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NPR · Arts & Culture

Fresh Air

Fresh Air from WHYY, the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues, is one of public radio's most popular programs. Hosted by Terry Gross and Tonya Mosley, the show features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries. Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including weekly bonus episodes and curated playlists of archive interviews from Fresh Air. And subscribe to our weekly newsletter, Fresh Air Weekly, to get interview highlights, staff recommendations, gems from the archive, and the week's interviews and reviews all in one place. Sign up at www.whyy.org/freshair

Episodes

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Best Of: ‘Hamnet’ star Jessie Buckley / Documentarian Morgan Neville

07 Mar 2026
47m
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This episode of Fresh Air features an interview with Jessie Buckley, who is nominated for an Oscar for her role in the film Hamnet, where she plays William Shakespeare's wife. Buckley discusses the film's exploration of Agnes Hathaway as more than just a footnote in Shakespeare's life, emphasizing her deep connection t...

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Remembering pop songwriter Neil Sedaka

06 Mar 2026
45m
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This episode of Fresh Air remembers Neil Sedaka, the singer-songwriter who passed away at 86, by revisiting a 2007 interview with Terry Gross. Sedaka discusses his early career writing hits for teenagers in the Brill Building, emphasizing the collaborative process with lyricist Howard Greenfield and the friendly compet...

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Delroy Lindo is claiming victory

05 Mar 2026
45m
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Delroy Lindo, veteran actor and Oscar nominee for his role in "Sinners," discusses his career, the impact of race, and his upcoming memoir. Lindo reflects on a childhood experience of racial othering in England, which he is writing about in his memoir, and the complexities of race in his work, including a scene from "T...

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From Beatles break-up to John’s murder, a look at Paul’s transformation

04 Mar 2026
45m
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The podcast features an interview with Morgan Neville, a documentary filmmaker, discussing his new film "Man on the Run," which explores Paul McCartney's life after the Beatles' breakup and the formation of Wings. Neville details his access to unseen archival footage, including home movies by Linda McCartney, and his d...

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A look at Trump's plans to restrict voting

03 Mar 2026
44m
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The interview with Rick Hasen, an election law expert, centers on potential threats to the integrity of the 2026 elections. It addresses concerns about executive orders, like the SAVE Act, that could impose stricter voter ID requirements and documentary proof of citizenship, potentially disenfranchising millions. Hasen...

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Jessie Buckley loves the ‘shadowy bits’ of her characters

02 Mar 2026
44m
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The interview explores Jessie Buckley's role as Agnes Hathaway in the film Hamnet, focusing on the reimagining of Shakespeare's wife and the exploration of grief, motherhood, and female identity. Buckley discusses the character's connection to nature and the societal perception of her as "other," as well as the use of ...

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Best Of: Kate Hudson / Stellan Skarsgård

28 Feb 2026
47m
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This episode of Fresh Air Weekend features two interviews: one with Kate Hudson, discussing her Oscar-nominated role as Claire in Song Sung Blue, her approach to acting, and her reflections on motherhood and career, and another with Stellan Skarsgård, who shares insights on his role in Sentimental Value, his acting pro...

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The voice of SpongeBob, Tom Kenny

27 Feb 2026
46m
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This episode of Fresh Air features an interview with Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants, revisiting a conversation from 2004 with Terry Gross. Kenny describes SpongeBob's origins, voice creation, and the character's optimistic nature, drawing inspiration from figures like John Sebastian and Brian Wilson for ...

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Is the U.S. headed toward military conflict with Iran?

26 Feb 2026
44m
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The discussion centers on the potential for military conflict with Iran, examining the contradictions in Trump administration rhetoric and the motivations behind the U.S. military buildup. David Sanger, White House and national security correspondent, highlights that Iran's nuclear program, while a concern, may not be ...

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Stellan Skarsgård doesn’t believe in bad guys

25 Feb 2026
45m
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Stellan Skarsgård, the Swedish actor, discusses his extensive career, including his recent Golden Globe Award and Oscar nomination for "Sentimental Value." Skarsgård reflects on identifying with his character in the film and the challenges he faced after suffering a stroke, including memorizing lines, which led him to ...

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Tayari Jones on friendship, writing, and choosing your ‘Kin’

24 Feb 2026
44m
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Novelist Tayari Jones discusses her latest book, Kin, a story about two motherless girls in 1950s Louisiana and Atlanta, exploring themes of friendship, race, and identity. Jones reveals the novel came to her unexpectedly after a difficult period, including a health diagnosis of Graves' disease, and a struggle to compl...

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Kate Hudson

23 Feb 2026
44m
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Kate Hudson discusses her Oscar-nominated role as Claire Sardina in Song Sung Blue, a film about a Neil Diamond tribute band, and reflects on her career. Hudson shares insights into portraying a complex character dealing with addiction and loss, emphasizing the importance of honoring the real Claire's story while trust...

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Best Of: The life and legacy of Fela Kuti / Michael Pollan on consciousness

21 Feb 2026
48m
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This episode of Fresh Air Weekend features two interviews. The first explores the life and music of Fela Kuti, the Nigerian musician and father of Afrobeat, with Jad Abumrad, creator of the podcast series "Fela Kuti, Fear No Man". They discuss Fela's use of music as a weapon against colonial values and his country's di...

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Remembering actor Robert Duvall & filmmaker Frederick Wiseman

20 Feb 2026
46m
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The podcast features two interviews that explore the career and craft of actor Robert Duvall. The conversations delve into Duvall's approach to acting, emphasizing preparation and bringing oneself to the character rather than complete transformation. Duvall reflects on iconic roles such as Tom Hagen in The Godfather an...

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Michael Pollan’s journey to understand consciousness

19 Feb 2026
45m
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Michael Pollan, author of "A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness," explores the multifaceted nature of consciousness, contrasting scientific theories with personal experiences. The discussion questions the widely held belief in Silicon Valley that AI can achieve consciousness, with Pollan arguing that computers...

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A look at the ethical implications of AI

18 Feb 2026
45m
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The podcast explores the capabilities and ethical considerations surrounding Anthropic's AI chatbot, Claude. It features Gideon Lewis-Kraus, a staff writer at The New Yorker, who spent months inside Anthropic. The discussion centers on Claude's potential military applications, its use in capturing Venezuelan leader Nic...

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A daughter's rebellion against a regime and her father

17 Feb 2026
45m
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The interview explores Loubna Mrie's memoir, "Defiance," focusing on her experiences growing up in Syria, her complex relationship with her father, and her involvement in the Syrian revolution. Mrie, raised in the Alawite minority, recounts her political awakening and the personal cost of defying her father, a figure t...

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The American Presidency, Redefined

16 Feb 2026
44m
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The interview with presidential historian Jon Meacham explores the state of American democracy, particularly regarding the actions and rhetoric of political figures. Meacham argues that a unique threat to the nation exists when leaders prioritize personal ambition over constitutional order, referencing Trump's attempts...

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Best Of: Mixed Marriage Project / How Racism Costs Everyone

14 Feb 2026
48m
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This episode of Fresh Air Weekend explores the complexities of race, identity, and American history through two distinct interviews. First, Dorothy Roberts discusses her memoir, "The Mixed Marriage Project," and her journey uncovering her father's research on interracial marriage, which predated his relationship with h...

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‘Sinners’ Songwriter Raphael Saadiq

13 Feb 2026
46m
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This episode of Fresh Air features an interview with Raphael Saadiq, a Grammy-winning musician, songwriter, and producer. Saadiq discusses his early musical experiences in the church, his unexpected journey to becoming a frontman, and his love for older music, which he integrates into his contemporary work. He shares i...

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