Happy Sad Confused - Lee Pace

Episode Date: May 30, 2014

Chance are you’re already a little obsessed with Lee Pace or at the very least, have a friend who is. We get it. Handsome, a little enigmatic, and an awesome actor known for projects like “Pushing Daisies”, “The Fall”, and now AMC’s “Halt And Catch Fire”, he’s always a compelling presence.  Enjoy this rare interview […] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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See Golden Nuggett Casino.com for details. Please play responsibly. Hey, guys, welcome to a bonus episode of Happy, Sad, Confused. Doesn't even the word bonus make it sound that much more exciting? The reason this is a bonus episode is every Monday we've been publishing a new podcast, and this one kind of fell into my lap a couple days ago, found out Lee Pace was going to be in town. For those of you that don't know, and if you're listening to this, you probably do. Lee is a great actor

who has earned a lot of acclaim on some big television series probably most notably pushing daisies. The film The Fall has earned him a following. He was in Lincoln. He's in Guardians of the Galaxy. And he is now, I should say he's

also in the Hobbit films. He is now starting in a new AMC show. I found out he was promoting it. I caught the pilot. It's really cool. It's called Halt and Catch Fire. It inherits that Mad Men Sunday night. time slot for AMC starting the Sunday.

It's well worth checking out. It's a really cool drama set in the early 80s during the PC Wars. And Lee's awesome in it. He's the leading guy in it. And he's an interesting character. I had never really spoken to Lee at any length. I mean, once or twice maybe on a carpet.

But when I found that he was available, I kind of jumped at the chance because he's a fascinating actor. and someone that doesn't do a lot of press there's kind of an air of mystery about him and you can tell from this interview I want to say he's wary but he's definitely soft-spoken and I'm proud to say I think we got him out of his shell a little bit

and he reveals what makes him tick to a degree and he comes across great he's awesome and I'm a bigger fan than ever and this like I said this series seems like it's going to be a cool one I've seen the first episode and the first season is 10 episodes long, and hopefully we'll continue much, much longer, because more Leapace is a good,

good thing. Before we play the podcast, I want to mention something about the audio. Maybe I'm just being anal about it, but the audio on these podcasts that I've been doing so far, they're not up to my standards yet. We're still tweaking with the equipment. I've got some new equipment, thanks to my friends at MTV, who've been very generous, and it's continually improving. We're going to get it to the state it should be.

so that you're not thinking about things like, why is it echoey? Why is Josh softer than the guest? But this one, I think, sounds a little bit better, and we're on our way to making it a little bit up to the lofty standards of my favorite podcasts. So anyway, as always, guys, hit me up on Twitter, Joshua Horowitz. Tell me who you want to hear from. Tell me what you think of the show so far.

Please subscribe on iTunes if you're digging it. And leave a comment, rate it, spread the word, And finally, God, I'm just like plug after plug, request after request. Check out all our stuff on MTV.com. There's a ton of great content there that we're producing every single day. My interviews, some great writers there with analysis and funny riffs on the biggest stuff in pop culture. So well worth your time. I hope you guys enjoy this.

If you're a Lee Pace fan, you're going to have a blast. Because like I say, he really doesn't do this kind of long-form interview ever. So this is a special treat. Uh, enjoy this episode of Happy Sake Confused with Lee Pace. I did. It's cute. It's something. Thank you. Yeah, really cool.

Where do you fit on it? I went into a lowbrow, brilliant. Which I think is, I think that's the best place to me. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. I would choose like a job. Yeah. Um, we can, we can literally dive in if you want, just like right now.

It's happening, it's happening as we speak, uh, thank you for just stopping like today. I really appreciate it, man. Thanks for having me. I got a chance to watch Halt and Catch Fire. What do you think? I liked it. I really liked it. It's got, you know, it comes with a good pedigree. AMC's been doing reasonably well, you could say. I'd say so. On the drama side. I watch.

I watch AMC. No, it's interesting because, like, you're somebody that I feel like, you know, arguably the television work is maybe what you've been most known for, maybe where you've found the most interesting, rewarding material? Is it something where you found, like, you like the lifestyle of television? You gravitate towards that format, towards building a character over many episodes, or?

