Happy Sad Confused - Saoirse Ronan

Episode Date: October 7, 2024

She just might be the most celebrated actress of her generation and she's back with two more amazing performances this Fall. Saoirse Ronan is on the podcast talking THE OUTRUN, BLITZ, why she's desperate to be a James Bond villain, her close call with Harry Potter and more! Subscribe here⁠ to the new Happy Sad Confused clips channel so you don't miss any of the best bits of Josh's conversations! SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! ZocDoc -- Go to ZocDoc.com/HappySad BetterHelp -- Go to BetterHelp.com/HSC for 10%off UPCOMING LIVE EVENTS! 10th Anniversary event with David Harbour, Sam Heughan, Jack Quaid, and more! 10/17 -- tickets here! Anna Kendrick 10/22 -- tickets here! Check out the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Happy Sad Confused patreon here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! We've got discount codes to live events, merch, early access, exclusive episodes, video versions of the podcast, and more! To watch episodes of Happy Sad Confused, subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh's youtube channel here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you're with Amex Platinum, you get access to exclusive dining experiences and an annual travel credit. So the best tapas in town might be in a new town altogether. That's the powerful backing of Amex. Terms and conditions apply. Learn more at Amex.ca. The twisted tale of Amanda Knox is an eight-episode episode Hulu original limited series that blends gripping pacing with emotional complexity, offering a dramatized look as it revisits the wrongful conviction of Amanda Knox for the tragic murder of Meredith Kircher and the relentless media storm that followed. The twisted tale of Amanda Knox is now streaming only on Disney Plus.

Okay, it's official. We are very much in the final sprint to election day. And face it, between debates, polling releases, even court appearances. It can feel exhausting, even impossible to keep up with. I'm Brad Nilke. I'm the host of Start Here, the Daily Podcast from ABC News. And every morning, my team and I get you caught up on the day's news in a quick, straightforward way that's easy to understand, with just enough context so you can listen, get it, and go on with your day. So, kickstart your morning. Start Smart with Start Here and ABC News because staying informed shouldn't feel overwhelming. I went to a Chapel Rowan concert a couple of weeks ago. They're going to be laughing because it's all I'm talking about. I met Chapel, Kaylee, Chapel afterwards.

And she said, which I was chuffed about, that apparently everyone says to her that I am her celebrity look like. so congratulations more important than all the Oscar nominations all the accolades that's what I'm living off of right now that's like my oxygen right now prepare your ears humans happy sad confused begins now I'm Josh Horowitz and today on happy sad confused my guest today loves bridesmaids and delivering Oscar nominated performances she's the one and only Cersh Rona, this is your first time on the podcast, officially, Sersha. I'm excited because we've known each other for so long, but we haven't done podcast vibes before.

This is podcast vibes. Welcome to podcast vibes of Josh Harrowitz. Cheers. A lot going on. I've seen both of your new films. We're going to focus on the Outrun. We'll get a little tease on Blitz. They're both excellent. First of all, I did see Kristen Wake the other day, by the way, and I thought of you. This is like an association always in my life. Good. How is she?

She's good. She's amazing. She looks great right now. She looks great. She's in Will and Harper, this amazing new documentary, which you need to see. I was just speaking about it before we started this interview. It is so good. Yeah.

So we've talked about it. You've talked about your love of bridesmaids for years. Why does the resume still tend towards alcoholism and the blitz? When's the shift going to happen? I mean, I love what you're doing. But you contain multitudes. We know this. We all do.

You would think you have manifested. something more in the Bridesmaids universe by now. Correct, correct. I mean, no one's asked me yet. What's going on that? So ask me. No, I think I do wonder if artistically when you're sort of veering towards one tone or you're in one world a lot, that makes you yearn the other, the opposite. And I feel like comedians do it as well. I mean, you know that you'll meet so many comedians in real life and they're usually actually quite serious.

people or they're not like jokes, jokes, jokes all the time. So I don't know, maybe it's to sort of create that balance. That's why I do both. But I'm sure I've said to you before that like comedy is the thing that I think is the most difficult thing to nail. I don't think anyone can do it just because they love comedy. I feel like I'm always going to be better in comedy if I do my own accent or if I do like a silly accent, which I haven't really had the chance to do yet.

I did it a couple of years ago in something which I loved. really I just need to do it with Kristen she needs to be my mentor what did you watch on the plane over what are the last couple movies you watch you know what I started watching was hacks oh yeah I'm a season or two behind I saw the first season I think I saw the second too

well I'm only on season one yeah I only started and I was just saying how yet again how impressive it is with women in comedy and female characters in comedy TV shows in particular how much more ahead they are I feel than movies.

Well, this also leads to, I'm going to talk about the current movies, but like one of the other, not to always say, like, this, you should also be doing this, this, Sersha, because you're doing great. Don't get me wrong. Thanks. Doesn't sound like you. No, no, stop it. But you've never done TV either.

You've never really done, like, I want the Sertia Rona in Mareb East Town. I want you running around. Me too. Me too. But this is the thing. I would love to do something like that. I would really love to do, I'd really love to do a true detective, actually. I think that would be amazing.

Like truly in the True Detective universe? Yeah, I think that after Jody Foster's one, which I just thought was the best one by far. I mean, I loved them, love the first one, but Jody's one is just so incredible. I would love to do something like that. And I love TV. I love when it's a mini-series where it just feels like it's an extended movie. Like, if the right thing came along, I would absolutely jump into that role for sure. One of the beauties of true detectiveists, it's always about the pairing.

Who do we pair you with? Kristen Wig. It's like a buddy comedy, true detective. It was such a good idea until the end. We were getting somewhere and then it just went off the rails. Okay, let's talk to the outrun. The outrun's fantastic. Congratulations.

Do you resent in a way that you have to credit Jack Loudon, a bit for getting this one into your universe? Yeah, it hurts. No, I'm so pleased that it came from him because I think whenever there's a piece of material that's given to you by someone who knows you so well. professionally and personally, you're always just going to take more of an interest in it and give it more time. And I think because he knew my reasons for wanting to do it and sort of how I felt at that point in my life, I sort of felt ready to explore that particular topic, it sort of felt like it fell into his lap at exactly the right time.

The topic being a woman at a crisis point dealing with addiction issues, it started, it's a, you know, started as a book. So I would imagine you encounter it versus a book. You don't see that you are a producer on this. This is the first film you've produced. So what's it been like to kind of encounter something first as a book and then shepherd it through the development process? It's a process and it takes a long time and it's, as the Italian say, it's like piano, piano. So it's like, it's like, piano. So it's like, it's like, Like little by little, you're sort of forming a vision. And then the more you include other people in that greater vision, the more complex it becomes. And everyone has to be heard. And you all need to sort of make sure that you're on the same wavelength with it and you want the same thing. But still be open to, you know, critical voices. and to accept that the project at each stage will change.

Like Tim Bevan, the producer, told me when we were in the edit for The Outron, and it was obviously mine and Jack's first experience being so kind of intimately involved in that stage. You know, you're trying to figure out what this movie is going to be, and it naturally sort of shifts. And he said to me that the really interesting thing about the editing process is that that's where the film decides what it will be. And it kind of goes beyond what you had planned for it. And not to mention for those that haven't seen it,

structurally, this is an unusual narrative. You're not going from A to B to C. No. So yeah, what was that like? I don't know if you're the kind of actor that hates seeing themselves on screen, but I would imagine you probably had to watch yourself more in the production of this than you ever have before.

I have. And actually, I think it's been a really valuable experience for me to go through that because I've never enjoyed watching myself. self. I definitely think when I was younger, a lot of it was down to like insecurities and just feeling self-conscious as well. Like no teenager. He's like awkward when they're wrong. Yeah. Yeah. Nobody wants to to go through that for an hour and a half, two hours. But also I just, you know, I was still finding my way and I think I'm able to separate work from myself a little bit

more now. And I think going through the process of editing the outrun, even though I didn't watch the dailies, I wouldn't watch playback on set. I was able to see it as this sort of objective thing. I needed to keep the project in mind as opposed to like my own ego, yeah, which was good for me, I think. It's obviously always a touchy area to touch on alcoholism, which touches literally all of our lives, whether it's us or family members or friends. And you know, you can't help but relate it to your own personal experiences. I would imagine, like, at some point in the process, you're like, oh, wait, I'm also going to have to, to a degree, talk about my own relationship with alcohol in this kind of silliness, too. Yeah, yeah. And that's kind of a thing, too. But I guess what was

on your mind as you approached, we've seen like all manners of stages and different degrees of alcoholism depicted in film forever. Did you have in your mind how you wanted it, how you wanted to approach it, what you liked seeing in film, what you didn't like seeing in film when depicting that? saw more of what I didn't like in film and TV. I think a drunk a lot of the time is sort of turned into a bit of a joke or a caricature. And I think it's a really difficult thing to get right. And I understand why, because when you are drunk yourself, if you drink, you're so unaware of your behavior. It's not like you can draw from your own experience because you're not... Inhibited, yeah. Yeah, you're not there, you know? And to be honest, even

speaking to Amy and other people who were in recovery. It was almost like it was the things that were so bad that stuck in their head. But like that's sort of day to day just, you know, regular drinking. Yeah. You know, it becomes so a part of the habit that you're not going to remember. And the whole point is to just sort of blank everything else out. That's why you, that's why you do it. So I had one reference point really, and that was Stephen Graham and the virtues, which is an Incredible. I'm really surprised how many people have seen this BBC series. I actually have. I mean, Stephen Graham comes up all the time, but I've never seen that. Yeah. Well, you should watch it. It's like, I think it's a four-parter. And it came out a few years ago. And a friend of mine who's in recovery said, if you want to watch someone authentically portray an alcoholic, especially at that moment where they take that first drink and they spiral throughout the night, this is the one to see. And there's this incredible continuous take that goes on for like 15 and 20. minutes and you watch him go to the pub, have his first drink, it's really fun to begin with, and then it just slowly gets darker and darker. And I just went back to Stevie Graham every

