Shows
THE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 292 - Carolyn Loucks "Dune: Prophecy"Carolyn (Cal) Loucks is the set decorator of HBO’s “Dune: Prophecy." She is nominated in the Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Period Or Fantasy Program category at this year’s Emmys.Carolyn’s previous credits include Hulu’s Black Cave, Netflix’s Thai Cave Rescue, HBO Max’s Station 11, as well as the films Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Fifty Shades Freed, Fifty Shades Darker, Batman v Superman, RoboCop, Total Recall, Red, Resident Evil: Afterlife, Orphan, and The Incredible Hulk.
2025-08-3016 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 271 - Gavin Brivik "The Pitt"Composer Gavin Brivik recently scored MAX's series The Pitt, starring Noah Wyle. In addition to scoring the show, Gavin also co-wrote the end credit song, “Fail Forward” with singer/songwriter Taji. The 15-part drama explores the challenges facing healthcare workers in today’s America with each episode following an hour of the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital emergency room’s chief attendant’s 15-hour shift. His past credits include Neon's How to Blow Up a Pipeline; Wild Indian, which premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival; The Secrets of Playboy; the Paramount/Blumhouse film The Visitor, directed by Justin Lange...
2025-06-0416 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 269 - Rob Lowry "Companion", "Heart Eyes", "Drop", "Novocaine" & "Friendship"Rob Lowry has cemented himself as one of the most sought-after music supervisors in the industry today, with credits including The Lost City, the black comedy slasher Freaky, Sundance darling Cha Cha Real Smooth, Netflix doc Hal & Harper, and Max’s cultural sensation Gossip Girl. In 2025, he continues to push boundaries with films like Companion (New Line), Heart Eyes (Spyglass/Sony), Novocaine (FilmNation/Paramount), Drop (Universal) and Friendship (A24).
2025-05-2419 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 260 - Helen Magelaki "Apple Cider Vinegar"Hair & make up designer Helen Magelaki's previous credits include The Great Gatsby, Mad Max Fury Road, Thor: Love and Thunder, Late Night with the Devil, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and how she’s out with her latest project, the Netflix limited series APPLE CIDER VINEGAR which is based on a true story about two young women who advocate for wellness remedies to cure deadly illnesses, and in doing so their lives unravel unknowingly - and knowingly - as they mislead the world. The series is now streaming on Netflix.
2025-04-1816 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 240 - Ruka Johnson “Get Millie Back”Ruka Johnson is the costume designer of the new HBO crime drama series GET MILLIE BACK, which is about a former Scotland Yard detective Millie-Jean Black who returns to Kingston to work on missing persons cases. The series is now streaming on Max.
2025-01-1119 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 220 - Maggie Phillips "Our Flag Means Death" & "Fargo"Music Supervisor Maggie Phillips discussed her work on FX's Fargo and Max’s Our Flag Means Death.
She is also the music supervisor on Netflix’s mini-series All the Light We Cannot See; Hulu’s adaptation of best-selling novel Black Cake; Paramount+’s mini-series Fatal Attraction; The CW’s Walker; Apple TV+’s High Desert; Amazon Prime’s Bosch: Legacy; and Upload. Her upcoming projects include Amazon Prime’s mini-series’ Blade Runner: 2099; and FX’s Alien.
Some of her notable past credits include FX’s Kindred and Snowfall; Hulu’s The Great, The Dropout and Normal People; Sam Esmai...
2024-06-1534 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 207 - Max Burkholder "Ted"Max Burkholder stars as the lead of Peacock’s new series TED, which premiered on January 11. It’s a prequel series to the Seth MacFarlane films, and he portrays the character that Mark Wahlberg played. Most fans know Max from his role on PARENTHOOD, in which he raised awareness while portraying a young boy with Aspergers. He has now ascended into his first leading role.
2024-03-1617 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 177 - Kellan Lutz, Efren Ramirez "Due Justice"DUE JUSTICE, a heart pounding thriller, is about a former marine Max (Kellan Lutz) who experiences a devastating loss when his beloved wife and daughter are brutally murdered in a cold blooded act of violence. Consumed by grief and driven by revenge, Max embarks on a relentless mission to hunt down those responsible.
The film stars Kellan Lutz (Extraction, The Expendables 3, The Twilight franchise), Jeff Fahey (“Lost,” Wyatt Earp, The Lawnmower Man) and Efren Ramirez (Satanic Hispanics, Casa de mi Padre, Napoleon Dynamite).
Max discusses with Kellan how this project came to him, what gravitated him to want...
2024-01-0330 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 164 - Susanna Fogel "Cat Person"Susanna Fogel is the director of CAT PERSON, based on the acclaimed New Yorker short story by Kristen Roupenian. When Margot, a college sophomore (Emilia Jones) goes on a date with an older man named Robert (Nicholas Braun), she finds that IRL Robert doesn’t live up to the Robert she has been flirting with over texts. CAT PERSON is a razor-sharp exploration of the gender divide, the quagmire of navigating modern dating and the dangerous projections we make in our minds about the person at the other end of our phones.
Fogel recently completed directed episodes for the WW...
2023-10-0725 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 157 - Christina Flannery "The Righteous Gemstones"Christina Flannery is the costume designer behind season 3 of the Max original series The Righteous Gemstones, now streaming. Her past credits include the Netflix film All My Life, the Showtime series The Chi, the Hulu original film Fresh, and the Paramount+ series Players.
2023-08-1116 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 146 - Audrey Fisher "Love & Death"Audrey Fisher is a costume designer whose previous credits include True Blood, Girlboss, Destroyer, Camping, Barry, and the Amazon series I Know What You Did Last Summer. Now she is out with her latest project, the Max miniseries Love & Death based on the true story of Wylie, TX housewife Candy Montgomery who was accused of the brutal axe murder of her friend Betty Gore in 1980.
2023-05-2633 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 132 - Brian d'Arcy James "The Cathedral"Brian d'Arcy James is a actor known for his work across film, television, and the stage. He most recently starred as THE BAKER in the star-studded Broadway revival of INTO THE WOODS, which he received a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album.
James also recently starred in the Mubi drama film THE CATHEDRAL, where he earned a Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Performance. This marks the first nomination he has received for an individual performance in a film.
His upcoming 2023 projects include the David Yates directed “Pain Hustlers,” opposite Emily Blunt and Chris...
2023-01-2824 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 124 - Mena Suvari & Kevin Lewis "The Accursed"For this week's episode, Max is chatting with actress Mena Suvari, who we all know and love from her past work such as Six Feet Under, American Horror Story, the American Pie franchise and American Beauty, the latter for which earned her a SAG Award and BAFTA nomination for Supporting Actress. Also joining Mena is director Kevin Lewis who most recently directed Willy’s Wonderland with Nicolas Cage.
Now, they’re out with their latest film The Accursed which follows a young woman who is hired by Mena’s character Alma to take a temporary caregiver job for an...
2022-11-1920 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 118 - Warren Burke, Walter Hill "Dead for a Dollar"Emmy- and DGA-winning director/writer Walter Hill returns to his Western roots with the new film DEAD FOR A DOLLAR, starring Christoph Waltz, Willem Dafoe, Benjamin Bratt, Rachel Brosnahan, and Warren Burke. The film is about a veteran bounty hunter named Max Borlund who is deep into Mexico where he encounters professional gambler and outlaw Joe Cribbens – a sworn enemy he sent to prison years before. Max is on a mission to find and return Rachel Kidd, the wife of a wealthy businessman, who as the story is told to Max, has been abducted by Buffalo Soldier Elijah Jones. Ma...
2022-10-0842 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 105 - Dale Dickey, Wes Studi & Max Walker-Silverman "A Love Song"Faye (Dale Dickey) is a lone traveler biding her time fishing, birding and stargazing at a rural Colorado campground as she awaits the arrival of Lito (Wes Studi), a figure from her past who is navigating his own tentative and nomadic journey across the rugged West. Like the country music that has traditionally channeled the heartbreak and resilience of Americans in search of themselves and others, A Love Song weaves a lyrical and ultimately joyful refrain out of the transformative act of being alone —and reminds us that love can nourish and mystify at any age.
A Lo...
2022-08-1232 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 104 - Kevin Bacon, Carrie Preston, John Logan, & the cast of "They/Them"Kevin Bacon plays Owen Whistler in this slasher horror film set at an LGBTQIA+ conversion camp. Several queer campers, led by iron-willed Jordan (Theo Germaine) and Alexandria (Quei Tann), join Whistler for a week of programming intended to “help them find a new sense of freedom”. As the camp’s methods become increasingly more psychologically unsettling, the campers must work together to protect themselves. When an unidentified killer starts claiming victims, things get even more dangerous.
Max spoke with (in order of interviews) Kevin Bacon, Carrie Preston, three-time Oscar nominated screenwriter/director John Logan, Quei Tann, Boone Platt...
2022-08-1030 min
THE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 86 - Carol Rasheed "The First Lady"In this episode, Max chats with make-up artist of the new Showtime anthology drama series "The First Lady," Carol Rasheed. Starring Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford, Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt, and Viola Davis as Michelle Obama, "The First Lady" tells the stories of these three First Ladies through personal & political lenses and the obstacles they confronted on their way to the White House. Carol discusses the photographic research she underwent in capturing authentic looks of Roosevelt, Ford and Obama as well as the increased difficult of working on the series during the pandemic.
Carol also hints a...
2022-04-2025 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 85 - Ryan McParland "Halo"In this week's episode, Max chats with Ireland-based actor Ryan McParland who stars in the new sci-fi action series HALO from the Microsoft video game franchise of the same name. HALO premiered on Paramount+ on March 24th.
In this episode, Ryan shares how he got involved in the project, what it was like working with show creators Kyle Killen and Steven Kane, and his process in developing his character which is new to the HALO world.
2022-04-0219 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 83 - Tamara Deverell "Nightmare Alley"Newly-minted Oscar-nominated production designer Tamara Deverell (NIGHTMARE ALLEY) chats with Max on how she was first approached by acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro to work with him on this neo-noir psychological thriller based on the 1947 film and novel of the same name.
Tamara also shares the unique difficulty she faced in designing the sets in the midst of the COVID pandemic, where she went to research the traveling carnival show culture of the late 1930s/early 1940s and the locations she visited in Buffalo in creating a historically authentic atmosphere to the film. Lastly, Tamara shares her...
2022-03-2431 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 81 - Thomas Mizer & Curtis Moore "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"Emmy-nominated songwriters Thomas Mizer and Curtis Moore are an accomplished composing and storytelling team whose work has appeared on stages and screens around the world. Most recently, they returned for another season as official songwriters for the Amazon Prime Video series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel — composing three new original songs (and a few other surprises) featured in the fourth year of the award-winning hit.
In this interview, Mizer and Moore share how they were approached by creator Amy Sherman-Palladino to work on Maisel, their creative collaboration with her, and the research they undertook to make their work so...
2022-03-1828 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 80 - Michael Perry "I Want You Back" and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre"Production designer Michael Perry is starting the new year off with a bang with two big films: Texas Chainsaw Massacre now streaming on Netflix and I Want You Back now streaming on Amazon Prime.
In this interview, Michael discusses how he designed Leatherface’s gruesome return by building the fictitious town of Harlow, Texas in Bulgaria for Texas Chainsaw Massacre. He also shares how much he drew from the original film as inspiration for the look of this film and how his research process in nearby real towns in Texas played a role in his designing of Ha...
2022-03-1233 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 79 - Luis Sequeira "Nightmare Alley"In this episode, Max chats with costume designer Luis Sequeira on his visually dazzling work in the recent Guillermo del Toro-directed neo-noir psychological thriller Nightmare Alley, nominated for 4 Academy Awards including Best Picture. Luis is nominated for the Best Costume Design Oscar, his second nomination following his work in The Shape of Water, also directed by del Toro.
Luis shares how he was approached by del Toro to work on the film, what it was like collaborating with a creative visionary like del Toro, the contrasts in fashion sensibilities between the carnival segments and the upper-class Buffalo...
2022-03-0526 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 78 - Shawn Peters "The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey"On this episode, cinematographer Shawn Peters discusses how he captured the aesthetic of the new Apple TV+ series, THE LAST DAYS OF PTOLEMY GREY, premiering March 11th.
Based on the novel of the same name, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey follows Ptolemy Grey (Samuel L. Jackson), a 91-year-old man forgotten by his family, by his friends, by even himself. Suddenly left without his trusted caretaker and on the brink of sinking even deeper into a lonely dementia, Ptolemy is assigned to the care of orphaned teenager Robyn. When given the tremendous opportunity to briefly regain his...
2022-02-2414 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 77 - Nadia Stacey "Cruella"In this episode, newly-minted Academy Award nominated make-up artist and hairstylist Nadia Stacey shares what it was like working on the Disney live-action film Cruella, starring Emma Stone and Emma Thompson. Nadia discusses the research she undertook into 1970s London punk scene in bringing a culturally accurate mood to the the film, collaborating with director Craig Gillespie in bringing his vision to reality, and what it was like working with Emma Stone. She also shares the thought process behind some of the most signature looks in Cruella from Stone and Thompson.
Nadia also previewed a few of...
2022-02-1736 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 76 - Myron Kerstein & Andrew Weisblum "Tick, Tick...Boom!"In this episode, Tick, Tick...Boom! editors Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum discuss how they worked together to incorporate a theatrical, but naturalistic editing style throughout the film, based on the musical written by the late Jonathan Larson. Kerstein and Weisblum share their experiences worked with Lin-Manuel Miranda on his feature directorial debut, the challenges of working during the pandemic, and offered insight into editing some of the most complex musical sequences in the film.
Kerstein's previous credits include Camp, Garden State, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Wish I Was Here, Girls, Crazy Rich Asians, and, mo...
2022-02-0939 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 75 - Paul Tazewell "West Side Story"Recreating the visually dazzling costumes of one of cinema’s most celebrated musicals may have been an intimidating task for many, but for Tony-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell, it was a craftsperson’s dream come true.
Tazewell, known best for his costuming work in Broadway musicals such as Hamilton and In the Heights, has recently transitioned his talents to film where one of his first big screen projects was working on the critically-lauded Oscar contender West Side Story, directed by Steven Spielberg. In this interview, Tazewell shares the excitement he had in working on a reimagining of one...
