Q: The Podcast From Cbc Radio

Pam Grier (Coffy, Foxy Brown) is Hollywood’s original female action hero and the undisputed queen of 1970s Blaxploitation movies. This month, the Toronto Black Film Festival is presenting her with a career achievement award in honour of the five decades she’s spent representing Black women on screen. Pam sits down with Tom to talk about her incredible legacy, how she got cast in her very first film, and how running into Quentin Tarantino in traffic led to her comeback in “Jackie Brown.”

Alexandra Billings (Transparent, Never Have I Ever) is a groundbreaking trans actor who’s had some incredible firsts in her career, including playing one of the first openly trans characters on TV in 2005’s “Romy and Michele: In The Beginning.” Now, she stars in the new queer-led Canadian indie film “Queen Tut.” Alexandra joins guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about the emotional reaction she had to reading the script and how her own experience as a trans woman informed her performance.

Marlon Wayans (In Living Color, Scary Movie, White Chicks) has been acting, writing, producing and directing comedy for more than 30 years. With his movies grossing more than $1 billion at the global box office, he’s achieved massive success, but he’s never been one to simply rest on his laurels. Marlon is currently taking his stand-up routine on tour, showing audiences who he really is. He tells Tom where his comedic instincts come from, what it’s like to come from a legendary comedy family, and how he reconciles his box office success with negative reviews.

Last fall, the Calgary-based Inuvialuk artist Kablusiak was recognized with the $100,000 Sobey Art Award, one of the highest honours in the Canadian art world. Now, their work is on display at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa until March 3. Kablusiak talks to Tom about their big win, the power of satire in visual art, and why having their work in the National Gallery makes them feel like a spy.

Brittany Howard’s new album “What Now” is her second solo release since a hiatus with her band Alabama Shakes. Now more than ever, she’s exploring the potential of her famous raspy voice by pairing it with surprisingly poppy songs about love and heartbreak. Brittany sits down with Tom to talk about the record and finding the courage to step into new musical territory.Plus, the boys from Mumford and Sons are back with their first new song since 2019, titled “Good People.” What you might find surprising about the track is that it features and was produced by Pharrell. Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane from the band chat with Tom about the single and what it’s been like moving ahead with the band as a trio.

Adam Beach has been in more than 60 films and TV shows, from Canada’s “North of 60” to the cult classic movie “Smoke Signals,” to Clint Eastwood’s “Flags Of Our Fathers.” Adam tells Tom about how he began acting in Manitoba, how he looks back on his leading role as Victor in “Smoke Signals,” and why he’s drawn to his complicated character in the new film “Exile.”

Shea Couleé is known by many as the winner of “RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars” Season 5. But in the years since their win, Shea has gone on to do some other pretty incredible things, like recording their debut studio album and being cast in the upcoming Marvel series “Ironheart.” Now, they’re set to embark on a tour called “The Love Ball,” which features original music and choreographed performances. Shea talks to Tom about some of their latest projects, what fans can expect from their tour, and their journey from small-town Illinois to selling out shows around the world.

Chromeo’s Dave 1 and P-Thugg started out as high school best friends making weird music in Montreal basements 20 years ago. They never could have guessed that their interest in electro-funk and ‘80s synths would take them to festival stages playing for thousands — and earning a Grammy nod along the way. Chromeo drops by to chat with Tom about their new album, “Adult Contemporary,” which poses the question: how do you stay funky in your 40s?

Diane Flacks is an Emmy-nominated comedy writer who’s worked on shows like “Workin' Moms” and “Baroness Von Sketch Show.” Her latest project — a one-woman play called “Guilt (A Love Story)” — is a reflection on her divorce and the grief, fear and overwhelming guilt that followed. Diane joins Tom to tell us about the play and what’s funny about going through the worst time of your life.

Daniel Caesar talks about his major-label debut “Never Enough,” the reality of fame, and collaborating with Justin Bieber on the song “Peaches.”

The Beaches are in a season of change. The Toronto-based band left their major label deal, hired a new team, and started embracing social media to reach new audiences. Now, they have a number one single, a viral hit on TikTok, and a brand new album, “Blame My Ex.” Jordan and Kylie Miller of The Beaches talk to Tom about what happens when you’re told “this is your make it or break it album,” how TikTok has expanded their audience, and how writing a breakup record felt like going to therapy with your best friends.

About five years ago, Seth Rogen posted a picture on Instagram of seven rudimentary clay objects with the caption: “So maybe I joined a pottery studio so I could start making my own ashtrays.” Now, he’s taken his love for pottery to the next level by signing up as an executive producer for the competition show “The Great Canadian Pottery Throw Down.” He also appears throughout the series as a guest judge. Seth tells Tom what inspired his love of pottery, if he finds it therapeutic, and how the imagery and design around weed paraphernalia has changed since legalization.

Newfoundland’s own Alan Doyle is one of Canada’s great songwriters. He sits down with Tom to celebrate the release of his 20th album, titled “Welcome Home,” and reflects on the early days of his band, Great Big Sea.

The actor Paul Giamatti (Sideways, Private Parts) has reunited with “Sideways” director Alexander Payne for the new film “The Holdovers” — and now he’s nominated for best actor at the Oscars. Paul talks to Tom about the nomination, growing up in an academic world like his character in the film, and what sets Alexander apart from other directors.

The rapper Vince Staples can kind of do it all, even if he doesn’t see himself as any sort of celebrity. “The Vince Staples Show,” which Vince wrote and stars in, just might change that. It's a funny and honest semi-autobiographical story about a guy named Vince Staples who’s navigating fame while also rubbing up against his past life in Compton and Long Beach. Vince tells Tom all about it.

“Bob Marley: One Love” is a new biopic about Bob Marley in the late ‘70s — a time when Jamaica was in political turmoil and Bob was conflicted about the direction of his music. Director Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard, Joe Bell) is no stranger to dramatizing the stories of real-life people. He tells Tom what a feature film brings to Bob’s story that a documentary could never do, why he casted a non-Jamaican and non-musician to play Bob, and how being a high-level baseball pitcher set him up as a filmmaker.

Amanda Parris is the type of artist who believes in sharing the spotlight. As an award-winning playwright, writer, TV producer and broadcaster, she’s used her success to amplify the work of other Black artists throughout her career. Amanda sits down with Tom to talk about the lightbulb moment that pushed her toward writing, how she convinced an Oscar-winning actor to drop a few bars on stage, and why her latest project has her reconsidering the direction of her life. Plus, Amy Nostbakken and Norah Sadava run a theatre company called Quote Unquote Collective where they create theatre that examines issues through a feminist lens. Their new production, “Universal Child Care,” is an eight-person a capella show that’s part theatre piece and part concert. Amy chats with Tom about how the show came to be and sets up a song from it.

In his new series “In the Know,” Zach Woods (Silicon Valley, The Office) plays an insufferable public radio host who interviews artists and celebrities. His character also happens to be a stop motion puppet, but the guests he talks to are very real. Zach chats with Tom about the project, public radio stereotypes, and why it’s important to make fun of yourself and the things you love.

Sunny Drake is an award-winning Australian-Canadian TV and theatre creator who interviewed more than 40 children about all manner of topics, from beauty to climate change. In his new theatre work, “CHILD-ish,” adult actors voice what the kids told him. Sunny joins Tom to share what he learned, how these kids’ words can help adults, and why this project gave him a sense of hope.

The Canadian actor Pablo Schreiber (The Wire, Orange Is the New Black) stars as the cybernetically enhanced super-soldier Master Chief in “Halo” — the TV adaption of the massively popular video game of the same name. He sits down with Tom to chat about that character and some of his other iconic roles, including Nick Sobotka on “The Wire” and George ‘Pornstache’ Mendez on “Orange Is the New Black.”