May 9, 2024 • 45 mins
Sung and Emelia sit down with fellow actor and Fast and Furious star, Jordana Brewster. In an episode full of insight for aspiring actors, Jordana opens up about her career and everyone shares unique perspectives from their involvement in the acting world. They also talk about the importance of family and leading with positivity.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hey, everybody, welcome back to another episode of Car Stories.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
With Son King and Amelia Hartford.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Today we have an old friend of mine. She is
one of the most amazing people in my life and
a true true friend.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
I loved having this conversation and talking about the actor's
process and artistic expression. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I think a lot of people just recognize her from
the films and don't really know the person behind the role.
So it's really great to be able to share her origin,
where she's come from, where she's going, and where she
is today.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
And it's nice to hear how she's able to balance
work life, being a mother, having children while also traveling
and being a very successful actress.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
So, without further ado, Jordana Brewster, Jordana Brewster, thank you
for joining us today. Of course, it's a real privilege
to sit down with you. I feel like you're the
sister that I always wanted. You know, your energy on
and off the set is consistently beautiful, so I don't
(01:09):
think i've ever thanked you in person. You know, you're
one of the few people within the franchise that always
welcome me into your personal life, into your home, and
just grateful to heavy in my life and so it's
really for me important and special to have you here. Yeah,
And I just want to share with the people and
(01:29):
the listeners out there you know who you are and
why you mean so much to me. And I think
a lot of people have questions of like how did
you get to where you are? Like was it something
that you've always dreamt of since you were a little kid?
And you know what was the process? And your origin
story too, because people go, oh, yeah, she's me from
Fast and Furious and she just got there one day.
But you know, as an actor, there's a whole journey.
(01:52):
And I don't know if the world's ever got to
hear this from you, you know, So I'd love to
share that and I wants to learn. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
So I had a sort of strange upbringing. I was
born in Panama City, and then I spent about six
years in London and then four years in Rio, Brazil,
which is where my mom is from. She was a
model in Brazil and it's where half of my family
is and that's where I really got this. Like, I
(02:19):
think you have to be a little bit delusional to
want to be an actor in a certain sense, like
you have to believe, and I see it in my
son Julian, who's nine. You have to believe that, like
there's something really different about you or there's something unique
about you. And I just remember watching these kids' shows,
in particular one woman called Shusha. She was this huge
personality and I was like, God, I want to be
(02:43):
like that one day. And I would also watch It's
just so embarrassing. I would watch Baywatch nothing but like
you know, it was like dubbed I think in Brazil,
and it was like such a big deal and I
was like, God, I can't wait till I go to
America and I want to be an actor. And that's
when the seed was planted. But there was no there
(03:03):
were no steps to take or means of becoming an actor.
And then at ten, I moved to New York City
and I went to this this all girls Catholic school,
which was like a huge culture clash for me because
I went from like a very warm, wonderful, loving, beautiful
(03:27):
environment to like a very sort of rigid, judgmental. I
kind of like retreated into a cocoon in a way.
And my only outlet was school plays and I got
into that and I played Jesus and god Spell at
the All Girls' School. This is a very long answer
to your question. I apologize sung.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
But now we're here for it.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
There was this showcase because in New York, obviously you
have access to like classes, and so I got into
the showcase where they taught you like very technical things
like how to audition and how to get headshots. And
that's how I met one of my first agents from
J Michael Bloom, and she immediately started submitting me. So
I would I would go like I would leave my
(04:07):
class and get on a payphone and put in my
quarter and go, okay, wait, you want me to go
to ABC Studios to audition for all my children. Okay,
I'm gonna I'll go right after school at three fifteen.
I'll get on the bus and go across. At ten,
this was at fifteen. Sorry, she moved at ten and fifteen.
You moved at ten using payphones to go to auditions fifteen? Yeah,
(04:27):
I'm using payphones to go to auditions.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Did your family go with you or did you move
out by yourself?
Speaker 3 (04:31):
No, my family, well, my family was in New York
with me, and I sort of had to convince them
that this was they humored me while it wasn't a
real thing. But then I got one of the jobs
that I auditioned for, and then I had to really
sort of lobby for myself and my mom. My dad
was super chill about it and very supportive, and my
mom was like, absolutely not, I'm not letting you. She
(04:54):
was very nervous that I was too young, that I
was going to be taking advantage. But I said, you
know what, let me do this. Let me prove that
I can do this at a young age. And I promised,
you all stay in school, I'll get decent grades and
I'll go to college. And that was the deal I
struck with them, and they let me, and it was
the best decision for me because I was with adults
(05:19):
and as the World Turns and the Show and CBS,
I had the best mentors. I remember. My dad was
this guy called Benjamin Hendrickson who had gone to Juilliard,
and he was like, Jordana, you need to stop swearing, Jordana,
you need to like He would give me like drop
these like pearls of wisdom, which I still remember to
this day. That job taught me how to behave on
(05:40):
a set, taught me about professionalism and also taught me
how to like be comfortable in front of a camera
and taught me how to like memorize pages and pages
of dialogue at a time.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Because as the world turns for listeners out there with.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
It was a soap opera, yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Right, and the pace of a soap opera is super fast, right.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
It's super fast. It's you have one episode per day
and you get the episode I think a couple days
before and also.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Sometimes changed like pages that morning of right.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
They can, yeah, they can. And it's also it's almost
like a summer camp experience. You get your little dressing room,
you see everyone in the makeup room. It just it
was the best, warm, loving environment. I loved it. And
I did miss out on school to a certain extent
because I went to this school called PCs Professional Children's School,
and we were kind of like a squad of weirdos
(06:33):
because it was like musicians from Juilliard and ballerinas and
male ballet students from School of American Ballet. Macaulay Culkin
was there. But we all knew what we wanted to
do and we were pursuing that. So that's how I
got my start, and then I think at eighteen when
(06:55):
I was graduating, I got the faculty Robert roy Register. Yeah,
Robert Roger gets directed. So that was a huge break
for me. And then I had to convince my parents
to let me differ from college for a year, and
they did. I was pretty convincing. And then I had
to take another semester off for Fast and Furious because
(07:15):
I got that during one of the summer breaks at
school and we went over a little bit for the
first fast.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Do you remember where you were when you found out
booking that job and did you think it would become
the franchise that it is today.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Booking the job was not a big deal to me.
And I don't mean I took it for granted. I
just mean I guess I don't have a nose because
the stuff I think is going to be a big
deal never turns out to be a big deal. Like
I booked a job with playing Cameron Diy as a sister.
It was based on a novel that I loved. It
was a book called Invisible Circus, and I thought it
(07:48):
was going to be massive and it was a whole
summer spent shooting in Europe and it was a really
like dramatic turn, and it like it was a total
flop and it led nowhere. And yet this movie about
which was a subculture I didn't necessarily understand, having grown
up in New York and wasn't super familiar with Vin
or Paul. So all that to say, I don't remember
(08:09):
where I was when I found out about getting that role.
But I sure do remember where I was when I
heard we hit forty eight million in the first weekend. Wow,
because that was like unheard of.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Where were you?
Speaker 3 (08:21):
I was okay, So I would spend weekends on Long
Island and I would go to like the same movie
theater in East Hampton, and I was at the parking
lot next to the A and P when, like I
think Saturday morning, you would get a call from the
studio and your agents. It was like that was the tradition.
And I remember getting that call on.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Me, What did you think that it was going to
be a hit while you were shooting? Not at all.
You were saying, no, no, I.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Had no idea. I mean, I think in some ways
youth is wasted on the young because I think now
when I'm on a set, I'm present, I relish it.
I know how special it is to get a gang
of like artists that get to express themselves, whether it's
you know, the set designer, the prop master, the costume designer.
(09:07):
Like it's such a wonderful opportunity. We all have to
do what we love. But back then I was so
trapped and like feeling self conscious and am I going
to do this the right way? And I think it's
how I got through life because I was balancing, like
I was going to Yale, I was studying, I was
living alone. I was you know. So I think I
got through it by sort of being very type A
and rigid. So I didn't like stop to enjoy it
(09:30):
or go wait, I'm part of something special. I was
sort of trapped in my head.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
What did you major at?
Speaker 3 (09:35):
You English?
Speaker 1 (09:36):
You're a English major? Why did you choose English?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
I love to read. I love to read books. I'll
say I don't really like reading scripts. I have a
really hard time focusing on scripts because I feel like
bad ones, which I think we read a lot of
in this industry, like they miss like the yummy characters
and the backstory and all the like. I love reading
a good book and relating to oh wait, like I
see myself that or I see my family patterns in
(10:02):
that and relating to someone that wrote it like one
hundred or two hundred years ago is such a delicious feeling.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
What are you reading right now?
Speaker 1 (10:08):
So?
Speaker 3 (10:09):
I have a book club with my husb and my
former roommate Deborah. And one of my favorite writers is
Virginia Wolf. And I wrote my thesis on Orlando, and
apparently Virginia Wolf loved Catherine Mansfield's writings and so she
wrote a book of short stories. So that's that's what
we've tackled. But we have yet to schedule this, but
(10:29):
we will. Yeah. It's really fun, especially when we don't agree,
because I'll focus on like super emotional things and she'll
be the far more analytical one, and she'll have read
like a Gagillian books on a specific author, and I
go with my gut and it's we have fun, fun debates.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
I very rarely read fiction. I'm a big fan of nonfiction.
Oh really, but I just read a book. I'm going
to space on the author, so please forgive me those listening.
But the book is called Educated. I don't know if
you've come across that one, right, Yeah, Yeah, I definitely
recommend I think it's Tara, Yes, Tara Westover, Okay, and
about the times growing up without technology, their rural community,
(11:07):
with not much outside exposure, where women weren't in the
family allowed to get an education, and the battle of
abuse and stuff like that. This poor girl I to
endure through tough times. But speaking on the topic of books,
that's one that I recently read that I thought was
just so incredible. That'll be the next one for the
book club.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Yeah, that's really good.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Do you think if you didn't pursue acting you would
be a writer? Is I why are you chose English?
Speaker 3 (11:34):
I think I probably would be a professor. I think
with Hollywood, like there's this like stratification that occurs right
where you're just like, wait, wait, wait, wait wait, I
just learned to play the game, and now you're telling
me the game has like completely shifted and I have
to like play a completely different game. But I do
think that it's really funny observing people in different jobs.
Like everyone's got their own subculture, and within that subculture
(11:57):
there's like this pecking order, and for example, for us,
it's what movies have you done? And you know, how
successful are you? And what ranking Back in the day
it was like what ranking on IMDb, and I would
check the message board. It's like the star meter. Yes,
I guess it's a star meter. Now I've like I've been.
I've banned myself from that at this point. But like
the same thing exists in academia, right, it's how many
(12:18):
papers have you published? And where did you work before?
And how many degrees do you have. It's still a snobbery,
it's just a different kind of snobbery. But anyway, circling
back to your question, I do think I would be
a professor, although I think I would love to lecture
and correct papers and but and maybe i'd be more
of a researcher. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
I think it would be tough for you as a professor.
I think you would have a lot of like male
students and.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Come on, right, at least have good attendance for your classes.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Yeah, that's true. That's true. I'd get good scores.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Yeah. Well, when you say that the business of Hollywood
has changed, what have you noticed since you started?
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Oh my gosh, I've noticed that there used to be
a certain path. The path was you you get an
agent that helps you, that you get a manager, contacts
within studios, like I think for Fast, I was with
Peter Levine and Patrick white Sell at CIA. Patrick white
Sell was good friends with Scott Stuber who worked at Universal,
(13:25):
and that's how I got an inn, right, Like they
suggested me to Rob. I had an audition with Rob Cohen.
We hit it off.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Scott Stuber runs Netflix now, right.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
But back in the day he was the executive at Universal.
But now I'll say certain things to my manager, like well,
I don't understand, like why can't we call so and
so at Disney or so and so? And She's like, Sweetie,
it doesn't work that way anymore. Like that's not like
the old avenues of like someone doesn't make a call
and help get a job. Now it's they're watching tapes
(14:00):
or everyone puts yourself on tape or like I recently,
I was really I fell in love with this Apple
TV show because it was about different paths you can
take and different Well it hasn't come out yet, but
I wanted to read for it, and I didn't even
get the opportunity to read because Jennifer Connolly's doing it.
(14:23):
Like since when does Jennifer Connolly do TV?
Speaker 1 (14:25):
I think it's.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Yes, it was it was so good. Did you read
that script?
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Yea, based on a book.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Yeah, and it had to do with like different levels
of consciousness or reality and like that was super interesting
to me. But I think it's there's so much more
opportunity out there, but it's so much more competitive as well.
And it sometimes it doesn't even matter how much you've done.
They're just like, no, we're looking for something else, and
(14:54):
that's that. So it's encouraging and discouraging at the same time.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
I imagine. So my norm is what you're speaking of prior
to the time where you get an agent, you get
a manager, you audition smaller industry. How have you seen
influencing affecting that space.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Well, I mean it helps as far as getting like
they'll check your numbers on Instagram or whatever and then
like that'll help you get endorsement deals or if they
need they need to hit certain markets. I guess there's
this thing like certain agencies can do where they see
like are you big in this market or that market?
So I think that can be helpful. But I also think,
(15:33):
like I've talked to teachers in the past where they're
like someone was hired based on the number of followers
they have, and I'm not sure whether or not they
can act. But the positive side about that is that
you can create your own content, put it out there,
and sort of control your destiny a bit more. You
don't have to wait for the right thing to come along.
So I think that's a tool you have, right, Sure,
(15:56):
I wasn't speaking for myself. Yeah, but your generation, I think, Yeah,
I think that's super empowering. You can sort of control
the narrative.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Yeah, there's definitely a lot more medians that are out
there that you can produce content for, be it for
vertical content like snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, or even something like YouTube.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Well also even you know, when I talk to Amelia
about her YouTube influence, right, she hates to be called
a YouTuber, but a content maker, a YouTube were YouTube
where She's like, I hate that word, right when you
hate about it.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Though I wouldn't say I hate the word. I think
people are just very quick to judge when they hear
the word YouTuber or influencer. I feel like I've been
able to build an incredible business, build these incredible cars,
and break records and be this I guess influence in
the car space and breaking barriers, especially as a woman
in a male dominated space. So then when people say, oh,
(16:52):
she's an influencer, I look at it as a good thing,
but there's just this derogatory term that comes with it
where it's almost not looking at my successes are the
accolades or the accomplishments that I've made in my life,
and more so, oh she holds a cameraun film stuff. Yeah,
so that's really what it comes to.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
You has a message and like I ethos through the
content that she does, a lot of people are out
there shaking ass or something, you know, totally. But what
I was really impressed about was, you know, when I
was like starting out, I had like ten jobs to
feed myself, you know, and the fact that she can
actually not have to do that, because yeah, this idea
(17:27):
of starving actor is ridiculous because if you're starving and
you have ten jobs, you can't focus on your work.
You can't afford class, you can't go do a play,
you can't go watch.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Film, can't get headshots that you need.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
You got to go and work all day. So figure
out a way where you can be self sufficient and
you don't have to go and have ten jobs, right.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
But I did. I now understand that, like when I'm
in LA and auditioning and not working proactively I do
it is like I'm like a wild animal in a cage,
and it's very difficult to just on the receiving end
of everything and not be creating. I think that's very
hard for creative people. So to have a side hustle,
I think is a very healthy thing.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
A question for you, Jordana. I've never had this conversation
with a working actor. I mean we've been around for
a while, right, so you know when I get asked
to like put something on tape, I used to have
this like visceral reaction like, oh, how dare you just
go look at the stuffs? Yeah, what are you asking
me to do? Like like I speak English, like come on,
(18:47):
I commemorized lines, Well what do you need? I still
struggle with it when my rep sent me stuff and
they're like, hey, they want you on tape. It's like
everyone's on tape, and I'm like first reaction is like
I'm doing it, and then I have to they have
to call me, they have to kind of grease me up,
and they have to tell me like you know, who
the people are involved. And then also it's a lot
(19:08):
of sometimes they don't give you a script, so here
are the sides. And as an actor, I don't understand that.
Even as a director or a producer, I don't understand
how you would expect an actor to do their best
work when you just give them sites and there's no
context of the character or the story. Yeah, so where's
(19:28):
your arc? Like, how are you going to like develop
this character?
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Right?
Speaker 1 (19:33):
And everything's so you know, secretive these days, right, So
most of the time I just say I'm okay if
you're looking for an actor that doesn't need to like
actually create a character and just need somebody to regurgitate lines,
like I'm not for you. But then I don't work
as often. Yeah, so I mean how do you overcome that?
Speaker 3 (19:56):
I mean, for the most part, I audition and I'll
put myself on tape, which requires like this is going
to sound really superficial, but it requires a blowout.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
The good lighting.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
Like I have to like go put myself on tape
with this awesome guy jokel who does like beautiful tapes.
I usually coach for it so that I can get
warm and feel what it is. But the one thing
I do require from be it my manager or my agents,
is that I need to know like the range of
what they're looking at, like if they're not looking if
(20:28):
they're looking for like a broad range and it's out
to like whoever, I'm like, you know what, let's let's
not waste everyone's time. But if it is within my reach,
I'll do it. Or like recently, like I've been trying
to prove to everyone, people in this industry are super
myopic as far as like what they believe, Like they
need to see you do something until they believe you can.
(20:50):
But how are they going to know you can until
Like how are they going to see you do it
unless you're given the opportunity. So that's my case with comedy,
and I feel like I love comedies. I love to laugh.
I have a super sarcastic dress sense of humor. But
no one's given me the shot, and so I'm constantly
putting myself on tape for comedies especially and I haven't
(21:12):
gotten one yet, Like whatever, I also think sometimes I'm like,
it is a good exercise, but it is frustrating. It
is frustrating because I'm like, let's not like especially when
you're here. Sometimes they don't even watch the tapes. That's
just that crushes me.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Yeah, I mean this helps me because somebody at your
level that has this positive perspective about tapes, it makes
me or taping, you know, auditions, it's like, you know,
I know a big part of it. For me, My
problem is like, you know, I have this ego. That
ego is my enemy right times, and you know anytime
(21:50):
that I've let that go and been open minded and going, yeah,
it's the process, enjoy it, like which is hard.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
I mean hard because for me too, I also feel
like it's a relationship. Like if I'm going to do
all that work, I would love some feedback. But I
learned that, like I think it's been three months now
where I just don't even ask anymore. I just like
put it out there. I know I did a good job.
But people don't give feedback anymore. They don't even do that.
They just like you're lucky if they watch the tape.
(22:18):
And that's that.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
How do you balance being a mother while also filming
on location?
Speaker 3 (22:22):
So I've definitely taken jobs based on like how is
this going to impact my kids? And I've been fortunate
enough that with like movies like Fast I can bring
them because the budget allows it, and it's pretty awesome.
It's great, But like with television, I'm always like it
has to shoot in LA because I don't have the
kind of kids that are mobile, Like they can't just
(22:43):
adjust to any environment, so they're always at the forefront
of like, wait, can I do this? Can I not
do this? But I'm also real with them, like when
they complain. Sometimes they and I think this happens a
lot with kids in LA. Sometimes they see me working
as a luxury. They're like, well, mommy, you're leaving, And
I'm like, dude, who do you think's paying for school
and your house? And I had to check them in
(23:06):
a way because it all looks so fun. They don't
literally see the work that goes into it.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
R speaking of work, I'm curious to know your process
that goes into preparing for a role.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
I can't do it alone. I don't like doing it
in the vacuum. I used to. I used to think that,
like studying was a sign of weakness, which was so strange.
I don't know why studying how just like acting like
wasn't open to it. And then once I got to LA.
After graduating school, I realized I had a lot of
(23:36):
time on my hands and I needed to work, and
I went to several different types of classes and one
of the best teachers who also hasn't a weekly class,
was Nancy Banks. And that was really a game changer
for me because Nancy's also very direct and tough, but
(23:57):
tweaks things very specifically, like I would watch performances and go,
oh my god, that person's incredible, How what is she
going to say? And yet she would she would adjust it.
And that allowed me to also see what a director's
job is in a different light, because I would always
dread direction thinking I just want to get an A
and like, don't give me a type, wanting.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
To be perfect.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
But I didn't realize, like, no, it's just an adjustment.
We're playing, Like don't be afraid of that, Like that's
you know, and it's oftentimes it's about chemistry and is
something working, and don't be afraid to try and.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Forget that.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
Yeah. So so that was a game changer for me,
and and now I've I've shifted to even having someone
on set. I also work with Rebecca kit who's been
wonderful and it gets me out of my head so
that I'm not acting and judging at the same time.
I let her be the judge and then work with
her feedback, which which is great.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
What about for memorizing.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
I used to be such a good memorizer, and now
I use these apps because I realize it's have you
ever done this where you memorize something like dictating it
or reading it? Like orally, it's a completely different thing.
Like when you hear it, you're like, oh wait, that's
it's a different part of your brain that's working. So
I need to hear it. I need to get my
(25:21):
cues so that I know what the cues are. So
I use this app it's called line Learner, and then
when I'm in the car, I'll just like have my
cues and then I'll look like a crazy person and
say my line is in the car.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Just pretend like you're on the phone. Normal.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
No, but line Learners has been a game changer. That's
been really really helpful.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
Yeah, that is helpful, and that's helpful for any up
and coming actors listening to this wanting to get into
it and don't know how to study. That is a
very resourceful tool.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
But You've worked with actors that come to set and
they haven't memorized their lines at all. Well, I've worked
with some words. Really I don't understand that times, but
then you see their work and you're like, holy moly,
this is actually pretty good. You know for those people
out there, it's like you show up to set and
you kind of have a blocking rehearsal where the director
(26:12):
would like, you know, and the and the cameraman would
love for you to kind of hit your marks, and
they set these marks. And I've worked with actors they're like,
I don't want that, I don't do that, you know,
let me feel this out. And then there are actors
that you know, I need to know everything, I need
to have everything on point, and then we can kind
of like flow from there. And then also, like you said,
(26:34):
the director, some directors let you play, let you figure out,
like where would you like to stand? Where do you
think you're going to hit here? And then some directors
like they move you like little lego pieces, like you
will stand there, you will deliver this word there, and
you will not deviate, and if you deviate, like you
miss one word, they'll call cut. You know, what do
you like and what process do you perform?
Speaker 3 (26:56):
I was about to say, I think it shifts according
to like phases in life. I mean, I worked with
someone who didn't know their lines, and I was getting
so frustrated because I was like, how dare someone take
this opportunity for granted and show up not knowing their lines?
But then this same person is like unbelievable at what
(27:17):
I'm not, which is like off the cuff improv and
is hilarious. And I also think it's not that the
person didn't know their lines, it's just that the person
I don't know might be dyslexic and has trouble learning lines.
But I think in my twenties I was so like
rigid and judgmental that I didn't allow I didn't have
that perspective, and now I do. And in my twenties
(27:42):
I wanted to be told, Okay, I need the structure,
I need the framework, I need to know exactly what's
going to happen. And now I do like to play
and I like more of a collaborative set where everyone's
sort of weighing in. And the other thing I really
love is like playback, which I think a lot of
actors don't like is when you can watch what they've
done and sort of adjust what's working or what's not working.
(28:06):
We didn't have that on this last movie I did,
and I was like, that's such a bummer not to
be able to assess what's happening. But I do like rehearsal.
I think that comes from going to class and working
on stage and working on something for weeks at a time.
I do like rehearsal. I don't just like winging it.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Well. Movie making is not like a play where you
have weeks or months of rehearsal. Sometimes you show up
and you never had one rehearsal. People are shocked that.
I go, what rehearsal? What are you talking about rehearsal? Yeah,
we don't have a table read. We just show up
and then there's maybe a blocking rehearsal. Yeah lucky right.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
It's true. Yeah, but there are Like I just worked
with Laurence Fishburne on something, and he was doing little
things that made such a difference, Like we all had
to be a little bit tipsy in this dinner scene,
and he just think before they called action, he would
just start laughing and it was like this good girl laughing,
or he would just start like riffing on the lines
(29:02):
like right before, so that by the time the cameras
were rolling, we were all just in it. That takes
such courage and it sort of takes a leader to
get the ball rolling. And that was so fun because
that was like we were all playing. So I want
to have more moments like that on set because those
are like, it's just such a fun trick, you know.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Yeah, And it's nice when somebody like Laurence Fishburne, who's
a OG. Yeah, been around a long time, so I'm
sure he's like, you know, higher on the call sheet.
He has the ability to set the tone right, yeah,
and set it's such a positive tone of fun. It
sucks when it's the opposite, when like sometimes number one
on the call sheet.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Because that's energy, right, like you feel it like it's
tough when someone's like trapped in their stuff, and then
that sort of seeps into like the crew and everyone
else and just brings the whole vibe down.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
Like you said. You know, as I've gotten older, I've
been able to empathize and actually even enjoy that process
more because before I used to go, how dare you?
How dare you show up? With your toxic bullshit and
ruin this for everybody, and ruin it for the rest
of the cast and crew. It's called collaboration for a reason.
It's not just love you. And now I step back
(30:31):
and I go, well, how can I be part of
the solution and that part of the problem, right? And
I realized, I go, that's probably you know, on a
special skill, Like that's what I focus on now, is like, okay,
I know movie making. There's a lot of stuff that's
out of her control. And if I can show up
and you know, be part of the solution, no matter
(30:51):
what the problem is. And sometimes it's a person, sometimes
it's a director or an actor. And I used to
take it so personally we're ruined the whole experience for me, right,
And now I go, hey, you know, I'm here for
a reason. Let me contribute in a positive way and
let me help this person through his process. And it
changes everything, you know, because then I realized I was
(31:13):
kind of guilty of the same thing. It's about me
and like how you're making me feel right, And when
you have you know, people that are there to go, hey,
this perspective. We're so lucky to be able to do this.
I mean yeah. People go it must be so hard
what you do, and I go, what are you talking about?
They think about it. This is the only job in
(31:34):
the world where I can show up with no underwear.
I remember on one one job, my wife said, are
you going to pack? I go no, I want to
test this theory. So I took nothing. I took my passport.
And you need anything, No, because you show up, somebody
picks you up, they drop you off, somebody meets you
(31:55):
at the airport, they take you to your place. There's
like a gift basket of stuff, and somebody hands you money.
Before when they used to give you per diem, I
know I missed the cash perdiem.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
I want cash perdum what cash cash?
Speaker 3 (32:08):
Yeah? Yeah, right, Oh that was amazing.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
And then I go, oh, we have a fitting. I
go to the custom designer and I go, hey, I
have no underwear, and they're like, here's a whole box
of underwear. I have no socks. I go to makeup
to the makeup hair test and I go, you know,
I have no toothbrush. Oh, here's some toothbrush. You have
any saline solution with the container, Oh, we have that.
Here's a razor. Here's this, and then you go to work.
(32:31):
Somebody wrote the lines for you to say. Ten people
ask you, are you hungry? You want some tea or
this whatever?
Speaker 3 (32:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (32:37):
Right, And then there's people around you that are actually working,
they're like moving stuff. And then we have somebody like
hold umbrella when it's sprinkling a little rain, Like it's crazy,
how spoiled we are?
Speaker 2 (32:49):
Real the actor's defense, though, I don't think it's an
easy job.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
What's hard about it?
Speaker 2 (32:53):
I think it's very challenging to be present in the
moment with another person, also trying to find your objective,
your intention, trying to live out the story. I think
that part of the craft is why I think everyone
on set is so understanding. Do you need anything? Can
I help you? Because it's it's a very you know,
of a lighthearted set. Sure it can be on the
(33:14):
easier side, but sometimes you have to pull out these
very raw and dark performances.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
But it's all pretend.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Yeah, it depends how personally you take that depending.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
Huh, well, I can understand that.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
But different sets, you know, different, you know, comedy is
a lot different than shown up for a drama project.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
I don't know I mean, I understand what you're saying, right,
and then sometimes the physical stuff, like you know, the stunts,
like there it's physical demanding, especially if you're out of shape.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
But there are also sets where they don't do any
of that stuff for you.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
I think you're talking about the fastest ones are very cushy.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
The indies are true. Like the last thing I did,
the financing didn't come through till the very almost the
penultimate day, and like I am a control freak, Like
that's probably my last and in this lifetime is to
just seed control. And I just and it's very difficult
for me with two little kids and everything I have
(34:09):
to put in place when I leave town, and I
just I didn't know if the thing was happening or not.
I feel like that's to me, that's the most challenging
part of our job. Is am I going to be
in Australia this summer? Am I going to be here?
Finding out the week before you need to be somewhere
else and maintaining your friendships, right, I mean I had
to have friends check me at some point and be
like you know that when you go on set, you
like disappear and then you come back and you think
(34:31):
we're just going to be there, and I'm like, oh,
thank you for telling me that, because I didn't realize
I was doing that. But you kind of do sort
of go on this margic carpet right and disappear.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Don't you think we're kind of like, yeah, circus performers,
and then we create our own family and then a
lot of these people you might never see again. Yeah,
And I think because I moved around so much as
a kid and my stepfather was in the military, I
had to learn this ability to be able to connect
with people right away. So it's actually I used to
hate it. I used to hate the fact that I
(35:03):
didn't have all of these like friends from my childhood
that I kept in touch with every two years or
every year or two years we'd be hopping around. But
actually serves me right, you know, in the movie business
because as an actor, because I'm able to connect with
people right away, and it doesn't like I don't go
through this long grieving process when I don't see them again,
(35:24):
you know. And that's why like fast is like, you know,
one of the minority jobs. Because we do see each other,
it's like a big family reunion and people make fun
of us all the time about oh, they keep saying family,
keep saying family. But as I get older, I do
appreciate the fact that when we do see each other, Jordana,
(35:45):
the cast and crew, it is like a huge dysfunctional
family to get together.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
You know.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
And I think that's the secret to the franchise. What
do you think, since you've been there from the beginning,
why do you think this franchise is able to live
so long and so many people around the world have
been able to connect with it.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
I love that when people recognize me, they call me Mia, right,
they don't call me Jordana, and they feel like they're
part of the family, and we've got like a secret code.
And I love that inclusivity that the franchise has. I
mean that the first one was small and was special
and did speak to this subculture. But as we grew,
(36:25):
I think we did a beautiful job of keeping what
the seed was while we kept expanding and evolving. And
it is beautiful that in real life, like the I mean,
the text chains we have and the way we check
in on each other and the way we show up
for one another, I think that does reflect what happens
in the film as well. And I think people can
(36:46):
see that, can sense that.
Speaker 1 (36:47):
Yeah, I agree. Chris Ludacris was saying, I love him
because I want to. I want to promote the movie
in like a real way, like I don't want to
just like you know, traditionally, the studio sends you kind
of these pre made things or a lot of it
is like trailer bits, and some of its stuff is
very scripted, you know, to promote the movie. And then
(37:10):
Chris was thinking, I've never seen a big franchise or
like these superhero movies actually you know, post things where
the cast is just hanging out and just very open
and transparent or none of it's scripted, right, and it's
very organic. So he found this information about before I
thought I was going to be an actor, I always
(37:31):
wanted to be a mime.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
Really.
Speaker 1 (37:33):
Yeah, that's what got me into this idea of entertaining.
When I was a kid, my parents take me to
San Francisco and you know, at the pier, they used
to have these street performers, right, and this mime was
there with the full makeup and everything, right like Marceau
Marceau almost like that, And in like the five minutes
he was performing on the side of the street. He
(37:54):
made me laugh, he made me cry, he taught me something,
and there was a crowd of people just gathering without
any words. He was able to move emotion right, and
I was like, that's a superpower that I would love
to have.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
That's so cool.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
But I mean, being actors hard, but making a living
off of a mime is probably even harder. Yeah, yeah,
and then you know telling people, yeah, I would like
to be a mime, and there's you know, I think
there was like a school in France.
Speaker 3 (38:22):
So powerful in what you just said, because I do
think that you do so much through very small like
I can see the seed of that in what you do.
That's so interesting. I love that he posted that, though.
What did you not like about him posting that?
Speaker 1 (38:38):
Well, because I look like a clown and that because
he's like, he goes, I heard you want to be
a mime. He goes, how about we do you mind this?
Speaker 3 (38:46):
But I think that's what he probably wants to show everyone.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
I do agree with him, and that's what makes Chris
like awesome human being.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
You know.
Speaker 1 (38:55):
Yeah, it's kind of cool because his whole messaging is like,
let the fancy who were really are like lilitivebits of that, right.
I think it was a great idea.
Speaker 3 (39:03):
I also have to say about Chris, like he sat
down with me and my husband Mason because we were
really interested in Karma's World and how he did it
and how he accomplished that, And I had no idea
that it, like there were so many different iterations of
that show and it took him ten years. And like
he is to your point, he's so smart and strategic
but also like so generous.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
And Karma's World is a animation that he and his
daughter created together. Karma is his daughter, So it's like
a kid's oriented show about empowering especially girls of color, right,
because you know those shows are not prevalent on the air.
So that's Karma's world. And then they have toys and
(39:45):
it's like, you know, he thinks like a mogul.
Speaker 3 (39:47):
Yeah, And something a little more personal. At my wedding,
part of my wedding was like saying vows to our
children because Mason and I were both coming to our
marriage with kids already from previous marriages, and there was
one g who had a similar experience and during the
vow she was like sobbing like beside herself, and before
she knew it, Chris, who didn't know her, came up
(40:09):
to her and he goes, I need to understand what's
happening right now, like tell me, and she did and
he's like, I knew it. I knew it, and he
just like helped her through that. And when I heard that,
I was like, Oh, that's him. That was very cool.
Mmmm that's weird. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (40:22):
You know.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
Something also that really strikes me, Jordana, with you, like
getting to know you over these years, is that you
have like a really deep friendship with your mother and
your sister, like your family and your dad, Like wherever
you are, the family's there.
Speaker 3 (40:38):
Well, I think that's something that we don't talk about
when we talk about the Fast family. Yeah, yeah, we're family.
But within family there's also dysfunction. There's also fighting. There's
also like crazy stuff that happened. And the same thing
with my family. We all live like super close to
each other. We are all in each other's business for
better or worse. And that's the thing about families, like
you can tear each other apart one minute, but unconditional love.
Speaker 1 (41:02):
It's something that through you. I've been trying to fix
in my own personal life because I have a horrible
relationship with my parents. Right, maybe because I'm a guy,
it's a little easier for me not to talk to
my mother. But it's something like anytime I see you
and your mother, Oh god, I need to be a
better son.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
Oh it's really hard saying that. It's hard, but you
know what I had to learn. I had to learn
that I don't have to talk about everything. Like within
every relationship there's certain topics or hot buttons or stuff
you just shouldn't get into because it gets too messy. Right,
especially as you guys everyone gets older, it's like, just
(41:38):
keep it light, Like, stop trying to change each other.
That's not going to work. Let's just like love each
other and keep it light. That's been that's been a
game changer for me.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
That's actually great advice.
Speaker 3 (41:49):
I think we're in a society now where we feel
like we have to like overshare and you share different
things with different people at different times, you know.
Speaker 1 (41:58):
So with my mother, I would say, nothing's man, because
she's she's drama man. She makes drama out of pancakes
in the morning, you know what I mean. Like, I mean,
it's just I'm trying to figure her out, like how,
And as I get older, I go, stop looking at
her as your mother and having motherly expectations, right, and
(42:20):
see her as just like if you were to be
her friend, right, And then I go, I probably wouldn't
be her friend, like would I don't have friends like
that in my life. And then I go, I kind
of have to be like her dad.
Speaker 2 (42:31):
I kind of like that with my mom, where I
feel like I'm the mom to my mom. Yeah, but
she's also been through so much and I've seen so
much of it that I feel bad and I want
to just be there for her and things don't get
too deep because at a certain point it's like you
have to not care so much what other people do.
You just have to be there for them and not
take it personally, which is hard to do.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
It's very hard to do, especially when it's your mother.
Speaker 3 (42:54):
Yeah, I mean as a mom. Once I became a mom,
because my relationship with my mom was so powerful, I
thought that, like every little thing I did would have
this massive impact on my son's And so Freud's daughter
was also She wrote a bunch of books and I
think she sort of contradicted some of the stuff he said,
which is interesting. But I feel like Freud had this
(43:16):
template of like, the mom is the one who fucks
everything up and destroys everything. And I think we blame
the mom a lot, and I certainly did. And I
also put so much responsibility and stress on myself as
a mom, thinking like, oh my god, everything I do
is going to have this massive impact on my son's
and it's paralyzing, right because then you don't want to do, like,
you don't want to make any decision. So yeah, it's
(43:38):
a lot to unpack.
Speaker 2 (43:40):
How did the relationship with your mom change after having
kids of your own?
Speaker 3 (43:43):
I got much better with boundaries. So my mom she
would parent her grandkids as if like no bedtime, watch
as much TV as you want. And I had to
step in and go, dude, like you got to sort
of follow my rules to a certain extent or you're
like you're just not going to see the grand kids
as I had to get really tough, whereas before I
would really have I set boundaries that I wouldn't have
(44:05):
set for myself. Does that make sense.
Speaker 2 (44:06):
Because she's tough on you guys in the same way.
And then when she had the grandkids, because I feel
like that's a common thing and the grandparents. She felt
like tough, eat the ice cream, sleep whenever you want.
Speaker 3 (44:15):
She was tough, and that's something I try not to do,
is I try to whether or not my son does
well at school or well at a game, or like,
it's not a reflection of me. And I felt a
lot of responsibility and it's probably my own stuff of like, oh,
you know, my appearance, because she was a model and
she's stunning and she has her stuff together, and like
(44:38):
I was constantly a reflection of hers. Is how I
was made to feel. And I don't want my kids
having that burden. I really want them to feel empowered
and feel like they're blazing their own path. And that's
a very difficult thing to do because there's so many
obstacles with parenthood. You just feel like God, if they
come out alive, that's you've done a good job.
Speaker 1 (44:59):
Were doing a great job. Thank you, the happiest kids
you'll ever meet. Well, we could talk to you all day, Jordana.
I think your words are so valuable for any aspiring
actor out there. Thanks for sharing your journey and sharing
your personal life with us.
Speaker 3 (45:13):
Super fun.
Speaker 1 (45:14):
Thank you, Thank you so much,
Hey, everybody, welcome back to another episode of Car Stories.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
With Son King and Amelia Hartford.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Today we have an old friend of mine. She is
one of the most amazing people in my life and
a true true friend.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
I loved having this conversation and talking about the actor's
process and artistic expression. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I think a lot of people just recognize her from
the films and don't really know the person behind the role.
So it's really great to be able to share her origin,
where she's come from, where she's going, and where she
is today.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
And it's nice to hear how she's able to balance
work life, being a mother, having children while also traveling
and being a very successful actress.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
So, without further ado, Jordana Brewster, Jordana Brewster, thank you
for joining us today. Of course, it's a real privilege
to sit down with you. I feel like you're the
sister that I always wanted. You know, your energy on
and off the set is consistently beautiful, so I don't
(01:09):
think i've ever thanked you in person. You know, you're
one of the few people within the franchise that always
welcome me into your personal life, into your home, and
just grateful to heavy in my life and so it's
really for me important and special to have you here. Yeah,
And I just want to share with the people and
(01:29):
the listeners out there you know who you are and
why you mean so much to me. And I think
a lot of people have questions of like how did
you get to where you are? Like was it something
that you've always dreamt of since you were a little kid?
And you know what was the process? And your origin
story too, because people go, oh, yeah, she's me from
Fast and Furious and she just got there one day.
But you know, as an actor, there's a whole journey.
(01:52):
And I don't know if the world's ever got to
hear this from you, you know, So I'd love to
share that and I wants to learn. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
So I had a sort of strange upbringing. I was
born in Panama City, and then I spent about six
years in London and then four years in Rio, Brazil,
which is where my mom is from. She was a
model in Brazil and it's where half of my family
is and that's where I really got this. Like, I
(02:19):
think you have to be a little bit delusional to
want to be an actor in a certain sense, like
you have to believe, and I see it in my
son Julian, who's nine. You have to believe that, like
there's something really different about you or there's something unique
about you. And I just remember watching these kids' shows,
in particular one woman called Shusha. She was this huge
personality and I was like, God, I want to be
(02:43):
like that one day. And I would also watch It's
just so embarrassing. I would watch Baywatch nothing but like
you know, it was like dubbed I think in Brazil,
and it was like such a big deal and I
was like, God, I can't wait till I go to
America and I want to be an actor. And that's
when the seed was planted. But there was no there
(03:03):
were no steps to take or means of becoming an actor.
And then at ten, I moved to New York City
and I went to this this all girls Catholic school,
which was like a huge culture clash for me because
I went from like a very warm, wonderful, loving, beautiful
(03:27):
environment to like a very sort of rigid, judgmental. I
kind of like retreated into a cocoon in a way.
And my only outlet was school plays and I got
into that and I played Jesus and god Spell at
the All Girls' School. This is a very long answer
to your question. I apologize sung.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
But now we're here for it.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
There was this showcase because in New York, obviously you
have access to like classes, and so I got into
the showcase where they taught you like very technical things
like how to audition and how to get headshots. And
that's how I met one of my first agents from
J Michael Bloom, and she immediately started submitting me. So
I would I would go like I would leave my
(04:07):
class and get on a payphone and put in my
quarter and go, okay, wait, you want me to go
to ABC Studios to audition for all my children. Okay,
I'm gonna I'll go right after school at three fifteen.
I'll get on the bus and go across. At ten,
this was at fifteen. Sorry, she moved at ten and fifteen.
You moved at ten using payphones to go to auditions fifteen? Yeah,
(04:27):
I'm using payphones to go to auditions.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Did your family go with you or did you move
out by yourself?
Speaker 3 (04:31):
No, my family, well, my family was in New York
with me, and I sort of had to convince them
that this was they humored me while it wasn't a
real thing. But then I got one of the jobs
that I auditioned for, and then I had to really
sort of lobby for myself and my mom. My dad
was super chill about it and very supportive, and my
mom was like, absolutely not, I'm not letting you. She
(04:54):
was very nervous that I was too young, that I
was going to be taking advantage. But I said, you
know what, let me do this. Let me prove that
I can do this at a young age. And I promised,
you all stay in school, I'll get decent grades and
I'll go to college. And that was the deal I
struck with them, and they let me, and it was
the best decision for me because I was with adults
(05:19):
and as the World Turns and the Show and CBS,
I had the best mentors. I remember. My dad was
this guy called Benjamin Hendrickson who had gone to Juilliard,
and he was like, Jordana, you need to stop swearing, Jordana,
you need to like He would give me like drop
these like pearls of wisdom, which I still remember to
this day. That job taught me how to behave on
(05:40):
a set, taught me about professionalism and also taught me
how to like be comfortable in front of a camera
and taught me how to like memorize pages and pages
of dialogue at a time.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Because as the world turns for listeners out there with.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
It was a soap opera, yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Right, and the pace of a soap opera is super fast, right.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
It's super fast. It's you have one episode per day
and you get the episode I think a couple days
before and also.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Sometimes changed like pages that morning of right.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
They can, yeah, they can. And it's also it's almost
like a summer camp experience. You get your little dressing room,
you see everyone in the makeup room. It just it
was the best, warm, loving environment. I loved it. And
I did miss out on school to a certain extent
because I went to this school called PCs Professional Children's School,
and we were kind of like a squad of weirdos
(06:33):
because it was like musicians from Juilliard and ballerinas and
male ballet students from School of American Ballet. Macaulay Culkin
was there. But we all knew what we wanted to
do and we were pursuing that. So that's how I
got my start, and then I think at eighteen when
(06:55):
I was graduating, I got the faculty Robert roy Register. Yeah,
Robert Roger gets directed. So that was a huge break
for me. And then I had to convince my parents
to let me differ from college for a year, and
they did. I was pretty convincing. And then I had
to take another semester off for Fast and Furious because
(07:15):
I got that during one of the summer breaks at
school and we went over a little bit for the
first fast.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Do you remember where you were when you found out
booking that job and did you think it would become
the franchise that it is today.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Booking the job was not a big deal to me.
And I don't mean I took it for granted. I
just mean I guess I don't have a nose because
the stuff I think is going to be a big
deal never turns out to be a big deal. Like
I booked a job with playing Cameron Diy as a sister.
It was based on a novel that I loved. It
was a book called Invisible Circus, and I thought it
(07:48):
was going to be massive and it was a whole
summer spent shooting in Europe and it was a really
like dramatic turn, and it like it was a total
flop and it led nowhere. And yet this movie about
which was a subculture I didn't necessarily understand, having grown
up in New York and wasn't super familiar with Vin
or Paul. So all that to say, I don't remember
(08:09):
where I was when I found out about getting that role.
But I sure do remember where I was when I
heard we hit forty eight million in the first weekend. Wow,
because that was like unheard of.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Where were you?
Speaker 3 (08:21):
I was okay, So I would spend weekends on Long
Island and I would go to like the same movie
theater in East Hampton, and I was at the parking
lot next to the A and P when, like I
think Saturday morning, you would get a call from the
studio and your agents. It was like that was the tradition.
And I remember getting that call on.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Me, What did you think that it was going to
be a hit while you were shooting? Not at all.
You were saying, no, no, I.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Had no idea. I mean, I think in some ways
youth is wasted on the young because I think now
when I'm on a set, I'm present, I relish it.
I know how special it is to get a gang
of like artists that get to express themselves, whether it's
you know, the set designer, the prop master, the costume designer.
(09:07):
Like it's such a wonderful opportunity. We all have to
do what we love. But back then I was so
trapped and like feeling self conscious and am I going
to do this the right way? And I think it's
how I got through life because I was balancing, like
I was going to Yale, I was studying, I was
living alone. I was you know. So I think I
got through it by sort of being very type A
and rigid. So I didn't like stop to enjoy it
(09:30):
or go wait, I'm part of something special. I was
sort of trapped in my head.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
What did you major at?
Speaker 3 (09:35):
You English?
Speaker 1 (09:36):
You're a English major? Why did you choose English?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
I love to read. I love to read books. I'll
say I don't really like reading scripts. I have a
really hard time focusing on scripts because I feel like
bad ones, which I think we read a lot of
in this industry, like they miss like the yummy characters
and the backstory and all the like. I love reading
a good book and relating to oh wait, like I
see myself that or I see my family patterns in
(10:02):
that and relating to someone that wrote it like one
hundred or two hundred years ago is such a delicious feeling.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
What are you reading right now?
Speaker 1 (10:08):
So?
Speaker 3 (10:09):
I have a book club with my husb and my
former roommate Deborah. And one of my favorite writers is
Virginia Wolf. And I wrote my thesis on Orlando, and
apparently Virginia Wolf loved Catherine Mansfield's writings and so she
wrote a book of short stories. So that's that's what
we've tackled. But we have yet to schedule this, but
(10:29):
we will. Yeah. It's really fun, especially when we don't agree,
because I'll focus on like super emotional things and she'll
be the far more analytical one, and she'll have read
like a Gagillian books on a specific author, and I
go with my gut and it's we have fun, fun debates.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
I very rarely read fiction. I'm a big fan of nonfiction.
Oh really, but I just read a book. I'm going
to space on the author, so please forgive me those listening.
But the book is called Educated. I don't know if
you've come across that one, right, Yeah, Yeah, I definitely
recommend I think it's Tara, Yes, Tara Westover, Okay, and
about the times growing up without technology, their rural community,
(11:07):
with not much outside exposure, where women weren't in the
family allowed to get an education, and the battle of
abuse and stuff like that. This poor girl I to
endure through tough times. But speaking on the topic of books,
that's one that I recently read that I thought was
just so incredible. That'll be the next one for the
book club.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Yeah, that's really good.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Do you think if you didn't pursue acting you would
be a writer? Is I why are you chose English?
Speaker 3 (11:34):
I think I probably would be a professor. I think
with Hollywood, like there's this like stratification that occurs right
where you're just like, wait, wait, wait, wait wait, I
just learned to play the game, and now you're telling
me the game has like completely shifted and I have
to like play a completely different game. But I do
think that it's really funny observing people in different jobs.
Like everyone's got their own subculture, and within that subculture
(11:57):
there's like this pecking order, and for example, for us,
it's what movies have you done? And you know, how
successful are you? And what ranking Back in the day
it was like what ranking on IMDb, and I would
check the message board. It's like the star meter. Yes,
I guess it's a star meter. Now I've like I've been.
I've banned myself from that at this point. But like
the same thing exists in academia, right, it's how many
(12:18):
papers have you published? And where did you work before?
And how many degrees do you have. It's still a snobbery,
it's just a different kind of snobbery. But anyway, circling
back to your question, I do think I would be
a professor, although I think I would love to lecture
and correct papers and but and maybe i'd be more
of a researcher. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
I think it would be tough for you as a professor.
I think you would have a lot of like male
students and.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Come on, right, at least have good attendance for your classes.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Yeah, that's true. That's true. I'd get good scores.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Yeah. Well, when you say that the business of Hollywood
has changed, what have you noticed since you started?
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Oh my gosh, I've noticed that there used to be
a certain path. The path was you you get an
agent that helps you, that you get a manager, contacts
within studios, like I think for Fast, I was with
Peter Levine and Patrick white Sell at CIA. Patrick white
Sell was good friends with Scott Stuber who worked at Universal,
(13:25):
and that's how I got an inn, right, Like they
suggested me to Rob. I had an audition with Rob Cohen.
We hit it off.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Scott Stuber runs Netflix now, right.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
But back in the day he was the executive at Universal.
But now I'll say certain things to my manager, like well,
I don't understand, like why can't we call so and
so at Disney or so and so? And She's like, Sweetie,
it doesn't work that way anymore. Like that's not like
the old avenues of like someone doesn't make a call
and help get a job. Now it's they're watching tapes
(14:00):
or everyone puts yourself on tape or like I recently,
I was really I fell in love with this Apple
TV show because it was about different paths you can
take and different Well it hasn't come out yet, but
I wanted to read for it, and I didn't even
get the opportunity to read because Jennifer Connolly's doing it.
(14:23):
Like since when does Jennifer Connolly do TV?
Speaker 1 (14:25):
I think it's.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Yes, it was it was so good. Did you read
that script?
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Yea, based on a book.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Yeah, and it had to do with like different levels
of consciousness or reality and like that was super interesting
to me. But I think it's there's so much more
opportunity out there, but it's so much more competitive as well.
And it sometimes it doesn't even matter how much you've done.
They're just like, no, we're looking for something else, and
(14:54):
that's that. So it's encouraging and discouraging at the same time.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
I imagine. So my norm is what you're speaking of prior
to the time where you get an agent, you get
a manager, you audition smaller industry. How have you seen
influencing affecting that space.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Well, I mean it helps as far as getting like
they'll check your numbers on Instagram or whatever and then
like that'll help you get endorsement deals or if they
need they need to hit certain markets. I guess there's
this thing like certain agencies can do where they see
like are you big in this market or that market?
So I think that can be helpful. But I also think,
(15:33):
like I've talked to teachers in the past where they're
like someone was hired based on the number of followers
they have, and I'm not sure whether or not they
can act. But the positive side about that is that
you can create your own content, put it out there,
and sort of control your destiny a bit more. You
don't have to wait for the right thing to come along.
So I think that's a tool you have, right, Sure,
(15:56):
I wasn't speaking for myself. Yeah, but your generation, I think, Yeah,
I think that's super empowering. You can sort of control
the narrative.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Yeah, there's definitely a lot more medians that are out
there that you can produce content for, be it for
vertical content like snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, or even something like YouTube.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Well also even you know, when I talk to Amelia
about her YouTube influence, right, she hates to be called
a YouTuber, but a content maker, a YouTube were YouTube
where She's like, I hate that word, right when you
hate about it.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Though I wouldn't say I hate the word. I think
people are just very quick to judge when they hear
the word YouTuber or influencer. I feel like I've been
able to build an incredible business, build these incredible cars,
and break records and be this I guess influence in
the car space and breaking barriers, especially as a woman
in a male dominated space. So then when people say, oh,
(16:52):
she's an influencer, I look at it as a good thing,
but there's just this derogatory term that comes with it
where it's almost not looking at my successes are the
accolades or the accomplishments that I've made in my life,
and more so, oh she holds a cameraun film stuff. Yeah,
so that's really what it comes to.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
You has a message and like I ethos through the
content that she does, a lot of people are out
there shaking ass or something, you know, totally. But what
I was really impressed about was, you know, when I
was like starting out, I had like ten jobs to
feed myself, you know, and the fact that she can
actually not have to do that, because yeah, this idea
(17:27):
of starving actor is ridiculous because if you're starving and
you have ten jobs, you can't focus on your work.
You can't afford class, you can't go do a play,
you can't go watch.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Film, can't get headshots that you need.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
You got to go and work all day. So figure
out a way where you can be self sufficient and
you don't have to go and have ten jobs, right.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
But I did. I now understand that, like when I'm
in LA and auditioning and not working proactively I do
it is like I'm like a wild animal in a cage,
and it's very difficult to just on the receiving end
of everything and not be creating. I think that's very
hard for creative people. So to have a side hustle,
I think is a very healthy thing.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
A question for you, Jordana. I've never had this conversation
with a working actor. I mean we've been around for
a while, right, so you know when I get asked
to like put something on tape, I used to have
this like visceral reaction like, oh, how dare you just
go look at the stuffs? Yeah, what are you asking
me to do? Like like I speak English, like come on,
(18:47):
I commemorized lines, Well what do you need? I still
struggle with it when my rep sent me stuff and
they're like, hey, they want you on tape. It's like
everyone's on tape, and I'm like first reaction is like
I'm doing it, and then I have to they have
to call me, they have to kind of grease me up,
and they have to tell me like you know, who
the people are involved. And then also it's a lot
(19:08):
of sometimes they don't give you a script, so here
are the sides. And as an actor, I don't understand that.
Even as a director or a producer, I don't understand
how you would expect an actor to do their best
work when you just give them sites and there's no
context of the character or the story. Yeah, so where's
(19:28):
your arc? Like, how are you going to like develop
this character?
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Right?
Speaker 1 (19:33):
And everything's so you know, secretive these days, right, So
most of the time I just say I'm okay if
you're looking for an actor that doesn't need to like
actually create a character and just need somebody to regurgitate lines,
like I'm not for you. But then I don't work
as often. Yeah, so I mean how do you overcome that?
Speaker 3 (19:56):
I mean, for the most part, I audition and I'll
put myself on tape, which requires like this is going
to sound really superficial, but it requires a blowout.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
The good lighting.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
Like I have to like go put myself on tape
with this awesome guy jokel who does like beautiful tapes.
I usually coach for it so that I can get
warm and feel what it is. But the one thing
I do require from be it my manager or my agents,
is that I need to know like the range of
what they're looking at, like if they're not looking if
(20:28):
they're looking for like a broad range and it's out
to like whoever, I'm like, you know what, let's let's
not waste everyone's time. But if it is within my reach,
I'll do it. Or like recently, like I've been trying
to prove to everyone, people in this industry are super
myopic as far as like what they believe, Like they
need to see you do something until they believe you can.
(20:50):
But how are they going to know you can until
Like how are they going to see you do it
unless you're given the opportunity. So that's my case with comedy,
and I feel like I love comedies. I love to laugh.
I have a super sarcastic dress sense of humor. But
no one's given me the shot, and so I'm constantly
putting myself on tape for comedies especially and I haven't
(21:12):
gotten one yet, Like whatever, I also think sometimes I'm like,
it is a good exercise, but it is frustrating. It
is frustrating because I'm like, let's not like especially when
you're here. Sometimes they don't even watch the tapes. That's
just that crushes me.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Yeah, I mean this helps me because somebody at your
level that has this positive perspective about tapes, it makes
me or taping, you know, auditions, it's like, you know,
I know a big part of it. For me, My
problem is like, you know, I have this ego. That
ego is my enemy right times, and you know anytime
(21:50):
that I've let that go and been open minded and going, yeah,
it's the process, enjoy it, like which is hard.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
I mean hard because for me too, I also feel
like it's a relationship. Like if I'm going to do
all that work, I would love some feedback. But I
learned that, like I think it's been three months now
where I just don't even ask anymore. I just like
put it out there. I know I did a good job.
But people don't give feedback anymore. They don't even do that.
They just like you're lucky if they watch the tape.
(22:18):
And that's that.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
How do you balance being a mother while also filming
on location?
Speaker 3 (22:22):
So I've definitely taken jobs based on like how is
this going to impact my kids? And I've been fortunate
enough that with like movies like Fast I can bring
them because the budget allows it, and it's pretty awesome.
It's great, But like with television, I'm always like it
has to shoot in LA because I don't have the
kind of kids that are mobile, Like they can't just
(22:43):
adjust to any environment, so they're always at the forefront
of like, wait, can I do this? Can I not
do this? But I'm also real with them, like when
they complain. Sometimes they and I think this happens a
lot with kids in LA. Sometimes they see me working
as a luxury. They're like, well, mommy, you're leaving, And
I'm like, dude, who do you think's paying for school
and your house? And I had to check them in
(23:06):
a way because it all looks so fun. They don't
literally see the work that goes into it.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
R speaking of work, I'm curious to know your process
that goes into preparing for a role.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
I can't do it alone. I don't like doing it
in the vacuum. I used to. I used to think that,
like studying was a sign of weakness, which was so strange.
I don't know why studying how just like acting like
wasn't open to it. And then once I got to LA.
After graduating school, I realized I had a lot of
(23:36):
time on my hands and I needed to work, and
I went to several different types of classes and one
of the best teachers who also hasn't a weekly class,
was Nancy Banks. And that was really a game changer
for me because Nancy's also very direct and tough, but
(23:57):
tweaks things very specifically, like I would watch performances and go,
oh my god, that person's incredible, How what is she
going to say? And yet she would she would adjust it.
And that allowed me to also see what a director's
job is in a different light, because I would always
dread direction thinking I just want to get an A
and like, don't give me a type, wanting.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
To be perfect.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
But I didn't realize, like, no, it's just an adjustment.
We're playing, Like don't be afraid of that, Like that's
you know, and it's oftentimes it's about chemistry and is
something working, and don't be afraid to try and.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Forget that.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
Yeah. So so that was a game changer for me,
and and now I've I've shifted to even having someone
on set. I also work with Rebecca kit who's been
wonderful and it gets me out of my head so
that I'm not acting and judging at the same time.
I let her be the judge and then work with
her feedback, which which is great.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
What about for memorizing.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
I used to be such a good memorizer, and now
I use these apps because I realize it's have you
ever done this where you memorize something like dictating it
or reading it? Like orally, it's a completely different thing.
Like when you hear it, you're like, oh wait, that's
it's a different part of your brain that's working. So
I need to hear it. I need to get my
(25:21):
cues so that I know what the cues are. So
I use this app it's called line Learner, and then
when I'm in the car, I'll just like have my
cues and then I'll look like a crazy person and
say my line is in the car.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Just pretend like you're on the phone. Normal.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
No, but line Learners has been a game changer. That's
been really really helpful.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
Yeah, that is helpful, and that's helpful for any up
and coming actors listening to this wanting to get into
it and don't know how to study. That is a
very resourceful tool.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
But You've worked with actors that come to set and
they haven't memorized their lines at all. Well, I've worked
with some words. Really I don't understand that times, but
then you see their work and you're like, holy moly,
this is actually pretty good. You know for those people
out there, it's like you show up to set and
you kind of have a blocking rehearsal where the director
(26:12):
would like, you know, and the and the cameraman would
love for you to kind of hit your marks, and
they set these marks. And I've worked with actors they're like,
I don't want that, I don't do that, you know,
let me feel this out. And then there are actors
that you know, I need to know everything, I need
to have everything on point, and then we can kind
of like flow from there. And then also, like you said,
(26:34):
the director, some directors let you play, let you figure out,
like where would you like to stand? Where do you
think you're going to hit here? And then some directors
like they move you like little lego pieces, like you
will stand there, you will deliver this word there, and
you will not deviate, and if you deviate, like you
miss one word, they'll call cut. You know, what do
you like and what process do you perform?
Speaker 3 (26:56):
I was about to say, I think it shifts according
to like phases in life. I mean, I worked with
someone who didn't know their lines, and I was getting
so frustrated because I was like, how dare someone take
this opportunity for granted and show up not knowing their lines?
But then this same person is like unbelievable at what
(27:17):
I'm not, which is like off the cuff improv and
is hilarious. And I also think it's not that the
person didn't know their lines, it's just that the person
I don't know might be dyslexic and has trouble learning lines.
But I think in my twenties I was so like
rigid and judgmental that I didn't allow I didn't have
that perspective, and now I do. And in my twenties
(27:42):
I wanted to be told, Okay, I need the structure,
I need the framework, I need to know exactly what's
going to happen. And now I do like to play
and I like more of a collaborative set where everyone's
sort of weighing in. And the other thing I really
love is like playback, which I think a lot of
actors don't like is when you can watch what they've
done and sort of adjust what's working or what's not working.
(28:06):
We didn't have that on this last movie I did,
and I was like, that's such a bummer not to
be able to assess what's happening. But I do like rehearsal.
I think that comes from going to class and working
on stage and working on something for weeks at a time.
I do like rehearsal. I don't just like winging it.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Well. Movie making is not like a play where you
have weeks or months of rehearsal. Sometimes you show up
and you never had one rehearsal. People are shocked that.
I go, what rehearsal? What are you talking about rehearsal? Yeah,
we don't have a table read. We just show up
and then there's maybe a blocking rehearsal. Yeah lucky right.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
It's true. Yeah, but there are Like I just worked
with Laurence Fishburne on something, and he was doing little
things that made such a difference, Like we all had
to be a little bit tipsy in this dinner scene,
and he just think before they called action, he would
just start laughing and it was like this good girl laughing,
or he would just start like riffing on the lines
(29:02):
like right before, so that by the time the cameras
were rolling, we were all just in it. That takes
such courage and it sort of takes a leader to
get the ball rolling. And that was so fun because
that was like we were all playing. So I want
to have more moments like that on set because those
are like, it's just such a fun trick, you know.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Yeah, And it's nice when somebody like Laurence Fishburne, who's
a OG. Yeah, been around a long time, so I'm
sure he's like, you know, higher on the call sheet.
He has the ability to set the tone right, yeah,
and set it's such a positive tone of fun. It
sucks when it's the opposite, when like sometimes number one
on the call sheet.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Because that's energy, right, like you feel it like it's
tough when someone's like trapped in their stuff, and then
that sort of seeps into like the crew and everyone
else and just brings the whole vibe down.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
Like you said. You know, as I've gotten older, I've
been able to empathize and actually even enjoy that process
more because before I used to go, how dare you?
How dare you show up? With your toxic bullshit and
ruin this for everybody, and ruin it for the rest
of the cast and crew. It's called collaboration for a reason.
It's not just love you. And now I step back
(30:31):
and I go, well, how can I be part of
the solution and that part of the problem, right? And
I realized, I go, that's probably you know, on a
special skill, Like that's what I focus on now, is like, okay,
I know movie making. There's a lot of stuff that's
out of her control. And if I can show up
and you know, be part of the solution, no matter
(30:51):
what the problem is. And sometimes it's a person, sometimes
it's a director or an actor. And I used to
take it so personally we're ruined the whole experience for me, right,
And now I go, hey, you know, I'm here for
a reason. Let me contribute in a positive way and
let me help this person through his process. And it
changes everything, you know, because then I realized I was
(31:13):
kind of guilty of the same thing. It's about me
and like how you're making me feel right, And when
you have you know, people that are there to go, hey,
this perspective. We're so lucky to be able to do this.
I mean yeah. People go it must be so hard
what you do, and I go, what are you talking about?
They think about it. This is the only job in
(31:34):
the world where I can show up with no underwear.
I remember on one one job, my wife said, are
you going to pack? I go no, I want to
test this theory. So I took nothing. I took my passport.
And you need anything, No, because you show up, somebody
picks you up, they drop you off, somebody meets you
(31:55):
at the airport, they take you to your place. There's
like a gift basket of stuff, and somebody hands you money.
Before when they used to give you per diem, I
know I missed the cash perdiem.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
I want cash perdum what cash cash?
Speaker 3 (32:08):
Yeah? Yeah, right, Oh that was amazing.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
And then I go, oh, we have a fitting. I
go to the custom designer and I go, hey, I
have no underwear, and they're like, here's a whole box
of underwear. I have no socks. I go to makeup
to the makeup hair test and I go, you know,
I have no toothbrush. Oh, here's some toothbrush. You have
any saline solution with the container, Oh, we have that.
Here's a razor. Here's this, and then you go to work.
(32:31):
Somebody wrote the lines for you to say. Ten people
ask you, are you hungry? You want some tea or
this whatever?
Speaker 3 (32:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (32:37):
Right, And then there's people around you that are actually working,
they're like moving stuff. And then we have somebody like
hold umbrella when it's sprinkling a little rain, Like it's crazy,
how spoiled we are?
Speaker 2 (32:49):
Real the actor's defense, though, I don't think it's an
easy job.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
What's hard about it?
Speaker 2 (32:53):
I think it's very challenging to be present in the
moment with another person, also trying to find your objective,
your intention, trying to live out the story. I think
that part of the craft is why I think everyone
on set is so understanding. Do you need anything? Can
I help you? Because it's it's a very you know,
of a lighthearted set. Sure it can be on the
(33:14):
easier side, but sometimes you have to pull out these
very raw and dark performances.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
But it's all pretend.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Yeah, it depends how personally you take that depending.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
Huh, well, I can understand that.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
But different sets, you know, different, you know, comedy is
a lot different than shown up for a drama project.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
I don't know I mean, I understand what you're saying, right,
and then sometimes the physical stuff, like you know, the stunts,
like there it's physical demanding, especially if you're out of shape.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
But there are also sets where they don't do any
of that stuff for you.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
I think you're talking about the fastest ones are very cushy.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
The indies are true. Like the last thing I did,
the financing didn't come through till the very almost the
penultimate day, and like I am a control freak, Like
that's probably my last and in this lifetime is to
just seed control. And I just and it's very difficult
for me with two little kids and everything I have
(34:09):
to put in place when I leave town, and I
just I didn't know if the thing was happening or not.
I feel like that's to me, that's the most challenging
part of our job. Is am I going to be
in Australia this summer? Am I going to be here?
