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Interview

Trump Appearing on 60 Minutes, First Interview Post-CBS Lawsuit
TV & Streaming

Trump Appearing on 60 Minutes, First Interview Post-CBS Lawsuit

by jummy84
written by jummy84

President Donald Trump is returning to 60 Minutes for his first interview since suing CBS, which resulted in parent company Paramount Global settling in a $16 million payout.

Norah O’Donnell sat down with Trump on Friday for an exclusive interview that will air on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Over the summer, Paramount settled a lawsuit Trump filed over the editing of a 60 Minutes interview with 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Part of the settlement agreement included stipulations for Paramount to release 60 Minutes transcripts of interviews with presidential candidates post-air.

In addition to returning to 60 Minutes for the first time since his lawsuit, Trump’s sit-down will be his first on the CBS News program as the 47th president and first since David Ellison was named the new Paramount Skydance CEO and The Free Press‘ Bari Weiss was named CBS News editor-in-chief. The president formerly backed out of a planned interview with Scott Pelley in October ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

His lawsuit against CBS claimed “deceptive doctoring” in Harris’ 60 Minutes interview. Before the settlement, legal observers’ predicted that the suit would be dismissed due to industry norms pertaining to interview editing. Sources told The Hollywood Reporter Paramount believed the lawsuit could deter Skydance’s deal to acquire the company, which required regulatory approval, including the transfer of FCC licenses. The merger was later approved in August.

Following the settlement, the legal team for President Trump said in a statement, “With this record settlement, President Donald J. Trump delivers another win for the American people as he, once again, holds the fake news media accountable for their wrongdoing and deceit.”

“CBS and Paramount Global realized the strength of this historic case and had no choice but to settle,” continued the statement. “President Trump will always ensure that no one gets away with lying to the American People as he continues on his singular mission to Make America Great Again.”

Then-CBS co-CEO George Cheeks, meanwhile, said at a shareholders meeting, “Companies often settle litigation to avoid the high and somewhat unpredictable cost of legal defense, the risk of an adverse judgment that could result in significant financial as well as reputational damage, and the disruption to business operations that prolonged legal battles can cause. A settlement offers a negotiated resolution that allows companies to focus on their core objectives, rather than being mired in uncertainty and distraction.”

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Interview | Sara Ali Khan on dealing with trolling: ‘When it gets personal, I try not to let it in’
Bollywood

Interview | Sara Ali Khan on dealing with trolling: ‘When it gets personal, I try not to let it in’

by jummy84
written by jummy84

For Sara Ali Khan, life in the spotlight comes with its fair share of scrutiny – and she’s learned to take it in her stride. The actor admits that facing constant trolling and criticism isn’t easy, especially when it turns personal or seems aimed at tearing her down. But over time, Sara says she’s developed mental filters that help her block out the noise and focus on what truly matters.

Sara Ali Khan was most recently seen in projects such as Sky Force and Metro… In Dino.

On dealing with trolling

Sara, the daughter of actors Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, made her Bollywood debut in 2018 with Kedarnath, opposite the late Sushant Singh Rajput. She went on to feature in a range of films including Rohit Shetty’s Simmba alongside Ranveer Singh, Coolie No. 1, Atrangi Re, and Zara Hatke Zara Bachke.

In an industry driven by public opinion, facing constant criticism and trolling is far from easy.

“It’s definitely not easy when you’re a public figure, opinions come at you from all directions, invited or not. But over time, I’ve learned to build a bit of a mental filter,” Sara tells us when asked if she has made a mental filter to separate constructive criticism about your work from destructive noise or trolling.

The 30-year-old continues, “It’s definitely not easy when you’re a public figure, opinions come at you from all directions, invited or not. But over time, I’ve learned to build a bit of a mental filter. I remind myself that constructive criticism is about the work and it helps me grow, learn, and improve. I really value that.”

“But when it gets personal, or when the intention feels like it’s to bring you down rather than lift you up, I try not to let it in. I’ve realised that not everyone knows you, and not everyone needs to. What matters most is staying connected to who I am, my values, my intentions, and the people who know me off-screen,” says Sara, who endorses ITC Fiama brand.

Here, Sara admits that there are days when it all affects her, and she embraces that emotion too. In fact, she looks at her family to find her calm.

“Honestly, as a human, some days things affect me more than I’d like. And that’s okay. But I always come back to my work, my family, my routine, my friends and things that keep me real and rooted. At the end of the day, if you’re proud of the work you’re doing and growing along the way, that’s what truly matters,” asserts the actor.

On allowing herself to other emotions

Sara is known for her vibrant and positive public persona, but she insists there’s no pressure to constantly appear cheerful. The actor admits she allows herself to have off days and even indulge in what she calls her “mini-drama” moments.

“I am at most times, high energy, but trust me, I have my off days too! We are all human, but I’ve learned it’s totally okay to feel anxious and sad,” she says.

What’s her strategy? “Well, I let myself have a mini drama moment, vent to my diary or friends, binge a comfort show, and then get back to sparkling. Life’s more fun when you don’t bottle up your emotions, and honestly, it makes the happy moments feel even sweeter,” adds Sara, who was most recently seen in projects such as Sky Force and Metro… In Dino.

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'Hedda' Director Nia DaCosta — Filmmaker Interview
TV & Streaming

‘Hedda’ Director Nia DaCosta — Filmmaker Interview

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Nia DaCosta has had a version of Hedda Gabler living, or perhaps lounging, in her head for a long time. The writer and director first started thinking about a film adaptation of the Henrik Ibsen play in 2012, while she was getting a masters in the UK, and first took a stab at writing it in 2018, after the release of her debut feature “Little Woods.” But even as DaCosta dove into worlds fantastical and strange in “Candyman” and “The Marvels,” every six months or so, she’d take “Hedda” out of the drawer to fiddle with it. 

On a recent episode of the Filmmaker Toolkit Podcast, DaCosta told IndieWire that continuing to play with the script wasn’t just about calibrating the levels of performance, repression, and passion simmering just beneath the characters’ exteriors. Her approach to film adaptation requires looking closely not just at the text and how it can matter to the times we’re in, but why it matters to the person doing the adaptation. 

Pascal Bonitzer's Auction

“It’s what keeps classical works alive. You have to adapt it not just for the time but for the person that you are and for whatever impact — emotionally, psychologically, existentially — it had on you, because that means something,” DaCosta said. “I think if you can transfer not just the play and what it means but also your reaction to the play and how you feel about the play to your version of it, I think that’s super important.” 

DaCosta’s “Hedda,” then, uproots from Norway to a post-war English manner, indulging in all of the gloss and repression of the era and pinning the characters in emotional hedge-mazes of their own making — as well as, of course, a literal hedge-maze that is not as great a makeout spot as it might at first appear. Offstage events get to be shown and experienced vividly through cinematographer Sean Bobbitt’s buzzed but still sharply observant roving camera. Tessa Thompson’s Hedda gets to be imperious at the very instant she enters a room, taking up a queen’s share of the frame in costume designer Lindsay Pugh’s dresses and expertly navigating the hidden corners of production designer Cara Bower’s sets. 

DaCosta is always adjusting the dials, whether it’s through the visual language and the amount of light we see lining up with Hedda’s whims or through the blocking and pacing of the film’s shifts between humor, desire, and darker character impulses. “You have to really be clear with the cast and crew about what the tone is for each scene in each moment and how we’re shifting into the next gear. That’s all calibrating, modulating, in rehearsals, on the day, in the edit,” DaCosta said. 

But every shift in the tone of the film arises out of DaCosta’s feeling about the protagonist. “I think she’s funny. I think she’s horrifying. I think she’s vicious. I think she’s vulnerable,” DaCosta said. “So we can go from farcical, like, chandelier falling and Eileen [Nina Hoss] getting into a fight in the conservatory, but it’s all fueled by real emotion. I think it’s so important to be able to do that.” 

HEDDA, Tessa Thompson (center), 2025. ph: Matt Towers /© Amazon MGM Studios /Courtesy Everett Collection
‘Hedda’©MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection

It’s important to DaCosta because for however heightened and glamorous a setting as the film builds, the director wanted to balance it with the real, eternally relatable experience of wild shit going down at a party. 

“The tone shifts were me trying to mirror, like, when you’re at a party and the lesbian drama’s happening somewhere, it seeps into the rest of the party and you’re like, ‘Oh no.’ It goes from being super fun to being, ‘Oh god, who just came out of the bedroom with — oh, that’s not good. Oh my God. Oh, what happened? That’s hilarious.’ You know? It just is the way we are, and I knew that for ‘Hedda’ it had to feel as dynamic as real life,” DaCosta said. 

Real life on film, however, requires a lot of rehearsal. “ I studied writing at a drama school because I wanted to work with actors — to learn more about how they work, what their whole deal is, what’s wrong with ’em,” DaCosta joked. “I realize that what’s so beautiful about theater and what I love actually about telling stories is the collaboration… you know, I’m the coxswain at the head of the boat, making sure we’re going in the right direction, telling everyone, ‘OK, go fast, go slower,’ et cetera. And rehearsals, for me, are about making sure the script is right. Then my DP and I are blocking everything out with the actors.” 

HEDDA, Nina Hoss, 2025. © Amazon MGM Studios /Courtesy Everett Collection
‘Hedda’©MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection

DaCosta’s found that in slowly bringing the cast and crew together, starting with Bobbitt but then sometimes camera operator Simon Wood or others, a collaborative process can emerge to help the company adapt to the space and come up with exciting character work that just feels real. 

“We got to rehearse in the house with all the set dressing in the house for two weeks before we started shooting, so it was the ideal thing. For example, the scene with Eileen walking in with her dress wet and exposed, talking to the men, I want her to really play the room and use the whole space. So we were like, ‘OK, maybe she makes the martini here, and then, should she light a cigarette here?’” 

But the process of working all of that out helped DaCosta and her cast know exactly when and where Eileen should light a cigarette for maximum impact. “We [decided that] should have this moment with her and George [Tom Bateman], and George being so enraptured by her. Let’s bring her next to George. Oh he can’t light a cigarette. Let’s have that be a moment. Let’s have her light it.  And then, [the scene is] slow building and it’s just so fun and gratifying.” 

To hear Nia DaCosta‘s full interview, subscribe to the Filmmaker Toolkit podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

“Hedda” is now playing in theaters and streaming on Prime Video.

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Aamir Khan's family looked after Jwala Gutta like their own for 10 months during IVF: Vishnu Vishal | Interview
Bollywood

Aamir Khan’s family looked after Jwala Gutta like their own for 10 months during IVF: Vishnu Vishal | Interview

by jummy84
written by jummy84

On actor Vishnu Vishal and badminton pro Jwala Gutta’s fourth wedding anniversary this year (22 April), they were blessed with a baby girl. In a sweet moment that left many surprised in July, Aamir Khan didn’t just attend her namakaran, he picked the baby’s name – Mira. (Also Read: Interview | Vishnu Vishal feels pressure of naming next film Aaryan after son: ‘Need it do well at any cost’)

Aamir Khan named Vishnu Vishal and Jwala Gutta’s daughter Mira.

“I’m very happy with whatever I have in life today,” Vishnu tells Hindustan Times in an interview. “I already had a son and have a beautiful daughter now. Life is pretty good at this time. I finally have what I’ve always wished for and it makes me happy,” he adds.

How Vishnu Vishal and Aamir Khan became friends

Vishnu says that he first met Aamir in a professional capacity, but they soon didn’t just become friends; they also became family. In 2023, Aamir’s mother, Zeenat Hussain, was receiving treatment for an unspecified illness in Chennai, and his team reached out to Vishnu for help. “He was in production for a movie then, and they needed me to find a home stay instead of a hotel for 2-3 months so his team would find enough space to work. I remember arranging villas for them to stay, and we became friends from there,” he recollects.

The Tamil actor credits the Bollywood star for shaping his perspective on cinema and life today. “His conviction has given me a new perspective towards cinema. I saw a very different man from whom I initially perceived him to be. I always loved him as an actor, but I also saw the empathy and care he has for a lot of people,” says Vishnu, adding, “Imagine having the kind of pressure or stature he has in life and to still be that gentle. I learnt from him as a producer, an actor, a father, a husband and a human being.”

