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Conversations at the intersection of movies, television, and pop culture.
Hosted by Christina Jeurling Birro, this podcast delivers candid interviews with filmmakers, actors, creators, and cultural tastemakers, plus festival and awards-season coverage, reviews, and in-depth explorations of the stories shaping what we watch and why it matters.
517 Episodes
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Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch joins Christina to recap last night’s 2026 Academy Awards (and cap off a long season!)One Battle After Another’s biggest wins, Sinners' successes, the surprises, emotional highlights, and so much more
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Join us as we dive into the 2026 Oscar predictions! Christina is thrilled to be joined by Erik Anderson of AwardsWatch.com. This year has brought us outstanding films, incredible performances, and one of the most unpredictable awards seasons we’ve seen in a long time. Listen as we discuss our predictions on who will take home the gold this year
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The race is alive! We’re just about ten days away from the Oscars, and things are heating up on the precursor front. The BAFTAs were last weekend, and this weekend brought the PGAs and the Actor Awards (the awards formerly known as the SAG Awards). Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch joins Christina to break down what it all means for Oscar night!
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Christina is joined by 2026 Oscar nominated costume designer Malgosia Turzanska, celebrated for her extraordinary work on Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet. Known for her unforgettable costumes in Train Dreams, Stranger Things, The Green Knight, X, Pearl, and more, Malgosia takes us deep into her art and the creative journey behind one of the year’s most talked-about films.
They discuss the rich research behind Elizabethan clothing, the intimate storytelling within the Shakespeare family, and her concept of “emotional dressing,” where every detail carries meaning. From Agnes’ striking reds in Jessie Buckley’s Oscar nominated performance, to the protective padding worn by Shakespeare’s mother, portrayed by Emily Watson, to Will Shakespeare’s (Paul Mescal) ink-stained fingers, and much more.
Plus, what Malgosia herself will be wearing to the Oscars!
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Writer and director Clint Bentley joins Christina to discuss his acclaimed film Train Dreams, one of the most beautiful and celebrated films of the season! Nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture, the film recently earned Bentley Best Director and Best Feature at the Film Independent Spirit Awards.
The conversation explores how Train Dreams came together, the character of Robert Grainier (brought to life through a deeply anchored performance by Joel Edgerton ) as well as Nick Cave’s influence, themes of grief and memory, what it means to be a tender man in a changing world, and much more.
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The endlessly inspiring Arian Moayed is back on the show and it is, as always, an absolute blast. The actor, director, and producer joins Christina to talk about his exciting new Marvel series Wonder Man and co-producing the documentary Champions of the Golden Valley with Malala Yousafzai. They also talk NYC Mayor Mamdani and keeping up with his “Succession family.” Who really wins the Succession group text chain?
Arian opens up about making art accessible to everyone, the mission behind his work with Waterwell, and how storytelling can create real change.
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1Encore episode! Alexander Skarsgård talks Pillion, career, and more.
With Pillion now premiering widely (the wonderful, warm, and emotional BDSM rom-com co starring Harry Melling) we revisit Christina’s wide ranging conversation with Alexander Skarsgård, recorded at the Stockholm International Film Festival in November 2026.
They talk Pillion, the research behind the role, highlights from his career, campaigning at the same time as his father Stellan Skarsgård, fashion, and much more.
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Awards season 2026 continues to steamroll ahead. Just days after the Oscar nominations, the BAFTA and WGA nominations have arrived. To help break it all down, Christina is joined by Eoin Daly, co-host of the Shhh, My Stories Are On! podcast, as they discuss the biggest talking points, surprises, and what these nominations could mean for the rest of the awards season.
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Christina & Ryan McQuade (of AwardsWatch.com) break down the 2026 Oscar nominations, diving into the biggest surprises, snubs, historic milestones, and what it all means for the race ahead!
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2026 is shaping up to be an incredible year for cinema, from visionary auteurs to indie gems and everything in between.Christina is joined by Jay Ledbetter and Ryan McQuade from the Director Watch Podcast for a massive breakdown of the movies they can’t wait to see in 2026. Plus a special appearance by Sophia Ciminello of AwardsWatch.com!
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In this episode of Pop Culture Confidential, Christina sits down with prize-winning production designer Fiona Crombie, whose work has shaped some of the most visually striking films of recent years.
They talk in depth about Crombie’s breathtaking production design for Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet, starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley as William and Agnes Shakespeare. From intimate domestic spaces to the recreation of the legendary Globe Theatre, Crombie reveals how she brought emotion and lived-in detail into the spaces she designed
Fiona Crombie was Oscar-nominated for her production design on Lanthimos The Favourite and has also collaborated with Bong Joon-ho (Mickey 17), Ari Aster (Beau Is Afraid), and many other acclaimed filmmakers.
This conversation was recorded just after Jessie Buckley’s Best Actress win at the Critics’ Choice Awards and the Golden Globes, and as Hamnet itself took home Best Picture Drama.
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Christina is joined by Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch.com) to break down the Golden Globes 2026! The winners, the losers, the speeches, the cringe... and what it all means for the Oscars race.
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For the first episode of the year, Christina is joined by Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch.com) to recap the Critics Choice Awards 2026, the first televised awards show of the season! Fresh off attending the ceremony, they break down what it was like on the ground, the night’s biggest wins, standout moments, and the industry buzz coming out of the show. It was a huge night for One Battle After Another, Sinners, and more as awards season officially kicks into high gear.
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It’s a huge episode! Ryan McQuade ( Executive Editor, AwardsWatch) joins Christina as they countdown their 20 best movies of 2025. What a year of cinema it has been!
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Awards season is officially in full swing! Prizes and nominations are rolling in from critics groups, the Critics Choice Awards, the Golden Globes, and more. It’s been one announcement after another and we’re breaking it all down.
Christina is joined by Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) to recap and dig into the surprises, the snubs, and the contenders gaining momentum. From PTA and Sinners to Sentimental Value, Amy Madigan, and many more, they explore where things stand now....and what it all might mean for the Oscars!
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This week’s episode is a special one: Christina’s interview with actor/producer Alexander Skarsgård! The interview was recorded live at the Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 2025), where he received the 2025 Stockholm Achievement Award.The audience was packed and about to see Alexander’s fantastic new film Pillion. In this wide-ranging conversation they talk about the movie, the research behind his wildly funny and emotional new rom-com with BDSM themes, career highlights, campaigning at the same time as Stellan, fashion, and much more.
You can also watch the interview on the Stockholm Film Festival’s YouTube channel or on the Pop Culture Confidential YouTube channel.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0pQyGajgvU&t=1s
Photos courtesy of Anton Isiukov: https://www.antonisiukov.com
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2025 was a year in pop culture like no other! Celebrities “went to space,” Kendrick blew our minds at the Super Bowl, demons were hunted, SNL turned 50, and kiss cams caused chaos. It was a massive year for film and TV, packed with moments that had everyone talking. We also said goodbye to some of the biggest names in the industry.
Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch joins Christina as they each count down the biggest, most talked-about, and wildest pop culture moments of 2025.
Don’t miss it!
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As we head into the final weeks of the year, we couldn’t resist diving into the incredible performances that have already defined 2025.It’s been an extraordinary year at the movies, full of bold artistic swings, deeply emotional turns, and career-making work across the board. In this episode, Christina is thrilled to be joined by Erik Anderson, editor-in-chief of AwardsWatch, to breakdown the Top 10 Acting Performances of 2025.Together, they dig into the roles that moved and surprised them & the ones that made them laugh and cry. They also take a close look at what these standout performances could mean in terms of awards season.And of course, a few honorable mentions that absolutely deserve their moment in the spotlight.
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Christina talks with writer/actor/comedian Michael Strassner about his new film The Baltimorons, directed by Jay Duplass, a story shaped by the spirit of Baltimore and the most personal chapters of Strassner’s own life.They talk about blending humor and drama, how Strassner channels his personal history, including struggles with addiction, recovery, and self-reinvention, into the story. He also discusses the film’s unexpected romance, having his own family in the film, and much more.The Baltimorons won the Audience Award at South by Southwest 2025.
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This week’s episode is a special one: Christina’s interview with writer and director Benny Safdie at the Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 2025), where he was also honored with the Stockholm Visionary Award. They discuss his filmmaking process, his obsessive characters, The Smashing Machine, working with Paul Thomas Anderson and Christopher Nolan, and much more.
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