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Wonder where Hollywood's strikes are headed? Movies might offer a clue

Sally Field plays a cotton mill worker in the 1979 drama Norma Rae. Moviestore Collection Ltd./Alamy hide caption

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Moviestore Collection Ltd./Alamy

Wonder where Hollywood's strikes are headed? Movies might offer a clue

Hollywood has churned out films that depict labor organizers as communists, and labor bosses as gangsters. So it should come as no surprise that real-life negotiations with the studios are so tricky.

Wonder where Hollywood's strikes are headed? Movies might offer a clue

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Here are the movies we can't wait to watch this fall

Clockwise from top left: Invisible Beauty, Foe, All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 and Nyad. Magnolia Pictures; Amazon Studios; A24; Murray Close/Lionsgate; Focus Features; Liz Parkinson/Netflix hide caption

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Magnolia Pictures; Amazon Studios; A24; Murray Close/Lionsgate; Focus Features; Liz Parkinson/Netflix

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Movie Reviews

Here are the movies we can't wait to watch this fall

With no end in sight for the Hollywood strikes, we check in on the new releases for the fall. Our critics share their recommendations for more than 25 films coming out between now and Thanksgiving.

Drew Barrymore's Hollywood labor scuffle isn't the first for her family

Drew Barrymore, left, faced backlash after she announced her talk show would return to air without her writers who are currently on strike against major studios. She later backtracked. Journalist Michael Schulman says Barrymore's great aunt, Ethel Barrymore, right, undermined union efforts in 1929. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust; Hulton Archive/Getty Images hide caption

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Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust; Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Drew Barrymore's Hollywood labor scuffle isn't the first for her family

The talk show host reversed course after intense backlash over the announced return of her show. Barrymore's great aunt, actor Ethel Barrymore, also undermined union efforts in the 1920s.

Author Interviews

Hollywood relies on China to stay afloat. What does that mean for movies?

Fresh Air

Red Carpet author Erich Schwartzel says that film studios increasingly need Chinese audiences to break even — which can result in self-censorship. Originally broadcast Feb. 21, 2022.

Hollywood relies on China to stay afloat. What does that mean for movies?

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Gael García Bernal crushes it (and others) as 'Cassandro,' lucha libre's queer pioneer

Gael García Bernal and El Hijo del Santo in Cassandro. Alejandro Lopez Pineda/Amazon Content Services LLC hide caption

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Alejandro Lopez Pineda/Amazon Content Services LLC

Review

Movie Reviews

Gael García Bernal crushes it (and others) as 'Cassandro,' lucha libre's queer pioneer

Fresh Air

Bernal flirts and struts and gives one of the best performances of his career in a film inspired by the life of Mexican American professional wrestling star Saúl Armendáriz.

Gael García Bernal crushes it (and others) as 'Cassandro,' lucha libre's queer pioneer

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Now's your chance to solve a crossword puzzle with Natasha Lyonne

Natasha Lyonne, pictured here in November 2022, is one of several actors who's auctioning off unique experiences to support TV and movie crews impacted by the ongoing writers' strike Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Vox Media hide caption

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Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Vox Media

Culture

Now's your chance to solve a crossword puzzle with Natasha Lyonne

Want Adam Scott to walk your dog? What about dinner with Bob Odenkirk? Some of Hollywood's most beloved names are auctioning off unique experiences to help support the writers' strike

Rock and roll's pioneer is a queer, Southern Black man

Left: Lisa Cortés, Photographer: Paul Morejon. Right: Little Richard, Source: Magnolia Pictures. Paul Morejon/Magnolia Pictures hide caption

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Paul Morejon/Magnolia Pictures

It's Been a Minute

Rock and roll's pioneer is a queer, Southern Black man

When you think of rockstar royalty, a queer, Southern Black man normally doesn't come to mind. But director Lisa Cortés wants us all to reconsider that thought. Her documentary, Little Richard: I Am Everything, takes viewers through the life and legacy of one of the most influential men in music - Little Richard.

Rock and roll's pioneer is a queer, Southern Black man

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From 'Freaks and Geeks' to 'Barbie,' this casting director decides who gets on-screen

James Franco, Jason Segel, Linda Cardellini and Seth Rogen in Freaks and Geeks, left, and Issa Rae in Barbie. Getty Images / Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

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Getty Images / Warner Bros. Pictures

Movie Interviews

From 'Freaks and Geeks' to 'Barbie,' this casting director decides who gets on-screen

Fresh Air

Allison Jones is known for casting actors who look like real people — and who are naturally funny. One of her hardest conversations? Telling Bob Odenkirk he didn't get Michael Scott in The Office.

From 'Freaks and Geeks' to 'Barbie,' this casting director decides who gets on-screen

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Matthew McConaughey's book 'Just Because' is judgment-free

Matthew McConaughey hopes his new book, Just Because, will spark thoughtful conversations among families and connect people of all generations. Penguin Random House hide caption

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Penguin Random House

Author Interviews

Matthew McConaughey's book 'Just Because' is judgment-free

NPR's A Martinez speaks with actor Matthew McConaughey about his new children's book, Just Because, which offers life lessons in couplets.

Matthew McConaughey's book 'Just Because' is judgment-free

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'Star Wars' Red Leader X-wing model heads a cargo bay's worth of props at auction

This 1:24 scale miniature was used to film pivotal scenes from the first Star Wars film. It's now at the center of a auction of items collected over decades by Greg Jein, a master model-builder for film and TV. Heritage Auctions hide caption

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Heritage Auctions

Pop Culture

'Star Wars' Red Leader X-wing model heads a cargo bay's worth of props at auction

More than 550 items from the late Greg Jein are heading to auction, from Nichelle Nichols' iconic knee-high boots and red tunic as Lt. Uhura to a hairpiece for William Shatner's Captain Kirk.

He's a singer, a cop and the inspiration for a Netflix film about albinism in Africa

John Chiti is a Zambian musician and police commissioner. He also has albinism, a pigmentation condition that has shaped his life. His story inspired the film "Can You See Us?" — now streaming on Netflix. Jason Milikita/Sightsavers hide caption

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Jason Milikita/Sightsavers

Goats and Soda

He's a singer, a cop and the inspiration for a Netflix film about albinism in Africa

"Can You See Us?" is the story of a boy growing up with albinism in Zambia. His father spurns him, his peers attack him. It's based on the life of John Chiti, who spoke to NPR about his experiences.

He's a singer, a cop and the inspiration for a Netflix film about albinism in Africa

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'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3' heads for the homeland

Nia Vardalos stars as Toula and John Corbett stars as Ian in My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3. Focus Features hide caption

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Focus Features

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3' heads for the homeland

The family comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding was a very big hit back in 2002. So it was inevitable that the movie spawned a couple of sequels – thus, we now have My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3. Writer and director Nia Vardalos is back as Toula, John Corbett is back as her husband, and this time, they're headed to Greece for a family reunion.

'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3' heads for the homeland

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'Barbie' music producer Mark Ronson opens up about the film's 'bespoke' sound

Barbie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, is the top grossing movie of 2023, generating more than $1.3 billion at the international box office so far. Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

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Warner Bros. Pictures

Music Interviews

'Barbie' music producer Mark Ronson opens up about the film's 'bespoke' sound

Fresh Air

Ronson spent a year creating Barbie's music, with the help of artists like Nicki Minaj, Sam Smith and Billie Eilish. "Everyone ran with it and did something different," he says.

'Barbie' music producer Mark Ronson opens up about the film's 'bespoke' sound

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Are we witnessing the death of movie stars?

Julia Roberts in the movie Erin Brockovich. Getty Images hide caption

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Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Are we witnessing the death of movie stars?

Movie stars are larger than life, and usually have some sort of mystique or mystery. And they defined the movies for generations, from Charlie Chaplin to Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts. But in an age of Disney and Marvel, the movie star seems to have been eclipsed by the franchises in which they appear. So are we witnessing the death of the movie star? Today we present an episode of NPR's Consider This podcast about the history of movie stars, and their place in Hollywood today.

Are we witnessing the death of movie stars?

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'You could be the hero': Fran Drescher tells NPR how the Hollywood strikes can end

SAG-AFTRA leader Fran Drescher has some choice words for Hollywood studio heads. Mandalit del Barco/NPR hide caption

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Mandalit del Barco/NPR

Business

'You could be the hero': Fran Drescher tells NPR how the Hollywood strikes can end

Fran Drescher, president of the actors' union SAG-AFTRA, says the Hollywood strikes are at an inflection point.

'You could be the hero': Fran Drescher tells NPR how the Hollywood strikes can end

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Franne Lee, who designed costumes for 'SNL' and 'Sweeney Todd,' dies at 81

Franne Lee at the New York Public Library's Hal Prince exhibition in 2019. Lee designed the costumes for Prince's Sweeney Todd and Candide. Doug Reside/New York Public Library hide caption

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Doug Reside/New York Public Library

Obituaries

Franne Lee, who designed costumes for 'SNL' and 'Sweeney Todd,' dies at 81

From SNL's Coneheads to Killer Bees, Broadway's Sweeney Todd and Candide, we remember Tony Award-winning costume designer Franne Lee who died on Aug. 27.

Franne Lee, who designed costumes for 'SNL' and 'Sweeney Todd,' dies at 81

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From snow globes to tutoring, strikes kick Hollywood side hustles into high gear

Actor Michelle Allaire owns the S&W Country Diner in Culver City. Mandalit del Barco/NPR hide caption

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Mandalit del Barco/NPR

From snow globes to tutoring, strikes kick Hollywood side hustles into high gear

One comedy writer opened a snow globe business on Etsy. A showrunner's assistant is offering bar and bat mitzvah tutoring. As the strikes wear on, here's how Hollywood workers are getting by.

From snow globes to tutoring, strikes kick Hollywood side hustles into high gear

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