1 00:00:00,609 --> 00:00:06,397 ♪♪ 2 00:00:06,397 --> 00:00:08,225 Thank you. 3 00:00:08,225 --> 00:00:11,185 Hey, welcome to "Off Script with The Hollywood Reporter." 4 00:00:11,185 --> 00:00:12,969 I am your host, Yvonne Orji, 5 00:00:12,969 --> 00:00:16,407 here at the Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica, California. 6 00:00:16,407 --> 00:00:18,540 Today we are serving up some hot takes 7 00:00:18,540 --> 00:00:20,107 with six A-list actors 8 00:00:20,107 --> 00:00:24,633 from some of this year's award-contending films. 9 00:00:24,633 --> 00:00:27,940 You're about to hear from Colman Domingo of "Rustin," 10 00:00:27,940 --> 00:00:30,073 Robert Downey Jr. Of "Oppenheimer," 11 00:00:30,073 --> 00:00:32,423 Paul Giamatti of "The Holdovers," 12 00:00:32,423 --> 00:00:34,599 Mark Ruffalo of "Poor Things," 13 00:00:34,599 --> 00:00:36,819 Andrew Scott of "All of Us Strangers," 14 00:00:36,819 --> 00:00:41,215 and Jeffrey Wright of "American Fiction." 15 00:00:41,215 --> 00:00:43,130 They are on the record, 16 00:00:43,130 --> 00:00:48,613 but just a little "Off Script with The Hollywood Reporter." 17 00:00:48,613 --> 00:00:49,962 Over to you, Scott. 18 00:00:49,962 --> 00:00:51,268 Thank you, Yvonne. 19 00:00:51,268 --> 00:00:53,140 It is truly a pleasure to have with us 20 00:00:53,140 --> 00:00:56,578 these six actors who did such outstanding work in 2023 films. 21 00:00:56,578 --> 00:00:58,275 And welcome, everyone. 22 00:00:58,275 --> 00:01:00,669 I want to begin by establishing the fact 23 00:01:00,669 --> 00:01:03,237 that there are a lot of connections at this table. 24 00:01:03,237 --> 00:01:05,456 So I'm going to just mention a few movies. 25 00:01:05,456 --> 00:01:07,632 Am I going to hear stuff I don't want to hear? 26 00:01:07,632 --> 00:01:10,113 [Laughter] 27 00:01:10,113 --> 00:01:12,768 Uh-oh, forgotten some of this.1998, 25 years ago, 28 00:01:12,768 --> 00:01:14,291 Mark Ruffalo and Paul Giamatti, 29 00:01:14,291 --> 00:01:16,206 you were both in "Safe Men." 30 00:01:16,206 --> 00:01:17,947 Do we have any memories of that? 31 00:01:17,947 --> 00:01:19,601 Nice stache, bro. 32 00:01:19,601 --> 00:01:21,472 That's it. That's the best line from the movie. 33 00:01:21,472 --> 00:01:23,257 There you go.Now, that same year, 34 00:01:23,257 --> 00:01:26,260 25 years ago, Paul Giamatti and you, Andrew Scott, 35 00:01:26,260 --> 00:01:28,610 were both in "Saving Private Ryan." 36 00:01:28,610 --> 00:01:30,090 How is that even possible?Is that true? What? 37 00:01:30,090 --> 00:01:31,656 I was the guy in green. 38 00:01:31,656 --> 00:01:33,180 [Laughter] 39 00:01:33,180 --> 00:01:35,834 I loved him.Amazing. Fanta-- Nice work. 40 00:01:35,834 --> 00:01:38,009 Oh, shit, I didn't even know.I didn't know that, either. 41 00:01:38,009 --> 00:01:39,621 We worked together subsequently. 42 00:01:39,621 --> 00:01:40,622 Yeah. I was gonna say. 43 00:01:40,622 --> 00:01:42,406 Ten years after that, 44 00:01:42,406 --> 00:01:44,234 the same two gentlemen, "John Adams."Yep. Sure. 45 00:01:44,234 --> 00:01:46,628 "John Adams."I was the guy in the powdered wig. 46 00:01:46,628 --> 00:01:50,501 Now, Mark Ruffalo and Jeffrey Wright, 47 00:01:50,501 --> 00:01:51,807 Ang Lee's "Ride with the Devil." 48 00:01:51,807 --> 00:01:53,461 Any memories of -- of that set? 49 00:01:53,461 --> 00:01:55,027 Wright: True story.Yes. 50 00:01:55,027 --> 00:01:57,334 I lied about being able to ride a horse. 51 00:01:57,334 --> 00:01:58,770 I remember. 52 00:01:58,770 --> 00:02:01,773 I remember very vividly walking past you. 53 00:02:01,773 --> 00:02:04,646 You were tied to a fence post, if I'm not mistaken. 54 00:02:04,646 --> 00:02:07,388 That's right. That's right.Beautiful beginnings. 55 00:02:07,388 --> 00:02:09,738 I remember. 56 00:02:09,738 --> 00:02:12,828 Now, Paul, you and Colman Domingo in 2013.Yes. 57 00:02:12,828 --> 00:02:14,395 "All is bright."Oh, yes. 58 00:02:14,395 --> 00:02:17,353 Domingo: Yes.Legendary "All is Bright." 59 00:02:17,353 --> 00:02:19,356 That old chestnut. 60 00:02:19,356 --> 00:02:21,228 Yeah, really. Yeah. Wow. Boy. 61 00:02:21,228 --> 00:02:22,359 It was a Christmas movie. It's very dark, yeah. 62 00:02:22,359 --> 00:02:24,056 Yes, it was. 63 00:02:24,056 --> 00:02:25,971 Now, Paul and Jeffrey...A dark Christmas movie. 64 00:02:25,971 --> 00:02:28,800 ...both in "Lady in the Water," 2006...Yes. 65 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,151 ...and "The Ides of March," 2011. 66 00:02:31,151 --> 00:02:33,718 Wow. Oh, that's right, yeah.So there may be some, uh, 67 00:02:33,718 --> 00:02:35,720 memories there.You're in everything. 68 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:37,853 Yes, I was really getting around, guys.Here we are. 69 00:02:37,853 --> 00:02:41,073 Okay.Now, Robert and Mark, here at the end of the table, 70 00:02:41,073 --> 00:02:44,425 it started with 2007's "Zodiac." 71 00:02:44,425 --> 00:02:46,644 And then there was a whole bunch of movies. 72 00:02:46,644 --> 00:02:48,385 Little, uh, company called Marvel, 73 00:02:48,385 --> 00:02:50,170 I believe, you guys worked together. 74 00:02:50,170 --> 00:02:51,954 Were you in that?Oh, wow. 75 00:02:51,954 --> 00:02:54,652 Yes. After I convinced you. 76 00:02:54,652 --> 00:02:56,088 That's true, though, right? 77 00:02:56,088 --> 00:02:57,873 You were lobbying for Mark to do it. 78 00:02:57,873 --> 00:02:59,918 I wouldn't be here today without you, 79 00:02:59,918 --> 00:03:02,747 really, in so many ways. Aw. 80 00:03:02,747 --> 00:03:06,360 And finally, I will note that not only is Colman Domingo 81 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:09,450 terrific in "Rustin," but so is Jeffrey Wright. 82 00:03:09,450 --> 00:03:11,408 So there's two -- Right up through the present. 83 00:03:11,408 --> 00:03:13,280 Wright: It's our first time working together. 84 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:16,239 So you're not only here because of your great work, 85 00:03:16,239 --> 00:03:17,980 but you're also here of your great work 86 00:03:17,980 --> 00:03:20,112 in the project he's doing. 87 00:03:20,112 --> 00:03:22,027 Yes, yes.A bit of a crossover. 88 00:03:22,027 --> 00:03:24,378 I'm just following Colman.No, no. 89 00:03:24,378 --> 00:03:26,293 Colman's got two -- two going here. 90 00:03:26,293 --> 00:03:28,773 I want to first go back and ask each of you 91 00:03:28,773 --> 00:03:31,646 about sort of a pivotal turning point, 92 00:03:31,646 --> 00:03:35,127 a decision in your career, and, Robert, your late father, 93 00:03:35,127 --> 00:03:37,913 who you made this wonderful, uh, documentary -- Senior -- 94 00:03:37,913 --> 00:03:39,480 both with and about. 95 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:41,960 He was a pillar of the indie film community. 96 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:46,487 You started out very much in the indie art house, uh, scene, 97 00:03:46,487 --> 00:03:49,098 but there was this moment when you're approached 98 00:03:49,098 --> 00:03:50,839 by Marvel about "Iron Man." 99 00:03:50,839 --> 00:03:53,233 Because of your background in indie film, 100 00:03:53,233 --> 00:03:56,410 did you have any hesitation about taking them up on that? 101 00:03:56,410 --> 00:04:01,066 So my dad raised me in this environment of 102 00:04:01,066 --> 00:04:03,765 to be growing up was to be making movies 103 00:04:03,765 --> 00:04:07,072 and then doing this documentary about him, 104 00:04:07,072 --> 00:04:09,640 and then my missus, who produced it with Chris Smith, 105 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:11,425 having the tenacity to tell me 106 00:04:11,425 --> 00:04:13,035 that I had to follow through with it 107 00:04:13,035 --> 00:04:15,864 and not try to do a puff piece at all, 108 00:04:15,864 --> 00:04:18,257 because our -- our history was so complicated, 109 00:04:18,257 --> 00:04:20,608 that was really a big turning point. 110 00:04:20,608 --> 00:04:23,001 And then shortly after that, Nolan called. 111 00:04:23,001 --> 00:04:25,700 So you never know what happens when you realize, if you deal 112 00:04:25,700 --> 00:04:28,137 with the things in your life that are so small 113 00:04:28,137 --> 00:04:29,878 but so important, 114 00:04:29,878 --> 00:04:32,272 it kind of opens gateways for the stuff that we think 115 00:04:32,272 --> 00:04:35,275 is important, you know, or may be perceived as important. 116 00:04:35,275 --> 00:04:37,189 You've said, and I'm going to quote you, quote back to you, 117 00:04:37,189 --> 00:04:39,582 "I was raised in a family that rebelled against the idea 118 00:04:39,582 --> 00:04:42,282 of a summer blockbuster having any merit. 119 00:04:42,282 --> 00:04:43,892 I'm happy that I regained my connection 120 00:04:43,892 --> 00:04:45,894 with a more purist approach to making movies," 121 00:04:45,894 --> 00:04:48,288 most recently with -- with "Oppenheimer." 122 00:04:48,288 --> 00:04:50,159 But before -- I mean, just this idea 123 00:04:50,159 --> 00:04:53,162 of stepping into that world, was it jarring? 124 00:04:53,162 --> 00:04:56,470 No, because anyone who knows Jon Favreau knows that he is -- 125 00:04:56,470 --> 00:04:58,167 I mean, I remember seeing "Swingers" 126 00:04:58,167 --> 00:04:59,821 and just that monologue he has, 127 00:04:59,821 --> 00:05:01,692 and I was like, "And he wrote this?" 128 00:05:01,692 --> 00:05:05,522 I was like, "Who is this guy?" Because there was no real surety 129 00:05:05,522 --> 00:05:07,437 that this was even going to take off, 130 00:05:07,437 --> 00:05:09,483 "Iron man" was like a second-tier hero. 131 00:05:09,483 --> 00:05:11,702 They kind of let the lunatics 132 00:05:11,702 --> 00:05:14,357 run the asylum for a little while, and we -- 133 00:05:14,357 --> 00:05:16,228 So it was completely an indie approach 134 00:05:16,228 --> 00:05:19,449 to a -- a genre movie to begin with. 135 00:05:19,449 --> 00:05:21,669 But I've seen that in all the films this year. 136 00:05:21,669 --> 00:05:23,018 There's this thing happening, 137 00:05:23,018 --> 00:05:24,846 I would say, particularly this year, 138 00:05:24,846 --> 00:05:28,502 where I feel like many of us are afforded this opportunity 139 00:05:28,502 --> 00:05:30,721 to kind of, like -- There's a little subversion 140 00:05:30,721 --> 00:05:33,681 within the accessibility that I so appreciate. 141 00:05:33,681 --> 00:05:37,424 Coleman, let's go back, if we can, to, I believe, 2005. 142 00:05:37,424 --> 00:05:40,340 Oh, wow. Can you tell us about this one-man show 143 00:05:40,340 --> 00:05:42,254 that really sort of turned things around? 144 00:05:42,254 --> 00:05:44,822 Man, I was a bartender at a bar 145 00:05:44,822 --> 00:05:47,956 in the West Village called, um, 55 Bar. 146 00:05:47,956 --> 00:05:49,740 I would do whatever plays that I could do 147 00:05:49,740 --> 00:05:52,264 and then run across town and finish my -- 148 00:05:52,264 --> 00:05:55,093 start my shift at 9:00 and go till 4:00 in the morning. 149 00:05:55,093 --> 00:05:57,400 And then when I wasn't working, I was writing, 150 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,185 and I was trying to create something for myself 151 00:06:00,185 --> 00:06:02,623 because, you know, I just -- I was just a frustrated artist. 152 00:06:02,623 --> 00:06:04,668 And, um, between, like, when things -- 153 00:06:04,668 --> 00:06:06,714 when things would clear out about 1:00 in the morning, 154 00:06:06,714 --> 00:06:08,585 I was writing, and I was putting on music, 155 00:06:08,585 --> 00:06:10,718 and I was sort of writing about what was happening in my life. 156 00:06:10,718 --> 00:06:13,198 Both my parents were suffering from different illnesses, 157 00:06:13,198 --> 00:06:16,245 and they lived in, uh, Virginia, and I was just, you know, 158 00:06:16,245 --> 00:06:19,204 still just trying to, you know, figure things out. 159 00:06:19,204 --> 00:06:21,729 I lived in a terrible situation, 160 00:06:21,729 --> 00:06:23,078 illegal sublet and everything. 161 00:06:23,078 --> 00:06:24,558 So I was just, you know, hustling. 162 00:06:24,558 --> 00:06:26,211 I really still can't, to this day, 163 00:06:26,211 --> 00:06:28,910 remember if stories came first or the song came first, 164 00:06:28,910 --> 00:06:30,694 but I was putting this thing together. 165 00:06:30,694 --> 00:06:33,088 So the owner said, um "Hey, Coleman, I want to do some 166 00:06:33,088 --> 00:06:35,264 theater or some projects on Sundays. Do you have anything?" 167 00:06:35,264 --> 00:06:37,179 I'm like, "Yeah, let me try this stuff out." 168 00:06:37,179 --> 00:06:40,051 So I would do weird things like serve fried chicken 169 00:06:40,051 --> 00:06:41,749 and put on music and -- It's weird. 170 00:06:41,749 --> 00:06:43,751 I would make, like, sort of like a salon. 171 00:06:43,751 --> 00:06:46,231 And then I would -- I would read these pieces. 172 00:06:46,231 --> 00:06:47,972 And so I read them, and then a friend of mine said, 173 00:06:47,972 --> 00:06:49,713 "I think -- What is it? Is it a play?" 174 00:06:49,713 --> 00:06:51,585 They're like, "I think it's a solo show. 175 00:06:51,585 --> 00:06:53,630 You're the event, and you have to follow this through." 176 00:06:53,630 --> 00:06:56,241 I started working with that, and I worked with the director. 177 00:06:56,241 --> 00:06:58,418 And it became a show called "A Boy and a Soul." 178 00:06:58,418 --> 00:07:00,071 When it started out, it was about, like, how music 179 00:07:00,071 --> 00:07:02,770 was helping me to find different moments, 180 00:07:02,770 --> 00:07:04,293 to anchor me in certain things. 181 00:07:04,293 --> 00:07:06,643 And part of sort of keeping your records, 182 00:07:06,643 --> 00:07:09,254 keeping your soul, your soul music. 183 00:07:09,254 --> 00:07:10,778 Then eventually, my parents passed away. 184 00:07:10,778 --> 00:07:13,389 They passed away while I was finishing this. 185 00:07:13,389 --> 00:07:15,043 Uh, they both passed six months apart. 186 00:07:15,043 --> 00:07:16,436 And the show was the thing 187 00:07:16,436 --> 00:07:19,439 that became the gift that kept on giving. 188 00:07:19,439 --> 00:07:22,442 I found -- I found my voice, I feel like, as a -- as a writer. 189 00:07:22,442 --> 00:07:24,052 And I started performing. 190 00:07:24,052 --> 00:07:25,880 I performed at the Vineyard Theatre in New York 191 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:28,665 and -- and in London and in Australia. 192 00:07:28,665 --> 00:07:31,189 And it really gave me more grounding of, like, 193 00:07:31,189 --> 00:07:33,670 who I was and what I could do. 194 00:07:33,670 --> 00:07:35,367 Andrew, the math doesn't add up 195 00:07:35,367 --> 00:07:36,673 because I don't know how it's possible 196 00:07:36,673 --> 00:07:38,370 you're making movies 25 years ago. 197 00:07:38,370 --> 00:07:40,284 You look so youthful and great.You look 25. 198 00:07:40,284 --> 00:07:42,636 Yeah. I'm glad I came. 199 00:07:42,636 --> 00:07:44,507 But I think there are certain people 200 00:07:44,507 --> 00:07:47,728 who flipped on season two of "Fleabag," 201 00:07:47,728 --> 00:07:50,644 and it became this phenomenon, the -- the hot priest. 202 00:07:50,644 --> 00:07:53,385 And they thought, "This is, like, a-a new guy." 203 00:07:53,385 --> 00:07:56,214 And I wonder, when that moment happened, where, suddenly, 204 00:07:56,214 --> 00:07:59,391 there's unprecedented levels of interest in you, 205 00:07:59,391 --> 00:08:00,697 how did you handle it personally 206 00:08:00,697 --> 00:08:02,220 and then also in terms of choices? 207 00:08:02,220 --> 00:08:04,005 I was 17 or 18 when I was at the Abbey, 208 00:08:04,005 --> 00:08:06,573 the national theater in Dublin, and I remember being offered 209 00:08:06,573 --> 00:08:09,619 a part after I'd done maybe two plays, 210 00:08:09,619 --> 00:08:12,492 and I was only a little skit of a thing. 211 00:08:12,492 --> 00:08:14,319 And I was like, "I don't really want to do that." 212 00:08:14,319 --> 00:08:16,582 And I was -- I think I was still living at home, 213 00:08:16,582 --> 00:08:20,064 so maybe I felt like, "I don't want to do that again." 214 00:08:20,064 --> 00:08:22,893 And quite early on -- I suppose the word is "courage." 215 00:08:22,893 --> 00:08:24,895 I don't want to just play the same note if I don't have to, 216 00:08:24,895 --> 00:08:27,507 because it always seemed to me that what's of value to you 217 00:08:27,507 --> 00:08:28,856 is to be able to play as many different 218 00:08:28,856 --> 00:08:30,771 kind of notes as -- as you could. 219 00:08:30,771 --> 00:08:34,905 And so, all the time where I wasn't sort of more, 220 00:08:34,905 --> 00:08:36,602 what's the word, I suppose, recognizable, 221 00:08:36,602 --> 00:08:40,084 I never felt like I was failing, really. 222 00:08:40,084 --> 00:08:42,390 I was always just so delighted to be -- to be working. 223 00:08:42,390 --> 00:08:45,089 And then I suppose, when you get a bit more choice, 224 00:08:45,089 --> 00:08:48,571 I never really think that I was -- I kind of was winning 225 00:08:48,571 --> 00:08:51,922 You know? I love that thing that -- that Meryl Streep says, 226 00:08:51,922 --> 00:08:54,751 and she's a great hero of mine, which is to sort of pack 227 00:08:54,751 --> 00:08:56,536 your own suitcase, you know, 228 00:08:56,536 --> 00:08:58,407 that even if you're not getting the opportunities, 229 00:08:58,407 --> 00:09:01,541 that you decide what you're going to put in your suitcase, 230 00:09:01,541 --> 00:09:04,369 and even if someone isn't asking you to go on holidays... 231 00:09:04,369 --> 00:09:06,589 You got your little bag. 232 00:09:06,589 --> 00:09:07,982 You've got it there, and you go. Yeah. 233 00:09:07,982 --> 00:09:09,897 And so, when an opportunity comes up, 234 00:09:09,897 --> 00:09:12,769 you go, "I recognize that I've packed for that slightly." 235 00:09:12,769 --> 00:09:14,379 So it was beautiful, don't get me wrong. 236 00:09:14,379 --> 00:09:16,773 But I don't know. It's try and keep it -- 237 00:09:16,773 --> 00:09:18,558 keep it -- keep it level, I suppose. 238 00:09:18,558 --> 00:09:21,386 More with our panel of actors right after this. 239 00:09:28,045 --> 00:09:33,094 ♪♪ 240 00:09:33,094 --> 00:09:34,790 All right, so let's say 241 00:09:34,790 --> 00:09:36,445 you're auditioning for "Planet of the Apes," 242 00:09:36,445 --> 00:09:38,142 just hypothetically speaking, guys. 243 00:09:38,142 --> 00:09:41,537 Would you rather be an ape or a human? 244 00:09:41,537 --> 00:09:43,408 Well, according to Paul Giamatti, 245 00:09:43,408 --> 00:09:46,063 that's a no-brainer. Let's see what he has to say. 246 00:09:46,063 --> 00:09:48,762 Feinberg: Paul, I don't imagine that, at the beginning, 247 00:09:48,762 --> 00:09:53,505 the dream was pig vomit and private parts or an orangutan 248 00:09:53,505 --> 00:09:55,682 and, uh, "Planet of the Apes." 249 00:09:55,682 --> 00:09:57,161 When, for you -- 250 00:09:57,161 --> 00:09:58,685 That was a dream. 251 00:09:58,685 --> 00:09:59,903 That was a dream? 252 00:09:59,903 --> 00:10:01,470 No, that was a -- that was a -- 253 00:10:01,470 --> 00:10:03,994 that was the strange fulfillment of a deep dream. 254 00:10:03,994 --> 00:10:06,083 Seriously?To be an orangutan? 255 00:10:06,083 --> 00:10:08,259 To be an ape in "Planet of the Apes"...It was? 256 00:10:08,259 --> 00:10:11,393 ...was, if that had been it for me, I would be -- 257 00:10:11,393 --> 00:10:13,482 I would die happy.Well, this is where 258 00:10:13,482 --> 00:10:15,092 I'm kind of going, yeah.I couldn't believe was going to be able 259 00:10:15,092 --> 00:10:17,660 to play a talking orangutan, and my agents were like, 260 00:10:17,660 --> 00:10:20,402 "Don't you want to be a human so they can see your face?" 261 00:10:20,402 --> 00:10:22,796 And I was like, "f you tell them I want to be a human, 262 00:10:22,796 --> 00:10:24,493 I'm going to burn the agency." 