Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum - Virgin River’s ANNETTE O'TOOLE: Decades of Hollywood Stories

Episode Date: May 31, 2022

Annette O'Toole (Smallville, Virgin River) joins us this week to share iconic stories from her decades of work alongside Hollywood legends and all the while how her naivety prevented her from being taken advantage of throughout her early career. Annette goes on to tell a crazy story of her travels back and forth across the country during 9/11 and how it inevitably led to her winning an Academy Award. We also talk about her relationship with Michael McKean, enjoying acting now more than ever, and the special impact Smallville has had on people’s lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum. This is a rough cut of one of the new tracks on our new album, Sunspins new album. Anyway. Yeah, it's really fun making the album, and we're still making the album. We've got a lot of great musicians adding to the songs, and we're getting harmonies and doing all that stuff now. So it's really fun. The album for Sunspin will come out, hopefully in the next couple of months, and there'll be

CDs and albums and things available, I think. You could also go to Sunspin.com, and you can get tickets for our show. Well, actually, we already did our show. So maybe the next time I'll give you that information. go to sunspin.com for um if you want to zoom me if you want to get cool merch uh sunspin mugs sunspin hats also the inside of you online store blah blah blah you can get a bunch of merch there but uh welcome ryan thank you for being here with me i feel uh like i'm in like i'm floating on a cloud that was very dreamy what that song yeah you liked it yeah no thanks man yeah i played it for you

earlier it's a synth i like the synth right yeah it's synth yeah it's the synth yeah it's floaty i like it too it takes me back to the 80s and that's i sort of want to make songs that are like feel like the 80s or the 90s or a little bit of now but retro that kind of feel uh thanks for taking the time to be um to join me to listen to me to uh hopefully enjoy this podcast we've got a great one today she's never been on the podcast before but i love her she was uh clark kent's mom on smallville and we got to work together a little bit and i adore her annette o'toole she's here today so I hope you guys enjoy it. Also, if you want to join Patreon,

Patreon really helps the podcast. So if you really like it and you want to support the podcast and give back, go to patreon.com slash inside of you, P-A-T-R-E-O-N, Patreon.com slash inside of you. I'll send you a message after you join.

There's different tiers. I send merch. I write little notes. So I thank you. And that's really all I have to say. Is there anything else we need to talk about, Ryan? Ryan, is there anything we need to talk about? Well, now. Now. Hey, I hope you guys are doing well. Our handles, by the way, are

At Inside of You podcast on Instagram and Facebook at At Inside You Pod on Twitter. It really helps. You know, I've talked about this. But when you follow us, you write a review and keep listening and spread the word. That's pretty much. I have to say it every episode. And I'm saying it. I say it because, you know, I'd like people to listen, like more people to listen. I think we have a good show here. And I hope you enjoy. way to. So without further ado, why don't we just get into it? Why don't we get inside of the lovely Annette O'Toole? It's my point of you. You're listening to Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum. Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum was not recorded in front of a live studio audience. How many podcasts do you do, you think? I've done two. This is the second one that I know. You did Ilyana Douglas's. That's not a podcast. It wasn't a podcast. Well, it's a long time ago. Maybe they didn't call it that then. Maybe it was a podcast. I did that many years ago. It was right after John Hurd died. I remember because we talked about John. You did a movie with John Hurd. Yeah, cat people. You did a movie with John. Cat people. You obviously were close with them. Yeah. You know, I hadn't seen him in a while, but I loved John. We did cat people. We did at Outer Limits in Vancouver. First time I ever worked in Vancouver. Are we? shooting this? I mean, yeah. We're just talking. I'll talk more importantly. No, you don't have to

talk importantly. It was just fun, candid, whatever, you know? Well, anyway, yeah, I adore John. And he went through, he was a very complicated guy. And I just always felt really like he's my brother, because I never had a brother. But I'm not that close. Right. But you felt like you wanted to help him. You wanted to talk to him. What was it about him that was a, where did you just? Hughes? You said he was not complex, but complicated. There was something really like little lost boy about him. And he's a brilliant guy and he just had so much going for him, but he had really a lot of demons. But I remember we were in New Orleans doing cat people. And he had just come out of a, I guess, a marriage or an affair or something with Margot Kidder or something. I don't

know he was he was not in a good place and so he was he was drinking a lot and um another frankie phasen who was an actor also in cat people he and i had gone out to dinner and we were on the trolley going back to our hotel and we saw this guy just like asleep kind of passed out on the park on the bench and it was we realized it was john so he got out we got him into the trolley got him but i don't even know if he was staying at that hotel and how old is he at this time at this point He was like early 30s. And he was just passed out drunk. Yeah, I hate to talk about it.

But I mean, he's gone now. And he kind of was very, you know, vocal about his demons and issues and stuff. But anyway, after that, he got great. He got a lot better. And he worked and he was, and he was great in that movie. Yeah. And cat people. We had such a good time together.

Do you see that a lot like in your career? Have you seen a lot of, you know, actors or people that you've talked to just kind of go down that path of darkness and drinking and you're like, ah. There's only one other one I can think of right now, who I was, you know, I had not a relationship with, but a working relationship with, Tim McIntyre, who was very troubled. He was, God, what, he played George Jones when I did tell me when that's Timmy

Oneette. Ah, yes. And he was not in good shape. He was a daughter, son of Jeanette Nolan and Tim McIntyre. I mean, John McIntyre. who's a great actor um that probably says a lot too when your dad's an actor yeah and then right right away you think oh following the footsteps and yeah i don't know he was he was kind of and he's also gone he was he's passed away a while ago um but no i i i maybe because i don't look for that

if it's very very apparent i i see it and and you know have to deal with it but it's uh i don't know a lot of people who went that way. Did you stay away from that? Have you ever been a drinker? Did you ever get involved in the drugs and the stuff? You seem like you wouldn't. Like knowing you, I don't picture it, but I'd love to hear the dirt if you ever did it.

No, I have no dirt. I didn't drink at all for a long time. It never, it never, I never liked hard liquor. I never liked the taste of it. I love the smell of it. My grandfather always drank a big glass of bourbon when you'd come home from work. And my grandmother would have the ice ready for him

and then she'd pour this huge tumbler Every night. Yeah, every night. And I stayed with him a lot because my mother was a dance teacher. Right. And so, and my dad was working and he'd come pick me. One of them would come pick me up. But I was with him a lot all by myself.

And that's where I started baking and my whole like home economics side of my life. But Grampy would come home and I would serve him his drink, get him his slippers. And we'd watch the news together. Right. And he was diabetic. So I had to learn how to cook. How old are you at this point? Then I was really little.

I was six or seven. Six or seven giving grandpa's bourbon. What a treat. It was from Texas. You know, this is what we did. What did he call? You had to have a nickname. Nettie.

I knew it. See? See something. The whole. Nettie, get me my bourbon. No, he wasn't like that. What was he? No, he was very elegant.

Nettie? No, not like that. It was in English. Why did I think English? He was just a great guy. Anyway, so I would give him his drink. And so I always loved the smell of it. And it reminded me of him.

But I would, drinking it was like drinking turpentine to me. It wasn't until I was doing, right before Smallville, I was doing this show called The Huntress. And I was the lead of this cable show. And I was starting to have heart palpitations because I was just, I mean, being number one on it. Our show is crazy. I've never worked that hard. And you're playing a tough role too, right? Yeah.

Very active running around as a bounty hunter. Bounty hunter. Right. And Jordana Spiro was my daughter. We were running all over the place and busting people. And so here's a side bar. Right. We'll get back to the alcoholism. Get back. There's no alcoholism. I know. I know. I finally started drinking wine because my doctor told me, you know, for your higher palpitation to drink grape juice. And it was so sweet. Somebody said, why do you just drink a little glass of wine? And it's like, oh, I really love this. Did it help? Yes. It really helped. Oh, my God. So you'd have a glass of wine every night, one glass. Yes. Sometimes more than that. Right. Okay. So that's all I drink.

I don't like hard liquor at all. I've tried. I've tried to drink martinis and stuff. I don't like them. There was a sidebar. There was a sidebar. Sidebar. Yes.

Michael and my Michael and Chris Guest and Harry Scher were doing this acoustic version of all their music called unwigged unplugged. And we were traveling all over with a tiny little mini tour. The first time I'd ever done anything like this. And I was the backup singer for like a couple of. of songs and I would I was basically Wendy just kind of traveling on the bus with them and ironing shirts and going out to dinner and staying up all night. It was so much fun. Is that bus stop Wendy? Maybe. That's a new play I'm going to. Right. But anyway, so I was just having the best time. So we're playing some, we're, they are playing this Indian casino somewhere in on the East Coast. I

can't remember the name of it. You know, every, it was packed. Everybody was there to see it. And And so Joel McHale is there because he was either playing another room or he was coming in after us or something. He came to see them because, of course, he loves spinal tap like most people. And so he said, you know, you gave me my first job in L.A. I said, what? He said, The Huntress. I was Quicky the Clown. Michael and I wrote one episode of The Huntress called Springing Tiny or James Reymar who was in it,

Getting him out of jail. I love James Remar. He should have James Remar on your show. You know him? Are you kidding? Can you hook that up? Yes. Dude, I love Remar, the Warriors and...

His, his... We were in 48 hours together. 48 hours. So he... Was he Gans? Yeah. Can you play Gans? I never watched the movies I do, so.

You were great in that, though. Thank you. I don't remember the names of the characters like that. So anyway, so, um, um, what was I telling you? James Remar. So James Remar. So James Remar, yeah, but then Joel McHale. So, anyway, the huntress, you cast him in the huntress, right?

James Remar was in it in the show with me called, and he was playing Tiny Bellows. So anyway, Michael and I wrote this episode called Springing Tiny, and there was always like this cold open kind of thing where we'd be going out and getting, we were the bounty hunters, getting somebody, and it wasn't related to the rest of the show. It was just this opening thing, teaser kind of thing. So we had this guy who was all painted up like a clown, and he was at a kid's party, and we were going after him for not paying his child support, Jordana and I. So there's a whole thing where I'm like jumping on his back. And I never saw this man without makeup. He was, when I came

on to the set, he was in full blown. And it turned out to be Joel McHale. And that was his first job. You didn't know. I had no idea. But he wasn't like Joel McHale that we know. Right. Handsome. He actually took the whole couch. Ryan couldn't even, my engineer Ryan here, couldn't sit down. Joel was sprawled down on the couch, comfortable as hell. We had a great report. He was, he's a great guy. He is such a nice man. Really special. I could see why people like him. Yeah. He's just a likable guy. We did something a couple years ago or a few years ago called a stupid and futile gesture about the life of Doug Kenny. I played Doug Kenny's mother and that was Will Forte and he played Chevy Chase, which was ironic since he had a lot of experience with

Chevy. He worked with Chevy. We talked about that. I bet. That went viral. Did it? He, when he talked about Chevy, I think it got like a million hits or something. Oh my God. Yeah, it was pretty crazy. He's awesome. I love him. Did you ever work with Chevy Chase? No, I never met him. No. And it's weird because I worked with Marty Short and Steve Martin and the last

Amigo. Cross my heart. Yeah. And with Martin Short. You made out with Martin Short. Oh my God. You'd have sex with, well, fake sex. Kind of, yeah.

What was that like, by the way? It was fantastic. The best thing about that movie was that it was shot almost like a play because it was mostly just the two of us. And there was some bookend scenes. but it was mostly just the two of us in this apartment. And so we just do it in order, which is so rare. You hardly ever get to shoot anything in sequence.

And I just adored him and I just think the world of him. And any time I see him, it's like just. I'm sure he comes to some of those shows. Like when Christopher Gast and Michael McKee and your husband are playing, he'll show up. I'm sure Steve Martin has showed up. You know, I don't remember seeing those two guys. Really? Yeah.

I see him in New York when I'm, Steve Martin wrote. this wonderful show called Bright Star. He wrote the music for it. And Edie, oh, my God, I'm so bad. Married to Paul Simon. Edie Brickle. Macale. Macale.

Raquel. Brickle. It's a tough name. Well, it's not a tough name. Do you remember the song? The song, her hit songs. Well, I remember one that they wrote for the show that I sang on called Sun's going to shine again.

Really? Yeah. Fun is going to shine again. Sun's going to shine again. Sun's going to shine again. The sun's going to shine again. The sun's going to shine again. again um it's a wonderful song and so anyway i didn't do the show i did the uh the workshop of it

right um and so but i i'd met steve a couple of times and he's he's a very interesting man and it's very sweet but but marty is like you know because we had such a he's just out there and very he's he's just he's the best and have you watched uh only mergers in the building not yet oh it's great is it good ryan it's amazing i loved it's really the music in that show Oh my God, the music is amazing. What kind of music? It's, it's, it kind of feels like the beginning of, you know, a masterpiece mystery, but then it goes, it's very New York sounding and urban. It's, it's great.

I'm, I'm so sorry that I can't remember the man's name who wrote the music. And I follow him on Twitter. He's got a long name that I can't pronounce, but I want to get into the music because you really weren't heavily into music until we'll get into that. I want to get into that about Michael and the whole 9-11 attack. and all those things. Oh, God. That old story. That old story. It's a great story.

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survey so they know that i sent you don't wait download the rocket money app today and tell them you heard about them from my show i want to go back to houston okay when you were kind of was that a song houston houston yep going back to houston houston houston you got it that's pretty much the whole is that it yeah you just keep saying that what was it I mean, were your parents very present in your life? Yes. Well, I'm an only child. Oh, well, there you go.

And they desperately wanted children. They couldn't have them for about six or seven years. And they were in the process of adopting when my mother finally became pregnant with me. And she said the whole time she was pregnant, she said, I thought it was a dream. I couldn't believe it was really going to happen. I wanted it so bad. And she said, and then I wanted a girl so badly, I knew it was going to be a boy. So she got all her wishes without really hoping for them.

And I, my mother's still with us going strong at 96. Ninety-six. Yeah, she still dances. She's a tap, was a tap teacher and still dances. She was dancing. You started dancing at three, is that right? I mean, three years old. I wish somebody would have had me singing or dancing at three years old.

My parents didn't believe in me at all. So they didn't, they just like try to get through school. Try not to get too many S. No, use. Do you remember in school, when I went to school, we had S's. for satisfactory, used for unsatisfactory, and then stood for... Nata.

Nata. But I used to get a lot of use. Michael's behavior's unsatisfactory. You can understand that, though. Absolutely. I'm off the wall a little bit. Yeah, yeah, and you're interesting. And there are a lot of kids who are really smart

and not interested in what's going on. You know, they're bored by it. I think that's what it was. I was really bored. Unless I had a really engaging teacher, someone who really took the time and made the course interesting and told stories and then I was, you know.

And then when you got, were you, were you into drama? I started doing drama like late in high school at the end and I finally got to play my senior year and that, but I was always a nervous wreck. I was like, I still end up to this day. I still get the nerves. I still get the anxiety and it's not fun. I always hate it. I was like, is there a pill that could just take this all away and make me super

confident like that movie with, what's his name? Limitless. Limitless. He just takes a pill. Oh, yeah. That would be awesome. I mean, do you get nerves? Oh, yes.

Not as, I've been doing a lot of theater in the last since Smallville ended. That would give me even more theater because I did a lot of theater. And I remember that's even harder. Yeah, well, it's just that it's so immediate. You know, if you're doing a movie, you can at least go again. But this is like you're there and you have to come up with it. But I'm less, it's always an issue. And especially around the first preview.

