It Happened In Hollywood
- Episodes
- 89
- Released
- every two weeks
- Latest episode
- Aug 20, 2026
About the podcast
On this podcast, Seth Abramovitch, senior writer at The Hollywood Reporter, takes you behind the scenes of the indelible pop culture moments that shaped Hollywood history — with special guests who were actually there. In a town where everything old is eventually new again, Seth gives listeners a front-row seat to the way things were. Welcome to IT HAPPENED IN HOLLYWOOD! Theme music composed by: Paul Masvidal and Sean Malone
Episodes 89
Julie Klausner: ‘Difficult People’
The showrunner and star discusses her groundbreaker sitcom in front of a live audience at Televerse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Richard Linklater: ‘Boyhood’
The season 9 finale sees the director tell Seth how he pulled off one of the most audacious feats in movie history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nicolas Winding Refn: 'Drive'
The enigmatic director reflects on the breakthrough that turned a getaway driver into a pop culture icon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Guy Maddin: 'My Winnipeg'
The acclaimed filmmaker about memory, mythmaking, hometowns and turning personal history into cinematic gold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mary Harron: ‘I Shot Andy Warhol’
The director on her extraordinary docudrama about the near-assassination of an art world superstar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
John Badham: 'Saturday Night Fever'
The director remembers how a TV heartthrob, a light-up dance floor and a white suit ignited the disco era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tom Courtenay: 'The Dresser’
The legendary British actor looks back on the film that earned him an Oscar nomination and a front-row seat to Albert Finney at his most ferocious. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jonathan Lynn: ‘Clue’
Seth sits down with the writer-director who turned a board game into one of Hollywood's greatest cult comedies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ron Howard and Brian Grazer: ‘Splash’
The Imagine duo relay the David-vs.-Goliath tale of Hollywood’s dueling mermaid movies — minting a superstar out of Tom Hanks in the process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Eric Roberts: ‘Star 80’
The star of Bob Fosse’s final film unpacks the obsession, ambition and moral rot behind one of Hollywood’s darkest true crimes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Amy Heckerling: ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’
The director reveals how she transformed Cameron Crowe’s undercover reporting into a defining portrait of messy, horny, sun-bleached youth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Andrew McCarthy: ‘Pretty in Pink’
The reluctant heartthrob from John Hughes’ 1986 teen classic revisits Brat Pack mania and the last-minute ending that changed everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Henry Thomas: ’E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’
The star of the beloved sci-fi film from 1982 looks back on how a tearful, instinctive audition won him screen immortality and childhood superstardom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jane Alexander and Lynne Littman: ‘Testament’
The Oscar-nominated star and director of the 1983 nuclear war drama join Seth as the podcast kicks off a new season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mira Nair: 'Salaam Bombay!'
The writer-director joins Seth to share tales of the making of this gritty and entrancing tale of life in the slums of India. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Larry Smith: 'Eyes Wide Shut'
Cinematographer Larry Smith describes executing Stanley Kubrick’s exacting vision on what would be his final film. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
William Petersen: 'Manhunter'
The star of Hollywood’s first take on Hannibal Lecter reveals the obsessive lengths gone to by Michael Mann to craft a procedural masterpiece. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Adrian Lyne: ‘Jacob’s Ladder’
The director revisits the making of his nightmarish 1990 vision of life after the battlefield starring Tim Robbins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Patty McCormack: ‘The Bad Seed’
The star of the 1956 thriller that introduced the “evil child” genre joins Seth to retell the making of a horror classic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Philippe Rousselot: ‘Diva’
The Oscar-winning cinematographer walks Seth through the making of the gorgeous cult French film from 1981. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rob Reiner: ‘This is Spinal Tap’
The director of the landmark 1984 mockumentary joins Seth for an unforgettable conversation about the making of a comedy classic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Charlie Kaufman: 'Synecdoche, New York'
The Oscar-winner breaks down the making of his 2008 postmodern mindbender starring the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kenneth Lonergan: 'You Can Count on Me'
The Oscar-winning writer-director revisits his landmark first film about the bond between two orphaned siblings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sean Baker and Darren Dean: 'Prince of Broadway'
The Oscar-winning Anora director shares memories of creating his first festival film. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
David Chase and Alex Gibney: ‘The Sopranos’ and ‘Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos’
The enigmatic ‘Sopranos’ creator and his documentarian join Seth for a chat about making history-changing TV. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Charles Burnett: 'Killer of Sheep'
Indie pioneer Charles Burnett recollects the making of his 1978masterpiece. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pam Grier: 'Jackie Brown'
Join the first female action star as she retells themaking of Quentin Tarantino’s third film Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Amy Irving: 'Crossing Delancey'
The star of the ultimate“Jewish romcom” joins us to reminisce about making the 1988 charmer and sharesmemories of her marriage to Steven Spielberg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Patrick Wilson: 'Little Children'
Join “Prom King” Patrick Wilson for an episode all aboutlaundry room trysts and suburban ennui. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nancy Olson: ‘Sunset Boulevard’
The star of Billy Wilder’s Hollywood-skewering noir from 1950 regales withtales of the making of the classic film. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
These are the latest 40 of 89 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.
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