American Masters

On April 23, 2014, director John Singleton reflected upon coming to Maya Angelou for guidance while working on his film "Poetic Justice," and how Angelou influenced him and Tupac on the set of the film and in the years after. Interview conducted for "Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise" (2017), directed by Rita Coburn and Bob Hercules.

On September 25, 2009, Steve Martin sat down with director Susan Lacy for a conversation on how record industry mogul and studio executive David Geffen found Hollywood success through his friendships with industry folks like The Eagles, Elton John, Joni Mitchell and more. Interview conducted for "Inventing David Geffen" (2012).

On July 31, 1997, filmmaker Jonas Mekas described how the burgeoning art scene of New York City in the 1960s bore great artists, including Andy Warhol and Lou Reed of The Velvet Underground. Interview conducted by director Timothy Greenfield-Sanders for "Lou Reed: Rock And Roll Heart" (1998).

Join author and disability rights advocate Rebecca Alexander as she meets the founders and educators of Protactile, a language based solely on touch. Historically, DeafBlind people have been limited to using interpreters to communicate. With Protactile, one-on-one and group conversations are not only possible, but they also allow for deeper and more meaningful connection.

Join author and disability rights advocate Rebecca Alexander as she meets the founders and educators of Protactile, a language based solely on touch. Historically, DeafBlind people have been limited to using interpreters to communicate. With Protactile, one-on-one and group conversations are not only possible, but they also allow for deeper and more meaningful connection.

Join author and disability rights advocate Rebecca Alexander as she meets the founders and educators of Protactile, a language based solely on touch. Historically, DeafBlind people have been limited to using interpreters to communicate. With Protactile, one-on-one and group conversations are not only possible, but they also allow for deeper and more meaningful connection.

On February 6, 2019, André Leon Talley sat down with directors Julia Marchesi and Sally Rosenthal to recount how Mae West used fashion and her sexuality to empower herself. Interview conducted for "Mae West: Dirty Blonde" (2020).

On November 18, 1999, Fran Drescher sat down with director Pamela Mason Wagner to discuss how she consulted Lucille Ball’s playbook for showrunner-stars in the American sitcom while creating "The Nanny." Interview conducted for "Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy."

On June 30, 1998, James Earl Jones sat down with actress and director Lee Grant to discuss Sidney Poitier's impact on himself and other young Black actors. Interview conducted for "Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light."

On February 6, 2019, iconic drag performer and artist Lady Bunny chatted with directors Sally Rosenthal and Julia Marchesi about actress Mae West's onstage persona and how she cultivated a legion of queer fans. Interview conducted for "Mae West: Dirty Blonde" (2020).

Actor Treat Williams describes working with director Sidney Lumet on “Prince of the City.” Williams and documentary filmmaker Nancy Buirski have a conversation about Lumet’s unique approach to working with actors and his eclectic range of projects. Williams shows his affection for Lumet’s embrace of theatrical performance and says, “sometimes you gotta be bigger than life.”

Electrical engineer and technician Chi-Tien Lui is one of the only living experts on cathode-ray tube (CRT) television technology, and he has been solely responsible for restoring most of Nam June Paik's video art over the years. As he nears retirement, Lui looks to pass his knowledge on to future generations.

This is Culinary Futurism. Filmmaker Dustin Nakao-Haider follows Chicago-based chef Ethan Lim as he creates vibrant dishes inspired by the rich, complex history of Cambodia. Drawing on his family’s culinary legacy of over half a century, Lim’s award-winning cooking imagines how Cambodian cuisine might have evolved had the civil war not paused its growth.

Filmmakers Desmond Love and Eden Sabolboro illuminate the world of visual artist Senghor Reid, who draws inspiration for his paintings from current events and from his hometown of Detroit. Reid’s colorful and evocative paintings of human subjects in strange yet familiar environments inspire audiences with future visions of hope and possibility.

Filmmaker Alicia G. Edwards provides an intimate look into the life and work of Walshy Fire, a Grammy Award-nominated music producer and DJ. Discover why audiences pull up whenever and wherever Walshy Fire takes the stage, from his Caribbean-tinged childhood—when he first experienced the dancehall and reggae music scenes—to his current work as an electrifying producer and performer.

The Ground I Stand On is a lyrical and meditative documentary short that explores the work and creative process of Alejandro Jimenez, Mexico’s 2021 Slam Poetry champion. See how his life experience as a U.S. immigrant farm worker shapes his unique vision of the power of poetry and its connection to a collective past.

Filmmaker Sergio Rapu follows Anishinaabe artist Jonathan Thunder as he dives deep into the inspirations behind his surrealist paintings and animations. From the killing of an iconic American hero to critical perspectives of how indigenous people were portrayed in early children’s cartoons, Thunder’s art prompts viewers to take a critical look at our shared mythologies.

Filmmaker Juanita Anderson follows visual artist Sydney G. James, whose bold brush strokes in murals and large-scale paintings amplify the presence of Black women, Black families and Black culture in her hometown of Detroit. Through her work as a mentor and as co-founder of the BLKOUT Walls Mural Festival, James inspires her fellow Detroiters to come together to celebrate their community.

Filmmaker Brooke Pepion Swaney profiles independent film actress Lily Gladstone as she prepares for the release of "Killers of the Flower Moon." Drawing from her childhood on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana and her peripatetic life as a professional actor, Gladstone learns to stand on her own two feet in order to make her voice heard.

For tuna tartare, Pépin recommends dicing the fish with a knife instead of using a food processor, which tends to make the fish mushy. He serves his tartare with onions, scallions and a garnish of bread and cucumbers.