2022-02-0715 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 74 - Romain Lacourbas "The Witcher"In this episode, cinematographer Romain Lacourbas to discusses how he brought grand medieval fantasy worlds to life in season two of THE WITCHER, now streaming on Netflix.
Romain shares how he worked with the series' directors, Stephen Surjik and Ed Bazalgette, in translating their visions through his own eyes by utilizing various colors, contrasts and lenses to create the many fantasy worlds the audience is taken to throughout the season. Romain also talks about the importance in his collaboration with the visual effects department and how they worked together to design the epic action sequences that fully...
2022-02-0413 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 73 - Dawn Ritz "Paradise City”Dawn Ritz has designed costumes across the music, television, and film industries for several years. In this interview, Ritz discusses her creative approach in her costuming work for some of the most popular television series and music icons we all know and love.
Over the course of her career, Ritz has worked for musical artists such as Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Bella Thorne, Elton John, Timbaland, Nick Jones and Glen Campbell. She's also worked on popular shows including AMERICAN HORROR STORY, AMERICAN CRIME STORY, NEW GIRL, INSECURE, PARADISE CITY, and EUPHORIA.
Ritz has been nominated for three Costume Designers Guild Aw...
2022-02-0233 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 72 - Avery Plewes "8-Bit Christmas"In this episode, Max chats with costume designer Avery Plewes about her work in Warner Bros' 8-BIT CHRISTMAS, now streaming on HBO Max.
Plewes discusses the creative approach she brought to this holiday film in designing the 1980s costuming. Based on the book of the same name by Kevin Jakubowski, 8-Bit Christmas takes place in an idyllic Chicago suburb in the ’80s, centering around a 10-year-old’s epic quest to get the Christmas gift of his generation - a Nintendo Entertainment System. The film switches back and forth between past and present as adult Jake Doyle (Neil Patr...
2022-01-3115 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 71 - James Pearse Connelly "Craftopia"muti-Emmy Award winning production designer James Pearse Connelly currently stars as a judge on season 2 of HBO Max’s crafting competition show CRAFTOPIA, which just dropped four winter spectacular episodes on November 18th. The Halloween and holiday themed season follows master crafters compete in “Quick Craft” and “Master” challenges to see who can create the most complex and visually stunning crafts to be crowned champion. His company designed the set and he is now stepping in front of the camera as judge.
James’ production designs can be seen in top-rated iconic shows such as THE VOICE, THE KELLY CLARKS...
2022-01-1327 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 70 - Clifton Collins Jr. and Molly Parker "Jockey"Directed and written by Clint Bentley, JOCKEY is about aging jockey Jackson Silva (Clifton Collins Jr.), who hopes to win one last title for his longtime trainer (Molly Parker), who has acquired what appears to be a championship horse. But the years – and injuries – have taken a toll on his body, throwing into question his ability to continue his lifelong passion. And the arrival of a young rookie rider (Moises Arias), who claims to be his son, and whom he takes under his wing, further complicates the path to fulfilling his dream. JOCKEY has played at the Sundance Film Fest...
2021-12-2916 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp 69 - Tracey Scott Wilson "Respect"Tracey Scott Wilson is the screenwriter of the Aretha Franklin biopic RESPECT, starring Aretha Franklin as the Queen of Soul. The film, which was released by MGM in August, takes one of the most famous women in the world and tells the little-known story of her journey to find her own iconic voice.
In approaching the daunting task of telling the story behind the icon, Tracey focused on creating a character-driven script which provides a deep look at the childhood, hardships and early achievements of one of the most successful music artists in history. She created a s...
2021-12-1716 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 68 - Hannah Chaddha "Big Brother 23"Hannah Chaddha was one of the 16 houseguests from this summer's season of the CBS reality series Big Brother, finishing in fifth place. In this interview, Hannah opens up about her time in the Big Brother house, deciding to apply because of CBS's recent casting diversity initiative, her superfan-based knowledge of the game, the strategy she had going into the house & how it evolved and the significance of the historic Cookout alliance.
2021-12-0254 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 67 - Derek Frazier "Big Brother 23"Derek Frazier was one of the 16 houseguests from this summer's season of the CBS reality series Big Brother, finishing as runner-up. In this interview, Derek opens up about his time in the Big Brother house, his initial thoughts on his fellow houseguests, the strategy he had going into the house & how it evolved and the significance of the historic Cookout alliance.
2021-11-1753 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 66 - Helen Huang "The Shrink Next Door"Emmy-winning costume designer Helen Huang discusses how she brought a true story to life through her work in the new dark comedy, THE SHRINK NEXT DOOR, premiering November 12th on AppleTV+.
The miniseries is inspired by The Shrink Next Door podcast on Wondery about power, control and turning to the wrong person for help. The dark comedy explores the bizarre, alarming and co-dependent relationship between celebrity psychiatrist Dr. Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf (Paul Rudd) and his longtime patient Martin “Marty” Markowitz (Will Ferrell). Over the course of their relationship, the all-too-charming Ike slowly inserts himself into Marty’s life, even...
2021-11-0826 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 65 - Simon Helberg "Annette"Simon Helberg stars in legendary director Leos Carax’s new Amazon Prime film, Annette. Co-starring with Oscar winner Marion Cotillard and Oscar nominee Adam Driver, Helberg holds his own in this three-hander where he plays Marion’s conductor, whose character is the true heart of the film. Deadline, rightfully so, points out that “Helberg nearly steals the film, particularly in a sequence where he is conducting the orchestra while reeling off dialogue, turning it all into a thrilling musical sequence, the film’s highlight for me.” Indiewire noted “The movie’s actual comic relief comes from Simon Helberg, in a hilarious deadpan...
2021-10-2731 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 64 - Britini D'Angelo '"Big Brother 23"Britini D'Angelo was one of the 16 houseguests from this summer's season of the CBS reality series Big Brother, finishing in 11th place as juror #1. In this interview, Britini opens up about her time in the Big Brother house, taking us week-by-week on the alliances, strategy, and events that unfolded in the weeks leading up to her eviction. Britini also shares what it was like living in the jury house, opening about about her autism diagnosis live on finale night, and what she's been up to since the season ended.
2021-10-221h 03THE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 63 - Juliann Rook on Descanso Gardens' Halloween event 'Carved'Descanso Gardens’ unique take on Halloween, Carved, has returned, featuring exciting new displays and experiences.
Carved is a family-friendly event for all ages. For three weeks in October, thousands of carved pumpkins will line a 1-mile walk through the Camellia Forest and Oak Grove. Along with pumpkins, there will be exciting new oversized sculptures made of sticks and other natural materials. Pumpkin carving demonstrations, the ever-popular pumpkin house, a hay maze, and themed food & beverage will all help to create a fun harvest festival ambiance.
Tickets for Carved are currently on sale. Timed tickets are re...
2021-10-2114 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 62 - 88 Twenty Group's Allison Fox & Nate Weber "Hollywood & Vamp"Nate Weber and Allison Weber are the co-founders of the immersive theatrical production company 88 Twenty Group. Together, they developed the first-ever virtual interactive live theatre experience, QuaranSCREAM Live, a sold-out limited run online show featuring live, isolated actors and cinematic sequences.
Now, they're gearing up for their first in-person production HOLLYWOOD & VAMP, an immersive theatrical show experience like no other -- taking audiences into the unsettling underworld of vampires and depravity, Hollywood Queen Vamp, Theda Bara and her sultry staff as they welcome you to their bar where vampires and humans co-exist. This fantastic new show is...
