Happy Sad Confused - Tatiana Maslany

Episode Date: January 8, 2019

By now you probably know how insanely talented Tatiana Maslany is from her multi-award winning performance (or is that performances?) in "Orphan Black" but she's still working overtime like she has something to prove. She joins Josh on this episode of "Happy Sad Confused" in a rare off moment from her starring role opposite Bryan Cranston on Broadway in "Network" but she's also talking another transformative performance in the crime drama, "Destroyer", But don't worry it's not all serious actor talk on this episode as Josh and Tatiana talk comedy, animation, and poutine in a delightfully all over the place chat.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Conditions apply. Visit rbc.com slash avion. Today on Happy Sack Confused, Tatiana Mazzlani, killing it on Broadway and the big screen with Network and Destroyer. Hey guys, I'm Josh Horowitz. Welcome to another edition of Happy, Sad Confused, with the one and only Orphan Black Zone, Tatiana Mazzlani. Who doesn't love Tatiana Mazzlani?

She is one of our best actors out there today and hysterical. to boot. She was fantastic, kind enough to come by. We taped us a few weeks back in the waning days of 2018. She was kind enough to come on a two-show day. She is performing right now in the Broadway production of Patty Chayefsky's network. And I always feel guilty having actors in that are on Broadway doing stage work, especially my God, doing that kind of a show, doing two shows in one day, and coming by for an hour to take. chat. Very thankful for Tatiana to do that. This was a blast. She is a delight. She is Canada's favorite actor working today, perhaps, with apologies to Ryan Gosling. We talk about a lot of things.

Her early days acting, she's been acting since she was a little kid up through her struggles leading into Orphan Black, coming off of Orphan Black, her film work. And now, Really a hell of a one-two punch network. I got a chance to see on Broadway. It's a tough ticket to come by in all honesty. It's probably sold out most if not all nights. But if you can, this one's worth seeing. It's it's starring Brian Cranston alongside Tatiana and Tony Goldwyn. And it is adapted from the seminal those are Tatiana's words that's true 70s film that was very prescient about where media was headed and In 2018 and 2019, Network really feels of these times. And the production alone, I have to say, is very unique. I mean, Network is basically about a network news anchor who's having a nervous breakdown. A lot of it takes place, like, at the station during broadcasts. And the way that the director of this production, Yvonne Hove, who's done some very interesting Broadway work before, does it in this, is it's just intricate.

and employs a lot of video and involves the audience, their audience members on stage. I don't want to ruin it, but basically, if you can, go check it out. Easier to do is to check out her movie Destroyer, which is out in theaters this month, that stars Nicole Kidman, Sebastian Stan. It's from director of Karin Kusama. This is a tough crime drama character piece,

Nicole Kidman truly transforms in this film, as does Tatiana. Tatiana really is going to some great lengths in this film, playing like, I think she's on meth in the film. It's just tough. It's a tough story, but it's my kind of movie. I really dug it, and she's excellent in it. Also, pleased to say, we had, Sammy comes by in this episode. Sammy is buddies with Tatiana.

So I know, for those of you that have listened to the podcast for years, you know, Sammy used to be on the intro, like every single episode. And I would have her on, I still want her on the intros as much as possible. Unfortunately, like we're literally working in different physical places now. So it's tough to get her to come by. But I did have her swing by for this conversation towards the end of it to surprise Tatiana because they're good buddies. So look forward to that.

Sammy makes another appearance on Happy Second Views. And by the end, it's just a giggle fest of three goofy idiots talk. talking about auditions and all sorts of silliness. Anyway, I think this is a great conversation. Tatiana's been on my list for some time, so I'm so happy she finally was able to come by. Hope you guys enjoyed as much as I did. Remember to review, rate and subscribe

to happy say I confused, spread the good word, and enjoy this chat with Tatiana Maslani. We have microphones. Might as well do it. Let's use these guys. Tatiana, it's good to see you. Good to see you, too. Congratulations on the show.

I saw your crazy bananas, amazing Broadway production of Network last night. How are you doing? Are you okay? I'm good. How are you? I'm fine. You went through a lot last night. Yeah.

And every day. I used to it at this point. Sometimes twice a day. Sometimes twice. Yeah, and I revere that movie. I mean, that was one of those movies that I, I've got a beverage for you. You're going to be hydrated. Thank you so much.

Thanks, Denise. Yeah, that was a seminal movie for... Yeah, it was. I think it was. It was like, you know, it was... Like, I was an English major with, like, a film concentration, whatever that meant. And that was definitely, like, you can't, like, not... That's one of those movies you have to study.

That script, Patty Chayevsky. He's an incredible writer. And the script isn't, like, the stage play is not so far from. There's a lot of stuff kind of taken out or streamlined. Right. But the dialogue is pretty... Yeah. Pretty much the same.

Yeah. Okay, so we'll get to that. There's a lot to talk about. We'll get to telling exactly what lines are from the movie. Exactly. We're going to be a re-staged reading of network. Can't wait. Because that really honors the production you do.

It's just to do a reading of it. Right, yeah. And your new movie Destroyer is awesome, too. I really liked it. Oh, you saw it. Yeah, I saw it at Toronto. Nice. That's awesome.

But you're my last conversation of 2018, by which I mean on the microphone. I'm going to pop to other people. You're taking a valve silence. I don't know what you do at the end of the year. I always take two weeks just for myself. The New Year's resolution is like, don't talk for the rest of the year. And it never pans out. Yeah, it's more of like family recommends it to me.

It's not like, it's not self-imposed. It's like my wife's kind of like, I think you need some time to yourself. Are you just so on? No, I'm not. Like, how do I make a compelling conversation out of this breakfast we're having? Definitely not. I save all of my words for the microphone. but okay let's take stock in your 33 years where does this one rank I did that was 2018

oh boy is it top five top 10 top 30 it was a great year for uh creatively for me but whoa what a bad year in other in other news uh yeah we'll ignore that but um no it's been it's been amazing I've been doing theater the whole year yeah and the first the first couple months I was doing destroyer right so it was it's been a really and if I if I if I Pull back even just a few months before that end of 2017. I did a film with my boyfriend, and he directed it. And we made it in nine days with Jay Duplas in Wales. So it's been a really cool year of very different experiences.

Right. Spending a lot of time here in New York. Two productions here. Yeah, two plays. One after another. So, okay, looking back, what was the toughest professional year of your life? If you had to take stock, what's the year? You doubted all your life choices.

Oh, right before I got Orphan Black, I didn't work for seven, eight months. And that was a lot for me because I'd been working since I was nine. Right. Kind of three productions at the same time often. Just never, never saying no to anything and never not stopping. Right. Yeah, so that was a really tough year. And I was going in a lot for like blazered lawyer.

Not getting it Why aren't they seeing me for this? Why don't they think that's who I am? Yeah, and it was like my first year in L.A. really trying it, trying it out. So was there, I was going to ask that. Like, was there a conscious decision at one point to, like, just give it a go,

do the pilot, quote-unquote pilot season kind of thing? Oh, yeah. I did a film that got some heat at Sundance. She's using industry jargon. We'll have a little, like, glossary so you can understand um and uh and so then they were like you got to go to LA you got to capitalize on this heat um and then I did a nothing came of it where's my heat guys you promised me the heat um yeah so and then and then uh what what else that

that what was the question about pilot season yeah yeah I guess what was that experience like it sounds like it wasn't the most rewarding thing it was blazered it was like trying to be something that I knew I wasn't that I didn't want to be that I didn't be that I I resented, but also was like, but this is the only way I'm going to, at the same time, feeling like, but if they knew what a weirdo I was, maybe they would be interested in that. So when you were going up for those kind of auditions, were you bringing any of your weirdo? No, no, I was really like trying to be the conventional sort of. There's a lesson here.

There is. What is it? I don't know. Definitely a lesson. Someone smarter than me can analyze this. Okay, jumping around, jumping around. Okay, so, yes, professional year sounds like it was very busy but rewarding this past year. Have you picked up any life skills?

Have you picked up any? Are you sleeping? I figured out how to sleep. You did it. Yeah, I don't know what happened. Something switched to my body and it went, you know what? This is vital for your survival. So meaning what?

Meaning you now recognize the need for it or you're able to sleep? I'm able to sleep. I'm able to actually shut my brain off, I guess, to the extent that I can be unconscious for longer than five hours. for longer than five hours. Wow. Which is great. This was a tough, this took you 32 years to get to that?

When I was doing Orphan Black, I think I'd destroyed my ability to sleep because adrenaline was like coursing through my body at weird times because we'd start some, first season we would start at 5 a.m. on Monday. Right. And then by Friday we'd be starting at 5 p.m. And going till 5 a.m. on Saturday, on Friday.

And then start again 5 a.m. on Monday. So my body was just like, when do you want adrenaline? Right. Do you want it constantly? right should we shoot it out now and then i and then i would not sleep yeah um so now you're embracing the world of sleep which really isn't a good thing when you're in the middle of broadway show but i guess it's great is it oh my god it's so have you ever done it have you ever slept well like consistently oh yeah i'm really good one of the few things i'm good at sleeping really i can't sleep on a plane i should

say that i'm not one of those i don't be like a superpower those are monster i don't know how people can do that i would kill i would really honestly kill for the two prong skill on a plane to not worry at all not to give a shit to like literally not worry at all about dying oh about dying the dying part the explosion and the fall and the whole all of it not worrying about that and the sleep those two things i would i would i feel like they might go hand in hand those two things yeah it's not in me though no maybe some hypnosis can meditation get that headspace app do you do the i started to do it is it all it's cracked up to be embarrassed to say No, don't be embarrassed.

I am, though. I don't know why. I just, like, any, I've had so many people be like, have you tried meditation? I'm like, shut up. But some actual people not, like, douchebags have to say that now. Including you, Hugh Jackman, I respect. He's big into the TM. He is?

He is. I don't think I've done the TM yet. I've done the, like, sit and have a guy talking in my ear for five minutes. And then I'm like, great, I meditated. That was awesome. That was excellent. Well, yeah. What's next?

Yeah, I mean, considering what you were just talking about in terms of, like, the lack of sleep and the adrenaline. in high, it doesn't sound like meditation with something that can't necessarily naturally. No, but it's a great counterpoint to network because network is such an intensely energized show and so kinetic and so distracting. Yeah. Like, it's a distracted piece.

Yeah. And I think a lot of us as actors are navigating that in different ways, trying to figure out how to kind of be a, like a focal focus throughout it. Yep. And then also the audience, I think, gets very distracted and kind of, you know, which I think contributes to our focus. You know, like it's all kind of a big mash of... Yeah, well, let's talk a little bit about the production because it's very unique. It's like, you know, it's, so it's this direct, this theater director named Ivan Van Hove. Evon. Van Hove. Okay, Ivo Van Hove. Sorry. So, and we were just talking,

I've seen a couple of his productions that are always very unique. And this one, you know, if you don't know, network, first of all, go back and see the film because that's great too. But it's a really, it was done in the 70s and really a commentary on media and the confluence of news and entertainment and it sounds cliche to say but like watching it is it's super relevant it's all it just feels of the moment today like more than maybe even it was back in the 70s but the production itself is fascinating because a ton of video um like it's weird to think of like you know when i think of actors on stage you're not worried generally about your clothes. up about how you look on camera, but you kind of, do you have to be on this? Because a lot of you

is projected. Yeah, I mean, it doesn't, it doesn't register for me really because it doesn't feel like a different thing. We're also miced, which takes away the need to like project to the back row. So I think you're able to make choices. Like you watch Brian and in a lot of the scenes, he's doing very tiny, subtle thoughts, you know, and kind of movement. So I don't think you really need to project. But at the same time, it is a heightened piece. So if you are, if it is big on the screen, I don't think it matters so much. To me, it never feels like it jumps out. Maybe it does as an audience to the audience, but for us, it doesn't feel like, oh, and now we're on camera. Yeah. It's just like all part of it. It's so integrated. It's an interesting

for an audience member, which you'll never experience on this one, it's interesting just because it's like there's so much, there's like choices you kind of have to make as an audience member of, like, where to focus your attention. Yeah, so many of my friends are like, I made a concerted effort when I, you know, to watch the actors because I was like, I don't want to look at the screen. I paid to see actors, but then they're like invariably looking at, yeah. But the screen is there to distract you.

Yeah. Like, it's to, I think Evo wants to comment on the fact that when there are screens, we're all staring at them and very infrequently looking at the real life thing that's happening in front of us. And it's a smart thing in that, like, especially as the show progresses, like it's commenting and then kind of really like cementing it that like the audience is complicit in all of this yeah and by the end the audience is kind of part of the show yeah and you can't help but kind of like self-reflect on like your contribution to all this shittiness that's great I love

that I really like it because I always wondered what people take from the show yeah what they're sort of what the takeaway is or what they figure out or what they're thinking about when they leave. Yeah. And I think that is sort of the intention is... You just want me to feel shitty. Yeah, I just want you to feel so shit when you leave. And never speak to anyone again for two weeks.

Perfect. Mission accomplished. Wait, there's a lot to digest. I also... You have some unique things in this film, in the film, this play. I've never seen a sex scene with an applause break in theater. There's applause flashing on the screen. It wasn't a pause flashing.

That was spontaneous by the audience. You have a pretty amazing scene with Tony. Goldwyn and yeah literally the audience like spontaneously applause what goes to your brain in that moment I mean sometimes they're like uncomfortable I think sometimes the plots comes out of discomfort yeah and I think sometimes it comes out of um some women feel differently about that scene than maybe some guys do and maybe want to show that appreciation for it because it's an interesting scene in which like a woman is expressing full desire right and reaching the reaching the goal of climax on her own, you know, of her own accord.

Yes. Yeah, Tony's just there. Tony's just a vehicle. Basically. Finally. You know what I mean? We're at 2018. There you go.

Finally. Yeah, but it's, it is an interesting, it's a weird. Yeah. I just thought my friend Helen Shaver's name on that poster. Oh, on color of mine? Yeah. She's one of my favorites. Oh, is that right?

time. That's amazing. She's directed me a couple times and she's just also the greatest actor. Anyway. There's too much random sensory input in the source. Yeah, I'm getting distracted by screens. Bounce off of anything you want. So we're talking, yes.

Yeah, so that sex scene. Yeah, and it's an interesting, I mean, it was such an iconic scene in the movie. Yeah. And I know I was reading briefly about Faye Dunaway feeling quite uncomfortable in that scene and nervous about it and all of that. And I get it because it's, it's uncharted sort of, you know. Do you, okay, so you've got, the run goes for a while, as we're talking, it's, it's the end of the year, but it goes into, what, April? Oh, yes, end of April.

End of April. So, do you ever, like, in a production, like, ever feel like you've hit your groove where, like, I've got it down now, or is it, are you going to be tinkering in your own way up until the last show? Always tinker. I mean, I've felt in certain moments, like, ah, that feels a little less stilted or pushed or confusing or whatever. But I feel like every, I was to say episode, every episode of network. It's okay, I call it a film. It's all, we're all, we need a break. 10.30?

I'm Ceepee. I think, yeah, I always try to find something new to try to try. Yeah. Or, you know, I take notes after every show to kind of be like what happened. And what did it feel like? And my acting coach was like, that's a great way to drop the work at the end of the night kind of like... What's an example of that?

I guess just, you know, this felt connected or this felt nuts or this moment was foggy or this moment was really clear tonight or whatever. Just sort of like taking stock in an intellectual way so that I get out of like actor land and can kind of move in the world. Yeah, and then sometimes I'll like set myself

like a little goal for the next day of something to try or play with. but it's often just in the moment something comes up. That's fascinating. Yeah. So was, you know, you mentioned you did the Tracy Letts play before this. You know, and coming off of Orphan Black, that's not necessarily Hollywood Handbook 101 is like, go do two plays back to back. Everyone keeps saying to me and I'm like, it feels so natural to me.

I mean, that's great. I mean, I don't know. But like, I'm just curious. So it does feel that. I mean, obviously you were saying you've been doing this since you were a kid. Yeah. So it makes sense, but at the same time, like, I'm sure you, you know, you're surrounded by business people and people that hope, you know, know, you got the juice. You got the heat? Yeah. If I'm on fire. Right. Right. So, I mean, is that, are those, is that like a big conversation that, like, you're going to do a lot of theater? Or is it like, are people in your ear being like, you know, you just came off a huge show. Get that green. Get that money. Get that whatever. I feel like they have been very supportive of it. And I also think that when it's things like, Tracy Letts and Lila

Neuigabauer and Evo, it's kind of a no-brainer because it's such incredible pedigree of people I get to work with. Yeah, and I think you have to mix it up. Especially after being on a show that's so kind of like, oh,

that's what I'll be known for for a while. It's nice to do something that's completely different. And creatively, just to be like, I'm not going to be on set for a year. and just explore a different, you know, creative avenue. And not to say, obviously, you have managed to fit in some really cool film projects. I think you did stronger when you were still in the middle of Orphan Black, right? Yeah, after season four, yeah.

But Destroyer, which I mentioned is like an amazingly intense piece of work for Karn Kusama, who I'm a big fan. Oh, yeah, she's amazing, isn't she? I did an interview with her. I did this, like, book, like, 15 years ago of, like, young filmmakers, and she was in the middle of making Eon Flux. Oh, no way. So she was in this weird time where, like, it was post-girl fight, which was, like, this huge movie for her. And then she was, like, clearly, like, in hell, like, making, like, the worst studio, like, compromise production. I'm just so happy that she's come back around.

No, and she's, like, making something that's very in her family, too, like, her husband co-wrote the script with his writing partner. Yeah. Okay. So it's very much their piece. Yeah. Yeah. It's a real, and it's a real actress piece for all of you guys. Like you and Nicole, obviously, just as always, just commits 100%.

She's amazing. I mean... When I found out it was her that was playing the part, I was like, that is so smart. Yeah. Because it's so unexpected. And she's going to bring something so vital and different, and she isn't that character. So she's going to bring this whole other tension to it. And I was just so excited.

I also just have been such a fan of hers for years. What's your Nicole point of reference? It's Mulan Rouge, actually. I get it. I watched it so many times. My wife's obsessed with Mladrish. Is she? We have a Mouan Rouge poster.

Yeah. You gotta. You gotta do it. Is it above the bed? Is it the whole bedroom Molyroo-inspired velvet curtains? No, no, exactly. She's so excited for the Broadway production that's coming.

Oh, me too. Oh, my God. I'm front row center. I'm going to be crying the whole time. She already went with some friends to the Boston tryout, and she said it's amazing. Is it? Yeah. That guy, Aaron Tavit, apparently, is like, an amazing, like, talent.

He's this amazing singer. He's the lead. Oh, he's the lead. He was in Leibiz, the movie. He was one of the pretty singers. The pretty singers? That wasn't any Red Man. Well, the idea of one of the characters in Leigh Miz being called the Pretty Little Singers.

So yes, Moulin Rouge was a big one. Yeah, and The Hours. Oh, yeah. Those are two movies that I've watched on repeat over and over. Right, and Batman Forever. I'm joking. I'm joking. I've seen any of the Batman movies.

Except the new ones. It's like my, my Bond, James Bond. You've never seen James Bond at all. Only the new ones. And for a long time, I'd only seen the new Star Wars. I've seen the Star Wars movies in order. I think I'm the only human being who has seen them in actual order. Meaning like I saw whatever.

The Phantom Menace, like you're prequel. Yeah, that was the first one I saw. That's the best one, obviously, I start right there. The similar one. I think by now we've all agreed that that's the best one. At the time, I thought, this is the best Star Wars movie. Then I saw the next one. I thought, oh, maybe.

Wait, this is it. Wait, this is it. What I'm taking away from this is that you are very, very easily entertained. Yeah, whatever's in front of me is the best thing that's ever happened. Yeah. Wait, we're talking, uh, Moul en Rouge, the hours. Okay, so Nicole, so working with Nicole. Yeah.

I hate, this is one of those cliched, like, junkie questions. Can't wait. What's it like to work with Nicole? Oh, that's really good. But what's it like to work with Nicole? I mean, she, what is she bringing on set that's a little different than... She's just like an actor. She just works her butt off and she's, I'm unafraid to be kind of in process publicly.

Like, she would, I think, you know, because this character has such a dark grit to her, and, like, her voice is different and her body is different. And Nicole would really kind of, like, dig into that before the take. And the first day that we worked together was a fight scene, which, like, a, like, a, massive fight, like blood and teeth. Right. And she is... I hope in the script that just says,

blood and teeth. Petron, Aaron, fight, blood and teeth. God, that sums it up. Dot, dot, dot. Um, yeah, so that was the first day we kind of met and worked together, and she beat, she beat me up. She's very strong. Yeah, she's tall.

She's tall. I'm not. That's the one, that's the difference between us. Basically, that's it. She is tall and I am small. You can change one attribute about yourself. Was that what it would be? To be tall?

At concerts, yes. Or to have like built in high heels that I could wear at concerts? Just like, up six inches. Yeah, just like go-go gadget, legs. Yeah, calves, expansion. As long as you say, go-go gadget. Yeah, yeah, but like really quietly to myself and sort of embarrassed.

What just happened? The Matthew Broderick one, of course. Right. Yeah, no, if I could change one thing, height. No, I like being small. He makes people distrust me. Who's that small sketchy? She's too small.

I don't know about that one. She can get into small places. I don't trust her. Like a little nymph, little fairy. Yeah, that's right. An evil fairy. Popping out of the little doorways. You could play an evil fairy.

Someone said last night I could play an elf. And I was like, what are you pulling this from? What did I do to deserve this? That's just the short hair right now, I think. Oh, it's like instant elf. Instant. You got classic elf right now. You can go right from this to elf.

There was a, I, sometimes you do stupid things like read comments below YouTube videos. And I did, was it Stephen Colbert? What was it? And I had like a very curly pompadupo, like big old hair. Yeah. And it was just like a slew of Frodo, Frodo, Frodo. I was like, that's not, you're not wrong. how are you doing

how are you looking at the comments you should be stronger than that no I'm not and it just makes you weaker it only makes you weaker it really it's sadomasochistic I thought it was funny I was like I can take that

okay you're stronger than I am I get like three comments on my videos and they kill me I'm like really oh god when do you look at them what's the what's the trigger for looking really no I don't look at it at all do you have a Google alert

of yourself I might really I don't even know how to set that up I don't even know what that is. I said it up so long ago, and I really should just disengage it by now. Yeah, it's not healthy. It's tough. It's tough not to.

Like, you need feedback, but then it's also like you don't need feedback. So do you, yeah, yeah, are you one of those actors that, like, still get your own work, for instance, or no? No, I was excited to watch Destroyer because I had been such a tiny part in the process of it and kind of in and out. So I was interested to see what the whole piece felt like. Like working on a film, you often don't. You don't actually know what the end result is going to be like at all when you're working, you know. So I like to see it for that. But yeah, it's pretty stomach barfie.

Right. It's the medical term. You've got a case of the stomach barfs. That's where the barf is emanating from. It's a stomach. I just hate the microphone. I want to eight years of medical school and I can tell your barfs come from the stomach. I trust that doctor.

Yeah, exactly. That's all doctors, basically a Simpsons character. Yeah. So, okay, so let's go back to Wee Little Tatiana, even Weir than now. Distrustful, We Little. I'm talking when you were tiny elf. Yeah. You've been acting since you were cognizant, essentially.

Practical, almost, just barely cognizant. So, and one thing I don't think of, when I think of, like, child actors is improv. Like, generally, I don't know why I don't, but I don't. Yeah. And I know that was like you were in like children's improv theater. It's grade four because I went to this school, this French immersion school that did French improv. So at lunchtime we would get to practice French improv. That's crazy.

