Happy Sad Confused - Andrew Garfield

Episode Date: September 14, 2015

Andrew Garfield is a talented actor and overall good guy. Andrew joins Josh to talk about his experience playing Spiderman, finding a real connection to the subject matter in his new film 99 Homes, and performing on Broadway alongside Philip Seymour Hoffman in Death of a Salesman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Go to howl.fm. That's howwl.fm and use the promo code happy for one month free trial of premium. Hey, guys. Welcome to another edition of Happy, Sad, Confused. I am Josh Horowitz, and this is my voice. This is my podcast. I just tried to make it sound a little bit more exciting and momentous than it is. It's just a weekly podcast, guys. It's just an interview. It's just me talking to somebody cool and important. If you're into movies and TV, that's important, right? It is to me. Thanks for tuning. in as always, guys. Welcome back to the show. Another great guest this week on Happy Sack and Fused in the person of Andrew Garfield. Andrew Garfield, of course, the most well known for the two amazing Spider-Man films, the social network, and now starring in a tremendous new movie called 99 Homes. This is kind of a sneak peek because 99 Homes actually doesn't open until I believe September 25th. So this is just an amusing.

bouch before the main event before getting to enjoy the film in theaters, as you should. I really did enjoy this one. This is, um, it's kind of a two-hander. It's Andrew and the epicness that is Michael Shannon. Michael Shannon for me is, I think he's just about my favorite actor working on the planet today. Um, and, uh, you just might be hearing him on this podcast very soon. But enough about Michael Shannon. Andrew Garfield is the guy this week. Uh, we talk about a lot in this episode. In my experience with Andrew, he's, it's interesting, because I was saying to people before the interview, I wasn't sure which Andrew was going to get, because I've spoken to him where he's very kind of in serious, super, um, actory mode. And I've also spoken to him when he's kind of silly.

And I think, um, happily for this conversation, because we had some time to really, uh, go into a lot of different areas, you're going to see both sides of him in this conversation. It's a thoughtful conversation given that 99 homes is about some weighty issues. It sounds, to describe it is maybe not selling it as well as it should be, but here's the thumbnail. It's basically a thriller set during the housing collapse of a few years back, rather. And Andrew plays a guy kicked out of his home alongside his mother and his son. And he's forced to kind of make a deal with the devil to turn his life around to get his, to pay for, you know, the necessities of life. And that's when Michael Shannon comes into the picture in a very charismatic, um, seductive

kind of role. Uh, it's a great two-hander and it's fun to see Andrew in something where he's not required to put on tights, uh, uh, Spider-Man films are, they're just, I don't know. There's so much, there's so much, um, extreme opinion about those films when I think the reality is somewhere in between. I don't think, and I think Andrew would probably agree with me on this, you know, they're flawed films, but I think I'll stand behind them and say that there is stuff to enjoy in them. And that includes Andrew's performance and his chemistry, clearly with Emma Stone. That will hold up,

I think, on repeated viewings, even if some of the other stuff didn't work. But Andrew's a good guy. He's a really talented actor. And he's already completed work on the Newman Scorsese film, silence. He's one of the leads in that. He's, you know, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's quickly put together an impressive resume, which also includes time on the stage. I got a chance to see him a few years back in Death of a Salesman, which was a really moving piece of work. And we briefly touch on it in the conversation because it co-starred, but really starred Philip Seymour Hoffman in the main performance and directed by Mike Nichols, which obviously lends that production a certain weight.

So anyway, it was cool to talk to Andrew, and I think you're going to really dig this conversation from a smart, thoughtful young actor with a great future ahead of him and some great work already behind him. What else to mention? As I tape this, I'm taping this introduction a little bit early because I'm packing my bags tonight. I'm heading off to Toronto Film Festival. This is going to be, I think, my seventh or eighth visit to the Toronto Film Festival, which I'm not sure. People always ask me which of the festivals is my favorite. They all kind of have their seductive points. In Toronto, is I think that pound for pound the films are just better it's kind of a launching pad for the

oscar season and invariably you see better films I've actually already seen a bunch of films they've been screening a bunch for me and others here in new york so literally the last 24 hours I've seen three films all of which were excellent and all of which will be in the oscar hunt so it's exciting to see sort of that turn from summer movies which you know there's good and bad and ugly to the fall films which invariably has some some more quality to them. So I'm really excited for Toronto, not to mention the fact that I'm going to sit down with a ton of great people. Some of it, by the time you listen to this, you're going to probably see some of the conversations on MTV's YouTube page on MTV.com. But, you know, we're talking, I'm talking to the cast of Black Mass and Sicario and Freeheld actors like, you know, Sicario has Emily Blunt and Benicio Deltoro and Josh Brolin. I'm talking to Kristen Stewart, for it seems like the 15th time in, in three months about her new film equals. Nicholas Holtz also in that one talking to him, catching up with Tom Hiddleston, who has two

