Happy Sad Confused - Jane Levy

Episode Date: March 25, 2020

Now more than ever we need some song and dance escapism, right? Jane Levy is here to deliver just that for you. She joins Josh on "Happy Sad Confused" to talk about her NBC series, "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist", her career from "Evil Dead" to "Don't Breathe" and to offer up the longest pregnant pause in "Happy Sad Confused" history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

D.C. high volume, Batman. The Dark Nights definitive DC comic stories adapted directly for audio for the very first time. Fear, I have to make them afraid. He's got a motorcycle. Get after him or have you shot. What do you mean blow up the building? From this moment on,

none of you are safe. New episodes every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, Sad, Confused begins now. Today on Happy, Said Confused, Jane Levy sings and dances her way through Zoe's extraordinary playlist. Hey guys, I'm Josh Horowitz. Welcome to another edition of Happy, Sad, Confused.

Yes, Jane Levy, first-time guest on. on Happy, Sag, Confused. Very pleased to say that Jane came by before the madness ensued. So this is our last kind of normal episode of Happy, Say, Confused for at least a while. Safe to say that it will be a while before we all go back to normal, despite what some people think, despite what the leader of the country is saying, no, things are not going to be going back to normal in two weeks or a week. I can say that because I'm living in New York City, which is in the middle of, it's the epicenter, as you well know, of the madness right now.

And it's not a pleasant time for any of us and certainly a worrying time, which is all the more reason to have, to value escapes like podcasts and entertainment. and that brings me back to Jane and her charming new series on NBC, Zoe's Extraordinary Playlist. So Jane came by a few weeks back. This was well before the shit hit the fan. And she's great. Jane's a big old weirdo. I think she'll agree. She'll be flattered by that statement.

She's a kindred spirit. I've always enjoyed talking to her over the year. and this was our first chance to really talk in depth about her life and career. And when I saw this new show, Zoe's Extraordinary Playlist, which has been on for a few weeks on NBC, I was really charmed by it. If you haven't seen it, I think it's produced by Paul Feig.

It stars this great ensemble of musical theater actors, people like Mary Steenbergen and Peter Gallagher and Schuyler Aston, and at the center of it all is Jane Levy. who ironically hasn't really had that kind of a life and career of musical theater. But it's a high concept show, if you don't know. It's basically about a young woman who can suddenly hear people's thoughts through musical numbers. Sounds absurd, sounds insane, it is, and yet it works. This upcoming week's episode, I haven't seen it yet actually,

but I've heard that this is a big fun showcase for Jane herself in that she gets to actually be doing a lot. of the numbers herself because by the nature of the conceit of the show is she's surrounded by these performers doing these crazy amazing musical numbers so it'll be a nice kind of change of pace this coming uh week's episode the show airs on sunday nights uh on nbcc at 9 p.m you can catch again this this week's episode coming up on march 29th at 9 p.m and as i said it's a it's a special one for jane um and as i said she she's uh she's someone i've always you know vived with and I really am thrilled that we got a chance to meet up before the apocalypse game.

It's not an apocalypse. We're going to make it through it. Right, guys? We're in this together? Hell yeah, we are. Okay, so a couple other notes. This is our second podcast of the week. That's always nice.

Two podcasts in one week. Typically, we only do one. Going forward, you're going to get, safe to say, at least one happy, sad, confused new podcast a week. Maybe more. I'm trying to figure out sort of what we're doing going forward a little bit. I've already started to tape new episodes virtually, obviously. I'm not in the same room as my guests, but we're also trying something new. I'm kind of changing the focus a little bit, given the times we're living in right now.

I think you guys are going to dig it. I'm into it so far, and we'll see. As many, I'm going to produce as many of these as I have time for. My other work stuff is starting to rev up. which is good you're going to start to see me do stuff for Comedy Central and MTV again

we're kind of all figuring out how to produce content in this new landscape took us a beat it's going to take us a minute but I think you're going to see me very soon do some fun stuff that will hopefully you know

entertain you and as I said as for the podcast don't worry the podcast is going to keep going you're going to see at least one new episode every week going forward. That's my semi-promise to you. We'll see. That's what I'm shooting for at least. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chat with Jane. Once again, Zoe's extraordinary playlist is on NBC Sunday nights at 9 p.m. I highly recommend it. And as always, remember, review, rate, and subscribe to happy, sad, confused. Now more than ever, spread the good word. People need a little bit of an escape. And hopefully that's what this podcast is for you.

I hope you enjoy this chat with Jane Levy. It's good to see you. It's nice to see you, too. Welcome to my weird little office. Thank you. You were just saying you feel like you're getting... We've talked a couple times, but never at length. Yeah.

And now you've seen the inside of my brain, thanks to my office. You love movies, don't you? I do. I grew up with it. It's awesome. Yeah. Do you love movies, I hope? I do love movies, yeah.

Did you grow up loving movies? Weirdly? I mean, it's not like I grew up. grew up not you were anti-movie everyone knows in the movie family don't show her movie

I'm not anti-movie but I just didn't like I didn't go to the movies all the time we didn't have like a huge collection of VHS tapes in my house we had like 10 that I watched over and over and over again

what were the core 10 core 5 give me some Harriet the Spy the classic yeah yeah obviously Tractonburg is that how you say Michelle Trackenberg, yeah, of course.

Was it just 10 copies of Harriet the Spy Chain? My brain, sorry. Ace of Ventura when nature calls. Wait, is that the sequel? Yes. Wait, do you only have the sequel? Yep. Oh, my God.

Vigo. You recognize him? That's really funny. Good. Okay. He's from Ghostbusters, right? Ghostbusters, too. Keeping in theme with your lesser sequels. Right, right, right.

they love that yeah um the royal ten of alms okay yeah yeah this is very strange yeah uh robin hood like robin hood the cartoon okay cartoon yeah yeah yeah the fox

yep yep um who selected this menagerie of this insanity this is what I mean like somehow we like ended up with these tapes like whether we rented them and never gave them back or someone gave them as a gift or my parents picked them out or I picked them out I have no idea. There was more. But those are the ones I remember watching a lot. Um, I loved Harriet the Spy. I don't think I've ever seen Harriet the Spy. I'm a bit older than you, so it probably didn't hit me at the right time. Right. I mean, it was like, uh, it would have been weird if I was

like, I love Harriet the Spy as a 25 year old man. Right, right, right, right, right, right. Very weird. But, you know, it was like a, a, like a tough young girl detective. And I was like, yeah, that's what I want. Yeah. Yeah. And here you are. You're a, as people know, you're an actress and you're a detective. Exactly. Yeah, that's your side gig. Right. Did you watch the Oscars?

I did. Do you enjoy that now? The pomp, the circumstance, the silliness. I mean, okay. Let's get into it. Obviously, giving awards for art is... Most important thing in the world, yes. Let's move on.

It doesn't make any sense. It's completely arbitrary. Like, how can you compare a Scorsese movie to Parasite? Right. Not to mention to give the most already benefited human beings on the planet one more accolade. Right, but, you know, people, like, you know, what I think is so amazing about acting,

I mean, it's, like, actors are really good, audience members, like, associate, and they, like, think about their own. It's, like, reading a good novel. You're like, oh, I'm not alone. Yeah. Ugh, that, that reminds me of this, and the, blah, blah, blah, blah, we are all same.

Humanity, wow. And so I think in some ways, humans, like, project a lot onto movie stars, and so then they can, like, have this experience with the movie stars in a way that I think is, like, fine like it's like who like like yes it's it's uh a bunch of mostly white people patting themselves on the back for making millions and billions of dollars sure but at the same time it's like it's like human connection it's seeing yourself in the prettiest versions

of ourselves i guess right i guess i guess i just think that taking it too seriously any direction of course doesn't make sense yes and so i watch it because i'm like i do want to to see the fashions and like I do like these movies and it's so weird to think that one will win over the other like I just don't give into that I long as someone as you can tell who grew up with all the stuff and watched the Oscars since I was like a baby like I long ago gave up like any illusion of like the best one win the one that I even like winning right it's for me it's just fun to see and back in the day like it was fun to see like the old guard and like the Nicholson's and all that and now it's like fun to see like Brad Pitt now is like the old guard like what happened

And it's kind of like a marker of like how old we are, how old I am now. And I like all that, yeah, the history stuff. Me too. Yeah. So I give in. So what your buddy Renee won. Yeah. Renée and What If?

That's cool. Yeah. I mean. She made it already by the time. Yes. I bet she did. Yeah. Yeah.

She had just wrapped in London when we started shooting What If. I think she was even late to What If by a week and a half because she was still finishing. She's a really, really. really good actor. Yeah, clearly. Yeah, and you did the Globes recently, right? Do you enjoy that side of it of like, again, the carpet and were you presenting on that? No, so I actually got ready for the Golden Globes and walked on the carpet for a half hour

and then went to the hotel and watched my face, got on a plane, went to Vancouver, and worked at 8 o'clock in the morning the next morning. So they were getting the word out on the show of course, obviously. Yeah, so I didn't actually get to sit through the show, which would have been fun, but I had to go back to work. so do I like that part of it honestly yes and no I like have moments where I'm on the red carpet and I'm like actually at the Golden Globes this is a little bit like vulnerable to admit but I was like you're standing here because you're hard work and it felt like yeah I felt good about that