2021-10-1915 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 61 - Celebrating Freeform's 31 Nights of HalloweenFreeform put a spell on fans in Los Angeles with their annual Halloween Road immersive experience. The event was a spooky event to kick off Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween programming which airs Oct. 1-31, which offers the opportunity to celebrate Halloween all month long at home with our favorite classics. The outdoor, immersive event featured the worlds of “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Hocus Pocus,” “The Addams Family '' and other spooktacular surprises filled with games, photo moments, live entertainment and prizes! This year, Hyundai joined in on the fun as a presenting sponsor to make Halloween Road...
2021-10-0823 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 60 - Justin Fix on CREEP L.A.Justin Fix is the founder & executive director of his industry-leading entertainment production company and creative development incubator JFI Productions which produces several interactive entertainment experiences every year but is most known for CREEP, a critically acclaimed original interactive theater production.
Known for reimagining and redefining the theatre-going experience, JFI Productions proves this year will be no exception-- even during the ever-changing post-pandemic climate. CREEP 2021 is filled with intimate moments, deep connections and soul-shaking chills and thrills. This year, guests will find themselves in a multitude of surprising worlds including a lush and sultry bar, a desolate town-square...
2021-10-0135 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 59 - Jasen Smith, CEO of Experiential SupplyJasen Smith is the CEO of Experiential Supply Co., an award-winning company to which the Hollywood film industry turns when it comes to creating large-scale, immersive experiences for such big budget movies as IT: Chapter 2, Ready Player One, The LEGO Movie, Smallfoot, and more. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith created the first Experiential Supply original event HAUNTOWEEN LA, offering families in Los Angeles an interactive and thematic adventure to celebrate the holiday at a time when so many of the traditional haunted experiences were cancelled at the time. HAUNTOWEEN turned out to be a huge success for the company...
2021-09-2423 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 58 - Deondray & Quincy Gossfield and Xavier Avila "Smoke, Lilies, & Jade"Emmy and NAACP Image Award nominated directors Deondray and Quincy Gossfield – known for being the couple behind the GLAAD Media Award-winning series, The DL Chronicles, that paved the way for Black queer storytelling, as mentioned by The Advocate. Now they’re out with their latest project Smoke, Lilies and Jade which is a short film adaptation from writer/painter Richard Bruce Nugent’s short story about the life of Alex (Xavier Avila), a poetic artist who encounters Beauty (Ernesto Reyes), a Latino man, while cruising Harlem during its famed Queer Renaissance during the 1920s. Beauty quickly becomes the object of Ale...
2021-09-1328 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 57 - Jonathan Butterell & Lauren Patel "Everybody's Talking About Jamie"Inspired by true events, Everybody's Talking About Jamie follows Jamie New (Max Harwood), a teenager from Sheffield, who dreams of life on stage. While his classmates plan their livelihoods after they leave school, Jamie contemplates revealing his secret career ambition to become a fierce and proud drag queen. His best friend Pritti (Lauren Patel) and his loving mum (Sarah Lancashire) shower him with endless support, while local drag legend Miss Loco Chanelle (Richard E. Grant) mentors him toward his debut stage performance. But Jamie also has to contend with an unsupportive father (Ralph Ineson), an uninspired careers advisor (Sharon...
2021-09-1022 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 56 - Chris McKim "Wojnarowicz"Emmy-winning producer/director Chris McKim is known for his executive producing work over the years for RuPaul’s Drag Race. In 2017, he won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Special for the TV documentary Out of Iraq. He also won the 2020 Freedom Award at LA Outfest for the film Freedia Got A Gun. His newest film Wojnarowicz is an autobiographical portrait of the life of noted New York artist, writer, photographer, activist David Wojnarowicz.
2021-09-0825 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 55 - Luke Willis & Tim Torre "Pool Boy"Written and directed by Luke Willis, Pool Boy is the tender love story which follows a conflicted young man who must reconcile his growing feelings for someone he never expected against the face he shows the world. GLAAD-award winning actor/filmmaker/activist River Gallo stars in the titular role, opposite Tim Torre. Pool Boy made its world premiere at BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival in August and also screened at the Outfest Los Angeles Film Festival. A highlight of the festivals, it was was hailed by critics and audiences, including a ringing endorsement from actor and writer Stephen Fr...
2021-09-0718 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 54 - Brittany Allen "American Horror Stories"Actress/composer Brittany Allen is known for her Emmy-winning portrayal of Marissa Tasker in the soap opera All My Children, along with her performances in horror films such as Extraterrestrial, It Stains the Sands Red, Jigsaw and What Keeps You Alive. She also starred in a recurring role on the popular Amazon Prime superhero series The Boys. More recently, she has taken a step behind the scenes working as a composer for film & television, including the CW series Two Sentence Horror Stories and the new FX on Hulu series American Horror Stories.
2021-09-0332 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 53 - Javier Fuentes-León "The Best Families"Peruvian writer/director/producer Javier Fuentes-Leon most recently served as the director and executive producer of the first Colombian Netflix original series Wild District telling the story of a guerrilla fighter who moves from the jungle to Bogota after the signing of the Peace Treaty. Now, with his newest film The Best Families, Fuentes-León shares the story of a long-hidden secret which flips generational hierarchies upside down at a huge birthday celebration. Encompassing an important message on Latin American class relations, The Best Families has screened at the Miami Film Festival and the Outfest Los Angeles Film Festival. F...
2021-09-0127 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 52 - Lawrence Davis "Respect" & "Mare of Easttown"Two-time Emmy winning hair stylist Lawrence Davis is known from his work on a variety of notable films and television series such as J Edgar, Bessie, Green Book, Watchmen, True Detective, Lovecraft Country, and The Underground Railroad. Now, his work can be seen in the new Aretha Franklin biopic Respect, starring Jennifer Hudson. Davis has worked with Hudson for several years, and was tasked with creating different hairstyles across the multiple decades that the film is set in. On top of relying on his own heavy research, Lawrence was pleased to have the Franklin family on set as well...
2021-08-3019 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 51 - Celebrating 20 years of CinespiaSince 2002, Cinespia has grown to become the preeminent destination for the outdoor theatrical experience that brings movie magic to life with screenings of classic films throughout the year to an audience of hundreds of thousands from all around the world, including some of Hollywood’s most famous faces. With over 30 events per year, Cinespia hosts dazzling screenings under the stars at iconic venues throughout Los Angeles, primarily at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The 2021 season, presented by Amazon Studios, marks the 20th anniversary of the first and longest running outdoor screening series in Los Angeles. John Wyatt is the founder of...
2021-08-2733 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 50 - Colby Minifie & Joseph Sackett "Homebody"Johnny (Tre Ryder) loves his babysitter Melanie (Colby Minfie), and he’s heartbroken that it's her last day with him before she transitions into being a full-time doula. He discovers a YouTube video that teaches him about Free-Spirit Meditation, a practice by which you can send your spirit out of your body and into someone else’s body. Johnny sends his spirit into Melanie. He can see through her eyes and operate her body from the inside out. From there, the pressures of pretending to be someone else stack up fast. In this charming Freaky Friday meets Being John Malk...