Aamir Khan’s family looked after Jwala Gutta for months

But there’s more than just fondness for Aamir that makes Vishnu call him “the greatest gift God has given” him. There’s a reason why their relationship is more than that and why Aamir was the one to name Vishnu and Jwala’s daughter. Vishnu says that Jwala had given up on having babies and was even looking into adoption when Aamir helped them out in more ways than one. He recommended a doctor to them in Mumbai for IVF and went all out to ensure they have their dream family.

“He helped us find a good doctor in Mumbai for IVF treatment for Jwala. And when she became pregnant, it made us very emotional because she had almost given up…he brought back joy into our lives. He treated us like nothing less than family,” explains an emotional Vishnu. “Jwala was in Mumbai with his family for almost ten months, and his mom and sister took care of her personally. They treated her so well. That bond has now evolved into a close friendship. When Jwala became pregnant, I told Aamir he should be the one to name our baby, because he was the one to give us hope,” he rounds off.

Vishnu was married to Rajini Natraj from 2010 to 2018. They have a son, Aryan, born in 2017. Vishnu got engaged to Jwala in 2020 and married her in 2021. Their daughter, Mira, was born in 2025.

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Radiohead Discuss Upcoming Tour, New Music, Israel in New Interview
Music

Radiohead Discuss Upcoming Tour, New Music, Israel in New Interview

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Next month, Radiohead will reconvene for their first tour dates in seven years. In anticipation, all five members spoke with The Sunday Times for what is being billed as their first full-band interview in years. They discussed their decision to take a break in 2018, their upcoming tour and the possibility of new music, as well as the recent controversy stemming from Thom Yorke’s comments regarding the situation in Gaza and Jonny Greenwood’s association with Israeli musicians.

On the decision to pause Radiohead following their tour in 2018…

Yorke admitted that he had never “really given myself time to grieve” following the death of his first wife, Rachel Owen, in December 2016. “[My grief] was coming out in ways that made me think, I need to take this away,” he explained. “There have been points in my life where I have looked for solace in music and played the piano, but it literally hurts. Physically. The music hurts, because you’re going through trauma.”

Meanwhile, Ed O’Brien said he was “effectively over Radiohead” by the time they decided to take a break. “It wasn’t great on the last round. I enjoyed the gigs but hated the rest. We felt disconnected, fucking spent. It happens. This has been our whole life — what else is there? Look, success has a funny effect on people — I just didn’t want to do it any more. And I told them that .”

“I went through a very long dark night of the soul,” O’Brien added. “I had a deep depression. I hit the bottom in 2021. And one of the things that was lovely coming out of it was realizing how much I love these guys. I met them when I was 17 and I have gone from thinking I can’t see myself doing it again to realizing that, you know, we do have some stellar songs.”

On the upcoming tour…

Yorke sent the band an initial list of 65 songs for them to draw from when crafting their nightly setlists. The band will also be playing in the round, something they haven’t done since opening for Ned’s Atomic Dustbin in 1993.

On plans for new music…

“I don’t know. We haven’t thought past the tour,” said Johnny Greenwood.

“I’m just stunned we got this far,” added Yorke.

On the ongoing controversy surrounding Yorke’s comments regarding Gaza and Greenwood’s association with Israeli musicians…

Radiohead has played concerts in Israel several times over the course of their career, including in 2017 when they ignored a request by Roger Waters to cancel a gig in Tel Aviv in support of the BDS movement. Yorke was also notably heckled by a pro-Palestine audience member during a solo concert in Melbourne, Australia in October 2024, prompting him to briefly walk off stage.

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Earlier this year, Yorke published an extensive statement responding to criticism over his reaction — or perceived lack thereof — to Israel’s war in Palestine, while also condemning what he described as “social media witch hunts.”

