Happy Sad Confused

In this first “Happy Sad Confused” of the new year, it’s all the more appropriate that Josh welcomes two artists who very much represent the future. First up is Janelle Monae, already a phenomenal music success story, who has made a huge splash as an actor in recent months. Despite never acting on screen before, Monae’s first films roles, in “Moonlight” and “Hidden Figures” prove she’s a talent to be reckoned with, no surprise to anyone familiar with the rest of her career. Monae chats with Josh about her path as an artist, why she’s always been a sci-fi lover, and the influence her friend and mentor, Prince, had on her life. Also joining Josh on the podcast this week is Damien Chazelle, the filmmaker behind “Whiplash” and the critically beloved “La La Land”. If you’ve seen Chazelle’s work you know he’s the real deal and he lays out much of his creative vision and aspirations in this conversation. The 31 year old discusses his love of “crazy movies”, how a Miles Teller/Emma Watson version of his film (which nearly came to be) would have differed, and how a phone call from JJ Abrams changed his career.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Natalie Portman is known for many things but being a great impressionist is not one of them (she’s not shy about admitting this). All of which makes her transformation into Jackie Kennedy in the new film, “Jackie”, that much more impressive. It might be time to stop placing any expectations on the 35 year-old, unless you’re expecting her to land another Oscar nomination for this performance, because that’s basically a done deal. Far from a conventional cradle to grave biopic, “Jackie” captures the grieving first lady at a pivotal juncture, in the days immediately following her husband’s assassination. On this episode of “Happy Sad Confused”, Portman takes us back to the beginning, how her career bizarrely intersected with Britney Spears’, how she avoided being sexualized on screen at a young age, and finally answers the million dollar question: which “Star Wars” film will she show her children first? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re going to list the actors most filmmakers are dying to work with these days, Michael Fassbender’s name had better be at or near the top of the list. All of which makes his decision to lend his talents as an actor and producer to “Assassin’s Creed” all the more intriguing. And yet, despite being an admittedly lapsed gamer, the 39 year old says, on this week’s “Happy Sad Confused” the concept was too intriguing to pass up. But this conversation goes far beyond actor motivations and career calculations. Fassbender goes full showman, singing his own made up song for the upcoming “Alien Covenant” and debuting spot-on imitations from “Dumb & Dumber” and “The Big Lebowski”. Plus, just how close did he come to starring in a “Star Wars” movie? Speaking of what ifs, Megan Mullally joins the podcast this week to talk about some films you might have missed her in, such as her cut role from David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet” and her blink and you’ll miss it film debut in “Risky Business”. But it’s the “Will & Grace” star’s role in “Why Him?” opposite Bryan Cranston and James Franco that has her excited, calling it “the biggest job I’ve ever gotten”. She explains why in this very funny chat.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emile Hirsch, acclaimed for performances in films like “Into the Wild”, “Milk”, and “Lone Survivor”, has returned to the big screen for “The Autopsy of Jane Doe”, a thriller that earned raves when it screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and Fantastic Fest earlier this year. In this, his first extensive interview in nearly two years, Hirsch opens up about his formative acting experiences, from “The Girl Next Door” and “Alpha Dog” to “Speed Racer.” He also opens up for the first time about the incident that changed the course of his life in 2015 when, drunk past the point of recall, he was arrested for aggravated assault at a nightclub during the Sundance Film Festival. Hirsch plead guilty to misdemeanor assault, servicing 15 days in jail. In this candid conversation, he candidly discusses for the first time his rehab time, sobriety, and finding clarity as the father of a three year old.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot of assumptions have been made about Aaron Taylor-Johnson. He became tabloid fodder simply because of his engagement at the age of 19 to noted filmmaker Sam Taylor-Wood. This wasn’t the career playbook for an actor on the rise thanks to diverse works like “Nowhere Boy” and “Kick-Ass”. In this conversation on “Happy Sad Confused”,  his podcast debut, Taylor-Johnson opens up about what it’s been like to be scrutinized and judged simply for falling in love and wanting to be a young father. Currently starring in the critically hailed Tom Ford thriller, “Nocturnal Animals”, the 26 year old reveals he never harbored a wish to play a superhero despite playing two already. Plus he pulls the curtain back on what it’s like to be “media trained” and why his big moment with Bruce Springsteen got ruined.