The Empire Film Podcast The Empire Film Podcast

The Interviews (ft. Willem Dafoe; Jujubee & Ginger Minj; Jane Schoenbrun)

Sep 7, 2026 · 48m

Summary

Chris Hewitt interviews Willem Dafoe about his new film Late Fame, his life on a farm, and the changing landscape of New York’s art scene. The episode also features Jujubee and Ginger Minj discussing their roles in the drag race parody Stop That Train, sharing behind-the-scenes anecdotes and personal stories. Finally, Jane Schoenbrun reflects on her transition journey and the emotional contrast between her films TV Glow and Miasma.

Topics discussed

Introduction and Willem Dafoe's birthday Reflections on birthdays and New Year's Living on a farm and a Heavens Gate anecdote Discussing the character in Late Fame Defining identity through work and acting Personalizing the 70s New York setting The rise and fall of the downtown art scene Meta parallels between set and character Reconnecting with director Oliver Stone Upcoming films and career highlights Introduction to Stop That Train cast Ginger Minj's name and drag race origins Comparing Stop That Train to Drag Race Auditioning and character approach Character dynamics and friendship themes On-set injuries and set support Worst public transport experiences Transition to Jane Schoenbrun interview Cinematic transition and TV Glow's ending Miasma's opening and tonal shift Ending choices and emotional complexity
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