Happy Sad Confused - Galaxy Quest 25th Anniversary Reunion with Sam Rockwell & Justin Long

Episode Date: December 25, 2024

It's been 25 years since GALAXY QUEST and we’re celebrating this classic sci-do comedy with Sam Rockwell and Justin Long! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Uncommon Goods – Visit UncommonGoods.com/podcast/HappySad for 15% off BetterHelp -- Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BetterHelp.com/HSC ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for 10% off 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

There you are, pushing your newborn baby in a stroller through the park. The first time out of the house in weeks. You have your Starbucks, venty, because, you know, sleep deprivation. You meet your best friend. She asks you how it's going. You immediately begin to laugh. Then cry. Then laugh cry? That's totally normal, right? She smiles. You hug. There's no one else you'd rather share this with.

You know, three and a half hour sleep is more than enough. Starbucks, it's never just coffee. Wait, was that the group chat? Ah, sent a text to the group that definitely wasn't for everyone. You're good. Enjoy some goldfish cheddar crackers. Goldfish have short memories. Be like goldfish. Prepare your ears, humans.

Happy, sad, confused begins now. I'm Josh Horowitz, and today on Happy, Say, Confused, Sayy Confused, let me take you back, friends, 25 years ago, Christmas Day, 1999, one of the great years in film history, and it was capped off with one of the great sci-fi comedies of all time, maybe the greatest. A loving homage to Star Trek, celebrity, fan culture, featuring a note-perfect ensemble. Today, Happy Saddenfew, celebrates Galaxy Quest with two of our very own All-Stars. By Grapp Thars Hammer, it's Sam Rockwell and Justin Long. They are. Ew! Woo! Guys. Get up for this. It's standing O, walking in the house.

I feel like I should stand. Well, you know, when you get older, guys, you've got to stretch out your back and, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's not 1999 anymore. Oh, man. You were, you were 31. 31, yeah, that sounds about right.

You were 18, right? And then we did a play together in Williamstown a couple of year later. Yes, that's right. I had never met Sam and I was, everyone talked about Sam, though, the Transpo guys, they were like, oh, yeah, there's this actor, Sam Rockwell,

and everybody, I remember people kind of buzzing about him. But I, and I had heard the, buzzed about, but I'd heard the name, but, no, Sam, but Sam was the one that I, like, connect, he kind of took me under his, wing, you know, and he was my buddy on the movie, because it was all so new to me. I felt like the first time we connected was at the Palladium. Maybe, yes, because we had more stuff together at the Palladium.

Yes. A couple days at least. If I meant, you're my eyes. Yeah. No, the Palladium was a bunch of, bunch of extras, a bunch of actors and huge scenes, really fun scenes. Was that the word the convention? stuff was done?

Yes, yes. The beginning and the end of the film we shot there. And I had a scene that got cut that I was bummed about because it was, you guys kind of improvised. That's the first time I got somebody really like improvising like without any, I think there were, I think I asked like a very particular question. Yes. And, you know, like in episode 14, I noticed that,

the Kermathians were not thermal regulated and he gave an answer like he gave an answer that satisfied me and then Sam goes, how do you remember that? How do you

remember all that? And Tony's Wow, wow, wow. He said, I don't, I make it up. He just goes, I make it up. I remember he he said, I think this is all improvised. He goes, I use a lot of consonants. And in my take it goes, he goes, I used a lot of consonants is like he added.

Yeah, I thought it was so genius. Like he added an extra consonant. The word consonants. So you, okay, so this is the first film for Justin. Sam, you've been on a bit of a run. You'd been establishing yourself. Where were you at, as you recall? Because by my math, Safe Men had happened.

Green Mile, maybe you were about to do or had just done. So was, yes. Was this a tough choice? Was this, I mean, you know, this is. a nice role, but you are like the eighth lead in a, in a film. Like, was this kind of a debate at the time? A debate as far as which, as far as doing the part? Like, like, are you, you know, are you ready for something a little bit more elevated, a more high profile part in a film like this? Or was this, you know, I, you know, to be honest, I auditioned for, I kind of got

talked into auditioning because I went down to see Debbie Zane. And, but, you know, I, initially was supposed to do this independent film with Marissa Tomei. I was supposed to do a lead role. I think DeNafrio ended up doing it. It was kind of a star man kind of part. I was really excited about it. This director, Brad Anderson. Anyway, so I was really, I was very snooty about comedy back then and being,

playing like a goofball. You know, I didn't want to, I didn't see sort of, I was sort of like, but then, you know, I realized, I realized that I was being idiotic. because I actually said no once I got the part and Dean called me and I may probably sound like an asshole right now telling the story but I

know this. Do you remember this, Justin? I knew that you were reluctant to do it. Yeah. Yeah. Tony and Tony Shalub and I were sort of like we want to be serious actors. He had just done big night. I don't know what the fuck I'd done. And I was like, I want to be Sean Penn. But then I was like, you know, I think office space was around at that time.

And Steve Zahn and I were up for that. But I was not wanting to be, you know, in the comedic realm. I thought that I wouldn't be taken seriously or something. And then, you know, and then I was reminded that Sean Penn did fast times at Ridgemont High and that, you know, that that's silly of me. And so I think it was coming. I knew that it would come out the same time as Green, And I thought, oh, that might be nice, like the, the juxtaposition of those two characters.

And so, but I was actually very young for the part. The part was supposed to be older. He was supposed to be sort of, as old, you know, age appropriate to Tim Allen and Sigourney. And so they had to kind of age me up. They slicked back my hair. They gave me a mustache. And then, you know, I watched Bill Paxton and then aliens. And I watched, oh, Michael Keaton in Night Shift.

that was a big thing. But yeah, so then, you know, I was like kind of reluctant to do it. And then I was glad I did it. Bill Paxson, in that Greek out, see, I remember you told me that because that scene, I've always loved that scene where you're like, really, that was one of the first times that that lesson is so important to, when you're doing a comedy that you, and you do this and Vince Fonda.

Yes. You treat it like anything else. You don't treat it like it's a comedy. You don't act it like it's a comedy. And that scene where you think you're going to die is like... Yeah, in the spaceship, yeah. Heroin. Like really, it's funny because it's, but it's, you, you ride that line.

And I remember you telling me that Bill Paxton was an inspiration. Yeah. He did that. I had a bunch of caffeine, I had too much caffeine for that scene. I loaded up on like Excedrin, Mocuchino's, Coca-Cola. Like, I really went a little too far with that. Yeah. And I couldn't get to sleep.

that night and I had to chug a few beers I was I was so out of my mind I think I actually had a panic attack from the caffeine educational an educational podcast bouncing out yeah yeah it's all good so kids at home easy on the caffeine when you're acting and if you're going to do a lot of caffeine just have a few beers and it's yeah yeah so Justin this is okay up and down up and down but no I met Justin he was so beautiful Justin was so beautiful and now look at me we went and we met Phil Hoffman

and he was flipped out we saw the deep blue sea at the cinema ramadome and Phil was there and fucking Justin just flipped out over Phil Oh was this the first time you met Phil Hoffman? Yeah yeah

Sam had been referencing him as my friend Phil and I don't think I I must have put it together that it was Phil Hoffman but he came to set first. Remember, he had that, he had an Allman Brothers shirt on, I remember, and I thought, it was weird to see him in, like, because now you see like

people you admire actors and stuff on, like, you see more of them in the world on social media and stuff, but he was such a mystery to me, he was such a, I was so fascinated by him as a, I had never considered much about him as a person, and it was so weird to see him as a real person

in the world. You know, when you think about Phil, like, Phil could play any role in Galaxy Quest, aside for maybe the Sigourney-Weaver part, but like, if you say, you could cast him in just about any one of our roles, and he would pull it off, you know, if you think, is it, Justin, I've heard you say somewhere in an earlier interview that actually Scotty from Boogie Nights was an inspiration. Oh, yeah. Brandon.

Was he on your mind? Did Phil ever know that? Yeah. I don't think I ever told him that. I don't think I'd have the nerve to tell him that, but. You did do an impression of him at El Compadre. Yes. Anyway, we digress.

No, this is all digressions. That's the name of the podcast, literally. The digress ones, yeah. Anyway, we digress. Back to any way we digress. Anyway, we digress. Well, no, no, Sam, so that day was really special to me because, what was that? Whoa.

Look at his feet up. Try to be more comfortable, Sam. I'm impaired. And where was I? But he came. And that was cool. And I felt a little cheesy asking, we took a picture together.

And then we all went to, yeah, the cinema ramadone to see Deep Blue Sea with Tim Allen. And Tim Allen. Oh, my God. Tim was there? Tim came. Tim was sitting. Oh, my God. Like near Phil, like either next to him or right in front of him.

And I was so fascinated by, because I hadn't seen Tim Allen in the world. And I was like, this is weird that he's just going to a movie. And I thought that was like, I don't know. It was all new to me. And, um, and Phil, they started kind of like making jokes about the movie. You know, during, during the movie, yeah. During the movie. And, and they both had such, like, hearty, unique laughs. And, and it was so fun to just hear them laugh, like, make each other laugh.

I remember, like, there's a scene where Sam Jackson has this big speech, you know, and then he gets just swallowed up by a, and, oh, my God, Phil, was dying. He was laughing so hard and Timel. And then we all went to Audrey and I was still too nervous around him to like really be, you know, comfortable and easy. And Sam, who was always so supportive of like, because I love to do impressions and stuff. And Sam was like, oh, hey, hey, Phil. Hey, Justin does a great impression of you. You got to see it. Do it. And I was like, no. And he goes, oh, yeah, let me see. Let me see. And I couldn't do it.

I was too nervous to do it. And I said, oh, no, you know, and I got really nervous. And then I felt like I let Sam down. I left, you know, because I chickened out. And then we had a bunch of tequila shots. And I got some of- You know, when you imitate me and Phil, our IQs go down just a little bit. Oh, yeah.

Well, this was a long time ago. You were. were either of you guys star trek guys i mean this is i think you know i think i'm more of a star trick guy now but i yeah i was definitely like rathacan and the one with the whales in san francisco like i was big on those yeah and i like the show the original show yeah i think one of the many reasons people love this and i was like a big big time trecky growing up is like this is like a great it's like it doesn't yes obviously it's it's having fun with star trek but it stands on its own as like almost a great Star Trek film.

It's been ranked alongside Star Trek films, almost as like the lost great Star Trek film. Have you encountered over the years? I mean, you've encountered a lot of fandom. That's why we're still talking about this 25 years later. Like, what do you get from Star Trek slash Galaxy Quest fans? What do they want to say to you or ask you in the many years? There's just a lot of love for that movie.

You know, it did okay. It actually was, I think it was number one, but that doesn't mean anything. It was sort of like, it fizzled out. And we thought it was, we went to the premiere at the Chinese Gromans. Remember, Justin, I think we all thought it was going to be like the new Ghostbusters. Yeah. Because it was such an amazing premiere, you know?

Everybody was flipping out. Like, it was sensational. So we were like, oh, we're in Ghostbusters. Can I show you, Sam? I looked up photos from the premiere. I found a good photo. Oh, wow. You want to see what you looked like them?

Yes, I do. I'm wearing leather. Oh, my God. Help us all. I think I was wearing a leather jacket. Oh, Justin, there's no photo of you on getting.

That guy needs a stylist. There is no, I had no, nobody knew I was there. I was there. Were you at the premiere, Justin? You were there,

right? I was there, but no, I didn't do. I wasn't in any photos. I was no. Cole and Dylan Spouse were there, though.

They made it. Sure. Yeah. Yeah, because it was a daytime one, right, Sammy? Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, kids, kid style. Yeah, yeah. But Sam and I didn't, we, like, hung out. He introduced me to a bunch of his friends. You know, it was so great. It was so kind of him to, like, really take me in because it was all so new. But we really got to know each other better

the next summer we did a play. We stayed in the same house. Yeah, that'll bond you. Well, yeah, that's one experience, because he, I remember running lines, with you, Sam, and you were doing, which was just on TV the other day, heist. I love that movie. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

David Meath. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you were going to do Jeepers Creepers after that. Yeah, and Sam was kind of up to like, so he, I was so excited to run lines with him because there were, you know, because, and by then I had seen, I would become like a huge fan of Sam's. I was, I'd seen lawn dogs and, I mean, lawn dogs and Safe Men and Boxing Moonlight,

like those three were really important movies for me. And, um, and, and, and, and, And then Green Mile had come out. So, you know, you just saw like, it was just, the range was just so wild. And the play we were doing. The smacked thing, you just saw all the schmacting. Yeah, the level of, I didn't know that schmacken could reach those heights. No, no, I was so like, I was such, I was really like a student of his.

And so when he asked me to run lines with him, I was so excited. You know, again, it was that great David Manmit stuff. And then he said, he knew I was doing Cheapers, create this horror movie afterwards. And he said, well, let's run those lines. And I was so embarrassed because they were like, by comparison, they were just like kind of. Help! Yeah, we got to get out of here. That classic David Mammett line.

Help me. Yeah, yeah. Shut up, sis. Yeah, so, and he said, and he saw that I was a little like self-conscious about it. And he said, and it was such good advice. I never forgot it. He said, and he looked for me right in the eyes and he said, hey, listen, you got to treat this like it's fucking hamlet and and it was a good it was a really good lesson to not be

precious you know um because because since then i've done a lot of like movies that aren't we you know we do movies that aren't good and my favorite actors are always they're always good even in in bad things you know they always like rise above it and i think it's because of that mentality uh well i think you're also hitting upon something that well luckily the script was great for this, but like the amazing ensemble, they're all like so fully committed and playing it straight and not winking at the camera. And you've got obviously Sigourney, but Tony Shalub, we mentioned earlier, Enrico's amazing in it.

I mean, we haven't mentioned Alan Rickman. These are all folks that are just next level in this. I mean, honestly, like Tim Allen, like take or leave Tim Allen's work, but this is like my favorite Tim Allen performance by far. Yeah, yeah. He was great. With Amex Platinum, access to exclusive Amex pre-sale tickets can score you a spot trackside. So being a fan for life turns into the trip of a lifetime.

That's the powerful backing of Amex. Pre-sale tickets for future events subject to availability and vary by race. Turns and conditions apply. Learn more at amex.ca. The twisted tale of Amanda Knox is an eight-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. Let's talk about Rickman for a second, because this is like a whole time. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What did you make of when you saw what he was, doing do you have any recollection sam of well he was kind of the um he was a little bit of the wrangler in helping dean kind of wrangle all of us who were a little him and sigourney sort of started to kind of lead the that those uh whatever you want to call those darrell me sim tony uh sigourney

the bridge and the fort yeah yeah that those that's center crew and then you know um you know uh the aliens the head uh i'm spacing on you know um and rica enrico enrico yeah and missy pile and blaine head read yes yes and and um yes there was uh peter uh Patrick, Patrick, Patty Breen, who had just done substance of fire. He's a brilliant stage actor. He was in it. He does the, he rocks the, by Grab Thars Hammer at the end when Alan Rickman's character dies. And then, you know, he, and then Alan, no, Patty Breen dies.

And then Alan rocks it dramatically. He rocks the line dramatically. And then, you know, but Enrico came up with that way of talking. Oh. That was his creation, you know. And then Alan was sort of, Alan and Sigourty were like the sort of Thespians. Yeah. And then there was Daryl and Tim were the comedians.

So, and then me and Tony were like the independent film actors and stage slash stage actors. And then, but, you know, because Sigourney and Alan were theater actors as well, we were sort of, you know, trying to be somewhat serious, I suppose, or be, you know, responsible or whatever. But then we started making line changes. And then Tim, you know, I, the reason, I think some people were like trepidacious about Tim, I think Alec Baldwin was talked about. Right. And then, but I remember seeing the Santa movie.

What's that movie he did? Santa Claus. Yeah. Oh, yes. Well, thank you. Thank you. World's biggest Santa Claus fan. Yeah.

The tip of my tongue. And so, you know, I saw him in that and I was like, oh, I knew he could do it because I saw that and I was like, wow, this guy is great in these movies. I never watched this TV show he was on. I just watched the Santa Claus movie and I was like, this guy can totally pull this off. And that's why I really had a lot of, I was very optimistic about the chances the movie had. So, and Dean was just lovely, just the loveliest man, you know, and then- This is the director Dean Parasot, Parasota? Yeah, you know, and then, you know, Justin had his crew of people, and then there were

these little, and there were the aliens, you know, I was like, it was so cool, man. Justin, did you feel like you were, like, kind of on your own? Because, like, were you watching it for, like, the 15th time? I'm like, wait, Justin's kind of, like, just in his bedroom a lot, talking on the phone. Like, yeah, that was, I was my first day. on set was in the bedroom. And I'm grateful that I was, I had that. I don't know if they did that deliberately

because they knew how green I was. But I'm glad that I got through that day. I was very serious. I, you know, I studied so hard. And I was, Josh, back, I was really, like, anxious. And so, you know, I wanted to do well. And I wanted to, it felt like such an opportunity that I wanted to really, like, make them

make the most of it. And so I was so nervous and it actually really like helped in terms of the character because I was able to, I was able to channel like a lot of the nerves and the seriousness into who that got. That is just very serious. He's very serious about like he's very convicted, but, but anxious, you know, so I was able to just use it for life for a better. That's why I had mentioned, and I was watching.

a lot of like Phil hot. Yeah, I was watching Scotty and I thought a lot about like the comic book guy and the Simpsons who's very, no, this is the worst death ever. You know, there's something very curious about. Yeah. And what's the documentary though that we saw Justin? Treckies? Yeah. Yeah, that helped a lot. That helped a lot. After that first day, I was going to say D in the director. I, I said, you know, I'm like afraid. I'm, I don't want it to be too character. or like that I'm going too far with his like militant like nerdiness you know and and he gave me a tape of that documentary and he said watch this and there's a guy in that who is your character sort of based on and and I think they even same name this guy who's very you know I think his name's brandon he said if the the epaulettes on this he's just very serious about it or a millimeter off and it's bothering me somewhat there's there's obvious like wow you know that the the epaulet's on this he's just very serious about it or a millimeter off and it's bothering me somewhat there's there's obvious like wow you know the there's like a compulsion. Wow, wow, wow, wow.

That's so awesome. Yeah, it was so helpful. I thought, oh, I could even go further. This guy is really convicted and dedicated. Because to answer your earlier question, Josh, I was never like a Trekkie. I was never bad into Star Trek. I was loved Star Wars. I was huge into Star Wars.

But I never, yeah, I never, I, Rapid Con, I saw those movies, search for Spock. But I wasn't like a Trekkie by any means. So I didn't. I love that Chris Pine, Star, Star, tricks, too, with Zachary and those guys. Yeah, the JJ brush that, man. Yeah, they're great. But as a kid, I wasn't, I didn't quite understand the level and I didn't know the level of fandom until, and since I've been to like conventions, like movie convention or horror conventions, and I understand how passionate people are. But at the time, it was a totally

like new world to me. That's so funny. Yeah, I was thinking about it. Like you probably both of you who have done so many at Comic-Con since, first depicted a fake Comic-Con in a movie and then have now lived the life depicted in the movie, essentially. Yeah, yeah. Either of you guys... Yeah, sorry, Justin, go ahead. I was going to say, when we shot at the Palatium,

they used a lot of those background actors as extras were they were also science fiction fans. Sam, is that true? Am I making that up? Yeah, I think you're right. There were some real fans there, I feel like. I think you're right. They were real fans.

And they, and they, I've told this story before, but, but I was so, like, new. It was also new to me that, um, that there was a complicated shot, like the first time I'd ever been involved in this shot was, it was a crane shot. And it was, it was showing the, the spacecraft had crash landed into the stage, smoke coming out and everything. And it was just like a reveal of that. And they wanted me to run through a crowd of people, of bystanders. and get to the front of the stage with my friends.

And Dean said, here's the path you take. And it's a really simple shot. Like, you don't have to worry about anything. All you're doing is really running. And one of the background actors saw that I was green. And they said, hey, maybe we have like a special handshake, you know? Like, we're friends. And I was like, and I had only done, like, theater.

So the actors collaborate and like, and I was like, oh, okay, sure, you know. And so he's like, okay, great. So hit my hand on the way in. And I was like, okay. And then a bunch of other people descended on me because they saw that that and they say, you have a thing too where we go, we're friends too. And I was like, okay. I'm trying to keep all the friendships.

Welcome to special handshakes going. And so the first take, I'll run through the crowd and I'm doing business. I'm hitting hands and I'm like, and I'm winking at people on the throwing fists and stuff. And it takes me forever to get to the stage because of all the business. And Dean goes, God, God, he goes, Justin, what are you doing? And I said, what do you do? It's called backstory, Dean.

Okay. And the college and the stuff. He said, oh, he had planned a thing. I turned around and everyone was just like, so good. Abandoned me. And he goes, he goes, just. You don't need to just keep it, like, just do what I say.

Just do what I tell you, basically. He was very nice about it, you know, but he was like, it was a good lesson. People can take advantage of. So good. Anyone want to nominate a favorite line from the film? I basically have the entire script memorized. Do you guys have favorite lines? Oh, my God.

Well, my Gretter's hammer is pretty good. I love that. I love when you're watching. uh missy and tony hooking up and you go oh yeah right because it tells the you know that comes so naturally to me i feel like i've repeated that in another film probably because i just it just seems like to come out of me so naturally that line was that improv that was an improv yeah that was the day i think my grandmother passed and i did shot that scene with tony and missy and uh i remember like doing the gun thing in the hallway doing some

ridiculous like turnaround with the gun like yeah like this and then yeah and it was like and i got i got i think it was very it's kind of emotional because my grandmother passed but also it was like i wanted to put it in the scene for my grandmother and and i think i'm trying to sort of i think he sort of does like it's kind of a heroic moment for guy fleigman you know but he's still kind of a you know whatever but he uh yeah yeah but you know alan i just back to alan rick you know and sigourney too really they looked after me and alan looked after everyone and and you know he threw that remember that he threw that party midway the studio wouldn't wouldn't wouldn't you know give the money up and then um we he threw this great party it was it largo

cafe or something we danced our ass off man it was so fun and uh alan paid for it was we needed it. We needed it. And then, you know, Lindsay Sloan, who was Mark Johnson's assistant is now a big, a big wig producer head of Amazon, not one of the heads of MGM Amazon. And she was an assistant. She, he threw a, she helped through a party in Utah. Was it, were you at that party in Utah? I didn't go to Utah. I wasn't, you can go to Utah. So fun, man. But But, you know, Sigourney was very, really cool. Like, there was a scene where, you know, I wanted to, I wanted, I asked, I asked Dean to put me in a two shot with Sigourney. And he said, why?

And I said, well, I just, I want to do, I want to try something. He's like, what do you want to try? I was sort of embarrassed. I said, well, I want to, I want to be checking out her cleavage. And he said, oh, okay. I love it. Let's do it. And then Sigourney loved the idea. Yeah. And because, you know, she had that wig. That wig would, like, change her whole personality. Yeah. Once she put on that blonde wig, it was like, she was a different person. She really seemed to enjoy the whole cat out. Yeah. She was just, she would just sort of like get into it. And really, she loved being like Farrah Fawcett. That was such a nice, a fun alter ego for her to basically be Farrah Fawcett. And, So when I did that, she loved it. It was so fun, you know, we just, we just had so much fun.

It was so fun. We would just play. It was just like playing and. Yeah, I was surprised by how playful Alan was because I had only seen him, I had only seen everyone just in movies. So you develop a, like an idea of somebody, somebody's personality. And he had only, I thought he was going to be like a, like a very serious British, you know. Yeah.

And he was so. was dancing harder than anyone at that party. He's the best. He was the best, man. What a great guy. Funny and, like, cheeky. He was great. He gave me, I took over a, I did a play that he was doing and years later and he gave

me a, um, a card because he knew I was, he was leaving the show and I was taking over for another actor leaving and it was so nice of him to just, he came to my opening night. And, um, he, the card said, uh, it was. It was very nice what he wrote inside, but the outside of the card was like a beautiful sunset. And in little cursive letters, it just said, fuck you. He was the best. You know, I sent him Charlie's Angels and he read the damn script, you know. It's a great story.

You should tell Josh about. Yeah, man. That fucking script, you know, we had 17 writers. Right, right. And only two of them, only one of them was a woman. and it was a movie about women, you know, so weird. Anyway, but he read it. And because, you know, he played that incredible villain in Die Hard.

So I was playing a villain and I wanted his advice. And he said, I was like, I mean, I want to have this like disco thing and I want to be like a cape and this and that. And I want to be like, wild, you know, or I don't know what I was saying. He was like, you know, Sam, when I did Die Hard, I killed someone and I ate to say. sandwich. Just keep it very simple. Very simple, Sam. So, you know, like, don't, I talk too many frills, you know, too much, too much sauce, too much sauce on the spaghetti. No hat on the hat. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I was trying to put a hat on a hat. He was like, simple, Sam, simple, you know. Such a great line. I think about that so often. I killed a man and ate a sandwich.

He, yeah, killing. I chatted with him like, yes, pretty shortly before. of his passing for the podcast, and of course I brought up Galaxy Quest, and he loved it as much as you guys did. He had such reverence, like, he considered it such a special film, and it made me so damn happy. Yeah, totally.

During the Volvo Fall Experience event, discover exceptional offers and thoughtful design that leaves plenty of room for autumn adventures. And see for yourself how Volvo's legendary safety brings peace of mind to every crisp morning commute. This September, leased a 2026 XE90 plug-in hybrid from $599 biweekly at 3.99% during the Volvo Fall Experience Event.

Conditions apply, visit your local Volvo retailer or go to explorevolvo.com. When your investors, customers, and workers demand more from your business, make it happen with SAP. The AI-powered capabilities of SAP can help you streamline costs. connect with new suppliers and manage payroll, even when your business is being polled in different directions. To deliver a quality product at a fair price while paying your people what they're worth too,

so your business can stay unfazed. Learn more at SAP.com slash uncertainty. So it leads me to the ongoing question that's come up for like a decade at least. And I've started to talk to you guys. Like Paul Shear, Simon Pegg, A lot of folks have taken stabs at a galaxy quest continuation. How many scripts have you ever read any scripts,

but I've talked to Mark Johnson and people, and I briefly to Simon Big. And I think, yeah, here too. Yeah, Paul's here. I think I talked to him at an airport. But what is going on? You probably know more than we do. What's happening?

Last I heard was Simon was writing it, and then he stopped for some reason, but he seemed really excited. So we were all in it. There were drafts of one that was going to be done at Amazon right before Allen passed. Yeah, that's right. That's right.

They were all ready to do that. And Alan was going to have to miss the pilot episode. But then he felt like he'd be better for the second episode. So that's how close that came. Wow. You know, he was actually talking about what episodes he could be. and then Simon took over and he seemed I don't know I don't know where it is now it was Paul after Simon I think Simon was after Paul right yeah Simon I think Simon's the most

recent one that's taken a stab yeah from what I gather oh Simon Pegg's doing it for sure it's going to be you know there's going to be life yeah yeah I was excited I why the fuck isn't happening it it does seem like there's like everyone Tim they've all talked about wanting to do it so it feels like it's inevitable I mean and it sounds like a series as opposed to film But we'll see. I mean, do you guys have thoughts on where you want to see your characters at this point, all these years later? Yeah, I mean, I have a few. I'd love to do stuff with Justin, since we're both fans.

Our characters are fans. We're Trekkies. I'd love to do stuff. I think I'd love to do stuff with Tony. Yeah. I really would like to have stuff with Tony. But, you know, the main thing is, you can't really replace Alan unless the only thing is to get like maybe Helen Miram or or Chris Walken or or Lawrence Fishburn or you know you got to reinvent that role that yeah with someone with stature possibly an actor like the character maybe I don't I don't even know how you would do it you know I thought Chris Walken could maybe replace and just make him a real alien

That's funny. You know? You think he's in. Have you, have you pitched Chris? Have you? I think he would do it in a second. I think we could tell them.

I'm sure he's seen it. Yeah. I'm sure he's seen it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, you'd have to help with that. You'd have to help.

Yeah, we could get them. We can get them to do it. I think, I think we just got to get, find out if there's a script. I'd love to, I mean, I would kill to do it. How often at this. Sorry, Dustin, go ahead, yeah. Well, yeah, I would too. I'd be so fun.

And I think that my guy would probably be, I think that what I heard was that he had become quite successful. I think a guy like that was, especially after the tech boom. Yeah, that's fun. Like a Bill Gates or something? Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah. Really did well. And, but I, it'd be fun.

It'd be so fun. Yeah, yeah. Does, does Galaxy Quest come up? often, like you guys had by now collected many zones in your lives. I would think that, you know, for you, Justin, what, Barbarian and Jeepers, Creepers and Galaxy Quest, what other? Yeah, it comes up with when people speak about it, like, they're in on something special. Like, they, yeah, yeah, they speak about. Smart people, dig it.

Yeah, like, there's real affection, like, real affection for that, which is so, I feel so lucky because I, you know, that movie, I would have done any movie at that point in my career. I wasn't, I was just so lucky to have been cast. I remember, like, going to the audition in New York. Yeah. I got, the Zane sisters really, like, were my, like, fairy godmothers, I think of them as, because Bonnie was casting a pilot that eventually became Ed, that is Debbie's sister, Bonnie.

