The Frame

The Oscar-winning rapper, actor and producer talks about the importance of artists using their passions to bring about social change; music streaming is no longer the future of the industry, it is the industry.

A new documentary web series, "The Secret Lives of Muslims," aims for true and often humorous portrayals of American Muslims; Shane Smith says Vice is just like other big media companies, just "weirder" and "younger."

Writer-director Damien Chazelle talks about directing Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in his musical love letter to L.A.; Beyoncé leads the pack with nine nominations as hip-hop, rap and R&B dominate the Grammy list; an annual holiday musical at the Falcon Theatre adapts pop music into Christmas carols.

After Nick Cave's son died in a tragic accident, he asked filmmaker Andrew Dominik to document the recording of his next album. The result: the haunting documentary, “One More Time With Feeling"; Emilie Friedlander of Vice Media says the fire-ravaged warehouse in Oakland that was home to artists is not a rarity; Sandra Bernhard on blending comedy, music and commentary in her new cabaret-style stage show.

Pharrell Williams is mainly known for his music career, but he's branched out into producing films and his latest is "Hidden Figures"; China’s increasing involvement in Hollywood is an issue both Democrats and Republicans actually agree on; The Secret City is a theater experience that's part cabaret, part joyful tent revival, and all about worshipping art;

Actress Emma Stone sings, tap dances and floats among the stars in the new movie musical, “La La Land"; film critics are making their best-of-the-year picks. But who are these critics and how do their biases play a role?; one movie poster artist has played a big role in pop culture — and many people consider his posters not ads, but art.

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.

"Mockingjay" director Francis Lawrence admits he reads reviews; Pasadena Playhouse takes a risk with "Stop Kiss," a show about a lesbian love affair; Beyonce’s least known collaborator goes by the name of Boots; and how did Mike Tyson end up with a TV cartoon?

Five musicians were charged with adding music to Bob Dylan lyrics from the 1960s for a Showtime documentary (pictured); country singer Ty Herndon challenges Nashville conservatism; Lily Amirpour on her quirky “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night”; vocal lessons from a metal singer.

The producer of "The Graduate" talks about working with Nichols; why Sandra Oh went from “Grey’s Anatomy” to producing a crowd-funded animated film; was Atari’s “ET” one of the worst video games ever made?; and musician George Clinton spills all the funk in his new memoir.

NBC has decided to shelve its development deal with Bill Cosby for a new sitcom that was slated for next year; comedian Alonzo Bodden talks about Cosby's legacy; director Amir Bar-Lev on “Happy Valley," his new feature documentary about the Penn State/Jerry Sandusky scandal.

Disney has mounted "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (pictured) at the La Jolla Playhouse as a Broadway tryout; The "Music & Memory" program provides iPods as therapy for victims of Alzheimer's disease; Like reading? Try 200 books in six months as an awards judge.

The director of "Banksy Does New York" (pictured) talks about how the elusive street artist took the Big Apple by storm; NBC had no comment today on the status of its planned Cosby show as rape allegations swirl around him; and Hollywood prepares to use virtual reality as the next tool for storytelling.

E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman spent years trying to get the screenplay for “Foxcatcher” (pictured) just right; Gael Garcia Bernal plays an Iranian journalist in “Rosewater”; a section of the Berlin Wall has become a work of art in L.A..

Cindy Lauper on why she was fearless about writing her first Broadway show; What would happen if Hasbro buys DreamWorks Animation?; Pete Nowalk talks about creating "How to Get Away with Murder"; Jill Soloway on the first time she saw a set being built for a script she wrote.

"The Daily Show" host (far right) talks about his film directing debut, "Rosewater"; how is the LGBT community faring in depictions on television?; Jake Gyllenhaal tells us about the first time he realized he wanted to act; and singer Perla Batalla recalls her family-run record store that is gone, but not forgotten.

Hilary Swank talks about her unglamorous role in “The Homesman" (pictured); Mexico's most acclaimed filmmakers criticize the handling of a student massacre in their homeland; the grandson of General George S. Patton on how filmmaking can help veterans deal with PTSD; and Amazon unveils its next slate of TV shows.

The director on why "Interstellar" is his "most aggressive" attempt at a family blockbuster; how a high school teacher works the arts into the classroom; the butler from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” becomes King Lear; Jon Stewart tells us about the first time he bombed as a stand-up comic.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art gets a collection (including a Monet, pictured) valued at $500 million; Herbie Hancock talks about the Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition in L.A.; James Marsh's 'Theory' tells the Stephen Hawking story; and the AARP puts on its second film festival in L.A. (Did you know the "R" no longer stands for "retired"?)