SmartLess - "Taron Egerton"

Episode Date: June 30, 2025

Be sure to shower with extra shampoo; we have Taron Egerton in the house this week. The land of plenty, the middle of nowhere, and how everyone’s home is their home. “You’re learning guys, you��re learning…” 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.

Listen, I think you two are going to be great at this. Is this your first podcast, the both of you? Sean, well? Yeah. Just the first time out. Yeah, first time out. What do we need to know? Well, you just go ahead and talk into that big foamy black thing in front of your lips.

And what do I do with my microphone? My microphone. Oh, wow. Welcome to Smartless. Smart. Lattice. Smart. Lattice. Smart. Lattice. Good morning, good day, good evening, listener.

We had a real robust in-house, smartless text chain going this morning. Yeah, that's right. It's fascinating. I love talking about that stuff. Talking about all the scary stuff. robust in-house smart list text chain going this morning. That's right. It's fascinating. I love talking about that stuff. Talking about all the scary stuff. On and on in the world.

Like AI, I don't know if you've heard about this, the acronym is AI, it stands for artificial intelligence. Wait, go back. And it's coming and it's going to be freaky. I wish the listeners could see how dead your eyes were when you were rolling that out. Shut up, Will, this is serious. No, it's coming.

So what now? I'm running for the hills by a pistol, what are we doing? Or I guess double down on just chatting with folks like we're doing. I guess you can kind of robot us, can't you? I mean, I'm pretty much all the way. You've always called me a robot, Will. There is no way, Jason. It's me, Will. I'm here.

You look so good today. It is a pleasure to be on Smarla's. I'm excited for our next guest. Wait, do I have any good dad jokes? Are you going to try to lighten things? Yeah, I got one any good dad jokes? Are you going to try to lighten things? What do you call a teacher who never farts in public? What's that?

Oh my goodness, Sean. Sean, that's really fun. That is fun. I've taken that one. I'm going to ride that for a week. I know how that feels. I was going to say, speaking of which... No, Sean, do you have a callback today or a photo shoot or something? Because you do look great. Oh, thanks, yeah. What's the occasion? I took a shower and this is what it looks like. Yeah. There we have it. Wow.'t, I took a shower and this is what it looks like.

Yeah. There we have it. Wow. Yeah, I took a shower. Now when you shower, do you shampoo your hair and condition it? I don't condition it, I've never conditioned my hair. I just shampoo.

Okay, and is it every time you take, every time you shower you shampoo your hair? Yeah, who doesn't? People who look good? I don't. What do you mean? Every time. Yeah, every time. You shampoo't. What do you mean? Every time. Yeah, every time.

You shampoo your hair every time you shower, you get that fluffy shitty hairdo like Shum P. A. Yeah, and you're getting rid of the natural oils. Okay, you're washing away your natural oils. Well, I don't. You need some clump. Yeah, you need your natural oils. You need your natural clump.

Yeah, but what about... You gotta get Lorenzo's oil, okay? Yeah. That's what that movie was about, Lorenzo's oil. Do you know, can I reference one of my own projects, please? Thank you. That's what that movie was about, Lorenzo Zoyle. Do you know, can I reference one of my own projects, please? Thank you. Here we go.

A picture called Paul, not widely seen, but I did play a secret service agent last name Zoyle. One of the last seeds of the movie, I finally introduced myself first name Lorenzo. Oh my God, first name Lorenzo. Oh my God, what a sweaty joke. And I was told by the director to... And you're right. No, it was actually Greg Mottola. Oh, Greg Mottola, right, yes, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.

But it was you and... Yeah, he says, you know, I think it's the first time he's ever really heard this himself. So in other words, play a beat once you say, Detective Zoil, Lorenzo Zoil. And then play a beat of like, oh my God, that sounds like the movie. Like a little wink.

And so it was funny. I do recommend a rental on that. Paul, it's called? It's called Paul. Seth Rogen plays an alien in Hergivoresis. I'd look for like a free stream maybe. You know what I mean? Try five minutes of free and then go ahead and rent.

I'd get on a VPN and stream illegally. If it's $2.99, I'll buy it. What else? Okay, I'm back in Atlanta. I'm in my final week here. Are you so excited? You guys are in Los Angeles. I'm very excited.

I'm very excited to be done. It's been a great project, but I am excited to come home, see you folks again. When are you done? Saturday? I'm done on Sunday. Today's Wednesday. Sunday? I'm flying home Sunday too. I'm leaving today, but I'll be back Sunday.

Wait, you're in Los Angeles. I'm in LA, but I'm going to New York today for a few days. And then you're going to be back on Sunday. I'll be back Sunday. I'll be back in the, after midnight. Oh, I'm glad we're caught up in the schedules. Wait, oh, so you're not coming back to- That is so shitty, Sean.

God, Sean, that's so biting. So rude. I know, it's so judgy. Biting. So listen, what about Sunday? Were you there, Jay, or just Will? Just me. Oh, where?

I thought you went to Sunday Funday. Sunday Funday. You were not there I guess Sean. I couldn't go. We had a very robust conversation, actually kind of about a lot of the stuff we were talking about this morning. We were talking about AI,

and we were talking about the future. But did you discuss? The present, we discussed the fact that we're all human. No, oh for, on Sunday Scotty rented a boat, we went out to the ocean and the boat, he finally got to his notes. Well, he managed to wedge his little talk notes in. Oh, really?

