Beloved playwright Annie Baker won the Pulitzer for Drama in 2014 for her play, The Flick. A decade later, she’s releasing her directorial debut, Janet Planet, through A24.

We begin by talking about her striking first feature (7:55): the Western Massachusetts origins of the project (11:00), the mother-daughter love story at its center (13:24), how Thomas Mann’s “The Magic Mountain” shaped Baker’s understanding of time (22:55), and why she’s routinely sidestepped the slippery-slope of “confessional” autobiography in her own work (30:30).

On the back-half, we discuss Annie’s early jobs in New York before she turned to the page and the classroom (40:00), the issues of class that continue to plague contemporary theater (45:00), a formative Rainer Maria Rilke poem as read by Sam (55:50), and whether she believes art “matters” in 2024 (1:00:18)

Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at sf@talkeasypod.com.

Beloved playwright <a href="https://talkeasypod.com/annie-baker/">Annie Baker</a> won the Pulitzer for Drama in 2014 for her play, The Flick. A decade later, she’s releasing her directorial debut, Janet Planet, through A24.
We begin by talking about her striking first feature (7:55): the Western Massachusetts origins of the project (11:00), the mother-daughter love story at its center (13:24), how Thomas Mann’s “The Magic Mountain” shaped Baker’s understanding of time (22:55), and why she’s routinely sidestepped the slippery-slope of “confessional” autobiography in her own work (30:30).
On the back-half, we discuss Annie’s early jobs in New York before she turned to the page and the classroom (40:00), the issues of class that continue to plague contemporary theater (45:00), a formative Rainer Maria Rilke poem as read by Sam (55:50), and whether she believes art “matters” in 2024 (1:00:18)
Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at <a href="mailto:sf@talkeasypod.com">sf@talkeasypod.com</a>.

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso is a weekly series of intimate conversations with artists, activists, and politicians. Where people sound like people. Hosted by Sam Fragoso. New episodes every Sunday.

Where people sound like people, since 2016.

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso

How Playwright Annie Baker Made the Movie of the Summer

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/cb03ea49-0c65-4b90-a674-b198004d3672/transcript

This Father's Day, we're revisiting our special talk with actor Ethan Hawke.

After a phone call with Dad Fragoso (2:00), we dive into the episode. At the top, Hawke unpacks his docuseries The Last Movie Stars (9:24), describing his introduction to Paul Newman through Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (12:13). Then, he reflects on his personal history: growing up with his mother on the east coast (16:43), his on-screen debut at fifteen in Explorers with River Phoenix (20:04), the enduring legacy of Robin Williams (25:57), and how Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy transformed his career (33:01).

On the back-half, we revisit a memorable scene from Before Midnight (42:28), how capturing Chet Baker in Born to Be Blue helped Hawke process loss (52:31), what he learned about longevity from director Paul Schrader (55:29) and how that definition evolved in making The Last Movie Stars (58:32). To close– we discuss the importance of family (1:02:12), Hawke’s hopes for his third act (1:04:24), and why he continues to honor The Actor’s Vow by Elia Kazan (1:07:38).

Drop us a line at sf@talkeasypod.com. 

This Father's Day, we're revisiting our special talk with actor Ethan Hawke.
After a phone call with Dad Fragoso (2:00), we dive into the episode. At the top, Hawke unpacks his docuseries The Last Movie Stars (9:24), describing his introduction to Paul Newman through Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (12:13). Then, he reflects on his personal history: growing up with his mother on the east coast (16:43), his on-screen debut at fifteen in Explorers with River Phoenix (20:04), the enduring legacy of Robin Williams (25:57), and how Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy transformed his career (33:01).
On the back-half, we revisit a memorable scene from Before Midnight (42:28), how capturing Chet Baker in Born to Be Blue helped Hawke process loss (52:31), what he learned about longevity from director Paul Schrader (55:29) and how that definition evolved in making The Last Movie Stars (58:32). To close– we discuss the importance of family (1:02:12), Hawke’s hopes for his third act (1:04:24), and why he continues to honor The Actor’s Vow by Elia Kazan (1:07:38).
Drop us a line at <a href="mailto:sf@talkeasypod.com">sf@talkeasypod.com</a>.

A Father’s Day Special (with Ethan Hawke)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/75ed147a-29e3-47f1-b594-b19100122788/transcript

Director Richard Linklater has made a career out of telling personal stories with universal appeal. Dazed and Confused,Waking Life, the Before trilogy, Boyhood. No matter the genre or form, Linklater's human touch remains. 

