The Treat: Phil Lord and Chris Miller

Actor Jeff Daniels has had a storied career in TV, film, and Broadway. He’s the winner of two Emmys for his roles in 'The Newsroom' and 'Godless,' has appeared in films as varied as 'Terms of Endearment,' 'Dumb and Dumber,' and 'The Martian,' and earned three Tony Award nominations for his work in the plays 'God of Carnage,' 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' and 'Blackbird.' To top it all off, he’s also an accomplished musician, with several folk and blues albums of original music. For his treat, he pays tribute to a live album recorded in 1970 by a musician on the precipice of mega-stardom.

The late and acclaimed director Rob Reiner created some of the most beloved films of the past four decades including 'Stand By Me,' 'When Harry Met Sally' and, of course, 'This is Spinal Tap.'  In the fall of 2025, Reiner joined The Treatment for an extensive conversation ahead of the release of what would be his final film: 'Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.'  'This is Spinal Tap' ushered in an era of mockumentaries starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer. They were masters of improv and accomplished musicians. Reiner spoke about the actors’ authentic musical talents, he revealed his character Marty DiBergi’s hilarious backstory, and he recounted the real life rockers who saw themselves in the fictional band.   This episode originally ran on September 13, 2025.

Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s collaboration has lasted decades, spawning projects including 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,' 'The Lego Movie,' and their latest, the sci-fi dramedy 'Project Hail Mary.' The friendship that led to their creative partnership started in college, and their treat is the film that cemented that bond: an edgy 1971 Hal Ashby flick that brought new meaning to the term “May-December romance.”

Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg are the most influential directors of their generation with iconic films including The Godfather, Star Wars: A New Hope, and Jaws. Their catalog runs deep.     Author Paul Fischer’s new book The Last Kings of Hollywood: Coppola, Lucas, Spielberg—and the Battle for the Soul of American Cinema tells the story of how the directors became giants in filmmaking. In the book, Fischer describes each man’s brilliance and shortcomings, presenting a human story behind their abundant talent and prolific output. Fischer tells Elvis the story behind how Apocalypse Now came to Coppola, how a nearly fatal accident set Lucas on a path toward becoming a filmmaker, and how the idea of family informed each director’s approach to filmmaking.  

Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino are behind shows whose dialogue shares rhythms of both borscht belt humor and pop music. Those series include the beloved 'Gilmore Girls,' 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,' and their most recent, the ballet dramedy 'Étoile.' For their treat, the Palladinos shout out an LA record store and a classic comedy sketch they return to again and again.

Actor David Oyelowo doesn’t shy away from taking on complex, groundbreaking characters, but the timing has to be right. He portrayed Martin Luther King, Jr. in 'Selma,' the first Black U.S. marshal in the series 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves,' and took on the role of Othello almost a decade ago on stage. His latest role is in the film 'Newborn,' which is about a man struggling to reconnect with his family after years in solitary confinement. Oyelowo talks about what drew him to the project, the lack of general awareness around the impact of solitary confinement, and what made him finally say yes to playing Othello years ago.

Style writer Guy Trebay has spent decades documenting the trends of culture, art and fashion for The New York Times. His 2024 memoir, Do Something: Coming of Age Amid the Glitter and Doom of ‘70s New York, tells of his early years in a troubled family and how he found refuge in the gritty beauty of New York City. For his treat, he explains why walking in a city (including LA) is his happiest place.  

The title of writer-director BenDavid Grabinski’s comedy caper Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is a mouthful, but it’s no accident. The film stars Vince Vaughn, James Marsden, and Eiza González as a trio trying to survive the most dangerous night of their lives. Grabinski says he wanted aspects of his movie to harken back to films such as 1976’s Mikey and Nicky and the 1969 comedy Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. Grabinski tells Elvis how these films inspired him, his unusual music choices for Mike & Nick, and why he’s dying for the Coen brothers to direct a horror movie.

 In his decades as a film critic for the LA Times, Kenneth Turan’s reviews demonstrated his vast knowledge of cinema while never shying away from strong opinions. Turan’s latest book, 'Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg: The Whole Equation', details a partnership that was instrumental in creating the modern film industry. For his treat, Turan cites a 20th century writer and critic whose genuine curiosity shone through in his work.  

Director Joseph Kosinski has helmed two of the biggest blockbusters of the past five years — 2022’s 'Top Gun: Maverick' and last summer’s racing movie 'F1.' The latter stars Brad Pitt as a driver who comes out of retirement to team up with a younger driver (played by Damson Idris). At this year’s Academy Awards, 'F1' took home the Oscar for Best Sound Design. Kosinski talks to Elvis about how his musical background finds its way into his films, how every member of a Formula One team is essential to the driver’s success, and how he wants to make the audience feel like they’re along for the ride.    This episode originally aired July 4, 2025.