Happy Sad Confused - Kathryn Hahn, Vol. II

Episode Date: October 3, 2018

Kathryn is a "Happy Sad Confused" original, her first visit coming on just the fifth episode! Yet somehow it's been four years since she's visited Josh's office so there's a lot to catch up on, from her work with Jill Soloway on "Transparent" to her must see performance in the Netflix film, "Private Life" from writer/director Tamara Jenkins.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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none of you are safe. New episodes every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts. Today on Happy, Sad Confused, Catherine Hahn returns to the podcast to discuss her private life. Hey guys, I'm Josh Horowitz. Welcome to the show. Welcome back to another edition of Happy, Sad Confused.

I'm Josh. Thanks for tuning in, as always. Last week was a dark week for us. I apologize. But the good news is there is an ambassador. of riches to come. I just taped this conversation for today's episode with Catherine Hahn, and this is an insane week. I'm taping four different podcasts this week. It's kind of the intersection of two major events here in New York. The New York Film Festival is going strong,

and that includes Catherine Hahn's latest film, private life, and New York Comic-Con is getting underway tomorrow as I tape this Thursday through Sunday. So I want to mention For those of you guys that are either visiting New York or are New York locals that are planning to frequent New York Comic-Con at the Jacob Javitt Center, come on out, enjoy it. It's a great convention. I've been many times. I've covered it many times.

It's still huge. I mean, the only thing it's small in relation to is San Diego Comic-Con. And this year in particular, at least for me, I am slammed in a good way. It's a lot going on. I'm moderating three different panels, so if you are going to the Netflix and Chills panel, Friday night, I will be moderating that, and there's a ton of really cool stuff talking about four different upcoming Netflix shows there. I've seen bits and pieces of all of them. That is one you do not want to miss. Saturday morning, I'm going to be at Mass and Square Garden moderating the Spider-Man into the Spider-verse panel, which looks be also awesome. They just released the new trailer for that one, and there's some nice

surprises at that panel, so definitely check that out. And then on Sunday, I will be moderating, and this is very trippy, but I'm moderating the 10th anniversary Twilight panel at New York Comic-Con. And that one is still coming together. There are going to be a lot of old familiar faces there,

and including me. I mean, I'm an old familiar face, I think, to Twilight lovers out there. I covered the films a ton back in the day. and who knew, 10 years have flown by. So that's what's going on at New York Comic-Con. If you're out there, come out to those panels, say hi if you see me, and enjoy yourself.

I apologize, you might be able to tell. My voice is a little not at peak condition. I'm fighting off a cold. I think I'm hopefully on the good end now, struggle the last couple days, but hopefully by that time these panels come around, I will sound like the professional Josh Harowitz you're used to. Um, so yes. So as for today's show, uh, I just chatted with the lovely and talented Catherine

Han. Catherine, who I should mention was our fifth guest on Happy Second Fused over four years ago. And here we are, I think, 250 plus episodes, uh, since. And it's been a while, but, um, she's a delight. Everybody loves Catherine Han. Um, she is just a good spirit in the universe. And, uh, I'm very happy to say that her new film, Private Life, directed by Tamara Jenkins and co-starring Paul Giamatti, is excellent. It stars her and Paul as a New York City couple who are basically struggling to conceive, to figure out a way to have a baby in all its different permutations, and it's kind of a relationship dromedy, and it's excellent. She's fantastic in it. They're both earning rave reviews, as well they should. So you should check it out if you can. It

comes out actually in theaters this Friday, October 5th. It's also going to be on Netflix, so you really have no excuse at the very least to check out on Netflix. But at best, go support your local independent cinema and see private life in the theater. Always want to support that. Anyway, that's Catherine Hahn. I apologize.

I feel like this conversation was great and she was fantastic. I feel like I was a little all over the place, partially because of my illness and my cold medicine. that is flowing through my system. So if I seem a little more scattered than usual, which is saying something, let's blame it on the illness and the medication and not on my deteriorating mind.

Okay? Deal? Deal. Great. As always, remember to review, rate and subscribe to Happy Sick and Fused, go in iTunes, go wherever you get your podcasts, spread the good word, and enjoy this conversation with a wonderful actor and a wonderful human being,

the great Catherine Hahn. Should we have a chat? Let's do it. Oh, my. It's Catherine Hahn. Josh, how are you doing? I'm sorry you don't feel 100%. I'm fine.

I'm fine. There's an invisible barrier between us because I don't want you to get sick because you are spreading the good word of your wonderful new movie. Oh, darling, darling, darling. It's good to see you, though. It's really good to see you. It's been, you were one of the very first guests on this podcast. You were guest number five. You were in a different office.

Different office. Similar, probably silly. posters on the wall. But you had windows. It wasn't as claustrophobic. Now they have just decided that I don't deserve a window into the world. Why did they give you a sell? They don't pay me anymore, Catherine. Are you doing this just because you want to?

Yeah, it's all I have. My wife doesn't talk to me. My parents, it's, this is, please. They've just sealed you off. Don't leave me, Catherine. That's all I've got. Josh. This is.

So sad. This is sad in here. Sad, sick, Josh. No, no, it's good. It's good. No, it's good. Enjoyful. Extremes.

So, 40 years have passed. Yes. First Nord of the podcast, good sign. Right. Just like an undergraduate degree. Amazing. Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

So how is life changed in the last four years for you? What will give me the major updates? New hobbies, new life changes. Lots of shit has gone down in the last four years. I don't know what you're talking about. Things have happened in the world. Things have just been an even keel. The kids are all.

the kids are you're approaching teenage land wow you should be a doctor no it's I don't know what's going on what are you doing to that nothing's changing in that department it's weird I don't know why I don't remember if you remember this television show called small wonder oh I can if I were feeling it healthier I would sing the theme song she's a small wonder that was the creepiest show ever I still am obsessed with trying to get some sort of staged reading of it somewhere I mean I feel like there was one but I feel like there should be. Oh, when it happens, invite me, I will do anything.

Because it was a robot girl in a closet, like a broom closet. Yeah, and there's subtext there. There's weird, like the middle-aged dude who's created a small teenage girl. But she wasn't teen, but she wasn't teenage. She was younger, but she also did chores for them. Yeah, she took care of the house. But, like, in my mind, she was in a maid, like a... She had a weird, like, red, like, yeah.

But, like, wasn't she there to do chores? She was there, yeah. Yeah, I think so. Like, she was in the broom closet. Maybe I'm making that up. No, I think so. I think she helped tidy the house. She was, and she entertained the boy, the little boy.

And it was called Small Wonder. It's, it's, look, in this age where everything has been revived and rebooted. I don't know why. The fact that we've not gone to that well yet, like Alf is in development, but not Small Wonder. But not Small Wonder. I mean, you could go, and you can go any way. Like, I want to see the Darren Naranowski version of Small Wonder. Of Smell Wonder.

A smell wonder. A smell wonder. I want to see Jill Salowey. take on small wonder. I think there are a thousand ways to skin is cats. Yeah. I know. Yeah. Small wonder.

And a great theme song. And a great theme song. That's kind of all you needed back in the 80s for a great TV show. No, this all you needed was those. Do you remember when Adam Scott and that Rudd did the best? The recreations of all those openings? I did a couple and I can't remember.

Because my mind is like a memory play. I can't remember a goddamn thing. That's okay. But I did a couple of them in there. pretty fun. They're amazing. Wait, so you bring up a point. Oh, did I. You did, whether you meant to or not. I did not mean to. Let's be clear.

Let's be very clear here. Yes, the world has gone through some changes in the last four years. Are you good at compartmentalizing? Like, once you're on set, can you shut out the horrors of the world and find like a little vacation from it? No, a vacation from it. Maybe that's the wrong terminology. No, I don't know if I would say it a vacate. No, but I mean, yeah. have to but I mean it seeps in doesn't it into everything um into everything but yeah of course because it's my job and also I love my work um so yeah yeah of course but then it's really difficult I mean

I had my my phone by the bed and it was got bad for a while there it was like you know my Google search was like Trump just like Trump that's maybe the worst possible Google search at the moment right now and it's so not necessary at the moment it's not and it's vague and it's just like too much and it was like a tsunami of hate and it was like it was just too vague and so that was like for a while there so I've stopped um but you can't even like yeah it's too much to take in but yes I'm absolutely able to compartmentalize for work and for my family because I have to it's yeah it's like there's no other choice but I do feel like there's going to be essays and PhD doctorates written in the years to come on, I mean, so much about

this era. But like, to your point of like, this is not unique to you. So many of us, I mean, literally, I have this conversation with my mother every day where I'm begging her to stop watching the TV. Like, she just watches, like, I'm going to send me to see all day. It's like, you can't do anything. It's just let it, I mean. Have you listened to Slow Burn? No, this is a podcast. Yeah, the Slate podcast. But it like talks about, um, uh, it like goes through the Watergate and then the Clinton impeachment, but it just like kind of, it's basically like goes through these like massive events and history, but like kind of tries to to look at it through what it would feel like to have been going through it at the time. Yeah. Like these massive

like historic like from a distance. Yeah. Like and it's so interesting to think about like what we're in. Also, this podcast called The Wilderness, which is also really interesting, this John Favreau. But it looks like, it's like, it just kind of to look at.

A little perspective, to not be in the weeds. But just to be like, what is going to, like, there's so much shit going on that's like, what is going to rise? Exactly. What's actually, like,

what's going to stick in history? Because every day. Like, when we look back 40 years from now, like, what, like, where's like, you know, scare a mooch? Like, where does. Is he going to land? Like, what's all this little noise, like,

is it going to stick? Is it going to, like, I don't know. The sheer volume of news, it's too much. It's too much. So let's talk about happier things, like your wonderful movie. Yes, yes, yes. Have you had your New York Film Festival premiere yet?

Yes, it was on Monday. That must have been quite something. I was super glam. I had never been there before, and it was so beautiful. It's a great experience. I haven't been this year, but I imagine, were you in the balcony? Yes, it was amazing.

Oh, my God, it was amazing. and it was so beautifully klutzy and awkward. I was going to say, so I always thought, I'm glad you brought that up because, like, I've always wanted to ask somebody about this. So at New York Film Festival, at the end of the movie, they have this kind of, like, very kind of old school, great moment where they shine the spotlight in the balcony on the cast and the director and writer. And it's like, how long do you stand?

Like, did it feel kind of like magical or awkward or all the above? No, it was the, it was all of the above because, you know, it was just to be there with that movie and that director, Tamara Jenkins, and Paul, she. Umadi and Molly Shannon and this Kaylee Carter and myself and so you know they hustle us all up there get up to this balcony no one had moved there's like two folding chairs in our way so we couldn't quite like we were kind of like around two folding chairs so we were like were the people in their seats being like yeah I'm I bought these suits I'm not moving for you Catherine on sorry I'm just sitting there also if there'd be amazing there's two empty folding chairs so we kind of were like trying to

like navigate around these folding chairs and then um we were you know we didn't know when the lights were going to come on. So we were like, ah, uh, like awkward. And then all of a sudden it was like bright lights. And we were just caught in of course the most like amazing awkward deer and headlights like around two chairs like just squinting into the distance. And like trusting that. And Paul kept

being like I feel like Lincoln. Because it was like it was just like you were so vulnerable in this balcony. But it was also like just this just crazy. It was like you know, the bees. needs to be there at Lincoln Center with, you know, no, it was crazy glamorous.

Luckily, Giamatti loves that kind of attention, so you have a compatriot there that just eats it off. He's like, more cheers, more red carpets, more press. He was throwing roses. It was so weird. I was like, where did you get these roses? Never know

when you're going to need him. Had you worked with Paul before? Never. I mean, no, I know. I know. I felt like I had known him. He's a goddamn genius. I felt like I'd never, that I had known him my whole life. It was so weird. Yeah. Yeah. So, uh, you guys are playing, um, New Yorkers. He's a New Yorker as far as I know. Yeah. I think so. Yeah. Um, so what's the key to playing a New Yorker? What's the, what's your in? Do you have like innate New Yorkerness? Because you're kind of like, I feel like you are in some

ways, LA personified. I mean, I am from Ohio. Well, yes. L.A. personified. Well, I feel like you've, You've, I feel like you found, you are, like a, I don't know, your mother earth. You, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you've, you've, like, I haven't really brushed my hair. Exactly. She came in, she looks like a wild child right now. She's like, you know, she's, now. Okay, that came out wrong. Um, all I'm saying is.

LA personified. No, that I meant that in a nice way. Now I hear you. It's the cold speaking. It is. It's, it's, everything shitty I say today. I'll forget. But do you feel like it's not a big leap for you to go hardcore New Yorker?

Well, I lived here for a chunk, a big chunk of my life. I feel like it's in my, I mean, yeah, I feel like it's in my DNA somewhere. I mean, I was in Ohio. I can't say I was born and raised here, but I don't think Rachel was either the part I'm playing. I mean, I, you know, it just, I mean, that's like a part of it. I just think that they, you know, there's formative, like, 20s years where you're, like, trying to make stuff. I was here for that.

And so I feel that deeply, you know, the waiting in line at the, you know, at Astra place for the, um, right. Village voice and, you know. Which is no longer around. Did you hear? I know. It's all gone. It's all over.

It's like, that was like end of an air. I know. I mean, I was like. Bigels. It's all, it's all gone. Oh, I know. Um. Backstage.

Like, you know, all that stuff. Like I, that was, um, um, yeah. So all that kind of like, you know, that. I feel like in my guts. So this one, you mentioned, is it Tamara or Tamara? Tamara. Tamara.

Okay. Great filmmaker, who frankly hasn't, I don't know, by her choice or by the stupid industry's choice, hasn't made enough films. I think like The Savage's, was that her last film? Yeah, she's only made three.

Yeah. Slums of Beverly Hills, the Savages, and then this. Right. So I can imagine the interest in being in one of her works. Like, you're going to have stuff to chew on as an actor, like you're going to get into it and with no less than Giamadi.

Was this something, how quickly did this one come together? Was this correct? Well, I mean, she had been, you're right, her last film before this was The Savage's, which was like 10 years ago almost. And in that time, she had a baby. This is about, do you know what this is about? Yeah, I've seen it. It's great.

Oh, I'm glad she said. So she had a baby in this time. She had a similar experience to this. Like, she would say it's not autobiographical, but it's, like, emotionally autobiographical. Right. So, like, the details are different, but the emotional, you know, like, she went through something similar. Right. So, you know, I think it took her a second to decide if she really wanted to go there and tell this story because it was so personal.

And then it took about two years to write it. And, you know, it took a second to, like, get in there. And then, but it only took us, like, 30 days to film it. and um yeah so like intensely personal but not like well i would imagine that's the similar for you because in watching it it's it's like eminently i feel like relatable for most if not all people that or had been it will be in a relationship whether they've had kids or about to or thinking about it yeah but like um i think to your point from what i gather like you haven't dealt with these specific issues but it's it's almost even less about the particulars than

sort of just what a couple goes through and yeah but it's almost like it's almost like we kept talking it's almost like not even about the baby like exactly could be right right i mean it's like they lost sight of what it is yeah yeah yeah like paul at some point was like this isn't even about a baby it's um waiting for godot and we were like totally like it's really not even like you lose sight of the baby like it's more about just them on this trip together like they forget what it's a like they're just so on this yeah this like this quest for something that they think will fulfill them like this dream you know that they once i get that this will solve everything right right right so i and i think that that was like what yeah that's what i think

it took that's which makes total sense to me like you know you get you moved to new york you're like she was which i i i remember this feeling completely when i moved here the like like you know she you know they moved to new york she was she was a playwright um and a novelist not untalented he was a theater director they started a little theater company like lower east side like they put on some like really like precious plays like you know what i mean like they had some attention and then all of a sudden they're like 40 you know what i mean and it's like oh shit like they're still in our unstableized apartment they don't really have insurance are kind of freelancing.

They're, like, every, like, all their dreams are kind of, like, frozen in amber. And then they also, like, it's such a metaphor that their bodies have, like, betrayed them. Like, you know, they look, you know, they want to have kids. And all of a sudden, it's, like, it's not as easy as they had thought. Like, it's such a metaphor for all the other dreams that they have had that are just kind of frozen. Everything you've just said is disturbingly relatable to me. Totally. Like, it's just so, like.

No, but it's crazy. Like, you wake up. Like, I mean, I have those, like, things where I, like, walk down the street and I pass by my reflection, and I'm like, oh, my God, because I feel so much younger than I am. Like, I still have those same feet inside, have that same, like, feeling that I had when I was 20, but you just can't believe how fast it goes. And I don't, yeah, I don't know if it's, like, if it's for everybody this way. But, yeah, for me, in particular, like, I feel like it was my 30s that, like, I missed. Like, what happens? Yeah, it goes by really crazy fast.

Where were those? And maybe that has to do also, I don't know, whatever, industry you're in or not, but yeah, it's interesting, it's interesting. I also find it watching the film, like, I always get like a perverse satisfaction about seeing a couples argue in a very realistic way on screen. I don't know what, like, if it's just like Schadenfreude or just sort of like, you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. Like, because I think we're so used to seeing the movie version of arguments that are just like, screaming at the top of your way it's just like histrionics and it's not always that it's something much more like messy and small yeah um and i think that's she does a really good job at getting at that

yeah in this yeah right like right and then it's not that it's then it's also a mixture of of tragic and comic like this film vacillates so quickly and adeptly i think between being dramatic and comedic and that's really a tough yeah for most right It's like my fave, though, like that kind of feeling like that, like, it's so hard to find, but, like, that's, um, um, that, like, little... That sweet spot somewhere. Yeah. Well, if you look at your filmography, well, you have, I feel like, gravitated towards a lot of those. I have, but, like, that's my, like, that is, it's such a hard thing, because you can't, like, you can't, like, you can't talk it out.

Right. You can't be like, and then now is my, like, you can't, that is, doesn't work. Like, it's the writing. It's the writing. And it's because you can't, because that's not something you can overthink. Like, it's always in the writing. And it can kind of turn on a dime. I remember last time you were on, we talked about because you had done,

how do you know, with James L. Brooks. And he's somebody who has, like, done that on that kind of like elevated level. Yes. On that, on that, like, big Hollywood level. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And, you know, I'll say it would, you know, sometimes less successfully than others. And it just shows you how, like, how fine a line it can be. Yeah, it's hard.

Really hard. But it is always, I think it's always in the writing. It's always in like what the person is going for, always. Yeah. Because you can't, yeah, you can't talk it and you can't overthink it and you can't, like, you can't. It's just always in like, I'm always really attracted by that to that because I think it's the hardest thing to like, and it's so human. It's just so human. It's easy to like put the pedal down on one or the other.

Right. But it's really hard to find that like catch in the throat that could go either way to me. Yeah, no, I agree. So, so this one, I mean, also this one strikes me, like, it must be very pleasing to you. I know it debuted in Sundance, and it's getting these insanely great reviews that it's a Netflix film. I think it's also getting theatrical. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Great, amazing.

So, but, like, it's, you know, I think of something like Afternoons a Light, which you, like, have, like, such, you know, as you should pride in and feel great about. But, like, you know, back, if that had been released on Netflix, probably five years ago, it probably would have found, I would venture an audience. crazy but you know I think about so much of this this stuff like it's so weird Josh like what was I talking about yesterday that I was like I mean there's so many things that you think like god timing wise like did things things like there's such genius things like that maybe if they were just like getting on I was just talking about that amazing show like shit if that had just been like a couple years later like would have that had found an audience that would have been able to like you know what I mean I had been available in a different

like way that was you know i don't know doll and m is another show that i was obsessed with like you know like there's some there's some things like i was just talking about that yesterday though like there are just some shows that you wonder or even movies that you think um you're right even afternoon delight like if that had been available in a streaming way did that feel like at the time was it a just i wasn't i know a creative disappointment if anything was the opposite it was one the ones you took the most pride in but like was it a disappointment that people just said I'm sure. Yeah.

Yeah. Yes. Like, yeah. But I mean, it wasn't like, you know, but also to be fair, like I had nothing to compare it to. Like, so it wasn't like I was like, oh, you know, I, we did it for $2. I think it was, I didn't think like, oh, this was going to be like, you know. Right. The steps have gone.

Like I wasn't, I didn't think, like, I really didn't have those expectations. Right, right, right, right. um so this one so you shot you said 30 days um you've done every yes we did this will be a serious of yes or no questions now starting now yes corroborate the information i have according to i mdb now um no uh so do you at this point do you feel like you can like work any which way according to like you know i can do the the three day in an out shoot i can do the hundred day shoot like is there a preference at this point or does it does the variety the spice of your creative life like do you like sort of um is there an ideal there is no ideal um it just depends on the

thing yeah um honestly like i don't care i don't if it's awesome um my sense in watching this without offending you please uh is that you are somewhat more comfortable with nudity than i am if i were an actor yeah i would like have i would insist on 16 layers of clothing at all Sure, sure, sure. Where the Hans... That would get hot for you. I don't care. Okay.

And you need to protect the audience from... The camera already adds 10 pounds, John. I don't care. I don't care. Were the Hans just like a freewheeling family? No, not at all. Oh, really? Mm-mm.

I don't know. But, you know, like, it was just, this was like a... Um, uh, I was just, I don't know. It's just, it was necessary for it. And I don't care. I mean, I really like, it's the... I don't know. It's like the least scary...

they just make it the safest and I make it the safest and I make all the choice like I make sure that everything around it is the safest and I know what eyes are looking at it on that day I feel 100% confident knowing knowing what eyes are going to be looking at it and well what's great about is it feels like it's like you know I think people always go back to or at least cine files go back to like the Robert Altman shortcuts like that like yeah yeah yeah like very matter of fact like couples talk when they're not fully dressed yeah very often yeah And it's just another way to establish the intimacy. It's a shortcut, quote, unquote, you know, a short, a shortcut to, you know, establishing that there is this. Like casual nudity. Yeah. Yeah. So, okay, what are you working on right now? What's going on?

I, I'm doing, like, I'm doing press for this. I've got an episode of the room enough coming out. Winer, not weiner. Winer. Okay. I have to remember that eventually if I ever talked to him, because I feel like it would say. set him off. It might.

Do you enjoy the way your first name is spelled? Was that ever a source of frustration? No, you loved it. You embraced it. Yeah. I don't know other YMs. No, it's the Irish way.

I don't know. That's just the only way I know is the way I was spelled, so I have no difference. But I love it. You view the others as lesser. Catherine Hepburn, you're like, fuck you, Catherine Hepburn. Fuck you, Catherine Hepburn.

Was, okay, I'm all over the place partially because of cold medication. I know I love this freewheeling. Were you, okay, was, uh, you grew up in Ohio. I did. Another yes or no. This is freewheeling. Were you, was it an artsy, it wasn't an artsy-fartsy family, yet you became an

artsy-fartsy person. I mean that it was, it was, it was artsy-farty in the way that it was just, no, it was not really artsy-farty, but it was artsy-farty in the way that everyone was kind of like, you know, um, no, it really wasn't, but everyone was just kind of emotionally like, like, it was just, do you know what I mean? It was just like, everyone was, it wasn't artsy-fartsy, but it was, I was, I had a lot of freedom to just, like, play pretend. So, like my dad, I would say, was a frustrated singer. That sounds like a really good S&L character.

The frustration, like the guy that's actually like frustrated while he's singing. Yes. That's actually a great character. So wait. Who introduced you to independent film? Like, how did you find? My mom. Yeah. Yeah.

We would go to art houses all the time. Nice. And what were the first experiences like that? Oh, like my life is dog, red, white and blue, Camille Claudel, Wild at Heart. Oh, my. How old were you when you saw Wild at Heart? Blue velvet. Oh, boy.

Everyone has the, yeah, I feel like any, yes, there's the David Lynch moment in any young person's life. a lot, I mean, yeah, size of lambs, which I guess wasn't too independent, but yeah, all those, Cinem Paradiso, you know, all those. It's got like great score ever, that sweet. I know, so beautiful.

I remember seeing Henry the 5th. Oh, yes. Yeah. That was a big, brana. That was a, oh my God, how can you not, Emma Thompson in that? Yeah, so those were all like my dreamy dreams.

So, and did mom have artistic aspirations? No, but she was just a big fan of fiction. and film. So was there a specific moment where you had the talk and said, I'm going to go for this? Oh, she knew when I was like, I mean, I kind of was like dove in

when I was young, young. There was a place called the Cleveland Playhouse and I kind of took acting classes there when I was really young, and then I just kind of stuck it out there. I loved it. So, and about how old were you, when you got the procedural, the big job,

the CBS show, the NBC. NBC, thank you. Crossing Jordan. That was right after, that was like my last year of graduate school. So I guess that was like 28 or 29. So I'm curious like by then, like again, knowing where your sensibilities were,

had you been like, was it just a gift at that point? Like, okay, this is going to pay the bills and let me work, as opposed to, like, this is not necessarily my artistic sensibilities. No, I was, honestly, I was, like, very, I think I was, like, naive at that point. I didn't know what, I had had a holding deal with NBC. I had a shit ton of debt from school.

I was, it was, like, I thought the part was going to be just, like, a few episodes. It wasn't a series regular gig at the beginning. And it turned into a series. regular gig which I was like oh my god how do I turn down like this right and it wasn't what I thought I was going to be doing but the people were so sweet and it was like an interesting you know whatever I was like my first thing on camera and so I was like okay and um yeah it just ended up being a real long ride um but I'm really great I mean I was really grateful for it I've never

done anything on camera before and I learned a ton and they paid for like my wedding night meal like they were so sweet right was that a learning curve learning to act in front of a camera is that is there a big difference in your mind like it was

it was too much of a too much of a difference at the beginning for me like it shouldn't have been you know what I mean yeah like it shouldn't have been because I think that that kind of that kind of on camera working I had to like undo almost you mean in the year in the years since like later interesting

because I would think more well I gotta know I'm contradicting myself in my brain I'm thinking of like a sitcom, but sitcoms, that's like, that's basically a play. That's a whole different bird. It's kind of a weird play. That's a different bird. But this kind of thing was like the kind of like standing on your mark, the kind of like you rehearse it once and then shoot it that way till lunch. And then you come back and kind of like shoot it this, you know, finish the scene out the same way.

Like that was, that was a kind of what I've been unlearning a little bit. Like, or I had to un-learnedness of that, like, yeah, yeah, yeah, I had to unlearn it. Not that it's bad, it's just, like, not the vibe, yeah. And not the one that necessarily you gravitate towards clearly. If you look at people like Jill or Adam McKay or any of these people, they all feel very. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, so that was like a, it was just, it was just how it happened to land for me after, as my first gig. Yeah.

Was the, and we talked a bit about stepbrothers the last time, too, but was that then the big kind of like, because that's diametrically opposed to what you're just describing in terms of... That's still like standing your mark, but it was kind of like blow it open word-wise. Right. Right. Eloquintos, always. And that was the best. Yeah.

Yeah. That was so fun. So how do you describe... You've worked a lot with Jill Soloway by now. How do you describe... What does she do differently than every other filmmaker director you've done, writer-director? Um Because from what I gather

Everything like the environment on set is different It's a collaborative environment That's just different than anything else I've heard How would you Yeah I would just say that it just feels like I don't know I say It's it's it's It just feels like you're

It just feels like an ensemble Um You don't You just feel caught by the camera rather than, no, wait, I'm going to take that back. You feel like the camera is there to just catch you rather than you're there to, for the camera. Right. So like you just. It's in service of what you're trying to get at.

It's performance led. Right. Which is just like a, it's just different. Right. And it's not always. Like there's, you know, like, there's just not. Sometimes you just have to get something done. Of course, and there's big movies, and there's, like, big things that have to happen.

But in that space, you just, you feel like they're there, like, you are, as an actor, like, it's performance-driven. So you're able to, like, they like the space, and you are able to just, like, play in it, and the camera will catch you. Right. What's, what do you think, what experience would you characterize as the happiest you've been on a set? like is there an ideal that you're kind of like always kind of oh if the next one can be 80% of that yeah what's the bar at this point oh god there's been so many i mean there's like there was like there's been something like ecstatic experiences like you know there's been some like yeah some like comedy it's like some comedy improv things that have happened that are like

witnessing some that you're like oh my god i can't believe i got to see that you know what i mean that you're like can't believe you got to see that come out of that person's brain that you're like oh um and then like you know some there's been some like there are some transparent scenes that were just extraordinary to be a part of with jay um some of those scenes were i'll hold to my heart um i mean that were just like magic or whatever um and this movie some scenes with paul were up there for me for sure just like because it was so effortless the um like finding this marriage together was like just was so not precious

and so like right um yeah do you we talked a little bit about like how Paul is kind of like exactly what you would hope him to be yeah he really is right um do you find that not to be case that you get to set without naming names that like

you've built somebody up in your mind and it's like it's really rare but for sure's right yeah I find that to be the case too honestly most people you know most people are awesome this is yeah like the variable and I'm sure you get the same thing. People ask me all the time, the go-to question is who's horrible. And I'm like, honestly, 90% of people are pretty pretty. Most people are awesome. And then the people that you think are not, are not. Probably not. Yeah. The reverse is often not true. Yeah. But people are, yeah. What you see is

what you get generally. People usually, we have good, like, you know, spiky senses. Yeah. From afar. Yeah. And you're all, so you've done a lot of series, especially in recent years. And you're going to do an HBO series coming up, right? Yeah, Mrs. Fletcher. With Nicole Hoff Center? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. And Tom Perada.

I know. Jesse Klein, who's awesome. Yeah, it's a really great groupage. So is this a Tom Perada book that it's based on? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And just the pilot right now and see what happens. Yeah.

I mean, no, the pilot's been picked up, it's been picked up, but we haven't started. Oh, amazing. We haven't started shooting yet. So it's in, like, a process of figuring itself out. Is that for lifestyle and for everything, like, the idea of, doing kind of like eight or ten episodes of something feels satisfying and right and good for your headspace and your family and everything right now. Yeah, like a series that would be eight, uh, you know, eight episodes a year is like totally,

yeah, God. Yeah. Awesome. Yeah. For sure. Um, how, what percentage of your films have your kids actually seen? Like not meant, I was going to say. I mean, I was, it was like I showed my kids.

Stepbrothers. because Adam showed his kids stepbrothers and they're like kind of the same ages like a little bit older and I was like oh you know and maybe and then I was like oh shit all the stuff started because I hadn't seen it in so long

and it started flooding in like I was like oh my god so I think they saw maybe a 22 minute cut of stepbrothers and not one frame of me in it like I fast forwarded most of the movie because that would be the traumatic stuff and so they have no idea what happened And then there was a lot of people being like,

Catalina wine mixer, but they had no context for anything or any idea. So they didn't find it that hilarious. I mean, because like, why would they? They had no idea what the fuck was going on. And they were like, I don't want to watch, you know, nail. They were really into this show called Making It. Nick and Amy's show.

Oh, yeah, yeah. It's so awesome. Amazing. Yeah, it's really good. Is there, what do you consume? Do you watch a lot of TV or movies? Consume. Yeah, as a consumer.

I consume. What do you put in your body, Catherine? I consume a cloud sandwiches, morning, noon, night. Rich and subtle black tea I see in front of me. It's subtle. Just a lot of plastics. Yeah. If it's in plastic, she'll drink it.

I like, I love a podcast. I do. Yeah. I mean, a lot of driving in L.A. I mean, I love podcasts. Ugh. Political ones. It sounds like we were talking.

Well, recently. Yeah. Yeah. I love Slow Burn. I love the wilderness. What else I've been listening to? What else I've been watching recently? I saw, oh, I just saw the Andre the Giant documentary, which was incredible.

Was it good? Yes, it's fascinating. That made me cry. Yeah, tragic, sweet. Really tragic. Oh my God, when he, Vince, or what Hulk Hogan was like holding him up? Yeah, he was a mess. that guy, like, he had to, yeah.

Was he had to hold him up in that last fight and made it look like he was, like, fighting him? I know. Let's not cry over Andre the Giant right now. That seems like an odd way to add in the podcast. Podcast. So what are you not getting, what's not coming across the Han desk?

What do we need to put out into the universe? I need, like, just like a full-on, I want like a horror movie. I want like a weird stylized movie. I don't know. I'm saying things out loud. Bringing words together. Just like I'm spreading a word.

What's your excuse? I want a rom, calm. No, you don't. No, you don't. You did your time. I want an intergalactic six romp. They're not enough of those anymore. Why don't they have them?

I was just looking at E.T. And that's why I said that in your office. You want to be Barbarrella, reborn. I want to be a, exactly. Forties Barbarella. Come on. The 40s have been good to you. Wouldn't you say?

kind of like amazing. Exactly. Like the best stuff is come. It is. I think so. Are you shocked by that? No, I'm actually totally not shocked because like who's just, who was any, why was anybody saying that that was going to be a problem?

Right. Well, that's, fuck all them. Honestly. Fuck the haters. She's just getting started, guys. Yes, and we end with the snort. We book ended with snorts. Oh, great.

Everybody check out, private life. Excellent film. Check it out on Netflix, but better yet, if it's playing out a theater near you, we always want to support that experience It's always the best way to see it You'll laugh, you'll cry What else do you want out of a film experience guys I know really, what do you want?

I mean, don't be greedy And get your popcorn Catherine, let's hope it's not four more years Yeah, please let's not But you haven't aged Well, neither have you We just talked about how great your career is going I'm stuck in the same window with office

No, actually your office is really great I was saying that I just wish you had a window But it actually is great I was just teasing you It looks fabulous in here It's all out of love. It's always a pleasure to see you. Thanks for.

I'm going to see you too. 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 Old West is an iconic period of American history and full of legendary figures whose names still resonate today. Like Jesse James, Billy the Kid, and Butch and Sundance, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Geronimo, Wyatt Earp, Batmasterson, and Bass Reeves, Buffalo Bill Cody, Wild Bill Hickok, the Texas Rangers, and many more.

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