Interview

Producer

Inside FOX Sports’ 2026 World Cup Plan: Producer Zac Kenworthy on 104 Matches, 48 Teams & One Massive Broadcast Challenge

With 48 teams and 104 matches across North America, the World Cup is bigger than ever. FOX Sports VP Zac Kenworthy explains how his team will capture the action—and the global fandom he calls the tournament’s “49th character.”

By Hugh Hart  |  June 11, 2026

Interview

Director

Director Hiro Murai Finds the Funny in Fear in “Widow’s Bay”—and a New Side of Matthew Rhys

Hiro Murai brings his signature tonal precision to “Widow’s Bay,” guiding Matthew Rhys, Kate O’Flynn, and Stephen Root through a world where comedy and dread collide—and where darkness itself becomes a tool for fear.

By Hugh Hart  |  June 10, 2026

Interview

Production Designer

How Production Designer Danny Vermette Made “Backrooms” Real—Portals, Platforms, & Practical Terror

Production designer Danny Vermette transforms a viral nightmare into reality in “Backrooms,” building vast, practical sets for Chiwetel Ejiofor’s descent into an eerie world where endless corridors, shifting spaces, and creeping dread feel disturbingly real.

By Susannah Edelbaum  |  June 10, 2026

Interview

Actor

Jamie Campbell Bower on Building Vecna From the Inside Out for “Stranger Things” Season 5

Jamie Campbell Bower returns as Vecna in “Stranger Things” Season 5, revealing how he crafted the villain’s physicality, voice, and psychology—while holding onto the fragile humanity that makes Henry Creel more than pure evil.

By Bryan Alkemeyer  |  June 10, 2026

Interview

Cinematographer

Lighting Love & Tragedy: How “Love Story” DP Pepe Avila del Pino Crafted a Luminous ’90s Romance

As Emmy voting begins, “Love Story” is back in focus. Cinematographer Pepe Avila del Pino reveals how candlelight, vintage lenses, and a dreamy ’90s palette brought JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’s romance— and its haunting end— vividly to life.

By Su Fang Tham  |  June 9, 2026

Interview

Building a Better Beast: Prosthetics & Special Effects Guru Barrie Gower on Evolving Vecna for “Stranger Things” Season 5

To bring Vecna back for “Stranger Things” Season 5, prosthetics designer Barrie Gower pushed practical effects to new extremes—blending silicone, 3D printing, and VFX to create a bigger, more terrifying monster while preserving Jamie Campbell Bower’s performance.

By Evelyn Lott  |  June 9, 2026

Interview

Actor

From “Star Wars” Superfan to Villain: Jonny Coyne on Playing Lord Janu Coin in “The Mandalorian and Grogu”

Jonny Coyne went from standing in line to see “Star Wars” to becoming part of its mythology. In “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” the veteran character actor embraces villainy as Lord Janu Coin—and reflects on acting, imagination, and working with Pedro Pascal.

By Hugh Hart  |  June 8, 2026

Interview

Cinematographer

From Bogart to Bold Color: How DPs Darran Tiernan and Peter Deming Captured Nic Cage’s “Spider-Noir”

Cinematographers Darran Tiernan and Peter Deming reveal how “Spider-Noir” blends classic black-and-white noir with bold color, crafting two distinct visual worlds for Nicolas Cage’s detective antihero.

By Hugh Hart  |  June 4, 2026

Interview

“Spider-Noir” Colorist Pankaj Bajpai on Crafting Two Worlds—From Lush Color to Gritty 1930s Monochrome

For “Spider-Noir,” senior colorist Pankaj Bajpai set out to do something rare—build two complete visual worlds for one story. Inspired by classic noir films and modern comic-book vibrancy, Bajpai crafted both a richly textured black-and-white experience and a bold, “True-Hue” color version, ensuring Nicolas Cage’s 1930s-era vigilante resonates across eras, formats, and audiences.

By Daron James  |  June 3, 2026

Interview

Actor

How Kendrick Sampson Brought Quincy Jones to Life in “Michael” With Just Two Days Prep

“You have to leave enough space to let God walk through the room.” For Kendrick Sampson, that philosophy—shared by Quincy Jones himself—became the key to unlocking one of the most influential musical minds of all time in “Michael,” Antoine Fuqua’s sweeping portrait of the King of Pop’s rise.

By Jack Giroux  |  June 2, 2026

Interview

Showrunner

“The Boroughs” Creators Jeffrey Addiss & Will Matthews on Creating an “Evil Cocoon” For Modern Audiences

Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews set out to make “The Boroughs” a love letter—to Amblin-era storytelling, practical creature craft, and the singular beauty of New Mexico. Anchored by Alfred Molina and an all-star cast, their eerie new Netflix series transforms a quiet retirement community into the site of a deeply human mystery, where grief, aging, and hidden monsters collide beneath a carefully constructed suburban façade.

By Simon Thompson  |  June 2, 2026

Interview

Cinematographer

Inside “Widow’s Bay” Episode 6: DP Christian Sprenger on Building Tension With Light, Shadow & Silence

Christian Sprenger, the Emmy-winning DP behind “Atlanta,” brings his signature precision to “Widow’s Bay,” crafting a haunting standalone episode lit almost entirely by candlelight, where shadow and perspective pull viewers into Betty Gilpin’s unraveling world.

By Daron James  |  June 1, 2026

Interview

Animator

“The Mandalorian and Grogu” Animation Supervisor Hal Hickel on Reinventing Hutts and Building a Galactic Bestiary

Alien creatures have always been central to Star Wars, but “The Mandalorian and Grogu” pushes them to startling new extremes. ILM animation supervisor Hal Hickel reveals how his team transformed familiar species into tactile, breathing beings—reimagining Hutts as warriors, drawing from nature and mythology, and crafting creatures that audiences can practically feel.

By Hugh Hart  |  May 28, 2026

Interview

Costume Designer

“The Testaments” Costume Designer Leslie Kavanagh on Building Gilead’s Chilling New Generation

In “The Testaments,” costume designer Leslie Kavanagh crafts a striking visual language for Gilead’s next generation, where color-coded uniforms, custom fabrics, and meticulous tailoring chart power, privilege, and control. Following Agnes (Chase Infiniti) and guided by Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd), this new chapter reveals how beauty and brutality coexist—stitched together in every hem, hue, and silhouette.

By Susannah Edelbaum  |  May 27, 2026

Interview

Producer, Screenwriter

“Lord of the Flies” Creator Jack Thorne on Reimagining a Timeless Classic in His Four-Part Heartbreaker

Jack Thorne first read “Lord of the Flies” at age 11—and it left him shaken. Decades later, he returns to William Golding’s classic with a haunting new adaptation that explores childhood psychology, inherited behavior, and the enduring dangers of power unchecked.

By Hugh Hart  |  May 27, 2026

Interview

Costume Designer

How Shirley Kurata Built a Surreal Fashion Playground for Keke Palmer in “I Love Boosters”

For costume designer Shirley Kurata, stepping into Boots Riley’s world of "I Love Boosters" meant embracing the unexpected. Blending thrift-store treasures, high fashion, and custom builds, she created a vibrant, maximalist wardrobe that mirrors the film’s surreal energy. From Keke Palmer’s bold designs to Demi Moore’s striking monochrome looks, every piece helps shape a world where style and storytelling collide.

By Simon Thompson  |  May 26, 2026

Interview

Director

“Passenger” Director André Øvredal on Designing a Demon You Can’t Outrun

For director André Øvredal, the terror at the heart of "Passenger" begins with something deeply familiar: the open road. But what starts as a universal experience quickly spirals into something far more sinister—a relentless, supernatural force that cannot be outrun. Øvredal explains how he grounded the film’s horror in physical reality, crafting a tangible villain, embracing practical effects, and transforming Washington’s diverse landscapes into a nightmarish American journey.

By Simon Thompson  |  May 26, 2026

Interview

Director, Screenwriter

“Is God Is” Writer/Director Aleshea Harris on Faith, Fury, and Igniting a Scorching Revenge Odyssey

Writer/director Aleshea Harris brings a blazing, genre-bending vision to “Is God Is,” a revenge road movie steeped in biblical myth and emotional fire. In adapting her own play, Harris crafts a singular cinematic experience—one where questions of fate, faith, and family burn just as fiercely as the story’s quest for vengeance.

By Jack Giroux  |  May 21, 2026

Interview

Actor

“Lord of the Flies” Stars Winston Sawyers, David McKenna & Ike Talbut on Brotherhood, Brutality & Real Chemistry

The young stars of “Lord of the Flies” didn’t just act—they lived it. From sweltering heat and rugged terrain to a raw, improvisational approach encouraged by director Marc Munden, Winston Sawyers, David McKenna, and Ike Talbut reveal how they brought emotional truth to Netflix’s haunting adaptation of William Golding’s classic.

By Hugh Hart  |  May 20, 2026

Interview

Screenwriter

“Mortal Kombat II” Screenwriter Jeremy Slater on Johnny Cage, Kitana & the Perfect Finishing Move

Jeremy Slater approached “Mortal Kombat II” with a simple mandate: deliver the moments fans came to see. From brutal, inventive fight scenes to the emotional core of Johnny Cage and Kitana, Slater crafted a lean, relentless sequel designed to keep audiences locked in from the first blow to the final fatality.

By Jack Giroux  |  May 20, 2026