Happy Sad Confused - Dane DeHaan

Episode Date: February 15, 2017

If you’ve seen Dane DeHaan’s work, you might think he’s a tortured angst-ridden teenager, prone to moodiness and ripping a bully at school’s teeth out (okay, that just happened in “Chronicle”, the movie that launched his big screen career). The reality is DeHaan is a pretty even keel guy, and yes a fully functional well adjusted adult. He’s 31, happily married (to actress Anna Wood), and expecting his first child this year, all while juggling two major films he’s the lead in. The first of these, “A Cure For Wellness” (opening this week) puts DeHaan through the paces (if you fear the dentist, drowning, or car crashes, you’ve been warned). On this episode of “Happy Sad Confused”, DeHaan reveals he’s been through worse, almost getting his head cracked open on the set of “Chronicle”. But enough about near death experiences, this conversation is filled with fun, from the actor geeking about his forthcoming sci-fi film, “Valerian”, to what his Match.com profile would look like (spoiler: do NOT touch his feet). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Welcome to the show. Joining me as always is, Samick, we went over this. Come on, that's when you say your name. I thought you were going to, I thought you were going to give me like a rock star intro. No, I don't do rock star intros. I do really sad attempts at it. intros, and you save me. I'm worried about this spa thing.

Well, it actually is apropos for what he's promoting. Don't worry. Did he have just like a bad experience yesterday? No. I have a rash. Though we do talk about his not liking people to touch his feet. But that's kind of spot related. Dane Dahan is the guest today.

He is promoting a film called A Cure for Wellness, which opens Thursday evening. And it is a super freaky, weird. weird fucked up movie. And I mean that in a nice way. Yeah. Even the commercials, I'm like, ooh, I got to turn it off. Yeah, it's pretty cool. It's basically he plays like a kind of a jerk who goes to this weird spa to find a co-worker who's kind of gone off the reservation. And he basically goes on the worst, like, you know, it's journey for any human being

can go on. He's put through the emotional and physical ringer in it. It's exceptionally well directed by Gore Vubinsky who did the Pirates movies. It's a good piece of work. and Dane is excellent in it and this is a fun conversation with Dane Dahan. I'm excited. We love Dane Dahan here. I'm a big fan. He's somebody that I've gotten to know

a bunch in recent years, thanks to his work in Chronicle in Kill Your Darling's opposite our guy, Daniel Radcliffe. They came in for an after hours a couple years ago. They did. And we talk a bunch about Dan, how could we not and how he's a perfect human being, blah, blah, blah.

We love. And we talk a bunch about Valerian, which I've talked about a bunch in this podcast. That is, of course, the sci-fi film from Luke Bassan and star. Are you the official spokesperson for Valerian Now, or is... I did say to Dan in the conversation, I'm like, your movie better be really good because I have my reputation riding on this one. Truly. I believe it will be good. I truly do. And, of course, that one stars Dane alongside Cara Delavine. So, yeah, now we just need Kara. We've had Luke on the podcast. We've had Dane.

Kara, what are you doing? Kara. Come visit us. I think we'll get her. I think she'll come by. We got candy. Josh has had the same candy in his office for a year and a half now. True story. You can have some.

True story. So, yeah. So Dane is the main guest on this week's Happy Sack Confused. I will make the intro short because this is a fun conversation. I don't want to waste any of our listeners' precious times. Sammy's wearing a heart shirt because it is Valentine's Day. Sure is. I hope you guys had a great Valentine's Day.

Yes, full of love. We just recorded Dane on Valentine's Day. And it felt like there was a lot of love in the air. Really? Did you guys both compare what you're doing for your significant others tonight? We did. Who's more romantic? Well, I spoke to, and Anna, his wife came by and had a chance to chat with her for a while. They were planning on, they had a nice dinner planned.

I can say this now after the fact. But they were also debating whether they should just get in their sweats and do nothing because he's been doing a press tour. Real love. That's what it's all about. Real love. They're going to have a baby soon. It's all good. Good for Dane.

Happiness and joy while the world around this crumbles. Please enjoy this conversation with Dane Dahan and check out a cure for wellness out in theaters this weekend. Without any further ado. Here's Dane. Very excited to be joined by the legendary Dane Dahan. Hey, Dan. What's up, man? How you doing, buddy?

Good. How are you? I'm doing well. I'm doing well. Welcome to the podcast. First time on the podcast. We're both wearing stripes. I know you can't see us, but we're both wearing stripes. It's Stripe Day. It's Valentine's Day. Happy Valentine's Day to you. There's no one I'd rather spend, well, maybe top 10 people I'd want to spend Valentine's Day with. You're top 50 for me, for sure.

Okay, I'll take that. You know a lot of people. Yeah, I know a lot of people. I know way more people than most people. And when I think of date on, I think that guy knew is like a thousand people. He's got the most Facebook friends Of anybody I know Yeah, it's an odd I don't even know It's an odd way to spend Valentine's Day, I guess At least your lovely wife is hanging around

For the press day She's here, yeah She's good to have her She's nearby if anything goes awry here That's right Has the day been a little weird You're talking We're gonna talk here for wellness

This is a fun, interesting one to talk about I'm sure with like the junket press Yeah, sure, it's definitely a movie most people can't wrap their minds around you know it's a wild crazy movie so um it's uh but you know people seem to genuinely enjoy it you know i i truly did i honestly did yeah and i think it's fun to go to promote a movie that's this i mean really like mind blowing yeah like people it's a it's a it's a it's a we can we can curse here i'll curse for us it's it's a mind fuck it's a it's a it's a it's probably the weirdest movie you'll see this year by a major studio i would say yeah

Sure. Right? Yeah, I think, and maybe not even in recent years. You know, like, studios don't make these kinds of movies anymore. So, I mean, I saw you recently when, like, Fox showed, like, the first, like, 40 minutes or so. And that, I was, I was totally swept up in that. I mean, and it's great. And we'll get into more details about sort of storyline and stuff. But, like, if you think the first 40 minutes is kind of, like, out there and that shit, like, hold on to your seats because it really goes to far weird places. And that's part of the fun. It's totally true. I remember during that press junk in everybody, like, whoa, those first 40 minutes pretty crazy. And I was like, you have no idea, dude. Like, literally no idea. It gets insane. Yeah. Yeah.

It's a movie. So it's directed by Gore Vibinsky. He's one of these, like, filmmakers that probably the general public doesn't know his name, but you've like, he's like one of the most successful filmmakers of all time, thanks to the Pirates films. Yeah, the first three pirates films, the ring. Rango. Very cool. Won an Oscar for Rango.

Yeah. Yeah. And he's certainly, I mean, the world that he creates in this one, and not even just creates, I mean, you shot on location, I know, you had to. It's very striking. It kind of just grabs you and doesn't let go. Talk to me a little bit about sort of just like what, I mean, you knew what you were getting into. You read this crazy script.

You'd probably talk to Gore a bunch. Yeah. And it is, I mean, it is a world he created. Like, we shot on location, but we shot on so many different locations. You know, and he took this, the exterior is this castle that called the Hohenzelern Castle. It's an amazing, amazing place. And then we filmed it like this old war hospital, Beelitz, where like Hitler was cured of polio in World War I. And then we, which was a weird place.

And we shot some on the studio and like in small towns all across Germany. So he took a bunch of different locations to make this one year. world of the sanitarium. And so to give folks a little bit of setup, you play, basically a jerk, you're an asshole, you're not a good guy, let's be frank. No, yeah, totally. I have the sickness. You do.

I have the sickness. Most of us do, apparently. And we need to go to this creepy spa to drink the waters and soak up in the waters and find this strange weird cure that seems to be like also fucking with people's brains. We don't really know what's up for a long while. Sure, yeah, yeah. So I work on, like, my character's name is Lockhart. He works for like a Wall Street money hedge fund kind of firm.

And it's like it's in turmoil and the company's in turmoil and the CEO of the company has gone to the spa in the Swiss Alps. And he hasn't come back. So I'm sent to go and fetch him, bring him back before the company folds. But the spons are being this really crazy, weird, mysterious, sinister place. And it sends me on a wild ride. Is this, did this put you through the physical ringer more than any other film? that you've been through because it's maybe it's movie magic or not but it seems like you're going to extremes you're underwater you're losing parts of your anatomy you think bad things are

happening yeah and to in some ways yeah I mean I think I've I've ultimately made more physically demanding movies but every day on this we filmed it for five months and it was a huge either physical or like psychological demanding day you know and the the the some of the sequences the I'd like to call it my month of torture where there's like there's three i guess times in the movie where you could say i'm tortured tortured tortured um and they decided to film those all back to back to back so for for that month i was being tortured and um you know gore shoots in a really slow methodical way and we tried to do it as safe as possible but yeah you know it's like it was two weeks in that water

tank i would think any time you get into like a tank you're underwater for any period of time And that's, I mean, no matter how trained the professionals are around you, there's got to be an element of fear involved. Yeah, sure. Like, yeah, I was crying. Yeah, I was scared. It was horrible. But it's okay, because I was supposed to be scared because that's what happens in the movie. Yeah, I mean, there's totally an element of danger.

You know, you're making it as safe as possible, but bolting someone underwater in a cast, like literally bolted to the sides of the sides of the, this thing to keep me my body horizontal breathing through an oxygen and tube and it's just me and a camera guy in there it's not safe you know you make it as safe as possible but there's a safety diver on standby we actually had to use the safety diver once

because it just it can get crazy and I'm communicating with hand signals and yeah it's dangerous what's uh have you ever been in the case of doing a stunt on any film where you felt like this is it this was a bad call and this is it's going down a bad way

Yes, I have. During Chronicle, actually, there was this one stunt that I really wanted to do. And they kept telling me I was going to be able to do it. And then we got to set on the day, and they were having the stunt guy do it. And I was like, you guys, you told me I was doing it. And I really, like, put up a fight to be able to do it. And it was this really complicated wire scene that required, I think, because everything shot, like, in one take, there was almost like five kilometers of wire being used, and I was strapped to it.

there was a point in which my wire is supposed to speed up and I was supposed to start running and there was a truck behind me with a techno crane on it and it was following me and I was like holding the camera like my character was holding the camera and it's like I let it up and I was supposed to start running but my wire got stuck and didn't move and the truck didn't see that I had stopped running and I was basically running in place and the truck kept going and there was a safety guy on the wire that that that's I was there to pull me up, if anything went wrong. And he noticed at the last second it pulled me up, and my head actually slammed into the techno crane on the camera. But the technocrine on the camera was really just six inches in front of the truck's hood. So I was really close to getting seriously, seriously injured. And that's the day I learned that stuntman exists for a reason. And don't be a stupid brave who think you're being a brave asshole and always kill yourself.

Like, use your stunt guy. Yeah. Like swallow your pride. use your stunt guy. Luckily you found that out without breaking your head in half, which could have happened. Yeah, you talk to people like, like Harrison Ford, oh, people famously asking about the stunts he does. He's like, I don't do stunts. I do physical acting. And when it's time for a stunt, the stunt guy does the stunts. Well, totally. And inherently, actually, the phrase, I do my own stunts is a, it's a trick phrase, right? Because everybody does their own stunts.

Right. You know, it's like a, you don't, saying I did all the stunts in the movie that my character does, It's different saying, I did all my own stunts because you're basically saying all the stunts that I did, I did this. Right. It's also a bit like, yeah, well, it's a good thing you got that out of the way now. I mean, maybe, because, I mean, I would think there's still, like, you know, an adrenaline rush that you get when you sign onto a part. And, like, I know, like, you know, I just saw the John Wick movie. And I know Keanu takes a lot of pride in doing, like, all that kind of stuff. And I'm sure, like, yeah, that's like for certain kinds of jobs, you want to learn new skills. You want to push yourself.

But you also have to know your limits. You have to, man. You got to know when it's time to get the guy that actually is, like, a professional at doing that stuff. So I guess the hope is, among other things about this film, this does for spas, what Jaws did for the water, essentially, or sharks. Yeah, what Jaws did for the day at the beach. We want to do for a day at the spa. I do find spas a little, they're a little, there is something creepy about them. Are you a spa guy?

I can get into a spa. Yeah, you can do a good massage, a good pedicure. I know somebody is actually working on your feet right now, which is odd that you brought somebody in here. while the podcast was happening. What do you mean? That's not normal? I don't know who this guy is. Is he with you or is he with us?

Yeah, this is Surge. And he's my foot guy. He's my foot guy. He's my foot guy. I'm weird about feet, actually. I don't, I freak out if people touch my feet. Yeah, that's not unusual. my own feet that much.

Other people touch my feet and today I'm going to do everyone a favor. I'm going to attend to these bad boys. And you go to the person doing the job being like, I'm so sorry. We're just going to get through this together. I am embarrassed. I'm going to go. But actually, I mean, honestly, since I've made this movie, I haven't been

able to go to the spa and not think about this movie. You know, like I was getting a massage the other day and they were playing this music that looks new agey music that I think was supposed to relax me. And it was amazing to me how close it was to movie, like, eerie music from a horror movie. It was just kind of freaking me out. And, like, I'll never look at steam rooms the same

again. And, you know, they, it's kind of the perfect thing to corrupt because a lot of people think of them as such, you know, safe, chill places. It's fun to kind of turn that on its head. This is Happy SAC Confused. We'll be right back after this. I never thought about space in my cramped apartment, but in this house, all I see is empty space. The sofa and ottoman look like tiny islands in a sea of hardwood floors. I could get two Ottomans in the living room, but then I'd need another sofa. I could tell people I'm into minimalism. Anyway, when you save with Progressive by mundling your home at Auto, that's the easy part of adjusting to the suburbs.

Progressive casualty insurance company coverage provided in service by affiliates and third-party insurers. Do you have any longstanding phobias? Fierce. Roller coasters. Really? Yeah, I hate roller coasters. From as a kid, too, you never got into them? No, I never liked them.

They've always freaked me out. And just like the motion, do you get sick? It's like on the way up, I get convinced I'm going to die. And I have a full-on panic attack. Yeah. It's not good. I freak out. We were going to go to Coney Island after this.

I guess that's off the... No, Coney Island. No. I'll play the games. That's what we do. Every guest on Cappy Second Fused. the end of the podcast. We go to Coney Island.

I'll go to the freak show. I'll eat some hot dogs. Okay. Okay. Well, next July 4, let's do the hot dog eating contest. Okay. It is Valentine's Day. That'd be a romantic date for me and you, Josh, from him to Coney Island.

I need some hot dogs and saw the freak show. Our wives are like, where did they go? Are you relieved? You've been together with your wife for a while. You're relieved you don't have to deal with the horribleness of the modern dating world, the online dating, the Tinders, et cetera's. Yeah. Yeah, I feel pretty lucky to have avoided that. Yeah, we've been together for like 12 years or something.

It's been a while since college. So, yeah, I never, I think I would be really bad at dating, like really bad. What would your, okay, so it's not going to happen because you're very happy. You're going to have a kid. Congratulations. Very happy for you guys. Thanks. What would your, let's do your match.com profile? What are your likes?

What are Dane's likes that you would put if you were dating somebody right, or looking for somebody right now? Well, oh, my gosh. See, this is the problem. So what do you do? You just put things that you like. I mean, I don't know. I've been with my wife or longer than you. I've been with yours, so we're talking, two idiots talking.

I like, well, I guess you'd have to say things that are like you would think are appealing to people I would want to date you. Okay. Like, for instance, I like playing golf, but I wouldn't put that on. Yeah, that's probably not a big draw. I like, oh, I like playing golf, no way. What about, what about, what I like, I like, I like, uh, I like, I like, rest. I like, I'm a foodie, total foodie. Yeah.

I like a good cup of coffee. Just a simple guy, simple pleasures. Yeah, I like, I don't know. Any hobbies besides golf? Do I have hobbies? Yeah. I don't know. Not really.

Like, I like, I like chopping wood a lot. That would be good. I mean, that might confuse people, though. Like, Nick Offerman in here all of a sudden. Well, I don't make anything out of the world, but I like chopping it. I do. really like chopping wood. Wow.

It just reminds you you're a man and you can cut things in half with your brute strength? I don't know if that's it. I'm going deeper than you weren't expecting. I don't know.

Like sometimes, I feel like honestly my life is so exciting in a way that I never expected it to be and I'm so lucky to always be like going around the world and making crazy movies and filming on location

that when I'm home I just want to do, I like crave manual labor. Right. You know, I like, I, I, I've learned to, like, lay stones, like, stone patio. Like, I've gotten pretty into that. Um, chopping wood. I love to, like, like, gardening.

Like, I like, doing these things. Gardening might be good on a match. Yeah. Like, that's a nice sensitive, like, you know, thing. I'm surprised you're, I mean, you haven't defected as far as I know yet to the evil West Coast yet. You're still. I was there for two and a half years and then I came back.

I escaped. Oh, really? Yeah. Maybe I missed this. This interim, was this recent you were back in L.A.? No, it's been like four years. Okay, so probably since we've been talking mostly, you've been a, you've been a Yorker. Yeah, probably.

Okay. So, and there's enough garden space for you in the outer boroughs. Yeah, I have a, I have my own secret garden. Are we still talking about literally a garden or is that a metaphor? That's literally. I have a literal secret garden. Pet peeves, we talk about the feet. Don't touch my feet.

I don't know if you want to put that in a match.com profile. Probably, yeah, I probably would Because I don't want someone that loves feet Let's just get this out of the way Yeah, let's get it out of the way Like I don't like feet So if you're a foot, if you've got a foot thing I am not your man

But I do have a secret garden Okay, so let's go back Back into the childhood days of Little Dane I want to talk to Little Dane Okay, you ready? It's like going back into the recesses of your brain Because we haven't talked about your background much, I think, in the past. Like, what were you into as a kid was acting?

How early did acting emerge as the thing? Yeah, kind of always and forever. Like, I loved playing, like, dress up and, you know, pretend and that kind of thing. Like, put on the play in your backyard, you know? I remember, like, Dick Tracy. I put on Dick Tracy, you know. It was a big hit. I tried when Warren Beatty was on the podcast, we were talking about Warren before we started here.

Oh, yeah. I was trying to get dirt on because he apparently wants to do it, Dick Tracy's sequel? Yeah, well, he owns like the rights to it, right? So no one can make it if he doesn't. Well, here's a fascinating side note. Maybe it's just fascinating to me and you. But okay, so yes, he owns the rights. Yeah. And what he did about like 10 years ago,

so the movie came out like 25 years ago, probably, something like that. And I think in order to retain the rights, like you have to use them every so often. Right. So he did a special with Leonard Malton where he played Dick Tracy that like nobody's, it's like on YouTube. Look it up. It's the most bizarre

weird thing where he's in character, talking about as Dick Tracy in the special that ran on Fox like 10 years ago. No way. And I guess he still owns the rights. Well, look, I know Warren Bade is a huge fan of your podcast and listens to all the episodes.

So if you're out there, Warren Bady, I would love to be the new Dick Tracy. Oh, my God. I don't know if he's ready to hand it off to anybody. I think that's the problem. I think he still wants to be Dick Tracy. Well, okay. Well, I will eat still.

You could be kid. You could be Charlie Korsmo. Totally. That would be awesome. I loved Dick Tracy. It was, it's a great movie. Yeah. Okay, so sorry, we got totally sidetracked, but, um, and where did you grow up?

Um, Allentown, Pennsylvania. Okay. Did I read that you were born here in the city, though? No. If you did. If you did, it was, I did read it, so it's a lie. Okay. Yeah, I'll turn it in fact.

Okay. Um, so, and what was the, was in treatment kind of the first, like, big break, as it were, that HBO show? Yeah, I mean, I had a lot of success in theater, but, uh, I really think that in treatment was my big break in terms of, of, like, being invited to try to be in movies. You know what I mean? Like, it was the first, it was when, that's when I moved out to L.A. When I finished in treatment. Got it.

And my wife and girlfriend was already living in L.A. And I went out there to try to break into movies because that's kind of, yeah, that was my in. And for people that don't remember in treatment, it was a really good show. It was, it was Gabriel Byrne as a therapist. And it was like, I would think it's a good training in a way, like, probably your theater background helped because they were kind of like mini plays, like each episode. Yeah, yeah. It was just dialed. between a therapist and their patient.

And it's a real-time therapy session, no flashbacks or anything. It was a really cool show. Nobody watched it. Nobody watched it. Mia Vasakowska was on it? On season one. Yeah.

So every season had a different set of patients. Yeah, Mia Vasakowska. I just like to say her name because it makes me sound smart that I know how to pronounce it. Yeah, she was on season one. Yeah. And Allison Pill.

Yes. On season two. And then so they always had like a teenager. and then I was the teenager of season three. And it kind of set you on the path of your troubled teen years in film, it feels like. Because you've played your fair share of that kind of trope in a way. For sure, yeah. I don't think I've ever played anyone like Jesse again.

Right. But I, but it did, yeah, it, it, it, I think, you know, young actors don't get an opportunity to do material like in treatment. Sure. You know, it's like amazing, amazing material and really demanding stuff. And they would take unknown young actors and they would give them the opportunity to showcase themselves in a way that I think it's hard to find opportunities like that. And yeah, so I think it did really show people that I was capable. And so that's why, you know, I started to do, you know, more all these complicated, troubled teens, my screen teens. I refer to that period of my life as my screen teens

because I was like 23, but I was playing teenagers. Right, right. And was Chronicle, did Chronicle come relatively soon after? Yeah, there was only a tiny gap. Yeah, I think, well, I made Lawless first. Oh, really? Yeah, I made Lawless. I sat on the shelf a little bit, as I recall, right?

I made Lawless first, but literally 24 hours after rapping Lawless, I was in Cape Town getting ready to shoot Chronicle. And then two weeks after that, I was in Schenectady getting ready to shoot, Place Beyond Minds, of course. So all that stuff was really, you know, back to back to me. Nice. So, okay, so let's start with Wallace. I'm curious because Shia was on the podcast recently, but I love that guy. And that was an interesting production.

I mean, it sounded like, you know, you had some interesting personalities between Hardy and Shia. There was a lot of testosterone. Right. And Jessica has stayed in the middle of it. Yeah, sure. Yeah. A lot of us in the middle of it. Yeah, and that

Did you feel caught in the middle of like some Like, because you were probably Early film for you, you just probably wanted to get along And not ruffle feathers and Well yeah, I still don't want to ruffle feathers You know, I think I think both Hardy and Shia Still enjoy ruffling feathers

A lot more than, you know It's the process Yeah But you know what's cool about that movie Looking back on it is like Hardy hadn't even Made Batman yet And none of Jessica Chastain's movies had come out yet. I remember being at dinner with her

and being like, yeah, I have like five movies that are waiting to come out. And like, you know, it was kind of Jason Clark. Yeah. It's like so many people from that movie are now, have gone on to do such great things, or their movies have come out and people have realized how amazing they are. And that's cool. Did I talk

to you and Jason and Shia at Comic-Con for that? Yeah. That was a weird. That was a weird moment, as I recall. Yeah, well, you know, you can always count on Shia for a weird moment. Yeah, I didn't mean to make it stranger than it was, but I do recall that was one of the other conversations I've had with Shia and company over the years, but all good. And I do, frankly, like that movie a lot, John Hillcote, right?

The filmmaker behind that one. Yeah, it's a cool movie, yeah. And then Chronicle, obviously many probably first saw you in that on a wider scale that movie was so well received and did really well. I'm curious because, like, it was Josh Trank, right? and you were kind of referred to when you were telling you kind of like stunt story before but like it's almost like it's found footage essentially. So did it feel like

you're making a big movie or did it feel like you're making like just a a verite student film with handheld camera? Like did it feel like it had scope and scale of a studio movie or what? Yeah. Well look it was the second big movie I'd ever made. So like I hadn't been like on the set of a

$200 million movie yet. So yeah I mean we had a studio and we had a studio and he had like big cameras and we were doing all this wirework and it definitely felt bigger than I think he you know ingeniously made it look I think we really felt like

we were doing something special but it you know it was a relatively a small movie I think it was like a $12 million movie but yeah I think you know there we had like a week in front of green screen and all that but we did try to do as much practical as we could

were you surprised in the wake of that after having what's probably I assume was a good experience with the cast and Josh that like what went down on Fantastic Four clearly nobody really had a good time on that one and he's yeah I mean movies are crazy man that's your takeaway that's the lesson yeah

the takeaway is movies are crazy just no movies are crazy I mean I'm the biggest Michael B. Jordan fan out there he's the best he's the best you know I think what he's gone on to do has been really amazing and you know I I wish Josh all the best in all the world

he's working with Tom Hardy soon so that should be Interesting. One of them's not going to survive that. Who? And I think Hardy's playing Al Capone. Yes. Yeah, you're right. Whoa.

I think Hardy's been playing Al Capone for years off set probably, so it's going to be amazing. Oh, my gosh, you guys. Good luck. Have fun. Could be a great movie. It could be a really great movie. I hope it is. I really do.

You're listening to Happy, Sad, Confused. We'll be right back after this. I spent a lot of time with the bromance that was you and Daniel Radcliffe in recent years. You got to know him before he was a farting corpse, so that was... I know. Yeah. He's gone on to bigger and better things. By the way, I love that movie. Swiss Army, that's great.

I haven't seen it yet. Oh, you are a horrible friend. I know. I know. I have to see it. I haven't even seen, like, most of the Harry Potter. movies well maybe that's probably why he got along with you if I had to guess to be honest um what was the that is my most redeeming quality that's on the match dot com profile yeah I've seen have not seen most Harry Potter movies did um what was the point of bonding on that one was it uh was a fantasy football was it like why did we get

along so well yeah well you know I think in a way um a lot of times um it's movie dependent you And it's like a movie in which we were kind of in love with each other. So in a way, it was our job to fall in love with each other. And we just got along really well. You know, he's such a cool, awesome, down-to-earth person. We've gone on to play. Our fantasy football league is still going strong. Is that right?

Yeah, he's the only person that I've really, like, maintained, only actor maybe that I've really maintained a strong relationship with. Like, anytime he's in town, we're still hanging out. Nice. Yeah, he's the coolest. He kind of is. Ugh, disgusting. That we're just fawning over that guy, whatever.

I wonder what he's doing right now. Let's call him, let's call him right now. I don't think, did the best kiss campaign ever pan out? Did the MTV? I don't, no. MTV didn't award you with a nomination? No. I'm sorry.

On behalf of MTV, I apologize. No, people think I. I know, we went on this big campaign and then they were like, nope, sorry. But I think also we thought we were going to be the first, like, two dudes to be nominated. And I think that was completely not true. Like, I think dudes kissing dudes have been nominated before. There definitely had been same sex stuff before. I'm trying to think of any, if there was a dude combo.

Yeah. But that was a good, that was a good kiss. Yeah. Right? No, it's award-worthy. Are you calling me MTV? Right, MTV Harwitz? I'm a man, not a media conglomerate.

Spider-Man, or as I like to call it, Spiederman, the amazing, of the amazing kind. Highs and lows of that production? Is it all happy memories of getting involved in that one? What's the takeaway? Yeah, making it was all happy, you know? Making it was awesome. It was like a dream come true. Like, it was crazy to be in this movie and Spider-Man movie and, you know, be the green goblin,

this, like, super identifiable comic book character. And it was so much fun to make that movie. Was it fun? Was the goblin part stuff fun? Because you got to really go for it. You have to. If you're going to play the goblin, you're going to. Oh, it's so fun.

To be on that hoverboard, it's like maybe never felt cooler. Um, yeah, um, you know, I think, and it, and I look back and I just think, you know, that movie did so many good things for me, like, since then, you know, like, I don't think, and almost the reboot of it has been really good for me, too, because I, I, I don't have to make another one. Kind of the best of all possible worlds. So, raise your profile in some ways. Yeah, and like, I, you know, I wouldn't be able to be in cure for wellness if I had to make whatever sinister sticks or another Spider-Man. I would be tied to doing those movies. I wouldn't get to make Valerian, you know. I'd be making more Spider-Man movies where I would be playing a cool character, but a character I've played already and supporting character. And now I'm able to make these movies and, like, you know, star in them. And I think that I owe that to Spider-Man, you know. How concrete were the plans that were, that you knew about?

Was Sinister Six going to be the next thing that you were going to do? I don't know what the next thing was going to be. You know, they had, like, these big plans and they were, like, whispers, and we're going to do this, we're going to do this. And then, like, the whispers just faded and stopped hearing anything. Numbers were changed. Okay. Like, what's happening?

Like, what's going on, you know? Yeah. So I don't know that they knew exactly what we were going to do next. But, you know, they wanted to do a Sinister Six movie. Like, they talked about that. So Valeran, you mentioned, you know, that, like, first of all, this movie better be as great as I think it is because I feel like I've, like, put my flimsy reputation on it. I've been.

I really appreciate all you've done for Valerian, man. No, I'm a huge fan of you and Kara and, of course, Luke. And I really, everything I've seen looks awesome. I mean, that Comic-Con, I moderated that panel with you guys after I'd been on set. But, like, that Comic-Con was a great experience, I'm sure for you. I mean, just for me to moderate, but for you to see that footage and see the response must have been a gas. Totally, man. Yeah, I don't think we could have asked for anything better.

And it was that I haven't seen it, you know? Like, I'm so excited for it, too, because what I've seen, you've probably seen more than I've seen. No, I've seen exactly what you've seen probably. Have you? Well, you've looped things, so I'm sure you've seen actually much more than me. No, because the looping is like he'll only show me a two seconds at a time. Like, can I see more and be like, no, you can't.

So, I mean, and that was one of my favorite sets, honestly, to visit over the years, partially because of just the atmosphere that Luke seems to create and that facility was amazing outside of Paris. And it's true. It was my favorite set to be on. It was the most fun I've ever had making a movie. he treats everybody like family and like you're working french hours and you know he runs the show and he wants everyone to be happy so it's such a happy good it was just so much fun you know and i think the movie has every chance to be the most fun you've ever had watching a movie

you know i think like the experience i had making the movie could be people's experience watching the movie it's going to be so epic and crazy and um the world that he's created just seems so amazing. I'm so excited to see it. Well, I mean, and in some ways, you know, coming full circle on something like a cure for wellness, like I always say, like, I appreciate films, whether there are studio or independent films that are just trying stuff, that are just

going for it, that are bold and like it's the sameness of movies that drives me insane. Yeah. And I think Luke has made a, you know, it's clearly a very expensive movie. It's a big movie, but it also, like, to me, it feels like, it's like an independent movie. It's like his movie. Yeah, totally.

Well, yeah. I mean, like, look, if you look at like a Spider-Man, if, like, maybe the, the downfall of those movies sometimes is a lot of times they're movies made by committee, you know? Like, you have 10 people giving opinions at all times, and it's like, it just, it can be a battle of power and of opinion, and sometimes they're just people that want to make a decision that day. Like, it's not even, like, based in the world of it. The arbitrary notes of the studio executive can try somebody insane.

Yeah. Like, maybe they're in a bad mood that day, so they decide, like, oh, I don't like his hair, cut it. And he's like, but, you know, we spent a lot of time, like, designing this. It's like, what are you talking about? But it's like, yeah, for Valerian, like, it is unfiltered completely Luke Besson. And it's the movie he's wanted to make his entire life. And he has all the resources at his disposal.

And so I think it will have this unique voice to it that would be almost impossible for an American studio to accomplish because I think they would be so scared to relinquish that control. Oh, totally. Yeah. Was there a screen test with Kara Cardelving? No, we were cast separately. I literally like, it was a crazy surreal experience.

I got this, I got a call that Luke wanted to meet with me, and he would meet me anywhere I wanted. So I was like, okay, well, there's a brunch spot, like a block from my place, and we went and had some eggs, and he talked to me about the script, and the next thing I knew, I was in it. Like, it was, you know, a great gift that he gave me. What do you take away from that particular kind of experience? It sounds like it was a very unique one for the, you know, again, you also get to be like the lead with Cara like in a movie of that size. That's an opportunity that doesn't come along very often for somebody. Yeah. Did you learn much about sort of like what that means for you as a person and as an actor to have to be kind of like the lead in a movie of that scale?

I mean, was that intimidating and was that, did you word stuff about yourself in that process? Yeah. I mean, look, I think what I learned during that is that it is possible to be a completely happy, healthy person and make a movie at the same time. Right. You know, like, so Cure for Wellness was a marathon of a movie. Like, I was doing crazy things every day, and it was super complicated. It could be so fun to challenge yourself in those ways. But it's also fun to make something that's just, like, delightfully uncomplicated and enjoyable and, you know,

I was in the best shape of my life and I, you know, that was the most physical movie I've ever done. I did crazy stuff for that. And, you know, I think there's something almost childlike about making those kinds of movies because you use your imagination and you're playing superheroes

and it's just, it goes back to when you're a kid. And it's so important, I think, for me now as an adult actor, to remember, hey, you've been doing this since you were a kid. And like, you do this because you love to do. do it. And like, you started doing this by using your imagination. And so to be reminded of that can be almost the most important lesson. Have you decided at what age your unborn child will see a cure for wellness? I think like 35 when they're like four years older than I am right

now. You can't handle it yourself. Maybe never. But Valerian will probably be fun at a, you know, I mean, a relatively early teen kind of age. Totally. Yeah. I think I think Valerian will be pretty okay. Yeah. I think Valerian is like both the movie that I want to see now. but also like 12-year-old Josh is dying to see. Absolutely. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. Well, that's it.

I think it's the movie I wanted to make now, but also 12-year-old Dane was dying to make. What were the, were there a couple movies that, do you remember the movies that blew your mind most as a kid? I don't know. I mean, I mean, the fifth element was it. I loved the fifth element. I really did. I mean, I know that's kind of a convenient answer, but it really did kind of blow my mind. Like it was, and that movie is kind of like so watchable.

It's crazy. Like, still when it's on, I watch it. Totally. Yeah. But when I was little, little, I love newsies. You know, newsies was big. I watched it, like, every day for a while. Have you sung in a movie yet?

I'm trying to think. No, not really. Okay, not like a full-on. That's one of the one genre is a movie that I feel like I have left. It's the movie musical. And can you sing? Yeah, yeah. I mean, yeah, I can sing.

I grew up doing, like, musicals. You know, that was kind of all that there was to do in rural Pennsylvania. So if I wanted to act, I had to sing. Have you gone up for musicals? Have you had some auditions? Um, no, no, but there is this one musical that I've been attached to for a long time called Ziggy. Okay. As in Ziggy Stardust? What? No, it's not, it's not a Bowie thing.

Okay. It's just called Ziggy, and I've been attached to it for a while, and every, it's, we've been, like, developing it for a long time. So, you know, I'm attached to that one. I don't know. Maybe, hopefully one day will get made. You know, it's a miracle any time a movie. Yeah. And is, have you done theater in New York in a while or at all? It's been a while. I did a lot of it when I first got out of school. Yeah. Um, one of my very first jobs, I understudied Haley, Joel Osman in the short-lived production of American Buffalo on Broadway. Oh, yeah. Wait, I vaguely remember this. Okay. Who else was that? Cedric the entertainer, Haley Joel Osment, and John Liglizamo. Wow. Yeah.

I mean, that, that's naturally the cast you would put in an American. American Buffalo production. And David Mamet play. Yeah, obviously. It ran for less than a week. And it's like when you're in understudy, you start doing rehearsals the Friday after it opens. So you never got...

But they were like, eh, we're closing, so we're just going to cancel rehearsals. How old were you then? Like 22, I guess. Okay, yeah. And then I started doing a lot of off-Broadway theater. I was in this play The Aliens that, like, the New York Times named the play of the year that year.

Oh, nice. Yeah, Annie Baker. She's the best. So we need to get you. back on stage now that you're going to be a dad. That's a nice stable thing. You can be in the city. You can stay, you know. It would be nice. Right? Yeah, I would love to go back on stage. Do you know what the next

gig is after? Well, you're going to be busy with Valerian and obviously Cure for Wellness Now, but then you're going to probably have a huge press stuff coming out. So I'm kind of, you know, having a baby and then starting promo for Valerian. So I don't know exactly what I'm going to be doing next besides promotions.

Raising a child and and tend to you tend to your Secret Garden. Besides raising a child and traveling around the world, promoting my movie, I don't know when I'm going to be doing now. I want that to be your voice. Can you make that your permanent voice? What do you mean? This is my voice. Signing off, it's Josh Hurwitz with Dane Hahn. A Cure for Wellness opens this Friday. Everybody should check it out. Thursday.

Really? Thursday. Yeah, Thursday at 8 p.m. is the very first show. And you want to be at those shows because those are the people that matter. those are people that care about you and your future. Yeah, you want to be first in. I hear they're already selling out. You better get your ticket right now. Guys, you better get going. Start to put your jacket on as I sign off. Dan, it's always good to see you.

I'll see you, I'm sure, on the Valerian craziness. Oh, yeah. And congratulations on this one, ma'am. Thanks, man. And so ends another edition of Happy, Sad, Confused. Remember to review, rate, and subscribe to. this show on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm a big podcast person. I'm Daisy Ridley and I definitely wasn't pressured to do this by Josh. This episode of Happy Sad Confuse was produced

by Michael Katano, James T. Green, Mukda Mohan and Kashamahailovich for the MTV Podcast Network with additional engineering by Little Everywhere. You can subscribe to this and all of our other shows on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify or wherever else you find. find your favorite podcasts. The share it with a friend deal, even if that's your McDonald's, your rules. breakfast sandwiches only on the McDonald's app. Now buy one bacon egg and cheese mcgrittles or sausage egg and cheese

mcgrittles and get a second one free. Valid for item of equal or lesser value. Limited time only at participating McDonald's. Valid one per day excludes one, two, three dollar menu. Visit McDonald's app for details. Download and registration required. Goodbye. Summer movies, hello fall.

I'm Anthony Devaney. And I'm his twin brother, James. We host Raiders of the Lost Podcast, the Ultimate Movie Podcast, and we are ecstatic to break down late summer and early fall releases. We have Leonardo DiCaprio leading a revolution in one battle after another. Timothy Salome playing power ping pong in Marty Supreme. Let's not forget Emma Stone and Jorgos Lanthamos' Bougonia.

Dwayne Johnson, he's coming for that Oscar in The Smashing Machine, Spike Lee and Denzel teaming up again, plus Daniel DeLuis's return from retirement. There will be plenty of blockbusters to chat about, too. Tron Aries looks exceptional, plus Mortal Kombat 2, and Edgar writes, The Running Man starring Glenn Powell. Search for Raiders of the Lost podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.