What I've Learned

Michael J. Fox has spent more than four decades becoming one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors and learning to embrace the unexpected. In this episode of the “What I’ve Learned” podcast, the Emmy, Golden Globe, and Grammy Award-winning actor, author, and activist sits down with Esquire Editor-in-Chief Michael Sebastian to look back on the career that took him from Canada to “Family Ties” and “Back to the Future.” Watch as Fox opens up about living with Parkinson’s, his relationship with his wife, Tracy Pollan, finally reaching out to Eric Stoltz, and the time he played guitar with Coldplay in front of 300,000 people. He also shares what “Teen Wolf” taught him about throwing yourself into a role, why he took his Emmy-winning “Rescue Me” role partly out of spite, and the surprising conversation he once had with Barack Obama.

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Musical icon Tim McGraw goes deep on his remarkable career, becoming an empty nester, and what it means to be a man in a wide-ranging interview for Esquire’s “What I’ve Learned.” 

The iconic actor sits down to discuss ‘The Sixty-Year Mission: How Star Trek Changed Television and the World’ in Esquire’s latest episode of What I’ve Learned. 

Glen Powell has become one of Hollywood’s biggest leading men, but the lessons he’s learned came long before the spotlight. In this episode of the “What I’ve Learned” podcast, the Esquire cover star sits down with Editor-in-Chief Michael Sebastian to reflect on authenticity, fame, and what it really means to be a movie star. Watch as Glen explains why he originally turned down “Top Gun: Maverick,” what Tom Cruise taught him about collaboration, why he loves working with JJ Abrams and how living in a garage shaped the way he approaches success. He also discusses “Chad Powers,” the importance of family, and why “sending the elevator back down” has become one of his guiding principles.

Check out Glen Powell’s Esquire cover here: http://www.esquire.com/glen-powell

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Hasan Minhaj has built a career turning headlines into comedy, but the biggest lessons he’s learned have come from navigating success, setbacks, and everything in between. In this episode of the “What I’ve Learned” podcast, the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning comedian sits down with Esquire Editor-in-Chief Michael Sebastian to reflect on fame, fatherhood, and what it takes to keep creating through adversity. Watch as Minhaj opens up about losing the opportunity to host “The Daily Show,” the message he'd like to send to Prince Harry, and why an $85,000 Pizza Hut commercial changed his life. He also discusses “Best of the Best,” his comedy partnership with Ronny Chieng, and the importance of joy and representation.

Stream “Best of the Best” on Netflix September 18th.

Get tickets for "Hasan Hates Ronny | Ronny Hates Hasan" here: https://www.hasanhatesronny.com 

Listen to the “Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know” podcast here: https://lemonada.lnk.to/HasanMinhajDoesntKnowYT 

#HasanMinhaj #BestOfTheBest #WhatIveLearned #Esquire

Emily St. John Mandel has become a rarity in this era: A brand-name author whose new works are considered cultural events. Ahead of her latest, 'Exit Party,' which takes place after the collapse of the United States, Mandel talks to Esquire editor in chief Michael Sebastian about what keeps her up at night. 

Adam Scott has spent decades bringing complicated and hilarious characters to life on screen, but the lessons he’s learned extend far beyond the roles. In this episode of the “What I’ve Learned” podcast, the Emmy-nominated actor sits down with Esquire Editor-in-Chief Michael Sebastian to reflect on why not getting “The Office” was ultimately meant to be and how a cult following brought “Party Down” back more than a decade later. Watch as Scott opens up about everything from knowing the ending of “Severance" and what he learned acting alongside Robert De Niro in "The Whisper Man" to attending Taylor Swift’s wedding and what the first line of his obituary would say.

Watch "The Whisper Man" on Netflix.

#AdamScott #TheWhisperMan #Severance #WhatIveLearned #Esquire

Aaron Sorkin has spent decades writing some of the most influential stories in film and television, but the biggest lessons he’s learned extend far beyond the page. In this episode of the “What I’ve Learned” podcast, the Academy Award-winning writer and director sits down with Esquire Editor-in-Chief Michael Sebastian to reflect on the craft of writing, the power of dialogue, and why storytelling matters, especially in the age of AI. Watch as Sorkin opens up about addiction and recovery, what he learned from Rob Reiner, why he’d like to revisit “The Newsroom,” and how becoming a father and surviving a minor stroke changed his perspective. He also discusses “The Social Reckoning,” Facebook’s influence on modern life, and why he still believes America can turn things around.

Read Aaron Sorkin’s full Mavericks of Hollywood profile here: LINK TK

#AaronSorkin #MavericksOfHollywood #HowIGotHere #Esquire

Aaron Judge has become one of the defining athletes of his generation, but the biggest lessons he’s learned have come far beyond the baseball diamond. In this special first-ever live taping of the “What I’ve Learned” vodcast, the Yankees Captain sits down with Esquire Editor-in-Chief Michael Sebastian the Yankees Captain sits down with Esquire Editor-in-Chief Michael Sebastian in front of an audience at Ralph Lauren’s flagship New York store to reflect on growing up in a small California town, being adopted, learning from failure, and what it truly means to wear the pinstripes. Judge opens up about developing the routines that transformed his career, why legacy is about much more than home runs and MVP awards, and how fatherhood has changed the way he experiences baseball. He also shares what it means to represent the Yankees on and off the field before answering questions from young fans in the audience.

Check out Aaron Judge’s Esquire cover here: https://www.esquire.com/sports/a71604174/aaron-judge-interview-2026/

#AaronJudge #Yankees #NewYorkYankees #WhatIveLearned #Esquire

Johnny Knoxville built a career doing things most people would never dream of, but the biggest lessons he’s learned have nothing to do with getting shot out of a cannon or hit in the crotch. In this episode of “What I’ve Learned,” the “Jackass” co-creator and frontman sits down with Esquire Editor-in-Chief Michael Sebastian to reflect on the birth of “Jackass,” the influence of Hunter S. Thompson, and the people who shaped him, from his prank-loving father to his lifelong friends. Knoxville opens up about grief, becoming a dad at a young age, and what it means to finally feel comfortable in his own skin. He also shares stories behind some of his most infamous stunts, including getting shot in a bulletproof vest, tearing his urethra, and surviving a brutal encounter with a bull.

See “Jackass: Best and Last” in theaters now.

#JohnnyKnoxville #Jackass #JackassMovie #JackassBestandLast #WhatIveLearned #Esquire