Locked In with Ian Bick - The #1 TV Show Inmates Watch In Federal Prison | Gianni Paolo

Episode Date: March 24, 2024

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market, no house, no odds makers. And as the odds move, you can buy in or out anytime throughout the post season. For a limited time, download the Cali app and use code hoops to get $10 when you trade $10. KLSHI, Kalshi, Couchi, trade on anything. We shoot in

real prisons. Wait, so you guys go in the federal buildings or now? Real prisons. There's inmates just walking around. So lunch that day, so lunch is always like six hours after call. Before we shot our scene, they broke for lunch. So I was like, okay, cool, I'm going to go to lunch. Lunch was in prison.

Lunch was in the commissary in a real prison. So I go on the elevator and there's, I'm with a PA, which is a production assistant. And there is also two inmates with a guard in the elevator. And the guys were like, oh, shit, it's Tariq's roommate from power. I'm like, dude, this is insane. I am so excited for today's episode. I had the opportunity to fly out to Los Angeles a couple weeks ago and interview actor Gianni Paiolo, at Spotify's state-of-the-art podcast studio.

In this episode, we get into how Gianni got into acting, his rise in success on the stars hit TV series, power and ghost, and what it's like to film inside a prison and play the role of a criminal. Huge shout out to Spotify for sharing their studio with me, and I'm very much looking forward to doing more with them in the future. My plan is to head out to L.A. once a month

to shoot some exciting interviews with a wide range of guests, and I'm so excited to share it with you guys. Now, without further ado, sit back, relax, and get ready to lock in with Gianni Paolo. You know what's interesting is that there's this world of individuals like yourself who are actors who like play criminals in the show or just have no affiliation to being in jail and they're interested in the content because they've never experienced that.

Right, right. So it's cool that the world allows individuals like us to connect because in a different lifetime we probably never would have connected. Yeah, it's crazy. I did do some musical theater back of my day, though. Wait, where'd you, you went to high school in Connecticut? Yeah, Danbury High School. I was in Montessori School for up until like seventh grade.

And then I went to public high school. And I actually owned a club. It was called Tuxedo Junction. Right. And we did like the Shane Smoker, Steve Ioki, like all these raves. And that's how I ended up getting into trouble and going to prison. Wait, so what was it? Like, I've listened to a lot of your videos, but like refresh it.

You just did some fraud stuff with somebody that came in? So what happened was in a nutshell is that I started off all legit. I was doing these teen parties selling $10, $15 a ticket, all cash. I was killing it, like $10,000 a night once a month on these teen raves. And then I wanted to get into the big concerts. In order to get into big concerts, you have to have money to produce the shows. First show I did was Big Sean, my freshman year of high school. That's crazy.

It tanked. We lost like 40 or 50 racks, and that was our own money. After that, we started raising money. And what happened was I was overpromising and under-delivering. I was so confident that we were doing Chief Keefe, Tyga. Chief Keefe stood me up, didn't show up the night of a show. What? Wild stories, man.

So I just over-promised, under-delivered, and then I was like a kid. So when people were like, well, where's our money, this and that? I just kept lying and lying to try to cover it up and to stall so I can – because I always wanted to pay everyone back. Right. And I just got way in over my head, and then I started borrowing money from shady people. Right.

And it was just like, it turned into an accidental Ponzi scheme, is what I call it. Like, picture like Billy McFarland mixed with like Wolf of Wall Street and then running the club as this teenager and stuff. Wait, so how many years did you do? I did three years. I got a three-year sentence. I did 24 months.

Oh, fuck. But it was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. Yeah, for sure. And HBO actually did a documentary about my story. Oh, nice. But then when they merged with Discover, they took it down because it was part of a bigger series. Right. But we have, like, a pitch deck and we're hoping, you know, one day it'll turn into something we're working on a book and stuff.

Right. Maybe I'll play you in a TV show. That would be pretty... You could. You could fit the part. I think I could. If we did it in the next couple of years, I could. Yeah, you did some tattoos, though.

We've got to get you some tattoos. Are you jaded? Yeah, I got both sleeves. Oh. I wish I could. See, that's why I don't have tats because if I had to play you, like, I would have to cover. and then put new tattoos on. I have leg tattoos, but like...

Oh, I didn't know you had liked tattoos. Yeah, everything here, like, whatever you can see with the shirt and pants on, I have no task. Oh, and you have something right here, right? I saw on. Yeah, yeah, right here. What was that shirtless thing you were doing with Theo Vaughn?

Was it... I was watching something on YouTube. You were doing... You were sitting on someone's lap and you were like... Oh, Chris DeStefano. Oh, okay, that's what it was. I've never met him. Yeah, he's a comedian.

I don't know, like, because I come from that world, like, before I did power, I was producing comedy podcast. I was booking guests. I was doing social media for Theo Vaughn, Chris DeStefano, Andrew Santino, like Bobby, like, all like the big comedians. So I come from that world. So Chris, I did his podcast like maybe a year and a half ago.

You know, power had already come out. And I just will do dumb, goofy shit where it's like, sometimes people are like, wait, well, why are you doing that? I'm like, I come from this world of comedy podcasting. Like, that's like my roots. So I don't, I have no. problem like taking my shirt off or being dumb or being stupid like that a lot of times people want you to be like the cool like good looking guy that you like you see on television and I'm like nah I'm

just I just want to have fun so I come from that so that's what you probably saw that video and I think we took like mushrooms and then did like another episode I didn't remember it was so long ago but yeah I think that's what you're talking about and it's interesting meeting someone that plays someone in a show you fit Braden's character right so perfectly well the reason that happened is because I um My character was originally in power written like my brother, Trace. He was like kind of a stuck-up, douchback. He was Tariq's roommate. But me, the way that I was, I knew what the lines were.

And I did to, you know, serve the scene. I knew what I was there was supposed to be some conflict with Tariq in the original power. But then I came in one of the takes and they're like, have fun with it. And I kind of was just really me and just having fun and making jokes and improvising because I did a lot of live stage improv. So I knew how to like, you know, put a joke here, put a button here. And they loved it. And I think that's, you know, it made Michael laugh, Michael, not to, like, he was laughing.

So it made them see a different side of Tariq. We're like, oh, wait, he actually is like a human being and, like, not always just angry and trying to sell drugs. Like, it shows another part of him. And I think that's why they kept me around because they're like, oh, Braden brought out this and Tariq. And then they just started writing towards who I was. was for the character, which is fucking crazy and, you know, making jokes here and there. And that's why you see a lot of that stuff now in book two. It's a lot of just who I am.

And it's a lot of my own jokes that I put in there at the end or, you know, I talk with the writers. And that's why it's very similar to who I am is Braden. Yeah. I mean, you guys are both just incredible actors. And I feel like as an audience member, we underappreciated it in the original power because you guys didn't get to necessarily grow into the roles you're at now. So it's so cool to see the growth from that.

Just like it's awesome. But let's get into it, man. It's a pleasure to have you on the show. We've been talking about this for a few months. And you're so responsive. Like, I appreciate that, man. Of course. Yeah, dude, I saw your videos.

Yeah, I think it was sometime last year. And dude, I think, did you post like a 10 minute clip on TikTok? I've been doing TikToks, 10 minutes now. Dude, you posted like a 10 minute clip and I remember watching it and being, and 10 minutes had gone by. And I said, holy shit. I watched his whole shit. So I loved your story. I mean, it was a while ago now, maybe about like, you know, eight, nine months since I, you know, watched that clip where you were telling your specific story.

I've obviously seen your clip since of other people you've had on. But I was just so fucking intrigued. So I followed you and you're, you know, you're a great talker. You're a great podcaster. So, yeah, we just kept in touch and here I am. Yeah. And we're actually, we grew up kind of close. You were in Rhode Island.

Yeah. I used to do shows at URI. Oh, really? What year did you graduate? 2013 high school. So I'm a year older, I think. You're 27 now. Yeah, I was graduated in 2014.

Where did you go to college? I didn't go to college. I moved to L.A. But you had a hockey career. Yeah. And the reason why I wanted to bring that up is because are you familiar with the Danbury Trasher story? I am. So I do AJ's podcast talking trash.

Oh, no way. He's a good, we got to get you a jersey. Yeah. Do you want one of those? I would love one. Okay, we'll get you one. I actually, so funny, they're doing a movie about him. And I read for AJ's part, we are nothing alike.

And, you know, I knew I wasn't going to get it. but I remember when it came in. And I was like, oh, shit. Like, I love this. Dude, incredible. Because it happened during the pandemic, like, when that came out. And, like, my next door, my parents' next door neighbor is one of the brothers. What's, what's, uh, Omichelli, the Omichelli brothers who they were, like, talking back

and forth in the documentary. They were, like, the two funny brothers and the Trashers one. They were my next door, my parents' next door neighbor during the pandemic. So, like, when it came out, it was like this whole, like, oh, my God. no way. Like, they played hockey and Dan Barry was like this whole thing. And then my brother got in contact with AJ and they sent my brother a jersey. So my brother is a jersey and I don't.

Oh, dude. Yeah. Yeah. Say less. We got you. AJ comes to studio all the time and his dad was recently on AJ's podcast for his like first one. And when his Netflix deals expired, he's going to come on to ours to kind of like tell his story. And I know they're doing the series at Netflix.

Nice. It's a whole series. Yeah, that's what they're doing. I thought they were doing a film. So that the movie with is on Peacock or something. Apple or something that you probably read for with that famous actor that's producing it. David Harbour, right? Yeah, that's playing the dad.

And then they're doing a series at Netflix. Damn. So they're working on that, but Drake just blew the whole thing. Yeah, it was crazy. When he first for the jersey, too. It's such a cool jersey too. It really is. Yeah. Yeah, I gotta get you. I'll get you a hoodie too. The hudies are fired. Fire, yeah. So what was

school, what was like high school like for you growing up in Rhode Island? High school was actually, like, I had a great time in high school. So I played junior hockey for my junior and senior year. So bear with me. I went to my same high school for four years. But junior year, I went to a different high school for three quarters and then transfer back. And then my senior year, I went to a different high school for two quarters and then transfer back because I was playing the hockey season.

And then I would just come back to my regular high school. Because I would play in, you know, Pennsylvania or, you know, Maine. And like, none of my friends are there. and no one who is on my, because I was playing junior hockey, pretty much everyone was out of high school. So it was just me alone in this random town just going to this local high school.

And the second the hockey season was over, I would just transfer back to my old high school. But I had the fuck it. Like people always say like, you know, high school, dude, I had the best four years. Like, I had such a good time. How would your friends describe you from back then if we had them here today?

I mean, exactly the way that I am now. Just like crazy. We'll fucking say anything. I did. I got in a lot of. trouble in middle school, but I knew in high school that if I wanted to, because I wanted to play, the goal was play Division I College Hockey at an Ivy League school and then do the theater program. So like, I was like, I wanted to go to Yale or Princeton because they have good theater programs.

And then I could do acting and I could play D1 college hockey. You know, it'd be the, you know, the best of both worlds. So when I, you know, I was playing junior hockey for so many years and I was like, dude, if I, They want you to be a 21-year-old freshman at these colleges because they want you to be big and strong. So when you graduate, you don't go right to college. You take a couple of years off, do nothing, and then you just play hockey.

So I'm like, by the time I play four years of college hockey and all this stuff, I'm going to be 24 moving to L.A. Like, I'm going to miss all my high school roles. By the time I was 24, I was already on power. I'm like, I definitely made the right choice. Sometimes I think, you know, I wish I played college hockey, but like I think I made the right choice on, I moved out on my 19th birthday.

So I played one year of junior hockey and during that one year is when I really dove into acting in Rhode Island. I did a play. I was doing a lot of live improv all in Rhode Island. So I was having such a terrible year playing hockey and I was having such an unreal year acting and doing that stuff. And I was like, this is what I want to do. Like I don't want to play college hockey anymore.

Was it a hard decision at the time? I know now looking back on it, it's easy to say, but back then. Weirdly, it wasn't. Like, so there was this, it was so funny because my dad saw him

the other day. His name's Scott Harlow and he was one of the biggest pricks I've ever met in my life and I'll say that fucking anywhere. Um, he was my junior hockey coach. And he really fucked me over

my last two years of playing. And I'm so thankful that he did because I really think like I'd be playing college hockey, maybe not starting, maybe just being like, fucking miserable and I would have never moved here so what he did actually really was of service to me and like dude I'm fucking living my dream right now so it really wasn't a hard decision because

I had such a fucking shitty year that last year playing that I was like I'm so done with hockey like I'm just done and I moved out here I lied to my parents a little bit I was like I'm gonna come back um and I'll you know I'm just gonna go there for the summer and then I'll come back and we'll I'll play one more year junior hockey. I never touched my hockey back again. I put it in the closet. I brought it in the closet. And yeah,

