Happy Sad Confused - Jenna Ortega

Episode Date: October 22, 2026

Jenna Ortega joins the pod! Jenna is talented, introspective, and has great taste in movies. Here, she sits down with Josh to talk about her latest film, Taika Waititi’s KLARA AND THE SUN. Other topics of discussion include why she didn’t think WEDNESDAY would work, why she gravitated towards horror films, navigating fan encounters, why she’s making her way through Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Cruise’s filmographies, and more! SUPPORT THE SHOW BY SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! Rula -- Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/happy #rulapod Quince -- Go to ⁠Quince.com/HAPPYSAD ⁠for free shipping and 365-day returns. Limited Time Offer–Get Huel today with my exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with my code happy15 at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://huel.com/happy15.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ New Customers Only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When people started freaking out over it or I started to recognize or there was a sudden burst and sort of explosion and everything. I just, it really felt like some sick mind game that the world was a major prank guy. I just thought there's no way. Like that's still to the day I'm a little confused. It's a very expensive prank to put on you. We're three seasons in. We're still, we're still stringing this out just for the long con against Jenna Ortega. Yeah, I just love to never be Comfortiture. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, sad, confused begins.

Hey guys, it's Josh. Welcome to another edition of Happy, Sad, Confused. Today on the show, she's kind of a big deal. You ready for this? Jenna Ortega is on the show talking Wednesday, Clara and the Sun and more. Thanks, guys, as always, for checking out the podcast. Remember, hit that subscribe button on YouTube, on Spotify. However you're doing it, that is up to you.

I endeavor every week to give you one or two, usually two great conversations, and today we have a really special one. Because Jenna Ortega is, yes, she's ginormously famous, but beyond that, she is exceptionally talented, has such a bright future ahead of her, and in front of her right now. She is absolutely killing it. She, of course, starred in the first two seasons of Wednesday. Don't worry, a third season is in the books coming soon. She is currently starring in Clara and The Sun, directed by none other than Time. Tyka Waititi, check it out. It's in theaters.

If you're watching this on the day that this episode drops, I think it's out tomorrow. So check it out. Tyco Waititi directing based on a bestseller, co-starring Amy Adams, Clara, and the son tells the story of a artificial friend of sorts that a mom gets for her daughter, and that artificial friend is played by none other than Jenna Ortega. It is a different kind of Jenna Ortega performance than you've seen. Forget the dry, a surbit kind of goth thing going. a beetle juice, beetle juice, and Wednesday, this shows off new colors. And I know that's why it

appealed to her, among many other reasons. I'm really excited this happened. This has been a long time in the making. I've wanted Jenna on the podcast for years. We've been kind of talking about this for a while. And finally, it happened. I think this is her first podcast in maybe four years. She really doesn't do long-form conversations like this. So as always, I have to say, I am so indebted to her, to her folks, for trusting me with this great chat. and I had a blast. She is 24 going on 44. She seems like the most sophisticated young woman out there has great taste in movies and music and pop culture.

We had a lot of fun talking about the things we're into in terms of film especially. I've sent her over an action movie cheat sheet because that's her latest obsession is to try to learn from the uvra of Arnold Schwarzenegger. And if there's an uvra, I know, it is Arnold Schwarzenegger. So this was a fun chat. Of course, this talks about her beginnings, kind of her evolution from Disney Star to Wednesday and beyond, kind of becoming a horror icon in her own right in recent years. Clara and the Sun and her hopes and dreams going forward.

She's about to play a gymnast in Mary Bronstein's new film, which I'm really excited about. This is, of course, the filmmaker that did. If I had legs, I'd kick you. So, you know, it's going to be special. Anyway, that is the main event today. Jenna Ortega, thrilled that she's on the podcast at last. If you like what I do, I will remind you guys, check out our Patreon.

Patreon.com slash happy say I can't use for early access to every single episode. We do hear access to our live events in New York City. We have a ton of really, really cool ones coming up. I don't know if there are any that are officially on the 92Y website or in the notes yet, but they are coming very soon, probably four or five in the next few months that are like high profile major events. So now is a good time to check on our Patreon. Patreon. dot com slash happy say I confused if you want to get in on live events and autograph merch and all that

kind of fun stuff patreon.com slash happy say it confused okay main event time here we go enjoy this conversation she's like I said she's a big deal guys strap in here we go Jenna Ortega and me enjoy Jenna Josh we're doing the podcast I'm so excited I'm more excited than you I think I don't know what bet you lost but you don't do a lot of these no I don't do podcast a lot. There's just something about long-form interviews that makes me a little hesitant. I don't know why. There's so much opportunity to say the wrong thing and to... Not even about saying the wrong thing. It's just I... My social battery is naturally very low. Right.

And then I go through really intense spurts and then I crash. So I just have a fear even if I head into an interview feeling, hey, okay, I think I can do this. Ten minutes later, I'm like, I don't make any sense. I sound drunk. These are my only conversations. Like I have no social battery outside of this podcast. If I didn't have the podcast, I would be a hermit, a recluse. Like I, no, truly, like this is my outlet of interacting with the world.

So thank you for that. This is really a service to me. Yeah. I understand that too. We were talking about a great many things today. You're spreading the good word of Clara on the sun. Congratulations. Thank you very much.

How's the press tour? It's just like, you know, you're doing a couple of things. cities doing the Rome, the London. Just a little touch of things. It's been really great, the press that we're doing so far, because it's in, a majority of it has been film festivals or film heavy cities. So London Film Festival I'd never been to. The Rome Film Festival I hadn't been to. And I was really surprised by the Italians and how much they love cinema and their passion

and how engaging they were. I just, regardless of whether or not I'm promoting something, going to. a film festivals feels like such a treat. So I've been really lucky this tour. It's the best. Film festivals are the best. It's the best part of my job is like every year I go to Telly Ride. I go to Toronto. Oh my God. I used to go to Sundance a lot. You've done some of those Sundance I assume at some point. Sundance I just did for the first time this year, which I was grateful to do last one in Park City. Right. Yeah. Have you done the, you haven't done Teller Ride yet? You got to. Nope. No, but I'm dying to. You're going to love it. Yeah. That's coming up.

That came up over Labor Day. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, it just passed. It just happened. Okay. You'll make it happen. You're going to get there. It's a long career.

It's just getting started. It's okay. It's okay. So, let's get the important stuff out of the way. I was obviously comb the interwebs for important research. IMDB claims these are your nicknames. Are these your nicknames? Oh, I'm so scared.

Riri, Banzo dog, and Bonzo. Yeah, they're not the main ones. They're second tier. Yeah. So can you give me a little backstory on Ree, Banzo Dog, and Bonzo Dog, R-R-R-R-Ree is because my middle name is Marie, and my parents used to call me Jenna Rhee, and then they just started calling me R-R-R-R-R-R-E. It also took an adaptation, R-R-R-R-Licious, and that was one that I gave to my parents

because they were calling me from the room. They were like, Jenna, come over here, we need you for a second, and I refused to come out, and they started getting mad, and they said, Jenna, R-R-R-R-R-R--, and I came out in these little plastic heels that I had stolen from my doll and a feathered boa, and I I said, it's not re-reelicious. I've just reinvented. Because I loved Fergie when I was six years old. It all makes sense now.

Wait, this is six years old? This is six. I may have even been five. Wow. I was really adamant about them calling me re-reelicious. Does anybody call you re-reelicious now? No. Let's bring it back.

I mean, maybe my mother every once in a while. Maybe you should change a professional name from Jenna Ortega just to go by re-reelicious. Well, I'm kind of pissed that nobody told me that stage names were a thing. Like, I remember when I first got my sag card. Yeah. After I had worked three union jobs and I went and filling out the form and it's a stage name and I asked my mom. I said, what's a stage name? She said, I think it's just your name.

Like, what do you want to be called? People have such great names. What's your favorite? What are you jealous of? Winona and I kind of talked about it a little bit. Winona writer is an incredible. Winona Horowitz. That's her real name.

Yeah. Yeah. It's amazing. Drop the Laura like the whole. Yeah. Even my friend Mikey Madison, like, I know her nickname was just Mikey, but. The alliteration always helps. Yes.

Then again, in hindsight, I wouldn't have wanted to go by Ri Re, Re, Ortega or something like that. And at eight years old, I wasn't coming up with anything. Spectacular, I don't think. I did. By the way, I hit up our mutual Winona trying to get any kind of intel, anything. Yeah. She might be the worst text her on the planet Earth, though.

Is she is she? I'm gonna get a response in nine to ten months. I know that. It depends. She's either on it or she's not. She's not on it for me. But when she sends it, she's very sweet. Yeah, there's a lot. So many I've taken on a habit of hers that is just dot dot dot dot dot dot. Yeah. Like for no reason in the middle of a sentence, it's just dot dot dot like she's thinking. Yeah. And now I do that all the time too. And I think I've I've stolen that. No, there's nothing better than getting just like a black heart from. Ton of those. Ton of those. Yeah, it's her favorite emoji, I think. It fits. Yeah. So, okay, let's start on Clare, then we're going to go backwards. I mean, you've had the luxury and the opportunity of the last few years to kind of like start to make some big choices for yourself. Like most actors in their career, it's the luxury of choice, right?

And this has kind of happened mostly to you in the last five years since Wednesday. And of course, Wednesday takes up a lot of time and space. Yeah. So what are you, like, where were you at when this one came around? Because, I mean, I can see from the outside looking and I can, I can, I can, guess on why this appealed to you, but in terms of contrast from Wednesday, et cetera. Yeah. Well, honestly, it's, it's, I wouldn't, definitely, you know, Wednesday came out and I had a lot more opportunity and that was so exciting and I'm so grateful for everything. A lot of

what I've been sent or a lot of what's, uh, I had come my way. It was just a lot of nasty teenager, nasty teenager, you know, they told me about Claire on the Sun. I didn't know what that was, said it was based off a book. They said it was based off of an issue girl book. I went, oh, okay, remains the day, never let me go. Okay, I'm listening. I read the book and I thought, hmm, okay, there's something here. His writing is very nuanced and thought thought-provoking, and I like that he could take very simple, simple storylines, but are so dense in things. theme and emotional intelligence and nature. So I thought, okay, well, this would be kind of,

there might be some interesting dynamics to play here. And then Taika reached out because it always actually pitched me in the same breath. But anyway, then I thought about Taika, and Taika is so optimistic and bright in his storytelling. And I thought that that was a really weird pair for the book. So then I thought, okay, but sometimes that

does something quite nice. So I spoke to him and I understood that he wanted this peppier, kind of more naive Clara and upon conversation with him, it started to make more and more sense. But for me, I was just excited that

something different was coming my way. 100%. Yeah. So yeah, what are the things you're seeing? Like, is it just what I would expect like goth young women goth teenagers darkness like it's just goth teenagers bitty teenager you know just um

got that on lockdown you've like i've done it a couple times i've done it a few times yeah and in you want something that kind of challenges you or you know on a on a set like clara i didn't really get to be lazy about anything because tyka also was very spontaneous and liked to come up with stuff and throughout concepts as you were shooting, so he'd be there with a megaphone, and you'd be in this wheat field,

and he'd be shouting, you know, well, now try to roll down the hill. Okay, well, now you're happy. No, you're not happy anymore. Now you're sad. Make this face. Make that face. Say this instead. You would look at sides, and he would go, oh, sweetie, like, you throw those away.

Like, this is not what we're doing today, which was terrifying at first. Right. But then you learn to kind of love it because it's a different way of working and forces you to not overthink so much. Right. It's giving yourself over to someone, and you need, that obviously requires a lot of trust. Yes.

I mean, I've seen a few filmmakers do that. I've been on some Adam McKay sets. He's infamous with like the bullhorn. Really? Oh, my God, just throwing out the craziest shit at people. And it sounds like Tyka. He is such a spontaneous live wire of a human being. Yes, he is.

It like permeates all of his films. Like that's energy, that enthusiasm, that optimism. Yeah. And I think that's an interesting quality to have. have as a filmmaker too. It's like you see a frame of one of Tyca's movies and you can kind of get a gist that, okay, it makes a lot of sense. Yeah.

You know, so to be so obvious in your aesthetic and vision is interesting to me. So, like, in terms of just the broader picture of where you're at now, like, are you, how, this is the wrong word, but how calculated are you in terms of, like, crafting the career at this point? Like, in terms of these are the next three roles I want to do and the kind of body of work I want to start to, I mean, you're still very young. I mean, you've obviously been doing this a long time, but like, is there a real need and want to kind of show off all the shades of you right now? Yes, but you know what more than anything is, and I don't know why, I think because I started

so young, because I didn't have any connection to the industry, all of the advice that I had been told growing up was take everything, you never know when it's going to be taken from you, it's never going to happen again. And it put me and, I think, in a very fear base. mentality that I wasn't aware that I had it was just I had been operating at such a pace for so long that I didn't know any different and for someone who's worked since they were a kid you know there's a different sort of comfortability and sense now as you know I'm a bit older and I see things I'm more knowledgeable about myself and what I'm interested in I think that's a big part of it too

just understanding myself as an individual a little bit better. I definitely would like to be a bit more calculated or, you know, be more interested in things that, you know, it really feels like I want to watch. You know, like, which is weird when you think about it as a kid, it was just, I come in, I fill this role, I do this job, and I go home, you know, and it was. Well, it's pleasing others as opposed to kind of pleasing yourself at a certain point. And I would like to please myself. Right. Yeah. More happy say confused coming up. From the parents behind law and order comes a mystery the whole family can enjoy.

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If I talk to your family, your siblings, like growing up, you, by all accounts, you were an extrovert. Like, were you like, you were one of six? Yes. Was being an extrovert kind of just the way of getting attention? Like, hey, I'm here. I'm here too. Like, what was?

I genuinely cannot help it. I, I, there's a problem. Yeah, I just, and it's so funny because my family is very introverted. Oh, so you're the outlier. Yes, everyone was pretty quiet. Maybe my younger brother was kind of crazy. Okay. And for two seconds, he thought, oh, well, maybe I'll act like my big sister.

And then someone handed him sides and he thought, oh, this is so boring. Like, I'm going to go play soccer. Yeah, no, I've always been very extroverted and we don't know where it comes from. My mom's father was a bit of an introverted. He worked as like a bartender at these clubs and things like that, but he used to perform in drag and That's how he would make like extra money for the family. He loved to sing. He loved to just be on stage So my mom likes to say that oh, maybe Maybe there's some sort of entertainment seed throughout there, but really it just came out of left field

So you I mean, you were very vocal to your parents early on like I really want to try this out just let me a shot Do you remember like the early auditions? Because I mean auditions are tough for adults. I mean, I mean, Like, did you not feel exposed? Like rejection is tough for anybody, let alone a kid. How did you handle all that at such a young age? I was so headstrong as a kid. Everyone warned me when I first started acting, you know, okay, well, just know, sometimes you're going to say no.

Sometimes it's not because of you. Maybe they needed a different hair color, or maybe they needed someone older. I did not care. I was just so happy to be there. I was so happy to be around with other actors. I loved sitting in the waiting room for three hours. like back against the wall in these catacall sessions,

like playing hand games with the girls. I finished my homework. Oh, do you wanna go here after? Well, we can't drive back to the desert yet because there's traffic. So should we go for dinner and I would make friends in the casting? You know, like I was very just in my element.

It's not a competition, you guys. Like we're all, you're gonna do great and you're gonna do great. I was very. You were chill. Yeah, I was like a pretty good presence. Guys, this isn't a big deal. We'll get them next time.

Yeah, I was, I think I was good for morale. More are you at now? I mean, like, are you as like, I don't know, chill about the ups and downs of a career now? Yeah. I mean, I've gotten older. I've developed a stronger understanding. And I'm definitely a lot more self-critical or harsh on myself. Like, it's easy for me to, or it's not so easy for me to shake things off.

But it's less about what other people put on me and more. about just internally feeling high pressure. Right. Being in this other phase, which is only human. I just kind of have to tell myself. And this year I've been really good about just telling myself to get over myself. It's that easy because you become so thinking about the same things over and over. And I have OCD, so I can't, it's really hard for me to stop the train once it goes.

Spirowing. Exactly. So I'm just, as soon as I start. spiraling, I'm outside on a walk. Can you give me an example without, you know, revealing too much of like what you get in your own head about? Is it about like a bad day on set where you just didn't feel like you didn't nail it or? Yeah, bad day on set, staring up at the ceiling thinking, I should have done it this way or why didn't I do it that way or I have a conversation and then I'm having the conversation again in the car. In minor conversations. Right. Not even, sometimes it's work based.

sometimes it's not. I could be at like the supermarket or something. And I'm just like, oh, I should have said something. You know, just insane. And then the more tired I get to, the more it feels. And when you've been working so much, my brain is just. And what about the aspect of like, there's so many folks that see you, young people that see you

that like want something out of you in the best possible way. They just want an interaction. They want to feel seen. Yeah. Do you feel, I don't know, that that's a lot for anybody to take in. And especially like the volume you probably get it. Like, I don't know. Do you kind of give yourself grace and like, I can't be everything to everybody all the time?

Or? Yes and no. They, when I was young and I was on Disney Channel, they took us to like media training. Right. And they told us, you know, every time someone meets you, it's probably the only time they're ever going to interact with you. Like, that's a very special moment in their lives. So just be aware of that. No pressure.

That has never left me. And sometimes I try to give myself grace. And I'm trying to have better boundaries. So maybe if I feel like it's not so safe of a situation, or maybe I don't want to stop and agree to take a photo with a random grown man. But kids and things like that, of course. Yeah, it is a lot, though. And again, it's sweet.

Like some of the interactions are so sweet. And then some of them are a little bit more embarrassing or aggressive or mean. and it's hard to know what the balance is. But you just, I do what I can. You do, yeah, you're only human. So coming off of the Disney show, which was obviously kind of like a big moment in your career, more than a moment, what were you, I mean,

were you going up for a lot of things prior to Wednesday and scream, et cetera, an X that felt like they were going to set you on a new path? Like what, did you have kind of a niche, like in auditions, like a kind of role that you were going up for? for often. Like if I talked to you like in the year before Wednesday. Yeah. Where were you at in terms of?

I was getting a lot of horror, but I also was seeking horror. Okay. I just signed to a new agency and they asked me kind of what I wanted to be doing. And I said, I really want to get into horror films. And was that based on your own? I mean, it's a good opportunity for for young actors. Yeah. But it's also like a great genre in and of itself.

They're having like a real, I mean, not that horror ever really left, but I would say in the last five to ten years there's been a major boom in the production and like public value. Yeah. That was just something. Nobody had told me that. Nobody, if anything, when I was younger, when I was really little,

I was always interested in dark things, very fascinated, but I would freak myself up and not sleep for weeks. It freaked myself out and not sleep for weeks. And, yeah, I got into them when I was a teenager, and it just was fresh. my mind and I thought that it was a great opportunity for an actor to portray such high, intense, insane feelings and yeah, the horror just seemed like a dream job. So which of those came around first of ex-Scream Wednesday? I think Scream came around first. I filmed my X tape in the hotel room

while shooting Scream right after we had shot the opening sequence. Booked that one. Ty West called me and I was with Matt and Tyler, the directors at the time. So they all said hi because they were friends. So I thought, oh, this is sweet. They're handing me off to like the next horror director friend that they know. And then while I was on X had just shot the scene where my face got shot off. Classic.

And I facetimed him to audition for that. So they all were happening kind of simultaneously, but that was it. It was Scream X Wednesday. one to the other. So it's interesting. I mean, you know, looking back at Wednesday, and I know you've talked about sort of that first season being, it's a discombobulating experience.

Like, this is a very high profile show. You're working with Tim Burton. You're number one on the call sheet. And correct me if I'm wrong, in your own head, you're kind of like, this doesn't feel like a home run at first. Like you're not killing it.

You're not satisfying yourself, maybe on those first days and weeks. Like you weren't getting the feedback. Maybe you were hoping for from Tim. I don't want to put words in your mouth. But like, I mean, give me a sense of sort of like, I don't know, was it a discombobuling experience being on Wednesday, being on a show that clearly worked that maybe in your own head

you didn't think it was working at the time. Yeah, I didn't think that it was working at all. Yeah. And that was me being in my own head, perhaps, but also Tim. I had never worked with someone like Tim before, and Tim is very, very shy. Yeah. He's opened up a bunch, but when you initially start working,

with him he does not speak like literally does not speak yeah we were doing like hair and makeup tests and he would look at you know they would try different bangs or try different lengths of braids and he would call Colleen at wood over and Colleen would you know whisper in his um he would whisper in Colleen's ear okay I'm thinking this and Colleen would come over and like speak for him like he was very and I think that was just him maybe being sensitive now knowing him as to what she's a young girl I don't want her to feel like, you know, I'm picking her apart to like come from a woman, you know, whatever. Now I know Tim. Yes.

But it was things like that that just felt like, okay, well, I'm not clicking with him. Right. He's not speaking to me. He also was just trying to give me space as a performer to figure it out myself. Sure. But to be, you know, 17, 18 in a foreign country with this, you know, very big director and feel like I wasn't connecting. I was, I was very stressed out.

So when that when that show comes out and becomes what it does, was that, and that must have been just bizarre on a number of levels because I don't know if by then you kind of reconciled, okay, we accomplished something or if you were still in your own head, like, I don't know if it was, if I did my job. Like, what was it like to kind of see the world embrace the show when you, yourself maybe had questions about your own performance? I couldn't, I couldn't believe it. I really couldn't believe it. They had sent me like an episode or two to watch. out of courtesy before the show came out and I couldn't make it through the first five minutes, 10 minutes. I just was so, and I don't really like to watch myself. I don't, so I think it actually was doing a bit of a hindrance, but just based off of, yeah, not having any faith in myself, I was mortified. So when people started freaking out over it or I started to recognize or there was a sudden burst

and sort of explosion and everything. I just, it really felt like some sick mind game that the world was. It's a major prank guys. And it's a good prank. There's no way. Like, that's still to this day, I'm a little confused by. It's a very expensive prank to put on youth. We're three seasons in.

We're still stringing this out just for the long con against Gen Ortega. Yeah, I just love to never be comfortable waiting for, you know. Is there comfort on set now having just wrapped season three? or are you still to a degree? Yeah, there's immense comfort. That crew, the people, everything about it, they're so lovely and kind and work so well together. And yeah, the character is, you know,

first met her maybe six years ago or something. So you definitely fall into the swing of things. And it's nice to see everyone kind of at their peak, most comfortable iteration of their characters. So who got Winona involved? That's a Tim call? when you heard that Winona was coming for season three? I think it may have been a Tim call.

I think there was somebody else. No. There actually was no other name mentioned for that. And I didn't think much of it when they first pitched season three and they mentioned Winona's name because Nona and I love each other. We would love to work together again, but we hadn't talked about this. And she had just gone off a long stretch of a show,

so didn't know if she was going to be looking to do that again. And then suddenly she just was in Ireland. I was walking around on the trailers one day. And I was, oh my God, they got her. They got you. I was like, yeah. And it was sweet. That's awesome.

Yeah. More happy, say, confused coming up. Do you love Disney? Do you love Top Tenless? Then you are going to love our podcast Disney Countdown. Hi, I'm Megan the Magical Millennial. And Biscuits, I'm Jeremy, aka Jarendell. And we are the host of the hit Disney podcast, Disney Countdown.

On every episode of our fun and family-friendly show, we countdown our top 10 lists of all things Disney. The parks, the movies, the music, the food, the lore. There is nothing we don't cover on our show, right, Jeremy? Ooh, girl, you know we are famous for rabbit holes, Disney-themed games, and fun facts you didn't know you needed, but you definitely need in your life. So if you are looking for a healthy dose of Disney Magic, check out Disney Countdown wherever you get your podcasts.

Well, summer may be over, but things are still hot. Turtle Time. Goodbye next gen NYC. Goodbye the Valley. We'll see you next year, but now Turtle Time is gearing up to cover some of the most beloved franchises in the Bravo universe. Turtle Time is covering Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, Real Housewives of Orange County, and Real Housewives of Potomac. Salt Lake City, Orange County, Potomac, these are wonderful franchises. Could you imagine what Amy and I are going to say about them? You'll hear some of the hottest takes you've ever heard in your life. You'll feel like it's still summer. Oh, These will be hot takes.

Uh, fall and winter, great job trying to cool things off. No, it's still hot over on Turtle Time. You're going to get that summer warmth. So put away your bathing suit. Put away the sunscreen. Summer's over, but you can still feel hot, hot, hot by listening to Turtle Time. Some of those other podcasts, you know it's fall or winter when you're listening to them. But Turtle Time, it's kind of like summer.

It's hot. So enjoy the Turtle Time podcast. podcast co-hosted by me, Riley Hamilton, and Amy Scarlotta, and it's available almost every single day of the week. Better luck next time, fall and winter. I mean, you've had a series of these amazing actresses, Amy Adams, is the latest, obviously, that I don't know if by default they become mentors or if kind of like you gravitate towards them. I mean, you also worked with Natalie Portman recently. I mean, is that especially meaningful to kind of work with a series of actors who, many of whom like grew up, like Natalie was a child? actor, like kind of has walked the path you did. Winona walked your path.

That must be invaluable to kind of have this series of like women in your life to call upon if needed. I've been so lucky with the actresses in my life, whether they've been, you know, mom's sisters, scene partners, just anything. Like I really am fortunate. And these actresses from previous generations who are still in the game like Natalie, like Winona, like Catherine Zeta Jones. that Natasha Leon is great.

You know, like I've just been so fortunate with women who really are supportive of other women in the industry. And I think they have a different understanding as to sort of the pressures that are put on them and how complicated it can be and feel and isolating. So anytime I'm able to, you know, be in a little tent on the side of a set at two in the morning with them, on a night shoot or something, I just, I think I always have that moment of quiet appreciation and gratefulness. The galleress is the one with Natalie that's coming out relatively soon, I believe, right? What were the meaningful performances of hers for you growing up?

I mean, she did everything from the professional to Star Wars to... Yeah, that was, it's pretty surreal, you know, she's kind of one of the first actresses I probably knew. Yeah. because I had seen her in so many things, and obviously she's so talented, but to meet her and work with her and see how cool she is. Like, she does not get enough credit. She's got such a great balance in her life

and understanding of her world and is very consistent in herself. And yeah, to work with her was just, I was trying to soak it all in it. She's makes everything better. Yeah. And has such great input on her. the shape of a scene and it was just really impressed by her. So who, who helped form your taste, do you think, growing up?

I mean, was it your siblings, your parents? In terms of like your film taste, which, you know, I've heard you talk about everything from Shrek to Joan of Arc, like it runs the gamut. Like, did you find films on your own? Did people introduce films to you? I found films on my own, pretty much. In my house, we watch, like, the same five movies over and over. It was like the Lion King 300.

We would maybe watch. There was a movie called The Pacifier with Vin Diesel and Bernie Snow. Yeah. We'd be really like the pacifier. Like that was my movie range. Yeah. In the house that I grew up in. And then just when I was old enough to really get good at the computer,

and I knew at that point I was already acting. So I just thought, oh, I should probably educate myself if this is something that I'm going to want to do forever. Right. So I just would look up super basic, okay, best romantic movie of all time, best this of all time would watch it. And then, okay, well, now I like this director. So I'm going to go down here and down here. That's the fun part.

Yeah, just went down a rabbit hole. And I still, to this day, am in that rabbit hole. Just keep going deeper and deeper. So what rabbit holes have you been down lately? Let's give me a filmmaker or an actor you've been kind of going down the path for. Okay. Well, recently there's been a lot of. Harvey Kiteau movies.

Great. Just can't explain it. I'm just really happy. I hadn't seen Badd Lieutenant or anything. Yeah, so I was. Abel Ferreira. That's another rabbit hole you can go down. Yep.

I'm down. I just watched Dangerous Game. Yep. Yeah, so super into that. I'm doing that right now. Who else have I been into? This is left turn, but I've been really trying to get into action movies

because I've been training for nasty, which is this gymnastics film It's own kind of action film. Yes, and it's been a lot of training and a lot of grueless. So I'm trying to make it as enjoyable as I can. So I've just been comparing myself to every action star whatsoever. So like. Who's on the, yeah, who's the top of the mountain?

Arnold Schwarzenegger. We've been doing a lot of Arnold Schwarzenegger movies. No, I haven't seen pumping iron. Yes, I'm going to get to it before I begin shooting. Tom Cruise, there's two people who operate at this. Yes. Athletic level that I'm on right now. And I think it's me and Tom going like it back to the.

Neck and neck. But, yes. One day, the day that I don't train, maybe he's on the up. Wait, wait, wait. That's, wait, wait. Hold on a second. Okay, let's Arnold. So what have you loved in Arnold films?

Have you done total recall? Have you done, um, no, I haven't done. Yeah, what am I doing? Something wrong. No, but I did watch junior with him and Emma Thompson where he's a pregnant man. Someone's giving you the wrong advice. He was not so athletic in that one, but it's, that's a, that's going to say, my body, my choice in that movie.

That's pretty special. Yeah. Sorry. So that's Arnold. You went to the junior first. Okay. No judgments. No.

That's just the last one. That's the one that I can remember. That's okay. T.C. So that's your like stunt inspiration. Yeah. I've actually never seen a Mission Impossible movie. I don't know, but that's why I'm going to start.

I'm going to start. I've only seen the opening. You started with Cocktail. What are you? Yeah. Yeah. I'm just, I don't know. I'm fooling.

Like I'm. Let me give you a list. You need some help. This is my genre. I would love a list from you. Please give me action movies. I've seen all of the equalizers now. Like, I just like a proper dad movie right now, I think.

Something comforting. Okay, I can help you out there. Okay, so and then you said before, so Shrek 2 was important to rank the Shrek films for me. Is it Shrek 2 the best of the Shrek's? I think it is. I need a hero, the gingerbread man scene. Yeah. Yeah, of course.

They also got the potions. that. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Trippy movie. Okay. Let's see. We're bouncing around. Okay. Tell me more about the Mary Bronstein. Okay. So you're playing a gymnast. Is this like whiplash style? Like it sounds like, I mean, her last film was pretty intense. Yeah. It's a bit intense. I would say Roseburn will be playing my coach and obviously she's incredible. And to be able to work with that team. Yeah. Together is something that I'm so excited for. But it's been really wonderful developing that one. I started first for the script like two years ago. So it's been a slow but sure process.

So I've never been a part of a script that early on. So being able to put the pieces together and recruit sort of this dream scenario of a production has been beautiful and everybody is working so hard and everything is looking so good and I'm thrilled. So yeah, you've got an eclectic slate coming up. So the gowars is coming soon. We're going to finally see JJ's movie. Mo is a JJ fan.

Come on. The Great Beyond is coming. That's you. Powell. JJ's a great. I mean, as smart as they come, he's. He's so sweet. He's so sweet.

He's like a really awkward dad in a sense, but he's so thoughtful and so informative. He knows absolutely everything. And I guess it's because he's writing the scripts as well. But it's so great asking him questions and him just going on rants of answers. Because it really does to not only help your trust in the job and what you're meant to do that day on set because you just know you're in safe hands. Right.

And somebody who has thought incredibly hard about everything. So, um, and does it in such a kind way. Everyone loves him. Yeah. He's the best. Who are, so who are the actors right now that you're kind of obsessed with? Are there, are there like, who's the short list to manifest like you working with or just you're a fan of right now?

Oh. That's so hard because I know I'm going to say people that. Or I'm not going to say everybody that I want to. You can just start with Harvey Kytel. Yeah, Harvey would love to work with Harvey Kytel. Still doing it. I would love to work with Kate Blanchett. Yeah.

Would love to, I mean, who else is kind of? I barely worked with Willem Defoe in Beetlejuice, but I would like to work with him more. Yeah. You go down the Lars Montreyr rabbit hole with the Wilm DeFoe. Oh, yeah. Don't give me started down there. Don't give me started.

What do you mean? I just love, I love those movies. At some point last year I was going through all the Dogman 95 stuff. Like are your comfort movies more, it sounds like you can like derive comfort from a fucked up movie as much as you can, like a classic like Disney movie. Yeah, I like them all. Just if it's, if it's a good movie, if I'm locked in, I'm locked in,

it doesn't have to be bright and happy and with a button. I mean, it must be so exciting right now because, again, in the last few years, I would imagine whether they come to fruition or not, you're meeting with filmmakers that are really exciting and interesting. Yeah. Like, is that, I mean, this is what actors work towards, you know? Yeah. Does it feel like right now you are, like, the level of material you're getting, the opportunities you're getting are, I don't know, like, are you engaged with the material you're seeing? Yeah, I'm definitely. feel like I want to, I don't know, I have this sort of new sense of drive that I think for a while,

for a few years, maybe I just, I wasn't feeling confident enough or feeling empowered enough, which is weird because I've been in a very fortunate position. But yeah, I have a new sense of drive. And I think it's really important for actors to, in a day and age like this where so much is being made for the sake of stuff being made and you know people are binge watching things and projects come and go super fast both the making process and the release I'm learning that you have to be really invested and really thoughtful about every step moving forward just because it's very easy for good ideas to get

water down yeah Or, yeah, just not given the right level on care. And you have to do that as, as a, it can be an actor's job too, you know. Like, where are you at in terms of obviously Wednesday? I don't know what the future holds for Wednesday if there are going to be more seasons or not. But like, that takes up a lot of your time. Like, are you, I would imagine, like, franchises are interested in you, that you have those meetings that interests from both the Fikis of the world, et cetera.

Like, does that scare you to kind of get locked into an ongoing commitment of a franchise of that type at this point? I actually haven't had a lot of franchise conversations. I haven't, but yeah, I never, what's, what I'm meant to do will come and find me, but yeah, maybe there is a little bit, like I think after Wednesday, I'll probably be off the TV for a while, you know, I had many years doing that. I was bouncing from show to show as a kid, just to that. just did this and you know I want to leave time for new things so do you watch TV at all my sense is

you're a film watcher or bust basically yeah if I'm it's not I watched so many movies it wouldn't make a difference if it were TV or movies I just feel like maybe I can get more stories and education I'm like okay I have two hours but recently I have been doing a re-watch of the sopranos and the Alabama three songs is just always stuck in my head head. I love that. Love that show. Perfect television. Perfect television. He's another one. Candelfini was... Incredible. He's so scary and true romance. So scary at that fight with him and Patricia Rake. It's just the first time I had seen that, like, just huge pit in my stomach. Brad Pitt, maybe the best stoner performance also in that film. Yeah. Yeah. Amazing. Amazing. Okay. We end

every happy second fused with the profoundly random questions. You ready for some random stuff? Yes. I love random stuff. Are you a dog or a cat person? Both. Okay. Is that okay? Yes. It's all permissible.

Do you own, I know you own a dog. I own a dog, yeah. But I always thought I was going to own a cat. Really? Yeah. I love my dog. My dog is my child. I grew up with dogs.

But. Is he or she? She. Is she emotional support dog? Does she help you when you need her? Yes and no. She's also very independent and behaves like a cat. Oh, she's a cat, really?

Yeah. Like, I'm so excited to see her after not seeing her for a long time. but then she really likes bald men. Oh. Because she likes to lick the stubble. Sure. On their head. So who doesn't?

We could be having a nice moment, but as soon as someone who's bald walks by, she's on them. So it's like, is she that supportive of me emotionally? Not if there's a bald man around. Yeah, no. Would you dress her up in clothing for Halloween?

Does she do costumes? We tried that. We put her in Chucky costume one time with a knife. My dog was Chuckie one year? It was great. I'll show you the video. She hated it. She hated the red wig.

tore it into bits. We did something else for her to, but I can't, I can't remember. But she really would prefer if you don't put anything on her. Yeah. So there's not. If you can get it to work and the knife comes down to reach with every step as she's going, it's, it was amazing. The running legs down the front were perfect.

Genius. Yeah. Lasted 30 seconds. Yeah. What do you collect, if anything? Oh, what do I collect? I do collect things. I like, anytime I'm in a new scene.

And I'm on productions. I find the best antique shops in the area. But that's not really a specific collection of sorts. It's just so like I have this weird metamorphic, this worm with wings turning. It's like called the metamorphosis or something. And he's got this crazy smell on his face and it's made out of ivory. And it's from like World War I.

And I have another like soldiers flask. Just like weird. I try to find stuff. that has weird stories to it. That works. Yeah. Yeah. Do you have a favorite video game of all time?

No, I don't play video games. I never played video games. Isn't that lame? It's not lame. I think if I sat down, I could really get into a video game, but I don't. There's only so much time. They're books, their films, there's TV. Yeah, I'm just...

They're dogs. It's true. That's what it is. It's like anytime I have free time, it's, I think it's free time, but then I realize, I've got to take the dog out. She'll gone for a run. Yeah. Movie and take the dog out.

Gotta watch Bad Lieutenant 2 with Nicholas Cage. That's a good one too. The iguana sequence is... Val Kilmer. That's a rabbit hole. Go down the Val Kilmer rabbit hole. That guy. I will.

I would be more than happy to. So much good stuff. Okay. Dakota Johnson asked me this. I ask everybody, would you rather have a mouthful of bees or one bee in your butt? Mouthful of me or one of my butt?

Probably one of my butt. Yeah. Yeah. That's the consensus. Yeah. What's the wallpaper on your phone? It's a woman suspended on the moon. She's like draped over.

Yeah. That's cool. Last actor you were mistaken for? Does it ever happen? Maybe Taylor Russell. Okay. Yeah, I think so. Wait, are you guys going to be working together?

What happened to the single white female thing? Is that happening? We're still working on it, but yeah, we're really excited. Okay. The script is, we're working on drafts right now. So is that a coincidence? You said the person I get mistaken for is Taylor Russell, and then you might be essentially doubling each other in a little?

film? I think, well, she, it was her idea and she came to me and she, um, she said it because maybe she had just rewatched the film or something, but it was because I guess she was getting it on her side too. So she thought, oh, okay, well, this actress looks like, you know, and then we started talking and got on, yeah. Well, something good can come out of the mistaken identity. What's the worst note of director has ever given you? Worst note a director has ever given me, um, or generally what's not helpful? You don't have to out somebody if there's more horrible. Yeah, I'm trying to think of like what's not helpful. I just sometimes I can get frustrated if I ask a very specific question.

Like is it this or is it this? And they say, I don't know. Even if you don't know, I like just like throwing me in a direction and then I'll spiral. But maybe I shouldn't be giving them ultimatums. I don't know. No, they are the director. They're supposed to at least fake that they have an answer. Yeah.

Yeah. I don't like the, I don't know. I just like open up a conversation a little bit with me about it if there's time. What do you think? Yeah. It's like, I'm lost. That's what I mean. You're directing me.

Yeah. What's more interesting to you now? And in the spirit of happy, sick, infuse, who's an actor who always makes you happy. Off top of your head. First actor, it comes to mind. You see the monster when you're happy. Well, it's probably Willem to Foe. That's what I really says a lot about you.

I agree. Yeah. Yeah. I'm just thrilled. Yeah. Yeah. What a light. A movie that makes you sad.

Brief encounter, David Lean. Classic. And a food that makes you confused. Food that makes me confused. You don't get it. Why do people eat that? I get why people eat papaya, but it's just really not for me.

I think I've got that nasty, just like... You have an allergic reaction. Yeah. It's just the smell, the taste of it. There's just nothing about it that is exciting or inviting. Right. It's really upsetting. Yeah, I can see you're going to a dark place.

Because we were just talking about it earlier, and it was really bothering me. It doesn't even go in a salad. I've just never seen it make sense. Yeah. Well, you're just getting started. Maybe one day someone will find a use for a papaya for you. Nope. No, okay.

Or not. I don't think so. Okay. I think it's not for me. You did it, Jenna. You've been podcast on a happy sec infused. Thank you so much. Do you feel lighter on your feet?

Do you feel like you've accomplished something today? I felt like that was very fluid and I respect your pacing and process. Really? Is how I feel? Yeah, that was... It was a little random. No, but that's good because my brain operates that way.

It's hard for me to even finish a sentence. That's why someone told me the other day, they said, you've got such a stuttered cadence. I don't know a cadence like this. And it's because it's me trying to convince myself to stay on one path. Consistently. So this was perfect speed for me. Not to keep, you know, drinking game for Winona Ryder,

but Winona's been on the podcast several times. And as you can imagine, it's just like it's going down a rabbit hole into a rabbit hole into a... It's my favorite thing about speaking to Winona. Just because she just, I don't even know how we end up where we ended up. The two of you together, the three of us together, we should all do a podcast. It would go bananas. No, anytime her and I have gotten together, we stay sat together in the same exact spot for like 10 hours. There's no moving.

I believe it. I'll get you that Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie. Please, please. Thank you for doing this. I appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you. We did it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank 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. The world of Sonic the Hedgehog has been thrust into a not so dark, not so strong. Not So stormy hard-boiled detective story that probably nobody saw coming. Follow Sonic and the Intrepid Chaotic's detective agency as they take on their biggest case yet.

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