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Welcome back to Insider Pix, where we uncover what entertainment and culture insiders are watching, reading, and listening to! Next up:
Josh Fagin
A writer and producer across film, television, and audio, Josh Fagin created and wrote Audible’s hit series The Space Within, starring Jessica Chastain, and has written for NBC’s Law & Order: Organized Crime. His film credits include Warrior, Pride & Glory, Lansky, and The Slaughter Rule.
The Space Within
Seasons 1-2 on Audible
Six hours. That's how long seven-year-old Sophie Lewin was missing—found seventeen miles away on a desolate road, with no memory of what happened. Academy Award winner Jessica Chastain leads the audio sci-fi thriller alongside Bobby Cannavale, Ellen Burstyn, Michael Shannon, and more.
Josh’s 5 Picks
Best TV show you’ve watched recently?
I'm still in the middle of watching East of Eden, but, oh man, there’s a vitality to it that feels so contemporary to me, especially Florence Pugh’s Cathy Ames. I love the tightrope walk between a story that is both epic in scope and an intimate examination of individuality and a family’s generational trauma. I’ve also waded into the waters of Widow’s Bay—like saltwater taffy, it’s really sweet and sticks with you in a slightly uncomfortable way!
Best movie you’ve watched recently?
The Ballad of Wallis Island is a cinematic cozy sweater. Tender performances, poignant, a low-fi fairytale with a beautiful soundtrack. Reminds me of one of my all-time faves, Local Hero. Now for a total 180: I re-watched The Deer Hunter recently. Shattering and visceral, and yes, hard to watch. I’m writing a movie that similarly explores themes of male bonding, and this film pulls no punches.
A hidden gem you wish more people knew about?
This past March, Edward Norton was on Colbert reciting a portion of Walt Whitman’s epic poem ‘Crossing Brooklyn Ferry.’ It’s a wonderful performance, but also a reminder of how prescient and sage-like Whitman was. He’s speaking to us from 170 years ago, holding a mirror up to the eerily similar fractured world that we’re living in today. But it’s more than a warning—it’s filled with hope and feels like a rally cry for future generations to one day make our world a better one.
A book I’ve never been able to shake is Ken Kesey’s Sometimes a Great Notion. A heartbreaking tale about a family in the Pacific Northwest. I’m working on a TV series that shares some thematic DNA with it—a family whose identity is tied to industry and is forced to adapt to the changing times. The book is sixty years old, but still feels relevant. Train Dreams explores similar geography. Loved that film and the novel. There’s a composition in the soundtrack called Family Photograph that I had on repeat for weeks.
A 5-star-worthy book you’d recommend to anyone?
Three books I've read recently: Audition by Katie Kitamura. Love the shifting perspective—it’s deceivingly simple, a narrative hall of mirrors. The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits—a humanistic portrait of a man spinning through the world, trying to cling to some sense of belonging. And Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley—if Nick Horby wrote a dystopian novel, it might end up something like this.
Album on repeat?
An abbreviated list of music I was listening to nonstop while writing The Space Within:
The traditional tune “The Lily of the West” by The Chieftains and “The Great Pretender” by The Platters both appear in the series, but they evoked the tone and spirit of the show. Andrew Marlin’s instrumental album Fable & Fire was a constant companion, as were the tracks Now/Sunlight by Birds of Chicago; Black Moon/Silver Waves by Phosphorescent; Strangers by The Kinks; and the work of Dutch composer Joep Beving.
Pix: What four movies are on your Mount Rushmore of science fiction?
JF: In no particular order: 2001, Close Encounters, Arrival, Alien.
Pix: If first contact came down to you, what movie would you show aliens to help them understand humans?
JF: E.T. I’m only half-joking. I’d like to believe they have a sense of humor and would get a kick out of our depiction of aliens. But that film carries so much humanity and a sense of wonder, and still—in this Spielbergian way—shows the darker institutional forces we are often up against, and how our biggest enemy is ourselves. The film shows what we are capable of as humans, both good and bad, and does so with such visual simplicity and clarity.
Pix: In season one of The Space Within, a young girl disappears for six hours with no memory of what happened. If you could erase one TV show from your memory just to experience it again for the first time, what would it be?
JF: Love this question! Probably Breaking Bad. I recall watching that show and perpetually being in a state of disbelief over how it continued to surprise me. I was convinced over and over again that it would run out of road, and that there was no way it could outdo itself and take another dramatic turn, and yet…
Pix: The cast of The Space Within is stacked! Was there a performance that changed how you saw a character you’d written?
JF: Oh man, we were so fortunate to work with such an incredible cast. Jessica Chastain, of course, was the cornerstone and really set the tone, but every actor brought dimension and depth. Mandy Patinkin was unsurprisingly brilliant. He brought such humanity to Resident 9, a character who is by design not easily accessible. Mandy’s approach was unorthodox. He came with tons of ideas. It was a blast working with him, exploring and discovering nuances in the character. He’s one of those actors who just makes you look good as a writer!