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Variety Confidential

Variety Confidential

Written by: iHeartPodcasts
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From Variety, Hollywood’s No. 1 entertainment news source and iHeart podcasts, comes Variety Confidential. Season 2, titled "The Life and Legend of River Phoenix,” takes you through the extraordinary life of one of Hollywood’s most celebrated stars. River Phoenix’s name still resonates with cinephiles and casual moviegoers alike, nearly three decades after his untimely passing. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just discovering his work, join us as Variety’s Tatiana Siegel speaks exclusively with River’s co-stars and friends, including Corey Feldman and Samantha Mathis, to shed light on who River really was off camera. Variety’s experts and correspondents also explore the brilliance and complexity of River's life and career. Dive into the legacy and lasting impact of an actor who burned bright and left us far too soon. Subscribe now to Variety Confidential wherever you get your podcasts.

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Episodes
  • The Icon

    The Icon
    Aug 22 2025

    With only 14 film credits, River Phoenix has left an indelible mark in Hollywood and beyond. In “The Icon,” the fourth episode of Variety and iHeart Podcasts’ “Variety Confidential,” host Tatiana Siegel talks to Variety’s Owen Gleiberman and Brent Lang about the phenomenon of a Hollywood life taken too soon while Dr. Drew Pinsky explains how River’s untimely death reshaped the conversation around addiction.

    For a full list of sources and citations for this episode, visit https://variety.com/h/variety-confidential/.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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    39 mins
  • Gone Too Soon

    Gone Too Soon
    Aug 15 2025

    River Phoenix’s story is one of brilliance and tragedy, and both his life and work illuminated the beauty and the darkness of the human experience. In “Gone Too Soon,” the third episode of Variety and iHeart Podcasts’ “Variety Confidential,” host Tatiana Siegel uncovers the final days of River’s life up until that fateful night in October 1993, when Hollywood lost one of its brightest stars. Actor Samantha Mathis, River’s then-girlfriend who was with him when he died at age 23, details her memories including co-starring in “The Thing Called Love,” his last film that was released.

    For a full list of sources and citations for this episode, visit https://variety.com/h/variety-confidential/.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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    43 mins
  • The Turning Point

    The Turning Point
    Aug 8 2025

    While “My Own Private Idaho” showcased River Phoenix’s brilliance as an actor, his time making the 1991 film also exposed him to the darker side of Hollywood. In “The Turning Point,” the second episode of Variety and iHeart Podcasts’ “Variety Confidential,” host Tatiana Siegel delves into pivotal moments in River’s life with “Dogfight” director Nancy Savoca and his close friend Matt Ebert, who was a production assistant on “My Own Private Idaho.”

    For a full list of sources and citations for this episode, visit https://variety.com/h/variety-confidential/.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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    49 mins
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