Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson - More with 'Now You See Me, Now You Don't' star Justice Smith

Episode Date: December 4, 2025

More of my interview with 'Now You See Me, Now You Don't' star Justice Smith. We get into our experiences at high school reunion, we bond over our shared love of Martha Plimpton, who was his costar in the HBO Max series ‘Generation’ and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All right. I'm going to be honest. I am not the person who gets their holiday shopping done in October. I always think I will be. And then suddenly it's two days before a family gathering and I'm panicking at a mall, wondering why I do this to myself every year. And it's not because I don't care. If anything, it's because I care too much. I want every gift to feel thoughtful, which is great until you're also trying to cook, clean, host, and keep everyone alive through the holidays and find out that now you have no time to do any show. shopping. But this year, I'm turning over a new leaf. I really am. And Macy's friends and family happening right now is honestly the perfect motivation. You get 30% off their best brands and 15% off beauty, which makes gifting actually fun again. I'm grabbing a few new beauty gift sets for the beauty lovers of my life. They come already packaged and ready to go, so I can't procrastinate on rapping. Macy said, you know, hey, Jesse, we love you, we see you, we appreciate you, and I appreciate them. And while I'm there, I'm absolutely refreshing my holiday wardrobe.

Suits from Hugo Boss and Ted Baker are 30 to 60% off, so I won't be in a frantic last-minute search for something to wear it to a party. Growth, okay? Holiday growth. It's so interesting when I was younger, for some reason, this idea of therapy and taking care of your mental health, there was a stigma around it. But nowadays, I am so happy that people are really embracing. taking care of our mental health.

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Rula makes this first step so much easier. So head over to rula.com slash D-O-M to get started today. That's R-U-L-A-com slash D-O-M for convenient therapy that's covered by insurance. Thousands have already trusted Rula to support them on their mental health journey, and you deserve the same kind of care. Go to Rula.com slash D-O-M. that's r u la dot com slash d o m and take the first step toward better mental health today you deserve quality care from someone who truly cares hi it's jesse today on the show you know him from films i saw the tv glow detective picchoo and the hbomax series generation

his latest film is now you see me now you don't it's justice smith have you gone to any high school reading at Yes, I just went to my tenure. Oh my God, tell me about that. I literally went just to rub my success in everybody's face. Thank you. I'm so glad you said that. Thank you. This is Dinner's On Me, and I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

I became a fan of Justices when I started watching the TV show Generation. I had seen him on his previous show, The Lowdown, which I also loved. And I just, I was really taken by him. I think he's such an interesting actor. And also he's a really good Instagram follow. His looks on the red carpet are kind of iconic. So I'm really excited to meet him as he's doing press for his new film. Now You See Me, Now You Don't, which I'm a big fan of that, that franchise as well.

Today, I'm at Destroyer in Culver City. I have been dying to feature it ever since I saw a critic say that it was strange, beautiful, and tasted like nothing else. Elston Town. How's that for our review? Destroyer is tucked into the Hayden Tract of Culver City. It's got that artsy, slightly industrial edge. It's the kind of spot where the food looks like art, but doesn't take itself too seriously. What makes Destroyer special is how it bridges worlds, the fine dining imagination of chef Jordan Khan, who many foodies know from Vespartine, with a lunch and brunch model that keeps it accessible. You can order something like their famous avocado confi or chicken schnitzel, which I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up getting,

and still walk out without breaking 30 bucks. I thought Destroyer would be the perfect spot to bring my guest, Justice Smith. Like this place, he's someone who lives between worlds, thoughtful but playful, polished but never too serious. Whether he's in a massive blockbuster or a quirky A-24 film, he shows up with that same curiosity and openness that makes his work so magnetic. All right, let's get to the conversation. You just had a big birthday. I did. 30.

A few months ago, right? Yeah. Yeah. I'm born in 75, so I have a 50th coming in like next week. Oh, wow. And my husband is, thank you, 10 years younger than me. He just celebrated 40. And how do you feel about turning 30?

I feel young again. Oh, that's interesting. 29, I felt really old. Why? I don't know. It's just 29 is older than 30, I think. Is it? Because it's the oldest of the 20s.

Okay. But 30, you're the youngest of the 30s. Okay, I get it. So all my friends who are in their 30s, I'm, like, still a baby. Uh-huh. Whereas if I hang out with, like, when I was 29, I was hanging out with, like, 25-year-olds, I was like, oh, I'm the wise one. Yeah. Hi.

Hello. How are you? It's been great. Are we ready for drinks? Sure. Do you know what you want to eat? Yeah. I do. I think we're ready for everything. All right. I am going to start with this Yuzu ginger tonic. Perfect. Ju Su-Jitsu ginger.

And I think I'm to do the chicken schnitzel. Perfect. One chicken schnitzel. Ginger tonic. What's that? What is the Yuzu ginger tonic? Jusu ginger tonic. We make a syrup out of juiceu and fresh ginger. Jusu is like a Japanese citrus. and then we serve that with sparkling water. Okay. It's our version.

I'll try that too. Awesome. And then I wanted to get the loaded avocado confi. That's like what, an avocado toast? Yeah, it's our version of an avocado toast, which is sort of deconstructed. So it's an avocado top with burnt onion pie. powder, puffed death, we serve it with a lot of goodies on the sun.

Can I get it without arugula? Yeah, of course. Would you want to do a Kelvin's step or just no greens? No greens. All right, cool, all right. I'll get that start for you guys. Okay, thank you. My sister, who's like two years older than me, uh-huh. She would...

She told me a lot, like, being 30 is like, you finally, like, don't give a fuck anymore about, like, impressing people. That is true. A lot of being in your 20s is, like, well, thinking that, like, there's something wrong with you and you have to, like, grow and, like, bridge the gap between you and other people. And, like, 30 is, like, a real acceptance of, like, oh, no, this is me. Yeah. And I actually just want to surround with myself. Yeah, well, you figure out who you are in your 20s, yeah.

Yeah. You have a lot of siblings, right? Yeah. What do you sit in that line of siblings? I'm the exact middle. I have four older and four younger. How's your oldest sibling? The oldest is she's 40.

I think, 45, I think, 46. In the 40s. Yeah, and the youngest is 16. Oh, my God. Yeah. My dad is a whore. My dad gets around. Wait, your dad and mom have been together for, are they still together?

No, no, no, no. Okay, okay. So all my siblings are from my dad. Got it. I only have one sibling who's like my full sibling. Got it. From both my parents. Got it.

Is anyone else in the industry? Yeah, one of my older sisters? One of my older sister, she was a dancer and a choreographer for a long time. Okay. For a long time, she was like a backup dancer for Janet Jackson. And then both my parents were singers, so they were in the arts. How did your parents mean? In Japan, they, my dad was out there, I think, singing in bars and stuff, I think.

and then she met my dad in a club or a bar or something and they dated for a little bit and then she's like all right I'm over this guy and then like a month or two later she had to renew her visa in Korea in order to work in Japan she goes to Korea and at the renewal office or whatever she runs into my dad again who's renewing his visa

and it just so happened that they were both staying at the same hotel in Korea so it was literally like fate that they like met up again in a completely different country. Totally. At the exact same time. And then from there they just like came back to America together. And then you moved to Orange County.

Yeah. So after my parents divorced, they were like living in Silmar for some time. That's where I was born. And then my mom moved to Orange County. What did they do in Orange County? My mom, so at the time parioki was more of like, which they had learned in Japan, was more of like

a culture. And there was like, they would hire someone to host a karaoke show and, but then also, like, perform in between, like, other people, like, drunk people coming up and singing or whatever. Right. And so my mom did that at, like, like, five different venues or whatever. Like, when I say my parents are singers, like, I mean by, like, vocation, not like, that's how they made their living. Or they would do, like, singing competitions. and then they would, like, place first and second and then, like, just, like, take the money.

Or, like, they would go in as a duet and, like, just, like, get double the money. So they played together as well? Mm-hmm. When they were together. When they were together. My dad did. My dad wrote some music, but, yeah,

nothing that really took off. So interesting. But, yeah, they supported us mostly through, like, performing at bars and lounges. So you really grew up around, like, artists. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I never, like, had pressure to like pursue a normal career, a quote-unquote normal career.

I never had pressure to go to college because my parents went to college. Yeah. They were like artists through and through, struggling artists at that. And so I think they had like a, they always like instilled with me in me like this like never give up on your dreams kind of mentality, you know. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Justice opens up about being bullied in high school, and we dive into his dating life. Okay, be right back.

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Yeah, yeah, yeah. community theater and same i was just like doing whatever i could to like act and be on stage what was that uh community like in orange county i just feel like everything close to l.A that must be like some sort of vibrancy to it because it's so close to an entertainment capital but i know that orange county is culturally and politically so far away from

l.a it's a red county yeah yeah um in the arts scene like in the community theater scene I didn't necessarily feel the weight of it being a Red County. It was just a bunch of, like, girls and gay boys, like, you know, singing songs. Yeah. And, like, if anything, I was just like, oh, yeah, these are my kind of people. Yeah. That looks so good.

That was great. Thank you. Oh, my God. This is so beautiful. That's the most beautiful avocado toast I think I've ever seen. I almost like wish I got the chicken schnoissell now. That's gorgeous. That looked amazing.

I'll say I didn't start feeling the weight of what it meant to kind of grow up in like a conservative area until I went to that performing high school. It was an independent charter school. And so it was like a lot of it was donation based. And there was a lot of like white kids from Irvine that were like coming to this. school and I started to like receive a lot of messaging I think from their conservative parents right like now being parroted by them onto me about like my race and my sexuality and high school is really tough for me because I was like one of like 17 black kids in like the whole school it was difficult well I

did experience some discrimination on my sexuality most of the kids at the school were gay. Like, it's like a, you know, and like all the popular kids were gay. And so I grew up in a little bit of a bubble in terms of that. Right. In terms of sexuality. And I learned, like, a lot of, like,

radical, liberal things at that school that I didn't realize the world was so behind on until after I graduated. But I think it being so hummus. homogenous in like it being majority white. Yeah. I think that didn't allow for like these kids to like reflect on race and like understand like how they were treating me and like what was, you know, like really like be immersed in like and appreciate someone's differences because they they weren't exposed to that. You know, it was like mostly people who look like.

them and then me so like they could only be so liberal you know they could only be so understanding yeah did you feel like you had um a safe enough environment to be yourself like sexually like you were open about your being queer and that was something that you never had to really hide and not really i didn't really have to hide that yeah it's so different from when I grew up. My God. I imagine. That's so interesting. Did you have relationships as a kid?

I mean... In high school? No. So, like, all the popular kids were gay. I love that. Or girls. Like, the girl to guy ratio was, like, 11 to 1. Like, the school was mostly girls and gays.

That's my dream school. But they also were, like, mean gays. Like, they were all bitchy. and mean, like, before I came out, which I also have issues with the whole coming out. I understand it now, but, like, I came out when I figured it out. I came out junior year of high school. I remember, like, sophomore year, there was this older girl who was such a bully. Like, this girl would, like, cut girls' ponytails off.

Oh, my God. She was a horrible, horrible person. I hate her. Jesus. Anyways, most of my bullies growing up were girls. Girls can be really vicious. Anyways, there was this improv exercise we were doing in one of our classes where it was like a game where someone leaves the room. The rest of the class creates a party, some sort of event.

The person comes in, everyone is improvising and has to guess what the party is. It's like from how everyone's behaving, right? Yeah. So I left the room I come in This girl had made everybody Act as if it's my coming out party Before I even like knew what my sexuality was

And so like She had made that decision for you She and she told the whole class to like get in on it And like So what what did it look like when you walked back in the room So like there was like two people like these two Her and like one of her fucking friends were like pretending to be my parents

and like one of them pretending my dad and like being disapproving of me and like you're not my son and like and then like one of the like popular gay boys was like pretending to be like my lover and then like I'm slowly realizing what it is and then I just like like to end the game you have to like raise your hand

and say what it is and I'm just like it's my coming out party and like I'm like so like and then everyone's laughs it was so fucked up it was so mean that is really fucked up it's so mean I think the part that really fucked up for me is, like, them deciding that how your parents were going to be feeling about that. Yeah.

And like, and choosing the version that feels like the norm for them that this would be something that they'd be disapproving up. That's what, that's shocking. Well, I also don't know what was going on in their houses. You know, like, maybe they were experiencing a lot of shame and guilt about being queer. Well, obviously, I think obviously to that point, yes, they were. But to then, you know, superimpose that upon you is just, it's a, it's a very surprise. That's a, that's a bit traumatizing. It was mean.

Yeah. It was really mean. Wow. But shortly after high school, you, I mean, you started working. Mm-hmm. That must have been, I mean, do you, first of all, have you gone to any high school reunions? Yes. I just went to my tenure.

Oh, my God. Tell me about that. I literally went just to rub my success in everybody's face. Thank you. I'm so glad you said that. Thank you. Because, but then I went and nobody who bullied me was there. No.

It was all the kids who were nice to me. They all know. They all know. You've done so much in 10 years. Like, you've done more than any act I've known. They all know. Believe me. But I also, like, think that some of the people who bullied me in high school, like,

I don't even think they really knew that they were bullying me. Because I had like a desperate need to be liked. So a lot of times when I was like being bullied, I would like act like it was funny and like it was okay. I'd be like, you know, like pained smiles. To make them feel comfortable. Yeah. I also, it's like I felt like I spent most of my 20th,

like unpacking like the trauma, like high school. And, like, only recently I've gotten to a place where I'm like, okay, I think I'm... Yeah. It's so interesting because, I mean, if you look at... You really have done so much in 10 years. Like, you graduated high school and, like, really started, you know, working steadily as an actor. And when I was just looking at your body of work in 30 years, I mean, it's really impressive. Not only in the fact that you've done so many things, but you've done so many different things.

And you've also... There was like a... There was, I don't know, I don't want to say blind eye given to your sexuality, but you were given the opportunity to do so many roles that did not bring your sexuality into the storyline at all. I mean, it was just like a, it was something that was not an issue. Well, I would audition for them and I wouldn't get them. Every time it was a gay part, I would audition. Yeah, you wouldn't get it.

You wouldn't get it. Yeah. But, I mean, you were kind of like a romantic lead for a little while as well. I mean, yeah. How did you, was that a tricky thing for you to navigate to sort of be having this break and having this moment and having these jobs given to you where you were, you know, put into romantic relationships with women and like things that maybe you didn't have necessarily a personal connection to, but you were obviously so, listen, I think actors can play everything and you did it brilliantly. but, you know, it's just interesting that, you know, your opportunities came with such a, it was, it was so separate from, like, the reality you lived in high school. Yeah, I think, so I think the missing piece here is that I dated a couple girls in high school. There you go.

There it is. And then, also after high school. Okay. Okay. I was dating, I was dating everybody. Okay. For a second. Were you fluid for a little while or was it? Yeah. I was, Jesse, I like to call myself technically bisexual. Uh-huh. I will never date a woman again. We'll never date a woman again. Not because I'm not attracted to them, but because I don't like that. the feeling of having to be the man in the relationship. I really don't like that feeling. What I like about same-sex relationships is that we both can kind of switch off on what parts of ourselves were showing.

