Happy Sad Confused - Hailee Steinfeld

Episode Date: June 1, 2023

Hailee Steinfeld burst onto the scene with an Oscar nominated performance in TRUE GRIT and she hasn't looked back since. Here she chats with Josh about her role in the SPIDERVERSE films, as Kate Bishop in the MCU, and much more. #happysadconfused #joshhorowitz #haileesteinfeld #spiderman #acrossthespiderverse #katebishop #mcu UPCOMING LIVE EVENTS! The cast of OUTLANDER -- 6/8 at 92NY in NYC. Virtual tickets available. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your tickets here!⁠ ⁠⁠ Bryan Cranston -- 6/16 at 92NY in NYC. Virtual tickets available. ⁠⁠Get your tickets here! ⁠⁠ To watch episodes of Happy Sad Confused, subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh's youtube channel here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Check out the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Happy Sad Confused patreon here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! We've got discount codes to live events, merch, early access, exclusive episodes of GAME NIGHT, video versions of the podcast, and more! For all of your media headlines remember to subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Wakeup newsletter here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Do you have a handle on the multiverse? Haley, do you get it? You know, every time I think I do, I don't. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, sad, confused begins now. Today on Happy Say I Confused, I'm Josh Horowitz, and my guest is the one and only Haley Steinfeld. She's a superhero two times over. She's so greedy that way. She's a singer. She's an Oscar-nominated actor and, dare I say it, she's just getting started. Somehow she's

never done the official Happy Say I Confused podcast. We're going to remedy that today, Haley. You ready? Oh my God, let's. Let's do it. We are talking all things, but first and foremost, we're going to get a into in a little bit, Spider-Man across the Spider-Verse. I was just gushing. You know it's real because I was gushing to her off-camera, like for real. It's an amazing movie.

Congratulations. Thank you so much. Before we get into our conversation, I just want to remind the audience watching or listening to the podcast, do the thing, like, subscribe, spread the good word. That's what we do around here. And if you want to catch me do one of these in person, we're going to do one of these in person, one of these days, Haley. I do these in New York in front of an audience.

We're going to do one June 8th with the cast of Outlander. And I'm going to do one June 16th with a little known actor named Brian Cranston. I hope things work out for him. So get your tickets now, info in the show notes. And Haley, if you need a comp, you know where to come. 100%. I'll give you a call. Sounds great.

I'm excited. So let's talk. Haley, we've been talking for, I feel like I've had a run of talking to actors that I've been talking to since they were like. this tall. Like I talked to L. Fanning and Will Poulter and now you and it's always great because it's like,

wait, I've known these guys for like 12, 15 years. How does this math possible? Totally. But yeah, I mean, I remember you, of course, on the true grit press train. And when I look back at those conversations, I see someone that was actually like seemingly very like enjoying it,

like in a great way. Like this is awesome. I'm looking living my best 13, 14 year old life. Is that accurate? Oh, my God, absolutely. Everything I had done every place that I'd traveled to was all of first. And it was just so wild to be, you know, one asked the same thing quite a few times. But just about my experience.

I could talk about that all day long, you know, about the fact that I was able to do what I love and still am. But I think at that time, it all was just so. new and wild to me that it was like truly so much fun did did anything phase you at the time i mean oscar i was on that oscar carpet i saw you there i was nervous and yet you did you seemed cool like what part of what part of that whole trip that year based you you think i mean i i guess it sort of depends on um how you interpret being phased by something i was certainly uh you know nervous and excited and a little anxious at moments. But again, I guess I never had any expectations.

I had nothing to compare any of it to. But, I mean, I remember being on that red carpet. And just leading up to it, having so many people tell me about it and how sort of daunting it might feel or, you know, nerve-wracking and whatnot. And, you know, you spend the whole morning getting ready and I got ready at this fancy hotel. I like ordered pancakes off the room service menu. It was a big deal.

And my family was all there. And I remember somebody opening the car door and I just looked down at what looked like this never-ending red carpet. I'd never seen anything so huge before. And it did feel so just like otherworldly in a sense. It was just I couldn't believe that what I had done, what I had had like so much fun doing got me there. And it was it did. I think to this day it definitely feels like the longest. carpet and maybe the most time I've ever spent on a carpet.

But it was just amazing. I had so many wonderful people around me that whole time, just really showing me the ropes and being so lovely and supportive and patient with me through all of it. It must also, there's that weird phenomenon, right, of like when you're in the middle of something like that and you've had this a number of times in your career now where you've been a part of something really special. And it, like, everyone like me comes to you and it's like, it's amazing. Like, you must be feeling amazing.

And it's like, yes, you probably are. but like we all know like life is complex and it's like you can be dealing with crap who knows like whatever you're dealing with and then at the same time like everyone that's coming up to you is like this is amazing isn't it you must be living the dream and you're like yeah and I'm also dealing with this over here and I'm and that that's like a constant thing to probably negotiate in your life yes 100%. 100%. I mean I think that's uh that that that goes for most people, I feel like maybe now, especially because of social media too, right?

