The New York Times announced today the ninth annual Arts & Leisure Weekend, Jan. 7 to 10. The Times's signature event is a four-day celebration of the arts featuring TimesTalks interviews between New York Times journalists and celebrated guests from film, media, music, television and theater.
This year's guests include: the star of the new film "Crazy Heart," Jeff Bridges interviewed by Lynn Hirschberg; the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash interviewed by Jon Pareles; best-selling crime novel authors Lee Child ("Gone Tomorrow") and Carol O'Connell ("Bone by Bone") interviewed by Janet Maslin; Tony Award-winning actor Alan Cumming interviewed by Patrick Healy; the director and star of the award-winning new indie film "Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push' by Sapphire," Lee Daniels and Gabourey Sidibe interviewed by Lynn Hirschberg; NBC late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon interviewed by Bill Carter; the author and star of the autobiographical Broadway show "Wishful Drinking," Carrie Fisher interviewed by David Carr; Pulitzer Prize-winning playwrights Beth Henley, Donald Margulies and John Patrick Shanley interviewed by Robin Pogrebin; the top talent from Bravo's hit television reality show "Top Chef," Padma Lakshmi, Eric Ripert and Gail Simmons interviewed by Frank Bruni; Academy Award-nominated actor James McAvoy interviewed by Melina Ryzik; "All My Children" creator and head writer Agnes Nixon, actors Rebecca Budig, Susan Lucci, Cameron Mathison, Debbi Morgan and executive producer Julie Hanan Carruthers discussing the 40th anniversary of the groundbreaking daytime drama with Jacques Steinberg; the star of Jim Sheridan's film "Brothers," Natalie Portman; the star of the upcoming Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge," Liev Schreiber; the Grammy Award-winning musical director and band leader for the "Late Show With David Letterman," Paul Shaffer interviewed by Jon Pareles; performers from Cirque du Soleil "Banana Shpeel" with writer-director David Shiner and choreographer Jared Grimes interviewed by Jason Zinoman; and more to be announced.
