Happy Sad Confused - Paul Rudd & Justin Theroux

Episode Date: February 21, 2018

Come for the effortless charm of Paul Rudd and Justin Theroux but stay for the fart talk. That's right, this episode of "Happy Sad Confused" runs the gamut but what would you expect when Josh is visited by these two hilarious actor/writers?  First there's the important stuff. Paul and Justin have re-teamed for a 4th time on screen with their new film, "Mute", a sci-fi noir from the mind of Duncan Jones. But these two can riff on anything and Josh takes full advantage in this chat. Among the topics broached: that distinctive NPR voice, how challenging the luge really is, that time Paul was in a Hong Kong action movie, their favorite underrated comedies, and yes, flatulence.  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. Today on Happy Say I Confused, Paul Rudd and Justin Thoreau on their new film Mute, underrated comedies, and flatulence. Hey, guys, I'm Josh Horowitz. Welcome to a classy edition of Happy Say I Confused. I'm Josh. That's Sammy.

Hi. Are you disappointed that I brought together two of the most charismatic men on the planet, only to talk about farts? Yeah, of course I am. This is an amazing, this is really exciting for me. I know, it's a big moment for you. I thought you're going to ask if I'm disappointed that you didn't tell me when they were here so that I couldn't sneak a peek, and my answer was, yes, absolutely, but then you asked me about their farts instead.

I just knew it was, I knew that it was a little too much for you. I have, like, a weird reaction to Justin. Like, I feel like if I saw it might want to, like, curtsy. Like, I, like, wouldn't know how to. When did Justin Theron, because a lot of people share your love. I feel like, I mean, everybody loves Paul. Of course, everybody loves Paul. Yes, of course.

You marry Paul. Okay, I don't want to follow up. I think I know what you want to do with Justin. But when did that manifest? Was it recent on leftovers? Six feet under. Oh, okay. He's got a nice little roll in there.

Tropic Thunder. Tropic Thunder's great. I love him. I've always loved him. But then last year at Comic-Con, we saw him. I saw him in person for the first time for Nizago. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I literally was like, I wanted to, like, I started, like, moving like a robot.

Like, I couldn't, I've never been in the presence of someone that's sexually attractive. Wow. Okay. Well, there's a lot of sexual tension. Besides Paul Red. Yeah. There's a lot of sexual tension in this conversation. I can imagine.

Look, when you get three masculine dudes like this together in a room. You guys talk about motorcycles? Yeah. Tote. We actually do talk. Oh, thank you for reminding me. I want to give a little context. At those outset, I bring up fantasy football.

And we didn't really get into why, and I want to give context because I'm going to sound like a crazy person. The backstory is, Garrett Headland was on a recent podcast. You know this story, but Garrett Hedlin was on a recent podcast, and he was talking about the fantasy football league he's in with basically every big-time superhero. Like half the Avengers are in this league, you know, Pratt and Evans and Rudd. and it got a lot of press and I've since run into Garrett a couple times and I've run into Paul since as well and basically have caught wind

that within the Avengers community within this fantastic fantasy football community it caused a lot of back and forth in a good way I think it's fine so I was I wanted to get to the bottom with Paul we didn't really get to the bottom of it I didn't really even get a chance to explain what I was talking about but that's why I bring up fantasy football

in the beginning for context. Thank you for that. I always forget Paul Rudd's an Avenger. It's amazing. And I said to him, I'm like, I'm surprised. Not only seen an Avenger, he's played Ant Man by now like four or five times. I still feel like he's like the new guy. Yeah, he's like new, yeah.

But yeah, Ant Man, new Ant Man and the Wasp comes out this summer. And this is actually, you know, I was so excited to get this combination. I've never had either of them on the podcast. I've done a thousand things with Paul, less with Justin. And I kind of had a feeling what this kind of conversation would be like. And it turned out to be the best case scenario where it's, you know, not a ton on the movie. It goes off in weird tangents. They're both so witty and funny, obviously.

But I do want to mention a little bit about the film because the film is really good. The film is called Mute. It's from Duncan Jones. It's available on Netflix. Duncan Jones, if you don't know, directed The Great movie Moon with Sam Rockwell. You've never seen that. How we recommend it. Source code with Jake Gyllenhaal, Warcraft.

And this is his kind of pet project. This is a film he's wanted to do for, I think, like, 15 years. Kind of the shorthand is it's almost like Blade Runner with a little Casablanca. Ooh. Yeah, it's got a real distinct look. Alexander Scarsguard actually is the mute of the title. Okay. He's a mute because, I mean.

Is that why he's got as the hair? Sure. Let's go with that. Okay. And Justin and Paul are these kind of nefarious surgeons, underground surgeons. There are a lot of twists and turns in this film. I don't want to give away too much. But it's definitely a, you know, it's not for everyone.

And I say this in the conversation. And I think that's a good thing. It's a very quirky, odd, dark, darkly comic at times piece of sci-fi noir. But I do recommend it. I think, you know, based on my description, I think you'll know if it's for you or not. And give it a try. I'm going to give it a try. Right?

Yeah. And they both have very weird looks in it. I don't know if you've seen pictures of them in this. Like Paul has like these horrible like mutton chops and Justin has this like garrish like blonde wig. Oh. Yeah. So they've done their best to ugly them up, but they're still. Yeah.

But yes. So I say we talk about that. We talk a bunch about, um, about comments. in general, about underrated comedies in their careers. And, yeah, somehow we get into doing fart noises for an extended period of time. Oh, what a treat for your listeners. A special little treat. I'm not going to take flack for that.

I didn't bring it up. I think Paul started it. Okay. Throw Paul under the bus. That's real professional. And I was telling you this. Oh, my God. Yes, you wouldn't tell me until the intro.

