The Treatment

Director Joseph Kosinski has helmed two of the biggest blockbusters of the past five years — 2022’s 'Top Gun: Maverick' and last summer’s racing movie 'F1.' The latter stars Brad Pitt as a driver who comes out of retirement to team up with a younger driver (played by Damson Idris). At this year’s Academy Awards, 'F1' took home the Oscar for Best Sound Design. Kosinski talks to Elvis about how his musical background finds its way into his films, how every member of a Formula One team is essential to the driver’s success, and how he wants to make the audience feel like they’re along for the ride.    This episode originally aired July 4, 2025.  

There’s a good chance that Maria Bamford is your favorite comedian’s favorite comedian. Her one-of-a-kind comedy has lent itself to sold out tours, the tv series Lady Dynamite, and a best-selling memoir Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult. For her treat, she celebrates a book that espouses attaining corporate success while doing good by your employees.  

Directing duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller got their start in animated tv as co-creators of the series 'Clone High.' Their partnership continued on the big screen with 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,' 'The Lego Movie,' and '21 Jump Street.' Their latest is the adaptation of the Andy Weir sci-fi novel 'Project Hail Mary,' starring Ryan Gosling. Lord and Miller talk about why this movie was the hardest project they've taken on, what the film has in common with 'The Lego Movie,' and why sometimes the most subversive thing they do in a project is have people get along.

In the HBO series 'Industry,' actor Ken Leung plays a deeply flawed boss at a high powered London investment bank. For his Treat, he celebrates A.A. Milne’s 1928 book The House at Pooh Corner. He says its moving final chapter speaks to the importance of not knowing what comes next but embracing the uncertainty with others.

Actress Erika Alexander became a household name when she starred as Maxine Shaw in the groundbreaking '90s sitcom 'Living Single.' After the show’s run ended, she continued to work in TV and film with roles in 'Get Out' and the 2023 Oscar-winning film 'American Fiction.' Now, she’s starring in the new NBC sitcom 'The Rise and Fall of Reggie Dinkins' with co-stars Tracy Morgan, Daniel Radcliffe, and Bobby Moynihan. Alexander talks to Elvis about keeping up with the sitcom's fast paced comedy, her hilarious chemistry with Radcliffe and Morgan, and what it was like growing up in the Southwest.  

Filmmaker Matt Wolf’s recent HBO documentary 'Pee-wee as Himself' is a deep look at the late Paul Reubens, the man behind the character Pee-wee Herman. For his treat, Wolf celebrates the book 'Edie' by Jean Stein about the late 1960s icon Edie Sedgwick, who became the face of artist Andy Warhol’s Factory studio.  

Guillermo del Toro won his first Oscar for directing the 2017 film 'The Shape of Water.' His latest film, 'Frankenstein,' received nine total Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. Elvis chatted with Del Toro for an extended interview taped live at KCRW’s Annenberg Performance Studio. Del Toro discusses how experiences from his childhood have made their way into his films from 'Cronos' to 'Pan’s Labyrinth' and why he sees challenges in filmmaking as opportunities. Plus, Del Toro explains why we’re talking about film in the wrong way.

Actress Wunmi Mosaku’s performances are often quiet and contemplative. Her role as the spiritual healer Annie in Sinners landed her a first-ever Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. For her treat, Wunmi reflects on the Alua Arthur book Briefly, Perfectly, Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End. She says the book about death has helped her not sweat the small stuff in life.   Do you love listening to The Treatment? We want to hear from you! Please take a moment to share your feedback in this survey so we can make your listening experience better. Thank you!  

Elvis speaks with Emmy, Tony, and Grammy-winning actress Cynthia Erivo. She recently reprised her role as Elphaba in 'Wicked: For Good,' for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. Erivo can now be seen on stage in London in the one-woman adaptation of 'Dracula.' She talks about playing characters with duality, how Elphaba grows in 'For Good' and the exciting challenge of playing 23 characters in 'Dracula.'  Do you love listening to The Treatment? We want to hear from you! Please take a moment to share your feedback in this survey so we can make your listening experience better. Thank you!  This episode originally aired January 9, 2026.   

Actor and director Joel Edgerton often plays characters who question traditional notions of masculinity. His most recent role was as a soft-spoken logger at the turn of the 20th century in the film Train Dreams. The film is nominated for four Oscars, including Best Picture. For his treat, Edgerton celebrates the Welsh musician Ren, who talks openly about his mental health struggles in his music.