Q with Tom Power

The Canadian comedy legend Tom Green has had an incredible career, from “The Tom Green Show” to “Freddy Got Fingered” to his many stand-up tours. Last year, he was honoured with the Sir Peter Ustinov Comedy Award from the Banff World Media Festival. Tom Power caught up with him live on stage in Banff for a special career-spanning conversation about his journey in comedy, the terrifying cancer diagnosis that changed his perspective on work and ambition, and why he's back in Canada to stay.

After playing bass and singing on tour for the likes of Lorde and Remi Wolf, Maddie Jay is finally going out on her own with her new album, “I Can Change Your Mind.” The Los Angeles-based Canadian musician sits down with Tom Power to talk about her journey in music, the surprising lesson she learned from playing with some of the world’s biggest artists, and how a visiting fiddle player to her small B.C. town taught her how to be creative.

At 29, Adrien Brody became the youngest person to win best actor at the Oscars for his role as a Holocaust survivor in 2002's “The Pianist.” Now, he’s received his second best actor nomination for “The Brutalist,” portraying a fictional Jewish Hungarian architect who emigrates to the United States in an effort to rebuild his life. Adrien joins Tom Power to discuss his critically acclaimed performance, how “The Brutalist” gave him a new perspective on his family’s own immigration story, and the parallels between his two Oscar-nominated roles.

Two heavyweights of Canadian culture, acclaimed soprano Measha Brueggergosman-Lee and literary giant Margaret Atwood, have come together for an exciting new collaboration. On her new album, “Zombie Blizzard,” Measha sings musical interpretations of seven Atwood poems. She joins Tom Power to talk about the project and what she thinks it might be able to tell you about the future.

The British actor Marianne Jean-Baptiste first worked with director Mike Leigh on his 1996 breakthrough “Secrets & Lies,” which earned her an Oscar nomination. Now, she’s reunited with him for his new comedy-drama, “Hard Truths.” In the film, Marianne gives an explosive performance as Pansy, a woman consumed by rage and depression, who regularly lashes out at family and strangers. Marianne joins Tom Power to talk about Mike’s unique directing process and what it took to build this character. Plus, she looks back on her long career on the stage.

Tim Heidecker became known for playing bizarre or surreal characters in his breakout sketch comedy show “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” But now that he’s a dad in his late 40s, the comedian has decided to put aside the characters and lean into sincerity instead. His new folk album, “Slipping Away,” reflects on the grim state of the world, aging, fatherhood and the waning of creativity. Tim talks to guest host Saroja Coelho about the record, subverting his fans’ expectations, and what inspired him to get so earnest and reflective in his music.

When Steven Soderbergh asked Lucy Liu to star in his new film “Presence,” saying yes was a no-brainer. The movie tells a haunted house story with a twist in that it unfolds from the point-of-view of the ghost. Lucy joins Tom Power from New York to talk about her experience working on “Presence,” how it differed from her previous work on big projects like “Charlie's Angels” and “Kill Bill,” and how she ended up in show business after being discovered on the subway.

A new documentary called “New Blood” chronicles the 10-year journey of the “New Blood Dance Show” — a high school theatre production based on the residential school experience of former Siksika Nation Chief Vincent Yellow Old Woman. Peter Gabriel signed on as an executive producer of the documentary and even allowed his music to be used in it for free. “New Blood” director Adam Solway joins Tom Power from Calgary to tell us how the film is sparking long overdue conversations about the intergenerational impact of the residential school system, and why he hopes the project will serve as a form of healing.

The Canadian singer-songwriter Tamara Lindeman, a.k.a. The Weather Station, is known for making music that confronts climate change and the damage we’ve inflicted on our planet. Just a few days ago, Tamara released her new album, “Humanhood,” which chronicles a difficult mental health period in her life when she felt like she had lost her sense of self. She sits down with Tom Power to discuss the record and why she turns to music to make it through tough times.

Clarence Maclin spent 15 years as an inmate in Sing Sing Correctional Facility, one of America’s most notorious prisons. Now, he plays himself opposite Colman Domingo and Paul Raci in “Sing Sing,” a new film based on his experience in prison and the transformative theatre program that changed his life. Last year, around the film’s release, Clarence joined Tom to share what it was like stepping back into a prison uniform, how acting helped him find his voice and his purpose, and how he hopes the film will change what you think you know about prisoners.