It has become a heated drama topic online after the programme The Secret Sauce, by news outlet THE STANDARD, released a clip of an interview with Hollywood director "Christopher Nolan" — affectionately known among Thai fans as "Father Nolan" — along with the cast of his epic adaptation of The Odyssey, with "Ken Nakarin Wanakijpaibon" serving as host.
However, after the clip was released, the reaction from movie fans and netizens turned sharply negative, giving rise to widespread criticism of the interviewing technique, the programme's concept, and the conduct of the host.
A summary of the 5 main drama points that netizens flocked to comment on:
– Late start, overly long flattering introduction. Many netizens observed that while the clip is of considerable length, the actual interview content did not begin until the 6:12 mark, with the opening segment consumed by preamble and production segments lavishing praise on the director to the point of feeling "overwhelming and uncomfortable."
– Shallow questions, lacking depth on film topics. Movie fans felt the questions used were far too lightweight for a director of Nolan's calibre — generic questions such as "How heavy is an IMAX camera?" or questions that did not reflect a genuine understanding of cinema.
– Lack of follow-up, failing to listen. Comments pointed out that the interviewer appeared to have memorised a prepared list of questions, and whenever an actor or the director finished answering, he would simply nod and immediately move on to the next question, without digesting the answer or building on it to create a deeper conversation.
– Stealing the guests' spotlight, focusing on showing off the interviewer. A pointed question circulated: "Is this an interview with Nolan, or is Nolan being used as material to show off the interviewer?" The camera angles, editing, and content gave considerable prominence to the interviewer himself, leaving the guests failing to be "the centre of the narrative" as they should have been.
– Inappropriate outfit and look. Some netizens criticised the interviewer's attire — a leather jacket worn over a tank top — which looked overly fashionable, while Nolan and the cast dressed neatly and respectfully for the occasion. He was mocked with remarks such as: "Looks more like he's heading to Paris Fashion Week than conducting an in-depth interview."
Reactions from some netizens:
– "Top-tier production, beautifully assembled — but the questions are shallow and lightweight. No ability to go deep… it's a wreck."
– "This is an interview that brings Nolan down, done by someone who spent over 70% of the time flattering him and the other 30% talking about the interviewer himself instead."
– "He couldn't interact with anyone's answers at all. It's like he only prepared those questions, forced them to answer, then switched to the next question — not reflecting on anything they said whatsoever."
The page "Uay Sai Taek Haek Sai Cheek" also lashed out, saying the Nolan interview clip was filled with content about the interviewer himself, to the point of feeling like a behind-the-scenes programme about the interviewer's preparations for work. The shallow questions, combined with praise of Nolan so effusive it gave you goosebumps, were called out. What was most admirable, it was noted, was that Nolan, Damon, and Holland were able to answer the questions with patience and maturity.
