July 27, 2023 • 29 mins
Ashley Fink aka Lauren Zizes joins Kevin and Jenna. In a GLEEful reveal, Ashley tells us how she’s responsible for Chris Colfer’s happy relationship.
Kevin and Jenna are pleasantly shocked by this as you will be.
In unsolved mysteries, Ashley’s still confused as to why one of her storylines disappeared.
**We stand in solidarity with our union SAG-AFTRA during the strike. For more information go to SAGAFTRAStrike.org.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
And That's what You Really Missed with Jenna.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
And Kevin an iHeartRadio podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Welcome to That's What Really miss Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
I'm Jana and I am Kevin, and we have an update.
We have news since we last spoke to you. All
good news, good news. We have done a little recon
research wanted to make sure we stood in solidarity with
our union. We have been approved to continue doing the
podcast where you were very excited and happy that SAG
(00:35):
has given us the go ahead and that we can
still be here with you guys, So hooray. If you
would like to learn more like we have been digging
into and learning all about this past week, go to
SAG Afterstrike dot org and it has all the info
about why the union is striking, why it's important to
support it, why we're in full support of it, and
(00:58):
why we wanted to make sure we did our due
deal diligence before we kept going. We wanted to go
ahead from our union that protects us every single day
when we go to work.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
So here we are enjoyed the episode.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
If you were here last week, you heard part one
with Ashley Fink.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
And all the nuggets, all the nuggets of information new
information she dropped. Are you kidding?
Speaker 3 (01:25):
My jaw was literally on the ground. I had no idea.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
I know, and it may not feel that big of
a deal to other people.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Okay, but feeling like we know everything, it's like something
I didn't know is exciting.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
It was like the first time I've seen you, like properly,
like gas was.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Really I was excited, I was invigorated. I was shocked.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
I was genuinely surprised. Well, there's more to it, so
let's let's listen.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
I love that she just turns your mouth on and
let's it go. Thanks for joining us again. Here is
part two.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
On the podcast, we talk a lot about like the
cringe worthy things, the things that don't age well, the
jokes that won't wouldn't play anymore obviously almost all of
them don't work for your character, you know, Like for
Tina and Mike, it was always like I was always like,
why do we have the same last name when we're
not both Chinese? Zics was like very it was very
(02:25):
like food driven. There was a lot of like, you know,
bribes with candy things like that, like, uh, did you
what did that make you feel at the time versus now?
Speaker 4 (02:35):
I hated it at the time, and I was really
bothered by it, and I didn't understand the dichotomy of
having her be this badass bitch and also having her
eat in every scene. And thank god Stacy K. Black,
the brilliant Stacy K. Black, who was the head or
hair to herman at the time and now she's gone
on to be the very prolific director. He came up
to Ryan and she was like, I don't want to
(02:56):
see another scene where Ashley eats. Ever. Wow, was such
an advocate for me, and I have chill bumps talking
about it. And I think he didn't never thought he didn't,
just hadn't thought of it that way, you know. It
was kind of like, oh, this is the way we
get a punchline. This is the punchline every time. So
much of it has to do with genetics, and like
do I sit around eating all day? No, I'm just
(03:17):
a human person. Like that's so much more interesting than that.
And they didn't really focus on the physicality of other people.
And the way they that was just like my whole storyline.
It was really bored. Every time we do press for
the movie or tour, it'd be like, oh, plus size
actress Ashley Fak I'm like, but I will say plus
size actress Seth.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Rogen, Right, it was really it.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Really bothered me, and thank goodness that sort of stopped
and they got to know more of who she was,
oh much of the show and not work today.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Yeah, it's kind of Some.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Of it is lucky that we got to do it
when we did it, because I mean, a school was mean.
People are mean, and of course the bullying and all
that stuff and Jane Lynch's character and stuff, that's all
super triggering and I understand why peop don't want to
watch it on TV. But at the same time, like
that is the high school experience.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
So yes, it's cool that we got to.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
Do some of that stuff, but obviously some of it
does not age well. And I got to say, I'm
really surprised the little the Little TikTok girlies love the
show so much, like because you would.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Think, right now, yeah, that's why we've had that conversation
so many times, because you, yeah, it seems like the
antithesis of what's being preached by gen Z. Yeah, and
then we say some crazy not okay things.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Yeah, and it's a popular show. Yeah, and it's so
funny because I feel like anything that's popular for a
really long time, the bubble pops and people want to
hate it, just and capacitating. I think that kind of
happened with Glee. For a while. People loved it, loved
to love it, and then it kind of went off
the air, and then it was just kind of like,
I'm not passe, but just people didn't have the love
for it they do. And then the pandemic happened and
(04:53):
everyone watched it on Netflix and it's just like crazy,
the abount of people who had resonated with now and
who loved it, and it's all but that's the one
thing that the show did so well was I think
everyone was represented. You had somebody you could connect with,
you know, And so I guess we're just lucky, the
kids like us, you.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Know, very lucky. Yeah, it's like a time capsule.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
It's like I watch other phenomenon, you know, like huge
shows like Friends, and a lot of that wouldn't age
well either.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
I mean all of them wouldn't age.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Well, but the big ones, the Juggernauts, and it's like
I still watch it with such love and and you know,
joy from those shows, and it just brings me like
ease and and like a calmness, and so I could
I can kind of understand its potentially like that people
understand that was it. It was a different time. Not
(05:46):
that it makes it acceptable, but it was a different
you know, grace.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Yeah, it does.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Give me a little faith in like people that they
can sort of contextualize the show like that, because I
would think people would critique it like it was made
twenty twenty three.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Yeah, they would, you know, maybe out with the bathwater
and mister Shu. Most of us has been pretty lucky.
That was a wild time, that that TikTok time.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
But yeah, god, oh my god, did you ever get slushy?
Speaker 4 (06:17):
By the way, Oh I never did. I was so
lucky because I.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Was like waiting in the reboot.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
Know, I did not. I was very lucky. I was
way too cool for that. Lauren would not have played
that way.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Oh wow, that's true.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, I mean you were the one character like out
of all of us, like, like, who's going to try
to You've beat their hats?
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Oh that's right. Silly Love Songs is the Santana Lauren fight.
My god, I still watch it is.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
I died so.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Good, the way Z throws her around.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Just how much of that was you guys versus how
much uh.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
The doubles they did the whole thing.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
We didn't have doubles a budget we're talking about. No,
I just kidding, i'mu of course we did. We had
a stunt coordinator. We had a stunt coordinator, but that
was us. We did it well. No, when when I'm like,
there was one big throw, that's right, yeah, I did everything.
When they tried, they could not find a stunt they got.
They brought a man for my stunt double. You stop
right now, you stop right now every time, and he
(07:27):
just there was no way they could make it look
like it was me. And then we did most of it.
I and I also like we had a stunt coordinator there,
but also we knew each other really well. It was
kind of like what are you comfortable with? And and
all that stuff. Were like she's trying to pull on
me and I'm just standing there like, bitch, are you kidding?
Like that's just stuff we added or like so you guys, yeah,
we just yeah, or when like the smack was written obviously,
(07:49):
so she smacks me and I hand uh puck the glasses.
But I just love a forest. I ends you, like,
I just I don't know. It's so good. That was scripted.
It like I'm lying on the heights adjacent.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
It's just so fun. Yeah, it was the most incredible
fun I had.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
For sure, And uh yeah it was. It was. We
definitely had a stub coordinator and all that stuff, but
a lot of the the jokes that we mined in
there were very much nigh andizing, like are you cool
with this?
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Like this?
Speaker 4 (08:16):
And then you know, Dot, who I'm also super close with,
comes in and breaks up the fight, and Dot and
I kind of added this moment where like I like
go like this to another kid, like I like I'm
going to punch him because he's like watching, And she's.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Like, hey, you know, like all that stuff too good.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
The way Na flew through the air.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
And then I think she got air, she took air,
and then I think when it hits the ground and
it's like the back of her head that I'm pulling.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
That was definitely that was the double exactly, very short,
very minimal does not work.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
I bet they probably were like, you're not doing.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
That, let's do it well. Also, that fairy would not
have lasted, you know, wouldn't have.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
I don't know if you guys on the podcast The
Fairy Vale, have you?
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Yeah, people know about fairy Vale for sure.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
I mean I knew they knew back in the day,
But like that, I will never forget, just you know,
being on an award show and Gwyneth Peltrow or Kristin
Chenna with being like my Fairyvale, You're like, oh my god,
that's our legacy that lives on. So right, do you
guys remember the last night on tour in the States
before we flew to London. We were all bored children
(09:27):
that were trapped in the hotel and we played spin
the Bottle. We all played Spin the Bottle, and then
there was this weird talent show New York and it
was not New York. It was that weird like Minnesota hotel.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
This is was it the first masterpiece for my.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
Birthday masterpiece theater?
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Yes, yes, that birthday.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
It was Troy and we were in that weird old
hotel where you had like actual physical keys and Corey
Loss's keys. So we just went across the street and
got a hotel room because you didn't want to deal
with but no there, yeah, oh yeah for sure. And
uh and that's where we just ever twinkles because we
had like champagne with a vodka top or at his
hotel across the street. Remember twinkle.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
So fuck and then all of London that's all we
drank was twinkles.
Speaker 4 (10:10):
I wondered how a twinkle? I mean, I love it
going down and I wanted to.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Yeah at the end of the night, but no, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
So it started as Mousterpiece and we all did like
a talent show.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Huh yeah. Masterpiece theater is the thing that we did,
like Masterpiece. If you noticed in the show when we
kiss each other, we say I want to mouse you,
because that was in real life. That's what we said
to each other. And then Mousterpiece was a thing that
started on my birthday and then people would adopt it
for their birthdays where people would have to do random
any any sort of talent anything like Chris Colfer took
(10:48):
the glass off of the coffee table and blew it
like a blowfish like, so his face blew up like
that was his talent.
Speaker 4 (10:55):
And then he took the weird like crystal thing off
the top of the light the lamps Hayden was doing
weird like karate stuff. Clothing was optional. Clothing was always optional.
But at the end of it, we all were just
like a little drunk, and Zach had finally gotten there,
and Darren had been jamming with the Warblers and he
(11:16):
finally got there. And we're also like, let's play spin
the bottle because we're not ground ups, and we all play.
We all played spend the bottle and everyone ended up
kissing everyone because that's what we did. And then but
Corey was patient zero and he had a cold, and
so we all flew across the country with a sinus
infection and like had they all land and get like
(11:37):
beach twelve shots.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
We did get in Manchester because we were sick as ship.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
Because I was dumb asses all made out with each
other before we had to fly across the country and
I don't know why. I just thought of that, but I.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Did not know that's how the contagion started. On my birthday,
my gift to.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Thank you so much for that, Kevin.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
That's one of my favorite memories.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Wow, that was a very special night. That was hilarious.
I won't say who Corey had to kiss, but I
just remember watching his face and it was so sweetly
and it was just I was like, I'm I remember
thinking like I need to lock this in. This is
hilarious and wonderful.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Yeah, forever, forever.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
We played Spin the Bottle so often. It was insane,
gender blind Spin the Bottle?
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Now, did they put that in blame it on the
alcohol episode because they knew we played.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
It so much? Or was that the catalyst for us
to actually.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
Feel like that way? Right? I feel like, but we
definitely did blame it on the alcohol before tour. There
could have been a Spin the Bottle before that.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Twenty years old. You guys, we played Spin the Bottle.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
I think we had done it before we had done it.
We had done it before we had I think we
played it that night the Super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Come, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Yeah, because it's a gateway drug.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
You know, well, I mean, who else are we going
to make out? We literally lived there.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
And you know, if you're not we know each other
so much. Everyone's like, oh, our friends are so hot,
and yeah, like why not?
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Also, if you're not making out with your friends, what
do you do? You're doing it wrong. You know you're
doing it wrong.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Speaking of tour someone you were always working as an actor,
not necessarily a musical artist going on tour, but you
come from the musical theater.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
I went to musical theater school and everything.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
So being on stage singing fine, been there, done that,
sure tour, but not in front of twenty thousand people.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Broken foot.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
That was more of oh my god, that's right.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Filming the last episode of Good season two, we were
dancing the TKTS steps and Heather Morris pleasant Work tripped
because she was wearing heels and grabbed me for support.
But I was, you know, dancing, I was doing my ship.
You know, camera was on me and I didn't notice,
and so she just grabbed me and we both just
tumbled down the stairs. And I stood up and I
(14:19):
was like, oh, it was my foot. Uh, And then
I got through the episode and and whatever. But so
I had like a my foot was fractured in like
three places. And we only had like three days off
from filming before tours started. Yeah, so that was my Like,
I that was one thing that sucked because I really
was excited about the singing and dancing, and like they
(14:39):
didn't even realize my mic didn't work for like three
ups before like three cities. I'm just keeping at one stops.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
I'm laughing because it's insane.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Bet from some of the like huge bigger numbers, just
because I literally like I was limping. And but then
as I like the tour went on, like it got
much better. But the craziest thing about tour was like,
I'm so lucky for my experience with Glee and I
will treasure it forever, and like, how incredible that I
got to be a part of this. However, there's so
(15:09):
much of my experience where I was like the step child,
Like I was on tour, but I wasn't really on tour.
I wasn't on any of the merchandise. The Glee three
D poster they used a picture of me from rehearsal
when I had no hair and makeup.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
On I'm so glad you were on it.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
Shocking that I was on it.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
I wasn't on it. You're not on the poster now
they forgot.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
I would rather have not been on it than on it.
I look, it's bad. It's bad, and I honestly think
I have my ace bandage on.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Way.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Yeah, can we google this and let me look?
Speaker 3 (15:44):
I mean, we're so little in it anyway, like it's bar.
We're all barely legible that it's we're in it arena.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
Security never believed I was like in the show. So
I had a whole solo thing where I'd come down
the stairs and I'd be like in Fat One, girls
are like get over here, Puckerman, and we would run
and like find each other and like k and whatever
and run back on stage and we all like jammed
out with like Cord and Corey. But without fail even
though I'm like, get over here, Pokerman with a microphone
(16:11):
in a spotlight. As I'd run down the stairs to
meet Mark, I would get tackled by security, throw me
against the wall because they were like, who's this big
ass fan running down here? Try to attack this man
every time, and so it was it became hilarious, and
like Mark would always do what he could to be
(16:34):
like I would say, and I'd be like, I don't know,
and then they'd kind of realized and we just sort
of keep it pushing, like it became a thing. So
then every single city, Mom Rob or somebody in our
security team would take me to meet the security people
and be like these are the stairs she's going to
be running down and about half the time they wouldn't
(16:57):
tackle me. So it's so funny because there are so
many videos those people like filming this moment. There used
to be on you Ti. I don't know if they're
still there. On Twitter, people always tag me because it's
like hilarious, like I am running down having my like
big solo moment and then I get like tackled by security.
And that's just sort of my clear experience in general.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
How did you get down there with your boot on?
Did you just do it?
Speaker 4 (17:22):
It wasn't allowed. I didn't wear I did not wear
the boot. I had to leave the boot and Thomas
the stank engineer crazy bank, Oh I think I can,
I think I can. That was the name of the
plane on tour. And then I would just like wrap
it in an a spanders that was hid by like
the nine layers of clothing.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
They had me.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
Oh my god, those costumes, remember how much we love those.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
We could we could have a whole season about those costumes.
The costumes.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
We had some issues white damn jackets that we threw
into the audience in Ireland. Well, I'm sorry that that
was your tour experience.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
I no it's great to see the world. I hear you. No,
I hear you though, yeah in.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
The bottle, but it was like, yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Yeah, I hear that, I feel you.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
Everyone had merchandise and like all my friends and family
would come to the tour and be like, and you know, whatever,
there are worse things. I'm on, like the biggest show
in the world, traveling the world for free. Like I'm
so grateful and I have so much, you know, gratitude
for the whole experience. But it was just funny. I
was like, this is so indicative of my time.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
What a strange, strange experience.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
You had such a unique experience with similar challenges to
some of the things that we dealt with, but also
while getting paid a lot. Yeah, you know, it's like, okay,
at least I was like weaving a co in the back,
and I was very expensively doing it, you know, but
like I get.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
It and then sort of like what me touched on
it again, I have nothing but gratitude for the experience,
like I've experienced something that only fourteen other people have.
But it did also stop us from getting other jobs,
like Fox couldn't.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Address and I Susman too, he had he was going
to test and got on pause as well.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Yeah, that's tough.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
That's because especially for you, it's like you had you
had a decision to make.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Yeah, decisions plural and yes you had.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
You're very lucky to have many decisions and for some reason,
well you chose that.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
I did if, like I said, it felt important, And
I don't know, the kids that would come up and
talk to me all the time, it really resonated with me,
and I don't know, but the business side of things
is something like as as we've gotten older, like I
wish that people would teach kids that, Like, I don't
think there's enough emphasis on like young talent being taught
(19:52):
about the business. And I think they had a lot
of times I have representation that I didn't but like
want to take advantage of them, and they don't have
your best interest in heart, and they're just excited you're working,
and I don't know, I I just feel like it's
a disadvantage for a lot of younger actors, you know,
like now we've all do stuff, we're all business people,
are on our own right and you totally see every
step of the other side of it. And it's just like, man,
(20:13):
I wish that I knew more about that right back then.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Well, because it is a business, yeah, because.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
It doesn't feel like a business, like we're family and
everything is a game. This whole industry is a gamble.
But you can't always just be able to have your
back the way you have theirs, and there's a bottom
line and there's all these things at play that you're
you know, it's just interesting. But yeah, I did it
did It was great, and but but I would come
in once a season, you know, and so not being
(20:41):
able to work on other stuff. There was a big
franchise that a friend of mine wrote and wrote a
character for and me in and I wasn't even allowed
to audition for it. It's like, oh she was one, she
can't be another singing movie. It's weird, Like it's a
conflict of interest. And so that kind of sucked because,
like I'm sure you guys even experienced this, like going
from working to one four hours a day every day,
(21:02):
and like you don't have weekends off because you're doing
charity events, you don't have somewhere off because we're on tour,
and then not having anything new. It's like so weird
for your mental health.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Because people don't like, like actively don't want to work.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
Yeah, but just like going from that busy lifestyle to
like being like what how do I?
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (21:24):
Did you guys feel that way when the show ended.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Yeah, it took a while for me because luckily I
had some things lined up afterwards. Like I know, Kevin
went off to London to work for a little bit,
I moved to New York. I was like, hit it
and quit it. Let me go do some stuff in
New York. So I worked for a while, but then
then the law happened about a year after, and that
(21:48):
was really hard. And then as the time went on
even longer, it was like you're separating yourself from the
worth of what you know, because we were so young
when we were doing it, Like I connected everything on
my whole worth and self love with.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
My career working since I was three years old, like.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
It, and so separating finding how to love myself, finding
how to stand up for myself because a lot of
Glee was, oh, you're such a good team player. Oh
John is one of the ones that will do whatever
we ask absolutely, So that was definitely I was think
about that the other night. I was like, these relationships
even in my life that I was in. I was adaptable,
(22:28):
I was I was a minimal I was you know,
and then all of a sudden, it's like, but what
about me? At some point it was it like clicked
and it was like, but what about me?
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (22:37):
That was really crazy, Kevin? Did you did you have that?
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Like?
Speaker 2 (22:41):
I think the three of us are similar in that
exact way, I have to say. I think because we've
been doing this for a really long time. Yeah, and
we're family. Yeah, And it's like you the old woos, like, yeah,
we'll work hard, keep our head down, keep it moving,
like happy to just be here, happy to have a job,
you know.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
But I agree with you actually like the business side
of things. I wish I had learned more and I
am kind of business saving. I do have that ability
to turn that on so like, And maybe it's because
we've all worked for so long that like we we
had the foresight or like the hindsight.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
I don't know either one both, but like, but for you,
it's like.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
I felt like I feel like because we're artists and
and a lot of people lead with their creative side
in this industry, a lot of people lead with their
heart and all of our emotions. It's like, and then
along with it, it's like, just.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
Be gratefully you have a job.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
The business side goes by the way side, and that's
where we're not protected.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
And that's why we're in a strike right now, because
we really that's why we have unions to protect us.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
It's hard to like when you are like leading with
creativity too, it's like you shouldn't have to worry about
the side of it because like, you're not hired to
do business.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
No, you're hired to make people feel something, and that's
obviously some going.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Well, yeah, I agree with Jenna, what about you? Actually,
I think if unfortunately though, you need to have some
sort of business acumen to navigate it because you're especially
for us, that started really hard, right You're thrust into
a world of adults who have been doing this and
who know how to do it. We know how to
do that now, and we can help people who younger.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
If I could go back, oh my god, you know,
I mean definitely fel the same way. But it's like, also,
you're we were so busy, like we didn't you know,
we had to have people taking care of that kind
of stuff for us. We I didn't have you know,
we didn't have time to do for ourselves. But then
you're putting a lot of faith and your reps and
the network people to like look after you and take
care of you. And if you know, yeah, it's smart
(24:48):
to it's smart if you're if you're a little human
out there who wants to get into this business. I
would say, read a book about the businesses, because very
easy to get swept up in the romance of the
fun and how lucky you are. But also sometimes people
get really taken advantage.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Of because lucky to have a job is great, but
I can get out of hand very quickly.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
Yeah, and on top I think that we were in
a very unique situation. But I there's this thing with
I'm trying to think how to say this, this thing
with actors where they don't want you to feel like
you have enough, have any control or any power.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Like completely kept down.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
So if you constantly feel replaceable and cut down and
all that stuff, then it keeps you complacent, right, it
keeps you in the way that we all were. I
don't want to rock the boat and all these things.
And some people like doing some things that you're maybe
not comfortable doing, but you don't want to say no.
And that's something I stopped after Lee, Like, you know,
I was like, I'm not doing any more sad factral
(25:50):
parts like not you know and stuff like that, and
so it's like, I don't know, it's just interesting. The
business side of it is just so interesting. But you're
totally right, Like separating yourself worth as a human from
the success of your job, for how many people care
about your job, like, is so important, especially because now
(26:10):
it's like back when we started, it was like who's
the most talented, you know in a lot of ways,
and now so much other things and so many other things.
You know, how many followers do you have? How much
can you bring to a project and all that stuff.
And we're lucky, because you're ugly, we have a nice following,
and I'm so grateful for that. Just so many things
come into play other than just showing up and auditioning
(26:32):
or doing your.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Job totally, especially because we're in such formative years, like
learning about ourselves as humans and then all of a sudden,
millions of people around the world watch us every single week.
You're like, I don't know who am I? I am?
Speaker 1 (26:48):
You are?
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Yeah, exactly we thought we were.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
I think we know those twinkles.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
Or concused us before we let you go. What what
is the feeling that Glee leaves you with?
Speaker 4 (27:05):
Honestly family, truly, truly, madly, deeply family, and like we're
all good people formative years. Getting that famous, y'all, getting
that famous that young is such a recipe for disaster,
as we all know. But I feel like the majority
of us have so much gratitude and and are so grounded,
(27:25):
and I would take a bullet for any one of y'all,
you know, And and the cool thing about Glee is
every set I've been on since somebody there worked on Glee,
even if it's the you know, the step photographer or whatever,
it just feels like everywhere you go you know somebody
you know. And having all y'all is just uh, I mean,
just think about all the things we've supported each other,
and like flying to London to see Amber and you know,
(27:48):
Amber winning the Mass Singer and Amber Winding dancing with
the Stars.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Wait a second, yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
Mean like it's awesome how they support.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Yeah, that shows up we're lucky. We are lucky.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
Yeah, fam, well, we.
Speaker 3 (28:04):
Are lucky for you and that we got to have
this wonderful conversation with you today.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
We're so grateful and thank you for being so open.
And I know it's I think it's it's nice and
people trust us and this enough to know that they
can be open and we can therapize together exactly same
and get it out there.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
He love I love you well.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
I hope you guys enjoyed part two of Ashley. Thank
if you haven't listened to part one and go back,
because there's a.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Lot of stuff, a lot Ashley, thank you so much
for being here and being open and honest and sharing
your I mean roller coaster Glee journey. What a roller coaster.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
We love Ashley.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
I love her. I mean I can't remember a world
in which she wasn't in it in terms of like Glee, right,
It's very strange.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
I'm also shook because obviously we know that I don't
know a lot about Glee.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
That the.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
That she left the Glee Club and then wasn't there
like it felt like she was always there obviously, because
she was there behind the scenes we saw at every
party all the time. But I was really I'm really
shook that she was only in twenty five episodes.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Yeah, it doesn't compute in my brain. But she's a
part of our lives forever, correct, and you can't put
that into episodes.
Speaker 1 (29:23):
Jenna Well said Kevin, thanks for joining us. Come back
next week for another recap.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Thanks Ashley, and That's what you really missed. Thanks for
listening and follow us on Instagram at and That's what
you really miss pod. Make sure to write us a
review and leave us five stars. See you next time.
And That's what You Really Missed with Jenna.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
And Kevin an iHeartRadio podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Welcome to That's What Really miss Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
I'm Jana and I am Kevin, and we have an update.
We have news since we last spoke to you. All
good news, good news. We have done a little recon
research wanted to make sure we stood in solidarity with
our union. We have been approved to continue doing the
podcast where you were very excited and happy that SAG
(00:35):
has given us the go ahead and that we can
still be here with you guys, So hooray. If you
would like to learn more like we have been digging
into and learning all about this past week, go to
SAG Afterstrike dot org and it has all the info
about why the union is striking, why it's important to
support it, why we're in full support of it, and
(00:58):
why we wanted to make sure we did our due
deal diligence before we kept going. We wanted to go
ahead from our union that protects us every single day
when we go to work.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
So here we are enjoyed the episode.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
If you were here last week, you heard part one
with Ashley Fink.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
And all the nuggets, all the nuggets of information new
information she dropped. Are you kidding?
Speaker 3 (01:25):
My jaw was literally on the ground. I had no idea.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
I know, and it may not feel that big of
a deal to other people.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Okay, but feeling like we know everything, it's like something
I didn't know is exciting.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
It was like the first time I've seen you, like properly,
like gas was.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Really I was excited, I was invigorated. I was shocked.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
I was genuinely surprised. Well, there's more to it, so
let's let's listen.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
I love that she just turns your mouth on and
let's it go. Thanks for joining us again. Here is
part two.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
On the podcast, we talk a lot about like the
cringe worthy things, the things that don't age well, the
jokes that won't wouldn't play anymore obviously almost all of
them don't work for your character, you know, Like for
Tina and Mike, it was always like I was always like,
why do we have the same last name when we're
not both Chinese? Zics was like very it was very
(02:25):
like food driven. There was a lot of like, you know,
bribes with candy things like that, like, uh, did you
what did that make you feel at the time versus now?
Speaker 4 (02:35):
I hated it at the time, and I was really
bothered by it, and I didn't understand the dichotomy of
having her be this badass bitch and also having her
eat in every scene. And thank god Stacy K. Black,
the brilliant Stacy K. Black, who was the head or
hair to herman at the time and now she's gone
on to be the very prolific director. He came up
to Ryan and she was like, I don't want to
(02:56):
see another scene where Ashley eats. Ever. Wow, was such
an advocate for me, and I have chill bumps talking
about it. And I think he didn't never thought he didn't,
just hadn't thought of it that way, you know. It
was kind of like, oh, this is the way we
get a punchline. This is the punchline every time. So
much of it has to do with genetics, and like
do I sit around eating all day? No, I'm just
(03:17):
a human person. Like that's so much more interesting than that.
And they didn't really focus on the physicality of other people.
And the way they that was just like my whole storyline.
It was really bored. Every time we do press for
the movie or tour, it'd be like, oh, plus size
actress Ashley Fak I'm like, but I will say plus
size actress Seth.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Rogen, Right, it was really it.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Really bothered me, and thank goodness that sort of stopped
and they got to know more of who she was,
oh much of the show and not work today.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Yeah, it's kind of Some.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Of it is lucky that we got to do it
when we did it, because I mean, a school was mean.
People are mean, and of course the bullying and all
that stuff and Jane Lynch's character and stuff, that's all
super triggering and I understand why peop don't want to
watch it on TV. But at the same time, like
that is the high school experience.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
So yes, it's cool that we got to.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
Do some of that stuff, but obviously some of it
does not age well. And I got to say, I'm
really surprised the little the Little TikTok girlies love the
show so much, like because you would.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Think, right now, yeah, that's why we've had that conversation
so many times, because you, yeah, it seems like the
antithesis of what's being preached by gen Z. Yeah, and
then we say some crazy not okay things.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Yeah, and it's a popular show. Yeah, and it's so
funny because I feel like anything that's popular for a
really long time, the bubble pops and people want to
hate it, just and capacitating. I think that kind of
happened with Glee. For a while. People loved it, loved
to love it, and then it kind of went off
the air, and then it was just kind of like,
I'm not passe, but just people didn't have the love
for it they do. And then the pandemic happened and
(04:53):
everyone watched it on Netflix and it's just like crazy,
the abount of people who had resonated with now and
who loved it, and it's all but that's the one
thing that the show did so well was I think
everyone was represented. You had somebody you could connect with,
you know, And so I guess we're just lucky, the
kids like us, you.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Know, very lucky. Yeah, it's like a time capsule.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
It's like I watch other phenomenon, you know, like huge
shows like Friends, and a lot of that wouldn't age
well either.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
I mean all of them wouldn't age.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Well, but the big ones, the Juggernauts, and it's like
I still watch it with such love and and you know,
joy from those shows, and it just brings me like
ease and and like a calmness, and so I could
I can kind of understand its potentially like that people
understand that was it. It was a different time. Not
(05:46):
that it makes it acceptable, but it was a different
you know, grace.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Yeah, it does.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Give me a little faith in like people that they
can sort of contextualize the show like that, because I
would think people would critique it like it was made
twenty twenty three.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Yeah, they would, you know, maybe out with the bathwater
and mister Shu. Most of us has been pretty lucky.
That was a wild time, that that TikTok time.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
But yeah, god, oh my god, did you ever get slushy?
Speaker 4 (06:17):
By the way, Oh I never did. I was so
lucky because I.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Was like waiting in the reboot.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
Know, I did not. I was very lucky. I was
way too cool for that. Lauren would not have played
that way.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Oh wow, that's true.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, I mean you were the one character like out
of all of us, like, like, who's going to try
to You've beat their hats?
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Oh that's right. Silly Love Songs is the Santana Lauren fight.
My god, I still watch it is.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
I died so.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Good, the way Z throws her around.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Just how much of that was you guys versus how
much uh.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
The doubles they did the whole thing.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
We didn't have doubles a budget we're talking about. No,
I just kidding, i'mu of course we did. We had
a stunt coordinator. We had a stunt coordinator, but that
was us. We did it well. No, when when I'm like,
there was one big throw, that's right, yeah, I did everything.
When they tried, they could not find a stunt they got.
They brought a man for my stunt double. You stop
right now, you stop right now every time, and he
(07:27):
just there was no way they could make it look
like it was me. And then we did most of it.
I and I also like we had a stunt coordinator there,
but also we knew each other really well. It was
kind of like what are you comfortable with? And and
all that stuff. Were like she's trying to pull on
me and I'm just standing there like, bitch, are you kidding?
Like that's just stuff we added or like so you guys, yeah,
we just yeah, or when like the smack was written obviously,
(07:49):
so she smacks me and I hand uh puck the glasses.
But I just love a forest. I ends you, like,
I just I don't know. It's so good. That was scripted.
It like I'm lying on the heights adjacent.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
It's just so fun. Yeah, it was the most incredible
fun I had.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
For sure, And uh yeah it was. It was. We
definitely had a stub coordinator and all that stuff, but
a lot of the the jokes that we mined in
there were very much nigh andizing, like are you cool
with this?
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Like this?
Speaker 4 (08:16):
And then you know, Dot, who I'm also super close with,
comes in and breaks up the fight, and Dot and
I kind of added this moment where like I like
go like this to another kid, like I like I'm
going to punch him because he's like watching, And she's.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Like, hey, you know, like all that stuff too good.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
The way Na flew through the air.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
And then I think she got air, she took air,
and then I think when it hits the ground and
it's like the back of her head that I'm pulling.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
That was definitely that was the double exactly, very short,
very minimal does not work.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
I bet they probably were like, you're not doing.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
That, let's do it well. Also, that fairy would not
have lasted, you know, wouldn't have.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
I don't know if you guys on the podcast The
Fairy Vale, have you?
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Yeah, people know about fairy Vale for sure.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
I mean I knew they knew back in the day,
But like that, I will never forget, just you know,
being on an award show and Gwyneth Peltrow or Kristin
Chenna with being like my Fairyvale, You're like, oh my god,
that's our legacy that lives on. So right, do you
guys remember the last night on tour in the States
before we flew to London. We were all bored children
(09:27):
that were trapped in the hotel and we played spin
the Bottle. We all played Spin the Bottle, and then
there was this weird talent show New York and it
was not New York. It was that weird like Minnesota hotel.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
This is was it the first masterpiece for my.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
Birthday masterpiece theater?
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Yes, yes, that birthday.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
It was Troy and we were in that weird old
hotel where you had like actual physical keys and Corey
Loss's keys. So we just went across the street and
got a hotel room because you didn't want to deal
with but no there, yeah, oh yeah for sure. And
uh and that's where we just ever twinkles because we
had like champagne with a vodka top or at his
hotel across the street. Remember twinkle.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
So fuck and then all of London that's all we
drank was twinkles.
Speaker 4 (10:10):
I wondered how a twinkle? I mean, I love it
going down and I wanted to.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Yeah at the end of the night, but no, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
So it started as Mousterpiece and we all did like
a talent show.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Huh yeah. Masterpiece theater is the thing that we did,
like Masterpiece. If you noticed in the show when we
kiss each other, we say I want to mouse you,
because that was in real life. That's what we said
to each other. And then Mousterpiece was a thing that
started on my birthday and then people would adopt it
for their birthdays where people would have to do random
any any sort of talent anything like Chris Colfer took
(10:48):
the glass off of the coffee table and blew it
like a blowfish like, so his face blew up like
that was his talent.
Speaker 4 (10:55):
And then he took the weird like crystal thing off
the top of the light the lamps Hayden was doing
weird like karate stuff. Clothing was optional. Clothing was always optional.
But at the end of it, we all were just
like a little drunk, and Zach had finally gotten there,
and Darren had been jamming with the Warblers and he
(11:16):
finally got there. And we're also like, let's play spin
the bottle because we're not ground ups, and we all play.
We all played spend the bottle and everyone ended up
kissing everyone because that's what we did. And then but
Corey was patient zero and he had a cold, and
so we all flew across the country with a sinus
infection and like had they all land and get like
(11:37):
beach twelve shots.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
We did get in Manchester because we were sick as ship.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
Because I was dumb asses all made out with each
other before we had to fly across the country and
I don't know why. I just thought of that, but I.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Did not know that's how the contagion started. On my birthday,
my gift to.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Thank you so much for that, Kevin.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
That's one of my favorite memories.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Wow, that was a very special night. That was hilarious.
I won't say who Corey had to kiss, but I
just remember watching his face and it was so sweetly
and it was just I was like, I'm I remember
thinking like I need to lock this in. This is
hilarious and wonderful.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Yeah, forever, forever.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
We played Spin the Bottle so often. It was insane,
gender blind Spin the Bottle?
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Now, did they put that in blame it on the
alcohol episode because they knew we played.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
It so much? Or was that the catalyst for us
to actually.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
Feel like that way? Right? I feel like, but we
definitely did blame it on the alcohol before tour. There
could have been a Spin the Bottle before that.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Twenty years old. You guys, we played Spin the Bottle.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
I think we had done it before we had done it.
We had done it before we had I think we
played it that night the Super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Come, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Yeah, because it's a gateway drug.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
You know, well, I mean, who else are we going
to make out? We literally lived there.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
And you know, if you're not we know each other
so much. Everyone's like, oh, our friends are so hot,
and yeah, like why not?
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Also, if you're not making out with your friends, what
do you do? You're doing it wrong. You know you're
doing it wrong.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Speaking of tour someone you were always working as an actor,
not necessarily a musical artist going on tour, but you
come from the musical theater.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
I went to musical theater school and everything.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
So being on stage singing fine, been there, done that,
sure tour, but not in front of twenty thousand people.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Broken foot.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
That was more of oh my god, that's right.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Filming the last episode of Good season two, we were
dancing the TKTS steps and Heather Morris pleasant Work tripped
because she was wearing heels and grabbed me for support.
But I was, you know, dancing, I was doing my ship.
You know, camera was on me and I didn't notice,
and so she just grabbed me and we both just
tumbled down the stairs. And I stood up and I
(14:19):
was like, oh, it was my foot. Uh, And then
I got through the episode and and whatever. But so
I had like a my foot was fractured in like
three places. And we only had like three days off
from filming before tours started. Yeah, so that was my Like,
I that was one thing that sucked because I really
was excited about the singing and dancing, and like they
(14:39):
didn't even realize my mic didn't work for like three
ups before like three cities. I'm just keeping at one stops.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
I'm laughing because it's insane.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Bet from some of the like huge bigger numbers, just
because I literally like I was limping. And but then
as I like the tour went on, like it got
much better. But the craziest thing about tour was like,
I'm so lucky for my experience with Glee and I
will treasure it forever, and like, how incredible that I
got to be a part of this. However, there's so
(15:09):
much of my experience where I was like the step child,
Like I was on tour, but I wasn't really on tour.
I wasn't on any of the merchandise. The Glee three
D poster they used a picture of me from rehearsal
when I had no hair and makeup.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
On I'm so glad you were on it.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
Shocking that I was on it.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
I wasn't on it. You're not on the poster now
they forgot.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
I would rather have not been on it than on it.
I look, it's bad. It's bad, and I honestly think
I have my ace bandage on.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Way.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Yeah, can we google this and let me look?
Speaker 3 (15:44):
I mean, we're so little in it anyway, like it's bar.
We're all barely legible that it's we're in it arena.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
Security never believed I was like in the show. So
I had a whole solo thing where I'd come down
the stairs and I'd be like in Fat One, girls
are like get over here, Puckerman, and we would run
and like find each other and like k and whatever
and run back on stage and we all like jammed
out with like Cord and Corey. But without fail even
though I'm like, get over here, Pokerman with a microphone
(16:11):
in a spotlight. As I'd run down the stairs to
meet Mark, I would get tackled by security, throw me
against the wall because they were like, who's this big
ass fan running down here? Try to attack this man
every time, and so it was it became hilarious, and
like Mark would always do what he could to be
(16:34):
like I would say, and I'd be like, I don't know,
and then they'd kind of realized and we just sort
of keep it pushing, like it became a thing. So
then every single city, Mom Rob or somebody in our
security team would take me to meet the security people
and be like these are the stairs she's going to
be running down and about half the time they wouldn't
(16:57):
tackle me. So it's so funny because there are so
many videos those people like filming this moment. There used
to be on you Ti. I don't know if they're
still there. On Twitter, people always tag me because it's
like hilarious, like I am running down having my like
big solo moment and then I get like tackled by security.
And that's just sort of my clear experience in general.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
How did you get down there with your boot on?
Did you just do it?
Speaker 4 (17:22):
It wasn't allowed. I didn't wear I did not wear
the boot. I had to leave the boot and Thomas
the stank engineer crazy bank, Oh I think I can,
I think I can. That was the name of the
plane on tour. And then I would just like wrap
it in an a spanders that was hid by like
the nine layers of clothing.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
They had me.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
Oh my god, those costumes, remember how much we love those.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
We could we could have a whole season about those costumes.
The costumes.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
We had some issues white damn jackets that we threw
into the audience in Ireland. Well, I'm sorry that that
was your tour experience.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
I no it's great to see the world. I hear you. No,
I hear you though, yeah in.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
The bottle, but it was like, yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Yeah, I hear that, I feel you.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
Everyone had merchandise and like all my friends and family
would come to the tour and be like, and you know, whatever,
there are worse things. I'm on, like the biggest show
in the world, traveling the world for free. Like I'm
so grateful and I have so much, you know, gratitude
for the whole experience. But it was just funny. I
was like, this is so indicative of my time.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
What a strange, strange experience.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
You had such a unique experience with similar challenges to
some of the things that we dealt with, but also
while getting paid a lot. Yeah, you know, it's like, okay,
at least I was like weaving a co in the back,
and I was very expensively doing it, you know, but
like I get.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
It and then sort of like what me touched on
it again, I have nothing but gratitude for the experience,
like I've experienced something that only fourteen other people have.
But it did also stop us from getting other jobs,
like Fox couldn't.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Address and I Susman too, he had he was going
to test and got on pause as well.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Yeah, that's tough.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
That's because especially for you, it's like you had you
had a decision to make.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Yeah, decisions plural and yes you had.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
You're very lucky to have many decisions and for some reason,
well you chose that.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
I did if, like I said, it felt important, And
I don't know, the kids that would come up and
talk to me all the time, it really resonated with me,
and I don't know, but the business side of things
is something like as as we've gotten older, like I
wish that people would teach kids that, Like, I don't
think there's enough emphasis on like young talent being taught
(19:52):
about the business. And I think they had a lot
of times I have representation that I didn't but like
want to take advantage of them, and they don't have
your best interest in heart, and they're just excited you're working,
and I don't know, I I just feel like it's
a disadvantage for a lot of younger actors, you know,
like now we've all do stuff, we're all business people,
are on our own right and you totally see every
step of the other side of it. And it's just like, man,
(20:13):
I wish that I knew more about that right back then.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Well, because it is a business, yeah, because.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
It doesn't feel like a business, like we're family and
everything is a game. This whole industry is a gamble.
But you can't always just be able to have your
back the way you have theirs, and there's a bottom
line and there's all these things at play that you're
you know, it's just interesting. But yeah, I did it
did It was great, and but but I would come
in once a season, you know, and so not being
(20:41):
able to work on other stuff. There was a big
franchise that a friend of mine wrote and wrote a
character for and me in and I wasn't even allowed
to audition for it. It's like, oh she was one, she
can't be another singing movie. It's weird, Like it's a
conflict of interest. And so that kind of sucked because,
like I'm sure you guys even experienced this, like going
from working to one four hours a day every day,
(21:02):
and like you don't have weekends off because you're doing
charity events, you don't have somewhere off because we're on tour,
and then not having anything new. It's like so weird
for your mental health.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Because people don't like, like actively don't want to work.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
Yeah, but just like going from that busy lifestyle to
like being like what how do I?
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (21:24):
Did you guys feel that way when the show ended.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Yeah, it took a while for me because luckily I
had some things lined up afterwards. Like I know, Kevin
went off to London to work for a little bit,
I moved to New York. I was like, hit it
and quit it. Let me go do some stuff in
New York. So I worked for a while, but then
then the law happened about a year after, and that
(21:48):
was really hard. And then as the time went on
even longer, it was like you're separating yourself from the
worth of what you know, because we were so young
when we were doing it, Like I connected everything on
my whole worth and self love with.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
My career working since I was three years old, like.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
It, and so separating finding how to love myself, finding
how to stand up for myself because a lot of
Glee was, oh, you're such a good team player. Oh
John is one of the ones that will do whatever
we ask absolutely, So that was definitely I was think
about that the other night. I was like, these relationships
even in my life that I was in. I was adaptable,
(22:28):
I was I was a minimal I was you know,
and then all of a sudden, it's like, but what
about me? At some point it was it like clicked
and it was like, but what about me?
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (22:37):
That was really crazy, Kevin? Did you did you have that?
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Like?
Speaker 2 (22:41):
I think the three of us are similar in that
exact way, I have to say. I think because we've
been doing this for a really long time. Yeah, and
we're family. Yeah, And it's like you the old woos, like, yeah,
we'll work hard, keep our head down, keep it moving,
like happy to just be here, happy to have a job,
you know.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
But I agree with you actually like the business side
of things. I wish I had learned more and I
am kind of business saving. I do have that ability
to turn that on so like, And maybe it's because
we've all worked for so long that like we we
had the foresight or like the hindsight.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
I don't know either one both, but like, but for you,
it's like.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
I felt like I feel like because we're artists and
and a lot of people lead with their creative side
in this industry, a lot of people lead with their
heart and all of our emotions. It's like, and then
along with it, it's like, just.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
Be gratefully you have a job.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
The business side goes by the way side, and that's
where we're not protected.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
And that's why we're in a strike right now, because
we really that's why we have unions to protect us.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
It's hard to like when you are like leading with
creativity too, it's like you shouldn't have to worry about
the side of it because like, you're not hired to
do business.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
No, you're hired to make people feel something, and that's
obviously some going.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Well, yeah, I agree with Jenna, what about you? Actually,
I think if unfortunately though, you need to have some
sort of business acumen to navigate it because you're especially
for us, that started really hard, right You're thrust into
a world of adults who have been doing this and
who know how to do it. We know how to
do that now, and we can help people who younger.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
If I could go back, oh my god, you know,
I mean definitely fel the same way. But it's like, also,
you're we were so busy, like we didn't you know,
we had to have people taking care of that kind
of stuff for us. We I didn't have you know,
we didn't have time to do for ourselves. But then
you're putting a lot of faith and your reps and
the network people to like look after you and take
care of you. And if you know, yeah, it's smart
(24:48):
to it's smart if you're if you're a little human
out there who wants to get into this business. I
would say, read a book about the businesses, because very
easy to get swept up in the romance of the
fun and how lucky you are. But also sometimes people
get really taken advantage.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Of because lucky to have a job is great, but
I can get out of hand very quickly.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
Yeah, and on top I think that we were in
a very unique situation. But I there's this thing with
I'm trying to think how to say this, this thing
with actors where they don't want you to feel like
you have enough, have any control or any power.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Like completely kept down.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
So if you constantly feel replaceable and cut down and
all that stuff, then it keeps you complacent, right, it
keeps you in the way that we all were. I
don't want to rock the boat and all these things.
And some people like doing some things that you're maybe
not comfortable doing, but you don't want to say no.
And that's something I stopped after Lee, Like, you know,
I was like, I'm not doing any more sad factral
(25:50):
parts like not you know and stuff like that, and
so it's like, I don't know, it's just interesting. The
business side of it is just so interesting. But you're
totally right, Like separating yourself worth as a human from
the success of your job, for how many people care
about your job, like, is so important, especially because now
(26:10):
it's like back when we started, it was like who's
the most talented, you know in a lot of ways,
and now so much other things and so many other things.
You know, how many followers do you have? How much
can you bring to a project and all that stuff.
And we're lucky, because you're ugly, we have a nice following,
and I'm so grateful for that. Just so many things
come into play other than just showing up and auditioning
(26:32):
or doing your.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Job totally, especially because we're in such formative years, like
learning about ourselves as humans and then all of a sudden,
millions of people around the world watch us every single week.
You're like, I don't know who am I? I am?
Speaker 1 (26:48):
You are?
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Yeah, exactly we thought we were.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
I think we know those twinkles.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
Or concused us before we let you go. What what
is the feeling that Glee leaves you with?
Speaker 4 (27:05):
Honestly family, truly, truly, madly, deeply family, and like we're
all good people formative years. Getting that famous, y'all, getting
that famous that young is such a recipe for disaster,
as we all know. But I feel like the majority
of us have so much gratitude and and are so grounded,
(27:25):
and I would take a bullet for any one of y'all,
you know, And and the cool thing about Glee is
every set I've been on since somebody there worked on Glee,
even if it's the you know, the step photographer or whatever,
it just feels like everywhere you go you know somebody
you know. And having all y'all is just uh, I mean,
just think about all the things we've supported each other,
and like flying to London to see Amber and you know,
(27:48):
Amber winning the Mass Singer and Amber Winding dancing with
the Stars.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Wait a second, yeah, I.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
Mean like it's awesome how they support.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Yeah, that shows up we're lucky. We are lucky.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
Yeah, fam, well, we.
Speaker 3 (28:04):
Are lucky for you and that we got to have
this wonderful conversation with you today.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
We're so grateful and thank you for being so open.
And I know it's I think it's it's nice and
people trust us and this enough to know that they
can be open and we can therapize together exactly same
and get it out there.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
He love I love you well.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
I hope you guys enjoyed part two of Ashley. Thank
if you haven't listened to part one and go back,
because there's a.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Lot of stuff, a lot Ashley, thank you so much
for being here and being open and honest and sharing
your I mean roller coaster Glee journey. What a roller coaster.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
We love Ashley.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
I love her. I mean I can't remember a world
in which she wasn't in it in terms of like Glee, right,
It's very strange.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
I'm also shook because obviously we know that I don't
know a lot about Glee.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
That the.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
That she left the Glee Club and then wasn't there
like it felt like she was always there obviously, because
she was there behind the scenes we saw at every
party all the time. But I was really I'm really
shook that she was only in twenty five episodes.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Yeah, it doesn't compute in my brain. But she's a
part of our lives forever, correct, and you can't put
that into episodes.
Speaker 1 (29:23):
Jenna Well said Kevin, thanks for joining us. Come back
next week for another recap.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Thanks Ashley, and That's what you really missed. Thanks for
listening and follow us on Instagram at and That's what
you really miss pod. Make sure to write us a
review and leave us five stars. See you next time.
Host
Jenna Ushkowitz
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