The Black List Podcast

The premiere episode of The Black List, reprised! Franklin and Kate kicked off The Black List Podcast with filmmaker and actor Paul Feig (@paulfeig) to discuss the 20th anniversary of Freaks and Geeks, his very first film; They went deep on what makes a great comedy, and about the female characters he loved and creates--and so much more. A classic episode from 2020. Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.

To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com. 

[Replay] Franklin and Kate welcome Tony-nominated, Grammy-winning actor Andrew Rannells, who shares the journey from his early days in Omaha’s children’s theater scene to the Broadway spotlight in shows like The Book of Mormon. This episode is packed with entertaining behind-the-scenes stories, from collaborating with Lena Dunham on Girls to starring alongside Meryl Streep in Netflix’s The Prom—with a humorous “Best Humblebrag” nod from Franklin! Andrew reveals a movie sequel (including one that others unfairly critique but he stands by as a fave), plus the films that capture his ideas of love and war. Hear the unexpected joy he found while working on The Boys in the Band, and so much more.

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.

This conversation took place in late 2020. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com.

Mentions: 

• The Prom: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_prom_2020 
• The Book of Mormon: https://bookofmormonbroadway.com/press 
• Black Monday: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/black_monday 
• The Boys in the Band: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_boys_in_the_band 

In this episode, screenwriter and 2016 Black List honoree Liz Hannah shares the story behind her acclaimed debut film, The Post. Liz reveals how reading TheWashington Post Publisher Katherine Graham’s memoir years prior sparked the inspiration for the screenplay—and how, from the start, she imagined the iconic role of Graham being played by none other than Meryl Streep. Hosts Franklin and Kate dive into Liz's creative process, discussing her approach to writing across genres, exploring the nuanced "gray area of mental health" on screen, her work on the rom-com Long Shot, and much more. Liz’s recent work on the Kate Winslet-led film Lee is a great reason to listen back to this excellent 2020 conversation.

Originally published in 2020. Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.

To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com. 

Mentions:

+The Post: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_post

+Long Shot: https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/long-shot

+Mindhunter: https://www.netflix.com/title/80114855

+All the Bright Places: https://www.netflix.com/title/80208802

[REPRISE] From science major to punk rock band member to comedy writer, he is now the co-creator of multiple popular television shows, a producer, screenwriter, and film director. Alan Yang joins the show to talk about his creative journey to Parks and Recreation (an experience he cherishes for the incredible education it gave him) and beyond. He also dives deep on his developing a character-based approach to comedy, directing his film Tigertail, and some of his creative influences. Plus: the reason he thanked white guys in an awards speech.

This conversation took place in 2020. Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.

To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com. 

Mentions:

+Tigertail: https://www.netflix.com/title/80202958

+Little America: https://deadline.com/2018/06/apple-little-america-immigrant-anthology-series-the-big-sick-writers-lee-eisenberg-alan-yang-1202413632/

+Master of None: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/master_of_none/s01

+Parks and Recreation: https://www.nbc.com/parks-and-recreation

[Encore episode] Russian Doll co-creator Leslye Headland joins Kate and Franklin for a wide, thoughtful take on all the things that excite her about movies and storytelling (Headland is also a playwright). She reflects on the origins of her love of film, including the many things her parents let her stay up to watch, or actors and movies they introduced her to. On the Kubrick film that inspired her to become a filmaker, she says: "I watched it almost every day. I just couldn't get enough of it. ...And I just thought, somehow I'm going to do this. Somehow I'm going to make this happen for myself. I don't know how but I'm going to do it." Plus: what it was like writing for the quirky FX drama Terriers, challenging the overwhelming white maleness of the cinematic canon (think: The Graduate, Taxi Driver) and so much more. 

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.

To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com. This episode was originally published behind a paywall in 2020.

Mentions:

+Russian Doll: https://www.netflix.com/title/80211627  

+The Shining: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/shining  

+Terriers: https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/terriers

With what feels like a very Bowen Yang autumn, we revisit this great convo he had with Franklin and Kate. Among the topics: early comedic discoveries, including SNL and a movie that made him fall in love with the medium. Plus: his Canadian upbringing, his academic vs. extracurriculars at NYU, the real world consequences of political comedy, and so much more. And if you didn't catch his profile in the Sept 23rd issue of the New Yorker, check it out. (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/09/23/bowen-yang-profile-comedy)

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.

This conversation is from late 2020. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com.

Mentions: 

+ Las Culturistas podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lasculturistas/?hl=en

+Saturday Night Live: https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live 

+Mean Girls: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mean_girls 

[Encore] Academy Award winner Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind, I, Robot, The Da Vinci Code screenplay, multiple Star Trek and Batman scripts, and more) joins Franklin and Kate to talk about his beginnings in Brooklyn, how his early family life influenced his writing career, and his memories of Joel Schumacher on the late 90s Batman films. Plus, the writing teachers he studied with at NYU (including Russell Banks, Margaret Atwood, E.L. Doctorow) and much more.

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.

This conversation took place in 2021. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com.

Mentions: 

+A Beautiful Mind: http://rottentomatoes.com/m/beautiful_mind

+Mr. and Mrs. Smith: http://rottentomatoes.com/m/mr_and_mrs_smith

+Batman & Robin: http://rottentomatoes.com/m/1077027_batman_and_robin

[Encore] Roxane Gay, NYT bestselling author and columnist, talks to Franklin and Kate about her time writing Marvel comic books, representations of fat characters in media, her love for the Fast and Furious franchise, and so much more. 

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.

This conversation took place in 2020. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com. 

Mentions:

+Roxane Gay on writing for Marvel: https://time.com/4866569/roxane-gay-marvel-lumberjanes/

[Encore] There's one guarantee about having, or listening to, a conversation with Seth Rogen. Laughter will ensue. This episode is no exception. Among the topics he covers with Franklin and Kate: the legacy of Freaks and Geeks, his writing process with longtime collaborator Evan Goldberg, and becoming one of Hollywood’s leading men. He also shares more about his advocacy for cannabis and Alzheimer’s prevention, and his very cool pottery making.  

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.

This conversation took place in 2020. To llearn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com.

Mentions: 

• Freaks and Geeks: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/freaks_and_geeks 
• Houseplant: https://www.houseplant.com 
• Hilarity for Charity: https://wearehfc.org 

Welcome to the ultimate cinephile's salon, where our co-hosts and two dear friends talk movies of all stripes, paired with some rich personal stories. Open up your "to watch" list and settle in. Franklin and Kate are joined by fellow film lovers Lauren Brown and Boris Khentov. The crew reflects on the films that grounded their childhoods, helped them grieve, and brought great joy to their lives during the first year of the pandemic (This conversation took place in 2020).

Thank you for joining us this season! To stay connected with us and learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com.

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.