The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: John Cena, Teyonah Parris & Arturo Castro On Breaking Hollywood Stereotypes, New Film ‘Matchbox’ + More

Episode Date: October 7, 2026

Today on The Breakfast Club, John Cena, Teyonah Parris & Arturo Castro On Breaking Hollywood Stereotypes, New Film ‘Matchbox’. Listen For More!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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spoils it all. You can listen to it now on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Morning, everybody, is DJ NVJ. Juss O'Lareemagne Nagy. We are the Breakfast Club. Lauren LaRose is here as well. We got a special guest in the building today. Yes, indeed.

From the movie Matchbox. We have John Cena. Tiana Paris and Arturo Castro. Welcome. Good morning. How are you feeling? Great. Bless you guys.

Bless Black and Holly Folly favorite. Amen. Yes, yeah. She said that's from Hungary. Hey. Hey. Hopkins, South Carolina. Not just South Carolina.

Not just South Carolina. Carolina Hopkins. You're from Columbia, right? I'm from Monks Corner South Carolina. Born and Charlton, raised in Monta Corner, but I lived to Columbia, too. Okay. I grew up listening to you on the radio. Yes. Oh, wow. Yes, legit. That makes sense.

Hot 103.9. We're still on Hot 1039. We're still on the morning. What's he good then, too? Or if he got better. He's wild. Wilding. Wilding. Yeah. He's slow down.

He slow down. I'm in my 20s, too. Yeah. Slow down a lot. Different era. Now, let's talk about matchbox, all right? So explain what matchbox is. So obviously

people have an idea, there's a lot of folks that have an idea of what the matchbox toys are. Of course, matchbox cause. The origins go from the Mattel IP. It's basically the adaptation of the Mattel IP into a movie and it's a great thrill ride about a bunch of friends who get stuck in a crazy scenario and

you know, a lot of the through line of the movie is nostalgia because we lean into nostalgia in times of crisis, times of the unknown. We think of a simpler time. We think of man, I used listen to you as a kid and this was this was what it meant to me so I love about the movie how Mattel uses the matchbox cars as nostalgia it's not like a hey you put a drop of water on a small car and it becomes big like a magic it's it's

really a story of friends in some pretty crazy circumstances just trying to get by and it's about when somebody comes from your past they come back into your life and completely disrupt who you are that's a great takeaway too yeah yeah yeah that's a man that's a great thing about film you can have more than one perspective That's a great takeaway as well. Do any of y'all have people from your childhood who can still bring out a version of you that doesn't exist anywhere else? My sisters, man. There's nobody that like chose me harder than my sisters, you know?

Like you can see me on the big screen and they're like, p. It's the little chubby-ass kid in my own. I'm like, what was that? How was that necessary? But nobody like family, you know what I mean? Yeah. And this movie has those themes also about when we all learn how to use our imagination, And you know, as you get more adult and you lose that sister play,

I think it strikes to me at the heart of what it was like, like growing up in Guatemala and like dreaming about big things. And we have some of the craziest action we've ever seen. I mean, this man has a fear of heights, and he's hanging from a helicopter, jumping off ledges. I almost hurt myself, like, running to the snack table, which is also dangerous. You know what I'm saying?

But I think you can come for the action. You can come for the heart or you can come for the comedy. You know what it does, yeah? Normally no. Oh. Well, this one, yes. Why? Why?

Yeah. Kid, you gotta get out there. We're a little short. No, our director, Sam Hargrave, his origin story is a stunt performer, a stunt coordinator, second unit director, and now a director. And he's been through it all. And he's brought his whole crew with him along the way. So he works with the best, most capable folks in the world. And it's one of those things where the producers are like, normally we don't do this.

And Sam would go plead his case. And you're like, this is why it's safe. This is what I expect John to do. These are my wish list things for John. And all those things I fucking hated. It was really, really scary. And I did them, and it's not like I conquered my fear. I'm still very scared.

So you're scared of heights. Dude, like. Me too, bro. Jumping off of a building, like side saddle, pommel horsing a building, and looking over and seeing, there's nine stories down in the concrete. And I got this rope that I know holds like 3,000 pounds stress and a single carabiner to save my life. Like it's envisiting you're going to die.

Like, that's not normal. Hanging from a helicopter and, like, eight fingers between you and the icy Danube, you know, hundreds of feet below going 65 miles an hour. Like, yo, this doesn't feel right. So, like, I'm not going to be like, oh, I did it. No, I wouldn't do anything. No, I was scared. The tough part was, like, making it look smooth.

Like, you know, I got this. I'm shitting my pants in the middle of it. Like, I'm still scared of that. Why don't think about it's the top rope? So here's the thing. Like, I think that's what. where the fear might originate. I've fallen from the top rope,

and that shit hurts. So that's like five feet. And I've fallen from like seven feet, like nine feet through a table. And it's like, yo, I barely made it through that. I think that's the origin of like, I know what a fall from this is gonna feel like. You know, maybe that's it.

I'm trying to figure out why I'm so afraid of it so I can try to move past it. But when does your wife come in and say, all right, John, enough's enough. Stop all this bullshit now. Well, we have open conversations about that. And she was overwhelming supportive of Sam Hargrave because again you come with a bunch of data to say like

hey I know it doesn't look like it's safe but the math is in your favor honestly my wife's an engineer man she's she's like hey the guy makes a great point look at his resume look at his statistics like I think he's not going to ask you and we did have stuntman like I didn't do all the stuff okay but in a normal movie I would do like just the fight choreo I'm in like 80% of the stuff and that's not that's not normal and it's it's not that I don't want to do it. It's not normal for a movie for insurance purposes. Yeah. Yeah. And man, Sam, Sam's moniker on life is I'm trying to push the envelope and I, that's aspirational for me and inspirational and he kind of struck a chord in me. And it's

kind of like one of those guys you want to, you want to be drawn towards his gravity. I don't try to do right by him too. You know, so like he immediately, well, man, I don't want to let this guy down either, you know, so you want to work hard for somebody like that. Yeah. You know, Tiana, what I like about you, I've seen you in so many different things, right? Like from WandaVision to the Marvels, to the Clone Tyrone, now Matchbox. Do you feel like Hollywood actually knows what to do with you?

I feel like I have definitely felt like I have been able to, like, stay under a radar where people don't actually know exactly all that I can do. And so I have no qualms with auditioning. And so I think a lot of the things that I have been able to get is because I'm not afraid to go in a room and fight for it. And that way I get to show that I can do this, I can do that, I can go from stage to film

to theater, all of these things. And I'm not, I'm not afraid to fight for it. So whether they know what to do with it or not, I'm willing to fight to show you that I can do whatever it is that you put in front of me. So you don't feel like the industry is giving you the role that has caused people to really see you. I mean, I feel like I've done some really cool. Oh, okay.

Like, I'm very proud of it. Thank you. Monica Rambo. They clone Tyrone. I feel like I'm doing what I want to do and the art that I want to share and the stories I want to tell. It's not my place whether people get it or not or what they see for me. I'm very proud of what I've been able to accomplish out here and the artist I've been able to collaborate with. Girl, you killed.

You killed your role in their clones. Oh, you carry the movie listening. Oh, thank you. Now, that was a group project for a short. Next to John Boy, yeah, yeah, yeah, next to Jenny. But like, you. That was crazy. You know what I'm saying?

Thank you. For the women? Thank you. Thank you. Can I hype my girl up for a second? Yes, you can. You got to go on. Front row seats to watch T and to watch this cast do their thing.

You know, I'm still at that level, no matter how much I work that I'm so aware of how I am to do it. You know, when you're working with somebody as alive as T is, you know, she's just so. loose with it man and that's something from each one of these cast members that I wanted to emulate something and but now that I'm focusing on Tiana she keeps it fresh every single take and that's not something you see usually you know what I'm saying my memo is Arturo Castro show I paid for that shout out you're in nocle you came here at 19 and you're killing

it your damn self thank you very much I thought that was a documentary man I was just out there screaming stuff and suddenly he's like somebody had a camera I was like whatever this This is my life. But you know what's ironic? I'm an immigrant. And so every time I'm... Shut out. Shut out.

Shut up. That's right. But immigration officers were a lot nicer to me crossing the border after narcos than before. And I'm like, they're like, we don't need to check you, bro. Come on through. And I was like, what a good ploy that would be if I am actually a narco, but I played one so nobody would ever bother me. You know what I'm saying?

