All articles tagged with #variety interview
Mariska Hargitay revealed she briefly considered leaving Law & Order: SVU during its 25th season to avoid being defined by a single role, telling Julianna Margulies she didn’t want to be a 'one-trick pony.' Margulies quipped that ship had sailed, but Hargitay stayed, eventually expanding her career with film, theater, and Emmy hosting while continuing SVU.
Ed Harris claims his Everett McKinney role on the Yellowstone spinoff Dutton Ranch left him feeling misled and inconsequential after a singing scene was cut; he asked his team to exit mid–Season 1, though he remains under contract for Season 2 with a promise of more screen time, amid broader criticisms of how the season was developed.
In a Variety interview, Rosie O'Donnell says she wishes she had done more for her Harriet the Spy co-star Michelle Trachtenberg, who died in 2025 at 39 from complications of diabetes after a liver transplant; O'Donnell recalls Trachtenberg as brilliant but “inaccessible toward the end,” drawing a parallel to high-pressure Hollywood dynamics, and she also discusses her family’s struggles as she prepares for a stage comeback.
Angelina Jolie tells Variety that her 'fighting spirit' has returned after her 2016 divorce from Brad Pitt, crediting her older children for encouraging her to travel, explore new facets of herself, and return to acting to stay close to them; the divorce was finalized in 2024 after eight years of legal proceedings, and several of her kids have begun dropping Pitt's surname as they seek greater independence.
Anna Faris discusses her painful split from Chris Pratt in a Variety interview, describing the public scrutiny she faced and how her podcast, Anna Faris Is Unqualified, helped her cope; the couple split in 2017 and finalized their divorce in 2018, and they share a son, Jack. Faris has since remarried Michael Barrett, while Pratt married Katherine Schwarzenegger in 2019 and they have three children; the piece also notes their ongoing co-parenting and Faris’s candid remarks about the scrutiny she endured, including an explicit four-letter word used to emphasize the pressure.
Joan Cusack walked the red carpet for Toy Story 5, her first appearance in 11 years, and explained to Variety that she’s become more selective about roles to balance life with her family in Chicago; Toy Story 5 is her first film since 2019 and her first acting gig since Homecoming (2020).
Supriya Ganesh says the online reaction to leaving HBO’s The Pitt was “surreal,” telling Variety on the Gold Gala red carpet that their name trended on Twitter and they had to put the phone down and go outside. They’ve received touching messages from fans who saw themselves in the character, and the exit came as The Pitt promoted Dr. Parker Ellis to series regular ahead of Season 3. All Season 2 episodes are on HBO Max, and HBO has renewed the show for a third season. Ganesh also discusses the impact of their Vulture essay on gender and queer identity and notes a few projects in the pipeline for the future."
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban finalized their divorce in January after 19 years, with irreconcilable differences cited. In a Variety cover interview, Kidman spoke for the first time about the split, stressing she’s focused on moving forward and preserving her family, and noting she won’t discuss the details out of respect as her daughters grow into young women.
Timothée Chalamet drew swift criticism from opera and ballet communities after remarks in a Variety interview, with industry groups stressing that opera and ballet influence many art forms; the Royal Ballet and Opera issued statements defending the arts’ broader impact, and social media voices pushed back, while Chalamet later acknowledged the backlash and noted his family’s background in dance.
Alexander Skarsgård says the online speculation that he came out as bisexual was a misunderstanding, explaining at a Zurich Film Festival/Q&A and in a Variety interview that his remarks were about storytelling and film authenticity, and noting he’s since slowed his nomadic lifestyle to focus on fatherhood.
Janelle James, star of Abbott Elementary, opened up in a recent Variety interview about her character, her struggles with dieting and losing weight, and her true thoughts on comedians Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock.