Happy Sad Confused - Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Episode Date: March 9, 2016

The astounding Mary Elizabeth Winstead join Josh this week to talk about her many film roles including her starring role in the upcoming 10 Cloverfield Lane, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Death Proof, and a real gem known as Smashed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Learn more at freedomforum.org. Today's episode of Happy Say It Confused is sponsored by Howl.fm. It's like Netflix for podcasts. And the big news today, guys, is that the first 30 episodes of the great podcast, Super Ego, are now available on Howl Premium. Super Ego presents profiles and self-obsession that are improvised, analyzed, and delivered by doctors Matt Goreley, Jeremy Carter, Mark McConville, and Paul F. Tompkins, a true murderer's row of comic talent guys. And not only that, Super Ego features guest appearances from truly great comedic minds like Patton Oswald, Jason Sudecass, Gillian Jacobs, John Hodgman, and Julie Klausner.

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That's H-O-W-L.fm and use the promo code Happy. A one-month free trial is waiting for you right now. Check it out. Hey guys, welcome to Happy Sadd. confused. That's my chair squeaking, not my stomach. Oh, no. And that's Sammy. As always, chit-chatting about the exciting podcast. That is my weekly conversation with super talented filmmakers and actors, such as this week's guest, Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

Mew herself. I don't know if she goes by that. We didn't get into that. Yet. She goes by Mary, and she is the star of 10 Cloverfield Lane. Sorry, by the way, that this podcast goes up a little but late this week. Scheduling difficulties, blah, blah. You don't care. It's okay. No, I've had thousands of people ask me what happened yesterday.

Well, you... I did have two people asked me. Oh, that's good. Were they family members? No, actually not. I had to think about it for a second. No. Yes.

But the bottom line is we got a great podcast in the can. I just chatted with Mary Elizabeth Winstead about her starring role in JJ Abrams's producing effort, JJ, J.J. directed by a great talented filmmaker by the name of Dan Tractenberg, his first feature. It's a hell of a debut. It is Culverfield related. We're not going to spoil anything in this podcast. Don't worry about spoilers, guys.

Calm down. It's going to be okay. But suffice to say, this is a great thriller that has, yeah, maybe some relation to the Coderfield universe. But whether it is a Coverfield movie or not, it's a great movie. It really is. I'm a big fan of this one. And Mary Elizabeth Winston is excellent in it.

as she always is. You probably know her from Scott Pilgrim. I was going to say, Scott Pilgrim is the best. Ramona Flowers. She was wonderful in that. We talk a little bit about that. We talk about a little scene movie, but a real gem called Smashed,

which earned her a lot of acclaim. It was at Sundance a few years ago. She plays an alcoholic in it. It's one of her best performances. And we talk about a lot of her filmography in this one. She's one of those actors that it struck me when I was kind of researching her, and we talked about this in the conversations.

that she's kind of like Brie Larson. She's in that vein where like she has been in studio films always doing well and she's done a lot of great indies and it's like sometimes she's kind of like capture the public eye, sometimes she hasn't and she's kind of like that one roll away

from like, you know, I mean, she could win an Oscar. I would not be surprised if the right role gets her an Oscar. Basically she's going to win an Oscar next year. I'm not saying next year, but I wouldn't be surprised. She's really talented and death proof we talk about. She was in that Tarantino film. I thought you're saying she. is.

I was like, wow. She is invulnerable. That is incredible. I tried to murder her, but I couldn't. So, yeah, so a very enjoyable conversation with her. I'm so glad she stopped by. Go check out the movie when it hits theaters this Friday.

Otherwise. Big day. Movie award nominations are out. Oh, yeah. It's a good movie award nominations are out, guys. They've viewed on MTV's Snapchat channel that Sammy works on and creates great content day after day. And yeah, the movie award nominations are out. There are a lot of really, I'm pretty psyched. I agree with a lot of the nominations. I think, you know, it is a nice blend of kind

of like critical acclaim, critically acclaimed films, but also, you know, popular films, Star Wars, a slew of nominations. Deadpool has a ton of nominations. Jurassic World. Jurassic World. Plus, yeah, just like all the usual suspects are in there, plus some supervisors. So check that out. And speaking of Snapchat, we should say. This is really the big news. Guys, I'm on day two of Snapchat, of my Snapchat. Joshua Horowitz, follow me. Is that the right?

No many pictures are you saying? Add me. Add me. Don't follow me. I'm not a leader. Yeah, we're almost together. Certainly don't follow you. Yeah.

No, add me. Add you, Joshua Horowitz. He's doing so good. Don't say that if you are. Thank you. Yours are very funny. I'm trying. I'm trying.

It's a whole new world. It takes a little while. But, yeah, it's been kind of fun to play around with. Do it. Follow him now because. Because tomorrow, add him now, I'm so sorry, add him now because tomorrow you go on an international adventure and we get to all follow along. Yeah, so I'm tomorrow, I don't know if I can say what set I'm visiting, so I won't say it, but I'm going to Paris. Can I say it?

No, you can't say it. So I didn't know if, like, just you couldn't say it. Got it, got it, got it. Hopefully maybe next week I'll be able to talk about it. But I'm going on set of a filmmaker that I greatly admire doing a ginormous movie shot in Paris. If you really care enough, you can Google it and figure it out. So that should be a fun little adventure. Yes, so stay tuned for my post-mortem on my Paris event.

Are you going to have macaroons? Macarons. Are you going to have a bagel? I think it's safe to say I will have cheese, wine, and a crap before I come back. All room service, though. You're not going to actually leave your hotel room for it. I'm just talking about what I'm getting tonight, delivery in my New York apartment. Yeah, at JFK tomorrow.

Exactly. It's part of my weekly routine. Yeah, no, it should be fun. So, yes, stay tuned for my misadventures in Paris. And I think that's about it. Anything else you have to say for yourself, Sammy? No, I'm really, I'm excited about this. Which is just like, I feel like it's good.

We've, you know, it's a good day. It's an international women's day? It's international women's day. Happy International Women's Day to you. Happy International Women's Day to you. Thank you. To my female listeners, you guys are awesome. Dudes are all right, too.