Finding out the week before you need to be somewhere
else and maintaining your friendships, right, I mean I had
to have friends check me at some point and be
like you know that when you go on set, you
like disappear and then you come back and you think
(34:31):
we're just going to be there, and I'm like, oh,
thank you for telling me that, because I didn't realize
I was doing that. But you kind of do sort
of go on this margic carpet right and disappear.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Don't you think we're kind of like, yeah, circus performers,
and then we create our own family and then a
lot of these people you might never see again. Yeah,
And I think because I moved around so much as
a kid and my stepfather was in the military, I
had to learn this ability to be able to connect
with people right away. So it's actually I used to
hate it. I used to hate the fact that I
(35:03):
didn't have all of these like friends from my childhood
that I kept in touch with every two years or
every year or two years we'd be hopping around. But
actually serves me right, you know, in the movie business
because as an actor, because I'm able to connect with
people right away, and it doesn't like I don't go
through this long grieving process when I don't see them again,
(35:24):
you know. And that's why like fast is like, you know,
one of the minority jobs. Because we do see each other,
it's like a big family reunion and people make fun
of us all the time about oh, they keep saying family,
keep saying family. But as I get older, I do
appreciate the fact that when we do see each other, Jordana,
(35:45):
the cast and crew, it is like a huge dysfunctional
family to get together.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
You know.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
And I think that's the secret to the franchise. What
do you think, since you've been there from the beginning,
why do you think this franchise is able to live
so long and so many people around the world have
been able to connect with it.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
I love that when people recognize me, they call me Mia, right,
they don't call me Jordana, and they feel like they're
part of the family, and we've got like a secret code.
And I love that inclusivity that the franchise has. I
mean that the first one was small and was special
and did speak to this subculture. But as we grew,
(36:25):
I think we did a beautiful job of keeping what
the seed was while we kept expanding and evolving. And
it is beautiful that in real life, like the I mean,
the text chains we have and the way we check
in on each other and the way we show up
for one another, I think that does reflect what happens
in the film as well. And I think people can
(36:46):
see that, can sense that.
Speaker 1 (36:47):
Yeah, I agree. Chris Ludacris was saying, I love him
because I want to. I want to promote the movie
in like a real way, like I don't want to
just like you know, traditionally, the studio sends you kind
of these pre made things or a lot of it
is like trailer bits, and some of its stuff is
very scripted, you know, to promote the movie. And then
(37:10):
Chris was thinking, I've never seen a big franchise or
like these superhero movies actually you know, post things where
the cast is just hanging out and just very open
and transparent or none of it's scripted, right, and it's
very organic. So he found this information about before I
thought I was going to be an actor, I always
(37:31):
wanted to be a mime.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
Really.
Speaker 1 (37:33):
Yeah, that's what got me into this idea of entertaining.
When I was a kid, my parents take me to
San Francisco and you know, at the pier, they used
to have these street performers, right, and this mime was
there with the full makeup and everything, right like Marceau
Marceau almost like that, And in like the five minutes
he was performing on the side of the street. He
(37:54):
made me laugh, he made me cry, he taught me something,
and there was a crowd of people just gathering without
any words. He was able to move emotion right, and
I was like, that's a superpower that I would love
to have.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
That's so cool.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
But I mean, being actors hard, but making a living
off of a mime is probably even harder. Yeah, yeah,
and then you know telling people, yeah, I would like
to be a mime, and there's you know, I think
there was like a school in France.
Speaker 3 (38:22):
So powerful in what you just said, because I do
think that you do so much through very small like
I can see the seed of that in what you do.
That's so interesting. I love that he posted that, though.
What did you not like about him posting that?
Speaker 1 (38:38):
Well, because I look like a clown and that because
he's like, he goes, I heard you want to be
a mime. He goes, how about we do you mind this?
Speaker 3 (38:46):
But I think that's what he probably wants to show everyone.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
I do agree with him, and that's what makes Chris
like awesome human being.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
You know.
Speaker 1 (38:55):
Yeah, it's kind of cool because his whole messaging is like,
let the fancy who were really are like lilitivebits of that, right.
I think it was a great idea.
Speaker 3 (39:03):
I also have to say about Chris, like he sat
down with me and my husband Mason because we were
really interested in Karma's World and how he did it
and how he accomplished that, And I had no idea
that it, like there were so many different iterations of
that show and it took him ten years. And like
he is to your point, he's so smart and strategic
but also like so generous.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
And Karma's World is a animation that he and his
daughter created together. Karma is his daughter, So it's like
a kid's oriented show about empowering especially girls of color, right,
because you know those shows are not prevalent on the air.
So that's Karma's world. And then they have toys and
(39:45):
it's like, you know, he thinks like a mogul.
Speaker 3 (39:47):
Yeah, And something a little more personal. At my wedding,
part of my wedding was like saying vows to our
children because Mason and I were both coming to our
marriage with kids already from previous marriages, and there was
one g who had a similar experience and during the
vow she was like sobbing like beside herself, and before
she knew it, Chris, who didn't know her, came up
(40:09):
to her and he goes, I need to understand what's
happening right now, like tell me, and she did and
he's like, I knew it. I knew it, and he
just like helped her through that. And when I heard that,
I was like, Oh, that's him. That was very cool.
Mmmm that's weird. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (40:22):
You know.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
Something also that really strikes me, Jordana, with you, like
getting to know you over these years, is that you
have like a really deep friendship with your mother and
your sister, like your family and your dad, Like wherever
you are, the family's there.
Speaker 3 (40:38):
Well, I think that's something that we don't talk about
when we talk about the Fast family. Yeah, yeah, we're family.
But within family there's also dysfunction. There's also fighting. There's
also like crazy stuff that happened. And the same thing
with my family. We all live like super close to
each other. We are all in each other's business for
better or worse. And that's the thing about families, like
you can tear each other apart one minute, but unconditional love.
Speaker 1 (41:02):
It's something that through you. I've been trying to fix
in my own personal life because I have a horrible
relationship with my parents. Right, maybe because I'm a guy,
it's a little easier for me not to talk to
my mother. But it's something like anytime I see you
and your mother, Oh god, I need to be a
better son.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
Oh it's really hard saying that. It's hard, but you
know what I had to learn. I had to learn
that I don't have to talk about everything. Like within
every relationship there's certain topics or hot buttons or stuff
you just shouldn't get into because it gets too messy. Right,
especially as you guys everyone gets older, it's like, just
(41:38):
keep it light, Like, stop trying to change each other.
That's not going to work. Let's just like love each
other and keep it light. That's been that's been a
game changer for me.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
That's actually great advice.
Speaker 3 (41:49):
I think we're in a society now where we feel
like we have to like overshare and you share different
things with different people at different times, you know.
Speaker 1 (41:58):
So with my mother, I would say, nothing's man, because
she's she's drama man. She makes drama out of pancakes
in the morning, you know what I mean. Like, I mean,
it's just I'm trying to figure her out, like how,
And as I get older, I go, stop looking at
her as your mother and having motherly expectations, right, and
(42:20):
see her as just like if you were to be
her friend, right, And then I go, I probably wouldn't
be her friend, like would I don't have friends like
that in my life. And then I go, I kind
of have to be like her dad.
Speaker 2 (42:31):
I kind of like that with my mom, where I
feel like I'm the mom to my mom. Yeah, but
she's also been through so much and I've seen so
much of it that I feel bad and I want
to just be there for her and things don't get
too deep because at a certain point it's like you
have to not care so much what other people do.
You just have to be there for them and not
take it personally, which is hard to do.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
It's very hard to do, especially when it's your mother.
Speaker 3 (42:54):
Yeah, I mean as a mom. Once I became a mom,
because my relationship with my mom was so powerful, I
thought that, like every little thing I did would have
this massive impact on my son's And so Freud's daughter
was also She wrote a bunch of books and I
think she sort of contradicted some of the stuff he said,
which is interesting. But I feel like Freud had this
(43:16):
template of like, the mom is the one who fucks
everything up and destroys everything. And I think we blame
the mom a lot, and I certainly did. And I
also put so much responsibility and stress on myself as
a mom, thinking like, oh my god, everything I do
is going to have this massive impact on my son's
and it's paralyzing, right because then you don't want to do, like,
you don't want to make any decision. So yeah, it's
(43:38):
a lot to unpack.
Speaker 2 (43:40):
How did the relationship with your mom change after having
kids of your own?
Speaker 3 (43:43):
I got much better with boundaries. So my mom she
would parent her grandkids as if like no bedtime, watch
as much TV as you want. And I had to
step in and go, dude, like you got to sort
of follow my rules to a certain extent or you're
like you're just not going to see the grand kids
as I had to get really tough, whereas before I
would really have I set boundaries that I wouldn't have
(44:05):
set for myself. Does that make sense.
Speaker 2 (44:06):
Because she's tough on you guys in the same way.
And then when she had the grandkids, because I feel
like that's a common thing and the grandparents. She felt
like tough, eat the ice cream, sleep whenever you want.
Speaker 3 (44:15):
She was tough, and that's something I try not to do,
is I try to whether or not my son does
well at school or well at a game, or like,
it's not a reflection of me. And I felt a
lot of responsibility and it's probably my own stuff of like, oh,
you know, my appearance, because she was a model and
she's stunning and she has her stuff together, and like
(44:38):
I was constantly a reflection of hers. Is how I
was made to feel. And I don't want my kids
having that burden. I really want them to feel empowered
and feel like they're blazing their own path. And that's
a very difficult thing to do because there's so many
obstacles with parenthood. You just feel like God, if they
come out alive, that's you've done a good job.
Speaker 1 (44:59):
Were doing a great job. Thank you, the happiest kids
you'll ever meet. Well, we could talk to you all day, Jordana.
I think your words are so valuable for any aspiring
actor out there. Thanks for sharing your journey and sharing
your personal life with us.
Speaker 3 (45:13):
Super fun.
Speaker 1 (45:14):
Thank you, Thank you so much,
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