263 00:10:24,493 --> 00:10:26,277 [Laughter] 264 00:10:26,277 --> 00:10:30,325 I was like, "Who wants to be the human?" 265 00:10:30,325 --> 00:10:31,543 No, that was a huge thing. 266 00:10:31,543 --> 00:10:33,197 No, this is interesting.Scott: Wow. 267 00:10:33,197 --> 00:10:35,025 Oh, no.Because I wondered, what was the role, 268 00:10:35,025 --> 00:10:36,548 kind of the thing that I'm sure -- 269 00:10:36,548 --> 00:10:38,115 maybe you had something like it in your mind 270 00:10:38,115 --> 00:10:40,030 when you're going through the training. 271 00:10:40,030 --> 00:10:43,120 I actually think -- I mean, you say pig vomit and you laugh, 272 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:48,648 but it's like, I -- that was such a crazy -- being fired 273 00:10:48,648 --> 00:10:51,433 out of the craziest cannon in the world. 274 00:10:51,433 --> 00:10:53,087 It was -- I couldn't believe 275 00:10:53,087 --> 00:10:56,046 I was being allowed off the chain like that. 276 00:10:56,046 --> 00:10:57,569 You know, I had just been in a drama school 277 00:10:57,569 --> 00:10:59,310 where it was like I was -- 278 00:10:59,310 --> 00:11:01,617 It was very confining, and --Wow. 279 00:11:01,617 --> 00:11:03,488 And -- And it always felt terribly confining. 280 00:11:03,488 --> 00:11:06,404 I mean, look at me, man. I'm not like a Shakespeare guy. 281 00:11:06,404 --> 00:11:08,755 And I got this opportunity to do abso-- 282 00:11:08,755 --> 00:11:10,800 something that was absolutely bananas. 283 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:14,848 Well, Jeffrey, you start out, really, on most people's radar, 284 00:11:14,848 --> 00:11:16,371 probably, with "Angels in America," 285 00:11:16,371 --> 00:11:18,373 winning a Tony for that on Broadway. 286 00:11:18,373 --> 00:11:20,244 And within about five years, though, 287 00:11:20,244 --> 00:11:24,596 you have said that your attitude towards basically the business 288 00:11:24,596 --> 00:11:27,251 really had changed and your priorities, 289 00:11:27,251 --> 00:11:31,560 the things that you were interested in doing as an actor, 290 00:11:31,560 --> 00:11:33,910 as a person, totally got upended. 291 00:11:33,910 --> 00:11:35,564 Can you just explain, because it does seem, 292 00:11:35,564 --> 00:11:37,087 from the way you've talked about it, 293 00:11:37,087 --> 00:11:38,828 that there was a before and after? What happened? 294 00:11:38,828 --> 00:11:41,483 This is the thing that I have come to value 295 00:11:41,483 --> 00:11:45,661 above all other things in this stuff that we do, 296 00:11:45,661 --> 00:11:47,663 and it's the collaboration. 297 00:11:47,663 --> 00:11:49,839 It's the people that -- that I have the opportunity 298 00:11:49,839 --> 00:11:51,754 to do it with. 299 00:11:51,754 --> 00:11:56,411 I learned that because early on, there were some collaborations 300 00:11:56,411 --> 00:11:59,719 that, uh, you know, might have been, 301 00:11:59,719 --> 00:12:02,809 uh, uh, better.[Laughter] 302 00:12:02,809 --> 00:12:04,767 Diplomacy throughout. 303 00:12:04,767 --> 00:12:06,987 But, yeah, there were some -- You know, 304 00:12:06,987 --> 00:12:08,902 I'd walk into a place, I'd go, "Yeah." [Inhales sharply] 305 00:12:08,902 --> 00:12:10,599 "Ooh, this is not my beautiful house." 306 00:12:10,599 --> 00:12:12,993 You know? This is not what I expected, 307 00:12:12,993 --> 00:12:15,604 you know, when you talked about being in this environment 308 00:12:15,604 --> 00:12:18,085 that was supportive and that was creative and spontaneous.Yeah. 309 00:12:18,085 --> 00:12:21,001 It was like I'd found myself a couple of times 310 00:12:21,001 --> 00:12:23,786 in some really, what I thought, were very cynical places. 311 00:12:23,786 --> 00:12:26,441 And I think the way that I kind of, um, 312 00:12:26,441 --> 00:12:28,182 was able to articulate it at the time 313 00:12:28,182 --> 00:12:32,621 was that these were places that aspired to be dumber 314 00:12:32,621 --> 00:12:35,145 than what was possible within the room. 315 00:12:35,145 --> 00:12:37,800 And I was like, "Oh, wow, man, this is kind of weird." 316 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:40,194 But also, there are other priorities 317 00:12:40,194 --> 00:12:41,630 and other considerations 318 00:12:41,630 --> 00:12:43,284 that you make in terms of what you want to do. 319 00:12:43,284 --> 00:12:45,286 Like, you know, "Oh, wow, there's a human being 320 00:12:45,286 --> 00:12:47,462 that was just born into my life," you know? 321 00:12:47,462 --> 00:12:51,205 Mark, it sounds like you had your own period 322 00:12:51,205 --> 00:12:53,120 of kind of questioning things. 323 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:55,644 What was going on that made you step away, 324 00:12:55,644 --> 00:12:57,341 and then what made you, I think with 325 00:12:57,341 --> 00:12:59,169 "The Kids Are All Right," come back? 326 00:12:59,169 --> 00:13:01,041 Ruffalo: You have your dreams, 327 00:13:01,041 --> 00:13:03,783 and then those start to become realized. 328 00:13:03,783 --> 00:13:05,262 But they're not what you thought 329 00:13:05,262 --> 00:13:06,829 it was going to be. 330 00:13:06,829 --> 00:13:10,441 At some point, you know, it gets away from you, 331 00:13:10,441 --> 00:13:13,140 and next thing you realize, it's like you're -- 332 00:13:13,140 --> 00:13:16,491 it's all about the business and someone's idea -- 333 00:13:16,491 --> 00:13:18,841 someone else's idea of your career 334 00:13:18,841 --> 00:13:23,411 that really didn't have much to do with what your idea was. 335 00:13:23,411 --> 00:13:25,979 And then you lose what your idea was. 336 00:13:25,979 --> 00:13:28,851 of what your career was going to be. 337 00:13:28,851 --> 00:13:31,811 I was already feeling that way, and then my brother passed away. 338 00:13:31,811 --> 00:13:34,944 He passed away just before I was going to direct a film, 339 00:13:34,944 --> 00:13:36,641 uh, that I'd been working on for a long time, 340 00:13:36,641 --> 00:13:38,165 and during the course of it, I was like, 341 00:13:38,165 --> 00:13:40,645 "I don't know if I want to go back to acting. 342 00:13:40,645 --> 00:13:46,042 I kind of feel much more comfortable here in this place." 343 00:13:46,042 --> 00:13:49,176 You know, just the -- the swath of creativity 344 00:13:49,176 --> 00:13:50,655 that opened up to you as a director. 345 00:13:50,655 --> 00:13:52,832 And then I got a great part, 346 00:13:52,832 --> 00:13:55,660 the kind of part in a movie that I wanted to do. 347 00:13:55,660 --> 00:13:59,012 And I was like, "This is going to be my last acting gig." 348 00:13:59,012 --> 00:14:02,319 And it was "The Kids Are All Right." And I was just like, "Fuck it. 349 00:14:02,319 --> 00:14:04,844 I'm going to do whatever I want here."Wow. Wow. 350 00:14:04,844 --> 00:14:07,063 I-I-I don't -- There's no rules anymore. 351 00:14:07,063 --> 00:14:09,500 I don't have to be anybody for anybody else. 352 00:14:09,500 --> 00:14:10,937 And it was really freeing feeling. 353 00:14:10,937 --> 00:14:13,243 And we went to Sundance, 354 00:14:13,243 --> 00:14:15,855 and I had -- the movie I directed premiered. 355 00:14:15,855 --> 00:14:17,508 And then two days later, 356 00:14:17,508 --> 00:14:19,771 "The Kids Are All Right" premiered, 357 00:14:19,771 --> 00:14:22,731 and I was sitting in that audience, 358 00:14:22,731 --> 00:14:27,997 and I was like, "This experience is so honest. 359 00:14:27,997 --> 00:14:30,652 This movie is about something so important." 360 00:14:30,652 --> 00:14:33,394 And coming into the world at a moment, 361 00:14:33,394 --> 00:14:35,004 you know, about gay marriage, 362 00:14:35,004 --> 00:14:38,007 when all of these people were voting on gay marriage. 363 00:14:38,007 --> 00:14:40,618 And it was saying, you know, "We're the same, and -- 364 00:14:40,618 --> 00:14:43,317 and there's no difference between straight marriages 365 00:14:43,317 --> 00:14:46,276 and gay marriages," and it did it in a funny way 366 00:14:46,276 --> 00:14:50,280 that was just a human story that people could all relate to. 367 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:53,631 And I heard it in the laughter, and I heard everyone laughing, 368 00:14:53,631 --> 00:14:56,678 whether they were straight or gay or whatever 369 00:14:56,678 --> 00:14:58,462 their religion was, their background, 370 00:14:58,462 --> 00:15:00,290 everyone were all laughing at the same thing. 371 00:15:00,290 --> 00:15:02,423 And I was like, "That's what I want to do. 372 00:15:02,423 --> 00:15:04,077 That's -- That's why I came here." 373 00:15:04,077 --> 00:15:05,382 And then Nolan was like, "Hey, 374 00:15:05,382 --> 00:15:07,341 do you want to make another movie? 375 00:15:07,341 --> 00:15:10,605 You want a five-picture movie deal as a director?"Right. 376 00:15:10,605 --> 00:15:15,262 And so, I'm like, um, "Oh, I found my way." 377 00:15:15,262 --> 00:15:17,220 And that was kind of -- Yeah. That's great. 378 00:15:17,220 --> 00:15:19,831 And, Jeffrey, you work very selectively, 379 00:15:19,831 --> 00:15:22,486 and that's a great thing, and so, I wonder, though, 380 00:15:22,486 --> 00:15:26,621 here's a guy, Cord Jefferson, who's a terrific TV writer -- 381 00:15:26,621 --> 00:15:30,277 "Succession," "The Good Place," won an Emmy for "Watchmen," 382 00:15:30,277 --> 00:15:34,150 who says he wants to make his feature directorial debut. 383 00:15:34,150 --> 00:15:36,283 How does a first-time filmmaker 384 00:15:36,283 --> 00:15:40,504 convince you to sign up to collaborate with him? 385 00:15:40,504 --> 00:15:44,813 I believe the book that is based on Percival Everett's "Erasure" 386 00:15:44,813 --> 00:15:47,990 talks with this idea about him, the narrator, hating, right, 387 00:15:47,990 --> 00:15:50,950 hating stories that are about writers as he writes this story. 