The Empire Film Podcast

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Jack Huston, Bong Joon Ho, The Oscars, and The Greatness Of Gene Hackman Mar 07, 2025

Show notes

This week's Empire Podcast features two cracking interviews with two directors at different stages of their career. First, actor-turned-director Jack Huston sits down on Zoom and tells Chris Hewitt how he managed to make his directorial debut, the black-and-white drama Day Of The Fight, recruiting Joe Pesci for a supporting role, and the influence of his famous grandfather, John Huston. [26:52 - 47:11 approx] Then, Helen O'Hara sits down with the great Bong Joon Ho, and his interpreter, for a lovely chat about Director Bong's new film, Mickey 17. [1:15:40 - 1:32:02 approx] Either side of those is a fun episode in which Chris and Helen are joined by James Dyer and, returning to the pod after an absence of a decade, Radio 1's Ali Plumb, to talk about how Michael Shannon might just have reunited R.E.M., wax lyrical about the greatness of Gene Hackman, and review Mickey 17, Day Of The Fight, and One Of Them Days. Oh, and if you're not a fan of Oscars chat, maybe skip the entire news section (which comes after Jack Huston and before Director Bong), as it's dedicated to an in-depth discussion of last Sunday's Academy Awards. But if you skip it, you'll never learn the incredible film facts that Ali, James, and Helen bring to the table, as a Three Fact Structure briefly threatens to break out. Enjoy!

Pamela Anderson, Naomi Ackie, And Farewell To Gene Hackman Feb 28, 2025

Show notes

Don't call it a comeback. This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Pamela Anderson, star of Baywatch and Barb Wire, sit down with Alex Godfrey to tell him about how Gia Coppola's The Last Showgirl has given her a second chance in Hollywood. [23:46 - 38:29 approx] Our other interview sees Mickey 17 (out next Friday, fact fans!) star Naomi Ackie talk to Helen O'Hara about working with Bong Joon Ho and multiple Robert Pattinsons, and coming to terms with fame. [1:05:30 - 1:19:50 approx] And both Alex and Helen are also in the podbooth this week, joining Chris Hewitt and James Dyer to talk about the greatest movie monkeys, take an impromptu Kathy Kennedy quiz, and review The Last Showgirl and Sky Cinema Original, Fight Or Flight. And the team also bid a sad farewell to some souls who left us far too soon this week — Michelle Trachtenberg, Roberto Orci, and the great Gene Hackman, who passed away along with his wife, Betsy Arakawa. A full Hackman tribute will appear in next week's podcast, but for now, the team recommend the movies they would watch as a tribute to his Gene-ius. [Episode 657]

Tatiana Maslany, Stephen King Adaptations, And What's Up With Bond? Feb 21, 2025

Show notes

After the guestapaloozas of recent weeks, we're back to just one guest on this week's Empire Podcast. But what a guest it is, as the great Tatiana Maslany, star of the new Stephen King adaptation The Monkey, pops up on Zoom to talk with Chris Hewitt about death and Comedy Bang Bang. [25:00 - 43:07 approx] In the podbooth, Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer to discuss their favourite Stephen King movies, review The Monkey, The Order, and I'm Still Here, while the movie news section is rudely interrupted by some actual movie news, prompting a deep dive into the revelation about the future of the James Bond movies. That can be found, roughly, from 50:04 - 1:04:12, if you're not into all things 007. Enjoy.

Disney+ original series A Thousand Blows: An Empire and Pilot TV Podcast Special Feb 21, 2025

Show notes

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight heads to the mean streets of Victorian London for A Thousand Blows on Disney+, and what better way to celebrate than with a special Pilot TV/Empire crossover podcast? Chris Hewitt, James Dyer and Kay Ribeiro get under the skin of Knight’s latest period piece, which combines bare-knuckle boxing with organised crime as all-female gang The Forty Elephants rampage through the East End. Plus, Kay speaks to Knight himself about the origins of the series and to stars Stephen Graham and Malachi Kirby about squaring off in the ring.

Harrison Ford; Renee Zellweger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall; Danny Ramirez Feb 14, 2025

Show notes

It's a brave new world for the Empire Podcast this week, folks, as Chris Hewitt welcomes a quintet (not to be confused with a Quinjet, although a couple of them might have access to one) of amazing guests. From the latest MCU film, Captain America: Brave New World, Chris first chats to Danny Ramirez, aka Joaquin Torres, aka the new Falcon, about football, flying, and fraternising with famous co-stars like Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford. [22:56 - 37:25 approx] Speaking of Ford, the man who might just be the greatest movie star of all time, also sits down for a chat with Chris, talking about taking on his second US President, and first Red Hulk, in the shape of Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross. [1:42:28 - 1:56:26 approx] Inbetween those, Chris has a fun face-to-faces encounter with the stars of Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, Renee Zellweger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Leo Woodall. [59:13 - 1:12:45 approx] Either side of those, love is in the podbooth air, as are Love Hearts, in a raucous episode as Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Amon Warmann to talk great movie kisses, run their eye over the week's movie news, and review Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, Captain America: Brave New World, and The Gorge. It's a pod you'll fall in love with. Probably. Enjoy!

