#581 (live from the London Podcast Festival) — Celine Song, Daniel Pemberton

It's another jam-packed episode of the Empire Podcast this week, folks. First, Chris Hewitt sits down on Zoom with ace composer and musician, Jon Batiste, and Matthew Heineman, about their new documentary, American Symphony; then he battles an uncooperative microphone stand and emerges with an enormously fun interview with Napoleon stars, Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby; and lastly two walking Disney encyclopaedias meet, as our Ben Travis sits down with Jennifer Lee, the writer of this week's Wish and Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios. On either side of all of those is a fun episode in which Chris is joined in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer to discuss the actor whose back catalogue they would choose to watch for the rest of their lives; natter about the week's movie news; and review Napoleon, Bradley Cooper's Maestro, George C. Wolfe's Rustin, and Wish. And yes, Chris does know he misquoted Dodgeball. First the Attack of the Clones review, now this: Film Twitter will find his resignation on their desk first thing tomorrow. As for this episode: enjoy. RUNNING ORDER (all timings approx.) INTRO/LISTENERS QUESTION: 0:00.00 - 20:13.00 JON BATISTE MOVIE NEWS: 38:33.00 - 1:01:14.00 JOAQUIN PHOENIX & VANESSA KIRBY REVIEWS: 1:19:03.00 - 1:43:45.00 JENNIFER LEE & OUTRO

Can you tell the SAG-AFTRA strike is over after several long months, folks? We sure can, because the Empire Podcast this week was besieged by big-name Hollywood actor-types, all keen to appear on the podcast after months of walking up and down outside studios with picket signs. First up, the wonderful Rachel Zegler returns to the pod to talk to Sophie Butcher about starring in the Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes, and brings her British co-star, Tom Blyth, with her. Then, John Nugent sits down on Zoom for an engrossing chat about Killers Of The Flower Moon and the history surrounding it and the Osage people with that film's breakout star, Lily Gladstone. And then, because it's British Actors Named Tom Week, apparently, the one and only Tom Hiddleston — Loki himself — returns to the pod for a chat with Chris Hewitt about the triumphant final episode of season 2 of Loki. Now, bear in mind, this is a lengthy excerpt from our spoiler special interview (which is available now in full, fact fans), so do not listen to it until you've seen Loki s2. So we've placed it right at the end of the pod (1:45:16.00 - 2:01:42.00, to be precise-ish) for the spoiler-averse. Then, in the podbooth, Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer and, for a spell, John Nugent to discuss the worst presents they've ever bought each other, John Candy movies, the week's movie news (there's a lot of MCU and MCU-adjacent stuff this week, you'll be shocked to hear) and to review May December, Saltburn, and that Hunger Games movie with the long title. Welcome back, actors — we missed you! Enjoy.

This week's Empire Podcast is up later than usual, for which we apologise most sincerely, but we're hopeful that it will be worth the wait. It's a very special live episode, recorded on Thursday night at Leeds Trinity University as part of their Journalism & Media Week, and saw Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara and James Dyer travel to Horsforth in Leeds to have a ton of film-related fun in front of an audience of Empire Podcast listeners and media students. But that's not all — the brilliant Gareth Evans, director of The Raid and The Raid 2, travelled with the team as both our very special guest and an honorary Colleague Of Such Lethal Cunning, sitting in with us for the entire show. Which means you'll hear Gareth in the Movie News section, where the team discuss the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike and a whole bunch of trailers; the Reviews segment, where they cast their eye over The Marvels, Anatomy Of A Fall, Fingernails, and Dream Scenario; and the Q&A section at the end, which sees more than a few questions thrown Mr. Evans' way. He also fills us in on the status of his eagerly-anticipated Tom Hardy action thriller, Havoc. Also, in a pre-recorded interview that starts at 1:16:29.00 and ends at 1:32:35.00 (approx), Chris has a fun chat with Nia DaCosta, the director of the latest MCU film, The Marvels. We had an absolute blast recording this — thanks to everyone who came, and to Darren Harper and the staff/volunteers at Leeds Trinity University for making us feel so welcome. Hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did.

A Matter Of Life And Death. The Red Shoes. Black Narcissus. The Tales Of Hoffmann. The Small Back Room. The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp. I Know Where I'm Going. We could just fill this blurb box by simply listing the films of Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, the filmmaking duo who might just be British cinema's greatest double act, but we won't. Instead, we'll tell you that their work is currently being celebrated in an amazing nationwide BFI retrospective called Cinema Unbound (check it out and book tickets for screenings and events etc. at bfi.org.uk), and that put us in the mood to put together a special in their honour. And what's truly special about it is the interview that John Nugent conducted with Thelma Schoonmaker, the legendary editor of Martin Scorsese's films, and who was married to Powell until his death 1990 (in fact, Scorsese introduced her to Powell); and Kevin Macdonald, the Scottish film director who is Emeric Pressburger's grandson. On the other side of that wonderful, warm interview, Chris Hewitt invites P&P superfans Ian Freer, Nick de Semlyen and the aforementioned John Nugent into the podbooth to wax lyrical about their favourite Powell & Pressburger moments, movies and more. It's a belter. Enjoy.

Blimey, it's another cracking line-up on this week's Empire Podcast, as first Sophie Butcher chats with Bottoms director Emma Seligman about female fight clubs and improv; Chris Hewitt talks to The Royal Hotel director, Kitty Green, about her excellent drama set in the Australian Outback (and yes, there's a question about snakes); and finally there's an excerpt from Chris' interview with the legendary Sir Patrick Stewart, who talks about writing his memoir, Making It So. (The full version of this interview will be up soon, folks!) Then, using Star Trek-esque technology, Chris beams into the podbooth this week and is joined by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and the aforementioned Sophie Butcher as they pay a fond tribute to the great Matthew Perry, get given a chance to wave a magic wand in the direction of Marvel Studios, discuss the week's movie news, and review The Royal Hotel, How To Have Sex, Nyad, Pain Hustlers, and Bottoms. It's a packed show, and has more Friends quotes than you could shake a copy of Ms Chanandler Bong's TV Guide at. Enjoy. TIMESTAMPS (approx. timings) Intro/Matthew Perry/MCU: 0:00.00 - 28:44.00 Emma Seligman: 28:44.01 - 44:31.00 Movie News: 44:31.01 - 58:06.00 Kitty Green: 58:06.00 - 1:15:56.00 Reviews: 1:15:56.01 - 1:35:21.00 Patrick Stewart Excerpt: 1:35:22.00 - 1:47:49.00