May 14, 2024 • 34 mins
This week, Tommy is joined by actress Bailee Madison, currently starring in season 2 of the smash hit series, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School on Max. The series is a reboot of the massively successful Pretty Little Liars, and follows a brand new set of liars who find themselves being tormented by an unknown assailant. Friendships are tested, dreamy love interests are introduced and secrets are revealed. Today, Bailee opens up about being a superfan of the original Pretty Little Liars series, how grateful she is to be working with a cast of women that she can relate to, the bonds that have formed with her cast mates, how one of the original stars of Pretty Little Liars encouraged her to audition for the series during their work out class, the reality of growing up and transforming from a child actor to a young adult in the public eye, the importance of protecting your own energy, that it is okay to do certain things for yourself and not for other people, how Tobey Maguire’s kindness has left a lasting impression on her, and that one time Margot Robbie appeared in her dream with a special message.
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 (00:01):
Hey, guys, welcome to I've never said this before with me,
Tommy di Dario. I grew up with movies like I
Know What You Did Last Summer and the Scream franchise,
and of course the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies, so it's
safe to say the slasher genre it holds a very
special place in my heart. I know that sounds kind
(00:22):
of weird when I say it out loud, but I
don't know. There's just something special about being scared and
on the edge of your seat when watching a movie
or a show, and it's just thrilling. That's the best
way I can put it. And today's guest is the
lovely Bailey Madison, and she is bringing all of those
thrills because the second season of her show, Pretty Little
(00:43):
Liars Summer School is out now. The series is a
reboot of the massively successful Pretty Little Liars, and man
does it deliver this reboot. It follows a brand new
set of liars who find themselves tormented by an unknown assailant. Yes,
friendships are test said, dreamy love interests are introduced, and
secrets may be revealed. This season it feels a lot
(01:06):
like a big love letter to horror classics and I
am here for it. I could have talked to Bailey
for hours. I had the pleasure of hanging out with
her in person, and we had such an enjoyable conversation.
We both get a little emotional as well, and she
even flipped my signature question back on me, which I
think is a first for the show. So let's see
(01:28):
if today we can get Bailey to say something that
she has never said before. Bailey Madison, I am so
happy to finally meet you.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I know you too. It feels like I know you.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
I I was looking back at my dms and three
we have we have And in April of twenty twenty
one is when we officially met on Instagram and you
came on my pandemic.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Shows, which I loved that you did that. Oh my god,
we were all even. I was trying to search for
ways that we could feel connected in some way or another,
but I loved I loved that you did that.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Well, thank you. And three years later, we are here, baby,
we are here. Ever, it is so nice to be
hanging out with you in person. We have a lot
to get to starting with Okay, season two of Pretty
Little Liars. This show is terrifying.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
It's fun.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
It's fun. You know why I love it. I grew
up with I note you did last summer with Scream,
with like the really fun slasher films and genre, and
this is that good? This is that so season two? Yeah,
it's out, now, tell me about it.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yes, I'm so excited. It's called a Pretty Little Liars
Summer School. We pick up as like a direct pickup
basically from last season. But the girls spent most of
their school year fighting for their lives and trying to survive,
and so naturally their their grades didn't survive, but they did,
so they have to go into summer school and make
the most of it. But then here it comes again,
(03:00):
real kicker, someone else's ought to get them, so they
must yet again survive and keep each other safe. But
it's such a fun summer show. It's it's bigger and
it's bolder than last season. I'm a huge fan of it.
It's like fun and emotional and sexy and it's just
kind of it's it's just like everything that you I
think would want in summer. And I say that genuinely
as a as a fan, not as a pitch. I'm really,
(03:21):
really proud of the season that we made.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
You have a line in the trailer that killed me.
It was so funny. I don't know if it was
the principal or you know what I'm talking about that.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Cool give like school as I can't even do it now.
I'm like summer Imagen has Yeah, she has these really
great one liners that I find really endearing. Last season,
my favorite one, she got hooked on the idea of
like a bucket because she saw this bucket at the
Spirit Queen dance and the entire episode was spent of
her trying to be like, no, there's a bucket, and
(03:51):
then the end of the episode ends in her going
a bucket and that's like the Internet picked up on
it and it's one of the cast's favorite lines. But yeah,
this is her her seat in two bucket line is
school is in summer. But I think it's because she's
really been holding on to any last bit of hope
that she has. Yeah, so she obviously knows it's going
to take place in summer, but she just doesn't want
(04:12):
to fathom the fact that something else has gone wrong
in her life.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Yeah. Yeah, and let me tell you the killer this
season looks scary as hell. Yeah, what is that?
Speaker 2 (04:21):
What is that? Well, that's the question, isn't it? What
is that? Who is that? Bloody Rose is the villain's
name this season. It's really fun, really iconic, I think,
and it was such a blast to yeah, to have
Bloody Rose a part of the show. It's so hard
to like answer any questions and not spoil anything.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
What I was going to say trying not to use words.
Is there anything you can tell me that won't get
you in trouble? Oh?
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Like, what what do you want to know a.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Hint of what's coming? Do you have an epic moment
in the series. The fandom is going crazy trying to
get a little something I know.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Here's what I will say. What's really fun about this
season is we've been able to meet all the girls
from last season. You know, we went through them becoming
closer and knowing more about each other. This season, they
are truly like a core group. They love each other
with everything. So I would say there's lots more classic
PLLL moments where the girls are united together and that
(05:17):
was one of my favorite things about the original and
also just for us to get to film together and
have that banter and feel so comfortable with each other's
characters and what we would do and how we would
flow with such a blast, but get ready for like
great romances, I would say, we have new people joining
that add such a great layer to the show and
are so fantastic and expect the unexpected. I feel like
(05:38):
every episode ends with you wanting more and having more questions,
and it's a fun ride, so you just kind of
have to commit to it and immerse yourself into the experience.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
What I love about the show is it's about sisterhood, friendship, relationships, family.
There's so many great themes that exist in this chaotic
slasher world. What was a reason that you wanted to
even do this show to begin with?
Speaker 2 (06:04):
There were, honestly like a handful of reasons, one of
them being I grew up the biggest fan of the
original series. I remember watching the show and knowing that
they were all kind of in their twenties filming it,
and being like, one day when I'm in my twenties,
I would love to do a show like this, so
kismet and so special that all these years later, I'm
now in my twenties and doing a show of the
(06:24):
same name, but our version of it. And then the
second being I was a huge fan of Roberto's work.
I think it's really really rare in this day and
age to have shows last as long as his does.
It's such a tough time and like streaming in the
way that it works, and so I find him to
be an incredibly compelling storyteller. But he also knows how
to allow an audience to have fun and not take
the material too seriously. And I think we all look
(06:47):
for that escapism. That's what we enjoy so much as actors,
if is getting to maybe possibly take someone out of
their life for a second and throw a mix of
emotions and make it fun and make it camp and
make it grounded at the same time. And he does
that so well. So I was just really really excited,
and I was going to be heartbroken if it wasn't me.
So I'm so glad that it worked out.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
And I love a show with a powerful girl group me.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I've never had that too. I mean, really, this was
the first time in my life that I truly have
just been working with people my age. I always grew
up with adults on set, and I hold so much
gratitude for that I actually wouldn't have, you know, wouldn't
change a thing about that. But there's something about navigating
your twenties as a woman behind the scenes, and then
(07:32):
you throw in the weirdness that is in front of
the camera too, but getting to genuinely have a group
of women that are all trying to navigate themselves and
to parts of discovery every single day about who they are,
and it's just a really special group. I do feel
that too all the time. I'm like, it's very rare
that you have that feeling on a set and on
a show. And I think that's why I root for
(07:52):
our show so much, because I'm like, this group that
you put together, it doesn't always happen all the time,
but it feels special and like there's a lot of
growth that can be done with all of us.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Yeah, and I feel like the chemistry was instant. I mean,
you all just seem to get along and have a
lot of fun. Who's the troublemaker on set? Who gets
into the most trouble jokes?
Speaker 2 (08:10):
He gets into the most trouble Oh God, well, okay,
so Chandler. Chandler's not a troublemaker. I don't think anyone
are troublemakers. To be honest, I think we all follow
the rules way too well. We all want the show
to succeed and everything to fall on schedule. But Chandler
and I like, oh, once her and I get into
like a laughing attack, it's it's just not good for anyone.
(08:31):
And also we'll then profusely apologize because we never really
allow ourselves to kind of to kind of mess up.
But we just have this whole bit where I'm like, honey, honey,
I'm walking on a set. She's like, babe, babe, come over, hun,
I miss you. And yeah, we very much are workwives.
I would say, the two of us, so we have
a great time, but all of us as a unit,
it's it's just really fun and electric and you never
(08:54):
know what's going to be said. I would say, there's
just always so much going on that's.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
So much fun. And I think you see that and
feel that off camera as a viewer. You know when
people genuinely get along. Yeah, and that's part of the
magic of this show. You mentioned the og PLLL, So
you watched the original I.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Did, Oh yeah, profuse all of it.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Oh yeah, there's a lot of seasons.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
No, I've watched every single episode multiple times when I
was waiting to hear if I got the show. I
put myself through about two weeks of torture and I
just didn't sleep, and I just rewatched all the seasons
again because I thought, that's going to make me feel better.
Let's watch the thing that I'm waiting to care about.
Just a little bit of self torture. No, I was
like a for Halloween, and there's videos like if you
(09:35):
go way back on my Instagram feed, I passed by
a construction house at one point and they had an
a taped on the door, and I thought it'd be
great to post a photo of that picture and be
like watching too much pl So I was, Yeah, I
was a vocal fan. I like, did there. I went
and interviewed some people for them, and like I was like,
I was a super fan. I had no shame, no remorse.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Well, you kind of manifested this.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
In a weird way. It's crazy to look back and
be like this does it feels way too close to home. Wow,
the whole world and the fact that show followed me
on whatever location I was on or whatever I was
filming at the time, that was like my safe place
watching TV. So mmm, it's yeah, it's really special.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Yeah, I grew up with the show as well. I
loved it so much. Who was your favorite?
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Oh, it was a tough I was definitely obsessed with Spencer. Spencer.
I just loved I also just loved the way that
they wrote for her. I remember watching and being like
her scenes like they really always gave her such special scenes,
and Ario was like, I just loved all of them.
I mean I really did, because they were all their
own people, and they all had their own identities, and
them as like a group were really special. Like Hannah
(10:40):
always made you laugh and you were like, I want
a Hannah and my Friend group.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
So I never had a favorite. I just loved them
all equally.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Has there ever been any talks about any of them
coming on over making a cameo?
Speaker 2 (10:51):
There have, Yeah, there's been talks, There's been speculations, the
Internet has spoken, and I think on our end, like
the girls and I have creative control, we would be
so thrilled to have them on the show. And it's
so kind that they have said that they would be
willing to come on the show as well. But I
think it'd be great. I also know, like Troyan, you know, directs,
(11:11):
and I think it'd be really cool if she came
and directed an episode for us. So I'm still kind
of crossing my fingers that that can happen. But we Yeah,
the door is always always open to them.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Did you ever get to tell her how much you
loved her character? You haven't had that opportunity yet, I have.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
What's all saying is like all the girls kind of
in some way or another entered my life before this show.
Like Troy and I went to the White House together
to advocate for arts for a company, and we spent
a few days in DC together and I was probably
fifteen maybe at the time, and she was just so
gracious and so lovely, and I definitely told her and Lucy, I,
(11:47):
you know, would see at events when I was little,
but I was so little. And then it's so funny
how life works. We've like now entered each other's life.
But right before this show happened to and we were
at a workout class and we were doing abs and
she looked at me and she was like, oh my god,
I just had a thought and I was like, what
she said, my friend Roberto is doing PLO. You should
go in for it, like you should see And I
think my response was there's no way that I could
(12:09):
ever do what you guys did, you know, Yeah, all
in crunches. And then I went in and you know,
she was just there to hold my hand through it
and be like it'll it'll be okay, and if it's
meant to be, it'll be meant to be. And yeah,
so it's it's really special. I think they I hope
that they all know how much I appreciate them and
their kindness were it to me.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
I think it's so cool when I meet actors and
people like yourself who have such gratitude for the work
that other people who came before them put down. Yeah
you have to and you're genuinely a fan of the
project and it radiates through you and it's so cool
to see that. And you know, I was introduced to
you through Once upon a Time.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
My favorite, Oh, my favorite show.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
My husband and I we love that show, and you
were so great in it. And to I think that
you've been working since essentially you were a kid. I mean,
how old. That wasn't your first project?
Speaker 2 (13:04):
No, I started when I was technically. I did my
first film when I was like five. It was by
accident because my sister is thirteen years older than me,
and she was auditioning for a different role and I
was just in the waiting room and they're like, does
she act? And they were like, we don't know, and
I was like, let me try, and ended up doing
that film, and then Bridge Tarbathia came after that, and
(13:24):
people continue to allow me to do what I love
and that's everything to me.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
And that's so crazy and wild to me because and
you just mentioned kind of growing up working in your
early eighteens and twenties and you were always with older
people and now you get to be with the cast
that's your age, and how cool that is. Was it
hard growing up, you know, in this business and especially
in such a public facing way and trying to figure
out who you were and finding yourself.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
I don't. I don't think so. I would say, if
I had to speak on behalf of the past. I'm
really thankful for the way that my life was mapped
out for me. I feel like I was instantly just
around really good humans. I was getting to see different
places and meet different people and experience different cultures and
immerse myself in those worlds. It's such a young age.
(14:09):
And then I also had my family around me who
was very much like, if you're not happy or you're
not having fun, like that's it, let's stop. Let's quit.
In terms of growing up, do I feel more of
the weight of it now in my life, Yes, because
I think there's an innocence when you are like a child.
I was so young when I was doing it, and
I was just having so much fun, and I had
(14:30):
this mentality of like, yeah, throw a rock at me,
like I don't care, you know, I'll let it this
white like slide off my back. And then you grow
up and that weird thing happens where you realize I've
spent twelve years hearing a public opinion about myself, and
then constantly, I think, in a sense, having to redefine
myself as I've grown up. I didn't just start as
(14:50):
an adult and people are like, yeah, that's what she
looks like, and that's what she is. It's like, okay,
I'm a kid. Great, Oh now I need to make
you like me as a tween. Okay, now it's a
teenage or now it's a yain adult now I'm in
my mid twenties. It's a constant cycling thing in this
world that I feel like people don't talk about. But
I would say that's more my perception of being a
child and growing up. It's like it's what comes afterwards
(15:14):
that is heavier.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
I would say, And how do you deal with that.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Work in progress? Like I'm just I think it's I
don't know. I think it's trying to find ways that
ground you. I think, ways that make sense to you.
I'm like the last year and a half, I think
on this journey of just like protecting my energy in
a sense and knowing what I want to give out
and recognizing what serves me and also what doesn't serve me,
(15:40):
and then also knowing the difference between I think, the
list of things that I believe I will get to
do in my life that I look forward to doing,
and then blocking out the rest of the stuff that
lives on your phone that's just like constantly in your face,
which is the comparison game or the public opinion or
the information or the talks. And so I just I
keep my circle a really small and really tight and
(16:02):
just try to appreciate life as it is because life
is so beautiful and you know, not always guaranteed everything,
And so I think it's just perspective shifts constantly and
just being honest, like I let myself cry now if
I need to cry, like I'm like gotta like let
it out. Yeah. So yeah, but work in progress well, and.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
I think you touch on something really important and that's
keeping your core tight.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Especially in our worlds, we meet so many people and
there's a lot of acquaintances and everyone says, oh my god,
I'm friends with this person. But it's not true. It's
not true at all. You can have a lot of
people you respect and like and enjoy being around, but
when it comes to the people who intimately know you, you
got to keep that tight. Man.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
You've got to be really careful. And then you have
to make the choice to not be overly careful, because
I think that that can happen too, where like you're
so afraid to let someone else new in, or how
do you trust someone like you're not gonna make them
sound a piece of paper. That's like protect all the
people in my life if I confide in you. But
you do have to make that choice. It's just you're
making that choice and being like anyone can pick up
(17:00):
a phone and write an article or like send something
in or like share your business, and you might not
do that as a person, But how do you trust
other people in that sense too? Sometimes? So I think
it's a fine line. You've got to keep it small
and then also be open to people that might end
to your life in this chapter to help you embark
on a different journey of yourself too.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Yeah, you want to set yourself up for the best success. Yeah,
not just professionally, but emotionally and spiritually and all of it.
You know, the show is very much centered around bullying
as well, right, and how awful off human beings can
be to each other. Awful off? What the hell is
wrong with people? Right?
Speaker 2 (17:38):
I mean, it's just you know, I'm going to tell
you this story.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Tell me you'll appreciate this.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
I was on the flight here, like coming to New York,
and I felt right to sleep, to be honest, like,
I was out like light, so asleep that I was dreaming,
and I had this dream and someone was just being
so rude to me a bit, and so rude to
someone else. And I don't know if it was trying
to like empower myself these days, to use my voice
a bit more. But I was like, you know, in
(18:04):
the dream, I said, there's just no reason to be
rude to anyone ever, Like, there's just I find that
unnecessary and you know whatever. And all of a sudden,
Marco Robbie showed up and she was so random, I'm
telling you. She gives me a hug and she's like,
that was amazing, and I was like, oh god, I
never do that. She said, no, no, that was so
Barbie of you. And I woke up from this dream.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
How random is that. She was like, that was so
Barbie of you, and I woke up being like, that
was Barbie of me.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
This means something. I don't know what it means yet.
It means there's something there.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
This is what I'm wondering. But then also like Kate
Hudson showed up in my dream too, so did she.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Sang her new song. She's a singer.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Now I am so excited for her me too, because
I've started to try to check that off of my
bucket list and just be like, you know what, who cares,
I'm going to do it for me? And I love,
love love that she's doing this for herself and also
her voices.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
I mean magic, Well, you have a phenomenal voice. Yeah,
people love you're singing. You did that Netflix movie, right,
and you sang in that movie, did yes, and it
was great.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Wom When are we get in more from you? We
want some music, Bailey, I know.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Well. I released my first single the top of the year,
which was really exciting because yes, a week away was
like so much fun for me. But I was also
singing one songs that were reprised by other artists, which
is a daunting task, and then to singing in the
voice of that character, so it wasn't necessarily my voice
(19:28):
coming out. It was the character's voice. And so yeah,
this song came out because the actors strike happened and
I went back home and we were all a bit
confused as to what to do with ourselves. And my
boyfriend is a musician and he's known forever that I
wanted to do music, and so we were just writing
one night and he was like, should we just write
and heal and have some conversations and see what comes
(19:48):
out of it? And I was like yeah, And then
kind of fun was born, and I thought why not
put it out? Life's too short, and I do like,
I really like it. We might get more, Yeah, no
you will. It's a we're recording and I Land tomorrow
and des sessions and it's fun. It's it's been a
very healing, wonderful experience for me to finally kind of
dive into. And it's nice because I'm genuinely, I'm truly
(20:10):
doing it for myself. And if people can connect to
it and we can dance together and have fun, that's
the dream. But if not, I'm just really grateful I
got to do it for me.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
That's such a badass mentality because a lot of people
wouldn't do that. They would say, well, I'll only do
it if I'm guaranteed to sell X amount of copies
of the song go platinum.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
And yeah, I mean I'll take it, of course, absolutely
at you wrong, go to Madison Square Garden one day,
I'll play on a hell of a show.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Hell yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
But also, but you're doing it.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
For you really too, Yeah, and that must feel pretty
pretty special.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
It feels really special. It feels really special, I think
because I've said other people's words for my whole life,
and then you know, interviews like this mean so much
and they're so special because there isn't a tim or
strain on it, and you always ask questions that are
about the person, and you give the space to actually
try to show yourself, I would say, a little bit,
or at least exist as yourself in the moment, and
(21:01):
that's not most of the time and press everything is
just fast paced and that's how it works, and.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
The minute so much fun.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
But like how you walk away and you're like it
with my personality even come out at all, you know,
whereas with music, I'm getting to reflect and look back
on parts of my life and actually pat myself on
the back sometimes and be like, yeah, that was a
crazy experience or oh that really was tough and I
was young when I handled that, but that shaped a
big part of who I was. And so it's giving
me the space, I think, to still be creative and
(21:28):
then also peal and appreciate moments of my life.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
Do you remember one of the most defining moments of
your entire career? Wow, I don't know, I don't know why.
When you were just talking about writing music, that's something
I feel like I would.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Define in like, this is really cool, whatever it means
to you, like it could mean anything, like a moment.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
That just changed everything for you, a moment that.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
I you know, this is what's so crazy is I'm
like everyone that allowed me to do this thing when
I was younger. I feel like they all equally created
a defining moment because they all kept saying yes to
this kid and like trusting this kid to go off
and do these things. And I if it wasn't for that,
(22:14):
you know, the next moment wouldn't come. Then the next
moment would have been there. But I would say when
Brothers came out, I remember being really caught off guard
and surprised by their reception that I had. I was
eight when I did the movie, I think seven or eight.
And then I was at like the Critics' Choice Awards
for the first time, and I remember being in that
room and just being so little and small and nervous.
(22:37):
And when the lights came on after they like announced
my category, I looked over to my right and Toby
maguire had snuck in just to sit with me just
in case I won or I lost, and he was
there to give me a hug, and that was you know,
he was just there really for me in that moment,
and that felt really defining. I just got emotional thinking
about that because I was like, he didn't have to
(22:57):
do that, but he had like sat in that place
of in his life multiple times, and I think I
just wanted to be kind and be there for me,
and so's there's moments like that that I hold so
deep in my heart.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
It's so cool to hear that, and it's so cool
to see you get an emotional It really is because
it shows me you care. You're not just like coming
on here and saying what you think people want to hear.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Your your I don't know what people want to hear too.
I think is I've just accepted that. Who knows everyone's
going to want something different, right, So I can't. I
just can't live by that.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
You know. What's really weird? What like super weird?
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Okay, Margot Robbie said that's so Barbi of you the
other day in your.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
G Yes, besides that, besides that, what's so weird is
I sit across from people like you and I'm a
big energy person, like I feel people. I consider myself
a little intuitive me too, yeah, and I think a
lot of people are. I'm not psychic or anything like that.
But just like I could read.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
People are, if they decide to acknowledge it, I agree
and take care of it.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
I agree. I will say I've never been wrong about
somebody Like there's been people that have tried to lurk around.
I've been like I want to get I don't know
about that, and I've never been wrong ever. Okay, but
with you, you're somebody that I ye, No, I feel
almost proud of you because you you enter the business
and it's a ship show of as of a business,
and there's a lot of great things to it, but
(24:15):
you entered so young, and you've maintained such a strong
sense of self throughout it all, and you're here today
on another hit show shout out pl and you're just
continuing to go in this direction where I feel like
the world is your oyster.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
So it's got to be an energy thing.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
I think so too. What's your signm Aquarius? Okay, so
I gotta I gotta look that up. But we both
don't know know.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
The sime thing. I don't have figured out whatsoever, but
the energy and the intuition of it all. I'm trying
to because I think I'm a big absorber.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Yeah, energy absorber.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
You can like really take it in and then you're.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Like, oh, yeah, it's bad, it's bad, it's bad.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
But to go back, thank you for everything that you
just said. Well, I'm not really I'll take it, especially
in this time in my life right now, and like
hearing that means so very much to me.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
I truly mean it. I know it's not an easy,
you know, career path, and you just keep going and going,
and you put your head down and you do the work.
And I think that's super inspiring for anyone listening who's
in a career that's just tough, you know, in any
industry that they're in. To just keep your head down,
do the work and be proud of the work you do.
I think is such a good example to set. Thank you,
(25:24):
And I guess my question to you is how do
you maintain that? Like I know we all have bad days.
How do you not let that cripple you and you
just keep going?
Speaker 2 (25:33):
That's like that That really is the people in my corner.
It's I mean, my family is blessed them. We were
all thrown into this world and really had no idea
how to navigate it. But we just navigated through it
with love for each other and family in itself, like
is complicated and so much happens, and so like we
were all growing as humans together in this really weird business,
(25:54):
and we always had each other. It was like that's
what really matters at the end of the day. And
then I think, you know, going back, like the whole
energy and intuition thing, I feel like that's something I'm
really leaning on, is like my spirituality and me as
a human and how do I flourish and nourish it
and let myself feel the things and have the questions
and have the thoughts. But you just, yeah, if you
(26:15):
sit in it, you're you're doomed. So you just can't
go walk on some grass plant your feet, you know,
Like the earth and the world is such a beautiful place,
and if you strip all the other stuff away, it's
like we're all just here doing the best that we can.
We all have some sort of a passion or some
sign of sort of a history or something that hurt
us in our lives and something that defined us in
(26:36):
our lives. And I think just giving grace to yourself,
seeing yourself, I think, and hoping that in return others
will see you. Clearly, you have to like you do,
have to see yourself. And I don't know trust.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Speaking of seeing yourself to you yourself today, with everything
you've done as successful, do you look at yourself and say, man,
I did that all, I'm a success?
Speaker 2 (27:07):
Oh? No, I would never say that about myself. Really,
I never No. Success is like such a such a
big word.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
How would you define it?
Speaker 2 (27:17):
How would I define it? If you asked me this
a year ago, I think I would be like, I
don't know. I just had a lot of fun. I'm
really grateful the work I've done in the past year,
I would say. I would be like, yeah, I worked.
I worked really hard for basically my entire life. I
have always worked really hard for what I do and
for where I am. So I would define it as
(27:40):
maybe originally very very lucky and a bit blessed, and
then I believed in it like I did. I had
this fearless liss like about myself and a belief in
myself when I was younger, and so I hold a
lot of recognition and gratitude for my younger self. So
I feel like my younger self deserves to be like yeah, success.
Now my older self is like, let's go round two,
let's let's enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
You're still hungry.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
Oh I'm so hungry, so hungry, so hungry.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
Good for you, Bailey. The name of the show is
I've never said this before.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Yes, we're already at the end. I would talk to
you all day and it's so easy with you all day,
but you have a flight to catch and I'm not
doing that to you.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
I'm not going to make you miss your flight. Okay,
So it's that moment, the big question.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Now we've covered so much, I know, I'm.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Like, is there anything less? Is there anything less?
Speaker 2 (28:25):
Like my social Security numbers?
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Right? Give me your first But is there anything you
can think of that you've never talked about or shared
before that you want to share today?
Speaker 2 (28:34):
Oh gosh, I don't know. I'm like a mix of
so many things. I'm like, I love I love interior design.
That's like random. I I just got this home that
I love so much, that I feel is my peaceful
sanctuary that I've been hoping for for a long time.
And I'm a big di wire, like I just like
things that ground you, and so painting and going outside
(28:55):
and making things feel cozy and homie while we're on
this earth, I feel like something thing that I do
in my trailer and a random hotel room on an
airplane wherever I can just try to try to make
it feel a little bit more like home. That's random.
Something light to end, like, we covered a lot of heavy,
Yeah we got, we got, but like deep, yeah, which
was amazing and I'm so I'm so thankful for that.
(29:16):
I have no clue anything that I just said to you,
but I must have meant it. I was just going
to say, what's something that you haven't talked about? Like,
what is your the first the first one got back
on me. That's messed up.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
No, it's not. It's not about me.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
It is Are you joking? We're all your interview, it's
a fact.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
What is something I've never said before?
Speaker 2 (29:39):
It's tough, isn't it?
Speaker 1 (29:40):
It is because I'm a pretty open book. Yeah, I'm
gonna go with I'll go with deep. Okay, I the
deep like that, And what I'll tell you is, and
I've never said this publicly before, but when I was
coming out, a lot of people ask, you know, was
it hard for your parents? You're from a big Italian family,
like we'reeople around you, just really not wanting you to
(30:03):
be gay. And I said, actually, no, that's that's the opposite.
I didn't want to be gay, Like I hated myself
when I realized I was gay, and I hadn't experienced
my junior year of high school. I was just talking
about this last night with a friend with a senior
a guy, and after two months it scared the shit
out of me, and I went back in the closet
until my senior year of college, trying to convince myself
(30:24):
that it was a one time thing, and until eventually
then my senior year of college, was like, this is
who I am. But I just think it's an interesting
story because a lot of people always assume it's other.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
People and they never asked about you.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
Yeah, and or it's other people who don't want you
to be a certain way. But it's also a very
much internal struggle some people have to go through.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
Do you think that was because I'm so sorry you
went through that. Do you think that was because you
you were worried at one point about the people in
your life, or do you think you were like, is
this going to make my life so much harder? Were
you worried about stepping out into the world as that.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
I think a combination of both. I'm thirty seven, and
when I grew up, I didn't really see people like me.
The forms of being gay in media were just not
anything I could relate to. So I didn't think there
was a place for someone like me, and I thought
I had to be like what I'm not if I
were gay, you know. So it was a very confusing
thing for me. Then God, that changed and there's so
(31:19):
much out there now where everyone feels like they see themselves,
but I didn't. And I think I just always grew
up with the idea of you find a wife and
you find the home and you get married and you
were you know, yeah, and I just felt like, oh,
my god, if I'm not. And I grew up also
very religious in my family, and the things I was
taught was not ideal to who I am.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
Because I grew up really religious to you, and I
just can't.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
Yeah, and religion is beautiful, but there's a lot that's like,
you know, you have to just sort through for yourself,
you do. So, yeah, it was a very interesting time
in my life. But that is something I stop it
stop it coming from my job. You're taken over my show.
I've never said this before with Bailey Madison.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
No, no, Well, I'm really really proud of you. Then,
I'm sure people have said this to you, and I don't.
I'm not that close in your circle. But thank you
for sharing that. And I'm like, I hope you tap
yourself on the back and give yourself grace for how
you try to navigate that time with no no answers,
no rule book, no understanding, and then and then you
(32:20):
didn't give up on your truth and I think that's beautiful.
And like, look, you're here right now making people teer
up like me, you know what I mean. So thank you,
glad to know you.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
Thank you. I'm so glad to know you. You know
I'm a big fan. I'll always support you. Remind everyone
one more time how to watch the show, what it is,
all the things, and how to follow you.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
Oh oh, all of it, all of it, all the
shabang PLLs pretty all liars. I should not abbreviate it.
Be a professional, pretty a liars. Summer School is airing
on Max right now, which we are so excited about,
so make sure to watch it every single week. There's
a cliffhanger. You'll want more, and we hope you enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
And it's a new episode every week, new episode.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
Every week, okay, which is where fun and there will
be This is like a great it's a spoiler I
don't care about, but it's a cliffhanger pretty much every episode.
And so it's a really fun experience in a really
fun season. And I want to go back and like
have more of my twenties on the set and on
this show. So watch it please, and then yeah, just
my name Bailey, Bailey Madison.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
That's me, you Madison. Remember that name, everybody. Bailey. I
adore you. Thank you for hanging out today, and I
can't wait till we do it again.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
I know I'm back in like like ten days. We
should just do a part two.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
All right, great, I'll just hang out. Thank you, my friend, Yes,
thank you. I've never said this before. Is hosted by
Me Tommy Diderio. This podcast is executive produced by Andrew
Puglisi at iHeartRadio and by Me Tommy, with editing by
Joshua Colaudney. I've never said this before. It's part of
(33:51):
the Elvis Duran Podcast Network on iHeart podcasts for more, rate,
review and subscribe to our show. And if you like
this episode, tell your friend end Until next time, I'm
Tommy Didario, h
Hey, guys, welcome to I've never said this before with me,
Tommy di Dario. I grew up with movies like I
Know What You Did Last Summer and the Scream franchise,
and of course the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies, so it's
safe to say the slasher genre it holds a very
special place in my heart. I know that sounds kind
(00:22):
of weird when I say it out loud, but I
don't know. There's just something special about being scared and
on the edge of your seat when watching a movie
or a show, and it's just thrilling. That's the best
way I can put it. And today's guest is the
lovely Bailey Madison, and she is bringing all of those
thrills because the second season of her show, Pretty Little
(00:43):
Liars Summer School is out now. The series is a
reboot of the massively successful Pretty Little Liars, and man
does it deliver this reboot. It follows a brand new
set of liars who find themselves tormented by an unknown assailant. Yes,
friendships are test said, dreamy love interests are introduced, and
secrets may be revealed. This season it feels a lot
(01:06):
like a big love letter to horror classics and I
am here for it. I could have talked to Bailey
for hours. I had the pleasure of hanging out with
her in person, and we had such an enjoyable conversation.
We both get a little emotional as well, and she
even flipped my signature question back on me, which I
think is a first for the show. So let's see
(01:28):
if today we can get Bailey to say something that
she has never said before. Bailey Madison, I am so
happy to finally meet you.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I know you too. It feels like I know you.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
I I was looking back at my dms and three
we have we have And in April of twenty twenty
one is when we officially met on Instagram and you
came on my pandemic.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Shows, which I loved that you did that. Oh my god,
we were all even. I was trying to search for
ways that we could feel connected in some way or another,
but I loved I loved that you did that.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Well, thank you. And three years later, we are here, baby,
we are here. Ever, it is so nice to be
hanging out with you in person. We have a lot
to get to starting with Okay, season two of Pretty
Little Liars. This show is terrifying.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
It's fun.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
It's fun. You know why I love it. I grew
up with I note you did last summer with Scream,
with like the really fun slasher films and genre, and
this is that good? This is that so season two? Yeah,
it's out, now, tell me about it.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yes, I'm so excited. It's called a Pretty Little Liars
Summer School. We pick up as like a direct pickup
basically from last season. But the girls spent most of
their school year fighting for their lives and trying to survive,
and so naturally their their grades didn't survive, but they did,
so they have to go into summer school and make
the most of it. But then here it comes again,
(03:00):
real kicker, someone else's ought to get them, so they
must yet again survive and keep each other safe. But
it's such a fun summer show. It's it's bigger and
it's bolder than last season. I'm a huge fan of it.
It's like fun and emotional and sexy and it's just
kind of it's it's just like everything that you I
think would want in summer. And I say that genuinely
as a as a fan, not as a pitch. I'm really,
(03:21):
really proud of the season that we made.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
You have a line in the trailer that killed me.
It was so funny. I don't know if it was
the principal or you know what I'm talking about that.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Cool give like school as I can't even do it now.
I'm like summer Imagen has Yeah, she has these really
great one liners that I find really endearing. Last season,
my favorite one, she got hooked on the idea of
like a bucket because she saw this bucket at the
Spirit Queen dance and the entire episode was spent of
her trying to be like, no, there's a bucket, and
(03:51):
then the end of the episode ends in her going
a bucket and that's like the Internet picked up on
it and it's one of the cast's favorite lines. But yeah,
this is her her seat in two bucket line is
school is in summer. But I think it's because she's
really been holding on to any last bit of hope
that she has. Yeah, so she obviously knows it's going
to take place in summer, but she just doesn't want
(04:12):
to fathom the fact that something else has gone wrong
in her life.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Yeah. Yeah, and let me tell you the killer this
season looks scary as hell. Yeah, what is that?
Speaker 2 (04:21):
What is that? Well, that's the question, isn't it? What
is that? Who is that? Bloody Rose is the villain's
name this season. It's really fun, really iconic, I think,
and it was such a blast to yeah, to have
Bloody Rose a part of the show. It's so hard
to like answer any questions and not spoil anything.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
What I was going to say trying not to use words.
Is there anything you can tell me that won't get
you in trouble? Oh?
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Like, what what do you want to know a.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Hint of what's coming? Do you have an epic moment
in the series. The fandom is going crazy trying to
get a little something I know.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Here's what I will say. What's really fun about this
season is we've been able to meet all the girls
from last season. You know, we went through them becoming
closer and knowing more about each other. This season, they
are truly like a core group. They love each other
with everything. So I would say there's lots more classic
PLLL moments where the girls are united together and that
(05:17):
was one of my favorite things about the original and
also just for us to get to film together and
have that banter and feel so comfortable with each other's
characters and what we would do and how we would
flow with such a blast, but get ready for like
great romances, I would say, we have new people joining
that add such a great layer to the show and
are so fantastic and expect the unexpected. I feel like
(05:38):
every episode ends with you wanting more and having more questions,
and it's a fun ride, so you just kind of
have to commit to it and immerse yourself into the experience.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
What I love about the show is it's about sisterhood, friendship, relationships, family.
There's so many great themes that exist in this chaotic
slasher world. What was a reason that you wanted to
even do this show to begin with?
Speaker 2 (06:04):
There were, honestly like a handful of reasons, one of
them being I grew up the biggest fan of the
original series. I remember watching the show and knowing that
they were all kind of in their twenties filming it,
and being like, one day when I'm in my twenties,
I would love to do a show like this, so
kismet and so special that all these years later, I'm
now in my twenties and doing a show of the
(06:24):
same name, but our version of it. And then the
second being I was a huge fan of Roberto's work.
I think it's really really rare in this day and
age to have shows last as long as his does.
It's such a tough time and like streaming in the
way that it works, and so I find him to
be an incredibly compelling storyteller. But he also knows how
to allow an audience to have fun and not take
the material too seriously. And I think we all look
(06:47):
for that escapism. That's what we enjoy so much as actors,
if is getting to maybe possibly take someone out of
their life for a second and throw a mix of
emotions and make it fun and make it camp and
make it grounded at the same time. And he does
that so well. So I was just really really excited,
and I was going to be heartbroken if it wasn't me.
So I'm so glad that it worked out.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
And I love a show with a powerful girl group me.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I've never had that too. I mean, really, this was
the first time in my life that I truly have
just been working with people my age. I always grew
up with adults on set, and I hold so much
gratitude for that I actually wouldn't have, you know, wouldn't
change a thing about that. But there's something about navigating
your twenties as a woman behind the scenes, and then
(07:32):
you throw in the weirdness that is in front of
the camera too, but getting to genuinely have a group
of women that are all trying to navigate themselves and
to parts of discovery every single day about who they are,
and it's just a really special group. I do feel
that too all the time. I'm like, it's very rare
that you have that feeling on a set and on
a show. And I think that's why I root for
(07:52):
our show so much, because I'm like, this group that
you put together, it doesn't always happen all the time,
but it feels special and like there's a lot of
growth that can be done with all of us.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Yeah, and I feel like the chemistry was instant. I mean,
you all just seem to get along and have a
lot of fun. Who's the troublemaker on set? Who gets
into the most trouble jokes?
Speaker 2 (08:10):
He gets into the most trouble Oh God, well, okay,
so Chandler. Chandler's not a troublemaker. I don't think anyone
are troublemakers. To be honest, I think we all follow
the rules way too well. We all want the show
to succeed and everything to fall on schedule. But Chandler
and I like, oh, once her and I get into
like a laughing attack, it's it's just not good for anyone.
(08:31):
And also we'll then profusely apologize because we never really
allow ourselves to kind of to kind of mess up.
But we just have this whole bit where I'm like, honey, honey,
I'm walking on a set. She's like, babe, babe, come over, hun,
I miss you. And yeah, we very much are workwives.
I would say, the two of us, so we have
a great time, but all of us as a unit,
it's it's just really fun and electric and you never
(08:54):
know what's going to be said. I would say, there's
just always so much going on that's.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
So much fun. And I think you see that and
feel that off camera as a viewer. You know when
people genuinely get along. Yeah, and that's part of the
magic of this show. You mentioned the og PLLL, So
you watched the original I.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Did, Oh yeah, profuse all of it.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Oh yeah, there's a lot of seasons.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
No, I've watched every single episode multiple times when I
was waiting to hear if I got the show. I
put myself through about two weeks of torture and I
just didn't sleep, and I just rewatched all the seasons
again because I thought, that's going to make me feel better.
Let's watch the thing that I'm waiting to care about.
Just a little bit of self torture. No, I was
like a for Halloween, and there's videos like if you
(09:35):
go way back on my Instagram feed, I passed by
a construction house at one point and they had an
a taped on the door, and I thought it'd be
great to post a photo of that picture and be
like watching too much pl So I was, Yeah, I
was a vocal fan. I like, did there. I went
and interviewed some people for them, and like I was like,
I was a super fan. I had no shame, no remorse.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Well, you kind of manifested this.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
In a weird way. It's crazy to look back and
be like this does it feels way too close to home. Wow,
the whole world and the fact that show followed me
on whatever location I was on or whatever I was
filming at the time, that was like my safe place
watching TV. So mmm, it's yeah, it's really special.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Yeah, I grew up with the show as well. I
loved it so much. Who was your favorite?
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Oh, it was a tough I was definitely obsessed with Spencer. Spencer.
I just loved I also just loved the way that
they wrote for her. I remember watching and being like
her scenes like they really always gave her such special scenes,
and Ario was like, I just loved all of them.
I mean I really did, because they were all their
own people, and they all had their own identities, and
them as like a group were really special. Like Hannah
(10:40):
always made you laugh and you were like, I want
a Hannah and my Friend group.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
So I never had a favorite. I just loved them
all equally.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Has there ever been any talks about any of them
coming on over making a cameo?
Speaker 2 (10:51):
There have, Yeah, there's been talks, There's been speculations, the
Internet has spoken, and I think on our end, like
the girls and I have creative control, we would be
so thrilled to have them on the show. And it's
so kind that they have said that they would be
willing to come on the show as well. But I
think it'd be great. I also know, like Troyan, you know, directs,
(11:11):
and I think it'd be really cool if she came
and directed an episode for us. So I'm still kind
of crossing my fingers that that can happen. But we Yeah,
the door is always always open to them.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Did you ever get to tell her how much you
loved her character? You haven't had that opportunity yet, I have.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
What's all saying is like all the girls kind of
in some way or another entered my life before this show.
Like Troy and I went to the White House together
to advocate for arts for a company, and we spent
a few days in DC together and I was probably
fifteen maybe at the time, and she was just so
gracious and so lovely, and I definitely told her and Lucy, I,
(11:47):
you know, would see at events when I was little,
but I was so little. And then it's so funny
how life works. We've like now entered each other's life.
But right before this show happened to and we were
at a workout class and we were doing abs and
she looked at me and she was like, oh my god,
I just had a thought and I was like, what
she said, my friend Roberto is doing PLO. You should
go in for it, like you should see And I
think my response was there's no way that I could
(12:09):
ever do what you guys did, you know, Yeah, all
in crunches. And then I went in and you know,
she was just there to hold my hand through it
and be like it'll it'll be okay, and if it's
meant to be, it'll be meant to be. And yeah,
so it's it's really special. I think they I hope
that they all know how much I appreciate them and
their kindness were it to me.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
I think it's so cool when I meet actors and
people like yourself who have such gratitude for the work
that other people who came before them put down. Yeah
you have to and you're genuinely a fan of the
project and it radiates through you and it's so cool
to see that. And you know, I was introduced to
you through Once upon a Time.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
My favorite, Oh, my favorite show.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
My husband and I we love that show, and you
were so great in it. And to I think that
you've been working since essentially you were a kid. I mean,
how old. That wasn't your first project?
Speaker 2 (13:04):
No, I started when I was technically. I did my
first film when I was like five. It was by
accident because my sister is thirteen years older than me,
and she was auditioning for a different role and I
was just in the waiting room and they're like, does
she act? And they were like, we don't know, and
I was like, let me try, and ended up doing
that film, and then Bridge Tarbathia came after that, and
(13:24):
people continue to allow me to do what I love
and that's everything to me.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
And that's so crazy and wild to me because and
you just mentioned kind of growing up working in your
early eighteens and twenties and you were always with older
people and now you get to be with the cast
that's your age, and how cool that is. Was it
hard growing up, you know, in this business and especially
in such a public facing way and trying to figure
out who you were and finding yourself.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
I don't. I don't think so. I would say, if
I had to speak on behalf of the past. I'm
really thankful for the way that my life was mapped
out for me. I feel like I was instantly just
around really good humans. I was getting to see different
places and meet different people and experience different cultures and
immerse myself in those worlds. It's such a young age.
(14:09):
And then I also had my family around me who
was very much like, if you're not happy or you're
not having fun, like that's it, let's stop. Let's quit.
In terms of growing up, do I feel more of
the weight of it now in my life, Yes, because
I think there's an innocence when you are like a child.
I was so young when I was doing it, and
I was just having so much fun, and I had
(14:30):
this mentality of like, yeah, throw a rock at me,
like I don't care, you know, I'll let it this
white like slide off my back. And then you grow
up and that weird thing happens where you realize I've
spent twelve years hearing a public opinion about myself, and
then constantly, I think, in a sense, having to redefine
myself as I've grown up. I didn't just start as
(14:50):
an adult and people are like, yeah, that's what she
looks like, and that's what she is. It's like, okay,
I'm a kid. Great, Oh now I need to make
you like me as a tween. Okay, now it's a
teenage or now it's a yain adult now I'm in
my mid twenties. It's a constant cycling thing in this
world that I feel like people don't talk about. But
I would say that's more my perception of being a
child and growing up. It's like it's what comes afterwards
(15:14):
that is heavier.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
I would say, And how do you deal with that.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Work in progress? Like I'm just I think it's I
don't know. I think it's trying to find ways that
ground you. I think, ways that make sense to you.
I'm like the last year and a half, I think
on this journey of just like protecting my energy in
a sense and knowing what I want to give out
and recognizing what serves me and also what doesn't serve me,
(15:40):
and then also knowing the difference between I think, the
list of things that I believe I will get to
do in my life that I look forward to doing,
and then blocking out the rest of the stuff that
lives on your phone that's just like constantly in your face,
which is the comparison game or the public opinion or
the information or the talks. And so I just I
keep my circle a really small and really tight and
(16:02):
just try to appreciate life as it is because life
is so beautiful and you know, not always guaranteed everything,
And so I think it's just perspective shifts constantly and
just being honest, like I let myself cry now if
I need to cry, like I'm like gotta like let
it out. Yeah. So yeah, but work in progress well, and.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
I think you touch on something really important and that's
keeping your core tight.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Especially in our worlds, we meet so many people and
there's a lot of acquaintances and everyone says, oh my god,
I'm friends with this person. But it's not true. It's
not true at all. You can have a lot of
people you respect and like and enjoy being around, but
when it comes to the people who intimately know you, you
got to keep that tight. Man.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
You've got to be really careful. And then you have
to make the choice to not be overly careful, because
I think that that can happen too, where like you're
so afraid to let someone else new in, or how
do you trust someone like you're not gonna make them
sound a piece of paper. That's like protect all the
people in my life if I confide in you. But
you do have to make that choice. It's just you're
making that choice and being like anyone can pick up
(17:00):
a phone and write an article or like send something
in or like share your business, and you might not
do that as a person, But how do you trust
other people in that sense too? Sometimes? So I think
it's a fine line. You've got to keep it small
and then also be open to people that might end
to your life in this chapter to help you embark
on a different journey of yourself too.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Yeah, you want to set yourself up for the best success. Yeah,
not just professionally, but emotionally and spiritually and all of it.
You know, the show is very much centered around bullying
as well, right, and how awful off human beings can
be to each other. Awful off? What the hell is
wrong with people? Right?
Speaker 2 (17:38):
I mean, it's just you know, I'm going to tell
you this story.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Tell me you'll appreciate this.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
I was on the flight here, like coming to New York,
and I felt right to sleep, to be honest, like,
I was out like light, so asleep that I was dreaming,
and I had this dream and someone was just being
so rude to me a bit, and so rude to
someone else. And I don't know if it was trying
to like empower myself these days, to use my voice
a bit more. But I was like, you know, in
(18:04):
the dream, I said, there's just no reason to be
rude to anyone ever, Like, there's just I find that
unnecessary and you know whatever. And all of a sudden,
Marco Robbie showed up and she was so random, I'm
telling you. She gives me a hug and she's like,
that was amazing, and I was like, oh god, I
never do that. She said, no, no, that was so
Barbie of you. And I woke up from this dream.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
How random is that. She was like, that was so
Barbie of you, and I woke up being like, that
was Barbie of me.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
This means something. I don't know what it means yet.
It means there's something there.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
This is what I'm wondering. But then also like Kate
Hudson showed up in my dream too, so did she.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Sang her new song. She's a singer.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Now I am so excited for her me too, because
I've started to try to check that off of my
bucket list and just be like, you know what, who cares,
I'm going to do it for me? And I love,
love love that she's doing this for herself and also
her voices.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
I mean magic, Well, you have a phenomenal voice. Yeah,
people love you're singing. You did that Netflix movie, right,
and you sang in that movie, did yes, and it
was great.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Wom When are we get in more from you? We
want some music, Bailey, I know.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Well. I released my first single the top of the year,
which was really exciting because yes, a week away was
like so much fun for me. But I was also
singing one songs that were reprised by other artists, which
is a daunting task, and then to singing in the
voice of that character, so it wasn't necessarily my voice
(19:28):
coming out. It was the character's voice. And so yeah,
this song came out because the actors strike happened and
I went back home and we were all a bit
confused as to what to do with ourselves. And my
boyfriend is a musician and he's known forever that I
wanted to do music, and so we were just writing
one night and he was like, should we just write
and heal and have some conversations and see what comes
(19:48):
out of it? And I was like yeah, And then
kind of fun was born, and I thought why not
put it out? Life's too short, and I do like,
I really like it. We might get more, Yeah, no
you will. It's a we're recording and I Land tomorrow
and des sessions and it's fun. It's it's been a
very healing, wonderful experience for me to finally kind of
dive into. And it's nice because I'm genuinely, I'm truly
(20:10):
doing it for myself. And if people can connect to
it and we can dance together and have fun, that's
the dream. But if not, I'm just really grateful I
got to do it for me.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
That's such a badass mentality because a lot of people
wouldn't do that. They would say, well, I'll only do
it if I'm guaranteed to sell X amount of copies
of the song go platinum.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
And yeah, I mean I'll take it, of course, absolutely
at you wrong, go to Madison Square Garden one day,
I'll play on a hell of a show.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Hell yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
But also, but you're doing it.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
For you really too, Yeah, and that must feel pretty
pretty special.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
It feels really special. It feels really special, I think
because I've said other people's words for my whole life,
and then you know, interviews like this mean so much
and they're so special because there isn't a tim or
strain on it, and you always ask questions that are
about the person, and you give the space to actually
try to show yourself, I would say, a little bit,
or at least exist as yourself in the moment, and
(21:01):
that's not most of the time and press everything is
just fast paced and that's how it works, and.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
The minute so much fun.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
But like how you walk away and you're like it
with my personality even come out at all, you know,
whereas with music, I'm getting to reflect and look back
on parts of my life and actually pat myself on
the back sometimes and be like, yeah, that was a
crazy experience or oh that really was tough and I
was young when I handled that, but that shaped a
big part of who I was. And so it's giving
me the space, I think, to still be creative and
(21:28):
then also peal and appreciate moments of my life.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
Do you remember one of the most defining moments of
your entire career? Wow, I don't know, I don't know why.
When you were just talking about writing music, that's something
I feel like I would.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Define in like, this is really cool, whatever it means
to you, like it could mean anything, like a moment.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
That just changed everything for you, a moment that.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
I you know, this is what's so crazy is I'm
like everyone that allowed me to do this thing when
I was younger. I feel like they all equally created
a defining moment because they all kept saying yes to
this kid and like trusting this kid to go off
and do these things. And I if it wasn't for that,
(22:14):
you know, the next moment wouldn't come. Then the next
moment would have been there. But I would say when
Brothers came out, I remember being really caught off guard
and surprised by their reception that I had. I was
eight when I did the movie, I think seven or eight.
And then I was at like the Critics' Choice Awards
for the first time, and I remember being in that
room and just being so little and small and nervous.
(22:37):
And when the lights came on after they like announced
my category, I looked over to my right and Toby
maguire had snuck in just to sit with me just
in case I won or I lost, and he was
there to give me a hug, and that was you know,
he was just there really for me in that moment,
and that felt really defining. I just got emotional thinking
about that because I was like, he didn't have to
(22:57):
do that, but he had like sat in that place
of in his life multiple times, and I think I
just wanted to be kind and be there for me,
and so's there's moments like that that I hold so
deep in my heart.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
It's so cool to hear that, and it's so cool
to see you get an emotional It really is because
it shows me you care. You're not just like coming
on here and saying what you think people want to hear.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Your your I don't know what people want to hear too.
I think is I've just accepted that. Who knows everyone's
going to want something different, right, So I can't. I
just can't live by that.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
You know. What's really weird? What like super weird?
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Okay, Margot Robbie said that's so Barbi of you the
other day in your.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
G Yes, besides that, besides that, what's so weird is
I sit across from people like you and I'm a
big energy person, like I feel people. I consider myself
a little intuitive me too, yeah, and I think a
lot of people are. I'm not psychic or anything like that.
But just like I could read.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
People are, if they decide to acknowledge it, I agree
and take care of it.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
I agree. I will say I've never been wrong about
somebody Like there's been people that have tried to lurk around.
I've been like I want to get I don't know
about that, and I've never been wrong ever. Okay, but
with you, you're somebody that I ye, No, I feel
almost proud of you because you you enter the business
and it's a ship show of as of a business,
and there's a lot of great things to it, but
(24:15):
you entered so young, and you've maintained such a strong
sense of self throughout it all, and you're here today
on another hit show shout out pl and you're just
continuing to go in this direction where I feel like
the world is your oyster.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
So it's got to be an energy thing.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
I think so too. What's your signm Aquarius? Okay, so
I gotta I gotta look that up. But we both
don't know know.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
The sime thing. I don't have figured out whatsoever, but
the energy and the intuition of it all. I'm trying
to because I think I'm a big absorber.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Yeah, energy absorber.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
You can like really take it in and then you're.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Like, oh, yeah, it's bad, it's bad, it's bad.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
But to go back, thank you for everything that you
just said. Well, I'm not really I'll take it, especially
in this time in my life right now, and like
hearing that means so very much to me.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
I truly mean it. I know it's not an easy,
you know, career path, and you just keep going and going,
and you put your head down and you do the work.
And I think that's super inspiring for anyone listening who's
in a career that's just tough, you know, in any
industry that they're in. To just keep your head down,
do the work and be proud of the work you do.
I think is such a good example to set. Thank you,
(25:24):
And I guess my question to you is how do
you maintain that? Like I know we all have bad days.
How do you not let that cripple you and you
just keep going?
Speaker 2 (25:33):
That's like that That really is the people in my corner.
It's I mean, my family is blessed them. We were
all thrown into this world and really had no idea
how to navigate it. But we just navigated through it
with love for each other and family in itself, like
is complicated and so much happens, and so like we
were all growing as humans together in this really weird business,
(25:54):
and we always had each other. It was like that's
what really matters at the end of the day. And
then I think, you know, going back, like the whole
energy and intuition thing, I feel like that's something I'm
really leaning on, is like my spirituality and me as
a human and how do I flourish and nourish it
and let myself feel the things and have the questions
and have the thoughts. But you just, yeah, if you
(26:15):
sit in it, you're you're doomed. So you just can't
go walk on some grass plant your feet, you know,
Like the earth and the world is such a beautiful place,
and if you strip all the other stuff away, it's
like we're all just here doing the best that we can.
We all have some sort of a passion or some
sign of sort of a history or something that hurt
us in our lives and something that defined us in
(26:36):
our lives. And I think just giving grace to yourself,
seeing yourself, I think, and hoping that in return others
will see you. Clearly, you have to like you do,
have to see yourself. And I don't know trust.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Speaking of seeing yourself to you yourself today, with everything
you've done as successful, do you look at yourself and say, man,
I did that all, I'm a success?
Speaker 2 (27:07):
Oh? No, I would never say that about myself. Really,
I never No. Success is like such a such a
big word.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
How would you define it?
Speaker 2 (27:17):
How would I define it? If you asked me this
a year ago, I think I would be like, I
don't know. I just had a lot of fun. I'm
really grateful the work I've done in the past year,
I would say. I would be like, yeah, I worked.
I worked really hard for basically my entire life. I
have always worked really hard for what I do and
for where I am. So I would define it as
(27:40):
maybe originally very very lucky and a bit blessed, and
then I believed in it like I did. I had
this fearless liss like about myself and a belief in
myself when I was younger, and so I hold a
lot of recognition and gratitude for my younger self. So
I feel like my younger self deserves to be like yeah, success.
Now my older self is like, let's go round two,
let's let's enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
You're still hungry.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
Oh I'm so hungry, so hungry, so hungry.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
Good for you, Bailey. The name of the show is
I've never said this before.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Yes, we're already at the end. I would talk to
you all day and it's so easy with you all day,
but you have a flight to catch and I'm not
doing that to you.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
I'm not going to make you miss your flight. Okay,
So it's that moment, the big question.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Now we've covered so much, I know, I'm.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Like, is there anything less? Is there anything less?
Speaker 2 (28:25):
Like my social Security numbers?
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Right? Give me your first But is there anything you
can think of that you've never talked about or shared
before that you want to share today?
Speaker 2 (28:34):
Oh gosh, I don't know. I'm like a mix of
so many things. I'm like, I love I love interior design.
That's like random. I I just got this home that
I love so much, that I feel is my peaceful
sanctuary that I've been hoping for for a long time.
And I'm a big di wire, like I just like
things that ground you, and so painting and going outside
(28:55):
and making things feel cozy and homie while we're on
this earth, I feel like something thing that I do
in my trailer and a random hotel room on an
airplane wherever I can just try to try to make
it feel a little bit more like home. That's random.
Something light to end, like, we covered a lot of heavy,
Yeah we got, we got, but like deep, yeah, which
was amazing and I'm so I'm so thankful for that.
(29:16):
I have no clue anything that I just said to you,
but I must have meant it. I was just going
to say, what's something that you haven't talked about? Like,
what is your the first the first one got back
on me. That's messed up.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
No, it's not. It's not about me.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
It is Are you joking? We're all your interview, it's
a fact.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
What is something I've never said before?
Speaker 2 (29:39):
It's tough, isn't it?
Speaker 1 (29:40):
It is because I'm a pretty open book. Yeah, I'm
gonna go with I'll go with deep. Okay, I the
deep like that, And what I'll tell you is, and
I've never said this publicly before, but when I was
coming out, a lot of people ask, you know, was
it hard for your parents? You're from a big Italian family,
like we'reeople around you, just really not wanting you to
(30:03):
be gay. And I said, actually, no, that's that's the opposite.
I didn't want to be gay, Like I hated myself
when I realized I was gay, and I hadn't experienced
my junior year of high school. I was just talking
about this last night with a friend with a senior
a guy, and after two months it scared the shit
out of me, and I went back in the closet
until my senior year of college, trying to convince myself
(30:24):
that it was a one time thing, and until eventually
then my senior year of college, was like, this is
who I am. But I just think it's an interesting
story because a lot of people always assume it's other.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
People and they never asked about you.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
Yeah, and or it's other people who don't want you
to be a certain way. But it's also a very
much internal struggle some people have to go through.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
Do you think that was because I'm so sorry you
went through that. Do you think that was because you
you were worried at one point about the people in
your life, or do you think you were like, is
this going to make my life so much harder? Were
you worried about stepping out into the world as that.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
I think a combination of both. I'm thirty seven, and
when I grew up, I didn't really see people like me.
The forms of being gay in media were just not
anything I could relate to. So I didn't think there
was a place for someone like me, and I thought
I had to be like what I'm not if I
were gay, you know. So it was a very confusing
thing for me. Then God, that changed and there's so
(31:19):
much out there now where everyone feels like they see themselves,
but I didn't. And I think I just always grew
up with the idea of you find a wife and
you find the home and you get married and you
were you know, yeah, and I just felt like, oh,
my god, if I'm not. And I grew up also
very religious in my family, and the things I was
taught was not ideal to who I am.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
Because I grew up really religious to you, and I
just can't.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
Yeah, and religion is beautiful, but there's a lot that's like,
you know, you have to just sort through for yourself,
you do. So, yeah, it was a very interesting time
in my life. But that is something I stop it
stop it coming from my job. You're taken over my show.
I've never said this before with Bailey Madison.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
No, no, Well, I'm really really proud of you. Then,
I'm sure people have said this to you, and I don't.
I'm not that close in your circle. But thank you
for sharing that. And I'm like, I hope you tap
yourself on the back and give yourself grace for how
you try to navigate that time with no no answers,
no rule book, no understanding, and then and then you
(32:20):
didn't give up on your truth and I think that's beautiful.
And like, look, you're here right now making people teer
up like me, you know what I mean. So thank you,
glad to know you.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
Thank you. I'm so glad to know you. You know
I'm a big fan. I'll always support you. Remind everyone
one more time how to watch the show, what it is,
all the things, and how to follow you.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
Oh oh, all of it, all of it, all the
shabang PLLs pretty all liars. I should not abbreviate it.
Be a professional, pretty a liars. Summer School is airing
on Max right now, which we are so excited about,
so make sure to watch it every single week. There's
a cliffhanger. You'll want more, and we hope you enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
And it's a new episode every week, new episode.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
Every week, okay, which is where fun and there will
be This is like a great it's a spoiler I
don't care about, but it's a cliffhanger pretty much every episode.
And so it's a really fun experience in a really
fun season. And I want to go back and like
have more of my twenties on the set and on
this show. So watch it please, and then yeah, just
my name Bailey, Bailey Madison.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
That's me, you Madison. Remember that name, everybody. Bailey. I
adore you. Thank you for hanging out today, and I
can't wait till we do it again.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
I know I'm back in like like ten days. We
should just do a part two.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
All right, great, I'll just hang out. Thank you, my friend, Yes,
thank you. I've never said this before. Is hosted by
Me Tommy Diderio. This podcast is executive produced by Andrew
Puglisi at iHeartRadio and by Me Tommy, with editing by
Joshua Colaudney. I've never said this before. It's part of
(33:51):
the Elvis Duran Podcast Network on iHeart podcasts for more, rate,
review and subscribe to our show. And if you like
this episode, tell your friend end Until next time, I'm
Tommy Didario, h
Popular Podcasts
1. The Podium
The Podium: An NBC Olympic and Paralympic podcast. Join us for insider coverage during the intense competition at the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. In the run-up to the Opening Ceremony, we’ll bring you deep into the stories and events that have you know and those you'll be hard-pressed to forget.
2. In The Village
In The Village will take you into the most exclusive areas of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games to explore the daily life of athletes, complete with all the funny, mundane and unexpected things you learn off the field of play. Join Elizabeth Beisel as she sits down with Olympians each day in Paris.
3. iHeartOlympics: The Latest
Listen to the latest news from the 2024 Olympics.