I just started auditioning and that was that. No, it could be fake, but I was reading some articles that you were close to getting to the next level in hockey? Yeah, I mean, I was drafted in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League,

which is like, you know, the league at Cini Crosby play. It's like one of the, it's the best junior league you can play in before you go to the NHL. So, you know, I had a lot of D1 colleges that were looking at me. You know, Princeton was like the one

that I wanted to go to and their whole coaching staff got fired. It was like this whole thing. And that's really like, that was my goal. Princeton and do theater there. But that's why like my grades weren't great in middle school because I was so fucking crazy. And then in high school, I kind of got together with the grades. But like I still was pretty fucking wild. I think living on my own with my older brother helped me a little bit because he was

on my junior hockey team, my junior year in Pennsylvania. It helped me grow up a little bit. but I still was fucking just out of control. But my freshman in sophomore year, like, I can't even believe. Like, I didn't, like, go to fucking jail. Like, I was, we were just doing crazy shit just all the time. Yeah, when you watch content, like mine, for example, of the people that, you know, have gone to prison or even someone like me were so similar in age, do you ever compare that to you and be like,

wow, that could have been me if I did one wrong move? For sure. Like, I remember my seventh and eighth grade, I was, dude, I was selling weed. I was definitely getting in with, like, the wrong crowd. I got cut from a team, the Long Island gulls when I was 12. I played on a team on Long Island. And I lived in Rhode Island, so I would just drive to Long Island on the weekends. It was like three and a half hour drive.

And the reason I got cut is because I couldn't practice with them because I was living at home. And I was 13. I didn't want to live away from home. So I got cut. And I remember that was a year where I'm like, fuck, like, whatever, fuck hockey. And I didn't really have a team to play for it. So that was the year I kind of got into some shit. And yeah, dude, you could, you know, we would get in fights, whatever.

You could easily punch someone and their head hit the ground and you're in, you know, manslaughter. You're in jail for 10 years. I've had people like that on the show. It's crazy. Yeah, it really is. Were your parents supportive overall of whichever you chose hockey? The NBA playoffs are here and now you can trade every game on Calci. You can also trade on who wins each series, the conference finals, and the championship.

San Antonio is currently trading at 22% to win it all, meaning a $100 trade pays out $455 if they take the title. On Calci, you're trading against other people in a live market. no house, no odds makers. And as the odds move, you can buy in or out anytime throughout the postseason. For a limited time, download the Calci app and use code hoops to get $10 when you trade $10. KLSHI, Kalshi, trade on anything. The NBA playoffs are here, and now you can trade every game on Cali. You can also trade on who wins each series, the conference finals, and the championship.

San Antonio is currently trading at 22% to win it all, meaning a $100 trade pays out $455 if they take the title. On Calci, you're trading against other people in a live month. market, no house, no odds makers. And as the odds move, you can buy in or out anytime throughout the post season. For a limited time, download the Kalshi app and use code hoops to get $10 when you trade $10. KLSHI, Kalshi, trade on anything. Acting moving to L.A. My dad wanted the hockey for me.

He didn't want the fucking acting at all. My mom was like, chase your dream. Like, do whatever the fuck you want. Now, since my dad has been on a red carpet with 50 cent, he's like, all right, he made the right choice. But like, yeah, my dad wanted hockey for me. And, you know, obviously he wanted me to get an education. And they put so much into me playing hockey that that's obviously, you know, what they wanted, which I understood. But at the same time, I'm like, I just, I knew what I wanted to do.

Dude, ever since I was really young, I was like 13. And I had every hockey coach, like, I would say wild shit in the locker room because I had older brothers and all of his friends would be over. And they would like snap their heads. Like, what did you just say? and I would make them laugh. And they were like, you should be, you should be do entertainment or stand-up or acting like, you shouldn't play hockey.

And I always thought they were trying to, like, compete. Like, their kids were on my team. And they were like, let's get this good kid out of here. That was like my brain back then. But that was the first time I ever entered my head like, oh, like, yeah, I could maybe do this. And obviously watching Disney Channel, like, oh, how cool are these kids, you know?

Yeah, you never were like a Disney star or anything like that. No, luckily because I've met all those kids in their fucking out of control. Like, at least I grew up with some, like, normality and, you know, my friends. I feel like Michael is such a good who plays Tariq. He's such a good testament of child actors. Every child actor I know is, like, fucked. And, but Michael, he grew up around his normal friends in Staten Island while he was on power. So he is still, like, you know, a child actor. And, you know, he has the fame aspect of it. But he, since he was around his, you know, his friends growing up, he's so normal, which is like, I'm able to see how Michael operates and I'm able to see how a lot of

these kids operate out in L.A. And I'm like, all these kids are really fucked in the head. Yeah, I can't even imagine. Who do you look up to as a child or as a teenager in the acting world? Who'd you want to become? Like, when I was really young, I remember I was like 10, 11, I would, I loved Sweet Life as Zach and Cody. I was like, great show. Dude, I was like, these guys are fucking legends, you know? And I really like that, so Raven, I thought, um, the guy played Eddie, which he's fucking, didn't something happen to him? Yeah, he's doing crazy interviews now. God bless. God bless whatever was going on with him. But I loved his, he was so funny. His comedic timing was great. So I really looked up to like the Disney era.

And then once I started getting into like stand-up comedy, like when Kevin Hart's podcast specials got put on Netflix, like Netflix changed a whole game with stand-up. So then I started watching a lot of stand-up. And I really, you know, like Nick Swartz and a lot of Adam Sandler movies I loved, like Happy Gilmore. I kind of got into that phase. So, what really made me move to L.A. was Sons of Anarchy. I watched Sons of Anarchy, and I was, Charlie Hunt, I'm so fucking cool. And I'm like, God, like, I just want to do this. And that's really, I think that was really the show that made me make the move.

Yeah. So you go out to L.A., do you have resources? Do you have anything? Are you by yourself? What's that look like? So my uncle, he was the only person I knew in L.A., and he created Bates Motel. but he was just doing that and he was trying to get the next thing

so like I remember I was like oh is there like do you have any can't be an agent or anything like that and he's like I'm trying to do it too and I'm like ah fuck I really know so I remember being like ah damn like I'm just out here and no connections

no anything I just like I think just moving away and playing hockey and figuring going to different schools and figuring out like I just I know people well so when I I would meet people or I just figured out the business so quick. And I actually got an agent within the first couple weeks of me being here.

That's pretty unheard of. Yeah. I was just like, I went on LA casting. I got a thing and an agent reached out to me. And I remember just like, okay, now I got this. Now I got a commercial agent. Now I got a voiceover agent. And I would have no credits.

And all these people would go to my IMD. And you're like, how do you represent it by like 10 people? You don't have. And I just was able to figure out the business. And I'm like, now I'm going to get really fucking good at acting. Because now I know the business side. So then I would take like six or seven classes a week, like four hour classes, worked a restaurant job, and just grind it and got as good as I possibly could be.

Because like once that opportunity comes knocking, which was that co-star on power, which turned into, you know, being a series regular, you got to deliver because you might, you know, you don't get these opportunities a lot. So I booked a couple guest stars and then I did that movie Ma right before power and that was kind of how everything like blew up. Yeah, talk about that grind aspect of it because there's so many people that do do what you do and don't make it or even scared to jump in and leave a job, they don't like or move away and work that, you know, restaurant job or driving Uber

or doing what they have to do. What was that like for you? I didn't have anything else. Like a lot of people have a backup plan. And I think acting was technically my backup plan because hockey was always the plan. But really, I wanted to do acting. But the backup plan was acting. So I'm like, this is it.

This is all I have. If I don't give this my all, I, like, I don't know what the fuck I'm going to do. Like, I didn't ever want to do anything else. So, but I never one time thought in my head that I wouldn't make it. Like, I didn't have a second of doubt. I know that's so crazy to say now because, you know, you do get in a little, like, now you're in a pool with, okay, now you got to book these bigger movies. And then it gets to the, once you get to the top, it's harder and harder because all this stuff is being offered to all these A-listers already. and you just got to fucking beat them out.

So a little doubt can be, well, they're not going to offer me that. But back then, I had nothing. And I was like, I know I'm going to fucking make it. I had no doubts in my mind. So looking back, it is kind of crazy, but I'm here. No, I'm the same way. I dive right in.

Like, I remember when I was out four years before I got into social media. And one day I woke up. I was actually, funny story. MTV was about to cast me in a dating show. No, right when you got out? No. So it was four years. after HBO doc came out, didn't really like blow me up like, because it was HBO

Max. No one was watching that shit at the time I was brand new. It wasn't Netflix, you know? And I got on TikTok and my first viral video was talk about solitary. And then an MTV casting producer hit me up there. Like, we love you for this dating European show or whatever. I was like, great, this is fake because I just got my passport back from the feds. I quit my job at Whole Foods.

I had worked at Whole Foods for three, four years. But then the casting producer ghosted me. So I was stuck with nothing. but living off my credit cards for a few months, driving Uber, made in Only fans for a little bit. Were you fucking on Only fans? No, I wasn't fucking, but I, dude,

feet pictures, you know, you gotta do what you gotta do, you know? And it's not sustainable for a guy unless you are fucking or, you know, because you can only do so much solo. Right, right.

So I did that, I think I made like 10 grand in like two months doing that. Nice. I mean, that's nothing compared to some of the women that do it. Right, right.

And then I finally, I got my first big break last year when no jumper posted. I paid for protection federal prison one of my clips and that kind of like exploded it. But I feel you 100% on you just know you have that feeling no matter what. And that relates people like that. They love that grind. When you got out, did they make you get a job at Whole Foods like immediately? So I got out and I had like three or four chapters of a book written in prison.

I like read all the Wolf of Wall Street books. Read every prison memoir. I'm like, this is going to be a movie, this is going to be a TV series. Right. I think I queried like 150 agents in L.A. and New York City, out of all of them, four got back to me and then nothing ever ended up happening. And it was just like I kept doing things I'd get like, you know, a little bit of a hook like Vice did a documentary that did like 3 million hits on YouTube, but that didn't go anywhere. And then the HBO doc.

And I was just so stuck on my story. And then when I realized that wasn't going to happen, I went to Whole Foods and they gave me a job for $15 an hour at the hop bar. Yeah. And I worked my way up until I was the manager. And I did that for three years while I was on probation and house arrest the first year with the ankle monitor. So you did two years in and then you did a year.

Yeah, I did 24 months and they put me everywhere. I was in multiple prisons. I went on con air. And it's interesting because when power gets into like the Brooklyn Detention Center and MCC when Ghost gets arrested and whatnot, that's where I was. Right. Like what he lived through is what I lived through in that setting. and it's so like they hit it, the nail on the head.

Dude, you want to know it's so crazy? I want to keep asking you questions. Yeah, of course. We could do this package for four hours. But, so season two or season one of ghosts, I remember was episode six. It was when I was selling on the corner with Kane when he kidnaps me and my brother. There's a scene, I think it's at the end of that episode where Lorenzo throws him, he goes to visit Lorenzo and he throws him against a glass in prison and the blood splatters everywhere.

So we shoot out of order. So I was shooting the scene afterwards where the cops pull, it was Monet's love interest that first season, Detective Ramirez, I think his name is. The one that got popped. Yeah. It was the scene where he was pulling us over and he was pulled Kane over and he sees me and Trace in the back seat. That scene was like put together with a night shoot.

of in the prison. We shoot in real prisons. Wait, so you guys go in the federal buildings or now? Real prisons. I don't know what... I could check, but I don't know what prison it was exact. I think it was Queens, but I could be wrong. But there's inmates

just walking around. So lunch that day, so lunch is always like six hours after call. So if calls at five, lunch is at 11 o'clock at night. They just call it lunch. So call, it was a night shoe, I think call was at five and I before we shot our scene they broke for lunch so I was like okay cool I'm gonna go to lunch was in prison lunch was in the commissary in the real prison so I go on the elevator and there's

I'm with a PA which is a production assistant and there is also two inmates with a guard in the elevator and this was season one season one hadn't even aired yet but they recognized me from the original power and that didn't happen a lot because I was not on that show a lot and the guys were like oh shit it's Tarek's roommate from power I'm like dude this is insane like it's not even like we took a different like we were in the same elevators with two inmates with

with a guard and me and a P.A. And we were just all going up the elevator and I'm like oh shit and I'm like these guys can fucking kill me right now that's incredible yeah it's so fucking wild I want to write a movie about that so bad about prisoner about I have a great

concept about people shooting movies in prison. Okay. I think there's something cool with that. I didn't know that they actually shot in the actual prison with inmates. I know like Orange is a New Black. They got the abandoned one, New York, when they shot that. Right. Well, they probably took that over for a while and made it a set.

We only would ever do like one or like when Tari goes to prison, like one or two or three days. So to build a whole thing is tough because you're not using it enough to build a whole set. It might be cheaper to just rent it out for a day. So that's what we did. We shot at a live prison. And yeah, it was fucking crazy. I remember being there like, damn, like, they just shoot right in here. I didn't even know.

Yeah. Are there extra security precautions and whatnot? Or is the studio take care of all that for you guys? I mean, we do have, like, security guards with us on set, like, staying outside our trailers if we're, because we shoot in, like, the trenches in York. Like, we're not, those, you know, blocks that you see, we're not shooting in beautiful. We're shooting in the trenches at 2 a.m. in, you know, and that's what it is.

And it's so weird because we shot at the Weston Townhouse, which was Upper East Side. And there's a house that they use a lot for the Western Town House as the house that they use. And the neighbors were fucking dickheads. Like these people have $50 million homes in the Upper East Side. The neighbors would play loud music so we couldn't shoot, do fucked up shit to us. The rich people. Like, if you live in this $50 million, house, you're good.

Go somewhere for a couple hours and just let us shoot, all these people have jobs. When we go to the trenches in the fucking hood, those motherfuckers are like, oh shit, it's power. Yeah, do your thing, do your thing. They're on the corners. These guys in the corners, we'll go to the next corner.

It's so fucking mind-boggling how like the rich people are like the assholes in the $50 million walk-ups and the people who are fucking on the corner on the street block. It's like, oh, be quiet so you guys can shoot. It's always just fucking mind-boggling me to see like how people move in the world especially like when we shoot in New York City. I mean, you guys, every cast member in power represents people that have lived

that. Like all of your stories I've seen firsthand played out with people I met in federal prison, which is fascinating. And that brings us to why power is so big in prison. Like I remember my, I had this big jacked Asian bunkmate who was doing 10 years for Molly. And this was in Fort Dixon, in New Jersey. And one day he's like, hey, Bunky, and they used to call me Mcloven, too,

because I look like McLevin. And squids from the sandlot. That's fucking hilarious. So he was like, it was like at 4 a.m. and he taps me on the bunk after they did count. He's like, we got a good guard

come downstairs. And I'm thinking I'm going to get jumped or something. Yeah. What happens is I go downstairs. There's like 15 or 20 people that woke up at the Crack of Donna Saturday morning to insert

a smuggled-in SD card that they downloaded the power series off of a contract band phone with a boost mobile phone plan and they are dedicated die hard power listeners. I started it from season one. I would wake. That got me through my sentence, bro. Like waking up early when there was a good guard, crack a dawn,

watching those episodes because it's so addicting. And then I called my dad. I'm like, dad, you got to watch power. And then he got put on to it. But all these inmates, they love it. They're obsessed with it. Did you guys know that there's this interest in prison like that? Yeah.

It's funny because obviously, like, when we go places, if I have a club hosting in, like, you know, Cleveland or somewhere like that, I'll have dudes come up to me and be like, yo, I live that power life. Like, I did, I did eight years. I watched him, but, like, we get that a lot. But the first time it ever happened was before season one had even aired, I had met this, this, one of my friends' sisters was dating this guy who just got out. And he said, like, it was the first, and I had a conversation with him. He's like, oh, you're on PowerDuty. He's like, yeah, bro, we watch that. Like, even in California, because in New York, everyone watched it.

California, you get some spots here and there. But he's like, yeah, up in, what's the California prison? San Quentin. Yeah, in Quentin, we watch Power like crazy. We heard there's a new show, like, all this stuff. And I'm like, oh, shit. Like, I didn't know that they would be allowed to watch it. But you're right, obviously, it was smuggled.

Yeah, because you don't have stars on the prison. TV, hopefully what day. But it's also way more mainstream than it was five or six years ago. I think the last couple seasons really blew it up. I'll say power ghost and now Force are my favorite. Raising Cain is a little slower. Right. But now the last season fire.

Yeah. Do you know, you saw who I tagged you in Unique? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you think that's actually based off of him? So he's like this key thing guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't know. I don't think so.

because they do, like, the guy Sasha Penn who write, like they do all their own storytelling and writing. Maybe they look for some inspiration, but I don't think they ever, there's a lot of people who come out and say, this is based on me or this is this, this is that. I don't think that's the case, but I also didn't watch that podcast,

and I don't know who he is, so I can't speak on it. The NBA playoffs are here, and now you can trade every game on Kelsey. You can also trade on who wins each series, the conference finals, Championship. San Antonio is currently trading at 22% to win it all, meaning a $100 trade pays out $455 if they take the title. On Calci, you're trading against other

people in a live market, no house, no odds makers. And as the odds move, you can buy in or out any time throughout the postseason. For a limited time, download the Calci app and use code hoops to get $10 when you trade $10. KLSHI, Kalshi, KALSHA, KALSHA, trade on anything. The NBA playoffs are here, and now you can trade every game on Cali, you can also trade on who wins each series, the conference finals, and the championship. San Antonio is currently trading at 22% to win it all, meaning a $100 trade pays out $455 if they take the title. On Calci, you're trading against other people in a live market, no house, no odds makers. And as the odds move, you can buy in or out anytime throughout the post season.

For a limited time, download the Calci app and use code hoops to get $10 when you trade $10. KLSHI, Calci, trade on anything. But yeah, I don't think so. So when you got cast in power, that wasn't like a big role right away. That kind of grew into that. So what were you doing in between? I did a lot of voiceover stuff. That's how I paid the bills.

Once I did that movie, Ma, I was able to not have to work at a restaurant anymore. And then I got into like doing voiceover stuff. I did a lot of spots for Abercrombie. So I was like being able to pay the bills. And then I did that first episode of power, which I almost didn't even do the tape. My mom loved the show. so poor in L.A. like I didn't have stars. I didn't even have Netflix. Like I was

sleeping on a popped air mattress and I remember my mom was like, watch the, do that tape like me and your husband, me and your dad love that show and I was like, oh, fuck, all right, I'll just do the tape. Because I was going to shoot that movie, Ma anyways, and it was right before it and I was like, eh, I want to focus on the movie.

Thank God I did that tape. But then it turned into a recurring season six, which means multiple episodes, but not a series regular or a lead. And then Ghost obviously was like a straight offer for to be one of the leads of that show which has been the last four years

in my life and it's been fucking amazing. How far in advance did you know that ghost was going to happen? So there was a moment in season six when 50 was directing. It was episode 602 or 603. I don't remember. But 50 it was me, Mike. This is when I first started getting real close with

Michael who plays Tarique. And 50 came up to us he just goes, oh yeah, you guys take over and like walked away. And like, I'm an actor with like $1,500 in my bank account. I'm like, well, what do you mean by we take over? Like, so in my mind, I'm like, oh, I'm going to be on the rest of the episodes of season six. Great. I'm going to be fucking in every episode.

It's going to be awesome. And we shoot 603 and I don't hear for months, 604, 5, 6. I see them filming. And then I see stars pick up. up five more episodes for to close out power because they did a 15 episode season six and I was like oh great I'm gonna be

in those last five episodes. It's gonna be fucking fire. No call, no anything. So I'm like, damn, 50 fucking lied to me. 50 cent lied to my face like that's fucking crazy. And around the time that that was all happening, that movie that I shot was just about to come out. Theatrical

release, universal pictures, it'd be fucking massive. I'm like, okay, I got I got this fuck power. A week. So the way that Blumhouse works is that they give you scale, which is like, you know, $2,500 a week. I only made like $8,000 on that movie, Ma. But they give you back end.

My team fucked up my contract to where I didn't get back end until like $50 million box office, which is we were going up against Godzilla and we were going up against Rocket Man. weekend. That's when it was like a weekend of like four movies are coming out. What are you going to go see? So I'm like, motherfucker, this has to hit 50 million. I'm working in a, in a restaurant. Like I'm back. I just was in a movie that is going to be in theaters. Then I'm going back to a restaurant because I'm like 15K in debt now. I'm like holding on to this movie. So a week

before the movie releases, it was like May 20 something. I get a DM for, it's crazy. A DM. It's crazy. A because I fired my whole team because they fucked up my contract. So I didn't have any contacts on my IMDB at the time. And Courtney Kemp, the showrunner, DMs me. And she's like, hey, you're in the spinoff. You're in the spinoff with Tariq. It's you guys. Who's your team now?

So I like reached whatever I set everything up. And I was like, no fucking way. So then we got on a phone, you know, 50. And he's like, yeah, you guys are the leads in the new spinoff. And I was like, oh, I don't even care how this fucking movie? does like thank god so i knew it was i knew it was happening um and then we shot it in like october so i knew like four months in advance the movie came out ma and it did 47 million dollars it didn't hit 50 three million shy didn't make any back end on that movie i paid 10 000

for a publicist i lost three grand on that movie wait so you have to hit it the first weekend to get not the first weekend it just has to hit domestic like it could be three weekends, but the first weekend is like the biggest weekend. And I was looking, I was like, I think it did like 27 million the first week. I was like, I was like, if we keep this up, I could get there. And it hit 47 and I didn't. It's like me looking at the YouTube numbers every morning. Yeah, yeah, yeah, fuck.

But yeah, it's a crazy fucking business, dude. Like people think, oh, you started a movie, you're fucking rich. I'm like, no, I lost money on that fucking movie. So, yeah, that was a crazy time. kind of when Powerwall came together. And yeah, I haven't looked back since. It's been fucking great. That kind of, I think season one of Ghosts definitely exploded you into more of a

mainstream media. For sure. I see you popping up everywhere on Instagram, on social media. Like, I feel like the bigger, like female influencers, you're coming on their radar. I was just reading that article about, how do you pronounce your name? Coy. Oh, Coy Luray, yeah. That was actually a thing.

No, so I, TMZ stopped me one day. And they do this thing, like, shoot your shot. And, dude, it's so weird. I like see a girl for, like, a couple weeks on Instagram. I'm like, oh, she looks so good. Like, I'd run away with this girl. So for some reason, those couple weeks, I was, like, on a coil array kick. I was like, gotcha.

And she's beautiful. I love her. Like, she's great. Her music's great. And TMZ stopped me. And they're like, dude, shoot your shot. And I, like, panicked. I was like, I don't have anyone.

But, like, I know sometimes how to get a reaction. And I was like, fucking coil array, what's up? And it just went crazy viral because she's friends with Michael and I DM'd her and she just like left me on red one day. And I was like, damn, that's crazy. She really left me on red. I shot my shot with her not even on TMZ. That was like a couple weeks before that because me and Michael were on set and he's like, oh, Koi just responded my story. And I was like, oh, tell her I said what's up.

And I was like sending her voice messages. And then I DM'd her on my own Instagram, no answer. And I was like, damn, she left me on red. So I said that on TMZ, like to be funny, not knowing that fucking complex. and hip hop, hot new hip hop, all this shit picked it up and I'm like a fucking chorus. But like, I don't have a thing where I'm like, oh,

I need to be the fucking cool guy that like gets all the girls like, I don't fucking care. I like being funny more. I like being funny more than being the cool guy. So if it makes me look dumb that I shot my shot with coil or I didn't answer, okay. Like, it's not the end of the world. It's funny.

Do you have to be cautious in like today's world sliding into someone's DMs because they can just easily screenshot it and post it? Or is it No fucks given. Me, I kind of go no fucks given. I'm more of like a two-your-shot kind of guy. But yeah, I guess. I feel like because we're on power,

we get a little bit of leeway. They treat us like rappers. Like, we're the only television show. Maybe a couple of 50s other shows, but BMF really cares about those guys. You've been post about B. About Fall Week, man. These motherfuckers.

But we're the only, like, we get to go. do club hostings. There's no other actors on any shows in the world. No one on fucking, I don't care how big Jenna Ortega is with her 30 million followers that just happened from Wednesday. Her fans aren't going to a club hosting for her. You know what I mean? Like that's not the, the angle that we get to go to club hostings and like 50 plays and 50 brings us out on stage and like, oh, so we get treated like rapper. So I feel like we get a little bit of leeway of like, okay, so I end-d-d-d-ms are, like, I hand.

out with some of the mainstream Hollywood kids and they think I'm fucking crazy. They're like, the stuff that you do, I would never do. And I'm just like, I get it because they're under more of a Hollywood microscope and I eventually will be. But right now I'm like, oh, I get to kind of have a little fun because I'm on power and we get, we get away with a little bit more than most people. Yeah, I didn't even think of it in that aspect because that's like the era I grew up around where you pay the guy to come host the club. Like instead of booking a whole set with like a famous rap star, you have him do an appearance, which I'm sure 50 probably does a lot of those. You get a flat rate, you come a couple songs, and then they bring you and Michael out there.

I watch the clip to you guys on stage. Like, that's awesome. And your regular actor or actress is not doing that. At all. I mean, there's no other actors that, like, 50 cent is bringing out unless it's, you know, someone on power. So I really try to go see him a lot when he's on tour. and he'll go to Prague, he'll go to London,

he'll go to Europe and I'll fly to Europe because I also get to have like some good quality time with 50 because he's so busy, except when he's on tour and like if he's in Czech Republic, he's in Czech Republic. There's nothing he's on tour with who he's on tour with and no one's coming to visit him out there. Everyone goes to the LA shows. Everyone goes to New York shows.

No one goes to those shows. So I make it a point to go to those shows because I'm like, oh, I'll get to spend four or five hours with 50 in his dressing room and just chop it up. get to see a legend perform. It never gets old, like seeing him. And then he'll bring me out. Yeah.

Any time you're going, I'll come with you. If you want me there, I'll come with you, 50. So I've gone to a ton of shows overseas. And I think those are the best shows to go to because the New York and L.A. shows motherfuckers leaving early. Like, they're seeing a legend. And sometimes they're like, oh, yeah, like, unreal.

We saw the songs we wanted to see. And sometimes I'll see a couple people leave. You will never see one person leave in one of those countries because they don't get to ever see celebrities. So like they see them on stage. They're like, oh my God, they are so drawn to it as opposed to like people in L.A. New York, like, oh, fuck yeah. Like, and then they just leave.

I'm like, these, you got to go to those shows. How do you stay away from like drugs and excessive alcohol in the entertainment business? Being so young and so energetic. At Hyundai of Glendale, Lisa New, 2,26 Hyundai Tucson SC Frontwheel Drive for 269 a month plus tax for 36 months with owners' assurance in America's best warranty. 10-year 100,000 miles. Stought by Hyundai of Glendale today or Hyundaiofglendale.com. 36-month lease, 4,49 to its signing.

Tax title, license and dock fees extra, plus government fees and taxes. 7,500 miles per year, expires 6126. Who available at this payment? PH 71529, pH 71529. The NBA playoffs are here, and now you can trade every game on Kelsey. You can also trade on who wins each series, the conference finals, and the championship. San Antonio is currently trading at 22% to win it all, meaning a $100 trade pays out $45 if they take. the title. On Cali, you're training against other people in a live market. No house, no odds

makers. And as the odds move, you can buy in or out anytime throughout the postseason. For a limited time, download the Calci app and use code hoops to get $10 when you trade $10. KLSHI, Calci, trade on anything. And, you know, I'm sure there's a lot of influences. Yeah, I just, I was never a drug or alcohol guy because of hockey. And I always felt like that was my edge. That, like, that Like, even though, you know, I'm smaller than everyone else, you know, all these hockey players are fucking 6'5 in the NHL. I was like, I'm, I work harder than everyone else and I take it seriously. So that was kind of always my thing in my head.

Like, I'm going to, God's going to fucking put me in the good position because I take it seriously. Then when I moved to L.A., I kind of just had that same mentality. Also, I was poor. Like, how the fuck am I paying for any alcohol or drug? Like, I could barely pay for acting class. So then once I kind of, you know, got, started getting more success and getting more money, like, I just got more hungry and just like locked the fuck in. So I think I drink maybe like once, once every couple months. If I'll do a club hosting, now I'll drink a little bit just to feel good, like not to get fucked up because also you're in some dangerous situations you want to like, you know, be aware.

But sometimes it's hard to be in a club at 3.m. in Miami being dead sober. So I'll drink a little bit or whatever. But yeah, I'm not really a drug guy. I don't love it, you know. That's good. Stay that way. I know. I like fucking being in control.

I don't like not, you know, being able to, especially being in some of those situations you're in, you're like, fuck. Like, if something pops off, I got to. No, anything could happen in a flash and then you kind of lose everything. Did you do any in prison? Drugs? Yeah. No, I was never a drug guy.

Even when I owned the club, I wasn't really a drinker because I was under federal indictment the whole time. So I couldn't drink. I couldn't smoke. Yeah. I couldn't do anything. I mean, I would smoke weed. I do edibles now.

I do the Tyson edibles. Those things are the best. Nice. The ears? Yeah, the ears. There's an ear on this. Yeah, I got to, I met him a couple months ago in the city. And that's how I got the merch and stuff in the year. He's so cool.

He looks at me. He's like, you look like a smart motherfucker. He took a hit of his joy. I went to go see him train for, I think it was a holy field fight. And he like came up to me and he was like, Till 50, I want to be on. I was like, all right, I'll let him know. He's like, yeah, tell 50 I want to be on power.

I was like, all right, I will. You know, I could totally see you getting into like celebrity boxing or something like that. See, here's the thing. I, as much as I don't take myself seriously because I fucking hate actors that smell their own farce. They're like, oh, everything I do is fucking so, like, dude, you're putting on a fucking costume and you're acting. Like, have fun. Don't take yourself so you're not curing cancer. sure like there are

we are saving in some way like people like people in prison they fuck it like they're like this is all I have right now like I get that aspect of it same thing with music but like some of these actors take themselves so fucking seriously boxing is where I draw the line because I have such a respect for combat sports

that I feel like a lot of that has turned into kind of a joke and I don't I don't ever want to look like just an idiot for a page check. I'm like, I do what I do for a reason I love doing it. I don't want to, dude, I don't want to get fucking punching the head. I got enough concussions playing hockey. I don't want to get hit in the head. I don't want to fight. I don't need it. Yeah, you got to stick to what you're good at,

what your passion is, what drives you. Everyone has their own purpose in life. Yeah. Their own mission. And some take longer to find it than others. And, you know, me and you are both lucky that we found kind of our direction and passions. I only had to go through federal prison to figure that out. Right. Right. But it's interesting. that respect. Now, we have a lot of, like, parents that watch a show, parents who's sons or daughters went to prison, who would also could say that maybe a show like power influences criminal behavior. How do you feel about that? What kind of role does that take on when you play a character like that and you have to do those types of things? See, I see both sides of it.

I see how it could. But look, I think if you're, you're already going to do it. Like, no one, I just don't think everyone's going to watch you and be like, yeah, I think I want to commit a felony now. I think if it's in you, it's in you, you know, and you're going to fucking do it. Sure, it might speed the process up a little bit, but I don't know. I see how it could be that with music and stuff like that. But I don't know. I just think if you're going to do it, you're going to do it. And if someone, you've got to be smart enough to, like, know that that's entertainment.

Like a lot of these guys in these rap, like, they're not doing. a lot of this shit. Some of them are. But you got to be smart enough to like, you're going to base your life choices, something that could literally put you in jail on a television show or on a little baby track. Like, you've got to be smart enough

to differentiate, in my opinion. Yeah, no, I agree. It's like growing up, everyone was giving Grand Theft Auto a hard time. Right. They were blaming that on the things that were happening in the world. And I don't think that's what's the cause of it.

That's a crazy thing that you're, yeah, it's like, Tommy Versetti. You got the, you're shooting, you're like, come on. Oh, that was the other thing. You know who was at the studio last week? Who? Dominic Lombardosie.

I love him. Yeah, Lamardozy. He said he never got to work with you. Yeah. But we were talking because he was on my coach's show because they trained. He does boxing. Yep. So he trains with him.

Yeah, we follow each other. Yeah, I got to have him come on the pod too. Dude, I know him from Entourage. Like, have you seen Entourage? I haven't. Dude, I just finished Sopranos or almost finished it. Oh shit. And this is like years later.

I'm behind. Your next show, you got to watch Entourage. It's so good. Actually, become good friends with Jerry Ferraro. I saw your text yesterday. Yeah, he was on Entourage before, and then he was Proctor on. Proctor is the goat, man. Go.

They did him dirty the way he went out. I know. I wish he was still around, but Method Man's killing it too. Yeah, and that's the best. I love him. My friend saw him at a Jets game. Dude, he's literally the nicest guy. Yeah, my friend went up to him because he's good friends with me.

He's like, yo, I want you to come on this podcast. He's like, I'm not doing podcast right now. He came and, he came and, did mine and Michael's podcast the crew has it on a holiday in on a Sunday it was a holiday and on Monday he was shooting at like 6 a.m. He pulled up whatever you guys need on there one of the fucking most stand-up nicest guys ever and you would never believe he was a fucking wutan clan. Yeah so your podcast that that blew up pretty quickly when I saw it from when you guys launched it to where it is now that's probably one of the fastest growing podcasts in the world on that

And you guys weren't even like at the top of your peak yet when that happened. What's that like for you with the podcast? I love doing it. I mean, me and Mike just have such a good time. And then we just, you know, you get to talk to people and meet people that you would have never had that conversation with. And I just think it's a great tool as a human being, you know, as an artist, as an actor. And it just, yeah, just to do something different.

I think the days of the movie star, like back in the day, it was people want to see you on screen and you've got to be mysterious where now it's totally switched there's no more day of the movie star anymore like maybe timothy shallame is like the fucking last one but it's are you have a huge following on social media do you have a pie you know are you diversifying you're not just making money on acting anymore because a lot of that shit has you know gone away you know they're doing less shows now you know the the tv boom has already happened so it's been becoming a little bit more of a niche so you got to diversify and have a bunch of different things and I

saw that coming a mile away so I was like yeah I'm just going to make sure I have you know everything going and I'm not like a serious fucking actor guy like sure I'll I can do serious shit and really really well but I just I want to do everything I want to be the guy that's interviewing someone on a red carpet and the next year I want to be on that carpet with a movie that's you know

winning an award like I just want to be a Swiss Army knife in the industry and just have fun like that's why I'm here to have fucking fun not here to like sniff my own and like, dude, when I prepare for a role, it's like, dude, what are we talking about? Are you guys going to expand outside of cast members? Yeah, that's the plan. I mean, we just started doing it before, before this, you know, we were doing it a little

bit during the strike, but Michael, he's in New York, I'm in L.A. We kind of have a plan that we're going to go with when, you know, when goes comes back. But we want to start expanding outside of the power universe. We did a little bit with Powell Benchero, Keith Lee, you know, food. reviewer on TikTok. We have a lot of different people that we want to interview. So we're just starting to like, you know, breach that a little bit. And I'm excited.

But we just kind of, it's hard because he lives in New York and I'm in L.A. And we don't do it all on our own because we're doing so much other shit. That is hard. Like, I can't fucking edit all day long. And I'm doing the clips and I'm doing that. Like when we do it, it's expensive when we make a podcast. So it's tough to like make a good profit and be like, oh, do we really want to show up to the fucking studio today? But we got a plan coming up to go with the new partners, so we're excited.

Do you guys have your own studio and whatnot? We did. We no longer work with that company anymore. Oh, you guys were with a company when you launched that. Interesting. It looked cool, though. The studio, and the name's cool. The crew has it.

But I just saw your YouTube just like, pop. Yeah. That was super exciting. What's something that you want people to know about you that they might not know about you? Like maybe about your personality or your characteristics that's not really portrayed on TV or on social. media. That is a good question. I don't know.

I feel like I'm pretty transparent. Like if you follow me, I, I, I, I'm me. I'm just fucking me. Like, I, I don't try and put on a front for anyone. Like, sometimes, I do post crazy shit on social media. And not crazy, but like, I'm, I'm me. Like, I'll be like, this fucking idiot said this to me today. And people are like, you know, you're a celebrity.

You can't be, you can't be doing it. I'm like, I don't give a fuck. And sometimes I'll see producers that I've worked with and they'll see me post crazy shit. and I'll see them view it and I go, oh, fuck. But I think that's just what, you know, makes me me and I'm just going to be me. I'm not going to try and put on a front for any producer or director that follows me to look like a nice guy or this or that. I always think those undercover nice guys are always the worst people because they have to put on this front.

And then they're just low-key dirtbags. I'm like, now I'm just going to be me and have fun. And that's why I do this. I don't do this for any other reason other than I like nice things and I like having fun. And you know what? You're a hustler and you're a good dude. I mean, I've interviewed celebrities and stuff like that and they show up with posse sometimes. You came by yourself. You were like, yo, hit me up. Here we go. Let's do this. Like that. You got to respect that about someone. You don't let it get to your head and you're just a hardworking. Like you grinded. Like photos on social media, you could post a flashy cars, this and that. People don't see behind the scenes of what it took to get there. Right. For sure. It's not just handed to you. Yeah, for sure. I worked my fucking ass off. Like, a lot of times I was in acting class,

and I'd have teachers say to me, you're burning your stuff out, you're working too hard. And I remember me like, nope, I'm gonna get there no matter what it takes. And I think that's that, like, if anyone could take away anything from this, you know,

this episode is that if you just grind and have an un, and it's hard because grind is such a broad term, like, if you're doing something, like, what is, what am I, what is grind to that profession? If you just do everything you possibly can every second and just have an unwavering faith in yourself that you're going to make it happen, you're going to do it regardless of anything. Any outside, you know, voice or anything, if you just know you're going to be where you say you're going to be, you're going to do it. Like there's no, there's no way it doesn't happen.

I respect that, man. Gianni, thank you so much for coming on the show, man. Looking forward to dinner tonight with that. For sure. We got it. I want to do another episode on you. So right before our ghost comes out, if you're in, in L.A., we'll get another episode. Dude, I'm going to be coming here once a month, pretty much. Yeah, I'm using this.

We'll do another one, for sure. You want to do it. I mean, pick my brain whenever. We'll exchange numbers and shit, too. Get off TikTok. No, but, dude, it's a pleasure, man. I'm glad we finally got to meet and, you know, form a relationship. And I keep in touch.

And we'll definitely keep shooting some. content together. For sure, for sure. Dude, I love your fucking story. I really do. So hopefully I'll play you in a movie one day. But yeah, we'll do another episode. We'll get into some deeper stuff with you. Cool. Sounds good, Ben. Thank you for having me.