SmartLess - "Nicholas Hoult"

Episode Date: July 7, 2025

Don’t shave your head off! It’s Nicholas Hoult. Doing good work, creating special things, and chasing fame and money like a rabid animal. Your heart is a business… on an all-new SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

So hi everybody. Hey, I like starting an episode with so we're mid conversation. So anyway, welcome to smart less. Lattice. Smart. Lattice. Smart. Lattice. Listener, you'll have to excuse Will Arnett today. The things are a little sour.

And surly. He's surly today. He's surely surly. We recorded this the day after my beloved Toronto Maple Leafs lost. Oh, they lost last night? Game seven, yeah. Oh, I'm sorry. And it wasn't a great performance.

Biz made that very clear. Yeah, he sure did. And God bless him for being honest. God bless Biz, Paul Bizonet, my friends, and my co-mourner as a Lease fan. Paul Bissonnette, world's number two Lease fan, obviously, behind me, but I am considering free agency. This is hockey, listener.

Yeah, we're talking NHL hockey. I'm considering free agency. No, no, you did say before we started recording, you weren't considering it. You had declared that you are free agent that I want to test the open market I I see how it goes now in the world. We'd love to have you over at the King's okay Well, I'm open to I'd love to hear from Luke Robitaille when the time is appropriate Like to see what kind of package you could put before me

How do you think how do you think Brendan Shanahan is gonna feel about all this run in your mouth here? How do you think Brendan Shanahan's going to feel about all this run in your mouth here, you know? Well, my, look, look, obviously I just do this to- Brendan runs a team there up there in GZERO. Former Smartless guest early on, and friend of ours. He runs a team there at Toronto, and he's having a tough day today, I'll bet. He knows it's a business.

What, your heart is a business? My fandom. You know that fandom is a- You're not going to stick with them when they're hurting? I'm going to do what's right. I mean, look, it's a business. What, your heart is a business? My fandom. You know that fandom. You're not going to stick with them when they're hurting? I'm going to do what's right. I mean, look, it's nothing wrong. People test the open market. He's tested the open market before.

He's been a free agent. Oh, do you think he's got his resume out there amongst all the clubs saying, hey, I'd love to be GM over on your? What do I know? I think they need you now more than ever. What do I know? I tell you what I-

What do you want to do? You want to run a team, Will? No, he's just looking for a team to root for that's going to win all the time. They're going to win the Stanley Cup every year. They've never won. They've never won in my lifetime. What, the Maple Leafs have never won?

I've never won in my lifetime. Wow. 1967, it was like- That's like the Cubs to me, and then when they won I cried. Yeah, is that true? 1967 was the last time that they won? Yeah, that's right.

Will, you were born in 58. I know, so. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. It's good stuff, it's good stuff. Anyway, what else is going on? Ah, I thought you guys looked handsome today. What else is going on?

Yeah. I didn't even come to Sunday Funday, although I wasn't invited, as it turned out. Oh, now let's, it's subject number two to get all pissed off about. I don't give a fuck. We got a list. Well, what do you mean you weren't invited?

You don't know that. Yeah, I do. I sure do. Really fuck. We got a list. What do you mean you weren't invited? You don't know that. Yeah, I do. Really? I sure do. Did you? Tell my inbox. You didn't miss much.

It was just burgers and chat. And that's it. Typical Sunday fare. Yeah, sorry. I'm also a free agent with that one. I'm a free agent with Friends now, too. Oh, really? You're looking for a new date for Sunday nights?

Are you drinking dish washing soap? It's water. Why don't you try going to Mass on Sunday nights? Do they have it at night on Sunday or is that Saturday night? Mass. Mass, isn't that what they call it? Yeah.

Lord's house is always open pal. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Will, I'm really sorry. I sent you a text early yesterday that speaking of Jesus, that I had spoken to hockey Jesus and that Toronto was gonna be okay. And I guess. I know, you weren't alone.

I don't blame, first of all, I'm not superstitious in that way. I was texting with Ham, with John Ham during the game and one of the refs, I'm not laughing at his misfortune, went down because he took a high stick. And he was bleeding. Yeah, he took his stick right in the eye. Yeah, and he was bleeding all over the ice.

And Ham said, is this good luck or bad luck for your team? And I said, you know, like literally in real time as it was happening, I said, I don't know. I'm actually not superstitious in that way anymore, because then you're just a maniac. So I don't knock wood anymore, I don't do any of that stuff, like who knows?

So anyway, I'm letting you off the hook. Look what happened. But this is what I worry about, because I knock wood all the time. I got a whole series of things. I do too, yeah. And Will, you said that you've stopped knocking on wood. Look what happened to your team last night.

Years ago. Yeah. Okay, well this is the problem. This is why you have to keep up with superstition so that you can get the wins when you need them. No, but thinking that- Your fault. Thinking about me watching the game a certain way or doing things a certain way

and thinking that's gonna affect the outcome, he's like, that's how Charles Manson thought. Do you know what I mean? Like, that's insane. Let's bring a serial killer into it. Will, you need to stop watching sports. Listen, I'm, this is. And stop fucking with your hair, okay?

Here's the other thing I wanna say, is that my Liverpool won the Premier League this year. So that's the good news. There we go. That's the good news. Start singing the song right now. We've conquered all of Europe. We're never gonna stop.

From Paris down to Turkey. We've won the fucking lot. Is that the chant that they do at the end of that? Oh, that's the chant. The Pink Floyd song. You Never Walk Alone. Fearless. One of my favorite songs ever.

With hope in your heart. In your name. The Pink Floyd song, Fearless, one of my favorite songs ever. With hope in your heart, you'll never walk alone. You'll never walk alone. Walk on. Sean, you don't know this stuff. Never walk alone, but that's like an old, old, old song. What is it, Jerry the Pacemaker's, I think? Listen, it's a brilliant song, it's a brilliant team, and yeah, Liverpool.

I'm also, you know, because I'm, anyway, we've spent way too much time on this. How are other things? No, tell me. Let's talk about other things in your life, Will. Yeah, go, tell me, because I got, what let's go either get a hat or fucking turn your camera off I can't see you continuing to fuck with your hair these headphones are driving me crazy cuz I'm wearing over-the-ear headphones today It's well, that's what we all do. Okay, okay

Why is it a problem? Where's your earbuds? So what then then mute my camera? What how do you do it my camera where your earbuds I knew I needed new friends where your earbuds hey calm down by the way if there's a if there's a wrong side of the bed that you've sure woke up on it speaking of the bed where are you will where's you got this nice curtain behind you and a little leather self. A new whisper booth. I'm in a new, no, no, no, I'm just in my spot here. All right, anything else to chat about before we get to our guest?

We have a nice guest today. No, let's stop picking on me. Let's stop picking on me. Sean, what about you? What are your problems today? I can tell you. You gotta go ahead and tell him. Okay.

I know what's going on. I gotta accept eating sugar. Listen, I had to go through a night last night with Sean, really boring all of us with the big efforts he's making to get off of sugar. It's been 48 hours, he's just talking about how he's white knuckling and how tough he is. As he's taking sips, deep sips of cranberry juice on ice.

Well, but that's just red sugar. Juices, sugar, you can't drink that. Yeah, but that, your body, tell us. What is it? What is it, Doc? Processes that kind of sugar differently because it's not processed sugar. Oh, no shit.

Got it, yeah. So that won't, okay. Fuck, you know all the stuff behind you, are those diplomas behind you? Yeah. And then what happened when the dessert came to the table last night? I had one bite and I gave the rest to Maple, your daughter.

I had one bite. That's it? Yeah, but that was good, that was really hard. And then I got home and I've just been shoving fruit in my mouth like crazy, like watermelon and oranges. I'm not really saying you can insert a joke here, but you know. Uh.

You know. Insert, yeah, I eat just shoving fruit in my mouth all day. I'm not gonna do a weird joke here, but you know. Uh. You know. Yeah, it's just shoving fruit in my mouth all day. Did fruit mind, did fruit mind or? Does he mind being called that? Oh my God. And Jay lamented over me not having dad jokes, so I have always prepared now. I'll have a dad joke.

How would you have any dad jokes? What do you mean? You have no dad. Yeah, remember he sped off? Well, that's a good one. No, but I have those prepared. That's a literal dad joke. Yeah, what was the one you told me last night

that we had to work on a little bit? That wasn't very good, that wasn't very good. That was, well, I have one for you really quick, ready? Okay, sure. Knock, knock. Who's there? I eat mop. I eat mop who?

What happened there? How'd you do that to me? Okay, guys, our next guest was in one of my favorite films of the year. He seems to have it all. He's talented, he's successful, he works with only the top people in the best projects. He's got artistic credibility and box office sock. Okay, that's what you want. You want box office sock.

Okay, he's handsome, he's tall, he's got good hair. Let's get him out here. let's see if he's single. Let's see how he does it all. Gang, it's Nicholas Holt. Come on out Nicholas. Hey! What a reveal. Nicholas Holt!

Nicholas Holt. It took everything in my power when you were talking about fruit not to reveal myself right there. Now you know how I feel. Well let's get right to it then. So are you single? No I'm not, I'm married.

Oh you are! I've got blonde hair now. You said good hair in the intro as well. Well blonde can be good. Thanks. It was giving me quite a lot of anxiety sitting there. I mean I was enjoying listening to you guys, but also I was like this is quite stressful. The reveal thing.

I mean obviously Jason, you know, it's me. But then I was like, what if quite stressful, the reveal thing. The reveal, oh wait, so. I mean, obviously Jason, you know it's me, but then I was like, well, short and little, like, who, why, no. I know, right, that must be. Wait, you guys know each other? A tiny bit, it must be stressful for the guest, right? This whole sort of like, you're thinking there, well, when I reveal, are they going to be excited,

are they going to be disappointed, are they going to, do they know, right? Is that what the thing is? Well, yeah, because if I were you, I'd probably be quickly Googling like Nicholas Horton. Well that whole line, it's the whole reason we do the surprise guest thing. You're a big star, we don't need to.

The other two people don't have to do any research. So Will and Sean get to just sit here and be the dummies that they are. No, of course I know. I could ask you a thousand questions about Nosferatu, which you were amazing, I love that movie. Not a question, that was a statement No, of course I know. I could ask you a thousand questions about Nosferatu, which you were amazing. I love that movie. I mean, anything.

Not a question, that was a statement. Go over the first question. No, but I have a question. The thousand questions. I want the makeup. The thousand questions, go. Okay, ready? The makeup, what was it like?

