The Q Interview

When Greg Keelor moved to Toronto as a kid, he didn't intend on making friends. Despite that, Greg ended up being pals with a guy named Jim Cuddy. For Canadians, this friendship is one of the most important things to happen to Canadian rock country music — because from that friendship, Blue Rodeo was born. Greg and Jim tell Tom about how they got their start, the moment they knew things were about to change and why letting go was the best thing they could do for their music.

What does it mean to have agency over your memories? What do you gain when you put your phone down and pay attention to what’s happening right in front of you? And what’s a dirty computer, anyway? Before Janelle Monáe was a Grammy-nominated artist, she was busy writing short stories. As a kid, she wrote science fiction and horror stories, including one where her grandmother was abducted by aliens. But her love of sci-fi and horror didn’t stop there — it’s something you can hear in her albums, like The ArchAndroid and Dirty Computer. Tom spoke with Janelle when she released her first collection of short stories called The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer.

For somebody who’s won some of the biggest awards in entertainment, you might be surprised at how often Jane Fonda has been arrested. But for Jane, advocating for something you believe in is a risk worth taking. You might know Jane from movies like Klute, They Shoot Horses, Don't They? or Barbarella. Or maybe you’re more familiar with her most recent Netflix series, Grace and Frankie. While Jane has built this incredible, award-winning career, she’s continuously advocated for the “underdog” — speaking out about causes from the Vietnam War to racism to climate change. All of this is in her book, What Can I Do? The Path from Climate Despair to Action. In this conversation from 2020, Jane takes Tom back to the early days of her activism, what it was like being criticized by former U.S. president Richard Nixon and why she’s never decided between acting and activism.

Where do you start with a legend like Buffy Sainte-Marie? Maybe you go back to New York in the ‘60s, where she played alongside the likes of Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. Or maybe you're more familiar with her Oscar-winning song Up Where We Belong. Or maybe you were a kid in the ‘70s who saw Buffy breastfeed her son on Sesame Street (a first in television history). So again, where do you start with a legend like Buffy Sainte-Marie? Tom was able to sit down with her for a rare career chat and he decided to start at the beginning — in Saskatchewan, the place she was born. Buffy is the focus of a new CBC podcast, aptly called Buffy, which unpacks her music and impact on popular culture over the last five decades. Listen to Buffy talk about what it’s like when your music gets banned in the United States, why winning an Oscar doesn’t necessarily mean you can quit your day job and why — even at 81 years old — you can still be as creative as you were when you were a kid.

Before Selma Blair was an actor, an advocate or a writer, she was known as, “Mean Baby” – a nickname lovingly given to her by her parents. Although that comes off innocent enough, how does that kind of nickname impact your sense of self? So, she might’ve started out as "Mean Baby," but Selma’s somebody you likely know from movies like Cruel Intentions, Legally Blonde and Hellboy. She’s also gotten a lot of attention recently for opening up about her diagnosis with MS and her struggles with alcoholism. So what happens when you feel like your life is predetermined for you? Why can hitting rock bottom actually be kind of freeing? And what do you do when your doctor tells you to hide your diagnosis of MS for your career? Selma tells Tom about all this and more.

Forty years ago, Ke Huy Quan was plucked from obscurity into movie stardom when he found himself co-starring with Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom. Still not even old enough to drive, he found even greater fame as part of the ensemble cast of the legendary film The Goonies. But after all that success in Hollywood and a career that most people would give anything for, Ke Huy Quan disappeared — until now. In this interview, he’ll explain where he’s been for the past few decades and how he’s been enticed back into acting by the new movie Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Back in 2018, a standup special called Nanette turned the world of comedy on its head. It was written and performed by a relatively unknown comic at the time named Hannah Gadsby. Ever since that special came out, Tom Power has hoped he’d get the chance to speak with Hannah. Now, that time has finally come. In a rare Canadian interview, she told Tom all about her new memoir, Ten Steps to Nanette, and how growing up queer and neurodivergent in rural Tasmania shaped her comedic voice.

Don Was has worked with some pretty incredible artists. Here's just a few: Bob Dylan, Garth Brooks, The Rolling Stones, Aaron Neville, John Mayer, Iggy Pop, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson and Carly Simon. He's also the president of Blue Note Records, one of the most prestigious record labels in the world, and he wrote and performed that song Walk the Dinosaur. So after you talk to Don Was about his career, you're left with a few questions: what were those artists like to work with? How do you make sure your fandom doesn't get in the way of making a great record? And most importantly, what do all of those legendary artists have in common? Don Was has answers for all those questions.

Ben Schwartz is a really busy guy. Right now, he stars in the Apple TV+ murder mystery The Afterparty as well as the comedy Space Force alongside Steve Carell. He's also currently filming Renfield — a take on the Dracula story, starring Nicolas Cage as Dracula. Ben told Tom Power how his background in improv helps him as an actor, plus how Jean-Ralphio — the character he played on Parks and Recreation for five years — changed everything for him.

The way you listen to music is always changing, but Jack White wants to go back to basics. From The White Stripes to The Raconteurs to his solo work, he’s always been extremely intentional with how his music is taken in, which is something you can really sense with his love of vinyl and no-phone policy at his shows. Here’s the thing, these aren’t gimmicks for Jack — he simply wants you to have reverence for the art you love. Tom Power flew down to Jack’s Third Man Records warehouse in Nashville to talk about his new albums, what reverence for art looks like to him and what you might be able to gain by listening to your next album with a similar reverence.

Charlotte Cardin’s journey to becoming the most-nominated artist at this year’s Juno Awards wasn’t a typical one. She grew up in a family of scientists and started writing songs when she was young. Eventually, she made it onto La Voix, the biggest reality singing show in Quebec. Spoiler alert: she didn’t win. But she’d be the first to tell you that losing La Voix was a blessing in disguise. As a former model, Cardin also had a lot to say about the lack of control you can feel in that industry, versus being able to tell your own story through music. While her path to becoming the most celebrated artist at this year’s Junos wasn’t always linear, it says a lot about the persistence it takes to find your audience in 2022.

When most kids were mowing lawns or babysitting for some extra cash, Deborah Cox was doing session work and getting paid to sing at only 12 years old. The fact that she is who she is today — a platinum-record-selling artist and actor — is no surprise. But what might come as a surprise to some people is that Cox had a tough time getting her career off the ground at home in Canada. Even though her talent was so clear, she was rejected by almost every major label in the country. It wasn’t until she moved to the U.S. that her career really took off and she became a legendary artist in R&B and beyond. Now, she’s being inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. She told Tom Power her story, about being honoured by Canada and how you hold the present with the past.

For the last two years, Phoebe Bridgers has been everywhere. Maybe you saw her at last year's Grammys where she was up for four awards, or caught her smashing her guitar on Saturday Night Live a few months back. She’s also the founder of her own label, Saddest Factory Records. If you’re not familiar with Bridgers, just know that she makes music that can be devastating, gut-wrenching and also strangely funny. But more than anything, her music feels both deeply personal and universal at the same time. It’s something that’s earned her millions of fans all over the world and one of the top spots at this year's Coachella music festival. Phoebe Bridgers has been called one of the voices of her generation and it was a pleasure to get to talk to her.

Adam Scott has taken on a lot of roles that mean a lot to different people. Whether it's the despondent artist/caterer in the cult hit sitcom Party Down, the nerdy romantic Ben Wyatt in Parks and Recreation, or belting out Sweet Child o' Mine with his family in Step Brothers, Scott tends to build intense fandoms everywhere he goes. Now, he stars in the new Apple TV+ series Severance as a man whose memories from his professional and personal lives are surgically divided. He told Tom Power why the role (if not the job) is his dream come true — and why that still didn't stop him from sleeping in for one of the biggest days of filming. He also talked about the intense fandoms of his work, and why as an intense fan himself, he understands where it comes from.

Camila Cabello is one of the biggest pop stars in the world. She started out in the girl group Fifth Harmony in 2012, went solo in 2016 and hit number 1 in 2017 with her massive single Havana. In this conversation, Cabello discussed something you almost never hear a pop star of her stature talk about — the day Havana hit number 1, she didn’t feel the happiness she thought she’d feel. Her new album is called Familia and, true to its name, it's about her coming home to her family, to her roots and to the music she listened to in the kitchen as a kid. She spoke about the real-life pressures of being a pop star, and how she realized prioritizing her own happiness is the key to her success.

Few people know the bond between activism and songwriting quite like Billy Bragg. In this career-spanning interview, the British singer-songwriter told Tom Power about the music that made him, the people who inspire him, and the driving force behind his latest album, The Million Things That Never Happened.

The thing that stands out about Maren Morris — besides being a great singer and a big time country star — is her songwriting. What I've noticed about the songs she writes on her new album, Humble Quest, is that they're often about finding peace and strength amid a lot of turmoil. I was curious about that, so we talked about her journey as a songwriter, crossing over to pop with that huge song with Zedd, and our shared love of Kathleen Edwards. Plus, TQI producer Kaitlyn dropped by with listener mail about tourism in Newfoundland, so I gave my top things to do when you go there.

You may know Danny McBride for his roles in movies like Pineapple Express, Hot Rod and This Is the End, but over the last decade, the actor has made a name for himself as a co-creator for series like Eastbound & Down, Vice Principals, and now his very own show, The Righteous Gemstones. It’s a black comedy about a family of power hungry televangelists and their mega church. McBride spoke with Tom Power about the show’s latest season, the challenge of writing comedies and how watching his mom perform puppet sermons for their church inspired his career.

Harvey Fierstein has always been a scene-stealer. In his new memoir, I Was Better Last Night, the four-time Tony winner shares some of his wildest stories from his life onstage and off — from his beginnings in New York’s experimental theatre scene to putting gay characters front and centre on Broadway and beyond. Plus, we’re kicking off our listener mail segment! Email us at q@cbc.ca and send us your questions, stories or comments.

On Shonda Rhimes's new Netflix miniseries Inventing Anna, Laverne Cox plays a real-life celebrity trainer and life coach who's sucked into a web of lies spun by Anna Delvey, a fake heiress who defrauded New York's social elite out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Emmy winner joined Tom Power to talk about the fun of portraying a story that seems too crazy to be true — and why her work as a trans rights activist will never be far from her life as an actor.

Actor Brian Cox joined Tom Power to talk about his new memoir, Putting the Rabbit in the Hat, and the journey that took him from performing on U.K. stages to breathing life into the despicable media mogul Logan Roy on HBO’s Succession.

For five decades, award-winning actor Alfre Woodard has made a huge impression on film and TV. Now, she stars in the new CBC/BET series, The Porter, about Black railway porters and their families in the 1920s. Woodard is also an executive producer of the show. She joined Tom Power to talk about The Porter and the common thread that runs throughout her long career.

What does it mean to be a good person? Michael Schur attempts to answer that question in his hilarious and thought-provoking new book, How to Be Perfect. The TV writer and producer has worked on hugely successful shows like The Office, Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but it was his research for his show The Good Place that kick-started his journey into philosophy — so much so that even though the series is over, he’s back to impart some wisdom in a clever, witty and accessible way. Schur joined Tom Power to tell us how he’s managed to turn huge philosophical ideas into bite-sized and engaging life lessons.

Denzel Washington is one of the most celebrated and successful actors of the 21st century. In a Canadian exclusive interview, he spoke with Tom Power about embodying the role of Lord Macbeth in the new film The Tragedy of Macbeth. Plus, what the legacy of the late Sidney Poitier means to him.

Canadian actor Neve Campbell has been the star of the Scream franchise for more than 25 years. Now, she's reprised her iconic role in the latest film in the series, which sees her character Sidney Prescott return to Woodsboro to catch the Ghostface killer once again. Campbell joined Tom Power to talk about the film, why she wanted to reprise her role for a fifth time and how Scream changed her life.