single time. I would imagine that given the way you talked about that, where you're going to come down on this, but I've talked to actors, not many, but some actors that have said, I've experimented with drinking if I'm playing drunk just to see what it's like. Yeah. Have you ever thought about that? Have you ever done that at any point in your career? You mean? To literally have a drink. Yeah. to literally, I'm going to be a little drunk to play drunk in this scene. Yeah, like, I mean, what I did before we started shooting. I didn't want to drink on set, but what I did before we started principal photography was

I just went out and I had a big night, but I had, I kept my awareness on even though I started to get, or even had friends and family kind of clock you, I would imagine, be like, what am I like? Yeah, I think like I said to Jack, like, keep an eye on the way I am. But then it's also trying to combine the way I am as someone who doesn't have an unhealthy relationship with it. Yeah. And Amy's own life and all of her sort of testimonies about that experience. And then also people close to me who I've seen go through it. And actually, there was a really interesting moment which I only saw when we were editing the film where we've all seen it when people go past the point of no return with drink and I always call it like the red haze

that goes over their eyes and they're just not there anymore and it's horrible to see someone go through that and I hadn't even necessarily set out to bring that up in the performance But there's a scene where I'm in my mom's house and she turns the light on and I'm on the ground and I've made a mess everywhere. And I stand up and I look at her and I've got that look and I didn't even realize until we watched it back like six months later.

And it really, that's why I did want to make this film and that's why it was important for me as someone who has been really affected by it to make the movie is that I think it's quite disarming to see a young woman in that sense. state. It's something that's so stigmatized. It's not talked about enough. We're kind of desensitized, I think, to male alcoholics. And I think to see this in a new form really catches people off guard. And even for me to see it, when I'd only seen it mainly in men, that really

knocked me back, you know. Where in the list of unusual skills you've picked up in your career does delivering lambs fit in? I would imagine this wasn't something on the list. Like one day I'm I'm going to add that to a TV. Kristen Wigg and I, right? It's a reality show. We're on a fact. There's some sheep. Yeah, I mean, that's like the most insane thing I've ever done.

And the most amazing thing. Like, it was terrifying to do it because so many different thoughts are going through your head. You can't practice it. You can't rehearse it. Like, it's just happening and you have to do it. So I watched a few farmers deliver lambs. And then it was my turn.

And it would be at like 5 a.m. in the morning on the farm where Amy grew up and Kyle who's this 23 year old like farming consultant was off camera and he would just sort of tell me okay get in there okay don't let go keep pulling okay and then when you get the lamb out you've got to swing it really sort of aggressively and almost like violently and the whole point is to clear its airwaves so that it comes to life so it's sort of it appears as if it's lifeless when it comes out which was which was really terrifying but an amazing experience to essentially bring life into the world and then give this little baby

to its mother and watch them just trot off. It's incredible. Now you're ready to go to next level, human beings, some kind of horrible situation. I'm ready. Airport situation. She's going into labor. I need help. Can anyone do this? Me. But I like tackle the woman to the ground. Why is she swinging the baby? No. No, stop, no. It's time for the ultimate back-to-school shopping spree at the outlets at Travers Mountain. We've got everything your kids need from trendy clothes to cool shoes to awesome backpacks and cozy jackets. Plus, take an additional 25% off the outlet price at participating stores. Send your kids back-to-school looking sharp without breaking the bank.

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This is, you know, legit. This is an amazing filmmaker. Have you seen it? Yeah, you've seen it. And it's kind of... I think people are going to be surprised in some ways that it's kind of like Spielberg meets Steve McQueen to me. I haven't really talked to anybody that's seen it,

so you're my first, the star of the movie. What struck you about, I mean, this is, he's on the West for every actor to work with. What was the Seam McQueen experience like for you? Well, I was no different. I love a break and I love not overworking. And I said to my agent, the only person that I will come out of like semi-retirement for, which I tend to do a lot, is Steve. And luckily, he was putting this project together. And I remember when I heard about it and I heard it was going to.

to be set during the Blitz. It was going to be the Second World War. In London, I thought, you know, to my shame, but I thought, oh, we've done this. You know, we've seen this a lot. And such beautiful depictions have been done. But, like, I don't necessarily, it's not something that I'm drawn to. Right. And then when I sat down with him, because I auditioned for him, he, you know, he has a very specific process and it all has to feel like it's coming from an authentic, true place. So we spoke quite a bit before he actually gave me the role. I did singing lessons. I, you know, we discussed the character together. The script was still coming together. So luckily for me, through those earlier conversations that we had, the sort of building

of the character was very influenced by my own experience with my mother and who I am as a woman and my relationship with children and, you know, things like that. So it felt incredibly personal and, you know, I think Steve, Steve has said that he wanted to make something that had heart. He wanted to make something that everyone could come and see. And he's done that so brilliantly. And for those who don't know, this is essentially the blitz through the eyes, mostly of a child, your child in the film. And yeah, I mean, I keep things to feel like like, I think of something like Empire of the Sun as a reference point for me, it's, which is another classic. Yeah. For you working with a young actor, obviously you've been doing

this your whole life. Is that a surreal kind of thing, a full circle moment to kind of like be the elder to another actor? It does feel sort of full circle, but in a really lovely way. And I don't think I've ever been one of those actors that's like, I've got to step in here and be a leader. I've never, you know, I always find that a bit uncomfortable. But when you're working with young people, especially when they're as young as Elliot was, he was nine when he did He'd never done anything before. He'd never been on a movie set before. It was so, I think it was so important

that there was at least one person there that knew what he was going through. And knew what that experience was like so intimately. And I was just as pal. Like I don't even really feel like I behaved like a maternal figure to him. I felt like we were, we are, we're friends, you know, and we were, we were co-workers.

And I'm really, I'm really, glad that he was able to work with someone who really just saw him as an actor and wanted to look after him, you know. But he was, he was incredible. And I think, again, what I love about working with children, I work with children quite a bit is that everything they do comes from the heart. It's so unfiltered. And it makes you step up. So when you sort of fallen into bad habits over the years, when you start to become aware of what this skill is that you and how you can use it. Kids aren't there yet. So everything is just so pure and it makes you become very, very present as an actor. Well, I am interested in that in regards to your

own career because I've talked to so many actors that started out of his child actors and did or didn't transition well into adult roles. And there does seem to be whether it's a perceptible point or not, you know, early on you're kind of relying on instinct. Yeah, completely. You're you in a moment created around you. Yeah. And then as you proceed, in life and your career, presumably, there is more technique. So, I don't know, do you see a shift? It might not have been one moment or one film, but you must see a progression for yourself from naturalism to technique, but hopefully retaining that naturalism.

Yeah, you know, it was interesting is that a few weeks ago, I was at the Tell Your Eye Film Festival for the first time, which is just the greatest film festival in the world. and I was lucky enough that they honoured me and so they did a tribute to my career essentially and they included clips from almost every single movie I'd done and so to be able to see all of these films to watch me sort of change and grow was really interesting. I think that like it is, it's a very gradual thing

you're obviously, you're soaking up so much from one film to the next but there's definitely, I can remember remember that there was a massive shift between what I did in my teens and what I was doing when I was sort of, you know, 90 in 20, 2021. When I was around that age, Greta put it really well recently because I was speaking to her about it, that like I became aware of the skill and that's actually quite overwhelming. I don't know how other child actors have experienced that, but I found it to be quite jarring and I was very, very self-conscious. And it was the only time in my

life where I felt slightly crippled by the presence of a camera. It didn't make me feel invincible anymore in the way that it always had done. And so with Brooklyn and with Lady Bird, I was painfully aware of everything I was doing, how I looked, how I moved, how I sounded. But then once I'd gone through that process with these two incredible directors who really changed me as an actor, then I was able to go, oh, okay, I know how to like use these tools a little bit better now and I can kind of play it almost like an instrument and the instinct is still there and that fluidity is still there but you're able to sort of like mate the two a little bit more harmoniously and that's like the sweet spot also in the middle of that sequence if I'm getting

my timeline light is crucible on Broadway yeah which I would imagine is also like not needed just didn't help really no it did of course it will have helped but you know my my ego took a beaten because I'd spent being honest I'd spent like my whole childhood being like the one kid in these movies where people were like she's good isn't she you know and

and Elliot's receiving the same sort of attention and it's great because it makes you feel invincible and really confident but then when you become an adult actor and directors are expecting you to be great like that's the bare minimum is that you're great you have to sort of

re-imagined what work is, you know, like the goalpost shift a little bit and it becomes work. It's not just like a thing that I do anymore. It's my job. That's fascinating. Okay. So let's do a few more of the greatest hits if you'll indulge me. So Atonement, which we've of course talked about before, and I actually just saw Maccaboy a couple weeks ago and we were talking a little bit about it. I mean, you were what, 11 or 12 when you shot that? So your understanding of what that film was? as a 12-year-old versus now. I mean, like, how much did you grasp of what it was?

I mean, you were obviously a sophisticated 12-year-old, but you're still 12. Yeah. I knew, I don't think I could truly understand the weight of the subject. I couldn't sink in because I was a kid. But I do think, and I was so well, And I was so well protected, I was in such a safe environment. I wasn't exposed to anything I didn't need to be exposed to.

Joe Wright was really good with that. Peter Jackson was on the lovely bones as well. But I do think it must have had an impact on me. I feel that like there are there are things that frighten me now that must come from being in that world for a couple of months at a time. And it wasn't that I wasn't protected, I really he was. I had my man with me the whole time and stuff. But yeah, it was very much sort of in the moment, you know, which I think was great. It was sort of just like playing the one scene that I

had to focus on that day. I couldn't think of the bigger picture. And to be honest, that has sort of stuck with me in terms of my approach to work. Focus on the day, the moment, the scene. Yeah. I find it very hard to think about the bigger picture when I'm in. one scene. Well, it helps because the character's also thinking about that moment. Right. So that's stayed with me for sure. Is it saying too much to, I mean, you're alluding to like fears that have kind of like you connect to that experience that still are with you to this day to say what I just think that like even if you don't fully understand what pedophilia is or rape or, you know, sorry, this may be a little too intense, but like

it's there. Sure. It's in the air. Sure. Because I had to be. I think a lot of young women it's a fear that we carry every second of the day but that was something that was in the background when I was quite young so I'm sure that that will have had an impact in the way that like you know working on other movies that I did that were completely lovely and lovely bones too in that regard I would imagine yeah probably lovely bones more so but you know you take the the rough with the smooth I suppose and that's what I love about it I think once

you're in a safe environment and you feel protected, then the whole point of your job is to keep yourself open to all of it. And that's why I really admire actors the older I get. I think it's incredibly courageous what actors do to come into the center of the room and go hit me with everything and I'll give it right back. That's quite amazing. So James admitted to me that I asked him like what movie makes him cry or gets emotional. He actually set atonement, like his own movie. James. Classic James.

It's funny, this scene that I did. I killed it. I was so heartbreaking. Are you able to cry at your own movies? Yeah, actually, yes. I agree. No, I know, I mean, Atonement would probably make me cry now. I think if I watched Brooklyn again, it would make me cry.

I mean, I re-recorded the audio book for Brooklyn recently because it's the 10-year anniversary, so it's coming out soon. and reading the text just like killed me and to have the movie in my mind and to remember my state of mind when I made it and how vulnerable I felt and how scared I was to go home and not do a good job and I wanted to I wanted John to be happy with what I was doing like it was all just so overwhelming and yeah that really makes me cry so I do know what James is talking about he's not wrong I discovered also in the research you I'm sure you you're aware of this. So he said one of the characters he played in Glass was inspired,

the voice was inspired by how you sounded during the making of atonement. Yeah, I've heard this. I haven't seen Glass. Do you take that as a badge of honor or I guess you haven't seen it so yeah. Well, yeah, did you do a good job? I need to go back to the tape. Actually, I don't know which character he's referring to. I mean, yeah, that's so lovely. I mean, James McAvoy was one of those people for me that really took care of me. And that and that's why I think I wanted Elliot to feel like he had his pal as well, because in me, because I had that with McAvoy on Atonement and in the years that would follow whenever I would see him. And even if I'd see him now, it's the same with Benedict. It's the same with Juno Temple. Like, there's a connection that you have to these

people who really took you under their wing and you never forget them, you know. So he's always been someone who's been very special to me. So around, if I'm getting my timeline right, around atonement, I know you've talked about this before, maybe we have even. You had to kind of a close brush with Harry Potter. Luna loved good. I know. Fiona Weir didn't come apart. Did you come close? How close did you come to getting it?

I doubt I came close at all. I don't think I was the right age. Okay. And also, Ivana Lynch, like, couldn't have been more perfect for that role. Did it color your love of the movies afterwards? Were you able to enjoy it? It's so resentful. I mean, I could understand it to a degree.

No, I wasn't. No, I think I, with every audition that I did, I always convinced myself that I wasn't going to get it, which is like stressful, but also I think it's a better way to just deal with that stuff because then you're not as disappointed. So I never expected to get it anyway. I think I felt really honored that I got to read a scene from Harry Potter because I grew up with it.

I told Emma that years later, Emma Watson, like, I grabbed her by the shoulders one day and I was like, do you know what you mean to us, what your movies mean to us? Yeah, it was just amazing to step into that world, you know. And it's still affecting so many people's lives. And now there's Harry Potter World that we'll go to, like, every year. Have you been to Wizarding World? Do you have your wand?

Have you gone? I have my wand. Yeah. I have my wand. I want to go back for Halloween this year. Okay, it's official. We are very much in the final story. sprint to election day. And face it, between debates, polling releases, even court appearances,

it can feel exhausting, even impossible to keep up with. I'm Brad Milkey. I'm the host of Start Here, the daily podcast from ABC News. And every morning my team and I get you caught up on the day's news in a quick, straightforward way that's easy to understand with just enough context so you can listen, get it, and go on with your day. So, kickstart your morning. Start Smart with start here in ABC News because staying informed shouldn't feel overwhelming. We mentioned lovely bones, which is such a great opportunity, obviously, Peter Jackson, the book was the bestseller. It also had, people, a lot of people probably won't remember this, Ryan Gosling, who you got to know later on. Yeah. Did you shoot with Ryan for a bit? Like, had it all,

Had production begun with Ryan Gosling and the Mark Wahlberg role? No, it hadn't begun. We'd done some prep. So was that disorienting and kind of scary as a young actor? Like if Ryan Gosling can part ways, like, anyone's upper grabs in this? Like, what was that? I didn't think of it like that. I think I just loved Ryan and his dog, George.

And was just sad that, you know, he wasn't going to be around. but I think the reasons why they parted were totally valid and I have spoken to both now and I complete, it happens, you know what I mean? It's not, it's not personal necessarily. It's like sometimes you're just not on the same page. And it meant then that, you know, Mark was able to step in and he was a father, he was a father to like, I don't know, three kids and he probably had an experience of that that Ryan felt like he didn't.

Ryan was like 27. Yeah, he was playing. He was young, like. But it was great then to work with him later And again, he's just like the same You know, he doesn't change Do you ever have that moment in a production Where you think whether realistic or not

I'm going to get fired, I'm not right for this? Yeah, I had it with Brooklyn And I had it with Lady Bird in particular With Lady Bird? Yeah, it was awful Like I honestly, my mom flew over at one stage Because I was so anxious And...

I don't have credit knows that actually how deep in was it and how did you recover I didn't recover I just got through it just not recover I did like after after we finished so what was that about why do you think that was because obviously what we see on the screen

worked very very well I think that like it was kind of what I was saying that it was a time where I think for any person in the early 20s kind of like when you reach your early 30s as well, there's a shift. There's like a shift in your life, in how you are with people,

your social situations, you're usually moving away from home, you're going to university or your hormones are all over the place. Like it was just, everything was just sort of in flux. And I'd spent about 10 years at that stage being like the kids who just had to like do like a decent job. but was lauded as like, oh, aren't they great? And then to step into the role of like a true leading actor, there's a lot of responsibility and I felt that.

And I think because I was working with John Crowley, who is such a brilliant director anyway, but a brilliant Irish director and then working with Greta, who I was just a huge, huge fan of, like Kristen Wig level fan, I really wanted to impress her. And it was her first job, it was her first film on her own. and I was essentially playing her and it was a comedy of sorts

and I was in my head about that so I just was still young, you know, so it was stressful. You know, funnily enough, I think when I started to get to know you and talk to you a lot was of all things for like the host, we did a lot of stuff for that film. Yeah, we did. Right?

Did you come to set for that? I was in Albuquerque. Well, Albuquerque. Love that place. Might be the windiest set I've ever been on. We shot outside and you and Max, I'll never forget get it. I mean, looking like, that was kind of one of your one and only films that was like, you know, attempting to be in kind of the franchise world. And it did so well. Well, look, I don't know if there's a lesson there or not. I mean, you tell me, like did you, did you approach

that for, in retrospect, the right reasons or were, did you connect with that material as much? Or were there kind of things in your ear like, I need to do this kind of thing at this point of my career? I think I've always needed to connect the material in some way. I think there's been varying degrees of like, I don't know, alignment, I suppose, with you and the material. But there's always had to be a connection. And I think for me, what the host gave me was a challenge in terms of like playing two different characters at once and trying to differentiate the two. And that was interesting to me. And I knew that was going to make it more difficult for me.

I always wanted to remain awake with everything I was doing. I needed to be sort of smacked across the face by every job and be like, come on, you've never done this before. Sure. See if you can do this well. So I always knew that that was going to be the challenge there. And I loved it. And like, you know, the experience that we had on that was really great.

And I'm still really close with Jake Abel and his wife. and Megan Hibbitt who produced it. And so it was a great job for me. You know, I was 18. I was away with, like, younger people. I'd never really done that before, apart from a couple of other things. So I feel like every job,

regardless of how it does once it's been released. You take away some things. You do. It gives you something. Even if it was like the worst job in the world and you hated every second of it, something about having to keep on, keeping on adds to you as a person.

which is, which was not my experience with the host. I get it. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So, okay, we mentioned Lady Bird and Greta, who obviously worked with since and little women. So close on Barbie, so close. I know. I was almost in it, but I was doing the outrun.

Right. Yeah. And I've spoken to Timmy also about how close he came to doing that one as well. You were going to be weird Barbie. I was going to, naturally, yeah, I was going to be a weird Barbie. Was your take on Weird Barbie much different than Kate McKinnon's take on Weird Barbie? I don't think I would have been Kate's. I think Kate was going to be there no matter what.

I was just going to be, there was, there was scenes. that we were going to have that weren't in the movie, which I was happy about. I was happy she didn't give them to someone else. Timothy and I, like, it's taken us a long time to get over the fact that she's made a film without us. We're not pleased. I talked to Timmy, and I was like,

you know, are you the lion, the witch, or the wardrobe in Narnia? Because obviously they're... Mr. Tumnus now. People have said... He's got to be. What's your role in Narnia? Are you angling for something? Yeah.

I've said to her multiple times, I'm like, I'll be in the next one whether you like it or not. She, like, we just love each other so much and it's a really special work and relationship that we have. And it's also really lovely

to be in each other's lives still now that I'm getting older because as I said, when we met, I was this young adult who was very much a young adult trying to be an adult and to sort of grow with her over the years has just been the best.

I mean, you're a producer now. You're, you know, you're entering a new stage and you're like, no, but I mean, in reality, it's true. Yeah. It does feel like, again, not to chart your own career for you, but the Ken movie combines all your loves. We get gosling. We get you.

We get Greta. Yeah. Is she going to do, they're not going to do that, really. We haven't officially heard anything, but they've said, I mean, there's, whatever, who knows. Yeah. Who knows? But it was about girls.

I got you. I'm not saying, let's do the dude movie now. The dudes had their movies. But I did, yeah, I loved watching Ryan in it, I was saying. Are the Broccoli is aware of your James Bond villain campaign that's been going on for a long time? I think we've spoken about this many times. I'm afraid to say it to her in person.

I know her a little bit. You do. No barber broccoli, yeah. Yeah, no, I haven't mentioned it. You would be amazing. And they've never done, like, the young female main villain thing. And I think, like, her and Bond don't, don't get together or anything.

Of course, she's a villain. Yeah. Like, have Yarbridem vibes. What's your affectation? Do you have like an eye patch? Do you have a cat? A limp. Yeah, exactly.

I don't know, but I'm conscious of being blonde because I feel like a lot of villains in movies, they're always like, make them super blonde. So you want to continue that trend or you want to go the other way? No, I'd want to break. It's whatever, honestly, it's whatever Barber wants. Whatever Barber wants to do, I'll do.

Here's a tough question. if it can only be you as a Bond villain or Jack as Bond. That's a very difficult question. It's kind of the worst question that I've ever asked a human being, but go for it. He, he, he should be banned. If it's a choice between the two. That's so selfless of you. Isn't that nice that I've done that?

You are an amazing partner. Wow. Can you set the record straight for me on one thing? What? Were you offered Yelena? Did you almost play Yelena in the Black Widow, the Florence Pugh role in the Marvel Universe? Was that a discussion? Um...

How did you hear about that? It's out there. It's been out there. Is it? Yeah. I don't know. Okay, I'll take that non-answer is an answer. You've had... I don't know. But you have nothing against the Marvel stuff.

It's just like if and when the right thing happens. I can't see myself doing Marvel. Really? I don't. no, I would prefer to do Bond well you are proof and it's a rare

a rarer group than ever of folks that don't necessarily need to go that route to have a and if there's something wrong with it but there's nothing wrong with it and I think they're brilliant films I want to do more big movies

like I am at the point where I've done I love make an independent film I really do but to know especially in this landscape that we're in in film right now to know that a film is going to be seen is such a luxury and so when we made Blitz knowing that you were putting all this work into something and like it was going to get a release people were going to see it people were going to talk about it is great you know and there's so many films that you'll do where you put everything into it

yeah and maybe no one will buy it and it's no reflection on the quality of the film at all. It's just, it's a very hard time to know what's what, I think, in the film industry. But I look, like, I think especially after seeing Greta made Barbie as well, like, I want to do that. Of course I want to do that stuff. I like big shows and I want to be in a musical and I want to do all that. Yeah, where's the, so there's more singing and dancing in Blitz than people might expect. Yeah, yeah. It's true. It's true. Yeah, war epic, but with show tunes. Yeah, we have quite a bit of music. We actually, We had other numbers that haven't made it in.

I wouldn't call them numbers, but like musical scenes. But yeah, the music is sort of the beaten heart of the film. And there's some like amazing surprises that you'll see along the way, which is, it just sets it apart. He just knows how to do something other, you know. But to your point, what you were saying, it must perform an actor or filmmaker,

it must be such an amazing experience when, like, you make something and it's satisfying and it's great and it finds an audience, or not, but like when something touches culture, it's like a ladybird, for instance, which obviously no one could have imagined it would have been what it is, but like, that's almost an addictive thing to chase.

Like, oh, I want, you know, I want films that will connect with people on a profound level. You do, and you don't, I don't, I don't necessarily have the need to make a movie that like has a message or anything. I think a great film will contain enough authenticity that people will find their own story in it.

and it should be different for everyone. And I think even with the outrun, it's amazing how, which I didn't expect, there is no one demographic for this. I've had middle-aged men come up to me. I've had young women my age. I've had women in their 40s and 50s and 30. Like, it's amazing.

But with Blitz and the Outrun, this is probably the first time ever where I've been like, no, I actually really think it's important that people see these films. No matter what they think of the end product, It's commentating on the world that we live in, the pressures that are put on us, our warped view of history that I think is really essential for us to be talking about right now. And they're also great movies.

Like with Blitz in particular, what Steve has done so brilliantly is that he's made a movie. It's a movie movie. It's entertainment, you know. Is there, we talk about films you've seen, an actor you're currently obsessed with? Who do you want to manifest a collaboration with that you haven't yet? With an actor? Yeah. You know who's just come into my head, who I just love, is Sebastian Stant.

Love Sebastian Stant. It's killing it right now. Have you seen the Trump movie? No, I can't wait. I can't wait. All right, let's end with this. The Happy Second Fused Profoundly Random Questions, Sersh. Are you ready?

No. Dogs or cats? Dogs. Yeah. Easy. Got one, right? Stella, yeah. Do you collect anything?

Dogs. Just one. That's not a collection. Just one. It's a funny collection. She's got everything I need. Do I collect anything? No, I don't think I...

Okay. What's the wallpaper on your phone? It's myself and my best friend. Sweet. Yeah. Last actor you were mistaken for? Oh, okay. This isn't an actor, but I'm going to bring me.

this up anyway because it's really cool. Love it. I went to a chapel Rowan concert a couple of weeks ago. They're going to be laughing because it's all I'm talking about. And I met Chapel, Kaylee, Chapel afterwards. And she said, which I was chuffed about, that apparently everyone says to her that I am her celebrity look like. So.

Congratulations. More important than all the Oscar nominations, all the accolades. That's what I'm living off of right now. That's like my oxygen right now. It occurred to me when I was looking back at all our conversations. The most viral thing I think we ever did was when you did like your different accents in a Taylor Swift lyric. If we were doing it today, it would be Chapel, Chapel Rhone.

I die for Chapel. I live for Chapel. She's the best. Worst note a director has ever given you. Worst note a director has ever given me? Where do I start? When a director, so we have like call sheet sides for anyone who doesn't work in movies, which is like all of the scenes

that we're going to shoot that day and they'll have stage directions. When a director brings you on to set and goes, so you're gonna... and they just read out what's on the page and I'm like, yeah, no, I've got that.

I can read that. It's the context that I need. When they do that, I'm like, get out. Get out. In the sort of happy, say, confuse an actor who makes you happy always, You see them on screen, you're happy. We can know, Kristen Wick.

Okay, stupid, stupid question. Always. Movie that makes you sad. Compose yourself. Brooklyn actually makes me sad. There you go. We call that a case of the Maccaboy's. And a brief encounter.

Oh my God, brief encounter makes me so sad. And a food that makes you confused. There is something that I tried in Japan last, sea urchin. Oh, yeah. I don't know what I think about that. Wait, I wonder, I need to go back to the tape. Jack might have said the same thing. Is that possible?

He, he had like an out-of-body experience when he tried sea urchin. Yeah. And I was on board. You were too, not see-y-a-law than him. Yeah. He's very Scottish. He's like, the consistency's weird. Right.

I'm like more well. I'm more cultured than he is. Yeah. But the sea urchin for both of us was a very strange experience. Segwaying back, thank you for doing the podcast finally. I always love our chats. I've known you half your life, which is insane to think. That's mad. Isn't that mad? Yeah. Congratulations on the Outrun, on Blitz. It's the fall of Sersha. Every fall is Surcha season, but this is true Sersha season. Truly, yeah. Thank you. It's good to see you, as always. Thank you. Thanks. Happy, sad, confused. Remember to review, rate, and subscribe to this show on iTunes

or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm a big podcast person. I'm Daisy Ridley, and I definitely wasn't pressured to do this by Josh. Goodbye, summer movies, hello fall. I'm Anthony Devaney. And I'm his twin brother, James. We host Raiders of the Lost Podcast, the Ultimate Movie Podcast, and we are ecstatic to break down late summer.

and early fall releases. We have Leonardo DiCaprio leading a revolution in one battle after another. Timothy Salome playing power ping pong in Mari Supreme. Let's not forget Emma Stone and Jorgos Lanthamos' Bougonia. Dwayne Johnson's coming for that Oscar in The Smashing Machine, Spike Lee and Denzel teaming up again, plus Daniel DeLuis's return from retirement. There will be plenty of blockbusters to chat about two. Tron Aries looks exceptional, plus Mortal Kombat 2, and Edgar Wright's The Running Man starring Glenn Powell.

Search for Raiders of the Lost Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.