March 13, 2025 • 30 mins
Inspiration can strike from any source, whether it’s a person, place, or moment. No matter how it arrives, it has the power to propel us through life's challenges. In this episode, Wilmer and Freddy reflect on the key artistic figures who have shaped their creative paths. They discuss the impact of influential icons like Andy Garcia, Jimmy Smits, and Desi Arnaz, and how these figures helped define a vision of success for them. Lastly, they share the methods and approaches they hope will inspire the next generation of creators.
“Dos Amigos” is a comedic and insightful podcast hosted by two friends who’ve journeyed through Hollywood and life together. Wilmer Valderrama and Freddy Rodriguez push through the noise of everyday life and ruminate on a bevy of topics through fun and daring, and occasionally a third amigo joins the mix!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome back to those amigos. I'm Wilmer Valderama and I
am Freddie Rodriguez.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
So last week we were talking about inspirations, right, the
moments that really stuck with us, the moments that made
us like, you know, like the moment when I was
talking about seeing my show in the small town that
I grew up in. You know, the bizarre of like, whoa,
that's me on TV in the same place that I said, oh,
maybe I'll be on be on TV.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Yeah yeah, Or the times that that I saw other
actors speaking Spanish, right, which.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
I know, those are moments that really kind of told us,
oh well maybe maybe us too. For me, as we
are nas with someone that kind of made it obtainable.
I had an accident when I first got a year.
I felt like that was something that really kind of
made me feel like I could I could do that,
And while we were at it, we just kept talking. Yeah,
so clearly we were inspired. So let's get back into it.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
You know, what I try to tell the younger generation
is like, especially the ones that are like I'm going
to be an actor and that's it, right, I go,
I go. You look at people like Ron Howard right,
like he started off as an actor and then became
a director, you know, or even like Ben Stiller or something.
You know, they're they're you got your Larry David's right,
(01:17):
who were like they started off as writers and then
they became actors. It's like, as long as you're sort
of in it somehow, you know, like keep your options open.
You know, maybe maybe if you explored or dug a
little deeper, maybe you're you're a good writer, Maybe maybe
you should also explore that as well. Maybe you should
explore directing, especially now that we have the youtubes of
(01:39):
the world and other and and and where you can
shoot an entire movie on your phone. Yeah. Yeah, so
so be taking advantage of that, which which also I
I you know, when young actors ask me, uh, you
know what, what what should I be doing? You know,
I always tell them, dude, just be doing it, right,
(01:59):
be doing it whatever it is is. Starting to just
be doing it and doing it. Could be making movies
for YouTube, you know, making your own stuff, you know,
because every time you do it, you're gonna get better,
Your skills are gonna get sharper. Maybe somebody's gonna see
something you did. I mean, man, look at like Isa
Rey for example, or Quinta Brunson or some of these
(02:21):
people who did fantastic work on like YouTube and then
all of a sudden somebody saw their stuff and that
translated into like their own television show.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah. Yeah, no, that's that's that's really good.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I'm trying to think in my mind, like what what
could I offer in this moment about ambition vision, you know,
having a vision that you want to materialize, that you
want to come when I become real.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
The truth is that you can't wait.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
For the opportunity to come with you, to come to you,
because that's that's just kind of how it work. You
really got to be ambition enough to go after it.
And I always you know, I always tell young people.
I was like, look, there's two ways that get this
can go right. You're working, you're nine to five, and
somebody goes, hey, you can be a star. He you, buddy,
(03:18):
And I promise.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
You you're gonna wait a loan that for that. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Or you can say I am a star. I do
have the talent and I'm gonna continue to work on
this craft. So in the moment I get that shot,
I cannot only nail it, but hold that opportunity and
stretch it into a career and ultimately, like you know,
I also also tell a lot of people it's not
what you it's not the movie and it's not the show.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
It's what you leave on that screen that gets you
the next job.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Oh man, I couldn't agree with that more. I mean,
I've been on stuff where, you know, I work with
actors who think, like, no one's gonna watch this, you know,
and they'll phone it in or something. Like My biggest
fear is to like do do something that I think
no one's gonna watch, and then it's like on at
three in the morning, and I suck in it because
(04:12):
I thought no one was gonna see it. And then
all of a sudden, like someone who's about to make
a decision sees me at three in the morning on
something that I'm absolutely terrible.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Yeah you know he never consisted. Yeah it's a mad.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
You know, Yeah, he kind of sucked in this thing
I saw no I've in the morning. Yeah, So so
like I don't care what it is. I remember when
it you know, when I first started even doing like
Network TV, you know, people were like, well, you know,
you came from cable and film, and like, you know,
I'm like, I don't care, man, I said, whatever, I'm
delivering the same type of quality performance I did on film,
(04:51):
like cable, whether I worked with Christian Bale or not. Like,
I don't care if it's network, Like, I am always
going to deliver that thing. You know, I'm never gonna
phone it in or what do.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
You think it is?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
What do you think it is that drives your soul
to say it like that.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Because it's all I know how to do, because it's
what it was taught to me when I was eighteen
nineteen years old. Because I had the privilege of working
with so many wonderful great.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
I mean came to play.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
I mean, I've worked with some of the greatest directors, producers, actors,
writers of all time, you know, and there's just a
certain level that they function in. You know, they fire
on very specific cylinders, you know, and that's what I
know how to do, you know. And so you know,
we're in an industry where, you know, back in the day,
(05:45):
when we were coming up, right, it was like, well,
you're a TV actor, you're a commercial actor, you're a
film actor or whatever.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Now it's none of that all that stuff is out
the windows, you know. So like so I was taught
a very specific way, and I don't care if I'm
doing a freaking M and M's commercial, Like I'm going
to bring that level of quality to that performances.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
And I and I never forget that someone three feet
away from me is waiting for me to trip. Yeah,
somebody is waiting for me to to slow down and
take a deep breath and sit on the sidewalk and
just rest because I think I've travel enough. Somebody is
literally maybe less than five yards away from you, ready
(06:37):
to lap you. They have to, ready to like, you know,
run over you, you know, if they have to. And
the only thing that holds the line for you is
your level of consistency and dedication to your craft and
to yourself, you know.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
And I think that's you know, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
That's why I try to do so many things right,
That's why you know, I venture into so many different
aspects of my of my industry because I just feel
in my heart, while I have the opportunity, might as
well leave a little imprint in all these different places
that I can show up, so then I can create
an atmosphere in an environment, a landscape where like most
(07:20):
of us can come in and make it all possible.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
And I don't know, I'm that dude. Man.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
I really feel in my heart that, like I just
this is my call in here is to continue to
you know, lock arms with the Freddie rodriguezz the world
to say like, oh, let's keep pushing the line forward,
Let's push the let's push that bar higher, you know.
And I think that that's that's the gift of this moment.
You know, we're entering a moment of our industry where
(07:48):
it's the most receptive to our culture that has ever
been because if now I realized we are incredibly valuable
to the success of just entertainment as a whole. Yeah,
corporate is following suit, you know, national communities are waking
up to it, you know. And and what a gift
for us to be not only alive, but to be
(08:08):
sitting where we're sitting, to be able to shepherd and
shine a light in the different directions our culture can
go to. To me, you're an inspiration, Freddy. And you
talk about inspirations, you talk about the people that were
there along the way, and most important images that did
it before you, and you did it before me, and
you've done it a couple of years before me.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
You know, we're about almost.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
The same age, you know, but you started a little younger.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I didn't.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
I had to do too many no, no, not too many years,
you know, enough years that I had to burn, those
early years and learning how to speak English, you know.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
But I think the the.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Idea that I could, you know, sit across from you
and say, man, you you did it right. You opened
the door for so many of us to continue to
expand in the different directions that you had been as
possible for all of us to carve those roads, you know,
and you should take grades and you take pride in that.
And you know, that's what those amigos is about. Like,
it's about getting to know the battles, cars, the wounds,
(09:05):
you know, how we got here and what kept us
alive through the best and the worst version of our industries.
And the fact that you've had the pedigree to to
outrun most and outlive the best. You know, it's something
I need you to be proud of. And you know,
(09:25):
if it never anything ever happens, you know, after this conversation,
I think I can at least historically recorded, so you know,
so your children and children like yours can live up
to a moment where someone like you existed. You know,
you think back at all the people that did it
before us, you know, And that's why, you know, johny
(09:46):
with someone you brought you like, with someone with some
of our you know, inspirations. The fact that in our
lifetime we can tell that dude, you you broke it
in half and broke it open for us too, you know,
and for us to make weird choices too, right through
a little outgoing with the choices we make, you know.
And I was I saw myself in him because I
always wanted to play dirty. I wanted to play the
(10:07):
dirty guy, you know. I wanted to kind of dirty
myself up and play something I wasn't.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Yeah, yeah, you know I was privileged enough to get
to tell him that. I mean, you know, I've you know,
and hopefully we'll have John on here where I get
we all get to tell him this in person. But
I you know, I've I've done two films with him,
and I obviously i've I've said this to him face
to face many times. But my sophomore year of high school. Uh,
(10:33):
you know, I was a drama major and I was
in drama class. He came to my high school to
speak to my drama class. Oh way, yeah he was.
He was doing Did you ever tell him? Oh yeah,
oh yeah, no, no, no, we've just John and I
have had extensive conversations and he came to speak to
my class. He was doing Spicorama, one of his one
(10:54):
man shows at the Stephenwolf Theater, which was only a
block away from my high school. And so somehow my
drama teacher, Miss Robinson, got him to come and speak
to our class, right, and our class was only like
you know, I don't know, twenty people or something. And
he came and he spoke and I was the only
Latin kid in the class, you know, and so my
drama teacher was like, well, we got to introduce the
(11:17):
one Latino kid to John, you know, the other Latino
guy in here. And you know, she introduced us and
then we exchanged pleasantries and I you know, and you
know John and John's sense of humor, you know, he
kind of rubbed me on my head and he was like, yeah,
maybe one day, you know, you'll play my little brother.
And then I was all cocky, you know, and I
looked him in the eye and I was like, yeah,
well maybe one day I'll be where you're at. And
(11:39):
then we just kind of locked eyes for like a second,
and then he left, you know. And that was like
ninety two or something, and like three years later I
was starring in a movie with him. That's crazy.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Yeah, yeah, that is crazy.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
He did a movie called The Pest Together of course,
the best, the classic for all of us.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Yeah, we shot that movie.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
If any of you who's listening or watching you hear
about the past and you're like, what is that, do
yourself a favor right now, make it a movie night.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
This is this is a movie you have to watch. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
And then a couple of years later, like you know,
I walk into this rehearsal and I'm like, you don't
remember me, And he's looking at me like I'm crazy,
and he's like, no, man, who the hell are You's
you came to my class and he's like, well, now.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
We're starring this movie together.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
But you know, as we talk about inspiration, you know,
it was it was such a moment for me to
tell him how much he inspired me. And we've become
good friends since and I've gotten to tell him a
million times how much he's inspired me. And and that's
big bro to me, you know. But but to turn
it around on you, Wilmer, you know, what you've been
able to achieve has been I mean just phenomenal inspirational. Listen,
(12:56):
not only to like the next generation is coming inspirational
to me man, you know, and and to your peers
and the people who watch you become this incredible entrepreneur,
you know, which is so incredibly important for everyone who's
listening here. You know, is it important to see you
(13:16):
on TV every single week?
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Are you a visual representative, yes, But what you're managing
to do, like even with this show right here as
a producer, as a prolific producer, that you're becoming, I mean,
I can't really think of too many other Latinos who
have been able to do that. And for you to
be put in that incredibly privileged position you must feel
(13:42):
and I'll let you answer that, but I would imagine
the sort of deep sense of responsibility. And let me
tell you as somebody, as your friend, as someone who's
doing this with you being able to look in I mean,
I feel that you're handling that responsibility incredibly well, you know,
and you're handling it. Well, oh, you're you're you're laying
the foundation down for the next generation. You're laying the
(14:05):
foundation down to make us a more commercially viable force,
which is obviously the you know, you and I have
had this conversation in order for latinos to become a
more commercially viable force in the industry. And how important
that is because once we become a commercially viable force,
and we continue to prove that, we're the ones buying
the tickets to come and see the new investible marketable. Yes,
(14:27):
we're we're the ones. You know, the stuff that we
put out makes money. You know, people watch uh and
and you're you're, you're right at the forefront of that.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Man.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
No, thank you, Freddy. I I brother, I appreciate that.
