Happy Sad Confused - Nathalie Emmanuel

Episode Date: August 23, 2022

Sure, Nathalie Emmanuel has been in arguably the biggest show of the last decade (GAME OF THRONES) and sure she's part of one of the biggest franchises in history (FAST & THE FURIOUS) but she's never been the lead of her very own film. Well the time is now for Nathalie as she stars in THE INVITATION and joins Josh to talk about all of it. Come see Josh tape a LIVE Happy Sad Confused on October 25th in NYC with Ralph Macchio! Tickets are available here! For all of your media headlines remember to subscribe to The Wakeup newsletter here! Don't forget to check out the Happy Sad Confused patreon here! We've got exclusive episodes of GAME NIGHT, video versions of the podcast, and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

none of you are safe. New episodes every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, Sad, Confused begins now. Today on Happy, Sad, Confused, Natalie Emanuel, from Game of Thrones in the Fast and Furious franchise to her own feature film, The Invitation.

Hey, guys, Josh Harowitz here with another edition of Happy, Sad, Confused. Yes, a new guest to the podcast today. Another very familiar face, though, for those of you that have watched Game of Thames. Thrones. And I'm guessing that 90% of the listeners of Happy Second Fused as people of good taste have watched Game of Thrones. I certainly did. A little late to the party, as people may know. Yes, it took me to the last season to catch up, but I got there, guys. And I'm enjoying House of the Dragon as well. Well, Natalie Emanuel was, of course, a key part of that series. She is now starring in her first feature film front and center. I mean, she's been in many films, of course.

no less in the Fast and Furious franchise, as I mentioned, but now she gets to be the lead in her own film. It is the invitation. It opens in theaters this Friday. And it's kind of a modern retelling, a little bit of the Dracula vampire story set in, with some contemporary themes. You'll see, I don't want to reveal too much. But if you're a sucker, and I mean that in the least punny way possible for these kinds of stories you'll enjoy this one and Natalie is of course a arresting charismatic performer

and it's great to see her get a shot at the big time at leading her own film and she more than lives up to the challenge so Natalie Emmanuel is on the podcast today we talk about her whole career her comfort movie her time on Game of Thrones the future of the Fast and Furious franchise

and much more I know you guys will dig it as always a lot more is going on in the josh harrowitz happy-sad confused universe i'm gearing up for the toronto film festival which will be in a few weeks and prior to that i'm actually going to be and i'm very excited about this at the tell you ride film festival for the very first time over labor day weekend for those of you that follow the film festival game as it were telly ride is kind of one of the kickoff film festivals along with venting tennis, and I've always dreamed of going, and this is the year. I'm doing it. So I don't think I'm necessarily going to be recording stuff out there. Who knows if a podcast opportunity pops up? I'll do

that. But this is more just to enjoy movies and see people I know in love and respect, and just enjoy the telluride weather and environs. It's supposed to be beautiful there. So I've heard for years, this is a film festival lovers festival. So I will report back to to you guys and perhaps i'll even be doing some postings about it certainly on social media but also perhaps on the youtube channel which as i've mentioned before we've recently launched i'm very excited about it it's youtube.com slash josh horowitz again that's youtube.com slash josh harrowitz stop what you're doing right now give us a subscription give us a subscribe over there do whatever you have to do just hit the like hit the subscribe button whatever you

do um we're just getting started there but as you'll see you'll see we're posting tons of really cool old and new content, stuff from the archives, old happy say I confused episodes, old game night episodes, but also stuff expressly for the YouTube channel. Natalie's conversation will be there. There's a ton of great stuff. And like I said, I'm looking at it as an opportunity also to record dispatches from different film festivals. I have some exciting plans, certainly at Toronto, to record some fun conversations. and we'll see, like I said, what happens at Tell Your Ride. But I'm just psyched for the fall festival season

because that means great movies, the movies that you can really sink your teeth into, and many of them are at or near the top of my list for the most anticipated films of 2022. So I'm excited about that, and a lot of really cool people and filmmakers returning to the fray. Everyone from Steven Spielberg has this new personal film called the Fablemans. That's going to be at Toronto.

