The premiere episode of The Black List, reprised! Franklin and Kate kicked off The Black List Podcast with filmmaker and actor Paul Feig (@paulfeig) to discuss the 20th anniversary of Freaks and Geeks, his very first film; They went deep on what makes a great comedy, and about the female characters he loved and creates--and so much more. A classic episode from 2020. Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst. To learn more about The Black List,...

Introducing Trump’s Parade of Clowns, Idiots, and Creeps from Strict Scrutiny. Follow the show: Strict Scrutiny Leah, Melissa, and Kate wade through more election fallout, including President-elect Trump’s proposed use of recess appointments to jam his cabinet picks through. Also covered: this week’s SCOTUS arguments, the tryhards auditioning to be Trump Supreme Court nominees, and why everyone should shut up about Justice Sotomayor retiring.   Follow us on Instagram, Threads, and...

[Replay] Franklin and Kate welcome Tony-nominated, Grammy-winning actor Andrew Rannells, who shares the journey from his early days in Omaha’s children’s theater scene to the Broadway spotlight in shows like The Book of Mormon. This episode is packed with entertaining behind-the-scenes stories, from collaborating with Lena Dunham on Girls to starring alongside Meryl Streep in Netflix’s The Prom—with a humorous “Best Humblebrag” nod from Franklin! Andrew reveals a movie sequel (including one...

Introducing Making Sense of the Election and What It Means for the Court from Strict Scrutiny. Follow the show: Strict Scrutiny After processing the election and thinking through what it means for the future of the Supreme Court, Kate and Leah dig into a Voting Rights Act case newly added to SCOTUS’s docket. They also tackle this week’s cases on the False Claims Act, compensation for hospitals that treat low-income people, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and federal securities law. Follow us...

In this episode, screenwriter and 2016 Black List honoree Liz Hannah shares the story behind her acclaimed debut film, The Post. Liz reveals how reading TheWashington Post Publisher Katherine Graham’s memoir years prior sparked the inspiration for the screenplay—and how, from the start, she imagined the iconic role of Graham being played by none other than Meryl Streep. Hosts Franklin and Kate dive into Liz's creative process, discussing her approach to writing across genres, exploring the...

Introducing Offline’s Anti-Anxiety Election Special from Offline with Jon Favreau. Follow the show: Offline with Jon Favreau The 2024 election is almost upon us, and if you’re not anxious…please give us some of whatever you’re taking. Barton Gellman, Senior Advisor at the Brennan Center for Justice, joins Offline to talk about how election officials are safeguarding your vote. This spring, Gellman co-lead a series of table top exercises involving current and former politicians, military...

[REPRISE] From science major to punk rock band member to comedy writer, he is now the co-creator of multiple popular television shows, a producer, screenwriter, and film director. Alan Yang joins the show to talk about his creative journey to Parks and Recreation (an experience he cherishes for the incredible education it gave him) and beyond. He also dives deep on his developing a character-based approach to comedy, directing his film Tigertail, and some of his creative influences. Plus: the...

[Encore episode] Russian Doll co-creator Leslye Headland joins Kate and Franklin for a wide, thoughtful take on all the things that excite her about movies and storytelling (Headland is also a playwright). She reflects on the origins of her love of film, including the many things her parents let her stay up to watch, or actors and movies they introduced her to. On the Kubrick film that inspired her to become a filmaker, she says: "I watched it almost every day. I just couldn't get enough of...

With what feels like a very Bowen Yang autumn, we revisit this great convo he had with Franklin and Kate. Among the topics: early comedic discoveries, including SNL and a movie that made him fall in love with the medium. Plus: his Canadian upbringing, his academic vs. extracurriculars at NYU, the real world consequences of political comedy, and so much more. And if you didn't catch his profile in the Sept 23rd issue of the New Yorker, check it out....

[Encore] Academy Award winner Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind, I, Robot, The Da Vinci Code screenplay, multiple Star Trek and Batman scripts, and more) joins Franklin and Kate to talk about his beginnings in Brooklyn, how his early family life influenced his writing career, and his memories of Joel Schumacher on the late 90s Batman films. Plus, the writing teachers he studied with at NYU (including Russell Banks, Margaret Atwood, E.L. Doctorow) and much more. Questions? Comments? Criticism?...

[Encore] Roxane Gay, NYT bestselling author and columnist, talks to Franklin and Kate about her time writing Marvel comic books, representations of fat characters in media, her love for the Fast and Furious franchise, and so much more.  Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst. This conversation took place in 2020. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com.  Mentions: +Roxane Gay on writing for Marvel:...

[Encore] There's one guarantee about having, or listening to, a conversation with Seth Rogen. Laughter will ensue. This episode is no exception. Among the topics he covers with Franklin and Kate: the legacy of Freaks and Geeks, his writing process with longtime collaborator Evan Goldberg, and becoming one of Hollywood’s leading men. He also shares more about his advocacy for cannabis and Alzheimer’s prevention, and his very cool pottery making.   Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on...

Welcome to the ultimate cinephile's salon, where our co-hosts and two dear friends talk movies of all stripes, paired with some rich personal stories. Open up your "to watch" list and settle in. Franklin and Kate are joined by fellow film lovers Lauren Brown and Boris Khentov. The crew reflects on the films that grounded their childhoods, helped them grieve, and brought great joy to their lives during the first year of the pandemic (This conversation took place in 2020). Thank you for...

This week, writer and director Lee Isaac Chung joins Kate and Franklin to talk about the trip to Rwanda that changed his filmmaking trajectory, his deep admiration for Charlie Chaplin and Wong Kar-wai, the making of his film and 2020 Sundance festival winner, Minari, and so much more.  Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst. This conversation took place in 2020. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com. Mentions:  Minari:...

Kate sits down with the legendary filmmaker Chris Columbus to talk about his beginnings as a screenwriter, directing beloved family films like Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire, collaborating with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell in The Christmas Chronicles 2, and more behind-the-scenes stories.   Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst. This conversation first took place in 2020. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com.

This week, Tony-nominated actor Andrew Rannells joins Franklin and Kate to talk about his beginnings in children's theatre in Nebraska, Broadway and The Book of Mormon, working alongside Meryl Streep in the forthcoming Netflix film, The Prom, and so much more. Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com.

This week, two-time Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Kirby Dick joins Kate and Franklin to talk why he “doesn’t love movies,” how he thinks about the concept of truth, the #MeToo movement and his documentary, On The Record (co-directed by Amy Ziering, HBO Max), and so much more.  Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst. This conversation took place in 2021. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com.

British screenwriter and playwright Jack Thorne joins Kate and Franklin to talk about bringing Harry Potter and The Cursed Child to the stage, his advocacy for fuller disability narratives on screen, season two of His Dark Materials, and so much more.  Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst. This conversation took place in 2020. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com. Mentions:  His Dark...

As much watching, reading and listening time as we all had during the first year of the pandemic, you probably missed something great. Rewind your mind and pick up some gems from the pros. Franklin and Kate talk to each other about the things they loved in 2020. From Animal Crossing and Sarah Cooper's comedy special, to Ted Lasso and Michaela Coel's I May Destroy You, you'll have some new gems to add to your ongoing list. See the show notes for more details!  Questions? Comments? Criticism?...

This one's very special and very spooky. Kate talks to Barbara Crampton, BJ Colangelo, and Gigi Saul Gurerro about their lives in the horror community, what they're working on, what types of stories they'd like to see told about women in horror, and so much more. Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst. This conversation from 2020 is still a banger. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com. Mentions:  Barbara...

Friend of The Black List director Radha Blank joins Kate and Franklin to talk about her Sundance award-winning feature, The 40-Year-Old Version (Netflix), the leap from playwriting and rapping into filmmaking, growing up in an intentional arts community, and so much more. Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst. This conversation took place in 2021. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com. Mentions:  The 40-Year-Old...

Comedy actor-writer--and ceramics designer (who knew?) Seth Rogen talks about the legacy of Freaks and Geeks, his writing process with longtime collaborator Evan Goldberg, becoming one of Hollywood’s leading men, his advocacy for cannabis and Alzheimer’s prevention, and so much more.  Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst. This conversation took place in 2020. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com. Mentions:  Freaks and...

The Bronx is in the building! This week, Franklin and Kate talk to Showtime's late-night hosts Desus Nice and The Kid Mero about their favorite films, the power of the Bodega Hive, their process as co-writers (shout out to Google Docs!) of their book, God-Level Knowledge Darts: Life Lessons from the Bronx, and so much more.  Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst. This conversation was recorded in 2020. To learn more about The Black List,...

As Saturday Night Live kicked off a new season, writer and comedian Bowen Yang joined Kate and Franklin to talk about his Canadian upbringing, why Mean Girls made him fall in love with filmmaking, the real world consequences of political comedy, and so much more. Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst. This conversation took place in 2021. Learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com. Mentions:  +Saturday Night...