Further addressing the controversy with The Sunday Times, Yorke said, “This wakes me up at night. They’re telling me what it is that I’ve done with my life, and what I should do next, and that what I think is meaningless. People want to take what I’ve done that means so much to millions of people and wipe me out. But this is not theirs to take from me — and I don’t consider I’m a bad person.”

“A few times recently I’ve had ‘Free Palestine!’ shouted at me on the street,” Yorke continued. “I talked to a guy. His shtick was, ‘You have a platform, a duty and must distance yourself from Jonny.’ But I said, ‘You and me, standing on the street in London, shouting at each other? Well, the true criminals, who should be in front of the ICC [International Criminal Court], are laughing at us squabbling among ourselves in the public realm and on social media — while they just carry on with impunity, murdering people.’ It’s an expression of impotency. It’s a purity test, low-level Arthur Miller witch-hunt. I utterly respect the dismay but it’s very odd to be on the receiving end.”

Greenwood has faced his own criticisms for his association with Israeli musician Dudu Tassa and for performing in Tel Aviv last year. Earlier this year, Greenwood and Tassa canceled two UK shows after receiving alleged threats connected to protests against Israel.

“It’s the embodiment of the left,” Greenwood told The Sunday Times. “The left look for traitors, the right for converts and it’s depressing that we are the closest they can get.”

Greenwood revealed he is working on another record with Israeli and Middle Eastern musicians, adding, “And it’s nuts I feel frightened to admit that. Yet that feels progressive to me — booing at a concert does not strike me as brave or progressive.”

He continued, “Look, I have been to antigovernment protests in Israel and you cannot move for all the ‘Fuck Ben-Gvir’ stickers. I spend a lot of time there with family [he is married to an Israeli artist, Sharona Katan] and cannot just say, ‘I’m not making music with you fuckers because of the government.’ It makes no sense to me. I have no loyalty — or respect, obviously — to their government, but I have both for the artists born there.”

Yorke Says He Would Not Play Israel Now, Greenwood Can’t Say the Same…

“Absolutely not. I wouldn’t want to be 5,000 miles anywhere near the Netanyahu regime but Jonny has roots there. So I get it,” York said.

“I would also politely disagree with Thom,” Greenwood responded. “I would argue that the government is more likely to use a boycott and say, ‘Everyone hates us — we should do exactly what we want.’ Which is far more dangerous.”

“It’s nuts,” Greenwood added. “The only thing that I’m ashamed of is that I’ve dragged Thom and the others into this mess — but I’m not ashamed of working with Arab and Jewish musicians. I can’t apologize for that.”

Yorke also admitted to being concerned about Radiohead’s upcoming tour being disrupted by protestors. “But they don’t care about us. It’s about getting something on Instagram of something dramatic happening and, no, I don’t think Israel should do Eurovision. But I don’t think Eurovision should do Eurovision. So what do I know?”

On the recent viral success of “Let Down” on platforms like TikTok…

“I find that especially bizarre,” Yorke said. “Because I fought tooth and nail for it not to be on [OK Computer], but Ed was, like, ‘If it’s not, I’m leaving.’” It is, O’Brien added, the “emotional heart” of OK Computer. “Still, I was astonished,” he admitted. “So I told my kids, who are 18 and 21, and they said, ‘What do you expect? Teenagers are depressed. It’s depressing music!’”

You can read the full interview at The Sunday Times.

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'Trigger Point' Season 3 Villain Jason Flemyng Interview on ITV Role
TV & Streaming

‘Trigger Point’ Season 3 Villain Jason Flemyng Interview on ITV Role

by jummy84
written by jummy84

You’ve probably seen English actor Jason Flemyng in Guy Ritchie and/or Matthew Vaughn‘s films, such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Layer Cake, Kick-Ass, and X-Men: First Class. You may have seen him in such Hollywood movies as Rob Roy, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Seed of Chucky, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Transporter 2 or in small independent films from around the world. Now he is playing the antagonist in one of Britain’s biggest TV dramas, season three of Trigger Point, starring Vicky McClure.

Flemyng stars as Steven Wyles, who is causing the team of Explosives Officer, or Expo, Lana Washington, portrayed by McClure, all sorts of headaches with his sinister vendetta. “Someone is targeting individuals and demanding revenue,” according to a season three plot synopsis. “Working alongside the Police Counter Terrorism Unit, the Bomb Disposal Squad race against time to find the bomber before they claim their next victim.”