Like, what was the reverse of it? 999 to go, go ahead. Wait, why is your hair blonde? I'm saying you have a thousand, just ask a question. I'm holding everybody's feet to the fire. Nicholas, I've had a rough 24 hours. He really has. I know, I'm sorry, I heard and I'm sorry.

You'll get through. Wait, why is the hair blonde? What's coming up for you? I can't, but you know, you work in only the greatest projects. I mean, your resume is really stunning. The Order. When do you stop? That's the film, that was one of my favorite films

of the year. Incrediblog. The Order is where we met because you were working with Jude on your show and you came in very nicely When do you stop? That's the film, that was one of my favorite films of the year. Incredible. That's where we met because you were working with Jude on your show and you came in very nicely for the Q&A for us. Thank you for doing it. Same director, right? Yeah, that was really fun. Yeah, Justin Kurzel, yep.

Incredibly well-directed film. And then he directed the final two episodes of Black Rabbit and that guy is just incredible. Did you have fun with Justin? Yeah, I love that guy. Thank God, he's so good at what he does. Anyway, why is the hair blonde? What's coming up?

What's that for? This is a movie I'm about to start called, it's called How to Rob a Bank. Oh, with David Leach, who was just on the show. Oh yeah. David's directing. Oh yeah, that's great. He called me the other day and he was like,

how would you feel about going blonde and trying that for this? And I was like, yeah, okay, so I went into my wife's aunt's salon yesterday and bleached my hair. And here I am, yeah, okay. So I went into my wife's aunt's salon yesterday and bleached my hair. And here I am. Oh, look at that. You went to your wife's aunt's?

So this is like my big reveal to you three guys. So tell me how it looks. Listen, Nicholas, let's give a plug, because we plug hairdressers on this show a lot. So let's give a plug for salon. You got Skebo, you got Chris McMillan. Salon Midori. Salon Midori.

Where is it? Where is it, Nicholas? Hang on, I can give you the full address. Get ready, listener. This gives you time to get your pen ready, listener. It's in Brea, California. Okay. Oh yeah, fantastic.

Ask for Lay Cicero. Done. Just say the word smartless and receive up to, I don't know, I'm just saying. Yeah. Wait, Nicholas, by the way, Nick or Nicholas, what's your name? Nick's good, yeah.

Okay, so Nick, where are you right now? I'm in Long Beach, we live down in Long Beach. And is this where you live? Yeah. Oh wow, that's nice. How long have you been here in the States? Coming up on like seven years, I think. But like, you know, kind of roaming around

throughout all that time as well. But yeah, been down in Long Beach for like two. Now how did you find Long Beach? This is, for listener, if you're not aware of Los Angeles, Long Beach is an incredible part of the city. It's the port of Los Angeles, it's in Long Beach. The largest port in, I think, the country. And it is not a place that you often hear people living in because it's just south

of the city. And the business. And the business. And the business. Because it's just south of the city. And so I'd like to know how you found yourself there. My wife's family are all from down this way. And so with me being on the road a lot, it made sense to be closer to her, have her, you know, a support system around. And I love it down here, to be honest with you. There was something about LA that always made me

feel a little bit edgy. Yeah, and it's also like, it's such an industry town and it's nice to live a place where there's other stuff going on, I bet, yeah? Yeah, yeah, that's a big part of it. And it's very walkable, there's good food, nice people. It's a good little spot, I like it, yeah. Yeah.

And we will be right back. And now, back to the show. It's a good little spot, I like it, yeah. And we will be right back. And now back to the show. Now, children, you have? Yes, we've got two boys, we've got two boys. How old? Which is seven and two, which is chaos. We were in A&E last night with my older one getting staples in his head because he cut his head open.

He's fine, he's fine. Boys will take you to the emergency room. Will, you can test to that guy. I have three boys, I've been many times to the emergency. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I have two girls, only once. Only once in the emergency room. Are you serious?

I had my eldest who's 16 now, once when he was about 11, he broke his arm, he had it in a cast, he got it off, the day he got it off, he re-broke it. What? No way. Why don't I remember that? That's Archie? Yeah, well how would you remember, Mike? You don't even know what you wrote?

Anyway, it was Archie. How did he do it each time? Just each time, just foolish, just running, falling, tripping, he used to have this sort of proclivity to run one direction but be looking the other direction. Constantly. Like constantly. He's super bright, man.

You'd see him running, going this way, and going like, ah, and then fall. Oh really? Yeah, yeah, yeah, anyway. Anyway, so I've been there. So you got your hands full, two and seven, that's a good spread, right? That's a nice, yeah. Yeah, that's a good spread, right? That's a nice, yeah.

Yeah, that's a good little spread. But yeah, my poor wife at the moment, he was in A&E, I tore my ACL like last week. No. Oh, you did? Just last week? Yeah, yeah. How'd you do that?

Playing basketball. You see, we're just too old to do it now. Nick, you're considerably younger than us, but you're still too old. This was the really sad thing. This was what hurt more than the injury, was I was back and then I was like Google M.D.ing. I was like, oh no, what's happening? Blah blah. And when I found out it was a full tear of this, I looked it up and

and like the A.I. review of the injury was like most frequent in middle aged people who play jumping sports. Oh, really? Is that true? Like, oh, there's no need for the middle age. It's like throwing that at me. Have you already gone in and done the the the repair on it? No, not yet. No, oh, there's no need for the middle aid as I'm throwing that at me. Have you already gone in and done the repair on it? No, not yet, no, no, no. I'm kind of like rehabbing at the moment

and then we'll do that once. Once you're finished with the film. Yeah. Oh really? Yeah, so it's a big. You can hobble around on it? I can get around, oh right now, yeah, yeah, yeah. But if I did the surgery, I think I couldn't for a while.

But I hear that that's just sort of outpatient stuff nowadays. They just like go in there with like a little hose camera and like sweep it up and get out. No, I think for this they have to... Because it's a complete tattoo, I think they like cut out a piece of my patella with the bone and screw that in. And then they drill into the side of your knee.

I don't know. It doesn't sound great. No, it sounds pretty terrible to be honest. So, but now you're going to, this is you got to wait till after the David Leitch thing. That there's stunts in that. He does stunt stuff and you're, it's called how to rob a bank. There's going to be activity in that.

How are you going to do that? Activity. Yeah, I'm going to figure that out. That's why I'm rehabbing at the moment. We'll see how strong I can get beforehand. Now you robbed a hell out of a bank in The Order. Everybody, you gotta see The Order. That movie's so good.

I'm on a good bank robbing run. Yeah. Yeah, it was so good. How does this one differ from that as far as the bank robbery stuff? Is it more involved? It's modern, but I would say it's more of a Robin Hood-esque story in terms of my character, why he's gotten into this It's modern, but I would say it's more of a Robin Hood-esque story

in terms of my character, why he's gotten into this, and how he's kind of revolutionizing a movement around it for good causes, essentially. Now what about Nishan? I don't think you know this yet, or haven't really processed it yet, but I bet you Scottie has considering his screensaver. Nick's coming up in Superman. I know, tell me about that. As Lex Luthor.

That's so great! That is released in July, correct? Is that right? Yes, July 11th, yeah. Alright, so what was that? Daunting? Can you talk about what version of Lex Luthor this is? Because he's had different occupations in the past, correct?

Yes. Yeah. I mean, there's so many different variations of it through the comics and the films and in terms of what he is. James Gunn likes to describe him almost as a... That's the director, yes? Almost, yes. Almost as a sorcerer in this, the level of science he's working on.

But you know, he's a tech billionaire defense. And we start this Superman story, like in an already developed metropolis, kind of you're thrown into a world and universe that's already fully imagined, and all these characters that have been around for a minute, and you kind of catch up with where you're at. It's the appropriate thing nowadays, right,

to make the villain a tech billionaire. But that kind of lines up. You go like, it's not a straight... You don't go like, what? You go, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right, that's right. That's not believable. Yeah, it certainly seems very apt, yeah. Yeah.

Did you have a villain look in that? What did you... Isn't he traditionally... He's traditionally been baldheaded, right? Very apt, yeah. Completely clean. Yes. And then what was the grow back process on that? Because I hear some people worry about that, that their hair is never going to come back. It came back. Maybe not as full and lush and wonderful. I don't know.

Wait, did you have to shave it? I had to shave my head for a movie called The Three Stooges. Very similar. That was a picture! They're so crazy! Sorry, it's an inside thingy that's not funny. How bad was the picture? They're so crazy! Sorry, it's an inside thingy that's not funny. But I had to shave it... These soldiers are some kind of bananas!

It's the presence in that room. That's a good reverb in that room. Wait, Nick, did you have to... I had to shave it twice a day because it would start, right? The stubble would start showing. Did you have to shave it? You've got a lot of growth, yeah. Yeah, I mean, did you have to shave it twice a day?

No, it was once a day, but then they'd kind of spray paint over the top of it. Oh, I see, I see. It was better than a bald cap and doing all that, right? Yeah, I haven't really done the bald cap thing too much, but I feel like it's like we're in a swimming cap throughout the day and it gets all hot and sweaty. And where did you film it?

Because what part of the country? We film a planet, Sean? Yeah. You want to do a tour of their locations? What are you doing? No, because I wanted to know if it was hot or not. Because it was, when you write a question, now I understand.

Okay, so so so. Because of the shaved head? You want to know if it was... Well because my thing is when I shaved my head every single day, it was in Atlanta, it was so hot that when I went into my hotel to sleep I cranked up the AC and I had to wear a ski hat, ski cap on my head because the AC was so cold on my bald head. This guy doesn't know whether he's coming or going! You didn't want to just turn down the AC, Ding Dong? No, no, no.

Yeah, I wouldn't want to do that. No, no. Got it. Anyway, you want to know if he had a similar experience? Yeah. To your fucking lunacy that you were going through? I can relate. It wasn't self-injured.

We shot a little bit of the film in Svalbard. Where's that? It's kind of near the Arctic Circle, in the't self-induced. We shot a little bit of the film in Svalbard. Where's that? It's kind of near the Arctic Circle, in the Arctic Circle. Oh, wow. Norwegian island up there. And so that was very cold and my head was, you know, naked. That's what I'm saying. And it would get chilly.

That's what I'm saying. No, no, no, it's not what you're saying. He was wearing a fucking hat because it was cold. And he was in the Arctic Circle. Because he was in the Arctic Circle. Not the Omni in Atlanta. Not in the hottest city in the... In the hotel.

Well, no, I refused the hat. There was a hat as part of the costume. But I said no to the hat. Saying hi to the Hawks players as they were coming back from a road trip. Great win, fellas. Anyone cold? Sorry, Dick.

Sorry, Nick. We're pretty sloppy today. We are very sloppy. Now, let's go all the way back. Let's go all the way back. I was going to say the same thing all the way going. Will, would you like to start it about a boy, Will? Is that where your question is coming from? I just want to know how it all started.

Nick, how did you become you? You're so good at what you do. How did that all... Yeah, yeah. What was the beginning of your journey? What was the day that you woke up and went, oh, today I want to be an actor? Yeah. Yeah.

There's, well, I was lucky. My mom and dad weren't involved in a business, but my older brother and sister, my older brother really loved acting, and my older sister did a lot of singing and dancing, and was very talented with that as well. So it kind of- And now they hate you.

And now they detest me. No, so that was their hobby and passion and it kind of, being the third sibling, I kind of just ended up being like, all right, you end up in dance classes or in theater shows and whatever, you kind of just get dragged. So it was kind of like the family hobby in some ways that then through them being skilled managed to get lucky and get an agent and then kind of keep doing it.

Are they still doing it. Are they still doing it? Not at the moment, no. My little sister still works in film. She works as an AD, but my brother's a forensic chemist and my older sister teaches dancing and stuff. Wait, your youngest is an AD? Yeah.

That's awesome. That's the hardest job on the set, first AD. That and first AC, I think. Yeah, the base running can be very difficult because you have to tell people to get out of their trailers a lot. Yeah, exactly. And some people don't want to leave.

Inviting. Sean, do you want to explain the AD department to Tracy or is that too long? Sure. It's the assistant director, right? Yeah, first AD. Wait, hang on. You want to start with clarifying what the acronym is?

No, but I meant like, you you said, you're not AC. I don't know what AC is. Assistant camera. Camera. Focus below. No, but the assistant, first assistant director in their job and then the people who were for then the second and the second second, those people are the people who, in effect, run the skeleton of the film, as it were. They keep the trains running on time.

They do all the things. their jobs are so immense. Yeah, they don't stop from the second they wake up. Couldn't be more important. Yeah. All right. Great. So, About A Boy. By a word from our sponsor, do you think?

No. We just want to leave a little break for the commercial. Now, was About A Boy the first project that you did or was it the first thing that really kind of launched you into public viewing? Yeah, that was kind of a breakthrough, I guess. I'd been in a few things before in England, but yeah, that was the one that was like,

oh, this feels like we're different. What was your first professional job? First professional job, I think I did a play when I was like three or four, We're different, yeah. It was very easy, I thought. They were like, I will sit under this table and pretend to eat cake. I can do that. I can do that. All right, all right, Sean. That's how Sean does it now, because he doesn't want anybody to know he's eating sugar.

And I'm not even auditioning. Now, what did that, so you're 11 and this thing happens and I imagine it was a fun experience and then it comes out and it's kind of a big hit. And what was the adjustment from being just a kid to like, did your friends start to say, what's going on with you? Yeah, because that about a boy was so huge. Yeah.

Oh, this is getting into a bit of a therapy session here now. Yeah, just lay down if you need to. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I suppose that was a bit weird because it was, I don't know, fairly recognizable for a little weird because it was a fair, I don't know, fairly recognizable for a little bit through it. But luckily it's also one of those things where also, it's like kids don't care.

They care and then they don't care and everything passes so quickly that it's one of those things where you just get on with life. You're starting to get a bunch of attention at school and some of the boys might not like that right Jealous, you know what most people were pretty nice. Most people were pretty nice. Yeah. Yeah, it was it was kind of I'm projecting There's but it makes you self-conscious of yourself. I suppose more than anything else you like of course, right? Right, right imagine at that age. Yeah feeling like feeling like because some people are mentioning it and some people are looking at you And then you feel like is everybody looking and it would make you very self-conscious And if you're young especially in those adolescent years, which are tough enough as it is

Mm-hmm. It must be a it must be quite tricky. Really. Yeah, you become like I suppose Yeah, even more of a version of like so yeah, just being like self-aware in-aware in a horrible way, which you probably don't want. Were you like, this was a fun hobby, a good reason to miss class, or were you thinking, great, I've got a nice jump start on my career? Did you decide this is what I'm going to do the rest of my life at that point? No, because everyone talks about how child actors often fall apart and fail and how it doesn't work out for them. So you're aware of that conversation, so you're kind of like, there's a good chance. Everyone talks about how child actors often fall apart and fail

and how it doesn't work out for them. In the back of my mind I was like, I'd like to carry on doing this, but also I was kind of reserved about it a little bit. You're not unfamiliar with this sensation? Yeah, so did you, like me, when it came time to finish high school and now it's the decision about going on and going into college and actually studying up on an industry or an occupation, what was that decision like?

You had some momentum going at that moment. Did you make a decision like screw it, I'm all in? At that moment I was lucky. I did a TV show in England called Skins. moment did you make a decision like screw it I'm all in? focusing on school than half focusing on work and I wasn't really fully into either. So I was like, you know what, I'm just going to commit and then give the acting a try and see how it goes and if I need it, I can come back to school.

Yeah. And you thought maybe I'd give it three, four years, something like that. Because that's like, it's a real roll of the dice, right? Because you'd have to go back into college and yeah, it's stressful. Yeah, and there wasn't anything that I was particularly good at either.

What do you think you would have done if you had to do something different? I really have no idea because I'm not good at anything. I say the same thing, I'm not joking. I always say I'm not good at anything. What would you have liked to have done if you couldn't have acted? Oh, just be a race car driver. For real. Or a rock star. F1?

Or a writer or something. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I enjoy watching F1. But I don't know, I didn't really have a backup. But I think the one thing that I like, the eclectic mix that acting allows you to do, kind of be a jack of all trades. I don't think I excel at anything particularly, but I can kind of dibble dabble a little bit in lots of things. You get to do everything, which you certainly have done.

I mean, the variance of projects that you do and filmmakers that you work with, I mean, it's... Yeah, a lot of people chase fame and other people chase the work. And I feel it. No. No, no, just say it again, because I've got a blank T-shirt I was looking to fill.

And Nick, you always seem like you chase fame. No, no, just say it again, because I've got a blank t-shirt I was looking to fill. Ha. I mean I can play piano. Were you drawn to anything like college? I mean I thought I was going to be a conductor and I thought I was going to compose film scores. Oh that's right. JB what about you? What would you, sorry, what would you do if you could? The same thing you asked Nick. What would you do if you could?

I wanted to, I wanted to be an architect. I wanted to like design residential homes. Oh wow, you have to draw really well. And I can't really draw draw, I just like architecture. Yeah, I do too. I would have gone into that. I would have had to have a partner that knew the math. But anything, but any answer that you play out,

like architect or whatever, then you go, God, I have to go to school, and then I have to read and draw and everything. Like it's so, there's so much work involved where acting feels just like you're playing. Like you're lucky enough to. But the trade off with that is that you've got no, you've got no guarantee of employment.

I know, that's true. I would have been a bartender at a club bed. Just asking for beads. Just fuck it, just fuck it. Just flip flops all the time and just fuck it. Flit and cigarettes. Whatever, whatever. Just ride it out.

Yeah. We'll be right back. And back to the show. But seriously, Nick, how are you picking your jobs? It seems like you're looking at kind of who's in it, who's directing it, kind of what's the quality of it, as opposed to what's the star-making potential of it? No, no, no, I'm chasing fame and money.

No, you're not. Like a rabid animal, but I just can't achieve to. I'll bet you get a bunch of that low-hanging fruit pass right underneath your nose and you've been very disciplined. Yeah. I try to be, it's one of those where, yeah, I feel like I just want to do good work and one of those where I feel like

I just want to do good work and have like, when I'm sitting in my rocking chair in 50 years time, looking back, I'm like, oh yeah, you tried to really create special things each time. Are there any roles, without naming names, are there any roles that you turned down that you went, I wish I had done it. You were having fun. You know what, I think for the first time there was maybe one where the person got nominated for an Oscar. Mm-hmm. And I was like, ooh. Oh, really?

Now, did they play the part the way that you would have? Oh, much better, much better. That's always the thing. Whenever there's a role that you don't get or that someone else does or whatever, there's always a thing where you watch it and you're like, oh yeah, I know, I see. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

It's different. And it's very classy that you're like, oh yeah, I know, I see. It's different. And it's very classy that you're not mentioning what that is too. I think some actors that they mention, and then the person that feels like shit is the person who actually did the part. Because it's like, oh, so I was second. Right.

Right, right, right. Right, right, right. But there's always that, you know, whatever, there's always a list that goes, like the turnover of a project, I'm sure you guys see it all the time when it's like, oh, this script's been around for a minute, it was this person for a while, then it's this person,

and it's kind of like, yeah. I'm just finishing up one of those. Pedro Pascal was set to do the Barnum plan. Anyway, what do you think about- God, he would have been great. I know, right? No, I'm sorry, I'm just imagining him, and he's so good.

It would have been good. Now, what about doing X-Men, Scotty just should just grab the ceiling. That was a lot. I would. So doing doing X-Men or like Mad Max or Superman like you are you are sneaking in some big commercial films as well. That work process on that is, you're only doing like a half a page a day, and it's, right, the apparatus is just huge.

Do you like doing that, or do you prefer doing the smaller films where you're really chugging along and you gotta do a bunch of pages a day, and it's a lot of, it's more acting than it is sort of stunts and effects and things like that? It's different. I really enjoy the stunt process of those things, a bunch of pages a day and it's more acting for everyone to start up their engines immediately thinking about all the dust and how far base camp is from set. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, what kind of, is it like,

you're gonna have an umbrella near my chair because it's probably just really hot. It is though, but to Jason's question, the comfort level of doing like an indie, like a super small budget compared to when you're used to doing bigger films like that, you have to adjust your expectations about how the day's gonna go in terms of comfort, right?

It's not cushy on the outs in these, right? It's not, yeah. It's bad. It's bad on the indies. Boy, not a question in there. No. Two hosts and not one question. Now, how do you like the whole press part of it? Like doing crap like this, because when you do those bigger films

and Superman's starting to come out. Oh, yeah, I was just thinking about you saying July 11th, you know the date, obviously, and it's something you worked on, but it's like this is the lead up, I mean, you've got a long road ahead of you, not to make it too daunting, I'm sorry. But you know that.

Yeah, those films, so listeners, so you do these big films, they make you fly around, not make you, not sound like we're complaining, but you do, it is very robust, the whole thing, all the chat and giggle stuff you gotta do. How do you like doing that? You know what, I've tried to flip my thinking on it in like the last year or a bit or something,

so where I was like, I used to kind of, not dread it in the last year or a bit or something. I used to kind of not dread it. There was part of me that was like, oh, it's quite fun. But I guess that slight introvert part of me was like, I don't know about... And then I realized I've got to perform and play the game better of what it is. You are ultimately a salesman at that point. And I think somebody said to me a long time, they don't pay you to do the movie, they pay you to promote it. Right.

And so when you look at it that way, you go like, okay, this is a big part of the job right now. Yeah, so I've got to be a better salesman. Yeah. Well, but as you said it, and I've been accused of this as well, and I think they're right, of being an introvert. I don't, this is not comfortable for me.

I don't want to say that. You're not an introvert. You're boring, this is not comfortable for me. Chide away. I don't want to say that. You're not an introvert. You're boring. Like, you know what I mean? Like I think there's a distinction there. That's what my fear is. I'm like, I'm boring.

I just want to stay at home. I want to go and do my acting. I hope people like it. And then like, that's kind of it. Yeah, but there's like... It is effortful. It is effortful. Yeah, but yeah, there's a certain ham ham gene a healthy ham gene that I don't well

You feel like you're bragging is part of the problem, right? That and or also just like demanding attention even just and I've talked about it before making a toast I just cringe myself out standing up and and demanding attention You know what? I was thinking about you in the flipping and doing the toast and stuff and we had our friend's birthday Recently a month ago and you guys went and I kind of go because of work and I was thinking about you in the flipping and doing the toast and stuff, and we had our friend's birthday recently a month ago, and you guys went and I kind of go because of work, and I was thinking about the toast, and I remember I wrote that toast for,

I still wrote it to have, and Bradley delivered it while, even though it ain't go. Yeah, it was hilarious. We haven't even talked about that, right? In the toast, I made Bradley go, he does this whole thing, it was for Robert's birthday for Downey, and then I said, and Jason Bateman, I said, Jason, would you please stand up?

So Bradley's reading and he says, Jason, would you please stand up? Jason stands up and then Bradley reads, look at this, look at this monkey, I can make him do anything I want, I'm not even here. Anyway. But the. The roof died, it was very close.

But here's the flip, JB, which is, and it kind of goes along the lines of you're being paid to do it, is making a toast is it's not about you. Think about it. It's for the other person. So you're making it about you, and it shouldn't be. You're doing it, so I don't necessarily want to go and do it,

and I don't want to make a speech at somebody's birthday, even though it seems like I do or I want the attention. You're doing it for that person because they want it. And if you look at it through that lens, it's much easier. That's a good point. Yeah, there was like a really interesting thing I was reading the other week, and I'm butchering it completely,

but what you said there was like being introverted is like a self-centered thing in many ways, and when you're kind of bold in an interaction, instantly it puts the other person at ease. Yeah. And I've got friends who I see do it all the time, when they'll meet someone for the first time and they'll instantly break the ice so brilliantly and do these things where you're like,

oh wow, you can just see how. Well, because it's the work for, somebody told me a long time ago, you're not allowed to be shy after nine years old. Because that just means you just don't want to do the work. And I will say this, I'm not saying that, JB, that you're not a kind, and I don't think that you're self-centered. I think that it's much more,

you look at a guy like Kimmel. Kimmel goes out of his way, and he does stuff, and he hosts stuff, and he gives toast, and he does it, I mean, endlessly. Work. Endlessly. And he does it because he's very open-hearted about it,

and he understands that it's important to the other person to do it. Yeah, yeah. Right? Yeah, I love that. If I think about it that way, I would do it much more. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're right.

That feels good. Thank God. 56. That's why I've got your eulogy written right here. It's ready? I just finished it today. Well, I talked to your doctor. You're ready to go?

I talked to him, hey, side zoom after this? Is that cool? Just to go over it. All right, I'd like to go back to Lex Luthor. Because this is just a major movie that's coming out. I know, I know. I love Superman. Did you have a voice for him? Or is it your regular voice?

Or did you... I'm doing an American accent. I did a voice, yeah. Okay, good. I love that. I worked with an opera coach a little bit on... Oh, really? Which sounds like then the voice is going to be so different. But I was just trying to place the voice differently

to where my voice is. Yeah, Yeah, I get it. That's cool I like like sort of like the top of your head type thing or something like that You mean I'm trying to get more from my stomach I suppose because sometimes particularly when you're then doing an accent and say becomes Because you're trying to change everything in your mouth and throat in terms of how you're saying the sounds Yeah, it can become placed there a little bit differently and stuff. I don't know. Yeah, yeah.

Oh, wow. Yeah. How do you like doing the American accent? Is it easy to you? Yeah, I was going to just ask that. I wouldn't say it's easy because then when I do a bad one, everyone will be like, hmm, not that easy. No, no, no.

