How to De-Age the Oscars with Amelia Dimoldenberg

Summary

Podcast Summary: How to De-Age the Oscars with Amelia Dimoldenberg

Podcast: The Town with Matthew Belloni (The Ringer)
Date: March 13, 2026
Guests: Amelia Dimoldenberg (Chicken Shop Date, Oscars’ Social Media Ambassador), Host: Matt Belloni (Puck)

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Episode Overview

This bonus episode dives into the ongoing challenge of making the Oscars relevant to younger generations, particularly Gen Z and young millennials. Host Matt Belloni is joined by Amelia Dimoldenberg, known for her hit YouTube series Chicken Shop Date and her third year as the Oscars’ official social media ambassador and red carpet correspondent. The conversation covers how modern creators bring new energy to legacy institutions, the evolving business of being a digital celebrity, and practical ways the Academy can better connect with a rapidly changing audience.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Oscars and the Elusive Young Audience

• The Challenge: The Oscars’ ratings have improved post-pandemic, especially among viewers 18-49 (+19%) and 18-34 (+28%) ([00:32]), but overall viewership remains below pre-pandemic levels. The show is moving exclusively to YouTube in 2029 to chase a younger demographic ([01:40]).
• Why It’s Difficult: Young people consume entertainment as clips and highlights, not as appointment TV events ([04:21]).

Quote:
“Do young people care about the Oscars? …It’s your mother and your grandmother’s Oscars. How can you get young people to care about this?”
— Matt Belloni [04:07]

2. Amelia Dimoldenberg’s Role and Approach

• Title Evolution: Amelia isn’t just a social media face; she’s also the official red carpet correspondent, bringing her trademark wit and research to interviews ([03:27]).
• Making Red Carpet Fun:
  • She relishes the unique opportunity that the Oscars red carpet provides: every big star passes by, giving her rare access ([05:56]).
  • She extensively preps for each nominee, personalizing questions and striving for a conversational, off-the-cuff tone—even if it means asking about biscuits or recalling deep-cut facts ([07:33]).

Quote:
“I’m revising for my exams. Like, it’s very detailed… in the end I just forget all of it and just go, ‘oh, so what’s your favorite biscuit?’”
— Amelia Dimoldenberg [07:33]

3. The Rise of Creators in the Hollywood Ecosystem

• Changing Perceptions: A decade ago, appearing on YouTube was a career risk for A-listers. Now, creators like Amelia are central to promotion, and publicists proactively approach her ([09:16]).
• Impact on Guest Personas: Her interviews have “re-imagined” public perceptions of stars like Andrew Garfield and Jack Harlow, showing more personality than traditional press (“That’s actually their real personality… I love being able to bring that out.” — [10:52]).

4. Business of Being a Modern Creator

• Operations: Amelia runs a small business (three employees, multiple managers, stylists, publicists) and balances YouTube ad revenue (used to fund the show) with outside commercial deals ([12:44]).
• Prioritizing Authenticity: She refuses sponsorships on Chicken Shop Date to maintain authenticity ([13:43]).
• Owning the IP: Retaining ownership of her show is her “best business decision” and advice to others ([14:52]).

Quote:
“I would always say… owning your IP is just, I think, key. And so many content creators don’t.”
— Amelia Dimoldenberg [14:52]

5. Transitioning to Traditional Media

• Feature Film: Amelia’s first movie with MGM—a rom-com inspired by her Chicken Shop Date persona—has just been announced, demonstrating creator crossover ([14:13]).
• Why Not Self-Fund?: Despite examples like Markiplier, she prefers the resources and legacy appeal of traditional studios ([15:17]).

6. The Future of the Oscars: YouTube and Beyond

• Platform Shift: Both see the value of moving to YouTube, but Belloni worries about losing older TV-only viewers and the need for a big marketing push ([18:13]).
• Education Needed: Amelia jokes about being the face of a YouTube “how-to-watch” campaign ([19:13]).

