Join us on Half the Picture as your host Billy Barnell sits down with a different filmmaker, actor, or artist each episode for a relaxed, revealing conversation. Get the full picture on some of the most talented and noteworthy folks in showbiz and the long and winding roads of their careers. Expect
Half the Picture's guest this episode is Phoebe Fox, the actor perhaps best known for starring as Serena in the slick and combustible new HBO legal drama War as well as her work as Marial in The Great, Eve in The Woman in Black: Angel of Death and Queen Anne in The Hollow Crown: The Wars of The Roses amongst so many others. Phoebe joined Billy on the pod' to chat about her experience making War alongside such stellar acting talents as Dominic West, Sienna Miller, James McArdle and Celia Imrie and what it was like getting under the skin of the legal world as an actor in the show. She also…
Half the Picture's guest this episode is Greg McHugh, the actor, writer and comedian responsible for bringing Howard to life in the beloved comedy 'Fresh Meat' as well as for writing and starring in the hit BAFTA winning show 'Gary: Tank Commander' and fronting the warm and wonderful 'Only Child' amongst so many others. Greg joined Billy on the pod' to chat about his memories of making Fresh Meat, his favourite moments playing Howard and whether a Fresh Meat reunion might be on the cards. He also touched on how the personality of Gary: Tank Commander helped him unlock the process of…
Half the Picture's guest this episode is Lara Pulver, currently starring as Bella Harrigan in the second season of Guy Ritchie's 'MobLand', now streaming on Paramount+. The Olivier-nominated actress is also well known for her unforgettable turn as Irene Adler in 'Sherlock', as well as her work on projects as diverse as 'Spooks', 'Maternal', 'The Split', 'Da Vinci's Demons' and 'Edge of Tomorrow', amongst so many others. Lara joined Billy on the pod' to chat about returning to 'MobLand' and what it's like holding her own opposite Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren and Tom Hardy in one of TV's most…
Half the Picture's guest this episode is none other than Alan Moore, the extraordinary writer responsible for some of the most original and daring fiction of the last few decades such as The Long London series, Jerusalem, Voice of the Fire, Watchmen, V for Vendetta, From Hell and Marvelman amongst so many other great works. Alan joined Billy on the pod' to chat about his process writing The Long London novels, the third of which 'Blow Away, Dandelion' he recently finished and what a day in the life as a writer looks like for him. He also touched on his experience recording his iconic guest…
Half the Picture's guest this episode is Steve Stamp, the acclaimed writer and actor responsible for scripting and performing as Steves in the cult comedy smash People Just Do Nothing as well as his brilliant work on projects such as Peacock, The Curse and The Witness amongst so many others. Steve joined Billy on the pod' to chat about his time making People Just Do Nothing, the long and strange journey the show went on from YouTube webisodes to BAFTA award-winning sitcom and just what it's like creating a BBC TV show with a gang of your mates. He also touched on how hard it was trying to…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Jamali Maddix, the hilarious and insightful comedian perhaps best known for his stand-up, his appearances on shows such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks and 8 Out of 10 Cats as well as his work on bold documentary series such as Hate Thy Neighbor and Follow The Leader amongst so many others. Jamali joined Billy on the pod’ to reflect on how he got his start in comedy, his favourite comedians that inspired him growing up and how an infected tattoo during his university years completely changed his path into comedy. He also touched on his clear-eyed approach…
Half the Picture's guest this episode is Mark Gatiss, the wonderful actor and writer perhaps best known for his work on projects such as 'Doctor Who', 'Sherlock', 'The League of Gentlemen' and now the latest series of 'Bookish' amongst so many other gems. Mark joined Billy on the pod' to chat about the second series of 'Bookish', his explorations of the post-war British psyche through the show and his experience working with the menagerie of talent he assembled for the cast. He also touched on his time writing and acting for 'Doctor Who' and why he believes the show should stop, the joy and…
Half the Picture's guests this episode are James Briefel and George Pundek, the guys behind the brilliant Pulp Kitchen podcast, dedicated to the love of Film & TV and creating a space to share and develop an interest in film, whilst offering reviews, news, rankings, impressions and so much more! James and George joined Billy on Half the Picture to chat about their shared love of film and the big-screen cinema experience as well as to compare notes on when their obsession with film first began. They also touched on their definition of a "Perfect Cinema" moment, their vote for the best needle…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Karla Crome, the brilliant writer responsible for scripting the new Sky Atlantic horror show ‘Possession’ as well as lighting up the screen as an actor with her memorable turns as Jess in ‘Misfits’, Nell in ‘Something Very Bad is Going to Happen’, Pattie in ‘Toxic Town’ and Bella in ‘Lazarus’ amongst so many others. Karla joined Billy on the pod’ to chat about her experience writing Possession and how the series represents the realisation of her goal to dramatise the Black-British experience onscreen whilst exploring the horror genre with full-blooded…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Josh Radnor, the actor, writer and filmmaker perhaps best know for his iconic turn as Ted Mosby in the sitcom phenomenon ‘How I Met Your Mother’ as well as his work on projects as diverse as ‘Hunters’, ‘Happythankyoumoreplease’, ‘Liberal Arts’ and ‘Rise’ amongst so many others. Josh joined Billy on the pod’ to chat about starring in the stage show ‘The Hit Machine’ currently on at London’s Soho Theatre as well as his favourite things about his time living in London whilst working on the show. He also reflected on the legacy of How I Met Your Mother,…
Half the Picture's guest this week is the brilliant editor, remixer and YouTuber Swedemason, the mind behind the viral hits 'Masterchef Synesthesia', 'Trump vs Talking Heads' and 'Paul McCartney Rabbit Hole' amongst so many others gems. Chris (AKA Swede) joined Billy on the pod' to chat about his process crafting such stone-cold online classics as Buttery Biscuit Bass and how his meticulous craft of sampling begins by picking through the flotsam and jetsam of media to find a phrase to build a song out of. He also touched on how he dealt with the unexpected fame and attention Masterchef…
Half the Picture's guest this week is Kimberley Nixon, the actress and writer perhaps best know for her brilliant turns as Josie in 'Fresh Meat', Slaggy Lindsay in 'Angus, Thongs & Perfect Snogging', Kate in 'Wild Child' and Shell in 'Under Salt Marsh' amongst so many others. Kim joined Billy on the pod' to chat about her new one woman show 'Baby Brain', all about her experience navigating postpartum psychosis and OCD after the birth of her son which she's currently touring the UK with (link below). She also touched on why The Muppet's Christmas Carol and The Princess Bride helped inspire…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Bobcat Goldthwait, the brilliant comedian, actor and filmmaker renowned for his barnstorming standup comedy, his iconic roles such as Zed in the 'Police Academy' franchise and his mercurial directing on projects as diverse as 'Willow Creek', 'Windy City Heat' and 'World's Greatest Dad' amongst so many others. Bobcat joined Billy on the pod' to chat about his memories of starting in comedy and the influence Sesame Street's Grover had on his now legendary standup persona, as well as his lifelong friendship with Tom Kenny (Spongebob Squarepants). He also…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Tyler Bates, the film composer perhaps best known for his remarkable scores for films such as ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, ‘John Wick’, Watchmen’, ‘Dawn of the Dead’ and ‘300’ amongst so many other gems. Tyler joined Billy on the pod’ to discuss what exactly makes a good film composer as well as to delve into his collaborations with filmmakers such as Zack Snyder and James Gunn. He also touched on the humour of the scoring sessions for Deadpool 2, the film score he mortgaged his house to finance and the improvised guitar riff that ended up in the final…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Patrick H. Willems, the brilliant filmmaker and video essayist behind the eponymous YouTube channel who is responsible for crafting some of the most insightful and well produced video essays of the last several years, including his pieces on directors as diverse as Francis Ford Coppola and Zack Snyder amongst so many other greats. Patrick joined Billy on the pod’ to reminiscence about his early days on YouTube when he started out producing work such as ‘What if Wes Anderson Directed X-Men?"'