The Parting Shot with H. Alan Scott (Newsweek)

Finding that next great character after a blockbuster series like This Is Us isn’t easy, but Justin Hartley figured it out with his new CBS drama Tracker (February 11). “As an actor, to get to play someone so different right after playing someone I thought was so special, it’s the time of my life,” told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. Hartley plays Colter Shaw, a survivalist who travels the country in his Airstream looking to help people who have posted rewards. “Colter’s environment doesn’t really happen to him, he happens to his environment.” Considering the series is an action drama, the physicality required of Hartley is much bigger than This Is Us. “You definitely get your steps in. [laughs] I have realized that if something is scripted like, Colter arrives and knocks on the door, something’s gonna happen where he’s gonna have to be running. So, a lot of stretching. It’s a very active show.” But he knows he owes all of this to This Is Us. “I’m executive producing and starring in a show on CBS that airs right after the Superbowl because of the opportunities This Is Us afforded me. I owe so much to that show.” 

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With election day just days away, we’re looking at what could be one of the closest elections in U.S. history. The question is: Will people show up to vote or is the apathy just so strong that people can’t make a decision between over the typical “lesser of two evils” stance? While Vice President Kamala Harris makes a case against former President Donald Trump and a case for unity, Trump is pulling out all the stops (and stunts) to get those middle-class Americans to vote Trump once again. To break it down and attempt to make sense of it all, H. Alan Scott is joined today by Newsweek’s Jason Lemon and Jenni Fink.

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On today’s episode, we’re talking Hollywood health fads. If there’s one thing the west coast lives, it’s a hot new alternative medicine, treatment, or spiritual experience. We’re talking things like Ozempic—the weight loss drug taking Hollywood by storm—naked retreats and hallucinogens. Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott talks with Thomas Fairman, director of WYLD, a naked retreat for men in nature that helps men find “what it takes to live a life of confidence and fulfillment in the modern world - without being overwhelmed, distracted or burnt out.” H. Alan also chatted with Clayton Farris, an actor and content creator, about how he uses hallucinogens to treat anxiety and depression.  

For more on Thomas Fairman, visit https://www.wyldmen.com. 

For more on Clayton Farris, follow him at https://www.instagram.com/claytonfarris. 

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Leslie Jones, best known for her star-making turn on Saturday Night Live, is ready to share her story, on her terms and in her own way. She came up with the book’s title “because a whole bunch of people [would] come up to me and go, ‘Thats Leslie-f******-Jones!,’” Jones to Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. In her book, Leslie F****** Jones (Grand Central Publishing), the comedian shares the abuse she suffered as a child, her path to stardom and how she emerged with a level head. “I don't look at myself as a celebrity. I look at it like somebody that got a really good job and was just really good at it.” About that job, she said SNL “is a machine that's already fixed the way that it is. It does not matter how wonderful and great and different I am, I'm not going to change the machine,” except for her impact on the way SNL “might look at Black women, now they'll have more Black women.” While she does wish she was “in my 30s so I can just do Marvel sh**,” Jones knows what she wants next: “to be an interpreter for our nation right now, because I feel like no one's speaking the nation's language.” 

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How much do we really know about the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln? That’s a question Tobias Menzies hopes to answer in Apple TV+’s ‘Manhunt’ (March 15). “The thing that really struck me was the newness of the nation, that it wasn’t really all knitted together properly, it was still so raw.” Menzies plays Edwin Stanton, the U.S. Secretary of War under Lincoln, as he leads the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth. As a Brit, Menzies says “it’s not without its trepidation to take on these important figures in your country’s history,” but that he hopes “to bring enough insight, and maybe some of that is about being an outsider.” The show, which leans “toward the conspiracy political, crime thriller sort of genre,” is also surprisingly timely. “The political and physical reality of the United States is a sort of a given now. It was interesting putting ourselves back into a world where that’s not a given ... and the danger is that the tide will significantly turn in a different direction if [Stanton] isn’t able to resist the forces that have committed that deed.” 

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For Skye P. Marshall, getting the part of Olympia on CBS’ Matlock is the culmination of a lot of hard work. “Every decision I've made in my career has led me to this moment. I'm a winner.” On Matlock, Marshall’s Olympia is a successful attorney at a prestigious New York City law firm who suddenly must contend with Madeline “Matty” Matlock (played by Kathy Bates), who has reentered the work force later in life. “At the beginning, we're not friends, but we're not just colleagues. And then over time, you'll start to see that that really is the love story.” While on the surface the two women are very different, they soon realize that the things about them that others use against them–Olympia’s race, Matty’s age–are actually things they can use to their advantage. “We both use it to our advantage because our need of doing good and defending the victims who cannot afford to fight for themselves.” When Marshall got the part, she says, “I screamed and cried a lot. The call felt like hitting the lottery. The call felt like what I would imagine LeBron James received in 2003 when he was the number one draft pick.” But after wrapping this season, with another season already greenlit by CBS, Marshall says one of the biggest takeaways from working with Bates so closely is how real Bates is. “Kathy has never forgotten where she's come from. Genuinely, she does not believe that she's better than the PA or the cater waiters. She doesn't.” 

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It’s Super Bowl weekend, which, if you’re not into sports, what are you supposed to do? Well, Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott offers his tips on how to survive the game during your Super Bowl party. He also breaks down what to watch this weekend if you want to avoid the Super Bowl, and honestly, the one thing you should watch is ‘Love... Reconsidered’ starring Sophie Von Haselberg. Sophie joins H. Alan to talk about the film, their shared love of rom coms and how Sophie carves out her own path when journalists like H. Alan ask about her famous mom (Bette Midler).  

You can rent and stream ‘Love... Reconsidered’ on multiple platforms and see it in select theaters.  

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 For Colin Hanks, playing Bob Broberg, the father of a girl abducted twice by the same man, in A Friend of the Family (Peacock, October 6), was an “exercise in going completely 100 percent out of my comfort zone,” he told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. Based on the true story of Jan Broberg, who also produced the limited series, the show lays out in heavy and disturbing detail how the Broberg family, starting in 1972, fell prey to the predatory actions of Robert “B” Berchtold (played by Jake Lacy). “There's a lot of stuff that Bob did that is unfortunate and questionable. So I just did everything I could to try and explain why Bob made all those decisions.” Hanks and Jan Broberg spoke with Newsweek about the limited series, the impact of Mormonism on the case, and how Jan finally got to a place where she could talk about the trauma that happened to her.

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We just experienced what is likely to be the only debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, and it was raining cats and dogs. (More on that in a bit.) The big question is, who won? Did Kamala Harris define herself?  And was Donald Trump able to stay on message? H. Alan Scott was joined by Newsweek’s Jesse Edwards to break it all down.  

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This week saw Kamala Harris entering enemy territory with her Fox News interview. Will it help or hurt her? As that was going on, everyone was still reacting to former President Donald Trump jamming out to a playlist that seemingly hasn’t been updated since 1993. Oh, and are we close to Erik and Lyle Menendez being released from prison? H. Alan Scott breaks down all of this and more with Newsweek’s Jenni Fink. 

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If there’s anyone who knows how to play a wealthy man with a secret, it’s Jon Hamm. From Mad Men’s Don Draper to Andrew Cooper turning to a life of crime to maintain his lavish lifestyle in his new series Your Friends and Neighbors (Apple TV+), Hamm knows. “I’m really good casting for this, if I do say so myself,” Hamm laughs, “absurd wealth is what we’re looking at here,” and the secrets its pursuit can reveal. “Late-stage capitalism and rampant materialism, and what does it really mean? Why are we measuring ourselves against other people using the metric of just who has a bigger pile of stuff?” While he knows “not everybody can resonate with having to make their $300,000 mortgage” like his character, “people can certainly identify with losing their job through no fault of their own.” Between Mad Men and some of his Emmy-nominated work on The Morning Show, Fargo and Landman, Hamm is confident that he’s “earned my place,” but is mostly “fortunate” that he gets to work with those he admires. “To work with those people is a tremendous gift.” 

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There are drag queens, and then there’s Bianca Del Rio. If you’re familiar with Bianca, you know exactly what you’re getting at one of her shows, but if you’re not, this episode will be an introduction to the human hurricane that is Bianca Del Rio. She joins Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott to discuss her new tour Dead Inside (tix at thebiancadelrio.com), politics, cancel culture, drag queen story hour, and so much more.  

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There’s already a lot of pressure playing one character based on a real person, but two? And in the same movie? That’s exactly what Nicholas Braun does in Saturday Night (October 11), playing both Jim Henson and Andy Kaufman as they, and the rest of the cast, prepare for the first live taping of Saturday Night Live. But Braun wasn’t really intimidated. “I felt really privileged to get to be both of those guys,” and just wanted to “not be a caricature.” Just like the original SNL, Saturday Night’s “cast was just stacked.” And even though Braun had never worked with any of them before, he quickly “learned how perfect they were for the part, how much research every single person did. They know how important this movie is and getting this right. Just a really impressive group of actors.” If he had to choose his favorite era of SNL, “it would be the Will Ferrell era. Tim Meadows, Cheri Oteri, Chris Kattan.” Seeking new roles and fresh off his run as Greg on Succession, portraying Henson and Kaufman couldn’t be more different from anything he’s ever done.  

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Fresh off his Tony nomination for Mother Play, Jim Parsons is back on Broadway in Our Town. So, does he not like taking a break? "Until [Big Bang Theory] wrapped in 2019, I did not really know what it was to take a break that was not only extended, but also uncertain." The reason for back-to-back shows—besides theater being "more alive for me now as it...ever has been"—is that "within days of agreeing to one, another came," and, "I felt very strongly that I wanted to do both." Parsons plays the stage manager in Our Town, guiding the audience through "one of the better-known plays in the entire canon of theater, and with a cast of 28." "I said it to Kenny [Leon], the director, in rehearsal the other day, 'This is the first time in a long time that I've worked on something and I thought I could see not really getting tired of [it].'" Parsons knows many will always see Big Bang Theory's Sheldon in his performances, and he's fine with that, because the sitcom "undoubtedly offered me more opportunities as an actor and as a human than without it, there's just no doubt about it."

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Comedy legend Jane Lynch stops by to talk with Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott about hosting ‘The Weakest Link,’ and she looks back at some her iconic performances in ‘Glee,’ ‘Best in Show,’ and ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Honestly, the story she shares about Jennifer Coolidge is just everything.  

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The road to the RuPaul's Drag Race Season 17 finale has been one of wild challenges and shifting dynamics. Now, after months of lip-syncs and legendary shade, the final four queens—Onya Nurve, Lexi Love, Sam Star and Jewels Sparkles—are preparing to step onto the runway one last time, ready to claim the crown. 

In an exclusive interview with Newsweek, the finalists opened up about their emotional journeys, fan reactions, behind-the-scenes moments and what they've learned along the way. These are queens who have turned pain into punchlines, pressure into polish, and personal growth into fierce artistry. 

Watch the full chat with Onya Nurve, Lexi Love, Sam Star and Jewels Sparkles: https://www.newsweek.com/rupauls-drag-race-final-four-growth-gowns-grit-we-already-made-it-2061295 

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Mikey Madison has been dreaming of a film like Anora since she started acting as a teenager on Better Things. “It’s been a dream of mine to have that kind of collaboration with a filmmaker like Sean [Baker].” That dream has come true in a big way, with the film and her performance picking up a lot of awards buzz. “I’m so happy that people are excited about the film because I’m so proud of it.” Madison plays Ani, a young sex worker who falls for the son of a Russian oligarch. But the Cinderella story quickly turns dark. Madison and Baker collaborated on creating the title role. “I did a lot of work to bring her to life, I knew everything about her, and I was able to just very easily slip into that character and feel all the things she was feeling.” Because of her careful preparation, when it came time to film, she just wanted to get it right. “I think any pressure was pressure that I put on myself, just because I’ve fallen in love with this character and really wanted to represent her in an honest way and just do her justice and the story.”

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Do you have what it takes to compete on CBS’s Survivor? Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott does not, which is why he decided to chat with two people who have about it. Rob Cesternino and Stephen Fishbach join H. Alan to talk about their experiences competing on the reality competition series, what it’s really like, and how the edit doesn’t always tell the whole story.

Visit Newsweek.com to learn more about the podcasts we offer and to catch up on the latest news. Follow H. Alan Scott on everything at @HAlanScott. 

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Survivor 47 was an incredible season. Rachel LaMont, a dominant player with four historic immunity wins, won the million dollars and cemented herself in Survivor history. She chatted with Newsweek about her win and that truly incredibly hidden immunity idol moment this season. (If you know, you know.) We’re also chatting with the rest of the top 3, Sam Phalen and Sue Smey, and Teeny, whose fire making challenge was next level epic.

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A little under 10 years ago, Disney introduced the Descendants franchise, giving new life to their iconic animated characters in a modern live-action TV movie. The premise worked. “It is just truly such a killer concept,” says Kylie Cantrall, who stars as Red, the daughter of Alice in Wonderland’s Queen of Hearts (played by Rita Ora), in their latest installment Descendants: The Rise of Red. In the film, Red and Chloe (Malia Baker), the daughter of Cinderella, team up to save their fantasy world from extinction. Brandy Norwood reprises her role as Cinderella, which she first played in the now-classic 1997 TV movie Cinderella, reuniting with Paolo Montalban as Prince Charming. “They still have such a soft spot for each other. They just have the best chemistry.” For Cantrall, who rose to fame playing the lead in Disney Channel series Gabby Duran & the Unsittables, getting this part “has felt so pinch me and so surreal.” From here, Cantrall hopes to keep growing into her career. “I’m maturing, my art is maturing as well, and it’s cool to see that reflected in the art I’m making.”

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Reality TV has changed the landscape of not only television, but also pop culture. Its impact can be felt in every aspect of our lives, and—as some would argue—its impact may have even led to the election of former President Donald Trump. That’s a huge impact. (Or should we say, ‘yuge.’) Considering this, what is the state of reality TV? Where are we at with shows like ‘Survivor,’ ‘The Real Housewives’ and ‘Traitors’? To discuss this, Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott invited reality TV expert Kate Casey on the latest episode. 

Listen to Kate’s podcast ‘Reality Life with Kate Casey’: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reality-life-with-kate-casey/id1154758766 

Subscribe to Kate’s ‘What to Watch’ newsletter: https://katecasey.substack.com/ 

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After the massive success of last season’s The Traitors (streaming now on Peacock), host Alan Cumming knew this season had to be bigger. “There was a pressure to not just repeat ourselves, it actually upped the ante.” And they did just that, with a more explosive cast and even wilder twists. “It is bigger. I'm sort of a cult leader. I've gone from just a dandy, Lord of the manor in his castle, to official cult leader. I'm fine with it.” Cumming hosts a castle full of reality TV stars who all play a game of murder in order to win upwards of $250,000. Even though contestants are from shows like Survivor and Real Housewives, Cumming actually thinks the shows that made them famous has little to do with how well they do. “Everybody has this sort of myth that you have to be in one of those gamer shows to do well at this game and it's not true. Sometimes it's actually good to have better social skills.” Last year, Cumming’s Emmy win ended RuPaul’s historic 8-year winning streak for RuPaul’s Drag Race. “I saw Ru, and I went up to him, and I just went, ‘I am so sorry.’ And he just went, ‘Con-drag-ulations.’ And I was like, ‘He said it!’” [laughs] 

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There are films that are just so delightful, they’re not just fantastic, they’re fantastical. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (in theaters July 15) is just that film and Lesley Manville, who plays the title character Ada Harris, turns in a magical performance as a British widow in the 1950s whose life mission becomes about getting a Dior dress. “She wanted this dress for so long. It's been like an epic mission for her to get this dress.” Manville spoke with Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott about the film, her love of fashion, and how excited she is to play Princess Margaret in the next season of Netflix’s ‘The Crown.’

Visit Newsweek.com to learn more about the podcasts we offer and to catch up on the latest news. Follow H. Alan Scott on everything at @HAlanScott.  

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Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott looks into how abortion has been portrayed on scripted TV and film amid news about Roe v. Wade and the leaked Supreme Court decision that’s pending. 

For more, follow @HAlanScott on everything and visit Newsweek.com for more news and podcasts. New episodes of Newsweek’s Parting Shot are released weekly.

ESSENTIAL LINKS:

Database Phoebe Mentioned: https://www.ansirh.org/research/research/abortion-onscreen-2021

VOX article by Tanya Melendez: https://www.vox.com/culture/22715333/tv-abortion-plot-storyline-lies

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For Jay Ellis, being cast in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (May 24) was a “full circle” moment. “I grew up in the service, so for me, it is a world that I recognize,” Ellis told Newsweek’s Naveed Jamali on the Parting Shot. In fact, Ellis’ dad was a mechanic in the Air Force. But even a childhood spent around massive jets didn’t lessen Ellis’ excitement about getting to actually fly in the jets he had admired. “I feel like a kid in a candy store, and I'm literally eating all of the candy every single day.” 

The experience of filming the sequel to the 1986 Tom Cruise classic “was like a film school, a flight school, a master class, all wrapped into this cockpit.” Beyond acting, the actors operated cameras and equipment while in the cockpit with an experienced pilot. “There were times where I would get in there and fully forget that I had to act because I was just so enamored with every single thing around me. It was insane.” 

For Ellis, he’s most proud of how it was “insanely important to Tom” to accurately depict the diverse aviation community. “Representation matters and seeing yourself on screen matters. When you see it, you believe it.”

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For more Naveed, follow his work at Newsweek.com, listen to his Declassified podcast, and watch his new web series Unconventional, where he’ll speak with servicemembers working in the intersection of tradition and technology. Take flight with Naveed: youtube.com/newsweek

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Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña is going from kicking butt on Earth to doing so in the multiverse in the latest DC Comics film ‘Blue Beetle’ (August 18). “I'm so excited about people meeting this character for the first time,” Maridueña told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. This is not only the young actor’s big screen debut and, the film is also the first DC Comics movie to focus solely on a Latin superhero. “I really feel like it's taken all 22 years of my life so far to be ready for this moment.” Despite the movie’s groundbreaking record for progress and diversity, Maridueña wants people see it for more than just that. “I hope people, with this movie, can start to marinate on the fact that this is a movie, that Latino is not the genre, that superhero was the genre, and the characters happened to be Latino.” He also wants Blue Beetle to open doors for other superhero stories we’ve yet to see. “I hope that in success, it offers the opportunity for others to tell their most authentic stories. It may be the first time that a Latino is hitting the big screen in a lead [superhero] role, but it can't be the last.” 

Visit Newsweek.com to learn more about the podcasts we offer and to catch up on the latest news. While you’re there, subscribe to Newsweek’s ‘For the Culture newsletter. Follow H. Alan Scott on everything at @HAlanScott. 

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On today’s Parting Shot, Pabllo Vittar and Alaska Thunderf*ck join Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. Pabllo chats about being the first-ever drag queen to perform at Coachella and how drag is different in Brazil compared to the United States. After that, Alaska stops by to talk about the finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race, her Drag Queen of the Year competition, and her new Drag Queen Musical!

For more, follow @HAlanScott on everything and visit Newsweek.com for more news and podcasts. New episodes of Newsweek’s Parting Shot are released weekly.

For more on Newsweek’s coverage of Coachella, listen to the On Beat Podcast with Tommy O'Connor and Maura Currie: https://art19.com/shows/on-beat/episodes/57ae5ed3-241f-4f60-8c4f-f71a5363bebe

Related links of interest from this episode:

https://www.instagram.com/pabllovittar/

https://dragqueenoftheyear.com/

https://www.instagram.com/theonlyalaska5000/

https://www.instagram.com/halanscott/

ReplyForward

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If you love Newsweek’s Parting Shot, you’re also going to love iHeart Media’s ‘Too Much Information’ podcast with Jordan Runtagh & Alex Heigl. After working at Rolling Stone, People, Entertainment Weekly, VH1, and Page Six, these two know a thing or two about pop culture. They chatted with Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott about the podcast, their favorite pop culture moments, and a ton about ‘Air Force One.’

Visit Newsweek.com to learn more about the podcasts we offer and to catch up on the latest news. Follow H. Alan Scott on everything at @HAlanScott. 

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When America is under siege, it takes a special group to step up and face the enemy. Robert De Niro, Connie Britton, Angela Bassett and more star in Netflix’s limited series Zero Day trying to unravel the mystery of who is trying to bring the country to its knees. 

H. Alan Scott is joined by Naomi Ekperigin to break down all of the exciting twists and turns. Zero Day is now playing, only on Netflix.

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For Melissa McCarthy, playing Ursula in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid (May 26) started with terror. “That song [“Poor Unfortunate Souls”] looms so large for me that if I can't do it, I shouldn't be doing it,” McCarthy told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. Fortunately for us, she did it—and did it well. That’s partly because she saw Ursula as more than just a villain. “She’s not just ostracized, she's isolated...She's so in the gray murky area; one second it's real, the next it's a con, then a grift, then an attack, then it's just pain and vulnerability. She is such a complicated character.” The animated Ursula was heavily inspired by the drag queen Divine, which made the character even more rich for McCarthy. “There has never been a world without drag. And I do not care to ever see a world without drag.” Directed by Rob Marshall and with Halle Bailey as Ariel, McCarthy has nothing but praise for them. “He did this beautiful thing. He built the world we all want to live in. There's variety there. It's like everybody wins. Everybody has their seat at the table. Halle leads this movie with such strength. This isn't like girls need help from the prince. It's like Halle is charging to her destiny.” 

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What could make a show about a mysterious cult even more terrifying? Being inspired by a true story. “Maybe it’s a morbid fascination, because it’s dark, but I do find cults very interesting.” Emily Deschanel chats with Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott about her new Netflix series ‘Devil in Ohio,’ her fascination with cults, and why she loves psychological thrillers. And, of course, they talked about her time on ‘Bones’ and whether she’ll ever star in something with her sister, Zooey Deschanel.

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The pool of people who can call themselves talk show hosts is very, very small, and Tamron Hall is keenly aware of that. “For me, it’s not about being highbrow or low,” Hall says about the Tamron Hall Show. “We are a celebrity daytime talk show, of course, but we have real people layered in.” And that’s part of the reason why Hall’s four-time Emmy winning show has been a success. “I don’t care if you are famous. I don’t care if you’re a writer. I don’t care what it is. I just need you to come to talk.” But the success of the show wasn’t guaranteed. “On paper people were like, ‘Oh, the lady that got fired,’” Hall said, referring to her departure from NBC’s Today show in 2017. But Hall’s transition from journalist to talk show host was seamless, finding the balance between reporting and the emotion in a guest’s story. “My role as a journalist is to walk into the room and not judge.” And when someone comes “to play,” that’s when “it’s such an exhilarating [job], it’s so fun.” 

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It’s been 25 years since ‘The Sopranos’ premiered on HBO. After that night, television changed forever. James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli and the rest of the cast and crew won 21 Emmy Awards over the course of the run of the David Chase drama. Today we’re remembering ‘The Sopranos’ with comic Paul Palmeri. It’s fun chat about the show, Italian and culture, and why Italians are so darn hot.  

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From Boyz N the Hood in 1991 until now, Morris Chestnut has seen much of Hollywood. "I've been through pretty much everything in the industry." Now he's starring in and executive producing CBS's new drama Watson (January 26). It "was a no-brainer" for Chestnut when he was approached to play Dr. John Watson. "It's just a blessing and an honor to have that opportunity." Based within the mythology of Sherlock Holmes, Watson picks up a year after Holmes' death. "The character's dealing with the loss of his best friend." This depth is something that Chestnut feels he's most qualified to portray now. "Fifteen years ago, I don't know if I'd be able to do the role the way I'm able to do it now." But one thing Chestnut is most grateful for is the relationship he's built with fans from films like Boyz N the Hood and The Best Man. "If I were to say, right now today, let's get a project together where people are going to be talking about it 30 years from now, everybody wants that. But it doesn't happen that often. And I've been blessed enough to be involved in two of them."

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The path to get Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again made was a “wild” journey, says Vincent D’Onofrio, who plays Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin, the supervillain at odds with Matt Murdock aka Daredevil (played by Charlie Cox), a lawyer by trade fighting for justice. “Any time you’re involved with a project that people are digging, you just feel like you owe them so much and it really inspires you to do a great job and to do the best you can.” After a ferocious campaign from fans, Disney+ brought the series back—initially a Netflix original from 2015 to 2018. Playing a dark character isn’t really about “a love for evil” for D’Onofrio, but “a love for interesting.” As he says: “Do you remember that show Three’s Company? At the end of all those shows, it was always just a big misunderstanding, and that’s how I like to think about how I approach parts that are so far from me...you have to love your character, and if it’s a well-written character you fall in love with it, and then I just think, this is just a big misunderstanding. I’m actually not what people think. That’s the only way.” 

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“I've always been someone who likes escapism, but also is too smart for escapism,” Rachel Bloom tells Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott about what she has in common with her character Hannah on the new Hulu series ‘Reboot.’ The two also chatted about why reboots are so popular and whether she’d ever do a reboot to ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.’

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If you’re a fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race, then this episode of the Parting Shot podcast is for you. Not only will Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott be chatting with the season 16 top three finalists Sapphira Cristál, Nymphia Wind and Plane Jane, he’ll also chat with Q and Tia Kofi, who was just recently crowned the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race: UK vs. the World. Sound off who you think will win RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16 before the finale airs. 