Quote:
“But I don’t think the 70 year olds that have been watching the Oscars their entire life are going to think that… there’s a friction cost…”
— Matt Belloni [18:36]

7. Making the Oscars More Relevant and Entertaining

• Musical Performances: Amelia highlights these as a draw for young viewers, though she missed Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s show opener due to red carpet duties ([21:18]).
• Creativity in Presentation: She advocates for “thinking outside the box”—making even art-house contenders fun and accessible on stage or in interviews ([21:47]).
• Favorite Performances: She names Jesse Buckley (Hamnet), Rose Byrne (A Fight Have Legs), and Timothée Chalamet as standouts ([22:38]).

8. Red Carpet Success Metrics

• Not Chasing Virality: Her primary goal is to reveal new, authentic sides of celebrities, not to manufacture viral moments. “If I can come away… and think, ‘they are amazing, I’ve never seen them like this’… that to me is success” ([25:21]).

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Third time’s a charm.” — Amelia Dimoldenberg [03:25]
• “It’s like a conveyor belt of talent that just lets you… they can’t get off!” — Amelia Dimoldenberg on the Oscars red carpet [05:56]
• “Prep for Leo and then obviously it never happens… if I get Leonardo DiCaprio this year, I will literally eat my shoe.” — Amelia Dimoldenberg [08:50–09:04]
• “Now it’s probably a number one thing to do would be to go on a podcast or to go on a YouTube show…” — Amelia Dimoldenberg [09:53]
• “Owning your IP is just, I think, key.” — Amelia Dimoldenberg [14:52]
• “I’m someone who… is really interested in movies and actors and that world. I don’t watch Twitch or live streamers…” — Amelia Dimoldenberg [16:39]
• “You should be there [at the Beyoncé party], and I love her so much… Apparently people are dancing until, like, seven in the morning.” — Amelia Dimoldenberg [24:01]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment/Theme | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------|---------------| | Introduction/Context | 00:32 – 03:25 | | Amelia’s Oscars Role/Influencer Evolution | 03:25 – 06:28 | | Making Red Carpets Fun & Prepping Interviews | 06:28 – 08:48 | | Publicist Relations & Rise of Creator Circuit | 08:48 – 10:52 | | Shaping Celeb Personas Through YouTube | 10:52 – 12:24 | | Chicken Shop Date as Business & Brand | 12:24 – 14:52 | | Developing Her Rom-Com / IP Ownership | 14:11 – 15:17 | | Thoughts on Oscars’ YouTube Move | 17:18 – 19:13 | | Making Oscars Content More Appealing | 21:18 – 22:47 | | Favorite 2026 Nominees/Films | 22:38 – 24:39 | | Parties, Networking & Red Carpet Goals | 24:01 – 25:21 | | What Success Means for Red Carpet Coverage | 25:21 – 26:14 |

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Engaging Moments & Tone

• The episode is light, humorous, and self-aware, with both guests poking fun at industry traditions and influencer stereotypes.
• Amelia’s wit and candor about the business side and the quirks of the Oscars process provide insider warmth for listeners.
• Matt Belloni balances skepticism about the Academy’s youth-chasing efforts with admiration for creators like Amelia who genuinely appeal to the target demo.

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Takeaway

This episode offers a candid and insightful look at the intersection of legacy Hollywood and contemporary internet culture. Through Amelia Dimoldenberg’s experience and perspective, listeners gain an understanding of how new voices are helping to “de-age” institutions like the Oscars—one authentic, slightly awkward, and highly strategic chicken shop interview at a time.

Transcript

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

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[Matt Belloni]

This episode of the Town is brought to you by the Madison, the new original series on Paramount. Plus Academy Award nominee Taylor Sheridan's most intimate story yet. Unlike anything he's ever done before, the Madison follows a family raised in a world of digital distraction, forced by tragedy to truly see one another and come together. Authentic, multi layered and did I mention starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell. Don't miss the Madison new series streaming March 14th only on Paramount. It is Friday, March 13th. It's a question I hear a lot, and you probably do too. Do young people care about the Oscars? I know that's a question. The Academy debates a lot, and specifically how to get more Gen Z and even young millennials who grew up on YouTube and their phones and seeing celebrities all the time and not necessarily going to the multiplex every weekend to care about the movies enough to tune into Hollywood's annual commercial for itself. In recent years, the Academy has started adding more influencers to the press invites. They beefed up their social media presence and for the first time last year, these shows streamed live on Hulu in addition to airing on abc. Amazing it took that long. It's largely because the younger audience on streaming and mobile is watching online, and the show's ratings actually improved last year to 19.6 million viewers, a post pandemic high. Still lower than pre pandemic. But more encouraging, the show was up 19% among adults 18 to 49 per Nielsen, and among adults 18 to 34, the improvement was 28%. Of course, the Academy recently agreed to move the Entire show to YouTube in 2029, in part, yes, to help reach that younger demo. One of those efforts to de the 98 year old show is Amelia de Moldenberg. She's the popular host of Chicken shop date on YouTube. She's got more than 3 million followers there, tons more on other platforms, and she's now in her third year as the social media ambassador and red carpet correspondent for the Oscars. She's basically the official interviewer for the show. She gets a nice spot on the red carpet. She posts videos in the lead up to the show, she's got a new one with Conan o' Brien that just posted. I thought it'd be a nice opportunity to have her on the town to talk about her role for the Oscars and her ideas for making the show more relevant to young people, plus her own business as a top creator and how she's planning to transition that into more traditional movies and tv. So today it's a bonus episode with Amelia Demoldenberg and how to make young people care about the Oscars. From the Ringer and Puck, I'm Matt Belleny and this is the Town. Okay. We are here with Emilia Demoldeber, who is the official social media ambassador and red carpet correspondent of the Oscars. Third year in a row for that, am I correct?

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

You are correct. Third time's a charm.

[Matt Belloni]

I've seen you on the red carpet before, but you. It just means you are the official person that everybody has to talk to on behalf of the Academy.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Exactly. Yeah. Because I think in years previous, the social media ambassador maybe didn't do the red carpet hosting.

[Matt Belloni]

Okay.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

And I think that maybe that's why I'm bringing to the table. That's my, my skill set. So, yeah, I added in the. The title of red carpet correspondent as well, because I wanted it just to be. Just to be clear that that's what I'm doing. You know, I'm not just going to be going.

[Matt Belloni]

Running around like posting TikToks.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Exactly. Even though we do love that. But I'm there. I'm there with a purpose to, to interview the guests and the nominees. And yeah, I've had a great time doing it so far and I'm excited to do it third time in a row.

[Matt Belloni]

Well, when they hired you for the first year, I looked at that. I was like, okay, that's actually smart. I'm often very critical of the things that the Academy does, but I looked at your. At you joining. I was like, that is extremely smart because they are clearly trying to bring in a younger audience and you have a much younger demo than the Oscars are typically associated with. And when I was thinking about the Oscars this year and how they've got some, like, very cool young stars in the mix, like Chalamet and Michael B. Jordan and, you know, bringing Jesse Buckley bringing in these, this younger demo, I was like, I want to have Emilia on the show and just ask her, like, how does the Oscars appeal to a younger audience? Is it even something they should try at this point? Because, like, you hear, you read all about how people just consume clips online. They're not actually interested in it. It's just for. It's your mother and your grandmother's Oscars. How can you get young people to care about this?

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Well, I think young people care about movies and they care about actors, and that has never died down, that love. And I think the. So the Oscars really represents that and a love for movies, a love for film, and a love for actors. And so I think it's. It's within that that I think the appeal lies. I also think there's like, the Oscars, obviously, is like such an incredible awards show that still I think holds weight within Gen Z and, you know, and beyond.

[Matt Belloni]

Wouldn't they just rather watch you having fried chicken with the stars?

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

I think that in terms of red carpet, it's fun. Like, for me, I find it really fun because it's an. It's an opportunity to have, like, a conveyor belt of. Of talent that just lets you go past you and, you know, they can't get off. They can't get off. And that's. That's really exciting to be able to have the opportunity to like, potentially interview, like, loads of actors that my audience would have. Would love me to. To speak to, and I don't really get that opportunity. It's very difficult to get time still with. With talent that. That at that level.

[Matt Belloni]

Right.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

And so at least you know, when you're. When you're at the Oscars red carpet, you've got more than you would have otherwise. But yeah, I think that the Oscars are still. I think just in general, people do like to have some steer on, like, what they should like and what they shouldn't. And I think, you know, there's so much out there to watch and consume. And I think people have always, like, throughout history have enjoyed being told this is a good movie or this is a good actor. And so I think it maybe also helps, like, distill the vast world of, like, art and culture that's out there.

[Matt Belloni]

I also think bringing in someone like you is an acknowledgement of the clip culture that we live in, where you are very good at creating moments with people and stuff that can travel across the Internet. And it's just a different style of interview and content than, you know, someone on the red carpet asking, who are you wearing? For the 400th time, for sure.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

And I do, I do think that, like, the prep that goes into the red carpet interviews that I do. I think maybe some people wouldn't expect the level of of research and preparation that we do and you do. Yeah, it's like I'm revising for my exams. Like, it's very. It's very detailed. And obviously I'm watching all of the movies. And then we're writing specific questions for each nominee. You know, it's not just like we have. I have general questions, but I try to not use them. I try to be asking specific questions to each person, and then I have to memorize them because I don't like looking down at my cards when I'm in an interview because I want it to feel like I'm just having a chat with them. And it feels so, like off the cuff. But actually I've like, been like in a dark room for the past, like, week and before that, prepping for like the past month to know what I know, these random facts about the celebrities. And then in the end I just forget all of it and just go, oh, so like, what's your favorite biscuit? Or something? And. But then maybe I will remember something that the. About the movie. But it just depends. It kind of. It's like half improvised and half prepped and all that stuff. But, yeah.

[Matt Belloni]

You got a good question for Leo.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Oh, my God. Well, I really. I always prep for Leo and then obviously it never happens.

[Matt Belloni]

Oh, he never. He's never talked to you?

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

No, he's never. Why not?

[Matt Belloni]

It's a conveyor belt. You're the official Academy red carpet correspondent.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Okay. If I get Leonardo DiCaprio this year, I will literally eat my shoe. But I would love to.

[Matt Belloni]

I know his publicist. I'm going to make that happen.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Thank you.

[Matt Belloni]

I appreciate publicists like you or not like you.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Hmm. I feel like maybe, I don't know, they. I don't get like specific feedback from publicists. But what I would say is that it's definitely changed. Like, I started my show Chicken shop day on YouTube over 10 years ago. And back when I started it, I could not get anyone. I was trying, I was cold emailing everyone. I would turn up to gigs and try and befriend managers. Like all of these different things. I was incredibly persistent. I would verging on annoying with people. And you know why? Back then there was no reason for a talent to come on a YouTube show. Like, why would they come on a YouTube show?

[Matt Belloni]

Now it's part of the circuit and

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

now it's like, I think it would be probably a number one thing to do would be to go on to go on a podcast or to go on a YouTube show. Or to go on Hot ones or chicken shop date or whatever that is. And it's completely done. Done 180. So I think publicists like me a lot more now than they used to or even know who I am now. But yeah, publicists are very important as, you know, like, I feel like they. Especially with what we do and interviewing people, you know, so. So many of the interviews I've had have definitely relied on simply the publicist in liking the show and persuading their talent to do it.

[Matt Belloni]

Yeah. And someone like Andrew Garfield gets a huge bump out of your show. I mean, that, I think kind of completely recontextualized him. And, you know, I've met him and spent a little time with him. And, you know, people who know him know that he's a very fun and kind of cool guy, but that. I don't feel like that was his Persona until your show.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Well, that's my favorite thing to do, I think, is to be able to, like, re imagine someone's personality to a wider audience. And often, yes, as you said, it's. That's actually their real personality. They are incredibly charming, funny, all of these things, but for whatever reason, they haven't had the opportunity to be able to show that or for whatever reason. And I love being able to bring that out of someone. And I feel like that kind of happened as well with Jack Harlow quite a few years ago, especially to the UK audience. The UK audience wasn't really familiar with his personality at all and maybe like, globally too. He's incredibly funny. And I think off the back of that interview, I gained a massive audience in America. And I think lots of people thought that he as well was. Was more charming than he let on in his music videos.

[Matt Belloni]

That's funny. Did you get Timmy last year?

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

I did on the carpet. And I was shocked because he. He came past, he walked past by me and I was like, hi, Jimmy. And he walked past and I thought, oh, my God, we've lost him. And then suddenly I was like, prepping for someone else. And then suddenly he just zoomed in to frame and I was just like, oh, okay, right, it's happening, it's happening.

[Matt Belloni]

Well, someone. Either someone told him, you should do this or he likes your show.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Yeah, I think he. He knows the show, and I've been trying to get him on my show for a long time, but it's just not worked out. And I would still love him as a guest on Chicken Shop Day, but I was so happy that I got, you know, 60 seconds with him. At the Oscars, and I'm hoping to this year as well.

[Matt Belloni]

I want to know about your business. What is the business of Emilia. Like what, like you've done, what, 115 episodes of your show now you do brand deals, you have sponsorships. You do this for the Oscars. Like you're doing a movie, you're doing a rom com for mgm. Like, what is, what is your business like?

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Well, in terms of, like, what my actual business, I have, like, I have two employees and then I have my. And then I have who I know. I have three employees.

[Matt Belloni]

Okay.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

On the payroll.

[Matt Belloni]

And you forget an assistant.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Yeah, I. My two managers. I've got caa. I've got my publicist in London and in America and then. And I've got, like, my stylist and all those things. So those are all of my outgoings and my expenses. But in terms of how I make my money, I guess, yeah, through commercial work. And then my Chicken Shop date, obviously the AdSense on YouTube, that kind of pays for the running of that show. So I don't do any sponsorships on the show because I want to keep it authentic. Chicken Shop Date, I think is, is. Is. Is a comedy series. Like, first of all, that's how I see it. Yes, I'm interviewing people, but I see it more as, like a performance between me and them. And I, I just want to keep it as close to the. To the real deal as possible. I don't want to then be looking to Cameron trying to sell someone a

[Matt Belloni]

fizzy drink and 3.34 million subs. Not bad.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Not bad. But, yeah, that took me a while to get. Honestly, I think because of, like, the way I came through, and I was one of the early ones who was doing this type of format. It just took a while for the Internet to kind of catch on and the algorithms to get to where they are now, which makes it feel like you're just overwhelmed with content. But, yeah, I make most of my money through commercial deals.

[Matt Belloni]

And tell me a little about the movie project.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Well, the movie, I've been developing it for, like, the past two years, and we announced it really recently, which is super exciting. But, yeah, I've always wanted to make my own rom com movie. I feel like I'm making a rom com, a Chicken Shop Date. But, you know, there's something about making a movie that is. Is going to like, that's what stands the test of time, I think that.

[Matt Belloni]

And it's based on your format. It's based on this. That.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

So, yeah, it's about a. It's me, it's based on me, and it's about a pop culture. It's a pop culture journalist who falls in love with someone that they've interviewed and it doesn't go to plan. Or does it? Yes.

[Matt Belloni]

Interesting. And you fully. You fully own your. Your show, your chicken shop date show.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Yes. Which is one of the best things I've ever done, is own the IP to my show. And I would always say that to other people who want to start their own idea, that owning your IP is just, I think, key. And so many, so many content creators don't. You'll be surprised by how many actually don't own the rights to their own show. And I feel really privileged, actually. But also, I'm really happy about that.

[Matt Belloni]

But then when it came to doing a movie, you went to a studio. You didn't go the markiplier route where you pay for your own movie and put it in theaters and it grosses $30 million.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

No, but I definitely don't have enough money in the bank to fund my own movie. I mean, I wish I did, but I hear that it's millions and millions and millions and millions of dollars.

[Matt Belloni]

He says he made it for, like, less than 5. I mean, which is still a lot of money.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

But, like, actually, my friend, my friend Alexi Wasa, she just made a great film called Messy, and she made it for, like, peanuts. And you know what? Yeah, maybe I should. Maybe, like, that is a good idea. And I. That's the background I come from. But I also am someone who is at the age of where traditional media is still alluring to me. You know, I'm. I'm like, on the cusp. I'm like a millennial. And that, to me, has always been something. And movies, again, just like, movies just still are so relevant. And yes, social media and content is having a moment, and it's incredibly popular, but it also, traditional media, it's still there and people love it.

[Matt Belloni]

I get why the academy loves you. Talking about how movies are still so relevant. I feel like a lot of people don't feel that way. A lot of young people don't feel that way.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Yeah, I guess. And maybe I'm a bit out of touch then with what young people are really watching, but me, anyway, and I feel like the way that I've approached my work always has been to kind of reference what I'm into and what my interests are and then put that into my work and hope that it resonates, and I'm someone Who, yeah. Is really interested in movies and actors and that world. And I love meeting them and interviewing them and watching them and I don't watch. Yeah. I don't watch Twitch or live streamers and maybe that, that's obviously what so many people are watching, but it's just not what I'm watching.

[Matt Belloni]

What do you think about YouTube airing the Oscars? That's happening. That's happening in the 2029 show will be exclusively on YouTube.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Exclusively, yes. Oh my God. So am I going to be hosting?

[Matt Belloni]

I don't know. We'll see. But yeah, they have a whole plan. They're going to try to get young people to watch via their phones or on their apps on their TVs. It's kind of amazing. It's a huge step. I actually think it's a big risk for the academy because they have this built in audience that's been watching the Oscars for as long as they've been alive and they've always known them to be on abc. And when you hear Oscars you think ABC or Hulu or wherever you watch it now. And they're just not going to think to watch on YouTube. I don't really. They're going to have to do a huge marketing campaign to educate people that the show is now on YouTube.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

But also YouTube is the, is the biggest street, is the biggest streaming platform in America, right?

[Matt Belloni]

It is.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

And I think most people, a lot of people now, you know, they have it on their television.

[Matt Belloni]

Yep. And I think most of the viewing in this in on YouTube like people are watching on their TVs now, not most, but a lot of it.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

So I do think, I do think it's, you know, you're going to be pressing another button. Right. To get it on you.

[Matt Belloni]

And I know that. But I don't think the 70 year olds that have been watching the Oscars their entire life are going to think that. I mean we saw it with football when Thursday Night Football went from Fox over to Amazon. They had a drop off for the first couple of years because there's just a, there's a friction cost of thinking about where to watch that football and oh, it's not on tv, it must not be on. And they had to educate people.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Yeah, well, I guess if there is a drop off then if you're saying there's a drop off, but then eventually people understand how to press the button on their TV remote.

[Matt Belloni]

Maybe you could star in the campaign to educate people.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

The campaign that could be the face of learning how to operate your television.

[Matt Belloni]

Yeah, and they'll probably. But they'll probably go with like Julia Roberts to tell older people how to do that.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Are you kidding me? After my rom com debut.

[Matt Belloni]

That's true. That's true. I know it's sad you haven't been invited to participate in the actual Oscars show yet. We need to get you into the program of the show.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

We do need to get me into show and I actually just interviewed Conan actually for my show and I should have mentioned it to him then, but I didn't. But yeah, he.

[Matt Belloni]

Well, hopefully you charmed him enough where he will think of it on his own or he'll listen to this show.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Exactly.

[Matt Belloni]

It's not too late, Conan.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

He'll be definitely listening to the show.

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[Matt Belloni]

so what else could the Academy do to get young people interested?

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

I love the musical performances of the Oscars. I think that's one of their real, real strengths. And I was actually locked outside for Cynthia and Ariana Grande's performance. They opened the Oscars but because I was still finishing off on the red carpet, I missed it.