Who's, I have a question for you. Oh, God. your favorite female that you have on your podcast intros well waving in the corner is the silent participant Jenna who is who we've referenced

but has said maybe six words she doesn't exist 10 different podcasts Josh there's no one sitting in the corner just raised her hands can you scream something are you capable of screaming yes more to come we're going to get her to speak up more next week Thank you guys for tuning in.

Enjoy this conversation with Mary Elizabeth Winston. With Mu. Mew. Starr 10 Cloverfield Lane. Check it out this Friday, guys. It's a good one. Bye! That's nice.

You got to get some duck confi while you're in Paris. Oh, I will do that. I like a good confi. He made that up. She made that up. What do you mean? It's a thing. It's a actual dish.

Is that the one where you strangle the duck together? No, that's foie gras, which you should also get. I have had a foie gras is pretty good, but yeah, I feel a little guilty having it. I had a foie gras macaroon when I was in Paris. It's like foie gras and a... Jenna, you know you're on the podcast right now. Yeah, we're still in the intro. It's so good.

You should have a flogra macaron. I'm not going to do that. Well, stay tuned, maybe next to me. I'll have had a foie gras macaroon. Peter's coming after you. PETA's our sponsor. Do they sponsor podcasts? Not anymore.

Bye. Bye. Good. Yeah, all is well. It's busy. It's fun. It's all for a good cause. Exactly.

The cause of 10 Clover Food Lane. There you go. Do you want to dive right in? Yeah, yeah, let's do it. There's no official introduction. Okay. It's good to see you again, Mary. Good to see you too.

A little bit different than the crazy Sundance experience. I know. I saw you. We were talking about a farting dead corpse. Yep. It's a slightly different. plot line on this one. I mean, to be fair, Ted Cliffield Lane's really good.

It could have used a farting place. I know, as all movies could, really. It's true. But congratulations on this one. Thank you so much. It's a hell of a piece of work. And Culverfield or not, it could be called anything. It's a great movie.

That's how I feel about it. So I'm glad to hear that. So has this been an enjoyable experience? Are you finally kind of like getting to talk about it to some degree? Do you feel like you're exhaling a little bit? Yeah. It's really rewarding because we all worked really hard on this movie, you know, and it was so secret for so long that part of me was like, have we ever going to be able to talk about this movie? Is anyone going to know it exists? So now it's just like it just feel so good to have it coming out and to have people be excited about it. It's just, it's the best. So, okay, so indulge me in some of the kind of the secrecy questions because I know you can ask about this, but there's a real curiosity about the whole genesis of the project and what you knew or didn't know. So, okay, you sign on to some. something or you audition or you're offered or whatever. And it's not a Cloverfield movie as far as you know. Right. Yeah. I mean, for me, I was lucky enough. I think a lot of people didn't even get the script. You know, it was like they got the first half of the script or something. Luckily, they sent me the actual script, which is the movies that you saw. So it's not like, you know, the script went through some huge overhaul or anything like that. But it was very like, you know, I got the link and it was like nobody around me was allowed to read it. Like my agents couldn't.

read it. Nobody else could read it. They were just like, you're going to get sent this link from some source somewhere. We don't know where. There might be a guy that just knocks on your door and just recites a script to you. And like a black suit. Yeah. And then once you read it, it's going to delete itself and it'll be gone. And then you have to decide if you want to sort of go in and talk with JJ and Dan Chachamberg, the director about it. So I read it. And by very nature, it's just the kind of movie that you know is going to be a secretive thing because if people find out what happens in the movie, it ruins the entire experience. Yeah, yeah. So I think that that was just very clear from the get-go.

It was like, this is going to be the kind of movie that you're not going to want to talk about with people and we're going to make sure that that happens in the way that we present, you know, the movie. And the Cloverfield aspect was talked about, you know, I think in that initial meeting and talked about during production, just sort of, and the peripheral of me, you know, it wasn't necessarily directly conversations that I was involved in, but the name Clifford field was, like, around. You know, it was like, oh, this is sort of in the spirit of that. They did is what we're trying to do here, trying to do something that's connected in a broader sort of tonal world, if that makes sense. Sure.

So I think that's, that was something I was aware of, but I wasn't aware that the title was going to have the connection. Did, so Dan, who does an amazing job directing this, is this is his first feature? Yeah, yeah. I know. It's so crazy. Huge talent. Totally. JJ producing it.

So like, did you have many discussions with JJ in the early stages? And what is his like, does he explain sort of like why he's interested in this or why the mystery is so important to him? I mean, do you get a sort of a peek into sort of his mindset? I think, you know, I've gotten bits and pieces of that as we've gone on in the process. Like initially, for me, I approached it like any other project where my questions were just about the role and his ideas on that and the story. And I didn't even cross my mind in terms of how this was going to be marketed or how it was

going to be put out, you know, it's just not, I don't, I don't tend to think. think that far ahead. So now, you know, that I'm going through it, I'm like, oh, this is, this is how he works. This is totally, it's all, the reason everything's happening, the way it's happening is because that's the mind of JJ, you know. He loves to kind of play with expectations and keep people guessing and not kind of spoon feed the audience, you know. I think he likes to engage them in a bigger way. You know, that's like all the Easter eggs and everything. It's more than just watching a movie. It's kind of an experience that he's creating. I mean, they were such geniuses on the Star Wars marketing campaign. Oh, totally.

in a way where it became like almost, I mean, the movie was a great payoff to it, but like the six months of trailers and buildup was like almost as rewarding and just so exciting. Because it's just so great. Yeah. No, he's, he's a, he's a kind of just dole it out in the right way. Genius in that way, which I, you know, having not worked with him before I, I didn't know that that was coming. And now I'm like, wow, so cool to be a part of this world. It's great. So are you surprised by like the like the zero to 60 interests in this where like one day literally it's like a list on an I. MD that like Valencia? Okay. That sounds kind of cool, interesting cast maybe. And then suddenly it's like everyone is obsessed with it. Totally. And even after I knew what the title was going to be, I still didn't expect that at all. Because I just didn't know that people, you know, had such a vested interest in that universe. So to me, I was like, oh, that's the title. Interesting. Okay. I wonder what people are going to think about that. And then it was just like, people were

like, what? Well, it's kind of the best of all possible worlds. I mean, you know, to knock on wood, as we, you know, talk today, it hasn't been released yet. Obviously, we're hoping that people come and see it. But, like, because of this great marketing and because of the curiosity about Coverfield, it gets people in the theater. And then you have this great product that will actually deliver on it. So, I mean, as you well know, throughout your career, you have, you know, the ups and downs when you produce a great product.