And when I was dating women, it was like, I just felt like I was always, like I always had to be the proverbial big spoon. And I'm like, also like, I'm not really like a half, half bisexual. Like I very much am more attracted to men than I'm attracted to women. but having those experiences with women is helpful when you're like playing all these roles where you're like supposed to be you know like I know and even if I didn't have reference for that in my like personal life I feel like to be a marginalized person is to like study

the dominant culture you know like I know what straightness looks like I know how to perform straightness. Like most gay people do because like that is how we survive. Because we're in protection mode. Yeah. We know what like it's like our level of code switching. Like we know how to like keep in our voice and like masculineize our posture and like do all those things. So it's like when it comes to like playing straight roles, like I understand what is required of me. Yeah. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. After the break, Justice talks about working with Jesse Eisenberg and Mark Ruffalo, and now you see me, now you don't, the third installment of the hit franchise. And he loses his mind when he realizes a past role of

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by using promo code dinners at checkout. That's A-U-R-A-Framing. dot com promo code dinners. This deal is exclusive to listeners and frames sell out fast, so order yours now and get it in time for the holidays. Show the support by mentioning us at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. And we're back with more dinners on me. Was there something, because I know your roles before generation, I mean, it was, you know, you had an incredible role in the get-down.

that Baz Luhrman did. Yeah, I love that. It's such a great, great show. And, you know, you've done several other things so different from the character you played in Generation. Was there, was there for you anything that felt like liberating to be able to embrace that part of yourself? Yeah, it was the most fun, liberating thing. Like, I remember after the show got canceled, I was very, like, I was heartbroken because I was like, I was so. I felt like I had unlocked a side of myself

that I didn't even know that I had that like was now like forever a part of me that I was like I want to like inhabit that even more and not just in sense of like my sexuality but like Chester's like freeness like he is just like so unapologetically himself and I gave him more of like a feminine

and lilt and, like, the way he, like, walks through a space and the clothes he wears, like, how, like, the way he likes to peacock. I just, I had so much fun, like, crafting that character. And, like, any time, like, I play a character who's, like, where I give him a little vocal something, or I give him a little, you know, where it feels like a real kind of character. Yeah. I like to stay in it, you know?

And so, like, being on set with all these, like, kids and just, like, feeling, like, how I wanted to feel in high school. Yeah. You know what I mean? Just, like, so free and feminine. And it just was, yeah, it was very healing, I think. And what's crazy is it, the show was set in Orange County, right? Orange County. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

In Anaheim, the exact city I grew up in. That's wild. I know. It was like... Did you film any stuff there on... No, we did it. No. films in Pasadena. I wanted to.

But it was really healing. But I often find like every project that I do has a weird parallel to like what's going on in my real life. Like it's like and not always in like the obvious

way but like just like weird connections start to line up where I'm like in my relationship with the flying spaghetti monster in the sky. I'm like, oh, I see why I'm here now. I see why you've put me as a part of this project

because I'm learning something about myself and I'm like healing a part of myself that I need to see you. That's cool. It makes you feel like you're doing the right thing and you're in the right place and the right time. I feel so aligned. You're like in Sympatico with the universe and... Yes, yeah, exactly.

Yeah, because I know you, I think I read that you were like a big fan of Pokemon and we're in the Pokemon movie. Yeah, I was a kid. I was a huge fan of Pokemon. Yeah. Yeah. That's going to be wild. Or like, because the first movie I did

was this Y.A. movie called Paper Towns. And in that movie, there was like a moment where we're like singing in the car or were singing somewhere like to not be scared or whatever. And it was originally supposed to be like party in the USA by Molly Cyrus. But pitch perfect had just did that, right? So we were like, she said she loves pitch perfect. They had just did that.

So we're all on set trying to figure out what we should sing. And I suggested we sing the Pokemon theme song. And then it ended up in the movie. And then years later, I ended up doing the Pokemon movies. So I was just, like, weird, like, connections like that that I'm always, like, paying attention to. Yeah. Yeah. It just makes me feel like I'm aligned and I'm going in the right direction.

I know right now you're doing a promotion for, now you see me. Yeah. Now you don't. Yes. It's interesting because you've done, this isn't the first franchise you've been a part of. You've done drastic films as well. I mean, I love, now you see me, the first one, I thought it was such a romp, it's such a, you know, a good time.

And I just thought there was so, first of all, so well cast. Jesse Eisenberg is so talented. I love him so much. Woody Harrelson. I love him so much. Dave Franco. Yes. I mean, it's an incredible, incredible cast.

And, you know, then in this third film, like Roseman Pike, I adore, and Mark Ruff. flow. I mean, it's just the casting is so insane. I mean, what was it like, you know, first of all, so many incredible legends. Like, what was it like just being in a massive film with them? I mean, this is not a low

budget indie thing. No. This is massive. It is the, it was one of the best experiences I've ever had on a film. And I like, I don't say that lightly. Like, I I wanted to do the film

because I wanted to work with these actors and also the director I met with him and I really liked him and he felt like he was going to be a really good shepherd for this kind of project and it was

nonstop fun not only because the us like new cast the new cast of magicians me and Dominic Sessa and Ariana Greenblatt, we got along so well and like we would

do escape rooms around Budapest and like watch horror movies and like hang out all the time. But the existing horsemen were so welcoming to us. Like I remember the first day I got on set, Jesse when he met me, he was just like oh like come have lunch with me in my

trailer like on the first day and just like get to know me and ask me questions and like they really don't have to do that. Right. They went out of their way to invite us into the click, which was, it just was, yeah, it was everything. I'm really blessed to know these people now, and like, I'm really excited to do another one. Is there going to be another one?

Yeah, they already announced it. That's incredible. They already announced it, right? Yeah, okay, good. You know, did you learn to do any magic with it? I mean, that's... Yes, I did. Is it... We had magic lessons.

We had, like, a whole magic training. school day for like a month. Oh my God. I mean, the magic in the first two films is pretty astonishing. I mean, obviously it's a film like, you know, there's editing it is involved, but like just the way that you know, they

in the story that they would play out some of these tricks, it was so I don't know, there's such a performative elements to a really great magic show. I mean, it was, it's felt very big and it felt very exciting and like it was just, you know, it's It was a romp.

It was just a lot of fun. So I'm really excited to see it. Yeah, I think this one is a lot of fun too. Rubin, the director, made a point of making sure that all of our magic tricks were practical. Like, they could all, like, really be done by a magician, which I'm a big fan of practical effects. So we, like, trained. Like, I, like, learned all of these different, like, card tricks and card flourishes. And that was before, like, the script was really sad.

and, like, what magic tricks I was going to be doing in the movie. And then we got, like, the most updated draft. And it turned out I wasn't doing any card tricks in the movie. Oh, really? And I, like, learned all these cards tricks for, like, no reason. But then I, like... It's like, when you learn how to do a stunt, and then on the day, you stunt doubles on set,

and he's going to do it. You're like, well, I want to do it. Yeah, I trained. I did all this work. Yeah. And the thing is also I need to start retrain. Like, I need to, like, refresh all my car tricks. too, because I know that people during this press junkie

are going to ask me to do magic tricks. Wait, let's guess all the, because I love on a press junket where it's like you get the same questions over and over. For modern family, it would always be like, so what makes a modern family modern? And so as a cast, we would like turn it into this game.

And I think one time we sat down as a group for an interview and we're like, like if one of your questions is what makes a modern family modern we're walking out and like literally you saw the person like go to the next car because that's what's like literally the first question i just imagine the interviewer at home just being like this is going to eat they're going to love this question you're like i get it nine 100 times a day i've had people in interviews yeah like the way they like ask a question that's been asked before they ask it like i bet yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah i'm like you'd be surprised yeah yeah um I am a very big fan of the one song of yours that I found on Spotify. Oh, my God. First of all, you're a great singer. Did you write that song? Thank you.

Oh, my God. Justice, it's so good. Thanks. That's crazy. Yeah. I feel like you read my diary. I feel like that's what you're telling me right now. I found your diary.

And I did. And I also found your diary. And I have some questions. But first of all, when did you record that? And second of all, are you, is that something you would do more of? Because you're a great songwriter. Thank you. Yeah, I'm working.