2021-08-2536 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 49 - Phil Connell & Thomas Duplessie "Jump, Darling"Jump, Darling stars Cloris Leachman, who recently passed away at the age of 94, in her final starring performance, praised by critics in this worthy swan-song from the late Oscar-winning Hollywood legend.
Written and directed by debut filmmaker Phil Connell, Jump, Darling follows a rookie drag queen (played by newcomer Thomas Duplessie) reeling from a breakup who moves in with his declining grandmother (Leachman) to protect her from the local nursing home. The supporting cast of Jump, Darling includes Linda Kash (Best in Show), Jayne Eastwood (Chicago) and cameos from well-known drag queens Tynomi Banks (featured recently on Canad...
2021-08-2327 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 48 - Michiel Thomas "Gemmel and Tim"The timely, news-breaking documentary Gemmel and Tim, about the deaths of two black men in connection with this week's recently convicted political donor Ed Buck in West Hollywood - from award winning director, Michiel Thomas. In 2017 and 2019 respectively, Gemmel “Juelz” Moore and Timothy “Tim” Dean, two gay black men, both died of a meth overdose at the now-infamous Laurel Street apartment of Ed Buck, a once influential Democratic donor, businessman and animal, LGBTQ+, political activist. The deaths sent shockwaves through LA’s LGBTQ+ community and particularly West Hollywood, LA’s gay mecca. The ensuing media circus cooked up a spicy concoction...
2021-08-2019 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 47 - Peeter Rebane & Tom Prior "Firebird"Based on a true story, Firebird is an intense cold war thriller set in the 1970’s Soviet Air Force. A dangerous love triangle forms between Sergey, a troubled conscript, his best friend Luisa, a charming and ambitious secretary to the base Commander, and a daring young fighter pilot Roman. Driven by curiosity, they embark on a fatal affair of forbidden love and deception, navigating the precarious line between love and friendship. Sergey is forced to face his past as Roman’s career is endangered and Luisa struggles to keep her family together. As the walls close in they risk their freedom...
2021-08-1824 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 46 - Chris Wagner: White Label ProductionsChris Wagner, founder & CEO of White Label Productions, speaks about the evolution of unscripted television – particularly how productions have changed in the last year.
Wagner is an Executive Producer and EIC with 20 years of experience in all genres of television across all platforms around the world. As Founder & CEO of White Label Productions, Wagner has overseen high-profile series such as The Masked Singer for FOX, Impractical Jokers: Dinner Party for TruTV, Celebrity Show-Off for TBS, Miss Universe 2019, Savage X Fenty Show (Vol. 1 & 2) for Amazon Prime Video, and Encore! for Disney+. Over the last year, Wagner’s White Labe...
2021-08-1634 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 45 - John Behrens and Jonathan Pope "The Social Dilemma"Emmy-nominated cinematographers John Behrens and Jonathan Pope discuss the unique roles they played in capturing the existential threats of social media in their Netflix documentary-drama hybrid film THE SOCIAL DILEMMA.
The film is set up into two unique portions, blending documentary investigation and narrative drama to unveil the potential threats posed behind most popular social media and search platforms. With the film being broken up into two portrayals, each cinematographer had a very distinct and individual role to play while shooting the hybrid film. The documentary portion of the film was shot by John Behrens, while the...
2021-08-1435 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 44 - Damien S. Navarro on the 2021 Outfest Los Angeles Film FestivalDamien S. Navarro is the executive director of Outfest, the world's leading organization that promotes equality by creating, sharing and protecting LGBT stories on the screen. Outfest builds community by connecting diverse populations to discover, discuss and celebrate stories of LGBT lives. For nearly four decades, Outfest has showcased thousands of films from around the world, educated and mentored hundreds of emerging filmmakers, and protected more than 40,000 LGBT films and videos.
This year's 10-day long Outfest Los Angeles LGBT Film Festival kick's off on August 13th with their Opening Night Gala featuring the Amazon Studios film Everybody's T...
2021-08-0628 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 43 - Jon Braver on "Delusion" Interactive LA Horror Theater ExperienceCelebrated horror master Jon Braver announces the return of DELUSION, the overwhelmingly popular Los Angeles interactive attraction. Returning for the 2021 season, the all-new show ushers’ guests back to its horror roots, with ‘Reaper’s Remorse.’ Inviting you to ‘play your part,’ the 2021 edition of this now-renowned attraction will open September 16, inhabiting the delightfully dilapidated Phillips Mansion in Pomona, CA. Adding even more excitement to the DELUSION experience in 2021, the first-ever ‘Open World’ accompaniment to the attraction will continue the immersive experience. All tickets entitle guests to wander the ‘Open World’ and explore multiple narrative threads within a whole new adjacent event area, featu...
2021-07-3026 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 42 - Quei Tann "Tyler Perry's Bruh"Quei Tann is a recurring guest star on Tyler Perry’s “Bruh,” airing on BET+. Quei plays Officer Darla Grills on the series, which is about the lives of a group of 30-something Black men as they explore the world of dating, careers and friendship in present-day society. Season 2 of “Bruh” premiered on May 27. She is also awaiting the release of the Bella Thorne-executive produced short film “Jelly,” where she stars as ‘Edith,’ opposite Harley Quinn Smith. She has previously starred opposite Viola Davis on the ABC series How to Get Away with Murder and had a recurring role on the Netflix ser...
2021-07-2827 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 41 - Don Jeanes and Scott Zakarin "Superhero Diaries"Inspired by the phenomenal popularity of the superhero genre, Digital Sky and veteran creator Scott Zakarin have developed Superhero Diaries, a hilarious new comedy web series parody that officially debuted July 21 on YouTube. Uniquely celebrating the superhero boom, this action-packed new bi-weekly series presents a fantastic mash-up of comedy, fights and campy satirical situations, turning the multiverses upside down as never before. It features a fantastic cast, including Phil LaMarr (voice of the animated Green Lantern), veteran actor and improv favorite Patrick Bristow, Don Jeanes (Budweiser Super Bowl commercials), Disney Channel’s Hannah Kat Jones (Austin & Ally) and many more...
2021-07-2335 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 40 - Brittney London & Alex Geschwind "Duvar"Duvar is a short drama film based on actual events of one man's experience grappling with an unjust criminal justice system while attempting to save his daughter's life. Taking place in Mesquite, Texas in 2009, the film is an examination of the American justice system and how media can influence public perception. Duvar has recently been showcased at several film festivals across the world including the Paris Independent Film Festival, Phoenix Shorts Film Festival, Cift Film Festivan in Toronto, Georgia Shorts Film Festival, and the Diversity in Cannes film showcase. It will also be competing at the Queens World Film...
2021-07-2118 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 39 - 35mm Drive-In Cinema at the Hollywood Legion TheaterThis week, we chat with Bill Steele and Taylor Umphenour from the Hollywood Legion Theater where they've launched the only drive-in cinema on the West Coast of the United States to run 35mm film projectors. On July 1st, the Legion Theater Drive-In kicked off their "Summer of Celluloid" screenings series, sponsored by Kodak Motion Picture and Entertainment, with the brand-new film projectors.
Umphenour, the theater's creative director and chief projectionist, shares what some of the obstacles were toward securing and installing these very costly projectors and the uptick in popularity the theater has experienced due to this n...
