Acting, Awards, and Everything In Between (w/ Gabriela Machuca)

Gabriela Machuca joins me for a deep dive into our shared love of acting and the world of award shows. We trace the origins of the Oscars and how they’ve evolved over the decades. Along the way, we explore the craft of performance, the moments that first made us fall in love with movies, and the unforgettable wins, upsets, speeches, and surprises that have defined award shows across eras. Timestamps0:00 - Intro, Our History with Acting10:11 - Meeting the Mother of Leon Thomas III, Acting Roles14:56 - Hannah Montana, Curb Your Enthusiasm 16:08 - The Oscars, Origins18:12 - Oscar Namesake19:07 - Snow White Oscar19:28 - Defunct Awards and Other Oscar Fun Facts20:36 - Parasite 24:16 - Bad Oscar Speeches, Joe Pesci26:03 - Everything Everywhere All At Once, Jamie Lee Curtis27:21 - Oscar Snubs, Angela Bassett, Denzel Washington28:42 - The Honeymooners 29:31 - Marlon Brando, The Godfather, George C. Scott31:11 - 2025 Oscars, Anora33:38 - The Substance 34:40 - Timothee Chalamet, Adam Sandler35:55 - Movie Idea37:35 - Why I Took a Break from the Oscars 39:09 - Gabriela’s Thoughts on Anora41:47 - Comparing Anora to the Substance 44:51 - Nikki Glaser, Ricky Gervais, SAG Awards46:19 - Singing in the Rain46:58 - Halloweentown, Recasting Controversy 48:02 - Beauty and the Beast, Quibi49:47 - Shrek, Shrek 5 Teaser, Decline of Donkey’s Character 52:46 - 2001 Best Animated Feature, Disney 55:05 - Buried56:08 - Outro