Good Hang with Amy Poehler - Colman Domingo

Episode Date: June 9, 2026

Colman Domingo has Oprah in his corner. Amy hangs with the 'Disclosure Day' star and talks about Gen X's favorite dance moves, fighting Don Johnson on 'Nash Bridges,' and which peptides he's on. Host: Amy PoehlerGuests: Steven Spielberg and Colman DomingoExecutive producers: Bill Simmons, Amy Poehler, and Jenna Weiss-BermanFor Paper Kite Productions: Executive producer Jenna Weiss-Berman, coordinator Sam Green, and supervising producer Joel LovellFor The Ringer: Supervising producers Juliet Litman, Sean Fennessey, and Mallory Rubin; video producers Jack Wilson and Aleya Zenieris; audio producer Kaya McMullen; social producer Bridget Geerlings; video editor Drew van Steenbergen; and booker Kat SpillaneOriginal music: Amy Miles Palmolive Ultra removes up to 99.9% of grease leaving your dishes sparkling clean. Switch today at www.Visible.com for just 25/mo. Or get premium Visible+ pro plan and save $10 on your first month with code HANG.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Goodhank. We have an awesome guest today, the great Coleman Domingo. And Coleman and I have so much fun. We talk about his beautiful mother Edith and how she shaped his life. We talk about our shared love of dancing and why it means so much to us. We talk about peptides. What are they? And who's taking them? And we also celebrate the fact that he is working with Steven Spielberg and his new movie Disclosure Day, which is coming out this week. Big Summer hit Blockbuster Baby. Speaking of Stephen Spielberg, Stephen joins us as our guest today

who's going to talk to us about Coleman. He's going to talk well behind Coleman's back. And if you don't know who Steven Spielberg is, I don't know what to tell you. You know, 50 years ago he made Jaws. Last year he was producing Hamnet and he's made every single movie in between. So Stephen Spielberg, Mr. Spielberg,

Mr. Spielberg? Are you there? This episode of Good Hang is presented by Palm Olive. Family time isn't just the big moments. It's weeknight dinners, sitting around the table, everyone talking at once. So when the plates are empty and the sink is full, use Palm Olive Ultra. Palm Olive's most powerful formula removes up to 99.9.9% of grease, leaving your dishes sparkling clean. And the new convenient pump makes cleaning, eat.

even easier. So you can spend less time tackling dirty dishes and more time together. Shop now at palmolive.com. Oh my God. I'm on good hang. We got to get you into the stewed. We tried. We weren't. We couldn't schedule it. Dang. Yeah, we were like we don't have time. Yeah, I tried. I got to make a few more hits before I'm ready getting on your show. We were like, we were like, we were like, we just want to see one or two more things from Stephen before we say this. Yeah, I know. I know. I love the audition process. Stephen, you are my subconscious. Like, the work that you have made is in my brain.

You have, you shaped my entire life. You are a Gen X director through and through. Oh, thank you. Thank you. I love that I'm in your subconscious, and yet you can still be funny with my plethora of comedy, you know. Well, I mean, I feel like I've gotten a chance to, um,

been lucky enough to see you at, um, you know, places in events and shows and stuff. And I got to see you recently at the S&L 50th. That was great. It was just great. It was hard to believe.

I mean, I, you know, I was there the first show in 1975. I was in the audience. Get out of here. Yeah. It was in the very first show.

Yeah. Flew all the way to New York as it was in the air. It was, it was one of those things, you know, where my generation suddenly was being included. in something that was going to define, define us.

And it was just, I just somehow knew I had to be there for it. And I just, you know, got a ticket and went in the audience and watch. Where did you sit and watch? Were you on the floor or were you up in the balcony? No, no, I didn't know anybody. I just, I was in the stands. Jaws had come out in June. I think the first S&L show was in October or September.

Yeah, October 11th. Yeah. Yeah. And I was there, and it was incredibly, it spoke to me. And after it was over, I'd left with the audience. And somebody came running up and grabbed me and dragged me kind of backstage to Belushi. And so John said, you're the guy who made the shark movie? And I said, yeah, he says, you got to meet Danny. And he dragged me over to Danny. And that was the beginning of my first, the first event that I really became. became a formal groupie. Because I've always, I've always, I've always, I've always gravitated toward comedy and stand up and comedians and, and, and I go, you know, Robin Williams was one of my dearest, closest friends in my whole life.

And Albert Brooks and I sort of started out together. And so that sort of, but I'm not the funny guy. I'm a good audience for all of you. I'm, I'm your best audience. Well, you're here today to talk about Coleman Domingo. and he's a new friend of mine. I actually met him on a dance floor, which I want to talk about because we met just at a party.

So makes sense. But when did you first meet, Coleman? Where did you guys first meet? I was going to make a movie about Ira and George Gershwin. And I was going to make a movie about the process of writing and staging, Porgie and Bess. And I had a script and I was excited and I was casting it. And I was looking for Todd Duncan who played Porgy.

And I met a lot of actors. And when Coleman came in to the meeting, that was the first time I became, I'm a certain the first time I met Coleman. But I intended, after that meeting to cast him as Todd Duncan. Oh, wow. Stephen, people must come in to meet with you and you must feel their nerves. So how do you get people to relax when they're having a meeting with you? Well, you know, it disadvantages me if somebody comes in and I can't find them in a 15, 20 or 30 minute meeting because of whatever expectations or they bring to the meeting with how nervous some of them are. Some of them aren't nervous at all, but a lot of them are. And I had this problem only because of success, because success creates a kind of false front. It's kind of like, you know, I've always seen myself early in my career being successful,

but also feeling a little bit like a fake Western street on a Hollywood back lot. Where you walk around behind the facade and there's just a bunch of two-by-fours holding up the facade. And people only knew how nervous I am and how nervous stressed I get, They wouldn't be something that was in front of me. And I really was, and I just, I came up with a method, which I used for a couple of pictures, starting with Raiders of the Lost Ark. And I decided that all the actors that I audition in person, I'm going to meet them in a kitchen and we're going to cook.

We're going to, we're going to actually cook. And, and so for a couple of movies starting with Raiders, everybody that came in met me in a kitchen and we were cooking stuff. And that's, that was how everybody relaxed around good. food. That's so smart because you're also, you're just getting to do something. It's like, what do I do with my hands, basically, is what you're thinking half the time when you're stressed. Yeah, everybody becomes so real when they're covered, they're covered in flour and, you know, and there's, and you're trying to break an egg and the egg spills out on the counter. I mean,

everybody becomes the best version of themselves. Although there must have been people like, good news, you have an audition. Bad news, you need to learn how to cook in a week. Well, the good news is you're going to be part of a recipe, but the bad news is you're only here for 30 minutes and you're not going to be able to eat what we made. All the actors that came into the end of the day were able to actually feast on what we had prepared starting at 9 o'clock in the morning, right?

So you meet Coleman, and now you guys are, and did you work together on any other films after that? What happened was I had actually cast a lot of the movie and then I had a something that doesn't often happen when I'm that far down the line, but I had a kind of second thought about the project. And I decided not to continue making it. That's the only reason Coleman and I didn't work together then. But remembering Coleman, as well as I did, I cast him in Lincoln playing Private Green.

Right. And that was the first time we actually professionally worked together. And what is it like working with him? Kind of like riding in a way mode where you don't have to do anything but sit in the back seat because the car drives very well by itself. And Coleman is, when he graces your set, he brings kindness and he brings collaboration, and he brings love, and he brings a real sense of let's have fun while we're working hard. While we're working hard to be serious, can we also have fun?

And he makes a director look forward to going to work the next morning. Oh, what a dream. I mean, I'm sure you're at the point in your life and career, too, where you can tell, like, sometimes, you know, people are motivated by a lot of things, as you know, as a director, and you have to kind of find out what motivates them. But when someone has talent and ease, it's not always the case. No, it's not always the case. I've been lucky.

I've had actors, I've had a lot of actors who have been such great collaborators, you know, to work with, even on really, you know, trying projects. But Coleman isn't about himself. He's about the whole. You know, he's about, it's like the play is the thing, as Shakespeare said. He's about the play. He's about the whole. He's as interested in the actors, he's playing opposite.

even more so than he is about his own role in the, in the hole. And that's rare. That's really, really rare. He is so full of empathy. And because my movie deals, Disclosure Day, you know, deals a lot with the importance of empathy. Holman was a very easy choice for me to make to invite him to be part of this company and part of this ensemble. We cannot wait for this movie. Another hit, Stephen.

Huge. Knock on my wooden head. Listen, I'm calling it right now. Okay? No, I don't believe in jinxes, and I call it as I see it, and I'm telling you something. This movie is everybody is ready for this movie. It looks so good. I still don't really know what it's about, which is great.

I think it has to do with aliens, but you tell me. I don't know. Well, what can I say? Here's looking at you. Here's looking at you, kids. Do you have a question for me that I could ask him, big or small? I've been thinking about that. You know, he's such a success and he's so consistently successful.

I'd love you to ask him, was there ever a film he auditioned for that he didn't get and he was desperate to get? Oh, yeah. I mean, I bet he has an answer to that. that because I know that he, I mean, when I look at his career, he's really done a ton of different types of work. I mean, Coleman, talk about empathy. He can play, he has a huge range. He can play, like, just a love bomb of a person, and he can play a really sinister, scary person, too. Yes. Okay, that's a good one. Well, Stephen, thank you so much for your time. It really means a lot.

I know Coleman will be thrilled that we talked, and I can't wait to talk to him about what it's like to work with you. I can't wait. I can't wait to watch this. This episode is brought to you by Visible. How many of you are currently listening to this podcast on your phone? If you are chronically online, like we all are these days, your wireless network should be too.

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and save $10 on your first month when you use promo code hang, an exclusive offer for podcast listeners. Terms apply. See visible.com for plan features and network management details. Oh my God, Coleman Domingo is here and he brought me. I bought you a meal. I bought you a, I bought you a, Okay, now I've been starting to get gifts, which is not required.

That's what it becomes ridiculous, right? When someone finds out what you like. But, okay, let's discuss this. For the listeners, what did you bring me? I bought you a fake egg. It's a keychain. Look at it. Okay.

I'm going to describe this while I show it. It is a fried egg on a keychain. Yes. Do you like fried eggs? I love fried eggs. Oh, good. Me too. Sunny side up.

I love a sunny side up because it gets things moving, that's why. not to start off there and just go to my totally right i guess let me ask you about your sunny side up do you like to because this yoke is very exposed do you like to flip it once and get like i like that and a little crunch me too a little crunch and then like so you get then it bursts with a little hot sauce on there this is a rubber fake egg also coleman brought me um plastic silverware in case i wanted to pretend to eat it i'm not a crazy person call me I know this is fake.

Okay. Where should it go? This is now going to get ridiculous. Well, I don't want to brag, but we got a couple A-list stuff up here. We got some pea pods from Jennifer Lawrence. We have... Where the raspberries come from? Oh, the raspberries.

Where did they come from? Oh, MoMA. The MoMA sent us fake raspberries. Let's put it next to MoMA's raspberries. I think that's good. Raspberrys and eggs. And there's an egg here. There's a little egg there.

Look at that. Oh, my God. Okay, that's too cute. Oh my God, I made the board. It's so good. This is already a good hang. A good hang with Amy Bola. And you know, Ina Garde gave us that giant chicken.

That's actually really good. Isn't that a really good chicken? It's really good. I'm really fascinated by all of this. I know, isn't it cool? It's very satisfying. It's good. And I think...

When did, you didn't know, I was going to interview here? When did the fetish start? Tell us about your childhood. Coleman. I don't know, but it's like good. like good art. I don't know how to explain what I like, but I know it when I see it. Yeah. I love that egg. You love that you brought me. You're very welcome. Because it's realistic. I don't like children's fake food. I'm an adult.

Grown people's fake food. Exactly. What are you? You're not nuts. It's so good. Coleman Domingo was here. I was really thinking about what to wear because I knew you'd look incredible. I'm fine. I'm wearing a lined green sweater situation. You can wear anything. Really? You look incredible in everything. You have the best style. Thank you.

And like the style is bigger than just clothes. Like you have a way of moving through the world where you like, I find clothes and fashion be kind of confusing for me. Like I'm always trying to figure it out. I don't always feel like it's a world that I understand or that I'm a part of. But whenever I see you wearing, whatever. you're wearing, it's like an invitation. I think it is.

I think literally that's what I think it is. It's like, okay, even like what I was supposed to wear, there was a jacket with this. And I thought, oh, no, I'm going to go hang with Amy. She's a friend. I got to show those guns, babe. I got to sex it up a little bit. That's what I emailed you. I was like, bring the sense.

You got to bring it. Bring that sex. Okay, so I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. So I, but I thought like, I just want to feel relaxed with you. Yes. The jacket was just all like, you know, I'm on the very serious business meeting with you. But I was like, no, I'm going to feel a little sexy. That's, but it's exactly the point.

Like the clothes never wear you. Like you are always like, how do I get into this feeling? Right, this character. Yeah. And that is what I have learned about wearing something, like figuring out how to dress is like, basically how do you want to feel? What do you consider your style to be? When you wear a suit, I can always tell you look so sexy and beautiful in yourself. God bless you.

Exactly. You didn't know that this was going to happen. today, did you? I mean, I hoped. I hoped. No, but you, but you do. Because also, I can tell that you feel very comfortable in your body and skin. It's comfort.

Listen, Diane Keaton did that. Diane Keaton was like, she perfected her style in a way that was just her own. Yeah. And she was always cool and chic and it had these masculine vibes to it. And that was her. Who are you wearing? Oh, Paul Smith today. Heard of him.

Yeah, Paul, you know. Okay. We're kind of new friends. We're getting to know each other. And I feel like I was trying to remember when we first met. And I think we first really met nonverbally on a dance floor. That's exactly. You do remember it.

I do. It was at a night before party. Right. One of the Emmy. The Emmy night before parties. And we just, I don't know, the DJ was killing it that night. And you and you were wearing a suit, actually. You're wearing a suit.

And you and I just cut it up. And I was like, oh, my God, Amy Puller can dance her ass off. Thank you for saying that. Sit right back at you. I mean, we were killing it. Why do you love to dance? I always love to ask people who love to dance why they love to dance. You know, I grew up, I think my parents used to always throw the best parties.

So New Year's Eve was always at our house. And we didn't have, we lived in a row home in Philadelphia. And so the basement had a bar down there. Oh, we had a basement. Right? Those dark, dank basements. Were your poles carpeted? Oh, absolutely.

Carpeted. We had a black sheba, a velvet on the wall. Like, you know, she's like some black woman with the afro and tits out and a, in a panther. And I would always look at it and just come through me. Remember, like string art? Yes, absolutely. All of that was down there. So everything was down there.

Our Christmas toys were in the back, but that's all the thing. Yeah. But it was really, we would have dance parties down there. So we'd go down there and the music was cranked up and we danced to, we just dance. I come from a family that loved to dance. My mother, before she passed, my mother passed in 2006. One of the things that my sister always loves to tell me, was like just the week before my mom was dancing in the aisles of Pathmark.

Oh, I love that. Like, you know, playing whatever music was playing, she was dancing in the aisles. I'm like, the idea that that's my sister's memory of my mother dancing. So I come from people who like can dance anywhere. Like I have zero shame. Me too. And in fact, you know, I get, it actually helps me expel a lot of my social anxiety. Yeah.