I appreciate that. And you know, I am the guy
who doesn't take a bad to look back and say, like, what,
you know, how much we've been laying the groundwork.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
You know, we just take it the day, day by day.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
And one at a time and try not to overwhelm
myself with with you know, any grace. And I think
I would just say this. I have this, this urgent
desire for it to it all change. Yeah, dude, we've
been waiting so long for people to understand the value.
(15:12):
But most importantly, you know what we've contributed that continues
to subliminately disappear from.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
History, and so to me, it goes beyond like I've seen.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
I read the story of the underd and twenty five
Mexican infantry unit, you know, unit that was building out possible,
that was dropping the rope in a Nazi infested rome during.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
World War Two.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Then nobody wrote about one hundred and twenty five Mexicans.
They were all put together in one infantry union. They
were sent to the front to see where the fire
was coming from, and they did some of the most
heroic stuff in World War Two. You know, they make
friends with the Italian villages, and they almost spoke the
same language because Spanish and Italians, you know, we're so similar.
(15:59):
You know, they send a signal to the Germans, to
the Nazis that that wait a minute, look at all
these Latinos speaking Spanish and Spies were saying, this is
proof that Mexico has joined World WARLD two. Meanwhile, these
are Mexican Americans that were coming from.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
A pasto Texas.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
And I think about stories like that, and I go, WHOA,
if we knew that, if we knew.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
That we also fought.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
For the freedom and the gift that is this land
to everyone, we'd feel a little differently about ourselves. We
wouldn't think we're just a guess in this country. You know,
if we had more images, more of our stories to
be portrayed at that level, what would the world look
(16:48):
like for my daughter?
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Right?
Speaker 2 (16:51):
So, for me, like as soon as that, and I
kind of almost four years ago, you know, I was
always I always was in a you know, gear five,
put it in six as soon as she was born,
because I said, I want her to wake up to
a reality when she's a teenager, when she sees her language,
her culture portrayed on effortlessly and subliminately on screen. And
(17:14):
somebody goes, wow, look at how colorful. Look at how
I included this. But you look at the presentation. She goes,
what are you talking about? I don't see the difference,
and she almost forgets you know what it wasn't.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
You know, or like what it was not like you know?
Speaker 2 (17:32):
I think so so I think A lot of my
passion comes from, like, you know, can we create a
world where they can wake up and know like, oh,
I can also be an attorney. I can also be
the hero of my story, you know, And doesn't matter
what I look like, right, And for her to get
to that point where it doesn't matter what she looks like,
the world has to be painted differently, and it has
(17:52):
to be painted with the true colors you know that
we commute with every single day in our country, you know,
and in the world. Latinos are, Latinos are Italian, They're Japanese, right,
Latinos are are you know, you know, are from everywhere.
Latinos are Indians, They're Australians, They're Canadians, Latinos are everything.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
Yeah, And I think nothing.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Will give you more joy than to be able to
just continue to build a path where we can continue to.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Just tell this in I mean no other way.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
I look at it this one story at a time, Yeah,
one venture at a time, and hopefully by the time
we look back, it's like and if made that cannot
be raised.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
Well, I see the urgency. I feel it, and for
those listening, for those listening, there are times I look
at Wilmore and I go, dude, when do you sleep
this guy? This guy works so much, man, It's like,
you know, and then all of a sudden he wants
to do a podcast. I'm like, are you sure this
(18:52):
is where I come to rest though? Are you sure
you have the time?
Speaker 1 (18:55):
The podcast?
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Is like, you know how I forced myself to I
forced you to come out.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
With me, you know, man, I'm just trying to keep up. Yeah,
I mean, this guy is like, I'm up at four
in the morning working out. I'm like, so, then when
do you go to sleep?
Speaker 1 (19:07):
You know, like two Like what do you sleep? Like
two hours a night?
Speaker 2 (19:10):
I'm telling you, man, five feet in behind me, there's
somebody waiting to let me. And uh, you know, so
I gotta have this stamina of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
You know that's good.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
That's a good comparison. Thank you, man, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
I was a Sega genesis, you know.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
But anyways, this is a great conversation, and I hope
that we ever listen to this. You know, finds similarities
no matter what industry, no matter what life you're living.
Hopefully some of these little nuggets that Freddie and I
have been exploring you know somehow you know, connects with
you and whatever spiritual, whatever subliminal or or just a
(19:49):
soulful journey that you're on that that whatever ingredients you
feil here, maybe something applies to you. And right and
I and we and we hope that you continue to
enjoy this journey and more inspiration, more hilarious stories, and
you know, we should we should definitely see when we
can get John in here. That would be that would
be amazing.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Legs, where are you at?
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Where on you're Johne?
Speaker 4 (20:10):
Where you at? Can I actually jump into I wanted
to ask the question if you ever had the opportunity
to meet one of your influences and is there something
of a mantra of us saying that they imparted on
(20:34):
you that you can give to our audience.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
I got to work with Andy Garcia. We we did
this movie called He played a Wild the legendary jazz musician,
and I played his son in that movie. And obviously
I was, you know, starstruck and everything.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Yeah, I was just so I was.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
So happy to be working with him because he was
someone I looked up to so much. And I just
remember one day just flat out asking him for advice,
and he said to me, you know, Freddie, just stay loose,
stay loose. And I was like, you know, I was
rather young.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
I was like, Okay, stay loose, you know.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
And then it dawned on me later, you know, Uh,
and you and I have had this conversation, you know
how like you know, you're doing a scene and sometimes
you'll be watching somebody in a scene and they're not loose.
You know, there's there's like tension, and there's should pressure,
there's tension in their in their face and their bad
you just feel it, right and then and then you
(21:31):
then you watch scenes where someone is completely relaxed, right,
and it's just coming across as natural. You know, the
words are flowing, the body language is flowing. Uh, and
that and that and that just clicked after he imparted
that on me, you know, after you bestowed that that
knowledge on me. And and I would say that that
probably goes for everything in life, right, It's not just
(21:52):
sort of the scene that you're shooting at.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
The time, it's just stay loose. It translates across the board.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
Yeah yeah, what about you anyone ever?
