Episode 14 - John and Joan Cusack - CONversations with Craig
Release Date: 02/02/2026
Episode 14 - John and Joan Cusack - CONversations with Craig
Matinee Heroes
eels like a family reunion where the relatives happen to be movie icons. From the jump, the room lands on the perfect vibe: not “you were in my childhood,” but “we grew up together,” like distant cousins swapping stories you already love hearing. John talks about playing Brian Wilson and how meaningful it was to feel like they did right by him. He also shares a great detail about working alongside Paul Dano: they did not compare notes, but both found their way in through the Smile Sessions box set. Joan shares an early set memory: she starts as an extra, gets upgraded to a line,...
info_outline
The Sound of Music
Matinee Heroes
THE SOUND OF MUSIC Maria is a spirited, tomboyish young woman training at an Austrian abbey, and she’s sent out to work as governess for the seven children of a widowed naval captain. In the captain’s strict, quiet household, she shakes things up with warmth, playfulness, and music, gradually bringing the family back to life and forging an unexpected bond with their guarded father. Craig and Elisabeth wrap up F#@K Nazis month by talking about what’s happening in America right now, living with 8 kids, taking principled stands and the movie “The Sound of Music” on this week’s Matinee...
info_outline
Sisu
Matinee Heroes
SISU During the last days of World War II, a solitary prospector crosses paths with Nazis on a scorched-earth retreat in northern Finland. When the soldiers decide to steal his gold, they quickly discover they just tangled with no ordinary miner. Craig, Elisabeth and Cary Gordon discuss revenge fantasies, adaptable anti-heroes, heavy metal cruises and the movie “Sisu” on this week’s Matinee Heroes! Show Notes 0:47 Craig, Elisabeth and guest Cary Gordon talk about heavy metal cruising. 7:01 Craig, Elisabeth and Cary discuss "Sisu". 28:05 Recasting 46:10 Double Feature ...
info_outline
Judgement at Nuremberg
Matinee Heroes
JUDGEMENT AT NUREMBERG Judge Dan Haywood presides over the trial of four German judges accused of collaborating with the Nazi regime by sentencing innocent men to death during World War II. As testimony unfolds, the visiting Americans and their wary German hosts are forced to confront what the war did to their countries, and the lasting moral damage it left behind. Craig, Elisabeth and guest Valerie Cameron talk about society’s role in atrocities, fighting fascism at home, the film sports nerd Venn diagram and the movie “Judgement at Nuremburg” on this week’s Matinee Heroes. Show Notes...
info_outline
Marathon Man
Matinee Heroes
MARATHON MAN A Columbia grad student and committed long-distance runner has no clue his older brother is a government agent hunting a Nazi war criminal, until that brother is murdered and he’s yanked into a vicious web of stolen gems and sadistic killers. Even his girlfriend starts to look like she might be hiding something, and in a hurry, everything he believed about his life gets turned inside out. Craig, Elisabeth and guest Adam Marcus talk about paranoia thrillers, never under estimate an old Nazi, nut butter and the movie “Marathon Man” on this week’s Matinee Heroes! Show Notes ...
info_outline
Episode 13 - Christopher Eccleston - CONversations with Craig
Matinee Heroes
Recorded live in Utah after a two year wait, this CONversation with Craig drops you straight into a packed room with Christopher Eccleston and an audience ready to sprint into Doctor Who territory at full speed. Craig kicks things off by digging into Christopher’s take on Fagin in Dodger, including how you approach an iconic role that comes with real baggage. From there it turns into a smart, funny, occasionally sharp Q&A about stepping back into the Ninth Doctor with Big Finish, what it was like recording in isolation during COVID, and why the Doctor’s loneliness is not a side note,...
info_outline
Captain America: The First Avenger
Matinee Heroes
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER It’s 1941, and the world is deep in the chaos of war. A determined young man wants to enlist and serve his country, but he’s turned away again and again because of his slight build. Then a top-secret experiment gives him the chance he’s been fighting for, transforming him into the super-soldier known as Captain America. With a trusted friend at his side and a fearless agent in the field, he takes the battle to the Nazi-backed HYDRA organization. Craig, Elisabeth and guest Rob Ervin kick off F#@K Nazis month talking about what makes a hero, the early...
info_outline
Night Shift
Matinee Heroes
NIGHT SHIFT Chuck has quit his stressful stockbroker life and now works the night shift at a New York City morgue because he wants something easy and quiet. His new co-worker, Bill, is a nonstop hustler who spots an “opportunity” when Chuck’s neighbor Belinda needs a safe place to see clients. Bill convinces Chuck to turn the morgue into an after-hours brothel, and the two of them start running the operation as her pimps. Craig, Elisabeth and guest Mark Woodring from the Visually Stunning Movie Podcast talk about Only Fans, 2025’s Movies, more egg nog and the movie “Night Shift” on...
info_outline
Uncle Buck
Matinee Heroes
UNCLE BUCK When Cindy and her husband, Bob, have to leave town for a family emergency, there is only one person available to watch their three kids: Bob’s lazy, carefree brother, Buck. He hits it off right away with the two younger children, but if he wants to be a responsible caregiver, he’ll have to overhaul his bachelor routine to handle the household’s most challenging assignment: his angst-filled teenage niece Tia… who is not impressed. Craig, Elisabeth and guest Jenn Rohm talk about favorite uncles, felony assault, film festivals and the movie “Uncle Buck” on this week’s...
info_outline
Tootsie
Matinee Heroes
TOOTSIE New York actor Michael Dorsey is a talented perfectionist who is so hard on himself and others that his agent can no longer find work for him. After a soap opera audition goes poorly, Michael reinvents himself as actress Dorothy Michaels and lands the role. What begins as a short-term gig becomes a long contract, and when Michael falls for his castmate Julie, the secret threatens to unravel everything. Craig, Elisabeth and guest Brendan Agnew talk about destroying trust, the one Avatar Fan, gender dynamics and the movie “Tootsie” on this week’s Matinee Heroes! Show Notes 1:14...
info_outlineeels like a family reunion where the relatives happen to be movie icons. From the jump, the room lands on the perfect vibe: not “you were in my childhood,” but “we grew up together,” like distant cousins swapping stories you already love hearing.
- John talks about playing Brian Wilson and how meaningful it was to feel like they did right by him. He also shares a great detail about working alongside Paul Dano: they did not compare notes, but both found their way in through the Smile Sessions box set.
- Joan shares an early set memory: she starts as an extra, gets upgraded to a line, and is told to go buy an outfit. She winds up in purple corduroy pants while processing that this is somehow her life now.
- John tells a story about someone on Twitter posting “cast Joan Cusack more,” and his reaction is basically “correct.” The moment turns into a mini rally, and honestly, the internet should do more of that.
"All I did was look for dignity. It was a constant search for dignity." - Joan Cusack
Want more exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes stories from the people who bring your favorite characters to life? Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your favorite podcasting platform for more behind-the-scenes stories and exclusive interviews.