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shia LaBeouf has certainly packed a lot into his relatively short 30 years on this planet. From child star to a franchise leading movie star. From avant garde artist to outspoken asshole. He’s been labeled a lot of things (some unfairly, some he’ll cop to quite willingly) and he’s not afraid to talk about all of it in this very honest conversation with Josh Horowitz on this week’s “Happy Sad Confused”. Professionally this has been a banner year for LaBeouf, earning widespread acclaim for his role in “American Honey” and now returning to his roots, re-teaming with filmmaker Dito Montiel for “Man Down”, a PTSD drama co-starring Kate Mara and Jai Courtney. LaBeouf discusses his changing priorities for his career, how he’s obsessed with chasing truth, why he considers himself a blue collar actor, and whether he could imagine returning to a “Transformers” or “Indiana Jones” movie. The answers, like LaBeouf himself, will likely surprise you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's no new episode of Happy Sad Confused this week, but Josh and Sammy wanted to wish friends and fans alike a happy holiday and let everyone know what's coming up next on the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A veritable legend visits “Happy Sad Confused” this week.  The story of American moviemaking and celebrity in the 20th century would be woefully incomplete without a chapter devoted to Warren Beatty. He’s counted John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan as friends. He was trained by Stella Adler, discovered by Elia Kazan, battled with studio heads, flirted with running for public office, and was perhaps the last person to see Marilyn Monroe alive. Beatty is a delightful set of contradictions. He’s a charming storyteller who hasn’t done interviews in nearly 20 years. He’s a self-admitted control freak who talks endlessly about how much he values collaboration. He’s a quintessential hunky leading man with the soul of a comedian. Beatty is back in the public eye with “Rules Don’t Apply” (out November 23rd), a dramedy set in the waning days of the studio system and just as the sexual revolution was about to transform America.  The film stars Beatty as Howard Hughes alongside Lily Collins and Alden Ehrenreich. This chat goes everywhere, from Beatty’s uneasy relationship with celebrity, why he turned down such classics as “The Godfather”, “Kill Bill”, “Boogie Nights” and “Superman”, to his take on the state of politics and the film business today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A legendary filmmaker and an actress on the rise visit Josh Horowitz for this week’s episode of “Happy Sad Confused”. In the 80s and 90s, Paul Verhoeven’s name was synonymous with Hollywood spectacle and at times, controversy. He directed a trio of acclaimed sci-fi films, Robocop, Total Recall, and Starship Troopers. But he also pushed buttons with sex, violence, and at times with sheer high camp with Basic Instinct and Showgirls. But for many years Verhoven has been making smaller films in Europe, often barely getting any attention in the states. He’s back in a big way with “Elle” (opening November 11th), a tale of yes, sex and violence, that earned a standing ovation in Cannes and widespread critical praise ever since. The filmmaker joins Josh to talk about his new film, why he refuses to censor himself, and what’s been missing in the many sub-par remakes of his films. Later in the show, Josh is joined by a true chameleon of an actor in Naomie Harris. She’s perhaps best known for her roles in 28 Days Later and two giant franchises, the James Bond series, and the Pirates films. But it’s her acclaimed performance in the small but powerful film, “Moonlight” that may prove to be the most important of her career. Harris talks about playing a crack addicted mother in the course of just three days on set and why she didn’t want the part at all at first. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Forgive the pun but it’s a love fest on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast this week with two stars of Loving (in theaters November 4th), the new Jeff Nichols awards contender, plus a hysterical chat with two of our favorite comedians. If you’re a comedy nerd, you’ll be excited to hear the first conversation with Nick Kroll and John Mulaney, starring in “Oh Hello on Broadway”. As you’d expect from comedic veterans of SNL, Kroll Show, and Documentary Now, this chat goes everywhere – from Anthony Weiner to why they’re over zombies to why John is more interesting now that he’s sober. Plus they talk of course about their new show in which they play two “deep losers” as they put it. Kroll also stars in Loving which brings us to our second conversation of the week, with that film’s star Ruth Negga. You may have seen her in “Preacher” or “World War Z” but this may be the performance of her career. Loving in the true life story of Richard and Mildred Loving, whose marriage resulted in a supreme court case that forever changed the legality of interracial marriage.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices