Sasha Weiss
👤 PersonAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
Thanks so much for having me, Michael.
Thanks so much for having me, Michael.
I'm delighted to be here.
I'm delighted to be here.
Well, let's start with who it's about.
Well, let's start with who it's about.
The supernova genius Prince.
The supernova genius Prince.
You know, it's kind of a funny thing. I didn't come to this as a huge Prince fan. I came to it as a person who's deeply interested in him as a symbol. He was part of the wallpaper of my childhood. He is this kind of... Literally or figuratively? Figuratively. But, you know, you hear him, you see him.
You know, it's kind of a funny thing. I didn't come to this as a huge Prince fan. I came to it as a person who's deeply interested in him as a symbol. He was part of the wallpaper of my childhood. He is this kind of... Literally or figuratively? Figuratively. But, you know, you hear him, you see him.
He's kind of this, like, in the cultural imagination, he is an avatar of gender-bending dreaminess, boundary-pushingness, breaking categories. Sensuality personified. Sensuality, sexiness, but a kind of uncategorizable sexiness. And I think for a lot of people, you know, he's at the top of the cultural pantheon. He's the icon of American pop music.
He's kind of this, like, in the cultural imagination, he is an avatar of gender-bending dreaminess, boundary-pushingness, breaking categories. Sensuality personified. Sensuality, sexiness, but a kind of uncategorizable sexiness. And I think for a lot of people, you know, he's at the top of the cultural pantheon. He's the icon of American pop music.
He was a beautiful singer. He could play a million instruments. I mean, his music is just transcendently great. Hits like... Kiss.
He was a beautiful singer. He could play a million instruments. I mean, his music is just transcendently great. Hits like... Kiss.
He was a world-eating genius. So it's like no subject could be as big, as mysterious, as fascinating as Prince. Say a word about mysterious. Well, I think Prince cultivated a kind of mystery, right? I mean, he seemed kind of saintly. He seemed spiritual. You know, he was someone who changed his name to a symbol without explanation. There was a performance of a kind of... Unknowability.
He was a world-eating genius. So it's like no subject could be as big, as mysterious, as fascinating as Prince. Say a word about mysterious. Well, I think Prince cultivated a kind of mystery, right? I mean, he seemed kind of saintly. He seemed spiritual. You know, he was someone who changed his name to a symbol without explanation. There was a performance of a kind of... Unknowability.
Unknowability. And then that was part of the allure and part of the mystique. Also, he was extremely elusive. So that was my interest in Prince. And the other thing that drew me to the film was the person making it. Ezra Edelman, who I really admired as a filmmaker. I think he's a once-in-a-generation talent. And I was really curious what it would be to see his mind tangling with Prince.
Unknowability. And then that was part of the allure and part of the mystique. Also, he was extremely elusive. So that was my interest in Prince. And the other thing that drew me to the film was the person making it. Ezra Edelman, who I really admired as a filmmaker. I think he's a once-in-a-generation talent. And I was really curious what it would be to see his mind tangling with Prince.