Doesn't that sound like a focus feature? Doesn't that sound like a little indie film? Scotty rented a boat. You know what I mean? To go in companion with Paul. Did he make it back home or are they still searching for him? We all were were gonna go. You guys used to have a boat though,

so you've towing around with maybe getting another one? Mm, I don't know, maybe. Does Scotty pilot the boat? Well, he did this one for a little bit, but it had a captain, yeah, it had a little captain. But he likes to get behind the, does he wear a little cap? Yeah, you know, he doesn't wear a little cap, but he likes to drive big machinery.

So for one birthday one year. That's a joke here. Well, he's with the wrong guy. I mean, I don't know. Ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba. He, for his birthday one year, we went to Vegas, because I knew that, and in Vegas, there's a place that you can go

where you can drive bulldozers and like, you can like Excavate land because I've done that or will have you ever done that I've done that it's it's Incredible driving those big things. Yeah, right never driven an excavator, but I drove like a big here comes an ad for GMC Get ready work. Well, well GMC trucks are professional grade. Are they so if you're working your way around? What happens at the Denali? Well, the Denali HD, or are you talking about the new Sierra EV?

Oh, God. So Sean, how was the Vegas trip? That was a while ago. We drove trucks, and what else did we do? Did you win any money? By the way, he's just doing a lot of things, driving the boats, and then going and driving the trucks. It's all just different characters from the village people.

If I'm right. If I'm right. I mean. I mean. Any ride alongs for the cop outfit? What did they? Clearly he's not doing a lot of working or are you? No, these are the things.

Either way, you're listening to this podcast and you're in a truck or you're working somewhere and you're like, these fucking Hollywood elite assholes. What are you talking about? Anybody can rent a boat and anybody can in a truck or you're working somewhere and you're like, these fucking Hollywood elite assholes. What are you talking about? Anybody can rent a boat and anybody can rent a... I'm going to Vegas to make believe I'm driving a tractor. People aren't renting boats, Sean.

You can buy a wife of like 100 bucks to go drive these things in Vegas. You're so fucking out of touch, dude. You're so out of touch. I was thinking, I was coming back home, I was at 45,000 feet and I was coming home and I was thinking about how out of touch. Sean. You're looking out the windshield I was at 45,000 feet and I was coming home and I was thinking about how out of touch Sean's.

You're looking out the windshield to the, past the pilot. I literally just spit out my teeth. Oh my God, that came out of my mouth. You know Sean, I would say though, I would like to, I actually, upon further reflection, Scotty would look good like a little sailor outfit. Sure he would.

I'm just saying like an old school. All right, I'm making that up. Can we make that happen? Yes, we can make it happen. You can wear like a striped nautical. You know like the bib thing that goes on the back? No shirt, no shirt. Tits just resting over the top. And then here comes Sean in a little Gilligan outfit.

Hey! Don't say it. You guys should go as the skipper in Gilligan for Halloween. Oh my God. That's really funny. You guys, that would be so. Oh my God.

And we'll be Marianne and Ginger? Come on, Willie. That's really funny. The professor and Marianne. All right, let's wake up our guest. I'm sure he's completely passed out by now. Guys, I'm very excited slash nervous for today's guest because I've always wanted to meet him.

It's for quite a while now. Okay. He first hit my radar coming out of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in 2012. What? Then he quickly became the lead in a very stylish action franchise. I can't mention because you know who he is.

He voiced one of the most successful animated films. He went on to play one of the most iconic musicians of our time, was nominated and won all kinds of awards for that. Did we text about him today? Sorry. I'm going to go back to the top now. No, no, no, please don't. He has done and is doing a slew of cool stuff since then,

but most recently, this hot shot has knocked me down and out. Literally killed me. In the incredibly satisfying and remarkably successful Netflix film called Carry On. Guys, please say hello to Taron Egerton. Oh, Taron Egerton! Hey! You guys didn't know. You thought, there's no way he knows him

because he says he's looking forward to meeting him and then I switched it and I tricked you. That was a good mystery. There's less of a red herring and more of a lie. You know what I mean? Yeah, but fun. Fun to lie. My sister loves that movie, Taron. No way!

Carry on, carry on. No, which is Taron? Great film, great film. Great bad guy in that. Let Taron talk. Good morning, Taron. Hi, Taron. Hi, Taron.

Good day. How are you guys? Thanks so much for having me on. Very excited you're here. We're very honored to have you. Oh, it's lovely. It's nice to see you, Jason. You good?

Good to see you. I love the shaved head. Listener, he's got a real tight, like a swim team almost, marine type of shaved head. I've done it twice and I loved it. That's it, streamlined, yeah. Oh, it's so good. Get into where I'm going quicker.

I just finished a movie where I had a kind of shaved head, so it's still growing out, yeah. So you're keeping it? I think so, for now, yeah, for now. Through the summer, because it's warm. Although it doesn't get that warm when I grow it out anymore. I'm not blessed like you guys are. Well, yeah, for now. Through the summer, because it's warm. Although it doesn't get that warm when I grow it out anymore. I'm not blessed like you guys are. You guys have got three very fine heads of hair.

No, it's all fake. You don't want to see me take it off. It's all snapped on, glued. Now where do we find you? You're in Los Angeles? No, I'm not. I'm in Wales. I got back from Australia a couple of weeks ago where I just finished the film and I've come home to see my family. So I'm here for two weeks before.

I've got questions about Wales. You know, we're kind of friendly with Gareth Bale. Wales' own Gareth Bale listener. A celebrated son of Wales. Celebrated. Very celebrated. And you've had Matthew Reese on the podcast before I listened to that episode.