Season three of the show, produced by Jed Mercurio’s (Line of Duty, Bodyguard) HTM Television, in association with All3Media International, which distributes the series internationally, starts airing on ITV1 and STV on Sunday and will be available to stream on ITVX and STV Player.

Flemyng talked to THR about his role and why he always seems to get cast as a baddie.

I told to a friend of mine that you got cast in Trigger Point, and he said, “Yes, I recognize him. He must play a bad guy!”

Flemyng [Laughs] Everyone says that. It’s so unfair. I’ve been playing those parts for my whole career, and I think I have been miscast from the very beginning of time until now. But that’s what I do. As soon as you see I’m in it, you know that people are gonna die.

What can you share about your character in season three without spoiling too much?

Initially, we see the victims, we see the explosions, we see the ramifications of his actions, but we don’t see him. It’s a cat-and-mouse game between me and Vicky, which was fun.

Vicky’s someone I’ve admired from a distance for a long time. When you meet people like that, you’re like, “Please, let them be nice.” And Vicky was exactly as I expected her and exactly as I wanted her to be. It was a happy shoot, and it comes from the top.

There are some big dialogue scenes with Vicky that were a joy. In football [aka soccer], if you go on to the pitch with Ronaldo, you look like an idiot, right? But in acting, if you go on to the set with Vicky or Stephen Graham or Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie, the better the actor, the better you are. Honestly, I’ve been really lucky.

What can you tell us about the dynamic between Vicky’s Lana and your character Steven?

It’s a classic film relationship between the compassionate copper, even though Vicky is not a copper, but, you know, the compassionate protagonist and my character. The story behind this character is that he is a little man. It’s David versus Goliath. He’s been fucked over by the capitalist system. He is a byproduct of profit, and he’s sick and dying, as a lot of his friends are. He has no way of fighting back. So he takes it into his own hands. It’s a sort of Robin Hood story to a degree.

Vicky’s character understands why he’s doing it, but obviously doesn’t agree with the way he’s doing it. But her character is compassionate and left-leaning, you could say. He does it the wrong way, and she understands why he’s doing it, but can’t agree with the way he does it. There are a lot of those head-to-head things where they discuss that, which is great. Her compassion for him is very understated, but we know it because she’s such a great actress.

There are some massive scenes in it, which you definitely don’t get in a film. I have more lines in one scene than I have in whole movies, because there are six-, seven-page scenes. But when you have good dialogue, it’s easy.

The writing was working well, and I hope that the audience will have compassion for him because they understand his predicament, and they understand what’s happened to him. I think in modern society, a lot of people feel voiceless, and a lot of people feel like they’re a byproduct of the capitalist system.

Did you know Trigger Point well? What was your reaction to the opportunity to join the show?

This landed on the desk, and I was like: Brilliant! It’s [shot] in London as well. Double brilliant! I really didn’t have much of an idea about it. I knew Vicky was in it, and I knew that it was Jed’s show. But then when I arrived on it, I knew this was a big deal. Usually, when people ask me what I am doing, I’m like: “I’m making this film about a lesbian sheep farmer in the Czech Republic. And it’s got subtitles in German.” And they’re like, “Oh yeah? Great.” But when I said I’m in Trigger Point, they were like, “Oh my god, yeah, Trigger Point.” It’s probably the most popular thing I’ve ever done.

I’m at an age where my kids are 14, and it’s nice to be on the telly and at home. It sits easy with me that I’m not in Jordan, making a film that not many people are ever going to see. It’s nice to be in London, filming with the people who know exactly what they’re doing in a really tight machine. I have now watched the other seasons, which are great. And I think this year, it’s sort of stepped up another level visually. It looks more cinematic and dramatic. So, I’m really excited to see what people think.

Will your fans get to see more of you on mainstream TV shows then, maybe even as the hero saving the day for once?

I’m with you on that. But the people who are in control need to make those decisions. (Laughs)

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Sterlin Harjo on 'The Lowdown' — Showrunner Interview
TV & Streaming

Sterlin Harjo on ‘The Lowdown’ — Showrunner Interview

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Sterlin Harjo is a playlists guy. You name it, the writer, director, and showrunner of “The Lowdown” is using music to help him think about his storytelling — and then sending a ton of those playlists to music supervisor Tiffany Anders to see if they can use some of the tracks in the show. This was also true of their collaboration on Harjo’s first FX series, “Reservation Dogs.” On “The Lowdown,” Harjo and Anders have been able to weave some of the texture of Oklahoma into the series through its music cues. 

“I always come in with so much music, and Tiffany has a very similar approach. Also, we like a lot of the same stuff, which helps. Tiffany’s there when I need an alt or I run out of an idea for something. She’s always providing bangers that I love,” Harjo told IndieWire on a recent episode of the Filmmaker Toolkit Podcast. “She always brings — something like Ted Lucas, for instance, [during] ‘Reservation Dogs’ she turned me onto that, which I just loved and I put it in the finale.” 

THE MASTERMIND, Josh O'Connor, 2025. © MUBI /Courtesy Everett Collection

Harjo’s connection between music and writing is a very busy two-way street. He keeps a guitar on set when directing, and titles episodes after specific pieces, even if those titles ultimately don’t stick. “I’m such a disgruntled musician. I love musicians. While we made ‘The Lowdown,’ I constantly had a guitar on set and, you know, I was playing guitar with Ethan [Hawke] or Tim Blake Nelson would bring his Mandolin and we would sing songs together. It’s a way to — you know, I’m playing music on a Bluetooth or guitar and the crew just has a good time and we just have fun. It’s kind of like hanging out. It’s so important to me, the way I want to make films.” 

The important thing, which Anders also helps with, is not letting the music take over too much. But a lot of Harjo’s sensibility as a writer and director — the way that “The Lowdown” lingers on b-roll and establishing shots to create a sense of place, the series’ easy downshifts between its comedy and thriller modes of being — echoes the rhythms and cadence of the music he’s thinking about. And Harjo and Anders are able to add to that sense of place, but using music that speaks to the specific cultural melting point that exists in Oklahoma.  

Episode 4, for instance, opens on Tim Blake Nelson’s character, the late Dale Washberg, out on the prairie, speaking on his life and who he is (was) as a person, which may have led him to kill himself or someone to murder him — to be determined! You have the image of Nelson, a veteran of many a Western odyssey, in a cowboy hat and Western duds, looking out onto the land, and a song caught halfway between warm and mournful on the soundtrack. The cue hints at something deeper, more unseen, going on. And there is. 

“The opening of Episode 4, there’s this great track and there’s yodeling in it. You might think that that’s some white guy from Appalachia. He’s a Cherokee guy who sings these beautiful songs in the Cherokee language, you know? The song is actually about being young — it’s like, ‘when I was a boy’ and it’s a nostalgic song. You don’t even have to speak Cherokee to hear that nostalgia in the song. It makes so much sense for that moment,” Harjo said. “It’s moments like that, for me, that music, film, cinema, writing, everything comes together in one, and it’s just, it’s a storytelling device and so important to the work that I do, I think.” 

FX's The Lowdown -- "Short on Cowboys" Episode 4 -- Pictured: (l-r) Ethan Hawke as Lee Raybon, Ryan Kiera Armstring as Francis. CR: Shane Brown/FX
‘The Lowdown’

The music of “The Lowdown” is lovingly curated by, from, and about Oklahoma artists. Tulsa-based singer-songwriter Ken Pomeroy plays Dale Washburn’s daughter Pearl in front of the camera, but also lends her voice to a key Lee (Hawke) and Francis (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) father-daughter research montage in Episode 5, for instance. 

But beyond that, Harjo knew that setting the story in Tulsa was important for the themes he wanted to explore in “The Lowdown” and the kinds of both emotional and literal roadblocks he wanted to throw up in front of Lee as he attempts to solve the mystery of Dale’s death. In Tulsa, Harjo said that “Tulsa’s a character. You feel the need of people to leave and the people that need to stay; the architecture in Tulsa is like, ‘Oh, this had money once. There was an oil boom.’ There’s all this art deco and these amazing buildings downtown that are hardly used now. There is this duality to that, in the place.” 

