Pop Culture Confidential

Cannes Film Festival 2026 Dispatch nr 8. A Conversation with Sean Fennessey. Guest: Sean Fennessey https://www.theringer.com/podcasts/the-big-picture https://substack.com/@seanfennessey Video: Anton Isiukov http://antonisiukov.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Wendy Mitchell Contributing Editor for Screen International and ScreenDaily.com https://www.filmwendy.com/writing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest, author and film critic John Bleasdale https://www.johnbleasdale.com Video by Anton Isiukov https://www.antonisiukov.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cannes Film Festival Dispatch 5: Review Paweł Pawlikowski 's 'Fatherland' (Guest Sophia Ciminello – AwardsWatch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a special episode from Cannes 2026, Christina interviews (her husband:), screenwriter Peter Birro, and director Gustaf Skarsgård about their upcoming film. They are at the festival to introduce The Cannibal, a psychological horror film about a screenwriter who goes to the island of Fårö to write a movie about Bergman, but soon encounters a demonic presence. Production starts in 2026. Audio & Video Video by Anton Isiukov https://www.antonisiukov.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Review! We are excited about Jane Schoenbrun's ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' starring  Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson. Guest Ryan McQuade AwardsWatch.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch joins Christina live from the Cannes Film Festival 2026 to discuss this year's jury, predictions, and some of the fests biggest stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What to expect from Pop Culture Confidential at the Cannes Film Festival 2026. Join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emmy season is heating up, and Christina is joined by Eoin Daly (of @onofusnet) to break down and discuss the most buzzworthy TV! From the sharp humor of Hacks,  to the brilliance of Beef  season 2, Half Man, The Pitt, Survivor, and everything in between. With nominations just around the corner (July 8th!) make sure to tune in for hot takes, insights, and predictions! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Special cross-over episode! On episode 344 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, and Pop Culture Confidential's Christina Birro to preview the 2026 Cannes Film Festival and also discuss the newest changes within the Academy for the upcoming Oscars and beyond.   You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. This podcast runs 1h05m. We will be back next week with a live episode from the 2026 Cannes Film Festival talking about the highlights of the first weeks of films. Till then, let's get into it.   Music: “Modern Fashion” from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the first-ever Pop Culture Confidential Summer 2026 Movie Draft! Christina is joined by Jay Ledbetter and Ryan McQuade (hosts of The Director Watch Podcast) to draft the films of the summer season. From Nolan and Spielberg to Toy Story 5, the chilling Backrooms, and so much more, who will draft the ultimate summer lineup? Tune in to find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lena Dunham's 'Famesick' is here! On this episode, Christina is joined by Sophia Ciminello (AwardsWatch, Oscar Wilde podcast) to unpack the much-anticipated memoir and explore Dunham's cultural impact. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sachs, Farhadi, Almodóvar, Pawlikowski, Kore-eda, Hamaguchi, Mungiu and many more! Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch.com joins Christina to preview the Cannes Film Festival 2026, featuring an incredible lineup of films and filmmakers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The brilliant writer/director Mary Bronstein joins Christina to discuss her film If I Had Legs I'd Kick You. The film is a raw and revelatory exploration of motherhood, anchored by an incredible, Oscar-nominated performance by Rose Byrne. Christina and Mary Bronstein dive into where Mary was in her life when she began writing the film, how she and Rose Byrne developed the character of Linda, the ongoing taboos surrounding motherhood and so much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode, Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) joins Christina for a grab bag of news, reviews, and all manner of good stuff! They dive into 'Project Hail Mary', 'The Drama', Colbert taking on Tolkien, the Oscars venue move, Scorsese's book adaptation, Supergirl, the Harry Potter TV series, and so much more. Listen now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emmy-nominated director Weronika Tofilska joins Christina to discuss her bold, existential storytelling, from the wildly successful Baby Reindeer to her latest project, Netflix's chilling horror series Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen (exec-produced by the Duffer Brothers and starring Camila Morrone, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Ted Levine). They dive into her creative journey, the terrifying twists on marriage and soulmates in the series, Lynchian influences, and what it's like to craft horror. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch joins Christina to recap last night's 2026 Academy Awards (and cap off a long season!)One Battle After Another's biggest wins, Sinners' successes, the surprises, emotional highlights, and so much more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us as we dive into the 2026 Oscar predictions! Christina is thrilled to be joined by Erik Anderson of AwardsWatch.com. This year has brought us outstanding films, incredible performances, and one of the most unpredictable awards seasons we've seen in a long time. Listen as we discuss our predictions on who will take home the gold this year Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The race is alive! We're just about ten days away from the Oscars, and things are heating up on the precursor front. The BAFTAs were last weekend, and this weekend brought the PGAs and the Actor Awards (the awards formerly known as the SAG Awards). Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch joins Christina to break down what it all means for Oscar night! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christina is joined by 2026 Oscar nominated costume designer Malgosia Turzanska, celebrated for her extraordinary work on Chloé Zhao's Hamnet. Known for her unforgettable costumes in Train Dreams, Stranger Things, The Green Knight, X, Pearl, and more, Malgosia takes us deep into her art and the creative journey behind one of the year's most talked-about films. They discuss the rich research behind Elizabethan clothing, the intimate storytelling within the Shakespeare family, and her concept of “emotional dressing,” where every detail carries meaning. From Agnes' striking reds in Jessie Buckley's Oscar nominated performance, to the protective padding worn by Shakespeare's mother, portrayed by Emily Watson, to Will Shakespeare's (Paul Mescal) ink-stained fingers, and much more. Plus, what Malgosia herself will be wearing to the Oscars! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer and director Clint Bentley joins Christina to discuss his acclaimed film Train Dreams, one of the most beautiful and celebrated films of the season! Nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture, the film recently earned Bentley Best Director and Best Feature at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. The conversation explores how Train Dreams came together, the character of Robert Grainier (brought to life through a deeply anchored performance by Joel Edgerton ) as well as Nick Cave's influence, themes of grief and memory, what it means to be a tender man in a changing world, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The endlessly inspiring Arian Moayed is back on the show and it is, as always, an absolute blast. The actor, director, and producer joins Christina to talk about his exciting new Marvel series Wonder Man and co-producing the documentary Champions of the Golden Valley with Malala Yousafzai. They also talk NYC Mayor Mamdani and keeping up with his “Succession family.” Who really wins the Succession group text chain? Arian opens up about making art accessible to everyone, the mission behind his work with Waterwell, and how storytelling can create real change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Encore episode! Alexander Skarsgård talks Pillion, career, and more. With Pillion now premiering widely (the wonderful, warm, and emotional BDSM rom-com co starring Harry Melling) we revisit Christina's wide ranging conversation with Alexander Skarsgård, recorded at the Stockholm International Film Festival in November 2026. They talk Pillion, the research behind the role, highlights from his career, campaigning at the same time as his father Stellan Skarsgård, fashion, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Awards season 2026 continues to steamroll ahead. Just days after the Oscar nominations, the BAFTA and WGA nominations have arrived. To help break it all down, Christina is joined by Eoin Daly, co-host of the Shhh, My Stories Are On! podcast, as they discuss the biggest talking points, surprises, and what these nominations could mean for the rest of the awards season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christina & Ryan McQuade (of AwardsWatch.com) break down the 2026 Oscar nominations, diving into the biggest surprises, snubs, historic milestones, and what it all means for the race ahead! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2026 is shaping up to be an incredible year for cinema, from visionary auteurs to indie gems and everything in between.Christina is joined by Jay Ledbetter and Ryan McQuade from the Director Watch Podcast for a massive breakdown of the movies they can't wait to see in 2026. Plus a special appearance by Sophia Ciminello of AwardsWatch.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Pop Culture Confidential, Christina sits down with prize-winning production designer Fiona Crombie, whose work has shaped some of the most visually striking films of recent years. They talk in depth about Crombie's breathtaking production design for Chloé Zhao's Hamnet, starring Paul Mescal  and Jessie Buckley as William and Agnes Shakespeare. From intimate domestic spaces to the recreation of the legendary Globe Theatre, Crombie reveals how she brought emotion and lived-in detail into the spaces she designed Fiona Crombie was Oscar-nominated for her production design on Lanthimos The Favourite and has also collaborated with Bong Joon-ho (Mickey 17), Ari Aster (Beau Is Afraid), and many other acclaimed filmmakers. This conversation was recorded just after Jessie Buckley's Best Actress win at the Critics' Choice Awards and the Golden Globes, and as Hamnet itself took home Best Picture Drama. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christina is joined by Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch.com) to break down the Golden Globes 2026! The winners, the losers, the speeches, the cringe... and what it all means for the Oscars race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first episode of the year, Christina is joined by Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch.com) to recap the Critics Choice Awards 2026, the first televised awards show of the season! Fresh off attending the ceremony, they break down what it was like on the ground, the night's biggest wins, standout moments, and the industry buzz coming out of the show. It was a huge night for One Battle After Another, Sinners, and more as awards season officially kicks into high gear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a huge episode! Ryan McQuade ( Executive Editor, AwardsWatch) joins Christina as they countdown their 20 best movies of 2025. What a year of cinema it has been! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Awards season is officially in full swing! Prizes and nominations are rolling in from critics groups, the Critics Choice Awards, the Golden Globes, and more. It's been one announcement after another and we're breaking it all down. Christina is joined by Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) to recap and dig into the surprises, the snubs, and the contenders gaining momentum. From PTA and Sinners to Sentimental Value, Amy Madigan, and many more, they explore where things stand now....and what it all might mean for the Oscars! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's episode is a special one: Christina's interview with actor/producer Alexander Skarsgård! The interview was recorded live at the Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 2025), where he received the 2025 Stockholm Achievement Award.The audience was packed and about to see Alexander's fantastic new film Pillion. In this wide-ranging conversation they talk about the movie, the research behind his wildly funny and emotional new rom-com with BDSM themes, career highlights, campaigning at the same time as Stellan, fashion, and much more. You can also watch the interview on the Stockholm Film Festival's YouTube channel or on the Pop Culture Confidential YouTube channel.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0pQyGajgvU&t=1s Photos courtesy of Anton Isiukov: https://www.antonisiukov.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2025 was a year in pop culture like no other! Celebrities “went to space,” Kendrick blew our minds at the Super Bowl, demons were hunted, SNL turned 50, and kiss cams caused chaos. It was a massive year for film and TV, packed with moments that had everyone talking. We also said goodbye to some of the biggest names in the industry. Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch joins Christina as they each count down the biggest, most talked-about, and wildest pop culture moments of 2025. Don't miss it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we head into the final weeks of the year, we couldn't resist diving into the incredible performances that have already defined 2025.It's been an extraordinary year at the movies, full of bold artistic swings, deeply emotional turns, and career-making work across the board. In this episode, Christina is thrilled to be joined by Erik Anderson, editor-in-chief of AwardsWatch, to breakdown the Top 10 Acting Performances of 2025.Together, they dig into the roles that moved and surprised them & the ones that made them laugh and cry. They also take a close look at what these standout performances could mean in terms of awards season.And of course, a few honorable mentions that absolutely deserve their moment in the spotlight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christina talks with writer/actor/comedian Michael Strassner about his new film The Baltimorons, directed by Jay Duplass, a story shaped by the spirit of Baltimore and the most personal chapters of Strassner's own life.They talk about blending humor and drama, how Strassner channels his personal history, including struggles with addiction, recovery, and self-reinvention, into the story. He also discusses the film's unexpected romance, having his own family in the film, and much more.The Baltimorons won the Audience Award at South by Southwest 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's episode is a special one: Christina's interview with writer and director Benny Safdie at the Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 2025), where he was also honored with the Stockholm Visionary Award. They discuss his filmmaking process, his obsessive characters, The Smashing Machine, working with Paul Thomas Anderson and Christopher Nolan, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's preview time! Christina is once again joined by critic Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch.com) to preview the most exciting movie titles coming to theaters and streaming for the rest of the year! From awards hopefuls like Hamnet and Marty Supreme, to blockbuster titles like Wicked: For Good and Avatar: Fire and Ash, to Train Dreams, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Filmmaker Rebecca Miller joins Christina to talk about her remarkable new series Mr. Scorsese , a five-part portrait of Martin Scorsese, now streaming on Apple TV+. The series offers a rare and intimate look at the legendary director's creative process, his lifelong relationship with cinema, and the people and experiences that have shaped his extraordinary career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Christina talks with actor Gustaf Skarsgård, who is powerful in the historical crime drama To Cook a Bear(Hulu/Disney+), based on the bestselling novel by Mikael Niemi. They discuss embodying the Pastor, a fascinating, paradoxical character inspired by the real Lars Levi Laestadius, a man caught between faith, science, and survival in 1850s Sweden. The story weaves together themes of polarization, racism, class, and belief within a haunting detective mystery set against the stark northern wilderness. They also talk about Skarsgård's thoughtful approach to acting — how he chooses his roles, from Oppenheimer to Soderbergh's Black Bag to his upcoming role as Wallander — and how he has found more sustainable ways of working and living after past struggles with addiction. Don't miss! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're diving into the state of the awards season race! Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch.com joins us to break down the latest contenders and predictions. Then, a discussion on Rebecca Miller's Mr. Scorsese (Apple TV+), a new five-part docuseries about the legendary filmmaker himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From One Battle After Another, Jay Kelly, Hamnet, and Weapons, to Sentimental Value and If I Had Legs I'd Kick You and more, filmmakers this year can't seem to escape one theme: parents. Guilt, loss, and legacy are everywhere on screen this year. Are directors today reckoning with themselves as parents rather than with their own parents? We dive into all of it — and more. Christina is joined by film critic J. Don Birnam (@awards_predix) to unpack one of 2025's defining cinematic trends — parenting, responsibility, and what it means to parent (or be parented) in a changing world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're pulling back the curtain on one of modern horror's most unforgettable new icons: Aunt Gladys from Zach Cregger's smash hit Weapons. Christina is joined by makeup department head Leo Satkovich and special makeup effects designer Jason Collins, the brilliant team behind her terrifying transformation. They explore how Aunt Gladys was brought to life: from drawing inspiration in Cindy Sherman's photography and John Waters' Pink Flamingos to perfecting the haunting look worn and played to perfection by Amy Madigan. They dig into the gory details — THAT potato peeler, wrangling a mob of kids, and much more. The conversation even dares to imagine a prequel Aunt Gladys, picturing a younger version in all her unsettling glory. And of course, the artists share exclusive Halloween costume tips straight from their own toolkit. Listen now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Christina is joined by rising star Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, recently named one of Variety's 10 Actors to Watch, to talk about her role as Agnes in Joachim Trier's Oscar-contending drama Sentimental Value. The film, also starring Stellan Skarsgård, Renate Reinsve, and Elle Fanning, explores family, identity, and the complicated bond between two sisters and their father. Inga shares what it was like working with Trier and Skarsgård, the intensity of filming a pivotal emotional scene with Renate Reinsve, and how audiences around the world are connecting with the film's themes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Modern Masterpiece! Christina is joined by Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch.com to dive into Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, Chase Infiniti, and Benicio Del Toro. Edge-of-your-seat, urgent, and timely, Anderson's bold filmmaking delivers a cinematic experience like no other. Join us for a deep dive into one of the year's most anticipated films. Spoilers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joachim Trier's Sentimental Value is the talk of the season, and Christina sits down with the acclaimed Norwegian director to dig into it. Featuring Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Stellan Skarsgård, and Elle Fanning, the film has already won the Grand Prix at Cannes, charmed audiences on the festival circuit, and is quickly becoming an Oscar favorite. Christina and Trier dive into its rich themes — family roles, complicated relationships, and the deeply personal ideas at its heart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hollywood turns its spotlight on television's biggest night this Sunday — the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards! Christina is joined by Tyler Doster, TV Editor at AwardsWatch.com, to predict the major categories and discuss potential surprises and upsets. From The Pitt and Severance to The Studio and Adolescence, which shows and stars will walk away with Emmy gold? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All new Pop Culture Confidential: Telluride Dispatch!What a festival! Together with each of the incredible AwardsWatch.com team, we dive into the biggest conversations at Telluride — from Hamnet, Jay Kelly, Bugonia, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, to the Springsteen biopic

This week, Christina welcomes Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) for a deep dive into Bruce Springsteen on film — including a look ahead at Deliver Me From Nowhere, the highly anticipated biopic starring Jeremy Allen White. From the Malick-inspired Nebraska to iconic soundtrack moments, we explore Springsteen's cinematic inspirations and how his music continues to live on the big screen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we dive into the phenomenon of Weapons, filmmaker Zach Cregger's latest hit. From the success of Barbarian to this ambitious follow-up, Cregger has quickly become one of the most exciting names in horror. I'm joined by Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) to break down our reactions to Weapons — the scares, the themes, the filmmaking, and the cinematic influences and nods to PTA, Lynch, Tarantino, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christina welcomes back one of the sharpest voices in film — Sean Fennessey of The Big Picture — for a wide ranging conversation on the year in movies so far and what's next. From Weapons and the horror/genre boom to box office shocks, Nolan fever, political storytelling, their Telluride predictions — and plenty more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and critic John Bleasdale joins Christina to discuss his excellent new book, Darkness Visible: The Cinema of Jonathan Glazer—a deep dive into the work of the visionary director behind Sexy Beast, Birth, Under the Skin, and The Zone of Interest.They also break down the exciting 2025 Venice Film Festival line-up, featuring Luca Guadagnino's After the Hunt starring Julia Roberts, Kathryn Bigelow's latest, Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices