1 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: Welcome everyone to this episode of Amy and TJ. I'm 2 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 1: doing this one solo, but man, am I not unknown. 3 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:14,320 Speaker 1: I am joined by someone who all of you have 4 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: to know very well at this point. He started out 5 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,319 Speaker 1: on Broadway as a child actor. He has been in 6 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:23,799 Speaker 1: some of the biggest movies that are probably the background 7 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: to your growing up if you know Bill and Ted's, Yeah, 8 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: that movie right there, one of the stars alongside of 9 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: Keanu Reeves, his buddy. Well, they're back at it again. 10 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: We're talking about Alex Winter, who is now back on stage, 11 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: this time with Keanu Reeves, and they have just this 12 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:50,479 Speaker 1: week opened with Waiting for Goodough and I'm told it's 13 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: a Broadway play about nothing, but you know what, Seinfeld 14 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: made a heck of a career out of a show 15 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: about nothing, and so why not a Broadway show with 16 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: two amazing pals. We love to see working together. Their 17 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 1: chemistry is palpable. And that's not all Alex Winter has 18 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: been doing. He has so much to catch you up 19 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 1: on and so much that you can consume. If you 20 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 1: want more Alex Winter, He's got it for you. I 21 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: just Alex and we just spoke briefly before we got 22 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 1: onto the podcast. First of all, welcome, but I asked 23 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 1: you how you feeling, I mean, doing a Broadway show 24 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 1: and this is your first week, all the pressure, all 25 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 1: the lights, all the critics, everyone looking at you. How 26 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:30,960 Speaker 1: you feeling, how you holding up good? 27 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 2: It's it's been a lovely we you know. We finished 28 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 2: two weeks of previews with with our opening night on Sunday, 29 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 2: and we're working with the amazing Jamie Lloyd on our 30 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 2: cast ensemble. It's a small play with just a handful 31 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 2: of actors on stage, and we have Brandon Durden and 32 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 2: Michael Patrick Thornton working with us, and two boys playing 33 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 2: the kid on alternate night, Zaaning and Eric, and it's 34 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 2: an amazing team. Jamie's kind of the best of the best, 35 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 2: and his team are the best. So our rehearsals were 36 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 2: so specific and rigorous that we were ready. I mean, 37 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 2: our opening night preview, which can be quite a loose affair, 38 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 2: was really very similar to our opening night show yesterday. 39 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 2: So for me, having come from theater, I don't really 40 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 2: get that jitters around like reviews and opening night stuff. 41 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 2: I mostly get the jitters around the first night of previews, 42 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 2: the first time you're taking that thing into in front 43 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 2: of an audience, because this happens to me with my 44 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 2: films too, but you really get it with theater. You 45 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 2: just know, you just know, you know whether it works 46 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 2: or not, you know whether the audience is with you. 47 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 2: And so for me, the lovely night was the most 48 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 2: lovely night was honestly the very first night of previews 49 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 2: on the thirteenth of September, when we've been working on 50 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 2: this thing, Keanu and I for over three years. We 51 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 2: put this together with Jamie three and a half years ago, 52 00:02:57,760 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 2: and we've been doing quite a bit of work on 53 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 2: it in the run ups. So to go out on 54 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 2: stage and be like, oh, okay, they dig it. You know, 55 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,359 Speaker 2: it's a it's a complex play and it's and it's 56 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 2: a very emotionally intense play. It's funny that it's said 57 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,359 Speaker 2: that it's sort of the catchphrases that it's about nothing, 58 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 2: which Beckett set himself and sorted a lot of critics, 59 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 2: But it is kind of about everything. Actually, it's sort 60 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 2: of the inverse of that. It's kind of all of 61 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:26,359 Speaker 2: life distilled in two hours. So you end up kind 62 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 2: of emotionally, mentally and physically wiped out at the end 63 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 2: of the night. 64 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 1: Well, I was just going to ask, how can a 65 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: show about nothing be so complex? If you could give 66 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: folks out there listening just an idea of Sure. I 67 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 1: know you said it's emotional and it's complex, and it's 68 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: the arc of a life, but give us basically something. 69 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 2: Rather Yeah, of course, Yeah, it's not hard. It's really 70 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 2: not that hard. I mean, it's there's a reason why 71 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 2: it's so famous. It's not that opaque, right, or nobody 72 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 2: would ever want to put it on. The show has 73 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 2: done play is done constantly. It's about two very old 74 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 2: friends who probably perform together at one point. We don't 75 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 2: know where in time they exist. They're kind of unmoored 76 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 2: from time. So it's a surreal play in that way. 77 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 2: And they're confronting their life, their regrets, their mortality, their loves, 78 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 2: their companionship, and the meaning of life and why go 79 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 2: on and the challenges of life and when it gets 80 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 2: very hard, what keeps you going? What gives you hope? 81 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 2: So it gets into spirituality, it gets into God, it 82 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 2: gets into whether there's a God, It gets into sort 83 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 2: of all of the aspects of the questioning of life 84 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 2: that I think every human being goes through at one 85 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 2: point or another, especially as you move along in life. 86 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 2: So it is a play that questions and kind of 87 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 2: interrogates all the big questions, but in a very grounded, 88 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 2: emotional way. And it's a lovely play to do. And 89 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 2: it's a lovely play to do with a close friend. 90 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:53,600 Speaker 2: It is about friendship at his heart, I think, and 91 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 2: the value and significance of it. And to be able 92 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 2: to do that on stage every night with Keanu, and 93 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 2: the rapport, the rhythms that we share even off stage, 94 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 2: off outside the bill and Ted movies, that has been 95 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:11,039 Speaker 2: very rewarding. I think. 96 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:15,600 Speaker 1: I was curious, So this is your return to Broadway 97 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 1: four decades later? Is that correct? 