2021-07-1625 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 38 - Thales Corrêa and Anthony Moore "Poly People"Writer/director/actor Thales Corrêa (BATHROOM STALLS & PARKING LOTS—now streaming on Peacock; Cannes shorts MILVIO and PARENTS) was a member of the Second City Writing Program, where he co-developed the series concept "Poly People" with classmate Melissa Girard. Thales, in turn, engaged his fellow Brazilian production partner Anthony Moore, who, in the throes of a pandemic and unemployment-induced depression, saw the job as therapy and agreed to work on it right away.
That was in August 2020. Two-and-a-half SAG-AFTRA safety protocol-following, coffee-fueled production days later, the team wrapped principal photography on Poly People, a seven-episode moc...
2021-07-1033 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 37 - Michael Simon Hall "Women"Michael Simon Hall stars in the upcoming independent noir thriller "Women" released on May 28th from Gravitas Pictures both in theaters and VOD. From Islandic filmmaker Anton Sigurdsson making his US debut, this story is about a small-town detective who while investigating the disappearance of a local woman comes across an unassuming Sociology Professor (Hall) who leads a double life. And how far would you go to survive? The film also Anna Marie Dobbins, Anna Maiche and Adam Dorsey.
After a life in the theater, Michael recently started breaking through on screen, quickly rising from having several s...
2021-06-2530 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 36 - Amy Duddleston "Mare of Easttown"Amy Duddleston is the editor of the new critically-acclaimed HBO limited series Mare of Easttown. Amy chats with Max on the challenges shooting a series with several characters, ensuring the audience was following an incredibly complex murder case, and collaborating with creator Brad Ingelsby and director Craig Zobel.
Starring Kate Winslet as the titular character, a detective named Mare Sheehan in a Philadelphia suburb investigates the recent murder of a teenage mother while trying to keep her own life from falling apart. Mare is a local hero, having been the star of a high-school basketball championship game 25...
2021-06-1935 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 35 - Ben Cavell "The Stand" & "SEAL Team"Ben Cavell is the showrunner, co-creator and executive producer of the CBS All Access miniseries The Stand, adapted from Stephen King’s seminal novel of the same name. THE STAND, which features an all-star cast including Whoopi Goldberg, Alexander Skarsgård, James Marsden, Odessa Young, Jovan Adepo, Greg Kinnear, Nat Wolff, and Amber Heard, follows an apocalyptic vision of a world decimated by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. The miniseries released during a time that is eerily relevant given the real-world COVID-19 pandemic we've lived through over the last year.
Ben has...
2021-06-1627 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 34 - Darcy Rose Byrnes "Big Shot"Actress/singer/songwriter Darcy Rose Byrnes currently stars as Harper on the Disney+ series "Big Shot". In addition to starring in the series, Darcy Rose also wrote five original songs that are showcased throughout the season.
In her chat with Max, Darcy Rose shares how she got the part of Harper, her immediate connection with on-screen love interest Tisha Custodio, what it was like portraying an LGBT relationship for a Disney series, writing five original songs for the show, her experience working with TV veterans like John Stamos and Yvette Nicole Brown, and what she has in...
2021-06-111h 01THE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 33 - Katori Hall "P-Valley"Katori Hall is the creator, showrunner, executive producer and writer of the STARZ original series P-Valley, which made a huge splash with its first season premiere last July and quickly becoming a major critical and audience hit for the network. The series—which was immediately renewed for a second season, now filming—is produced by Lionsgate Television, with whom Hall subsequently signed her first overall deal last December. Under the new deal, she will continue to executive produce P-Valley and also develop and produce new scripted content across Lionsgate broadcast, cable and streaming platforms.
P-Valley—based on Hall’s a...
2021-06-0419 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 32 - Rachel Lee Goldenberg "Unpregnant"Rachel Lee Goldenberg is the writer and director of the critically acclaimed HBO Max Original film Unpregnant, co-starring Haley Lu Richardson and Barbie Ferreira. The film is now a top Emmy contender for Outstanding Television Movie and the directing and writing categories for TV movie.
Based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Ted Caplan and Jenni Hendriks, Unpregnant follows a pregnant teen whose decision to get an abortion leads her on a 1000-mile hilarious road trip to New Mexico over three days with her ex-best friend, where they discover sometimes the most important choice you’ll make i...
2021-05-2922 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 31 - Danielle Brooks "Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia"Danielle Brooks stars as the iconic gospel legend and civil rights activist Mahalia Jackson in Lifetime's latest biopic "Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia".
The Tony Award nominee, SAG and Grammy Award-winner also serves as Executive Producer on the film. Directed by Tony Award-winner Kenny Leon premiered on Lifetime on April 3, Mahalia ranked as cable’s #1 telecast for the night with Brooks now considered a top contender for Best Actress in Limited Series or Movie at this year's Primetime Emmy Awards.
Brooks spoke with Max on how she prepared for the role of Mahalia Jackson, what it was l...
2021-05-2724 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 30 - Tisha Custodio "Big Shot"Tisha Custodio stars in the new ABC/Disney+ series "Big Shot" where John Stamos plays a temperamental basketball coach who is fired from his current job and ends up in an elite girls private high school. The show's cast also includes Yvette Nicole Brown and Jessalyn Gilsig. Custodio plays Carolyn "Mouse" Smith, one of the players on the basketball team at the high school. Custodio chats with Max on what it was like working with Stamos and the other cast members, how she got the part of Mouse, and what she learned about acting that she'll take with her...
2021-05-1524 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 29 - Lizz Wolf "Jupiter's Legacy"Film and television costume designer Lizz Wolf chats with Max on her new Netflix superhero series Jupiter's Legacy, which premiered on the streaming service this past Friday.
Based on the original comic book series by Mark Millar and Frank Quitely, Jupiter's Legacy is about three superheroes - The Utopian (Josh Duhamel), Brain Wave (Ben Daniels) and Lady Liberty (Leslie Bibb), known as the first generation of superheroes - who have kept the world safe for almost a century. They are stepping down, as their children take on the role of living up to their potential and legacy...
2021-05-1323 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 28 - Matthew Perniciaro "Moment of Truth"Award-winning producer Matthew Perniciaro is making his directorial debut with the Amazon Studios/IMDBtv original docuseries MOMENT OF TRUTH: THE KILLING OF JAMES JORDAN. The series tells the never-before-seen story behind the murder of Michael Jordan’s father, James Jordan, in 1993. Fans of last year’s THE LAST DANCE may recall the horrible story of Jordan’s murder, but MOMENT OF TRUTH explores the circumstances surrounding the murder further by exposing the rampant corruption in the small North Carolina town where the heinous crime and subsequent trial occurred.
Perniciaro's previous producing credits include Madeline's Madeline, Her Smell, Native...
2021-05-1127 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 27 - TCM Classic Film Festival PreviewMax chats with TCM hosts Alicia Malone, Dave Karger, Jacqueline Stewart, and Eddie Muller on what we can expect from this year's TCM Classic Film Festival; Golden Globe winning actress Jacqueline Bisset on one of her earliest films Bullitt, which is featured in the festival; and the Oscar winning actor George Chakiris and Oscar nominated actor Russ Tamblyn on commemorating the 60th anniversary of West Side Story with TCM and offers their thoughts on the upcoming Steven Spielberg remake.