I've been working on an EP for like, I don't even know how long. I recorded that. I wrote that in 2017. I recorded it. And it was about my ex-girlfriend. And I recorded it in 2019 after we broke up. yeah that's right that relationship created a very good song yeah i like that song too it's really good thanks yeah i mean you're a singer right you do musicals i did musicals yeah i don't consider myself

you have a much better voice than i ever did or will i doubt that no you do believe me we'll listen to the recording of spelling bean you'll see that i'm right um are you in spelling i was the original Leaf Coney Bear, yeah. Oh, I love Puyah Kony's movie. Yo, I never saw it, though. I only listened to the soundtrack. Yeah, I'm not that smart. I'm not that smart. That's me. You didn't know that?

No. That's funny. I would sing that song all the time. Yes, I would like, because I would like, I want to audition for the school musical. I wanted it. And I would prepare that song and then I would never audition. That's so funny. But I prepared that song over and over and over again to, like, build the courage

to audition. So I've heard your voice so many times. I didn't even realize it. That's hilarious. Oh, my God. Yeah, that's like a pretty popular song for kids to audition with. It's a great character song. It is a great character song.

I remember when William Finn was writing it for me, and he's like one of my idols. He's recently passed away. The guy wrote Spelling Bee, William Finn, and he, we were workshopping the show together, and I was so excited. I was going to hear this song for the first time, and he gets sound of the piano. And he wasn't a very good pianist and an even worse singer. But, like, he was a great songwriter.

Right, right, right, right. And he's just down with the piano. He's like, this, you know, big guy. He's got this crazy voice. He's like, okay, so here's your song. And he just starts pounding on the piano. He's like, I'm not that smart. People have been telling me that for years.

So I'm like, oh, my God, no. No, this is, my idol's writing me a song, and this is shit. It's terrible. And then, you know, you take it, and you own it, and you develop it. And, like, it became, what it was. It's an iconic song. Yeah. Oh, thank you. Sweet.

Yo, that's crazy. I'm like having so many flashbacks to me in my bedroom. Like, that's so funny. Literally pushing the rewind button like back, back, back, back, back, over and over again. That's crazy. That's you. Yeah, they're reviving it on Broadway. Oh, really? They're reviving it in New York, um, off Broadway. Oh, really? I'm going to go to the opening of it. Do you know who the cast is? Um, yeah, some of me, it's a, the guy who's playing my part is this kid named Justin Cooley who is nominated for a Tony Award for... Yeah, I love Justin.

Yeah, for... Kimberly Akembo. Yeah, I met him once. He's really sweet. Yeah, he's really great. Yeah. Yeah. He's very talented.

Yeah. When you see, have you ever seen someone play a role that you originated before? I saw kids... I've gone to school productions of Spelling Bee. So I've seen people do that. And they're like, that's not how I would do it. Oh, it makes me so happy.

It, like, moves me to tears every time. Even if they're not very good. That's the kid they casted. Listen You're missing the arc of character Listen, dude No, no, you're getting leave all wrong No, no, no

You're playing them for laughs You're playing your for laughs I'm really glad you said yes to this It's really nice to meet you I've really truly been a fan for such a long time And I didn't even realize I was I didn't even realize I was a fan of yours Well, now you know

Now you doubt I mean, I knew I was a Wait, hold up, that sounds weird I knew I was a fan of yours I didn't realize How far back Yeah, you're an OG. Yes.

It was a lot of fun. And also, the food was great. Oh, well, thank you. Listen, I got this one. Dinner's on me. Don't worry about it. Hey. That's the name of the thing, right?

Hey. This episode of Dinners on Me was recorded at Destroyer in Clover City, California. Next week on Dinners on Me, you know him as Pita in the Hunger Games franchise, and as Mike in Five Nights at Freddy's, and more recently, as Rachel Sennett's boyfriend in the HBO series, I Love L.A., it's Josh Hutcherson. We'll get into how he started in Hollywood, calling up acting agents as a child, and learning how to deal with rejection later in his career, which for him was at age 24. And what it's like to split your time between Madrid and Los Angeles?

I don't know, it sounds romantic to me. 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 a... access to new episodes one week early, they'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. 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. Ben Bear engineered this episode. Hans Dale She composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison. Special thanks to Tamika Balance Kalasni and Justin Makita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Join me next week.