Like I'd rather dance and talk. Yes. Same here. We danced like, do you remember that show of Dancing on Air? Oh, well, we had dance. Well, you're from Philly. Dancing on Air was, dancing,

dancing, or dance USA? Dance USA. Yeah, exactly. With Kelly Rippa. With Kelly Rippa. Exactly, exactly. But like, you and I dance, like,

from that generation. Yeah, we're the same age, basically. So, like, when you cut, you tear it down. 100%. We really move, and it's like... Because they don't move like that anymore. We move like we were trying to hurt somebody.

There's a whole thing, a trend on TikTok about how, like, showing it the difference between how Gen X and Gen Z dance. Because Gen Z barely moves. They barely moved. And Gen X, like, clear the dance floor. Oh, we. Did you have high school dances and what was playing, what music was playing at those dances?

Listen, they had high school dances. Now, I went to high school of Will Smith, by the way. They had high school dances, but I was in- You went to high school with Will Smith? With Will Smith? Incredible. Same grade? He was one right above me.

Oh, my God. What was he like in high school? You know, he was a cool kid. He was actually a cool kid. He was actually very friendly. Everybody really liked him. And he performed at the one ballroom in Philadelphia, he and jazzie Jeff. But I was a bona fide nerd.

I didn't do any of that stuff. Oh, man. No, no, no. I didn't come, I didn't turn into this until like second year of college. Because I decided I didn't want to be like that anymore. I was very shy and bookish and very awkward. So you weren't like tearing up the dance for in high school? No, no, no.

I was dancing at home with my siblings. But in high school, I didn't go to any dances. I know. This is where it gets sad. I didn't go to any dances. You didn't go. You're feeling too shy. I went to my prom, but I got there late because my prom date, Terry Hayes, was very late getting her dress made.

So we got there very late. So I didn't even dance at my prom. Okay. Okay. This has gotten very tragic very quickly. Well, because I feel like that this idea of coming into your own and like feeling your, getting into your sense of power and like who you are and all this stuff is like the theme of the, for me, your career, life for interview because I find your, my experience with you, I feel like you really have worked very hard to know who you are and to like show that person to the world, basically.

I mean, I think, listen, that started, I think one of my first jobs was at Barnes & Noble bookstore in Philadelphia and I would take care of the self-help section. This one was 18 years old. Self-help and travel. Those are the sections that took care of. And I would be in the corners and I'd be reading these books on how to become a person. To be very honest, because I felt I was awkward. I wasn't, I wasn't regarious or anything, but I knew I wanted to become something else. And so I went to self-help books. And I was like, oh, to become a different person, you had to do certain things or adopt certain traits.

And I think while I was becoming an actor as well, it was very useful. So I was actually trying on these different things and the way I dress, the way I express myself, the way I walk into a room, the way I spoke. You know what I mean? Where I pitched my voice, all of that stuff. So I feel like all of this has been a bit manufactured, you know, because of it, because I'm a lot of I didn't have, I was, I didn't have it before. Well, you know, you, you've talked so much about your mom who seems so amazing. Oh, you would have loved her.

Oh, I bet. And what would she tell you in those little awkward times? Like, what would she, how would she reassure you or, or just like gently kind of walk by, you know, alongside you while you were feeling awkward? What would she say? I'll tell you this. Well, I have to tell you a story now because of that, because you just made me think of this. When I was a kid, I used to always suffer from like really terrible asthma. And one time I was hospitalized.

And I went in right before maybe about like November 1st or something like that. And I was in the hospital and, you know, just breathing and stuff like that getting myself together. And then when I came out, when I was healthier, I came out and they picked, my mom picked me up at night. And we're driving through the city and there's all these lights up, all the Christmas lights and stuff. like that everywhere. And I said, oh my God, look at all the lights. She says, you know, they all put up their lights to welcome you back home. Oh, come on. And so this is the mother that I had. She would make me believe that I was very special and that the world was set up to do me more good than harm constantly. She was constantly going against any narrative of what the world was

and telling me that I was special, that I was useful, that can be whatever I wanted, I can travel. because I always had my head in the book. I was looking at images of ancient Egypt and Rome. And she said, when you could grow up, you can go to those places. Go to the. So I always had a huge imagination because of my mother. Yeah. So it was in all those moments when she was just like,

when I wasn't feeling great about myself or anything, she would tell me how smart I was. Yes. That was the thing. She always told me I was smart. Yeah. She always said, you're so smart. Isn't it?

It's so handsome. That kind of early. conditioning, it makes, I mean, I'm saying the obvious, but it's like a, it's like actually a privilege, I'm learning more and more, it's a privilege to have had a parent or parents that said that to you. Yeah. Because it's, was your parents like that as well? Absolutely. Where they would be like, you can do, that whisper of you can do what you want to do, you're smart, you're capable, you're useful, your, you're, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, uh, you have purpose. Yes, exactly. There's a reason why you're here, all that stuff.

Like when it said out loud, it changes the course of your life. I think it does. I think I've been given so many beautiful moments by people throughout my life who told me something that I didn't, maybe I didn't see it myself. Even how I became an actor, one of my early college teachers, I took an acting class just as an elective too. Again, my mother said, take a class for fun. Take something to get you outside of yourself.

And so we thought about an acting class. And I took this class and then this teacher, Chris Wolfe, He said to me, first time I ever heard this from anyone, truly. He said, have you ever thought about acting as a profession? I was like, I don't even know what that is. Right. I'm a kid in West Philly. I don't know.

What were your parents' jobs? No, my mom was, my mom worked at a bank. For a long time, she cleaned houses and then she kept going back to school. Eventually she worked in customer service at like first Pennsylvania bank. Yeah. My dad sanded hardwood floors. He was my stepfather. And he was just a blue collar work.

I would work with him on the summers. Yeah. And makes him extra money. Yeah. So they were very much like just like, just good. working class folks. Yeah. And they wanted you to go to college and do it better than them.

Right. You know, so they were just like really trying to prepare you for things. But I'd never heard until I got to college that someone said, I would be curious if you followed this path as an actor. He said, because I think you have a gift. And I realized that I'd never heard someone tell me I had a gift at something. Right. And so suddenly I was like, gift. And he said, and then he said this.

It was like a challenge. He said, I'd be very curious if you followed that. path. That was like mic drop. I mean, because we, I mean, I don't, I want to get into this this early, but Coleman and I are both anagram AIDS. Yeah, we are. Yeah, yeah, exactly. And we love a challenge. We got that from, Tina Faye was like, what's your, Tina made, Tina made, take the test on the set of the four seasons. He got an aide. I was thrilled. And please explain that again, what the eight means again. Oh, God, my audience is going to be like, but we're the challenger. We're, I guess the point is,

he challenged you. I'd be so curious what you do with that gift. And that is a motivating factor for us. It's like a little bit of a challenge is exciting for us. Yes. Sometimes it's like our way through. Like we like a little challenge. I mean, we're so easy.

Everybody has their ways that like we think we're not manipulated. But we respond well to when someone says, I bet you can't do that. Oh, my God. We're like, I bet I can't do that. Yes, it's true. It's true. I'm the same way when someone's like, maybe, maybe that's not for you. I'm like, no, it's 100% for me for the rest of my life.

Oh, my God. Where are you from? From Boston. I'm right around the park. It's right around the park. Like, we were, like, you know, like. But see, but it's a city from of underdogs as well. Like Tina and I, we always talk about that.

We're like, there's something that Philly in us. Like, yeah. And you don't see you. Philly. Philly makes Boston look like London, England. Tina and I, Tina and I always talk about it. It's true.

It's true. Philly is wild. It is wild. I mean, look what I'm mad. I mean, you're just like, I mean, Philly's fanatic. I mean, that's insane. I don't even know what that is. It's an insane person.

I mean, we have the mummers parade. We have the mummers is like just drunk Irish people on New Year's Day. The only time I've ever been called a seaboard to my face is at the Philadelphia airport. Wait, what? When Tina and I were touring and we wouldn't give a guy one of the weird, like, you know, autographed people there when they follow you around the airport. and it gets really stressful. And we were like, oh, you're stressing us out a little bit. And then he flung the seaboard and Tina turned me and she goes, welcome to Philly.

And I was like, yes. It was like a badge of honor, though. Oh, yeah, of course. Yeah, exactly. They like me here. But I want to say, but you getting out of Philly, you go to San Francisco, but I just want to stay with one thing that I love Coleman about you is like also there's like these, there's a shy kid trying to find his way, mom who told him he was special.

and the Christmas lights were for him. You go from Philly to San Fran. Why is San Fran? Why do you move there? Because I had a couple college buddies. It always happens. This is usually the story. I have a couple college buddies.

Actually, three of them that were living in a studio apartment in the Tendoline District. They were like, San Francisco was amazing. Yeah. I was struggling in school. I was working two jobs and trying to matriculate. And I was like, my mom was like, you know, you can take a semester off and you can always go back to school. And so I have these friends of mine that moved out to San Francisco. they're like, come out.

I was like, great. Like literally come out because I was also, that's another sidebar. I just made my own joke. I was going to come out when I was seven times. You were going to come out and also go anywhere. Sure. So then I moved to San Francisco and it was four guys living in a studio apartment at the Tendelon District.

And if anyone out there doesn't know the Tendelon District. Yeah, tell everybody about that. You know, ladies of the night and, you know. Yeah, it was a really wild and exciting time. In the 90s. But 90s, that's when it was like. crisp. Yeah.

What was your rent? Do you remember how much your rent was? Oh, I do remember my... It was... For that studio was 625. Split four ways. Split four ways. And we're just like there to like...

And I literally slept... This is also a terrible joke, but I literally slept in a closet. You'd come out of the closet. Because that was that we had a walking closet. And so I was the fourth guy moving in there. And I literally slept in a walking closet. You're too tall. I mean, for people that don't know or kids...

can't or haven't been next to, had the pleasure being next to you, you're 6-2. Six-two, that's right. Tall drink of water. Because all these teeny tiny actors, there's a lot of actors. There's a lot of little actors. Yeah, there are. And, you know, I kind of get it because, like, you know, it's, it's good for camera. I love being in a scene with the 6-2 gentlemen.

It's kind of hot, right? Also, it's just a great view, like, is a great angle. Like, when we turn around, the camera's going to be up here. Okay, so you go to San Fran. You're there. You're working as a bartender. Your writing plays. Do you remember the first play that you wrote?

What was it about? The first play I wrote was called Up Jump Springtime. And that is the title of a Stan Gets and Abby Lincoln song. And it goes, I was out promenading and high hopes are fading that dreams ever really come true. Then Up Jumped Springtime, I got a look at you. And it was a play that I wrote, I adapted a bit of a novel. and I sort of embedded my work in there as well. It really was about coming of age as a young queer man.

And I had three actors. We played all the roles. Wow. We played men, women, lovers, mothers, father, sisters, whatever. But it was really about the experience that nobody was writing about at the time. It must have felt so good to be a successful playwright while you were also auditioning and being an actor. I think so. But to be honest, I didn't consider myself a writer at that time.

and then I grew into becoming a playwright. What year was this that you're writing? What year? I started writing about 1997. The last play, I've written plays and musicals. I've written the Donna Summer musical. Oh, I want to talk about that. I was on Broadway.

I wrote a musical about it. You wrote the book for the Donna Summer musical. Yeah, I know, right? I mean, again, in that high school world of like the dances we were at or we weren't at, Donna Summer, her music was so important to our generation and to every generation. But I feel like Donna Summer doesn't quite get spoken about enough. She doesn't. She was one of the greatest singers, I think, that has ever walked this planet.

I agree. Because also her voice, she could do anything with her voice. Yeah. She could sing opera. She could sing country. She could sing, you know, disco. I think that her voice, I mean, she even famously talked about her voice. She said, no, I make music.

And you just never know where I'm going to be angled in that way. And then before we move on to you, like the career stuff, I just want to pause to talk about it because it is around this time that you meet your husband? Oh, no. I met my husband and 21 years ago. So in 2005. Okay. So not in San,

you met him in. No, funny, it's a weird thing because I lived in San Francisco for 10 years, moved to New York. Yeah.

I go back to San Francisco to do a show at Berkeley rep. Yeah. I go to Berkeley, California. I'm crossing paths going into a Walgreens with the most beautiful person I think I've ever seen.

Not even just beautiful aesthetically, but like just energetically. We never speak. three days later, I'm trying to buy a used computer on Craigslist. I couldn't stop thinking about him. And I thought about posting one of the Craigslist misconnections ads. Oh, it's so analog. It's so analog, right?

I used to read them like crazy. Yeah. And I get to the second page and third one down. I remember exactly the placement. And it said, Saw you, I saw the Walgreens Berkeley. He placed it just an hour before I looked. So we were looking for each other. And then we met.

And I'm so uncool. We met three days later, had our first. first date and I literally was like, I think I love you. You're going to change my life. That's how uncool I am though. But that's so good. It's so direct. Also, everyone that took a look at Raoul, like everyone would be like, I love you immediately. Maybe you got that a lot. Like, I love you. I mean, I get it. You got to lock that down really fast. Yeah. And I'm sure, like, but that's you. Like, you're very, I mean, what I'm learning about you. You're in the moment. And also you're one of the many, many.

things that I love about getting to know you is you, there's not a lot of like, like, people know how you feel. Yeah. There's no question. That's a, but that's a love language. Like, I'm going to just tell you how I feel now. I'm going to take that risk. I'm like, that's, that's what vulnerability is. Like, I'm just going to tell you right now. I love you. Like, that's amazing. And like, no games at all. And I'm always telling people, too, like, don't play any games. Just be straight up with people. Just be straight. If you don't like it, you don't like me or whatever. Just tell me. Then that, that, that takes time away from, you know, just move away.

Get out the way then. Yes. Because the people who will receive that, they're going to be right there with me. And so you guys have been together 22 years, 21 years. You know, here at Good Hang, we only allow a few spouses to come because, you know, you don't want to have, you don't want to have everybody's wife and husband around. That's true.

And we've had the most amazing group of people. We've had Rowles here today. Yeah, he is. We've got, he's in the green room. Hi, Roel. Hi. I love you. Roel is here today.

We had Carol Burnett bring her husband, Brian, and we've had Viola Davis's husband, Julius. Oh, that's great. And that's it. That's it. That's it for the good hang. That's it. No more spouses.

No. Roll's like a cat. He's sort of like, you know. Yeah. You barely even know he's here. Well, and the cheekbones. What? On both of you.

We bought him for the cheekbones. I mean, both of you guys are like cheekbone city. You guys could open up a cheekbone shot. That's our next adventure. It is true. And it's funny because sometimes when with other people, they can't even tell that we're, I guess it's a compliment. They can't tell that we've been together for so long.

Yes, that is a compliment. They can't tell because we're still like very in love with each other. Yes. And we have fun and we're touchy-feely. Yes. But also then even when we're in groups of people, they're like, oh, my God, how do you guys know each other? They're like, oh, my gosh, that's my bro.

But that's also my husband. He's like a lot of fun, yeah. And I wish you two could have children together. I know. But just the two of you. We'll wait for the science to happen. Many things can happen. Just the faces alone.

You just want those cheekbones on that baby. Just the cheekbones on that baby. Maybe we would have four cheekbones. This episode is brought to you by Twizzlers. There are a few things worth interrupting a good podcast for. An advertisement for Twizzlers is one of them. Yep, twisty, chewy twizzlers. They keep the fun going.

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If you have questions or concerns about your gambling or someone close to you, please contact connects Ontario at 1-866-531-2,600 to speak to an advisor, free of charge. BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with Eye Gaming Ontario. When I've been looking at your career, which you've done so many things, so many different parts all over the spectrum, like Coleman, you just, you play really intense, like kind of, joyous love bomb characters. You play deeply complicated and oftentimes scary and terrifying characters. You can do it all.

You have done so many different parts. But what I love is your path is the one that I recognize, because we're the same age, of like what all actors kind of did to start because you didn't have an inn. You were just like, how do I get started? Making the work. And so you do, you're like learning on the job. and I mean, you're even in law and order, which is like, you're not an actor if you were in law and order. Exactly, exactly.

What you were on? What did you play? Do you remember your character in law and order? I was on like three or four law and orders. I was on different characters? Oh, yeah, yeah, exactly. I remember the law and order criminal intent? Of course.

And I played a schizophrenic heroin addict. Okay. I played an attorney. I played an attorney on one of them with Dennis Buchanan. You went from the schizophrenic heroin addict to an attorney? Yeah, exactly. That's acting. Now that's acting.

I also was a bartender at a leather, at a gay leather bar. Great. Exactly. Like, I'm like unpacking the various ball gags as you were telling them about. Because, you know, what I love about loaner is if they're so busy. They're so busy when the cops are talking to them. They're just like, New Yorkers Day have time for anybody. They're like, I'm sorry, I've got to pack these bags while you're talking to me, officer.

What? I'm going to get the fruit off this truck. I don't have time for that, dead girl. It's incredible. I love watching in particular for that. Me too. walking tough. We're too busy for these officers to talk to us. I love it.

Totally. So I was a very busy bartender. Yes, exactly. And was exciting to get those parts at the time. That was a big gig. Because if you didn't get Law & Order, you felt like you were garbage. You were like... I know. I never got in a Law & Order. And I was my dream. If I could go back in the time machine, if I could back to the future of my life, the one thing I would do differently. And maybe it would change my whole, maybe it would

book a Law and Order. I would book a Law & Order. That was my goal. But listen, when I lived in San Francisco, the gig was to get booked on Nash Bridges. Oh. That was, yeah, I played every dumb criminal on that show. I play one of them. Exactly.

And yes, and I literally, wait, there's one episode and people can watch it. It's my favorite episode of me. I kidnapped Don Johnson's daughter and that he found me. And I happened to be wearing a kooji sweater while I was working out. Okay, sure. I was wearing that Bill Cosby kooji sweater. I was wearing a kuzzi sweater like a while I was working on. And he busts through the door and I'm like, oh.

And I throw the weights off and I'm running. then it kicks me in the ass through the window. And then he picks me and he slaps me around. He's like, where is she working? I'm like, ah, yeah, ah, it's my favorite episode. It's so crazy and rabid, and you're like, what is happening? You're wearing a koojie sweater while I'm working out. I'm bench pressing.

I was like, but also I was a young actor so I didn't question it. Of course, yeah. They weren't more than I do. Yeah, that's what we're wearing. And at the time, I didn't work out, so I don't know. I thought people worked out in koogy sweaters. Acting is so embarrassing. It was the 90s.

I love it. Okay, then you go to New York. You're doing a million plays on Broadway and the West End. And I do have some important theater questions because I have such respect for people who do that grind. It is the hardest job. I mean, to have the hardest part of your day be at the end of your day, to have to show up every day and do the same thing. And you're not getting paid a lot of money when you're doing theater. And you are, you know, you're like being asked to do a lot.

But I'm always curious about a couple of things. I'm like, oh, Coleman will tell me the truth. Okay. Yeah. Have you ever thrown up on stage? Okay. No, I haven't. Because these are some of my stage fears, like my anxieties.

What do you do if you have to, in the middle of the scene, go to the bathroom? You just hold it. You hold it. Although I did, there was a situation. Where your character went the bathroom. You just have to, you know what, listen, I like, I make sure before I go out. It's a practice. Yeah.

You have to go, you have to make that happen. Yes. Whatever. Number one, number two, it's got to happen right before you go on stage. You've got to have an egg over easy. You've got to make it happen. You've got to make it happen. Have you ever forgotten lions on stage? No. Wow. No, but I've had to work with some people who sometimes would flub some things. You'd have to help support it and make it. My biggest nightmare, which is like someone skips ahead. Oh, yeah. When you're in a scene. Oh, I've had that. Oh, I fully had that. And they skipped ahead. I'm like, oh, wait, wait, exactly. I'm a living stress dream. Yeah. Exactly. Oh, no, it's true. And it happens. But that's, but I think that's the joy of it, too. For sure. So you're like, that makes you wily. I've got to work on my feet. I got to get that storyline back in there. I got to make that cue happen somehow. Exactly. I love it. Such a challenger. Have you ever forgotten a prop, like, been like, gone in a scene to see? Oh, yeah. I forgot props. And you're just, and you're just, I've reached in your pocket for the- I think, I forgot a gun. I forgot a gun. And I was like, I just had hold it like this. I was real strong. They're looking at me like, where's the gun? And I'm like, It's right here. Tough. You didn't just point your finger?

I didn't point the finger. I was smart enough to not do that, but I just was strong. And I was a threat. But there was no gun, exactly. Have you ever had to say, is there a doctor in the house? No. But somebody said that on my flight the other day, and I was like, they did?

And I literally thought, well, I played a doctor before. And I thought, that's not what they want. They're like, I'm sorry. is someone needs a medical emergency? Is there a doctor on board? And I was like, literally for a second,

I thought, I literally thought I was a doctor for a second. I love you. God, I really thought about it. I can't do anything. I wouldn't get to do anything.

When did you play a doctor? I played a doctor on the neck. Oh, yeah. That show is great. Exactly. Yeah. I mean, it must be to be a doctor and when you hear,

this is why you know you're not a doctor. Because when you hear, is there a doctor on board and you're like, ooh, but a real, a regular doctor must be like, oh, God. They must be. They must be. But also you start thinking, like, doctors do different things. True.

Right. So you think like, well, I have a doctorate. But you really do. But you really do. I have a doctor. I have a doctor. I have a doctorate. I mean, I do not have a doctorate yet.

I have a doctorate. But it just must be like, oh, God, I can I pretend I'm not a doctor? They're like, I'm just watching. I just, yeah, I'm watching this movie. I'm going to finish this. Yeah, I'm almost done with this season of Summerhouse. Wait, wait, you have a doctorate? I do.

I just got two in a month. Isn't that crazy? Oh, my God, congratulations. It's kind of greedy, though, too, I think. I just got, I just got one from Swarthmore College. I'm a doctor of arts as of four days ago. Fantastic. And I got one from my alma mater, Temple University.

Yeah. That must have been really something. It was really wonderful. You went back and, like, didn't you have to give a speech? I gave the commencement address at Temple. gave a little acceptance of speech at Swarthmore. And I think, but what I loved about it, I love, especially right now, I feel like something about being with young people and students and just like, I'm like, because I feel like

they really need to hear some words out here. Like, how's it going to be and they need to be inspired? What was your kind of, what was your, um, uh, organizing principle for your temple talk? Um, love. Yeah. I really feel like, the more that I distill things of what I care about right now, what are inspired people to do is to love more and whatever that means. I feel like that encompasses a lot.

Yeah. But I feel if I'm talking about love and service, yeah. And if people can attach themselves to that and whatever way it is for them. So I feel like I'm talking a lot about that because I feel like that's what we need to hear. I don't want to, oh, you know, make this world yours and do this. And I don't need to do all that. I say, but if you do it with love, whatever you're doing, just participate and

feel like that, you know, you have a voice and you can be the change. You know, there's and don't be afraid of what's out there. There's probably jobs out there that aren't even. don't even have a name yet that you're going to create. So I feel like I just want to inspire that with their imagination as well. Well, I mean, the word that I've heard described, a word that is used to describe you a lot is empathy, is the empathetic way in which you not only work with people

because you learn a lot about somebody, about somebody, by how they work. But that makes perfect sense that that's what you would be talking about. Because, I mean, in all the characters that you've played, you have the even characters that feel like they're really the villain of the story, there is, you are always approaching them with that, with basically that they're a human being. I think so. I think I have to love every character that I play.

And I feel like even though the villainous ones or like, whether I'm playing a pimp or a Mr. in the clip purple or Joe Jackson. I feel like I never try to take the lens of what everyone else says about the person. I do my study and my research and I find out who that person is and find my way in. Usually that person's connected to some part of me in some way. You're working color purple.

You're working in Michael. Like the work you've done, the work you've done on stage, Rustin, how did that change? I mean, that, that portrayal was so beautiful and also just like a part that met you at the time when you were ready for it. Yes. Did it feel like that? It did. It felt like we were meeting each other when we needed each other.

Yeah. Like this role, this moment to pull. Byerustin out of the... For people who don't know... Byrusting was the organizer of the March on Washington. He was an openly gay man at a time, of course, when it was not cool to himself or his body or him having momentum in this world. Yeah. And he defied all that.

And he was brilliant. And he was brilliant. And he was brilliant. Yeah. And he was always on the sidelines of history. And I felt like... And I can... Maybe I'll say it in this way, too.

I felt that my career was very similar in that way. I would show up. I would do the work. I was a practitioner, but I was always sort of a bit marginalized. And then in a way, just like, oh, yeah, that's great. But that serves that purpose. But it's never the engine or something. But I knew I could be the engine.

Yeah. And so when I finally got this opportunity, if we were meeting each other, we're like, oh, I know this guy. I've lived with him. He's a part of me as well. And then also, I just have to talk to you about Sing Sing. Okay. Coleman. Coleman, I watched that on an airplane.

And I love to cry on an airplane. Me too. Me too. It's the best thing. I love. I bet we're similar. I like to cry by myself. Yeah.

On an airplane. Yeah. And hopefully like hopefully under a blanket. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. That must have felt like such a work of talking about love.

Like it must have felt like a, what was it like to make that film? I think that's exactly what it felt like. I felt like I knew that I had the opportunity to help tell. the story of these men in a really complex way. Incarcerated men. These men are incarcerated with this beautiful arts program in the center of it. And they hung onto it. It was a new path for them to exhibit empathy and joy and dance and art and all this other

stuff. So it was really like healing them in many ways. and I work with a group of formerly incarcerated men who went through the program, and I really, you know, led this film and we produced it as well. But I knew it was something that like, you know, I think I got paid like $100,50 a day. Yeah. And we had a very tight schedule. Yeah, it looks like a laborer.

And this is the kind of work that you're like, oh, this is why I can do that other high profile work. Right. And I can put my attention on work like this. That's very necessary. Yeah. And so we created with like, we locked arms together. And that's what it felt like locking arms. And it was a great, beautiful challenge for me.

because these men have the lived experience of being incarcerated and going through this program. And it was the first time that I think that I was challenged with actually giving even more of myself of, like, putting myself in those circumstances. Like, yeah, I could be wrongfully accused of something. I could be in the wrong place at the wrong time. A lot of people in prison or not, they don't belong in prison. You know, so I can find that part of myself. So I think it was a bit more bearing of my own soul in that work. And I think that's what the difference is for me.

I can see it, which is why I feel like I haven't watched the movie that often because I feel when I watch it, I feel, you know, when you watch something, you're like, oh, it takes you right back to this feeling. Yeah, it's basically what I always, I have like a somatic experience if I'm watching something I've done much more than remembering, like, even the plot or story or like, I just remember the feeling I had making it. Yeah, that must have been an intense feeling. It was pretty intense.

Yeah. I mean, it's so, you're so good in it. You're such a natural leader. Thank you. And you can tell in that film that you're leading people through the film. while being in the moment in the character. Well, the funny thing is I did that movie after Rustin. Yeah.

And I really felt like... Were you doing them at the same time, basically? A little bit, a little bit, because I had to do the pickups for Rustin right after, and then I started to color purple. But I literally felt like sort of that trio of films really ignited that true leader in me on sets. And as a leading actor, too, I sort of... I literally moved into my leading actor face in a way.

Yeah. Like sort of, but I feel like I needed all those years of supporting and, and being sort of that utilitarian actor and plays and things like that. Yeah. I needed all of that. Yeah. And but I was always, even when I was doing work on stage, I was always the equity deputy. So I was always the one that everyone came to to write the wrongs or, you know, advocate

for actors or practices or something like that. So I was like, always the one looks at being willing. But now I really had the role and the opportunity. And so then I took that into my least. leadership of Sing Sing and it's just kept going. It's such incredible work. I loved it so much. I wish we were friends then because I would have texted the shit out of you.

Okay. So as we're wrapping up and we're going to talk about your new movie Disclosure Day, which is going to be a gigantic hit. Holy shit. And for seasons, which I love you on, let's get to the fact that you've worked with and have been influenced by and shaped by amazing women. Yes, truly. Your mother being the first, Edith, who I just, everything I read,

about her. I just love her face and I love, I just, she just seems like a wonderful person. And I love the story of Edith writing letters to Oprah Winfrey, who of course was a producer and in the color, in the color purple version that you did. And can you just tell that story about how your mom wrote letters when you were? Oh my God. I love that story. Get this. My mom would, she would, when I was starting out as an actor in San Francisco and the next door, and the 90s. I would call my mom. We would talk a couple times a week and, you know, I would have my struggles as an actor. And she's like, she would always say, well, you know, I wrote Oprah today. I was like, why? And she said, well, you know, she can help you. I was like, what's she going

to do? It was she, you know, she helps people. You know, she just right. She can help you. She's the lady that helps people. You're so good. If Oprah found out how good you were, she could help you. And I was like, okay, whatever. So anyway, so I'm like, like, Over and over again. This was like maybe, I would say eight times my mom wrote Oprah. And I was, and I was so frustrated. I'm like, oh my God, will you please stop writing Oprah? I'm like, it feels crazy.

So anyway, cut to years later. I just have to sidebar saying. My mother always, she was like, she was so hopeful. And she would say, oh, my gosh, I just need, I just want Spike Lee to know you and Stephen Spielberg. And they should, they would love you. they would just love you and I'm about to cry, I think about this. She always had that much faith at people,

even if I didn't see it, she thought, if they just got to know you, they would love you the way I love you. Yeah, that's love. And literally I'm like, because I look at my life now and all these people are in my life. Yeah, amazing.

So sometimes I do believe that sometimes people have dreams for you and you don't even have for yourself. And at some point, they meet. Yeah. And so I had this moment. I was in Maui, with Oprah walking on her beautiful mountain. Incredible.

And we're hiking. And suddenly I said, oh, my God. It just occurred to me. I said, my mother used to write to you over and over again. And she says, really? I say, yeah. And she sort of stops and she says, oh, I don't know if I got the letters,

but I know I got the message. And then we just continue to walk hand in hand. And I really do believe it's like, I know that like, I'm going to say it. I think that I know that like when I lost my mom in 2006 and I lost my mom and my stepfather in the same year, I just, I knew that like my friend Melissa said when I was very bereft and I said, what am I going to do with all this love? I know that I was a good son.

If I know, if I wasn't anything else, I was a good son. And she said, we're going to put the love into everything you do. Yeah, yeah. And that will be, you'll do it in dedication to your mom. And so literally I feel like because I've been leading that way. Yeah. I've been meeting every person. It's like my mother's own Wizard of Oz.