Sam Mendez has a new film. Sarah Polly has a film everybody's talking about called Women Talking, coincidentally enough, with our beloved Claire Foy and Jesse Buckley and Francis McDormann. So, I don't know, that's the tip of the iceberg, guys. That's just off the top of my head, but there's so much, so much cool stuff coming. I'm excited to cover it all for you guys right here on Happy, Sad, Confused, and on the YouTube channel. What else can I mention? Well, we have, let's see, a bunch of live events coming up in New York, one that's officially

on the books that you can purchase your tickets for now. And we have plenty of time to tout this because it's months away, but it's a rare opportunity when I can say there's an event months away. But get your tickets right now. For October 25th, Ralph Machio, yes, of Cobra Chi and the Karate Kid fame, is going to be my guest at Symphony Space, October 25th in New York City. Get your tickets now. the link to purchase tickets is in the show notes you can also purchase virtual tickets to watch

us live if you can't be there in person but i'd love to see you guys in person because these live events are amazing i've got some more stuff cooking with 92 lye some stuff cooking with symphony space um yeah so you know many opportunities to come out and say hi in person to little old me and i always love hearing from you guys um what else can i mention we debuted a new Comedy Central episode of the Untitled Josh Harrowitz show with Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg the other day. That's on YouTube, on my social media, Joshua Horowitz, on Twitter and Instagram. That was a blast.

Maybe not so much for my clothing. You'll see if you watch. They kind of destroy me, but in the nicest possible way. What else should I mention? I think that's it, guys. There's a lot going on, but, you know, a little bit at a time, one step at a time, right? Today, front and center, let's give props to Natalie Emmanuel, because it's a big moment for her to get to be front and center of your own feature film after being in a bunch of series and

supporting characters and films, and I know she's very proud of the work. So come on out, support it, the invitation in theaters this Friday, and in the meantime, enjoy my chat with Natalie Emmanuel. Welcome to the podcast, Natalie Emanuel, on the sweltering insane day in New York City. Thank you. I mean, I'm actually quite comfortably cool inside, but I haven't been outside yet. So in my head, it's just nice and cool everywhere. Well, I have been out.

Stay where you are. Yeah, I didn't realize you were doing press in town or else we would have tried to make this work in person, but that's okay. it's another time. This is an amuse-boosh for our growing relationship. Congratulations on the new film. First, just give me some context like you in New York.

Have you spent a lot of time here? Are you shooting here now? Why are you here right now? We're here doing press for the movie, promoting the invitation. I'm not sure exactly why they chose New York. It might be because Thomas also lives here and it's like kind of a place between everyone's places.

You know, London, L.A., like I think it's like a good sure meeting place um in the middle um but yeah like I um I love New York I love New York every time I come to New York I'm like I think I want to live in New York um and then the how the whole idea of just like not being up the road from my mom makes me really sad and then I'm like no I can't do it but you know it still might happen who knows I might finally like you know one of these days it's a long life and you look we've got it all we've got And if you, is London your, your, your, your home? Yes, London's where I'm based.

I grew up out just outside of London in, well, about an hour and a half in Essex, in a little seaside town called Southend-on-Sea. That's where I grew up. That's where my mom still is. And then, yeah, so I'm, I'm close to family very easily. What was London or New York or any of the clinical? who have big cities to you growing up. Were you in London a lot as a kid?

Yeah, I mean, our family are from London. So, like, we, like I spent a lot of time in sort of northeast London, more than so late in stone that's where, like, all my cousins and my aunties lived. And he used to spend lots of summers there. And, you know, so it was really like, I obviously didn't grow up and go to school in London. And I think obviously that really shaped a person. But I, I, yeah, I feel like I, London was just like part of, of my landscape of my life.

So it wasn't like a huge, like, I'm moving to the big city. Well, yeah. And we'll get into your work life too. I mean, pretty early on, obviously, you ended up there. So we'll get to that. But first, let's start on the new film, which I very much enjoyed.

And it's an exciting opportunity for you, I'm sure. I mean, look, there's no, there's no dragons. There's no Vin Diesel to say, hey, you take the big, you know, Lloyd of Press. It's on you, Natalie. This is your film. I know. How does it feel? Does it feel like a different kind of experience? I mean, there are two sides of it. There's the making of it and then there's the promotion side of it. And they both have different responsibilities. Has it been, is this a responsibility that you've kind of like been chasing and have accepted? I mean, I just, I've always like to challenge myself. I love what I do. I love storytelling. And I'm like, I have been building and like gaining experience, learning, trying to just. like building up to this moment and and I feel so just like it it feels really big like when you

think about you know when I started as a little kid and like been this like my I went we watched the screening last night and it was so crazy it was like many a lot of years like flashed before my eyes and I was like thinking of all the people all the like knockbacks and the successes and them knockbacks again and yeah people that just like contributed to making this happen in the ways that they probably didn't even realize and maybe I didn't even realize you know and so I was it's just so beautiful and I just want to enjoy it and take it all in and just just try to really like suppress my imposter syndrome just be like Natalie this is good it's okay you've earned it yeah I know Well, it's really hard.

