Happy Sad Confused - Monica Barbaro

Episode Date: August 6, 2026

Monica Barbaro is having a moment. Or perhaps it's a series of moments. Top Gun: Maverick. An Oscar nomination for her singing debut in A Complete Unknown. And now she's leading a big screen romcom (alongside Callum Turner) in One Night Only. All of that plus films with Bradley Cooper & Margot Robbie, and Andrew Garfield & Luca Guadagnino on the horizon. She's here to talk about it all! SUPPORT THE SHOW BY SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! Rula -- Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.rula.com/happy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #rulapod Quince -- Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quince.com/HAPPYSAD ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for free shipping and 365-day returns. Limited Time Offer–Get Huel today with my exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with my code happy15 at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://huel.com/happy15.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ New Customers Only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Worst noted director has ever given you. Don't think actors aren't supposed to think. Come on. No. Was that the face you gave in response to that? Probably. Do you want to name names? Um, I do, but here's the biggest flex. I don't even remember his name.

Love it. There it is. We could find it out because I could say where project it was, but no, I'm not going to say it. I don't remember his name and he does not deserve the shout out. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, sad, confused begins now. Hey guys, it's Josh. Welcome to another edition of Happy, Sad Confused.

Today on the show, a first-time guest, Monica Barbaro is in the house. Of course, you know her from a complete unknown for which she was Oscar-nominated, Top Gun Maverick, and her new film, The Rom-Com One Night Only. Thanks, guys, as always, for checking out the podcast. Remember to hit that subscribe button on YouTube, on Spotify. However you want to do it is fine by me as long as you subscribe. Today's guest is Monica Barbaro, who is somebody that certainly has been on my of the last few years. She really came to the four, I guess first in Top Gun Maverick, but then

really took it to the next level with that amazing performance as Joan Baez and a complete unknown. She had no serious musical training. She was not a singer. She was not a guitar player. And yet somehow killed it in that film. I'm so impressed by that performance. And since then, she is reaping the rewards. She's got quite a career going. Her new film is One Night Only, which is a big old school rom-com coming out in the summer on the big. On the Big, screen. Imagine that. It's her and Callum Turner. It is a bizarre high concept. I will say this. If you don't know already, this is about the one night in a year in this society, in this alternate universe, where folks are allowed to have sex. Pre-marital sex is only allowed one night

a year. So yes, it is the purge, but with sex instead of death. So it's a bizarre concept, but at its core, it is kind of like an old school rom-com. And Monica and Calum are very charming in it. She's got a lot going on. She's in the new Luca Guadonino film, Artificial, which is coming out, I believe, later this year. She was just cast in the new Oceans prequel with Bradley Cooper and Margot Robbie. A lot going on for this young actor. I'm thrilled to have her on the podcast for the first time. Before we get to that, quick reminder, as always, patreon.com slash happy sick and fused.

Over there, you get early access to every single episode we do here twice a week, early access, plus access to our live events in New York and LA, autographed merch, all sorts of cool stuff. Supporting us over there helps us make more over here. I'll always say that. Okay, without any further ado, this is a fun one. I'm so happy to have this up-and-coming actor who, I mean, she's not up-and-coming. She's an Oscar nominee, but she's really killing it, and I'm happy to have her here finally. It's me and Monica, Barbara.

Monica, welcome to Happy Say I Confused. Thank you so much for having me. I'm thrilled to have you here, tracking you for a while from afar. When's it going to be time to get Monica on? Now is the time it's happening. Now it's happening today. Congratulations on the film. We're going to talk about a lot of things.

One night only. Insane, fun. Like, I don't know how this movie exists. We'll get to that. We'll get to that. But, like, I was saying to you before, I've been kind of circling you. Like, I did, I was on that aircraft carrier, by the way, for the top gun premiere. Oh, wow.

I was the guy at the front when Tom landed. Yeah. We were hosting that. MTV was hosting it. Oh, wow. I thought I was going to be decapitated by a helicopter that he's landing in. You did your own stunts. Exactly.

Amazing. But from your perspective, so you went through that madness of production, premieres, the top gun thing. Yeah. Were you just like immune to it all by that point? Like, oh, yeah, he's just going to land in a helicopter. That's what my friend Tom Cruise does. Actually, yeah, that was probably the not, the,

compared to what we'd done, that felt a little bit more like run-of-the-mill Tom. Sure. Yeah. This track. Yeah, it was like, oh, yeah, of course. I mean, it was still exciting in the moment, but I, that's not the thing I remember from that day, just because that's kind of, it's the same as seeing a person drive up in their car a little bit. For him, that's the equivalent. Yes.

Do you get, like, what does, like, what are, what do you consider intimidating moments for you in your career? It feels like on set, you're, like in your comfort zone. Is it the award show? Maybe now. you've got in there finally but yeah but I wasn't then um definitely was terrified on that to like speak up about any line or thought or any like I think it was a real um right of passage to like right kind of like sit back and take it in but yeah well just to hold a conversation with jerry Bruckheimer or Christopher McCurry. Joe was a little bit, I mean, he can be intimidating too,

but he was sort of more on the ground. I auditioned with him, so I kind of knew him better. Yeah, or Tom, like even just conversing like normal humans. I was like, oh, that's it's hard to ever forget that that that is not Mickey Mouse in front of you. That's like a real flesh and blood human being. Like he's at the same time he's so present. Like I've experienced as a journalist, like he makes you feel like you're the other person in the room to his credit. Totally, totally. Well, but then also you're like in a state of observation. You're like, oh, this is who the, and then you're like, oh, you just asked me a question. Oh, no. This is my life constantly. By the nature of what I do, I always have, I don't know about you,

I always have this other like person watching like, oh, you're talking. Oh, look, it's you and Will Farrell. That's weird. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Who I heard sat in this seat before me. He warmed it up for you. He's the warm effect for me. I wondered why it was so warm. We expected you be just as funny for the next 40 minutes. Oh, good, good, good, good, good. We have the same background, so that'll be easy. You brought your stand-up routine today. Yeah.

Yeah, my improv set. Like, you do have the chops. I suddenly just become the least funny person. You're like, oh, no, no, no, we shouldn't have done that. Insert funniness here. You are funny in this movie. Look at that segue. Thank you so much.

We did it. Okay, so the reason for you to be here to catch up today is one night only, which is very fun. It is you front and center with Callum Turner. You know, studio romantic comedy, middle of summer, eat your heart out, Odyssey, Spider-Man. It's Monica's time. Oh, God, you just made it so much scarier.