It’s a duality that can be further emphasized in moments of disconnect, or moments of heartbreaking harmony, between music and image throughout the show. “There’s secrets; there’s darkness; there’s things that are covered up; there’s an underbelly. Those are the places where these types of stories are set and thrive because that’s what they are about. They’re about people with things to hide.” 

Not the banger playlists that go with “The Lowdown,” though. Those you can find pretty easily. 

To hear Sterlin Harjo‘s full interview, subscribe to the Filmmaker Toolkit podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

“The Lowdown” is now streaming on Hulu.

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'The Mastermind' Kelly Reichardt — Filmmaker Interview
TV & Streaming

‘The Mastermind’ Kelly Reichardt — Filmmaker Interview

by jummy84
written by jummy84


‘The Mastermind’ Kelly Reichardt — Filmmaker Interview




























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Director Kelly Reichardt tells IndieWire about sending Josh O’Connor’s art thief through the haze of the 1970s.

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Louis Tomlinson says he will "forever despise" Logan Paul over controversial Liam Payne interview
Music

Louis Tomlinson says he will “forever despise” Logan Paul over controversial Liam Payne interview

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Louis Tomlinson has said that he will “forever despise” Logan Paul over his divisive interview with Liam Payne.

  • READ MORE: Liam Payne 1993-2024: One Direction star who helped spark a pop phenomenon

Payne appeared on YouTuber Paul’s Impaulsive series in June 2022 and made headlines for a slew of controversial comments about his time in One Direction, including claiming that one of his bandmates had thrown him “up a wall” during an argument.

He also said that there were “many reasons why I dislike Zayn [Malik]”, and that Simon Cowell formed the group around him as the lead member. His comments were met with criticism, with Payne accused of being “arrogant”.

A year after appearing on the podcast, Payne apologised for his words, saying it was “hard for me to watch back” and that he hadn’t realised how much “impact” his words would have. He also revealed that he had spent 100 days in rehab after the interview.

Payne passed away in October 2024 after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Following his death, the interview recirculated, with fans looking at his words in a new light, considering his struggles with his mental health.

Now, his former bandmate Tomlinson has addressed the podcast. Speaking in a new interview with the Independent, he said: “I fucking forever despise [Logan Paul], horrible, horrible little fucker.”

He added, “I think that’s also the problem with some of this new ‘media’… I would like to think most journalists,” before correcting himself and saying, “some journalists have a duty of care.”

Tomlinson went on to clarify Payne’s claim that he was the lead member of the group, saying it was true. “It was, definitely,” he says. “It was definitely a role that was assigned to him. That is the truth.”

Addressing the podcast in 2023, Payne said that his words had come from “self-protection”, but that “the rest of the boys really stuck by me when I needed them most, they kinda came to the rescue”.

“Even Zayn, as well,” he added, “which is why I did send him a little thank you online. It came across really big-headed didn’t it?”

He added at the time: “I think, for me, a lot of what I said just came from the wrong place. I was so angry at what was going on around me. Instead of taking a look inwards, I decided to look outwards at everybody else.

“I just took it out on everybody else, which is just wrong, really, and my own frustrations with my own career and where I landed – I took shots at everybody else and that was wrong so I just wanna apologise for that in the first instance.”

Payne’s former bandmates – Tomlinson, Malik, Harry Styles and Niall Horan – all paid tribute to Payne in a statement following his death, while each band member also took to their social media accounts to pay their respects.

Tomlinson has recently addressed Payne’s death and said it was “impossibly difficult for him to deal with”.

Elsewhere, Tomlinson and Malik recently announced that they are set to reunite for a new Netflix documentary series.

The former also recently announced his third studio album ‘How Did I Get Here?’, which will be released on January 23 and you can pre-order here along with a 2026 arena tour which will see him play around the UK and Europe next year. You can see all the dates here, while tickets go on general sale on Friday (October 10) here.

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