Kiefer Sutherland has been acting since the ‘80s in films like Stand By Me, The Lost Boys and Flatliners. You might also know him for his Emmy-winning performance as Jack Bauer on the Fox series 24. But what you might not know about him is that he’s also a musician. On his new country album, Bloor Street, Sutherland pays homage to his hometown of Toronto. The actor and musician joined Tom Power to talk about storytelling in film and music — and what inspired him to go down memory lane for his latest record.

Back in 2020, Tracey Deer’s debut feature film Beans made its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. It’s a coming-of-age story based on Deer’s own experience as a young girl living in Kahnawá:ke during the 1990 Oka Crisis. Since its premiere two years ago, Beans has gained international attention and won the Canadian Screen Award for best picture in 2021. The director joined Tom Power to talk about what it meant for her to finally tell a story she’s been determined to share since that traumatic summer in 1990.

Peter Doig is one of the most respected figurative painters of our time — and it's his depictions of Canada that have become the most famous and financially successful. Just last November, Doig sold one of his pieces, titled Swamped, for $39 million US, which placed him among the world’s top-selling living artists. He spoke with Tom Power about how growing up in Canada influences his work. Plus, how he was wrongly accused of painting a piece of art that made international headlines.

Malcolm McDowell made a name for himself in award-winning films like A Clockwork Orange, If...., Time After Time and Caligula. Now, the British actor plays Mark Critch's grandfather, Pop, in the new CBC sitcom Son of a Critch. Tom Power caught up with McDowell to discuss his storied career on stage and screen — plus, his thoughts on Newfoundland.

Billy Porter is a Broadway legend, a red carpet superstar and an LGBTQ+ icon. In his new memoir, Unprotected, he writes about growing up Black and gay, which meant he was often afraid for his life. Porter joined Tom Power to talk about his life’s story — including how playing the character Pray Tell on the TV show Pose allowed him to confront the traumatic parts in his life.

Bret “the Hitman” Hart is a hero to generations of Canadian wrestling fans. Now, the five-time WWE Heavyweight Champion is honoured on Canada’s Walk of Fame. He joined Tom Power to tell us what it was like growing up in a wrestling dynasty, why storytelling is so important to his work and how he managed to last for decades in the physically grueling world of wrestling.

Fourteen years after the release of their Grammy-winning album Raising Sand, Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant and bluegrass singer Alison Krauss have reunited on a new album, titled Raise the Roof. The unlikely duo spoke with Tom Power about the record and what it's taught them about themselves and each other.

When the pandemic derailed Ringo Starr's plans for a tour, he decided to record new music in his home studio instead of taking a break. His latest EP, Zoom In, holds multiple meanings in the age of COVID-19, but it's ultimately about gaining a new perspective, staying connected and finding joy. The legendary Beatles drummer joined Tom Power for a wide-ranging conversation about the EP, his love of Zoom and the important role friendship has played in his long career.

In 2020, Alanis Morissette celebrated the 25th anniversary of her massive hit record Jagged Little Pill. The Canadian superstar joined Tom Power to reflect on her evolution from her 21-year-old self to the mother of three she is today. She also discussed how her changing approach to writing about topics like anger and abuse can be heard on her first new album in eight years, Such Pretty Forks in the Road.

Emily Ratajkowski is famous in part because she's beautiful — and she's the first to admit that. The model and actor has made a successful career off of her looks, but she’s also had to contend with losing ownership and control of her image. Ratajkowski spoke with Tom Power about her first book of essays, My Body, which examines feminism, artistry and the commodification of sexuality.

Eddie Izzard has got to be one of the bravest comedians out there. Her new stand-up show, Wunderbar, is everyone else’s worst nightmare: performing live on stage in her second, third and fourth languages. Izzard sat down with Tom Power to tell us how she does it, and why her goal is to connect with as many people as possible at a time when we seem to be drifting apart.

Ed Sheeran’s musical success is measured in billions of streams, but he says that kind of fame can mess with your head — and your songwriting. The singer joined Tom Power to tell us how he shook off that baggage when he sat down to write his latest album, Equals.