No. No pressure. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But does this feel like, look, you've had a series of moments the last five or six years, especially? Does this feel like another one? Like, okay, I'm a front of you.

and center in an old school kind of rom-com, admittedly with a crazy high-concept thing in the center of it. Yeah. I think my whole life at this point is just like a baby bird being pushed out of a nest. And then I have, I think, flown. Yeah. So this would be one of those moments. Like the other thing wasn't enough.

I now have to, you know, promote a movie, which, by the way, least of all comfort zones is publicity promotion. this moment right now. Sorry. Are you making it very comfortable? No, we'll do it last. No, but yeah, I hadn't even put it. I hadn't even thought of it that way.

I was just like leading a, being a co-lead in a rom-com that's going to theaters was massive enough. And we keep driving, like just in the last. It's like 24, it's like overnight. It feels like all of a sudden this, the whole city is one night only. Which I, on the one hand, I'm like, thanks, Universal for marketing this.

you must really believe in it. Fantastic. Also, I go, oh, it's so we must succeed now. Because if everyone knows the poster and they're like, never's all that. Where'd that go? Marketing doesn't mean anything anymore. It's a referendum on whether we like Monica.

No, you're great in this. Honestly, you and Kalam are fantastic. And it is a crazy idea for a movie. Like the concept at the core of this is like, absurd. If like Ari Aster is directing this, this is like a dystopian drama. Which is so fun actually premise-wise.

You're sort of like every different director who might tackle this would do it. I kind of want to see that. Is it a horror movie? Is it a comedy? Yeah. It's like, wait, we're living in a fascist state where people can't have sex except for one night a year. Yeah. Crazy.

And like seeing it as sort of an allegory for dating. Again, it's sort of like, is it a horror movie? Right. Right. Certainly that speed dating scene. I'm hoping it will feel cathartic for people who feel like they are living in that. state, not just with the mandate. I mean, having an impossible, well, having a government that it feels difficult to coexist with, while also just like living your life and trying to find love

in New York City, feels like it's a people may relate. Yeah, yeah. And we can laugh about it. Thankfully. Yeah, or we'd cry. For the period of this movie. Exactly. Thank you for that rest of it, that hundred minutes of laughter. That's what I truly hope this movie is. Like I hope it's just fun, free, cathartic laughter. Like, oh, Mary was maybe the best therapy I've ever gotten in my life. Amazing. Did you see it with? Who did you see? Cole. Yeah, I missed it with. I saw it with Betty. I'm sure. Unbe-believable. I actually want to see it with every single lead. Yeah. I would all would kill. I know. I would love to see that. Yeah. They're all, I'm sure. Yeah. So when this one is presented to you, like, do they give you the log line? Like,

do they like tell you the premise? Yeah, that's what they started with. And you give kind of like, okay, tell me more. Is it like the purge romantic comedy? Like is that what do they say to you? Like they say. Yeah, I think my reps were like, so it's like the purge but sex. Like, oh, I think I get it.

Sorry, what? But I love that. I love those phone conversations, because I feel like the stronger of a reaction you have, if you're kind of like, okay, that's dead in the water. Right. But if you're like, ooh, what? In either direction, I think it, I think it's,

It makes it exciting. And then Will did this thing where like, he wanted to meet with me but not send me the script yet. And I was like, that's interesting. Usually that means the script may not be, is not done, may not be in a super strong state. And I met with him and he was super funny. He had a really interesting approach to this.

He was like, this is, he's like, the movies I want you to watch are uncut gems, after hours and midnight run. Love it. Not a single romantic comedy. So I was like, that's interesting. But these frenetic kind of, some of them are one night only things. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

After hours, of course. Yep. And, you know, he shot, he was like, I'm going to shoot it with handheld cameras. I wanted to feel like New York. I wanted to feel chaotic. That thing where, you know, Halloween in New York, like it's just a little bit crazed. And I think he really delivered that in this film. And that being his concept, I was like, okay, that's fascinating and not like anything I've seen him do.

but I also know that he can do the rom-com so clearly. EZA. And one for you, Will Block, we should say. Yes. So knowing that he had that in the bag and then like wanted to do something kind of, just kind of have that engine of energy behind it,

I was like, okay. And then I got the script and I was laughing. Like it was, we juzed it a lot. We improvised a lot of things. I rehearsed with Callum and, like one of the first weeks in prep and we changed a lot. But like, but it pretty much was in a way, in its final form, the script.

And it was great. I was laughing a lot. Anyone I spoke to who was also reading it was like live texting me. Like, I keep laughing. And so, yeah, it just felt, it just felt so right. And it felt like that piece of, yes, this is a crazy concept, but also it felt like a kind of maybe nice, somehow, medicine and the food in that they are existing in this kind of crazy unbelievable time.

And I really love this. There's a scene with Molly Ringwald and Lovar Burton. And when they start going at each other, like it's just so perfect. Yeah. Not to mention, not to mention these aren't made, especially for the big screen much at all. Like the opportunity to do that for a wide audience, shoot in New York. And like as a New Yorker, born and bred New Yorker, I know Toronto from New York quite well now on a big screen.

Yeah. And it's really great to see New York used like, I mean, there were so many paparazzi shots when you guys were shooting. Like how aware were you of, was it challenging to shoot in the city? Yeah. Well, I have ADHD. So like, I. Line of sites like, oh God.

Yeah, I would just get really distracted. But the paparazzi here, they shoot so many sets. You can be like, hey, would you mind moving out of my island and they know what you're talking about and they stay at it? Like, I'm going like, oh, I'm just looking from like that cab to that car. So like, if you guys could just like, go over. You can't get rid of them really legally, but you can just ask for some space. And then yeah, also like crowds gathering or I mean we'd be mid scene and someone would be like,

is that Callum Turner? I'm like, I'm sorry, I can't. I lost my place in the scene. And Callum would be able to just keep going and he's very patient with me. But I would just be like, at the what? Where are we? Okay, getting back in. What about what about the choices of like by the nature of this, which is essentially in one night, you basically have one wardrobe for 90% of the film. Like, and it's not being a woman, I can't really speak to this, but it doesn't look like necessarily the easiest like wardrobe to have for an entire sequence of events, the heels, the dress. Yes.

Do you have regrets like halfway through? Like, oh, God, I'm in this again? No, I knew what I, luckily I am, like, I've done this enough to know what I was getting myself into. But it is, it is that thing where you're like, it is, my fittings were in the summer. and it turned into winter. And I kept being like, I'll be fine. I'll be fine.