So Mr. Escobar, if you're listening. When it comes to Hollywood, Arturo, have you ever had to fight against somebody's limited imagination of what you can do? My friend, my first role on television was a character called Dishwasher Juan on The Good Wife. Wow. Hey, your first TV show was The Good Wight? Yeah, yeah, I did it. Oh, were you dishwasher, too? Oh, that was not.

That's crazy. But my only question about that is, like, how many Hwans were there in that episode that you have to specify what I could do? There's Dr. Juan. So maybe it was this one to watch and they're just like, I don't know, put a j on it, you know what I mean? So yeah, but it has, you know, we've had so many pioneers, John Leguizmo, like Oscar, everybody's been doing such great work that we get to do three-dimensional roles now.

But yeah, of course, at first you just have, like Hollywood's like, I don't know what to do with you unless Antonio Vanderas is shooting at you. And I'm like, yeah, I'll do it, you know. That is interesting, because all the three of y'all, I'm sure have been stereotyped in different ways, right? Like, John, you're the wrestler, you know, big muscular guy, they don't know what you can do in front of the camera.

Or Taro, you're the funny Latino guy. Tiana, of course, you're a black woman. Wait, what? What say we're in Columbia? Yeah. What stereotype you think has been the hardest to get over? Goodness, that's a complex question.

We're humans. We use snap judgment. We use first impressions. That's why that term, you know, first impressions so important. We use our senses and our awareness and our wisdom to formulate an opinion about something. I always, I'm not afraid to lean into that. If somebody needs me to be the big muscular guy, because that's what they see and that's all they feel that I am, I'm just going to do the best job I can with that. And if someone's bold enough to place a bet on me,

to be like, man, I think you could be this. I'm going to try to make good on their investment. I think that's all we can do. It's just like one step at a time. You know, one, one, one, of work at a time. I believe if you just do good work, that's the way you open up doors. You open up more of yourself and more of your skill set. You know what I'm saying? Again, that's just my perspective, but that's kind of what's worked for me. Absolutely. Do you want to take it out? Do you want other roles outside of the typical roles they see John seeing it in? Like, would you want to do a Forrest Gump type of role that's like, I don't see John, but John killed it. Would you want to do something like that? Man, I'm truly

just leaning into gratitude at this point. If the powers. it be who write the checks who I had no control over sat down and you're like hey pal we're going to let you create but you're always going to have to wave your hand in front of your face I'd be like all right let's do it let's do it and the next time and the last time like I'll do it every night like the first time I did that for 23 years playing the hit every night like it's the first fucking time and never once was it a burden it was always a blessing so yes of course you know, we have skills, we want to show the world, but it's all about what the audience wants to see.

So it's like, you might want to do this, but we like to see you do this. We feel comfortable with that. And there's moments where you can push outside that comfort zone for people like, whoa, I didn't know you had that. And if I get to play dress up for a living by being what you see is what you get, gosh, man, I like playing dress up for a living.

You know what I'm saying? So I'm okay with it. And is that extra fee for that? Like, do you say, I want this? But if you want this, if you want the head. I'll be there, but if you want that hand. I want to ask you on and I taro that question.

What stereotype you had to overcome? A stereotype? I don't know, guys. I mean, like you said, I exist as a black woman, so I guess that's just always there, but I don't look at that as a burden. Like a huge part of what I've wanted to do with my work and with the opportunities God has blessed me with,

is to tell the. the stories across the diaspora and show that we have so many different levels and layers to us and experiences and that that can look any different way. And I, again, I do the work that I want to do that I am blessed to be able to do. Like, I, it's very much like, I can't control what y'all see or what y'all experience. I can only focus on what I'm trying to do and the stories I'm trying to tell. and that has worked for me. Minding my business,

staying in my lane. Like, you know what I mean? Like, do it. Keeping my head down and doing the work. That's it. I cannot control what other people think. It's very freeing watching you in your career because you do, it doesn't seem,

like you kind of just float through the things that you want to do, not aimlessly, but like it's just a little bit like it feels unbothered. You know what I mean? Like you hear so many. I would like to say it feels intentional and very focused. in a way that I cannot control and I really, it doesn't matter what is happening around me and what others think.

I want to work with this group of artists, this group of artists to tell this story. And that's what I'm a focus on. And I put my all into it. And I've been like that since the very beginning of like, what are the stories I want to? And they're not always going to be shiny and polish and pretty and funny.

Like this is really fun. This is a group of people who have heart and have gone through some crazy things together. But there's also stories I've told, where, you know, they are down and out and those stories are just as important to tell. And yeah, I just try to be really intentional about it. Yeah.

When we all first heard that they were making a movie inspired by Matchbox cars, right? What was the first reaction? How the fuck are they going to do this? Right. Is it an animation? They never had nobody inside them. Yeah.

Not only that, I'm a fan. Like, some of my, I don't have many childhood memories, but like some of the vivid ones are like, I can still see the worn paint. There was a journalist who brought a red fire truck. He's like, this is from my mom's house. And the paint was worn. And I grabbed the car and it took me to another universe because like my Oldsmobile 442 was this red paint. But it's now steel. You see, this is actually proof of concept. The matchbox paints wears off. This was my car. So immediately he cans me this car. And because of the way the way the paint was, I got transported back to this time. And the reason why I was like, how the fuck are they going to do that? Because I was like, how are they going to take what's in here and put it on screen? And that's why I was really proud about like the car is a unit of nostalgia that way if you have a different memory if you have a different memory it doesn't it doesn't poo-poo anyone's memories because it captures the

feeling of like yo this brought me back to when i was a kid yeah that's what the cars are doing bringing you back to that time when it's like dude with those were great times one day why don't you have many childhood memories you know what honestly uh my wife is like a steel trap she will rattle off things that happened to like three, four, five. And I'm like, I don't know. Like, my kind of timeline starts at 11, 12. For real, and I don't know why. I don't know.

I didn't have a lot of photos as a kid. Like, as a baby I did. You could see you in them? They couldn't. A little foreshadowing, maybe. Bring him back that hand, man. I don't know. But for some reason, that's kind of where my timeline starts.

That's a good question. I've tried to figure it out, but I don't know why I can't remember anything from that span. Interesting. So this movie is very, very deep for you, too, like, because that's a part of what you do remember. Well, just those IPs, right? Like, it's most famous

in the comic book genre. Are they going to do the comic book justice? There are fans out there that you have to please. It's not just making a great film. It's like, when you use an IP, you better please the fan base that got you to the dance. And that's what I was like, well, this one's kind of, this

can be bad. And it ended up reading like, oh, okay, if you know about Matchbox, and our director was great enough to put, like, super Easter eggs in there, if you're a collector. And if you're not, and if you know nothing, it's a great film. I thought they ruled that balance well. Well, the good thing about it, those matchbox cars

weren't too expensive. So as a kid, you could always get one. That's the thing. To this day, you can buy them at Walgreen CVS. Like, $2.4. So you still get those cars. They're not too expensive. Me and my brother said the bucket.

Like, we would community toys, but like we just dump the bucket out and then we have the draft. You know? Because it was a toy that we could all have as five kids. You know, you know what happened to Monica Rambo after Marvels? Are you just waiting for Kevin Faggy to tell you like the rest of us? The latter.

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She's talking to Stammer. Starts stuttering. No, latter. Um, I mean, I saw what y'all saw. I experienced, what y'all's experienced. She ended up in a different timeline. She said she's gonna keep them intentional jobs. You got duals day, you got secret wars,

you got X-Men films coming up. They haven't told you nothing. They have not told me nothing. I have not told me anything. You know, just believe her. It's okay. It's okay to believe her. She don't know.

That's the truth. I mean, I would want to. That's the truth. Yeah. What can you tell us about your character in your history, you know, in the movie, obviously this movie that you're here for. What can you tell us about your character

and how you are with a friend group, like your history with Sean and? Yeah, so I play Charmaine in Matchbox the movie and she and I keep Arturo, but it's not Arturo. Armada. Armando, yes. I'm trying to say the character's text. Oh, no.

Mauna. Matchbox one. Matchbox one. She, Sean, Amy, and Chris. Crosby, she's married to Crosby, and they all were friends growing up. And she and Crosby ended up finding love on their own. And what I loved about this script is the actor Sam, who plays Crosby. We were able to have this married couple, this black married couple at that, have this be in this relationship and come to a point where I think it happens in a lot of marriages where you're like, we're happy.

But where do we go from here? Because there's things Charmaine has dreams and ambitions of her own that she's, like, I love you, but I also have these things that I want to accomplish. And how do we make this marriage work, but still honor the things that make us who we are? And so we get to see those two navigate that throughout the movie while there's things blowing up, trucks driving off of the side of bridges, John climbing bridges and hanging off the helicopters. Scared, but still doing it. You have all of these different elements working at the same time. And I I think that's really, really cool.

