The Romesh Ranganathan Show

How did James McAvoy become one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood?

Actor and director James McAvoy joins Romesh Ranganathan for a very special episode talking about acting, accents and the difference from Hollywood to home.

James talks about accidentally getting into acting, why his philosophy is always “story first” and how he approaches building characters. Plus his skill at mastering accents, training as a pastry chef, bad reviews and being a part of the X‑Men family.

We also discuss James' new film and his directorial debut, California Scheming.

And as always, a question from Shanthi.

A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform.

00:00 Intro
00:20 James joke and the stereotype of podcasts
04:15 James and Rom discuss Jordan Peterson
07:32 A gift for James
09:07 A moment for some Monster Munch
10:22 Early beginnings and getting into acting
18:20 Training as a pastry chef & Bake Off
20:12 Accents, agents and acting
29:28 Crying and vomiting on request
31:20 James and his agent Ruth
32:56 Romesh’s dad’s brutal honesty
34:24 The X-Men Films
38:18 James and Romesh on bad reviews
45:30 Future work and legacy
48:01 A question from Shanthi
49:72 California Scheming
01:03:19 Misquoted
01:10:28 On getting older
01:13:22 Meantime and Frankie Boyle
01:14:24 Outro
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What does Shanthi really think about gentle parenting, ice baths and calorie counting?

In this episode, Romesh and mum, Shanthi take on a brand new segment: Shanthi’s Hot Takes. Nothing is safe from her opinions on WhatsApp and supermarkets to gentle parenting, air fryers and the modern obsession with ice baths.

From stories from the team, to listener questions and some very solid Ranganathan advice, be sure not to miss it.

A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media.

00:00 Intro

01:59 Shanthi on hats

03:25 Ben’s story

05:43 Shanthi’s Hot Takes

14:20 Questions from you

15:00 Shanthi’s advice on blending food and culture

18:15 How to deal with parents expectations

25:07 What do Romesh & Shanthi love about eachother?

27:37 Outro
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From sitcom Dad to Breaking Bad, how did Bryan transform into Walter White?

Bryan Cranston joins Romesh Ranganathan for a wide-ranging conversation about acting, creativity and the career pivots that changed his life.

Bryan talks about bringing Arthur Miller’s All My Sons to London, the acting lessons he’s learned over decades on stage and screen and why observing people is the key to building unforgettable characters. He also reflects on precarious nature of the industry, landing the role of Hal in Malcolm in the Middle, nearly losing the part and why the show still means so much to him, especially with a new season on the way.

And of course, they dive into the legacy of Breaking Bad from auditioning for Walter White to working with creator Vince Gilligan, the genius behind the show. Bryan shares how the character evolved, the pressure of its success, and whether we can expect a Walter White return.

Expect as always, gift giving, some perfectly timed jabs from Bryan, a question from Shanthi, and a thoughtful conversation about creativity, hobbies, fame, and why actors and audiences should approach AI with caution.

An insightful, funny and surprisingly personal conversation with one of television’s most respected actors in history.

A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media.

00:00 Intro

02:11 Bryan’s gift giving

05:30 Observing people and their traits

08:06 Coming to London for All My Sons

11:44 An actors responsibility and theatre

17:33 On Malcom in The Middle and the new season

23:09 Almost losing Malcom In The Middle

25:42 How Bryan found Hal

30:54 Success and pivoting in his career

34:44 Working with Vince Gilligan and his character development

39:14 Having faith in your career

40:45 The brilliance of Breaking Bad

45:48 Auditioning for Walter White

47:40 When did Bryan realise the importance of the show

50:38 The Pizza scene

52:10 Will Walter White be back?

54:29 Shanthi’s question to Bryan, hobbies and growing

58:37 Bryan’s opinion on AI

01:01:59 A game of Misquoted

01:05:48 Dealing with fame

01:10:10 Bryan’s marriage, advice and life balance

01:14:36 An exclusive

01:17:30 Outro
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Romesh doesn’t like celebrating his birthday… unfortunately the team had other plans.

In this chaotic birthday special, Romesh is joined once again by brother Dinesh and mum Shanthi, discussing everything from family pranking history and gardening to debating who would survive prison time and how.

You can expect lots of birthday fun, lots of push back from Romesh, some questionable birthday gifts and a bizarre role play.

Plus: Some Tamil and wedding song recommendations and Romesh being a birthday diva.

A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media.

00:00 Intro
01:51 Romesh doesn’t like celebrating his birthday
02:20 Shanthi’s new look
05:54 Dinesh is back
06:37 The team celebrate Romesh’s birthday
07:57 Gift giving for Romesh
12:58 A podcast milestone
14:20 Tom Allen’s gift
15:36 Shanthi on gardener
18:16 Romesh being a diva
18:39 The Ranganathan’s play ‘Most Likely To...'
20:24 Is Romesh ready to die?
23:05 Is Shanthi lying about her age?
24:14 A Sri Lankan party role play
32:20 The family answer questions from you
34:10 Romesh’s pranks and his dad’s sex advice
37:22 Shanthi’s best prank moments
38:18 Who would last longest in prison?
41:11 Tamil song recommendations
44:07 The best wedding songs
45:48 An ending from Dinesh
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Is this the best gift the show has ever given a guest? A self-proclaimed "enthusiastic novice", Tom Allen is here to chat about his new podcast Pottering, his debut novel Common Decency and why we apparently should absolutely not be wearing belts with waistcoats.

This episode in the studio brings you everything from questions with Shanthi, gardening tips, stand-up stories , a game of Misquoted and some very strong opinions on men's style.

A Ranga Bee Production in partnership with Platform Media.

00:00 Intro

02:05 Cushion conspiracy

02:50 Wearing suits and fashion advice

04:05 Romesh’s fashion crisis

06:25 Gift giving

10:15 Tom’s fashion pet peeve

15:22 Tom’s new podcast

16:35 Getting into gardening

17:39 Booking guests

18:28 Tom’s Debut Novel 'Common Decency'

20:08 The suburban life

27:10 A question from Shanthi

30:22 How smart should you dress for the shops

32:35 On stand up and telling off the audience

38:43 On Extra Slice

42:47 How posh does Tom rank?

45:34 Misquoted

59:01 Tom’s a football fan

01:02:55 Outro
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