Happy Sad Confused - Evan Peters

Episode Date: January 24, 2018

In our second episode direct from Park City, Utah, Josh hangs out with Evan Peters on his birthday, while he celebrates his first visit to the Sundance Film Festival. Evan's new film, "American Animals", a bizarre true story of a heist gone terribly wrong, has just premiered at the festival. In his first visit to "Happy Sad Confused", Evan talks about why he misses roaming the aisles of Blockbuster video, what actors he's obsessed with, the impact Ryan Murphy has had on his career, and drops some interesting info on his upcoming return to the X-Men franchise in "X-Men: Dark Phoenix".   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Today on Happy Set Confused, Evan Peters on his first Sundance, X-Men Dark Phoenix, and his collaborations with Ryan Murphy. Hey guys, I'm Josh Horowitz. Welcome to another edition of Happy Set Confused, the second edition from the Sundance Film Festival. I'm here catching a lot of great movies, catching up with some of my favorite actors. and filmmakers. That's the fun part about Sundance. It's like you walk the streets up and down and you just like, I bumped into Zoe Lister Jones on the street the other day. You know, you just, you bump into people just like randomly. They're all like kind of running around with different agendas, whether it's seeing movies or doing press, and not to mention all the

colleagues and writers and correspondence. It's just kind of a fun get together. So while I've been here at Sundance, my 12th Sundance Film Festival, if you can believe it, I barely can. I've seen a bunch of movies. Yesterday, I called a triple bill. One of the films was American Animals, which is the reason I'm talking to the guest here on this edition of Happy Sagan Fused. American Animals, for a little context, is a, it's an ensemble film. It's kind of a, I would say it's a drama with a fair amount of comedy in it, too. It's from the director that did The Imposter, which was a very acclaimed documentary a couple years ago. This is his first kind of, you know, fictional narrative. Although,

is, you know, based on a true story, just meaning at the first non-doc, I guess. And it stars, you know, Evan Peters, Blake Jenner, the guy whose name I will always mispronounce, but I love him. Barry Keough, I want to say, he's started killing of a sacred deer in Dunkirk. He's such a great young actor. And Evan's kind of the ringleader of a group of four young men who are just kind of aimless and just kind of like looking for profundity in their boring lives. And they decide to steal. some rare books and everything goes wrong. These guys are kind of idiots and don't know what they're doing. And it's an entertaining film. It's a really good piece of work. And Evan, in particular, I want to talk to because, A, because he's excellent in the film, but also he's just somebody I've noticed a bit. You know, I won't claim to be an American Horror Story expert, but I know people love him on that show. I certainly love what he's done. In the X-Men movies, he did. He did a very fun sketch that if you guys have not caught, he did a sketch with me a few years back for the last X-Men movie. It was called X-Men Anonymous. So if you want to Google that one,

X-Men Anonymous, Josh Horowitz, you'll find a really fun sketch that Evan Peters just killed it in. So ever since he did that, he's had my undying respect. So, yeah, this conversation was a lot of fun. I will mention a little disclaimer, and I apologize for this, but it's the nature of of the Beast when I'm recording these things in Sundance. This was in the middle of like one of these like lounge areas. Set the scene for you guys that haven't been to Sundance up and down Main Street are all these kind of like the CNN lounge, the Lyft lounge, the Stella Artois lounge, all these sponsored kind of places where, you know, they bring the celebrities through, they take photos, they give them free shit and they just kind of hang out. And they also do

interviews in those spaces. So this was done in the gray goose, I don't know, lounge or whatever. And it was a little, it was a little loud. It was crowded. It's particularly the first like 10 minutes, I would say, of this conversation. It's going to be, it might be annoying. I apologize. Hopefully the mics did their job, but there definitely are people like kind of like hanging over us. So apologies for that. But bear with us. It gets better. People leave. It gets quieter. And it's, we actually got a decent chunk of time considering the, insanity of Sundance. And by the way, it was Evan's birthday. How beautiful is that? So, great to get to know Evan a little bit better. I know, you know, his fiance, Emma Roberts,

pretty well from intervening her many times over the years, got a chance to catch up with her as well after I talked to Evan. So, you know, two guys that I'm big fans of. So very cool to talk to Evan about this new film American Animals that just premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, as well as, you know, I had to talk to him, of course, about the X-Men films and, in particular, his upcoming role in X-Men, Dark Phoenix. So he gave me a little juicy, you know, bit of goodness on that one that I think you guys will probably enjoy. So yes.

And just to mention also, for those of you that are curious about what I'm seeing here at the Sundance Film Festival, I saw the new Gus Van Sanchez. movie last night. Don't worry, he won't get far on foot, which I thought was very good, which was, you know, I mean, Gus Van San is kind of hit or miss, and this is definitely, I think, more in the positive column for him. It features an amazing performance by Joaquin Phoenix, playing this real-life cartoonist who, you know, became a paraplegic, and it's a very powerful story involving, you know, he was an alcoholic, a 12-step program, and also has Jonah Hill in a hell of a supporting performance, and one of our favorites, Jack Black.

also was in that. Also, maybe my favorite film I've seen at Sundance so far is kind of an unlikely one. I mean, I was expecting to like it, but not as much as I did, was a movie called Juliet Naked. So look out for that one. I'm not sure where it's going to end up, but it's directed by Jesse Peretz, who did our idiot brother a couple years back, and it stars Ethan Hawke and Rose Byrne and Chris O'Dowd. It's based on a Nick Hornby book. And it's just a, you know, it's not going to change the world, but it's a very delightful. kind of romantic comedy and everybody's very charming in it and uh i was kind of charmed by it and it was a nice you know in sundance you see a lot of dark depressing stuff it made me laugh a lot and it was just like a fun a hundred minutes at the uh at the movies here in sundance so that's at the top of my list right now but i'm going to see a lot more films and i'll i'll make some more recommendations i'm sure as as uh as the festival continues and as more uh podcasts pop up i'm hoping to record at least one more podcast while I'm here. So I'm going to toss it over to this conversation with Evan Peters. Again, apologies for the loudness. But if you are so kind, remember, review, rate, and subscribe on iTunes. Do us that favor. And enjoy this conversation with Evan Peters. Now entering the podcast studio of the Grey Goose Lounge and Sundance. Oh, wow. This is lovely. You've never heard my podcast.

introduction seven that's how I do it's beautiful that's my podcast voice do you have a podcast voice um for relaxing times try gray goose times you're on brand you're on nest it very good um apologies to the guys listening yes there are people talking we're in a bizarre sundance lounge it's the mix of the beasts yeah yeah is yep uh is this where you imagine you be spending your birthday happy birthday man oh my god yeah thank you no i keep forgetting that's my birthday uh no i it had no i had no i had no Yeah. I'm thankful. I'm really grateful. I've always wanted to come to Sundance. I've never been to Sundance. This is my first time. It's snowing, and I love the snow. So, yeah, it's great. You're getting the authentic Sundance experience. You're getting full-on major blizzard conditions. A beautiful, you know, the women's march down the street. You've got all good mojo going on around here.

It's great. So you obviously have friends, acquaintances that have come to Sundance before. You mentioned that it was something that you'd hope to get to at some point. Oh, yeah. I mean, first of all, because we have a little time here, I'm curious, like, growing up was, like, were you a film geek? Were you kind of, like, into, did you follow, like,

were you aware of what the Sundance Film Festival was as a kid? No. Yeah. No, not at all. I mean, I, I would, I loved, you know, Tommy Boy and Dumb and Dumber and the Mask and, you know, cartoon, all the Disney movies I would just watch. And then growing up, you know, Forrest Gump,

was about as heavy as I got. Tommy Boy didn't get it into Sundance, sadly. No, it didn't, unfortunately. But, yeah, it wasn't until, you know, I was 15 and then went out to L.A. and started acting that I realized that there was such a thing as Sundance and Independent Films. And, yeah, and then, obviously, it's grown. It's much different than when it started from what I hear. And, yeah, I'm just happy to be here, man.

I'm very excited. So I was at your big premiere yesterday. Congratulations on the movie. The movie's American Animals. Thank you. You know, it's a cool film in many ways. I mean, you know, we'll tease up a little bit of the storyline. It's based on a true story.

You know, the four principal characters and this kind of crazy, bizarre heist gone really bad. And not necessarily, you know, we're not talking about, like, the guys from heat pulling off, like, the crime of the century. These are guys that are ill-equipped, to say the least. College students. Right. Yeah. Well, first I'm just curious, did you see the movie before you got here? Was that...

Yeah, I got to see it on Wednesday. Okay. Yeah. So still, I mean, I would think you've been to all manners of different kind of premieres and events for your films, but this one being your first sundance, being the fact that the actual principles are going to be in the audience with you? Yeah. Like, are you pretty chill about these kind of events, or were you going on with... Yeah, I was just happy that they were happy. I'd heard, they'd saw the film before, I mean, they didn't see the final version, but they saw a version of it, and it's very similar to what it was, but they were very, you know, grateful and thankful, and it explains why they did it.

You know, Bart, Bart Leighton, the director, you know, had a correspondence with them when they were in prison for quite a while and got a lot of very vulnerable, revealing letters that sort of told, you know, why they did it. Each one had their own reason, obviously, but it was, you know, this sort of unrest with the way that the world is. You know, the sort of plan that you have to go through, at least for Warren. And Warren's just this, you know, sort of crazy energy. He has all this energy and his brain works in such a way that he sees no limits. You know, so he looks past that. And I think he just, he channeled it into such a. such a lost bad way, you know, and it's really sad.

And I hate that they got seven years. You know, they were kids, and they just, they channeled it wrong, and yes, they did a bad thing, and yes, they hurt someone, and it's obviously, you know, reprimandable, but seven years felt like, you know, that's... It changes a life, especially in that time in your life. Oh, yeah. But, you know, they did get the transformative experience that they got a movie out of it. that they hoped, but they did get something. Yeah, that alters

everything. But yeah, it's, it was good to see it. I was just, it's, you know, I've been hanging out with Warren a lot and the other guys and they're, they're great guys, you know, and they've been telling stories of, you know, prison and, you know, what it was like and, and, yeah, it's, it's really fascinating to talk

with them because they're just these normal guys who threw themselves into this insane situation and just, it ended, it ended tragically, unfortunately. But I guess the story kind of folded in on itself, and now they're here at Sundance and in a weird way. I have to say it is a cautionary tale. It's not glorifying, you know, doing heists at all. It's about having this unrest and sort of maybe channeling it into different areas. Like Warren was saying, you know, the movie's been cathartic. He said about BJ, you know, that, you know, she saw the film and it sort of helped her understand better.

why they did what they did and and warren hearing that got relief you know he hasn't talked to her since this this all went down and you know I'm sure he wanted to apologize and say what happened and I was an idiot

and I don't know what I was thinking and so it was sort of a relief for him you know he's very emotional this whole thing's been very emotional and a high anxiety and a lot of stress for them I think yeah and a very it's so vulnerable

how much they've given and the story you know everybody is is pouring out their heart and telling the truth or their version of the truth and whatever that may be. So it's been really cool to see it with them and have them.

From the beginning when I read the script, I loved the fact that Bart was going to include the actual footage of them, you know, because that to me... Had he shot that already? Yeah, he shot that first. So that's literally in the script, like what they said as themselves. Yeah, and when I read it and I was like, this is incredible. And, you know, of course, when I would tell that to people,

they'd be like, oh, I don't know how that's going to work. And I was like, well, I don't know. I mean, I kind of love it because it adds a sort of gravitas to the situation. You know, it makes it real. It makes it, you know, you look at it and it adds an intensity. When you watch the film, Bart has done, I was shocked at how well he did it. You know, I thought, okay, maybe, you know, I don't know, it could go wrong. That can be a little hokey.

