Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster - Anna Faris

Episode Date: May 27, 2026

‘Scary Movie’ star Anna Faris is this week’s diner, much to Ed and James’s delight. But someone else hijacks her booking… ‘Scary Movie’ is in cinemas June 5. Book your tickets now. Follow Anna on Instagram @annafarisWatch the video version of this episode on the Off Menu YouTube on Thu 28 May.Off Menu is now on YouTube: @offmenupodcastFollow Off Menu on Instagram and TikTok: @offmenuofficial.And go to our website www.offmenupodcast.co.uk for a list of restaurants recommended on the show.Off Menu is a comedy podcast hosted by Ed Gamble and James Acaster.Produced, recorded and edited by Ben Williams for Plosive.Video production by Ben Williams and Megan McCarthy for Plosive.Artwork by Paul Gilbey (photography and design). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the off-menu podcast, taking the salmon of conversation, slicing it with the sharp knife of humour, and putting it on a platter of friendship with all that fake grass, sashimi. That's egg gamble. My name is James Acastle. Together we own a dream restaurant every single week. We invite in a guest and asking the favourite ever start and main course dessert, side dish and drink, not in that order. And this week, our guest is Anna Farris. Very excited to have Arna on James. Of course we are. One of the goats. One of the goats. One of my favourite comedy actors of all times.

We love scary movie. We were teenagers when the scary movie movies came out. And we weren't even friends then. We weren't even friends, but our laughter was joining in the atmosphere as we laughed in Wimbledon and Ketri, respectively. And the universe knew that we'd one day be friends. We'd one day be friends because our laughter had mixed up before. Everyone else was laughing at a scary movie.

All our laughter was swirling together in the atmosphere. And there we are. We get to meet Arna Farris. Yeah, pretty cool. A huge moment. Huge moment for both. of us and another huge moment, James, there's a new scary movie coming up.

There is on... Fifth of June. Basically, everyone's come back for it. Yeah. Mylan Waynes is at the helm. You've got Anthony Anderson's in it. Yeah. Gina Hall's in it.

Yeah. Like, all the big players. Yeah. It's very exciting. Huge... I'm very excited, James. We should go to the cinema to see it. Yeah.

It's going to the cinema and see it. It's like we used to. Yeah. And I laughed and mixed in the atmosphere. Yeah. I'm very excited about having it on a fan of the podcast. But if I'm a lot of it on the podcast. But if I'm not,

Ana says the secret ingredient, an ingredient which we deem to be unacceptable, we will be forced to kick her out in the dream restaurant, not that we want to. No. And this week, the secret ingredient is Maltiser Bannies. The House Bunny was a film that Arna did. The eyes and the nipples of the face. And so we've gone bunny themed and gone to Maltisa bunnies, which are very nice, but hopefully she won't choose it because very UK-centric.

Very UK-centric. We love Maltesea bunnies, of course. Of course we do. We've just had Easter, by the way. We just had Easter. We just had Easter. We've just had Easter. It's just been Easter.

I didn't have much chalkies, though. Oh, it's a shame. My mum bought me a little bag of lint eggs. Oh, yeah. Which are very nice. So, Amy Annette bought my partner, because of my partner's birthday recently. Terry's chocolate orange. Yes.

Because I cats called Terry. But my partner doesn't like orange chocolate, which she told Amy to her face. And so I was giving the chocolate orange. That's nice. On the way home. They're not Easter, though, I mean. But on the way home It's Christmas

Went past a shop And I did a double take Because they had I had not seen this before I'm really into sour patch kids These days I think I'd discussed With John Malaney on our podcast

Yeah And they had some cola-flavored Sour Patch kids I was like I've not seen Coal Flavoured Sour Patch Yeah I've not seen cola-flavored

Sour Patch before So I grabbed that Yeah Went home I sat in front of I think I was watching On the floor Like a little boy

Watching Atlanta I started I'd get in, I'd get a segment, just a single segment of the Terry's chocolate orange. And I'd put two sour patch colas on them and eat it like a canopy. And it was delicious. You wouldn't think it would work. But I might start like a restaurant just to have this as a little petty fore. It's really, I think it's fascinating for the listener and the viewer to know that you live this.

I live this. It's not a joke. I live this. It's not a joke. I live this. Yeah. He lives this. I think I was watching Atlanta.

That's not the key part of the story is what I'd say. Huh? That's not the key part of the story. And don't forget, you can watch this on YouTube, and also don't forget that I'm on tour next year. Fresh Hell, Ed Gamble, fresh hell, Ed Gamble.comble.comble.com.combe. Yes, please. It's shaping up to be another absolute humdinger of the show.

But let's get on with the episode. This is the off-meny menu of Arna Farris. Welcome, Anna, to the Dream Rest. Thank you. Welcome, Barnet follows, to a dream restaurant, but everybody spending you for some time. Wow. Where's the table?

What are you imagining? If you walk into your dream restaurant, what are you imagining? Oh, gosh, a hammock. I'm wondering if, I don't know, I am delighted by robots so far in life. We'll see how, you know, the few future.

Yeah, sure. You know what I mean. How they are now is pretty cool, right? They're ridiculous. Yeah. But I'm just a dream restaurant, hammock and robots. Yeah. So.

Do you have a favorite? A favorite robot currently? No. No. No. It's not in who you're like, I'm particularly charmed by that one. No. Do you have the robot?

I wish I had a wittier answer for me. No, you're going to be honest. Yeah. I don't know. Do you have the robot vacuum at home? No. Littleumba. I'd like the idea of it, though.

Yeah, I like the idea of it. But then I feel a bit sorry for them when you see videos of them and they can't get up stairs. And they're like desperate to get up the stairs. Yes. They really want to get up the stairs, but they can't get up the stairs. Yeah, they must think about it a lot. Like, what's up there?

Yeah. We're like taking on the frustration of a robot. Oh, boy, guys. It's going to be bad. We are going to be banging our heads. Yeah. Just like that Roomba. Yeah.

Yeah, that'll be us soon. Can I ask you guys a question that I was thinking about? Yes. This is sort of a takeover, so please take it back whenever, you know what I'm saying. But do you think podcasting has changed how you communicate with your partners? Wow. Or with people in general. Interesting.

I don't think so necessarily. I don't think my wife would accept me interviewing her in a podcast style. she's very disengaged from a lot of my work in a very healthy way Oh, that's great Like we'll just have like a normal life And you know she'll come to my shows now and again But she'll come to the big show at the end of a tour And be like, well done, congratulations

But she's not constantly engaged in what I'm doing Which I think is pretty healthy I think that's- Sure You know, she doesn't really know much of its career She's not a fan Right You know She's a fan of me as a person

Yeah, yeah, absolutely humble, yeah. Yeah, but the question was, does it change how you communicate with your partner? It wasn't, does your partner like you? No, but that is the same question. The more broad question is, do you find yourself having unexpected moments of truth, of articulating emotions or feelings a little bit more openly? Or have there been moments that have taken you by surprise? No, I think if anything, on this podcast, I'm not.

you know, I'm just messing around and talk about food, pretending to be a genie, pretending to burst out of a lamp. I'll probably more honest and open with my partner than I am on the podcast. You'd hope so. Yeah. Yeah, I think this podcast,

I would never categorize it as necessarily open and vulnerable all of the time. Although you can be, if you want, we're not going to discourage. Cut out, like, the last 10 minutes. No.

No, because we're also guided by the guests. This is when the comedic actress, like, is annoyingly, like, serious, you know? No, come on. This is a great. I don't know if, it's been conveyed to you, but this is a great honor for us to have you on the podcast.

We've been very excited about this for a long time. Thank you. My catchphrase on the group, chat has been, I Love Anna Farris, every single time we're talking about getting you on. We've been very excited. You're huge to us. That means a lot to me. So you can be as honest as you like. Yeah.

Because we know how funny you are. Thank you. So like, you know, we grew up with, well, grew up, when we were teenagers, we're going to watch the original scary movies, game movie too. In Ketrin, where I'm from is a little small town. There wasn't many moments where everyone like really crammed in the screen and properly laughed for a whole movie. And me and my friends went to see those films multiple times with everyone laughing. So pretty special stuff. So it's a big deal for us to be doing this pod with you. And you're doing another scary movie film, which is massive. Thank you. And I love it that your memory is like a group experience.

And one of the, this, coming back under these circumstances with the Wayans brothers, the way this is all culminated, has been such like a wonderful storm for me, just in a way that I really didn't imagine ever happening and reconciling. I had never done comedy when I was cast. I was never known as a comedic person at all. I desperately wanted the world to take me seriously. You know, I leaned into emotion. I leaned into feeling. And I enjoyed performing, but it always felt pretty intimate. Anyway, I was never a funny person.

And my very first audition was for scary movie, and I got the part. Oh, wow. And then it became a huge thing, and it became absolutely defining. of the next 26 years of my life. And I always felt that, you know, L.A. didn't, I didn't understand kind of who I was. I never felt strong comedically, at least in those early years. And I couldn't even get auditions for dramatic work. And I, so for this movie to come back around with the Wayans brothers, because I never got to thank them.

never got to after I wasn't even sure what happened. I still, I'm not all that clear, but their franchise was taken away from them. And I didn't see them. I was under contract for three and then I did four on my own. But I didn't talk to them. My last conversation was with Kenan briefly in 2002. So after in my early 20s being like naive, and confused and thrilled. Like, I remember having a great time, but it was dizzying the whole experience. I was like a foreign exchange student.

I was a stranger in a strange land. Did not know what was going on at all. And now getting to realize that when people see me, they think at that time in the theater, in the small town, with their friends and family or whatever, laughing, laughing hard. And when they see me at the mall or whatever at the grocery store, gas station, I recognize now that people light up because they think about something dumb that I did.

And it brings me so much joy. And I'm so grateful for it. So thank you. You know what I mean? Like that's how, and then to do this movie like this, I always think. thought that if I did another scary movie, I would feel like I was doing it for the mortgage, you know, that I, that I would feel, the attitude in the industry felt like making comedies is easy. Right.

And kind of anybody could do it. It's that it's like a. Which we know is a crazy point of view because. Yeah, it's hard. It's hard. It's hard to make good ones, certainly. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah. And it's mad to me that you're saying you didn't feel comedically confident when you first started doing them because you seem so natural at it. Yeah. Thank you. I think I've just finally, so in Scary Movie 2, I asked Keenan. I had the courage because I was just quiet. I was just like, keep your head down. Don't get fired.

You know, I really was, and everyone was largely. than life and everything was larger than life. And I was just hanging on. I just felt like lay low, like that you're a soldier. Something's crazy as happening in your life. So I finally had the courage one day to ask Keenan why he cast me, which is a, it's an indulgent question to ask. And a silly one kind of like. I think on the, during the sequel, it's fine, though. I think you can ask when... Yeah, but I just worshipped that man. And I still do.

I have... I owe him everything. And, but he said, in that moment, he said, he looked at me and he grinned, and he said, because you had no idea what you were doing. And that rattled around in my head for a while. And I feel like doing this project has made me feel like I'm starting to understand. like what he meant. This latest one.

Yeah. It felt great to be on set and to be like, oh, I'm good. Yeah. It felt great. It felt so good. I hadn't really associated that feeling with this franchise. Yeah, yeah. And getting to act with Regina and getting to thank and work with Sean and Marlon

and getting to thank Keenan and tell him that I loved him. and I'm so grateful for everything. And I can't believe that he picked me. You know, that meant the world's me. This whole thing, talking with you guys, you guys letting me tell this story. It just has been incredible. There must have been so many times over the years

where you've been, because like there's been such a, it's why it's such a great time to make this movie now is because there's been such an explosion of horror films again. And people watching them, there must have been times over the years where you've been watching these big,

films and thinking we could do a funny twist on this scene or you don't think about that. No, I didn't think I would return to the franchise. Right, yeah. They didn't ask, I mean, I did, but I didn't. Like, I really, that's why I felt like if I were to return, I would feel bad a little bit about it. Because I knew I would be compromising something fundamental in me. And I'm also not really a huge fan of horror movies. I could have just gotten with that answer.

No, but I also think this is a little bit of a side track, but it is sort of related that Marlin said something. He articulated it so well, which the idea that studio, he said something on set. He says, you know, studios, they always think that it's about the movie that you're spoofing. It's never about the movie that you're spoofing. We could be spoofing anything. He said it so well, which I think,

And it is like a large idea because it's not exactly true. It is about the movies that we're spoofing. It is about what's current, what's exciting, what people are really enjoying. And so there is that tension, and he knows that very well. But also the other truth is giving, I guess giving us a little more credit, which is the idea that we've created. I'm hesitant to call Cindy Campbell nuanced. Because I'm not sure that's quite right.

But we've created characters that we've been able to put our imprint on. You know, so that wasn't, I really rambled, didn't I? No, no. I think you were going to maybe ask me like what movies we were spoofing in if I enjoyed it. No, no, no, no. That's my journey. Let's get into your dream meal proper now. Oh, yeah.

Oh, shoot, a hammock and robots. Why did I choose that? Look, you're in the hammer. Wait, wait, wait. Let's do something. You don't want the robots? Let's do, let's abandon it, can we? Yeah.

Yes. Could we do Italian coast? Yeah, sure, of course. Could we do, I don't know, a Malfi? We can do Amalfi. Okay, let me get so. I think it's a shame to lose the robots, but... Oh, you do?

Well, no, but it's up to your dream meal, but I'm... Yeah, don't let him sway you. Just to let you know when I'm imagining it, I'm imagining it. I'm imagining abuse. restaurant on the Amalfi Coast, but occasionally a robot, you just hear a robot go past. Wow, a robot that can, like, climb those, like, 16th century stone stairs. Now, it sounds like one of those scary army robots that you see.

Yeah, I know. Okay. We don't want that. I think we should choose a lane. Do we do hammocks and robot? It's up to you, Anna. I can go back. I really can mentally.

Let's do Amalfi Coast. I think that's where you want the restaurant to be, isn't it? I know, but you guys have partners. I'm married. I don't know why that's relevant. Oh, it totally is. We're only Amalfi Coos. Yeah, that's beautiful.

The Amalfi ghost is beautiful. Yeah. Are we doing Amalfi? I think you've got to. I can tell that's where your heart is. Okay, then maybe I'll be a character, since this doesn't feel exactly like me. Shall I be obnoxious? Yeah.

Yeah, go as obnoxious as you can. Who's the character in your, do you reckon? What's their background? This is amazing, by the way, because we just saw some acting happen live. Kazana completely changed her posture when she decided. Completely. Something changed in your eyes. Bethany, but maybe Bethany's too evocative.

I'm breaking for a second. I'm trying to think of the name. You're free to break. This is your process. Do you guys have a good... You know what? Let's just do Sarah? Sarah.

That's the character's name? Yeah. Yeah. And is it spelt like Sarah, but it's pronounced sarah? It's spelled like sarah. Yeah. Hold on. Yeah.

You got some sunglasses. Oh my gosh. Oh, is so beautiful here, you guys. On the Malfi coast. Yeah. Where is the waiter? Yeah. He's right.

Yeah. Hello, Sarah. I'm going to get the bungalais. Well, hang on, Sarah, because we've not got to that bit yet. I was just telling you guys. Yeah, I was chatting to you before. Sorry, Sarah. Yeah.

No, that's like it's good. Yeah, it's kind of chat you have before. No, I don't want to correct you, though. Okay. But it is Sarah. Surrah. Surrah. Do you usually like to have chat, like, before the waiter comes around,

chats with your friends about, like, what are you going to have? What are we thinking, you know? Do you mean, do I ask my friends, that they're going to order sometimes. Yeah. I don't. Have you had conversation before? Oh my God.

Yeah, good point. Sorry about him, Sarah. Sorry, Summer. On the way to, would you like still or spark the mortar? Oh, maybe both. Both. Wait, where is it from? Oh, that's a good question that I've never been asked.

That's fine. Yeah, no, never mind. mind, it's fine. Yeah. It's fine. It's fine. Yeah. Thank you.

Mixed together or in separate vessels? Separate vessels. Yeah. Yeah. Is your dishwasher or you're broken? Yes. Separate vessels, please. You guys want separate vessels, right?

Yeah. Do you want separate vessels? Yeah. You're a dining partner for this episode. It turns out me and Soror are having dinner or lunch. What are we having? Are we having lunch? Is it lunch?

Yeah, it's lunch. Yeah, it's nice. And how do you know your friend here, if I may ask us the waiter? Who's this? You're the waiter? I'm the waiter, yeah, yeah. And you're sitting down? Well.

I mean, I like a family-style restaurant on this beautiful Saturday. I didn't realize a table for three was happening. He's a genie as well. Well, just that's going to come back. Okay, sorry. No, but it literally is a really interesting. interesting story. Yeah.

We met it Cann. Oh, yeah? Yeah, like three years ago. And now we're just like catching up. Yeah. And what's his name? Tom. Tom.

Barringer. Barringer. And from Cannes. Is Tom work in the film industry? Am I like being set up? This is our waiter, right? Like, I don't get this. Are there cameras?

Tom, what the fuck is happening? I don't know. I'm so sorry, sir. He's really got ideas above his station, this guy. Just asking if he works on the invoices. Why are you trying to find out what I do? I know. Are you concerned about our relationship? We know what you do. We're the waiter.

We're secure. We're happy. We want vongolet. We're getting vongolet. Okay. You want to start the spark the water in two different. Don't be concerned with what I do. begin to say with what you do, which is a waiter.

Maybe this is one of those restaurants that are like so family that they hire, like the cousin who's never experienced life before. What are you talking about? What do you mean? You guys. Did they tell you to come sit down here? Well, I said I've got to find out what you want to hate. Yes, the Vongolet.

Pop-lop. Pop-lop-lop-lobs of bread. Pop-nops of bread on a far, Oh, sorry, sirrah. Sirrah. Pop-Dubs or bread. I think he's saying pop-a-dums or bread. I think this is the first choice in this restaurant is Pop-a-doms or bread.

Pop-a-dums? Mm. I don't know how you feel about the choice between pop-a-dums or bread. But I think this waiter would like to know that. I think I'll do panet. Bread, bread. Bread. Bread.

Bread. That's bread, James. Tom. Yes. So how are the kids? They're good. Well, there's so many of them now. I know. Oh, my gosh, you guys just can't stop.

I meant to make it to Angelica's baby shower. But I couldn't. I'm so sorry. But I did send that little Montclair baby jacket. Did you get it? Did you get it? Yeah, it doesn't fit her because she's gigantic. Angelica? It wasn't for Angelica. It was for Rosie, your baby.

No, that makes more sense. Yeah. Yeah. You need to go home more, Tom. I know, but I'm here on the Amalfi Coast. I know. With my friend Sarah, who I met in Cannes. Literally so nice.

It was so beautiful. Do you have any parenting tips for Tom? Soir. Parenting tips. I know what he said. I just keep leaving. He's packed. Are you still?

I guess you're not parenting tips. Well, it might be asked for Tom because Tom's got so many kids I think he wants to know what sort of bread we want Do you have a bread preference, sirrah? Because she won in a series called Mom. What? Huh? Does he know?

Does he, why is he? He's. Does he know that I never wanted kids? In the series, Mom. Parenting tips. Okay. Let's see if I can come up with a parenting tip. I don't know.

Don't abandon your kids. Yeah, that's a good tip. That's a pretty good tip, I guess. Yeah, Tom would never do that. Yeah, yeah. You should write a book. He's still here. Well, I have to ask for your dream starter, you see.

We don't know what sort of bread, though. Oh, God. Oh, no, just like your daily bread or whatever. Oh, like Jesus. Like Jesus would hand out, the Lord. He's, I think this weight is quite religious. Give us our daily bread. Well, I've heard Daily Bread on the podcast before.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It gives a daily bread. I do get a lot of guilt when I'm in Italy. Yeah. I mean, it's just guilt everywhere. Yeah. Don't you think? Don't you feel guilty here?

You feel guilty to be here? Oh, I always feel guilty. Why do you feel so guilty? Existing. I don't know, don't you? It's only human. Yeah. Do you feel guilty all the time?

No, I give a lot to the world. world, Tom Berenger gives a lot to the world. What do you give? Well, I've got 11 kids, so, you know, I'm putting a lot of... It's taken away from the world. No, I'm not taken away from the world and putting some great... What's your name again? What's for the waiter?

Waiter, you've got to have a name, Luigi. Dominic. It's the guy who popped the CEO. I mean, uh, yeah, Dominic, yeah. We can't be safe. Luigi as a name is not another guy who popped the CEO, right? It's still Mario's brother. Yeah, yeah.

I don't really agree with Tom. I think that's a super. Yeah, yeah. Having loving kids, yeah. I mean, just thinking that that's being generous. Yeah. It's kind of weird, isn't it? But I pay my taxes.

Mostly. Oh, my gosh. Do you want to go? Do you an Angelica? And maybe like three or four kids. Yeah. Yeah. I hope so.

Yeah, yeah. Is anything changed? Okay. So do you guys want to go? There's a yacht that we can use for like four days. Yeah. In the med. Yeah.

Next spring. We'd love that. Can the kids come? Four. Like, I think there's, because there aren't that many, like, state rooms. Mm. I got to check. So four kids can come out of the 11.

I think that's about right. Yeah. Do you want to pick your favorites quickly and I'll bring those with me? Your favorite. The favorites are my kids. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, listen, they're good kids.

they are like but um i think i'm being really generous the only thing though tom you should know this i think is that you have to provide the cash tip okay which it does get a little pricey well how 30 grand or 30 grand cash tip and it has to be in cash i don't really have to present it at the end yeah i've seen i've seen blow down the captain i don't really agree with tipping culture oh oh oh do you I do elaborate. Just think if these people on the yacht are being paid properly, which I'm assuming is your job, then they wouldn't need a tip at the end, right? No, it's a present. It's a gift.

Oh, it's a gift. Yeah. Okay. I was gifted the four days on the yacht. Yeah. So do you want to split the tip then half and half if you're... I don't know if I can. Okay, I'll bring the tip.

You still didn't, really? Yeah. So tell me more about this tipping culture. thing. As an American, it is like second nature. You just think if people are being paid properly, you wouldn't need to tip you wouldn't need to tip them. I would agree with that. I also think that the tipping's out of control. Agreed.

I think when you're buying a coffee and the baseline is 20%. I think that's too much. Well, you know, I used to be married to that. To Roman. I remember Roman. He was an old car. I was not old. Was.

Yeah. So I know about, like, it has kind of gotten out of control. Like the oligarchy in general. Yeah. Yeah, that was going to say, that has gotten out of control. It's just, you know. What would you like as your starter? Just the vongaly.

That's the starter. Just the vonglae. Starter and finito. Okay. The whole meal is just a starter. The vongolet? You don't want dessert or anything later on? Maybe a sorbet. Yeah. Vongillet sorbet. So the whole menu rhymes.

A, there's always going to end with an A, all of the dishes. So a vongolet and a sorbette. Yeah, yeah. But the von Gle is like, you don't want a starter. You're skipping the starter. This lunch is going to be all about honoring a bivalve. We've got to honour the bi-valve, do you understand? Yeah, we haven't met anyone, I haven't had anyone in this restaurant before.

He wants to honour a bi-valve, which is great. I just want you to go into the kitchen and get me by Vongol. This is how people should be reacting to the genie waiter, by the way, because he hangs around for so long. Hey, Tom. Sorry, Tom's a bit of an asshole. Tom Bevan. Sirrah is a real jerk.

No, I like Sarah. I know a little bit. I'm on Sarah's side. But I like Sarah, though. You do? Yeah, I like Sarah. I don't know. You slipped into that character very easily.

She's larking. She's in that somewhere. You know, when I first moved to Los Angeles, I met a specific type of person that I hadn't encountered before. And I really wanted to develop a character around this person, which I loosely described as the self-describer. I'd never met a culture. I'd never met people where they had neatly framed themselves,

which I think now with social media and dating apps is a little more common. But at the time, you know, you're meeting people telling, that are saying to you, oh, I'm just a really spiritual person, or I'm just really creative. Yeah. Or like the self-description and the fad culture was new to me. And I thought it was an interesting idea. Because often the self-describers show no evidence of being the thing they're self-describing as well.

That is what I found. Yeah. That there was a lot of like, who are you telling the story to here? Yeah. Was that a bit of an inspiration for your character in Lost in Translation? That character was, I did do some improv, but on the page, it read hysterically to me. Like, I really felt like I saw her. I saw how obnoxious, how intrusive, how what a space like invaders she was. Yeah.

Maybe I've become. I didn't know here at my perfect. My perfect meal that I'd be doing a lot of self-examination. That's what we like. We like to put our guests on edge. That character's hilarious, especially when you do the martial arts for the photographers. Thanks. It makes me laugh out loud.

It was so fun. I was very scared. It was early on when I was auditioning for that role. I was in a room about this size with Sophia and she's. And I'm singing, nobody does it better, like I'm doing this character. karaoke scene and the door handle starts jiggling and in walks Warren Beatty. And this is like out of body, you know, like I stop singing because what else are you going to do?

And I'm clocking both of them as they're greeting each other and they hugged and Warren said, how you doing? Without even looking at me, like, I'm over here. I'm like, I should excuse myself. This is now inappropriate. Like, how do I get to the door? I have to walk through them. And Warren said, how are your parents doing, Sophie? And she said, oh, good, they're in Thailand. Dad's opening up a hotel. And she said, how's Annette? And he said, oh, good. You know, and it's hunting and fishing with the boys of Montana. And I'm just like, is my car going to start?

How do I get out of here? What I do? This is highly inappropriate. I'm like, and I remember it so vividly because I was so terrified. That's why I just, I remembered the dialogue, Montana, Thailand. Like, taking it all in. And Sophia said, this is. is that actress from scary movie.

And I was like, hi. And he looked over at me like, oh, there's someone else in the room. And said, that was pretty fucking funny. Amazing.

And to this day, I'd like to think he said, you were pretty fucking fun. But I think it was that. You're still part of the compliment, you know. Still take it. I felt, then I didn't get the roll though for like another six months. Wow.

I thought it was gone. I think they had offered it to a bigger name. I don't know who and like got turned down or something. So for me, it was like, can you be in Tokyo next week? And so I was also terrified. And I thought I'm being too loud for this movie. Everybody's acting was down here. I didn't quite know.

I didn't trust that the explosive performance is kind of what, like, was good for the movie. At the time, everyone was tired. It was a final week of shooting in Tokyo. So I'm coming in with an, like, it's all new, you know, like Sophia Bill, Skylight, I don't know what is going on. getting yelled at in Japanese. Oh, God. You know, but I just remember thinking at the time this is probably, it's a character,

it's the kind of person that I've now met in Los Angeles that has a very innate, terrifying core of confidence that's confounding. Yeah. Well, it plays so well against them because everyone else is like having literally like midlife crisis, a quarter life crisis. They don't know who they are. They don't know what they want to do. You know, they are just very withdrawn

and not really speaking about how they feel all the time or whatever. So like your character coming in and just like. Just an asshole. Not caring about it. But also like, you know. Not taking in any. Not self-conscious at all. Not self-aware.

Doesn't teach you observe. Yeah, yeah. is great because it's the perfect like foil for everyone like coming in and just like, yeah, just being the opposite of everyone else is perfect. There's a delicious delight in being able to play those kinds of characters too. It is like a childish event for me, you know? Yeah.

I get to be a brat. Yeah, that must be so much fun. Yeah, it is pretty fun. Especially when everyone else is just underplaying everything so much and you just get to come in and sort of trumple over the stuff. I wish I had felt that way. It was more like, I'm too big. Yeah.

I'm too big. Wait a minute. They're all down here. I should be down here to at least a little bit, you know? So I wish that I had had a little bit more confidence at that time as a performer, as an actor. I was hard on myself. Tell me what you love about von Gle. Well, you know I love a bivalve.

I've already talked about that in anything that clings to rocks. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. There's something that as an actor as a performer, do you relate to that feeling of clinging onto a rock? I think we all long to just be able to take things in and then spit them back out.

You know, that's a goal. That's acting. Yeah. In a way. You're just taking everything in from the world around you. Yeah. And then you're spitting it out on. the screen.

At the other end. Yeah. Yeah. It's a horrible way of describing acting, actually. Or beautiful. Listen, maybe it's spitting. Maybe once we realize that we're bivalves, you know, we're not that complex. Yeah.

And I don't think we'll be better for it, actually. Yeah. I think. You went on a real journey in your head there, actually. As I get older, I do think we should celebrate ourselves a little bit. So I am, I really appreciate the no-tipping idea. Yes. I do think that was Tom Barringer.

Oh, oh. No, that was Tom who doesn't like tipping. Oh. I actually quite like tipping when I go to America. That's how good have an actor is. That was good. I just felt, I feel engaged in the society when I'm tipping, and I feel like you're helping people.

Oh, interesting. I don't, you know, here in the UK, tipping is for good service. So you give a big tip if you think it was really good service. There'll be, like, included stuff on the bill. But in the US, I quite like, I quite like the tipping culture. I, it's so ingrained in me, you know. I, I, it's important to me. Yeah.

I like tipping as much as often as I can. I am definitely, I like to have a lot of cash on me. So, a lot of cash. What if you think that... A whole lot of cash. Oh, no. Sarah. Sarah's bad.

Syrah has a lot of cash all the time. Sarah's great because you can, if you accidentally say something that you regret saying, you can just blame it on Sarah. Turns out, like, the whole gig of comedy. You can get... You're off the hook for everything. Earlier you were given Tom...

