Happy Sad Confused - Lauren Cohan

Episode Date: August 14, 2018

Please excuse Josh and his guest, Lauren Cohan, if they're a little punch drunk on this episode of "Happy Sad Confused". Chalk it up to a post Comic-Con fog but for you lucky listeners that means an entertaining chat and the debut of Lauren's unusual new catch-phrase, "You're gonna know it!". Of course it's not all fun and games when it comes to the subject matter of Lauren's intense new action movie, "Mile 22". She gets to kick ass alongside no less than Mark Wahlberg in this one. She also reflects on her incredible run on "The Walking Dead" and what the future holds for her character and her career! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Eligibility restrictions apply. See Golden Nuggett Casino.com for details. Please play responsibly. Today on Happy Seek Confused, Lauren Kohan goes from The Walking Dead to the Big Screen by kicking ass in Mile 22. Hey guys, I'm Josh Horowitz. Welcome to the show. Welcome to Happy Set Confused. Welcome to the podcast where I talk to some of the finest actors and filmmakers out there today.

And welcome to Lauren Cohen. Hey, Lauren. Hopefully you're not listening to this. That'd be weird. But Lauren is the guest on this week's show. She is a first-time guest on Happy Sank Infused. Big fan of her work. On The Walking Dead, that is the show that really has boosted her career in recent years and has certainly given her new opportunities like Mile 22. This big screen, lean, mean action thriller starring none other than our favorite, strange best friend of mine. Not really. we do have a strange bond, Mark Wahlberg. Mark collaborates with filmmaker Peter Berg. I believe it's their fourth big screen collaboration. And this one, unlike the last view, is not based, in fact. This is pure fiction and just meant to thrill and entertain you, and it does a very good job of that. It is a muscular, nasty kind of piece of action movie as only Peter Berg can do and only Mark

Holberg can deliver. And Lauren is a very key part of the ensemble of this film along with Ronda Rousey. John Malkovich is in it. Lots of action. Plenty of bang for your buck. Go check out Mile 22. It is out in theaters this Friday. And of course, Lauren and I talk a bunch about Walking Dead and the new opportunities at her feet now in her career. Because as you may have heard, she may not be in every single episode of Walking Dead going forward. Yes, shed a tear. But the good news is she's got a new TV show she's working on. I plead for ABC coming this fall. She will be in The Walking Dead several episodes of that.

And she's got cool new movies like Mile 22. So it's all good, guys. Fear not. Don't worry. What else to update you on? Oh, big news. Big, big news. Sammy will be happy to hear this.

She knows it. I saw Mamma Mia. Here we go again. I'm going to save the bulk of that conversation for once Sammy's around because I know she wants to really get into it. But I felt like everybody was talking about it, and I needed to get in on the zeitgeist movie of the moment, Malamia. And you know what? It's fun.

It's fun. It is what it is. It delivers what you want out of it. Like I said, I'll hold my thoughtful, extensive review for when Sammy is around. Beyond that, I remain a big fan of Black Klansman if you're looking for a provocative yet entertaining piece of cinema, the latest from Spike Lee. And I would also recommend this Friday in limited release, I believe, is a great new movie. I saw at Sundance starring Rose Byrne and Ethan Hawke and Chris O'Dowd called Juliet Naked. And it's, I believe it's based on a story by Nick Hornby, and it's delightful.

I'm going to check it out again because I thought it was especially a great palate cleanser at Sundance because it was not like everything else. It wasn't not a sad relationship drama. it's kind of more in the rom-com side of things. Though, you know, we're not talking how to lose a guy in 10 days. We're talking Nick Hornby rom-com. So, sophisticated, smart, and funny, and sweet. So I definitely recommend that one. Juliet, Naked, seek it out.

And I think that's all for my recommendations this week, except my last important recommendation. Listen to this podcast. And remember, to review, rate and subscribe to Happy Sack Confused on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts, spread the good word, and enjoy this conversation with the lovely and talented Lauren Cohen. There's no official introduction, Lauren. We're just doing this.

Do you feel it... I prefer that. It just started. Yeah. I thought it started five minutes ago when I said, can I go to the bathroom and can I have a glass of water? Yeah, we got that gold on tape too. Yeah, good.

It's good to see, how you doing? I know. I'm good. How are you doing? I'm doing well. We both, I think, just survived Comic-Con. I was going to ask you. I missed you there.

But, yeah, I don't know about you, but it took something out of me. It always takes a little something out of me. I think it kind of, it dries your throat out. But it affects you in a way that you don't expect, and it's incredibly exhilarating the whole time, and then you just sort of get home and hibernate. Yeah, it's just a lot. It's just like, I mean, from both ends,

from my end of things and yours, like it's just a lot of sensory input. And, you know, for you, they're running you around for me. I'm like basically sitting on a couch for three days talking to like 800 people. So it's like mental gymnastics. Trying to keep your energy high for each person. And the same for you to try to deliver like you don't want to, you know, you want to give everybody what they need. Yes.