I like to work, you know. I like to play interesting characters, so there's been some good opportunities that have come my way on television, but some great things, you know, with movies and theater, too. So it's hard to, do you pick a favorite? Yeah. There's no favorite children. Right, right. What's the initial appeal

with something like Halton Catch Fire How did it come your way? Oh, the character is fascinating. Yeah. It's a fascinating person in this world and the subject matters

fascinating and yeah, there are too many interesting things about this one not to jump on board if they would have me. So as we speak, I know the first episode's

going to debut in a couple days. I assume you guys have shot all 10. Yeah, yeah, we shot the whole season and it's interesting. at the I saw the pilot again recently and I almost don't recognize that character it's he

just the evolution over those first ten yeah I mean the impact of making this computer is transforming yeah you know on his character and the things that he that he is willing to do to make the computer happen I mean challenging to his morals

to you know other people it just comes a long, long way. So, yeah, let's set up the premise a little bit for people that don't know. The setting is, that's the thing that I'll first draw people in. I think it's a provocative, interesting time, especially given where we're at technology nowadays and how pervasive social media is, et cetera, and how we take for granted the devices that this generation is just born with.

But, like, I grew up in the time period of this film is set and we're roughly the same age, I think. those early 80s, it was a pivotal time for this industry. It was crazy. It was absolutely a turning point, and I found working on it how little I knew about it. And I think why it was a dark time for me and will be kind of a gap for a lot of people is that it just got more interesting after that. After this one turning point where computers became personal, people actually invited

this technology into their homes, everything just got much more fascinating from that point on. But at this point, it's a real gamble as to whether people will be into it at all. You know, if, I mean, who knows that people will even want these computers? Right. We know now, looking back, that, in fact, people did want them. And the, you know, thousands of people developing, millions of people developing these computers, just refine them into such sophisticated devices. But here's a moment where, you know, it's not, you know,

What are people going to like? It's if they're going to like it. Right. You know, will we be able to make something that people actually put into their homes? Because at that point, generally it was video games. Right. Which is, I'm sure, one of your first experiences with computers, too. I would venture to say that I spent a fair amount of time playing absurd.

Which now, when you look back at the games that we were obsessed with as kids, just the technology of it is just a frogger, et cetera, centipede. It's like, you can play that on the most rudimentary, phone now and still get looks from other people in the subway like, why are you playing that? There's a lot of better shit out there. Yeah, it's true. But we grew up playing that. And we grew up with the other

kind of things technology had to offer us. So it's such an integrated part of our own software. Yeah. Do you find, so were you always somebody growing up that was interested in technology and into computers and stuff? I wouldn't say primarily

interested in it. But it's always interesting when people make something cool. But this show has definitely shined a light in that direction. It's very, very cool. It's obviously a fictional story, though, inspired by the, quote-unquote, PC wars of that time. Is it something that has been helpful to, like, dig into the actual past of what was going on at the time, or is it stuff where you're relying mostly on the scripts you're getting? Yeah, it's helpful and very interesting.

You know, at such an interesting time. And, you know, the writers, Chris Cantwell and Chris Rogers, John Liscoe, the entire writer's room, they've got such an interesting point of view on what this time was about. And so, you know, it's a very good, it's such a collaborative process making a television show like this. But I find that time interesting. I find so many things about that moment in time interesting. I mean, Joe comes from, Joe McMillan is the character I play on the show, and he comes from big corporate business. Right.

But he comes on to Dallas, Texas to start this project, this new endeavor, to make a computer that no one has the balls to build. He wants to make the most awesome computer he can make. But he comes at it with this corporate mentality. He also says he's done doing it. business like that. So it's like he's still finding himself and trying to figure out how he is going

to make this computer happen. And he's going to, you know, do anything to do it. I'm curious because like you've obviously, as I alluded to in the beginning, like you've done a couple very notable series that have gotten you a lot of acclaim. And this one is obviously for cable. It's AMC. And we're in a different environment now

where like, you know, everyone's acknowledging that we're literally living in a golden age for television where creators are being granted more and more control and you're able to just go in areas that you weren't able to, five or, you know, five or ten years ago, are you noticing kind of a difference in terms of, like, latitude and creativity in what you're able to do here, where, you know, Brian Fuller, for instance, someone you worked with in two other shows, a visionary,

but maybe was, I don't know if he was hemmed in by the constraints of network television at the time. Oh, I don't know what all, you know, Brian is a true creator, and he makes such, you know, when I think about, when I was doing this kind of round of press for pushing, Daisy's trying to describe what that show was about. I could touch dead people back to life, but if they lived for longer than a minute and someone else would die and if I touched them at the second time, they would die. It's

like I think about it now and I think, gosh I mean, who else but Brian Fuller could come up with something like this and make it so appealing, you know? And I mean, that was such a great experience pushing daisies and and I felt very creative. I absolutely fell in love with Anna Friel

and and Ned, you know, It was an important part of my life for a long time. So it's interesting to kind of jump into that journey again. Because it's not like a movie where you know what's going to happen from beginning to end. I kind of just know the beginning of Joan McMillan's story. And I think one of the interesting things about the show is you don't know if it's going to succeed. We just don't know if this computer is going to succeed.

When I watched the pilot for the first time, I saw this kind of innocence about him. Yeah, I mean, he's tough. He's durable, but there's no promise. It's unlikely that he'll succeed, that they'll succeed in making this computer. It'll actually get to market. Are you a big consumer of television as well? Do you watch a lot? I watch a few things.

Yeah. What do you watch? Watch Maddenant. I'm sad about Breaking Bad. I loved House and Cards. Amazing, right? Amazing. Are you a binger?

Do you go through in bunches? or did you, for instance, House of Cards, like both seasons I basically got through in like two or three days each time? Yeah, well, I watched the first season, and then when the second season came around, I watched the first season again into the second season. It's so, I mean, the whole world is so good, and it's interesting to kind of feel like you're actually watching our government work.

Well, and frankly, I mean, you know, there aren't many comparisons to draw between your show in that one, but what I would say is, like, what works often in television in any medium, frankly, is the specificity of the world. and whether you know that much about it going in, the fact that you can just like dig into an environment that you had some kind of surface knowledge of before. And the fact that, I mean, I love like the production design, frankly,

of the show even, of just seeing like the Return of the Jedi poster, et cetera. And just like you feel like it takes me back. And even seeing people operating the computers of that time, it really is a trans, it transports you back to that time. Awesome. Yeah. Yeah. No, it's, I mean, it's not that distant in the past. But it's scary. Well, yeah, but 30 years, that's a while now. I mean, it's scary to, I don't know, for me, that seems like it does. It doesn't. I mean, that's what happens. I know. I know. I'm having a breakdown in front of you. I'm sorry. Speaking of, are you someone that's able to kind of leave projects behind with kind of like, you know, once it's done, it's done? I mean, you know, as well as I do, like, for instance, pushing daisies.

has this, like, life that lives on and people keep talking about Kickstarter, et cetera. Oh, yeah, no, that's so great about it. Because I wish, I don't know, maybe it had lasted longer if all those people who were watching it or not, watched it then. Where were you? But I'm really grateful to them that they found it. Yeah.

Because, you know, like I said, I'm so proud of that show. We really felt like we were making something special when we did it. Yeah, and yeah, starting a new one, you think, God, I hope people watch it. Who knows if they will. Does it give you a perspective? been through experiences where, you know, for whatever reason, timing, whatever, they don't work. It doesn't click at the right way.

Yeah, I mean, it makes, yeah, absolutely. But that's one of the things the characters in the show are really facing, too. It's just the beginning of a new endeavor. Yeah. Who knows how it'll turn out. Yeah. You know, you'll work hard. You'll do your best work.

You'll try to get along with everyone. And you'll hope that, you know, the gods of success will favor you. Right. You know? Did you know much of the cast in this? I love, like, Scoot McNair. No, I didn't know anyone. I knew Scoot's work.

I've been a fan of Scoots for a long time, and he's so fantastic on this show. He's just doing something very, very special. And I know what happens with the character, but we're not going to say anything about it now, but he just is, he's an actor that I admire a lot. I'm lucky to be working with him on this. I want to talk you a little bit about just,

a general and background and stuff where you've come here to New York to do some press for the show. Have you ever spent much time here? You were in normal heart. I remember. What, you live in New York? Yeah, I had no idea. Yeah. Oh, okay. Well, two New Yorkers. Okay, good. So why New York? I mean, you know, most... Well, I've been here since I was, you know, 18. I had no idea, okay. Yeah, and I don't know. It's home after a while. It's kind of place that, you know, I've lived in L.A. for a few months here and there. I love that, like, it's such a great place, but it's, I don't know. You just get a relationship with this city.

Yeah. Because, I mean, your childhood, from what I gather, you jumped around a bit. You were in a bunch of different places. Where did you spend? What do you consider when you, when people say, I'm going back home for the holidays? What would you consider that even? Oh, Texas. Yeah.

Texas. Yeah, I went to high school in Houston, Texas, but my folks are outside Austin now. So I go back there for holidays, but I always, you know, I guess it's where you learn to drive. Right. I think that's where people who moved around a lot consider home. I never weren't the drive, Lee.

Why not? Are you from the city always? Yeah. Are you judging me right now? I feel like you're judging me a little bit. I wish you would learn to drive. Really? Are you offering to teach me

to learn to drive? It's not that hard. Okay. Let's do it. Okay. Are you a good driver? Huh? Are you a good driver?

Did you feel comfortable behind the wheel? Absolutely, absolutely. Did you feel comfortable from the get-go behind the wheel? Was that the hubris of a team? nature like I can do this or was it just well I got I got this well I got like this 85 jet up I was and it was a standard yeah looked great it was totally a car that I loved

but that means I had to learn how to drive the standard and that that'll you know it's not many people do it anymore right just trying testing my father's patience the parking lot of randals so you must miss driving here in the city you don't get a chance here I drive yeah I drive yeah do you really where do you park in the city you're parking the city city. There's plenty of places. Wow. I always use that as my excuse for never learning,

but now you're making me feel even more guilty. Yeah, there's plenty of places to work. Oh, God. You know, learn a drive. But if you want to get out. My wife is a very good driver. She likes to, she likes to drive. I've got this figured out.

Got the whole plan in place. It's all working. So, give me a sense. So you moved here, he said at 18. Was that for a specific job, or was it just sort of a I went to a school. Oh, Juilliard. You were in Juilliard.

Of course you were. Yeah, yeah. So, what was that environment like? Was that intense from the get-go? Was it nurturing? Oh, yeah. It's so intense. It's really, really. It's a drama school.

It's a serious drama school. It's very intense. Were you serious? Were you, like, a serious guy? Yeah. I was just reading Shakespeare and Chekhov all the time, debating it with my friends. I mean, that's what I was doing at 19 in New York City.

And I think about what other people my age were doing in the city, and I feel like such a dork. Really, really, I'm like, God, that was, you could have been having real fun. You're spending hours just debating the, what was the typical debate? Figuring out, I am big pentamid, what the stress was, what the intention was on this line. I think he means, guys, come on, it's obvious. It's obvious. And then the authorship question, that was hours and hours of, you know, fun.

Is it a competitive atmosphere as well? Because everybody there is obviously supremely talented, and there are only so many. jobs once you get out or is it a no everyone's so different i mean the class is so small we started with 20 people um in my class and kind of ended up with a few less than that but um it's uh yeah it's such a and that's where that's who i learned the most from was my classmates watching them grow watching them take a note you know it's you know four years of just figuring out different tools to you know make characters yeah really it's i mean there's nothing to complain about it It's pretty awesome.

It's a nice luxury. Yeah. It's a total luxury, you know, to really think about how to use your voice. Think about how to use your body. Think about how to use your imagination to make a character. Totally. Who was in your class? Have they gone on to theater, film, a little bit of everything?

You know, Anthony Mackey was in my class. Anthony Mackey is a wild man. Let's talk about Anthony Mackey for a second. Yeah, he's awesome. I'm so happy for all the success he's having because he's such an incredibly talented guy and has been since school. I mean, he's just, you know. He's the best. Yeah, we've had a chance to talk a lot over the years,

and he's somebody that walks in the room and just owns the space. Was he like that back then? Was he somebody that? Yeah. 100%. Really? Yeah. Maybe too much so?

No. I mean, everyone loves Anthony. Everyone loves anything. He's just, he's such a good time, you know, and he's smart, and he gives of himself. Right. You know, he's, yeah, so I feel very fortunate to have been in acting class with him. Fascinating.

When we were the same age in the class. And you both made it into the Marvel universe. Yes, we did. He's really awesome, definitely. Yeah, no, he's awesome. Speaking of which, we're all really psyched to see you in Guardians, which looks amazing. James Gung, a madman in the best possible way.

Tell me a little bit about, because you went up for Star Ward. I mean, you talked to us and others about that. That was public knowledge. Was it a quick shift? Was it like, once they went in a different direction, let's try you out for this? What was the evolution of getting in? Yeah, that's exactly what it was.

I mean, I don't know what their thinking was, but I'm glad it worked out the way it did because I had the blasphily in this character. Yeah, I auditioned for Star Lord, and then, you know, the call came through, would you be interested in reading for the villain as well? So I did, and yeah, it was... God, the character is insane.

I'm really curious to know what the fans in particular are going to make a prone and the accuser. Yeah. Is it a big character? Like, me, not in terms of the size. apart in terms of like how you're playing like what's the do you have to like kind of contrast the big personalities in the

in the superhero group to kind of keep up with them I mean what's the I like a bombastic villain I like a big characterization on a villain and I think James is into that too so yeah I mean I don't know what to expect out of watching this movie

I know what I did when we were filming it I know I had a good time with it but I have no idea I don't know what this movie's going to be yeah who do you get to spend us your time with is that like is Karen she's great too she's awesome yeah she's awesome

yeah we play you know the source of all evil in the universe and we're just bad bad bad aliens that's a good notch on the list man that's a cool one that's gonna be exciting it really is cool I mean I just I had a real blast with He's just so bad. Yeah.

Really. Had you ever played it? Because, yeah, in your filmography, I can't think of something remotely similar you've ever. No, no, it's unique. Yeah, it's, yeah. Yeah, he's really, really nasty. Is it surprised you, excited you in the last few years?

Because you've gotten into a bunch of these, like, crazy tent pole, ginormous, like, obviously Hobbit as well, to be a part of these things that really touch, like. So many people. Millions, literally. Like different culture. different languages, and that's something about the hobby being a part of Middle Earth that I find so interesting is that, you know, the stories resonate in so many cultures

all over the world, you know, and that's fascinating to me. Yeah, I find it really, really interesting. Is it, when you go into a job like that and knowing, like, Peter, I mean, I can only imagine the task before someone like Peter Jackson who has so many, I mean, he, you know, working with the actors is just, is the bare minimum for a director, but like then creating, literally creating a world and, and that no one knows it better than him in terms of how do you actually utilize visual effects in the best possible way. Do you feel like you're on your own in a situation like that where like he's got his side of the street to take care of, I'll just do

my thing and I... Oh, no, no, I want to know everything that's on his mind. I want to know, what do you need me to do? How can I help, basically? Yeah. my attitude what do you need this character what it interests you about this character what's exciting to you about this character that's what I want to know

because he's got such an incredible imagination and understanding of you know what works in this world and what's interesting about these elves and hobbits and dwarfs I mean just to hear like you know we shoot a lot of it on green screen

so I'm like you know so what's it going to be what's it going to be and he describes it to me, and it's so much bigger than I ever could have imagined it in my little brain. Right. So to be in the hands of someone like that, you know, you, you know, you feel, you know, like, uh, it was supported to go for it. Yeah.

I mean, to really do something with it, you know, be a little bit nuts with the character. Well, exactly. And the character is a little bit nuts, but that's part of the fun, you know, that's fun. Yeah. Well, that's the beauty I would imagine of working with somebody that Scott and's about level is like you can take more risks on your end because you know he's going to take care of you and he knows he knows how to take care of his side of the street and if he's up for risks I'm up for risk right you know what I mean I want to play something you know I want to play

do something do something yeah you know what I mean not just show up and say the lines but do something but the character and speaking of filmmakers of that stature Spielberg oh yeah yeah is that I mean that you smile comes to your face I can imagine why that's I mean it like everything about it he asked to do the movie is it, you know, to read what he's asking you to do. I was thinking, oh, my God, I can't believe I have the opportunity to have, to speak lines on that set. Tommy Lee Jones was in that scene. It did those scenes of me.

And, I mean, it was just awesome. And I remember the whole time we were shooting all that stuff in the Congress, I kept thinking, remember this, remember this. This is unique, this is special. Yeah. and to, you know, work well with someone like Steven Spielberg. Because I just, you know, he's so clear. He's so clear about what he wants. And I was just so kind of eager to be like, what do you need?