I've been meeting every person that she laid out for me. Yes. And that they've loved me the way that she loves me. Yes. And so the reason we talk like with like with Disclosure Day is like she wanted me, she wanted Stevens Spielberg to know me. She didn't know what Stephen Spielberg would love me. But we love each other now. And he's my family.

Oh. You know? I love that. I love Edith so much. Beautiful. When I tell you, you, and I don't say this lately, you would love her. She was fun and sweet. Yeah.

And like to dance. I think I'm a lot like her, to be honest. Yeah. She talked to everybody. She would really, when I was a kid, it was annoying. I was like, Mom, can we just go into the in and out of the bank? And she's like, how are you? How are you doing?

She flirt with everybody. She was like, look at your legs. You are so cute, Amy. Oh, my God. She would do that. Well, you know what's kind of fun. When you're a woman of a certain age, I just realized it the other day. I was like, watch it, Amy.

You get, like, you get to a certain age where you start going, you're beautiful. Yeah. You look at your butt. Wow, he's got nice arms. Exactly. And everyone's like, oh, that little old lady is so nice. That was my mother. But you got to be careful.

You got to be careful. But you just go, wow, look at her face. Also, my mother was old school, so she would reach out and touch her too. She would like, let your little butt. Oh, yeah. My grandmother used to be like, oh, look at the chest on him. And I'm like, Nana, you can't touch. You said, now you're becoming that lady.

And I'm becoming that. Good. And how is it like working with my wife for life, Tina Faye? We have such good time together. The wildest thing is, it's funny. When I first met Tina, I was... She's shy too. She's very shy.

But I thought, I didn't know what to think of her when I first met. So I thought she's very, I thought she's very, she's very, she's very, she's very thoughtful. But she's also very, I find her to be very tender and very sweet. She's very sweet. She's very sweet. And she's, she's more touchy-feely than I knew. and I love that we've sort of become,

I feel like she's becoming one of my good friends. Yeah. Because I love, I text, she texts right back. She's always in my corner. She's just, um, once I found it, she's a tourist too. She's a tourist. What are you? Once I found that she's a tourist.

Oh. Yeah, Toros. Once you said, I found that she's a tourist. I'm like, I got you figured out. I want to. She's like, she's in the writers room right now and she said, ask Coleman, the writers want to know, where does he get his energy? What peptides is.

They all think I'm on something because they're like, how are you possibly doing all this stuff? But it's just, it's like natural energy. We got to get peptide. I mean, my dream is that while we're, while I'm recording these podcasts, we're all getting peptides at the same time. I feel like whatever, we should because I think peptide, like, whatever peptides is doing, I don't know.

People are looking good. You know what I love about peptides is people are like, I'm getting all these peptides. And it's like, what's in it? And they're like, I don't know. Yes, that's everyone. Everyone's doing the same thing. And you're like, you're just shooting it in and they're like, hope for the best. Hope for the best.

I don't know. Okay, you're getting them every day. And it's what's in it. It's called B1, 2, 8. Yeah. But you're right. No one can describe what it is. No, no one knows what it is.

No. In fact, it's better not to know. Just like, let's just go. Let's just peptide it up. Peptide it up. You and I, let's do it. Peptide this shit up. Okay.

You're in the big movie of the summer. It's, I mean, Let's, Stephen Spielberg. So we have this thing where we talk to people before our podcast and we find out more about them. We talk well behind their back and we talk to Steven Spielberg. Oh, you know you did. Yes. You did.

What? Yes. We talked to Steven Spielberg. I was very nervous. Wow. I actually, I realized as I was talking to him, I was like, I almost was like, Mr. Spielberg. You know? And I said to him, like, your work is in, in my body.

Like your work is in my subconscious forever. You've shaped our childhood. Every single summer, every version of like an unknown world you brought us in. He's just so... He's singular. He is. What? And you've worked with him a couple of times.

Yeah. So before we get to the great stuff he talked, he said about you, what is so great working about working with him? What's it like to work with him? He's just lovely. Yeah. He's funny and warm. He gives you...

He's got a sparkling his eyes. that make you believe that you can do anything. Even if he's giving you the wildest task of saying these lines while going through an explosion and there's, you know, the camera work is all intensive. He looks at you and believes you can do it. And so you have that belief. You're like, oh, great, we're going to make something together. We're taking a leap of faith together.

He's really just lovely and he's kind. Yeah. And he's right there with you. He likes his portable monitor and he's right in the action with you. No, he's not at chairs. is he's not a video village. No, there's no ego about the work. Yeah.

And he's also just like, you know, what do you think about this? Or like, you know, you can bring your ideas. You're like, oh, let's think about that. So he's very collaborative. And that's what I enjoy about him. He's, it's his kindness. Yeah. And also he feels like, how can I say?

He feels like he's just starting out. Like he's that excited. He's like, oh, let's try that. Let's, oh, I have an idea. He's like, oh, Komen, I have an idea. Okay, great. And he's like, okay, let's try it. And so he feels like it's, it's,

he's a kid assembling his favorite craftsman around and he's playing with you. You're all playing together. I mean, this is like a big, it's going to be a big summer movie, like a blockbuster. But also I think it's a movie we all need right now. For sure. It is a movie. After I saw it, I've seen it twice now. And I've cried both times.

That'll just tell you. And I won't tell you why I cried, but it really did feel like it's a movie that's trying to connect us again. All of us, you know, especially like the idea of inviting. the idea that there's something bigger than all of us that we're a part of. So I think that's why I cried. I called him right after and I said,

you really care about us. You really care about humanity. You know, and what we're wrestling with right now in our times. Yeah. And then what can unite us? Well, he said the same thing about you.

What's he said? Yeah, let me tell you what. Okay, you know what, forget about Stephen. Let me tell you what did he say about me? What did he say about me? Well, first of all, he said that no. Real Housewives episode now. Okay, that would be really funny.

This is the first podcast where I'm like, he actually said some shit. He was saying that working with you is like working with a self-driving car. Like you know that you're going to, like you have it. You're in the zone. Like there's very little that he has to do because he has such faith in you. But what you lead with as a person on set in an ensemble is empathy and love and respect. So, like, what you get is this very skilled actor, but also a really wonderful person.

And I think the privilege of when you get to a certain age and you work, you get to want to surround yourself with those kind of people. Like, that's important. And it's not always the case. I think when you're younger, you're kind of like maybe complicated, difficult people are there to challenge me in different ways and I'll learn something from them. I know for me anyway, like, as I get older, I'm like, also, I want to be around people. good people.

Like, life is short. Yeah, life is short. This should be fun. How lucky are we? Truly. So, and his question was, his question was kind of like a, because we were talking about auditioning.

And I was asking him, like, how do, how do people not get nervous around him? Like, how does he deal with people's nerves? Because he must have people coming and being like, nice to meet you. And he wanted me to ask you, did you ever not get a part that you tried hard to get? And like, what did you do? with it when you, like, what did you do with the feeling when you didn't get it? So many. Oh my God. That was like most of my career. I was, I was booking a lot. I really, I felt like I was like, even things you felt like you really wanted or you really

were skilled for, at some point you had to divorce yourself from the idea of getting the role. You're like, okay, I'm prepared for this, but it's not up to me. It's like someone, and maybe that's the thing I pride myself when I'm like, when they want me, they want all of me. Yeah. So that means they want, it's okay if they want someone else. Yeah. So for me, I, it became a practice of being very sober about it and saying, you know, it's okay if they didn't want me because what I give is very different than that other guy. Yeah.

It's not that he was better than me. Yeah. Or, but they wouldn't know. He was useful to them and all that he was going to bring to it. And that's cool. So for me, it was like, and maybe that was a healthy thing that I needed give myself. Yeah.

