Happy Sad Confused - Gary Oldman, Vol. IV

Episode Date: September 14, 2026

Gary Oldman is back for the fourth time! One of the greatest living actors, Gary and Josh dive even deeper into his career, from the latest season of SLOW HORSES, to getting caught up in those Jack Lowden James Bond rumors, to even more heartwarming and funny HARRY POTTER memories. Plus, THE FIFTH ELEMENT, his FRIENDS appearance, and so much more! Footage provided by Toronto International Film Festival SUPPORT THE SHOW BY SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! Rula -- Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.rula.com/happy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #rulapod Quince -- Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quince.com/HAPPYSAD ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping and 365-day returns. Limited Time Offer–Get Huel today with my exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with my code happy15 at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://huel.com/happy15.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ New Customers Only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show! UPCOMING EVENT! 10/13 -- Joe Manganiello in NY -- Tickets here: https://www.92ny.org/event/joe-manganiello-with-josh-horowitz-bloodlines Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I remember I got in a lot of trouble because I said that there was going to be a third Batman and they hadn't announced it. And I got reprimanded for that. I got into a lot of shit for that. So even if I knew who, even if I knew it was who the James Bond, I wouldn't, I've learned my lesson. I'm not going to open my mouth. your ears, humans, happy, sad, confused begins now. Hey guys, it's Josh.

Welcome to another edition of Happy Seag Infuse. Today on the show, it is truly one of our favorites, one of the great actors of all time. It is the one and only Gary Oldman coming at you from the Toronto International Film Festival. Hey guys, thanks as always for checking out Happy Say I Confused. Remember to subscribe on YouTube, on Spotify, on whatever podcast platform you are using. I appreciate you guys. I'm so excited to present this episode. It is always such a profound, profound honor to have Gary Oldman on the podcast, his fourth time on Happy Say and Confused, his third live event.

We've done it in New York. We've done it in L.A., and we brought our little crazy conversation to Toronto this time. So honored to do this one. This is our first Happy Say I Confused, live taping, technically speaking, outside of the United States. I've been coming to the Toronto International Film Festival for many, many years. You can see I'm in a sad banal hotel room, but it's all for a good cause because I'm seeing good movies. I'm seeing great people.

It's been a whirlwind coming off of telly ride right into this, but I wouldn't have it any other way. And certainly having the likes of Gary on the podcast is why I do this show truly. If you've seen his past conversations with me, you know he is a consummate storyteller, a sweet and gentle and kind of slightly chaotic in the best way, soul. And it is just crazy to me that he is in my life to some degree and that he appreciates what I do, as he says in this podcast. He was very sweet enough to request me to do this kind of special tribute to him at Toronto. He was honored as a visionary as part of their series here.

and this obviously comes on the occasion of two really cool things for Gary. He has been nominated for his third consecutive Emmy for playing Jackson Lamb, of course, in Slow Horses. And the new season of Slow Horses, Season 6, is about to drop on Apple TV on September 16th. I've seen it all. It's a great season, one of the best. And there's more to come on Slow Horses. As you might know, they crank these out. They somehow have figured out how to do.

how to not make you wait two or three years, like some shows, I'm not going to name names, do, and they keep the quality up. So that's something exciting. And as always, we cover a lot in this conversation. Yes, we do some of the greatest hits, whether it's Dracula and Harry Potter, Batman films The Fifth Element and more, some great stories in this one. And I'm so, so thrilled to share it. My thanks to Gary, his folks, Apple TV, and the Toronto International Film Festival.

that's been a home to this great festival for so many years. And like I said, I've been coming for nearly 20 years and absolutely adored. I've seen so many friends and great films here over the years, including this year. So always a pleasure to be here and such a thrill to bring happy, say, and confused as a live event to Toronto on this occasion with Gary Oldman. Okay. Remember, check out our Patreon. Patreon.com slash happy, sad, confused, early access discount codes, live events, all sorts of cool stuff. If you like what I do. Check it out over there. But for now, let's get to the main event.

Here is me. Oh, and I'll also mention one thing. Audio, because we were in this live environment, might not be up to our usual higher standards. But forgive that, please, because it was a live event and kind of a little bit out of my control, frankly. But you'll hear and see everything you need to see and hear. So here you go.

Me and Gary Oldman. Enjoy. I can't think of a better way to kick off the Toronto International Film Festival then with an actual visionary, my favorite actor, I can't believe Gary Oldman, we're talking again. Welcome, sir. It's good to see you. Nice to see you. Thank you. Would your wife and family also agree you're a visionary? Is that an adjective that's often used to describe you at home? No, it's the first time it's ever been used. What are the adjectives that would describe you? If I got your friends and family up here,

what would be the first words you think they would use to describe you? I'm a bit of a softy. Oh, yeah. I cry it like, you know, movie of the week and stuff like. I'd like to think I'm loyal. I'm a good friend, I think. many, but the friends that I, but the friends that I do have, I've known for some of that, you know, for my friend George, I've only 45 years. So I have very, I have long friendships. And

loyalty is a big, big, big, big thing with me. Yeah. You talk about sentimentality. I mean, like you, look, you've always been acclaimed from the start, but like, like, especially in recent years, you get, you know, the Oscar and the BAFTAs. You're a visionary today. You're nominated for an Emmy. You were knighted last year. I mean, was that meaningful for you to be knighted? Incredibly so.

Yeah, I was deeply honored to have that bestowed upon me. Yeah. And it's an experience that is, I mean, just unique and unto itself. You, and it was at Windsor Castle, which in itself is just the whole pump and circumstance of it is quite sort of over, overwhelming. And to have, you know, to have your work over the years, you know, recognized in that sense is a beautiful thing, yeah. Is it true that Prince William outed himself as a big slow horses fan to you? Actually, the Royal was, yes, I believe. I know that Camilla the Queen is a big fan because, well, I've run into a couple of times.

Like you to do. And are there any more? I hope it's coming back, isn't it? So, you know, and it was William who said to me, every time you come on the screen, he said, I just want to give you a good wash. So they're big, they're, yeah, they're big fans. It's hard to imagine, isn't it?

There's sort of, watching everything. Windsor at the palace on their, on their sofa. Slow horses is near you on. But the comment about needing a good wash reminds me, like, it must be so lovely. Like, because of the nature of the character you play, Jackson Lamb, when people see you out and about and you're put together, it's like, oh, wow, he's... Look at this. This is a miracle. Well, I'm not asked, but the other members of the cast are always asked, does he smell?

And... I can attest. You smell amazing. I don't smell. No, it's all down with so spunk mirrors. We'll get to slow horses, and I should mention season six is fantastic. It's about to drop on Apple TV. You're all going to absolutely adore it, and there's more to come after that, thankfully.

But going back, and we've had some conversations about your career. I mean, we've talked before about, you know, Sid and Nancy and prick up your ears kind of watching you in film. You know, like, I think by virtue of Sid and Nancy especially, you kind of got the reputation of like, oh, this is like, this is a rebel this is a punk actor is that who you were as a young man will you describe yourself as a rebel not particularly it but it was a reputation that I enjoyed and I I played it up a bit yeah you know that kind of the sort of bad boy thing I feel like I'm can I I feel like I'm not on a level with you you were on a much higher No, I want to be on a level with you. There you are. There we are. I can see you now.

Yeah, I must have, I think I've played the upper bits of Wild Boy for a while. I mean, I mean, I'm, I mean, it's no, it's no secret that I used to drink. And I am 29 years somber. which is which is something it's I mean it is it's a huge accomplishment but um so I was a yeah I was a bit of a rebel a bit of a wild boy back in back in the day all my heroes right as a kid you look at these big they've they've alcoholics and drug addicts well the Peter O'Tools etc yeah the Peter O'Toole and the Richard Harris and Richard Burton and And you know, you'd look at writers or poets and opium addicts. And it's all this, you were romanticising all that sort of legacy.

And the boost didn't help. It got in the way. You think it's helping for a while. But it's... Yeah, it takes a toll. Yeah, it takes a toll and it catches up with you. And I'm just very grateful that I had the wherewithal and just to say, you know, I wouldn't be here.

Yeah. I certainly wouldn't be here. What was the first job post that transformation? And do you remember it feeling there must have been nerves because, again, there's that kind of romanticized notion that this gives me what I need. Yeah. I did a film years ago with,

with Dennis Hopper, who, again, enjoyed sobriety after many, many years of abuse. And he told me a story that he was working on one particular film, and he would drink 15 beers a day. But then that was on top of, you know, in the... evening he would move on to, you know, brandy. In the evening, but during the day, he would drink about, he told me it was about 15 or 16 beers. But what he would do is he would also couple it with cranberry juice because it's good for the liver. It's all about balance in life.

You got to, you have to balance. You can't be stupid about this stuff. I'll never forget that. He told me this with absolutely serious. Yeah. So I mentioned Sid and Nancy. I discovered something. I heard something literally just this past week

that fascinated me. Even before you got Sin and Nancy and you're living the life in the theater, I was talking to you backstage about Kenneth Brana and Freddie Fox's new film. Kenneth Brana mentioned that in about like 83 or 84, he remembers going on an addition for Dune and seeing you and Daniel

Dale DeLewis and Colin Firth literally all lined up auditioning for David Lynch. Do you have any memory of that? Well, I was still drinking. So I don't know. The recollections will get better in the last 30 years. Yeah, we used to pass, we used to see one another, you know, going in and coming out. There was, there was Daniel, yeah, Colin, and Tim Roth. And there was a whole sort of gang of us.

We were the, they called us the Brit pack, didn't they? Do you remember? You had the brat pack. Forgive me. America. That's right. That's we're in Canada. We're in Canada.

So America had the, the brat pack and we had the Brit pack. And we were all going up for the same. for the same roles. Were you competitive at the time? Was it a... Well, it's... That's the thing. It's not a competition.

You really, really have to focus on what you're doing and not what someone else is doing or achieving. Occasionally, you can, you know, it can niggle you a bit, you know, when you think, They're doing awfully well, aren't they? But I think as you, as I've got older, God, good luck to them and God bless them. I mean, it's, I don't see it as a competition.

I mean, Daniel is, I think he's a year older than me, but we're of the same generation. And I think Daniel is, An extraordinary actor. I mean, just transcendent. And there's no question. I don't feel that I'm in competition with him. I wish him the very best.

I'm not trying to start a beef with you and Daniel Taylor's tonight. No, no, no. Just for the record. But if you want to start one, that would be amazing for me. No, no, we're friendly. And I'm just saying, but there's a lot of wonderful people, a film that I particularly loved, which was, I can't remember. Now, if it was last year or early this year, was train dreams. Oh, yes.

And I thought that Joel Edgerton's performance was absolutely breathtaking. I was in love with this performance. And I for my money, it was that was the one that that that I think that performance is extraordinary and And but well you just made Joel Edgerton's year But I'm not in competition no of course I can look at it and go wow I think it's I think it's great when you can look at something and and and in in in your field look at something and just say, you know, I don't know how they did that. Wow. I can't do that.

You know what I mean? I think that's, that's, I love good film and TV and good acting and good directing and and only, I only want to encourage more of it. I want you know, I know literally every five of the 500 people in here are all thinking the same thing. that's what we think about you. We're watching your stuff. How is he doing that? Like, truly.

More happy, say, confused coming up. All right, Outer Banks fans, it's time to listen up because you know I love this cast. Madeline Klein is one of the all-time great conversations we've had on Happy Say and Fused. Chase Stokes was just on my dog show, who's a good guest? He's a big-time dog dad like myself. I got a chance actually to see Madeline and Chase

and the whole gang the other day I hosted the Outer Banks final season event for the fans out in Los Angeles. It was such a blast. And I know we're all maybe a little sad that the show is ending, but here's the great news. Not only do we have a great final season of Outer Banks on Netflix, but there's also a podcast for you. Did you know that? It's called Outer Banks, the official podcast.

And as you'd expect, from an official pod, this one has all the Pogues that you love. It has Madeline and Chase and Madison and Jonathan and Carlasia, and is hosted by a legit super fan in Ria Chiffo of Chicks in the Office. I've been listening, and honestly, it's the perfect companion piece to this final season. It's funny. It's intimate. It looks back at the entire run of the show, not just the final season. So trust me, if you love Outer Banks, this show should be at the top of your list at

check out. You can watch Outer Banks, the official podcast, only on Netflix, or listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. That's Outer Banks, the official podcast on Netflix or listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Check it out, guys. From the parents behind Law and Order comes a meeting. mystery the whole family can enjoy. Patrick Picklebottom Everyday Mysteries. Step into the whimsical world of Patrick Picklebottom, a precocious 11-year-old with a love for reading and an uncanny ability to solve mysteries. Inspired by the beloved children's book of the same name, this podcast vividly brings

Patrick's tales of deduction and everyday adventures to life as he unravels baffling enigmas and solves clever cases. Patrick Picklebottom Everyday Mysteries is perfect for kids and is just as entertaining for grownups who love a good mystery. The whole family can listen now wherever you get your podcasts. I want to mention more than mention and talk about slow horses. Gary has been acknowledged for the third year in a row with an Emmy nomination well-deserved. That's coming next week. It's actually your fourth Emmy nomination.

Does anybody know what Gary was first nominated for, the Emmys? Friends. Friends. That's what we call a fun fact. How did you end up in friends? My comedy period. That was, yeah. How did I end up in friends?

Yeah, Matt LeBlanc. I worked with Matt LeBlanc in a film called Lost in Space. And we became buddies, and then the spitting actor came up. And he said, would you like to do it? It was I loved it. I could get really. used to it. You come in on a Monday,

you did the re-through, then they rewrite, they send you some remit on Wednesday, and then Thursday, can't even remember if we came in on Thursday. And then Friday,

you came in and you blocked it. Friday afternoon, you shoot it in front of an audience, you're done by five. I thought, I thought, I could get used to. This could be the next phase of your career after slow voices a sitcom a sitcom

But I tell you what was wonderful was observing them just going through the technical rehearsal And watching those actors it was it was like breathing for them By then it was well-o-old machine it was this easiest breathing it was just was It was wonderful experience of watching it the rehearsal and behind the scenes of that show. I would imagine in a similar way, that's what Slow Horses is, especially now as you've... Yeah, we're all pretty oiled in, you know.

We were pretty... Yeah, yeah. So this is such a gift, both of the audience and you, I know. You have such affection for this character and this series and this company that you've worked with. And as you well know, this is not like, you know... You worry, like, at different ages, like, are the parts going to come?

Are the rewarding parts going to come? it's going to come. In your 60s, you have found arguably like one of your favorite, if not favorite roles. Can you talk to me a little bit and the audience a little bit about just the meaningfulness of this role? I feel very, I feel very fortunate to, as you say, you get to a certain point in life and you hope the work is, you know, for some people, the work dries up and for whatever ever for serious reason it didn't mean they get less talented or any less good but and I was I was a big fan of long-form TV and I would watch talking about not being in a competition but I would watch sometimes with envy these actors in these shows and think

God, it'd be so wonderful to do that, to come back season after season, a sort of company of actors, rather in the way a closeness and a conspiracy that you have when you do a play, to be in a company, to come and play a character and really go on a journey with a character. And I said to my producing partner, Doug, I'd like to, is it a person? there anything I would love to do something long form I'd love to do TV and enjoy what these these other actors obviously you know clearly they're getting something out of it yeah yeah and I said you know is there anything around I said but I said there's a there's a but I said

something in the spy world would be would be good if there's anything out there in the spy world that I quite like that. I don't want prosthetic makeup because I've had so much prosthetic makeup. I do not want to live in a makeup chair for four or five hours. I want my own hair.

I don't want to wear a wig. I want so many wigs. I'd like something maybe a little closer to my own accent because I've done many accents and things. And I don't want big elaborate clothes. I don't want, you know, I just want... I just want one costume. I want to come in, throw on the costume, put some grease in my hair.

And, you know, lo and behold, be careful what you wish for. And he said... We called this manifestation. You were the master of this. I did. I manifested, yeah. And then we were on a plane together, going, always on a plane together. And he always says to me, I've got a lot to tell you.

We're catch up at 30,000 feet. And we're on a plane somewhere, and he's reading a script, and he's chuckling away. And I said, were you reading? And he said, I am reading a character that I think is about to become your best friend. And it was slow horses. And six years, yeah, six years on. we're still going

yeah you've said to me before you often kind of like put obstacles in your way before kind of taking on a character saying no or otherwise oh almost everything I've done I've said no to and it came back

were there any obstacles that you put in place for Jackson because you didn't say no you were excited seemingly but in any other way Did you create obstacles for yourself in this character? Well, of course, the one thing I have is, I thought, would it be fun just to maybe, you know, his description of him was such? But anyone would tell you that you get,

you put on a little weight and then you get to a certain age. And it's not quite so easy, not quite so easy to take off. So, but there are no, there were no obstacles no no not not

not this one I was really thirsty for it the source material was amazing these books I mean the whole I mean I'm here you know

bathing in the warmth of the slow horse's legacy but really that world and those people are all from the imagination of Mick Heron, who wrote the books. He came up with the whole thing. It's a testament to his brain, but also the environment that you all have created on set, because, I mean, I'm sure we're also horses fans here.

I mean, the company of actors, it's a true testament to what you've created that each season, new and returning characters come into it. And as you well know, like the key in any production is like being in the same production. And that's, I think, like, what I sense in slow horses. Everybody knows what they're in. They're in the same thing, right? Yeah. Have you had, you must have had that experience at some point being on a set where that epiphany happens where, like, oh, I'm in a different movie than the directors directing.

Oh, yeah. I should say so. And you're working with sometimes actors that you just think you're, you're... You know, I tell you, I'm sure many of you, are you a Cung Brothers fan? I mean, it's just, yeah. And they tend to, they dial in a tone or a frequency that you just, you know, it's a Conn Brothers movie and there's a certain acting and a but it's but it's consistent you know and I've been in situations where you know someone's in a Count Brothers movie and someone's in a Martin Scorsese

you know you do you do get that occasionally with it tonally it's it's it's imbalanced what do you do in that situation you just have to really well you can speak up right And then if you heard, that's the other thing. The thing I would say about the slow horses is, well, there's been a current thing about the Smith leaving and the showrunner. We have many showrunners. There's a wonderful team of creative producers. There's a room of writers.

And then the actors also who now really understand the DNA of these people, these characters coming. It is very, very collaborative. exercise slow horses and we you never want to you can feel that you can speak up that you're not put down you're not judged and sometimes um in in past experiences with movies sometimes you you you it's a um an app and a director sets an atmosphere where you can really work and really feel that you can let go and be creative in other times. And it's, it's, you know, and it comes from the top. Right.

It always comes from there. More happy, say confused coming up. You've got your favorite blanket, a freshly poured drink, and a cold case burning a hole in your streaming queue. You're not just watching true crime. You're running the investigation from the comfort of your couch. Welcome to Murder Shewai. The podcast where we recap, dissect, and slightly overanalyze some of the best and craziest

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Listen now, wherever you get your podcast. When the chaotic are on the cake. Let me mention some of the now iconic roles in your filmography, if you'll indulge me in all of us. Because I think about your chameleon-like tendencies, especially, it's so funny, like you talk about, like, you know, so horses being kind of like no prosthetics close to your voice, It's like you're kind of in this, the total opposite era for you.

Like between Mank and slow horses, you kind of like went in the other direction and found it just as rewarding. That's just something, I don't know, that I find, I find that. Yeah. Actually, it was Mank to Jackson. Right. Yeah. That was the last big, well, of course, my cameo in a upanaima. I missed you in the Odyssey, though, I will say.

You should have really, I did. Did you? That was the one thing it was missing. I thought that too I think of your voices though throughout they reverberated my brain as a film lover and I think of something like and I know you don't have the most affection for it

but I'm going to say it the fifth element where did that voice come from of Zorg? The voice for the fifth element well Luke Besson would Now here's the thing. It would give you line readings.

Oh, wow. Which is supposed to be the thing you should never ever do the true actor. You find a way of getting what you want, you know, but you should never give a, they say, you should never give an actual line reading. I mean, David Finch who gives you line readings, so I'm happy to take it, actually. How do you want it said? Okay, I'll say it like that. But Luke would sometimes give you line readers, but of course you had this French,

voice. He had the very French accent at that time. His English wasn't great. So he would duck like this. And he would give you a direction

and he would say and he would give you an inflection of how he wanted to look. But he was hearing it in his accent. And I thought, how can I give him what he wants? But not do, you know, Emmanuel Zorke, not make it, and not, and I'm supposed to sort of, are we in America?

You know, it was never really, we're in some other region, yeah. So I thought, how can I get close to what he wants, but, you know, make him happy and, you know, it'll help me get through it. so I could survive it. How could I survive this? And so what I came up with was I had a little forced teeth that I used to clip in. So I had the fourth, the front teeth. And I did a cross between, it was Bugs Bunny meets Ross Perrault. And that's, you remember, you remember,

that old chestnut, everybody does that one, yeah. You remember, you remember Rothproul is the sort of that sound? I'm like, town a bit like that. And I just thought, well, if I just do, yeah, what's up, Doc? If I, if I just marry the two, then, and it was perfectly, I wouldn't always come a character that way. But it was a cartoon. It was, it's bigger than life. It's a cartoon.

So, but that's how that, that happened. Yeah. It worked. Don't worry. Thank you. Another one that works, I'll always bring up Bram Stoker's Dracula with you because I think it's just, I'm sorry.

As long as we're talking, I will ask new questions because I'm always obsessed with this film. I mean, I've been lucky enough in recent years to do a lot with Winona, actually, Winona Ryder and talk to her a lot about the production. Oh, really? Yeah.

And I will say she has nothing but love for you, Gary. You should know that. That's very kind of. And I know, like, you know, it's famous. kind of like a bit of a fraught production. I don't know if that was overblown or not, but um, did tensions like elicit, to help the production in some way? I don't know if in the case of like Francis kind of like pushing you, asking you to improvising character supposedly. Did that help, as you recall, or? I mean, overall, yeah, yeah, it was good. I mean, overall it was good

experience and I only wanted to do it because of Francis. I mean I didn't it wasn't sort of on my bucket list. You know I've got to play Dracula or I really need to play drag I mean it wasn't it wasn't anything I never even see never even crossed my mind you know and then it was so the interesting thing about it was that it was Francis Coppola's Dracula and what how he would see it and what vision that he would that he would bring to it and we we we sometimes we come together and we would butt heads yeah there's some amazing behind-the-scenes slits oh I know some of it looks yeah I look at it have you seen that yeah I'm not no I'm not very proud of it but but the fact yeah but we we we sometimes clashed yeah

But then when I late this is the funny thing is when I later directed and I used a clip from Apocalypse now I obviously had to ask permission and he gave me that clip free and he said yeah you know Gary can have whatever he wants and then later I ran into him again in Kahn And we, whatever differences we had at the time, you know, we sort of, we made up. But I used to love the way, I actually would like, I love the way he would direct because he would talk to you through in the take. Like it's like as if you were making a silent movie. You love her.

You love her. You've never loved a woman. Kiss her. Run your feet. You would sort of... More, more. And he would say, okay, that was good. Let's...

Now go out, come in and do that again. And the camera would be rolling. And he would... You know what? And we're all a bit... We're all a bit nuts. And to do the job I do, and directors, they're all very strange.

Yes. And they're great, and they're great. And some of them are very good friends. But we're all a bit nuts. So what you do is you just slip in and you go, oh, she's like this. Okay. He's like this.

Ah, he wants to do a hundred takes. I'll surrender to the process and I'll go along and do that. This person over here only wants to do two takes and is moving on. And that is and you just have to morph into each. Can't impose your own. Yeah, I mean, you can bring your, you know, most directors will cast you and expect you to do to do your work. You don't get to a Chris Nolan set,

and he's hired you because he knows that you're going to do your homework, and you're going to come, and you're going to know the lines, and you're going to be prepped. I mean, that's, you know, but they're all different, and you really, you have to find a way of working with them, And or it will It'll be really tricking It could make their life your life

And the people that you're working with It could make their lives of misery So you have to And I was a little more Combative When I was younger It's something that I've just learned With age

That you know that thing I'm speaking to maybe The over 60s in the audience, but you know, the thing where you just go, life's too short. Life's too short. You know, you can still fight. You can still have the commitment to the work and everything. But let's get along, you know, rather than, you know, I read those stories about, you know,

Fitzcaraldo and, you know, where he, didn't he get a gun and he was going to shoot him? Because he wanted to walk off the movie, and he said, you're not going to walk off the movie, because I'm going to, I will kill you, and then I'll kill myself. I mean, you thought you were crazy as a young actor. You were fine. You were not, you were nothing. Yeah. Who is that? Kinski, isn't it? Class Kinski. Yeah. Yeah. Let's continue our ongoing debate about the quality of your work in Harry Potter that we've had over the groups. Oh, stop. Is that what it's about? You just want me to compliment you more? Because you're amazing, a serious flag.

But, okay, you've said before to me and others. You've said you call your work mediocre. That's insane. That we're going to leave that behind. Do you have a favorite scene, at least? Can you cite, like, a moment that you felt between you and Daniel that you do take pride in? Yeah.

Yeah, I have the scene with Daniel where I talk about that the people that we've loved, or that have loved us, live in here. and that we carry them always with us. Yeah, something like that. Yeah, I loved working on the... In fact, I just told a story just very recently. You'll remember the rap, scabbas, the rap. Well, there's electronic ones,

and those technical people, with what they can do. But there is a real Scabbas, right? And he would have to have a break every 15 minutes. And we'd be like in a scene. He would go, why we stopped? You know, well, scabbas gets a bit stressed out. Oh, really? Yeah. And he has to have a break. So every 15 minutes, the rat, in this scene with the, where the rat really, I mean, it was scabbish scene, you know. We were just there. It was all about the rat. But yeah, he would have to be, he would have to be taken off. I do remember. I do remember that. And at a certain point, the kids go to school. Right. Where's your excuse? You need a 15 minute break. Yeah. Well, I said, when the rat kept going out, I kept saying, who's his agent? I mean, he's going. What a fantastic deal. There's rats on. But the, yeah, and then the kids, and then the kids would go to school. And I would finish the scene with Daniel Standing. Right.

You know, and that's again, okay, this is what it's going to be like. This is the nature of the beast. This is the nature of it. And we've just got to get through it. But I remember, I tell you a lovely story about Alan Rickman. God bless him. Alan Rickman, yeah. He,

um, not only was he sort of, Alan was kind of like the, the cheerleader of it. You know, he was, he was into it. He was doing it.

So he was with it and committed to it kind of thing. But he would bring in kids every single day. He would bring them in from a school. He would bring them in from a hospital. He would bring friends and their kids in every single day

and lunchtimes and things. He would take kids around and tour the sets and we would meet them. And he would, I thought that was, I thought that was the most extraordinary thing that he was in this world that he got to be in, you know, come in every day, and that he wanted to sort of, and he knew how much it meant to these kids, you know, so he sort of wanted to share it. I'll never forget that. He was such a darling like that.

I mean, you've worked with so many iconic actors, and, you know, by way into the Batman films, I want to ask you about working with the sadly departed. Ledger and we lost way too soon and you know you did get to work with Heath obviously in dark night and I think of that interrogation scene yeah him bathed in black that amazing silhouetted image of him that Chris created on set yeah do you have any memories of just like I mean he seemed to be on another level on that film it was Heath yeah yeah he was extraordinary yeah it was a wonder to be honed on the set

yeah he was he was in it yeah You said like it did feel like the beginnings of a relationship. I was watching like you you accepted the SAG award for him posthumously. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, we, yeah, I could see being friends with him. Yeah. And, and I remember Douglas, and you told me you were the one that Brutton used to me. And I was in Atter, Atter.

And Philip Hoffman. You know, and you, just both, it meant extraordinary talents, both of them, and to lose them, to lose them like within, actually, within a pretty, relatively short. No, they're the two actors that this next generation, they talk about the most, I feel like,

and you, frankly, I mean, among others. Leonardo DiCaprio has famously said his advice supposedly to young actors is no superheroes and no hard drugs What would be Gary Oldman's advice to young actors? No superheroes and no hard drugs. He's got wrong I Be on time Come prepared Know the lines

You know just That's the minimal, isn't it? I mean, it's like page one. Like, come with, and come with ideas. Have an idea. Throw it out there. Not always. You know, the directors, well, you could come with ten ideas,

and they may reject them all, they may reject nine, and go, you know that, that's a really good idea. But I've noticed a little bit of just, people who they don't know the text well enough. And it's not to say that they haven't looked at the lines, but it's, you know, you have, you have to know the material. If you don't know the material, you can't relax and you can't listen.

because you're in your head going I've got a light coming up you're not you're not in it you're not you're in your own film not someone else yeah you're in your own film so

that's always been a big that's always been a big thing with me you have to really know the material and so that you can live in the thing and really and really listen to other actors and the people that you're in the scene with and you know

the craft just the sheer craft of you know hitting marks and camera and where you have to look and sometimes you know you have to do I've done it you know you have to look a piece of tape you know

you know is that a bird is it a plane You have to succumb with imagination. But you've got to learn the craft of what you're doing because if you're looking for truth, I guess we all are, whatever creative journey we're on. But, you know, that has to marry with technique.

and so you could so you know it you know it and then you forget it kind of thing. Does that make sense? Absolutely. Now I'm going to be a great actor. Thanks for that simple tip from Gary Oldman. No drugs and superheroes. Oh yeah. I've got that down. Don't worry. Before I let you go, here's a random one. We're talking backstage. Should we set the record straight? You don't know who James Bond is. Do you Gary Oldman?

Oh, please. Or if you do, do you want to announce Jack Loudon right here and now? Okay, here's what I said. Let me tell you. And they've taken it, as Doug pointed out, they've taken it to the very edge of almost misquoting me. But they don't. I was in an interview with a Canadian journalist.

And she asked me about, oh, you know, James Bond and Jack Loudon. And I didn't bring it up. She brought it up. I did not volunteer this. And I said, well, there's a rumor has it that they've already cost bond, but they haven't announced it yet. Which I believe, I believe is true.

There's six people, I think, on a shortlist, I heard a rumor that they've picked gender Bond, but they haven't announced it yet, which is their prerogative. You know, not for me to announce James Bond. And I simply said, because they brought up Jack and they know that he's on the short list, Jack Loudon, and I said, yeah, I hear that they've, I think they've cast it, but obviously we're waiting for them to announce it. I said, fingers crossed for my mate Jack.

that was it. It's confirmation as far as I'm concerned. And it made headlines. I, like I've got, like I actually know, and I've got a, I'm in with the, I'm in with the bond people. Like I've got a, I'm on, I've got a red phone from, you know. So let me please put the record straight. not know who the next James Bond is.

I remember I got in a lot of trouble because I said that there was going to be a third Batman and they hadn't announced it. And I got reprimanded for that. I got into a lot of shit for that. So even if I knew who, even if I knew it was who the James Bond, I wouldn't, I've learned my lesson. I'm not going to open my mouth. So I do not know who I'm hoping it's Jack. And I'll just say for the record, look, you've kind of left your baddie period behind,

but maybe one more, you know, Bond villain as Gary Oldman would be pretty awesome. I'll just show. No Bond villain. No. Don't do drugs and bomb villains. You don't want the white cat, you don't want the whole thing? No. No, I've never, never, no, there was an inquiry.

I'm sure. Back when I think Pierce was James. And not, no, not for me, not a bomb villain. Okay. No. But Jackson Lamb for him, we're going to end on this. Oh, Jackson Lamb, we can keep, I keep going with Jackson. He is keeping, you are going, because you've already shot, I believe we can say, season seven is coming.

We know that. And perhaps more, we'll see. We don't know, but, yeah, season seven is in the can. Come on, great. Yes. But before season seven, I'll remind folks, Apple TV, it's September 16th, season six. I've seen it all.

It's fantastic. Congratulations. And just let me say that when this was announced, we requested Josh because he's really, he's the best. You've just made 14-year-old Josh, whose favorite actor was Gary Oldman very happy. So let's talk about your work.

That's next time. We're out of time. Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Gary Oldman, everybody. Come on. 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 should do this by Josh. Goodbye, Kyle.

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