Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum - Ep 4: Danielle Panabaker

Episode Date: May 18, 2018

The Flash’s Danielle Panabaker joins me this week on the podcast. Danielle’s a super versitle actress - from starring in kids movies like Sky High, Read It And Weep, Stuck in the Suburbs to some of the best horror films; Friday the 13th, The Crazies, and The Ward. Danielle tells me her amazing story...growing up without a lot of friends because she’d move every year, how she and her younger sister had to become best friends because of it, and how important schooling was to her even when her acting career was taking off.   Then we get into her career - auditioning for Lindsay Lohan’s role in Mean Girls and being crushed when she didn’t get it, working with the legendary Kevin Costner in Mr. Brooks (spoiler: she gets to stab him in the neck at the end of the movie and it’s AMAZING), and how much fun she has working with everyone on The Flash. Listen as I get inside the very charming and very sweet Danielle Panabaker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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In this week's episode, we talk about how Danielle was teased as a kid for being a nerd and a teacher's pet. I was teased because I was dumb. Additioning for mean mean girls and being crushed when she didn't get the part. I mean crushed. How she loves the cast and crew of the flash, plenty of stories from set and getting nightmares after watching fucking Bambi. Yep. She said she can't watch scary movies once it's dark out.

I couldn't date a girl who couldn't watch scary movies. Could you, Rob? I would be fine with that. My wife doesn't like scary movies. Really? I just love scary movies. It's like a thrill to me. I just say it's like an adrenaline rush, like I said.

Let's get inside of Daniel Panabaker It's my point of you You're listening to inside of you With Michael Rosenbaum Inside of You Inside of you with Michael Rosenbaum Was not recorded in front of a live studio audience This Rob, he's 28, 29

He's got a kid Shicking his head, he just shook his head He has a child, he's married already He's already advanced in a lot lot of ways more than I am. He has a kid? Yeah. How old?

How old? One? No, he's eight months. Well, you round it. Isn't it easier to say one? I don't know. I feel like with babies, like you count. Yeah, after a year, you go to years.

All my friends are pregnant, so right now I'm in the stage. I'm like counting in weeks. Like, oh, how many weeks are you? But see, I think it gets annoying when people like, when they start going past or you're like, oh, how old your kid? Oh, 26 months or 18 months? That's true. You mean a year and a half?

26 months, I feel like, it's close to two. Come on. I mean, he is the father, so he is sort of the expert in the room. Is he? I think. Is he the expert? He would know more than I. Danielle Nicole Panavaker.

That is my full name. Right? Mm-hmm. He didn't want to go Nicole because Nicole, Nicole kind of could be what? What do you mean? I didn't want to go to Nicole. Well, Daniel's a better name than Nicole. Yeah, I mean, I didn't have a choice.

My parents gave me that name. I guess I could have had a choice. That's actually true. My sister went by her middle name for a long time. What's her middle name? Kay. K. Every kiss begins there.

Did she hear that in high school? I don't think so. Oh, God. Because we didn't really go, neither my sister nor I really went the traditional high school route. So I got like teased in middle school, but not really in high school because I only went to my freshman year. You got teased in middle school. Oh, for sure. Who didn't get teased in middle school?

Those who didn't go to middle school. I didn't start puberty till late. I didn't have hair under my arms until I was like last week. Is that a thing in locker rooms? I think for a guy, you want hair under your arms. Like for a girl, you probably. Probably don't. Unless you're into that stuff and you're into the whole Grateful Dead stuff and you want

Harry armpits. Do you want that? No, I don't want that. No. But I wanted it. Then. In middle school.

I did. I wouldn't play shirts and skins. I've talked about this before, but when we play basketball because I was, I was skin, people like, Rosenbaum, you're 16. Why don't you have hair into your armpits? And I remember one time they said something, Mike Curry down the street. Hey, Rosenbaum, why don't you have armpit hair? Never leave our heads.

No. But he was really hairy and I was the opposite. And I said, oh, I don't have any hair because I shave it because I'm on the swim, I'm swimming. I'm a swimmer. I like that you had an answer. I found out I read that swimmers shave their body because it's the, what do you call it, Rob? Aerodynamics. Thank you.

And did Mike Curry buy it? I probably not. Probably not. But I was nerd. Like, you know, you were in middle school. I was in high school. I couldn't get, you know, nailed in a wood shop. Wait, the movie you did with Morena.

Was that about your high school experience? it was no it was more about a guy who was actually popular in high school so that's why it was fantasy and it was about a guy who wasn't happy with his life in los angeles because all he's done is a couple commercials called back in the day little plug but he comes back for a reunion and sort of falls in love with the idea of being back home and the girl got away but all these things and he's just you know he's not happy with his life and he comes back to find that he still shouldn't be where he is they stayed there for a reason right and he left for a reason yes and so exactly that's sort of That's sort of it.

Wow, you're smart. Thanks. So you mentioned her because that's kind of how we met. It is, I think. Danielle Pannebaker, thank you for allowing me to be inside of you today. Of course, my pleasure. I really appreciate that. That's what we say.

I say every episode. I like it. Yeah, good. Thank you. Well, we met through Morena. She had a dinner party. Yes. Was it like Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving or something?

I don't know, but it was at their fancy. It was like a nice little fancy house somewhere in the hills or something, right? Yeah. And that's where we met. That sounds right to me. That's about it. had she had she had julius by that point um because jules is a couple years old now did she i don't know but i have a list in that you know what i i do keep this thing where it's like

this is their kids this is my friend carrie she has a cat name so-and-so i have because i i can't remember i just put it like in their contact in your phone book right don't you want to feel like you sort of like care even though you do care but you want you want to present it like hey they know the name it makes them feel good yes because i forget things it doesn't mean i love you less, Nicole. But you know what I'm trying to tell you? Totally. Do you do that too or do you have a really great memory? One of those actresses that have just a great memory. I have a terrible memory for lines. But like in terms of holding on to stuff with people I love, I do try and hold on to information really well. My friend Ben

Feldman for years used to do. Yeah. How'd you guess? Every year I'd text him on his birthday and he would say, how do you remember? Like, I'm not even on Facebook. And, you know, there are things you just hold on to. That's good. You see me. like a good friend. Thank you. I appreciate that. I have very good friends, so hopefully I can reciprocate. Yeah.

It's hard in this business to keep the same friends around. I mean, it's just you're doing so much and you're always busy. You're constantly working. You work in Vancouver. Yes. I was going to say, you in particular, I think, get empathized because, you know, the, look, at least it's Vancouver to L.A. Like, that's an okay.

Same time zone. Mm-hmm. You know, but that's where everything films guys out there. Every show, Flash, Arrow, Smallville film there. Name another one. I mean, flash arrow, Supergirl legend. Deadpool, the movie. Yes.

Everything films there. Yes. And was it easier for you because you kind of cross over it and do a lot of shows, right? Didn't you do Arrow? We do do crossovers. So that is the only time really when we go to other shows. We're on the same lot as Arrow. I think Bates Motel used to shoot on our lot.

And you would think that we'd see other people sort of wandering around the stages, but not really. I mean, I think we're all just so busy. And here's the other thing about Vancouver. It gets so dark and so rainy. It's not like it's nice to just go for a stroll in Vancouver in February. Yeah, people, they say, oh, my gosh, where do you film? I'm like, well, we filmed in Vancouver for seven years. Like, oh, that place is awesome.

I'm like, yeah, when were you there? Oh, that's there in July with my hubby. Yeah, gorgeous. Yeah, great. But nine months a year, it's awful. I don't give it shit. I'll say it right now. I love Canadians.

I love Vancouver. I don't care. I'm going to be honest with you. Your country is, Canada is beautiful. It's cold. I can name most of the provinces there. Most of the territories. I know the whole anthem.

Do you know? No, not at all. By the way, it's... Oh, Canada. Our home and native land. And I do love Canadians. Me too. They don't have any anger issues.

You ever seen a Canadian mad? Yeah. I feel like I have. I haven't. No one in seven years of filming small, Phil. None of your crew members ever got mad at anyone. I don't think so. And I don't know how they didn't scream at a couple directors, but I screamed for them.

I did it. I said, you're a four. fucking idiot. Yeah. I've seen I'm mad, but like it doesn't, it's a different kind of mad. You're right. Yeah, I think Americans have a little, a little more. They get hotter.

For sure. Canadians are just even keeled, man. Yeah. I'm sure they leave and go, that was fucking Americans. Going out, going out for a rep. They call it a rep. You know that? No.

Going for a rep there, are you, bud? Oh, I think I have heard that. It's for a drink, I guess. I think I have heard that. Yeah. So you grew up where in Georgia? No. I moved every two years growing up.

I know. everything you read on the internet. I know I had to because I had to look some information because we don't know each other that well it's like again I talk about this in Hollywood you don't know we don't know but we're getting to know each other we are moved almost every two years growing up until I have a younger sister who I mentioned earlier and the two of us started Kay I didn't look at the paper either I remember that I care so we started acting doing the community theater and stuff and we moved to a couple different cities and then once my sister and I had worked

enough that people said, oh, you should go to L.A. You should go to L.A. for a pilot season. That was probably close to 15 years ago. But you're blitzing through all the, like the... Yeah, because it's every two years. I call it the important stuff. Okay. Because, you know, to you, I'm sure you told the story.

Maybe you could, like, twist it a little bit. But moving around as a kid, it's hard enough growing up as a kid just being in the same place I didn't fit in. But so every two years, you're the new kid in town. Always the new kid. Yeah, it was tough. I, you know, it's so... Did you cry to your parents about it?

Oh, of course. The move from between, between, Pennsylvania and Georgia in particular was really hard for me. Like when we, when I found out that my dad was being transferred again, it was very traumatic and I was very sad about it. And what did he do? He works still for DuPont and he works in sales. They make the vegetable stuff? Vegetable stuff?

And what was mom doing growing up? Raising my sister. Which is as hard of a job. It's not harder than what your dad was doing. Being a mom or a homemaker, yeah. Right. And you made good friends in these places and then you had to leave. Absolutely.

Yes. Do you still hang out with them or talk to any of them? No, I mean, you know, when I was in grade school, it was pre-email, pre-Facebook, pre-any of those things. They're kind of lucky in a way. Because everybody comes back out of the woodwork. They do. Hey, remember me?

It's Susan Deering. I mean, I am still friends with my middle school English teacher on Facebook. I don't know. Wait a minute. Yeah. You were friends. So right away, this tells me how we differ. Because you're friends with a teacher.

Yes. This is Smith. Do you know in fourth grade that was my favorite? favorite teachers, the only only teachers I remember. There's a couple. But I have a feeling you are the bright kid and the teachers loved you because you were smart and you're pleasant to be around. All right. So you became friends. You keep in touch with Mrs. Smith? I mean, keeping touch is a loose term. How old is Mrs. Smith? She's retired now. So she's probably, I would guess, probably 60 or 70? 60 or 70. So you were popular in school or not someone?

Not popular at all. No. Always a big nerd. Big nerd, meaning what? Oh, always, like, made fun of for, you know, a torture. I mean, middle school. I was always, I was also always really short, which is ironic because now I'm... Yeah, you're a giant. You're not a giant. Thanks. No, but you're like 5'7.

You're a good height for a little lady. I'm very happy with my height, but I was a late bloomer too. And so in middle school and high school, I was just this tiny little kid who happened to be really good at math, so I 100%. Nine times seven. I don't know, 63. Eight times 12. I'm not going to do this game.

You're not going to do it? No. But you said you're really good. I was. I was a long time ago. This was like, you know. I was never good at math. Never?

So I was hoping you'd help me out with a few of the problems that I've had today. Okay. So you're, but you were smart. Ish. Yeah. And you didn't have a lot of friends? Um, I mean, moving every two years, it's hard to hold on to friends. Do you feel like that affected you as an adult, like you don't get too close to people, maybe?

Or is that not true? Um, I think I had to learn when I got. older how to be a really good friend. You know, when you're only friends with someone for two years, like, it's never, you never really have any big fights. Like, you know, like, it's the high moon phase. Yeah. And then, you know, as you grow up and, you know, I have women that have been in my life for 10 plus years now. And like, it's not always perfect. And, you know, as I got older, I think I had to learn how to be a good friend and how to communicate as a friend and that sort of thing. Were you a tough kid? I don't think so. I think I think I was and still am very sensitive.

You're very sensitive. Do you cry a lot? Do I cry a lot? I don't know that I would say cry a lot. What makes you cry? I don't know. I feel like I'm that person who like when I get so angry I cry, when I don't quite have the words for it, it just somehow manifests itself in tears. So you're moving around. At what age do you think? It sounds, I mean, you didn't have a tremendous amount of confidence probably growing up. No, I don't think so. So why become an actor? And I want to hear this because what made you think, oh, I want to do that? So we moved every two years growing up, and every time we moved to a new city, it was, my parents tried to keep us involved in the community in various different ways. And, you know, Girl Scouts was the thing we did for a lot of years.

But then when my family moved to Georgia, the public school system in Georgia at the time was not great. And so my parents ended up pulling us out of public school and homeschooling us. And so when you're homeschooled, I mean, it was me, my mom and my sister. How old? That was fifth grade, fifth and sixth grade. And so we started doing community theater. That was a way to, like, be around kids our own age and that sort of thing. And it wasn't even your idea.

I mean, I think it was one of the things that was an option. I think we also did cheerleading when we lived in the South. And, like, that clearly wasn't meant for me. So we tried community theater and we loved it. And that was fun. And your sister was doing this with you. So obviously you guys are best friends. And what's the age difference?

Two and a half years. You're older. Yes. Right. And so you guys stuck together. You're being homeschooled. Community theater is the only thing you're doing with, like, other kids. And so there's a strong bond.

So your best friend, you had to hold on to each other. Absolutely. Also, you know, again, moving every two years, like all we had was each other, really. Did you guys fight? Yeah. Oh, yeah. Who's the screamer? Are you okay?

Who's the thrower? There's got to be a thrower in there. My brother threw golf balls. It's been so long since we've had a fight like that. Oh, my brother's thrown everything at me. Really? Here's what happens. Everything?

Not now, but he would lose his temper. And it's probably what serial killers do. So, in a normal person's mind... I'm not sure how your brother's going to feel about you, he'll like it. He'll understand. We have a crazy family. But you see, I think, like, you know, if you get super mad at someone,

the first thing you think of probably if you're a murderer or a serial killer is killing them. Okay. So my brother's first thought was, I've got to throw anything at him that is within arms life. So he, I don't care what it was. It was just mic stand. if it was a chair, whatever he could throw, and he could have killed me years ago. I choked him out once.

I mean, thank goodness he didn't kill you. I mean, really, you choked him out? Is that necessary? Well, I didn't really choke him out. I didn't like each other growing up. I don't think that's the difference between boys and girls, too. He was spoiled, yes, that's true. Girls don't want to kill each other, do they?

No. Although one of your favorite movies I read as Mean Girls? Oh, I did love that movie. Yeah, well, there's the dark side I'm looking for. For sure. I mean, look, we can go back to being tortured in middle school. Like, everybody lives through. What was the worst thing someone said about you, that you just always kind of stuck with you?

You know how I have those things where if somebody said something, you're like, oh, you're short or you're, you know, you know what it rings with me, is you're dumb? It's so funny how that stuff from our formative years just, like, sticks with us. I mean, I don't know that I necessarily remember anything in specific. I just was teased for being a nerd, like, and I feel like ultimately that's something, you know, I would try and downplay. But what nerd nerdery things? I mean, I was, again, like, no, like being, I did, I did okay. at school. And I think, you know, I guess sort of the idea of being a teacher's pet. I, again, excelled at math, which is really a shame because I didn't stick with it. But, oh, yeah, kids used to

joke that I was clearly, like, much older than whatever age I was pretending to be. And I'd just cut my legs off at my knees to come back and go be a middle school student again. Again, also the being short thing. Like, kids are crazy. Do you feel like you take things too seriously now in life that you'd like to be more playful or fun or let that inner child out? you think you're too much of an adult still to this day, or you think you've always had a balance and they just didn't see it? Oh, I don't think I've always had a balance. I think that's something that I certainly work toward now.

It's like knowing the difference between, you know, when it's time to have fun, I'm a big believer. Like, you have to cut yourself a break. You can let go. 100%. Okay, so you're doing community theater. And what play was it or something that you were like, this is just fun? I want to keep doing this.

Oh, all of them were fun. I mean, that was a kid's community theater. So it was a lot of like, I don't know, Beauty and the Beast or, what, Alice in Wonderland. Yeah, like, exactly, Alice and Wonderland, things like that. So it's great. And then we moved to Chicago, and then there wasn't as much, we didn't do as much theater there.

And then we started doing commercials and stuff and different things. So, wait, so commercials making money. Yes. Well, it's so funny. This is a story, I don't know that I've ever told before. My, at some point, you know, somebody said to my parents, you know, your girls are really talented, like you should consider letting them do this professionally. And my parents were really against it.

And then I think someone told my dad, you know, how he did one national commercial and made, you know, $10,000 or something. And my dad was like, well, that could be their college funds. Like, maybe we should try. And so that was, I mean, I think we had agents in Atlanta. And yeah, that was sort of how the ball got rolling. But then you were good and you were booking them and he couldn't stop you. It wasn't like a one and done kind of thing. You and Kay were both booking commercials?

Yeah, we were both working. I do think my parents had to make sacrifices for it. Like, you know, this is another one of my favorite stories to tell is when someone first said to my parents that we should try L.A., try for a pilot season. My mother didn't drive on freeways. So the idea of coming to Los Angeles was pretty intimidating. So, you know, they certainly had to make sacrifices to make it happen for us to get to the auditions and then to get to the jobs. And how old were you when you moved to L.A.? We came out for a pilot season probably when I was 14. 14. When did you graduate high school?

How old were you? So, and this is a value that I also really have, is that my parents really valued education and getting their kids as best in education as they could was important to them. So when we started coming to L.A. for a pilot season, if you pull a kid out of school, like the schools are not happy about that because they don't get funding. when they don't get the money for the kid if the kid's not in attendance and that sort of thing. So the only way my parents would pull us out of our excellent public schools in Chicago was if we kept up with our schooling here in California.

And state to state, and I learned this growing up so much because every state has different rules about what's important and at what grade you teach things. Like, you know, I was probably taught American history in every grade, but I never got world history because each state is different. And sometimes they teach in fourth grade, sometimes they teach in in fifth grade. And so I'd just miss stuff because... Did you ever catch up on world history? I'm watching the Vietnam War on PBS.

Pretty spectacular. 20 hours. I like to spend time alone. So when we came out to California, again, public school district's very different. So the only way to sort of match what my public school in Chicago was doing was to start going to college, a community college. How old are you when you're doing this? I was 14 or 15. So you're Dugie Houser.

Yeah, there was like a real conversation about whether or not, because I was a minor. I was a minor going to a community college. And there was a conversation about whether or not I would have to wear a uniform so that it would be very clear to anyone on campus that I was young, that I was 15 and a minor. Fortunately, they didn't make me wear a uniform. So it's the opposite psychological effect that you had as a kid where people think, oh, you're too, old now because you're like a teacher, you're so smart, and come back. Now you're going and they're putting a whatever on your back. Yeah, a scarlet letter almost. Yeah. So I did an independent study program out here to graduate from high school quickly in California and then just start

going to college. Where did you go to college? So I did my first two years at Glendale Community College and then I transferred to UCLA. There's an olive gardener there. Yeah, I love the olive garden. All the breadsticks. All the breadsticks and salad. They said, They send me things. Olive Garden does? They do. They sent me a hockey jersey because they play hockey on Monday nights. They sent me, it says Rosenbaum on the bag.

Amazing. They sent all my friends' t-shirts, Olive Garden T-shirts. I had no idea you liked Olive Garden. They sent me a never-ending pasta coupon for two months to eat pasta. Twice or three times a year, I have a big group of friends for a birthday or whatever. And they pay for the whole thing. That's very generous. That's at least a $100 meal right there.

I mean, this is the Olive Garden. Dreams come true. Do you realize I've already done enough that I could have left the business years ago? Olive Garden. Right, you just live off Olive Garden? Six flags. I go, you know what? I'm like a kid.

I like the little things in life. I don't need the Lamborghinis and the kuntoshes and the giant. All I need is a little olive garden and a dog and some, you know, some fun. Yeah, some roller coasters every once in a while. Yeah, you like roller coasters? Nope. Not at all. Not at all.

You don't like fast. I don't like going upside down. Nope. I don't really need any of it. it to be honest but it is hard it's hard you know it's like you don't want a pity party because it's like oh you know i think a lot of times people will say oh she's an actress she's like lives this glamorous life she does this um and she's away and she's in vancouver and everybody thinks it's just all and you don't want to complain you're like it's better than digging ditches

a hundred percent a million percent but there is an essence of i miss my family miss and when i was on small over seven years my family was on set yes that's the only family i i knew 10 months a year Yeah. And so sometimes you get really emotional or sad because you just miss your family. And even when you're not working for the two months, it's like your mind's still just almost getting off of work. It's true. I almost say that like for those seven years, I don't even remember.

They were great years. And that was just a part of my life. That was just I was in Vancouver on a show. And I, that's what it was. It's the best. It really is. It's, you know, look, to be working as an actor means you are lucky. It is.

It's great. And I'm very lucky, like, I'm able to come down as, again, the Vancouver to L.A. thing. I try, I try and make an effort to come down as often as possible. Do you work every day on the flash? No, no. It takes, so we have, it takes almost nine days. It takes about nine days, sometimes 10, sometimes more if it's a crossover, to do an episode. And I probably work seven, sometimes five or six, sometimes all nine. So if I have a day off, they're really great about trying to give me a Monday off or a Friday off. I can come home. Now, do you consider the Flash as your big break? Because you've done a lot of work. I love that you've done a lot of horror movies because I'm a huge horror movie fan. And you've been called a scream queen. You were in Friday 13 with Padalecki, Jared, who we love on Supernatural. You were in the crazies, which I love, and I don't like many horror movies. I actually really love the crazy. It's cool. It was very original. And it was such a cool cast, too.

It was creepy. It was super creepy. Did you ever think? And like a little bit of a political sort of spin to it. A little message. Yeah. The water's being poisoned. Yeah. And I really enjoyed that. Do you like doing horror movies? It's so funny. Again, I'm super sensitive and everything gives me nightmares. Like, there are so many shows that I can't watch. Again, Homeland. I love that show. I can't watch it the night it comes out because I'll have nightmares. So I used to have to, like, wait and watch it. So I'm super sensitive, so I never watched horror movies.

Well, hang on a second. This, well, you're married. Yes. Hayes? Yes. Okay. Does Hayes like any of these things that you don't like? Oh, yeah, definitely. He, um, what were we just talking about? Oh, West World. I haven't even seen West World yet. Because it's too dark for you. Yeah. It's nightmares. Now, is there anything

therapy can do for you? Because I go to therapy for many things. So maybe you go to therapy and all of a sudden I could watch a horror movie. I know the difference between fantasy and reality. I do know the difference. I don't know if you do because there's some fucking good horror movies out there that you're missing, Daniel. But I could watch them. It just would have to be daylight. Does that really matter if it's daylight? Yeah. It has to, I think daylight helps. And also, like, not going right to sleep is also very important.

Like, I can't watch it right before I go to bed. Maybe that's the difference. I take a Xanax before I go to bed. I don't have a choice. Just to have. Silence everything up here. My doctor said, though, it's okay if you just take a, I'm like at a really low dose just to help me shut my mind off.

But if you go any higher, if you keep getting bigger on the, then it becomes a problem. That's never been a problem. It's just a tiny little. That's good. I'm just asking for validation, Daniel. I mean, everybody, look, to each their own. own. I'm a big believer in everybody has to... I think you're saying Xanax. I'm a big believer in...

I'm a fan. But also a big believer in like, everybody has to do what's right for them. Like, I can't... It's not my job to judge what's right for you or what's right for anyone else. Right. So, all right, so you moved. We jumped the gun. We did. We jumped around a lot. We did. But no, it's okay because you jumped around a lot as a child. And this is sort of like the theme to your life. And you're in California and do you end up just staying here? You don't ever go back? You never go back to Chicago. Basically, no. We came out here for our pilot season.

What year is that? Probably 2003. My sister and I both did pilots. My sister's pilot went. It was a show called Summerland. And shortly thereafter, I did a mini-series for HBO called Empire Falls. And so we just were working so much that my parents sold the house in Chicago. I didn't even go pack it up.

I think my grandparents helped my dad pack up the house in Chicago. And I just never saw it again. And you've been here since 2000? 2003-ish. 2003 so 14 years yeah and so it hasn't slowed down like your career pretty much has just been steady again I've been very lucky I've been well I think also have to give yourself a little credits you know you have tenacity your talentage or you know I think being driven is a big part of it totally 100% you know because so much of this business is rejection and like you have to just be in my case stubborn enough to just keep showing up what did you ever have you ever cried you said you're emotional a little bit after an audition oh yeah yeah Yeah. What's one audition, remember, that you wanted so bad? It's so funny because you brought it up, but mean girls, mean girls, that director,

so this is going to go back. So one of the first things I ever came to L.A. for was to screen test for Freaky Friday. Uh-huh. They switched the roles. Yes. Yes. And I tested for it and the producer was Andrew Gunn and the director was Mark Waters. And I tested for it and it didn't go my way, obviously.

And then the script for Mean Girls came around and I was, I loved the script. And Mark was directing that as well And I went in and I did table reads for Paramount and everything And originally I think they're I mean look my agent could have been lying to me You never know in Hollywood like what spin is put on things But originally they were looking at me and Lindsay And Lindsay to play the Regina George role

And then at the last minute they switched it So I didn't get it And I like cried on the couch Oh it's so sad Oh yeah I think that's normal for women to cry Or men to cry I think it's weird though

If a man cries after he didn't get apart That's really kind of weird I don't know. I feel like if you're invested in something, like... Come on. If your husband came home and goes, oh, my God, I didn't get it. He's not an actor. It's just weird.

Yeah, that's true. That's true. Did you say to yourself, I'm never marrying an actor? I don't know that I said I'm never marrying an actor. I dated a few actors. It's a hard thing. Like, my husband's an attorney and his schedule is so normal and so predictable and he works so hard, which is great.

But, like, you know, an actor's schedule and life is so unpredictable. predictable. For me, I think the balance really works for us. Yeah, does he run lines with you? He doesn't really run lines with me. Why not? Well, because there was one time, and this is sort of, sort of early on when we were dating. I was, I was going to be on a show called Franklin and Bash, where I was going to play a lawyer, and I was running my lines with him because some of them was, some of it was legal jargon. And I'm trying to run it with him and make sure I'm pronouncing it correctly, whatever. And like halfway through, he looks at me, he goes, just so you know, this would never happen.

And I was like, yes, it's a TV show. I'm very aware. And on top of it, you're never reading with me again. I think he would if I asked him to. I think, you know. I guess the good thing about not dating an actor, if you are an actor, it's nice to hear what he's doing at work in a case that he's working on, although it's confidential. He probably divulges a little bit of him.

Oh, it makes me crazy how much he can't tell me. Right. I'm sorry. I signed a confidentiality agreement. I can't do that. Well, everything is client attorney privilege. So it's protected. Like, he literally can't tell me anything.

Is he an entertainment lawyer? He is now, yeah. Do you want to go shit your deal for Flash? No, I wish. Shoot. Isn't it something how, like anything else? Like anybody listening, if you have a job and after a few years and your company's doing really well, let's imagine you're working for a company called Alcoa.

Happens to be a company in Indiana. And you start working there. And you, along with a couple of others, business since you started is really growing and the company's making a lot of money. And then you go, yeah, I've been here for a couple years. I like to renegotiate. That's what, that's all it is.

That's like, and so what's amazing. I would like a bonus for, like, anything. Yeah, I don't, they don't, they don't, they don't, they don't, they don't, they don't, they don't, they said, you have, somebody once told me, they said, you have to separate business. Yes. You have to do it from personal. And I'm like, it's so hard, I think, especially as artists, though, we are giving, you know, like, it, I don't know, I do, again, I, maybe. perhaps attribute it to me being sensitive as well, but like, it's hard not to take it personally.

Yeah, I'm sensitive. It's like, here's what it comes down to. It's validation in a lot of ways. Hey, do you like what I did? Do you think I'm worthy of a raise? Yeah. Do you think that I'm good enough that I provided some sort of entertainment to fans that I'm a integral part of this, this, whatever this is in any work, in any line.

And everybody will have to say yes. And it's very, I went through hell. Really? Oh, yeah. I've been through hell a few times. But I'll tell you what, you know, it comes down to when you're, the last show I did, it will only last a couple of years. And I'll say that absolute awesome to work with.

TV land. Oh, yeah. Believe it or not, TV land. Keith Cox and Seaman all those guys over there. Also shot in Vancouver. Also shot in Vancouver. We did two seasons, but I'll tell you what, they up front, not I'm not talking monetarily. They just made me feel like, like I was a part of their decision.

Like, hey, I really was. like this great like they made it like i i i'm happy that i'm working for this company yeah so that's how i felt so from the get go i felt like i love you guys because you just gave me just treating me with respect and that's all everybody wants i don't think anybody looking for a raise at any job they're looking is just want a little respect yeah how about your boss comes up to you first instead of you asking for raise and says hey ray hey michael i just want to say uh you deserve a raise great work great work how often does that happen our show. No, I don't want you to get in trouble. I'm just saying in general, it doesn't happen

very often. They take the initiative. I like to take the initiative. I tell my assistant Jess, it's like, hey, you're doing an awful job. I'm not, you're not going to last through Christmas. No, I don't. But, you know, I say, hey, great job on that. I really appreciate you. You do things. That's life. Of course, that's not life always, is it? No. No, but I do think that sort of thing does help create a better, more positive working environment. A hundred percent. A hundred percent. Yeah. You worked with Kevin Costner. I did.

I auditioned for once. What a dream. I cried. I didn't get it postman. No, I didn't. See? I cried in the scene. All right.

That's where you were channeling everything. But I remember one thing about Mr. Brooks. Okay. The scene where you take a pair of scissors and stick it in his neck. And I said, Rob. And then I put the glasses on and that was Kevin's idea. Because to become him, right? But, you know, I said to Rob, Rob was like, I've seen.

seen the movie. I was like, I want to, let's bring that, let's bring that scene up again. It was dope. And he goes, I've seen that. Right, Rob? Yep. We did it right before you got here. And we loved it. And it's really a tough scene. And I'm watching that. And you're, it's just you're acting because you didn't say anything. No. In that moment. And just your, you do this weird thing with your body where you just go, I wanted it to feel very like primal and animalistic. Look, that was so fun. Like, working with Kevin was a dream. It's like true. Like, that's like a playground. Like, you go to work and you play. Yeah. I don't know that because he didn't. cast me um no there is i i really i did you know what i i remember auditioning for the postman

and i walked in in this office and he goes michael hey and i go hey mr costner he's like kevin man come on fuck off and he goes sit down man and i go sit on the catcher goes no no sit on the floor let's work on the scene together and we worked on it for an hour it's great and i still didn't get it i couldn't figure it out but look you had such a cool experience i did it was an experience it was an experience you've had a lot of great experiences and you've done a lot of harm movies but you hate horror movies. I didn't say I hate horror movies. I just can't watch them at night before I go to bed.

Well, how do you feel about when you're acting in them? That's also, like, the embarrassing part for me is it's like, you acted in this movie. You know when the bad guy's about to jump out and you're still scared. Like, come on. You can't watch yourself even die? I don't like watching myself, period. So, like, watching myself in a horror movie, I don't know. Why don't you like watching yourself?

Because I'm so critical of myself. I am too, but do you ever look at yourself and just say, God, I was fucking good there? Nope. Not once. I don't think so. Not your, once you're hot. I've said it before. I don't know.

I've said, God, you're awful. God, you're milking the camera. God, you're not working. God, you deliver your lines like a fraud. It's true. Like, what face were you making? Like, really? That was as good as you could do.

I called myself a fraud. I mean, I think actors, like, because, you know, we know when we're faking it. Like, you know, even if you can fool anybody else, you as an actor, I think, do know when you're faking it. How hard are you on yourself when you're acting? Pretty hard. I think, like, if you watch the bloopers of Flash, like, the only bloopers you really see of me are me cursing because I'm so frustrated with myself that I'm messing up. So you're a serious actor. You take it when you get to work. You're serious. Are you fun? Because I've worked with actors or actresses that aren't fun. And I'm a kid. I'm the opposite.

Oh, our set is so goofy. And because most of my co-stars are theater actors originally, I think we all come to work prepared and knowing your lines. Yeah, it's great. It's the best because as soon as you. you get there, like as soon as we've gotten the master, all bets are off for how ridiculous it's going to be. Tom Kavanaugh's mission in life, I think, is to mess me up as much as possible and to make everybody laugh all the time. So, okay, that's good. So it's a really, like, yes, we take our work seriously. We come to work prepared, you know, having done our homework, but we are pretty goofy.

How's Grant? Great. Is he great? He really is. He's a young guy. Yeah, but you know what? He's been doing this a while, and he did theater. I adore.

He's the Flash. Yeah. Grant and his family, like, they're two of my favorite. people someone some fan goes why weren't you the flash and i go well because i'm i could be his father and my body's not near as good as his uh but yeah i was just a voice it doesn't really matter but that was fun i was the voice for the flash called justice league uh what was it unlimited that's for a couple years it was great it was a great show it was fun a voiceover you've done voiceover stuff it's the best it's a dream job right a hundred percent i mean it's like you're a kid again yeah

you work with tom felton i did how was tom felton that's That's Malfoy. So I'd actually known Tom for a long time. My best friend, Juliana, did a movie with him probably seven years ago. And so I'd known Tom for a while. And he actually called me before he came on the show and said, he said, do you really have as much fun as it looks like you're having? And I said, yeah, we do. Like, again, same thing I just said to you.

Like, we come to work prepared. But we do have a great time up there. So it was great. He was a wonderful addition to the show. He brought a really nice energy. Yeah, he seems he's a genuine guy. He seems like just a really nice guy. He's really quiet.

He's got a big heart. He's a really quiet guy, keeps to himself, kind of, but very friendly. You know, if you talk to him, which I did. Yes. But I feel like that's most, that's a lot of actors. Like, you have to, like, they're actually nice people. They're just, like, me, very shy. Like, I'm sort of, I can be sort of shy to, like, say hello first.

I'm just so uncomfortable that I feel like I have to create this confidence and energy that I just. There you go. Fake it till you make it. Well, I just, I mean, I'm never comfortable around people. I'm starting to get. comfortable with you now in the beginning we didn't know each other but I feel now we're talking it's kind of fun yeah it's kind of fun no it's a lot of fun no it is that's what happens I was no I'm nervous at every interview and they're interviews who cares but yeah but I start to get

to know people and I have fun but I go to parties and I don't go to parties a lot but when I if I go to a party or if there's a lot of celebrity I never feel like I feel like what yeah do you feel weird oh 100% who do who what story do you have where you met a celebrity one of your icons and you just didn't know what this thing you sounded like a fucking idiot and left and Hayes went, oh my God. I'm generally too shy to say anything to people, although we were, this is maybe a couple years ago, downtown abbey. I loved downtown abbey.

And we were in line waiting to go in. And this guy said hi to me, and I'd known him. I hadn't seen him in a long time, but he'd known my sister. And he was with this girl. And I said, hi to her. And I said, we know each other. And she gave me a funny look. And I said, Danielle, and we talked for a minute.

And I was like, I swear we know each other. Like, I can't place it. I can't place it. Whatever, we go in, we go into the party, and it's like 30 minutes later, and I look at Hayes, I was like, we don't know each other. She's from downtown abbey, and I just hugged her like we were best friends. So that really, you know what? That, that's happened before because I get, I do get that a lot. People think they know me.

Right. And I think that's also. Yeah. Because of TV in particular. Like, I think it's a little different with actors who are on TV because they're in your home. Like, I think that's something that I come to appreciate it. over the years is like I live in somebody's home like I feel like a part of you know like they're so used to seeing me on Tuesday nights in their house that it feels very familiar so they

like I did with that poor girl felt like she was my best friend I always fuck with people do you yeah in a fun way I'm very fun like I'll go do I do we know we know each other I'm like yeah we went to college together they're like no I'm like I'm pretty sure I'm like no you're like 20 years older than me and I'm like huh that's funny maybe I was really smart like Daniel Panabaker. Maybe. Um, but that happens a lot. The worst thing you can do, though, to someone is, what do I know you from? The worst. Because here's why. It's not because I don't want to whatever, converse with you were to say, I feel like a freaking idiot. Yeah. And it's like, you know, inevitably, I'm going to list the 18 things you've never heard of, let alone seen me on.

And like, now I look desperate and I'm sorry that I don't know exactly. I fuck with people then too. I say they go, what have you been in? I go, saving private Ryan. Have you seen that? Oh my God. Yeah, I wasn't in that. I wasn't in that one. So I make it more fun. Do you? I like, I try nowadays, I'm like, do you have kids? Like, are you around kids?

Because, like, I try and gauge what they might know me from. Because, like, if they have kids, maybe they know me from the Flash. Maybe they've watched a lot of homework movies. Maybe they've watched a lot of different demographics. Do you know what Steve Martin would do? No. Somebody came up to me, go, hey, can I have your autograph? And he goes, no, but you can have this.

And he'd whip out a card and he'd give it to him and said, you met Steve Martin. Oh, that's cute. Of course, that was Steve Martin. I like, if I did, it'd be like, you met Michael Rosenbaum. And then underneath, who gives a fuck? I don't know that person. But that's a kind of a cute thing, isn't it? Yeah, and I also, you know, I like the idea of, like, having a piece of paper.

Like, I'm a little old school that way. But, like, I think that's cool. Like, what if you just didn't say anything. I just gave him a business card and walked away. That's kind of, what a bitch. I'm sure someone would say that. Right? Yeah.

So the flash, Caitlin's now. Mm-hmm. Now, I've heard you talk about this. I think probably in the beginning. of the series you're like okay this is a fun role but it's like i want to get out of the office i want i want to i want to turn into yes right you want to and how look you're on a super i'm on a superhero show i want to be a superhero do you not think i knew when i was like good lex and i was like when when how long did it take but i well i didn't really become really bad till late on the show like

probably started like season three and four which it starts for you right yes we saw Killer Frost, my villainous, Altarhiko, she made a very, very brief appearance in season two, and then she showed up at the end of season three. And how much were you dying in between going, why can't we be here again? Last year in particular was really hard because at the top of season three, they promised me that all this great stuff were season three for Killer Frost, and it's like they forgot. Like, they just got so sidetracked with other things that it wasn't until like, they sort of talked about it in the beginning, like episode seven's fantastic for Killer Frost.

And then I think it's about 12 episodes again Before she's even referenced Now it's a confusing world Not for the big comic book fan Small of it was sort of linear Lex is good and Clark's good And they're young and they're friends And they become bad

Yeah And bad friendship And then Clark becomes good But with you It's like all these alternate worlds And earths right That Barry he plays Barry Yes

Right because I played the voice of Wally But he's Barry And so all these So it's hard to you can't just come and watch season three episode one and know what the hell's going on. I think season one you could really jump in at any point and hold on to the story. And hopefully now it's season four, it'll be the same. I think we did get a little bit bogged down in time travel and multiple earths.

How confusing is that? I mean, I have another buddy at work, Carlos. And I always look at Carlos and be like, Lois, what's happening here? Like, who is this? Like, what am I supposed to know that I don't know? That's neat on every movie I do. Every show. Every show I'll go, hey,

What are we doing the day? Yeah. Oh, this is when Lex does that or whatever. Yes. I like to be enlightened, even if I know it. Sometimes I don't even know it when I think I know it. And I'm like, oh, I'm glad I didn't do that. Yeah.

Sometimes I act and I'm like, wow, I watch an episode or something I did. And I go, that was really interesting what you did, but it doesn't make a lot of sense. Yeah. Where was the effing director on that one? Right. Yeah. Our show, too. There's so many special effects and so much is added in post for us that it's, you

You know, we were fighting a bad guy last week. And I was like, and what does this look like? Like, what am I picturing? You know, and there's other people at the scene. And it's like, okay, so where are we all looking? Like, how tall is this person? Right. Have you ever walked off set in the history of your acting?

Have you ever just got so upset with something that you had to walk off set and deal with your emotions in the trailer? Nothing's coming to mind. I also, like, I also, I don't know why. have like such I feel so much responsibility to our crew and to the people who are also there for us that like I feel like I would my instinct would be to just stuff it down and deal with it later like stand on your mark say your lines do your job and deal with that later right you know because I like I feel badly if I keep you know if I overslept and keep 150 people waiting like never overslept no no no I set like 18 alarms my assistant Troy he's been an extra on the flash he does a lot of extra work in Vancouver's Troy Rudolph, great guy. But he was my assistant on Smallville for the last season. Okay. And I've never been late in my entire life.

And he slept through it. And he was supposed to pick me up. And I was late to work that day. Oh, my. Like that. And I was so, I was so, I didn't say a word. And the next day, I don't know how it happened, but he did it again. And he hadn't ever done it.

It's just one of those things, the power went out. Yeah. And it was just, I love him. But oh, my God. I remember that day. Troy, do you remember that day? He remembers that day. Oh.

Yeah. It's just. It happens. Things happen. Things happen for sure, 100%. But, like, here's a crazy story. I fell and hit my head. I have a scar now.

I fell and hit my head. Ended up in the ER room. When? This is, like, two years ago. And it was a Friday. I had Friday off. I was getting ready to catch the six. This is dumb.

I've stopped doing this. I used to take the 6 a.m. flight down from Vancouver because I wanted to get home and have a full day. And, like, taking a 6 a. m. flight is not fun. No, it's not great. The only way it's doable is if you do what I did on Friday and you work all night. And then you go straight from work to the airport.

Then it's like, oh, 6 a.A.m. flight, not so bad. But I was taking the 6 a.m. flight, and I got up, and I was lightheaded, and I passed out, and I hit my head. And so I hit my head, and I had seven stitches. My whole face was black and blue. And I still showed up at work on Monday. Did they cover it pretty good? They cut bangs, and it took me a long time in makeup to try and cover all the brew thing and stuff, but, like, still showed up to work. My God.

That's like, I can't, like, I don't want to make anyone wait. What are the hours like on the flash? They're tough. Warner Brothers, I'm pretty sure, doesn't allow any show to shoot more than 14 hours. But that's a 14-hour camera day, which means, you know. They don't count travel time. Oh, they don't count travel time. They don't count, you know, for the actors who have to be there at least an hour before you,

that doesn't include lunch. So it's not uncommon to do 16. Well, wasn't there just an article about something that just happened, right? Yeah. And it's funny because I was interviewing Tom Welling. Where you? He was on the show. And we remember, we talked about this.

He was working such insane hours that we said, You guys, we wrote a letter to Warner Brothers that you guys have to, you have to get him a car. He can't, he can't do this. Jesse and Tom Kavanaugh don't drive because they're New Yorkers. And we all, at first they were trying to make Grant drive at the top of season one. And we all sort of rallied behind him. That's exactly. You can't.

Like, not Grant. It just doesn't make sense in a business for, as a business sense of the thing. Because it is long hours. And it, you know, it's long hours for the cast and it's also long hours for the crew. But the difference is the crew can take a day off. If you're overtired, like take your Friday off. Like, don't work a Friday. day with us like it's like do your thing take care of yourself actors you don't really have the

luxury of taking a sick day or that sort of thing so it's exhausting mentally and physically exhausting you know you want to give 100% and sometimes it just doesn't make sense to me just pick me up and take me an hour or sometimes an hour drive for us yeah nowhere yeah winter yes snow dark so ice on the ground rain yeah all those things I like I won't talk on the phone if I'm driving like because I learned to drive in California and grew up driving here I won't talk on the phone when I'm driving in the rain like it really freaks me out how do you so you don't like driving in the rain at all you don't like horror movies I'm not really painting a great picture it's not that I don't like driving the rain I just get nervous I just want to be safe better safe

than sorry I want to see you as a child it's like almost I just I want to see what you like what you were like like how this there's certain things we do that we hold on to but it's like there's There had to be something that happened as a watching a horror movie and you just never forgot. It was so horrifying that, you know, you walked in and, you know, your parents were watching The Exorcist. Bambi gave me nightmares. Oh, boy. Bambi, after the mom. Can this be edited, Rob?

Yeah, we can come on. How did Bambi give you nightmares? Because of the birds. After the mom dies, the birds come in and it's really sad. It's really sad. Do you still cry if you saw it? Yes, for sure. You'll choke up?

Yes. Does your husband Hayes ever. ever say, come on, give it a break. No. He's so supportive, isn't he? Yeah. Does he ever lose as cool? Is he?

Because dealing with an actress or an actor is not easy. No, I'm so lucky. And, you know, as you know, our schedules change all the time. Like, look, to put up with the distance, it's not easy. Long distance relationships aren't easy. And he's been amazing. Do you own children? Yes.

How many? Two. Will they do community theater and graduate from high school early? I don't know. It depends on who the kids are. Do you, will you encourage them no matter how dumb. they are? Yeah. I'll encourage them no matter what. Well, yeah, it was hard because my dad was really smart and my mom was really smart and I just, I had an ADD and I was colorblind. I didn't

even realize it. I just felt like, what am I doing? Like, why am I alive? That stuff is hard too because, you know, as a kid, all you really know is that I'm not like everyone else. Like, you just know that you're different and you're struggling and, you know, you have feelings around that. It's hard. It's tough. Who do you want to work with that you haven't worked with? Oh, Damien Chiselle, who did drummer. Yeah. You know what I'm thinking? And then just did Lala Land.

What's the movie that got, an Oscar for the drums? Whiplash? Whiplash, yes. Yes, I loved Whiplash. I thought it was such a cool movie. I'm interested in, like, cool filmmakers like that. Do you expect too much out of yourself?

Like, do you have, like, hey, I want to be here by the time I'm this age, or eventually I want to just not act and just raise a family and move away from here? Are those, all these things that go through your mind? Like, what's going to end up, you know, 10 years from now with you? I don't know. I mean, this, I just turned 30. And I think. So when you were 15, you were zero.

