1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:06,080 Speaker 1: This is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the thing. 2 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: Mark Kuddish is a Broadway stable romantic lead, comic, relief 3 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:16,079 Speaker 1: or villain. If you've been to a musical in recent years, 4 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:19,640 Speaker 1: there's a decent chance Kuddish was in it. He played 5 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 1: the proprietor in Assassin's Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, 6 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: and the sexist boss in Dolly Parton's Five. You're so 7 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:35,240 Speaker 1: efficient and alert and the way you look well ship, 8 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,919 Speaker 1: that don't hurt now. Please don't think I'm just a flute. 9 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: It's just some nuts about here you. Kuddish got one 10 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: of his three Tony nominations for that one. When we 11 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: recorded this conversation, he was just a couple of weeks 12 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: into a starring role in Girl from the North Country. 13 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 1: It's one of the most critically acclaimed performances of his career. 14 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 1: He plays the washed up big shot Mr Burke, trying 15 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: to hold on to his pride and his wife during 16 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: the Great Depression. But of course, with the rest of Broadway, 17 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:21,680 Speaker 1: the curtain has come down on Girl from the North Country. 18 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: While we wait out the coronavirus. On screen, Kudish has 19 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: carved out a niche for himself working for the greatest 20 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: Ohtour directors in TV, including David Fincher in Mine Hunter 21 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 1: and Barry Sonnenfeld in The Tick. His current TV role 22 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: is Dr Gus, the intense love to hate him corporate 23 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 1: coach in Billions. And if you don't cut down everyone 24 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: and everything that gets in your way, then they will 25 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: return and they will cut you to shreds, and then 26 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: they will cover those shreds in buk Hockey. Well, it's 27 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: a life he had trouble imagining. Back in nine when 28 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: he was a senior at Florida Atlantic University about to graduate, 29 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: had launched his acting career. Kudish had one friend who 30 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,240 Speaker 1: had already headed it to New York City and was 31 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,839 Speaker 1: working at a casting agency. So she called me down 32 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: in Florida. They were casting a new role on the 33 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,360 Speaker 1: soap opera All My Children. I happened to be in 34 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 1: the office of the theater department. She got me on 35 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: the phone and she said, there's a role. I think 36 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: you'd be pleased. Don't tell me you did the soap. 37 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 1: I didn't get the role. I've done All my Kids. Yeah, 38 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: but ahead, yeah, listen, man, the great jobs. So I 39 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 1: flew to New York on my own dime. I slept 40 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 1: on their couch. I was there for twenty four hours. 41 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: I went to the audition. She had told everyone, if 42 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 1: you like him, he's only here for twenty four hours. 43 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:56,399 Speaker 1: He's got a job down in South Florida. Um, which 44 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 1: actually I did. I was at the Florida Shakespeare Festival 45 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: at the time. At the same time time. While I 46 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: was there, Pat took me this will tell you exactly 47 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: what it was two times square, because there was a 48 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:09,959 Speaker 1: big benefit at the time to raise money from Mike 49 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 1: Ducoccus for president, and Bernadette and Mandy we're like hosting 50 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: the event. And I was standing right next to the stage, 51 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: and God bless him, there was Mandy and all of 52 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,360 Speaker 1: his powers, singing, brother, can you spare a dime? He 53 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: was just up there. One I had built a railroad, 54 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: made it run, and it's like there's like there's like 55 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: ten in your pocket. These well, I mean I've worked 56 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: with Mandy's so I've spent lots of time. You know. 57 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: There are a couple of people like Eartha. I I 58 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 1: God bless Eartha. I adore her. I miss her, dearly 59 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: Eartha kid, I do a really mean, earth, kid, We're 60 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 1: going to get there. So you're there in the shadows 61 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: of Mandy, in the shadows of many Burnadette. And it 62 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: was like that was it for me. I'm like, I'm 63 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: moving to New York as fast as I freaking can 64 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: because I have to be here. I got my equity 65 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: card from the Caldwell Theater Company in boke ratone because 66 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: I didn't want to move to New York unless I 67 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: had my equity card, you know, that was important to me. 68 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: And then the minute I got my card, I was 69 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: in a U haul. Twenty four hours later, I moved 70 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: to New York City, where I moved to seventy one 71 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: between Broadway and Columbus basement apartment with a buddy of mine, 72 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: Cafe Luxembourg. Baby, your right there right across the street. 73 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 1: Six hundred bucks a month for that apartment for two guys, 74 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:25,800 Speaker 1: back lat Man. Even when I moved to the city, Like, 75 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:28,160 Speaker 1: you didn't go above eighties six street right like like 76 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: it was like, and you didn't go and you didn't 77 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: go into Times Square. You do not go into Times Square, 78 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: not even during the day. Did you go in the park. No, 79 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: you didn't cut through the park at night. All the 80 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:43,599 Speaker 1: benches were broken, all the lights were broken. It was 81 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: a fascinating place back then. I remember, like you know, 82 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: and and I remember at night, you would walk with 83 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: your head down. You would walk with your head down, 84 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: and you'd walk in the street and you'd watch the 85 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 1: shadows behind you. That's why you walk with your head down, 86 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: so you could see the shadows of anybody. And you 87 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: just got into that practice of it. I mean, I 88 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 1: remember there was a night that I moved to Talent, 89 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 1: my friend Stuart Clark and Rachel by Jones. We we 90 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,600 Speaker 1: all moved up here together, and um, and I remember 91 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 1: like she got here earlier than we did, and like 92 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 1: two weeks she got here, she got a Broadway show 93 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 1: and we were both like, oh jeez, and like, is 94 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:21,680 Speaker 1: that how it works for everybody? Or is that just 95 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:24,359 Speaker 1: for a select few? And the minute I got to town, 96 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:26,920 Speaker 1: the first thing I did was I walked five blocks north, 97 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 1: five blocks south. Okay, that's a ten block radius. Right. 98 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: Then the next day I got up and I walked 99 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: another five blocks north and another five blocks after that south. 100 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 1: Eventually I got to the theater district from seventy first 101 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: Street right and on my third day here. I walked 102 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 1: into a restaurant and I applied for a wait job 103 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,840 Speaker 1: and I got it, and so I started waiting tables immediately, 104 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:51,160 Speaker 1: and it was fascinating. And that's how I met people, 105 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:53,480 Speaker 1: you know, and I met my buddy Rick Clemens, who 106 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 1: was a bouncer. But I mean, it was such a 107 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:59,039 Speaker 1: wild experience to go into a show in New York 108 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: and off Broadway and off Broadway now you know. I 109 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 1: just got into the city a couple of months later. 110 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 1: And where which is where I always wanted to be, 111 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: Like you worked a Circle Rep. Yes, that was my 112 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:11,599 Speaker 1: dreaming nine, moving to New York City working for Circle Rep. 113 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 1: That's the kind of work that I wanted to do. 114 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 1: Because I didn't sing. I didn't sing at all. That 115 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:18,279 Speaker 1: wasn't what I did. Didn't I didn't sing? It is that? 116 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 1: Is it really true? I did not have This is 117 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 1: such a powerful inspiration. You would say, you don't sing. 118 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:29,039 Speaker 1: I want to know, but I'll tell you. I wanted 119 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: to get into music theater. I remember I had auditioned 120 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 1: early for Kiss of the Spider Woman and I was 121 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:36,919 Speaker 1: at the final call for that and I was auditioning 122 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 1: for one of the roles. And how Prince comes up 123 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: on the stage. And this is back in the day 124 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: when you actually audition on the Broadway stage, not in 125 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 1: some small room. Up on the stage. Peter Hall and 126 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 1: and and and how comes up on the stage and 127 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:53,039 Speaker 1: he's like, Mark, you know, I love you as an actor, 128 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:55,280 Speaker 1: but I really need a singer for this. I mean 129 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: I had people telling me Mark, you don't sing, You 130 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:59,599 Speaker 1: just don't sing. I had casting directors say, why do 131 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:01,839 Speaker 1: you want to audition for musicals? Mark, You're an actor. 132 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 1: People know he was an actor. They like you as 133 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: an actor, but I like music theater, and I was 134 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 1: an arrogant son of a bitch. I mean, I just 135 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: thought like, well, damn, these people cannot act and I 136 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: can act, So all I have to do is learn 137 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: to sing a little, dance a little please. And you 138 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: also learn in the industry that, like, even as an actor, 139 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 1: you're up against other celebrity people that are up for 140 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 1: the same role as you. You better expand your horizons 141 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 1: if you want to work. Right, So I get Gaston 142 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 1: and as I'm in the show and I'm working, I 143 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: have this wonderful dresser. Eric was his name. He's an 144 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 1: ex bass operatic singer and one night, he's literally tying 145 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: me into that damn leather outfit that guest don has 146 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 1: to wear because like that's how you get in the costume. 147 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: They tie you into that sucker. And he's lacing me 148 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: into that thing. And he says, you have such a 149 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: beautiful voice, Mark, and I said, thanks, dude, I appreciate that. 150 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 1: And he said, it's too bad you only use of it. 151 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 1: This is right before show. Now, obviously, I part, did 152 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 1: you say something? No, seriously, Like, I looked at him, 153 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 1: and what you want to say is if you you bitch, 154 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 1: like literally, dude, But what came out of my mouth 155 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: was then what do I do? Because I knew he 156 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 1: wasn't wrong? And then he just handed me Alan alan 157 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 1: Seal's card um and I went and I met with 158 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 1: my teacher, Alan Seal, and I walked in and I'm like, 159 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: I've had lessons with other people. I'm not sure if 160 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 1: I'm a tenor or I'm a baritone. And he's like, well, 161 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 1: let's not worry about that, let's just hear you. And 162 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: I worked with him for an hour. By the end 163 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 1: of that lesson, sound was coming out of me that 164 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: I didn't know I could do, and literally. I was like, so, yeah, 165 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 1: Alan still alive, and Alan is teaching and he's in 166 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 1: Upper New York, I think. And he got out of 167 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 1: teaching voice. Um. Most of his students were doing opera 168 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,320 Speaker 1: in Europe and he was taking on one or two 169 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:04,959 Speaker 1: music theater people. And I mean literally, I'm not kidding you. 170 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 1: I I walked out of there going I will be back. Um. 171 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 1: I didn't know I could make sound like that. So 172 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 1: then I went to the theater and I started to 173 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 1: try to apply what I had been learning with him, 174 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: and everyone was coming up to me going like, what 175 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:22,320 Speaker 1: what are you doing? What is this voice? My friend 176 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 1: Beth Fowler was like, when did Alfred Drake show up? 177 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 1: Because I did not sound like that, you know I did. 178 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 1: You sounded completely completely different at different persons being able 179 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 1: to pull out a gun, and you pull out this gun. 180 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 1: You can sing? Now? Are you? Said? There? Going? Man? 181 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 1: This feels good. Give me a task. That's the thing. 182 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 1: I like, Give me a task and I will do it. 183 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 1: Give me a deadline and I will do it. And 184 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: I just was like learning. And that's the thing. I 185 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:52,559 Speaker 1: don't think you ever stopped learning in this industry or 186 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 1: in life. And you shouldn't. And I just was like 187 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:58,839 Speaker 1: making sound that I had never felt before, and I 188 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: knew other people who could, and now I was beginning 189 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 1: to understand how they did. So it wasn't this thing 190 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 1: that was, you know, out of my grasp. And then 191 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: I remember stage management sat me down that weekend and said, 192 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:15,559 Speaker 1: all right, so let's talk about the new voice. Literally, 193 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,920 Speaker 1: you were not hired with that voice. And I said, 194 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:22,840 Speaker 1: uh huh, and um, are you hurting yourself? Are you okay? 195 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: I'm I feel good? Do you give some device? Literally 196 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 1: they were like, they literally were like freaked out. Keep 197 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:32,440 Speaker 1: doing what you're doing if you feel like you're not 198 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: hurting yourself. But I need to have people come back 199 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: and hear you because this is not how you were hired. 200 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 1: This is not our show well or this is not 201 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: who changed a critical element like that exactly because it 202 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:47,199 Speaker 1: was a big difference, and everyone came and saw it 203 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 1: and they were all like, you sound great, good for you. 204 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: It was it was so wonderful and you put it 205 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 1: out there. You put it out there, listen, and I mean, 206 00:10:57,160 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 1: because here's the thing, man like, And this is why 207 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:03,920 Speaker 1: I say it because as actors, as classical actors, we 208 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: get very self conscious when we're asked to sing because 209 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 1: we just don't have the same kind of practice to it. 210 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 1: So I had started to work with other teachers, and 211 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:14,080 Speaker 1: I just didn't feel like there was I wasn't It 212 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 1: didn't feel comfortable or I just felt like I wasn't 213 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:21,080 Speaker 1: matching personalities. What's the first year you're singing? I mean 214 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:23,440 Speaker 1: when I was in college, it was once the first 215 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 1: year you're singing in New York. In New York, it 216 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 1: was Bye Bye Birdie. That's where I like got my 217 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:31,560 Speaker 1: break with music. Theater was by Bye Birdie. That Bye 218 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 1: Bye Birdie. It was a national tour with Tommy Toon 219 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: and a ranking directed by Gene Sacks. I mean we 220 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 1: were coming to Broadway. That was back in the day 221 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 1: when instead of you know, doing workshops and going to 222 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 1: regional theater, you did a major national tour. And the 223 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 1: way that producers would be able to enhance a Broadway 224 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 1: run is they'd go out on the road for nine 225 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 1: months and that they'd make their money there and then 226 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 1: they'd use that money to open on Broadway. How does 227 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 1: Sacks find you to put you in Birtie? So honestly, 228 00:11:56,640 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 1: um my agents are working for me. But the problem 229 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 1: is I can't be seen for any music theater because 230 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 1: I have no musical theater credits, so even with an agent, 231 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: no one will see me at all. So I'm going 232 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 1: to the open calls because I believed in the open 233 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 1: calls back then. I figured, screw it, you gotta look 234 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,319 Speaker 1: at me now, even if it's an assistant. I went 235 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 1: into the open call of Birdie and I got called 236 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 1: back to the main casting director. I went in again, 237 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 1: and then he brought me, uh three months later into 238 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 1: a final call. And this is a true story. So 239 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: it's Stuart Thompson is the casting director. And as I'm 240 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 1: getting ready, and this is at the Broadhurst Theater where 241 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:41,319 Speaker 1: everyone can be seen, and the holding pen for all 242 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: of the actors is in the balcony, so everyone is 243 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 1: able to watch everyone else's auditions. If that's not intimidating enough. 244 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 1: So I'm getting ready to go in there, and I'm 245 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 1: wearing my leather jacket, first thing I ever bought New 246 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 1: York City in eight eight, because that's what a New 247 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:57,080 Speaker 1: Yorker wears. I got my black boots with the silver 248 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:00,960 Speaker 1: studs and stuff on him. I mean, we're talking very here. 249 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: And then as I'm about to go in, Stewart stops 250 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 1: me and he says, whatever you do, do not sing Sincere. 251 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 1: Now that's thus song of the character Conrad and Conrad Bertie. 252 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: And I just and I was like, wait a minute, 253 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 1: do you mean that's And he was like, don't sing it. 254 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 1: They've heard it, they've heard it all day long. They 255 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 1: don't want to hear it. Sing something else if you. 256 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 1: And he says this to me right before my audition, 257 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 1: and he says, okay, go. So now I'm walking down 258 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: the aisle of the theater and I'm walking by the Weisslers, 259 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:31,680 Speaker 1: who are the lead producers, and I'm walking by Tommy 260 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 1: and there's an Rankings sitting next to Tommy, and then 261 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:37,440 Speaker 1: there's Gene Sachs sitting there. And I walk up onto 262 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:40,079 Speaker 1: the stage and then I walk over to the accompanist. 263 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 1: His name's Brad Garcide, and I'll never forget his name 264 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:46,200 Speaker 1: because Brad looks at me and he says, are you okay? 265 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:48,720 Speaker 1: And I said, they told me not to sing Sincere. 