Right. What you present to the world and what you, yeah. Yeah, there are a lot of like misperceptions. And a lot of times like we are in control of them. Sometimes we're not. But yeah, I mean, I think it is a wild. One thing I have realized though is it, it serves as a great reminder that while I've been in the middle of a press tour

or the middle of a film or something, right, where I'm experiencing something and or multiple things in my life that aren't so great. Somebody coming up to me and saying, this is so amazing, is a reminder that, like, it is. And I feel, you know, so lucky to be able to do what I do. I have the coolest job in the world. I get to do all these, you know, I get to experience life in a way that I never, ever could have imagined.

And I'm still human. I'm still growing up. I'm still figuring myself out. And with that comes a lot of, you know, emotion. and frustration and anxiety and all the things. But I still get to be reminded, I guess, through those moments of like where I'm at and why I'm there and how I got there.

And that's not the worst thing in the world. Let's talk a little bit about, before we come to Spider-Verse, we talked about this one of the time. I think it was on the Bumblebee press train. Because I noticed then and I noticed now, so after True Grit, you don't go right into three different projects. You actually take a good solid year off. And I'm curious, like, was that, was that like a group decision?

Because you're a young woman then. And I would think putting myself, I've never been a young woman, but I've been a young man who's been excited about things, that you want to just like take on the world. Like, wait, I was just Oscar nominated. Like, give it all. Like, let me try it all. Right. From your perspective, were you cool with like taking your time? Did that feel like the right call at the time?

Were you turning down things you were iffy about or what? Well, absolutely. I mean, we shot the film and it came out the same year. So it was a like nonstop whirlwind for a little over a year. And I definitely needed a moment after the fact. I think I think we all did. It was a lot. It was wild.

It just like I said, it was nonstop. And again, having nothing to compare that to, I realized like I hadn't been home in a while. I hadn't seen my family. I hadn't slept in my own bed. know, and so I definitely needed a moment. And I think there was no definitive decision as to how much time I needed or how much time I was about to take off. That then was sort of determined by making sure that whatever I did next felt right and felt, you know, as challenging as as as true grit was and as exciting as that role was to me. And so a year happened to go by,

which each day of I took great advantage of and really needed it. Yeah. Okay. So let's take stock now. I think as we sit here today, you're 26. You let's see. You basically have two franchise character roles going, at least, right? Kate Bishop, of course, and Glenn, in the Spiderverse.

Music career keeps growing and growing. Dickinson, I know an amazing experience, P-Body must be so satisfying. You're an EP. the aforementioned Oscar nomination. I don't know. Are you goal-driven? Is there a list that you are checking off? Like, give me a sense of like, if I talk,

we did talk probably five years ago, but if I talked to you five years ago and asked for what you wanted to be doing, is this what it looks like? Or is it all happenstance or what? You know, it's got to be a little bit of both. I am very goal-driven. There is certainly a list I have had

and have added two of things that I'd love to accomplish in my lifetime. But that said, five years ago, if you would have asked me, none of this would have been in the cards. I can't believe that, you know,

things have fallen into place the way they have for me. I mean, I think back to a lot of times I think about or I'm asked about, like, my dream role. And I think about it. I think about it all the time. I watch a movie and I get so excited about that.

And I think I need to do that exact thing, just different. But just because I'm like instantly inspired by whatever it is, And I think back to my first film being True Grit, a Western. I'd never seen a Western before. I didn't even know what that was. I went from that to doing Shakespeare to then a sci-fi.

Again, could have never planned it. I could have never dreamt for all of this to have gone the way it has. But I find myself so fortunate to just mainly have the privilege of being trusted to play the roles that I've played. I think they definitely have common through lines and similarities. and as far as character traits go. And I think a lot of that is these strong-minded, opinionated, strong-willed female characters that have a point of view and a bold voice

that won't go unheard. And I'm inspired by that. I love that. And they've happened to fall into these crazy worlds and projects that I get to be part of it. That a gazillion people are very much also interested in. And so he checks all the boxes. This is good.

So, so wait, so I'm, So I'm curious, like, you say that, like, you watch something and you're like, oh, I want to do that exact thing or it inspires you. Like, so what does that look like? Like, is it a genre? Is it a director? You're like, oh, I got to meet. I got to just talk to this person. Like, do, is there an example you can think of like something that inspired you? And maybe didn't lead to a specific thing, but it was, it got your mind firing. Yeah, I mean, it can be so random, right? I, I recently watched the gentleman, uh, guy Ritchie. And I'm like, I mean, guy, that's like, I like to do. Guy Ritchie film. Then it's like you watch Rooney Mara in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and I'm like, I would do anything. You know, then it's like I watched like, I'd love to do like a fun, buddy comedy type. You know what I mean? It's just, it's like, it's seeing things as a fan and and being moved by it and then realizing that I get to do that and I would love to do a version of

