The Frame

The classically-trained actress became widely known through "Star Wars," but now she's looking for smaller, meaty roles; the new documentary, "Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am."

'On the Inside' is a group exhibition of LGBTQ artists who are currently incarcerated; a look back at the largely unheard music of the early gay liberation movement; how movies (and movie theaters) will survive the next decade.

TV producer Alan Yang on how his mission in storytelling has changed; L.A. Times TV critic Lorraine Ali says the Democratic debates are the best reality show; writer and musician Solvej Schou reunites with her mentor, high school English teacher Barry Smolin.

Himesh Patel stars as a struggling musician who awakens one day to a world where only he remembers the songs of The Beatles; Ann Sarnoff is named head of Warner Bros. studio.

In 1989, the first all-female crew was assembled for a famously grueling 'round-the-world sailing competition that's chronicled in the new documentary, "Maiden"; musicians have filed the first lawsuit resulting from a devastating 2008 fire on the Universal Studios backlot.

"The Central Park Five" tragedy gets put in operatic scale; Prince estate releases album of "new" old songs; Scorsese take footage from Bob Dylan's 1975 Rolling Thunder tour to create a "fever dream" film and "Sea of Solitude" video game creator wants people to feel less alone in their loneliness.

Designer Connie Geppert takes on depression and loneliness in her much-anticipated video game; a new effort to diversity the ranks of film and TV critics; in the classroom with a real life 'School of Rock' teacher dude.

Composer Anthony Davis turns the troubling tale into a world premiere for Long Beach Opera; the Hollywood courtship continues for Democratic presidential candidates; singer-songwriter Steve Gunn collaborates with Japanese folk singer Sachiko Kanenobu.

Lauren Morelli created the Netflix reboot of a 1994 PBS series that was ahead of its time; screenwriter Max Landis faces multiple allegations of sexual abuse and harassment; the band Big Thief.

The prolific artist wrote many songs that were recorded by other artists. Susannah Melvoin talks about "Nothing Compares 2 You"; Hollywood gets caught up in China trade war; film composer Bear McCreary ("Child's Play").

Actress Isabelle Huppert and writer/director Mia Hansen-Løve talk about their film, "Things To Come," about a middle-aged philosophy teacher who's forced to reconsider her life; we talk with filmmakers Jeff Orlowski ("Chasing Coral") and Marina Zenovich ("Water & Power") about their climate change docs screening at the Sundance Film Festival.

Alena Smith’s new play, “Icebergs,” tackles climate change, infertility, hate crimes, sexism and divorce — and it’s a comedy; actress Zooey Deschanel and singer/songwriter M. Ward, aka She & Him, have a new Christmas album; with critically-acclaimed films such as "Moonlight" and "Loving," the next Oscar nominations should be more diverse than in recent years.

Natalie Portman talks about playing Jacqueline Kennedy in "Jackie," which follows her in the days and weeks following the assassination of JFK; now that Fidel Castro is dead, how might things change for Cuba's artists?; Leo Matsuda's "Inner Workings" is a short animated Disney film that is screening with "Moana."

Actress Jenny Slate and her father talk about their book of stories inspired by their family life in Massachusetts; we break down the nominations for the Independent Spirit Awards; in the 1940s, a Silicon Valley start-up came up with an invention that revolutionized pop music.

Brian K. Vaughan, author of the popular sci-fi comics "Saga" and "Y: The Last Man," uses the medium to talk about issues such as immigration, the Cold War, and being a father; The Gilmore Guys talk about the return of "The Gilmore Girls;" Amazon wants to replace your cable with its own bundle.

Erin McKeown had never written a musical, but she couldn’t turn down the offer to work on "Miss You Like Hell"; N.Y. Times theater critic Ben Brantley on the impact of the incident between the cast of "Hamilton" and VP-elect Mike Pence; composer Jóhann Jóhannsson talks about his score for the movie, “Arrival."

Ford's 2009 directing debut, "A Single Man," was no lark. He's back with "Nocturnal Animals," a moody drama that stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams.

Kelly Craig's directing debut on “The Edge of Seventeen" was made with the help of her mentor, James L. Brooks; now that Donald Trump is headed to the White House, is it possible the presidential election could also change the fortunes of movies that are competing for the Academy Awards?

Actress Ruth Negga may be Irish, but she says she related to Ruth Loving, the American woman she plays in “Loving.” Both women are of mixed race, a fact that got Ruth and her husband, Richard, into legal trouble when interracial marriage was illegal in some states.

Eric Heisserer, screenwriter for the new film "Arrival" (starring Amy Adams), reflects on why it was so important to him that the scientists in the movie speak the way real scientists do. He talks about working with director Denis Villeneuve and how the themes tribalism and fear of the "other" resonate with issues in the real world today.

The eight-part PBS documentary series presents "Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music," from the 1950s to present day. Featured artists include Sly Stone, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Beck, Bon Iver, and Public Enemy.

Fifty years ago, Judy Collins recorded Leonard Cohen's “Suzanne” and introduced him to the wider world; music producer Hal Willner talks about the project that pulled Cohen out of semi-retirement; Pussy Riot co-founder Nadya Tolokno discusses artists' activism in the U.S. and Russia in the wake of Trump’s election; a visit to an open mic night where veterans jam and bond.