Happy Sad Confused - Emma Corrin

Episode Date: July 25, 2024

For Emma Corrin the distance between playing Diana in THE CROWN to the baddie in DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE is vast yet also a relatively short trip. Josh and Emma connect here for the first time about their meteoric rise, learning to say no, and why Justin Bieber is always on the brain. Subscribe here⁠ to the new Happy Sad Confused clips channel so you don't miss any of the best bits of Josh's conversations! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! ZocDoc -- Go to ⁠Zocdoc.com/HappySad⁠ and download the Zocdoc app for FREE Check out the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Happy Sad Confused patreon here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! We've got discount codes to live events, merch, early access, exclusive episodes, video versions of the podcast, and more! To watch episodes of Happy Sad Confused, subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh's youtube channel here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you're with Amex Platinum, you get access to exclusive dining experiences and an annual travel credit. So the best tapas in town might be in a new town altogether. That's the powerful backing of Amex. Terms and conditions apply. Learn more at Amex.ca. The twisted tale of Amanda Knox is an eight-episode episode Hulu original limited series that blends gripping pacing with emotional complexity, offering a dramatized look as it revisits the wrongful conviction of Amanda Knox for the tragic murder of Meredith Kircher and the relentless media storm that followed. The twisted tale of Amanda Knox is now streaming only on Disney Plus.

Okay, it's official. We are very much in the final sprint to election day. And face it, between debates, polling releases, even court appearances. It can feel exhausting, even impossible to keep up with. I'm Brad Nilke. I'm the host of Start Here, the Daily Podcast from ABC News. And every morning, my team and I get you caught up on the day's news in a quick, straightforward way that's easy to understand, with just enough context so you can listen, get it, and go on with your day. So, kickstart your morning. Start Smart with Start Here and ABC News because staying informed shouldn't feel overwhelming. So what's your go-to? What's your karaoke song of choice? Oh, my gosh, so many.

The one, it's never my go-to, but when it comes on, I feel like my go-to is always like share, you know, something like that or Britney. but when Justin Bieber's baby comes on. Oh, boy. Yeah. It's the rap in the middle for me that I know every single word of,

and I couldn't tell you why that has a place in my brain. But it does. It lives there, and I'm excellent at it. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, sad, confused begins now. I'm Josh Horowitz, and today on Happy Say I Confused. Emma Corrin is here. They have been very busy the last few years

from the crowned and a murderer. at the end of the world to the batty in the movie of the summer Deadpool and Wolverine I am so thrilled Emma is on the podcast for the first time I've wanted to chat with you for a while Emma welcome aboard how's it going hey thanks for having me of course of course um first of all uh let's get the important stuff out of the way still a dog owner because mine is snoring right behind me yeah die hard dog owner what what dog have you got i've got loose you might see a paw is you a paw you see a brown coat yes this is this is a

is a pit mix named Lucy that is the love of my life the best gorgeous um yours is spencer as i understand it yes yeah spencer spent spoon i normally call him spoon i don't know where that came from but it's stuck and spencer is not i assume named after diana spencer this is a coincidence or no no unfortunately it is it is it is not a coincidence no he is well yeah no he is it was a joke a running joke that i have with my friends I was living with at the time that if I got the role, I would get a dog in the name of Spencer, and I didn't think I'd get the role. So then I did, and I thought

what I have to follow through. It sets a dangerous precedent because by now you could have a Darby, a Cassandra, you could have a lot of dogs in the brood. You imagine? That'd be so strange. Dogs named after every role you played. All narcissistic pet circle. Like a classic actor. Totally. So you know by now that press tours are not always this weird. I feel like you were only doing odd press tours.

The Crown was basically in the middle of COVID. That must have been an odd one. Yeah. And at the end of the world, we didn't have one. So this is my first one. And people always say it can't be. You've been acting for a hot second. But it really is.

And this one is odd for different reasons. It's a Marvel movie. I can congratulate you on the third of the movie I've seen. To be clear, I didn't walk out. They just only showed me a third of the movie. It's just super secret. So has this been a challenging kind of conversation to have constantly? Because like, there's only so much you can say.

The folks haven't seen it. It's a little touchy. Yeah. I mean, there's anything much you can say about the film and like you're rolling in it. But there's a lot you can say about. I don't know the people you were in it with and the sets and the preparation. So, yeah, I've spoken a lot about that, which has been fun to delve back into. How has, I know you've been doing some of your press with Matthew McFadia.

And how is he as a partner in crime versus Josh O'Connor as a press partner in crime? Gosh, both bringing very different things to the table, some similarities. I think me, Matthew, and me and Josh have quite similar senses of humor. And I think it's really funny for me and Matthew in this press tour because we're sort of the two Brits and also the two villains. And we were saying yesterday in hard junkets how I think British people tend to downplay quite a lot. we're quite self-deprecating and we don't like talking about ourselves that much

we find it quite uncomfortable so I don't think that makes us a great junket it's like you go you go you go yeah exactly and then like every one of the ways especially in the US

everyone all the interviews are very very enthusiastic which is fantastic and right exactly as it should be and we were worrying that we were being too British about the whole thing but no no you're doing it just right don't worry so if I had talked to you

three years ago, five years ago and I had said by the way 2024 we're going to be talking about you as the big bad in Deadpool and Wolverine would you have had my head examined would you have said what are you smoking what would you have said you think?

Yeah for sure I don't think I ever thought that this was on the cards for me especially the villain which is just the coolest role to play I think I know I would never have imagined it had you ever had an inkling of a conversation like have you done the superhero audition, the spandex fitting, any of that before? Never. Never hadn't even crossed my mind.

I didn't really grow up with superhero films. So I've sort of had a late introduction into the Marvel universe, which I'm loving. But yeah, so it just means that I never really, it was never really on my radar as something I thought I would want to do because I hadn't had the exposure to it and I didn't know what a wonderful universe it would be to be a part of. Yeah.

Are there, because it's funny, I've had a couple of these conversations in recent months with some of your contemporaries, whether it's a Paul Meskell or Daisy Edgar Jones and, like, folks that are kind of at this pivotal moment in their career where they're known for a certain kind of thing. And then, you know, they kind of, you know, everybody gets new opportunities as they progress. And I would imagine even if it's like not your speed at first, like you have to kind of make that judgment call, like, oh, am I doing this for the right reasons? Is this the right time and kind of thing where I dip my toe into something.

that otherwise wouldn't feel like necessarily me. Yeah, I think the good thing was that, I mean, I think I'm starting to approach all roles with a certain caution and selectiveness, which comes firstly, I guess, with the privilege of being able to choose, which is a wonderful thing. And I'm so lucky and grateful that I get to do that.

But also, and that's a lot of fun, because you can kind of really take each role and sit with it and figure out if it's something that you connect to at this moment and if it's something you really want to or really think you can do justice and that's a important thing to consider because you'd never want to do something

just for the sake of doing it or just because it came away and I think it's taken me a little while to know that I can say no to things and to the power of saying yes to things when they are the right things to do. I think this was a lovely one because I didn't have any preconception

of what a Marvel film would be. I hadn't really imagined myself in one. So when they approached me, I really didn't know what to make of the offer. And it really took meeting Sean and he's got this boundless energy and enthusiasm. He's an incredible salesman. I'm pretty sure

he could sell me anything under the sun and I'd buy it. And yeah, it was great. He pitched it to me and I really connected with him and his vision for this. And it was a very easy yes. So you talk about, again, the power saying no and those difficult those wonderful, difficult decisions that emerge when you start to get new opportunities.

I was looking back at when this was announced, and I know it doesn't always kind of like jive with what's the reality. But I think in basically two successive days, it was announced that you were doing this and you were going to be in Robert Eggers, Nospheratu. Yeah. Was it similar in real life? Did you kind of have to make those decisions pretty close together? And is that a major?

No, not cool. I've been attached to Nostvarati for quite a while. Rob actually wrote me a letter, I think, way back when I, I think when I did The Crown, because he's been wanting to do Nosferrati for a very long time. I think I'm right in saying it was one of the first things he ever wanted to do. Yeah. In a while,

as it's always the way with development, especially with passion projects that it's taken him this long to be able to do it right in the way that he wanted. And so that's been on the cards for a while for me and it's gone through a lot of iterations before we were able to shoot it. And I shot that spring last year in Prague. So that was actually... I think that announcement came out just before the Deadpool one just because of, I don't know, the weird timing of these things.

But I'd actually, I think I'd already shot on Osphrati by that point. Oh, no, that's crazy. Yeah. All right. We'll come back to that because that honestly is like my most, like, anticipated film of the year. It's going to be really quite something. Yeah. Okay.

We can come back around at the end of this conversation. I want to ask you a little more about it. But let's keep on the Deadpool front for for now. So you had this conversation with Sean. And yes, I can attest to this. He is the most enthusiastic, positive human beings. He spoke to him today. I haven't spoken to him today, but I've chatted with him a lot over the years.

He's the best. He's incredible. He's honestly amazing. I don't know how he did it on set every single day. And I'm sure I can't imagine the amount of things that were coming his way, decisions, problems, like things he had to pivot about. And he just never failed to have a smile on his face and time to engage with you on a very personal level. It was really, I found it so inspiring. So he mentions to you at some point, I assume, okay, this is what I have in mind for you, Cassandra. Do you then go home and do you Google and say, this is who you want?

want me to play? And how do you react when you see that image staring at you? Know what? I actually had already Googled that. So I knew it was a villain and then when I agreed to take the meeting with him, because obviously Marvel is so secret. They need to know you have a certain level of commitment before they tell their secrets. So then they said, they told me the character. I remember it was really funny because at the time I was doing a play in the West End called Orlando. And I decided, looking back, was a terrible decision that I made in complete ignorance. I decided to get a chemical peel.

I don't know if we're familiar with what that is. It doesn't sound good. It doesn't sound good, does it know? But it's basically like a intense chemical peel that I was trying to do because I was suffering from quite bad acne at that time. And so I was trying to fix my skin. And it basically removes a layer of your skin. And so a caveat is that you need about two weeks of rest time

for your skin to completely shed. And then you're essentially raw. and then you're reborn, yeah. You're reborn. So I made the stupid mistake of doing this while I was on stage and the long story short is that I looked horrendous and my skin was all peeling off and my agent was like, you know,

you've got this meeting with Sean Levy, it's really exciting, it's about the new Deadpool film, you're going to play Cassandra and I was like, I can't meet with him in his state. I mean, it's so embarrassing. He's going to be absolutely terrified. He's going to run out of the restaurant. And then we'll just take a mask.

Can I just wear a hood over myself? Oh, we're the dead woman. Yeah. But no, she said, well, take a look at the character. And, of course, as your picture just showed, she's an absolute state. And she looked really huge. So I was like, oh, no, I've just gone really method. This is fine.

Right. So committed. So when you do get on board for this, I mean, you have worked with actors that have been in this universe, whether it's, I mean, Olivia Coleman and Harry Stiles. Like, do you ask any folks, like, what is the Marvel experience like? Is that important to hear? No, I didn't actually. And I think that kind of came because I think I didn't

because Sean and Ryan straight off the bat as soon as I agreed to do the film was so generous with their time and their advice. And yeah, from like day one when I signed on, they would just, we would have these amazing conversations about the universe and what Cassandra's place in that and my place and that. And yeah, it was great.

So, and while I'm a comic fan, I don't profess to be an expert, but Cassandra, we do know, is sister to Professor X, Charles Xavier, which is a pretty cool lineage to have. Is that an exciting prospect to know that you're connected to? I mean, these are iconic performances. Even if you're not a comic book fan, you know, Maca Boy, Patrick, like, come on. I'm very well-versed in the X-Man universe.

I just not in the MCU so much. Gotcha. It's, I mean, those films are spectacular performances are breathtaking. And I was, yeah, I was hesitant. I won't lie to go back and look. at them because I thought, you know, I'm going to get so intimidated. But I found it really useful to go back and look at performances that do so well in portraying a very interior world because obviously Cassandra similarly shares his powers of telepathy. Right. Mind melding.

So I found that really interesting to go and study sort of how they do so much with so little. And does that also inform literally like meaning little, like you don't have have to overact to show what's going on internally. Exactly. And I think that was one of the really interesting things that came out of the process of shooting this for Sean and I because we had quite a fixed idea, I guess, of Cassandra going into shooting. And actually, when we were going, you know, as the process unfolded, she changed into

something completely different. As you said, we thought it was going to be quite larger than life, exaggerated. I went in there doing quite uncanny physical stuff and a bit over-the-top creepy because that's what we thought we wanted and that was what we thought would work and actually it really didn't. And it was a real lesson in tone.

And you'd think because Deb Poul and Wolverine are so larger than life and have such instantly recognisable mannerisms. That you need to match that. It was fit and it really didn't. And it was really, we were both sort of there like, no, this is not going to work if we do it like that. We have to take it right down.

She has to be completely unreadable, completely nonchalant, and just really switch up the energy because the film is like, go, go, go, go. And they meet Cassandra and then they're like, whoa. It's like that comic thing where they like go back on their heels. Like, wait, but yeah, who is this person? And they can't work out anything. They can't read her whatsoever.

Yeah. That was sort of where it went. And it's funny because nothing really prepared us for that. That's not something we're prepared to encounter. That's kind of scary. I mean, how, is that, are there days of shooting where you're doing it one way and then you're like

wait we need to like go back or is this like within a couple hours or rehearsal like because that's a major pivot we did actually go back and reshoot some stuff I think actually serendipitously

not only because of that because of some other things as well that we needed to redo like storyline wise because Sean and Ryan are amazing they write continuously and they're always improvving and ad-libbing stuff

so when they're done the edit at a certain point after we wrapped they sort of said okay we know, we've pinpointed a few things we need to go back and get. And it allowed me to go back to those early scenes and, you know, infuse some more of what Sean and I had found along the way. But Sean's a very smart director because he'll always ask you to do it one way.

And then he'll say, okay, throw a few in with this tone. So even when we'd established that she wanted to be a bit less, he'd always say, okay, turn up the evil a bit, turn down that dial. I think he's described it in an interview as like the fader system. is it on like a piece of producing thing you turn up the volume on something you turn down the volume on something else he's a director that's very well versed and prepared

for the edit because he knows you want all the options you don't know what you're going to need at any given moment of course you need the trust in the director right because if you're going to give them all those options because in the editor room if they don't know what the hell they're doing that's going to be a fucking mess and Sean's very easy to trust he's like yeah he wears his heart

in his sleep he's very transparent you never think that he's trying to like trick a performance out of you or yeah manipulate I know. He's so brilliant. He's so communicative and thoughtful and just straight up. I know. This is turning into the Sean Levy roast,

but it does feel like we're like, I wouldn't trust that human being normally, except getting to know him. You're like, oh, this is actually who you are. Like, this isn't a front of like, this is. During the Volvo Fall Experience event, discover exceptional offers and thoughtful design that leaves plenty of room for autumn adventures.

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If I were doing that, I would feel like I'm like pretending to be like Mr. positivity, but like, oh, you live and read that. Oh, no, he is 100% Mr. Positiveity all the time. It's fantastic and it's really inspiring because, like, there were days where I'd be, I shot in total for about three weeks. Right. And I obviously had a such a longer shoot. And there'd be days where I'd, you know, go up at 4 a.m.

and been in makeup and got all my bits on for like three hours. And I'd be so tired and thinking, oh, gosh. and then I'd show them bounce in and I'd be like, you have so much more on your mind and such a harder job. I have no leg to stand on. You're not going to hear a complaint. It was fantastic to be around.

It was really inspiring. Is there a sense of pride coming off of this? Because again, this is a new thing. And this is like, you know, we've never seen you clearly in this kind of a role in this kind of context. Do you feel like you checked a box, you kind of unlocked something? Yeah, for sure.

In a very unexpected way that I never knew it was a box that I'd want to tick and now I'm so glad that I have. And it also opens the door for so much more stuff than me in terms of like, I've never, yeah, I've never really had the door open in the Marvel universe in terms of like my interest in it. And now I'm going through all the films and the comics

and it's like, it's a fascinating world and it's been so fun on the, press tour, meeting all the fans, and it's an incredible community to be a part of. Yeah, not to mention, I mean, now you can kind of think about this. It's probably not healthy to think about when you're walking into it, but like the line of villains in these films. I mean, it's like the Kate Blanchets, the Hiddlestons, like, it's, you know, Christian Bay, I'll like, come on.

It's an amazing roster of talent, isn't it? It's very intimidating. I try not to think about that. Right. Well, the deed is done. You did it. So all good. If you'll indulge me to go back a little bit, growing up, are you, are you the anomaly in the family?

I mean, is there a lot of love of arts and culture and theatrics, or is everybody like, where did Emma come from? A little bit. Yeah, as in my siblings don't do anything remotely like what I do. Yeah, neither did my parents. So I don't really know where it came from. What did they make of it when it kind of got serious for you, which, as I understand, it was probably in, what, in boarding school when you started to do theater? Before then, I sort of always wanted, I always did a lot of. theater as a kid and would always be putting on plays at home but um i don't think my my you know my parents

were really encouraging actually of it they always were but i don't think they ever thought it was going to turn out to be my um my job right well who would it's not what most people yeah no and it seems so big and so scary in an industry when you're younger and um so unapproachable it feels like that's a huge void um between you and like the thing you want to do and it feels like there's no easy or like mappable route there it felt very overwhelming when I was younger growing up or even when you're kind of coming of age as an actor the actors that you that were inspiring to you I've heard you mention the great Ben Wischaw what who are the ones that come up in your brain when you think back to those early days like there's a lot of

the sort of beloved English actors Helena Bonham Carter I remember the view I grew up watching and absolutely died for all the performances in that you've got gd dench maggie smith helena that was really i returned to that film again and again i think it's beautiful um yeah and then yeah ben wishall um any man that can do paddington and hamlet and james bond you know cue come on talk about versatility talk about vulnerability and nuance and i feel like no matter what interview i do it always end up talking about how much i love ben we're short so well this is just defiable Batman, he breaks my heart. He's amazing. He's amazing. He really is. I saw him recently in Maggie Nelson by Katie Mitchell in London. They went, yeah, it was with Emma Darcy and, yeah.

I've still never seen him on stage. I can't imagine. He must kill it on stage. Oh, yeah. He kills it. Yeah. And then, I mean, obviously getting to know Helena, what's it like to start to like actually know and work with and collaborate and become friends with the people that? But it was, Helena was so great because I met her a little bit before I started doing The Crown. They invited me to the screening of the previous series, the one I, the one before me, I think, is season three. And I met all the cast there. And I remember Helena being very efficient and very sweet and being like, right, come on, we're going to have dinner. Like, none of this, you don't need to be nervous.

This is, no, we're not going to be overwhelmed. I'm going to take you to dinner. And we're just going to be mates. and I'm so grateful for that because I was so nervous and didn't know what to say to anyone or forgot how to speak and it was great

and we became great friends and she's been an amazing mentor and protector and sort of helped me really navigate especially those early years of the Crown and yeah, everything that came with that. Well, I mean, she's done it all

like from those Merchant Ivory things to like Harry Potter to all the Tim Burton collaborations, musicals, like talk about someone that's been through it and has the experience. experience in the chops. Yeah, and you can really tell that. And she has such a sure sense of who she is and her boundaries and what she will do and won't do. And I found that at a very

entering the industry very suddenly at a very young age in a very high profile role. I found that really inspiring and like a real guiding light. So I know you've talked about the famously long audition process for the crown, et cetera, but and I won't make you rehash it all. But I am curious, like just generally speaking, like where your head was at when you finally land that role, which on paper would seem to be a game changer, but you never know. I guess like if I talked to you like on the brink of that, did you feel like optimistic, excited about where the career was headed? I had no idea. That audition process is the wildest thing that's ever happened. It was about a year long, back to back with like long periods where I didn't hear anything. And then we'd be

contacted by the team. And then I'd come in again for more meetings and I wouldn't hear anything. and then it was honestly wild like the whole thing start to finish is pretty nuts and by that point I think my expectations were so low because it had been so like stop-starty for a year of my life

at a time where I was like I done a few things but I was still working you know small jobs when I wasn't acting and yeah I really wasn't expecting it so when I got

that role it was completely i couldn't believe it i i really really couldn't i do i do think i really believed it at all until i sort of you know started getting scripts through my door and then it sort of started to fall into place and then when you start to step on set i mean the thing about the crown again is it's so atypical of any kind of quote tv series i mean the production value the scripts the actors this is the highest possible level you could be working in in television um is there is there imposter syndrome and does that ever subside? Huge. Huge imposter syndrome.

I was so nervous my first few weeks on that set. And I remember I kind of used it because my first few weeks were coincidentally the same scenes as when Diana first goes to Balmoral in Scotland. And I remember there was this like that dinner scene where she's sitting at the table and with all the family. So it was literally every single member of that cast. that crazy talented intimidating cast and who was so nice but just I just yeah I was had the most imposter syndrome I remember I had to do a little monologue like the stupid story Diana has about a

deer and I just couldn't get it out I couldn't do it I kept stumbling because they they were meant to be acting intimidating because I was Diana and the first time in the home but I was like to my first week at work why are they being so mean to me oh yeah they're acting that's what they're supposed to be doing he was staring me down at this table and I just couldn't get the story out and and kept getting the words wrong and tripping and saying them back to the front. And I just, I went to the bathroom and cried and cried and cried. And I think I called my mom and I eventually pulled myself together and went back in and managed to do it. But it takes a while, but it never goes.

Like I had that on, not as badly, but I felt so intimidated coming into this role as well, you know, opposite Hugh and Ryan, who've been playing these roles for so many years and I'm so good at what they do. Right. Well, this is this, I mean, this is a constant conversation I have with, and I'm sure you know this, like with actors that have been doing it for decades. And this is the differentiation, I think, between the ones that aren't so great and the ones that care, it never goes away, as you probably well know. You'll probably be feeling this in 30 years.

And that's because you care. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a joy to care, really. We're really lucky to care. Yeah. Yeah. It also probably helps. Again, we're talking about Helena, but like someone like Olivia Coleman, she did the podcast

recently. And my gosh, if there's anybody that's just like more fun and like antithetical to you think she could or should be like i mean one of the one of my favorite things is watching your acceptance speech via zoom and as much as your speech is great watching olivia basically jump out of her seat and start dancing in celebration for you let me come up she's an angel that whole cast became like a real family and i think even though we go through periods of not seeing each other or not you know being in touch as much you really feel tethered to these people because i think that series really joins people together.

You feel like you've really grown together through something really significant. Does also going through it to a degree with someone that is a contemporary like Joshua O'Connor at that time help a little bit? We're like, this is crazy, right? Yeah, definitely. I mean, we both went through a lot on that show.

I think it changed both of our lives quite considerably. And it was really nice to feel like you were going through that with someone. Yeah. Yeah, I couldn't have asked for a better co-star. Honestly, I really lucked out with that one. he's amazing. I assume you've seen challengers by now. You know what?

I haven't yet. I haven't. Emma. No, I know. I need to. I'm so excited about it. It's one of those things where I've been busy doing this and I was finishing a job before this. So I haven't had a chance to properly.

I need time to get into the zone to really, for my brain, you're not wearing, you know, and to be able to sit down in a cinema and see it. Yeah, you don't want to be distracted. You have to see it in a cinema, right? You should. You should. It's Luca. I mean, Luca, yeah, delivers.

It's amazing. You mentioned Orlando, and I know theater has been important to you, whether Anna X or Orlando, have you found like, I mean, Orlando seems to be a transformative, I mean, it's cliche to say that, but it is. Like, that's that kind of role, right? Did it feel like, despite the chemical peel and Sean Levy meetings, it was, it was a transformative experience for you as a human and as an actor? Orlando was one of the most fulfilling, joyful times of my life, really. And as an actor, I think that being on stage is like some kind of strange MOT for you and your soul. I think there's a way that you feel when you're on a stage and everything's live and you get to act without interruption when you can do it for an hour, two hours, three hours, however long you're on stage four, however long the players, and, you know, those little differences, the things that change every night, being in a rehearsal room, that community,

it's a completely unique experience, and I love it so much. And I know that throughout my life, hopefully, if I'm able to, and lucky enough to, I'll return to it again and again. It does feel like Michael was the one, I just love Michael Brandage very much. I want him to adopt me. He's just like, he's one of the best people. And you basically worked back to back Because then my policeman was probably right before or after

Yeah Yeah, yeah No, I mean, I've noticed that too Obviously talking to both theater performers And folks promoting films Like I did a thing with like the merrily We Roll Along cast here in New York And it was basically like

It was basically like an hour of them crying Into each other's shoulders for an hour It's just like they're like in the trenches together And it feels like such like I mean films can elicit that too To be fair But there's something about the community of a They're very different things

They're very different people. You know, we love film for all the reasons. We love film. It can move us beyond anything. And it's something we can return to again and again. And as a process for an actor, it's, they're just, it's very different to theatre. They both have very different highs and lows. But I would say that there is, I'm never so filled with constant feeling and joy and, like, challenge and fulfillment.

It's a very live experience theater because the stakes are high. Yeah. And I think that is so. I remember that's what I really struggled with. And it was a challenge in Orlando. It was like the amount of it was like the amount of. because you'd assume that once you were on, once the show was up, you kind of, you know, you can do your day and then go to the show in the evening. But the adrenaline kicks in the

moment you wake up. So it takes real stamina to like pace yourself throughout the day. And yeah, it was, but it's a fantastic experience. I loved it. And especially that show because it meant so much to me and so many people. Yeah. Yeah. Did Tilda Swinton ever see it? I'm just out of curiosity who obviously played it on the big screen? I actually have no idea. dear. I'm really glad I don't know. I don't be so I yeah. Yeah, I'm glad. I think if someone told me before I went on stage that Tilda was in the audience, I probably, I don't know what I've done. Yeah. Where's the understudy? Yeah. Literally. Yeah. I don't, you haven't done stagework here in New York yet, have you? Are we going to get you on Broadway any time?

I mean, God, I'm waiting. I'd love to. I'd absolutely love to. Yeah. Yeah. Have you seen a Have you seen stereophonic? No, I need, I know. It was one of the best things I've seen recently on Broadway. Oh, my God. Yeah, I absolutely blew me away. And I really want to see O'Mary as well, but I don't know if I'm going to catch it this trip. Oh, Mary's great.

I saw appropriate with Sarah Paulson. Oh, my God, I saw that. So brilliant. Yeah. Yeah. She was. Exactly. A musical, you and Mr. Hugh Jackman.

This guy knows the Broadway boards pretty well. Have you guys bonded over your love of the stage? We have. We have. actually um yeah we talk about theater a lot together and i mean he's a complete he's a he's a triple threat though he can do it all you can't get me tap dancing i tried in the crowd and i just yeah um have you gone up for like movie musicals that kind of a thing would that interest you or are you like summer's here and you can now get almost anything you need for your sunny days delivered with

uber eats what do we mean by almost well you can't get a well-groom lawn delivered but you can get a chicken parmesan delivered. A cabana? That's a no. But a banana, that's a yes. A nice tan. Sorry. Nope. But a box fan? Happily, yes. A day of sunshine? No. A box of fine wines? Yes. Uber Eats can definitely get you that. Get almost, almost anything delivered with Uber Eats. Order now. Alcohol and select markets. Product availability may vary by Regency app for details. Oh, hi, buddy. Who's the best? You are. I wish I could spend all day with you instead. Uh, Dave, you're huff mute Hey, happens to the best of us

Enjoy some goldfish cheddar crackers Goldfish have short memories Be like goldfish I think it would depend on what it was I'd love to do a musical I don't know if I have a musical theater voice I sang a lot when I was younger But I was more like

Classically that route than the musical theater route Which is weirdly very different like ways of using your voice And who knows I haven't sung in a very long time time. So it could sound like a sort of frog. But yeah, I don't know. Some ABBA, maybe Mamma Mia three. Look, I'm just saying. Yeah, that, I mean, that shoot, those shoots, those shoots must have been so much fun. I mean, you got a trip to Greece out of it. You got to work with Merrill. This is a win. No. What a win.

Okay, it's official. We are very much in the final sprint to election day. And face it, between debates, polling releases, even court appearances. It can feel exhausting, even impossible to keep up with. I'm Brad Milkey. I'm the host of Start Here, the Daily Podcast from ABC News. And every morning, my team and I get you caught up on the day's news in a quick, straightforward way that's easy to understand with just enough context so you can listen, get it, and go on with your day. So, kickstart your morning. Start Smart with Start Here and ABC News, because staying informed shouldn't feel overwhelming. You know, I'm actually literally in the middle of watching a murder at the end of the world, which is fantastic. I'm late to it. I am. I was watching it anyway, and then this came up. And I'm a big fan of Britain's all, and the ensemble and that is fantastic.

Again, this feels like shooting in Iceland, your front and six. center like that's that's probably a long shoot I would imagine again yeah yeah it was long but it was incredible it was one of the best experiences I've had yeah it feels like you have a I mean one of my pet peeves is um is Brits not doing the American accent too well and vice versa it seems like you obviously a very good ear for that sort of thing is that come naturally to you I really like accents my mom's a speech therapist so I maybe maybe that's something to do with it my little brother is also really good at accents and impressions. So it must, there must be something. And he does like science. So there must be something in the jeans. Yeah. Yeah. There must be something in the

family, I guess, that is that we've, we've all got quite good ears. And we grew up going, my parents are South African and we grew up going there a lot. And I remember, I used to find it so embarrassing because I used to land there and my accent would switch immediately. And then I still have it when I went back to school and I'd be so yeah I'd be like that's so weird you're putting on an accent and I'd be like oh god this is yeah you're in the right profession clearly you're using your gifts for good now I can claim it yeah yeah otherwise you're just like a weirdo like kind of like why is this person changing their accents at every yeah it's not okay yeah so you do you do impressions friends family is that naturally impressions that's more my brother I can't do that

Okay. But about on a different note, karaoke, I feel like this is a very dividing line. People either do it or they just, I will never do that thing. I do love karaoke. And I also don't need to be drunk to enjoy karaoke. I can be entirely sober and love it. Wow, a blessing. I've never done it. I've never done it. I can't do it. I think I would need to drink all the tequila in the world to get me on that. Yeah. It's a real marmite. You get people who love it and you get people who absolutely hate it. No, 100%. I've never heard that. A real marmite. That's so it works perfectly. Yeah. What's your, so what's your go-to? What's your karaoke song of choice or? Oh, my gosh, so many. The one, I never, it's never my go-to, but when it comes on, I feel like my go-to is always like share, you know, something like that, or Britney. But when Justin Bieber's baby comes on. Oh, boy.

