90th birthday, reflects on life before his hit Bravo show (he was an actor, writer, producer and yes, pimp), discusses the episodes that mean the most to him and answers the questionnaire he's made famous.
64 min
470
Seth Meyers - 'Late Night with Seth Meyers'
NBC's 42-year-old veteran, who was at 'SNL' longer than all but one other cast member in its history, says writing was his 'key to survival' at the fabled sketch show, that he left it very reluctantly but that he's grown to love the 'consistency' of late night talk.
40 min
471
Joe Mantello - 'The Humans'
The best-director-of-a-play Tony nominee reflects on his long and varied career as a Broadway actor ('Angels in America,' 'The Normal Heart') and director (he's won Tonys for directing a play and a musical, and helmed the blockbuster 'Wicked'), and the joys and bumps he's experienced along the way.
47 min
472
Danai Gurira - 'Eclipsed'
The actress/playwright explains why she calls herself a "Zimerican," how her part on 'The Walking Dead' relates to her plays about African women and what led Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o to her most acclaimed show yet — seven years ago.
57 min
473
Jerrod Carmichael - 'The Carmichael Show'
The 28-year-old co-creator, writer and star of NBC's acclaimed multi-camera comedy series reveals how his life changed in a Winston-Salem shoe store, why he turned down a part on 'New Girl' when he had no money and what it was like skewering Bill Cosby on the air after visiting him at his home.
41 min
474
Leslie Odom, Jr. - 'Hamilton'
The Tony-nominated star of Broadway's biggest phenomenon in memory (he plays Aaron Burr) dishes on his debut at 17 in 'Rent,' how he got out of a 7-year TV show contract so he could do 'Hamilton' at The Public for $500 a week, why he and his castmates fought for profit-sharing when it became a hit and why he's not worried about what comes next.
56 min
475
Jeff Daniels - 'Blackbird'
The 61-year-old vet of stage and screen opens up about how 'Dumb & Dumber' saved his career, what it's like to get "Sorkin-ized" and why he's returned to a stage role, nine years after first playing it, even though it "guts" him eight times a week.
58 min