The Envelope

‘Succession,’ which earned a whopping 27 Emmy nominations for its final season, has captivated audiences with its complex, uber-wealthy characters. For director Mark Mylod, telling stories about family and social class is a reccuring theme — His credits include ‘Shameless’ and ‘The Menu’ — with surprisingly personal roots.In this episode of The Envelope podcast, Mylod opens up about his fascination with this topic, takes us behind the scenes of the pivotal ‘Connor’s Wedding’ episode, and shares how he pushed through his comfort zone to take on more creative risks.

Bravo producer Alex Baskin and star-turned-producer Lisa Vanderpump. They candidly delve into the juicy details behind the show’s scandals, a forthcoming spinoff featuring familiar personas and their perspective on the burgeoning calls for reality show residuals. Plus, their response to awards recognition — and whether any “Housewives” counterparts had anything to say. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

As today’s screenwriters and actors grapple with financial challenges in a rapidly changing showbiz landscape, combined strikes by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA have brought Hollywood to a standstill. Productions are stalled, press tours canceled, and the 2023 Emmys postponed. The economic impact is expected to far surpass that of the last writers’ strike, which cost the L.A. economy more than 2 billion dollars. On this episode of “The Envelope,” hosts Yvonne Villarreal and Mark Olsen discuss the issues underlying this historic strike, pay disparities in streaming, and concerns over the rise of AI with L.A. Times film reporter Josh Rottenberg and actor Sarah Ramos — a member of the SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

On the occasion of scoring double Emmy nominations this year for her performances in "Yellowjackets" and "The Last of Us," Mark and Yvonne revisit a favorite conversation with Melanie Lynskey. Since her 1994 debut in “Heavenly Creatures,” Melanie Lynskey has been acting steadily while “flying comfortably right under the radar.” Now, for her electric role on “Yellowjackets,” Lynskey has earned an Emmy nomination for outstanding lead actress in a drama series — and a whole new level of fame. In this episode of “The Envelope” podcast, she dishes on feeling more empowered and less underestimated as of late, arriving at a place of self-love after struggling with an eating disorder, and why roles of women who take up a lot of space appeal to her. Oh, and there’s also a delightful story about a Nick Cave concert, a charming Drew Barrymore impression, and a brief visit from a very special guest. To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com.

Jessica Williams is no stranger to tackling complicated issues with humor. From being the youngest and first Black woman correspondent on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” to now starring opposite Jason Segel and Harrison Ford on the AppleTV+ show “Shrinking,” Williams uses her improv skills and authenticity not only to entertain but also to hit on deep truths. “Grief settles in and it just changes you,” she says. “It doesn’t leave. It just makes a home in your body.”In this episode of “The Envelope,” Williams reflects on how personal experiences, including her years of therapy and the death of her partner, have shaped her performance. She also gets into her view of the “Black lady therapist” trope, the controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling and transgender rights, and what she learned while making the “Fantastic Beasts” films. Plus, Williams offers tips on “decolonizing” your garden. To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com.

It’s rare to find a televised female friendship that can deal with dead husbands, car crashes and other wild plot twists the way Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini’s “Dead to Me” characters do. Through years of filming the tragicomedy, the two actors learned to deeply trust each other. When Applegate was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis while filming the last season, their bond only intensified.In this episode of “The Envelope,” Applegate and Cardellini laugh, sob, describe why they love each other and ponder the possibility of working together again. They also discuss the importance of flawed-mom characters and recall how they were allowed to improvise lines until things got way too weird.To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com.

Christina Ricci wouldn’t want to know Misty Quigley in real life, but she has a protective soft spot for her “Yellowjackets” character. In this episode of “The Envelope,” Ricci delves into why she enjoys playing the impulsive outcast and what she values about the series’ unconventional exploration of trauma.Ricci also reflects on her enduring connection to Wednesday Addams, recalls the two auditions that changed her life even though she didn’t land either part, and talks about how her acting career began as an escape from her unhappy childhood. Plus, if you want reading recommendations? She’s got you covered.  To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com.

The premise of “Jury Duty” — placing a non-actor in the middle of an entirely staged trial — could have easily led the show to mean-spirited-prank territory. Instead, the cast manages to land laughs while making the person who thinks it’s all real, Ronald Gladden, into a hero. For James Marsden, who plays a Hollywood jerk version of himself on the show, that was the most important thing. “I’ll make an ass of myself and have fun doing it, but I never want him to be the butt of the joke,” he shares.In this episode of “The Envelope” podcast, Marsden discusses how the cast and crew managed to pull it all off, why the role interested him, and how — despite his very believable performance on ”Jury Duty” — he strives to keep his ego from ruining his reputation in real life. To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com. 

"Foretold" is the newest podcast from the L.A. Times, and we're sharing a preview of the first episode with you here today. In the fall of 2019, reporter Faith E. Pinho received a tip from a woman named Paulina Stevens. Paulina claimed she had grown up in an insular Romani community in California, where she was raised to be a wife, mother and fortuneteller — until she decided to break away. That first call unraveled a story spanning multiple continents, hundreds of years, and complex metaphysical realities.  Follow "Foretold" to hear new episodes every Tuesday.

Academy Award nominee Michelle Yeoh has been a worldwide movie star for decades, known for action-packed roles in films such as “Supercop” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and as a Bond girl in “Tomorrow Never Dies.” But it’s her leading role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” that Yeoh says finally let her show what she’s capable of.In this episode of “The Envelope,” Yeoh discusses her first impressions of “Everything Everywhere’s” genre-bending script and bold gags. She reflects on her dangerous early-career stunts and how she was treated when she arrived in Hollywood (she makes a gloriously unimpressed sound while recalling that people were “quite stunned” when they realized she could speak English). Yeoh also goes deep on tokenism, aging and why she’s been praying every night to win an Oscar.  To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com.

Writer-director Todd Field made two acclaimed films in the early 2000s and then disappeared from the big screen for 16 years. “Tár,” about the scandalous downfall of a classical music conductor, marks his return. The movie burst forth in dramatic fashion: Its screenplay took him only three months to write.In this episode of “The Envelope,” Field breaks down how a Górecki composition inspired the internal rhythm of lead character Lydia Tár and discusses what it was like collaborating with star Cate Blanchett, who “always wants to do things that are dangerous.” He also explains why he’s delighted by reactions to his film — even those that are ferociously dismissive. To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com.

Darren Aronofsky is known for directing dark, provocative, divisive films such as “Requiem for a Dream” and “Black Swan,” but in “The Whale,” he sees hope, “human connection and a belief in the human spirit.”In this episode of “The Envelope,” Aronofsky reflects on how “The Whale” interacts with obesity and fatphobia, discusses exploring humanity through science, and describes why the “Brenaissance” — star Brendan Fraser’s triumphant return to acting — caught him by surprise.  To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com.

At 29 years old, “Nope” star Keke Palmer has already racked up two decades in show business. She’s an actor, singer, TV host and meme queen – and she has big plans for more. If her public persona is like Mickey Mouse, she says, then “I’m Walt Disney.” In this episode of “The Envelope,” Palmer shares what it was like to work with Jordan Peele on his blockbuster sci-fi thriller, how she felt about being her family’s breadwinner during her childhood and how she navigates the exploitation baked into Hollywood. Also, Whoopi Goldberg, if you’re listening: She wants to talk to you about “Sister Act 3.” To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com.

Few icons are as globally memorialized as Elvis Presley, but for “Elvis" filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, the biopic felt like "a blank sheet to explore” American history, commercialization and the true origin of rock 'n' roll: Black music. In this episode of “The Envelope,” Luhrmann shares his unique take on Presley’s tragic story, how Austin Butler was able to “meld his soul with Elvis' soul” and how a pair of socks connected a young Baz to the King. To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com.

Fresh off the “Better Call Saul” series finale, Rhea Seehorn joins us to delve into the show’s last twists and turns and to give insight into her Emmy-nominated portrayal of ethically flexible attorney Kim Wexler.If Kim and Bob Odenkirk’s Jimmy McGill character were to get a do-over, how far back in time would they have to travel to put themselves on track for a happily-ever-after? Probably all the way back to the beginning of the series, when they worked together in the mailroom, Seehorn muses. “They would go out with each other, fall in love and then get really, really great therapists.”In this episode of “The Envelope,” she also discusses her efforts to balance gratitude with confidence in her skills, how her father’s alcoholism shaped her as an actor and the scariest day on the “Better Call Saul” set: when Odenkirk suffered a heart attack right in front of her. To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com.

Around 2015, actor-writer-director Colman Domingo was planning to quit it all and find a new career. But instead of giving up, he revamped his approach — and found new happiness.In this episode of “The Envelope,” the Emmy nominee discusses modeling his “Euphoria” character, Ali, after someone dear to his heart as he reflects on the nature of redemption and forgiveness. “Everyone has faults,” he says. “Everyone is suffering and struggling. But everyone, when they have accountability, there … should be inroads for them to come back into good grace.” He also dishes on why he calls himself a nerd, the adorable way he first met Zendaya, and why being “a shapeshifter” means his real-life looks take people by surprise. To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com.

Since her 1994 debut in “Heavenly Creatures,” Melanie Lynskey has been acting steadily while “flying comfortably right under the radar.” Now, for her electric role on “Yellowjackets,” Lynskey has earned an Emmy nomination for outstanding lead actress in a drama series — and a whole new level of fame. In this episode of “The Envelope” podcast, she dishes on how this year has helped her feel more empowered and less underestimated, arriving at a place of self-love after struggling with an eating disorder, and why roles of women who take up a lot of space appeal to her. Oh, and there’s also a delightful story about a Nick Cave concert, a charming Drew Barrymore impression and a brief visit from a very special guest. To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com.

Bill Hader and his dark comedy “Barry” have again raked in a slew of Emmy nominations. In this episode of “The Envelope” podcast, Hader dishes on what it’s like to simultaneously star in, write for, direct and executive produce a high-profile TV series of his own creation. (While doing some high-emotion acting, he recalls, “I kind of induced a panic attack — which I do not recommend if you're also directing.”) He also delves into how he transitioned from performing on “Saturday Night Live” to what he calls “real acting,” how it feels to shut down a freeway and why he laughs at the darkest moments. To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com.

Gillian Anderson, who plays Eleanor Roosevelt on the Showtime series “The First Lady,” Joanna on “The Great” and Dr. Jean Milburn on “Sex Education,” really vibes with female characters who forge their own paths – and there’s good reason for that: Even when she was a small child, “telling Gillian what she could and couldn’t do” was impossible, she recalls her mother saying. In this episode of “The Envelope,” Anderson dishes on the importance of Roosevelt’s loving relationship with journalist Lorena Hickok, why “Sex Education” initially didn’t click with her, and the long legacy of “The X-Files.” To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com. 

Simone Ashley has always been a fan of the romance genre, but before being cast as Kate Sharma in “Bridgerton,” playing the lead in a period drama seemed improbable to her. “I never imagined that a woman who looked like me could be a part of one,” she says. In this episode of "The Envelope" podcast, Ashley discusses embracing the political aspects of her career, how acting on “Sex Education” prepared her for "Bridgerton" and how her upbringing taught her to dream big. To read a full transcript of this interview, please visit the episode page at latimes.com.