Hollywood Stars Discuss The Power Of On-Screen Storytelling Right Now

Britt Lower and Patricia Arquette attend the 2025 Apple TV+ Emmy Awards Celebration at Ysabel on September 14, 2025 in West Hollywood, California.

Apple TV+ via Getty Images

This past Sunday was a night to remember, as the entertainment industry and the world at large celebrated the outstanding achievements of creative individuals within a wide array of skill sets at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards. Yet beyond the star-studded red carpet where the Fiji Water was flowing, to the elaborate live telecast hosted by Nate Bargatze and the glitzy gala & after parties that followed, these Hollywood professionals see the power & purpose within their work today.

During a rather divisive time within the U.S. and around the world, with the differences in opinions towards recent tragedies and the fighting that is happening across social media, the power of momentary escapism with on-screen storytelling could not be any more important right now.

At various special events during the Emmys weekend, I spoke with several Hollywood actors about their thoughts on escapism for audiences lately, and the importance of taking a few moments to step away from the news and from social media, to simply enjoy some quality and often times compassionate on-screen storytelling.

Patricia Arquette, who is Emmy-nominated this year for her outstanding performance in the Apple TV+ drama series Severance, said, “I’m very guilty of escapism, and also with my phone and with apps and with reading the news and with all of that. I do believe in being conscious of what’s going on around you, and I do think that there’s actually interesting things in the world that aren’t all escape things, because some of them point you back to yourself. I also think people are great – community is great in the flesh. Experiences are great – and not having a life that’s fed to you, but a life that’s experienced.”

Jason Ritter, who currently stars alongside the likes of Kathy Bates on the CBS drama series Matlock, said, “I mean, I’ve been a big fan of escapism for as long as I can remember. I’ve talked to so many people over the course of my life – talked to my friend about a particular show or a movie or something that got them through a very painful time in their life. And so, sometimes it can be a little life preserver when you’re in the face of insurmountable hardship and pain and things, to just have a couple moments where you can shut off your brain and laugh a little bit, or think about something else – it’s nice to have those breaks.”

Chase Infiniti, who stars alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in the new One Battle After Another Warner Bros. film (arriving in theaters on September 26), said of her Paul Thomas Anderson project, “The story itself is definitely like an action-comedy more than anything. At the heart of it, it really is just showcasing the love that a father and daughter have for each other. I think that seeing such a simple story like that with strong action sequences and true comedy is just such a beautiful thing, and experiencing that in a theater with a bunch of other human beings is so beautiful. I really hope that people get to go and see it.”

Kim Raver, who continues to star as Dr. Teddy Altman on Grey’s Anatomy (with season 22 premiering October 9), said of escapism with her long-running ABC medical drama series, “I think what’s so amazing about that is that it’s quintessential Shonda Rhimes, where you’re really living in the experience of these different, amazing characters. I think we get to experience the highs and the lows – and not everyone is perfect, so you get to kind of see people struggling through things, but then you also get to see their heroic moments. I think that’s really relatable to what everyone’s going through in this country. We need that – we need to be able to laugh and cry and have that kind of family. Somehow, Grey’s Anatomy is sort of like the family that we all need – at home and watching from our couches. I know for sure we feel this unity on-set with everyone and [showrunner] Meg [Marinis] is doing an incredible writing in this season. It’s a really special season coming up and it’s super well-written. Again, I think the fact that they’re able to find new stories that are inspiring and aspiring to, is why our amazing fans come back, year after year.”

Harvey Guillén, who has starred on the FX comedy series What We Do in the Shadows, said, “I think now more than ever, we’ve learned from the past – especially with where we’re at with history is that we always need escape, and comedy is the best dose of medicine. I think during the pandemic, our show really thrived because people were looking for an escape to get away from the reality that we live in – and I think every single day, someone is looking to get away. I’m really glad and fortunate to be a part of a show that helps people do that. Even thinking about The Great Depression when people would go into the movie theaters with a nickel and get a popcorn bucket and sit in the movie theater for six hours to escape the reality of the outside world. That hasn’t changed – it’s just a different time and a different year. People need to escape and entertainers are needed, now more than ever.”

Justine Lupe, who stars on the Netflix comedy series Nobody Wants This, said, “It feels like a singularly tough time – and so, having something to put your mind into that has some levity or some humor or some light is much-needed. I also think that the things that are a little bit heavier are another interesting way to kind of process what’s going on right now.”

Dom Hetrakul, who starred in the third season of the HBO drama series The White Lotus said, “White lotus itself, it’s very deep in its own term. It’s quite peaceful on the top, but then under the water, you see all the lotus vines and stuff – really messy, deep, cold – and nothing predictable. So in a way, people can turn bad, but at the same time, bad people can turn good. So, you don’t expect anything much but just go with what you really understand. Somehow at some point, you hold onto your values because of your own sense of self or identity. So, that’s why it makes a show pretty deep – sometimes, to consume, to digest – sometimes, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. For me, it’s just something you learn from a show like The White Lotus. It might be sarcastic – it might be a very dark comedy, but in a way, we learn something.”

Scott Porter, who stars on the Netflix dramedy series Ginny & Georgia, said, “It’s interesting because Ginny & Georgia, we tackle a lot of very difficult issues but it is a place where people can go and feel seen. I think that in this world right now where so many conversations have to be black-and-white, right-or-wrong, you agree with me or you don’t – and if you do not, we don’t have a conversation any further – Ginny & Georgia sparks conversation and it sparks a sense of community. I think it’s so important for entertainment to continue to do that.

Paul Adelstein, who can be seen recently in Agatha All Along and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, said, “I think it’s important to escape, but I also think that stories remind us of our humanity and our common humanity – and so, there’s nothing more important than that right now. I think that while we escape, we forget about the day-to-day things, but we kind of tap into something larger. I think that’s what stories are all about.”

Alan Tudyk, who is Emmy-nominated this year for his voice-over work on the Andor Disney+ series and starred on the SYFY comedy series Resident Alien, concluded about the power of on-screen storytelling today, “A quality story won’t shut your brain off – it will turn it on. That’s what long-form entertainment does – it takes the time to tell a good story.”