Aside from the evil Baron Harkonnen in ‘Dune,’ actor Stellan Skarsgård doesn’t really believe in bad guys. He looks for nuance in every role. He’s Oscar-nominated for his performance in ‘Sentimental Value,’ as a successful filmmaker who is estranged from his grown daughters. Skarsgård spoke with Dave Davies about improvising with Robin Williams in ‘Good Will Hunting,’ raising actor children, and how a stroke impacted his acting.

Also, critic Maureen Corrigan reviews ‘This is Not About Us,’ by Allegra Goodman.

To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

New York Times journalist David Sanger discusses how we got here, the state of Iran's nuclear weapons program, the likelihood of U.S. military force against Iran and if Trump's goal is regime change.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for ... Show More

Eight years after her bestseller 'An American Marriage,' Tayari Jones has written a new novel, 'Kin,' set in the Jim Crow South. It follows two girls, Vernice and Annie, who grow up next door to each other without their mothers. That shared wound binds them and carries them throu ... Show More

Kate Hudson has had a hugely successful career as an actor and entrepreneur, but knew she'd always regret it if she didn't try her hand at music. Finally in 2024 she released her debut album, 'Glorious,' and got to share a whole other side of herself with the world. “I'm very hap ... Show More

Joaquin Phoenix is one of the greatest actors of his generation. For three decades, he’s moved seamlessly between auteur-driven films (Her, The Master) and box-office sensations (Gladiator, Joker). We sit today for a rare, long-form conversation with Phoenix, starting with his la ... Show More

When director Guillermo del Toro asked Tamara Deverell to be the production designer on his film adaptation of Frankenstein, she had a good idea of what he wanted. Del Toro had been dreaming of making a Frankenstein movie for years, and she had worked with him on several projects ... Show More

As tech companies assure us AI is here to help and not to eradicate humanity, the Peacock series ‘Mrs. Davis’ explores what happens in a world where AI really does deliver on that promise. Executive producers Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof join Sam to talk about how they combi ... Show More

Released in 1994 and directed by Alex Proyas, The Crow is more than just a revenge tale. It’s a journey through grief, justice, and the supernatural. Based on James O’Barr’s graphic novel, the film tells the tragic story of Eric Draven and Shelly Webster who are murdered by a Det ... Show More

Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life is one of the best-loved films of Classical Hollywood cinema, a story of despair and redemption in the aftermath of war that is one of the central movies of the 1940s, and a key text in America's understanding of itself. This is a film that rem ... Show More

Director and filmmaker David Lowery joins the two friends to talk about a weird remake of an Audrey Hepburn movie, except bad, starring Mark Wahlberg in his self-described worst role. There are insane hat choices and a very long ballroom scene. What was the last video game that L ... Show More

Griffin, David and guest host Producer Ben present a special episode this week: a discussion of 1995’s action thriller Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. But is it true the co-founder of CAA and former Disney president, Michael Ovitz, bet he could make even a stocky Aikido teacher wi ... Show More

How do you follow a film like Longlegs, the chilling riff on serial killer thrillers that became one of the cult smashes of 2024? The answer, if you’re acclaimed writer-director Osgood Perkins, is to first swap out the pressure-cooker dread of that breakout hit. Next, add a curse ... Show More

<p>“The Apprentice,” a new film directed by Ali Abbasi, depicts the rise of a young Donald Trump under the wing of the notorious lawyer Roy Cohn. The film is, in many ways, an origin story for a man who has overtaken contemporary politics. On this episode of Critics at Large, Vin ... Show More

Ken Loach is one of the greatest film directors of all time and a true British icon. He is known for his powerful, socially engaged films including ‘I Daniel Blake’, which won him a BAFTA for outstanding British film. At 87 years old, Ken’s career spans nearly six decades and his ... Show More

Stellan Skarsgård doesn’t believe in bad...