Happy Sad Confused - Claire Foy, Vol. II

Episode Date: October 13, 2021

It's been far too long since the charm machine that is Claire Foy has dropped by the podcast! Thankfully Claire has been busy with 2 films so there's plenty to catch up on. Yes, there's "My Son" and "The Electrical Life of Louis Wain" but there's also one of the all time great romantic comedies to reflect on and Claire's big decision on whether to get a dog. Don't forget to check out the Happy Sad Confused patreon here! We've got exclusive episodes of GAME NIGHT, video versions of the podcast, and more! For all of your media headlines remember to subscribe to The Wakeup newsletter here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the Volvo Fall Experience event, discover exceptional offers and thoughtful design that leaves plenty of room for autumn adventures. And see for yourself how Volvo's legendary safety brings peace of mind to every crisp morning commute. This September, lease a 2026 X-E-90 plug-in hybrid from $599 bi-weekly at 3.99% during the Volvo Fall Experience event. Conditions apply, visit your local Volvo retailer

or go to explorevolvo.com. Ontario, the weight is over. The gold standard of online casinos has arrived. Golden Nugget Online Casino is live. Bringing Vegas-style excitement and a world-class gaming experience right to your fingertips. Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting. Signing up is fast and simple. And in just a few clicks, you can have access to our exclusive library of the best slots and top-tier table games.

Make the most of your downtime with unbeatable promotions and jackpots that can turn any mundane moment into a gold Opportunity at Golden Nugget Online Casino. Take a spin on the slots, challenge yourself at the tables, or join a live dealer game to feel the thrill of real-time action, all from the comfort of your own devices. Why settle for less when you can go for the gold at Golden Nugget Online Casino. Gambling problem call Connects Ontario 1866531-260. 19 and over. Physically present in Ontario.

Eligibility restrictions apply. See Golden Nuggett Casino.com for details. Please play responsibly. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, sad, confused begins now. Today on Happy, Say, Confused, Claire Foy returns with two new films, My Son, and the Electrical Life of Louis Wayne. Hey, guys, Josh Horowitz here with another edition of Happy, Say, Confused,

with the returning guest. One of my favorites, I know I say that like every episode, but this time, the other times I've been lying, this time it's true. no kidding i love them all but claire foy is one of my favorites she was on the podcast a few years back with matt smith for a truly memorable bizarre conversation if you have not listened to that it's one of my favorites and according to you guys it's actually one of your favorites too so if you haven't had the pleasure of the matt smith claire foy chat go into the archives look it up it's a few years back but it's a unique conversation at the end of a long press run for the crown i think

I got them at just the right time. But any time is good with Claire. Claire is just the best. I've got just such love for her. Not to mention, she's also like one of the best actors on the planet. So she's got two new projects, we should mention. One of them is my son. And if you don't know about this, this is a fascinating, fascinating project.

It's an improvised film. There is no like real script. There's a story in place. There are characters in place. Claire knows the story. every actor knows kind of the story, the bones of the story, except for the man at the center of it all, James McAvoy. So he has to kind of basically improvise his way through a thriller of sorts. Fascinating production, intriguing actors, just doing fascinating work, given the circumstances.

So my son is available right now here in the States on Peacock. Well worth checking out. And then Claire is also starring opposite Mr. Benedict Cumberbatch, one of our favorites in the electrical life of Louis Wayne, which is a true story. Louis Wayne was an artist who specialized of depictions of cats. And as you might imagine from that description, was kind of an odd guy surrounded by kind of odd people. But, you know, he had many sisters in his life. He had a love of his life, played by Claire. And that's kind of what the story is about. It's kind of like odd people finding each other. It's both sweet and sad. It's kind of, as a really a great artistic flair to it from the director, a young director. And at the bottom line,

you've got Fenned at Comber Batch and Claire Foy. So that is coming out in theaters here in the States, October 22nd, and then it's going to be available on Amazon Prime, November 5th, The Electrical Life of Louis Wayne. So that is what Claire and I were chatting about, among many other things. We also talk about her comfort movie, a classic romantic comedy and why she likes romantic comedies. But, you know, if you've ever seen Claire in an interview, heard her in an interview, I don't need to sell it. She's just, just one of the best, just easy to talk to, fun, has a great sense of humor, self-deprecating, all the things I like. So yes, that's the main event on today's happy, sad, confused. Other stuff I want to mention, I got a chance to see some of you

folks out and about in the real world. That was awesome. Okay, so I went to New York Comic-Con. Didn't do a ton of things, but I did go to the Ghostbusters panel that turned into a surprise screening. I knew it was going to be a screening. They told us, but whatever. I got a chance to see Ghostbusters afterlife. More to come on that on the podcast and on a future episode. There's a tease for you. Then I did a little panel where I was on with some of my critics' choice friends and family.

And I had a chance to see a bunch of you after the panel. You were kind enough to come and say hi, take some photos. So that was really fun. And it was just cool to be in the live Comic-Con environment. I mean, I love that stuff. I love New York Comic-Con. I love San Diego Comic-Con. And it was really cool to be out and about.

