Happy Sad Confused - Rupert Grint

Episode Date: November 20, 2019

No one as famous as Rupert Grint should be as chill as he is. But that's just who he is--laid back with a great perspective on the bizarre life he's had. On this episode of "Happy Sad Confused", Rupert drops by Josh's office to reminisce about "Harry Potter" of course but also to chat about his first foray into horror for the new Apple + series, "Servant". 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, Rupert Grint, from Harry Potter to his new show with M. Knight-Sharmelon, Servant. Hey, guys, I'm Josh Horowitz.

Welcome to another edition of Happy, Sad Confused. Yes, Ron Weasley himself on the podcast today. Rupert Grint, first-time guest on Happy Second Fuse. No. That voice is not me trying to also be a young lady. Nope, that's Sammy. Hi, Sammy. I'm a young lady.

Oh, young lady. Yeah, that's my Jerry Lewis. Wow, we've just been spoiled by your return to the podcast lately, Sammy. It's been nice. Well, nice isn't the way. I'm having a nice talk. I was going to say, for you maybe, for those of us. Wait, are you telling a full lie, or it's really his first time on the podcast?

First time on the podcast. That's crazy to me. I know. Dan's not the podcast. Okay. Emma's never done the podcast. You were like saying first names. Like, my buddy Dan.

I'm not saying that. I'm just saying. We was on the podcast. Anyway, he's actually done it twice, technically speaking. No one cares. Rupert, no, has never done the podcast. So this was a lovely treat. He's been wandering these halls for years.

Well, certainly we've done a thousand things together. Not most recently, but a couple years back we did, of course, the sketch where he played um ed shiren kind of he wasn't quite playing ed shiren yeah he kind of was anyway look it up it's complicated it's complicated as most of my sketches are um but that was a fun one we reminisced about that apparently he still gets mistaken for ed shiren does he remember uh what happened at the end of that sketch which was one of the most awkward experiences of my life what did you do like directed that sketch and at the you know i felt like we had all really connected yeah at the end we were like saying goodbye and i thought he was going in for a hug

but he wasn't going in for a hug, and then I did. And I was like, no one saw it, no one saw. And then I turned around, and your dumb ass is standing there laughing at me for my awkward. You know, you're really lucky. Rupert hug. Because, to be honest, if you had reminded me of that before we came in, I would have spent half the conversation dissecting that awkward moment. It was so awful. Oh, thank you for that gift.

I'm going to throw up. Well, I didn't even go in for the hug. We kept a professional. Oh. We just made out for a little bit of a little bit of a little bit. you. No, Rupert's great. Rupert's great. He's very, you know, Rupert's like the chillest man on the planet. I feel like that he's unflappable. He's just, everything is cool. All is

well in the world when Rupert grins around. And yeah, it was lovely to chat with him. And we talked about everything, obviously, going way back to Potter and those crazy, basically decade making those movies all the way up to the post-Potter years and kind of like steering that career to his new show, which I really dig. It's, it's, and Night Shyamalan has is one of the creators of this show. It's called Servant. It's on Apple TV Plus.

It launches just in time for you and your family to watch on Thanksgiving Day, November 28th. If you have a really fucked up family... I was just say a feel-good family adventure. M. Night Shyamalan always delivers on those. He's always family-friendly fare, right?

But no, I really enjoyed this series. I've watched the first few episodes. It's kind of a... Well, it takes place in one house in Philly about a couple... Shout out to Philadelphia. Shout out to Philadelphia. who have lost the child who are dealing with

and kind of dealing with how to move on from that if they can. Rupert plays Lauren Ambrose's brother, Toby Kebill, who am a big fan, one of the leads in it. It's a good ensemble, but a small ensemble kind of has a feel of a play in some ways. And yeah, creepy, little darkly comedic at times. Highly recommend.

Great. I'm in. I love Lauren Ambrose. I'm in. She's really good at it. Really good. It's Clay Fisher. Yeah. So, yes. that's the main event today. What else to mention, Sammy? Oh, we were just talking about a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Yes. That opens this Friday. Yeah. I want to recommend that to folks. Okay. I'll ask the question I asked you before we were rolling. Did you cry?

I tiered up. I wouldn't say I cried. Did any, like, did the tear come out of your eye or it absorbed back into the duck? Like it wasn't enough to... Into the dark matter. No, I don't think I don't think an actual tear ever fell down my gross cheek. Did other people? Yeah, there were sniffles. Yeah, it's going to make people cry. Right. Is that what you want?

Is that what you're looking for? I just, I want to be moved. Like, I want it to be. Oh, I love to cry in movies. I'm seeking it out. I need to feel. Yeah, exactly. Prove it's still possible.

Exactly. But this one, if you don't know about it, this is, of course, Tom Hanks playing Mr. Rogers. But he's actually not deleted it. Matthew Reese, who is great, you know, from the Americans, et cetera, is the lead. It's based on a true story about a journalist who's kind of lost his way and profiles Mr. Rogers and finds that connection to help him. It sounds a little hokeyer than it is in reality. It's actually really well done.

And it's directed by Mariel Heller, who, you guys, if you've listened to the podcast, you've heard me talk about, can you ever forgive me, which she directed last year. So she's a really talented filmmaker, and I'm happy that this one continues her. her streak of great movies. Yeah, oh, the other thing I want to mention, calm down. The other thing I want to mention. You're so excited.

No, I just thought of it. This is how I think of things with excitement. New episode of On Location. Oh, wow. It is up by the time you're listening to this. This one is about the classic Terminator 2 Judgment Day. Yes. I went to some of the famous locations

where that film was shot with the T-1000 himself, Robert Patrick. Amazing. He is a force to be reckoned with. He's a big personality and we just had a lot of fun. We went to like the basin where the big truck chase was where Schwarzenegger is chasing the T-1000. Yeah, it's a really fun episode. I think anybody that loves T2 and who doesn't love T2 will really take this episode. So check out that on that's part of the Paramount Network's digital series. So if you go to any of the digital platforms for Paramount Network, you can find that. that and you'll post a link right yeah great you guys all follow me on the socials yeah right yeah of course they should i'm talking to you do you still follow me uh i muted you thanks that's that's what feels about right i do because i like to troll you you do you were going to troll me the other night for uh shia yeah but someone else did it first so i just supported them right right i don't want to like i don't want to throw you over the edge i just like to push you a little bit

You'll be the only person to come to a shy event trolling me, not shy. Exactly. I'll put out that movie, too, just because I've done a lot for it recently. Honeyboy is out in theaters. I did a bunch of Q&A's with Shai Obf last weekend here in New York. One of my favorites of the year. He delivers a great performance. Great, great movie.

You should check it out, Sammy. I will. I know you're all about the Transformers, but this is a lot on my plate, but I'll squeeze him in. You're very, very busy. Those are all my plugs. Sammy, anything else from you? No. No, no.

Excited about the crown. All right. There's a reason why you were it on this podcast for six months. I understand that now. Remember to review, rate, and subscribe to Happy Say I Confuse. Tell a friend, tell a loved one. Don't keep it all to yourself. And enjoy this conversation with Rupert Grint.

And remember to check out Servant on Apple TV Plus. You got it. I didn't need a response, but I appreciate it. It felt empty. Okay. Um, Rupert, welcome to my weird office. Thank you. Yeah, no, great to be here. It's good to see us as always, man.

Um, you know, Felton's in town. Did you know this? Do you sense his presence? I do sense his presence. I can always tell when he's close. There's danger in the air. Yeah, no, I haven't had a chance to, uh, to text him. But, um, this is such a quick trip. I probably won't see him. But it's always great to bomb into him.

He's a lot of fun. I gave him the heads up just so you know. Oh, you did? So he might come by tonight. He might. He might. Now, so be on your best behavior or be on your worst behavior. Yeah.

Could go either way. It could go either way. But it is always fun to see all of you guys because I have like, you know, I've been talking to you guys, probably not as long as some. I didn't talk to you guys from the beginning, but for about 10 years I've been seeing you. Yeah, yes. And it's interesting, like, I have my own, like, very specific relationships with each of you. and maybe Dan and Tom most because they live in the States

I see them the most and I feel like you were the enigma for a while I didn't know if I could crack Rupert. You were generally a little bit more soft-spoken harder just a harder nut to crack but now I feel like I've got and we've done some sketches now I've had you perform as Ed Shearin

Oh yeah that was here wasn't it? That was literally here Yeah yeah So I feel like we're now between that and today's conversation I feel like I'm going to have the DNA to clone me my own regret.

Yeah. I think that could very well be possible, yeah. Because the world needs more Rupert. Yeah. I don't know if you agree. I don't know if I agree with that. I think this is enough. Was it cathartic to play Ed Sharon

when you were here last time? Was that a... It was in a way. It was kind of... It was a... I mean, it's something that's following me for a long... I mean, it happened 10 minutes ago. I was in a lift, and someone said,

seriously? Are you a cheering? So I used to, back in the day, I used to play along with it and talk about my album. Now, now... You're like on Wikipedia every night studying, so you can get everything right. You're like... Exactly, yeah. It's the strangest thing.

I don't see the resemblance. No, it's very surface. It's very like... Yeah. We have the same color hair. Yeah, basically. At the end of the day. But he's great.

and I we did a video together right and yeah it's it's nice how many um autographed ed shiren photos are there

with your signature on it running around probably a few yeah I've signed a lot of of albums those are probably the most collectible I mean the error autograph is I mean who wants just a boring

Ed Shearine autograph you know what it's making me think now last night I was this guy had a load of like guitar kind of pick guards and I'm sorry now you're thinking oh wait a sorry it's not very

it's not very Rupert thing the guitar but I mean I don't know I don't mind so you're here in town talking about this great new series that I got a chance to talk to you guys a little while back called Servant it's on Apple TV Plus is that what we call it yes the plus it's hard to get the pluses

it's a lot pluses everything's plus now yeah but I really dig this show man It's from Tony Bazgallop, is that the writer's name, right? Yeah. We wrote all 10 episodes, I believe, and Matt Shaman, love that guy. As press tours go though, I mean, you're not probably, you're so, you've done the biggest possible press stores in your life.

Sure. So when you do something like this, is it like, this is a cakewalk? Like, I can do a couple days of this because I've done the tours before. I think you do. You kind of develop the tools for kind of coping with someone like that. It's an unusual thing, talking about yourself for that kind of amount. time. It's kind of exhausting. But this is different. This has different challenges

because with Potter, everyone knew the books. There was no kind of spoilers really. It was all out there. This is proving quite hard to talk about without kind of giving everything away. So it's, yeah, it's a challenge but it's, yeah, it's great. Were you, so when you

guys were kids, were you media trained, quote and quote, was there like, like, how do you train like a 10 or 11 year old kid to talk to the media? No, I mean, there was no training. We just, they just threw You guys of the wolves? Yeah, yeah, pretty much. But, I mean, Water Brothers were great.

They kind of nurtured us the best they could. And it was, yeah, I mean, it was just a gradual process. I think we just kind of, the more we were exposed to it, the more we kind of got familiar with this world. Which is, yeah, which is still, it's, I still find it challenging. Yeah, I can, it's an unnatural act to talk about oneself as much as you guys are made to do. Yeah. And to know that every single off-the-cuff comment can be.

Yeah, dissected. I'm learning that. You're just wanting it now? Well, today. What would happen today? Well, not today. I mean, yes, I mean, any, they pick up on tidal things. Yeah.

But, yeah, there's so much, still so much interest in those films. It kind of blows my mind that I'm still like, yeah, people, every day I'm talking to someone who's like, just these, these movies mean so much. It has this very deep kind of connection to their childhood, their nostalgia, and they really profoundly hold it quite, quite strong. And they're perennials too They're like the next generation Every generation is going to watch these movies

You've made those films that are just going to like I'm sure you've at some point Maybe come to peace with that That it's not like oh in five years People are just going to stop talking with Potter I mean they're always going to talk about Potter To a different Yeah it's yeah and I'm completely cool with that

I don't kind of shy away from talking about it It's a big part of my life Yeah it's 10 plus years of your life right? Pretty much Okay so let's talk a little bit about this show though So this is what's the main reason to hop on board this thing?

Is it M. Knight? Is it the writing? Is it just spending some time in Philly? What would appeal to you? All of those things. It was, yeah, I think I've always admired M. Knight. He's been someone that I think it's just a genius storyteller and he always adds some sort of kind of

magic to everything he does, I think. And pair that with great writing and these scripts were, I mean, because they're half hour as well, they're addictive. you kind of burn through them. Yeah. And you just want more. They're kind of cliffhangers too.

They are. I can watch all of them yet. I watched one, but they all kind of like leave you one anymore. I know Knight wants people not to binge it. Yeah. I think there's, I think there's some good arguments for kind of restraint.

Yeah. Because it's, I mean, I think three is a really good amount to digest. And like, it's heavy subject matter. It's very deeply upsetting and disturbing. and unimaginable to a lot of people, I think.

But yeah, you need to have, it gives you room to have these discussions, and it will kind of cause conversations, I think, what would you do? You put yourself in that frame, and it's, yeah, it's an interesting concept. So, yeah, so just to give the very bare bones of the world, because this is the kind of thing where we don't need to get into nitty-gritty because it kind of sells itself.

If you know Knights' aesthetic and vibe, you've kind of got a beat on what we're dealing with. But basically about a couple, played by Toby Kebill and Warren Ambrose who are dealing with a loss and they've got a nanny that comes into the fray who's a little bit mysterious we don't know what's up with her

and then we've got dear old brother Julian that's you just refresh your memory yeah that brings about a breath of kind of a maybe fresh air is the wrong word but you certainly bring a different energy from the moment of the screen which is

which is fun because I mean you say it's dark and serious and it definitely is but like a lot of night stuff It also has kind of a black comedic vibe. Absolutely, yeah, I think that's really important. I think when you, especially when you're kind of tackling these kind of big ideas and kind of kind of, it's a very human thing, I think. In the darkest times, you always kind of look for the, the gallows humor. Yeah, and it's something that's always appealed to me, the kind of dark side of humor. The kind of uncomfortable law, you don't know, you shouldn't be laughing, but it's.

Yeah, there are two kinds of people. I mean, not to say, like, I'm the one, like, laughing hysterically in the corner of a funeral, but like you do but like that that is I don't know about you that is my humor has always my coping mechanism for the worst parts of life yeah and absolutely and I think we'd kind of widen that way to kind of really kind of seek that and I think yeah that's something that's great about these scripts it's it's in there I mean it's it's we're talking about just despicable things and it's and it's an awful tragedy but it's with that there's yeah and also the doll it's something just hilarious about I mean it's a horrible thing to be near and I didn't like touching it But it's, you know, it's funny.

This is the kid that's kind of taken up the space in this family, the doll that's... So yeah, so Dorothy kind of goes into these. She's mourning the loss, but she's, she's, she's, and it has this delusion that we use this doll as a form of kind of newfangled therapy. Right. She believes this is her son and it's alive and... So you got the heby-jeeves every time you were near the doll, you didn't feel so good? No, it's very unsubes. It's an unsettling thing

because it's in some way you want to look after it because it's a baby and it feels like a bit you have to support the head when you hold it it's weighted in such a way but also it's just

I mean you look into the eyes of that thing and it's like looking into the eyes of a shark what is it like a dead eyes it's pure hell but it's yeah it's an interesting thing to have

on the set and it's yeah I mean just being in the house as well. Yeah, which is basically almost the entire setting of the show. We never leave the house. Well, Julian actually leaves out. We never really actually leave the house with him. It's always via a portal, like FaceTime.

