Join us for a special look into the power of song in film with one of the most prolific artists of all time, 15-time Oscar-nominated, Golden Globe and Emmy winning legendary songwriter Diane Warren in conversation with award winning screenwriter and actor, Nia Vardalos. The conversation will be followed by a screening of Armageddon (1998).

Diane Warren is one of modern music’s most celebrated songwriters. She has penned nine #1 and thirty-three top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, is tied for having written the most #1 songs as a sole writer in Billboard history. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001 and received the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award from the organization in June 2024.

She is an Honorary Oscar recipient and has received 15 Academy Award nominations. She is a GRAMMY winner with 15 nominations, an EMMY winner, and is a two-time Golden Globe winner whose songs have been featured in more than 150 films, including chart-topping hits “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” (Mannequin, 1987) “Because You Loved Me” (Up Close and Personal, 1996) “How Do I Live” ( Con Air, 1997) “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” (Armageddon, 1998 ) and “Til It Happens To You” (The Hunting Ground, 2015). In November 2022, Warren became the first songwriter in history to receive an Honorary Oscar, as voted on by the Academy's Board of Governors. Most recently, she wrote the original song "The Fire Inside," performed by Becky G for the film Flamin' Hot, directed by Eva Longoria, which marked her 15th Oscar nomination.

She is the sole owner of her publishing company Realsongs, the most successful female-owned and operated business in the music industry. Warren is a recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a nod to her legendary career, having worked with many of today's most popular artists, including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, H.E.R., Snoop Dogg, Paloma Faith, Jon Batiste, Maren Morris, John Legend, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Andra Day, Justin Bieber, Jennifer Hudson and Janelle Monáe, in addition to having written songs for iconic artists such as Whitney Houston, Cher, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, and many more. Her distinguished catalogue features beloved songs including “Only Love Can Hurt Like This,” “Un-Break My Heart,” “If I Could Turn Back Time” and “Rhythm of the Night.”

Nia Vardalos is an Academy Award®, WGA, SAG, Golden Globe nominated, and People’s Choice, Independent Spirit award winning screenwriter and actor, New York Times bestselling author, New York Times Critic’s Pick playwright, and is the only woman to have solo written a film franchise.

Vardalos is the New York Times bestselling author of her memoir Instant Mom, and donates all proceeds to adoption charities which has placed over 2000 children placed in permanent homes.

Selected screenwriting and acting credits: My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the number one romantic comedy of all time, and its sequels, plus Connie and Carla, I Hate Valentine's Day, Chucky, Ivy + Bean, and Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities. Voice: Audible series, Motivated! Star vs. Evil, Wonder Woman, Duck Tales. Stage: Vardalos is the playwright and lead actor of her New York Times Critic’s Pick play Tiny Beautiful Things, directed by Hamilton's Thomas Kail. She is an award winning alumnus of The Second City Toronto and Chicago, 24 Hour Plays on Broadway, Twelfth Night, Kismet, Music Man, Company.

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Armageddon (1998)

After a series of meteorites rain down onto New York, causing major destruction, it is discovered that a massive asteroid is headed straight for Earth. NASA devises a plan to prevent global annihilation using a deep core drilling team to train astronauts in how to destroy it. With time running out, the decision is made to send a blue-collar crew of drillers into space to save the world. This epic sci-fi disaster film picked up four Oscar nominations, including one for its stunning visual effects and Diane Warren's original song, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing," performed by Aerosmith.

Armageddon