Yeah, it was amazing. It was great for all the little nerdlingers that could not catch a football. Although I was on the touch football team. And I caught one ball in my whole career. But what a ball it was. Yeah. But I mean, because it's, I guess it makes sense. because when you think of, like, children playing,

what is playing but improv for any child? True that. Were you judging other children that were shitty at play? That were like, you know, I'm a professional. You really are not yes-anding that enough. I did not believe your mime work in that pony that you created. Where's your mask? Yeah.

You know what? Judgment, no. No. It's just joy. Just pure joy. And terror. And like, judgment, self-judgment, for sure. Right.

Because that, yeah. It's a nerve-wracking thing to get up there and not do, not, no, anything. And the cliche, I feel like, about child actors is that they're precocious, horrible little creatures. Right. You, I assume we're not. I don't think so. I think I was, I don't think so. I think I just stayed a kid for a long time, actually.

I wasn't one of those kids that was like, I was going to say E equals emce's school. Whoa. What? What is that? So there's this amazing guy called Albert Nines. And he created this. I'm into the arts, so I don't get your fucking numbers shit. I wasn't one of those kids that I have worked with now who's like, cooler than I am, smarter than I am, has like read more books, knows everything, has a Google alert of themselves.

Like I just, I was just a kid who got to act in an adult scenario. Right. And then like go back and make like claymation videos with my brother. You know what I mean? And, like, I just didn't, I don't think I grew up fast. I think I was shoved into an adult situation, but stayed in a way. And, like, I mean, like, how, like, how successful were you? Like, were you the breadwinner of the family as a kid?

Like, were, like, I funded my whole family. Bought us poor houses. We're living in Monte Carlo now. Yeah. Thanks, Tatiana. No, no, we were just, they, my parents were like, oh, if you enjoy that, go for it. Yeah. We're going to go do real jobs here and, you know, support us.

And, but they, they, like, funded all of our dance classes and our music class, our singing are, my, like, dalliance into drums for a year. You know what I mean? Like, they bought our tap shoes. Like, they were just whatever you want to do. And was there, because, you know, kids are temperamental or they go different directions. There is the drum year and the whatever year. It sounds like you were pretty consistent, though, like, in this path. Like, there wasn't a year where you were like, I'm good.

I'm going to become the. I tried to go to university for a year. year and tried to see if there was anything else because yeah it's scary to commit to it because it's such a big question mark and because I'd been doing it since I was a kid it was like do I actually love this or am I just doing it because it's what I've always done sure and I think I still kind of question that but when I went to university I took I took you know anything I took reflected back I was like how can this ancient Greek bring me closer to a character who is a farmer in 48 BC.

Was there, we talked about the year in L.A. or the seven months in L.A., like, was the goal, like, would you have been content to, like, make your career in Canada or did it feel like there was something unfulfilled about, like, giving a shot elsewhere? Oh, no, I mean, I just, I feel like I'm just so, I'm always looking to try something different, but I was in no ways, like, once I've done with Canada, because I still go back and I work in Canada all the time. Right. It just depends on the story. in the characters. Right. Yeah. You're no Mr.

J. Barrichelle. He was in here. He was he like, does he hate Canada? I know he loves fucking Canada. Yeah, he has like a Canada tattoo. Yeah.

A Canada tattoo. It just says Canada. Speaking of the lingo. Yeah. We got a visitor. Just come in. Just come in, Sammy. Oh, hi.

So obnoxious. Right. I'm glad you here. Sammy's joined us. Come on in. Sammy. Sammy, share the mic. Share the mic.

Hello. Oh. No, you're, my God, I just had a bagel. You did? What kind? Well, I went for an everything. Oh boy, but it was a whole wheat everything. Oh, yeah, it's super healthy, that's great. Well, I do love health and fitness.

Was there cream cheese on it or was it just? Yes, and it was light cream cheese or maybe a tofu cream cheese. Ugh. Ew. I know. It was like, it was so good and then it was so bad. I don't believe in the tofu cream cheese thing. You don't believe, like, is.

I mean, I believe it exists. I was going to say it's real. It's not like Santa. Right, right, right. Is that white, what? Oh my God, she's not Jewish. No, no, no, no, no. No, no, no, this is for you.

Oh, hello. Okay. We were just talking about Tatiana's childhood. We were going deep. What do you want to know about Tatiana's childhood? I am, well, I'm so fascinated by Canada. You should just talk about Canada tattoos, so what do you want to know about it? Do you have a Canada?

Tattoo? Jake Barishol does, though. Oh, is this the Jay Baruchel hour? You know I have an hour of Baruchel material. You really did. You really do. Wait, so. My childhood that you don't know already.

Well, like your town. Regina? Regina. Regina. Saskatchewan. I was intimidated in watching some interviews that you've done of you taking to task people saying Saskatchewan and just like really going after.

So I'm never going to say it wrong. What did you say? Saskatchewan. Great. Regina. Yes. Did you know that? How does a mic work?

I don't know. You didn't hear the difference. Saskatchewan? Saskatchewan? Or Saskatchewan? That's the worst. Don't do that. Don't do that.

You also have to be a gross person to say it that way too. Sorry, I don't know how to Mike's work. I've never been able to share that mic. It is. It's okay. It's attached to a small person under the tent. Playable. That's where I usually go.

So, okay, so little Tatiana in Canada doesn't want to escape. She's happy there. Happy, happy. But, okay, what were you into? We haven't even talked about. What was I into? Well, we haven't even talked about the fact that you're the secret comedy nerd that you are, yet you do the destroyers and the networks.

Yeah, yeah. So is that what you were raised on, comedy? Yeah, I think I was always drawn to it. And cartoons were the only reference point I had for how people are. are like that was my whole that was my whole thing i did i rarely oh i was just thinking of renn and stimpy yesterday steampy you idiot yeah dad um yeah that oh god rent and stumpy what are we talking about i i listened i watched cartoons for way too long and i'm still i'm still watching cartoons now they've come back around now now it's cool now they're adult now you got big mouth

right we've got i haven't people love the big mouth it's so you're embarrassing yourself Yeah, you would really like it, I think. You would really like it. I know. Because you're disgusting. I'm still, as you know, as you're a disgusting person. Because you're a teenager. I just got through 40 episodes of Game of Thrones in like three days.

So, like, I've never seen that episode. I had never seen it. Oh, have you? Yes. You have? But the difference between you not seeing it and him not seeing it is you don't interview the cast all the time. Did you interview the cast?

I mean, I own up to it. I think I earn, like, credit. because I think they're done with people being like telling me about the Iron Drone or the... I think I almost like, they want to know something that doesn't get a shit. You're not sharing, yeah, it's actually cooler, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm not surprised because we were talking.

She was late to Star Wars, James Bond, all the stuff. But that's... Yeah, she was watching Renan Stimpy. Yeah, it's constantly on loop. Still I haven't seen a single Mission Impossible movie. Oh, those are good. Yeah, because Simon Pegg's in them. Yeah.

That's my inn. Yeah. I feel like that's how I could relate to those videos. Yeah, no, he's amazing. Yeah, that's worth your time. Wait, did you get the barfs again? Yeah, I got the shummit barks. Just threw up all over the office.

I'm drinking water and laughing and talking too much. I have a question about Regina. Yeah. What did the town look like? It's flat. There's two main big streets that me and my friend would get in her Honda Civic Del Sol, and we would drive up and down the street listening to Incubis and not Lincoln Park, who was it?

What's the corn? Oh, corn with a K. Corn with K. And a little limb biscuit with a ZK. Oh, no. ZK. Oh, no. Come on, you didn't have...

I did interview Fred Durst about a movie he directed once. What movie did Fred Durst direct? He's directed a couple movies. It was a long time ago. I can't remember. Wait, wasn't there something with John Travolta? I remember seeing a photo of Fred Durson and John Travolta and being like, ah, that makes sense.

It's like both of my sides of my personality. Did you have like regular stores or was it like a New Jersey town or like a Midwest town? I have to relate everything to America to understand it. Midwest maybe? Maybe more that? Like strip malls. Yeah. And Walmart's.

How big in relative terms is like when you go up? 100,000 people. Okay. So it's like a city. Yeah, it's like, yeah. We're the capital of Saskatchewan. So when you go back. Saskatchewan.

We're the capital of Saskatchewan. Okay. So when you go back to Regina. Yeah. I hate when you say it. When I say a particular one? Yes, just you. Like, I just like, I feel like you're like being so careful and like I can hear you thinking

about it when you say it. What do you mean? It's just crazy. It's too much. Are you celebrated when you go back to Regina? I walk off the plane and there's a parade. I would expect. Nothing less.

No, but there, okay, this is one weird thing. There is a Maslani Lane that I got told by the mayor, I guess. I got a letter. My dad got a letter. I was like, we would like to create a town. A street called Maslani Lane. I'm going to hold out for the town. I don't want a lane.

Messlatti township. No, so there will be a small street, likely in the suburbs, probably a dead end. Like a cul-de-sac? Maybe a cul-de-sac. I might get a little island in the middle. Yeah, where people can drive back and forth listening to limp-ist kid as much of they want. As they should. That's a beautiful thing.

Yeah. We'll see if it ever happens. If it does. They wouldn't lie to your dad. Not to my dad. To me, yes. Not to my dad. I've heard you're a sadomasochist about auditions.

You enjoy the auditioning process? I do. I mean, it's not so fun, but it's fun to get to play. Because as an actor, you rarely get to act. Right. And so when you do, and it's for 20 minutes uninterrupted, that's kind of great. Is that how long auditions go, really?

Sometimes. Sometimes they're like an hour. Sometimes you get a work session. It's almost an hour. It's a secret between you on me, listen to have any from the side of the mic? Yeah. Have you done, like, so what about, like, the big blockbuster auditions? Are those different than, like, the kind of, like, little indie things?

Like, when you do the Star Wars thing and the comic book thing. In my experience, they haven't been any different. There, the one I did felt like a, like a, like a, a college film, like, audition for, like, a, for, like, a no-budget movie. And that was, like, it was, like, in a, I don't know, it was in a hotel room. Right. But it wasn't in a hotel room. Like, it was, like, in a, it was in a small hotel room, and it was me and the director.

Right. Who I think was operating the camera and then a reader. And we just, like, rolled around and did the scene. Rolled up. Okay. It's getting crazy. You need media training, basically. We're here for you.

We're trying to help you up. I came, and I was like the. There's always so much editing I can do. Oh, Mike. The mic actively doesn't want to hear from you. Yeah, it's like, no, you're done. You're cut off. None of this rolling around garbage.

So you're here until April. Yep. Wait, I have an audition question. Please go for it. Is there ever, oh my God, I just saw the Claire Foy. There's a crazy Clairfoy photo. What is why? And I'm re-watching the queen, and that's just insane right now.

It was just a stupid photo we took together, and of course I cropped myself out because I love her expression and that so much. It's really good. Yeah. She just makes me happy. Very dragon tagged. Yes.

Audition question. It's more the queen. Would there be someone now that you would go in the room and get nervous for? I get nervous in every audition. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Even though you love it. Yes, but before I did like my Evo audition, I was sitting in a waiting room where there were a bunch of people doing Broadway musical auditions around me. She's talking about the director, not a, not, not, uh, a video audition.

extra virgin olive oil. I've had a feeling you were going to be. I was like, oh, that's a good commercial. Devo's an olive oil? Extra version and olive oil. I believe Giata de Laurentis says it like that. I don't know who that is. It's a Today Show thing.

Every time you whisper, you don't know who that is. They can hear you say that. You know that. You're like moving closer. I haven't figured out. Do microphones amplify you or silence you? It's confusing. Yeah, and I could hear everybody singing outside around me,

and I was like, I don't belong here. These are professional, like, athletes, performer athletes. Right. And I'm going into this meeting with this iconic director. And I was shaking, like, shaking, shaking, shaking, shaking. I had to write a little note to myself. What the notes are? Just breathe.

I haven't here with you. I haven't washed my head yet. But it was like, Yeah, it was literally like, just breathe, go in there. If you don't know what you're going to do, just do that. Do you know what I mean? Would you do, would you do, like, superhero? Did you guys already touch on this?

No. No, I've tried. They don't want me. What? No. I tried so many times. Not for superhero, but for, like, the girlfriend of superhero. They don't even want you for the girlfriend to superhero?

No. Too small and distrust. Just what? Anyone do you can say? I don't think I can. I feel like there's an end. DA on... That's crazy.

But I could whisper it into the side. Yeah, whisper it into the microphone. Iron... Iron Maiden. Yeah, exactly. I'm the Iron Maiden. I would watch that. You don't, no, we don't want you to be...

Oh, Iron Maiden music, but she is the Iron Maid, like... Yep, yep, that's one way to go. It's going somewhere. Yeah. We don't want you to be the girlfriend of the superhero anyway. That's bullshit. Yeah, I don't think I want to. No, but I should try?

Yeah, but it'd be... cool to play a superhero and you have to get in like crazy shape. Yeah. And you'd be able to do... You're saying she's a mess now? What do you say? No, but like it's... Yeah, sloppy. You look at her. She's real gross. Troll elf. A little elf on the shelf next to me.

What is this elf on the shelf? What is elf on the shelf? Oh. Did you describe it to me? No, somebody did. It's a little elf that they didn't have it in our households, Josh. But... We didn't either. For Americans, apparently, non-Jews.

Yeah. The parents, every night, sorry if there's children listening, this ruins it. My base children, audience. So sorry. They came in for running Stimpy Talk. It's a little elf that you hide every night, and it's supposed to be watching the children, and then runs back and reports to Santa whether they're good or bad.

And they're not allowed to do it. touch it or move it is it an actual toy yes it's like a myth or it's like a little it's literally like a little elf and has a company um patented the the iconic elf yeah but and they made like jewish yes okay that's what i think is like weighted legs yes the dangle up weighted and he hangs off the it makes me laugh really hard there's a jewish one now but it's it never took off the same way the elf does what was the jewish one it's like harry honica or something Steve on the... And he's like, hey, I'm telling on you, kids.

I want to know about Hardwire and Cuba Gooding Jr. and Val Kilmer. Oh, boy. Did he spend time of Val Kilmer? No, Val Kilmer did all of his stuff on a green screen in L.A. And we shot in Vancouver. That's exactly the answer I was looking for. Thank you. Yep, that's all you need to know. That encapsulates what that experience was for me.

I love that. My character was called Red because she had red hair. Punk red, I see. I'm a Mdb. Oh, punk red. Yeah. Because she was also. I do my research.

Edgy. What else do we know about? I love you asked about Hartleyer. You weren't a Cronenberg movie. You weren't easy some promises. I was. I was the voice of the, there's like a diary reading by a character named Tatiana. Yeah.

And I read that diary. You're an official Canadian if you're in a Cronenberg movie. I mean, you can't be an actor in Canada. You can't actually have citizenship if you haven't been in a. Exactly. Yeah. That was the only Kronenberg I ever got to do. The career is young.

Don't worry. Is it? Yeah. I've been doing it for 24 years. You're like, I need a break, Josh. You were in a show that I was obsessed with. Yeah, she was in Orphan Black. Yeah.

She was in. No, I love Orphan Black so much. Instant Star. Oh, my God. Yes. Are you trying to hurt the listeners' ears? I forgot you do this yourself. You can't do the audio.

There's no audio mix that can help. I watched Instant Start? I sure did. It was on N Noggin, which is like the teenage, it was like the teenage Nick. Yes, exactly. But I didn't watch DeGrassey. I just watched Instant Star. Controversial.

Wow, you're the only one who did that probably. I had a couple friends. You did. Are you just bragging about having a couple friends? Above DeGrasi. There's nothing to do with Instant Star. But that is, if you know, you know, for Instant Star. It's like we're a huge fan base.

Wow. Was that a rewarding experience for you? That's so hilarious. I loved it. I played the nerdlinger girl who tried to get the nerdlinger guy. What's the role that you're sick of being offered? Is there a kind of role that you're like, I've retired?

Clones or like twins. Do you get twin offers? There was a time after Orphan Black came out that they were like, do you want to play twin sisters? And I was like, no, do you want to play multiples of the same person? Triplets? Yes, no, that can stop.

Or, I don't know. I don't really get, there's not like a thing that, a hit. I bet you I'd enjoy like a performance capture kind of crazy. Oh, I'd love to do that. Right? Yeah. That wasn't a hint, but he has no power to do that.

We're all going to get into our leotards now and just do it. I'm a mocap studio over here. Yeah, exactly. That's how every interview here ends. Would you do a big series again? It depends if it's, if it's compelling enough for me. Because I feel like Orphan Black was such a joy

because it was never the same thing for more than three seconds and my brain wouldn't, I don't know, I'd be able to do like, Blazard Lawyer for 14 seasons. Blaser's not a bad name for ABC drama, like from Shonda Rimes. I'm just saying.

Blazor. You'd pull it down a good paycheck because it's just saying. It's just a long blazer. She's a little kid. She's actually a kid. Now you're talking. If it's a child.

If it's a child. It's two kids. Hens on each other's shoulders. You have to play both of them, though. But they just mocap the head. I have a little green circle on my crotch. Where my other face goes. That's how TV works.

Yeah, I think so. I mean, you would know better than me. Oh, I know. You know all the secrets. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, Canadian TV's a little different. It's so different. We shoot it in our backyard for $14.

Right, right. Standing and just trays of poutine, basically. Have you ever had protein, Sammy? Yeah, I had it in Toronto when we were there in September. Yep. A tiff. You obviously remember it really well. I'm going to have to consult my diary.

I like it without the cheese curds. Oh, I disagree. That's what routine, literally, it's French fries then. It's... I like the gravy and the fries. Where did you have it from, though? Oh, probably nowhere good. Yeah, that might be a problem.

It was like a bar. My favorite is New York fries. Do you know New York guys? Is that a chain? Yeah, it's like a shitty chain in food courts. And it's probably from whatever. It's like no man's land, but it's so good. It's the best putteen. I went to garbage.

They're in Montreal. I'll find them. You're going to Montreal. Yeah. Yeah. I'll report back everyone. You don't worry. You can find good protein in Montreal.

Okay. You heard it here. That's fine. It's fine. Make yourself comfortable. Make yourself uncomfortable. Everybody strap yourself in? Yeah.

Oh, did we get into Cranston talk? Crancstow? Oh, yeah, we'll just shout on him for a while, that asshole. He's amazing. He's so good. And he's, and he's also, like, and he's, like, one of those kings who can, he's like a king who holds court.

Yeah. Like, he can tell a great story. Yeah, it's not like putting himself out. He actually kind of like, seems like he enjoys it. Totally. Oh, yeah. He's, he's an old, like an old school actor. I was, I felt like I was studying, again,

we were talking about kind of the video and like, getting a chance to see some close-ups in the show, too, and like... Plug your ears. You know, like, spoilies. But, like, he's got such, like, a classic movie star face. Oh, he's so beautiful. Yeah. I just found myself staring into those pearly blues.

Oh, gosh. Every time he walks by, I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah. He's so handsome. Uh, Sammy, you're about to see you. I'm going tomorrow. Amazing. And I'm afraid my mom's going to try to jump Cranston. That's okay.

She's going to... Could happen with Tony Gold one, too. You don't know. Well, that one. When you first started, I reminded you that he was the bad guy in ghost. Which I still haven't seen. Again, again, every time you whisper, we hear us. I haven't seen him, but don't tell anybody.

But thank God you wouldn't be able to do what you do. No. You would change everything. If I didn't know that, I wouldn't be able to. You should go up to him tonight and be like, you're a ghost, man. I just found out. Did you know you're a ghost? Just break that way through.

Does everybody know? Yeah. Just break, yeah, in the middle of the show. Guys, it just hit me. That's where he's from. I want to see that movie because I heard pottery is involved in it. Unchained Melody. She won an Oscar.

She won the Oscar for it. Is Whoopi in it. I can't believe I missed this whole. If you don't cry by the end of that, you're dead inside. Did you cry a ghost? I think I probably did. It's such a weird thing to say definitively and then not sure

that you actually cried. You're dead inside. I think I. I mean, maybe. I was going through some shit then. I don't know. Josh, do you still have your bar? Which bar?

Tatiana's reaching for a water. Oh, my, yeah. And there was a time where a... Start up your two-show day with tequila. Josh tried to create a little bar up here. I do. I did create it. I've got gin.

I've got scotch. You got a baseball can? To drink out of? Is this guy broken? That's a broken bird man. I love... Didn't someone good break him? Michael Keaton really broke it.

Oh yes. No, he did not. That's what would happen in the movie. Isn't it? Exactly. It was a very meta moment. Yeah, just leave him prone. I thought it was him or Michael Chad and broken. That's a hereditary.

Have you seen hereditary yet? I have. Oh, my God. See, that, you don't whisper. You can say that out loud. It was so scary. It's really good. I'm not a horror movie person, but I was like,

I feel like I can, I feel like I want to go through this. And then it was. so horrific, 25 minutes in, that I was like, I don't think I want to go through this. It was intense. It's... I still think... There's some images towards the end, too, that are like...

The banging of the head on the ceiling? Yeah. Her appearing in the corner? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's scary. We should let her out into the wild.

She's got two shows to do today, Sammy. I'm like... Oh, I thought you're... I was like, I don't have any shows today. No, you're subbing in for Tatia. I'm going to the show tomorrow. You miss under your story. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.

Everybody check out, not only network, if you can get a score a ticket. It's a tough ticket to get, but it's worth trying for. Good luck, guys. But also check out Destroyer. It's amazing. Those are New Yorkers.

Those are New Yorkers. Just a list of New Yorkers? Yeah, that's my murder list. Oh, get a minute. John Lisk house in New Yorker? Yeah. That's for our little sketches we do. So sometimes I'll puck somebody off the wall.

Sebastian Stan, your buddy. Yeah, my great friend, Sabo Ston, Ston. Bob Balababababababab. My, who I saw at the opening night of network? He was like, do you, yeah, yeah. Bob Balban is not aged in 50 years. He looked that way, like, he's the best. Oh my God.

I went to school with Mariah Balban, Bob Balban's daughter. Bob Balban, Daddha. Say that that's true, your vocal exercise. Bob Balabon. Okay, we could free associate forever, but we're going to let you go. Go see Destroyer. It's an excellent film. Nicole Kidman, Sebastian Stan.

Tatiana Masladi. What are you pointing to? Daniel Rackcliffe's not a Canadian. or a New Yorker. He's here quite a bit. Just because he has an accent doesn't mean she doubts me. They don't have to be born here.

Oh, okay. Yeah, they just have to live here now. That's it. Final words, anybody? No one has anything to say you're spent. I'm done. Okay. I have no words left.

I'm going to take my vow of silence now. Oh, yeah, you should save your voice. You shouldn't be doing this. This was a terrible idea. I take this all back. I rescind everything we just did. It doesn't work that way, but... It's terrible.

Thank you for coming nonetheless. Thanks for having me. And so ends another edition of happy, sad, confused. Remember to review, rate, and subscribe to this show on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm a big podcast person. I'm Daisy Ridley, and I definitely wasn't pressure to do this by Josh. American history is full of infamous tales that continue to captivate audiences,

decades or even hundreds of years after they happened. On the infamous America podcast, you'll hear the true stories of the Salem Witch Trials and the escape attempts from Alcatraz, of bank robbers like John Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd, of killers like Lizzie Borden and Charles Starkweather, of mysteries like the Black Dahlia and D.B. Cooper. that inspired movies like Goodfellas, Killers of the Flower Moon, Zodiac, Eight Men Out, and many more. I'm Chris Wimmer. Join me as we crisscrossed the country from the Miami Drug Wars and Dixie Mafia in the South, to mobsters in Chicago and New York, to arsonists, kidnappers,

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