Pop Culture Unplugged w/ Elias

Jimmi Simpson returns to Pop Culture Unplugged with Elias to break down Ryan’s emotional journey in Dark Matter Season 2, including the plague revelation, a heartbreaking family discovery and his evolving relationship with Amanda.

Following our Season 1 conversation, Simpson explores why returning home doesn’t bring Ryan the peace he expected—and how guilt pushes him to consider his responsibility to the worlds he...

Jordan Leftwich joins Elias on Pop Culture Unplugged to go inside Coven Academy and the secrets behind her character, Sasha.

From originally auditioning for Brier to bringing Sasha’s mind-reading powers to life, Jordan shares how she built a character whose guarded exterior hides a deeply emotional story. She discusses Sasha’s friendship with Brier, behind-the-scenes cast chemistry, and her reaction to the shocking reve...

Alison Thornton joins Pop Culture Unplugged with Elias to discuss playing Chris Hargensen in Mike Flanagan’s Carrie, the series adaptation of Stephen King’s iconic horror story.

Alison explores the insecurity, family dynamics, and fractured friendships behind Chris’s cruelty—and why understanding her character doesn’t mean excusing her actions. She also shares how social media makes Carrie’s worl...

June Laporte joined Elias on Pop Culture Unplugged to talk about American Hostage, playing Ginny Hughes, and working alongside Jon Hamm in the true crime drama.

June shares how they prepared for the role through the American Hostage podcast, archival footage, and research into 1970s radio journalism. They explore Ginny’s ambitions, her relationship with Fred, and the Episode 3 fallout that challenges her trust in her mentor.

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Jordan Alexa Davis joins Elias on Pop Culture Unplugged to discuss The End of Oak Street, her feature-film debut, and stepping into the movie’s mysterious world.

Jordan shares what drew her to the story, how she developed the reserved but courageous Jeannette, and what it was like working alongside Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor. She also takes listeners behind the scenes of the film’s dinosaur sequences, from reacting...

Karen Cliche joins Elias on Pop Culture Unplugged to discuss playing Alison Mayfair in the new horror movie Ice Cream Man and reuniting with filmmaker Eli Roth following Thanksgiving.

Karen shares how Eli casually offered her the role, the extensive improvisation behind their family scenes and what it was like having him serve as both her director and onscreen husband. She also discusses t...

Kiori Mirza Waldman, who plays Mia in Ice Cream Man, joins Elias on Pop Culture Unplugged w/ Elias to discuss her character’s surprising journey, the film’s bloody school scenes and working with director Eli Roth.

Kiori shares how she landed the role, approached Mia’s transformation from a popular small-town teenager into a courageous survivor and handled the chaos surrou...

John Ross Bowie joins Pop Culture Unplugged w/ Elias to discuss returning as Barry Kripke in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, the new Big Bang Theory spinoff on HBO Max.

John opens up about learning that Kripke would become a full-time character, how the series gives Barry a deeper storyline and why he compares Kripke’s new role to Doctor Smith from Lost in Space. He also discusses Barry shooting Raj, Kripke’s explana...

Skywalker Hughes joins Pop Culture Unplugged w/ Elias to discuss bringing Mary Ingalls to life in Netflix’s new adaptation of Little House on the Prairie.

Skywalker talks about growing up with Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books, auditioning for the role, and creating a more layered version of Mary. She also shares how she and Alice Halsey developed Mary and Laura’s sisterly che...

Thalia Tran joins Elias on Pop Culture Unplugged to discuss her breakout role as Mai in Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2.

In this in-depth conversation, Thalia shares what it was like stepping into one of the franchise's most iconic characters, how Mai evolves throughout Season 2, and why exploring the world beyond the Fire Nation changes everything for her character.

She also...

Olivia Rose Keegan joins Pop Culture Unplugged with Elias to discuss her role as Sara in Scary Movie. Olivia opens up about stepping into the iconic horror-comedy franchise, discovering Sara's connection to Cindy Campbell, and working alongside comedy legends including Anna Faris and the Wayans family.

During the conversation, Olivia discusses balancing horror and comedy, the emotional depth behind Sara's story, studying Anna Faris...

Joe Taslim joins Elias on Pop Culture Unplugged to discuss his latest action thriller, The Furious. Joe breaks down his role as Naveen, explains why the character became one of his favorite roles of his career, and shares how he balances emotional storytelling with intense action sequences.

During the conversation, Joe discusses working alongside Xie Miao, building the relationship between Naveen and Wang Wei, the importance of und...

Anthony B. Jenkins joins Elias on Pop Culture Unplugged to discuss his role as Devante in The Chi Season 8. During the conversation, Anthony opens up about landing the role, bringing Devante to life, and why the character is often misunderstood by viewers. He also discusses working with Jacob Latimore, stepping into the world of The Chi, his acting journey, and the growth fans can expect from Devante as the season unfolds. Whether ...

Jessica Blair Herman joins Pop Culture Unplugged w/ Elias to discuss her role as Heather in Euphoria Season 3. In this exclusive interview, Jessica opens up about joining the hit HBO series, working with creator Sam Levinson, and stepping into one of television’s most passionate fandoms.

Jessica breaks down Heather’s complicated connection with Cassie, the emotional themes surrounding wealth and suburban life, and the e...

Jalen Thomas Brooks joins Pop Culture Unplugged w/ Elias to talk all about and his role as Tucker, the emotional glue of the hockey house.

Jalen discusses adapting a beloved book character for the screen, balancing Tucker’s humor and emotional depth, and the real-life cast chemistry that helped shape the series. He also reveals how he actually cooked for the cast off-camera just like Tucker does in the show, opens up about th...

Erin Robinson joins Pop Culture Unplugged w/ Elias to talk about her role as Delilah in Your Friends & Neighbors Season 2.

In this episode, Erin shares how she landed the role, what drew her to Delilah, and how the character evolves throughout the season. She also dives into Delilah’s guarded personality, her complicated relationship with her father, and her connection to Hunter and the Cooper family.

We also discuss:

Braxton Quinney joins Pop Culture Unplugged with Elias to talk about voicing Dustin in Stranger Things Tales from ’85.

Braxton shares how he landed the role, what it was like stepping into one of the most iconic characters in the Stranger Things universe, and how he brought Dustin’s humor, sarcasm, and heart to life in this animated chapter.

He also discusses the audition process, fan reactions, and what makes Tales fro...

Brooklyn Davey Norstedt joins Pop Culture Unplugged with Elias to talk about voicing Eleven in Stranger Things Tales from 85.

In this episode, Brooklyn shares her journey landing the role, the pressure of stepping into such an iconic character, and how she honored the original performance while bringing her own voice to Eleven.

She also dives into:

• Auditioning without knowing it was Stranger Things
• Studying Eleven’s voic...

KeiLyn Durrel Jones joins Pop Culture Unplugged w/ Elias to discuss his role as Bill Bray, the trusted real-life bodyguard and confidant of Michael Jackson, in the highly anticipated film Michael.

In this episode, KeiLyn shares what it meant to portray such an important figure in Michael Jackson’s life, how he approached capturing Bill Bray’s calm and protective presence, and why Bray was more than just security —...