Best Joseph Paul Wright Podcasts (2025)

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There Can Be Only Dozens (ft. guests Simu Liu; Ke Huy Quan; Richard Linklater & Ethan Hawke) 1:51:41

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27m ago1:51:41

1:51:41

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt sit down with two actors who star in animated movies (and ask them both about their favourite things to do in London). First, Simu Liu Zooms in to talk about new Netflix family flick, In Your Dreams, plus his own dreams, and the return of Shang-Chi to the MCU. [21:38 - 38:30 approx] Then, …

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Daniyal Mueenuddin Reads "The Golden Boy" 1:07:54

1d ago1:07:54

1:07:54

Daniyal Mueenuddin reads his story “The Golden Boy” from the December 1, 2025, issue of the magazine. Mueenuddin is the author of the story collection “In Other Rooms, Other Wonders,” which was published in 2009 and won both the Story Prize and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. His first novel, “This is Where the Serpent Lives,” from which this stor…

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Escape From Malcatraz (ft. guests Benedict Cumberbatch & Dylan Southern; Joel Edgerton & Clint Bentley; Ariana Greenblatt) 1:57:43

7d ago1:57:43

1:57:43

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees the podteam — Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer — play themselves as they discuss great 'as themselves' performances in the movies. They also run their collective eye over the week's movie news, including heartening Star Trek developments, review Train Dreams, Wicked: For Good, Playdate, and S…

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Madhuri Vijay Reads "Lara's Theme" 1:03:20

12d ago1:03:20

1:03:20

Madhuri Vijay reads her story “Lara’s Theme,” from the November 24, 2025, issue of the magazine. Vijay is the author of the novel “The Far Field,” which won India’s J.C.B. Prize for Literature in 2019. She is at work on her second novel. Please help us improve New Yorker podcasts by filling out our listener survey: https://panel2058.na2.panelpulse.…

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All The Information Is On The Task (ft. guests Edgar Wright, Rosamund Pike & Isla Fisher, Michael Shannon) 1:58:03

14d ago1:58:03

1:58:03

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast would surely deserve to get a full fat five points from Greg Davies, the Taskmaster himself, as Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and John Nugent apply themselves wholeheartedly (some more wholeheartedly than others, it must be said) to deciding which Taskmaster contestant has appeared in the best fil…

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Julia Ducournau & Tahar Rahim On Alpha: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 24:35

14d ago24:35

24:35

Alpha is the third film from the brilliant French filmmaker, Julia Ducournau, following on from her titanic debut, Raw, and her raw follow-up, Titane (which won the Palme D'Or, no less!). A tale of an unusual epidemic and generational trauma, there's much going on above and below the surface, which we get into in this interview special, as Jamie Gr…

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Jenny Beavan: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 45:41

16d ago45:41

45:41

Nicholas Hytner's The Choral, a delightful drama set in 1916 Yorkshire, is in cinemas now, folks. It features costumes designed by the legendary Jenny Beavan, who is one of the best costume designers in the business. Nominated for 12 Oscars, winner of three, Beavan has worked with directors like Robert Altman, James Ivory, and George Miller across …

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Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Bean, & Ronan Day-Lewis On Anemone: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 50:02

18d ago50:02

50:02

Every year at the London Film Festival, Empire hosts a gala screening for a film that we particularly admire. This year's choice was Ronan Day-Lewis' Anemone, a drama that we called 'sad, absurdist, brooding, tender, and intense', and which marks the return to acting of the great Daniel Day-Lewis, father of Ronan and co-writer of the movie, after e…

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Paul Yoon Reads "The New Coast" 41:07

19d ago41:07

41:07

Paul Yoon reads his story “The New Coast,” from the November 17, 2025, issue of the magazine. Yoon is the author of five books of fiction, including the novels “Run Me to Earth” and “Snow Hunters,” which won the 2014 New York Public Library’s Young Lions Fiction Award, and the story collection “The Hive and the Honey,” which was published in 2023. …

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The Sound Of Burning Felt (ft. guests Jennifer Lawrence & Lynne Ramsay; Elle Fanning & Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi; Sean Bean & Daniel Day-Lewis) 1:51:46

21d ago1:51:46

1:51:46

Blimey, this week's episode of the Empire Podcast is star-studded, and then some. First, Chris Hewitt chats with Die, My Love star, Jennifer Lawrence, and director Lynne Ramsay, about unpredictability on set and receiving an email from Martin Scorsese; then, he has a crash course in Yautja from Predator: Badlands stars Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatan…

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The Shameless Plug #9: Stranger Things Has Happened 43:20

15d ago43:20

43:20

Another month, another issue of Empire, another episode of The Shameless Plug. This time, Chris Hewitt and Nick de Semlyen sit down to talk about how Stranger Things ended up on the cover of the world's biggest movie magazine, and nearly did so upside down. And they also talk about less strange things, including the stories behind the stories of th…

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Lauren Groff Reads “Mother of Men” 23:52

26d ago23:52

23:52

Lauren Groff reads her story “Mother of Men” from the November 10, 2025, issue of the magazine. Groff’s work of fiction include the novels “Fates and Furies” and “Matrix,” both of which were finalists for the National Book Award, and “The Vaster Wilds,” which was published in 2023. A new story collection, “Brawler,” will come out in February of 202…

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Now It's Time For Halloween (ft. guests Edward Berger, Yorgos Lanthimos, Mary Elizabeth Winstead & Maika Monroe) 1:56:15

28d ago1:56:15

1:56:15

It's Halloween, folks, so this week's episode of the Empire Podcast is extra-spooky, with Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Beth Webb get way too invested in a listener question about the horror movie death that they would want for themselves. Just keep repeating: it's only a podcast, it's only a podcast, it's only a podcast. Elsewhere, o…

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Kenny Dalglish & Asif Kapadia on Kenny Dalglish: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 33:11

1M ago33:11

33:11

If you can hear a high-pitched squealing noise in the background of our latest interview special, that's just Chris Hewitt vibrating with excitement. For this podcast puts him in the room with one of his all-time heroes, Liverpool FC icon Kenny Dalglish, who is the eponymous subject of Asif Kapadia's latest documentary, which is out today (October …

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Nathan Blum Reads "Outcomes" 37:49

1M ago37:49

37:49

Nathan Blum reads his story “Outcomes” from the November 3, 2025, issue of the magazine. Blum received his M.F.A. from Vanderbilt University, where he taught creative writing. He is currently working on a collection of stories and a novel. Please help us improve New Yorker podcasts by filling out our listener survey: https://panel2058.na2.panelpuls…

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We've Gone And Caught A Sniffle (ft. guests Nia DaCosta, Jeremy Strong, Rebecca Ferguson & Kathryn Bigelow) 1:59:22

1M ago1:59:22

1:59:22

This week's Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt struggle with the enunciation of one word in particular (you'll have to listen to find out which). Incredibly, it's not 'Howl-o-ween', which is just one of the many things discussed by Chris and his three colleagues of such lethal cunning, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Ben Travis. They get their teeth in…

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Sam Lipsyte Reads "Final Boy" 39:03

1M ago39:03

39:03

Sam Lipsyte reads his story “Final Boy” from the October 27, 2025, issue of the magazine. Lipsyte is the author of eight books of fiction, including the story collection “The Fun Parts,” and the novels “The Ask” and “No One Left to Come Looking For You.” Please help us improve New Yorker podcasts by filling out our listener survey: https://panel205…

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Diane, Drew And The Greatest Poster Ever (ft. guests Rebecca Miller, Channing Tatum & Kirsten Dunst, Mason Thames & Madeleine McGraw) 1:59:53

1M ago1:59:53

1:59:53

This week's Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara and James Dyer pay tribute to two cinematic greats who left us this week: the legendary Oscar-winning actress, Diane Keaton, and Drew Struzan, the artist who defined posters, and people's walls, for decades. Struzan's work inspires this week's question, which asks our trio to identify the g…

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Ayşegül Savaş Reads “Intimacy” 38:54

2M ago38:54

38:54

Ayşegül Savaş reads her story “Intimacy” from the October 20, 2025, issue of the magazine. Savaş is the author of five books, including the novels “White on White” and “The Anthropologists”; a nonfiction work, “The Wilderness”; and the story collection “Long Distance,” which was published earlier this year. Please help us improve New Yorker podcast…

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Wish You Well (ft. guests Greta Lee & Jodie Turner-Smith; Robert Aramayo; Gillian Anderson) 1:45:37

2M ago1:45:37

1:45:37

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Alex Godfrey display his versatility as an interviewer, going from utter chaos with Tron Ares stars Greta Lee & Jodie Turner-Smith [22:46 - 34:31 approx] and Gillian Anderson [1:33:01 - 1:43:53 approx] to a heartfelt and passionate chat with Robert Aramayo, star of this week's excellent drama, I Swear,…

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The Shameless Plug #8: Wicked Panna Cottas 45:11

2M ago45:11

45:11

In this month's Shameless Plug, the show in which Chris Hewitt sits down with Empire editor Nick de Semlyen to do a deep dive into the latest issue of Empire, Chris Hewitt sits down with Empire editor Nick de Semlyen to do a deep dive into the latest issue of Empire. Which, for the first time in our history, has a musical on the cover, Jon M. Chu's…

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Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Justin Tipping on Him: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 41:41

2M ago41:41

41:41

Justin Tipping's Him is a Jordan Peele-produced horror film in which a young quarterback discovers the kind of sacrifices it takes to become the GOAT of American Football. That young quarterback is played by Tyriq Withers, who is taken under the wing of a legendary quarterback played by Marlon Wayans, and in this Empire Podcast interview special Ja…

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Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera & Paul Greengrass On The Lost Bus: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 43:14

2M ago43:14

43:14

Paul Greengrass' The Lost Bus stars Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera as a bus driver and teacher, respectively, who have to navigate a deadly Californian wildfire while stuck on a school bus with a group of terrified children, very little water, and fire and flames closing in on all sides. Based on a true story (the 2018 Camp Fire is one of …

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Catherine Lacey Reads “Coconut Flan” 40:00

2M ago40:00

40:00

Catherine Lacey reads her story “Coconut Flan” from the October 13, 2025, issue of the magazine. Lacey is the author of five books of fiction, including the novels “Pew,” and “Biography of X,” both of which were short-listed for the Dylan Thomas Prize in 2021 and 2024, respectively. Her memoir and novella, “The Möbius Book,” was published earlier t…

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Vendrak The Vertical, Scáthach, And The Kamino Kid (ft. guests Benny Safdie, Malcolm McDowell, Harris Dickinson) 1:55:38

2M ago1:55:38

1:55:38

This week's Empire Podcast sees us welcome another hat-trick of wonderful guests, as Chris Hewitt has lovely chats with The Smashing Machine writer-director (and Happy Gilmore 2 villain), Benny Safdie, [24:13 - 40:39 approx] and bona fide acting legend, Malcolm McDowell, star of new WWII drama, The Partisan (please excuse the sound quality of Chris…

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David Wright Faladé Reads “Amarillo Boulevard” 42:51

2M ago42:51

42:51

David Wright Faladé reads his story “Amarillo Boulevard,” from the October 6, 2025, issue of the magazine. Wright Faladé, the recipient of a Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Award, is the author of a nonfiction book, “Fire on the Beach: Recovering the Lost Story of Richard Etheridge and the Pea Island Lifesavers,” and the novels “Black Cloud Risin…

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The Edge Is A Battenberg (ft. guests Brett Goldstein, Emma Thompson, Paul Thomas Anderson) 1:59:43

2M ago1:59:43

1:59:43

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast is one of those jam-packed ones in which we specialise. Guest-wise, Chris Hewitt is blessed with the presence of our old chum, Brett Goldstein, who talks beards, bums, and baring his soul in new romantic drama, All Of You; [18:37 - 36:33 approx] and Chris also has a lovely chat with Emma Thompson as she ent…

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Rivka Galchen Reads “Unreasonable” 39:47

2M ago39:47

39:47

Rivka Galchen reads her story “Unreasonable,” from the September 29, 2025, issue of the magazine. Galchen is the author of three books of fiction, including the story collection “American Innovations" and the novel “Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch,” which was published in 2021. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

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For The Love Of Bagpuss (ft. guests Sean Penn; Cillian Murphy & Tim Mielants) 1:36:42

2M ago1:36:42

1:36:42

With Chris off on the fairway, taking his first proper holiday in approximately 20 years, its up to Helen O’Hara and James Dyer — the newly appointed Archbishop of Nerdbury — to hold down the fort, ably assisted by Empire news editor and former Pilot TV stalwart Beth Webb. Between the three of them, they do their level best not to refer to Cillian …

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T. Coraghessan Boyle Reads “The Pool” 28:28

3M ago28:28

28:28

T. Coraghessan Boyle reads his story “The Pool,” from the September 22, 2025, issue of the magazine. A winner of the Rea Award for the Short Story and the PEN/Malamud Prize in the short story, among others, Boyle has published more than thirty books of fiction, including the story collection “I Walk Between the Raindrops” and the novel “Blue Skies,…

