Q with Tom Power

Phil Rosenthal is the creator, writer and executive producer of Everybody Loves Raymond, one of the most successful sitcoms of all time. But after the show wrapped in 2005, it took nearly 10 years for him to get his next dream project off the ground. Now, Phil’s food and travel show Somebody Feed Phil is in its eighth season on Netflix. Last summer, he joined Tom Power live on-stage at the Banff World Media Festival to talk about betting on himself, having the courage to stay positive, and why cynicism is a waste of time. 

Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka is able to make the most difficult life experiences seem funny. In her latest stand-up special, Father, she takes a look at her complex childhood growing up undocumented in the U.S. (she was technically kidnapped by her own grandma, though she doesn’t see it that way). Last July, Atsuko joined guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about turning those early experiences into comedy, and how she dives into her past with empathy and humour.

This year, Sandra Oh (Killing Eve, Grey’s Anatomy) received critical acclaim for her role in the Canadian indie film “Can I Get a Witness?” It’s set in a not-too-distant future when climate change has been solved. But there’s a catch: all humans are required by law to end their life at age 50. Back in March, the Ottawa-born actor joined Tom Power to talk about the movie and why it spoke to her. She also reflected on her journey as an actor, from finding her passion at eight years old to becoming one of Hollywood’s most accomplished stars.

Mo Amer is a Palestinian American comedian who puts himself at the heart of his work, using his own lived experiences to fuel his comedy. But with the situation in Gaza and the Israeli occupied West Bank right now, that’s getting harder to do. This past summer, Mo joined Tom Power to talk about the pressure he’s feeling as a Palestinian American comedian, the emotional conversations he's been having with his fans, and how his life in comedy all got started

Anne Murray definitely got her flowers in 2025. This past September, the Canadian icon returned with her 33rd studio album, “Here You Are,” which features 11 unreleased songs she recorded back in the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. She sat down with Tom Power in Vancouver to tell us how a fan got her to revisit those old songs, why she purposely stayed out the U.S. for her whole career, and how her royalties spiked after her appearance on “Family Guy.”

Montreal’s own Yanic Truesdale has become a beloved actor all around the world, particularly for his role as Stars Hollow’s passive aggressive hotel concierge, Michel, on the hit show “Gilmore Girls.” Earlier this year, Yanic joined Tom Power to talk about his early days as an actor, his life-changing audition for the show that put him on the map, and why he didn't want to have a French accent for his new role in “Étoile” — the latest series from “Gilmore Girls” creator Amy Sherman-Palladino.

The award-winning Canadian filmmaker and screenwriter Deepa Mehta has redefined both Canadian and Indian cinema with her bold and groundbreaking films. Earlier this year, she was honoured with a career retrospective at TIFF in Toronto, featuring screenings of 10 of her most prominent films of the past 35 years. Deepa sat down with Tom Power for a career-spanning conversation about her life and work, the backlash to some of her films in India, and why the last thing she wants to be called is a “controversial” filmmaker.

After the success of “Uncut Gems,” director Josh Safdie is back with “Marty Supreme” — his first film without his creative partner and brother, Benny. The film is already generating significant buzz, particularly for Timothée Chalamet's performance as a charismatic but arrogant table tennis prodigy. Josh joins guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about the film and what made Timothée perfect for the role. Plus, he reflects on the loneliness he felt while making “Uncut Gems,” what it really means to pursue your dreams, and whether the sacrifice is worth it. If you like this interview, check out Tom Power’s conversation with Benny Safdie about his film “The Smashing Machine.”

For the rising Canadian country music star Sacha, 2025 has been a very big year. She released her incredible debut record, “Woman in the Mirror,” she got three nominations at the Canadian Country Music Awards, and she put out a brand new Christmas song, “Where Are You Christmas.” But perhaps her biggest moment was making her debut on the hallowed stage of the Grand Ole Opry. Sacha joins Tom Power to talk about that moment and she plays her new Christmas single for us.

Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) is back with a new show, “Pluribus,” which he describes as a post-apocalyptic zombie tale with a twist. But in this story, an alien virus transforms all of humankind into one peaceful, happy hive mind — except for 13 people in the world who are somehow immune. Vince joins guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about the show, what draws him to post-apocalyptic stories, and why he thinks we need to move on from anti-heroes and start telling more stories about good guys.