Happy Sad Confused - Dylan O'Brien

Episode Date: September 15, 2017

Dylan O'Brien is at a crossroads in his career and he knows it. On this episode of "Happy Sad Confused", the young actor talks to Josh about the end of one era and perhaps the beginning of another. Dylan talks about his beginnings, growing up the son of an actor and a cameraman, his early aspirations to direct, and how he's desperate to get rid of his early youtube videos to this day. And then there's "Teen Wolf" of course which launched O'Brien. Dylan discusses the early days of the show and why it was important for him to come back for the final season. Things get serious in this conversation as well when Dylan speaks openly about the traumatic accident on the set of "The Maze Runner: The Death Cure" last year that had him questioning everything.  And then there's Dylan's new potential action franchise, "American Assassin". Dylan talks about the pressures of being an action star and why the film was ultimately therapeutic.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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please contact ConX Ontario at 1-866-531-2600 to speak to an advisor free of charge. Today on Happy Said Confused, Dylan O'Brien on American Assassin, Teen Wolf, and bouncing back from a serious trauma. Hey, guys, I'm Josh Horowitz. It's time for another Happy, Sad Confused, with a new guest on Happy Said Confused. Dylan O'Brien, though I've talked to in the past, has never been on the show. So thrilled to have him on this week's episode and returning for her 7th, thousandth episode in the intro is Sammy we should count we should count yeah you were pretty early on in joining the intro yeah the Ben Schwartz was my first one was it really he was your

entry point yeah okay nice so this week as I said we've got Dylan who part of the MTV family part of the MTV family so of course I talked to him a bunch in the past but never about um a film like this American assassin though he's done other films and obviously the maze runner series has been very successful for him. American Assassin is kind of his debut as like an action hero, which is pretty cool. And it's a really dark and tense, but well done film, I thought.

You know, previous happy second-fused guest, we had just on Taylor Kitch on last week. A bunch of ugly guys in them. Yeah, exactly. And Dylan has a, there's a lot to talk about in this episode. I mean, there's the end of Teen Wolf, which is coming very, very soon, and they're bittersweet emotions.

about that and we talk at length about how he got Teen Wolf all the way up to kind of his emotions about it all ending now. And then there's the accident that happened over a year ago that he hasn't really talked about I think in this much detail before this happened on the latest

Maze Runner film where he just got in, it was a stunt gun wrong and he got seriously hurt and had to take some time off. Production had to halt for a long while. Eventually he got back on the horse and filmed this movie actually as kind of a means of kind of healing himself, both like...

Therapeutic. Yeah, and we talk at length about how this was a very important film in that way. And so it's good to see that he's back at the profession that he loves so much. And he also, by the way, was able to finish that Mace Runner film, and that's coming out early next year. So this is a young actor with a lot of promise, a lot of potential, and he's already accomplished a lot at a young age. And, you know, cool to have him on in this kind of long form, because I don't think he's done

a lot of stuff at this length talking about his whole career. So I hope you guys enjoy it. If you're a teen wolf fan, if you're a fan of maze runner, I think you'll particularly get a kick out of this and go check out American Assassin. Like I said, if you want a good action film, you can do a lot worse than checking the slown.

It's pretty... Don't bring the kids. Pretty freaking intense, seriously. Don't bring the young Teen Wolf fan. Exactly, exactly. And, oh, we never did a post-mortem, Sammy, on Outlander. So we should, not that we need to, because Wrangley, it's done very well, very thrilled about this. But if you're listening to this and you haven't checked out Sammy and my latest masterwork, our little baby that we created, we did a sketch with Sam Huyn and Katrina Balfe, the stars of Outlander, Sammy's favorite show in existence.

Yes. And they were delightful together. Sammy was a big asset in helping write the script. and I certainly couldn't have done the kind of specific references that we got in there and it was a blast to shoot it was a blast to work with Sam and Katrina and Sammy is forever changed I really am I want everyone to know it's everything you'd want it to be there everything you'd want them to be and by the way I've spoken to people that have not seen Outlander and also appreciated the sketch so if you haven't whether you've seen it or not go to MTV's

Facebook page look for or Google like Outlander couples therapy we're very proud of this one Yeah, it was a blessing. So, yes, check that out. And there's some other really cool after-hour stuff coming up. We just shot something that was immediately vaulted into my top five or ten ever. Everyone's heads will explode. Yeah, there's a really good one coming. Be careful.

We just have to figure out when we're going to roll it out. But it's coming soon, and it's starring someone that we talk about a lot, but we've never shot a sketch with. I can't believe that. This is his first sketch. I know. One of the finest actors on the planet did something epic. that's a tease if I ever gave one. Not Will Smith, everyone. Maybe another time. Anyway, here's this week's podcast conversation with Dylan O'Brien.

Enjoy it. Dylan, it's good to see you, man. You too, man. How are you doing? I'm doing well. I'm doing well. It's always good to see you, and it's a, I don't want to put the pressure on, but this is kind of an important month for you, I feel like. It's kind of like the end of an era and potentially the beginning. Yeah, yeah, yeah, right. Right, right. Because, yeah, yeah, you're talking about the show, huh? Yeah, well, the end of Teen Wolf in the beginning of, you know, potential franchise, which is a big deal. Yeah, it's true, man. It's crazy.

Have you been thinking a lot about kind of both in the months leading up to this? Yeah, well, yeah, definitely. I mean, yeah, Teen Wolf Ending is, like, huge, you know, it's been, I know no acting without the show, basically. So it's going to be, you know, such a new chapter, and I just, like, you know, I'll miss it dearly always, and it's going to be weird, you know. It's just the first time I'm operating without that show. to go back to as like a little home you know so yeah it must be nice though to like as i said for these two things to kind of come at the same time because there would be one thing you might kind of like when you end like a big chapter of your life like that yeah and if you don't have

anything cool that's going on maybe you're like oh when's it gonna happen yeah i guess i'm still kind of like that but you've got like this cool awesome new film that's open literally like a couple weeks before yeah right right right that's where you can focus your energies on i would think yeah i guess you know it's just yeah it's too uh it's just a new chapter i guess and um Yeah, I still, you know, it's, I still have a slight mode of panic, you know, of what's going to be next or what the future holds for me, I guess. But it's exciting, too. I mean, ultimately, it's just, you know, it's, it's bittersweet, you know, the show ending. And, but, you know, it's, it's going to be a new chapter, you know, just going to be moving on and see what happens.

Well, let's talk a little bit about the opportunity of something like American Assassin, which is, you know, very, very few actors, period, get a chance to kind of do what you're getting to do in this. Yeah. Like be the guy, like the action hero guy, like potentially, like, if this all works out. Attempt to be the guy. Well, even an attempt, man. I mean, look, it's hard to get onto that level. And the fact that you guys, you nail it on this one, you're working with some of the top actors out there. I mean, toe-to-to-to with Michael Keaton.

Yeah. Amazing. Yeah, seriously. So, I mean, was this kind of a bucketless thing? Was this something that you thought you would one day get an opportunity to do something like this? I think Yeah, I know I think I have always been interested in it

Kind of like that genre You know, I think Somebody said to me Like recently Somebody brought up like a quote to me or something That I said Like five years ago or something That I wanted to do action movies

Or something like that I didn't even, you know I didn't remember saying it But they just like brought that quote To my attention That cracked me up Because I just had no idea That I said that

So I guess I did want to You know But yeah for me You know for this This was just just I was really taken with this at first and just with this guy's story and what happens to him and how it changes him. I just think, you know, I felt it was really compelling and believable and really strong and emotional and something I connected with right away. Was this something, so this is a series of books, a very successful books, we should say.

And were you aware that they, because I guess they've been developing this for a while, considering which way to go. Right. And in the end, they decided to obviously make go to not the first book, but the book that kind of was the origin. Yeah, right, right. ...cast younger. Yeah. Was this something that, like, you were kind of tracking and your folks knew about

and you kind of went after actively, or what? No, no, I know that when I first heard about the project, I knew that they weren't sure what age they wanted to do yet. I think that was even still up in the air when I got cast. But I was really interested in it, you know, and as soon as I read it, I was definitely taken with it, like I said, and I Skyped with the director, you know, and we had a great talk about it.

It felt like we were really on the same page of just what we kind of felt was important. So yeah, I don't know. I think then they kind of had little powwows and discussions and ultimately decided to do it younger. But no, I mean, it's been all the third the development stages and stuff. It's been around for 10 years trying to get this going.

So, no, I mean, I really just hopped on at the end. So you mentioned getting on the same page as the director. What was your first initial kind of take on or what you said to him that, like, you were excited to buy? I was, you know, it was more about, you know, this guy's arc and just sort of highlighting what we felt was, or what I felt like was the strength and the story in the arc and staying subjective with that the whole way with this guy, you know,

I felt was really important and seeing it through him, kind of, is really important. And he totally agreed, and even himself, too, like, had the same sort of idea specifically for the opening to be, like, subjective with him. You know, you're there with him. entire time. And, you know, and also just making this a smart, current film rather than something that's a little dated or lazy or taking some kind of agenda, you know. It was just feeling like we both were kind of thinking of the same film. Yeah, you were saying that opening,

like if you watch the opening of the film, like you're, you are just thrust into like the most horrific situation possible for human being. Yeah, yeah. And you know, now you know it's starts so cute and then it just totally slaps you in the face totally and you know how brutal a film it's going to be and this really doesn't pull any punches this movie it's a hard R yeah absolutely right to say to least right so um give me a sense of like sort of is it you know you've done you know like I think even the intern was probably was that R rated I can't even remember oh no I don't think so I think it was PG-13 okay so maybe there's an R version well there's like an unrated version I think even on like DVD or whatever yeah yeah yeah but this one

from the beginning you knew you were going to go all the way So is there something kind of like refreshing, and maybe it's the wrong word, but like knowing you can kind of go for broke and like this is not going to... Yeah, definitely. You know, it's, yeah, not being strapped down by any kind of expectation to remain for a certain audience, I guess. Just going for it, you know, and really just making the film, it excited me because you ultimately get to make the film you want to make instead of trying to, you know, adhere to these certain standards that you're getting pressure from your studio or something. things like that, like to a certain audience, I just think it's, it was great that from the beginning this was set out to not pull any punches. And I think everyone was pretty comfortable and knew from the beginning that it was not going to be a PG-13. Totally. Yeah, to say the

least. So, okay, so can we talk a little bit about where you were in your life when this one came around? Because unless I have the timeline down, this came at a pretty important part of your life. Yeah, yeah. So like about a year and a half ago, yeah, yeah, yeah. Everybody knows about this for those that don't. There was an accident, a pretty serious accident. So, I mean, can you first, I mean, I haven't heard you honestly talk that much extensively, and you don't, if you don't feel comfortable with it, it's, of course, up to you. But, like, I'm just curious, like, what went down that day and what do you remember of that incident and how is it sort of, like, colored your life to this day? Well, you know, it was, yeah, that was, I mean, I was in a really tough place when, when this movie came around. I had had this in the pipeline, kind of, like, I was, I was attached to do it, and, and then the accident happened, and so then obviously. Obviously, it was out of my mind for a little bit. But they, you know, they, I have to give them a lot of credit, too,

because, I mean, they stuck with me, man. You know, they didn't jump ship. They didn't let go look for another actor. They pushed the movie and wanted to stick with me. Wanted to know if I still wanted to stick with the film. And at the time, it was really difficult for me. You know, I was struggling with a lot of stuff, and I was not confident in my ability to just leap right back onto a set, you know.

And so it took a lot of work and a lot of thought about it. And, I mean, even up to the last minute, you know, there's so much doubt and so much fear, you know, genuinely. And ultimately, I just thought it'd be best to push through all that, you know, and think that my thinking was that, you know, it would help me, I think, and ultimately. And it really did, you know. To this day, well, it'll forever be one of the most special experiences just because of what, it was to me for that, you know, reason, and got me back on my feet and just really meant a lot to me in that way, you know. Well, I mean, you were saying, like, you know, getting back onto a set, I mean,

you've, you know, a film set or a television set is what is home to you, is where you feel safe and probably most confident already. Right, right, right. And that's got to screw with your head a little bit. Oh, totally, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Something like that happens. Absolutely, yeah, yeah, it really does, you know.

And it's stuff to come back from, you know, and you have, you have things happening with you, too, that you can't even control, really. So it's, yeah, it's definitely a learning process. I've learned a lot from this past year in my life, you know. And I feel like it, you know, in a lot of weird ways, made me grow up, you know, a lot. And at the same time at this point, you know, I think I was really angry for a long time. I think at this point I'm really just at peace with it and really happy that I'm just okay, you know, ultimately. Like, that's just sort of now what I focus on and appreciate and grateful for it.

Was the anger just sort of everything in anyone around you? Was it just sort of blaming yourself, blaming someone else. Yeah, totally, totally, yeah. That's all natural, yeah. I would think. Yeah. So what was it? Because you mentioned, it is an interesting, like, undeniable parallel, the kind of the

character, the journey that your character goes on in this, you know, he's traumatized. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, totally. Yeah, yeah. And he's looking for kind of vengeance and peace to kind of make himself whole again. Yeah, right, right, right. And, you know, I don't think it's overstepping to say, like, that's kind of where you were at, too, in some way. Yeah, no, I mean, it's, you know, funny enough, I really, like, I couldn't have felt more informed about this guy then, too, like, from this happening when I was going through this time, you know, I really did, I just felt like I understood him more. And at that point, too, then it ended up being more of a personal, emotional thing for me that I wanted to portray, you know, because I was going through that a lot, you know, and obviously not what he goes through.

but uh um you know i was going through my own deal with that and uh and i and i just felt like that you know even though i was terrified to and just did not know if i could uh i really felt like i i wanted to push through also now because i just felt like i wanted to be this guy you know i felt like i i wanted to do that role justice well and like you know talking about you know there's the emotional side of it is uh it is a lot but from a physical standpoint i mean like the stuff you were doing is awesome yeah it's awesome is that i'm As extreme as I've seen, like in terms of an action movie, I can't think of the fights in this, as I said before. Brutal is the word, I would say.

And that must, you know, must be empowering in a way to like when you finally sort of see the finished product or, you know, go to toe to toe with Keaton and Kitch, who are, you know, formidable adversaries in their own right. Yeah, totally. So can you give me a sense of sort of, like, what the physical aspect of this was? And was that rewarding, grueling, all of the above? Yeah, absolutely, all of it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was exhausting, but great. And again, too, at the time, it was actually really, I felt it was really great for me to focus on.

And actually became a really nice thing for me to just kind of stay trained on and just every day, just focus on and stay with a routine. And I really enjoyed it. I've always wanted to learn that stuff. You know, I'd never been kind of, I'd never been trained in any sort of martial arts or anything like that. So just, you know, spending that amount of time kind of, I guess, just being educated on it, really. And from people who, you know, really know their stuff and lengthy fight choreography, too. That was the first time I ever had to do any of that. And I've always been a fan of that stuff.

I've always wanted to do that stuff, you know, so it's great to finally do. It is really fun. It's exhausting. It's empowering. It's, you know, just, yeah, I felt good. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed that stuff big time. Does it come naturally or did it feel like a klutz the first couple of days?

It's like, I don't know what the hell I'm doing. No, I felt like... Never mind, guys. I'm the worst assassin ever. It's a different movie. It's a different movie. Yeah, yeah. Fun movie.

Yeah, that's a funny one. No, we definitely had that spoof gone the whole time. That was like sort of our joke. I'd walk in, drop a gun and go off. You'd be like, oh, no. All right. But, uh, no, I was, I picked it up pretty quick. Yeah.

I feel like, um, I don't think I ever made an ass anyway, so. Who the hell knows? Maybe I did. Stay for the blover real. Yeah, yeah. Can we talk about going, I mentioned a couple of your co-stars, but Taylor Kitch is, you know, he's in shape, a decent shape himself. He's, he's an asshole. He's first of all a jerk.

Second of all, he's not in shape. And out of shape, yeah, yeah, he's an out-of-shaped jerk. And he gets his just desserts from you without ruining anything. He might, you know, he might take a blow or two from you. Yeah, he takes a couple. I take, I think, the majority. It's the crap. there's yeah so without ruining anything in particular i thinking of the the end of the film there's

quite an action sequence yeah totally what are your memories of that uh we it was hilarious um because we were just you know it was uh he he kept getting me a couple times too like he kept knocking me which i think it's really funny and uh it was funny at first and then like the second time i was like all right taylor uh so yeah let's talk about that infight with uh taylor what do you remember of that one um it was uh it was brutal it was exhausting in a few days and then we even added more to the fight in a reshoot so it was

then more days that we were revisiting it but it's just hilarious you know you just kind of laugh your way through those things

the whole time we're really just going for it I think we both you know he's a really dedicated dude he's a really

dedicated actor and you know and I wanted I think we both really just wanted this last fight seem to be really vicious

really fast and you know it's two trained guys finally going at it at the end of the movie, the two guys that you've kind of wanted to the whole time, you know, so it's also got that great thing. You know, it's, it's something that we wanted to be vicious and unique in a way.

It's something different. And so we're getting tossed around, you know, because the boat's speeding on the ocean, all the while also, you know, just close combat, like, and just, you know, it was horrible and greats, and I don't know what else to say about it. Did you talk to someone like Taylor about, like, the career stuff? Because he, interestingly, kind of went through, not exactly what you're going through, but, like, you know, Friday Night Lights will always follow him. Yeah, right.

For good or for bad. Totally, totally. That character, Riggins really touched people. And, I mean, did you guys talk about sort of like, you know, he's had to weather that, too, and he's made some really cool, interesting choices in his own career in the years since. I don't know. We've never, I think we've somewhat talked about it before. Yeah, I don't know.

I remember joking one time that Teen Wolf and Friday Night Lights were very similar. shows. I don't know that he watches Timo, but yeah, no, yeah, it is a similar trajectory in a couple ways, I guess, yeah, I had this, you know, show that I was a part of for

six years, you know, and started my, it was my first job ever, you know, and now, yeah, I don't know what the future's going to hold, you know, in 10 years I may be acting still or I'd just be kicked right out of the business. I don't think so. Okay, so since we have

some time. Let's go back to the beginning if we could. You grew up here in New York, right? Yeah, New Jersey until I was 12, so half and half kind of like a hybrid. Okay. Yeah. So what are your, so what was your like, give me a sense of like growing up because as far as I understand, you do have some connections to the business, right? Yeah, yeah, my dad. My dad was always a camera guy growing up, but still is. He's still in the business. And like major features. Like if you look at his resume, it's like. Yeah. Have you IMDB my dad? Of course. I go all the way, man. Because I'm curious. Here's my curious. When you're growing up, are you on set with him on some of these, like, amazing films?

Yeah, a couple. I mean, I was super young. I remember going to Forrest Gump, like, in Virginia when they shot down there for a little bit. But I was, I mean, I was, like, three or four. Like, I don't remember. In fact, there's, like, a picture of me with my dad, and I'm, like, super cranky in it. It's, like, me on the set of, like, what would then be one of my favorite movies ever, you know? One of the most iconic films were not.

You're having a fit. Yeah, and I'm like, I know. Yeah, I was super pouty in that photo. But yeah, my dad and my mom, too. Like an acting, yeah, she grew up in New York, you know, went to Performing Arts High School in New York and, yeah, and did some acting. It spent time on film sets too in her early 20s

and then spent time teaching acting too in her early 20s and then had me and I just ruined her life. True, not true. So did being a part, you know, having a mom that knew the acting game well in the ups and downs, having a dad that had been on many film sets kind of affects sort of like your own understanding of what it meant to make film and TV. Was it less like glamorous? Was it more just a job to you?

I mean, give me a sense of sort of... Yeah, I mean, I think it was... I had both sides of it in a way. Like, I mean, I think, you know, both my parents really love films and, like, really, you know, they've... That's how they both ended up, like, doing it growing up, and my dad still to this day. And, you know, they've always had a passion for movies, and also my dad also knows what goes into it and the grind. And so it was like it was just being aware of both those things, I guess.

And I do believe that they, you know, had a huge hand in infusing, like, me with growing up loving movies too as a kid, you know. And that's how it happened for me, too, because it really just came out of that being what I loved and what I like to do and what I like to. I was super shy about it, though. I wouldn't like want to, I'd make little videos and not show them to anybody. you know um but uh that eventually stopped uh and and then you know and then i i stepped into it in that way and it kind of cracks me up to look back at now like that i wasn't ever taking myself to try it because i clearly loved it you know and i wanted to try it was the first stepping into it like literally putting your own videos online and like yeah i mean at the time i liked

that because it was like um i was i had always made these little videos and and that was when youtube first came around i first heard about it someone was like yeah you should put them on YouTube or something. And I was like, what's YouTube? Which is hilarious now. And, but I, yeah, and I kind of liked that. I then, I could have this little audience, like, of, like, five views, you know, and I didn't have to watch them, watch it or anything. And they'd leave me some comment, like, trashing it, you know, and I'd get some feedback. So it was, like, a nice way to kind of show my stuff to people. Yeah, because I was really shy about that. It's all still online, right? Like, the stuff. I believe so, yeah. Is it like, and I have no way of taking it down.

I was going to say, you got my password. No idea. No, I didn't. And I forgot my password to the email that also set up the account, so I can't even retrieve. It sounds like you've tried, too. Like, you spent hours like, I need to get this off the internet. Yeah. Mr. You too, please, I beg of you. Yeah, I've tried to get back in. I can't do it. I'm sorry. It's there forever. Oh, it's okay. I don't mind. I don't know. See what you mind.

It sounds like you mind a little bit. No, I don't mind. I mean, am I embarrassed by them? Absolutely. Right. But not in that way. I mean, just in a way that even, I don't know. I'm embarrassed by, you know, this movie. I mean, like, I don't like watching myself. Right. So it's stuff like that, I guess. You're in the right business.

This is a great interview. I'm killing this. You got a good one on your hands. Wait, wait, wait. Here's my question. Okay, so give you a sense. Okay, so, you know, the love of film sounds like it was ingrained in you from your parents. Yeah. So what were the movie, what were the posters on your wall?

What were the people or the actors and films you were obsessed with as a kid? I mean, I loved everything, you know, and, I mean, I guess I was like, I was a huge, Tom Hanks, a fan as a kid, he was like my hero, I loved him. Robert Gino too, I thought was amazing. I loved all movies, though. I mean, The Matrix, like, Keanu, come on, you know? These were, yeah, I would,

I mean, I definitely geek out about, like, the Matrix probably the most. I remember. I had my birthday party to go see Reloaded when that came out, actually, because I was such a huge fan of the first one. Right. And so then when that was coming out, I was hugely excited about it,

and took all my friends to go see Reloaded. I was so upset. They keep, should, really? We don't talk about this. About Related or, uh, what's the name the third one called? I can't even remember. Revolutions?

Thank you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But we don't speak about this. No, those didn't ever happen. It's like the Phantom Menace. It didn't have the prequel's didn't happen. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Godfather part three.

Didn't happen. It's, okay, never, never happened. It's, okay, never, never happened. Sorry, okay, okay, okay, okay. I guess, yeah, it had two masterpieces to live up, too. Exactly. It's a very good movie. It's just not a masterpiece.

Right, and I was like, this isn't at the same level? Yeah. So were you into, were you into like Star Wars and comic books and all that stuff? Absolutely, not comic books, but yeah, I was a huge Star Wars kid, yeah, absolutely, yeah. All I would do is sit in my room and play around my little Star Wars toys, want to be Han Solo. I remember when... When I saw you at Comic Con, I think a couple years ago, that's when, like, the rumors were starting to swirl about Han Solo. Did you ever get even, like, a fun audition?

Rovers for me? Yeah. Really? Yeah. No, again, no. nothing I'm ever rumored to be in the running floor You haven't got a Star Wars meeting yet?

No, I did not have Come on Hansoa meeting out I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bum you out Hey, it's okay, I don't care, you know They're making a Star Wars movie like every year for the next 50 years Yeah, I know, I know, you've got time

There'll be plenty to go for it, yeah, totally But like as a young actor And seeing like every other blockbuster is a comic book movie or a Star Wars movie Yeah Do you feel like I need to kind of play that game and I probably want to play that game too if I'm a fan of some of this stuff yeah if I oh man if I was into it absolutely you know and uh um there's a time too and I mean where I would

have totally like been psyched to play Spider-Man right because they were talking about that too yeah but that's just like just just personal interest it's just something that you know you grow up loving so absolutely um but I am not a big comic book person and um to be quite honest yeah like have been sort of overwhelmed by it's a lot I don't even know what the movies are at this They all just look like avenges to me. Like, it's all, everyone's in each other's movie. I have no idea what it's coming out. It's like a mess.

Yeah, you need like a flow chart. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, I mean, it's, you know, it's definitely not something that I, I don't know, I think there needs to be a much larger stance for, you know, for original content

in this regurgitation generation, as I like to call it. That's good. And I know, it works, right? And it's true, it's true, man. So I think that, you know, the, you know, I just, I just, me myself, I just feel like that that's the kind of stuff that I'd like to try to, you know, make my mark with films that, you know, are their own and the first time that you're seen them, you know? What are the films or any recent examples of stuff that's really inspired you, got you excited? Original?

Yeah. I mean, get out this year was amazing, you know, like, stuff like that. It's so, like, fresh and felt like, oh, this is. Yeah, yeah, and it only takes, you know, it's always such a funny thing, like how it takes one that works, you know, like that, for then everyone to, you know, be like, oh, yeah, original stuff, you know. I forgot about that. Oh, yeah, wait. But it's like, you know, I mean, I just, I love, I love that, and I commend it too, and I just thought that, you know, things like that are great, and they're, and they're ballsy, and that's what we need, you know, that's what the industry needs. Do you have a favorite filmmaker?

Are you the kind of actor that says to your guys, like, hey, can you get me a meeting? I mean, no. Obviously, yeah, I mean, you know, filmmakers that I would absolutely, you know, love to work with. But, you know, I don't know if I'm going to be, I don't want to annoy them. To be honest. I'm not going to be like, you know, Mr. Scorsese, are you a fan of Teen Wolf? Hey, please, can we just talk? Hey, Sotomay, can I get your door really quick?

So sorry, hi, I'm an actor. Yeah, I just Slide over the DVD Yeah It's my real Um Please check out See to episode four

This is a good Oh man No I mean I told You know I obviously I have I have filmmaking heroes That I'd love to work with But you know

I just hope I get a chance But don't go banging on their doors Right Okay so we talked about the The YouTube videos That have you tried to erase Where were you at Where were we at when Teen Wolf came around?

Were you working at all? And did you have other things? No, literally. No, so, I mean, I had just, I just graduated high school. I had just decided to try my hand at auditioning, which I got an opportunity to do just because I'm insanely lucky and a manager who is still my manager today. Happened to, you know, have someone who showed her my videos and it's a really long-winded story, but so then I was trying my hand at that while going to school still. I was like, all right, I'll stay in. I was confused about what I wanted to go to school for anyway and decided pretty late that I wanted to go to film school. And so then I wanted to, you know, I thought, okay, well, I had this opportunity. I can stay home and try my hand at auditioning, you know, if I get something great or if anything works out great. I probably won't, though, you know, and that'll be fine too. And then I'll get a positive attitude throughout.

I'm noticing you don't necessarily have like a lot of self-confidence. This is like not necessarily. I mean, no, I don't have a tremendous amount of self-confidence. We need to work on this. I don't, I don't not. Like, you know, I try to give myself some credit for sure. But, but, uh, I'm not like, you know, man, I'm the best. I'm the best.

I'm like your default position is like this isn't going to work out. Totally. 100%. Is that true? Yeah, absolutely. Yep. That's good. But I loved it, and you know, it made me try so hard at it, though, too.

I mean, I put all my focus into those auditions. Like, you know, I'd go out for this, like, two lines on Wizards of Waverly Place, and I would, like, dress up as the character and just be so into it. And, like, I was obsessed with it. I loved it. I really did enjoy it and got really intent and, like, obsessed with, like, coming away from one of them that, like, went well. Or was a yes, you know, which was hard to do, you know. And I got lucky with Teen Wolf came around that was an audition that I went on.

and then got a call back and then got eventually. And it was the first yes I got. The first time I got on the phone and my manager was like, you got, it went, you did it. So, wait, didn't say no. Amazing. In other words, yes, or they didn't say no. In Dylan speak, it's they didn't say no. Yeah, it's the half empty version.

So now, looking back, what do you remember of like the first days on set? Was that, did you know what the fuck you were doing? Were you excited? No, I did. I mean, I knew, you know, I loved it. It was just exactly where I wanted to be. I wanted to be on set. I was fascinated with the process.

I wanted to know everything about it, you know. And, I mean, I still remember that pilot. Like, it was, you know, the first day on it, I had wrapped my work for the day, but they still had, like, you know, other stuff to shoot. And I went with, and they had a company move and everything to the stage, and I went with them, you know. I was just there, and people were like... No, you go away now.

Yeah, you can go now. They're like, what are you doing here? And I'm just, like, at VideoVill is watching. They're like, well, I want to watch. It was really funny, you know. I actually wish I still did that. But I'm too tired and jaded. Got to train for the kick-ass fight scenes.

Yeah, I got to rest for tomorrow, guys. Sorry. This is all for you. Don't worry. How quickly did, like, the fame thing kind of start to build? Like, did you feel that kind of happen very quickly? And was that a lot to take at first? Or was it something that gradual kind of a thing?

Yeah, it's been, you know, it was spooky at first. but also just kind of random and funny and unexpected, like I guess when the show first came out, you know, I remember being at like a coffee bean one time with my buddy and like it was like the first time a girl ever came out to me and asked me

for a picture and I was like, the hell out of here. I was like, what are you doing? What are you talking about? No, no! No, and I was like, and I couldn't believe it, you know? And I was like, yeah, of course. And I got up and I gave her one

And she's like, she's like, I love the show so far or something. I was like, thank you, you know. And I looked at my friend, and my friend was, like, cracking up in me. And I was like, how weird was that? You know. And then, yeah, and then I guess it's just been sort of gradual from there. Yeah. You know, now I'm like, you know, no, get out of my face. Now it's real.

Now you're like, seriously, get out. Cynical, yeah. Yeah. But there must be, I mean, it's a lot for anybody to take. It gets intense. It gets intense. It gets intense. No, I've gotten, I do, you know, I won't treat anyone like that, obviously, unless

they're absolutely insane. But that's rare. Um, uh, you do have to, you do, you learn to draw the line and, um, um, um, because, you know, I understand, I understand, I understand, uh, um, it's, it's a different world now, too, with phones and I get it. They're gonna be there, you know? Right. I have to stop. You can't control it. It's just, yeah. Maybe one day the phones will go extinct. It's just a fan. Because it's, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. Just like Twitter. Yeah. Nope. That's still going on. So I've accepted, uh, that that is, you know, part of my life and that's going to happen. And, um, um, um, And, you know, and it can be great. It can be so sweet and so nice and really, really sweet, you know, sometimes. And sometimes it can be too much and intense and over the line, you know. And you just, you get better at recognizing that, I guess, and learning how to handle it and stuff. So, and your own kind of relationship with the show over the years.

Does that also kind of like, you know, it's obviously made you what you are and gotten you the career that you've had thus far. But again, it's a complex probably. thing. You want to do other things. You want to try other things. It's a big commitment over the years. Totally. Yeah. Did it feel kind of like, was there a tipping point where you're like, Teen Wolf's great. I just need a second though, guys. Like, you know, like just somebody today could not mention Teen Wolf. I'm good with that. Yeah, I don't think a single person on that set at one point. I didn't have a moment like that. Everyone, cast, crew, everyone. Yeah, when you're, you know, when you do, when you do a show for that long, absolutely,

you know, sometimes you can have those moments. But I was always very aware. I was always very aware. of what the show meant to me, you know. And I think I tried to stay always, like, consciously aware of that. Because I knew I loved the show. I also still enjoyed working on it, and I loved the character, and I loved the people. And I was lucky enough to still go off and do these other things and have these other experiences. So by any means, I was not strapped down. It wasn't preventing me from anything, you know.

