Q: The Podcast From Cbc Radio

The actor, writer and comedian Jenny Slate (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Obvious Child) isn’t afraid to bare it all in projects that are vulnerable, frank and touching. In her whimsical new book of essays, “Lifeform,” Jenny writes about meeting her husband and having her first child during the pandemic. Jenny joins Tom Power to talk about the book and her thoughts on motherhood. Plus, she reads one of her essays for us.

William Stanford Davis is a veteran actor who waited 40 years until his dream of becoming a series regular finally became a reality. He’s the breakout star of the hit sitcom “Abbott Elementary,” on which he plays the school’s enigmatic janitor Mr. Johnson. William joins Tom Power to share how he landed the role at 70, what his story can tell us about persistence, and how he managed to keep the faith for decades while waiting for his big break.

Before her sudden death in 2023, Lisa Marie Presley was working on a memoir with the help of her eldest daughter, Riley Keough. After her passing, Riley took it upon herself to finish her mother’s project, relying on hours of audio tapes that Lisa Marie left behind. The result is the posthumous memoir “From Here to the Great Unknown,” which looks at what it was like to grow up in the whirlwind of celebrity around Elvis Presley and Graceland. Riley joins Tom Power to explain why she felt so strongly about finishing her mother’s story, plus, she reflects her own legacy as Elvis’ eldest granddaughter.

Elle Mills doesn’t want her life to be the product anymore. She was just a kid when she started posting zany videos about her life on YouTube, racking up millions of views in the process. But by 19, she was burnt out and tired of playing a character. By 24, she quit. Now, Elle has found a new love in directing. Her first short film, “Reply,” is up now on her YouTube channel (@ElleOfTheMills). She joins Tom Power to talk about the project, the real-life demands of virtual fame, and how to live a better life online.

When the Canadian chef Matty Matheson was growing up, first in Nova Scotia and later in Ontario, he liked going to punk shows, he didn’t do particularly well in school, and he didn’t think he was athletic or cool like his brothers. But once he moved to Toronto to study cooking, he discovered what he was great at. With no big plan or ambition, Matty became one of the best-known chefs and restaurateurs in the world. Not only are his restaurants packed every night, but his YouTube videos have hundreds of millions of views, he’s one of the executive producers of the Emmy-winning series “The Bear,” and he’s just released his third bestselling cookbook, “Soups, Salads, Sandwiches.” In a conversation with Tom Power recorded in front of a sold-out live audience, Matty shares his story and what he thinks you might be able to learn from it.

After rising to fame as the world’s highest-paid model in the early ‘80s, Isabella Rossellini broke away from convention with daring and experimental film roles in “Blue Velvet” and “Death Becomes Her.” In recent years, she’s continued to follow her instincts by opening up her own hobby farm and only choosing to pursue projects that challenge her, like her new film, “Conclave,” which lifts the curtain on the Vatican’s mysterious ceremony to elect a new pope. Isabella sits down with Tom Power to talk about the film, her early life growing up in Rome as the daughter of Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini, and how she got into the family business.

When Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” came out nearly 50 years ago, the Toronto cartoonist Paul Gilligan (Pooch Café) remembers cowering in the theatre and having recurring nightmares about the movie’s animatronic shark. He was only 10 at the time, but his fear left him with countless questions about what it means to be a man. Ahead of the film’s 50th anniversary, Paul has released a new graphic memoir, “Boy vs. Shark.” He joins Tom Power to talk about the book, what he hopes anxious kids might get out of it, and how “Jaws” transformed an entire generation’s definition of manliness.

A year ago this month, Matthew Perry suffered a fatal ketamine overdose following a lifelong struggle with addiction. The news became a big Hollywood story, but it was a deeply personal tragedy for Matthew’s family. Tonight, in the actor’s hometown of Ottawa, his family and friends will launch the Matthew Perry Foundation of Canada to support people recovering from addiction. Matthew’s stepfather, the Canadian journalist Keith Morrison (Dateline NBC), joins Tom Power to reflect on his stepson’s life and the work his family is now carrying out in Matthew’s name.

Ali Abbasi is no stranger to controversy. The Iranian-Danish filmmaker garnered a huge backlash from the Iranian government with his 2022 film, “Holy Spider,” and now his latest film, “The Apprentice,” is ruffling the feathers of Donald Trump. There’s no evidence that the former president has seen the film, but he’s already threatening to sue. Ali joins Tom Power to talk about “The Apprentice,” the reaction to the film from all sides of the spectrum, and the risk he took to explore one of the world’s most controversial living figures.

Earlier this year, the Canadian singer-songwriter Billianne premiered her new single “Daydream” live on “The Today Show.” She joins Tom Power to talk about the song, her big network debut, and what it was like to find out Taylor Swift is a fan.

Céline Dion is having a moment. It’s not her first, and millions of fans are hoping it won’t be her last. While Céline’s international stardom seems obvious now, it was all so unlikely.Now, as a rare illness threatens to retire Celine’s more-than-four-decade long career, in Céline: Understood culture writer Thomas Leblanc reveals the surprising cultural, political and business alchemy that created one of the most enduring superstars the planet has ever seen.Understood is an anthology podcast that takes you out of the daily news cycle and inside the events, people, and cultural moments you want to know more about. Over a handful of episodes, each season unfolds as a story, hosted by a well-connected reporter, and rooted in journalism you can trust. Driven by insight and fueled by curiosity…The stories of our time: Understood.More episodes of Understood are available at: https://lnk.to/CelineUnderstood

Kaniehtiio Horn (Letterkenny, Reservation Dogs, Alice, Darling) is making her feature-length directorial debut with her genre-bending horror film “Seeds.” She joins Tom Power in studio to talk about the challenge of not only being a first-time director, but writing and starring in her film, what she learned from the late visionary horror director Jeff Barnaby, and what makes the rez such a perfect setting for a horror movie.

Maev Beaty, the Dora-winning Canadian actor, is taking on the lead role in the Canadian Stage production of the hit Broadway one-person show “My Name is Lucy Barton.” The play is based on Elizabeth Strout’s bestselling Booker-nominated novel of the same name. Maev joins Tom Power in studio to talk about why she wanted to take on this 90-minute solo performance, the challenges of that as an actor, and why this play was having so much relevance for her right now in her private life.

Not many bands get a second chance. But Brooklyn’s Nada Surf are one of the lucky few. They hit it big with the mind 90s smash ‘Popular’, but only a couple of years later found themselves dropped by their record label. They grabbed their second chance and evolved into one of the great indie-pop bands of the last 3 decades. Lead singer/songwriter Matthew Caws drops by the studio to chat about second chances and their 10th album ‘Moon Mirror.’

Torquil Campbell and Amy Milan of Stars drop by the studio to discuss the 20th anniversary of their landmark album ‘Set Yourself on Fire’ and how it launched their career and soundtracked weddings and breakups.

Sean Baker’s Palme d'Or-winning film “Anora” is generating major Oscar buzz this year and its star, Mikey Madison (Scream, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood), is already the talk of the town. The story follows a sex worker from Brooklyn who meets and marries the son of a Russian oligarch. But their fairytale romance is threatened after news of their shotgun wedding reaches his parents in Russia. Mikey sits down with Tom to talk about her deep research and preparation for the role, why she feels protective of her character, and how the film has changed her life.

In 2014, after a long battle with mental illness, Andy Jones's son Louis died by suicide at age 28. Now, the Newfoundland comedian has created a one-man play about his son and his life navigating the health-care system. He joins Tom to talk about the play, titled “Don't Give Up On Me, Dad,” and why he wanted to shine a light on his son’s mental health struggles.

The new romantic drama “We Live in Time,” starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, is one of the most talked about films of the year. It’s about what it really takes to live a happy and fulfilled life. In this conversation from the Toronto International Film Festival, Florence tells Tom how “We Live in Time” made her rethink life’s big questions — like wanting children — and the surprising lessons she learned while working in a kitchen to prepare for the role.

Brothers Jae and Trey Richards are Canadian comedians who got their start making YouTube sketches about their lives. They even managed to catch Drake’s eye, which led to a few collaborations with the Toronto rapper. But when Jae and Trey were younger, before they found success, they had to spend a lot of time helping their dad as office movers at his company. That experience inspired the idea for their new Crave series, “The Office Movers.” Jae and Trey sit down with Tom to talk about the show, their early days as content creators, and how they only achieved massive success after they stopped trying to reach everyone.

Early in her career, Heather Graham (Drugstore Cowboy, Twin Peaks, Boogie Nights) was advised by a publicist not to discuss her estrangement from her parents. Now, she’s had the chance to open up about her family struggles with the release of a new romantic comedy that she wrote, directed and stars in. It’s called “Chosen Family” and it’s about recognizing the people who hold you up in life while setting boundaries with those who don’t. Heather joins Tom to talk about the film and the vulnerability required to make it.