THE HOLLYWOOD PODCAST

Composer Batu Sener discusses his latest project - Michael Gracey’s highly anticipated Robbie Williams music biopic titled BETTER MAN. Better Man is a satirical musical based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams who is portrayed as a chimpanzee in the film.

Writer and producer Brian Donovan has debut his latest project, the new Amazon/Blumhouse true-crime inspired TV series THE STICKY, starring Emmy winner Margo Martindale, which he co-created, writes and executive produces. This darkly comedic thriller—executive produced by Jamie Lee Curtis, Jason Blum and Jonathan Levine—is now streaming on Amazon Prime.

Two-time Oscar nominated production designer Jess Gonchor was nominated for his work in two Coen Brothers films: True Grit and Hail Caesar. His other film credits include Capote, The Devil Wears Prada, No Country for Old Men, Burn After Reading, A Serious Man, Moneyball, Inside Llewyn Davis, Foxcatcher, Little Women, A Quiet Place Part II and so much more.

He’s now out with his latest film, SATURDAY NIGHT, about the chaotic & stressful 90 minutes that led up to the series premiere episode of Saturday Night Live on October 11, 1975.

I’m so excited to be joined by Tony-nominated director/co-writer Kristin Hanggi and Emmy-winning composer/lyricist/co-bookwriter Ben Decter who have recently debuted their new musical IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT, TYLER PRICE!, which is now running at the Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles through Dec 15. The show follows Jackson, a middle school boy who gets in trouble after punching his bullying classmate, Tyler Price, for mocking Jackson's sister, Lucy who has epilepsy. To avoid expulsion, Jackson's principal insists he explain himself to the entire school which he does in the form of a heartfelt musical using music from his composer dad but without his knowledge.

Lincoln Jones is the artistic director and choreographer of the American Contemporary Ballet. He discusses the innovative, immersive and popular Nutcracker Suite show that ACB has put on during the holiday season.

Actor Dash Mihok is known for films and TV series over the years such as Ray Donovan, Romeo + Juliet, The Thin Red Line, The Day After Tomorrow, I Am Legend, Silver Linings Playbook, Before I Wake and now he’s out with his latest film ARMOR which is about a father-and-son duo of armored truck drivers tasked with delivering a suspicious package who must outwit and outgun a team of thieves while trapped on a bridge. The film, which co-stars Sylvester Stallone, is now available to rent/own on all platforms.

Whistleblower, health-care advocate and NYT Best-Selling author, Wendell Potter, is the leading national advocate for major reforms of the health insurance industry.

After having a “crisis of conscience” in 2008, Potter left his executive position at CIGNA, to blow the whistle on the insurance industry’s unfair and corrupt business practices. He’s testified multipel times before the House & Senate and played an integral role in making huge advances in our country’s health care system, primarly with the passage of the Affordable Care Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, specifically the provision that caps prescription drug out-of-pocket expenses at $2,000 a year for Medicare beneficiaries and the price of insulin at $35 a month.

I’m happy to have him on the show now to discuss how Hollywood has portrayed these stories of people navigating our problematic insurance industry that he has witnessed throughout his career, as well as how creatives in the industry can continue to ensure an authentic portrayal of these real-life situations.

Gabriel Mann is the composer of season 4 of the hit Netflix series Emily In Paris, starring Lily Collins.

Mann’s notable television and film credits include ABC's award-winning hit comedy series Modern Family; ABC/Hulu’s A Million Little Things; Disney+’s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series; and Cheryl Strayed/Hulu’s limited series Tiny Beautiful Things.

Known for his iconic breakout role as Damian in the film MEAN GIRLS, Daniel Franzese recently starred in “Blood/Love” a vampire rock popera musical experience at the Crimson Club in Hollywood which tells a tale of love, friendship, heartbreak, and redemption centering on a vampire on the brink of despair who falls in love with a mortal rock superstar.

Emily Koch is currently starting as Aunt Debra in the national touring production of the Tony-winning Broadway musical “Kimberly Akimbo”. Previously, Emily was on Broadway in hit musicals such as Wicked, Waitress, as well as Kimbely Akimbo.

Kimberly Akimbo is currently playing at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre through November 3rd. The show will be in Costa Mesa next year at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts starting January 21st.