And a huge part of what drew me to the movie is that we're balancing so many different genres, storylines. Like, it really is a true five-hander. You would look at it and you're like, oh, you have John and the gang. But no, it's the gang. And we actually save his ass. You know what I mean? Like, we talk through and save him.

So I thought the director and the writer, David, did a really great job of giving us all something to hang on to something to fight for, keeping the stakes up for all of us as individuals and as the whole gang and for the movie in the world, saving the world. Did you drive those cars and ride those

motorcycles? Oh, we did. We definitely did. I mean, well, I wrote it once and then they put me on training wheels basically. But, you know, I just want to run back to something you asked earlier about stereotypes and why this movie means so much to me. And for me, the thing to overcome

or the thing I don't understand is, you know, this narrative that immigrants or this lazy people. I have never met a more hardworking person than somebody who's trying to make a better life for themselves, no matter where they come from. So that's a stereotype that I've had to fight against. And what I love about this movie, beyond the action and beyond the comedy, is that our characters are from all different walks of life, but it's not a big deal. It's not about the pain of being Latin or like or like, or we're the bad guys. And no, no, no, no. It's about this group of friends, man, getting on this adventure. And even, even, you know, or the, or like, or the, or like, or like, or we're the bad guys. And no, no, no, no, no, it's about. It's about this

adventure and even if you don't look like me, you can relate to, wow, if I was a chemistry teacher and suddenly I'm like, I'm handcuffed to a plane that I've never been around before, I can relate to that feeling. And I think if there's anything about our medium, like I, I don't have a grand door about it. I don't think we're saving the world with with, with acting. But it is important for you to see somebody that doesn't look like you or that you, you never met before and be like, whoa, I can be there. I know I have more in common with that person

than I have a difference with them. Even if it's not in acting, you can just see success. You know, you can achieve some level of success. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. And that you need to see what you can aim for. You know, that's why it's important for me representation. It's because when I was in the 90s, I never saw somebody to look like me

doing something three-dimensional like this. So the hope is that if you're a kid in Guatemala and you're seeing this guy through these emotions with his friends and he's a three-dimensional character. Listen, being neurotic. is not a purely Caucasian sport, my friend, okay? Because my family's neurotic as fuck. And so if you get to see that,

then you're like, oh, maybe that's not so hard to aim for it. And this movie really celebrates that. Is there the stereotype that y'all are lazy? I never heard that one. I'd say out in the political world, it's like they're here, like they're here. They just want to get on, you know, take all of our benefits and not work for them.

I'm like, my dude, I don't know. Like, have you seen the pyramids we built, man? That's a long time. There's a comedian that says, you know, everybody's like, you know, the pyramids. Egypt, there must be aliens. And the pyramids in, you know, Mexico, what I'm all, they're like, oh, no, they build that shit. Oh, that's Andrew Shows. Yeah, yeah. It makes me love so much because

nobody ever asked about aliens. I wanted to ask about, you know, with Narcos. I was a huge Narcos fan. Were you surprised of the success of Narco, especially here in America? You know, we came into an already successful show because Pablo Escobar was the first two seasons. And so our job was to not fuck it up, right? I can curse. Yeah. Yeah. I was asking my mom. She's in my ear. Mama?

Yeah, okay. She says good. And so we were already fans of this franchise when we got in it. So what was fascinating about that show is that you're like, normally you have to be like, well, what must it be like being in this massive drug dealer's mansion that I'm playing? They're like, dude, the government confiscated their mansion and we're shooting it right now. And so the reality was right there with you. So, yeah, it was just a prize, but it was also kind of a big responsibility.

to keep that sort of warning story going. I didn't glorify it. Everybody ends up dead or in jail. So I'm like, I must show this as honestly as possible. Were you nervous that if you fucked up that one of the members of his team and be like, you know what? Come on me. Let me talk to you for a second.

Dude, I know John Cena, bro. I know. And more importantly, I know Tiana, dude. Tiana will whoop some ass. You aren't. You heard me say I'll stay over in my name. I might. I'm a mic.

You heard it out there. Okay, Tiana is coming for you. Leave my ass out of him. Were you nervous at all with the cartel? This guy that I portrayed was like put out this article like, you made me look like a psychopath. Fuck you. And I'm like, you killed a bunch of people, bro.

What do you think you look like, you know? Did you say that like via letter? I didn't see it, but I thought it really was. That is so hard. Because I was like, how did this conversation? I tweeted it at myself. I'm like somebody else. On your burner account.

I was also like, listen, man, these people that were portraying, obviously, I don't want any beef with the cartel. Please don't let this be the thing. But I'm also, there's a sense of sort of, I'm pissed that this is how people see us in the world because some people wanted to make easy money, you know, and about the terror that they've raised in our country. So if I had the opportunity to portray this guy as he really was and he's pissed about it, like the fuck. Also, he's in prison. So that was that. So that's how I felt a little safer. I want to congratulate you too, John, because Coyote versus Acme.

Oh, yeah. It was basically done, right? It was. And that was made over 100 million worldwide. People love it. Do you feel vindicated? So that's an interesting perspective. I was never in search for vindication.

As a creative, you do work for audiences. But also, I didn't bankroll the movie. Not my loss. You know, we spent half a year around the world. My body getting thrashed and thrown around. And I was paid for my services. And we had a great time. I've made friends for this work not to see the light of day.

God, that's disheartening. But also, not my choice. I didn't bankroll it. If I had bankrolled Coyote Acme and chosen a shell of it, well, maybe I got to look within and ask myself why. But I was paid for my services. I made great friends and willing to be. DJ and Dave Green, the director, and a lot of folks on the cast,

I got better as a performer. So the drawback was, oh, man, this movie that everybody seems to like isn't going to see the light of day. That's disheartening. But I wasn't searching for, and I told you so or vindication at all. The fact that the fans weren't, the fans weren't BSing about, like, put this movie out and we'll go see it. They have gone to see it in droves.

And that's cool because something creative entertained their day and got them to light in their backpack a little bit. So I understand why there might be that sentiment of like, we did this. Why aren't you putting it out? The simple answer is because we own it and we can do what we want with. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, like everybody was paid.

Everybody was even paid because we shelved it. Like, I don't know, guys. It's kind of our deal. So they take the heat and they're the ones accountable for their choice. But, you know, we got the movie out and people actually like it, which is, that's, I think it's a very cool success story. I mean, somebody got it wrong, clearly, though. And, man, the creative business is just that.

Like, it's only people's perspective of, like, I think the audience will love this. It's just a guess. I'm just trying to guess. You know, so yes, someone got it wrong. And it's a nice success story. Absolutely. Yeah.

Tiana, what's up with you? Have you had any conversations with Kevin about Monica's future? No, actually. I can confidently say that. No, I told you earlier. Nobody caught me. You confidently know what she talking about. Right.

I have not spoken to you. I just like these moments when they pop up in the movies later and everybody goes back to these interviews and say, damn, she played that good. I'm not asking. I'm here as Tiana telling you, I'm not talk to nobody. How far out do you get that? Matchbox. You don't get like a heads up or like, because normally they'll put you on hold for certain

stuff sometimes too. Like that is how movies normally do. Yeah. That is. I've heard that too. If you won't know for anything, then you might know something. I told y'all. Well, she's here today.

Yes, thank you. Holding my breath till October 9th. That's right. Matchbox. Matchbox. The movie. That will be out. I'm going to just assume you're going to be in GI Joe, John.

Because then you had an appearance in Barbie, too. Am I making that up? No, no. A murman. Man, no, I was a murman in Barbie. I had a matchbox. I love Danny McBride. I know he's right.

I know Bradley just got casting that. Dude, Dan, if you're listening, I've worked with Jody Hill, directed peacemaker. Man, I'm trying. I'm trying right now. I don't have control over the decisions, but love the property. I love working with those guys. And man, I'd just walk across the screen with a broom on that way. It would only make sense.

There's a need for a sidekick, I believe. I got the hand and the hand could make it comes up. I don't know, I could do something. We had my soccer line of sister, Danielle Brooks. She was up there. And she said that, Peacemaker 3, no peacemaker 3. No, there's no peacemaker 3.

No, there isn't. That's a certain thing. They can't be doing this stuff. They just sent you in a whole other universe just like they did Tiana. So you just left you there. You know that conversation we just had a few seconds ago about like, I do the work and that's the thing.