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Sapphira Cristál - https://www.instagram.com/sapphiracristal 

Nymphia Wind - https://www.instagram.com/66wind99 

Plane Jane - https://www.instagram.com/the_planejane 

Q - https://www.instagram.com/living4q 

Tia Kofi - https://www.instagram.com/tiakofi 

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When Lisa Kudrow was approached to star in a serialized adaptation of the 1981 film ‘Time Bandits’ for TV (July 24th on Apple TV+), she jumped at the chance to work with creators Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement and Iain Morris. “I love the way they tell stories and their sense of humor.” In this version, Kudrow plays Penelope, the leader of a group of thieves on a time-traveling mission to save the world. Kudrow’s part was originally written for a man, “so it took a long time before the scripts stopped having male pronouns.” One thing Kudrow responded to was Penelope’s false sense of confidence. “I just love that kind of fake thing. That’s the confidence that’s fun to play. I like to inhabit confidence.” Despite her character “facing danger every episode,” Penelope still finds a way to be a blunt and possibly mean leader­—in a funny way—to her group, which includes an 11-year-old boy. “There were talks about, ‘Should I, just in case, do a take where I’m not so mean?’” But that behavior only exists in her character. “I don’t act like that. I don’t have as much to prove as Penelope does.” 

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Coming Feb 4th 2022! Your weekly dose of pop culture with H. Alan Scott. Conversations with celebrities, award show coverage, chats with industry insiders and the lowdown on exactly what to watch, read and listen to.

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Celebrated director Rob Reiner is worried about the rise of Christian nationalism—the use of Christian values to push a political agenda—and its impact on democracy. “A lot of people are unwittingly being drawn into this movement,” Reiner told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. To highlight this, Reiner teamed up with director Dan Partland to produce the documentary God & Country (February 16). “We have to make a distinction between Christianity and Christian nationalism, because you’ll see that we have conservative Christian evangelicals who talk specifically about how not only is Christian nationalism hurting the country and democracy, but it’s hurting Christianity.” Reiner is direct about laying some blame for Christian nationalism’s rise. “I can criticize [Donald] Trump because he’s the one who’s roping these people into this thinking,” citing January 6 as a prime example. “Trump is a cult, and people who follow the cult are vulnerable.” But he sympathizes with those impacted. “They’re looking for meaning, they’re looking for a direction, and you can get swept up in something [like that].” 

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When social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, famous for chronicling her gender transition online in “365 Days of Girlhood,” posted a sponsored video promoting Bud Light, it quickly went viral, but not necessarily in a good way. “I would have never taken that offer had I known it would have brought me anything but joy.” She shares her experience in a new book Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer (March 11). “I felt so supported by the internet and in my life that I wasn’t really weighing the gravity of what working with a brand with that scope and that broader audience really meant.” But when the spotlight from “Beergate” shined on her, “there was this energy of, Do I just not talk about this? Do we pretend it didn’t happen?... No! The way that I navigate life is to share. Unfortunately, I’m addicted to oversharing and so I couldn’t not.” But with the book, a new podcast and other projects in the mix, Mulvaney is ready to focus on her ultimate goal: “This year, every decision I make is coming back to, Does this help me become a Broadway diva?”

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Well, the day has arrived, we have a winner of season two of Peacock’s ‘The Traitors.’ Or is it winners? Well, you’ll just have to listen to Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott talk exclusively with them. (You see how we’re intentionally not revealing their name or names? You’re welcome!) 

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We just experienced something we haven’t seen in years in this country, a civil debate between two politicians. Senator J.D. Vance and Govenor Tim Walz faced off in what is likely to be the last debate of this presidential election year. How did Walz respond to those fabrication allegations? And why doesn’t Vance want to be fact checked? (OK, I guess we know why.) Newsweek’s Carlo Versano joins H. Alan Scott to break down the Vice Presidential Debate.  

Subscribe to Newsweek’s The 1600 newsletter for daily updates on this wild election: https://www.newsweek.com/preference-center 

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Tony nominees Michael R. Jackson (‘A Strange Loop’) and Matt Doyle (‘Company’) join Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott on the latest Parting Shot. Jackson talks about winning the Pulitzer Prize and the musical picking up 11 Tony nominations. First-time nominee Doyle tells H. Alan what it was like working with Stephen Sondheim before he passed in 2021 and how he keeps it together every night standing next to Broadway legend Patti LuPone.

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There are very few directors whose personality is so central to their work, and Nora Ephron is one of those directors. A multi-hyphenated powerhouse of creativity, Ephron’s films like Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail and Julie & Julia cemented her status as the epitome of a very specific–and cozy–mood that would in many ways define her legacy after her death in 2012. Of course, she was so much more than just a filmmaker–she was a prolific writer of nonfiction and fiction–her films have gone on to become little pieces of her personality that fans now watch to get that full Nora Ephron experience. And that’s why Ilana Kaplan’s new book ‘Nora Ephron at the Movies: A Visual Celebration of the Writer and Director Behind When Harry Met Sally, You've Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, and More,’ is so, so special. Kaplan spoke with Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott about where her love for Ephron started, why Ephron mattered, and what impact her films had on the art of the romantic comedy.

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For the past year or so, there’s been a spotlight on drag in the United States, and not just because of the popularity of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race.’ From state to state, legislators have been introducing and implementing legislation that would restrict drag performers from many facets of life, particularly in the presence of children. Is it legal for legislators to do this? Is this just a culture war issue Republicans are using to boost their profile in the 2024 presidential election? And what impact will some of these laws have on particularly vulnerable communities like transgender Americans? Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott invited Kristal Knight of ‘The Kristal Knight Show’ to discuss the politics of it, and Nina West from ‘Drag Race’ to discuss how this is impacting the LGBTQIA+ community.   

Listen to ‘The Rise in Attacks on Drag Queen Story Hour’: https://art19.com/shows/the-parting-shot/episodes/76415bee-26fb-472d-8912-1ff2afb63e87 

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There’s a new show on Netflix you need to watch. It’s called ‘The Brothers Sun’ and it stars Michelle Yeoh, Sam Li, Justin Chien and many more. It’s part family drama, part action-packed crime story, and part comedy. It’s wild. Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott chats with Michelle Yeoh and Sam Li about the series and how Michelle will navigate awards season this year as last year’s Best Actress Oscar winner. 

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For Tim Allen, revisiting his iconic lead role in ‘The Santa Clauses’ (November 16, Disney+) was more than just creating "content" for a nostalgic streaming audience. "We had a great responsibility,” he told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott on the Parting Shot. 

For Allen, who is "humbled" to be "reminded that I have been part of Santa Clause," he wanted the new miniseries to "make sense for the adults like me." Part of that meant filling in some holes left by the original 1994 film, ‘The Santa Clause.’ "There's a wonderful scene where I meet up and get kind of chastised by all the other Santas that have come and gone." 

But ultimately what makes the role so relatable is "it's about a guy's journey and about making sacrifices." That's something Allen can relate to, given that his wholesome onscreen persona can be at odds with his onstage comic image. 

For Allen, who says sometimes "censorship is required," it's about how you communicate. "There are better words than the F bomb. I can't think of them, but there are other ways to say that. It is possible to be very intelligent and yet still be very firm with your words."

Listen to our full chat and check out the feature in the latest issue of the magazine. 

https://www.newsweek.com/2022/11/25/tim-allen-humbled-santa-again-disneys-santa-clauses-1759786.html

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Ben Falcone isn't exactly known for making kid-friendly projects. His films with wife and frequent collaborator Melissa McCarthy are "R-rated quite often, but I do think there's a certain sweetness that we usually try to hit." And it's that sweetness he's bringing to his first kids' book, What's Scarier Than Thunder? "My secret goal is that it's something that kids will think is funny, but that parents will, too." The story follows Claire, who is afraid of thunderstorms. For future stories, Falcone sees many other things to be scared of: "Heights, first day of school, remember that one? Meeting someone new, auditions..." Another story he's actively involved with is the podcast Hildy the Barback and the Lake of Fire, which he created with McCarthy and Steve Mallory. "There's going to be a season two, so we're excited." And even though "the industry is clearly changing," Falcone says he believes in comedy. "Melissa and I, our big goal is to try to be a very small part of the bigger push to get comedies back in the theaters. I think it's so good for people to get together and laugh."

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Get ready to go “My Heart Will Go On” levels deep with the fabulously creative (and genius) minds behind the Céline Dion-inspired musical Titanique! Tye Blue, Constantine Rousouli, and Marla Mindelle—Titanique’s powerhouse creative team—chat with Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott on how they turned one of the biggest blockbusters of all time into a campy, musical fever dream. We talk Céline, comedy, chaos, and how they managed to blend iconic 90s nostalgia with pitch-perfect parody. 

Watch the full chat: https://youtu.be/qabQZHGnAfg?si=YE0orNbRqBfuP7MT 

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In 2024, the beloved cable channel Turner Classic Movies will turn 30, and for host Ben Mankiewicz—who recently celebrated his 20th anniversary at the helm—he still feels “so unbelievably fortunate to be associated with the channel.” It’s one of those rare networks where “it’s a little bit part of your identity” and “the only channel where the channel itself matters to people,” he told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. Part of the network’s charm is that it taps into nostalgia. “Nostalgia is a really powerful and important emotion. It is the emotion that connects us to our past. And our past can mean so much—family, friends, school, where you were at a time of your innocence.” In addition to the films, TCM offers a festival, the new podcast Talking Pictures, even a themed cruise. But for Mankiewicz, recommending just three films for newer fans of classic cinema is difficult. “I’ll just give them three off the top of my head, I’d tell them to watch Casablanca, Paths of Glory and Three Days of the Condor.” But he’s quick to add that those movies could change depending “on the day and the mood.”

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Describing Ramy Youssef’s work isn’t easy, because the multi-hyphenated talent refuses to settle on just one thing. “I feel really inspired to connect in the way that it makes sense.” That started out with stand-up, but has since morphed into acting, writing, directing and producing. The New Jersey native’s next endeavor, right on the heels of his appearance in the Oscar-winning film ‘Poor Things,’ is a new stand-up special called ‘More Feelings.’ “I'm definitely living on a prayer, and that's probably the magic piece in this special, where it kind of feels like everything's just hanging by this really thin string.” The key to his material “taking time off” and “always looking for what allows it to feel like almost a weird, linear thought, but going into a lot of different things, but somehow it's kind of all one thought.” But when working on material, for Youssef, it doesn’t matter if it’s for stand-up, his Hulu series ‘Ramy,’ or Netflix’s ‘Mo’—which Youssef co-created—the process is what dictates his creativity. “Some ideas are just so good for stand-up and then some you want to put on TV. I've started to think of what ideas would really be best fit for film. I've been dabbling in how to take my first swing at that.” 

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It’s H. Alan Scott’s birthday, and in honor of his birthday he invited a celebrity on who also just happens to be one of his closest friends, KimChi from ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race.’ The two talk about what KimChi has planned for RuPaul’s DragCon in July, KimChi Chic Beauty and KimChi’s podcast ‘1 For the Table.’ 

RuPaul’s DragCon LA 2024 is presented by World of Wonder, and will take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday July 19th and Saturday July 20th. To purchase tickets to DragCon LA, please visit rupaulsdragcon.com  and use code ‘HALANSCOTT’ for a discount.  

Follow KimChi: https://kimchithequeen.com/ 

Check out KimChi Chic Beauty: https://kimchichicbeauty.com/ 

Listen to KimChi’s podcast ‘1 For the Table’: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1-for-the-table/id1671553844 

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YouTube star Grace Helbig talks with Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott about her recent breast cancer diagnosis and everything she’s learned since. Grace and H. Alan have been friends for years, but one thing they never thought they’d have in common would be cancer. They chat about that, what it was like to go to the same chemo center in Beverly Hills, and all the things that cancer has taught them.  

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This week Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott is breaking down the Barbie snub and other Oscar nomination surprises with Izzy Custodio of YouTube’s Be Kind Rewind. (Also discussed, the Barbie snub connection to Barbra Streisand’s snubs for Yentl and The Prince of Tides.)  

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For Eugenio Derbez, making the transition from being one of Mexico’s most recognizable faces in comedy to the American market was not easy. “We don’t laugh at the same things. Humor in Mexico and in the U.S. is completely different. I had to reinvent myself,” Derbez told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. He’s done a good job of reinventing himself because his Apple TV+ series ‘Acapulco’ (May 1) is now in its third season. “I’m so glad that the series is bilingual and it’s getting its third season.” The success of the show is directly tied to Derbez’s success stateside. Loosely based on his character Maximo from the 2017 film ‘How to Be a Latin Lover,’ Acapulco shifts between telling the backstory of young Maximo in the 1980s at a popular resort and the character in modern day. Part of why he wanted to do Acapulco was because “there’s still a big opportunity to tell beautiful things about Mexico. I was always concerned that Mexico equals violence.” With his success in the U.S., Derbez is looking to adapt his popular Mexican sitcom La Familia P. Luche into English. “It’s so different from anything that you’ve watched before in the U.S.” 

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An op-ed written by John Mac Ghlionn titled “Taylor Swift Is Not a Good Role Model” sent the internet into a tizzy over the weekend. Basically, it said Swift isn’t a good role model because she’s single, among other things. People started to text me, H. Alan Scott, about it because I work at Newsweek. So, I figured a response was in order. I invited Kate Stayman-London, a writer and Swiftie, to tell me why she thinks Swift is a good role model and her thoughts about the op-ed.  

Here’s the original op-ed: https://www.newsweek.com/taylor-swift-not-good-role-model-opinion-1916799 

Here’s an adorable response by 7-year-old Amaya Grace Montgomery: https://www.newsweek.com/im-seven-year-old-swiftie-heres-why-taylor-swift-role-model-girls-like-me-opinion-1919851 

And here’s where you can follow Kate Stayman-London: https://www.katestaymanlondon.com/ 

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Penn and Kim Holderness are widely celebrated for their entertaining viral parody videos (singing included!) on topics ranging from parenting and helping kids with homework and masking up for the pandemic (to the tune of the Hamilton soundtrack) to “stupid” healthy habits and everything in between. Now, Penn and Kim are tackling a serious subject close to their hearts in their new book, ‘ADHD IS AWESOME.’ It’s a lively but informative dive into what the ADHD brain is and systems and strategies that neurodiverse people and their loved ones can use to make the most of their unique brain chemistry. In addition to so many practical tips, the book is as humorous as the Holderness Family videos are and reads like a love letter between Penn and Kim, modeling a relationship in which the partners value one another and work hard to strengthen those bonds. 

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This week on the Parting Shot Yeardley Smith (Lisa Simpson on ‘The Simpsons’) joins Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott to talk about her true crime podcast ‘Small Town Dicks,’ her thoughts on playing Lisa on ‘The Simpsons,’ her digital cooking series ‘Oil & Water’ and she reflects on how she went from being just an actress to the multi-hyphenated powerhouse she is today. For more, follow @HAlanScott on everything and visit Newsweek.com for more news and podcasts. New episodes of Newsweek’s Parting Shot are released weekly.

Links to things mentioned…

Yeardley’s ‘Small Town Dicks’ podcast: https://www.smalltowndicks.com/

Yeardley Smith on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeardley_smith/

Yeardley Smith on Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/yeardleysmith

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Comedian Sam Jay is truly an original and ‘PAUSE with Sam Jay’ on HBO is fully redefining what a late-night show can do. Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott spoke with Sam about the show, how she comes up with the ideas she’ll focus on, and how she deals with the sometimes very personal topics she tackles on the show.

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Jake Cohen’s first cookbook, ‘Jew-Ish’ (Harvest, 2021), was a perfect intro to the Instagram-famous cook. How to top it? It “was this mashup of everything I’ve done up to that point. The second book was starting from scratch,” Cohen told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. And that’s exactly what Cohen did with his new cookbook, ‘I Could Nosh’ (Harvest, September), turning to family recipes for ideas. It’s “this jumping-off point for inspiration of the way that the matriarchs of our family fed everyone they love.” But to Cohen, just owning the book isn’t enough. “To me, the book is not successful if everyone buys it, the book is successful if everyone buys it and cooks from it.” This month, Cohen will team up with other influencers and Food Network stars for Foodie Con, part of the New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Instagram, a first-of-its kind event. But Cohen’s star status at Foodie Con is secondary for the self-described “clown,” saying “when you can be part of anyone’s journey, it doesn’t matter, I don’t care if you are a celebrity, an everyday person, anyone in between, I just want to help you cook.” 

Tickets for Foodie Con can be purchased at nycwff.org/foodiecon. Follow @foodiecon on Instagram! 

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Fans of Daniel Aleman’s books are about to get to know the author even better with his new book I Might Be in Trouble. “I will say with this one character; I was very intentional about making him a mirror of myself. I wanted him to basically be me,” Aleman told Newsweek’s Parting Shot.  

The novel follows David Alvarez, a young author whose debut success has dwindled and finds inspiration for new work after discovering a one-night stand has suddenly died in his bed. (For the record, this part of the novel is not based on Aleman.) But at its core, the dark comedy novel is about discovering your path even though it can sometimes feel uncertain. 

Aleman spoke with H. Alan Scott about the inspiration for the novel and whether he’s still worried about finding a date dead in his bed.  