whether or not I mean it's like not like I'm just like seeing all these amazing artists and being like I'm standing next to that person because I worked really hard And that, I, I, I didn't sneak in the back. They actually let me in the front with all these people I admire. But, but then that also, like, makes me segue into the power of, like, yeah, I like and I don't wear. And, like, this business is a lot about, like, ego and power and, like, blatantly. And, like, no matter of how much we try to pretend it's not, like, that part of it hurts me. I'm sure it hurts everybody

like I'm sensitive but so yes I also get like insecure when I dress up and I'm like this feels so weird like the whole point is that I have to look pretty and that's not really why I'm an actor and what is it what if they like that part of it makes me uncomfortable

but then at the same time I like to think of some events where you're doing press as celebration of the thing that you made that you worked really hard on like Zoe's I'm like so proud of it and I'm so proud of all of us that I'm just like, great, I get to go talk about this thing

that I'm really proud of. Totally. While sometimes feeling uncomfortable wearing a dress that doesn't feel like it's... It's part of the... Yeah. Yeah, I feel like I had a tiny glimpse

into what it's like for you folks that are dressed so uncomfortably in those insane situations. I was doing one of my gigs for the Oscars this year was, I was like, showing people like what the front runners were on this like six foot tall ballot on E. And I was wearing the tightest tuxedo I've ever worn

and I had to bend. and I was like, oh my God, there's a 6% chance. It's going to rip down your tish? Basically. Didn't happen. Good. So, thank God for small favors. You spent some time in New York early on, for New York, of course, just reminding you

in case you don't know where you are. What are your memories of coming here? Because this was like where you kind of got your start in terms of like getting serious about acting, right? Yes. So I went to college in Baltimore, Maryland, and then I dropped out because I was like, I'm going to be an actor. You said it like that?

Yeah. Mom and dad, I'm going to be an actor. An actor. Yeah. Did that catch them by surprise? I mean, you'd acted a bit as a kid. You'd shown some tendencies. Yeah, I actually do think it surprised them.

I kind of surprised myself. Like, I'm proud of my... Clearly, I'm in therapy. I'm like, I have to point out all the moments that I'm proud of myself. Think of this as a bonus therapy session where you don't have to pay me. I just look back at my younger self and I'm like, okay, good on you. You, like, wanted to do that thing and you went after it. So I moved to New York to go to Stella Adler.

I lived in Murray Hill. Yep. I lived in Murray Hill at one point. It was a strange place. It is kind of a weird place. Older than, like, your crowd at that time. Older than the crowd, maybe a little bit more conservative. Like, I feel like it's like a Republican zone of...

Probably. At least relative to the rest of New York City, you're probably right. It's also, like, some pretty trashy bars. Yeah. Tonic. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. With like 10,000 flat screens.

Yeah. And, like, I remember waking up and, like, leaving, and it would just be, like, pee and, like, blood, like, flowing out of tonic into the drains of the sidewalk. Oh, sweet. Yeah. It's the precursor to Evil Dead. Yeah. Pee and blood. Good jam.

So, anyway, sorry. Stella Adler. Anyways, went to Stella Adler. I had the time of my life. New York City is so much fun to be a young, wide-eyed, creative person. Did you get hot cocoa?

I got a mocha. Coffee and espresso and oil milk. We asked if you wanted one. Oh, no, I'm okay. I'm okay. Don't worry. This is my third coffee of the day, which is too many. Good, good, good. I'll talk fast. So was Stella Adler like a rigorous kind of a program? I mean, the name is important, but no.

No, it wasn't rigorous. I went also to the evening program, so I would go to school, I think, four hours a night, and I worked at the school restocking the toilet paper and doing some administrative work to, I guess, pay for my tuition. Okay. But I love acting a lot, and I love talking about the history of acting, and I love plays and reading plays and talking about plays. and so it was like fantasy camp it was like oh wow yeah and it was i guess what i had been missing in my life up until then because this is my greatest passion and so i was like oh yeah this is this is what i should be doing what it feels like to be really turned on by something

were you trying to get work while you were here or was it kind of like this is this is the study zone and i'm going to give this like a year and then i transitioned like were you going up for commercials or no like why weren't you like a dead body in law and order at some point like every New York actor. I didn't know what the normal route was supposed to be, although there obviously isn't a normal, like, actor route. But I just was 19 and 20 and in school. And I remember, I don't pray, I'm not religious,

but I remember walking down the streets in New York basically asking God to make me an actress. Like, and I knew somewhere inside me that I was. was possible. I was like, I remember one time one of the teachers said, okay, let's be real, the likelihood of any of you working is zero. And I, in my head, I was like, you have no idea. You don't know the Levy Spirit inside. Yeah. I was captain of the hip hop dancing team. Yeah. Weren't you? Yes. Okay. For those that are listening that think I'm insane, that actually is, as a basis of-in of my high school, a hip-hop team. That is correct. Um, so it sounds like you've always whatever you, you've been type A in that you've kind of like gone after.

Whatever you were passionate about the time. I'm very determined. Yeah. Yes. As I look you in your soul. You found the soul. That's congratulations on that. Um, so like those like family friends growing up would have said like from the start you were a precocious kind of like strong spirit.

Yes. I think that I was not a very happy kid. and I feel much happier and life is a lot better now as a 30 year old I wonder what people would have said because I've asked my mom like my mom didn't know that I was

what this was this thing was inside you that you know I don't think she did I had really supportive parents but whatever I just don't think anyone expected that I was going to be an actor basically and that can yeah

I can understand how that can make for like an unusual like when you have something that you don't know, you don't know what it is inside of you, but it wants to get out, so that can manifest in different ways. Right. And also, I think, yes. So you're here for about a year. I was here for a year and a half.

We had a showcase, which a lot of theater schools do. What did you do for your showcase? What was your thing? I wish I remembered. Oh, my gosh. The years of hard living, it's clock up to you. I know. And I also remember.

like sobbing finding out what the scene that they gave me because I was like I don't want to do that one it's not like you're selecting your own monologue or something okay that's probably why you blocked it out drama queen um I they so they you know they make a booklet of your photograph and your resume even though I had no resume and sent it out to various represent representatives and a manager just saw my headshot which happened to be a very good headshot and called me in for a meeting and basically signed me on the spot off of my headshot What does that mean you had a very good headshot? Like, in particular, like, they caught the light in the perfect way. I mean, actually, show it to you. It's not like we can show it on the microphone, but it was a really good headshot. Like, you knew at the time, like, oh, this is the best version of me? I didn't know. I didn't know until after I got a manager just from a picture.

Let's see. Oh, my gosh, she's wearing a tiara in it and a giant, an Elsa dress before Elsa was even a thig. Well, anyway, so he sent me on some auditions. while I was in acting school. Right. And I ended up, maybe I told you this story. I can't find it. But I ended up booking a job within a month.

And it was the leading character in a independent movie wherein Melanie Linsky was going to play my mom. And you ended up getting to know Melanie later. Right. Yeah. And also, Melanie's the best. Ten years older than me playing my mom. That's wrong.

I got to. Now I got you. Or maybe she was 13 years older than me. Something like that. And unusual. She was supposed to play my mom. I dropped out of it because then I ended up getting shameless. I didn't know this.

And my agents were like, you should do shameless. And I was like, I can't drop out of a project. Yeah. And they were like, people do that all the time. And I was like, okay. Anyways, so then I ended up working up with Melanie two more times. Yeah. And I feel so lucky to be destined to work with Melanie Olenski because she's so good and she's such a cool person.

What was the making, yeah? The Making Blair movie you guys made together was so great. I love that one. I don't feel our home in this world anymore. It had an unfortunate title. That was the problem with it, I think. Yes. It did win best film at Sundance

I remember I talked to Melanie and Elijah at Sundance for that one I really liked that movie Me too So you land shameless After you drop out like a diva already Of your first project Yes

But then you get your real first project You do a few episodes on Shameless Yes Big learning curve it sounds like It was my first time on a film set First time seeing a camera So it's all like the Because I've heard these stories before

and it always boggles my mind when people were like, I didn't know what a mark was. You legit didn't. You were like, no idea. They're throwing out these terms and you're like, eh? And they were so nice to me. That's good. Yeah, all of them.

The cast, the producers, the director. Right. They were like, go get him. Kid, you got this. It's fine. Yeah, yeah. Good job. And I was like, really?

Did it feel like, can you chart back to that and be like, okay, from there on, it was kind of relatively speaking smooth sailing like one thing led to another yeah i'm like why can't i go back to that time where the aspirations are low just get me in front of a camera i'll take it now you have the burden of like knowing what a great project is and a mediocre project so you've got standards right yeah basically yeah and much more complicated stuff that i oh tiptoeing around the good stuff yeah we'll get there we got time um let's let's talk zoe first uh now Well, we'll backtrack, because I really like the show.

Thank you. It's such a bizarre high concept that, like, maybe shouldn't work, but it's very charming and sweet and just works. So in a nutshell, I don't know what the elevator pitch on this is. You probably say it better than me, but Zoe can hear other people's thoughts in the form of musical numbers. Is that how it was presented to you? Is it presented to you as, like, that kind of blurb or the script?

I actually can't remember which came first. Okay. probably the blurb right you're like all in that sentence sounds weird enough for me I mean are you saying I'm weird I think I've sensed that already that's why you're here weirdo's welcome that should be the sign in here I'm definitely weird but it had enough of an off-kilter or something that appealed to you there's something weird about it musical theater background I did musical theater as a child in school and in community theater, mainly because I liked to act, and there wasn't non-musical

productions being put up, yeah. Desperate actor even then, I'll take it. Yes, exactly. But were you, like, in your 20s, were you doing karaoke nights? Were you singing? Is this a passion? No. No.