Speaker 1 (22:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Yeah, absolutely, I think I I you know, I've talked
about this a few times in the past, and I'm
proud to bring up this memory.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
When I was eighteen years old, it was my first
year and seventy show.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Across our sound stage, Robin Williams was shooting La Doctors.
You know, he was doing a guest star at La Doctors. Yeah,
and he was playing a guy with elephant Titus, you know.
So he he had this this whole prosthetic thing in
his face and all that stuff, you know, and you know,
so in between the rehearsals, you know, he came over
across the way to meet kurtwood Smith, who had done
(22:36):
Dead Boys Society. Oh yeah, you know, so Kirt with
and Robin Williams are talking and I walk out and
I'm literally I'm eighteen, nineteen years old, and I look
up and I go, whoa, Yeah, that's Robin Williams. And
as a young comedic actor, this guy is like Mount Everest,
you know, like effortless heart, effortless comedy. But at a level,
(23:00):
it's just hard to comprehend how real and natural he
really was about that stuff and the energy he had.
So of course I went up there and I said, Hey, Kurwin,
who's your friend here?
Speaker 1 (23:08):
You know. And they both smiled.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
And I looked at Robin Williams and I said, hey, Robin,
I said, mister Williams, he goes call me Robin and
I said, yes, sir, thank you.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Robin.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Have a question for a young buck like me, you know,
wants to be just like you, you know, Any word
of advice and he looks at me. Yes, two words
of advice. Remember and never forget that your fans, because
you will have fans, are going to have three to
two minutes of your time for the rest of their life.
Oh yeah, what two to three minutes you want them
(23:41):
to walk away with?
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
And then he said and two remember and never forget
that it is supposed to be fun.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Yeah, I was.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
I was changed because I realized very quickly how important
it was that everything I did was not just fun
but enjoyable.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
You know. The idea to.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Remind yourself that everything is supposed to be fun. The
moment you're stressed, you talk about the lose, stay loose.
You know, in order to stay loose, you gotta you
gotta remember that you have to enjoy this. Relax, take
a deep breath, and make sure that it's fun for you.
If it's fun for you, it's going to be enjoyable
for everybody else, right, And and the thing about impressions,
(24:32):
first time impressions that perhaps sometimes are last lasting impressions.
You know, two to three minutes you want people to
walk away with. You know, no matter what's going on
in your day, you know, remember that somebody might be
going through the same and whatever you alter those two
minutes to be, you know, could either help somebody could
also make you comfortable the moment, you create an environmental harmony.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
And so that really changed everything for me. Wo fun.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
Do you ever find that you have a struggle with
the fun aspect?
Speaker 2 (25:04):
I think when I struggle, it become less fun. Yeah,
I think it's become what's become more less fun is
that I'm running out of hours mm hmm. And it's
become even more evident than my time on Earth is
getting to a point where now we're I'm living up
(25:25):
to halfway through my life and the other half is
the last half.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
Yeah. Oh so so you're you're questioning mortality.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Well, I'm thinking more like, with the timeline where I
have left, how much more can I sneak in?
Speaker 1 (25:42):
You know? So like so that becomes a little not fun.
You know.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
That's why I think I do so much as when
I get up so early. That's why the all those things.
There's my four year old daughter upstairs. It's just a
very heavy feed, but it is. It is like a
very very sobering thing, like before I leave this place,
how am I going to leave it?
Speaker 1 (26:04):
And I'm stressful with that ship. Dude, I don't know
why I do.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
Yes, huh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
I I what about you? I try.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
I love I love going, you know, for me working,
I gotta have fun. Like if I'm not having fun,
I don't feel loose.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
You know, I don't well at this point of your career,
if he's not gonna be fun, it's a no.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
Yeah man, yeah, but you'd be surprised. And sometimes, you know,
you go on a set and it's not fun. You know,
it's not fun. And I find for me anyway, you know,
there are some people who thrive and when it's not
fun and attention and all that. Like I don't thrive
intention you know, so I try to create as much
(26:50):
fun as I possibly could, but sometimes it just gets uh,
it gets hard, you know, depending on the project.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
You know, and you also think that namicynamically, you know,
you're not the only one going through something or some journey.
Everybody else, every actor has their rules and their scars
and they're totally yeah. Yeah, and it's it's you know,
in that aspect, I would say, when the environment is
not ideal, that's when you're responsible to change it. Not
(27:23):
for everybody else around it, even though they're going to
enjoy it, but you have responsibility to change it for you, Yeah,
because that's when you're going to try the most.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
Right.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
So if the environment is not great, how do I
make this environment better? Because it just helps me? And
in retrospect, it feels selfless because you're helping everybody else
get to that same frequency you know, of enjoying that
moment you're living together, or really you're helping your environment
because you're the one has.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
To be free.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
But it's difficult because there's very Yes, yes, I mean
we should definitely talk about those those moments like how
do you enter you know, around you know, an environment,
a hostile environment, and how.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Do you.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Know, how do you roll up your sleeves and either
make it better or remove yourself from it?
Speaker 1 (28:13):
I mean that's that's definitely an episode some of them.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
People need to hear about how to move themselves from
toxic environments, you know. Yeah, anyways, be turning back to
those amigos. Yes, it's such a such a you know,
such a privilege to to share this with you, Aaron,
and with Leo, and yeah, Ryan and very much Vincent, Lauren,
everybody who makes this possible for everybody. And Aaron, thank
(28:37):
you for such a provocative question.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
Yes, that's what.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
I'm here for. Thank you.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
You got anything else in the vault?
Speaker 4 (28:44):
There we I'm gonna save it for future episode.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
Okay, I got you all right?
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Well, thank you everyone for joining those amigos. This was
an extra bonus question. Then we love you guys. Thank
you for tuning in every week, and thank you for
loving the show. And and give us your feedback. Send
us on Instagram all your questions and thoughts or any
themes or any anything that you think we should answer
to talk about more. We're out of those amigos. Talk
(29:12):
on Instagram and uh, we'll see you guys there, see
you guys there.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
I'm Freddie Rodriguez Widama.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
See you next time.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
M h, m hm, m h.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
And Wilmer Valdorama.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
M.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
Wilmer Valdorama.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
M h m h m hmmmm mm hm hm m
hm hmmm
Welcome back to those amigos. I'm Wilmer Valderama and I
am Freddie Rodriguez.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
So last week we were talking about inspirations, right, the
moments that really stuck with us, the moments that made
us like, you know, like the moment when I was
talking about seeing my show in the small town that
I grew up in. You know, the bizarre of like, whoa,
that's me on TV in the same place that I said, oh,
maybe I'll be on be on TV.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Yeah yeah, Or the times that that I saw other
actors speaking Spanish, right, which.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
I know, those are moments that really kind of told us,
oh well maybe maybe us too. For me, as we
are nas with someone that kind of made it obtainable.
I had an accident when I first got a year.
I felt like that was something that really kind of
made me feel like I could I could do that,
And while we were at it, we just kept talking. Yeah,
so clearly we were inspired. So let's get back into it.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
You know, what I try to tell the younger generation
is like, especially the ones that are like I'm going
to be an actor and that's it, right, I go,
I go. You look at people like Ron Howard right,
like he started off as an actor and then became
a director, you know, or even like Ben Stiller or something.
You know, they're they're you got your Larry David's right,
(01:17):
who were like they started off as writers and then
they became actors. It's like, as long as you're sort
of in it somehow, you know, like keep your options open.
You know, maybe maybe if you explored or dug a
little deeper, maybe you're you're a good writer, Maybe maybe
you should also explore that as well. Maybe you should
explore directing, especially now that we have the youtubes of
(01:39):
the world and other and and and where you can
shoot an entire movie on your phone. Yeah. Yeah, so
so be taking advantage of that, which which also I
I you know, when young actors ask me, uh, you
know what, what what should I be doing? You know,
I always tell them, dude, just be doing it, right,
(01:59):
be doing it whatever it is is. Starting to just
be doing it and doing it. Could be making movies
for YouTube, you know, making your own stuff, you know,
because every time you do it, you're gonna get better,
Your skills are gonna get sharper. Maybe somebody's gonna see
something you did. I mean, man, look at like Isa
Rey for example, or Quinta Brunson or some of these
(02:21):
people who did fantastic work on like YouTube and then
all of a sudden somebody saw their stuff and that
translated into like their own television show.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah. Yeah, no, that's that's that's really good.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I'm trying to think in my mind, like what what
could I offer in this moment about ambition vision, you know,
having a vision that you want to materialize, that you
want to come when I become real.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
The truth is that you can't wait.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
For the opportunity to come with you, to come to you,
because that's that's just kind of how it work. You
really got to be ambition enough to go after it.
And I always you know, I always tell young people.
I was like, look, there's two ways that get this
can go right. You're working, you're nine to five, and
somebody goes, hey, you can be a star. He you, buddy,
(03:18):
And I promise.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
You you're gonna wait a loan that for that. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Or you can say I am a star. I do
have the talent and I'm gonna continue to work on
this craft. So in the moment I get that shot,
I cannot only nail it, but hold that opportunity and
stretch it into a career and ultimately, like you know,
I also also tell a lot of people it's not
what you it's not the movie and it's not the show.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
It's what you leave on that screen that gets you
the next job.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Oh man, I couldn't agree with that more. I mean,
I've been on stuff where, you know, I work with
actors who think, like, no one's gonna watch this, you know,
and they'll phone it in or something. Like My biggest
fear is to like do do something that I think
no one's gonna watch, and then it's like on at
three in the morning, and I suck in it because
(04:12):
I thought no one was gonna see it. And then
all of a sudden, like someone who's about to make
a decision sees me at three in the morning on
something that I'm absolutely terrible.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Yeah you know he never consisted. Yeah it's a mad.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
You know, Yeah, he kind of sucked in this thing
I saw no I've in the morning. Yeah, So so
like I don't care what it is. I remember when
it you know, when I first started even doing like
Network TV, you know, people were like, well, you know,
you came from cable and film, and like, you know,
I'm like, I don't care, man, I said, whatever, I'm
delivering the same type of quality performance I did on film,
(04:51):
like cable, whether I worked with Christian Bale or not. Like,
I don't care if it's network, Like, I am always
going to deliver that thing. You know, I'm never gonna
phone it in or what do.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
You think it is?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
What do you think it is that drives your soul
to say it like that.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Because it's all I know how to do, because it's
what it was taught to me when I was eighteen
nineteen years old. Because I had the privilege of working
with so many wonderful great.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
I mean came to play.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
I mean, I've worked with some of the greatest directors, producers, actors,
writers of all time, you know, and there's just a
certain level that they function in. You know, they fire
on very specific cylinders, you know, and that's what I
know how to do, you know. And so you know,
we're in an industry where, you know, back in the day,
(05:45):
when we were coming up, right, it was like, well,
you're a TV actor, you're a commercial actor, you're a
film actor or whatever.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Now it's none of that all that stuff is out
the windows, you know. So like so I was taught
a very specific way, and I don't care if I'm
doing a freaking M and M's commercial, Like I'm going
to bring that level of quality to that performances.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
And I and I never forget that someone three feet
away from me is waiting for me to trip. Yeah,
somebody is waiting for me to to slow down and
take a deep breath and sit on the sidewalk and
just rest because I think I've travel enough. Somebody is
literally maybe less than five yards away from you, ready
(06:37):
to lap you. They have to, ready to like, you know,
run over you, you know, if they have to. And
the only thing that holds the line for you is
your level of consistency and dedication to your craft and
to yourself, you know.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
And I think that's you know, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
That's why I try to do so many things right,
That's why you know, I venture into so many different
aspects of my of my industry because I just feel
in my heart, while I have the opportunity, might as
well leave a little imprint in all these different places
that I can show up, so then I can create
an atmosphere in an environment, a landscape where like most
(07:20):
of us can come in and make it all possible.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
And I don't know, I'm that dude. Man.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
I really feel in my heart that, like I just
this is my call in here is to continue to
you know, lock arms with the Freddie rodriguezz the world
to say like, oh, let's keep pushing the line forward,
Let's push the let's push that bar higher, you know.