What, Tom... Yeah, you didn't want to give Tom advice on parenting, even though yourself had been a surrogate. Well, I think that Sarah really couldn't get over the intrusive way. Yeah, that felt like it was really, it was playing on Surrah's mind, wasn't it?

Yeah. Yeah, it was. Eye line. Yeah. I mean, we should be here, you know. Yeah. Also, I'm going to admit, when you pointed it out,

I was like, why am I still here? Well, I've always said this about this podcast, that it's, The waiter, the waiter takes the order for so long. Oh, it's so important, but within the format of the podcast, the waiter is taking the order for, you know, over an hour sometimes. Imagine if you went to a restaurant and you had to talk through all of your choices with the waiter for so long.

Genie or not, you know? Genie or not. Have you waited tables, either of you? I've done, I've worked in a pub where it was like some waiting tables on Christmas Day. Christmas Day was table service. Also I just got it wrong because you weren't a surrogate and friends. Yes, I was. You were?

No, I was already pregnant. So it wasn't a surrogate. I was the adopted baby. Yeah. Yeah. So I got it wrong and I felt like I should clear that up. That's very kind and generous of you. Because I get destroyed.

Thank you. I appreciate that. I don't know if I would have clocked it, to be honest. The listeners would have. The listeners would have. I'll be destroyed. Yep. I'll be destroyed.

What was it like coming into something like that? Terrifying. It was the final season, right, as well. It was the final season. And they were very emotional. And they were all lovely to me. I was scared. I was, it was, I just didn't.

I was never attention consuming in those environments. I don't ever, I remember just still feeling like, oh boy I'm not in comedy even though I had been I think at least a decade well you know what I don't know what the timeline is but they were very emotional they were doing group hugs on the floor

and more than once I was like only a few feet away from them and the only one a few feet away from them so there were a couple times that it would be they would be like come on and I knew like I don't need to I haven't

I know. But we were about to rehearse again or like, and that awkward feeling of, oh, you guys really don't need to include me. It feels actually very inappropriate if to be included. Didn't pull rod muscle in on a group hug or something? Oh, really? Yeah.

He went over to them and said. Guys, do you believe this crazy journey was done? It's what you said to them. Yeah. In the same kind of season. That's great. Which is basically two opposite reactions to the same feeling, right? Yes.

You were thinking, I better stand back and just let them do this. And Paul Rove is like, this is going to be funny. Yeah, if I ruined this moment for them. That is awesome. I'm going to bring you over a drink as the waiter. Can I just clarify something. Listen, I think it's been very clear by Surah. I'm logical to.

There's no starter. There's no start. No, but that was Sarah. All about the Vangeli. That was Sarah, but is Arna also about the Vongale? Sometimes you can tell. So, Serra wanted Vongolet, but does Arna want a dream starter and a different main, or is Anna just having Vongle? I think sometimes you sense when the character is speaking more truth than even the person could in their own life.

Okay, well, is it spaghetti Vongolay then, or just the clams themselves? I'd like a hand-rolled pasta, you know? Lovely, yeah. What do they call the ones? It's like the priest's neckties. Strots are pretz pretz. Thank you. Wow.

This guy always surprised. Tom is finally good. Yeah, that was Tom. You said that. That was Tom. Absolutely, Tom. Maybe a beautiful brusquetta with vine ripen tomatoes, that kind of thing. Lovely.

What sort of drink are you having with this, your dream drink? Oh, maybe a beautiful. white wine, like, you know, something appropriate in the area. We can, I'm sure we can sort something appropriate. There's beautiful lemons. Let's do lemons all around. You would like lemons? Well, one time, I have not dated that much in my life,

but I was out on a date in college. And I don't know what was wrong with me. But we were at a bar and I took from the basket. Working in a bar, you would have hated this. kind of drunk college student. I was like for like just a little weird, you know. I took this lemon, this small lemon and I ate the whole thing in front of my date. Like I was mad at him. Yeah. Like watch me. I was vomiting for a long time. So maybe we don't go with lemons. So you were drunk? Yeah. Oh yeah. I didn't know how to. You were like, this would be funny?

I thought it would be daring Sure It's definitely daring It's impressive Yeah, it is impressive He'll remember me I'm the one who ate the low Yeah

Like make an impression on this guy Would you have ever been drawn To that kind of person Depends I guess Really? Really? He would have loved it

Yeah Yeah Really? He loves heavy metal Oh that's nice to hear Yeah Yeah He had slipped not

Yeah Bands like that So he would love it If someone ate a lemon And puked all over the place Also That's the sort of thing my wife would have done on our first date.

Yeah, she's funny. I like that. Yeah, she's a crazy lady. I'm pretty sure she set fire to a newspaper on our first date. Oh, I love that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, and I thought that was hilarious. Yeah, yeah.

You know, eating the lemon. She liked you. For sure, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's how you know when she liked someone. But I didn't like this guy very much. No. No. You said you did it like you were angry at him.

I think, well, I was angry of men, I think. Yeah. And why not? That's fair enough. I have an older brother, but I also really struggled with the idea of feeling attractive. Like the feminist in me, I grew up as my identity was the short kid. Like that's, oh yeah, the short kid over there. And the fact that I pronounced my name Anna instead of Anna, which my parents did to me,

it really gives, I think, a false, uptight impression of who I am. It's been an unfortunate journey, but I prefer Anna over Anna because it sounds a little softer. You know, like a long-haired rabbit or something. Yes. How did you feel when Frozen came out? Much better. Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, because people understood.

Yeah. You know, seven and under. Yeah. The newest generation completely now, yeah, they identify with that. That's good. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

I got completely off track, didn't I? Well, we were going. But given we started on you eating a whole level. So you hated men at the time. Oh, yeah. Thank you, Jane. So I think when I finally started feeling attractive, like when I didn't know how to absorb that. Yeah.

I was like, please look at me. Don't look at me. Please look at me. Yeah. And then I know how to deal with this. I eat a whole lemon in front of him. Yeah. Yeah.