Right. Yeah. But yeah, we're in that house. And it's claustrophobic and it's, and even being on set, it was a huge sense of relief to step out of it. It's a very kind of thick atmosphere. Yeah. So did you get all the scripts before you do this?

Is it essentially like reading like one barge movie? essentially. Yeah, we did. We were kind of, we had, when I say, we didn't get all of them, no, we had, I think we had up to eight. that's nearly there which is nearly there but I think there was something like you kind of kept it kind of a little shrouded in mystery and I mean we didn't we didn't get the last two scripts until

I think a few days before before shooting so there was always this air of mystery and it's quite helpful I think not to know everything it's good to just know what you need to know do you so do you subscribe to like as an actor would you rather play a character

that's pretty close to you or do you want to like do the guy that's a one because I know you famously talked about, like, Ron, over the years of, like, how you guys kind of, like, conflated by the end. Sure, yeah. You were kind of the same person. And Julian, it's safe to say, is pretty different than you. He's big and brash. Sure.

Not necessarily, you know, adjectives I would assign to you. Yeah, absolutely. He's, yeah, I mean, he's not me in any way. He's this works in the financial district. He's a very brash. He's the kind of guy who'd want in a crisis, I always think. Right. Because he's kind of quite clear-headed, pragmatic.

He's always kind of like two steps ahead of you. He knows a guy that will sort you out. But yeah, it's, yeah, I mean, it's not me. I do enjoy playing characters that are furthers away from him. But I think naturally there's always a bit of you in every character you play. And it's kind of, it's a challenge sometimes to kind of keep a sense of that, but still kind of remove yourself entirely. And this is, I'm sure this has been a talking point in the press store,

but this is the first American you played first Yeah Yeah Yeah it is So that's kind of surprising I mean you've been doing this a bit Has that happened Is that all right

Do you hate our people? Do you are you scared of the accent What's going? What took you so long? I know it's never really come up I mean I did a pilot years ago Oh okay was that Clyde Was that the

Yes yes yeah And that was superhero then right Yeah it was kind of like this Greg Garcia Pilot It was really good fun It sounded fun It's a great premise, yeah.

But that's actually my own experience in doing an accent, an American accent. I've done British regional accents. Right. To us, it's all, you know, ugly Americans are like different British accents. Yeah, it's just, yeah. But no, yeah, it's a challenge. It was challenging. I think it is.

I mean, there's a part of it that that accent is always kind of, it's always in there because it's so much in our kind of culture. Yeah, we watched the TV show. and as a kid you always kind of I used to play in like American accent so it's yeah it's but it's there's there's so many nuances that you don't actually realize until you had a voice a really good voice coach got it and it's just amazing the kind of technical side of it like what your tongue right what your tongue yeah is doing when you talk we might not at us okay it's it's incredible because like it's doing something completely different to how I'm talking now right um so it's

Yeah, I kind of enjoy that side of it, that really kind of, quite technical side of it. Do you ever, okay, because you're one of the more recognizable human beings on the planet. So do you ever, when you're out in public, do you adopt a different voice to try to go incognito? Do you have a series of disguises and voices that you can assume when you don't want to be recognized? No, I've never thought about, I don't think my voice is particularly recognizable. Well, it contributes. It's not maybe the, the, the... Yeah, I know what you're saying. I wear a cap.

That is my main kind of urgency, is to hide the hair. If I open the closet, I see like 30,000 different caps for a different occasions. Yeah, I've gone through different phases as well. I've different hats. I'm on the cap stage. There was a beanie phase. Right, there was the top hat phase, which just made you stick out more, which is a mistake in retrospect.

Yeah. That didn't really work out. The monocle. Yeah, no, never a good idea. Yeah. Is that Mr. Monopoly or Rupert Graham? Yeah. It's confusing.

But yeah, no, it's, I've never really been one to completely hide from it. It's, yeah, it happens. You found that's like the best attitude is to, yeah, just make it, normalize it on your part, and maybe that makes it normal for other people. Absolutely, yeah. And it's something that's kind of gradually, like, I've started happening when I was 11, so you do kind of adapt to it. And I can't remember life before that, really, if I'm honest.

So it's, yeah. So when, so going back a ways, do you, in, In retrospect, so you get the role, what, around 10 or 11 that changes your life when you get Ron, right? So if you hadn't gotten that role, do you think you'd be a professional actor? Do you think, like... I don't know. I don't think so. I mean, it was never a great desire of mine to be an actor, I don't think.

It never even occurred to me that this was an option. Right. It was really, I mean, what kind of drew me to auditioning and doing that was because I was a huge fan of the books. Right. And I felt this really strong. affiliation with Ron, I always, I just knew who he was. And it was, yeah, that was it for me. But, yeah, I mean, I've grown to kind of love the industry and, and I always did

school plays and things. I think it was always a part of me that, right. I mean, I'm quite a shy kid and I just found kind of playing someone else. Freeing. Yeah, it was a real escape. I think it's for a lot of factors. I mean, to varying degrees. and people on my side, too.

I'm not an extrovert, I wouldn't ever say. I do more talking on microphones than I do ever in my day-to-day life. It's just a way of, I mean, I think it's healthy for us in different ways, right? Absolutely, I think so. Let's you actually emote when you're a closed-off barren human being the rest of the time, right? Yeah. That's me. I'm just speaking for myself now.

But, okay, so those are the first films you had ever done. You've done school plays and stuff like that. Was there a period of adjustment, like, when you started, like, did you realize at the time that those sets were not the norm. Like, you were working on the highest level possible of movie making. When did it hit you like, oh, wait? Yeah.

This is a little different. I think quite late, to be honest. I mean, I had nothing to compare it to. It was the first thing I'd ever done. I kind of thought every movie was like that. But it actually, yeah, Harry Potter was kind of a unique thing. And we had so many kids. They made new laws about kind of,

children working... Labor laws, basically. Kind of you guys. It was kind of a new thing. And yeah, I think maybe... And also, like, this amazing cast that were around us, I had no idea. The significance of, like...

You didn't know Maggie Smith. Maggie Smith. What 12-year-old knows who Maggie Smith is? Yeah. And it was only until... I mean, maybe if I had to put a film on it, it was probably... Maybe three. When I started really...

Actually, wow, this is... Right. This is pretty special. And that's also a significant film when Quiro... came in and there's Columbus left so that must was that jarring because you Chris had helped

cast you guys I know was it an adjustment we're like oh wait it's gonna be a different vibe a different leader at the helm absolutely yeah I mean there was so much it was such a comfort blanket he was I loved Chris and he really nurtured us in those early days

he was like he was swam all the time and it was like it was a very kind of wholesome kind of family kind of right and so yeah and then he leaves and this kind of mysterious Mexican comes into

and he was amazing I love Alfonn I was a huge huge fan of his and yeah he really kind of mixed things up and I think that it really did feel like a different movie

I think yeah did and did like did you know enough film at the time when you were kind of like growing up in those years to like get excited for different directors that were in the mix yeah like were you advocating for oh that would be cool to have such and such come in sure and actually it's interesting because um night was gonna i think he was going to do three oh that was the one

he was up for yeah i think so i'm not i'm not sure maybe it was another one but he came he came we met him he came to set and uh it would have been that would have been interesting but yeah no definitely the directors became a huge huge part and it was exciting because they did come and they added something new and it was yeah they had a completely different process and it was it was really great learning curve I think we were working with some amazing people and we were yeah it was like a

film school we were learning so many different new things and ways of going about it yeah between the revolving talent of directors and then even the revolving talent of actors like you know you'd have brown had come in for one and then yeah yeah yeah so many was did you so did Maggie or Rickman like ever get

not intimidating I mean those are intimidating presences. I never have had the chance to interview Maggie Smith, but Alan Rickman was a pretty intimidating presence on my end of this. He was intimidating for you're like, yep. He was. He had this incredible presence, but with that, I mean, like

so warm and he was just amazing. Yeah, really, really special. I mean, I can say that he does really kind of stand out for me. But we had to say, I mean, like Judy Waters was amazing. And I always, kind of love being on set with her and yeah Maggie Smith yeah I think it kind of

increasingly became more of like wow this is and probably more of like as you mature like oh I should appreciate this absolutely yeah yeah like this is not the norm I'm getting amazing the film school of the lifetime here yeah no and it was it was great and uh yeah very lucky did the did the age difference between you guys mean much because like you were all relatively close to an age. But you were an R, what, you're like maybe two years older than Emma? I think more than I'm two years older than, actually

I can't remember. Maybe I'm a year older than Dan. Yeah, I have one year older than, I think you're one year older than Dan, too older than Emma and Tom's got you beat by a year. Yeah. So at the time, that means nothing now, obviously. When you guys like hit 30 or late, even mid-20s, it's not a big deal. But when you're 13, that can be a big deal. It's kind of a deal. Yeah, you're right. I mean, I was never aware of that. I always felt

that we were kind of all in the same. And actually, I had, with the tutoring, the on set kind of schooling, I was, I don't know if it says about where I was on the kind of curriculum. I was, I was schooled with Emma. She's other genius

or you have? She's pretty smart. Yeah, let's go that way in the other than reverse. Yeah. But you're fine. She just happens to very much. Yeah, she's just not supposed to be that smart. But yeah, so I, I And I was never really aware of that. But, because, I mean, it was so detached from, like, you can't really compare it to it.

It wasn't like a normal kind of, like, it's attempting to kind of compare it to being at school. But it wasn't. It was kind of something completely different. We were working fairly solidly, really. The education was kind of, we were doing, like, three hours. I think there was the kind of minimum we had to do. Right. Like, do you think you got, like, a real education?

Like, if you had to take, like, the equivalence, would you actually pass your high school? It's a really good question I didn't mean Because I have some papers here I need to fill out Yeah I mean it's not a lot Three hours isn't

No A lot But it was one to one So it was kind of There you go Okay It was I mean I did

I okay I went school As soon as a kid So I'm probably The least educated out of The whole car Maybe Tom is Tom is in the same boat

You're a graduate To the school of Hard Knox Yeah No real life skills Exactly Yeah Yeah we're clever in different ways.

But it is funny also, like it feels like, the weird, like, side note of those films was like, it was like this, it feels like it was this massive social experiment. Meaning, like, putting, you know, 10 to 20 year olds, forcing them to,

like, basically you were forced to be friends with people. Like, thank God you ended up, presumably getting along with these people for most of the years you did. Because I don't, I didn't stay friends with the same people for 10 years. And there's a lot of things going on. When you play, I think round kind of from four, we were all going through, like, puberty.

Exactly. It's a kind of angsty time. Emotional times. Yeah, it was. Yeah, it was a lot going on. But it was, no, we just always kind of had this kind of mutual respect for each other. Yeah. We had a great time.

It was, for my point of view, it was, I loved it. It was, it was great. You all, different, separately have talked about how, like, you, vaguely at least thought about leaving at certain points. Sure. How serious did it get for you? Do you remember which, like what point it was? I can't really remember what point it was.

I remember the, having that conversation with myself and, I mean, it didn't, it didn't go very far. I think in reality, I love being there, do you know what I mean? It was, it was, it would have been awful to leave. Yeah. I don't think I could have coat with being recast and all that. Right. Can I imagine.

Hell, yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, I know. It was. It was, I think it was really kind of what happened outside of, it was the, the, dealing with kind of just that, just the spotlight. Yeah, and not being invisible. And kind of, it was, it was a lot to take on, but it was short, short live. Yeah, I mean, when you're trying to, like, it's probably fun when you're 12, but when you're 16, and you're trying to be, like, become an adult and do adult things. And, like, all you want to do is just, like, sneak around with your friends. Yeah. And, like, you can't do that.

Yeah, there was a real sense of, I was, this is missing out on a lot of things. Yeah. And is this really what I want to do for the next five years? Right. But then you saw the end of the sight, you're like, I've come this far. Yeah. And as I say, it was, I love doing it. But it, yeah, it was challenging.

There was definitely some times when, yeah, I thought it was getting a little bit too much. So in the aftermath, which is what, probably seven, eight years ago when you rapped, right? So is there a, like, did you know exactly, like, did you feel like, oh, I need a break? Did you feel like, no, I need to, like, immediately show I can do other things? Like, what was your attitude when Potter ended? Yeah, do you know what? It was a really weird feeling. I, um, because it was this huge period of our lives.

And it was always, we always kind of, that was, the films are coming out, was such a part of our continuity. Yeah, there was a routineist every year. Absolutely. Yeah. And suddenly it just stopped. It was, yeah, it was kind of weird. I didn't know what to do, really.

I've never been hugely kind of desperate to kind of do other things. I wanted to kind of live a little bit. It felt like a catch up on stuff. Yeah, catch up, yeah. And I did, I kind of, one of the first things I did was to have my tonsils removed. Which was weirdly became this kind of symbolic thing. I was going to say it's a symbolic, yeah, like, I'm an adopt, I'm going to go. I could never have it done because the recovery was too long.

Oh, that's fantastic. Yeah. I probably had an opportunity. It just didn't do it. For some reason, that really did feel like a tonsils in the jar. They give you a volleyball as you're leaving. You're like, I'm a man, wow. Yeah.

It was a real coming of age. And, yeah, I mean, it was great. It was kind of, yeah, it was freedom. And it was, I mean, and now looking back, I have a very different perspective of all those times. It was great, but it was the right time. And it was the thought of kind of doing, another one was probably

yeah it would have yeah you got it at the right time and the kinds of material you've done you've done a bunch of different TV projects some comedic stuff the films have been kind of like they're small indie kind of unusual ones I've seen most of them CBGB Charlie Countryman was there looking back at kind of the first few that you kind of took

is there a common denominator of what you were looking for like what were you sparking to not really I liked um it was always kind of character and scripts driven really um and it still is to it still is now i don't have a conscious kind of plan it just kind of yeah i've always been quite philosophical about and just kind of i guess floating a little bit and just kind of doing things that i think would be fun and the scripts that i can't really connect with and um yeah that was the case with this just instant you can feel when you're reading it the first even the first like 10 pages you know if you want to do it or not

are there common denominators in the kind of things that come across your desk or at least early on did you feel typecast in any way no really it was always quite a

big mix I mean there was a lot of as I was kind of more adult but the roles were a lot more kind of drug drug addicts but it was no there was nothing really

I mean it was a lot of kind of the friend the kind of lovable friend which is I yeah I feel very confident in that but no there's nothing really no it was kind of a big mixed bag yeah I kind of enjoy that what would have who have been the most stimulating actors post potter that you've shared the screen with that you've been inspired by have there any particular experiences jumped out at you yeah I can't have we asked a lot There's been some fun ones.

John Malkovich was a recent one. I've always loved. He's got this incredible... I mean, there's that unique. There's no one else like him. No. It's like Jeff Goldblum. He's like, you know, there's Jeff Goldblum,

there's John Malkovich. There are a few that are like... They're the same breed. And he's just this, he's got this amazing breath. And like, sometimes he'll catch you off guard and he'll go completely like con air. And it's so kind of darkly intense. But he's a lovely person.

and just incredible kind of command for the set. But, yeah, no, Shia LaBuff comes to mind. I was going to say, shy on Charlie Countryman. Yeah, he was, I've never worked with anyone like him before he's, I do admire everything, he's great. I love Shire, yeah. He makes some really bold choices, and it was a difficult movie to make that, particularly certain scenes, but he was,

he was amazing and often think about that he um have you seen honeyboy yet his new one it's great i don't see that yeah i just did i've got a bunch with him over the years and for this i did four Q&A's with him last weekend here in new york yeah so i've spent a lot of quality shy of time he's just fascinating just like and i you know and i always just feel for the ones that have been through things and they come out on the other side and like he's like always had a good heart absolutely um because yeah and that one famously yeah he decided to tell us thee for real or whatever and it was like, and he got a lot of flack for that and already we justified, but

thank God he came out the other side of it. Exactly, yeah. You guys shot that like in Eastern Europe, right? Yeah, we were in Romania for like, I think I've been up like five weeks, man, it was a very short thing. It was quite a fairly low budget movie. But yeah, again, he was just at this intensity that I really kind of respect him.

Yeah, totally. So even before Potter, What were the films that you were, you see my walls? So you know what I grew up on. What did you grow up on? Yeah, look, all of the, these are all color of money. I love that film. Yeah, it's so good.

But yeah, no, I think the first movie I ever saw the cinema. Actually, I watched it recently. It was Mrs. Doubtfires, a huge Robin Williams man. Chris Columbus? It was Chris Columbus, yeah. Which is, yeah. That's amazing. Yeah.

Did you know at the time that Chris Columbus had directed Mrs. Doutfire? I don't think I did. Probably not. Why would you? I mean... You couldn't really look things up there. I didn't have access to... Yeah, MDV, no. But, yeah, that's something I recently...

Actually, I recently found out the Knight wrote Stuart Little. He did. The screenplay for that. Yeah, yeah. So, that was cool. But, yeah, no, film, I've always... And horror has always been a genre that I've... So there you go.

This is probably the closest thing to, like, straight-on horror that you've done, right? Absolutely. Yeah, yeah. No, I've never... No, this is the first kind of thriller. Yeah. I've ever kind of been a part of it.

What were the horror movies that rocked your world as a kid? What did you see too young? Yeah, quite a few. I mean, I was always into the kind of slasher. I went through a phase of like the hardcore kind of... Like Friday 13th kind of things or like what? Yeah, even kind of like... And also kind of the B movie.

I went through the whole thing about this kind of... I can't remember the name of the filmmaker, but it's called Little Otik. And it's this... Actually, it's kind of... of it's similar themes to our shows but it's kind of mythical like story where they this family try and have a baby and they do some sort of kind of folk magic and this tree stump kind of becomes their little baby and they have to look after and it's like it starts eating various parts of the neighborhood yeah it's chilling yeah it's good it's good yeah so I've

always kind of been in quite obscure kind of yeah have you watched them do you keep up with horror now? Have you seen... A little bit, yeah. You see midsummer? Yeah, midsummer, the... No, no, I haven't seen it. No, no. I haven't seen it. I think if you're in a folk horror, that's his kind of new... Yeah, his thing. Yeah, pretty intense. Definitely. So do you, like, at this point,

you know, it sounds like, you know, you admit and always have this kind of chill vibe. Like, you know, we'll see what comes. Like, I'm not going to, like, stress over whatever. So do you not, like, you don't chase a filmmaker or, like, or scripts. Is it more of, like, you'll take, you'll, the best of what comes. You, you'll have a discerning eyes.

it seems, and you can separate the shit from the stuff that stimulates you. I mean, I think there is definitely, I have ambition, but I'm not completely void of that, but it's, yeah, I have a very kind of relaxed and quiet. Yeah, I also put a lot of, I kind of, as much as I love making. You also like your downtime. Yeah, I really do. I appreciate it. I really kind of, I've learned to kind of appreciate that more, especially now I'm outside of,

the regular role. Because even when you were not making the movies, you were publicizing them for months. Yeah, it was like a full-time job. Yeah, it really was. It was the whole year. And it was, yeah, it was challenging, definitely. And it's, yeah, it's, yeah, it was a relief

to kind of have a bit more of a kind of relaxed year now. Yeah, kind of enjoying that. After the child labor laws that were violated for 10 years. So what do you do for, what relaxes you now? Like, what do you do in your downtime now? I do a lot. I've always been into art. I draw a lot. I watch movies, obviously. Yeah, I kind of all things really. Sometimes just doing nothing is I really enjoy. But yeah, no, I do really value. You find value in the nothing. That's important. What TV, what TV have you watched lately? What have you watched lately? What have you? Um, so I'm, I'm going through a bit of true crime phase. I'm watching a lot of, well, I, documentary is something I love watching.

Yeah. Um, but yeah, I know everything really. And this whole, like, kind of streaming thing is really, it suits me. So, I don't know. The binge model of just like once you, I agree. It's like, we've been out with spoil. Like, what, it's amazing how our, you know, we grew up with a totally different pattern and now our brains have been rewired where like, we're like, I mean, I'm excited.

Like, there's the new Star Wars show is out. Yeah. then I watched one and I'm like I can only watch one what how does this work yeah what are we talking about yeah I need eight at a time yeah you become quite greedy with it don't you just I've done that I've watched whole series and I'm an insomniac as well so it kind of feeds into that help right it doesn't help that but I think with this show as well I think it's good you just kind of you get three and then that's that's the that's the recommended reprint consumption pattern yeah three and that three and out yeah that's the dosage

what do you get out of so Knight directed two of the episodes one and nine yeah what's the is there typical like what's he like on set like what's his direct does he direct the act do you like do you like a director to

direct you yeah I do yeah no I really like I mean and also kind of you're with night you kind of you feel there's a whole sense of freedom as well and he likes you to kind of play and explore and we do a lot of takes yeah

and he's just incredible to have on set he's amazing it's this real it's kind of you can really feel it in the air like everyone around him loves him he knows everyone's name he's just it's a great experience well he's created this like kind of ecosystem in philadelphia too I did a shoe with him recently I'm doing this like series it's pretty fun where I go back to like famous film locations so I went back to where he shot six cents I spent the day with him yeah but like he's like he's always shot in Philly he always will he just has figured out a way to it probably

with the same people, I would imagine. Always the same people in this. And you can really feel that. There's a real sense of like, kind of everyone wants this to be the best it can. It's great. And a similar way, I mean, even the directors changed. I know a lot of people on the Potter crew

you probably grew up with, besides even the actors. Absolutely, yeah. There's people of Potter that had their whole career was part of it. Right. The first film they did and they continued with it. And it's, yeah, so I like that. I like that. That's kind of, and that's what I love about T.

is you can stormy kind of an ongoing relationship yeah yeah um but yeah it's and this was an unusual show because obviously we don't leave the house it's all in the same place we shot in sequence oh that's great that's which is really great very rare yeah it's a real luxury actually because i mean it kind of added to this thing where you kind of really feel like it really had this kind of play vibe it really to feel like it was on stage yeah and it was it's kind of it's great for kind of keeping you in the moment. Was it the last time you were on stage here in New York? You did it play here a few years ago, right?

It was, yeah, about 2014, I think. Right. Do you enjoy your time in New York? Yeah, it's fun. It was, uh, I loved, I love theater. I really kind of do get kicked out. I've done two plays now. I would like to do more, but it's, it's exhausting.

It's, that's the real work. That's like, that's the... It's just constant. It's insane. I would, I can't even imagine. I mean, Dan is kind of relentless. He just loves to just run himself ragged. I mean, from the start, like, how to succeed in business?

Like a musical? Like a full-on... I can never do that. I know my limitations. But it's great. It's a very unique feeling, and I do get a kick out of that. And this had that. You kind of do feel that it was a small cast, it was a small stage.

Totally. But a lot of kind of drama. I was excited to see. I've been a big Toby Kevall fan for a while. Me too. and yeah he's one I've been late to watch the sky

he's always he always pops and this is a good role for him and a good opportunity for him so it's like to see it yeah

so much fun so are you seeing anything while you're here in New York is it all press are you seeing any theater or anything

no I mean there's so much I like to say but no this is a really quick trip yeah and then yeah

but no I love coming to New York it's a very special but I mean I was here for a long time and it's yeah it's a great city

do you feel you saw a curse child at some point right maybe back in London. Yeah, yeah, I saw it just after it opened. In London, yeah. And I know that it was a surreal, I mean,

a great experience, but also surreal to watch someone else play your character. Yeah, it was a very strange day. I mean, at some reason, the audience kind of knew I was in the audience, so there was like, this strange, like, uh, two shows going on.

Yeah, yeah, and then they applauded. Your presence. Yeah, felt very kind of royal. Yeah, exactly. It's quite nice. But yeah, no, it was an incredible play. It's so, so smart. I mean, Joe is a genius.

And I just love the continuation of the story, and it's just so seamless. And it's, yeah, it's a strange thing seeing Ron. I mean, as I say, I feel quite protective of him. As you should. Is he kind of, I find it difficult to disconnect me from. wrong so it's it's a strange feeling seeing it but it's it's great i think it's it's a really great show where are you at with as we close it out like the daily it's like you and the friends cast have the same dilemma every day you will be asked for the rest of your lives one of you guys getting back

together yeah like so do you does your answer change based on like your mood like do you have you come around to because i've seen different like i've seen recent things with you you're like yeah you know what if it if it comes around that'd be cool to do like yeah did that take you time to to come to that like it sounds like probably the year after yeah definitely howells you would have been like yeah let's do it again yeah yeah timing is a huge part of it I think I think I don't know it still feels a little bit too soon for us yeah but yeah I mean I I I love I love that character I love Ron and I always feel this yeah very strong connection to it and I don't I wouldn't completely rule it out I mean yeah but

Only if, like, everyone marches on board. Right. It's more of the attitude that you were talking about before of, like, that kind of, you don't want to see someone else play. Like, you, like, if it would feel weird, especially if they're, obviously,

if all three of you and Tom, et cetera, are doing it. Yeah, it would be different. I don't know. I mean, I honestly don't know. Yeah. I mean, I can see it being quite fun to revisit that, especially after a nice kind of. Like that time.

You could also see, frankly, and two years ago, this was would have sounded in But in this new world order of streaming, like, the Adventures of Ron, like HBO Max series is not an inconceivable idea anymore. Yeah. Yeah, I know. There could be something. I don't know. Yeah, I mean, who knows?

It's a very kind of different landscape I think we're in. It's crazy. Anything could happen. Yeah. It's good to catch up with you, man. You've always been such a good sport with me indulging in my shenanigans. And it's... You know what that poll quote on my podcast.

Rupert loves my shenanigans. No, honestly, congratulations on the new series. I always love to see what you're up to, and this one really is my kind of thing. So everybody should check it out. This Thanksgiving gather with the family. Oh, yeah. It's a perfect family.

Perfect family gathering. Servant is the show. Apple TV Plus is where you can find it. Rupert, thanks again. Great. And so ends another edition of Happy, Sad, Confused. Remember to review. and subscribe to this show on iTunes

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