Strictly Business

Ethan Schanfeld, an entertainment reporter for Variety, shares his cover story on Miley Cyrus reclaiming her Hannah Montana legacy. He recounts reporting the profile, the Y2K nostalgia at the Disney Plus taping, Miley’s sobriety and steadiness, and conversations about touring, therapy, stage fright recovery, and Super Bowl Halftime speculation.

Jack Dunn, Variety reporter and film journalist, gives a quick take on Tim Heidecker’s On Cinema at the Cinema and its devoted Gen Z cinephile following. He explains the show’s parody roots, its unusual in‑universe storytelling, and why a live tour and Hi Network move matter. Also touches on Zendaya’s red carpet moment and a tease about Euphoria’s next season.

Nancy Grace, former prosecutor turned TV host and true crime commentator, discusses the Corey/Kouri Richins case. Short segments cover comedy-meets-true-crime shows, ethics and responsibilities in production, why fans crave true crime, and the challenges of reporting celebrity cases and building trust with contributors.

Rebecca Rubin, senior film and media reporter at Variety, breaks down the rise of the Hoover-verse and why Reminders of Him dominated the weekend. She explores BookTok-fueled theatrical demand and Colleen Hoover’s move into producing. Rebecca also analyzes Hoppers’ strong hold, Undertone’s horror buzz, and what Project Hail Mary could mean for Amazon MGM.

Robert Steiner, music analyst and author of Luminate’s report on Asia’s music rise. He explores K-pop’s global image, why 2026 could be pivotal with BTS and multimedia tie-ins, tensions around K-pop’s identity as it globalizes, and how Japan, India, and China are carving distinct paths in music and fandom.

Gene Mattis, a Variety reporter who covers Hollywood labor, breaks down what's at stake as writers head to the bargaining table. He highlights healthcare funding struggles and proposed fixes. He explains unpaid rewrites, producer designation debates, timing with other unions, and unresolved AI protections. Short, fast-paced rundown of the talks and the hot-button issues driving them.

Matt Donnelly, Variety reporter who sat down with Nicole Kidman in Nashville, recounts her pre-Oscars cover story. He describes coordinating the interview, Kidman’s reflections on her 2003 Best Actress win for The Hours, her approach to character transformations and prosthetics, the crew behind performances, changes in awards campaigning, and his Oscars predictions.

Harper Mays, Variety social media editor who co-led the 10 Creators to Watch project, discusses how rising digital stars are sourced and spotlighted. Short takes cover creators leveraging social followings into mainstream gigs. The conversation also dives into why bars are staging TV watch parties and which shows spark big, communal viewing nights.

On today’s episode, in our Box Office segment, Variety’s Brent Lang unpacks what went wrong for Warner Bros.’ “The Bride” and what went right for Pixar’s “Hoppers” this weekend. And then we step into the Wayback Machine for a look at the stories and personalities who were making news in Daily Variety on March 9, 1976.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode, Radial Entertainment CEO Jeff Shultz explains why he’s shopping for content libraries now that the Pluto TV and Paramount alum has taken the reins of the TV and film venture backed by OakTree Capital Management. Radial was formed last year through OakTree’s combination of FilmRise and Shout Studios.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.