So that takes a mental, if not a physical toll. Yeah. I think it's honestly, like I do run on adrenaline when I'm there and you do get excited. I think the best part about Comic-Con is that, you know, You know, you're doing all the funny media stuff, but you're also meeting the fans, which is really the point of Comic-Con. Yes. And I'm so glad that we, I mean, specifically with Andy, that we sort of like save certain announcements just for the fans, because it really does feel like as big as it is. It's kind of like our sacred space with our fans.

But, yeah, you're kind of, yeah, I feel in many ways you get like rejuvenated by meet and greets and then do. And then you go walk into like a weird, like, the Yahoo suite where you have streamers or something. something like you're doing your like props or you're in crazy heels on the boat's rocking and on on the each whatever the yacht is and right the iMdb thing yeah yeah yeah so we need to get a boat one of these years they just keep me like like in a windowless cloistered yeah basically i've never i've gone years without going on into the convention floor no complaints it's great i was going to say that doesn't sound so bad no it's not so bad yeah yeah um yeah what was the first did you go immediately after you joined walking dead um yeah the first i think is the first one i did

No, the first one I did was San Diego Comic-Con. And then the same year I did, or I guess it would have been the following winter. We did the New York Comic-Con. Yeah, but the first one was San Diego, and that was, you know, the best thing that Andy said to me, actually, Andrew Lincoln said was, we've done the work, we've made the show, just dared to be boring. Because when you sit there and you really try to sell something that people already love, it's just forced. It's not necessary.

And it was a relief. I think he really said it more for my benefit just to kind of calm my nerves. It's like we don't need to go up there and be sensational, you know? We're just, it's just our time to connect. So you're going to be super boring the next 35 minutes is what you're telling me?

I'm hoping that without being on camera, maybe it won't be, yeah. I just need you to do wacky voices, impressions. Well, okay. Yes, God, it's cut it in the first five minutes. Now we're good, now we can relax. So, yeah, we've never had this kind of time to talk.

So there's a lot to talk about. I saw Mile 22 yesterday. That kicked off my day in a very intense way. Oh, my God. We'll get into that in a second. But let's just, since we have some time, let's talk background. Okay, so where'd you grow up? I grew up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

And if the trailer announcer was doing this, it'd be like, she's a child of two worlds. Right? So you move to the UK, what, when you're like 13, 14? 13, I moved to the UK, yeah. My mom is British. My dad is. not British, American?

So the perfect age for any kid to move is when you're right, like, just smack dab getting into your teenage years. Yep. That's not traumatic at all. No, you almost sold me on the idea when I took it as sincere. I was like, yeah, wait a second. Yeah, why didn't I like it? No, just kidding.

Was it a shock to the system? I think it was a, I'm not going to lie, I was dragged, kicking, and screaming to move. And then ultimately glad that we did. but it's funny as time goes on too and as you sort of see things in perspective of being glad for the exposure and for becoming adaptable because of it it makes me feel differently about that time

but the truth was like didn't want to go felt really attached to my life obviously you're a teenager and you're building your roots with your friends and your hobbies and then and I see the whole thing I almost remember that whole time period as I'm sure we can all kind of relate to in the pictures that I took to that,

and then building the stories around like, oh, that friendship group, oh, you know, school uniform versus, like, the way that I dressed as a 13-year-old in America, which is so funny because I have a friend with an Instagram feed that one post she made was compared 14-year-olds of her generation, our generation, and 14-year-olds of today,

and how much more put together 14-year-olds are right now because, like, the one drawing was, like, braces, acne, bad-haired eye, overplugged eyebrows and east pack with puffy paint um you know the whole the gamut of uh of of teenage adventure it's like all for a glorified photo shoot at all times today is refoto ready i'm just like whoo no thank you so what was life like uh in new jersey like up until 13 uh were you coming into the city a lot like what were you no i was in new jersey i was totally a suburban kid we had um a house with the yard that backed up onto the swim club which was a dream it was a dream it was just like a little swim club kid.

And I had three, I still have three younger siblings. My parents separated and they made two families. So we have five younger, I have five younger siblings in total. But yeah, so just like a really, really cool upbringing. You know, my best, my neighbor was my best friend. We'd walk to school together. It was, you know, regular. Did you fit into the stereotype of like oldest child?

Like usually that's the responsible one over a child. achiever a bit or I yeah well okay or maybe I've got the wrong stereotypes you're not you're not it's they're both really two provocative adjectives so the first one I think I felt I was responsible which translated to just kind of bossiness when I was a teenager and a young teen yeah um which my siblings can all attest to and then um oh overachiever definitely I think I'm just starting to give myself a break on what I consider an achievement right um um Um, and relaxing a bit more about what that has to be and look like and everything. Healthy?

Yeah. Healthier? Yeah. Totally. Give yourself a break. Yeah. Like if you're not enjoying it, then it's not an achievement. Right.

Right. Right. So what, how did that manifest early on if it wasn't, I assume it wasn't acting at first? Like what was it competitive? Was it in sports? Was it in? I'm just going to keep talking about swimming. Welcome to Swimcast.

Yeah. Swimming. And spelling. I was a little spelling bee kid. Competitive? Like the whole like spelling bee thing? The spelling bee people. Yeah, yeah.

That's an interesting world. I think I only did one bigger competition, but I was sort of like a, you know, it was just an obsessive reader and spell checker with my work at school. I mean, it was really cool. But I am proud of that, actually. One thing that was funny that I remember

was going to the book fair at our school and trying to read a babysitter's club book that was out of my age range and charming. the bookseller to let me buy it, even though it was, you know, and she probably didn't want that because of the content, not because of the grandma.

It was like, I don't think you're ready for this one. You're not ready to talk about second base. I'm totally ready with me do. Yeah, exactly. My mom insisted that I got this one. It's for the vocabulary, not the sexual content. Yeah, exactly.

Not the stories about boys. Yeah, so, but that was the, what was the other thing? I was just going to say about, oh, it was swimming and spelling and... Another S? Swamy, Sampsonite. I was way off. Good call back.

I can say, you moved to... Where did you move to in London? Was it... Yeah, in Surrey. So we moved first, and we went to an American school, and then... But that was only for a short amount of time. We actually lived in this little bed and breakfast in Isha. Isha.

and then we moved to and then we moved to Webridge and then my parents, when I was in university, started to move to Spain. And then I stayed in England. And did, so, I mean, it's curious because like even today, accent-wise, you're like, you're somewhere in between, right?

Like you can hear it in some places and not and you can, I guess, like, toggle the dial where you need to. Yeah, it's the temperature in the shower dial, basically. So is it kind of, kind of the classic thing where, like, if you're around Brits, it goes up, or if you're here. When I even think about the time period in which my accent transitioned, my accent transitions. Like just then, when I was thinking about the towns and when you first move there and what you say,

and then going in, like, just the piecemeal kind of morphing that happened between 13 and 25 or whatever it was. Yeah. And so we're, okay, so those are key ages of 13 and 14, like, especially, like in a lot of different aspects. Um, let's talk like from pop culture sensibility wise. Like, were you kind of like a weird amalgamation of American and British TV? Like, what were you into back then? Yeah. I think, um, were you watching Saved by the Bell or Dr. Who? Like, you know, like, yeah, I wasn't, I, I think pot of also being the oldest child. I was not really allowed to watch that much TV. Yeah. And then, of course, all the rules change. No sugary cereal or TV cut to.

The youngest kid, whatever the heck you want to do, which I understand. Just figure it out. Yeah, just eat. What's the worst that could happen? I know. Now, you sent me on attention if the worst thing can happen. Yeah, so we had, I was more thinking about bands. I was thinking it was just like Alonis Marset, Nirvana, all these different things.

And then when I got to England, the TV shows, I remember just neighbors was like the after-school soap. And then television shows. I actually, like, even when I was in the USA, I read a lot of Enid Blighton at my mom's suggestion and insistence because that was, her upbringing was English. And then I remember still, like, reading a lot of that when I came over. And then in television terms, loving, like, the BBC dramas. Like, I really got into that pretty quickly.

Gotcha. And I'm just blanking on everything right now. But. And what about, I mean, do you have earliest memories? Like, were you into, like, film at or going to the movies, or was, did that kind of come with the love of acting? Like, did that kind of, like, inspire you to kind of go out and seek that stuff out?

Probably, oh, man, I was, for some reason, in this moment as a kid, all I can remember is The Little Mermaid. And that was... If you want to start singing. Yeah, right? This stuff, isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think, Mike? Anyway.

She did just see me in girls, so she's got musicals on the brain. And I did just see mean girls. I have musicals of the brain, yeah. No, but I think I had definitely, I just didn't. I didn't grow up feeling like I was super exposed to film and television. And I wonder in a way if that makes it all the more fun now because I really feel like I'm always kind of unveiling more things that I hadn't. Right.

You know, I went through this phase probably like a lot of people when I was 21. where I went and watched all every TCM movie you know what I mean I just like I felt like I imbibed the classics in in in a in a heavy sense yeah I did that one I remember I did like the AFI top 100 list like one like summer I was like I'm just gonna like go through this yeah yeah yeah and it's funny because now I have this time off and I have a few weeks until I have to go do something else and I was like all I want to do is like go in the pool and watch movies and have an actual summer because it's summertime and I was like this is just like, you know.

This is a strange thing to actually have time on your hands and not be focused on the next thing. You have a second to breathe? Yes, a second to breathe. And for a hot second, well, people that know we will laugh. Well, you're going to the TV show really soon, the new show, I would imagine. We start in, I have to be there about the end of August and that we start filming at the beginning of September.

So it's going to be, and then from then it's about seven months straight of, you know, and it'll be more of workload because the. There's already only five central characters in the whole show, and Scott and I are going to be doing a lot of, a lot. So this is Scott Foley. This is Whiskey Cavalier, which has maybe the best title of the fall for TV show. Is that a character in the show?

Is that the organization you work for? What is Whiskey Cavalier? That's a character in the show. So we all have code names, and Scott's character, Scott Foley's character is Whiskey Cavalier. Will Chase is his name, and then my character is Frankie Trowbridge, and her name is Fiery Tribune.

And so it became this funny game of like taking people's initials. So you're Josh Horowitz. So just hot cakes or something because clearly I'm really good at this game. Maybe I was not meant to be a spy is my takeaway. Or no, justice. Justice would be a good thing in there. I clearly am a Justice hotcakes. That's my stripper name, by the way.

Justice Hotcakes. That was my previous life. Very unsuccessful. Yeah. We'll work on it up. Give it up on the main stage for justice, upcakes. Anybody? No?

Okay. He'll try again tomorrow. Yeah, exactly. He'll be back. Yeah. Wait, what the hell were we? For justice. Exactly.

Give me off. So, okay. So when did acting enter the picture? Is this in high school? Is it just like a frivolous thing at first or what? I auditioned for Bugsie Malone in high school, and I, got a pot in the chorus and uh i i don't remember what i saying either saying a coat commercial

or a maria carry song or little mermaid actually ironically enough but i just remember i distinctly remember deciding between the three of them anyway so uh or thinking about the three of them i obviously don't remember the decision so they're all the same basically they're all the same basically um and then in university i did a lot of plays and that was eye-opening to me because i had basically I studied English, drama, and psychology. And I studied drama more from the academic side of things. And then auditioned for plays also and thought, oh, this is fun. And when you're actually like thrust into the moment, you sort of, it's freeing and you just react and have, you know, as anybody who's done anything live would attest to, it's a rush.

It's a rush. Yeah. And you can kind of definitely get bitten by the bug. or bite the bug, as I like to say incorrectly. You had it right, and then you went back and said, but I'm going to say it the way I usually say it incorrectly now. You got through it. Cut yourself a break.

It's okay. I can't. I'm a first born. Three days ago, I said this incorrectly. I'm just going to remind people in case they weren't around. If you weren't witnessing the mistake, you get it now. Did you, I mean, was there immediate kind of gratification and success? I mean, did you have kind of like that?

validation from people early on? Because that often spurs people on. I had validation from my director on a mollia play that we did. And she said, she said, I never pushed you in rehearsal. I'm going to push you now. Because once we did our opening night,

there were things that she had wanted to see in rehearsal. I was understanding her and I was hearing her, and I was just sort of digesting all of it. And I think when it came to opening night, the whatever it is that happens, when live performance happens, that just kind of clicks. And then you're like, oh, this is what it is.

why and you know um so that happened and that was a really good experience and i mean the the amount of like tomfoolery and accidents that happen in in in live theater is so fun and i just haven't done it in a really long time now is what i'm reminiscing in my mind but um is there is there is there a is there a like a a fondness for that you like that again that kind of living on the edge of live theater where anything can happen that's Where costumes full of pot, where people miss their lines, where you miss your line, where you are laughing at something and you just lose, you know, totally corpse. It sounds like you're kind of at, right, exactly. So you're a stage where you're kind of like romanticizing that, which might have been stressful at the time, but also cool.

But now it's like, that'd be kind of cool at some point to do again, I would imagine, right? Thousand percent. And I do look at the, it's a feat. You know what I mean? Like when I go and see a show now, I'm like, wow, that's so much energy. and sustained energy over long runs and it inspires me but most of all

it just impresses the hell out of me I've been talking about this because I've seen a couple of like epic productions recently I saw like Angels in America right Oh I want to see it so bad It's amazing And it's like seven and a half hours And it's like it doesn't even like

You know sometimes like you can You know as it With someone that's acted a little bit For silly sketches here and there You can watch somebody be like Okay I can see how I could approximate whatever But it's like then it's like a superhuman feat You go to another level.

Yeah. It's like, I don't even know how you can put all of that into your body and brain. Yeah, these repertory, or like with his doc materials that I saw that in London. I just remember thinking, like, how do you keep it all in your brain? And then there's the beautiful part when you watch a play too, where you just think, like, you know, I don't have to remember the continuity because I just get to live it from start to finish and, you know, be surprised every night by new things we find. And, you know, that's obviously upside.

but I am always really, really wowed by the energy. Totally. Yeah. Okay. So first film, correct me if I'm wrong, that's Casanova? First film is actually Alexander the Great from Macedonia. Okay. Yeah, it never came out.

There's a reason. I felt like there was a, I was not being good at my job for once. No, no, no, no. This is fun. Yeah. What's, that was not the, uh, overstone Alexander. No, but it was created at the same time. I think there was a third Alexander themed.

I do remember there were competing products. Yeah, but it was never, I say there was a reason because it never came out, so it's not like, it's unfinished. But I'm sure it will find its way out because it's, there's a couple people in there that have now become a little bit well known. Who's in there? Sam He was in there. I'm seeing Sam next week. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bring it up.

I definitely will. I'm writing this. Oh, I definitely will. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But we had, you had a really good time. See Sam as a Batman on stage ever? No, I know Right

Amazing Okay, so that one Sadly never saw the light of day I'm going to start digging it up right now After this interview I shouldn't have said it actually I'm going to get on the internet And talk to some people

But Casanova's cool I mean that's Lassie Holstrom Of course Heath What do you remember of that production? The first day Definitely the first day We shot in Venice Italy

Just to be clear California's lovely too Yeah, yeah, it is And we The first day was You know, in the scene I'm sort of this like nun that gets this night out This sort of secret night out with Casanova

And it was so much fun I basically was just fed like Sweet treats by Heath Ledger And it was a dream for any actor You know what I mean? But getting the pot was super excited It was that moment of, like, when I had the phone call, I jumped on my bed. I screamed and squealed and jumped on my bed.

And, yeah, I don't know. It was, it was really fantastic. And I remember when I auditioned for the movie, I went and did my tape and the costume director, Priscilla Jones. I had, like, a little bit of a snagletooth on the bottom of my mouth. And she sent me to her dentist. And she said, go and fix this and come back to me this afternoon. And so I had like the quickest dental work you've ever seen. She's like, this is, this is, you know, it's a Disney movie and it's for America and da-da-da-da.

And so I did. And it was so surreal. And then I booked the movie. And I'm sure it wasn't just because of my dental work. But it was kind of like, my fair lady, it's like, I mean, we're going to have to make you over just a tiny bit to turn you into the movie star. Yeah. It was one little imperfection. Yeah.

But it was cute because it was sort of really distracting and I don't know if it matters now. I definitely don't have perfect teeth, you know? I was going to say, it's hard for me to talk to you right now. I know, because it's just like monstrous in front of me. Yeah, I know. Uh-huh. Heath was a lovely person. I had a chance to chat with him, sadly, just a few months before he passed.

And you could even sense there. He was just like a fascinating, thoughtful guy. Really curious guy, too. and really playful. Playful is like the best way I feel to describe him in my experience with him on that movie because he was so, I don't know, I just always felt like he was like running from Lassa,

running back into the scene, had another idea, warm, just as everybody knows, just like a really warm and beautiful man. Yeah. Yeah. Probably just as many fond memories for Van Wilder, The Rise of Taj. You're gonna, yeah, you're gonna know it. I don't, you're just,

You're going to know it, Josh. You know it. I'm just going to say that the British thing. Yeah. I'll be correcting that one in tomorrow's podcast interview. She's doing a lot of press guys. The caffeine's kicking in. It's okay.

You're going to know it. If not today. I'm going to start to use it. Oh, yeah. Everybody's doing it. Ormond, says it all the time. It's so fetch. It's so fatch.

Anyway Oh my goodness Fond memories of Van Lauer That was another one with fond memories Yeah it was really cool We shot part of the movie in Winchester Which is where I had like almost just graduated college Right

And so a lot of people who were background artists on this school Were people that were two years below me in school Or who were aspiring actors And we're like, I go to school here I was like stay at school So it was cool And Cowpen is awesome And we had fun

Yeah Yeah Yeah So you know By this time like You know you're getting steady work it seems like You're bouncing around

Different TV shows and stuff A couple films here and there And just jumping ahead Like where were you at When Walking Dead Comes around Were you in a good place Were you up for a lot of cool things

Did that like did that feel like This is gonna do it This is gonna change things Where was your head? I'd been enough I'd been I guess through the process enough to know to not rely on anything

maybe I hadn't fully actualized that information or that fact but I sort of thought like kind of just try and do that throwing it away thing like when you leave an audition and you try not to and this was actually not even an audition in a costing office because I was in I was home at that time I was in England

and I when I did the very first tape and then I did a callback tape for it and I was at a wedding in Ireland in Kilkenny and so there was even more reason to make the tape and throw it away and get on with life and go and go to the wedding and the party. So I did that and I had done like some recurring guest stars a number of things with the CW and some fun one-offs here and there but I hadn't and had done a pilot that could have been a long-running thing and I was going to say I love just like the log line for I noticed Heavenly

which is just like a classic like crazy TV. show like logline it's like you what was it was like a partnership it was an angel law for it it was I don't even know let's make it up though it's it's you were an attorney I believe that was teamed up with an angel right basically yeah I mean everybody wants to watch it I will say though I was like kind of laughing at it first and then I noticed that Mimi leader like directed the pilot who's like a serious director so uh it sounds cool actually we were really honestly surprised that it didn't get but I mean that was also the first pilot I had ever done so I was just like, cool, so we make pilots and then they go to series?

And that's how it was fun. See in six years and then we... Yeah. And it was a great experience. Where do we? Oh, we shot in Vancouver. But yeah, so that was super fun. And then so when walking down, and I think that that sort of prepared me and conditioned

me for like, okay, cool, so don't head on to it. And, you know, this is just another thing. But I do remember distinctly that when I read the sides that I got for Maggie, I thought, this is easy. And I didn't kind of overthink it, for one. and I sort of absorbed it really quickly and put it away and it made a lot of sense to me and it piqued my interest and I didn't know the first season at that point and so I had made this tape and it was Frank Darabond who how can you not be incredibly inspired and so I just sort of felt like okay well at some on some level at that point it either is or it isn't with with characters I started to get that and I had you know my aunt and uncle who I had stayed with in L.A. when I first moved there where like it's a numbers game people say it but it's really true and it really is and you just got to just keep kind of going so anyway when walking dead happened it did come as a

really nice surprise and then there's always these kind of like slow and then accelerated parts of audition processes and that was one that had a really you know a couple callbacks yeah I say callbacks remotely with tapes and then this really accelerated sort of end period where they were like we're going to bring you in chemistry test with Stephen and we're going to fly here and do and I was like, okay. And I said, no, we're going to fly you to Atlanta and you're going to play the role and we'll see you the day after tomorrow. And I was like, we're going to start 306 hours after that. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Had there been, was there one that like you had put a lot of hopes and dreams on before Walking Dead that felt like that was going to be the one that

audition was? Yeah, I felt a little bit. I can't even tell you if there was one, but I did feel a bit worn down. I remember reading, I don't remember if it was Amy Adams or someone else I really admire who talked about thinking about leaving. And I look back now and I'm like, why you're a baby then? You'd barely been doing it any amount of time. And you were like, I'm going to stop with this, you know, pursuit of this business. And it's like you, you just like put your baby toe in the door, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, but I did at the time feel some sense of like, oh, this is hot. It's crushing sometimes. But it's

a crazy business that's just built on like even the most successful actors in the early going are rejected 90% of the time. And it's just like you have to have it's easier said than done. As you've been saying like you have to at a certain point for self-preservation let it go or else you're going to drive yourself

insane. And to not take a personal and it's going to compromise your own work too. You're going to get in your own head too much and the whole thing about acting right is to kind of just like be relaxed and if you're always thinking like wait, should I have, do they need a blonde or brunette? I mean, you know, it's like all, that's all going to operate against you. There's a really funny thing on YouTube.

I think it might even be called The Audition, and it's this girl, and she goes in, and they say, oh, we were looking for somebody with short hair or with this hair with this. And in the video, she just starts, like, just shaving her head and cutting your head, and it's really funny. Sounds disturbing, too. Yeah. And then also in Mulholl and Drive, the way Naomi Watts has, um, her audition scene and her struggle, it's like, ah, it's like almost like, oh, it's,

it's uncomfortable because it's so real and it's just, right. There's a reason why that's like a horror movie. When I look back on like the desperation that you felt of like, how can I be? What do I do? What do you need? And then it's like, oh, my God. Amazing. Yeah.

So you joined Walking Dead season two. And by that time, already like, I mean, it's been well documented. There was some tumult in that on that thing, from Frank leaving, et cetera. Well, that was the episode I started. Oh, really? Was when it happened. So booked the gig, went to the show, moved to Georgia, and then I was just sharing the story this morning. It was like two days in.

And we were all kind of like, what? Yeah. So, yeah, so that's kind of weird because, like, did it feel? And it's a show that, like, I guess by its nature has a cyclical aspect to it. People leave the show. People die. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it's also happened behind the scenes a bit, too.

too, right? There's been kind of an evolution of the showrunners, et cetera, over the years. Has it, I mean, you know, you have little to compare it to because you've never been on something of that scale and for that duration. But is your sense that Walking Dead in most respects is going to always be a unique experience for you? I, first I want to speak to the cyclical thing because you just sort of made me think that much, the same way that you know Andy has been has given everything

to the show for so long it's such a huge beast yeah it really isn't something that I think one person could take and lead

and sort of spearhead for such a sustained period of time and I think that's really also the case with our showrunners because you see

I mean it's it's this it's beautiful it's like we get to like turn page in this universe. I mean, it really is. Just turning another page in the universe.

And then, oh, now what was the second part of your question? No, it's okay. I mean, now you're getting at it a little bit. Just sort of like the nature of the evolution of the show with behind the scenes for the actors. It's a unique circumstance for any actor, I would imagine, to be part of something like that. Yeah, because you do sort of live it in real time.

Right. You live the conditioning to the style of, the show and the style of a of a of a drama like that the exposure that it has across the world the

I'm kind of missing my own point here no no no no I got you and I think part of it also is just the microscope you guys are under which you know goes into what should have been you know private conversations like were you taken aback when kind of like the renegotiation thing became a thing

and like I wasn't taken a back by, was I taken it back by the news about it? I think, I think for the most part, I just thought there's so many things, well, invariably as well, media and news is interested in, like, the funny parts of stuff, like, you know, what do you eat? Right. You know, what, what, what, what, what, how much weight do you lift and are you single? Do you plan on having a baby? Like, the things that really aren't about the job, that anything that I would assume to be uninteresting. is going to suddenly become really interesting. So that's not a surprise.

Yes. Because the mundane nature of a professional in any industry negotiating a contract isn't really that interesting, but it is interesting when it's a show that's that big and when it's somebody potentially leaving a show. So I was not surprised, but I feel like, yeah, I feel like that's the nature of the job, you know? Have you been shooting?

your episodes for this season already? Have you been... Yes, we shot... I think the show's now in episode eight. They're right in the middle of episode eight. Maggie's in this season through to episode six

that we know so far. I'm definitely keeping an open dialogue. We all are like... You know, I don't die, but... I hate saying that. Maggie doesn't pass away. Maggie goes on holiday. Yeah, yeah.

But there's the... Her presence is very much alive in the show. And people will see how we play with time and shift time, which was already the plan for season nine. And with such a huge breadth of new storytelling ways that Angela brings this year. It's funny, Andy and I both joked about this feeling right at the

beginning and how appropriate it was to... I mean, he's really leaving. He's really leaving the TV series. I must like emphasize that point. But to sort of start as you began. There's something sweet and complete about that. I caught up with two of your Mad Men co-stars, Norman and Jeffrey. They're psychologically unwell, as you know. Of course, of course.

They're not right in the head. Yeah. But they're a blast to talk to for me. Yeah, in the best way. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think they wear their sunglasses at like seven in the morning. They get up and they just put their sunglasses on. But they're also specs.

Like, I know Jeff's are actually his specs. So he's like, I'm not trying to be cool. I'm trying to actually like see. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, but they were saying exactly what you were saying. I think that Angela's brought like a new, interesting energy. Yeah, yeah, it's good. And it's good.

It's like everything's been good. What Scott did is beautiful. And then Angela brings it just to a, you know, and she's been with the show since the beginning. And she, what I really love is that I get to do so much with my co-stars that we were in separate camps kind of leading our separate camps for a couple of years. And now it's like, you know, let's bring all the leaders of the camp together for these sort of philosophical.

Head to heads. Let's talk a little mile 22. Yeah. The relaxing rom-com that is mile 22. Oh my God, Warren. Have you seen it? That woke you up yesterday, right?

Yes, I did. I saw Monday. Yeah, it's intense, man. It's like a lean, mean, like, it's funny in parts, but like for the most part, it's just kind of like a ride. Like, it's a relentless ride. It is lean. I like that.

It's like 9,500 minutes and I'm, that's like great. It's like my sweet spot for like, sometimes you can overstay, you're welcome. Yep. So, you know, I'm very familiar with all these guys. I have a very bizarre relationship with Mark Wahlberg. He's the most unlikely friendship in my life. Oh, fun. Because I have nothing in common with him whatsoever.

I know, because Mark is like that. He has this, like, his friend collection. I love it. I love the people that I meet through him that, like, turned up at set. It's like, this is a buddy of mine. I met him here. Not that you're bizarre, but, yeah, I hear what you're saying. I get it.

And he also keeps, like, friends from, like, this is my friend who's been my friend from this eight years old. He's going to be with me the rest of the shoot. Okay. So you, an intensely physical role, as you would expect from this kind of a film. Is that you being literally thrown against walls? There is some contribution, a very substantial contribution from Tamico Brownlee, who's my stunt. I don't even like saying stunt girl, stunt woman, stunt person.

Yeah. Well, it is seamless. I felt for you and your stunt person. But there's a ton of fighting that we do. the the choreography of that was um it's it's fun i've overused that word but the the the scrappiness of alice was the most kind of i don't even know the word for it but great to dig into because she has all these different fight styles but where we see her in that scene she's out of um weapons and options and

basically is sort of this feral animal. So getting to switch over into pure beast was what made us. I mean, we rehearsed so much, mostly just because it was kind of awesome. I got to do jujitsu and

all this different stuff that I don't get the chance to do and hand-to-hand combat, especially with somebody four times my size. Right. Salah, yeah. So it was bad. A memorable day. Yeah. I mean, and it's interesting, like, I mean, you've been, you know, Walking Dead takes a lot of time as well Whiskey Cavalier. So it's like you only have so many options, like just by virtue of time for what you can do in film. Yeah. And this is kind of one of the first kind of, I feel, like, high profile projects that you've been able to do, right? Yeah. Like, what, you know, what are you looking for? Like, because, you know, I can imagine, like, why they kind of came to you for something like this. But I also imagine you want to explore other sides. Like, what aren't you getting? What, Let's put the beacon out, the light out for the scripts that you're, the kind of parts that you're not receiving.

The thing appealing for me for Mile 22 was Pete's vision and I love his movies and I feel like to do whatever else I want to do, I want to be in safe hands to just to bring my strength and let go and know I'm going to be, honestly, to know that there's going to be an amazing picture at the end of it that I would want to watch. And it was so exciting. I mean, it was so exciting, the process of, like, reading that movie and think about that movie and making that movie. And I feel that sense of, you know, as action and intense driven, Mile 22 is, to get in the mindset of Alice, who doesn't have the liberty of any, this isn't just survivalism. This is literally, like, actively inhabiting. this very rigid mindset of negating, emotion, negating, all other parts of life, but still having to, you know, you have to tend to it,

but you can't let it overwhelm you. Yeah, because we're seeing even in the outset that she's living another life. Like, I mean, she's has a family life that she's trying to kind of somehow keep going. Yeah, yeah. At the same time, having this intense. And it was brittle. I mean, it's like, it's a brittle sort of rub to be in that space for the movie

and not to sort of, yeah, she just sort of like, it's tight and it's dry and it's funny and it's sharp and smart and all kinds of explores just so many things that I think the, yeah, I don't know, but to say like what else I want to do from there, it's like to inhabit, to inhabit a role. I mean, definitely to do comedy. It's always been amusing, no pun intended, to me that I do so much drama, but also a pleasure to discover that I can because it wasn't, you know, it wasn't sort of what lit the flame for me. The theater and the plays and stuff that I talked to you about starting with were all comedies. And it was, it's that improvisational nature that attracts me to projects. And the people, I mean, I honestly, I just, I love being in that nucleus. Like, I love being in the family unit where you just, like, you know you can just like, just kind of like throw it and bring it and not just to be in it, but to bring that and to bring that sort of safety net for all of your colleagues. And so in that respect, I feel that I, there's sort of no territory that I'm not interested in exploring. But, you know, costic, acerbic, witty drama would be, comedy drama would be great.

Well, look, your buddy Sam Hewain has done some really stupid sketches with me. So you're welcome any time if you want to tickle the funny bone and do something that will compromise your good image. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So you're starting up Whiskey Cavalier pretty soon. Yep. Shot the pilot, I assume. That's all. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, shot the pilot. We had a month in Prague. Beautiful Prague. And now we go and shoot the series. Yeah. Are you shooting it all over? Or are you shooting it? And it just looks so flipping cool that, um, that's going to set it apart immediately. That's great.

Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome. Um, well, it's been awesome to, to chat today. We've got mile 22. Everybody check it out. Uh, it's, it's like, you know, it's like, it's like, Mission Impossible without all that glossy stuff. It's like the real deal.

It is. It is. It's greedy mission impossible and funny. It is. It's got, yeah, it's got some relief in there, too. Um, you need it a little bit. Um, as I said, you're welcome here anytime. Thanks, Josh.

What's the new catchphrase? What's the, uh, I'm going to get you Sucka. No. Oh, you're going to... You're going to... You're going to know it. No.

That's Lauren Cohen with... You're going to know it. Her new single. It's good to see, Warren. Oh, you do. That's. 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. 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,

in early fall releases. We have Leonardo DiCaprio leading a revolution in one battle after another. Timothy Salomey playing power ping pong in Marty Supreme. Let's not forget Emma Stone and Jorgos Lanthamos' Bougonia. Dwayne Johnson'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 Ares looks exceptional. Plus Mortal Kombat, too. And Edgar Wright's The Running Man starring Glenn Powell. Search for Raiders of the Lost podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.