And I think that that's that's the gift of this moment.
You know, we're entering a moment of our industry where
(07:48):
it's the most receptive to our culture that has ever
been because if now I realized we are incredibly valuable
to the success of just entertainment as a whole. Yeah,
corporate is following suit, you know, national communities are waking
up to it, you know. And and what a gift
for us to be not only alive, but to be
(08:08):
sitting where we're sitting, to be able to shepherd and
shine a light in the different directions our culture can
go to. To me, you're an inspiration, Freddy. And you
talk about inspirations, you talk about the people that were
there along the way, and most important images that did
it before you, and you did it before me, and
you've done it a couple of years before me.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
You know, we're about almost.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
The same age, you know, but you started a little younger.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I didn't.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
I had to do too many no, no, not too many years,
you know, enough years that I had to burn, those
early years and learning how to speak English, you know.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
But I think the the.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Idea that I could, you know, sit across from you
and say, man, you you did it right. You opened
the door for so many of us to continue to
expand in the different directions that you had been as
possible for all of us to carve those roads, you know,
and you should take grades and you take pride in that.
And you know, that's what those amigos is about. Like,
it's about getting to know the battles, cars, the wounds,
(09:05):
you know, how we got here and what kept us
alive through the best and the worst version of our industries.
And the fact that you've had the pedigree to to
outrun most and outlive the best. You know, it's something
I need you to be proud of. And you know,
(09:25):
if it never anything ever happens, you know, after this conversation,
I think I can at least historically recorded, so you know,
so your children and children like yours can live up
to a moment where someone like you existed. You know,
you think back at all the people that did it
before us, you know, And that's why, you know, johny
(09:46):
with someone you brought you like, with someone with some
of our you know, inspirations. The fact that in our
lifetime we can tell that dude, you you broke it
in half and broke it open for us too, you know,
and for us to make weird choices too, right through
a little outgoing with the choices we make, you know.
And I was I saw myself in him because I
always wanted to play dirty. I wanted to play the
(10:07):
dirty guy, you know. I wanted to kind of dirty
myself up and play something I wasn't.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Yeah, yeah, you know I was privileged enough to get
to tell him that. I mean, you know, I've you know,
and hopefully we'll have John on here where I get
we all get to tell him this in person. But
I you know, I've I've done two films with him,
and I obviously i've I've said this to him face
to face many times. But my sophomore year of high school. Uh,
(10:33):
you know, I was a drama major and I was
in drama class. He came to my high school to
speak to my drama class. Oh way, yeah he was.
He was doing Did you ever tell him? Oh yeah,
oh yeah, no, no, no, we've just John and I
have had extensive conversations and he came to speak to
my class. He was doing Spicorama, one of his one
(10:54):
man shows at the Stephenwolf Theater, which was only a
block away from my high school. And so somehow my
drama teacher, Miss Robinson, got him to come and speak
to our class, right, and our class was only like
you know, I don't know, twenty people or something. And
he came and he spoke and I was the only
Latin kid in the class, you know, and so my
drama teacher was like, well, we got to introduce the
(11:17):
one Latino kid to John, you know, the other Latino
guy in here. And you know, she introduced us and
then we exchanged pleasantries and I you know, and you
know John and John's sense of humor, you know, he
kind of rubbed me on my head and he was like, yeah,
maybe one day, you know, you'll play my little brother.
And then I was all cocky, you know, and I
looked him in the eye and I was like, yeah,
well maybe one day I'll be where you're at. And
(11:39):
then we just kind of locked eyes for like a second,
and then he left, you know. And that was like
ninety two or something, and like three years later I
was starring in a movie with him. That's crazy.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Yeah, yeah, that is crazy.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
He did a movie called The Pest Together of course,
the best, the classic for all of us.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Yeah, we shot that movie.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
If any of you who's listening or watching you hear
about the past and you're like, what is that, do
yourself a favor right now, make it a movie night.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
This is this is a movie you have to watch. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
And then a couple of years later, like you know,
I walk into this rehearsal and I'm like, you don't
remember me, And he's looking at me like I'm crazy,
and he's like, no, man, who the hell are You's
you came to my class and he's like, well, now.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
We're starring this movie together.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
But you know, as we talk about inspiration, you know,
it was it was such a moment for me to
tell him how much he inspired me. And we've become
good friends since and I've gotten to tell him a
million times how much he's inspired me. And and that's
big bro to me, you know. But but to turn
it around on you, Wilmer, you know, what you've been
able to achieve has been I mean just phenomenal inspirational. Listen,
(12:56):
not only to like the next generation is coming inspirational
to me man, you know, and and to your peers
and the people who watch you become this incredible entrepreneur,
you know, which is so incredibly important for everyone who's
listening here. You know, is it important to see you
(13:16):
on TV every single week?
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Are you a visual representative, yes, But what you're managing
to do, like even with this show right here as
a producer, as a prolific producer, that you're becoming, I mean,
I can't really think of too many other Latinos who
have been able to do that. And for you to
be put in that incredibly privileged position you must feel
(13:42):
and I'll let you answer that, but I would imagine
the sort of deep sense of responsibility. And let me
tell you as somebody, as your friend, as someone who's
doing this with you being able to look in I mean,
I feel that you're handling that responsibility incredibly well, you know,
and you're handling it. Well, oh, you're you're you're laying
the foundation down for the next generation. You're laying the
(14:05):
foundation down to make us a more commercially viable force,
which is obviously the you know, you and I have
had this conversation in order for latinos to become a
more commercially viable force in the industry. And how important
that is because once we become a commercially viable force,
and we continue to prove that, we're the ones buying
the tickets to come and see the new investible marketable. Yes,
(14:27):
we're we're the ones. You know, the stuff that we
put out makes money. You know, people watch uh and
and you're you're, you're right at the forefront of that.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Man.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
No, thank you, Freddy. I I brother, I appreciate that.