Hopefully, you know, I kind of, I think I felt safe. Sure. We're all safe-ish. Everyone was vaccinated. Everybody was masked. So, you know, as I said to somebody, like, I'm just, you know, all the more appreciative of those moments. I always was, but, you know, certainly that 18-month.

gap of live events really made this one all the more special. So that was, that was thrilling. Let's see. Other things to mention, I've been teasing some Sam Hew and stuff coming soon. I'm going to continue to tease that. I can't say more, but stay tuned, Sam Hew and stuff. Keep your eyes out for that. Go to patreon.com slash happy, sad, confused, all the info on that and other things will be there. There's a new game night that we're taping this week. Really exciting. Some really cool Yeah, I don't want to save too much, but a cool assemblage of folks that I've been working on for a while getting together. So new game night episodes, new video versions of the podcast, including this episode. If you want to watch me and Claire Foy, go to patreon.com slash happy, sad, confused.

If you haven't checked out, we mentioned James McAvoy earlier in the film My Son with Claire, did an episode for my Comedy Central show with James, played a bunch of silly games. He was fantastic. He's always a madman with me. That is up on Comedy Central's YouTube page. Check it out. That is while we're checking out, what else can I mention? Lots of big movies coming. Lots of big stars we love.

What can I tease? What can I tease? I think that's enough. That's enough teasing for now. The podcast is overbooked up the wazoo for the next few weeks into the next couple of months. We're getting into like a really cool time of year where it's some great movies, some great guests, so I couldn't be more excited. And yeah, let's just shove off. Let's get right into it with Claire Foy, one of Happy Second Fused elite VIP members. Enjoy this chat. Remember to check

out my son on Peacock, The Electrical Life of Louis Wayne, coming soon on Amazon Prime and in theaters October 22nd. And I feel like I'm talking too fast. I'm going to go lie down. Enjoy this chat with me and Claire Foy. It's on the record, Claire Foy and I, at least in the top 20 percentile of my favorite guests on Happy Side Confused. 20 percent? Wow. 20 to 25. No, you are the Kremlin. Stop it. Stop it. You know, I love you. Gosh, that's far. It's so hard. It's beyond words. Wonderful to see you. As you know, we're doing a three-hour deep dive into the 10th anniversary of season of The Witch today. So thank you. you for agreeing to that. Thank God.

I have a drinking game for me that I always have to bring up season of the witch for you. That's just like it's contractually part of my deal. Sorry. I'm so glad that someone has watched it, one. Two remembers it. And three is also acknowledging. It's not. It's more than 10 years, actually.

You're wrong. It's got to be like 13 years. That's not true. I did the math. It premiered in like January of 2011. Again, as we were saying before we started, time has no meaning anymore. Trust me on this. I shot it. I shot it in 2008.

Yeah. Okay. In my head. They took some time in the edit to craft the brilliance. Oh, yeah. They did a couple of reshoots as well, which you never would guess. Brett Ratner, as I understand it, the, the, uh... Yeah. Anyway. Anyway. So are you, are you home? Am I catching you in your abode? I'm in London, yeah. This is not my official abode. This is my temporary abode.

I'm renovating my abode, which is a great thing to do in Brexit and COVID. It's really wise. But, yes, I'm surrounded by my possessions in a wretched accommodation. Are you in your abode? I'm in my abode. I know it looks behind me like I live in the... I don't like those windows. It looks like the dingiest part of New York.

Trust me, I actually live in a decent part of town, but it's... Is that like a stairwell, or can you see into people's apartments? It's just a green screen. It's for character. Yeah, it's rear window style. I'm Raymond Burr. I'm, uh, I'd just be looking in all the time. The first time we had the extended chat was in my office, of course, you and Matt, and Matt was preoccupied with my nerdy, nerdy crap. So I haven't been there an year and a half. I like to imagine, by the way, that there is, I don't know if you remember that crazy photo. I have a view of that insane face you made. I have that in a frame in my office.

I like to imagine that there is like moss growing on it. Yeah, like Day of the Triffid. Exactly. It's taking it back. Exactly. Mother nature is reclaiming your office. It's nature's time now. But yeah, so the playing field is now even.

You're in an abode of some sort. I'm in my abode. Catch me up a little bit. It's obviously been an eventful couple years for all of us. to say the least you've been shooting some stuff was there like where were you at well actually here's what I remember

I remember when this halt the shit went down I was getting excited because I was going to hopefully see you and Matt take lungs to Brooklyn do I have that right yeah right yeah

we were supposed to fly we were like we were like two weeks out from flying over and I'd already said it wasn't happening in my head and I was saying to someone I think this is serious guys, but everyone was sort of keeping on

pretending it was happening. Right. But for a really, like, until like three days before we were supposed to fly and then they were like, no, the whole of Broadway shut down.

And then it was that weird thing, wasn't it? Where it was like, we're planning for when it comes back in May, we're planning for when it comes like in September. We're planning for when it comes like in January. And it was just heartbreaking. But,

but yeah, very glad that I had stayed here and didn't. Yeah. I wasn't out there and having to try and get back because it was such, kind of unknown, wasn't it, at that time, about what was going to happen? So was there a period of time of just kind of shock and like, okay, I'm going to lay low until I figure out some semblance of a plan, or was there an impulse to, like, try and find

some semblance of work to distract yourself from the insanity? Like, how much downtime was there versus when you started to do some work again? Well, I mean, I hadn't really done anything. I'd done a play, and I'd shot Louis Wayne, actually, and that done press for stuff, but I hadn't really done anything that I had to thought was like completely all consuming or like in my head something that wasn't just fun and nice to do like for about two years like I hadn't done anything really and so I was sort of like like ready to crawl out run by rock and be like here I am ready to start work again is the world ready for me oh global pandemic I guess the world is ready for me so there was a bit of me

there was just like a lot I was a bit like oh um but no I think I think I'm quite good at accepting the reality that I'm in, really. And there was something really, when it was less scary, when it started to get less scary and the numbers of people dying was coming down and it was, you know, it was like a few months in. It was like the most beautiful summer here in England. And life just got very simple, didn't it? It just was really, really simple.

I was really lucky because in the UK we were allowed to go out for walks and things like that. And so there was something really reassuring about someone just going, you have no choice at all. You barely have choice in what you can eat. So you have to do this and just shut up. And that was something I think that quite a lot of people probably needed was no choice anymore. Yeah. And then, but then I did have, you know, like,

because there's this amazing thing. One of the most amazing things about this industry, there was this amazing kind of resurgence of like talking to people in meetings and discussing things with people because it was so easy to all of a sudden because everybody was at home and was able to fit in an hour or an hour and a half at some point

to speak to someone who was in L.A. or New York or London or whatever on Zoom. So I spoke to people that I wanted to speak to for years or discuss things and actually found stuff that I was really, like I was so excited by. And that I hadn't felt like that very well quite a while. Are you talking about like kind of like filmmakers

or potential collaborators that you just like had had been on the list to kind of like try to meet up with it. It's like now, yeah, for me, to make it about me, of course, as I always have to. It's like, it was like, oh, this is a really easy time to book things on the plus side. Nobody has an excuse. If Claire says no to me, that just means she hates me, basically. But also, yeah, and everyone's just desperate for interaction with different people, I think.

Yeah. Yeah. So that was, it was really amazing. And also, I was really sort of, there was a terrifying moment of thinking, you know, films that are, and theater. I think the thing that was the thing that worried me the most because that was the thing I just finished doing. It was, like, really terrifying. So me and Matt did the play, but, like, virtually, which was really sad. How did that work where you guys, you guys were together, but it was, it was virtually for the audience?

Like, you were in the same space, I do. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, but we had to be two meters apart from each other at all time. with like basically a stick between us all the time a metaphorical stick not an actual stick I hope yeah no it was sometimes an actual broom handle like I'm not

joking between us the amazing stage manager which was because like no one had done it that was the first kind of virtual play and no one had done it before so it was like we could really ruin this for everybody if we go anywhere near anyone else

but then it meant it was slightly strange because we would like you'd finish doing the show, one without any audience at all. So it was just into a vacuum of your own voice coming back at you and just going, oh, I hate myself. And then you'd finish the play, and we couldn't even hug each other or have a drink. So we'd just be like, okay.

Yeah, you just got to awkwardly walk to your corner. Yeah, like. Yeah. And like Matt dies at the end of the play, not to give it away. But like, it was really like, okay. No, that's fascinating. Because there's so much of theater is the ritual of it, right? It's everything that goes before and after is just like in your bones.

Like this is probably, it must have felt alien in many ways. Yeah. Yeah. And also because we did it in this space, we did it in a theatre that we'd originally done it. Right. So we were doing it. It wasn't a rehearsal because the really impressive and very famous people ended up watching.

It was really bizarre what ended up happening. But because there was nothing on anywhere. Like, you know, very impressive people watched it, which was really hard to get my head around. But they, we were like, knew they were watching it, but still it was like, I can't have the energy to, they're not here, aren't they? Who was, give me an example.

Who did you know that was checking it out? Stevie Spielberg watched it. Malarious. Did you know before or after or what? I knew. Matt didn't want to know. I was like, it might help You drop some like

E.T references into the show? Be like, by the way, favorite movie ever. Yeah. No, just, I mean, but that's just very bizarre because it's, I don't know, just very bizarre.

We were in a little theater in London doing this very strange thing that made us quite depressed and, but people were watching it like millions of miles ago. It's very strange. So obviously, I've experienced what

it's like to chat with both you and Matt together, which is utter insanity. I must be a different, it must be two different modes, I'm guessing, from the amount of times you've collaborated together and created great work, there must be a time and a place where you guys are professional enough to know to switch it off. I guess just give me a sense, like back on the crown, was it like, okay, time to get to work or were you both kind of easily distracted or to amusing each other too much? Like how tough is it to get? shit done when you were when we saw you we were very you know we were at the high drunk a little bit

yeah yeah yeah because you were there um and also because we weren't working and that i think if we're given free rain and we were just fanning around we'd be it would be a real problem but basically what would happen when we were working together is especially when we're on the crown we a conversation would begin we'd so i hope so i suppose to do the scene and then the conversation would start again as soon but Also, you know, we were miserable, miserable people, a miserable gift. All we did was moan. Like, I will say this is Matt,

and I think it's true of myself also, but I think he probably brings it out any more. Like, love and moan. They do say that that's what you call, you know, like you call a group of crows, like a murder of crows and, you know, a pod of dolphins, and there is a joke, but it's a moan of actors, because that's basically what we do.

We all sit together and go, even though we're incredibly privileged, I'm very lucky to be here and being paid. We're going to complain about... Find anything. Anything, yeah. Maybe this is the secret why I'm decent at my job. I like to moan myself, even if I'm not a professional.

I really wanted to not moan, but, you know, still, it still comes out of me every time. Let's read the good word on a couple of your exciting new projects, both of which I've checked out. First up, I actually have caught up with both of your gentlemen co-stars recently, the Madman that is James McAvoy. always love maccaboy i know you guys go way back uh this new film is insane like it just in i mean we'll explain why it's insane it's called it's called my son but first give me a sense i know you and james worked on do i call it the scottish play am i allowed to say what do you I stand on it. McBeth.

Yeah. It's very Harry Potter that. I've been listening to a lot of Harry Potter audio, but not of my own choice. But Hermione, very wise, he says, fear of a thing only increases fear of something itself or whatever. And that's what I feel about Macbeth. I'm like, come on. I'm quoting Harry Potter.

I love it. That's how culturally starved. You could do worse. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, my God. Oh, my God, I love them. So was that the first time you and James collaborated on Macbeth? What did you guys click immediately?

What do you remember that of that experience? This was in 2013, I think, right? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. This is on stage. So we knew each other because we had, we knew people in common. And, yeah. And so we sort of knew each other.

And then when Beth came along, it was really, I remember it very clearly. It was just before Christmas. And I hadn't worked for a while. And I was really like, I didn't want to do anything. shit I want to do something good and I don't want to do any more TV I just want to do some

theatre blah blah blah and so I'd waited quite a while and then Jamie Lloyd who directed it was like I just is a hero anyway he's such an extraordinary director and actually Serrano that James did which is amazing we're supposed to come to New York as well so if you ever do get a chance to see it go and see that because he's he's so annoying he's so good he is so good. It's painful to watch him. He's so good. Um, yeah, anyway, so I love Jamie Lloyd and then I heard James was in it and it was at Beck, he was going to be gothic. And it was just one of those ones I was like, well, why am I even bothering? And so then I went and then I got it and it felt like I was like, oh my God, like it felt so important, like so important to me. It was

like a real moment in my career. And then I did it then James is just, you know, like you know him Like, he's just so down to earth and, you know, staunchly normal and, but just so, like, really, like, incredibly talented. Yeah. And doing the play with him was just amazing. Because he creates such an energy as well, and he's such a good laugh. He's so good on a night out and just, he's just a legend. I do think he's a legend. I, a thousand percent agree.

And he's excellent in this, as are you. So this, let's give him a sense of this very unusual kind of. of undertaking. This is, I mean, you'll be better able to explain than me. This is James doesn't know the story. He knows, he knows some broad strokes of his character. So what do you get? Is to how much of your part is scripted? How much can it be scripted? This is a partially improvised film that's been done before in different languages, I believe, are different countries. Yeah, in French, yeah. Yeah. So I had the same director. So Christian, who directed the French version, directed this version as well. And I tell you.

me something my part was very difficult because i i knew the story so all of us who knew it had a week's rehearsal before james came along where we all rehearsed with this lovely guy who was standing in for james to get an idea of where the camera would go so that there was no set-up time and that james basically walked into the scene and was ready to go in the cameras and position but then it's like well you just have to hope that he does and i know him and i was like this could go either way with that guy he could either be like completely silent and watchful and want to know what's going on

or he's going to come in a hundred miles an hour and ask every single question and demand of me answers that I will go, I'm sorry James McRoy I don't know because improvising scares me and so that hence why I really wanted to do it actually because I just was like

what a terrifying proposition and so Christian gave a vague outline of what the story was and what things he needed me to say. But then he was very much like, and then you'll do it. I was like, okay.

And so it was terrifying because I thought, what if he just goes off teeth? And I've got to rein in. And also it's very difficult because you've got to give, I'm the only person who can give plot points. And I've got to give plot points for the audience, but also for him. And he's got to go over there.

I've got to tell him to go over there. And I don't have him going to tell him to go over there in a natural, non-weird way. Like, they want you to go over there. Um, so it was really odd. And also because I knew him, I just, and our kids go to the same school. So I was like, I can't see him. Because if I see him, I'm going to tell him what happens. I'm not going to get him. Like, I'm that person. I once ruined someone's surprise birthday party in Venice by saying, enjoy Venice. So I was like, I'm the worst possible person to his job. So I just basically ignored him. And he thought, he was like, what's happening? to my mate. Right, right.

What a fascinating challenge. Yeah. I would think also from an acting perspective, like those kind of, I mean, that's an exceedingly rare experience, that shakes it up in the best possible way. Like, I think of something in a different way, I think of your shoot with Soderberg on insane, which was, I think, infamously a very short shoot. It was on iPhone. Like, does the method, does, like, does.

like is that often or sometimes as part as much part of the award as anything kind of the methodology of oh yeah anything that is anything that is um just different like the last thing i want to do is become jaded and like all just be like predictable um and when you do find that creeping in i just it takes all the magic away from it and i just wanted to always feel magical and exciting and it's you know you don't get that on every job obviously but when their opportunities do come along you've got to take them and that's why with this job i was like this is so scary and it's so i could be so awful in this but it's not really it was an innocent but i wasn't really doing it for anything other than basically the experience and i think that

james feels that as well like basically james were saying you know have you heard of you me bum bum train. No. That has not come up in my conversations with yet. I knew that

you would like that work. But you mean bum-term train that it's an immersive theater experience in London

where you pay to basically be taken on this journey. And James is like I would pay money to do this. He loved it.

He's like, what's happening? What's going on? Oh, I don't know what I'm supposed to be feeling. Like he loves it. Oh sure.

There's like Sleep No More. Do you know that one? That's like here in New York. He's like interactive theater experiences. Sure, sure. The other film

we definitely mentioned, which is a very unique special piece of work, I think. I'm sure you'll agree, is Electrical Life of Louis Wayne. It's you and Benedict Cumberbatch, again. We're going to just disgustingly be effusive about another co-star of yours, I'm sure. I've also worked with before. I mean, apparently there's no one else. You've got like four dudes. You just rotate between, basically.

I need to make it out, man. this is a very particular specific sweet odd piece of work though it's kind of like about these kind of damaged misfits that somehow kind of find each other and it's it's in its very own specific key i was talking to benedick the other night when i ran to him at film festival he was effusive about you and the director thinks there's like huge huge huge a huge future for will uh will sharp talked to me about a little bit what makes this one obviously not my my son unique, but unique in other different distinct ways. I think it was really unique because it was Ben's production company.

It was Sunny March who were producing it. And Adam and Leah, who are part of that, they're just amazing. I love their company. I think they're amazing. And they've got such good taste and they're so exciting. And so it was unique because the last time I'd worked with Ben was on this tiny independent film, which, you know, was good and bad. and we just sort of had this hilarious very odd time on it and I was stepping in someone's shoes basically

it was very very short notice someone called out and I was like Ben like text me and was like okay I'm not doing anything like going through the road with X of like top five great pictures like and then I spoke to Will me and Will have this really weird thing where when I read the script and I'd seen flowers and thought it was extraordinary but I was like I don't get it like to me this doesn't read this reads like a period drama

am I an idiot? I was like yes you are because it's not because I'm directing it and I was like okay sure but I think I was quite fearful of it of that sort of you know biopic period drama

sort of thing that I didn't get it and then I stepped on the set and I went oh no Hang on. And actually, we did a week's rehearsal before. And I suddenly went, oh, I'm an idiot. I'm, yeah, I'm an idiot.

Well, you should have known from the first line of your character is, oh, for fuck's sake. That's the, you're ready. That's all Claire needs. That should be the opening line of every character you ever play. I know. It's great. I'm in a wardrobe. I just, I loved it.

I'm wearing funny little glasses and an orange wig. yeah but basically from the off it was completely unique and I think that's what will's made and who he is is a filmmaker is everything's so eccentric and sort of kind weirdly there's something really kind about the way he makes his films that feels so appreciative of the of filmmaking and it's they're so beautiful

the shots he was so beautiful and yeah um I absolutely loved working with him and, yeah, him and Ben together. And I just, yeah, it was just a, like, really joyous, even though it's sad, obviously. Like, it was really joyous, lovely thing to do. Because, yeah, it was about two basically, you know, widows who are pretty much most of us, really. I was going to say, can't relate at all. Don't worry. Are you a patter dog person, Claire, or neither?

There are no wrong answers here. I feel like, yeah. Yeah, I have to get a dog So I'm going to go dog But neither I'm not an animal person I mean, I like them I like looking at them

I appreciate them very much Did you grow up with animals at all Or just not exposed Or just this is an active choice I hate animals No, I don't Do you death at words in my mouth I don't hate animals

I said I appreciate them From a distance No, I love animals It's just I say Yes I did I grew up with small animals I grew up with rabbits And guinea pigs

All of whom died or I killed or like something traumatic happened an ambulance is coming just they're taking you away because you're right yeah because I hate animals I don't hate animals I just I don't feel like I can say I'm an animal lover because I don't think animals love me oh well here's what I would say okay Claire I was never a big animal person in this last year my wife and I got a dog and I've become that which I mocked for decades and I am like the biggest so like just to say look you you you've you've you've got a child to fill that that gap I suppose but like yeah something in there something in there

child animal it's not it's not too late to discover that you're a secret dog lover or otherwise we don't know I do I do love them it's just I I do love them I just yeah but I have to get one anyway I've promised my child that I'm that we're getting one so it's happening and I you know I just don't want to resent it. It's the whole poo thing, isn't it? It's the whole picking up its poo thing. If I loved anything, I will pick up its poo. So that's human or animal.

Yeah, that's fine. You pick up Matt Smith's poo, as I understand it. He'll just poo anywhere. You just pick up, yeah. I mean, do I love Matt enough to pick up his poo? One question. What's a question. And there is...

Yes, I think I do. And that... My friends is a promo for a podcast. Thank you, Dad. Oh, yeah, I will there. So can we, okay, we have a bit more time. I'm curious, like, I'm curious about the time before the Crown, after school, before the Crown in your career,

when you're doing some fun, like, Mcbeth is in that period, Little Dorrit was a big miniseries for you. did you feel like you were on a very specific path or was that the period of life where you were kind of like I'm this is all exciting I'm just trying shit out and I mean you were on a I'm just surprised but this you were on a pirate show John Malkovich on a network like no listen that was not a good time in an alternate reality clear you're on season seven of crossbones right now and we're talking no I would have very quickly asked to be killed was I killed what happened at the end of that I don't know

I didn't know it existed until a couple days ago to be honest oh wow um I no I had an absolutely no idea what was going on I think I never particularly there were moments when I found it really exciting there were things that happened that I was like wow I can't believe I'm doing it really amazing but mainly when I first started it was basically just fear and sort of a bit like misunderstanding how to do that for a living and also live a life.

