The British actor says the American West is "about as far from my lived experience as you can imagine." Cumberbatch got into his role for The Power of the Dog by spending time with real ranchers.

Cox says the ruthless business tycoon he plays HBO's Succession is one of the most extraordinary roles he's ever taken: "He is a misanthrope [who] is very disappointed with the human experiment."

While working for the Department of Justice, Coates says she saw voter rolls being purged and instances where polling places were moved to known Klan locations. Her new memoir is Just Pursuit.

During her career and after her death, Monroe was objectified and scrutinized — mostly by male writers, biographers and historians. CNN's new docuseries tells her story from a fresh perspective.

While her friends and family went to the Australian beaches, Kidman stayed indoors reading — and imagining herself as a character in the books. Kidman stars as Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos.

Penn got his start in stoner comedies, then took a hiatus from acting to work for the Obama administration. He shares stories from his life and career in the memoir You Can't Be Serious.

"Americans went on a shopping spree as soon as lockdown started, and we haven't really stopped," journalist Christopher Mims says. His book, Arriving Today, goes inside the global supply chain.

Raskin's son died just days before the Capitol insurrection. Now Raskin serves on the House select committee charged with investigating the Jan. 6 attack. His new memoir is Unthinkable.

Picking up where The Mandalorian left off, this new fantasy series on Disney+ features well-defined characters, exciting action and special effects that are as good as in any Star Wars movie.

The Apple TV+ satire series Schmigadoon! centers on a couple who gets trapped in a town where people burst into song. Originally broadcast Aug. 9 and Aug. 23.

In the series, Lebowitz talks with Martin Scorsese about getting kicked out of high school, driving a cab in New York City in the 1970s and not having a cell phone. Originally broadcast January 2021.

Culkin plays one of three siblings vying for control of a media empire. The character, he says, "doesn't really know what [it] means to suffer consequences." Originally broadcast Dec. 6, 2021.

Cruz says just reading the script for Parallel Mothers left her in tears. Justin Chang picks the best 11 films of 2021. Cumming's new memoir centers on love, sexuality, career and mental health.

Director Joel Coen's The Tragedy of Macbeth is a bewitching piece of craftsmanship, featuring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand as the murderous power couple.

Earlier this year, Kevin Whitehead noted the passing of Chick Corea and Mario Pavone. Now he remembers a few more players who died in 2021, including Milford Graves, Ralph Peterson and Dave Frishberg.