And then, and she recommended me to Debbie. the pilot didn't get picked up that year but it was a very similar part that I was reading for and when I first read I was so nervous I thought Bonnie had the first line at reading the other character I was playing a nervous high school student

who was hitting on his teacher and so I thought she had the line so I didn't say anything and I just and then I realized oh shit I think it's my turn to I think it's my and I went and they thought it was a choice and they all started laughing and I thought oh

this is um i i i felt so confident then with it uh so they they bonnie recommended me to debby and and but i have if it hadn't been for that i was like not really auditioning for movies i was very new to to to professional acting and so um i'm just so grateful to them i but again i would have done anything and it just turns out it was this thing that was really special and and and And then it's also a lesson in like attachment. Like Sam mentioned earlier, like the movie didn't do that well when it came out. And it was competing with all. I remember it was like feeling a little like, oh, we all thought that was going to be like a big head.

And I thought I was going to just be off to the, you know, afterwards like you're in a head. It's like, well, now here's the next job. And it didn't work out like that. And but now years later, you realize it's so much more meaningful when people just enjoy something. I was so attached to succeeding and being, you know, money and awards. And I don't know. I had those attachments when I was younger. And it's nice, it's just nice now that it lives in the world.

And people have found it in a way that is so, it's really meaningful. It's not. Yeah. Yeah. It's really great. It's really cool, man. So before we take a pause and then resume at the 50th anniversary in 25 years, So let's end with some Galaxy Quest trivia

to see how well you remember your own. Okay, okay, okay. Do either of you remember the name of the starship? Oh, wait, wait. Brandon would know. Brandon would know, Justin. No, it's the, oh, yeah, it's the, oh, no, Josh. It's it's it.

Protector. It's the protector. The protector. What, what episode, and or how was Guy killed? He was killed in episode, is it 57? No. 81. Do you remember how you went down?

No. It was a lava monster. Of course, of course. Wow. Can you finish this fantastic line on the alien planet, Sam? You say, can you form some sort of? lath some sort of something lace what kind of late rudimentary late rudimentary late

yes that's a funny that's a funny line can you solve some sort of rudimentary late and then Alan's like get the fuck out of here yeah what is the name of the ship's power source anybody oh right the we're doing great this is going great

This is going great. Well, I remember, Josh, this was weird. I was like, God, movie making it. You know, it was so, there were like aliens hanging out, smoking cigarettes on a back lot. It was like what you think of when you think of like, how old movies. The back lot thing, yeah. I auditioned for the part. Like, I had my final audition.

They flew me to L.A. And I remember when I flew out to do it, I sat right. I'd never been, I'd been on a plane once before, I think, and never been in like first clap, you know, fancy class. And Lily Taylor was sitting right behind me. And she asked me what I was doing. You know, she took an, and I was like, oh, I'm going out and making my first movie.

And I think I probably mentioned people in the movie. And she was like, that's, you know, it's the best job and it can be the worst. She gave me advice and I thought, oh, of course, this is a flight to LA. Like, they're always, you know, well-known actors on these flights. And, but we were,

we were, when I auditioned, we were, Tim and Sigourney were shooting the scenes with the the chompers. Right. Oh, I remember that. Yeah. Auditioning with that scene. And I thought, how crazy. We're not going to shoot this for another month.

And they don't even know who's playing this part and shouldn't I be reading. I don't know. It was all so crazy to me. Funny. That's funny. The power source. I'm stalling. The Omega 13.

Close. It's the Borrelium sphere. It's okay. You guys. Come on. Justin. You did your part. It's okay. I want to thank you guys. First of all, amazing. Like, as you well know, you guys are two of my favorites. And the fact that, like, as soon as I hit you guys up, it was like the quickest text back ever. Obviously, this relationship and this film means a lot to both

of you. So thank you guys so much for doing this. No. Thank you, Josh. It's a pleasure. Thank you, bro. It's just an excuse to see everyone. It is a good excuse. Hey, should we end with either a by Grab Thars Hammer or Never Give Up, Never Surrender? What do you want to do? Let's do both. Okay. By Grab Thars Hammer. Never give up.

Surrender. You shall be avenged. 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. 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 Unspool, a podcast where we talk about good movies, critical hits.

Fan favorites, must-season, and Casey Mistoms. 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 podcasts.

And don't forget to hit the follow button.