You'd be lying if you were telling people that, you know, like, this is work. This is what you would be going out and trying to get, you know, and you have it right here. and I think it's very easy to get comfortable with that and start to not care about it and feel like it's holding you back so I was always very much aware of all that and always tried to actively put into practice not feeling that way and loving the show

as I do. Was it important for you to be back for this last season and this last episode to make sure that at least amid this crazy time you made some time to make that work? Oh yeah yeah yeah it meant a lot you know um i did not want uh the show to go on without me you know i can't do it without me obviously yeah yeah i was like wait a second wait a second um no it was sad you know it was sad it was ending i wanted to be there with everybody for the end you know um just to round it out

i mean we got we you know we have a lot of uh main cast members who came back for it you know and it was really cool and it was just really cool and i didn't want to miss that um and i was really happy to be able to be a part of it. Yeah. I mean, it just it's great that it was worked out. I was home for a month. You know, spent two weeks there. It was awesome. Is there any more functions before the end of it? Like, are you going to be watching that

last episode with friends or family or castmates or anything like that? Yeah, I got to figure that out. Just adding to your list. When is it coming on? A couple weeks. You got a couple weeks to figure out. I have to, I haven't even watched an episode this season yet. I have to catch up.

It's okay. No, but we're going to, me and my girlfriend are going to binge it. We'll do it. Okay. Sorry, I've had to, like, burp for the last 30 seconds, so I'm just sort of talking about this. No, it added, like, gravitas. It was kind of like you were collecting your stuff. Oh, yeah, that's what I was trying to do on screen.

All right, and looking ahead past even American Assassin. Yeah. We've got the next Maze Runner in a few months. Yeah. So you obviously went back after a big break. Yeah. And we're able to complete it, which is great. Yeah.

And again, coming full circle on that, was that kind of an odd experience? Was that important for you also? Absolutely. The studio as well, but everybody wanted to complete it. for you to get back on set. Yeah, for sure. I mean, it was a whole other hurdle. You know, it was such a separate and specific hurdle.

And, yeah, it was really, you know, again, same kind of thing, but slightly different. It was, but same general thing of, like, you know, thinking, believing that it would be good for me. And also realizing through a cloud of, you know, I was in this really, everything is tainted for a second, you know. and you just don't want to go back and you have nothing and you wants to go back and it's really hard to see beneath that what you really want, you know? And it took a lot of work to realize

that I did believe that I knew that I wanted to finish the movie and I would not have felt right about leaving it that way and I just felt like it would have always been a mark, you know? personally for me too and just it just always would have been a stain

and so I I realized that I think deep down that's what I felt even though all of this mess you know you have to push through and find it and I'm really glad I did you know and it was also ended up being one of the best experiences

I've ever had too so it was just great just a combination of a great crew you know being back with everyone again sure what it meant for me personally the hurdle it was and then just the experience that that's always been for me too another chapter closing for me that means a lot I'm glad I was able to leave it on a really positive note

so what sort of stuff are you what's on your list right now in terms of what you're looking for what you're trying to get going are you kind of like open to everything right now I'm gonna call it quits this is it this is the exit interview okay well it's a good run thank you guys it's been a good career pack it up everybody I never thought I'd last this left no I don't know you know I I know that I'm excited for just different things, you know, to experience, you know,

more experiences to just add to the list and just keep learning, you know, and about what I want to do, too, ultimately, which is direct eventually, you know. Because that was one of the initial passions' interests. Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's really how I think about it, you know. It's always been the way that I understand what's going on in front of the camera, you know. So I understand the behind the camera, so that makes me understand in front of the camera. I can't do it any other way.

You know, sure. I'm not a very good, uh, I'm not a very good, uh, we need to talk, man. You're just like, why are you going negative again, man? I thought I was negative. I found the one person that is more self-deprecating than me.

Oh, it's just, oh, I'm just down the truth. Oh, God. That's all it is. It's going to be okay, man. Hey, yeah, it will. Have you, uh, by the way, lastly, have you ever thrown out a first pitch in a Mets game? Is that on the list?

Yeah, tonight. Are you seriously? Oh, yeah, yeah. Oh, I thought you were, I didn't know. I literally didn't know that. That's crazy. That is crazy. Yeah, it's happening in a couple hours.

Wait, how are you feeling about that? I can't wait. It's going to be awesome. I've been super nervous about it for like a month and a half. Haven't been practicing? Not that you don't know how to throw a baseball, but there's still to see all these videos. You know what can happen. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, I know. Well, I mean, that's all yips, man, you know? Like, hey, like that's out of your hands. If you get out there, you get the yips, I mean, it doesn't matter how good you are. You're not throwing the thing anywhere near the plate. So I might Rick Ankeel out there. But, you know what, though? I got to be okay with it.

I got to, like, because it's going to be something that means a lot to me. And I'll always look back on and just love that I did it. And, you know, so, and, hey, if I huck one and it hits a camera or goes there and I got to just crack up. Own it. Yeah. It'll go on the YouTube channel with everything else. Absolutely, yeah. That I can't remove. It'll be great.

It's always good to catch up with you, man. Congratulations and everything. Thanks, man. That was awesome. Thanks for your time. Yeah. 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. Goodbye, summer movies, Hello, 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'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.