I don't own any of it. It's beyond my control. Sometimes folks are like, hey, this isn't where we're going. As far as that goes, James wrote Peacemaker when he was done with Disney. He wrote this, you got to direct the suicide squad. was done with Guardians. And then COVID happened and he got bored.

I got killed off in the suicide squad. There's a James Gunn rule. It's like, I have to kill somebody off. I'd never bring him back. He calls me up with COVID. He's like, hey, you already a peacemaker? I'm like, peacemaker's dead. What are you doing?

He's no, no, I figured it out. Don't worry about it. We're good. So, you know, now we're off to the races with this unknown character that some people like and they want to see more of. And then James gets the head job at D.C. and instead of having to create toys that he can orchestrate play with,

now he has the responsibility for some high-end IP, you have to get out. You have to serve the fan base. Superman, got to figure out the direction of Batman, and then there's the Joker, and then there's Wonder Woman, and then there's Supergirl. There's so many lanterns, there's so many entities that he has to, not gets to.

You have to get that out to the fan base. And I know I was like a utility guy getting that night spot in the lineup, and I'm sitting on the bench for a bit. But I'd like to believe that we did good work, and hopefully crossing my fingers, we'll figure something out. But like, I get it, I get it. I get that there's more important stories to be told than the one we've told. And I also get that there's an audience around the world who likes what we did.

So I just hope that that's enough to get us another shot. Well, Maxbox sums up this product. I was going to say, so in the movie, Sean comes back to his friends after, like, being gone for some time? Yes. Do they ever explain without giving the movie away? Like, what happened that made him a different person? They do. Okay.

They do. I guess you can't tell us. In the beginning, right? We could dive into that, yeah, in the beginning. So, I mean, I went to boarding school as a young man, and I kind of lived the same journey of at a 15-year-old when you establish social connections. You're trying to figure yourself out. if you wear the wrong thing to school one day, everybody picks on you now it's exponentially worse with social chatter.

Your life goes through an abrupt change. His mom dies and he has to move away from home because his dad is struggling with seeing familiar things. He applies for a new job. He gets the new job. So Sean is kind of ripped out of his environment and placed in a new one. And the story furthers of like, well, the mentors he found and the relationships and the opportunity he found

put him in the direction of service and CIA service. And that life has a certain personality profile. He's curated for it and that's why he is the way he is. So when you get dropped back in that environment of like, no, dude, you're the guy. He's been living so long for over two decades as this other human being. Where all of those like trust, no way. Vulnerability, that's weakness.

I need to be mission forward and I need to do these things and I live my life by these rules. And these people are like, no, but dude, you're the same kid. Come on. And that's kind of the problem of the gang. It's weird. Like the movie's a fish out of water movie

where a journalist and a chemistry teacher go on this whimsical adventure to try to stop a nuclear bomb. But that's a normal day as the office. For a CIA guy. The fish out of water story for Sean is, hey man, you have to lean into trust, you have to lean into vulnerability,

you can't do it alone, asking for help is not a weakness. It's a strong. Like there's it's it it's on all sides. Yeah. So yes, they do explain that. Okay. That some of the work is the work, the character work you do that audiences may never know,

but is that nuanced work that helps you get through. But that's, that's well explained. And then they save your ass. That's right. So again, asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. And this here's this guy who thinks, I can shoulder the bird and I'll do it without you guys. I'm just bringing you down. And they're like, no, dude, you're a fucking idiot.

We can offer stuff here. Let us, let us do our. thing it's not trying to micromanage the whole yeah and they come and kick ass and and save the day yeah that's what i'm saying it's when it comes out this friday one more question tiana have you filmed anything as monica randas i love it i love it man box is out we appreciate you for joining this tiana i am so sorry about your south carolina breeder i am so sorry use i see how you do me Thank you for joining us, John Cesar.

Thank you for coming again. Macbox comes out this Friday. Go see it. It's on Apple TV. See it wherever you want. That's right. Watch it on a big screen, watch it on your phone.

I don't care. Just watch it. It's the breakfast club. Good morning. Good morning. Thank you guys. Hold up. Every day I wake up.

Wake your ass up. The breakfast club. You all finished or y'all is done. Didn't catch the latest Roland Martin unfiltered podcast. Here's what you missed. People wake up and go, oh, damn. Wait a hold up. They change all of that.

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