The HFPA in Conversation

In our 100th episode HFPA journalist Barbara de Oliveira Pinto sat down with a Hollywood legend Eddie Murphy to talk about his new Netflix film Dolemite Is My Name and his return to work after a five year hiatus. They also talk about Murphy's long and prolific career, from believing in himself as a teenager to his first and only audition at SNL, how he opened the door for African Americans in Hollywood, the role of luck throughout his career, and more.

Golden Globe-winning actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson sat down to talk with HFPA journalist Scott Orlin about his latest film A Million Little Pieces, which he not only stars in, but also co-wrote with his wife Sam Taylor-Johnson, who also directs the film. They also dig into his career, what it's like to bring home characters like the one from his role in Nocturnal Animals, raising children while in the industry, the experience of being a one-off Avenger, and more.

Golden Globe-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig sat down with HFPA journalist Gabrielle Donnelly to discuss the joys and challenges of bringing her adaptation of Louia May Alcott's novel Little Women to the big screen They also discuss Gerwig's desires to be a playwriter, how her debut feature film Lady Bird played to her mother, her favorite books as a child, her relationship with writer/director Noah Baumbach, and more.

Writer, director, and actress Marielle Heller sat down with HFPA journalists Ting Ting Xu to talk about her newest film Won't You Be My Neighbor, which stars Tom Hanks as the legendary children's television host Mr. Fred Rogers. They also talk about the joys and difficulties of making period pieces like her first film Diary of a Teenage Girl, the benefits of not going to film school, what she learned from her time as an actor going through the audition process, and more.

Three-time Golden Globe nominee Mark Ruffalo sits down with HFPA journalist Sam Asi to talk about how his interests as a humanitarian, environmentalist and activist all helped shape his latest film Dark Waters. They also discuss marching after the 2017 events in Charlottesville, what inspires his activism, the dark places of dealing with a brain tumor, face paralyzation, the death of his brother, and starring in films like The Kids are Alright, The Avengers, and more.

Robert Pattinson sat down with Kristien Gijbels to talk big opportunities happening in his career, from his starring role in The Lighthouse opposite Willem Dafoe to his role with Timothée Chalamet in The King, to his upcoming turn as Bruce Wayne in The Batman. They also dig into his history with major fandoms, attending the premiere for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, why he thinks Edward Cullen/Twilight tattoos are "punk rock", and what kernel of an idea inspires all the roles he performs.

Golden Globe-nominated actress Sienna Miller sat down with HFPA journalist Silvia Bizio to talk about how this year she has been her busiest ever given her major roles in the films American Woman and 21 Bridges as well as the TV show The Loudest Voice. They talk about what excited her about those three roles, researching by watching Fox News, working with Clint Eastwood, public speaking at the U.N., being an ambassador for The International Medical Corp, and more.

Saoirse Ronan sat down to talk to HFPA journalist Patricia Danaher about her moving from her Golden-Globe-winning role in Ladybird to her starring role in Greta Gerwig's new adaptation of Little Women, and the joys of working with her across multiple projects. They also discuss the concept of home, other inspirational artists that also help guide her career, climate activism around the world, Brexit, and more.

Willem Dafoe sits down with HFPA journalist Nellee Holmes to talk about The Lighthouse, Motherless Brooklyn, and the beard that links both films. They also talk about his long career, from his time in the theater to moving his career to film to being offered the lead role in Martin Scorsese's Last Temptation of Christ to his starring role in Lars von Trier's Antichrist, and more.

Composer Hildur Guðnadóttir sits down with HFPA journalist Barbara de Olivera Pinto to talk about her high profile year. The two explore her Emmy award-winning efforts to aurally capture what Chernobyl's invisible menace of radiation would sound like, how her initial compositions on Joker informed the storytelling in the film, as well as other projects, her desire to focus on another solo album, and much much more.

Golden Globe-nominated Bradley Whitford sat down with HFPA journalist Vera Anderson to talk about his new comedy Perfect Harmony, his past roles in The West Wing, The Handmaid's Tale, and Get Out, and what inspired him to act. They also dig into politics in the era of Trump, from being a celebrity and using a platform to speak out on current issues, how politics is about how you create a moral vision, fighting against voter suppression and against climate change, and more.

Writer/director/producer/actor Edward Norton sits down with HFPA journalist Ting Ting Xu to talk about his new film, Motherless Brooklyn, is an attempt to make a movie with a clear message despite a complex plot (a la Chinatown), and the challenges of wearing many hats throughout production. They also dive into his career, from detouring to projects that capture his imagination, playing The Incredible Hulk, the hype surrounding his first film Primal Fear, his inaugural Golden Globes, and more.

In the wake of the first Downton Abbey film, Allen Leech (Tom Branson) sat down with HFPA journalist Gabrielle Donnelly to discuss the six seasons that led to the new movie, getting back into the groove of the show, and how life has changed for him since. They also talk about his formal education, his childhood, how Frances McDormand recognized him at his first Golden Globes, the impact of theater on his career, how a party at his house was a good luck charm for winning Globes, and more.

Todd Phillips, writer-director of the new DC Comics film Joker, sat down to talk with HFPA journalist Gabriel Lerman about sneaking an old-school 70s-style character piece through the studio system, convincing Joaquin Phoenix to tackle the titular role, and how their partnership informed and evolved the character over the course of the production. They also talk about the state of comedy today, Phillips's fascination with mayhem, his early documentary work, and the year he spent talking to John Wayne Gacy.

HFPA journalist Ana Maria Bahiana sits down to talk to Timothy Hutton about his new TV show, Almost Famil, in which he plays a fertility doctor who has used his own genetic material to conceive at least 100 children. They also discuss his role in his high school production of Guys and Dolls, his award-winning supporting role in Robert Redford’s Ordinary People, his memories from his first Golden Globes, and more.