Alex Godfrey

Writing about Boogie Nights. PTA really went for it with the John Holmes recreations.

Cult cinema hero Udo Kier: ‘I like the film, it’s very brutal' He has worked with everyone from Andy Warhol to Lars von Trier – as well as gone underage drinking with Rainer Fassbinder and chatted up hustlers with River Phoenix

I spent a glorious hour talking to Udo Kier in 2019. He was at home in the desert with his dog, Liza Minnelli. He talked about meeting gigolos with River Phoenix (for research). He told me about directing himself as a paraplegic transsexual telephone sex-worker. Obviously I loved him.

YouTube video by River Phoenix Lovers My own private Idaho - Funny scene with Udo Kier singing and dancing (River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves)

FYI the glorious scene from My Own Private Idaho, in which Udo puts on a show for River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves, has him singing along to his own song, 1985's Der Adler. Quite clearly Keanu was enjoying the hell out of it.

Cult cinema hero Udo Kier: ‘I like the film, it’s very brutal' He has worked with everyone from Andy Warhol to Lars von Trier – as well as gone underage drinking with Rainer Fassbinder and chatted up hustlers with River Phoenix

I spent a glorious hour talking to Udo Kier in 2019. He was at home in the desert with his dog, Liza Minnelli. He talked about meeting gigolos with River Phoenix (for research). He told me about directing himself as a paraplegic transsexual telephone sex-worker. Obviously I loved him.

I saw a video from the guy who shot Tom Baker's MBE investiture the other day. "I was Tom's photographer for 15 years," he said. I just think people should check over automated subtitles. They're often a bit mad. If you don't have the audio on this might seem pretty wild. Even Tom looks shocked.

Incredible. Congrats! Looking forward to it.

Had the time of my life writing this for our new issue: The Tim Burton and Paul Reubens collaboration, mostly on Pee-wee's Big Adventure, but also beyond, including the years when Reubens was very publicly shamed and Burton stood by him. I had a nourishing talk with Burton for it. On sale tomorrow.

⚔️ ISSUE PREVIEW ⚔️

Empire's #TheOdyssey issue lands in stores and online tomorrow. Here's a look at what's inside this month's pages...

ORDER: greatmagazines.co.uk/empire-janua...

READ MORE: empireonline.com/movies/news/...

Had the time of my life writing this for our new issue: The Tim Burton and Paul Reubens collaboration, mostly on Pee-wee's Big Adventure, but also beyond, including the years when Reubens was very publicly shamed and Burton stood by him. I had a nourishing talk with Burton for it. On sale tomorrow.

Glorious writing. Best thing I've read on the film.

Rachel was so great, I don’t quite know what The Observer will be without her

Next week's issue is a whopper. 12-page cover story on Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, an incredible coup by @nickdesemlyen.bsky.social, many months in the making. Trojan-horsing some excellence onto the newsstands. And that's just the start of the huge 2026 preview we put together. You're welcome.

🚨NEW PODCAST SPECIAL🚨

Daniel Day-Lewis and Sean Bean talk Anemone with Empire’s Alex Godfrey — and director Ronan Day-Lewis joins separately to discuss taking on the project as his directorial debut.

Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/5aX4...

Is Mike Wazowski Jewish or Polish? A deep inquiry into a pressing question

My kinda journalism.

Extremely engrossing read on the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree, by Andrew Hankinson in The Observer. Some of it reads like folk horror. Some like The Banshees Of Inisherin.

share.google/8Hs2oskTXc5I...

OpenAI faces 7 lawsuits claiming ChatGPT drove people to suicide, delusions OpenAI is facing seven lawsuits claiming ChatGPT drove people to suicide and harmful delusions even when they had no prior mental health issues.

Six people died from tampered Tylenol and the company pulled 30 million bottles off the market. ChatGPT is accused of urging seven people towards suicide, and OpenAI just assures us they’re still working out the kinks. Billions in investment, zero accountability.

Volcano breaks silence

Ah, thank you so much Brian. Very nice of you to get in touch and say so - really appreciate you reading it and responding. And thanks - very touching piece from you too.

I heard that yesterday too. So interesting.

Very very sorry to hear that. And thanks so much for reading. It means the world that it's of some use.

Thanks so much for reading it. And I'm very touched to hear that it's been of some use. Hope you're doing okay.

That might be wise. And I'm very sorry to hear that.

Thank you for reading it, and for sharing that. I hope the next few days give you both everything you need.

💙

Hmmmm maybe not. I don't know. It might be helpful. It's not fun though. And I'm sorry to hear it. But hope she's getting good care.

This is wonderful to hear. And yes, exactly, it's worth just getting it out, i think. Thanks so much for reading it and responding.

The Last Days Of Harry Godfrey Documenting my dad's death. Because he told me to.

When my dad was dying in hospital, and apparently not bothered about it in the slightest, he told me I should write about it. I scoffed at the time. I didn't want to write about that. But after mulling over it for an age, I've just had a week off work, and got it all out there. Allllll of it.

Oh dear.

I love shots like that. Crew hiding in every nook and cranny. Reminded me of this one from Goodfellas.

Hadn't seen this Elephant Man bts before. Lynch and crew shooting Michael Elphick. Cinema!