Smart. Is it comfortable? How about that? It gets comfortable. Is the, that's the aim whenever you, like I'm just starting to work on this new accent for this new thing and it's kind of, it's an American accent but it's different to what I've done before

so then instantly it becomes like, in the moment it still sounds alien in my head, you know? It's like, ugh, and then hopefully with enough repetition by the time we get to shooting, it'll feel like something that I can be like, okay. All right, now are you just working on the material that you've got to work on for the film? Are you trying to inhabit it sort of in a day to day when you're doing the dishes, et cetera,

playing with the kids, trying to get those American cadences, et cetera? Uh-oh. Nice work, Will. Did I frozen him out? Yeah, you just absolutely killed him. Let's take a quick little look-see here. Can you guys hear me? Yes, there you are.

Yes, sorry, I don't know what happened. Here he comes in video. I'm sweating now. Nick, this is going to be seamless. My question was, do you do the accent all day? Like around kids and stuff. Do you just do it for the material that you're working on or do you try to do it all day? Or do you try to do it and incorporate it into your day-to-day

and when you're doing the dishes and playing with the kids? It depends on how long I'm doing the character and stuff. I normally stay in it throughout the day, film. I like, in the morning warm up and like get into it and then try and stay in it. Yeah. And then like at the end of the day I'll go home and I won't talk in it. Do you ever do it around your kids and your kids are like, well dad, what do you, I don't understand you. Occasionally I'll be like, because I sometimes record. Hey Will, have you played golf since you've been done with the movie?

I went to the range yesterday. Boy, I figured something out. Oh, did you? And we have Nick with us here. Check, check. Here we go. He's back. Nick Holt?

Yes. There he is. Nick, do you play the golf? Do you play golf at all? I do play the golf. Not very well. Because we were talking about golf during the intermission there. So you're no... Do you all're dual play. We do Sean does not Sean can drive

Jason I play yeah Sean did come to a golf tournament with us once but he did not play You're not good because you don't play that much because you're working all the time. Yes Yeah, I'm not consistent enough like when I'm on one. It's good Yeah, I'm not consistent enough. Like when I'm on one, it's good to do. All right, looks like we lost him again. Please stand by. By the way, you know, there are certain names, right, that have a cache, that have a thing.

Nick Holt. Nicholas Holt sounds like a star name. That's a star name. Sure it is. You know what I mean? You know, let me, can I run one by you that I don't think is? It's just impossible. I'm gonna say my name.

Will Arnett is just something that's just, it's sort of like, oh, well that's fine. That's fine. Sean Hayes. That's kind of boring. It's like, oh, it's kind of foggy. I can't really see through it. It's hazy.

You can't make anything out of it. Sean Hayes sounds like your sister's friend, you know? Who's like a graphic designer. You know who I saw at the mall? It's not Sean Hayes. Fucking Sean Hayes. Oh yeah, I remember him from high school, that's it. He sounds like somebody, like your sister's friend

from high school, and now you're 50, and you're like, oh yeah, I thought that guy died. Yeah, sadly that's true. Nick Holt. Nick Holt? Nick Holt is back, oh, sadly that's true. Nick Holt. Nick Holt? Nick Holt is back. He's not back. And more frozen than ever.

Yeah. Robbie, is he trying to join back in? No, I just heard from him and I think there's something going on with his laptop. Well, listen, we lost Nicholas Holt. We have got a real spotty connection there. But you want to know what, a guy that busy, we're thankful to get even the amount of time

that we had, right? Yeah, I agree. And this guy is a talent and a charmer, and again, the hair did not disappoint, the jawline did not disappoint. No, no, no. Good looking guy. Good looking guy, very well spoken, super talented, he's got it all, he's got the superstar name.

Focused, like you said, Jay picks the right projects with the right people. And I'm glad we didn't exhaust him because he's got a lot of talking to do in the coming months. Everyone's going to go out and see Superman. Yeah, we're going to see Superman. What was the date?

Was it July 11th, did he say? July 11th, yeah. Will anyone beat Scottie to the theater? For Superman? No, I'm not even kidding. He's probably already bought his tickets. Not even joking. He brought something up on his phone last night, Willie.

Oh yeah. And I'm over his shoulder and right there, his screensaver on his iPhone is just the Superman badge, you know, the chest badge. That's his screensaver. I know, he's a big nerd. He's a big fat nerd. Not fat, but he's a nerd.

That's so funny. That's a great, nerd is a great way to put's a nerd. That's funny, that's a great, nerd is a great way to put it. Yeah. It's not the word I'd use. Right. You know what I mean? Mine starts with an L.

Yeah. A big L. Yeah. Remember when people just, remember nerds all of a sudden sort of appropriated the word, losers appropriated the word nerd, because they thought like they'd make them sound better, and they're just losers.

Well, I'm going to write this down and make sure Scotty knows what he feels. No, I'm kidding, I love Scotty. Where does dork live in that list? Is that more pejorative? Yeah, dork is like that. I'm a loser too. I'm like a hardcore fan who's bummed out

about a sports game last night. Like that doesn't exactly make me a fucking winner. No, but you know what I was going to say, how good looking Nick Holt is, and I said to Will the other day. Back off the mic a little bit. I said if you're attracted. Look at the tee up, look at the tee up.

If you're attracted to, uh-huh. If you're attracted to both men and women, but neither are attracted to you. You are by yourself. Oh, nice. Bye. Bye. Bye.

I like that. We'll accept that. Bye. Bye. Smart. Smart. Smart. Smart.

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