what has moved me. And I think, and not to, this is just a coincidence that this is where this is what's made me think about what I'm about to say, but like a, a, a, film, like, across the Spider-Verse, is a type of film that, like, I wish I had when I was 10, right? Because I know that if I saw that, I would, this, that would be the kind of thing that I would say, I've got to be a part of something like this. Because it's so moving. So, and again, random and when I say moves me in so many different ways. As you can imagine, girl with dragon tattoo makes you feel a little different than stepbrothers, but, but no, I would imagine it's also like, it's also about the company you keep and you know better than anybody that, like,

from the start again we're going to keep going back to true grid it's always going to be there but it's like deacons cone brothers jeff ridges is like oh my god like whether you knew it or not and you probably knew it to a degree you were surrounded by the best and now more so than ever you're like oh i want to be in david fincher's hands i want to be with lorne miller i want to like just i want to learn 100%. That's that's exactly it that's exactly it and i i yeah yeah you you have a conversation about now and now I'm going down to David Fincher spiral but like yeah 100% that's you think you would I mean you know the infamous Fincher route like the 35 takes or have you ever had an experience like that where someone like grinds you down like if you're

going to do it do it for Fincher because it's got turned out into art it's going to be amazing you know I don't I listen for sure not that right uh there have been I guess I could say safely say that over the course of four years having worked on on this film on the Cross of Spider-Verse, I've probably done about 35 takes per scene, but that's not in the moment and live action and in real time by David Venture. I, there's something about, I think there, I'm in two minds about that sort of like method, right? I think I've definitely experienced a quick, a quick turnaround, Cohn Brothers. They do.

Not precious. They just, they know it when they got it, they just moved. I mean, it's like one take and they'll do one for shits and gigs. You know what I mean? Like, they know what they want and they know when they get it and they move on. And, and you feel confident

because they're so confident in it. But I, I love the opportunity to just, I mean, do it, do it till it's, till you don't know what you're doing anymore, you know? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I guess the methods of his madness, he always says is he wants the actor to kind of like,

just be so, like, they're out of their own head, right? Yeah. I mean, it's just all. I think, too, one thing I, this is so, random, but like one thing I've I've been so lucky in that I've worked with such generous actors that when it's not their coverage, they still give it all.

That can be so exhausting I've learned and I've seen. But I also feel like, you know, there are times where I love to I think I may have, and it varies on the situation and the scene, of course, the circumstances, I think maybe I used to like doing my coverage first because I, it felt just the timeline of like the homework that I did

and the work that I did on it to doing it, it was fresh. And, you know, it was right there. But I almost like living in it longer now. I think I used to feel like I worked with a few actors at one point that didn't really like rehearsals. They didn't want too much repetition. They wanted it to feel, you know, spontaneous and fresh and new right on the day. And while that also was amazing,

and that again is it that applies to a lot of you know that that can be great for a lot of different reasons i think like living in it doing your coverage last gives you the time to do just that by that time you've done 35 takes if you've gone around the table um and you know exactly what what you want to do at that point i don't know that was a weird tangent no no it's this podcast is all about tangents it makes me think my tangents okay uh i was thinking i was thinking like the jack nicholson story about on a few good men they like shot they were shooting all the other stuff and he stayed around for, like, his sides, right? His coverage on cruise and everything.

And they're like, you're Jack. You can go back to the trail. Right, right, right. And for him, it was like, I love this. This is what, this is what I, I just like to act. I just want to be here. Yeah. Yeah, that's awesome.

I didn't know that story. But that's, I mean, that's, that's part of like, also, too, that's what I mean about having worked with generous actors. I mean, they're like, it is easy to just say, like, you know, I'll take five and someone else will step in or whatever. But yeah, that's like we're there to do one thing. And we're there to like stand that mark and do that job, you know? Yeah, who wants to sit in their trailer endlessly?

You're going to do that anyway. You might as well do the work. Yeah. As fancy as they make them, there's nothing in there. Like, you know, there's so many channels. There's only so many streaming services. Exactly. All right.

At the time in the middle of nowhere, too. Seriously. Let's start to get into the Marvel side of things. So this movie is so amazing. The sequel, Spider-Man, Across the Spider-Verse, I'm curious, okay, so when this first comes around for the first film, and they offer it to you, they make their intentions known that they want you to play Gwen.

Is there any, like, strategic part where you're like, wait, does this give up my live-action Marvel eligibility card? Do you have to kind of ask that question in a way? it definitely crosses the mind. But I have learned, if there's one thing I've learned in this whole Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is that anything can happen,

anything's possible. And here I thought I was doing what couldn't be done, which is playing two characters. And yes, while one's live action and one is animated, it's still happening and it's still crazy. But yeah, I mean,

it definitely crosses your mind, but I just feel so grateful to be playing any version of this character, let alone the one that I get to play, it's pretty, pretty damn cool. In watching the 600 previous great Spider-Man films, had you ever, like, connected and envisioned yourself as Mary Jane or Gwen? Had you kind of connected with other of those characters? Oh, surely I've connected and resonated in ways, but never saw myself.

No, that's the sort of thing that feels like impossible. You know, these films are so, I think, I mean, so grounded and rooted in its emotion and in its characters. I think one of the reasons I love Spider-Man so much is because he's just a normal dude and, you know, he puts on this suit and becomes this

superhuman and takes it off and he's instantly that normal person again and just trying to navigate life as it is. But it still seems so larger than life. And so yeah, I don't know that I ever saw myself doing this. But I guess

you could say I've seen myself in some of the characters throughout the 600 iterations of the of the character and the films that we've seen but um 600 more can't get enough yeah okay so what do they at the outset what does this look like do they show you art do they show you a full script because these are I want to get into the process of these films because it is unusual right and you you kind of like hinted at it but on the first one how was it presented to you and was it clear was it easy for you to say yes did it make sense uh did they convey what the what they we're trying to do here?

As soon as I heard Lord and Miller, it was a yes. Yeah. There was never a full script. I actually was asked to just send in a voice note of, I think it was literally just a few pages of sides. And then, of course, they weren't like the official. It was made up.

And so I said in this voice note, and before I knew it, I found myself involved in, yeah, what I didn't really understand for a while. And I'll never forget having that moment of seeing the first phone for the first time and being like, they were right. It makes sense now.

I do get it. You know, the whole time throughout, you know, we were lucky if we got a rough sketch or some sort of pre-vis or something. I both times I was able to see they did show me my character in her full form once they had it all figured out,

which is obviously great and helpful. But this time around, I feel like I got to see more, and I definitely had a much better and bigger understanding of, what it is we were doing the story we were telling the character I was playing, the dynamic between my character and the others far more than I could have the first time around.

But I guess it just goes to show there is so much beauty in embracing the chaos and trusting who's around you because if you can't do that, then you're in trouble. Yeah, no, because I mean, the puzzle pieces they have to fit to make emotional sense and to succeed on the level it succeeds is mind-boggling

because my sense is you're, you're, I mean, again, you said this earlier, you're recording over and over again different iterations. And so, like, you never get that, that actor experience of the table read from beginning to end of, like, following a progression of a character. So you must rely on them so much to understand, like, where are we in the story now? What's, like, what's universe? What the, what's happening? Oh, yeah. No, and the wild thing, too, is because it takes place over so long, we are coming into these sessions. from having traveled, having been traveling,

having been caught up in another role and another thing. I mean, it's just, it's a, yeah, if it were not for these incredible filmmakers and directors having the innate ability that they do to fully make us feel as though this might as well be live action. Like, we are in the moment, this is what's happening, this is why, this is who's that. I mean, it just, I would, there's no way.

There's no, they are there. They are our only sense of, of continuity and consistency. And yeah, I mean, I also think what's so cool is the freedom that they have allowed us to have in the booth. Even with such perfect writing already, they are like, you know these characters, you are the character, do with it what you will.

To have that, like, that trust is so incredibly rewarding and just creatively, I mean, makes you go to another level when you have that. And it's funny. And I promise not every other question is going to go back to true grip. But it occurs to me that, I mean, voice is so important to you from the start. When I think back and I rewatch True Grit, I think of just like the cadence and just like the register of your voice.

And now, obviously, the music career, but something like this, knowing the power, you know, that you have to deliver performance strictly through your intonations, your attitude, and not relying on all of this. I mean, it's a challenge, but it's something that I would think, I don't know, just grows the skill set a bit. 1,000%. And I hate to admit sometimes,

but I do feel like I had, I guess we can call the misconceptions of voice work and what that entailed before I got into this. Because again, yeah, it seems so simple. You go into a booth and you're reading the lines up, you know, get them the day in advance. You're not like, but yeah, I mean, getting in there, you realize in that moment how powerful your voice really is and how powerful it can be to translate through a screen, you know, or even a set of headphones, right? Like, I'm, you know, the majority of the time I have my castmates in my ears, having, they've already pre-recorded the scenes that I'm in or vice versa.

So that's great because, like, at least I have that. And the thing there is like, I don't know, it is a wild, it's, it's, it definitely has grown the skill set, I will say. And I think going back to true grit, dialect, dialogue, any sort of, like, vocal presence has always been a huge element in the roles that I've played. my, you know, in every aspect I think of my life. I learned the importance of having a voice and using it properly. And so, yeah, it's wild. Because I think there are moments too with this where you feel like maybe you're supposed to overcompensate and go a little bit bigger because it's just your voice.

You need it for it to carry, you know, as much as it probably more naturally would if you could just be there and, you know, physically emote. But I think the greatest thing about this and these characters, in this film is that it is so authentic and so real, that it never felt like, you know, I was doing anything too kooky and weird that felt like unnatural. Right.

So, yeah. Well, no, if anything, I mean, you guys, you know, to use like the watchwords that are apt in this, is like you guys are able to ground this fantastical story. I mean, let's give a sense of the scale of this. This is, I mean, if you all the first one was big, this one is like six times as big. It's so you got six dimensions, 200 plus characters.

and yet it's really emotionally powerful. You are so invested in, you know, for people that don't know, this is the middle section of a trilogy. And it really, it's satisfying on its own. But like, man, the last half hour is like some of the most intense dramatic storytelling. Like, I'm on the end of my seat. It's really powerful. And it's so passing to me like, I don't know, five or six years ago,

I had never heard the term multiverse. And I feel like there's nothing, like, it's the only thing I hear. Do you have a handle in the multiverse, Haley? Do you get it? You know, every time I think I do, I don't. Okay, let me ask you, will you be satisfied? I'm not going to ruin that stuff that we see in this film. But if by the end of this trilogy, your character doesn't interact with a Tom Holland or a Zendaya or an Andrew Garfield or something, would you be satisfied?

Would you feel robbed as an actor? in the multiverse if that doesn't happen yes yeah thank you for your honesty yeah it's gotta happen are you kidding yeah i like yeah she doesn't write it though it's out of her it's out of her hands but it's okay to say what you want it's okay um how many how many of the spider men have you encountered in your life how many do you know like of who played them? Yeah. Obviously, you know your guy, Chameek. Yeah. Um, do we know Toby? I know Toby. You know Toby McGuire. Okay. Um, and Andrew. Andrew Garfield, an acquaintance. Amazing. I have not met Tom. Okay. But I have

left to. Maybe that hasn't happened for a reason, you know? Right. When the time is right. That's just saying. Here's where she gets really cagey. And this is where I should probably should say, I've never met Andrew or Toby either. I don't know that, like, I think like there's... You might have met them socially at a Vanity Farquiry of these things. Yes.

But, like, maybe there's a... Wow. Pick up and I'm putting down and we're just going to stop here. Have you recorded the next one, or it sounds like it's going to be iterative as it always is, but have you recorded a lot of the next one already, the next Spider-Verse film? We have been working on this one up until like a...

a week ago. Like, I, you know, what's crazy is I, you know, before this, I think the only thing I could maybe even remotely compare it to are ADR sessions, right? So like my job is done. My work is done, like we're talking live action. We've shot the thing, pictures locked, everything's good, set, but we're going back into just like fix where the planes happen to just not stop flying over us. And it's always been a little tedious, right?

Because you feel like you're a lot further removed from it. You know, you could be coming in for ADR, like, quite some time after the fact. More recently, I have felt like it is a great opportunity to go in and better a performance. With this, I've never felt more that way. And I've never felt more inspired by the drive that these films, have to constantly just continue to tweak and fine tune and perfect everything they can, every chance they get. It's mind-blowing that, that, you know, I thought that I saw the final thing. That's for sure. It was not done. Like, I can't, like, there were, there are so many things.

I'm sure that, like, I will now see for the first time when I do, when it is out and done and complete. Um, but yeah, it's, it's, uh, luckily I, I don't feel a little bit of it, but I do not feel anywhere near the amount of stress that I know these guys feel just down to the wire making it what they did, what they need to make. So not to be greedy, but after beyond the Spiderverse, the third in the trilogy, is there talk? Do you want more? I mean, there was talk, I think last time. I mean, Glenn is certainly at the center. It's not like your, it's as much your story as Miles. Um, but could you imagine, confronting the Gwen movie, as it were.

Has there been more talk of that, or are you happy with where you're at? I mean, not that I've been made aware of. I'm completely happy with where I'm out, but I would also, I would be lying if I said I wouldn't love the opportunity to go back and dive in even more. Let's talk about another subject you can say nothing about. Let's talk Kate Bishop. Let's get into it. Hawkeye.

Okay. So before we get the Hawkeye, so again, in our many conversations, I remember this. I probably pestered you with this. Before you got cast as Kate, you had been fancasted a bunch as that character. You'd also been fancasted a lot as Batgirl. Did anything ever come to that? Did you have a meeting or anything on Back Girl? Was that a real thing or not really?

No, not real. Okay. But then when Kate comes around, it seems like you were. as you would be, you're a human being in the world, you were aware. Like, you saw people talking and connecting it. Do you then, like, as an actor, like, go down that rabbit hole, be like, oh, let's see if there's something there that intrigues me. Oh, yeah, of course.

You're like, if everybody else is so convinced, I need to see why. But that was, that was a, yeah, I mean, always so exciting when people genuinely have you in mind for a character that they love so much. I mean, it's one thing about the two of these characters is that they are loved by so many from around the world and for so long. So always an exciting thing to be the one that they have in mind, the fans specifically, because this is for them ultimately at the end of the day. Is that a top three moment in the career when you get the official offer? No audition required. We want you to be Kate Bishop in the MCU. Oh, I will never forget.

I was working on, it must have been season two of Dickinson. And I was pulling up to work, and I got the call for my agents. And I've never done this, but I literally had to ask the driver, we had just pulled up. I was like, do you mind getting out of the car for a minute? It just needed a minute. And I just thought to myself, like, you know, for the first time I had this realization of each experience is, so different than the last. But I had been, you know, with Dickinson,

I had been, how do I say this? I guess just having an experience that I had never had before with it being sort of my first time in the TV space, executive producing the show. I felt so involved on so many levels that I had never, ever, ever been before. and then there was this other equally as at that moment what felt like was going to be demand as equally as demanding and and large as far as scale.

I was just like so completely honored and overwhelmed and excited and like part of me just wanted to like go jump on my bed and then like you know maybe take it all in and like fall asleep and then like wake up and then like make sure it wasn't a dream. but I was having to go right into this workday and it was just like the most insane yeah, I mean, it's a dream, it's a dream to be considered and to have then later heard here that Kevin Feigy felt that I was the one in mine from day one. That is like, I don't know what I've done to get here

or to be that person that pops into someone's mind for something as the perfect person, but it's very surreal. is part of it look i mean we all know you have the acting chops but like also the physicality of a role like that this part of you when you get that like wait am i going to be able to do that like am i going to be able to like credibly be an action hero opposite renter like opposite all these amazing you know what i mean yeah yeah um i don't so much question it as uh i do just get excited that's the job now it's time to get to work yeah i just think like part of

Part of what I love so much about what I do is that I'm constantly being challenged physically to take on a new skill or to, you know, push myself to do something I know I'm capable of, but never probably would have never done it if I wasn't being told I had to. You know what I mean? But I've always wanted to. And I think that there is hopefully another version of this out there for me that I haven't quite. experienced yet, but like I love the idea, and Kate Bishop was this for me, of having to show up for something physically that I will only be able to do and feel confident doing if I put the time in and train myself to do whatever it is. I know I need to do. That's, I mean, that's like some of the greatest stories we hear from actors, you know, with the shit that they put themselves through to have to get to the place of delivering the kind of performance that they want to, it doesn't come easy. And I mean, this one was so much fun. I mean, I got to, you know, train like a maniac. And again, in a way that I would not have if I, if I didn't, you know, have this excuse and reason to do it. But that was so much fun. I mean, I love

that about what we do. How anxious are you to get back at it? I mean, look, we got such a great story. And we get to see, it was so fun to see you in Florence, like the energy in that seems amazing. And I'm sure you're chomping at the bit to do more with her. And particularly, I mean, all, like, you look at the latest wave of Marvel Heroes. It's like, a lot of young women, a lot of, like, peers that I'm sure you would be the real, I mean, the Tatyana Mazlani's of the world, et cetera. Totally. Where the hell is the Young Avengers, Haley? Like, they announce everything.

Where's Young Avengers? I mean, the question from you and I both, yeah, it's, I'm certainly chomping at the bit. It's, it's been a minute since I've, it's always so funny because I feel like a few months can, go by and I feel like I've been doing nothing you know what I mean I'm like I it's been so long since and you know it's been a while since Dickinson ended and since Hawkeye came out um but I I am so ready to get back at it I'm so I am like you know itching to be on set again um with people that that do what I do and love what we do and it's just it I have such a sense of belonging when I'm on set and the sense of home and um I just love it and it's it has been a while um

So I am very much chomping up a bit. Is there one of those particular actors I mentioned or someone I didn't that you're most excited to potentially mix it up with in that realm? Oh, man. Oh, man, the list is long. All of who you mentioned, the list is long. I've just started rewatching all Marvel movies in order. so in in not in the order right chronological not the way they were released but chronologically or no correct correct

so where you at which on disney plus that there is both right like you can watch it in the order that they've come out or the order um i i just started so just give a minute uh but it's so i mean all the all the you know everything's coming to mind of what i've just seen and and and i'm i'm jogging my memory for everybody that's come up with me in the last few years. I mean, the list is long. So what were you, I'm just curious, as a fan, what were you struck by watching those movies that came, have you gotten like First Avenger yet?

Yeah, I mean, I've seen them. And I guess it's just that thing of, you know, I know now far more than I did when I saw them the first time. Just, just as an actor in life, as a kind of movies, knowing these filmmakers and the actors and whatnot. So it's just a different experience. But it is so, you know, I, this is, this goes back when we were doing some stuff for Hawkeye. I was with Vera Formiga, and she was taught, she said this so beautifully.

And I think about it often, right, where we talk about being a part of the universe, the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And she basically said that, and she was referring to our show specifically, she goes, while we're in this universe, it feels like we're really just on a planet. We're on a small little planet. And it's, it is very intimate. And it is very, you know, all of these big, huge, wild projects feel like these passion projects. You know, they feel like these, you know, it feels wild to say, you're very much aware of the fact that you're making something on a very. large scale, but you're doing it with this group of people that is just, I mean, so passionate

about what it is we're doing that it just feels so intimate in that sense. So I guess going back to, you know, the MCU will always be this massive thing to me. But going back and with that sort of thought process, it just feels like, I mean, these movies, they are also, they're just so good and they hold up so well. And it's in the DNA. That's the, that's the, the smartest thing they did from the start was like get passionate people behind the scenes and then get like downy and ruffle like the real act like real freaking actor and then the the thing that like never fails to just excite me like nothing else is the way that things are so interconnected and and i feel like you know with even with um uh across the spiderverse it's like it goes without saying you have to watch these films a minimum of 75 times in order to, like, get everything. You know what I mean? Sensory overload.

Yeah, first time it's just like, let it wash over you. I'm not even going to try. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like, enjoy the music and the feeling and the, you know, the thunder of it all. But then, yeah, like, go back and go in and you'll just, you'll get so much from them. Are you anxious? Look, you've sung a bunch on camera, like, in your film career and TV career. But, like, we haven't done a full-on musical.

I don't think. I can't recall. Is that on the list? Is that something, you must go up for musicals. I would think you're kind of on the list when people are now musical. I would help. Yeah, I mean, that would be, you know,

two of my greatest passions in one. So definitely on the list, yeah. Theater, am I going to get you here in New York on the stage one of these days? I would love that. I would love to do a play. I always love talking to actors after seeing them perform,

and they're just so a lot. And even I think it goes back to the Fincher conversation we're having of like really drilling something in and getting it so right, whatever, whatever that may mean. But I think that sort of repetition and that challenge and the fact that it's live has to be one of the greatest challenges as an actor. I would absolutely love to experience that at some point. I mean, I can speak to firsthand. One of the joys of my job is not only talking to you folks over a long period of time. time, but then, like, occasionally to do the scripted stuff. And I think the last time we saw each other, I have to say, I rewatched the sketch

we did. It was for Hawkeye. No, no, no, Haley, you are so good in that sketch. It's like, it's one of the, my favorite, like, your performance alone, if people have not checked it out, we did a sketch for Comedy Central, which it was her mock audition, and her comedic timing. Oh, my God. Amazing. Amazing. As if it needs to be said, but yes, remarkable. So more comedy always for Haley Steinfeld. Um, we're going to, we're going to end with the Happy, Second Fused, profoundly random questionnaire. Some random questions for you. You ready?

Good. What's the wallpaper on your phone? Oh, it's my dog martini. And I have another one that I, I need to get a picture of the both of them where I think they look cute and both of them look cute in the same pick so that I can do that. Because I feel a little, like I'm not just saying. They're two different animals?

They're two animals. Two different, two dogs. Yeah. Okay. And I just, I just have one, that's my background. And then on my, like, you know, home screen, so she's my lock screen, and then my home screen, it's just this cool graphic that says, your energy, your energy introduces you before you even walk in the room, or before you even speak.

That's what it is. Your energy introduces you before you even speak, which I love. Good reminder, yeah. Okay. Last actor you were mistaken for? have you signed any autographs for someone that is not yourself a picture presented yeah i'll sign it it's okay uh no but there is a there is a still from just to take it back one more time regret uh where it is so clearly my stunt double and jeff bridges and not me and i get that a lot

to sign it's not me in the photo but like and i like and i sign it because why not, right? It's like a 45-year-old woman. You're like, nope, that was the stunt-dust. Exactly. If you were going to host a podcast, what would the topic be? Oh, wow. I love this question.

Wow, what would the topic be? Yeah, what can you go on and on? What would you want to explore? What do you want to riff on for 10 hours? I'm greenlighting your podcast today. Congratulations. Thank you. Um, wow, uh, maybe, holy, this, this, this, this might require more thought.

Uh, wow. Oh, my God. Give me a second. Um, it's okay. Wow, so many things have come to my mind. You know what I think would be interesting. Well, two things. And I guess I could kind of do them both at the same time. This, this, this might be. I'm going to think of, of, of one. topic okay but I I I've thought about this often because I feel like I I have worked with so many interesting people who have just had so many life experiences that that like only that person would ever have and I feel lucky enough to know about them I would love to if I were to have a podcast I would love for it to just sort of like this Josh I mean I like and like you mentioned when we started we've been talking for so many years

now like there's there's a um you've created a space uh that feels comfortable and and safe which is so cool because you know these these things can be weird and you you know you're talking about things that you have to be talking about and then like it's nice to it's nice to talk shop and and get into you know we have we have a lot of common interests and we've known that because we've been talking for so long and and you know we're in this world for a reason but I would love to have a space in which people feel like they could come and and and talk about life experiences that they've had that may connect to a reason

why we love them or why or how to know them but that we would just never know if we weren't in an intimate unless we were in an intimate conversation with them. I also think it would be so fun and this sort of might be similar to what you're doing right now but to have like, and I guess this would fall under the coming up with a more specific topic

but like if you asked every person the same five questions that again you're bound to get a different answer to every time because of that person and their life experience. But I am going to think about let me know. I will produce because your initial idea is basically putting me out of a job just so you know. You're like, I'm going to do you, but better horror wins. I promise to let you go in a second. We're almost done. Biggest, okay, name drop for a second for me. You get a, you get a text from a certain celebrity. Who still boggles your mind? Like I know this person and they're just,

just they just appeared on my phone how is this possible okay this is pretty and i i was thinking about this earlier because the last time i saw this person was in in new york city um woody harrelson edge of 17 co-star amazing but like like here's the thing okay you do these thing you do these projects if you're lucky enough to walk away with some friendships which i have it's it's it's rare that you actually keep in touch with people everybody's on a moving train and and in their own you know doing their thing and whatnot and uh we have we have kept in touch uh over the years and um it's always so fun to hear from him and he's always up to something crazy okay like this guy is like Woody harrison crazy what I mean I who would have thought but anyway

he's just like we're doing like a a bike tour through Asia like you know we're just kind of you know who, God knows what, but I always love checking in with him every now and again, because I always get something like that back. But he, that to me is always like, oh, I got an email from Woody. Yeah, he is a light in the universe. Okay, happy second fused. Actor that always makes you happy. You see them on screen.

You're in a good mood. Wow. Oh, my God. Maybe, let's say. Julia Roberts This is a correct answer Of course, yes, that is a correct answer Correct answer

Movie that makes you sad always Breaks you down Oh my God Um Um, movie that always makes me sad So most you've cried at a movie What's the one that's short a little it tears.

You have no heart. You have no soul. You don't cry. Yeah, imagine I name like the most happy movie. That's the one that like makes me. The one I said. Dang.

Okay. Can you come back to this one? Yeah. Okay. I got one more for you and then we'll come back. Food that makes you confused. A what? A food that makes you confused.

What's the food? You're like, what the, what's up with that food? That's stupid. I don't get it. What's all the hullabbleau about? I never said these. I never said they would be easy, Haley. We were finishing with the, would.

Okay. Foods, foods that confuse me. You see it on a menu. I don't get it. Why would I want that? I hate that. I feel like there's going to be a lot of people that disagree with me. Okay.

But a big potato. I don't get it. Whoa. I like most forms of potatoes. A baked potato. It's kind of blah. It's about what you put in the potato, what you do to the potato.

But even at that, like, dip a french fry in something. Like, why do you? Fry it up, coated in something. Yeah, I hear you. A baked potato. Also, beats.

I hate beats. I hate beats. I hate beats. Why are meat? Oh, you're canceled. Haley Steinfeld hates beats. The beat lobby is coming after you. Although I met Jamie Oliver recently, and he, I said that I didn't like beats and he's like, I will get you to love them.

So maybe there's a world in which I ground, but. Okay. All right. Last one, we're done. Movie that makes you sad. Okay. Movie that makes me sad. Last time you cried in a movie.

Have you never cried at a movie? I'm worried about you. Oh, I cry in every movie. That's the problem. It's too much. Okay. Yeah, I- Step-brothers makes you cry.

Yeah. Step-brothers makes me weak. I mean, I'm trying to think of one that, like, maybe I saw recently that, oh, come on. Oh, God. This is what we call press door brain.

This is what happens to the most, the quickest actors, it breaks them down. This is a PSA for actors. Don't go on a worldwide press tour. Oh, what about, um, You got it. It's here. We got it.

Brooks. Oh, my God, you guys. Oh, my God. You guys, I just got hot. I can't think. We're not ending this. If it takes an hour, I have nowhere to be, Haley. Okay, good. Oh, my God. Why can't I think of the Nick?

Can I let me go? Give me an actor, Google. What do you got? We got the internet at your fingertips. Terms of Endearment. That's what it is. I said, do it books. This is another correct answer. Yes.

Thank you. I watched Terms of Injurement on a plane once, and I was a puddle. It was horrible. Yeah, that's the thing. You know, I was just talking recently about how when I was younger and I would fly a lot, that was like I would watch, I would never sleep. I would only watch movies. It was like the time for me to like watch movies.

And I loved it. Now, as I get older, I'm out before that thing picks off. But I would always go for the sad movie on a plane. Yeah. It's a rookie mistake. Yeah. That theme, the theme in terms of enjoyment, and they use it so much. much. They almost use it too much, but they know it works every single time. It kicks in.

We got there. We did it. It was a struggle. I'm not going to be, I'm not going to lie to you. It was a little bit of a struggle. Oh, I'm not going to lie to you. That was real. All right, take a nap. Rest up. It's always good to catch up. And especially for a calls like this. I mean, honestly, you know, I talk about a lot of blockbusters, but this one, it kicks ass. It's so good. It's emotional. It's thrilling. And just if that was in people help make this come together, like, give them props. Like, this is quite an undertaking. So, um, so congratulations, Haley. I'll see you soon. And, uh, next time in person, hopefully. Hopefully. Thank you so much, Josh. Good to see you. And so ends another edition of happy, sad, confused. Remember to review, rate and subscribe to

this show on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm a big podcast person. I'm Daisy Ridley and I definitely wasn't pressure to do this by Josh. I'm Amy Nicholson, the film critic for the LA Times. And I'm Paul Shear, an actor, writer, and director. You might know me from The League, Veep, or my non-eligible for Academy Award role in Twisters. We love movies, and we come at them from different perspectives. Yeah, like Amy thinks that, you know, Joe Pesci was miscast in Goodfellas, and I don't. He's too old.

Let's not forget that Paul thinks that Dude, too, is overrated. It is. Anyway, despite this, we come together to host Unspooled, a podcast where you talk about good movies, critical hits. Fan favorites, must-season, and case you miss 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 fog. Hello button.