Interviews

Denzel Washington plays Walter Lee, the role played by Sidney Poitier in the 1959 Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun. Sophie Okonedo, known for her Academy Award nomination for Hotel Rwanda, plays Ruth Younger in her New York stage debut.

Fresh Air Weekend: 'Raisin In The Sun,' 'Orange Is The New Black,' China's 'Ambition'

11:35am June 07, 2014

A Raisin in the Sun returns to Broadway, Orange Is the New Black begins season two, and writer Evan Osnos talks about about China's economic expansion.

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Dean Baquet was named as the executive editor of The New York Times on May 14. He had previously held several executive positions in the Times' newsroom and was the editor of the Los Angeles Times from 2005-2006.

An Old-Fashioned Newspaperman Takes The Helm In A Digital World

9:58am June 06, 2014

by David Folkenflik

Dean Baquet, the new executive editor of The New York Times, is a proud defender of old-school newsroom values. But, he says, he recognizes that both he and the Times need to adapt to the digital era.

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Mr. Numbers (Adam Goldberg) signs to Mr. Wrench, played by Russell Harvard, in the sixth episode of the TV show Fargo.

Arts

In 'Fargo,' A Deaf Actor Gets His Chance To Be Wicked

4:48pm June 03, 2014

by Becky Sullivan

An actor since childhood, Russell Harvard always wanted to play the bad guy. In the TV show Fargo, he plays a menacing hit man whose partner interprets for him — sometimes.

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Max Beckmann's biblical and political triptych Departure (right) hangs on the same wall as Adolf Ziegler's Four Elements triptych, which Hitler owned. Both pieces are part of the Neue Galerie's "Degenerate Art" exhibit.

Fresh Air Weekend: Chris O'Dowd, The Nazi War On Modern Art And Cannes

2:26pm June 02, 2014

The actor plays Lenny in a revival of the theatrical adaptation of Of Mice and Men; a New York exhibit reunites works from two Nazi art shows; critic John Powers discusses the festival's winners.

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Joaquin Phoenix's Her character, Theodore, has a job writing intimate — and sometimes erotic — cards and letters on behalf of other people.

Phoenix To Self: 'Why Am I Talking About This? ... Joaquin, Shut Up'

3:30pm May 30, 2014

The elusive actor tells Fresh Air about his new film, Her -- but he insists he's not really that interesting. "If I was driving and I heard this, I'd change the channel," he says.

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Mark Harris' previous book is Pictures At A Revolution: Five Movies And The Birth Of The New Hollywood. He is also a columnist for Entertainment Weekly and Grantland.

During World War II, Even Filmmakers Reported For Duty

2:03pm May 26, 2014

A new book looks at how the military and Hollywood directors teamed up during the war. The films they made helped show Americans what was at stake, and served as evidence during the Nuremberg Trials.

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Science

'TED Radio Hour': What We Fear And How To Fight It

2:09pm May 24, 2014

TED Radio Hour host Guy Raz examines what makes us afraid. He spoke to retired astronaut Chris Hadfield about the scariest day of his life: being shot into space.

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In Louie, Louis C.K. plays a comic who finds comedy in uncomfortable, touchy topics.

Fresh Air Weekend: Louis C.K., Miles Davis And A Military Dog

11:14am May 24, 2014

The comic's show, Louie, is now in its fourth season; Davis' performances at New York's Fillmore East are now out in full; and a Marine dog adjusts to civilian life.

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For Actor Michael C. Hall, 'Cold In July' Is A Departure (Of Sorts)

1:48pm May 23, 2014

In Cold in July, Michael C. Hall plays an ordinary guy whose life changes after an act of violence.

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Fresh Air Weekend: Glenn Greenwald, 'Godzilla' And Todd Barry

12:44pm May 17, 2014

Greenwald says he "erred on the side of excess caution" when writing about Edward Snowden's NSA leaks; David Edelstein reviews the latest Godzilla; and Barry tries a new stand-up strategy.

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