Envelope Oscar Roundtables 2019: Watch all the video interviews
Awards season means it’s also roundtable season. Once again, The Envelope has gathered top talent from in front of and behind the camera for a series of in-depth group discussions. These candid conversations cover topics that include their acclaimed projects as well as the hot-button topics facing the industry at large. Keep this page bookmarked for updates throughout awards season.
Seven women, seven juicy roles: The Actress Roundtable »
Viola Davis, ‘Widows’
Viola Davis explains how working in below-par projects can chip away at your creativity and how to find roles you can be proud of.
Marina de Tavira, ‘Roma’
Marina de Tavira explains how she made her “Roma” character into something deeply personal for her and why it ranks as her “most personal project” ever.
Amy Adams, ‘Vice’
Amy Adams talks about the “eye-opening” experience of playing Lynne Cheney in “Vice” and why she never met Cheney before filming.
Amy Adams talks about the “eye-opening” experience of playing Lynne Cheney in “Vice” and why she never met Cheney before filming.
Lupita Nyong’o, ‘Black Panther’
Lupita Nyong’o talks about the magical on-set experience of “Black Panther” and how the entire cast and crew understood how impactful the film would be.
Lupita Nyong’o talks about the magical on-set experience of “Black Panther” and how the entire cast and crew understood how impactful the film would be.
Melissa McCarthy, ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’
Melissa McCarthy laments the preponderance of unrealistically perfect characters in TV and film, and how she prefers to play flawed characters who offer a more accurate mirror into the real world.
Melissa McCarthy (“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”) laments the preponderance of unrealistically perfect characters in TV and film, and how she prefers to play flawed characters who offer a more accurate mirror into the real world.
Nicole Kidman, ‘Boy Erased’ and ‘Destroyer,’ and Amy Adams, ‘Vice’
Nicole Kidman and Amy Adams compare notes about producing and acting and how producing allows them to find better roles and control their destinies as actors.
The full actress roundtable
Costume designers
Caroline Eselin, ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’
“If Beale Street Could Talk” costume designer Caroline Eselin talks about how she used the costumes to honor author James Baldwin.
Colleen Atwood, ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’
The “Fantastic Beasts” sequel brings Colleen Atwood and Johnny Depp back together again after nearly a dozen films. “There becomes a certain shorthand,” Atwood says of their decades-long working relationship.
Ruth Carter, ‘Black Panther’
“Black Panther” costume designer Ruth Carter breaks down the meaning behind the major colors used for the different tribes in the Marvel movie.
Sandy Powell, ‘Mary Poppins Returns’
Why is there a bird on Mary Poppins’ hat in the Emily Blunt-led sequel? “Mary Poppins Returns” costume designer Sandy Powell reveals the surprising way the original film influenced that decision.
Mary Zophres, ‘First Man’
Mary Zophres, the costume designer behind the Neil Armstrong biopic, opens up about what inspired her to dress Ryan Gosling in that plaid sport coat.
Erin Benach, ‘A Star Is Born’
“A Star Is Born” costume designer Erin Benach talks about the secret scramble behind Lady Gaga’s gold Grammys dress and how Grace Kelly inspired another one of the singer-actress’ signature looks.
“A Star Is Born” costume designer Erin Benach talks about the secret scramble behind Lady Gaga’s gold Grammys dress and how Grace Kelly inspired another one of the singer-actresses’ signature looks.
The actors
The Actors Roundtable: With these 6 characters, the stories never get old »
Ethan Hawke, ‘First Reformed,’ and Willem Dafoe, ‘At Eternity’s Gate’
Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe share notes about their working experiences with director Paul Schrader.
Michael B. Jordan, ‘Black Panther’
Michael B. Jordan discusses the important conversation of identity at the center of “Black Panther” and how that influenced the film’s global reach. “It started a conversation I never knew I needed,” he says.
Viggo Mortensen, ‘Green Book’
Viggo Mortensen describes working with Peter Farrelly, known primarily as a comedic director, on the drama “Green Book.”
John C. Reilly, ‘The Sisters Brothers’
John C. Reilly and others weigh the benefits and the drawbacks of working repeatedly with the same director.
Steven Yeun, ‘Burning’
Steven Yeun describes why working on “Burning” was so personally meaningful to him as a Korean American and his transition coming off of “The Walking Dead.”
Steven Yeun describes why working on “Burning” was so personally meaningful to him as a Korean American and his transition coming off of “The Walking Dead.”
The full actors roundtable
Ethan Hawke (“First Reformed”), John C. Reilly (“The Sisters Brothers” / “Stan & Ollie”), Michael B. Jordan (“Black Panther”), Steven Yeun (“Burning”), Viggo Mortensen (“Green Book”) and Willem Dafoe (“At Eternity’s Gate”) discuss getting into char
The directors
Six directors talk influences and legacies, Netflix and iPhones, James Bond and Auto-tune »
Ryan Coogler, ‘Black Panther’
Director Ryan Coogler describes the political overtones of the fictional African country Wakanda in the film “Black Panther.”
Director Ryan Coogler describes the political subtext of the fictional African country in the film “Black Panther.”
Alfonso Cuaron, ‘Roma’
“BlacKkKlansman” director Spike Lee and “Roma” director Alfonso Cuaron lament the decline of cinema on the big screen.
“BlacKkKlansman” director Spike Lee and “Roma” director Alfonso Cuaron lament the decline of cinema on the big screen.
Karyn Kusama, ‘Destroyer’
“Destroyer” director Karyn Kusama discusses casting Nicole Kidman in a role traditionally played by a man.
“Destroyer” director Karyn Kusama discusses casting Nicole Kidman in a role traditionally played by a man.
Yorgos Lanthimos, ‘The Favourite’
“The Favourite” director Yorgos Lanthimos discusses the differences between working in theater and film, while Spike Lee complains about people watching epic movies on mobile devices.
“The Favourite” director Yorgos Lanthimos discusses the differences between working in theater and film, while Spike Lee complains about people watching epic movies on mobile devices.
Spike Lee, ‘BlacKkKlansman’
Coogler discusses the powerful impact of seeing Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X” with his father when he was a child.
“Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler discusses the powerful impact of seeing Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X” with his father when he was a child.
Josie Rourke, ‘Mary Queen of Scots’
Lanthimos and Josie Rourke (“Mary Queen of Scots”) discuss their approaches to feminism in their filmmaking and updating their period dramas for 2018.
Directors Yorgos Lanthimos (“The Favourite”) and Josie Rourke (“Mary Queen of Scots”) discuss their approaches to feminism in their filmmaking and updating their period dramas for 2018.
The full directors roundtable
From the Oscars to the Emmys.
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