The Treatment

Emmy-winning writer and actor Richard Gadd knows he puts his characters under great tension in his work. Gadd wrote and starred in the 2024 Netflix series 'Baby Reindeer,' which was inspired by experiences Gadd had as a stand up comic dealing with a stalker. That series garnered six Emmys, including for Gadd’s performance, and for Outstanding Limited Series. Gadd has followed up Reindeer with the HBO series 'Half Man,' which stars Gadd and Jamie Bell as “brothers” whose shared history spirals them into explosive consequences. Gadd tells The Treatment why he creates characters who are larger than life, how those characters have resonated with people, and why he often sets his series in a metaphorical “oven.”  

You may know journalist Geoff Bennett as co-anchor of the 'PBS Newshour,' or as a contributor to NPR and NBC. He is also the author of the new book 'Black Out Loud: The Revolutionary History of Black Comedy from Vaudeville to ‘90s Sitcoms.' Bennett tells The Treatment why the '90s was a ‘golden age’ for Black TV, how the 'Cosby Show' spinoff 'A Different World' evolved, and why many people got Steve Urkel wrong. 

Jordan Firstman’s directorial debut 'Club Kid' was one of the breakout hits of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. The film, which follows an aging party promoter as his life takes an unexpected turn, was snapped up for $17 million by A24 after a bidding war. Firstman stars in the film along with Diego Calva and Cara Delevingne. The trio spoke to Elvis last month at Cannes about the cinematic references for the film, how they reacted the first time they saw the movie, and how the club scene serves as a safe space and second family for many people.   

RZA may be the ultimate multi-hyphenate. He’s a founding member of the groundbreaking hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan and is considered one of the greatest hip hop producers ever. He’s also a versatile actor, having appeared in films including 'Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai,' 'Coffee and Cigarettes,' and 'Minions: The Rise of Gru.' And he is a director of films including 'The Man with the Iron Fists' and 'Cut Throat City.'  His latest film as director is 'One Spoon of Chocolate,' starring Shameik Moore and presented by Quentin Tarantino. The film follows a veteran and ex-convict looking for a fresh start in a small town.   RZA spoke to Elvis at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival where his film premiered. He talks about his growing confidence as a director, collaborating with Moore, and the three things he believes each film should do.

Directing duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller got their start in animated TV as co-creators of the series 'Clone High.' Their partnership continued on the big screen with 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,' 'The Lego Movie,' and '21 Jump Street.' Their latest is the adaptation of the Andy Weir sci-fi novel 'Project Hail Mary,' starring Ryan Gosling. Lord and Miller talk about why this movie was the hardest project they've taken on, what the film has in common with 'The Lego Movie,' and why sometimes the most subversive thing they do in a project is have people get along. Note: this interview originally aired on March 20, 2026

Tony nominated playwright Jeremy O. Harris and director Pete Ohs are frequent collaborators. Ohs worked on a documentary about Harris’ acclaimed and controversial 'Slave Play' and Harris starred in Ohs’ film 'The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick.' Their latest collaboration is the film 'Erupcja,' starring pop star Charli XCX in a role far removed from her on stage persona. 'Erupcja' was filmed in Poland without a traditional script, and the actors all brought their own ideas to the film. Ohs and Harris tell Elvis how they got Charli XCX to be in the film, why Ohs likes to work without a script, and the origin of the film's Polish title.  

Director Joseph Kosinski has helmed two of the biggest blockbusters of the past five years — 2022’s 'Top Gun: Maverick' and last summer’s racing movie 'F1.' The latter stars Brad Pitt as a driver who comes out of retirement to team up with a younger driver (played by Damson Idris). At this year’s Academy Awards, 'F1' took home the Oscar for Best Sound Design. Kosinski talks to Elvis about how his musical background finds its way into his films, how every member of a Formula One team is essential to the driver’s success, and how he wants to make the audience feel like they’re along for the ride.    This episode originally aired July 4, 2025.