We've had a few very distinguished and now we've rounded it out. We've had the most distinguished Welshman alive, I think. Sweet Willy's done some time there in Wales, haven't you? I wouldn't call it done some time. I was able to enjoy some time in Wales for a few months, many years back, in Cardiff. Beautiful country, man, beautiful. Yeah, it's gorgeous. So I'm from Aberystwyth,

and it's a stunning part of the world. I'm further north, a couple of hours north. But when I finish a job, I like to come back and just decompress, spend time with my... Is that on the way to Snowdonia? Is that this, in that kind of... If you're coming from Cardiff, it is, yeah. It is right on the coast.

Snowdonia is a place in Wales? Yeah. coast. Snowdonia is a place in Wales? Yeah. Wow. Snowdonia is a place in Wales. And the mountain at the center of that area is called Snowdon. And I think it might be the third or second highest peak in the UK, I think. Sounds like a game of thrones. Which would make it a good 60 or 70 feet tall.

Yeah. Yes, exactly. Exactly. Now, tell me about what if you're a dummy like me and you're like, hey, I don't know whether I should go to England or I should go to Wales. God, that is you. What would be the biggest difference,

and be careful here, because you're surrounded by Welsh. What's the big difference between Wales and England? What would be? Well, let's say there are quite distinct cultural differences. We have a language here that we still speak. Really? Yeah, in certain parts of the country, people speak Welsh, sometimes as a first language.

So you go to... It's not English? It's not English. It's Welsh. What's it sound like? It's much older than English, as I understand it, but it's filled with lots of very kind of throaty, guttural sounds.

Is it like Gaelic? You really didn't know, it's got a lot of consonants next to each other as well. Yeah, exactly. So it sounds more like Scots Gaelic or Irish Gaelic than English. Yeah, yeah. Can you give us just a little something? The one that I'm always asked to do is the village that I was raised in

is the thing that I'm always asked to do on talk shows and things because I was raised in a village called Llanberkwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwikwik Wow. And then you get there and you bang a right. Yeah. Exactly. Wow. I wonder what that, what is it derived from? Like it sounds, it sounds almost German, but also real Nordic. Yeah. There are bits of, you see strange little crossovers between other languages in Europe. So there are things like, you'll just find odd words that are very similar, so German for rabbit is Kinninschen, and Welsh for rabbit is Cuningen. So there's like really strange little bits of crossover that you find.

I gotcha. Wow. Is anything specific about your Welsh upbringing that has kind of shaped your perspective on your career, like managing kind of shaped your perspective on your career, like managing kind of the silliness and the nonsense sometimes that we all kind of enjoy slash navigate. Anything about your Welsh upbringing

that has specifically suited you for that? I think I'm from a fairly kind of, I'm not from a particularly affluent part of the world. I'm from a very normal town, quite blue collar as you'd probably say. And I come from a place where people are quite, I think quite down to earth, quite relatable and real. You know, a lot of my early adult life and the end of my teens was spent kind of, I don't know, we've got like the most pubs per square capita of anywhere in the country. Really? Really.

And it's less now, but I remember when I was coming up, you'd still see groups of older gentlemen who'd kind of spontaneously break out into song and sing kind of, you know, lovely harmonies and things. We have a tradition of male voice choirs here in Wales, and that's something that I think has kind of seeped into who I am. Oh, that's interesting. Right, would that explain your ability to sing? I think in part, you know, most Welsh people have a go at some point, I think. We have choirs are a big part of school life, certainly in my at some point, I think. Choirs are a big part of school life, certainly in my experience anyway.

I think that's something that I've definitely carried forward into my life because I've done a couple of bits of singing. So then how did you come from this sort of small town in Wales, out in the rural area, if you will. Yes, the middle of nowhere, mate. Okay, so middle of nowhere, Wales, beautiful country, but middle of nowhere, and then you end up, and now you're a Terry and Edgerton movie star. long way to go. What was the first step in that, to sort of move from there in that direction? Well thank you. Thank you very much. That's very nice of you to say. But I, so it was a lot to do

with the town I'm from actually. The town I'm from is called Aberystwyth and we have a great art center and I joined a youth theater there when I was 15. I moved from one part of Wales to another when I was 12, and I had a couple of years where I really struggled to acclimatize and make friends and meet new people. And I joined the Youth Theatre when I was 15, and it just felt like the universe clicked into place. I found my tribe, I felt like I had an attitude to something which wasn't a feeling I'd really had before.

Was that something, sorry to interrupt you, but was that something that like your parents were like, oh, poor Taron is not making friends and we keep moving around and maybe joining this theater group, honey, you'd meet some friends? Or was it a passion you had for acting? No, I don't, I think it was,

I think I just was watching other people do it from afar and started to get that itch and that craving. And I always, I think I always, even though, don't get me wrong, even though I was struggling to kind of acclimatize in a new place, I was still an insufferable attention seeking class clown. So it was like an appealing outlet for that I think. Can't relate.

Yeah. You know, it's funny, Sean, it's not dissimilar. It's not dissimilar from you. I'm all bits aside, right? Oh, please expand. Oh, yeah. And what I was going to say was, it occurs to me, and this is nothing new, it's not breaking news,

but there is a recurring theme here that we hear from a lot of people, a lot of performers, of how many times people, when they're younger, join a local theater group, a local theater, whatever. And how important these things are in our communities for being an outlet, not just an outlet for kids, not as a conduit to superstardom, but just a place for kids who don't feel like they fit in

to be able to go in to find their voice. And how often we hear it and how important that is and how much we need to protect that. Because it's one of the few, I think so too, I think it's one of the few places where it doesn't matter who you are, what color your skin is, who you are, your gender, anything at all, everybody's welcome.

Team sports too. Team sports for sure. And sports too. And we will be right back. And now back to the show. So you joined this local youth theater and you find a place where you find your people as it were. Yeah, exactly. That's exactly what it felt like. I found my tribe and you know what ensued between the ages of 15 and 19 were just these really blissful years

of being really creative, really social, really out of my shell. And it was all kind of tied together through drama. So I was, you know, I was getting involved with Shakespeare plays and more contemporary stuff. And I just felt that I was in my groove, in my lane, really, really loved it. And by the time I was about 17, I knew that I wanted to go to drama school. And so I auditioned. And this ties back to me being the insufferable attention seeker. The first year I auditioned,

I was rejected everywhere, and from the limited amount of feedback I got, they said that I was a little underprepared and maybe a little cocksure on myself, and that really, really took me down a couple of pegs. And the following year I went... But you took the note and recovered. I've gotten that note. it's debilitating.

Yeah, yeah, I think so, I think so. Bubble pop. Was there a mentor in there, was there a person in that journey or multiple people who you can identify as people who encouraged you and pushed you the right way? Totally, there's so many people. I mean, the first people that spring to mind are my family. So at that time, we were still, we still rented the family home.

I've never wanted for anything growing up, but I'm not from an affluent background. And each audition for drama school cost somewhere in the region of 40 to 60 pounds. And my auntie paid for one, my father paid for one, my stepfather paid for one, my mother paid for one. And I paid for one. And it was a real family effort to get me to this handful of auditions. I'm picturing Charlie Babbitt

in Charlie and Chocolate Factory. It was a lovely story. Totally in the same bed. It was a lovely scene. It was a lovely scene. It was all in the same bed. I love it. And then, yeah, the second year, it all came together and I got a few offers at different drama schools. And yeah, the rest is history.

What monologues did you do for your auditions? Do you remember? Well, weirdly, really weirdly, I was required to sing a song, and I did your song by Elton John and Bernie Thorpe. And then I did Edmund, The Nature of My Goddess, which is a kind of classic flashy villain turn from King Lear. And I actually can't remember what my modern piece was. But yeah.

That's so cool. And what was your growing up, first of all, two things. One is when you said you were singing and stuff. I have a little tidbit, I don't know if it's true. So now you're gonna say when he said your song, you're gonna say my song, like $5 foot long. That's wrong. Right, isn't that your song?

The subway. That's his anthem, not his song. $5 foot long. So no, one little tidbit, I don't know if it's true, but Irish dancing, have you ever seen Irish dancing when they don't- You're doing ankle slapping? Yeah, where they don't move the upper part of their body.

They don't move the upper part of their body. Do you know why? Why? Because, I don't know if this is true, but in Ireland, dancing used to be against the law or something like that, and so the police used to walk by the pubs, and so they didn't see the upper part of their body moving. They would just move the bottom part of their legs.

And that's how I, that's what I heard. God, I hope it's not. What do you mean you heard? On what website are you diving into? When did you hear that? I heard that growing up, because I'm Irish. Can we just, can we just blub in conjecture wherever we want now? Can we just sort of like...

I asked Chad to be cheeky. That's, I mean... I don't know if that's true. If that's true, that's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard in my life. No, but isn't that interesting? It makes sense, because they don't move your upper body. Your upper body's stiff.

No, we get why. And because there's windows that only go down to waist height throughout Ireland. We understand. I hope it's not true. God, I hope it's not true and that you've been saying this forever. All right, so Taron. Why don't you read a book?

So the other thing is, what was your view from Wales? What was your impression of America? And was that different than when you actually arrived? How early did you see Will and Grace and did that inspire you to make the trip across the Atlantic? It's a huge part of my formative years. I did, I enjoyed that show very much. Thank you, thank you.

I mean it was like, you know, certainly when I started acting, the perception of America is like, I don't know, I suppose the land of plenty, I guess. And was that always the destination? No, absolutely not, no. When I went to drama school, I thought, I thought I'm going to be a theater actor, and I thought I will get a couple of guest spots

on the telly and that will pay my rent, will pay the mortgage. And I really mean that. It was a shock when films happened. So that was the adult, that was the life goal, the adult, the occupation, sort of career goal was I'm going to be a working actor in the theater. And a guest spot here or there on television

will subsidize, yeah. Keep the lights on. Yeah, I mean that would be incredible. That was the dream. subsidize. on the TV and it was like a mind-blowing thing. Yeah, the West End, you know, the West End. I remember I did a summer season production of Oliver when I was about 14, 15, and they had actors come up from London to play the adult roles. And they were, you know, actors who'd been on the West End.

And it was like, you know, it was like Humphrey Bogart had just stepped into our history. It was that level of kind of grandeur. And for Tracy, the West End is the London version of Broadway, just so my sense is. Exactly. So then Taron, was there enough time for you to be comfortable with where you are today?

Because, dude, are you even 30? Like you're not- I am, I'm 35. Okay, so then the amount of time- You look great. That's not enough, that's not a lot. It's not enough. Thanks, man.

Like, you know, what is it? It's like 15 years, I think, somewhere in that ballpark. Yeah, and you know what? I think there are times where, there are, it's like, with the attention that comes with success, as you will have all experienced, there are days when you're really, really good at dealing with it, and there are days where you feel robust enough to be available to everybody who comes up to you and asks for a photo or wants to have a conversation with you or asks

if you'll record a bit for their daughter's 16th birthday. And then of course, there are days where, not even because something bad's happened in your life, there are days where you just... You know, I think there are days where I find it much harder. And the common denominator is, and I think what people don't always realize about, you know, people in our position is,

normally the days where you feel less good about being available to the public are days where you feel less good about being available to the public are days where you feel terrible about yourself. You know, they're the days where your relationship to self is so weak, whether it's because, I listened to one of your episodes the other day, Sean, you know, you said that you'd eaten,

I don't know, some mac and cheese at 11 p.m. at night. You know, when I listen to that. You're going to have to narrow down the episode. But the guy who wakes up the next day is not going to be as good at being the guy to take selfies as the guy who's just done 10 weeks eating chicken, broccoli and rice and is kind of ready to go. That's my experience of the world anyway. So in answer to your question, Jason, I find it at times, I love it.

If I feel psychologically, emotionally robust enough to be available for people, I'm great at it. But it chops and changes. Where did you have to be, and you probably still, it's an ongoing thing, are you helpful to your family and your friends, like where you are right now? You can't just like slide into Wales,

fresh off the set down in Australia, and expect everyone to be as kind of easy with the light switch as you are. Like, do you have to help them kind of intellectualise what's happened to their dear Taron as well, right? Like, now you're known all over the world, and you've got all this money and all this access, and so, I mean, there's a bit of a responsibility on your end to make them comfortable with it too, question?

Well, I think I'm lucky. I'm from a well-adjusted, you know, my family are well-adjusted and cool and I think we're very empathetic and understanding. So they really see, I feel very seen very clearly by my family and by the people who are important to me in my life. And I guess I feel like, I don't know, sorry, I got distracted because I don't know if that was my... It was like a getaway car. It was like some sort of souped up engine.

And you know, to that point, Jason, it's easy of lament the drawbacks of being famous or noteworthy, but it's awesome to be You've quite literally, and I'm sure members of my family are listening, sisters and or mom or whatever, and where I've had moments where I've said, hey, I'm really sorry that I put you in this position. I didn't do it on purpose, but you find yourself almost apologizing. Well, sure, because everyone's involved. I mean, you know, Willie, you walk down the street

with your kids and a photographer gets up in your face, you kind of know how to flow with it, but maybe your kids aren't even thinking about the fact that their dad is famous and that's like weird. Can I tell you something funny that Abel, my 14 year old is a really funny kid, said the other day, we were talking about another friend of all of ours who's very well known globally

and he was talking about them and he said, ah man, thank God we're not that famous. And what I found was- And we'll start drinking again. and he was talking about them and he said, Oh man, thank God we're not that famous. What I found really funny about it was A, his sort of perception of where everything was on a scale, and B, the weir of it all. It's a circus group. I love that.

Wait, so Will Beggs, go ahead. No, I was going to ask. I'm excited to hear, I'm excited for your project with the one that's based on the conversation with John Bishop. Yes. Is this thing on, right? Yeah.

That's so, when I heard about that, it was such a collision. You're familiar with him, yeah, Taron? I know, well I know him. I've said hello to him a few times in passing at various things. Great guy. It was such a collision. I've said hello to him a few times in passing at various things. My family are from Liverpool. Anyone from that part of the world I kind of feel a vague affinity with. Congrats on the championship. Let's get it out of the way.

Obviously a terrible thing happened. Let's get it out of the way. Yeah, it's obviously a terrible thing happened. Some people were injured when a guy drove into the celebration. John's an amazing guy, proper scouser, just a really cool dude. Got to know him a little bit and then through that, sort of, you know, inspired this film. They're talking about the main figure that is the inspiration for Will's upcoming film with Bradley Cooper. That's right, yes.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We just finished, yeah. So yeah, it was a lot of fun, and he's such a great guy and his life is fascinating. Did you write this? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's cool. With Mark Chappell, who's a friend of the podcast, Chapp Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's cool.

With Mark Chappell, who's a friend of the podcast, Chappie. Dang, we got it. Magic word of the day. And Bradley, of course, too. So the three of us, yeah, yeah, yeah. So had you not gotten into the Royal Academy, was there, were you sort of getting ready to maybe do something else? Because that was right at the age when you kind of getting ready to maybe do

something else? Because that was right at the age when you kind of had to decide, right? Oh man, like that's a conversation that happens regularly in my family, you know. We have a lot of pinch me and dreamy moments while I've been away filming at the house. I mean now we've been renovating for a long period of time

and it's kind of just coming to fruition, it's just coming together and you know, it's been made possible largely through what's happened to me in my life and we did have that conversation over dinner the other day, you know, what the fuck would you have done if you hadn't been an actor? Because I can't do anything else.

I can't do anything else. Getting ready for this podcast was so stressful because it involved me opening a MacBook and changing the settings, plugging a mic into the device. These things are totally beyond my abilities. I'm the world's weakest millennial. Well first of all, it should be noted, Taron, we've done over 250 episodes.

I don't know if you watched Sean this morning trying to do it. He couldn't connect. Over 250. Imagine if he was our pilot. I can't connect thoughts. Let alone a computer. So then, Taron, it would be safe to say you probably would have been more on the labor side of things? Well, I don't know.

Honestly, I really don't know. You mean pushing a wheelbarrow? Is that what you're saying? Or swinging a hammer, you know, whatever it is. Yeah, maybe... Wow, yeah, swinging a hammer. There's people who'd laugh at the prospect of me swinging a hammer. I can't put up a set of shelves. I don't know. I think... I'm not great at it myself.

I think I'd have figured something out, but it's true that acting is the only thing that I ever felt a huge, kind of cosmic pull towards. And I love it. I absolutely love it. Could have been singing. Now, I did not know this. You, correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm just, you know, Wikipedia is my research partner. You sang with Sir Elton John, recorded the song that won an Academy Award for best original song. That's right, yeah. I mean, huh?

Wait, what? So did you sing with him on that song? Yeah, so he wrote... It's in the movie Rocketman. I love the movie. Thanks, Sean. I think it's the credit song and it's a song that he and Bernie wrote for the movie that we sing as a duet. I think it's like a call and response sort of deal, you know? And yeah, they won an Oscar for it. They you?

You sang it? It's a duet? Do you get to do it? and then later they recorded his part. No, we went in and sang together in the studio. Wow. It was a lovely experience. Pretty wild. Of course by this time you guys were probably close buddies

because was he a part of your early research, auditioning, et cetera, et cetera? Yeah, so I sang, the animated movie that you mentioned when you intro'd me is called Sing and I sang I'm Still Standing in that movie. And then in the Kingsman sequel, Elton came along and played himself. And through those two things, the conversation around me playing him in Rocketman came about

and grew from there. So, wait, wait. In turn, did the two of you kind of have that conversation on the set and you guys decided well maybe we should go out and kind of pitch this together? Matthew Vaughan, who directed the Kingsman films and has produced a couple of other things that I've been in as well. and we were there to kind of step in basically. That's cool. Attaboy.

Wow. Nothing even opportunistic. Yeah. I love that. Well listen, I mean it's the right place, right time. That's a famous part of our business. And the movie, when I saw the movie, you were so great in it, I love that movie.

I have notes. Are you guys picture locked? Because I did. No, but when I was watching it, I was like, oh you sure you're not Sherlocked? Because I did. No, but when I was watching, I was like, oh well the next logical move is to make the movie a stage musical. Yes, I've thought the same thing. Right, I mean it's like done, it's all done.

And so I just didn't know if you wanted to ever, if you were part of that conversation or whatever. No, no, I'm sure it's occurred to them. David and Elton, they obviously, I know that they've got various irons in the fire with theatrical endeavors, and I'm sure it's occurred to them. You're friends with Elton, right?

Yeah, yeah, we've hung out for a month. I don't know whether they've ever considered it seriously, but I don't think it would involve me. It's one of those things that I'm so, it was such a moment in my life, and something I'm so fiercely proud of that I just wouldn't want to touch it. For sure, you already did it.

Yeah. You already did it. We'll be right back. And back to the show. Well, a completely different experience with the success of a project than what you experienced on your other projects that have been equally successful. I mean, I would imagine that the Kingsman process

was probably more startling and challenging to you because it was the first big splash into public view. more startling and challenging to you I'm sure we could do agent, and at the time it was called Huntsman and Son, and it didn't have the script, but it had two scenes in it. And one of the scenes was the scene where I first meet Colin Firth's character in the pub. And I didn't know Colin was involved, I didn't know Michael Caine was involved, I didn't know anyone was involved.

But I read the scene, and I don't know about you guys, but I don't know about you guys, but I find that whenever I'm excited about a piece of writing, I start reading it aloud, And I don't know about you guys, but I find that whenever I'm excited about a piece of writing, I start reading it aloud. I know the street corner I was on in London, and I was reading this scene, and I started reading it aloud. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I've got to get that part. That's my part. And I've never actually had it since. I've never had that level of certainty.

They say nowadays you manifested it. Yeah, well, it felt like that. These hippie-dippie kids today. No, come on, man. You've got to put it out. I tell you a film of yours, Taron, that I really love. I loved all your films and you're going to carry on. Sorry. I catch you off. I never saw that one.

Is that the one where your character wore a ball cap? What a choice. Did you guys see what he's doing? No, we're not going to cut that. We're going to loop it. Did you guys see Taron in Tetris? I loved that movie, man. I didn't see it. I want to see it. It's such a great, cool film about how that game came about. I love that game.

It's a fascinating story, isn't it? It's a really fascinating story. Yeah, it was cool. I think you're one of about 27 people who saw it. So I'm really thrilled. It's a great little movie, man. It's about the guys that designed that game? Yeah, it was cool. who designed the game in Russia before the war in 89. So yeah, it's a fun movie that was released on Apple. It's amazing and people are trying to sort of muscle their way in to grab the license for it because they understand the impact that it's going to have.

It's a fascinating film. Well I do like the game. So I'll watch the movie Is that you do have such a crush on candy It's so true, but wait go back to the America thing for just a second, Taren. Okay. No, like, cause I want to know, like, so I got your impression that, you know, cause I'm always fascinated with the perspective of people in other countries that come here and work here.

What was it like when you first worked here? And was it everything that you thought it would be or what was not? It was better. I love America. I bought a home in America. You feel comfortable here? I absolutely do.

And whenever I have meetings with prospective directors or writers, quite often people ask, what is the perception of America now, given everything that's happening? Yeah, we'd like to know that. Please go ahead. And I don't know, I think it depends on who you are, but my experience of America, regardless of where you go,

and I've visited various places, not just New York and LA, but the people in America, from my experience, generally, it's just a wonderful place. I remember when I first landed in New York, I had a really weird feeling that I was like, I don't know if it's because I've watched Home Alone too many times, but it felt like coming home, you know?

There's a warmth and an ink. I think historically, there is an inclusiveness at the heart of what America is, it seems to me, that I really love about it. Yeah, a melting pot. Yeah, melting pot. Yeah, and I have nothing.

I mean, as I say, I have a house in California that I, you know, split my time between. That's great. Yeah, I love being in the States. Why, what's your fear, Sean? No, no, I like to know different people's perception because I find it fascinating. I mean, when I go over to London, or people ask the same thing, what do you think of London,

what do you think of England, whatever, and I absolutely love it over there. I mean, I haven't been to Wales, but I need to go to Wales. Yeah, I'd like to go to Wales. Yeah, and I mean, it strikes me that, you have such microcosmic identities when you move from one place to another in a country.

If you spent a weekend in Liverpool, it's going to be vastly different from your experience in Edinburgh or whatever. Right, and I walk around London last time I was there just a couple months ago, and I'm like, everywhere you go, it's incredible history, which we don't have here. And I talk to people about it,

and this one girl I know over there, she's like, yeah, I always forget to look up. I'm like, what do you mean? She's like, I always look, I always forget to look up and look at these historical buildings because everybody's just so used to it. So fresh eyes is really cool.

That's what I've always asked people who aren't from here, what do your fresh eyes see? Yeah. Now, Taron, you know, you are managing to knock off really great commercial projects, really good sort of like artistic projects. Like, is this just dumb luck? No.

You're doing some sort of really good deliberate work in choosing what you do. What does the perfect project kind of look like to you? Is it about the part? really good, deliberate work in choosing what you do. What does the perfect project kind of look like to you? Is it about the part? Is it about the people involved? Is it theater versus streaming versus theatrical? What do you look for? I don't know. You operate within the constraints of what you're asked to do.

And the grass is always greener. You cooperate within the constraints of what you're asked to do and the grass is always greener. I could let a side of myself out where I would lament not doing certain things and there are things that I would love to be doing, but you have to focus on the things that are available to you. I'm so lucky. And I do get offered things that feel... I know that I try and look for things that feel different from a character perspective. So I'm not comfortable. I don't like the idea of being... Pigeonholed.

Yeah, put in a box or whatever. I mean, in fact, you know, when we did Carry On, my biggest concern about... What a picture! Oh, the man out of the airplay to play Apple in a lamp-peeler! Bravo! The only thing that happened when they rolled credits is I wish they would carry on this picture. Yes, sure.

Oh, no, no, no! Where is the sequel? Sorry, we'll get him out soon. He's running around the balcony. Go ahead. Yeah, I was... I worried that it was too... Good. Too vanilla or whatever. It was too vanilla or whatever.

It was too near to me. It was a kind of average Joe guy. And I suppose the actors that I look up to and really admire and revere are the actors who try and stretch themselves and be... Like with a ball cap. Right, do I have a limb? Lymph and a missing tooth and a weird accent.

Oh, wow, I heard that. But I try and look at things like, you know, I'm missing tooth and a weird accent. But I try and look at things like, after Elton, I went and did the show for Dennis Lehane, Blackbird, which I felt satisfying because it's a... I definitely like doing things that feel different. I suppose I aspire to be, you know, like a... I like character actors. I like actors who are different from one thing to the next. Character actor, yeah.

And unfortunately, you're too goddamn good looking to be a true character actor, so you have to act your way into that perception, and you're doing it, and you're getting opportunities now with scripts that lend itself to that. And so, you're doing it and you're getting opportunities now with scripts that lend itself to that. And so, you know, it's. I'm going to ask you the Jason Baby question,

which is you've been doing it now for a while and you've done a lot of great work. Do you see yourself doing different stuff as in directing or writing something? That's a great question. It's kind of where I'm from. No, I mean, you know, I feel, I listened to you guys talking with Jude Law and he summed it up pretty good.

This is another great one of the Optima greats. We have got to get a caller on that guy. He's disrupting the record. Go ahead. Please go ahead. But I feel that way. It scares me, you know, and I have such admiration for anyone who makes that leap because I'd love, I'd absolutely love to do it.

Of course I would, but I... What's going on with Smoke? What's going on? This is the Apple show that's coming out June 27th. Yes. What drew you to it? What is it about? Is this gonna be different than the thing

that immediately precedes it, like as you're just talking about doing? Yeah, I think so. I think it's definitely different from anything I've done before. So it's created by Dennis Lahane, who was the creator, showrunner of Blackbird. And when we finished shooting that show, he approached me about doing another story. And it's one of those, the trailer's out, it's just come out, but it's one of those

is really hard to describe. But the user-friendly log line is I play an arson investigator who is having very, very limited success catching two prolific arsonists in a fictional town called Umberland. And a police detective is brought in to help him solve these arsons basically. And that role's played by Journey Smollett. And what you learn over the course of the show is that he is harboring some secrets.

And it's one of those shows where I don't really know... This is the first bit of press I'm doing for it, and I have no idea how to promote it without kind of giving it away. But is there enough in there to craft some sort of logon? Yeah, yeah. But basically, for anyone who's seen Blackbird, it's a kind of sister piece, I suppose. Well, Dennis Lehane, I mean, it's this guy, tip-top.

Now, Taron, you're drunk, you're out at a karaoke bar, you're feeling good. What's your go-to karaoke song? Yeah. Faith, George Michael. Oh yeah, you got to have Faith what's your go-to karaoke song? Faith, George Michael. Oh yeah, you got it right. I bet that's good. Faith, George Michael is a good one.

Didn't take you a long time to answer that. How many times have you performed that? That's a long-standing one. And it depends on the mood as well. If it's like a kind of, I don't know, if I'm looking for a bit more gravitas, maybe a couple of radio head numbers, like Bones, or Sulk, or, you know, really dirty, maybe like Blackstar,

something like that. Yeah. Well, you're off the first album. What's yours, Jason? I love that you have a few available. Jason, never would do it. Yeah, mine's just, I'm just on the Uber app looking for a ride out of there.

Oh, I'm... Mine's the theme to The Greatest American Hero. Is that true? Okay. Yeah, remember that? Believe it or not, I'm walking on air. Remember that song? Da da da da da da da.

Mine is, no joke, mine is Crazy by Patsy Cline, always. Really? Crazy. Yeah. What do you mean, always? Crazy. How much time are you doing in a karaoke? I'm doing a lot of karaoke, man. Once a week?

You don't know my life. I don't know. Do you sing, Jason? Do you week? You don't know my life. I don't know. Do you sing, Jason? I don't, not even in the shower. Next question. Which is why I want to hear you sing so bad. I have to start drinking again. There's so little joy in your spirit.

Literally the last time I sang was in a karaoke bar, doing press for Horrible Bosses 2, and I think I was still drinking, wasn't I? Maybe? I don't know. No, you weren't. No way, right? And you did karaoke?

I did, and fucking Sudeikis, this guy, you know, this guy's a natural performer. He's a talent, he can sing and dance. I'd love to see a smackdown between you and Sudeikis. Yeah, I think Taron would take him down, though. But that would be a real, that'd be a heavyweight fight. Has he got a voice? He sings? He's got a voice and he's also just got like,

the guy's not uncomfortable with the microphone in his hand. Yeah, he's great. That's a certain talent. Yeah, I sort of find it easier when there's a character I can hide behind. So the show, they wrote in a whole bit in this new show I have coming out called Smoke, a character I can hide behind. They wrote in a whole bit in this new show I have coming out called Smoke, where my guy is obsessed with karaoke. I noticed that I find it much easier to do it on set as a character

than if I do it in my own personal life. Life at a pub or something. I find it quite stressful. No, we're all like that. It's called I Hate Being Me. Also a good thing for a blank bumper sticker, Willie, if you've got a second one. It's blank t-shirts that I have.

I Hate Being Me is so true. I Hate Being Ellipses and then on the back just put me. We love you, Jason, we love you. Thank you. I'll tell you who we do love. Taryn Edgerton. Joining us today. You are something else.

You are something else. Thanks for having me. Anyone who cares in Wales, if you see Gareth Bale, tell him to send me the money. And you know, best of luck with smoke. Smoke, smoke on Apple TV. I can't wait to watch that. When does it come out?

It comes out on the 27th of June. Day after my birthday. Oh. No way. For my birthday we'll watch it. For Tracy, Sean's birthday is the day he was born. Is that fucking? That's pretty safe to say. Are you registered anywhere, Seanny?

I'll email you. Yeah, yeah, I'm registered. Taron, love you. I love seeing you again. I miss you my friend. Nice to meet you, Taron. Say hi when you come back to LA. Yeah, I will, mate.

Take it easy. Pleasure, pleasure. All right, my friend. Thank you very much. Bye, Taron. Bye, you guys. Bye, Taron. Bye, pal. Okay, so anyway, so Taron was amazing. Yeah, it was so good. Yeah, Taron was incredible. And I loved having Taron. Bye, Terrence. Bye, pal. Bye, bye. Okay, so anyway, so Terrence was amazing.

Yeah, it was so good. Yeah, Terrence was incredible. And I loved having Terrence. It was so good. Oh, you're just trying to get to your bye? You excited about your bye? No, no, but it was just because once he was gone and then I was like the rush to see who was going to talk first.

Look how blessed he is, Sean. I think he did. Did Terrence leave a mark on you well? He did. I liked him a lot. Right? That's a good man. Yeah, I liked him a lot. He's got a great vibe. Yeah

Fucking breathing he said he was single, right? Somebody lay me down call a grown-up Call a grown-up No, he that's that's a good-looking male. Hey, another one. I'm just saying. Don't objectify Taron Entreton. He's a good, good guy.

Very, very good guy, great actor. A very smart, good hat on his shoulders, focused. Isn't like, you know, he doesn't seem like he'd fall off the rails in any moment. And he said he's be very low temperature, like very even keeled. Yeah, balanced. Yeah.

Not some ninny. Okay. Whales should be proud. I'm sure they are. I'm sure they're beyond proud. So Sean, how's the search going? Oh, good. This Sunday, Scotty and I are going to my friend Kevin's birthday party in Ojai.

Oh, yes, okay. This is a really long, Yeah, so it's north of here. It's called Ojai, not to be confused with. No way, no fucking way. No way, don't even fucking say that. What are you talking about? What are you talking about?

Not to be confused with Sacramento. What are you talking about? Not to be too cold. Old Bond Sacramento. What are you doing? What? Yeah. No, but you know what? Wait, what was that father joke you said at the beginning? The dad joke? That was so good.

The teacher. Yeah, I said what? Oh wait, where is it? Oh yeah. Private tutor. What do you call a teacher who never farts in public? Yeah, private tutor. Private tutor. You know, he did the Rocket Man, right?

Which was such a great, and one of my favorite songs ever. Goodbye! Yellow Brick Road! Smart. Less. Smart.ess. SmartLess. SmartLess is 100% organic and artisanally handcrafted by Rob Armgerve, Bennett Barbicoe, and Michael Granteri.

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