388 00:15:50,950 --> 00:15:52,995 Cord had taken that book 389 00:15:52,995 --> 00:15:55,171 and adapted it into the script that he gave me, 390 00:15:55,171 --> 00:15:58,696 and, for me, it was the story of this man 391 00:15:58,696 --> 00:16:00,307 who's, all of a sudden, burdened 392 00:16:00,307 --> 00:16:02,874 with the responsibilities of family. 393 00:16:02,874 --> 00:16:05,355 I mean, you guys have talked about, you know, 394 00:16:05,355 --> 00:16:07,531 how these things affect My mom passed 395 00:16:07,531 --> 00:16:09,925 not too s- not too long before I got that script. 396 00:16:09,925 --> 00:16:11,535 Mm. 397 00:16:11,535 --> 00:16:13,494 And so, it was, uh, you know, 398 00:16:13,494 --> 00:16:18,890 the caretaking of the one who was once caretaker.Yeah. 399 00:16:18,890 --> 00:16:20,892 That, for me, was what the story -- 400 00:16:20,892 --> 00:16:22,894 um, how the story resonated. 401 00:16:22,894 --> 00:16:25,506 That's what, like, plucked me. I said, "I know that story. 402 00:16:25,506 --> 00:16:28,248 I know that man, and I know the difficulties 403 00:16:28,248 --> 00:16:32,121 and the sacrifices that -- that asks not only, 404 00:16:32,121 --> 00:16:33,905 like, creatively, professionally, 405 00:16:33,905 --> 00:16:35,385 but also personally. 406 00:16:35,385 --> 00:16:38,910 And, you know, I can play that music, 407 00:16:38,910 --> 00:16:42,349 and, you know, maybe it'll be helpful to me 408 00:16:42,349 --> 00:16:45,526 and maybe -- and maybe, uh, you know, someone else." 409 00:16:45,526 --> 00:16:47,180 And also, I think in some ways 410 00:16:47,180 --> 00:16:51,010 that that is the most subversive aspect of the film, 411 00:16:51,010 --> 00:16:53,925 because it really is a portrait 412 00:16:53,925 --> 00:16:56,493 that I'd never been asked to play within before, 413 00:16:56,493 --> 00:17:00,671 a portrait of a goofy, mad, you know, 414 00:17:00,671 --> 00:17:06,068 dysfunctional, at times functional, loving, frustrated, 415 00:17:06,068 --> 00:17:10,942 but together family that happens to be Black. 416 00:17:10,942 --> 00:17:13,815 It's, you know, it's a family. 417 00:17:13,815 --> 00:17:17,558 That really is what the neon is pointing to. 418 00:17:17,558 --> 00:17:19,516 That's the meal, for me. 419 00:17:19,516 --> 00:17:22,214 So it was easy to say yes to that. 420 00:17:22,214 --> 00:17:23,651 Hey, everyone, there's so much more 421 00:17:23,651 --> 00:17:26,306 with our panel of actors right after this. 422 00:17:26,306 --> 00:17:29,744 ♪♪ 423 00:17:33,226 --> 00:17:38,274 ♪♪ 424 00:17:38,274 --> 00:17:40,842 Feinberg: Coleman, you did 2020 film 425 00:17:40,842 --> 00:17:42,800 "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" for George C. Wolfe, 426 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,455 a guy who Jeffrey knows quite well, as well, 427 00:17:45,455 --> 00:17:48,371 works with all the time.Yes. I-I-I know him fairly well, yeah. 428 00:17:48,371 --> 00:17:51,418 George C. Wolfe is looking to cast the part of Bayard Rustin, 429 00:17:51,418 --> 00:17:53,463 who is unfairly kind of 430 00:17:53,463 --> 00:17:55,074 not remembered as much as he should be. 431 00:17:55,074 --> 00:17:58,207 This is a Black, gay civil rights leader 432 00:17:58,207 --> 00:18:00,383 who was the principle organizer 433 00:18:00,383 --> 00:18:03,386 of the 1963 march on Washington. 434 00:18:03,386 --> 00:18:07,173 So he comes to you, but you had never been offered the chance 435 00:18:07,173 --> 00:18:10,741 to be at the top of a call sheet of a film prior to this. 436 00:18:10,741 --> 00:18:12,221 So what did it mean to you 437 00:18:12,221 --> 00:18:14,049 when that opportunity came from George? 438 00:18:14,049 --> 00:18:17,052 I had to learn deeply 439 00:18:17,052 --> 00:18:19,924 the principle of being in service 440 00:18:19,924 --> 00:18:22,231 and just in service to the story. 441 00:18:22,231 --> 00:18:24,320 And that's what any journeyman has learned, 442 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:26,888 that it's not about the size of the role 443 00:18:26,888 --> 00:18:29,673 but it's about, how do I help serve a function? 444 00:18:29,673 --> 00:18:32,633 In the theater, we all know who the equity deputy is. 445 00:18:32,633 --> 00:18:34,417 [Laughter] 446 00:18:34,417 --> 00:18:35,679 It's usually me. 447 00:18:35,679 --> 00:18:36,941 [Laughter] 448 00:18:36,941 --> 00:18:41,468 Thank you.Where is my clock? 449 00:18:41,468 --> 00:18:43,861 Thank you, thank you, thank you. I appreciate it.Colman, everyone. 450 00:18:43,861 --> 00:18:45,689 Ruffalo: It's going to be him. 451 00:18:45,689 --> 00:18:47,604 And that's exactly it. That's the thing I've always -- 452 00:18:47,604 --> 00:18:49,737 I've always been the equity deputy. 453 00:18:49,737 --> 00:18:51,478 I've always been the one that had to look out...God bless you. 454 00:18:51,478 --> 00:18:53,393 ...for the other actors 455 00:18:53,393 --> 00:18:55,482 or -- or throw the parties or bring people together. 456 00:18:55,482 --> 00:18:58,659 So it's a skill set that I've had deeply. 457 00:18:58,659 --> 00:19:01,705 So when "Rustin" came along, I knew that I had to tap into 458 00:19:01,705 --> 00:19:04,708 that -- that part of service, that part of service, 459 00:19:04,708 --> 00:19:06,971 of making sure that I looked after the whole. 460 00:19:06,971 --> 00:19:09,365 And I also took a leadership role. 461 00:19:09,365 --> 00:19:11,672 And, you know, that role took everything. 462 00:19:11,672 --> 00:19:13,369 I was -- I was able to give -- 463 00:19:13,369 --> 00:19:15,284 Honestly, there's those roles that we -- we -- 464 00:19:15,284 --> 00:19:17,330 we -- I don't know if we wish for, 465 00:19:17,330 --> 00:19:20,420 but we hope for, that we were able to give everything. 466 00:19:20,420 --> 00:19:23,074 And I know that I've given everything in the -- 467 00:19:23,074 --> 00:19:25,207 in the 32 years that I've been in this industry, 468 00:19:25,207 --> 00:19:27,078 from regional theaters to off Broadway 469 00:19:27,078 --> 00:19:28,602 to writing, to directing. 470 00:19:28,602 --> 00:19:30,169 You name it, it's in this film. 471 00:19:30,169 --> 00:19:32,258 It called on everything that I had, 472 00:19:32,258 --> 00:19:34,521 and more than anything, it called on my spirit 473 00:19:34,521 --> 00:19:37,611 that truly believes in service and trying to be -- 474 00:19:37,611 --> 00:19:39,874 make sure that people feel heard and seen 475 00:19:39,874 --> 00:19:42,659 and that we're doing it in -- in a heartful, mindful way. 476 00:19:42,659 --> 00:19:45,445 Because that's what the character Bayard Rustin did. 477 00:19:45,445 --> 00:19:46,968 He gave his life. 478 00:19:46,968 --> 00:19:49,013 His life was about being in service to others, 479 00:19:49,013 --> 00:19:51,190 and then history put him in the shadows. 480 00:19:51,190 --> 00:19:52,669 And I thought it was my opportunity 481 00:19:52,669 --> 00:19:54,715 to really bring him out fully 482 00:19:54,715 --> 00:19:56,412 and construct a complex character 483 00:19:56,412 --> 00:19:58,501 that's loving and interesting and intelligent 484 00:19:58,501 --> 00:20:01,896 and messy and wild but spirited, you know, 485 00:20:01,896 --> 00:20:04,942 because I know that this film can have an impact. 486 00:20:04,942 --> 00:20:06,553 I know who I am in a room 487 00:20:06,553 --> 00:20:08,859 and what I can do and what I can give. 488 00:20:08,859 --> 00:20:11,993 And at the -- at the highest level, I know that I'm a teacher 489 00:20:11,993 --> 00:20:14,735 and I'm in service to -- to work as an artist. 490 00:20:14,735 --> 00:20:18,217 So it was truly my privilege to just give everything I could. 491 00:20:18,217 --> 00:20:22,351 Mark, you are signing up to join director Yorgos Lanthimos, 492 00:20:22,351 --> 00:20:24,484 writer Tony McNamara, actress Emma Stone, 493 00:20:24,484 --> 00:20:27,051 who had all previously done "The Favorite." 494 00:20:27,051 --> 00:20:28,879 Now they're getting back together, 495 00:20:28,879 --> 00:20:33,449 and they need a guy to come in and play Duncan Wedderburn, 496 00:20:33,449 --> 00:20:37,714 a narcissistic ladies' man who has an accent, 497 00:20:37,714 --> 00:20:39,586 an attitude, he's dancing, he's -- 498 00:20:39,586 --> 00:20:41,892 This is just such a colorful character, 499 00:20:41,892 --> 00:20:45,069 and I wonder, for you, when the opportunity arose, 500 00:20:45,069 --> 00:20:47,898 is it intimidating to be joining that group of folks? 501 00:20:47,898 --> 00:20:50,858 You know, when you're in a theater, no one ever is like, 502 00:20:50,858 --> 00:20:53,730 "Oh, you can't go from romantic comedy to tragedy." 503 00:20:53,730 --> 00:20:55,906 And, you know, like, it's just not --Right. Yeah. 504 00:20:55,906 --> 00:20:58,213 But -- But, like, in the movie business, 505 00:20:58,213 --> 00:21:00,781 you start -- you start to feel like you're a little bit in a...Yeah. 506 00:21:00,781 --> 00:21:02,739 ...in a box sometimes. 507 00:21:02,739 --> 00:21:04,654 And -- But I'd never played anything like that, either. 508 00:21:04,654 --> 00:21:06,613 And I was scared. I mean, I saw his movies, 509 00:21:06,613 --> 00:21:08,267 and I was in awe of them, 510 00:21:08,267 --> 00:21:11,705 so I was really scared, and he just laughed at me. 511 00:21:11,705 --> 00:21:15,448 And so, I was like, "Okay." It was such a great turn. 512 00:21:15,448 --> 00:21:18,364 And I get to do so much fun stuff in it 513 00:21:18,364 --> 00:21:22,193 and, uh, break all the perceptions of me. 514 00:21:22,193 --> 00:21:25,240 Yeah, I got to bash that. 515 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:28,199 Robert, I guess it's not a totally different situation 516 00:21:28,199 --> 00:21:32,552 with "Oppenheimer," where you are as Lewis Strauss, 517 00:21:32,552 --> 00:21:36,686 but it's been a few years since you've played 518 00:21:36,686 --> 00:21:39,428 this, uh, type of a character. 519 00:21:39,428 --> 00:21:42,257 And I want to read you something that Christopher Nolan has said 520 00:21:42,257 --> 00:21:44,738 and then ask you to react, if you would. 521 00:21:44,738 --> 00:21:46,653 Sure. Can you say it in accent, please? 522 00:21:46,653 --> 00:21:48,872 Uh, not -- not a good enough actor, but -- 523 00:21:48,872 --> 00:21:52,006 But I'll try to make it register anyway.There we go. 524 00:21:52,006 --> 00:21:53,964 Quote, "He's one of our great actors, 525 00:21:53,964 --> 00:21:56,489 and though a generation of kids know what a great movie star 526 00:21:56,489 --> 00:21:59,492 he is, they've not seen his subtlety and brilliance. 527 00:21:59,492 --> 00:22:02,103 I wanted to get him to do something completely different, 528 00:22:02,103 --> 00:22:03,974 to lose himself in another human being. 529 00:22:03,974 --> 00:22:06,325 When was the last time we've seen that? 'Chaplin'? 530 00:22:06,325 --> 00:22:09,153 Directors are very aware of how talented Downey is, 531 00:22:09,153 --> 00:22:10,633 but because of his incredible energy 532 00:22:10,633 --> 00:22:12,418 that can punch through the screen, 533 00:22:12,418 --> 00:22:15,421 finding the right thing for him is difficult," close quote. 534 00:22:15,421 --> 00:22:17,771 Do you think that's -- Uh, what do you make of that? 535 00:22:17,771 --> 00:22:19,338 Well, first of all, I didn't write that. 536 00:22:19,338 --> 00:22:21,296 Um... 537 00:22:21,296 --> 00:22:23,646 Jeffrey said it. It's -- It's all so small. 538 00:22:23,646 --> 00:22:25,909 Like, there's all these trappings. 539 00:22:25,909 --> 00:22:27,520 "Oh, it's this, and here's the genre, and here's the character, 540 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:28,912 and here's what happens in the story," and you go, 541 00:22:28,912 --> 00:22:30,740 "No, I made my decision based on this thing 542 00:22:30,740 --> 00:22:33,090 that nobody would ever know if I didn't tell them." 543 00:22:33,090 --> 00:22:36,311 And that's almost always it, I think, you know? 544 00:22:36,311 --> 00:22:39,706 He called. A call from Nolan is a thing. 545 00:22:39,706 --> 00:22:42,230 He asked me to come over and read the script on red paper 546 00:22:42,230 --> 00:22:46,234 with black type, which was like doing Sudoku while driving. 547 00:22:46,234 --> 00:22:50,064 And, um, but I read it, and it was written in first person. 548 00:22:50,064 --> 00:22:52,327 I was like, "This is -- This is masterful." 549 00:22:52,327 --> 00:22:54,808 And I just thought the meditation for me 550 00:22:54,808 --> 00:22:57,637 was on that horrible thing 551 00:22:57,637 --> 00:22:59,682 that I'm just going to venture a guess 552 00:22:59,682 --> 00:23:02,032 and say we all tend to do, which is comparison -- 553 00:23:02,032 --> 00:23:05,949 comparing my insides to someone else's outsides, 554 00:23:05,949 --> 00:23:09,126 how they're perceived, they're special, 555 00:23:09,126 --> 00:23:11,868 they're this and that, and particularly in the context 556 00:23:11,868 --> 00:23:14,480 of that time period, hot or Cold War. 557 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,047 You know, this is why this affected the way 558 00:23:17,047 --> 00:23:19,093 my parents' counterculture was. 559 00:23:19,093 --> 00:23:21,878 So anyway, to me, it was a -- it was -- it was a logical thing 560 00:23:21,878 --> 00:23:24,664 from Senior going back into, "What is this thing 561 00:23:24,664 --> 00:23:26,840 that my dad's generation rebelled against?" 562 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:28,276 And it was like 100 people 563 00:23:28,276 --> 00:23:30,670 making a watch together every day. 564 00:23:30,670 --> 00:23:32,585 And, uh, you know, 565 00:23:32,585 --> 00:23:36,502 it's fun to realize what you're becoming accustomed to. 566 00:23:36,502 --> 00:23:39,243 Like, it's, "Okay, so just let's talk about my perks. 567 00:23:39,243 --> 00:23:40,506 There are none." 568 00:23:40,506 --> 00:23:43,944 "Okay, well, hold on a second. 569 00:23:43,944 --> 00:23:47,556 You can have $300 a day. Spend it however you like." 570 00:23:47,556 --> 00:23:49,689 I was like, "That's my dry cleaning budget." 571 00:23:49,689 --> 00:23:55,042 So first of all, I think, you know, maximum humility 572 00:23:55,042 --> 00:23:57,348 is where we get that spot, 573 00:23:57,348 --> 00:23:59,916 whether we can choose to do it or the situation requires it. 574 00:23:59,916 --> 00:24:02,049 It's like, you should be scared. 575 00:24:02,049 --> 00:24:03,877 You should have approach anxiety to this 576 00:24:03,877 --> 00:24:06,096 because this is real shit. 577 00:24:06,096 --> 00:24:09,839 If you do it right, like I've seen this year, you know? 578 00:24:09,839 --> 00:24:12,233 I've seen -- I love that you were saying it was a meditation 579 00:24:12,233 --> 00:24:15,279 on grief and caretaking -- that's what I saw -- 580 00:24:15,279 --> 00:24:18,805 and do what you were able to do with this thing 581 00:24:18,805 --> 00:24:21,808 of the horror wish fulfillment of being able to actually 582 00:24:21,808 --> 00:24:25,115 go back and talk to that which bore you 583 00:24:25,115 --> 00:24:27,030 and this fable you did 584 00:24:27,030 --> 00:24:30,077 and this history where you constructed this character 585 00:24:30,077 --> 00:24:33,080 so just masterfully. 586 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:35,604 I mean, dude, a guy who wants to be freed 587 00:24:35,604 --> 00:24:37,650 but doesn't even know that he's trapped? 588 00:24:37,650 --> 00:24:40,261 And -- And by giving and giving and giving, 589 00:24:40,261 --> 00:24:42,263 he's -- it's his salvation? 590 00:24:42,263 --> 00:24:45,266 It's like fuck. So, it's always small. 591 00:24:45,266 --> 00:24:47,181 Yo, I hope you guys are enjoying this 592 00:24:47,181 --> 00:24:48,965 very unplanned "Avengers" reunion. 593 00:24:48,965 --> 00:24:51,446 I mean, we have the Hulk andIron Man. 594 00:24:51,446 --> 00:24:54,144 More with this amazing panel when we come back. 595 00:24:54,144 --> 00:24:55,537 Guys, can I get some superpowers? 596 00:24:55,537 --> 00:24:57,539 I mean, I want to be in the MCU, anything. 597 00:24:57,539 --> 00:25:00,455 Look at these arms. I don't be lifting weights for nothing. 598 00:25:00,455 --> 00:25:03,850 ♪♪ 599 00:25:07,201 --> 00:25:12,467 ♪♪ 600 00:25:12,467 --> 00:25:15,078 Hey, everyone. Welcome back to our actors' roundtable 601 00:25:15,078 --> 00:25:17,428 on "Off Script with The Hollywood Reporter." 602 00:25:17,428 --> 00:25:19,430 Scott, take it from here. 603 00:25:19,430 --> 00:25:23,086 Paul, it's been 19 years since you and Alexander Payne 604 00:25:23,086 --> 00:25:26,525 made the terrific movie "Sideways." 605 00:25:26,525 --> 00:25:28,657 I know there had been conversations 606 00:25:28,657 --> 00:25:30,790 about maybe doing other things over the intervening years, 607 00:25:30,790 --> 00:25:32,139 but here we are. 608 00:25:32,139 --> 00:25:33,923 He comes to you with "The Holdovers." 609 00:25:33,923 --> 00:25:37,231 And was the fact that it was Alexander coming back, 610 00:25:37,231 --> 00:25:38,928 uh, and asking you to do this enough? 611 00:25:38,928 --> 00:25:40,495 Or did -- was there something 612 00:25:40,495 --> 00:25:43,063 particularly about this character where you said, 613 00:25:43,063 --> 00:25:45,892 "I'm particularly gung-ho to do this"? 614 00:25:45,892 --> 00:25:48,024 Well, yeah, I mean, him coming back 615 00:25:48,024 --> 00:25:50,853 and saying, "I want to work again," was pretty good. 616 00:25:50,853 --> 00:25:54,030 I mean, I would have done pretty much anything for the guy. 617 00:25:54,030 --> 00:25:57,207 But he was showing me this script as it was coming along, 618 00:25:57,207 --> 00:26:00,689 and he said, you know, "I'm writing this thing for you." 619 00:26:00,689 --> 00:26:02,822 And I kept saying, "He smells like fish. 620 00:26:02,822 --> 00:26:04,345 He's got sweaty palms. 621 00:26:04,345 --> 00:26:06,521 He's got a crazy eye." 622 00:26:06,521 --> 00:26:08,175 You know, and all of that -- I was saying, 623 00:26:08,175 --> 00:26:09,611 "All of that -- All of that's wonderful." 624 00:26:09,611 --> 00:26:11,352 And it was great. And, you know, 625 00:26:11,352 --> 00:26:13,354 but he kept saying, and I've been thinking about it, 626 00:26:13,354 --> 00:26:15,486 you know, he was writing this for me. 627 00:26:15,486 --> 00:26:18,751 It was an extraordinary thing to be able to work with a friend. 628 00:26:18,751 --> 00:26:22,232 And the story had a lot of resonances for me 629 00:26:22,232 --> 00:26:25,496 that I think he knows about because he knows me. 630 00:26:25,496 --> 00:26:28,108 But I-I think the thing that I thought was really amazing 631 00:26:28,108 --> 00:26:30,719 about it was it's a Christmas Story. 632 00:26:30,719 --> 00:26:32,982 It's genuinely a Christmas story.Mm, yeah. 633 00:26:32,982 --> 00:26:35,594 Because it's about selflessness, ultimately. 634 00:26:35,594 --> 00:26:38,509 These people all act selflessly towards each other 635 00:26:38,509 --> 00:26:40,990 so they can take a next step toward something. 636 00:26:40,990 --> 00:26:42,862 It doesn't get resolved, because he doesn't make movies 637 00:26:42,862 --> 00:26:44,951 that resolve very easily, you know? Right. 638 00:26:44,951 --> 00:26:46,300 And it's like, we don't know what's going to happen, 639 00:26:46,300 --> 00:26:47,823 but they get a little bit forward. 640 00:26:47,823 --> 00:26:49,999 But I thought this guy was very interesting. 641 00:26:49,999 --> 00:26:52,523 It was very familiar to me to see this person 642 00:26:52,523 --> 00:26:55,875 who had constructed this incredibly elaborate persona, 643 00:26:55,875 --> 00:26:57,877 you know, and he's got all of these ideals, 644 00:26:57,877 --> 00:26:59,966 and he's -- he's put together this whole 645 00:26:59,966 --> 00:27:02,185 kind of bullshit shtick, 646 00:27:02,185 --> 00:27:05,754 you know, and to watch somebody start to drop their shtick... 647 00:27:05,754 --> 00:27:09,192 And I just thought, "This is beautiful and beautifully done." 648 00:27:09,192 --> 00:27:11,194 Andrew, "All of Us Strangers," 649 00:27:11,194 --> 00:27:14,371 it's about a gay man living in present-day London 650 00:27:14,371 --> 00:27:17,984 who visits his childhood home and finds living there 651 00:27:17,984 --> 00:27:21,335 the parents who he lost 30 years earlier very suddenly. 652 00:27:21,335 --> 00:27:23,554 You were basically being asked 653 00:27:23,554 --> 00:27:25,600 by Andrew Haig, the filmmaker, 654 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:28,777 to play a version of himself, this -- 655 00:27:28,777 --> 00:27:31,084 and I wonder if you can talk about both the idea 656 00:27:31,084 --> 00:27:32,955 that you're -- you're -- the person who you're playing 657 00:27:32,955 --> 00:27:34,783 is on the other side of the camera, 658 00:27:34,783 --> 00:27:37,481 and also the -- sort of the challenges of that 659 00:27:37,481 --> 00:27:39,440 in particular, where, you know, 660 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:42,095 you're literally shooting in his childhood home. 661 00:27:42,095 --> 00:27:45,925 I suppose I didn't really think of it like I was playing Andrew. 662 00:27:45,925 --> 00:27:50,103 I felt like that we weirdly kind of co-parented the character, 663 00:27:50,103 --> 00:27:52,235 considering that that's a sort of theme in the...Yeah. 664 00:27:52,235 --> 00:27:54,194 ...i-in the film. 665 00:27:54,194 --> 00:27:56,239 Um, but I certainly looked to him -- 666 00:27:56,239 --> 00:27:58,111 he's like a comrade, you know, 667 00:27:58,111 --> 00:28:01,505 i-in, uh -- i-i-in the telling of the story. 668 00:28:01,505 --> 00:28:04,117 And I suppose the challenge, actually, 669 00:28:04,117 --> 00:28:07,076 for me was to not pretend to be anybody else, 670 00:28:07,076 --> 00:28:09,949 but to, you know, find out what -- 671 00:28:09,949 --> 00:28:11,951 go back to a place where I was. 672 00:28:11,951 --> 00:28:13,822 And so, it was sort of like a -- a marriage 673 00:28:13,822 --> 00:28:15,606 between our two personalities. 674 00:28:15,606 --> 00:28:17,913 And, uh, it was difficult because I -- 675 00:28:17,913 --> 00:28:20,220 I think I have a good imagination, um, 676 00:28:20,220 --> 00:28:22,222 but I think -- I -- but I think -- 677 00:28:22,222 --> 00:28:24,224 Yeah. I think you do. I think you do. 678 00:28:24,224 --> 00:28:27,140 I-I'm pleased with that because I do think that's the most -- 679 00:28:27,140 --> 00:28:29,142 I think it's the most important thing you can have as an actor, 680 00:28:29,142 --> 00:28:30,926 that and a sense of humor. 681 00:28:30,926 --> 00:28:32,667 I really think that those -- they're the two things that -- 682 00:28:32,667 --> 00:28:35,061 well, certainly for me, that you keep going back to. 683 00:28:35,061 --> 00:28:36,845 But there was a duality, too, 684 00:28:36,845 --> 00:28:39,108 because there's two sections to the -- to the film, 685 00:28:39,108 --> 00:28:42,459 and one of them is about going back to childish feelings, 686 00:28:42,459 --> 00:28:43,983 and the other one is about -- very adult -- 687 00:28:43,983 --> 00:28:46,246 almost physical, falling in love.Yeah. 688 00:28:46,246 --> 00:28:49,162 And so, how do you sort of do that without, um, 689 00:28:49,162 --> 00:28:52,556 making the -- being boyish, kind of gross, 690 00:28:52,556 --> 00:28:56,212 or, I don't know, like gilding the lily somewhat. 691 00:28:56,212 --> 00:28:59,738 But, uh, because he was so generous in filming it 692 00:28:59,738 --> 00:29:02,479 in his family little suburban home with one camera, 693 00:29:02,479 --> 00:29:05,004 it was such a vulnerable thing to do. 694 00:29:05,004 --> 00:29:07,093 There's so many times in -- in -- in this 695 00:29:07,093 --> 00:29:08,747 where it's that thing we're afraid of 696 00:29:08,747 --> 00:29:10,749 and you want to calibrate where you have to lose it. 697 00:29:10,749 --> 00:29:13,882 You have to have these huge expulsions of emotion, 698 00:29:13,882 --> 00:29:15,884 and you want them to be varied. 699 00:29:15,884 --> 00:29:17,756 Otherwise, it just feels like you're hitting note number two. 700 00:29:17,756 --> 00:29:19,888 Right.So I want to know, "A," the trust for that, 701 00:29:19,888 --> 00:29:23,196 the intimacy, all that, like that -- the risk factor. 702 00:29:23,196 --> 00:29:25,024 I mean, I heard that you trusted the guy, 703 00:29:25,024 --> 00:29:29,158 but I just want to say, like, how did you navigate all that? 704 00:29:29,158 --> 00:29:31,465 Honestly, I suppose, uh, I never thought 705 00:29:31,465 --> 00:29:34,207 that I would be able to be in a film 706 00:29:34,207 --> 00:29:37,036 to play that kind of character, at least -- 707 00:29:37,036 --> 00:29:38,777 Uh, when I was growing up, 708 00:29:38,777 --> 00:29:44,173 I was so obsessed with -- with films and acting in films, 709 00:29:44,173 --> 00:29:46,523 um, just watching great, great acting. 710 00:29:46,523 --> 00:29:49,526 And, uh, I suppose to be able to play a character, it's like 711 00:29:49,526 --> 00:29:51,441 what -- what you just said there about, "I can play that. 712 00:29:51,441 --> 00:29:53,966 I can play that music." That's exactly the way I felt. 713 00:29:53,966 --> 00:29:56,577 I felt like I can play those -- play those notes. 714 00:29:56,577 --> 00:29:59,449 Coming right back with our actors' roundtable in just a bit. 715 00:29:59,449 --> 00:30:01,060 Don't you go anywhere. 716 00:30:01,060 --> 00:30:04,498 ♪♪ 717 00:30:07,806 --> 00:30:12,941 ♪♪ 718 00:30:12,941 --> 00:30:15,552 Hey, everyone. We are back with our actors' roundtable 719 00:30:15,552 --> 00:30:17,641 on "Off Script with The Hollywood Reporter." 720 00:30:17,641 --> 00:30:19,992 Hey, Scott, you're up. 721 00:30:19,992 --> 00:30:23,038 One of the really beautiful scenes in this movie 722 00:30:23,038 --> 00:30:25,736 "All of Us Strangers," is when your character 723 00:30:25,736 --> 00:30:27,782 gets to come out to his parents, 724 00:30:27,782 --> 00:30:31,220 who he was never able to do that to in real time.Scott: Yeah. 725 00:30:31,220 --> 00:30:33,222 And I-I do want to bring up something 726 00:30:33,222 --> 00:30:36,095 that I think is fairly noteworthy, which is -- 727 00:30:36,095 --> 00:30:39,402 and sadly, still somewhat of a rarity even in 2023, 728 00:30:39,402 --> 00:30:42,275 but both, Andrew, you and Colman, 729 00:30:42,275 --> 00:30:45,582 you are openly gay actors playing openly gay characters 730 00:30:45,582 --> 00:30:48,977 who are at the center of important films. 731 00:30:48,977 --> 00:30:51,675 To actors who may not yet be in a place 732 00:30:51,675 --> 00:30:54,896 where they feel they can be open about their sexuality, 733 00:30:54,896 --> 00:30:57,246 worry that it could hinder their prospects in this business, 734 00:30:57,246 --> 00:30:59,248 do you believe that things have gotten better 735 00:30:59,248 --> 00:31:01,947 over the course of your decades in this business? 736 00:31:01,947 --> 00:31:05,211 From the very beginning, I've always been exactly who I was.Mm-hmm. 737 00:31:05,211 --> 00:31:07,691 There was never a coming-out story. 738 00:31:07,691 --> 00:31:10,433 But also, I thought that I always wanted to lead in rooms 739 00:31:10,433 --> 00:31:14,307 with my intelligence and kindness and what I do.Mm-hmm. 740 00:31:14,307 --> 00:31:17,614 And it wasn't really something that was actually on the table. 741 00:31:17,614 --> 00:31:19,660 You know, in the beginning, y-you're challenged because 742 00:31:19,660 --> 00:31:21,967 you think -- you look around, and you feel kind of rare, 743 00:31:21,967 --> 00:31:24,012 like other people are sort of, like, hiding that aspect. 744 00:31:24,012 --> 00:31:26,319 And I thought, "Well, why?" 745 00:31:26,319 --> 00:31:29,017 I remember somebody asked me this years ago, 746 00:31:29,017 --> 00:31:30,976 and I thought it was the weirdest question. 747 00:31:30,976 --> 00:31:35,806 After I worked with, um, a very well-known director 748 00:31:35,806 --> 00:31:37,765 who's straight, and some interviewer said, 749 00:31:37,765 --> 00:31:41,073 "So how does -- Um, how does so-and-so feel about you being gay?" 750 00:31:41,073 --> 00:31:43,162 It was the weirdest question. 751 00:31:43,162 --> 00:31:44,859 I thought, "He's my brother. He's like my brother."Yeah. 752 00:31:44,859 --> 00:31:46,817 "What are you talking" -- But also, I was like, 753 00:31:46,817 --> 00:31:48,994 "What world do you live in?" You know what I mean?Right. 754 00:31:48,994 --> 00:31:50,647 So I just thought like, "What does that matter?" 755 00:31:50,647 --> 00:31:52,823 And I still feel that way. I feel like, you know, 756 00:31:52,823 --> 00:31:55,000 being gay is just like one aspect of me, 757 00:31:55,000 --> 00:31:57,306 but it's not everything, and I feel like I'm not -- 758 00:31:57,306 --> 00:31:59,656 And I've never put limitations on what I do. 759 00:31:59,656 --> 00:32:01,876 Fuck. You know, I play -- You know, I played pimps, 760 00:32:01,876 --> 00:32:04,618 I've played -- In "The Color Purple," I played Mister. 761 00:32:04,618 --> 00:32:06,620 Ruffalo: I was gonna say. Yeah.And it's like, but I also -- And maybe that's the thing 762 00:32:06,620 --> 00:32:09,362 I've always believed -- if I don't put limitations on myself, 763 00:32:09,362 --> 00:32:11,407 this industry won't put limitations on me.Right. 