films at the festival, Jessica Chastain and Matt Damon and company from The Martian, too many films to count. We're covering them all for MTV, and I'm talking to them all for MTV.com. So check out all the content there, and keep listening to Happy Say I Confused. If you have any suggestions on folks you want to hear on the show, let me know. Hit me up on Twitter at Joshua Horowitz. Send me your questions. Next week, I'll get back to the question and answer game

and answer some of your probing questions for me. And in the meantime, I'll toss it over to this lovely chat with the brilliant young actor that is Mr. Andrew Garfield. Enjoy. Get the form out. We're just doing, Andrew and I are doing our vocal exercise. That's right. Do you ever do anything like that?

No, should I? Do you? No, I should. For this stuff, I should. What about when you were doing theater? Yeah, you do that? The answer, yeah. Yeah.

But I'm not for this stuff. It should be for this stuff. I want to preview. What does it sound like? Hopefully we're rolling on this. You just try to open out your throat. You sometimes goggle with like the shower water in the mornings and sing with them. Anyway.

Well, luckily we have shower water. We're going to bring in. Throw it on. Yeah. Anchorman. What did you do in Anker Man? Those were the best. Oh, the only thing I think of is the hands. It was just the hands. Luckily, you don't have to hold a microphone for this. It's good to see you, man. It's been too long.

It's really nice to see you as well. As I was saying, I'm a big, big fan of this film. I'm excited to talk to both you and Michael in a bit about this. First, let's get the important stuff out of the way. Yeah. The hair. I mean, you know. This is a national obsession. I know. I'm getting out of the way so we can move on to more important things. you've tightened it

Don't act like you're actually interested You're hiding it from me This is like a boss question That he's like, you've got to ask about the hair You know what the sad thing is? It's not Oh no, even worse It's a legitimate Well, I'm fascinated by the man bun

Who isn't? Fascination and man bun Shouldn't be in the same sentence I hate it I absolutely hate it And I really... Hair generally or just... No, no, hair is hair

It's fine I don't have anything as hair specifically, but it's more the furor that surrounds it. No, I mean, yes, of course it's stupid.

But I had to grow my hair out for a film that I did recently, and I haven't cut it because I'm scared because I need to make sure I don't do anything because with the next film I do, I have to have a certain haircut

so I can't... Stop pressuring me. Suddenly you're sweating. I've never seen you. I've asked you tough questions over the years. This is the one. where you break down.

And also I think there's something because I have a mustache right now as well. Oh yeah, I noticed that. And, you know, I don't think they look good on me these things. And I think that's probably one of the reasons

why I like keeping them because we're in a culture right now which is, you know, everyone's just like, you know, everyone has an opinion and I know that people don't like how I look. And I think that...

Maybe a few paparazzi fall off. That's right, yeah. It's like a... It's like a kind of, yeah, it's like a repellent. No, I kind of, there's a little bit of me that's like, well, fuck it, I'll look like this. And I had a big beard last year as well, and people were like, what the fuck is that bad? You had the last man on Earthbeard. Yeah, right.

That's how I was feeling inside. Anyway, so I think it may just be a little bit of like a, oh, you don't like it good. So to clarify, the last couple of days when I saw it out and about, that was not, you're not doing a Harry Spiles. I was out and about. You're not doing the Harry Styles biopic. This is not... I'm petitioning. Yeah, you're going to...

I'm campaigning. Subliminally, just like... Is his life full and rich enough to have a biopic done about it yet? I think it's time. It's time. He's what, 21? Something like that.

Yeah, it's... I can't think of a bigger 1D fan than you, so why... No, that's right. That's right. You got me. So, we've spoken a lot over the years about the Spider-Man franchise, but it's interesting to note that since doing those things, two films. As far as I can tell, you've done basically three projects. You've worked with Martin

Scorsese, did that of a salesman on Broadway, and this, 99 Homes, which speaks pretty well of what is in the script and the filmmaker behind this one, that it's of the caliber that makes you want to jump on board. Give me a sense of where you were at when this one emerged and why 99 Homes was the thing to do. I was doing the second Spider-Man film, and, you know, reading a lot of stuff, really good stuff, that have turned into great films that other actors did. But, you know, it's like a friend of mine who happens to be a Jesuit priest here in the city,

says, just not the good that you were called to, you know? You know what I mean? It's like there are certain songs that come on the radio that may be great songs, but it doesn't make me want to dance, you know? Right. And there are certain songs that could be really bad songs. That just made me one of them. Anyway, no, no, but so I read a lot of things

and nothing would just kind of hit, you know, that bell inside. And I got to page 30, I think, of 99 homes. Even just hearing about what the film was about and Ramin told me what it was about, he actually thought of me when he saw Death of a Salesman because I think there's some correspondence between the themes in this film and the themes that Arthur Miller was wrestling with as well. And I think Rameen has that kind of lofty ambition

of creating very American stories, very reflective of the time and place we're in as a country and as a culture and society. So I read it and I got to page 30 and it just was just the bell was ringing inside. And page 30 is the end of the Nash family eviction. There was something... It's a heartbreaking.

Yeah. I don't know about you, but for me, there's something so like viscerally relatable even though I've never been evicted and I've never, you know, But I somehow knew what that experience was, and it shook me to my core. And I thought, well, this is rare that you get to read a film script that's about something. And it's fascinating that, like, I mean, I was just trying to describe it to the guys here about, like,

literally what the film is about. And the shorthand is what it's kind of like a drama thriller set against the housing crisis. But it's like, that doesn't do it justice. And the way that this has become a very personal, it's a very personal story, a very human story. and it also operates frankly as a riveting, like, edge of your seat thriller. Oh, good, good. Which is hell of an accomplishment.

Oh, cool. I mean, talk me a little bit about, I mean, I heard Rameen is the filmmaker, right? I heard him talk a little bit about, like, using some non-actors in the course of this. Is that something that, again, was sort of part of the package that made this worth doing? Yeah, absolutely. Me and Rameen share, like, one of our favorite filmmakers is Ken Loach.

I've been a fan of his since, as far as I can remember and the reality that he creates, you know, and, you know, one of the first films I did was a film called Boyet was with Peter Mullen, who did, My Name is Joe, with Ken Lodge. And it's these dream stories that he told me about how he works where the boom operator will be hidden in a bush. And the camera, you won't even know that there's a camera rolling, but then stuff just happens and you respond.

Yeah. I mean, as far as film work goes, you can afford that kind of level of spontaneity and presence. And as an actor in film, you're always trying to trick yourself into the moment. You're trying to get all the crap out of the way and whether you look good or whether you're going to be good or whether you have anything to offer or not,

just to be present. So anything that helps that is really exciting. And that was really early discussions that Ramin and I had about how we wanted to. to work and I didn't want to know who was not going to be on the other side of the door on any day where I was going to be knocking on a door. I didn't want to know if there was going to be anyone there. I just wanted to know what my job was for that day, whether it was an eviction, a cash for keys or a, uh, I don't know, strip a gram, you know.

That didn't make the kind of film that I saw. It would have been a bit of a detour. Magic mic, uh, crossover. Yeah. But anyway, yeah, no, that was so rewarding and, you know, and the non, the non-actors that we got to play with. So many of them were going through the very thing or had had some experience with the very thing that the film was dealing with and it just adds this kind of weight and this energy to what we were doing.

And it's when, you know, a film starts to transcend itself and starts to go, oh, we're now in the world and that's where art is supposed to be. It's supposed to be in the world. Can you set up a little bit about the arc of this character? Because this guy definitely goes on a journey in terms of where we see him in that first act. through his relationship with Michael Shannon's character and sort of where that develops.

Yeah, yeah. I mean, he starts out as just a good boy, really. He's trying to do right by his family, and he's trying to make an honest living, you know, like so many Americans are doing, trying to do. And he happens to be one of the Americans that doesn't have the opportunity to. For all the social, economic reasons that so many Americans experience, experience this very thing. And he's basically put into a situation where he loses everything,

and he feels like a total failure as a provider, as a man. And then he's given an opportunity to provide. But the only way he's able to do that is if he compromises his soul, if he compromises his integrity and his ethic. And what he knows in his heart to be a good life. He has to sacrifice that in order to provide, which is what the system is enforcing upon him.

And from there, you know, there's this kind of downward slope that he, but upward as well. In one way, like the soul is going down, but like his worldly success is going up. And I don't think that's an unfamiliar territory for any of us. I can speak for myself. How many compromises are going to make? Compromises, yeah, and what does it take to make it?

What does it take to be liked? What does it take to be accepted, to be not rejected by your family, not rejected by a friend, not rejected by a work colleague or by a boss? How much do you have to swallow in order to get through the day? And I keep thinking the corresponding thing for me, in my experience, especially in recent years, is paparazzi. I speak to a lot of paparazzi when I get a chance to, when there's few enough, when there's few of them enough where I can actually connect.

Yeah, sure. And after the usual defensiveness on both sides, we get to a place of real deep conversation. They're like, I don't want to be doing this. I hate that I have to do this, but it's hard out here. And I have no other way of surviving. And I don't want to take a picture ever again and, you know, all this stuff. And I believe it sincerely. I do believe underneath

they don't want to be hated. No one wants to be hated. Right. Anyway, I... So if nothing else, it gives me compassion for... You know, people who are forced into a job that doesn't actually fulfill them and doesn't feel like...

