August 19, 2025 • 40 mins
This week, Tommy is joined by the brilliant actress Lana Parrilla, who you know and love from playing some powerful women throughout her impressive career, including one of my favorites, the Evil Queen in Once Upon a Time. Lana is showing the world once again that she is a force to be reckoned with in her new series, The Rainmaker, which is out right now. Today, Lana opens up about playing a brassy and ballsy character like Bruiser in her new series, why she most relates to this character from her entire body of work, the powerful life lesson she learned through her audition process, what the challenges of living and working in a different country for six months are like, what she does to create a “home” wherever she lives for work, the Ireland dance parties that went down, if she really would do a Once Upon a Time reboot of some sort, the last time she watched Once, how playing The Evil Queen healed relationships in her personal life, the scenes of hers that she would show a Once Upon a Time newbie if they only had a few minutes, which character of hers she would want to be neighbors with, what’s on her Bruiser playlist, what character she would want to revisit, the advice she would give to her future self, what she has never said before (to a special someone), and so much more.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey, guys, welcome to I've never said this before with
me Tommy di Dario. There are some interviews that you
never ever want to end, that you just wish could
go on for hours and hours, perhaps eventually with the
cozy cocktail in hand by the end of the interview.
This is one of those interviews. My guest today is
(00:22):
the magical Lana Parrilla, who you know and love from
playing some very powerful women throughout the course of her
impressive career, including one of my favorites, The Evil Queen
and Once Upon a Time. And Alana is showing the
world once again that she is a force to be
reckoned with in her new series, The Rainmaker, which is
out right now. And before we dive into a conversation
(00:44):
that I know you're going to want to play more
than once, I want to thank travel Guard, my personal
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let's see if today we can get Lana to say
something that she has never said before. Lana Paria, how
(01:30):
are you, my friend?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Fantastic? Happy here?
Speaker 1 (01:33):
I'm so happy to be with you. This is a
reunion in the making. I was saying. We've known each
other for years now, but through social media, and we
finally get to be face to face. I know.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
It's incredible.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Your eyes are astoundingly gorgeous. Oh my god, I mean
I could I saw them on screen, but now in
person they're mesmerizing.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Oh my god, you're making me blushed already. Don't be
making me blushed, making me blush? Well, you look beautiful.
I'm so happy you're here hanging out. We have so
much to celebrate and talk about that's going on in
your world. But first, to kick this off, a little
birdie told me that you and I have something in common,
and I heard you were the queen of voice notes
on texting, specifically when you're in traffic in La.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Oh my god, Yes, I think I know who this
bird is.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
And then you like to kind of guide the person
through what you're driving.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Is like yeah, yeah, and should He's like you should
have your own show like Lana behind the Wheel.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
I mean you should see the drivers on the road.
And like I almost was hit the other day.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I was terrified. I was in the fast lane and
someone was trying to pass me on the left. That's
not even legal.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
No, no, I don't want that scary.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
It was scary.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
It's very scary to drive in La.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Yeah, it's it is. It's like you really got to know.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
It's where I became like a NASCAR serious race driver
is learning how to drive in La.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
And then you know, I.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Was able to drive everywhere in the world, like Paris
on New Year's Eve, which is insane and terrifying, but
I survived, Okay, Athens, crazy, Sri Lanka, random, very.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Random, Like, well, you know, I have no surprise that
you do all of this because you're such a badass
human and an artist and actress, and you're known for
playing such powerful women. Do you feel like a powerful person?
Speaker 3 (03:30):
I think so, Yeah, I do, But I think it's
just like growing up in New York, you know, growing
up in New York and growing up in a family
filled with strong women, so you know that has a
lot to do with it too, the influence of them.
And then just like being in the streets, like you
got to survive walking down these streets here, you know,
(03:53):
so we've learned how to take care of ourselves.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
I'm grateful. And then cultural too.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Like my background is Sicilian and Puerto Rican, so I
just was born this way.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
That's good. That's a good combo. That's a good combo.
That's a fiery combo.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
I would say.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
So, yeah, I'm Italian. My husband's Cuban. I get it. Oh, yeah,
there it is, I get it. I get it. That's amazing. Well,
I love that you're now stepping into another role playing
a powerful woman. And you were playing Jocelyn aka Bruiser,
Yeah right, in The rain Maker, which is out right now.
But this role was originally a dude.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
It was a John Grisham's novel Bruiser is a man,
and in the Coppola film Bruisers played by Mickey vork.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
So this is the first rendition of.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
This well, and the series actually of the story rather
where the audience is going to experience Bruiser as a
woman for the first time ever.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
That it was pretty co really cool to you know,
genderflip such a powerful role.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Yeah, I actually feel like Bruiser is more powerful as
a woman. Interesting because Bruiser in the novel is really
shady and like unreliable and like kind of wrapped up
in some you know, questionable like business things, like he
does some stuff on the side with like questionable humans.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
And then Mickey Work in the film is like on vacation.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
So Bruiser in the series is very present and growing
up in a man's world, she has more to prove.
So she is kind of like one of the boys
because it's just her and her father and so she
knows how she has a leg up on, you know,
knowing how to deal with them. And she's a ballsy,
(05:48):
brassy broad Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Yeah, and I just love her.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
And I love in this show. There's only three things
in the world that she needs Kentucky.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Bourbon, a bloody steak, and a man he won't spend
the night.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Okay, okay, So which of those is Lana need?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Who says I don't have all of them?
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Oh? Well played.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Well yep, possibly true.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Okay, well played, well played. It's such a great, rich role.
And like I said, you've played these great, powerful women
in so many different iterations. I love doing Why Women
Kill as well of course Once upon a Time, so
many roles Lincoln Lawyer. What was it about this that
you were like, I just have to do it? Like yes,
sign me up.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
You know, there are parts when you read something and
it's almost like the dialogue matches things that you've said
in life.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
And maybe not the three.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Things that she did, or maybe I wouldn't have said
them all at once, but but it just felt like
the dialogue felt very easy. It kind of came very
easy to me. And Michael Seizman said, it just fit
like a glove. I was in the middle of a
hurricane and I was flying to Puerto Rico to film
(07:01):
a movie last August and my manager sent me an
email and said, you have a callback for The rain Maker.
And I said, I don't believe I auditioned for The
rain Maker, and she goes, well, you're on the callback session.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
I was like, oh, okay.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
So I read the script literally in flight on my
second leg going from New York to Puerto Rico in
the middle of a hurricane. And I got there and
I think my audition was like six hours later, and
I said, well, please set up the room. I haven't
been able to get off book, which is like my
number one thing to do, and they said, no worries,
(07:34):
I had to read off the page. And I guess
according to Michael Seitzman and Patrick Moran, our producers, they
were like, we just knew it was you right away
the minute you started saying those words. And Bruiser is
a lot like me in the sense that I know,
I have a group of guys that I've had since
high school. I've always been the only girl in that group.
(07:55):
I've always been one of the boys. I have a
street side to me. You know, I can take a
punch and I know how to throw one. It's very
similar to Bruiser. It's a perfect nickname for her. So
this character just felt like she was in my back
pocket right from the get go.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Was there ever another character you play that you felt
disconnected to so quickly?
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Probably not, no, because the Evil Queen. Even though a
lot of people like, oh my god, no, we're very different.
I would say her heart is similar to mine.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
You know, and once upon a time, like we saw
that vulnerable soft side to her and I have that
in me. But no, even like on you know, the
Lincoln Lawyer, Well, I do love to cook for everyone.
That's like one of my favorite things to do is
to feed people. It's the Italian girl and me. You
know language, I know, and I love it. But Bruiser
(08:47):
is very close to home, so I try to make
her obviously different with like her physical behavior and you
know how she walks and how she holds herself. But yeah,
to all the characters, I would say, she's probably the
closest to me.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
And that's amazing. It was a one and done audition.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
It really was.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
I mean they said we had to film it one
more time because of the hurricane. It was like it
was a stop and go. I would freeze in the
middle of lat speech. But I was very fortunate, very fortunate.
I know, like how hard it was to find Bruiser,
so it was a blessing that this role came across
and I am getting to tell her story.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
And through our prior conversations, I know you well enough
to know that it probably killed you to not be
off book because you're such a perfectionist, and you put
everything in everything that you do, and I just could
see you being like, I cannot believe I'm doing this
off book, but I have to do it. And you
didn't let that trip you up. You still did it well.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
There was nothing I could do about it other than
to embrace it, right, And so that in itself was
a gift, was to kind of like let go and
let be, and so I did, and it was a
great learning experience for me, you know, to kind of
just like just fly and see where it land and
see where you land, and luckily I landed in the
right spot.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Yeah. Yeah. Did you have time to watch that movie
or read the book prior to the audition or did
you do that later to Prepp or do you not
like to see what other people did with that? Oh?
Speaker 2 (10:14):
No.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
I think it's important as an actor to kind of
see everything if you're portraying a role that's already been portrayed,
and especially in a novel. I did read the novel.
I did watch the film, but it was after the audition,
and it was funny because I saw certain things that
he did that I was already doing. So I felt
like I was channeling, not the character as much or
Mickey work, I don't know, is kind of interesting. I
(10:37):
was like, my feet are up on a table. Wait
a second, my arm's like thrown back on my chair.
So yeah, there was something. Like I said, it was
just I was meant to tell Bruiser's story.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yeah, it was a blessing.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
It's so cool because I feel like you're somebody in
the business who has earned and also been, you know,
gifted these great roles that you run with, and that's
not the norm in this end. You've been working and
working and working in these epic roles from the beginning.
Really does that feel? Does that sink in for you?
Like I know, as an artist you must get frustrated
(11:11):
sometimes or things don't always go the way you want,
but you do realize what you've done right.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Well, thank you for that.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
That's a very beautiful compliment, and I appreciate it because
I do desperately try to make all my characters very
different as best I can. You know, I think Once
upon a Time was one role where I could show
twelve different versions of the character, but it's really hard
to do that in a series, And that particular character
(11:40):
gave us the opportunities with flashbacks and you know, going
back to her youth where I could be a teenage
girl and a thirty year old body. So it was
like it really afforded me the freedom to show all
the different colors that I have within myself and to
explore a range that you know, I don't often get
to show so with these characters. Yeah, I'm grateful. I
(12:05):
feel like swing Town is one show that we don't
often get to talk about much, but it was from
that show on where I started to play these really dynamic,
you know, controversial yet complicated and multi layered characters. Yeah,
and Bruce is another one of those.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Yeah. Yeah, and you lived in Ireland?
Speaker 2 (12:24):
I did for six months.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
For six months? That's wild. So what are the challenges
of starting a new series and moving to a completely
new country where you theoretically know nobody and have to
start a life while balancing work, Like that's not normal?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
No, logistics are very complicated, you know, how do you
get your stuff there? What do I pack? I've never
been to Ireland? Am I going to freeze? And knowing
that my coats were never.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Thick enough for Ireland? And I had to buy a
couple more.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
The challenges were, you know, you don't have your comforts,
like you know, I couldn't get my coconut water. I
had to like other coconut water that wasn't the same.
But then I was like, you know what, this is ridiculous,
and these things that we get attached to in life
we can survive without. And I had to learn that
(13:15):
very quickly. The one thing I did miss are a
lot of like fresh salads and fruits and veggies because
mostly there, you know, produce comes in from France. I'm like,
I'm just going to go to France and have a
salad this weekend. Everyone okay with that. So there were
certain things that I miss. But what was beautiful about
being on location with a bunch of people who are
(13:36):
also on location is the cast and team gets really close.
So we formed a bond that is just so sweet
and lovely, Like all of us are on a text
chain and we are always checking in and complimenting each
other and like, look we're on buses, Look we're on
a billboard, Look we're in Times Square.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Like it's so.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Sweet, and we're also supportive of one another and we
all love to dance, which was really cool to discover
over the shoot, yeah, we're a dancing bunch.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Would you go out dancing?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
We would go out dancing, fun and like dance. Even
John Slattery, he was on that dance floor.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
Okay, yeah, so all of us love to dance, and
that was a fun discovery.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
That's awesome. I am such a creature of habit. I
feel like something like picking up and moving to a
new country for six months would throw me for a minute.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Well it did, it did, and I think, you know,
the beginning, all of us were super diligent about studying
and getting to bed early, and you know, making sure
that that time when focus was invested in character and storytelling.
And then as we started playing these characters, we were
loosening up a little bit and then we're like, okay,
let's go grab a let's go grab a pint. That
sounds like a good time, you know. So we would
(14:47):
all like go out every so often and then celebrate
people's birthdays, and that's what led to the dance parties.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
I have tremendous foma right now that I did not
participate in any dance party.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
But you know, some some kids, some actors who have children.
If we were back at home probably wouldn't have made
it out right. So, like I said, when you're on location,
everyone sort of clings to one another for comfort and
familiarity and like you know, just having someone to dine with.
(15:19):
So that was really special.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
Is there one thing you always have to do when
you move somewhere for a job to make your home
feel like a home you're a home feel like a home.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Yes, First I have to get a dogbed. It's more
about their home than my hope. Bringing my dog was
a little bit of a challenge where he did extremely
well and he loved Ireland. I think he thought that
we moved to Ireland for him, but getting him set
up was number one for me. And because I know
(15:57):
I can live at a suitcase just fine, but he
needs to things, so making sure that he had his
comforts and then I would focus on mine, and mine
starts with candles and incense.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
M yeah, I love that.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
And sage, you know, got to clean the energy.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
Out always Sage always.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Say whatever whatever scary things were there before I'm moving in.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Yeah, so those are essentials and bamboo.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Sheets ooh nice and cooling.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Yes and eco conscious right okay.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Bamboo sheets, candles and a dog bed.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Yeah, that's all I need.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
That's perfect.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
And Bruiser needs a few more interesting things. Yeah, bambooshiets
a dog bed and candles. I'm good to go.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
You know that sounds pretty interesting. It's not a bloody
steak and a one night stamp, but it's something something,
It's something I so for people that are just starting
to discover the show or who are looking for something
new to binge, Like, what is something you can tease
as to why we need to tune in?
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Oh gosh, Well, first of all, this show has everything
you're looking for. It's a legal drama, but it's also
a thriller. It's suspense, it's fast pacing, it has great
drama in it, romance, sexy, and it's heartfelt. I mean
these characters. I fall in love with every single one
(17:15):
of them, even the bad guys. You know, there's something
really unique. You're like, Dan Fogler's in this and he's
not your typical black guy. You're like, I feel for
this man. Yeah, you know John Slattery, you know how
he is so but you still love him, you know.
So there's there's a character for everyone to love and
(17:36):
relate to. And and if you love John Grisham, You're
gonna love the series, the modern take on the Rainmaker, and.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
You can rock a pants suit like no other, and
that you can rock a pant suit and.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
While she's in a lot of boustiers and leather skirts,
thanks sort of like Aaron Brockovich kind of and how
her attire, Yeah, she was modeled after her.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Okay, she just go about sexy side.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
She has that sexy side.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
You know. She walks around on a bra in her
office and she as she's changing and it's not like
she's showing off.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
She's just in the middle of changing.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Rudy Baylor walks in and he's like, oh my god,
and she's like it over it, Like she just doesn't
have time for this.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
You know.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
She's very free and comfortable in her body. That yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Yeah, I guess the pantsuits was more Regina Mills because.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
It was although I think Bruser wears a pantsuit toward
the end.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Uh huh yeah. Okay, Well, speaking of this iconic piece
of clothing, I have to show you this clip. And
I talked to your former coastar Jennifer Okay at the
upfronts Okay, and just play this first. I have to
tell you. I was probably one of the top fans
of Once Upon a Time. I loved it so much.
(18:52):
My husband and I would bringe it during the pandemic
and we just we we miss it. We love it.
Can you please make another version of that happen? We're ready?
Speaker 3 (18:59):
I mean, I would like to make that happen if
there was a reboot.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
I'm just saying I would be interested. Good to know.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Okay, so that is out there. That went everywhere, It
went pretty everywhere, you know. I think that's one of
the first times she has publicly said that and talked
about that. Do you share a similar sentiment?
Speaker 3 (19:23):
You know, I've always had mixed feelings about it because
the series ran for so long. Yeah, I'm like, I
don't know what more we can tell, you know, like
these characters have been so deeply flushed.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Out, but there's always more stories.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
So and that character, it has a huge piece of
my heart, So I would be open to it.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
When this is the last time you watched Once.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Upon a Time, probably in twenty seventeen.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
How do you remember the exact to heat Well.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
I think that's when the series came to an end,
and so I watched every Sunday night when it aired
for seven years, and then when it was off the air,
I stopped watching, and I sort of live through that
world with fans because they love it so much, and
so they'll ask me questions.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Sometimes I'm like, I have no idea what you're talking about.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
They'll quote me or the character, and I'm like, I
said that someone asked me to I think the quote
is the big God, what is it? It's about a
happy ending, like the beginning of a happy ending, to
believing that one is even possible, something like that. It's
it's But there was a quote that someone asked me
(20:36):
to write for them and sign this headshot, and I
remember taking this quote and I went, this is so beautiful.
I think I need to keep this. And what what
I forgot about over the years is how great the
writing is. I mean, I know the great the writing
is great. I mean it has to start with that,
right for a show to be successful is the writing
has to be great. But I forgot how many boats
(21:00):
were great in it, and how they were like moral
lessons for people, and people grew from these characters and
their lives changed, and that was something I don't think
I would have understood had I not been meeting the
fans over the years like I do. I would go
back to Adam and Eddie and say, do you guys
realize what you've done? Like this is like a cult favorite,
(21:23):
Like it's changed lives and that's the first time I've
ever been a part of something that magical.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Wo.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
So it will always hold a dear place in my heart,
like once upon a time. It's a very special show.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
It's something you clearly don't seem to be tired of
talking about, No.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
I mean, Regina was a special character, and she was
an inspiration to so many people, Like you know, she
started off as this really you know, cold hearted and
hardened woman who had you know, she was so vengeful,
she wanted to hurt people because she was so deeply wounded.
And to see her journey to come out at the
end as this hero, but to see her journey to
(22:05):
get there and over the course of seven years was
just so admirable. And I think a lot of people
found strength in her, you know, their own strength to
change their lives and make different choices.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
And she did that for me too. In many ways,
I would.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Read something and go my God, something to learn here,
you know, and healed her journey, healed relationships in my
personal life just by her choices. So it's beautiful when
you can learn something from a character you're portraying.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
If you were to sit somebody down who's never seen
once upon a time and you wanted to show them
one scene of yours that you're just so proud of,
what scene would you say, sit down and watch this.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
Well, it would have to be the pilot episode because
that wedding scene when she storms through those doors, it's
such a powerful scene that that scene alone will make
you want to watch more. So I would sort of
tease people with that scene they can continue watching the series.
There are other scenes that I would choose if we like, Okay,
(23:06):
I'm only going to watch five minutes of this show
and I'll never watch it again. That would be in
season six, when my character has now split herself from
the dark to the light. So it's Regina opposite the
evil Queen, and it's a moment where Regina's looking at
her other self, the dark side of her, and realizes
that fighting that part of herself is actually not going
(23:28):
to lead to anywhere, and so she instead hugs her
and embraces her and they just melt into one another,
and it's such a beautiful example of self acceptance and
forgiveness and love for oneself. So that I think there
was an article that came out in Huffington Post based
on that scene that said Regina's become a life coach.
(23:49):
I was like, that is so I never would have
thought that. But yeah, so that scene is probably one
of my favorites.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
That's the power of what you do mat of bringing
these characters to life. And yes, the writers are all
one hundred amazing, but you have to make this happen.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Yeah, well, and they write it so I can make
it happen. So it really is a collaboration. And then
the audience is a huge part of it too. If
they show up every week just love and support us,
so we wouldn't be here without them.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
And man, that was like twenty three episodes a season.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Or yeah, we filmed a total of one hundred and
fifty six episodes at the end.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Yeah, do you miss that kind of format or is
more interesting now at this point of your career to
do these bite size seasons compared to that.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I have mixed feelings
about it. Yeah, it was grueling. Nine months out of
the year, long hours every weekend I was prepping. So
my life was once upon a time, my life was
Regina Mills and Evil Queen, like that was what I
had to focus on all those years. So with these
(25:00):
this new formula and television, it's like ten episodes, eight episodes.
It does afford people to have a little bit more
of a life, which I think is important to find
the balance.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
You know, in my early thirties, like I could do
those one hundred hour weeks, you know.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
But now I'm like, I don't. I can do like
ten to twelve episodes and feel really good about that.
And that's what we're doing on The Rainmaker. You know,
we are doing ten episodes. It's ten great hours of
television and hopefully we continue to do that for many
years to come. So I don't know, it would have
(25:37):
to be the right show for me to come back
and do nine months a year, because that's how long
it takes to film twenty two to twenty three episodes.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Yeah, people don't realize it becomes your entire.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Life, it really does.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
You only get like two and a half months of
you know, self time, yeah, in between seasons.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
Well, and there's something so satisfying about a show like
you know Rainmaker, where you get these uninterrupted hours. Yes,
you can watch it all and it's like a mini movie.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
Well, eventually it will be that because each episode is
airing once a week, so you it's not like they're
all to all ten are being released right right away.
But there are shows like that, like Why Women Kill,
where all ten episodes you know, aired at once, and
they well they release them all at once rather but
on our show now with the rain Maker, it's one episode,
(26:24):
so it'll be like, you know, a Friday night, and
then it'll be.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
On Peacock and it'll live on Peacock.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
Yeah, yeah, I like that. It's appointment viewing, you know.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
I love that there's like multiple ways to watch something. Yes, yeah,
that is something we didn't have, you know, fifteen years ago.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
No, no, it's so cool. I have a few rapid
fire questions for you when I announced you as my guests.
These were the questions I saw the most of flooding
my inbox, all right, and I try to pick some
different ones, but they're actually pretty good. So Number one,
if there's a character of yours that you could be
neighbors with. Who would you pick and.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Why a character of mine?
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Yes? Oh gosh, higher anthology of what you've done.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
Oh good goodness, that's really hard. Oh goodness. A part
of me wants to say Lisa Trammel, because she's such
a great chef. I would invite myself over for dinner
every night. I played her on The Lincoln Lawyer.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Yeah it is. I would just not want to upset her.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Yeah, I know, don't upset her please? Now, Okay, if
you could explore a piece of the past for one
of your previous roles, who would you want to go
back and.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Explore more of Trina Decker in Swingtown?
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Oh you knew right away.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
I missed that show and everyone on it, And.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
If that show can make a comeback, I would one
thousand percent be in it.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
Like, actually brings tears to my eyes. I miss it
so much.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Why.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
I just loved that show. I remember filming the last scene.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
I'm like totally crying over it.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
I remember filming the last scene with Grant show and
we were sitting on the beach and I was sobbing,
and he goes, why are you crying? I'm like what
if we don't come back? And he's like, what are
you saying? I'm like, I don't know. I just had
this weird feeling and we didn't and I missed telling
those stories. There are so many more stories to tell
(28:15):
with that on that show, with those characters, and it
was so advanced, like Mike Kelly developed that show, and
it was brilliant from beginning to end, and I just
feel like it didn't have a chance and it needed
it needed more of a chance, it needed more years.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
So I would go back and do that.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
I hope you just put that out.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
I hope, so you know, I hope.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
I hope something can happen.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
With that that That would be amazing and I know
everyone who involved in it would love to do that.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Yeah, that would be really love be cool. Okay, two more?
Did you make a playlist for Bruiser and what is
the top songer too?
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (28:54):
My god? I did? Oh goodness, I would Could you
give me a second? Yeah, because I I feel like.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
I do have because you make playlists a lot for
your I often do.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
I made one for when I was on Live Women
Kill and we were supposed to do season three and
it never happened, and I was so heartbroken over it.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
But I've made a great playlist for her.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Let me see Bruiser Bruiser beats. One is I Won't
Back Down by Tom Petty feels appropriate, and then one
is Night Moves by Bob Seeger. So I feel like
she kind of lives in that time. You know, she
loves like old seventies rock.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
I love that. Yeah that is. I'm gonna go download
those again.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Yeah, those are great songs.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Yeah, yeah, okay, I love that, love that. And last
fan question, what was your reaction when you saw the
photo of your dog Lola in Bruiser's office.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
I first of all didn't even know who did that
at first, and then I learned it was Russell Fine,
our director, and he randomly picked it, which I thought
was like such a sign of my little girl spirit
being with me on this big journey. Because Lola was
(30:18):
very sick. It's towards the end of her life, and
I wouldn't have taken the job if she were alive.
There were other jobs I didn't take because I didn't
want to leave her. So I feel like she decided
to transition at a time that kind of freed me.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
Up to be able to make this move.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
But and being in Ireland and seeing that photo on
the desk across from from me, I knew that she
was with us. So I believe in signs, and she
gives me a lot of them all the time. So
I quickly learned that as much as I miss her
physical being, I know that she's with me in spirit
(31:01):
all the time.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
And that's really comforting to know.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Isn't that a really beautiful relationship.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
Oh it's my It's my favorite relationship I've ever had
with anyone.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
She was my angel and still is.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
Yeah, and that's that's amazing. I have a grandma I
never met. She passed before I was born, and people
ask me like, oh, not really, that sucks, like you
didn't know her, and I'm like, I know her. I
know her very well. Yeah, I know her very well.
I talk to her all the time and I get
signs and I believe in that. I believe in those relationships.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
Oh, one hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Yeah, she's always She was the smartest soul I've ever
come across. She would look at my phone and be
like really, like enough, and she was right.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
And my dog, who she raised for.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
The first three years of his life. It does the
same now and every time. Well, when she would look
at me, now he looks at me. I put it
down because I have to make a choice, and the
choice is to be present with the dog, right, to
be present with LEVI, to be present with Lola, to
be present with the child if they're looking at you,
like put the phone down, be present with whomever is
(32:06):
in the room. So she taught me that.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
Yeah, she's like, stop, Yeah, that was a good gift.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Yeah, yeah, it's amazing that. I mean, I could go
in such a woo woo direction with this. I'll signs
are everywhere if you look for them, right o. Everyway.
It's helped me with to put a pin on this all.
Like it's helped me even with people in my life
who you know, I'm I know will be lost soon.
(32:34):
If I just remember that it's not over, just because
physically it is, it helps me get through that while
they're still here physically, you know what I mean. Yeah,
So it's just a really interesting thing.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
It is.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
And like what I learned is the spirit realm is
I read this book and it said just put your
arm out and you're in it. It means it's right here, yeah,
next to you. It's there, she's right here. Yeah, as
long as I continue to talk to her. I've had
a cam burning for her for two years. Yeah, and
everyone's trained to like, Okay, bring the candle up, and
(33:07):
my mom's like, the candle's running and we got to
go get the other candle.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
You know.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
And I do believe that as long as you keep
one lit for her and you talk to them or
your loved ones, you know, family members who have passed on,
like they want to be remembered, they want you to
continue reaching out to them, speaking to them because it
keeps them close by, you know.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
It's amazing.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
So it's yeah, I truly believe in that world.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
Oh I do too. I'm astrologer, a psychic, a medium. Yes,
and they're good. They are good the people, and that
I got you girl. We'll talk after this about all that. Yeah,
for sure. For sure. One of the things I love
(33:50):
about you is you always have so much thought and
heart into the conversations we have. And some of our
conversations in the past have been some of my because
they're just rooted in such a grounded truth, and I
really appreciate that about you. And this is a question
that's flipped. And I know so many times you've probably
(34:11):
been asked what would you tell your younger self? But
I'm not sure how many times you've been asked what
would you tell your future self.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
I've never been asked that, Oh boy, what I tell
my future self? I would say, carve out time to
actually vacation and rest and sleep, because that's something I
don't do enough of. I'm my mother's daughter. I'm an
(34:39):
energizer bunny. I go go, go, go, go, go go,
And I know as I'm getting older that that's not
going to be healthy down the road. So I would say,
like slow down, and it's okay to say no, I
can't be there.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
Yeah, you know, I say yes to everything, and then
I'm like, oh my god, I'm so tired. I haven't
slept in weeks.
Speaker 3 (35:04):
Yeah, it's like, no, carve out more than four days
for a vacation, you know, like take some time for
yourself and finish that book, you know, And often like
reused to read novels after novemge books after books, and
now it's like you get distracted by phones and put
the phone down and stoppering those AirPods and things that
(35:25):
are like scrambling our brain.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Yeah, so I feel like I also need to tell.
Speaker 3 (35:31):
Myself that now my current self is that's a big
lesson I'm trying to learn. So I'm hoping my older
self is going to be a bit more relaxed and
have a little bit more time to recover from like
long days and working hours, et cetera, and spending more
quality time with the people that are in her circle that.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
She loves and hug a tree as you told me
last time.
Speaker 3 (35:53):
Oh my god, I have a photo of me hugging
a tree like a week ago, and I almost posted it,
and then I was like, oh, I think I need
a pair this with more photos.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
So but I haven't post. Maybell just posted We've.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
Done coincidence bringing that up. You gotta You've got to
post that.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
There's this beautiful oak tree in my neighborhood that I
literally go and visit because it's like five hundred years
old and she's stunning, And I'm like, you have so
much wisdom and strength, could you please pass that on
to me? So I hug her almost weekly to like recharge.
Speaker 2 (36:28):
I love that she's my vacation.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
You might see me strapped to that tree because I
need some recharging. So you might see me in your neighborhood.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
Okay, I'll know what you're doing. I'll bide you if
you need a map.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
Thanks very much, Thank you, Alana. I could talk to
you for hours. I just, I just I love this
time together always. But in the spirit of letting you
go on to what you have to do next. You
know the name of the show. You're familiar with it.
I've never said this before, and it's to bring people on,
to give them a chance to say something that they
feel like they want to say, whatever it means to
(37:00):
them that you don't get to say in a two
minute red carpet interview, in a four minute junket where
you say the same thing eight hundred times, and it's
just for you. It's a moment for you. So is
there anything you want to say today that you've never
said before? Oh?
Speaker 2 (37:13):
My goodness, Oh boy?
Speaker 3 (37:16):
Is there anything I've said that I wouldn't Oh my gosh,
I would say I've never said this before, But actually
I've been thinking about it a lot. I'm in love
with my mother and in the best way possible, like
she's become my best friend, and I'm so grateful to her,
(37:37):
and we've been spending so much time together and I
just want to say thanks, Mom, because she's always believed
in me. And I don't think I've ever said this publicly,
but I want to thank her because she always said
yes to any of my interests and never like you know,
(37:58):
doubted me. And over the years it hasn't always been
the strongest relationship, you know, teenage Lana and also Lana
in her twenties, but over the years, like I've grown
so much respect and love for her, like and it
just keeps getting deeper and deeper. And so I'm really
grateful to her and I really have to thank her
(38:19):
for everything. I've never really said that publicly before, and
I said it to her kind of the other day.
I was like, you know, Mom, you're becoming my best
friend and that's a new discovery and it's really special.
Speaker 1 (38:34):
Oh that makes me melts. That makes me melts for
sending her this too. Okay, yes, she should get it,
Yeah she should. Absolutely. That's beautiful. Thank you, And it's
a good reminder to say the things to the people
while they're here exactly.
Speaker 3 (38:48):
Yeah, and to not like take anyone for granted that's
in your life. Yeah, you know, for the ones that
have always been in our corner, but we don't give
them enough credit.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
Do you think my husband will be upset if I
run off with you?
Speaker 2 (39:04):
I don't know. He may be jealous. Yeah, but like
in a good way. Okay, he can come to you
can just go on a vacation.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
Okay, great, Great, I love you more. I Like I said,
I always enjoy talking to you. You're such a not
only brilliant artist, but I think we need more humans
like you in this business. It's just what you do
for the people who follow you for society, for humanity
is really beautiful and I just I love hanging out
with you.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
Thank you, Dom, I feel the same. It's so wonderful
to finally meet you in person.
Speaker 1 (39:34):
Finally, finally, next time, happy, we are taking you to dinner.
I might go and dance. And now that I know
you like to go out, let's go side. Okay, were
you side?
Speaker 3 (39:44):
Here?
Speaker 1 (39:44):
We come on a nineties R and B club. We
are going.
Speaker 2 (39:47):
I have I got the hoops for it. I've got
my hoop.
Speaker 1 (39:51):
Thank you, my love, Thanks for hanging out.
Speaker 2 (39:53):
Wise, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (39:56):
I've Never Said this Before. It is hosted by me,
Tommy did. This podcast is executive produced by Andrew Puglisi
at iHeartRadio and by me Tommy, with editing by Joshua Colaudney.
I've Never Said This Before is part of the Elvis
Duran podcast Network on iHeart Podcasts. For more, rate review
and subscribe to our show and if you liked this episode,
(40:19):
tell your friends. Until next time, I'm Tommy Dederio.
Hey, guys, welcome to I've never said this before with
me Tommy di Dario. There are some interviews that you
never ever want to end, that you just wish could
go on for hours and hours, perhaps eventually with the
cozy cocktail in hand by the end of the interview.
This is one of those interviews. My guest today is
(00:22):
the magical Lana Parrilla, who you know and love from
playing some very powerful women throughout the course of her
impressive career, including one of my favorites, The Evil Queen
and Once Upon a Time. And Alana is showing the
world once again that she is a force to be
reckoned with in her new series, The Rainmaker, which is
out right now. And before we dive into a conversation
(00:44):
that I know you're going to want to play more
than once, I want to thank travel Guard, my personal
sponsor for today's episode. Here's our mission. It's to make
sure you and I safely say hello to our next destination.
All those fall and holiday trips coming up. Listen up, okay.
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(01:05):
interruption and medical expense and evacuation, lost or delay baggage,
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guard dot com for more information on that. And now
let's see if today we can get Lana to say
something that she has never said before. Lana Paria, how
(01:30):
are you, my friend?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Fantastic? Happy here?
Speaker 1 (01:33):
I'm so happy to be with you. This is a
reunion in the making. I was saying. We've known each
other for years now, but through social media, and we
finally get to be face to face. I know.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
It's incredible.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Your eyes are astoundingly gorgeous. Oh my god, I mean
I could I saw them on screen, but now in
person they're mesmerizing.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Oh my god, you're making me blushed already. Don't be
making me blushed, making me blush? Well, you look beautiful.
I'm so happy you're here hanging out. We have so
much to celebrate and talk about that's going on in
your world. But first, to kick this off, a little
birdie told me that you and I have something in common,
and I heard you were the queen of voice notes
on texting, specifically when you're in traffic in La.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Oh my god, Yes, I think I know who this
bird is.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
And then you like to kind of guide the person
through what you're driving.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Is like yeah, yeah, and should He's like you should
have your own show like Lana behind the Wheel.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
I mean you should see the drivers on the road.
And like I almost was hit the other day.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I was terrified. I was in the fast lane and
someone was trying to pass me on the left. That's
not even legal.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
No, no, I don't want that scary.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
It was scary.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
It's very scary to drive in La.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Yeah, it's it is. It's like you really got to know.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
It's where I became like a NASCAR serious race driver
is learning how to drive in La.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
And then you know, I.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Was able to drive everywhere in the world, like Paris
on New Year's Eve, which is insane and terrifying, but
I survived, Okay, Athens, crazy, Sri Lanka, random, very.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Random, Like, well, you know, I have no surprise that
you do all of this because you're such a badass
human and an artist and actress, and you're known for
playing such powerful women. Do you feel like a powerful person?
Speaker 3 (03:30):
I think so, Yeah, I do, But I think it's
just like growing up in New York, you know, growing
up in New York and growing up in a family
filled with strong women, so you know that has a
lot to do with it too, the influence of them.
And then just like being in the streets, like you
got to survive walking down these streets here, you know,
(03:53):
so we've learned how to take care of ourselves.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
I'm grateful. And then cultural too.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Like my background is Sicilian and Puerto Rican, so I
just was born this way.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
That's good. That's a good combo. That's a good combo.
That's a fiery combo.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
I would say.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
So, yeah, I'm Italian. My husband's Cuban. I get it. Oh, yeah,
there it is, I get it. I get it. That's amazing. Well,
I love that you're now stepping into another role playing
a powerful woman. And you were playing Jocelyn aka Bruiser,
Yeah right, in The rain Maker, which is out right now.
But this role was originally a dude.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
It was a John Grisham's novel Bruiser is a man,
and in the Coppola film Bruisers played by Mickey vork.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
So this is the first rendition of.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
This well, and the series actually of the story rather
where the audience is going to experience Bruiser as a
woman for the first time ever.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
That it was pretty co really cool to you know,
genderflip such a powerful role.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Yeah, I actually feel like Bruiser is more powerful as
a woman. Interesting because Bruiser in the novel is really
shady and like unreliable and like kind of wrapped up
in some you know, questionable like business things, like he
does some stuff on the side with like questionable humans.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
And then Mickey Work in the film is like on vacation.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
So Bruiser in the series is very present and growing
up in a man's world, she has more to prove.
So she is kind of like one of the boys
because it's just her and her father and so she
knows how she has a leg up on, you know,
knowing how to deal with them. And she's a ballsy,
(05:48):
brassy broad Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Yeah, and I just love her.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
And I love in this show. There's only three things
in the world that she needs Kentucky.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Bourbon, a bloody steak, and a man he won't spend
the night.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Okay, okay, So which of those is Lana need?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Who says I don't have all of them?
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Oh? Well played.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Well yep, possibly true.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Okay, well played, well played. It's such a great, rich role.
And like I said, you've played these great, powerful women
in so many different iterations. I love doing Why Women
Kill as well of course Once upon a Time, so
many roles Lincoln Lawyer. What was it about this that
you were like, I just have to do it? Like yes,
sign me up.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
You know, there are parts when you read something and
it's almost like the dialogue matches things that you've said
in life.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
And maybe not the three.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Things that she did, or maybe I wouldn't have said
them all at once, but but it just felt like
the dialogue felt very easy. It kind of came very
easy to me. And Michael Seizman said, it just fit
like a glove. I was in the middle of a
hurricane and I was flying to Puerto Rico to film
(07:01):
a movie last August and my manager sent me an
email and said, you have a callback for The rain Maker.
And I said, I don't believe I auditioned for The
rain Maker, and she goes, well, you're on the callback session.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
I was like, oh, okay.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
So I read the script literally in flight on my
second leg going from New York to Puerto Rico in
the middle of a hurricane. And I got there and
I think my audition was like six hours later, and
I said, well, please set up the room. I haven't
been able to get off book, which is like my
number one thing to do, and they said, no worries,
(07:34):
I had to read off the page. And I guess
according to Michael Seitzman and Patrick Moran, our producers, they
were like, we just knew it was you right away
the minute you started saying those words. And Bruiser is
a lot like me in the sense that I know,
I have a group of guys that I've had since
high school. I've always been the only girl in that group.
(07:55):
I've always been one of the boys. I have a
street side to me. You know, I can take a
punch and I know how to throw one. It's very
similar to Bruiser. It's a perfect nickname for her. So
this character just felt like she was in my back
pocket right from the get go.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Was there ever another character you play that you felt
disconnected to so quickly?
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Probably not, no, because the Evil Queen. Even though a
lot of people like, oh my god, no, we're very different.
I would say her heart is similar to mine.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
You know, and once upon a time, like we saw
that vulnerable soft side to her and I have that
in me. But no, even like on you know, the
Lincoln Lawyer, Well, I do love to cook for everyone.
That's like one of my favorite things to do is
to feed people. It's the Italian girl and me. You
know language, I know, and I love it. But Bruiser
(08:47):
is very close to home, so I try to make
her obviously different with like her physical behavior and you
know how she walks and how she holds herself. But yeah,
to all the characters, I would say, she's probably the
closest to me.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
And that's amazing. It was a one and done audition.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
It really was.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
I mean they said we had to film it one
more time because of the hurricane. It was like it
was a stop and go. I would freeze in the
middle of lat speech. But I was very fortunate, very fortunate.
I know, like how hard it was to find Bruiser,
so it was a blessing that this role came across
and I am getting to tell her story.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
And through our prior conversations, I know you well enough
to know that it probably killed you to not be
off book because you're such a perfectionist, and you put
everything in everything that you do, and I just could
see you being like, I cannot believe I'm doing this
off book, but I have to do it. And you
didn't let that trip you up. You still did it well.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
There was nothing I could do about it other than
to embrace it, right, And so that in itself was
a gift, was to kind of like let go and
let be, and so I did, and it was a
great learning experience for me, you know, to kind of
just like just fly and see where it land and
see where you land, and luckily I landed in the
right spot.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Yeah. Yeah. Did you have time to watch that movie
or read the book prior to the audition or did
you do that later to Prepp or do you not
like to see what other people did with that? Oh?
Speaker 2 (10:14):
No.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
I think it's important as an actor to kind of
see everything if you're portraying a role that's already been portrayed,
and especially in a novel. I did read the novel.
I did watch the film, but it was after the audition,
and it was funny because I saw certain things that
he did that I was already doing. So I felt
like I was channeling, not the character as much or
Mickey work, I don't know, is kind of interesting. I
(10:37):
was like, my feet are up on a table. Wait
a second, my arm's like thrown back on my chair.
So yeah, there was something. Like I said, it was
just I was meant to tell Bruiser's story.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yeah, it was a blessing.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
It's so cool because I feel like you're somebody in
the business who has earned and also been, you know,
gifted these great roles that you run with, and that's
not the norm in this end. You've been working and
working and working in these epic roles from the beginning.
Really does that feel? Does that sink in for you?
Like I know, as an artist you must get frustrated
(11:11):
sometimes or things don't always go the way you want,
but you do realize what you've done right.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Well, thank you for that.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
That's a very beautiful compliment, and I appreciate it because
I do desperately try to make all my characters very
different as best I can. You know, I think Once
upon a Time was one role where I could show
twelve different versions of the character, but it's really hard
to do that in a series, And that particular character
(11:40):
gave us the opportunities with flashbacks and you know, going
back to her youth where I could be a teenage
girl and a thirty year old body. So it was
like it really afforded me the freedom to show all
the different colors that I have within myself and to
explore a range that you know, I don't often get
to show so with these characters. Yeah, I'm grateful. I
(12:05):
feel like swing Town is one show that we don't
often get to talk about much, but it was from
that show on where I started to play these really dynamic,
you know, controversial yet complicated and multi layered characters. Yeah,
and Bruce is another one of those.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Yeah. Yeah, and you lived in Ireland?
Speaker 2 (12:24):
I did for six months.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
For six months? That's wild. So what are the challenges
of starting a new series and moving to a completely
new country where you theoretically know nobody and have to
start a life while balancing work, Like that's not normal?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
No, logistics are very complicated, you know, how do you
get your stuff there? What do I pack? I've never
been to Ireland? Am I going to freeze? And knowing
that my coats were never.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Thick enough for Ireland? And I had to buy a
couple more.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
The challenges were, you know, you don't have your comforts,
like you know, I couldn't get my coconut water. I
had to like other coconut water that wasn't the same.
But then I was like, you know what, this is ridiculous,
and these things that we get attached to in life
we can survive without. And I had to learn that
(13:15):
very quickly. The one thing I did miss are a
lot of like fresh salads and fruits and veggies because
mostly there, you know, produce comes in from France. I'm like,
I'm just going to go to France and have a
salad this weekend. Everyone okay with that. So there were
certain things that I miss. But what was beautiful about
being on location with a bunch of people who are
(13:36):
also on location is the cast and team gets really close.
So we formed a bond that is just so sweet
and lovely, Like all of us are on a text
chain and we are always checking in and complimenting each
other and like, look we're on buses, Look we're on
a billboard, Look we're in Times Square.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Like it's so.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Sweet, and we're also supportive of one another and we
all love to dance, which was really cool to discover
over the shoot, yeah, we're a dancing bunch.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Would you go out dancing?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
We would go out dancing, fun and like dance. Even
John Slattery, he was on that dance floor.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
Okay, yeah, so all of us love to dance, and
that was a fun discovery.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
That's awesome. I am such a creature of habit. I
feel like something like picking up and moving to a
new country for six months would throw me for a minute.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Well it did, it did, and I think, you know,
the beginning, all of us were super diligent about studying
and getting to bed early, and you know, making sure
that that time when focus was invested in character and storytelling.
And then as we started playing these characters, we were
loosening up a little bit and then we're like, okay,
let's go grab a let's go grab a pint. That
sounds like a good time, you know. So we would
(14:47):
all like go out every so often and then celebrate
people's birthdays, and that's what led to the dance parties.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
I have tremendous foma right now that I did not
participate in any dance party.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
But you know, some some kids, some actors who have children.
If we were back at home probably wouldn't have made
it out right. So, like I said, when you're on location,
everyone sort of clings to one another for comfort and
familiarity and like you know, just having someone to dine with.
(15:19):
So that was really special.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
Is there one thing you always have to do when
you move somewhere for a job to make your home
feel like a home you're a home feel like a home.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Yes, First I have to get a dogbed. It's more
about their home than my hope. Bringing my dog was
a little bit of a challenge where he did extremely
well and he loved Ireland. I think he thought that
we moved to Ireland for him, but getting him set
up was number one for me. And because I know
(15:57):
I can live at a suitcase just fine, but he
needs to things, so making sure that he had his
comforts and then I would focus on mine, and mine
starts with candles and incense.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
M yeah, I love that.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
And sage, you know, got to clean the energy.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
Out always Sage always.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Say whatever whatever scary things were there before I'm moving in.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Yeah, so those are essentials and bamboo.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Sheets ooh nice and cooling.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Yes and eco conscious right okay.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Bamboo sheets, candles and a dog bed.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Yeah, that's all I need.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
That's perfect.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
And Bruiser needs a few more interesting things. Yeah, bambooshiets
a dog bed and candles. I'm good to go.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
You know that sounds pretty interesting. It's not a bloody
steak and a one night stamp, but it's something something,
It's something I so for people that are just starting
to discover the show or who are looking for something
new to binge, Like, what is something you can tease
as to why we need to tune in?
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Oh gosh, Well, first of all, this show has everything
you're looking for. It's a legal drama, but it's also
a thriller. It's suspense, it's fast pacing, it has great
drama in it, romance, sexy, and it's heartfelt. I mean
these characters. I fall in love with every single one
(17:15):
of them, even the bad guys. You know, there's something
really unique. You're like, Dan Fogler's in this and he's
not your typical black guy. You're like, I feel for
this man. Yeah, you know John Slattery, you know how
he is so but you still love him, you know.
So there's there's a character for everyone to love and
(17:36):
relate to. And and if you love John Grisham, You're
gonna love the series, the modern take on the Rainmaker, and.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
You can rock a pants suit like no other, and
that you can rock a pant suit and.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
While she's in a lot of boustiers and leather skirts,
thanks sort of like Aaron Brockovich kind of and how
her attire, Yeah, she was modeled after her.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Okay, she just go about sexy side.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
She has that sexy side.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
You know. She walks around on a bra in her
office and she as she's changing and it's not like
she's showing off.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
She's just in the middle of changing.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Rudy Baylor walks in and he's like, oh my god,
and she's like it over it, Like she just doesn't
have time for this.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
You know.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
She's very free and comfortable in her body. That yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Yeah, I guess the pantsuits was more Regina Mills because.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
It was although I think Bruser wears a pantsuit toward
the end.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Uh huh yeah. Okay, Well, speaking of this iconic piece
of clothing, I have to show you this clip. And
I talked to your former coastar Jennifer Okay at the
upfronts Okay, and just play this first. I have to
tell you. I was probably one of the top fans
of Once Upon a Time. I loved it so much.
(18:52):
My husband and I would bringe it during the pandemic
and we just we we miss it. We love it.
Can you please make another version of that happen? We're ready?
Speaker 3 (18:59):
I mean, I would like to make that happen if
there was a reboot.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
I'm just saying I would be interested. Good to know.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Okay, so that is out there. That went everywhere, It
went pretty everywhere, you know. I think that's one of
the first times she has publicly said that and talked
about that. Do you share a similar sentiment?
Speaker 3 (19:23):
You know, I've always had mixed feelings about it because
the series ran for so long. Yeah, I'm like, I
don't know what more we can tell, you know, like
these characters have been so deeply flushed.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Out, but there's always more stories.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
So and that character, it has a huge piece of
my heart, So I would be open to it.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
When this is the last time you watched Once.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Upon a Time, probably in twenty seventeen.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
How do you remember the exact to heat Well.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
I think that's when the series came to an end,
and so I watched every Sunday night when it aired
for seven years, and then when it was off the air,
I stopped watching, and I sort of live through that
world with fans because they love it so much, and
so they'll ask me questions.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Sometimes I'm like, I have no idea what you're talking about.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
They'll quote me or the character, and I'm like, I
said that someone asked me to I think the quote
is the big God, what is it? It's about a
happy ending, like the beginning of a happy ending, to
believing that one is even possible, something like that. It's
it's But there was a quote that someone asked me
(20:36):
to write for them and sign this headshot, and I
remember taking this quote and I went, this is so beautiful.
I think I need to keep this. And what what
I forgot about over the years is how great the
writing is. I mean, I know the great the writing
is great. I mean it has to start with that,
right for a show to be successful is the writing
has to be great. But I forgot how many boats
(21:00):
were great in it, and how they were like moral
lessons for people, and people grew from these characters and
their lives changed, and that was something I don't think
I would have understood had I not been meeting the
fans over the years like I do. I would go
back to Adam and Eddie and say, do you guys
realize what you've done? Like this is like a cult favorite,
(21:23):
Like it's changed lives and that's the first time I've
ever been a part of something that magical.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Wo.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
So it will always hold a dear place in my heart,
like once upon a time. It's a very special show.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
It's something you clearly don't seem to be tired of
talking about, No.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
I mean, Regina was a special character, and she was
an inspiration to so many people, Like you know, she
started off as this really you know, cold hearted and
hardened woman who had you know, she was so vengeful,
she wanted to hurt people because she was so deeply wounded.
And to see her journey to come out at the
end as this hero, but to see her journey to
(22:05):
get there and over the course of seven years was
just so admirable. And I think a lot of people
found strength in her, you know, their own strength to
change their lives and make different choices.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
And she did that for me too. In many ways,
I would.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Read something and go my God, something to learn here,
you know, and healed her journey, healed relationships in my
personal life just by her choices. So it's beautiful when
you can learn something from a character you're portraying.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
If you were to sit somebody down who's never seen
once upon a time and you wanted to show them
one scene of yours that you're just so proud of,
what scene would you say, sit down and watch this.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
Well, it would have to be the pilot episode because
that wedding scene when she storms through those doors, it's
such a powerful scene that that scene alone will make
you want to watch more. So I would sort of
tease people with that scene they can continue watching the series.
There are other scenes that I would choose if we like, Okay,
(23:06):
I'm only going to watch five minutes of this show
and I'll never watch it again. That would be in
season six, when my character has now split herself from
the dark to the light. So it's Regina opposite the
evil Queen, and it's a moment where Regina's looking at
her other self, the dark side of her, and realizes
that fighting that part of herself is actually not going
(23:28):
to lead to anywhere, and so she instead hugs her
and embraces her and they just melt into one another,
and it's such a beautiful example of self acceptance and
forgiveness and love for oneself. So that I think there
was an article that came out in Huffington Post based
on that scene that said Regina's become a life coach.
(23:49):
I was like, that is so I never would have
thought that. But yeah, so that scene is probably one
of my favorites.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
That's the power of what you do mat of bringing
these characters to life. And yes, the writers are all
one hundred amazing, but you have to make this happen.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Yeah, well, and they write it so I can make
it happen. So it really is a collaboration. And then
the audience is a huge part of it too. If
they show up every week just love and support us,
so we wouldn't be here without them.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
And man, that was like twenty three episodes a season.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Or yeah, we filmed a total of one hundred and
fifty six episodes at the end.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Yeah, do you miss that kind of format or is
more interesting now at this point of your career to
do these bite size seasons compared to that.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I have mixed feelings
about it. Yeah, it was grueling. Nine months out of
the year, long hours every weekend I was prepping. So
my life was once upon a time, my life was
Regina Mills and Evil Queen, like that was what I
had to focus on all those years. So with these
(25:00):
this new formula and television, it's like ten episodes, eight episodes.
It does afford people to have a little bit more
of a life, which I think is important to find
the balance.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
You know, in my early thirties, like I could do
those one hundred hour weeks, you know.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
But now I'm like, I don't. I can do like
ten to twelve episodes and feel really good about that.
And that's what we're doing on The Rainmaker. You know,
we are doing ten episodes. It's ten great hours of
television and hopefully we continue to do that for many
years to come. So I don't know, it would have
(25:37):
to be the right show for me to come back
and do nine months a year, because that's how long
it takes to film twenty two to twenty three episodes.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Yeah, people don't realize it becomes your entire.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Life, it really does.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
You only get like two and a half months of
you know, self time, yeah, in between seasons.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
Well, and there's something so satisfying about a show like
you know Rainmaker, where you get these uninterrupted hours. Yes,
you can watch it all and it's like a mini movie.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
Well, eventually it will be that because each episode is
airing once a week, so you it's not like they're
all to all ten are being released right right away.
But there are shows like that, like Why Women Kill,
where all ten episodes you know, aired at once, and
they well they release them all at once rather but
on our show now with the rain Maker, it's one episode,
(26:24):
so it'll be like, you know, a Friday night, and
then it'll be.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
On Peacock and it'll live on Peacock.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
Yeah, yeah, I like that. It's appointment viewing, you know.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
I love that there's like multiple ways to watch something. Yes, yeah,
that is something we didn't have, you know, fifteen years ago.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
No, no, it's so cool. I have a few rapid
fire questions for you when I announced you as my guests.
These were the questions I saw the most of flooding
my inbox, all right, and I try to pick some
different ones, but they're actually pretty good. So Number one,
if there's a character of yours that you could be
neighbors with. Who would you pick and.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Why a character of mine?
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Yes? Oh gosh, higher anthology of what you've done.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
Oh good goodness, that's really hard. Oh goodness. A part
of me wants to say Lisa Trammel, because she's such
a great chef. I would invite myself over for dinner
every night. I played her on The Lincoln Lawyer.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Yeah it is. I would just not want to upset her.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Yeah, I know, don't upset her please? Now, Okay, if
you could explore a piece of the past for one
of your previous roles, who would you want to go
back and.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Explore more of Trina Decker in Swingtown?
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Oh you knew right away.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
I missed that show and everyone on it, And.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
If that show can make a comeback, I would one
thousand percent be in it.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
Like, actually brings tears to my eyes. I miss it
so much.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Why.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
I just loved that show. I remember filming the last scene.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
I'm like totally crying over it.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
I remember filming the last scene with Grant show and
we were sitting on the beach and I was sobbing,
and he goes, why are you crying? I'm like what
if we don't come back? And he's like, what are
you saying? I'm like, I don't know. I just had
this weird feeling and we didn't and I missed telling
those stories. There are so many more stories to tell
(28:15):
with that on that show, with those characters, and it
was so advanced, like Mike Kelly developed that show, and
it was brilliant from beginning to end, and I just
feel like it didn't have a chance and it needed
it needed more of a chance, it needed more years.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
So I would go back and do that.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
I hope you just put that out.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
I hope, so you know, I hope.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
I hope something can happen.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
With that that That would be amazing and I know
everyone who involved in it would love to do that.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Yeah, that would be really love be cool. Okay, two more?
Did you make a playlist for Bruiser and what is
the top songer too?
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (28:54):
My god? I did? Oh goodness, I would Could you
give me a second? Yeah, because I I feel like.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
I do have because you make playlists a lot for
your I often do.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
I made one for when I was on Live Women
Kill and we were supposed to do season three and
it never happened, and I was so heartbroken over it.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
But I've made a great playlist for her.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Let me see Bruiser Bruiser beats. One is I Won't
Back Down by Tom Petty feels appropriate, and then one
is Night Moves by Bob Seeger. So I feel like
she kind of lives in that time. You know, she
loves like old seventies rock.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
I love that. Yeah that is. I'm gonna go download
those again.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Yeah, those are great songs.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Yeah, yeah, okay, I love that, love that. And last
fan question, what was your reaction when you saw the
photo of your dog Lola in Bruiser's office.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
I first of all didn't even know who did that
at first, and then I learned it was Russell Fine,
our director, and he randomly picked it, which I thought
was like such a sign of my little girl spirit
being with me on this big journey. Because Lola was
(30:18):
very sick. It's towards the end of her life, and
I wouldn't have taken the job if she were alive.
There were other jobs I didn't take because I didn't
want to leave her. So I feel like she decided
to transition at a time that kind of freed me.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
Up to be able to make this move.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
But and being in Ireland and seeing that photo on
the desk across from from me, I knew that she
was with us. So I believe in signs, and she
gives me a lot of them all the time. So
I quickly learned that as much as I miss her
physical being, I know that she's with me in spirit
(31:01):
all the time.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
And that's really comforting to know.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Isn't that a really beautiful relationship.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
Oh it's my It's my favorite relationship I've ever had
with anyone.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
She was my angel and still is.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
Yeah, and that's that's amazing. I have a grandma I
never met. She passed before I was born, and people
ask me like, oh, not really, that sucks, like you
didn't know her, and I'm like, I know her. I
know her very well. Yeah, I know her very well.
I talk to her all the time and I get
signs and I believe in that. I believe in those relationships.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
Oh, one hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Yeah, she's always She was the smartest soul I've ever
come across. She would look at my phone and be
like really, like enough, and she was right.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
And my dog, who she raised for.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
The first three years of his life. It does the
same now and every time. Well, when she would look
at me, now he looks at me. I put it
down because I have to make a choice, and the
choice is to be present with the dog, right, to
be present with LEVI, to be present with Lola, to
be present with the child if they're looking at you,
like put the phone down, be present with whomever is
(32:06):
in the room. So she taught me that.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
Yeah, she's like, stop, Yeah, that was a good gift.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Yeah, yeah, it's amazing that. I mean, I could go
in such a woo woo direction with this. I'll signs
are everywhere if you look for them, right o. Everyway.
It's helped me with to put a pin on this all.
Like it's helped me even with people in my life
who you know, I'm I know will be lost soon.
(32:34):
If I just remember that it's not over, just because
physically it is, it helps me get through that while
they're still here physically, you know what I mean. Yeah,
So it's just a really interesting thing.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
It is.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
And like what I learned is the spirit realm is
I read this book and it said just put your
arm out and you're in it. It means it's right here, yeah,
next to you. It's there, she's right here. Yeah, as
long as I continue to talk to her. I've had
a cam burning for her for two years. Yeah, and
everyone's trained to like, Okay, bring the candle up, and
(33:07):
my mom's like, the candle's running and we got to
go get the other candle.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
You know.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
And I do believe that as long as you keep
one lit for her and you talk to them or
your loved ones, you know, family members who have passed on,
like they want to be remembered, they want you to
continue reaching out to them, speaking to them because it
keeps them close by, you know.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
It's amazing.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
So it's yeah, I truly believe in that world.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
Oh I do too. I'm astrologer, a psychic, a medium. Yes,
and they're good. They are good the people, and that
I got you girl. We'll talk after this about all that. Yeah,
for sure. For sure. One of the things I love
(33:50):
about you is you always have so much thought and
heart into the conversations we have. And some of our
conversations in the past have been some of my because
they're just rooted in such a grounded truth, and I
really appreciate that about you. And this is a question
that's flipped. And I know so many times you've probably
(34:11):
been asked what would you tell your younger self? But
I'm not sure how many times you've been asked what
would you tell your future self.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
I've never been asked that, Oh boy, what I tell
my future self? I would say, carve out time to
actually vacation and rest and sleep, because that's something I
don't do enough of. I'm my mother's daughter. I'm an
(34:39):
energizer bunny. I go go, go, go, go, go go,
And I know as I'm getting older that that's not
going to be healthy down the road. So I would say,
like slow down, and it's okay to say no, I
can't be there.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
Yeah, you know, I say yes to everything, and then
I'm like, oh my god, I'm so tired. I haven't
slept in weeks.
Speaker 3 (35:04):
Yeah, it's like, no, carve out more than four days
for a vacation, you know, like take some time for
yourself and finish that book, you know, And often like
reused to read novels after novemge books after books, and
now it's like you get distracted by phones and put
the phone down and stoppering those AirPods and things that
(35:25):
are like scrambling our brain.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Yeah, so I feel like I also need to tell.
Speaker 3 (35:31):
Myself that now my current self is that's a big
lesson I'm trying to learn. So I'm hoping my older
self is going to be a bit more relaxed and
have a little bit more time to recover from like
long days and working hours, et cetera, and spending more
quality time with the people that are in her circle that.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
She loves and hug a tree as you told me
last time.
Speaker 3 (35:53):
Oh my god, I have a photo of me hugging
a tree like a week ago, and I almost posted it,
and then I was like, oh, I think I need
a pair this with more photos.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
So but I haven't post. Maybell just posted We've.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
Done coincidence bringing that up. You gotta You've got to
post that.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
There's this beautiful oak tree in my neighborhood that I
literally go and visit because it's like five hundred years
old and she's stunning, And I'm like, you have so
much wisdom and strength, could you please pass that on
to me? So I hug her almost weekly to like recharge.
Speaker 2 (36:28):
I love that she's my vacation.
Speaker 1 (36:31):
You might see me strapped to that tree because I
need some recharging. So you might see me in your neighborhood.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
Okay, I'll know what you're doing. I'll bide you if
you need a map.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
Thanks very much, Thank you, Alana. I could talk to
you for hours. I just, I just I love this
time together always. But in the spirit of letting you
go on to what you have to do next. You
know the name of the show. You're familiar with it.
I've never said this before, and it's to bring people on,
to give them a chance to say something that they
feel like they want to say, whatever it means to
(37:00):
them that you don't get to say in a two
minute red carpet interview, in a four minute junket where
you say the same thing eight hundred times, and it's
just for you. It's a moment for you. So is
there anything you want to say today that you've never
said before? Oh?
Speaker 2 (37:13):
My goodness, Oh boy?
Speaker 3 (37:16):
Is there anything I've said that I wouldn't Oh my gosh,
I would say I've never said this before, But actually
I've been thinking about it a lot. I'm in love
with my mother and in the best way possible, like
she's become my best friend, and I'm so grateful to her,
(37:37):
and we've been spending so much time together and I
just want to say thanks, Mom, because she's always believed
in me. And I don't think I've ever said this publicly,
but I want to thank her because she always said
yes to any of my interests and never like you know,
(37:58):
doubted me. And over the years it hasn't always been
the strongest relationship, you know, teenage Lana and also Lana
in her twenties, but over the years, like I've grown
so much respect and love for her, like and it
just keeps getting deeper and deeper. And so I'm really
grateful to her and I really have to thank her
(38:19):
for everything. I've never really said that publicly before, and
I said it to her kind of the other day.
I was like, you know, Mom, you're becoming my best
friend and that's a new discovery and it's really special.
Speaker 1 (38:34):
Oh that makes me melts. That makes me melts for
sending her this too. Okay, yes, she should get it,
Yeah she should. Absolutely. That's beautiful. Thank you, And it's
a good reminder to say the things to the people
while they're here exactly.
Speaker 3 (38:48):
Yeah, and to not like take anyone for granted that's
in your life. Yeah, you know, for the ones that
have always been in our corner, but we don't give
them enough credit.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
Do you think my husband will be upset if I
run off with you?
Speaker 2 (39:04):
I don't know. He may be jealous. Yeah, but like
in a good way. Okay, he can come to you
can just go on a vacation.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
Okay, great, Great, I love you more. I Like I said,
I always enjoy talking to you. You're such a not
only brilliant artist, but I think we need more humans
like you in this business. It's just what you do
for the people who follow you for society, for humanity
is really beautiful and I just I love hanging out
with you.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
Thank you, Dom, I feel the same. It's so wonderful
to finally meet you in person.
Speaker 1 (39:34):
Finally, finally, next time, happy, we are taking you to dinner.
I might go and dance. And now that I know
you like to go out, let's go side. Okay, were
you side?
Speaker 3 (39:44):
Here?
Speaker 1 (39:44):
We come on a nineties R and B club. We
are going.
Speaker 2 (39:47):
I have I got the hoops for it. I've got
my hoop.
Speaker 1 (39:51):
Thank you, my love, Thanks for hanging out.
Speaker 2 (39:53):
Wise, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (39:56):
I've Never Said this Before. It is hosted by me,
Tommy did. This podcast is executive produced by Andrew Puglisi
at iHeartRadio and by me Tommy, with editing by Joshua Colaudney.
I've Never Said This Before is part of the Elvis
Duran podcast Network on iHeart Podcasts. For more, rate review
and subscribe to our show and if you liked this episode,
(40:19):
tell your friends. Until next time, I'm Tommy Dederio.
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