Fresh Air - NPR

The Trump administration's pressure on Ukraine is the center of the impeachment inquiry, but foreign influence expert Ben Freeman says the influence also worked in the opposite direction. "I think in 2020 we are going to see a level of foreign influence on the election that's even higher than what we saw in 2016," he says. Executive producer Lisa Henson (daughter of legendary puppeteer Jim Henson) and design supervisor Toby Froud talk about their Netflix fantasy series 'The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance,' and creating a cast of handmade, sculpted puppets. The series is a prequel to Jim Henson's 1982 cult classic. They spoke with 'Fresh Air' producer Sam Briger.

"He wasn't afraid of any of the hardest parts of childhood," Marielle Heller says. Her film, 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,' centers on Fred Rogers' unlikely friendship with a cynical journalist. Heller talks about casting Tom Hanks as Rogers, capturing his slow style of speaking, and a profound experience she had with her young son because of the show.

BuzzFeed News Editor Heidi Blake and her team uncovered evidence connecting Russian hitmen to 14 deaths on British soil — killings that attracted little interest from British authorities anxious to maintain ties with the Russian government. "In one case, an individual directly in the crosshairs of the Kremlin ... had apparently stabbed himself to death repeatedly with two knives. And there had been no investigation. It had immediately been treated as a suicide." Knowing that journalists in Russia have been murdered, Blake and her reporting team had to watch their backs. "This was a dicey ride, investigating this story, and we had a number of fairly disturbing incidences along the way." Her new book is 'From Russia with Blood.' Also, Kevin Whitehead reviews some reissues of music performed by the late jazz pianist Erroll Garner.

Pattinson is best known for his role in the 'Twilight' saga, where he played the vampire Edward Cullen – a bloodsucking teen heartthrob. "I think Edward basically is Nosferatu, but, at the same time, he still cares about doing his hair and stuff." After becoming a success in big box office films, he pivoted to indie art house films, like his new one, 'The Lighthouse.' He co-stars with Willem Defoe as increasingly unhinged lighthouse keepers in 19th century New England.

Frustrated by the lack of leading roles for women in Hollywood, Reese Witherspoon decided to start her own production company. Her new project, 'The Morning Show,' takes on sexual harassment in the news industry. Ken Tucker reviews the album 'Kirk' from hip-hop artist DaBaby. Filmmaker and producer Judd Apatow talks about his late mentor, stand-up legend Garry Shandling, and the personal trauma that informed his comedy. Apatow explores Shandling's life and legacy in the HBO documentary 'The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling' and the accompanying book, 'It's Garry Shandling's Book.'