It doesn't feel like it's of them. And I think... I don't know. I think a great deal of the population can identify with that, not being given the opportunity to give their gifts to the world in a way that is authentic to who they are.

And actually, in fact, being forced into a job and a profession that costs so much to the soul and feels like they're sacrificing something deeper in order to survive. And that's, I mean, understandable and tragic to me. And once you're in it for a week, a month, six years, ten years of your life, it's like, how do you extricate yourself from that situation?

It's almost impossible for that people. It takes a tidal wave of transformation and a terror, you know. It's terrifying. Jumping off a cliff. To change. So it also deals a lot with, we were talking about that heartbreaking scene of being evicted from your character's home early in the film, and the notion of home and how important that is to all of us.

I'm curious, since we have some time to talk sort of in a larger framework of your career, what was your childhood bedroom like? What was your childhood like as a kid? What would it look like? Ah, yeah. Well, it evolved a lot. You know, of course. Do you mean childhood as in preteen or teenage? Whatever you want? What's your most vivid recollection of your...

I remember when I first got my own room away... Probably when I was... like Conner's age, my son in the film, Noah's age, like 11, 10, 11. And I finally got my own room away from my brother's room. And I wanted to put the bed underneath this little corner desk so that it... It felt like a fort. Sure. It felt like a cave. And I could, like, hide all of the naked pictures of girls.

And underneath the skateboard magazine, pullouts in the surfing magazine pictures and just stickers everywhere, like bands like Red Against Machine and, you know, Green Day and Nirvana and Pelham. And lots of, like, hip-hop, like the far side and NWA. And now we're moving into your current room. wherever your current bedroom Oh, my current room It's exactly what it looks like It's a preserved

It's like a sort of a monument Right, exactly, that's right What do you mean, my current room? What's, what about film-wise? What were the first Obsessions on that side? On my first obsessions,

well, it was all VHS usually copied from the cable TV or whatever Well, you know, Michael J. Fox movies, Teen Wolf and Back to the Future. and Doc Hollywood and Secret of My Success. And then early Tom Hanks films like Big and Splash, Dragnet with Dan Aykroyd and, you know, Ghostbusters and, yeah, and Bill and Ted.

And I was, and then I, but then I got obsessed with any given Sunday. That's not a waiter. But that was a poster that I had, strangely. I had at any given Sunday post, I don't know why. I still love that movie. If it's ever on, I'll just want... Any movie where Al Pacino screams for a good 20 years is a good movie. I absolutely loved it, and I still do.

I stand by that choice. Well, you went off with a couple of that... I think indelibly, I'm a little bit older than you, but I remember, like, a day... How old are you? I'm 39. Oh, you are? I came back from a summer camp one year, and I saw a triple feature. After summer camp, I would go with my brother, my older brother to see a bunch of movies,

and I saw a triple feature of Back to the Future, Teen Wolf, and Real Genius in one day. And like, basically my life has been downhill. That's it. What's left to do? Where do you go? Where do you go, Andrew? That's it. No, that's it. And you're trying to recreate it every day from now on. I totally, that's an amazing, wow, wow. That's a great day. What it was. Star Wars, big Star Wars fan? I do. I am a Star Wars fan, but it wasn't as big in my imagination as Indiana Jones and back to the future, to be honest. I mean, I love it. So I'm really, I'm really, I was really excited. Obviously, I just went with Adam. I was that, where was that in the seat when said he already shot?

He'd shot it, yeah. He didn't tell me nothing. No. He was really, he was really on it, man. But what an actor. And I think, so. Bring something different each time a little bit. Totally.

I just saw while we're young. Great. And he's so good. He's so good. Yeah. Today's sponsor of Happy Say I Confused is Casper Mattress's obsessively. engineered American-made mattresses at a shockingly fair price. And now you can get $50 towards any mattress purchased by going to casper.com slash happy using the code happy. Listen, you guys

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Terms and conditions apply. When you look back, I mean, you know, if I had to guess or an easy guess about the turning point of a career, whether it's a meeting or audition in social network, is it that or is it the Spider-Man gig or whatever? When you think back, do you think back to like one kind of shift where like it kicked into another gear where your mindset changed in terms of what your career was behind? I think it depends what you mean by a turning point in a career because, you know, I don't know. don't know how to answer that. To be honest, I feel, whenever I think about that question, I just feel so grateful because I start to think about how lucky I am that I get to do this at all, you know, that I get to do what I love for a living is insane. Let alone, you know, with the Spider-Man thing, play someone that I wanted to be since I was three years old. It's like,

how do you earn that? You're never going to really feel like you've earned that. Even though I, you know, I obviously work really hard, but it's not, it's never, I don't know, I'm never going to feel comfortable with the opportunity I've been given. Was, for instance, going back further? Was, like, Doctor Who, in a big moment at the time? To be honest, no, no. That's okay, because I've always intimidated by it, because I've never watched it because there are so many, where do you begin?

I know, I know. I have respect for it. I have so much respect for it, and it's like, I think people are obsessed with it in the same way that I'm obsessed with Back to the Future or Indiana Jones. and anything to do with Michael J. Fox. Like, I totally understand that. It's, like, got this incredibly deep following. But for me, it was, it was, like, in that moment,

I knew that it was, like, a big deal to be a part of this kind of, like, heritage. So I did feel a sense of pride. Right. But, to be honest, you know, it's not, it was never my big fanboy kind of thing. Yeah. I think the first time I saw you in a film, and I didn't realize who I was looking at the time

in the amount of wonderful times we'd have together back then was Lines for Lams Lines for Lams. Yeah, which is amazing to think like, I mean, honestly it's a film that slipped by a lot of people. It did, yeah. But Robert Redford directed,

you basically, as I recall, it's just a lot of FaceTime and sit down with Robert kind of lecturing each other Yeah, yeah, yeah. What do you think back to when you think of that? That was great.

I mean, what a trip. That was my first movie. That was the first time I ever did a movie. And it was him, with him. But again, on a script and a subject that felt so cool and vital to me and I was so excited to be a part of

and yeah I did slip by people but you know I don't know I have another look at it because I think Meryl's in it TC's in it Is that what you call? T.C.? Do you just text him? Make T.C. I don't have his number.

But no, no. Tommy. Tommy. Tommy that's what he goes on. Tommy. Tommy Cruiser. Cruze-al-lisher. Cruze-al liar. You know, I actually didn't. I mean, I Again, he's such a, again, like, I'm really excited that he has such a great success recently with the Mission Impossible thing. No, I hear it's incredible. I saw recently edge of tomorrow.

Amazing. And it's, he's just, he is, Tom, he is, we need him. We do. He's such a movie star. He's so brilliant. The movies are in the best possible way of that. He's so unc cynical. He's just like, and I, and, you know, I've had very few interactions with him, but I actually, really, he's a really decent guy.

really good guy. Absolutely. I've never seen a guy literally, I mean, it's a small thing, but I would say, like, if you ever, on my side of things

worked a red carpet, Tom gets there first. Oh, no, yeah. He's so generous. He's such a generous presence. Anyway. You talked about kind of like the goal of many roles

or trying to kind of break it down where there's no, it's authentic. It feels real and there's no sense of falseness to it. I would think that's part of what Fincher's going for when it's kind of breaking you down with all those takes. Totally.

Was that sort of, And did you feel like you got to that place where you were like, okay, I'm worn down on take 45 and I have to be just raw and it's sexual and... Yeah, again, but it's without, that's what he's going for, just like taking, like, you're not even thinking about being authentic anymore. You're just like, fuck you. Just want to get out of it. Just like, ah, and then you suddenly, you do something that is just weird and real. Yeah. And, yeah, I loved it.

I absolutely loved it. I would work like that forever. And also, I'm a workaholic in the sense that I never feel like I'm ever giving enough or I've never given enough. So with Fincher is the only time I really, and doing theater, is the only time that I've ever felt satisfied at the end of every night, where you kind of go, okay, I am just going to sleep because I can't, I know I gave all I have to give.

It's a good feeling. It's a wonderful feeling. And it's frustrating and it's angering, but really it's just beautiful. I really like it. When you look back on, and I got a chance to see you, and then Phil Zimmer Hoffman and a great cast and type of a salesman. When you look back on that experience,

I mean, it must be covered by the fact that we've lost Phil and Mike Nichols in the last couple years, which is crazy. Does it change sort of the recollection of that experience now? Of course, yeah. I mean, obviously it was always going to be this mighty remembrance,

no matter, you know, just unto itself, that play in New York with those people, Linda. Finn, Phil Mike um I can't even you know

it's one of those ones that may not be suitable for television well let's talk a little bit less weighty but still weighty the Spider-Man experience which you've talked a lot about recently I mean I'm curious at a couple of respects

so like when you shot your last day on the second film did you have any sense that that might be it I'm trying to remember what the last day was. I mean, I guess I'm asking what was your sense of confidence going out of that film was

about the franchise? You never know, do you? And I don't think I knew. I never... I always think the last job is going to be my last job ever anyway. I'm going to break down the film industry all by myself and my own career.

So, obviously I feel a lot about... that five years and that character and the whole experience it's not one thing it's so many different things I mean was

in looking back is there can you pinpoint a time where you felt it was I mean there's a lot to be proud of that let's get that out of the way first because I feel like a lot of those two films has been clouded now

I don't know why that is because I agree with you I think there is a lot of really really good stuff in there I know there's a lot of heart in there I know there's a lot of I'm really proud of a lot of it absolutely yeah

I mean, is there a time you can pinpoint where you felt it was started the drag in a direction that you weren't satisfied with or to pinpoint a specific moment? It's hard to get into that in an intimate, honest way, because I don't know if there's any need to go into that in a public way, you know. I will say I am so grateful I'm like this and this is a little bit of a cop out but I am really grateful I am totally grateful for those experiences and for all the people that I got to collaborate with and meet and spend time with and be in battle with and you know you know when something is feeling in your bones like it's like it, you know when something it feels right. Yeah. And you also know when something is feeling like, is, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, is, you know,

and I like to be scared, but in a good way, you know, I like to feel challenged and, you know. Well, we'll do that, okay, I get, I get it. I mean, looking ahead just now as a fan and you get to be a fan. Yeah. Were you surprised at all that they didn't go into Miles Morales direction? A lot of people were saying that that. Unfortunately, I wasn't surprised.

It's a bummer. First of all, Tom Holland. Amazing actor. Yes. So that has to be said first, and I think they've made a really, really smart choice in choosing that actor. And I think he's going to have a ball.

Like it seems that all those actors have in the Marvel films. It just looks like they're all having fun together. And I think that's going to be awesome. Yeah. Spielberg said the other day that, and I feel like, you know, he's a pretty wise man in the film industry. You're saying the scene where there are a genre. It could go the way of the Western, where it's cyclical, right?

It'll last, it'll go away, it'll come back. Yeah, I don't know. What do you think? I think he's probably right. I think, I mean, I think it'll last. I don't think it's going away this year or five years from now. Right. I think in a storytelling, from a storytelling perspective,

my perspective on them has shifted a lot, because of course I just went and going to Spider-Man, I'm going to be a guy, I'm just going to be Spider-Man, I'm going to save the world. And then I see, of course, you get older and you start to consider, well, what would I show my kids? What would I lead my kids toward? There may be something dangerous about the one man,

coming and saving humanity. It kind of abdicates the rest of us as responsibility. And actually, you know, we have had great figures in the history of time. Right. You know, I think about Gandhi and John Lennon and Martin Luther King and whoever you want to name. These great progressive movements, but they are movements. But they're movements. And it just happens to be one person who's the face.

But behind that person is a community, and everyone bringing their gifts into the community. So this idea that the world is going to be saved by one man, by one woman, is a fallacy evidently. So I'm a little concerned maybe. I'm starting to think about that. And I'm starting to think about, well, what's really going to change the world? It's if all of us are living our destiny. It's if the paparazzi guys put the cameras down and go and do the fine art degree that they thought they were always supposed to do. Or, you know, the guy who's doing insurance picks up his stand-up routine and goes and does it in front of whatever.

It's like, you know, that's what's going to change the world. Well, even your last Spider-Man film kind of ended on that note of inspiration of inspiring that little kid. Yeah, I'm glad you said that. That was one of my favorite parts of the film, and just for my own ego gratification was my idea. That storyline was something that I really felt, I was like, oh, this is. film is missing me as a seven-year-old. This is missing all of us as a seven-year-old, being inspired and being given the strength, the idea to be who we are.

We can be who we are, all of us, and we can step into fear and be courageous in our own lives. So I'm really glad you mentioned that, and I feel a little bit egotistical, mentioning that it was my idea, but I'm really, but that's one of the things I'm really proud of in that, because that track feels really good to me. One of the next times that we'll probably talk is, I assume, next year is silence at this point. It's not sneaking this in at the end of this year as far as we know. No, no, no, he's not ready.

He won't be ready. Take a little time. Yeah, I think so, yeah. So, Martin Scorsese, silence. This is a film that we've heard about for many years with different casts, and you've got an assurance to. This is a huge opportunity that must have felt weighty before getting into it. And then when you're in it, you have to be in it, I think. Did it live up to whatever high expectations you would put on it?

And beyond, yeah. Beyond, it's exceeded any idea of what I thought it would be, partly due to the material and being able to swim around in material like that and themes so rich and deep. And, of course, him as a film, in Marty, Martin Scorsese, as a film, I can't say Marty. You can't say Marty. Nobody calls him Morty. You call him TC. Tom Cruise's a Richard. He called Marks, he, did you come away? with that from, I mean, you clearly are an appreciator

of film as it is, but this is a notorious walking, talking encyclopedia. Did he turn you on to? Yes. Filmmes and films? Oh, yeah. No, he gave me boxes of... He actually helped me in research with 99 Homes. I actually was able to email him and say,

so this is a story about this kind of a deal with the devil kind of story, it's kind of a man losing his own soul in order to you know, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Do you have any ideas for movies to watch? And he was just like, yeah. I'll send him out to him. He's got, he doesn't he,

He had, like, all these burned, like, copies of, like, the weirdest and what most wonderful kind of, yeah, just incredible. And just, and, yeah, he is, he's just lived a good life, hasn't he? Oh, my God. He's lived a good life, and he's now an elder of the community in the way that he's mentoring in a constant way. He's mentoring young filmmakers and actors and whatnot, and he's really figured out it's about giving. He's really figured that out. Mike was the exact same, Nichols was the exact same way. The good ones figure out it's about what can I leave you with that is going to help you

and then what can then you leave with the next guy and then you in the next guy. Well, it's so inspiring to you to see this enthusiasm and energy from this guy who's over 70. I mean, in the last couple years we've had, I don't have you seen at Max either, but like George Miller at 70, really re-clining action. Totally. Totally. He was killing it with Wall Street, which felt like a 25-year-old. Yeah, that's right.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, no. And he is that one. set he's he's he's so he's so against aging he's not he's he's going the opposite away yeah he's saying no um when you came in today we were talking your next gig in a couple days you're off to work with Mel Gibson and held a cast on by the way I held a name for a film Hacksaw Ridd

I'm more infighted Jesus is that your name I want your name to be Hacksaw Ritz the next great action year or no They're adjusted to Mel. You don't have to take credit for it. Well, it's based on this guy, the true story about this guy called Desmond Doss, but maybe we could rename him Hacksaw Ridge for the pastime or Hacksaw Ridge.

Yeah, it's Hollywood. It's like, can I expect it? It's fine. Did it take, though, a little reconciling? Mel is, without a doubt, an amazing talent. I'm a huge fan of his. He's had his troubles, as many have. Yes.

As all of us have. Yeah. We all have our trouble. Do you have to reconcile that? Get that out of the way and figure out, Like, I need to talk to this guy and figure out what he's about. Not really. To be honest, I don't pay much attention to the gossipy kind of personal lives of people.

And if I needed to, in certain cases, I would. In this case, it didn't feel, well, here's the thing. I first of all met, we met, and I really just liked him. And before that, I'd just been a fan of his work as an actor and as a filmmaker. So it was kind of simple. The story is beautiful and he wants to tell it in a way that is that is honoring of this man. And, you know, I have no comment. I really don't have any comment on someone's personal life in that way.

And of course, if I couldn't reconcile anything, I wouldn't go to work. Sure. But yeah, I feel really excited, to be honest. So you're literally about to start work on this one. I'm curious, when are you at your most unpleasant to be around? Is it before a movie starts, during the movie, or in the post-movie? I think there's a couple of people in the room that could probably answer that. We'll bring them in a second, but I want to hear from you.

Is it just a con, it's probably a constant. It's a flat line of my friend Ruf is falling down in his chair. No, I probably, well, what feels most unpleasant, to me, I don't know if it's sometimes for everyone else, is after, it's about a couple of weeks after, where I just hit a real low. Is it just like, I've nothing to do?

What do I, like, I spent all my own to do that? If I don't have anything lined up, I'll go into this kind of purposeless wasteland. Are you walking with your arms? I'll just be reaching for things. What is he doing? I'll just, I'll feel like I'm like floating in a bleak.

Yeah, and all the adrenaline will have left my body, and I would have stopped patting myself on the back for working so hard, and it would have been, you know, two weeks after a project, and then I'll be like, who am I? What am I doing? What did I just do? It's all meaningless. And then you just kind of... It's hard, man. I don't know about you, but I can't go to work unless it's... I have to, you know? unless it's totally personal and full of purpose and meaning. And as we know, those films are hardly made, you know, and then you're reliant on there being a part in them for you. And then you're reliant on the director thinking you're right for that part. And then you're reliant on the dates being, so I don't often, I don't really get, I'm always ready to work.

So I'm in, I'm in process of trying to figure out what happens when I'm waiting and in terms of to transform that into not waiting but for Do you pour into anything dumb and stupid like in terms of I'm going to binge watch I'm going to play video games I'm going to be in fantasy football

I'm going to get anything like that you have? I don't have it's not like no not dumb and stupid but more like I have lots of different things I love to do but no I think the dumb and stupid stuff I do the dumb and stupid stuff while I'm working to offset

the intensity of whatever it is we're doing. But no, I really, I like to feel a purpose in the world. So what's some of the dumb and stupid stuff while you're working? What is some of the dumb and stupid stuff while I'm working? Candy crush is the main thing probably. Really? Well, because it's just, it occupies me. It's a colorful. Yeah, and it's soothing, especially if you're in the middle of 1600 of Japan and God isn't responding. Okay, if you're a candy crush. Marty, check this out. You've got to try this.

Get it on your phone. Yeah, and, you know, I love watching comedy films and comedy TV. I just started watching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Oh, it's so good. She's really, really good. Has the theme song gotten in your brain yet? Well, that song is based upon. Oh, I've seen that that famous final video of you all are doing this.

Well, that's my jam. That's my theme song. It's my theme song. They stole it. No, so I'm watching that. But that's not stupid and dumb. That's brilliant. That's like, I need it.

I need it in my life. Speaking of stupid and dumb, let's play a little, a quick, stupid and dumb game. I've played this with a bunch of people. It's called This or That. Very simple. Just this or that.

I'm going to give you a couple things to choose from. I feel like you're lulling me into a full sense of security. That's what this whole interview was. It was not as far. It's just too. It's so easy. You can't screw this up. Okay, let's roll now.

This is what we came for, guys. This is the US-UK version. Since you have dual citizens. I do. So you tell me what you prefer. Oh, no. So if someone, one's going to be angry at me yeah that's the idea America or England yeah I want

you get a kick out of both countries that's the idea of this um messed up man James Bond or Jason Bourne James Bond there's more history there it's a little I don't have to justify it's just James Bond but Paul Greengrass I love Paul green grass and he's English shit Jason Statham or Vin Diesel Ben Diesel sorry it's that voice it's the whole package well you know I saw I saw um I saw what's the film that I saw just recently for the first time no I haven't seen any of those films but I saw saving Private Ryan he's really pretty good in that film I love Vin Diesel and he doesn't take himself seriously he messes around a lot with the whole

Dungeons and Dragon stuff and that's serious to him don't don't make fun of his Dungeons and Dragon no but what I mean is is that I love you Vin Ricky Jervais or Amy Schumer Ricky Jervais The English office is so seminal And so You can't I don't know if anyone's ever going to do it better

I love what Amy Schumer is doing as well There Adele or Miley Cyrus Adel Harry Potter or Hunger Games They both win Let's go old school for a second Spice Girls are in sync

Oh Emma Stone will be angry at me But Justin Timberlake won't be N-Sync I used to love N-Sync genuinely He used to practice their dances And do the puppet thing No and Justin

I just The weird thing about Justin I admire I love him so much I love what he does so much I think he is one of Obviously he's one of the greatest entertainers Alive and performers

And I've admired him So much Ever since the N-Sink I think it's so brilliant. Food category, scone or bagel? Scone. Really? Of course, with the cream and the jam?

You can put stuff on bagels too, dude. You want to put cream on a bagel? No, I'll go cream cheese, though. I know. Smoke salmon. Oh, it's delicious. I know. I like a vault.

Felt of fish. Cadbury or Hershey? I mean, everyone knows that. You're aggressive all of a sudden. Well, yeah, because even Americans. I feel like you almost hit me. I didn't know. You're so sensitive.

It came out. And I think I know, based on our early conversation, this, but, well, Doctor Who versus Star Trek. Huh. I was never a Trekkie or a Hoovian? Is that what they call them? Yeah, I think that's true. So I'm going to go for Doctor Who. Okay.

You're Doctor Who people like me now, and everyone start Star Trek, people will dislike me. Can't win them all. No, you can't. But you did in this film. What a segue. No, honestly, I love this film. I truly do. You and Michael Kill it, but everybody does in this film.

one. I hope people check it out. Ninety-nine homes. And we'll talk again soon, hopefully. Oh, I'm sure. I will. With Mr. Bell Gibson company. Thanks, man. Thanks for stopping by us. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks, good.

Nice to see you. Thank you. Thank you. Merry Christmas. I'm Ho-ho, the Nodians. and I know it's not Christmas, so I don't give a shit. I live at the North Pole where I have to make dumb toys for shitty kids, and it makes me wish I could kill myself, but I'm immortal!

See you forever. The only thing that keeps me going is my favorite podcast with special guest, Lauren Lapkis. Oh, it's so good, I love it, I want to marry it. Every week's like a whole new show where a different comedian is the host, and Lauren is the guest. It makes me so excited I want to kill a cat and skit its bones and eat them for dinner. Yum. I don't know. Anyways, listen to this clip. Your gaze is so judgmental.

I just, no. Inside, you have a perfect body. You just don't take care of it. If we could just carve you out of there, we'd have a perfect statue. But you down those flaming hot Cheetos and don't. They're disgusting. So good. You talk about my tan hands.

Well, you have red fingers. That's the sign of a true snacker. Did you like that? Did you? You better like it. Or this year, Santa's coming down your chimney and dumping coal over your dumb ass. house. I can make him do that. Check out with special guest Lauren Lapkis

today at Earwolf.com on Howl or your favorite podcast app, you dumb little butthole. Ho-ho! Pop. Pop? Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Wolf Pop is part of

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