Once the first preview happens, because you get like two or three weeks of previews normally. If you're on Broadway, you get like months. Right. So by that. time it's like oh i know how to do this and and then by the time opening night comes it's almost like you know you've got it down but um Lawrence olivier had terrible stage right that's why he's at the end he didn't do theater anymore and he had been you know that was what he was known for one of the biggest yeah wow it's it's amazing it makes you feel good when you hear that he had you know he had he suffered

from that and a lot of people do but a lot of people talk about it and i don't know how much i believe it because i think well you have anxiety but you don't get anxiety like me are you the kind of person who before you're filming before you start before they say action you're like in your head and you're like no never because you never seen like that i was always believe it or not intimidated but always because i had this profound respect for you and when you were on set i was like it it i don't know if it calmed me but i was i forced myself to be more calm i go i want to impress in that today i don't But I remember saying all these lines and doing this part and I was just like, I just, you know, and that's a real actress and she's done it all. And I, I want to impress her. I remember specifically. Well, I was impressed. I was very impressed. I was like, we're fantastic. And you and John together especially. John was just amazing. Great. Yeah, John and I were still close. I haven't talked to him in a while, but I love him and, you know, we see each other. Yeah, he's the best. We'll get into that. I want to get into that. So growing up, you had two parents that just were they always like, I love you, whatever. You. you do you can't go wrong we we respect you we are there for you pretty much god how did that

i mean i don't understand that well see i didn't know anything else i was lucky because i i desperately wanted a sibling but but i really didn't i really loved being the only one and i had cousins who lived around the corner from me so we'd be together all day and then i'd go home at night and have all the attention yeah yeah and my dad was fantastic because he would come home and um and i'd get these little magazines in the mail, you know, not, well, I got highlights, but another one. God, I can't remember the name of it. There was one called Calling All Girls, which was later. But before that, oh, Humpty Dumpty. Humpty Dumpty. Humpty Dumpty. That was a magazine. I didn't know that. You know that? Well, it was so old. My God, I'm so much older than you guys. No, not that much.

But it, it was great because they would have activities and puzzles and things you'd cut out and construct in this magazine. And I loved it. And I would get it. And my dad would come home. And it's like he wouldn't, he'd just sit down with me immediately and do stuff. He was just so. Hands on. Yeah. And, you know, I don't know if you know, I have this lifelong, you know, obsession with knitting and textiles and stuff. And he, I started, the first thing I got was a little loom, a little potholder loom like every kid gets. And every kid? Well, you know, a lot of girls get it. Yeah. And I loved it.

And then they got me a real like hand loom that has the warp and you know it has the shuttle and you weave in it. And it came all, you know, all set up for you to make a little scarf. So I did that and once that was done, I didn't know how to put it on again. I didn't know how to put the warp on. And my dad, who was an engineer as a mechanical engineer, didn't know either. There was no internet to find these things out and he didn't have time to go to the library. So he just figured it out. And I remember it being strung all across the living room, these little tiny, almost threads.

Because he was just so dedicated to me and helping me do what I wanted to do. And that's how they always were. Whatever I wanted. I was encouraged in the arts because my, he wasn't, but my mother designed the costumes for, she and her sister owned this big dancing school in Houston. So they'd have a big show every year, and they would design the copy. as well as teach the dances and pick out all the music and all that stuff. So you learned probably a lot about costuming and all these other things?

Not that much about costuming, but certainly about putting a show together and music and things like that and dance. But my dad was always there helping constructing things that, you know, a background piece they wanted, you know, he'd make it out of, you know, pipe cleaners and whatever, you know, he would just construct. He was always involved in it. And he would love to watch my mother's sew. moment. There's a great seamstress. And he would sit and help her and, you know, do the patterns with it. They were, they were, they were together from the time they were 11 and 12. What? Yeah. They lived around the corner from one another. Although he was just a friend. He would just come and hang out at my mother's house because he just loved my grandkids. Well, I hope so at 11 years

old. Yes. You better be a friend. Well, it wasn't like, you know, it was just, he was just this kid who they liked. He was this funny kid who lived around the corner. And then he went off when he was 17, he went after World War II. He joined the Navy and went off. And he came back and my mother said he could, he was a smoker. She said his hand was shaking so much. He couldn't light a cigarette because he was in the boiler room and they would lock them in during battles. And so that they couldn't do anything but shovel coal or do whatever they had to do. And there was no escape. So you, so anyway, he came home for a little bit and they sent him right back out because the war was still going on. And so that's when she decided she was going to marry him. And how old was she then?

She was, she was 16 if he was 17. So they didn't get married until she was 20. She just turned 20. My grandparents did the same thing. They didn't get married. They knew each other since they were like 14. Yeah. And they ended up getting married.

He just passed away two years ago. And she just seems like lost. I remember you talking about your grandfather a lot. Yeah, he's the best. He was the biggest role model for me. Yeah. I mean, and it reminds me, your father reminded me of my grandfather because when it came to me, he had endless energy.

He gave me attention. like no other. He would be interested in me. He wouldn't make me feel stupid. He'd make me feel smart. He'd explain things to me. He'd just, he would go out and play tent. Whatever I wanted to do, it was just like, oh my God, I just loved having, but I didn't get to see him a lot. But you had that guy all the time. I did. I was very, very lucky. That's brilliant. I really envy that. And when did he pass? 2016. And I was not here. I was in Edinburgh, Scotland, doing a play. How did you deal with that? It was really hard. It was the last three, and I was going, for three weeks. Edinburgh Festival is this big thing they do every year. It's mostly comedians

and music, big magic shows and things. But there are some big dramatic plays. I was doing this play called Hamlet in Bed. It's a two-hander with this wonderful actor named Michael Lawrence who wrote it. And so we had done it at the Rattlestick Theater in New York the year before. And so it was a big deal about doing a skim-down version of it because you can only go like not even quite an hour at these shows. Because they go one route to the other in these venues that they have. So my dad was really ill and I was going to be gone for three weeks and it was one of those situations where he could go tomorrow, he could stay another year, we're not really sure. You never know. And he had worked in Scotland. He loved Scotland.

And by this time he wasn't as he'd had everything wrong with him. He'd had strokes. He'd had cancer he had heart attacks he had pretty much his lungs were he's on oxygen for the last two years of his life so you've had a lot of phone calls you had a lot of phone calls saying hey you might want to get down here yes right so i anyway i went because i committed to this play and i really wanted to do it and anyway so i went and three days before i was done he they called me and he had passed and so um how do you get through the next three days i i i i it was it was hard Michael Lawrence said do you want to leave and I said no he he he he always the main thing he taught me was to finish what you start you know if you can make a

commitment you honor your commitment so I thought also he wanted to be buried in Houston and we this was in it we he died in L.A so I knew that it wasn't like I have to get home for the funeral right it was we're getting ready and it and we'll get to him there, you know, it will arrange it all. So I knew it wasn't immediate that I had to be home. So anyway, I finished it. I somehow did it. And the hardest part was the flying home because I had to go through, I had to go through, I had to stop somewhere. I can't remember where. Change planes. Yeah. And then before, I wasn't a direct flight from Edinburgh to go to London. And your mind just wasn't there. Yeah, I was just like, I was just. Like, wow, in shock. Yeah. I was in shock. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, so that was weird. But, yeah. So that was a tough time? It was tough, but it was, everybody has a tough time. You know, there's never any one way it goes that's easy. Yeah, I know. So, anyway. Jeez.

Ever wonder how dark the world can really get? Well, we dive into the twisted, the terrifying, and the true stories behind some of the world's most chilling crimes. Hi, I'm Ben. And I'm Nicole. Together we host Wicked and Grim, a true crime podcast that unpacks real-life horrors, one case at a time. With deep research, dark storytelling, and the occasional drink to take the edge off, we're here to explore the Wicked and Reveal the Grim. We are Wicked and Grim.

Follow and listen on your favorite podcast platform. Death, I mean, losing my grandpa, that was one of the biggest losses I've ever had. Truthfully, that was... But he died of Alzheimer's, so it was a slow, slow. process and it felt like I was losing bits of him every year. Oh, that's so hard. It was terrible. But you had him a long time. I had him a long time. I was very, very lucky. And you want them to live forever. That's right. And, you know, I hear his voice. I talk like him sometimes. Yeah. I'll go, you know, he always, Mike, what are you doing? What is this? You're such a nut. He would call

me a nut. What are you doing with this? How old are you? What are you? But, um, so where he's from Indiana? No, no, no, he's from New York. He's a New Yorker. Yeah, him and my grandmother They were from the Bronx. My whole family is really from New York. And then my dad got a job transfer when I was like 10 to Indiana. And so I grew up in the southern Indiana as a Jew, no less. I mean, you know, it wasn't that bad. I mean, there were a couple people in my, and my sister,

when my sister went to high school that would throw a quarter down the hallway and say, fetch it Jew. But overall, overall, I never experienced like, I never experienced that. But she did. Oh, is she older? She's older. Oh, my God. I never experienced it, although I, every once I would get this, I'd get something and I go,

well, I'm a Jew. And then they go, no, shut up. I go, no, Rosenbaum, it's Rosembaum. You're not a Jew. I'm like, yeah, I am. They couldn't. It was like the most incredulous thing that they'd ever heard that I was a Jew. Wow.

