Pop Culture Confidential

Christina’s first dispatch from Cannes 2025!Highlights from the Opening Press Conference with Juliette Binoche, Jeremy Strong & more—on festival expectations, Trump’s tariffs, and the new red carpet dress rules. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sharing a special episode! Christina joined the AwardsWatch podcast for the 78th Cannes Film Festival Preview . On episode 287 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, and special guest Christina Birro of Pop Culture Confidential to preview the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, which they will all be attending for the next two weeks. They talk about what it is like going to the festival, the film’s in and out of competition that they are looking forward to see, and which film they think will win the Palme d’Or this year. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube and more. This podcast runs 55m. We will be back in next week for our thoughts on the first week of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Till then, let’s get into it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re just days away from the 78th Cannes Film Festival, and one of the most anticipated moments is the premiere of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning on May 14 at the Grand Théâtre Lumière. Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt in this eighth installment of the legendary action franchise, joined by director Christopher McQuarrie and an all-star cast. In this episode, we’re joined by Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch to break down why this premiere is such a major event — not just for Cannes, but for Mission: Impossible fans around the world. We explore the franchise’s legacy, its cultural impact, and what to expect from this highly anticipated Cannes debut. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the show this week: the exceptionally talented Barbie Ferreira, best known for her breakout role as Kat Hernandez on HBO’s Euphoria. Christina talks with Barbie about her wonderful new film Bob Trevino Likes It, where she plays Lily, a young woman grappling with the pain of a self-centered, absent father. After forming an unexpected bond with a stranger online who shares her dad’s name, Lily finds a path toward healing and self-acceptance. The film is inspired by director and writer Tracie Laymon’s own relationship with her father. They discuss playing and shaping the character of Lily, the film’s themes of found family, and how the story resonated with Barbie personally, having grown up without a father figure. They also talk about Euphoria, how her portrayal of Kat continues to resonate deeply with fans, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Christina is joined by Ryan McQuade, Executive Editor of AwardsWatch, to dive into Sinners—Ryan Coogler’s ambitious, multilayered, and visually stunning new film. They also break down the latest Oscar rule changes and announcements, and discuss what they could mean for the upcoming awards season. Plus, in honor of Michael B. Jordan’s phenomenal dual performance as twins in Sinners, they share their favorite on-screen twins played by the same actor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emmy-winning editor and co-producer Timothy Good ('The Last of Us') joins Christina to break down the episode everyone’s talking about — Season 2, Episode 2, “Through the Valley.” This unforgettable episode took over a year to bring to life, and Timothy takes us deep behind the scenes of its emotional and technical construction. From Joel’s (Pedro Pascal) fate to the extraordinary work behind that scene, Tim unpacks the editing process, his collaboration with Craig Mazin and director Mark Mylod, the visual effects, the music, and so much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2025 Cannes lineup was just announced, and there’s a lot to talk about. Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) joins Christina to break down the buzziest titles heading to the Croisette—including Wes Anderson, Ari Aster, Kelly Reichardt, Spike Lee, and yes… Tom Cruise. And the notable names missing from the lineup. They also dive into last week’s surprise announcement at CinemaCon of a Quentin Tarantino–David Fincher collaboration, and share their reactions to the full trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson’s highly anticipated new film. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christina is honored to speak with the brilliant Christine Tremarco from the powerful, hit series Adolescence. Written by Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne, the show follows a 13-year-old boy named Jamie who is arrested for the murder of a girl from his school. Tremarco plays Jamie’s mother, Manda. Adolescence is a raw, unflinching exploration of internet culture, toxic masculinity, and the online radicalization of young boys. It’s also a story about parenting in an increasingly complex world. In this episode, Christina talks with Christine Tremarco about the powerful reactions the show has received, incel and internet culture, the intensity of filming Adolescence, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Christina is joined by Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch to break down the latest trailers for some of the year’s most anticipated upcoming movies. Some look awesome, some look... questionable — and a few totally surprised us! We talk about Celine Song’s Materialists, Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, Pixar’s Elio, the Minecraft movie, Happy Gilmore 2, F1, Spinal Tap II, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Pop Culture Confidential, we’re diving deep into the latest TV must-watches! Join us as we break down some of the biggest shows of the moment—Severance, The White Lotus, and The Pitt—all heading into their highly anticipated season finales. Plus, we discuss Adolescence, one of the most impactful TV experiences in recent memory, and look ahead to the upcoming premiere of The Studio. And that’s not all! We also talk about John Mulaney’s new talk show and the buzz surrounding the highly anticipated return of Hacks. To help unpack it all, we’re joined by Tyler Doster, TV editor at AwardsWatch. Tune in for a fun and insightful conversation about all things TV! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Pop Culture Confidential, Christina chats with actor Taylor Dearden, who delivers an incredible performance as Dr. Mel King in the gripping new medical drama The Pitt—now streaming on Max. From producer John Wells (ER), creator R. Scott Gemill, and actor/writer Noah Wyle, The Pitt follows doctors and nurses over a 15-hour shift and has been praised for its realistic portrayal of emergency medicine. In a wide-ranging conversation, Christina and Ms. Dearden discuss filming the intense drama, attending medical boot camp, character preparation, how ADHD shaped her performance, working with Noah Wyle, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean Baker makes history. Conan triumphs. Christina & Ryan McQuade (Executive Editor, AwardsWatch) react and recap the 97th Academy Awards— the winners, the losers, the surprises, the speeches, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christina and Ryan McQuade (Executive Editor of AwardsWatch) go through their final Oscar predictions for the 97th Academy Awards! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been a wild few weeks in pop culture! Ryan McQuade (Executive Editor, AwardsWatch) joins Christina for a massive recap—Kendrick, SNL 50, Cher & Costner, Meryl, the BAFTAs, Matt Damon & Nolan, SAG predictions, awards season scandals, and more. It’s a bonanza! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Things are heating up! Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AwardsWatch, Erik Anderson, joins us with a comprehensive update on the state of the Oscar race! From all the surprises to Anora's sweep last weekend, actor frontrunners, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Ryan, co-host of The Watch, joins Christina for a wide-ranging conversation about the 2025 TV season. They discuss the new seasons of Severance and The Pitt, the 50th season of SNL, trends, and much more. Don’t miss it! Chris Ryan is the Editorial Director at The Ringer and co-host of The Watch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christina & Ryan McQuade (AwardsWatch) recap the Oscar nominations 2025. The surprises, the snubs and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan McQaude (Executive Editor, AwardsWatch) joins Christina for a MASSIVE 'Most Anticipated Movies of 2025' episode! Paul Thomas Anderson, Luca Guadagnino, Spike Lee. Cruise, Blanchett, Chalamet. 2025 is shaping up to be a great year at the movies! Plus Oscar nomination predictions ahead of Fridays announcement. Listen now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices