1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,320 Speaker 1: So I go to my theater studies teacher at the 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: time and I say, you know, I think I'm going 3 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: to apply for drama school, which is a rada, a lambda, 4 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:12,479 Speaker 1: one of these kind of prestigious land in drama school. 5 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: She says to me. And I know this is quite 6 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:17,280 Speaker 1: an odd thing for a teacher to maybe say, but 7 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:18,959 Speaker 1: it was fast. She said. I don't think you're getting 8 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: She said, I think you're too young. And even though 9 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 1: it's a thing that some people do straight after high school, 10 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: most of the people that do go to those schools, 11 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:29,479 Speaker 1: they have got a little bit more lived experience and 12 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,200 Speaker 1: life behind them. They are maybe in their early twenties, 13 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,239 Speaker 1: sometimes in their late twenties, and me, being eighteen at 14 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: a time, thought you don't know what you're talking about. 15 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: I'm going to get in. So when an auditions turns 16 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: out she did know what she was talking about, and 17 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 1: I did not get in. My name is all of 18 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:53,519 Speaker 1: the Stark. I am a British actor now living in 19 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: the US. You might know me from nam On one 20 00:00:55,800 --> 00:01:08,959 Speaker 1: and I'm happy to be here. Hi everybody, and welcome 21 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: to today's episode of Off the Beat. I am your host, 22 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: Brian Baumgartner. Now listen. As you just heard, Oliver Stark 23 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: is on the podcast today. I'm very excited. I'm so excited, 24 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 1: in fact, that I might just call nine one one. Okay, 25 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 1: that was that was a bad one. I am not 26 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: going to be calling the police, but Oliver and I 27 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 1: will be getting into his time on nine one one, 28 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: the show and how it dove into the stressful realities 29 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: of first responders. It's a great series, but it's only 30 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: one of Oliver's many accomplishments. He starred in the fantasy 31 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 1: series Into the bad Lands, Underworld, Blood Wars, Mind Gamers, 32 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: and much much more. Are you ready? I'm ready. I 33 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 1: always like making new friends. Today is no exception. We're 34 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: gonna go deep into Oliver's career, from his early acting 35 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: days in London Town to training with real firefighters for 36 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 1: nine one one. So here he is my new friend, 37 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 1: Oliver Stark. Bubblunch, Squeak, I love it, Bubble, Squeak, Bubble 38 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 1: and squeaker cook get every month left over from the Nabby. 39 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: What's up? Hello? How you doing, Oliver? How are you? 40 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: I'm doing great? Thank you so much for joining me. Yeah, 41 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: thank you for having me. Now that this ominous countdown 42 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: just disappeared from the screen after lets you have six seconds, Yeah, 43 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: and then your life is going to end. What a 44 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 1: way to go. Well, you know, we like to keep 45 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: it really dramatic here on the on the podcast, Um, 46 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:13,359 Speaker 1: thanks for coming on. We're gonna talk about obviously just 47 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 1: some of the work that you've done. But I wanted 48 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 1: to go back to start with, well the beginning. You 49 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 1: grew up in London, Is that right? It did? Yeah? Yeah, absolutely, 50 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 1: London is home, Northwest London to be more specific. So 51 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: all my family still are okay, so so you know 52 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:34,359 Speaker 1: that that will always in fact be home home. Are 53 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 1: you back there often? You know? When when I first 54 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: so I moved to California in twenty sixteen, and for 55 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:44,119 Speaker 1: my first I guess four years until COVID, I will 56 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 1: go back like twice a year, um so, so I 57 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: still felt quite connected to the place. But then when 58 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 1: COVID here, I didn't go for two years. It's got 59 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: more maybe two and a half. And I went back 60 00:03:57,600 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: just over Christmas and knew which was my first time 61 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 1: in a in a very very long time. So that 62 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 1: was nice, it felt you know, it's just to like 63 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: walk around the streets that you grew up on and 64 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:08,080 Speaker 1: sleep in your old bedroom. And I stayed with my 65 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: parents and they still live in the same house that 66 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: I grew up in, so that that was really nice. 67 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: I had missed that more than I realized. Do you 68 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:20,720 Speaker 1: feel like I haven't talked to anybody about this before. 69 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 1: Do you feel like there is in London at a 70 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:29,599 Speaker 1: younger age a greater sort of focus and or appreciation 71 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: on the arts so weirdly, no, okay, And in actual 72 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: fact I think less so than I've experienced here. Okay, 73 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: in a sense that so when I moved here, one 74 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: of the things that you know, people say, what's the difference? 75 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 1: And I always found that in London, at anytime you 76 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 1: expressed kind of any ambition for a creative career, it's 77 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 1: always all right, but what are you are you really 78 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,599 Speaker 1: going to do? Right? Sure, but what are you actually 79 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:02,159 Speaker 1: going to do? Yeah? R here I and I don't 80 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 1: know if that goes way back to the American dream 81 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: you can do whatever you want, though I've never really 82 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: encountered that to the same degree here. And somebody put 83 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 1: it like this to me, where if you see somebody 84 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 1: in the UK, or in London more specifically with a 85 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 1: nice car, so as well, how come they have that 86 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: and I don't, right, Whereas a bit more of an 87 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: American attitude is how did you get that so that 88 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:27,600 Speaker 1: I can have it? So it's a bit more supportive, 89 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: and maybe that's wrong, maybe that's but but that's the 90 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:32,040 Speaker 1: way it's been put to me. And you know, there 91 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: is certainly more culture in the UK than maybe some cities, 92 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:38,839 Speaker 1: and you know, theater and stuff, right, I mean, I 93 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: think that's the genesis of my asking and your answer 94 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:47,159 Speaker 1: is fascinating to me. But yeah, you think history maybe 95 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: one naively feels like history and culture and the arts 96 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: kind of go hand in hand. But that's a very 97 00:05:54,640 --> 00:06:00,160 Speaker 1: interesting perspective. Yeah, I mean, I think theater wise, as 98 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 1: you just said, like there's the West End, just like 99 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:05,720 Speaker 1: in sort of like New York or whatever, that there 100 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: is more of a focus in those couple of cities 101 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 1: than maybe other places. But that's interesting. Were you involved 102 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 1: in sports growing up city? Yeah, yeah, that was that 103 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: was probably my real ambition when I was like a kid, 104 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: was to be a football player. Okay, I guess quite 105 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 1: a slightly different room. I know, I've always said I 106 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:28,039 Speaker 1: want to play an athlete, so I can kind of 107 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:31,040 Speaker 1: straddle the two and pretend like I made my real 108 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 1: dream come true. Right when did you start becoming interested 109 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: in acting or in the arts? You know? I think 110 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:42,159 Speaker 1: I had always like I was a real show off 111 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: as a kid, Like I liked attention, you know, and 112 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 1: I was a kid who, for whatever reasons, I've never 113 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: really been able to explain this, but I always got attention. 114 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: Like as a kid I was on the way to 115 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 1: would give an extra scoop of ice cream too. I 116 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 1: was always you know that they or they'd come and 117 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,239 Speaker 1: do the magic tricks like that. I just was always 118 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 1: involved in some kind of performance. And maybe I had 119 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: an energy that was clear that maybe I needed a 120 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: little bit more so so people around me would give 121 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: it to me. But I don't think that was ever 122 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: at that stage this is a possible career. It was 123 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 1: like I just liked being the silly one of the group, 124 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: or I just liked they're putting myself out there a 125 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: little bit. I don't think it was until I was 126 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: maybe fourteen fifteen where I even started to think about acting, 127 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: But even then it wasn't a career. And when I 128 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 1: was about eighteen, I did There's a drama school in 129 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: the UK called Rada, which is a very prestigious student school, 130 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 1: and that they came and they did a workshop for 131 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 1: us at my high school. And I remember saying to 132 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 1: one of them, you know, I really enjoy this and 133 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: I think I might want to be an actor, but 134 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: I don't know if that's a real thing you can say. 135 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: And she said, absolutely is just say it, you could, 136 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 1: and you go and do it. And you know, I 137 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: think that was the first time that it clicked, the oh, 138 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 1: being an actor doesn't mean I have to go and 139 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 1: win an Oscar and be the most famous person that like, 140 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: I can just be an actor. I can I can 141 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: try and make a career out of that. And so yeah, 142 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: I think it was about eighteen moving into nineteen where 143 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 1: it first became a viable career choice rather than just 144 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 1: a one in a million dream. That's so interesting because 145 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 1: I think a similar thing happened for me. I mean, 146 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 1: I was very involved and here in the States did 147 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: this big theater competition junior and senior year, but it 148 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 1: was not until I was a senior in high school here, 149 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: like right the summer right before where I did a 150 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: similar program here. It's a program at Northwestern University and 151 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 1: you only go. It's not like you can go to 152 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 1: camp there for years. You can only go between your 153 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: junior and senior year of high school. And that's where 154 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 1: for me, I was like, oh, this can be more 155 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 1: than just an activity that I do, like an extra 156 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 1: curricular or like whatever like this. Oh, I see the 157 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:20,319 Speaker 1: depths now with which this could be something to study 158 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 1: to learn. So that's that's interesting. Were you doing plays 159 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:27,439 Speaker 1: though before this or not? Really you were just oh, okay, yeah, 160 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: I would always do like the school play, you know, 161 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 1: so nothing like you know when I was in I 162 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: don't know what the equivalent would be here year seven, 163 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: I guess. So the first year of high school was 164 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 1: the Grinch in the school play, and you know, got 165 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 1: to do that. And in one of my later years 166 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:48,200 Speaker 1: we did Guys and Goals and I got to play 167 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 1: Sky Masterson, which is funny because I'm completely incapable of 168 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 1: hitting a note. So for me to be the lead 169 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 1: in the school musical was a very brave decision on 170 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: their part. I basically talked my way through most of 171 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 1: the songs, and probably not quite in rhythm or anything. 172 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 1: I could talk sing really well. Yeah, the best of them. 173 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 1: I can talk sing. But yeah, we did that that musical. 174 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 1: It was only on for three nights, and this girl 175 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:17,199 Speaker 1: came up to me. I think she was in the 176 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,280 Speaker 1: year below me. She came up, she went, so, I've 177 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:22,719 Speaker 1: got two more performances after this, but she went, why 178 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 1: are You're such a good actor? You know, I'm feeling 179 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:28,199 Speaker 1: good about but you can't sing and I still got 180 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: I've still got two more performances. It's like, wow, I 181 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 1: can't wait to get onto stage tomorrow. So you have 182 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:38,679 Speaker 1: this conversation with the person from RADA, So what do 183 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 1: you what's your path from there? What do you decide 184 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:45,280 Speaker 1: to do? So I go to my theater studies teacher 185 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 1: at the time and I say, you know, I think 186 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:51,680 Speaker 1: I'm going to apply for drama school, which is a RADA, 187 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 1: a LAMBDA, one of these kind of prestigious lane in 188 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:56,959 Speaker 1: drama school. She says to me, and I not, this 189 00:10:57,160 --> 00:10:59,439 Speaker 1: is quite an odd thing for a teacher to maybe say, 190 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:01,319 Speaker 1: but it was. She said. I don't think you're getting 191 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:04,719 Speaker 1: She said, I think you're too young. And even though 192 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 1: it's a thing that some people do straight after high school, 193 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 1: most of the people that do go to those schools, 194 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 1: they have got a little bit more lived experience and 195 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: life behind them. They are maybe in the early twenties, 196 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: sometimes in their late twenties, and me, being eighteen at 197 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: a time, thought you don't know what you're talking about, 198 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: I'm going to get in. So when an auditions turns 199 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:25,160 Speaker 1: out she did know what she was talking about, and 200 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:29,679 Speaker 1: I did not get in. So at that time, I 201 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:33,439 Speaker 1: then applied to university to go and study economics because 202 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:36,200 Speaker 1: I thought, maybe it's not the right time for me 203 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:38,439 Speaker 1: to do that. So I had a place I was 204 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: going to go and do economics, and then I did 205 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:45,080 Speaker 1: not go and do that course. It was a thing 206 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:48,240 Speaker 1: I was maybe good at, but not my life. So 207 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 1: that kind of left me in a place of not 208 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 1: knowing where I was. So I just started working various 209 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: different jobs. I was like a door to door insurance 210 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 1: salesman for a bit, I worked in a cool center. 211 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:04,439 Speaker 1: I worked in various retail things, and then I reapplied 212 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 1: to drama school the next year and I got into 213 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 1: two of them, okay, and then I got really lucky. 214 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:14,079 Speaker 1: I got offered what was called a Dance and Drama Award, 215 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 1: so a scholarship, and I decided to not go because 216 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 1: so this guy calls me up and he says, you 217 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 1: know you've got your places. Great news, and we're going 218 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:28,839 Speaker 1: to offer you the Dada Scholarship and how great. Thank you, 219 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 1: he said, Wow, that's so crazy to the last person 220 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:36,960 Speaker 1: that told screamed down the phone in excitement, and you 221 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 1: were just seeing so nonplussed about it. And I remember thinking, yeah, 222 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:43,720 Speaker 1: why is that? And I just I think it. I 223 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: had realized it wasn't the right path for me at 224 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 1: that time, and I think my fear was that one 225 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:51,839 Speaker 1: of the things I really enjoyed about acting was I 226 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 1: felt like I had a certain kind of rawness to me, 227 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,400 Speaker 1: and for better or for worse, I felt like they 228 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: were going to try and take that out of me 229 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 1: and rebuild me in their image almost and I didn't 230 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 1: want to do that at that time, so I said no, 231 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: and instead I just started making short films, not making them, 232 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 1: but being in them. So I found this website and 233 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 1: it was where a lot of film students would put 234 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 1: up castings for their graduation films, and so I was 235 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: in the space of a year I did something like 236 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:29,440 Speaker 1: twenty two short films for just random film students, and 237 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:32,720 Speaker 1: some of them are so awful, but it was a 238 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: very safe place for me to be really bad, right, 239 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: And then I cut together a reel out of those 240 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 1: and I started sending them off to agents, and I 241 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 1: got my first agent in the UK and just slowly 242 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 1: started to grow from then. You know, did There's a 243 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 1: show in the UK called Casualty where every British actor 244 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:52,320 Speaker 1: ever has been on it, you know, as one of 245 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 1: their first jobs. And so I did that and I 246 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:57,120 Speaker 1: played a drug dealer who one of his pregnant girlfriend 247 00:13:57,160 --> 00:13:58,720 Speaker 1: to go to a drug deal because he thought there 248 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:00,200 Speaker 1: would be less chance that she would be the one 249 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:03,960 Speaker 1: to get shook. She goes shut and so yes, I 250 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: just you know, slowly started building a resume. Yeah, now 251 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 1: at this point, what is your that by the way, 252 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 1: the foresight that you had to make the decision for 253 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 1: your own path one is very admirable because I know 254 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 1: that most people follow a very certain sort of prescribed path. 255 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 1: So that's very cool. Let me ask you this, at 256 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: this point, you do these student films, where do you 257 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: Where do you think your life is going? And I'll 258 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 1: tell you about me, not because you ask, but because 259 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 1: to tell you what I mean. Like I was doing 260 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: theater in the United States, so I was doing regional theater, 261 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 1: touring theaters, theaters all around him. That's really what I 262 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: thought my life was. That was what my dream was. 263 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 1: I want to be a theater actor, doing this forever. 264 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 1: Like that's where it's sort of finished for me. And 265 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 1: I ask in part because yes, you're in the UK, 266 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 1: you're in London, and they do a lot of wonderful 267 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 1: filmmaking over in London. But like for you, where did 268 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 1: you but your path hasn't gone that way? Where did 269 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: you see yourself? What did you want to do at 270 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 1: this point? So I think that there were two very 271 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 1: distinct sides to myself this time, one where even though 272 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 1: I had now taken steps into this, one that thought, 273 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 1: I'm never gonna nobody's ever going to pay me to 274 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:42,600 Speaker 1: do this. I just feel like some kid from Hendon, 275 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: which is the place in London. Yes, I'm never gonna 276 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 1: make anything of this. And then the other side where 277 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 1: I never had any doubt but I was going to 278 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: find success. And I think you know that that's probably 279 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: and I have, you know, looked into this. Why did 280 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 1: I have such a part of myself that was so sure? 281 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 1: And it's probably because you know, look at or think 282 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 1: about representation of things. I've probably always seen a version 283 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 1: of myself in most movies, right, Like growing up, there 284 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 1: was always a guy that probably kind of looked like 285 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 1: me that was the hero in a lot of these stories. 286 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 1: So I think for those reasons, it always felt doable 287 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: on one hand, But then there's also a lot of 288 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 1: guys that look like me, so completely unachievable on the 289 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 1: other hand. And I just had these two separate sides 290 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 1: where one, I'm going to end up selling video games forever, 291 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 1: which is what I was doing at the time, and 292 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: two I'm going to be on TV screens, no doubt 293 00:16:39,560 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 1: about it. Fascinating. One of your earliest jobs you work 294 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 1: with our mutual friend DRIs elba yea Uther, very big 295 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:08,920 Speaker 1: show in the UK at the time, and obviously he 296 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:12,879 Speaker 1: is exploding at this time. How how was that experience 297 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: for you as one of your earliest jobs. I was 298 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: so excited because it was it was the third season 299 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:21,359 Speaker 1: of Luther, so so it's been around for a little 300 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 1: bit and it was the best thing in British television, 301 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:27,159 Speaker 1: you know, and and and so much of that is 302 00:17:27,600 --> 00:17:31,280 Speaker 1: is him and kind of all aspects. He had this 303 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 1: runess to him where he was rough and ready, but 304 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 1: he was still, you know, obviously intelligent and oh it 305 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:42,960 Speaker 1: was such a brilliant character. They're doing a movie that's 306 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:45,920 Speaker 1: coming out sooner. I know that. You know, I'm gonna 307 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:48,199 Speaker 1: tell you that. I don't think I've told this story before. 308 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:51,159 Speaker 1: I it sounds this is going to sound like a 309 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:53,600 Speaker 1: humble bragg. This is like, oh, very weird, I've not 310 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 1: this is so long ago. Obviously the wire has been out. 311 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 1: But I you know, this didn't I mean, it should 312 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:07,920 Speaker 1: have propelled him immediately into humongous stardom. He doesn't. I'm 313 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 1: at an event out of the country of the US 314 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: that was in the Bahamas, and I get this. Someone 315 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 1: comes over to me and says, and I'm bringing this 316 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:26,199 Speaker 1: up because you talked about his rawness. They say, the 317 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: DJ wants to talk to you. He said, this is 318 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: something that no one is in any club ever said 319 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:36,600 Speaker 1: to me. And I said, oh, okay, yeah, he's gonna 320 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:40,399 Speaker 1: be on your show. The DJs in the Bahamas is 321 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:44,320 Speaker 1: going to be on my show. Yeah, And I go 322 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:50,239 Speaker 1: I go up and there's Idriss as the DJ, and 323 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 1: I you know, it was like, well, one of those 324 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:57,360 Speaker 1: things where you see someone and you know them, but 325 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:01,400 Speaker 1: in this content. I mean, like, here's role on the Wire, 326 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 1: which is where I knew him from. And this a 327 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 1: fantastic DJ by the way, was so different and he's like, hey, 328 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 1: may you know whatever, I'm going to be on your show, 329 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 1: and I was like what who? Oh my god? And 330 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,480 Speaker 1: then but his like energy and his wrong, I know 331 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:22,440 Speaker 1: what you're talking about about that it makes that makes 332 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:26,080 Speaker 1: total sense today. That's the story that I always think 333 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:28,560 Speaker 1: about him is. So I do this little bit on 334 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 1: Luther and it's such a small part, you know, it's 335 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 1: at the beginning of one episodes. It was really fun though, 336 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 1: especially because it was maybe my second TV job. I 337 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 1: didn't know what I was doing, and almost in quite 338 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:42,200 Speaker 1: a good way where I just felt really loose and relaxed, 339 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:44,400 Speaker 1: like who knows. So, you know, I do this bit 340 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 1: and by the time our characters that I say this 341 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:51,160 Speaker 1: newsly interact because I'm dead, but you know, he comes 342 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 1: and I've already been killed, right, But you know, we 343 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: spoke a little bit on set that day and then 344 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:57,439 Speaker 1: I think that you know, it was one of these 345 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,240 Speaker 1: British shows where there's four episodes in the se season, 346 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:03,560 Speaker 1: and so it was the penultimate episode. So the rat 347 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:07,200 Speaker 1: Party was not too long after, and so I went 348 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 1: to the Rat Party and as I arrived there, he 349 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 1: was outside with this guy Warren Brown, who was his 350 00:20:13,080 --> 00:20:16,199 Speaker 1: partner on the show. And I'd known Warren previously, so 351 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:18,520 Speaker 1: I started talking to them and after a while he 352 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:20,359 Speaker 1: just goes, I just I feel like I recognize you 353 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 1: from somewhere. And I was like, yeah, Luther like this. 354 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:27,120 Speaker 1: I mean I was dead at the time, but this 355 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 1: is the Luther Rat Party and he's like, oh yeah yeah. 356 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:32,680 Speaker 1: So that was that. That was the first bit. But 357 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:36,119 Speaker 1: then like two or three years after this, saw him 358 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 1: at an airport and I thought, oh what, I'm just 359 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: gonna say hi, and he before I said hi, I 360 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:44,120 Speaker 1: worked and he went Luthor right, and he completely remembered 361 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:47,640 Speaker 1: me from like three years prior to my name and everything. 362 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 1: So the difference in those two interactions it made me 363 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 1: feel so good. When I went up to the airport 364 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 1: and he totally remembered me. That's awesome. Um, you start 365 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:02,160 Speaker 1: working on films now, are you still in the UK 366 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:07,359 Speaker 1: and you know at what point? Sorry, well hard tiede, 367 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:13,640 Speaker 1: Yes very much in the UK. Yes, underworld mind gamers, 368 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:18,399 Speaker 1: you're working and you're building your resume and your career. 369 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:21,119 Speaker 1: They are still in the UK. Now you've worked on 370 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 1: some film now and some television. What for you was 371 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:29,240 Speaker 1: the difference or was it just a different job. Yeah? 372 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 1: I think at that point it was very much just 373 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:35,439 Speaker 1: a case of how much time can I spend on 374 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 1: sets and how much can I not mess this up? 375 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:41,920 Speaker 1: And so maybe there'll be another opportunity where anything I 376 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 1: take from this one I can use on the next one. 377 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 1: So I mean, you know that the one you meant 378 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:51,879 Speaker 1: in The Hard Tide was quite a big part in 379 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: that movie. You know. In fact, I remember how I 380 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:57,639 Speaker 1: got that was somebody else was meant to do it, 381 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:00,320 Speaker 1: and then he dropped out, and they said to me, 382 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:04,200 Speaker 1: literally on a Friday, can you do this movie? And 383 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:07,159 Speaker 1: you're starting on Monday. You have to travel up there tomorrow. 384 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:09,359 Speaker 1: And obviously I was like, yes, that I can't wait. 385 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: But but you know, it was that kind of movie 386 00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:14,119 Speaker 1: where it was just so thrown together at the last minute. 387 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:16,439 Speaker 1: But it was a great experience, and it was a 388 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: chance for me to just do some acting on camera, 389 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:22,960 Speaker 1: because even the things I had done up until that point, 390 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:26,640 Speaker 1: you know that they were fun and cool, but they 391 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:29,120 Speaker 1: were small and there wasn't really any meat to anything 392 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 1: that I was doing, where I think that was probably 393 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: one of the first times where it was like I 394 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:36,280 Speaker 1: can delve into this guy and I can feel like 395 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:39,719 Speaker 1: I'm transforming a little bit. So even though you know 396 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 1: it's it's not necessarily a performance that I look backward 397 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:44,480 Speaker 1: and I'm like, well, I hope some people see that. 398 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 1: But it was an important step for me. And the 399 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:52,359 Speaker 1: biggest one that you mentioned there for me was probably 400 00:22:52,359 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: that Mind Gamers movie, because that actually came at a 401 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: point where I had come out to America for a 402 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 1: little bit. I came out to a pilot season. I'd 403 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:02,399 Speaker 1: saved that some money. It came out and did a 404 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 1: pilot season, and it was so bad I think I 405 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 1: had You know, you hear these stories. I don't know. 406 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:11,920 Speaker 1: Maybe I don't know if you hear them as an American, 407 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:14,800 Speaker 1: but you can maybe speak on that. But when you're 408 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:17,959 Speaker 1: coming over from the UK for a pilot season, you're 409 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:20,480 Speaker 1: going to have five auditions a day. It's going to 410 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:24,360 Speaker 1: be unmanageable. You were going to be spending so much 411 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:26,520 Speaker 1: money on guests. Him out for six weeks. I had 412 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 1: about three auditions, so it was such a letdown, and 413 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:33,160 Speaker 1: then I got Mind Gamers a couple of weeks after 414 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:36,080 Speaker 1: I got back. That's what gave me the money to 415 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:38,399 Speaker 1: come out to the US again, which is where I 416 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 1: then booked my first TV show. You start dabbling mind 417 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:45,399 Speaker 1: Gamers for one in fantasy and sci fi? Now, is 418 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 1: this something that you personally are interested in? How was 419 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:52,960 Speaker 1: that genre in a way different than other stuff that 420 00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:56,679 Speaker 1: you had done. Yeah, I've absolutely always had an interest 421 00:23:56,680 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 1: in and watching that kind of thing. I think sci 422 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: fi in particular, probably through my older brother when I 423 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:05,360 Speaker 1: was growing up. He was a big Star Trek fan, 424 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 1: so that was often on the TV, and I didn't 425 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:11,120 Speaker 1: necessarily get it when I was really really young, and then, 426 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 1: as you do, sometimes just my older brother liked it. 427 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 1: I liked it, so got more into sci fi and 428 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:23,160 Speaker 1: fantasy stuff. I think the key really for the actor, though, 429 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 1: in my humble opinion, is to not play that you're 430 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:30,879 Speaker 1: in a to not treat it very differently, you know, 431 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:34,119 Speaker 1: is to treat it as if you're making anything and 432 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:36,959 Speaker 1: be grounded and you just happen to be in the 433 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:39,680 Speaker 1: world of sci fi. I think as an audience member, 434 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 1: anything you watch all of that stuff, sci fi action, 435 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 1: whatever it is. That's all only matters if you care 436 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:51,120 Speaker 1: about the people and if you buy into the connections 437 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 1: between the characters, and so that has to be the 438 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:57,440 Speaker 1: focus of the actor, and then everything around them does 439 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:01,280 Speaker 1: the sci fi job. Speaking of sci fi into the 440 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:04,159 Speaker 1: bad Lands, how are you? How are you cast? I 441 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 1: mean this, this becomes your first really big break. Tell me, 442 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:12,239 Speaker 1: tell me how it happens. So so, i'd done this 443 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:14,600 Speaker 1: mind Games movie, which had given me enough money to 444 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:17,399 Speaker 1: come back out to the US, and I came for 445 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:19,920 Speaker 1: two weeks. That's all you were coming for. You were 446 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:22,159 Speaker 1: just coming for two weeks. It's just two weeks in 447 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:25,920 Speaker 1: in October, okay, And I think I had something said 448 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:28,440 Speaker 1: to me of like a mini pilot season. I don't 449 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:29,879 Speaker 1: know if that's a thing or not, but that's what 450 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:34,679 Speaker 1: I've been told. I don't know. I certainly didn't experience that. 451 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 1: I came out and I had absolutely nothing in the 452 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:43,680 Speaker 1: first week. It's okay, not really what I spent the 453 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:45,640 Speaker 1: money for, but I guess I'm having a nice time. 454 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 1: Second week, I think I had maybe one audition, and 455 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:53,840 Speaker 1: I called my manager and we got an argument. For 456 00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:55,280 Speaker 1: the first time I've been with this guy for it 457 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:58,120 Speaker 1: for a couple of years now, you know, me based 458 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:00,320 Speaker 1: in the UK and him sending me audition tape. But 459 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:02,720 Speaker 1: this was one of our first times. But yeah, we 460 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: really fell out on the phone because I just said, 461 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:07,760 Speaker 1: you know, I've come all the way here and there's nothing, 462 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 1: which is a silly thing to say, because he quite 463 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:13,400 Speaker 1: rightly said, what do you want me to do if 464 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:16,440 Speaker 1: there's you know, if there's anything comes up, I'm submitting 465 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 1: you for it. I think the way he put it 466 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 1: to me is like I'm not sitting behind my desk 467 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 1: jerking awful day. I'm trying to get you jo like 468 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 1: I'm trying to do it for you, right. And so 469 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:28,679 Speaker 1: I said to him, you know, should I should I 470 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 1: extend for one more week? He said, I'll be honest 471 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:32,600 Speaker 1: with you, only don't spend the money. It's not worth it. 472 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 1: There's nothing here called my UK agent. I said the 473 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:39,240 Speaker 1: same thing. He said, come home. But I had just 474 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:42,679 Speaker 1: split up with a partner back home, and I think 475 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:44,440 Speaker 1: I've just been a bit stubborn as well. And so 476 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 1: I said, I'm going to do one more week and 477 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,320 Speaker 1: he said, all right, let's see what we can do. 478 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 1: And I had a load of general meetings that week, 479 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:54,359 Speaker 1: so you know, I'm just going meeting casting people, not 480 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:56,360 Speaker 1: for any specific jobs, but I get to sit down 481 00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:59,480 Speaker 1: with them and just to have a discussion. Right. And 482 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:03,800 Speaker 1: then on the Friday, the last day of my extended week, 483 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:06,359 Speaker 1: I get this audition or I must have got the 484 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:09,440 Speaker 1: audition on the Thursday to audition on Friday four into 485 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:11,920 Speaker 1: the bad Lands, and they said, it's this great pilot script, 486 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:14,520 Speaker 1: and it was that. The pilot script was fantastic. The 487 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:19,200 Speaker 1: part was so good. This tomorrow Friday, it's late, it's 488 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 1: like four or five pm, as I said, going home 489 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:24,200 Speaker 1: Saturday morning. So I read for this part with just 490 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 1: the cast and director, nobody else, may have even just 491 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:29,760 Speaker 1: been the casting assistant. And I did it once and 492 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:31,479 Speaker 1: she just looked at me and she can you just 493 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:33,720 Speaker 1: give me one second? And she went out of the 494 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:35,320 Speaker 1: room and she came back in with the main cast 495 00:27:35,359 --> 00:27:38,440 Speaker 1: and director and she said, can you read it for her? 496 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:41,760 Speaker 1: And this was one of the most humbling I did. 497 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 1: On the first line, she said stop. I said, okay, 498 00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:50,920 Speaker 1: she said, you're trying too hard. Said okay, great again, 499 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:54,880 Speaker 1: he started it again, and I literally two or three 500 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:58,719 Speaker 1: lines and she stops me again. She said, just stop acting. Okay, 501 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:02,719 Speaker 1: here we go again, and I remember very clearly this 502 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:05,920 Speaker 1: feeling of getting past the third line and thinking, okay, 503 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: she's not stopped me. So I get through the scene 504 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 1: and she says, when are you going home? I say, 505 00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:18,840 Speaker 1: I'm going home tomorrow morning's can you stay around if 506 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:22,520 Speaker 1: I get the producers down here to meet you right now? Yes, 507 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:25,920 Speaker 1: of course I can stay around, so I do. I 508 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: just sitting there in their office in the waiting room 509 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 1: for about an hour, and Miles Miller and al Gol 510 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 1: who were the two guys that created it, they just 511 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:36,520 Speaker 1: made Wednesday most recently. They come in and I read 512 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 1: for them and we have a bit of a chat 513 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:41,480 Speaker 1: and they say, all right, great, thanks. So I fly 514 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 1: out home the next day and I don't hear anything 515 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 1: for a week, and then I get told that AMC 516 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 1: are going to fly me back out to tests for 517 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:51,640 Speaker 1: the part, and I do that and I think it's 518 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:54,880 Speaker 1: the next day. I get the cool you're in, which 519 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 1: was huge for me. And you know, but I think 520 00:28:57,360 --> 00:28:59,520 Speaker 1: by the time I got that cool, it was probably 521 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:01,920 Speaker 1: quite late in the day, and you know, my parents 522 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:03,800 Speaker 1: back in the UK would have been very much asleep, 523 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:06,479 Speaker 1: and I called them straight away and they kind of 524 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 1: groggily answered the phone clearly of what, so, what are 525 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 1: you calling about? And I said, I thank you, said 526 00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 1: I got the part, and my mum said, I'm so 527 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 1: glad you called. And and from then it was you know, 528 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:20,320 Speaker 1: you're going to New Orleans and you're going to make 529 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:23,040 Speaker 1: this TV show And it was such an amazing experience. 530 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 1: It's a really cool world they created. Yeah, the character 531 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:30,280 Speaker 1: of writer. Talk to me a little bit about how 532 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 1: you how you got into this this character, besides doing 533 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 1: your best to not act into the this post apocalyptic 534 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:42,840 Speaker 1: world that he's living in. Yeah, well, so the world 535 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: itself was not tool I pictured as well, because I 536 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:48,080 Speaker 1: knew it was post apocalyptics. So and I had read 537 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:51,040 Speaker 1: it and I had been imagining mad Max. Okay, and 538 00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:52,960 Speaker 1: then we get there and it's my first fitting and 539 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:57,480 Speaker 1: we're dressed like Victorian Royalty, and so from the get goals, oh, 540 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:02,440 Speaker 1: this is something totally different. And I remember my real 541 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:07,560 Speaker 1: focus getting into that character is what does it do 542 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:12,320 Speaker 1: when you're holding onto secrets for a long time? Because 543 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:16,239 Speaker 1: originally that character was going to be secretly gay, and 544 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:18,640 Speaker 1: that never played out in the script, and I remember 545 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:22,360 Speaker 1: he had this dad's played by the sect called Martin 546 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 1: shot Ass, who is like so good but very scary 547 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 1: in the show, not very scary in real life well sometimes, 548 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:35,760 Speaker 1: but very very powerful man in the show, one that 549 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:39,600 Speaker 1: you would think would maybe not be quite on board 550 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:43,160 Speaker 1: with his son possibly being gay. And so it was 551 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 1: something that he was aside himself he was going to 552 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:47,480 Speaker 1: have to hide, and I remember really focusing on what 553 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:50,240 Speaker 1: would that do to a person to keep aside himself 554 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:53,960 Speaker 1: buried for so long? And I can't remember what I 555 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 1: was reading at the time, but it had something about 556 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:59,160 Speaker 1: how secrets rot away at you if you if you 557 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 1: keep them inside. And so there was this kind of 558 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 1: darkness that I wanted to find in him of just 559 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:07,800 Speaker 1: not being able to be himself and never feeling worthy 560 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 1: and feeling like his real self wasn't going to be 561 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:14,520 Speaker 1: worthy of the future Baron of the Badlands, which she 562 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:17,840 Speaker 1: was the heir to be. So so that was that 563 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 1: was a big part of finding who Rider was. What 564 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:23,680 Speaker 1: does it feel like to bear this weight your whole 565 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 1: life of not being good enough? That's fascinating. What do 566 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:29,360 Speaker 1: you think in terms of showing up and having it 567 00:31:29,480 --> 00:31:34,120 Speaker 1: be so different stylistically than what you thought before. Do 568 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:36,920 Speaker 1: you feel like that had an impact on your performance 569 00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:39,800 Speaker 1: or was that just you were just playing the part 570 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:45,000 Speaker 1: and your environment didn't matter. Um. I think it was 571 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:48,760 Speaker 1: kind of a case of once I was in the costume, 572 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:50,880 Speaker 1: and I don't know if you've ever experienced this, but 573 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:56,480 Speaker 1: it changed everything. Yeah, Suddenly I was walking a little 574 00:31:56,480 --> 00:31:58,719 Speaker 1: bit taller, my shoulders were pinned back a little bit 575 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:02,239 Speaker 1: further because I'm in this as the beautiful, you know, 576 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:05,000 Speaker 1: outfit they've put together. So so I do think it 577 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:09,200 Speaker 1: I could imagine if it wasn't that, I probably I 578 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:11,520 Speaker 1: would have had a totally different physicality, probably would have 579 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:13,760 Speaker 1: been a bit more hunched over. I've I've grown up 580 00:32:13,840 --> 00:32:16,960 Speaker 1: in this like dirty world, And actually it wasn't that. 581 00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:19,600 Speaker 1: It was down to an abbey and I was upright, 582 00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 1: and so it definitely changed things, but not in a 583 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:25,280 Speaker 1: way that I think was toll detrimental. I think it 584 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:30,000 Speaker 1: probably added because it's it's all that roughness was still there. 585 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:32,480 Speaker 1: It is still a world where at any moment you 586 00:32:32,520 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 1: can die or and be killed. But that added into 587 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:40,280 Speaker 1: the kind of royalty of the whole thing I think 588 00:32:40,320 --> 00:32:44,360 Speaker 1: blended together quite nicely. Is the physicality important for you 589 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:48,920 Speaker 1: in creating a character? Yeah, massively, I think you know, 590 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:51,959 Speaker 1: I used to be an actor where every part has 591 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:54,440 Speaker 1: to feel so different from the last one, and that 592 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:57,120 Speaker 1: was such an important thing to me. And then I 593 00:32:57,200 --> 00:33:00,480 Speaker 1: realized that that's actually probably quite that's quite the intrumental 594 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 1: because to some extent every part we play, you know, 595 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:06,280 Speaker 1: we're putting a piece of ourself into it, right, and 596 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:10,520 Speaker 1: if we weren't, it wouldn't be a unique performance for us. 597 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:13,200 Speaker 1: So so I realized that maybe you know that there's 598 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:16,320 Speaker 1: always going to be an essence of myself in these parts. 599 00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:19,600 Speaker 1: And one of the things that can help me get 600 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:22,640 Speaker 1: into the other character aspect is how do they walk, 601 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:26,280 Speaker 1: how do they move? How do they hold themselves? Because 602 00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:28,719 Speaker 1: I think that tells quite the story as well. You know, 603 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:33,480 Speaker 1: in certain situations we hold ourselves probably differently, and there's 604 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:36,280 Speaker 1: something about that that is telling a story. Well, why 605 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:39,480 Speaker 1: why do I when I'm putting this Victorian jacket? Why 606 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:42,200 Speaker 1: do I stand more upright? Right? Because I've never had 607 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 1: to kind of put words to it. If that that 608 00:33:46,280 --> 00:33:48,760 Speaker 1: privileged upbringing that these characters have had, maybe they've not 609 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:52,480 Speaker 1: had anything weighing them down in from a societal point 610 00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 1: of view. So yeah, no, I do. I think. I 611 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:57,560 Speaker 1: think the physicality for me has always been a key 612 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:00,480 Speaker 1: to help unlock a part who that person is. I 613 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:21,040 Speaker 1: agree totally. In addition to that, you had a lot 614 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:25,440 Speaker 1: of action scenes into the bad Lands. Did you do 615 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:28,799 Speaker 1: your own stunts or did you have stunt people? How 616 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:31,400 Speaker 1: much of it was you? I definitely had stunt people, 617 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:34,279 Speaker 1: not as much as I would have liked on on 618 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:38,600 Speaker 1: bad moments, mostly because it was it was martial arts based. 619 00:34:38,680 --> 00:34:40,919 Speaker 1: So before each season we'd have these big martial arts 620 00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:44,560 Speaker 1: boot camps. And I've always been quite athletic, or I 621 00:34:44,560 --> 00:34:47,920 Speaker 1: have not always been is very flexible, and when we 622 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:49,920 Speaker 1: were doing these martial arts scenes, you know, it's like 623 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:52,680 Speaker 1: high kicks and stuff. I just I just wasn't I 624 00:34:52,680 --> 00:34:55,279 Speaker 1: just I just didn't have it right. But one thing 625 00:34:55,320 --> 00:34:58,600 Speaker 1: that so we had this amazing stunt stunt crew. It 626 00:34:58,719 --> 00:35:02,160 Speaker 1: was a very authentic. It felt like experienced to learning 627 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:05,360 Speaker 1: the martial arts. Because his team of five or six guys, 628 00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:08,160 Speaker 1: they've flown out from China, only one of them spoke English. 629 00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:11,600 Speaker 1: It was it was like very just yeah, as I said, 630 00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:15,600 Speaker 1: authentic feeling, and you know, they'd be kind of trying 631 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:17,440 Speaker 1: to communicate to me that I'm doing it wrong, and 632 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:19,279 Speaker 1: I'd be trying to communicate back, I know that I'm 633 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:22,320 Speaker 1: doing it wrong. I just can't do it right. And 634 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:25,640 Speaker 1: so this guy that the heads, the one that he 635 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:29,760 Speaker 1: did speak English master Ded, we would try and base 636 00:35:30,040 --> 00:35:34,200 Speaker 1: riders fights around my skill set, like maybe he's just 637 00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 1: not much of a fancy fighter, maybe he's just a 638 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:40,440 Speaker 1: bit more seas red, it's just a bit more brutish, Like, yeah, 639 00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:45,040 Speaker 1: I'd do that and just swing wildly. So I got 640 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:48,800 Speaker 1: to have some influence in building those scenes, but anything 641 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:52,359 Speaker 1: that did require a bit more finesse. I had a 642 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:55,279 Speaker 1: great double in New Orleans and then the same thing. 643 00:35:55,760 --> 00:35:58,359 Speaker 1: In fact I had there were different doubles between season 644 00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:00,759 Speaker 1: one and two. Season one, I had a great double. 645 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:04,240 Speaker 1: Season two, I had a very very handsome and muscular 646 00:36:04,320 --> 00:36:06,200 Speaker 1: double to the point where it's like, can he just 647 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:11,800 Speaker 1: play writer? He just put my face on his body. 648 00:36:12,719 --> 00:36:17,120 Speaker 1: But yeah, he was great, And so yeah, always had 649 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:20,080 Speaker 1: you know, in all these jobs that I've unfortunate to 650 00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:22,560 Speaker 1: do a fair amount of action, built a really great 651 00:36:22,600 --> 00:36:25,640 Speaker 1: relationship with stunt doubles because I think it's more than 652 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:28,440 Speaker 1: them just certainly something that I experienced these days. It's 653 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:30,560 Speaker 1: more than them just stepping in to do the things 654 00:36:30,560 --> 00:36:33,239 Speaker 1: that I'm maybe it's unsafe for me to do or 655 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:35,400 Speaker 1: incapable of doing, and it's much more about building a 656 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:37,359 Speaker 1: rapport of Hey, man, I know you're going to want 657 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:39,759 Speaker 1: to do this, so I tested it out for you, 658 00:36:39,760 --> 00:36:41,560 Speaker 1: and I found that if I put my hand here, 659 00:36:41,640 --> 00:36:43,759 Speaker 1: it gave me really great leverage or whatever it is. 660 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:46,640 Speaker 1: But but having that back and forth rather than just 661 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:50,440 Speaker 1: all right, I'm done, he steps in. Right. How How 662 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:53,120 Speaker 1: did the calves come along really really well? Because it 663 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:57,080 Speaker 1: was a really nice blend of people, kind of different 664 00:36:57,120 --> 00:37:00,479 Speaker 1: ages and different backgrounds and people coming from from parts 665 00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:03,200 Speaker 1: of the world, and we were just thrown into this thing. 666 00:37:04,239 --> 00:37:07,640 Speaker 1: And we had this fight camp for the seasons where 667 00:37:07,680 --> 00:37:12,240 Speaker 1: it was just being beaten up, beating each other up 668 00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:15,920 Speaker 1: and not good at it. Yeah, really it was you know, 669 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:18,480 Speaker 1: we were all staying pretty close to each other and 670 00:37:18,520 --> 00:37:21,279 Speaker 1: we'd go we spent eight hours a day learning to 671 00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:24,680 Speaker 1: fight together. It was It was amazing. It was so 672 00:37:24,840 --> 00:37:29,200 Speaker 1: bonding and learning to deal with the Louisiana heat because 673 00:37:29,239 --> 00:37:32,279 Speaker 1: we were there like just moving into summit. It was 674 00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:35,759 Speaker 1: so so hot, and I just drenched engross the whole time. 675 00:37:36,040 --> 00:37:38,880 Speaker 1: But it was it was really bonding for everybody to 676 00:37:38,960 --> 00:37:42,439 Speaker 1: kind of struggle through that together. And you know see 677 00:37:42,520 --> 00:37:45,239 Speaker 1: some people, oh, they'd learned to do this kick and 678 00:37:45,239 --> 00:37:48,080 Speaker 1: and everybody be really supportive because well, you're the first 679 00:37:48,080 --> 00:37:49,360 Speaker 1: one to get it, all right, now I want to 680 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:51,640 Speaker 1: get it. And it was Yeah, that that in itself, 681 00:37:51,680 --> 00:37:55,400 Speaker 1: I think really helped bind everybody together. Well, you know, 682 00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:58,719 Speaker 1: there certainly was and is there was a period where 683 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:02,439 Speaker 1: post apocalyptic tone vision became quite a thing. You've got 684 00:38:02,480 --> 00:38:07,160 Speaker 1: The Last of Us, The Walking Dead, Station eleven and more. 685 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:10,880 Speaker 1: Where do you feel into the bad Lands fits into this? 686 00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:13,920 Speaker 1: In what way is it unique and what do you 687 00:38:13,960 --> 00:38:18,080 Speaker 1: think it's legacy is? I think it's unique kind of 688 00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:20,680 Speaker 1: in what I touched on about it just it just 689 00:38:20,719 --> 00:38:22,680 Speaker 1: feels like a different world in the way that we 690 00:38:22,719 --> 00:38:26,680 Speaker 1: were all dressed. It's it didn't show us going back 691 00:38:26,800 --> 00:38:33,200 Speaker 1: to this kind of barren, deserted world, show that in 692 00:38:33,239 --> 00:38:38,000 Speaker 1: some senses it is the world's more heightened state where 693 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:41,080 Speaker 1: it has moved forward. For me, the real thing that 694 00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:43,600 Speaker 1: sets into the bad Land and society and it has 695 00:38:43,640 --> 00:38:45,359 Speaker 1: given it which I've come to learn over the last 696 00:38:45,360 --> 00:38:48,000 Speaker 1: few years something of a cult following. It's the action 697 00:38:48,040 --> 00:38:51,359 Speaker 1: in it, you know, it's very much old school kind 698 00:38:51,360 --> 00:38:56,359 Speaker 1: of Kung Fu movies, gravity defying, you spend a little 699 00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:58,520 Speaker 1: bit too long in the air before each kick, and 700 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:01,520 Speaker 1: it's really something there's not much of an American TV 701 00:39:01,920 --> 00:39:04,960 Speaker 1: you know. I think those movies really became mainstream here 702 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:07,759 Speaker 1: through things like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, But I don't 703 00:39:07,760 --> 00:39:12,239 Speaker 1: think TV ever really found that style and into the 704 00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:16,759 Speaker 1: bad Lends for me, really nailed that fighting style. Were 705 00:39:16,760 --> 00:39:18,759 Speaker 1: you ready for it to be over when I was over? 706 00:39:19,480 --> 00:39:22,560 Speaker 1: I was. I was horrified when I got the because 707 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:26,960 Speaker 1: so I I die halfway through the second season, Yes, 708 00:39:27,320 --> 00:39:29,640 Speaker 1: and I was so I wasn't going to spoil it, 709 00:39:29,680 --> 00:39:32,839 Speaker 1: but you did. Okay, Yes, So I die halfway through 710 00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:38,320 Speaker 1: the second season, and I felt like at the time, Oh, 711 00:39:38,360 --> 00:39:41,560 Speaker 1: here's this cool cable TV show. This is gonna be 712 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:44,239 Speaker 1: Oh okay, I'm dying. Oh maybe I did a really 713 00:39:44,239 --> 00:39:46,400 Speaker 1: bad job and I'm never going to work again. I was. 714 00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:49,200 Speaker 1: I was petrified at the end of it, and in 715 00:39:49,280 --> 00:39:52,000 Speaker 1: some senses, if I watched your two seasons, I'm much 716 00:39:52,040 --> 00:39:54,360 Speaker 1: happier with the performances I given a second season and 717 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:56,560 Speaker 1: the first, and I think it's because I felt free 718 00:39:56,600 --> 00:39:59,120 Speaker 1: up in the first season. I think I still had 719 00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:01,640 Speaker 1: that this is like a really big opportunity. Oh, I 720 00:40:01,640 --> 00:40:03,759 Speaker 1: should say it's like nice little box because of that, 721 00:40:03,760 --> 00:40:05,400 Speaker 1: Whereas in season two I knew it was coming to 722 00:40:05,440 --> 00:40:08,120 Speaker 1: an end, so I felt much freer in my performances. 723 00:40:08,360 --> 00:40:11,440 Speaker 1: But yeah, I was. I was really really worried to 724 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:13,400 Speaker 1: come into the end of that show of did I 725 00:40:13,400 --> 00:40:16,640 Speaker 1: blow my opportunity? Here? Am I Am? I never going 726 00:40:16,680 --> 00:40:19,560 Speaker 1: to be able to get get shot? So so no, yeah, 727 00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:22,080 Speaker 1: I was. I was not ready for it to be over. Well, 728 00:40:22,760 --> 00:40:29,080 Speaker 1: you got another shot pretty quick. Nine one one on 729 00:40:29,400 --> 00:40:36,360 Speaker 1: Fox TV. Quite a shift from post apocalyptic victorian wearing 730 00:40:36,920 --> 00:40:41,160 Speaker 1: bad guy to nine one one on Fox. How was 731 00:40:41,200 --> 00:40:43,799 Speaker 1: that switching it up? Well, first of all, tell me 732 00:40:43,800 --> 00:40:46,800 Speaker 1: how you were cast as Evan. Yeah, so that that 733 00:40:46,920 --> 00:40:50,239 Speaker 1: was about eight months between bad Lands and them and one. 734 00:40:50,320 --> 00:40:53,120 Speaker 1: So in the grand scheme of things, relatively quick doesn't 735 00:40:53,200 --> 00:40:57,239 Speaker 1: feel like yeah, but yes, yes, you are ready yes, 736 00:40:58,160 --> 00:41:02,839 Speaker 1: And so I it was a really strange feeling when 737 00:41:02,880 --> 00:41:05,080 Speaker 1: I got the audition for this part. So audition came 738 00:41:05,120 --> 00:41:10,200 Speaker 1: through and I honestly thought I'm gonna get this. And 739 00:41:10,400 --> 00:41:12,880 Speaker 1: bear in mind, so in those eight months, I haven't 740 00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:14,840 Speaker 1: even got close to anything. I don't think I've had 741 00:41:14,880 --> 00:41:18,359 Speaker 1: a call back. But or it wasn't even so much 742 00:41:18,440 --> 00:41:20,279 Speaker 1: I'm going to get this. It was I'm going to 743 00:41:20,400 --> 00:41:22,160 Speaker 1: give a reading of this that no one else is 744 00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:24,759 Speaker 1: going to give, and they're either going to really like 745 00:41:24,840 --> 00:41:27,279 Speaker 1: that or they're not. But I feel very confident I'm 746 00:41:27,280 --> 00:41:29,120 Speaker 1: going to offer up a version of this character that 747 00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:32,759 Speaker 1: no one else is. So I went in and I 748 00:41:32,840 --> 00:41:36,640 Speaker 1: read for it, just with Liz Paulson, who was one 749 00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:38,319 Speaker 1: of the class and people at Fox at the time, 750 00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:41,319 Speaker 1: and I just knew it was going well. And you know, 751 00:41:41,360 --> 00:41:43,480 Speaker 1: there's this thing that I act to say about, Oh 752 00:41:43,520 --> 00:41:45,279 Speaker 1: there's the ones that you think going well that you 753 00:41:45,280 --> 00:41:47,440 Speaker 1: don't get and I don't think that's so much like 754 00:41:47,520 --> 00:41:50,919 Speaker 1: you know, when there's a good vibe in the room, right, Yes. 755 00:41:52,040 --> 00:41:54,040 Speaker 1: So I came out of that and by the time 756 00:41:54,040 --> 00:41:56,839 Speaker 1: I got home, she'd called my manager and she'd said, 757 00:41:56,920 --> 00:41:59,200 Speaker 1: he did a really great job. Probably gonna want to 758 00:41:59,200 --> 00:42:02,080 Speaker 1: come back in and read for Ryan Murphy and Tim 759 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:05,000 Speaker 1: Myner and some people who are making show. So then 760 00:42:05,040 --> 00:42:06,640 Speaker 1: I do get a cool that I'm going to go 761 00:42:06,719 --> 00:42:08,520 Speaker 1: back in for it. So I do. I go in 762 00:42:08,600 --> 00:42:11,000 Speaker 1: and meet these guys and I walk in this pretty 763 00:42:11,000 --> 00:42:13,000 Speaker 1: silent and there I do this I think two or 764 00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:16,640 Speaker 1: three scenes. It's just silent. Okay, So I go and 765 00:42:16,680 --> 00:42:19,120 Speaker 1: grab my bag and as I grab my bag, right 766 00:42:19,200 --> 00:42:20,880 Speaker 1: goes also tell us a bit about yourself, and I 767 00:42:20,880 --> 00:42:23,080 Speaker 1: was like, okay, a lifeline. They're not kicking me out, 768 00:42:23,120 --> 00:42:26,120 Speaker 1: just so you know, we have a bit of a discussion. 769 00:42:26,200 --> 00:42:28,239 Speaker 1: Then a few days go by and I get cool. 770 00:42:28,320 --> 00:42:30,640 Speaker 1: I think it's like Thursday morning, they're gonna want you 771 00:42:30,719 --> 00:42:34,600 Speaker 1: to test for it. Great, I get cool. Probably not 772 00:42:34,680 --> 00:42:39,799 Speaker 1: even two hours later. Actually Ryan has said they don't 773 00:42:39,960 --> 00:42:41,600 Speaker 1: they're not testing you that they did. Don't want to 774 00:42:41,600 --> 00:42:43,680 Speaker 1: give anybody the option. You're the guy, you got the 775 00:42:43,680 --> 00:42:45,920 Speaker 1: party that you don't need to test for it. And 776 00:42:46,000 --> 00:42:48,359 Speaker 1: it was there was a real feeling of this one 777 00:42:48,400 --> 00:42:51,200 Speaker 1: of like I think, I think this is going to 778 00:42:51,239 --> 00:42:53,759 Speaker 1: be a really good show, and I think this is 779 00:42:53,760 --> 00:42:56,200 Speaker 1: going to be a really good part. And thankfully it 780 00:42:56,200 --> 00:42:59,160 Speaker 1: has gone on unseemingly that that has been the case. 781 00:42:59,239 --> 00:43:02,480 Speaker 1: But but yeah, from the minute I got the audition, 782 00:43:02,520 --> 00:43:03,880 Speaker 1: there was there was a feeling I was going to 783 00:43:04,000 --> 00:43:07,799 Speaker 1: be able to offer something to this that's awesome. Did 784 00:43:07,840 --> 00:43:11,600 Speaker 1: you did you talk to any firefighters prior to did 785 00:43:11,600 --> 00:43:16,120 Speaker 1: you train with any? Yeah? Myself and it's another action 786 00:43:16,200 --> 00:43:19,200 Speaker 1: on the show. Guy called Kenny Choi we Um. Right 787 00:43:19,280 --> 00:43:21,960 Speaker 1: before the first season started. We went on and he 788 00:43:22,080 --> 00:43:25,400 Speaker 1: happened to know this guy that was firefighter in Santa Monica. 789 00:43:25,760 --> 00:43:28,000 Speaker 1: So we went on a ride along. We spent the 790 00:43:28,080 --> 00:43:30,759 Speaker 1: day with them in the firehouse. It was so fun, 791 00:43:30,800 --> 00:43:33,000 Speaker 1: like we went on three calls with them, and I 792 00:43:33,040 --> 00:43:35,480 Speaker 1: remember thinking at the time if I was one of 793 00:43:35,480 --> 00:43:37,920 Speaker 1: these victims and I looked up and you know, we 794 00:43:38,200 --> 00:43:40,439 Speaker 1: have to throw on the gear and everything to be there. 795 00:43:40,760 --> 00:43:43,120 Speaker 1: I looked up and you know, asked for help and now, oh, 796 00:43:43,160 --> 00:43:47,200 Speaker 1: I'm actually just here for TV show research like go away, 797 00:43:47,480 --> 00:43:50,239 Speaker 1: like what I mean this time of need and I'm 798 00:43:50,280 --> 00:43:52,279 Speaker 1: there with my notebook being like okay. And then he 799 00:43:52,480 --> 00:43:55,960 Speaker 1: was kind of a jerk, but it was it was 800 00:43:56,040 --> 00:43:59,360 Speaker 1: really fun just to see how they are when they 801 00:43:59,440 --> 00:44:01,920 Speaker 1: jump back in truck, how they are in the firehouse, 802 00:44:02,520 --> 00:44:04,839 Speaker 1: and the way they are is awful to each other, 803 00:44:05,000 --> 00:44:08,319 Speaker 1: like it's just bullying and but in the most loving way, 804 00:44:08,360 --> 00:44:10,680 Speaker 1: in the way that you only can with people that 805 00:44:10,719 --> 00:44:14,920 Speaker 1: you really trust. And I think also one of the 806 00:44:14,920 --> 00:44:16,840 Speaker 1: things that was really surprising to me about it was 807 00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:19,560 Speaker 1: they all spoke on this, how they would go to 808 00:44:19,600 --> 00:44:22,000 Speaker 1: these horrible calls, and they describe some of them, and 809 00:44:22,080 --> 00:44:23,600 Speaker 1: it is the things that you would never want to 810 00:44:23,600 --> 00:44:25,759 Speaker 1: see in a million years, and how they would then 811 00:44:25,840 --> 00:44:27,960 Speaker 1: jump in the fire truck and they'd make fun of it, 812 00:44:28,920 --> 00:44:31,960 Speaker 1: not in a way to diminish what it was, but almost. 813 00:44:32,360 --> 00:44:34,160 Speaker 1: I think it's quite a human thing that we do 814 00:44:34,239 --> 00:44:37,480 Speaker 1: when things get too heavy, you know, we undercut it 815 00:44:37,520 --> 00:44:40,640 Speaker 1: with some kind of comedy, and I think it's just 816 00:44:40,680 --> 00:44:43,200 Speaker 1: a way to stop it from getting too heavy. And 817 00:44:43,239 --> 00:44:44,560 Speaker 1: I think, and I don't know if this is on 818 00:44:44,640 --> 00:44:46,400 Speaker 1: purpose or not, but it's I think that's a thing 819 00:44:46,440 --> 00:44:48,920 Speaker 1: that nine on one does in itself very well. Whenever 820 00:44:49,000 --> 00:44:51,439 Speaker 1: things get too heavy, it undercuts itself with a moment 821 00:44:51,480 --> 00:44:55,399 Speaker 1: of silliness or of laughter. And so that I find, yeah, 822 00:44:55,440 --> 00:44:58,520 Speaker 1: mirrors quite a lot what I learned from firefighters in 823 00:44:58,560 --> 00:45:01,520 Speaker 1: the real world, that they have to be able to 824 00:45:01,520 --> 00:45:03,719 Speaker 1: just deal with the weight of the things they see 825 00:45:03,800 --> 00:45:08,719 Speaker 1: day in and day out. I make a regular appearance 826 00:45:08,800 --> 00:45:10,759 Speaker 1: in New York. I was just in New York last 827 00:45:10,800 --> 00:45:15,320 Speaker 1: week at a studio there that tapes at the World 828 00:45:15,320 --> 00:45:19,560 Speaker 1: Trade Center, one of the towers, and I got dropped off. 829 00:45:19,760 --> 00:45:21,560 Speaker 1: I'm standing on the corner. We're waiting for somebody to 830 00:45:21,560 --> 00:45:26,120 Speaker 1: meet us, and this guy goes, hey, what are you 831 00:45:26,120 --> 00:45:31,880 Speaker 1: doing here? Turn around? I realize I'm standing in front 832 00:45:32,200 --> 00:45:36,120 Speaker 1: of the firehouse right there at the World Trade Center 833 00:45:36,880 --> 00:45:39,440 Speaker 1: and it's one of the firefighters that stuck his head 834 00:45:39,440 --> 00:45:42,040 Speaker 1: out the door, is basically saying, what the fuck are 835 00:45:42,040 --> 00:45:46,279 Speaker 1: you doing here? And I said, oh, hey, what's and 836 00:45:46,360 --> 00:45:49,759 Speaker 1: he goes, come on, let's have some coffee. And I'm like, 837 00:45:50,600 --> 00:45:55,000 Speaker 1: you know what, sir, I'm about to be on live 838 00:45:55,080 --> 00:45:59,799 Speaker 1: television in like thirteen minutes or something, but you know what, 839 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:03,080 Speaker 1: I'm gonna come. I'm gonna come back. And I did. 840 00:46:03,360 --> 00:46:05,360 Speaker 1: Came back, hung out with them for a few minutes, 841 00:46:05,480 --> 00:46:14,640 Speaker 1: not enough time, and so warm, so generous, so awesome 842 00:46:15,160 --> 00:46:17,920 Speaker 1: to me, And like I said, I do this, Uh, 843 00:46:18,280 --> 00:46:20,839 Speaker 1: I do this show pretty regularly when I'm in town 844 00:46:20,840 --> 00:46:23,840 Speaker 1: in New York. And I will promise you I will 845 00:46:24,239 --> 00:46:27,280 Speaker 1: when I'm back again, go back and visit those guys. 846 00:46:27,440 --> 00:46:31,680 Speaker 1: You know, there's is there a culture of firefighters in 847 00:46:31,719 --> 00:46:34,440 Speaker 1: the UK that's similar to the US or is that 848 00:46:34,560 --> 00:46:41,560 Speaker 1: a distinctive US culture the firefighters. I do think it's different, 849 00:46:41,600 --> 00:46:45,440 Speaker 1: and I think one of the big differences is because 850 00:46:45,440 --> 00:46:49,680 Speaker 1: we have socialized healthcare. If you have a medical emergency 851 00:46:49,719 --> 00:46:53,080 Speaker 1: in the UK, you just get an ambulance sent by 852 00:46:53,080 --> 00:46:57,360 Speaker 1: the hospital. You know, you cool nine one one and 853 00:46:57,440 --> 00:47:01,719 Speaker 1: they just send you a healthcare ebudence, whereas here you 854 00:47:01,800 --> 00:47:07,200 Speaker 1: get firefighters for everything. So I think because the scope 855 00:47:07,200 --> 00:47:09,440 Speaker 1: of their job is so much wider here, there are 856 00:47:09,480 --> 00:47:13,719 Speaker 1: a lot more part of just the kind of societal 857 00:47:14,520 --> 00:47:17,279 Speaker 1: view of what first responder is. Whereas in the UK 858 00:47:18,239 --> 00:47:20,680 Speaker 1: you think of firefights as they fight fire, and I'm 859 00:47:20,719 --> 00:47:22,440 Speaker 1: sure there is more to their job than that, but 860 00:47:22,480 --> 00:47:26,000 Speaker 1: that's the main thing that comes to mind, whereas here 861 00:47:26,400 --> 00:47:29,920 Speaker 1: that they seem to do a lot more. So I 862 00:47:29,960 --> 00:47:34,160 Speaker 1: think they kind of thought about in a much warmer 863 00:47:34,200 --> 00:47:40,000 Speaker 1: sense because of that. Interesting my brother in law is 864 00:47:40,040 --> 00:47:45,040 Speaker 1: a firefighter there in Los Angeles, and the stories that 865 00:47:45,080 --> 00:47:48,200 Speaker 1: I heard, I'm sure you've heard much of the same. 866 00:47:48,320 --> 00:47:50,640 Speaker 1: It is, you know, And by the way, I'm not 867 00:47:50,680 --> 00:47:53,560 Speaker 1: saying don't respect teachers, but you know, people talk all 868 00:47:53,600 --> 00:47:57,080 Speaker 1: the time about teacher, you know, teachers most important profession. 869 00:47:57,239 --> 00:48:01,279 Speaker 1: I totally agree but also firefighters. I feel like they're 870 00:48:01,320 --> 00:48:05,080 Speaker 1: not mentioned enough, the amount of work and the care 871 00:48:05,160 --> 00:48:08,279 Speaker 1: that they put into people, not just when there's a fire, 872 00:48:08,320 --> 00:48:12,240 Speaker 1: but as you say, a medical emergency or or something else. Well, 873 00:48:12,320 --> 00:48:16,200 Speaker 1: I think that's that's partly as well, because for you know, 874 00:48:16,680 --> 00:48:18,520 Speaker 1: I don't think people can be blamed for this. We 875 00:48:18,560 --> 00:48:21,279 Speaker 1: don't really think about first respondence until we need them, 876 00:48:21,640 --> 00:48:25,160 Speaker 1: that's right. Whereas for teachers, obviously, you know, we do 877 00:48:25,160 --> 00:48:27,959 Speaker 1: in it in a much more general sense. But they're 878 00:48:27,960 --> 00:48:30,239 Speaker 1: out there all the time and somebody's needing them all 879 00:48:30,280 --> 00:48:34,320 Speaker 1: the time, and they are literally the people that run 880 00:48:34,400 --> 00:48:37,439 Speaker 1: towards the danger that everybody else runs away from. Yes, 881 00:48:37,880 --> 00:48:40,319 Speaker 1: but but yeah, until you have to cool them on one, 882 00:48:41,000 --> 00:48:43,920 Speaker 1: I don't think you know it's it's anywhere near the 883 00:48:43,920 --> 00:48:45,960 Speaker 1: front of your brain and being processed. The fact that 884 00:48:46,360 --> 00:48:47,920 Speaker 1: they're out there and they're doing that day in the 885 00:48:48,000 --> 00:48:52,319 Speaker 1: day out. Yeah, absolutely, I think I think you bring 886 00:48:52,400 --> 00:48:54,719 Speaker 1: up a great point. They're just there when you need them, 887 00:48:54,800 --> 00:48:58,520 Speaker 1: and maybe you never will, but they should be celebrated nonetheless. 888 00:48:58,760 --> 00:49:01,400 Speaker 1: Um yeah, oh you also did you guests start on 889 00:49:01,440 --> 00:49:03,680 Speaker 1: the spin off? They're a long star? What what was 890 00:49:03,760 --> 00:49:05,680 Speaker 1: what was that like tould be a part of that show. 891 00:49:06,360 --> 00:49:09,040 Speaker 1: It was fun because you know, I knew all of 892 00:49:09,040 --> 00:49:11,360 Speaker 1: those actors by that point, but you know, there was 893 00:49:11,440 --> 00:49:16,799 Speaker 1: certainly an element of kind of there, like, guys, we'll 894 00:49:16,800 --> 00:49:18,880 Speaker 1: show her it's done. Well, yeah, we've been making a 895 00:49:18,920 --> 00:49:20,880 Speaker 1: show for a couple of years now, so don't worry. 896 00:49:21,800 --> 00:49:24,600 Speaker 1: You just followed me. So so that that that was 897 00:49:24,680 --> 00:49:26,680 Speaker 1: that was really fun to go in with that energy 898 00:49:26,719 --> 00:49:29,879 Speaker 1: and you know, mostly joking sense, but a little bit 899 00:49:30,520 --> 00:49:33,000 Speaker 1: right right, but it was It was called a really 900 00:49:33,000 --> 00:49:36,160 Speaker 1: great episode as well. We would do a wildfire, which 901 00:49:36,200 --> 00:49:38,400 Speaker 1: is something that we hadn't I think they've always been 902 00:49:38,400 --> 00:49:41,560 Speaker 1: a bit scared of doing a wildfire on the show 903 00:49:42,040 --> 00:49:44,920 Speaker 1: on our show because it is set in la and 904 00:49:45,640 --> 00:49:47,839 Speaker 1: there's every chance that by the time it airs there 905 00:49:47,840 --> 00:49:50,040 Speaker 1: may be one, and you know, you never want to 906 00:49:50,080 --> 00:49:53,359 Speaker 1: air anything that called cause upsets. So so to get 907 00:49:53,360 --> 00:49:55,720 Speaker 1: to do that on their show was was really fun. 908 00:49:56,400 --> 00:50:00,839 Speaker 1: Since twenty twenty one, this is so our you work 909 00:50:00,880 --> 00:50:05,799 Speaker 1: with a charity providing workout equipment to firehouses to help 910 00:50:05,840 --> 00:50:08,640 Speaker 1: firefighters stay in shape. What was what was your impetus 911 00:50:08,680 --> 00:50:13,319 Speaker 1: behind that decision? Obviously I understand why why firefighters would 912 00:50:13,320 --> 00:50:17,120 Speaker 1: be important to you, but with the workout equipment. Yeah, 913 00:50:17,120 --> 00:50:19,960 Speaker 1: So this guy, Rob Paparo reached out to me and 914 00:50:20,040 --> 00:50:22,720 Speaker 1: he's he's a firefighter on the East Coast. He's actually 915 00:50:22,920 --> 00:50:24,880 Speaker 1: within the last year or so been made a captain. 916 00:50:25,760 --> 00:50:27,480 Speaker 1: But yeah, he reached out to me and he said, listen, 917 00:50:27,520 --> 00:50:30,319 Speaker 1: my kids really love the show and he's a part 918 00:50:30,320 --> 00:50:34,759 Speaker 1: of this, founding his charity five five Fitness. Basically just 919 00:50:34,840 --> 00:50:37,480 Speaker 1: broke it down from me, how how not all firehouses 920 00:50:37,719 --> 00:50:41,439 Speaker 1: and have access to a good workout equipment and it's 921 00:50:41,520 --> 00:50:45,160 Speaker 1: such an important part of the job. You know, are 922 00:50:45,239 --> 00:50:47,880 Speaker 1: they fit enough to run in and be able to 923 00:50:48,000 --> 00:50:50,839 Speaker 1: throw somebody over their shoulder and carry them back out again, 924 00:50:50,840 --> 00:50:55,000 Speaker 1: Because if they're not, then what's the point, you know. So, 925 00:50:55,320 --> 00:50:58,880 Speaker 1: so to hear and find out that so many of 926 00:50:58,960 --> 00:51:02,359 Speaker 1: these firehouses are underserved and under equipped when it comes 927 00:51:02,400 --> 00:51:04,520 Speaker 1: to that, was was really quite shocking to me. And 928 00:51:05,440 --> 00:51:08,520 Speaker 1: you know, he was making the point that then the 929 00:51:08,600 --> 00:51:12,160 Speaker 1: firefights also has every chance of becoming the victim, and 930 00:51:12,960 --> 00:51:15,360 Speaker 1: you know that's not what you need. So just the 931 00:51:15,560 --> 00:51:18,160 Speaker 1: kind of importance of that and how they need more 932 00:51:18,200 --> 00:51:21,480 Speaker 1: funding for it. So yeah, and he's he's just a 933 00:51:21,560 --> 00:51:26,560 Speaker 1: really fun guy, has just big loan, Mohican handlebot mustache 934 00:51:26,640 --> 00:51:29,880 Speaker 1: like it's just a character. His kids are getting into acting. 935 00:51:30,000 --> 00:51:31,400 Speaker 1: So it's just it's been really fun to get to 936 00:51:31,440 --> 00:51:34,040 Speaker 1: know him and his family over the years. That's awesome. 937 00:51:35,239 --> 00:51:37,920 Speaker 1: That's awesome. At some point you and I'll talk. I 938 00:51:38,080 --> 00:51:43,440 Speaker 1: have I'm helping out a area in Lake Tahoe that 939 00:51:43,560 --> 00:51:48,000 Speaker 1: means a lot to me and very similar story. They 940 00:51:48,040 --> 00:51:52,120 Speaker 1: don't have a helicopter, so when they are fires that 941 00:51:52,200 --> 00:51:54,640 Speaker 1: are happening up there, they've got to wait and make 942 00:51:54,719 --> 00:51:56,759 Speaker 1: sure they can get a helicopter that comes in because 943 00:51:56,760 --> 00:51:59,719 Speaker 1: the helicopter is shared between all of these firehouses and 944 00:51:59,760 --> 00:52:04,080 Speaker 1: all the counties up there in northern California. So it's uh, 945 00:52:04,400 --> 00:52:09,239 Speaker 1: it's important for every community to support their local firefighters 946 00:52:09,320 --> 00:52:12,120 Speaker 1: because look, you know, you never know when you're going 947 00:52:12,160 --> 00:52:15,080 Speaker 1: to need them, and they should be supported and appreciate it. 948 00:52:15,360 --> 00:52:17,200 Speaker 1: And it's that thing if you may not think about 949 00:52:17,239 --> 00:52:19,239 Speaker 1: it until you do need them, but when you do 950 00:52:19,400 --> 00:52:21,080 Speaker 1: need them, you better hope they were able to come. 951 00:52:21,200 --> 00:52:23,000 Speaker 1: So so you know, it's just to give them the 952 00:52:23,040 --> 00:52:26,600 Speaker 1: equipment that makes that possible. Dude, Oliver, it's been so 953 00:52:26,840 --> 00:52:30,200 Speaker 1: nice chatting with you, getting to know you a little bit. 954 00:52:30,480 --> 00:52:34,200 Speaker 1: Good luck to you and thank you for all of 955 00:52:34,280 --> 00:52:37,920 Speaker 1: the important work that you're doing. Uh I will, I 956 00:52:38,000 --> 00:52:42,359 Speaker 1: will watch you and whatever comes next. Thank you. Yeah, 957 00:52:42,440 --> 00:52:44,239 Speaker 1: thank you for me and it's lovely to just have 958 00:52:44,360 --> 00:52:47,560 Speaker 1: the opportunity to just talk. So yes, right really, thank 959 00:52:47,600 --> 00:53:04,359 Speaker 1: you cheers, Oliver, Thank you that was so great. Thank 960 00:53:04,400 --> 00:53:07,680 Speaker 1: you for coming on to the podcast here and sharing 961 00:53:08,120 --> 00:53:12,600 Speaker 1: all about you and your incredible career, and listeners, thank 962 00:53:12,680 --> 00:53:15,200 Speaker 1: you for tuning in. Make sure to leave a comment 963 00:53:15,400 --> 00:53:19,480 Speaker 1: on our Instagram at Off the Beat, follow at Off 964 00:53:19,560 --> 00:53:21,960 Speaker 1: the Beat, by the way, tell us what you want 965 00:53:21,960 --> 00:53:23,880 Speaker 1: to see more of, who you want to see more of, 966 00:53:24,120 --> 00:53:26,359 Speaker 1: or who you want to see period, and then come 967 00:53:26,400 --> 00:53:33,040 Speaker 1: back next week for another episode where everything's coming up rosies, roses. 968 00:53:33,120 --> 00:53:37,680 Speaker 1: Everything's coming up roses here on Off the Beat, but 969 00:53:37,920 --> 00:53:50,000 Speaker 1: maybe with some rosies. We'll see you next week. Off 970 00:53:50,080 --> 00:53:54,080 Speaker 1: the Beat is hosted and executive produced by me Brian Baumgartner, 971 00:53:54,280 --> 00:53:58,360 Speaker 1: alongside our executive producer Lang Lee. Our senior producer is 972 00:53:58,440 --> 00:54:03,280 Speaker 1: Diego Tapia. Producers are Liz Hayes, Hannah Harris, and Emily Carr. 973 00:54:03,560 --> 00:54:07,320 Speaker 1: Our talent producer is Ryan Papa Zachary, and our intern 974 00:54:07,640 --> 00:54:11,680 Speaker 1: is Sammy kats our theme song Bubble and Squeak, performed 975 00:54:11,800 --> 00:54:14,280 Speaker 1: by the one and only Creed Bratton