But, you know, I didn't, I don't know, maybe certain people, I don't know. It wasn't as bad as my sister had it. But it wasn't, you know, probably. wasn't fun for her. No, my God. You know, but when did you know that, hey, I want to be an actress? I want to, what was it? I was in, do a musical comedy.

I wanted to be a dancer. I wanted to be Gwen Verdon, who I don't know if people know who Gwen Verdon is. I don't. Okay. But that's okay. She was an amazing, she was the first Lola and Damn Yankees. She, she was in Chicago. She was the first, is it Velma?

Is it Velma? Roxy. She was the first, Roxy. Roxy in Chicago. And she was kind of like someone you really loved. Yeah, she was married to Bob Fawsey. If you saw the movie about Bob Fawsey that was on a couple years ago, she's very prominent in that. Anyway, that's, she was my idol.

And I, because I grew up in a dancing school, I just always thought that's what I would do. So he came out to L.A. and I was 13. I was doing dancing and studying dancing and stuff. And I got an agent. And they said, you know, you really should. We're sending you out on these, you know, acting interviews. You should take an acting class. So I really had a chip bottom my shoulder about it. I thought, I don't need that. I just want to sing and dance. And I was going a lot of

dance auditions and stuff. So I went to a few acting classes and it just, I didn't speak to me. And then I went to this acting class led by Robert Ellen Stein, who was a fantastic character actor. He was in North by Northwest. with Carrie Grant. He's one of the two guys who kidnapped Carrie Graham. Oh, yeah, yeah. I just watched that. Yeah. He's the one with a hat. Yep. And not the one who is the gardener. He's the, he's the other one. Right. And I've seen him since in so many things. God, I just saw him the other day and you loved him. I loved him. I loved him. And I loved what he was saying and how he was approaching it. And I'm a kidding. As I was sitting there, I thought, I started thinking, this is what I want to do. This is what I want to do. Why did I think that this was not, this is amazing. And it's a long. long career. And so I had an opportunity that not a lot of actors have to make a choice. I

gotten, I was about to turn 18, like in the next two weeks. I got a lead dancing role in a big show that was going to be at the Amundsen Theater, or Dorothy Chandler, one of them, Amundsen, I guess. And I got an episode of Gunsmoke. Wow. And so they conflicted. And you did Gunsmoke. And I did, I chose. My mother said, you've got to make the decision. It's your choice. Did your dad chime in like, I like gun smoke? I'm a fan. I think, no, he would never chime in, but I think he was pleased with my choice. Yeah. So I did the gun smoke, yeah. And I realized that I've been on two of the longest running shows ever, Gunsmoke and One Order. Wow. Also Nash Bridges. And Gray's Anatomy. It's gone 18 years and Nash Bridges you've done. Yes. You played his wife, right? I played his first

wife. His first wife. He had two wives. I was the first one. Was he fun to work with? What's his name? I love Don Johnson. Don Johnson. Yeah. Oh my God. I can remember it. Yeah. He was great to work with, really. Yeah, well, I'd known him a long time. He and one of my, my boyfriend, Bruno Kirby, who I was with for eight years, they had done a movie together called the Harrod Experiment, which is where Don met Melanie through her mother, Tippy Hendr, who was in the Harrod Experiment. So I knew them. I mean, I would go. You're like almost royalty. Well, I just know. I've just been around so. Well, I mean, it's just kind of, you know, you worked with a lot of gems. I have. I'm really lucky. And I just, I'm tickled by it too. You know, I just, I still, I'm not over the, the excitement of just being part of this world. You still love acting. Oh, I love acting more than I've ever loved acting. Why? I just, maybe now that, you know, I had my children and they're now off and everything. And so my focus is. is on primarily on my work.

Michael, too. But he's the same way I am. It's like we can't imagine retiring. And it's nice now because I don't have as much competition for roles. All these other women decided, I don't want to do this anymore. This is stupid. They bow out. Well, yeah, because they're smart.

You know, they say, I want my life. I want to be able to do what I want to do. I want to make an appointment. I want to get a dog. So you're taking all the roles. Well, yeah, I am taking all the roles. all those juicy mother grandmother rolls now no but I'm really lucky

I'm on this show that shoots in Vancouver again I'll never leave Vancouver And that's where we did smallville Yes called Virgin River It's just just happening right No we just finished our fourth season Fourth season yeah there's so many fucking As you say F bombs sorry about that

You could say F bombs I don't really I've never heard you say an F bomb Oh my God I say it all the time I really think, this is ridiculous. I have to stop doing this. Can you say one F-bomb for me? No. I'll bleep it.

I'll throw it in somewhere when you least expect it. Sweet. That would be great. So you're getting roles. You love acting now. You've got this rejuvenation of like this. What a cool thing. And I get to go to New York.

We have an apartment in New York. So I get to go there and they hire us as locals. So that's nice because there's a lot that shoots in New York. Yeah. Did you ever experience like, I'm sure you did? being a woman in this industry, being hit on, being taken advantage of. Did that happen a lot to you? Maybe I was so stupid.

I didn't pick up on it. I was really, really naive. Really? Yeah. I'd have producers call me at home and say, you want to come to Vegas for the weekend? I'd say, well, can I bring my boyfriend? I'd say that. And they'd say, no.

I said, well, why? Negates the whole idea. I had no idea. Really? That's what they were. I just said, oh, they liked me. they want to put me in a show you know you never in your whole career had any feeling moment where you're like this guy's purve i had one you did yes and i can't say who it is

although he's passed away very recently as a director right who who expected me i was a meeting in a hotel room and that was not unusual you go to somewhere and meet because because they he was from out of town they'd go to you know they'd have a nice suite or something you'd go meet them but you know you've gone to casting um couches not couching couching couch you know me Because the people are out of town. Right. And so they have it in a room at the hotel. So to me it wasn't weird and I knew the person who'd set it up was totally on the level.

But I walk in and it's like, you know, get, come over here, you know. It was like, oh my God. And you're like, no, no. The thing that upset me most was I thought, oh, he really doesn't want to cast me in this movie. I get it. It didn't. It hurts. It hurts.

It was like, oh, this is what I'm here for. there he. And so I told the person who'd set it up and he was shocked. He couldn't believe it. I had it happen to me. Believe it or not, you don't hear about mail stories very often. I had just moved to New York. I was a young actor and this guy, he was one of the most important artistic directors at a, I won't say the name of the place. Yeah. Like not circle in the square, not that one, but something like, you know. Okay. And I just met and we were just talking and laughing. And he's like, oh, you know what? You should come with me to this, to this dinner tonight.

You should absolutely come. And I didn't think anything of it. And I went with him and who is the father, Jerry's father in Seinfeld? Jerry Stiller. Jerry Stiller and Ann Mira. Yeah. They were there. I ended up dancing with Ann Mirren for hours and hanging out with Jerry and just a blast.

And it was like, wow, I'm a year into New York having the, and. You know, we left and we're walking in my house was my apartment where I was staying. It was right there. And he's like, I go, oh, yeah, if you want to drink or something, you know, whatever. Not thinking he was gay. I didn't think that. I didn't. I just, this nice guy is taking me out.

Let's have a beer. I'm like 24. And we went up there and he kind of made a little pass at me. And I go, oh, oh, no, I'm not, I'm not gay. I mean, some people have thought that too, but I'm not. you know so sorry but everything's cool and he's like oh yeah okay absolutely fine and we finished a drink and he never returned any of my calls again never and he was like a big wig who like was telling me oh there's this part in this and there's this part in this and there's this and after he found

out that I wasn't you know he just completely shut me down so I know that feeling of gone going oh I thought he was going to give me a chance and if I hadn't accepted it I'd still have a chance at being maybe a part of the professional world, you know? But you just, you're not thinking that way. Yeah. Because you just, my mind wasn't there at all. I just wanted to work. I wanted to act. Yeah, that could get you emotion. I can get you upset pretty quickly. Yeah, but it was, you know. But you're lucky it only happened like really once. Yeah, maybe a couple other times. I don't dwell on it. I wasn't aware of you. I don't think about it. And now I wish I had been more more aware of these things, you know, because I hear about these women.

in stories and they're heartbreaking and horrible and, you know, and I, I just feel so lucky that I just, maybe they just thought, well, she's so stupid. She's not picking up on this. Will we just go to the next person who, you know, smarter and more aware? Jesus. Oh, God, I'll tell you. Seeing your face right now. I'm just, I really, I, it's, well, tell me. No, I just, I just felt really, maybe too, because I was raised Catholic.

and very, you know, like this, but it wasn't even that. It was, I don't know, I'm not saying anything. I hear you. I hear you. When you did a movie like Superman 3, were you thinking, I'm part of this franchise, this is going to be a huge movie, I'm working with all these people, this is going to be great, that kind of feeling? It was really exciting to get to work with Richard Lester and Chris.

