LA's Viet Thanh Nguyen and Yuval Sharon on becoming MacArthur 'Geniuses'

Four of the MacArthur fellows this year are from Los Angeles. They include theater artist Taylor Mac, painter Njideka Akunyili Crosby, novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen and opera director Yuval Sharon. Each will receive a so-called genius grant worth $625,000. We speak with Sharon and Nguyen about what the award means to them, how they’ll spend the grant money, and what projects are next for them.


Viet Thanh Nguyen


Yuval Sharon

Images courtesy of the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation