Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson - Kristin Scott Thomas — on meeting Prince, reuniting with Scarlett Johansson, and writing her own story

Episode Date: August 26, 2025

The incomparable Kristin Scott Thomas—star of “The English Patient,” “Slow Horses,” and now writer-director-star of the deeply personal film “My Mother’s Wedding” – joins the show. Over mushroomy eggs and quiche, we cover her extraordinary career in both English and French -- from her baptism-by-fire debut opposite Prince in “Under the Cherry Moon” to her viral “Fleabag” monologue. Kristin also tells me about reuniting with Scarlett Johansson as her on-screen daughter for the third time, and why Robert Altman’s “Gosford Park” set was both thrilling and intimidating. This episode was recorded at La Mercerie in SoHo, New York City. Want next week’s episode now? Subscribe to Dinner’s on Me PLUS. As a subscriber, not only do you get access to new episodes one week early, but you’ll also be able to listen completely ad-free! Just click “Try Free” at the top of the Dinner’s on Me show page on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial today. A Sony Music Entertainment & A Kid Named Beckett production. Get 15% off your Saily plan with the code ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠dinnersonme⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Just download the Saily app or head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://saily.com/dinnersonme⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Stay connected — and don’t miss your dinner reservation. Stay connected — and don’t miss your dinner reservation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So I'm currently traveling abroad in London, right at the moment, which is why so many of my episodes, I have people with British accents right now. It's amazing here. I love it. And until I need directions or restaurant wrecks or anything, and I've got no Wi-Fi and sky-high roaming fees, which is just, it's not cute. That's why I started using Saly. Saly is an easy-to-use e-Sem app created by the folks behind NordVPN. It gives you instant mobile data. in over 190 countries, and you only have to install it once. That means I didn't have to line up at the airport for a SIM card, get scammed outside the train station, or keep hunting for public Wi-Fi signals like it's a rare Pokemon. Seriously, I sat outside of Wagamama the other day

trying to get onto their Wi-Fi for probably 20 minutes. I just opened the app, picked a regional plan, and boom, I had reliable Internet from Italy to Greece without switching a thing. Plus, Saly offers private features and 24-7 support, which makes me feel a whole lot more secure out here. Get 15% off your Saly plan with the code Diner's On Me. Just download the Saly app or head to saly.com slash dinners on me. S-A-I-L-Y dot com slash dinners on me.

Stay connected and don't miss your dinner reservation. Vacation season is nearly upon us, and this year, you know, I'm treating myself to Lux upgrades that I deserve with Quince's high-quality travel essentials at fair prices. Think lightweight loungeware that's perfect for those long-haul flights or premium luggage options. The best part, all Quince items are priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. By partnering directly with top factories,

Quince cuts out the costs of the middleman and passes the savings on to us. And Quince only works with factories that use safe, ethical, and responsible manufacturing practices and premium fabrics and finishes. I just love that. I've been eyeing their expandable carry-on hard shell suitcase, which comes in four sizes and a bunch of colors. It's just so nice to be able to get an extra inch of packing space in if I need it. I love options. I also just had a tab open for the Napa leather duffel bag, which for under $200 feels like a steal. For your next trip, treat yourself to Lux Upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to quince.com slash JT for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order.

That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com slash J-T-F to get free shipping and 365-day returns. Quince.com slash J-T-F. Hi, it's Jesse. Today on the show, you know her from iconic films like the English patient in Gossford Park. More recently, on your telly, as they say, in England, in shows like Slow Horses. and Flea Bag. She's out with a new film that she directed, wrote, and stars in called My Mother's Wedding. It's Kristen Scott Thomas.

And then I'm sitting in this incredible dining room in this sort of luxury hotel, beautiful, polished parkey floor, gold everywhere. And there is Prince in a green suit. This is Dinner's On Me, and I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. I have been a fan of Kristen Scott Thomas for a very, very long time. Of course, I saw the English patient. Unlike the characters in Seinfeld, I did not think it was terrible. I loved it so much. It remains one of my favorite films. Gosford Park, Robert Altman, loved her in that. I cannot believe I'm going to sit down with Kristen and actually have a conversation with her about all these amazing projects.

We were supposed to sit down when I was in London doing Here We Are, and it didn't work out, and I thought the moment had passed. So how excited am I? that I'm here in New York City doing Shakespeare in the park, and Kristen is passing through town. I know that Kristen lived for a long time in France, so I am taking her to La Messerie, this beautiful French cafe, which is tucked inside the Roman and Williams Guild in Soho.

It's not just a restaurant. It's part of this whole world that the guild has created. And the best part is the restaurant actually spills into a furniture and home goods store in the back. So you can actually buy its tableware and furniture, literally on the other side of this room. It's very tempting. I saw a lamp that I actually might have to leave with. The chef, Marie O'Dreuse, makes these classic French dishes with so much care. They're really known for their pastries and these stunning, savory galettes. I am definitely going to have a croissant,

maybe a crepe, definitely a quiche. And honestly, this is the perfect place to me. And honestly, this is the perfect place to meet Chris and Scott Thomas. There's something very elegant and understated about both her and the space. It just, it all makes sense. Plus, I'm hoping that maybe she'll order in French. Okay, let's get to the conversation. What are you doing in, what are you doing, what are you doing in the park? Shakespeare in the park, you're doing what? I'm doing 12th night. Oh, fun. Have you ever done 12th night? No. I've never done any Shakespeare. No, I've known you've done lots of check off. I've done lots of check off. Which is actually kind of my dream. Well, there aren't that many to do.

I mean, I feel like if you've done Siegel and Three Sisters, you've done lots of track off. I mean, I wish to God I had seen him in the Siegel. I've watched clips of it. And I mean, I've seen, I saw Cape Blanchard do it. I saw Merrill Streep do it. And I was like, I mean, I think you would complete the trifecta. It was so fun.

Do you know, when I did it on Broadway, Merrill sent me a note saying, welcome to the Arcadena. club with the Kate. Yeah. And I thought that was such a sweet thing. So when I saw Kate do it and in the barbican, I wrote to her saying Merrill Street told me. Passing it on. What's it like seeing other people tackle roles that you've done? I don't know. It's it, I mean, it happens all the time. Yeah, of course. Stage, you know, so it's always kind of, you kind of wish you would, you said, oh, that's such a good idea. Why didn't I think of that? Yeah. Yeah. So, especially You can go two ways.

You can be like, I did it better. But, like, normally I go in, because I did a show on Broadway called the 25th annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. And I originated the, I was in the original cast. And it's actually coming in for a Broadway revival this year. It's a 20-year anniversary of this play. And I've seen it done in schools. I've seen that grade school kids do it.

And I went and saw a revival at the Kennedy Center. And I always leave feeling such pride as being part of what you just said, that club of people who've gotten to tackle that role. And to be a part of that history and being the originator of that role and seeing other people. That must be really fun. It's very moving.

Yeah, I bet. It's very moving. Because you're sort of passing the bat on really, aren't you? Yeah. I remember when I have a son who has decided to, decided very late in the day that he was going to become an actor at 28. And I felt such relief when he told me

because it was like, oh, God, somebody is taking over from me. Yeah. It was really nice. It was like giving the... I would love some coffee, coffee, coffee, coffee piece. I'm going to have this coffee too. Just, yeah, latte, but not too much milk. Regular milk piece, thank you. I'll just have, I'll do the same thing.

So your son is... So he's an actor as well. And a director and a writer, he's one of these young people that do everything. I know, I'm so... And I sort of wish I had that career. We were doing it now. I'm doing it now, I guess, yeah. But anyway, the feeling of sort of relief and pride

when you do pass something on. It's great, isn't it? It's so interesting because so many people, I think, in our business, knowing how hard it is, really discouraged their children from going down that path just because of the heartbreak. And the thickness of the skin that you need to have is nowhere near as thick as you think it needs to be.

Oh, do you think? I do. I mean, dealing with rejection was a lot harder for me than I anticipated it, Everyone warned me, like, you're going to have to hear a lot more nose than yes is. I always thought, oh, I'll be fine, I'll be fine, I'll be fine. I have a thick skin, but, like, actually caring and investing in something and then being told that it's not going to go further, or having something that you love so much that you've put out

into the world that people aren't responding to in the way that you feel inside about it. That's what's really hard. People did not prefer me for that at all. No, that is, that is difficult. And it's not just the, it's not just the no, we don't. want you, which is a hard one. Also, we don't want you. You're never really sure why. And people say, don't take it personally. But how can you not take it personally? This is the body I live in. And you don't want it. And our job is to invest fully in these things.

That's what's been hard for me and I'm still navigating my way through that. It's happened a lot in theater where I've done I've said yes for project because I love the writing so much and I'm physically in front of the audience that I'm presenting it to and it's not resonating in the way that I expect it to and it's happening in real time and that's been something that's I knew was always part of this business I mean you know when you do something on film and television there is a protection of like well you've got so you can blame someone else basically. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It was a bad edit. It was a bad edit. Yeah. We did a, we did a show in London called Lioness. The critics were absolutely ruthless and horrible and mean and just actually

some of them were quite not good at all. We sold 103% of all the tickets. Wow, it sold so, so well. It sold so, so, so well. Because people really, really loved it. Well, and also, you're fabulous. Thank you very much. But it was, it was a really, interesting play and it was it was such fun to do but it was a bit of a shock when the reviews happened and they were so vicious you know yeah it was like wow so you're not protected from anything at any point i mean i just did here we are in london which is sometimes last musical and it is in my opinion one of his masterpieces is almost everything that came out of that man was masterpiece yeah um

And, you know, but it was his last work. And it's sort of been presented to the press as being something that's not finished because he wasn't around to fine-tune it in the preview process. Yeah. And so a lot of the critics were talking about that. Like, why are we even presenting it? It might not be finished when you want this. And then, you know, there's other people who are thinking, like, it's, you know, not my favorite of his work.

There is a revisionist history that happens so often. with work and i'm interested actually having this conversation with you because i think it's happened with some of specifically with um some of your early work i'm thinking mostly about your movie with prince but where with time and with the legacy of someone things are looked at with a different lens i remember i my parents would not allow me to see under the cherry moon or purple rain i think because they thought like prince was like you know too risque also i was pretty young when you You must have been... I was born in 75, so...

So you must have been about 10 when he came out. Yeah. But I watched it, you know, not... I probably watched it under the tournament like five years ago because I was curious. And also, it was when Prince passed away. That's what I was. Which is what I think about nine years ago now.

And I was like, I'm going to watch some of his stuff. And I then went and Googled like what the critical response was. And what the response was then versus what it is now was so different. Yeah. People were digested in a different way because of our relationship with that man. Well, that was a baptism of fire, as you can imagine, because I'd never done anything before. And suddenly, I can only remember just being so sort of wounded by some of the things that were being said about it. That was your very first.

My very first one. So I swore I would never read any more again. But anyway, it is interesting how people's attitude is changed. But it's also, what's really great is that that has given me, over the years, given me a completely different group of people who are interested in my work, in what I, my work, that sounds really pretentious, in what I do. So all these kids say, oh, I saw your movie, and they're just not my fan base, is old gentleman, they say, not my fan base at all.

And, you know, it was just such fun to have these kids come up. Oh, you under the Cherry Moon. My mom used to watch it, and she showed it to me the other day. And so it's sort of the children of the people who were watching it at the time. So that's quite fun. It's also quite fun being in something like Mission Impossible one for about four minutes, but I'm in it. Those are very exciting four minutes, though. People, stop me.

I saw you in Mission Impossible. I'm about the rest of my enormous body of sort of artistic endeavor. No, that doesn't count. It's Mission Impossible. But that is, I mean, such a canon of work and to be a part of that. I know. Absolutely. I mean, I've been doing it for a really long time, to be frank.

Well. And doing it in two languages. So, you know, that makes twice the workload, you like. You know, I spread myself thin. Yeah. Because you, under the Touring Moon was filmed in France. It was filmed in France. And you were living there at the time.

It was filmed in France. And I lived there most of my life. I lived in France for 42 years. Can you imagine living somewhere 402? I mean, you're probably not even 42. Thank you for saying that. I'm turning 50 this year. Are you really?

Don't look fabulous? No, because I literally have no idea how old anyone is. I don't either. I think I'm the same age as everyone. I kind of maintain that because I think it's much more fun because then you're not afraid of walking, you know, talking to someone who, you know, could be 30, could be 18, could be 14. I get shocked when I hear people are in their 20s. I feel everyone's my age. Yeah.

I have kids in their 20s. Yeah. Now for a quick break, but don't go. away. When we return, Kristen tells me all about starring alongside Prince on the big screen. Her decades-long bond with Scarlett Johansson and how it's come full circle in her new movie My Mother's Wedding. Okay, be right back. This summer, I'll be spending a lot of time in New York City working on Shakespeare in the park, which I am so excited about, but it also means I'll be away from home, and Justin will

be juggling the kids and the home fort, which is hectic enough without also having to work about home security. That's why we use SimpleSafe. We've got the full setup, camera, sensors, 24-7 monitoring, so whether I'm backstage in Central Park or Justin's doing bedtime back home, we both know the house is protected. SimplySafe's professional monitoring team is amazing. If something suspicious happens, they can talk through the camera, trigger lights, and even alert the police before anything bad happens. No contracts, no hidden fees. Monitoring starts at about a dollar a day, and there's a 60-day money-back guarantee. Visit simplysafe.com slash jessy to claim 50% off your new system with a professional monitoring plan and get your first month free.

That's S-I-M-P-L-I-S-A-F-E dot com slash jessy. There's no safe like SimplySafe. This episode of Dinner's On Me is brought to you by Huggy's Snug and Dry. The new Huggy's Snug and Dry are luxurious. soft and ultra dry. And I can personally vouch for that because when Beckett was around a year, he went through this phase where he refused pants. He just wanted to run around in diapers and nothing else. And I thought, well, if that's the outfit of choice, it better be a good one. So I gave Huggy's snug and dry a try. And honestly, I was shocked. They were unbelievably soft.

Like, wait, is this a diaper or a cashmere throw kind of soft? And let's be real, listen, Beckett has standards. If something's even remotely itchy, it's coming on. But these, he didn't even try and tug at them. Experience the unexpected softness and up to 100% leak protection of huggy's snug and dry diapers. So even if your toddler is running a diaper-only fashion show through your living room, you know they're comfy and covered. More parents choose the new huggy snug and dry softness versus the leading premium diaper. Huggies, we got you, baby. Okay, let's be honest, staying hydrated is the only thing keeping me from turning into a raisin these days.

That's why Fiji water is always close by. Fiji water really is from the islands of Fiji, 1,600 miles from the nearest continent. It's filtered through ancient volcanic rock, naturally protected from external elements, and it picks up a unique profile of electrolytes and minerals along the way. That gives it more than double the electrolytes of the other top premium bottle water brands

and that soft, smooth taste that I absolutely love. Unlike some other top premium bottle, water brands, Fiji's water electrolytes are 100% naturally occurring, and Fiji's water has a perfect balance 7.7 pH. I have no idea what that means, but I like the word perfect score. Okay? And since 2022, Fiji's waters 330 and 500 milliliter bottles have been made with 100% recycled plastic. So whether I'm backstage, at home with the kids, or planning our podcast recording, I know I'm hydrating the Earth's finest way. Fiji water.

It's Earth's finest water. And we're back with more dinners on me. So what happened was that I was doing a play in the South of Brants. Not in the South of France. I was doing a play in Burgundy in a field. And suddenly I get this call from this casting director in Paris saying, will you come up and do an audition for Prince? And at the time, I was listening to Around the World in a Day

on a loop. Oh, my God. On the cassette, then. A cassette. A walkman. A walkman. You know, do you remember that you probably don't? But in the beginning, they had a kind of wire that went right there.

So kind of spongy things that went in your ears. Yeah. And I was listening to Prince over and over and over and over and over and over and again. How old were you at the time? Early 20s? 32, something like. Early 20s, yeah. And I went up to Paris to do this audition.

It was for one of the girlfriends, you know, like, oh, Mary, you look so great. And one of those lines. And I went in, and then there was a bit of a huddle behind the camera, and you said, would you be interested in auditioning for the lead? I mean, you can imagine what that feels like to hear those words. So you say yes.

And you go in and you audition for the lead, and then next thing you know, you're being called, Prince would really like to meet you. It was sort of, it was so crazy because I just couldn't really believe it was happening to me. You put one foot, it's like walking on air. You put one foot in front of the other and you can't quite believe it's ever going to land.

And you just keep going. And then I'm sitting in this incredible dining room in this sort of luxury hotel. I'd never even been to a hotel before in my life. you know, luxury, beautiful, polished parkey floor, gold everywhere, enormous amounts of cutlery everywhere, and there is Prince in a green suit. We sit down and it's a bit of awkward conversation.

I mean, it's literally introducing two teenagers practically, and he was the same age. I think he was a year old than you, Prince. A year older than you. And we were kids. I know, but he... I mean, such separate lives, too. That's what I keep thinking.

Like, did you, do you remember presenting as if, like you, this was all normal for you, or were you... No, I was like, I was, it was just completely different. So it took a bit of adjusting, because all those things always do. I mean, what was it? I know Taylor Swift a bit. Yeah. So, like, I've been around her in private situations with her friends.

And, like, it's really interesting to see, it's not surprising. I mean, she's a normal person who loves her friends and family and complains about things. But I've seen that, like, real side of her that I think a lot of people don't get to see. But the, you know, it never goes away is that sort of, like, aura of, like, that talent. That's talent. No, but talent, really amazing talent,

is, you know, there is an aura around those people. And they do make, that does make them kind of special. Yeah. And whatever you think about fame and glory and entourages and the whole thing, whatever you think about that, that nothing can take away, that mystery

of talent and extreme talent because you and I are both fairly talented and we both frequent a lot of fairly talented people but when occasionally

you meet these people who are superstars superstars you know it really does I mean it's a it's different it's a different thing and it's not it's not you can't pin down

what it is you can't you can't bottle it either. Prince also wrote and directed this film, right? So he's a year older than you. He's writing and directing this thing that's your first movie. Yeah, I didn't even know you had to do the same

thing twice. You know? Yeah. We have to do it again. Exactly the same. But we've just done that. No, we're doing it tighter. What do you mean? Yeah, that's funny. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, now, you know, on the opposite end of

your career where you are now, I mean, you also have just written and directed a film, my mother's wedding, which is obviously so personal to you. We want to talk about that and what the impetus was for writing and then wanting to direct and then also be in the film. I'm very passionate about getting into this industry behind the camera as well. I've been given some opportunity to direct and I'm so excited. buy it. I'm so, I'm all intimidated in a way that I don't know why I'm intimidated because I know exactly what I'm doing because I've been on the other end of it, but it's, you know, it's different when you're in charge. I can't even imagine directing myself. It's really hard. I don't recommend

it. You don't. No, I think it's really, really, really hard. You know, it's difficult getting the distance. Sure. Because, you know, I'm sure sometimes you've been with other people, and I'm sure it's happened to you, you know, other members of the cast, and then you suddenly get caught watching them. And you sort of forget your line or something because you're mesmerized by what the other person is doing. Well, that's what it's like when you're director. You're mesmerized all the time, but you're allowed to be. But when you are on set with them as an actor, you know, I'm mesmerized and I forget to act. Yeah.

So you can't really wear two hats at the same time. So I find it really really complicated. You have to be a little bit removed. And then I would go back and look at the monitor and cover my side of the frame with my hand. So you could watch, like, Scarlet's Work or something. Exactly. But it was fun in the way that I could get right in there with the other actors. And that was great fun and to be able to sort of stoke things in a way.

But having then to kind of look at it with a critical view and to see whether you've actually got it or not, I often had to rely on other people to tell me whether they thought they'd got. If I was in the scene, I had to rely on them to say. yeah it's fine yeah yeah and also to add another wrinkle and complication to all of this i mean it's a very personal story to you based loosely on your or not so loosely but looselyish on your on your life and you're also stepping into the role of who would be your mother in this story yeah just so to people listeners now like tell us a little bit about what the story is and what the impetus was for putting it on screen on page so the basic

bones are, a little girl and her siblings, there were lots of us, lose their father, their mother marries again, and that stepfather is also killed in exactly the same way, and they share the same Christian name. So that's the basic. And these are the things that happen. And these are things that happened to me and my siblings when we were very little. I was five when my dad died and 11 when my stepdad was killed. And my mother was left on her own. And my mother was left on her own. to bring up five kids. That's my story. The film story is a bit different.

There are three sisters, because there's always three sisters. Yeah, check off. Check off. Mountains, trees, you know, rocks, bars, probably. And the mother is getting married for the third time to a man that the girls don't think is quite glamorous enough

because they've kept this amazing memory of their fathers and they've sort of, They adore the memory of their father. The eldest daughter, played by Scarlett, is so obsessed with the memory of her father that she's actually carrying on his work by joining the Navy, becoming sort of top dog in the Navy, this kind of thing.

And they're all, all these women are in what I like to call romantic disarray, and their mother is deliriously happy. And they all come back home for this wedding, to witness this wedding, and their noses are all slightly, out of joint, you know, because he's not quite up to scratch. But gradually, they learn that he's actually more than that, and he's a great guy, and their mother sort of pulls them together

and says, stop behaving like this. Anyway, I wanted to make a comedy out of a tragedy. Well, it's about grief and healing, but it's also about the complexities of family and the dysfunctional family, which I think, you know, everyone can relate to. Yes, yes. And the dysfunctional family is so interesting.

You know, no one wants to watch a family that's getting along. No. I mean, what is that? I mean, look at your show. Yes, exactly. Complexities, you know, flaws. You want to see the flaws. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

We want to relate to the flaws. And we certainly bring that in the film and in your writing. What was it like to take history of your own and create a screenplay from? I know your husband helps you. It was really fun. Yeah, my co-writer, who has since been. become my husband. He wrote so well that I married him. So, yeah, it was really fun taking this sort of root, which are these memories that are in the

film are, I deliver them as little animated sequences. So it's sort of black and white and removed from reality. To take, to use that as a springboard for all these other adventures from these four women in particular, you know, how they get along, how to be a mother and have a love life, how to detach from your parents, how to stop thinking they're the bees' knees, how to have respect for them without glorifying them.

You know, all these complicated issues that we all have to deal with. I think we talk a lot about mothers, a little less about fathers. And I think that I personally, having grown up without any of them, any fathers, rather, I think they're really important. And what it has made me do personally making this film has made me think, oh, yeah, I really missed out not having a dad, you know? But anyway, I made a film about it. So something good has happened from my little adventure.

In fact, my mom said to me, when she found out what we were doing, when I told her what we were doing, She said, she was so glad that something positive could happen out of something which was potentially disastrous. Right, right. You're the oldest of your siblings. I'm the eldest of my lot, yeah. There must have been some responsibility to feel like the keeper of the keys without those memories. Well, that's why initially I wanted to make some very short, always animated, because I love animation. I think it's a really powerful tool.

I want to make animated sequels. which told what I remember of my father and of my stepfather, and of that, particularly of the moment when we found out that my stepfather had also crashed. That was quite a strong moment in our lives. But I remember it incredibly clearly. You were 11 when you were 11, yeah, yeah. And he went missing for days, and they couldn't find him,

and then they gave up. You know, it was a long, drawn-out. horrific process where I, at 11, was a kind of witness for all of this. I watched my mother kind of dissolve and then, because this is England, I got put on a train and sent back to school. Wow. Unbelievable what we did in those days. How old was, how close were you to your next sibling? There's like a year between, we go ding, ding, ding, ding in a very, very neat row. And are you, how many of your siblings are biologically connected to your father who passed away when you were in five? Four of you.

Yeah. What was their response to the film? I think they're quite moved by it. Yeah. And I think they're glad to see the, especially the drawings, I think. Well, they relate most to that, really, to the drawings. I think that's what they are. And then, of course, without giving any spoilers,

the finale is quite moving, I suppose. Yes, yes. It's interesting that in the film, it's three sisters, and the young males are portrayed by the offspring. Yes, the offspring, yeah. So you do have, like, that presence of that male energy, but... You do have, yeah, and you have the sort of, and the absent male energy,

and then the male energy of Jeff, the fiancé, the man who marries the mother, is so different from all this very kind of pushy, loud, rumbuchous energy of the boys. And one would imagine of these young men who like going very, very fast in airplanes, who are the ghosts. And he's a very different sort of person. But he's lovely, Jeff. He's just so lovely.

Yeah. But, yeah, I know it was really fun inventing these kind of archetypes. Right, right. And your cast is incredible. The crazy actress. Yeah, absolutely. I have to admit, it's quite a lot of me in that one. Yeah, yeah, well, you know, I mean, Scarlet Johansson's obviously the eldest sister.

She's the elder sister, yeah. And then Sienna Miller plays this actress. I was like, well, some of this has to be based on your relationship with the industry. I said to Sienna, I said to Sienna, I've always wanted Sienna to play this part. You know, that's slightly kind of uncomfortable feeling when you've, um, been on a talk show and you might have said something that you think is a little bit. Just lean into that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, that's like her sweet spot. Yeah, yeah. And, yeah, no, we had really, really good fun. And the youngest sister is... The youngest sister is a sort of doing everything right, sister. You know, and I've certainly strived to do that. I've certainly strived to be, you know, to... I used to do this thing when I had small kids of going to work.

work, being an actress, and the moment I got off that job, I would shut all the doors, I would literally just not do anything to do with the business. And it was very difficult to keep the business out of the house. And I remember when it started to creep in, then things started get more complicated. But when they were little, I really managed. I would spend, you know, I just had as much of a kind of every day. I would take the kids to school. I'd sit in the park. I'd bring them their sandwiches. Right. You know, I'd do all that. This business is incredibly destabilizing. I mean, stable ground is, you know, the cornerstone of a family.

You need that. So it's, I understand what you're saying. I really wanted not to be an actress at that point. I really wanted to just be like a normal mum. Yeah. And I tried very hard to make that happen. With Scarlett Johansson, you have such a rich history of a mother-daughter relationship on screen. This will be the third time that you guys have played, mother-daughter. You did The Boiling Girl, the other Boilin girl. The other Boilin girl. And then the first film, Boilin.

Am I saying it wrong? Yeah, it's called Boulin. Oh, God, I would never have said it that way. Boiling, sounds as if she's been cooked. The other boiling girl Berlin The other Berlin girl And Berlin that's what we say

Yeah In England that's what I'm I guarantee you Your pronunciation is correct And then the first The other film was The horse whisper And she was only like 12

So I've known us that she was a little girl And I think there's been about like 10 Like a decade between each of these Yes I mean How special first of all Is that relationship It's so great

I mean I was so happy when she accepted it. And it was such a long shot for us, you know. So I said, I know who can do this. I know who can carry this kind of command and seriousness. And at the same time, let you in to see vulnerability and kind of a certain sort of troubled spirit. I know who can do this.

It's Scarlett, Your Anson. We'll never get hurt. And I said, well, let me just try. Yeah. So I got in touch. said, could you read this? And she was marvelous. She was fantastic. She was such a great sport,

you know. She was really brilliant. She wasn't at all kind of, oops, Scarlet your, you know, it was all very kind of low-key and easy and... I've never met her, but she seems like the coolest person, so easy to be around. Yeah, super. I'm such a fan of hers. And she's a really,

really, really clever, smart actress. Yeah, agreed. Yeah. I mean, generally brilliant. So I was thrilled about that. And Siena, of course, I'd written that part thinking of her. And Emily is just an actress that I've been watching for a few years. Emily Beecham. She's fantastic, fantastic. I was really lucky. And Frida, of course, is wonderful who kind of glows with health and sanity. Whereas all these women, all these other are like, er. Right, right, right, right. Yeah, brains apart. There's a really incredible monologue that your character delivers at the grave side of your two deceased husbands. And it's just sort of encapsulates, you know, grief and

loss and, you know, looking back upon your life and decisions you've made. It's a very grounding moment. And it's all very wise. I took so much from that monologue just as a parent. And I just, I was just struck by the fact that you were, you know, having to say these words that you've also had to create and put up paper. Yeah, that was, that was, well, I didn't feel as possessive about them as I might have done had I actually written them, because John did write that bit, but it was very difficult to shoot, to be honest, because I had to do a lot of acting, and they had to do a lot of reacting. You remember that from drama school, and, but I wanted to, I wanted to see what they were doing

because I knew that I would be fascinated in watching what's going on in Emily's face or what, But I had to concentrate on being good enough for them to react to. Right, right, right. So it was really complicated to shoot. And we saved it till right at the end, I think it was one of the last scenes we shot. And I hadn't quite realized that I was giving myself in a very sort of narcissistic way. No, I'd cancel that. It's not narcissism.

But I had given myself this enormous scene. And I was afraid that it would be seen as that, you know, as sort of greedy or something. So it was a weird kind of balancing act to pull off. Yeah. Another monologue of yours that I've watched several times on one of my favorite TV shows, Fleabag. It's good, isn't it, that one? Incredible monologue.

In Season 2 of Fleabag, you have this moment with Phoebe Waller Bridge at a bar talking about aging and menopause and how women are saddled with pain and that's part of like their makeup and that's part of their DNA and men have to seek pain out and seek conflict out with war. Yeah.

And we're just used to it. We just get on with it. And we're just used to it. And don't make a fuss about it. Just get on with it. It's an incredible... It went quite viral, I remember. Yes, I remember that too.

I was amazed. But she's really clever. Really clever. I mean, what was that experience? Like, sitting across from the author of this incredible piece of writing and yet, you know... Well, you know, I'm...

As with anyone I'm working with, usually, you know, you have a great admiration for the person who wrote it because it's really hard to write stuff. And Phoebe is quite impressive. Yeah. You want to give her your best. Sure. And it was actually quite difficult for me. For some reason, I just couldn't, there were some phrases I just couldn't, wouldn't stick in my mind. And there was one particular one where I can't remember this.

Women are born with built-in pain, I think. and I kept saying inbuilt or I can't remember it was one of the other I kept flipping it around by mistake and I could see her getting sort of more and more disappointed but you know we did in the end and it's been hugely successful and of course it also involves a lot of drinking of martinis which obviously not real martinis but you then you've got to time everything with the

putting the glass down, and how many have I had by now, and I'm sipping it quite a lot. Right. You know, so it was all a big question of balancing it all out and trying to do your best for Phoebe Wallerbridge, who I had been an admirer of for such a long time because she's so clever. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

What did you get? These are eggs, I think, underneath here. Wow, that's so beautiful. They're nice, aren't they? So creamy. Yeah, in a broth. I did a keesh, which is, loafy egg, the opposite of what you've gotten.

Really good. Mushroomy, mushroom eggs. Don't you love a mushroom omelet? I think that's my favorite thing in the world. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. After the break, Kristen and I discuss why being typecast can be a blessing in disguise. And Kristen shares a story of one past... All right, let's talk about something near and dear to my heart.

Building the perfect sandwich. And yes, yes, I take this very seriously. Step one, you need a great bread, fresh, crusty, something with character. Step two, Boar's Head oven-gold turkey, always. It's juicy, it's flavorful. It's the backbone of this operation. Step three, a few slices of Boar's Head, Smokemaster Ham, because I like to mix it up. It adds a slow-smoked beechwood flavor that makes your taste buds just, you know, do a little dance.

Step four, cheese, shoolems. Sharp cheddar, if I'm feeling bold, creamy Swiss, if I'm feeling fancy. Step 5, a swipe of Dijon, crisp lettuce, thin sliced tomato, and maybe a pickle or two, you know, for drama. Layer it all up, cut it in half diagonally, obviously, and you got a sandwich that's perfectly crafted thanks to Boar's head. Every bite tastes like it was made with care because it was. So if you're ready to level up your sandwich game, trust me, start at the deli counter. Discover the craftsmanship behind every bite at your local Boar's Head Deli counter, Boar's Head, committed to craft since 1905.

You know what doesn't belong in your epic summer plans? Getting burned by your old wireless bill. I'm in New York right now doing Shakespeare in the park, memorizing lines, dodging rainstorms, and trying to stay cool in every sense of the word. The last thing I want to deal with is an overpriced phone plan. That's why I've been looking at Mint Mobile. With Mint, you get the same coverage. and speed you're used to, but for way less.

And for a limited time, they're offering three months of unlimited premium wireless for just $15 a month. So while your friends are sweating over data overages and surprise charges, you could be chilling, financially and literally. All plans come with high-speed data and unlimited talk and text on the nation's largest 5G network. You can keep your phone, your number, and all your contacts. This year, skip breaking a sweat and breaking the bank.

Get this new customer offer and your three-month unlimited wireless plan for just $15 a month at mintmobile.com slash jessy. That's mintmobile.com slash jesse. Upfront payment of $45 required, equivalent to $15 a month. Limited time new customer offer for first three months only. Speeds may slow above 35GB an unlimited plan. Taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details. After a morning Pilates class, I am sweaty, I am tired, and I need something that's going to

refuel me fast. That's when I head straight to tropical smoothie cafe. Their peanut paradise smoothie is my go-to. It's got 22 grams of protein, it's freshly blended, and it tastes like a vacation in a cup. And if I'm feeling a little extra, one of their tropical bowls always hits a spot. The PB Protein Crunch Bowl is loaded with this. 32 grams of peanut buttery protein, or I'll go for a mixed berry Greek yogurt bowl topped with

fresh strawberries and blueberries. Everything's made to order. It's easy to grab, and you can even order ahead in the app so you're in and out, just like that. Tropical smoothie cafe. You're on Tropic Time Now. Project where the legendary director knew exactly the right words to wake up the whole cast. Okay, be right back. And we're back with more dinners on me. One of my other favorite filmmakers of all time is Robert Altman. Well, I knew you were going to say that. You did?

Yeah. Because I think he's an... All actors long to work, longed to work with him. Dying to work with him. Yeah. I remember when the script came through the... It's in the days when scripts arrived by post. And this great big fat thing.

plopped onto my doormat and it said, Inside is a script by Robert Oldman is sending you this a script by Julian Fellows and I thought this is it at last I'm going to be recognized

as an actress wonderful, wonderful wonderful, wonderful and then I discovered that I thought I was going to be put as a maid because they described because it was Gosford Park and I thought last day

they'll get rid of that awful image of the aristocratic you know snooty English woman, no. No, no, playing into type. Playing to type. It's just great upstairs, downstairs. It's so good, is it? It's so good.

You know, and obviously Julian Phillips went on to write down to Nabby and it's sort of, in some ways feels like a little bit of a precursor to that. I mean, he's known for creating these unbelievable films with the unbelievable ensembles. Yeah.

And people show up for him. They do. They certainly do. I mean, that cast is so stacked. The cast was the most terrifying thing. You'd get the course sheet in the morning. And you've got like eight Danes and six nights. People with Oscars. And it was just like, God, I have to be on my best behavior.

Yeah. Who were you most intimidated by? I can't. I think Eileen Atkins is pretty special. Helen Mirren. Helen Mirren. Who's the nicest person? Nicest people in the world.

But they're so impressive. It's the same thing again. Sometimes, you know, it's what we were talking about earlier. There's aura around extreme talent. There's something that you don't quite get close enough. So there was Helen Mirren, Eileen Atkins, Maggie, Maggie Smith, who I adored. Yes. And, oh, the men, one were Alan Bates.

Oh, he was lovely. Richard E. Grant, Jeremy Norton, he was hilarious. Michael Gambon, who literally had us laugh. all so much with his stories. It was really fun. And then one day, there was something going, everyone was a little bit unconcentrated. I don't know.

He gathers us all around, and we're all in our evening dresses, and we're all looking really sort of polished and made up to the hills, and our wigs were on, and it was fine. But something had gone wrong. He gathers us all around. And he said, now I have something very important to say.

One of you, and he looked all the cast, one of you is the missing link and from then on we were all very very very highly concentrated because we weren't you know something with something gone wrong we you know we were all gidding too much yeah tactic watch out you don't want to be the one who's getting every is spoiling everything with this huge group of superstars one of them was the missing link it's like a murder mystery

yeah it is gosh what a cast what a moment I mean I mean, I just, I loved, because I had been watching Alvin for years. Yeah, so brilliant. And watching him do this, you know, period piece was just so exciting. And watching that magic and like just completely different genre was so exciting. It was so interesting to watch him work as well because he was a very tall man with the most beautiful long fingered hands. And he would, and he had a, he had a stand by film director because he was so old, I think, at the time. Anyway, he'd have two cameras very often.

And I remember one particular day when they had two cameras on two different directional tracks. And he would stand in the back. And he'd move his arms around like sort of a conductor. Yeah. And he'd send in one camera and then bring the other one back. And he got really sort of physically into it. It was really great. He was such a brilliant man.

He really was. I was so lucky to have worked with him. Truly. Yeah, I've worked with some really cool people, actually. I have to say him, Sydney Pollock. Sydney Pollock, Robert Redford, Harrison Ford. I know. Oh, pretty cool.

Wait, can I ask you about acting in French and English? Does it feel different? Are you accessing? No, it feels exactly the same thing. It feels exactly the same. The only thing is there is a mechanical, a physical exercise. But when I was doing all those French films, I'm about, to do another one, so I'm furiously reading everything in French and trying to practice

that muscle again, exercise that muscle again. You do, even if you do it every day of your life you're speaking French, there's some tiny, tiny, tiny effort that is required, because it's not your native tongue. Interesting. And so that, but that's the only thing, but it's a bit like wearing a wig that's slightly uncomfortable. Sure. You kind of get used to it. You're just aware of it. Yeah, yeah, you're aware of it. But I really like doing French films because I'm often asked to do very different things from how I'm cast in English.

That's why I was going to ask you. Do you feel, because I mean, you were just saying, you know, you've been known to play a certain type of kind of... Brittle. Brittle, yeah, it's a great adjective. Posh. Posh, sure. And I think every actor who has any monocum of success

finds that they're going to live within a stereotype of, like, what the industry. sees them as. I certainly am feeling that myself. Well, I think it's because you're good at it. And so people want you to repeat what you're good at. Exactly. And sometimes it takes a long time for production, producers,

for audiences, to trust that you can also do something else. Right. And I think you just have to stick at it and try different things. What I was going to say is like with slow horses, I feel like, you know, your role in slow horses, it sort of feels like on paper it is you, they have, you have been cast in that role again. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it's interesting because it is such a long-running show now and you've had the opportunity to excavate, things are creeping out that feel very different from what you've done.

But it's like at the seed of it, it's like kind of like, if you go back to watch episode one, it's like, oh, yep, of course. Oh, she's in, Cookie Catcher, yeah. Absolutely. And now with time, this sort of these layers have seeped out, which is really lovely to see. Oh, I'm glad that that's coming across. That's good. I think that's what happens when you're doing something for such a long time. And, I mean, to be honest, I'm working with such extraordinary people. You know, every time I think, oh, goody, I've got a scene with, I've got a scene with Gary today.

I'm really excited about that. Or I've got a scene with Jack, or I've got a scene with Sophie. And then she's become a friend. So, you know, she's great. I'm so happy that you have this, as we were saying, you know, as actors, you know, so rare that we get these jobs that feel. like stability and I'm just thrilled that oh thank you thank you a little cooking in a bag okay that's very how lovely thank you so much nice and heavy yeah right it's a very heavy cookie i'd love that do you ever think like this is going in here yeah i do i do i'm so in in this

shakespeare in the park i'm showing a little skin oh yeah showing a bit of skin it's not too much it's It's not gratuitous. Don't expect any, like, sex scenes with Lupita Nyongo. But, like, it's, yeah, I'm showing a little skin. So I actually just got a fake tan yesterday. I got a spray tan. So I look a little orange. I should have actually led with that. If you were thinking, like, God, he looks a little strange. But I am thinking about this cookie being in my belly with, you know. With great enjoyment, I hope. Yeah. Yes. Yes. For sure. Anyway, I, what I was going to say is, I'm really nice talking to you. It's so nice talking to you. And I think, thank you for doing this. I really appreciate it. I wish you could have done this in London on your home turf. But thank you for making time for me while you're... It's very nice to be here in this sort of semi-home turf.

It's a French place. It feels like we're in France, I think. Lovely. Thank you. This episode of Dinners on Me was recorded at La Messerie in New York City, Soho. Next week on Dinner's On Me, you know her from her groundbreaking late-night talk show a little late, and now from doing it, her first feature film which she's starring in, producing, and co-writing. It's Lily Singh. We discuss her journey from YouTube sensation to becoming a late-night host on a major network at the age of 31, which is still basically a teenager to me. And we get

into how much of the cringe and doing it is inspired by her own lived experience. And if you don't want to wait until next week to listen, you can download that episode right now by subscribing to Dinners on Me Plus. As a subscriber, not only do you get access to new episodes one week early, he'll also be able to listen completely ad-free. Just click try free at the top of the Dinners On Me show page on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial today. Dinner's On Me is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our associate producer is Alyssa Midcalf. Sam Bear engineered this

episode. Hansdale She composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison. Alex Schumann assisted in the production of this episode. Special thanks to Tamika Balance Kalasni and Justa Makita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Join me next week.