How was that working with Christopher Reed? He was fantastic. He was so kind because I was coming in, I think they were just really angry with Margot Kitter because she was causing them some grief. I don't know how or why. And she's been the sweetest. She came to Smallville and she was so sweet. But even then, because I had like a couple of scenes with her that we shot in one day.

Wasn't easy? And she was incredible. She was so welcoming. And she was friends with Richard Pryor and she introduced me to him. he was so kind to me and just we sat on the set and taught and he was so sweet really yeah what a great moment yeah he was amazing i remember we were in um calgary and that was smallville that was the the smallville always Canada Canada's always smallville um and so I was there and it was all that we're on it's a parade or something going on I saw the movie one time when it first came out so I

don't remember a lot but it we I was on a like a parade dais kind of thing and he's up there dressed up like a general, Richard Pryor. Yep. And so in between texts, we just sat and talked. He just wanted to know about like... Just the normal guy, fun guy? He was asking me, stuff like you're asking me, about my family and my life. And I was getting ready to get married.

And we talked about that. Anyway, he was just lovely. So, but Chris Reeve, when I got... So I was kind of like a... They wrote this part of Lana because they didn't have Lois. Lana Lange. Yeah. Yeah. So I got there and I had just finished doing a play. I think I would just finish doing, no, I was doing 48 hours at the same time. I just finished 48 hours. And I got on a plane, got over there. And immediately, like it was taken to wardrobe and it was just this whirlwind. I mean, it didn't even. It just happened overnight. Yeah. Yeah, really fast. And met Richard Lester and he's like, and I have this first scene. And it's all. But Chris Reeve invited me to his home. And he was.

had his wife or his girlfriend and two little darling children and we had dinner. And he took me to see Simon and Garfunkel at Wembley Stadium. Wait a minute. And you didn't even really know him. I didn't know him at all. And that was like his way. Yes. Gave me food and tickets and stuff.

And then we were shooting at Pinewood. And he took me down to the commissary. And he said, start a tab for her here at the commissary. He's like, I never went again because, you know, I bring my cheese and crackers from home. Wow. But he couldn't have been more generous and sweet. And then on the set, and so I worked with him mostly as Clark for like weeks. We did all the Clark stuff. Right. And then I was coming to the set. And I was, I was a Superman comic fanatic as a kid. I would, I would trade the comic books. I love Superman. I love it. I wasn't. I wasn't a big Superman thing. Believe it. I look at

me horror movies. Yeah. You know? Yeah. Posters, yeah. Anyway. Oh my God. I know. I know. I know. I So anyway, so the first time I go on the set, and I didn't see him because they had a separate room for him when he was doing, spelling Superman, because I had a lot of different makeup and wig and kind of stuff. He had to put on. And so I didn't see him. And I knew I was going to work with him as Superman. I'd seen one screen as Superman, you know, but I hadn't. So I'm walking in the, and we're going to the set and the stage is really dark. And I hear this voice say, hello, Annette.

And I look to my right. And I look at this, it was like looking up a mountain. I looked like that. And I'm not kidding. I started to kind of like stutter and got chills. And it was there with Superman. He was dressed up. He was in the whole gear.

And talking about it now, I get chills thinking about it. Wow. It was amazing. Because it was a thing from my childhood and from watching movies and then from knowing him. But it was the first time I really felt like, I don't know who that is. He wasn't Chris Reed. You know, he was talking a different way.

He had a totally different kind of energy about him. I don't think people realize what a great actor he was. He was a great actor. I mean, somewhere in time is one of my favorite movies. Yeah. You know, he could just really turn it on. He had this sweetness, this innate vulnerability to him, right? Oh, he was wonderful.

God. Just wonderful. Are you someone who gets, do you even think ahead of time like, this is going to be hit? This has got to be hit, right? It's going to be a hit. I'm sure I've done that a lot in my past, but then how do you treat sort of like when something comes out and it's not great or it doesn't or it bombs or it how do you deal with that stuff? It doesn't really affect me anymore. Maybe early on it did. I'd think, oh,

this is going to, but it all I ever wanted was to continue to work, to do enough work where people knew who I was and not repeat myself. And I've been able to do that. Yeah. So and the this is also why I don't watch what I do. You don't watch what you do, at all. It depends. Sometimes I do. I did, I worked, I did three episodes of kidding with Jim Carrey and Frank Laangella. Oh, boy. And I watched that because I love Frank Langela.

And I, and I had missed an opportunity to work with him early on in my career. I just didn't get this part. He came down to me and somebody else. The other girl got it. And I always regret it. And so I got just a couple of years. years ago to work with him on this thing. And also to work with Jim Carrey, you know, it was like so how was he? He was great. He's very intense. He is. Yes. I don't know if he's always that way

or whether it is his part. But he's not the big funny, outlandish guy you meet. He is. He is when they take action. That's what it happens. But we were also playing a very, I was playing his mother who had Alzheimer's. And I was in a facility that is all in the 60s. If you, if nobody's kidding. You should watch it. It's two seasons of amazing work by everybody. Everybody's so good in it. You would love it. Yeah, I will watch it. He plays a sort of Mr. Rogers type who's going through this

terrible crisis in his marriage and in his life. You've seen it? Well, I've seen it because my girlfriend is actually, she's a voice actress and she's, Tara Lipinski's parakeet. Oh my God. So she does a lot of swearing as like a parakeet. There's like a scene where that's amazing. Where Jim Carrey has to love the show. I'm going to watch it. It's a brilliant. show. It's so sad it didn't continue on. But you don't watch yourself though, by the way. No, so I watch that, but I don't, I don't normally

watch myself. If I want to see for some reason, like a little bit of it, but I won't watch the whole thing. Because it's just, it's never what I wanted it to be because you don't have control of it. Maybe they picked a take you didn't particularly feel good about. Or they cut it together in a way that's like, oh. Or you don't like the way you look. You know, like the way you look. Yeah, all these different things. So it's the doing of it. I love doing it.

I love getting up early and thinking about it and being focused on it and doing it. And it's just, it's like a puzzle that is so different every time because, you know, all the elements are different. The director and the material and your co-actors and where you are if you're in Canada, you know, it's just, I just find it endlessly fascinating because you can prepare and prepare. but once you get there, it's always a little bit different. Unpredictable. Yeah. That's what I love about it. Wow.

And that's why I love being on stage, too, because then you have the live element, you have the audience who's a part of, such a part of the show. That's amazing. I mean, I know those actors who, that's their mentality. I just want to work. Yeah. I just want to work and do something and be on set. And I go, I don't.

I don't want to be on any set. I don't want to work. I want to make, I want to do everything I can to be on something that I think people watch and be like what do you care if you're just acting it's all about i go because i don't want to be on a show that's not great why why is that so bad i want to be on something that's really good or i rather not act it's not bad at all everybody but it's it's a weird mentality that i have it's okay i don't want to just look if i knock on wood but if i was broke i would do anything i would work at macdonalds i don't give a shit i go back to working on go carts being the

mechanic at a go car track but anyway i love that you that's how you feel i love that you just wake up and go and how can I make this interesting and you never what frustrates you though about filming what because there were times I'd say 99% of the time you were always very excited on set but there were some points at the end where I think you were like all right yeah I'm kind of maybe a little over it I was very over I think we were all up you know after a while well for me it was weird see you guys were all there you stayed you lived there when you were shooting and I was there were times I'd go back three three times a week and like Like, I would ask them, each year I would say, is it possible?

You know, I go home on the weekends. Is it possible for me to either have Friday or Monday off? My kids were in school. There were all these school events. And every year I'd ask them, and every year, I'd be the last up Friday night and the first up Monday morning. And it was like. It was just like, you have no, you know, it's all about the show. It's all about the schedule.

I know that was a crazy schedule. Yeah. I mean, second unit, I never saw a second unit. like that where it was just as much big scenes being done on three days of or two or three days of I know and I didn't have to be part of that and I also felt like well if the show is short my scene will be in my little two three page scene will be in and if it's long that'll be the first thing cut because it was always written that way towards the end and I just thought why am I here what's the point right I mean I it was wonderful money because now I

have enough money to do the theater that I want to do it was great you know to provide for my family I'm sorry I got I got a fucking frog

in my head Oh there's the F bomb! There we go I copped it out Yeah we could have edited it but I'm gonna keep your fucking I'm gonna keep you fucking Because I don't you know

Honestly you had a blast I think for a lot of the time It was just towards the end You were just like okay I need it just It was exhausting Because it wasn't interesting work I'll come and do anything if it's interesting

But it was like, here's your coffee You know, here's, here honey, you know Michael always says What did you have to say today? Oh, Clark, how's your leg? You know, for some reason You know, Tom loves you. I love Tom.

I love Tom. I adore Tom. He just spent the night for a couple nights here We're talking about a new project we're doing And he's like, I want to be a friendette And I'm like, well, she's at 12. Oh, I have to leave at 8.30. And he was really bummed, but he always loved working with you. You remember as a scene, he always talks about a scene where he wasn't even supposed to tear up or cry and he got emotional.

Because you made him emotional. You were so engaged and so present in the moment that it got him emotionally, felt like he got really emotional. That's what actors need to do for one another. You need to be in it all the time. You were. You were always there. I tried to be. Anyway, I loved working with Glover.

That was so much fun when we were working together. Yeah. You know, and we'd come up on the plane together and go home usually together. and, you know, it was just, it was, it was a fun time. Like the first few years were really fun. Did you audition for it? No, I came in, I thought you knew this. No, I didn't know anything.

I was doing The Huntress. And so I didn't know anything about it. And the Huntress ended, and I got this call from my agent saying that they wanted to replace Martha Kent. It had been shot. It was a woman named Cynthia. Right, right. Wonderful actress.

So they sent me the pilot. I saw it. And I loved it because I'm the Superman fanatic. Yeah. And I was, I loved it. And then I was like, oh, my God, I'm fucked because I, I love this show. And now I have to go to Vancouver for, but I never expected it to be a hit show. Like that.

Ever. And when it was, it was like, oh, my God, I've got to do this for six years. The people stop you in the streets ever? Yes. And throw their arms around me. What? And say, we love this show. much. It's the only show I can watch with my family. My family, we're in terrible crisis

about all this other stuff, but we sit down and watch Smallville together. And that made me so happy. I thought then that's worth it to me. To be a force for good. Because as an actor, you feel like, oh, I'm just, you know, doing stuff that makes me happy and it's a vain. And what does it mean to people? And it's like, it means something to people. And this show I'm doing now is the same way. I get recognized from it all the time. It's a romantic drama-based on romance books. It was the first time Netflix ever went into that genre. Right. And it has become, it's the fourth most streamed show in the world. In the world. Really? Yeah. It's huge. I got to watch this. They, they, well, it's, you know, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's very, very

romantic and slow. What are you saying? No, I'm saying, it's incredibly, I can't be romantic. You can, but you like horror movies. No, I mean, I mean, I watch, I can, I can, I can, I can, I can, I can, watch anything if it's good. It's good. It's very well done. I'll check it out. I'm going to watch kidding for sure. Oh, you got to watch kidding. It's beautifully produced, written, acted by wonderful, and Tim Matheson, who I've known for 40-something years. We play opposite one another. And we have a great time. And yeah, we're going to do another season soon. They've announced it so I can say Netflix is very, I want you to be very careful about. And what's the show? It's called Virgin River. Virgin River. And where can they find it? Netflix. On Netflix.

Yeah. How do you like working for Netflix? They're great. Really? They're great. They have write a first refusal on everything I do. So anytime I want to do anything, even a play, I have to go to them. You have to ask them. And ask them.

But they're great. They've never said, no, you can't. The only thing I think they would not want me to do is like another mini-series on Showtime or HBO or something. Not that I've been asked. Right. But, you know, that would conflict with them. Where did you meet Michael McCann? I knew Michael for years and years.

because we were, you know, young Hollywood. And we were, yeah. So how far back did you know him? I knew him when he was doing Laverna and Shirley. Really? Yeah. But you were just friends. You didn't think romantic at all.

We weren't even really friends. I was with Bruno Kirby and for many years. And Michael was married, he got married very young. And so he, his wife, Susan was never, she wasn't an actress. so she wasn't involved. She's very into her horses and that kind of, you know, that world. So, so he, when he was, I saw him around, he was always on his own. He was always, you know, kind of stag.

But I'd see him at, you know, Rob Reiner's house at a party. And I was there because, not because of me, because of Bruno. Right. So, and we'd see each other at, at screenings of movies and stuff. So I just saw him and I always thought he was really cute. I loved Laverna Shirley. I thought those guys were amazing and brilliant and hilarious. And I saw him one time.

I remember he was driving in the valley. And I had just started living in the valley. And I saw him and he was with his son. And his son was about five at the time. And I remember we stopped at a light and he was there and I was here. And he looked over and I saw him and we saw each other at exactly the same time. And his face lit up. And I thought, oh, he remembers who I am.

You know, it was like that was really nice. It made me feel really good. Wow. So then I didn't see him. for many, many years. And I was living in Oregon, in Ashland, Oregon. And I was asked to do a lifetime movie called Final Justice. And Ron Silver was supposed to do it.

Wonderful actor Ron Silver. And he decided he'd played one too many sleazy lawyers. So they asked Michael McKeon to do it. And the next time I saw him was in Portland, Oregon, where we played... enemies, adversaries. And we just got to know each other.

So you became friends, really good friends before you actually went out. Yes, yes. I was still living in Oregon, but I was on my way back to L.A. I was divorced. I had been for a few years. But I needed to come back to L.A.

because the girls were about to, my daughters were about to go to high school and into middle school. They're four years apart. So I just, I needed to be back in L.A. to work. I couldn't do it from Oregon anymore because I was now in early 40s and it was just not working out.

So he was, Michael was in a relationship and we just stayed in touch. We would love the same books and movies and music and he called me, say, hey, Elvis Costello's on, blah, blah, blah, I turned it on. It was that kind of relationship. But when did he call and say, I'd like to take you to dinner? He called me. I had a little inkling, right? We would email one another. And I asked him how his girlfriend was.

And he said, she's in Vancouver. It's just as well. Oh. I thought, oh, trouble in paradise. And never thought anything about it. I had no designs on him in that way. I didn't ever want to get married again. I didn't even want to be in a relationship again.

I just wanted to get back to L.A., get my girls in school. My parents were coming to, and we were all going to be in Los Angeles, and I was going to kind of start this new chapter of my life. And so then he, so after that little email exchange, it was, I remember my daughter Anna had been really sick. She was, she had flu or something. And I had her in bed with me. She was like nine, I think, 10. And she was burning up and I wanted to watch her.

So I had her in bed with me. So the phone rang, it's like 11 o'clock at night. And it was him. And I said, oh, Michael, hi, I, I'd love to talk to you. but Anna's really sick and I'm, I just can't talk right now. And he said, oh, okay, I'll call you, can I call you tomorrow? I thought, oh, my God, it's that call. And I did the thing that you, I've never seen anybody else do in life.

When I see it in a movie, I think, that's not real. I went into the bathroom because I didn't want to wake her up. She'd finally gone to sleep. And I did silent screaming and jumping up and down. What? Because I knew, I heard everything in his voice. I knew I would marry him. I knew that we would be together forever.

I just knew it. Some would call that psycho. Yeah. It is psycho. But it's a dream. But it wasn't like you didn't know him. It wasn't like you met somebody at a bar and go, that's the one. No.

This is someone you knew. I knew him very well because I worked with him. I worked with him and I knew how he was in that. Because you know the actor world. You know to stay away. Well, you haven't always stayed away. No. You didn't stay away this time.

No. No, no. No. So our first date was going to a Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell concert. They were on tour together going through all. We saw him at UCLA. Help me. I think I'm falling.