Well, so here's a fun kind of New York story of all things. So I did this with Justin and Paul two days ago. Um, and then yesterday I'm at a coffee place, uh, catching up with a friend and Hall Rudd walks by, sees me through the window and comes in and we had a lovely little another catch up. Well, yeah, was there like anything left to say? You had just had this 45 minute conversation. It's like, it was actually an extent.

Did you just talk shit on Justin Thoreau the whole time? It's funny to say that. Literally the first thing he walked in. He's like, Justin Thoreau is such a dick, right? It's like I know Paul, you know. We all know Paul. Yeah. Paul is exactly what you think he is.

And he's, yeah, he's just a good guy. What a treat that is. It was. As I said to you, I think, and others yesterday. I highly recommend just running into Paul Rudd if you can. I'm going to try it. It really just brightens up your day. I should follow him around and do it.

No, I wouldn't recommend that. Oh. Sorry. Misunderstood. Let him bump into you. You don't bump into him. Oh, but okay. I'll try it.

The regrettable part is the person I was having coffee with, and you know this person. Mm-hmm. I wish it was somebody that, like, I didn't know that I was, like, trying to impress. Yes. That would have been ideal. It was just wasted. Completely. It might as well not have happened.

I mean, you have to tell Paul, like, next time you have an important meeting. You have to tell him when and where and be like, I need you, buddy. Yeah. Next job interview, something. Oh, my God. All I got was, like, the respect of, like, random coffee patrons. Yeah. We're like, oh, that was nice of Paul Rudd to stop and talk to that monster.

Yeah. That man crying alone and talking to himself. That's right. There was nobody. else in the coffee. Exactly. What else to talk about? A couple of interviews I should point out on the website, on MTV's site that I've done

recently outside of the podcast. I mentioned Black Panther last week. By now it is in theaters and it's made a gazillion dollars, but still check out the interview I did with Chadwick Bozeman and Michael Bidjordan. That's on the MTV's website, or probably MTV YouTube is probably the best place to find it or MTV Facebook. And I also talked to Eddie Redmayne. I'm a good old buddy Eddie Redmayne.

Newt Scamander himself. That's right. We talked a bunch about Fantastic Beasts, and he is delightful, and he stars in a fun, a new family film called Early Man. It's from the Ardman guys, the Wallace and Grasman. Exactly. So that's a treat for the family. So check that out.

And it's like 75 minutes, by the way. Oh, that's it. I'm in. That's all I need. Anything else we should say, Sammy, or should we just let Justin and Paul carry the day? I think we let Justin and Paul carry it. There's a lot of fun surprises coming up, so let them. let them just enjoy this for now.

Okay, fair enough. Remember, guys, please review, rate, and subscribe to the podcast. I was saying last week, I have noticed that since we've been mentioning this, we're getting a bunch of reviews and ratings, and almost all of them are actually good. No way. Yeah. Your wife's so nice. Yeah.

Please, if she had that kind of commitment to the podcast, she's actually listening right now. Please, a review and rate and subscribe, please. Please. Please enjoy this conversation with Paul Rudd and Justin Thoreau. Oh, you're so lucky. I am. I'm blessed. You are.

Hashtag blessed. And enjoy mute on Netflix. See, I'm quiet now. That was me doing mute. Yeah. Oh, my God. I don't know if you're about to take a... Are we on?

Are we on? A selfie? Are we already taping? Don't you feel it? Is this live? No. No. not understand how podcasts work?

I've heard of them. No. Do you ever listen to podcast, Paul? Oh, you have a Nokia phone. You should have to be able to download it. No, I love to dial up the last podcast. It's on my Nokia. I like the one.

I really love cereal. So good. I mean, it's just like the characters are so rich. So 2015. The sound effects are like, um... They got, they've got to reopen that case. They have to. I was like, have you seen, have you seen The Jinks?

Did you see what Peralandia did on the? I wish they would make a podcast of the jinks. Portlandia did a really good bit on, did they really? The season. Really good satire. I always love that sort of NPR sound effects-y, like, there's a certain tone of voice that does, that the people who, it's like, so I went down to Cracklebury, Mississippi to see someone, and they popped in a little banjo store. You know, and then it's like, and then you hear like, you know, man, it's just, you know, it's got a, it's got a, it's got to. Distance sound like you're kind of in the room.

But it always sounds like the person is like, we get it. You're from New York and you're going to somewhere, whatever. And then they go like, Crackleberry, Mississippi. It's like, it's a kind of town where you might see a kid running down with a stick, you know, dragging it across a picket fence. You know, it's like, what are you talking about? But then again, it also might be a town where you would see a murder. For those just joining our podcast today, we're sitting in the Crosby Street Hotel.

We're sitting in the Crosby Street Hotel. I keep waiting for a parody of The Daily, which I love that podcast, New York Times, The Daily. Have you heard that one? I feel like that's ripe for satire. I have not heard the Daily, which I highly recommend it. On New York Times. Look at this guy. It has the affectations. I have the New York Times actually on me. I have the New York Times actually on print. Oh, there's so well, right. You're so smart. Yeah. Oh, what's happening on the cover of the home books section? There's no home book section. What's happening in the out? There's a new product I read about on circuits. circuit section what's really good we're talking about a podcast so how long have you been into fake news then Josh yeah how am I doing with the Avengers since the fantasy football

I gotta go I'll see you there have you heard about this Justin no I really brought divisiveness among the Avengers because there's a fantasy football league which apparently you haven't been invited to I'm sorry I don't Paul knows this about me that I do not know even how points are scored in football practically yeah I

He called him points, he called him points at least, not runs. So you basically are just not into a game played by essentially 20-year-old guys. I'm not into a game that's being played by 20-year-old guys. I'm definitely not into the game played by older guys where you're fantasizing about the game that's not being played that somehow is based on statistic. To me, it's like Dungeons and Dragons, but that's cooler. it's all the same by the way

doing fantasy football watching sports in general whatever these are all ways to just distract us and get us somewhat just invested by time before we die wow thanks for bringing us that's all it is that's great that's really what this is and I even as a kid

found it somewhat amusing I would so much rather you know go jump in a puddle after it rains or I would so much rather you know like go out in the guard and put my feet and my hands in the earth and smell the herbs that I love smelling herbs. He's a big herb smell. Or just look up every now and again, and I never forget to breathe.

Oh, never looks up. Well, it's, you know what, in New York? Who does? I mean, this city. I'm talking to Paul Rudd, who's just arrived in New York City at the Price Street Hotel. Why wrong with you do that kind of work? Go ahead, go back there. No, no, no, no.

I was, I was, look, I don't want to keep harping on this football thing. But I mean, even as a kid, I thought when I would watch like the NFL today and I'd see men in their 50s and 60s wearing suits talking about this and think they're at their work. This is their job to talk about a game that people who could be their sons are playing. I remember thinking, this is all so dumb. Should I show you photos of the characters you played in this film? You guys are being pretty silly. Your show. Yeah, I know.

I know. Do you think people watch it goes, here is a man who grew a mustache that's enormous. You do realize you play an ant man in movies, Paul, with all due respect. That's definitely a childhood fantasy thing, though. That's actually more realistic to me. You know, it's like when you get to shoot a gun in a movie and you think, well, if you could have told me at age 11 that I'd get to shoot a gun and have a bloody thing blow up on my chest or have a knife stuck in me.

Have you gotten to be the guy running around with a gun chasing somebody? And was that a big moment for you? Not in life. Listen, anything's possible Exactly It's only 2 o'clock At the afternoon So I'm hoping for a big night

Justin was at the Crosby Street He pulled out a Glock And started running after me I think that's a more realistic dream or hope I had that thing When I watched the Super Bowl Where I was watching these enormous men With beards and things

And I remember and I'm much older than them And I thought They still look older than me, but I couldn't tell if it was my younger self who had seen those big old... Do you know what I mean? Does that make any sense? Yeah. And I also still do that. Even when I watch the Olympics, where I go like,

I could probably do that if I really practice. You were watching figure skating last night? I don't know what I did it. You know what I'm like slalom skiing. I think like, you know, if I really push myself and trained for a couple years, I feel like these whole bones could do that. There are some events that, you know,

like, come on, curling. Curling, I feel like. We could master. There's like, what's the age limit on that? Or there's luge, which seems like you just get issue a thing. That's basically going on a ride. You know, like, you're just riding something. It is true.

People make a big deal out of luge. The truth is, there's no skill required. Here's your commentary on the luge. Here's the truth. Although, did you see this story? Here's how most trainers instruct their lusists. They just say, hey, do whatever happens, do not. sit up.

Don't sit up and don't fall on. Exactly. Exactly. And don't try and slow it down. That's literally what they're trying. Don't try and be a hero and do anything. Exactly. Did you see the story of this kid?

He's in the Olympics. His name's Tucker. Tucker is something. I think he's 19 or maybe he's early 20s now. He is competing or competed didn't win a medal. So he's not that good. No, he's great. What sport are we talking?

In Luge. But this is, I love this story that he, when he was a kid, he was watching the Olympics, and his dad's like, I want to watch this with my kid to see what he might be into. This is an amazing dad. The kid, he's six, he's like, I like that. Like any six-year-old would. And he goes, I want to do that. And then his dad took his belt off.

They went to Home Depot, and they did. built a luge track in his backyard that's too much love that's a little too much it's incredible and the track still exists and because of that

this guy is competing in the Olympics for luge and what an amazing yeah but how many stories sorry guys I wish they'd give gold medals to fathers oh hey

wow it's so cool it's okay just because he he definitely wouldn't bronze in my book but how many dads did that?

That was really good I wish That was really good man You're right You're right You're right Hey and moms too Yeah let's not forget

The mom The soccer moms Hockey practices They gotta load up the car All the equipment I saw I time Big enough Break them up from practice

Get them to the rink on time What are you grooming your children for I don't groom my children It's too personal Sorry I tell you Yeah, they're old enough now. Self-reliance. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, I insist they do that themselves. Did they groom you? They don't groom me. No. Occasionally, we will sit on the couch, watch TV, and then pick gnats out of each other's hair like gorillas, which technically does count as grooming. Your household sounds like a lice-ridden fell.

My kids are in school, and we have, well, here's the thing. My apartment is filled with mites. Oh, God. It makes them hard. Harden them up young. So, oh, you're in a movie together. Yeah, we are. This is not your first movie together, guys.

It's our fourth, I think, right? Did I do the math right? Yes, correct. The Baxter, of course. The 10, which I have a lot of affection for. Of course, Wanderlust. Look at that. All without even looking at it.

No. No, you know that. That's really good. You're like an encyclopedia of our movies, which is the smallest encyclopedia in the world. Roger Ebert once did a pamphlet on us So did Duncan know of this beautiful love affair That was already existing when he

I don't know if he did actually I'm not sure I don't know I think he learned Once he had sort of reached out to us I think he learned oh they're friends Someone clearly had told him that Now had you guys been like on the audition circuit together Had you been up for the same role

was infuriatingly on fire from the moment he stepped foot in New York. Is that true or not true? Couldn't be further from the truth. Shit. You were doing great stuff at a very young age. And the likes of me and other people were scrambling. Well, I can tell you this. The first, we were talking about it earlier, the first thing I ever saw him in was, I keep wanting to say 12th night.