But there's a little bit, and I'm like, really? Is this my life? What has happened? So I'm so super proud of it. And it's just, you know, for a first kind of lead in a movie, I was so, so proud of the work that I did and the team that I had. I was so grateful for the team and the people involved in Jess and Thomas. Like, it really was like, oh, okay, for your first kind of like, like,

like vehicle that you're yeah you know driving and leading it's like you i couldn't have asked for like a greater group and a lovely lovely group so i was just felt so proud of everyone like it really wasn't just my success doing a lead it was like there was so many people that um made it happen and then like the success of the shoot and the success of the film and what we made like is a group effort everyone like really held we really had to hold each other up and really did and I felt that love and support and you know and I and I yeah it was a really I mean it was a tough shoot but we really would like we've got you're in it together yeah I'm curious I'm always curious talking to actors about like that the experience of being number one on the call sheet and

like when when you're not number one on the call sheet looking to the person that's number one who often sets the tone and I've heard the good the bad and the ugly of that and I'm sure you've had that in your career of seeing people that set the right tenor, the wrong tenor. What have you learned? Yeah, from that and what did you want to emulate? Really lucky. I think I've been really lucky, actually. Like, you know, there's been, there's been some characters that I was, you know, less compatible with is the nice way of putting it. You know, and that's okay. Like, not everyone gets on and that's okay. But I think for me, like I am really really sensitive to other people's kind of energy and like if I feel like

there's strange energy in the group or like if I feel someone's upset or not feeling hurt like it really upsets me. I have a really kind of intense sense of fairness and like I just want everyone to be excited to show up every day and feel you know looked after and I think I just want everyone to feel how I would like to be treated and how I like the energy to be but like you know, not everybody needs the same things and you have to also respect people's boundaries and just, I think, you know, just making sure that you are aware of the individuals that you're working with are making sure that they feel that they can come to you. I feel like if I've got an issue and it's often so scary to go and say, oh, actually, is it okay if we do, you know,

and it takes a lot of courage and I think it's important for me to like have a rapport with people. I like to sort of spend one-on-one time with all of the actors on working with just have a cup of tea, like, you know, just in prep or let's grab, let's grab lunch, let's grab dinner, you know, just, I want to like, just connect to people and, because that's really what we're doing. We have to, like, build connections on camera, so why would we not offset? I mean, some actors don't need that and I, and I, you know, good for them, but I really love doing that because I love people. I like to connect and build a sort of family vibe so that everybody feels that they can say what they need.

And, you know, not every kind of, I don't know, like thing that we would want to happen happens. But I just, you know, you don't win every, you know, a fight or battle or whatever. But the idea that you can't say, oh, I would really make me happy if. Well, we could try to, you know, and I want everyone to feel that way. And I think that Jess really established an environment like that too. So I think that also really helps. And I think that's where we were in sync. And I think just us wanting that environment for the cast was really important.

And, you know, they're all pros. Like, they're all just brilliant. And like, yeah, it was so great to play against. and I was like, this is lovely. Like, this is lovely. Well, it is, like, what you're saying, this is what I've always, like, found on film or TV sets, which is that yin and yang, which is like,

it's this naturally very high pressure environment, time is money, we got to move, we got to move, like, every second counts. And yet it's all about, like, for the actors in particular, relaxing and just being open and being present. And it's like, and somehow finding that middle ground, right? You know, and I think just practical things I learned that I've been learning just throughout my entire career. Like, you know, I know the things that I need in order to do my job well. And not all of them are possible all the time, but you have to actively prioritise them.

So, you know, like, I'm not very good on no sleep. I know that I'm not very good if I'm not taking care of myself, like with my food or, like, like with exercise or like my mental health. Like I have to look after all of these things. I'm prioritized them. And I think like when I'm filming, sadly, like I'm not the one that's like, hey, let's go to, obviously we've been going through a pandemic. But like, I'm not the one's like, let's go to a bar after work.

I'm like, well, it is 5 p.m. Bed time. Everybody got to get my 10 hours. Good morning. Yeah. Yeah, and so I tend to, like, be, I'm a bit of a, like, you know, early bedtime person anyway, and I'm quite, like, homebody. Yeah. So that's just, like, my natural thing, but it kind of is even more extreme when I'm filming.

I'm like, yeah. Well, you know yourself by now, and that's very, that shows maturity, Natalie, I think. Let's talk about some of the fun of this movie, which is both the genre of film and how some bigger interesting themes and this often is the case for these kind of like quote-unquote vampire stories these Dracula stories which we've seen so many iterations of over the years and I'm a sucker for them and I did not mean that pun as I was saying it I wanted to stop myself and I couldn't I love that you said it I hate myself for it I didn't mean it I trust me um what's your uh what's your vampire bag like were you like Bram Stoker's Dracula twilight all of the above

I love them. I think, I think vampires are such a fascinating idea. Yeah. And they really just like make us confront all the sort of extremities of like the human experience. And that's why they're fun. You know, they're like sexy. They're violent. And we're all fascinated and curious about all these things. Immortality, power. Like it's like an accumulation of all these kind of things that you're like. The forbidden fruit. Yes. Yeah, yeah. us or want you know and so I like I I always was really into them but we were talking we

were doing obviously doing press yesterday the movie that came up a lot was like an interview with a vampire I obviously love Ram Stoker um like the sort of theatrical like big set pieces of it it's brilliant and like um I always loved this movie and I feel like it was it was called 30 days of Oh, yeah. Yeah. David Slade directed it. I know it very well. Josh Hartman. It was very, it was less kind of sort of sexy vampire. It was like, we're like going to kill you all. And it's like really like predators, like violent creatures just descending on a town. And I'm like that is terrifying. But amazing. And I love, I always liked that film. That's a good call. Ben Foster, I remember, was really good in that one. Yeah, so good stuff. And as I was saying yesterday on another podcast, I was like,

I re-watched Jennifer's body. I know she wasn't a vampire, but she was like a demon that ate people. So I was like, yeah, we'll allow it. We'll allow it. And obviously it's like a very, it's a female, written, female, directed, female led, like a monster, like movie, really, isn't it? like a supernatural thriller horror and I and I loved it I thought it was so funny and like brilliant and smart and before it's time and now it's like this I didn't even realize it's like this cult

oh it has love it now and I was like I always loved it so happy to watch it again and um I was like oh yeah it really still holds up and I just was excited because I love this idea of just um you know it really kind of like talks about these themes of like you know exploitation and brutality and sexuality and you know and it has those same things and so i've always been i've always been like a fan of vampire movies and also they always like are fabulous like the vampire is always like got the threads they've got the castle it's like kind of you know amazing like the good gig yeah who helped shape your taste in film I know you've talked a lot about how, like, close you were and are with your mom. Was she the primary kind of influence in your life in terms of film and TV or what?

Do you know what? I think that there was a lot of, like, weekends. Like, my mom used to work night shifts a lot, so she would go to work and then through the day, especially at the weekend, we'd be, like, just left, like, downstairs watching cartoons. And then, like, well, when I was a kid, there was only, like, five. channels. Right. There were more, we didn't add them, but there was about five channels and it was like,

they would just be like Western movies and like these old movies that would just play all day on a Sunday and like Saturday afternoon. And I definitely used to see lots of films like through just watching TV and like that would play on on British TV like in the daytime at the weekend. But also like, you know, the things that my friends were watching and we all like, you know, had our boy crushes and they were doing in a film, you know, so it was definitely like just my friends, but I also just grew up like doing theatre and performing arts. And so just the idea of like watching a story and and, you know, just loving storytelling was just a part of my kind

of life from such a young age. And yeah, and my cousins always like got DVDs and then they would like give us them we'd like watch them on like a cycle or not DVDs it was VHF sorry um sorry I forgot how old I was then yeah and then we'd get like the VHS like from our cousins but yeah I yeah I love I love um I've always loved it it was like various places I used to kind of indulge myself but there was a lot of films that I actually wasn't allowed to watch because I was like maybe my parents were like I don't know if that's appropriate and then I'd be at friend's houses where their moms are a bit more relaxed and then watch the good stuff and then we've watched it is that where your your comfort movie comes into play because the

movie you you pre-selected to talk about today which is a great choice by the way came out i think when you were probably only 11 years old which seems a little young for a pretty sexy romantic film or maybe not you talked it maybe i was a couple years older maybe a few years older and a friend of our family, she recommended it. And she said, oh, you should watch this film. And she think she was like, it's one of my favorite films that you should watch it. And she said, it's, you know, it's just chemistry. That's the word. She was like, it's just chemistry. And I was like, you know, I'm like teenage girl, like peak teenage girl, like, oh, God, I want to watch a movie. And the thing as well was like, I had no idea what it

about and um i kind of just like pictured maybe like uh sort of i don't know yeah i i i guess i didn't expect it to be like a female lead and a woman who's like pursuing basketball let's let's let's tell the audience what it is before we like we built it up so the mystery so much it's love and basketball which is of course uh from gina prince bithwood great filmmaker this was her first film as a writer and director, Sinaldathan, Omar Epps, Alfred Woodard,

great cast came out in 2000. Sorry, take it away, but I didn't want to give a little context, yeah. Yes, yeah, and so I love the fact that this woman, young woman, was like pursuing basketball

and you can sort of see, like, it's not something that is traditionally encouraged or necessarily pursued by young women and, you know, all of the sort of watching the guy that she grew up with and how different his experience was to hers. And I just felt so connected to this idea.

And I immediately, I think I thought the movie was about him because I just assumed it would be. That's what movies are. They're always about the guy. Like, meet a girl and then they fall in love and he's like the basketball star. That's literally what I perceived it when she told me about it. And it was not that. And it was, and I feel like there was a reason she said,

you need to watch this because it wasn't just about the kind of like chemistry of these two wonderful actors. It was in this love story. It really was about, you know, a young woman, like defying all the odds and all the, you know, lack of belief in her and, you know, not feeling supported and just, Yeah, like, I'm still pursuing and persevering and in not just her sport, but in her, in her, her love of her person. So I just loved it.

I thought it was fantastic and smile like then. Oh, my God. It's a great, it's a great pick. And it's another movie, I feel like Jennifer's body that's only grown in estimation over the years. People just keep coming back to. I watch it every so often. I mean, I've watched it so much that I've had to rebuy it because I like really just wore it down DVD. it was like,

nothing's playing on this. And I had to re-buy it, but I honestly, I think it's such a great film. And it really is like, it takes me back to that time. Yeah. Being a teenage girl and like,

wondering what my life is going to be and what I wanted to do. And like, am I going to have people tell me I can't do things? Well, of course I have. Like, you know, young woman of color, like trying to be in this bigger world.

Like, all of it. I was like, that's beautiful. I love all of that. That's awesome. That's awesome. Were you also, so like, I'm curious, you've ended up in so much, and this is not unique to you, but like many actors, a lot of genre stuff. We make a lot of genre stuff now, whether it's action films and fantasy films,

sci-fi, et cetera. Were you into that stuff as a kid? Like, were you with the Harry Potter kid? Were you into any of that or not? I was a Harry Potter kid. I was. And I, um, I, I, yeah, I remember the first one of those coming out and me and my friend, well, we watched

at her house and I think we watched the first one and then we just were like, should we watch it again? Are you doing anything? I'm not. Let's watch it again. We just basically rewound the VHS and press play. It was like, we loved, I loved it. I mean, I maybe fell out of them as I kind of got older, but I definitely, you know, I definitely

re-watched them all recently back to back and that was really fun and it was kind of incredible to see those actors grow and you know become who they became and those stories were like yeah I was a big fan of them and I had the books and

I was bought the books and I like yeah they were fab I also really liked like never ending story that was like amazing what else did I like I like I mean I like the dark first dark crystal movie like the and you ended up in the reboot yeah yeah that's amazing

so cool and i was like i think that gives me some cool points oh definitely well you're picking also films like those are like really arresting uh visually they take you to another world like to it like they're so they're like fever dreams they're just yeah big swings yeah and i also um yeah and you know one of my other favorite films and like just one of my ever favorite stories i should say is a kind of like Peter Pan sort of world as well because I always like this idea of like, you know, pirates and fairies and like, you know, I kind of was always into that story. And my sister used to, for me, she's like my Wendy, like in my life. She always, my big sister, we shared a bedroom.

She used to tell me stories before bed and like, you can make up stuff. She'd say, because her bed was by the window and she'd go, oh, no. Natalie. So last night, Peter Pan came to my window, and I would be like, really? She'd be like, yeah, I tried to wake you, but you were really sleepy. And so next time, like, she should say all the time, I was like, where did you go? And she'd be, and I believed, when I took to you, I believed that for a long time. And so, yeah, Peter Pan was like, you know, that kind of just like other world, like this idea that this other world exists somewhere. And, you know, I, I love it. I really did. So when you end up in... What are I talking about? I still love that story.

Yeah, of course, we all do, right? So when you end up in, maybe not as sweet a world as the Peter Pan world, but Game of Thrones, when you end up on that set in that environment, this was a show that was already going. You knew, it wasn't one of the things where you knew what you were getting into and I know you chased it, you heard about it. When you finally started doing it, did it feel like I've arrived? Like, this is a moment in my career? This is something I've been chasing. or what? This was a game changer and that is like not an understatement. I mean, I was a fan of the show, yes.

I kind of like annoyed my agent for a while about getting an audition. But I never actually thought that that was possible. Like they didn't, I mean, it's been spoken of widely how they didn't particularly cast people of color like hugely in like kind of regular leading roles. was so, you know, I was so like, this is mine when it like came, the opportunity came and I was like, oh my goodness. And then this sort of, it dawned on me that I actually had to do it now in my, like, the chase was everything. I go chasing it, chasing it. Now wait, oh, now I actually have to show up and do it. Yeah. Yeah. And it was, there was no words to describe how I

excited I was, how terrified I was. And I remember being at the first read through and just sort of like standing terrified in a corner as like all the lead castler. I'm like, oh my God, it's Catlin Stark. Oh my God. There's just, there's Sam Dali. There's, oh my God. You know, it just being like a proper fan girl in the corner. And then actually it was Finn Jones who had actually met on a previous job and was like, Natalie, do you want me to find your seat? And I was like, to help you find your seat, I was like, just a bit terrified. It was amazing. But it was, the thing that was so amazing about it was suddenly you're stepping into

these worlds that you walk onto the set, you put on your costume and it feels, everything feels so real and you're like, oh, I'm in it, I'm really in it. And it's, it's mind-blowing. I hadn't quite been around big kind of set pieces like that before. everything I had done before was very modern and like you know just in a pub in a shop in someone's house like it was very like modern like this very high concept stuff and I realized oh this is like another level like this is a net like a whole other dimension almost like it was so worlds apart from what I knew and but what I the first thing I notice is like as soon as they announced my casting how passionate, hardcore the fans are. I mean, immediately I was like, because fantasy fans, I think specifically,

they, like, live it. They live it. And immediately they were like, this is Amazande and just like, we're like, just embraces the beautiful way. And I hadn't necessarily experienced that before. And it was. And it's going to last the rest of your life.

We're going to feel that. That's always going to be there. which is amazing. It's so sweet. And you realize kind of like, there's a real sort of art to making fantasy feel grounded and real and like, you know, not sort of,

and that's what I think Game of Thrones did so well with the tonal nature of it. Like the sort of supernatural elements or the fantasy elements were really kind of, were so well ingrained that you didn't actually realize they were particularly. Yes.

Supernatural. It's also exciting to see a look and you refer to And you've talked about this a lot, obviously, like, yes, traditionally in fantasy, we don't see people of color, women of color in that world. And progress was made, and I know there was a lot was made of the fact that your character died and the way she died, et cetera, and there's that narrative. But, like, it struck me, I was just at Comic-Con, it's a familiar environs for you. And I talked to, like, the New War of the Rings cast. And it is the most diverse, multicultural, every, like, color, creed. Everything. And it's like how far we've come, look, let's not pat ourselves on the back too much. But like a lot has is changing, which is exciting. Yeah. I mean, we've come a long way, but there's obviously still work to do always. And also you have to like, someone made this analogy once about like with this kind of thing. It's like if you're in the ocean and if you don't keep treading water, you're going to be pulled away from shore. So you have to keep spreading. You have to keep trading. Unfortunately. And so and I thought that's sort of how I feel about that, um, that. That.

conversation but I uh but I was so proud of the fact that you know listen I had a beautiful time on that show they wrote me beautiful scenes and beautiful storyline and I felt very um just just so lucky to have um that part and play that that part I I mean I like thoroughly enjoyed being the Sunday of Nath like she was it will always I'm very forever changed after playing that character and I had such amazing people around me and other actors to learn from and work with and bond it was beautiful yeah what I will say is that when it comes to that conversation is that I was really proud that it sparked like her death sparked a wider conversation and like then the things that come after it people it is in people's

consciousness when they're making choices like i'm an actor i get hired like you know all these decisions are made just to even let me even audition for it let alone anything you know i mean like there's sort of there's all these decisions that i made so like when the decisions are you know being made that people are going on maybe we should maybe we should actually we also need to bring voices that a diverse group of voices into those decision making um rooms yeah and And so that's all part of it. And I was very happy as much as I, you know, I understood and I, I, it's funny because on one hand I was like, everyone dies on Game of Thrones.

I was not expecting to still be here in season eight. So the fact that I was and I finally happened, I was like, oh, there you go. That's my turn to die. But then the sort of, I also understood and felt and knew the sort of significance of it. And, and I think the conversation that then came out of it was. was really important. And I was really proud that that happened. And I hope in some small way that contributed to that.

And yeah. I think it's safe to say it did, definitely. Another contribution we have to talk about is being a part of the FAST franchise, which I know FAST 10, I think is still in production. It seems like, are you- Production. I've wrapped on it, but I think they're going for another,

I don't know, like week or so, I think. I mean, these productions are so unique in every respect, as you well know, just like the nature of it. And clearly, look, there have been difficulties in these productions and it's inherent in this kind of large scale filmmaking. But like on this go-around on the recent one, which had a change in director,

and I'm surprised, why is Vin not directing by now? Have you talked to Vin about that? I haven't actually, I mean, I haven't, but I think that he should be directing. There's one more, right? There's still time. He's done it before and it's been excellent. So.

You know, and what can you say? It's hard to act and direct. No, I get it, especially like that. I'm like, I don't even know how you're doing that. But is this the case like where, do you read the whole script of like Fast 10? Like, if I even asked you to, you could tell me what actually happens in the movie. Like, it's not one of those things. Okay.

No, no, I could tell you. I could tell you. Okay. Go ahead. I would say, but I won't. If I value my job, I would. No, I get it. I get it.

I get it. Can you say anything? Has there been any talk? Are you guys still talking about? Like, we keep waiting for this, like, supposed, you know, the female-led ensemble spin-off movie. It comes up every press. Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't that be awesome? I've heard it's, I've heard kind of whispers about it,

but I've never heard anything particularly sort of, concrete about it. Concrete, yeah. And I think, like, maybe I'm just not, I've not been paying attention or something. or, I don't know, like, that's also very possible. But I, but I, I haven't heard anything concrete, but I, I definitely, if I feel like there's like a positive sort of, when it has come up, people have sounded excited or positive about it.

I hope that would happen. It would be really cool. Is there anything you can say just in terms of, obviously the scale is huge, but for Fast 10, what struck you just without revealing any too much, like, about this story in particular? I mean, yes. I think this story, we're so used to like these.

I mean, there's a lot of action, as always. There's big spectacle pieces, incredible, like high octane, like, you know, just ferocious kind of sequences. But I think what I think makes this movie different is that the stakes for the characters personally are much higher. It's one thing when it's like, oh, we're all on this. unified mission, you know, stop this danger, which is still kind of true, but the sort of the personal lives and the personal element, I think, of the story that stakes are much,

much higher. And that's all I'm going to say. No, that's fair. That's fair. One other project I do want to mention, are you in Coppola's next film? Are you doing Megalopolis? Yes, yes. Okay, I'm obsessed with this. I'm very excited about this. I mean, yeah, me too. But, okay, I literally first talk to Francis Ford Copp, like, 15 years ago about this movie. He's been trying to make it, as people might know, for decades.

Can you say anything about sort of, like, I mean, I know Adam Driver's in it. There's a huge ensemble Forrest Liddaker, I think. Yeah. I think Lawrence Fishban as well. And there was a few, loads of people announced but I'm like I don't want to like say in case anything's changed or I don't know well here's like have you done the the fabled camp Coppola yet are you going to do that do you go to his estate and do the the kind of like a rehearsing kind of thing for this one I believe that

we do have a rehearsal period so yeah I'm so excited I'm so excited to like work and like do whatever this process I'm really just Yeah, it's huge, it just feels so huge and, like, exciting. And, like, he's just, obviously, an actor, a director of a generation. Like, he's, like, one of the best to ever do it. And, like, I'm so thrilled. I'm so thrilled because I just want to absorb every little morsel of all of it. And these actors, I mean, what?

I cannot, I'm, like, it's... Did you do what? Because I spoke into a bunch of actors over the years that have done, like, read-throughs that have done, like, table reads when he was kind of testing out the material. Were you at one of the... of those with like a table reader, just an audition? No, no. Well, I think when the sort of, it's come, like, it's come around a couple times. And I think, like, we met a few years ago initially. And we just met just as,

you know, me. And then, and that was like, oh, my God. I just invited a couple of hours. Like, you know, I remember just like, cooling my mom. Like, came out and I was like, okay, so my afternoons and crazy like this is cool um and so yeah that happened and then it kind of went away for a while and then i you know we talked again it was just sort of like over time and then when it sort of got geared up again um um we sort of zoomed i was shooting for invitation actually when it's all kind of um actually materialized and we had a really fun zoom call and um yeah just he's so smart and like just brilliant and we got on super well and I was so excited and I was like this was great even if whatever happens they might have so many people like literally banging

down the door to like be in this movie however this plays out the fact that we just had this lovely phone call and like we just we played like he like played like we like played a game it was like it's fun and relax and you know it's great and um I it's like I'm so happy to have had that and I would be I'm a happy woman I'm like great and and and then come this is going to be an adventure this is going to be awesome and so the fact that it then they were like they're like do you want to do this film I was like yeah yes how often does Francis Borkopo direct a movie and direct like a passion project absolutely yeah I'm so thrilled um last thing for you because I know I need to let you go do a lot of more exciting you know

talking up your great new movie where are you at on the whole superhero thing. You're fan casted all the time for different roles, which is very flattering. I don't know if you see the fan art every year or two, and they're like, oh, she should be a storm or Catwoman, et cetera. Is that something foremost on your brain? Is that something that you still would crave or what? I think that because I tend to want to do all kinds of things. Like, I don't have like, there's definitely things that I want to do more of, like more kind of dramatic roles, for sure or like more indie film or you know like i i want to get on stage at some point you know i'm sort of open to all of it and so i think like playing a superhero is badass like i want to be

i want to be a superhero i don't that's i think that's cool even if i just did it once in like one scene where i get a cool outfit and the superpower like that's just fun and you know but yeah I'd love to play a superhero. I'd love to do, like, a movie as, as, yeah. Is there one on your brain at this point, or are you just open to whatever comes down the road? To be honest, I'm not the most kind of, like, in, like, comic book, like, savvy person.

My best friend, though, he's always like, you should play this person, you should play this one. And I'm like, I'm like, okay. Sure. Let me know. I'm sort of down to sort of throw my hat in the ring. Right. always um but i just think it's fun like with sci-fi with genre in general you're allowed to like

have conversations with your audience that are maybe harder to digest when they're not in a genre space and i think marvels and like those big super hero movies like they do that so well and um and i kind of like the idea of like just donning a sort of amazing outfit and just having some supernatural powers and just there you go doing it doing it like big and it would be fun like these big set pieces and people that i've like worked with on met that have done those they're like they're tough they're like the training and i'd love the challenge of that and the physicality of it i'm here for all of it i'm here to try like and i like to do as much of it as i can you know i think you can meet the challenge um look it's you've

been doing this a while but you're just getting started a lot more exciting opportunities to come congratulations a big moment look you're leaving your first you know feature film all yourself the invitation. Very happy for you. And look, as we said, some exciting things to come. Enjoy the Copeland. I can't wait to hear about it after the fact. We'll definitely talk again. Yeah, yeah. It's been great to connect today. Thank you, Natalie. Thank you. And so ends another edition of happy, sad, confused. Remember to review, rate, and subscribe to this show on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm a big podcast person. I'm Daisy Ridley, and I definitely wasn't pleasure to do this by Josh.

Goodbye, summer movies, hello fall. I'm Anthony Devaney. And I'm his twin brother, James. We host Raiders of the Lost Podcast, the Ultimate Movie Podcast, and we are ecstatic to break down late summer and early fall releases. We have Leonardo DiCaprio leading a revolution in one battle after another, Timothy Shalame playing power ping pong in Marty Supreme. Let's not forget Emma Stone and Yorgo

slantamos's Bagonia. Dwayne Johnson, he's coming for that Oscar. In The Smashing Machine, Spike Lee and Denzel teaming up again, plus Daniel DeLuis's return from retirement. There will be plenty of blockbusters to chat about two. Tron Aries looks exceptional, plus Mortal Kombat too, and Edgar writes, The Running Man starring Glenn Powell. Search for Raiders of the Lost podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and YouTube.