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Today we’re chatting about everything RuPaul’s Drag Race! Joining Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott are two Drag Race experts: longtime judge Ross Mathews and past winner and host of the Drag Race podcast ‘Race Chaser,’ the one and only Alaska Thunderf*ck. They talk season 15, the show’s move to MTV, and so much more. 

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There’s just something special about a good reality competition show, and Peacock’s ‘Traitors’ certainly delivers. Hosted by Alan Cumming, it’s one of those shows that you start to watch and then can’t stop—which is exactly what happened to Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. On today’s Parting Shot, Cumming joins Scott to talk about his time on the show and why it’s his campiest role. We also talked about the nail-biting suspense of that finale. Honestly, if you’ve watched the show, you need to listen to this chat. And if you haven’t watched the show, go watch it now and then listen to this chat.

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When you think of Bethenny Frankel, the first thing that probably comes to mind is Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York City. But what may surprise you are the hundreds of millions of dollars her BStrong organization has delivered to people in crisis, such as for Ukrainian refugees and victims of the Turkey-Syria earthquakes. “Hollywood is the land of bullsh**,” Frankel told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott about celebrities’ responses to international tragedies. “There are cool crises and not cool crises...bam, next week, it’s something else.” But BStrong is “gonna talk about things when they’re not cool anymore.” Frankel also spoke about her call to unionize reality TV talent (“Bravo is scare”) and what it’s like to be a new TikTok beauty influencer.  

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After another Trump assassination attempt is thwarted, the two campaigns point blame at each other for the heightened rhetoric... using heightened rhetoric. Speaking of unnecessary rhetoric, the Where’s Waldo of former White House press secretaries, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the current governor of Arkansas, took a jab at Vice President Kamala Harris for not having kids. And while America is riveted by the federal charges against Sean “Diddy” Combs, we’re simultaneously cheering on a felon prance her way through Dancing with the Stars, ankle monitor and all. 

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After 10 years of playing Beverly Goldberg on The Goldbergs, Wendi McLendon-Covey was not eager for a break. “I need to go do a job where I can just throw everything at it and then come home totally exhausted.” Luckily for her, NBC’s St. Denis Medical was waiting. “I loved the premise of the show and I love this character.” McLendon-Covey plays Joyce, a colorful hospital administrator surrounded by stressed-out doctors and nurses at a quirky medical facility in Oregon. “When you’re in a hospital, you don’t think anything’s funny, but, I’m sorry, hospitals are hysterical. They’re not supposed to be, but there’s always something you can look at and say, ‘I’m glad that’s not happening to me.’” Joyce is another hysterical character in a long list of funny people McLendon-Covey has played. One in particular she can’t seem to shake: Deputy Clementine Johnson on Reno 911! The Comedy Central series has had many incarnations since it debuted in 2003. “Listen, crime will never go away. So we’ll always have a reason to get back together.”

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If you ask Bette Midler how she got her part in the new film ‘The Fabulous Four,’ it wouldn’t have anything to do with her legendary status as an Oscar-nominated actor. “I think they needed a ham, a big ole ham.” Midler plays Marilyn, a widow getting remarried who rekindles a friendship with three college girlfriends (Susan Sarandon, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Megan Mullally). “No actor doesn’t like to chew the scenery, even if they don’t admit it. So, to have the permission to pull out all the stops is always great.” Also great was working with her costars. “Working with these women was really an eye-opener because everybody’s process is different.” Midler’s performance is so fun partly because it gives fans another taste of her Divine Miss M stage persona, albeit as Marilyn. “[People] expect me to be her, and I’m not. I’ve got her, and then I’ve got me. Since I’ve taken a step back from that truly active life of touring, I find myself getting quieter. I know people want her to come back. I do love her. In a way, she’s still tweeting, but in real life, you can’t be on 24/7. You’ll die. You’ll just die.” 

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For Academy Award-winning actor Gary Oldman, now is the perfect time for his first TV series. Calling today a “whole new era of TV” after years of “snobbery” from film actors, he says, “You will see some of the best writing and acting and cinematography and set design in your home, on your TV,” Oldman told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. And that’s exactly what you’ll find in his Apple TV+ series ‘Slow Horses,’ now in its third season with the fourth already filmed and waiting in the wings. Based on Mick Herron’s Slough House book series, Oldman plays Jackson Lamb, the disheveled (and likely intoxicated) head of a U.K. MI5 division for security agents who have screwed up but not been fired. “He’s in, but he’s out. It’s that thing of being really very good at something in a world that you absolutely despise.” Lamb is more in line with Oldman’s usual roles, more adult-driven, with the exception of one of his most famous characters: Sirius Black in the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise. “My fan base went from [age] 36 to 6 overnight,” he said, adding he’s so “privileged” to have been a part of it. 

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Jack Smith’s federal case against former President Donald Trump revs up yet again, but what impact will it have on the election? (Do we still care about January 6th? And why can’t Smith quit Trump?) Also, could a small yet significant change to Apple’s iOS 18 mean the end of social media? (We could only be so lucky, right?) And finally, Ryan Murphy basically tells Erik and Lyle Menendez to be grateful for what they feel is his monstrous new series ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.’ Influencer and writer Bo Maxwell joins Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott to break down the week’s biggest news stories.

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On today’s Parting Shot, Niv Sultan and Daniel Syrkin from the AppleTV+ series ‘Tehran’ join Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott to talk about the second season of the series and what it was like to work with Glenn Close. 

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The Quest on Disney+ is so original and unlike any other reality competition series on TV. Executive-Produced by Elise Doganieri and Bertram van Munster, the team behind ‘The Amazing Race,’ the show follows a group of teens who must compete in challenges in order to find the one true hero. Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott spoke with Elise on how they came up with this reality competition series meets scripted fantasy and how they were able to film it over the pandemic.

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For Diego Luna, the sheer idea of being in the ‘Star Wars’ franchise was foreign. “I didn't even think about it. I was okay being a fan,’ Luna tells Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. Now he’s starring in ‘Andor’ (September 21, Disney+), reprising his character Cassian from the 2016 movie ‘Rogue One.’

Part of what makes Luna’s involvement in the series so unique is the very thing he once worried would be a hindrance: his Mexican accent. “For me to play [a character] like that, where I would feel comfortable and it would make sense, in terms of context, accent, everything. Back then I didn't think there was room for that in Star Wars.” Ultimately, Luna believes that even though Andor “happens in a galaxy far, far away,” the show's “diversity and complexity” is the perfect evolution of Star Wars storytelling and “reflects the world we live in” today. “We have the responsibility of being different, and that's what Andor is there for.”

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Showtime’s Yellowjackets is really two shows in one. One is about a group of ’90s teenage plane crash survivors, and the other follows them now. The trick is finding that balance between the actors playing the same characters. “Casting just did an excellent job. They found people with similar essences,” says Jasmin Savoy Brown, who plays the younger version of Taissa. “If anyone has a harder job, it’s [Tawny Cypress, who plays Taissa’s older self], because technically, she has to play to who her younger person is, me.” Brown admits it’s “intimidating” to have the modern-day characters played by greats like Cypress, Christina Ricci, Juliette Lewis and Melanie Lynskey. “All of them make it so easy. There’s no one that’s snobby or diva or rude.” And Brown, who can also be seen in the upcoming Scream 7—“I’m really honored to be playing the first out queer character in that franchise’s history”—is most aware how special this moment is. “I’m really grateful, I get to work with people who’ve been doing this for a long time, and all of them happen to be really kind.” 

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Is Donald Trump weaponizing tragedy by stirring up anger with his response to the various hurricane this week? And will Kamala Harris’ media blitz on shows like the podcast Call Her Daddy, The View and Howard Stern help or hurt her? And finally, is Elon Musk’s endorsement of Trump ethical? Newsweek’s Alex Backus joins H. Alan Scott to break down the week’s biggest news stories.

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“Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls are banned from access to education and women are limited from work.” That is the stark reality that motivated Malala Yousafzai to lend her name as a producer to the documentary Bread & Roses (Apple TV+). Directed by Sahra Mani and co-produced by Jennifer Lawrence, the film follows three Afghan women (filmed in secret) as they live under and resist the Taliban oppression. “I believe that while the Taliban are trying to silence women, amplifying their voices through this documentary, is a form of resistance.” For Mani, the message of this film is of vital global importance. “Afghan women [are] paying the price the high price today, the world might pay the price tomorrow... We need solidarity of the world right now, tomorrow might be [too] late.” For Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient who rose to prominence after surviving a failed Taliban assassination attempt at 12 years old, this is an issue that is rooted in the inalienable right to dignity and personal freedom. “We all remain committed to it, and we'll keep fighting til the day we see every Afghan girl going to her school again, and every Afghan women getting their equal rights, living in dignity.”