Max also chats with the TCM staff on the decision to have the festival this year go fully...
2021-05-0630 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 26 - Anne Thompson on her final Oscar predictionsAnne Thompson, editor-at-large of IndieWire, chats with Max on her final predictions for the 93rd Academy Awards. Anne is one of the most well-known & -respected awards prognosticators in film journalism today. Before writing for IndieWire, her work has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, The Observer, Wired, Film Comment, and the LA Weekly. She's also the creator of her blog Thompson on Hollywood, which can be read on IndieWire.
2021-04-2319 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 25 - Donald Graham Burt & Jan Pascale "Mank"Production designer Donald Graham Burt and set decorator Jan Pascale spoke with Max on their work in the Oscar-nominated biographical drama Mank, directed by David Fincher and starring Gary Oldman as the titular lead of famed Hollywood screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz. Mank is nominated for 10 Oscars - the most of any film this year - including Best Picture, Best Director for Fincher, Best Actor for Oldman, and Best Supporting Actress for Amanda Seyfried.
Burt and Pascale are both nominated for Best Production Design for their work in the film. This is each of their second nominations for an...
2021-04-2325 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 24 - James Sweeney "Straight Up"Breakout writer/director James Sweeney chats with Max about his new indie comedy Straight Up. The film, inspired by personal experiences, is about a young gay brainiac with OCD named Todd (played by Sweeney) who fears loneliness and, while trying to leave his ghosts behind, he meets Rory, a young woman with insecurities, fears and frustrations. He enters a romantic - yet non-physical - relationship with Rory as he begins to question his sexual identity.
Sweeney has been nominated for Best First Screenplay for Straight Up at this year's Film Independent Spirit Awards. Past recipients of this...
2021-04-2119 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 23 - Savan Kotecha "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga"Oscar-nominated songwriter Savan Kotecha is known for writing some of the most popular songs of the century so far including Ariana Grande's "God is a Woman", "Love Me Harder", "Problem", The Weeknd's "Can't Feel My Face", and One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful". Other notable collaborations with music superstars include Demi Lovato, Katy Perry, Ellie Goulding, Britney Spears, and more. His prior work has garnered him three Grammy nominations and a Golden Globe nomination.
Now, Kotecha is nominated for his first Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for the song "Husavik (My Hometown)" from the Netflix film...
2021-04-2019 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 22 - Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle "Hillbilly Elegy"Eryn Kreuger Mekash and Matthew Mungle are make-up artists nominated at this year's Oscars for Best Make-Up and Hairstyling for their work in the Ron Howard-directed Netflix film "Hillbilly Elegy" starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close. Mekash was the makeup department head of the film while Mungle was the prosthetic designer for Close.
Aside from Hillbilly Elegy, Mekash is a frequent collaborator with Ryan Murphy on his celebrated television shows. Some of her credits include Nip/Tuck, Scream Queens, Glee, Feud: Bette and Joan, American Crime Story, 9-1-1, Hollywood, and American Horror Story. She also serves...
2021-04-1929 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 21 - Beau Borders, Warren Shaw, David Wyman "Greyhound"Sound mixers Beau Borders & David Wyman and sound editor Warren Shaw are nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound on behalf of the AppleTV+ original film "Greyhound" starring Tom Hanks. The Oscar-nominated sound team is being recognized in a historic year at the Academy Awards in which the typically separate sound categories of Best Sound Mixing and Best Sound Editing are now combined into one overall sound category.
This is Borders' second nomination, following 2013's Lone Survivor. His previous credits include The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Transformers, Captain America: The First...
2021-04-1622 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 20 - Anthony Willis "Promising Young Woman"BAFTA-nominee Anthony Willis is the composer of the five-time Academy Award nominated film "Promising Young Woman". The film is actress-turned-filmmaker Emerald Fennell’s directorial debut, starring Oscar-nominated actress Carey Mulligan and Bo Burnham. The film's six Oscar nominations include Best Picture, Best Director for Fennell, Best Actress for Mulligan, Best Original Screenplay also for Fennell, and Best Editing. Willis recently recieved a BAFTA nomination for Best Original Music for his work on "Promising Young Woman".
A protege of Oscar-nominated composer John Powell, Willis is a sought after talent in the world of film composing. His credits include Amin Mat...
2021-04-0727 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 19 - Wilson CruzActor Wilson Cruz's latest special project is his participation in Amazon Original Stories, Currency Collection which is a series of digital books where he narrates one of the stories in the collection by a prominent gay author. Wilson is one of the eight prominent people narrating fictional stories for Amazon in their new digital platform. Wilson was asked to audio narrate a powerful short story entitled Crewelwork, by Justin Torres (the author of We The Animals) that illustrates the story of a young artist. Wilson also chatted with Max about currently filming season 4 of Paramount+'s "Star Trek: Discovery"...
2021-04-0522 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 18 - Demian Bichir "Godzilla vs. Kong"Academy Award nominated actor Damián Bichir (A Better Life) is set to star in the upcoming monster film "Godzilla vs Kong". The film's release follows a recent string of major film releases in the last several weeks including the George Clooney-directed space film "The Midnight Sky", the Robin Wright directorial debut of the intimate indie drama "Land", and the Tom Holland/Daisy Ridley dystopian flick "Chaos Walking". In his interview with Max, Demian shares what it was like working on Godzilla vs. Kong, playing the film's antagonist Walter Simmons, and what his experience was like working with Wright o...
2021-03-2921 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 17 - Ilya Naishuller "Nobody"Ilya Naishuller is the director of the upcoming action-thriller film "Nobody" starring Bob Odenkirk. Odenkirk plays Hutch Mansell, a suburban dad, overlooked husband and neighbor, who feels like he's "nobody." When two thieves break into his home one night, all the rage he's kept pent up inside emerges and propels him on a brutal path that will uncover dark secrets he fought to leave behind. Universal Pictures is releasing the film in theaters on Friday, March 26.
Ilya is best known for his debut feature HARDCORE HENRY, an action-packed, immersive experience told completely from the point-of-view of a cyborg...
2021-03-2330 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 16 - Bryan Fogel "The Dissident"Bryan Fogel is an Academy Award-winning documentarian, producer and human rights activist. In 2018, Fogel received the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for the Netflix film Icarus. In his follow-up to Icarus, Fogel decided to take on the 2018 assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khasshogi and the effort on the part of Saudi Arabia to control dissenting speech with his new film The Dissident. Fogel spoke with Max on what drew him to look into Khashoggi’s murder and the international ramifications, the hesitancy Netflix and other streamers had in distributing it, and why it’s resonating with audiences now.
2021-03-1915 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 15 - Bina Daigeler "Mulan"Bina Daigeler is a German costume designer for film and television. Recently, she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design for her work in the film "Mulan". She has also received a Critics' Choice Award nomination and Costume Designers' Guild nomination for her work on the Disney film. Last year, Daigeler contributed her costuming talents to the FX series "Mrs. America" for which she received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Period Costumes as well as a Costume Designers' Guild nomination for Excellence in Period Television. Her previous credits include "Volver", "Biutiful", "Hitman: Agent 47", "Snowden", "The Zookeeper's...
2021-03-1617 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 14 - Fernando Frias "I'm No Longer Here"Fernando Frias is a Mexican documentary filmmaker, screenwriter, and director. His latest film, I’m No Longer Here, became the official Mexican entry for Best Foreign Language Film for this year’s Oscars. Recently, I’m No Longer Here was announced as one of the 15 films Oscar-shortlisted for Foreign Language Film. Additionally, Frias received a Directors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Feature Film Director. In his interview with Max, Frias shares his inspiration behind the story, the research into the Mexican subculture of the cholombianos, and what the critical praise and global attention means to him...
2021-03-1221 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 13 - Andrew Dunn "The United States vs. Billie Holiday"Andrew Dunn is the cinematographer of the new Hulu Original film The United States vs. Billie Holiday, which recently won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Drama for Andra Day. Dunn’s previous credits include The Bodyguard, Practical Magic, Gosford Park, Sweet Home Alabama, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. He also worked with director Lee Daniels previously on Precious and The Butler. He also discusses his upcoming projects including the Sony Pictures' Cinderella retelling with Camila Cabello as the titular lead, a new film set in the world of Gosford Park, and a romantic drama titled Te...
2021-03-0235 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 12 - Frank StalloneFor nearly his entire career, Frank Stallone has nearly always been known as one thing: Rocky’s brother.
However, a brand new documentary seeks to uncover why one of the “least known famous faces in Hollywood” – with his multi talented range in music, acting, and boxing – never seemed to climb to the top of the mountain peak in reaching ultimate Hollywood stardom. From his breakout song Take You Back in Rocky, Golden Globe- and Grammy-nominated song Far From Over in Staying Alive, famous boxing match with Geraldo Rivera, and expansive acting portfolio including Tombstone and cult hit Barfly, “S...
2021-02-2326 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 11 - Cheryl Guerriero, Apple TV+'s "Palmer"Cheryl Guerriero is the writer and executive producer of the new AppleTV+ Original Film "Palmer", directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Fisher Stevens and starring Justin Timberlake. Cheryl chats with Max on the inspiration behind writing the story of Palmer, casting Justin Timberlake, and discovering breakout star Ryder Allen. She also discusses upcoming projects she's currently working on.
2021-02-1823 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 10 - THE REEL RACE: AwardsRadar's Joey Magidson on this year's Oscar raceAwardsRadar's Joey Magidson chats with Max about creating his new awards predictions website "Awards Radar", what it's like covering Oscar season during the pandemic, and offers his take on the state of the Oscar race after the Golden Globe, SAG, and Critics' Choice nominations were announced.
2021-02-121h 02THE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 9 - THE REEL RACE: THR's SCOTT FEINBERG on OSCARS 2021The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Columnist Scott Feinberg chats with Max on his career in entertainment journalism and covering awards seasons over the last several years while providing his thoughts on this year's Oscars race.
2021-02-0851 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 8 - Lorenzo YearbyLorenzo Yearby can be seen as ‘Lucky’ in Vertical Entertainment’s newest film, The 24th, available to stream VOD on August 21st. The film tells the true story of the Houston Riot of 1924, and stars Trai Byers, Aja Naomi King, Mo McRae and Thomas Haden Church. Producer Alexandra Milchan says Lorenzo is “the heart of the film” and this breakout role has been compared to that of Lupita Nyong’o’s in 12 Years A Slave.
Lorenzo is also a screenwriter and director. The Miami-born actor currently resides in Atlanta.
2020-09-1829 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 7 - Gerald Isaac WatersGerald Isaac Waters began his career in acting first on the stage at Los Angeles City College’s theater academy. While working as a theater actor, he also appeared in roles for the NoHo Theatre and Fringe Festival. Gerald has also modeled in campaigns with Target, Zappos, Bank of America, and participated in the New York Fashion Week. In 2018, Gerald made his television debut with a guest spot in the TBS comedy Angie Tribeca starring Rashida Jones and created by Steve and Nancy Carell. He portrays the character of Chad Fox in Netflix’s new film "All Together Now" based...
2020-09-1049 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 6 - Patrick DougallPatrick Dougall is a Los Angeles based freelance, Theme Park, Entertainment, Travel and Food Blogger. Although, he considers himself more of an interactive storyteller - combining his passion for Pop Culture & Entertainment with his various skills of writing, photography, & videography into an informative yet engaging format. Patrick has over 200,000 TikTok followers, over 53,000 Instagram followers, 85K YouTube subscribers with almost 20 million views across all of his videos, and 16,000 Twitter followers. You can follow Patrick's Disney content, movie reviews, and theme park updates at his social media handle at @PatrickADougall.
2020-09-041h 13THE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 5 - Ben MillikenBen Milliken executive produced and stars in Paramount’s "Mighty Oak", alongside Janel Parish, Raven-Symoné, Alexa PenaVega, and Carlos PenaVega. It was the first original film to hit theaters during the pandemic, and is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. Ben can also be seen in "Sonora: The Devil's Highway" which was recently nominated for 10 Ariel Awards (Mexico’s equivalent to the Academy Awards). The movie can be streamed on Pantya, and internationally on Netflix.
Ben is known for his role as ‘Carter’ in season 5 of Amazon Prime's “Bosch”and ‘Tim’ in "Blue Crush 2". He also directed the feature film "Lak...
2020-09-0131 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 4 - Caroline Aaron "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"Two-time Screen Actors Guild Award winner Caroline Aaron currently stars as Shirley Maisel in the Emmy-winning comedy The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime Video). Before Mrs. Maisel, Caroline has appeared in over 100 films and television shows stretching over a nearly forty year-long career in the entertainment industry. She is best known for her performances in films such as Heartburn, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Alice, Edward Scissorhands, Sleepless in Seattle, Deconstructing Harry, Primary Colors, and 21 Jump Street as well as starring roles in television on shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Transparent, Madame Secretary, and The Good Fight .
2020-08-2832 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 3 - Elex MichaelsonElex Michaelson co-anchors FOX 11 News weeknights at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. with Christine Devine. He co-hosts the "FOX 11 Special Report" on the COVID-19 pandemic with Dr. Drew Pinsky weeknights at 7 p.m.
He also hosts and produces the political talk show The Issue Is, which airs on stations throughout the state of California.
Elex is an Agoura Hills native and his first job in broadcasting was as a FOX 11 intern. He’s a self-described “political junkie” who has conducted one-on-one interviews with nearly every key political figure including Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Bernie...
2020-08-2143 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 2 - First Look at 2020 Emmy NominationsOur second episode features my guest co-host, fellow entertainment lover and best friend Ayesha Rahman! We discuss how film drew us together, some of our favorite movies, and offer our first take on this year's Primetime Emmy Awards!
2020-08-1844 minTHE HOLLYWOOD PODCASTEp. 1 - MarkianFor THE HOLLYWOOD PODCAST's inaugural episode, Max interviews social media content creator Markian Benhamou. Markian is a third culture kid and aspiring entrepreneur. He’s the creator of the Smile Squad which brings together other talented young digital creators in putting on comedy sketch videos across social media platforms that highlight relatable scenarios centering on cultures, personality traits, relationships, body image, and college life among others. The goal of Smile Squad is to do just that - make people smile through their light-hearted, meaningful content whether that be comedic skits or uplifting vlogs. Markian has almost 6 million Facebook followers, ne...
2020-08-1454 min