Seen on the Screen with Jacqueline Coley

For award-winning Paul Tazewell, costume design is storytelling in its purest form. From Death Becomes Her and Harriet to The Wiz Live! and Wicked, his work blends imagination, history, and emotional detail to reveal who characters are long before they speak. His designs for Wicked and Wicked: For Good reimagine Oz through texture, silhouette, and color—shaping a world that feels both fantastical and grounded.

In this episode of Seen on the Screen, Jacqueline Coley talks with Paul about building Glinda and Elphaba’s looks from the inside out, collaborating with Jon M. Chu and the creative team, and crafting costumes that can withstand stunts, emotion, and cinematic scale. Together, they take a closer look at two of Paul’s signature designs from the Wicked: For Good, breaking down the choices that bring each character to life. From iridescent bubble silhouettes to Elphaba’s reimagined witch’s hat, Paul shares how every detail carries meaning—and how costume design can turn fantasy into something deeply human.

From Titanic to Despicable Me, Fifty Shades of Grey to Oppenheimer, Mike Knobloch has helped define the sound of modern cinema. As President, NBCUniversal Music and Publishing for Universal Film, he’s spent his career shaping the way audiences experience music on screen—whether that’s through a sweeping score or a pop song that takes on a life of its own.


In this episode, brought to you by the Universal Composers Initiative, Jacqueline Coley talks with Mike about his journey from production assistant on Father of the Bride to one of the most influential music executives in Hollywood. He shares the high-stakes tension behind Titanic’s now-iconic theme, the unlikely struggle that led to Pharrell’s hit “Happy,” and what it means when a movie song reaches the elusive diamond certification.

Not many actors have lived as many lives on screen as Ethan Hawke. From Dead Poets Society to Reality Bites, Training Day to The Black Phone, his career is nothing short of a masterclass in evolution.

At New York Comic Con, Jacqueline Coley sat down with the award-winning actor to talk about his return in The Black Phone 2 and the creative choices that have helped shape his second act. Ethan opens up about reuniting with longtime collaborator Scott Derrickson, stepping once again behind the mask of “The Grabber,” and how genre films allow him to explore deeper truths.

Reflecting on his decades-long collaborations with Richard Linklater and Jason Blum, Ethan shares insights on aging with curiosity and the wisdom that comes from a life devoted to storytelling. As he put it: “One lifetime is not enough.”

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What movies do news anchors watch to unwind after a day of breaking stories? Jacqueline Coley sits down with Tom Llamas—anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas and host of Top Story with Tom Llamas on NBC News Now—to find out.

From growing up in Miami and interning at Telemundo to anchoring across network and streaming, Tom reflects on his journey through nearly every newsroom role at NBCUniversal. He shares how he balances the weight of covering hard news and enjoying some of his favorite films like Major League, The Searchers, and The Godfather.

Tom opens up about passing movie classics down to his kids (even if Jaws gave the youngest a scare), his Cuban American roots and food recommendations, and what authentic depictions of journalism on screen resonate most with him—from Spotlight to Deadline U.S.A. Plus, he talks about finding humanity at the anchor desk and the playful friendship he shares with fellow broadcaster Craig Melvin.

Horror has always been a space for bold voices. In this episode of Seen on the Screen, Jacqueline Coley sits down with five up-and-coming filmmakers fresh off their short films premiering at the 50th Anniversary of the Toronto International Film Festival. Chandler Crump, Charlie Dennis, Helena Hawkes, Jared Leaf, and Ariel Zengotita were selected for NO DRAMA, a global talent experience powered by Monkeypaw Productions, Universal Pictures, and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Each filmmaker brings a distinct point of view, using horror as a lens for personal expression and sharp social commentary—making their shorts as thought-provoking as they are thrilling. Together they reflect on their inspirations, the challenges of creating horror in short form, and the thrill of premiering their work at one of the largest film festivals in the world. From first encounters with the genre to behind-the-scenes stories about collaborators and surprises, this conversation captures the humor, heart, and ambition of a new generation of horror storytellers.

Meet the filmmakers and their films:

How do you take a show beloved in living rooms worldwide and turn it into a movie event? In this episode of Seen on the Screen, Jacqueline Coley sits down with Laila Lockhart Kraner, the star of Gabby’s Dollhouse, to talk about the leap from small screen to DreamWorks’ first live-action/animation hybrid feature.

Laila shares the story of growing up alongside Gabby, from her cat-filled audition at age ten to leading a film that brings the dollhouse to theaters for the first time. She opens up about acting opposite comedy icon Kristen Wiig and music legend Gloria Estefan, and why the movie’s interactive, sing-and-dance moments demand to be experienced in a packed theater. We also hear about Laila’s cinephile side—from comfort rewatches like The Croods and Napoleon Dynamite to classics like Roman Holiday—and how those films have shaped her own love of storytelling.

In this episode of Seen on the Screen, Jacqueline Coley sits down with director Justin Tipping to unpack HIM, Monkeypaw’s latest horror film, offering a chilling journey into the inner sanctum of fame, idolatry, and the pursuit of excellence at any cost. Justin reveals how he infused the script with his distinctive vision, crafting a cinematic language that will pull audiences deep into the psychological terror. He discusses the power of practical effects when it comes to grounding the horror, and how immersive camerawork was essential to blurring the line between reality and nightmare.The conversation also dives into the film’s incredibly talented leads – the electrifying (and terrifying) dramatic performance by cinema veteran Marlon Wayans and the undeniable star quality of newcomer Tyriq Withers. Justin also shares how Brutalist architecture inspired the film’s aesthetic, turning the set into a character of its own.

From his indie debut Kicks to this bold new project, Justin reflects on evolving as a filmmaker and why he loves keeping audiences just a half-beat off balance. Tune into this episode for an inside look at one of the year’s most unsettling and artful horror films.