I'll get through it. Because I know myself and I know I will. Yeah. But there were moments where I was like, why did I do this size? Oh, just freezing. And the heels, I actually, we sort of, we tailored everything.

The dress and the heels were all sort of by design in order to be able to do everything that we needed to do. Like at first, the original dress had a kind of cowlneck, so it was going to fly open. We were like, well, we can't do that. We have to figure out a way to anchor it. So it actually really was meticulously thought through. The heels, to me, that felt like the safest way of having a heel.

It's not attached to your foot. So if you go down, you can just ditch the heel because I knew I'd be running a lot. Probably still not as challenging as eating endless amounts of dumplings for a scene. Like, is there anything worse? That was a good day. I was to say, is there anything worse than after? It was kind of a nightmare. The dumplings, no, yeah, there were, well, also being in a film where you're repeatedly,

essentially taking off your clothes and not wearing very much, you're like, usually it's not preferable to eat carb load before being somewhat naked. No body shaming. I mean, all bodies are beautiful. But the nature of what it calls for. But like for the continuity of it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I think dumplings, I had a spit bucket, and they didn't use it that much.

Like, I'm going to take advantage. You're also, you're singing again. For someone that, like, only a couple years ago had no professional singing experience, you've gone from Joan Baez to another major film where you're singing. The universe wants you to sing, apparently, Monica. Yeah. I don't. I cried in my trailer before.

I had to sing only you. Like I literally, I was in my trailer, I was like, I've also done this enough where I was like crying and I was like, I guess maybe it'll be funny on a talk show later. That's amazing. Like somewhere in that person behind is like, this works.

That means you've been doing it for a minute. You're like, use it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're in misery, but you'll be funny later. No, but I was, I was so, so, so, so terrified. I actually had the same, we had the same AD on this movie that we did on a complete unknown.

So I knew he knew how to, lock up a set and like set a performance up to be in prime position to do really well like so he and he knew me too he knew how terrified I was yeah so yeah so what's the next step broadway musical um the hives coming out again um my hives are back um i the the the i can't say that i would say that i would at this point. But I do think the, that level of singing, that, like,

trusting my ability to be that vocally strong and on key and dance at the same time. It's like an athletic performance as much as it is an acting performance when you're doing eight shows a week. Yes. And you've done a play. We'll talk about that.

But doing a musical is a whole other. Yeah. And having just done that, like even what I thought, I had the capacity for, I'd be like, it was, it was just a bit of a reckoning in the, in the best way, in a way that I hoped would happen. I just imagine a musical would be, um, my hat goes off to what yeah, musical artists do. Like the, the amount of energy and power that they hold in their bodies is just like unbelievable to me. That being said, you did just very recently complete a run.

And I don't if this is like your debut on stage, but was it? As an actor, yeah. Okay. So I mean, I'm fascinated by this. Like, I'd love to hear you talk about choosing to do this now when like you've had, you're having a lot of exciting opportunities. And this is obvious, that was obviously one. But like, it also takes you off of like, you know, like opportunities to do film and TV.

Like, why was most recently the time to kind of challenge yourself to do something on stage in the UK? I mean, I felt like I've wanted to do theater for, I mean, since the beginning, since I was 12. And that wasn't my way into this industry, but I'd been dying to do it. And I felt like I also wanted to have this space to learn from the best like Leslie Manville and Marian Elliott and the National as an institution. and so it just made so much sense to me to do it that way, as opposed to trying to use any kind of like career, I don't know, the established part of my career to like lead a play, I felt like that wasn't going to be.

You're still, at least in some respects, still in the learning period of your career. accumulating skills and... Yeah, I was like, I need to be one of an ensemble and learn from someone who's at the hell, a couple people who are at the helm of it who really know what they're doing. And also it felt like throwing myself into the deep end in a way because it was like with an English accent and there was a dance component. And yeah, I mean, we had like sold out audiences for an extended run. It was incredible.

And yeah, I got to like learn all of that, see how that goes, and then, you know, I hope to do more. I really want to do theater here in New York. You have to. And more in London. It just, and I think my reps were all really into it, too. I think, like, working with Marianne Elliott and Leslie Manville and the National all, like, like, Like for the theater side of this business, that does have the same. Oh, yeah.

That has a kind of a top gun effect. You know, like that is, that is huge and bolstering of the whole of my career. More happy say confused coming up. From the parents behind law and order comes a mystery the whole family can enjoy. Patrick Pickle Bottom Everyday Mysteries. step into the whimsical world of Patrick Pickle Bottom, a precocious 11-year-old with a love for reading and an uncanny ability to solve mysteries. Inspired by the beloved children's book of the same name, this podcast vividly brings Patrick's tales of deduction and everyday adventures to life as he unravels baffling enigmas and solves clever cases. Patrick Picklebottom Everyday Mysteries is perfect for kids and is just as entertaining for grownups who love a good mystery.

The whole family can listen now wherever you get your podcasts. The war is over and both sides lost. Kingdoms were reduced to cinders and armies scattered like bones in the dust. Now the survivors claw to what's left of a broken world, praying the darkness chooses someone else tonight. But in the shadow dark, the darkness always wins. This is old school adventuring at its most cruel. Your torch ticks down in real time, and when that flame dies, something else rises to finish the job. This is a brutal rules-light nightmare with a story that emerges organically based on the decisions that the characters make.

This is what it felt like to play RPGs in the 80s, and man, it is so good to be back. Join the Glass Cannon podcast as we plunge into the Shadow Dark every Thursday night at 8 p.m. Eastern on YouTube.com slash the Glass Cannon with the podcast version dropping the next day. See what everybody's talking about and join us in the dark. I want to backtrack because, like, you referenced, like, you started it out, and for those I know a little bit about you, it was dance at first. It really was dance, hardcore. And, like, you grew up, correcting what I'm wrong in Mill Valley. By the way, I got married in that region.

Stayed at a hotel in Mill Valley for my wedding. Oh, wow. Where'd you get married? Barkspur. Yeah, yeah. Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful.

What a great area. So when you're a great area. growing up there. Why did you pick there? So my aunt lives in Berkeley, so we'd spent a lot of time out there. And we just, you know, love the Redwoods, want to do a small intimate thing out there. Yeah. That's great. That's so wonderful. Don't talk to her anymore, but no, of course, no, we're worried about. We cut her off now that we got married. No, no. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's where my dog is right now. He's living a much better life with my mom than on the road with me. Are you missing your dog? I'm a huge dog obsessive. Yes. I just casually. I don't,

make it sound like I cry a lot. But I would fully like sobbed leaving my place in L.A. just a week ago because I was like, I ran into one of his toys and he's with my mom and he's been with my mom for a minute. And yeah, just like full.

