Award-winning director Lee Daniels is best known for films like "The Butler" and the Oscar-winning "Precious." In his latest work he turns his attention to singer Billie Holiday. The film depicts how the jazz legend ended up on the wrong side of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, all because of her song “Strange Fruit,” which the bureau wanted to suppress. Daniels speaks with Michel Martin.

COVID numbers in general are coming down in the U.S. But the good news is tentative. Viral variants appear to be increasingly widespread, an important reminder that people must keep their guard up. Dr. Eric Topol, a professor of molecular medicine and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, is one of the country's top medical researchers. He joins Walter Isaacson.

The situation in Myanmar has particular resonance for Tom Malinowski. Before he was a congressman, he worked with President Obama to open up the country and support its young democracy. He joins the show to discuss how the U.S. should react to events there, and more.

Heather McGhee is an economic policy expert and self-proclaimed data nerd who is now turning her analytical eye to racism. McGhee believes racism exacerbates inequality not just for people of color, but for all. She lays out the argument in her new book, "The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together." She joins the show from New York to discuss.

Former President Trump has been acquitted, but the evidence brought forward by the nine impeachment managers is still being analyzed in the court of public opinion. Stacey Plaskett was one of the managers, and the delegate from the U.S. Virgin Islands stood out during the trial in how she made the case against Trump. She joins Michel Martin to take us behind the scenes of that tumultuous event.

For her feature film directorial debut, actress Robin Wright didn’t flinch from the difficult topics of trauma, grief, resilience and recovery. "Land" also stars Wright as a woman who, after great personal loss, retreats to the beautiful but brutal Wyoming mountains. Wright joins the show alongside grief expert Dr. James Gordon, who advised her on the film.

The temperature is dropping in the cold war between the U.S. and China. What comes next for this rivalry between superpowers? Former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad was America’s Ambassador to China until last October, having first met Xi Jinping when he was a young Communist Party official on a tour of rural America. Branstad joins Christiane to offer his analysis of the situation.

What does Donald Trump’s second acquittal by the Senate mean for American democracy and its reputation? Sir Peter Westmacott was the British Ambassador to the U.S. during the Obama years. He joins the show to discuss the impeachment trial, American democracy and a Biden foreign policy.

A new documentary is bringing the mainstream spotlight to the “Free Britney” campaign, as a relatively small group of activists campaign in favor of Britney Spears’ legal fight to regain control of her personal affairs and finances. The film's director Samantha Stark discusses the rise and vilification of one of the world’s most successful pop singers and the ugly side to celebrity and fame.

Out of 50 Republican senators, only seven dared to cross Trump and vote to convict the former president. One was Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy. The former doctor voted guilty on the charge of inciting an insurrection, knowing full well he will face the wrath of his constituents in his deeply conservative state. He tells Walter Isaacson why he's sticking to his guns.

The second impeachment trial of former President Trump is causing some major soul-searching among traditional conservatives. Former solicitor general Ted Olson, a veteran Republican who worked in the Bush and Reagan administrations, was horrified by the Capitol riots on January 6. Olson tells Walter Isaacson why he believes senators who don't vote to impeach are complicit in Trump's wrongdoing.

Throughout the pandemic, cellist Patrick Dexter has been posting his performances on social media -- outside in the sun and the wind next to his charming cottage, with a stunningly beautiful backdrop and only his dog for company. The videos have been viewed millions of times. Dexter joins the show to talk about the joy of music, and to provide a special performance.

Kosovo's young democracy has been tested repeatedly, and last November saw its president indicted for war crimes. Vjosa Osmani has been acting president since then, and hopes to keep the job when Kosovars head to the polls on Sunday.

During the pandemic, countries led by women have fared better in general than those led by men. Yet a woman's path to leadership remains littered with obstacles, from structural sexism to the challenges of childcare. Christiane discusses these issues with Julia Gillard, who was Australia's first female prime minister, and former Nigerian finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The impeachment managers continue to make their case before the Senate, releasing new security camera footage from inside Congress that reveals just how close Trump’s extremist supporters came to the lawmakers they planned to attack. What is the effect of all this on the GOP senators who are serving as jurors? Former FBI special agent Asha Rangappa joins the show to discuss.

Little attention has been paid to a video that was shown at the January 6 "March to Save America" rally in Washington, D.C. Jason Stanley, a scholar of fascist propaganda, claims that this video—shown immediately after Rudy Giuliani left the stage, prior to the attack on the Capitol—was full of themes and tactics that threaten liberal democracy. He joins the program to offer his analysis.

Stanley Tucci is best known for his standout performances in films like "The Devil Wears Prada" and "The Hunger Games." Tucci's next move is to turn his gaze upon his ancestral home in the new series "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy," with a focus on the nation’s most famous global export: food. Tucci joins Christiane to discuss this new venture.

One of the most significant foreign policy changes with the Biden administration has been its policies in the Arabian peninsula. Arms sales to aid the Saudi Arabian offensive in Yemen have been suspended, and the U.S. has called upon the kingdom to release political prisoners. For a closer look at all this, Christiane speaks with Yemeni Nobel laureate Tawakkol Karman and journalist Robert Worth.

Conventional wisdom predicts Donald Trump won’t be convicted, but Heather Cox Richardson says: Not so fast. The historian and Boston College professor’s thoughtful daily digest, "Letters from an American," has become a hugely popular analysis of modern American politics. As she explains to Walter Isaacson, she believes simple math could help the Democrats win a conviction.

As the second impeachment trial of former President Trump begins, the charge he faces is “incitement of insurrection” with reference to the January 6 Capitol riots. The defense argues that the trial is unconstitutional and that Trump's rhetoric was protected by the First Amendment. Bob Corker served as a Republican senator until 2019 and was an early Trump critic. He joins the show to discuss.