764 00:32:11,407 --> 00:32:12,843 Right.But if I'm walking around with a secret and hiding 765 00:32:12,843 --> 00:32:15,194 something -- But I think you see that. 766 00:32:15,194 --> 00:32:17,674 I need to be my fullest self to access everything.I couldn't agree more. 767 00:32:17,674 --> 00:32:19,111 Do you feel that way? 768 00:32:19,111 --> 00:32:21,896 I-I'm going to make a pitch for getting rid of 769 00:32:21,896 --> 00:32:23,637 the expression "openly gay." 770 00:32:23,637 --> 00:32:25,030 Yes.Hear me out. 771 00:32:25,030 --> 00:32:26,596 Here we go. I'm with you. 772 00:32:26,596 --> 00:32:28,337 It's an expression that we actually only ever hear 773 00:32:28,337 --> 00:32:30,165 in the media. You are never at a party 774 00:32:30,165 --> 00:32:32,602 and you say, "This is my openly gay friend." 775 00:32:32,602 --> 00:32:34,343 Has that ever happened? 776 00:32:34,343 --> 00:32:35,910 [Laughter] 777 00:32:35,910 --> 00:32:38,608 Never happened. Not once. You never say it. 778 00:32:38,608 --> 00:32:40,697 Why do we put "openly" in front of that adjective? 779 00:32:40,697 --> 00:32:42,917 You know, we don't say "you're openly Irish." 780 00:32:42,917 --> 00:32:45,006 You don't say "you're openly left-handed" or whatever it is. 781 00:32:45,006 --> 00:32:46,573 We don't even say, "Hi. This is my straight friend." 782 00:32:46,573 --> 00:32:48,531 Because it's two steps away from --Right. 783 00:32:48,531 --> 00:32:50,577 There's something that's in it that's a little 784 00:32:50,577 --> 00:32:52,448 near shamelessly. 785 00:32:52,448 --> 00:32:54,276 "You're -- You're open about it?" You know what I'm saying? 786 00:32:54,276 --> 00:32:55,799 And it just --[Laughter] 787 00:32:55,799 --> 00:32:57,845 Downey: Yeah.I nearly -- 788 00:32:57,845 --> 00:32:59,586 I nearly prefer shameless.Domingo: You're right. You're right. 789 00:32:59,586 --> 00:33:01,980 I n-- I nearly -- I nearly prefer that. 790 00:33:01,980 --> 00:33:03,242 Shamelessly. This is shamelessly -- 791 00:33:03,242 --> 00:33:04,504 And sometimes I just feel like, 792 00:33:04,504 --> 00:33:06,071 if you got to say it to understand -- 793 00:33:06,071 --> 00:33:07,550 to understand it, just say, you know -- 794 00:33:07,550 --> 00:33:08,899 just say out, possibly. Or you know what? 795 00:33:08,899 --> 00:33:11,293 Sometimes just don't say anything at all. 796 00:33:11,293 --> 00:33:13,469 No. Just say, "This is -- How about, "This is Colman."And, like, I get it. 797 00:33:13,469 --> 00:33:15,558 How about that?But I just -- I think there's something about it 798 00:33:15,558 --> 00:33:17,908 that -- that is -- "You're openly gay." 799 00:33:17,908 --> 00:33:19,780 Now I think it's just time to just sort of -- 800 00:33:19,780 --> 00:33:21,564 just sort of park it. 801 00:33:21,564 --> 00:33:23,740 I mean, and I think that's th-the strange thing, 802 00:33:23,740 --> 00:33:25,046 exactly as you're saying -- 803 00:33:25,046 --> 00:33:26,743 representation is a wonderful thing. 804 00:33:26,743 --> 00:33:28,615 But, you know, we're talking an awful lot here 805 00:33:28,615 --> 00:33:29,920 about transformation, 806 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:31,835 representation of transformation. 807 00:33:31,835 --> 00:33:34,142 And, look, I wouldn't be here if -- if -- if representation 808 00:33:34,142 --> 00:33:36,014 hadn't, um, improved. 809 00:33:36,014 --> 00:33:38,712 But I do think transformation is very important for actors. 810 00:33:38,712 --> 00:33:41,628 We love it. We love it when our mother is reading us a story 811 00:33:41,628 --> 00:33:43,717 and she turns into a wolf and you go... 812 00:33:43,717 --> 00:33:46,459 Yeah.Because it speaks to our empathy, it speaks to our -- 813 00:33:46,459 --> 00:33:48,548 And I think it frightens us...Our imagination, 814 00:33:48,548 --> 00:33:50,593 like you said....s-sometimes to be able to sort of go, 815 00:33:50,593 --> 00:33:53,031 "Okay, well, I can't because I don't have the same biographical, 816 00:33:53,031 --> 00:33:55,816 um, story of something else" that I can't think of.[Speaks indistinctly] 817 00:33:55,816 --> 00:33:57,209 Yeah, yeah, yeah.Because that's what connects us. 818 00:33:57,209 --> 00:33:59,950 And I think there's a danger of -- of us all 819 00:33:59,950 --> 00:34:02,431 actually just being separated a-a little bit more, 820 00:34:02,431 --> 00:34:04,781 because I think it's a dangerous idea...I agree. 821 00:34:04,781 --> 00:34:06,609 ...to put a clamp on transformation, 822 00:34:06,609 --> 00:34:08,697 because that's not -- shouldn't be the priority. 823 00:34:08,697 --> 00:34:11,918 I agree.Th-The priority should be clamping down on the prejudice 824 00:34:11,918 --> 00:34:14,791 within our industry and looking at who getsto transform, 825 00:34:14,791 --> 00:34:16,619 not the transformation itself. 826 00:34:16,619 --> 00:34:18,621 Interesting.Wow. 827 00:34:18,621 --> 00:34:20,623 Yeah. So -- So just, that's my -- 828 00:34:20,623 --> 00:34:22,668 I don't want to offend anybody about openly gay, but... 829 00:34:22,668 --> 00:34:24,931 buh-bye, buh-bye. 830 00:34:24,931 --> 00:34:26,368 Buh-bye.See you la-- See you later. 831 00:34:26,368 --> 00:34:28,327 Yeah. Yeah. I'm openly straight. 832 00:34:28,327 --> 00:34:30,329 Yeah, exactly. Thank you for saying that. 833 00:34:30,329 --> 00:34:32,070 Shamelessly. 834 00:34:32,070 --> 00:34:34,376 Shamelessly.I'm almost shamelessly straight. 835 00:34:34,376 --> 00:34:39,033 Yeah. I'm getting to the point where I can almost be shamelessly straight. 836 00:34:39,033 --> 00:34:41,079 Heterosexual by default. 837 00:34:41,079 --> 00:34:42,993 Exactly. 838 00:34:42,993 --> 00:34:44,473 Let's close with something 839 00:34:44,473 --> 00:34:46,518 that hopefully will be a little fun. 840 00:34:46,518 --> 00:34:48,869 Best piece of advice you've gotten from a fellow actor? 841 00:34:48,869 --> 00:34:52,438 I did "Long Day's Journey into Night" in the -- in the theater, 842 00:34:52,438 --> 00:34:55,831 and Donald Moffat played, um, what's he called, the father. 843 00:34:55,831 --> 00:34:59,923 And it's all about the frugality of -- of, um, drinking. 844 00:34:59,923 --> 00:35:01,099 It's all about the whiskey bottle. 845 00:35:01,099 --> 00:35:02,883 And the father, 846 00:35:02,883 --> 00:35:04,319 he -- h-he's obsessed with how much people have -- 847 00:35:04,319 --> 00:35:06,321 if somebody drunk his whiskey. 848 00:35:06,321 --> 00:35:07,888 And I was doing the scene, you know, 849 00:35:07,888 --> 00:35:09,542 doing the blah-blah, and he turned around to me, 850 00:35:09,542 --> 00:35:12,936 and he said, "I don't believe the way you pour." 851 00:35:12,936 --> 00:35:14,677 It was such a good note 852 00:35:14,677 --> 00:35:17,419 because I was pouring the fucking whiskey in, 853 00:35:17,419 --> 00:35:19,769 like, as if -- whereas these people would have been --Ah. Right. Uh-huh. 854 00:35:19,769 --> 00:35:21,510 And I remember I was about 20 years old at the time, 855 00:35:21,510 --> 00:35:23,425 and I was like, "What? I don't even know." 856 00:35:23,425 --> 00:35:24,774 I couldn't even -- I couldn't even understand 857 00:35:24,774 --> 00:35:26,602 that that detail was -- 858 00:35:26,602 --> 00:35:28,691 But, of course, that stuff that you have to think about 859 00:35:28,691 --> 00:35:31,041 that's not about what you're saying 860 00:35:31,041 --> 00:35:32,521 but about how you're behaving is so, 861 00:35:32,521 --> 00:35:34,871 um -- And, uh, so then I poured it. 862 00:35:34,871 --> 00:35:36,525 That's great.It was a good one. 863 00:35:36,525 --> 00:35:40,268 The best piece of advice I got from a fellow actor, 864 00:35:40,268 --> 00:35:44,185 it was a pilot, and it was with James Farentino. 865 00:35:44,185 --> 00:35:46,840 And I had a little bit of a monologue, 866 00:35:46,840 --> 00:35:49,756 and I-I didn't know it really well. 867 00:35:49,756 --> 00:35:51,801 And he just turned to me, and he's like, 868 00:35:51,801 --> 00:35:54,239 "Learn your fucking lines." 869 00:35:54,239 --> 00:35:56,415 Yes. Yeah. 870 00:35:56,415 --> 00:35:58,547 Absolutely right.Wow. 871 00:35:58,547 --> 00:36:00,245 And I should have known better. 872 00:36:00,245 --> 00:36:01,811 [Laughter] 873 00:36:01,811 --> 00:36:04,553 More with our panel of actors right after this. 874 00:36:04,553 --> 00:36:07,687 ♪♪ 875 00:36:11,256 --> 00:36:16,304 ♪♪ 876 00:36:16,304 --> 00:36:19,394 Which living actor who you've not worked with before, 877 00:36:19,394 --> 00:36:21,527 would you most like to work with, Coleman? 878 00:36:21,527 --> 00:36:24,051 Immediately I-I thought Emma Stone. 879 00:36:24,051 --> 00:36:25,879 Scott: Oh, great.Oh, yeah. 880 00:36:25,879 --> 00:36:27,881 Immediately I thought that she's so, uh -- 881 00:36:27,881 --> 00:36:31,580 I-I'm sure -- I can feel it. I can feel that she's inventive 882 00:36:31,580 --> 00:36:34,757 and kind and generous and quirky and weird.You're right. 883 00:36:34,757 --> 00:36:37,586 And you feel like she's going to just give you a gift every day. 884 00:36:37,586 --> 00:36:39,197 And you're like, "Well, how am I going to respond?"Absolutely. 885 00:36:39,197 --> 00:36:41,373 Yeah?Yep. Yeah. Good call. 886 00:36:41,373 --> 00:36:45,028 Okay.She's a precious, precious artist. 887 00:36:45,028 --> 00:36:46,900 Mm. Yeah. 888 00:36:46,900 --> 00:36:49,903 I wish I could have worked with Robert Duvall. 889 00:36:49,903 --> 00:36:52,035 You've worked with him, right?Yep. 890 00:36:52,035 --> 00:36:53,863 Yeah, I wish I could have. 891 00:36:53,863 --> 00:36:55,561 I mean, he's very old now, so I don't know that it will. 892 00:36:55,561 --> 00:36:57,563 Feinberg: Yeah. Yeah, yeah.But I wish I could have. 893 00:36:57,563 --> 00:36:59,695 Sure.I'll say this -- Dustin Hoffman. 894 00:36:59,695 --> 00:37:03,830 Simply because when I started off doing this stuff, 895 00:37:03,830 --> 00:37:06,311 it was like he was, like, the guy that I -- 896 00:37:06,311 --> 00:37:09,096 you know, from "Papillion" to, you know, to -- 897 00:37:09,096 --> 00:37:12,578 to -- to "Midnight Cowboy," these transformative roles...Oh, yeah. 898 00:37:12,578 --> 00:37:15,102 ...you know, in which he -- you know, he just -- you know, 899 00:37:15,102 --> 00:37:17,191 he just refashioned anew every time. 900 00:37:17,191 --> 00:37:18,279 And that -- that's what made it -- 901 00:37:18,279 --> 00:37:19,802 That's what I thought it was, 902 00:37:19,802 --> 00:37:22,370 this stuff that -- you know, this acting stuff. 903 00:37:22,370 --> 00:37:23,806 Yeah, I'd love to do that. 904 00:37:23,806 --> 00:37:25,068 If you could change lives for a day 905 00:37:25,068 --> 00:37:26,853 with someone at this table, 906 00:37:26,853 --> 00:37:28,376 just to see what it's like to be them, 907 00:37:28,376 --> 00:37:30,813 who would it be and why? 908 00:37:30,813 --> 00:37:32,511 Really?Colman's saying Paul. 909 00:37:32,511 --> 00:37:35,253 I do. I think you're such a fascinating person. 910 00:37:35,253 --> 00:37:38,125 I was going to say, I want to be the guy 911 00:37:38,125 --> 00:37:39,996 who's willing to be the deputy of equity. 912 00:37:39,996 --> 00:37:42,956 [Laughter]I'm serious. 913 00:37:42,956 --> 00:37:45,306 I was like, "I want to be you because I want to be that guy. 914 00:37:45,306 --> 00:37:48,744 I want to be the guy who's like, 'Yes. Fuck it. I'll do it.'" 915 00:37:48,744 --> 00:37:51,181 He's like, "No!" 916 00:37:51,181 --> 00:37:53,314 No, seriously, I'm serious. 917 00:37:53,314 --> 00:37:55,490 I was like, "You, because I want to be that guy. 918 00:37:55,490 --> 00:37:57,623 I want to be that guy who's willing to -- to do that."Robert? 919 00:37:57,623 --> 00:37:58,841 Sorry, sorry.No, no, no. 920 00:37:58,841 --> 00:38:00,669 It would be fun to be Mr. Right 921 00:38:00,669 --> 00:38:06,371 and just be in a psyche where I'm always capable of 922 00:38:06,371 --> 00:38:09,504 tying someone up like a pretzel with a thought. 923 00:38:09,504 --> 00:38:11,071 I need to put them in check. 924 00:38:11,071 --> 00:38:13,116 Oh, boy, oh, boy. 925 00:38:13,116 --> 00:38:14,509 Sorry. 926 00:38:14,509 --> 00:38:19,035 I think you -- you know those -- those moves. 927 00:38:19,035 --> 00:38:21,690 I've projected them on you then so it could just be like -- 928 00:38:21,690 --> 00:38:23,431 It would just be being yourself.I'd be like, "Oh, my God. 929 00:38:23,431 --> 00:38:25,215 That's the same place. 930 00:38:25,215 --> 00:38:26,608 Mark?Domingo: Aw, look at that. 931 00:38:26,608 --> 00:38:29,002 Andrew, you mind swapping? 932 00:38:29,002 --> 00:38:31,047 Let's swap. Let's swap. 933 00:38:31,047 --> 00:38:32,701 Let's do it. 934 00:38:32,701 --> 00:38:35,443 Openly swapping?Openly swapping at a table. 935 00:38:35,443 --> 00:38:38,533 Giamatti: Shamelessly.Let's make a deal. Let's make a deal. 936 00:38:38,533 --> 00:38:40,579 Does anybody want to ratify this? 937 00:38:40,579 --> 00:38:42,407 Come on. 938 00:38:42,407 --> 00:38:44,060 Done, done, done. 939 00:38:44,060 --> 00:38:45,888 Feinberg: Okay. Last two.Beautiful. 940 00:38:45,888 --> 00:38:47,542 If you had not become an actor, 941 00:38:47,542 --> 00:38:49,022 what would you be doing today? 942 00:38:49,022 --> 00:38:50,676 Oh, my gosh, I don't know. 943 00:38:50,676 --> 00:38:53,374 I wanted to be an animator, but I don't know. 944 00:38:53,374 --> 00:38:55,550 Yeah. That's what I wanted to do.[Speaks indistinctly] 945 00:38:55,550 --> 00:38:57,378 Yeah, I know. That's what I wanted to do, 946 00:38:57,378 --> 00:38:59,685 but talk about something that's even harder than this 947 00:38:59,685 --> 00:39:01,295 and is even more crazy. 948 00:39:01,295 --> 00:39:02,818 But I did want to be an animator. 949 00:39:02,818 --> 00:39:04,777 Whether I would have been, I don't know, 950 00:39:04,777 --> 00:39:07,257 but that's what I wanted to do. I tried, but it didn't work out. 951 00:39:07,257 --> 00:39:10,391 I got into Johnson & Wales, uh, to be a chef, actually. 952 00:39:10,391 --> 00:39:11,523 Did you really?So cool. 953 00:39:11,523 --> 00:39:13,220 That's what I wanted to be. 954 00:39:13,220 --> 00:39:15,222 I really thought, you know, I still -- I'm -- 955 00:39:15,222 --> 00:39:17,485 I think I'm a really good cook.I bet you're a great cook. 956 00:39:17,485 --> 00:39:19,052 Aren't you?I feel like I'm a good cook and I'm a good host, 957 00:39:19,052 --> 00:39:21,054 but also I think --Again, I want to be you. 958 00:39:21,054 --> 00:39:22,882 You made a good choice.But it's funny. Already -- 959 00:39:22,882 --> 00:39:25,624 I'm thinking like that third act of my life, 960 00:39:25,624 --> 00:39:27,887 I feel like I want to investigate architecture. 961 00:39:27,887 --> 00:39:29,628 I'm just an architecture nerd, 962 00:39:29,628 --> 00:39:31,891 and I'm always thinking, "Maybe I'll go back to school 963 00:39:31,891 --> 00:39:34,763 and learn that and do that when I'm 70," you know?That's cool. 964 00:39:34,763 --> 00:39:36,374 I don't know.Giamatti: Yeah. 965 00:39:36,374 --> 00:39:38,158 I started taking art classes, 966 00:39:38,158 --> 00:39:40,116 uh, sculpture classes at the Art Students League 967 00:39:40,116 --> 00:39:41,683 in New York City.Recently? 968 00:39:41,683 --> 00:39:43,163 Yeah. And I love that. 969 00:39:43,163 --> 00:39:44,860 And I, um -- 970 00:39:44,860 --> 00:39:49,082 It gives me a lot of what I get from this. 971 00:39:49,082 --> 00:39:50,910 And if that was a possibility, 972 00:39:50,910 --> 00:39:53,565 I would throw -- that would be a good second act, you know? 973 00:39:53,565 --> 00:39:56,437 Or teaching. I'd love to teach maybe. 974 00:39:56,437 --> 00:39:58,352 Robert? 975 00:39:58,352 --> 00:40:01,790 If I wasn't an actor, I would be doing hard time. 976 00:40:01,790 --> 00:40:04,837 [Laughter] 977 00:40:04,837 --> 00:40:06,404 Oh! 978 00:40:10,408 --> 00:40:12,758 I want to know what crimes you would have committed, though. 979 00:40:12,758 --> 00:40:15,761 A trumped-up felony, potentially gambling. 980 00:40:15,761 --> 00:40:17,502 This -- This time it was on a Hummer. 981 00:40:17,502 --> 00:40:20,069 These cops fucking...Ohh! Oh, oh, oh. 982 00:40:20,069 --> 00:40:22,594 Set up. But still, a jury. 983 00:40:22,594 --> 00:40:25,466 You know, whatever.[Laughter] 984 00:40:25,466 --> 00:40:28,251 Judge got pissed off. Bench warrant. Fuck. 985 00:40:28,251 --> 00:40:32,995 It was the same guy from the other stuff, so, cumulative. 986 00:40:32,995 --> 00:40:35,563 Andrew?It's really weird there's a -- there's a theme. 987 00:40:35,563 --> 00:40:37,652 My mother was an art teacher, and when I -- 988 00:40:37,652 --> 00:40:40,133 Got my first film when I was 17, 989 00:40:40,133 --> 00:40:43,179 on exactly the same day. It was a little Irish film. 990 00:40:43,179 --> 00:40:46,226 And exactly the same day, I won this bursary to educate myself 991 00:40:46,226 --> 00:40:49,142 as a -- as a painter for five years, a big bursary. 992 00:40:49,142 --> 00:40:51,361 And I chose fucking show business. 993 00:40:51,361 --> 00:40:53,668 So art. 994 00:40:53,668 --> 00:40:56,236 Thank you for that. We're glad you did.But you would do that? 995 00:40:56,236 --> 00:40:58,325 I would definitely do that, because it's so frustrating now. 996 00:40:58,325 --> 00:41:00,153 I don't know if you -- Do you -- Do you -- 997 00:41:00,153 --> 00:41:02,372 Painting, yeah, it's really --Do you try? 998 00:41:02,372 --> 00:41:04,026 It's really hard, because if you don't 999 00:41:04,026 --> 00:41:05,506 exercise those muscles, you lose them. 1000 00:41:05,506 --> 00:41:06,812 Oh, my gosh, yes.It's so frustrating. 1001 00:41:06,812 --> 00:41:08,378 But that's what I'd do. 1002 00:41:08,378 --> 00:41:09,684 That's what I'd do.Giamatti: Yeah. 1003 00:41:09,684 --> 00:41:11,251 Uh, you know, I mean, 1004 00:41:11,251 --> 00:41:13,514 I-I started acting my junior year of college. 1005 00:41:13,514 --> 00:41:15,864 I was a political science major. You know, I grew up in D.C. 1006 00:41:15,864 --> 00:41:17,344 What else are you going to do? 1007 00:41:17,344 --> 00:41:20,129 Um, my mom was a lawyer for the government, 1008 00:41:20,129 --> 00:41:22,392 um, so that was the idea. 1009 00:41:22,392 --> 00:41:25,178 And probably if I weren't doing this, I'd be a lawyer. 1010 00:41:25,178 --> 00:41:28,137 Maybe, I don't know, maybe a criminal lawyer. 1011 00:41:28,137 --> 00:41:30,662 I'd be -- I'd be, uh -- I'd be Robert's... 1012 00:41:30,662 --> 00:41:32,315 Yeah. I'd be defending --His defense attorney. 1013 00:41:32,315 --> 00:41:34,492 Defending? You'd be defending him? 1014 00:41:34,492 --> 00:41:35,928 Not putting him away? 1015 00:41:35,928 --> 00:41:37,886 You could make a career. 1016 00:41:37,886 --> 00:41:39,888 [Laughter] 1017 00:41:39,888 --> 00:41:42,064 Scott: His money is not --All your money. All your money. 1018 00:41:42,064 --> 00:41:44,850 It's a growth industry. 1019 00:41:44,850 --> 00:41:47,417 You guys, on, uh -- on behalf of "The Hollywood Reporter," 1020 00:41:47,417 --> 00:41:48,636 thank you so much. 1021 00:41:48,636 --> 00:41:49,985 Thank you so much.Cheers! 1022 00:41:49,985 --> 00:41:51,421 Cheers, everybody.Cheers. 1023 00:41:51,421 --> 00:41:53,815 Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. 1024 00:41:53,815 --> 00:41:55,425 All right, so I feel like we learned a lot 1025 00:41:55,425 --> 00:41:56,514 from today's roundtable. 1026 00:41:56,514 --> 00:41:58,211 First order of business -- 1027 00:41:58,211 --> 00:42:00,430 Please keep Robert Downey Jr. employed as an actor 1028 00:42:00,430 --> 00:42:03,564 because, uh, the alternative -- not so great. 1029 00:42:03,564 --> 00:42:05,871 Until next time, I'm Yvonne Orji, 1030 00:42:05,871 --> 00:42:08,221 and I am openly single. 1031 00:42:08,221 --> 00:42:10,919 And this has been "Off Script with The Hollywood Reporter." 1032 00:42:10,919 --> 00:42:12,530 [Chuckles] 1033 00:42:12,530 --> 00:42:15,315 Oh, thank you. Have you been here the whole time? 1034 00:42:15,315 --> 00:42:17,186 Oh, my God. 1035 00:42:17,186 --> 00:42:21,539 ♪♪