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A Clint In The Eye (ft. guests Sam Riley; Hugh Bonneville & Allen Leech) 1:49:03

3M ago1:49:03

1:49:03

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast might just go ahead, make your day, as Chris Hewitt (having recovered from a colleague-inflicted mischief) invites Helen O'Hara and James Dyer into the podbooth for a discussion of the best films directed by Clint Eastwood. Amazingly, The Rookie is given short shrift. Then, our intrepid trio take a look at …

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The Shameless Plug #7: The Running Mag 41:30

3M ago41:30

41:30

The Shameless Plug — the show in which Chris Hewitt sits down with Empire editor, Nick de Semlyen, to shamelessly plug the new issue of Empire magazine — is back back back, folks, and comes with a lovely slice of Brisket. Not the meat, mind you, but Glen Powell's dog, who somehow wound up on Chris' lap during one of his forays to the set of Edgar W…

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Bryan Washington Reads "Voyagers!" 57:23

3M ago57:23

57:23

Bryan Washington reads his story “Voyagers!,” from the September 15, 2025, issue of the magazine. A winner of the International Dylan Thomas Prize and the Young Lions Fiction Award, among others, Washington is the author of three books of fiction, including “Memorial” and “Family Meal.” A new novel, “Palaver,” will be published later this year. Lea…

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Gleesons Vs Skarsgårds: Dawn Of Clint Howard (ft. guests MJ Bassett; Sean Ellis & Orlando Bloom) 1:49:05

3M ago1:49:05

1:49:05

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast asks perhaps the biggest question ever tackled on this show: who would win in a fight between the Gleesons and the Skarsgårds? Join Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Amon Warmann, as they tackle that scenario and more. Is the world truly ready for the Coppola clan kicking bottom? Elsewhere, our in…

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The Life Of Chuck/Charles/Charlie (ft. guests Eva Victor; Olivia Colman & Jay Roach; Sir Ben Kingsley) 1:58:18

3M ago1:58:18

1:58:18

This week's Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt sit down, on Zoom and in person, with a cavalcade of cracking guests. There's Eva Victor, star/writer/director of the excellent Sorry, Baby, who talks about cats, directing themselves, and people who look like yams. [23:05 - 39:05 approx] Then there's Olivia Colman and Jay Roach, star and director of The…

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Rachel Cusk Reads “Project” 29:11

3M ago29:11

29:11

Rachel Cusk reads her story “Project,” from the September 1 & 8, 2025, issue of the magazine. Cusk is the author of several works of nonfiction and twelve novels, including “Outline,” “Transit,” “Kudos,” and, most recently, “Parade,” which won the 2024 Goldsmiths Prize. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices…

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The Life Of Custard (ft. guests Joaquin Phoenix; Tom Hiddleston & Chiwetel Ejiofor; Samara Weaving & Karl Glusman) 1:58:53

3M ago1:58:53

1:58:53

In one of those bumper-sized guest-filled jamborees in which we specialise, this week's Empire Podcast sees John Nugent sit down on Zoom to interview Eddington star, Joaquin Phoenix... or does Joaquin Phoenix interview John Nugent? All will be revealed. [18:52 - 35:59 approx] Elsewhere, Chris Hewitt has a lovely chat about The Life of Chuck with co…

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Miriam Toews Reads “Something Has Come to Light” 18:36

3M ago18:36

18:36

Miriam Toews reads her story “Something Has Come to Light,” from the August 25, 2025, issue of the magazine. Toews, a winner of the Governor General’s Award for Fiction, is the author of eight novels, including “A Complicated Kindness,” “All My Puny Sorrows,” “Women Talking,” and “Fight Night.” A new memoir, “A Truce That Is Not Peace,” comes out t…

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Kruegersplaining (ft. guests Celine Song, Dave Franco & Alison Brie) 1:42:37

4M ago1:42:37

1:42:37

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast will haunt your nightmares, but in a good way, as Chris Hewitt returns to the host chair, just in time to tackle, with Beth Webb and Amon Warmann, a Mount Rushmore question about the best Final Girls in horror movies. Their final choices may shock you, but that's nothing compared to the bit where Chris expl…

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The Shameless Plug #6: Two Days With James Cameron 42:04

4M ago42:04

42:04

Or 42 minutes with Chris Hewitt and Nick de Semlyen. Which would you prefer? Don't answer that. Anyway, that's what you've got with the latest episode of The Shameless Plug, as Chris and Nick sit down to talk about Nick's extraordinary adventures in New Zealand, shadowing James Cameron for two days as he put the finishing touches to this month's co…

