The Business

KCRW
The Business

Lively banter about entertainment industry news and in-depth interviews with directors, producers, writers and actors, hosted by award-winning journalist Kim Masters of The Hollywood Reporter.

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    ‘Muslim Matchmaker’ creator Smriti Mundhra on representation; Breaking down the boost in Oscar viewership

    The 97th annual Academy Awards broadcast saw a 1% increase in viewership from last year’s telecast. What’s behind the ratings boost? Might this have any  effect on where the awards show lands after ABC’s deal with the academy ends in 2028? Also, is the Disney CEO succession race heating up? Kim Masters and Matt Belloni investigate. Plus, Eric Deggans speaks with Muslim Matchmaker creator Smriti Mundhra about her diverse body of work. She has a slew of dating series spread across streamers, and has made a couple of Oscar nominated documentary shorts, including last year’s I am Ready, Warden. She also talks about working as a production secretary for the Coen brothers on the films O Brother Where art Thou? and The Man Who Wasn’t There.

    30 min

  2. 28 FEB

    ‘Emilia Pérez’ songwriters on sparking debates; What’s next for James Bond and Star Wars?

    Lucasfilm CEO Kathleen Kennedy has announced she will step down from her post at the end of 2025. How will this affect Star Wars? Also, Barbara Broccoli, heiress to the James Bond franchise, has sold the rights to Amazon. What could this mean for the 007 legacy? Kim Masters and Matt Belloni investigate.    Plus, NPR’s Jeff Lunden speaks to songwriters Clément Ducol and Camille about creating the musical world of Emilia Pérez. After director Jacques Audiard handed the married songwriting team a 20-page treatment, they undertook a months-long collaboration on the full script. They also speak about the multiple controversies surrounding the film — including the criticisms from GLAAD and Mexican citizens, and lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón’s bigoted social media posts.

    30 min

  3. 21 FEB

    Pamela Anderson on second chances and ‘The Last Showgirl’; The Murdoch empire keeps unraveling

    The ongoing Murdoch family drama is ramping up again; this time coming in the form of courtroom details released from a private trial in Nevada. Also, why is Harvey Weinstein suing his brother? Kim Masters and Matt Belloni investigate.  Plus, Masters speaks to Pamela Anderson about starring in The Last Showgirl. The actress, who says she was a shy girl from a small town in Canada, shares how a chance appearance on a jumbotron at a football game catapulted her into the world of entertainment. She also recalls that her now-former agent nearly cost her the starring role in The Last Showgirl, which has brought her a SAG-AFTRA nomination for Best Actress.

    30 min

  4. 14 FEB

    A chat with the directors of ‘Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’; Why Disney is dialing back on DEI

    The Trump administration’s hostility toward DEI initiatives has led companies like Disney and PBS to reevaluate their stance on advocating for these principles. How will the pendulum swing affect Hollywood under the new presidential administration? Kim Masters and Matt Belloni investigate.     Plus, Masters speaks to Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham, the co-directors of Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Park and Crossingham share how they balanced claymation, a notoriously time-consuming medium, with modern filmmaking tools in the latest Wallace and Gromit adventure. And the pair explains why animating even a mostly motionless character — like the menacing criminal mastermind Feathers Mcgraw — is surprisingly difficult.

    30 min

  5. 13 FEB · BONUS

    SPECIAL PREVIEW: Songwriters Camille & Clément Ducol on 'Emilia Pérez'

    Listen to a special preview of Jeff Lunden's conversation with Clément Ducol & Camille on their songwriting process for 'Emilia Pérez.'

    8 min

  6. 7 FEB

    Jesse Eisenberg on finding the humor in ‘A Real Pain’; FCC battles CBS over Kamala Harris interview transcript

    The FCC has published the raw transcript of a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris following Donald Trump’s claims of CBS commiting “election interference.” What’s behind the president’s attack on the network? Also, Kim Masters and Matt Belloni dive into the Emilia Pérez controversy as the film’s director speaks out against his leading actress.      Plus, Masters speaks to Jesse Eisenberg about his Oscar nominated A Real Pain. The film's writer, director, and co-star talks about the challenges of capturing the complicated feelings of the descendents of holocaust survivors while still including humor. They also talk about the special relevance that Majdanek–the concentration camp the two cousins visit in the film–has for Masters.

    34 min

  7. 31 JAN

    Producer Marc Platt talks 20+ years of ‘Wicked’; Ad for Texas production hits Hollywood when its down

    Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson star in an ad asking Texas legislators to create incentives for productions to shoot in their home state. What’s behind the decision to drop the video, which pulls no punches against Hollywood, as Los Angeles seeks to rebuild after the devastating fires? Kim Masters and Matt Belloni investigate.   Plus, Masters speaks to producer Marc Platt about his Oscar nominated film, Wicked. Platt shares how his career as an entertainment lawyer led to running studios like Orion Pictures, Tristar, and Universal Pictures. He also talks about producing the original broadway production of Wicked, and the long journey that led to him hiring Jon M. Chu to direct the show’s film adaptation.

    41 min

  8. 24 JAN

    Analyzing the Oscar noms w/ THR’s Scott Feinberg; Netflix has a strong Q4

    Netflix had a strong fourth quarter, adding 19 million subscribers to the streaming service before raising subscription prices across the board. Also, leaked footage muddies the water in the ongoing Blake Lively/Justin Baldoni war, and Trump announces a $500 billion AI initiative with Larry Ellison and Sam Altman. Will the project help or hurt Ellison’s stake in his son David’s purchase of Paramount? Kim Masters and Matt Belloni investigate.  Plus, Masters is joined by Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter’s Executive Editor of Awards, to break down who’s in and who’s out in this year's Oscar nominations.

    30 min
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Hosts & Guests

About

Lively banter about entertainment industry news and in-depth interviews with directors, producers, writers and actors, hosted by award-winning journalist Kim Masters of The Hollywood Reporter.

Information

  • Creator
    KCRW
  • Years Active
    2005 - 2025
  • Episodes
    963
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © KCRW 2024
  • Show Website
    The Business

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