Tell me, what do you need right now? I mean, do you have devices or shortcuts in terms of like how you make yourself comfortable in a situation like that where, or is it just through the repetition of knowing the material where, like, if you're... Yeah, knowing your lines is really... That's an important one. That's the advice number one. feeling comfortable and on set in the movie.

You don't want to forget your wines of fun of Tommy Lee Jones and Steven Spielberg. No, no, no, no, no. And also kind of a sense of what you want to do with the character, but I always feel, I felt like with that is, you know, I mean, Joe McMillan is something different because, you know, with that, I mean, I felt like I, you know, I know the situation,

I know my, you know, I have ideas about the character, but I really kind of want to understand what his ideas are about the character with Joe. But, you know, the character is so complicated. It's just so complicated. So it's, you know, picking everyone's mind about, you know, how they interpret him. And then, you know, 50% of it is really just kind of figuring out the connections to myself. Right.

Well, I'm curious, like, what your negotiation has been in terms of, like, with fame. Like, are you happy with sort of, like, the level of, like, where you can walk the street, I would think with, you know, people recognize you, but you're not hopefully assaulted at every turn? I mean, does it feel like... I never feel assaulted. I don't really feel like... I don't really feel like there is much for a relationship with fame. Every once in a while, someone will come up and say they have liked a movie they've seen me in.

And it doesn't really... I mean, that's kind of nice to hear. Yeah. It's nice to hear that. Well, validation is a nice thing. Yeah, yeah. And like, you know, you're making... You know, you're doing something that makes people happy.

That's nice. Right. You know, a movie called The Fall that I did. that, you know, it's the, I think, the thing that most people most commonly come up and be like, hey, I saw it, and I'm always amazed at someone to have seen it. Yeah. It's such a small movie, but it means so much to me when someone comes up and says, like, I saw it, and I love this, have to have questions about it, you know, it's cool, you know.

Do you enjoy this kind of process? Because frankly, when I was reading up on you, being a fan, I was like, I couldn't find, frankly, a lot of long-form conversations that you've done. And do you enjoy kind of like talking about the material, or is it something that just goes to the job when you've tried to? I don't know. I'm cautious about blabbing too much about it because I don't want to, you know, it's like you don't want to see the pipes of a building. Why would you want to see what's on in the actor's mind when he makes the character? You just want to see what the character is, right?

Yeah. And that's one thing I've been cautious about with this is, you know, don't talk about the season too much. Just kind of talk about Joe in a way that doesn't, well, you know, whoever's interested. in finding out about what the show's about. I want to put ideas in there because I want the character to really speak for itself, you know? Well, what's cool even in that first episode, frankly,

is to see, like, there were two or three moments where I was like, I can't believe this is this character is doing this in this situation. Like, that's, and that's got to be exciting for you reading that first script. Be like, okay, all bets are off. Again, this could go anywhere. Yeah, yeah. And I'm glad

that's, I mean, the things that Joe does through the season are he does some pretty wild things some rotten things he's in it to win it so that's and that's fun to kind of

because I believe in Joe you know he can be a bastard but I believe in him and I think that he's his mission is to make an awesome computer that's all it is he wants to make an awesome computer that's small it's fast that's cheap and if he accomplishes that then

and, you know, maybe a lot of people will buy them. Right. And then what happens? I mean, one of my favorite lines in the pilot is, the computer's not the thing. It's the thing that gets us to the thing. It's just kind of a reminder to Gordon that it doesn't matter. The computer doesn't matter, actually,

because, you know, the way it impacts people's lives will be so profound, you know. And, you know, here we have 30 years later, we can look back and see that, yes, he was right. But in the moment, he doesn't hope he's right. Right. He just knows he's all in. You haven't been Lord yet into social media, though,

despite your association with technology in this role. Yeah, I know. I don't. I mean... It's good enough for James Gunn and Karen Gillen and all your buddies are guardians. I know. They were encouraging me to get on board. And I guess I just didn't know what I would say about it. I would be curious to go on and listen to what people are talking about. You should work for a little bit.

Yeah, lurk. That's the seedy way of describing it. Yeah, we're just kind of smile on people. Well, yes, I guess that's another way of working at it. Yeah, I'm curious about it. I mean, I'm just curious about the impact of it more than anything. I think the impact of it is incredible. You know, and, you know, those television shows that people connect

and such a big way life tweaked through it. That is a fascinating new aspect of it to live, it's a second life for a show and to, I mean, I frankly felt I just marathoned over the weekend to a true detective and I felt late to the party because I was on social media

and I was seeing all my friends and colleagues just sort of like just have that conversation at once. Yeah. And you literally have to disengage for that weekend if you don't want it all ruined for you. It's a weird phenomenon. It's weird phenomenon. And it's like the technological innovation

of social media is so fascinating. It's like no longer is it like a newspaper, one person speaking to many people, or a telephone, where it's one person speaking to one person. It's millions of people speaking to millions of people all at the same time. And that's fascinating to me.

And what Twitter becomes then is it's like you're creating you in personal filter, which is both exciting and dangerous. Like, you know, you don't want it to be in echo chamber where you're only hearing from the people that you know and trust. You want to hear different viewpoints. Yeah, but I guess that's

an opportunity for you to take if you want it, but if you want to just hear your own viewpoints, those are people who feel the same as you guys, that's there too. There you go. That's what's so incredible about it, is it's not it's just a tool really, and then people do what they want

with it, you know, that's exactly the line you were just saying from the pilot, yeah, it's not the thing, it's the thing to get to the thing. yeah um what's uh so you've finished season one um presumably hopefully audience response you got you were excited to continue this character was yeah hopefully i love i love the character i think i i've learned so much about myself playing him um and uh yeah i think the character is is just fascinating and and i think that you know where they where this story has to go just gets

more and more interesting. Yeah. You know, I don't want to happen. What's the next acting gig, do you have stuff and the, obviously, Guardians is coming out

later this summer. You know, I don't know what it's going to be yet. I'm kind of, it's been a busy year. Yeah. So I've kind of gone out, I've been shooting this show.

I shot Guardians and Galaxy. Did our additional photography for The Hobbit. So I did another movie with Stephen Frears about Lance Armstrong. That was, you know, So I've just been, I need to spend some time not in costume to make up and just give myself.

Walking the streets of New York, or driving in New York. You're the one person besides the taxi drivers driving around New York. In our remaining moments, I have this weird, sketchy fedora filled with random questions late. You did. You played a cool. You're like, this is going to come in at some point. So they're the epitome of randomness You want to pick one or two And see how you fare

Oh boy I can see the sweat coming now All right What do we got Where haven't you been That you want to go That's a great question Not bad

I've always wanted to go to Vietnam Actually I've traveled quite a bit But Vietnam has always been a place And I haven't made it to yet My father fought in Vietnam And I wanted to take him to go see some of the places that he went to. Wow, yeah.

And just hear his, hear about that experience that he had. Yeah. You know, I mean, I've heard stories, but, you know, it just sounds like something I, it's definitely top of my list. And you did, from what I gather, you spent, you had an interesting childhood in that you were, you were in the Middle East for a period of time, too, thanks to your dad's work. I mean, that's got to be something that, you know, I always say, like, even just growing up in New York, you're exposed to so much in the way of different cultures. But traveling the world at a young age, it's got to really inform your viewpoint in the world. Yeah, I mean, I guess, I mean, it's, yeah, I'm really appreciative of that,

that they, you know, that they made that choice. My mom never left Oklahoma before she moved to the Middle East. And, oh, I guess she'd spend some time in, you know, around Shreport. Louisiana and stuff, but it was such a huge leave for her to, you know, go to Saudi Arabia. I can only imagine. I can raise these two kids. And, you know, it's just, I've got this, I've got all these, I asked them for a whole bunch of pictures from the early 80s and us growing up. Yeah.

And I've got all these just incredible pictures of them in these compounds in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain and just suburban places. but I mean it's my memories were my sister our cat my mom even my friends yeah like what years were you

know I was Saudi Arabia we moved there when I was two oh wow and how long were there until the second grade and then we moved to New Orleans and then Houston

and then back to Lafayette Louisiana and then back to Houston that's a fascinating little yeah totally let's finish Okay. Describe my perfect movie-going experience. Okay, I want to hear what's the beverage, the food, the environment,

what kind of movie are you seeing? Are you seeing it alone with friends? I love going to see a movie alone, but I wouldn't say that was a perfect experience. Perfect experience is when you're with friends at Sunshine or Angelica or IFC in like a really crowded movie house like a movie you're super super excited to see.

And get there early because all the seats get filled up in New York and kind of watch people who's seeing this movie who's into this movie what's our demo here? And then

and then basically spend the next two hours trash in a movie. A little healthy debate is always good. Yeah, yeah. That's one thing I think is unique about New Yorkers is that they're, they want to, they want to pull it apart.

Yeah. They want to discuss, you know, they want to argue about it. I mean, English friends of mine, it's like after they're like, they love this, they like that, they're like, oh, come on, let's just get into the negatives first. What did you make? What did it work for you? One caveat I'll give the Angelica, that subway, you hear a lot of the train traffic

during the movie. That can take you out of it. Do you like that or not like that? I mean, I like it in that I feel I'm home. Like, it's like it's comforting. Yeah, I guess it depends on the movie. It depends on the moment it comes in the movie, you know. But, yeah, I mean, I have a lot of fond recollections.

I grew up on the Upper West Side of, like, going to, like, the small theater near, um, we can center and just see like every Woody Allen movie every couple years. It's just every year, rather. Yeah, the Walter Reed. That's because my dorms were right above that. There you go. So, yeah, I remember thinking, God, how cool. How cool to do movies like that.

Yeah. What did you think of? Graham, Budapest Hotel. Loved it. It's such a great movie, isn't it? Yeah, it's so fun, and I mean, all his stuff is great. I mean, I'm a total West groupie. But, and Rafe, just hysterical.

I mean, hysterical. It's been my favorite movie so far this year. I find it just so imaginative, you know. Yeah. And he, yeah, Rafe is absolutely masterful. Do you have the short list? Is it like the, you know, the West, the P.T. Anderson, the kind of, the Fincher, like that kind of usual kind of small group, or is there a specific?

list of people. Yeah, well, I always see anything that was Anderson does, because I I think he's got such a cool point of view. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, yeah, it's a lot of course favorites. Yeah. Woody, were you a Woody fan? Yeah, yeah, I'll see every movie that Woody Allen makes. Um, yeah. Totally. Uh, I'll bet one more for the red. Oh, yeah. Let's do it. All right. This is going to be the weirdest one yet, I can tell. I wish I were better at some self-reflection here Lee what's the one fatal flaw

um boy I don't know God there's a whole list I was going to say it really get into this if you're like this is one one skill you're I wish it was better at learning languages I feel like it's a big

it's a I've blown it to get to 35 and I don't properly speak another language. I think it's a... Maybe I've missed it now. That's the scary part, right? It feels like our ability to sponge it all up has dissipated.

It's just gone. What we got is what we got now. I mean, I know maybe if I'm looking for a project, but I just can't even imagine the kind of... Yeah. Well, maybe you can do some immersive... To learn German.

Some immersive Vietnamese, and then take Dad, and then it's a whole thing. Yeah. There you go. There's your plan for the next six months. I'll learn to drive. You learn Vietnamese, and we'll come together and talk about it. It's really great to meet you finally, and thank you for stopping by. And congrats on the show. It's good stuff, man. Hey, thanks so much for having me. That's great talking to you. Thanks, buddy. The Old West is an iconic period of American history and full of legendary figures whose names still resonate today. Like Jesse James, Billy the Kid, and Butch and Sundance. Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Geronimo,

Wyatt Earp, Batmasterson, and Bass Reeves, Buffalo Bill Cody, Wild Bill Hickok, the Texas Rangers, and many more. Hear all their stories on the Legends of the Old West podcast. We'll take you to Tombstone, Deadwood, and Dodge City, to the plains, mountains, and deserts for battles between the U.S. Army and Native American warriors, to dark corners for the disaster of the Donner Party,

and shining summits for achievements like the transcontinental Railroad. We'll go back to the earliest days of explorers and mountain men and head up through notorious Pinkerton agents and gunmen like Tom Horn. Every episode features narrative writing and cinematic music, and there are hundreds of episodes available to binge. I'm Chris Wimmer. Find Legends of the Old West, wherever you're listening now.