Happy Sad Confused - Chris Pratt

Episode Date: January 22, 2026

Chris Pratt, franchise king, improv master and now centerstage on Happy Sad Confused. Chris joins Josh to chat about almost going by Christo in his career, the audition that changed everything, his Marvel future, and his latest film, MERCY. 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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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We were just wearing the mask? It was actually, I did it in Photoshop. And he just said, ha-ha. Did you really? So, it's safe to say it. I'm not going to be Batman. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, sad, confused begins.

Hey guys, it's Josh. Welcome to another edition of Happy Say I Confused. Today on the show, it's our favorite Chris. Well, for the sake of today's podcast, at least. Chris Pratt is on the show talking all things mercy, Guardians of the Galaxy, and so much more. Thanks, guys, as always, for tuning into the podcast, whether you're enjoying this on Spotify or listening.

I appreciate you guys. This is a great chat with a gem of a person. Chris Pratt is the real deal, on and off camera. No one has been kind of. to me, to this podcast, to all my silly shenanigans over the years than Chris Pratt. Our time has coincided with my time at MTV, covering the ginormous franchises. He's been a part of, and I'm just thrilled that he's a part of my life. I'm a part of his, and he was kind enough to come on the podcast. For the first time, in a sense, he's been on, I think, in a shorter form,

but this was the first deep dive, long-form conversation we've had on the podcast, even though we've recorded thousands, not thousands, dozens, probably a couple dozen chats in different forms over the years. If you want to really enjoy what Chris does best in many respects, at least for my money, which is comedy, check out some of the sketches we've done over the years. I'm not, not tooting my own horn. I'm just saying Chris is so good at this, that it's worth checking out. Go down the YouTube rabbit hole. Check out Josh Harrow. It's Chris Bratt. You'll find Smellbox, which was our ill-fated pilot episode of a game show that never was, kind of stymied by COVID.

We did a sketch for Super Mario Brothers in which he played a plumber. Amazing. A bit he did with Jennifer Lawrence in which we took down Santa Claus, and much more. He's always game, he's always down, and I just, I couldn't love the guy more. Anyway, his new film is Mercy. It is a high-concept, sci-fi thriller, action movie

that is directed by the same direction. director that actually directed Chris way back when and wanted, so it's very much a full-circle moment for Chris, and it stars Mr. Pratt as a homicide detective who is accused of murdering his wife, and in the near future, he is put on trial real-time, it's about 90 minutes, 90-100 minutes, by an AI judge, very much of the moment, played by none other than Rebecca Ferguson. Need I say more? Check it out. It's in theaters this Friday. Big fun entertainment for you. your eyes and ears. As always, a reminder, if you like what I do, check out patreon.com slash happy, sad, confused, early access, discount codes, discounts to our live events,

merch, all sorts of fun stuff, patreon.com slash happy, sad, confused. Okay, without any further ado, here's my catch-up with, I feel like we've been doing like all the parks and recast lately. We had Aziz on recently, Adam Scott. We got to, we've got to I get polar on the podcast next, right? Offerman's done it. We're just going through the list. Aubrey's done it. Yeah, we're going to get there.

We're going to go through the entire list of Parks and Rec. But for now, enjoy my conversation with the one and only Mr. Chris Pratt. Oh, boy. Oh, boy. You right for this? I was born ready. Christopher Michael Pratt, or as I like to call you, Christo. Yeah.

Oh, yeah. Let's go. Throwback. For those that don't know, this man almost was Christo. way back when that's right there was a hot hot minute you almost rebranded before the career got going just branded not even rebranded just branded i was going to be cristo i had a name tag that said christopher but this is bubba gum at bubblegum shrimp company but the p hr part got rubbed off so it said christo and everyone called me christo for a long time while i was working at bubba gum

high turnover rate the new employees thought my name was christo and as i navigated being discreet and brought to Los Angeles to follow my dreams. Part of me thought, in earnest, maybe I go as just Christo. That's the part of you I like that thought that. Never too late. We're trying to bring it back. Yeah. It's good to see you, buddy.

Thank you for taking the time as always. You know what's weird? In all our times, you've never done really the full podcast. Yeah, no. Like we've done everything. We've done so many bits. You've murdered Santa Claus or Jennifer Lawrence. You've done plumbing for me.

Yep. You were in the smell box. In the smell box? I was in the smellbox. Smellbox, by the way, I think, caused COVID. It was the last shoot, I think, right before COVID. Is that true? So I think we did it.

Sorry. Oh. Dang. We erased that. We can't. There's no proof. No, there's no proof. Wow, that's the last thing before COVID was smellbox?

I think it was my last shoot. There's a high likelihood that you did that. No. Not we. You. You know what? I really think there's an alternate time one where you're Christo, And smellbox is the most popular show on the planet.

That's true. I think it's possible. I think it's possible. And I'm gonna say smellbox was so good that if it did cause COVID, worth it. No. Yeah, smellbox. I'm your new publicist.

I'm jumping in. Wrong. He didn't mean that. Congratulations on the new film. We're spreading the good word of mercy. Thank you. High concept. This is kind of like this reminds you, back in the day, this is like,

this is Bruce Willis. This is Slice Stallone. This is Arnold. That's right. Now it's Christo. Now it does. You're right. It does have that throwback when blockbusters were based on something that wasn't IP.

Right. And they were 90 minutes long. It kept you in the edge of your seat. It wrapped up in the end. It's like, in a way, it's a throwback. It's not, I think a lot of movies now are moving into like the four hour long territory because they have more is more. Six different endings. Yeah, all the end.

One good ending is enough sometimes. Yeah, or no ending. Right. Just like, see you soon for the next four hour installment of this movie. Right. So yeah, so this is a, this is, we wrap it up, it's good. I think it's super original. It's definitely, this is a good thriller.

It's a genre I hadn't done before. And it is back and yeah, it does remind me of like this sort of suspense of like a movie like speed or something like that. Totally. How's the press tour treating it? You're at the end right now. By the nature of this, like you had Rebecca Ferguson, the great Rebecca Ferguson for a little bit. But this is a lot, this is on your shoulders. You didn't have like Jack Black by your side.

Yeah. I know, but that's not true. Like, Kaylee, Reese has been part of it, Chris Sullivan, and Kylie, who plays my daughter, and also Chuck Rovin, who's our producer and our director Timor. We've all been kind of bouncing around. Rebecca was with us out in London for a bit, but she's working on Silo, so she couldn't get out. She's amazing. She is with her.

I am, too. She's fantastic. Have you done stuff with her? Done stuff through with the Mission Films. Oh, yeah, yeah. Just like, as an actor, let's set that aside. She's amazing. but as a human being, like, so cool.

So, like, the coolest person on the planet. She really is. She's fantastic. I loved working with her. So are you, at this point, like, are you generally an instinctual actor where, like, the script comes around and you kind of know immediately,

or do you kind of labor over it? Like, when this one comes around, is it a pretty easy yes? Or is it kind of, like, I need to really stew on this? No, uh, this one was a pretty easy, yes. I thought the script was great. Yeah.

And I get distracted breeding scripts, and it, to pick up a script to not be able to put it down is pretty rare. And that was the case with this. Also, it's shot in L.A., which so few things do anymore. So it was like, wow, this could be, so we could shoot this close to home.

It fit into my schedule. And, you know, I'm trying more and more to prioritize my wife and kids as much as I can and stuff. And so that was one of the reasons I want to do it. Also, it was a surprise, maybe for people who might have seen me, seeing things that I've done in my career,

like lighthearted, kind of goofy, funny things. This is not that. This is like, you know, a thriller. And so it's dark and emotional and challenging. And I worked with Timor years ago, so I wanted to work with him again. So, yeah, all these things lined up and I was like, that's definitely a movie we should make.

In what ways was it a heavy lift that you anticipate or didn't anticipate? Because by the nature of the conceit of the film, you're seated for a lot of it. Yeah. Which is great in some ways. And in other ways, like, robs you of a lot of physicality. As an actor.

Yeah, it was unlike anything I'd ever shot before, and unlike movies that are shot, it's like phone booth in that way. You know, like it's just one isolated location the entire time. And although I am confronted with a litany of visual images that you will also be confronted with, should you see this in 3D, you know, I'm on trial. I'm trying to interface with the world around me that's kind of blowing up this near-to-distant, you know, dystopian Los Angeles. I'm communicating with my partner.

There's all this action happening, but I'm not responsible for the action. I'm responsible for the emotional arc of this character who's on trial. And so, yeah, the limitations of that were challenging the fact that we shot really long takes. Right. So you shoot this essentially kind of almost like a play, like 60 minute. That's very rare. It is rare. Yeah, because you can't really do that unless, you know, you don't, often there aren't a lot of movies that just take place in one location.

Sure. You've got to set up one location. You shoot a two-minute scene. Then you go into another location the next day. to shoot a three-minute scene and building these puzzle pieces and you can watch your movies very action-packed, but filming action movies is not action-packed. You take an entire day to shoot something that's four seconds in the film, you know, so it's kind of boring.

So what was nice about this was it was really active. We told the entire story almost every day. It must give you a sense of real satisfaction because like you said, the nature of a lot of the work you've done is you can spend an entire day or a week and you're shooting 20 seconds of a film. And here, you're spending a day and you've like done half, if not two-thirds of the film in a day and you've gone through that emotional arc. So you kind of must be like spent as an actor in the best possible way. Yeah, it was really rewarding.

It was super technical and it was all on me. So like it felt really challenging and it was just awesome the way I kind of set myself up for success in this with like being able to communicate with the actors via an earwig. And then I had my associate and another earwig on a private channel to me. Right. Kind of playing music and reading all of this subtext that I had written for myself. So it was like very much an internal audio experience for me. And so that was really helpful. We'll be right back with more Happy, Sad Confused.

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The Chaotics Case Files Coming soon to wherever you get your podcasts When the Chaotics are on the cake It's also fascinating You mentioned Timor So this is like a real full circle moment For those I don't know Wanted was a very important

Early film for you Yeah You're kind of like classic asshole best friend Yep in that Timor directed that That was kind of like his big Hollywood movie of the time

and what did that movie mean to you at the time you had done everwood I guess yeah I'd done everwood I had I was I moved back from I'd shot everwood in Utah right was in my early 20s I'd moved back from Utah to California and I was gonna see what was next and so yeah I got this this job and it you know shot in in Prague right and so I got to go there that was exciting it was with Angelina Jolie so I was like totally starstruck completely green I I remember there was, the camera operator had done children of men. Oh, wow. And you remember all the beautiful camera work and the wonder.

So he was like this really touted steady cam operator. And there was a scene where my, it's like later in the movie where my character gets like punched and knocked out. And I like lay on the floor for most of the scene. Now, this was before I was still so green. I didn't quite understand what was ever being filmed. I was just, I just knew I was there doing my bit. And I didn't know what the camera was picking up or not picking up. And so I get punched.

I'm in the top of the scene. I fall down. I'm never seen again in the scene. But I didn't know that. So I laid on the ground the whole time. And the camera operator was walking backwards doing his sort of like physical gymnastics he needs to do to these incredible shots, like the children of men wonders. And he full on just stepped on my head. And you haven't been the same since.

No, yeah. And then he yelled at me. I was like, I couldn't believe it. He's like, what the fuck are you doing? I was like, with your big head right in front of Angelina Jolie. I was so embarrassed, bro. Mr. Jolie, I usually move my head.

Yeah, I didn't know. I was like, I don't know. I'm just doing what are we fucking rehearsed 30 times? I'm good, I'm good. Angelina Jolie was like, are you okay, sweetheart, I'm okay, I think I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm kind of embarrassed. So, was that the period of time

that that was the kind of role that you were going up for a lot. You talked a little bit about, kind of like, early on in your career, like you were going up for kind of like, douchebag number three. That's right. And that's kind of what that character was.

Yeah, that's right. Yeah, that's just was the way I looked back then. And truly, like, I came into Hollywood and I was in relatively good shape. Right. And I was like, you know, young and, and not to speak about myself, like, an object where I was like a young, handsome guy.

And I was like, only ever auditioning to play the jerk. And so that was one of those roles. So you weren't like up for the McAvoy role or anything? That wasn't anything like remotely in your world yet. No, not even remotely. It was like the side characters. And the side characters that looked like me were always the jerk.

Right. And like the crispy-haired dude guy who drives the escalate. He's like, look, you get in the car, Rebecca, you bitch. Actual line from six of your movies. So your signature line. Messing your line, yeah.

So we talked a little bit about this and we'll recycle a little bit just for the context of like the arc of the career because you've had these kind of pivot moments and certainly wanted a pivot moment, Everwood's a pivot moment, but like the big pivot moment right after that is Parks and Rec, which arguably right. I mean that that reinvents you as a comic actor. Yeah, that was that was a yeah that's right. Well, the thing that strikes to me when I think about that is like when you look at the people you're working with there,

like they're all comedy like ninjas. Like it's polar, it's all for men, like Adam Scott even and Dunstead's stepbrother. So you get some experience in that realm. Aziz. Yeah. All of them, obviously Aubrey. Aubrey, yeah. Did you have much comedic experience prior to that? I mean, yes. When I was on Everwood, I was kind of the comic relief. And I was playing sort of a version of myself that wasn't dissimilar from Andy.

Got it. And it was the result of the same thing, which was television as a medium is something where characters can be tailored to fit your strengths. Right. Because you're telling it episodic, you know, when I did Everwood, it was 22 episodes a year. I was written originally as the juror. originally as the jerk, and then eventually they found certain aspects of that character that didn't, weren't as fun to watch as me being a guy with a kind heart who knew how to say funny things.

Yep. And so that character became a kind-hearted, lovable dufous. And that sort of clown in me, that was sort of my comedic brand growing up, I would, that was just how I made people laugh. Right. And so I would rely on my strengths there. So I did some comedy in everywhere. It was primarily a drama, but I did some comedy there.

Is Everwood still recur in your life at all? I mean, with all the successes you've had since, does, like, every once in a while someone want to talk to you about Everwood? Yeah, periodically, it's usually people who want to let me know how long they've been my fan. Right. Like, if I see someone on the street and they're like,

hey, man, they're like, no, not Quil. Everwood. I'm like, dude, let's go. That's two and a half, almost three decades of, so that's oftentimes how, and I'm still, I actually have been in touch recently with Greg Smith. I saw him at church actually. And I was like, dude, Craig, oh my God.

So catching up with him is really sweet. And we lost a couple of our actors, John Beasley, and Treat Williams both passed away a couple years ago. And so, yeah, it comes up periodically. It's nice, though, like, you know, again, one of the benefits of sticking around is, like, relationships and then returning to them and working with them. We're just having them in your life in different ways.

And having that shared history. Yeah. It's really, like, I don't know, there's no substitute for that. Yeah, you're right. And to me, it's, it reminds you who you were at a different time. One of the sweet and amazing blessings about this career that oftentimes don't get talked about when you're either promoting a movie or people are talking about you as like an actor. And that's kind of one of the private joys of this job is the relationship that you develop when you're making these movies.

Because you're really thrown into a crucible of intimacy that might not. It's kind of manufactured. You know, it's 10 people. You better become really close. You're going to cry in front of each other. You might have scenes with each other where you're pouring out your heart or you're living through these shared experiences. And then they cut and they wrap the movie and you walk away and you might never see those people again. Right.

But then when you do see them, it's like you plug right back into where you left off, you know. Well, also like the one, especially the TV shows, Everwood, the Parks and Rec, where you're like years and years and it's like marriages, divorce, kids, the whole like real life. Like you've gone through all of that with those people. That's right. Yeah. That's right. So speaking of Parks and Rec, I actually had a bunch of folks on the podcast. reminiscing about Parks and Rec recently. Adam Scott told me he can't even watch old clips because it makes him too sad. Oh really? Do you ever find yourself like on the YouTube? I mean everybody like not in Parks and Rec goes down the Parks and Rec like bloopers. Yeah best clips rabbit hole. Yeah. Do you ever? Yeah sometimes sometimes I'll watch some of the bloopers which are really funny

They're like people with sent them to me and stuff and I'll periodically go down because I haven't watched the show in a really long time but I'm still waiting to show my son, Jack. I don't think he's watched any episodes, but he loves The Office, and he's 13, so he's getting to that age, so I think he's ready, so that'll be fun to revisit that with him.

But I haven't watched, I haven't sat down, just sat and watched an episode of Parks and Rec. I don't think since we've wrapped. Do you have a favorite improv that you contributed? I was looking online. Michael Shore cites, like, one of yours that's his favorite of all time.

That one's pretty good. I know the one you're talking about, yeah. That's the, wait, where I got, oh, the connectivity. Yeah, network connectivity. Yeah, that was, yeah, that one, I'm proud of that one. That's a good one. There was a couple of, there was a couple of beats I couldn't get through. I was always good at not breaking, you know, I felt like, that's a super power you have?

Yeah, well, I'm just too, I'm probably too competitive. You know what I mean? I'm like, if there's a chance to, there's a chance to stay in this and continue to be funny, I wouldn't. I like wouldn't break, you know? Right. But there was one time I couldn't. And actually, in hindsight, I don't know why I thought it was so funny, but I never actually got through it.

It's a joke, which was early on, Anne Perkins, it's like season one, Anne Perkins, or maybe season two, says, like, you know, I got this guy, he's such a loser or whatever. And, you know, I'm so worried about him. He probably doesn't even know what color my eyes are, you know. And I'm in a hospital bed. and I'm pathetic and sad.

And the line is her eyes are green. Like 80% sure her eyes are green. And to me, that line cracked me up so much that I never got it. I don't know why in hindsight. I just thought it was so funny that a person was like going to be sanctimonious and be like, she thinks I don't know what color her eyes are. 80%? 80%.

Her eyes are green. God, that got me. I never was a. It didn't make the air because I literally. tried it 20 times and I laughed every single time. Next reunion special, you'll nail it. Know it. I watched like 20 minutes of zero dark 30 last night just because...

Oh, really? What a... Let's go. Come on. Nice. I mean, in that period, you are like mixing it up pretty well. You have the money ball roll. You have zero dark 30. Yep.

Were both of those like in your comfort element? Like, were you out of your element? Did you feel like... I mean, Bennett and Bigelow are pretty unique, singular, intense filmmakers. Yes. And I got Zero Dark 30 because Catherine Bigelow had seen Moneyball. Yeah. And yeah, that was such an awesome time in my life. You know, Steve Martin has this book, Born Standing Up,

you know the book. He talks about the moment when he was in those smoky clubs, and there was this, like, level of uncertainty around his life. And then later on, he's, like, selling out stadiums, and the laps are pouring in, like, waves. And he just wished he could go back to that moment of uncertainty. Like, that was definitely a moment of uncertainty. Yeah, the hustle and, like, the uncertainty.

Yeah. I didn't know who I was. I had an idea of who I was as an actor. But oftentimes our ideas of who we are as an actor is confronted by the way the industry sees us. And I thought I had something in me that I could do, but I just hadn't been able to prove it yet. And so those early movies, I was, you know,

and I also was trying to just struggle to work. I had very lean years where I didn't make any money at all. I remember getting parks and wreck and kind of getting bigger and realizing, oh, maybe funny sidekick character. is my going to be the way to pay the bills, you know, like. And then, but I still had this dream in me that I wanted to do the Peter Quill roles, you know? Right. And so those movies.

Those are little boosts. There's a little boost where I was, like, proving that I could do something physical that wasn't laughable. That I could play a Navy SEAL, a SEAL team six member that could kick a door down and hunt down Osama Lama and kill him. And people would go like, what's that dude doing in there? Yeah, it doesn't get any more serious than Zero Dark 30. And if you can hold your own in that group. So that was definitely telling, I was affirming something I believed in myself, but also trying to convince this industry that, hey, you can take me seriously in some of this stuff. You know, I'm not just the jerk, douchebag, and I'm not just the...

That's just... That's just... That's it. Yeah, no. Yeah. I have layers. Don't let my personality convince you that I'm not capable of playing something other than a complete piece of shit. I can only say that because you're the nicest human being on the planet.

You know that. I love you so much. So we talked about this a little bit, and you're alluding to this. I mean, you were beaten down by a lot of these, like, not even close calls. These, like, auditions that just didn't really go anywhere. And, you know, we've talked about, you've talked about with others. Avatar and Star Trek are the ones that always come up. Yep.

I saw there's a little bit online, actually. So you did audition for Captain America. You put yourself on tape. I think I put myself on for early Superman. I put myself on tape, I think, for Captain America. in America. I put myself, I auditioned to play a sidekick in Thor. Right. And, and none of, none of them, did I even get a callback? So you didn't get in the room for, I got, I got, in the room to play the sidekick for Thor. Congrats. Thank you. You might still get it. Yeah.

You're still waiting for the callback. I remember I went so big that the lady said something to me like, I just love how much you committed to that. And I was like, you got a wrong star. Are you gonna go? Oh, okay. Am I gonna get a callback? No. No, you're not. And Superman, would that have been like the Zach Snyder when he was like casting around?

It must have been like that. It must have been around. Yeah, it must have been around then. I remember I put, made a tape. I was at my mom's house in Everett Washington and made a tape. Did you put you a little cape on? What do you do? I sent it in and I even watched it.

I was like, dude, I would not cast that guy as Superman. More happy say confused coming up. From the darkest corner. corners of our imagination comes a game show that's more ridiculous than terrifying. Welcome to Tickled to Death. I'm your host, Roz Hernandez, and I'll be guiding guests through the creepy questions and chaotic games, all to win the ultimate title of horror movie champion. Listen to Tickle to Death, wherever you get your podcasts, and hit follow, unless you want the show to follow you.

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Guardians audition, which at least portion of it is online, I was watching a little bit of you in Bautista. Oh yeah, that was the screen test. You're pretty far along at that point. Yeah, at that point, I already... Was that his audition and you're already cast? No, at that point, it was a screen test. Okay. I didn't know that I had

it at that point. But I already knew that I was screen testing and had felt pretty solid. I was like, I think I can get this, you know, because my close friend, Ben Davis was doing the Drax readings for James. And he had kind of given me a little insight information about what he had heard people say about my first screen test. Got it. And then he was like, dude, this is yours to lose. Like you, this is yours. I'm telling you, just go do what you're doing. And then I was kind of blowing it. Like when I was doing my scenes with the Gamora character,

the sort of elven bishop fooled around fell in love scene. I was not good. And James even said he was like, thought I was blowing it. But then when he saw me and Dave Batista improvising together and he saw that composition of him and me that he thought, okay, we can make this movie work. Were you reading with Zoe? I know I talked to Amanda Seifred.

She was close to getting it. Do you remember who you were? I was not. I was reading, I believe I was reading with a... Was I reading with Zoe? I actually don't remember. I remember it was not working, and I was sweating. Do you remember the moment you got it?

Like, do you remember, did James call you? No, I was, it was, it was, I had a meeting with Kevin Feigey, and, and he basically was just trying to see if I could get in shape. I was like 285 pounds. It was coming off of doing a film called Delivery Man with Vince, and I had gotten up to 300 pounds to play that role. Wow. And I was kind of on my way back down a little bit. Kevin Feigy pulled out this picture of me and my underwear from when I had posted on Ellen from being in shape

from Zero Dark 30. And he was like, can you do that again? I said, yes. How long do I have? He said, six months, seven months. I was like, dude, I can, I'll kick that guy's ass in seven months. And then on the way home, they called me and they're like, it's yours.

I was like, you've got to be kidding me. Do you remember what the celebration was, who you called? I mean, because that's, it's hard to pinpoint certain moments in a career. Yeah. Yeah. He's in the other room right there. That's him right there. Through that window.

I called my brother. I was like, dude, because it was him. He's the one who actually convinced me to post that picture of myself in my underwear. He was like, you got in shape for Zero Dark 30 and no one saw you. No one saw it because you're wearing clothes in Zero Dark 30. He goes, no one knows. And now you're fat again. Like, you should let people know what you're capable of.

I was like, that seems weird. And then I posted it like, this is dushy, but my brother said I had to post this picture. And I did, and that was the picture. He ate by 10 printed off the internet, and so I have to kind of credit him. Credit also to James Gunn. I mean, James changes your life, and this is an important relationship to this day, I know.

I mean, he told me, I was reminiscing with him. Remenest is the wrong word, but that horrible pivotal time in his life when he was dropped by Marvel, and he said he were one of the first to call him. Do you remember, I mean, he'd remade your career. He was so responsible for it. Yeah.

that time in particular and what it meant to why it was important for you to have his back and call him i remember it all very clearly yeah um i remember talking to lou esposite yeah lou yespizito at marble i don't think lou would mind me saying this you know uh but he goes we we got let him go yeah and i was like you're making a mistake you are making a mistake you can't no you can't he's like dude it's it has to happen and then it happened and i reached out to james i was like dude this is not over this is not over and i like started like at that point just like praying on it and strategizing you were kind of doing a little bit behind the scenes but he said was like out and front like yeah but he was doing all that but he said yeah bettisa met it like the way only he can

which is like he's like very yeah he's a defender you know what i mean he and and i was just thinking more I mean, at the end of the day, the reason, the credit to, for him coming back, I think, belongs to the folks at Marvel and then Alan Horn at Disney. Because I think he just woke up one day and was like, this is not right. And I think there are certain people who do things that get them canceled. And then they behave in a way directly after that affirms that choice. Yes. I think James was incredibly classy the entire time. He owned it.

And from the outside, once the smoke settled, and the dust settled and you looked at the situation you realized that it was truly unfair and so he got that job back because it was a glaring mistake to ever not, you know, to ever fire him for that.

How close are you guys to figuring out your contributions in the DC universe? You guys have had real conversations about this, right? You know, we'd like to talk about the other things as well, but yeah. I don't want to hear about the other things. This is the only one thing I care. Is it right?

Is there a character you have in mind that he has in mind that you're kind of zeroing on it? No, no. I mean, I can say I've always tried to lead with mystery because I think it would be amazing to be able to do it. But if I'm being honest, no, I don't think so. I think there's some that I think I could play. And he probably feels the same way. But it's, you know, it's, there's nothing. I'd like to, I'd like to be mysterious and lead people on a little bit, but, you know, I want to see.

I don't know. I don't know what that character would be. I would love to work with them again, though. So your jawline and growl good enough for Batman? Do you have Batman? I sent a picture of myself with a Batman mask on. That's a little aggressive. To James. Anything else?

Were we just wearing the mask? It was just... It was actually, I did it in Photoshop. And he just said, ha-ha. Did you really? So, it's safe to say it. I'm not going to be Batman. Okay.

Cross one off. There are many others. I don't know how to do it anyways. There's been so many Batman's. Like, what do you do? Like, I don't know that I would... Right. You know what?

I don't want to do it anyways. No, I don't... It was never an option. And also, I don't think I would be right for that. And I don't know how to play that, because it's like... Even the choice made by Christian Bale to do that voice...

Yes. ...now seems like... It's self-parody at this point a little bit. Yeah, I think you have to just, like, completely find a brand new way to reinvent. Hi, I'm Batman. Just like, oh, like, a Mickey. Mousy Mouse kind of like, ah, I don't know how that, that's a really tough, it's tough,

because one beautiful thing we had going for us with Guardians of the Galaxy was I was the first iteration of that character on screen. You're always going to be compared against the people who have played the character before. And so, like, eventually it becomes almost too hackneyed to be able to make. And so that's a tough gig for anybody to get that. There are some actors out there that I think can do it really well, though. Looking back at the trilogy of the Guardians trilogy were you sad that that Peter and Gomorra didn't end up together I mean I don't know how much of that was a function of I know Zoe kind of wanted to definitively say like I've loved this time but I do want to make a clear exit

right um no I don't think so because I think it's more interesting to you know the conflict is is probably more interesting yeah because I think you know relationships that run their course have a a relatively natural progression. In fact, I mean, they can both be very interesting. We did it in Jurassic World. You know, Bryce, her character, Claire and my character Owen, are together for three films. And we see what that looks like. It's like, will they won't they? Oh, at the end, they do. They kiss. And then the next iteration is like, well, that didn't work out, but now we're coming back together. Now we're in it for good. And the third iteration of that is like, we're now parents and we're having a family.

And so we see that arc and it's amazing. Yes. And I don't think that would have been. a good arc for Quill and Gomorra. That was, in fact, more interesting that the way they did it where she came back she was someone else. I mean, it's, you know, I'm a person it's more sad. And it also sets you up to tell more stories.

Yeah. Because I don't know what this, I don't know what the next level would be if you were to, you could someone could come up something great, I'm sure, for Bryce's character and my character in Jurassic World if we were to do another one like that. Like, you'd have to find out what that would be. But now there, it's, there's more opportunities

to tell stories about Peter Quill because that's a trauma he has in his life and it didn't end happily. And so now he would be wherever he should find him would be in a real position to try to define himself. You know, he doesn't have a life, he doesn't have the obligations of a family and a wife and all that stuff. It is going to be an interesting point to see him at the next time we see him. And we know we will seem. It's been promised to us. It's going to happen, whether it is in doomsday or secret wars or beyond. Have you had, I'm sure you've had that conversation.

Do you know definitively how they're using you going forward? Well. Yes and no. Yes and no. Could you see Peter leading a new Guardians team at some point in a film not directed? Obviously, James is busy. He's not going to direct another Guardians movie. Right. Well, the thing is, you know, everything is all liquid, right? And they kind of take things a step at a time at Marvel.

I'm happy to do anything they want me to do and will. And also, I personally have a really strong vision of what I would want him to do. And I think it's fucking great. So you've made your pitch on what you think. Yep. And I think that, you know, I'm down to contribute any way I can to them. setting up the next 10 years of storytelling, you know. And also I have a pretty strong idea of how I think I could contribute to that.

Do you have a director in mind that you want to work with? You, Josh. Well, this is a hell of a way to tell me. No, yeah, yeah. Congratulations. I accept. Yeah. That's a binding contract. Only if you go by Christo.

Yeah. No, no, no. I mean, look, I don't know. The thing is, is like, when we did Avengers with the Russo's, it was just, just a slightly an amazing experience but also a slightly different experience than doing it with James. James, you know. So that's

in a dream world it would be somehow James but I don't think that's likely to happen so I'd have to think about who would be the right director there are amazing directors out there sure we find the right guy. Do you see, you mentioned Jurassic obviously Scarlett's now kind of leading that iteration now of the franchise. Could you see yourself returning in a film with Scarlett Owen coming back

to do another Jurassic? Maybe, yeah, I think so. That'd be awesome. I mean, I love that character. I love the team. Love Universal. Love Scarlet. I think that would be epic.

We'd just have to find a way to do it in a way that honors the stories that we told the first three times. So I think, yeah, that'd be great. Have you and Arnold ever seriously talked about doing a movie together? You and your father-in-law? It would be so epic. You think so? Do I think so? Yes, I think so.

Kind of, you know, not really. Like, that's not the first thing we talk about. No, I get other things. But there's, like, people have floated ideas. Like, people within our periphery have floated ideas around. Like, you guys should do this. And I think both of us kind of like each other. Like, well, I don't know.

That's right. But I think it would be great. I would love to, honestly, I would love to incorporate Arnold in the terminalist. There it is. It would be epic. There's some, if you follow some of the books. Yeah. There's a couple of characters.

One in particular. Any fan, I'm not going to see who it is, but fans of the book will know who it is. And I haven't even spoken to Arnold about that, but I can see him playing this character. I think it would be so fucking epic. You've shot the second season? Yeah, we're done with season two.

Yeah, we're in post right now. We've locked six of eight episodes. Amazing. Yeah, so it's gonna be a busy year. You got the next Mario film. Yep. Terminalist presumably comes out later this year. Yep.

And then I have a film called Way of the Warrior Kid. Right, with McGee. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Based on Jocco's books. And raising four kids, it's easy. Yeah, yeah. Simple. And that's it.

I don't think I'm going to, I don't, there's a, I think that might be what I do this year, is the promotion stuff. There's a possibility to go and do some other stuff. But for the most part, I think I'm going to be doing promotion. I mean, you've talked about that work, life balance and how important is for you to be around, particularly now with the kids young, in L.A., etc. Is there a director that would make it really a hard decision? Oh my God, so many.

Yeah. So many. Yeah. I mean, it's all about great script, great, great, filmmaker. Yeah. And so yeah, I think, and I'm at this, I'm at that stage of my career now where I'm also kind of like I was when I was doing Zero Dark 30 or Moneyball where I'm like looking at who I am and where I should be and what moves I want to make. Because what's nice about acting on like, say, professional football or something like that is you're not forced to retire when you're 46.

No, you can do multiple more decades of, of, of, of, of, work and and I'm in a really great place where I can kind of determine what I want that to be. So working with really amazing filmmakers, maybe, you know, just being part of a cast with a really great filmmaker would be amazing, like a great role that doesn't have to be like the lead, I'd do that, just to have a chance to learn more from some of these directors who are true prestige artists, directors. I think that would be awesome. No, because you're right. When I look at the career, I see two or three acts already and inevitably you're going to have two or three or four more.

Yeah, you can. And it's going to be fascinating to see sort of like the next iteration. Yeah, yeah, I'm excited. It's exciting. Okay, so on Happy Second Feas, we do two rapid fire things. One is a new one, one is an old standby. This is the movie Matrix. This is some opinions on movies.

Okay. You've got good movie taste. Are you an alien or aliens guy? Ridley Scott or James Cameron. I guess alien. Okay. Yeah. Best Spider-Man of all time?

Which actor do you have allegiance to? You know what? I really love Tom, man. I think Tom, I think maybe no way home. Although Into the Spider-Verse is pretty freaking amazing as well. Pretty great. You know, Chris and Phil and Miles Morales, that whole vibe was pretty great, too.

Do you have a favorite comic book movie of all time, and you can exclude yourself if you want, your own films? Ooh. Logan. So great. Logan's great. No, Deadpool. Deadpool's great, too.

Yeah, Deadpool's pretty good. X-Men. Two's good. As just like a comic book movie, X-Men 2 is really good. And honestly, I will exclude Guardians of the Galaxy, but I thought Endgame Infinity War, what they were able to do, the culmination of all those years. The degree of difficulty on that,

and that gives me hope for the next two that they're doing. Oh, yeah. Listen, they know what they're doing. People thought they were crazy when they did Guardians of the Galaxy. Right. They said, Talking Tree, what are you doing? I mean, these guys are going to continue to be geniuses. Favorite James Bond of all time?

I've never really been a huge James Bond fan. Okay. So I just don't, not that I don't, I don't mean to say I'm not a fan as in I've watched them all and I, and I don't care for it. I just haven't watched them all. So, I don't know.

Scariest movie ever made? Oof. Probably The Exorcist. It's kind of my go-to. I don't mess with that stuff. The funniest movie ever made is, Oh. Dumb and dumber.

Peak Jim Carrey is hard to be. What's a movie you can quote backwards and forwards? Dumb and dumber. What's your go-to movie theater snack? Popcorn with peanut M&M's sprinkled on. Giant tub. And I have that stuff done by the time the movie starts. And you want to know why?

It could feel sick the entire movie. Yes. I've realized it is my pet peeve. Oh, to hear people. going into their candy. Yeah. I hate it. That's why I like doing like a red vine or a twizzler.

You can kind of softly... Yeah, but it's the gummit. It's the wrapper itself. Yeah. And when people are like, oh, this is a flash. We hear you. I'm going to do it even slower. It's like ASMR candy wrap.

Just eat the fuck. Get it done. Just rip it. Oh, I hate it. Okay. And the profoundly random questionnaire for Happy Second Views. Are you dogs or cats person? Neither, both.

That's fine. Neither. Okay. What do you collect? Oh. Knives. Good to know. I won't cross you.

No, I've got a good collection of mine. And challenge coins. Okay. I've got a great collection of challenge coins. Nice. What's your favorite video game of all time? It's a tie between the original Super Mario Brothers or the original Zelda on Nintendo. Those two.

Or Teammobile. All Nintendo. I was going to say you don't want to go Sega, you don't want to lose your gig. That's too important. Maybe Street Fighter 2. Maybe. What's the wallpaper on your phone? It rotates, but it's always just pictures of my kids and my wife, my family.

Yeah. In my form. The last actor you were mistaken for? I think someone on this press tour called me Chris Pine. You're all interchangeable. Yeah, I don't think they mistake me. I think they just the alliteration. Yes.

Worst note a director has ever given you? Worst note? Yeah. A director has ever given you? Like, oh. You were embarrassed on set, you resented it on set, it annoyed you. Oh. Probably, it was the worst note and the best note.

Okay. Bennett Miller told me to stop being such a pussy. What were you doing? What was happening? It was on Moneyball. It was on Moneyball. I was playing first base and I was supposed to be really frustrated because I was I couldn't catch the ball.

Right. And they had taught me to field for weeks, and I got pretty good. And so I was out there competitive. And I'm doing this, I'm sweating. I'm sweating. He comes up, and the way he does, he's like, um, uh, stop, instead of pussies.

I was like, like, go of your ego. He made me so mad. Yeah. And it's the shot that's in the movie, is me sitting this, and sweats dripping off my nose, and I'm mumbling. Like, I didn't even know they were rolling. And the anger.

was what he wanted to see in me. Right. So he didn't really mean stop being a push. He just knew how to push my buttons to make the character do something that I don't do authentically very well, which was anger. And so that was one of the best directions I ever got, but also one of the worst directions I ever got.

And in the spirit of happy, say I confused, an actor who always makes you happy, you see them on screen, you're in a better mood. Oh, Bruce Willis. What's your good? Let's die hard, let's die. I love die hard, man. Die hard is so good, and I love Pulp Fiction.

He's so good. He's so good in Pulp Fiction. He's so funny, too. And something. You remember blind date like that, like random? Yeah, blind date, even 30-something in, or, or, uh, moonlighting. Moonlighting, yeah. And then also, uh, Fifth Element.

Maybe my favorite, obsessed. Yeah. Favorite movie. Yeah. When Milo did the podcast, I had trouble not just talking about Fifth Element for four to five minutes. A movie that makes you sad. Radio Flyer or Stand By Me.

Yeah. And a food that makes you confused. You don't get it. that makes me confused. Why do people eat that? Good question. I would say, this is a really good question.

Breaking the brain. I mean the press store. I love it all so much. Give it all to me. I would say there's something, I know what it is, because it's in my mind, but I can't think of what it is,

but I know it's there. Hold on. Stand by. Give me, loading, loading. 10 seconds. 10 seconds, 9. Oh, no.

I'm putting the pressure on. 20 seconds. It's like out of mercy. Does it like? The food that makes me confused would be soft pretzels. Really? Yes. Do you like a hard pretzel?

Yeah. Okay. So it's more of a pretzel thing. It's like it's like a salt delivery system. I know. Like it's a salt thing. You say that like it's a bad thing. Yeah.

I don't know. It's the soft pretzel. It's just like chewy and it has that flavor that's like... Cardboard, just nothing? No, no, no. The soft ones have that sort of like... I think it's like yeasty wheat, malt, malt, malt. Right.

That malty flay, like people who put malt in anything. Right. Whoppers, malt. Love it. Our French events today. Is it? Yeah. Did it ever start, Josh?

Wow. No, bro, I can't do the whoppers. Not into whoppers, not into malt. Okay. And also any kind of, any kind of candy cane mixed with ice cream. Right. Like peppermint ice cream or candy. cane ice cream. I don't love it.

Yeah. Okay. We'll take it off your rider. I have a room full of... I know. I was wondering. That's why I'm so confused. Pints of candy cane ice cream and soft pretzels. Full circle. Congratulations on Mercy. Everybody should check it out. See it on a big screen. Yeah, if you can. Yeah. Big immersive experience. 3D. Do the whole thing. Yeah. You should. That's the way to see it. I promise. It's good to see you, buddy. Thanks for something like.

You too, man. It's always so good. We did it. We did it. with 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 pressure to do this by Josh. From the parents behind Law and Order comes a mystery the whole family can enjoy. Patrick Pickle Bottom, everyday mysteries.

Step into the whimsical world of Patrick Picklebottom, a precocious 11-year-old, with a love for reading and an uncanny ability. to solve mysteries. Inspired by the beloved children's book of the same name, this podcast vividly brings Patrick's tales of deduction and everyday adventures to life as he unravels baffling enigmas and solves clever cases. Patrick Pickle Bottom Everyday Mysteries is perfect for kids and is just as entertaining for grownups who love a good mystery.

The whole family can listen now wherever you get your podcasts.