Pop Culture Confidential

Latest Episodes:

470: Actor Alexej Manvelov — On His Standout Performance as Akram in 'Dept. Q' and His Remarkable Journey Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

We’re thrilled to welcome actor Alexej Manvelov to the show. His standout portrayal of Akram in Netflix’s hit Dept. Q has made the character one of this season’s most acclaimed and beloved.

In Scott Frank’s adaptation of the bestselling novels, Manvelov plays Akram, a former Syrian police officer and refugee who joins Edinburgh’s cold-case unit alongside Detective Carl Mørck (Matthew Goode). His subtle, magnetic performance has made Akram both a fan favorite and a critical standout.

Manvelov shares with Christina how he built the role, the choices behind key scenes, and his remarkable personal journey — from growing up in the Soviet Union to immigrating to Sweden at age ten, and pursuing his acting dreams while working night shifts.

With acclaimed roles in Top Dog and Chernobyl, his turn in Dept. Q cements Manvelov as one of today’s most captivating screen talents.

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469: Summer Screams —Horror Thrives in the Heat (with Guest Eoin Daly) Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

Summer may not be the official spooky season, but it’s long been a surprisingly perfect time for horror. From the 1975 release of Jaws—which turns 50 this year!—to Poltergeist, Friday the 13th, and A24’s Hereditary andMidsommar, horror has thrived under the summer sun.
Now, summer 2025 is shaping up to be another standout season for the genre, with titles like 28 Years Later, M3GAN 2.0, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Together, Weapons, and more.
Film enthusiast and theatre technician (dresser) Eoin Daly joins Christina to explore why horror works so well in the summer—and what terrifying highlights await us this year. Eoin is a lifelong fan of cinema, both classic and contemporary.

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468: Best Films of the Decade (So Far!) with Guest Ryan McQuade Jun 13, 2025

Show notes

On this episode, Christina is joined by writer and critic Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) for the fun (and difficult!) exercise of ranking their favorite films of the decade so far, from 2020 through 2024. Tune in for passionate picks, tough calls, unexpected choices, a few controversial rankings, and plenty of love for the movies that have defined these first five years!

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467: A Conversation with Tony Gilroy — Andor Season 2, Revolution, and the Forces & Choices That Drive Us Jun 05, 2025

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Creator of Andor and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton, The Bourne films) joins Christina for a wide-ranging conversation about the groundbreaking Star Wars prequel series — a show that’s as politically urgent as it is thrilling. With the second and final season now complete, they look back at the creative journey.

They explore the big themes at the heart of Andor: found family, sacrifice, fascism, moral ambiguity, and the question of why good people do bad things. Plus: how the politics of Andor resonate in today’s world, what it’s like working within the Disney machine, and the creative complexities behind bringing such an ambitious story to life.

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Episode 466: And That’s a Wrap: Cannes 2025 with guest Ryan McQuade, AwardsWatch May 28, 2025

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Joining Christina is film critic and writer Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch as they wrap up the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. From what it was like covering this year’s festival, to the Palme d’Or winners, major Neon and MUBI acquisitions, standout titles from Joachim Trier and Spike Lee, The Secret Agent, The History of Sound, and more—this episode dives into all the unforgettable moments that made this edition one for the books.

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465: Interview: Stellan Skarsgård (‘Sentimental Value’) May 21, 2025

Show notes

In this special dispatch from the Croisette, Christina is joined by the brilliant and effortlessly cool Stellan Skarsgård, starring in Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value—a strong Palme d’Or contender at this year’s festival. Skarsgård plays Gustav, a once-renowned director who tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter by casting her in his comeback film.

They discuss Sentimental Value, the state of cinema and the world, why Skarsgård often chooses Norwegian films over Swedish ones, the importance of good catering—and much more.

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464: Dispatch 4 from Cannes 2025: The Phoenician Scheme, Pillion, Urchin & The Chronology of Water. Guest John Bleasdale, critic & author May 19, 2025

Show notes

Christina is joined by critic and author John Bleasdale (The Magic Hours: The Films and Hidden Life of Terrence Malick) for a new dispatch from the Croisette. They dive into some of the most talked-about titles at the festival, including The Phoenician Scheme by Wes Anderson, Pillion starring Alexander Skarsgård, and two films directed by actors: Kristen Stewart’s The Chronology of Water and Harris Dickinson’s Urchin.

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463: Dispatch 3 from Cannes 2025: Eddington, The Plague, Sound of Falling & Mission: Impossible with Ryan McQuade May 17, 2025

Show notes

🎬 Dispatch 3 from Cannes 2025
Christina is joined once again by Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) for a new dispatch from the Croisette. They dive into some of the festival’s buzziest titles so far, including Ari Aster’s Eddington, The Plague, Sound of Falling. Plus, thoughts on the latest Mission: Impossible.

In other news: Pop Culture Confidential which was selected by FeedSpot as one of the Top 90 Pop Culture Podcasts on the web.
https://podcast.feedspot.com/pop_culture_podcasts/

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462: Dispatch 2 from Cannes 2025 with Ryan McQuade! – On Tom Cruise & McQuarrie, Neon’s Cannes Reign & De Niro May 14, 2025

Show notes

🎬 Dispatch 2 from Cannes 2025!
Christina is joined by Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) for a dispatch from the Croisette. They break down Christopher McQuarrie’s Q&A—featuring a surprise appearance by Tom Cruise—Neon’s impressive Cannes track record and this year’s contenders, and Robert De Niro’s politically charged moment at the festival.

Please note: This episode was recorded on location in Cannes, so the audio is a bit more "festival field mix" than studio :)

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461: Dispatch 1 from Cannes 2025 – From the Opening Press Conference with Jury President Juliette Binoche, Jeremy Strong & More May 13, 2025

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Christina’s first dispatch from Cannes 2025!
Highlights from the Opening Press Conference with Juliette Binoche, Jeremy Strong & more—on festival expectations, Trump’s tariffs, and the new red carpet dress rules.

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