Happy Sad Confused - Kaitlyn Dever

Episode Date: September 8, 2020

Kaitlyn Dever joins Josh to talk about her love of acting and music and how it all comes together in one of her favorite movies of all time, "Walk the Line". Plus Kaitlyn discusses the upcoming "Dear Evan Hanson" film, her recent work in "Unbelievable" & "Booksmart", and the new HBO movie, "Coastal Elites"! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Get after him or have you shot 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, Sad, Confused, Caitlin Deaver on her new film, Coastal Elites, Dear Evan Hanson, and her comfort movie Walk the Line. Hey, guys, I'm Josh Harowitz. Welcome to another edition of Happy, Sad, Confused. Hope you all had a lovely Labor Day. These long weekends, these holidays are weird in these times. Everything's weird, but a holiday weekend, what does it even mean?

Were you working? I was kind of doing some work, but like, I don't know. It's strange. For those of us that are lucky enough not to have the traditional kind of like going to work job nowadays, which frankly is a lot of people, whether you're sadly out of work or you have a job that can be done remotely, sometimes I don't know what to do with myself. on the weekends. The weekends and the weekdays were together. But I hope you guys found a little bit of a holiday in this past Labor Day weekend. I certainly devoted myself to some

television that I've been meaning to check out. I may destroy you. I'm finally, I'm not all cut up yet, guys. I've not watched the entire thing, but I'm past the halfway mark and I see what all the fuss is about. That's quite a piece of work on HBO. I've also been, speaking of HBO, I've been, I've been losing my mind over the vow. You guys, have you seen the vow? The vow is this, I think it's eight or nine parts, a documentary series, which is a long, a long documentary series, but I am devouring it. I'm three episodes in, and this is about the nexium cult, which I knew a little bit of, but yeah, right now I am not, I'm not sad that there are six more parts. I want 60 more parts.

I'm just obsessed. So, yeah, some good stuff out there. In addition to the stuff that our guest today is putting out there, she's got a lot going on. Caitlin Dever is somebody that, as I said to her on the podcast, I feel like I know Caitlin. I feel like I've talked to her many times. The reality is we've only met a couple of times,

but maybe it's just that I've seen her in a lot of things in the last few years and she's so affable and easy to talk to. I guess that speaks well to her and her manner in her way, but she's somebody that I've definitely wanted to have on the podcast recently, thanks to her work and everything from way back when to short-term 12. But in recent times, I mean, last year, she, of course, was in Book Smart, and then she was in the Netflix miniseries, Unbelievable. She's got so much cool stuff going on.

She's in this new HBO movie that premieres September 12th. called Coastal Elites and it stars her alongside Sarah Paulson and Dan Levy and and Bet Midler and Issa Ray. It's quite a cast and she more than holds her own in this film. You should check out on HBO this weekend. And I should say it's a film, it's one of the first kind of films like this that's been shot in isolation and kind of takes advantage of the nature of what we're, of the conditions we're all in right now. So So that's a special piece of work that is definitely worth checking out. Caitlin also chose as her comfort movie, as I mentioned.

A great one. Walk the Line. James Mangold's biopic about Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. It's a movie I had not seen in many, many years. It was a great excuse to go back to it as this podcast has become. Just a good excuse for me to go back to movies I've either never seen or haven't seen in a long while. So if you haven't seen Walk the Line in a while, maybe refresh.

Check it out. It's got some amazing performances in it. Reese Witherspoon, of course, won the Academy Award for it. Joaquin was nominated. And yes, it's a movie that definitely holds up. And it doesn't surprise me that that was her comfort movie because it kind of blends, you know, the two sides of her life. Caitlin, if you don't know, is an accomplished singer as well as an actor. and she spoke to me from Georgia

where she was about to start shooting and she's probably started by now the movie adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen. So that is a huge moment for her. I'm so excited for her. I'm excited for Ben Platt, former guest of the podcast. That's going to be an exciting adaptation

for those that have seen the Broadway show. You know that that was a star-making performance for Ben So to see that on the big screen, hopefully if we get to see stuff on the big screen, that will be special. So anyway, that's my conversation with Caitlin Deaver, the main event on today's podcast. Other things to mention, new episode, of course, of Stir Crazy, my Comedy Central series, with the very funny Blake Anderson of Workaholics fame. You should check that out. He is hysterical as he always is. If you're a Workaholics fan, even if you're not.

I know you will find Blake endlessly entertaining in this episode. As always, you can check that out on Comedy Central's YouTube page, Facebook page, on my social media, et cetera. Other things to mention. Oh, I want to give a nice little plug to a friend of mine, Scott Mance, Scott Movie Mance. If you follow movie journalists and folks that do the kind of thing I do, you probably know Scott. He is super enthusiastic always. I miss seeing his grinning face at screenings whenever I'm out in L.A., you can't miss Scott at a press screening because he, He is just lives and breathes movies, and he's continuing to do that even in these tough times.

You should check out his YouTube page. If you look up Scott Mance or Movie Mance, you should check it out. He's been doing these kind of rankings of series, whether it's Quentin Tarantino movies or Star Trek movies. He is a geek after my own heart, so I want to give that plug to Scott because we're all finding new ways to put out content nowadays. And I'm excited to see that Scott is still churning out his or representing his love of movies in different ways. He went to see Tenet the other day. I'm jealous about that. Anyway, I'm living a little vicariously through Scott Manson.

If you love movies as much as I do, you should check out his YouTube channel. That's the plug for Scott. The plug for this show, you know it by now. Just spread the good word. Let folks know about Happy Sank Infused. Give us a rating if you're so inclined. And in the meantime, I hope you guys enjoy this conversation with one of the best up-and-coming actors out there right now. Caitlin Dever, again, Coastal Elites on HBO, September,

Well, check it out. Here's my chat with Caitlin. Caitlin, welcome to the podcast in the weirdest year on record. Good to see your smiling face. Hello, Josh. It's good to see you. I mean, what a fucked up year. Whatever.

But hey, it's good to see you. It's good to see you. You've never done the podcast. And when we're back to normal times, you're going to have to come by the New York office so we can have a generally semi-normal conversation. But you are one of these people, correct me if I'm wrong. I feel like we've only chatted once or twice, but I feel like I've, I have a weird familiarity with you.

I don't know. I feel the same way about you. We've only chatted like once or twice. That is true. I think one time we, I think the first time we met was in Vegas. As is totally normal. That sounds totally nice. And then I feel like just,

Ever since then, we've always got along. And the second time we met, same thing. Well, now it's going all downhill. We're going to try and ruin that this time around. You've got, for somebody that's been in lockdown, you actually have been finding ways to keep busy. So congratulations on that. Thank you.

So we're going to get to your comfort movie in a bit. But first, I want to talk a little bit about what you've been up to. Because, yeah, it's been kind of a challenge for creative people to find outlets, but you found a couple, last few months. I, well, I didn't expect to, really. I was just planning on eating a lot and writing music with my sister and then that's really it and then hanging out with my fam.

And I was still doing that and then slowly, I mean, like a couple months into quarantine time, I started, you know, hearing from my peers and my, like my friends and my friends and in the acting entertainment industry world we're starting to like do little things here and there. But I really wasn't expecting to do really anything. And then a couple of things started happening. And it's kind of amazing. It's kind of made me realize how like collaborative

the entertainment industry can be and it can feel very fast all the time. And I feel like right before quarantine, I felt like there was so much going on all the time. And I was jumping from thing to thing and flying places and it just felt like it can feel very chaotic. But in the darkest of times, they can still find like beautiful ways to like connect and collaborate and make really meaningful things. So it's been it's been really like eye opening and nice. And all of the things that you have been able to do are kind of very inventive in different ways.

I mean, one thing I've actually really, one of my first kind of obsessions in quarantine that was like a really good use of creativity, given these circumstances, was what Jason Reitman did with Princess Bride. You were Wesley. You were an excellent Wesley. Thank you. Your fight choreography was really on point. I don't know who came up with all that. Me and my sisters were just in my, in my backyard. I drew on a mustache and put on some, I don't know, put on the best outfit I could or I could think of and it was very creative and you know, we choreographed a whole fight thing together. It was like we were like in sixth grade again making home videos for our parents. Well, that's kind of what I loved about that whole thing.

It was like watching like the most talented people on the planet. Some of them, the biggest movie stars on the planet, just kind of like do the be kind rewind thing and just sort of like figure it out with whatever they had at the house. Oh, well, I mean, that's why I love Jason so much. I mean, he's been such a supporter of mine, but also just a huge idol. And I really just look up to him in so many ways. I mean, I met him on men, women, and children when we first worked together. And ever since then, he's just been one of the, like, my closest friends, honestly.

And what he did with the Princess Bride is truly, like, the most incredible. thing I've ever seen down to like the music like he had all of these musicians come in and recreate the the soundtrack and the and the score of the movie and he had me and my sister actually do a little bit of that too like in addition to playing wesley with fin on the other end of things which fin in the mustache really made me laugh as well did you even know it was going to be fin on the other end of that sword fight at the time I did I did um and then a couple Other interesting projects that you've been a part of, Jesse Eisenberg, had kind of like this audio book slash play project, which was, was that already in the all thing before

quarantine, or was that something that happened during quarantine? Yeah, so actually, Jesse Eisenberg was the last person I had a coffee with and shared a cookie. We shared a chocolate chip cookie at a cafe, and he was the last person I saw before quarantine, like, honestly, is the last person I had a coffee with. He's the only man that speaks faster than I do. If you listen to our podcasts that we've done together, you have to slow down the speed because it's not meant for the human ear. And then you'll have to speed it up because when I start talking, because I talk kind

of slow. No, he is brilliant and we just kind of, I remember we were supposed to be talking about the project and we ended up just like hanging and getting to know each other and then I was supposed to start recording that and then obviously the shutdown happened and I ended up I think he was he was able to get his recording done before the pandemic and Finn also finished his recording Finn Wolfhard people listening and and but by the time mine was mine was supposed to be scheduled and then we sort of I didn't know what was going to happen with it and then they said okay we're going to send you a whole kit that you'll set up

in somewhere and I set it up in my closet and recorded the whole thing in my closet and Jesse was like talking to me through headphones and it was kind of kind of great again so funny to see sort of how all of us are like I know like the first month of quarantine I like bought every different microphone known to man trying to figure out like wait I need I usually rely on other people I'm supposed to do it's my know I have like a tribe I have a really fancy tripod now and like a light and everybody's got their own ring light now, I know. It's so absurd. And then there's something like, and I enjoyed, I watched the coastal elites, which is kind of one of the first, like, full on. Like, I mean, obviously,

it's essentially five monologues, but it is a full fleshed out film in its own right. It works as a movie. And you're alongside some amazing actors in that one. I don't know if you're allowed to say, can you say now that you've worked with Bet Midler or does this not count? I think it counts because we did like a table read and everything. And I, I want to say, accounts for all of them because I love all of them so much. Yeah. Really, we did a, right before we all did our separate filming of our, of our monologues, we were able to get together on Zoom and do a table read of the whole thing. And it was such a powerful read, I can't even tell you.

I mean, it's been so, one of the weird things about these Zoom things, it's hard to like, it's really like, It's hard to connect with people. It's hard to, like, have emotions translate through the computer. And it was, I think it's just all in Paul's writing. But, I mean, it was really powerful. But, like, I was so, I was freaking out. Because my, obviously, my monologues towards the end. And everyone had done theirs, and they were so awesome.

And then I was getting panicked because I'm there. And now I just, I was, I was planning just doing this in front of the camera in my room and now I'm in front of all of them and they're watching me and I'm nervous and I don't know what to do with my face. They're all just so great. I also had just, in quarantine, I binged Schitt's Creek. So my first, my first binge watch of quarantine was Schitt's Creek. I knew. Yes. Dan is the love of my life. I love him so much. Yeah, you've got some, yeah, you've got some. Issa Ray in there too, some amazing, amazing performance. So congratulations on that. That's going to be on HBO very soon. Since we've never had a chance to kind of have this kind of long form chat,

if you'll indulge me on a few kind of like career-ish kind of questions. I know obviously music is as important to you as acting. Was it always the case? Did you grow up first as a wannabe musician or want to be actor? Do they kind of go hand in hand or what? I think growing up it was always acting. I was always doing different voices. I was the kid that would like,

I was constantly doing impressions, constantly wanting to be on Disney Channel. I grew up watching Disney Channel every minute. And I was also the kid that would like go to a sleepover and then come home acting like the kid I was at the sleep over with. And my parents would be like, what are you doing? This is not who you are.

They're like, we've either got an amazing act or a serial killer on her hands. Exactly. Like, what's going on? Who's this person today? But, you know, my parents always supported that. They always supported every single crazy part of me. And so I kept begging them to, you know, put me in acting classes, I guess.

I mean, I was begging for acting classes after I realized you couldn't just be on TV. So I thought the next best thing, okay, well, I'm just kidding. but can I just start acting classes? And I grew up doing like ballet and gymnastics and soccer and I wanted to quit all of those things. And so they thought this was going to be another thing. I would just want to quit as well. But like still my parents continued to support me with love and so much kindness. And music was always a thing that my dad was really the one who influenced all of my love for music and was constantly singing to me and my sisters.

and playing me like music I like hated with a passion growing up. Like he would play like Mark Kozellick and like Dead Can Dance and like these weird like the cure. I also really hated the cure growing up. Constantly played in the car. It was some boring music I've ever heard of my life. All of those things are like my favorite. They are just my favorite. So like he's he was a huge influence on me in the music world.

And then I have been always just trying to like balance the both of them and even more now. My sister and I are coming out with a single soon and September 10th is actually when a single is going to be released. And we're just trying to, you know, do it when we can. And yeah. Did you, growing up, do you remember the first actor or actors that you kind of became obsessed with that you started following? you know the it's it like I was a huge fan of Sandra Bullock I actually at the very beginning I loved Jim Carrey um I know he did like a lot I saw him in a lot of comedic roles but I thought that he was just a genius and he just seemed so he was just brilliant to me um but I really fell in love with like

drama or dramatic acting when I watched The Sixth Sense for the very first time. And by the time I watched it, it had come out a couple of years prior. And I was maybe like eight or nine when I first was allowed to watch it. And Tony Colette's performance was the most like eye-opening experience I had had ever. I mean, I hadn't really, I think it was kind of like the first meaty role I had ever seen. So I think that's why it made such an impact, but also she's just so good in that movie. And I was like, it's crazy, Mom. Like, when she's crying, she seems like she's actually crying and like, you know, just thing.

And so she was kind of like a big reason why I wanted to, like, why I wanted to do acting in the first place. I mean, obviously it sounds so silly because I was like literally nine years old. But like, somehow I was like, this is my destiny and I'm doing this for the rest of my life. You clearly had good taste because, I mean, she's obviously somebody that can do just about anything. I mean, I've done actually a lot. I did like a retrospective thing on that film last year with M. Night Shyamalan. And I didn't realize at the time she was nominated for an Oscar for that film. And she was also like 28 or 26.

Like she was like way too young to actually have that kid. But she's so good at you don't, you never. No. She's been like even over the year. has been more and more inspiring to me and then getting to be in the same show with her is also kind of crazy and even i mean we didn't get to do any scenes together but even being associated with her name is just bucket list material um yeah it was wild for those that haven't seen yeah unbelievable that's another one actually i caught up with it in quarantine and like just talk about

like powerhouse performance after performance marit weaver i'm like so obsessed obsessed with. Who isn't obsessed with her? She's incredible. So when you, so it was, it was television first that you kind of booked like big gigs. Correct me if I'm wrong, right? It was. Yeah. Yeah. I think well, yeah, my first, my first, I was doing like a lot of, when I first started out, I was doing a lot of commercials. I don't even think I could get like an audition for a movie at the time. So I was just doing a lot of commercials. Then I started doing a couple of TV. things and then I did my first movie when I was 11 and then right after that I think it was like when I was 12 I started doing justified right and that I fell in love with

everyone on that project just to this day it's the best it's the best that I've ever I've ever been on there's just something about all of those people that just they have a really really special place in my heart it is amazing to look at sort of um you know, a combination of talent and luck like anyone's career in acting to look at, like, for instance, the first kind of major films you were in, which weren't like big blockbuster movies, but they were like these celebrated, gorgeous independent films, like spectacular now and short term 12. I mean, short term 12, now everybody looks back on as like, you know, people always used to say like back in the day, it was like American graffiti. Look at that cast

in that film. Like short term 12 is so stacked with like insane actor after insane actor. Were you, like, did you notice that at the time? Like, were you like, oh, wait, Rami Malik, Brie Larson, Lakeith, you guys are all, like, bizarrely talented? Or was it just another set at the time? I think I was, I think looking back, absolutely, I really didn't realize. I knew how special that story was,

and I knew how, like, I had hoped that it was going to, like, impact people in a bigger way than I really had done with any of the other work I had done in the past. It just felt like a really meaningful project to be a part of, but like in terms of like the status, I think of anyone at the time, I think everyone just felt like all on the same level, crew cast, everyone, the director, just,

it felt like one big family. We're making this tiny little movie, very small budget. We all just, we didn't really have like dressing rooms. we were all using like rooms at the place we were shooting just as like our little hangouts, but we would really just hang out together. I mean, I didn't really, and they were all so nice. And it was like heavy material that we were doing and it just felt like really just felt like one big family.

And to me it was just like another, I was like, oh great, I'm getting, I'm getting to do I'm getting to do something else that's really fun and people are really nice down here and that's really all that mattered to me at the time really one of the you know we've suffered a lot of heartbreaking losses in the last few months and one like unrelated to the pandemic was was sadly when Shelton who passed so suddenly and like everybody that interacted with her was just in love with her I interviewed her a couple times and like to hear anybody an actor a journalist anybody talk about her as she was such a spirit and so such a light in the universe you worked with her on laggies, um, did she make a strong impression, like an especially strong impression

in that, in that collaboration? Yeah, she really did. I remember working with her on laggies and then she, she asked me to be in her other film called Outside In with Jay Duplass and Edie Falco. And she was a kind of angel on earth kind of person. And she was one director that I always felt like whenever I was at like some like scary like Hollywood event and she was there I knew that I was like protected because she was there because she was so much she was filled with so much good and she never felt like a intimidating director never once did I feel like you know because I met her when I was like 15 so like at the time and even before that working with you know adults you you could very easily feel like the little kid on set that doesn't know anything.

And she never, ever made me feel little. She always was springing me up and making me feel like the best version of me always. So, yeah, I miss her very much. I miss her very much. Someone who has a different kind of a style that I would kind of count as an intimidating presence. And I mean that as a positive in her case is Catherine Bigelow. I mean, you worked with her on Detroit. Maybe, did you, were you part of a,

I did moderate a DGA casting in New York once. Do you remember being part of that? Yes, yes. So we've met a few, one more time. Yeah, one more time. Okay. So, yes. But anyway, Catherine, yeah, I mean, she's somebody who,

she kind of scares the shit out of me. Like, she's just, like, she's just still on it. And so, you know, she clearly just, you know, it doesn't suffer full. And they said, these are all good things. But, like, it sounds, by all accounts, that said in particular was a pretty intense experience for all involved. It was. It was very intense.

She, I mean, meeting her, even in my audition, was so scary. I mean, auditions are still scary now. I don't think I'll ever get used to auditions. I thought, like, when I first started auditioning, I thought, okay, eventually I'll just become a pro at this. but no, I'm never going to get over those nerves, but I think, I guess that means I care. Exactly. But when I was, when I met her at my audition, she, oh man, she's just a force. She is just a force.

And it's so awesome to see a lady in charge. But I remember being, I remember thinking about that constantly. Like seeing her in charge is like the coolest thing in the world. And she never wants, she never yells. She's not a like a yeller. She is very much like she just floats through set but in a very powerful way and I don't know how she does it but she knows exactly what she wants.

Yeah. And she gets it. I mean, it's really incredible to see. I was watching like an old interview with Keanu Reeves the other day and he was talking about working with her on point break and it was interesting because it was kind of before she like was who she was or she was kind of just coming into her own. She had done some exceptional work but it sounds like the crew

you know, had those kind of preconceived notions, especially female filmmakers, not giving them the respect they were due. And it took them a second to be like, oh, this director is on it. And we need to give her the respect that she deserves. That's amazing. He really is incredible. So at what level of Shalame craziness was the hype when you actually shot Beautiful Boy? Were there screaming teenagers when you were shooting like heartbreaking scenes about addiction with him?

Let's see. I know that, I don't know if it was like, I can't remember. I think he was like, I remember he, I was like hanging out. We were hanging out in the hotel and he was like, oh, I got to do an interview with McConaughey. McConaughey is interviewing me or call me by your name. I think it was just percolating. I think there was a lot of, there was a lot of hype around it, but now it's not the hype. So I think it was just right before everything blew up for for Timmy and I'm so proud.

out of him. But that was a really fun little, like, two-week escape for me in San Francisco and North California. It felt like kind of like we were in a dream. I mentioned part of your 2019, which was unbelievable, but the other part of it, of course, we have to mention was book smart, which was kind of like the little movie that could that just kind of kept going and kept gaining steam and it like even like lasted through like award season contention. And that must have been Like, you know, the fact that you were along that ride, not only Olivia, but Beanie, of course, must have made that stand out among all your experiences as an exceptional one. It really was.

I mean, making that movie was like the best summer I've ever had in my life. You know, people have asked me since, because I talk about how much I love it so much, they're like, you know, you can probably say like at least one thing that was like kind of annoying or bad and I'm like literally no like I don't know how it was such a good experience but well I think I know how it's it's really Olivia is doing she she made sure that like it was the most fun to be on that set and even when people weren't working and they were fully wrapped and told to go home they didn't go home they like stayed and partied and ate snacks with us until 4 a.m because it just was that fun to be on Olivia Wilde's set so

I had the best time on that movie and making it. And it was a long time coming too because I had, you know, read it sort of four years prior to finally making it. I think it was one of those movies that society really had to catch up with. And I'm so grateful that it did because from the moment I read it and I always loved it. But it was also one of those things that, like, the years before making Book Smart, I was always kind of running into this problem as, and not really a problem, but just like, I would read these really incredible scripts.

And I would want to, there were leading roles that I really loved and connected with. And but I wasn't able to do them because people would tell me that I've never led a film before. And I always thought, okay, well then, how am I gonna drop the bridge? What are we guys? What do we do here?

And Anna Perna, they had like, they put their trust in me from the very beginning. And it was so shocking. I remember them saying, we really want you to play Amy just in my first meeting with them. And I kind of turned around and I'm like, are you sure? Really? Me? And I'm so grateful for that because BookSmart is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I mean, really, it's living with Beanie making that movie. It was just like magic. It was really magic. Everything about it was.

And change the lives and careers of you, Beanie. And Olivia, who's now like the hottest director in Hollywood. What do you think of? Marvel. Here she comes. Oh, my God. Did you have the tip off on that? Were you caught off guard by the Spider Woman news? Completely caught off guard. I broke my phone reading the article on it. And it was really, I'm just so excited for her. I'm so excited for her. So in that case, do you play it cool and just wait for the phone call to be anointed Spider Woman? Or do you sign spider emojis? What's the technique? I don't know what the technique is. I'm just so excited for her. And whatever. whatever she does, I'll be, I will be cheering her on forever. Have you done more superhero auditions or musical auditions in the last few years?

Really? I think maybe more superhero than musicals, musical auditions don't come around that often. I've maybe done like two in my life. Well, you've booked one, which we can, we can, so that's one out of two. That's pretty good. That's 50% for an audition track record. That's amazing. Has there been a heartbreaking?

Because I've talked to people about, like, really traumatic auditions, and superhero auditions in particular feel like they're mortifying because you have to do the silliest shit imaginable. Do any want your dreams to this day, or were they manageable kind of experiences? Pretty manageable. It's always weird, like, miming certain things and doing, like, fight choreography that they,

tell you to do and you've just learned the fight choreography and yet it's not in your in your brain yet so then you're kind of just faking your way through it and like trying to put on a tough face and then then you're like really embarrassed leaving so there's been that but like in general i feel like all of that has been it's been okay okay and i can usually just laugh at myself and go well that was just okay well it's as good as it's gonna get talk it up to another experience. We're allowed to say what you're about to work on, right? Yeah.

Yeah, dear Evan Hanson, like this amazing, ginormous Broadway show, which I had the pleasure of seeing. You're working with Beanie's bestie, Ben Platt. That's going to be amazing. Yes. You're about to start, it sounds like. So talk to you. I am quarantining right now to prepare for my first, like,

I guess my now third COVID test, because I took two COVID tests before leaving L.A. And now I'm about to take my first, now being on location and quarantining and preparing for the role. And I'm going to get going in a few weeks, which feels like really crazy. But we're taking all these, you know, we're following so much COVID protocol. And it's going to be, I'm really, really excited. I can't even tell you. I've wanted to do a musical my entire life, my entire life. this is the blending of all your loves i'm sure yeah did you see did you see this show when it was

on on the stage i did i even have this like really cute picture i should find it i have a photo of my mom and i we got the souvenir cups like two years ago seeing it on broadway i should actually find that on my phone and then i just recently saw it on the west end when i went to london with my sister and my family we went and saw it and was really great but it's such a great oh my god such a wonderful musical i can't even believe that I'm doing it. It also must be such a fun kind of weird convergence of worlds. Again, considering you're so close with Beanie and Beanie is obviously so close with Ben,

she must be going out of her mind too just to see your friends collaborate. We definitely have a group chat going. She's definitely checking in on us. And I've always felt like Beanie has such a, like, a cool group of, like, New York friends that I was like, mm, and wouldn't be a part of that club. Like, I kind of was because I, like, live with Beanie and now we're best friends. And so now I'm like really happy to like being like spending all of this time with Ben now. It's going to be such a special experience.

Yeah, you need to steal him away from her basically and cause a rift. This is drama. Make something out of this. As you well know, I've been asking my guests lately for comfort movies in this, in these crazy times. You chose a good one. One I hadn't seen since it opened back in 2005. Yeah. And I'm a huge fan of this filmmaker behind this too.

Without any further ado, tell us your comfort movie, Caitlin. My comfort movie is Walk the Line. This, of course, tells the story of Johnny Cash and June. It is a biopic. Do you say biopic or biopic, by the way? I normally say biopic? Thank you. I agree.

I gag when I hear biopic. I don't know what it is. I don't know what the official right way to do it is, but I'm sticking with that. It is co-written and directed by the great James Mangold, who I'm obsessed with. he can do any kind of genre, including the musical biopic, apparently. When did you first see this movie? Because you were pretty young when this came out. Yes, I was. I think it, I don't think I saw it right when it came out.

I think it was one that I watched, like we had a DVD of it in my house, and I watched it, and like immediately became, I think I was already, like, familiar with Johnny Cash and June Carter, but I immediately just became obsessed with that music. I was already obsessed with the 60s. Obviously, my love for music is very real. And then also, I'm obsessed with Joaquin Phoenix. I have not only the biggest crush on him, but I think he's just like a brilliant actor. And obviously, Reese says June is just unforgettable. And so then I kind of just, I kind of just kept, I now have it downloaded on my phone and I watch it on planes when I'm anxious to be in the sky. And it's just, I don't know what. I don't know why it's because I've told people this

before and they're like, that's kind of like a heavy movie. It's kind of, it gets, it gets kind of dark. I know, I know, I know. I've been surprised. People have come to the table with some pretty dark movies. Like, Zachary Quinto had Magnolia, which is like, I mean, I love it, but Man, that's... Wow. Yeah, no, that's darker than walk the line for sure. So on the spectrum, you're okay. You mentioned the amazing cast.

It's anchored by two, like, tremendous performances. Joaquin Phoenix, who, yeah, I mean, obviously he's one of the greatest actors alive. Reese Witherspoon, who took home in Oscar, of course, of playing June Carter. Some strong supporting performances as well. I really love the father's son dynamic. Robert Patrick is excellent as his dad. That contentious relationship is really a big part of the film. And the music is obviously, this movie lives and dies by the performers selling the music, and, you know, infamously, they both performed their own, you know, their own renditions of these iconic songs.

Just talk to me as an actor, as a singer. How impressive is that to you? This is, this took a lot of work for these guys to be able to sell it. I know. Well, I've always been so curious about, like, what the recording process was like, actually, I'm more curious about that now that I'm about to go do. a musical. I think that their performances were just so brilliant. I love the love story of it all. And again, like the way Joaquin sort of transformed himself and became that, you know, damaged, but like sweet soul that is Johnny Cash, I couldn't, I really couldn't get enough of it. And really, my favorite part of the movie, though, is his audition scene with the, I guess, what is he? He owns the label. Yeah, I think it's Sam Phillips, I think.

Yes. That monologue is what constantly just punches me in the gut. And what is the idea? It's not about believing in God. It's about believing in yourself. And it's just like, Jesus, correct. like such a tiny part of the movie and yet it is the biggest is my favorite part of the movie it's so good and the way he delivers that entire thing i've actually been thinking about that i watched it

recently and i i thought oh i don't have a monologue and i was told once by someone that as an actor you should always have a monologue prepared to just do on the spot and i think that that's going to be my monologue that i'll start memorizing so that i have it like you know you never know and you're going to need a monologue, you know, Josh? Or if you run into Joaquin at some fancy dancey award show, just put whatever in your monologue. He's, again, one of these guys, I mean, just can do anything on screen, but scares me a little bit. Have you met Joaquin? Have you had the pleasure? I have not. I have only been in the same room as him, which is enough for me. This sounds like you broke into his house and was staring at him from the corner.

No, no, no, we have been in the same room. No, we were at one of those like after party, the Gilden Glob after party. And he was walking like past me and I saw him and almost tripped. And that's about it. I, you know, I love him. And he maybe does seem a little bit kooky. you know what are you going to do he's just you know he got a he got a grammy for this one do you know that he did not know that i did not know that he did of course reese won the oscar he was nominated

for best actor do we think it was so here's the nomination nominees that year for best actor it's it's a good category it's um philip seymour hoffman who won for capote tarence hallard for hustle and float the great heath ledger for broback mountain and david shrthern for good night and good luck Yeah. And did Heath win? Heath did not. Heath won the posthumous one for Dark Knight. Well, Seymour Hoffman won that year. Okay. Well, I mean, also, all of these actors are brilliant. I mean, I'll always root for Joaquin always. But I do remember the talk of him being upset over this. I remember. But I did love his performance. But I mean, I mean, Reese won, so I feel like they could have, like, celebrated what they did together because

she obviously, but there you go. It was the all-time highest grossing music biopic until straight out of Compton, surpassed it in 2015. As I said, directed by James Mangold, who, if you want to look at an eclectic, fascinating resume for a director, and he made an amazing Western in 310 to Yuma, a superhero movie in Logan, a really great cop movie called Copeland, if you haven't seen it. And recently Ford v. Ferrari, which also got a slew of nominations. This is a guy that can do it all. Yeah. So, okay, here's something I'm curious about because I often see by, I'm kind of like, I feel like biopics are really hard. They, like, especially the cradle to grave ones. This isn't that. I mean, it does start when he's a kid, but it ends, you know,

there's 35 years of marriage after this film. And I think that's a smart way to go. Have you fantasized about any artists to play in a film or TV project? Is there like one that you connect with that you'd like a crack at? I, oh my God, there's so many. I think, isn't, I could be wrong, is he not doing it. Who's doing the Bob Dylan? He is. He's wring with a mingle this, yep. Yes, yes. Okay, I wasn't sure, but yes. Okay, it's true. Yeah, I've always been, I mean, I think that Janice Joplin would be like an amazing biopic I don't I think I would obviously be at this point in my life I'm too young but maybe at some point I that would be a dream I'm also a huge fan of Karen Carpenter and her story is pretty amazing all I mean there are so many I honestly

Bonnie rate I would watch that I would watch that biopic There's your trifecta. Yeah, it's funny. Joplin is one that I remember, they've been trying to make that for 10, 15 years. I mean, Amy Adams was going to do it back in the day. Some really exceptional actors. So, yeah, so good. You have time to develop this, to grow into the role. And then do Bonnie Raid and do your whole, like, this is your schick now. Musical biophics. Let's bestow some silly awards. Best performance in this film. Who do you give the award to? And walk the line? Yeah. I mean I love I mean I'd have to go with your heart we know where this is going we know I think it's Joaquin it's okay you can still have Reese she's amazing yeah you already answered the best scene in this film which I was going to agree with you I do think it's that audition scene it's the audition scene hands down it is my favorite scene maybe the scene where when he when she finally says yes up on stage in front of everybody I think

Maybe that would be my second choice. But yeah, yeah, definitely, definitely the audition scene. Favorite line, is it from that, have you said already you want to commit to memory that audition scene? Is there one that you find yourself quoting outside of that scene or is that the series of one? I always, I always quote that audition scene. It's not about believing in God. It's about believing in yourself. It just hits so hard.

I don't know why. It just, it really does. It's the way he performed it. it's the way he's almost like flat but there's so much underneath it all that just he's able to just like deliver it with i mean i it's actually kind of it reminds me of what jason wrightman um actually taught me but i was like getting really frustrated about this one line and i think i was like acting it a lot and he said just sometimes the text is actually so loaded that you don't even really need to do much and like he has the perfect that that that he just has the perfect blend

of that and that audition scene with that line just throw it away sometimes yeah I mean um I always think of I remember at the time it was in all the commercials and I when I was watching it again and all came flooding back I always love Reese's baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby oh you're good Reese too there you go coming soon Caitlin Dever's one woman walk the line Finally, is there a movie we can program as a double feature with this film? Is there one that goes well with this that would make for a fun night in? I've got one. If you don't have one, it's all good, no pressure.

I think across the universe, is that really weird? No, I like it. Kind of the same era, also music. You know, I think that that's maybe a good combo. That's a really fun night. I would probably do walk the line first and then across the universe after. I think a little psychedelic with some crazy Julie Tamor stuff, right? Yes.

You can also go comedy. You can go, of course, walk hard a couple years later. I really did up this one in all music biophics in an amazing way. Big English, Doc, right? A son, too. I have to go back to that one, too. I mean, yeah, there's a lot of it. John C. Riley, an amazing talent.

Well, excellent pick, Kate, when you did not disappoint. Everybody should check out Walk the Line, which I enjoyed on HBO Max. This is not a commercial, but that's where it's available, just so you know. But this is a sort of commercial for all your amazing projects. Go check out. Well, you know what else? I also saw the first episode of It's Monster Land. Is that what it's called right on Hulu?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So that's an anthology show that you're a part of. If you haven't seen unbelievable guys, you need to catch up on that. It's on Netflix and HBO soon. Coastal Differences. Oh, wait, and we have that we should plug the single too. You have too much going on, Caitlin. Come on. Yeah, there's there. The single is coming out September 10th, which is very exciting. I think coastal elites comes out.

Oh, so I said differences then I, coastal elites, of course. Yeah, yeah. September 12th, I think is when that comes out, which is all very exciting. It's the season of Caitlin. I'm glad we had a chance to catch up even in these weird times. Good luck on what I'm sure is going to be an amazing couple months on this project. I'm excited. I'll keep you posted. I'll keep you updated. Please do. Please do. And I'll see you hopefully in more normal time soon. Yes. Yes, definitely. 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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