266 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 1: And he's like, well, what do you prepare? I said, 267 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 1: Sincere that's all I have. That's literally all I have. 268 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 1: And he said to me and I mean it, this 269 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 1: is He said, whose audition is this, and I said mine. 270 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:02,319 Speaker 1: He's like, or sing your damn song? So I did. 271 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 1: Who was it that said, don't sing since here? Stewart 272 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:07,680 Speaker 1: the casting director, don't sing it. They've been hearing it 273 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 1: all afternoon. Don't do it. So I got up on 274 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:13,200 Speaker 1: the stage and it's very well known. The first chord 275 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 1: of Sincere is very clear. You know it's Sincere when 276 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 1: it starts. So he hits the piano and we hear 277 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 1: that first chord, and all the way at the back 278 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 1: of the house, I see Stewart throw up his hands 279 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 1: and walk right out of my audition before I've even 280 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: opened my mouth. But I figured, a, this is the 281 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 1: first and last time I'm going to be on a 282 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:34,040 Speaker 1: Broadway stage. All I got this is the first and 283 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 1: last time I'm going to play this role. Or sing 284 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 1: Kiss and one Last Kiss. A lot of living to do. 285 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: But Sincere is his signature number. So I do it 286 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 1: because I'm like, I have nothing to lose here, because 287 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 1: clearly this isn't gonna work out. I mean, the casting 288 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 1: director just literally walked out on me. So I did it, 289 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 1: and I actually had a good time, and I let 290 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:56,120 Speaker 1: myself loose with it, and by the time I got 291 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 1: to the end of the song, I was getting applause 292 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 1: from everybody else auditioning up in the balcony. And then 293 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:02,560 Speaker 1: I tried to run away as fast as I could. 294 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: I was just so happy because I wasn't a singer right. 295 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 1: And then I heard Jeane yell at me, Mark, come 296 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 1: on back, so I can't use you want to read? Yes, 297 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 1: I do, because I'm an actor and that's what I 298 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 1: know how to do. Then I read the scenes and 299 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:16,560 Speaker 1: that went well, and then I tried to get the 300 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:18,960 Speaker 1: hell out there, and then he wanted to talk to 301 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: me for a while. So then I'm standing there amongst them, 302 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 1: these demigods, and he's like, where are you from? Fort Lauderdale? 303 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:31,680 Speaker 1: Where is your father from? Brooklyn, Ah? Where Avenue M 304 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: I grew up on k okay Um. And it was 305 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:38,760 Speaker 1: this wonderful audition, and he said thank you so much 306 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 1: for coming in. That was great. And then I was 307 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: walking up and I was on cloud nine. And then 308 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: right before I leave, Stuart Thompson stops me, looks me 309 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: in the eye and says, thank you for not listening 310 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 1: to me. I always remember that movie. My dad got 311 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 1: from the school. Uh what year did the movie come out? 312 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 1: I can't remember. I want to say sixties, the six 313 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:02,560 Speaker 1: or something some some of you. So so I'm a kid, 314 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 1: I'm a little child. We're in the background of our house, 315 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:06,520 Speaker 1: and I think we watched it every night. My mother 316 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: would make popcorn and cupcakes and cool aid. I mean, 317 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: I'm sitting there, you know, scizzling steaks just ready for 318 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:17,080 Speaker 1: taste in. You know. I mean I knew every word. Yeah, 319 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 1: We're all running around the house and driving my mother 320 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 1: and saying, I got a lot of living to do, 321 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 1: you know, Dad, we knew every note. We watched the 322 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 1: fucking movie eight times in a row before my father said, okay, enough, 323 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 1: we're gonna turn that off. And that's a bad movie. Man, 324 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: let's be honest. And I love that movie. I know 325 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 1: everybody loves the movie and it's horrible. Watch it again. 326 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 1: What's with the turtle? The turtle that's running on the being. 327 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 1: I know they're brilliant actors, all of them. I love them, 328 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 1: But you know, what's the matter with kids? All those 329 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: I remember every word. Look, the music is genius, and 330 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: when it came out, no one had ever done anything 331 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 1: like that. Oh my god, Bobby right out who I 332 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 1: met when I was on tour. No, oh, yeah, Bobby 333 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 1: was great. But then Bobby wanted to sing along, like 334 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:07,879 Speaker 1: like we went to uh we went to a bar afterwards, 335 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:12,119 Speaker 1: and yeah, pretty much. It was it was funny. It 336 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 1: was fun Listen. You get to work with these people 337 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 1: because it was with Lee Adams and it was with 338 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 1: Charles you know that wrote the score. I mean, when 339 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 1: you get the opportunity to work with these people that 340 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:26,720 Speaker 1: built this thing. When I did Bells are ringing on 341 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:29,119 Speaker 1: Broadway with Faith Prince and you get to work with 342 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 1: aid Off and you get to work you know. I 343 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 1: mean like when when Betty camped in an Adolf Green 344 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: and these were like you know, you know that Oklahoma 345 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:40,920 Speaker 1: was forty three, they were forty four. They were there 346 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:43,680 Speaker 1: at the beginning. And you're actually working with these people 347 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:47,639 Speaker 1: and you're making changes with these people. You say, is 348 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: this like like this doesn't make sense to me? Will 349 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:51,879 Speaker 1: No one's ever asked us that in fifty six years. 350 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 1: There's something to be said for the fact that those 351 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:57,360 Speaker 1: of us that are in the theater never want to stop. 352 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:00,120 Speaker 1: That's why I love it, because it's something that is 353 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:03,680 Speaker 1: always alive. It's not frozen in any kind of time. 354 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 1: The minute you take a piece, bells are ringing or 355 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:09,919 Speaker 1: Shakespeare or Arthur Miller, and you put it on the 356 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 1: stage again, it is alive again, and there are questions 357 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: to be had, and we never stop asking questions. That's 358 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 1: why I like the theater. Film and television is great, 359 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:22,080 Speaker 1: don't get me wrong. But you can throw down a 360 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 1: line and ten years later someone can tell you the 361 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:27,159 Speaker 1: line that you did in in in that film. You 362 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:30,440 Speaker 1: don't you don't remember that you're Those lines are fillers 363 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 1: in my life. When I was in college and I 364 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 1: still had enough of I want to want to sound 365 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:37,879 Speaker 1: vain here, but I had enough of a beauty quotation 366 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 1: back then when I was young, I'd be with my 367 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:46,360 Speaker 1: girlfriend if i'd be leaving Anko one less kiss maybe 368 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 1: where those those songs are in your head, they never 369 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:51,960 Speaker 1: get out of your head because it's every night, and 370 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:58,240 Speaker 1: it's alive every night. Actor Marc Kudish, another Broadway grade 371 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:02,800 Speaker 1: who got started doing edgy small house fair is Julie Tamore. 372 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 1: Her show The Lion King, with its masks and spectacular 373 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:11,880 Speaker 1: head dresses, is the highest grossing show in Broadway history, 374 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:15,119 Speaker 1: but the masked choreography had its roots and one of 375 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:20,119 Speaker 1: Taymore's earliest experiences in the arts. I graduated high school 376 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:23,840 Speaker 1: early and went to Paris at sixteen, and I lived 377 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:28,080 Speaker 1: with this twenty one year old Deborah Tate, who was 378 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:31,240 Speaker 1: a photographer and who was wild. We're living in Paris 379 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:36,200 Speaker 1: and I mean old sixteen and I went to mind school. 380 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 1: I went to call to mean Jacques Lecoq. Yes, let 381 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: Jacques Lecoq. This is where I started really understanding the 382 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:49,520 Speaker 1: power of mask, the mask and even poppetry. She would 383 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:53,520 Speaker 1: this this crazy lady named Madame Citroen, who looked like 384 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 1: a lemon. She was like a lemon. She was very brutal, 385 00:19:57,119 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 1: but she would take We would take objects, bru rooms 386 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 1: and candles and all kinds of objects and make them 387 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:08,280 Speaker 1: come alive. You can get a link to my full 388 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: interview with Julie Taymore by texting t A Y m 389 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:17,159 Speaker 1: O R two seven zero one zero one. Coming up, 390 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 1: Mark Kudish on his most recent Broadway role, Sondheim and 391 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:39,160 Speaker 1: Dungeons and Dragons. That's next. I'm Alec Baldwin and this 392 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:42,920 Speaker 1: is here's the thing. I'm back with actor Marc Kudish 393 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:47,160 Speaker 1: Girl from the North Country, his most recent performance on Broadway, 394 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: is a show that's hard to pin down to one genre. 395 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: It's categorized as a musical because there's music in it, 396 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:56,919 Speaker 1: and that's music Bye and music by Bob Dylans. So 397 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:00,119 Speaker 1: it's Bob Dylan's music, but it is Connor mcphers and 398 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 1: the Irish play right. It's his construct, it's his idea. 399 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:06,280 Speaker 1: He was inspired by Dylan's music. But it's an original story. 400 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 1: It's not an easy thing to take pre existing music 401 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:12,159 Speaker 1: and create a play using it. And I think a 402 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:14,160 Speaker 1: lot of the pitfall, you know, because there are people 403 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:16,439 Speaker 1: that want to call it jukebox musical. Okay, I get it, 404 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:19,200 Speaker 1: I got it. You know you don't. You can't take 405 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:20,960 Speaker 1: a pre existing piece and try to shove it into 406 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:23,440 Speaker 1: a storyline that it was never intended for. That's always 407 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:26,399 Speaker 1: going to feel like it's being bent and trying to 408 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 1: be torqud in a way that it was never intended for. 409 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:34,679 Speaker 1: There's nothing organic about it, McPherson wrote, who directed McPherson. No, Yeah, 410 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:38,560 Speaker 1: it's so deeply Connor all the way around, even the 411 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 1: way that he's taken the music and embedded it within 412 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:43,879 Speaker 1: and around the play. No one else could have directed it. 413 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:47,120 Speaker 1: You know, he's not precious about his writing at all. 414 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:50,720 Speaker 1: He's about the moment. He's not so much about the dialogue. 415 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: I remember when rehearsals, he's like, if you can't remember 416 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 1: a line, don't worry about the line. The line makes 417 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:57,359 Speaker 1: something up. Just keep moving forward. It's about the moment. 418 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: It's about the moment. I met him before I never 419 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 1: met him. I was asked to do a presentation of it, gosh, 420 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:05,879 Speaker 1: almost two years ago now at the Public Theater, and 421 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:09,880 Speaker 1: I just was so taken by it. It's very O'Neil esque. 422 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:12,880 Speaker 1: Jack London asked Arthur Miller esked like it took an 423 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:16,919 Speaker 1: Irishman to write the most American piece of theater that 424 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:19,240 Speaker 1: I've done in a long time. This was workshop in 425 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: the Public. Well, it was originally done in the UK, 426 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:25,640 Speaker 1: and it was Dylan, of all people, who had said, 427 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:27,359 Speaker 1: if you're going to bring it to the States after 428 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:30,919 Speaker 1: because Dylan's people had gone to McPherson and said, hey, 429 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 1: Bob is a fan of Connor's work. He would love 430 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:38,159 Speaker 1: for him to take his music and incorporated in a 431 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 1: new piece. Connor had never done a musical piece before. 432 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:43,920 Speaker 1: So he's like, I'm not sure this is for me. 433 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 1: They gave him carte blanche. They let him do whatever 434 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 1: the hell he wanted to do. They sent him everything 435 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:52,119 Speaker 1: Bob had ever done, and I mean analog, the stuff 436 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 1: that you can't get digitally. They shipped it all over. 437 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 1: There was Dylan around, not at all, not a bad thing, 438 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:01,080 Speaker 1: you know, it was you know, the first time he 439 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:03,439 Speaker 1: ever saw it was at the public He came and 440 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:06,359 Speaker 1: he saw it at the Public theater um, and you know, 441 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:08,119 Speaker 1: I mean, he had people all around him, and they 442 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:10,400 Speaker 1: brought him in a little late so that everyone wouldn't 443 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:12,399 Speaker 1: be looking over their shoulder to look at Bob Dylan 444 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:16,600 Speaker 1: watching a show. And and he was in tears at 445 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 1: the end of the night. He was just in tears 446 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:21,920 Speaker 1: at the end of the night. But let me ask 447 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:25,720 Speaker 1: you this, then, that life of the whole day goes by, 448 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:27,520 Speaker 1: and then at six o'clock you got to go to work. 449 00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:30,680 Speaker 1: Is there a routine? Because I'm fascinated by this, Is 450 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:32,440 Speaker 1: there a routine for me? I got there early, I 451 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 1: got there at six, and I had to let the 452 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 1: day ooze out of me and stop thinking about what 453 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,160 Speaker 1: everyone's on my mind. So I could really focus because 454 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:42,440 Speaker 1: I couldn't wing it. I wasn't Peter Firth who could 455 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 1: go out there and just dazzle people with his British 456 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 1: technique and so forth. For you, what's it like for you? 457 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:50,360 Speaker 1: Is there a routine? Is it the same thing all 458 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 1: the time? I mean what I mean in my life, Um, 459 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: you've just learned through practice how to just carry things 460 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 1: with you and have them. It's easy for you to 461 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 1: access what you need to access. The emotions are there 462 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:11,360 Speaker 1: all the time. I'm a complicated person, so plain complicated 463 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:15,040 Speaker 1: people is not terribly difficult, because if you're being honest 464 00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:18,359 Speaker 1: with yourself, it's available to you whenever you want it. 465 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: It should be controlled, and it should be in trust 466 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:22,880 Speaker 1: with the other actors that you're on the stage with. 467 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:26,679 Speaker 1: I still don't know how it's happened or why it 468 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:29,359 Speaker 1: keeps happening the way it does. What I do know 469 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:33,120 Speaker 1: is why I walk out on a stage. It's about connection, 470 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 1: and it's about communication and it's about dialogue. I am 471 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:40,360 Speaker 1: an introvert by nature. I am not fueled by applause. 472 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 1: I am not fueled by people telling me I'm good. 473 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 1: I'm not good with compliments. I prefer not to get them. 474 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:48,960 Speaker 1: It's about the audience. What are we trying to say? 475 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:50,879 Speaker 1: Why are people spending this much money to come and 476 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 1: hear me? You can sit at home and watch Netflix. 477 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:55,919 Speaker 1: The less that I put the focus on myself, the 478 00:24:56,080 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: more I find there's no problem giving it to them. 479 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:02,159 Speaker 1: One of the things I saw you do because I'm 480 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 1: a huge Sun Time fan. Of course, I'm talking about Assassins, 481 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:08,720 Speaker 1: and I love Victor Garber and uh they had that 482 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:11,439 Speaker 1: original production. I just love that show. And then you 483 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 1: guys come along and do this revival. Was a great show. 484 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:17,959 Speaker 1: It was a great show, Jim and Nannie Servius and 485 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:20,879 Speaker 1: I thought you were phenomenal. You're phenomenal. And was he 486 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:23,439 Speaker 1: around much when you were doing it? Stevia, He was around, 487 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:25,760 Speaker 1: And I'm told that's you know, it's a little bit 488 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 1: intimidating to be doing revivals of his beloved material, I think, 489 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 1: especially when they had a complicated history like Assassins. Yeah, 490 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: but I mean, like, I think that that's a show 491 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:36,679 Speaker 1: that he held really dear to his heart and it 492 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:38,560 Speaker 1: never really got the shot that he had hoping. I 493 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:40,320 Speaker 1: think of all of his shows, that maybe the show 494 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 1: he's most proud of I don't want to speak for him, 495 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:45,280 Speaker 1: but I know the gun Song is something that is 496 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 1: really special to him for what it stands for. So 497 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:54,639 Speaker 1: doing I've never experienced what I experienced on our first 498 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:59,439 Speaker 1: preview of Assassins on the theater before or after, I 499 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: can with all of us, all of them, but mean 500 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 1: to do that show which was not political and incredibly 501 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 1: political at the same time, and it speaks to who 502 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:14,439 Speaker 1: we are, and it speaks to our dissonance, and it 503 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:18,480 Speaker 1: speaks to the disenfranchise, but it speaks to identity. And 504 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 1: that character, the proprietor that I played, did not exist 505 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:24,400 Speaker 1: like that originally. So I went to lunch with Joe Mantello, 506 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:26,960 Speaker 1: the director, and he pitched me the idea of what 507 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:28,920 Speaker 1: he was thinking he wanted to do with the role. 508 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,919 Speaker 1: And I was like, how did John Wideman and Steve 509 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 1: Sondheim feel about that? And He's like, we'll find out. 510 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:37,760 Speaker 1: So it was this grand experiment in the middle of 511 00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:41,399 Speaker 1: this revival, and every time someone had wanted to do 512 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:44,399 Speaker 1: a production of Assassins that had always got postponed because 513 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 1: of this or a war or nine eleven because it's 514 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: a very touchy subject, right, And I'm the one that 515 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:52,240 Speaker 1: opens my mouth at the beginning of the show. And 516 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:54,280 Speaker 1: to walk out on that first preview and we're on 517 00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 1: Broadway and the shoe hasn't fallen. We're actually gifted for 518 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 1: at fifty four, it's two thousand or we're into the 519 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:05,440 Speaker 1: reelection of George W. Bush. People are agitated and angry, 520 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 1: and you know, you walk out on that heypal feinland Blue, 521 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:21,440 Speaker 1: don't know what to do. I mean, you come here 522 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:25,960 Speaker 1: and kill a president. Those are the first lines out 523 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 1: of the gate Man. And to do that on Broadway, 524 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:33,640 Speaker 1: not apologizing for it, and to feel other people's agitation, 525 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:37,639 Speaker 1: I've never experienced anything like that again. I mean, you 526 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:40,080 Speaker 1: could cut the tension like with a knife. It was 527 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 1: so amazing. And when we did talk back to the 528 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:44,320 Speaker 1: audience wouldn't leave, you know how you usually do like 529 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 1: talk backs and you'll have like maybe no one left. 530 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:50,159 Speaker 1: They were all sitting out there and they were agitated 531 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:52,920 Speaker 1: and angry, and literally it was like the talk back 532 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:54,800 Speaker 1: wouldn't even be about us talking to the audience. It 533 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:57,240 Speaker 1: would be them yelling at each other because of what 534 00:27:57,320 --> 00:28:00,920 Speaker 1: they had just experienced. You, Lincoln, you write is Wrea 535 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 1: political science? I went for political science when I switched listen, 536 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 1: I know you have a political mind, you know, and 537 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:10,080 Speaker 1: and I've always had a political mind. And the reason 538 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 1: that I chose theater over political science ultimately was I 539 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:16,159 Speaker 1: remember when my first day in political theory, it was 540 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:19,399 Speaker 1: my favorite class. I walked into the room and written 541 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:23,440 Speaker 1: up on the board was all politics are based in failure. 542 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:26,280 Speaker 1: How long will this program last until it breaks down 543 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: or shuts down? How long until we have to amend 544 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:30,480 Speaker 1: that program? How long until we have to develop another 545 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 1: one to pick up after? And I just thought, I 546 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:34,439 Speaker 1: don't know that I want to base my life on 547 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:38,560 Speaker 1: the idea of failure. And I took theater courses just 548 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:40,320 Speaker 1: to lighten the load, right, And I thought, oh, well 549 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 1: that'll be good. If I want to go into politics, 550 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:44,720 Speaker 1: then getting out in front of people and having practice 551 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:47,320 Speaker 1: in that would be good. But I just also felt 552 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 1: like I could focus on telling the truth more than 553 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 1: I could focus on the idea of failure. Like you know, 554 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:57,480 Speaker 1: that was also the period of time when um lobbying 555 00:28:57,960 --> 00:28:59,960 Speaker 1: was becoming a thing, like my father was a lot 556 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:01,840 Speaker 1: obvious now when you know when you moved you went 557 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:04,560 Speaker 1: from Hackensack to Plantation, Florida, that's you moved and your 558 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:06,920 Speaker 1: dad to do that because of work, and so you 559 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:08,920 Speaker 1: grew up your whole life down there. Yeah, I'm from 560 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:10,960 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm a Florida boy, you know. I mean, 561 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:14,320 Speaker 1: to this day, I still use the word dude constantly. Um. 562 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 1: You know, it was still pretty rustic, and I loved it. 563 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 1: I loved growing up there. You know, we grew up 564 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 1: across the street from cow pastors. It was mellow. How 565 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 1: many kids in your older brother, two younger sisters and 566 00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:28,720 Speaker 1: anybody in the business. No, my brother he's the associate 567 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:31,720 Speaker 1: dean now at Villanova's School of Business, and my sister's 568 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:34,960 Speaker 1: ones in wellness, and the other manages the histology lab. 569 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:39,640 Speaker 1: Now I'm saying this with all due uh regard for you, 570 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 1: and I just find this not funny, but it's find interesting. 571 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:44,960 Speaker 1: I mean, you're a big, powerful guy. When I think 572 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:46,440 Speaker 1: of Mark Kudish, I think of a guy who's like 573 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:49,200 Speaker 1: a big, tough guy. You'll play tough guy roles. But 574 00:29:49,240 --> 00:29:51,400 Speaker 1: you didn't play football in high school. What did you 575 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: do in high school? Um? I was president of the 576 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:57,640 Speaker 1: Spanish club and I was a male cheerleader. No, no, 577 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: I'm not kidding. No, I know we are this because 578 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:02,800 Speaker 1: you literally, I mean I only have stupid things there. 579 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:04,520 Speaker 1: You did because you want to get laid You wanted 580 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:06,960 Speaker 1: to guy, Are you kidding? No, no, no, no, shame 581 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:09,840 Speaker 1: in that. No, no, no no, no, young guy. I was 582 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:13,240 Speaker 1: in the Gift of program. My brother was popular. I 583 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:16,000 Speaker 1: was not, man, I was the black sheep in my family. 584 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:18,760 Speaker 1: And don't tell you were a nerd. I was huge. 585 00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:22,000 Speaker 1: I was a dungeon master back in the days of 586 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:25,280 Speaker 1: analog dungeons and dragons. Can you even believe that it's 587 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:28,880 Speaker 1: like cool now to do that? There are literal like 588 00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:33,520 Speaker 1: stores and cafes dedicated to dungeons and dragons, and like, 589 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 1: when I was growing up, that was like the most 590 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:40,800 Speaker 1: shameful thing you could do. Um. I know, I was 591 00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:43,160 Speaker 1: a huge nerd, man, I mean I wanted to be 592 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:45,720 Speaker 1: Carl Sagan and I was in a class with everyone 593 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 1: else that loved those things, and um, yeah, I was 594 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:52,360 Speaker 1: not popular. But I can't believe you, because you're so 595 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 1: fucking talented you get on State when you did Assassin. 596 00:30:56,080 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 1: I looked at my friend and I go, you see that. 597 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 1: I go, That's what I want to do, That's what 598 00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 1: I wish I could do. I go look at this guy. 599 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 1: He's like fucking Paul Bunyan and he sings like Pavati. 600 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:11,600 Speaker 1: He's like this giant figure of masculinity. My god, he's singing. 601 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:13,160 Speaker 1: I go, that's the funk what I want to do. 602 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:16,040 Speaker 1: But anyway, now that you've done that, did you ever 603 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:17,800 Speaker 1: live in l A. Didn't you ever want to say, Okay, 604 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:19,440 Speaker 1: now I want to go do movies and TV and 605 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:21,640 Speaker 1: that means going out there. No. I mean I had 606 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:23,600 Speaker 1: my moment when I really could have gone out there, 607 00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:28,080 Speaker 1: and I didn't because I because I wanted to do 608 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:32,160 Speaker 1: the theater. And the industry has changed in a really 609 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 1: positive way because the kind of things that are being 610 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:38,600 Speaker 1: done on television now gives freedom to creative artists to 611 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:42,680 Speaker 1: really commit to whatever story they actually want to tell. 612 00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 1: And because of that, I find that film and television 613 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:49,560 Speaker 1: has gotten more theatrical over the years, and because of that, 614 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:53,400 Speaker 1: there's more of it here. So as a younger actor, 615 00:31:53,480 --> 00:31:55,360 Speaker 1: it was really important to me to be a part 616 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:58,160 Speaker 1: of the theater. And then as I got older and 617 00:31:58,160 --> 00:32:00,320 Speaker 1: I realized that I was getting tired for me shows 618 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:03,520 Speaker 1: a week, and television and film was changing in a 619 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:05,239 Speaker 1: way that I actually felt like I could be a 620 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:07,560 Speaker 1: part of it that there was something there for me. 621 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:10,080 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, I wasn't around when Scorsese was 622 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 1: filming in New York. Those are the things that I 623 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:14,960 Speaker 1: related to in terms of being an actor, and now 624 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 1: there's a plethora of stuff where I feel I connect 625 00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:22,360 Speaker 1: to it. In New York City. Can you go shoot Billions? 