Fresh Air

Ben Stiller talks about his new Apple TV+ documentary about his actor/comedian parents Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, they were famous as the comedy duo, Stiller and Meara. Ben talks about growing up in a showbiz family, where there was no separation between work and personal lives. Chilean-born actor Pedro Pascal has faced countless on-screen challenges, including cosmic battles and cartel kingpins. He spoke with Tonya Mosley about getting fired from restaurant jobs, his dance training, and his parents' exile from Chile. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

The WWE superstar considered pursuing a career in mixed martial arts before realizing, "I don't like getting punched in the face." Johnson plays MMA fighter Mark Kerr in Benny Safdie's ‘The Smashing Machine.’ He spoke with Terry Gross about his many injuries, his relationship with his late father, and his wrestling personas. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Hiller spent years scraping by in Hollywood by taking on various small roles and commercials. Then he landed the role of Joel on HBO's ‘Somebody Somewhere’ and everything changed. His memoir is ‘Actress of a Certain Age.’ Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Kind is the announcer and host sidekick on the Netflix show ‘Everybody's Live with John Mulaney.’ "I don't know what the hell I'm doing. You must understand — it's anarchy," he says of the show. He spoke with Terry Gross about having ego but no confidence, working with Sondheim, and working in his father's jewelry store as a teen. Jazz historian Kevin Whitehead has as remembrance of musicians we lost this year. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

After surviving the Taliban's 2012 attempted assassination, activist Malala Yousafzai didn't back down. She continued to advocate for girls' education across the globe. In 2014, Yousafzai became the youngest person to win a Nobel Prize, an honor that weighed on her when she went off to college. In ‘Finding My Way,’ she writes about her life at Oxford and beyond. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about reliving childhood, PTSD, and her decision to get married. Also, critic at large John Powers highlights some things he wish he had reviewed this year. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

For the first seven years of her life, Cristela Alonzo lived in an abandoned diner in a South Texas border town. She spoke with Terry Gross about ICE raids, being mentored by labor activist Dolores Huerta, and the culture shock of having money after growing up so poor. Her recent Netflix stand-up special is called ‘Upper Classy.’ Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Singer, songwriter and guitarist Billy Strings has one foot in traditional bluegrass and another in improvisational jam music. He has a new album, ‘Live at the Legion,’ and he brought his guitar to our studio. He spoke with Sam Briger about healing himself through songwriting. Also, Icelandic jazz-pop star Laufey spoke with Terry Gross about her classical training in cello, breaking out online during COVID, and her first arena tour. Her recent album is ‘A Matter of Time.’ Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Early this year, Fonda made headlines for delivering a fiery critique of the Trump administration during a SAG-AFTRA award acceptance speech. "This is not the time to go inward," Fonda says. She spoke with Tonya Mosley about her career onscreen and off, as an activist. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Bruce Springsteen's groundbreaking album, ‘Born to Run,’ came out 50 years ago this year, marking a turning point for rock and roll — and for "The Boss." Before he made that record, Springsteen's label, Columbia, was on the verge of dropping him because his first two albums, though critically acclaimed, had sold poorly. Biographer Peter Ames Carlin describes the creation of ‘Born to Run’ as an "existential moment" for Springsteen. His book is ‘Tonight in Jungleland.’ Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Albom's 2025 novel, ‘Twice,’ asks a question most of us have daydreamed about: what if you could go back and relive any moment of your life? In the book, a man is born with that exact power, but every second chance comes with a cost. Albom talks with Tonya Mosley about his new book, and the lasting influence of Morrie Schwartz, his old college professor who died in 1995 of ALS. Nearly 30 years ago, Albom chronicled their weekly visits in his bestselling book ‘Tuesdays With Morrie.’ Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Arnett stars in Bradley Cooper’s new film, ‘Is This Thing On?’ as a man who turns to the New York comedy scene as he grapples with his divorce. The ‘SmartLess’ podcast co-host talked with Terry Gross about voicework, how ‘Arrested Development’ changed his life, and being a troublemaker in school. Also, critic David Bianculli shares his picks for best TV of 2025. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Director Craig Brewer has made a career of telling stories about dreamers and misfits chasing something bigger than themselves, from ‘Hustle & Flow’ to ‘Dolemite Is My Name.’ Now he's back with ‘Song Sung Blue,’ a film based on the true story of a Milwaukee couple who became local legends performing as a Neil Diamond tribute band. He spoke with Tonya Mosley. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