Yeah. It's the rap in the middle for me that I know every single word of. And I couldn't tell you why that has a place in my brain. but it does it lives there and I'm actually at it you want to give me give me a spoken word version

can you not no absolutely not you don't have to sing it prove prove it prove it prove you know it no absolutely not I can't

I'll die but it's maybe we'll do karaoke together one time one day and you've got to speak that request in there and I'll just turn

into like someone else if I'm going to do karaoke for the first time it's going to be with you Emma okay thank you thank you them a lot this is random

but Dan Levy, good grief. How did that happen? Were you guys friends? We are friends. We're very good friends. We became friends a few years ago. We sort of got in touch during COVID because we were going through similar things with our shows being out.

Right. Phenomenons in isolation. Yeah. And it kind of brought, I had that with quite a lot of people who were experiencing the same thing at the same time and a nice little community sort of evolved from that. And, yeah, Dan and I grew really close. He came to see my play.

and then I ended up in in L.A. and we hung out a bit. And yeah, we've become really close. And he's an incredible, yeah, mental and friend and wonderful human. So, yeah, when he asked me to be part of good grief, and I was staying at his house when he was writing the film. So I was sort of privy to that process and everything he poured into that film. It was so beautiful and so tender and such a unique exploration of, you know, all the highs and lows of grieving.

Yeah, very honest. It was a very easy, yes, than that. Yeah. So part of my day job is working as a correspondent for MTV, and he used to do the same thing, obviously, in Canada. So it was such an amazing thing when Schitt's Creek happened because I would always be like on these carpets with him holding a microphone and then to see him make that transition.

Wait, you were MTV Canada? No, I'm MTV, like, in the States. And I have been for many, many years. And he was at MTV Canada. Yeah. So like, we kind of live parallel lives. And then I'm like, here I am. still doing my thing while Dan Levy's winning every Emmy when you're both doing that's so nice yeah

what a sweetie no I'm very happy for him um this is a fan question of the podcast wanted to ask you this from angela did you watch elizabeth de bickie's take on an older version of your diana i did i did and i recently had the immense privilege of sitting down with her for actors and actors and it was the first time we've really got to chat about it and it was a beautiful thing to be able to share I didn't watch season five because it was too close when that came out I was like

I don't know how I feel and that was nothing to do with her or any of the cast it was just me but I watched the last season and I've got to say I was crying like a child

I thought that her performance was so beautiful and yeah I really didn't expect to be so overwhelmed by emotion and yeah I think what she did

of it was absolutely extraordinary. And only she could have done that. Yeah. She brought Diana into her own and gave her so much life and freedom in that phase of her life. And that, yeah, it was, it's a beautiful performance. It's been amazing to see different actors, yeah, like the take on different aspects and or even like, you know, did you ever see, for instance, like Kristen Stewart's, which is obviously a much different kind of interpretation. And all of them, you know, it's this kind of thing, which is, it's like that Dylan. documentary all the different Bob Dylan's it just means that you can like it really picks up on

different aspects because each actor has a different tongue whatever the word is like a different style or a different style they individually pick out and it's so interesting to see yeah are there are flavors they pick out it's so cool talking about different flavors and timbers of an actor what who's in the short list like who do you want to be on a set with like is there somebody that you would just like I want to see how they do what I I love on the big screen my gosh so many people like absolutely so many people I know it's a tough one um you know what I'd love to work with Matthew McFadion again we got to share the screen a few times during Deadpool and Wolverine and I just really enjoyed that experience um who else oh my god

there are so many people I'd love to work with Io I think she's so great and so cool And yeah, yeah. I mean, the list could just end. There's Ben Whishaw, obviously. The Ben Wischaw famous drinking game that everyone at home is drunk now. Yeah. Anyway, isn't there any of my interviews? It's so funny.

I mean, this, I won't torture you with trying to figure out every amazing actor working today because I know the list is long. But it is remarkable. Like when I, you know, prepped to talk to you, like, this has been a relatively short period of time since this is all happening. for you. Does this feel like, I don't know, like the end of a first act, the beginning of like a new phase, you talk about kind of learning to, you know, say no and make choices? Like, do you feel like you're kind of at an interesting pivot point in the career? I think so. I really, really feel

that. I've also been told by my app, my astrology app, I'm in my Saturn return. So it's going to be a lot of. I don't know what that means. It's hell, but I hear there's a way out. I hear that here it ends at some point. But I think, yeah, I'm beginning to really favor doing less work, but doing more intentional work. I think that after the crown, there was such an influx of stuff sent my way, which was incredible. And I think I, I mean, I really didn't stop working for the last three or four years.