626 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 1: Scream at all those knuckle heads out? But I get 627 00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:27,080 Speaker 1: to be here, man. Yeah, And when you do a 628 00:32:27,120 --> 00:32:31,200 Speaker 1: show like that, how does that come to be? Billions 629 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:34,800 Speaker 1: has become kind of like uh, Law and Order, where 630 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:37,560 Speaker 1: eventually everyone in Manhattan's gonna be on Billions. It has 631 00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 1: the best recurring cast, I think, on the history of television, 632 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:43,760 Speaker 1: because like every actor that you know, particularly in New 633 00:32:43,840 --> 00:32:47,960 Speaker 1: York City, at some point walks across the screen. But 634 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:51,160 Speaker 1: I think another part of it, particularly with that show, 635 00:32:51,320 --> 00:32:54,000 Speaker 1: is you know you have Brian and you have David, 636 00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:57,080 Speaker 1: and you have incredible writing. Brian and David are the creators. 637 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 1: They are the name is Brian Coppman David Levine, and 638 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:05,240 Speaker 1: they are amazing at what they do, and they create 639 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:07,600 Speaker 1: an incredible atmosphere on a set, which, as you know, 640 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:11,080 Speaker 1: is something I think that holds enormous value. Described that 641 00:33:11,480 --> 00:33:15,760 Speaker 1: the atmosphere is what. It's really familial, it's really welcoming. 642 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:20,240 Speaker 1: Everybody's jazz to be there. When you meet the crew 643 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:23,080 Speaker 1: and the crew is excited about coming to work, then 644 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:26,480 Speaker 1: you know you're on something that has energy to it. 645 00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:29,280 Speaker 1: It's exciting, it's fun. You know. The writing is good, 646 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:33,320 Speaker 1: it's crisp, it's smart, it's fast. There's no apology for 647 00:33:33,440 --> 00:33:39,200 Speaker 1: the characters behaving badly. Every storyline, every individual show is 648 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:42,239 Speaker 1: so smart and fast, like it's really unexpected. Every time 649 00:33:42,280 --> 00:33:45,480 Speaker 1: I would read a script, which is rare on other shows, 650 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:48,840 Speaker 1: you'd have what kind of experience? Oh crap, absolute crap, 651 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:53,080 Speaker 1: and you know, but described the situation honestly. I there 652 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 1: was a show. It was, It was, it was quite 653 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:58,960 Speaker 1: a few years ago now, and I literally walked on set. 654 00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:02,360 Speaker 1: Nobody knew the lines. None of the regulars knew their lines, 655 00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 1: no one knew what both completely unprofessional and I had 656 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 1: a heart out. And I finally had to go to 657 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:12,000 Speaker 1: the director and say, I have a heart out. In 658 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:14,480 Speaker 1: fifteen minutes and there are three scenes left to shoot, 659 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:16,759 Speaker 1: and he looked at me and he said, what are 660 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:19,319 Speaker 1: you talking about? And he drew me over to one 661 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:20,799 Speaker 1: of the you know a d s and he just 662 00:34:20,880 --> 00:34:23,560 Speaker 1: was like, why didn't you guys tell me this sooner? Well, 663 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:24,920 Speaker 1: we didn't want to, you know, and then he just 664 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:27,919 Speaker 1: don't want to upset you with the facts. So then 665 00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:30,000 Speaker 1: he pulled me into a corner and he said, give 666 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:33,200 Speaker 1: me a second. And then he said, okay, if we 667 00:34:33,239 --> 00:34:36,279 Speaker 1: set up the camera shots and I do the dialogue 668 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:38,160 Speaker 1: and we'll just get your p o V. Are you 669 00:34:38,160 --> 00:34:40,680 Speaker 1: willing to do that? And I said, yeah, whatever it takes. 670 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:44,160 Speaker 1: So they set up three four different cameras, four different angles. 671 00:34:44,520 --> 00:34:46,759 Speaker 1: He read the lines with me, and I knocked out 672 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:51,520 Speaker 1: three scenes in fifteen minutes. I ship you note with 673 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:56,120 Speaker 1: the entire cast watching as we did it, finished it 674 00:34:56,200 --> 00:34:59,640 Speaker 1: and they all applauded, Oh my god, that was amazing. 675 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:02,920 Speaker 1: And I'm thinking, you should not be saying that to 676 00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:05,399 Speaker 1: me right now. You shouldn't be happy while I'm doing 677 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:08,600 Speaker 1: this exactly. I just was like, so, you know, there's 678 00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:11,880 Speaker 1: a wide variety, and Billions is on the upper echelon 679 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:14,600 Speaker 1: of what I think a quality piece of television is, 680 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:18,760 Speaker 1: or or or any filming is smart people writing really 681 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:22,200 Speaker 1: smart stories and dialogue with incredible actors that you want 682 00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:25,640 Speaker 1: to be in it with. So it's always fun, you know, 683 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:27,799 Speaker 1: And any time I walk on there, the writing is 684 00:35:27,840 --> 00:35:30,720 Speaker 1: through the roof and it's absolutely ridiculous. And the character 685 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:34,479 Speaker 1: is I mean, he's insane. It's fun to be that 686 00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 1: out there. Who is your character on Billions? Dr Guess 687 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:40,960 Speaker 1: he's a he's a performance coach. He's just insane. Who 688 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:43,400 Speaker 1: who are you coaching? Any of the traders, like anyone 689 00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:46,080 Speaker 1: who's behind, who's not picking up their limit. I'm just 690 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:50,760 Speaker 1: there too, literally scream at them. I mean so intense, 691 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:54,240 Speaker 1: which I love because it's just the id running wild. 692 00:35:54,719 --> 00:35:57,080 Speaker 1: You know. I did Glen Gary Glenn Ross, and we 693 00:35:57,120 --> 00:36:00,319 Speaker 1: shot the scene for three days and it was so tough, like, oh, 694 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:03,239 Speaker 1: let me wipe my feet on your chim I hated it. 695 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:05,880 Speaker 1: But that's the thing, isn't it. You're there to do 696 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:08,319 Speaker 1: it and you can't apologize for it. You know. I've 697 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:12,600 Speaker 1: made a career of playing questionablement making questionable decisions. What 698 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:15,480 Speaker 1: makes it interesting is you see a guy like that 699 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 1: and you want to hate a guy like that, but 700 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:20,440 Speaker 1: you can't help but hearing the truth, even through the 701 00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:24,120 Speaker 1: hardness of it. It's sticking to the intention of the character. 702 00:36:24,239 --> 00:36:29,400 Speaker 1: That is exciting about doing it. While you wait to 703 00:36:29,440 --> 00:36:32,600 Speaker 1: see Marc Kudish on Broadway, you can watch him on 704 00:36:32,760 --> 00:36:37,160 Speaker 1: Showtime in Billions. I'm Alec Baldwin and this is here's 705 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 1: the thing