He joins us this week around the release of his latest film, Hit Man(7:36), an action-packed neo-noir (9:15) that also explores the malleability of identity (12:00). Then, Linklater reflects on his athletic career in college (18:20), the health scare that ushered in a period of creative exploration (19:48), and the renegade spirit that drove his first two feature films, It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books and Slacker (29:12).

On the back-half, Linklater describes a formative Sundance memory with director Robert Altman (36:00), his first experience at the helm of a major motion picture(39:48), and the lived serendipity that inspired his Before films (54:22). To close: a Hollywood state of the union (1:02:54), why Richard continues to create art from the fabric of his life (1:10:00), and whether Sam should return to directing himself (1:19:36).

You can watch Sam’s directorial work here, including his short film Sebastian.

Drop us a line at sf@talkeasypod.com. 

Director Richard Linklater has made a career out of telling personal stories with universal appeal. Dazed and Confused, Waking Life, the Before trilogy, Boyhood. No matter the genre or form, Linklater's human touch remains. 
He joins us this week around the release of his latest film, <a href="https://www.netflix.com/watch/81728840?source=35" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.netflix.com/watch/81728840?source%3D35&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1718004328456000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0ZuQbqbEbJSi1pmWu4wuSu">Hit Man</a> (7:36), an action-packed neo-noir (9:15) that also explores the malleability of identity (12:00). Then, Linklater reflects on his athletic career in college (18:20), the health scare that ushered in a period of creative exploration (19:48), and the renegade spirit that drove his first two feature films, It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books and Slacker (29:12).
On the back-half, Linklater describes a formative Sundance memory with director Robert Altman (36:00), his first experience at the helm of a major motion picture (39:48), and the lived serendipity that inspired his Before films (54:22). To close: a Hollywood state of the union (1:02:54), why Richard continues to create art from the fabric of his life (1:10:00), and whether Sam should return to directing himself (1:19:36).
You can watch Sam’s directorial work <a href="https://samfragoso.com/work/directing">here</a>, including his short film <a href="https://vimeo.com/298927991?share=copy">Sebastian</a>.
Drop us a line at <a href="mailto:sf@talkeasypod.com">sf@talkeasypod.com</a>.

Director Richard Linklater’s Moments in Time

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0b0d3614-4b46-425e-b7a3-b18a003c3f59/transcript

On the heels of her breakout role in Stranger Things, Maya Hawke has gone her own way as an artist— both as an actor and singer-songwriter. That’s especially true on her striking new record, Chaos Angel.

We begin our conversation by diving into this third record of hers (5:37), the ‘emotional pendulum’ that guided her creative process (9:15), and how director Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia inspired the first track (16:12). Then, Maya discusses a piece by novelist Flannery O’Connor (21:20) that shaped her portrayal of the Southern Gothic writer in the new film, Wildcat (25:28), directed by her father (Ethan Hawke). 

On the back-half, we sit with Hawke’s childhood growing up in a household of actors (41:55), a passage from her father reflecting on Before Midnight (45:10), the connective tissue between her latest projects (55:10), and how she’s recently found a place of peace in the aftermath of her new album, Chaos Angel (59:36).

For questions, comments, or to join our mailing list, reach me at sf@talkeasypod.com.

On the heels of her breakout role in Stranger Things, Maya Hawke has gone her own way as an artist— both as an actor and singer-songwriter. That’s especially true on her striking new record, <a href="https://mayahawke.lnk.to/ChaosAngel">Chaos Angel</a>.
We begin our conversation by diving into this third record of hers (5:37), the ‘emotional pendulum’ that guided her creative process (9:15), and how director Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia inspired the first track (16:12). Then, Maya discusses a piece by novelist Flannery O’Connor (21:20) that shaped her portrayal of the Southern Gothic writer in the new film, Wildcat (25:28), directed by her father (Ethan Hawke). 
On the back-half, we sit with Hawke’s childhood growing up in a household of actors (41:55), a passage from her father reflecting on Before Midnight (45:10), the connective tissue between her latest projects (55:10), and how she’s recently found a place of peace in the aftermath of her new album, Chaos Angel (59:36).
For questions, comments, or to join our mailing list, reach me at sf@talkeasypod.com.

Maya Hawke (‘Stranger Things’) Writes through Chaos

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/40b4f808-895f-4ff6-9917-b183006e6b44/transcript

How Playwright Annie Baker Made the Movie of the Summer

In 1 playlist(s)

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips