The Frame

The actor worked with filmmaker Cary Fukunaga and hundreds of non-professional actors to make "Beasts of No Nation;" Grantland's Andy Greenwald gives a status report on the new TV season; the Isango Ensemble transports Bizet's opera to a South Africa township.

Choreographer Twyla Tharp has kept her company and artistic vision going for 50 years with unflagging determination; after spending time in Ghana, ethnomusicologist Brian Shimkovitz scoured the continent and then launched the label, Awesome Tapes from Africa; author Salman Rushdie considers the literary merits of the rapper, Drake.

The actress' next role as a fighter for women's voting rights is in keeping with her activist profile in Hollywood; Kyle Eastwood has scored films for his dad, Clint, but he's made his own name as a jazz bassist and composer; saxophonist Phil Woods was a jazz great, but became known for his solo on a huge pop hit.

Deaf West Theatre's production of "Spring Awakening" started out in a small theater on L.A.'s Skid Row, and now it's on Broadway; Showtime's David Nevins kicks off our talks about the state of the TV industry; Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields deconstructs a song from the band's new album in a new installment of Song Exploder.

Mark Pellington has applied his distinct style to music videos, feature films and now NBC's "Blindspot," about a woman whose tattooed body holds clues to crimes; Trevor Powers records as Youth Lagoon and his new album chronicles some personal losses; How do TV networks choose among streaming services?

Performer Geoff Sobelle has turned the Kirk Douglas Theatre into a warehouse of boxed-up memories; Carolina Miranda of the L.A. Times on the trend toward mega-galleries in Los Angeles; Charlton Heston's family will auction three works by Andrew Wyeth that the actor collected.

Los Lobos' Louie Pérez offers insights into the band's new album, "Gates of Gold"; Margaret Cho has become a role model for a new generation of Asian-American comedians; J.A. Micheline is glad Ta-Nehisi Coates will write some Black Panther comic books, but she says the industry has more work to do regarding diversity.

Playwright Rolin Jones reimagines Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing," setting it in London's swingin' 1960s; Prince and the publishing house claiming a copyright to "Happy Birthday to You" both lose in court; Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre moves its soap opera dance-drama around L.A.

Box office hits such as "Bridesmaids" are being cited as part of an effort to push for more movies and TV shows by, for and about women; The Budos Band makes do as a part-time group; The new TV season is chock-full of new shows that were once feature films.

Emily Mortimer, Dolly Wells and their husbands and kids star in HBO's "Dolly & Em," but it's not about them; Diversity and gender equity were top of mind at the Emmy Awards; The Toronto International Film Festival supplied its annual dose of Oscar buzz.

Adam Driver went from the Marines to Julliard where he tapped into his emotions, now he's one of the best actors of his generation. Indie rocker Liz Phair reconsiders how singing about sex got her pigeon-holed. And why is China mad at "South Park"? Plus, "Parasite" filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho tackles class dynamics and economic inequality inside a funny film.

The singer, who has roots in both Mexico and the U.S., takes on issues of the day in her latest album; what we know about the re-named Michael Jackson musical; R&B singer Michael Marshall transforms a '60s hippie anthem for "The Last Black Man in San Francisco."

An exhibit at the Annenberg Space for Photography depicts barriers all over the world — from prisons to refugee camps to fences at the U.S./Mexico border; studio musicians are seeking streaming revenue; singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya.

The South Korean director blends horror, comedy and sci-fi into an entertaining story about class struggle; "South Park" is banned in China; Nellie McKay moves her quirky music to the stage.

The actor's solo show examines the dark and often funny work of absurdist playwright, Samuel Beckett; how is "cancel culture" affecting pop culture?; Janet Jackson's “Rhythm Nation 1814” turns 30.

Antonio Banderas talks about reuniting with Pedro Almodóvar for "Pain and Glory"; how is "Cancel Culture" affecting what we see and hear?; the documentary "Diego Maradona"; the creators of Amazon's "Undone"; and the latest from singers Lupita Infante, Jay Som and Gaby Moreno.

The veteran R&B singer has had a long stop-and-start career, but she's still demonstrating her sense of adventure and musical curiosity; James Franco faces a lawsuit that alleges sexual harassment at his former acting school; "Joker" composer Hildur Guðnadóttir.

Forty years after its release, Alexandre Philippe's documentary looks back at Ridley Scott's landmark film; how is Warner Bros. marketing "Joker"?; “Variedades: Little Central America, 1984” is a theatrical performance that puts today’s migration crisis in conversation with the past.

The actor plays a film director in Pedro Almodóvar's autobiographical film; Plácido Domingo resigns as general director of L.A. Opera.

The new HBO documentary by Asif Kapadia examines the life and career of the talented and troubled soccer legend; living in the era of Big Podcast; Gaby Moreno's new album; Jessye Norman, RIP.

The documentary, shot entirely on cell phones, follows an Afghani family's efforts to flee the Taliban and seek asylum; the Endeavor talent agency's growth plan hits a snag; singer/songwriter Jay Som.

Jill Soloway closes out "Transparent" with a massive musical finale; Robbie Roberston and Rhiannon Giddens each reflect on their lives in music, we hear the remarkable story of "Unbelievable" and look back at Janet Jackson's 1989 album Rhythm Nation.