8 Star-Studded Talks and Discussions to Attend this Winter

Get up close and personal with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars as they discuss their careers and work at various talks, readings and panel discussions in New York City this winter.

1. One of the biggest stars in the comedy world, Aziz Ansari was named “the funniest man under 30” by Rolling Stone and The Hollywood Reporter said he “has become one of the most prolific writers and performers on the comedy scene in recent years.” Join the “Parks and Recreation” star as he opens up about his meteoric rise from New York University stand-up comedian to Hollywood A-lister. When & Where: Friday, Nov. 1 at 92nd Street Y, 8 p.m., $29

2. Rachel Maddow and actress Elizabeth Marvel (Lincoln, Burn After Reading), along with others, read and discuss Tony Kushner’s provocative 2003 play: Only We Who Guard the Mystery Shall Be Unhappy. When & Where: Sunday, Nov. 3 at Public Theater, 7 p.m., $50-$80

3. Part of a new talk series at The Met, Spark invites artists, musicians, authors and others for a cabaret-style program hosted by Peabody Award-winning creator of public radio’s Studio 360 Julie Burstein. Join for an evening with pianist Simone Dinnerstein, psychologist and author Deborah Tolman, curator of modern art Sabine Rewald and others as they discuss Balthus’s 1938 painting Thérèse Dreaming and examine it as “the epitome of dormant adolescent sexuality.” When & Where: Tuesday, Nov. 12 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 6 p.m., $30

4. Academy Award-winner Anjelica Huston reads from her new memoir A Story Lately Told: Coming of Age in Ireland, London and New York, and shares details of her former life as a model and actress living in Chelsea Hotel during the 1970s. When & Where: Tuesday, Nov. 19 at Symphony Space, 7:30 p.m., $45

5. Discover the process behind transforming a book for the big screen and the Great White Way during a conversation with the author of Big Fish, Daniel Wallace, and the creative team, including screenwriter and actors, of the new Broadway musical. Plus experience special performances of Big Fish as part of the evening. When & Where: Sunday, Nov. 24 at 92nd Street Y, 7:30 p.m., $29 and up

6. Take a look at the biggest stories of 2013 with award-winning writer, comedian and creator of The Borowitz Report, Andy Borowitz, when he sits down for a chat with Norah O’Donnell of CBS’s “This Morning.” When & Where: Wednesday, Dec. 4, 8 p.m., $35

7. Keep it classy with comedian and anchorman Will Ferrell and co-writer and director of Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues Adam McKay who will be interviewed by journalist Lynn Hirschberg. When & Where: Friday, Dec. 6 at 92nd Street Y, 8 p.m., $85 and up

8. Actor, writer, director and executive producer B.J. Novak, who got his start as one of the genius minds behind The Office, launches his debut collection of stories on stage. When & Where: Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014 at Symphony Space, 7:30 p.m., $28