Screenwriter Liz Hannah Wants to Get Crazy ('The Post' - 'The Girl From Plainville' - 'Lee')

Welcome to 5AM StoryTalk! I'm joined by screenwriter LIZ HANNAH whose script for The Post was so phenomenal it was sold and released in just 15 months - with Steven Spielberg as the director. Her credits also include the films Long Shot and Lee, TV series like "Mindhunter", and co-creating “The Girl From Plainville”. Liz and I discuss the following (amongst many other things):Craft, craft, and more craftHer current struggle over how best to use her own creative voice to confront what’s happening in the U.S. and world, which is complicating her new spec script Why she couldn’t have written The Post at this point in her career (or: the advantage of being young, dumb, and fearless as an artist)What went into writing two pivotal scenes in her career, a monologue performed by Sarah Paulson in The Post and the interrogation of Charles Manson in Season 2 of “Mindhunter”The unintended resonance of The Post in Trump’s America, which provokes a heartbreaking observation about how her success was achievedThe pivotal role of journalism in democracy, highlighted in her script for The Post and work on Lee Whether Hollywood is up to the challenge of confronting the major challenges of our day, from fascism to climate changeBONUS EPISODEA bonus ep is available in which Liz discusses a seminal piece of art from her life: David Bowie's iconic album, THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST ANDN THE SPIDERS FROM MARS. You can listen to that at Apple, Spotify, and Substack:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/5am-storytalk/id1807437928?i=1000708845918Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/651XPBdwJMvoa6k1LlZom9?si=4a91bb8790c543bfSubstack: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/bonus-podcast-liz-hannah-talks-david?utm_source=publication-searchBecome a paid supporter of this podcast at Apple or Substack and you'll get access to all bonus episodes five to six months earlier than at Spotify.LINKS:Learn more about Liz Hannah: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liz_HannahWatch The Post trailerRead Liz’s script for The Post hereWatch the Lee trailerWatch “The Girl from Plainville” trailerIn my introduction, I reference John August’s observations about a unifying theatrical experience. You can listen to my conversation with him here: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/new-podcast-q-and-a-john-august-wantsLiz and I discuss my traumatic experience creating “Dracula” (2013), which you can listen to me discuss here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/73yAzyPeOP0eQXmR30GgVB?si=1f59c2121ce54679SUBSCRIBE TO THE '5AM STORYTALK NEWSLETTER'⁠⁠https://colehaddon.substack.com/⁠⁠You'll gain access to both the 5AM StoryTalk newsletter and all episodes of this podcast – including exclusive bonus episodes in which my guests discuss seminal pieces of art from their lives. Ask questions in the comments section there, too!SUBSCRIBE TO THE '5AM STORYTALK PODCAST' AT APPLE⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/5am-storytalk/id1807437928⁠⁠A paid subscription at Apple will get you access to all of my bonus episodes in which my guests return to break down a seminal artwork from their lives.TIP JARNot up for a paid subscription but appreciate the work that’s gone into making this podcast happen? You can “buy me a coffee” ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SOCIAL MEDIAFollow Cole/5AM StoryTalk at…⁠⁠5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠⁠⁠Cole Haddon @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠⁠⁠EMAIL⁠[email protected] StoryTalk would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.This podcast's music is by ⁠⁠Cary Brothers⁠⁠. ⁠⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠⁠