Behind the Scenes with Hollywood’s Brightest Stars

“A wonderful book full of my favorite kinds of stories.”

—J. K. Simmons, Academy Award-winning actor

Cinephile is a sharp, heartfelt, and wildly entertaining celebration of cinema from Emmy Award-winning broadcaster and podcast host Adnan Virk—part interviews with Hollywood stars, part film buff manifesto, and full-on love letter to the silver screen. Whether he’s recounting the red carpet chaos at the Oscars the night Moonlight won Best Picture or reliving his first time meeting Robert De Niro (“Can I call you Bob?”), Virk blends personal anecdotes, film history, and laugh-out-loud commentary.

Virk captures the magic of movies by interviewing the iconic actors and directors who created them. Get the scoop on the films that shaped pop culture as Virk talks with legends including J. K. Simmons, Billy Bob Thornton, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Mahershala Ali, Matthew McConaughey, Kevin Hart, Josh Duhamel, and many more.

With unforgettable behind-the-scenes moments and the emotional themes that connect us all—love, obsession, ambition, failure—Cinephile explores fandom, criticism, and what great stories can teach us about the human condition.

Inside, you’ll find:

• Interviews with famous actors and directors that pull back the curtain on classic and contemporary movies.
• Insider stories from the red carpet, ESPN studios, and the Cinephile podcast archives.
• Reflections on Martin Scorsese’s filmography, the best movies by genre, standout and overrated performances, award snubs, the future of cinema, and more.

If you’ve ever sobbed through Tokyo Story, argued about Heat, or felt seen by a character on-screen more than anyone in real life—then Cinephile is for you.