I very much went back to back with projects. And I think I've, I'm just quite tired. And also, I really think there's something in being selective and not doing too much and really choosing things for the right reasons. I love everything I've done. I'm so happy with it. But it's cool to feel a change coming in your life for whatever reason. Before I let you go, I do want to circle back to Nospheratu because I am very, very excited

because I'm a big Eggers fan. And growing up, Bram Stoker's Dracula, like one of my favorite all-time. movies, and this feels like there's some kind of fun symmetry to that, but it's the Eggers style. Can you give me a sense of what we're in for on this? I mean, it's an amazing cast. This is obviously going to be a different kind of take. Incredible cast. And Egg is just the most singular phenomenon of a director working today.

He's fascinating. As a person to watch direct experience, it's so interesting. I had such a fun time working with him. And it was challenging because he's so specific. He's meticulous, isn't he? Yeah. meticulous but you really it's a real challenge and it's not dissimilar an ergus film is not dissimilar from theatre because the sets are designed meticulously your action throughout the sets and the way he works with jar and his um dop

they map out your course of action and they follow you with a camera it's a lot of like sweeping movements so there's no like coverage really per se right sometimes there is but generally this is the shop this is what we're doing guys yeah yeah and so you will rehearse it like you would rehearse a scene and a play you know you bring the cup here you put it exactly there you and you need to be facing this way and then will him will say something and put the vial there and you know it's it's so cool yeah it's a fantastic way of working and i just was really soaking it all up it's i mean it was such an honor to be on that set i couldn't believe it yeah well i do love as an audience member feeling that sense of like a filmmaker that there's no other place for the camera to be.

You know, you have that feeling with certain filmmakers where it's like, this has such purpose to it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's an incredible safe environment to be in, actually. Even if it's sometimes meticulous and challenging because of that, it's a good thing. You grow as an actor. It takes you out of your comfort zone, which is really important. And you know ultimately that this person, like, Robert is so confident and set in his vision.

It's such a, it's a great feeling as an actor, to be honest. like that. We're going to end with the happy say I confused profoundly random questions Emma. Are you ready? Okay. I think I think I know this. Dogs or cats? Dogs. Okay. Do you collect anything? Match things sometimes.

I like match books. Yeah. Yeah. What's the wallpaper on your phone? The wallpaper of my phone is a picture of me and two friends walking along a seawall in Margate. Yeah.

Oh, boy. Last actor you've been mistaken for? My God, who've I been mistaken for? Oh. Who? No, I do think I have, actually. There's only one amicoran. I don't think I have.

Okay, fair enough. What's the worst note a director has ever given you? it's not the worst at all but it's not bad in any way because it was for the right reasons but I remember Eggers wanted it was the worst for me because I was so worried

I couldn't do it but Eggers was like you can't move your eyebrows and my eyebrows are like all I have my expression is my biggest power without my money maker I can show myself out I'm going to be terrible but he was like I want absolutely be absolute stillness on your face.

And I found that so hard. And I was so worried that he was going to be like, oh, God, what have I done casting this person? But I think I managed it. So it was actually the best note I've ever got, but the hardest. I could imagine. Then all you're thinking about is your face

and you're just looking like a crazy person, just holding your... Yeah. It's so good. You'll come in and be like eyebrows. It's like, damn it. It's so good. In the spirit of happy,

a second fused, an actor that always makes you happy. You see them on screen. I guess Ben we're sure. I mean, come on. What are we talking about? Got to. Got to do it. Movie that makes you sad. Always makes you sad. Cinema Paradiso. Oh, that score.

Wouldn't the score kicks in? No, I literally, if I ever want a good cry, for whatever reason. Just turn that up. Yeah. Yeah. And a food that makes you confused. Oh, my God. A food that makes me confused. Why do people like this? This is like, what? No. I've got to say raw carrots confuse me.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. I'm with you. Yeah. not a the stringiness sometimes and the it's sometimes just too crunchy and then the taste is a bit too earthy but then you dip it in something and it's a great vehicle for a dip yes it's a vehicle to a dip but on its own i'm not convinced i support it uh emma this has been lovely Deadpool and wolverine i can't wait to see the next two-thirds of it i'm sure it's amazing based on

what i've seen uh i look forward to our karaokeing um thank you me too yeah you will hear that one time in your life i promise and it will be exceptional I'm going to bone up on on baby. A real pleasure. Thanks so much for the time today. Thank you. 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 pressure to do this by Josh. I'm Amy Nicholson, the film critic for the LA Times. And I'm Paul Shear, an actor, writer, and director. You might know me from The League, Veep, or my non-eligible for Academy Award role in Twisters. We love movies, and we come at them from different perspectives. Yeah, like, Amy thinks that, you know, Joe Pesci was miscast in Goodfellas, and I don't.

He's too old. Let's not forget that Paul thinks that Dude, too, is overrated. It is. Anyway, despite this, we come together. to host Unspooled, a podcast where we talk about good movies, critical hits. Fan favorites, must-season, and case you misdums. We're talking Parasite the Home Alone. From Greece to the Dark Night.

We've done deep dives on popcorn flicks. We've talked about why Independence Day deserves a second look. And we've talked about horror movies, some that you've never even heard of like Ganges and Hess. So if you love movies like we do, come along on our cinematic adventure. Listen to Unspooled wherever you get your podcast. And don't forget to hit the follow button. Thank you.