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The Black List founder Franklin Leonard talks movies with people who love them and people who make them. He and Black List Director of Community Kate Hagen speak with filmmakers, producers, and creators of all kinds, deep diving on movie watching rituals, sharing career highs, and revisiting highly regarded films from the Black List itself. Guests include: Spike Lee, Janelle Monae, Ed Helms, Lulu Wang, Jason Hehir, Rhada Blank, Bowen Yang, Katrina Longworth, Gabrielle Union, and many, many more.

Episodes

A Sonic Force of Hilarity: Ben Schwartz

Free Episode51 mins

You may know him as Jean-Ralphio from Parks and Rec, or the voice of Sonic the Hedgehod: Friend of The Black List family Ben Schwartz joins Kate and Franklin for an insanely funny conversation about his latest improv adventure on...

Bringing Bruce Lee to a New Generation: Bao Nguyen

Free Episode43 mins

Be Water filmmaker Bao Nguyen joins Kate and Franklin to talk about bringing Bruce Lee to a new generation, his Saturday Night Live documentary, depictions of the Vietnam War on screen, and so much more. 


Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up...

Jason Hehir on Michael Jordan and 'The Last Dance'

Free Episode49 mins

What do the NBA, Chicago Bulls, and Michael Jordan have in common? Jason Hehir. This week, Franklin and Kate talk to The Last Dance director about getting Jordan to finally open up, documenting both hip-hop and the NBA’s rise to...

Karina Longworth Knows You Must Remember This

Free Episode39 mins

Film historian and cultural commentator Karina Longworth joins Franklin and Kate to talk about her love for Judy Garland, the imaginative world of Film Twitter, the then-current season of her podcast, You Must Remember This (all about Polly Platt!), and...

Spike Lee Looks Back

Free Episode46 mins

On the eve of Independence Day weekend, Spike Lee joined Franklin and Kate to talk about narrative filmmaking, his longtime collaborators, and the movement for Black lives. From Do the Right Thing, to Malcolm X, to Bamboozled, to his ilm...

Director Lulu Wang ('The Farewell')

Free Episode48 mins

Writer and director of The Farewell, Lulu Wang, joins Kate and Franklin to talk about navigating the indie film marketplace, drawing inspiration from her classical piano training, streaming vs. theatrical distribution, and so much more.


Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up...

'Birds of Prey' Director Cathy Yan

Free Episode38 mins

This week, Kate and Franklin talk to Birds of Prey director Cathy Yan about her practical approach to visual effects and combat, the Marvel vs. DC cinematic universe, her past life as a journalist, and so much more. 


Questions? Comments? Criticism?...

Director Alice Wu Knows The Half of It

Free Episode61 mins

This week's guest is Alice Wu. The 2018 annual Black Lister talks to Franklin and Kate about her journey back into Hollywood as an Asian queer filmmaker, how Chinese language films shaped her love of cinema, remixing the teen romantic...

Janelle Monáe on Her Inspirations

Free Episode19 mins

This week is a special conversation with Franklin, Kate, and the one and only Janelle Monáe, star of season two of Amazon's Homecoming. The trio talk about how her music has informed her film career, her childhood memories of Steel...

Jay Ellis of Insecure, and Top Gun

Free Episode41 mins

This week, actor Jay Ellis talks to Kate and Franklin about the Top Gun sequel in which he stars, how his perspective has changed as a new father, his Insecure directorial debut and so much more. 


Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit...

Gabrielle Union

Free Episode56 mins

This week, Franklin and Kate are joined by activist, NYT bestselling author, and actor Gabrielle Union. The trio talk about 90s teen films (hello, Bring It On!), Gabrielle's love for Grease 2, depicting the evolving American family in her new children’s...

Roxane Gay

Free Episode44 mins

Roxane Gay, NYT bestselling author and co-host of Luminary's Hear to Slay, talks to Franklin and Kate about her time writing Marvel comic books, representations of fat characters in media, her love for the Fast and Furious franchise, and so...

Ed Helms

Free Episode68 mins

Franklin and Kate talk to comedy icon Ed Helms about his start with the Upright Citizens Brigade, working on The Daily Show during the George W. Bush Administration, his latest Netflix comedy, Coffee & Kareem, and so much more. 


Questions? Comments?...

Alan Yang: Beyond Parks and Rec

Free Episode57 mins

While Kate and Franklin remain hunkered down below the Hollywood sign, filmmaker Alan Yang joins the show to talk about his journey from Parks and Recreation to Master of None, developing a character-based approach to comedy, his latest film, Tigertail (Netflix),...

La La Land's Julia Hart and Jordan Horowitz

Free Episode75 mins

This week, Franklin and Kate talk to filmmakers Jordan Horowitz and Julia Hart about La La Land and that wild 2017 Oscars night mixup, bringing Black women superheroes to life in Fast Color, working together as a couple, and so...

Liz Hannah, Screenwriter ("The Post")

Free Episode55 mins

his week, Franklin and Kate talk to 2016 annual Black Lister and screenwriter Liz Hannah about the origin story of her debut film The Post, writing across genres, depicting "the gray area of mental health" onscreen, and so much more.


Originally...

Prentice Penny on Issa Rae, Spike Lee, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and More

Free Episode54 mins

Insecure showrunner Prentice Penny joins Kate and Franklin to talk about Brooklyn Nine-Nine, working with Issa Rae, being inspired by Spike Lee, and presenting a different type of father-son relationship in his film, Uncorked (Netflix).


Episode originally published in 2020. Questions?...

Paul Feig

Free Episode53 mins

Franklin and Kate kick off The Black List Podcast with filmmaker and actor Paul Feig (@paulfeig) to discuss the 20th anniversary of Freaks and Geeks, his very first film; what makes a great comedy, and so...

Trailer: Introducing The Black List Podcast

1 mins

Franklin Leonard and Kate Hagen, of the Black List, know that movies are one of the great uniting forces in our world, and on this show they're tapping into that force with conversations and stories you won't hear anywhere else....

'Russian Doll' Creator Leslye Headland

Free Episode63 mins

Netflix's Russian Doll co-creator Leslye Headland talks to Franklin and Kate about her fascinating take on The Shining, writing for the quirky FX drama Terriers, challenging the overwhelming white maleness of the cinematic canon, and so much more.  


Questions? Comments?...