My Interview With Ashley Padilla

I had the best time talking to Ashley Padilla, one of my favorite Saturday Night Live cast members. We discussed her time at the Groundlings and her memories of working for Diane Keaton. You can read my piece here.  

(Photo by Sela Shiloni.)  

Robert Duvall, 1931-2026

Robert Duvall had died. He was 95. I paid tribute to the Oscar-winning actor over at Rolling Stone. 

Catherine O'Hara, 1954-2026

What a shock: Catherine O'Hara is gone. For Rolling Stone, Jon Blistein and I pay tribute to a very funny woman. 

My Interview With Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Star of 'Sentimental Value'

When people heard that Worst Person in the World filmmaker Joachim Trier was reuniting with his star Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value, most weren't familiar with the actor who would be playing Reinsve's sister, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas. Well, she's now probably going to get an Oscar nomination for her role, so it seems like a good time to learn a little about her. 

That's where I come in: I hung out with Lilleaas on a rainy November afternoon to talk about the film, her career and what comes next. A delightful conversation, which you can read here. 

(Photo by Evelyn Freja.) 

Brigitte Bardot, 1934-2025

Brigitte Bardot was one of cinema's most indelible sex symbols. Then she walked away from stardom. My tribute on the occasion of her passing is over at Rolling Stone. 

My Interview With Imran Hamdulay and Keenan Arrison, the Team Behind 'The Heart Is a Muscle'

For Screen International, I spoke to writer-director Imran Hamdulay and star Keenan Arrison about The Heart Is a Muscle, which is South Africa's submission for the Best International Feature Film Oscar. We talked about masculinity, fatherhood and depicting Cape Flats in a more nuanced way than it's usually seen on screen. You can check out our conversation down below or read excerpts from it here.

My Interview With Odessa A'zion, Star of 'Marty Supreme'

I hung out at Paper or Plastik a few weeks ago with Odessa A'zion, who's about to have a moment. She's one of the stars of the buzzy HBO series I Love LA. And she's soon to appear in Josh Safdie's much-anticipated Marty Supreme. A'zion is a delight, as well as an enthusiastic hugger. You can read my profile over at the Los Angeles Times. 

(Photo by Christina House.) 

Martin Scorsese, Actor

This year, for the first time, Martin Scorsese received a major nomination for acting. In honor of his guest stint on the Emmy favorite The Studio, I looked at the great director's finest performances, exploring how persona and performance intertwine. Hope you enjoy.

My Interview With Embeth Davidtz, Director of 'Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight'

Embeth Davidtz has been acting in movies since the late 1980s. (Of all her great work, I'll always be partial to her in Junebug.) But until she read Alexandra Fuller's memoir of growing up in what is now Zimbabwe, she had never thought about directing. Why did the book resonate with Davidtz so much? Because it stirred up unresolved feelings about her fraught childhood in South Africa and the racism she encountered there. 

She invited me into her home to talk about her film, Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, which opens Friday. Hope you enjoy.

(Photo by Matt Seidel.) 

My Interview With Riki Lindhome

Last year, Riki Lindhome debuted a one-woman musical, Dead Inside, about her struggles with infertility. Now, she's putting out an album based on that show. For Cracked, I had a long, fun conversation with Lindhome about the album, No Worries If Not, as well as marriage, motherhood and life as a solo artist after years of being in Garfunkel and Oates. Hope you enjoy.

My Interview With Naomi Watts

Naomi Watts has a new movie (The Friend) and a new book (Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I’d Known About Menopause). These seemed like excellent excuses to spend some time with the Oscar nominee to talk about life, resilience and her dear friend David Lynch. You can read my interview over at the Los Angeles Times. 

(Photo by Jennifer McCord.)

My Interview With Adam Pearson and Sebastian Stan, the Stars of 'A Different Man'

A Different Man was one of 2024's best films, something I've felt since seeing the movie ahead of its Sundance premiere. I talked to its stars Sebastian Stan and Adam Pearson about identity, satire and what it's like to have strangers stare at you. My piece is up at the Los Angeles Times. 

(Photo by Sean Dougherty.)

My Interview With Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen and Carrie Coon, the Stars of 'His Three Daughters'

The three actresses who star in His Three Daughters all have busy schedules, so it was tricky to figure out a time for them all to get on a Zoom to speak with me about their terrific film. Finally, we landed on a date: November 6th. Yup, the day after the presidential election. It was evening on that Wednesday when we chatted, and the mood was understandably somber. We talked about Trump and death and laughing at grief. I found the conversation cathartic; I hope they did as well. My piece is up at the Los Angeles Times.

My Interview With Nicholas Hoult

The man who will be the next Lex Luthor had a pretty great 2024. For the Los Angeles Times, I chatted with the actor about Juror #2, The Order and Nosferatu. We also talked about fatherhood and staying out of the limelight. Check it out here.

(Photo by Marcus Ubungen.)

2024 Gotham Awards Nominees

It has been an annual tradition I am very proud to be a part of. The folks at the Gotham Film & Media Institute invited me to once again join the committee that selects the nominees for the Gothams' acting categories. Alongside Monica Castillo, Robert Daniels, Tomris Laffly and Brian Tallerico, I helped pick this year's best Lead, Supporting and Breakthrough performances. You can see our choices here, along with the nominees in other categories.

My Interview With Carol Burnett

An honor and a thrill: For the Los Angeles Times, I spoke to Carol Burnett about Palm Royale, Better Caul Saul, her long career, and why she's not slowing down yet. Hope you enjoy. 

(Photo by Linus Johnson.)

My Interview With Justin Baldoni

It's been a while since I've done a profile in which I hang out with my subject for an extended period of time. But a couple weeks ago, I spent a morning (and early afternoon) with Justin Baldoni, the director of the forthcoming It Ends With Us. His production company Wayfarer Studios, according to its website, is committed to "championing inspirational stories which unite as true agents for social change." What does that look like in real-world terms? Here's my story.

My Interview With Michael O'Keefe, Star of 'Caddyshack'

He plays the main character in Caddyshack, not that you necessarily think of Danny as the film's main character. It's been nearly 45 years since that comedy opened in theaters, so how does Michael O'Keefe feel about the movie today? I had a long talk with him about that, and also Buddhism, addiction and learning from your bad career choices. Hope you enjoy.

On Christina Applegate's Greatness in 'Anchorman'

In honor of the film's 20th anniversary, I decided to pay tribute to Anchorman's underrated MVP. Here's my salute to Christina Applegate.

My Interview With Julianne Nicholson, Star of 'Janet Planet'

I've been raving about Janet Planet for about 10 months now. It opens in New York today. For the Los Angeles Times, I spoke to its radiant star Julianne Nicholson about motherhood, accepting oneself and Western Massachusetts. Hope you enjoy. 

(Photo by Justin Jun Lee.)