Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist

On this week's episode, Willie sat down with the hilarious Melissa McCarthy. They took a ride around Central Park, talked about how she landed her dream role as Ursula in the new, highly anticipated, live-action version of "The Little Mermaid", and much, much more. (Original broadcast date May 28, 2023.)

On this week's episode, Willie sits down with the utterly delightful Henry Winkler. They talk about his new memoir including fifty years of life as "The Fonz", that Emmy-winning role in "Barry", and finally finding himself, he says, just a few years ago.

On this week's episode, Willie sits down with John Stamos. They speak about his much-discussed new memoir, those early years as a "Soap Opera Hunk", and the shocking loss of his "Full House" co-star and best friend, Bob Saget.

On this week's episode, Willie sits down with 8-time Grammy winner, Chris Stapleton. They got together in Nashville to talk about his latest album, that stunning Super Bowl rendition of "The National Anthem", and he also gave a guided tour of the place where he makes his music.

Kate Hudson is part of an all-star cast in the highly-anticipated new Netflix film, "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery". Even before it has begun streaming, the movie has been nominated for two Golden Globe awards. Kate Hudson and Willie Geist got together in New York for a Sunday Sitdown. (Original broadcast date Deccember 18, 2022.)

On this week's episode, Willie sits down with one of the most influential artists in music, Jack Antonoff. They talk about the new album from his band, "Bleachers", and his long collaboration writing and producing with Taylor Swift.

On this week's episode, Willie sat down with superstar, Darius Rucker. They talked about his latest album that honors his late mother, and a career that was launched with "Hootie & The Blowfish" and one of the best-selling albums in the history of music.

On this week's episode, Willie sits down with the busiest man in show business, Ryan Seacrest. They talk about the hustle that has taken him from "High School Radio DJ" to media titan, and his new gig as host of "Wheel of Fortune".

On this week's episode, Willie sits down with one of the brightest young stars in music, Kane Brown. They talk about his extraordinary rise from singing viral cover songs on social media to filling stadiums across the country and across the world.

On this week's episode, Willie sits down with music sensation, Olivia Rodrigo, as she releases the follow-up album to a debut that earned three Grammys with hits like "Good for You" and "Deja Vu" and made her an international superstar.

Lately, when you hear the name Idris Elba, it often comes in the context of speculation about whether he'll be the next James Bond. The actor says it's not happening, and at the moment he's busy playing John Luther, a British crime-solving hero with a slightly harder edge than Bond's. The 50-year-old Elba worked as a young man at the same Ford manufacturing plant where his father worked before moving to America to chase an acting dream that now has far exceeded anything he ever imagined. In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Willie and Idris got together in New York. (Original broadcast date March 12, 2023.)

In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Willie got together with Actress Michelle Williams in Brooklyn. They discuss her latest acclaimed film, the emotional moment when Steven Spielberg saw her playing the role of his own mother in The Fabelmans, and why her experience on Dawson's Creek has guided her career. (Original broadcast date April 2, 2023.)

Since the release of Elvis, Austin Butler has stepped into the celebrity spotlight, winning a Golden Globe, hosting Saturday Night Live, and rolling-out a list of upcoming roles. Willie and Austin got together in New York for a "Sunday Sitdown," to talk about the ride. (Original broadcast date February 19, 2023.)

Brendan Fraser was on a role in the 1990s and early 2000s, starring in The Mummy, George of the Jungle, Crash and many other films. He says it was a break-neck pace. Since then, he took on smaller roles and retreated from Hollywood. But now he is back with a critically-acclaimed performance in The Whale. In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Willie and Brendan got together for a fireside chat. (Original broadcast date February 26, 2023.)

Michelle Yeoh has swept through awards season, winning the Golden Globe, the Screen Actors Guild Award and just about every other trophy they give out for her performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once, the one-of-a-kind movie that is nominated for 11 Academy Awards. The 60-year-old actress now getting her due, after a long career that has included memorable roles in movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha and Crazy Rich Asians. In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Michelle and Willie got together in New York. (Original broadcast date March 5, 2023.)

On this week's episode, Willie sits down with one of the greatest athletes of all time, Stephen Curry. He is out with a new documentary called "Underrated" that charts his rise from skinny college kid to basketball legend who has revolutionized the game.

On this week's episode, Willie sits down with Matt Damon. They talk about his role in the stunning new Christopher Nolan movie, "Oppenheimer", his A-list Hollywood career, and how it all started when he and his buddy Ben Affleck wrote and starred in "Good Will Hunting".

Long before she became a global star, Salma Hayek was a young actress making her name on television, in her home country of Mexico. She announced her arrival in America with a run of memorable roles in movies like Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, and Fools Rush In. Despite the success of those films, Hayek began to feel locked-in to a certain type of Latina character. So she carved her own path and established herself as a force in Hollywood. Willie and Hayek got together in New York for a Sunday Sitdown. (Original broadcast date February 5, 2023.)

The 1998 film Shakespeare in Love won Gwyneth Paltrow an Academy Award for Best Actress and made her one of Hollywood's most sought-after stars. But fame began to take its toll. In 2008, she sent out the first Goop newsletter, a collection of recommendations for food, clothes and places to visit. Since then, Goop has grown in to a successful, wide-ranging lifestyle brand. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist gets together with the actress turned entrepreneur on New York's Long Island. (Original broadcast date July 24, 2022.)

On this week's episode, Willie sat down with Irish singer-songwriter, Niall Horan. You might know him from his start with One Direction, but he's now continuing his solo success with his second album called, "The Show".

On this week's episode, Willie sits down with one of the biggest stars on the planet: Scarlett Johansson. They discuss stepping into the world of Wes Anderson in the new film, "Asteroid City", the secret behind the success of her new beauty line, "The Outset", and much more.

John Legend's famous voice first began to draw a crowd when he sang in his church choir in Springfield, Ohio. After graduating with honors from the Ivy League's University of Pennsylvania, Legend kept a steady day-job while pursuing his dream in music. His debut 2004 album Get Lifted won three Grammy awards, including one for Best New Artist. Since then, he has won nine more Grammys, adding two Emmys, a Tony and an Oscar. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist and Legend got together in New York to talk about his latest album and much more. (Original broadcast date September 25, 2022)

On this week's episode, Willie sits down with one of the brightest young stars in Hollywood, Sydney Sweeney. They talk about her breakout roles on "Euphoria" and "The White Lotus", and her new movie role getting rave reviews from critics.

On this week's episode, Willie sat down with the hilarious Melissa McCarthy. They took a ride around Central Park, talked about how she landed her dream role as Ursula in the new, highly anticipated, live-action version of "The Little Mermaid", and much, much more.

This week, Willie gets together with Oscar Isaac to talk about his prolific career that has ranged from "Inside LLewyn Davis", to "Star Wars", and now his acclaimed new play on Broadway, "The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window”, nominated for a Tony Award.

On this week's episode, Willie sits down with Academy Award winner, Jessica Chastain. They talk about her Oscar win last year, her Tony-nominated performance in the new Broadway revival of "A Doll's House", her latest television series, and so much more.

On this week's episode, Willie sits downs with one of the most successful forces in Hollywood: Shonda Rhimes. Discussing everything from her first hit Grey's Anatomy to her most recent project, the Bridgerton spinoff, Queen Charlotte.

Stanley Tucci has been one of Hollywood’s most prolific and versatile actors since he started out in the industry over 30 years ago. In this week’s Sunday Sitdown, Willie gets together with the star to talk about his roles from The Devil Wears Prada to The Hunger Games to his latest series Citadel, and his hit culinary travel show Searching for Italy.

Reba McEntire arrived in Nashville nearly five decades ago, when she was just a young rodeo queen with a knockout voice. Since then, the Queen of Country has sold more than 60 million albums, racked up 24 No. 1 songs and even become a television star. In this week’s Sunday Sitdown, Willie gets together with the icon to talk about her lifetime of entertainment and the trail she has blazed through the music industry.

The 1988 cult-favorite film Dead Ringers left quite an impression on actress Rachel Weisz when she was a teenager – so much so that she is now starring in an updated, and no less riveting, version of the psychological thriller. In this week’s Sunday Sitdown, Willie gets together with the Academy Award winner to talk about playing identical twins in the new television series, the moment she won her Oscar, and the possibility of working on-screen with her husband, Daniel Craig.

With the airing of its 15th season in 2021, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia became the longest-running live-action sitcom in the history of American television. In this week’s Sunday Sitdown, Willie gets together with the show’s star and co-creator, Charlie Day, to talk about dreaming up that series with his best friends, his successful movie career, and his first turn at directing in the new film, Fool’s Paradise.

In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Willie got together with Actress Michelle Williams in Brooklyn. They discuss her latest acclaimed film, the emotional moment when Steven Spielberg saw her playing the role of his own mother in The Fabelmans, and why her experience on Dawson's Creek has guided her career.

In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie gets together with Tony and Emmy-winner Nathan Lane to discuss the enduring impact of The Birdcage and his latest Broadway show at Studio 54.

If it feels like you haven't seen as much of Jessica Alba on screen in the last decade or so, that's because she's been busy growing a business. For more than a decade, "The Honest Company" she founded has been a pioneer for clean products for babies, beauty and the home. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist gets together with the actor and entrepreneur to discuss how she found her confidence in Hollywood and the business world. (Original broadcast date: July 10, 2022)

Lately, when you hear the name Idris Elba, it often comes in the context of speculation about whether he'll be the next James Bond. The actor says it's not happening, and at the moment he's busy playing John Luther, a British crime-solving hero with a slightly harder edge than Bond's. The 50-year-old Elba worked as a young man at the same Ford manufacturing plant where his father worked before moving to America to chase an acting dream that now has far exceeded anything he ever imagined. In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Willie and Idris got together in New York.

Michelle Yeoh has swept through awards season, winning the Golden Globe, the Screen Actors Guild Award and just about every other trophy they give out for her performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once, the one-of-a-kind movie that is nominated for 11 Academy Awards. The 60-year-old actress now getting her due, after a long career that has included memorable roles in movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha and Crazy Rich Asians. In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Michelle and Willie got together in New York.

Brendan Fraser was on a role in the 1990s and early 2000s, starring in The Mummy, George of the Jungle, Crash and many other films. He says it was a break-neck pace. Since then, he took on smaller roles and retreated from Hollywood. But now he is back with a critically-acclaimed performance in The Whale. In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Willie and Brendan got together for a fireside chat.

Since the release of Elvis, Austin Butler has stepped into the celebrity spotlight, winning a Golden Globe, hosting Saturday Night Live, and rolling-out a list of upcoming roles. Willie and Austin got together in New York for a "Sunday Sitdown," to talk about the ride.

Since we first saw Paul Rudd in Clueless nearly 30 years ago, he has been one of those actors you're just always happy to see on the screen. Rudd has starred in a long list of hit comedies, earned praise for his dramatic roles and of course, now also is known as a superhero. In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Willie Geist and Paul Rudd got together at the White Horse Tavern in New York.

Long before she became a global star, Salma Hayek was a young actress making her name on television, in her home country of Mexico. She announced her arrival in America with a run of memorable roles in movies like Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, and Fools Rush In. Despite the success of those films, Hayek began to feel locked-in to a certain type of Latina character. So she carved her own path and established herself as a force in Hollywood. Willie and Hayek got together in New York for a Sunday Sitdown.

In the movie Blonde, Ana De Armas is in every scene playing the lead role of Marilyn Monroe. Director Andrew Dominik has been developing the fictionalized movie, based on a novel, for more than a decade. He cast De Armas as the lead seven years ago when he saw the actress in her first-ever English language film. In the time since, she caught the attention of wider audiences and critics especially with her performance in the popular 2019 movie Knives Out. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown" Willie Geist gets together with De Armas just before the premiere of her latest film to talk about what it took to play Monroe and the path that got her here. (Original broadcast date: September 18, 2022)

In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Willie met up with Grammy, Oscar and Emmy-winning musician and actor Common. They discussed his Broadway debut in a Pulitzer Prize winning play and his path to that stage through a life of hip-hop and activism.

