The Frame

The singer/songwriter wrote his Grammy-nominated album, "American Utopia," prior to our recent political discord, but he remains determined to find the silver lining in society; studio executives are talking the talk but not walking the walk when it comes to hiring women directors.

Kit Steinkellner talks about creating the Facebook Watch series about a widow dealing with her husband's unexpected death; the 2019 Coachella headliners include Childish Gambino(!) and Ariana Grande(?); Janelle Monáe breaks down a song from her Grammy-nominated album, "Dirty Computer"

The stage director made history with "The Lifespan of a Fact" by assembling the first all-female design team for a Broadway show; Netflix has pulled an episode of Hasan Minhaj's "Patriot Act" from its service in Saudi Arabia after a protest from the Saudi government; Mary Gauthier's "Rifles and Rosary Beads" has a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album.

The former Monty Python member revisits his life and career in the memoir, "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: A Sortabiography"; Luciana Souza puts Leonard Cohen poems to music.

José James pays tribute to singer/songwriter Bill Withers with his new album "Lean on Me."

Alfonso Cuarón reveals the intense process of mining his own memory, and those of his siblings and childhood nanny, to recreate their shared story for the screen in "Roma."

Rosamund Pike reveals how she channeled the late war reporter Marie Colvin in the film "A Private War."

Afghan-American artist Ariana Delawari documents the process of recording an album of music in her family's homeland; Max Baca of the band Texmaniacs on covering the Woody Guthrie song "Deportee"; Boz Scaggs still sings the blues.

We bring you some of our favorite interviews from the year — covering television, movies, music and the arts. Guests include Tessa Thompson, Riz Ahmed, Lena Waithe and Hannah Gadsby.

John C. Reilly joins "Stan & Ollie" director Jon S. Baird to talk about making a movie about the legendary comedic duo Laurel and Hardy. Then, Joanna Kulig stars in "Cold War," Poland's official submission for Oscar which is also the story of filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski's parents.

Director Bill Pohlad cast two actors to play Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson in two periods of his life (pictured: Paul Dano as the young Wilson); Algiers' singer Franklin James Fisher talks about the group’s politically-charged debut album; 28-year-old New Orleans musician Jon Batiste will lead the band on "Late Night with Stephen Colbert."

Hollywood is rarely more out of touch with reality than in how it romantically pairs young actresses with much older actors (pictured: Emma Stone with Ed Norton); Rupert Parkes, aka Photek, is known for his remixes, but he’s also the composer for TV's “How to Get Away With Murder”; California's increased tax credits for movies and TV is already paying dividends.

Apple is expected to introduce its music streaming service next week, but can the company make gains against Spotify?; L.A. Philharmonic music director Gustavo Dudamel (pictured) reflects on his six seasons on the podium and his long-term future here; Pete Townsend has recorded a new version of his rock opera, "Quadrophenia," with actual opera singers.

Writer-director Paul Feig gets to fulfill his Bond movie fantasy with "Spy"; the bistro at Whole Foods in Pasadena hosts a monthly comedy night (pictured); "San Andreas" director Brad Peyton takes us into his edit suite to show how he assembled one key sequence for the disaster film.

Cameron Crowe's new movie, "Aloha," is being savaged by critics; a visit with legendary L.A. artist Ed Moses (pictured) at his Venice compound; the arts organization Clockshop is making good use of a parcel of land on the banks of the Los Angeles River.

Terry Teachout turned his biography of Louis Armstrong into a play, "Satchmo at the Waldorf" (pictured); a tour of the inventory for special effects and makeup master Rick Baker's auction of his monstrous creations; Film LA reports an increase in movie production in California in 2013 — even before the new tax incentives kicked in.

U2 begins a string of five shows at The Forum on its Innocence + Experience Tour; a new work by Philip Glass is being premiered by the L.A. Philharmonic; Special effects and makeup master Rick Baker (far right) is auctioning a career's worth of monstrous creations.

The Cannes Film Festival wrapped up in typical fashion with an unexpected grand prize winner alongside the requisite victim of critics' ire; in our "Song Exploder" segment, a breakdown of the "Downton Abbey" theme music; playwright Paul Oakley Stovall tackles racism and homophobia among African-Americans in "Immediate Family" (pictured).

Four filmmakers talk about possible solutions for an industry that's been criticized for "widespread exclusion" of women directors; the movie "Tomorrowland" continues the futuristic vision promoted by Walt Disney (pictured at left); Memorial Day is no longer the beginning of summer for the movie business.

Four successful women filmmakers share their stories about an industry that's been criticized for "widespread exclusion" of women directors (pictured: Catherine Hardwicke); classical guitarist Angel Romero performs "Concierto de Aranjuez" with the L.A. Philharmonic; the Rolling Stones rolled into L.A. for a semi-secret show. Were you there?

Memorable moments with David Letterman from comedian Paul Morrissey, Louie Pérez of Los Lobos, and former assistant Cassie St. Onge; comc book writer G. Willow Wilson famously created Ms. Marvel — a female superhero who, like Wilson, is an American Muslim.

"Mad Max: Fury Road" production designer Colin Gibson (pictured) was responsible for the film's insanely tricked-out cars, trucks and motorcycles; Hot Chip's new album goes in a different direction for the indie-electro band; Deaf West Theatre moves its hit production of the musical "Spring Awakening" to a larger space.