[Matt Belloni]

Yeah, but it's just unfortunate that the Oscars are dependent on the nominees. So if stuff gets nominated that is not cinematic you or fun or A pop star, like, it's just not as interesting of a show.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

I just feel like you. There's interesting ways to make, like, the movies that are nominated, you know, resonate with a wider audience. You know, there's, like, creative decisions that you could make that you could be doing stuff on stage. I think it's definitely possible. It's too easy to say, oh, no, just because there's an art house film or. Or whatever that, like, it's not going to be interesting. Like, think, like, think outside the box. And that's why I do love being able to interview just a wide range of different nominees and try and, you know, find the fun in. In their movie, even if their movie is about the Holocaust or whatever. Like, there's all these different movies.

[Matt Belloni]

All right, who are you rooting for? I mean, this year will be a little different. I think with K Pop Demon Hunters, the song will be a big hit.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

But, yes, I loved it.

[Matt Belloni]

Yes. Who are you rooting for?

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Who am I rooting for? Good question. I really loved. I really loved Hamner. I didn't think I would love it as much as I did.

[Matt Belloni]

Yeah, you and Craig. Craig'? Our producers. Craig is super into hamnet.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Really? Yeah. I loved it. Jesse Buckley's performance is like nothing else I've seen. But I also loved Rose Byrne so much. In a fight have legs. I thought Timothee Chalamet was fab.

[Matt Belloni]

Actually, you're Team Timmy, so you're not. You wouldn't vote for Leo over Timmy.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Timothy was my. My one. But if I do meet Leo on the carpet, I will. I will tell him it's him.

[Matt Belloni]

You'll tell him that you voted for him if you had a vote?

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Yeah, I will tell him I voted for him and I will tell everyone I voted for them.

[Matt Belloni]

You don't have a vote, but you rigged it to vote for him.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

I love the Secret Agent.

[Matt Belloni]

Oh, you did? Yeah. Wagner Moore is great, too. He's a fun guy. You should get him. You should get him.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

I just interviewed him for. Because I do interviews at the luncheon

[Matt Belloni]

and I. Oh, I didn't see you there.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Yeah, I was locked in a room with chicken nuggets and chips and I didn't see anyone.

[Matt Belloni]

But, yeah, I did see you at Sundance. I saw you at the party for the Charlie XCX movie.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Matt Belloni]

You did not see me. I said, is that Amelia de Moulder? And my Craig was like, yeah, that's her.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Thanks for saying hi.

[Matt Belloni]

I'm sorry, I don't. Listen, I don't know you. We're meeting right now via this awkward zoom.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Well, next time you see me at the Oscars, say hello.

[Matt Belloni]

Do you get invited to the Beyonce party?

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

No, but I really want to.

[Matt Belloni]

Yeah, I don't either, but that's the ticket. You should. You're the social media ambassador.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

This is what I'm saying. I should be there, and I love her so much. I know all of her songs, and I would be there on the dance floor. Apparently people are dancing until like, seven in the morning there.

[Matt Belloni]

The key, though, is that these parties don't go up to people and ask them to come on your show. Bill Maher does that, and people hate it. It's why he doesn't get invited to parties is because when Bill Maher is at a party, he's like, oh, you should come on my show. And people feel awkward about it.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Excuse me, Matt. People come up to me.

[Matt Belloni]

Oh, there you go. All right. Yeah, you're a little bit more friendlier.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Friendlier than Bill Maher way. Because someone's coming over. I know they're going to be like, I love your show and I would just love to come on. And I'm like, well, the thing is, we actually only film in London, so I can't really make that happen right now, so.

[Matt Belloni]

Yeah, yeah, that doesn't happen to me. People don't do that about.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

All right, so come on. I was knocking down the door.

[Matt Belloni]

Yes, exactly. I'm sure you're like, who is this guy? So what is success for you on the red carpet? Is it a viral video? Is it keeping it classy and keeping up the, you know, the aura of the Oscars? Is it getting more young people to watch? Like, what do you judge yourself on for your performance at the Oscars?

