Sean Baker is such a fan of indie theaters, I had a thought: Why not interview him at one for the Los Angeles Times? That's how I found myself at Gardena Cinema for the first time. He and I chatted about strip clubs, film school, sex workers, panic attacks and winning the Palme d'Or for Anora. (I also talked to three actors who have worked with him -- Mikey Madison, Simon Rex and Brooklynn Prince -- to get a sense of what he's like as a director.) Needless to say, I was very pleased with how this turned out. Hope you enjoy.
(Photo by Carlin Stiehl.)
