April 30, 2026 • 39 mins
Wilmer and Freddy have heard every kind of note there is, and in this episode, they’re talking about what you’re actually supposed to do with them. From the directions that make you better to the ones that just make you doubt yourself, they break down how to stay open, protect your instincts, and decide whose feedback is really worth changing course for.
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Speaker 1 (00:10):
Hey, ladies and gentlemen, I'm Wilmer Valderrama. I'm pretty you
got to play a character.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Sounds like that.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Welcome to those amigos.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Amigos.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
You might be listening, or you might be watching us. Yes,
and if you're watching us, you can probably notice the
bags under my eyes in this very moment.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Or workingman, Yes, we both are.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
I happened to wrap season twenty three of NCIS last night.
It was twenty three crazy, and I'm happy to report
that it was also my two hundredth episode on NCS.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Wow. Well, and how many seasons for you?
Speaker 1 (00:53):
In particular? How many have you done on that show?
This was my ninth season. Ninth seasons, So the next
season we'll we met tenth.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
How many seasons of seventy show did you do?
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Eight? I just tied broke your record. No, I just tied.
I just tied both records. So I did two hundred
episodes of that seventy show of a comedy, and I
just did two hundred episodes of a drama.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Check that box.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Pretty pretty crazy. I'm pretty proud of myself, man. I
think you know, obviously I tried to be as humble
as possible when it comes to the shit. I don't
like talking about it that often, you know, but last
night was actually a very humbly moment, you know that,
like if I hadn't done anything between, which I've also
have done a gang of stuff in between. Of course,
I've done four hundred episodes of television and yeah, two
(01:45):
hundred of them people laugh, and another two hundred of
them made people, yeah, terrified, murder.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
And you've had generations of people watching you on TV
and looking at you as an example was they forged
their own roads. As when we were kids, right, how
we used to watch Jimmy Smith's on La.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Law Institutional Come Home and you're gonna watch that?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Yeah yeah? Or or eric is Trota and Chips like
you're that guy?
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Now I felt well, I mean those guys are larger
than nice.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
I mean, I think I feel happy.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
That I wrapped because I'm so tired, you know, Like,
I don't know, we've talked about it before, but you
do twenty episodes of a season as grateful as we are.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
By episode seventeen, you're like, yeah, yeah, like human holidays
like January is You're like, oh, you're dragon.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
The human body is like, let me know, when it's
hy so you can get sick, right, and then you
just like fall up.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
You know, do you feel at this point, and this
is maybe a rhetorical question here, you must know your
character inside out at this point, Right, you.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Made line and watched me like him?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Did you see where that body was?
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Right, Freddy? Did you see where that body was? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I tip the finger prints?
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Anything come up?
Speaker 2 (03:21):
No?
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Hm, that's CAZy. Well she got to hit on the prince.
It's your son, it's your son, murder. How do you
(03:45):
feel at this stage? Right, You've done, You've done these
many seasons. You know your character inside out. Do you
still get direction? Do you still get feedback? I mean,
how can somebody.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Direct you or give you feedback when you've been playing
the same character for so many years. I bet it's tricky.
I bet it's tricky because.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Everything one of these actors on the show. I mean,
there's just no freaking way that a director can come
in and know what you what your characters going through, right,
because your character has all these like years and years
and years of layers that are kind of reacting in
a way that's like organic in human, you know. But
(04:28):
then there are directors that have been directing the show
for twenty years, who've.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Been on this journey, so they know the trage.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
They know the characters really well, so they'll have they'll
have something to say. But I will say that with
that time spent together also comes a crazy amount of
trust in the choices that we both make, so they
kind of let you cook.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Has there ever been anyone who have come and have
given you feedback? I mean this late in the game
where you've been like, your direction is off. I've lived
with this character for this many seasons.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
I try to stay open. I really try to stay
open because every director sees things that others don't, and
every director wants to bring a flavor and bring a
vibe that you know, the show could benefit if you're
allow it to take the show to different places. Right,
So my heart always stays open. But it is tough
because I've had directions that I'm just like, have you
(05:27):
ever watched the show? Like, for example, like my character
is kind of like the grumpy, like you know, you know,
short tempered, kind of like lone wolf and smart ass, right,
And he's funny because he's a smart ass and he's
not intimidated.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Right.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
The only thing he fears is God. So when he
when he's in the squadron and Mark Harmon used to
walk in, you know, gives he you know, Mark Carmon
commands authority. He looks like he's the boss. He walks
in and he's the baddest man on that scene. Right,
(06:09):
So everybody's like, oh, here comes the boss whatever. And
then my character, based on the choices I'm making and
what I've created, he doesn't stand up with authority interests
the room. He's kind of a little bit of that, like, yeah,
so what are we doing, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Rebellious or whatever? You know.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
So director came in and he's like, hey, when the
boss comes in, you should get up and just be
a little nervous because now he's gonna ask you to
give him an update.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
And so you had to explain that to him.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I had to. I had to explain to him that
you don't do that.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
That's not gonna happen.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Yeah, I'm rebellious, but it's but it's just like those
are like the creative things, you know, But it is tough.
Sometimes you have to allow those nots to happen. And
I think as an actor, you you have to understand
that there is a collaboration that has to be allowed,
you know. So I think in that moment, maybe I
(07:08):
grew a little cynical. Maybe it grew a little bit like,
come on, man, I know this guy better than you.
You know, was that your response to him when he
gives no no? I? You know? You as an actor,
you always have to have a gracious way of receiving things.
You know, and you also know whether you agree with
it or not agree with it. The best rule of
thumb is, you know, listen, if you disagree with it,
(07:30):
bring a better idea to the table. I never just
be like not doing that right. That creates bad energy.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
So there's a way that there's a finesse.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
So if you give me that direction and I disagree
with it, I'd say something like, I appreciate that note.
I think that sounds that sounds like it makes a
lot of sense. Unfortunately, I think the dynamic between these
characters it's a little bit of a different vibe. So
my character will have a tough time kind of doing that,
(08:01):
you know, So you know, or there's other ways of
saying it, right, Like I think the thing ultimately, if
somebody would give me that note. The way I handled
it that day was thank you, you know, let me
let me give that a try.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
And then they said action and I just didn't do it.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
I didn't do it.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
But it's just but at that point I couldn't. I
couldn't do it.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Yeah, a character. I couldn't pull it off. So was
he like, God, you didn't do the thing?
Speaker 1 (08:29):
No? I think he understood. He understood it wasn't the character,
you know, eventually, But you know, that's that's kind of
like a really mild example of something like you know,
but I think it's it translates into everything, right, whether
it's artistry, whether it's life. You know, But what about you?
Did you ever have you ever gone a direction where
you're like what, Yeah, yeah, what show? What movie?
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Well on you know, the last show I did Bull
That was the first successful network TV run. I'm never
had a successful network.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
TV because they were doing massive features. They were globally
distributed by massive studios and they are movies that will
live forever.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Well, thank you, I tried.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
I thank the Warner Bros.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Was a paramount. I tried. You know, there was a
couple of there was a couple of tries that didn't manifest.
And then and then when Bull hit, I was like, oh, okay,
this is a completely different experience for me. But he
was a very different character. He was. He was a lawyer,
but he was more like at al Pacino and Injustice
(09:40):
for All or like Tom Cruise and a Few Good Men.
He was more bombastic and and and outwardly was it
was different than what you would see. And there's no
disrespect to like Law and Order any of those other shows,
but it was very, very different than what they were doing.
And and this was around like season three. This director
came in and was seeing what I was doing, which
(10:03):
was much different than what he was used to, and
he made some comment like dude, you're like overacting. He
made he didn't use those words exactly, but but you
know he was. He was saying like, you're doing too much.
And I'm like, have you watched the show? This is
(10:24):
this is who the character is. You know, he's a
little over the top. That's that's kind of what made
this show successful is this new way of playing a lawyer.
And he couldn't compute. It didn't compute in his head.
And so he gave me some direction and I sort
of tried it, and it was definitely a tamer version
of what I was doing before that. But I just
(10:47):
relied on my instincts, and I relied on this character
that I created, and I just kept going in that direction.
So that was interesting. And so there was a bit
of me that was like, but I've been playing in
this character for three four seasons already, Like what do
you and and and you want to try to say
that without being rude. I was trying not to be
(11:08):
rude and be cool about it, and uh so I
just tried to navigate through it the best that I could.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
What what What do you think it takes for you
to translate criticism with grace, understanding and patience.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
What do you got to lock Cain on? Humility? I
think you have to have a certain level of humility.
Whether it's in our job or even when I'm talking
to my kids and their jobs and we have conversations
about their interactions with their colleagues or their bosses, there's
a there's a form of humility and and time to
(11:49):
process whatever their feedback is, whatever their notes are. I
think that as human beings, sometimes there's an impulsive aspect
to us as humans, especially you and I. Right, we're
like passionate human beings, right, and we know what we're doing,
and the first impulse is to go, no, you got
(12:09):
it wrong. Right, But there's also this politics aspect to it,
and there's a there's a decorum, and there's a there's
a way you do it, and so there's a sense
of control that I think that I've acquired through maturity
and time in the business that maybe if I was younger,
I would have been like, no, that's not the way
you do it, you know, although I've always been pretty
(12:31):
cool when it comes to that stuff. I had Oh, man,
what else? Man? I had a director tell me one time,
and a really big one too. Man recently, a big
one who is very very relevant today. He asked me
to we were doing this project together, and he wanted
me to watch a movie by Michael Mann. I think
it was called man Hunter, right with Billy God what
(12:54):
was his name? Man? Oh my god, I'm blinking on
his name. No, no, no, no, shout out who starred
in CSI, the Original CSI. He started Manhunter the Original
and he was like, I want you to watch this movie.
You're going to play a cop and I was like okay,
and I watched and I saw what he was doing.
I was like, okay, you sort of want a version
of that, okay, And I went into the reading and
(13:17):
we did a reading and I was kind of doing
my version of it, and he stopped me man like
the first first sentence in, two sentence in, and he's like,
what are you doing? Man? You sound like you're doing
like an episode of CSI or something. And I was like, wow,
I can't believe he just said that to me. And
I was like okay.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Then, and then he's like, okay, now let's do it
one more time.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Yeah. Yeah, And he just sort of micromanaged at the
reading every line.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
I never painted Christopher knowing us for me, and I.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Was like, I'm about to get fired. I guess I
thought I was doing what you wanted me to do.
And here's the thing, right, So I had a very
specific interpretation of the character and I was just kind
of like, no, this is just a reading, Like let's
just wait till we get there. And it made me
so incredibly insecure, and I went all the way around
trying to figure out trying to figure out what he wanted,
(14:09):
and he gave me notes, gave me notes, and then
we eventually ended up what my instincts said the character
was to begin with.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
That's always the case.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
And what I learned there was like, good dude, if
you would have just let me do what I do.
Hired me for a reason, I'm not going to come
across in your movie like I'm doing an episode of
what and you know who, God bless those people. I'm
not dissing those people are their work. But and then,
and then we came all the way around, and so
(14:38):
finally when when I hit the note, he was like, yeah,
that's it, and I'm like, bro, that's what I was
doing from like day one, and he's and he was,
you know, and it made me so incredibly insecure because
he was just such a big director. Man.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I was like, wow, Man, anyway, I gotta tell my
Wes Craven story at some point.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Now's the time, man, feedback is it how I told
that story? We're talking about feedback.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
I don't think I need to tell story. I did
a movie with West Craven called Cursed. Yeah. Shout out
to Christina Ricci, who, by the way, I was supposed
to play her her best friend at work.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Yeah, and.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
So many years ago, many goes, and I said, you know,
shout out to her because she showed so much grace, Yeah,
so much patience, and she was just such a great
team player. And I don't even I think she'll remember
we had we did a scene. Yeah, I was.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
I was.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
I was asked to do this sceno and almost like
twenty two times and she had to read opposite meian
entire time. And I was like, I'm sorry, I know
what's going on?
Speaker 2 (15:55):
What was it that you weren't giving him.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
That he was trying to like he was trying to
make my character a little more animated. He wanted me
to play her best friend, but he wanted me to
change the entire characters Bean and self.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
You know, like everything that.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Yeah, this meant everything. But he was doing it during
the scene, you know, he was trying to like find
it in the scene. Meanwhile, it's like we're now two
hours of shooting the scene and I'm like, the crew
like this, and she's like, what are you not doing right?
And I was like, I don't know. She was like
she was, but but you know, it ended up that
(16:38):
you know that they they shut down the movie like
a week later, they had to do a gangor re rights,
and they recast the entire movie because they changed the
whole storyline. She stayed and until the people stayed and stuff.
But you didn't No, I did not make the cut.
Didn't make the cut. It's biz, man, Yeah, it's the biz.
(16:58):
But but you know the is that was a moment
where I took every direction I could and did every
version of of of whatever. But that's it's interesting because
I was like.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Wait, it's gravy.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Oh my god, Like yeah, right, You're like give me
all your notes. Yeah, like twenty five times, I'm like,
please don't give me more y.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Yeah, you feel like you're disappointing a legend, you know, Yeah,
all kinds of stuff like that, you know, all kinds
of feedback and and you know, you're you're internally panicking
at the moment, right, and and you have to just
have a certain level of calm and humility, like to
really try to understand what it is that they're not
(17:37):
seeing in the performance or whatever. And you try not
to take it personal too, right, You just try to like.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Go because it technically isn't right because they're they're not
it's not a personal attack against you is that some
people have specificity with how they move, you know, and
and some people can and just let go. But you
know who who's amazing I just letting you cook is
(18:03):
Robert Rodriguez. Yeah, Robert Driguz hires you because he said
something in your eye. Yeah, and then when you're on set,
as long as it's in your eye, he'll just be
focusing on making you look the coolest guy in the planet. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Yeah, yeah, he did that with me. I came in,
I had an interpretation, and he was like, yep, I
mean I don't I think the only what were some
of the direction that you got? I mean some of
the only direction I got from him was like, don't
grimace as much when you hold the gun, don't you know,
pull back a little bit, not not you know, just
just those were those were his notes. But he he
(18:41):
was so generous with his with his time and and
feedback and just allowed me to allow me to cook.
What were some of the directions for me?
Speaker 1 (18:51):
It's a little more technical because I played with the villain,
you know. Yeah, so he was kind of like, you know,
when you start your line, yeah, you know, a couple
of steps you feel that light. Make sure you tell
that shadow shadow over your head. Yeah yeah, and it
creates that cast, that shodow in your eyes, creates that thing.
He's like very like very specific on how he wanted
(19:12):
to like have that line be read in a specific lighting.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
You know.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Yeah, it's more about moments. Yeah, He's really trying to
make that moment hit. So it's the note is more rhythmic,
it's more like choreograph. It's more like it's a dance.
He wants you to hit that step. Yeah, you know
because that because he's editing as he's Yeah, he wants
you to give him the take he's gonna use. He's
(19:39):
not trying to do three takes and figure it out later.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Was his editor on set with him, Well, he was editing. Yeah, yeah,
he edits. But then he always has a guy kind
of doing the rough sounds. He would have original score
by John Carpenter when I was doing it with him,
and he would put the original I mean, we would
do the scene and like in a matter of like
ten minutes'd be like, come here, want to show you
something has cut? Yeah right there with John Carpenter's score
(20:04):
right behind it. Yes, I mean he blew my mind.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
I mean, there'll be action sequences that I was like,
what you just cut that together? Like we just shot it. Yeah,
but he has such a short hand with his team
and he's crew and all that. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
You ever you ever get feedback from another actor? Yeah? Yeah,
didn't go well, I can tell in your smile. It
depends on the actor. Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean,
what were some of the you don't have to name
if you don't care to what what what? What were
some of the actor try to direct you? Is that it? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Yeah, he wanted me to He wanted me to say
it a certain way so he could say it a
certain way. Yeah, that was that was the goal.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Yeah. He wanted me to come in at a certain
place where he can come in at a certain place. Yeah,
you know, And I said, uh, you know, gracious. He said, yeah, yeah,
just try it all right, I try it right, you know, man,
just give it a shot.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
That was he like, after, like, hey man.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
He says, I, you know, you know, will do one
more time? You litten one time? And I was like yeah, yeah,
but you know, it's like some actors are funny, man,
Like they want to sabotage here this ship. You know,
I don't know. Yeah, but I don't know. Have you
had the the.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
Yeah, I worked with an actor like that. We both
know him. He'll remain nameless.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
I wish this was that podcast.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
It just isn't. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, try
to direct, you, try to get you know whatever. No,
but I will tell the story of an actor who's
who's no longer with us. I worked with Alan Rickman
two times. I did two movies with him, and I
did a movie called Bottle Shock with him, and he
was just lovely, lovely, lovely person to work with him.
(21:56):
And I believe his wife's name was Rita, if I'm
not mistaken, most lovely human beings ever. Man and I
had such a wonderful experience with him, And then I
did another movie with him called CBGB, and at first
it started to be kind of the opposite experience. Man
and I didn't know what was happening, and he was
(22:18):
very opinionated about my character and what I was wearing
and the wig I had on, and it was a
very unique, off the wall character. I created this whole
thing and a voice and all this other stuff, and
he was super opinionated about that. And it put me
in a really weird position because I'm like, I usually
(22:39):
tell people like that to f off Man. I can't
do that to Alan Rickman. You know, he's a legend.
I respect him so much. But I can tell that
something was up and I couldn't put my finger on it.
I remember talking to the director about it and I'm like, hey, man,
Alan is like giving me notes and I can tell
in their eyes they're like well, and they didn't want
(23:00):
to tell me what was wrong. And shortly after that,
I discovered that he had cancer. Oh and uh and
he passed away and I was like, oh, that's what
it was. The poor guy was going through to cancer
and uh. And I guess you know some of whatever
(23:20):
was yeah, irritating him was was was coming out through
seeing certain imperfections and what he felt embodied my character
and wasn't afraid to.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
I mean, think about how and then and then you
got to act say it again and think about how
toling it is to go through something like that, and
then you say it and just like show your best, you.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Know, yeah, yeah, because I'm like, man, Alan Rickman doesn't
like what I'm doing. Man, it sucks, you know, I
really want to. I thought we were cool. It was
like our second movie together. And then uh and then
and then I'm like, oh that made sense. Man. The
poor guy was just suffering. But but shout out to
to his why and his family. They were just so
so lovely.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
It's your house like full of like two hundred different posters.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
It could be, it could be. It's funny you say that. Man.
I was going through some stuff the other day and
I was I was finding old posters, like oh yeah, no, no,
you know, my house has no posters of any of
my movies. And even my wife says, well, why don't
you have any? I'm like, I don't know. Like when
the kids were growing up, I just tried to I
(24:40):
just wanted them to grow up normal, you know, so
like I never had any like reference look at me
or movie stuff or like any of that stuff. I
just wanted them to have a normal childhood. The only
thing I have up and I know you make fun
of me sometimes whenever we zoom is you know I
have like trophies up and all that. You know, that's
the only thing I fun you know, like.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Trophies in the back.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Guy, you got quite an impressive show.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Look who's talking. He's talking.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
This guy here has a whole shelf of trophies in
his office. I walk in there, I'm looking look at
all the Wilmers.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
My my biggest claims are my my Teen Choice Awards.
You know, I think I was the only actor to
win Teen Choice Awards for both Leading Actor and Comedy
and Best side Kick. So there is that's it.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
I mean, you're of the I mean, yeah, you're part
of I think that's wonderful because you're part of the culturals.
I guys, the fans.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Definitely, you know, fans definitely voted on Team Vogue and
Team People. They also send in their ballet seventeen. Yeah,
this is before digital voting.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
So yeah, I think it's wonderful. Man. And I saw
that poster you have. I mean, you know that that
seventies show poster you have in your office. It's so
I mean it was such a legendary show. Like why
wouldn't you have that in your I think it's wonderful.
I've seen all the stuff you have in your office.
I think it's great. You know.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
I like to put up art to reflects. I'm like
the mood and all that stuff.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
But what's the most when you go into your office
and you see that or the posters, or what's the
one thing that you look at that means I don't
want to say means the most to you, but you
look at and you go that really made either an
impact in your life or holds a special place in
your heart, or like, what's the thing that you have
(26:36):
in your office right now that.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
I have a I have a flag that was folded
and it was presented to me by some of the
armed forces from our work in the USO. And it
was a flag that was flown over Ground zero and
New York. Wow and incredible, and so it's hop in
(27:01):
my office. It's a reminder of the fallen. I have
another flag that was flown over Operation and Freedom in
Iraq and over a comeback zone and then they gave
me that flag too. It was super cool.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
So those things for me, it's like those are the
ones where I look at that and I'm like WHOA,
Like yeah, it's kind of it's iconic for me. I
love that stuff.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Yeah, what about what a life we lead? Right? Yeah?
I want to know more? What else you got? Let's
see what can I think of? Off the bat. I
have a photo that someone took of me on my
first play when I was thirteen years old. Fourteen, well,
I had turned fourteen.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
I had one from high school and I went from
uh before I left at A is wella too.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
I want to show you those two pictures.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
And you know, it's crazy, man, I was. I was
fourteen years old, and I remember that moment so visit
so vividly because it was the moment I was like, Oh,
this is what I'm going to do for the rest
of my life. You know. I remember being on stage
and ink and that.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
You see that picture, it's kind of like reignited, right, yeah,
just go oh they captured the moment where I decided
what I was going to do.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
This is what my life. Yeah yeah yah yeah. What
have you kept any Have you kept any souvenirs for
many of your films or TV shows?
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Yeah? Like I have my fans from from Dust till Done,
have my metal fans in a little box in my office.
I have. I have my Summer Cats jersey signed by
the entire cast. Yeah, that's pretty cool. Then I have
what else doing? Oh and I have like probably a
(28:38):
third which is a lot of my character Fez on
that seventies shows wardrobe?
Speaker 2 (28:45):
You kept the wardrobe?
Speaker 1 (28:47):
I have no way, did you really? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Wow, I still fit in some of them.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Sorry not sorry, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
But you brought the character back right for the ninety shows.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
So did you have to where they gave me ninety stuff?
You know, it's a.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
That's true, that's true, that's true.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Yeah, but it's crazy Like you open it and you
grab one of the jackets, You're like wow, yeah, right,
like it takes you back because like one of those
artifacts that just takes you back in time. You're like, well, yeah,
get back to that moment.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Yeah, I still have Robert gave me the butterfly knives
that I used in Planet Terror? What else do I
have that.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
I have?
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Like toys that like fans have made of me in
different projects that they'll send me, which is awesome, Like
you know, you just have like a toy made, you know,
nothing official, something a fan made, you know. I think
that's wonderful. I'm like, wow, you took the time, like
this character moved you that much that you would go
and like make a toy out of this character. You ah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
(29:56):
that same character in the mirror in the in the mirror.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Yes, sorry, I'm sorry for those I was talking about myself.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's crazy, that's great.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
But listen as we kind of bring it all the
way around, what would be one word of advice that
you could give people who are trying to say, how
do I receive constructive criticism?
Speaker 2 (30:30):
And how do you pick.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
The ones that you allow in?
Speaker 2 (30:34):
I guess the piece of advice that I would give,
right is keep a sense of humility when you're receiving
the criticism, whether it's right or wrong.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
Right, right, right, So fifty to fifty way is going
to click?
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Yeah, yeah, yeah. You have to have a certain filter
of humility to receive it and to digest it and
to process it. And then ultimately you have to follow
like your gut, right, then your gut is going to
sort of regurgitate whatever that thing is eventually. And know
that you're working with other people who expect a certain
(31:11):
something from you and they're not seeing it right. And
that's no knock towards you or your ability and what
you do, whether you're an actor, whether whatever it is
that you do. They're not seeing something right, and you
have to have a certain humility about that it's it's
not that you suck or your work sucks. They're just
not seeing something, and so you have to have the
humility enough to go, well, they're not seeing it, so
(31:33):
let me try to adjust so that I can give
them what they need. What about you? What do you?
How do you? How do you process that? And how
do you.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Yeah, I mean it's very similar. I think you're nailed that.
I think that that's one of the things that you
you you you know, you kind of evolve with, right,
It's I can never evolving situation and how you receive
and how you implement.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
You know.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
The only thing I could add to that is that criticism.
It's it's almost the wrong word, right, because people have observations.
Those observations come from a very pure, primitive and instinctual place,
(32:16):
and it's a reflection of how they were raised, the
values that they shared, and most importantly, the way they
see life. You mean, like like critics, like a review,
like a bad review. I'm talking about everybody who has
an opinion about your shit.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
They come from a place where they either are on
the second floor thinking they have a bird side view
and your on your shit, or they just think they've
done it, you know, the same way, and they got
you know whatever, like whatever the configuration is. I think
what I'm trying to say is that you also have
to one you have to consider the source. Yeah, I'm
(32:53):
a strong believer that if somebody has done it before you,
you should listen, somebody hasn't done what you do. Yeah,
it's hard to take in that observation, right. That's where
like if Fredi Rodriguez says, hey, man, I saw you
in that episode.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Honestly that one seen.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
I think you left some food on the table, I'd
be like, you look that back, because you're going to
see things based on a trajectory that I not only respect,
but I also understand. You see my artistry like the
matrix and those are the that's the wisdom you want
to seek.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
And you don't want to wait.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
For people excrazism. You want to open your heart to
that feedback from people you respect. So when you start
a business, you're not going to just hire everybody that's
never done it before, right, You're going to talk to
people that I've done it successfully, right, and they're going
to pave a road for you to actually walk with a.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
Coherent plan.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
You know. So I think those are the only thing
that I would add to that. I think that it's
super important to just like consider the source. Yeah, and that,
by the way, is also the secret the secret trade
to not ever let it hit you in the heart.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
Yeah. Do you feel the same way because you're also
I think you've been talking about your perspective from an actor,
but you're also a business owner, right, You're also a producer.
You also have a company. Do you find that you
process feedback the same way when you're wearing that hat?
And if you do, then give me an example. Has
(34:40):
someone given you a piece of feedback from a producorial
level that you've processed and you've been like, you know what,
you're right, you know, maybe I should pivot this way
or that way. What's been an example that someone has
given you in that regard.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
An example that did work. There was a good advisor both.
So great executives tell you, don't worry about who my
favorite writers are. Worry about the writers that are going
to bring your vision for this.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Project, title, idea, script.
Speaker 1 (35:13):
Whatever to life in the way that if it succeeds
or if it fails, you can sleep at night.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
M hm.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
So package your ideas with the voices that share the
passion for the for the vision, right the scope, the story,
and if it sells, you're going to make something that
you're gonna be very proud of, right because it came
from a from a place of authenticity. You're not you're
(35:43):
not compromising with the vision because of a mandate, because
you are beholden to, you know, the short list of
usual suspects that a studio envisions being in business with.
Because sometimes you'll bring voices to the studios or to
the networks that they're like, whoa I just discovered and
(36:04):
new writer. Somebody came and pitched and I never thought
this person could write comedy blah blah blah. Right, so
you always have to kind of like stick to yourround
somebody that was the best criticism, like, because I was
always like, who.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
Is the list of writers?
Speaker 1 (36:15):
Yeah, so I can bring someone they want to be
in business with because it's going to sell faster or whatever.
The truth is that the show or the movie or
the project whatever is that you're developing, you know, and
it's just for every business that you're going to present
if it has the right plan and they can see
in around that table that everyone in here will have
(36:38):
a piece of the puzzle. Figure it out. That's going
to sell I was gonna get made. So those are
one of the best criticisms because I used to be
so hung up and like, well, who's got for Emmy's right, right?
Speaker 2 (36:51):
Or who do you? Who do I think that they
would want? Even if they're they might be slightly wrong
for the vision that I'm trying to all that. Yeah,
that's interesting.
Speaker 1 (37:01):
Yeah, And I think the other one said I feel
like I take with a grain of salt and I
consider only out of respect. It's the worst of advice
to sound like, you know, you know who you need
to get that's the star. Yeah, because every decade is
a short list of five individuals that are worth ten
(37:23):
million dollars the price tag and you're like, okay, you
want me to go to yeah, you know X to
basically financed. Oh, that's the movie you're gonna finance. Of
course you're going to finance that movie. If it was
that easy, why didn't you make a movie with them?
Speaker 2 (37:38):
Right?
Speaker 1 (37:39):
So it's like you're giving me advice based on like yeah,
no ship, Like if I get Tom Cruise attached to
my movie, it will get financed Leo DiCaprio. Yeah, yah,
that's what you want. That's that's where you want me
to go for your ten million dollars. Yeah, yeah, Okay,
that's great. Go let me go get So that's the
type of stuff it's just said, you know, and that
and how to self translate to life. Right, you know,
(38:01):
surround yourself with individuals. This is the first Advisorich she
does work, right, Surround yourself with individuals that them make
your attempt to add your dream better or give you
proximity at actually the expertise you need for it to
actually be successful. And then the other way around is
(38:22):
you know, if they if they're if they're going to
tell you how to do it, have they done it before?
Because if they haven't, you've got to consider that source.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
Interesting. Yeah. Well, to all the people out there, whether
you're an actor, whether you're a producer, whether you're working
at McDonald's, whatever it is that you're doing, be free,
be free, be open to criticism, don't take it personal,
and and have a process of humility and and and
(38:58):
filtering the information for your betterment. Right.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
Well, thank you guys for listening to this really insightful
conversation that went from Memoravillia to life advice and all
in between.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
And I'm Wilmer Valdorama Freddie Rodriguez.
Speaker 1 (39:15):
See you in the next episode.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
Dos Amigos is a production from WV Sound and iHeartMedia's
Michael touda podcast network hosted by me, Freddie Rodriguez, and Wilmervaldorama.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
Those Amigos is produced by Cooper Mole and Sophie Spencer savels.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
Our Executive producers are Wilmer Valdorama, Freddie Rodriguez, and Leo
Klem at WV Sound.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
This show is mixed and mastered by Sean Tracy and
original music by Madison Devinport and Halo Boy.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
For more podcasts from My Heart, visit the R heart
Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your
favorite shows.
Speaker 1 (39:51):
See you next week.
Hey, ladies and gentlemen, I'm Wilmer Valderrama. I'm pretty you
got to play a character.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Sounds like that.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Welcome to those amigos.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Amigos.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
You might be listening, or you might be watching us. Yes,
and if you're watching us, you can probably notice the
bags under my eyes in this very moment.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Or workingman, Yes, we both are.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
I happened to wrap season twenty three of NCIS last night.
It was twenty three crazy, and I'm happy to report
that it was also my two hundredth episode on NCS.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Wow. Well, and how many seasons for you?
Speaker 1 (00:53):
In particular? How many have you done on that show?
This was my ninth season. Ninth seasons, So the next
season we'll we met tenth.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
How many seasons of seventy show did you do?
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Eight? I just tied broke your record. No, I just tied.
I just tied both records. So I did two hundred
episodes of that seventy show of a comedy, and I
just did two hundred episodes of a drama.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Check that box.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Pretty pretty crazy. I'm pretty proud of myself, man. I
think you know, obviously I tried to be as humble
as possible when it comes to the shit. I don't
like talking about it that often, you know, but last
night was actually a very humbly moment, you know that,
like if I hadn't done anything between, which I've also
have done a gang of stuff in between. Of course,
I've done four hundred episodes of television and yeah, two
(01:45):
hundred of them people laugh, and another two hundred of
them made people, yeah, terrified, murder.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
And you've had generations of people watching you on TV
and looking at you as an example was they forged
their own roads. As when we were kids, right, how
we used to watch Jimmy Smith's on La.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Law Institutional Come Home and you're gonna watch that?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Yeah yeah? Or or eric is Trota and Chips like
you're that guy?
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Now I felt well, I mean those guys are larger
than nice.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
I mean, I think I feel happy.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
That I wrapped because I'm so tired, you know, Like,
I don't know, we've talked about it before, but you
do twenty episodes of a season as grateful as we are.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
By episode seventeen, you're like, yeah, yeah, like human holidays
like January is You're like, oh, you're dragon.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
The human body is like, let me know, when it's
hy so you can get sick, right, and then you
just like fall up.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
You know, do you feel at this point, and this
is maybe a rhetorical question here, you must know your
character inside out at this point, Right, you.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Made line and watched me like him?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Did you see where that body was?
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Right, Freddy? Did you see where that body was? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I tip the finger prints?
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Anything come up?
Speaker 2 (03:21):
No?
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Hm, that's CAZy. Well she got to hit on the prince.
It's your son, it's your son, murder. How do you
(03:45):
feel at this stage? Right, You've done, You've done these
many seasons. You know your character inside out. Do you
still get direction? Do you still get feedback? I mean,
how can somebody.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Direct you or give you feedback when you've been playing
the same character for so many years. I bet it's tricky.
I bet it's tricky because.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Everything one of these actors on the show. I mean,
there's just no freaking way that a director can come
in and know what you what your characters going through, right,
because your character has all these like years and years
and years of layers that are kind of reacting in
a way that's like organic in human, you know. But
(04:28):
then there are directors that have been directing the show
for twenty years, who've.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Been on this journey, so they know the trage.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
They know the characters really well, so they'll have they'll
have something to say. But I will say that with
that time spent together also comes a crazy amount of
trust in the choices that we both make, so they
kind of let you cook.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Has there ever been anyone who have come and have
given you feedback? I mean this late in the game
where you've been like, your direction is off. I've lived
with this character for this many seasons.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
I try to stay open. I really try to stay
open because every director sees things that others don't, and
every director wants to bring a flavor and bring a
vibe that you know, the show could benefit if you're
allow it to take the show to different places. Right,
So my heart always stays open. But it is tough
because I've had directions that I'm just like, have you
(05:27):
ever watched the show? Like, for example, like my character
is kind of like the grumpy, like you know, you know,
short tempered, kind of like lone wolf and smart ass, right,
And he's funny because he's a smart ass and he's
not intimidated.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Right.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
The only thing he fears is God. So when he
when he's in the squadron and Mark Harmon used to
walk in, you know, gives he you know, Mark Carmon
commands authority. He looks like he's the boss. He walks
in and he's the baddest man on that scene. Right,
(06:09):
So everybody's like, oh, here comes the boss whatever. And
then my character, based on the choices I'm making and
what I've created, he doesn't stand up with authority interests
the room. He's kind of a little bit of that, like, yeah,
so what are we doing, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Rebellious or whatever? You know.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
So director came in and he's like, hey, when the
boss comes in, you should get up and just be
a little nervous because now he's gonna ask you to
give him an update.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
And so you had to explain that to him.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I had to. I had to explain to him that
you don't do that.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
That's not gonna happen.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Yeah, I'm rebellious, but it's but it's just like those
are like the creative things, you know, But it is tough.
Sometimes you have to allow those nots to happen. And
I think as an actor, you you have to understand
that there is a collaboration that has to be allowed,
you know. So I think in that moment, maybe I
(07:08):
grew a little cynical. Maybe it grew a little bit like,
come on, man, I know this guy better than you.
You know, was that your response to him when he
gives no no? I? You know? You as an actor,
you always have to have a gracious way of receiving things.
You know, and you also know whether you agree with
it or not agree with it. The best rule of
thumb is, you know, listen, if you disagree with it,
(07:30):
bring a better idea to the table. I never just
be like not doing that right. That creates bad energy.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
So there's a way that there's a finesse.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
So if you give me that direction and I disagree
with it, I'd say something like, I appreciate that note.
I think that sounds that sounds like it makes a
lot of sense. Unfortunately, I think the dynamic between these
characters it's a little bit of a different vibe. So
my character will have a tough time kind of doing that,
(08:01):
you know, So you know, or there's other ways of
saying it, right, Like I think the thing ultimately, if
somebody would give me that note. The way I handled
it that day was thank you, you know, let me
let me give that a try.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
And then they said action and I just didn't do it.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
I didn't do it.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
But it's just but at that point I couldn't. I
couldn't do it.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Yeah, a character. I couldn't pull it off. So was
he like, God, you didn't do the thing?
Speaker 1 (08:29):
No? I think he understood. He understood it wasn't the character,
you know, eventually, But you know, that's that's kind of
like a really mild example of something like you know,
but I think it's it translates into everything, right, whether
it's artistry, whether it's life. You know, But what about you?
Did you ever have you ever gone a direction where
you're like what, Yeah, yeah, what show? What movie?
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Well on you know, the last show I did Bull
That was the first successful network TV run. I'm never
had a successful network.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
TV because they were doing massive features. They were globally
distributed by massive studios and they are movies that will
live forever.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Well, thank you, I tried.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
I thank the Warner Bros.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Was a paramount. I tried. You know, there was a
couple of there was a couple of tries that didn't manifest.
And then and then when Bull hit, I was like, oh, okay,
this is a completely different experience for me. But he
was a very different character. He was. He was a lawyer,
but he was more like at al Pacino and Injustice
(09:40):
for All or like Tom Cruise and a Few Good Men.
He was more bombastic and and and outwardly was it
was different than what you would see. And there's no
disrespect to like Law and Order any of those other shows,
but it was very, very different than what they were doing.
And and this was around like season three. This director
came in and was seeing what I was doing, which
(10:03):
was much different than what he was used to, and
he made some comment like dude, you're like overacting. He
made he didn't use those words exactly, but but you
know he was. He was saying like, you're doing too much.
And I'm like, have you watched the show? This is
(10:24):
this is who the character is. You know, he's a
little over the top. That's that's kind of what made
this show successful is this new way of playing a lawyer.
And he couldn't compute. It didn't compute in his head.
And so he gave me some direction and I sort
of tried it, and it was definitely a tamer version
of what I was doing before that. But I just
(10:47):
relied on my instincts, and I relied on this character
that I created, and I just kept going in that direction.
So that was interesting. And so there was a bit
of me that was like, but I've been playing in
this character for three four seasons already, Like what do
you and and and you want to try to say
that without being rude. I was trying not to be
(11:08):
rude and be cool about it, and uh so I
just tried to navigate through it the best that I could.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
What what What do you think it takes for you
to translate criticism with grace, understanding and patience.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
What do you got to lock Cain on? Humility? I
think you have to have a certain level of humility.
Whether it's in our job or even when I'm talking
to my kids and their jobs and we have conversations
about their interactions with their colleagues or their bosses, there's
a there's a form of humility and and time to
(11:49):
process whatever their feedback is, whatever their notes are. I
think that as human beings, sometimes there's an impulsive aspect
to us as humans, especially you and I. Right, we're
like passionate human beings, right, and we know what we're doing,
and the first impulse is to go, no, you got
(12:09):
it wrong. Right, But there's also this politics aspect to it,
and there's a there's a decorum, and there's a there's
a way you do it, and so there's a sense
of control that I think that I've acquired through maturity
and time in the business that maybe if I was younger,
I would have been like, no, that's not the way
you do it, you know, although I've always been pretty
(12:31):
cool when it comes to that stuff. I had Oh, man,
what else? Man? I had a director tell me one time,
and a really big one too. Man recently, a big
one who is very very relevant today. He asked me
to we were doing this project together, and he wanted
me to watch a movie by Michael Mann. I think
it was called man Hunter, right with Billy God what
(12:54):
was his name? Man? Oh my god, I'm blinking on
his name. No, no, no, no, shout out who starred
in CSI, the Original CSI. He started Manhunter the Original
and he was like, I want you to watch this movie.
You're going to play a cop and I was like okay,
and I watched and I saw what he was doing.
I was like, okay, you sort of want a version
of that, okay, And I went into the reading and
(13:17):
we did a reading and I was kind of doing
my version of it, and he stopped me man like
the first first sentence in, two sentence in, and he's like,
what are you doing? Man? You sound like you're doing
like an episode of CSI or something. And I was like, wow,
I can't believe he just said that to me. And
I was like okay.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Then, and then he's like, okay, now let's do it
one more time.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Yeah. Yeah, And he just sort of micromanaged at the
reading every line.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
I never painted Christopher knowing us for me, and I.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Was like, I'm about to get fired. I guess I
thought I was doing what you wanted me to do.
And here's the thing, right, So I had a very
specific interpretation of the character and I was just kind
of like, no, this is just a reading, Like let's
just wait till we get there. And it made me
so incredibly insecure, and I went all the way around
trying to figure out trying to figure out what he wanted,
(14:09):
and he gave me notes, gave me notes, and then
we eventually ended up what my instincts said the character
was to begin with.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
That's always the case.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
And what I learned there was like, good dude, if
you would have just let me do what I do.
Hired me for a reason, I'm not going to come
across in your movie like I'm doing an episode of
what and you know who, God bless those people. I'm
not dissing those people are their work. But and then,
and then we came all the way around, and so
(14:38):
finally when when I hit the note, he was like, yeah,
that's it, and I'm like, bro, that's what I was
doing from like day one, and he's and he was,
you know, and it made me so incredibly insecure because
he was just such a big director. Man.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I was like, wow, Man, anyway, I gotta tell my
Wes Craven story at some point.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Now's the time, man, feedback is it how I told
that story? We're talking about feedback.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
I don't think I need to tell story. I did
a movie with West Craven called Cursed. Yeah. Shout out
to Christina Ricci, who, by the way, I was supposed
to play her her best friend at work.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Yeah, and.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
So many years ago, many goes, and I said, you know,
shout out to her because she showed so much grace, Yeah,
so much patience, and she was just such a great
team player. And I don't even I think she'll remember
we had we did a scene. Yeah, I was.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
I was.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
I was asked to do this sceno and almost like
twenty two times and she had to read opposite meian
entire time. And I was like, I'm sorry, I know
what's going on?
Speaker 2 (15:55):
What was it that you weren't giving him.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
That he was trying to like he was trying to
make my character a little more animated. He wanted me
to play her best friend, but he wanted me to
change the entire characters Bean and self.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
You know, like everything that.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Yeah, this meant everything. But he was doing it during
the scene, you know, he was trying to like find
it in the scene. Meanwhile, it's like we're now two
hours of shooting the scene and I'm like, the crew
like this, and she's like, what are you not doing right?
And I was like, I don't know. She was like
she was, but but you know, it ended up that
(16:38):
you know that they they shut down the movie like
a week later, they had to do a gangor re rights,
and they recast the entire movie because they changed the
whole storyline. She stayed and until the people stayed and stuff.
But you didn't No, I did not make the cut.
Didn't make the cut. It's biz, man, Yeah, it's the biz.
(16:58):
But but you know the is that was a moment
where I took every direction I could and did every
version of of of whatever. But that's it's interesting because
I was like.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Wait, it's gravy.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Oh my god, Like yeah, right, You're like give me
all your notes. Yeah, like twenty five times, I'm like,
please don't give me more y.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Yeah, you feel like you're disappointing a legend, you know, Yeah,
all kinds of stuff like that, you know, all kinds
of feedback and and you know, you're you're internally panicking
at the moment, right, and and you have to just
have a certain level of calm and humility, like to
really try to understand what it is that they're not
(17:37):
seeing in the performance or whatever. And you try not
to take it personal too, right, You just try to like.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Go because it technically isn't right because they're they're not
it's not a personal attack against you is that some
people have specificity with how they move, you know, and
and some people can and just let go. But you
know who who's amazing I just letting you cook is
(18:03):
Robert Rodriguez. Yeah, Robert Driguz hires you because he said
something in your eye. Yeah, and then when you're on set,
as long as it's in your eye, he'll just be
focusing on making you look the coolest guy in the planet. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Yeah, yeah, he did that with me. I came in,
I had an interpretation, and he was like, yep, I
mean I don't I think the only what were some
of the direction that you got? I mean some of
the only direction I got from him was like, don't
grimace as much when you hold the gun, don't you know,
pull back a little bit, not not you know, just
just those were those were his notes. But he he
(18:41):
was so generous with his with his time and and
feedback and just allowed me to allow me to cook.
What were some of the directions for me?
Speaker 1 (18:51):
It's a little more technical because I played with the villain,
you know. Yeah, so he was kind of like, you know,
when you start your line, yeah, you know, a couple
of steps you feel that light. Make sure you tell
that shadow shadow over your head. Yeah yeah, and it
creates that cast, that shodow in your eyes, creates that thing.
He's like very like very specific on how he wanted
(19:12):
to like have that line be read in a specific lighting.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
You know.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Yeah, it's more about moments. Yeah, He's really trying to
make that moment hit. So it's the note is more rhythmic,
it's more like choreograph. It's more like it's a dance.
He wants you to hit that step. Yeah, you know
because that because he's editing as he's Yeah, he wants
you to give him the take he's gonna use. He's
(19:39):
not trying to do three takes and figure it out later.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Was his editor on set with him, Well, he was editing. Yeah, yeah,
he edits. But then he always has a guy kind
of doing the rough sounds. He would have original score
by John Carpenter when I was doing it with him,
and he would put the original I mean, we would
do the scene and like in a matter of like
ten minutes'd be like, come here, want to show you
something has cut? Yeah right there with John Carpenter's score
(20:04):
right behind it. Yes, I mean he blew my mind.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
I mean, there'll be action sequences that I was like,
what you just cut that together? Like we just shot it. Yeah,
but he has such a short hand with his team
and he's crew and all that. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
You ever you ever get feedback from another actor? Yeah? Yeah,
didn't go well, I can tell in your smile. It
depends on the actor. Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean,
what were some of the you don't have to name
if you don't care to what what what? What were
some of the actor try to direct you? Is that it? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Yeah, he wanted me to He wanted me to say
it a certain way so he could say it a
certain way. Yeah, that was that was the goal.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Yeah. He wanted me to come in at a certain
place where he can come in at a certain place. Yeah,
you know, And I said, uh, you know, gracious. He said, yeah, yeah,
just try it all right, I try it right, you know, man,
just give it a shot.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
That was he like, after, like, hey man.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
He says, I, you know, you know, will do one
more time? You litten one time? And I was like yeah, yeah,
but you know, it's like some actors are funny, man,
Like they want to sabotage here this ship. You know,
I don't know. Yeah, but I don't know. Have you
had the the.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
Yeah, I worked with an actor like that. We both
know him. He'll remain nameless.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
I wish this was that podcast.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
It just isn't. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, try
to direct, you, try to get you know whatever. No,
but I will tell the story of an actor who's
who's no longer with us. I worked with Alan Rickman
two times. I did two movies with him, and I
did a movie called Bottle Shock with him, and he
was just lovely, lovely, lovely person to work with him.
(21:56):
And I believe his wife's name was Rita, if I'm
not mistaken, most lovely human beings ever. Man and I
had such a wonderful experience with him, And then I
did another movie with him called CBGB, and at first
it started to be kind of the opposite experience. Man
and I didn't know what was happening, and he was
(22:18):
very opinionated about my character and what I was wearing
and the wig I had on, and it was a
very unique, off the wall character. I created this whole
thing and a voice and all this other stuff, and
he was super opinionated about that. And it put me
in a really weird position because I'm like, I usually
(22:39):
tell people like that to f off Man. I can't
do that to Alan Rickman. You know, he's a legend.
I respect him so much. But I can tell that
something was up and I couldn't put my finger on it.
I remember talking to the director about it and I'm like, hey, man,
Alan is like giving me notes and I can tell
in their eyes they're like well, and they didn't want
(23:00):
to tell me what was wrong. And shortly after that,
I discovered that he had cancer. Oh and uh and
he passed away and I was like, oh, that's what
it was. The poor guy was going through to cancer
and uh. And I guess you know some of whatever
(23:20):
was yeah, irritating him was was was coming out through
seeing certain imperfections and what he felt embodied my character
and wasn't afraid to.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
I mean, think about how and then and then you
got to act say it again and think about how
toling it is to go through something like that, and
then you say it and just like show your best, you.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Know, yeah, yeah, because I'm like, man, Alan Rickman doesn't
like what I'm doing. Man, it sucks, you know, I
really want to. I thought we were cool. It was
like our second movie together. And then uh and then
and then I'm like, oh that made sense. Man. The
poor guy was just suffering. But but shout out to
to his why and his family. They were just so
so lovely.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
It's your house like full of like two hundred different posters.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
It could be, it could be. It's funny you say that. Man.
I was going through some stuff the other day and
I was I was finding old posters, like oh yeah, no, no,
you know, my house has no posters of any of
my movies. And even my wife says, well, why don't
you have any? I'm like, I don't know. Like when
the kids were growing up, I just tried to I
(24:40):
just wanted them to grow up normal, you know, so
like I never had any like reference look at me
or movie stuff or like any of that stuff. I
just wanted them to have a normal childhood. The only
thing I have up and I know you make fun
of me sometimes whenever we zoom is you know I
have like trophies up and all that. You know, that's
the only thing I fun you know, like.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Trophies in the back.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Guy, you got quite an impressive show.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Look who's talking. He's talking.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
This guy here has a whole shelf of trophies in
his office. I walk in there, I'm looking look at
all the Wilmers.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
My my biggest claims are my my Teen Choice Awards.
You know, I think I was the only actor to
win Teen Choice Awards for both Leading Actor and Comedy
and Best side Kick. So there is that's it.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
I mean, you're of the I mean, yeah, you're part
of I think that's wonderful because you're part of the culturals.
I guys, the fans.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Definitely, you know, fans definitely voted on Team Vogue and
Team People. They also send in their ballet seventeen. Yeah,
this is before digital voting.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
So yeah, I think it's wonderful. Man. And I saw
that poster you have. I mean, you know that that
seventies show poster you have in your office. It's so
I mean it was such a legendary show. Like why
wouldn't you have that in your I think it's wonderful.
I've seen all the stuff you have in your office.
I think it's great. You know.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
I like to put up art to reflects. I'm like
the mood and all that stuff.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
But what's the most when you go into your office
and you see that or the posters, or what's the
one thing that you look at that means I don't
want to say means the most to you, but you
look at and you go that really made either an
impact in your life or holds a special place in
your heart, or like, what's the thing that you have
(26:36):
in your office right now that.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
I have a I have a flag that was folded
and it was presented to me by some of the
armed forces from our work in the USO. And it
was a flag that was flown over Ground zero and
New York. Wow and incredible, and so it's hop in
(27:01):
my office. It's a reminder of the fallen. I have
another flag that was flown over Operation and Freedom in
Iraq and over a comeback zone and then they gave
me that flag too. It was super cool.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
So those things for me, it's like those are the
ones where I look at that and I'm like WHOA,
Like yeah, it's kind of it's iconic for me. I
love that stuff.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Yeah, what about what a life we lead? Right? Yeah?
I want to know more? What else you got? Let's
see what can I think of? Off the bat. I
have a photo that someone took of me on my
first play when I was thirteen years old. Fourteen, well,
I had turned fourteen.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
I had one from high school and I went from
uh before I left at A is wella too.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
I want to show you those two pictures.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
And you know, it's crazy, man, I was. I was
fourteen years old, and I remember that moment so visit
so vividly because it was the moment I was like, Oh,
this is what I'm going to do for the rest
of my life. You know. I remember being on stage
and ink and that.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
You see that picture, it's kind of like reignited, right, yeah,
just go oh they captured the moment where I decided
what I was going to do.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
This is what my life. Yeah yeah yah yeah. What
have you kept any Have you kept any souvenirs for
many of your films or TV shows?
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Yeah? Like I have my fans from from Dust till Done,
have my metal fans in a little box in my office.
I have. I have my Summer Cats jersey signed by
the entire cast. Yeah, that's pretty cool. Then I have
what else doing? Oh and I have like probably a
(28:38):
third which is a lot of my character Fez on
that seventies shows wardrobe?
Speaker 2 (28:45):
You kept the wardrobe?
Speaker 1 (28:47):
I have no way, did you really? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Wow, I still fit in some of them.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Sorry not sorry, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
But you brought the character back right for the ninety shows.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
So did you have to where they gave me ninety stuff?
You know, it's a.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
That's true, that's true, that's true.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Yeah, but it's crazy Like you open it and you
grab one of the jackets, You're like wow, yeah, right,
like it takes you back because like one of those
artifacts that just takes you back in time. You're like, well, yeah,
get back to that moment.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Yeah, I still have Robert gave me the butterfly knives
that I used in Planet Terror? What else do I
have that.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
I have?
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Like toys that like fans have made of me in
different projects that they'll send me, which is awesome, Like
you know, you just have like a toy made, you know,
nothing official, something a fan made, you know. I think
that's wonderful. I'm like, wow, you took the time, like
this character moved you that much that you would go
and like make a toy out of this character. You ah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
(29:56):
that same character in the mirror in the in the mirror.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Yes, sorry, I'm sorry for those I was talking about myself.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's crazy, that's great.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
But listen as we kind of bring it all the
way around, what would be one word of advice that
you could give people who are trying to say, how
do I receive constructive criticism?
Speaker 2 (30:30):
And how do you pick.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
The ones that you allow in?
Speaker 2 (30:34):
I guess the piece of advice that I would give,
right is keep a sense of humility when you're receiving
the criticism, whether it's right or wrong.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
Right, right, right, So fifty to fifty way is going
to click?
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Yeah, yeah, yeah. You have to have a certain filter
of humility to receive it and to digest it and
to process it. And then ultimately you have to follow
like your gut, right, then your gut is going to
sort of regurgitate whatever that thing is eventually. And know
that you're working with other people who expect a certain
(31:11):
something from you and they're not seeing it right. And
that's no knock towards you or your ability and what
you do, whether you're an actor, whether whatever it is
that you do. They're not seeing something right, and you
have to have a certain humility about that it's it's
not that you suck or your work sucks. They're just
not seeing something, and so you have to have the
humility enough to go, well, they're not seeing it, so
(31:33):
let me try to adjust so that I can give
them what they need. What about you? What do you?
How do you? How do you process that? And how
do you.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Yeah, I mean it's very similar. I think you're nailed that.
I think that that's one of the things that you
you you you know, you kind of evolve with, right,
It's I can never evolving situation and how you receive
and how you implement.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
You know.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
The only thing I could add to that is that criticism.
It's it's almost the wrong word, right, because people have observations.
Those observations come from a very pure, primitive and instinctual place,
(32:16):
and it's a reflection of how they were raised, the
values that they shared, and most importantly, the way they
see life. You mean, like like critics, like a review,
like a bad review. I'm talking about everybody who has
an opinion about your shit.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
They come from a place where they either are on
the second floor thinking they have a bird side view
and your on your shit, or they just think they've
done it, you know, the same way, and they got
you know whatever, like whatever the configuration is. I think
what I'm trying to say is that you also have
to one you have to consider the source. Yeah, I'm
(32:53):
a strong believer that if somebody has done it before you,
you should listen, somebody hasn't done what you do. Yeah,
it's hard to take in that observation, right. That's where
like if Fredi Rodriguez says, hey, man, I saw you
in that episode.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Honestly that one seen.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
I think you left some food on the table, I'd
be like, you look that back, because you're going to
see things based on a trajectory that I not only respect,
but I also understand. You see my artistry like the
matrix and those are the that's the wisdom you want
to seek.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
And you don't want to wait.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
For people excrazism. You want to open your heart to
that feedback from people you respect. So when you start
a business, you're not going to just hire everybody that's
never done it before, right, You're going to talk to
people that I've done it successfully, right, and they're going
to pave a road for you to actually walk with a.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
Coherent plan.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
You know. So I think those are the only thing
that I would add to that. I think that it's
super important to just like consider the source. Yeah, and that,
by the way, is also the secret the secret trade
to not ever let it hit you in the heart.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
Yeah. Do you feel the same way because you're also
I think you've been talking about your perspective from an actor,
but you're also a business owner, right, You're also a producer.
You also have a company. Do you find that you
process feedback the same way when you're wearing that hat?
And if you do, then give me an example. Has
(34:40):
someone given you a piece of feedback from a producorial
level that you've processed and you've been like, you know what,
you're right, you know, maybe I should pivot this way
or that way. What's been an example that someone has
given you in that regard.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
An example that did work. There was a good advisor both.
So great executives tell you, don't worry about who my
favorite writers are. Worry about the writers that are going
to bring your vision for this.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
Project, title, idea, script.
Speaker 1 (35:13):
Whatever to life in the way that if it succeeds
or if it fails, you can sleep at night.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
M hm.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
So package your ideas with the voices that share the
passion for the for the vision, right the scope, the story,
and if it sells, you're going to make something that
you're gonna be very proud of, right because it came
from a from a place of authenticity. You're not you're
(35:43):
not compromising with the vision because of a mandate, because
you are beholden to, you know, the short list of
usual suspects that a studio envisions being in business with.
Because sometimes you'll bring voices to the studios or to
the networks that they're like, whoa I just discovered and
(36:04):
new writer. Somebody came and pitched and I never thought
this person could write comedy blah blah blah. Right, so
you always have to kind of like stick to yourround
somebody that was the best criticism, like, because I was
always like, who.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
Is the list of writers?
Speaker 1 (36:15):
Yeah, so I can bring someone they want to be
in business with because it's going to sell faster or whatever.
The truth is that the show or the movie or
the project whatever is that you're developing, you know, and
it's just for every business that you're going to present
if it has the right plan and they can see
in around that table that everyone in here will have
(36:38):
a piece of the puzzle. Figure it out. That's going
to sell I was gonna get made. So those are
one of the best criticisms because I used to be
so hung up and like, well, who's got for Emmy's right, right?
Speaker 2 (36:51):
Or who do you? Who do I think that they
would want? Even if they're they might be slightly wrong
for the vision that I'm trying to all that. Yeah,
that's interesting.
Speaker 1 (37:01):
Yeah, And I think the other one said I feel
like I take with a grain of salt and I
consider only out of respect. It's the worst of advice
to sound like, you know, you know who you need
to get that's the star. Yeah, because every decade is
a short list of five individuals that are worth ten
(37:23):
million dollars the price tag and you're like, okay, you
want me to go to yeah, you know X to
basically financed. Oh, that's the movie you're gonna finance. Of
course you're going to finance that movie. If it was
that easy, why didn't you make a movie with them?
Speaker 2 (37:38):
Right?
Speaker 1 (37:39):
So it's like you're giving me advice based on like yeah,
no ship, Like if I get Tom Cruise attached to
my movie, it will get financed Leo DiCaprio. Yeah, yah,
that's what you want. That's that's where you want me
to go for your ten million dollars. Yeah, yeah, Okay,
that's great. Go let me go get So that's the
type of stuff it's just said, you know, and that
and how to self translate to life. Right, you know,
(38:01):
surround yourself with individuals. This is the first Advisorich she
does work, right, Surround yourself with individuals that them make
your attempt to add your dream better or give you
proximity at actually the expertise you need for it to
actually be successful. And then the other way around is
(38:22):
you know, if they if they're if they're going to
tell you how to do it, have they done it before?
Because if they haven't, you've got to consider that source.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
Interesting. Yeah. Well, to all the people out there, whether
you're an actor, whether you're a producer, whether you're working
at McDonald's, whatever it is that you're doing, be free,
be free, be open to criticism, don't take it personal,
and and have a process of humility and and and
(38:58):
filtering the information for your betterment. Right.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
Well, thank you guys for listening to this really insightful
conversation that went from Memoravillia to life advice and all
in between.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
And I'm Wilmer Valdorama Freddie Rodriguez.
Speaker 1 (39:15):
See you in the next episode.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
Dos Amigos is a production from WV Sound and iHeartMedia's
Michael touda podcast network hosted by me, Freddie Rodriguez, and Wilmervaldorama.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
Those Amigos is produced by Cooper Mole and Sophie Spencer savels.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
Our Executive producers are Wilmer Valdorama, Freddie Rodriguez, and Leo
Klem at WV Sound.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
This show is mixed and mastered by Sean Tracy and
original music by Madison Devinport and Halo Boy.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
For more podcasts from My Heart, visit the R heart
Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your
favorite shows.
Speaker 1 (39:51):
See you next week.
Hosts And Creators
Wilmer Valderrama
Freddy Rodriguez
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Betrayal Weekly
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com