It was 12th night, yeah. It was 12th night. And you were playing O. Or Sino. No. And I remember sitting there going, you know, like, what was it at the public? Or was it at Lincoln Center? Yeah, Lincoln Center. I remember thinking like, how is it a young guy my age, get this fucking part? You know, like, I knew the director. Oh, I know you did. I'd worked with him before. But it did feel like Paul was always working. And I don't think that's completely unfair to say.

Well, I think that because we both were living in New York and we were just talking. about this earlier, but some other actors that were our kind of our peer group and how we have been friends for a long time. We all kind of were here and doing plays. And I remember Jessica, I'm like, God, I felt that same thing. I'm like, how did that guy get into David Lynch? Like, that's so bad ass. Right. I could never, I was just hoping to get auditions like that. You ever meet with David Lynch? You ever get a meeting? Never met him? or never read for him or anything. I prevented that.

David, if you'd take one thing away from, like, go back to Shakespeare, Ron, you're not meeting my guy. Listen, this guy was in Clueless. You can never meet with this. I hang on again. I did,

I was in a photograph once. They did Paramount Pictures, did a hundred year anniversary. And there was like a hundred people on a soundstage getting their picture taken. And I happened to be standing, I got in it, and I was standing next to David Litchin.

Oh, because it's probably elephant man for him was for Paramount, maybe. Yeah. Right? I guess, yeah. By the way. Guess who wasn't in that picture? Elephant man. For elephant, John Merit was not in.

Will the hate never end? You know, I mean, he's a human being. It's not an animal. I mean, invite the guy in for a photo. They had him in the back, and they were just whipping him with a carnie cane going, get out to the picture, John. And put the bag over your head. Nobody wants to see it.

That's the one flaw in that movie. He had one hole to look out of it in that sack. Oh, my gosh. What to talk about. Oh, this movie, I really like this movie. I honestly do. Thanks. It's from Duncan Jones, as I referenced earlier.

What I like about it is, and this is, I think, a good byproduct of this crazy Netflix world we're in now, is like they're allowing movies like this, these passion projects that are, this is a weird movie. It's not going to be for everyone, and I mean that in a good way. They'll split people. Yeah, totally. So I'm curious, like, are you guys, knowing what I do about you guys, I think I know the answer to this, but are you attracted to kind of like unique passion projects when you kind of like, the vision might be crazy. Again, it might not be for everybody, but at least it's coming from an authentic, strong place point of view. Yes and yes and yes.

But I think, I'll speak for myself, the first, the thing that I was most attracted to, and I think most actors are attracted to is talented directors, of which I, Mark Duncan, one of them. them. And we'd both seen Moon. We both talked about this where we, you know, absolutely love that movie. And so, you know, you file wonderful directors away in your head, and you hope that someday you're going to get to work with them. So when I heard that this existed, and the script was sent to me, I was very eager to read it, and then read it and really liked the character. So it's a confluence of all those things. It's not necessarily whether it's Netflix or that, I mean, I love that there's a home for all these kinds of movies, and there's not seemingly an endless supply of channels for all kinds of creative outlets.

It's obviously a very crowded space, but I think it's just nice when I guess studios or channels or streaming services just say, yes, go at it and do what you want to do. I mean, it's been the gripe of most directors their entire lives, which is, you know, you have some, you know, you either have one of three studios sitting on top of you going, get the budget down, and here's your notes. So it's nice when a director can sort of And correct me if I'm wrong I mean you guys know it more than I do being in the trenches

But like I feel like the kinds of movies That you can get greenlit by a studio At a certain price point are getting more and more limited And like you know I think of something like even in your career Like Tropic Thunder which I always have to bring up Because I consider one of the best comedies of like the last 20 years Like it's a piece of genius And like that was a big budget movie

That wasn't I don't think you could do it again I mean like yeah I mean it you know and that was even then a particular movie in that we made it for a pretty large budget and the scope was pretty big and it was an R-rated movie

so even at the time you know there was enormous pressure to make it PG-13 take out some of the more hard-charging jokes and so even then we were like how are we going to get away with this and there was a single-mindedness in Ben's direction where he basically just said this is the movie

we want to make and we waited for a long time to make it you know it wasn't like they were like we love the script. It's greenlit go. You know, we basically said, you know, well, if you don't want to make this movie for this price, then don't make it. And eventually they came around. Yeah, because I don't know about you, but like I always gravitate towards like, even if they, some of these movies don't end up succeeding, and the ones we're talking about how, like, Tropic Thunder was a success. But like when like Coppola did like one from the heart, right?

Like when he's like the thing like on like soundstages, it's crazy. Yeah. I mean, I just like it. when they go for Cloud Atlas from the Wichowski's. Like, I don't know, I just like it when I can see just like, Jupiter ascending. Yeah. Crazy movie.

Insane. Insane movie. What Eddie Redmayne was doing in that movie, I have no idea, but I love it. My one was doing. No! Look, any time you, yes, a director who has a clear vision of what it is they want to do, it's exciting. And whether it works or not, I want to see what it is that they're going to make.

And to be able to, you know, be a part of something like that, it's always an exciting ride. Do you have films that stick out on your respective resumes that were, maybe that fit kind of things we're talking about or not, but like that still stick in your crawl that they didn't find the right audience and that you were clearly proud of them, but. I have one, which many people. people disagree with me on, but I did a movie that David Gordon Green did called Your Highness, which, it's going to be the one I was going to mention. Oh, really? I love your highness. I, you know, like, I'm a small part of it, so I'm not, I'm not trying to toot my own horn here. I thought McBride and Franco were hilarious, and I thought the concept of the movie was hilarious. I thought it was something I'd never seen. It was like crawl.

Yes. It was like crawl meets, labyrinth meets, whatever. It's awesome. Yeah, and I thought it was a hilarious movie. And I remember when we went to do press for it, especially with the foreign journalists it was like we went and sat down and they're like so why do you think this movie is funny you know I think it's funny because it's you know and it was just glum faces like at the beginning of the junket day I was like oh I thought we made a hilarious movie and I still think it's hilarious like if it comes on I'll watch it um but then I was like why did that I honestly don't know why that movie didn't and I guess it's so sort of piquant or so sort of it's so tapping one vein that you if you don't know the vein they're tapping then

You go, oh, I guess it's lost. I even have a theory, which is, because that was pre-Game of Thrones. If that movie came out after Game of Thrones, I think people would be all in. There's even a cut scene where, like, I give birth to a dragon. I just think of it most movies, though. I don't know. It's just hilarious. It's a good way to put it where you pick one vein, you know, that it's such a narrow window.

And with comedy, it's really narrow. If you're not speaking that language and you don't get the nuance, like you almost can't take you. Like Fred Armerson does that stuff all the time. Yeah, you're just going like, oh, you were, you were being so overly specific that if I showed this to, say, my mom, she'd think this is a drama. You know, like, she would not laugh at a single thing. Well, you look at, like, the show that they do documentary now, documentary now, which I think is one of my favorite shows. And it's, like, parodying very niche material.

And some of those episodes almost play, like, with the one that was. like the someone dreams of corn or something it was the Giro parody episode but it played almost as like a piece of drama yeah right

yeah that you are it's so subtle it's so it's also the one that they do where the Spalding Gray yes you know what you're going after is so spot on

right and so brilliant it's funny we were just talking about it too with the bluging committee just like an hour ago. Yeah, the people who appreciate it, the ones who appreciate it really appreciate it, but it's easy to kind of overlook or not really see if that's not your thing. So for you, you're underappreciated is probably Gen Y. Cops.

Is that the one? Well, clearly. Do you know about Gen Y. Copse? No, it's Gen Y. Cops. Gen Y. Cops. Oh, yeah. Gen Y. Cops is... So it's anything like Crackle and Chill?

It's not... It's the same but different. Okay. This was a movie that... Also, my have wanted to do it was for all of those meta reasons, but not for the enjoyment of watching it. So you got what you wanted out of it,

but unfortunately... I got offered a part in a all- Cantonese Asian martial arts FBI killer robot movie that was the sequel to Gen X Cops called Gen Y Cops. So this kind of like radical. They're more radical than Jacketters. And shot it in Hong Kong.

Wait. Oh, wait. You told me about this movie. We were in Berlin. And I played shooting in blonde hair. Blonde hair. Oh, Googling right now. I remember you showing me a picture.

If you're listening at home, you can Google along with me. Yeah, it's Gen. Was there a language barrier with you and the crew? Like, how did you? Yeah, yeah, but nobody. Oh, yeah. But we had like 12 pages to film a day. And, no, it was super weird and surreal and great.

And, you know, I don't do martial arts. But there was a scene that I was supposed to do martial arts. There was one other guy. One other American in the film, and he did martial arts, and you wouldn't know him, or you wouldn't have known him then, but a couple of years later, he did gain some notoriety as Afro Ninja. Do you remember that early viral clip of the guy who does the backflip, but lands badly and he tries to use nunchucks, and he stumbles away.

His name's Mark. He's a great guy. That's who I started in Gen. Why, Constance, as well as, Maggie Q. was in it, and Jackie Chan was one of the producers. And the whole thing was so, so crazy. That's incredible. Yeah, that's it.

Look at that. That's a memorable head of hair. It's like, I had to go through several scalp-burning treatments. Is this enough? No, not yet. Paul was like, blonder, bonner. Okay, well, that's amazing, first of all. It's nothing like crackling chill.

So relating it to mute, let's talk about your looks in the film because I basically did by Gen Y. Cops look at this film. I was like, I first met with Duncan, I said, hey, have you seen Gen Y cops? What are you going for? This is before Paul was attached. Is this a little like John Lennon-y, but on a bad day? No, this was, this was not my idea. This was Duncan's

vision for both of our characters, which was when we both got the parts, he said, he said, I want you guys to revisit Altman's Mash. And I want you to look at Donald Sutherland and Elliot Gould. And that's basically the dynamic that I want to adhere very close to. So the, you know, the wig was already in process.

I just had to get it fit to my head. And then enter the mud and chops for you. Absolutely. If you look at, we look exactly like those characters from the movie. And down to the Hawaiian shirts and, yeah, that was the template. It's funny because, like, you know, the old cliche is like, as you've never seen them before. But I think that could apply to your characters in this. I've never seen either of you this.

Excuse me. I don't know. Construction outside. But construction, huh? Okay. Construction in your lower abdominals. What, did you have a jackhammer for lunch? Oh, boy, I got to go.

I'll see you later. This is the part of the podcast where we do for our humor. That was Paul. Is that what your flagealant sounds like all of them? They call that one pussy Willow. He names all his spikes. That's the mayor The mayor

Because the mayor The mayor has a Basso Profundo To it The mayor It's the M-A-H-E The M-A-H-E-R The MAR

The MAR I got that confused The MAR is like the mayor It's just a bit more political Which is weird If you're mayor To be more political With your MAR

Yeah Oh, my God. Okay, so, but I would say that going by the handbook of Hollywood, which there is one, I assume, there's a Hollywood handbook. You haven't shown it to anyone yet. But when I look at Paul Rudd and I see Justin Thoreau, these are not necessarily the kinds of characters without revealing too much about the lengths they go that pop up.

So that, needs to say, that's exciting for you guys. Yeah, it was, yes. It was exciting to play, and it was very, I felt honored that somebody like Duncan would maybe think of me, certainly to place a role like that. So is there at this point in your respective careers an adjective something you see in a script about the

potential character you're playing that is an immediate turnoff that makes you either close the script or sort against the wall? I have one when I read lines that say certain things. When any character says like blah blah blah blah blah and besides, blah blah blah blah

blah blah blah. You know like you don't say that? No one says like you know should we go out to dinner? Look you should go out to dinner. or whether she seems like a good girl. And besides, what else are you going to be doing? You know, to me, it's like a hacky writing thing that makes me throw scripts at walls. I'm like, no one says besides.

No one says besides and nobody ever says another person's name. As many times, yeah. Oh, yeah, that's a politician. Like, look, Jeff, I told you Thursday. Yeah. You got to stop with this. Yeah, but Paul, sometimes you do read scripts. Well, Justin, give him a shot or something.

All right, Josh. Yeah, so I always notice it when they're, using names or not speaking, like you said, why people talk in life. Yeah. So you transform for these roles. How big are you into the Christian Bale transformational academy? Like, are you the kind of actors?

I love it. I mean, like, I, I, I mean, I love when people, I mean, I think ideally that's what actors are supposed to do. You know what I mean? Is to try and do everything to throw you off the scent of who the actual person is. And it gets difficult when you're someone like Christian Bale, you know, like who's so famous and you have to, you know, but I, you know, I buy it every time I see him in something that's, you know, full.

I mean, just those pictures I've seen of him as Cheney are looking incredible. Him in particular, he seems to kind of reserve his own category. I mean, that guy's amazing. You know, it's, I have a, sometimes I like, I love, I think it depends on the actor and the part, too. It definitely, yeah. But I love seeing somebody like Daniel Day-Lewis make all of these, it changes where you can't believe it's the same person.

A lot of times that's vocal too, or, you know, it's not necessarily just putting on a pair of funny glasses or, you know. Yeah. And yet, on the flip side, I also, I really like and really respond to actors who strip away every external thing. They're not trying to look different. They're not trying to sound different. They are trying to distill whatever it is they're doing

into a few moments that are universally empathetic or relatable. And when all of that artifice is stripped away and it's none of that. That is probably my very favorite. So what's a good example of that? Is there one that pops to mind? I was actually, we were talking about, earlier roles we love.

I'd say there's something to me that incredibly moving about Timothy Spall's performance in Secrets and Lies. And that is not even though

he doesn't really, I guess, like speak like that or anything, he doesn't do much. And I remember seeing that movie in the theater and I was thinking, he's such a great actor but he's kind of looks like he's coasting through this movie he's not doing he's not doing much of anything right uh and you have somebody who's also incredible in the movie brenda blythe who was getting a lot of the press about it but there's a moment nearing the

end of the film where timothy spall is uh standing amongst these women that he has that he loves he says stop it stop it stop it stop and he loses loses it and says like the three women i love the most of my life, can't stand each other, and I can't take it anymore. And all of this stuff that he'd just been sitting on throughout the whole movie comes out. And I found it to be the most moving, memorable, and resonant performance. I think that, I mean, of all time for me. For me, that's how the effect. And it was an incredible lesson. And I thought, here's a guy that trusts what he's doing, and there's no bells and whistles, none, nothing. I But it's working on such, almost a subconscious level, I think, for an audience member,

that then everything in this one moment later on, everything that preceded it is justified, and it's incredible. And it's a real actor's kind of performance where I think it's the kind that are easy to miss. Of course, yeah. So that is, to me, the most thrilling to watch. Sorry That's a mega He titled that one Ripple Tills.

He titled that one Ripple Tills. Yeah. It's three in a row. It's because it's been sitting inside for a hundred years waiting to get out. I was just using the fart medley to just segue when I didn't have one. By the way, I'm glad you did because it got too real.

No, no, I love that stuff. It's like a station identification for a podcast. We're going to pause now for a quick fart station identity. Or is it like a test of the emergency podcast in the event of an actual emergency you would be told where to. I can say in 200 plus episodes of this podcast, this is the farthest one. This is the farthest one.

At least this is the Christopher Nolan one. Christopher Nolan. Have you ever been doing a podcast and anyone actually farted? I mean, the law of averages, not that I'm aware of, but I'm sure. You're not aware of. I always love a newscaster fart. on those blooper reels. Oh, my God.

It's the best thing ever. It's just the best thing ever. The best thing ever is watching news bloopers. I know. They're just... I watched. I'm not even kidding. Two hours of them yesterday.

What? Really? Oh, for sure. Usually around the end of December, they do those super cuts that I just go on forever. Oh, my God. They're the greatest. That is, I really think that might be my favorite thing in the world to watch. What's your favorite viral video clip?

Because I showed one to my wife the other day that I just randomly thought of. It was, and sadly, it involves some pain of a celebrity, but it was Kelsey Grammer is walking, and he falls off the stage. That's a pretty good one. I don't know. I mean, now it used to be like there would be like,

it felt like there were like three a year. Now it feels like there's three a day, you know, so it's like. I mean, there's the old grape one, the grape stomping one that was like that's really. Which we parodied in water lust. That's right. Oh my God, that's right.

Yeah. The barking that comes out of that poor woman. Like you could just hear her trying to catch her breath. Oh, no. Oh, oh. Oh, no. That's great. There's one that I saw in the news blooper that was four and a half minutes.

And it was on BBC. And there was something wrong with the graphic where it just kept breaking news. And it would cut to the anchor, sitting at the desk, who was just sitting there, unaware that he was on. on television, not doing anything, just sitting there. And to his credit, he just stayed there. He didn't do anything embarrassing, but it was just on him for the longest time, and he was kind of blissfully unaware, and then it would come back in with breaking news, and then other shots of, you know, like somebody carrying a casket,

and then back to breaking news, and then back to the anchor, sit there. And it goes on for four and a half minutes, and I was crying. lying, legitimately tears and then until finally it ends with it, he realizes and then says, good evening.

And, oh, God, it was... Anyone, any of them were anyone throws up on live television, he's always good. Yeah, like the news anchors that, you know, have to quickly disappear under a desk and lose their lunch because they have the flu. Yeah, yeah, there's a few of those right now

going around, going around. But I've seen recently, because they have the Packy One Chip Challenge Oh, yeah, I saw that one, too. Yeah, so people throwing up. By the way, same with the cinnamon challenge. Oh, yeah. The one of the woman that does the cinnamon challenge, oh, I forget her name,

and she did a ladle of cinnamon and can't stop coughing and trying to. It's a miracle she's not dead. It really is, she is lucky. That was like the tide pod challenges of the 90s. I mean, really, I mean, we're just supplanting different horrible things. Yeah. Well, we're going to end this podcast with some Tidepod salad with it. We'll just do it, go around.

That's my telephone. Do you know the Cinnamon Challenge? Of course, yeah. Do you know the one I'm talking about? I don't know that one. I mean, I've seen a zillion of them. You can pull it up for us in a sec? Okay, okay.

So, what was it like to write a role specifically for Mickey Rourke in a film? Fabulous. I mean, this is Iron Man 2. Oh, God, there's so many great stories. He's just incredible. He's just, I had to go pitch him the movie. movie. And we ended up getting along very well. I mean, he gets along with a lot of people. He's such a sweetheart. But, you know, he really is, no matter what he's doing, whether it's an

Iron Man or the wrestler or whatever. He just, you know, he wants his lines early. He wants to really work on them. And then he comes in and just executes, you know, like, and just to have, you know, I've been very blessed and lucky to have many wonderful actors say some of the things I got to write. Did he have any, any interesting notes? or ideas that didn't make it to the script stage? No, not really. I mean, he, you know, he had thoughts, you know, he, he, I mean, talk about a guy who researches a role. He went to, I mean, he's playing a Russian ex-prisoner, blah, blah, blah, he went to Russia, went to prisons, like, did the whole freaking thing.

I mean, like, I mean, and you're thinking, well, you're playing whiplash. I don't know if you, you know, but, you know, it's not, you know, playing Lincoln, but, but he did, you know, and I just liked him because he has a kind of, um, a seriousness. He take, he just takes everything he does so seriously, which I really appreciate. Yeah. No, I'm a fan. Yes. Um, there were, there were, there were, we obviously know Mr. Mr. Rudd is in the, well into the Marvel universe as Ant Man. I think, I can't believe it's like, you've done like five films as Ant Man by now. How many shot like five for movies? Um, two, three, two, two, two, two Antmans. Eight, nine, ten. Yeah, some like that, yeah. Two or three Avengers or something like that, right? It's crazy to me. What I was going to say is there were rumors, I remember at one point for you, Dr. Strange, Justin.

Really? Do you remember that being, like, any truth to that? I remember catching wind of it, but there was never any communication about that. I think they had who they wanted in mind, which was fabulous. Yeah. I loved that.

So, does it still, does Ant Man still feel like you're just getting sorted out, or does it now feel like you have played this guy a number of times? I feel like I've played him. I feel like it's the newness of it all is gone as far as, you know, knowing the world and the part and all of that. Sure. But the novelty of it, and certainly the surreal nature of kind of being a part of that world and seeing other actors in their costumes and stuff, that never went away.

or has gone away. And so it's, you know, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a strange thing to be a part of something that's so worldwide and just huge. I mean, has it changed? I mean, you were recognizable before, Ann Man, you know. Does it feel like it's another level of, you have to kind of go to other, the only thing where it feels different is that, um, kids didn't know who I was as much as they do now. So, uh, you know, like my kids, they're friends.

They're like, you're, you're, you're, you're, um, you're. I go to pick up my daughter at school, she's in second grade, and kids in your class, like, are you aunt, man? That's weird. Second grade, when my son was in second grade, I didn't go pick them up, and they would say, wait, were you in the 40-year-old virgin? Children pointing at Justin being like,

Your highness. That never happened. The leftovers. Yeah, exactly. Mostly kindergartners in the first grade. Or the leftovers, yeah. You're that guy that cries on the left. That's a really morbid take on spirituality.

Like, you're in second grade. Why are you? Did they ever let you read the entire Avengers script for this last, the other of these last two? Did they let anybody read the entire scripts for those movies? Did they give it a word at a time? Yes, they're like, they're pretty, they kind of play it all. They're pretty private about that stuff.

Is that tough for you as an actor, or can you feel, I guess you just have trust in? I was able to read, I was able to read, I was able to read stuff. And I don't think that it was really they were trying to be secretive from us about certain things at all or not let us read anything. It's just security about getting out. But I mean, just security as far as like, you know, you put anything, you print anything out, you leave a script anywhere that gets picked up. And now there are people whose job it is to try and find stuff out and put it all out there. And that's a drag. I don't even know why that job exists.

Like, what's the point? Who cares? I mean, like, don't you just, I mean, I don't know. Yeah. Speaking of which, you were, you, some, they somehow kept your part in Star Wars pretty, pretty quiet. Yeah. I didn't even tell anyone. I mean, I, like, it was one of those things where, I mean, again, it's a cameo. It's not like a, and when I got the script, it was literally like a black page with my line. You know, everything else was redacted. I mean, I knew roughly what the storyline was. But, but, but yeah, I mean, they're the same way. I mean, they're so secretive. I mean, even when you're on a studio lot, you're walking around, you know, with a sheet around you. and an umbrella or something. Yeah, that's right.

When you go on, you're in your wardrobe, it's putting a cape around. There are photographers everywhere. It's crazy. So can you tell me, I'm just curious, Justin, like how that one came about? Did you know Ryan? No, Ryan, I guess, wanted to have a meeting with this.

A year or so before they started, I think the script was just coming together, and we had one of those incredibly awkward lunches where he said, hey, I really like you, and I would love for you to do this. can't tell you anything about it. I can't tell you what it is. And but I, you know, and I can't make any promises. I just hope it works out. And I said, great. Never heard from him again. Then as they were sort of gearing up to start, he, he reached out to me again and basically

just said, look, the part that I had in mind for you has been so reduced because I've had to service all the other characters and whatever. And, you know, from inception of the idea to execution of the script, I think obviously he had a different, you know, once all the forces came together, it became a much different thing. And he said, now it's really just a cameo, you know, at this point. And he said, would you be interested? I'd still love for you to do it. And I was like, of course I would love to do it. So he brought me in. And I just went to London for three days and I had a blast, saw some friends and shot it. And, yeah. Have you been petitioning JJ for a larger art for a master code breaker? No, no, no, no, no. I mean, like, I think, you know,

It is one of those kind of like things where you just go like, I can't believe I'm on this set. I mean, I mean, I'm a huge fan of the franchise from early on and from the first one. And so, you know, to, I just thought it was, you know, it is one of those like bucket listy. I mean, my God, who wouldn't want to do it? It's interesting. I mean, like, thinking about, you know, your two careers in parallel, like, I feel like something you guys do share is that you've been able to kind of lead a couple different lives in that, like, you both have written films that you've been in or not been in. You've been in ginormous kinds of movies that we've been talking about, but also

independent films. Like, I'm curious, like, and also the comedic side, you both clearly have similar temperaments in comedy and embrace kind of, you know, subversive comedy in a big way, but are still able to kind of do things like mute. I'm curious, like, did either of you ever feel like you were going to have to make a choice? Was there a concern like, I'm going to have to give up one side to service the other? I think that's kind of a, you know, the idea that you have to just do one thing is kind of a misnomer. And I've definitely tripped up some stairs and been lucky in certain areas and then worked

hard on other things. And then, but, you know, I think usually at least, and Paul's, I think, the same way. It's usually you sort of just gravitate towards what you think is quality. And if you adhere to that, you'll have a varied career. and that might not even be acting in some of the things that I've written where I've been like I could put myself in it but I actually think it's better for this person or that person would actually be better in that part than I would be.

You know, like so I think as long as you're sort of always if you're patient enough to wait and go, you know what? Yes, I understand that that's a good director but I don't really like their movies or what they do. I'd rather not do that. Whenever I've made like a career decision that I thought that I'd be smart to this. I always am miserable. And whenever I make the decision of like, you know what, that'll be fun, you know, or that is interesting to me. Or then, or this script is great. You know, they don't

always come out great, but at the same time, or they're not always big successes, but, but I'm usually happier in the making of the thing. And I think, you know, following your gut has paid dividends for me, you know, creatively. Yeah, that's a good point about that you've enjoyed the making of it. Because when you do it, we've been doing it, both of us have been doing this for a while now, with each year that goes by, the actual enjoyment of the making of it becomes more and more important. Right. And even more important than the reception, because there's things that I've had a blast on, and they're not big box office hits, they're not, or we're never designed to be, but I really do like it.

Well, you also have perspective at this point that, like, the career is going to, you're going to have a career. You may not, you know, be Tom Cruise tomorrow or whatever, but you're going to still have opportunities. So you might as well enjoy the process of work for people you like and not sell your soul to the devil. Also, we both, I know this about Justin and I feel the same way, which is, you know, the quality of the stuff that we're working on, you can, you never know how they're going to turn out. But that is hugely important to us, too. I mean, we want to be in things that we'd want to see. We'd want to be in things that have some sort of artistic integrity and speak to us in some way.

As far as kind of staying in this comedic lane that I have for a long time, I think at the end of the day, it really is the most fun to work on. And I want to see that stuff probably more than other things just at this moment in time. I'd rather just I'd rather just watch if I'm going to watch a movie at all Right

Give me something just funny Or two hours of news bloopers Yeah that's it By the way I'd rather watch that than in a movie I want to watch news bloopers I know I want to watch People always ask me like what's the funniest movie I'm like if I had to go laugh for laugh

Like what is the movie that I've laughed throughout at It's usually like a jackass movie or something Like I consistently will laugh through the entire film And love it you know And it's not brilliantly structured, snappy, comedic dialogue. It's just, you know, people getting kicked in the nuts. Not lie comedy that you're raising an eyebrow out to. Or there are other movies like Magroooper or even, which is, I think, a masterpiece.

And there are several movies, I mean, that I can think of Hot Rod or... The pop star was amazing. Pop star is incredible. And same was some of Sasha's movies where you just see some, like, these people, want to make you laugh. And there's a lack of pretension that comes with that. Especially the ones that don't work

on every level. Like when there's so many jokes and you could pick holes in and say, well, this doesn't really work or this isn't that funny. Well, maybe not. But these other ones are hilarious. And when that is your goal,

there's an element of not taking yourself seriously, I think, in movies like that that I find to be really endearing and I root for those movies and I love watching them. My favorite comedies are the ones that are flawed as actual movies. Right.

But I think the inherent joy that they're having of people trying to make me laugh is just clear. Should we end with a round of fart noises? Oh. Justin Wings. What's that one called?

That one's called the Phantom. Congrats on the movie, guys. Good to see you both. Nice deceived. Nice to see you. Would you really just ending on farts? It's the best. Only for you guys.

Good seeing you again. Thanks, guys. 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, definitely wasn't pressure to do this by Josh.

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Yeah. After a brief hiatus, my good friend. Michael Ian Black and I are coming back. My good friend, Tom Kavanaugh, and I, are coming back to do what we do best. What we were put on this earth to do. To pick a snack. To eat a snack. And to rate a snack.

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