She lived right. Well, she lived close to me. Go ahead. Anyway, it was a fantastic night. And we ended, well, we knew. We both knew when we were both, Van Morrison was singing, have I told you lately, which is our song, and we were just holding one another, weeping, weeping, because it was like this moment of our lives have completely changed. It came out of the blue for both of us.

We weren't looking for it. It just happened. We needed each other. We really did. And it's been so much fun. It's such an adventure. It'll be 23 years married in March, but we've been together 25. Was there a little starstruck you to him, him to be? you at all or was there any gougesis just kind of like no like oh my god he was in spinal tap oh my god he was leverna show and she wasn't seen spinal tap i hadn't seen spinal tap you hadn't seen spinal tap and that right when we were breaking up was when he was doing spinal tap so for me spinal tap was like you know

i just didn't want to see it and then it it got became so popular that i had like well i don't want to see you know and then you ended up singing with the band yeah i sing with the band and of course now it's You know, I realize how great it is, and I even think Bruno's great in it, which he is. So, but, but, you know, it was mostly because I just thought he was such a brilliant guy in general, the way he would talk about everything. He knows, you know, he's a celebrity jeopardy champion. He won a million dollars for a multiple myeloma foundation. He's, he's, he's incredibly smart. Yeah.

He's also very intimidating. I worked with him on Smallville, and I loved him, but I was also, I remember when I, I don't know if you care. You talk about, you smoke pot still, right? Him? Will you? I don't. You don't? He does, yeah.

But I remember smoking pot with him in a hotel room. You were there. We were playing guitar. And I got really high. I mean, he must have gave me some really good weed. And then I got paranoid and I thought I was making an ass of myself. So I kind of left early and I go, oh my God, I just blew it. McKin thinks I'm a dud.

No, he loves you. Michael. That's how I thought. No. He's intimidated. He's really good. He's really, I think he's just intense because he's always serious. about the role. He wants to nail the role. He wants to do. So he's like that. And that's what it was

about. It wasn't about. You know what I mean? But I loved it. I loved it. But I always adored him. Tell me the story quickly about it's 9-11. It's one of the worst time moments in U.S. history. And you were trying to, you had to go back to tell the story. I'd flown up on 9-10 to do second unit on the second episode, the one that Dan Loria, the football episode. And so, uh, I, I'd flown up. And so the next morning all hell broke lists the world completely turned upside down so I was there and all day I was waiting to be called

to the set, finally got called to the set and they came to the door of my dressing room and said we're not going to get to you sorry and I burst into tears another thing that when they say on the page she bursts into tears I'd never really known how to do that until that day when I burst into tears in front of the poor Sarah the PA

I remember Sarah yeah blonde hair. It's very sweet. So I burst into tears and then it didn't look like they were going to get to it anytime soon. So I called the office Bob guy and said I would like to go home because I was away from my family and I was, I thought, well, they're going to hit L.A. If they're going to hit L.A., I want to be home. Yeah. So I just wanted to get home. I said, if you're not going to need me, I'm going home. There are no flights. So I took the car that I had been renting and I drove home and I stopped in Reading

that was the only only stop and I got home they called and they said we need you tomorrow I said you told me I could go home I was like weeping I said I

why and then they said if you're not here we're going to that kind of stuff they started getting really nasty about it and so I said well I can't get there tomorrow because I can't get a plane unless you want to charter a flight for me

so I'm so mad so Michael said I'm coming with you. So I turned around the next morning we left. And drove. Drove. Drove all the way back. So somewhere between Portland and Seattle, I got this weird melody in my head. Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da. And it kept going over and over and over in my head. Finally, I said, Michael, do I, am I making this up or is this a song, an old song that he said, oh, I've never heard, you're making that up. He said, let's put lyrics to it. So we just, he said, no, the potatoes in the

paddy wagon dead it and I said oh okay but potato has to be a girl it can't be just potatoes oh okay and we wrote the whole song in the car on the drive in the car and we had nothing's like with thinking nothing's going to happen with this yeah nothing's going to happen so we get get there and we finished the song in fact I think I went to work the next morning and he finished filling it all in and like he didn't have he must have brought his guitar he brought his guitar because he always yes he had his guitar so he was fooling around with it figuring it out and he said you know I think Chris will might like this for a mighty win. Chris guest.

Chris guest. Because they were in the process of writing all the songs for them moving. So we did. We wrote that. And then we, I can't remember the timeline. But anyway, Chris asked Michael to write if he wanted to write this signature song for Mitch and Mickey. And he said the only thing, it has to have a kiss in it. There's a kiss, whether they're going to kiss or not.

Kiss at the end of the rainbow. And so Michael said to me, do you want to write this song? song with me. I have a title already. A kiss at the end of the rainbow. I said, yeah. So I drank two glasses of wine that night. He drank, he smoked his, his friend. And we sat down and we wrote it. We mostly wrote the song. And then we took Jimmy, our beloved dog Jimmy, out for a walk and finished writing the song. And then I took it to Chris, sang it for Chris. and he said, oh, it's beautiful, but it's too, it's a real song. It's too, it's not, he didn't think it was going to be funny enough.

So we went home and wrote another song called Closer Than Tomorrow, which is another wonderful song. But Jamie Lee Curtis happened to be there when we sang it. She said, oh, no, that's the song. It should be a wonderful song. It shouldn't be funny. It should be a real love song. And we love that song because it's just about us.

It's about our story and just kind of how we feel about it. one another and we're nominated for an Academy Award for it was really really crazy come on because of all the and that score should have been nominated every song Chris wanted every song to be a different type of folk song right and that's what they did you know they and Eugene and Catherine wrote stuff and C.J. Vanston who's the spinal tap guy and who does all their music for all their movies and traveled with them and unwigged, unplugged. He wrote a sea shanty and didn't have lyrics,

so Michael and I wrote the lyrics for that. Jesus. So I had three songs represented in the movie. Three songs. And you had never written a song before, really. I'd written stuff for the kids, just stupid, yeah. So then I started writing in earnest.

I started writing a lot of songs, and we were going to write a musical together, which is never going to happen because it's just too hard. Is Christopher guessed intimidating? He used to be to me. just because of what you say he's just so brilliant and you just think so much of his work and his amazing

you know these stories which are so sweet but when you look at the movies that's what he's like he's very sweet you know he has a goodness about him that is not apparent because he doesn't show it very much but he's a lovely man and yeah I forgot the notes

we're going to do this last segment it's really quick It's Rapid Fire. Oh, God. This is called shit talking with the Nettoole. Okay. And these are from patrons. Lovable patrons. They're on my Patreon.

They support the podcast in many ways. Leanne, what was it like having your husband portray Perry White on Smallville? I noticed the two of you did not have a lot of scream time together during that episode. We had a wonderful time. It was just nice to have him up there with me and being paid to be up there with me, being my fancy man. Yeah, we didn't have a lot to do on set together. But later on we did. They called us both back for a, for a.

episode, you know, after my first stint. And anytime I'm with Michael, off on screen, I'm very happy. Awesome. Razzie, my question is, what is the funniest thing that you have seen happen on the set of Smallville? On the set of Smallville. Gosh, the first thing that comes to my mind, is that funny? My daughter, Anna, came up and was a cheerleader in the, in the episode where they were doing a lot of cheerleading. So I just remember being out there with her. And you know I'm sort of the stage mom like oh is she okay because she wasn't really supposed to be there she's not Canadian she wasn't really you know working like but she's featured that they were very sweet about featuring her and she did a really good job but she was in the sun and she

didn't have sunblock on and I was very concerned about her her white skin very pale skin well she's very easily burned so not that's not funny funny god I'm it was it rosy was that rosy Razi, I want to think of something funny. I mean, I had to have made you laugh. I'm sure I made you laugh on. You made me laugh all the time. It's about nonsense. That's okay.

Lisa H. Yes. Well, no, Emily S. What is it like filming on It? Such a classic movie, one of my favorites. I had the most, maybe the next to doing cross my heart with Marnie Short, because I did nothing but laugh on that show. It was close to that because it had all these guys.