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Um, I judge it on, like, on different things. I think. Obviously, it's. I've prepped for, like, every nominee, so I would love to get as many interviews as possible with. With the nominees. It's always just your heart sinks when you see someone walk past and you know you're not going to get that interview. But with all my interviews, I'm never looking to make something viral. Like, that's never been my M.O. and I also think doing approaching things that way doesn't work. I'm trying to get. Show a different side of someone's personality and. Or just kind of let that personality shine. Like what you mentioned before with my previous interviews. If I can come away and people have watched it, watch my interviews and think, oh, my God, they. They are amazing. That that nominee is incredible and so charming and funny. I've never seen them like. Like this or be like this. That, that to me is. Is success. Yeah.

[Matt Belloni]

Well, good luck to you. I will of course, say hello to you.

[Amelia de Moldenberg]

Well, thank you so much for taking the time to speak to me.

[Matt Belloni]

Thanks to you and good luck with the show. All right, we are back with the call sheet. Craig, I think I've asked you this before, but I can't imagine you are into Colleen Hoover books.

[Greg Horbeck]

No, my wife is, though.

[Matt Belloni]

Oh, she is, yeah. My wife reads them as well. This weekend we've got another Colleen Hoover book in theaters, Reminders of Him, which is an interesting one because obviously it ends with us, was a huge global smash, 300 million worldwide. We know what came out of that movie. Then the follow up, which was Regretting you, I believe. That one was not Sony. That one came out through Paramount.

[Greg Horbeck]

That was the one with Dave Franco and McKenna Grace and Allison Williams.

[Matt Belloni]

Exactly. That one did only 90 million, although it's still pretty good for that kind of a movie in this theatrical environment. Open to 13.66. And now we've got another one, this one coming from Universal called Reminders of Him. This one has even less star power. I think the stars are Micah Monroe and Tyreek Withers, who I was not familiar with and I don't know. This tracking on this is 14 million and that would be higher than the opening of the previous one. I'm going to take the under on this one.

[Greg Horbeck]

This tracking would have been higher than

[Matt Belloni]

regretting you just a little bit. It's basically the same. It's about the same as regretting you. There was probably some overhang from it ends with us on the last one and now with the third one, maybe it'll go down a little bit more. Also no star power and it's kind of an odd weekend. I think Hoppers is going to take the crown overall, but I don't know, are you, are you confident or not confident in the Colleen Hoover fans?

[Greg Horbeck]

The problem is we don't know how popular this book is in her collection.

[Matt Belloni]

I know we are probably not them ideal people to be discussing the Colleen Hoover adaptations, but yeah, I just. Given the tracking that I've seen and given the presale numbers I've seen, I think this one's going to come in a little less and you won't be

[Greg Horbeck]

there to contribute to the box office

[Matt Belloni]

performance of this movie. Sadly, no. As you know, I have some Oscars events that we are committed to. By the way, do you have Any goals for the Oscars this year?

[Greg Horbeck]

Do I have any goals for the.

[Matt Belloni]

We're going, we're going. We're going to be roaming around. Like, do you want, is there anyone you want to meet? Is there anyone you, you know, anything you want to do, like, give it, give me your goal?

[Greg Horbeck]

I haven't thought about that. I'm not nominated, so I don't think I'm going to win anything.

[Matt Belloni]

Yeah. You don't have to remember to thank your agent.

[Greg Horbeck]

No. I'd like to have a few small beers with anyone associated with one battle after another that like have a model with someone.

[Matt Belloni]

We are going to have a few small beers, a few modelos with somebody from one battle after another. It will likely not be Leo or Benicio or even Chase Infinity. It will probably be a DP on the movie or something. But we will do that. That is our goal. We will. If we get a picture of it, we'll put it on the town.

[Greg Horbeck]

Yeah.

[Matt Belloni]

Instagram page. All right. Meantime, taking the under on reminders of him. Sorry, Universal. That's the show for today. I want to thank my guest, Amelia de Moldenberg, producer Greg Horbeck, editor Jon Jones and I want to thank you. We will see you next week.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

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