I was very confused the whole time and found it quite difficult. Like I just had normal jobs up until the age of 24, 23, 24. And then suddenly to be like, just spend six months not doing anything was really like, I was like, it's not okay. How, what am I going to do with my days? I have no purpose. And I sort of was like, I remember saying to my agent, can I get a job at the normal job? And I was like, no, you need to be available.

I was like, so what are we going to do? What I know now is what I probably should have done. I've done exercise and stuff and, you know, broadened my mind. But instead I just sort of sat there and ate jacket potatoes. So I don't know. I think before the Crown, I think that was in the time where TV wasn't considered to be anywhere close to film. Like if you were acting in TV, then you didn't exist basically in a whole entire genre. It was almost like you couldn't cross over from TV film

because that just didn't happen. Who did that? That never happened. And so I'd done films and I'd gone up to films and I'd done small parts and films and things like that. But it was very clearly defined. And then I remember going up to the crown and it being Netflix and this whole unknown thing

and just thinking, well, this is going to be a disaster, isn't it? I mean, who's going to watch this? And it's going to just sort of disappear into like nowhere. And that, do you know what I mean? No one really knew what that was at that point. And it just, and so it was completely different. But yeah, I didn't, I'd always been surprised for the jobs that I got and the things that came my way.

And that was probably the most amazing, is the most amazing thing about this. And it's different now because I don't audition like I, as much as I would, I would much prefer to audition for every job, basically. But for me, it feels much more reassuring than just someone saying, you do this. because when you audition for stuff as well you can you give yourself a dry run at it and you go, or I'm going to do my best for this one but I don't think this one's for me

or you know you can work on it and you can figure out whereas now you sort of have to hit the ground running and just be like okay well they trust like oh Claire Floyd big time award winner she knows how to do anything we don't need to test her and you're like wait wait no I'm a bit like going

if anything I do, I think, you know, that does bother me. So were you referenced this, like, were you going up for, like, were you auditioning for Game of Thrones or to be the Bond Girl or to be, you know, like, were you in that time, were you up for big things that almost happened? Or did you have near or missus? You must have had one or two or you're like, oh, this is going to change my life. Um, uh.

Oh, I can see it. There's one. There's one. No, no, no. So there were choices that I made. Like Game of Thrones, for example, wasn't, I didn't want to go any further with that because of all sorts of things, mainly the whole nudity situation. I was like, I'm pretty sure I don't want to, I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen. Got it. But, yeah, there were, like, there is for everybody. There's so many things that there were so many things that I would. basically it would be me well you get told it's you and someone else but it could be you and like 25 other people let's be honest

but it would always be that thing where they go it would be they go for a name or that thing and I think that's just what happens and I never really I have this weird mentality where I never really had trouble with saying

goodbye to something I never really held on to things and I think that's because the things I really truly absolutely loved that I put everything into I ended up getting and I wouldn't have put that much into it unless I'd really, I don't know, been desperate for it. But yeah, I never really, I never was really,

there's probably loads of them, but none of them, that's the funny thing. If I'd have been in it, it wouldn't have been what it was. And I think that even now, there's things that I have done or haven't done. And I think if I'd have been in that, there's no way it would have been that good. or, do you know what I mean?

It just, it would never have lived the life that it did. And I just don't think you can hold on to any of those choices, really, until you're about 60 and you say, I used to be. Exactly. I look forward to those conversations in 20, 25 years and we can really dig in. Oh, God. So let's talk one of my favorite subjects, comfort movies. I've dug into this with people the last year and a half.

I asked you for your comfort movie you had it down to Unfaithful in this one I'm joking I saw somewhere that you were a fan of that film I love Unfaithful I have a great piece of work

You don't want to watch that I was gonna say With your mom Bring the kids over No Your comfort movie is an undeniable classic Claire tell us your comfort movie And in a nutshell

Why this stuck out for you it's when Harry met Sally in a nutshell and I'm amazed that no one else has picked it I mean that's shocking to me it's like the epitome of a comfort film I think I probably know every single word in it I watched it from a very young age which looking back now is probably not appropriate but it's quite interesting because through different phases of my life when I've watched it it now means something I now like genuinely now I'm like oh I get that line yeah like when I was 17 I really really didn't understand what that meant. It's just, oh, it's just amazing. Anything with Meg Ryan in it is a comfort film. She's like a warm blanket. And it's funny and it's clever and it's heartwarming. And it's, you know, just erring on the edge of just would never happen.

But in real life. But that's always good. And it's everything. It's the food they eat. The way they walk, it's the clothes they wear. It's how she drinks out of an Evian bottle. It's like her Rolodex thing where she's got all her things, like of the films in, it's everything.

What has it taught you about love and relationships, either as a child or coming back to it now? What are the lessons to be gleaned, you think, from what Harry Metz Allen? Wow. There's some basic truths that are in there. I mean, Nora Ephron, of course. We should mention Rob Reiner directed, Nora Ephron wrote it, if you've been living under a rock the last 30 years

of Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan and Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby flawless. I think everybody should, I think if you're a human being, you have to watch that film. It should be like what you have to do in life as a thing because you don't get it.

Oh. What does it talk me? I don't know. But his mate has a massive mustache. I love his massive mustache. I don't know because there's lots of gender stereotypes in there that would now probably not be that great. I think with the conviction with which they do it, you know, Meg Ryan's like this completely neurotic, sort of weirdly not passionate woman, although she obviously is. And then Billy Crystal's like just going shagging around, making women meow and stuff like that.

And it just, there's that sort of side of it. But you're making the case against it. You're convincing yourself and you don't love it. No, no, I'm not. I can never do that. But I suppose that they row in it and they shout to each other.

And the thing that I love about it is that he very clearly has this idea of a woman he will fall in love with and a woman he will be with and a woman that, and so does she. And ultimately in the end, they're friends. And that's basically what means

that they love each other. They love each other. And that's more important than, a lot of things if you find someone that you love like that and you think they're brilliant then you're all right there are so many iconic scenes in it um i guess the one that just will be played until the end of time is the scene in cats is uh with her simulating orgasm which you know there's a lot of war around the scene if you don't know it i'm sure you do i think it's rob reinder's mom that delivers the amazing line at the end of the scene i'll have what she's having

So good. I also didn't realize when I was reading up on it that apparently it wasn't scripted that way, like that she would actually simulate it, that she was going to talk about it, but it was Meg's idea to actually. I just love that, Meg. Imagine being called Meg. Hi, I've got your name Meg. You've got such a girl crush on Meg. Oh, my God, I love her so much. I love her so much.

It's the way she was, everything she dresses, like in French kiss. I'm just going to beat her. French kiss, that's a good, it's a deep cut. Kevin Kline. Love the Kevin Klan. Come on. Oh, he's always carrying around a little vein. He's got the little vines.

Oh, I love it. Yeah. Yeah. Would you have felt like imagine yourself in that situation. You've gone to extreme lengths. Would you have come there? Would you have felt comfortable going there? I don't know whether I think I think what she did there was a very, very big move for women by just sort of going.

Do me a favor. do me a favour you don't understand anything that we're doing or saying at any point because you've never listened or care or even been bothered to so I think her choice

was just extraordinary but also I think what Harry Met Sally marks me as well is like the beginning and basically probably a good like six years of rom-com where they weren't self

like referencing it wasn't like its own genre basically it was genuine right you know even the way that the lady delivers the line i have what she's having it she wasn't delivering it to be a cliche but now it feels like the romcom is gone like it has died because we're too cynical or also too outward looking in we can't be genuine in that moment you know it it's really bizarre no you're right as as you're talking about i'm thinking about it like it finds a really nice kind of like narrow lane between like the hyper real and and and and the very like kind

of like true to life like I mean it's a very New York film obviously I'm me growing up in New York and when I see that movie I see my New York even if it's a little bit like you know softer focus a little bit but it's not like so far removed it it traffics in real human emotion and real and real truths to relationships even if it is a very like Hollywood movie so it really finds that great balance um it's not sex in the city did really well which was the fact that you still emotionally engaged with it. And actually, I take that back because did you see, is it love life? Is it love life?

I haven't seen it. Yeah, yeah. That was like the first thing that I feel like I've seen that I've gone, I believe it, I don't feel like it's like making, it's trying to have to be a genre. Right. You know, it just is what it is. And it's okay. Like when at what point people falling in love became like a, something that people

don't want to watch all I want to watch basically all the time and it's all anyone ever cares about ever when you're what I mean apart from movies like you know

but it's all you ever want to see isn't it you're just like oh when are they coming back on screen again if I can just sit there and park and the glow

of them fancy each other love it love it so as we wrap up what have you so you like to love life anything else you've been watching

or listening to audio have you been reading your daughter the Harry Potter books or you let the audio books do the do the work for you. We need Stephen Fry to do it.

Yeah. He's much better than I am. Oh, you could do all the voices. You would be excellent. Oh, I do love doing all the voices. Yeah, we leave him to do it. Although that's one of the greatest regrets of my professional life that I will never be in a Harry Potter film because they were really been made. It was anything.

I just would have loved. Was it not the right time? Like, you were you never up for a Potter? No. No. I once went up for a part to play Daniel Craig's. Not Daniel Craig. Daniel Craig's mom

this is what's wrong with Hollywood Daniel Radcliffe's sister sister but I didn't get that part and also I don't think that film ever happened no I've been reading this you can't read that because it's actually Shuggy Bain Shuggy Bain I don't know that it's amazing

it just won the book prize amazing um what normal people i watched about 4,000 times hence the people were falling in love in it yeah all i want to watch um what else do you do any binges did you do any did you go back and like fill in any gaps in a very dark spell um when then knowing there was nothing i'm not very good anyway with keeping up with all this because there's so much to watch i'm just not very good at it but um when it was like a war season time um I watched, I think, from series one to, I think, possibly six of ER. Wow, that's a lot of episodes.

It's a lot of episodes. I had a lot of time. I was knitting whilst also watching ER. And that was more of a sort of memory exercise in a way. Does it hold up? I mean, I watched it all at the time, but yeah. Some bits do, like, some really do hold up. And also the episodes where they sort of went a bit artsy and they did like,

It was all like one take, like one shot. Or didn't they do live episodes, I feel like. They did yet. Yeah. And there were things that they did, which you've seen, have completely episodic television, like that idea. They just invented it, basically.

But each one was in its own little storyline. But when it was all about, what are they called? George Clooney's character. Yeah, Ross. Doug Ross. Yeah. Doug Ross and Nurse Hathaway. Joanna Margulies, oh.

Yeah, that was, oh, what a beauty. Like, that was, you know, the dream because they were falling in love again. Clearfoy, romantic. We've discovered the ultimate romantic. If a film literally doesn't have any romance in that, I'm like, what? Why am I here?

What's the point? I'm very discerning. But yeah, and then some bits of VR, I was a bit like, oh, boy. But what I did, yeah, I, yeah, what I really loved about it was that you know it was a very diverse cast like it was really you know it's in Chicago isn't it Chicago? Yep yep the cold one yeah so it's really it was really amazing to see that like 20 however many years ago it was they were sort of on it yeah

Eric LaSalle is as strong as any performer in that show great yeah um but yeah it was a I became slightly obsessed of it because when what's his name got a brain tumour. Oh, Anthony Edward's character? Does he get it? Yeah, Anthony Edwards, yeah. I was obsessed that I had one. Like, it was because I couldn't watch

any medical program without going, I'm also going to die like that. Yeah, I'm going to get a pop. And people are always popping up blood in ER. Like, that was like one symptom. And there's like a couple of symptoms where they like rubbed the bottom of someone's foot. Some things will be very useful in my life going forward. It's one of my favorite tropes in films over ever is just.

the um you know that that thing of like the coughing up the blood in the tankerchief and you know like oh they're going to die in four scenes oh hey it's i have been in so many things where that happened and i'm like it's like it's like the it's like the someone's died slide down the wall or door that sort of thing it's a it's a shortcut so we haven't got time to go into this the audience you know die on some sort of illness that involves coughing up blood anyone know what that might be, tuberculosis? Sure. He died of consumption.

All right, I'm sure I have to let you go to raise your child, but last thing, I promise. I'm just curious. I'm excited. Did you shoot the film directed by Sarah Polly, the great Sarah Polly and this insane cat? Yeah, the great Sarah Polly, yeah. She's a very impressive woman.

I've always admired her acting, her directing. And you're in this with France? Francis McDormann, Rooney. It's the Elizabeth Salander support group comes together. Yeah, there we are, together forever. Did you compare notes? Did you talk at all about that or no? We had to, I mean, we had to talk about it.

Yeah, to get it out of the open. No, they were in with the woman. Yeah. What we said, no one shall ever know. Oh, no. But yeah, it was the most extraordinary car. Oh, my God. It was like the most amazing.

so hard, like so, so hard. Yeah, Jesse Buckley, then we're sure. Like Judith Ivy, Sheila McCarthy, Michelle, yeah. Did you shoot this in the last year? Did you shoot this? Yeah, I just shot it in the summer, in Toronto. You just shot it in Toronto in the summer. Amazing.

It was extraordinary, yeah. Excellent. Well, I am very much looking forward to that. I'm very much looking forward to hopefully at some point actually breaking out of our Zoom boxes and seeing each other in person. Can you imagine? Can we even...

I just started giving people, like, willy-nilly giving people cuddle. And I know that some people are quite bad. Some people look uncomfortable. And I'm not, sorry. Again, to name drop our friend, when I ran into Benedict at this party, he's like, are we doing this?

Like, I'm like, bring it in. We need it. I need it. I need me some Ben hugs. He smells really good as well. He's very clean, person. isn't he the best god oh he smells like freshly laundered he's so crisp and narrow and disgusting anyway i don't know what this podcast has turned into um congratulations on the double whammy that is my son in the electrical life of louis wayne everybody should check it out um

and uh this has been a positive delight i take it back you're in the top like three It's fine. I just hope that, you know, I imagine the top 25% is actually pretty good. No, no, no. I had to like temper. I didn't want you to think, I didn't want you to know how I really felt about you because then you'd just be scared and run away. Okay. It's good to see you my friend as always. You can tell me. You can tell me. Like, I need it. You can tell me. You can do that. And so ends another edition of happy, sad, confused. Remember to review, write a 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. The Old West is an iconic period of American history and full of legendary figures whose names

still resonate today. Like Jesse James, Billy the Kid, and Butch and Sundance, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and Geronimo, Wyatt Earp, Batmasterson, and Bass Reeves, Buffalo Bill Cody, Wild Bill Hickok, the Texas Rangers, and many more. Hear all their stories on the Legends of the Old West podcast. We'll take you to Tombstone, Deadwood, and Dodge City, to the plains, mountains, and deserts for battles between the U.S. Army and Native American warriors, to dark corners for the disaster of the Donner Party, and shining summits for achievements like the Transcontinental Railroad, We'll go back to the earliest days of explorers and mountain men and head up through notorious Pinkerton agents and gunmen like Tom Horn.

Every episode features narrative writing and cinematic music, and there are hundreds of episodes available to binge. I'm Chris Wimmer. Find Legends of the Old West, wherever you're listening now.