Paul Giamatti, Stephen Graham, Cooper Koch, and the best of our Emmy Limited Series/Movie Actor interviews
Read on for highlights from each interviews and links to watch our full video Q&As.
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For the Netflix series, Chavez plays Lyle Menendez — a figure whose life has been well-documented in books, interviews, and court footage.
'I read every book that I could get my hands on. I watched every single documentary,' he says. While courtroom footage offered valuable insights into Lyle's behavior during the brothers' dramatic trial, Chavez notes that it required some interpretation for the scenes outside of court. 'The way that people behave when they're on trial for their lives is very different than they behave when they're just out in the world. I had to sift through a lot of primary and secondary research so that I could make solid educated guesses about who he was outside of the courtroom.'
Watch our complete interview with Nicholas Alexander Chavez.
Diggs plays Johnnie, a military veteran who falls head over heels for a local policewoman named Carlie (Meagan Good), on the Lifetime TV movie.
He calls this film "one of the most emotional and tumultuous stories" he's been a part of. Johnnie grapples with Carlie's illness, recovery, and shocking death during a convenience store robbery. "I like to have fun," he says. "I enjoyed doing this film, but I'm not a sadist or a masochist. I don't like to inflict pain and I don't like to feel it. As freeing as it was, I did not enjoy the emotional scenes because I was able to draw on my own emotional experiences. Whenever you have to bring up stuff that isn't pleasant, it's never fun, but it was useful. I'm grateful for that. I was able to pull from my life experience."
Watch our complete interview with Taye Diggs.
For the Prime Video series, Elordi takes on the harrowing role as World War II prisoner of war Lt. Col. Dorrigo Evans.
He says, "We had a six-week prisoner bootcamp basically. We were watched over by nutritionists and trainers. There's something that happens when you are hungry. All the extra things that you have in your day-to-day life that you worry about, they all sort of start to strip away. All you can think about are the men that are in front of you and if they're going to be okay and where your next meal is coming from. Something happens in the weight loss process that brings on the immediacy of the camps. All those boys, 20 something young men put their lives on hold for months and shredded their weight for it. I'm incredibly proud of all of them."
Watch our complete video interview with Jacob Elordi.
Emmy-winning actor Giamatti stars as a lonely man who confronts a past love by literally stepping into old photographs to recall his late girlfriend's face on the Netflix anthology series.
He says, "A lot of it's in the writing already. I could see it in the writing and so there's a way in which it's almost like it's a temperature chart. It was really clear where he goes up or down, and he gets upset or doesn't. That was a tricky line. I'm sure there's people who walk away from this thinking the guy is a real jerk. I didn't think he was a jerk. The levels of him being maybe unpleasant at times, that was tricky. But if it's well-written, that's helping you a lot. And the directors were really terrific and were really good at helping modulate it sometimes."
Watch our complete video interview with Paul Giamatti.
For the gripping Netflix drama, Graham plays the father of a teenage boy accused of the murder of a classmate. The project has brought to the forefront tough yet much-needed conversations about online bullying, toxic masculinity, and incel culture.
The co-creator, co-writer, and leading actor says, 'It was made with love, it was made with truth, honesty, respect, all of those things,' says Graham. 'It was made with a lot of care and compassion. But for it to have the impact and for it to resonate the way it has it's overwhelming.'
Watch our complete video interview with Stephen Graham.
For the Apple TV+ series, Henry plays Ray Driscoll, a con artist who, along with his lifelong friend Manny Carvalho (Wagner Moura), robs from drug dealers by posing as DEA agents.
He calls the project a "love story between these two friends who are more than friends. I don't even think the word 'friend' is appropriate. They've been through so much together. It's very easy to see series where it's a Black and Brown man paired together — violence, drugs, all the yahooey — but you never really get to the core of who they are. But these two men are afraid and vulnerable, and there is grief, there is regret."
Watch our complete video interview with Brian Tyree Henry.
This season of the Netflix series centers on the 1989 parricides of José (Javier Bardem) and Kitty Menendez (Chloë Sevigny) by their sons, Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Koch).
He says, "Our first scene that we shot as a family was in the first episode where Kitty rips the toupee off Lyle's head. It was such a great scene to start with because it really encapsulated the family dynamics. It was always loud. Dad is arguing, Lyle isn't agreeing, Kitty is smoking or drinking — not paying attention — and Erik is so quiet and just listening. It was a good starting point to create what the family was like."
Watch our complete video interview with Cooper Koch.
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Jon Stewart warned comedians get 'sent away first.' Now it's happening.