Oh, my God, but he seamlessly wove it, and I'm very proud of to be a part of it. And it's very cool how he did it because, you know, there's humor to it. There's intensity to it. when you actually get to see them go through the heist, you know, there's just that much more intensity because you see that it is real and you see the real guys and their faces and how much they were invested in it. So it's a, yeah, long answer, but it's been a very great, very cool experience to work with them in that regard. What's cool also, you know, I think you guys talked about this a little bit after the screening and a little bit just now is

it's relatable in a way where like we're all trying to find our place and make ourselves feel like we aren't leading a boring life and just sort of standing out and like that's especially at that key age you know whatever age they were at that point I'm just curious like where you were at as a teenager

as a young man was acting a way to kind of like channel whatever unrest whatever restless spirit you had yes absolutely and I use for the film because because that's I wanted to we moved to Michigan from St. Louis and I was there in the summer and I was like well you know my dad just sort of blew up the whole St. Louis world by having to get moved for this job so like our whole family everything has been changed and I didn't realize that it could be changed and I thought well hell if you move to Michigan and we all move

there I want to be an actor like maybe I can move to California and we could do that and maybe that's possible. I don't know. I always loved performing in school and grade school with plays and stuff like that, but to actually do it was sort of this insane dream. I don't know what I was thinking, really, but... Ignorance is

bliss when you're that age, I guess. Totally. Well, that was the thing. I was totally naive and ignorant and just sort of went out there and tried to do it. But yeah, absolutely. It was definitely something to change and to do something different, and I really like the idea of doing something different.

because I was sort of scared to just do that. And I always, I thought, you know, well, life is very finite, and I want to make the most of this short time that I have here. And I go, what's the best way that I can do that? And I love acting, and I love movies and TV. I make my schedule would revolve around watching my TV shows and all the movies that were coming out and going to Blockbuster. I absolutely loved going to Blockbuster.

I think more than going to the actual theater. Right. I missed that experience, don't you? Oh, my God. It was one of my favorite things to do. Yeah, I don't know about for you, but for me it would like, it was a, you know, ostensibly a short trip would turn into just like an hour roaming up and down the aisles. Right.

Right. Yeah. Like, I need to rent four or five of these. And it was like all that, like you had it all, you were like, these are all the action films that I can watch. I have a plethora to choose from, here's all the ones I want to watch, and you could sort of go down the aisle and look, now, I'm almost overwhelmed at what's on the internet

and what I can download and stream and it's terrifying and I'm overwhelming and I sit there paralyzed on Netflix and watch the goddamn screen for an hour trying to pick what I want. And not to mention, I don't know about for you, I feel this like, you know, being, you know, we're on different sides of it,

but like being someone that consumes and loves pop culture, like you feel like you hear everybody talking about the 15 TV shows you need to be watching. I've created like lists for myself And I'm like, it's become a task when, like, it should be a joy. Yeah, that's the thing. They're like, have you seen this?

Have you seen that? And I'm like, no, I haven't seen it because it takes 13 hours to watch that. And, you know, once I start that, then someone else throws another one at me. And it is overwhelming. It's become like a task. I have that same list. And what's funny is, is that when I'm sitting in front of the TV trying to figure out what to watch, I don't even go to that list.

I try to pick something that's on the damn screen in front of me. And then the list gets even longer. So it has become completely overwhelming, but I guess I should look at it as now there's that much more to choose from. So what's the last thing you watch, then? Having said that you're staring at a blank Netflix screen. Godless. Oh, let's see, that's on the list. But I'm not even done with it.

I'm halfway through it, and I really like it. Yeah. Yeah. Jeff Daniels is incredible in it, and, yeah, it's sort of beautiful to watch. Yeah, it's not Frank's an amazing writer. It's gorgeous, yeah. Yeah, it's interesting. I love Scoot McNary, too.

So, yeah. Yeah, just love him. So are you in the middle of the latest Ryan Murphy Joint in New York right now? Yeah, we just, we started the first two in November, and then we go back. And I'm not sure when yet, but I think maybe end of February, March,

for a good five months, and then we finish the rest. Nice. And this is Pose? Pose, yeah. So Kate Myers, one of my favorite people. She's incredible. She's the best. She's, she's, she's, one of the strongest, most powerful, inspiring women I've ever worked with.

Yeah. Like, I'm like, I feel so weak. Like, she's like, she's like, dude, you've got to grow some boss. And I'm like, yeah, I guess you're right. Okay, cool, I should. Yeah, totally. So she's giving me a cool strength that I've never had before. So it's been cool to work with her.

I'm talking about, like, you know, finding a cool strength. I would imagine, like, this ongoing collaboration with Ryan Murphy. Yeah. This is this guy who clearly sees in you. all these different amazing manifestations must be such an ego boost and opportunity just like to find a collaborator that can push you

and give you opportunity in different ways. Yeah, I guess it is that. It's also I feel slightly underqualified in a weird like it's overwhelming the opportunities and chances that he gives me and I'm like, I don't understand

how or why you're doing it. And that's not like a false modesty thing. I'm actually, I feel overwhelmed. a lot of the time. But, you know, it's cool because I can challenge myself to sort of rise to what he thinks or sort of expects of me, which has been helpful in helping me grow and step outside of this box that I would always love to live in, you know. So it's been pretty amazing to have that.

It seems like, I mean, you're talking about American animals, I mean, doing some armchair psychology. Like, it seems like you're gravitating towards projects and people that are pushing you and pushing the form and, like, trying interesting shit out for lack of a more articulate way to put it. I'll be honest. I mean, that's not something, that's just been by the grace of God. I mean, I wish I could. I mean, I'm so grateful to be able to say that, you know, but I, that's, I mean, that's just. Dumb luck. That's just dumb luck. I mean, being able to work with Ryan has been incredible, you know, so I've been able to, oh, God, very quiet.

Yeah. But, yeah, that's just dumb luck. But it is exactly what. what I've always wanted, you know, so in a weird way, I don't know if it's from wanting that, and then it just sort of happened and some manifest destiny, but I'd think rather just dumb luck. Who was the first celebrity you ever met? Do you remember? Or worked with, or? Louise Fletcher. Yeah, I did a short independent film, or not a short independent film, a small independent film with her. It was regulation length. It was 99 plus length. Called Clipping Adam, which was, I had an awesome mullet in that. Um, but it was, uh, yeah, it was very cool.

She played my grandmother who helped raise me. Um, and, uh, lovely, lovely lady. Yeah. Yeah. Do you feel like, um, having worked with the, the plethora of talent at this point, because, you know, we can call you a veteran by at this point. You've been working for a bit. Did you feel, I don't know about veteran.

No, I do. I mean, I've been, you know, since I was 15. I'm 30, well, 31 today. But I, uh, I, uh, I feel, I feel still like I'm just. You know, this is my first sun dance. Right. You know what I mean? So it's still, it's a slow, it's a slow slope, you know?

It's a long, slow road slope upwards. So that's good. What about the fact, I mean, it's a great ensemble, and I love all the guys in this, but you are the lead of the film. And that's a moment. That's an interesting, like, I don't know how many leading roles you've had in film. No, that's true. I mean, well, clipping Adam was one, but I was 15.

I had no idea what I was doing. And then, you know, Pirates of Somalia, which, you know, That was pretty recent. That was pretty recent. And then I feel like horror story last year was a great lead. And then this, which we actually shot before Horror Story last year, but this is, you know, this is a, but this is still an onsome. It's definitely the four guys. But they are, you know, they're giving me more chances and more opportunities and more scenes, which is, you know, more responsibility.

But I, you know, I want to, I'm learning. It's what's so cool and what's so frustrating at the same time is that, you know, you shoot it, and then it takes months before you can see it and you can critique it and go, well, I didn't, I didn't. That was okay. And you go, oaf, that was not. You shouldn't have done that at all. That was terrible. So it's been a great, you know, it's been great to be in these lead roles because then I can watch it and see what I'm doing and what's working and what's not.

And I have to say I'm excited to do more because I feel like I'm learning so much more and then giving myself. So that room to grow has been hugely beneficial and made me excited to work more and to work harder. So in the right areas. So I can get rid of some areas that are not working anymore. Are there like habits or ticks that you see that you are trying to break? Yeah, definitely. When I should look out for and say, oh, there are you. Yeah, there's the classic Evan Peters tick.

A little wink to camera. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, trying to kill all of those. basically so which is great you know that's such a cool opportunity and experience to have that i'm so grateful for so i'm thankful for these direct you know bart and and and ryan for continuing to give me opportunities to to be able to do that so did you did you uh weren't a lot from working on x-men anonymous the uh historic MTV sketch that we did i did actually yeah you committed you wanted the wig i wanted it so bad so bad that was a blast hopefully we can have

some more fun on the next one. Talk to me a little bit about, so... Was the X-Men call? Was getting that gig? Was that a big moment? You talked about being raised on Blockbusters and seeing that kind of stuff? That was huge.

I loved the first X-Men when I was a kid, and then the second one. And, yeah, I just... I got the call, and then immediately after the call, I jumped on the couch, and I was just so excited to be able to be a part of these movies because I'd grown up. And another thing, you know, I loved growing up

with special effects movies. I loved CGI so much because I was shocked and couldn't figure out how they did it, you know? And once I figured it out, I loved watching the behind scenes where it was all green and then you saw them paint it in and I go, holy crap, look what they can do now.

This is amazing. Like, it just takes you that much further into the alternate reality that is movies. And I was so excited by that. And then when I found out I was going to be doing it, doing Quicksover, I thought, oh, that's cool, I'm going to be fast. You know, that's great.

I have no idea how they're going to do that because I'm very slow. But what they did was pretty incredible. It was a genius idea where, you know, everybody's frozen. And it was very matrix almost. But, you know, then I sort of move in real time and everybody's frozen and moving in a very slow speed. And they shot on that phantom camera and everything was green screen. And it's just the way they did it, I had no idea it was going to be that way. And I was shocked when I saw the final thing.

And I was also shocked at the response that people had for it. People really... It was the standouts. It was like the one thing they had to talk about. They really, really liked it. And I was, again, through dumb luck, got to be a part of that. You know, I had no idea that was going to be that. And I was very, again, grateful to be a part of something like that.

So being like an effects geek, have you done performance capture yet? Is that something that you would want to... No, I would love to do performance capture. Andy Circus was like... Oh my God, those apes movies are... Unbelievable. He's unbelievable. The fact that the last two,

Apes movies in particular, I think the first one was all right, but the last two that Matt Reeves is directed. Oh, my God. Like, when you watch it, you're like, wait a second. Like, how is that ape actually doing that? You know, it's shocking how good it is. Yeah.

It's shocking. And it really makes you excited and kind of giddy inside. You're like, this is really cool. Yeah. And I'm excited, you know, it's funny. I keep thinking about it. But I think, you know, they're going to eventually start

when virtual reality gets that way because what I love about special effects movies is that it takes you into that world much like Avatar whatever you know but I think hopefully you know eventually there'll be some sort of movie where you can sort of live inside the movie like a video game but then you have you know Nicole Kidman acting

in it and like you know you have a fantastic almost like immersive theater like where you've you know but it's a movie version or a video game version where you can choose your reality that you go through and I don't know if you've been in any immersive theater, but there's, like, incredible actors who do not break character and make you feel like you are actually a part. We're not talking about cheesy dinner theater. We're talking about,

no, this is like the, like, sleep no more, and then there was a great, there's a great Halloween one that I went to in L.A., where they, like, threw you in a van and drove you around, put a bag over your head, and all this insane stuff, but like the actors and actresses were incredible because they did not break character, and you could say all sorts of stuff to them, they'd be like, all right, come with me, and then they put you in timeout or some kind of crazy thing. It was unbelievable. And I love that feeling of being able to live in some sort of alternate reality. It's why I love acting.

So I hope one day that they do that. You know, I don't think they'll ever get rid of the art of cinema, you know, the screen and the sound. I think it's all added in this point. Yeah, there's going to be. But it is, we're talking in 20 years, it's going to, oh, my God. Oh, it's definitely going to happen because I want that to happen. If nobody else is doing it, I'm sure James Cameron is going to do it. before everybody.

But, yeah, I think it would be pretty genius. Sounds like you need to get you in a James Cameron movie. I think you'd be keeping out the entire... I'm down for James Cameron. Have you ever met with him? No, God, no. No, I mean, I would love to. That's amazing.

Oh, man. It's genius. How was Dark Phoenix to do? I mean, that group is a fun group. It's a great group. Did you burn down Montreal? Did MacAvoy kill anybody? They were just kicked out of Montreal for life.

Oh, my God. No, it was actually very, very tame, you know. Simon directed this one and came in very prepared, prepared, very professional, and everybody was, it was a different energy on set, and everything got done like clockwork, and it was very seamless, and everybody, I think, was a little bit more level-headed. So it was a very pleasurable light experience, and, you know, I think the film is going to be incredible, I hope knock on wood because it's just, you know, Hans Zimmer's scoring it. I mean, he is, I don't know if I was supposed to say that or not, but anyway,

you know, Simon has surrounded himself with incredible people, and Simon knows this world better than anybody. And so it was just cool to see him. He's like, you know, he's so happy and so, in his element in that world. And then also being able to direct and, like, sort of guide everybody in this way, I was very happy for him. and I think he's going to be great. I mean, you know, without making the subject too uncomfortable,

I mean, the last two X-Men films, you know, were obviously very important to your career. Yeah. You know, helmed by Brian Singer, who's been going through some stuff. A lot, yeah. There's some major issues that obviously could continue to crop up for him. We'll see.

And I've heard stories, not even talking about, like, stuff offset, but, like, that his sets can be a bit chaotic and have been. There have got to be lessons learned for you from going through those experience. and also I'm just curious like what your perspective is on having worked on those two with a filmmaker who obviously is a great talent but right has some issues I just think yeah I just think there's a level of you know this business is is very chaotic in and of itself and nothing is for certain and everything is by chance and you know luck is when opportunity meets preparation and I think that it's very important

to be prepared and be on time and be professional and to be respectful and I think it's It's so, I think it's great what's happening now in the business. I really do. I have to say, I think it's a good thing, and I love strong women, and I'll follow them anywhere. My mom's a very strong woman, and I'm marrying a very strong woman. You know, I love them, and I appreciate them, and I think they're better actors. Honestly, I do, and I'm sure they're better directors, you know. Why do you think that's just, like, more in touch, more willing to go to places?

They can communicate better. They're more in touch with their emotions. They're smarter, they mature faster. It's a very long list of why women are better than men. Two cavemen talking to each other. They're catching the grey goose sweet, basically. What are we doing here? Yeah, but so I think it's a great thing.

And it just speaks, you know, I think it's just you're supposed to be respectful and professional because, you know, this business is so chaotic. It helps to have a little bit of stability and confidence. that things are going to be a certain way when you get there on set. And that is something that I hope stays and changes for the better and stays that way for the rest of time. Talking a little bit in terms of, I know we're not going to reveal too much plot-wise for Dark Phoenix, but I was just curious, like, well, two questions.

One is how are you and Magneto doing? How are you in Fastened are doing? We're good, you know, we're good. It's a complicated relationship. We're not, you know, quite speaking that much, but I think we're done with the characters now or though you and mike well both be a mike but no I

the characters I think that they're I think they're fine I think there needs to be more talk maybe a father's son therapy sessions but but I think they're doing all right yeah there you go was there fun stuff for you to chew on this time do we get I mean like

you're talking about the standout sequence in both the last two films like is there do you have to kind of up the ante to do another one is that or that expectation or did you I hope I hope we do another one I really do um I would hope you know I was I was um I have no idea what's going to happen to be honest I just to clarify

I meant the the bravora sequence your your slow-mo oh and there another one of those you have to see it's a very different movie you know it's a Simon's directing it and he wrote a very different script and it's dark Phoenix right so

it's she's very central so if he's very central to this movie and it's going to be great for her so I'm very excited for her. Did you get to spend any time with Chastain? She's pretty good. No, I didn't. I don't think I got to meet her yet.

I know. I've seen her before. Of that strong women that just can do anything, she's the best. Incredible. Yeah. Incredible. Yeah, yeah.

So, it got quiet for us again. Again. So, we're just talking, Because I feel like I've keyed into you as like a legit film fan, which I love. Are you, like, what's, any, any films in the last year that you've loved? What have you been getting out on? I, so recently, just what's come out, I recently watched Call Me By Your Name, which I thought was incredible. Timothy Chalemay deserves an Oscar, I thought.

I think he's incredible. Army was great. It was directed beautifully. I thought it was a gorgeous film and made me feel like I was there, which was awesome. So I love that. And then I saw Darkest Hour, which, wow. Yeah. Maybe he deserves the Oscar.

