Not That Kind, Silly. The Kind that Battles Trolls!
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Here’s a preview of our latest Three Glorious Things podcast—produced with Embershot, the leading platform for sharing premium creative content. Click on the icon thingy below to dive into a universe of creativity that will inspire you to greatness.
“WagCasts are not only a joy to hear, they are the mirrors of the soul.” —Virginia Woolf
As members of the Wag Legion know, Three Glorious Things is our wildly popular questionnaire for creative leaders. In audio, it takes the form of in-depth interviews with the most interesting folks in Hollywood and beyond. Our second episode features JD’s talk with acclaimed screenwriter, director and mixologist Chris Weitz, about his life, career and touchstones of genius. Alongside his brother Paul, Chris produced and directed American Pie (1999), and wrote and directed About a Boy (2002), based on Nick Hornby’s novel, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted screenplay. He went on to write and direct The Golden Compass (1999), as well as direct The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009), and the best picture-nominated A Better Life (2011), starring Damián Bichir. With Paul, he co-wrote Disney’s 2015 revamp of Cinderella, and with Wag Supremo Tony Gilroy he wrote Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which Wag declares The Greatest Star Wars Movie of the Modern Era. Depth of Field, the Weitz Bros’ production company, is developing all kinds of interesting stories, including adaptations of Japanese thrillers and beloved fantasy novels.
And those are only C.V. highlights! In our chat, we plumb Weitzian depths, including:
- As a child, he was a member of the Knickerbocker Greys, a venerable youth cadet court corps in Manhattan, alongside preppy murderer Robert Chambers.
- His grandmother, Mexican American star Lupita Tovar, starred in the 1931 Spanish language version of Dracula.
- His grandfather, Paul Kohner managed the careers of Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman, John Huston, and Billy Wilder, among other smarties.
- His mother, the supremely talented Susan Kohner, was nominated for a 1960 Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Imitation of Life.
- His father, John Weitz, a dashing German Jewish refugee, became an OSS agent, fashion mogul, author, and really good sailor.
- When he was in middle school, Chris loved Dungeons & Dragons, so his friends gave him a t-shirt declaring him The World’s Greatest Dungeon Master. So, a nerd with an edgy shirt.
All that and more can be gleaned from a listen. But first, a word from our sponsors.
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Our Chris brought three amazing artifacts from his life and discusses them in the interview. Listen to discover which treasure isn’t among them:
- An Iron Cross from WWI
- The Collected Works of Lord Byron
- A Japanese robe
- A Dungeon Master’s Guide
Tune in to win a prize! And that prize is knowledge, the most cherished of all rewards.
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CultureWag celebrates culture—high, medium, and deliciously low. It’s your essential guide, cutting through a cluttered American entertainment landscape and serving up smart, funny recommendations to the most hooked-in audience in the galaxy. If somebody forwarded you this issue, consider it a coveted invitation and RSVP “subscribe.” You’ll be part of the smartest club in Hollywood, Gstaad and Branson.
“Things stopped falling apart when I started reading the Wag.”—Chinua Achebe
July 24, 2024