There you go. Thanks for bringing that. So I think I had a lot of, you know, fear around 30, but I actually feel great about it. And again, I feel lucky to be working as an actor. Like, I've worked for a long time. You know, there's also been periods where I wanted to be working more. And I know how hard it is to get a job. Um, so I am grateful to be working as an actor.

Oh, yeah, that's great. And I think you, you know, you just love to work. I am a control freak and so I do think a piece of me like wants to have everything figured out for the rest of my life, but. Do you ever smoke pot? Not really. Have you ever smoked pot? Yeah.

You don't like it. Yeah. You like to be in control. Yeah. It's like me. I'm not a big drinker. I don't want maybe a little puff, but it's got to be Carl's weed, which I've talked about. Oh, my friend, my friend Carl, my friend Carl, my friend Carl, it's super specific.

It's just, it's mellow. I don't want to freak out. I can't Jack Nicholson Day 18 of the Shining. I don't want to do that. So, you know, I like, you know, my friend, you know, it's a burning man. Oh. And, you know, you did or your friend did? I went and I never wanted to go.

It's not for me. And my friend Harlan. But you tried it. That's awesome that you tried it. Yes. And I went and, you know, somebody he was with did acid. And he's like, it was life changing. And I go, I'll never, ever do acid.

Because there was this girl named Marie in college. And she was a sweet girl. And then she did acid. And she came. back after that summer and I didn't know her she was something was off something chemically got fucked up and I will never do that kind of stuff I don't trust it I don't want to be uncomfortable going into something yeah you know yeah you don't know you don't do drugs I don't really do drugs on set anybody do drugs on set trust me those Canadian crew listen to me they're all

fucked up not that I know yeah when we were doing small whatever I went out with those guys once they were powdering their nose and like oh yeah They were fun people. We were young. I think I'm too much of a goody-goody. Like, you know, even if they were, it's not like someone would be inviting me to join them. Well, it seems like you got your shit going on. Thanks.

You're on your fourth season, a fourth season of Flash. Yes. What's your, what's your Twitter? At D. Panabaker. And what's your Insta? At D. Panabaker. Can we find you on Facebook? Oh, you can.

You can't even add a friend anymore, can you? Because they're all full. No, that one's just Danielle Panabaker. I'm pretty easy to find. And what's your favorite project up to do that? date my favorite project right now that you've ever done that you were just like that was the best so far that was the best thing i've done in terms of like enjoyment and love the project let's take away flash just so you don't have yeah the one that came up for me when you said that

was empire falls like that was one of the first things i'd ever done um and it was a incredible job to be a part of i mean paul newman played my grandfather come on yeah ed harris and helen hunt were my parents like philip seymour hoffman was in the miniseries like you know, all these incredible actors to be around them and to watch them work and watch the different ways that they work on this incredible material as well. I mean, you ever get nervous? Oh, yeah, definitely. Do you really still get nervous even on the Flash?

Oh, yeah. So you've been doing it for three or four years, seven days a week you work, seven days per episode that are nine or ten day episodes. You're doing, you're working with a lot of the same people, you're doing it. But you challenge yourself, you're hard on yourself, you're insatiable. Yeah, I think so. Like, I'm about to, as soon as we leave, I'm going to head to the airport. And I will work on my lines for the week on my flight.

But you get nervous? Yes. Like, do you feel like, wow, if anybody uses this first take, they'll see me nervous? Yeah, probably. I also like break out in hives a lot. But that doesn't sound enjoyable. Why would you do something that makes you break out in hives and get nervous? That's what I'm asking myself.

This is therapy now for me because sometimes I get nervous at doing things and I'm like, why am I doing it then? Because why would you do something that didn't challenge you and didn't stress you? Like, do you just want to be bored? Like, do you just want to do what you know you can? Or do you want to push yourself? Well, I want to push myself. But if I keep, like, after four years, I'm still breaking out and fucking lesions. I don't, I'm like, something's wrong here.

Like, I do stand-up comedy. I just started. And I honestly, I, I know, I would throw up or I'd have diarrhea. Really? Yeah. And then my therapist was like, Michael, this is great. I'm like, no, diarrhea in throwing up isn't great. Wait, why?

Is it getting better as you do it? Yeah, I think it gets better as I do it. But I just, I'm so hard on myself with everything. everything and I think you know what I'm hearing from you is like I'm my and that's something like every time I interview somebody I get like Chris Hardwick he was like you have anxiety he gets you know there's all these things so the more I interview people and see how that how people react and people are anxious and people it makes me feel better about myself knowing that you get hives and break out in herpes every few hours is I'm kidding I'm kidding I'm just not it's not true she's as clean as

you could be. You know, I think it's scary when it happens, like, but, you know, your heart raises and then you get through it. And then you can be like, every time you do stand up, like, don't you leave the stage going, holy shit, I did it. Like, I didn't die out there. I feel great after before I want to kill myself. Well, don't kill yourself. Yeah. But enjoy, like, I think it's important to enjoy the moment after and, like, really pat yourself on the back and say, like, I did it. Like, I was scared shitless and I did it. And it's still, like, it's okay. This has been a pleasant surprise. Well, because I didn't know, because let me be honest with you, okay?

Before I started talking to you today, I know. What did the Internet tell you about me? I didn't even look at these, hardly at these pages really. We didn't even get in all this stuff, but I don't care because I talked about what I wanted to talk about and hopefully what you wanted to discuss. Five things you didn't know about Danielle Panna Baker. Oh, goody. One, she's incredibly intelligent. We found that out, except for math.

Two, she is extremely generous. Oh, that's a nice. It seems like you're a generous person. Thanks. She has worked with her sister. I have. These are five things you didn't know. So far, these are all true.

She has earned numerous awards. What would we say numerous? Mine was loser of the year for a wiffle ball tournament. I once won a Saturn Award for Best Incoming Act for Smallville. But someone one of my friends goes, what's next? A Uranus Award.

Wow. Rood. Number five, she started out with commercials. I mean, these are. We did cover most of those. But these aren't the most interesting. Five things you didn't know about Danielle Pana. We found out more interesting things.

You did. Your fear of horror movies. Your lack of doing drugs. You're breaking out sometimes in hives from nervousness. These is what makes you human. And that's why I like this interview. Me too. So thanks for allowing me to be inside of you.

My pleasure. Thanks for having me. Hi, I'm Joe Saul-Ci. I host of the Stacking Benjamin's podcast. Today, we're going to talk about what if you came across $50,000. What would you do? Put it into a tax-advantaged retirement account. The mortgage. That's what we do. Make a down payment on a home. Something nice. Buying a vehicle. A separate bucket for this addition that we're adding. $50,000. I'll buy a new podcast. You'll buy new friends. And we're done. Thanks for playing everybody. We're out of here. Stacky Benjamin's follow and listen on your favorite platform.