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On today’s Parting Shot, Lisa Rinna joins Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott to chat about the new season of Bravo’s ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ and her makeup line Rinna Beauty. In typical Lisa Rinna fashion, she doesn’t hold back. For more, follow @HAlanScott on everything and visit Newsweek.com for more news and podcasts. New episodes of Newsweek’s Parting Shot are released weekly.   

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As a six-time New York Times bestselling author, Chelsea Handler knows the secret to a successful book is to stay true to herself. “All of my books are representative of where I am in my life at that time.” And “right now, where I am in my life is my feet are so firmly planted in the ground you cannot knock me over.” The comedian just released her seventh book, I’ll Have What She’s Having. “The point is to highlight how incredible your life can be when you don’t subscribe to doing what everyone tells you makes you valuable.” Between the book, her podcast Dear Chelsea and her stand-up—she has a new Netflix comedy Chelsea Handler: The Feeling and a Las Vegas residency, Chelsea at The Chelsea)—it’s clear Handler has written her own script to her career. “I feel really strongly and passionately, which I always have, that no one is in charge of me.” The former host of the late-night talk show Chelsea Lately says, “we all need a reboot for the talk show.” But in order to return to the format, it would have to “be the right set of circumstances.... I wouldn’t say never.” 

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Understanding the balance between dark comedy and mystery is a unique quality of Annette Bening, which she puts to good use in Peacock’s limited series Apples Never Fall (March 14), based on Liane Moriarty’s book. “Everybody has a secret, and that’s fun.” Bening plays Joy Delaney, the matriarch of a seemingly perfect family who suddenly disappears. “Even in the best comedies, there’s a deep dis-ease inside of people that we’re trying to dramatize.” In typical Bening style, she’s able to show this dance between genres with such subtlety. “A lot of times in film, the moments that we remember characters are often quiet [ones].” Describing the story as “juicy,” Bening says, “right now we all need a certain amount of entertainment.” Recently she did just that in the film Nyad, playing the real-life Diana Nyad, who broke records swimming from Cuba to Florida coached by her friend Bonnie Stoll (Jodie Foster). The role earned her an Academy Award nomination. “This idea of chosen family is very familiar to [queer] people. And it’s just important that people see that.” 

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As Kamala Harris bunkers down in debate prep, Donald Trump is preparing by doing a lot of nothing. “Not a lot to do,” he told a New Hampshire radio station. Meanwhile, Republicans like John McCain’s son Jimmy and former Rep. Liz Cheney have said they’re voting for Harris. As all this is going on, RNC co-chair, Lara Trump, has decided to dabble in music. (Yes, music.) To help make sense of it all, Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott is joined by writer and comedian Will Weldon (host of the podcast ‘I Hate Bill Maher’). 

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“Who knew that a barrel of maple syrup is worth more than a barrel of oil?” Margo Martindale does, after starring in The Sticky (December 6, Prime Video). The Emmy-winning actor plays Ruth Landry, a Canadian syrup farmer who resorts to crime after the government threatens to take away her livelihood. “It’s very different, very fun and what an incredible subject.” Inspired by a true story and produced by Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis, Martindale’s Ruth adds to a resume of unsuspecting yet extraordinary women. “The difference in this woman is that she starts at her most desperate. And that’s fun.” And while “she does have her feet on the ground,” she’s pushed to the limit and decides “to steal some maple syrup. It’s so logical to me.” [laughs] Even though Martindale has mostly “taken the supporting role” over the course of her long and lauded career, The Sticky marks her first major starring role. But for her, it’s about the work. “When I sit a long time, I go, ‘Why aren’t my agents calling me? What’s going on? Is something happening?’ It never fails.”

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What do you do when Hollywood wants you to be one thing, but you have a wholly different outlook about yourself? For Chris Pine, breaking the mold of expectations meant creating the new film Poolman (May 10). “Believe it or not, it’s probably the most personal thing I’ve ever made.” And it should be, considering he not only stars in it as Darren Barrenman, a colorful pool man on a mission to protect the city—and the pool—he loves, but Pine also co-wrote and directed the film. The idea for it is rooted in Pine’s own search for joy. “It was COVID and I was going through a lot of personal stuff and feeling a lot, and I said, ‘Why not just lead from the heart instead? Lead from instinct and joy and giggling and catharsis in a kind of positive, joyful way? [That’s] all I really wanted to do.” You can feel that watching the movie, and for Pine, that’s all that matters. “There’s a bunch of yelling in the world and if we can just shut up for just the briefest of seconds and allow the other person their moment, maybe there would be more, I don’t know, joy—who knows?” 

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The major thing about Netflix’s No Good Deed that appealed to Ray Romano was that it was unlike anything he’d done before. “I read about three scripts, and at the end of each there was a little twist, a little turn, [and] it was funny.” The dramedy series follows families looking to buy a home owned by Paul and Lydia Morgan (Romano and Lisa Kudrow). “You can tell a person’s good or bad, not from one incident, [but] from overall. We get to see that these are good people going through bad situations.” The series uses comedic actors in sometimes-dramatic situations (yet still humorous). “You know both of us, Lisa and I, from sitcoms—her sitcom was much more well-known than ours, but we have our fans, too. If they allow us to show this other [heavier] side, I think it’s very effective.” Romano, who shot to fame with Everybody Loves Raymond, says he still gets intimidated working with celebrities like Kudrow. “You imbue this persona to these people that are celebrities and icons and whatnot, and then after you get to spend time with them, they’re just people.” 

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When you’re as fit as hip-hop artist Common, people are naturally going to wonder about your secret to health and wellness. Fortunately for us, Common is sharing his secrets in his new book And Then We Rise. “The thing that I’m talking about is reaching a state of happiness and joy. Joy comes by taking care of self.” He breaks down his message into four key pillars of wellness: food, body, mind and soul. “It’s not like every day I’m just soaring on the clouds and everything is perfect. But these are tools for when I’m not feeling good about something.” He actively uses these tools himself. “Before I get onto that stage, I’m doing my practices so that I can be at my best and be present.” But he’s clear that everybody should do what’s right for them. “What I’m doing is just sharing things that have worked for me. I think each individual has to find what works for them.” As for the latest Hollywood craze of using medications like Ozempic to get thin, he admits he’s “not familiar with it,” but that “it doesn’t sit right” with him. “I believe part of the victory, if you want to be thinner, is the work you put into it. Like the natural things you do to get there, it will have more value.” 

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M. Night Shyamalan is probably the only person who looked at Josh Hartnett and thought he’d make a great serial killer, but Hartnett is glad he did. “This is going to surprise people. It’s a little bit different than other films that he’s made.” In Trap, Hartnett plays Cooper, a killer inadvertently lured to a concert with his teenage daughter as a trap set up by authorities to catch him. While that may seem like it’s giving too much of the plot away, Hartnett says viewers will see there’s so much more going on. “It’s all about your hope that people will be taken on the journey, and you don’t want to ruin it for them.” Fresh off appearing in last year’s Best Picture Oscar-winning film Oppenheimer, there’s been renewed interest in his past work. “It’s nice to hear that people are responding to films I did earlier in my career because I think a lot of them were really cool.” Hartnett skyrocketed to fame at 20 with hits like The Faculty and The Virgin Suicides. “I didn’t think I was going to be successful. And then when the movies became successful, it was almost confusing.”

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For Patrick Ta, a makeup artist and founder of Patrick Ta beauty, diversity and inclusion is central. Ta says it is “really important for me to make sure everyone is accounted for in campaigns or the product we make.” This direction comes from personal experience; growing up gay and Asian American, Ta says he rarely saw himself on billboards. “I wanted to make products that would empower people to feel comfortable in their own skin.” And he’s seeing that, particularly in younger fans. “I feel like kids these days are so lucky. I look at [them] and I’m like, God, you’re so unapologetically yourself and that makes me so happy.” Part of how Ta is making a difference for inclusive beauty is being visible in major retailers. “I feel really proud to be able to be in a brick-and-mortar such as Sephora because they are such a powerhouse.” But Ta knows that for a brand to succeed, the goal is to maintain interest and not always “wow,” which speaks to the natural and understated makeup he’s known for. “Instead of having constant peaks, we want to have a constant flow.” 