‘ before breaking out with video essays on filmmaking and…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Steven Moffat, the writer best know for his brilliant work on projects such as ‘Doctor Who’, ‘Sherlock’, ‘Coupling’, ‘The Adventures of Tintin’, ‘Inside Man’ & ‘Press Gang’ amongst so many other gems. Billy joined Steven in his office to chat with him about his work on Doctor Who and his memories of writing such iconic episodes as ‘The Empty Child’ and ‘Blink’ as well as the show’s future since being put out to tender by the BBC. They also touched on Steven’s desire to return to the world of ‘Sherlock’, his upcoming show ‘Number 10’ along with the…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Adam Carter Rehmeier, the formidable director behind ‘Carolina Caroline’, his latest film starring Samara Weaving and Kyle Gallner as well as the modern cult classic ‘Dinner in America’ and the sun-drenched coming of age movie ‘Snack Shack’ amongst many others! Adam joined Billy on the pod’ to chat about the making of ‘Carolina Caroline’ and his experience working with stars Samara and Kyle on the film, which dextrously shifts from road movie to heist thriller to tender romance and back again. He also touched on his time making ‘Dinner in America’ and…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Steven Price, the Academy Award-winning film composer best know for his phenomenal scores for ‘Gravity’, ‘Fury’, ‘The World’s End’, ‘The Running Man’ and ‘Attack the Block’ amongst so many others. Steven joined Billy on the pod’ to chat about all things film music, looking back at his beginnings in the industry when he worked in recording studios with renowned artists such as Bono before scoring his first film composer gig with Joe Cornish’s ‘Attack the Block.’ He also touched on his close working relationship with Edgar Wright and the sense of…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Arthur Darvill, the actor perhaps best know for his turns as companion Rory Williams in ‘Doctor Who’, Time Master Rip Hunter in ‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’ and Reverend Paul Coates in ‘Broadchurch’ amongst so many others. Arthur joined Billy on the pod’ to chat about his experience playing Rory on ‘Doctor Who’ and how Rory’s arc going from under-confident companion to The Last Centurion mirrored his own growth in confidence as an actor on the show. He also touched on his role as Derek Taylor, Beatles press officer in the upcoming Sam Mendes biopics,…
Half the Picture’s guest this week is Andrew Lewis Caldwell, the actor responsible for bringing the villainous Megawatt to life in the new Amazon Prime superhero series ‘Spider Noir’ starring Nicolas Cage. Andrew joined Billy on the pod’ to chat about his experience making ‘Spider Noir’ and how much he delighted in working with Cage both as a co-star and as a lifelong fan. He also touched on his working relationship with fellow villains Brendan Gleeson, Jack Huston and Abraham Popoola and the challenge of shooting a huge action set piece on his first day as well as the spontaneous musical…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is John Ottman, the Oscar-winning film editor and composer who has cut and scored some of the most popular and biggest blockbusters of the last 25 years such as Bohemian Rhapsody (edited), X-Men: Days of Future Past (edited/composed), The Nice Guys (composed), Superman Returns (edited/composed) and The Usual Suspects (edited/composed) amongst many others. John joined Billy on the pod’ to chat about his process cutting ‘Michael’, the new biopic centred around the life and music of Michael Jackson and the behind the scenes process of editing the film with…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Daniel Goldhaber, the filmmaker behind ‘CAM’, ‘How To Blow Up A Pipeline’ and most recently ‘Faces of Death’, a modern update on the notorious 1970’s horror movie that claimed to show real death onscreen, now remade for the age of TikTok, streaming and content moderation. Daniel joined Billy on the pod to chat about how he and his writing partner Isa Mazzei first came onboard ‘Faces of Death’, the difficulties they faced during production and the casting process that landed them with their stars Barbie Ferreira and Dacre Montgomery as well as Josie…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is film editor extraordinaire Eddie Hamilton, the man responsible for cutting some of the biggest movies of the last fifteen years such as Top Gun: Maverick, four Mission Impossibles, Kingsman: The Secret Service, X-Men: First Class and Kick-Ass amongst so many others. Eddie joined Billy on the pod’ to chat about his experiences working closely with Tom Cruise on both Top Gun: Maverick and the Mission Impossible series, the intense enthusiasm that they share for the filmmaking process and reminisced about the time he houseshared with Cruise and director…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Joanne