So this is unusual, Jane. Yes. They also didn't audition you. No. This is unusual, Jane. You're the star of a musical series, song and dance, and I can't find on the resume that year you were in Cats. I can't find it.

I did make a really bizarre musical in 2014. Okay. That went to the Toronto Film Festival. I feel like I talked to you there. We definitely talked in Toronto. Did we talk about a musical in Toronto that I'm blanking? I'm the worst. I don't, oh my God.

It was, it's, you don't have to. That's not a thing. Okay. It became a thing. But I now am remembering. I think we talked about it. I definitely talked to in Toronto. So if that's what you were there for.

So I made this really weird movie. Yeah. And it was a musical. So there is tape of me singing. So when the, I don't know who told Austin to hire me, I'm still asking him that question. Because when we... Did you think you hired someone else and I just showed up and you were being polite? Well, that's kind of how it felt like on our first meeting.

I was like, do you know who I am? Do you have any idea like what I can do? It was very strange because they were offering me this huge job. And I was like, I feel like you don't know me though. But again, that might say something about meme. It feels appropriate because I feel like half the answers you've had to my questions have been this second sight kind of like what was going on in your brain observing like all this, which is very appropriate for Zoe.

I'm very neurotic. Is that what you're getting at? Yeah. Or self-aware and... Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You and Jesse Eisenberg should do a film together, basically.

I'm down. It's weird, though. I've only seen the first couple episodes. I mean, thus far, most of it is you in proximity to musicals, as opposed to you being the musicaler. Right. Well, that's part of it when you were asking about how it was presented to me. It was presented to me that other people were going to be the musicalers.

I know my turnoff. That I would be at the center of a lot of these numbers, but I wouldn't be performing myself. But then after the pilot, it was so much fun, I was like, I want to partake. So then Zoe will start to... Yes. There's an episode towards the end where I sing and dance every single one. Amazing. Yeah.

Even by the second episode, I believe it starts with like a number, which ends with a piano falling on you. It does. Spoiler. Yeah. Again, that's the Jane Levy's twist. That's why you were in. Like, oh, you'll drop a piano on me too?

Then I'm in. Basically, yeah. Yeah. So is it odd? Was it odd at the start to do these numbers where you're like watching everybody else do this stuff? I mean, you're participating. You're definitely doing the choreography.

No, it was fun. It's really, you know, joyful and happy. Yeah. That's not what production's supposed to be. I know. You're supposed to be buried alive for a week. I know. I know.

I know. I know. It's really, it's like spectacular. It's to be around people that just jump around and sing and dance. And, you know, you look around also on the cruise smiling, the cruise dancing. And we have Mandy Moore, who's our choreographer, is... Did Walla Land? Yes.

She's amazing. And she's a real storyteller. And the dancing is art. And we also borrow art from musicians. Right. You know? Right. And so the combination of what's...

There's just so much happening in the moment. Like, people ask me, like, how do you, how do you, change your reactions, like song to song. I'm like, well, I react. I'm watching. Exactly. Basically, yeah. Are there songs that are happening around you that you're jealous that you don't get

to perform yourself? Do you find yourself like, oh. I think there have been some more like hip hop-y numbers because you know me. I'm a hip-hop queen. So embarrassing. It's embarrassing. Because I've always been into hip-hop. I'm not that good.

Like, it makes it sound like I'm some amazing hip-hop dancer. I'm not. Have I always been into hip-hop? I do like that kind of music, yeah. That's the music that's going on in your head. Is that your, what's the jam going on right now as you bounce out of my office? I wish I had a musical brain inside. More it's like, oh, don't say that, don't say that, don't say that.

Are you being cool enough? Is everybody like you? Is everything okay? Are you under attack? Like, that's actually what my brain is thing. Like a broken robot inside of you, apparently. Yeah. No, there's not like beautiful music playing in my head.

There's a great, oh, I'm blanking, this is a bad story because I can't remember it, but there's an amazing sketch that Willem Defoe once did for S&L that was actually cut from S&L. It's one of my favorite short films they ever did, and the joke of it is he, it's called The Procedure. I highly recommend you look it up because it basically, they implant your favorite song into your brain, and you get to listen to that, and it drives him insane. It's him and Will Ferrell.

Horrible story. Why do you think they cut it? I don't know. It's honestly top five all-time, like, SNL shorts I've ever seen. I love that. You're surrounded by an amazing cast, very exceptionally talented, and also seemingly like, I mean, like, if you're going to have parents, like movie parents or TV parents, Mary Steenbergin and Peter Gallagher?

I know. This is, like, my fanfic. I know. Did you watch The O.C.? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, Peter really has the ability to just make you feel like his dad, whether you're playing his daughter or you're just. just another person on set.

Like, he is so comforting. And a challenging, like, kind of interesting role. Very. I mean, his character is suffering from what kind of illness specifically? Do they ever say? It's called PSP, which is progressive supranuclear palsy. And our creator, Austin Winsberg's father, actually had this. condition, and he passed away from it.

Crazy. But the conceit of the show allows him to kind of live this other life, which is kind of beautiful to see sort of this guy that's in kind of a catatonic state kind of come to life again. I think it's the core of our show is the relationship between Zoe and our dad. You've shot the whole thing, right? Yeah. So where are you at now?

Because you've just been in like probably a six-month bunker living... 100%. Haven't seen the sun. I'm serious. You shot in British Columbia? We shot in Vancouver on a sound stage. I was working 12 to 16 hours every single day. And then on the weekends, I would just be, like, comatose under the covers.

I feel like I'm reborn. Last week was just euphoria. But you were, well, it sounds like you legitimately, among your jobs, this is like top, you're top, right? 100%. I had such a good time. But it's a grind. Yeah. TV schedule is crazy.

So now I'm out of prison. Just kidding. That's a terrible analogy that's not prison. at all. I'm out of... But you're out in the world living what normal people's lives look like. Yeah. I get to have meals sitting down. I get to

see the sun. I get to go on walks. I get to hang out with my boyfriend. And I get to do press for the show that I'm really proud of. Are you okay with a significant other boyfriends just spontaneously singing to you? Are you demanding this now in the wake of the show? I'm going to need you to pull up the Zoe's

extraordinary playlist. No, you know, the only... I became I became possessed by some of the songs because we would listen to them so many times we rehearsed and then they play them on set over and over again and they would inundate my dreams and there was a couple of times when I would shoot up out of bed because a song was playing from the show.

I always wonder that. I feel like I need to ask actors this more often. I would think like in an intense circumstance like that that your work would, I have worked related dreams all the time. My dreams got so crazy. Really. I probably shouldn't share them. But they were like very, very.

scary and so intertwined with work. I was, like, eventually convinced I was Zoe. I was like, what's the difference? There's no line. There isn't. If I'm living as another human being, 16 hours a day for six months. I'm not Jane anymore. Who's Jane?

16 hours a day, you're Zoe. There's no off switch at six months in. Yeah, I know. I sound like a nut job. Perfect. You grew up in a part of the world that I love, Marin County. I got married in Marin. Oh, wow.

Where? Arkspur. Know it well. The Ark Creek Inn. Great. I don't think it's there anymore. But it was... That's so lovely.

Yeah, the Redwoods, beautiful. Is your wife from Marin? No. I have some family. My aunt lives in Berkeley. So I spent a significant amount of time there. We just liked. Where are you from?

Right here, New York. Oh. The mean streets of the Upper West Side. Cool. So, you know, where we grew up defines us in many ways. How would you say that part of the world defines you? I love the outdoors. I love food.

There's a really good food in we're in the Bay Area at large. I... I think that was the longest pause in happy sec and fuse history and I was like I'm just going to lean into it I'm going to let it I've nowhere to go I'm so scared to find out how my my my childhood has shaped me I don't know it's a lovely place yeah yeah so what years were you that were there all through childhood basically I skipped a grade I skipped second grade all right I get it because I'm so smart And so I graduated high school when I was 17. I left when I was 17. So I lived there from nine months old until I was 17. Is family still there? My brother lives in Berkeley.

My mom lives now in Sonoma County, just a little bit above Marin. And then my aunt lives in West Marin. Right. And my cousins live in San Francisco. Perfect. Yeah. These are good places to visit. Definitely.

Wait, did you shoot? I saw you shot a little bit. We shot a little bit in San Francisco, which was so fun. Yeah. It was very surreal. We shut down the streets of Long Beach. my mom came from Petaluma. My brother's office was like two doors down.

My cousin is a professional ballet dancer in San Francisco, so we hired him as one of the dancers and the help number. Then Mandy, our choreographer, needed more dancers. So Johnny just sent, my cousin sent an email to his friends. So then all of his friends were dancers. And I had just been to my cousin's wedding. And then my cousin's friends were dancing behind me. And then my mom was like standing on a porch, like, down the street.

Are you sure this isn't one of the dreams you were rooting to? I know. It felt like the most surreal. experience. I was like, whoa, this is crazy. That's awesome. Yeah, it was so fun. There's been moments in my life where I really feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be and that it's just too kismet to be coincidence. You're saying you feel that right now sitting in my office. That is what I'm trying to say to you. Were you raised Jewish? I had a bat mitzvah. I was going to ask you had a bar mitzvah. You're more Jewish than me. I didn't have bar mitzvah. My mom's not Jewish.

My dad's Jewish. Do you culturally identify? Yes, of course. 100%. My dad's from here. My grandmother died last year, Hilda Levy. We miss her. She was 103.

She lived in Manhattan until she died alone. And, you know, this side of my family. She lived by herself into her 100res. She was. Yeah. I had a grandmother like that. Yeah. Tough.

Cookies. Yeah. Amazing. So, yeah, culturally, I mean, I'd come here and all of my relatives are Jewish. My aunts are rabbi. and we eat white fish and celebrate. It's not the best part of our culture. I love white fish.

You like a filter fish? Love it. You like the jelly and the... Oh, the jelly. Yeah, it's like... I like whitefish salad. I've gotten the wrong kind of... From Russ and daughters?

I don't know where we got it from. Anyways, culturally, culturally, definitely identify. I am not religious. I had a bat mitzvah, but my speech in Marin County was like, I don't know if I believe in God. And everyone was like, that's the most Jewish thing she could have said.

Perfect. Yeah. Also, my rabbi was a woman and her husband played the banjo. I love it. My botmitsfa and had like ankle bracelets. You are definitely from Marin. Yeah. Congratulations.

Thank you. So, okay. So I guess when I started to talk to you was when the Fetti Alvarez years kind of kicked in post-suburgatory. Yes. So evil dead. By the way, I don't, yeah, I think we did talk probably in South by, but I remember going to the premiere for Evil Dead in South By, and it's one of like the top like 10 premieres I've ever been to. Come on, really? No, no, no, true.

The energy. People were screaming. It was screaming. Yeah. That's not just my brain. Screaming and cheering. No, it was a riot. It was insane.

But that's why horror films are fun. Yeah. So you've talked, I know you've talked about this. I was hearing you talk about this on another interview, but I do want to mention it because it really did strike me that evil dead beyond just being a super physical. obviously anyone that's seen it a crazy kind of performance on film to be in was also a 75 day shoot yes can you believe that I couldn't believe that that's why I'm bringing it up the blood rain sequence was two whole weeks and it was I was the only actor and it was night shoots outside in New Zealand in the winter and it was me crawling around in that mud yeah with gallons of paint pouring on me so and that's like one of like six examples of things that no other actors has 15, sorry. Raped by a tree, cut the tongue in half,

barf all over someone, buried alive, rip your own arm off, chainsaw the devil to the face. I mean, we could keep going. Did you come into a little bit late? Because I remember there was another actor at some point. It was Lily Collins. She dropped out, I was told,

because she, you know, is smart. She got to the tree rape and was like, wait a second. I'm going to be snow white instead. Exactly. Exactly. Did it change you as an actor? Just like going through that kind of physical... I mean, that's a strange kind of existence.

I mean, I learned a lot about filmmaking and about myself. That was also my first starring role in a movie. It was only my second movie I'd ever been on. I was 23, I think. No, it was 22. I was really young. And after Evil Dead, I mean, after Don't Breathe, I have sort of realized that it really does take a toll

on your nervous system. and I think I'm done. I'm outy. Oh my God. I know. You're announcing your retirement from the tree raping scene. I've tried that after Evil Dead and then I did, yeah, and then I did Don't Breathe. And then I did Castle Rock, but Castle Rock was more.

Yes, different kind of thing. Psychological. Yes, yes, yes. Psychological? Yeah. Is that a word? Yeah. I've been up for too many hours.

My gosh, she's having an annual reserve. But, yeah, it's like, it's, I'm just not interested in living my life that way anymore. Yeah, it's more important to be. happy and healthy. And also, like, I did it. Yes, it's on film. Like, what else do I need to give to that genre? Because I was going to say, it kind of surprised me that Evil Dead never got the sequel.

It never happened. I mean, it did really well. Yeah. I mean, they keep making it. I know. I guess the Ash versus Evil Dead thing happened, so that kind of probably made things a little confusing. And I've heard that they are doing a sequel. Really?

Yeah. And Don't Breathe is getting a sequel. Don't Breathe is doing a sequel, too. So this is Stephen Lang doing his stuff. He's doing his thing. He's going to run around and torture some other people. Yes. And you're fine with that.

100,000%. 100,000%. Do you feel... So in the stuff like post those two films, was it kind of, did you feel like, has it been difficult to find stuff that's been rewarding? I mean, you're, you know, film-wise, I feel like you've had a lot of great success in TV.

Films up and down, like any actor's career, in terms of finding material that's probably reward. and also works for an audience. Yeah. I mean, this business is so unpredictable. And one of the things I like

the most about it is that things can change in an instant. Yeah. Good or bad, but things change in an instant. I mean, look, we were talking about Renee Zelliger. We're out of favor for like a decade and then suddenly best actress winner when she's back. And the longer I work in this business, the more I'm

adopting an attitude of I just really want to do work that I'm proud of and of course like when a project is presented to me I want it to line up with my sensibility and my humor and my ethics and my curiosity and like what stories I want to tell but it's not it's it's hard to find things that match you perfectly so as long as it matches in a good enough way I just care about the actual work that I'm going to do. That's what I'm focusing on. And the rest is actually not in my control, whether I'm desirable or not or whatever those things are.

Like, I have just been thinking less about that. Was there a turning point where this kind of like, this sounds like you had a mindset shift, whether it happened over like one day or it was a gradual. I think it's just like older age. And also just like the actual, the thing is, the truth is I love acting. Like, I love acting so, so, so, so, so much. I, it's my greatest, it makes me feel emotional even talking about it. I fucking love it so much.

So if I love it so much, I have to, like, honor that and me and, like, really, I think it's, I think it's important work. You know, it's so easy to shit on actors. I'm down to do that any time, including myself. you know there is a lot about it that is just seems egoical is that a word definitely not egoical super psychological for the record psychological definitely a word but egoical not I she skipped a grade guys that's all you need to know maybe you should have kept going to that grade you're right I think it was second grade that I should have gone to where I would have learned the actual word

that I was looking for in that moment diminishing your important message which is very true is just that I think that it's like what I was talking about before about the Oscars and how I think our job is to reflect humanity back to humanity and our job is to entertain and also but it's like at the root it's like I just want to like show my heart you know and hopefully that means hopefully that that that again will will will turn into work that people connect with and yes connect with that's what I want is for us to connect with one another and to just remember that this is a shared experience and so anyways back to the like movies TVs blah blah whatever the platform is I I'm really not in control did you feel a connection in the room of your Marvel audition did you feel I heard this wasn't a career highlight I just remember somebody I don't even remember what Marvel movie it was but I yeah someone told me that It was a film audition, not a television one.

I was like, I don't... Thanks for that note. Yeah. Where's the door? Yeah, fuck you, asshole. And she burned the room down. Yeah. You're more of a DC lady anyway.

But up to all the Batgirl stuff. We always used to talk about Batgirl. I don't know, man. I mean, I literally have no idea. Was there ever like a real conversation about anything? There was sort of maybe a real conversation about something. Okay. That sounds concrete.

But, you know, again, out of control. Out of your control. Yeah. I mean, any, I'm down. Yeah, I know you are. Let's talk about your Twitter and Instagram. I know Fallon covered this the other day,

but I was going to bring it up anyway because you deliver good content. Oh, I really appreciate it. No, this is important in 2020. Yeah. The acting and connection stuff is nice and all. But fuck it. All we care about.

That's what I care about. This morning, hey, fried chicken while crying. I did. I have a picture of it. It's relatable. Why? What happened?

What was it happening that morning? That was after I wrapped what if, and I felt sad, and I missed my friends, and I cried. I bet you I could find the picture. You owe me a few pictures. I know. I wrote a horror film called Famous People's Children. Mm-hmm. Was that someone specific you had encountered?

Mm-hmm. I mean, listen. And it's all horrifying. Right. Famous people's children, I mean. Oh, I thought you were just talking to the world. I mean that describes 2020 generally. No, I just mean famous people's children.

Let's see. Oh, you were spying on your high school friends on Instagram, I see. Yep. That didn't work out. Nope. I relate to this one. I didn't get into any colleges except for the lame ones. I got into my safety school.

You did? Which was? It was all right. I went to Hobart in upstate New York. Cool. All right, small liberal arts. And look at you now. That's your heart song.

at me now. If I could sing. Look at me now. I've never karaokeed you know. Um, lots of May Whitman content on your, in your socials. That girl. What's up? She's the best. I quit. I don't know if I've ever met her, but I think we're social friends, but like media friends, but so it's not real. She's my best friend. She seems pretty cool. She's so cool. I love her very much. Have you worked together then? We have because we like each other and so have made that happen. Oh, you did. She guest started on Suburgatory. We did drunk history together. Um, um, I feel like we've done some other things. I want her to be on Zoe.

She's a great, great singer. She's just my best friend. Let's make it happen, season two. Yeah. What haven't we covered? I was going to have to show you me crying and you fried chicken, but it doesn't seem like you need it. You can show it to me when we're done.

I need it, but they don't need it. What do you think is better? My Twitter or my Instagram? Ooh. You can be honest. My Twitter's better. Twitter's better for, in terms of the pithy, but photographically you're delivering too. I don't want to diminish it either.

You're doing great. Thank you. Get on TikTok. Oh, do you have it? No. I'm 75 years old. Oh, 75? I can't find the picture of me crying. That's okay. That's okay.

I couldn't find any pictures for my head shot. Here, that's my picture of me playing soccer. Got the pose down. Thank you. Well done. Thanks. Jane Levy, everybody. Thanks for having me.

Zoe's extraordinary playlist. Sundays at 8. Network shows aren't supposed to be good. Why do you make a good network show? What happened? It's not my fault. It's Austin Winsberg's fault. It's a team effort.

Thanks for coming by. Thank you. To catch up. 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 pressured to do this by Josh.

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