98 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 2: Yeah? Crazily enough. I went to the opening night I did. 99 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 2: I did several long running Broadway shows back to back. 100 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 2: I did King and I with Yo Brenner. I did 101 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 2: Peter Pan for years on Broadway with Sandy Duncan, and 102 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 2: Sandy came to my opening night the other night. I 103 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 2: swear to god, I'm a pretty thick skinned guy because 104 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 2: I've been in this business since I was seven. I 105 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 2: started crying. I was so moved to see her and 106 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 2: her husband Don, and like several of my friends from 107 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 2: the show came to the opening night and like one 108 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:49,040 Speaker 2: of them sent me an email saying, I don't know 109 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 2: if you remember me, but I was like, are you crazy? 110 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:53,479 Speaker 2: Like we lived in the same dressing room for three 111 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:55,919 Speaker 2: years during the most formative years of my life. Of 112 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 2: course I remember you. It was very, very moving, much 113 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 2: more so than I thought it would be. 114 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 1: That's so cool. And I'm curious because obviously you are 115 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:11,239 Speaker 1: a Broadway veteran, but this is Keanu's first Broadway show, 116 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: So what was that? Like, how was he doing? How 117 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:16,480 Speaker 1: did did he lean on you? 118 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 2: I'm just right, I gotta tell you all during the 119 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:22,280 Speaker 2: run up, even during the years of the run up, 120 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:25,840 Speaker 2: and this kind of emblematizes our rapport. But I was 121 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 2: just like, I was like, man, the guy's been studying 122 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 2: Shakespeare as long as I've known him, like doing really 123 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 2: heavy Shakespeare, likes camps and things like that with like 124 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:42,600 Speaker 2: season Stratford Shakespearean actors. He did Hamlet in Canada playing Hamlet, 125 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 2: which is as hard as this play is. That's way 126 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:48,039 Speaker 2: harder than this is to do. It's four hours long 127 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 2: and you're on stage the whole time. Pretty much, I 128 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 2: kept saying to him, look, I'm not being cavalier. I 129 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 2: understand the height of Broadway and the pressure of Broadway 130 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 2: and the lens that's on you from Broadway. But at 131 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,919 Speaker 2: the end of the day, it's a stage and with 132 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 2: people in it. And having done it a lot, and 133 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 2: I did it, I did thousands of shows on Broadway, 134 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 2: you get used to the fact that it's just another 135 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 2: stage with more people on it, and you go on 136 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 2: and you put on a good show. And said, you 137 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 2: just got to get that out of your the Broadway 138 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 2: thing out of your head, and just know that you're 139 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 2: gonna walk on stage, gonna be a bunch of people 140 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 2: out there, You're gonna either have a good night or 141 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 2: a crummy night, and you're gonna leave. And that's it. 142 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 2: So honest to God, he kept saying, He kept saying, 143 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 2: are you crazy, Like it's Broadway. 144 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 1: There are no take twos, there are no cuts, there 145 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 1: are no again. 146 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 2: Well, he's done theater, so he knows that world. But 147 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 2: but it is I think I think ultimately that was 148 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:46,679 Speaker 2: his experience. I think we went on stage for opening 149 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 2: a previews, and I think that the audience was with us. 150 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 2: They were very engaged in the play, which is really 151 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 2: all you care about, and uh, you could feel the 152 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 2: the connection to them, and I think from then on 153 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 2: he was like, oh, cool, like it. It's another stage 154 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 2: with another audience. And he's been absolutely fine. 155 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 1: That's awesome. That's awesome. And I'm curious because obviously I 156 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: don't know if you can even compare what it was 157 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: like working together doing Bill and Ted all of those 158 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 1: series versus doing this Broadway show, this complex show about life. 159 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: Are the two even comparable? And did you use any 160 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 1: of those experiences in your exaurs. 161 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 2: I mean, they are oddly comparable in a couple of ways. 162 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 2: One is it helps a lot that we have a 163 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 2: not only a friendship, but a working rapport. We just 164 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 2: did another movie together a few years ago, right, so 165 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 2: it hasn't been that long, and we're both very you know, 166 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 2: I direct, he produces and has directed, and we're both 167 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 2: very involved in the movies when we do them. So 168 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:48,679 Speaker 2: there's a ton of work going on, there's a lot 169 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 2: of rehearsal, there's a lot of script analysis. So we 170 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 2: have kind of a set working relationship. So we just 171 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 2: applied that to this immediately. We're both rigorous and we 172 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 2: just started working on this thing three years ago, like 173 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:03,679 Speaker 2: we would work. We took us twelve years to get 174 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 2: Bill and Ted free off the ground. It was a 175 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 2: ton of work on both of our part and so 176 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 2: we just kind of went to work on this the 177 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 2: way we'd go to work on one of those. But 178 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 2: the physical rapport we have helps a lot. This play 179 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 2: is very physical, and a lot of that gets used. 180 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 2: And also, even though this is a very highbrow piece 181 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 2: of great literature and theater, Bill and Ted at the 182 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 2: end of the day is about language and the use 183 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:32,200 Speaker 2: of language, right, and the sort of interplay of language 184 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 2: and physicality, and so is this. And we're both you know, 185 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 2: pretty well read and like good stuff, so we've applied 186 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:42,960 Speaker 2: some of that. You know. The fact that we're two 187 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:45,440 Speaker 2: guys sort of throwing words back at each other very 188 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 2: quickly is very similar to what we do with the 189 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 2: Bill and Ted movies. 190 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 1: What would you say? I mean, friendships like yours, working friendships, 191 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 1: but also friendships behind the cameras, not just in front 192 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:00,680 Speaker 1: of the cameras. Are you don't hear about them too often? 193 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 1: In Hollywood. It's a tough business and there are a 194 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 1: lot of pressures and just falling out. How would you 195 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,560 Speaker 1: describe your friendship and what why it stood the test 196 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:09,960 Speaker 1: of time. 197 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 2: Look at the end of the day, we're just close 198 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 2: friends and you have we have we both have a 199 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:21,320 Speaker 2: kind of a small but lasting band of friends that 200 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:24,079 Speaker 2: we've both had our whole lives. Some of those intertwined, 201 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 2: some of those are completely different, right obviously. And the 202 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 2: thing I love about Kean it was that he's the 203 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 2: same guy that I met in nineteen eighty seven, and 204 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 2: I'm the same guy, and we're both pretty grounded, and 205 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 2: we've both done you know, I think a lot of 206 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 2: work on ourselves to stay grounded in different ways. But 207 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 2: through all of the Michigasi's been through and the sort 208 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 2: of the hyper attention that he's had on him. You know, 209 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 2: I spent a lot of my life behind the camera 210 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:55,840 Speaker 2: and by design, and I you know, I don't love 211 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:59,320 Speaker 2: the spotlight that much, and I love what I do, 212 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 2: but it's you know, I've been I've kind of marveled 213 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:07,680 Speaker 2: at his ability, his determination, because it takes work to 214 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:10,560 Speaker 2: stay the same person and have the same friends and 215 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 2: be the same guy. And most people that I know 216 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:15,839 Speaker 2: that meet him, who work in the industry, or when 217 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 2: they you know, when they say, oh, I've met Reeves, 218 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 2: and I was astounded by how normal he was. I'm like, yeah, 219 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:23,079 Speaker 2: he's the same guy he's been since we were in 220 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:27,439 Speaker 2: our early twenties. And and I think that's what's kept 221 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 2: us friends, is like I'm you know, we're like two 222 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 2: brothers almost, and neither of us has really changed very much. 223 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 1: That's really cool to hear. Obviously, Yes, fame changes a 224 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 1: lot of people. 225 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 2: Most people, it does, and you have to work very 226 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 2: hard for it, not because it will. It will pound 227 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:46,960 Speaker 2: on you, it will work on you, and you have 228 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:51,839 Speaker 2: to work very hard to remain grounded through that. And 229 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 2: you know, some people don't care about being grounded. They're like, 230 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 2: bring on the champagne and the beach house and like 231 00:11:57,600 --> 00:11:59,959 Speaker 2: I'm going to change friends like I changed my underwear. 232 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:02,200 Speaker 2: They're super happy to be in that world that way, 233 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,559 Speaker 2: and they're very transactional. And you're right, like Hollywood is 234 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 2: filled with those people. 235 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 1: So it all comes to an end, and then who 236 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: are you with because ultimately does come to an end 237 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:13,600 Speaker 1: for almost everyone. Meryl Street. 238 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 2: Yes, I mean and that this play gets into that idea, 239 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 2: like it will definitively come to an end at the end, right, 240 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 2: And that's not a life I'd want to look back 241 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 2: out and say, well that that just has no value 242 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 2: to me. It's empty. So it isn't for everyone. But 243 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 2: I do like the fact that his values are about 244 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 2: being normal and mine are about being I mean, I've 245 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 2: raised a family and lead of extremely boring suburban life 246 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 2: by design, but I had to work very hard to 247 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 2: possess that. 248 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:43,559 Speaker 1: Well, that was a choice. Were you ever tempted to 249 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 1: go into that other world where everything at your beck 250 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 1: and call no. 251 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 2: I never liked it, and I got out pretty fast 252 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 2: when it started to blow up in that way. And 253 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 2: even like one of the things that about Keanu and 254 00:12:57,960 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 2: some of the other friends I have in the business 255 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 2: who I'm still friends with, is even then at the 256 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 2: height neither he and I were. Neither of us were 257 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 2: both pretty bohemian and normal, and even during the height 258 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 2: of the Bill and Ted stuff, we weren't like at 259 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 2: like huge Hollywood parties, And like Jet said it, it 260 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:19,440 Speaker 2: was like we led very normal lives and kind of 261 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 2: thespian working actor kind of lives. But as things got 262 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 2: more intense, I kind of stepped away a little bit 263 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 2: from it wasn't great for my headspace. 264 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: It was a choice you made and when i'm yes, 265 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 1: I do not. 266 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:36,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. 267 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,559 Speaker 1: So this this play is sixteen weeks correct from beginning 268 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 1: ten Yeah, sixteen weeks of How often do you perform 269 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: a week? Is it eight shows a week? 270 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 2: Eight shows a week? Yeah? 271 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:49,200 Speaker 1: How do you have this? 272 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 2: Like? 273 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:52,960 Speaker 1: Honestly, I have always moreveled. I'm a huge Broadway fan. 274 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 1: I love the Great White Way, but I am always 275 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 1: in awe of actors who can go up on that 276 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: stage and get if they're all that much for that long. 277 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,000 Speaker 2: Well, I did say this, Keanu at the very beginning 278 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:07,840 Speaker 2: three and a half years ago. I said, the hardest 279 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:10,480 Speaker 2: thing about this is going to be the physical endurance. 280 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:13,559 Speaker 2: And that's what movie and TV actors often miss with 281 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 2: with doing Broadway, and they then they get wrecked, their 282 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 2: bodies get wrecked. So I started training physically for this 283 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:28,480 Speaker 2: over three years ago and my days are filled with 284 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 2: recovery every day. 285 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: So what does what chofrey look like? 286 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 2: Pilates, acupuncture, massage, the whole nine every day? Yeah, Yeah, 287 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 2: I'm passive. 288 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 1: I need to get on on on that swing because yes, 289 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: it does take it toll, especially when you're in your fifties. 290 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 1: You weren't the spring chicken that you used to be. 291 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, I turned sixty in July, so and Keanu was 292 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 2: sixty thank. 293 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 1: You, Yeah, to be kidding me. Never in a million 294 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:55,520 Speaker 1: years would. 295 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 2: I a thank you. Yeah, Keanu was sixty one now 296 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 2: he just turned sixty one early September. 297 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: That you just blew my mind. You just blew them. 298 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 1: I thought we were all the same age. That's wild 299 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 1: fifty two. So, I mean, look, I love seeing people 300 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:12,240 Speaker 1: who are a little bit ahead, still killing it and 301 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:16,440 Speaker 1: doing it in a healthy way mentally and physically. That's amazing. 302 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 1: I'm curious. You started on Broadway at seven? 303 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 2: No, I started acting, but professionally. I started doing theater 304 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 2: at around six, seven years old. I started acting professionally 305 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 2: at ten, doing commercials in theater. I was on Broadway 306 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 2: by thirteen. 307 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 1: How did you like? How does that happen? Was it 308 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: a choice your parents made? Is it a choice you made? 309 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: Is it something that you found in you? 310 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 2: Like? 311 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 1: I don't even who knows what they want to do 312 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 1: at five or six? 313 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 2: I know it's crazy. I made a documentary for HBO 314 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 2: about children in show business and interviewed a lot of 315 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:52,120 Speaker 2: people all the way through the history of show business, 316 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 2: going back to the turn of the century. In the 317 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 2: first child Star who was still alive. She was one 318 00:15:56,480 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 2: hundred when I interviewed her. And what was interesting was 319 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 2: the was that disparity because otherwise most child actor experiences 320 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 2: are very similar. But the disparity is what you just said. 321 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 2: Because I have three, three kids, and I wondered if 322 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 2: there any of them were going to get that bug, 323 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 2: because I really didn't want them in the business. But 324 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 2: there's a kind of kid that you can't help putting 325 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 2: in the business because they are so impersonally driven. And 326 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:25,520 Speaker 2: that was me. My parents were modern dancers. They weren't. 327 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 2: They weren't show business people. They were in the arts 328 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 2: and the performing arts. But modern is very, very, very 329 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 2: different from I was a tap dancing singing get me 330 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:40,000 Speaker 2: on stage. They were like, who even is this person? Right? 331 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 2: So they just responded and they let me do my thing. 332 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:47,560 Speaker 2: But it was driven by my own desire and I 333 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 2: wanted to go on stage. I wanted to end up 334 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 2: doing bigger shows. I wanted to do other stuff. I 335 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 2: wanted to go to film school and make films. And 336 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 2: you know, they were we weren't income from a lot 337 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 2: of money, so they were like, you got to earn 338 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 2: money and do that is what I did. I put 339 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:05,680 Speaker 2: myself through film school. But when I was doing the 340 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:08,359 Speaker 2: show the doc I interviewed a bunch of kids, and 341 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:10,720 Speaker 2: there were certain kids like that, not many. Cameron Boyce, 342 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:14,440 Speaker 2: who sadly has passed away, who I interviewed, was like that. 343 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:17,919 Speaker 2: Cameron was like unstoppable at five, and you looked at 344 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 2: home movies of him and you're like, if you had Cameron, 345 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:23,760 Speaker 2: you have to let him do his thing, right. If 346 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:26,720 Speaker 2: I had a Cameron as a kid, I would have 347 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:28,720 Speaker 2: gotten the hell out of his way and let him 348 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:31,800 Speaker 2: or her do their thing. But I was kind of 349 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:34,439 Speaker 2: grateful that my kids didn't want to do that. 350 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: So I love that's so interesting you did a documentary 351 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: on this, because it is all too often most child actors, 352 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:46,320 Speaker 1: a lot of them, I shouldn't say most, but a 353 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:49,560 Speaker 1: big percentage of them do turn to that life of drugs, 354 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:53,160 Speaker 1: do turn to that spotlight and get sucked into the 355 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 1: madness that ensues, and they believe their own hype and 356 00:17:57,080 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 1: they fall prey to it. How did you avoid that? 357 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:02,399 Speaker 2: Or they get crushed by it. It kind of goes 358 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 2: one of two ways. You can believe your own hypey. Also, 359 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 2: it's a very insecure childhood by design is about learning 360 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 2: who you are and the insecurities that you have in 361 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 2: your teens coupled with being you know, Cameron talking and 362 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:17,439 Speaker 2: I talked about this a lot because he came up 363 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:19,159 Speaker 2: during the Internet era and he was just like I 364 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:22,560 Speaker 2: had twenty five million Instagram followers all through my teens. 365 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:27,160 Speaker 2: Every pimple, every rejection by a girl, every awkward stage 366 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 2: was documented, and he had such a good head on 367 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,120 Speaker 2: his shoulders. You know, I say this to parents because 368 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:36,239 Speaker 2: I've directed a lot of stuff with kids in it 369 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:39,200 Speaker 2: over the years, a lot, and I like doing stuff 370 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:41,399 Speaker 2: with kids, and the parents always ask me what you 371 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 2: just asked me, and I tell them, honestly, I'm like, 372 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 2: your kid will face consequences. It's inescapable. It doesn't matter 373 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 2: how granded they are, doesn't matter how great you are 374 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 2: as parents. They will one hundred percent face consequences for 375 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:59,160 Speaker 2: acting in a professional world when really they should be 376 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 2: as people. And for me, I certainly faced consequences, but 377 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:09,360 Speaker 2: I had the snap, thankfully, to kind of get out 378 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 2: of acting in my mid twenties, like right after Bill 379 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:14,199 Speaker 2: and Tedtoo and another film I made after that and 380 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:18,119 Speaker 2: just go into normal world. And so I kind of 381 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 2: spent my late twenties into early thirties doing the development 382 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:26,360 Speaker 2: I missed in my teens. And you find a lot 383 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 2: of people do that. Either they get crashed and they 384 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 2: have to do it, like certain big stars you've heard 385 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:32,879 Speaker 2: of who just like bottomed out and they end up 386 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 2: doing their growing up a little later, or you kind 387 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 2: of figure it out and you go do your growing up. 388 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:40,960 Speaker 2: But there's no escape from consequences if you're an adultified 389 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 2: high stress environment. As a child, there's just not as capable. 390 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 1: That makes perfect sense. You said you made the decision. 391 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: Was there a moment? Was there a low moment you 392 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 1: could snap you snapped out of it? Was there a 393 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:54,399 Speaker 1: defining moment? 394 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 2: It's funny. I was talking to Ethan Hawk about this 395 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 2: last night. I was at an opening of a film 396 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:01,040 Speaker 2: he had and we were talking because we came up 397 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 2: at it around the same time. And in the early nineties, 398 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,280 Speaker 2: things in La got kind of dark. You know, River 399 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:12,479 Speaker 2: Phoenix died, who we all knew Downy was struggling. There 400 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 2: was a lot of drugs, like really heavy, hard drugs, 401 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 2: and the vibe was really kind of dark and I 402 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 2: just got out, and Ethan said he got out at 403 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:25,119 Speaker 2: the same time. He just we just left Hollywood and 404 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 2: I moved back to New York and then I started 405 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 2: a production company in the UK, and I just separated 406 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,119 Speaker 2: myself from that world. And I think it saved my backside. 407 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 2: I really do. I just had a gut survival instinct 408 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:43,720 Speaker 2: that I wasn't gonna be alright if I didn't leave. 409 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 2: I didn't come back for till like five I didn't 410 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 2: come back for twenty years. 411 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 1: So twenty years, what did you do? I said, you 412 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:54,680 Speaker 1: went behind the scenes. 413 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:57,000 Speaker 2: But yeah, I started directing and writing. I made a movie. 414 00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:59,439 Speaker 2: It went to cann I started a production company. I 415 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:01,639 Speaker 2: started doing more and more narrative, and then I started 416 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 2: training to act again because I knew I wanted to 417 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 2: come back to acting, but I wanted to do it 418 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 2: on my own term. So I started working with all 419 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:10,919 Speaker 2: the best acting trainers, kind of one by one and 420 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:14,040 Speaker 2: doing Shakespeare and doing all kinds of killer work and 421 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 2: vocal training and physical training, and then I was kind 422 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:19,080 Speaker 2: of ready to come back to acting again. 423 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:23,159 Speaker 1: That is so impressive. I've never heard someone's story quite 424 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:27,200 Speaker 1: like yours, making those choices, being intentional and then wanting 425 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:32,760 Speaker 1: to redevelop yourself as an actor. That's impressive and because 426 00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 1: most people don't have I don't want to say the humility, 427 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 1: but maybe that is what I'm saying to say, I 428 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 1: still need to learn. I need to reacquaint myself. And 429 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:42,720 Speaker 1: with all the training and all the experience you had, 430 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:45,359 Speaker 1: that's remarkable that you had the wherewithal to do that. 431 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 2: Well. I started so young. I didn't really know what 432 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 2: training I was training, but like, you know, my parents 433 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 2: would throw me in dance class or like a kiddy 434 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:55,959 Speaker 2: acting class, you know what I mean. It was. And 435 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:58,439 Speaker 2: then I ended up in a really high level working 436 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 2: with really good actors, and I thought, I don't I don't. 437 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:05,360 Speaker 2: I haven't done the work they've done, you know, And 438 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:07,639 Speaker 2: so I wanted to do that and I kind of 439 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 2: did it, not even knowing if I would do it professionally. 440 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:11,440 Speaker 2: I just wanted to do it for myself at first. 441 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 2: And then it's a weird thing. It's like if you 442 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:16,960 Speaker 2: build it, they will come right. Like because once I 443 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:19,920 Speaker 2: had trained, it was like opportunities started showing up and 444 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:22,720 Speaker 2: that was a little unforeseen frankly. 445 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: That's but that's awesome to hear that hard work pays off, 446 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 1: that you go and put in the work, and that 447 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:31,680 Speaker 1: it actually does result in the outcome you were hoping for. 448 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: You returned what in your forties. 449 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:35,040 Speaker 2: I was in my forties. 450 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's that's scary, diver. I don't know that women 451 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,520 Speaker 1: would feel comfortable. You're just lost out on the probably 452 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: like the most physically. 453 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:47,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, sure, I was, even as a guy, like I 454 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:49,480 Speaker 2: wasn't cute anymore, Like in a way that was like 455 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:52,439 Speaker 2: that was like a burden that was removed. Like I 456 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:54,400 Speaker 2: was like, I'm not going to be a leading man, 457 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 2: like I'm gonna and I love character acting. That's my 458 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 2: always been my thing. So I was like, if I 459 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:00,639 Speaker 2: do anything, I'll be doing character work, which is my 460 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 2: favorite thing to do. But I agree with you, Yes, 461 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:06,919 Speaker 2: it is. It is. There is that pressure. You're walking 462 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 2: into rooms and you're not the young, hot ingenoux anymore. 463 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:15,440 Speaker 2: And I mean, and with the way women are judged 464 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:17,199 Speaker 2: and all of that, I mean, believe me, it's you know, 465 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:21,360 Speaker 2: I don't. I am not unaware of the fact that 466 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 2: as a middle class white guy, I felt probably safer 467 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:28,959 Speaker 2: doing that than I would as a person of color, 468 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:31,160 Speaker 2: as a woman, where there is so much more bias 469 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:35,119 Speaker 2: and pressure. But I also didn't I didn't have any stakes. 470 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 2: I had a whole other career, So I was kind 471 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:40,480 Speaker 2: of like, I'm not I wasn't you know that worried 472 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 2: about it one way or the other. I think that 473 00:23:42,119 --> 00:23:43,120 Speaker 2: might have been helpful too. 474 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 1: Oh absolutely, I yes, that's it's so true. When you 475 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:49,959 Speaker 1: can if you're doing it because you love it and 476 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 1: doing it because you want to do it. You put 477 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 1: in the work and you're not invested in the outcome, 478 00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 1: magical things. 479 00:23:55,280 --> 00:24:08,760 Speaker 3: Happen it you can yeah, or yes they can? 480 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 1: And what made you want to go back in front 481 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 1: of the camera after all of those choices that you 482 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:16,720 Speaker 1: made beforehand? 483 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 2: To I felt I felt that there were things about 484 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 2: my acting that I had not been able to explore 485 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 2: in public, that that I was doing in private scene 486 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 2: work and another work that I felt I would like 487 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 2: to be able to do professionally, and even if it 488 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:36,960 Speaker 2: was really small. I was like, I have really good 489 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:38,960 Speaker 2: agents for my directing side. I said to them, to 490 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,960 Speaker 2: the talent department, like I really don't care how big 491 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 2: a part is. If the project is good, I don't 492 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 2: care if it's tiny. And I still feel that way 493 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 2: like if I did a film that's coming out next 494 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,400 Speaker 2: year with Robert Pattinson for A twenty four My part 495 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:56,399 Speaker 2: is is really interesting but fairly small, and it's one 496 00:24:56,440 --> 00:25:00,040 Speaker 2: of the most satisfying things I've ever done. So so 497 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:02,240 Speaker 2: it's for me. I just wanted to do good works 498 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:05,600 Speaker 2: and I didn't care about, you know, the scale of it, 499 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 2: but I really did want to be able to get 500 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:11,720 Speaker 2: back out with other actors and do work again. 501 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 1: That way, we get that and you're doing it well 502 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:16,840 Speaker 1: and you're doing what you love. I have to say, 503 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: I watched Adulthood and it is such a good film. 504 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:25,119 Speaker 1: It's streaming now and you all sent me a screener. 505 00:25:25,160 --> 00:25:26,240 Speaker 1: But where is it streaming. 506 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:29,960 Speaker 2: It's everywhere. It's Amazon, Apple, It's doing really well on 507 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:32,399 Speaker 2: Prime right now, which I'm very grateful for. It's on Apple, 508 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 2: It's on Amazon Prime. It's all over, and then it 509 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 2: goes into rentals, I think now, and then in January 510 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 2: it'll hit a big streamer and be even more visible. 511 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:42,880 Speaker 2: So we have a lot of life in front of. 512 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:45,960 Speaker 1: Us, which is so well written, it is so well acted. 513 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:48,719 Speaker 1: I was because I didn't know anything about it, and 514 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:51,439 Speaker 1: obviously Josh gadd I was like he is, You're not 515 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:54,199 Speaker 1: used to seeing him in a more serious role, and 516 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: yet he still delivers comedic lines when you get a 517 00:25:57,560 --> 00:25:59,879 Speaker 1: little relief from the tension. But if you would, for 518 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:01,880 Speaker 1: people listening, I'd love for you to describe this movie 519 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:04,240 Speaker 1: because it's I mean it is it's a thriller, it's 520 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 1: a comedy. Is it a horror comedy? Is it a 521 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:07,640 Speaker 1: thriller comedy. 522 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,120 Speaker 2: It's it's a crime job. It's a black comedy, I mean, 523 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:13,639 Speaker 2: a very pitch black comedy. Would I would argue if 524 00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:15,879 Speaker 2: your if your humor is as dark as mine, you 525 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 2: will find it funny all the way to the end. 526 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:22,639 Speaker 2: But not like not like Will Ferrell funny. Right, it's 527 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 2: a different kind of humor, but it is, you know, 528 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:28,200 Speaker 2: it's looking at the challenges of living as an adult 529 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:31,679 Speaker 2: and what happens to us at that age where we 530 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 2: go from being kind of young adults to sort of 531 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:37,960 Speaker 2: anchored adults, and you realize you've kind of become your parents, 532 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:40,399 Speaker 2: and you have your parents are in front of you 533 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 2: and they're aging, they're getting old, they maybe dying. You've 534 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 2: got kids coming up behind you, and that what that 535 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:49,720 Speaker 2: means and the challenge and sometimes the crisis of that realization, 536 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 2: and people sometimes refer to it as a midlife crisis, 537 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:54,560 Speaker 2: but for me, it's it's usually much more about the 538 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:59,359 Speaker 2: responsibility and just the sort of the aging pattern of life, 539 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:03,879 Speaker 2: the cycle of life which is inescapable. So to me, 540 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:08,199 Speaker 2: that's quite deep and can be quite tragic, but it 541 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:10,919 Speaker 2: can also be uplifting, but it can also be incredibly funny. 542 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:13,600 Speaker 2: So that's what we wanted to mine with this, and 543 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 2: I was so lucky to have this cast. I had 544 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:20,440 Speaker 2: a dream ensemble. It's Josh Gadd who's a genius Kyascodlario 545 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:22,640 Speaker 2: who I've loved since she was like fifteen years old, 546 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:27,639 Speaker 2: who's incredibly gifted, and Billy Lord, who I've been chasing 547 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:30,439 Speaker 2: for stuff for years. And Anthony Kerrigan, who is, you know, 548 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:33,960 Speaker 2: arguably one of the greatest actors going period right now, 549 00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 2: and he was in Bill and Ted three with me 550 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 2: and I love him dearly. It was just an amazing cast. 551 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:40,719 Speaker 2: We had a great time and it was hard. Shooting 552 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 2: indie movies is challenging and fast and hard, but very 553 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 2: very happy with it. We had a premiere at Toronto 554 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:50,399 Speaker 2: a couple of weeks ago, went really well and I've 555 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 2: been really happy with the response so far. 556 00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:55,159 Speaker 1: It's a brilliant film. I love how you talked about 557 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:58,600 Speaker 1: the premise of it, you know, not necessarily mid life crisis, 558 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: but dealing with getting old there and all the responsibilities. 559 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:04,640 Speaker 1: But what you left out, which is the hilarious plot 560 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:07,680 Speaker 1: that ensues, is that as they're going to take care 561 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:10,320 Speaker 1: of their mother who just suffered a stroke, they realize 562 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:13,719 Speaker 1: that there is a dead body of their neighbor. This 563 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:16,639 Speaker 1: murder mystery that had haunted this town and haunted this street. 564 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:20,840 Speaker 1: They find their neighbor, they recognize her track suit, her dead, 565 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:25,320 Speaker 1: decomposing body in the wall of their mother's basements. 566 00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:28,879 Speaker 2: It is a literal skeleton in the closet. I mean, 567 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:34,000 Speaker 2: it's a skeleton in the closet movie, right. Yeah. It 568 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 2: is a very wild premise and they have to make 569 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:41,160 Speaker 2: a decision very early on what do we do with 570 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:43,640 Speaker 2: this body? And what would going to the police do 571 00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:45,400 Speaker 2: to our mother who just had a stroke, in our 572 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 2: family's reputation. They're both skating on the edge of financial calamity, 573 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 2: like almost everyone in America today, no matter who you are, 574 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:57,560 Speaker 2: and like any good noir, they make one very bad 575 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:03,280 Speaker 2: decision that leads to many, many terrible decisions, and that 576 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:06,920 Speaker 2: is that's kind of the clockwork mechanism of the plot. 577 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 1: And look, I am a huge Anyone who listens to 578 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 1: this podcast knows that TJ and I are both like 579 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:16,960 Speaker 1: horror movie aficionados, and we love horror, comedy thriller. Like 580 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 1: just that bending of genres is so fun because just 581 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:22,760 Speaker 1: when you're scared or just when you're wondering what's going 582 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:26,520 Speaker 1: to happen next, you burst out laughing. And the timing 583 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 1: and the writing. I mean, it's just and it's so good. 584 00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:30,000 Speaker 1: I just cannot say enough good things about it. 585 00:29:30,320 --> 00:29:30,800 Speaker 2: Thank you. 586 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:35,480 Speaker 1: I really truly enjoyed it, like incredibly so. And the 587 00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:37,640 Speaker 1: thing that you're juggling all of this is coming out 588 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:40,920 Speaker 1: all at the same time. It's really I find it 589 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:43,440 Speaker 1: so refreshing to think for anyone who's in any business 590 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:46,400 Speaker 1: that you can be intentional, that you can take a 591 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,720 Speaker 1: break from something but choose to keep educating yourself, choose 592 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 1: to keep working on your craft, and then come back 593 00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:54,360 Speaker 1: in an even bigger and better way than you ever imagined. 594 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:58,040 Speaker 1: How would you describe this phase in your life? 595 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:00,960 Speaker 2: Look, I think that a lot I talk to a 596 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 2: lot of kids and to me now because I'm older kids? 597 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:05,440 Speaker 2: Is everyone up to about forty? 598 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:08,040 Speaker 1: But I talked a lot of I get it, you 599 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 1: know what I mean? 600 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:12,360 Speaker 2: Yes, people like, oh, I'm turning forty, I'm getting so little. 601 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 2: I'm like, shut up, you're a kid. 602 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:15,920 Speaker 1: But uh uh. 603 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:18,000 Speaker 2: You know, I talk to a lot of people in 604 00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:20,400 Speaker 2: film school, a lot of acting students and things like that, 605 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:22,920 Speaker 2: and parents of kids who are acting whatever, and they 606 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 2: always ask me like, how do you have a sustainable 607 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:29,240 Speaker 2: career in this industry? How much is luck involved? And look, 608 00:30:29,320 --> 00:30:31,800 Speaker 2: I can't speak to this luck thing, though. I bristle 609 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:35,479 Speaker 2: whenever I hear veterans in the industry say oh, I 610 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:38,360 Speaker 2: was just lucky, because I'm like, come on, I mean 611 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:40,840 Speaker 2: in a way, I don't know if people do this intentionally, 612 00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:42,800 Speaker 2: but it's a way of almost saying I don't want 613 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:45,520 Speaker 2: you to know the secret because I don't want your 614 00:30:45,640 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 2: competition because that's just that's so unhelpful, right, Like, okay, great, 615 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:53,800 Speaker 2: So I'm just gonna sit around at stobs waiting to 616 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:57,760 Speaker 2: be discovered, like you know, like a Rita Hayworth or something. 617 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:01,480 Speaker 2: That's not what I mean it is. Luck is the 618 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 2: cliche that luck is hard work meets meets opportunity. Hard 619 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:13,200 Speaker 2: work perseverance presents opportunity that you're then ready for. You know, 620 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 2: Keanu had the idea of doing Waiting for Godo, and 621 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:20,520 Speaker 2: then I helped find the director. But when he called 622 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:22,200 Speaker 2: me and said, do you want to do Beckett with 623 00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:24,960 Speaker 2: me and try to get it on Broadway? If I 624 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 2: hadn't been training for the last fifteen years, if I 625 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:30,040 Speaker 2: hadn't been doing all this vocal work and acting work 626 00:31:30,040 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 2: and physical work, I would have said, I love it, 627 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 2: but thank you, There's no way I can do that, 628 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 2: you know, There's just no way. Like I'm a dad, 629 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:38,640 Speaker 2: I got three kids, I got a directing career. It's 630 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:40,920 Speaker 2: not going to happen. But I knew I was ready, 631 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:47,760 Speaker 2: And you have to stay in the game. If you quit, 632 00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:49,720 Speaker 2: it's not going to happen. If you stop working on 633 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:52,600 Speaker 2: yourself and studying and trying, it's not going to happen. 634 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:55,000 Speaker 2: And God forbid, if it does happen, you're not going 635 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:58,720 Speaker 2: to be ready to meet it. So that's really it 636 00:31:58,760 --> 00:32:01,200 Speaker 2: really does matter. Persevere parents is kind of key, but 637 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:07,080 Speaker 2: the undergirding of training and the hard work will help 638 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:11,000 Speaker 2: you meet those moments and honest to god, every person 639 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:12,760 Speaker 2: I've ever met in the industry who's kept going, they 640 00:32:12,840 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 2: all do those things. They all do the same thing. 641 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:17,320 Speaker 2: They all just stay at it and work really hard, 642 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:19,760 Speaker 2: and then they say, oh, I don't work very hard. 643 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:21,640 Speaker 2: The money came and the fame came, and it was 644 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 2: just luck. You know. 645 00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:28,440 Speaker 1: I love hearing you say that as someone. Look, I 646 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 1: did not obviously get into acting, but the career I 647 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:34,200 Speaker 1: chose has required a significant amount of work and reinvention 648 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 1: and all of that. But my daughter just graduated from 649 00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 1: NYU Tisch School of the Arts Theater and that's where 650 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:40,480 Speaker 1: I went. 651 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:42,760 Speaker 2: Oh really, that's so I went to film, but I 652 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 2: went to TISH and my son just graduated from music 653 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:46,160 Speaker 2: at NYU last year. 654 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:48,640 Speaker 1: I wonder if they know each other. But my daughter 655 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:51,520 Speaker 1: literally is hustling for twenty bucks a show, I think, 656 00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:54,000 Speaker 1: but she's got a beause she's produced and direct she's 657 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:56,720 Speaker 1: actually not in it. But at Improv Theater off Broadway, 658 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:00,160 Speaker 1: I watched this girl buster ass work three side jobs 659 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:02,120 Speaker 1: to try and do her art, which he's not really 660 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:04,960 Speaker 1: getting paid for yet, but getting her foot in the door. 661 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 1: But I think it's so important, especially you know, with 662 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 1: those young the kids coming up. But I do think 663 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:15,560 Speaker 1: that there's this impression that things just happen, especially in 664 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:19,880 Speaker 1: this day and era of social media and influencers all 665 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:23,320 Speaker 1: just put some content online and then I'll be a star. 666 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 1: And maybe that can happen for some people, but it 667 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:28,880 Speaker 1: won't be lasting because the talent, the hard work, that 668 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:31,920 Speaker 1: is what keeps you in a career, not just getting 669 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 1: lucky for one offs. 670 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:36,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, and if you really care about the arts, like 671 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:40,640 Speaker 2: your daughter does, that's not your dream, you know, and 672 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:43,360 Speaker 2: that can feel really hollow, Like your dream isn't to 673 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:48,240 Speaker 2: just become an Instagram star, and like we have forty 674 00:33:48,280 --> 00:33:51,920 Speaker 2: million Instagram followers who may just like minnos, leave you 675 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 2: one day and go find the next. You know, it's 676 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:57,160 Speaker 2: just it has no it's not what you dream about. 677 00:33:57,240 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 2: It's not the passion that drives you. So it feels 678 00:33:59,920 --> 00:34:02,640 Speaker 2: like a like an empty bag of potato chips. You know, 679 00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:07,720 Speaker 2: it's very hollow. No, the work takes work, it does. 680 00:34:08,200 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 1: I love hearing you say that, and from someone who 681 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:13,719 Speaker 1: is as successful as you and as good at your 682 00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:16,040 Speaker 1: career as you've been. I mean, just it's such a 683 00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:18,000 Speaker 1: cool thing for I think people to hear and listen 684 00:34:18,040 --> 00:34:20,120 Speaker 1: to and to understand how what's your son going to 685 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:21,560 Speaker 1: do well. 686 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:25,440 Speaker 2: He's a jazz trumpet player and he's crazy dedicated, so 687 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:29,719 Speaker 2: we'll see. And my eldest who's in grad school, is 688 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:32,680 Speaker 2: a painter, and my youngest is i think, heading to 689 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:36,120 Speaker 2: film school, so we'll see what he does. My wife 690 00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:37,880 Speaker 2: and I are very kind of not hands off, but 691 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:39,880 Speaker 2: we're like, let them do go where they go, whether 692 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:41,879 Speaker 2: they do the art, whether they do something else, it's 693 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:45,879 Speaker 2: all good with us. But it's you know, it's it's 694 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:48,160 Speaker 2: nice to see them and none of them are trying 695 00:34:48,160 --> 00:34:50,160 Speaker 2: to get famous. They're just doing their work. So we'll 696 00:34:50,160 --> 00:34:51,000 Speaker 2: see what happens. 697 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:54,279 Speaker 1: You just nailed it. I think in so many of 698 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:57,600 Speaker 1: these industries, and mine included, so many people get into 699 00:34:57,640 --> 00:35:02,120 Speaker 1: them to be famous. Yeah, that usually is not almost 700 00:35:02,239 --> 00:35:04,240 Speaker 1: never is a recipe for success. 701 00:35:04,760 --> 00:35:06,799 Speaker 2: Now now, it's certainly not the kind you want, and 702 00:35:06,840 --> 00:35:08,440 Speaker 2: it's certainly not the kind that will make you a 703 00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:09,240 Speaker 2: healthy person. 704 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:15,960 Speaker 1: This has been such a fascinating conversation. I appreciate Alex, 705 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:19,360 Speaker 1: just your and I love that you give back, that 706 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:21,600 Speaker 1: you talk to parents, that you talk to students, that 707 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:26,240 Speaker 1: you talk to budding artists who want to actually create 708 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:29,760 Speaker 1: art and are interested and passionate about doing it well. 709 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:32,359 Speaker 1: And I just think that's so cool that I don't 710 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:35,480 Speaker 1: think enough people talk about that part of the industry, 711 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:37,600 Speaker 1: and that it doesn't always have to be the spotlight 712 00:35:37,640 --> 00:35:40,080 Speaker 1: on you. But being a part of a creation something 713 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:43,000 Speaker 1: you can be proud of is so cool. What is next? 714 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:45,839 Speaker 1: I'm sure you've got ten projects that you just mentioned, 715 00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:48,799 Speaker 1: a movie with Robert Pattinson. What else do you have 716 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:50,480 Speaker 1: coming down the pike that we can look forward to. 717 00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:54,040 Speaker 2: Well, I'm working on another film that I want to direct, 718 00:35:54,520 --> 00:35:57,560 Speaker 2: and we're writing that script right now, and we'll start 719 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:00,560 Speaker 2: trying to put that together as the show's winding down. 720 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 2: But I got to tell you, like, doing this play 721 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:07,200 Speaker 2: is one hundred and fifty percent of my life and energy, 722 00:36:07,280 --> 00:36:09,319 Speaker 2: and I want to enjoy it. I want to be 723 00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:12,879 Speaker 2: present for it. So I really have taken a kind 724 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:16,719 Speaker 2: of hiatus not developing other documentaries. I am working on 725 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:19,720 Speaker 2: this film that's not going to take a huge amount 726 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:21,799 Speaker 2: of time, but we are developing the script, and then 727 00:36:21,840 --> 00:36:23,879 Speaker 2: obviously Adulthood has got to roll out all the way 728 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:26,480 Speaker 2: through into New Year. That will take some work. But 729 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:28,960 Speaker 2: normally I would be juggling a lot of stuff, and 730 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:32,279 Speaker 2: by design, having the opportunity to do a play on 731 00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:38,400 Speaker 2: Broadway with Keanu I am, I am not multitasking. 732 00:36:39,320 --> 00:36:42,680 Speaker 1: You're taking a high hiatus from all of your crazy 733 00:36:42,760 --> 00:36:46,760 Speaker 1: multitasking and multiple to do a Broadway play. 734 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:50,880 Speaker 2: Yeah. Nice, I think let's let's let's meet the moment. 735 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:52,840 Speaker 2: How about we do that. Yeah. I don't want to 736 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:54,920 Speaker 2: look back at this at these four months and go, 737 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:56,680 Speaker 2: oh that was great. I did that, and I developed 738 00:36:56,680 --> 00:36:59,200 Speaker 2: the doc and I did this, and well I was like, no, 739 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:02,200 Speaker 2: I went to the I prepped, I got on stage, 740 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:03,920 Speaker 2: I went home. I want to do that for the 741 00:37:03,960 --> 00:37:05,239 Speaker 2: next I want to enjoy that. 742 00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:07,200 Speaker 1: One last question for you, Alex, and I hope you 743 00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:10,200 Speaker 1: don't mind me asking, but how do you juggle all 744 00:37:10,200 --> 00:37:13,080 Speaker 1: that you do at the level you do it with 745 00:37:13,239 --> 00:37:16,520 Speaker 1: three kids and a wife? How has your marriage? You know, 746 00:37:16,560 --> 00:37:17,560 Speaker 1: how long have you been married? 747 00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:21,800 Speaker 2: We've been together almost almost twenty years, like nineteen almost 748 00:37:21,920 --> 00:37:23,680 Speaker 2: about about eighteen nineteen years now. 749 00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:27,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, I would love to know how you would describe 750 00:37:27,280 --> 00:37:32,759 Speaker 1: how you have managed to make that a lasting, beautiful relationship. 751 00:37:33,120 --> 00:37:37,560 Speaker 2: Well, we're both in the industry. Ramsey's an animation and 752 00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:41,239 Speaker 2: has a high level job herself in that world. And 753 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:49,080 Speaker 2: I'd say a couple things is we love parenting, and 754 00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:51,880 Speaker 2: we lead of normal life, like we kind of like 755 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:54,359 Speaker 2: away from the industry where we live in La. Our 756 00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:58,600 Speaker 2: kids went to public school for the most part and 757 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:03,200 Speaker 2: aren't in like Hollyoo with oriented private schools, and their 758 00:38:03,440 --> 00:38:07,080 Speaker 2: friends are normal and don't really think about the industry 759 00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:10,040 Speaker 2: one way or the other. We go home at night 760 00:38:10,080 --> 00:38:13,879 Speaker 2: and we're not immersed in the industry. So I think 761 00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:16,200 Speaker 2: it's you know, I think we're both similar in that 762 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:18,839 Speaker 2: we both sort of hungered for even earlier in our 763 00:38:18,880 --> 00:38:21,120 Speaker 2: lives before we met, for kind of having a normal 764 00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:24,959 Speaker 2: life in tandem with the work life. And that's real, 765 00:38:25,080 --> 00:38:28,000 Speaker 2: Like it's just what we do, you know, And that's 766 00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:30,160 Speaker 2: kind of kept things normal. Like my like I say, 767 00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:33,440 Speaker 2: like it's my work life is very vibrant, but my 768 00:38:33,719 --> 00:38:36,399 Speaker 2: day to day life is as boring and suburban as 769 00:38:36,440 --> 00:38:38,240 Speaker 2: can be. And that is like drive my kid to school, 770 00:38:38,280 --> 00:38:40,840 Speaker 2: I pick them up from school. I'm like, you know, 771 00:38:41,040 --> 00:38:43,480 Speaker 2: I'm like a suburban dad basically. 772 00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:46,480 Speaker 1: Well, a suburban dad who's starring on Broadway, has a 773 00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:49,960 Speaker 1: megahit of a movie out streaming, and has a long 774 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:54,200 Speaker 1: story career that is continuing with incredible success. So Alex Winner, 775 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:57,560 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you being on the podcast with us, 776 00:38:57,719 --> 00:39:01,520 Speaker 1: and we appreciate your time and just will continue to 777 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:04,160 Speaker 1: watch and root for you and cheer you on because 778 00:39:04,160 --> 00:39:05,000 Speaker 1: we love what you do. 779 00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:07,359 Speaker 2: I really appreciate it was great to chat with you. 780 00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:08,160 Speaker 2: Thank you so much