In its first month of streaming in the fall of 2020, Emily in Paris captured the attention of millions of viewers and made actress Lily Collins a bona fide star around the world. But Collins' latest role in the intense, claustrophobic film Windfall is a world away from Paris. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks to Collins about that movie, as well as the global success of Emily in Paris and what it was like growing up the daughter of legendary musician Phil Collins. (Original broadcast date: March 27, 2022)

Alexandra Daddario's career has taken her from soap operas, to blockbusters, to dramatic performances that have made her one of Hollywood's brightest young stars. Her latest role comes in a series based on the supernatural novels of the legendary Anne Rice. Daddario and Willie Geist got together in her native New York for a Sunday Sitdown.

Idina Menzel became an international star with the animated movie Frozen. But Menzel already was a star in her own right, known for her performances in Rent and Wicked, with the latter earning her a Tony award. That unmistakable voice and a determination to succeed have taken Menzel from the wedding circuit on her native Long Island, to sold-out arenas across the country. Idina and Willie Geist got together for a Sunday Sitdown at one of the spots in New York where it all started for her.

Kate Hudson is part of an all-star cast in the highly-anticipated new Netflix film Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Even before it has begun streaming, the movie has been nominated for two Golden Globe awards. Hudson and Willie Geist got together in New York for a Sunday Sitdown.

In 1998, an aspiring stand-up comedian named Sebastian Maniscalco left his hometown of Chicago for Los Angeles. He took a job as a waiter at the Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills, hoping he'd rub elbows with comedy big-shots while pouring their coffee. Today, he is one of the biggest shots in comedy, himself. In Maniscalco's latest special, he takes his act to Las Vegas. Sebastian and Willie Geist got together in New York at one of the comedy clubs where he made his name.

Maren Morris first began to find her now-famous voice as a child, singing at her parents' hair salon in Arlington, Texas. She made her name playing bars across the state before moving to Nashville, where she wrote songs for artists like Tim McGraw and Kelly Clarkson. In 2016, though, Morris recorded one of those songs herself, a love letter to country music called My Church, that became a top-10 hit, won a Grammy, and launched her career. Since then, she has become one of the biggest stars in country music and beyond. In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Maren and Willie Geist got together at a Texas barbecue spot in New York.

After founding Mumford & Sons nearly 15 years ago, Marcus Mumford has stepped out on his own with a deeply personal new solo album. Willie Geist got together with Marcus in New York for a "Sunday Sitdown."

Before he became a larger-than-life hero of the Marvel cinematic universe, Chris Hemsworth was a young Australian soap opera star. When not wielding the hammer of Thor, the 39-year-old has starred in movies like The Huntsman, the Formula 1 driving film "Rush," and, in a memorable turn to comedy, "Ghostbusters." Now, the father of three who lives with his family far from Hollywood in Australia, is playing himself in a heart-stopping new series called "Limitless." Chris and Willie Geist got together in New York for a Sunday Sitdown.

Daniel Radcliffe was 11 years old when he answered a call to audition for a movie based on the wildly successful Harry Potter books. By the next year, he was the most famous 12-year-old on earth. That first movie made a billion dollars at the box office, setting off a worldwide craze that led to seven more films with Radcliffe starring as Harry. He came out the other side of that 10-year run intact, at just 22 years old, and with the freedom, earned from the success of Harry Potter, to take on only the projects that strike him, like his latest, playing Weird Al Yankovic. Willie Geist got together with the actor in New York City as Radcliffe prepares for his next role, starring in a Stephen Sondheim musical.

In 1995, Emma Thompson took on the challenge of adapting Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility into a successful movie. She was rewarded with an Academy Award for her writing as well as a Best Actress nomination for her performance in that film, capping a run of five Oscar nominations and two wins in just four years. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the British star to talk about cementing her place as one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors and her latest, most revealing role yet in the buzzed about film Good Luck to You, Leo Grande.

Comedian Hasan Minhaj got his big break when he became a correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart at the helm. Since then he's had an award-winning series along with stand-up specials on Netflix. Minhaj and Willie Geist got together in New York for a "Sunday Sitdown."

Eddie Redmayne always knew he wanted a life on stage so he began acting lessons at age 10. By his early 20s, London theater had recognized him as an Outstanding Newcomer to the West End. Soon he made his way to Broadway and Hollywood. Now, the 40-year-old Redmayne is starring in the chilling Netflix crime drama "The Good Nurse " with Jessica Chastain, based on a little known, horrific, true story. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist got together with the actor in New York.

Jack Harlow has known his life's purpose since he was a 12-year-old sixth grader rhyming into a microphone from the video game Guitar Hero: He was going to be rapper. His first solo mixtape was a hot-seller in the halls of his Kentucky middle school. Now, the 24-year-old Grammy-nominated star is selling-out venues across the country and around the world. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist gets together with the rapper in between his two Boston shows, where fans were packed shoulder-to-shoulder singing along to every word.

Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell and Elton John count among Brandi Carlile's heroes. With eight acclaimed albums and six Grammys under her belt, the singer-songwriter can now count them among her fans. On this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist gets together with Brandi Carlile to talk about her path from rural Washington to selling out Madison Square Garden and to the IMAX stage for her latest album In The Canyon Haze.

Mila Kunis landed her first regular acting gig at 14-years old by fibbing a bit about her age. She would go on to star for eight seasons in That 70s Show across from her future husband, Ashton Kutcher. Since then, the versatile actress has played roles ranging from Meg Griffin on Family Guy to a ballerina with a dark side in Black Swan, for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination. Now, she leads the intense new Netflix movie Luckiest Girl Alive based on the bestselling book. Willie Geist and Kunis got together in New York for a Sunday Sitdown.

John Legend's famous voice first began to draw a crowd when he sang in his church choir in Springfield, Ohio. After graduating with honors from the Ivy League's University of Pennsylvania, Legend kept a steady day-job while pursuing his dream in music. His debut 2004 album Get Lifted won three Grammy awards, including one for Best New Artist. Since then, he has won nine more Grammys, adding two Emmys, a Tony and an Oscar. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist and Legend got together in New York to talk about his latest album and much more.

In the movie Blonde, Ana De Armas is in every scene playing the lead role of Marilyn Monroe. Director Andrew Dominik has been developing the fictionalized movie, based on a novel, for more than a decade. He cast De Armas as the lead seven years ago when he saw the actress in her first-ever English language film. In the time since, she caught the attention of wider audiences and critics especially with her performance in the popular 2019 movie Knives Out. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown" Willie Geist gets together with De Armas just before the premiere of her latest film to talk about what it took to play Monroe and the path that got her here.

In the decade since signing with a modeling agency at 17 years old, Gigi Hadid has become one of the most famous faces on the planet. Memorable ad campaigns, countless magazine covers and runways around the world have made Gigi a global icon. Now she is realizing a dream of becoming a designer herself with the launch of her new clothing line Guest in residence. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist sits down with Gigi to talk about her latest venture and how she hopes it will disrupt fashion.

In 2017, Girls Trip the movie brought in a staggering $140 million at the box office. It was a star-making moment for Regina Hall, two decades in the making. She has played memorable roles in The Best Man, Scary Movie, Think Like A Man, and last year's Nine Perfect Strangers. Now she is starring in an acclaimed new movie Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul. in the same year she co-hosted those unforgettable Academy Awards. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist sits down with the actress to talk about her latest role and the path that got her here.

In this week’s Sunday Sitdown, Willie Geist gets together with the Ed Sheeran to talk about his latest album, Equals, his new daughter, and his path from busking on the streets of London to the highest-grossing tour in the history of music. (Original broadcast date January 2, 2022)

Jane Krakowski has been working steadily on television, in the movies and on Broadway since she was a teenager, breaking out with a Golden Globe nominated performance on the series Ally McBeal. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the actress to talk about a career that has taken her from that memorable role to 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and a Tony Award on Broadway. (Original broadcast date: August 15, 2021)

Already a Tony-nominated triple-threat on Broadway and a member of the original cast of Hamilton, Ariana DeBose shot to Hollywood stardom with an electrifying performance as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. In this week’s Sunday Sitdown, Willie Geist gets together with the actress to talk about that role that won her a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. (Original broadcast date: February 27, 2022)

Machine Gun Kelly started his music career as a rapper, but it was his punk album Tickets to My Downfall that launched the hard-edged musician to superstardom. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the artist to talk about that move to punk after four successful hip-hop albums and his discomfort with the spotlight at the top of the music world. (Original broadcast date: October 10, 2021)

In 1978, Kevin Bacon got cast in Animal House. And in the ensuing decades, he starred in iconic films including A Few Good Men, Apollo 13, Mystic River and, of course, Footloose. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist gets together with the actor to talk about why he chose to stay in New York, how he incorporates the Six Degrees of himself in to his family life and why he decided to take on his latest role in the horror film They/Them.

