On With Kara Swisher featuring “Mountainhead” Writer/Director Jesse Armstrong
(This is an episode from the podcast "On With Kara Swisher”, from from New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network.) From media moguls to tech billionaires, Oscar-nominated and Emmy award-winning writer, producer and director Jesse Armstrong knows how to tap into the psyche of the rich and powerful. In the “Succession” creator’s new HBO movie, “Mountainhead,” a tech-bro poker weekend turns into a life-or-death battle over who will control the future — in both business and the real world.From their isolated lair in Utah, four millionaire/billionaire friends (played by Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith, and Ramy Youssef) watch as deepfakes created on one of their platforms lead to massacres, assassinations, and government takeovers around the world. This sparks the friends’ imperialistic fantasies and some unfriendly inter-group competition.
Kara talks to writer-director Jesse Armstrong about the real-world inspirations for these characters, how tech founders think about their own role in society, and whether the tech oligarchy has replaced legacy media giants like Rupert Murdoch.
Mountainhead is available to stream now on Max.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
--------
53:06
“With Open Eyes” Part 2 (with Director/Executive Producer Mark Mylod)
In part two of the series finale podcast, it’s time to say goodbye to the Roy family, once and for all. Host Kara Swisher sits down with director and executive producer Mark Mylod. He breaks down everything about episode 10, “With Open Eyes” – from the first table read, to that tense boardroom showdown, the Tom/Shiv of it all, and the final fate of the Roy children.
Kara Swisher is also the host of the New York Magazine podcast “On with Kara Swisher,” where she grills real billionaires, media tycoons and more. You can find it here: https://link.chtbl.com/onwithkara?sid=hbo.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
--------
39:22
“With Open Eyes” Part 1 (with Jeremy Strong and Alexander Skarsgård)
Host Kara Swisher unpacks the Succession series finale, “With Open Eyes,” in a two-part supersized podcast. In part one, Kara talks with Alexander Skarsgård about why his tech billionaire character, Lukas Matsson, just can’t let Waystar Royco go. Then Kara goes deep with Jeremy Strong to discuss the tragic end of Kendall and what his character really wanted all along. Part two, coming later this week, features an extended conversation with director and executive producer Mark Mylod.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
--------
59:03
“Church and State” with James Cromwell, Jeremy Strong, and funeral planner William Villanova
This week, it’s a full house to discuss the penultimate episode of Succession, “Church and State.” First, host Kara Swisher unpacks Ewan’s surprise eulogy with actor James Cromwell. Then, she finds out how real-life funeral planner William Villanova helped the Succession team create a perfectly extravagant service for Logan Roy. And finally, Kara checks in with Jeremy Strong about Kendall’s blockbuster speech and where he stands as we head into the series finale.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
--------
38:33
“America Decides” with series creator Jesse Armstrong and political consultants Ben Ginsberg & Jon Klein
Host Kara Swisher and Succession creator Jesse Armstrong unpack the electoral and familial chaos of episode 8, “America Decides.” Plus, Kara is joined by two political consultants who helped the Succession writers create this incredibly tense episode: Ben Ginsberg, a lawyer and advisor who played a central role in the Bush-Cheney administration, and Jon Klein, a political analyst and former president of CNN.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The official companion podcast for the HBO Original series Succession. Journalist and host Kara Swisher unpacks every episode of this final season with the show’s writers, producers, and directors. Plus, she taps real life experts outside the show – like business titans, whistleblowers, and political consultants – to find out just how terrifyingly accurate the world of Succession really is. You can stream all episodes of Succession and listen to the podcast on Max. The Official Succession Podcast is produced by HBO in conjunction with Pineapple Street Studios
Ireland