The Parting Shot with H. Alan Scott

Portraying the most recognizable sports figure in human history is a daunting task, especially when it’s the first project explicitly sanctioned by his family. Jaalen Best, who plays a young Muhammad Ali in the new Prime original series The Greatest, joins writer and director Ben Watkins to discuss the immense weight of bringing a global legend to life.Best opens up about channeling his on-set anxiety into the performance and the grueling physical transformation required for the role. "When I got the role, I had to cut down, my lowest was 163 to play [the] 18-year-old on camera. That's almost 40 pounds," Best shares.Watkins breaks down his mission to look past the myth and showcase the boxer's vulnerabilities. "I didn't realize it, but I had deified Muhammad Ali," Watkins explains. "What we got to do is introduce you to this real person... They have flaws, and they overcome it. They have fears, and they push through."Watch/listen to hear how Best and Watkins balanced the greatness of Ali with the weaker parts of his biography, and why Ali's unwavering convictions still resonate today. The Greatest is available to stream now on Prime.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of the Parting Shot podcast, actors Helen Mirren and Alden Ehrenreich sit down to discuss their gripping new psychological thriller A Talent for Murder. Mirren stars as the reclusive author Patricia Highsmith alongside Ehrenreich's young editor Edward who is tasked with persuading her to write another Tom Ripley novel. The co-stars dive into the fascinating motives behind Highsmith's legendary characters, the queer themes woven into her work and how they both took a deep dive to understand the brilliant but complicated author. Plus, they reveal why neither of them has a real-life talent for murder. Subscribe to the For the Culture newsletter: https://for-the-culture.beehiiv.com Follow H. Alan Scott: https://linktr.ee/halanscott Subscribe to the Parting Shot Podcast: https://www.newsweek.com/podcasts/the-parting-shot See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I’m reacting to Alex Gibney’s new documentary film 'Musk,' and my biggest takeaway is fear. The power Elon Musk holds is vast and wide, and it begs the question: should a person this rich hold this much power? From AI to international relations with his Starlink service, Musk wields immense influence, and Gibney’s documentary does a fantastic job of laying it all out. I saw the film at the Ojai Documentary Film Festival in its first year, and 'Musk' was the opening night feature. The fact that this festival had a packed house for a nearly four-hour film says a lot about the event and the cultural moment documentary films are experiencing right now. Joining me to discuss 'Musk' is Newsweek Senior Reporter Lauren Giella. We break down the cult of personality around Elon Musk, the surging popularity of documentaries, and why the Ojai Documentary Film Festival really speaks to the moment nonfiction films are having. Listen to our full conversation on this episode of the Parting Shot Podcast. Subscribe to the For the Culture newsletter: https://for-the-culture.beehiiv.com Follow H. Alan Scott: https://linktr.ee/halanscott Subscribe to the Parting Shot Podcast: https://www.newsweek.com/podcasts/the-parting-shot See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of the Parting Shot podcast, director Peter Berg and stars Nicholas Galitzine, Ray Nicholson, Bill Skarsgård and Tom Francis discuss the intense reality of their new Netflix WWII epic The Mosquito Bowl. Adapted from Buzz Bissinger's nonfiction book, the film follows renowned college football players who put their rising careers on hold to fight in the Pacific after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The cast and director dive into the highly immersive filmmaking process, the camaraderie formed while shooting in remote Australia and the emotional toll of bringing one of the most brutal cinematic depictions of war to life. Subscribe to the For the Culture newsletter: https://for-the-culture.beehiiv.com Follow H. Alan Scott: https://linktr.ee/halanscott Subscribe to the Parting Shot Podcast: https://www.newsweek.com/podcasts/the-parting-shot See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of The Parting Shot, the original New York City Housewives have finally returned to our screens! Sonja Morgan, Luann de Lesseps, Dorinda Medley, Ramona Singer, and Kelly Bensimon join the show to discuss their highly anticipated new E! series, The Golden Life. After a massive fan outcry for the OGs to return, the women are proving that their fifties and sixties are their best years yet. We dive into how the new series—with a not-so-subtle nod to The Golden Girls—follows their genuine, unmanufactured friendships as they live it up in Palm Beach and the Hamptons. Plus, they open up about avoiding the classic reality TV trap, building successful careers outside the Bravo universe, and why viewers simply refused to accept any substitutes. Subscribe to the For the Culture newsletter: https://for-the-culture.beehiiv.comFollow H. Alan Scott: https://linktr.ee/halanscottSubscribe to the Parting Shot Podcast: https://www.newsweek.com/podcasts/the-parting-shotSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.