Mitchell, the actor turned director whose singular horror film ‘Broken Bird’ opened FrightFest back in 2024 to great fanfare before going on to shock and surprise audiences at festivals across the world. Joanne joined Billy on the pod’ to chat about the making of ‘Broken Bird’ and her experience working with it’s star Rebecca Calder along with the trust the two of them built together whilst exploring the darkness of the story onscreen. She also delved into her love for character-driven feminine horror movies such as ‘The Babadook’ and ‘Saint…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Rachel Portman, the Oscar-winning composer whose beautiful scores have complemented such films as Emma, Chocolat, Never Let Me Go, One Day and Life is Sweet amongst so many others. Rachel joined Billy on the pod’ to chat about her memories of winning the Oscar for best score in 1997 (the first female composer to ever do so) as well as her close working relationship with director Douglas McGrath on the film. She also reflected on her multiple collaborations with Mike Leigh, why memorable melodies are increasingly vanishing from the landscape of modern…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is the amazing Robert Sheehan, the actor renowned for his iconic turns as Nathan Young in the cult TV series ‘Misfits’, Klaus Hargreeves in the Netflix smash ‘The Umbrella Academy’ and Darren Treacy in the critically acclaimed ‘Love/Hate’ amongst so many others gems. Robert joined Billy on the pod’ to reflect on his time on Misfits as well as the Nathan lines fans always quote back at him and the reasons behind his decision to leave the show after two seasons. He also touched on his favourite memories of playing Klaus in The Umbrella Academy as well as…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Michael Socha, the actor renowned for his brilliant turns as Harvey in ‘This is England’, Tom in ‘Being Human’, Will Scarlet in ‘Once Upon a Time’ and Matty in the upcoming BBC thriller ‘The Cage’ amongst so many others. Michael joined Billy on the pod’ to chat about making ‘The Cage’ alongside the great Sheridan Smith as well as his time on ‘This is England’ and the most important thing he learned about acting from Shane Meadows. He also touched on bringing authenticity to werepuppies and vampire hunting in ‘Being Human’, his bittersweet experience…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is the one and only Mink Stole, the actor famed for her multitude of movies with John Waters, The Pope of Trash, such as ‘Pink Flamingos’, ‘Female Trouble’, ‘Hairspray’ and ‘Serial Mom’ amongst so many other gems. Mink joined Billy on the pod’ to chat about her live show Idol Worship created with her friend/co-star Peaches Christ and currently touring the UK as well as her many collaborations with Waters. She also reflected on her experience bringing Connie Marble to life in Pink Flamingos opposite the late, great Divine, playing mother to Natasha Lyonne…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Jack Davenport, the actor best known for his fabulous performances in movies such as Pirates of The Caribbean as Commodore Norrington, as Peter Smith-Kingsley in The Talented Mr Ripley and Lancelot in Kingsman: The Secret Service. He’s also lit up the small screen with his breakout role in This Life which changed the face of 90’s British television and his sidesplitting turn as Steve in Steven Moffat’s classic sitcom Coupling. Jack joined Billy on the show to reminisce about his experience making This Life, currently celebrating it’s 30th anniversary…
Half the Picture’s guest this episode is Clémence Poésy, the actress renowned for her brilliant performances in works such as the Harry Potter franchise, Tenet, Gossip Girl, In Bruges, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and The Essex Serpent amongst so many others. Clémence joined Billy on the pod’ to chat about her experience breaking into acting as a young woman, her memories of bringing Fleur Delacour to life in Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire and of working with Colin Farrell on the set of In Bruges. She also reflected on her time playing Eva in Gossip Girl, why the phrase “Don’t try to…
About Half the Picture
Join us on Half the Picture as your host Billy Barnell sits down with a different filmmaker, actor, or artist each episode for a relaxed, revealing conversation. Get the full picture on some of the most talented and noteworthy folks in showbiz and the long and winding roads of their careers. Expect
Half the Picture is a English film & tv podcast from Billy Barnell. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.
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