Happy Sad Confused - Bill Skarsgard, Vol. II

Episode Date: December 30, 2024

Bill Skarsgard already has an iconic villain on his resume (Pennywise) but it doesn't get any more iconic than his latest role as the titular character in NOSFERATU. Bill returns to the podcast to talk about why he gravitates towards dark characters, his love of LORD OF THE RINGS and Batman, and why he's a cat person. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Uncommon Goods – Visit UncommonGoods.com/podcast/HappySad for 15% off BetterHelp -- Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BetterHelp.com/HSC ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for 10% off UPCOMING LIVE EVENTS 1/20 -- Adam Scott at 92Y in NY -- Tickets here 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

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I think I'm a cat. you're in what way? I just think so. What do you think I am? Sure. I don't like the way you're staring at me right now. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, sad, confused begins now.

I'm Josh Horowitz. And today on Happy Say I Confused, Bill Scarsguard is back. He's not in murder's clown makeup or a evil vampire. It's just Bill today. Just Bill today. I get. Welcome back, buddy. It's not just. It's not just. No, it's, it's, it's, it's a gift. He is back on the podcast. Nosferatu's the film. I'm practically on the payroll for this movie. You guys. Yeah, you need to give me something for my efforts. You'll get a pat on the back.

I'll take it. I'll take it. You see the film. It's great. It's fantastic. How you doing, man? I'm good, good. How are you? I'm good. It's, it's been too long, five years since the last. last time you were on the podcast. Yes. So it was. And that wasn't, did we record that? I mean,

we recorded it, obviously, but was it just audio? It was. A lot has changed. Yeah, a lot of change. You're moving up in this world.

Well, I don't know, but up. Laterally, something. You're moving laterally. It was world. But we had a pandemic.

We had, the family has grown. You've not grown, though. You're still as tall as you were. Still the shortest Scar's guard brother.

Oh, no, no, I'm not the shortest. I thought you said you were. No, I'm on the shorter end. Okay, I'm sorry. I've started at a really negative point. Here's a provocative question I've asked at previous stupid junkets.

Would you rather be four feet taller or four feet shorter? I can wave a magic wand, Bill. It's harder than you think. Think about it. I'd probably go shorter. So you would be how tall? So you're six. Yeah, I'll be like two feet, two feet.

four yeah two four you want to live that life no I'd be taller but it's like then I'm 10 feet four yeah and those folks that tall don't have a good life expect I feel like if you're shorter you can you know you're you're you're less noticeable and that's what you're looking for in life yeah you chose the wrong profession I yes I remind myself every day um okay so let's talk nosferatu this look we can't I can't promote Nosferatu with all these other podcasts without Mr. Nospherazirati with all these other podcasts without Mr. Nosferatu himself. Yeah. That's the character's name,

by the way. It's Mr. Nospheratu, right? It's Mr. Nospheratu. Yeah. I, myself, am a big Robert Eggers fan. Any film fan worth their salt is a Robert Eggers fan. Sure. Did you follow his work straight from the start? The Witch all in? Oh, yeah. Yeah. I met Robert after he'd done The Witch.

I saw The Witch, and then I had a general with Robert in New York 10 years ago. And just that movie blew my mind. I thought it was incredible. And then you're going in, so you're excited for this general meeting, which is not always the case. And then we had just like, we had a bar in the East Village and a couple of drinks and three hours later,

I felt that we were destined to work with each other. It's going to happen in a minute and cut to 10 years later. Sure. It took 10 years. So how, can we start with the general meeting thing? Because I'm fascinated by this. does that bear fruit? How often does it feel like you walk out of that meeting thinking that was worth my time? And how often is it just like... Well, it's sort of like a blind date.

Yeah. You know? And I've never been on a blind date before, but I've done plenty of general meetings. Right. So you don't know what to expect. And sometimes it's awkward and sometimes you're not vibing. And then you're just, you know, all right, well, thanks for this. I actually have to, you know... Find something else to do. and sometimes it's sometimes you're falling up you know and that's that's how it is so so i've you know and robert was certainly one of those where i'm like oh i'm falling for this man falling hard i need to get him on the podcast one of these days because i just really adore his work and yeah he's incredible he's incredible and look he comes from he was a production designer i know and he's

very meticulous and i talk to so many actors that really love just the worlds that he's able to create. Yeah, it's a gift for an actor, yeah. Yeah, I mean, stepping onto these sets must be remarkable. But in terms of vibe, he actually seems way more genial and chill than

his films would, I don't know, read for me. Yeah, well, it's underneath the surface. There's a lot, you know, the movie is him. That is, that is reflection of him, yeah. But he's a very chill guy. He's great, but he's into some weird shit.

You almost worked together with your brother as well, I believe, on the Northman. That was the first project that you guys really came close to doing, as I recall. Yeah, well, no. So I met him in New York, almost 10 years ago, and then he was doing Nostferatu. That would be the follow-up movie after The Witch, and I read the script. and the script just blew my mind and I was like this is incredible this is so so so him and and so great and the script didn't change all that much like it was so I don't know solidified his vision and then I read for Aaron's role Frederick Hardinger in the in the movie and then he thought I could be good for Thomas Hutter and I read for that and I booked that so I was supposed to be Thomas Hutter in this movie 10 years ago. Who was the Nospheratu back then?

It was like Matt Mekison and there was a couple of names. Actually at one point Willem as well. Oh really? Which I think Robert liked that idea and whatever. The movie didn't happen and then he went on and did the lighthouse and then the Northman that I was supposed to be in. And we were in in Belfast. We were screen testing.

We were two days away from production. And this was March of 2020, so you know what happened? Can't remember. Did something happen that year? So that falls apart. That must have been a blow at the time for various reasons. Yeah, it was devastating. And I was really excited about it, and I was excited to work with my brother as well and Robb.

And yeah, and then things changed. And I got, you know, scheduled issues didn't work out for me. I was doing Clark, the show. that I was producing and developing in Sweden, so I ended up not being in the Northmen. And then after I heard that he's going to follow up with Nostarado after the Northman, I was like, oh, shit, okay, well, I'm Thomas Hutter, right? No. No, Nick Holt was.

And then I was like, well, maybe Frederick Hardinger, you know, I think that's a pretty sick role, too. Aaron Taylor Johnson. Ellen? I'll take anything at this one. Ellen? A rat? Yeah, so I was like, okay, well, maybe our relationship, like, maybe he was, you know, he, you know, maybe he felt slighted or something. And I was like, okay.

And then at that point, you know, I wrote him a very, very shamefully earnest letter titled, Vizburg. Dear betrayer. Literally. This Bergen Flames was the title of the email. And this is after you heard other folks have been cast in these other roles and you're like, is there? Yeah, or it was just, I heard, there weren't official, but it was just like, you know, you talk with your team. And I'm like, come on, man.

And then, you know, so I wrote this letter and I'm like, you know, he didn't respond. And then out of the blue, he did reach out and he was like, I think, I think you can play Orlock. And I was like, oh, oh, oh. You see the real me. Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I was like, because I know how much this movie meant for Robert and how personal it is. And in a lot of ways, it's his most personal work to date, I think. And just the fact that he considered me for it.

And then we had this sort of feeling out process of 10 days of he shared with me. his research and and his thoughts on the character and then I reread the script you know with the third for the third character in mind you know I've read it a different perspective yeah exactly yeah and I'm like oh well here's the yeah this is juicy and then and then yeah so we started you know kind of having this thing where I would just like I would sit and record and I had a good microphone which which helped because I could like really play with the microphone with the voice and everything. And then, yeah, so we had like a 10 day back and forth,

which was also incredible. Sort of like a feeling out process, like for Robert to feel out if I could do it, for me to figure out if I could do it, and for the wonderful studio XX. Most importantly. Most importantly. The arbitrage of great taste, that is.

But it was important because, like, I didn't know if I could do what he wanted. And for me, it was, you know, most importantly, it was like the movie needs to be, his vision and what he wants so so um but um but yeah he was he was happy and and then it took two years after post you know booking the part for it until actually going into production so at that point i was like completely detached from it again right um had to rediscover it all over again the voice the whole thing yeah yeah yeah yeah literally like almost like study what i did to

it was very weird so for those that see the film and everyone here watching and listening we'll see the film. You are, of course, totally unrecognizable in every facets, voice, image, et cetera. Yeah. That must be very freeing. Look, you had that to a degree in other roles. Pennywise, you're unrecognizable, but this is even almost another level of transformation. Does having gone through what you went through with Pennywise prepare you in any ways, not necessarily the kind of character, but the prep and what's involved and just the transformative properties? Yeah, no, it does. It does, and yeah, it helps and, you know, I've done it before and sort of mask work is what it is in a way.

And you know, you're, the getting into the character is a different process because you're, you're kind of looking at like digital images of what the character is going to look like. and then sitting in your apartment just trying to figure out, you know, okay, that's the look and the voice and all of it. So it's, it feels, it's kind of an abstract place to begin with. And then once you get the prosthetics on the first time, you have to kind of figure out how your face is translating onto the new face, as it were. And, and yeah, and it's a thing where like,

like Robert rehearses a lot so you him and and Jaron cinematographer and the actors they block out every scene right by the time you're on set

he knows oh yeah you know I even and you know he storyboarded the whole movie and I had the storyboard so I could like look the scene we're doing tomorrow

and I can also go in here's what the camera's gonna do right because it's shot in sequence which is which is very cool too because it's not coverage. Right.

Elite, from all my stuff, there wasn't really much coverage at all. It was like the camera's doing this and this and this. So each time around you get to play through the whole scene essentially? No, I mean, sometimes you, like, there's a couple of scenes in it where like, you do the first third of the scene. I see.

Because the camera, the shock does this. And then you pick up from that point and the camera will do that, you know. Got it. So it's a whole kind of ballet of dance with the camera and, yeah, it's a very sort of collective, creative process that way. Your business doesn't move in a straight line. Some days bring growth, others bring challenges. But what if you or a partner needs to step away? When the unexpected happens,

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and first purchase of a dollar or more, see the Tim's app for details at participating in restaurants in Canada for a limited time. Can we talk about the voice aspect? Because my sense from our past conversations and all the stuff around Pennywise, et cetera, you enjoy altering your voice and look at the character too.

But voice in particular feels like a fun way in for you. What are the, like, how many shitty paths did you go down before you found the right sound for, for Orlock? I think I went down much shittier paths with Pennywise. Really? Yeah, because I really explored all the different ranges on that one. High and low, everything in the tree. Yeah, yeah. And it was a much more of an kind of explorative process.

because Robert had been, you know, thinking about this movie for so long and this character that he was very specific with what he wanted. So, and he writes it in the script is one of those things that's amazing, all these, like, little tools that it gives you, because the descriptions in the script are little clues for what the character is. So the breath is there, and, you know, there's descriptions of the character. his voice is you know inhumanly deep and but there's a fragility there's I think there's like there's a description of that there's almost pain when he when he

speaks and there's pain to it and the breath of this kind of asthmatic look you know sick lungs so all of that was there and then through conversations with Robert I had a very okay which is also again it's not restrictive. It's a tool for an actor because you go, like, he puts, he points you so clearly to a certain direction. Yeah. And then you go, okay, what can I explore in, in, in, in that space? And yeah, like the, what we did on this sort of 10-day exploration for the, for the camera test was pretty close to where we ended up. Now, now I got a lot better, like the voice got a lot deeper and I, you know, I sort of my technical, I got much more technical with accessing

the voice, but a lot of it was there. Yeah. The, and then in terms of the look, again, sounds like he probably had very specific ideas in mind. Oh, yeah. Did you have any specific notes that you wanted to bring to the table that ended up in the finished product? No, and it's the same thing.

Like, he shared me, you know, his little Orlock file. and he'd made a digital drawing of his oarlock that pretty much, this was two years before we started to shoot, but that pretty much looks like what he looks like in the movie. So, yeah, so that was, you know, and of course, Robert is, he's really into this kind of stuff, but he's also so, such a research-dependent filmmaker and creators. So what he wanted with his version of Nosferatu was a Nosferatu that's steeped in Transylvanian folklore.

And, you know, he's like, okay, what did a 16th century Hungarian Romanian nobleman look like? And you look at paintings and they all have mustaches. And different haircuts, but there's the shaved bald head with the kind of, that was a thing. There's a lot of paintings of people wearing that. So these became, you know, inspirations for the look and the development of what this character ended up becoming. You're only as good as obviously the actors. You're playing opposite, and they have to, like, you know, you can convey a weight to this performance, but they have to convey the fear and the reactions.

It sounds like you just even stepping on set in the skies elicited immediate reactions in your fellow actors. Did any of the first moments on set jump out at you as a memory of working with any of your fellow actors, of the impression you made on them? I mean, I essentially only work with Nick and Lily. I have one scene with the wonderful Simon McBurney as well. But yeah, so and Nick, Nick and I I mean we the first

it was very early on in the shoot we did the Thomas coming to Count Orlock and entering the castle that was one of the first things that we shot so I think both Nick and I were

more scared of screwing up than the actual evil you're worried and it's a It's a tense situation and you want to deliver for Robert and for the film and everything. So I don't know.

I mean, you would have to ask them in terms of like what, you know, I do think that Lily was like actually pretty scared of the look of the character and, you know, and she's funny enough the one that's actually not scared of it. She's kind of into him. Did, I feel like we've all gone through like a vampire phase growing up. Like I was, you know, I'm going to age myself, but I was obsessed with Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Like, I knew that movie. I still probably know that movie by heart. Yeah. The Coppola one? Yeah. Unbelievable movie. Yeah, it's incredible. Did you have a vampire phase or film or depiction of Dracula or Nesferatu

that really connected with you as a kid? I'd say the Bram Stoker one. Yeah, like Coppola's one. Love the film. But yeah, I've seen, you know, and of course, of course, the Bella Lagosy one. Sure. And, of course, the 1922 Nosferatu, and Herzlaks Nosferatu, if you will. Right.

Yeah, and I've, you know, and it kind of goes in and out of vogue, it seems, like the vampires. But like interview with a vampire and all those films. And you were a big Twilight guy. Everybody knows you were the biggest Twilight fan out there. Of course, yeah, yeah, yeah. And True Blood, I mean, who. Hey. Few people love sexy vampires more than Bill Scarsgaard.

You had that fan page for a while. You were both Team Edward and Team Jacob, which was odd. Yeah, I was rooting for both of them. Can't we all be friends? So I reference Penny Wise, obviously, you know, these are two iconic evil characters, for lack of a better term. Like, do you, are you anxious or reluctant to kind of like almost complete the triumvirate? Because, like, I feel like you could only do, you know, Joker or Voldemort.

Like, that, that completes the trio, essentially, of evil in film. The trio of evil. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I don't know. Like, it's, it's, yeah. I think, yeah, for me, like, in terms of iconic horror, characters, Dracula's king.

He's king. So, so, yeah, in terms of. iconic horror characters, none has been portrayed in so many different ways and so many different times. Someone reported told me there's been 170 adaptations of Bram Stoker's novel. As you said, also the flexibility within that framework is actually what I think stands out. Yeah. We've seen so many different. Your iteration is so starkly different than anything else I've ever seen.

Yeah. And there's been some great ones. There's been some great ones. So it's pretty cool. cool but um but yeah i didn't set out to become this god made me this way no but it wasn't like because people are asking me it's like if it's you know if this was like a conscious sort of like a 10-year-old me's dream and it wasn't you know i'm i'm i'm an actor and i like to perform and i do think that um the transformational aspect of performing is something that i've always liked

yeah um and even way before i'd done horror or or these these type of kind of monster characters um i i just love the process of like transformed like finding the voice and like you know so i think that's the through line more so than like the kind of horror creature aspect of it you know it's the ability and as you well know for someone your age your type for lack of a better term, this is not the usual path. I mean, this has been such a gift. Yeah, it really has. I mean, like, if it doesn't happen, you know, your age group, whatever God has given

you, you don't probably get very as interesting roles as you're being presented now. You've been able to show off a different side than most actors your age. Sure, sure. Yeah, yeah, it's a blessing, man. And I thank you. Like, I don't know, because I do feel like I'm in my own lane. You are. In terms of, which is like, oh, nobody's, nobody's driving here.

It's nice. It's nice. I'm not my crazy clown car off a clip again. No traffic. Like, do you get presented the square-jawed vanilla hero much? Is it just that you're not interested in that or that people aren't thinking of you for that? I don't know. I don't, I don't, I guess people, yeah, I don't know.

It's, I don't know, it's not, I don't have like a ton of those kind of, yeah, clean jaw, uh, hero types, but it's, I think, um, I don't know. I think that, um, for me, it, it, it doesn't, like, genre doesn't matter. Right. Like, the, like, the character, like, the character, whatever the script is needs to, like, speak to me and resonate with me. Yeah. And I think that, um, that if it's, um, um, um, that if it's, um, um, um, um, um, um, um, Like, I've never, you know, I always rooted for the bad guy in the conventional sort of Hollywood movies, you know? Because the heroes, I never believed in them. I don't think that they're real. Like that type of, like, idealized, flawless hero. Yeah. And there's something vain about wanting to play the hero that I think I've been, in a way, fighting against a little bit. Like, I don't know, I just, like, I think weird is interesting.

I think when it's fucked up and complicated and messy, I tend to go like, okay, this is a challenge. It's instinctual, you know, it's instinctual why you're drawn to certain types of stories of characters. You read a script and you can go like, not for me. And it's a gut feeling, really. And you can dissect the reasons for why sometimes, but when you read something and you go, oh, oh, okay, I can feel it happening inside of me. That's usually the starting point for me to explore the character.

You've had an opportunity, correct me if I'm wrong, you've done the IT TV series by now. Have you shot Return, Welcome to Dari? Yeah. So a couple questions on that. I know we're probably keeping a lot under wraps, but there was for a time you weren't associated with the project. There was a question of whether you were going to return.

Was that a big decision? Did you have to kind of like really wrestle with coming back to that character yeah yeah i um i um i um yeah i um yeah i felt i felt like i was done with it in a way um it was also because i i i was shooting this you know i was doing orlock and i and i and to me it just felt like okay this is my it's this is the nail in the coffin on my monster rolls uh pun intended right you know right right so So I did feel like, I was like, I was like, kind of over it. And then, and, and, you know, wanted to do different things.

And of course, like the Pennywise thing as well, it's like, you know, I've been quite defined by it. Right. And I was like, I just like, all right, that's, that's 26 year old me, that's still a young man. I get it. It's like, I mean, what more can I do with it? It did a lot for me. I got a lot out of it. Yeah.

What's the point of doing it again? Yeah, I think, you know, exactly, a little bit. like that and then um and then things changed and you know it's it's Barbara and Andy the mishgettys are are doing it and you know I was like that's a big part of it I love them you know I love them and they're they're very close friends um family even you know I'm the godfather of his son um and so you know I love them and then that was the right let's let's let's bring him back let's dig it and you're an executive producer on it so like it's out you have skin in the game in terms of like really trying to like

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. And, um, and, um, and, um, you know, it was, it was fun. It was fun. It was fun. I, I enjoyed it more, more than I thought I would, actually. Um, um, and, and there's parts of it where we got to explore sides, um, of, uh, of old Pennywise that we haven't seen, you know, and that's fun. And then I remembered how much I enjoy working with Andy and, you know, we, we do have a lot of fun together.

So, yeah. So I think there's some cool stuff in there that we haven't seen that I'm excited for, you know, the people to watch and enjoy, hopefully, you know. Is it as scary, you think, as the films? Like, do you go as far, can you go as far in television as you did in the films? Oh, it's, yeah. Yeah, it's pretty hardcore, man. It's not the G-rated Pennywise. No.

No. That would be a no. That would be a no. yeah and and the voice easy to come back to or yeah yeah he's uh he's there he's just waiting yeah i was talking about i don't know like yeah i was talking about it like i mean i had the same thing when when we're doing it too it was like um um we're doing this motion capture or performance capture test and this was months before months before before we were going to shoot And I thought it would just be like, okay, we're just doing a test.

Like, I'm just going to go there and they're going to like, you know, I'm going to just do facial expressions or whatever. And then like, you know, I'm in L.A. and I'm like having drinks with my friends. I'm like, yeah, this, whatever, it's a testimony. And then Andy texts me and he's just like, so here's the scene. It was just like this long fuck. And I'm like, whoa, whoa, what do you mean? Like, and he's like, well, I just, I want you to perform the scene, you know. And there's like a lot of dialogue.

I'm like, okay, well, I don't know. know how this is going to go because I'm out drinking with my friends. No, okay, but I don't know if, you know, but it was a test, but I, and I didn't know how, how, how, how easy it would be for me to access him. And then just immediately, just immediately, immediately he came through. So it was the same thing, now, you know. You mentioned performance catch. Probably, yeah, yeah.

Until your dying day, you will have Pennywise ready. Yeah, exactly, exactly. Before I go out one more time. Anyone need Pennywise? Yeah. You've done a little bit of performance capture, motion capture. You did the little thing in Eternals as well. Yeah.

Do you enjoy that? Like, is that, do you find that freeing? I've talked to some actors that really find it, like, back to basics, weird black box theater and others that it's a lot to... Yeah, I've explored it. I mean, I don't know for that one in particular, but, like, I think, and I think, like, Andy Circus is one of our true greats. and see how he has developed motion capturing and performance capturing and he's a pioneer in the field now

and also in the tech behind it and I just love how he just like you know was there's an audition for a voiceover character in the Lord of the Rings right right and then that just changed his trajectory in life and career talk about making the most of he's a true pioneer yeah Yeah, and there was like, okay, and then they thought it was like, oh, let's bring him in. Like, it's actually better to have him perform there. And then they started developing the performance capturing for the first time ever for those movies. And then he fell in love with it and, you know, you've seen what he's done. So, and I think it's cool.

Like in terms of transformative performances, it's so badass, man. It's badass. So the ape's films are unbelievable, what he's done in there. Incredible. Yeah. Like, and like, again, like, voices and stuff, like, that's him. I don't, you know, I feel that, like, I know what it is, you know. I know how, like, I think he should be lauded more, like, oh, whatever, like, we haven't seen, like, an award, really, for, for those, for those performances, but, like, man, he should, he deserves it.

And, because I know what he does. I know what it is, and finding, like, Caesar's voice and that, or whatever, it's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, so great. So, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'll play a, I'll play an ape. were you a I heard you say somewhere you were a Bond kid were you Lord of the Rings kid like what were you

yeah yeah Lord Rings man all the way yeah all the way yeah hardcore like has the timing work I'm trying to think of you know with Hobbit

you were probably still starting out like have you gone up for any like anything in that universe at all and no no I haven't gone up for any anything and you know I don't know like there's but I'm a fan of the original

the original yeah yeah and I like you know like I don't know I was like I think I was 11 or something when the first movie came out and I'd read all the three books, so I was, like, you know, like, as excited as I've ever been for a release.

Like, you remember everybody was camping outside of the theaters? Of course. Yeah, yeah. I wasn't camping outside of the theater, but I saw it, you know, the next day. So you were into that, you were into bond as a kid, as I understand it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Who was your bond? Was that Pierce Brosnan days, or is that Daniel Craig?

Like, what's the, yeah. Yeah, this is the 1996 Golden Eye. Golden Eye. Yeah. By the video game? Yeah. Dude, nobody was allowed to play odd job because he was too short. Do you remember?

Because then you had to, like, strafe down. You couldn't really, like, you just shot by doing this. Amazing. Because, like, I don't know. Nobody was allowed to play odd job. I thought you were great in John Wick for. I will say that as the marquee. Never trust the guy with that many vests is what I say, right?

Yeah. It's the vest's fault. Well, it's not a good sign, I feel like. He's paying too much attention to the best. Wait, did Chad try to get you for a different role originally? I feel like Chad Zahelski said that he was not sure it was the marquee for you, that he wanted to work with you. I don't know. Okay.

I don't know. Like, I don't know. He, no. I mean, I've met him, like, I met him a few times before. And, but no, he approached me with that, and I thought it was cool. I think in when I read the script he was the the marquee was written as a lot older right you know you know sort of like silver haired like older you know right uh so I was like oh this is interesting like and he was like yeah I think you could be cool for it I'm like all right cool so it's fun you feel robbed you didn't get to fight Keanu though he didn't get to actually go toe to toe with Keanu I know I know feels like the marquis you know yeah yeah he's a bit of a coward he has he has other men do shit for him you know right that's that's a sign of real power that's in a way yeah yeah yeah but uh But it didn't, it didn't end well for him.

Spoiler alert. You do still, I guess, technically have your Marvel eligibility card because we mentioned Eternals, but that's like a bit thing. Deadpool, two tiny little thing. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I don't know. Were you a comic book kid? Is that something of interest?

Yeah, Batman was mine. Yeah, I was like a Batman kid. Batman was my superhero growing up. Have you talked to Andy about? Because he's potentially doing Brave and the Bold. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it's, yeah, I don't know exactly where he is with it, but, uh, but yeah, so that was cool and, and, um, yeah.

Would you rather be Batman or Joker at this point in your career? Maybe both. I can be sort of a schizophrenic. Wonderhows, you can save money, one actor. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah, in this one, uh, Batman is Joker and Joker's Batman, yeah. Finally, a new twist. You know, I don't know, the actors do that when they play like twins, sort of, like, Like, you know, sounds so exhausting because we're like shooting in, like, and changing outfits and acting opposite yourself. This feels like, I don't know, man.

Like, I, yeah, I think, you know, I do, I really a fucking cool Joker in me probably somewhere. I think that would be pretty sick. Yeah, man. Who's your favorite Joker of all time? There have been some great ones. Yeah, Heath. Heath is an all-timer. Yeah.

And it's also like, I don't know, I feel like as you're aging, you're like, you're the, performances are not as iconic for you anymore do you feel that as well when you're like when you're 16 and you sure it hits you yeah the stuff I saw when I exactly you know in your teenage years is yeah it's like because it meant so much to you at the point and yeah and yeah so like what I don't know I can't remember I was like 17 or whatever like and then that Heath performance and then he passed away like you know he passed away in time because of nature of what yeah and you know I was you know I was an aspiring actor and and and to me Heath was like, he represented everything that I wanted to be, you know.

So his passing and that performing performance really hit me hard at that time. And it makes sense, given the nature of our conversation, about the kind of stuff that you've been doing and transformative roles and stuff that really pushes boundaries. Yeah. He was that. He could have just been a heartthrob for the rest of his career if he wanted. Yeah.

And then he placed the most fucked up version of the most fucked up villain ever. Yeah. Yeah, but also, like, I mean, he did so many sort of character performances. Yeah. So, yeah. One thing I noticed, and you can set the record straight or not, did you get a chance to audition for Lex Luthor? Did you get a chance to meet with James Gunn?

That was, that's not a true story. Yeah, no, no. I was like, home, and then it was like, there's, like, rumors that me and Alex were, like, competing with it. I was like, nobody's called me. Like, what hell is this? Yeah. I never read for it, never talked to,

James, yeah. What's up? Did you ask your brother? Did he? Yeah, he's like, yeah, I don't know. I was like, I don't know. I was like a publicity stunt. That's bizarre.

It's good fanfic to think of you two fighting for the same role. Yeah. It's never happened so far. That's crazy. With Amex Platinum, access to exclusive AMX pre-sale tickets can score you as spot-tracks. to a spot track side. So being a fan for life turns into the trip of a lifetime.

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that blends gripping pacing with emotional complexity, offering a dramatized look as it revisits the wrongful conviction of Amanda Knox. For the tragic murder, of Meredith Kircher and the relentless media storm that followed. The twisted tale of Amanda Knox is now streaming only on Disney Plus. Okay, so you kind of, you didn't quite manifest, but the general meeting with Eggers manifested this 10 years later.

Who are the directors right now that you're obsessed with, that we should manifest for the 10-year project down the line? Every time I get this question, it's just blank. Really? And then I go home and I'm like, oh, Okay, you want me just throw some out of you? I mean, are you a Deney guy? Are you Guadonino? Are you Guadonino?

I don't know. Guadonino would be sick. Yeah. Yeah. And I like, you know, like, I love what the Saffis are doing. Like, I want to, like, Sean Baker. Like, I don't know. Like, you know.

And then when you work with, you know, a great, like, Robert, who's so great, his films are moving oil paintings. And it's, you know, it's so, you know, then you just want to like, it's just, you know, a handheld camera and just like loose shooting, you know? Yep. But there's, you know, and then then, yeah, I'm working with Gus Van Sant next, which is exciting, you know. So that's, you know, a massive fan of him. And that's very cool. That's very cool.

He's gotten some iconic performances. He's worked with all the grades. I mean, the 90s and 2000s of his work, it's like you could put that on a shelf. It's just all time stuff. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, so, yeah. But it's, you know, it's, it's, it's always,

it's project dependent. Yeah. You know, you need to kind of, and it's sort of, you know, I think the more I trust my gut and it's sort of in an organic way, things start to materialize with sort of who you collaborate with and stuff like that. But I'm literally going through my head now, because I, every time I'm like, da, nah, nah, that keeps the cheat sheet on you.

What about actors? What's the last performance you saw that blew you away? Who's who in your peer group is someone that you're like, they're doing it right? I mean, I think this cast, man. This is a great collection. Of like my peer group or like, like, Emma Corrin. And Aaron and Nick and Lily. I mean, Lily's performance in this movie is some of the most powerful,

committed, brave performances I've ever seen. And she's just a baby, you know? So she's a frickin' force, man, in her bravery and her talent. So, yeah, it's been a privilege to work with these people and also to get to know them. And then, of course, and then you have, like, you know, I've been doing, like, interviews with the great Willem of the foe, who was one of my, you know, one of my absolute, you know, favorites. So. And it seems to have so much joy in the work.

Like, he loves what he does so much. He still loves it. It's an inspiration, man. Yeah. Are you, is the Words of War movie still happening? Nick Cage will be a fun one to mix it up with. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I could see YouTube viving.

That feels like he's another one that just. always pushes always tries for something crazy yeah oh man oh my god yeah he's a legend um and it looks like it's happening next year it looks like it's happening next year and it's uh um you know it's it's a great script and and i think it'll be fun one you know the character is uh he's um charismatic fucking asshole and you saw the first one you know it's like there it's it's so yeah it's so cynical and so satirical and bleak and like everyone's terrible

but it's also kind of a dark comedy yeah you know it's like I like that I like when you laugh at terrible people like when you it's like yeah so I think that'll be a fun one yeah amazing all right we're going on with this the happy second fuse profoundly random questions

Bill you ready oh boy dogs or cats um Yeah. What? You hate all animals, is what I'm getting. No, I actually, I grew up with dogs and cats. Okay.

So I'm sort of a dog and cat person. Okay. Like, I think they're like the polar opposite of each other. So in terms of like, I love cats, but I also like, you know, love dogs. Sure. But I think a better question is, are you a dog or a cat? Wow. Okay, fine.

I think I'm a cat. You think you're in what way? I just think so. Sure. I don't like the way you're staring at me right now. Have you thought about this before? You've compared, you've, you've, you've, you've, you've, you know, you can kind of cat, you can kind of cat, you can kind of cat, you can kind of, you can't cat, you can kind of, you can kind of, you can kind of, yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, Yeah. No, it's just like kind of an energy and a feel. I don't know. It's like, because you can also do vampire and werewolves. Like, what's your, what's your kind of spirit? And I'm, I'm, I'm, vampires and cats go hand in hand and wolves and I think I'm a vampire. I'm going to revise. I'm going to revise. I think you might be a werewolf. What makes you say that? Because you have a beard.

One of the few masculine traits I have. I have to go with that. What do you like cats or dogs? Dogs. Big dog person. Yeah, yeah. My dad, we had, we always had dogs growing. up. Yeah. And he'd say, over my dead body, a cat, I'll let cat into my house. Wow. Because, you know, they're, they're, they're evil. I mean, they're medieval cats. Well, they're medieval dogs too. Cujo. Sure, sure. But I mean, dogs are, you know, they speak, they're, you know, they speak our language a bit more. You know, cats, cats doesn't give a shit. They don't give a shit, you know what I mean? Like a dog loves you, a cat doesn't love you. Right. So you don't love, you don't give a shit, again. No, this is not, this is more of a

this spirit thing, not, you know, I'm digging myself into a hole. Like, you know, I'm, okay, I'm a dog person. I like dogs. What do you collect, Bill? Huh? What do you collect? Not much, man. Minimalist.

Yeah. Okay. Wallpaper on your phone? Huh? What's the wallpaper on your phone? Just generic stuff. Okay. Who's the last actor you were mistaken for?

It's ever happened? No. Really? Yeah. No, that's not true. I've been mistaken from my little brother, Walter, who was an actor. So, yeah. And also Alex.

Right. But I don't know if they think I'm Alex, or they're just like, you know, oh, something, something, scar-scard, you know? Right, right. So, yeah, I guess my two brothers. You've got Peter Sarsgaard, the really confused people. Well, I mean, yeah, they think he's, like, I've worked, like, so Stellan worked with, you know, I don't know if Stellan and Peter ever worked together, but he would always hear like, oh, I work with your son.

Right. And it's like, oh, who? Like, oh, Peter. And it's like, oh, no, that's not one of us. Right. And then now, so he would, you know, say this. Like, and then now, the more I'm working, I hear people go, I work with your dad. I love him.

Peter, he's great. And I'm like, no, no. And I know Alex has heard, you know, your brother, Peter, is terrific. So I, I, I'm sure Peter's, he's an honorary scars, scar, I'm sure he's, I'm sure he's sick of it. The true shortest scars scars. I love the stars cards, so I'll take him. He's great. Yeah, just put the K back in.

Worst note a director has ever given you. Worst note. Yeah. Hmm. I don't know if there's, like, if there is bad notes. Is there a kind of note generally that you just find super not helpful? Yeah, I hate when, I hate when, like, the more insecure of the filmmaker, they can, you know, they talk more. They talk more.

Yeah. And they could be like, you know, they could just go like, and they just talk about, like, the psychology behind. Like, I'm like, what's the, what do you want? Like, let's get to the point. Like, you know, it's just, um, but so it's like the lack of notes or, or filmmakers, directors, are trying to just have opinions because they feel like they should have an opinion

because they're a director and like I've done TVs you've had like, you know, TV directors and you kind of chew them up like every episode is a different person which is kind of a great school for you because you like you get exposed to a lot of different directors

but I don't like that and I also don't like I love when filmmakers kind of just like I'm not sure like let's figure it out like to dare to say that they don't know Right.

Because saying that you don't know is the first step of finding. Yeah, finding something. Yeah, totally. And finally, in the spirit of happy, second fuse, happy. An actor always makes you happy. You see them on screen. You're in a good mood. Like Jeff Bridges?

Yeah. This is a good answer. Jim Carrey. Another good answer. When I'm feeling blue, I watch, I can watch Jim Carrey. in the 90s like talk show appearances yeah have you ever done I mean I've seen what you're talking yeah sure or his acceptance speeches yeah yeah yeah like it's just like yeah the talent that that man has is from a different planet I even like his recent stuff is

recent like really like when he goes deep on a red carpet with a clueless reporter and he's just talking about like I didn't care doesn't exist anymore exactly and it's all an illusion like the self is an illusion and like the access Hollywood person's like huh Yeah, yeah, yeah, and they're like, all right. What are you wearing? Who are you wearing, exactly. Yeah, yeah. No, he's profound, man.

A movie that makes you sad. You have no teardocks, you have no feelings. You're a cruel cat that has no emotion. I'm a dog and cat person. I love animals so much that I can't pick a winner, okay? And watching cats and dogs interact is pretty amazing. Because we had both cats and dogs in the same house. Right.

So it was over my dad, my dad's the dead body. And then my mom wanted cats. We ended up getting cats. And he, and then he fell in love with particularly one of the two cats. I love that the most controversial thing that happened in this interview was the dog and cat take. Well, you're making it because. No, it's not me. You're very defensive.

But anyway, watching cats and dogs interact is so funny. because cats, like, they fuck with the dogs and the dogs are like, you know. You know, dogs lack integrity, I think. Holy, what? What is wrong with you? Do you know what I mean? Like, they, you know, they're, like, a cat feels very, like,

they're very proud in a way. Like, and dogs are just like, you know, they're... But they're loyal and they, they have connection with human beings. That doesn't, that doesn't, you know, I don't mean to be, like, derogatory towards dogs By saying that they lack integrity. I just mean that they're, you know, they're, the reason why we love them is that they're, you know.

They need us. They need us. They love us. They're very excited about everything. Yeah. You know? And then cats, so like, what my cats would do is like they would just like jump up and sit on like a shelf or something.

Right. And then you would see, like the dogs, and we had big dogs. So the dogs would just go by and you'd see them going. and dogs like and they just get so excited because they think the cats want to play no they just want to fucking around yeah they're fucking

they're amazing cats and dogs are amazing and the way they interact is something I found very inspiring so the movie that makes you sad is City Lights by Charlie Chaplin and finally I promise is it the food that makes you confused

Bill this food you don't get You see it on a menu, why do people eat that? Oh, man, you're really hitting me with the hard questions. Confusing food. Dogs. No, unacceptable. No, that's not acceptable. No, that's what I mean.

I know, but when's the last time you saw a dog on a menu? I'm not going to go there. I've never seen it on the menu. I don't know, like, it's a joke. food like the people are kind of um help me out here what do you think is well i don't like i'm not into beats i'm not into mushrooms i've got there are things i'm just i don't get you find beats confusing the color is odd it's an odd color on a plate yeah no i think it's a pretty nice color actually okay i don't know why you're being like this all of a sudden well it's just

okay so what's because it was confusing right confusing confusing food it's more of confusing that other people enjoy it. So you can just be something you don't like that you find it confusing that why would anybody else find that pleasurable? Yeah, I like... So I like cilantro.

I know cilantro is sort of a big divider. And I don't know. Have you tried tripe? I have, yeah. I'm not big on the tripe. Not a big fan of that either. I don't like that. There's like Sue Struming, which is like really, really fermented fish.

Swedish fish It's like Like the red Swedish fish You get in the candy It's a bad joke Yeah no no No that's terrible This interview's over

Yeah Very fermented Don't make fun of Swedish fish Okay It's the greatest candy ever Actually it is my favorite Yeah it's great Yeah no but no sous streaming

It's fermented herring And I think there's like videos of people smelling this and trying it and just vomit, like, just like, like, it's like a montage of people. And it's rancid, and I think that is pretty, it's part of Swedish culture. It's like a Swedish delicacy that for some reason only, like, older, kinkier people tend to be into.

Because it's kinky, man. Right. It's like, you know the rancid smell of a garbage truck in August in New York? Speaking my language, my love language. Don't you just want to like... drink that. I'm gonna go down the YouTube rabbit hole and watch the videos of people

doing it. Yeah, I think it was like a segment on Kimler or something where they were just like they did people just smelled it and gagged or whatever. There's your tip for the day, guys. See Nosferatu and then

learn about horribly fermented Swedish fish. Yeah, and check out the 1922 one. Nosferatu, yeah, tell the Bill. What should come first? The first one. Do it in order.

1922. The Hurtzog one is fun, too, so you can watch that. But the 1922 one is, like, for all the youngsters out there. For the kids. It's cool. Yeah. And it's not long, you know? There's, like, the early silent films that were like three and a half hours. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That's like 72 minutes. Like one of the original or like whatever, the first, like. Right. Yeah, those ones are like, but an hour and a half, tight, man. Or now knew what he was doing. We did it. Also, by the way, I think movies are too long. No.

Like, when the hot takes with Bill Scarsgaard. Remember when the movies were like, you know, an hour and a half, two hours? Loved it. Like, why do they have to be three and a half hours? Ninety-seven minutes. If I see that on a runtime, I'm a happy guy walking into the theater. Yeah, it's great. Although the Brutelist is really good and it's three and a half hours, I will say that.

I still haven't seen it. I'm a big great fan, so I'm excited about it. Break it into two parts. Yeah, there's a little intermation, right? Yeah, nice. All right, guys. Thanks, buddy. So fun.

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. I'm Amy Nicholson, the film critic for the LA Times. And I'm Paul Shear, an actor, writer and director. know me from the League, Veep, or my non-eligible for Academy Award role in Twisters.

We love movies, and we come at them from different perspectives. Yeah, like, Amy thinks that, you know, Joe Pesci was miscast in Goodfellas, and I don't. He's too old. Let's not forget that Paul thinks that Dude 2 is overrated. It is. Anyway, despite this, we come together to host Unspool, a podcast where we talk about good movies, critical hits. Fan favorites, must season, and case you miss them. We're talking Parasite the Home Alone

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