To celebrate the holidays, we’re looking back at four archive Fresh Air interviews discussing popular Christmas songs: First, jazz singer Mel Torme tells Terry Gross about co-writing “The Christmas Song” on a hot summer day, in an interview from 1977. Then we hear from songwriters Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane in 1989 about making “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and then Martin drops in again in 2006 to discuss the song’s long impact. Finally, musician Jon Batiste sits at the piano with Terry in 2024 to play some other favorite holiday tunes live. Listen to an episode of NPR's All Songs Considered podcast on the origin and impact of “The Christmas Song.” Listen to 40+ years of Fresh Air's archives at FreshAirArchive.org. To access bonus episodes, sponsor-free listening and to support public radio, become a Fresh Air+ supporter at plus.npr.org/freshair. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Lucy Liu joins Tonya Mosley to talk about her new film ‘Rosemead,’ where she stars as a terminally ill woman grappling with her teenage son’s escalating mental health crisis and the impossible choices she faces to protect him. It’s based on a true story. Also, writer Zadie Smith talks with Terry Gross about her new collection of essays, ‘Dead and Alive.’ She reflects on aging and generational discourse. Film critic Justin Chang shares his list of the best films of the year. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Writer Nick Harkaway grew up hearing his dad read drafts of his George Smiley novels. He picks up le Carré's beloved spymaster character in the novel ‘Karla's Choice,’ now out in paperback. He spoke with Sam Briger about choosing his own pen name, channeling his dad's writing style, and his stint writing copy for a lingerie catalogue. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

The child of Chinese immigrants, Liu grew up in Queens where she spoke Mandarin at home and didn't learn English until she was 5. She returns to the language in her new film, ‘Rosemead.’ It’s about a terminally ill mother grappling with her teenage son’s escalating mental health crisis and the impossible choices she faces to help him. Liu spoke with Tonya Mosley about rejection, representation, and the first time she heard her name in OutKast’s hit “Hey Ya.” Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

'Vanity Fair' writer Chris Whipple interviewed Trump's Chief of Staff Susie Wiles 11 times, getting her view on cabinet members, Trump's revenge tour, Venezuela policy, and why she says Trump has an "alcoholic's personality." Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

The great filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were killed in their home Sunday. Their son Nick has been arrested on suspicion of murder. It’s a shocking and tragic end to a life that brought joy to so many. Reiner’s contributions to American film include canonical movies such as ‘The Princess Bride,’ ‘Stand By Me,’ ‘When Harry Met Sally’ and ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ He spoke with Terry Gross this past September about his reunion with the ‘Spinal Tap’ guys, growing up among comedy legends, and collaborating with his son Nick on a film inspired by Nick’s struggle with addiction. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Zadie Smith returns to talk with Terry Gross about her new collection of essays, 'Dead and Alive.' She reflects on the "nonsense" of generational discourse, being raised by TV, and her obsession with time. Also, Martin Johnson has an appreciation of drummer and composer Jack deJohnette, who died in October. Follow Fresh Air on instagram @nprfreshair, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for gems from the Fresh Air archive, staff recommendations, and a peek behind the scenes. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Michael Shannon understands he’s associated with some intense, menacing characters he’s played, like Agent Nelson Van Alden in ‘Boardwalk Empire.’ “I’m a big fella, and I got this giant head, and it’s not too difficult for me to seem intimidating I suppose, but it couldn’t be further from what I’m actually like,” he tells Dave Davies. In two new projects, though, Shannon plays good guys. He’s President James Garfield in the new series ‘Death by Lightning’ and he’s a prosecutor trying Nazi leaders for war crimes in the new film ‘Nuremberg.’ Also, we hear from Rhea Seehorn, star of Apple TV’s ‘Pluribus.’ The series has a sci-fi premise, but the themes of the show are more existential. Like, what is happiness? What is the importance of individuality? She spoke with Terry Gross. Maureen Corrigan shares her list of the best books of the year. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy