
Best Of: Jodie Foster / Tessa Thompson
17.1.2026 | 48 Min.
Jodie Foster has been acting since she was 3. At 12 she was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Scorsese’s ‘Taxi Driver.’ This year marks the 50th anniversary of that film. Foster spoke with Terry Gross about her early acting career, including getting mauled by a lion on set. Her new film is ‘A Private Life.’ Tessa Thompson stars in the new Netflix murder mystery limited series ‘His & Hers’ and in Nia DaCosta’s adaptation of Ibsen’s ‘Hedda.’ She spoke with Tonya Mosley about navigating her biracial identity and why she has both “yes” and “no” tattooed.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Remembering Grateful Dead Founding Member Bob Weir
16.1.2026 | 46 Min.
We remember Bob Weir, founding member of the Grateful Dead, who died last week at 78. The guitarist spoke with Fresh Air Executive Producer Sam Briger in 2016 about working on a ranch, learning to ride, and getting to know cowboys. Also, we remember jazz singer Rebecca Kilgore, who was known for her interpretations of the Great American Songbook. She died at age 76. Kilgore often performed and recorded with pianist Dave Frishberg. We listen to excerpts of their in-studio concerts with Terry Gross. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Novelist Julian Barnes Faces Mortality Without Fear
15.1.2026 | 43 Min.
The Man Booker Prize-winning writer says his new book, ‘Departure(s),’ will be his last. He spoke with Terry Gross about blending genres, moving through grief after his wife died, and the fallibility of memory. TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new series ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.’ Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Marco Rubio’s Shift From Trump Critic To Champion
14.1.2026 | 44 Min.
Marco Rubio once called Trump a "con artist." He’s now among his most loyal defenders. New Yorker staff writer Dexter Filkins describes Secretary of State Rubio's character, political transformation and ambition. Filkins also spoke with Tonya Mosley about Venezuela and what he thinks will happen next. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Jodie Foster
13.1.2026 | 44 Min.
Foster was just 12 years old when she starred in Scorsese’s 1976 film ‘Taxi Driver.’ "What luck to have been part of that, our golden age of cinema in the '70s," she says. She talks with Terry Gross about the 50th anniversary of that movie, getting mauled by a lion on a set, and why she kept her sexuality private for most of her career. Foster’s latest film, ‘Vie Privée’ (‘A Private Life’), is in French, which she speaks fluently. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy



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