I was the only girl. I was like going to summer camp. I never went to summer camp. in my real life but it was what I imagined but they were all like vying for my attention and they were all really brilliant funny guys um I'd known John and Richard Thomas um forever and we just we just had a ball even Tim Curry I mean because out of out of penny wise you know he was just one of us it was really so he would talk to you guys and like he wasn't too serious going hello no no no god no we all go out to gender guy we went dancing that was kind of

our bonding moment to be this group of people together. Yeah. Kristen K. Yes. Not Kristen Kru. Will your character hope be returning to Virgin River? The answer is? The answer is yes.

For season four? Season four and then we go start season five sometime later this year. I don't know when. This is a little complicated question. I don't know if you could do a rapid fire, but Maya P. Over your career, how have you seen female roles evolve and what would you like to still see? What would you still like to see? Female roles evolve.

I like that, you know, it's funny because I like the idea that women are being these kind of badass, you know, running around. This movie, I don't know the name of it, that actress I love Mary Elizabeth Winstead did where she's this now, she's a hit woman or she's something like that. I love the idea of it, but when I see the trailer, I don't want to see it. I just, it's not that I want her to be a girl. I want her to do what guys do, but I don't like movies like that at all, I guess. Maybe that's my thing. I'm not big, yeah, I know what she made. But I love that, I love, I love movies made by women.

This Power the Dog, Jane Campion's new film. I got to see it. I haven't seen it. It's so great. I didn't like Spencer. Bored is shit. I don't ever like to say not good things about things. It's like I just, I just don't say anything.

I can't not. Well, it's good. It's good. I wish I were more, I'm honest. I'm honest. I'm honest at home, but I, listen, I think she did a very good job, a very good job. I love her. I think she's fantastic.

I love her very much. And you know who I really love, Scarlett Johanson? Oh, yeah. I adore her. I think she's such a good act. I hope I answered the question about women's roles. I, you know, I can't, I can only really speak for myself. Yeah.

No, quickly, how is Nick Nolty to work with? I love Nick Nolty. You love Nick Nolty. I love Nolty. Favorite line in 48 hours is when he was with Eddie Murphy. And Eddie Murphy's sitting, he goes, Jack, tell me a story. He's like, fuck you. you convict. He's like, oh, that's one of my favorites.

Remember that? I vaguely remember, because I only saw it once when it first came out. I love Nick Nolte. I had a wonderful time with him, and I saw him a few years ago, and we had a nice... Annette, how are you? Yeah, nice big hug. Working with Barry Manelow. Did you sing with Barry? Yes. What did you sing? I was Lola. You were Lola. So you sang all these songs of them? I sang Man Wanted, which is this wonderful song. and he was mostly him singing I got to sing Abidababah Honeymoot

Abidabada Abadabada Abadabada Abadabada A said the monkey to the chimp Because our characters meet by going on Like name that tune or something And so I say something wrong I say abadababab ad I said the monkey

To the shrimp And so I get kicked off Then I faint because I haven't eaten And then he wins the contest And he takes me out to dinner or something And then we decide we're going to audition For the Copacabana show Was he great?

He was fantastic Barry Manalo She worked with Barry Manilow. I did. I loved him. See, this is on like this Pollyanna. I love pretty much everybody. No, it's good.

That's why people like working with you. That's why you know. Well, I just appreciate them. Everybody works so hard and everybody's very different. And I just enjoy what I do. Well, I love you being here. Thank you for answering all my questions. Absolutely.

This has been really fun for me. Me too. I found out a lot about you that I didn't really know. Oh, good. You know what I mean? Sometimes you have to put the headphones on. You have to zone in and go, holy shit, man. Annette.

Look at this. Oh, well, thank you for having me back. I haven't been here in so many years. I'm very happy to be back. Well, guys, watch Virgin River season four Netflix. I'm going to watch it, so you should. And I'm also going to watch that kidding. Yes.

I really got to watch that. Kidding is wonderful. And because Amanda's the voice of the parrot. If you want to hear a parakeet drops in sea bombs, then, yeah. Sweet. Thank you, Annette, for allowing to be inside of you. Absolutely. You will call James Remar and talk to Michael about being on the show.

I will have to find, he changed his email address, so I'll have to track him down some other ways. Yeah, I have somebody else who knows him real well who asked me about him coming on the podcast. I just love him. I'll find him. He's awesome. He's awesome. All right, I love you. Love you too. Bye. I love talking to her. It was groovy having her over the house. I hadn't seen her in a long time. I thought she looked great. Yeah. And she was really sweet.

She was a nice person. Nice disposition. Yeah. Nice demeanor. Yeah. Yeah. Just really friendly. She's really friendly. I really like it.

I hope you like the podcast today. I hope you, thank you for listening. Thank you for taking the time to listen. I'm about to read the top tier patrons. Also reminding you if you want to get any cool merch, signed autographs, Lex Luther, or sign stuff,

Tumblr's, mugs from the podcast, go to the inside of you online store. If you want band stuff, go to sunspin.com, get your sunspin hat, get your sunspin mug, pictures, CDs, albums, all that stuff. And if you want to join Patreon to support the podcast, go to patreon.com slash inside of you, I will write you a message as soon as I see your message. So I thank you.

We're going to read the top tier patrons, Ryan. Okay. Are you ready for this? Let's do it. Well, blitz through them. Nancy D. Leah asked Sarah V. Little Lisa, Uquico, Jill E, Brian H., Nico P.R. Robert B. Jason W. Kristen K. Did I tell you we have new inside of you socks available on the inside of you online store? Well, we do. Inside of you online socks, folks. If you want some socks, go to that inside of you online store. Raj C. Hi, Raj. Joshua D. C.J.P. Jennifer N. St. L. St. N. F. J. L.A. L. S. C. L.A. N. B. K. L. N. B. K. L. L. N. B. L. L. L. L. L. S. L. L. L. L. S. L. L. L. L. Correct. Chris H. Dave H. Sheila G. Brad D. Ray H. Tab of the T. Tom N. Lillian A. Talia M. Betsy D. Chatt L. Rochelle Marion. Meg. K. Trav. Dan. The man. N. All right. Big Stevie. W. Angel. Of mine. Angel of mine. Well, M. Angel of M. Oh, great. Of mine. Rian and C. Corey K. Super Sam. Dev. Nexon.

You got it. Dev Nexon. What's up, Deb Nixon. It's Super Sam. Michelle A, Jeremy C, Andy T, Cody R, Gavinator, David C, John B, Brandy D, Yvore, Camille, S, the C, Joey M, Willie F, David H, Omer, I, Design O T, Eugene, and Leah, Chris P, Nikki G, Corey, Nicole, Patricia Heather L, Jake B, James B, Bobbitt, Joshua B, Tony G, Megan T, Mel S, Orlando C, John B, Caroline R, Rob E, Paul C, Christine S, Sarah S, S, and. Eric, H, Spring, Jennifer R, Shane R, M, R, M, and Jeremy V. Jeremy, it's a funny way of spelling it, J-E-R-A-M-I-E. Oh, that's fun. Jeremy Spoken. Yeah, hey guys, without you guys on the Patreon, I really couldn't do this show. You helped the podcast more than you possibly know and thank you.

And those of you who want to join Patreon and get your name shouted out, join it. Patreon. Um, this has been a real treat having a netto two on the show. Uh, last week we had Jared Padalecki. I think the shows are getting better and better. I hope you stay tuned. I hope you stick around. I'm trying to stick around, but I need you to help me stick around.

So keep motivating me. Keep appreciating in the show. Keep sending kind messages. Keep, uh, spreading the word. And most importantly, be good to yourselves. Damn it. Be good to yourselves. And, uh, I hope you have a lovely week from myself, Michael Rosenbaum here in the Hollywood Hills

of California. We're losing right here to the Caddwood. It goes gotta what right there

and that camera up there. We lose our minds sometimes. Sometimes. I think I'm losing my mind

this time, this time. I'm losing my mind. You know who that is? No. Beastie boys. Really? Yeah.

Beastie boys. Guys, thank you for allowing me to be inside of each and every one of you. It's a real treat.

You know, it's really cool when your colleagues are talking about how much they like your show and fans come up to you and just listeners. They're not even fans, listeners, people who listen to the show and it keeps me motivated. It really does.

So thank you again. And again, be good to yourselves. I'll see you next week. All right. Bye. Bye. Hi, I'm Joe Sal C. Hi, host of the Stackin' Benjamin's podcast.

Today, we're going to talk about what if you came across $50,000. What would you do? 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.