Happy Sad Confused - Lake Bell

Episode Date: September 7, 2017

Lake Bell stops by Josh's office this week to talk about her latest directing effort (which she also wrote and stars in), "I Do....Until I Don't" and she brought her mom to boot!  Josh and Lake talk about love, marriage, and Lake's eclectic career, from drama school in England to Jeff Goldblum to "Children's Hospital". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

none of you are safe. New episodes every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts. Today on Happy, Say, Confused, Lake Bell, on love, marriage, and directing. Hey, guys, I'm Josh Horowitz. Welcome to another edition of Happy, Sad, Confused, my little old podcast. Joining me, as always is Sammy. On the little old podcast.

A little old podcast that could. It truly is. It's like the Thomas the Tank of the podcast. That's our motto. That's our credo around here. Um, welcome back, guys. Another, uh, post-holiday week to enjoy. How was your Labor Day, Sammy? It was, it was, it was nice. Although we didn't have great weather. This is authentic, by the way. We actually haven't exchanged pleasantries, really.

You know, it was rainy and cold for two of the days, which was a real bummer. But, uh, I decided to rewatch Game of Thrones from the first episode, something you should probably do. For the first time? Yeah, for the first time. How long? A mutual Facebook friend of ours, I know, just watched. all eight seasons in like four or five days. Yeah, I was like, I, Facebook Busted shirt and I was like, don't forget to like eat. I was like in shock about that. But that's, should motivate you.

Wow. That's something that you could and should do if you were strong enough. I'm just not strong enough. You're really not. You're really not. So how many episodes did you get through in three days? It's not unembarrassing. Okay.

I did three and a half seasons. And that's like, what, 10 or 12 a season? Ten. Okay. That's a lot. Yeah, I told you. That's HBO episodes. It's like...

It's embarrassing. I didn't do anything. No, that's good. That's good. I was, look, I was celebrating my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. You were watching a show that you've watched already. I was watching a show I've already watched. And be like, oh my God, I totally missed that symbol the first time.

No, but it sounds like you were productive. You sound like an idiot. Well, I'm sure I'll love it. What, how was the Annie? The Annie? We didn't call it the Annie. It was good. You'd say happy honey, mom and dad.

No, that was the thing. It was lovely. We had relatives gathered from the West Coast and the East Coast. Did you regale them with tales of your... There were some stories passed around. It was a good time. It was a nice family time. You were like, Tom Hiddleston smells.

No, no, no, no. I thought you meant like family stories. No, no, no, I mean regale them with tales of your travels. They don't care. They don't care. Although the nieces and nephews are starting to get old enough that they actually care about celebrity and stuff. So there's an upside that I'm finally gaining cool points.

Like once they actually learned that I knew Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson and that's major. Grinth, this suddenly changed. When I remember that you know them, I get, yeah, I get weirded out. Well, let's set that aside because we should talk about the guest on today's episode. And we've got a bunch of podcasts going up, I think, at least three or four in the next two weeks. So a lot of my news happening. are going to have to schedule these into your date.

It's an embarrassment of riches. It truly is. So first up today is the wonderful actress, writer, and director, Lake Bell, Lake Bell, who, you know, acting-wise alone has had a wonderful career in a lot of comedies. She was wonderful in Children's Hospital. We talk about that. I always love me, some children's hospital. Your friends.

Yeah, exactly. But she's also, you know, most notably, carved out a career for herself as a writer and director. In a World was her movie a few years back. That was an excellent movie. Have you ever seen in a world? You should check it out, Sammy. I'm embarrassed. Don't be embarrassed. You've never seen Game of Thrones. That's true. So in a world, if you guys have two hours to spare, check it out. It was her directing debut, at least on a feature film basis, and it started her and all her comedy friends. And it's set in the voiceover world, like for trailers and stuff. And it's a really good movie. I was going to say, in a world. In a world. That's up. Her new movie.

movie is I do, until I don't, it is out right now. Everybody should check it out. It's a very cool ensemble kind of dromedy about love and marriage and about, you know, whether the institution of marriage is archaic and should be blown up. And it's, it's an ultimately optimistic and fun. It's a sweet little. No, it actually, it actually is. It's not ruining to say that it ends on an optimistic note. And it has a lot of cool performers like Paul Reiser, Mary Steenbergh. Wyatt Sannack, Amber Hurd, Ed Helms. So, yeah.

That's a great cast. Good cast. I love Mary Steenberg. She's the best, right? The best. Okay, so cover a lot with Lake in this, as I told her, anybody that's been on Children's Hospital is welcome here. We're cranking through the list.

We got Hubell and Shear. We had Megan Malawi. We haven't done, we had Cordry, of course. Of course. Of course. But we haven't done the Henry Winkler. I feel like that's the... You have to get Henry Winkler.

Okay. Hopefully Lake will put it in a good word. But we'll keep this short because there are a lot more podcasts to come to your feed very soon, guys. In the meantime, remember to rate, review, and subscribe to Happy Sack Confused on iTunes. It matters. It helps. We truly appreciate it. Lake Bell would want you to. I think so. She would. It's what she said. She goes, I forgot to say it, but make sure to tell them to rate, review, and subscribe. It was off mic, but it meant more because it was off Mike. Yeah, it was real. In the meantime, Enjoy this conversation with Lake Bell and check out her new movie. I do until I don't.

No, we're already rolling, right? Should we do it? Yeah, that's what. Do you want to do this? Should we snap? Are we storying it? What are we doing at? Stories.

No, no, you can talk. Oh, yeah, sorry, I don't see, I know how this works. This is why I don't know why to do it. We just Instagram storied with Lake Bell. Hi. Hi and welcome. Wow. You like, just like, you really moved in?

I know, I'm like, I'm in, you see, do you see what I did there? You're a professional. Thank you. You just transformed in front of my eyes. Listen, this is what it's about, transformation. Good morning and welcome to this day. It's too early. This is the first.

Do you have water? Yeah, we don't have, can, uh, I took my shoes off. I see there's candies here. There are candies. Those have been there for a long time. Well, yeah, because they're Valentine's Day candies from yesteryear. I can tell. I do not advise.

Look at all these. Slinkies, the rainbow slinky for viewers at home. What's a promoting? It's all swag in here. All silly swag. Dream big. I don't know.

It's promoting I do until I don't is what it's promoting. Where's your swag? Do you have any swag? I have any swag. I ain't got no swag. If I did, I don't know what it would be. I don't know. You've got a lot of candy in here.

Maybe like candy engagement rings or something. There you go. Yeah, we're often running in the day after Labor Day. Did you have a working weekend? Yeah, I've been to working weekend. Yeah. Yeah, but it's okay. Thank you.

Congratulations on your film. Thank you very much. I enjoyed it very much, as I did in a world. There's a lot to talk about. Sure. Are you married? I am married. Okay, let's get into it.

And also, I just came from my parents' 50th anniversary this weekend, literally. Oh, my gosh. So the pressure is on because they have been married for 50 years. We're nine years and counting. Oh, that's great. We passed your seven-year threshold. Oh, good. so you're good so for context you're off to the races yeah okay so we get let's start in the film and then we'll circle back around

and we'll into your life no no nothing about me the listeners know too much about me they're tired of it um so this film goes back a while this goes back before in a world right um well i started writing it kind of like after i had written in a world like nine years ago but before you made the film uh correct yes yeah yeah yeah and you and a lot of changes in your life in those intermittent years. Indeed. That would seem to inform a film of this topic. Yeah, the movie, I Do Until I Don't, is about three couples, all at different, you know, various times in their relationships, and the committed relationships, all through the lens, this is for people who don't know what we're talking about, through the lens of this pretentious documentarian who sort of descends upon this small town to preach her thesis that marriage should be a 70s. your contract with an option to renew. So she's this, like, deeply cynical, sort of unromantic person because of her own

heartbreak and, like, needs to prove this, you know, concept. Anyway, that marriage is dead. And in doing that, she sort of pushes the couples closer together and they... And what was the journal of the idea when you started this? Because you were not married, you would not met your husband yet. Correct, yeah. So nine years ago when I kind of, like, first came. came up with the idea of even attacking this subject.

It was really out of like a therapeutic need to, you know, investigate the concept of commitment. And, you know, I felt like doom, I felt like it was a doomed kind of institution, perhaps just archaic, you know, at the time. This arbitrary creation that worked for a few millennia, but come on. And like maybe when it was first built, it was more of like,

this landowner must connect with this one and we shall make a larger farm. I don't know. You know, the point is it was, you know, people were dying at 45 and it didn't seem like a tall order to say, you know, till death of us part. So now that we live to 100, I think it's fair to say that, you know, I sort of thought it would be fair to say, well, I think that it should be, you know, the institution itself could be amended or reformed in someone. or you know perhaps just if it ain't broke don't fix it just love the one you're with and move on

sure um but uh then i married my now husband i found my now husband uh scott and we got married and um he has taught me just a profound level of new relationship kind of um point of you and his you know, his whole conceit is that if you, you know, it is far braver to kind of jump in full force and to be all in, you know. And that, I think, is very cool and very, and just a different way of looking at relationships, certainly in the commitment space. So is this night and day in terms of like the script that you had seven or eight years ago, the first draft of it? Yes. I mean, the first draft was always intended to be, hopeful, you know, because I, as a unromantic, self-proclaimed unromantic, I deep down

wanted to be proved wrong in that. And in essence, you know, I think I almost like willed this incredible thing to happen to me, to meet Scott. And, you know, even though he's sort of like head to toe tattooed and would be seeming that he was not the traditionalist in the, relationship he is actually more traditional and and was the one who was like yeah marriage is really important to me you know and so that was really interesting um just you know that that that that was sort of like a turning point for me certainly because um yeah i started to learn then so did you grew up here in the city i grew up in yeah i grew up in manhattan and then we're to a rare breed we survived we're semi coherent the mean streets of the upper west side yeah mean streets of the ues

Pretty rough. Yes. School up there. I went to Dalton over there. Chapin and then boarding school. But I did move to Viro Beach, Florida, when I was about like 12, my mom moved there. And I was there for, yeah, for, you know, until I went to boarding school, basically. But I would go back there and I gained an affection for the town.

And so, and definitely in like in hindsight, you know, where it was just like, oh, God, yeah, I'm kind of like nostalgic for Florida. I love it. Yeah, at the time when you moved from some place like New York. New York. To Vero Beach or you like kind of like, wait a second. Well, I was younger, but I definitely was like, so that's where Disneyland is, right? You know, like that was like, yeah, this seems like the right thing to do.

Good job, mom. You know, but, you know, getting there, I was definitely like, wow, so what's a cheerleader? You know, I went from like all-girls school where it was just like. like lady power, you know, to kind of a different very small town kind of iconic, like football players and, you know, cheerleaders and, you know, it's just a different world. Do you feel like you're defined as much by that? Like, is there the New York in you from those first 12 years as much as there is those formative years? Yeah, totally. I mean, and then I went to boarding school at 14. So then it was like, you know, it was definitely like, you know, it was definitely like,

independent, you know. But Vero was, was just left a mark on me for sure. And I thought it was so, it feels like a town from like the 50s or 60s. And that really was its heyday, which, you know, is why the architecture is sort of stuck in that moment in a kind of beautiful and very charming way. And then, you know, in the movie that, you know, I sort of embraced that palette visually, you know, very loving. with like lots of different types of whites and cyans and you know pastels and you know I just like the Florida aesthetic you know well I'm curious because like growing up what I feel like we're all like defined our definitions of like love and marriage and stuff is very much defined both by our family but also by

the stuff we see on screen do you remember sort of like what the films were that kind of like oh this is what falling in love is this is what a relationship is this is what divorces this is that's so interesting I think when I it's an interesting question because I definitely feel that I write more from my experiences personally

because I use it as therapy you know I mean without hyperbole it's funny I use writing as therapy and then therapy as a writing tool so they kind of play into each other but yeah I definitely have movies that I grew up with that I feel like

were iconic to what I think of is like the love staple but definitely Annie Hall obviously and you know Harold and Maud you know I mean these were the ones that I think like you know had an older brother so you have you know and I went to boarding school so it was like there's always somebody some older kid who was like telling you about what cool movies to watch you know and so those were those were my first investigations love stone kind of a big oh yeah I mean yeah Once I remember, I can't remember who showed me with Annie Hall initially, but then I was like, who's this Woody Allen guy and I got to get to know him, you know. So then it was like, of course, I watched like the breath of all of his work and was like, okay, I'm listening. What's up with

this like sort of lovely, self-deprecating, mumbling, delightful, subtle, but silly and smart, you know, experience that I'm having. So this is, the second thing, feature you've directed. You directed, I think you did a little bit of Children's Hospital, right? Indeed. Was that the first? No, the first thing I did was Worst Enemy, which was a short film that I sort of wrote and directed, and Michaela Watkins stars in it, and it went to Sundance and did

very well there, and that was sort of my first, I had written in a world, but I had not directed anything yet, and my agent was like, look, you know, I think you should direct it in a world. And I was like, I'm not going to direct anything, because I haven't directed anything. I mean, I want to eventually, and he's like, well, then make a short film. And I was like, okay, you know, and I went and did that immediately. So. Where was that in sequence with?

Because I remember, I remember, I was going to say, I remember you and, like, Katie Asleton in Sundance Ford. She had directed, like, Black Rock, right? Correct. So I did Worst Enemy, I guess, and then Black Rock. I was okay. I just want to make sure. My mom's hair.

What was I? Oh yeah, so I don't know what the timeline on that is. It goes, yeah, I guess Black Rock must have been before. Yes, no, it was. I'm just curious, because if you're working with your friends and you see your friend kind of like creating something like that at Sundance, is that an inspiration in some ways? Yeah, of course.

I mean, I had set out, I knew I was going to direct in a world when I was doing Black Rock because I just remember talking about it with the Dupluses, so, but yeah, so, I mean, you know, I do admire and love, you know, my fellow comrades, you know, that are my friends and also other creators, you know, like the Dupluses and when I say Dupluses, I mean Katie Asleton as well.

Sure, sure. Because she is a Duplas. She married them. And, yeah, so, yeah. of course it was really inspiring so so what was the trepidation I mean it sounded like there was a little bit of convincing like no you should you know you were working for a director in a world and like what was the switch because if you knew that you were kind of headed to I did I just I felt like I had not it felt really irresponsible to think that I could take on a feature without having ever directed anything right and so that's why

literally Billy Lazarus at UTA he was like didn't write and direct a short film if you really feel strongly. He's like, I think you can do it, but, and I was like, that's an excellent idea, you know, so, so I had had all of these, I was a closet writer for like my whole life, and I had all these like side orders, I call them in my computer, which were just ideas, seedlings of ideas and, you know, scenes and all that gets out. So I took one of those side orders and created worst enemy, which was about like a female misanthrope who gets herself stuck and a full-body girdle that she buys from the television and, like, hilarity and trauma ensues, you know,

succinct kind of little story. And that became sort of my visual calling card and also really attest to myself. And once I did that, I felt, like, totally alive. I felt like it was, you know, I was like, oh, I'm going to do this for the rest of my life, you know? So when you look back at, like, the whole journey that was in a world, it's got, it's like got to now, like, have this, like, golden hue.

around it because it really turned out so well I mean everybody loved it it's if people haven't checked it out they they must and not only for you as a director as a writer as a as a great acting role as well yeah I mean but I'm just curious like perspective on it now like what do you when you think back to that experience there's a lot I'm sure that that goes through your mind but was it kind of like as optimal a as possible or was it kind of a traumatic traumatic in its own way it was optimal it was optimal yeah It was magic and, like, exhilarating and fulfilling on every level, and it's why I wanted to do it again, you know?

And even after writing in a world and then starting this project, I didn't until I don't. Like, I just knew, I knew from, like, directing worst enemy even in writing that that, that I was already, like, sold. I was like, I got, I have a lot, I have a slate of things I want to do. I have all these ideas. I have a dry race board with, like, all these different. projects that I will just, and things add up there and then they get taken down, but like I now just have thing, you know, I'm just chipping away at that slate, you know, and, and the, my biggest, um, sort of, um, the thing that I want to adhere to is that I just will challenge myself with each project, right? So like this one, yeah, I totally took on like seven main characters and like, like, I took on a big subject, and I was like, oh, maybe I'll make it a little more, like, you know, I'll experiment with what it's like being a little more universal or commercial, you know.

And I don't want to make the same movie over and over again. I want to, like, try new shit, you know, and that's the whole, that's the privilege, right? Yeah. And that's how you learn, and that's how you grow. And, you know, and while it's doing that, you know, I get to, like, really unpack things that I'm thinking about and trying to understand more and more. it's like I'm married and now I have children you know like that's new you know so it just

you know I think of this movie as like chapter one to a lifelong investigation of relationships which will continue you know what's the best like happy accident from the from in a world do you think that you applied to this one was there because I'm sure you know you knew what you were doing you also stumble into things because like any director does yeah I mean trial and error I I am an avid like academic preparer, so I just, like, I, I knew even within a world that that was...

Does that mean, like, storyboards? Does that mean, like, storyboards, that means, like, copious amounts of notes in every department that are all sort of itemized and shot listed, and, you know... You didn't want to be the first-time director that's like, yeah, I've been acting for a while, I think I got this guy's. No, yeah, I'm like, but that's just not me. Like, I, you know, I love homework. I like to, you know, have my checklist.

I have, also, it's impossible to have fun if you're, if you're, if you're the writer, director, star, and producer, you, you're, and if you're still improvising on the fly, that's going to. Yeah, I mean, you need, like, copious amounts of blueprints and roadmaps so that when accidents happen and when you lose a location or when, you know, you know, you know, the light falls and breaks the thing, whatever it is, or the cops won't let you into the thing, you know, whatever the thing that happens on the day, you can then adjust. You have some brain power left. Yeah, and you have, you know, your plans are still there.

And so you can, you can problem solve far more efficiently and still have fun. So, you know, filmmaking is, you know, built into the, structure of that experience is accidents yeah and so you have to I mean for me I just can't be like ah we'll wing it like it's not fun for me that way it's only fun if I'm like deeply and profoundly prepared sounds like a joyous thing no no I get it I mean I'm curious like out of the the success of in a world you know I've had this discussion with a number of filmmakers I had Zoe Lister Jones in here recently and you know that that topic and in terms of opportunity for female filmmakers

came up in terms of a lot of independent. If it's a guy making an independent film has a success at Sundance, the old story now is that it's Jurassic Park. And if it's a woman, she may get another shop, but she's not going to, if she wants to direct $150 million dinosaur movie.

Do you think they're, in your own experience, I'm just curious, like, did you get in those rooms out of, in a world? And did you even want to be in those rooms still at least make your pitch for, I want to do Captain Marvel, I want to do whatever, or, or, yeah, I mean, I have been offered opportunities in the studio space, but they were only, they were exclusively female driven sort of watered down versions of previous successes.

So, you know, the watered down version of bridesmaids or the watered down version of whatever, X, Y, Z, you know, thing. Female-driven thing. But the truth is, is like, if I'm going to, if I'm going to spend years on a female-driven comedy, I'm likely going to want to write that, you know? So the appeal to, you know, the appeal of kind of rewriting someone's troubled or, you know, project that is like okay but like it's been done before so what do we and done great like why are we redoing it um you know was not as sexy to me you know um i think it would much cooler to do something

that i just would not have written right you know like a captain marvel or something where i'm just like oh that's cool like i i don't i that is not my wheelhouse for as a writer but like i feel very um you know that would be an exciting job opportunity yeah um but yeah it's not the, it is not the trend to hand, you know, a big studio picture like that to to a female director for some reason. I mean,

were you incurred, I mean, generally speaking, were you encouraged by opportunity or kind of the interest in you as a filmmaker out of, in a world? Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I think in both the acting space and the director space, you know, I

definitely, off of in a world, you know, I ended up, you know, getting to star in movies kind of for the first time, you know, which was very cool. And I, like, did that for myself, and that felt really profound, you know? And then I was offered, you know, as a director for hire, huge movies, you know, but not ones that I was like,

whoa, holy shit, I got to do this, you know. Not enough, because I think you just have to dedicate your life for an increment of time. And literally, it's dedicating your life to it in my, the way I do it. saying I don't I don't I'm just not cool enough to just like dial it in at this point you know like I it's hard work and I feel if you're gonna you know drop everything for two years or whatever you know you just it's a long time you know so you better really like love it and then

I had a kid you know I had a kid and I always think that plays into the female director thing which is like you know out of out of a large pool of of directors let's say a fourth of them or a third of them are female directors and then out of a third of that, half that and half of them are mothers, right? And then so it starts, you know, and if you're a mom, yeah. Yeah, it just, you can't be as prolific as a male director

because, you know, there are just requirements like when your baby first comes, right? Or at the end of your pregnancy when you're like, I can't even like be like, normal person, you know, let alone. So it takes you out of the game for an increment of time that

then, you know, look, I wish that being a mom and all the things that go with that was more normalized and sort of more kind of like accepted and not considered like almost like a sickness, you know, like she's got... She's suffering. Yeah, she's

safer. Yeah, exactly. Like, it's the kids. You know, it was just like normal and it's like, I don't have to child care trailer and that's just kind of how we do it. You know, I don't know. It just, it would be cool if that could just kind of shift. And turn to the system not maybe, yeah, yeah. It was just like super normal. Does it, does it bum me out that like, or is it encouraging that the, the conversation, I'm sure in a lot of your interviews, is about female filmmakers and where we're at and Wonder Woman, et cetera, and all the stuff. And the narrative changes every year

and sometimes, we have good years and bad years and hopefully there's a little progress, but certainly not nearly enough. Does it feel like, oh, God, I have to be like the representative of my entire gender, or is it like this is a good topic that we should be? I mean, I'm, you know, on the board of women in film, so I feel very, I'm fine with talking about it. And I think that, you know, it is a constant conversation

and should be because it's, you know, that's how we get closer to a tipping point. We're not there yet, you know. And I feel like, you know, characters and, roles that are up on the screen are starting to be, I think, in my opinion, this is me, but I think are feeling more interesting and more diverse and sort of exciting.

There are opportunities there. Certainly not all equal yet, but it's getting better. But behind the camera, it's still, there's a massive dearth of female creators and, you know, cinematographers. And there are tons of them out there. It's just, I don't know.

it's like it's all about those lists somehow it's like hard to infiltrate those lists you know because there's not just that even I mean directing is a major issue but it's probably the entire crew to cinematographers and production heads and all that I mean I try on like on my movies

it's just I definitely feel like I have half and half you know which is a huge which is not the norm it's not the norm and yet it wasn't even I mean in the independent film space it's not

it was not hard to do I was like oh yeah I'll have like you know a female first AC and like you know all the half of my even more maybe more than half of my production

department heads were or department heads in general were ladies it just it just they were just genuinely right for the job and I love female camera department you know

in general, I just think it's like good for the sort of vibe, you know, it's like, if it's all dudes, it's like, I don't know, this is a different, there's something like, I don't know, just feels, it feels right to me, like. I want to talk a little bit about one of my favorite shows ever that I've had a number of your co-stars on Children's Hospital. Yeah, yeah. I mean, any member of Children's Hospital is always a welcome here.

Okay, good. We've, of course, had cordy and Hubel and Shear and Megamal always been here, so just need to get the wink. and then we're going to, you know. And then you're good. Then we're good. Yeah, yeah. So if you could put it a good word in.

Aaron Hayes, Heuble. Hubell's been here. Okay, fine. Madman. Okay. Okay. So, but in terms of, it sounds like that, talk about like, has Marino been here?

Ken, Maria has not been here. Oh, that would be a good one. That would be a good one. Okay. Okay. So, but in terms of like collaborative environments, in terms of working with your friends, it's, that seems like that was like a very unique situation.

Yes. It was a very unique situation. where there are no rules there's no like logistic there's no like logic in in terms of just like the episode so anyone can come and go and just like you know

if you're like I'm shooting this thing like I can't be there this week they're like all right we'll just like write you to something else you know um you know we'll just give Aaron your lines this week like it's fine you know and it would just all of we're all we were all dear friends seven years

like total we just like won an Emmy on fart jokes you know what I mean it was just like it was the most delightful thing in the world we'd go to work and just act like 12 year olds and we just couldn't believe that we got to do it it was so counter to like there was nothing else like it on

television maybe on the internet maybe there was more of that vibe yeah well it started on the internet of course of course but like it was just so the absurdity level was like you know level 10 level 15 it made like airplane look like you know, Schindler's list.

I know. I miss it so. Oh my God. I miss it too. We all miss it. We're all just like, I mean, but I understand like why we had to kind of like move on, you know. But. Rob has to be a baller. He has to be a baller.

Yeah, he had to go be a baller. He had to go be a baller. But I know it couldn't be like the more opposite. So what was your comedy background going into that? I mean, I'm just curious because you have like your part of your persona now, thanks to that. and many other things is like your... Comedy stuff. Comedy gal. I know. I think it came...

Was that an accident or was that something that was always kind of like an aspiration? It wasn't like an aspiration or anything. It just was genuinely more fun. You know, I had been doing drama when I first, like, got off the boat in Hollywood. And, you know, I've been doing, like,

dramatic series stuff, you know. And I tried to get comedy auditions and they were like, yeah, but Lakeville, she doesn't do... She had a new comedy, and I was like, but like, what? Like, why don't I, did you, like, hear me out, you know? And so then, and then, of course, I got in the comedy space, and people are like, I don't know if she does drama.

And now I'm, like, sort of evened out. Right. Which is great. But, but, yeah, it was not, it wasn't, like, I didn't, like, set out to the intention. It just seemed really fun, and it was a part of me that it wasn't getting expressed. And I was, like, you know, the things that I would, like, quietly write were comedy. and um but i hadn't shared it with anyone until i like had something like legit um what where was your head out because i know you you did some training in london yeah i went to drama school in london but we did

like you know elizabethan like yeah all the classics how do they look on the americans that come over like are they like welcoming or do you feel like the odd man out in terms of like um you definitely feel like the odd man out i mean i was at a full-on british drama school conservatory and I was the only American there in the full course and they just were I was like the token American I mean it was just great I for and in the other classes too that were no American it was just and everyone's like oh did you like lose your accent and like sound British and I'm like no I sound like I'm more American if anything I was like hey guys how do you know like I was just like I don't even say howdy like what's up with that but I just became

So everyone, like, they're like, oh, you're from New York, so like, you're part of the mob or something, you know? And so I was like, yeah, I'm part of the mob, yeah, hey, you know. It was like, school-sizey, you know, like they had a real idea that I was, you know, I don't know, I like made up. From the Martin-Sper-Sizzi movie, yeah. Exactly. So I just, like, went with that.

But, yeah, no, I got some, like, razzing sometimes. And their whole, the whole sort of, like, cultural institution. of taking the piss, you know, I was the one to kind of hit with any American and arousing, so. So, and out of drama school, like, what was, where was your head

at and was, did you feel like the world was your oyster? Did you feel like, oh, God, this is I definitely wanted, I remember at, after the first year, because it's like a three and a half year kind of course. And is this one of those, because I've talked to people in

drama school, some of them, like, encourage you to work, and some of them don't like while you're at school yeah no they did not you're full on yeah you have to finish your training before you know take to the it was like you know a doctor wouldn't go and like take to the scalpel after uh you know i think i got this yeah it's and in england it's funny because in america it was like i was like oh you're an actor like oh geez so you're a waiter you know and in england it's like oh you're an actor you know it's like quite noble yeah it's very like noble and and sort of like honored you know sure um and so that was nice to have that kind of attitude towards it but so you know i remember going to hollywood um after the first year and like

getting a call you know i like somehow got an audition for the show felicity to be like a guest star and i thought i've made it because i got a call back you know and um and i wanted to like drop not go to drama school anymore and in this manager friend or whatever you know at the time she ended she was hip pocketing me at the time but my amazing manager

for many many years Johnny Burstein was like she was like you need to go back to drama school like just this is not the be all end all anyway so I didn't get the part and I went back to drama school and finished and it was tremendous it was more like an endurance test

you know I thought oh god like you know I'm 19 2021, I'm like giving up all my hot ears, you know, like, that's what I thought when I was a kid, you know. I was like, this is like my Hollywood moment, you know. But, and then I realized that that's not what it's all about. So, so it was great. You know, I think the, the training was really just like a discipline and also it was a tremendous tool. And what was the first job that made you kind of feel like I'm a working actor?

I've got my, yeah. The first job was. called war stories. It was... Oh, but this was the Jeff Goldblum. Yeah, the Jeff Goldblum. I see this like Jeff Goldblum thing here. It's very funny.

