July 15, 2025 • 45 mins
This week, Tommy is joined by actor Malachi Barton who is currently starring in Zombie 4: Dawn of the Vampires. The Zombies franchise is beloved for not only its infectious music and great dance numbers, but for using supernatural metaphors to tackle so many issues that resonate with viewers. Today, Malachi opens up about what its been like growing up in the public eye, why your self-worth should never be related to your work, joining the beloved Zombies franchise and working with the OGs Milo and Meg, what Milo Manheim has taught him over the years, an alternate ending he liked that got cut from the film, if he was ever supposed to play Red’s brother in the fourth Descendants movie, which Outer Banks star he’s been crushing on lately, future types of projects he would like to be a part of, how he’s worked through some difficult time, something he has never said before, 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. One of my favorite holidays is Halloween,
and I feel like it's come early because I'm hanging
out with a very very charming vampire today. All right,
not really, but it does play one brilliantly, so that's
close enough, right. Malachi Barton is currently starring in Zombies
four Dawn of the Vampires, which is the latest installment
(00:24):
in the Disney Channel Original Movie franchise. And yes, I
think it is safe to say that he is a
Disney king with his body of work. But you, my friends,
are going to be quite impressed with this new role
that he is tackling. So the Zombies franchise is beloved,
and yes, having infectious music and great dance numbers, it's
a huge straw to these films, but the franchise uses
(00:46):
these supernatural metaphors to tackle so many issues that really
resonates with us as viewers, and some of the OG
stars are now passing the torch to make way for
incredible additions to the franchise, like Malachi. So let's see
if today we can get Malachi to say something that
he has never said before. Malakai. What's up?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
How are we doing?
Speaker 1 (01:11):
I'm doing good? How you doing?
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Just chilling, exhausted, but we're hanging out and this is
like such a breath of fresh air.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Well, you look very happy. I have to say. You
look like you had a busy few days. You have
a movie out, but you look very happy.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
You know, Hey, what's not to be happy about? Or
woke up and I'm alive and that's all. That's all
that matters. So I know, I'm stoked. I'm stoked. I'm
very very happy to be on the podcast and get
to chat have some fun combos.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Well, welcome to the show. I appreciate we have a
mutual friend in Milo.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Yes, we do.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
And I texted him and I'm like, he better be cool.
So he's not cool, I'm gonna take it out on you.
And he's like he's the best. Like you're gonna love him.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I love him. No, Mila was like, my Mila's my
big bro. Yeah, I've known him for quite some time now,
I've known him for a decade now at this point,
Oh wow, I think yeah, yeah, because we were in
like the same the same Disney World, like the Disney
World at the same time because I was doing Season
one and Stuck in the Middle while he was doing
Zombies one promo, so it was like constant just same
worlds and everything like that. And then we were always
(02:10):
crossing paths and now we're obviously together getting the Zombies
four going.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
So thing you love when that happens, when you get
to actually work with people.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
That you love, it's so wild, it's it's honestly really fun.
It happened with another movie that I did called under Wraps.
I knew one of the kids, Christian J. Simon, and
we ended up like getting together and filming movie together.
It's so much fun. It's so sick. I love it.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
That's awesome. Man, Well you've been I mean you're busy
and booked. You've been working quite a long time. And
I'm always so fascinated by people like yourself who kind
of grow up so publicly, right Like you got your
kind of big break at eight, was it?
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Yeah? Yeah, when I booked Suck in the Middle, that's
when everything kind of took off. But I've been doing
it since I I think I started when I was
like four and a half five.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah, so you've been in it for a minute. Yeah,
stuck in the middle. Happened, it kind of it put
you on the map. You did it for three seasons, right,
and it's just kind kind of changed your life. And
here you are sitting in front of me, like this
is your norm. Has it been weird growing up in
front of the public eye?
Speaker 2 (03:07):
One hundred percent? Yeah, I mean that's definitely nothing really
prepares you for that.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
One hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
I think that I started so young that it's kind
of all I've known in a sense like that that
has been my childhood. So I think that in certain
in certain situations, there's like I mean, shoot, for example,
literally leaving GMA this morning was my first time, like
actually or not, I guess not my first time, but
like there's like paparazzi outside, and I like got in
(03:34):
the car and I was just like kind of chilling,
and my mom was like I was kind of crazy,
and I was like, yeah, there's people taking pictures, but like,
I don't know, it's just there's little things like that.
Are that are I guess a little more normal to me,
just because I think I would be a little bit
more shocked and flabberg acid by them if I wasn't
haven't grown up into it, grown up in the business.
(03:55):
But but yeah, I guess there's pros and cons that
come with it. Like you know, obviously cannot mess up
if you slip up every year slip up is is caught.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
But that's a lot of pressure.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
It's it's good good accountability.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's just so funny because
when I think about growing up, like I didn't have
any of that right or in social media wasn't really
as you know, popular, and it was just becoming a thing.
And I just so admire people like you who do
have a very public facing job. And to your point,
you're growing up figuring out who you are, evolving as
an artist and as a human. But you have to
be so conscious of like there are people watching me.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Yeah yeah, you kind of walk around at least to
me personally, I walk around with the idea that there's
a camera on me twenty four seven, just because, like
I mean, it's just it's like little things like you'll
be walking, you'll be on the beach, and I'm like
spending time with my friends and and I've always tried
to like live a very normal life outside of my work,
Like all my none of my like my like people
(04:53):
people are none of them are in the business I'm
friends with, Like they all go to go to high
school and we go to our like high school football games,
and like go to the beach and hang out and
go on drives. Like we just I try my best
to have like a normal life outside of this, just
to kind of keep me grounded in all those things.
But it's wild when like even while you're trying to
(05:13):
do that, it's there's still somebody in the far corner
that's like pretending to be on a phone call but
they're actually filming and it's so absurdly obvious. But but yeah,
it's fun. You meet so many different personalities too with it,
Like you I'll have like I remember me and my
mom sat down one day and we were like the
different types of people that will come up and ask
you for pictures. There's like the mom that comes to
(05:35):
ask for a kid, asked for her kid, and then
there's like the parent that comes to ask for their kid,
but they actually want the picture with you. And then
there's like the kid that says that they want to
like a video for their friend, but in reality you're
making a video with their name. Yeah, and then it's
like there's so many different personalities, but it's fun. You
can kind of make a game out of it and
just enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Yeah, yeah, learn to love it. It's so I mean,
that's that's a testament to the work that you do,
because people love what you're doing and they're excited to
meet you and hang out with you when they see you.
But b it's it's pretty cool that you've been able
to pave this way for yourself where you're doing work
you love, but you're also saying true to who you
are and shout out to your fam who I imagine
has something to do with keeping you on track over
(06:16):
these years. Right, But I love that you also have
a life outside of what you do. I think a
lot of people don't. Yeah, and that's when it can
get a little dicey.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
One hundred percent. I've always I've said this in a
couple other interviews a couple of times. Is the there's
like when you let your your like self worth be
based around your work. It's that's the second that's when
everything goes downhill, because I mean, I've let it happen
to me before, even with like social media and stuff
like the second you are oh I I mean the
(06:43):
second views go down, your mental state just plummets. And
it's like that obviously you want to steer clear from
that because that's clearly not healthy. And this specifically in
this world that we are in of entertainment, it's like
that is such a norm of just basing your self
worth around the views and what other people think and
all that type of stuff. And I and my parents
(07:04):
did a great job, like from when I was younger
putting me in I played baseball my whole like growing
up until I was fourteen, and like I skate, I surf,
I snowboard, I do all those things and that's like
those are my my outlets of likee of normal. So
but yeah, you know, it's it's wild.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Is it wild that people who love your work sometimes
kind of think that when they meet you or come
up to you, that you're the character and not like
the human that you actually are. There like twisting of
it right.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Yeah, totally, No, there's definitely, Like I remember when I
was it doesn't really happen as much now because I
feel like I've established myself a little bit more as
and as like an actor and not just like my characters,
not just my characters, and I feel like, honestly, funny enough,
TikTok has helped a lot with that of like being
able to kind of express myself on social media and
(07:54):
stuff like that, and not just the characters that I play.
But I remember I used to have moments when I
was when I did Suck in the Middle where people
would walk out and be like, hey, beast like and
you don't look at happens like, that's that's what you
That's why you do this. You you create these like
fantasies for people where it's like they get to go
into these worlds and like all they might know is
that you are the character that I kind of they
(08:14):
went into your world. So you know, hey, if they
if they want to call me Beast Diaz or if
they want to call me Victor or Kolby, whatever character
I played, go for it. I could care less. But
if you know me, that's even better.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Yeah, yeah, for sure. Well Victor, you bring up Victor
the cool guy, the cool charming guy. Well I should
say vampire. I mean, let's let's fellow what it is, right,
shout out to the vampire. So when you booked this,
the Zombies four, Were you like, man, I'm about to
go on this epic adventure with the franchise that is
so badass and popular, Like, am I ready for it?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Oh my god? Yeah, I know. I was so stoked.
I it was such a long audition process, like the
audition process for for Z four was. I mean, it was,
honest genuinely one of the longest ones I'd had. It
was I think not ten weeks, nine weeks something like that,
which obviously, like now looking at it, it's like, Okay,
that's not too crazy long, but like in the moment
(09:07):
you're sitting there, it's like chemistry read after chemistry after
chemistry read. So once we found out that I booked
it, it was kind of just like a finally all the
hard work paid off type of thing. But honestly, more
than all of that, it was I was so excited
to work with Megan Milo because yeah, I just I've
known that I've been like friends with them for so long,
and I know we talked about that earlier, but like,
(09:28):
just to be able to create with creative people is
such an opportunity in itself, So yeah, I was. I
was excited. We had such a great time and when
I found out that it was filming in New Zealand,
I was like in shock, and obviously I wanted to
go out there, but I never I was. It was
one of the it's you know, you know when you
have like a place you want to go to and
you're like, I really want to go there, but you
know for a fact you're never going to go there. Yeah,
(09:50):
it was one of those ones where it was like
I really really want to go to New Zealand, but like,
I'm probably never gonna go to New Zealand. New Zealand,
So it was like a great opportunity and you know,
we had fun and got a film and just hang
out and the locations were unreal. We filmed it a
lot of the same spots as Lord of the Rings,
which was so wild, so cool. It's like we went
to hobbiton and then we like were the second that,
(10:12):
like day later, we're filming in the same place that
that was filmed. So it's like it's wild, it super crazy,
full circle.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Oh my god. And it's obviously a musical. Yeah first
time you sang, yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
So it's not so not not the technically the first
time I've sang, but it is the It is the
first musical. It was a wild experience, super super fun.
I really enjoyed it. It was yeah, it was, it
was wild. I remember going into it, I had like
little to know dance experience.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
But for real, yeah, because I've seen you danceing all
over the TikTok.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yeah, I mean, okay, look when I say little to
know that little is the TikTok.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
I like, this guy can move dance experience for all that.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Though before I started doing like the TikTok dances or
whatever you want to call him, and this it was.
It was Yeah. I took like maybe one dance class
way back when, and you know, it was it's fun.
Dancing is cool. It's a cool way to express yourself.
But I never I never took it seriously. It never
was really my thing. And then this, and I've always
it's funny, like I said, both my parents are music
(11:19):
and I always classified like I was like, my mom's
the actor or no, wait, no, sorry, I'm the actor.
My mom's the singer. My dad is that it plays
every instrument there is, and it's like that's kind of
the bubble. So I was like I'm the actor and
I'm not much else, and then this opportunity presented itself.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
But why why did you think that? Did you think
you couldn't sing and dance or you didn't like you
just kind of put yourself in a box.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Honestly, I don't really know, to be honest, I don't
know why. It was like my young brain, I was like, no,
I'm an actor, which I still I'm still talk I
think that way every once in a while, but I
cause I think the acting has always been my thing
and that's what I enjoy. I love the creative side
of acting, and it's I think when yeah, when the
(12:05):
singing stuff, I was just like I always saw my
mom doing it. So my like eight ten year old
self was sitting there and like, oh yeah, my mom
does that and my dad does that, and I do
this and that's my thing. So so yeah, I never
really wanted to seep into their world, and then I
ended up seeping in a little more than expected. Yeah. Yeah,
(12:25):
but but yeah, I loved it. It was it was great.
It was a super cool experience, total singing and dancing
boot camp going into it.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
But so, do you have the itch? Do you want
to do more singing? In the future, or you're kind
of like that was for a project.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
You know what. Honestly, hey, you never know, Okay, true, truly,
I look I am like I said, acting is what
I truly love. I I love it. It's great. I
am a very just like listen to God's plan type
of guy and like whatever happens happens. I when it
comes to dancing, dancing, I enjoy a lot. I think
(12:59):
it's super fun.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
You can tell you enjoy. I mean watching videos of you,
you light up, You're grinning from me like you're in it.
If they make another step up, you could totally be in.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
I would be so down, you would be so sick.
I what I really want to do, wherever the camera is,
you gotta be listening. I really want to do Dancing
with the Stars. My mom works on Dancing at the Stars.
My mom was in the band, and I obviously my
low and Chandler both did it, and so I feel
like I it's my time to avenge them and take
(13:28):
the w for the Zombies crew.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
But you're ready, But you know what, Yeah, so I
think you can whip out a mean salsa.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Hey, if you need me to, I can't. Okay, always
always always, I'm always locked. You need me too, I'm down,
all right?
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Will you just manifest that it happens. You better come
back here and thank me, because we're putting it out.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
I'll be coming back here and you'll be like, Okay,
so you just won whatever it is dancing with the stars.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
So yeah, that's awesome. That's awesome. I have no doubt
all that will happen and more. Going back to Zombies
for a minute, I think part of the and why
it's been such a huge hit and people love it
so much as yes, it's fun and supernatural and like
all the things, but in that world, it's also very
grounded and people go through real life stuff and it's
very relatable the things that a lot of the people
(14:13):
in the show go through. What's a message in the
new one that resonates with you? Oh?
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Wow, see this is what I'm talking This is such good.
This is so good. Just like this because like people
always ask like, what's a good uh, what's like a
message in the movie, But like no one asks like,
what's a good message that with you? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (14:30):
What do you connect with?
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Honestly? Okay, ah man, that's hard. I think that there
is such a message of like finding yourself in this
movie and like going out of what you like, like
kind of I'm trying to think, like separating yourself from
what you've been taught your entire life. And I think
that comes with like the coming of age of like
you're growing up. And I think that that's obviously like
(14:54):
such a huge thing in my life right now. I
just graduated. I'm like kind of stepping out, buying a house,
like just moving, Like there's a lot of crazy, crazy
transition happening. So I would say like that idea of
just like you know, Victor, he is so anxious for
like the next experience and he's just so curious about
what the world has to offer. And I think I'm
so similar in that way. I am just like always
(15:18):
like always looking for the next adventure, always just like
you know, I want to I want to see what
else there is outside of what I'm used to. And
so I would say I would say that, but yeah,
I mean, yeah, I would say that the idea of
growing up and he's Victor's becoming a man as I'm
(15:38):
becoming a man, and we always that's one thing I
related most with him about that, So yeah, it was cool.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Yeah, you clearly have a lot of wonder.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Yes, a lot. Thank you so much for giving me
a new word. I just keep saying freaking, I keep
saying curious. It's now now. I say curious in literally
all my interviews, and I look over in the corner.
My mom's like, stop saying curious, and I'm like, whatever,
but wonder.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
I like, yeah, wonder, that's pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
I'm going to write that down.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
I write that one down later. That's something cool that
you and your character kind of go through and you
can pull from. And I think that's that's awesome that
you're in a chapter of your life where you're ready
to see what else is coming totally, you know, while
also doing so much already, like so much? Are you ever? Like, man,
I'm kind of killing it at my age.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
You know, there's moments where I'm like, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Yeah, good, I hope you are, because we don't do
that as humans enough.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
I think there's I can definitely very easily looked look
past it and just be like I'm just like which
I am. I'm a normal kid, Like there's nothing different
than me and any other eighteen year old boy out
on like anywhere. But but yeah, there's there's moments where
I'm like, whoa, Like I've only been alive for eighteen years,
(16:56):
and I am like, wow, you know what I mean.
So it's I'm proud of myself and I'm confident in
with the what the future holds.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Milo. We brought him up earlier. He's obviously an OG
in the franchise, Meg, I know you brought up working
with them, and how cool that was. Did you learn
anything from Milo professionally or personally, like throughout the duration
of this movie or even I guess knowing him all
these years, does he ever kind of gave you a
great little nugget of wisdom to help you along the way.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Honestly, it's so okay. It's so hard because I feel
like we've we have all like learned from each other
in a way, just like I think that he's experienced.
Milo similarly to me, has had like a very similar
journey of just like growing up in the business. And
obviously he's going through this, he went through zombies before,
(17:52):
and I mean he's the OG like you were saying,
But it's hard to pinpoint an exact piece of advice.
I mean, just like I think that Ah man, it's hard.
I would say one piece, Like one thing that he
did tell me was to always like, no matter how big,
like how big your career gets, don't let don't let
(18:13):
your head get that big too, like don't. I also
I quoted, I'm quoting that because I just made that
he said something along those lines, but he didn't say
that exactly, and I just said that quote malk On. No,
he he just cause like in on sets and stuff
like that, it's so important to be like a be
a person that people enjoy being around. And and I
(18:36):
think that it's so often people that get big and
they're all famous and whatever blah blah, they show up
on set and they genuinely they think they think they're
the ship. And that's like, I'm sorry, Disney, but like
it's I think that it's like a you know, it's
something that you have to be careful with because you're
really not like you're really not that guy. So I
(18:58):
think that one thing that I try my best to
do always on set is like I don't I if
I have the time, I'm gonna go get my own water.
If I am, if I have it free hand, I'm
gonna carry somebody else's bag. If I like, if like
a one of like the first ads is like opening
the door for me, I'm ninety nine percent of the
(19:19):
time holding the door for them. So it's like they're
just like little things like that that are just don't
let your head get to get too big because like
like then you're just like basic manners that your parents
taught you just go out the door. And it's like,
come on, you're not, like are you serious? So I
would say that that's I It's something I've always lived by.
But I think that Milo has definitely he is very
(19:43):
very similar in that way, and so he definitely emphasized
that for me during during his zombies.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
And by the way, that's in any industry, I mean
like an ideal with that too. I see people sometimes
and I'm like, bro, you're cool.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Like I'm sorry, no, I'm not that cl You're gonna
go home, and we all look the exact same way.
We're sleeping, Like you look stupid when you brush your
teeth too, Like let's let's be honest.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Yeah, I have no tolerance for that, Like I'm like you,
and I think it's a great piece of you know,
wisdom that he instilled in you and kind of reminded
you of because it is it's it's it's easy in
the worlds we work in to kind of sometimes get
wrapped up in it, but at the end of the day,
we all go home and do the same things.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
So I, oh, and Meg. Of course Meg is like
I mean, me and her are weirdly similar. Like that
is my sister right there, Like I'm obsessed with her.
She'd love her to death, but like she was just
always she was always telling me, just like how important
it is to like at least showing me in a way,
how important it is to live your life outside of everything,
(20:39):
because she is such a just like her sense of humor,
her the way she acts, like her like when she
gets home, she's like the way she texts, like the
the fact that she's sending memes in the group chat
and stuff like that, and like she's just funny and
like she didn't let this all this stuff get to
her head. And and she was just constantly reminding me
(21:00):
that like anything that you anything that you're going through
in this business, somebody has gone through before. So like
there's always somebody to talk to, There's always somebody that
knows exactly what you're obviously like not everybody knows exactly
what you're going through, but there's always somebody that's had
a similar experience. You just have to find that person.
And like, honestly, Meg and Milo were those people and
(21:20):
saying with Chandler and Kilie, they have lived so much
life in this business in such a short amount of time,
similarly similarly to me. So it's like we all we
all relate on that level, which I'm obviously very grateful
for grateful for them. I love you guys. You guys
are the best.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Well. I love that you bring up Meg. Meg actually
like participating in a group chat, right because I think
it's so no matter how busy you get and no
matter what you have on your plate, and even if
you're working a sixteen hour day, you have to check
in with the people that like mean something too.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
She doesn't check her text for Jacks. Okay, oh hang on,
hang on, hang on spot right now. I love you Meg,
I love you Meg, but it's a running Her and
Chandler don't like our sut They sucker responding, same with Milo,
but they respond they respond when it's like necessary, like
if like.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Like four weeks later yeah, oh no, no, no.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
No, I'm kidding, I'm getting I'm getting. Usually, but they
call like if you call them the answer yeah, so
it's just like but honestly, that's just because. But the
funny thing about that is that like when you're with them,
they are the most present people, Like they are not
on their phone, like and when they're not responding, they're
not on their phone because they are so present in
whatever they're else they're doing, and normally they'll respond within
like whether it's like a couple like a couple hours
(22:32):
like whether or like it's the next day or a
couple of days after. Like it's like they end up responding.
But it's just because they are so present. Like Meg
is not a big social media person. Sorry if I
if she doesn't really say that, but yeah, Meg is
not like a big social media person, and when you're
hanging out with her, she is just the most in
tune person, Like she's just all ears, like locked in
(22:54):
eye contact, like having such a great person to have
a conversation with. I remember I went out to dinner
with her in New Zealand and she this is just
like a funny Maggie moment. But she literally like brings
pulls out we sit down at this restaurant, she pulls
out a game like a stack of cards, and it
was like cards to read in case things get awkward,
(23:15):
and she literally it brought out cards that were like
questions that you pick from a deck of cards in
case like conversation stuffs and gets awkward.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
But like all things like that, I like that saying
in the moment.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Of course, of course, yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
I can't. We need more being in the moment, and
especially with these device like I am all for it,
like all four No, it's all of us all Like
when I I love to go to Hawaii and it's
one of my special places. When I'm there and I'm
hiking and just like looking at everything, like I swear
to god, dude, I get emotional because I'm like I
miss this, Like I miss just being in my body
(23:50):
and looking at nature and not worried about who's texting
me or work or an interviewer, like just being in
the moment. Ah. I could talk about it for forty
five more minutes, but let's get back to you. I
heard there were multiple versions of the ending for this movie,
you guys shot Is that true? So well, yeah, okay,
So is there a version you shot that you would
(24:10):
have been happy with as well where you're like, oh,
that could have been cool, saying.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Oh man, okay, that's a that's a really great question.
Oh oh okay, I would say, Okay, we shot, we shot,
like I mean, we shot probably four different endings like that.
I'm really happy with the one that they went with.
They we shot one. Oh, I guess, like I can't
(24:34):
say this because the movie's out and they already yeah. No, uh,
we shot one ending with frail like I ended up
becoming a vampire.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
I really really liked that one. That one was. I
thought that one was really really cool. I thought that
the concept. I just think that where the story could
have gone if that was a thing. The only thing
that I didn't really liked about that one was that
it felt like if she were to have been a vampire,
it would have like followed the exact same path as
like the old ones, just like I mean the identity
(25:02):
crisis that Meg has Addison has in the one, two
and three or and then finally ends in three. But
I feel like it would have followed a similar path.
But I thought I also could have led to some
really cool story I'm pretty sure that she grew wings
in one of them. I may be blanking, but I'm
(25:23):
pretty sure we filmed one that where she like grew
wings because obviously they were all green screen, so it
was just like I'd look over and just have different
reactions from him. But I remember there being one where
she had wings, and then yeah, I would. I would
say though, if they would have gone with the with
the vampire when I think it could have led to
some cool some cool storylines and stuff like that. But
(25:44):
also I think the water opens it up. Yeah, in
a such a vast way. There's so many different routes
that they could take. Myrraid's freaking. I don't even know
goldfish like, I don't know a Descendants Zombies crossover. Juliana
could pop out the water, like. There's so many things
that could happen. So yeah, you know, you really never know.
(26:05):
It's expecting unexpected with this franchise.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Did you know which ending was selected or you didn't
know until.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
So I didn't know until we did a screening where
we were able to finally see the movie.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
That was.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
Month and a half, two months ago something like that. Yeah,
I went and did a screening and that was the
first time I found out. And yeah, they didn't give
us any information. Wow, but hey, I'm happy with it.
I'm happy with it.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
It looked cool. Thanks.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Great.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Yeah, no, it looked awesome. It looked awesome. You brought
up the Descendants crossover. Do you know how many people
I see online talking about dying to know if you
were supposed to play Red's brother in the fourth movie.
Oh my god, that's like a huge online rumor. Have
you heard that.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
I've I'm being so serious, I've never seen it.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
Oh, like people are convinced that you were supposed to
play that role in it didn't work out.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Like I see, like like things about me and Kayla,
like being like twins or whatever, just because like red
hair and red clothing. We matched at the Zombies premiere
on accident, I'd wear red suits. He had a red dress.
But like, I I think that, I mean, shoot, no,
I wasn't supposed to be supposed to, but hey, that'd
be cool.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
Big rumor is there was like a scheduling conflict and
you couldn't do it.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
What the heck?
Speaker 1 (27:12):
Man?
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Where all over? Where do you guys get this from?
Where do you guys, get this. I swear this. I'm like,
they are the most random rumors that will pop up
on social media. It's like, oh my god, I had
a rumor that pops up on uh pop crave. You
pop crave of course, yes, Instagram, I've ever seen my
(27:34):
entire life. But anyways, pop crave. I saw there was
a pop crave article that came up about me dying
a car accident.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Oh my god.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
I was literally getting texts from like my closest closest
friends and they were like, yo, like are you okay?
And I'm like huh. And then I mean I think
my parents got text at one point of like hey,
like is Malachi okay? Like family texting, and I was like,
I'm good, I'm here in the flesh. We're all good.
(28:03):
But but yeah, no, it's so so funny.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
But I'm very glad you were here with me today.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Rumors, rumors, and no, I was not supposed to play
Kylie's Brothers.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Sorry, and you obviously did not pass away in a
car crash, so we can put that to bed as well.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Thank God.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
The internet's wild. Yeah that's wild, all right. So Zombies
four is out. Go watch it if you haven't seen it. Everybody, please,
what's something what's a project out now, a show or
a movie or a franchise that's caught your eye that
you're like, Oh my god, I would love to do
something like that one day.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Oh interesting, that's it. That's a great question. I would say, hmm,
I just watched No, I haven't seen it yet, but
I really want to see it is the f one
movie I really want to see. I'm a big car guy.
Cars have been my thing for the last three years.
I am obsessed with them. I'm obsessed with my car.
(28:58):
I work with my own car. I it's my baby.
I would love to do something car related. Grand Turisma
was also a great movie. I don't know if you
ever liked you saw it, but that was just such
a special movie because the idea of like a father
son relationship was really portrayed really well in that movie.
And I think that, you know, I'm really close to
my dad, love him. It's my boy. Shout out and so.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
Shout out to dad in the room.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
But no, it was, yeah, I think that, and then
when it I mean, look, I've always been so obsessed
with outer Banks. Out of Banks is like my stuff.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Yeah, it's ending.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Hardly because of Madeline Klein.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
But yeah, yeah, so you're a big fan of Madeline Cline.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Full transparency.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
I am meeting her on Monday. I'm covering the premiere.
If I note what you did last summer, would you
like me to pass a message to her?
Speaker 2 (29:54):
I honestly, hey, look, missus Clin, missus Barton, how about it?
How about that one past? Say hey, malec I Martin,
I don't know, just say, well, you just passed on.
Pass it on.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
You're you're already flustered, but I just brought her up
and you're flustered.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
You see this, I'm blushing, You're totally blushing.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
You also married her because you gave your last name.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
Yeah, that happened a while back, though.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
Got it, got it, got it guy?
Speaker 2 (30:21):
He in person, I'm better, I'm I'm better in person.
I'm more like.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
Under more confident. Okay, well, maybe if you have some
time in the coming days and want to film the video,
message happy to pass it on. And you went for
my bro to see if I can make something happen.
I got you, all right. I can't promise anything. I
will be with her on Monday, and I will see
what magic, I can.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Do I match making a couple of years, and I'll
be with her too. Okay, great, I'm playing Great, I'm
playing Banks. I love it. Love the show. I'm I'm
I surf so I would love it. Love to do
something like that.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Sweet, that's awesome. Is there somebody in the business who
you've always kind of admired or looked up to, or
even thought like, oh, that's a dude whose career like
I would love.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
I really, really really love Ryan Reynolds. I love Ryan Reynolds.
I think he is hilarious. Ryan Gosling is hilarious. I
just love the Ryans apparently. Shoot. I I love Jonah Hill.
Jonahill's hilarious. I mean, I obviously, I've always wanted to
(31:24):
do an Adam Sandler movie. I would love to do
something with Adam Sandler shout out. But but yeah, I
would say. I would say A big one for me
is either Ryan Reynolds or I'm actually very close with him.
I don't know if you know who Neil McDonough is.
I his son and my son. We've been close for
(31:44):
the last couple of years, and he was actually at
the Zombies four premiere and he's just somebody I even
though I I do know him, like it was, He's
just somebody that like is such like character wise as
I look up to that because he's just like so
in touch with like he's so confident, it's so like
he puts his puts his family first, Like it's so
(32:07):
such a real person, and you know, I appreciate that.
So I would say, like mentality and mentality wise, I
would say Neil is pretty great.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
So it's a solid choice. Oh yeah, oh yeah, solid choices.
You know what you want in life? Huh? You know,
you know what you want. You're very decisive. There's not
a lott of wishy washy with you. You're you, you
know what you want?
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, somewhat okay. But also I'm like, like
I said earlier, I'm very open, very open. What the
world has off.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Well, let's talk about the tour. You're going on tour,
tell me about it.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Oh my god, I mean there's just so much to
talk about. We are currently in the middle tech rehearsals.
We had five work, five weeks of rehearsal, shout out
center staging, mm hmm. But we're in San Diego right now,
just cooking it up going crazy. The show that we
are have worked up and is insane. It is a massive,
(33:09):
massive show I have, like I think, I think seventeen
dance numbers rolling through my brain right now.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
So and you said you're not a dancer, please please.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
Okay, okay, but but no, Yeah, it's it's a great show,
great cast. To the sentence, crew is like so nice,
love all of them. We have a great crew too.
It's yeah, it's been fun. Like it's like I said earlier, dancing,
singing new experience, but I mean, touring is a whole
different beast. I am like, I'm excited. I am a
(33:42):
lot less nervous than I thought I was gonna be.
I thought I was gonna like be coming up to it.
I'm like, whoa like a little bit of the jitters,
Like I thought I was gonna be tweaking out a
little bit. But honest to god, I am like I'm
not that worried for some reason. I'm just like I
feel like the dances are almost to a point where
it's like I don't really have to think about them,
and it's just like I can worry about other things
(34:02):
while I'm dancing. And I think that honestly by Like,
it's such an experimental process with the tour. I think
that the first couple of shows, Hey, if if I
mess up a couple of times, then yeah, like it's
not that big of a deeal you know what I mean.
I got forty other shows. But yeah, no, obviously I'm
gonna give it my best every every every city. But hey,
(34:23):
it's like it's a learning experience. I'm excited, it's the career.
The choreographers are nuts. Scotti and Reagan are like unbelievable.
There's so much fun to work with. And yeah they've
been they've been grinding a lot of sleepless nights for them. Yeah,
so very grateful. But but yeah, no, we're having a
great time. I'm excited to get to meet all you
(34:44):
guys and you know, travel a lot, see a bunch
of different cities I've ever been to. Yeah, it's gonna
be a great experience.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
People can grab tickets, Yeah, can watch you in action,
ask you he will not be my friend anymore. One
of them is about the tour and he wants to
know what city are you most excited for? You have
to name one.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Man, what city am I most excited for only one,
only one I am gonna say. I think it's I'm
gonna say Crypto. Now you think you may think that
like LA is a basic answer, but I just don't
think it is because I have I've seen so many
(35:25):
shows at Crypto that it's like to be on the
flip flop of it all and like be the one
performing in that arena. I just think it's gonna be
such a full circle moment. It feels like just yesterday
I was watching Jelly Roll like up on, I was
in a box watching him go crazy and like seeing
his B stage and with a flaming cage and all
his craziness, and then it feels like, now, oh, look
(35:47):
at me, I'm making my way to my B stage
with the B stage delay. That's a whole different, whole
different thing, crazy delay out there. But but no, I'm yeah,
I'm really really excited for Crypto. I think it's gonna
be a fun one. All my friends are going to
that one.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
Too, so yeah, and that's like a full circle moment.
So I totally get that town. Yeah, there we go.
And then he wanted to know what was more exciting
getting your first car or hearing that you were going
on tour.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Getting my first car. To be honest, so straight up,
I look honest to god, I love the door and
I am so excited. I am such a car guy,
and I have wanted to drive literally since the second
I could think about driving. And when I remember getting
my license, my parents gave me the Jeep that we
had and I built. I built that thing like I
(36:35):
just started dumping money into it, and I was like,
all right, I want new fenders. I'm gonna take my
resonator off, take my muffler off. I'm gonna make it
super loud, put underglow, do all these things. And I
did it. And I built that thing out to be
like a dream Jeep and then lifted wheels all the whole,
all the whole shebang. And so honestly, I would say
that I would truly say that excitement level was was
(36:58):
my car just because like it it's It was such
like a monumental moment in my life.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
I think he knew you would have picked that and
gush about it and wanted me to see you gushing
about your Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
But honestly, that but the Jeeps not the car that
I drive anymore. I drive it around but I have
a better I have a BMWM three. My boy, you
know what, you earned it.
Speaker 1 (37:18):
You earned it.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
Hey, I had to treat myself after Zombies four, so
I was like, hey, I'm just gonna but we did
it well.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
I love that. And unfortunately we're at that portion of
the interview where we got to start wrapping up a man.
I was having fun.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
I was so transparent. I was so exhausted when I
walked in here from this four thirty am start this morning.
But I am like, I feel like I could go
on a marathon right now. So I love feeling good.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
I love that. That's that's the point of the show.
I want people to come in and have fun and
chill and relax and enjoy. And I finish every interview
with the same question, and it's based off the title
of the show. And I created this question because I
work a lot of red carpets and junkets. As you
know that you've been to and you get two minutes,
four minutes with somebody and it's not real, and it's
the same sound bite you guys have to say over
(38:03):
and over again. And I guess I shouldn't say it's
not real, but it's not, it's not real connection, you
know what I mean. So I started this show where
I asked this question based off the title of the show,
which is, what is something you've never said before that
can mean anything to you at all, that you've never
gotten a chance to say in an interview, Whether it's
something you've learned, or advice or something to get off
your chest, anything, whatever it means to you. I want
(38:26):
to give you the floor to say something you don't
get a chance to say often.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
I love that I got one. This is one that
I don't really talk I haven't honestly talked to I've
talked about it a little bit. Is my my journey
with anxiety and stuff like that. I've I released a
clothing brand called j one nine after the scripture Joshua
(38:52):
one nine. It says, do not be afraid, do not
be discouraged, for the Lord your gab will be with
you wherever you go. Be strong, or be strong and
be strong couraged, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged,
for the Lord or God will be with you wherever
you go. And I have always lived by that scripture
since I was I mean, if we're gonna go into detail,
since I've never said this before. When I was I was,
(39:14):
I played baseball my whole life, which I are up
until I was fourteen, so I guess not my whole
life anymore. But I played baseball and then COVID hit, uh,
and I was just in a weird spot, I think,
as everybody was during COVID. It was a weird, a
weird place. Uh. My baseball practices moved to Zoom, which
it was like zoom workouts made no sense at all.
(39:35):
We were separated from people. And then I honestly, I'm
in I laugh at it. Now I'm gonna go into honestly, God,
I'm gonna go into detail. Why not? I I don't
know if do you ever remember like spice challenges and
stuff like that. Yeah, yeah, like where like the Spice
King would eat all that food. I was obsessed with
that for some reason. And I did this spice challenge
one time, and I like ate a buttload of like
(39:59):
really crappy stuf, like like hobb and Narrow ghost peppers,
stuff with talkies and like like Hobby Arrows. Saw all
this stuff and I pounded it the night before baseball
tournament and I showed up to baseball turn. The next day,
stomach was jacked and I was like in the outfield
and I was like, dude, I'm cooked. I needed to
(40:21):
go to the bathroom, and so I sprinted off the
baseball field and then I ended up for some reason.
It's I say this now laughing at it because it's hilarious,
but that whole day I literally was like barely able
to make it through the game because just having the
leave constantly constantly TMI, I know, but oh well, but no.
I The reason I bring that up was because that
(40:42):
started a I mean like a year and a half,
two years of like brutal panic attacks. I was. I
quit baseball. I got really really really close. I've always
been close to my grandpa, but I got really really
close with him. He's pastor over a church called Freedom
Fellowship in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and I got really really
(41:05):
close with him over that time. And he gave me
this bracelet that says josh j one nine on it,
the Joshua nine, which I told you, and it immediately
was like a thing where I was just I was.
I wore the bracelet everywhere. She don't know why I
don't have one on right now, but wore the bracelet everywhere.
It immediately became like a statement scripture in my life.
(41:26):
It's in my it's the bio, it's my bio on Instagram,
and I ended up releasing a clothing brand out of it,
and that I basically ended up going through this really
rough stage of just consistent anxiety, panic attacks, just like
wouldn't eat before going out, all that type of stuff.
And it was definitely took a toll on me, that's
for sure, But you know, hey, it was like I
(41:49):
think it was part of it was meant to happen,
just because I learned a lot. I learned a lot
in that experience, And yeah, I think that anxiety is
something is something so wild that like so many people
go through and not a lot bring it up, and
not a lot talk about it because it's such a
weird thing to express.
Speaker 1 (42:09):
Especially dud I don't even talk about it totally.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Trust me. I've been been there, done that, still do
that to this day. It's like there's a there's this
like stigma of like, oh, like we tend to hide
our things and keep it to ourselves, and then that's
when things can go south. When you when you are
just holding things in and then the one moment that
gets clipped is the moment that all that stuff you've
been holding in for the last year and a half
(42:33):
gets all gets let out at the same time. So
it's like, it's really important that I give props to
my dad for this because he's is very like he's
just always been. He's been a very very open, like
open about his emotions and all that type of stuff,
and I look up to that a lot. But I, yeah,
I think that that's something obviously I can get a
lot better at with as years go by and stuff
(42:56):
like that and as I mature and grow up. But yeah,
I think that, Yeah, just being able to being able
to be like emotionally intelligent and in touch with your
emotions is really important, especially as a guy, and not
being like not being afraid to like express how you
(43:18):
feel and stuff like that. So but yeah, that's like
that's a little bit of my my journey with anxiety
and all that type of stuff. But I just honestly
give all all the glory to God for that one.
Forget me through that. But yeah, never said that before.
How about that one?
Speaker 1 (43:38):
Well, I truly appreciate you sharing that. I think it's
not always easy to talk about something that you know,
we don't think is sexy or cool or you know,
it's it's like I said, it's real and a lot
of people go through it. A lot of people don't
talk about it. So even you're just saying it today,
people listening are gonna be like, oh, okay, cool, Like
I'm not alone. And this do looks like he has
the world in his hands, but he did with it
(44:00):
as well, So I think that's.
Speaker 2 (44:01):
Jack stomachs too.
Speaker 1 (44:02):
Guys. Hey, it happens. It happens.
Speaker 2 (44:05):
There you go, Hey, life happens.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
Come on, life happens. Seriously, thank you for sharing that.
That was really cool of you.
Speaker 2 (44:10):
Thanks for providing a space to share it.
Speaker 1 (44:12):
Well, I'm so impressed by you. I think you're not
only just such a talent, but you have a good
head on your shoulders, and I know Mom and Dad
won't let you not have that on your shoulders, So seriously,
I expect that to stay there. If I see you
going crazy in ten years and I'd be like, dude, no,
get back to New York, coming to Tali from Jersey.
Mom and I got you, But I'm going to also
kick your ass, so I appreciate to stay how you
(44:34):
are because you're killing it. Zombies four is out, now,
come and go see him in a city near you.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Please go buy your tickets.
Speaker 1 (44:43):
Thank you for hanging man.
Speaker 2 (44:43):
This was awesome, so much fun.
Speaker 1 (44:45):
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I've Never said this before.
It is hosted by me, Tommy Diderio. 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.
(45:07):
For more, rate review and subscribe to our show and
if you liked this episode, tell your friends. Until next time,
I'm Tommy Diderio.
Hey, guys, welcome to I've never said this before with me,
Tommy di Dario. One of my favorite holidays is Halloween,
and I feel like it's come early because I'm hanging
out with a very very charming vampire today. All right,
not really, but it does play one brilliantly, so that's
close enough, right. Malachi Barton is currently starring in Zombies
four Dawn of the Vampires, which is the latest installment
(00:24):
in the Disney Channel Original Movie franchise. And yes, I
think it is safe to say that he is a
Disney king with his body of work. But you, my friends,
are going to be quite impressed with this new role
that he is tackling. So the Zombies franchise is beloved,
and yes, having infectious music and great dance numbers, it's
a huge straw to these films, but the franchise uses
(00:46):
these supernatural metaphors to tackle so many issues that really
resonates with us as viewers, and some of the OG
stars are now passing the torch to make way for
incredible additions to the franchise, like Malachi. So let's see
if today we can get Malachi to say something that
he has never said before. Malakai. What's up?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
How are we doing?
Speaker 1 (01:11):
I'm doing good? How you doing?
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Just chilling, exhausted, but we're hanging out and this is
like such a breath of fresh air.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Well, you look very happy. I have to say. You
look like you had a busy few days. You have
a movie out, but you look very happy.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
You know, Hey, what's not to be happy about? Or
woke up and I'm alive and that's all. That's all
that matters. So I know, I'm stoked. I'm stoked. I'm
very very happy to be on the podcast and get
to chat have some fun combos.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Well, welcome to the show. I appreciate we have a
mutual friend in Milo.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Yes, we do.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
And I texted him and I'm like, he better be cool.
So he's not cool, I'm gonna take it out on you.
And he's like he's the best. Like you're gonna love him.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I love him. No, Mila was like, my Mila's my
big bro. Yeah, I've known him for quite some time now,
I've known him for a decade now at this point,
Oh wow, I think yeah, yeah, because we were in
like the same the same Disney World, like the Disney
World at the same time because I was doing Season
one and Stuck in the Middle while he was doing
Zombies one promo, so it was like constant just same
worlds and everything like that. And then we were always
(02:10):
crossing paths and now we're obviously together getting the Zombies
four going.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
So thing you love when that happens, when you get
to actually work with people.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
That you love, it's so wild, it's it's honestly really fun.
It happened with another movie that I did called under Wraps.
I knew one of the kids, Christian J. Simon, and
we ended up like getting together and filming movie together.
It's so much fun. It's so sick. I love it.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
That's awesome. Man, Well you've been I mean you're busy
and booked. You've been working quite a long time. And
I'm always so fascinated by people like yourself who kind
of grow up so publicly, right Like you got your
kind of big break at eight, was it?
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Yeah? Yeah, when I booked Suck in the Middle, that's
when everything kind of took off. But I've been doing
it since I I think I started when I was
like four and a half five.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah, so you've been in it for a minute. Yeah,
stuck in the middle. Happened, it kind of it put
you on the map. You did it for three seasons, right,
and it's just kind kind of changed your life. And
here you are sitting in front of me, like this
is your norm. Has it been weird growing up in
front of the public eye?
Speaker 2 (03:07):
One hundred percent? Yeah, I mean that's definitely nothing really
prepares you for that.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
One hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
I think that I started so young that it's kind
of all I've known in a sense like that that
has been my childhood. So I think that in certain
in certain situations, there's like I mean, shoot, for example,
literally leaving GMA this morning was my first time, like
actually or not, I guess not my first time, but
like there's like paparazzi outside, and I like got in
(03:34):
the car and I was just like kind of chilling,
and my mom was like I was kind of crazy,
and I was like, yeah, there's people taking pictures, but like,
I don't know, it's just there's little things like that.
Are that are I guess a little more normal to me,
just because I think I would be a little bit
more shocked and flabberg acid by them if I wasn't
haven't grown up into it, grown up in the business.
(03:55):
But but yeah, I guess there's pros and cons that
come with it. Like you know, obviously cannot mess up
if you slip up every year slip up is is caught.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
But that's a lot of pressure.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
It's it's good good accountability.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's just so funny because
when I think about growing up, like I didn't have
any of that right or in social media wasn't really
as you know, popular, and it was just becoming a thing.
And I just so admire people like you who do
have a very public facing job. And to your point,
you're growing up figuring out who you are, evolving as
an artist and as a human. But you have to
be so conscious of like there are people watching me.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Yeah yeah, you kind of walk around at least to
me personally, I walk around with the idea that there's
a camera on me twenty four seven, just because, like
I mean, it's just it's like little things like you'll
be walking, you'll be on the beach, and I'm like
spending time with my friends and and I've always tried
to like live a very normal life outside of my work,
Like all my none of my like my like people
(04:53):
people are none of them are in the business I'm
friends with, Like they all go to go to high
school and we go to our like high school football games,
and like go to the beach and hang out and
go on drives. Like we just I try my best
to have like a normal life outside of this, just
to kind of keep me grounded in all those things.
But it's wild when like even while you're trying to
(05:13):
do that, it's there's still somebody in the far corner
that's like pretending to be on a phone call but
they're actually filming and it's so absurdly obvious. But but yeah,
it's fun. You meet so many different personalities too with it,
Like you I'll have like I remember me and my
mom sat down one day and we were like the
different types of people that will come up and ask
you for pictures. There's like the mom that comes to
(05:35):
ask for a kid, asked for her kid, and then
there's like the parent that comes to ask for their kid,
but they actually want the picture with you. And then
there's like the kid that says that they want to
like a video for their friend, but in reality you're
making a video with their name. Yeah, and then it's
like there's so many different personalities, but it's fun. You
can kind of make a game out of it and
just enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Yeah, yeah, learn to love it. It's so I mean,
that's that's a testament to the work that you do,
because people love what you're doing and they're excited to
meet you and hang out with you when they see you.
But b it's it's pretty cool that you've been able
to pave this way for yourself where you're doing work
you love, but you're also saying true to who you
are and shout out to your fam who I imagine
has something to do with keeping you on track over
(06:16):
these years. Right, But I love that you also have
a life outside of what you do. I think a
lot of people don't. Yeah, and that's when it can
get a little dicey.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
One hundred percent. I've always I've said this in a
couple other interviews a couple of times. Is the there's
like when you let your your like self worth be
based around your work. It's that's the second that's when
everything goes downhill, because I mean, I've let it happen
to me before, even with like social media and stuff
like the second you are oh I I mean the
(06:43):
second views go down, your mental state just plummets. And
it's like that obviously you want to steer clear from
that because that's clearly not healthy. And this specifically in
this world that we are in of entertainment, it's like
that is such a norm of just basing your self
worth around the views and what other people think and
all that type of stuff. And I and my parents
(07:04):
did a great job, like from when I was younger
putting me in I played baseball my whole like growing
up until I was fourteen, and like I skate, I surf,
I snowboard, I do all those things and that's like
those are my my outlets of likee of normal. So
but yeah, you know, it's it's wild.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Is it wild that people who love your work sometimes
kind of think that when they meet you or come
up to you, that you're the character and not like
the human that you actually are. There like twisting of
it right.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Yeah, totally, No, there's definitely, Like I remember when I
was it doesn't really happen as much now because I
feel like I've established myself a little bit more as
and as like an actor and not just like my characters,
not just my characters, and I feel like, honestly, funny enough,
TikTok has helped a lot with that of like being
able to kind of express myself on social media and
(07:54):
stuff like that, and not just the characters that I play.
But I remember I used to have moments when I
was when I did Suck in the Middle where people
would walk out and be like, hey, beast like and
you don't look at happens like, that's that's what you
That's why you do this. You you create these like
fantasies for people where it's like they get to go
into these worlds and like all they might know is
that you are the character that I kind of they
(08:14):
went into your world. So you know, hey, if they
if they want to call me Beast Diaz or if
they want to call me Victor or Kolby, whatever character
I played, go for it. I could care less. But
if you know me, that's even better.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Yeah, yeah, for sure. Well Victor, you bring up Victor
the cool guy, the cool charming guy. Well I should
say vampire. I mean, let's let's fellow what it is, right,
shout out to the vampire. So when you booked this,
the Zombies four, Were you like, man, I'm about to
go on this epic adventure with the franchise that is
so badass and popular, Like, am I ready for it?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Oh my god? Yeah, I know. I was so stoked.
I it was such a long audition process, like the
audition process for for Z four was. I mean, it was,
honest genuinely one of the longest ones I'd had. It
was I think not ten weeks, nine weeks something like that,
which obviously, like now looking at it, it's like, Okay,
that's not too crazy long, but like in the moment
(09:07):
you're sitting there, it's like chemistry read after chemistry after
chemistry read. So once we found out that I booked
it, it was kind of just like a finally all the
hard work paid off type of thing. But honestly, more
than all of that, it was I was so excited
to work with Megan Milo because yeah, I just I've
known that I've been like friends with them for so long,
and I know we talked about that earlier, but like,
(09:28):
just to be able to create with creative people is
such an opportunity in itself, So yeah, I was. I
was excited. We had such a great time and when
I found out that it was filming in New Zealand,
I was like in shock, and obviously I wanted to
go out there, but I never I was. It was
one of the it's you know, you know when you
have like a place you want to go to and
you're like, I really want to go there, but you
know for a fact you're never going to go there. Yeah,
(09:50):
it was one of those ones where it was like
I really really want to go to New Zealand, but like,
I'm probably never gonna go to New Zealand. New Zealand,
So it was like a great opportunity and you know,
we had fun and got a film and just hang
out and the locations were unreal. We filmed it a
lot of the same spots as Lord of the Rings,
which was so wild, so cool. It's like we went
to hobbiton and then we like were the second that,
(10:12):
like day later, we're filming in the same place that
that was filmed. So it's like it's wild, it super crazy,
full circle.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Oh my god. And it's obviously a musical. Yeah first
time you sang, yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
So it's not so not not the technically the first
time I've sang, but it is the It is the
first musical. It was a wild experience, super super fun.
I really enjoyed it. It was yeah, it was, it
was wild. I remember going into it, I had like
little to know dance experience.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
But for real, yeah, because I've seen you danceing all
over the TikTok.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yeah, I mean, okay, look when I say little to
know that little is the TikTok.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
I like, this guy can move dance experience for all that.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Though before I started doing like the TikTok dances or
whatever you want to call him, and this it was.
It was Yeah. I took like maybe one dance class
way back when, and you know, it was it's fun.
Dancing is cool. It's a cool way to express yourself.
But I never I never took it seriously. It never
was really my thing. And then this, and I've always
it's funny, like I said, both my parents are music
(11:19):
and I always classified like I was like, my mom's
the actor or no, wait, no, sorry, I'm the actor.
My mom's the singer. My dad is that it plays
every instrument there is, and it's like that's kind of
the bubble. So I was like I'm the actor and
I'm not much else, and then this opportunity presented itself.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
But why why did you think that? Did you think
you couldn't sing and dance or you didn't like you
just kind of put yourself in a box.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Honestly, I don't really know, to be honest, I don't
know why. It was like my young brain, I was like, no,
I'm an actor, which I still I'm still talk I
think that way every once in a while, but I
cause I think the acting has always been my thing
and that's what I enjoy. I love the creative side
of acting, and it's I think when yeah, when the
(12:05):
singing stuff, I was just like I always saw my
mom doing it. So my like eight ten year old
self was sitting there and like, oh yeah, my mom
does that and my dad does that, and I do
this and that's my thing. So so yeah, I never
really wanted to seep into their world, and then I
ended up seeping in a little more than expected. Yeah. Yeah,
(12:25):
but but yeah, I loved it. It was it was great.
It was a super cool experience, total singing and dancing
boot camp going into it.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
But so, do you have the itch? Do you want
to do more singing? In the future, or you're kind
of like that was for a project.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
You know what. Honestly, hey, you never know, Okay, true, truly,
I look I am like I said, acting is what
I truly love. I I love it. It's great. I
am a very just like listen to God's plan type
of guy and like whatever happens happens. I when it
comes to dancing, dancing, I enjoy a lot. I think
(12:59):
it's super fun.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
You can tell you enjoy. I mean watching videos of you,
you light up, You're grinning from me like you're in it.
If they make another step up, you could totally be in.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
I would be so down, you would be so sick.
I what I really want to do, wherever the camera is,
you gotta be listening. I really want to do Dancing
with the Stars. My mom works on Dancing at the Stars.
My mom was in the band, and I obviously my
low and Chandler both did it, and so I feel
like I it's my time to avenge them and take
(13:28):
the w for the Zombies crew.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
But you're ready, But you know what, Yeah, so I
think you can whip out a mean salsa.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Hey, if you need me to, I can't. Okay, always
always always, I'm always locked. You need me too, I'm down,
all right?
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Will you just manifest that it happens. You better come
back here and thank me, because we're putting it out.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
I'll be coming back here and you'll be like, Okay,
so you just won whatever it is dancing with the stars.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
So yeah, that's awesome. That's awesome. I have no doubt
all that will happen and more. Going back to Zombies
for a minute, I think part of the and why
it's been such a huge hit and people love it
so much as yes, it's fun and supernatural and like
all the things, but in that world, it's also very
grounded and people go through real life stuff and it's
very relatable the things that a lot of the people
(14:13):
in the show go through. What's a message in the
new one that resonates with you? Oh?
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Wow, see this is what I'm talking This is such good.
This is so good. Just like this because like people
always ask like, what's a good uh, what's like a
message in the movie, But like no one asks like,
what's a good message that with you? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (14:30):
What do you connect with?
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Honestly? Okay, ah man, that's hard. I think that there
is such a message of like finding yourself in this
movie and like going out of what you like, like
kind of I'm trying to think, like separating yourself from
what you've been taught your entire life. And I think
that comes with like the coming of age of like
you're growing up. And I think that that's obviously like
(14:54):
such a huge thing in my life right now. I
just graduated. I'm like kind of stepping out, buying a house,
like just moving, Like there's a lot of crazy, crazy
transition happening. So I would say like that idea of
just like you know, Victor, he is so anxious for
like the next experience and he's just so curious about
what the world has to offer. And I think I'm
so similar in that way. I am just like always
(15:18):
like always looking for the next adventure, always just like
you know, I want to I want to see what
else there is outside of what I'm used to. And
so I would say I would say that, but yeah,
I mean, yeah, I would say that the idea of
growing up and he's Victor's becoming a man as I'm
(15:38):
becoming a man, and we always that's one thing I
related most with him about that, So yeah, it was cool.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Yeah, you clearly have a lot of wonder.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Yes, a lot. Thank you so much for giving me
a new word. I just keep saying freaking, I keep
saying curious. It's now now. I say curious in literally
all my interviews, and I look over in the corner.
My mom's like, stop saying curious, and I'm like, whatever,
but wonder.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
I like, yeah, wonder, that's pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
I'm going to write that down.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
I write that one down later. That's something cool that
you and your character kind of go through and you
can pull from. And I think that's that's awesome that
you're in a chapter of your life where you're ready
to see what else is coming totally, you know, while
also doing so much already, like so much? Are you ever? Like, man,
I'm kind of killing it at my age.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
You know, there's moments where I'm like, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Yeah, good, I hope you are, because we don't do
that as humans enough.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
I think there's I can definitely very easily looked look
past it and just be like I'm just like which
I am. I'm a normal kid, Like there's nothing different
than me and any other eighteen year old boy out
on like anywhere. But but yeah, there's there's moments where
I'm like, whoa, Like I've only been alive for eighteen years,
(16:56):
and I am like, wow, you know what I mean.
So it's I'm proud of myself and I'm confident in
with the what the future holds.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Milo. We brought him up earlier. He's obviously an OG
in the franchise, Meg, I know you brought up working
with them, and how cool that was. Did you learn
anything from Milo professionally or personally, like throughout the duration
of this movie or even I guess knowing him all
these years, does he ever kind of gave you a
great little nugget of wisdom to help you along the way.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Honestly, it's so okay. It's so hard because I feel
like we've we have all like learned from each other
in a way, just like I think that he's experienced.
Milo similarly to me, has had like a very similar
journey of just like growing up in the business. And
obviously he's going through this, he went through zombies before,
(17:52):
and I mean he's the OG like you were saying,
But it's hard to pinpoint an exact piece of advice.
I mean, just like I think that Ah man, it's hard.
I would say one piece, Like one thing that he
did tell me was to always like, no matter how big,
like how big your career gets, don't let don't let
(18:13):
your head get that big too, like don't. I also
I quoted, I'm quoting that because I just made that
he said something along those lines, but he didn't say
that exactly, and I just said that quote malk On. No,
he he just cause like in on sets and stuff
like that, it's so important to be like a be
a person that people enjoy being around. And and I
(18:36):
think that it's so often people that get big and
they're all famous and whatever blah blah, they show up
on set and they genuinely they think they think they're
the ship. And that's like, I'm sorry, Disney, but like
it's I think that it's like a you know, it's
something that you have to be careful with because you're
really not like you're really not that guy. So I
(18:58):
think that one thing that I try my best to
do always on set is like I don't I if
I have the time, I'm gonna go get my own water.
If I am, if I have it free hand, I'm
gonna carry somebody else's bag. If I like, if like
a one of like the first ads is like opening
the door for me, I'm ninety nine percent of the
(19:19):
time holding the door for them. So it's like they're
just like little things like that that are just don't
let your head get to get too big because like
like then you're just like basic manners that your parents
taught you just go out the door. And it's like,
come on, you're not, like are you serious? So I
would say that that's I It's something I've always lived by.
But I think that Milo has definitely he is very
(19:43):
very similar in that way, and so he definitely emphasized
that for me during during his zombies.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
And by the way, that's in any industry, I mean
like an ideal with that too. I see people sometimes
and I'm like, bro, you're cool.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Like I'm sorry, no, I'm not that cl You're gonna
go home, and we all look the exact same way.
We're sleeping, Like you look stupid when you brush your
teeth too, Like let's let's be honest.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Yeah, I have no tolerance for that, Like I'm like you,
and I think it's a great piece of you know,
wisdom that he instilled in you and kind of reminded
you of because it is it's it's it's easy in
the worlds we work in to kind of sometimes get
wrapped up in it, but at the end of the day,
we all go home and do the same things.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
So I, oh, and Meg. Of course Meg is like
I mean, me and her are weirdly similar. Like that
is my sister right there, Like I'm obsessed with her.
She'd love her to death, but like she was just
always she was always telling me, just like how important
it is to like at least showing me in a way,
how important it is to live your life outside of everything,
(20:39):
because she is such a just like her sense of humor,
her the way she acts, like her like when she
gets home, she's like the way she texts, like the
the fact that she's sending memes in the group chat
and stuff like that, and like she's just funny and
like she didn't let this all this stuff get to
her head. And and she was just constantly reminding me
(21:00):
that like anything that you anything that you're going through
in this business, somebody has gone through before. So like
there's always somebody to talk to, There's always somebody that
knows exactly what you're obviously like not everybody knows exactly
what you're going through, but there's always somebody that's had
a similar experience. You just have to find that person.
And like, honestly, Meg and Milo were those people and
(21:20):
saying with Chandler and Kilie, they have lived so much
life in this business in such a short amount of time,
similarly similarly to me. So it's like we all we
all relate on that level, which I'm obviously very grateful
for grateful for them. I love you guys. You guys
are the best.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Well. I love that you bring up Meg. Meg actually
like participating in a group chat, right because I think
it's so no matter how busy you get and no
matter what you have on your plate, and even if
you're working a sixteen hour day, you have to check
in with the people that like mean something too.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
She doesn't check her text for Jacks. Okay, oh hang on,
hang on, hang on spot right now. I love you Meg,
I love you Meg, but it's a running Her and
Chandler don't like our sut They sucker responding, same with Milo,
but they respond they respond when it's like necessary, like
if like.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Like four weeks later yeah, oh no, no, no.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
No, I'm kidding, I'm getting I'm getting. Usually, but they
call like if you call them the answer yeah, so
it's just like but honestly, that's just because. But the
funny thing about that is that like when you're with them,
they are the most present people, Like they are not
on their phone, like and when they're not responding, they're
not on their phone because they are so present in
whatever they're else they're doing, and normally they'll respond within
like whether it's like a couple like a couple hours
(22:32):
like whether or like it's the next day or a
couple of days after. Like it's like they end up responding.
But it's just because they are so present. Like Meg
is not a big social media person. Sorry if I
if she doesn't really say that, but yeah, Meg is
not like a big social media person, and when you're
hanging out with her, she is just the most in
tune person, Like she's just all ears, like locked in
(22:54):
eye contact, like having such a great person to have
a conversation with. I remember I went out to dinner
with her in New Zealand and she this is just
like a funny Maggie moment. But she literally like brings
pulls out we sit down at this restaurant, she pulls
out a game like a stack of cards, and it
was like cards to read in case things get awkward,
(23:15):
and she literally it brought out cards that were like
questions that you pick from a deck of cards in
case like conversation stuffs and gets awkward.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
But like all things like that, I like that saying
in the moment.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Of course, of course, yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
I can't. We need more being in the moment, and
especially with these device like I am all for it,
like all four No, it's all of us all Like
when I I love to go to Hawaii and it's
one of my special places. When I'm there and I'm
hiking and just like looking at everything, like I swear
to god, dude, I get emotional because I'm like I
miss this, Like I miss just being in my body
(23:50):
and looking at nature and not worried about who's texting
me or work or an interviewer, like just being in
the moment. Ah. I could talk about it for forty
five more minutes, but let's get back to you. I
heard there were multiple versions of the ending for this movie,
you guys shot Is that true? So well, yeah, okay,
So is there a version you shot that you would
(24:10):
have been happy with as well where you're like, oh,
that could have been cool, saying.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Oh man, okay, that's a that's a really great question.
Oh oh okay, I would say, Okay, we shot, we shot,
like I mean, we shot probably four different endings like that.
I'm really happy with the one that they went with.
They we shot one. Oh, I guess, like I can't
(24:34):
say this because the movie's out and they already yeah. No, uh,
we shot one ending with frail like I ended up
becoming a vampire.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
I really really liked that one. That one was. I
thought that one was really really cool. I thought that
the concept. I just think that where the story could
have gone if that was a thing. The only thing
that I didn't really liked about that one was that
it felt like if she were to have been a vampire,
it would have like followed the exact same path as
like the old ones, just like I mean the identity
(25:02):
crisis that Meg has Addison has in the one, two
and three or and then finally ends in three. But
I feel like it would have followed a similar path.
But I thought I also could have led to some
really cool story I'm pretty sure that she grew wings
in one of them. I may be blanking, but I'm
(25:23):
pretty sure we filmed one that where she like grew
wings because obviously they were all green screen, so it
was just like I'd look over and just have different
reactions from him. But I remember there being one where
she had wings, and then yeah, I would. I would
say though, if they would have gone with the with
the vampire when I think it could have led to
some cool some cool storylines and stuff like that. But
(25:44):
also I think the water opens it up. Yeah, in
a such a vast way. There's so many different routes
that they could take. Myrraid's freaking. I don't even know
goldfish like, I don't know a Descendants Zombies crossover. Juliana
could pop out the water, like. There's so many things
that could happen. So yeah, you know, you really never know.
(26:05):
It's expecting unexpected with this franchise.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Did you know which ending was selected or you didn't
know until.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
So I didn't know until we did a screening where
we were able to finally see the movie.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
That was.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
Month and a half, two months ago something like that. Yeah,
I went and did a screening and that was the
first time I found out. And yeah, they didn't give
us any information. Wow, but hey, I'm happy with it.
I'm happy with it.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
It looked cool. Thanks.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Great.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Yeah, no, it looked awesome. It looked awesome. You brought
up the Descendants crossover. Do you know how many people
I see online talking about dying to know if you
were supposed to play Red's brother in the fourth movie.
Oh my god, that's like a huge online rumor. Have
you heard that.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
I've I'm being so serious, I've never seen it.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
Oh, like people are convinced that you were supposed to
play that role in it didn't work out.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Like I see, like like things about me and Kayla,
like being like twins or whatever, just because like red
hair and red clothing. We matched at the Zombies premiere
on accident, I'd wear red suits. He had a red dress.
But like, I I think that, I mean, shoot, no,
I wasn't supposed to be supposed to, but hey, that'd
be cool.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
Big rumor is there was like a scheduling conflict and
you couldn't do it.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
What the heck?
Speaker 1 (27:12):
Man?
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Where all over? Where do you guys get this from?
Where do you guys, get this. I swear this. I'm like,
they are the most random rumors that will pop up
on social media. It's like, oh my god, I had
a rumor that pops up on uh pop crave. You
pop crave of course, yes, Instagram, I've ever seen my
(27:34):
entire life. But anyways, pop crave. I saw there was
a pop crave article that came up about me dying
a car accident.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Oh my god.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
I was literally getting texts from like my closest closest
friends and they were like, yo, like are you okay?
And I'm like huh. And then I mean I think
my parents got text at one point of like hey,
like is Malachi okay? Like family texting, and I was like,
I'm good, I'm here in the flesh. We're all good.
(28:03):
But but yeah, no, it's so so funny.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
But I'm very glad you were here with me today.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Rumors, rumors, and no, I was not supposed to play
Kylie's Brothers.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Sorry, and you obviously did not pass away in a
car crash, so we can put that to bed as well.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Thank God.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
The internet's wild. Yeah that's wild, all right. So Zombies
four is out. Go watch it if you haven't seen it. Everybody, please,
what's something what's a project out now, a show or
a movie or a franchise that's caught your eye that
you're like, Oh my god, I would love to do
something like that one day.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Oh interesting, that's it. That's a great question. I would say, hmm,
I just watched No, I haven't seen it yet, but
I really want to see it is the f one
movie I really want to see. I'm a big car guy.
Cars have been my thing for the last three years.
I am obsessed with them. I'm obsessed with my car.
(28:58):
I work with my own car. I it's my baby.
I would love to do something car related. Grand Turisma
was also a great movie. I don't know if you
ever liked you saw it, but that was just such
a special movie because the idea of like a father
son relationship was really portrayed really well in that movie.
And I think that, you know, I'm really close to
my dad, love him. It's my boy. Shout out and so.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
Shout out to dad in the room.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
But no, it was, yeah, I think that, and then
when it I mean, look, I've always been so obsessed
with outer Banks. Out of Banks is like my stuff.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Yeah, it's ending.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Hardly because of Madeline Klein.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
But yeah, yeah, so you're a big fan of Madeline Cline.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Full transparency.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
I am meeting her on Monday. I'm covering the premiere.
If I note what you did last summer, would you
like me to pass a message to her?
Speaker 2 (29:54):
I honestly, hey, look, missus Clin, missus Barton, how about it?
How about that one past? Say hey, malec I Martin,
I don't know, just say, well, you just passed on.
Pass it on.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
You're you're already flustered, but I just brought her up
and you're flustered.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
You see this, I'm blushing, You're totally blushing.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
You also married her because you gave your last name.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
Yeah, that happened a while back, though.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
Got it, got it, got it guy?
Speaker 2 (30:21):
He in person, I'm better, I'm I'm better in person.
I'm more like.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
Under more confident. Okay, well, maybe if you have some
time in the coming days and want to film the video,
message happy to pass it on. And you went for
my bro to see if I can make something happen.
I got you, all right. I can't promise anything. I
will be with her on Monday, and I will see
what magic, I can.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Do I match making a couple of years, and I'll
be with her too. Okay, great, I'm playing Great, I'm
playing Banks. I love it. Love the show. I'm I'm
I surf so I would love it. Love to do
something like that.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Sweet, that's awesome. Is there somebody in the business who
you've always kind of admired or looked up to, or
even thought like, oh, that's a dude whose career like
I would love.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
I really, really really love Ryan Reynolds. I love Ryan Reynolds.
I think he is hilarious. Ryan Gosling is hilarious. I
just love the Ryans apparently. Shoot. I I love Jonah Hill.
Jonahill's hilarious. I mean, I obviously, I've always wanted to
(31:24):
do an Adam Sandler movie. I would love to do
something with Adam Sandler shout out. But but yeah, I
would say. I would say A big one for me
is either Ryan Reynolds or I'm actually very close with him.
I don't know if you know who Neil McDonough is.
I his son and my son. We've been close for
(31:44):
the last couple of years, and he was actually at
the Zombies four premiere and he's just somebody I even
though I I do know him, like it was, He's
just somebody that like is such like character wise as
I look up to that because he's just like so
in touch with like he's so confident, it's so like
he puts his puts his family first, Like it's so
(32:07):
such a real person, and you know, I appreciate that.
So I would say, like mentality and mentality wise, I
would say Neil is pretty great.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
So it's a solid choice. Oh yeah, oh yeah, solid choices.
You know what you want in life? Huh? You know,
you know what you want. You're very decisive. There's not
a lott of wishy washy with you. You're you, you
know what you want?
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, somewhat okay. But also I'm like, like
I said earlier, I'm very open, very open. What the
world has off.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Well, let's talk about the tour. You're going on tour,
tell me about it.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Oh my god, I mean there's just so much to
talk about. We are currently in the middle tech rehearsals.
We had five work, five weeks of rehearsal, shout out
center staging, mm hmm. But we're in San Diego right now,
just cooking it up going crazy. The show that we
are have worked up and is insane. It is a massive,
(33:09):
massive show I have, like I think, I think seventeen
dance numbers rolling through my brain right now.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
So and you said you're not a dancer, please please.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
Okay, okay, but but no, Yeah, it's it's a great show,
great cast. To the sentence, crew is like so nice,
love all of them. We have a great crew too.
It's yeah, it's been fun. Like it's like I said earlier, dancing,
singing new experience, but I mean, touring is a whole
different beast. I am like, I'm excited. I am a
(33:42):
lot less nervous than I thought I was gonna be.
I thought I was gonna like be coming up to it.
I'm like, whoa like a little bit of the jitters,
Like I thought I was gonna be tweaking out a
little bit. But honest to god, I am like I'm
not that worried for some reason. I'm just like I
feel like the dances are almost to a point where
it's like I don't really have to think about them,
and it's just like I can worry about other things
(34:02):
while I'm dancing. And I think that honestly by Like,
it's such an experimental process with the tour. I think
that the first couple of shows, Hey, if if I
mess up a couple of times, then yeah, like it's
not that big of a deeal you know what I mean.
I got forty other shows. But yeah, no, obviously I'm
gonna give it my best every every every city. But hey,
(34:23):
it's like it's a learning experience. I'm excited, it's the career.
The choreographers are nuts. Scotti and Reagan are like unbelievable.
There's so much fun to work with. And yeah they've
been they've been grinding a lot of sleepless nights for them. Yeah,
so very grateful. But but yeah, no, we're having a
great time. I'm excited to get to meet all you
(34:44):
guys and you know, travel a lot, see a bunch
of different cities I've ever been to. Yeah, it's gonna
be a great experience.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
People can grab tickets, Yeah, can watch you in action,
ask you he will not be my friend anymore. One
of them is about the tour and he wants to
know what city are you most excited for? You have
to name one.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Man, what city am I most excited for only one,
only one I am gonna say. I think it's I'm
gonna say Crypto. Now you think you may think that
like LA is a basic answer, but I just don't
think it is because I have I've seen so many
(35:25):
shows at Crypto that it's like to be on the
flip flop of it all and like be the one
performing in that arena. I just think it's gonna be
such a full circle moment. It feels like just yesterday
I was watching Jelly Roll like up on, I was
in a box watching him go crazy and like seeing
his B stage and with a flaming cage and all
his craziness, and then it feels like, now, oh, look
(35:47):
at me, I'm making my way to my B stage
with the B stage delay. That's a whole different, whole
different thing, crazy delay out there. But but no, I'm yeah,
I'm really really excited for Crypto. I think it's gonna
be a fun one. All my friends are going to
that one.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
Too, so yeah, and that's like a full circle moment.
So I totally get that town. Yeah, there we go.
And then he wanted to know what was more exciting
getting your first car or hearing that you were going
on tour.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Getting my first car. To be honest, so straight up,
I look honest to god, I love the door and
I am so excited. I am such a car guy,
and I have wanted to drive literally since the second
I could think about driving. And when I remember getting
my license, my parents gave me the Jeep that we
had and I built. I built that thing like I
(36:35):
just started dumping money into it, and I was like,
all right, I want new fenders. I'm gonna take my
resonator off, take my muffler off. I'm gonna make it
super loud, put underglow, do all these things. And I
did it. And I built that thing out to be
like a dream Jeep and then lifted wheels all the whole,
all the whole shebang. And so honestly, I would say
that I would truly say that excitement level was was
(36:58):
my car just because like it it's It was such
like a monumental moment in my life.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
I think he knew you would have picked that and
gush about it and wanted me to see you gushing
about your Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
But honestly, that but the Jeeps not the car that
I drive anymore. I drive it around but I have
a better I have a BMWM three. My boy, you
know what, you earned it.
Speaker 1 (37:18):
You earned it.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
Hey, I had to treat myself after Zombies four, so
I was like, hey, I'm just gonna but we did
it well.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
I love that. And unfortunately we're at that portion of
the interview where we got to start wrapping up a man.
I was having fun.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
I was so transparent. I was so exhausted when I
walked in here from this four thirty am start this morning.
But I am like, I feel like I could go
on a marathon right now. So I love feeling good.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
I love that. That's that's the point of the show.
I want people to come in and have fun and
chill and relax and enjoy. And I finish every interview
with the same question, and it's based off the title
of the show. And I created this question because I
work a lot of red carpets and junkets. As you
know that you've been to and you get two minutes,
four minutes with somebody and it's not real, and it's
the same sound bite you guys have to say over
(38:03):
and over again. And I guess I shouldn't say it's
not real, but it's not, it's not real connection, you
know what I mean. So I started this show where
I asked this question based off the title of the show,
which is, what is something you've never said before that
can mean anything to you at all, that you've never
gotten a chance to say in an interview, Whether it's
something you've learned, or advice or something to get off
your chest, anything, whatever it means to you. I want
(38:26):
to give you the floor to say something you don't
get a chance to say often.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
I love that I got one. This is one that
I don't really talk I haven't honestly talked to I've
talked about it a little bit. Is my my journey
with anxiety and stuff like that. I've I released a
clothing brand called j one nine after the scripture Joshua
(38:52):
one nine. It says, do not be afraid, do not
be discouraged, for the Lord your gab will be with
you wherever you go. Be strong, or be strong and
be strong couraged, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged,
for the Lord or God will be with you wherever
you go. And I have always lived by that scripture
since I was I mean, if we're gonna go into detail,
since I've never said this before. When I was I was,
(39:14):
I played baseball my whole life, which I are up
until I was fourteen, so I guess not my whole
life anymore. But I played baseball and then COVID hit, uh,
and I was just in a weird spot, I think,
as everybody was during COVID. It was a weird, a
weird place. Uh. My baseball practices moved to Zoom, which
it was like zoom workouts made no sense at all.
(39:35):
We were separated from people. And then I honestly, I'm
in I laugh at it. Now I'm gonna go into honestly, God,
I'm gonna go into detail. Why not? I I don't
know if do you ever remember like spice challenges and
stuff like that. Yeah, yeah, like where like the Spice
King would eat all that food. I was obsessed with
that for some reason. And I did this spice challenge
one time, and I like ate a buttload of like
(39:59):
really crappy stuf, like like hobb and Narrow ghost peppers,
stuff with talkies and like like Hobby Arrows. Saw all
this stuff and I pounded it the night before baseball
tournament and I showed up to baseball turn. The next day,
stomach was jacked and I was like in the outfield
and I was like, dude, I'm cooked. I needed to
(40:21):
go to the bathroom, and so I sprinted off the
baseball field and then I ended up for some reason.
It's I say this now laughing at it because it's hilarious,
but that whole day I literally was like barely able
to make it through the game because just having the
leave constantly constantly TMI, I know, but oh well, but no.
I The reason I bring that up was because that
(40:42):
started a I mean like a year and a half,
two years of like brutal panic attacks. I was. I
quit baseball. I got really really really close. I've always
been close to my grandpa, but I got really really
close with him. He's pastor over a church called Freedom
Fellowship in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and I got really really
(41:05):
close with him over that time. And he gave me
this bracelet that says josh j one nine on it,
the Joshua nine, which I told you, and it immediately
was like a thing where I was just I was.
I wore the bracelet everywhere. She don't know why I
don't have one on right now, but wore the bracelet everywhere.
It immediately became like a statement scripture in my life.
(41:26):
It's in my it's the bio, it's my bio on Instagram,
and I ended up releasing a clothing brand out of it,
and that I basically ended up going through this really
rough stage of just consistent anxiety, panic attacks, just like
wouldn't eat before going out, all that type of stuff.
And it was definitely took a toll on me, that's
for sure, But you know, hey, it was like I
(41:49):
think it was part of it was meant to happen,
just because I learned a lot. I learned a lot
in that experience, And yeah, I think that anxiety is
something is something so wild that like so many people
go through and not a lot bring it up, and
not a lot talk about it because it's such a
weird thing to express.
Speaker 1 (42:09):
Especially dud I don't even talk about it totally.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Trust me. I've been been there, done that, still do
that to this day. It's like there's a there's this
like stigma of like, oh, like we tend to hide
our things and keep it to ourselves, and then that's
when things can go south. When you when you are
just holding things in and then the one moment that
gets clipped is the moment that all that stuff you've
been holding in for the last year and a half
(42:33):
gets all gets let out at the same time. So
it's like, it's really important that I give props to
my dad for this because he's is very like he's
just always been. He's been a very very open, like
open about his emotions and all that type of stuff,
and I look up to that a lot. But I, yeah,
I think that that's something obviously I can get a
lot better at with as years go by and stuff
(42:56):
like that and as I mature and grow up. But yeah,
I think that, Yeah, just being able to being able
to be like emotionally intelligent and in touch with your
emotions is really important, especially as a guy, and not
being like not being afraid to like express how you
(43:18):
feel and stuff like that. So but yeah, that's like
that's a little bit of my my journey with anxiety
and all that type of stuff. But I just honestly
give all all the glory to God for that one.
Forget me through that. But yeah, never said that before.
How about that one?
Speaker 1 (43:38):
Well, I truly appreciate you sharing that. I think it's
not always easy to talk about something that you know,
we don't think is sexy or cool or you know,
it's it's like I said, it's real and a lot
of people go through it. A lot of people don't
talk about it. So even you're just saying it today,
people listening are gonna be like, oh, okay, cool, Like
I'm not alone. And this do looks like he has
the world in his hands, but he did with it
(44:00):
as well, So I think that's.
Speaker 2 (44:01):
Jack stomachs too.
Speaker 1 (44:02):
Guys. Hey, it happens. It happens.
Speaker 2 (44:05):
There you go, Hey, life happens.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
Come on, life happens. Seriously, thank you for sharing that.
That was really cool of you.
Speaker 2 (44:10):
Thanks for providing a space to share it.
Speaker 1 (44:12):
Well, I'm so impressed by you. I think you're not
only just such a talent, but you have a good
head on your shoulders, and I know Mom and Dad
won't let you not have that on your shoulders, So seriously,
I expect that to stay there. If I see you
going crazy in ten years and I'd be like, dude, no,
get back to New York, coming to Tali from Jersey.
Mom and I got you, But I'm going to also
kick your ass, so I appreciate to stay how you
(44:34):
are because you're killing it. Zombies four is out, now,
come and go see him in a city near you.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Please go buy your tickets.
Speaker 1 (44:43):
Thank you for hanging man.
Speaker 2 (44:43):
This was awesome, so much fun.
Speaker 1 (44:45):
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I've Never said this before.
It is hosted by me, Tommy Diderio. 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.
(45:07):
For more, rate review and subscribe to our show and
if you liked this episode, tell your friends. Until next time,
I'm Tommy Diderio.
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