The Frame

On today's show: 50 years after the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, filmmaker Dawn Porter talks about her Netflix docu-series, "Bobby Kennedy For President"; until recently, singer-guitarist Naia Izumi could barely survive by performing on the streets of L.A. Now, he’s on his very first national tour after winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Song Contest.

On today's show: Filmmaker Morgan Neville adds Fred Rogers to his eclectic list of documentary subjects; Jihan Zencirli is unlike any balloon artist you've ever encountered.

On today's show: Samantha Bee said she crossed a line with her vulgar comment about Ivanka Trump, but where is that line these days on TV?; actor Simon Baker makes his film directing debut with "Breath"; music under the stars at the Mt. Wilson Observatory.

On today's show: Writer/director Bart Layton talks about the true story behind his new heist film, "American Animals"; Spotify's founder admits the company erred in its attempt to punish some recording artists accused of misconduct; The Miracle Project brings together teenagers and young adults with autism to create and perform a musical.

On today's show: TV critics Lorraine Ali (Los Angeles Times) and Daniel Fienberg (Hollywood Reporter) talk with John Horn about the broader issues raised by the "Roseanne" debacle; With "The Americans" coming to an end, we learn trade secrets from the show's costumer and makeup artist.

On today's show: Ted Johnson of Variety talks about ABC's dramatic move after Barr's racist tweet about former Obama official Valerie Jarrett; actress Shailene Woodley talks about her role in the new film, "Adrift"; L.A. Times art critic on how MOCA should solve its leadership issues.

The Frame's John Horn and L.A. Times reporter Jen Yamato guide you through the summer movie lineup. We've got interviews with Ethan Hawke, Shailene Woodley and Tessa Thompson, "Incredibles 2" director Brad Bird, and the paleontologist who consulted on all the "Jurassic" movies. Plus, John visits with concession stand vendors who are marketing the next generation of movie snacks.

On today's show: actor Jussie Smollett is an executive producer of "America Divided." His episode looks at the inheritance of slavery; songwriter Mary Gauthier wrote an entire album with veterans; an attorney who represents sexual harassment victims talks about the significance of Harvey Weinstein's arrest.

On today's show: The acclaimed filmmaker responded to the pope's invitation to make a documentary about the Catholic Church under his leadership; with "Solo: A Star Wars Story" opening, are fans suffering from galactic fatigue?; screenwriter Zak Penn on what makes for a successful Summer blockbuster.

On today's show: L.A. Times pop music critic emeritus Robert Hilburn talks about his new Paul Simon biography and about the singer/songwriter's final tour; the Portland-based musicians who record as Wonderly on how they created the theme song for The Daily — the radio version of the New York Times’ hugely popular daily news podcast.

Filmmaker Danny Boyle has reunited with the original cast of his 1996 movie "Trainspotting" to find out where those drug-addled young adults are now that they're in full-blown adulthood; Cuban Singer Daymé Arocena releases a new album with a little help from friends in LA; The Writers Guild of America starts contract talks, could it lead to a strike?

Walt Disney’s creative genius and his personal dark side are explored in the Philip Glass opera, “The Perfect American”; religious scholar Reza Aslan talks about his new CNN series, “Believer,” in which he focuses on fringe elements of certain religions; Mohsen Namjoo revives the pre-revolution rock music of his native Iran.

When the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs in downtown LA this weekend the consistent theme throughout the nine pieces is social justice. One dance making its West Coast debut is inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. speeches. And the SXSW confab of music, movies, TV and tech turns 30 years old this weekend. The CEO joins us to discuss its evolution and the controversial contract clause that have some artists upset over perceived threats of deportation.

ReFrame is a new initiative by Women in Film/Sundance Institute that comes after years of research into why Hollywood is dominated by men. Oscar-winning producer Cathy Schulman and Keri Putnam of the Sundance Institute discuss how ReFrame plans to create systematic change in the industry; The National Museum for Women in the Arts in Washington DC is nearly 30 years old, and its mission is as timely as ever.

Writer-director Luis Valdez, Center Theater Group artistic director Michael Ritchie, actress Rose Portillo and historian Tomás Summers Sandoval discuss the revival of "Zoot Suit" and the play's modern-day resonance; the documentary 'Cries from Syria' will air just as the U.S.' new ban on refugees takes effect.

Timothy Olyphant has had a string of memorable TV roles – from “Deadwood” to his starring role in “Justified” and now “Santa Clarita Diet.” Not bad for an art major from Modesto, Calif.; Donald Trump’s presidency has been a boon for late night talk show hosts, especially for Stephen Colbert. But every late night host faces a quandary: how political should they be?

Alison Bechdel says she thought the idea of having her graphic novel memoir turned into a musical was "insane"; composer John Adams says his landmark opera, "Nixon in China," is as timely as ever; NBC has invested $500 million in Snapchat with big plans for using the social media platform.

Bruna Papandrea has produced hit films such as "Wild" and "Gone Girl," and now she's part of the team behind HBO's "Big Little Lies"; Netflix has a new reality competition series that's being produced for six global markets simultaneously.

C-SPAN anchor Steve Scully (aka "the most patient man on television") talks with The Frame about C-SPAN's origin story, its mission and the role it fills in today's media landscape; Then, actress Jane Kaczmarek explains why she's spending her post "Malcolm In the Middle" years doing theater like Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night."

When Asghar Farhadi won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, he did not pick up his statue in person. But he was in L.A. last year following our election and he spoke with us about his movie, "The Salesman," and then-President elect Trump; R&B producer and musician Raphael Saadiq has branched out to scoring movies and TV shows.

Award-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black created the ABC miniseries, "When We Rise," to bring the history of the gay rights movement into America's living rooms in the hopes of bridging a divided nation and inspiring activism in a new generation; The Oscars are finally over. What must Hollywood do to become more inclusive?

On this year's Frame Oscar preview, get to know some nominees ahead of the big night. Among the guests are the writer/directors of "La La Land" and "Moonlight," actors Ruth Negga, Emma Stone, Dev Patel, and Andrew Garfield; Documentary filmmakers Ava Duvernay and Ezra Edelman; the screenwriters for "Hidden Figures" and "The Lobster," and songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda. Plus, John Horn and his co-host in The Awards Show Show podcast, Kyle Buchanan, make predictions.