I mean, he's, that was... He, by now, you should have five Oscars. He shouldn't have five Oscars. But it was, that transformation was unbelievable. And just to sort of live in that skin and how under pressure he was and vulnerable he was during that time was captured beautifully by Gary Olman. So, I mean, that was. Awesome. I love that performance. And that's one day I hope to aspire to be that kind of actor

where you can sort of get in that skin. And another film that I watched was The Phantom Thread, which speaking of people who get in skins, Daniel Day-Lewis, who's voice in that, I love. I mean, it's closer to his real voice, but it's still like, it's almost like he's sewing or something with his voice. It's so weird. Maybe I'm looking too much into it, but that's what it felt like,

and I was like, that was incredible. And I love the movie, and I love Paul Thomas Anderson. It gets weird at the end. It does. That goes the places that you don't expect. You're like, whoa, that was, what? Okay. But I was on board.

I was like, I don't mind this. I love this kind of stuff that's going on. My shorthand on it has been, I think it's a, it's punched drunk love meets curb your enthusiasm. Yeah, in a weird way. A little war of the roses in there, too. It's pretty, pretty. Yeah. And it was just such a gorgeous film.

And I love Daniel Day Lewis. I mean, everybody loves Daniel Day Lewis. But I just really, it was nice to see him. be closer to what I think is maybe him. Right. I'm not sure, but at least it seemed like he wasn't putting on, you know, it wasn't American, you know, he didn't have a beard or a mustache or anything. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, it was very cool to see him in that light. Yeah. And it made me want to rewatch some of his older films where he is sort of more. Before he started getting to the transformative, the true cobbling, yes, I know. That's really cool. I love that. He does that. Is that the kind of, and I hope he doesn't retire.

Oh, God. Me too. Or he comes back out of retirement, so I guess he is retired now. I guess so. But I don't know why he announced it. He takes seven-year breaks between films anyway. No one would have noticed. You're absolutely right.

I know. He could have said it in seven years when it was, you know. But I think, you know, he must just be a way of cleansing everything in a weird way. So are you happy where you're at? I don't mean literally sitting in the Grey Goose Lounge on your birthday. I'm very happy here. Everyone's left, too, by the way. I feel like they've abandoned you.

Where's heaven? No, but in terms of like the opportunities that you're getting right now I mean, we talked about getting to be kind of, you know, a lead in some things. Obviously, Ryan Murphy is going to sound like he's going to cast you for life, which is a good thing to have in the back pocket. Like what are you looking for or asking like team Evan Peters to look out for? Is there kind of a criteria right now? Oh, well, I think ultimately I want to, you know, it seems that when I, I don't know,

like this dumb luck thing keeps happening, but it's, Because I'm working with great directors and great producers and great storytellers, you know, it's, it's the story, they're picking the stories essentially, and I'm just being able to jump on board, luckily. But, you know, I ultimately, I want to work with great people like that so I can learn more. I want to work with great actors and actresses and directors and writers. Because they know how to tell all the great stories, and they know how to do it the right way, and that's what I want to learn. I mean, obviously, I love great stories. I want to tell them, but I don't know how to tell them. I don't know how to write them. I would love. to. I think I have great ideas, but are they great ideas? I don't know. So I think I need to learn a little bit more from the people around me to get the confidence in order to put myself out there in that way. Ultimately, I would love to write and direct and tell stories of my own, but I think at this stage I'm just going to the University of Hollywood, I guess. That sounds so lame. But you know what I mean? No, totally. Trying to learn from everybody around me is working. That's the best thing for any artists for probably most fields

is surround yourself with people that are better than you and just sort of like soak it up and eventually you'll rise to their level too hopefully. God, I hope, yeah. Well, you're well on your way, man.

I always enjoy talking to you and I appreciate, you know, talking to a fellow film geek clearly and a talented guy that is willing to do stupid sketches from now and then. Hopefully we'll do another one soon. Yeah, that'd be fun.

Enjoy your birthday, man. Good to see you, buddy. Thank you, man. I appreciate it. And so, when you, 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. 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 Unspool, a podcast where we talk about good movies, critical hits. Fan favorites, must season, and case you missed them. 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.