And that all. And then. We'll see who likes me then. That's right. It's a short game. Imagine that guy going in the movie theater. Yeah. Scary movies on.

He's like, that's that crazy lemon lady. Well, he'd think now it makes sense. Yeah, yeah, yeah. She's funny. I just didn't get the joke at the time. Yeah, I didn't either. That was on me.

Yeah. You know, he's probably going away looking at himself. He'll be gutted that guy. Yeah, that guy would be gutted. I bet he's got a pathetic life now. You know? Can't eat. I can't eat lemons anymore.

Can't eat lemons? I, maybe he dodged a bullet though. Yeah? Well, you know, I don't know. It's very rare. It's very rare someone says that about themselves on a date. Yeah. Normally it's like, oh, I dodged a bullet there.

No one really ever says they dodged a bullet. They dodged a bullet there. Yeah. I think that's, you know, I am really impressed with how like millennials are speaking about, They're articulating things that I was never taught to, or it just felt inappropriate or waste of time. But I don't, I'm against the idea of broad, of Anglo-Saxon categorization. We can get into that on our next podcast.

We can speak about it on this one. Yeah. Well, there's a bit to say. But I do appreciate labeling. ideas of that it helps us all feel less insane. You know, and I think I had a lot of learning and growing to do. And I still do, I think. But are you saying, like, if you could go back in time now to the night of the lemon,

with everything that you know now, with everything you know now, the vocabulary that the internet has given you? Are you going to eat the lemon? We'd just eat the lemon. If I was getting paid. No, yeah, I hope so. Yeah, I hope so. I think it's a cool thing to do.

You got a, you have to respect the, you've got to respect the road you've been on a bit. Yeah. I sound like L.A. has infiltrated, don't I? Like, you ought to respect the road you've been on? Like, I say things like journey and, like, healing and karma. nice if it helps, you know. Yeah.

Because where did you move from? Where, where? I grew up north of Seattle. I was born in Baltimore, Maryland, but we moved to Seattle when I was six years old. Right, right. And then I went to school in Seattle at University of Washington. You get to go back to Seattle much? Yeah.

My family is still there. Molly Moons. What did you say? Molly Moons. Molly Moons. Yeah. Ice cream place. Yeah, but I think it came into origin after I left.

He's obsessed with Molly Moly Moines, this guy. Absolutely dynamite. Brilliant ice cream. They did a cobbler ice cream. It's like if you grew up in a place that's now viewed as really hip and cool, but at the time did not feel that way. Like I get undeserved legitimacy from growing up in the Northwest, and I get annoyed every time I go back because it's such an awesome place to be.

Yeah. It has great ice cream now. And I had a great Malaysian meal in Seattle, actually. It's a fantastic Malaysian meal, yeah. It's just gorgeous. And at the time, I couldn't wait to leave. I wanted my world to be bigger. I wanted to move to London.

And now I can't wait to go back. It's, I don't know, age, I guess. Yeah. Yeah. But it's also L.A. and my career has felt like nothing's settling. If home is a feeling of content settlement in your gut and home sickness, the feeling of almost nausea, that a dull pain is its opposite,

like Washington, Seattle area does have that contentment feeling. It has been a career that, like, you have to, you have to prioritize it above all things, which is tough. That's a tough compromise among my third and final marriage, you know? Like, it's, it requires hustling. You're your own small business. So. Is this advice to Tom? It's a lot of advice.

I'll wear my glasses. Yeah. So you have to. have to be an entrepreneur. Yeah. You have to find your own brand and you have to advocate for that. You have to be like, these are my principles. Thank you so much, sir.

And Luigi or Dominic, if you ever wanted to open up your own restaurant. Yeah. Vangley, vungle, vanquay, vanquay. Then I would suggest like returning to school for a minute, Getting, you know, just like educate yourself small business-wise. That's what I would recommend. Oh, so I should study small business. I shouldn't study like, okay.

And maybe understand more how to be a waiter. Brands yourself? You're still here. Think about who you are and what makes you different. Yeah. Well, I know what makes them different as a waiter. He doesn't leave the fucking table. I know.

I know. Crazy. You're right, though. How do you capitalize on that? Yeah. How is your brand like, immovable annoyance. What is that?

I thought it was charming. I thought... You have grown on me. You really have. Like literally. You're special. There is something special. Weird, but special.

Yeah, yeah. I'm hungry. I'm so fucking hungry. I'm so hungry. Tom's hungry. Tom's hungry. I'm so hungry. You're not tipping anyway.

I don't care about serving you. What do you want, Tom? I want Monga. Just Vanglet? Well, it's all those in my head now. All I want is Vongle and then Sorbette. Just Vongle. Yeah, yeah.

Just Vongle. Just Vongle. Just Vongle. That is so weird. We both want Vongolay. I actually, I don't know if I want Vunglea anymore. I kind of want something with zucchini. Or like, maybe chingale, you know, wild boar.

Oh, wow. Do you have anything like that? Yeah, I can like, stuff a wild boar with a bunch of I guess you would call it zucchini I'd call it courgette personally I don't want you to go to any trouble that I'll do it

You sure? Yeah I'll get a We don't want you to go to any trouble I got out of a wild boar I don't think they're in Like they're not local I don't think they're local here So

Yeah it's not local Yeah To the Malfi Coast The Amalfi Coast Yeah Come trying out the water Getting people Maybe like Pesé

Evanglet? Peshae Yvongle. Pescey? Fish and Vongolet? Yeah. But then we keep ordering and you're still here.

I don't know what... Well, it keeps changing. You know, I want to make sure I definitely get the order, right? Yeah. What a strange guy? This is so weird, Tom. I don't know.

I'm sorry I recommended this place. I don't know what's going on here. Well, I'm charmed. That's good. You're charmed. This guy's getting on my nerves still. Okay, well, I'll read your menu back to you. Do we, are we having dessert?

Are we ordering dessert? Sorbetet, was it? Yes, sorbetta. Lemon, sobette. Sobette. Lemon, sorbette. Peshae. Pesce sobette.

Fish. Fish sorbet. No, no, no. Pesce like peach. Oh. Pesque, maybe. Tom, you speak Italian. See?

Go on. I would like fish and vongale. Yeah. Peach. And peach. Sobe. And why? I don't know.

I'm sorry. Sobet. Yeah. He's not ever. Gratimile. Okay. Grazie Mille. 10 euros if he actually gets up.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. This is not happening. I'm just going to lead your menu back to you. Why? You bring us the food, man. Huh? Why are you reading the menu back to us?

You've not brought us to food? You want still unsparkling water? Oh my God. You would like daily bread? Different vessels. Different vessels. Daily bread. Yeah.

Still a sparking mortar in different vessels. Different vessels. You want daily bread. Start a... Guilt free bread. Guilt free. Please. There's enough guilt around here.

I think we landed on Bouchetta with vine ripened tomatoes for your starter. Tom. Yes. Do you think that hell is that bad? It can't be any worse than this. Maine, you wanted hand-rolled, stras and preti. I just don't want to burn. I don't know.

Vongillet and fish. Drink a beautiful white wine, something appropriate in the area. And does a peach sorbetty? Yes. Sound good? Yeah. Sounds nice.

Who's paying? Oh, Tom. I'm paying. You got a pay and got a tip. And I got a tip. I got a tip. And I'm tipping on the yacht as well. Yes.

You're paying 30 grand on the yacht to the captain. I hate it when he's on finance. Well, Sarah and indeed, Anna, thank you so much for coming to the Dream Restaurant. You've been a delight. Thank you. Thank you so much, you guys. I had so much fun.

We loved having you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Can I? Yeah, wave at the camera. Any final messages for people watching? I just had the time of my life. Thank you guys so much. And I appreciate your listening to him. You were.

There we are, James. Anna Farris, my head's spinning. I don't know about you. We had two guests on that episode. Surrard. Three guests. Tom Berringer was on it. Tom Berringer, of course.

What a guy. I had the Tom Berringer thing sprung on me a little bit. Really? So I felt like I could have got in more. more into a character, but also I felt like I was having to marshal the episode slightly. Yeah, because... Because I didn't... I was getting boxed out a lot.

You were getting boxed out, and I felt like I needed to... I didn't know whether Serra was giving her menu, and then Arna was going to give her genuine menu. Sure. It turns out, Vongolet is an interest of both of theirs. Yeah, but slightly different types of Vonga. I couldn't fully be Tom Berringer, because I would have... Later on, I maybe got, you know, quite aggressive with the waiter.

That was Tom, by the way. Nice, good. But I just want, I wish I'd got more into character because I think maybe show Nana that I could get deep into character and improvise so I could be in a project with her. The next scary movie. Yeah, yeah. Could be in that scary movie film.

Yeah. That would have been good, but you blew it. So that's a shame. I don't blow it. It was quite good. Yeah, I guess you were very convincing that you were against tipping culture and then it's revealed that actually you as a gamble. You quite like Tipet.

I look forward to tipping when I'm in America. So that was good. Yeah. I think, you know, the listeners can safely categorize this episode in, you know, one of the ones where we lost control of our podcast. 100%. And we knew that was going to happen. Yeah.

So that's, you know, that will join the Dan Aykroyd, Robert De Niro, Anna Farris. Yes. We've lost control. Yeah. And hopefully everyone enjoyed the ride as much as we did. Yeah. Crazy.

I loved it. Crazy times. Don't forget, scary movie is out on Friday the 5th of June. go and see it in cinemas. Absolutely. Go and see Fresh Hell, which is Ed Gamble's tour show, Ed Gamble.combe.com for tickets.

Lovely. Yeah, pretty good. And are you still on tour, James? No. Well, yes, actually. By the time this is out, I am on tour. At the time of recording, there is still a few tickets left.

So I guess James Acaster.com. Just go on there, see if there's any tickets to my show left. I hope there isn't. And I would say if you're listening to this, go and watch it on YouTube. For the full character experience. Yeah, yeah, for this. Because if you just listened to it,

you wouldn't have seen Serra, put the sunglasses on. Yes. And that's when the character of Sorra really comes to life. And there's a whole body change when she went into character. Everything changes. And, you know, Tom Berringer. No, Tom Berringer was a very much of the same body position. There's a really different aura.

Tom Berger really took on the body position and aura of a stressed podcast host. Yeah. It's very different. It's very good. I like Tom Berringer and Sarar. It was a pleasure to meet both of them. Yeah. I wonder if the way Arna came up with the name, Tom Berringer,

suggests that Tom Berringer is a real name of someone. It sounds like him as a real person. Yeah, that she knows. Maybe she's phoning now on the way home and going, Tom, to make sure you're okay with something. Tom, you're a character on a podcast now. Yeah, just so you know, you don't tip. And he doesn't like tipping.

And that's his main character. That's his main character trait. Yeah. Well, Tom Berringer, if you are listening, you want to come on the podcast and defend yourself. But you have to come in characters as Ed Gamble. Yeah. That's the deal.

That's the deal. Oh, of course Arna didn't say Maltisa Bunny. Huh? How's he going to put that in? What do you mean? He can deal with that. Okay, I'll do it. Oh, and of course Arna did not say Maltisa Bunny, James.

Yeah, yeah, which is good. Good to know. I've got a couple of options there, Ben. Yeah, well, he's going to use both of them. So, good to know. That you didn't choose the funny. Yeah. I don't know why Tom was eating with Sarah.

No, no. I don't think they got on. No. But it was nice to see them together. It was nice to have the secret ingredient not mentioned. And therefore... By either guest. By either guest.

Yeah. And we did the whole menu, more or less. No starter. Yeah, no starter. Normally you'd kick off about that, but you were Tom Berringer, so you couldn't. Couldn't do that. Yeah.

What an experience? What an experience? We lost control. and now we're off to regain control of our lives, I guess, once we finish recording this. I don't think I ever will. I don't think. I don't think you can.

Bye. Oh, goodbye.