I love him so much. But he's in the redwoods. It's like, is the plan to reunite? Is this a long term situation or like? It's long term in that by the time I get him, well, the next time I could see him it would probably have been After the next gig, which is going to be a while.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's the nature of the life you've chosen. It's tough, but it's worth it. It's wild. And he can't be left alone. Yeah. So he's not like, I can't like sit him and I can't have him in a trailer and just leave him there.

It becomes like a full-time job for the set. And that I don't want to. Ours is, requires constant attention, but we love her. Okay. Well, when you're here, you can, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. She's a city dog.

She loves Central Park. She's like the best. My dog turns into, a real bitey New Yorker. Like he gets like not literally bitey. Yeah, let's not spread disinformation. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But he he picks up on the energy of the city and gets spicy here.

Well, yeah, ours is a pit mix. So like the sweetest, but like one of those where like there's that aggression in her. Yeah. But it comes out only if someone else, if you want to start something, she'll finish it. Yeah, yeah. But she's the sweetest otherwise. Anyway, we can talk dogs all day. But growing up, okay, so dance.

But I'm just curious, like, before we get to the dance part, even just like what you were into growing up, what posters on the wall, film, TV, anything. You weren't a big TV watcher from what I read, but like, what were you into? Oh, yeah. Well, my mom didn't have, like, cable, but, or she just had cable TV.

It was like reruns of law and order throughout the day, Whatever channel. Luckily, there are 3,000 of us. Whatever seven channelists that was on. And then also like, like we'd watch BBC specials, like the Pride and Prejudice special was like. Yeah. And then anything she had on VHS or anything I had on VHS, which was like four films, just repeatedly. Like I broke my copy of Romeo and Michelle's High School Union because I watched it so many times.

Did you memorize the time after time dance sequence? I never actively memory. But you know when you hear a song and you're like, why do I know all the words? If I got up and tried to do the dance right now, I could probably do the whole time. But I've never tried to memorize it. Did you try to get yourself into the sequel? They're shooting it literally right now. No, I don't know how to, I don't know how to handle that.

This is a lot. This is a lot. Is this meant to be? Is this the right move? Yeah. I don't know. I don't know. And I had a lot of people go like, you never sequel Top Gun.

And then we did and we did well. So I don't want to say like, don't do it, don't touch it. I think those women can do anything. And I will show up and watch it. I have such high hopes for it that I just. It's a sacred text. We get it. It's a sacred text.

We get it. Yes. What are the other couple ones you knew by heart you wore out on VHS? I'm trying to remember now a bug's life. Sure. Which I watched that again. It's those things that you watch. you like, you feel like you're back in your childhood.

Yeah, a bug's life. I read, wait, here's a couple that you named at some point. The Quaron, Harry Potter, Azcapan. Was that a big one? Yeah, yeah, yes. But that was, that, what I'm a little older. That wasn't like, that was coming out in theaters in my teens. Okay, gotcha.

Galaxy Quest? Yeah. I respect for you. I love that movie so much. Talk about a perfect movie. It's such a perfect movie. I think I watched it with the director's commentary as well. Amazing.

No, I've been privileged enough to get to know, like, Justin Long and San Rockwell and had them on for, like, an anniversary podcast like a year or two ago. Just because why not? That's fun. Alan Rickman in that movie. It's so brilliant. He's so... Talk about, like, theater at the National. And also, the liaison.

That was, like, the thing that that play supposedly was a part of what... Well, it was like die-hard, really... really, but in the sort of acting industry world, he really popped off with that clay. I always think about people that die hard was his film debut. He was like 40 years old. He had lived a life in the theater and then the film world discovered him. Okay, we're jumping all around. Sorry.

Yeah. This is perfect. Sigourney Weaver in that movie too. Like leaning into that trope of a woman and doing it with so much heart and embracing the real person underneath. Like, I just love. I just love the way she did that. And I'm sure as like you've like grown in the industry and kind of like seen the facade,

the, you know, what we project and what's behind it, it kind of becomes richer too, like you were saying. Yeah. Well, and like what fun because she's she's also known for being such a powerful woman and waiting into the sex appeal of like a bimbo, bimbo character. Yeah. Yeah. People's inability to like see someone cross. those and then her just just go full board and be like, I can do this too and also give her a depth of soul that like is just brilliant. I love that. Dogs and Galaxy Quest. We can talk forever. I'm so sorry. No, no, I love it. This is what the podcast is. So how hardcore like, how quickly did you get into dance? Like was it like an obsession early on? Was it like this is going to be my life? Like no, I was like I was put in dance. All my siblings were. Yeah. And. And.

I was just in it and I think it was adjacent enough to acting and I really loved the Nutcracker because I would get to sort of be characters, at least at first. And I had a knack for it. And my parents, I think, found it to be a very respectable art form. Because it was, because it's, I mean, they love the classic arts, but also it's, it's, it's special. It's not something that everyone can do. And so I stayed in it for a long time, but kind of knew I wanted to act. It's such a, so you come to NYU and you're studying dance, like that's still the intent to like that's going to be the career or is in the back of your mind are you thinking this is not going to be long term. Like this is still.

Yeah. Like I think I, I think I knew. I feel like it's the equivalent of a relationship that you're in and you know that it's not the one. Right. But you're like. It's hard to break it. A lot of really great qualities about it. And yeah, it's a big leap to go, no, I will not, because I was just so in it, to go, no, I will not do that anymore.

I will break up with this life that I'm leading, that I'm very clearly down a specific path for and totally pivot into the unknown. And the pipe dream is how I sort of felt. It would be perceived and how I maybe judged it to be myself. I'll preface this by saying that I love and adore Timothy Chalome. He's been on the podcast multiple times. When he made his comments about dance, about ballet, you're the first person to ask me about this. Did you text him? Did you say, I love you, buddy, but come on.

Did you say something? I mean, no, I didn't. I don't know. I can't possibly know exactly where he was coming from when he said that. But one of the conversations we had on set was about his sister being a dancer. And he was actually, he was saying it from a very like, hats off respect kind of a place. Yeah. And so I feel like that was something where he was expressing something in a way that made it sound like it was about.

a respect for the art form when really I think it is about audiences for that art form. Yeah. And I do think audiences are dwindling for those kinds. I mean I you know that's real government subsidies at the national like that's the best possible place to do theater yeah and yet you know they have less than they ever have and and no other theater is doing it like that and those tickets are getting more and more expensive while in New York, they're like three, four times that to go to a Broadway show. Right.

So he's not diminished. I totally agree with you, by the way. I can't speak for, you know, like, what he was. I'm going to give him the ban of that doubt too, because I feel like it's more about like, it's not diminishing the art form. It's more a commentary on like we don't celebrate. We're not, the world is not giving these art forms the love,

the centering that they deserve the way. Yeah. Yeah. I don't, again, like I don't know that that's what he was saying, but that's my personal. takeaway where I mean I'm a Gemini I try to see all sides

I think I think I think in a way I'm just like there is there is some truth to that statement in a way that I would like to not lead with offense you know but

but also like it's very much his business to express you know what he did or didn't mean and why and how he feels about any of it. Don't worry. I'm not just trying to start the Monica Timmy beef today. Don't worry. No, no. And I'm not trying to avoid beef either. I just think, yeah, it's wild to be on both sides of it to like sometimes be a part of something that goes viral in some capacity and then also to be away from it and like

have it pop up on your phone and be like, did you hear? And I think things feel so differently when you're in, when you're there in the present moment than the way they're received and the way it's received. is almost its own title wave of experience. 100%. Which sometimes in press tours, people are optimizing. So there's that. But it, yeah, it makes it more complex than, yeah, I don't know. No, I got you.

Totally, totally. So the transition out of NYU and starting to kind of like double down on acting, not necessarily easy to say the least at first. There's unemployment. There's years of unemployment, of lack of any opportunity, right? Like, you just weren't getting auditions for a while from what I gather. Well, I moved back home to No Valley and was auditioning in San Francisco. I got a book at the, what was it, borders? Okay.

Union Square. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. No longer exists. And it was called How to Be a Working Actor. And it was like, how to build your resume, basically. and like, what to do, take class, idiot. And then one of the things was, you know, it can be helpful to be in a smaller market.

And those were the ones they sourced for San Francisco and Chicago. And I was like, well, I have no money. And there's a bedbug epidemic in New York. And it's the hottest summer on record and I have no money. So I'll probably just move home and try out San Francisco. And I did. And I use my dance resume. and oh yeah my rent was like going up but no one owned the building it was like just post recession it was like a nightmare um so yeah i i moved home i used my dance NYU resume i was honest but i just listed dance performance sure um and i was able to do i did a lot of like short films with uh the academy of art universities out there san francisco state universities some recent graduates were making like a really cool

indie short film. They just threw all their money into this thing. But it was a great time. And like commercial work. And I would meet people on those projects who were like, oh yeah, I have an agent. You should meet my agent. And then, you know, and then I started working commercially.

And I kind of hit the ceiling of that pretty quickly. As I also then I started training there. Right. with like theater material and you know you know not what I was doing professionally but but developing my craft and then eventually I went down to LA and is that where then I had a period of like that's before Unreal Unreal is years later it's a couple years yeah I think a couple years later weirdly I got my sag card and I think in the commercial world

it became 10 times harder to book a commercial with my SAG. Because you're getting a higher rate because you're for a union? Because the non-union game was like, and I think the way things were developing on streaming and YouTube and internet commercials were sort of this like, it's hard for the, for organizations to move. It's like what's happening, I think, with AI. It's hard for organizations to move through. developing new contracts through their sort of like bureaucratic systems that that can keep up with the rate of technology developing. And I think that, I think SAG commercial actors were having that struggle maybe still. Right.

I don't know. So it, so it was suddenly like, because I could only do SAG commercials. But also the work was so much more protected on those commercials. Sure. So their benefits, obviously. If you get them, great. Yes. Yes. Yes. But it just became like the funnel hole got so much smaller. Yeah. So yeah, that. So I had a couple of years where and then I just needed like great reps, which I got who were very connected. And I was training that whole time and wondering if I should continue. And a dog walked for a living. I bartended a little bit. I. Yeah. Is Unreal the moment where you could stop doing the side hustles?

Yeah. Yeah. Is that a moment, I mean, when you think of like the big moments, getting the Oscar nomination, getting top gun, getting a complete unknown, in its own way was getting unreal, like, as significant? Yeah. Maybe one of the most in my body because it felt like a confirmation that I could be a working actor. Yeah.

It wasn't a guarantee. I, like, hoarded all my money and was terrible. I'd never work again. But it was like, okay, you can work in this industry. That was like, oh, it's no longer an absolute pipe dream. You have a job. And in the years between that, you're working, like leading up to Top Gun, which is kind of arguably the next major step.

Sure. You're doing a bunch of series. They kind of come and go, right? But those all felt, each one of them felt like, I'm working, you know? No, no diminishment. I mean, that's. I'm like growing up watching Dick Wolf and then I got a Dick Wolf show. I was like, I'm the second chair and I'll be in my suit.

Totally. You know, this is everything. Legal jargon, let's have it. Let's do it. Did you see like a path like in terms of like what kind of roles people were seeing you for? Like were you happy with kind of like the trajectory you were on then from like 2016 to 2018 when you go up for Top Gun? I think every I realized quickly that every time I did something I was given or. for, well, yeah, given opportunity to audition for more roles that were exactly the same.

And so I was like, okay, I have to make a concerted effort to pivot. Right. Like there was something I turned down, shockingly, around, like right after Unreal that felt very much like Unreal energetically. That's a big thing to say no at any point in your career, let alone in that relatively early part. I know. But it was the kind of thing where they were also paying very, very little money and they

would hold you for like a year and a half. after. I had good advisors. That's the other thing about reps. It's like they're good advisors. And so it was like you might be stuck under this contract and you are getting love from other projects so you can pass on this. And that's what working gives you too is like a little bit of confidence to do that. And then, and then, you know, from that, a legal show was like, yes, super different. And then just kept trying to pivot. More happy say confused coming up. Oh, please. Not that music. That music. gives me nightmares from my childhood.

Could we get something a little bit lighter, some lighter music here? Are you a fan of true crime TV shows? And what about Unsolved Mysteries, the show that jumped started all of our love of true crime? I'm Ellen Marsh. And I'm Joey Taranto. And we host, I Think Not, a true crime comedy podcast covering some of the wildest stories from your favorite true crime campy TV shows all the way to Unsolved Mysteries. Baby, you will laugh, you will cry, you'll think about true crime in a whole new

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This season on Vulgar History, we're spilling the historical tea on the messy Tudor era. We'll get into the Anne Boleyn of it all, figure out who really wrote Shakespeare's plays? Was Elizabeth really a virgin queen? And why was Henry the A's the fucking worst? Listen to Vulgar History wherever you get podcasts. So when Top Gun comes around, that's so unusual for a thousand different reasons. I mean, you know, when you sign up for that, you're signing up not only just like for an acting gig. It's almost like you're like joining like the military or something. It's like you're

like learning all these skills. Like it's it's a very unusual. Yeah. Experience to say the least. Yeah. Did you kind of did Tom and Joe kind of like a Jerry kind of outline for you what was going to be like, were you shocked to kind of like what that job turned into? Yeah, in a way. I knew we Joe told me in an audition that he was like, are you claustrophobic? I was like, no. And he was like, are you able to swim? I said, yes. This is top gun, right? Aren't we going up?

Yeah, wait, what? Which also, I'm not a super confident swimmer, actually. And I was like, yeah, why? He was like, well, because we're going to be, just casually, we're going to be flying and you guys are going to be in these jets in the movie, and you have, if there's an emergency, you have to do an emergency ejection and you have to swim for survival. And I was like, cool. Go, go, cool.

This didn't come up in the Unreal audition. Yeah, so strange. It's never come up before. Yeah. So I did know. But I'm, I guess, kind of a crazy person because that just made me more excited to do it. Because I was like, when in my life am I ever going to get to do that again? If push came to shove, could you fly a plane right now?

If we need a pilot, an emergency, do you know enough? I, it's been so long since we filmed a movie. I could potentially fly a Cessna. Like we learned how to do all the procedures for a Cessna, not a jet. Because it's also like classified.

The military will not let you. But the the Cessna maybe, it's been a minute. There's a lot of... I'm not turning to you first. I got you. I got you. It would need gas. It would need, you know, hopefully there's not like

a mountain range and bad air because that's how... Right. Bad things happen. Really bad things happen. Yeah. Bad air. That's how educated I am.

The air was bad. I don't know. How fixed was that script? Like, was it evolving? My sense is it evolved a lot, right? Yeah. Did your role evolve a lot? Did it change?

Did it get bigger or smaller? Did Phoenix's function in the script change? Um, it was pretty much, like, size-wise, it was pretty much the same. There was a little, who cares? I was like, am I allowed to say this? There was like a tidbit where John Han, we shot a couple of scenes that are not in the movie where John Ham was trying to get me and Lewis Pullman,

who plays Bob, to out Maverick for being irresponsible. Oh, okay. And they were not, actually, John Ham leaned across the desk at one point, he goes, this scene's going to be cut. And I was just there like, I have to make every moment count. And I was like, oh, got it. You're a challenge accepted. I'm going to make it count.

No, I was fully like, no, we're here for no purpose. And Lewis had worked with John Hamm on a movie, like, right before that. So it was funny. They were like super cordial. We were just laughing about it. And we're like, okay. But yeah, yeah. Crazy.

I think they even had me, like, in a hospital bed after the emergency ejection. So I had like a cut. And like, and, and, yeah. And good riddance. It was not right. But I love that, though. That film will always be a miracle of miracles. The way it, like, turned out, and I will never forget the first time I saw it.

Like, I think many people share that. Like, it was just like. Where did you see it? We saw early screening. So no one had seen it. No, I didn't see it at cinema con. But because MTV was hosting that premiere, they let us see it relatively early. So there were no expectations.

I mean, there were expectations, but it was like more of like, how good can this possibly be. Yeah. Did anyone prime you or no? Not really. Not really. How could, it must have been a little bit, I mean, I talked to the other actors in it. Like, there must have been a period of frustration because it was sitting on the shelf for so damn long. Oh, yeah.

Like you. I think we bonded, we like kind of trauma bonded on the movie just because it was like so intense. Sure. And we also were experiencing something. No other actor could quite relate to in that way of like doing those flights and things. And filming up there and all the responsibilities we had. the plane. But then that period of time where it wouldn't come out,

we would just would call each, we would hop on face time through. All he had was each other in that. Yeah, yeah. And so it sort of like solidified that bond, which was kind of beautiful in a way, but also, yeah, because we all were in the same place. We were like, I think this movie could do a lot for each and every one of us. And the longer it sits, we know for me, especially as a woman,

I was like the older I get. Oh, God. Yeah, no, I get it. But yeah. Yeah. We should talk a little like an incomplete unknown because you kill it in that. I mean, you were amazing as Joan Baez. And thankfully, you were, you know, it doesn't always happen where like a film lines the audience and finds the accolades of this one did.

Yeah. You got the sag nomination, the Oscar nomination. I mean, degree of difficulty in that. Also, insane. You were not a singer. You were not a guitar player as far as I know. Is that sheer terror from, you? that sheer terror from day one to the last day on set?

Yeah. To it coming out to through the Oscars. And so, yeah. How, I mean, I hope you take a lot of pride in that because like knowing what the degree of difficulty is and then to be not only accomplished it, but to be so recognized for it. I don't know. Talk to me like, what is the greatest source of pride when you look back at that performance? Is it just sort of like, I did it?

I got it done. I check the box or is it something more specific or what? Yeah, I think it's a little bit, maybe again, it's like the out of body looking at it and going like, wow, I did that. That's me. I did it. And I think, yeah, I think it was the first time. I mean, ballet could be a very chaotic head game where like you're never enough. you're never doing enough.

And I think that, I think doing that movie was the first time I was able to hear people when they said I work hard. Like I was like, I think I do. I think I work really hard. Yeah.

And I think there's evidence of it now and it's in a, in a way that's not glorifying a, like, you know, senseless hustle, but like, but, but just honoring of the amount of work that I put in. That felt really wonderful. And I felt like I did what I came there to do in honoring Joan.

And I learned a lot, too, from Jim, James Mangold. And he gave me, like, great feedback. In fact, at one point, he was like, I see you get an, I'm like revealing whatever. He's like, I see you get an impulse and not follow it. And I was like, that's the worst thing an actor can hear. Not really. He meant it from like an encouragement standpoint.

Trust your instincts, essentially. Yeah. Follow through. Yeah. And I had done so much of trying to fit into the box in the way that I perceived the creators of a project. And that worked for me for a long time. Yeah.

Like I remember the day that I learned, I was just like sitting watching some show on Hulu and the commercials kept popping up. And I was like, oh, they're happy when they pay their credit card bill. And I brought that to my commercial auditions and I started booking commercials. And so I think it was like there was a lot of benefit to knowing what was needed of me and filling that role for people. but also I was sort of robbing myself of the ability to give myself permission to try things and like just come from a more intuitive, free, alive place.

And that piece is what I love so much about it when I was like 12, was that I could just like, I could fly free and do whatever I wanted. That voice in your head wasn't so loud stopping yourself because we all get that voice that gets louder, unfortunately, as we get older. Yeah. And specifically that acting gave me permission.

Like as a person in my life, I wasn't able to, I would get in trouble for acting out. Right. But when I played this little boy Fritz in The Nutcracker who like breaks things and is this mischievous little shit, I got to be that and I enjoyed that. Like it was just, it was a, it was a freedom. You're uninhibited. Yeah. Green light.

Do whatever you want. And I had sort of over time robbed myself of that. And then hearing Jim say that, I was like, oh, okay. That's incredible acting. advice and now now I get to like take something new and learn from it and right run with it. Well that's what hopefully the best one of the best benefits of success and affirmation gives you is trust in yourself and being able to be as free. Because that's what it's all about. I mean having talked to a thousand actors, it's like somehow getting to that flow state where you shut out all the noise and you're just in the moment. Trust in yourself, trusting the actor in front of you and blotting out all like the the demons of our heads that that that that that um,

that stopped creativity, I guess. Yeah. Right. And it's, and it's like still, I mean, I did shows where, like, the guest star that came with the most, um, freedom and understanding of character was the best one there. It has to be, it has to live within the story. It has to like, make sense. Honor the framework and the whole thing.

Yeah. So you have to, you still have to be intelligent about it. But to have that freedom and to, like I was saying, I was so terrified to talk to like, Q or Breckheimer, like to know that I have permission to exist in those spaces and to know that a director I respect so much is like, come on, like, be you, be more of you. He also would be the first person to be like, that was terrible dude again. No, he's tough. I got it.

He's tough. I spent time. Yeah, he's a smart man, but he doesn't suffer fools. Yeah, totally. But then, but even more so, you like build your strength because you're like, okay. and I will, you know, I watched Ed Norton do that so brilliantly. He would just, I mean, he would just flow, because he's also a writer.

He would flow and then he would have things cut out and he would pivot and it would still be brilliant and it would be just something different. And it would be like I just, that I found to be, like his dexterity is just incredible. One of the top ones out there. I want to tease a couple things coming up. So you've shot Artificial, which is the Luca Glottonino film.

Yeah. Just the Glucahalla. experience, every actor is dying to work with Luca. Yeah. What was it like? What was the shoot like? He's incredible. Some people have a really good accent,

imitation of his accent. I don't. I got to work on him. Press first comedy. Because you immediately, the instinct is just to go into the Luca impression. Yeah. But, yeah, I mean,

similarly, he wants actors to, like, really follow their impulses and expand in the space. And I think that's really wonderful. And also it's we were dealing with like really challenging material in terms of like what we're saying about again people who are alive. You're playing a real person in this, right? Yeah. Yeah. And so I don't know.

I mean, this I feel like had a particular kind of flavor to it as far as his films are concerned because it's based on real events. So so I think it's probably different than the way he he might usually work, or our task was so heavily research-based. And then, I mean, his approach with like, I mean, he does such interesting camera work to, like, he was bringing a lot of himself, of course. And then, again, our job was kind of just to like stay. deep with, sorry, always the first time I talk about these things. No, it's okay.

You haven't done the press story yet. I haven't done two days of junk it about it yet. I don't have the sentences. No, but I get your, it's... Because when I think of him, I do hear often from actors about the fluidity of his sets, but it sounds like by the nature of this material, yes, that's there, because it's always going to be there with him. Yeah.

But you have to work. He's in a flow state, but yes, there's also an accuracy component. There's the facts. The facts are the facts. Yeah, which was very different. Yeah. And I'm interested to see how that will go. as we promote the film.

Have you seen the movie yet? I have. Is it a comedy? Would you call it a comedy? I mean, Simon Richards is a very funny writer. Yes. Yes, he is.

It, one day we would show up and Luca would be like, this is, what was the word he used? This is a, what was it? Like a zany comedy.

What was the word he would use? He would just be like, this is, yeah, basically, madcap comedy. That wasn't the word. I'll find it eventually. All good. And then the next day, he'd be like, it's a horror story. And so we're like, what? And I think having seen it, I'm like, yeah.

It's all of it. It's all of that. Okay. But I don't, to be clear, I don't think it does not suffer at all from lack of tone or confusion of tone. It's just, I think it, I think actually in reality it kind of also. is all of that. I'm excited to see. I'm glad it's found a home. This was a strange circumstance, but neon is a great home for a film like this, it sounds like. Yeah. Great. Yeah. We'll talk about that hopefully soon. Yeah. We can say officially you're doing oceans.

That's been announced, right? Yeah. So Bradley Cooper, not only starring in it with Margot, Bradley directing it. Yeah. Talented filmmaker, to say the least. Yeah. Did you have to audition for this? Did he come to you? Did audition? Nailed it, killed it. Thank you. I guess I did. Yeah, I did. I taped for it. 60s set Monaco backstory of like the Danny Ocean's parents essentially, right? It's, it's... Yeah, if you pick that up from the internet, then that's what's out.

Okay. Well, I said it, not you. Yeah, I mean, it's like, you know, it's always hard to comment on something before you even step foot on set. Yeah. But I'm super stoked. Bradley is a director I really admire. He's an actor. I admire.

Margo, same thing. her production company is just like so incredible. I find her and her husband, like what they've done is just, and the whole company. What they've done is just, I mean, it's amazing to get to see a woman produce to that capacity. And I find that very cool. So I'm not only excited to work with them as actors, that kind of like blows me away, but also to get to see how they operate.

in that environment where she is producing and he is directing and where they're acting in the project and doing both of those things. I'm just like, I just, I mean, I've always been a person who really likes to sit in Video Village and just absorb what's going on. I did that like almost every day on Unreal because I was like, I just want to be here. I just want to know what this is. And I expect to do that again with this just because there. So, yeah. No, there are two of I've seen like Margo at like film festivals just like to be there to like see movies. Like I tell you ride. You don't have a movie here.

Like she's just like watching movies. Yeah. She's the real deal. I love. Yeah. Somehow she manages to be like a full-time producer and a full-time actor. I have no idea how she does it. I should let you go soon.

But just to ask like how active is the Top Gun Text thread? Like is there a date? Do you have like time carved out for the sequel? Like are you hopeful? The Top Gun Text Threat has been kind of quiet for a minute. Oh, okay. Yeah. We've had a lot of like, yeah, I don't, I don't know anything.

We can't say anything and I don't know anything. So, and that's happened as, that's happened several times throughout this process. It's not to say that any rumors aren't true. Right. But, but it seems like there's a will, but we don't, we're not quite at the point where we know, like, definitively what's happening. Yes. Is that fair to say?

Yeah. But it is reminding me, I do think. Jay Ellis makes an appearance in One Night Only, which I'm pretty excited about. And yeah, I feel like we should all hop on a FaceTime sometime soon because like it's, now that I'm thinking about it, it's been a minute. We used to do them pretty regularly. Aw. So, yeah. Aw.

Aw. Okay, we end with this happy sag-infused, profoundly random questions. Monica, are you ready for these? I know the answer to the first one based on our conversation. Dogs or cats? Dogs. Well, I love cats too. No, shade the cats.

Yes, I would more readily adopt a dog. Okay. What do you collect? Ooh, what do I collect? Not much. I live out of a suitcase. That's okay. You're busy. Yeah, suitcases. Suitcases to fill up. That's okay. That's fine.

And journals. I like write. I journal. So I got a lot of those full of thoughts. Do you have a favorite video game of all time? A favorite. Video game. No, I was not much of a gamer. No games even growing up. I did enjoy Golden Eye, like I would go to my friends,

and I learned that I could just make the character go like this, and it was really hard to shoot him. That was the extent of my video game. Sure. Hardcore gamer, Monica Barbaro. She learned a trick. Nobody will ever try again. Dakota Johnson asked me this.

I ask everybody. Would you rather have a mouthful of bees or one be in your butt? Like in your butt? You're really going there. I know. I almost started to cry a little bit. Sends memory. By the mouth.

That's maybe the hardest question I've ever gotten. That's why I ask it. Dakota Johnson asked you this? I know. Well done. Devant mind. She's a really creative. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. And deep. Yeah. There's a lot going on there. Darkly. Oh, shit. There are no wrong answers.

Maybe my, maybe my. No, I guess my. The more convenient one would be my butt. Yeah. Because I could like hide that. Yeah. Just so you know. But the mouth I could take a break.

I would take a break. 92% might get some sleep. Do the butt. I can't believe I just said that word. But yes, they go with the butt. Also, 90% do the butt. What's the wallpaper on your phone? Obviously, my dog.

Nice. Yeah. Last actor you were mistaken for? Happens all the time. Yeah? The recent one. It's whoever's current and also. whoever, if I'm standing next to any man, any woman who's been in association with that man,

they'll say I look like them. I don't know if it happens to the other women, but it happens to me. I think the last actor, though, recently is, I don't know how to say, Emily Bodder, Bader. Bader. Bader. Bader. Emily Bader. Yeah. Which, it's always a compliment.

I'm always like, okay. Sure. Worse note a director has ever given you? don't think actors aren't supposed to think. Come on. Was that the face you gave in response to that? Probably. Probably.

Do you want to name names? I do, but I actually, here's the biggest flex. I don't even remember his name. Love it. There it is. We can find it out because I can say where project it was, but no, I'm not going to say it.

I don't remember his name, and he does not deserve the shout out. Agreed. Okay. Finally, in the spirit of happy second, an actor who always makes you happy. You see them on screen, you're in a better mood. Ooh.

Amy Adams, Kate Hudson, Goldie Hawn. Perfect. Cool. Movie that makes you sad. Yeah. Movie that makes you sad. Ooh.

Um, God, the documentary, Amy wrecked me for like three days. And I have this yearning to re-watch Whale Rider. Yeah. Not because it's ultimately

sad, but I do think like when I want to feel deeply. One of those, yeah. That's what I'm going to turn on. Yeah. And a food that makes you confused. You don't get it. A food that makes me confused. Why do people eat that?

Why do people eat that? Well, I don't, I just don't, I just hate peaches. Interesting. Yeah. I haven't heard that one before. Okay. Yeah, but it's not like, it's not like I don't get it. I just don't like them.

Not for you. Yeah. And I also discovered a weird thing about me is that I don't like songs where they sing about fruit. Now, we've opened up a minefield at the very end. Which just, it came up in conversation and then it was just, they was like, it was called to our attention that that's a weird thing to have said. Is there a, is, is there an example? Like, what's a, like? I'm just about to burn some bridges.

I like, like, I don't like the song, watermelon sugar. Like, I just don't like it. Fair enough. There's more though. Poor Harry Styles. He really needs my support. I'd like the hair styles. It's fine.

No, no. You've created a beast today with Harry Styles. I created a few. He's like, who? Stop what? What else? There were other ones. It actually turned into like a just a riff train of songs that have things about.

I used to really hate the line, really love your peaches, want to shake your tree. Not because of what it's talking about, but because I'm like, oh, peaches. Yeah. But there's, there's, there's, we're going to have to continue this in our next therapy session. Yeah, yeah, so sorry. We don't have time to impact that one. Oh my God. I don't, I didn't know it was the thing until I said, I was like, yeah, I think I just don't like when people sing about fruit.

And then that boy. Breakthrough. Yeah. And now I've given it over to the internet. I love it. We thank you for that. We thank you for that. Your performances and the rest is, the best is yet to come.

You're doing great. You're killing it. I'm so happy we had a chance to catch up for this one. one. Everybody check out one night only. Reward big rom-coms on the big screen. Come together. Absurdity and billboards everywhere. Please go see it. There it is. There it is. Monica, thank you for the sign today. I appreciate you. Thank you so much for having me. And so ends another edition of happy, sad, confused. Remember to review, rate and subscribe to this show on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm a big podcast person. I'm Daisy Ridley

and I definitely wasn't should do this by Josh. The world of Sonic the Hedgehog has been thrust into a not-so-dark, not-so-stormy, hard-boiled detective story that probably nobody saw coming. Follow Sonic and the Intrepid Chaotic's detective agency as they take on their biggest case yet. This high-flying, action-packed adventure will take them across the world, fighting for every clodig in five. It's one heck of a tale. Which is good, because this story might be the only thing that can save their lives. Well, if that's all, I can just dispose of you. Wait, what?

All will be revealed in. Sonic the Hedgehog presents The Chaotics Case Fires. Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.