I appreciate that. And you know, I am the guy
who doesn't take a bad to look back and say, like, what,
you know, how much we've been laying the groundwork.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
You know, we just take it the day, day by day.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
And one at a time and try not to overwhelm
myself with with you know, any grace. And I think
I would just say this. I have this, this urgent
desire for it to it all change. Yeah, dude, we've
been waiting so long for people to understand the value.
(15:12):
But most importantly, you know what we've contributed that continues
to subliminately disappear from.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
History, and so to me, it goes beyond like I've seen.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
I read the story of the underd and twenty five
Mexican infantry unit, you know, unit that was building out possible,
that was dropping the rope in a Nazi infested rome during.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
World War Two.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Then nobody wrote about one hundred and twenty five Mexicans.
They were all put together in one infantry union. They
were sent to the front to see where the fire
was coming from, and they did some of the most
heroic stuff in World War Two. You know, they make
friends with the Italian villages, and they almost spoke the
same language because Spanish and Italians, you know, we're so similar.
(15:59):
You know, they send a signal to the Germans, to
the Nazis that that wait a minute, look at all
these Latinos speaking Spanish and Spies were saying, this is
proof that Mexico has joined World WARLD two. Meanwhile, these
are Mexican Americans that were coming from.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
A pasto Texas.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
And I think about stories like that, and I go, WHOA,
if we knew that, if we knew.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
That we also fought.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
For the freedom and the gift that is this land
to everyone, we'd feel a little differently about ourselves. We
wouldn't think we're just a guess in this country. You know,
if we had more images, more of our stories to
be portrayed at that level, what would the world look
(16:48):
like for my daughter?
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Right?
Speaker 2 (16:51):
So, for me, like as soon as that, and I
kind of almost four years ago, you know, I was
always I always was in a you know, gear five,
put it in six as soon as she was born,
because I said, I want her to wake up to
a reality when she's a teenager, when she sees her language,
her culture portrayed on effortlessly and subliminately on screen. And
(17:14):
somebody goes, wow, look at how colorful. Look at how
I included this. But you look at the presentation. She goes,
what are you talking about? I don't see the difference,
and she almost forgets you know what it wasn't.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
You know, or like what it was not like you know?
Speaker 2 (17:32):
I think so so I think A lot of my
passion comes from, like, you know, can we create a
world where they can wake up and know like, oh,
I can also be an attorney. I can also be
the hero of my story, you know, And doesn't matter
what I look like, right, And for her to get
to that point where it doesn't matter what she looks like,
the world has to be painted differently, and it has
(17:52):
to be painted with the true colors you know that
we commute with every single day in our country, you know,
and in the world. Latinos are, Latinos are Italian, They're Japanese, right,
Latinos are are you know, you know, are from everywhere.
Latinos are Indians, They're Australians, They're Canadians, Latinos are everything.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
Yeah, And I think nothing.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Will give you more joy than to be able to
just continue to build a path where we can continue to.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Just tell this in I mean no other way.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
I look at it this one story at a time, Yeah,
one venture at a time, and hopefully by the time
we look back, it's like and if made that cannot
be raised.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
Well, I see the urgency. I feel it, and for
those listening, for those listening, there are times I look
at Wilmore and I go, dude, when do you sleep
this guy? This guy works so much, man, It's like,
you know, and then all of a sudden he wants
to do a podcast. I'm like, are you sure this
(18:52):
is where I come to rest though? Are you sure
you have the time?
Speaker 1 (18:55):
The podcast?
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Is like, you know how I forced myself to I
forced you to come out.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
With me, you know, man, I'm just trying to keep up. Yeah,
I mean, this guy is like, I'm up at four
in the morning working out. I'm like, so, then when
do you go to sleep?
Speaker 1 (19:07):
You know, like two Like what do you sleep? Like
two hours a night?
Speaker 2 (19:10):
I'm telling you, man, five feet in behind me, there's
somebody waiting to let me. And uh, you know, so
I gotta have this stamina of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
You know that's good.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
That's a good comparison. Thank you, man, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
I was a Sega genesis, you know.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
But anyways, this is a great conversation, and I hope
that we ever listen to this. You know, finds similarities
no matter what industry, no matter what life you're living.
Hopefully some of these little nuggets that Freddie and I
have been exploring you know somehow you know, connects with
you and whatever spiritual, whatever subliminal or or just a
(19:49):
soulful journey that you're on that that whatever ingredients you
feil here, maybe something applies to you. And right and
I and we and we hope that you continue to
enjoy this journey and more inspiration, more hilarious stories, and
you know, we should we should definitely see when we
can get John in here. That would be that would
be amazing.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Legs, where are you at?
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Where on you're Johne?
Speaker 4 (20:10):
Where you at? Can I actually jump into I wanted
to ask the question if you ever had the opportunity
to meet one of your influences and is there something
of a mantra of us saying that they imparted on
(20:34):
you that you can give to our audience.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
I got to work with Andy Garcia. We we did
this movie called He played a Wild the legendary jazz musician,
and I played his son in that movie. And obviously
I was, you know, starstruck and everything.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Yeah, I was just so I was.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
So happy to be working with him because he was
someone I looked up to so much. And I just
remember one day just flat out asking him for advice,
and he said to me, you know, Freddie, just stay loose,
stay loose. And I was like, you know, I was
rather young.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
I was like, Okay, stay loose, you know.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
And then it dawned on me later, you know, Uh,
and you and I have had this conversation, you know
how like you know, you're doing a scene and sometimes
you'll be watching somebody in a scene and they're not loose.
You know, there's there's like tension, and there's should pressure,
there's tension in their in their face and their bad
you just feel it, right and then and then you
(21:31):
then you watch scenes where someone is completely relaxed, right,
and it's just coming across as natural. You know, the
words are flowing, the body language is flowing. Uh, and
that and that and that just clicked after he imparted
that on me, you know, after you bestowed that that
knowledge on me. And and I would say that that
probably goes for everything in life, right, It's not just
(21:52):
sort of the scene that you're shooting at.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
The time, it's just stay loose. It translates across the board.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
Yeah yeah, what about you anyone ever?
Speaker 1 (22:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Yeah, absolutely, I think I I you know, I've talked
about this a few times in the past, and I'm
proud to bring up this memory.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
When I was eighteen years old, it was my first
year and seventy show.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Across our sound stage, Robin Williams was shooting La Doctors.
You know, he was doing a guest star at La Doctors. Yeah,
and he was playing a guy with elephant Titus, you know.
So he he had this this whole prosthetic thing in
his face and all that stuff, you know, and you know,
so in between the rehearsals, you know, he came over
across the way to meet kurtwood Smith, who had done
(22:36):
Dead Boys Society. Oh yeah, you know, so Kirt with
and Robin Williams are talking and I walk out and
I'm literally I'm eighteen, nineteen years old, and I look
up and I go, whoa, Yeah, that's Robin Williams. And
as a young comedic actor, this guy is like Mount Everest,
you know, like effortless heart, effortless comedy. But at a level,
(23:00):
it's just hard to comprehend how real and natural he
really was about that stuff and the energy he had.
So of course I went up there and I said, Hey, Kurwin,
who's your friend here?
Speaker 1 (23:08):
You know. And they both smiled.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
And I looked at Robin Williams and I said, hey, Robin,
I said, mister Williams, he goes call me Robin and
I said, yes, sir, thank you.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Robin.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Have a question for a young buck like me, you know,
wants to be just like you, you know, Any word
of advice and he looks at me. Yes, two words
of advice. Remember and never forget that your fans, because
you will have fans, are going to have three to
two minutes of your time for the rest of their life.
Oh yeah, what two to three minutes you want them
(23:41):
to walk away with?
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
And then he said and two remember and never forget
that it is supposed to be fun.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Yeah, I was.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
I was changed because I realized very quickly how important
it was that everything I did was not just fun
but enjoyable.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
You know. The idea to.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Remind yourself that everything is supposed to be fun. The
moment you're stressed, you talk about the lose, stay loose.
You know, in order to stay loose, you gotta you
gotta remember that you have to enjoy this. Relax, take
a deep breath, and make sure that it's fun for you.
If it's fun for you, it's going to be enjoyable
for everybody else, right, And and the thing about impressions,
(24:32):
first time impressions that perhaps sometimes are last lasting impressions.
You know, two to three minutes you want people to
walk away with. You know, no matter what's going on
in your day, you know, remember that somebody might be
going through the same and whatever you alter those two
minutes to be, you know, could either help somebody could
also make you comfortable the moment, you create an environmental harmony.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
And so that really changed everything for me. Wo fun.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
Do you ever find that you have a struggle with
the fun aspect?
Speaker 2 (25:04):
I think when I struggle, it become less fun. Yeah,
I think it's become what's become more less fun is
that I'm running out of hours mm hmm. And it's
become even more evident than my time on Earth is
getting to a point where now we're I'm living up
(25:25):
to halfway through my life and the other half is
the last half.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
Yeah. Oh so so you're you're questioning mortality.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Well, I'm thinking more like, with the timeline where I
have left, how much more can I sneak in?
Speaker 1 (25:42):
You know? So like so that becomes a little not fun.
You know.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
That's why I think I do so much as when
I get up so early. That's why the all those things.
There's my four year old daughter upstairs. It's just a
very heavy feed, but it is. It is like a
very very sobering thing, like before I leave this place,
how am I going to leave it?
Speaker 1 (26:04):
And I'm stressful with that ship. Dude, I don't know
why I do.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
Yes, huh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
I I what about you? I try.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
I love I love going, you know, for me working,
I gotta have fun. Like if I'm not having fun,
I don't feel loose.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
You know, I don't well at this point of your career,
if he's not gonna be fun, it's a no.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
Yeah man, yeah, but you'd be surprised. And sometimes, you know,
you go on a set and it's not fun. You know,
it's not fun. And I find for me anyway, you know,
there are some people who thrive and when it's not
fun and attention and all that. Like I don't thrive
intention you know, so I try to create as much
(26:50):
fun as I possibly could, but sometimes it just gets uh,
it gets hard, you know, depending on the project.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
You know, and you also think that namicynamically, you know,
you're not the only one going through something or some journey.
Everybody else, every actor has their rules and their scars
and they're totally yeah. Yeah, and it's it's you know,
in that aspect, I would say, when the environment is
not ideal, that's when you're responsible to change it. Not
(27:23):
for everybody else around it, even though they're going to
enjoy it, but you have responsibility to change it for you, Yeah,
because that's when you're going to try the most.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
Right.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
So if the environment is not great, how do I
make this environment better? Because it just helps me? And
in retrospect, it feels selfless because you're helping everybody else
get to that same frequency you know, of enjoying that
moment you're living together, or really you're helping your environment
because you're the one has.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
To be free.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
But it's difficult because there's very Yes, yes, I mean
we should definitely talk about those those moments like how
do you enter you know, around you know, an environment,
a hostile environment, and how.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Do you.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Know, how do you roll up your sleeves and either
make it better or remove yourself from it?
Speaker 1 (28:13):
I mean that's that's definitely an episode some of them.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
People need to hear about how to move themselves from
toxic environments, you know. Yeah, anyways, be turning back to
those amigos. Yes, it's such a such a you know,
such a privilege to to share this with you, Aaron,
and with Leo, and yeah, Ryan and very much Vincent, Lauren,
everybody who makes this possible for everybody. And Aaron, thank
(28:37):
you for such a provocative question.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
Yes, that's what.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
I'm here for. Thank you.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
You got anything else in the vault?
Speaker 4 (28:44):
There we I'm gonna save it for future episode.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
Okay, I got you all right?
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Well, thank you everyone for joining those amigos. This was
an extra bonus question. Then we love you guys. Thank
you for tuning in every week, and thank you for
loving the show. And and give us your feedback. Send
us on Instagram all your questions and thoughts or any
themes or any anything that you think we should answer
to talk about more. We're out of those amigos. Talk
(29:12):
on Instagram and uh, we'll see you guys there, see
you guys there.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
I'm Freddie Rodriguez Widama.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
See you next time.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
M h, m hm, m h.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
And Wilmer Valdorama.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
M.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
Wilmer Valdorama.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
M h m h m hmmmm mm hm hm m
hm hmmm
Hosts And Creators
Wilmer Valderrama
Freddy Rodriguez
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.