1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:06,000 Speaker 1: I think John Alan McDorman as I've gotten older sounds stronger, 2 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:09,559 Speaker 1: because in my mind when I think of Jake, maybe 3 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: it's because it has no roots in my actual name anywhere. 4 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: But I'm like, that's not a real name. I was 5 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:17,240 Speaker 1: talking to a co star at one point and I 6 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: was like, I don't know Jake McDorman. This is like 7 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: not too long ago either, like four years ago. So 8 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: I'm deep into the Jake. This is like a conversation 9 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: I had, you know, twenty years ago. But she was like, no, 10 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: Jake mcdormand's great, that's good. I was like, she's like, 11 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: what's your what's your legal name? I was like John 12 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: Allen McDorman and she was like, oh, I take it back, 13 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: that's way better. She was like, Jake McDorman wins, like 14 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: maybe a people's choice. John Allen McDorman wins Academy. I 15 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: was like, I'm fucking I know Jake. John Allen McDormand. 16 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 1: The fourth rode into Hollywood on a big white horse. 17 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:04,399 Speaker 1: He said, I'm an actor. I'm here to stay. I'm 18 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:11,040 Speaker 1: gonna be a big star someday. 19 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 2: Hi everybody, and welcome back to I would call an 20 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 2: entrancing and poetic episode of Off the Beat. Just like 21 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,479 Speaker 2: every week, it's me your host, Brian Baumgartner. Now, how 22 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 2: can I possibly follow a self introduction like that? Well 23 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 2: with a poem of my own of course, So let's 24 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 2: see poem introduction beginning now. Jake McDorman a versatile star 25 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 2: from drama to comedy. He's traveled so far. He came 26 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 2: to la as just a teen to see his face 27 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 2: on the big screen. He was first cast in Quintuplets 28 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 2: and later in Greek landing Gig after Gig on an 29 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 2: epic streak. He's in Murphy Around Dope, Sick and if 30 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 2: that wasn't enough, Limitless, shameless and the right stuff, American Sniper, 31 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 2: what we do in the Shadows. Jake captivates wherever he goes. 32 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:16,920 Speaker 2: Now you can watch him in Missus Davis and Class 33 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,800 Speaker 2: of Nine and see for yourself his work is divine. 34 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 2: You know that this episode won't be a bore man 35 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 2: with my awesome guest, the great Jake McDorman, Hold your 36 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 2: applause till the end. Here he is Jake McDorman. Bubble 37 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 2: and Squeak, I love it, Bubble and Squeakna, Bubble and Squeak, 38 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:52,399 Speaker 2: I could get every moleft over from the ninety before. 39 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 2: What's up, Jake, Brian, It's so good to meet you. 40 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:08,640 Speaker 2: It's very nice to meet you. How's it going. 41 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: It's going pretty well, man, going pretty well? Can you 42 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: hear me? Okay, I'm so embarrassed. I was just doing 43 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: a tech setup. I've gotten no better at this in 44 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: the three years we've been doing. I'm a shit millennial. 45 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 2: Listen. I mean the fact that I can manage it. 46 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 2: I'm sure you're fine. Let's just let's put it that way. 47 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: I'll go with that. 48 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:33,640 Speaker 2: I'm seeing you all over my TV left and right. 49 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 2: We're going to talk about that in a minute, some 50 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 2: of my favorite shows of last year. But you grew 51 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 2: up in Dallas? Is that right? 52 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: I did? Yeah? Yeah? Did I see that you're from? 53 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: Are you from Georgia? 54 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 2: I am from Georgia. But hail to the Red and 55 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 2: the Blue, the Mustangs of SMU. I spent my formative 56 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 2: years there. 57 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: Dude, my dad went there. Really yeah, I think I 58 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 1: have that I but yeah, yeah, I definitely would go. 59 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: This was like a big deal for I have other 60 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: people that were born in like eighty five, eighty six 61 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 1: whose dads when we were little, would take us to 62 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 1: play racquetball. I think it was just like a big 63 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: deal for dads born in the fifties that like racquetball 64 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: in the eighties and their thirties probably like you know, 65 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,920 Speaker 1: coked up and drunk on whiskey, was throwing a battle 66 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 1: around a closed room. But like I'd go to SMU 67 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 1: with my dad to play racquetball forever. Yeah, it was 68 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 1: my acci. 69 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 2: Dad's where I started playing racquetball. Oh shit, man. In college. Yeah, 70 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 2: we In fact, I think I took like racquetball one 71 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 2: oh one. And that's not a that's not a course. 72 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 2: That's not a course. 73 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 1: When wait, when were you at SMU? Do you know 74 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:50,920 Speaker 1: when you were there playing racquetball? 75 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 2: Well, yeah, you would have been young ish. I was 76 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 2: their early nineties. 77 00:04:57,480 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: Right, I'm telling you. I think we were we probably, 78 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 1: I mean I was too young to be playing racketball. 79 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 1: I think my dad was not great at racketball, and 80 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 1: it gave him a huge vote of self confidence to 81 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:12,239 Speaker 1: just eviscerate a ten year old ketball. 82 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,479 Speaker 2: I mean I also, as you know then, the basketball 83 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 2: courts were right out there. Yeah, so, I mean I 84 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 2: was trying to hustle people on the basketball courts as 85 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 2: much as possible, but then eventually it got shoved into 86 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 2: one of those rooms, the racquetball rooms. But yes, I 87 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 2: had a great, great time in Dallas, and it sounds 88 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 2: like you did too. You started well, first off, when 89 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 2: did you start getting interested in acting or performing? 90 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 1: You know, I was really reluctant. It started in I'm 91 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: no longer spiritual or really religious or religious, but it 92 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 1: started in the church I went to, which if you 93 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,040 Speaker 1: went to SMU and you spent some time, you know 94 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: in Dallas, you know that they can mega church like, yeah, 95 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 1: none other. You know, everything's bigger in Texas, Stephen Jesus. 96 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 1: So like I went to one of those huge, huge 97 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 1: megachurches that had these like children's choirs that would put 98 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: on you know, bi annual big musicals and stuff. And 99 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:15,359 Speaker 1: my mom was really, i think, just based on you 100 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:18,359 Speaker 1: know the kind of kid I was, which was you know, 101 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: imaginative and running around and playing with action figures, probably 102 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,160 Speaker 1: too old, thought that I'd really like it. And I 103 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: reluctantly kind of joined that, and then in doing that, 104 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: really got bit by it and I thought it was fun. 105 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 1: So like technically I started in a version of a theater. 106 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 1: But like you know, for for instance, Betty Gilpin on 107 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: Missus Davis, she's like a proper theater actor. So like 108 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: anytime I say like, oh, yeah, I got my start 109 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 1: in theater, because technically I was on a big stage 110 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 1: in front of a thousand people, right, I should be like, oh, 111 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 1: what did you put up? Like what was the play? 112 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 3: And I was like, it's called the Amazing Scripture of 113 00:06:54,760 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 3: Memory Maze, small production. So like definitely can't you know, 114 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 3: sit toe to toe with anyone who actually carved their 115 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 3: teeth on theater. But that was the first I think, 116 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 3: that feeling of kind of overcoming the nerves of something 117 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 3: like that, right, and then getting out, you know, with 118 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 3: a plan with your You had this plan that you'd 119 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 3: rehearsed with your cast, and you go execute it. 120 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: And in that moment of being in front of all 121 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 1: those people under the pressure, all you have is each other, 122 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 1: and the kind of unique bond that creates between all 123 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 1: of you just became really intoxicating. And I just I 124 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: just knew pretty quickly I wanted to do that. I 125 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 1: wanted to chase that feeling kind of forever. And I 126 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: don't even think I knew at the time that that's like, 127 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 1: because I also love TV and movies, Like I grew 128 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: up watching movies and TV. I didn't quite equate those 129 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: two as being the same thing. Okay, that was in 130 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 1: a box over there, and this was this weird thing 131 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 1: I was doing over here, and it took a while 132 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,240 Speaker 1: for those to like overlap, and I'm right, yeah. 133 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 2: But I mean, look, let's be honest. It doesn't matter 134 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 2: how quote unquote serious the theater that you're doing. I mean, 135 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 2: having experiences on stage in front of people, that's kind 136 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 2: of step one. I mean yeah, I mean I think. 137 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 1: It should be. I think you're lucky it is right 138 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 1: like that. I feel really grateful it came in that order, 139 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: Like I not, there's there's probably a million different ways 140 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: to crack it. But like I've thought about this a 141 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: lot that, like, I'm glad I got that feeling first 142 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: before I was like ooh, I want to be you 143 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 1: know Harrison Ford, Like how do I reverse engineer that? 144 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: From a place of like vanity gushing, you know, I mean, 145 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 1: like he's so cool, I want to be that cool. 146 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 1: It really came from a place of just that feeling 147 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 1: and the like connection that you have when you do 148 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: theater was like terrifying and exciting, and then bonus, it's 149 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,439 Speaker 1: also you know the root of all these performances you've 150 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: been enjoying forever. 151 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 2: Right, so you have this feeling that you want to chase. 152 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 2: You start studying at the acting studio and is it 153 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 2: Nancy Charitier? 154 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 1: She is one of I had two like acting gurus. 155 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 1: Excuse me. I had two like acting gurus in Dallas 156 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 1: that like together were like the yin and yang of 157 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 1: me actually believing maybe I could make a go of it. 158 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 1: So Nancy was second, but very amazed that you know 159 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:18,319 Speaker 1: by name. And then uh, the there's the Dallas Young 160 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: Actors Studios Linda Sito and then uh, I think the 161 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 1: class was called React with Nancy Chardier. And the first 162 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 1: one my dad. I don't know if you do. You 163 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,320 Speaker 1: remember little Miss Sunshine, Greg Kinnear's character and little Miss Sunshine. 164 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: He'd go around and do these kind of ten steps 165 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: to success. My dad's gonna kill me if you ever 166 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 1: listens to this. Thank god. He's a complete fucking ludite 167 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 1: and has no idea how to listen to this podcast. 168 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 1: I love you, dad, but uh, you know. 169 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 2: To your phone click podcast podcast. 170 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 1: Brian, he's not gonna hear these instructions. 171 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 2: You can't find it. 172 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:59,200 Speaker 1: But anyway, he would give this seminar every Monday night 173 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 1: the church, and these people who were in career transition, 174 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:06,320 Speaker 1: you know, leading one job or seeking another job, or 175 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 1: had been you know, let go from their own job 176 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 1: would come and listen to seminar. And an agent from 177 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 1: a Dallas agency like came up and approached him because 178 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,559 Speaker 1: about his voice. You're like, you're interested in voiceover work, 179 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:19,439 Speaker 1: and God bless him. He was like, no, not really, 180 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 1: but my son is an actor. So got me a 181 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 1: meeting like that way with a local agent. And then 182 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 1: she was like, sure, we'll take a meeting with him. 183 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 1: We'll see what he's all about. We'll have him read 184 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:32,440 Speaker 1: a scene. I must have been like twelve years old 185 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 1: and had just dyed my hair like hydrogen peroxide eminem 186 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:42,200 Speaker 1: yellow like the day before, and like walked in there 187 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 1: with like orange pants from Abercrombie. It's just the worst, 188 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 1: kind of just the worst. I can't even imagine what 189 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:52,079 Speaker 1: they thought. And they were like, yeah, no, you should 190 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 1: go to class. You should definitely go to class. So 191 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: they sent me to those two places and I went 192 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 1: to the first one for a long time, and it 193 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 1: really was the first time I learned anything about just 194 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:05,440 Speaker 1: how to do it. It also put me in a 195 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 1: kind of tribe of people that also wanted to do this. 196 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 1: That was a huge part of it. You know, you 197 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 1: moved to LA and you forget you know, how weird 198 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:19,440 Speaker 1: of idea this is. In some parts of the country 199 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: or certainly some parts of the world. You know, right La, 200 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 1: everybody is there's a homogeny to like wanting to do 201 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 1: something in the entertainment industry, and there it was very 202 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 1: rare to meet someone who else who someone else who 203 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 1: wanted to do this. So even putting me in a 204 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:36,200 Speaker 1: class full of people who like nerd it out about 205 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 1: the same shit that I did, and like, you know, 206 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:42,079 Speaker 1: loved the same kind of movies and TV that I did, 207 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 1: was great. And so yeah, that that class and then 208 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: and then I met Nancy, and Nancy was the people 209 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:52,200 Speaker 1: in Nancy's class were doing the La thing, were like 210 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:54,839 Speaker 1: breaking their families in half and sending them to the 211 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:57,719 Speaker 1: oak Woods, which sounds insane, but at the time it 212 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:01,199 Speaker 1: was like, oh, I'm breaking my family. Definitely, what's next? 213 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 1: You guys are to hold on tight we're going to 214 00:12:04,559 --> 00:12:08,439 Speaker 1: the oak Woods. So yeah, that was like the beginning 215 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 1: of starting to actually have conversations about like, okay, we're 216 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:16,360 Speaker 1: doing this in Dallas. It wasn't an overnight decision. There's 217 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 1: now like five years of moving in this direction and 218 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 1: getting representation locally and then meeting other parents who have 219 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: like kind of done the pilot season thing, which I 220 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 1: don't even know if that's a thing anymore, but it 221 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: certainly was, you know, when you and I were coming up, 222 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:33,680 Speaker 1: and so eventually I wore them down to let me 223 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 1: try it for like a few months. 224 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:39,240 Speaker 2: Now. For those of you who don't know the oak Woods, 225 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 2: I don't know if we've talked about this, this is 226 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 2: a legendary place. 227 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:45,400 Speaker 1: Oh my god, it needs to be an HBO series. 228 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:50,599 Speaker 2: It really does. The oak Woods is an apartment complex 229 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 2: kind of directly adjacent to both Universal and Warner Brothers 230 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:02,720 Speaker 2: kind in this up in the hill, which sounds very romantic, 231 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:06,439 Speaker 2: but it's not. At that time at least, it was 232 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:10,319 Speaker 2: like a commune for people who would come out for 233 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 2: pilot season for as you said, like a month, two months, 234 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 2: three months, and like commune together, like yeah together, yeah, 235 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 2: do auditions, right. 236 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:21,920 Speaker 1: Do auditions for like three months to give people an 237 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: idea of the size of this compound. There was a 238 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 1: North Clubhouse, a South Clubhouse, three entrances from different streets 239 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 1: and buildings, three stories for every letter of the alphabet. 240 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: So it's massive. You don't need to leave. In fact, 241 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 1: there was people who had been there since Oakwood opened. 242 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:40,719 Speaker 1: I remember Lou had some guy named Lou had his 243 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:43,840 Speaker 1: ninetieth birthday at South Clubhouse, right, So it's like old 244 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: Hollywood kind of, you know, a group of people that 245 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:48,839 Speaker 1: lived there and like never left. They went to the 246 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 1: salon there, and they would like go to the pool 247 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: and all this stuff. There was a convenience store that 248 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:56,280 Speaker 1: we used to get beer and cigarettes from when we 249 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:59,199 Speaker 1: were way too young. Like I mean, it was it 250 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 1: was overrun with musicians touring, elderly people that had been 251 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 1: there since the sixties, child actors and stage moms and securities. 252 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 2: It's like the villages, yes, for it's like the villages 253 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 2: for young people who are trying to be musicians and 254 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:19,560 Speaker 2: actors really and their families. 255 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's the perfect that is the perfect analogy. It 256 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 1: is exactly the villages. It's a democratic. 257 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 2: Probably mostly Yeah, were you and So how old were 258 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 2: you when you finally went out. 259 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 1: To the So we couldn't stay in the oak Woods 260 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 1: because those were fancy, but my girlfriend at the time 261 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: lived there, and I spent all my time there. I 262 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 1: mean it was like even even if you you know, 263 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 1: didn't live there and you were an actor that you know, 264 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 1: was out there auditioning for past season, you just have 265 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: your mom drop you off there for like the day 266 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: and you'd run around with nothing to do with a 267 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 1: bunch of actor kids. That was when I was sixteen, 268 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 1: So twenty and three, twenty years ago. Wow, this is 269 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,080 Speaker 1: twenty years as of this spring. Yeah. 270 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 2: Well you know what's crazy is I actually landed in 271 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 2: La the exact time you did two three. 272 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 1: So you must have seen me at the raquetball courts. 273 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 1: I'm gonna follow Zach. I'm gonna creepy way, not in 274 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 1: a creepy way. 275 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:17,000 Speaker 2: Well, let's hold not. Yeah, I'm going to travel around 276 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 2: the country and eventually, when when, when Jake is on 277 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 2: the move, that I am too. 278 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:26,080 Speaker 1: This is a long play. I'm proud of you here. 279 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, now we're finally meeting twenty years later. It's been 280 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 2: going on forty years. Not quite Uh, your name. By 281 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 2: the way, I have to mention your name is John. 282 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:42,240 Speaker 2: I heard a story about your name becoming Jake. Tell it. 283 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 1: Oh, I'm so curious. It's this is the story you've heard? 284 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: Uh So, my name is John Alan McDormand the force. 285 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 1: My dad. This is the third. I'm his only son. 286 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 1: He had two daughters before I was born and a 287 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:00,440 Speaker 1: third after I was born. And I think just the 288 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: weight of continuing the progeny made him name me on 289 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:09,400 Speaker 1: paper John the Fourth. But he didn't want to name 290 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: me John, so uh he there was I've heard it. 291 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 1: I've actually heard a couple of versions of this between 292 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:20,440 Speaker 1: my parents, depending on how drunk they are. The story 293 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 1: that's kind of where it comes from, is that, like 294 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 1: I guess in the eighties, saying you got that right, 295 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:30,040 Speaker 1: Jake was a saying and he was like, and you know, 296 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 1: Jake from Chinatown. So when I cry as a baby, 297 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 1: he'd tell me, relax, Jake, it's just Chinatown. When I'm 298 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 1: butchering Jacknickilson's. 299 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 2: Line, No, that was pretty close story. 300 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 1: I heard. 301 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:43,480 Speaker 2: Relaxed, Jake, it's Chinatown. 302 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 3: Yeah. 303 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, And then it stuck and now I'm an actor 304 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 1: and everyone thinks it's a stage name. It just has. 305 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:53,360 Speaker 1: It's been a pain in the ass at airports and 306 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:58,160 Speaker 1: security gates, at Warner Brothers and anywhere else and explaining 307 00:16:58,200 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 1: it to people where I'm like, oh, well, my real 308 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 1: name is John, that's what's on my license, and they're like, oh, 309 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 1: so you're you go by Jake as a stage name, Like, no, 310 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:08,400 Speaker 1: my dad just thought he'd fuck with me eternally by 311 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 1: me going as Jake my whole life. I think, So, 312 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:15,120 Speaker 1: you've got a great name, Brian Baumgardner, that's a that's 313 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 1: a that's a cool name. Oh it sounds cool, man. 314 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:21,879 Speaker 1: It could be like, yeah, I'm jealous. I think John 315 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 1: Alan McDorman, as i've gotten older, sounds stronger because in 316 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 1: my mind when I think of Jake, maybe it's because 317 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:33,720 Speaker 1: it has no roots and my actual name anywhere, But 318 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 1: I'm like, that's not a real name. I was talking 319 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 1: to a co star at one point and I was like, 320 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 1: I don't know Jake McDorman. This is like not too 321 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:43,440 Speaker 1: long ago either, like four years ago. So I'm deep 322 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:46,680 Speaker 1: into the Jake. This isn't like a conversation I had, 323 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 1: you know, twenty years ago. But she was like, no, 324 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: Jake mcdormand's great, that's good. I was like, she's like, 325 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:53,400 Speaker 1: what's your what's your legal name? I was like John 326 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 1: Allan McDorman and she was like, oh, I take it back, 327 00:17:56,840 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: that's way better. She was like, Jake Dorman wins like 328 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: maybe a people's choice. John Allen McDorman wins a cab. 329 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 1: I was like, I fucking I know. So. 330 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, so you one of your first roles, you get 331 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 2: cast on Run of the House. Now was this during 332 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 2: a time you were just visiting this was my first 333 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:23,639 Speaker 2: pilot season, your first pilot season, you get cast? 334 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:24,440 Speaker 4: Yeah. 335 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:26,680 Speaker 1: I was had the fear of God that I would 336 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 1: not get something, and you know, have to kind of 337 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:32,399 Speaker 1: face all the decisions that I had made about like 338 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:35,399 Speaker 1: pulling myself out of school, because you know, the different 339 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 1: the levels of commitment that go into a pilot season 340 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 1: when you're in the middle of like public school system. 341 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:44,159 Speaker 1: Like I wasn't some savant. I wasn't some Ronan pharaoh 342 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 1: that graduated early like and could go run off to you, 343 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 1: you know, a good college. At some point it was 344 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:52,240 Speaker 1: very much like, all right, you're just ending your education, 345 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 1: and like it was there was there was some you know, 346 00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 1: I had gotten like a homeschool program that a lot 347 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:03,440 Speaker 1: of child actors were going to a lot of headshots 348 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:08,720 Speaker 1: on that wall. And there was even another like accredited 349 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: diploma that you could test out of school so that 350 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 1: a studio could hire you without having to hire an 351 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:18,800 Speaker 1: onset tutor. But like that that was the goal marketability, 352 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: not education. It was like, get get this out of 353 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 1: the way, you want to be hireable, right. So I 354 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: had made those decisions quick because like before we even 355 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 1: hit the ground running for a first pilot season, like 356 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 1: did the get rid of the education and be like, 357 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:36,440 Speaker 1: you know, completely no strings attached. So I was really really, 358 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 1: really really hyper aware that if this didn't work out, 359 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:42,720 Speaker 1: at least work out enough to send the signal that 360 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:45,680 Speaker 1: we should try it, you know, continue, that I was 361 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:47,639 Speaker 1: going to have to like go back to school with 362 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:52,200 Speaker 1: all my friends with my head held low and rejoin 363 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:56,080 Speaker 1: a grade beneath them now, right, So yeah, I think 364 00:19:56,119 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 1: I tested for a handful that first year. Didn't get 365 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,119 Speaker 1: any of the things I tested for, which was like 366 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,159 Speaker 1: really devastating at the time. I didn't I didn't have 367 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 1: any gauge for how good or well I was doing 368 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:12,800 Speaker 1: other than like get something or you're going home, So 369 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,399 Speaker 1: callbacks or you know, any of the other Bellweathers that like, 370 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:17,720 Speaker 1: you know, oh it's going well, just didn't compute. I 371 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 1: didn't know what to you know, invest that kind of 372 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 1: hope in. So I got this this co star on pilot. 373 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: This is back when CW was actually WB with the 374 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,159 Speaker 1: Singing Frog yep, and it went for a season. They 375 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 1: brought me back for one episode after the pilot. But 376 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 1: that was enough. That was enough for my agents that 377 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 1: had like kind of they were doing like a dry 378 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 1: run with me, be like, well, sign you proper sing 379 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 1: with my manager at the time, and the signals send 380 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:44,560 Speaker 1: the signal to my folks that like I can I 381 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 1: can maybe do this. It was great. 382 00:20:46,800 --> 00:21:09,119 Speaker 2: It was a sitcom yeah, live audience fun. Ye, your 383 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 2: first main role you get cast on Quintuplets. Do you 384 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 2: feel like at that point your life is transitioning into 385 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 2: a totally new direction, Like do you feel the weight 386 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 2: of it? Is it a big deal for you? 387 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: Oh? Yeah, oh yeah definitely. That was also I was 388 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 1: able to pay my parents back with that, and I 389 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:33,359 Speaker 1: think that was when, you know, because that would have 390 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:36,200 Speaker 1: required I was seventeen when I did Quintuplets and it 391 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 1: was going to go for a full season. Yeah, I 392 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: don't know when we got our back nine again for 393 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 1: people listening, you know, the pilot to first Order to 394 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:47,280 Speaker 1: back nine might be weird now, but it shows back 395 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:50,520 Speaker 1: then did like twenty two full episode seasons. And once 396 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:53,159 Speaker 1: it was clear that that was going to happen, you know, 397 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 1: my family had to stop because it's me and my 398 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:56,919 Speaker 1: mom out here and my dad and my sister in Texas, 399 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 1: and that split just was untenable. So I got emancipated 400 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: and I was turning turning eighteen soon just to legally 401 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 1: let my mom go back and I could start living 402 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:09,159 Speaker 1: on my own in seventeen. So yes, I mean that 403 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 1: not only you know, bolstered confidence being having the set 404 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 1: experience of being like a series regular and having a 405 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 1: place to show up too, that's going to pay you 406 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:21,320 Speaker 1: and have you learn as much as something like that, 407 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:23,440 Speaker 1: but also just living on my own for the first time. 408 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:26,920 Speaker 2: How was How was that? Was that was that difficult? 409 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:27,520 Speaker 1: Like? 410 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:31,479 Speaker 2: Looking back, were you able to manage it? Okay? 411 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 1: Look looking at the time, Yeah, I mean I really 412 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:38,359 Speaker 1: And again there was there was there's a lot of 413 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:42,159 Speaker 1: structure baked in with a with a show yes, so, like, 414 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 1: you know, having a place to report to, it would 415 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:46,639 Speaker 1: be a little different. I think if I had, you know, 416 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:48,920 Speaker 1: just moved out there, got an apartment at eighteen, and 417 00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 1: was trying to get an agent, because that's really like 418 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:53,359 Speaker 1: then you'd have to find structure in a job and 419 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:55,639 Speaker 1: find something part time that would allow you auditions. So 420 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: I got to kind of circumvent that mess and have 421 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:01,199 Speaker 1: somewhere to report to. It is mind blowing. I mean, 422 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,920 Speaker 1: just having the like, I think the there's a level 423 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,200 Speaker 1: of tell me what you think about this, there's a 424 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:09,400 Speaker 1: level of like hubris that has to come. Like I'm 425 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: almost grateful that I started as a teenager when I 426 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 1: was stupid enough to think that this was a good idea, 427 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 1: you know. Like so like in hindsight, I'm kind of 428 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:23,959 Speaker 1: mind blown because now I'm just so much more pragmatic 429 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:28,720 Speaker 1: about things that something that kind of outrageous would I 430 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:30,439 Speaker 1: don't know, I'd just be hyper aware of how much 431 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:32,720 Speaker 1: I'd be putting everyone out in the likelihood and this 432 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 1: and that. So like at the time, I was so 433 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:39,640 Speaker 1: I was laser focused on this and moving this forward. 434 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:43,639 Speaker 1: But in retrospect, it just feels like bizarre. 435 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:46,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, I have a similar story as what I mean, 436 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 2: not similar at all. But by the time I got 437 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:53,000 Speaker 2: to La and I got the Office, and even though 438 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 2: The Office was almost canceled like fourteen times, there was 439 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:01,639 Speaker 2: sort of this weird like, oh no, this is this 440 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:03,640 Speaker 2: is going to go like everything's going to be good, 441 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:06,199 Speaker 2: right and I'm going to be fired. It's all going 442 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:09,359 Speaker 2: to be like I bought a house after like three episodes, 443 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:14,159 Speaker 2: which which was ridiculous. No, I mean, like totally ridiculous, 444 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 2: which is like, you know, in retrospect, it's like, what 445 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:22,720 Speaker 2: this is something I would vehemently argue anyone who told 446 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 2: me that was the choice that they were going to make. 447 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:26,159 Speaker 2: When when was that? 448 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 1: So you came out two thousand and three? When was 449 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 1: the pilot of The Office. 450 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 2: Two thousand and four? January, oh, February January, February of 451 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 2: two thousand and four, and then yeah, like really yeah. 452 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,159 Speaker 2: Then we weren't on the air until spring of two. 453 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 2: We were mid season of two thousand and five, so 454 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 2: there was a long time in there. But I bought 455 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:51,280 Speaker 2: a house before the show had aired. 456 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:53,159 Speaker 1: That's crazy. 457 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:58,240 Speaker 2: I mean, it's yeah, well done. No, it's really stupid. 458 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:01,359 Speaker 2: I mean, again, in retrospec it all sort of worked out, 459 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 2: I guess, but of course, but yeah, no, I kind 460 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:07,359 Speaker 2: of know what you And I'm really only telling that 461 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:09,359 Speaker 2: story because I kind of get what you're saying. Like 462 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:13,320 Speaker 2: looking back, like you were laser focused. I was certainly 463 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 2: laser focused and thought, Okay, well this is gonna this 464 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 2: is gonna all be fine. Yeah, but yeah, that's it's 465 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:19,640 Speaker 2: that's fast. 466 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 1: You kind of have to I mean, you kind of. 467 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:24,280 Speaker 1: I mean even even I mean, there's still an element 468 00:25:24,359 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: of that that's you know, hasn't shaken. I mean, I 469 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:31,280 Speaker 1: think it's twenty years later. You have more experience and 470 00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:33,639 Speaker 1: you've seen you know, peaks and valleys and all the 471 00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:36,440 Speaker 1: stuff that everybody talks about. But I mean there's still 472 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:39,520 Speaker 1: has to be kind of an irrational burning for it, right, 473 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:42,440 Speaker 1: like it still lives and it doesn't quite live irrational. 474 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 2: No, that's true. And you know I was for my 475 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:53,160 Speaker 2: age way more responsible when I was seventeen now really 476 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:56,680 Speaker 2: just like just like for my A, I was mature 477 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,360 Speaker 2: and blah blah blah. And I don't say that like bragging. 478 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:03,359 Speaker 2: I was boring in a way. But I can't sitting 479 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:05,960 Speaker 2: here now, I can't imagine living on my own in 480 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:07,280 Speaker 2: Los Angeles seventeen. 481 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was a lot of you know, I'll say too, 482 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:12,160 Speaker 1: because like I had met my it was my first 483 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:14,800 Speaker 1: my first girlfriend lived out here, and I met her 484 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:17,879 Speaker 1: in Nancy Chardier's class, So we met in Dallas, and 485 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 1: she was actually one of the one of the students 486 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:22,159 Speaker 1: who was an example of someone that would go back 487 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:24,040 Speaker 1: and forth from pilot season and I would hear she 488 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:26,680 Speaker 1: would like come back from La and regaleus with stories 489 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:29,639 Speaker 1: and it sounded like such a magical place. Obviously La 490 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: is very dangerous and not magical, but like the in 491 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 1: these kind of like you know, rose colored glasses in 492 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:38,200 Speaker 1: an acting class, focusing on that specific element of like, wow, 493 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:40,800 Speaker 1: here's somebody that I put up scenes with that just 494 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:42,680 Speaker 1: went and did a pilot with Chevy Chase, you know, 495 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:45,520 Speaker 1: like it just sounded like too good to be true. 496 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:48,640 Speaker 1: And Oakwood. Honestly, this is something else I look back 497 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 1: on retrospect, but at the time Oakwood sounded like Sherwood forest, 498 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 1: like it was incredible, sound like all the stuff they'd 499 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:58,600 Speaker 1: get into and just all this, Like, you know, if 500 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:01,159 Speaker 1: I felt like I had found the tribe in a 501 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 1: pocket of Dallas that had a few acting classes right 502 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:07,200 Speaker 1: Oakwood and Los Angeles felt like the mecca, Like it 503 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:10,560 Speaker 1: just felt like right And obviously it's a sixteen year 504 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:13,760 Speaker 1: old's idealized version of this place. Sure, but then to 505 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:17,119 Speaker 1: right on the heels of idealizing it, get to be 506 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:21,320 Speaker 1: of it and among it was. I think it helped 507 00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 1: that I had a built in again, kind of a 508 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:27,200 Speaker 1: built in community through her and her circle of friends. 509 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:30,119 Speaker 1: She'd been doing this since even younger. I mean to 510 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:34,120 Speaker 1: give you an idea, sixteen in retrospect is so young 511 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 1: that it blows my mind that I was even allowed 512 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:39,359 Speaker 1: to do that. But I remember the feeling when I 513 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:41,880 Speaker 1: got here at sixteen, looking around at all the other 514 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:43,600 Speaker 1: kids that had been doing it since they were eight, 515 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 1: and being like fuck too old. Like I had that 516 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:49,200 Speaker 1: thought where I was like, I can't believe I waited 517 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:53,159 Speaker 1: till I'm an old man. Right sixteen, Now I can 518 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 1: drive like it's just you were. I was, so you know, 519 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: just enmeshed in that kind of you know, world and 520 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:05,399 Speaker 1: culture socially that I think it was part of what 521 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 1: made my parents be like, oh, okay, he's not that 522 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 1: the child actor circle of Los Angeles is like, oh 523 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 1: he'll be fine. 524 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, but. 525 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:26,440 Speaker 1: Have you ever heard Yeah, exactly, exactly, name me what. Meanwhile, 526 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:28,000 Speaker 1: they're depositing money in my cougan. 527 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:36,000 Speaker 2: In two thousand and seven, you're now fully la and 528 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 2: you get your first multi year, multiple season run of 529 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 2: a little show called. 530 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:47,200 Speaker 1: Greek Brian My only, my one and only. 531 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:49,080 Speaker 4: You're oh, that's the only? 532 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:55,760 Speaker 2: Well yes, yes, okay, so so far sure, fine, maybe technically, 533 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 2: but I mean we'll you know, we'll talk about that 534 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:02,959 Speaker 2: in a minute. But wow, okay, so that's that's your 535 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 2: one and only. Well, first off, how did you get cast? 536 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:12,480 Speaker 2: You audition? This was yeah, Greek, I'm talking about Greek. Yes, Greek. 537 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 1: Greek is was on ABC Family Now I think it's 538 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:20,960 Speaker 1: free form, And yes, it was in between Quintuplets and Greek. 539 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 1: I had gone to Australia to shoot a movie called Aquamarine, which, 540 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:27,520 Speaker 1: by the way, is having a very bizarre to me, 541 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 1: not bizarre. I understand why it's happening. I guess it's 542 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:32,120 Speaker 1: a kids movie and they've grown up now, but it's 543 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 1: having a little bit of like a weird resurgence. Mm hmm, 544 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:37,480 Speaker 1: Like I get sent tiktoks a lot that are acha 545 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:40,880 Speaker 1: marine centered. So did that in between, and then came 546 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 1: back to La and got on Greek And yeah, it 547 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:46,680 Speaker 1: was an audition, but every character on that show, we 548 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 1: all auditioned for different parts of me played without exception, 549 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:51,600 Speaker 1: every single one. So it was a little bit of 550 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 1: a mixed match and we got to know each other 551 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:55,920 Speaker 1: through that process. I think. 552 00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:56,680 Speaker 2: No, I know. 553 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:58,920 Speaker 1: Originally I had gone like all the way to the mat, 554 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 1: like all the way to student a network test for 555 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:04,880 Speaker 1: the role of Cappy, which was like the complete inversion 556 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:07,480 Speaker 1: of the character I got. He's like the fun John 557 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:11,240 Speaker 1: Belushi animal house like you know, fraternity guy, right, and 558 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:17,120 Speaker 1: I'm the more clean cut, preppy fraternity president. And so yeah, 559 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:20,960 Speaker 1: they mixed this around, and I was really interested in 560 00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:23,280 Speaker 1: playing that part. So when they came back and were like, 561 00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:25,000 Speaker 1: how would you like to play the opposite of that part? 562 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:28,560 Speaker 1: It was strange, it was but they kind of they 563 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:29,960 Speaker 1: didn't have to test for it, so it was like, 564 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:32,400 Speaker 1: in a weird way, it's not technically an offer, like 565 00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:35,880 Speaker 1: I did audition for another role, but but it was 566 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:38,360 Speaker 1: the first time that they were like, you've already gone 567 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:40,880 Speaker 1: through the steps. If you're interested, we'd like you to 568 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:42,960 Speaker 1: play this role. Read it and see what you think 569 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 1: of that? And I was like, yeah, maybe that could 570 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:50,200 Speaker 1: be fun. So did that here in LA for four years? 571 00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:53,480 Speaker 1: I think? And just I mean, you know, you know 572 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:57,120 Speaker 1: how quickly you become a family with a cast that 573 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:00,320 Speaker 1: you get to do more than one season of let 574 00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 1: alone four because these are all still like my best 575 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:04,240 Speaker 1: friends from that show. 576 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:08,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, but it also I mean just clearly young people 577 00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:11,560 Speaker 2: all sort of in as you have referred to in 578 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:15,920 Speaker 2: this tribe. This everyone's sort of there in their own place. 579 00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:21,080 Speaker 2: No one hugely broken out at that point, right, And yeah, 580 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 2: it seems like totally that you would you would form 581 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 2: this family that you're referring to. 582 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I mean it's it's the only people that 583 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:31,680 Speaker 1: know the I mean, you spend fourteen hours a day 584 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:34,200 Speaker 1: with these people, like a weird amount of time that 585 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:36,560 Speaker 1: you wouldn't even spend with your you don't even usually 586 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:39,280 Speaker 1: get to because of this job, spend with your partner. Right, 587 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:42,080 Speaker 1: So they've become such a constant in your life. And 588 00:31:42,120 --> 00:31:44,959 Speaker 1: then you're navigating press, which is always weird. And then 589 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 1: to have like a circle of eight people to go 590 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:50,360 Speaker 1: through that process with brings you closer or not. I mean, 591 00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:53,000 Speaker 1: I know that we're really lucky that we had like 592 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:56,120 Speaker 1: a good group of personalities, because that doesn't always happen. 593 00:31:56,320 --> 00:31:59,320 Speaker 1: But like, yeah, it was great, and I learned so 594 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:03,600 Speaker 1: much just about being on the set. Those two classes 595 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:05,640 Speaker 1: I was talking about earlier did a really good job 596 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 1: of preparing me. And they had like studio sets built, 597 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:11,520 Speaker 1: like you learned how to do a multi cam sitcom. 598 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 1: They had like a you know, a film summer camp 599 00:32:14,680 --> 00:32:18,760 Speaker 1: where you're essentially working half the time as cast, half 600 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:21,640 Speaker 1: the time's crew. So to their credit, like I was 601 00:32:22,440 --> 00:32:25,360 Speaker 1: maybe more used to the feeling of being on a 602 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:28,480 Speaker 1: single camp than somebody who's just completely fresh off the boat, 603 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:32,440 Speaker 1: but getting four years of you know, the hours and 604 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:36,480 Speaker 1: watching a character develop, trying things that fucking don't work, 605 00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:39,240 Speaker 1: you know. And that's like one of the things I'm 606 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:41,760 Speaker 1: most grateful for about it is the Greek has its 607 00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:44,480 Speaker 1: like pocketive fan It as like a cult, you know, 608 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:46,480 Speaker 1: following of people who watched it when they were either 609 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:48,800 Speaker 1: you know, in college or about to go to college. 610 00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:51,520 Speaker 1: But it was never like a breakout hit like a 611 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:54,240 Speaker 1: Gossip Girl or something else at that time. And I'm 612 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:59,800 Speaker 1: kind of just super grateful it wasn't, because like I learned, 613 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:02,720 Speaker 1: like I knew how to act, but then there's so 614 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:06,440 Speaker 1: many things that you just get from trying stuff and 615 00:33:06,680 --> 00:33:09,880 Speaker 1: watching it and cringing it that you tried that, and 616 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:12,720 Speaker 1: to be able to kind of have it be like 617 00:33:13,280 --> 00:33:17,040 Speaker 1: a school in real time just sharpened me up a lot. 618 00:33:17,320 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 1: And I think if I was under this, if I 619 00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:22,800 Speaker 1: was under the scrutiny of like everyone in America is watching, 620 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 1: that would have been devastating, you know. 621 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:32,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that time time with a character, having 622 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:37,120 Speaker 2: the ability to explore that character with the same tribe 623 00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:40,440 Speaker 2: of people with the same ensemble for such a long time. Yeah, 624 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:44,440 Speaker 2: it teaches you. You get comfortable with those things that 625 00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:47,320 Speaker 2: are so difficult when you're starting out, and then it 626 00:33:47,480 --> 00:33:51,200 Speaker 2: allows you, I feel, to go deeper into Okay, I'm 627 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 2: not worrying about my mark anymore. I'm not worried about 628 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:56,360 Speaker 2: the lights or the camera or the crew walking around 629 00:33:56,520 --> 00:34:00,000 Speaker 2: or getting touched every fifteen seconds by a different person, 630 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:03,120 Speaker 2: and like all that stuff sort of goes away and 631 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:06,440 Speaker 2: you're able to sort of go go deeper. And what 632 00:34:06,560 --> 00:34:07,680 Speaker 2: a gift, right, Oh? 633 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:09,520 Speaker 1: I agree? And it's like, really, and I don't know 634 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:12,520 Speaker 1: how else you would break through that without just an 635 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:14,920 Speaker 1: insane amount of hours doing it. Yeah, you know, like 636 00:34:15,040 --> 00:34:17,280 Speaker 1: they come with a multi season kind of situation. 637 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:20,640 Speaker 2: You've done comedy and drama. I want to talk a 638 00:34:20,680 --> 00:34:23,560 Speaker 2: little bit about what we do in the Shadows. Talk 639 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 2: to me about playing Jeff. And had you seen the 640 00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:26,480 Speaker 2: movie before? 641 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:29,560 Speaker 1: Yes? Yeah, yeah, I was. I was a big fan 642 00:34:29,640 --> 00:34:31,840 Speaker 1: of the movie. Okay going into this and I didn't 643 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:34,160 Speaker 1: actually I was, so this is you know, Alison Jones? 644 00:34:34,360 --> 00:34:36,719 Speaker 4: Yeah, obviously, so this is. 645 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:38,799 Speaker 1: An Alison Jones. I was actually reading. I've known her 646 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:41,920 Speaker 1: since I was sixteen. I was reading for I know, 647 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:44,520 Speaker 1: it's crazy. There's a few casting directors here that have 648 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:48,440 Speaker 1: that have literally watched me grow up. It's really it's 649 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:51,239 Speaker 1: a it's a crazy thing. So this is Alison. She 650 00:34:51,560 --> 00:34:55,040 Speaker 1: was casting something else for FX that I was going 651 00:34:55,120 --> 00:34:59,040 Speaker 1: in for a couple of times, and I was close 652 00:34:59,120 --> 00:35:00,800 Speaker 1: on that thing, but it didn't look like it was 653 00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:04,480 Speaker 1: going to happen. And while I was there on like 654 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 1: the third callback for it, she just pivoted in the 655 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:10,560 Speaker 1: rooms like would you be interested in reading something for 656 00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:13,200 Speaker 1: what we do in the Shadows? And I was like 657 00:35:13,680 --> 00:35:15,600 Speaker 1: the sequel, Like what is this? She's like, well, they're 658 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:19,160 Speaker 1: making a series in America and I'm always I was 659 00:35:19,239 --> 00:35:21,040 Speaker 1: like this with the British Office, so hats off to 660 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:23,360 Speaker 1: you guys, where I was like, I'm a complete snob 661 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:26,160 Speaker 1: where I'm like, oh, it's perfect, it can't be improved upon. 662 00:35:26,719 --> 00:35:29,640 Speaker 1: There's no point in trying. How american of us, you know. 663 00:35:30,440 --> 00:35:32,680 Speaker 1: So I was kind of like, I don't know, Alison, 664 00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:35,480 Speaker 1: what is it? Is it? Who's involved is it? You know, 665 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:38,360 Speaker 1: like like I had any power, and she was like, 666 00:35:38,520 --> 00:35:41,200 Speaker 1: it's it's Tiken Jimmy. I was like wow, I was like, 667 00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:44,719 Speaker 1: and no, it's like it's like an addition to the movie. 668 00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:46,880 Speaker 1: They're not carrying the characters. It's like a whole new thing. 669 00:35:47,160 --> 00:35:49,879 Speaker 1: But she just had me sight reading, so just gave 670 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:52,520 Speaker 1: me the sides in the room I had. I watched 671 00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:55,239 Speaker 1: the movie so much. I didn't like know it like 672 00:35:55,440 --> 00:35:57,440 Speaker 1: line for line, but I knew all the characters from 673 00:35:57,480 --> 00:36:00,760 Speaker 1: it and really really was a fan. And the couple 674 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:03,560 Speaker 1: of lines I had in the audition were like from 675 00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:06,160 Speaker 1: that first encounter in the first episode where like I 676 00:36:06,320 --> 00:36:09,120 Speaker 1: meet Nada and we'd like, you know, she thinks I'm 677 00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:12,400 Speaker 1: the reincarnation of this beheaded lover of hers from ten 678 00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:14,920 Speaker 1: thousand years ago, like that that's it, and he has 679 00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:17,879 Speaker 1: like five lines in this audition. So all I thought 680 00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:20,879 Speaker 1: about I was like, remember that character from the movie Stu, 681 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:24,040 Speaker 1: the guy that like clearly wasn't an actor, you know, 682 00:36:24,320 --> 00:36:26,440 Speaker 1: like that that like they all like love him in 683 00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:28,640 Speaker 1: the movie. And I think I've heard some interview with 684 00:36:28,680 --> 00:36:31,400 Speaker 1: Tayka talking about how that's just somebody's mate in New 685 00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:33,080 Speaker 1: Zealand that they asked to be in the film. I 686 00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:34,880 Speaker 1: was like, I feel like this character's got to be 687 00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:38,040 Speaker 1: like Stu, Like just don't act, don't try to be funny. 688 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:40,640 Speaker 1: That would be the death, Like just don't be an 689 00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:42,680 Speaker 1: actor at all, Like try to try to be the 690 00:36:42,719 --> 00:36:46,000 Speaker 1: most boring, no offense to this. But I was like, 691 00:36:46,120 --> 00:36:47,719 Speaker 1: just try to just try to strip it down. And 692 00:36:47,880 --> 00:36:50,279 Speaker 1: so I read it like that, and she threw me 693 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:53,759 Speaker 1: on tape and then like heard later that day that 694 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:57,440 Speaker 1: I got it, which was so insane. It's so crazy. 695 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:01,440 Speaker 2: I mean, by the way, I I have not in 696 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:04,719 Speaker 2: all of the conversations that I've had on this podcast 697 00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:09,279 Speaker 2: or any other what you just talked about. Why does 698 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:14,359 Speaker 2: that happen so often that you're in this happens a lot. Yeah, 699 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:17,920 Speaker 2: that you're in for something else. Yeah, and you haven't 700 00:37:18,239 --> 00:37:21,840 Speaker 2: been granted an audition on this other project. But a 701 00:37:21,920 --> 00:37:25,520 Speaker 2: good a good casting director will see it or see 702 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:30,480 Speaker 2: something right. Suddenly you're getting just like a full on 703 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:35,440 Speaker 2: offer cast in something I know, I know, this is insane. 704 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:37,600 Speaker 5: Wow, oh this is what I'm This is pretty this 705 00:37:37,640 --> 00:37:39,880 Speaker 5: is what I miss about going in rooms on Yes, 706 00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:42,000 Speaker 5: not that that can't happen in a zoom and not 707 00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:44,600 Speaker 5: that you know, Allison doesn't have the dexterity to make 708 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:47,360 Speaker 5: that happen outside of a room, but just that is 709 00:37:47,440 --> 00:37:50,200 Speaker 5: one of those like, you know moments where it's like, look, 710 00:37:50,239 --> 00:37:52,320 Speaker 5: you're here, you drove all the way here, would you 711 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:53,800 Speaker 5: mind reading this new pressure? 712 00:37:54,080 --> 00:37:56,200 Speaker 1: And it's just one of those kind of serendipitous kismet 713 00:37:56,280 --> 00:37:57,239 Speaker 1: things that works out. 714 00:37:57,800 --> 00:38:01,680 Speaker 2: It happens all the time, all it's wild the time. 715 00:38:01,920 --> 00:38:05,440 Speaker 1: Also, I had that one scene. They called me to 716 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:08,840 Speaker 1: say you got it. They say, your first day is tomorrow, 717 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:11,600 Speaker 1: let's send you the full script. And in the scene 718 00:38:11,600 --> 00:38:14,720 Speaker 1: that precedes that scene, I'm jerking off in bed. 719 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:22,200 Speaker 2: Like, oh okay, she didn't have any audition that No, no. 720 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:25,880 Speaker 1: Not so much, all right, but yeah, that was and 721 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:27,440 Speaker 1: that was the first scene I shot. It was like 722 00:38:27,560 --> 00:38:31,040 Speaker 1: midnight on Paramount with Taiko and Jamaine and Alwakie Talkie 723 00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:34,919 Speaker 1: giving me like instructions on like how to jerk off camera. Yeah, 724 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:36,120 Speaker 1: it was, it was. It was great. 725 00:38:38,080 --> 00:38:40,359 Speaker 2: I love that. I love that, and I love her 726 00:38:40,719 --> 00:38:43,000 Speaker 2: for that. I mean, I'm not I don't mean to 727 00:38:43,040 --> 00:38:45,960 Speaker 2: say that it's typical like it. It just it happens 728 00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:49,839 Speaker 2: all the time. I mean, it's just it's just nothing. 729 00:38:49,880 --> 00:38:53,800 Speaker 1: I really, but you feel really lucky anytime that just 730 00:38:54,040 --> 00:38:56,680 Speaker 1: something you do. Like because again, that other project all 731 00:38:56,719 --> 00:38:58,440 Speaker 1: of a sudden didn't matter at all. Like not that 732 00:38:58,520 --> 00:39:00,600 Speaker 1: it wasn't a good project is really good project, but 733 00:39:00,760 --> 00:39:02,880 Speaker 1: like we just fell into this and it felt right 734 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:04,439 Speaker 1: and it just took off. 735 00:39:04,719 --> 00:39:06,239 Speaker 4: I mean, I read it the Office, wasn't it. 736 00:39:06,440 --> 00:39:32,400 Speaker 2: It was it was the Office or Parson rect I 737 00:39:32,520 --> 00:39:36,759 Speaker 2: talked to your your mate John Huganaker not too long ago, 738 00:39:37,680 --> 00:39:41,600 Speaker 2: Dope Sick what one of, if not my favorite show 739 00:39:41,640 --> 00:39:44,320 Speaker 2: of the last year. I was just talking to someone 740 00:39:44,560 --> 00:39:47,520 Speaker 2: this morning when I said I was going to be 741 00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:51,040 Speaker 2: talking to you, and just the relevance of that movie, 742 00:39:51,120 --> 00:39:54,680 Speaker 2: the power of that movie, the currency of that movie, 743 00:39:55,400 --> 00:40:04,239 Speaker 2: and the compassion that that movie showed towards people who 744 00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:09,320 Speaker 2: are truly struggling with addiction for a very specific reason. 745 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:13,080 Speaker 2: Is is changing, I mean in the best way that 746 00:40:13,360 --> 00:40:18,759 Speaker 2: art can change people's mind. There's such a stigma behind it. 747 00:40:18,840 --> 00:40:21,960 Speaker 2: There has been such a stigma for so many years 748 00:40:22,080 --> 00:40:26,680 Speaker 2: about people who are drug addicts, right, even just a phrase, 749 00:40:26,800 --> 00:40:29,680 Speaker 2: even the way you say it, drug addicts, but just 750 00:40:30,160 --> 00:40:34,680 Speaker 2: the way that that story was told from the kids 751 00:40:34,719 --> 00:40:37,200 Speaker 2: in high school addicted to the doctor, to you know, 752 00:40:37,320 --> 00:40:40,560 Speaker 2: to everybody, talk to me a little bit about your 753 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:43,439 Speaker 2: experience working on of course I'm talking about Dope Sick. 754 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:48,160 Speaker 1: Yes, everything you're saying, Strong agree. And that was the 755 00:40:48,200 --> 00:40:51,680 Speaker 1: biggest thing I took away from you know, Danny Strong 756 00:40:51,840 --> 00:40:57,040 Speaker 1: has such an ability to take complex information and synthesize 757 00:40:57,080 --> 00:41:01,040 Speaker 1: it through overlapping the storylines. Being able to do that 758 00:41:01,160 --> 00:41:04,360 Speaker 1: with something like Dope Sick, which spans so many different timeframes, 759 00:41:04,719 --> 00:41:09,040 Speaker 1: and he even put together connected some dots that weren't explicit, 760 00:41:09,400 --> 00:41:11,640 Speaker 1: you know that he had to kind of use by 761 00:41:11,760 --> 00:41:14,920 Speaker 1: talking to different people and different characters in the story 762 00:41:15,560 --> 00:41:18,440 Speaker 1: to put together and put into the show with their permission. So, 763 00:41:18,520 --> 00:41:21,520 Speaker 1: I mean, it was really just an incredible investigative reporting 764 00:41:21,600 --> 00:41:24,800 Speaker 1: from Danny and then being able to like synthesize it 765 00:41:24,960 --> 00:41:28,239 Speaker 1: and put it into an art But exactly what you 766 00:41:28,360 --> 00:41:32,560 Speaker 1: said was I talked to John about this, was yeah, 767 00:41:32,600 --> 00:41:36,279 Speaker 1: we all have that connotation with drug addicts, and we 768 00:41:36,360 --> 00:41:38,680 Speaker 1: all came up with that, you know, feeling like the 769 00:41:39,239 --> 00:41:41,680 Speaker 1: impetus is on them to change, not knowing that that's 770 00:41:41,680 --> 00:41:44,480 Speaker 1: a narrative that was perpetuated and in many cases just 771 00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:49,279 Speaker 1: completely fabricated by pharmaceutical companies when they were knowingly getting 772 00:41:49,320 --> 00:41:51,919 Speaker 1: people hooked. So the fact that you know, not only 773 00:41:52,040 --> 00:41:55,160 Speaker 1: is a drug addict someone that's sick and needs medical care, 774 00:41:55,640 --> 00:41:57,319 Speaker 1: that the fact that they're even hooked in the first 775 00:41:57,320 --> 00:42:00,480 Speaker 1: place is something a lot more sinister than a lack 776 00:42:00,520 --> 00:42:05,240 Speaker 1: of control or genetic predisposition. So yeah, it's all pretty 777 00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:12,880 Speaker 1: just dark and sinister from you know, the pharmaceutical aspect 778 00:42:13,120 --> 00:42:16,920 Speaker 1: of it. Getting to work on it creatively was great. 779 00:42:17,440 --> 00:42:19,279 Speaker 1: It was also coming out of that I went through 780 00:42:19,400 --> 00:42:21,000 Speaker 1: like I think, I don't know a lot of people 781 00:42:21,040 --> 00:42:25,439 Speaker 1: I've talked to went through this post twenty sixteen into 782 00:42:25,560 --> 00:42:29,120 Speaker 1: like the next few years, Like even I know we 783 00:42:29,160 --> 00:42:32,360 Speaker 1: skipped over this, but it's like doing Murphy Brown was 784 00:42:32,360 --> 00:42:35,439 Speaker 1: the other one where it was felt like I felt 785 00:42:35,560 --> 00:42:39,400 Speaker 1: relieved that I could act in something that's like a 786 00:42:39,520 --> 00:42:42,279 Speaker 1: creative release for me. That still felt like it was 787 00:42:42,360 --> 00:42:44,799 Speaker 1: having conversations that I in my personal life were having 788 00:42:44,840 --> 00:42:46,360 Speaker 1: for the first time and trying to work through and 789 00:42:46,480 --> 00:42:50,480 Speaker 1: or frustrated about politically and otherwise. Murphy Brown was that 790 00:42:51,080 --> 00:42:54,440 Speaker 1: and Dope Sick even more pointedly was that. So to 791 00:42:54,560 --> 00:42:58,040 Speaker 1: be able to shine a light on this stuff and 792 00:42:58,400 --> 00:43:02,120 Speaker 1: also work with people like John and Peter and Danny 793 00:43:02,520 --> 00:43:04,560 Speaker 1: just was really really edifying. We were coming out of 794 00:43:04,600 --> 00:43:06,919 Speaker 1: the pandemic too, so it was a really weird time, 795 00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:09,960 Speaker 1: you know, where there was a lot of question about 796 00:43:10,360 --> 00:43:15,000 Speaker 1: pharma and doctors and how important it is, you know, 797 00:43:15,120 --> 00:43:17,800 Speaker 1: in a pandemic to be able to trust your doctors 798 00:43:17,840 --> 00:43:21,239 Speaker 1: and trust vaccines, which was obviously you know where I 799 00:43:21,320 --> 00:43:23,279 Speaker 1: stand with those things. But at the same time, have 800 00:43:23,400 --> 00:43:27,800 Speaker 1: these examples where you're like, Okay, well, you're we're building 801 00:43:27,840 --> 00:43:30,360 Speaker 1: a show based around the real truth that you can't 802 00:43:30,840 --> 00:43:34,440 Speaker 1: always you know, trust these companies, and and just the 803 00:43:34,480 --> 00:43:37,920 Speaker 1: fact that it went as high as it did, Juliani, right, 804 00:43:38,640 --> 00:43:40,840 Speaker 1: It's just it's yeah, it was, it was. It was 805 00:43:41,440 --> 00:43:44,000 Speaker 1: I feel really fortunate to you know, be part of 806 00:43:44,040 --> 00:43:44,880 Speaker 1: that for sure. 807 00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:50,160 Speaker 2: Playing the real life attorney John Brownlee. Did you talk 808 00:43:50,239 --> 00:43:50,640 Speaker 2: to John? 809 00:43:50,920 --> 00:43:54,600 Speaker 1: I didn't talk to John. Danny talked to John. Danny 810 00:43:54,600 --> 00:43:57,359 Speaker 1: would sometimes be Danny talk to all these people a lot, 811 00:43:57,640 --> 00:43:59,720 Speaker 1: but uh no, we didn't talk directly. 812 00:44:00,280 --> 00:44:02,880 Speaker 2: Did you feel a responsibility or were you creating a 813 00:44:03,080 --> 00:44:07,239 Speaker 2: character that just well, that just did what he did? 814 00:44:07,520 --> 00:44:11,800 Speaker 1: You know, honestly, Danny's writing was so good, like and 815 00:44:12,040 --> 00:44:15,479 Speaker 1: is so good that you know, he puts these things 816 00:44:15,520 --> 00:44:18,080 Speaker 1: together in a way that I think he's he's cleared 817 00:44:18,600 --> 00:44:21,879 Speaker 1: his conscience by talking to all these people. So it's 818 00:44:22,040 --> 00:44:24,680 Speaker 1: it's set up. I mean, it works like a swift swatch, 819 00:44:24,840 --> 00:44:28,000 Speaker 1: you know, like and it's all based on the hours 820 00:44:28,040 --> 00:44:29,919 Speaker 1: and hours and hours that Danny's talk to these people 821 00:44:29,960 --> 00:44:34,200 Speaker 1: on the phone. So I always, for sure you have 822 00:44:34,520 --> 00:44:36,400 Speaker 1: like a little bit of ans or I do have 823 00:44:36,480 --> 00:44:38,719 Speaker 1: like a little bit of anxiety. This was the case 824 00:44:38,800 --> 00:44:42,320 Speaker 1: in American Sniper. And anytime I've played someone who you 825 00:44:42,400 --> 00:44:44,160 Speaker 1: know isn't just a character on the page, but is 826 00:44:44,200 --> 00:44:47,440 Speaker 1: actually being you know, is somebody from real life, there 827 00:44:47,520 --> 00:44:50,160 Speaker 1: is a level of responsibility that otherwise wouldn't be there. 828 00:44:51,320 --> 00:44:54,040 Speaker 1: But but Danny's script did such a service to him 829 00:44:54,480 --> 00:44:58,800 Speaker 1: and his efforts and Rick and Randy like that that. 830 00:44:58,960 --> 00:45:01,320 Speaker 1: I think, you know, I was all I had to 831 00:45:01,400 --> 00:45:03,319 Speaker 1: do is stay on track. There was nothing I felt 832 00:45:03,360 --> 00:45:04,840 Speaker 1: like I could do to mess it up. You know, 833 00:45:04,920 --> 00:45:06,640 Speaker 1: it was written so air tight. 834 00:45:07,320 --> 00:45:12,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, fourteen Emmy nominations. What was that like for you 835 00:45:12,840 --> 00:45:15,120 Speaker 2: in the cast? I mean was it? I mean it 836 00:45:15,320 --> 00:45:19,200 Speaker 2: sounds self evident. But when you're involved in something that 837 00:45:20,760 --> 00:45:23,759 Speaker 2: is recognized because other people think it's great, that's one thing. 838 00:45:23,880 --> 00:45:28,719 Speaker 2: But when you yourself feel positive about the work and 839 00:45:29,400 --> 00:45:31,839 Speaker 2: the story that you're telling, it's got to be even 840 00:45:32,040 --> 00:45:33,239 Speaker 2: more gratifying, right. 841 00:45:33,719 --> 00:45:39,759 Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure. I mean it's also typically awards for us. 842 00:45:40,360 --> 00:45:42,840 Speaker 1: It's like the longer I've done this, the more you 843 00:45:43,000 --> 00:45:47,000 Speaker 1: realize that translates in our industry to like career mileage, 844 00:45:47,480 --> 00:45:49,840 Speaker 1: you know, like, oh, okay, you just got some miles 845 00:45:49,840 --> 00:45:51,920 Speaker 1: because you're a part of this thing. This was the 846 00:45:52,040 --> 00:45:57,560 Speaker 1: first one that like that meant so much less than 847 00:45:58,000 --> 00:46:01,400 Speaker 1: the fact that, you know, awards have an ability to 848 00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:03,719 Speaker 1: put things on the map and to bring awareness to 849 00:46:04,200 --> 00:46:07,359 Speaker 1: a cause like dope sick. You know, I don't think 850 00:46:07,960 --> 00:46:10,200 Speaker 1: people didn't know the Sackler family. You know, they had 851 00:46:10,239 --> 00:46:13,080 Speaker 1: done a pretty good job and worked pretty hard to 852 00:46:13,280 --> 00:46:16,759 Speaker 1: even admist the kind of trials that were going on, 853 00:46:16,880 --> 00:46:21,560 Speaker 1: staying under the radar. And I think most people now 854 00:46:22,040 --> 00:46:25,080 Speaker 1: when you hear Richard Sackler because of things like Dope Sick, 855 00:46:25,120 --> 00:46:27,439 Speaker 1: because of like reporting in the Times, in the Post, 856 00:46:27,560 --> 00:46:29,839 Speaker 1: and you know other outlets that kind of really nailed them. 857 00:46:30,440 --> 00:46:30,960 Speaker 2: That's more. 858 00:46:31,440 --> 00:46:34,040 Speaker 1: You know commentates, everyone knows who you're talking about and 859 00:46:34,160 --> 00:46:36,439 Speaker 1: notes that they have a little bit of a scarlet letter. 860 00:46:36,520 --> 00:46:40,200 Speaker 2: Now, yeah, well, congratulations. I really think in terms of 861 00:46:40,320 --> 00:46:46,200 Speaker 2: building awareness, empathy, compassion toward people struggling, you guys did 862 00:46:47,080 --> 00:46:48,279 Speaker 2: did an amazing job. 863 00:46:48,480 --> 00:46:49,759 Speaker 4: So thanks congrats on that. 864 00:46:51,040 --> 00:46:56,560 Speaker 2: Your newest show out now, Hey on a peacock near you, 865 00:46:57,239 --> 00:47:06,960 Speaker 2: missus Davis the Mad Scientist confusing genius Damon Lindelof's show 866 00:47:08,440 --> 00:47:12,719 Speaker 2: with You, a nun and a rebel walk into a 867 00:47:12,800 --> 00:47:20,319 Speaker 2: bar and chase down AI. People amazing reviews and audiences 868 00:47:20,440 --> 00:47:24,000 Speaker 2: are loving it. What was it like? Well, what was 869 00:47:24,040 --> 00:47:26,320 Speaker 2: it like for you working with Damon again? And was 870 00:47:26,400 --> 00:47:29,920 Speaker 2: this was this a situation where he said come and 871 00:47:30,040 --> 00:47:32,360 Speaker 2: join me or was it where you auditioning again? 872 00:47:33,120 --> 00:47:37,120 Speaker 1: I was auditioning, but I mean it definitely had I 873 00:47:37,200 --> 00:47:39,960 Speaker 1: mean we had worked together on Watchman and on Watchman 874 00:47:41,040 --> 00:47:43,800 Speaker 1: the episode I was a part of was Jovon a 875 00:47:43,840 --> 00:47:47,080 Speaker 1: Depot's episode. Yes, and Jovon had worked with Damon on Leftovers, 876 00:47:47,239 --> 00:47:50,840 Speaker 1: as had Regina, and they were very That was like, 877 00:47:50,960 --> 00:47:53,520 Speaker 1: you know, they did Leftovers and now Damon had asked 878 00:47:53,560 --> 00:47:56,200 Speaker 1: them to come do this, and just that kind of 879 00:47:56,440 --> 00:48:00,160 Speaker 1: community Damon builds with his players was something that was 880 00:48:00,560 --> 00:48:03,960 Speaker 1: just so cool to watch jove On have that experience 881 00:48:04,000 --> 00:48:06,040 Speaker 1: on Watchmen. So I had always you know, been like, Wow, 882 00:48:06,080 --> 00:48:08,040 Speaker 1: that'd be really cool if that were to happen with 883 00:48:08,160 --> 00:48:10,759 Speaker 1: me because I love I'm such a fan of all 884 00:48:10,800 --> 00:48:14,200 Speaker 1: of Demon's work, and Watchman was such a great experience. 885 00:48:14,280 --> 00:48:17,400 Speaker 1: It was like one of the best experiences professionally at 886 00:48:17,400 --> 00:48:18,640 Speaker 1: the time that I had ever had. 887 00:48:18,840 --> 00:48:21,480 Speaker 2: I'm gonna be honest, I haven't watched Watchmen, but I'm 888 00:48:21,560 --> 00:48:25,560 Speaker 2: going to now because The left I mean, I've heard 889 00:48:25,560 --> 00:48:27,920 Speaker 2: about it forever, but you're going You're making me. I'm 890 00:48:27,960 --> 00:48:30,960 Speaker 2: gonna watch it. The Leftovers. I freaking loved that show. 891 00:48:31,120 --> 00:48:35,239 Speaker 2: I mean, I loved that show and like this weird 892 00:48:35,360 --> 00:48:39,840 Speaker 2: humble brag thing, it was, you know, like an Emmy party. 893 00:48:40,600 --> 00:48:44,080 Speaker 2: I ran into those guys and I like spent the 894 00:48:44,400 --> 00:48:49,120 Speaker 2: entire time just telling them how amazing it was, to 895 00:48:49,239 --> 00:48:51,600 Speaker 2: the point where I think they all left me and 896 00:48:51,680 --> 00:48:53,720 Speaker 2: went to the bar because I could not stop talking. 897 00:48:54,680 --> 00:48:58,440 Speaker 2: No way talking about the leftovers, but anyway, I interrupted, 898 00:48:58,520 --> 00:48:59,520 Speaker 2: But no, but that's you. 899 00:48:59,520 --> 00:49:01,440 Speaker 1: Know, honestly, I guarantee you they did not leave you 900 00:49:01,480 --> 00:49:02,919 Speaker 1: and go to the bar, because that's it does feel 901 00:49:02,960 --> 00:49:05,359 Speaker 1: like That's the one thread of everybody that I've met 902 00:49:05,440 --> 00:49:07,960 Speaker 1: that's worked on a Damon show or with Damon is 903 00:49:08,000 --> 00:49:11,560 Speaker 1: that you you become such a fan of it, you know, 904 00:49:11,680 --> 00:49:13,279 Speaker 1: like it's it's fun to me an actor. You're a 905 00:49:13,360 --> 00:49:15,520 Speaker 1: cog and a big machine, right, and to be such 906 00:49:15,560 --> 00:49:18,719 Speaker 1: a fan of the machine as a whole. It is 907 00:49:18,840 --> 00:49:22,080 Speaker 1: something that I've found with everybody that's worked with him, 908 00:49:22,120 --> 00:49:24,440 Speaker 1: one common thread is like we all like nerding out 909 00:49:24,480 --> 00:49:25,200 Speaker 1: and talking about it. 910 00:49:25,400 --> 00:49:25,560 Speaker 2: Yeah. 911 00:49:25,840 --> 00:49:28,400 Speaker 1: I always love when I meet someone who's kind of 912 00:49:28,440 --> 00:49:30,800 Speaker 1: gotten deep obsessed over the materials, which as like we 913 00:49:30,960 --> 00:49:35,760 Speaker 1: have left Efver is amazing. You should check out Watchman. 914 00:49:35,800 --> 00:49:37,280 Speaker 1: It's it's a great series. 915 00:49:37,360 --> 00:49:37,640 Speaker 4: I will. 916 00:49:37,680 --> 00:49:39,880 Speaker 1: Are you a fan of the graphic novel? 917 00:49:40,040 --> 00:49:43,960 Speaker 2: Sure? I mean novel? Yeah, I don't read, but yeah, no, 918 00:49:44,120 --> 00:49:49,759 Speaker 2: I it's no Bran, it's it's pictures. I know you 919 00:49:49,880 --> 00:49:53,000 Speaker 2: love picture I do love pictures. Yeah, I know I 920 00:49:53,120 --> 00:49:55,560 Speaker 2: need to pick that up. I hear this all the time, 921 00:49:55,640 --> 00:49:56,000 Speaker 2: but I. 922 00:49:56,200 --> 00:50:00,680 Speaker 1: I yeah, I read it in preparation for or that. 923 00:50:01,160 --> 00:50:03,680 Speaker 1: I had read it once forever ago, when I was 924 00:50:03,719 --> 00:50:05,680 Speaker 1: really really little, And I don't think even like, I 925 00:50:05,719 --> 00:50:07,319 Speaker 1: don't even think I read it because it's really it's 926 00:50:07,360 --> 00:50:10,440 Speaker 1: a proper graphic novel. It's like thicks a lot of texts. 927 00:50:10,800 --> 00:50:12,720 Speaker 1: The only time I read it, like top to bottom 928 00:50:12,920 --> 00:50:15,840 Speaker 1: was before shooting the show. But I actually really enjoyed 929 00:50:15,840 --> 00:50:19,200 Speaker 1: even I think before before I read it, I'd seen 930 00:50:19,280 --> 00:50:21,360 Speaker 1: Zack Snyder's movie and I even really liked that, just 931 00:50:21,440 --> 00:50:23,040 Speaker 1: the concept of it there. So anyway, I went into 932 00:50:23,120 --> 00:50:25,160 Speaker 1: that like a pretty big fan of it and it 933 00:50:25,239 --> 00:50:27,800 Speaker 1: was a really great experience. When Missus Davis came around, 934 00:50:28,560 --> 00:50:31,120 Speaker 1: I knew I wanted to make a tape for it. 935 00:50:31,760 --> 00:50:35,400 Speaker 1: It was an audition. I was working on something in Atlanta, actually, 936 00:50:36,080 --> 00:50:40,720 Speaker 1: and it was such it was such tricky material, especially 937 00:50:40,800 --> 00:50:44,279 Speaker 1: without a script. I couldn't I couldn't tell which way 938 00:50:44,400 --> 00:50:47,040 Speaker 1: to lean. I think they had described it. Vicky Thomas 939 00:50:47,320 --> 00:50:50,319 Speaker 1: in the casting notes had kind of described it as 940 00:50:50,680 --> 00:50:54,080 Speaker 1: taking place in a heightened reality similar to Watchman, and 941 00:50:54,200 --> 00:50:57,840 Speaker 1: Watchman has a lot of opportunities for you know, dark comedy. 942 00:50:58,400 --> 00:51:00,960 Speaker 1: So I was like, I think it's funny. It feels 943 00:51:01,040 --> 00:51:03,880 Speaker 1: like it could be funny or I'm completely off and 944 00:51:03,960 --> 00:51:06,879 Speaker 1: it should be you know, deadly serious. I couldn't tell 945 00:51:07,040 --> 00:51:09,719 Speaker 1: exactly what the tone was, and you know, if you've 946 00:51:09,760 --> 00:51:12,560 Speaker 1: watched the show, it really does strike this weird tone 947 00:51:12,880 --> 00:51:17,239 Speaker 1: that kind of oscillates between you know, slapstick and serious drama. Yeah, 948 00:51:17,360 --> 00:51:20,840 Speaker 1: so they snuck me a script, maybe two scripts, and 949 00:51:20,960 --> 00:51:23,640 Speaker 1: once I read those, I was like, oh wow, I'm 950 00:51:23,800 --> 00:51:24,480 Speaker 1: so on board. 951 00:51:24,600 --> 00:51:25,000 Speaker 4: I get it. 952 00:51:25,480 --> 00:51:28,279 Speaker 1: But even still hitting that target felt hard. And I 953 00:51:28,320 --> 00:51:30,799 Speaker 1: don't know, but sometimes when you're working on something else, 954 00:51:31,040 --> 00:51:32,840 Speaker 1: like making a tape for another thing, can be just 955 00:51:33,000 --> 00:51:35,719 Speaker 1: it's just it's really disorienting and takes a little bit 956 00:51:35,760 --> 00:51:39,319 Speaker 1: of an extra you know. And so I failed at 957 00:51:39,400 --> 00:51:41,279 Speaker 1: making a tape to just get it the way I 958 00:51:41,360 --> 00:51:44,360 Speaker 1: wanted to, like two times, and then on my third try, 959 00:51:45,239 --> 00:51:47,400 Speaker 1: with my sister, who was like ready to kill me, 960 00:51:47,560 --> 00:51:49,160 Speaker 1: I made a tape that I felt like, Okay, I 961 00:51:49,239 --> 00:51:52,600 Speaker 1: think this is it and sent it off did like 962 00:51:52,680 --> 00:51:57,120 Speaker 1: a zoom callback with Damon and Tara and Owen and Vicki, 963 00:51:57,600 --> 00:52:02,120 Speaker 1: and after that callback got it, it just kept you know, man, 964 00:52:02,320 --> 00:52:06,520 Speaker 1: it's it's like, I I've done this long enough, and 965 00:52:07,200 --> 00:52:09,200 Speaker 1: I feel like I've seen things that I have read 966 00:52:09,239 --> 00:52:12,360 Speaker 1: the scripts for turn out not as great as the script. 967 00:52:12,440 --> 00:52:16,360 Speaker 1: It's so easy to have something as ambitious as Missus Davis, 968 00:52:16,880 --> 00:52:20,240 Speaker 1: or even half as ambitious as Missus Davis somewhere along 969 00:52:20,320 --> 00:52:23,480 Speaker 1: the process just get completely fucked up and lose its way, 970 00:52:23,640 --> 00:52:26,200 Speaker 1: Like it could come from a million different directions, but 971 00:52:26,360 --> 00:52:29,560 Speaker 1: by the time you you know, say action on day 972 00:52:29,600 --> 00:52:32,279 Speaker 1: one to like that's a wrap on post, it just 973 00:52:32,880 --> 00:52:35,719 Speaker 1: doesn't have the same just doesn't pack the same punch 974 00:52:35,760 --> 00:52:37,360 Speaker 1: that it did in the script. So I was like 975 00:52:37,920 --> 00:52:43,080 Speaker 1: apprehensive because I loved the scripts so much, but I 976 00:52:43,640 --> 00:52:47,600 Speaker 1: wasn't sure about Peacock and how much they were behind it. 977 00:52:48,160 --> 00:52:50,520 Speaker 1: You know, watching was on HBO, which just has, you know, 978 00:52:50,640 --> 00:52:53,719 Speaker 1: a reputation for taking big sweetens like this, So I 979 00:52:53,880 --> 00:52:56,640 Speaker 1: was kind of waiting for something to jump out and 980 00:52:56,760 --> 00:52:59,080 Speaker 1: expose itself as like, oh, this is going to actually suck, 981 00:52:59,200 --> 00:53:03,560 Speaker 1: and you're like ah, and it just didn't happen. Like 982 00:53:04,280 --> 00:53:06,480 Speaker 1: meeting Betty was a big part of that. I don't 983 00:53:06,480 --> 00:53:08,640 Speaker 1: know if you're a fan of Betty Gop and you shouldn't, 984 00:53:09,360 --> 00:53:14,719 Speaker 1: but she's incredible. That elevated everything. Then meeting Owen and 985 00:53:14,840 --> 00:53:17,360 Speaker 1: like what he planned to do with just the set design. 986 00:53:17,440 --> 00:53:21,440 Speaker 1: He brought in his set designer and his costume designer 987 00:53:21,800 --> 00:53:24,600 Speaker 1: from London and all of them were on this same 988 00:53:24,840 --> 00:53:29,319 Speaker 1: kind of like Looney Tunes live action page and then 989 00:53:29,400 --> 00:53:31,640 Speaker 1: props in one by one. It's just like a domino effect. 990 00:53:31,760 --> 00:53:35,600 Speaker 1: As before we got to like the actual sets, it 991 00:53:35,760 --> 00:53:37,480 Speaker 1: was like, holy shit, I think they're actually going to 992 00:53:37,520 --> 00:53:40,000 Speaker 1: go for this, And and to Peacock's credit, they were 993 00:53:40,160 --> 00:53:42,800 Speaker 1: so bhying the whole time. I think one of my 994 00:53:42,840 --> 00:53:45,239 Speaker 1: favorite things I see certain people say, like when I'm 995 00:53:45,320 --> 00:53:48,600 Speaker 1: like trawling Twitter or something, is like, how the fuck 996 00:53:48,680 --> 00:53:51,359 Speaker 1: did this get made? It's amazing. I'm like, ah, yes, 997 00:53:51,880 --> 00:53:55,080 Speaker 1: I know. More more encouragement for people to take big swings, 998 00:53:55,320 --> 00:53:59,239 Speaker 1: especially people in like Peacock's position, where you know it 999 00:53:59,320 --> 00:54:01,520 Speaker 1: really does come to on to the bottom line. You know, 1000 00:54:01,600 --> 00:54:04,080 Speaker 1: will really take big risks like this because it's so 1001 00:54:04,200 --> 00:54:04,839 Speaker 1: fun to watch. 1002 00:54:06,320 --> 00:54:10,960 Speaker 2: Well, congratulations, I don't want you to give any spoiler alerts. 1003 00:54:11,000 --> 00:54:14,040 Speaker 2: We're getting there to the end. But I do want 1004 00:54:14,080 --> 00:54:16,080 Speaker 2: to ask your opinion. What do you think that the 1005 00:54:16,239 --> 00:54:26,439 Speaker 2: show says about AI versus faith man or to you at. 1006 00:54:26,440 --> 00:54:30,840 Speaker 1: Least maybe that there's a place for both. Okay, that 1007 00:54:30,920 --> 00:54:33,520 Speaker 1: sounds like a shitty Press answer, doesn't it, Brian? I'm sorry, 1008 00:54:36,040 --> 00:54:38,560 Speaker 1: I don't know what's the show? 1009 00:54:38,960 --> 00:54:40,680 Speaker 2: Okay? All right? Fair enough? 1010 00:54:41,120 --> 00:54:44,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, Well, you know it has faith and technology, 1011 00:54:45,000 --> 00:54:47,240 Speaker 1: it also has magic. I think one of the things 1012 00:54:47,400 --> 00:54:49,879 Speaker 1: to be deadly serious that I didn't think about when 1013 00:54:49,920 --> 00:54:52,480 Speaker 1: it comes to AI until our show was just if 1014 00:54:52,560 --> 00:54:56,040 Speaker 1: you have, you know, something that can legitimately answer all 1015 00:54:56,080 --> 00:54:59,000 Speaker 1: your prayers, like an algorithm, you know, with access to 1016 00:54:59,080 --> 00:55:03,200 Speaker 1: the internet, cumulative knowledge of everything. Ever, what happens to 1017 00:55:03,360 --> 00:55:06,800 Speaker 1: things that rely on mystification like magic, Like magic's a 1018 00:55:06,800 --> 00:55:09,279 Speaker 1: big element in the show, and never thought about that, 1019 00:55:09,440 --> 00:55:11,880 Speaker 1: or probability like in poker and gambling like that all 1020 00:55:11,960 --> 00:55:13,880 Speaker 1: kind of falls away when when you have the answers 1021 00:55:13,920 --> 00:55:17,280 Speaker 1: to everything, it's you lose a little bit of life. Spark. 1022 00:55:17,400 --> 00:55:19,400 Speaker 1: I guess this sounds like another Press answer, kill me. 1023 00:55:19,440 --> 00:55:21,600 Speaker 1: I don't fucking no. No. 1024 00:55:21,800 --> 00:55:24,719 Speaker 2: I think that's very no. I think that's very interesting. 1025 00:55:25,239 --> 00:55:28,239 Speaker 2: I think that's very interesting. I mean that that really is. 1026 00:55:28,640 --> 00:55:31,960 Speaker 1: It wasn't until we were, you know, maybe halfway through 1027 00:55:32,120 --> 00:55:35,000 Speaker 1: shooting the show that those pieces kind of fell in 1028 00:55:35,120 --> 00:55:37,080 Speaker 1: place for me where I was like, that's not a 1029 00:55:37,200 --> 00:55:40,719 Speaker 1: question I had even thought about. Strange because now I 1030 00:55:40,719 --> 00:55:43,520 Speaker 1: think we're we're all talking about it. Now we're seeing 1031 00:55:43,560 --> 00:55:46,279 Speaker 1: that happen, and I feel like it's you can see 1032 00:55:46,360 --> 00:55:50,960 Speaker 1: the snowball effect of thinking this, this this like corner 1033 00:55:51,239 --> 00:55:55,200 Speaker 1: of our paradigm is safe from rapidly accelerating AI. And 1034 00:55:55,239 --> 00:55:57,000 Speaker 1: then you realize like none of it is, Like you 1035 00:55:57,080 --> 00:55:59,640 Speaker 1: can really you can really imagine a world where it 1036 00:55:59,680 --> 00:56:03,920 Speaker 1: can come kind of take over everything, or do improve anything, 1037 00:56:04,080 --> 00:56:06,880 Speaker 1: or or improve to a fault everything, you know, Like, 1038 00:56:07,080 --> 00:56:10,680 Speaker 1: so these are all things we're talking about and thinking 1039 00:56:10,680 --> 00:56:13,600 Speaker 1: about now. When we were making this show seven months 1040 00:56:13,640 --> 00:56:17,560 Speaker 1: ago or whatever it was, this was less on everybody's. 1041 00:56:17,480 --> 00:56:20,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's what makes That's what makes the man. He's 1042 00:56:21,080 --> 00:56:25,560 Speaker 2: a very very smart man. He sees it coming. No, 1043 00:56:25,760 --> 00:56:29,600 Speaker 2: but I you know, it's something that faith is something 1044 00:56:29,640 --> 00:56:34,600 Speaker 2: that is important to well to everyone, not necessarily religious faith, 1045 00:56:34,680 --> 00:56:39,280 Speaker 2: but the idea in believing in something that you can't 1046 00:56:39,560 --> 00:56:44,680 Speaker 2: prove or that is improbable totally be it religion, be 1047 00:56:44,800 --> 00:56:48,160 Speaker 2: it sports, be it anything like. 1048 00:56:48,640 --> 00:56:51,279 Speaker 1: Brian like we were talking about before, even this, I 1049 00:56:51,360 --> 00:56:55,080 Speaker 1: mean like it takes a little bit of faith despite 1050 00:56:55,160 --> 00:56:59,359 Speaker 1: the odds and despite knowing better right that it's still 1051 00:56:59,480 --> 00:57:03,760 Speaker 1: worse jumping in and giving it a shot. Yeah, it's 1052 00:57:03,880 --> 00:57:05,359 Speaker 1: it's very human faith. 1053 00:57:06,000 --> 00:57:10,200 Speaker 2: And if everything can be proven right, where does that leave. 1054 00:57:10,280 --> 00:57:15,920 Speaker 2: Faith's fascinating to me. If an amazing show with Damon 1055 00:57:16,000 --> 00:57:19,760 Speaker 2: Lindelof is not enough, you also have with Kate Marra 1056 00:57:20,080 --> 00:57:25,040 Speaker 2: an FX series Class of Nine out, Now, go check 1057 00:57:25,240 --> 00:57:29,919 Speaker 2: that out. I mean you you're just like in my brain. 1058 00:57:30,040 --> 00:57:34,000 Speaker 2: You're in my eyeballs and my brain now anywhere I look. 1059 00:57:34,080 --> 00:57:37,960 Speaker 2: It doesn't matter what channel. I'm gonna talk to your 1060 00:57:38,040 --> 00:57:42,439 Speaker 2: agent about exclusivity because you don't. Never sign up for exclusivity. 1061 00:57:43,280 --> 00:57:45,640 Speaker 1: This is why you do two shows about AI so 1062 00:57:45,760 --> 00:57:48,120 Speaker 1: you get the algorithms on your side. See a Class 1063 00:57:48,120 --> 00:57:50,439 Speaker 1: of nine is about AI, Missus Davis is about AI. 1064 00:57:51,800 --> 00:57:53,200 Speaker 1: That's how you stay in the zeitgeist. 1065 00:57:54,760 --> 00:57:57,800 Speaker 2: You're current, that's all I know. You don't know how 1066 00:57:57,840 --> 00:58:03,800 Speaker 2: to set up a zoom meeting. You're currently. You're current, exactly. 1067 00:58:04,320 --> 00:58:09,600 Speaker 2: Congratulations on all of your success. I have really enjoyed 1068 00:58:09,720 --> 00:58:13,360 Speaker 2: chatting with you today. I wish you nothing but the best. 1069 00:58:13,520 --> 00:58:17,120 Speaker 2: I'm a I'm a big fan, and You're welcome back anytime. 1070 00:58:17,520 --> 00:58:20,920 Speaker 2: So next month when you have another show, come out, 1071 00:58:21,560 --> 00:58:24,600 Speaker 2: come back, come back, and we'll chat about that. 1072 00:58:24,720 --> 00:58:26,960 Speaker 1: I would love to Brian, I'm such a fan. I 1073 00:58:27,080 --> 00:58:29,240 Speaker 1: was so excited that you asked me to do this, 1074 00:58:29,400 --> 00:58:31,880 Speaker 1: so thank you man. I'd love to come back anytime 1075 00:58:31,920 --> 00:58:32,400 Speaker 1: you'd have me. 1076 00:58:33,080 --> 00:58:43,439 Speaker 2: Awesome. Jake McDorman, everybody, John Allen Doorman, Congratulations my friend. 1077 00:58:43,760 --> 00:58:58,160 Speaker 4: Thanks buddy, Jake, my new friend. 1078 00:58:58,360 --> 00:58:59,160 Speaker 2: This was a delight. 1079 00:58:59,760 --> 00:58:59,960 Speaker 1: Thank you. 1080 00:59:00,000 --> 00:59:03,000 Speaker 2: Thank you for bringing your insight. Now I'm not going 1081 00:59:03,080 --> 00:59:05,600 Speaker 2: to do that again. Thank you for coming on, Jake. 1082 00:59:05,720 --> 00:59:09,760 Speaker 2: That was very, very fun sharing your story. I'm looking 1083 00:59:09,840 --> 00:59:16,520 Speaker 2: forward to owning you on the racquetball court sometimes very soon. Listeners, 1084 00:59:17,320 --> 00:59:19,280 Speaker 2: if you haven't already, be sure to catch up on 1085 00:59:19,440 --> 00:59:24,560 Speaker 2: Missus Davis and Class of Nine. Missus Davis fascinating show. 1086 00:59:24,720 --> 00:59:28,040 Speaker 2: I highly recommend, and that should keep you busy until 1087 00:59:28,120 --> 00:59:30,800 Speaker 2: next week when guess what. I'm going to be back 1088 00:59:31,120 --> 00:59:36,160 Speaker 2: with another amazing an old friend from HR. 1089 00:59:36,840 --> 00:59:37,760 Speaker 4: We'll see you next week. 1090 00:59:44,600 --> 00:59:47,520 Speaker 2: Off the Beat is hosted and executive produced by me 1091 00:59:47,880 --> 00:59:52,360 Speaker 2: Brian Baumgartner, alongside our executive producer Lang Lee. Our senior 1092 00:59:52,440 --> 00:59:56,520 Speaker 2: producer is Diego Tapia. Our producers are Liz Hayes, Hannah 1093 00:59:56,560 --> 01:00:01,280 Speaker 2: Harris and Emily Carr. Our talent producer is Ryan Papa Zachary, 1094 01:00:01,520 --> 01:00:05,200 Speaker 2: and our intern is Sammy Katz. Our theme song Bubble 1095 01:00:05,320 --> 01:00:09,280 Speaker 2: and Squeak, performed by the one and only Creed Bratton,