Happy Sad Confused - Anthony Mackie

Episode Date: January 20, 2021

Anthony "cut the check" Mackie is on "Happy Sad Confused" at long last! The always lively and fun Mackie joins Josh to talk about his 90s action heroes, how they informed his new film, "Outside the Wire", and what we can expect from his upcoming Disney+ series, "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

D.C. high volume, Batman. The Dark Nights definitive DC comic stories adapted directly for audio for the very first time. Fear, I have to make them afraid. He's got a motorcycle. 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. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, Sad, Confused begins now. Today on Happy, Sad Confused, Anthony Mackey, on Outside the Wire, Falcon and the Winter Soldier and his comfort movie. Hey, guys, I'm Josh Horowitz.

Welcome to another edition of Happy, Sad, Confused. We've got a big Marvel superhero today, an Avenger himself. That's right, Falcon, a.k.a. Anthony Mackie is on the show today. Surprisingly, his first visit to Happy Sagan Fused, I say surprising because there were probably few actors I've talked to more over the last 10, 12 years than Anthony Mackey, dating back to the Hurt Locker, which I think was the first time I met Anthony. I remember it vividly. I saw the Hurt Locker at the Toronto Film Festival, interviewed Mackie, and I think the film didn't come out for at least a year afterwards. And we know how that

ended up with all the acclaim and deserved awards, et cetera. So ever since then, Anthony has been on the rise. I mean, frankly, he was on the rise even before then. His film debut was an eight mile. He's had a hell of a run. The way I put it just now, a hell of a run makes it sound like he's ending his career. He's not. If you've seen Anthony Mackey interviewed or heard him interviewed, you know how entertaining he is. You know how charismatic he is. He is always a fun interview, and this conversation did not disappoint. His new film is outside the wire. It is on Netflix right now. If you have Netflix, you probably can't avoid it. It's one of those that's like popping up at the top of the algorithm. They're pushing it hard, and it's doing extraordinarily

well, apparently, number one, in many places around the world, including the U.S. It's kind of an old-school action movie, kind of a buddy movie in a way, a war movie. Anthony actually plays a cyborg. So it kind of hits a lot of the buttons of the kind of old 90s action films that Anthony and I both grew up with. And in fact, in this conversation, we talk about our mutual love of, you know, everyone from Leslie Snipes and Jean-Claude Van Dam to someone like Will Smith, who stars in Mackie's choice for a comfort movie today. He chose Independence Day, classic movie, can't go wrong with it, and you'll hear Anthony

explain why Independence Day was and always will be one of his favorites of film that he always returns to and finds great comfort in. I think a lot of people would agree with Mackie on that one. A note on this conversation, Anthony was talking to me from New Orleans. He was at the start, I think he was like at an outdoor cafe. So you might hear a little ambiance of outdoorsiness in New Orleans. But hopefully that adds a little bit to the flavor of the conversation. And yes, of course, of course, of course, guys. I wouldn't be a self-respecting MCU fan, if I didn't talk about Falcon, specifically Falcon and the Winter Soldier with Mackie. He is starring in that new Disney Plus show, which is coming out pretty soon, guys,

pretty soon. Like right after Wanda Vision ends, I think they go basically straight into Falcon and the Winter Soldier, six episodes, six hours worth of big action starring the great Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan. It sounds like a much different kind of a Disney Plus, show than Wanda Vision. I mean, I'm loving Wanda Vision so far, but this is more in line, I think, with the Captain America films, with Winter Soldier, that kind of vibe. So I'm very excited about that one, and Anthony sounds really proud of it, and I have no reason to think he's being anything. But truthful, he's an honest guy, and I think I could tell if he's a little worried about this one. He's not. He has supreme confidence, so that is something to look forward to.

Other things to mention, I mentioned Wanda Vision. I got a chance to catch up with Elizabeth Olson for MTV News. That interview is going up, I think, any day now. So stay tuned to my social media, Joshua Horowitz on Twitter and Instagram. I'll push that out there. A fun catch up with her about a very irreverent, odd take on the characters of Wanda, aka Scarlet Witch and Vision. I've seen the first three episodes, and it's taking chances.

And that's what you want in a show. So look forward to that conversation. with Elizabeth Olson. That was a fun one. Let's see. Other things to mention. Well, I don't know. I guess that the big thing is, I hope you guys are all staying safe, as I always say, but I hope also, hopefully you or your loved ones are starting to get vaccinated. This was a big moment for me personally. Help my mom get vaccinated over this past weekend here in New York. Yeah, there was a bit of a line. We waited about an hour, hour and a half, but my God, by the end of it, I was just so relieved and happy that she got the first of her two vaccinations and hopefully the system is only going to get

easier and better for all of all the folks out there and I hope you're getting your loved ones their vaccinations as soon as possible. I know it can probably be frustrating depending on where you are and the parameters but I guess the bottom line is I hope that you're pursuing the vaccine and don't wait. Get it as soon as you can guys. I mean we just got to we got to deal with us. It's safe. It's been proven safe. Just do it and get some peace. of mind. So that's my PSA for today. Anyway, let's get on to the main event. Again, as I said, outside the wire is Mackie's new film. It's on Netflix. Check it out. And I hope you guys enjoy this conversation live-ish, no, not live, on tape from my bedroom and from Anthony Mackie's

favorite spot in New Orleans for lunch seemingly. Here's our conversation. look at this guy you look great man hey buddy how you're making it happy new year play happy new year we're both alive in in the year of our lord 2021 good to see you buddy definitely how you've been you know surviving you I'm great man chilling out in New Orleans you know 70 degrees sunny weather what's the worst that could happen yeah I see no evidence of any strife or pandemic where you are you're living your best life what what's the secret anthony i'm socially distanced look yeah well that was always the case nobody one ever wanted to be near you that was the whole thing you know i don't do well i'm more of an animal person so it works for me you know i just got a dog

my first dog as an adult and i'm i'm hiding in my bedroom because my dog is trying to hump my wife and my and my legs constantly and i don't know what to do any advice for me You want me to tell you what to do if something is trying to hump you? Well, you're usually trying to hump me, so I figured you would be the guy to ask. Is it a boy or girl? You think a girl. I haven't looked underneath yet. Pretty sure. Time out. Time out.

Yeah, she's a girl. She's a girl. It's a pit mix. She's adorable. She's a rescue. I would bring her in, but then you would watch a sexual assault. You're too sexy, man. You got her going crazy. You're too sexy. It's the new haircut. It's the new haircut. known the pheromones I've admitted for years. This is all on the record, by the way. This is this good? This is the podcast. You're too sexy. You got them going crazy. You can't save a pretty girl from a kennel and expect her not to hump you. I know. I should have consulted you prior to the

big moment. You saved her life. So you're in New Orleans. You're doing okay. You seem happy. You're feeding yourself. This is good. Saute vegetables. and grilled chicken. Love it. And seemingly you've got a movie that's probably like what, like number one in 90,000 countries

around the world. You've got the Netflix algorithm down. They say it is number one on Earth. That's what somebody said yesterday, on Earth. Finally, you have a movie that's being seen by people. Congratulations. Hey, I'm a slow burn, man.

It took a while, but I told you I was going to make it. Does Netflix tell you anything? Have they told you like your number one? like what numbers or are they just saying like you're number one in 600 countries or whatever no they have the little thing that you can click on and it tells you what people are watching you know and you know as producers we can call them and be like so what's up what's our numbers and they're like yo it's like the best movie we've had this year amazing that's what they said

this is the big i mean there's only what 19 days in the year but we're right so i see absolutely oh no for the biggest movie they've had this year But I do love, yeah, the Netflix, yeah, because you always see, like, you see, like, number one in different countries. I'm curious, like, and traveling the world over the years, is there a country where you've been shocked at your own fame? Like, is there a specific country where, like, Anthony Mackey is ruling the roost like David Hasselhoff does in Germany? You know what? I will say, because, you know, Hollywood tells black actors that we don't have a market outside the U.S. so you believe that when you go outside the U.S., no one knows who you are.

So when I was in Budapest shooting this movie, I was like, yo, I'm famous. Like, your boy is not hiding anymore. It was funny, because every time I leave the country now, you know, it's become more and more actively a thing to where people recognize me, which I don't expect at all because they tell you that it's not going to happen. And I'm like, where people are chasing me out of the lobby, if Joel Edgerton is here, they must be blowing up the block. You know? Your cue score is at least one point

better than Edgerton's, I would venture. I know that's a random name to bring up. I just love his name. I just love his name. It's a great name. A great man. Good actor. Yeah, he is. Do you remember the first time you were noticed, like, for your acting work? Was that, like, was it for, was it for eight miles? Do you remember? But other than when I was a male stripper? Yeah, we don't talk about that here. Or we only talk.

Sorry, we only talk about that. That's good. No, I would say after, you know, I was lucky, man. Eight Mile was my first movie. So after eight mile, everywhere I went, I was recognized from eight miles. Even now, to this day, because 8 Mile is on TV so much, I'm recognized most for the one episode of Law and Order I did and 8 Mile. I'm recognized for that more than the Marvel Stone.

That's not true. Cross my heart. Were you killed in Law & Order? Did you kill? What was your role in Law & Order? You have to watch it. You need to check my resume if you're going to interview me, buddy. Sorry.

I'm not a Mackey completis. There needs to be some mystery in our relationship at this point. You need to check my resume if you're going to interview me, buddy. come on this i've never seen any of your work that's the big it's been almost 20 years i've known you i'm gonna need you to uh check my resume um did those did those cyborg training classes at juliar help for this one what is there anything you rely upon the old juliar days for outside the wire nah you know what did help what i what what um actually helped a lot was um the research like physical research so you know there's certain things that you do as an actor

to mechanically manipulate your body. So I started studying Tai Chi. I started doing Jiu-Jitsu. I started doing yoga. Yo, I have to tell you, for these little white girls to be able to do yoga, they are strong. Like, there's no place for black dudes in yoga.

This is... You have all the group products, I know. You have the friends and family discount from Gwyneth for all the Goup products, so I'm sure you're well set up. Don't even know. what goop is, but I'm going to order some. Really? You don't know what goop is? That's her company. Wait, do you do yoga? No. Look at me. Shut up. Yes, you do. Notice how close the camera is on me.

I can't show you my expanding midframe. No, but you mentioned, I mean, look, as long as I've known you, and it's been a while, you've obviously always been, like, in shape, but especially in the last two years, in the Marvel years, you've got an especially jacked. You have to. It's part of the job. No, you have to, but my thing is, you know, as I get, so, and I always say, you know, I wish all this stuff had happened in my 20s. Like in my 20s, I was in great shape, you know, and if I wasn't in great shape in three weeks, I could be in great shape. Right.

But now in your 40s, that don't happen anymore. So you have to stop drinking this and stop eating that and stop doing this. Then you have to run more and, you know, it's just you have certain things that you have to for two months you know you need like lead time thank you can't do it it's not like we can start shooting in two weeks bet it's like no i'm gonna see you in two months so i was lucky for this movie i had just finished uh altered carbon and from alter carbon i went right into this but i was training going into uh falcon winter soldier so it was like you know three projects six 12 15 months of continuous training it kind of worked out

because now I know my body well enough to where I know what I need to do and how to do it to get in good enough shape. Is this the most physically demanding? I mean, this is all-out action. This is like, this is you a 90s action star mode.

Yeah, this was definitely the most demanding because my director, he kept pushing me like, Anthony, you do this stunt. And I'm like, no, we literally have a stuntman right here, stretching, ready to do this. He's like, no, you go to the gym, yeah, you big man, do start.

For the record, your director's from New Jersey. I don't know why he has that accent. So you're a producer on this one, yes? Yeah. So what gets you going as a producer on the set? What's your pet peeve now that you've assumed the producer mantle on a film like this? What would get your goat? What would make you Tom Cruise angry?

people being late yeah like that's my thing because if you're if every time they call us to camera you're five minutes late if we do 30 setups in that day right we wasted an hour of our day waiting on you that's money you know so it's it's one of those things to where it just especially when you know you're working on a budget like when you have a certain amount of dollars and you're trying to put every dollar on the screen you know if if you're in a time movie that's a hundred million dollar movie so you can spread a hundred million wherever you want you're an anthony mackie movie that's a ten million dollar movies so every fucking dollar counts so you know it's just hard when you know people and luckily we didn't have that problem

on this movie everybody was very effective with their time and you know very courteous to one another and because we were in europe you know we were always constantly on set it wasn't a thing where we were going back to our trailers because you know those european trailers aren't like American trailers. Like, it's not like, oh, this is so comfortable. You don't have the Will Smith triple decker. No? No, definitely not.

Nowhere close to that. Speaking of Cruz, have you ever worked with Tom? No. I read somewhere that you were up for Mission Impossible. Was that a real thing? I auditioned for it, and they liked me a lot. So an actor talk, I was up for it. Okay.

Did you meet with him or no? Did you do the chemistry thing? No, I've only met him once, like in past And, you know, it was one of those things. I was like, oh, shit, that's Tom Cruise. Right. I'm going to say, what's up? And then you get within five feet, and there's some dude who obviously eats babies

and puppies who's about to take you out. So from five feet, you go, what up, Tom? Keep it moving. Just do it not. Yeah. Yeah. So we're, despite the differences in our physical shape, we're roughly the same age. Who, I can guess who your action.

guys were growing up. But tell me, who were the ones for you when you were growing up? You know, growing up, I was big into Wesley Snipes, too. Everything Wesley Snipes did, I've always, I wanted to be Wesley Snipes when I got into business. Like, that was my goal. Except for the tax evasion. Except for the tax evasion. Um, you know, Will Smith. Like, I was a huge, you know, around the time of Independence Day, that's when I was in high school. Right. So I was a huge Will Smith fan. Also, Bruce Lee. Like, you know, in my house, in my neighborhood, my community, like, black dudes love Bruce Lee. He's like an honorary black dude when it comes to just being a cool-ass dude that everybody want to roll with is Bruce Lee. Right. So those were my, those were my big three. I was really big into Mel Gibson as well. That was the best. Back in the day, he was the best. I loved all his movies, Schwarzenegger, Stallone.

You know, I just loved all their movies, you know. What about where do you go on kind of like the second echelon guys, the J-C-V-D, the Stephen Seagall? Where do you come down on those guys? J-C-V-D, that's amazing. I'm a busy guy. I can't be bothered saying its whole name. No, I love those movies. And I love them for what they were.

Like, none of those guys were trying to win Oscars. None of those guys were trying to... You need to go watch Time Cop again, man. I think... I never thought that was going to be an Oscar movie. It was more so just them really, you know, putting out quality content. You know, it's interesting when you look at, you know, all those movies and those actors. I don't think anybody looked at them as B-level actors until much later on.

Sure. Like when they were in their height, they were A-Lister stars. Yeah. JTVD was one of us big, you know, like, you know, so even, uh, what's the boy's name, Chuck Norris. I mean, you know, at that time, Chuck Norris was the baddest white dude alive, you know? Yeah. Now, well, you know, but at the time, Chuck Norris was the dude. One of the things that I do like, I mean, you know, we joke about this being on Netflix and the accessibility of it is, like, Netflix has kind of brought back these kind of, like, genres that we were worried about kind of, like, going away. whether we're talking about like romantic comedies or these kind of like just like action movie high

concept action movies which you know your buddy like hensworth in extraction like these are these these are coming back oh you went off video are you hiding something you're hiding yourself no i agree and that's what i love about Netflix and i always say it and i laugh about it people say what's the favorite part about working for Netflix i'm like well they're not racist so that's a good thing. You know, all this stuff, because if you look at it, they don't have a specific demographic or, you know, group of people that they play to. Like they literally, if you're an audience and you're going to pay to watch a movie, they'll make movies for you. And if you look at the people they hire, if you look at the way they work and, you know, curate their

content, it's all across the board. You know, I found myself watching damn OJICA, OJECA, whatever the hell it was about a lovable pig that everybody's trying to eat. And I'm like, what is Korean? What kind of crazy movie is this? But at the same time, I would have never saw that movie if it wasn't for, I would have never learned that story. I would have never all this shit. Like, even like Japaname. My kids love this weird Japaname shit. When I was a kid, we didn't have that. Yeah, you would have had to have like someone point you in that direction or go down the wrong aisle with Blockbuster video. Way down the wrong aisle. Way down. So, you know, the accessibility of it, and their ability to curate a diverse experience is, you know, you can't beat that.

I love it. So you mentioned Will Smith and Independence Day, so you gave me the perfect segue into, I asked you for a comfort movie. I've been asking everybody on the podcast in this crazy last year for like the movies that they consider their comfort movie they go back to. It provides them some kind of relief, happiness, whatever. So that's your pick. Tell me, give us a sense. Why is ID4 Independence Day your comfort movie? You know what's really crazy?

And it literally just hit me like last week when all this shit at the Capitol happened. Okay. Bill Pullman, great actor. He plays the president. He comes in the room and he goes, what do you want? And the alien has the weird doctor dude in the window. He goes, release me. Remember that?

Brent Spiner from Star Trek. I'm a nerd. Yes, he actually looks like he could be your dad. So he does the thing. He goes, release me. That's when Bill Pullman goes into this amazing fit. That's when the other actor goes, you have glass piercing bullets, shoot him.

Right? So pu-p-p-poo-poo, right? So what he said was, Bill Pullman gets off the ground, and he goes, I saw what they do. He's like, what do you mean, Mr. President? He goes, they go from planet to plant. society to society debower all the natural resources and then move on I was like holy shit too like you talk about is I mean that movie was made over to almost two

decades ago either way over two decades yeah and you look at how the how it plays alongside our societal situation today it's crazy, man. It's crazy. It's a quality film. You were about, let's see, by my math, you were 17 when it came out. So that's probably the sweet spot. Right? Yeah. So do you remember? I mean, that was an event. I remember this too. Like, it was, I remember back down to the Super Bowl commercial, the teaser. Yep. They blew up the White House. It was like one of the all-time classic teasers. When they blew up the White House, everybody went, oh shit. Like, did they really blow up? How did they

blow up the white house i'll never forget that it was it was crazy and looking at that movie what was really great about that movie what i loved about it like it was some of the the most ridiculous so you're in a tunnel there's a alien explosion coming down a tunnel throwing cars and buses people are being incinerated in their cars the dog jumps through the explosion and makes it into the door as a car is being blown away. So the dog is heavier than the dog has more force. What are we working with here? Like, your centrifugal force reference is very off, sir.

You were putting in more thought than the writers were at 17. You were putting in more thought with all due respect than Dean Devlin. Let me give some context. Everybody knows Independence Day, but some context for people that don't remember. It was written by Dean Devlin and Rowan Emrick, who team. who teamed up for a slew of these kind of like disaster crazy movies. This was the high point. I mean, it was Stargate.

It was after this. It was Godzilla and 2012 after tomorrow. So you got Will Smith as the president. You got Will, I'm sorry, Will Smith as, as, what was his name again? Oh, Hiller, Captain Hiller, right? The fighter pilot. But he's a wildcat, though. He flies by the seat of his band.

He's the Han Solo. Right. Exactly. And you have, oh, what's those dudes name, Jeff Goldblum? No, not Jeff Goldblum. Of course. Yeah. Is it Jeff Goldblum?

Yeah. Yes. Amazing. Jeff Goldblum. Like, who literally, every movie you see Jeff Goldblum, I love, I'm going to just say, I love Jeff Goldblum. There you go. He is, he is, like, the poster child. And I didn't notice until I moved to, like, New York, he is, like, the poster child for, like,

the middle-aged nervous Jewish dude. Oh, he's my spirit animal. Are you kidding me? He is like everything I, in my fantasies, I want to be. But I didn't get it. And when I was watching Independence Day, I didn't get it that like, he's like the nervous, like this stereotypical Jewish nervous family. And even when they make the kids sit in the circle and read the Torah,

I was like, oh, I get it now. He's also that rare thing, I think, for people like me and what. whatever, that he's like that unicorn, he's also like a sex symbol. It's like he's like, like, how did that happen? He's somehow, the Venn diagram works somehow. It's amazing. Very true, yes. So yes, it kind of has all those great disaster movie tropes, and it really did bring

back the disaster movie. As much as it's on Will Smith and Bill Pullman and Bill Pullman and Goldblum, it's kind of an ensemble. You got character actors like, Robert Loja as like the, you know, the stereotypical general. Yeah, Vivica Fox looking very Vivica Foxy.

Exactly. Judd Hirsch is the dad of Jeff Goldblum. Judd Hirsch. Judd Hirsch. She was so amazing. Does the fact that, with all due respect to Randy Quaid, he seems to have gone insane in recent years, does that temper your love of the movie at all?

No. What are you talking about? Absolutely not. No, no. We all, we all, We all teeter on the line of sane and insane. I can't judge a man for going full insane. I hope you never go full Randy Quaid. I might have to abandon you. Let's talk a little bit about the Will Smith aspect, though, because this was Will Smith in the days when he kind of like owned July 4th even.

Like for a few years, he was, it was like, what, Big Willie Day or whatever they called it. It was like July 4th was his day, right? So here's my question. Do you look at, do you strategize and look at other people's careers and be like, because Will has been very smart and very like calculated in many ways about his career, about his marketability as an international box office star? And look, part of your job is to be a great actor, but part of it with one of your buddies who's probably on the line today is to be strategic about what you, the choices you make. So do you look at other actors and say like, oh, they, they went down this path. I should emulate that. Oh, 100%.

And I look at other actors and I say they went down their path. I definitely should not do that. There were like two actors who I grew up watching. And sure enough, like all of a sudden they disappeared. I was like, yo, what happened to these dudes? Like they were mega stars. And then once you get a job at two, you hear the stories about what they did and how it kind of didn't work out.

And it's like, bet, not going to do that. You know what I mean? So it's like it all boils down to I work with this actor His name was John Sites old school New York actor like the grumpy as old dude He had a necklace with all these strange rocks on it And we're in our green room we were doing this all for all we show together I'm like John that's a great necklace where did you get that he goes well these are all these are all my kidney stones I've passed that was John Sites to the nines so one day we're sitting in our uh dress

room and you know near the end of the play and I'm like yo John like you have any advice man you've been doing this for so long he goes Anthony the important part of this business is don't be an asshole he's like nobody wants to be around the asshole nobody wants to work with an asshole he's like I get so many jobs because people invite me back and say God you're not an asshole and that's always been my my pinnacle of reference for this business is just simply don't be an asshole yeah like you know show up on time smile shake hands and keep it moving well there's enough talent out there that you can go to the next guy that's talented if they're not the asshole like there's there's a there's a lot of talent out there that as you know

it takes a lot of luck and other things to get where you need to get to so like why bother with the pricks why bother with the assholes and you see so many people again and again and again And they just find themselves in a position where, like, nobody want to deal with that. Nobody want to deal with you not coming out of your trailer or, you know, not saying you're going to do this. And, you know, it's just like, what's the point? You know, life is too short. Like, the business is too. We should be, we should be fortunate to do what it is we want to do.

We should be so fortunate to be what it is that we want to do. Like, we all grew up wanting to be in this business. We've been talking about being actors. and you know making a living at what we do forever we should be so lucky that we make a living at what we love to do and we're appreciated for yeah you know so what are you what are you doing like every day when i when i was seven years old i said i wanted to be an actor literally i did my first play at seven years old i told my mom i told all my friends i want to be an actor i saw it's a really weird story so uh there's nothing else from anthony macky's mouth that comes out in my

experience, go, go. No, it's crazy. So leaders of the new school with Buster Rhymes had the song called Scenario, and they performed on the Arsenio Hall show. So you might not remember Arsenio. He's a very famous talk show host. He kind of spearheaded the African-American talk show movement, and he had a move that white people love that went something like this. Ooh, who, who, boom, right? Huge. So, I still do that. Still do it. I was watching Ossinia Hall one day and Buster Rhymes did his, you know, his verse of scenario. And he had on his Dr. Seuss hat.

And the hat kind of telescoped off his head. And the audience went crazy. O'City Hall went crazy. The studio went so crazy. The cameras were shaking. And I turned to my mom and I was like, I want to be that guy. I want to do what that guy just. did and that was it amazing for me to for me to have that dream that wish that

goal for that long and then to get it and be like you know fuck you I'm I'm too good for this or you know right come on man come on just enjoy craft services well talking about talking about dreams and goals you wanted in on the MCU and superheroes for a while before Falcon came around before Sam came around right like you you put it out there into the universe Had you come close before? Had you auditioned? Had you been up for anything prior to that one?

I auditioned for Iron Man and the director liked me. So in actor terms, I was up for the role. So for Roady. So did that break your art when it went another way? No, I mean, absolutely not. I've always wanted to work with RDJ. I'm, you know, working with Don Chito has always been a dream of mine because he's like, when I measure my career against someone, when I look at someone's career, I always say I want

his career, you know, he's kind of like one of those dudes who you respect so much and everybody, you know, he's one of those dudes you walk in a room and, you know, he has everyone's respect. Totally. you know like he's just a dignified actor so that being said the idea of being in that cast on that set with them would have been stupendous but you know when and I don't know if this is true you know agents they lie and then they manipulate stuff and then a year later they're like look I told you I said that so my agent was like you know Marvel said you know they have some things and it works this isn't for you

So, you know, they aren't interested in you playing this role. I was like, all right, cool. But then, like, six months later, I have a meeting with the Russo brothers, and my asshole agent wasn't lying. I'm like, that's a first. It's an important first. That's a good one to be the first. Damn it.

So, you know, it all worked out. Yeah, clearly. How much satisfaction did you get when you read in the script, the callback at the end of end game? that for the portal scene it was going to be on your left you were going to be the guy that kind of like you know what wasn't in the script we didn't i didn't see that at all because it's so weird so all of those little flying tidbits and stuff we do we take like two days and we shoot all of my turns all of my lines all of my stuff so you have no idea where it's fitting in at so you know I'm, like, yanked up to the ceiling, and they're jostling me around.

That's when, you know, Joe Russo, I'm like, what's my line? He goes, on your left. I'm like, okay, hey, Cap, on your left. Got it. Take them down. I had no idea where we're going. When did you know? Was it at the premiere?

Like, did. When I saw the movie. That's crazy. That's crazy. So when did. So we're going to be talking, I'm sure, a bit more in the next couple months. we're getting pretty close to Falcon and Winter Soldier

at long last. When did you first hear the rumblings about this? When did they tell you that this was up in the plans? For the series, right after we wrapped, right after we wrapped in-game

after the big premiere party, Splish, splash, you know, I have a meeting with everybody, and they're like, you know, we're going streaming, and you're going to be in a streaming show. And I was like,

not so thrilled at the first so really like because you think there's no way marvel would be able to keep the level of sophistication quality there's no way you would be able to do the exact same thing on a television so basically you're giving i thought this show was going to be like the old school batman like with the pow i thought it was going to be like some shitty or you know some Other shows where it's like soap operas and stuff, our, the quality of our show with the acting, with the scripts, with the development of the characters, everything was so high level, so high brow.

I didn't think there was any way we would be able to carry, Marvel would be able to carry that on to television. Does it play like a episodic, or is it play like one giant movie? Like when you read the scripts, how would you characterize it? I would say it's a great mix. picture of both. The best part about it is it plays like a six-hour movie because the

storylines carry from the beginning all the way to the end. So everything that you, once you're on the ride, you're on the ride. And that's what I think is so great about it. Like one of the big things we wanted to do it outside the wire was it's a roller coaster. So you're standing in line. That's when once you sit down, you're fucking screaming your head off until it stops. Right. And that's kind of how this is. every single set piece, every, the action sequences are so ridiculous. I mean, I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out. I thought, and I'll be the first to say, I thought my career was over.

I was literally going to be, I was literally going to soap operas, like, done. Well, it's funny because, like, I mean, I was talking to Lizzie Olson about Wanda Vision the other day. And, like, it's probably the same for you in that, like, You know, she had some small, meaty things to do over the course of a bunch of films, as did you. But you probably had more character development on this new series in these six hours than over the course of six or seven movies that you had. This is your and Sebastian's story. So that's got to be very rewarding. It is.

And, you know, the great thing about it is and the most fun thing, you get to see a lot of Sebastian and I at our worst behavior. I don't know what you're talking about I never experienced that at all no idea look there were times it was it was really bad there were times like you know they just had to shut us down like guys

go to your trailer and come back in 10 minutes it was it was really bad but we finished it I hear you're one of the few that actually knows like phase four plans did they sit you down in a room and kind of like outline what the hell is happening the next few years then what was your reaction well they turn on you you know how like all the 14-year-old

girls have that little noise machine that they sleep like it goes she like the little wind thing so i want to bring you in a road exactly for your 14-year-old girl did they bring you in a room turn on four of those that's when closed the curtains and they literally just run down on a blackboard the gauntlet of what's going to happen what you think Um, we'll see. Stop it. Good luck, you know. There's always soap operas.

Let me ask you this. What's up with Evans? The reports are that Evans is coming back as cap. Can he let you and Sebastian fight over this shield and take over the, the moniker for like a year or two? What's going on? You know, I've heard that. Like, I've seen that. And look, Chris is my boy.

So if they're getting a band back together, I'll be very happy with that. Coming up for you past Falcon Winter Soldier, you know what you're shooting next? No, I am gainfully unemployed. There's a pandemic going on. What? Yes. Yes. I need to watch the news.

I'm like chilling out and, you know, doing a lot of fishing. See, this is fishing and hunting season. So, you know, I got to stock up the freezer and get ready for. summer because is the Abraham Lincoln vampire hunter sequel close to happening you know what I've been begging I actually email I emailed Timor about two months ago and I was like yo I might be famous enough now for us to do the sequel and whatever I became president I could be a I could be Obama oh shit I could be Obama in the Obama movie hey there have been worse ideas I can't think of any off my head but yo i'm going to yeah i email i emailed timor and i was like yo it might be time for us to

bring back abraham lincoln because i'm ready how'd you do in the uh the fantasy football this year uh yeah i know well first of all no no no no no no no no no no no no no no i know football better than all those chunks first of all second of all i was in europe when the draft started on set. So I'm six, seven hours ahead. So I'm on set. I can't get a phone signal. By the time I get into the draft, we've gone through the first four rounds. So I got ran literally everybody I got in the first three rounds got hurt in the first two weeks of the season. Yeah, I can't imagine how much it kills you when, with all due respect, I can't imagine Palm Clementeith grew up watching football. Like, and she finished ahead of you. Exactly. Exactly. I'm like, come on. Come on. That's not

fair at all. And, you know, I know, look, I know football better than all them. The only person who might know football, you can't tell me Paul Rudd knows any fucking thing about it. I know football better than Paul Rudd. Okay. Let's just start there. I know football better than, well, Joe Russo is close. We're at about the same thing. But all the rest of them can kiss my ass. I know football better than him. Last important thing for you. In all our years, I've never got on the origin of the famed Mackey, cut the check. Famously, you at the end of a take, at the end of a moment, will scream at the top of your lungs as if nobody can hear you, cut the check. What does it mean? Where does it come from? What's the story?

Well, see, another side note, sidebar, in the African American community, when we earn our money, we want our check right down. All right. I want no Vimmo. I want no Zellma. I got I want paper, greens, bills, divveteens, okay? So when we were doing the movie, you know, I wanted Kevin Feigy to give me my money because when I earn my money, you give me my money, homie. So the roots have this song called Give It Here and Don't Say Nothing. And it's basically about rapper saying nothing

and then asking for their money. So fine, if I can say nothing to get money, I'm going to say nothing, blah, blah, blah, blah, cut the check, right? So I was like, yo, that's that's real life right there like the roots are literally my spirit animals when i when i walk around like when i get out the shower and look at myself in the mirror i hear the roots right so wait what are you here when you get out of the shower and look at yourself i just i just hear jeff goblum talking so that was easy that was bringing that full circle i like all we call that a callback

yeah so when i heard this song i love this song so much and i was i've always been heavy into the roots um so when i heard that song i was i was actually coming out of my trailer on set and i did this one take and i was like oh oh oh it's time time to pay me my money man pay me my money dog all these fools need four and five takes i'm two take mac after the second take i asked what's next you know how much film i say you don't got no Role of me, homie, nah, two takes. So which one was this? Was this on the first?

This is on Winter Soldier. Winter Soldier. And that's where it started. All right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was the, so my first day of shooting on Winter Soldier, which was the biggest asshole move ever. They put me in my soldier's uniform, put me on a platform like 30 feet in the air. And they're like, all right, we want you to jump off the platform backwards and shoot your machine guns.

Like, and a jet is flying over. over your head. And I'm like, what? And Joe Russo goes, action. And I'm like, what the good? Welcome to the MCU. Amazing. This has been a joy, my friend. This is the best of all possible world for me because I get to catch up with you, but there's no physical violence that's possible. I'm not going to leave with a bruise for the first time. You've grown up, man. You've come into yourself. You have great hair now. Marriage has worked well for you. Like before you got Mary, you were a hodgepodge of a disaster. I'm going to go see my dog and let her have her way with me.

Thanks, buddy. We'll catch up soon, I hope. Be safe. Thanks a lot. Thanks, bud. 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 doing this by Josh. 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' Bougonia. 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 too, and Edgar writes, The Running Man starring Glenn Powell. Search for Raiders of the Lost podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.