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Alien Earth: An Empire Podcast Special ft. Noah Hawley, Timothy Olyphant & Sydney Chandler 42:21

4M ago42:21

42:21

In space, no-one can hear you pod. Thankfully, we're not on space, we're on Earth, so you will be able to hear this wonderful Empire Podcast special dedicated to Noah Hawley's excellent Alien prequel, Alien Earth, which dropped its first two episodes today on Disney+. Here, you will hear Chris Hewitt sit down with Hawley, the show's creator and sho…

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The Not-So-Difficult Second Movie (ft. guests Guy Pearce and Benedict Wong) 1:45:04

4M ago1:45:04

1:45:04

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Helen O'Hara slip into the host's chair in Chris Hewitt's absence, and use her endless reservoir of patience to corral James Dyer, Alex Godfrey and Ben Travis in a discussion of the best second movies by notable directors (and yes, we know that we didn't mention [INSERT BLINDINGLY OBVIOUS CHOICE HERE])…

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Kiran Desai Reads "An Unashamed Proposal" 57:18

4M ago57:18

57:18

Kiran Desai reads her story “An Unashamed Proposal,” from the August 11, 2025, issue of the magazine. Desai is the author of the novels “Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard” and “The Inheritance of Loss,” which won the Booker Prize in 2006. A new novel, “The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny,” from which this story was adapted, will be published this fall.…

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Hey, It's Enrico Pazuzu! (ft. guests Akiva Schaffer and James Gunn) 1:45:49

4M ago1:45:49

1:45:49

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast adds insults to injury, as the team — Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, Alex Godfrey, and Ben Travis — share their favourite movie insults. And, yes, misquote at least one of them horribly. Also, nothing on this earth will prepare you for Alex Godfrey's Pazuzu impression. We can only apologise in advance. Elsewhe…

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Anne Enright Reads “The Bridge Stood Fast” 51:53

4M ago51:53

51:53

Anne Enright reads her story “The Bridge Stood Fast,” from the August 4, 2025, issue of the magazine. Enright has published eleven books of fiction, including the story collection “Yesterday’s Weather,” and the novels “The Gathering,” which won the Man Booker Prize, “Actress,” and “The Wren, The Wren.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/…

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Movie News Mews (ft. guests, Matt Shakman and Sam Rockwell) 1:40:40

4M ago1:40:40

1:40:40

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast is all kinds of fantastic. Guest-wise, Chris Hewitt sits down (in person, and on Zoom) with Matt Shakman, director of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, to discuss the FF's debut in the MCU [24:33 - 40:07 approx]; and Sam Rockwell, the cool cat who's Mr. Wolf in The Bad Guys 2. [1:07:02 - 1:19:28 approx] Then…

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Mona Awad Reads “The Chartreuse” 50:19

4M ago50:19

50:19

Mona Awad reads her story “The Chartreuse,” from the July 28, 2025, issue of the magazine. Awad is the author of four books of fiction, including “13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl,” which won the Amazon Best First Novel Award, and “Rouge,” which was published in 2023. Her new novel, “We Love You, Bunny,” will come out in September. Learn about your…

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Bobby Omelettes And The Dolby Rumbler (ft. guests Alex Cox and Ralph Ineson) 1:43:52

4M ago1:43:52

1:43:52

Do not adjust your speakers, or your headphones. Yes, Ralph Ineson's voice really is that deep and sonorous. And in this week's Empire Podcast, Chris Hewitt sits down with the actor who plays the planet-eating entity, Galactus, in next week's The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and talks about how his voice is his passport. [1:04:38 - 1:20:16 approx] …

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The Shameless Plug #5: Tron Ares, Light-Up Covers, And More 43:45

4M ago43:45

43:45

This month's episode of The Shameless Plug sees Chris Hewitt sit down with Empire editor, Nick de Semlyen, for a deep dive into the latest issue of Empire magazine, which just happens to have a limited edition light-up cover to commemorate our latest cover movie, Tron Ares. Together, our dynamic duo discuss the art of the cover line, their favourit…

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Clare Sestanovich Reads “Natural History” 38:39

5M ago38:39

38:39

Clare Sestanovich reads her story “Natural History,” from the July 21, 2025, issue of the magazine. Sestanovich is the author of the story collection “Objects of Desire,” which came out in 2021 and was a finalist for the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize, and the novel “Ask Me Again,” which was published last year. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.p…