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'Pedro offers a kind of masculinity that isn't binary, and people love it,' Sharma explains. 'He presents himself in a way where you can't really pinpoint [his sexuality] … and you see him showing a vulnerable sensibility in his acting and daily life.' Masculinity norms in the Latino community can be even stricter than those in the general population. Pascal knows this firsthand — as the child of Chilean refugees, he has defied stereotypical machismo and advocated for gender equality long before the spotlight was shining brightly on him. Longtime fan Isabelle Deveaux, a 26-year-old who works in the film industry, first became obsessed with Pascal when he appeared in the first season of an FBI drama called Graceland, which premiered on the USA Network in 2013 — before mainstream media took an interest in him in Game of Thrones or The Mandalorian. She tells Yahoo that she tends to keep an eye out for Latinx people in Hollywood like herself. 'He just feels like Princess Diana to me right now. There's a video of him greeting fans out of a car in Mexico City, and I was like, 'That's literally Princess Diana greeting the masses,'' she says. 'He's been grinding for 25-plus years to get where he is, and it wasn't an easy path for him. … I don't think it's a trend. I think it's the fruit of his labor.' Because he's so personable and Deveaux has been rooting for him for so long, she says Pascal feels like one of her friends. That makes her feel even more invested in his success. 'Everything is so bleak, but at least it's Pedro Pascal summer, and I can go see him in everything,' she says. Fans aren't the only people moved by Pascal. The entire Hollywood machine is impressed. Annie Semenova, an acting coach, tells Yahoo that Pascal is —simply put — really good at his job. 'Pascal understands something fundamental that many actors miss: Vulnerability is strength. … He brings a lived-in authenticity that makes audiences feel safe enough to invest emotionally,' she says. 'He's proven he can carry both intimate character studies and tentpole blockbusters because he approaches each with the same level of preparation and emotional honesty.' Fans admire his emotional depth — they aren't just calling him 'Daddy' because he's hot, though he certainly is. The title he's been given isn't exclusively about his looks or his age. He takes on protective roles that inspire people to match his vulnerability with their own. 'It's the natural result of an actor who embodies masculine vulnerability, emotional intelligence and genuine warmth,' Semenova adds. To some, he's Daddy. To others, he's a meme and a progressive icon. All are correct, pop culture historian Marie Nicola tells Yahoo. He's so rare, it's no wonder he inspires such intense fan behavior. 'He's a reflection of us, the audience. Pascal is the first leading man built by the female gaze, the queer gaze and fandom culture — not the male fantasy industrial complex,' she says. 'He belongs to the people' It's also impressive that Pascal has held key roles in several shows and franchises integral to geek culture: the fantasy series Game of Thrones, Star Wars vehicle The Mandalorian, video game adaptation The Last of Us and comic book movie The Fantastic Four: First Steps. He's transitioned seamlessly from franchise to franchise, treating the source material and fandoms involved with dignity and respect. 'He was not cast into stardom. He was assembled — claimed by femmes, nerds, queer fans, Latino communities, moms, dads and those who are emotionally fluent in internet culture,' Nicola explains. 'He belongs to the people who need him to be whatever they want him to be at any given moment, and in that moment, Pascal is always down for it.' Several fans tell Yahoo that they're struck by how Pascal remains politically outspoken in favor of transgender and immigrant rights despite campaigning for major acting awards and leading a blockbuster superhero film. He frequently speaks out on behalf of the LGBTQ community and brings his transgender sister, Lux, to events. That contrasts with the strategy many other stars are employing in the current political climate. Stacy Jones, CEO of influencer marketing company Hollywood Branded, tells Yahoo this is extremely rare — not just the bravery, but the continued widespread support. 'He's walked that tightrope because he leads with empathy, not ego. He doesn't posture. He uses his voice in moments that matter, and audiences respect that,' she explains. 'This current moment [for Pascal] is the result of smart career choices, solid personal branding and real emotional intelligence. He earned trust, and in today's celebrity landscape, trust is the new currency.' On July 17 — with two movies in theaters and a major superhero film on the way — Pascal posted on Instagram about how the Trump administration would soon close the national suicide hotline for transgender youth. ''Maybe kindness is the real punk rock,'' one fan commented on Pascal's post, referencing a line from the new Superman movie, a rare blockbuster the actor doesn't have a role in. Empathy, a rejection of traditional masculinity and activism are not the kinds of things you see a lot from superheroes, but Pascal is in a league of his own — different from his peers in just about every way possible. He is, as his Instagram handle @pascalispunk suggests, punk. Solve the daily Crossword
