Happy Sad Confused - Antony Starr

Episode Date: March 31, 2025

If you didn't know his work in New Zealand or in BANSHEE, Antony Starr's powerful performance as Homelander in THE BOYS came as a shock to the system. Who is this guy? Josh gets to the bottom of it, getting to know Antony and his path from comedy to a James Bond audition to the most subversive TV show going. UPCOMING EVENT! Paul Feig -- April 6th in Miami -- ⁠Tickets here!⁠ C2E2 events in Chicago April 12th -- ⁠Tickets here⁠! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Quince -- Go to Quince.com/happysadco for 365 day returns and free shipping! 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

With Amex Platinum, you have access to over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide. So your experience before takeoff is a taste of what's to come. That's the powerful backing of Amex. Conditions apply. 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. 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. The funny thing is, is I've been, I've been called newcomer or, yeah, like, newly discovered five times in America. It feels like every job I do over here is, is, is it's like, oh, new face on the same. I'm like, same one. Same good. Long here. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, sad, confused begins now. Hey, guys, it's Josh.

Welcome to another edition of Happy, Sad, Confused. Today's guest is Anthony Starr, He of the Boys. Can you hear that siren? That's New York on, Beyonce. I'm not going to cut it out. You get it for free. That's the happy, say, confused guarantee. As I said, Anthony Starr, main event on today's edition of the podcast.

He is a delight. He is so talented in The Boys and now starring in the new Prime movie opposite Viola Davis G20. It's on Prime April 10th. Check it out. More on Antony in a second. First up, though, some reminders. You have a lot of opportunities to see me in the flesh. We're doing it.

New York, Miami, Chicago. Apparently, we're on the road now. Happy Say I Confused. Who knew? Okay. April 6th in Miami, tickets are available for a live happy sack and fuse with. Paul Feig. We are screening his new film, another simple favor. Yes, the sequel to a simple favor with Blake lively and Anna Kendrick. This is going to be a blast. Paul Feig is always a

delight to talk to. If you happen to be in Miami in the area, get your tickets now. Information is in the show notes. April 12th, come on out Chicago. This is going to be so fun, C2E2. I'm talking to John Boyega, the cast of Once Upon a Time, the cast of Robocop. I'm so happy about this one. And a reunion, 40th anniversary reunion of the Breakfast Club, you heard me right. That is, that, it's literally going to be history. They, I don't know if they've ever reunited like this before. So that's going to be cool. Then back hometown, don't worry.

I'm not leaving you out in New York. April 14th, Bryce Dallas Howard, back on the podcast. Plus, we are screening her new film, uh, pets. It is a documentary. You know I'm a dog lover. So, of course, it's close to my heart. Plus, here's the best thing. It's free.

So if you want it fun, free. event, see a free movie, and here one of my conversations with a delightful actor come on out, April 14th at 902nd Street Y. The information is in the show notes. And the last reminder, as always, the early access, all the fun stuff. Go to

patreon.com slash happy, say I confused. We have different tiers, different levels for whatever folks can afford, and I promise it's going to be worth your while. Satisfaction guaranteed. If you don't like it, tell me, and we're not going to charge you. It's all good. No pressure.

But we do have merch and autographed posters and early access to events and bonus materials, lots of cool stuff. So if you like what I do, this helps keep the ship running at happy, say I'm confused. Okay, main event, as I said, it's Anthony Starr. I'll tell you what. I was a little late to the boys, I'll be honest. But once I came around to it, I got it. What a smart, cool show for those of us that grew up on comic books and superheroes and saw every movie and thought there's no new way to skin this cat.

What they do there, I think, is so subversive and funny and smart. And a big part of that is Anthony Starr's performance as Homelander. It is chilling. It is charismatic. It is, it's kind of a revelation. It truly is. For those of us that didn't know Antony's work, and I know some people did from stuff like Banshee in particular, but I didn't.

So this guy seemingly came out of nowhere for a lot of us. And it's been really cool to see him emerge. And now he's getting all these new opportunities. He came on the podcast to promote a new film for Prime called G20. It is kind of an old school diehard throwback with Viola Davis in the center of it as the president who's kicking ass. And Anthony, kind of the bad guy. Okay, take out kind of. He's the bad guy.

Full on, you know, Hans Gruber mode. So you know he can do that well. And of course, you know, yeah, worth checking out. April 10th on Prime. This conversation is fantastic. I did a big panel with the boys' cast a long time ago, and I remember distinctly immediately vibing with Anthony and realizing not only he's a great actor,

but like I like this guy. This guy is interesting and cool and fun, and just gives off good vibes, so I knew I had to have him on the podcast front and center. So this is his time to shine today. You're going to love this. There's a lot of boys chat. uh in this and and of course we talk dogs too because we both love dogs so what more can you ask for

the boys dogs and a big action movie with viola davis it's the whole package all right here it is my conversation with antony star enjoy anthony star welcome to the podcast he's he's kind of a veteran he was on with the whole batch of them but now i get him all to myself welcome to the podcast officially man it's good to see you thank you good to see you brother good to take the time And good to be here one-on-one, like you said. Exactly. So how do you want to spend the next 45 minutes? Do you want to talk about G20, the boys, or dogs? How do you want, what do you want to do?

Oh, we should probably spend 40 minutes of dogs, three minutes on the movie and then a couple of minutes of the boys for the end, right? That kind of makes sense. That works for me. I tell you, man, I just saw Seth is out promoting his new show, which apparently is very good, actually. And I saw him doing the thing. on Colbert that we did, me and Chase Crawford

and Colby Minfrey, we did the dog adoption segment on Colbert, and he was just doing it, and it's the best. They have 100% strike rate with the dogs getting adopted, so I could talk dogs all day. But, but...

Well, first of all, I do want to say, I've seen all of the studio, by the way, which you, can we say, you have a little, there's a little pop-in from Anthony there, maybe? I can't say anything about that, but I don't know that the show amazing. I do know that the show is great. Yeah. I had a little insight into it and it's a fantastic show. So, all right. So we'll get to dogs in a bit. But let's talk. Okay, here's my general way

to start the conversation. What's it been like for you in recent years to be quote unquote discovered as like an overnight sensation even though you've been working, you know, for 20 years, basically? What's that sensation like? The funny, the funny thing is, is I've been, I've been called newcomer or yeah like newly discovered five times in america uh it feels like every job i do over here is is it's like oh new face on the same i'm like same one same dude just blonde hair um it's not you know you know there's there's pros and cons to that um i mean i i came away from new zealand i gave a lot up um i've been over here for a decade and i gave a lot up to be here And, you know, while Banshee did very well internationally, it didn't do so well domestically at the time it came out.

It's doing well now, actually. It's had a little resurgence and a bit of a second coming after, you know, people jumped sideways from the boys, which is great. But the boys is really the first thing that I've done over here. I did a few movies and whatnot as well. But this is the first thing that's really struck a chord. pop culture and really it's stuck its head and shoulders above some of the competition you know it's um you know we've poked out little nose into the top three streaming uh shows which is which we're the only ones to do that against Netflix

which is you know yay in the in the Netflix Amazon and the streaming rivalry um we've we've we've done our job so it's really nice to be a part of that having given up so much and really, you know, now starting to see the fruits of all that, that labor and, you know, G20 coming out now. It's such a fun movie and it's just, it's, it's, it's one of the ones that I like doing press for because, first of all, Viola's a boss in every way. We can talk about that and I'll go greater detail in a bit, but, you know, it's just such a fun movie. And so coming off something like the boys with a fan expectation, you know, they haven't admitted that you're

in these people's homes. They have an expectation of who and what you are. And, you know, there is a deviation, of course, because no character is the same, the project is the same. But I would like to think that the fun that people have in the boys, you can transfer that energy over into G20. So, yeah, it's a nice moment, man.

It feels like a lot of roads have led to this point. point, you know, personally and proficientally, and it's, it's really enjoyable moment. So G20 for contacts for folks who aren't aware, this is another, you're like the darling of Amazon Prime. If, like, Millie Bobby Brown is ruling Netflix, you're ruling Prime. Me and Billy Bobby Brown will probably get into some Twitter feud or something. Exactly. I'm trying to start it right now.

Oh, the streaming fences. But this is, it's kind of a throwback of a movie. I mean, I was saying before, we're basically the same age. Like, you can't avoid kind of the diehard comparisons and why would you want to? I mean, come on. Oh, why would you want to avoid that? It's great.

That was one of my favorite movies. Yeah. And so we have Viola, one of the greats, center stage, president, but in action hero mode. And you are, again, to like further the comparison, you're definitely in that Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, 80s, 90s villain mode. Are you not?

You have to be thinking about that. Listen, I went in, when I met with Patricia our director, Patricia Regan, she's fantastic. And I had a meeting with her. We were shooting season four of the boys, and I met with her on Zoom like we are. And she said, tell me what you think of the script. And I said, okay, well, first of what, do you want my honest opinion?

And she said, yes. And I said, okay, it feels like a kind of a modern version of die hard, but if I'm honest, like there's a few things that I would want to drill into with the character. So we went through that. She made some little notes. But the chemistry between she and I was immediate. And I think we both shared the sensibility that that die hard, not trying to knock it off, but tonally, where you have, it's played for keeps.

Everything is, you know, you can't have, what was his name, John, John McCain? On McLean, McLean, yeah, yeah. You kind of have McLean running around, you know, not really worried about what's going on because he's saying Kippy IA M. You know, he plays play for keeps and there's real threat. The stakes are real. Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, we have that in the movie, but totally as well. We have, then there's that balance of, you know, my favorite line, one of my favorite lines in cinematic history is Alan Rickman getting into the elevator with the CEO.

And saying, oh, love the suit. You know, it's, it's amazing. So you keep that levity as well, and it makes it really accessible. It keeps it in a good fun zone. And that's what the movie is. It's fun. Yeah. You know, Viola running around being a badass.

Who doesn't want to see that? And you've got me being a villain that, not a villain actually, just to, well, I see it as not a villain. You've been playing Homeland or too long. You've got it all skewed, man. You can justify anybody's actions. Yeah, that's the thing. I'm so good at looking at these guys from the inside that you forget,

no, you are the villain in this piece. But he is the bad guy of the piece, but what I like to think is that you'll have as much fun as you want watching the movie, but there is layers to these characters, and I think that's, you know, the movie tested really well, and I think that's a testament to that. I think it's...

I mean, Viola can't do anything without it, being, having gravitas and depth and weight, It's just what she carries into a room. So, you know, my job is to try and match that as best I can. And it was fun. It was a lot of fun. Well, I was going to say, look, I mean, I've talked to pretty much everybody under the sun.

I've talked to Viola. And yeah, she walks into a room and the temperature changes. Like, she's singular. You can kind of one-hand people that have that kind of presence. She, she, but I'll tell you what the amazing thing. thing about her is, uh, or for me at least,

you know, we walk, you walk into this room to rehearse and she comes in and the first thing she does, we never met. First thing she does, she just walks up, big smile,

arms out and get a big hug. And, um, she's just, she has the warmth, the, the warmth and the, the,

the gentle nature of someone who knows themselves inside and out has been through a lot as, I don't know if you've read her, what a biography. I haven't, but yeah. I haven't either, but I've touched into it a little bit. Yeah. But she's lived a life. Yeah.

And people that have a lot of life experience tend to have a lot of wisdom and a certain aura about them of intelligence and wisdom. And she has that in spades. And is very generous with that and with herself in a room. great she's just just she's just a joy i i feel like a cheeseball saying that but she really is it's fantastic and then you get on set and she's on she's just on point and we went head to head at one point in particular in the movie we go we we have a good go at each other and um

wow i got both barrels of violas you know turn the dial up in the you know and it was it was like a lion you know she's a she's a force and um and you don't get to be around that yeah apologies the garbage man is here collect can't can't hear a thing don't don't worry all good just a little context for myself but but you don't get to be around that all the time so having the opportunity is really special and um you know i like to think we got everything we could out of the scenes and uh had had a great time doing it What is, so you talk about that kind of energy that sort of to that presence she brings, you know, having done this for a minute, what do you think the energy you try to bring consciously or unconsciously on set at this point in your career? Having now been now in situations more and more in recent years where you're sometimes, you know, number one on the call sheet or number two on the call sheet and kind of helping lead a set, are you very much aware of kind of like what you want to bring energy wise to set?

I know the environment that I want to work in, which is, which is, uh, serious fun, you know, and so I promote that as best I can, but I know my lane as well. And I think it, I think it's, I mean, on this, Viola sets the tone, right? And that's her deal. And here's the good news. That's my deal, too. So we got on instantly. I mean, first and foremost, she's a lovely human being, which, you know, is really important,

but also when it comes to the work. As soon as we started rehearsing, there's a commonality and a shared language. But I don't just mean words. I mean a shared energy and understanding about what it is that we're there to do. And so that then, you know, all of a sudden, it becomes a really interesting, fun, dynamic, creative exchange. And then that carried through on set. And then I had a lot of scenes with some of the local South African guys as well. and it's interesting because it was very much it felt like shooting at home felt like

shooting in new zealand right um they've got the same sensibility because we're in cape town and and uh you know there is that southern southern vibe i guess and uh really open warm generous guys and you know i'm their team leaders so so it's it's sort of very it had there's a real fluidity around the way everyone just sort of fell into place um across the board actually you know because there's a scene in the movie and i i had with the the girl that plays a daughter and and that all that was all very fluid as well it was a really it was a really good a really great exchange in terms of like if you look at it like a sport yeah like there's lots of teams coming down into a basketball tournament.

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what they're worth too so your business can stay unfazed learn more at SAP.com slash uncertainty set this scene for me a little bit so like if you'll indulge me going back a little bit into your career and growing up

like you know I was looking at kind of the timeline and we kind of alluded to this of kind of like when Banshee and when the boys came but going back even further like from what I gather like a show outrageous fortune

was kind of a big one for you you, right? That kind of changed the career in a lot of respects. But even going back further, like, what were your 20s? Like, like, were you a working successful actor? Were you having to do side jobs? What was that decade for you? Oh, I mean, look, first of all, anyway, if you say you want to be an actor in New Zealand, you either get a stunned but polite shaggy, not of the head? Because they don't really know what it means. You know, it's like, Oh, do people do that here? Or you get laughed at

because, you know, it's very, very difficult to carve out a living down there, a career down there. And I didn't grow up wanting to be an actor at all. Frankly, I didn't know what I wanted to do. I think I would dabble with the idea of going to art school. But I was one of those kids, you know. I was 18, 19 years old. I came out of high school for you guys.

we call it college ironically I got out of college slash high school and I didn't know what I wanted to do I was you know there was I knew I wanted to do something creative but I was I was big into the arts and painting at school and I thought it would be somewhere in there

but also maybe something that straddled I was thinking about somehow like advertising because my uncle was an illustrator one of the best in the country actually in his day graphic illustrator. He was amazing. And so I figured I'd sort of go down that way where you can have a sort of a career, the mix of commercial and art. But in the meantime, applied for art school, they very much appreciated the work, but didn't very much appreciate my youth. So go and do a

gap year, do your thing, and come back. And so I took that very literally, well, very seriously, not literally. I went on a gap two years, never went back. And then when I did come back, I traveled around Europe and then came back and thought, I'd give it a go. And by that stage, I've done a little bit of acting, but not much, mostly commercials and then an episode of Xenar, I think. And I found it, I did enjoy it. And I thought, well, I'll give it a shot. I'll give it a shot and see what happens. And it's interesting. There's a little lesson in here for anyone that wants to get into a creative field, in my opinion. This is a little lesson.

When I started out, I was in New Zealand, and I started doing, you know, courses. I started training before I'm a little bit more seriously. I thought I'd put my foot in the water a little more. And I did a course with an acting teacher that shall remain nameless, who, after a few weeks, advised me that I should think about directing. And I said, why? She said, well, I just haven't seen the actor in you yet. And it terrified me, absolutely terrified me.

And I walked out the room going, oh, my God, what does that mean? Am I barking up the wrong tree? Am I, what do I? And at that point, you have a choice. You listen to them and you let that, you let someone else dictate the terms of your engagement with what you want to do and effectively quash your dream. even if it was embryonic or you use that as fuel right and so the next week I showed up

and I said to her to all of 24 years old I show 23 or something showed up and I said you know what you're wrong you're wrong and I might not have shown it in here but I know I can do this and she he or she I should say they looked at me and said, it just went, good for you. Good for you. Years later, same person forgot that we'd ever met. Passed me on the street, came back without any sort of recognition, but stopped. And this is about seven, eight years later. I was doing outrageous fortune. Actually, she came back and said, said, I just, I don't usually do this, but I just had to stop and say, I admire your work so much on that show. Keep it up. And I was like, thank you.

much thank you stranger crazy so it was a really interesting lesson though that's the thing about creativity there's so much there's so much that goes into it so much is about context so much is about where you're at so much is about who you are as a person and where you're at creatively and what you're ready to engage how much you're ready to engage and shutting out the noise in all respects whether it's a review a critic a commenter on twitter like it's all it's all it's I still factors in. Yeah. I have, I don't think I read, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, because it's, because

people's, you know, other people's, other people's, other people's, other people's opinions is none of my business. Right. And we're not, I'm not making this, you know, I have the experience. We have the experience when we're doing the, the thing. And, uh, and, uh, and that's really where the rubber hits the road. That's where I, where I enjoy being. And then everything after is, you know, we've, we've got, you know, you know,

the press for this is great you know all these sorts of things is fun it's great but ultimately it's it's it's the thing around the thing and and and it's very important to anyone anyone coming up for whatever it's worth you know to really just work work work and don't listen to the noise because everyone's got an opinion right but yeah only you really know what you've got to offer you mentioned yeah no that there's definitely a few good lessons there. You mentioned, I guess, probably the prerequisite for somebody in your age group growing up. You have to do an episode of Zena in New Zealand, obviously. You got to do that. What about, did you ever cross paths with, like, the Lord of the Rings Hobbit World? You must have had to,

was there an audition that ever came up in Peter Jackson World? No, funnily enough, that was, so, so I remember those movies coming up, and I think it was 98 99 2000 or was it earlier somewhere around there I can't remember maybe 97, 98 99 I can't remember but I do remember at that point cinemas being what they were there was one luxury cinema in Auckland

and me and my family my mom and dad says oh actually my mom didn't she doesn't like those she gets very wound up by those monsters bless her but the rest of us would buy tickets to this cinema, which by today's standards wasn't fancy, but it was, but, you know, late 90s fancy and late 90s, New Zealand called the Lido.

So we would go down there, it was, and it always came out, they came out consecutively around Christmas, they were released. Right. So we'd go down on Boxing Day all the day after and we'd watch those movies. So at that point, I barely scratched the surface. I was just starting out. I think I got back from being overseas. just traveling doing my little walkabout probably around 2000 sometimes I'm fuzzy on the dates but

but about then so I didn't I kind of missed that world and then when King Kong and Peter went and started doing those things I was really just finding my feet it was like Bambi on ice and I did that you know it's interesting you mentioned outrageous fortune that's really where I learned a little bit about what I'm doing you know that was I did um I did a course of course I went and studied but uh but that was really in terms of being on screen that was really really where I played two characters right really started learned to break down scenes work with directors in a slightly different way and really understand I got to understand a lot more uh about the process of making a show and making a film

but also I did a lot of learning on screen. I did a lot of learning in front of the public. So it was an interesting way to come up. It also recently emerged, and I don't know how you feel about this, but your audition for James Bond came out, Anthony. What do you remember about that? Was that just like a tape you sent in? Was there an actual real shot at the job you felt at the time?

What do you remember? I remember that was like my metaphor for that was like, like throwing a baitless hook into a very large pond knowing you're not going to catch the fish but but and really frankly i've seen it and it's a little bit you know it's funny looking back at because that was that was i was that was the when when daniel craig getting it so it was before that they were just they were just drag netting the globe and um and i was just one of the little minnows somewhere in there that got caught in the net i think but um But it really, it was a bit surreal.

It was just, it came out of the blue. I sort of went in and did that reading. It's not very good. But it's reflective of where I was at. But, you know, that I don't know how to feel about that coming out. It's very strange that they even let it out. It doesn't bother me, really. I mean, look, we all start somewhere.

So it is what it is. is, but it is one of the worst readings of Bond, James Bond, you'll ever see. Stone-faced piece of wood, just Bond, James Bond. Give them another shot. They're casting again. It's not too late, Anthony. I'm good. You know what? I'd see the action in those things, and I listen to the guy, I listen to Daniel Craig talking about the commitment to it, unless I admire that commitment, and, you know, I'm not afraid of a commitment like that. my body after doing banshee as well i know what those fight scenes i know i know i know the deal

a little bit a little bit i know the deal uh and it's a lot it's it's a drag i think my my window for doing that's a young man's game a younger man than i fair enough fair enough so last time we caught up it was at the outside of season four for the boys we had a blast with you and your and your cohorts and um a lot happened in season four there were a couple moments that I just wanted to hit you up on because we never got a chance to talk about it. I mean,

Homelander coming back to the lab and tormenting those who created him, that's an episode. That must have been a, was that a season highlight, a series highlight for you? Yeah, it was. That was one of the things

and Eric's talked openly about this, so I don't feel like I'm talking out of turn. But every now and then in this show, they're a, because frankly, you get to a point with these characters, that you're so inside it after, I mean, we started in 2018. So, so even though there's only been four years,

it's been a long time we've been, this has been marinating and soaking in and making decisions for them thinking about it. And you get to know it really well and it's very, it really is very specific. And Eric and I have always, we kind of workshop every episode, But then there's these moments like that where I read it, I read what's on the page. And there's a great writing team. Don't get me wrong.

It's not anything to do with that. They're fantastic, but it's such a specific character. And it's such a specific thing that Eric and I have sort of nestled into. It's such a very specific lane. And so I read that episode and I went, oh, wow. I can see the bones. I can see, but I feel like there's more that we can harvest. But we need to go in quite a different direction.

And so I voiced that to Eric. I flicked him a note and said, yeah, look, I think here's what I think. And this is the great thing about that working relationship is he sees that and he gets it. We've got a really good tune now. And if I sing it, he hears it. and so we we sort of worked worked it up and it came out how it came out and that with that that process to me is I mean the shooting is great shooting it is fun because we set up a template on which to just go in I don't know what's going to happen and we'll just push the boat

out and see what happens and it's wonderful to have the freedom to do that but what I love the digging and the creating for as much as if not more, like sitting there and really like digging into what it is that's going on for this character in this case. And having someone like Eric to bounce that ideas off that gets it and goes, yes and not not wait. No, but. Yeah, exactly. You know, he goes, yeah, and it's and that's the deal we've got. And it's so yeah, something like that and then it comes out. It was a bit spooky. There was one scene in there when I put,

there was a laser that, lasering his genitals up, right? Frank, I believe. And I added it in my head that there should be maniacal laughter mixed with pain and this very real up because he was laughing at me. So just this tip.

My dog's chasing a tail mixed to me. Seriously? Like dogs are allowed here. It's okay. Oh, I love it. love it traumatized by the scene as well yeah that's helpful thanks thanks guys um you're talking about burning off the gentleman i had it in my head but so i don't know how it's going to go i just i was like well i'll throw it out and we'll see what happens so we blocked the scene

crew comes in to show everyone and and rehearse it and i pushed it out a little bit and there was just silence, like pin drop silence. And I was like, no, it's really bad. It's really bad. Oh, my God. What am I going to do? Because I kind of committed to that. And no one said anything. And I went back and I was sitting in my chair and I was just like, oh, if I'm going to change it, now's the time. Now is the time to change tack and go somewhere else. And then again, that little voice in the back of me is one of those moments. And I was like, You know what? You have to run the risk of failure.

You have to, you're going to take a chance. Right. And went for it. And it worked. It turns into this very surreal moment. And that, so that process, as much as anything, like getting to a result that, you know, that people responded to, let's put it that way, that communicated something. something to an audience, which is, which is what we're doing it for.

So, so having that process, taking that responsibility with the character and that ownership, um, in collaboration with someone, someone that you really work well with, there's nothing, that's it. Right. That's it. As far as I'm concerned, like, that's why I love, that's not work. That's just, I would, I would pay to do that. So, um, so that's a treat, you know, and it's, we're in the last season now and it's, um,

it's great that we know that we're in the last season because we get to that that process is still ongoing and you really get to appreciate it rather than you know you get canned uh out of the blue and you never get to do it again um you never you don't have that chance of knowing No blenders, no shakers. Starting at 17 grams per medium latte, Tim's new protein lattes, Protein without all the work, at participating restaurants in Canada. Summer's here, and you can now get almost anything you need for your sunny days,

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Are you happy with Homewinder where Homeinder ends up? I'm six episodes deep, and I know what happens. I know where it ends up. And I love it. I think it's great. I think it's, it's, it's, it's good, it's, it's, it's, it's challenging in a good way for, for, it's very challenging for the characters. And I think it'll be challenging for the audience in a good way and unexpected.

And, uh, true to form, you know, this show is not, not, this show has never done what it, what it, what it, what it, what it, thinks is the right thing or what it should, it's not going to, it's not adhesed to any formula or, you know, it does its, it does its own thing. And I think it finishes up like that, you know, it's, it's, it has its own, it knows it is in its own lane and it continues down that lane. So, yeah, I'm happy with it. I love it. I trust in Kripke and you guys definitely always. I mean, he's the crazy genius behind the whole thing. Yeah. And I've got a lot of faith in him and whilst, you know, I read it and my jaw hit the floor, um, I, I have a lot of faith in him now as well. So I think it's going to be good. The one other boys thing I want to ask you,

and I know you've resisted and I understand why, like you don't want to get into the Trump comparisons of homelander. But the curious thing though now is this is for the first time you're shooting this in real time where he's in office and this stuff, this shit is happening in real time outside our windows. Well, he was actually in office the first time as well. We started We started in 2018. Oh, was it that, oh, okay, you're right. It was that far back.

You're right. 2018. Yeah. No, you're good. I think it was a very different kettle of fish. Yeah. You know, times have changed. And there's been a bunch of time in the middle.

What was your question, though? Sorry. No, I guess my question generally is like when stuff is happening in real time on our, you know, X-Feed, outside our window, does that change? I mean, this is a show that seems somewhat reactive to the world we're living in. Has that been kind of like an online? going dialogue of like how we react to what's going on in the real world in this season or um you know i it's over to the writers in that respect i don't dabble in that much i sort of you know

my career is not for republicans or democrats it is my career is for everyone right um as michael jordan said back in the day republicans by sneakers too you know i'm not and frankly uh that would be way outside my purview to be in that lane and start deciding what people should or shouldn't think and what they shouldn't express. So when that comes up in the show, I consider it my job to really, whilst I understand people's motives, my job is about the character. All I'm really interested in and what I drill into is does this feel right for this character in this moment, like him taking the White House is actually nothing to do with the real world. That is the natural progression of where this character started off in season one.

Right. You can't play satire. You can only play the actions and motivations of the character. I'm doing what's true and right for the character. And sometimes, and Eric would testify to this, you know, I, when it's gotten too close, when it's gotten too close to something, I think, yeah, we don't need to. Like, like, that doesn't feel like it's in our world. I'm happy to voice it. And he's really receptive to that stuff as well. So it's a pretty harmonious fluid arrangement in that respect.

But, but, yeah, I mean, again, in terms of, like, going into the White House, you know, this character started off wanting to put soups in the military. And then, you know, he's always had a God comp. complex and wanting to control and all that. That's the next step. That's the next obvious step was to get into that. And so it is, I'm aware of it, but, you know, it's not something I lean into personally. I get it. I get it. Okay. So let's talk just generally next steps for you and opportunities. We talked about G20 and the nice, juicy opportunity to play with someone like Viola. What are you looking for and what are you seeing? I mean, I know when we had that whole big group

conversation, the lazy conversation, and I get it, I'm sure you get it, is like superheroes. Like, is that, it sounds like that's not of interest to you. Is that still generally the sentiment or no? Like, never say never, but I think, I think my, my foray into the, into the superhero world, the universe of superhero universes, this has been the right way for me. because I think the stock standard superhero world probably wouldn't be an immediate fit

for me. I like, I love the show and I love what the show does. I love how crazy it is. I love that it's off the wall. I love that it's you know, I love that it tries to say something that frankly

those bigger franchises and other friends, they can't touch. Right. It's a much sensitive package that they're working with. So I love that I've had the opportunity to dip my feet in or swim in the pool in this way. But never say never. I mean, you know, there's some incredible people working in those in those universes I mentioned. So so yeah, of course, you know, I mean, who would say no? But I also think I also think, you know, there's so, many different things coming in now. I'm reading so many different, such a wide range of things.

And I think the next little while, I don't have any firm, I want to do this kind of thing or that kind of thing. But I have looked at comedies. I've looked at comedy dramas. I've looked at something, I looked at something that was action and my bones hurt. So I'm not sure. I'm not sure exactly, but there's a couple of things there's a couple of things that off the top of my head there's a couple of things there's two things that sort of sit up

and look really appealing and we'll see man we'll see because it's a very it's an interesting position whilst you know it's very sad to finish the show there's a rebirth right and so we're

you've been occupied a lot of your year terrifyingly unemployed No, it's a good opportunity. This is when the good stuff happens. You have an open slate. And so I'm excited about that and being able to just sort of make a call. But also, you know, we'll take a breath. Yeah.

Look, your friend James Gunn loves dogs too. And he won't make boring superhero movies. So maybe that's the way in. He's a talented man and he loves dogs. So he gets a pass. Yeah, exactly. Okay, let me ask you one dog question before you go. So always a lifelong dog lover.

How many dogs in the household now? Give me a sense of your dog obsession. You're in the household now. I would love my dream, and I know a lot of people say this, but I have a weird suspicion. I'm going to end up doing it. So buy a chunk of land, put another little house or something on it. this for some for this unknown person this mystery person that is going to take care of all these

animals they're going to live there I'm going to go away and work and they're going to like take care of all these dogs that I see these adoption shelters especially the older ones but no there's two dogs in the house now um always always loved them grew up with them my mom actually was a dog trainer and ran an obedience school in green hithe in new zealand shout out to greenhithe randomly and so yeah we always had boxes we had a couple of boxes

we had a board a colleague called Rocky who was this this incredible like championship obedience dog and that I mean you just get used to having them around but then when I started acting and I started moving around so much it was very difficult

you know before I got a house in L.A. You know I didn't really have any way to call home. Right. It was really, I was, I felt like perpetual transition. And, uh, and now, and then at a certain point, um, I think it was like, how old are you max six?

So yeah, about five or six years ago, I just went, this is ridiculous. I've wanted a dog forever. I haven't done it because of this, this job. And I'm like, you know what? I just have to do it. Yeah. So it. And I haven't looked.

Now I can't imagine life without it. I can't believe I waited so long. Very similar. We only got ours about four years ago. What kind of? What kind of you got? Lucy is, she's a pit, staffy, mixed. She's a rescue. She's out walking now or else I'd show her off.

But she's, yeah, obsessed. And, you know, the whole thing with dogs, and, you know, I'm not a dog or a cat person at all. I used to have a couple of cats as well. Unfortunately, I had the neighbors, we're not great. The neighbors took them. They love them. So I didn't know what to do because I was leaving the country for work.

and I had these beautiful cats. So I love cats anyway. And they went to a great home. They didn't even leave. So that was wonderful. But dogs have always had a special spot for me because, you know, the man's best friend thing, the way that cavemen and wolves evolved,

a mutually beneficial relationship, they really are man's best friend. And it's, there's something about it, man. Like if I'm away shooting and I come back and I get these little bozos running up and pritzling around my legs. There's nothing better, man. Truly.

You need a dog movie. That's what you need. Forget superheroes. You need a dog movie, man. Funnily enough, though. I'm good with no dog movie. Okay. Never say never, but I'm good with no dog.

I'm not a huge friend of dog movies. I was going to say, I'm kind of with you. I can't name two I love. Or why I love, to be honest. Yeah. Mali and me where Mali dies at the end. Yeah. It's brutal.

It's horrible. Horrible. I don't want to put it. I don't want to take my kids. I don't know. No. I love dogs, but I love, but they also, they're quite time consuming on set. Right.

Fair enough. They don't make for a fluid day. So, yeah. All right. We're going to end with this. The happy say I confused profoundly random questions. You kind of just answered the first one, but I'm going to ask it nonetheless. Dogs are cats?

I'm going to go. 70, 30 dogs to cats, but, but love cats. Okay, fair enough. Do you collect anything? And if so, what? Surfboards, I'm God, I'm looking now. I have a collection of surfboards because I bought, I bought one this year. I haven't used it. I'm hoping to use it tomorrow the next day, but there's, I'm looking at one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. That's a collection. Even in front of me, there's one in the spare room and there's two in New Zealand.

so yeah i think i can say i'd say i gotta call that a mini collection going yeah and band shirts band shirts i really i stood in front of it actually um in the last few days and i wait i really need to get some normal t-shirts as just some some just straight t-shirts and you know so i don't look like the perpetual teenager but which is one the treasured one do you have one band shirt that I do have a motorhead t-shirt that I actually don't even spill bleach on on a black tea and it goes red the bleach so I flick more on it

and it comes like these red spots on this black and white motorhead shit perfect that's perfect that ass yeah do you have a favorite video game of all time favorite video game oh yeah call of Judy I love call of Judy it's the only one that I could get lost down a rabbit hole on

It's like I have an Xbox, which I don't plug in because I have it in the back of my head. I'm like, you should be doing something else. Right. But 10 hours go by. Where was I? Yeah. This is the Dakota Johnson Memorial question. She asked me this.

I will ask you, would you rather have a mouthful of bees or one B in your butt? Oh my God. What a question. What a question. You're on the boys. You can't be shocked by anything I possibly could say, at least of all that. Me in the butt. or bees in the mouth.

Yeah. Lots of bees, mouthful, or just one singular, insie-wince-bee in the butt. I feel like, I feel like I take it in, I feel like I would have the one in the, so close.

I would, that's, so close. I would not have the bees in the mouth. Okay. You have opted for us. I feel like I might breathe one in and get something in asphyxiate. Whereas if I get stung internally, it's probably not going to be comfortable, but at least

just pain. Yeah. No, thank you for thinking that through. You know, I really thought about it. I was like, well, practically, it was a defense mechanism because I was like, I started getting a hot flush. Sorry about that. It's cerebral on it.

What's the wallpaper on your phone? I'll tell you, it's got one of those, it's my little dog Oliver at the moment. It's dogs. There you go. Of course. I mean, hello. I've got for those new fandangled rotate things. Yeah, I'll know.

I've got, I've got Olly. Yeah, there you go. There you go. You see my messages as well. I don't know anything there. Trust me, there's a dog. Last actor you were mistaken for? Do you know, I've, I've never been mistaken for an actor.

I've never that I can think of, no. Okay, okay. What's the worst noted director has ever given you? it wasn't quite a note there's a director in new zealand mark beasley who's lovely i love him but he's one of those people that one of those directors he's got he had a big beard we worked on outrageous together and and he comes across is very gruff and dark but he's not he's a big softy uh and he's really talented he's a really great director and um he he stood by the monitors stroking his beard like this and he looked at me after a take didn't say anything just

looked and he walked up to me like this and I was standing there I was young as well I was just I was much younger and a lot less secure than I am now and he looked at me stroking his beard and he no don't worry and I was like are you kidding you're kidding what were you going to say and then he's like, okay, let's go again. And I was like, what were you saying? He goes, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. It's worse than anything he would possibly say.

I think he just did it to miss with me. I think he just did it to dislodge me out of any route. I don't know why he did it. Yeah. Probably I'm overthinking it now even, but that was it. That was nothing after you, when you say, someone goes, no, like, what? You don't think I can do it or like what? I'm not going to waste my

I'm not going to waste my breath giving you the note because you would be that that scar runs 20 years deep and finally in the spirit of happy sad confused an actor who always makes you happy you see them on screen

you're Daniel DioC yeah 100% I mean that's oh Matt McIlinson oh my God that he always hits with that movie is phenomenal I think he's

I was just thinking about that movie It was The Hunt, the movie he was in? Incredible. Another round was also. Another round. But then did you see, what was the, oh, I've forgotten his name when he's a Viking. Oh, of course. Valhalla Rising.

Yeah. A Valhalla Rising. I don't think he speaks at all, does he? Yeah. I think it's like a Nick Reffin movie, I think. Yeah, crazy movie. It is a weird for a movie. Yeah.

Loved it. Loved it. Rippy. movie that makes you sad I'm going to go corny again it's one of my favorite movies the mission but I'm going to get around as well do you remember awakenings

of course Robin Williams there's a moment in that when De Niro's character has boarded up the asylum and then it's silent Robin Williams character comes in and he hears this he just hears help me and he looks around and deno's shaking and he's going back into catatonic state and he's terrified and the whole thing is just fears he's degrading and he knows

it and he's just he's just broken sitting there just saying help me I get chills now thinking I just I haven't thought about that in years so um it's just he's like a child and it's just it's so innocent and it's heartbreaking oh such a good pick and finally I promise you, food that makes you confused, Anthony. You don't get it. Why do people eat this? This is fucked up. What is this food? I'm going to have to say, like, and it's quite specific, eggplant, lasagna. Okay. It's not lasagna for a stop, but, you know, eggplant, it gets super mushy. Right. Okay. Yeah, if you're going to do asan, you go for the real thing. I don't think of the words. There's no words. It's just moosh. Yeah, it's just mush.

get it. At that point, you just blend it and suck it back. Always ending with the important stuff. Yeah, a great way to end. The funny thing is is I knew all of them. Great away, I was like, you aced it.

Keg plant. Killed it. Killed the quiz and killed it in G20 as always, man. It's good to catch up. I'm so happy this happened and I hope to see you in person one of these days. Yeah, me too. Everybody check out G20. It's on Amazon Prime, April 10th.

It is a great kind of throwback, super fun, amazing. Conrad Will Davis. The watch party movie. I think it's a watch party movie. Get the friends together, yeah. Get the friends, have some drinks, have some food, and have some time. 100%. Good to see you, buddy.

We'll bring our dogs next time. Yeah. Thank you, buddy. 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.

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