The 1998 film Shakespeare in Love won Gwyneth Paltrow an Academy Award for Best Actress and made her one of Hollywood's most sought-after stars. But fame began to take its toll. In 2008, she sent out the first Goop newsletter, a collection of recommendations for food, clothes and places to visit. Since then Goop has grown in to a successful, wide-ranging lifestyle brand. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist gets together with the actress turned entrepreneur on New York's Long Island.

If it feels like you haven't seen as much of Jessica Alba on screen in the last decade or so, that's because she's been busy growing a business. For 10 years now, "The Honest Company" she founded has been a pioneer for clean products for babies, beauty and the home. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist gets together with the actor and entrepreneur to discuss how she found her confidence in Hollywood and the business world.

In the 29 years since Jurassic Park debuted, Jeff Goldblum has taken on many roles, leaving his mark as a beloved character actor. In this week's "Sunday Sitdown," Willie Geist gets together with the multi-talented star to talk about returning the role of Dr. Ian Malcolm in this summer's blockbuster Jurassic World: Dominion, as well the jazz ensemble he leads on the side.

The 1996 movie Swingers set Jon Favreau on a path to becoming one of the most successful and sought-after filmmakers in Hollywood. His directing resume now includes massive hits like Elf, Iron Man, The Jungle Book and the 2019 version of The Lion King, which made more than $1.6 billion at the box office while introducing groundbreaking visual effects. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the actor and director to talk about putting all of that experience behind his latest project, the docuseries Prehistoric Planet.

In 1995, Emma Thompson took on the challenge of adapting Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility into a successful movie. She was rewarded with an Academy Award for her writing as well as a Best Actress nomination for her performance in that film, capping a run of five Oscar nominations and two wins in just four years. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the British star to talk about cementing her place as one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors and her latest, most revealing role yet in the buzzed about film Good Luck to You, Leo Grande.

In the three decades since leaving the law for writing, John Grisham has become one of the most widely read authors in human history. He has sold an astounding 350 million books, including 47 consecutive #1 bestsellers printed in 50 different languages. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Grisham to talk about his leap from small town Southern lawyer to star novelist and his latest work, the novella Sparring Partners.

In 2008, Lin-Manuel Miranda read Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton while on vacation and began envisioning something no one else could have seen – a hip-hop musical about America’s Founding Fathers. In this week’s Sunday Sitdown, Willie Geist gets together with the Tony, Emmy and Pulitzer-winning star to talk about creating the Broadway phenomenon Hamilton and his latest act as a film director. (Original broadcast date: November 21, 2021)

Ray Liotta may be best known for his breakout performance as real-life gangster Henry Hill in the iconic movie Goodfellas, a role that had the former soap opera star sharing famous scenes with Joe Pesci, Robert De Niro and Lorraine Bracco. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist re-visits a favorite conversation with the actor, who died this week at the age of 67. In one of Liotta's last interviews, they talk about that indelible movie and a career that took him from Field of Dreams to the Sopranos prequel film, The Many Saints of Newark. (Original broadcast date: September 26, 2021)

For seven seasons, Jon Hamm played the hard-drinking, womanizing, 1960’s-era advertising executive Don Draper on the hit series Mad Men, a role that earned him two Golden Globe awards and an Emmy. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the actor to talk about the legacy of that show and his steady mix of comedy and drama since then, all leading up to his childhood fantasy of starring in the highly anticipated new Top Gun sequel alongside Tom Cruise.

Mike Meyers is among the comedy greats who have walked the halls of Saturday Night Live, with his popular “Wayne’s World” sketch becoming an even more popular movie. After leaving SNL he introduced the world to the archenemies Austin Powers and Dr. Evil, and went on to voice a big green ogre named Shrek in a multi-billion dollar franchise. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the actor to talk about returning to the spotlight after nearly a decade away with his new Netflix series, The Pentaverate.

Academy Award winner Sam Rockwell is getting rave reviews for his return to Broadway in the revival of American Buffalo, where he takes on a famed role played over the years by stars like Al Pacino and Robert Duvall. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Rockwell to talk about the Tony Award buzz around his performance, as well as his prolific career of roles ranging from George W. Bush in Vice to Bob Fosse in the hit series Fosse/Verdon.

Janelle Monae has been nominated for eight Grammy Awards over the years without ever chasing the pop charts. Instead, she has created her own genre-defying artistic universe, with mentors and musical collaborators like Prince and Stevie Wonder guiding her along the way. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the music star turned author to talk about her latest project – writing a collection of science fiction short stories.

Sienna Miller spent the early years of her career in the flashing bulbs and shouted questions of media outlets fascinated by her relationships and her style. But standout performances in movies like Factory Girl, Foxcatcher and American Woman have forced a change of subject. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the star to talk about her new Netflix series, Anatomy of a Scandal, which has her tapping into those trying years in the spotlight.

You may know Jane Lynch from the Christopher Guest mockumentaries like Best in Show, or as the unforgettable Sue Sylvester on the hit show Glee, or more recently in an Emmy-winning performance on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the actress to talk about her latest role making people smile in the highly-anticipated Broadway revival of Funny Girl.

In the three decades since scoring a platinum debut album as rapper Marky Mark, Mark Wahlberg has grown into a versatile superstar in Hollywood with a range that spans classic dramas like Boogie Nights, the comedy hits Ted and Daddy’s Home, and the blockbuster Transformers movies. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the actor to talk about his latest role in the film Father Stu, the extraordinary true story of a boxer turned Catholic priest.

The multi-talented musician H.E.R. has worked to avoid becoming a package for pop cultural consumption, with her name and signature sunglasses meant to make the audience focus on the music and not on her. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the artist to talk about her meteoric rise from child prodigy to the heights of the music world, including winning a Grammy, an Oscar and performing at the Super Bowl. (Original broadcast date: July 11, 2021)

In its first month of streaming in the fall of 2020, Emily in Paris captured the attention of 58 million viewers and made actress Lily Collins a bona fide star around the world. But the 33-year-old’s latest role in the intense, claustrophobic film Windfall is a world away from Paris. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks to Collins about that new movie, as well as the global success of Emily in Paris and what it was like growing up the daughter of legendary musician Phil Collins.

It’s been 8 years since Seth Meyers took the Late Night baton from his friend Jimmy Fallon, carrying on a legendary legacy started by David Letterman in 1982. Before taking over behind that desk, Meyers spent over a decade at Saturday Night Live, first as a cast member, then as Head Writer and host of “Weekend Update.” In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the television host and comedian to talk about applying those writing skills to a new children’s book inspired by his three kids.

A comedian by trade, and a young writer at Saturday Night Live in the years of Chris Farley, Adam Sandler and Chris Rock, Bob Odenkirk made a dramatic career turn in 2009 when he landed a role on the hit series Breaking Bad and later earned his own spinoff show, Better Caul Saul. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist talks to Odenkirk about a new memoir that documents that journey from SNL to dramatic actor all the way to action star.

In 1994, Courteney Cox landed the role that would change her life and make her a star around the world – playing Monica Geller on the hit show Friends. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the actress to talk about what it was like living inside the bubble of the Friends phenomenon and her impressive career since then, including a successful run of Scream movies, the acclaimed show Cougar Town, and her latest horror comedy series, Shining Vale.

Already a Tony-nominated triple-threat on Broadway and a member of the original cast of Hamilton, Ariana DeBose has recently shot to Hollywood stardom with an electrifying performance as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. In this week’s Sunday Sitdown, Willie Geist gets together with the actress to talk about that role which has already earned her a Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actress and an Academy Award nomination.

Before he was an actor, Tony Shalhoub grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin as the ninth of ten kids. His father was a Lebanese immigrant who came to the United States in 1920. Now, Shalhoub is a four-time Emmy winner, a Golden Globe winner, and a Tony winner. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Shalhoub to talk about the fourth season of the beloved hit series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and his 30-year career starring in series like Wings and Monk.

Long before acting ever crossed his mind, Liam Neeson was an altar boy and a promising young boxer growing up in Northern Ireland. But once he found the stage, he put down the gloves and eventually became one of Hollywood’s favorite actors. In this week’s Sunday Sitdown, Willie Geist gets together with Neeson to talk about his prolific career of roles ranging from Schindler’s List to Taken to the fan-favorite Love Actually, plus his latest performance in the new action film Blacklight.

Jamie Dornan was born in a place called Holywood, a small town in Northern Ireland just outside of Belfast. After bumping along for years as an actor in the other Hollywood, Dornan shot to international fame with his starring role in the billion-dollar Fifty Shades of Grey movies. In this week’s Sunday Sitdown, Willie Geist gets together with the star at an Irish pub to talk about his latest performance in the acclaimed film Belfast, a role that hits much closer to home.

Mahershala Ali has established himself as one of Hollywood’s best and most respected actors, winning two Academy Awards for his work in Moonlight and Green Book and just last month earning a Golden Globe nomination for the movie Swan Song. In this week’s Sunday Sitdown, Willie Geist gets together with the actor to talk about his moving performance in that new film and his journey from Oakland, California to the top of the A-list.

Since starring together in The Three Amigos in 1986, Steve Martin and Martin Short have worked together on the blockbuster Father of the Bride movies, toured the country making relentless jokes at each other’s expense, and now they’re starring in a hilarious series about three neighbors working together to solve a murder in their New York City apartment building. In this week’s “Sunday Sitdown” Willie Geist gets together with the two comedy legends to talk about that series Only Murders in the Building and their 35 years of friendship. (Original broadcast date: September 12, 2021)

Ed Sheeran is nominated for a fifth career Grammy Award this year for his latest hit “Bad Habits,” which introduced a sound that had his fans asking if it was really Ed Sheeran. In this week’s Sunday Sitdown, Willie Geist gets together with the pop superstar to talk about that new sound on his latest album, Equals, his new daughter who influenced the music, and his path from busking on the streets of London to the highest-grossing tour in the history of music.

Willie looks back on his memorable interviews of the year. Kate Hudson was just 21 years old when she won a Golden Globe for her role in Almost Famous. In the two decades since, she has starred in a run of romantic comedies, launched a successful athleisure brand and raised three children ranging in age from toddler to teenager. In this “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Hudson for a conversation about her life and career, and what quarantine was like with those three kids.

Willie looks back on his memorable interviews of the year. Growing up, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson bounced around the country as the son of barnstorming professional wrestler Rocky Johnson. He eventually got into the family business and became the biggest star in wrestling, before transitioning to Hollywood where he is now the highest-paid actor in the business. In this “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Johnson to talk about that career move, the latest calls for him to run for president and his successful new tequila brand, Teremana.

Willie looks back on his memorable interviews of the year. Since starring together in The Three Amigos in 1986, Steve Martin and Martin Short have worked together on the blockbuster Father of the Bride movies, toured the country making relentless jokes at each other’s expense, and most recently they’re starring in a hilarious series about three neighbors working together to solve a murder in their New York City apartment building. In this “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the two comedy legends to talk about that series Only Murders in the Building and their 35 years of friendship.

Willie looks back on his memorable interviews of the year. Machine Gun Kelly started his music career as a rapper, but it was his latest #1 punk album Tickets to My Downfall that launched the hard-edged musician to superstardom. In this “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with the artist to talk about that move to punk after four successful hip-hop albums and his discomfort with the spotlight at the top of the music world.

Willie looks back on his memorable interviews of the year. In the 39 years since audiences fell in love with Sean Penn as Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, the two-time Academy Award winner has become one of the best and most respected actors in Hollywood. In this “Sunday Sitdown,” Willie Geist gets together with Penn to talk about his impressive career, including his movie Flag Day and his humanitarian work off-screen with his foundation, CORE.