So I can give myself grace and, like, and continue to be a practitioner of this art form. Yeah. And not let it be about my ego. But doesn't, doesn't feel like it's a learned skill? That's hard to do when you're young. Because also when you're young, but also there are times when you're, I mean, listen, I've had moments where there were things that I thought I was perfect for.

Yeah. And I didn't get. And it shattered me. But to me, I'll be very honest on Amy, Amy, I'd never really imagined the place that I'm in right now in this industry. I just wanted to be a working actor. And also you're so famous and successful too. I got so famous, Amy. But you're right. And also the contentment part, that's the goal. Yeah. Like satisfaction and contentment, it's the hardest thing to find.

It can, you know, it doesn't matter what you do. Yeah. Hell is wanting more. It's like hell. Yeah. That's suffering, man. It is suffering. I think, listen, I got, I got a beautiful, beautiful message from this guy when I was turning 50. This guy was driving me in a car in Toronto and he was 70 years old.

And I said, do you have any words of wisdom for my 50th? He said, he said, listen, I wish I knew this years ago. he said it's important to you want to hope for everything but want for nothing. And I was like to eliminate want. Oof. You know? So I know that like when I walk into a room, like you say, I walk into these rooms or in sets, I don't really want anything. Yeah.

I hope that it can be. There's other things that I hope that it can be. But I'm not coming to get something. Oh, yeah. You know what I mean? I'm coming to hopefully be in service and also to give something. I think that's the best we all can be. So if everyone's coming from that place, we all win.

Yeah. You know? The problem is only when somebody's coming in, just like to want to take shit. And that's ego in the room. And then that's some dark forces. And you try to just protect yourself against that, you know? We got to talk about those egos offline. Exactly.

Those dark forces. Okay. I love that we're the same age, by the way, because I've said this before. We look good, don't we? We look great. We look great. You look great. Thank you.

But we're making 50, 55? We're doing good. We're doing good. I'm turning 55 very soon. I'm older than you. You're 56, right? Yeah. And I, like, what's your favorite part about your 50s?

I love my 50s. You know what's funny to me? Lately, it feels like things are moving faster. Like, I just turned 56, but I'm like, I'm not going to be 57 this year. It doesn't make any sense. And once you get past 55, I don't like the second half of the decade. Because, like, we like, we like, 50. I'm 54, 55.

And you're like, and you're like, and they're like, I'm about to hit 60. And then you're like, you know what, 60. 60, 61, 62, 6, 6, 60, 60, 60, 6, 60, 7, 60, 60. I do feel like my 50s are my best. Me too. Me too. Me too. It was fine.

Yeah. 30s were awkward. It's getting better. It's getting better. Yeah, I agree. Also, I feel like we have to be conscious of you. You have to take care of yourself, right? That's right.

In a different way. Show up in a different way for yourself. That's right. Yeah. So I feel like we're getting better. Yeah. I feel like our obsession with youth is, is like, I think it's changing. I think our generation is helping.

I think one of the legacies of Gen X, I've said this before, is that of which we are proudly proud members of. We're not boomers. We are Gen X. We rock. Yeah. We don't give a shit. We really don't give a shit.

We don't give a fuck generation. We raised ourselves. We made our own dinner. We got a key around our fucking neck. Exactly. We had a job when we were eight. Exactly. We were like fuck around find out generation.

Exactly. We're tough. We are tough. We really are. And we and we, and nobody remembers us. And nobody. gives us any respect. Nobody gives us an irrespect.

It's true. We're the toughest generation. We're never going to have a president. The Gen X president. Anyway, but we don't care. We don't care. The system is broken.

We always knew that. Exactly. But one of the things about it is, like, is that we've, oh, I've completely lost my train with us. It's okay. I'm too old. I forgot what I was talking about.

Who cares? You know what? Who cares? Who cares? Who cares? Okay. Last question. Okay. Last question, Coleman. What has been making you laugh these days? I know you love to laugh.

You love comedy. Yes. What are you listening to watching? Like, what do you go to when you want to check out laugh? Like, dumb highbrow? What is the thing? I always go back to watching Melissa McCarthy and spy. Oh my God.

Okay. Let's watch her right now. I got a laptop. Any clip. Spy is, I will watch it. Melissa McCarthy is so funny. She makes me pee on myself. She's so funny.

Have you guys met? I love her. Yeah, we, we, we, she came to, uh, I saw, I met her backstage at S&L when she was there for Jack Black. And I just like, I really, I think we're becoming friends because we exchange numbers, but I really want to be her friend. Give me a little credit, what do you think I'm going to do, run over there and be like, hey, I'm a crazy lady.

Where's the buffet? I'm from the Midwest. Where's Blue Man group? Yeah, because she's like, she comes across as this mousy woman who works for the CIA, and then you find that she's an agent as well. And then she goes on this whole journey. Like she was like really like, you know, laying back. And then you find that she's like the most wildest one of the mall.

She's wild. Yeah. All these great disguises, which are really, one is funny. After the night of them, Rose Burn is in it. She's out of who. This is a comfort movie for you. It's a comfort. I will watch it at any time.

That and the color purple. I know it's very weird. I'm very... Ooh, color purple. I'll watch like the whoopey version of it. Oh, my God. I love. So either I want to cry hard or I want to laugh harder.

Oh, God, I'm with you. I kind of, I'm the same way. I want to cry or want to... You know what I don't want to be anymore? Bored. I don't want to be scared. No. I don't want to be scared.

I don't want to horror or anything. No more horror. No, no, no more. I just saw the other day there was some new thing. I wouldn't even say it. And I was like... You don't want that. I don't want that.

I don't... No more movies about being attacked in your own home. No, no, no, that's terrible. Those are terrible movies. I never watched those movies. Me neither. I don't want that. I don't want that.

No. No more. We either want to laugh or we want to cry. Like laugh or cry period at the end. That's it. Well, I feel like you should do a movie with Melissa McCarthy. I think I should too. I would love that.

God, you're so funny, Coleman. Oh, thank you. You can do anything. Thank you. wear lime green. You can pull it off. Well, thank you for my egg. Oh, this has been so great. So fun. We've been talking for an hour and a half and it just went by so fast. It's so good. And I just love being able to call you a new friend. I feel that way too. Thank you for doing this. Congrats on everything. I'm always excited

about whatever you're doing and like a true, true fan of your work. So thank you. I'm a fan of you in every single way. Thank you. Thank you so much for doing this. Coleman, thank you so much. It's so fun to be around you. You're just a joy. And thank you so much for doing this show. And, you know, Coleman and I talked about a lot of things. We have a lot of shared similar experiences being pretty much the same age growing up

on the East Coast. But we did mention Dance Party USA. And for those of you that haven't seen any clips of that, do yourself a favor and go to YouTube and watch a Dance Party USA. It kind of was like a very suburban version of American bandstand, like Soul Train, you know, without the soul. And it was on in the 80s. There's such incredible hair,

such 80s hair, tons of hairspray, incredible outfits, and it's just kids dancing to the hits at the time. And what was so fun about Dance Party USA was, of course, Kelly Ripo was on there. That was the first time I saw Kelly. I think she went by a different name. But also they just would like talk about. about the relationships that they were having

and that people were dating and breaking up. So it was like a time, it was like a soap opera with no lines and lots of dancing. Dance Party USA, check it out. It's a time capsule. Thank you so much, everybody, for listening to this episode of Good Hang and all the episodes and can't wait to do more for you.

Thank you, bye. See you soon. You've been listening to Good Hang. The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss-Berman, and me, Amy Poehler. The show is produced by ringer and paper kite. For the ringer, production by Jack Wilson, Katz-Villane, Kaya McMullen, and Alea Zanaris.

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