Happy Sad Confused - Anna Kendrick, Vol. IV

Episode Date: October 28, 2024

Anna Kendrick is back and this time she's directing AND starring in a new film, WOMAN OF THE HOUR. Anna joins Josh at a live taping at the 92nd Street Y to discuss her journey from Broadway at 12 to PITCH PERFECT to A SIMPLE FAVOR to this latest accomplishment in a fantastic career. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! BetterHelp -- Go to BetterHelp.com/HSC for 10% off ZocDoc -- Go to ZocDoc.com/HappySad Check out the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Happy Sad Confused patreon here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! We've got discount codes to live events, merch, early access, exclusive episodes, video versions of the podcast, and more! To watch episodes of Happy Sad Confused, subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh's youtube channel here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you're with Amex Platinum, you get access to exclusive dining experiences and an annual travel credit. So the best tapas in town might be in a new town altogether. That's the powerful backing of Amex. Terms and conditions apply. Learn more at Amex.ca. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox is an eight-episode Hulu Original Limited series that blends gripping pacing with emotional complexity, offering a dramatized look as it revisits the wrongful conviction of Amanda Knox for the tragic murder of Meredith Kircher and the relentless media storm that followed. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox is now streaming only on Disney Plus.

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And face it, between debates, polling releases, even court appearances. It can feel exhausting, even impossible to keep up with. I'm Brad Nilke. I'm the host of Start Here, the Daily Podcast from ABC News. And every morning, my team and I get you caught up on the day's news in a quick, straightforward way that's easy to understand, with just enough context so you can listen, get it, and go on with your day. So, kickstart your morning.

Start Smart with Start Here and ABC News because staying informed shouldn't feel overwhelming. Dogs or cats. It's okay. You don't have to kill the other. It's just like a preference. It's okay. Oh.

I mean, oh, I hate you, Josh. You've just, this night's been so miserable. I wish I'd never met you. Dogs. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, sad, confused begins now. Hi, everybody. How's it going?

Welcome. I'm Josh Horowitz, and today on Happy, Say, Confused. We are, of course, live at the 92nd Street Y with actor and now director Anna Kendrick, guys. Thank you for being here. This is going to be a fun one. One of the pleasures of sticking around this business for a while is you get to know folks and get to kind of go on the journey alongside them and see what they're capable of. And to see what Anna Kendrick has done in her career going from Camp and Rocket Science

to Twilight to an Oscar nomination and up in the air, to the pitch-perfect movies, to Into the Woods. And now this insanely impressive directing debut, Woman of the Hour, we're now on Netflix, she's capable of anything, including a great conversation tonight. So I'm very pleased to welcome the one and only Anna Kendrick to happy second views. There she is.

Hi, guys. That was so exciting. Wait, can I just say the thing that happened while we were backstage? So I was watching the trailer as it was playing backstage on a TV that I'm pretty sure has motion smoothing turned on, FYI. Always a director.

Okay, as we were watching it, there's the, you know, there's a shot of just a monitor, right? And it's supposed to say, like, in 1978, something, something. I don't know, I didn't write it. And it just was black. Was that what you guys just watched? What was that? That's so weird.

You're the director. It was a weird choice, Anna. Let's be real. No, now I'm like, what kind of, like, in-process cut of the trailer got sent to the 90-second Street. Why? We get the bootleg versions. We don't get the real ones. It said something really great that

someone in marketing came up for the trailer that really let you know what the movie was all about. But also, are there that many people here who haven't seen the movie, let alone the trailer? I would assume at least you've seen like a-trailer. Sure. Yeah, well, you know, you're not...

They're anachendronthus. I suppose you shouldn't be like, no, no idea, not interested. What movie? No, no. The movie is amazing. you know I love this film. Congratulations. Thanks. This is a big moment. This press tour has been, it's all on your shoulders, no pressure, Anna.

But what's it been like, kind of like, I don't know, has this felt like a different kind of press store for you? Yeah, no, I, like, truly, I even was like, the first time, this is so silly, but I swear it's true, the first time that I was on, like, a step and repeat, it was for the variety, like, directors to watch thing. And I was like shaking, I was trembling because, and I was just taking photos. I wasn't even talking to anyone yet because it was like, right, but I'm taking photos as a director.

Like, I don't know how to, to like. What's the director pose? Yeah. No, but I'm like, I've been trying to figure out how to like do press as an actor and been doing that for like 15 years. And this feels very different. It makes me very nervous. I suppose for a lot of reasons, but, like, beings, like, oh, it's, you know, it's cliche, but, like, oh, it's my baby, and I'm so passionate about it. And also, yeah, I feel like I can't, I mean, I'm going to, but I can't revert to, like, you know, glib, dumb jokes.

Right. And then I end up doing it anyway, because I can't help it. But I'm trying to be, like, super serious, and I, like, run out of battery to be super serious. We're going to have to be semi-earnest tonight because this is this film, this film, demands it. I was listening back to one of our older conversations nearly a decade ago and I asked you about potentially directing. What did I say? Did I say I didn't want to? You said you were very hesitant. Yeah. You gave me the reason you gave was you said you didn't feel very comfortable with the camera and you didn't want, especially for women, female directors, they get that kind

of like label like you don't want to be identified as like the woman that doesn't know how to operate, how to know where to put the camera. Shut up. I said that. Whoa. of that? Was that the real reason? Was that... Well, I mean, God, it's not super far off. That's wild. Because I think that for a long time, I was expecting, there was kind of a standard answer I used to give about like, oh, that's a lot. Those people are crazy, and they, you know, like, it's too stressful, and I leave it to them and all that. But I guess, yeah, like even going into this, I actually, um, when I, you know, found out I got the job, um, and, you know, that was with six weeks to go before I was in Canada doing hard prep. Um, so I called Paul Feig, who

directed bridesmaids and simple favor. And, um, and I was asking him for advice. And I did kind of confess something similar to him about, um, how I was worried. I don't know, there is something specifically around camera that if you are not an absolute expert and not to be this guy, but sometimes like, yeah, like especially as a woman, because it does feel like you're, I know I'm not saying anything revolutionary here, but it does feel like sometimes you are responsible for your entire gender. And so if you don't know something, it's not because you're an idiot, it's because women shouldn't be doing this. And so you do feel a bit of that pressure. And yeah, it's interesting. There are places where I know that I have areas of

deficit, but I think what was kind of fun is that usually my best friend on set is the A-camera operator, because I'm with them all the time. And I got really close to our A-camera operator, Sasha, and it was like, oh, once again, like he and I are kind of always on the same page. Like my cinematographer and I would debate about certain things, but it was like, yeah, I have been doing this for 20 years. Like, I don't know everything, but I have a sense of what the feeling should be, and I have a sense of what the camera needs to be doing to get that feeling. Well, it is striking for those that have seen the film who are going to see the film, how confident it feels. Whether or not you felt it or not in anxiety, I'm sure it comes for any filmmaker, let alone a first-time filmmaker. but it feels a very assured film.

Like, you know where you want to put the camera. It doesn't feel messy. It feels like a very, like, it's not a first-time filmmaker's movie, is what I'm saying to you. Josh, so sweet. So sweet. I butter you up, and then I come in for the kill later.

You know how I rolled. Gotcha. But I want to talk about also, like, the subject matter, and look, it tells a lot about, like, what a filmmaker starts out their career discussing, and this is dark stuff. And I know you're a dark person, because you've killed me in multiple sketches over the years.

That's true. Yeah, so I know that's your capable. You're so fun to kill. Well, you know. What did you connect with? It sounds like this happened pretty relatively quickly, six weeks to prep. That's insane. Why did you know this was the one to take the plunge with?

I think, so I was in a certain situation in my life. And I actually got the script for this movie and the script for this tiny little indie I did called Alice Darling, like in the same, like, few weeks maybe. And Alice Darling is about a woman in a psychologically abusive relationship, and that was a pretty literal reflection of what was happening in my life. And this obviously isn't a literal reflection of that, but there was something in it that felt like familiar territory.

And, you know, I signed on as an actor and just kind of waited for two years. Alice Darling came together pretty quickly and you know sometimes you sign on to a movie and it happens quickly and sometimes it you're just sitting around for two years waiting for like well let me know and then the other thing that happens is that kind of out of nowhere way too quickly it's like hey we raised the money and we have a window of time and if we don't keep the train on the tracks it will disappear and who knows when we can you know reassemble the pieces and And when that happened, we didn't have a director. And so I, you know, we started to, like the producers were talking about kind of scrambling and trying to find someone really quickly. And we were not looking at first time directors. We were looking at people who were really experienced and knew how to take $3 in a roll of duct tape and make a feature film.

And I just started to feel like kind of heartbroken about the idea of someone. else doing it and also a little bit like I've been thinking about the movie for two years like I didn't wasn't thinking about it as a director but I don't know like someone just comes in and you're going to tell me what the fucking movie is I don't know that you are sir um I think I'm actually the expert on this subject now so and I confess I think over the years I read a bunch of different drafts of the script like it changed so much and I did start to think like Well, if it were up to me, I would probably take that thing from that draft and this thing from this stuff. And this is also something I would put in that I've never seen in any of the drafts, but I feel like would be important or interesting or powerful.

And, yeah, that got really exciting. Can you talk a little bit about, like, so your angle on this? Because, yeah, there are many different versions of this insane true story that could be told. What was important to you? What was the prism through which you wanted to tell the story? Yeah, I think it has to do with terror, obviously, but it's like there's this moment that I think a lot of us have been in where an interaction is kind of going fine. And then 10 seconds goes by and you're like, I don't know how we got here, but now it's very clear that I'm not safe. And I don't know how unsafe.

Like, is this just going to ruin my day? Is it going to ruin my month? am I in real danger here? And you couldn't even really relay after the fact what had happened. And, you know, like, that moment in the bar with Pete Holmes, when he touches my hair,

it felt like that's kind of a perfect place to, which, by the way, when I asked Pete to touch my hair, because I didn't, like, really break it to him until the day we were shooting it. He was like, why would I just do that? Why would I just touch you? That's so fucking weird.

I love that you cast like the two nicest. It's like Tony Hale and Pete Holmes. Pete Holmes, like the most sweet men on the planet as these microaggression masters. Totally. But what I love about it is that if you tried to tell someone after, be like, well, I don't know, he like, he was touching my hair, but maybe he was just brushing it off my shoulder. I'm not really sure, but then I, like, I was surprised, and then he seemed mad, and I don't know what happened, and then we fucked, and I don't know that I feel good about it. I don't know, I don't know what I feel about it. And then kind of

wondering like, well, I guess he didn't do anything wrong and, you know, just those kind of moments are loaded with, well, just how dangerous is this situation going to get for me? What I want to talk about is

the casting because I was talking to you before your lead, your actor who plays Rodney is extraordinary. Yeah, Daniel Zavato is he's really, really incredible. I mean, we were even talked, I don't know if it's like objectifying for me to say this. But it's also very weird because in real life, Danny's really handsome. It's like a very attractive person. And like he would become Rodney and it was like

his whole face would change. Because when I cast him, I was like, oh no, I've done that thing of casting a really attractive person to play this murderer. And then, yeah, he, like when he's Rodney, it's like it repels you. What's it like to be on the other side of that audition casting, Oh, you mean with him specifically? Yeah, for you vetting actors, for you hiring actors. Well, Danny I knew I needed. Okay. I saw Danny in Station 11 and I was like, it's him, it has to be him.

So he was like making a movie in Ireland and I should double check with this, so don't quote me, just keep it between us. That I think he was making a movie with Russell Crowe and I think, I mean he came straight from that movie and that's really hard to just like go literally movie to movie and I think he was sort of like oh my god like should I do another movie and like I'm kind of the lead of the movie and all that and apparently again just between us I think Russell Crow was like oh I like Annie Kendrick she's smart you should do it so I owe him a fruit basket um unless I'm unless I'm totally misremembering so I think let's go with that I like that great yeah no print it um Allie the Hazzamass with Minio Pizza Hut My Box, the new Choirs, toaddle it on how you, and adderate on how much, and addle it on my box today and let it on thugue. Pizza or Melt, all by you, and your sidebats, you'll have two or a mishroob,

your your your not end uptiehers. Hey, shorot of your, which is your love your. Meenu Pizza Hut, My Box, the conditions and your and your commands. Pizza Hut, I'll call it today. You talk about those transition points, those moments where we don't even realize we're in a dangerous situation. When folks see this,

there's an all-time or sequence in this film in the parking lot that is just so well staged and sneaks up on you, and it's all about the blocking and what we hear. and what we hear and don't hear. I just love to hear how you build a sequence like that. Yeah, funny enough, that's actually the first scene I could visualize.

Like, when I was debating, should I even tell anyone that I'm having this, like, voice that's saying, like, you should pitch yourself to direct the movie, I could picture that sequence. And I knew that I wanted to keep it mostly like mediums and close-ups

and then jump wide when it's like, oh something's wrong because I think that's the experience is like you and I could just be chatting or whatever and if suddenly something felt really off I would become really aware of my surroundings like your peripheral vision it suddenly kind of widens out and you start wondering like can I hear anything other than just like the street lamps buzzing can I hear a couple fighting two blocks away like if I screamed would someone find me and that thing of going like oh wow like there's these two people in a frame and I think in my pitch I was sort of talking about how it was like I wanted that sense that even if Cheryl my even if my character

like ran for it I wouldn't even get to the edge of the frame before he was on top of me you know where you're really like I just have to pray that he's not actually going to do anything and he's not actually following me he just happens to be walking in this direction and I also knew that like he said something he says something in the scene that's like quite creepy and I knew I wanted to keep it right on that line of like well wait what did he say it is that moment of like did I hear that did I hear that and again that's that kind of experiential thing of like well I don't know what I would what should I go to the police and say what I think maybe he said something creepy to me and yeah just not really knowing should I run or am I being paranoid. Has this changed you as an actor since then? You've probably acted, I would imagine, since directing the film.

I actually have only done Simplefavor, too. That's the thing that I've, woo. And I was really glad that it was like, Paul Feig, the director who I've worked with, and John Schwartzman, the cinematographer who I've worked with, because I was thinking, like, oh, God, the next time I want a film set as an actor,

is that thing going to happen where people are like, oh, boy, she directs one? and she thinks she knows everything. And when I went back to work with them, it was like, oh, she was always like this. You know, she's all, yeah, nope, super nosy, super opinionated. This doesn't have to do with her directing a film.

She's just annoying. So thank God for that. That's just her personality. That's just Anna. Let's dive back in time a little bit, a little, this is your wife, Anna Kendrick. Child Anna, tell me about child Anna Kendrick. on the precocious to oh my god this kid is a lot scale where were you what were you like as a child

yeah i think the word precocious was thrown around a lot and it was code for oh my god what is wrong with this girl um yeah i i think i would have like pushed me down a flight of stairs if i if i met young me i would be like get i'm gonna fucking yeah what was it just you just wanted you just loved to perform it you wanted it i wanted to perform and i think i also like wanted to be an adult. You know, it's that awful thing where kids try to talk like adults. It makes me cringe so much now because I know that I did it as a kid. But I was always the smallest kid in class, and I looked like the baby.

And, you know, when you're in third grade, looking like a first grader is like the nightmare. So I was so desperate to be like more mature and well spoken than all the other third graders that I think I was pretty inseparable. But by nature of the work, you were in these kind of adult situations, so you were on Broadway by 12, do I have that right?

High Society. You were nominated for a Tony, which... I lost. No, don't get me that. Should we really make this fun and awkward and look at a clip of you in high society? Oh, I fucking hate you.

I wouldn't have even shown up. You don't have to turn around. I'll just drink a lot tonight, it's fine. This is for them, not for you. Here we go. High Society. I love Paris in the springtime. I love Paris in the fall.

I love Paris in the fall. I love Paris in the fall. When it drizzles, I love Paris in the summer. When it sizzles. I love Paris every moment, every moment of the year. I adore Paris. Ah, why, why I adore Paris? Because my name...

Vien, do you remember Philippe? Do I remember Philippe? Yes, yes, do you? No. Neither do I. What about Jean? Oh, Jean, not another story. Life is not the same.

is not the same without your... Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha. You know that dream you have where you're naked in a grocery store? Except it's real life and it's the 92 Y and it's actually happening to you in front of a hundred... I... I'm never going to speak to you again. Worth it. So...

I'm like legit lightheaded right now. Did you, does that take you back? Uh-huh. Yeah. No, as soon as the blood comes back into my brain, I'm gonna talk about what just happened. Here's what I'm... Okay, well, we're gonna continue.

I'm doing a weird French accent because we're supposed to be acting crazy. in that scene. Whatever. It doesn't matter, you guys. Does, so here's the thing. So you're nominated for a Tony, and you have these experiences relatively earlier in a career later with camp and rocket science where these things are all celebrated and she can't. I'm not going to be able to move on from that. I know, I know. But... Does someone want to bring me a shot? What the fuck?

I guess it speaks to the complicated nature of success for a young actor when they're, they think like, oh, I've got a toady nomination, everything's set, and that's not the reality for anybody, an adult, let alone a 12-year-old child. Did that enter into your... Yeah, no, it's funny to say that. I don't think that that ever entered my brain. I don't think it has entered my brain at any point, perhaps to my detriment. I think there's always that sense of, like, the wolves at the door or something. You know, it just kind of doesn't go away. and there's always a sense that like, well, this is probably my last job because, how did I get it in the first place?

And so, yeah, I was very much like, oh, God, what if I'm one of those people that, like, I mean, immediately, like, I'm on Broadway and I'm like, what if I'm one of those people where then eventually I'm, you know, like, I'm an accountant, and I'm like, oh, yeah, weird fact about me. You were thinking that at 12 years old. You were already thinking that way. Yes, yeah, that's the, like, I don't know what that's about. There's just kind of like, I guess there's a, hi, you guys are my therapist.

I guess there's a bit of a, like a scarcity mentality thing. And you also go after like, not to be lame, but you know, your dream, gross. And so you get some of it and you just can't believe it's happening. So you're like, well, this is going to go away, which you'd think would at least make me like, well, I'm just going to enjoy it. And it doesn't. It does kind of make you hyper-vigilant in a way that I think isn't super helpful. But then honestly, I was talking to, I saw Aziz Ansari pretty quickly after I'd wrapped the movie. And he was like, oh, yeah, doesn't it make you appreciate all the times that you've just been an actor

and you're like super chill on set and you don't have to think about anything? And I was like, that's not my experience. That sounds awesome. No, like my, I was like, oh, that's my problem, is that, like, everything's my fault. Everything's my responsibility. Like, it's all on me, which no one wants me to be doing, by the way. That's not like I'm saying, oh, I'm such an amazing coworker. It's like, I need to back the fuck up.

But it was interesting because then I'm directing, and, like, the experience was almost identical for me. But at least this time I, like, got all the information and I got to have some control. So it was, I thought it was great. I'm going to jump ahead because as much as I'd like to go each and everyone and embarrass you with Cliffs for everything, I don't have that kind of time. Jumping all the way to pitch perfect. So, obviously you love that script. You were excited about it, but the phenomenon that it became must have. Did it shock you?

That's all by surprise. Yeah, completely. Especially like, it didn't, I don't, I don't know. know if everybody like knows this or if certain if maybe it's not a remembered thing but like in theaters it didn't really perform it did okay but certainly not enough to warrant a sequel um and then it was like i mean this is dating the movie but like it was on HBO just on tv um and and people were like finding it there and then it was big on again dating at iTunes and um and yeah that a bunch of that stuff kind of coincided and and then freaking cups started climbing the charts the charts you guys

and um and yeah we were all like what i don't understand what's happening like what's like this was just like a movie we did and like okay it it did okay and the reviews were okay and then it became something else and you you gave me the exclusive backstage uh on the sequel uh that an idea that has come in from Oh, my God. I hate you so much. No, no, I was saying, you know, again, weirdly, like, in the last month, people keep asking me about pitch perfect four, like, which occasionally they would do, but it's been, like, a lot recently. I don't know quite why, but I was like, then literally last night, I'll get my phone. Like, last night, my mother texted me at 10 p.m. and was like, if you're going to do a pitch perfect four,

I have an idea. But then it was just like, dot, dot, dot. And then she just, like, wouldn't tell me. And then she was like, look, I'll sell it to Paramount for the right price. And I was like, well, it is a universal film. But, I mean, honestly, that's just good business, you know. Start a bidding more.

She's cutthroat, you know? Do you still have, like, PTSD if cops are in front of you at a restaurant, like, oh, they're going to want me to do it. They're going to want me to do it. No, it's interesting, though. When I listen to that clip, I'm like, oh, Anna, you're rushing the end of the phrase. Like, I keep, like, because I think it was hard to learn, like, when we did the recording for the album, which at the time, I was like, why are we putting this on the album?

No one's going to listen to this. We were in the booth, and the music producer was like, you're rushing the end of the phrase a little bit, like put like a metronome in my headphones so that I was doing it more evenly and so now I'm like Anna you're rushing the end of the phrase damn it. And the other part of your janibia, choose two or a shirot. Chirot's your and your churno'emak, that you'd rather thug you.

Menu Pizzahat My Box, the new bishops, with your rules. Pizzahat, I'll call it today. Okay, it's official. We are very much in the final sprint to election day. And face it, between debates, polling releases, even court appearances, it can feel exhausting, even impossible,

to keep up with. I'm Brad Milkey. I'm the host of Start Here, the daily podcast from ABC News. And every morning my team and I get you caught up on the day's news in a quick, straightforward way that's easy to understand, with just enough context so you can listen, get it, and go on with your day. So, kickstart your morning. Start Smart with Start Here and ABC News, because staying informed shouldn't feel overwhelming. You mentioned working with Paul Figue on a simple favor, which is such a fantastic film. So happy you guys have shot the sequel, although it sounds a bit like a boondoggle. You shot in Capri, you, Blake, come on, let's... Yeah, I know. Dragging me to Italy?

What an asshole. That movie's kind of a miracle, though, because I remember going in, like, we were all like, what is this movie going to be? So was I. No, like, literally. Like every day was like, is it funny? Is it scary? Like, what is this? Like, I really can't think of like a comp for the tone of that film. Did you ever, like, did you know before you saw the finished product? Did you gain confidence on... No, did I? Oh, was the end of that sentence, did you gain confidence on set? No, no. No, I mean, it really was every day, like, what movie are you in?

Like, I'll try to join you, but I don't know. it was like I don't want to say worst nightmare it was certainly destabilizing you know and and and it really is like I don't know that Paul could have found the words to really explain it it was like you couldn't really see it until it was the movie um but yeah it was a lot of I mean I pestered him a lot about like what is the what I huh um because it because it was like okay it's it's a comedy so I thought like are we playing like the murders as though they're funny like it's like it's the movie Clue or something you know where like

the murders are like oh my god he's dead but it was like no this is then it gets like deadly serious and we're playing that all really seriously so yeah it was obviously it wasn't like it wasn't so much about oh I didn't have confidence that like I was like oh the movie's going to be shit it was more like

I don't I feel like I don't know what I'm doing I must be doing something wrong because I don't like get it but then like nobody got it like none of nobody other than paul like he could see it and i yeah i really am like i i don't know how that's all going on in that brain because he's another like real sweetheart and but there's like some there's some darkness up there i'm into it paul fig is such a sweetheart that i don't think you're going to be upset about this he sent a he sent a little message he sent a little message no he didn't he did let's look at a message from Paul Feig to you, Anna.

Hey, Josh. Hey, everybody in the audience. It's Paul Feig, Anna Kendrick's number one fan. Hi, Anna. I just want to say, congrats to Anna. Oh, my God, the movie you did is so amazing. But it's not a surprise that you're a great director because you're always the most professional,

the most talented, the most responsible person on the set. Anna always shows up knowing her lines and everybody else's lines, and it's just she's the best. And Anna, I just want to ask you a question, you made your movie in 21 days which seems impossible how did you do that and can you teach me how to do it because i have no idea how to do that um and just a little side note you know i i i was an actor and a do tend to still do it so um if there's a role in any one of your movies i can get my headshot to you okay so let me just uh i'll call my agent um okay well thanks and uh It was 24 taste, just to be, just, I just want to get there. Oh, my God, he says, well, he's actually, he's like, he's a great actor.

Like, there's, he's in an episode of the office as the guy. He's the guy with the dog, cat, mouse thing. Do you guys remember that? It's like a late season office thing. Yeah, there's a couple of Ms. and Oz. He's great. He's great in it. He's very funny.

Oh, wait, what was the question? Oh, just, oh, the, right. Speed of it. Yes, it was challenging. It was challenging. I'm just having a minor flashback. Well, I was sort of, I was saying to someone earlier that they were asking me about, like, deleted scenes, and I was like, there aren't any of those. We didn't have time for that.

No, we, like, we didn't, there's nothing that, like, we had to take big, huge leaps of faith and, like, cut anything that wasn't completely necessary. and kind of, you know, use everything that we had. And that's not a great way to make a movie. I would not want to do that again, like not having any, any wiggle room, but like we just didn't have the money. Like, you know, we're very happy to have found a home with Netflix and they've been wonderful,

but we were not working with Netflix money and resources and timelines. Like this was a little, we were fucking on our own. So I think the fact that the movie is a movie, a miracle and took a lot of like creativity and hustle and I think I also have like a little bit of a thing where when things are going wrong and like the day starts to get behind I get like a real jolt of like dopamine like I get really excited I get kind of crazy eyes but there's something about the challenge of going like we're

gonna make this day oh we're gonna get all the shots motherfucker that I like Like, I do get really, like, amped about it. I feel like we're long overdue on musical, return to Broadway, one or the other. There's a lot to do in a career. It's a long career, but is that on the to-do list? Well, I think I do have, like, I would love to direct more,

and I have this kind of, like, long-term ambition to direct a musical, and I was, like, you know, obviously I think musicals are really challenging and so I would want to get like some more experience under my belt before attempting that and I was in an event on Saturday where Steven Spielberg spoke and he was talking about making West Side Story and he was like it was so much harder than I thought it was going to be Stephen Spielberg like I was thinking like I don't know maybe if I made more movie like maybe like my fourth movie and now I'm like maybe my 50th Jesus maybe if I lived to be 200 like him What? So now I might have to, I don't know. Thanks, Stephen. Screwed us.

A musical. Are you still watching Lord of the Rings every year? Is that off the list? I don't think I've done the annual thing in a few years. But, yeah, I was actually just thinking about, well, there's kind of a Howard Shore-inspired moment in the score. So my composer was talking about adding some vocals to the score

and I was like, funny enough, I accidentally hired all singers. All of the women in the movie are fantastic singers. Like, I didn't know that. I knew one, but and so I was like, well, you know, we've got a bunch of singers. So there's this kind of like cacophonous, dissonant

chanting in the movie. you'd even kind of have to be listening for it a bit, but it comes in whenever a woman in the scene kind of realizes that something's wrong. And we, like, would kind of move around the room and do this weird chanting thing where it was like we were almost not listening to each other, but we were, but we're trying to be dissonant.

I don't know, it was really interesting. And then we would just move around the room and, like, double it and triple it and on and on. And so it sort of sounds like there's hundreds of women trying to kind of claw through time to warn this woman. And it's really heartbreaking, and it's kind of like, it has that goose bump effect, just the sound of it. And then I, there's, spoilers,

there's a moment where Rodney, the killer, realizes he's really caught. He's cornered, right? And it's like right at the moment that he realizes that I had Kelly Jekle, who's the actress in the opening scene. And she's actually in pitch perfect, so I know her voice really well. And it's like this glass bell type tone. And I asked her to sing like a lone note that would stand out in that moment. And it's almost like the chord kind of resolves for a second.

And there was just something really beautiful to me about the idea that the woman from the opening scene of the film is kind of like free. Again, you'd really have to be listening for it. But wait, how did we get on this? Howard Shore. Howard Shore. Howard Shore. It has a Howard Shore quality. And I like it.

But I also, just before I came here, I saw, you must have seen this thing where the cinematographer from Lord of the Rings, like Sean Aston, you must have heard this, that Sean Aston one day was like asking him, you know, they're supposed to be in like a dungeon or somewhere where there wouldn't be any light, like a cave. And he said, like, well, where's the light coming from? And he said, the same place the music's coming from. Which is a killer line. Good answer.

Killer line. I would imagine you don't have to audition much or at all anymore. But are there, when you get offers, are there, do you find sometimes people are, I mean, the cliche, and it's true is they offer you the same thing you've done before. What are your turnoffs in scripts nowadays? I think that there's, I think there's a certain kind of. of like hyper uptight woman that I read over and over and over again and you know what you guys aren't going to laugh at this but my agent backstage is going to laugh at this which is

like I I don't know this woman like she's so she's so tightly wound and she's so uptight and I don't know this woman and I know Jackie Katz laugh laugh laugh laugh she's backstage she's laughing so hard I can hear her but I just I don't know know these women, I don't know what that caricature is. And like, you know, I think I play a version of her in the Simple Favor movies, but that's a very heightened world, at least, you know, it is kind of like suddenly very serious and suddenly very funny, but it's certainly heightened.

And I, it's, I don't know what that's about. It's kind of everywhere. It became a trope in film and then it just is a self-perpetuating. It's just like, okay, wash, rinse, repeat. That's what it is. That's a human being. Like a toxic positivity Karen Theater Kid thing. And like, I get it. I have those qualities. But, um...

Not all at once. Yeah. Like it's, yeah. And it's like... And then it's my responsibility to make this really unlikable caricature of a woman likable. Like, no. Write something better. Sorry. Sorry, not sorry. We're going to end with the happy second. Fused profoundly random questions. Anna, you ready? Dogs or cats.

It's okay. You don't have to kill the other. It's just like a preference. It's okay. Oh. I mean, oh, I hate you, Josh. You've just, this night's been so miserable. I wish I'd never met you.

Dogs. Yeah. Yeah. Sticker. Do you collect anything? What do you collect? Um, I, I, three, well, I have a couple, like, prize possessions. I have three original lobby cards from the 1939 film The Women, which is my favorite film.

And right now, they're hanging in a place in my house where it was very clearly kind of like I needed four pieces of art. And so I, don't tell anyone, it's between us. I printed out like a fourth one and it's just kind of, oh, wow, judgment, it's aspiration. aspirational because I'm determined to find a fourth one. I think there's more than four, but yeah, every now and then I'll go

on, like, auction sites and stuff and see if there's one, but I'm still on the hunt. I think being on the hunt is also part of the fun of collecting. Right. What's the wallpaper on your phone? Rosal and Russell from the 1939 film The Women. That's a fact. Get the phone. I'll tell you. We believe you. Last actor

you were mistaken for. I don't get her that much anymore. For a while, I was getting Kate Mara, which was really flattering. She's a babe. Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, I don't know that there's many others. One Anna Kendrick. Yeah, that's right.

What's the worst noted director has ever given you? Well. Yeah, let me. Is there a way for me to tell this without giving away? I remember a director once in a room full of like 100 extras or something. Being like, it really felt like a move. Being like, hey, on this next one, like just try something. Just like make something up.

You know, just improv something. And doing it. And then the, you know, called cut. And then the director came over. and once again in front of a hundred extras went, ooh, let's go back to the script. And it really felt like a very specific power move thing to, like to gain dominance or something.

It was very, very icky. And then the thing that I improved ended up in the trailer. So, so fuck you. Finally, in the spirit of Happy Second Fuse, Who's an actor that always makes you happy? That I know or not know? Either one. You see them on screen. You are giddy.

You are a better person. Patricia Clarkson? I just, you know that thing when you're watching the Olympics or something? And you don't know how it's going to go and you're so tense because you're like, oh, God, what if she falls? Especially with ice skating and gymnastics. And then sometimes a friend will send you something that's already happened. And they're like, she got a perfect 10.

And you can just relax and be like, oh, this is going to be great. That's how I feel whenever she shows up on screen. I love her. Good answer. Movie that makes you sad. God. So many. Well, this is embarrassing, but this is what's coming to mind

because I just saw a clip on Instagram. You remember that movie Stepmom? Yeah. How? What? Wait. Like, I was like a kid. And it's like Julia Roberts.

And it's, and like, I think it was Young Gentle Malone, I think? Yeah, thank you. Thank you. Wonderful. And, like, why did they make that movie just to torture us? Like, mom slowly dying of cancer. Awful. Horrifying. But I watch that thing over and over. And finally, a food that makes you confused. You don't get it. Oh. I think there's some, like, sweet, savory things that I do like. and I'm loath

I'm loath to admit I'm so uncool but pat-tie I'm like is it sweet is it safe I know I know I want to like it so much I would feel so much cooler if I did and I'm just like but is it I is it sweet I don't

I don't I'm still in shock from her shock that was so intense I'm so sorry maybe I'm getting it from the wrong place I mean it seems like you would know good places if you don't it would be really weird.

Well, that's quite a... Yeah, okay, I'll do that. No, that's why I need to go to Thailand. Not to get the authentic stuff. It's been an emotional roller coaster with you, Anna. Wait, have you been to Thailand? I'm a suit... Okay, well, then that explains the gasp.

So, I'm sorry. I was being judgmental, so... Okay. This may or may not be our last conversation. I hope it's not the last. But I do have a gift for you before you go. Oh, God. Because you've been on Happy Second Fused.

So many times. The fifth time. And when you're on five times, much like SNL, you get a free thing. You get a hat. I love a hat. Five timers club on Happy San Confused, Anna Kendrick. Yeah. No one wears it like that.

Everybody, if you haven't seen it already, spread the good word on Woman at the Hour. Oh, so many people's phones went up. Wow. I mean this with all sincerity. It is a fantastic piece of work. Congratulations on it. Spread the good word. Everybody, it's Anna Kendrick.

Thank you for coming. And so ends another edition of happy, sad, confused. Remember to review, rate, and subscribe to this show on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm a big podcast person. I'm Daisy Ridley, and I definitely wasn't pressured to do this by Josh. Hey, Michael. Hey, Tom. You want to tell him?

Do you want me to tell them? No, no, no. I got this. People out there. People lean in. Get close. Get close. Listen.

Here's the deal. news. We got monumental news. We got snackacular news. Yeah, after a brief hiatus, my good friend, Michael Ian Black, and I are coming back. My good friend, Tom Kavanaugh and I are coming back to do what we do best. What we were put on this earth to do.

To pick a snack. To eat a snack. And to rate a snack. Nentifically. Emotionally? Spiritually. Mates is back. Mike and Tom eat snacks. Is back. A podcast for anyone with a mouth. With a mouth. Available.

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