Happy Sad Confused - Anna Kendrick

Episode Date: May 18, 2015

Who doesn’t love Anna Kendrick? We all do! Anna joins Josh to talk about the surprise success of Pitch Perfect which lead to Pitch Perfect 2, why it’s good to have a period in your acting career where you are struggling, the resurgence of tattoo necklaces, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Get after him or have you shot What do you mean blow up the building From this moment on None of you are safe New episodes every Wednesday Wherever you get your podcasts Hey guys, welcome to another edition of HappySafe Confused. I am Josh Horowitz, your fearless podcast leader, and for the next little while, hopefully entertaining your ears, your mind, your body, your soul, your spirit with this amazing conversation with Anna Kendrick.

Who doesn't love Anna Kendrick? This girl, this lady, this broad, this dame. um she is currently of course starring in pitch perfect to raking in the dough she she kind of can do no wrong right now um i've had the uh opportunity to talk to anna to get to know anna over uh the years uh kind of grew up together in a weird way through the twilight saga i will always have these connections with the whole cast of the twilight um started to interview her back then uh and have seen her do such amazing work um it films like 50 and Into the Woods recently, last five years,

which you guys should check out. She, and I feel like she's just blown up, I should mention up in the air, of course, too. My God, Oscar nomination for that one. And now Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect, too. She's become a star in her own right. She is funny.

She is sweet. She's smart. She rules social media. Everybody loves Anna Kendrick. And it was such a treat to welcome her to my office for this conversation. So in a moment in, enjoy that one um if a couple notes uh hopefully by now you've checked out uh last week's bonus episode of happy second fused with the amazing george miller director of madmax fury road uh if you

haven't if you've seen the film trust me this is must listen um this is must listening must listen viewing just listen to it you should check it out um it's a great conversation with one of the best filmmakers around talking about one of the best movies around right now so go back check that out and then come back here you back okay good anyway um that's uh happening um and as always i want to answer a couple of your questions this is a new thing we've been trying this out because we're interactive because it's the year 2015 and i want to hear from you guys and i guess some of you want to hear from me which is sweet thanks so here a couple questions let's see um let's see okay here we go uh sir z

J.P. Case. That's, I don't know what to make of that. But that's your handle. I'm going to go with it. I'm going to forgive you for that weird handle because you took the time to tweet me a question. Josh, do you have a man crush? And if so, who is it? Or you can just admit that you love Tom. I know who you're talking about. I know who you guys think I'm in love Tom. You guys think I love Tom Hiddleston. I do love Tom. Tom's awesome. Tom is one of the best. Sure, Tom Hiddleston is a man crush. He's a great actor. A. good friend to happy say I confused in my shenanigans and uh and all around swell guy so yes we'll put him in that category i will say my wife always um comments on uh my interviews my conversations the way she claims the way i look at paul rudd is true love um i claim the way we look at each other is true love i think it's a reciprocal thing so let's calm down um but no i I will admit Paul and I feel like always have a very simpatico kind of vibe. And it's always a treat to talk to him. He will hopefully be on the podcast at some point.

Who knows? Maybe for Ant-Man. But we talked recently at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. You can check out that interview on the MTV YouTube channel. And judge for yourself, whether I'm gazing at him with what can be considered true love or just maybe I have a migraine. I don't remember. Maybe it was a little love. But he's, yes, so we can put him in that category.

Let's see. One other question before we go to the interview. Here is one from handmade high tech. What do you obsess over besides pop culture? Is there a weird niche of pop culture that you're into? Hmm. Good question. What do I obsessive?

Well, I mean, here's one that we don't talk about a lot on the podcast. I mean, it's not really, yeah, it's off the beaten path of pop culture, I guess. sports sports is a little bit of its own thing um big yankees fan grew up obsessed with the yankees less so now there's less time to be obsessed with the yankees but that's a big uh one for me baseball always big um and then niche like niches in pop culture that i'm super into um you know star trek and star wars hate to be a cliche but both of those huge um things for me growing up and remain to this day i i went to sci-fi conventions i went to star trick conventions I watched every TV series up until Enterprise.

Let's be frank. Enterprise was not much to, you know, talk about. Even Voyager. I kind of bailed on Voyager halfway through. But these Space Nine, totally my jam. Next Generation, loved it. Original series, of course. So, yeah, Star Trek, I would say, is a niche.

You know, I read some of the books. Yeah, I was all up into that. And Star Wars, I feel like it's not a niche. Everybody's into Star Wars, but certainly was a huge one for me. So there you go. Those are two off top of my head. Never, like, I never went heavy into like, War of the Rings and the Hobbit and that kind of stuff.

I mean, I enjoyed the movies, but I never read the books. It was just never my thing. But certainly enjoyed what Peter Jackson did. So there you go. That's, those are your questions for this week. As always, hit me up on Twitter. Send me your crazy, silly, stupid, amazing, awesome questions.

All you have to do is send it with you with the hashtag, happy, sad, confused. That's easy. Come on. It doesn't get any easier than that. Also easy, I'm the master of the segue, is sitting back and relaxing and enjoying this conversation with the amazing Anna Kendrick. You don't have to, by the way, sit back and relax. You could be running on the treadmill. I'm not telling you to stop. Just, I guess, just continue doing whatever you're doing and hopefully let this wash over you and add to the brightness of your hopefully already bright day. Enough talking? Okay. Here's Anna Kendra. All right, sorry, I'm late. You know, New York City. Oh, I'm so vibrant. Isn't it lovely?

Sometimes we're great. Yeah, that must be a treat for you getting people here. Yeah, that's fun. It must be a treat for you getting here, as a matter of fact. Well, you have an office now. Hey, how are you? If anyone wants to be in here, feel free now. If not, we're going to close the door.

Should I should you do that? That'd be great. On camera, right? No. Okay. Do you want someone in here? No, I'm fine. Security, you need help?

No, I'll just put that there. Okay. Can I take the Pashmina off of ET and use it? Yes. It's a little chilly. Yeah, yeah. Is that, okay, or is it like a second? That is, yes, that is appropriate for you to use as much as you wish.

I'm trying to think if I have anything else here to help you keep warm. I don't think my plaid shirts will help you. you. No, but this is going to be great. You want an ugly sweater? Yeah, it's, it's creepy. It's been it's been there for a while, you and E.T. So I'm the first person to, yeah, you're the first person besides a stuffed animal to actually wear that Paschmina, although it's a little wrinkled. Well, it's been on E.T. It's been within extraterrestrial. It really works for you. Thank you. It's good to see you. Do I look angelic? As always. It's so good to see you. Have we begun? Has it begun? Great.

Great. In case, in case it wasn't clear to the listeners, I just took a Pashmina off of a stuffed animal in John's office to keep myself warm against the harsh realities of this office. And the literal colds. But also that I would, I would like to say that that brings up the question of stuffed animals in your office and stuffed animals wearing white Pashmina in your office. Look, I need to keep it interesting over here. I've got, I recently got a. A creepy A creepy clown.

Yeah, that's like an old-fashioned creepy. This is promoting Poultergeist. I don't put any, just any swag in my office. But this rose to the level of, this is something to keep, I think. Have you seen Poultergeist? I have. Is it good? That's all right.

It's a remake. Yeah. Good people, though. Great, great actors. Yeah. Yeah. Rockwell. Rosemary.

Yeah, I love Rosemary. I'm doing a little sketchy sketch with Sam tomorrow. Oh, great. That's going to be epic. He's a hero. He's kind of the best human being on the planet. He is. Welcome, as I said before, to horrible times square.

So sweet of you to negotiate the traffic. Oh, my pledge. I mean, I didn't do anything. I, like, sat in the back of a car, like, tweeting and playing Candy Crush. Like, yeah. Oh, that's... Yeah, it's... I'm wonderful.

How's the press store treating you? It's good. It's almost over. So I'm in that kind of loopy place where I'm just sort of saying it, saying it, you know, getting real because it is funny when you start it feels like you are or at this point in my career um i've begun like saving certain stories because i can't just blow my load in the first week of press tours because then people just repeat the they're like we heard there was a crazy story about you and a monkey and he stole your hat and i'm like yeah that's the whole story so

you just told it to me because so then i just go yeah yeah there was this monkey and um it that it stole my hat. Like you said, just to be clear, that is an example I'm making up. But, you know, like, do you make up stories? Have you ever made up one? I want to so badly. James Corden made up a, you know, like a story that involved sort of pranking me for Into the Woods. And I was like, more power to you. Just get it done. Like, get it done. You know, so like I would be, I'm fine with people making up stories and I would do it. But I don't know, just something I can't, it's not like I feel bad about it or something. No, no. You just don't think you can pull it off. like, yeah, that's it.

Like, I feel like I would go, it would either be, shut up. I'm not a writer, God damn it. But I feel like it would either be like something really boring anyway. And they would be like, well, that's not a good story. Or I'd just go too far. Right. And I'd be like, and we were abducted by aliens. That doesn't really out of, no.

Yeah, that's not. Hey, wait a minute there, sister. Speaking of James, I love honk. Do you know, oh, you of course, of all people would know and love honk. I saw this years ago. My God, I saw it. So, like, it was. is like in the, I saw it in the round in like a local Connecticut.

Right. Community theater production of it. Not community, like regional. Right. But I loved it. I had no knowledge of it. Previous, um, uh, this is a musical comedy.

A musical comedy. Alison Williams was kind enough to come on the show. And we, and she just invariably brought up honk and I found it endlessly amusing. Uh, so that's the reason for that being up there. Was she in it or? She, I think she talked about it as like a formative experience of seeing honk and just being,

falling in love with. musical theater. That's so funny. Speaking of musical theater, speaking of James Corden, I think the last time I saw you was actually at Into the Woods. I don't know if you remember this. This felt amusing and really felt appropriate to me at the time.

It was the party for Into the Woods and I saw you and you were very kind to say hi. Yes, yes. And I introduced you to my wife, which was lovely. And there was a moment where I felt like this is it. This is my place in the universe to a T where we were chatting and

someone tapped you on the shoulder and you turned around and then you came back to me and said Josh I have to go John Hamm just tapped me on the shoulder and I have to talk to him Oh my God I'm such a bitch No you're not oh my God I didn't say it for that purpose

I just felt like it was just like Oh this is a I got to be in a fun little Hollywood moment With John Hamm What did John say to you that was so fucking important Oh clearly nothing so I don't remember Oh my God well that serves me right Yeah Yeah that's funny

That party was a little intense because the after party for premieres has changed drastically in the time that people have gone from having maybe one person has a camera on their phone to everyone has a camera on their phone. And yeah, it's definitely become more of like a Comic-Con sort of meet-and-grit situation. Yeah, you have to be on. You can't just relax. Yeah, exactly. So I remember that being a funny one because I was like doing that thing where you're

trying to make sure that your parents are having fun and they're like we're fine we're fine and I'm like you're just saying that you're not having fun this is terrible for you um you know and then of course you're doing the exact thing that everybody else is doing because you're like well do you want to meet maryl do you want to meet maryl and i'm like oh i'm just another person doing what everybody else is doing so you know you're all kind of in the same boat you all just want to give you want to have fun and you want to make sure the person that you brought is having fun and you know that's sort of of how it becomes that um but i'm sorry that i mean i guess that's i guess there's a hierarchy and I guess John Hamm

is above virtually everybody. Yeah, basically everybody. It's true. Yeah. So you're here obviously making the rounds on Pitch Perfect 2, which is going to make a gazillion dollars as we tape this weekend.

From your lips. No, I don't know. It's not my job to care, so. You've done your part. But this is like an unlikely franchise. This is not, this is not meant to be this way. Did it? I know it caught you off guard.

Of course it did. Completely. I mean, like, the fact that people, like, refer to me as, like, Anna Kendrick from Pitch Perfect at all is so shocking because, yeah, I mean, when we were making the first one, it was just like, is anyone going to see this? Like, I think it's funny. Like, I read the script and thought it was funny, but, like, who knows if people are just going to be like, oh, it's just glee, but it's a movie. And, you know, why would I pay to go to theater to see glee? Sure. And to be honest, like, when it was announced, and the plot.

was described online like that's what people said you know so i was like well here we go hopefully we make something that's worth paying you know the the money to see in a theater and um and yeah i people keep asking me you know was there more pressure on the second one and and i know what you're talking about but i keep thinking yeah but the second one we actually knew that people wanted us to make it right on the first one it was like maybe we're doing this all for nothing and no one. You know, exactly zero people are going to see this movie

and so there was a real pressure to like try and sell it and get people in theaters and like the fact that people want you to make a movie is a very rare experience because you're usually making something that people are like,

well, I don't know, like is it good? What have you heard? Yeah, exactly. And like, so the idea of knowing that there was like all this goodwill in the world for a movie and you haven't even made it yet was liberating.

Does it feel like, I mean, you've obviously been part of a franchise, as you and I well know, we both grew up to a degree with Twilight in different ways. We really, yeah, we've really matured over the years. Not really. No. But I do feel like a strange connection always with all of you guys in that cast because it did coincide with my little career in MTV and to see you guys all branched out in different

ways. It's been fascinating. I mean, you were kind of an odd case in that, obviously, the part was small. Yeah. And you already had some cool stuff going through different things. Like Kristen kind of had some kind of indie creeds, like a career going. Did it get more and more weird as that franchise continued where like the part got smaller, the franchise got bigger, and you're just a wrong for the ride like?

Yeah, you know, it's funny. I always thought about it as like, they don't really need me anymore. You know, like I'm getting, nobody is coming to see me. I'm not getting any butts in seats. Right. You know, they are coming to see the three. heroes and like how it will all shake out for them and then people like remember that I'm in it when I come on screen they're like oh right she's in this I like her too and not even like Anna Kendrick

just like oh yeah that character is in this is in this franchise and so I always felt like you know I was like the the garnish I was like you know just like if if they felt like having you know some extra cheese it was like well then yeah let's pay you know Anna to come back because I was I never knew if I was going to, you know, as with a lot of characters, it was like, are they even going to write a scene for me? I have no idea. And part of me was always like, why would you even, like, bother putting the kids from school? Like, why would you bother putting us back in it if it's just like, you know, we're going to be in there for a scene?

And, you know, you just got to pay us for the run of show because we show up for a week. Right, right. Like, yeah, I was always amazed that they even, like, bothered. So I was, like, super happy to come back and just witness the chaos. Did it feel like that affected your career nonetheless? I mean, I would think the big shift, I mean, you can mark different ones, obviously, up in the air and the acclaim that happened there. But Pitch Perfect, like, in terms of marketability and the ability to, like, help greenlight a movie on your own, do you feel like that's been, like, the biggest shift of when you're the lead in a film all your own? Like, have you noticed something in recent, the last couple of years since Pinch Perfect were like, okay, I got a little more juice and I can do some stuff with that now?

Yeah, I mean, I guess I would say that, you know, like with so many stages in somebody's professional life, very often it just means that someone is willing to green light a movie. If you're doing kind of the same thing, you know, in the way that after up in the air, people wanted me to play the sort of uptight business-driven, you know, sort of up-and-comers. And now it's like that very, those comedies that are sort of both broad but smart. You know, I'm getting offered a lot of those kind of things, and it's just about finding one that actually has the spark of pitch perfect, you know, and, you know, Kay Cannon, I think is the spark of pitch perfect one and two, and the reason that it wasn't just glee the movie, because her wit and intellect, like, elevated that movie. And so it's, it's, it's, I'm not really sure what to do next, actually, as a matter of fact. Like, I'm sort of reading scripts and going, like, you know, I got really lucky with pitch perfect. And I don't want to look at something that feels like pitch perfect adjacent and assume that people will respond to it in the same way. I mean, does it, I know, you literally just tweeted this.

I noticed like half an hour ago and joked about sort of like everybody always bringing up, oh, you're so, you're so likable. So down to earth. So it's self-deprecating. Like, as if that's a surprise and that should be the fault. I guess, like, it's one of those weird things where sometimes, like, I just did this, it's not out yet, but I just did this, like, Esquire interview. And, like, I talk about how, like, if I'm flying somewhere to see my family or something, like, I'll fly coach. But it's, like, one of those things where I want to say, like, right, but I didn't just, like, offer that up, like, I should get a fucking medal for it. Right, right.

You know, he asked me if I flew private all the time. So I was like, whoa, whoa, whoa. And, like, was just saying, like, that's not. That's not where I'm at. Totally. And, but yeah, sometimes I'm like, I wasn't saying it as though it should be celebrated. I was just saying it like, it's a fact. Just like you.

So, yeah, I don't know. It's one of those funny things where I always feel really guilty about people being like, God, isn't she amazing? And I'm like, for doing what? For doing what? For being a huge, for having basic human decency? Like, like most days, most days. Five out of seven days, I would say. Five out of seven days, I'm an all right person.

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media, she's relatable, she's awesome, she can do no wrong. I should just get out now. I'm saying retire after this interview. No, I mean, that's obviously not an option, but it does feel like, does that mess with your head where you're like, you've seen the ups and downs where people like, as much as people like to build people up, they like to tear them down. You're like, are you stealing yourself? I've been stealing myself for that since like up in the air, though, because truly, like, no

one in the history of entertainment has ever just been like on the rise and then like top of their game and it just stays that way forever like no it's you're there are ebbs and flows and that that's a reality like this is a fact it's not like no but that won't happen to you no it will it will because that's like why on earth should anyone let alone me be the first person in entertainment to be like no people just liked her for her whole career it was amazing right you know so like like i know it's out of your control yeah exactly like and i've you know and i've told this story before but um you know george cluny talked about rosemary cluny as somebody who um had this fantastic career and then um uh like you know she had a dip in her popularity and it was like

she especially with singers like she didn't get worse at singing yeah she was still just as fabulous a singer it was just like so nothing had changed it was just that like that's just what happens right so you know it's just it's unavoidable like i'm not not, there's nothing I can do about it and it will happen. And that's fine. And you might as well be yourself. Yeah. As opposed to trying to like conjure up some image that you think that that will be torn down anyway. Like if you conjure something out, it's more effort that way. And just know that like it's not because you suddenly became, you know, a worse person. It's just like the way things go. And hopefully if you keep trucking and keep working hard, then you can

overcome that. Do you find, do you, do you regret anything like in interviews, in tweets and Instagrams, do you ever, like, second guess yourself? Well, simultaneously no and yes all the time, you know, like, nothing that, like, I can think of off the top of my head, except that if I were to go through any, you know, if you had any interview in front of you right now, I'd be like, ugh, why did I say that? Right. You know. Right.

So going back to, because you've basically been working since you've been virtually able to, to a degree, does you think that has helped give perspective on kind of what we were just talking about the fact that, like, you were a working actor, and I'm sure you had to kind of reconcile with ups and downs even when you're a kid. Well, that's the thing, right? So, like, I mean, since I was 12 years old, since I got my first job, people have been both telling me and writing, you know, sort of in print will say, like, well, it's, you know, all uphill from here, or whatever, that expression is. You know, it's just like, and then I've gone through long, long stretches of unemployment. So it's not like I've ever, like, I feel so

terrible for the people who like come to LA and like book their first job off their first audition and then when they do go through a period where things aren't going as well it's it must be really like a mind fuck um can I say I don't even know what that word means yeah um um you know um you know so like you know thank you for failure I guess right as the expression goes um and um yeah I mean so when you're and how old were you when you when you got nominated for the Tony then. 12. You're 12.

So you lose the Tony. Like for instance that night, are you like, you're a 12 year old girl. You're like, I mean, I would think that's rough. Well, no, because I mean, as a 12 year old girl, like, being nominate,

like I didn't know what, I didn't know what was happening. Like, I mean, I knew that it was a big deal. People around you were excited. Yeah. And it was also like, it was also one of those situations

where Cidi La Loco, who was in, um, the Lion King, um, was like favored to win and then Audra McDonald won but I was really never a part of

the conversation like it was it was very similar in a lot of ways to with the Oscars where like Monique like gave this I mean just just next level out of this world performance and it was so just about her that year that I

kind of got to just relax and you know I got to like actually drink at the Golden Globes and I wasn't thinking like oh what if it's me what if it's Vera like that would have been weird like it was actually one of those situations where I was gratefully just happy to be nominated and actually meaning it in both situations because I just didn't have to think about anything. I was just like the hard part's over, I guess. Like now I'm just like a nominee and that's fucking incredible.

The, okay, so we've talked somewhat. And my God, if there was like a YouTube video of me giving an acceptance speech at 12 years old, can you imagine how that would haunt me? Can you imagine? There's already stuff of, I've seen you on Rosie when you were 12. I've seen you, ugh, because I was so like, I wanted to be like precocious and like, oh, just so. Cringy. So cringy. Can't even deal with it. Let's talk about, okay, we've talked about this in different aspects over the years about sort of like influences, pop culture influences growing up. I'm always curious to talk about, like, you know, the films, the music, the TV, whatever people were obsessed with. I mean, you've talked before about, where the rings.

Obviously, musical theater was huge for you. What am I missing? What was like the key to Anna Kendrick's soul reason of being, like, at 14? Like, what was your third? 14. I really loved those tattoo necklaces, which are back and terrifying me. You know, those necklaces that, like, you've seen them on girls in the street now because, like, in the last couple of months, I'm seeing them on, like, 14-year-old girls. Are they ironic now? Or they... I can't tell. I mean, I'm too old to tell, like, what's ironic, what's sincere. But the tattoo

necklaces on girls, which, like, sort of warms my heart because even the most hideous things, like, make a comeback and, like, you know, leave it to, like, a 14-year-old girl to make it look cool now, ironic or sincere, I can't tell, but like, they look great. And it sort of gives me hope that all of my, like, blunders will come full circle and be cool again. And, uh, and at 14, I had like an all-consuming soul crushing, um, crush on, it was unrequited. So it was like all I thought about. And like, really like, funny you should pick. Or, or a celebrity. No, no, a civilian. Funny you should pick 14 because, yeah, that year was defined by like, oh, this is what, this is what that feels like and I hate it did the manifest in any way was it ever so it was never

discussed was it it was it sort of um yeah I don't know I mean I want to send you down a sad spiral like I you know it's so I did give you a Hashmina from ET so it's the least you could do thank you um so warm and cozy I feel so safe um yeah I don't know it's one of those funny things where I can't really remember, you know, how much of, like, how much of it was me just not being willing to engage and, you know, like, put myself out there and take a risk and how much of it was, like, I was making it so obvious and this dude was just not into me because, you know, it's so hard for you to gauge, like, something that happened in, like, your freshman year of high school. Was that here? Was that in New York or was it about in? No, no, no. That was in Maine. Okay. So when did you move here for the first time? When were you living here? here while I was doing High Society when I was 12. But that was just really for the run of show.

And my dad was with me. I was a 12-year-old girl. And I just went back to Maine when the show had finished. And then I moved here when I was 17. So I graduated high school early so I could come to New York. And I was like, you know, renting an apartment like off of some bizarre service because, you know, Craigslist didn't exist. Right. And I was like renting an apartment.

that sucked up my entire, you know, salary that I was getting for a little night music at Lincoln Center. Sure. And, yeah, I don't know, just, like, trying to be like, thank God social media didn't exist. Because I was so trying to be like, this is great. And I'm 17 and I'm living in New York and I'm, you know, living my dream. But, you know, it was terrifying. Did you have, like, a friend group where you like, eight percent's a lot to handle a life? No, you know, because I didn't know anybody in the city.

and, you know, I was mostly just hanging out with the people in the show who were, you know, grown women, men and women. Who were very cool. You and Jeremy Irons weren't hanging out every night. Jeremy Irons. I mean, I remember, like, the young people in the cast, which, like, now I think about it

and I'm like, oh, boy, I'll bet some of those guys were younger than I am now. Right. And, you know, I just thought they were, like, the coolest. And, you know, I think they, like, probably conversations like this happened, like, should we? ask Canada to come out. I mean, yeah, I feel bad.

Okay, well, let's ask her to dinner, and she's only 17, so we'll go up for drinks afterwards. But, yeah, I think that'd be nice. And then you burst through the door. What, guys? What's going on? What's going on? You guys want to hang out? Do you guys want to hang out? And was Rocket Science the first time you were at Sundance? Was Camp at Sundance? Camp was at Sundance. So Camp and Rocket Science, you know, Sundance, camp was a great experience for me in a lot of ways. Obviously, it was a great experience because it was so well received at Sundance, but it was also a real learning experience because it taught me that Sundance is not a gauge of how well something will do in the real world because, I mean,

standing ovations for camp at Sundance just couldn't have played bigger. And, you know, that movie just, it just made zero dollars because it was a movie about like freaky children who love musical theater. And, but in many ways, but in many ways was very dark. You know, it wasn't like pitch perfect. It wasn't like just celebratory. And it was like dark and weird and about little freaks. and yeah so it was some it's one of those things where like to this day

you know people like people that I've worked with have said like that movie helped me come out to my dad and like so it's it meant something to a lot of people and that's why we got the reaction that we did at Sundance but it wasn't ever going to be one of those movies that meant something to a lot of people like a large audience and so when we went with rocket science again huge reaction couldn't have played better and I was And everybody else was like, guys, like, you know, this time next year, like, we're not even going to be able to walk down the street without. And I was like, I don't know.

Like, I don't know, guys. Get your hopes up. It's a weird movie with once again an unknown cast, like camp. Like it's hard to market a movie and open a movie with an entirely unknown cast, which we were. But that one did arguably, at least for you and so. Oh, for me. Yeah. In terms of my career, like, meant tons.

You know, like most of the work that I got, like up in terms. a few years ago was filmmakers who had seen me in rocket science. And I just got to make a movie with Jeff Blitz this year. I mean, I finished it on, I finished it last Friday. Oh, wow. Yeah. You've been, you, you, you tend to, I know, I know this because I'm often, you know, checking in with Team Kendrick about what you're up to trying to do silly things with

you. So I get a sense for this and I have a good sense that you're kind of always working. Yeah. Like, yeah. We're not just avoiding you, Josh. Thank you. No, because you did. Did the, what, the accountant?

Is it just sort of like, this is, strike all the iron's hot? I feel like all these great things are being offered. I can't say no. Do you need some time off? Sort of. I do. Funnily enough, on the way over here, my publicist was like, why am I getting Google alerts that says Anna Kendrick taking a six month break from acting?

And I'm like, what? What the, when did I? I mean, you know, sure, that'd be dope. But like, that's not, what are you? That's a whole other issue. but I'm not comfortable I guess taking intentional breaks if they happen fantastic

but it's not something that I ever say like guys like I'm sorry but I just need these three months I need to just have some me time and what's happening right now of course is that every available second is like well if she has two weeks like can she come and do this small role in this movie or, you know, this and that. And so I guess it has led to increasingly crazy scheduling stuff.

And just because I'm, like, doing so much, then there's stuff that, like, my heart is, like, just breaking because there's things that, you know, people want me to do the one-week part in something that, like, sounds potentially disastrous, but also potentially really great. Like, I'm like, I want to do it all because it's all I've ever fucking wanted. Yeah. So the idea of. like strategically not doing something is so backwards

because like this is this is all I ever worked for and ever wanted like this is why I like moved 3,000 miles away from everything I know and loved and like get to work with these kind of filmmakers and being these kind of things and like and lived you know like

my cable went out because I stopped paying the bill and I just didn't have cable for a couple years and sometimes the lights went out and sometimes you know it's like so then now like the idea it's just so bizarre the idea that I wouldn't do something as part of a strategy when it's like that wasn't part of it that wasn't part of the dream the strategy so it's just like you know being offered to go and play with like Sam Rockwell and you know J.K. Simmons, Ben Affle like

sure. It's it's unbelievable. And is this also is there a sense that like for instance I know you're doing this book you're going to do a collection of essays. So it's like and Frank you know like that could be said to be like well that's kind of a left. turn or something and like, you know, there are all these, I'm sure, like, that's an opportunity that probably, I don't know if that organically happened or came out of nowhere, but like, I would imagine you're also at a point where you're getting bizarro offers that you would never even have considered, like, host a show and that kind of a thing. So is there a sense of, it's kind of interesting because we're living in an age where,

I guess, more than ever you can do that kind of stuff and still be accepted as an actor. You know what I mean? Like five or ten years ago hosting a one-off show or doing a book, it's like, what are you doing with your career? but now it's kind of like everything's equal. It doesn't matter. Yeah, that's interesting. I mean, like the book, I feel like the only, like I've always thought with like filmmaking, people ask me, you know, oh, you want to write something, direct something.

And I don't have that impulse, if I'm honest, which isn't to say I won't ever, but right now I don't. Because I've always felt like the only reason that I would have to put something of my own out into the world would be to say something that I feel like I would want somebody to be brave enough to say it. so that I could go, oh, my God, that's me. That's totally, I do that. And I feel like that's something, like I feel like people, you know, as they do sort of talk about, like, me being like down to earth and self-deprecating. And I feel like I'm the girl, like you look at somebody like Lena Dunham who just does that on another level. And I feel like so inspired by her and so grateful that she's in the world because I'll say I haven't shaved my legs in a week, but she'll take a picture of it and put it online. And I feel like, you know, there are plenty of people who want to go like, yeah, but who wants to see that?

Like, oh, shut up. You know, like, I think it's incredible and she's just so brave. And, you know, I feel like if I could do like 1% of what she does, then that's worth trying, you know. What about here's my unsolicited idea. Who knows, this kind of thing could have been floated already. I feel like I'm predicting you and or Jane Johnson hosting the Oscars together. This is what I want to see. Oh, my God.

Yeah. If I could just ride around on his back the whole. time that's my dream i feel like if he could just be hoarder to my brawn there's oh my god there's a sight gag to begin and then it's just sheer comedy for four hours oh god would you i mean you're making my day would would that be i mean like hosting an award show like that like i suppose never say never but oh my god you've got to be insane to do that it's just it's just it's the kobiashi maru like you no matter what you do no matter what you do you're so screwed. And that's how I felt on a smaller scale about doing SNL. I was so scared because that I felt was the exact same thing where you cannot win. It is designed that you cannot win. Because no matter what, one person is going to say it's the best episode of SNL they've ever seen, another person is going to be like, and you officially ruined SNL. You are the nail in the SNL coffin and you're the reason that it all went down. Like every episode of SNL I've ever seen has had comments like, oh my God, I thought that was so funny. And other people going,

like, that was so cringy. I can't believe that, you know, Melissa McCarthy. Like, there are people who hate Melissa McCarthy. There are people who are going to hate me. Right. And so, like, SNL was as far as I'm willing to go in that sense. And certainly, I think, hosting, like, anything, Emmys, Oscars, Tony's. Like, it's just, it's the same.

Yet, I bet I'm not trying to get into your head or anything. It's that, like, for SNL, for instance, in the abstract, like, one could be afraid of it. And then it's, like, it's at your feet. Like, how can you say no? You know, I mean? Like, it's like. I know, that's the, I've, like, joke. Jokingly told the, like, talent booker, I was like,

don't ever make me do this again. Please don't ever offer it to me again, because you can't say no. Because you cannot say no. I mean, and here's the thing about even saying that is, and it's the thing that I think about in every interview, and it's like what I've been in the back of my mind during this interview and every other. It's like, you know that anything can be like taken. So I'm saying jokingly so that no, someone's like,

Anna Kendrick has asked and vowed to never do it again. Like, no, please don't take anything from this interview and make it like a tiny, quote that means something completely different. But they, you know, what you do. Luckily, I at least don't have the time of patience to cut this up into things. So it's going to run unedited. But if someone is in. No, but somebody at BuzzFeed does.

Yeah, exactly. You worked with Krasinski also as a director recently. Oh, he's a hero. Those got that couple. I mean, they're so annoying. They're so, ugh. Yeah, they're so cool. And Emily, like, you know, which is so annoying of me to think this because, like, it's, you know,

I, like, looked at Emily and was like, she's going to be, like, icy and British and beautiful and unapproachable. And she's, um, and instead, you know, she's just like the funniest, coolest, like, you know, ugh, I hate myself. But so down to earth, so self-deprecating. I don't know. But she is just, like, brutally funny. Yeah. And, you know, they're a match made in heaven because he is, he is all the same things. When and where did you word of the Kobayashi Maroo?

Is this from childhood or did you catch up a Star Trek later? I got up with Star Trek later. I, well, when I was. Was it Next Generation with Picard? Yes, that's Picard, yeah. Next Generation. And I didn't get on board with that. I was always Star Wars over Star Trek.

And the JJ Amherms films are just absolutely fantastic. So, yeah, it's not like a long-term thing that was always in my brain. It was, it's, you know, I think of Zach Quinto doing it. Right. So let's not. You get a bit of respect, not my whole. Yeah, let's not think that I'm any better than I am. Right, no.

We put you back in your place. Yes, please. I'm a filthy casual, is what I am. Congratulations on dropping and Kobayashi Maroons, making it sound like you know what you're talking about. Thank you very much. And less importantly, congratulations on Pitch Perfect 2. Thank you very much. I'll see you soon.

And thank you for finding your way to my silly little office. And you can keep the E.T. Paschmi-in if you want. That's a step too far. I'm going to put it back on him because he looks cold. Very sweet of you. Good to see you, John. That's the show, guys. I'm Josh Harrowitz.

This has been happy, say I Confused. Hope you've enjoyed the show. Hit me up on Twitter. Joshua Harowitz. Go over to Wolfpop.com. Check out all the amazing shows over there. And most importantly, check back in next week for another edition of Happy Sad, Confused. Again, we'd like to thank our sponsor, graze.com, the snack service that wants to show

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box. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop. Wolf Pop is part of mid-roll media, executive produced by Adam Sacks, Matt Gourley, and Paul Shear. Goodbye, summer movies, hello fall. I'm Anthony Devaney.

And I'm his twin brother, James. We host Raiders of the Lost Podcast, the Ultimate Movie Podcast, and we are ecstatic to break down late summer and early fall releases. We have Leonardo DiCaprio leading a revolution in one battle after another, Timothy Salome playing power ping pong in Marty Supreme. Let's not forget Emma Stone and Jorgos Lanthamos' is Bagonia. Dwayne Johnson, he's coming for that Oscar.

In The Smashing Machine, Spike Lee and Denzel teaming up again, plus Daniel DeLuis's return from retirement. There will be plenty of blockbusters to chat about two. Tron Aries looks exceptional, plus Mortal Kombat 2. And Edgar writes, The Running Man starring Glenn Powell. Search for Raiders of the Lost podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.