How did a 22-year-old law student afford a $1 million home at the center of civil fraud allegations?
An Orange County businessperson, who is among four people accused in a civil lawsuit filed by county officials accusing them of plundering public funds, played a role in the million-dollar home purchase last year by O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do’s then 22-year-old daughter, according to escrow and land deed records reviewed by LAist. Federal agents searched Rhiannon Do’s home in unincorporated Tustin last month — as well the businessperson’s home and a nearby house owned by Supervisor Do and his wife, O.C. Superior Court Judge Cheri Pham. Those searches came a few days after the county filed a lawsuit alleging the businessperson, Thu Thao Thi Vu, conspired with the supervisor’s daughter Rhiannon Do and others to embezzle millions of taxpayer dollars meant to feed needy seniors. Joining to discuss the latest is Nick Gerda, LAist senior reporter covering unhoused communities.
Read the full LAist story here.
Casting directors: cinema’s secret sauce
From script to screen, it takes a village to make a movie. A vital and yet often overlooked role in moviemaking is the work of casting directors. Just this year, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced a new category for Achievement In Casting, that will make its debut at the 2026 Oscars. It will be the first new category added to the Oscars since 2001. The addition comes after a decades-long push by casting directors for recognition in the industry. So, what exactly do casting directors do? Today on AirTalk, we talk to David Rubin, Casting Director and former President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. We also want to hear from listeners. What movies do you think have the best cast?
The arepa: The South American staple you can hold in your hand
It’s Hispanic/Latin American Month, so for Food Friday we're celebrating some of the lesser known staples of Latin American cuisine. For most people, when they think of LA, they instantly think of Mexican food. And although the city has cornered the market when it comes to great authentic and modern Mexican cuisine alike, part of what makes LA's food scene so great is its diversity. Today on AirTalk, we're celebrating the delicious and diverse food of South America with the Venezuelan staple the arepa. It's a cornmeal flatbread similar to pita, stuffed with beans, cheese, plantains, and almost anything else you can think of. Joining us to talk about this delicious street food are the co-founders of The Arepa Stand, Mercedes Rojas and Zeus Ferrini.
FilmWeek: ‘Megalopolis,’ ‘Lee,’ ‘Amber Alert,’ And More
Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Charles Solomon, Christy Lemire and Andy Klein review this weekend’s new movie releases on streaming and on demand platforms.
Megalopolis Wide Release
The Wild Robot Wide Release
Saturday Night AMC Burbank 16 + AMC Burbank Town Center 6 | Expands October 11th
Lee In Select Theaters
Sleep Alamo Drafthouse [DTLA] + Available on VOD
Amber Alert Laemmle Royal [West LA]
Rez Bell Streaming on Netflix
Girls Will Be Girls Landmark’s Nuart Theatre [West LA] | Expands October 4th to Laemmle Glendale [Glendale]
All Shall Be Well Laemmle Royal [West LA]
Haunted Heart Laemmle Monica Center [Santa Monica] + Available on VOD
Feature: A new book by film critic Carrie Rickey chronicles acclaimed French filmmaker Agnes Varda
Having done film criticism for decades, it was around the early points of the COVID-19 pandemic that film critic and historian Carrie Rickey decided to take up the task of outlining the life of beloved director, Agnes Varda. In A Complicated Passion: The Life and Work of Agnès Varda, Rickey looks at not just Varda’s filmography, but also how she became such a public-facing individual who embodied the politics she preached in interviews and on the big screen. Writing about the work that went into making great films like Cleo from 5 to 7, how she became a notable part of France’s feminist movement, and the friendships that made her known as a beloved socialite. So for this week’s FilmWeek feature, we speak to film critic and historian Carrie Rickey about her new book, A Complicated Passion: The Life and Work of Agnès Varda.