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Aldis Hodge’s career has been busy since his debut as a child actor in the 1995 film Die Hard with a Vengeance, but he says all that work has culminated in Prime Video’s Cross (November 14). “It just feels like the work that I’ve done in the past 35 years of my career has led up to this.” Hodge plays Alex Cross, a detective who uses forensic psychology to capture serial killers. The character was made famous in the popular James Patterson novels and film adaptations starring Morgan Freeman and Tyler Perry. “If I wasn’t on this show, I’d be watching it, because it’s the kind of show I’ve been waiting for for a long time.” And Hodge is going to have that chance, because before the first episode even aired, Prime Video announced that they were renewing it for a second season. “That’s a huge leap of faith for them to step out for us, but it also validates the work that our entire crew, our cast, our producers and writers [are doing]. And it is very rare that it happens, but it just lets us know how special this project actually is, and how lucky we are to be a part of it.”

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Awards season is in full swing. While the Golden Globes were boring, the Screen Actors Guild Award nominations added some much needed drama to the season. But it’s the Emmys that is on everybody’s mind. The real question is, will ‘Survivor’ finally win an Emmy after a 17 year absence from the awards? It could happen, and it’s large part to players like Katurah Topps, who joins Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott on this episode. She talked about the highs and lows of her game play, what it’s like to be on social media as a Black and queer ‘Survivor’ player, and how her life prepared her to compete on the show.  

Listen to H. Alan’s chat with the winner of 45, Dee Valladares, and the runners-up Austin Li Coon and Jake O’Kane. H. Alan also spoke with the breakout stars from ‘Survivor’ 44 Carson Garrett, Carolyn Wiger, and Yam Yam Arocho (who just so happened to win 44). They spoke about how they’re handling life post-’Survivor’ and what they’re up to now, like Yam Yam’s salon, Carolyn being a Cameo queen, and Carson’s new 3D-printed puzzle business Puzzlenaut. 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/survivor-45-winner-dee-valladares-and-survivor-44s/id1608211048?i=1000639387879 

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The Timothée Chalamet/Kylie Jenner Instagram post H. Alan mentioned: https://www.instagram.com/p/C117pXHL8GV/?igsh=ZDE1MWVjZGVmZQ==  

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If there’s one thing Danny Pellegrino, host of the hugely popular ‘Everything Iconic’ podcast, is ready for, it’s the holidays. “I’m a festive person. I love decorating for whatever holiday it is. I’m a huge fan of table scaping,” Pellegrino recently told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. And after the success of his bestselling first book, ‘How Do I Un-Remember This?’ Pellegrino decided to lean into his love for the holidays with his new book of essays, ‘The Jolliest Bunch’ (Sourcebooks, October). “It focuses on the Christmas holidays, but there’s a Halloween chapter in there, there’s some Thanksgiving, all sorts of stuff.” And it certainly wasn’t difficult for Pellegrino to find sources of inspiration for the book. “The holidays are so filled with emotion that there’s so many stories.” He “just wanted to make sure that there was a balance of really funny, heartfelt and a little drama.” It’s the heart Pellegrino brings to his stories which is what makes this book and everything he does so successful. “It’s so important to just sort of celebrate the things that you love, because you’ll find the community of people who also love those things.” 

‘The Jolliest Bunch’ is available for purchase here: https://a.co/d/4dtspyl 

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Craig Robinson joins Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott on this week’s Parting Shot to talk about his new Peacock original series ‘Killing It.' The two chat about how snakes get a bad rap and the impact of his character Daryl from ’The Office.'

For more, follow @HAlanScott on everything and visit Newsweek.com for more news and podcasts.

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Patrick Stewart joins Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott on this week’s Parting Shot Podcast to talk about the second season of Paramount+’s ‘Star Trek: Picard.’ The two chat about how ‘Star Trek’ creator Gene Rodenberry wasn’t too keen on Stewart’s take on Jean-Luc Picard and what he and H. Alan have in common: they both love pockets! (Can you imagine life without pockets? They can’t.) For more, follow @HAlanScott on everything and visit Newsweek.com for more news and podcasts. New episodes of Newsweek’s Parting Shot Podcast are released weekly.

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When Casey McQuiston’s novel ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ was published in 2019, it was an instant bestseller. Now the story of a romance between the U.S. president’s son Alex (Taylor Zakhar Perez) and British Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine) is a new Amazon Prime movie (August 11). “I really didn’t know the magnitude of it,” Perez told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott about the popularity of the book. “Everybody kind of came at me with their opinions.” And Perez went into it with little knowledge of the royals, either. “I have friends that are obsessed and know everything about them, and I kind of just shrug my shoulders...I suppose it’s like a Disney prince and princess story that we watched from afar.” But this story is certainly not your typical royal love story, and that’s what makes it so compelling. “Alex’s arc as a character that has only dated women in the past—maybe a couple guy hookups—to not liking Henry, to getting kissed by Henry and then having a relationship. The different degrees of comfort that Alex starts to have, this needs to be represented in in a proper way.” 

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With the second season of Hulu’s ‘The Kardashians’ coming to a close, and amid the scandals surrounding Kim Kardashian currently (Kanye West, the Balenciaga photo scandal, etc.), are the Kardashians as a brand still culturally relevant? When ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ premiered on E! in 2007, the family became a pop culture sensation. Over the years we’ve seen everything (literally), their lives have been lived in front of a camera, both the ones they invite in and the intrusive lens of the paparazzi. But considering the reviews for their new Hulu series aren’t great and as they become increasingly out of touch, one must wonder how long they’ll last. 

Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott invited Naomi Smalls from ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ to talk all things Kardashian. Smalls herself knows a thing or two about living life in the spotlight, so she’s a fitting guest (not to mention she’s been watching the Kardashians from the beginning). The two chat about the family’s impact on culture, social media, and how they’ve come to define an entire generation. 

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Day one of the Republican National Convention was both inspiring and weird. Listen as Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott recaps the first night of the convention with Newsweek’s Jenni Fink. From Donald Trump’s first appearance after the assassination attempt, the announcement of JD Vance as Trump’s V.P. pick, and, oh yeah, Amber Rose spoke, we’re talking about it all. (Why?!!?) All week H. Alan Scott will be reacting to the GOP Convention. Visit newsweek.com for more coverage. 

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If you’re like basically every American today, you’re asking yourself, ‘What happened at that presidential debate and is Joe Biden ok?’ At least that’s what Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott is asking himself. So today he’s joined by his colleague at Newsweek, Alex Backus (reporter and editor), to ask every question most Americans are asking after watching that dumpster fire of a debate.  

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We're revisiting our chat with Oscar-nominated actress Amanda Seyfried ahead of a big night — 'The Dropout' is nominated for 6 Emmys, including Seyfried for her performance as Elizabeth Holmes.

H. Alan chats with her about how she found Holmes’ unique voice, understanding the case against Holmes, and whether Seyfried will ever do another musical.

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Just like Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, Donald Trump should hire his own PR crisis manger after that chat he did with X’s Elon Musk. The big question after their conversation is are we seeing the downfall of Trump? (Probably not, let’s be real.) But is he, dare we say, becoming boring? Comedian and writer Eliot Glazer joins Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott to react to all the news from this week.

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We’re reacting to day one of the Democratic National Convention. Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden pass the torch to Kamala Harris in a night seemingly targeted at exciting the Democratic base while also courting those suburban women. Throughout the very long night, Democrats attempted to make the case for why Harris is the leader for this moment. Did they succeed? Newsweek’s Jenni Fink and Jason Lemon join H. Alan Scott to break it all down.

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Today’s Parting Shot Podcast is all about the 94th annual Academy Awards!

Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott chats with experts on fashion and who they think will be the big winners. First up, writer Esther Zuckerman stops by to talk red carpet fashion and her new book ‘Beyond the Best Dressed: A Cultural History of the Most Glamorous, Radical, and Scandalous Oscar Fashion.’

Then entertainment reporter Cameron Scheetz joins H. Alan to dish on who they think will be the big winners! Be sure to follow @HAlanScott at Newsweek.com on Sunday, March 27th as they live blog the entire evening’s festivities.

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This week we’re breaking down who will be the big winners (and losers) at this year’s Academy Awards. Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott is joined by entertainment reporter Cameron Scheetz for a lively chat about the major Oscar categories. They ask the big questions, like: Will ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ be the big winner? Could Cate Blanchett really win her third Oscar? And the most shocking question of the them all: could ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ actually win Best Picture? 

Visit Newsweek.com to learn more about the podcasts we offer and to catch up on the latest news. While you’re there, subscribe to Newsweek’s ‘For the Culture newsletter. Follow H. Alan Scott on everything at @HAlanScott. 

Follow today’s guest, Cameron Scheetz: https://twitter.com/cameronscheetz 

Purchase ‘Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears’: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/oscar-wars-michael-schulman?variant=40492710166562 

Listen to H. Alan’s chat with the author of ‘Oscar Wars’ here: https://art19.com/shows/the-parting-shot/episodes/b6139801-8cf5-4867-9233-f1d7933ac54b 

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