And for whatever reason, nobody sees it. No one gets there. Absolutely. And that's, you know, I'm so happy that JJ's giving this film that, that kind of platform, you know. And I think that that's really what he's trying to do. He's, like, trying to create this sort of bad. robot world where these smaller genre films can exist and you know they're going to be good. And the Cloverfield name is like the seal of approval that this is going to be a really good

genre movie and it's going to come from this kind of space and it's going to have this kind of feel to it. And I think once he does more films in that way, it'll become more clear in terms of the mastermind, the master plan that he that he has going. You almost wonder like if the film had turned out to be not as great in the finished product if they would have like not bothered with the Cloverfield name. Oh, totally. Yeah. I know. It's not. It's okay, but it's not up to our stand, so we're not going to give it the Cullerfield Day. That's what I would hope, you know, because that would be quite a thing to put on, quite a bit of pressure to put on a film that you don't really believe in, you know. So, yeah, I like to think that it's because it's just that badass.

So this is, I mean, I love a film where, like, you kind of know from, like, the first minute or two, you're, like, kind of in safe hands. Like, you see, like, real assuredness from the filmmaker. And, like, certainly that this one feels like that. There's, like, a really great sense of mystery and a sense of, like, lived in characters that have a backstory that you don't need to know everything, but, like, you literally can't even hear, like, you're on the phone with somebody, what's going on. Yeah. It's just, again, doled out in just the right way. Is it reads in a similar fashion in the script, or how much of that is from Dan's direction? Give me a sense of sort of that.

It was a lot. The vast majority of it is definitely in the script, but I think it was also a really collaborative process, especially in terms of the backstory. You don't really know that much about the characters and the little tidbits that you do find out were things that we kind of found as we were going, which was such a cool way to do it. We wanted it to feel really real, even though the audience might not know exactly what's happening or what the characters are thinking. But because we were plotting this whole behind the scenes thing and this backstory for each character, there's so many moments in the film where it's like silent and it's just like us looking at each other

and it feels so full of history. but it's all unspoken, which I think is so cool and so rare for films nowadays. I'm so used to having to say so much exposition about, you know, my whole life story. And with this character, I got to just bring stuff to her that kind of you'd let the audience decide for themselves, like, you know, what her behavior kind of means, you know, which I think is just really cool, not holding the audience hand too much in that way. And the character, I mean, this is not necessarily a new thing for you in that you're playing someone under direct. And like, like, it's a stressful situation from the start. Yes. I mean, I would think physically that that's taxing on a human being.

If you're, like, kind of clenched physically or whether you're literally screaming or you're just like emotionally fraught. I mean, are you at this point where having done some kind of thrillers and horror films, you kind of like know how to protect yourself and not like destroy your body or brain and something. A little bit. Yeah. I think when I first started, especially. with the emotional stuff, you know, I was one of those people that would like, all day, listen to sad music and just like, oh, I have to get in the headspace of this person. And now I'm just like, no, no, I'm not doing that to myself. There are other ways to get there. Yeah, there are other ways

to get there in a much quicker manner. So I tend to go for the shortcuts in that, in that way. But it is still exhausting, especially the physical stuff, because in a movie like this, it's not like you're going in doing stunts that you can rehearse and that you can execute in this precise way. It's just sort of like, okay, you're going to get in the situation and then you're going to have to use your body to get out of it, you know, whatever way that means to you, go off and do it. So, and that way, because there's so much emotion behind it, you end up, like, really hurting yourself sometimes because you're just trying to make it feel real. So this one was, I think, much more physical than anything I've done before because of that aspect, because it was such emotion-based

physicality. Yeah. Do you have a say in, because you were in kind of like the same wardrobe for a good portion of it. Do you get a say in terms of like what you're wearing? Yeah, it was definitely, you know, a collaborative process and, you know, everybody has to sign off on it. It's always a whole thing, you know, that so many different voices are involved in. But Dan was like, had a real clear idea of what he wanted that to be. And we were very much on the same page with that. So we kind of just were like sticking to our guns in terms of, you know, what that sort of wanted it to feel very simple and striking and real, but like an image that would be, you know, memorable. So give me a sense.

When did you actually see the finished product? I haven't seen the finished finished product. The premieres tonight, right? Yeah, yeah. I've seen like a rough cut, which I loved, but it had a lot of stuff that still needed finishing. Yes. Dot, dot, dot, dot. Yes, dot, dot, dot.

There's a hit there. Well, tell me, is, are you better or worse or the same at sort of watching yourself now, having done this for a while? It really depends. It depends on the project. If I am really proud of what we did. as like a team, you know, then I'm excited to watch the movie. And I can kind of transcend my own personal stuff in watching myself if I'm excited about the finished product, you know?

But if something didn't turn out well as a whole, then I feel like I see the cracks in my performance more. Like everything starts to come out and I just start to feel much more like, oh, this isn't working. And it's, you know. So I definitely have those times where I'm like, I watch something once and I watch it like through my eyes like sort of covered, you know. Yeah.

And then I'm like, okay, good, good, got through that. I don't have to watch that again. Good, moving on. So, I mean, again, in this case, like, it must be such a relief when you've just done a press junket. I don't know if you've got more cities or a lot more of this to do, but, like, I mean, you must be able to tell. Are you able to tell, like, when you're telling the journalists that actually, like, mean that they like it or are diluted to the thinking they like it versus, you know what I mean? Yeah, I think I've been able to tell. It's tricky because I've definitely done junkets in the past where it feels pretty positive.

And then you kind of, like, you realize that, wait. No one of those people like the movie. Wait a second. I think you have to do it like on a sliding scale because, I mean, and I've been in that junket world. Yeah, yeah. And I know kind of like the type of people there too. Right. And like, I feel like, you know, their responses are 50% stronger than their actual responses.

Right. Or the average human beings response. Yes. So you just have to kind of like. You have to gauge it on that. Right. Yeah. Yeah.

No, I felt like we're like the junket that we had for this, like, went really well. But I am just sort of like, okay, all right, went really well. Right. But I'm not going to like take that to me in anything. because you never know, but the response that I've heard so far has been like pretty overwhelmingly positive. So I'm really excited for people to see it and actually be able to really talk about it, you know, and really say what they think in a somewhat detailed way. But it's still like, even once it comes out, I'm like, I don't want to talk too much about it for that person out there

who hasn't seen it yet. So it's going to be a tough, tough one even all the way to the end. Time for a special message from our friends at Audible. Do you guys love books but find that you never have time to read them? Well, Audible.com has the perfect solution. Get audiobooks and listen to those books that you've been meaning to read while on the go. At the gym during your commute, Audible.com provides over 180,000 titles from the leading audiobook publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, magazine and newspaper publishers, and business information providers. Their app is free and works on iPhones, iPad, Android, and Windows phone. You can also download and listen on your Kindle.

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Again, show your support for HappySat Confused and get a free 30-day trial right now at audible.com slash happy sad. Today's episode of HappySac Confused is sponsored by one of our favorites, Casper Mattresses, obsessively engineered. American-made mattresses at a shockingly fair price. And now, guys, you can get $50 towards any mattress purchase by going to casper.com slash happy and using the code happy. Listen, you spend about a third of your life sleeping. Let's make sure you're doing it on a good mattress. Casper brings together two company technologies together for better nights and brighter days, latex foam and memory foam. So they've got just the right sink, just the right bounce, no matter how you sleep. Plus, they've got a risk-free trial and return

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but it was because none of them were allowed to watch it. So I literally went scene by scene. You reenacted the entire movie from beginning to end. So I did that a lot with my friends because I was like one of the only kids who was allowed to see a lot of R-rated movies. Just because your parents were cool about? It's my parents. Well, also because we had a lot of stuff taped off of TV.

So I ended up seeing things that I thought were R-rated. But now as an adult, I'm like, oh, no, all the like stuff I wasn't supposed to see was edited out anyway. But I was like, I saw that movie, guys. You want to hear all about it? Let me tell you. But we just had so, we were just such a movie family that my parents didn't, you know, they were just like, oh, I was watching a movie. They just didn't really pay that much attention. So you grew up in a movie family.

Everybody was into pop culture and movies. What was kind of like the stuff that you were exposed to early on that would have been an impact? I mean, early on it was like the kids things like Labyrinth, the Neverending Story, a lot of fantasy things like legend, you know. It's all like it's funny. Like Labyrinth has come up a lot. Yeah. Dark crystal. It's like those like evocative images.

Even if some of those films aren't, I would argue great films. They don't quite hold up maybe. I think Labyrinth holds up. Okay. Personally. Mainly because of the Bowie of it all. Yeah. But yeah, there were just so like the types of things that the images that you will never get out of your head if you see them young enough and you see something that sort of, it's a little twisted, you know, like the kids movies that were out then. And that's, I think, maybe might be why I'm still sort of drawn to the dark things in that world. Because those are the first films I remember are loving. Yeah. So when was the first time you saw someone on screen and said, like, I want to do that too? Let me up there.

Well, this is going to sound so dumb, but I have a very specific memory of watching three men and a little lady. Oh, we have a little classic sequel. And there was like a little, you know, seven-year-old girl or something who had like hair like me and she looked kind of like me. And I just sort of started like going through all these thoughts in my head where I was just like, why am I not doing that? I could do that. She's acting. That's not real. She's an actor.

It's Tom Selt and not taking care of me. Yeah. And I just suddenly had this like vision of, you know, that this was a job and that a kid could do it because she was doing it. And I just, like, from that moment on, I was like, oh, this is, this is on. I'm figuring this out. And that's when I started asking for an agent and really started like. So how old were you here? I was like seven or eight.

Wow. You knew what an agent was? I knew what an agent. I did. In kindergarten, I had a friend who did commercials. And so. You're asking, so who matches you? Yeah.

Yeah. No, it really was. What you got? Yeah. And I went, when I was 12 was when I finally started taking meetings with agents and, you know, considering my options. Were there options? There were like two agents in town.

So I did, you know, I got to choose between, this is Utah, yes, in Salt Lake City. So there was like, you know, these two agencies, it was like, which one are you going to go with? This is huge decision. But, yeah. The right call? You had the right call? You know what? I think I made the right call.

I think it all worked out. I think it was called McCarties. That was the agency. That was the cool place to be. So what, and your family was supportive? Was anyone else in your family doing anything remotely in the arts or was it? My sister was a dancer. She still is. She teaches dance now. And she and I were in dance together growing up. And we were always in ballet and, you know, conservatories and things like that. And for me, acting kind of just was an extension of that. So it was kind of a natural progression. But that's the closest. Everybody else is, you know, does completely different things. So, okay. So when do you get out of Salt Lake in L.A. or New York? When does that enter? When I was 14, I started working in L.A. I sent out demo.

tapes from all the local work that I had done. Which are what commercial? Mostly guest starring, because a lot, there were some shows that shot in Salt Lake City, so, like, Touched by an Angel was my first job, and there was the spinoff of Touched by an Angel, and I did that, and a couple of, like, you know, family movies that shot there. And so I was able to get enough footage together to start sending to agencies in L.A. And ended up, you know, having people offering to represent me. And so I think the first year I went out, I was 14, and I went out for pilot season.

and ended up getting on a soap opera. And so that sort of made me stay in L.A. for a while. There's no more soap opera-e name than Passions. Oh, my God, I know. It's like... Passions. That's how you have to say it, I think. But, like, you wouldn't think that from that name,

it would be a show about, like, witches and, like, and, like, dolls that come to life. That actually sounds like my kind of soap opera. Oh, it was insane. But from the name, it's like, you'd think it was like it's about... Because they were trying to do, like, a Dawson's Creek. It's, like, young people. who were like in love, but then there's this whole other weird sci-fi, like, element. It was crazy.

You were destined for genre. I think so, yeah, from the start. So was, you know, I've talked to certainly a lot of people have, like, you know, started out in soaps and there's like a good work ethic. There's a lot to pick up on that. Did you feel like you were like, this is amazing? Or did you were like, I'm slumming it? I deserve better than this.

Or like, I was a little bit, I actually got out of my contract. Like, it was kind of like controversial. I was like, you know, I was on it for a year. year. And then I was like, I'm done. Exactly. They were like, yeah, exactly. But yeah, for me, I think it was an incredible training ground. There was like, you know, you learn your lines fast. I just really didn't, for me, you work so fast that nobody cares if you're really doing it well or not. You have to really, I think, be within yourself, like pushing yourself. There's nobody around you that's going to be like, do another take of that. Like, I think it could be better. So I think the people

who are really in soaps for the long haul, I really am like, that's the, you know, I don't envy how hard that is because they have to really, you know, if they care about their performance at all, they're their own kind of, you know, director in that sense. That's like a blue collar version of acting.

Right, no, totally. Yeah, it's like it's all up to them. So I kind of wanted to do something else. I just felt a little bit stuck in that. So, so yeah, I liked it at first, but I very quickly was like, okay, okay, I got this. Let's see what else is out there. And was there an immediate, was that an immediate good decision you felt?

Like, were you, like, seeing other cool stuff? Or was that a struggle afterwards? I had, one of the things that got me out was there was a pilot, another pilot that wanted to cast me. And so it was like this bit of a, like, push and pull. So I started doing pilots that didn't get picked up. And that was mainly for a couple of years what I was working on. And then eventually I got a show that got picked up, and I did a season of that,

which was another, it was called Wolf Lig. It was genre thing. It was, like, you know, kind of twilighty before twilight. And yeah, I kind of worked a lot in that world up until I was like 19 or so when I got like my first movie. And then I finally was like, oh, I can do movies now, which was really exciting. And so, yeah, that was kind of that was the progression. Who was like the first like movie star or actor? You respect it to a great degree that you were working with that made it impact.

Oh, gosh. Like, do you remember a moment we're like, okay, I'm standing toe to toe to this person and this is crazy? I think it probably would have been Kurt Russell, which was like my first big movie, Sky High. Yeah. I mean, that was like a huge deal because I literally was. I was playing his nemesis in that movie. So to be, and I just thought, I also was just like, I don't think I really, I loved him my whole life. Like, for example, overboard was one of the movies that my family watched.

By the way, he was on the podcast a couple months ago, and it was maybe one of the best hours of my life. Oh, I bet. He's amazing. He's amazing. So not only like to work, you know, somebody that you've grown up watching and you're working with him and he's, one of the loveliest people in the world but also like so good like even though i was such a fan of his i don't think i realized how good he was until i worked with him and funny and just his delivery was so i remember doing the read-through of that movie and just like crying at his delivery because he was

so funny and i was like i had no idea um as i punched the mic um i had no idea that he was like this brilliant it was so good so um i mean in looking back okay so something like Sky High. There's Final Destination 3, right? Which is a moment. It's an important moment because you're at the lead in that film. Right? Um, what do you do you like when you look at your career, do you see like, I mean, this is the kind of thing that like people like me bring up like like compartmentalizing transition periods or like I'm from one level to another. Like do you see it that way? Do you see like, okay, that's stage one and right. Right. I move into stage two. Like, I can see it that way in retrospect now. But at the time, at the time I kind of took it for granted. I was just like, hey,

I'm in a movie. Cool. Like I just really, now I look back and I'm like, well, you were starring in a movie. I don't think you really realized what was happening. So yeah, now I can see kind of how things progressed in a certain way. But at the time, I really was just trying to act. And I wasn't really thinking about what kind of thing I wanted to do or what the next step was or how I needed to, you know, sort of take advantage of the moment or, you know, whatever, all the things that you think about when you get older. And I was just kind of living day. by day. I mean, at this stage in your career, do you feel like you're happy with in terms of like I should, like, do you feel like I should be calculated about my career? Do you feel like it should just be a gut thing? Like, do you see whether it's yourself or other peers, like, that it makes sense to kind of like have a game plan? Or is that just fruitless and just like throw it out the window? I really don't know. I've never, I'm, I'm, I'm not really good at having game plans. I feel like I'm, some days I feel like I should be. And I think, okay, maybe I need to be a little more calculating and I need to do all the sort of, okay, you need to do this because

it's the next step in your career. And there are times when I try to do that, but it's always trumped by the kind of roles I want to play. And so that ends up being the thing that gets in the way of that a lot of times because a lot of times the next level career step is a role that I don't want to play. Right. So that's the thing that's always sort of like thrown me off that path. I think, I mean, I know you worked with her and, like, you worked with her and, like, Like, I feel like you guys have kind of had parallel careers, but what Brie Larson has been able to achieve, like, and frankly, I think, like, you know, in a different world, we're smashed, which got a lot of acclaim, like, smashed as a room. Like, smashed could have, like,

Oh, thank you. You know what I mean? And it was to a degree for you. But, like, that must be heartening, I would think, to see a peer. Oh, absolutely. Like, go through a very similar kind of career that you've had, I think. And just, like, sometimes it all clicks and it's a great movie. Everybody sees it. It's your time. Whatever that means. And then. Well, that's the thing is I think, for me, I've always kind of, well, not always, but in the past few years, I've realized that if you're a certain level, if you're talented, you know, it's, it all comes down to just being in the right thing, the right time, in the right moment. And with somebody like, Bree, she's been

that good for years, you know what I mean? And she's got everybody being like, this new actress coming out of nowhere. But like, she's been brilliant and everything she's ever done. So it's like something she did five years ago could have been her breakout thing. But it turns out that it's this movie. And it's, it's so great to watch her kind of get her due because, you know, she deserves it. Do you feel you've got your due on Monster Island? You know what? I do feel like it's a really underseen performance of mine, and I'm really glad you brought it up. I'm sorry. Look, if I'm going to be nice to you for 40 minutes, at least three minutes I just like glossed over that, that period of my career. I wasn't aware that this was a part of the

filmmaking record of history. But this was a film, I think it was an MTV film. It was an MTV film. It was an electric. Yes. Adam West. Adam, the great. I mean, the legend of Adam West.

Nick Carter. It was kind of. I mean, I haven't seen the full film. So I might be, I'm sorry. But it looks almost like one of these kind of like, it looks like it was like five or ten years ahead of its time. It kind of was. I mean, I think it was one of those things where it had it been pushed a little bit more into campiness. Right.

It might have worked. perfectly, but it was sort of teetering on that edge, you know? Right. But we were all like, what are we doing? What's happening? And, of course, like, I'm always like, okay, I'll just play everything really straight. Right. And that's one of those movies you look back and you're like, why are you playing this so straight?

Like, this is really happening. Probably just best to gloss over and move on something great, like death proof. Yeah. Which, I mean, I feel like every actor, I have had, I've had, in the last couple months, I had Kurt on it, Jennifer Jason Lee, and Colise and Colise and Colise and we and Quentin on all talking about hateful aid. And like every actor that works with him, it's like it's, it's inevitably a career highlight. It's just one of those things.

Yeah. Was it what you would imagine it would be? Give me a sense of sort of what the Tarantino experience is because it seems like it's a unique one for every actor. Completely. I think it was so much more fun than I ever imagined. I think when you are someone, you kind of grow up hearing about Quentin Tarantino and the films that he's done, he's iconic. And like, you would just, you know, do anything to work with him.

also imagine that they must be some sort of like crazy maniacal you know there's got to be some dark side or something that would be like difficult to work with and with him it was just like insane enthusiasm right yeah and i was like i couldn't believe i was just in that environment i was i can't believe that i'm like allowed to just hang out here and be a part of this and have him like and he loves actors so much that he just butters you up to like such a degree that you just feel like you're walking on air it's just like he's just like you're the best you're so good. You're the best actor. He's probably seen Monster Island. He probably has. That's like, that's the thing. When I audition for him. He found something to actually enjoy about it.

When I auditioned for him, he like went through my resume, which at that point was mostly stuff like that, you know, and he was just like, you were so good in this and so good in that. And your episode of true calling was brilliant. It's like, what? How do you see this stuff? Like, it's incredible. And it's funny because I was watching some interviews with you talking about the experience and even on the edition. And it actually sounded very similar to stuff that Jennifer Jason Lee was saying in that, like, he'll, like, read right with you. He's, like, in it. Like, he's like, I mean, he's an actor too and he, like, really enjoys it.

It must have just just be very surreal where, like, he's sitting six inches from your face just, like, in the scene with you. Totally surreal, but so much fun. I mean, like, my audition was just, you know, he was playing all the roles and he would literally change accents and, you know, mannerisms, and he would jump from place to place. Be like, now I'm this person. Now I'm this person.

And it's just like, it's so much to react to. It's like, it's just so much fun to play off that. This episode is brought to you by goodtherapy.org, the most trusted online resource for finding a therapist. Meeting with a therapist or counselor can help people to live happy, fulfilling lives. Whether you're facing mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, or grief, or trying to cope with everyday stressors like family conflict, therapy can be a tool for healing, self-exploration, and growth. Therapy offers a non-judgmental environment in which you can feel connected, supported, and understood. Since 2007, goodtherapy.org has helped millions of people find qualified counselors and therapists. There is hope. There are people who care. Change is possible.

Find the right therapist at www.g.g. Tell me this, though. I think you said the odd request in terms of like what you were just aware to the audition. What was this? We were all supposed to wear flip-flops. So, yeah, there was that. This is playing into like a very well-trodden stereotype about this entire team. I know. I think he probably was like, didn't know which character was going to get the foot shot.

You know, there were a couple, couple feet shots. You feel self-conscious, like knowing who he is and knowing what he... And also, I didn't get to have the foot shots. So I was like, were my feet not enough? Was it not? I mean, come on. It's very particular. Yeah.

In retrospect, well, it's two quote-unquote big movies. I do want to talk about, I mean, Scott Pilgrim, for instance, that, well, before we do Scott Pilgrim, what's to die hard, which I think came first, right? Yes, yeah, it did. So is something like that, you know, is that a case where it's like it's the right career thing to do or it's also did it I mean frankly in retrospect was it like also something that felt like something that you wanted to oh I wanted to I mean I don't think I got the whole script when I auditioned so I don't think I had a full picture of what it was going to be and I was cast just

based off of my like pre-read tape like I didn't meet anyone I just went and auditioned and I did the role but I remember once I got the part I like immersed myself in the diehard or I was just like watching diehards all the time I just really wanted to take on his you know I wanted to really seem like I was his daughter, you know. And I loved it. I, I, you know, because I had seen those movies growing up and, but once I got into it and was really like, you know, thinking of myself as part of the franchise, like I was so proud. I just thought it was the coolest thing. Or is there any talk of you being in this next, like, no, yeah, no. And I don't really know. I know, I guess it's kind of a reboot, right? So it won't be. Well, it sounds like it's going to be

half and half. Oh, okay. I think you're going to see him in present day, but there's going to be Oh, there's going to be present day stuff. Yeah. That makes sense. Yeah. No, I have not. I have not, I have not heard anything. So Scott Hillgram, which I think that's probably the first time I interviewed you was at Comic-Con, which was this infamous Comic-Con, right? It was like you guys like... It felt like a moment. Rock stars of Comic-Con. So, I mean, and I love that movie, and a lot of people love that movie. Give me the high and give me the low of that process. Because it seems like there were big highs and some lows, too. Comic-Con was probably... That was such a high. I have never experienced anything like that before I did. It felt like we were rock stars and people were so freaking out

over the movie. And, you know, we premiered it there. And then Metric came on stage right after and performed a concert and nobody knew that was going to happen. And the crowd went crazy. And it was just such an energy that I think we were all like kind of talking, the cast, we were talking to each other, especially those of us who hadn't really been that much in the public eye before and just being like, you guys, our lives are about to change. Let's all, forever this moment forever. Yeah, exactly. Let's not. Don't change, guys. Stay the same. Yeah. And then like, you know, The next day, or a couple days later, it came out, and the numbers were really, really low.

And I remember kind of, like, hearing at the premiere, there were, like, whisperings that were like, it's not looking, it's not really looking good. And just, I just remember just being kind of thrown, like, wait, after that, like, after that, crazy experience, like, people aren't going to come to see the movie. Yeah. I didn't, I wasn't that upset. I don't remember feeling really that terrible about it. I think we all love the movie so much that that was really the reward, you know, such

cool movie and everybody who saw it loved it and I just don't think it was also pre social media you know it was like right before that so there wasn't I think maybe if it happened now I'd be a lot more devastated because there'd be so much many more like think pieces and talk and it would just be such a bigger conversation and then it was just kind of like oh well that sucks moving on it just wasn't that much of a thing it's funny I've read this a few different times in reading about you people have like described you in your career sometimes as being the best thing in not great films? I've heard that, which is a, it's a very nice, sort of bag-handed compliment. How do you take that? Like, yeah, I mean, you know, I guess, I don't, I don't know. You know, I certainly, I think it's great that if people think I'm good at anything, I would much rather them actually like the projects as a whole, you know?

It's a team effort. It's a team effort. It's a team ever. And, you know, a lot of times I disagree because I really love a lot of those, those films that people are referencing. So it's, you know, it's a personal taste thing. But hey, if you like me, thanks. I'll take it. I'll take it. I reference smashed. And, you know, that's one for anyone that's seen that they, they know what a special film that is. It is. Yeah. But it's remarkable.

It's like another one that's like shot in 19 days. Yeah. It always boggles my mind, like the inverse proportion of like something that could be so beautiful and so profound that is like a relatively small snippet of your life. Totally. I know. It's kind of crazy because that was had such a huge impact on my life doing that movie. Absolutely. So the Sundance experience, I think I talked to at.

Sundance for that, I remember. Did it feel like that put you in kind of like a difference, I mean, just different offers, different perceptions of you? Definitely. Yeah. I mean, before that, I don't remember. I mean, people that worked with me, you know, made me feel like they thought I was a good actor, but any, outside of that, I never thought that people considered me to be, like, a truly good actor, you know, it was just sort of, I was somebody that was in movies, but, um, and so just to, to, to hear people say that was like, oh my God, thank, oh my God. That's just was a crazy feeling. But ultimately, it was the experience of doing the movie that was the most kind of life-changing and just what I took from that experience and what I've continued to kind of take with me

from it has been like super, super profound. So is there kind of like an ideal or idealized kind of filmmaking experience that you're trying to recapture or chase? Is it that, is it what those 19 days were unsmashed? Or like, give me some of like the ingredients that go into like what would be like the experience you want. Yeah. I think I would. was for a little bit after that movie, I was really trying to recreate that experience and chase it a little bit because it was just so like, this is what I want to do. So everything came together so perfectly. And now I think I've settled into, okay, there's things from that I can take with me that as an actor really kind of inform everything I do from now on, but I can't like

try and force every experience to be that. It's its own thing. But that was just such a it was the most collaborative thing I've ever done. You know, the James Ponsult, the director and I worked so closely together the entire time, which up until that point, I had never really had. I'd worked with amazing filmmakers and had incredible experiences, but it was very much like an actor separation kind of thing, you know, and this was like we were a team. And that was just such a special thing to get to do. And I feel like since then, I don't think I've, hopefully, I haven't forced myself upon directors, but I do think I've had more of those kind of collaborative experiences. I think maybe it's just something about, I kind of know going into it.

But if somebody's open to that, and I'm excited about that. And so I kind of go towards those experiences a little bit more. I mean, switching gears in a kind of a different way, or maybe kind of like dovetails with what we're talking about. By my count, you, I mean, and this is just like public knowledge, I think you've been up for like five or six different superhero films. A few. A few of them, I think, are wrong.

Okay. Okay, fair enough. But, yeah, a few. Yeah. Is there a difference in those kind of like meetings and auditions? Do you feel silly when you have to, like, pretend? in that kind of context. Right.

I think it kind of, it changes over time. I think I used to feel sillier. You know, I think now I'm getting to the point where it's like, yeah, okay, I'm an actor. And if it's this, then that's what it is. And it's my job to make that real and make it work. Or if it's this really real scenario like something in Smash, then it's my job to make that real and make it work. So I think I'm getting to the place now where I'm trying to make it all feel the same,

you know, at least from my perspective and not. not sort of judge it from the outside. That's an agreement. That's how you're going to, the audition is not going to go well if you're second guessing yourself when you walk in the room and thinking like, this is stupid. There's no point. If you're going to do something, you might as well embrace it and figure out how to like make it feel really exciting and cool for you, you know.

I mean, the whole superhero thing, the whole like the way it's dominated, the industry. And I know it comes up probably, frankly, in most interviews I have with actors now because it's such a huge segment of the, of just what captures is the imagination. Do you feel like it's like something like just out of obligation or just being a participant in this industry? Like, yeah, I kind of need to do something in there at some point or else like, you can obviously survive without it. Yeah. But I think it's, you know, I think they're just such a huge part of the industry right now that it's sort of if you want to be working, it's kind of hard to avoid. But for me, I think, you know, I want to do things that make sense for, for me.

as an actor and as a person. And so I would love to work in that universe if it was the right thing. And if it made sense, I just don't really like the idea of like shoehorning myself into something because it's the popular thing, you know. But they're obviously doing incredible films and writing incredible characters. And so, you know, I think I'd be lucky to be in that world. But it's like, you know, it just has to be something that, yeah. And I'm not always right for everything. And that's another thing that you learn as you get older. It's like when I first started It was like, I can play anything. How dare they say I'm not right for this part.

And now I'm like, oh, no, I'm not right for everything. And I don't want to play things that I'm not right for. Is there a kind of role that doesn't even come across your desk at this point that bothers you? I wish they'd at least put me in consideration for something like that. Right. I mean, I know music's a big part of your life too. Yeah, yeah, definitely. You haven't a full on musical.

Right. No, I'd love to do a musical. Yeah, I guess stuff like that. I mean, for the most part, it's the way that it is now is it's just, only certain people get most scripts. You know what I mean? It's literally like five people. And so that's been my entire career.

That's been the struggle. It's just like, okay, you know, can we just like open it up slightly, you know, in terms of like the really good scripts. So it's trying to find really good scripts that are, you know, being done in a different way, you know, than every film is being done in the kind of system. And you've produced along with your husband who directed you in Faults. Is that something, too, that like both as a creative expression and also just as a slightly calculated way, like, it's smart to kind of like develop and work on and try and create your own material. Totally.

Yeah. I mean, I wish I was a writer and maybe one day I'll be brave enough to try and do that. At this point, I just feel way too intimidated by that process. But if I can find material that I like and try to help it see the light a day by producing it and helping get the funding and doing whatever I can, then I would love to do that. Because it is kind of like we're in this space now where everybody is just, it's this kind of no man's land where it's just like get it made however you can, you know, and pull together whatever resources you can just to make stuff that you like. Because otherwise, we're all going to just see the same thing every day. Well, and you're somebody that hasn't shied away from doing, you know, some TV series when it's a better opportunity there, et cetera. It's like, and luckily we're in a time where it's like there's not really a compartmentalization.

It's just sort of like people watch it. They don't care what size of the screen is. Oh, totally. Well, now it's like, you know, pretty much everybody's watching movies and TV and stuff on the same, you know, at home. So it is all kind of the same thing. So, yeah, I've kind of taken now, I'm certainly in that approach where it's like if it's a good role, it's a good project and good people, it doesn't matter where it comes from. That's kind of the most important thing. Do you like and appreciate kind of like your level of fame? Because I would think like you probably get recognized, but it's not probably like overwhelming where they're like, like,

like impacting your life in a negative way, I would think, right? Yeah, absolutely. No, I think I'm kind of in the most ideal place in terms of that stuff. And I do really like that. I think the worry in that is like, do you, how do you maintain that? Like, you kind of are like, oh, well, can you stay at that level or do you have to go up or down, you know? So that's the one thing that does cross my mind sometimes is like, you know, I don't know if I can always be in this perfect zone of working and also being anonymous, you know, but it is a great place to be. in a remaining time I've got this weird sketchy Indiana Jones Vodora

filled with like really weird questions not weird some are okay would you mind pulling a couple out sure see what's in your innermost weird thoughts oh my gosh we're gonna get deep I can feel it Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings Harry Potter

I'm not like a huge like Harry Potter you know I didn't like read the books or anything but I really like the movies I love Daniel Radcliffe. I mean, if he's a farting corpse or not. So, yeah, I'm going to go with Harry Potter on that one. We should reference that Swiss Army Man. Do we know when it's coming out, by the way?

I don't think it's been announced, so I'm not going to say. But it's coming out, 824 bought it, which is so cool. So, yeah, I'm really excited for that. It's, yeah, they're so, Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe are so, so freaking good in it. Yeah, it was quite a premiere to be with that audience and just like ride. it with them and like, yeah, there are moments in that film that are transcendently awesome and insane. Oh, I know. I mean, it's, what's so great about it is like, it's just taking all the gross things about humanity and just making it beautiful. Yeah, it's like, it's shot beautifully.

It's, yeah, the music, everything. One or two more, maybe. Oh, sure. Okay. Let me get down here. Were you ever grounded and for what? My family didn't really do grounding so much. You would just, you would just get that whole.

like, get yelled at and be told that they're disappointed in you, which is kind of worse than anything. The worst thing I can remember is actually when my friend's mom got really mad at me, and I did this horrible thing. I was like, I think I was like 13, and I was staying with them for the weekend, and they, like, went to church or something, and I wanted to, like, meet up with a boy, and so I said I was sick and that I couldn't go with them to church. Right. And then something, I went off and, like, met up with this boy and whatever. And then something happened. They came home early for some reason, and I wasn't there. And her mom was, like, terrified that, like, I had been kidnapped or something. And so my friend had to tell her because I had my friend,

because I told her what I was really doing. And so it all, like, every call came out. Like, she went, she's with this boy. And, and I remember I actually, like, I came back to the house and she was crying because she was so worried about me. And she was, like, so disappointed. And I was just like, I was like so. The guilt. Oh, my God, the guilt. I was just mortified. And so, yeah, like, I was like, I am not doing that again.

And you haven't done one bad thing in your life. Never again. That was it. That was the last one. Good girl. Good girl. Good. How about one more for the road?

Finish strong. Favorite book. Oh, my gosh. That is really tough. Was Monster Island based on a book? You know what? I think it was. I think it was a Nobel Prize winner. Um, um, oh my God. I definitely, I go back to like childhood things like the secret garden and Alice in Wonderland and things that like really affected me when I was really young. And those are the ones that I get like the special editions of and I have all over my house. And so yeah, I mean, I'm not, I'm not going to say something like war in peace or whatever because that's not true. It'd be more of those kind of. childhood favorites. That works. It's totally, that totally works. It's always a great pleasure to see you. I always enjoy seeing, I mean, you're always great in everything, whether it hits within audience or not, and this one will, because it works just in like as a, as a great piece of filmmaking. As I said, I'm really impressed with all the performances, but also Dan

Trackenberg is a director to watch. He's one to watch, for sure. Ten Culverfield-Lane, as if I have to tell everybody's coming out in a couple days, check it out. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, it's good to see you. Good to see you, too. Thank you so much. Once again, thanks to Good Therapy.org for sponsoring today's episode of Happy, Sad, Confused. Good Therapy.org is the most trusted online resource for finding a therapist. Meeting with a therapist or counselor can help people to live happy, fulfilling. lives since 2007

goodtherapy.org has helped millions of people find qualified counselors and therapists. There is hope, guys, there are people who care. Change is possible. Find the right therapist at www.g goodtherapy.org This has been an

Earwolf production, executive produced by Scott Ackerman, Adam Sacks, and Chris Bannon. For more information and content, visit Earwolf.com. 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 Bing. I'm Chris Wimmer. Find Legends of the Old West, wherever you're listening now.