Ke Huy Quan, John Magaro, Chris Sanders, And The Shrek Is Broken Feb 07, 2025

Show notes

Another bumper-sized edition of the Empire Podcast this week, as Chris Hewitt sits down on Zoom for chats with a trio of terrific talents. First, there's Ke Huy Quan on Love Hurts, the action movie that represents his first lead role, and first movie since winning an Oscar for Everything Everywhere All At Once. [17:33 - 34:18 approx] Then there's John Magaro, star of September 5, on how that movie and Steven Spielberg's Munich make for a great double-bill. [1:00:34 - 1:16:50 approx] And, finally, The Wild Robot director (and creator/voice of Stitch, as in Lilo & Stitch), Chris Sanders, on the success of his new animated movie, and becoming an unexpected voice actor. [1:39:10 - 1:54:10 approx] Then, in the podbooth, Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Beth Webb to discuss the film stories they'd love to see turned into plays, take a look at a bunch of trailers including The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Jurassic World: Rebirth, chat about the second coming of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and review September 5, You're Cordially Invited, Dog Man, and more. Enjoy.

Angelina Jolie, Jason Reitman, David Jonsson & An SNL Mount Rushmore Jan 31, 2025

Show notes

It's another bumper, jam-packed edition of the Empire Podcast this week, folks! The great Angelina Jolie heads up our trio of amazing guests, as she talks to John Nugent about taking on the challenge of playing the legendary opera singer, Maria Callas, in Pablo Larrain's Maria. [20:48 - 34:02 approx] Plus, Chris Hewitt has a fascinating chat with Jason Reitman about how, exactly, he recreated Saturday Night Live's opening night for Saturday Night, [56:33 - 1:15:42 approx] and finally Chris sits down on Zoom with EE Rising Star Award nominee, the wonderful David Jonsson, for a natter about that, Rye Lane, the difference between a stroll and a strut, and tackling a very complex role in Alien: Romulus, which is now on Disney+. [1:38:23 - 1:56:21 approx] Meanwhile, back in the podbooth, Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer to share their thoughts on the recent West End version of The Tempest, put together a Mount Rushmore of SNL stars, discuss the week's movie news, and review Saturday Night, Companion, and Mike Leigh's Hard Truths. Enjoy.

Michelle Yeoh, Adrien Brody: Oscar Winners And Oscar Nominations Jan 24, 2025

Show notes

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast brings you not one but two Oscar winners, as first Chris Hewitt sits down with Michelle Yeoh to talk about her new Star Trek movie, Section 31, and how the Best Actress Oscar for Everything Everywhere All At Once changed her life [20:56 - 36:39 approx]; then, John Nugent has a fascinating chat with The Brutalist star, current Oscar nominee, and former Best Actor winner, Adrien Brody, about the LA Fires and his role in Brady Corbet's epic drama. [1:02:49 - 1:18:11 approx] Elsewhere, Chris is joined in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Kelechi Ehenulo to dig deep into the Oscar nominations, discuss VFX gone wrong, and review The Brutalist, Steven Soderbergh's Presence, Flight Risk, and Star Trek: Section 31, while they also get really specific about TV episodes. Enjoy.

Jesse Eisenberg & Kieran Culkin, James Mangold, Christopher Abbott, and Farewell To David Lynch Jan 17, 2025

Show notes

This week's Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt, Alex Godfrey and Beth Webb bid a sad, but heartfelt, farewell to the great David Lynch, who has died at the age of 78. It's also an epic epitaph in many ways, clocking in at around 40 minutes, as the trio, all huge Lynch fans, pay tribute to the genius behind Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Dr., Twin Peaks, and more. [44:18 - 1:26:33 approx] Elsewhere in the episode, which was recorded before the news broke of Lynch's passing, Chris is joined in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer to discuss great bike moments in movies, chat about the BAFTA nominations and the new Daredevil: Born Again trailer, and review A Complete Unknown, William Tell, Back In Action, and Wolf Man. And there are interviews aplenty, as Chris talks to a whole bunch of folks: there's a riotous, chaotic chat with A Real Pain stars Jesse Eisenberg (who also wrote and directed the movie) and Kieran Culkin, as they talk food, films, and feet [19:06 - 44:18 approx]; A Complete Unknown director James Mangold calls in from LA to talk about why he was drawn to Bob Dylan [1:43:03 - 1:57:39 approx]; and Wolf Man star, Christopher Abbott, who tells us why he might start a new club with Colin Farrell and Jeff Goldblum. [2:23:50 - 2:37:57 approx] Otherwise, it's all about Lynch, as it should be. Farewell, sir.

#650 (live from Kings Place, London) ft. Nick Frost, Harris Dickinson, Claes Bang, Joe Alwyn Jan 12, 2025

Show notes

Here it is, folks. The 650th episode (if you don't count all the other episodes) of the Empire Podcast, recorded live on Friday January 10th in front of a sell-out crowd at our spiritual home of Kings Place, London. And it's an absolute belter, in which Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Beth Webb show barely a passing awareness of the week's movie news, review A Real Pain, Babygirl, and Maria, and answer a bunch of questions from the audience. There will be singing. There will be plenty of film-related fun. And there will be guests galore, as Chris sits down with Get Away writer/star, Nick Frost; Beth chats with Babygirl star, Harris Dickinson, making his second live show appearance; Alex Godfrey pops up to have a natter with William Tell star, Claes Bang (and we all get mildly distracted by his coat); and Helen has a pow-wow with Joe Alwyn, star of The Brutalist, the film that might just win the Oscar race. All the guests can be found in one super-long section between 49:56 and 2:08:14, approx. As ever, thanks to everyone who made this evening possible, from the Kings Place team to our guests; thanks to you guys for coming and for continuing to support the pod; and thanks to cinema for being so goshdarn cinematic. Enjoy.

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