Yeah, so it was me and Jeff Goldblum, and it was like, you know, I had to like really jump through hoops and get called back a thousand times and, you know, screen tests with them and everything, and it was just, you know, now it's like, what is it? But it was this sort of backdoor pilot

that was like kind of like a movie for NBC. called war stories and it was I was played a war for like a sort of green war photographer against Jeff Goldblum who played like a seasoned photographer and like it was during a time right after 9-11

where it was like journalists were not again not a comedy journalists were viewed as weren't viewed as like oh it's like neutral territory you're a journalist you know it was kind of like you're American and you're a target and so it was a very controversial little show.

But, yeah, it was my first kind of, like, I had like a chair with my name on it, and I thought, oh, God, I made it. What was your Goldwynne's experience? He's amazing. Yeah, he's very charismatic. You know, he was, he's also, you know, he's a musician, but he's also kind of like an acting teacher at the Playhouse West.

So it was fun to be with him after, you know, we would kind of like rehearse and do, scenes from, you know, death of a salesman, you know, like, instead of, like, just, like, going to our trailers. We would, like, sit. I get that sense, because I've done, as you referenced, like, the weird silly thing on my wall,

we've done a couple sketches. He's one of those actors that, like, legitimately, like, like, he just, like, he, and he likes to play, I'm sure he played with you, where he plays with everybody, he plays, like, the movie game, like, in between takes. Totally. He's always, you know, sharpening his sort of wit

and like exercising that muscle, you know, that sort of like acting muscle, which is fun to be around, you know? It's like, and he's hilarious. There's only one. Yeah. Okay, so I'm curious, like, you know, looking at your filmography and you talk about like sort of opportunities out of, in a world in terms of also acting opportunities and you've gotten a chance to be the lead in some films.

I mean, it's almost, it is surprising to me that you didn't necessarily have a lot of those opportunities earlier on. Like you were the best friend. Yeah, at least a few times. I was a Burnett, yeah. Oh, yeah. Obviously, that's what you do. Yeah.

I was like the booby Burnett. Yeah, I get it. Yeah, I know. But do you get it or were you like, why do not I not get like a, at least a shot? Oh, yeah. I mean, I totally would be like, yeah, why don't I get a shot? I think I'm like totally. Like I would go up for things and I'd be like, I'm super right for that.

I do not know why. But I also understood that it was a business and that there's, you know, it's like I didn't have the queue, you know, or whatever. you know, to like, to be the starring person in things, you know? And I just was like, I don't know, I guess. You're too damn interesting. You have to be a little more down, more vanilla, please. Well, you know, I would audition for things and tell my agent that I was more interested in the character, you know, side part, you know, when I'd auditioned, when I was like super

young, like first coming out and they'd be like, go in for the ingenue, you know, and it'd be like you know Johnny that's just not what I'm thinking you know and I just was like uh Boresville USA like I was so much more interested in the like train wreck of a best friend or whatever because it's just more fun yeah so um so that was probably my own fault in some respects but um but that said uh you know I think you know I was always enamored with the idea of playing a multitude of different people and until characters you know you know, to get the kind of roles where you're really playing something interesting,

you have to be like at such a high level, right? Where you're going to get... Because even, like, there weren't that many roles for ladies, girls, really, that were, like, interesting, you know? So I thought, okay, well, for in a world, I want to play someone who's sort of, you know, self-deprecating and sort of, you know,

you know, finding her voice and, like, you know, flawed and, you know, messy, but kind-spirited, you know, but I just, I sort of created something that I feel like I had not had the opportunity to be in a lead role. Like, I wanted to see, you know, I had had side

character roles that I thought were really cool. I'd like to see a movie of them, you know? Sure, sure, sure. You know, but, like, I always talk to Liz Maryweather about, you know, and no strings attached. You know, the character she had written

for me that I got to play in that movie. I was like, I really want to know her. Yeah, like, I mean, me as the demographic, I would like to see her, you know, and her sort of weirdness, sort of trotting through life, you know? Sure. But, you know, and then with, with, I do until I don't, you know, it's like, again, this was a character that I feel like nobody would have put me in, you know, I would never get

cast as someone who was like, you know, meek and sort of lame. and, you know, inward and apologetic for the space she takes up and sort of, you know, layered with all these quirks and, you know, again, messy in her own way, you know. I don't know if this gets into dangerous territory, considering that your mom is sitting right behind you, but I'm curious, like, how much of your mom is in this film, or your dad? I mean, you talked about your dad in a world. There was some aspects of that you wanted to reflect. Yeah, I think, you know, unfortunately for my parents and for my family in general, you know, I do utilize my writing to kind of investigate and sort of build characters, you know, it's because it's the people I know the best in my world.

You know, with this character, I think, and with this movie, I always say, and I've told my mom this a million times, but it's more the visual. I like really pulled deeply from the visual I mean yeah yeah mom is in head-to-to-to-bege right now just eggshell um but you know that there was a lot of um there was like a visual thing and a specificity and authenticity to my mom's like way that I really want to that I've known for my whole life that I treat with great affection but that I can that I wanted to kind of embody for this character. My mom is not apologetic for the space she takes up, but the actual role in character was not her,

but how I sort of manifested her visually and sort of physically is very much my mom. Is making a film that investigates love and marriage and relationships good for a relationship and a marriage? Like, I mean, making a film is traumatic anyway. It's just like, it's a, it's a, it's a, of a challenge, let alone raising two kids. Yeah.

Did you find that sort of like one fed into the other a little bit? Yeah, I mean, look, I think, you know, my husband, you know, the good news is the movie ends with a beautiful and very hopeful message and deeply pro commitment, which I truly believe. And I do want to put that out there in the universe, given that it's what I hope for myself. and I want to sort of in this day and age of tension and a lot of angst, you know. I haven't noticed, really?

Oh, yeah, really? A lot of darkness. I do feel that I'm very proud that the movie is very light, is very like a light, sort of hopefully some modicum of a beacon of hope or something, you know, when it comes to just respecting my partner and being confident in that. kind of union, you know, that it's like, it's okay to be romantic. You know what I mean? Like, I'm not,

I used to be like, I'm one of the guys. Like, I don't want to, you know, think about romance, you know. And then I met my husband and I like, I learned a lot, you know, and it's not, especially right now, I'm like, that's kind of all you got is like what you got at home. You know, it's like turn into the one that you love and be confident that, um, the, you know, the growth and, the growth and the evolution that you can kind of be privileged to receive from that relationship, you know, and to, yeah, it's just that, that for me became really a learning curve, really. Yeah. Where are you at right now is you're like in the finish home stretch of promoting this one?

Yeah. Because of two very young kids. Yes. Are you actively trying to get the next project going? I know you were going to, there was that Noah Baumbach one. I don't know if that's still even out there. I know. I love that movie, The Emperor's Children. It's like independent movies.

We lost our financing. And that's like, isn't that's what's so crazy about it? It's like a Noah Boundback script and like imagine entertainment. And yet still we were cast and ready to go, but we have like shady dudes. Yeah, I was like, what are these people? And I'd say it out loud because I'm like, you guys suck. Anyway, that whole thing fell apart because of them. But I love that movie and maybe it'll come together.

But no, I am totally stoking all kinds of different irons and different fires. And that's kind of how I roll. And I like not knowing what the next thing is next. It's kind of exciting. And I know, like, I can kind of envision what things will kind of come to fruition first, you know. but I tend to multitask as I do within a project. I like to do that also in creation. Are they much different kind of projects?

Yeah. Very, very different. I have a feature director-for-hire kind of vibe that I've just rewritten a couple of times that I will take on a bigger movie. Very different than anything I've ever done. And then I have another project that I'm writing. But I'm a slow poke when I write.

so I just, like, write to still enjoy it, you know? So I'm like, I don't have the timeline, you know. So that'll happen, you know, in future. So I'm researching that. And then, yeah, some other, some other projects that we cannot discuss. Well, you're welcome any time. I'm sad that we've lost a New Yorker and you. I still want to be on this list.

You can still be on my New York board. You can be in the LA board. You do sketches where? Like, like, around here. Where are you looking, like, in the office. In the, but like, I could, you know, I come and then, you come by, you'll be here. I can virtually do it. I'll go out to L.A. a fair amount.

We'll do something silly. All right, let's do something. We'll get the Children's Hospital team back. Oh, my God. Come on. No brainer. Listen, I'll call these guys right now. One of the great, uh, unerered bit, I think the only unerered sketch we ever did was

with Cordry that was just, uh, it was so brilliant, but it was probably politically incorrect. I'll tell you after off my, it was a mistake. There's, we had a lot of those. But it was all my, I take the blame. All me, not Rob. Rob delivered. But congratulations on the film. I'm such a fan of your work. In a world, it was wonderful.

And I do until I don't. It's out now. Everybody should check it out. And as I said, you're welcome anytime. Thank you so much. We did it. We did it. And see you.

And so ends another edition of happy, sad, confused. Remember to review, rate, and subscribe to this show on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm a big podcast person. I'm Daisy Ridley, and I definitely wasn't pressured to do this by Josh. Goodbye, summer movies, hello fall. I'm Anthony Devaney.

And I'm his twin brother, James. We host Raiders of the Lost Podcast, the ultimate movie podcast, and we are ecstatic to break down late summer and early fall releases. We have Leonardo DiCaprio leading a revolution in one battle after another, Timothy Chalmay playing power ping pong

in Marty Supreme. Let's not forget Emma Stone and Jorgos Lanthamos' Bugonia. Dwayne Johnson, he's coming for that Oscar. In The Smashing Machine, Spike Lee and Denzel teaming up again, plus Daniel DeLuis' return from retirement. There will be plenty of blockbusters to chat about two. Tron Aries looks exceptional, plus Mortal Kombat too,

and Edgar writes, The Running Man, starring Glenn Powell. Search for Raiders of the Lost Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.