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Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s collaboration has lasted decades, spawning projects including 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,' 'The Lego Movie,' and their latest, the sci-fi dramedy 'Project Hail Mary.' The friendship that led to their creative partnership started in college, and their treat is the film that cemented that bond: an edgy 1971 Hal Ashby flick that brought new meaning to the term “May-December romance.”

Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg are the most influential directors of their generation with iconic films including The Godfather, Star Wars: A New Hope, and Jaws. Their catalog runs deep.     Author Paul Fischer’s new book The Last Kings of Hollywood: Coppola, Lucas, Spielberg—and the Battle for the Soul of American Cinema tells the story of how the directors became giants in filmmaking. In the book, Fischer describes each man’s brilliance and shortcomings, presenting a human story behind their abundant talent and prolific output. Fischer tells Elvis the story behind how Apocalypse Now came to Coppola, how a nearly fatal accident set Lucas on a path toward becoming a filmmaker, and how the idea of family informed each director’s approach to filmmaking.  

Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino are behind shows whose dialogue shares rhythms of both borscht belt humor and pop music. Those series include the beloved 'Gilmore Girls,' 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,' and their most recent, the ballet dramedy 'Étoile.' For their treat, the Palladinos shout out an LA record store and a classic comedy sketch they return to again and again.

Actor David Oyelowo doesn’t shy away from taking on complex, groundbreaking characters, but the timing has to be right. He portrayed Martin Luther King, Jr. in 'Selma,' the first Black U.S. marshal in the series 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves,' and took on the role of Othello almost a decade ago on stage. His latest role is in the film 'Newborn,' which is about a man struggling to reconnect with his family after years in solitary confinement. Oyelowo talks about what drew him to the project, the lack of general awareness around the impact of solitary confinement, and what made him finally say yes to playing Othello years ago.

Style writer Guy Trebay has spent decades documenting the trends of culture, art and fashion for The New York Times. His 2024 memoir, Do Something: Coming of Age Amid the Glitter and Doom of ‘70s New York, tells of his early years in a troubled family and how he found refuge in the gritty beauty of New York City. For his treat, he explains why walking in a city (including LA) is his happiest place.  

The title of writer-director BenDavid Grabinski’s comedy caper Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is a mouthful, but it’s no accident. The film stars Vince Vaughn, James Marsden, and Eiza González as a trio trying to survive the most dangerous night of their lives. Grabinski says he wanted aspects of his movie to harken back to films such as 1976’s Mikey and Nicky and the 1969 comedy Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. Grabinski tells Elvis how these films inspired him, his unusual music choices for Mike & Nick, and why he’s dying for the Coen brothers to direct a horror movie.

 In his decades as a film critic for the LA Times, Kenneth Turan’s reviews demonstrated his vast knowledge of cinema while never shying away from strong opinions. Turan’s latest book, 'Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg: The Whole Equation', details a partnership that was instrumental in creating the modern film industry. For his treat, Turan cites a 20th century writer and critic whose genuine curiosity shone through in his work.  

Director Joseph Kosinski has helmed two of the biggest blockbusters of the past five years — 2022’s 'Top Gun: Maverick' and last summer’s racing movie 'F1.' The latter stars Brad Pitt as a driver who comes out of retirement to team up with a younger driver (played by Damson Idris). At this year’s Academy Awards, 'F1' took home the Oscar for Best Sound Design. Kosinski talks to Elvis about how his musical background finds its way into his films, how every member of a Formula One team is essential to the driver’s success, and how he wants to make the audience feel like they’re along for the ride.    This episode originally aired July 4, 2025.  

There’s a good chance that Maria Bamford is your favorite comedian’s favorite comedian. Her one-of-a-kind comedy has lent itself to sold out tours, the tv series Lady Dynamite, and a best-selling memoir Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult. For her treat, she celebrates a book that espouses attaining corporate success while doing good by your employees.  

Directing duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller got their start in animated tv as co-creators of the series 'Clone High.' Their partnership continued on the big screen with 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,' 'The Lego Movie,' and '21 Jump Street.' Their latest is the adaptation of the Andy Weir sci-fi novel 'Project Hail Mary,' starring Ryan Gosling. Lord and Miller talk about why this movie was the hardest project they've taken on, what the film has in common with 'The Lego Movie,' and why sometimes the most subversive thing they do in a project is have people get along.

In the HBO series 'Industry,' actor Ken Leung plays a deeply flawed boss at a high powered London investment bank. For his Treat, he celebrates A.A. Milne’s 1928 book The House at Pooh Corner. He says its moving final chapter speaks to the importance of not knowing what comes next but embracing the uncertainty with others.

Actress Erika Alexander became a household name when she starred as Maxine Shaw in the groundbreaking '90s sitcom 'Living Single.' After the show’s run ended, she continued to work in TV and film with roles in 'Get Out' and the 2023 Oscar-winning film 'American Fiction.' Now, she’s starring in the new NBC sitcom 'The Rise and Fall of Reggie Dinkins' with co-stars Tracy Morgan, Daniel Radcliffe, and Bobby Moynihan. Alexander talks to Elvis about keeping up with the sitcom's fast paced comedy, her hilarious chemistry with Radcliffe and Morgan, and what it was like growing up in the Southwest.  

Filmmaker Matt Wolf’s recent HBO documentary 'Pee-wee as Himself' is a deep look at the late Paul Reubens, the man behind the character Pee-wee Herman. For his treat, Wolf celebrates the book 'Edie' by Jean Stein about the late 1960s icon Edie Sedgwick, who became the face of artist Andy Warhol’s Factory studio.  

Guillermo del Toro won his first Oscar for directing the 2017 film 'The Shape of Water.' His latest film, 'Frankenstein,' received nine total Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. Elvis chatted with Del Toro for an extended interview taped live at KCRW’s Annenberg Performance Studio. Del Toro discusses how experiences from his childhood have made their way into his films from 'Cronos' to 'Pan’s Labyrinth' and why he sees challenges in filmmaking as opportunities. Plus, Del Toro explains why we’re talking about film in the wrong way.

Actress Wunmi Mosaku’s performances are often quiet and contemplative. Her role as the spiritual healer Annie in Sinners landed her a first-ever Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. For her treat, Wunmi reflects on the Alua Arthur book Briefly, Perfectly, Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End. She says the book about death has helped her not sweat the small stuff in life.   Do you love listening to The Treatment? We want to hear from you! Please take a moment to share your feedback in this survey so we can make your listening experience better. Thank you!