The Brief

Stage and screen actor Alfred Molina is no stranger to performing characters with dimension, subtly, and humor in such roles as Inspector Gamache in the Three Pines, Diego Rivera in Frida, Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof, and even as the villainous Doctor Octavius in the Spider-Man movies.

Molina now takes on the part of big-shot attorney Henry Drummond in Inherit the Wind, now staged at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Originally created as a commentary on McCarthyism in the 1950’s, playwrights Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee used a fictional version of the real 1925 Scopes Monkey trial as a proxy for their message.

In the landmark case, a high school science teacher was prosecuted for teaching evolution. Molina’s character comes to the defense of the high school teacher in a trial that shakes a small, religious town to its core.

Molina spoke with LAist Weekend Edition host Julia Paskin about taking on the role. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Julia Paskin: Your character states he is not there for the money, so why does Drummond take on the case?

Alfred Molina: He's there to defend the Constitution, I think, in some way.

[The play] was striking at something that was very, very deep in the American democracy, which is the much vaunted separation of church and state. And here we had laws being passed which were kind of faith-based that were controlling the education of people in the United States.

And [Drummond] is a warrior wanting to make sure that you know that the laws and people's freedom of thought — in particular, freedom of speech — are protected and cherished.

JP: Here we are in 2023 with some states still debating what can be taught in schools. Perhaps the subject matter has shifted, but the debate in Inherit The Wind feels current. What does it mean to you to perform the story today? 

AM: These idea and topics — they're still part of the national discourse.

It's what theater does best in a way. It's able to illuminate these ideas in a dramatic way that is hopefully going to keep an audience hooked on the arguments. And we've had a lot of excited conversations after the play with members of the audience who are responding very energetically to the questions that the play brings up.

JP: Your character is going up against Matthew Harris Brady (played by John Douglas Thompson), and despite having very deep disagreements, there is still a respect and reverence between them. That was refreshing to me in today's political climate. How do they maintain a humanity while thinking the other is entirely wrong? 

AM: That relationship, which has gone through lots of mutations over a period of years, is mentioned quite early on in the play. So you understand that there's a real history here. In fact, Brady says at one point, this friendship was based on a mutuality of admiration. They were clearly on different sides of the fence, but there was still this civility between them and an ability to discuss without rancor, without becoming sort of just angry with each other.

And I think that gives the relationship a depth which pays off later in the play.

John Douglas Thompson, Alfred Molina, and Cast in Inherit the Wind

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JP: Your character even comes to Brady’s defense — or in defense of how we just speak about people. What’s happening for Drummond in that moment and how do you see a connection to discourse today? 

AM: From a personal point of view, as the actor playing the part, it made me realize that you can disagree with people but that doesn't mean you have to hate them.

I remember many years ago, having a really serious discussion with a relative. And then we both said, you know what, we're never going to convince the other. So let's just leave this aside and enjoy the rest of the relationship which is the vast majority of it.

And I think that's something we've lost, particularly in this age of social media. And just the decent thing of, you might have disagreed with someone, [but] when they're no longer in a position to argue their case, that doesn't mean you dismiss their whole life.

Drummond actually says at one point, “I refuse to erase a man's lifetime.” And then he goes on to say “we all have the same right, which is the right to be wrong.”

JP: You last performed at the Pasadena Playhouse in The Father in early 2020. What keeps bringing you back to the Pasadena Playhouse? 

AM: Apart from the fact that it's a 10-minute commute, you mean?

But no, It's a lovely theater. It's got so much history.

And we're now under the leadership of Danny Feldman, our producing artistic director. We're in a kind of golden age at the theater, in [that] he's really channeled a lot of his energy and creative energy into making it truly a theater that belongs to the community.

I joined the board about a year or so ago, and we've now created an education committee.

The Pasadena Playhouse had a very healthy, very vibrant accredited school attached to it. Some of the alumni include people like Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman. The school closed down in the late 1960s’s, due to kind of financial restrictions. The theater was going through a bad time.

But we're hopefully in the next few years trying to resuscitate that side of the theater. And Danny's already started moves towards that, you know, we've had productions involving local school kids.

So for me, it's lovely to be part of an institution that is truly part of this community.

Inherit the Wind is directed by Michael Michetti and is being staged at the Pasadena Playhouse through Sunday, November 26th.

Protip: You can enter a lottery to watch the show from special seating onstage.

Six leading candidates for California governor broke largely along party lines on questions related to taxes, homelessness and the Trump administration at a fast-moving televised debate in San Francisco Wednesday evening.

The debate, broadcast statewide on Nexstar stations, marked a major test for former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and billionaire investor Tom Steyer, who have emerged as the top polling Democrats after former Rep. Eric Swalwell ended his campaign amid sexual assault allegations.

Throughout a largely tame event, Steyer and Becerra at times came under fire from fellow Democrats on stage, former Rep. Katie Porter and San José Mayor Matt Mahan.

By contrast, the two Republicans onstage, businessman and conservative commentator Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, avoided criticizing each other, instead focusing on what they called Democratic failures.

Steyer faced the most attacks of the night — largely centered on his wealth and the investments he made in private prisons and the oil industry as a hedge fund manager decades ago. Porter poked at Steyer’s personal fortune while also jabbing Becerra for his backing by corporate interests and a lack of policy details.

Tom Steyer, a Democratic candidate for California governor, defended his record and pitched himself as a “change agent” during a televised debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on April 22, 2026.

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And she stressed her own experience as a consumer advocate and single mom who understands the struggles of everyday Californians.

“One candidate is a billionaire who got rich off polluters and ICE prisons and is now using that money to fund this election,” Porter said, even as she and every other Democrat pledged to support whichever Democrat makes it to a November runoff. “Another candidate for nearly 40 years cashed corporate checks and then lacked the courage to take them on. I’m not like them — I have never taken corporate money.”

Katie Porter, right, sharpened her attacks on rival Tom Steyer over his wealth and past investments during a televised debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on April 22, 2026.

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Mahan echoed the former Orange County congresswoman, calling Steyer “a billionaire who made his money in private prisons” and Becerra “a D.C. insider who the Sacramento establishment is now rallying around.”

San José Mayor Matt Mahan, left, and Xavier Becerra, both Democratic candidates for California governor, shook hands before a televised debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on April 22, 2026.

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In general, though, the Democrats focused more on defining their own platforms than criticizing one another — perhaps because, with ballots set to reach voters in less than two weeks, Californians seem to just be tuning in and the crowded field is still working to introduce themselves to the electorate.

Becerra, who has seen the largest uptick in polling and endorsements since Swalwell’s exit, pitched his candidacy as a steady hand in the wake of the shocking scandal. On Tuesday, Becerra was endorsed by Democratic Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas.

“We need someone with experience, someone who doesn’t need on the job training,” he said.

Xavier Becerra, a Democratic candidate for California governor, called for experienced leadership as he spoke during a televised debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on April 22, 2026.

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Steyer parried criticisms of his career in finance by pointing to the wealthy interests opposing his campaign. In recent days, PG&E has poured millions into an anti-Steyer super-PAC that has also received funding from groups representing realtors and prison guards.

“The people raising the costs for California don’t want me to be governor,” he said. “I’m the change agent here and they don’t want change.”

Steyer has put more than $120 million of his own money into his campaign and has blanketed the state in digital and television ads.

The gubernatorial candidates will appear on the ballot together in the June 2 primary. Under California’s top-two primary system, the top two finishers advance to November, regardless of party. That left Democrats concerned that two Republicans could make it into a runoff, in a state where no GOP candidate has won statewide in two decades.

For months, the Democratic field has remained crowded, without a clear frontrunner, and Swalwell’s dramatic exit less than two weeks ago scrambled the race again.

At a televised gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican candidate for California governor, argued homelessness is driven by substance abuse.

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On Wednesday evening, the partisan divide between the frontrunners on stage was particularly evident when the conversation turned to homelessness. The four Democrats largely praised Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts on the issue and agreed on the need to spend more money on preventing homelessness, through programs such as rental assistance.

Bianco and Hilton said homelessness was instead an issue best addressed through substance use treatment.

“This is drug and alcohol induced psychosis,” Bianco said. “This has nothing to do with a home.”

Steve Hilton, a Republican candidate for California governor, leaned into President Donald Trump’s endorsement — calling it “a deep honor” — during a televised debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on April 22, 2026.

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Mahan, who entered the race late and is polling below the other candidates onstage, sought to draw a contrast with the other Democrats onstage by vowing to suspend the state gas tax — referencing his working class childhood in the farming town of Watsonville.

“I know what it means when gas prices go up a dollar or two unnecessarily,” Mahan said. “I’ll reform the gas tax so it’s no longer the poorest, hardest working people in our state who are paying an unfair share to maintain our infrastructure.”

None of the other Democratic candidates would commit to suspending the gas tax, something both Hilton and Bianco have been campaigning on.

Hilton did not shy away from President Donald Trump, who’s deeply unpopular in this heavily Democratic state. Trump recently endorsed Hilton, a former Fox News host who emigrated from the United Kingdom.

“One of the proudest days of my life is the day I became an American citizen … so it is a deep honor for me to be endorsed by the President of the United States,” Hilton said, adding that Democratic attacks on Trump are only hurting the state. “Here’s what will help every Californian: when I am governor we will have a deep, constructive relationship.”

The next round of tickets to the L.A. Olympics in 2028 will go on sale in August, and registration has re-opened to get a chance at a ticket slot.

Olympics organizers sold more than 4 million tickets in Drop One, which had Los Angeles buzzing with emotion, as excitement about the coming Games warped into disappointment for some over high ticket prices and a hefty 24% service fee per ticket.

Fans who missed out on the first drop or didn't end up buying tickets will get another opportunity in Drop Two. Those who are already registered will be automatically re-entered into the lottery for a slot to buy up to 12 tickets to events, plus 12 more for Olympic soccer. Fans who bought some tickets but not the maximum will also be re-entered in the lottery.

Anyone who hasn't registered yet has until July 22 to sign up.

One big question is exactly how many affordable tickets are left. The first ticket drop started with a locals-only phase for fans in Southern California and Oklahoma City, where a few Olympic events will be held.

According to LA28, a half million $28 tickets and almost all of the available tickets under $100 were sold in that drop for locals, before tickets were made available to the general public.

The majority of tickets sold overall — 73% — went to locals, too.

LA28 says the second drop will have more tickets with "refreshed inventory" and more $28 tickets. In the first drop, the cheapest tickets tended to go quickly.

According to Olympics organizers, Artistic Gymnastics sold the quickest in Drop One.

Shareholders of Warner Bros. Discovery voted Thursday to approve a $110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance. If federal and international regulators approve, media mogul David Ellison — son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison — will control the legendary Warner Bros. studio as well as cable channels including CNN and HBO and Warner's streaming assets.

Over the past few months, the pending consolidation sparked many fears, which David Ellison tried to quell. He made a pitch to Madison Avenue executives on Tuesday, asking for advertising support.

And last week at CinemaCon, an annual convention for movie theater owners, Ellison repeated his promise — that the combined Warner and Paramount studios would put out 30 movies a year.

That was welcome news to Adam Aron, the CEO of the theater chain AMC, who endorsed the takeover deal.

"I greatly appreciate David Ellison's track record of success and his passion to make movies that will dazzle audiences the world over," Aron said in a post on X.

Powerhouse movie producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who was behind such blockbuster franchises as Top Gun and Pirates of the Caribbean, says that final approval of the Warner-Paramount deal is inevitable.

"The train has left the station. It's going to get done," Bruckheimer told NPR. "David, I know, loves movies, and he made a commitment that he'd like to make 30 movies between the two studios. That's a lot of movies. I could be wrong, but I have faith that what they say is what's in their heart, too."

David Ellison, CEO of Paramount Skydance, speaks onstage during the Paramount Pictures presentation at CinemaCon this month, in Las Vegas.

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The shareholders did not pass a compensation package for Warner's executives in a non-binding advisory vote. According to proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholders Services, the current Warner CEO David Zaslav could receive a "golden parachute" from the transaction — nearly $887 million.

More than 4,000 Hollywood directors, actors, writers and others in the industry signed an open letter opposing the merger. The signatories include A-listers Kristen Stewart, Pedro Pascal and Javier Bardem.

In an Instagram video posted by the Committee for the First Amendment, Jane Fonda, Mark Ruffalo and other actors made a plea to stop the merger. They were skeptical of David Ellison's promises.

Ruffalo said he thought the megadeal would mean "fewer jobs, higher costs, and less choices for our beloved audiences."

Some said they fear the deal will lead to less creative content; others said it would further consolidate an already concentrated media landscape.

Critics in Hollywood also say the merger would give too much power to the Ellison family — which is friendly with President Donald Trump.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has been investigating the deal for antitrust violations. The consolidation is also opposed by U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Chuck Schumer and Cory Booker. They sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission — whose chair supports the merger – urging federal scrutiny of the deal and its foreign financing, partially sourced from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

The deal still has to pass muster with federal and international regulators. If approved, Paramount aims to close no later than Sept. 30.

Meanwhile, David Ellison plans to host an invitation-only dinner party tonight in Washington, D.C., to honor Trump.
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