June 27, 2023 • 42 mins
On the world premiere of I've Never Said This Before, Tommy is joined by Hunter Doohan of Netflix's hit show Wednesday. Hunter dishes on shooting in Romania, everything wrong with social media, how he deals with body image, and more.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey, guys, welcome to I've never said this before with me,
Tommy di Dario. This is the first episode of this show,
and I am so excited you were tuning in. So
during the pandemic, it was March twenty twenty, the world
shut down and my job stopped. I wasn't going on
television and doing my feel good segments and my celebrity interviews.
(00:22):
So I had to pivot and I was sitting home
wondering what was I going to do. Was I going
to contribute during this scary time, or was I going
to do something to help people feel connected and together
and close to the people that they admired. And that's
what I did. So I launched an Instagram live show.
It was called Let's Stay Together, where I brought on
today's hottest actors from films and TV shows and we
(00:44):
dove deep into the projects that fans loved, and then
we went there on some other more human connection type
of questions. It was a five day a week show
for quite some time, and then as the world began reopening,
we scaled it back. But it was something that I
had a very big aha moment doing, and that was
people don't just want to hear about the highs in
(01:04):
somebody's life, right, they want to hear about the lows.
They want to learn about what they went through and
what they took away from that low. I wanted to
do the show because I think it's so important to
have conversations that go deep, and when I'm on the
red carpet, I don't get the chance to do that.
And I see the people I'm interviewing. They're craving it.
They want to go there, right, We're just about to
get there, and then we run out of time. So
(01:25):
this is the space to have the time to go there,
because I think that's where we can all connect to
one another. You see the shine, you see the glitz,
you see the glamour. It's smoking mirrors. We're all stripped down.
I want to show people that we all have a
lot more in common than we don't. This is a
show where people who pretend to be someone else for
a living have the chance to be real. Today's guest
(01:48):
is no big deal. One of the most talked about
actors in the world right now. Hunter Duhan grew up
in Fort Smith, Atlanta, where he had big dreams of
making it in Hollywood and I think it's safe to
say he did just that. You may know him from
his co starring role as Brian Cranston's son in Your
Honor on Showtime, or of course, as Tyler in Wednesday
(02:10):
on Netflix, starring in one of the most popular shows
in the history of Netflix ever, where he plays Jeno
Ortego's love interest turned billing and on a personal note,
I am so psyched that season two has been announced,
because well, we all need more of his brilliant character
work playing the evil monster known as the Hide. I
(02:31):
hope you enjoyed this conversation as much as I did.
Now let's see if today we can get Hunter to
say something that he has never said before. Okay, I've
got to ask you first before we dive in. I
was on your Instagram doing a little scrolling, and I
(02:53):
noticed there was a picture of you as a kid
giving the middle finger. A little scared that that might
happen to me today if you don't like the interview,
but you gotta give me the backstory on that.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Yeah, that's a warning to everyone I do an interview.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
With, so behave No. That's I think the credit or
blame for that goes to my mom.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
For encouraging me to take that picture.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
In taking it, she's the best and has a very
immature sense of humor.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
So were you a spicy kid? Was that your default?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
I think I was like little, But then when I
was in like high school, like not at all, I
was like kind of lame. I was just running around
the theater department and got very involved in my like
youth group church. I was like not going to party
like drinking parties as me like oh called them.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
So you were a good boy, mm hmm, okay, all right,
but obviously that phase maybe didn't last through your work
because you kind of play a bad boy on Wednesday, right.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Yeah, spoiler alert, but Eve had two months come on, people,
catch up. Yeah. It was so fun kind of got
to play both. That was kind of like the nice
guy for seven episodes and then you know, we wanted
that like big shift to happen on the last one,
and it was so much fun.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Getting to play the villain. And I'm so excited.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
I think last time we talked, I couldn't say anything
because I didn't know. But we are officially coming back
for a second season, so I get to like start
off the second season in that place, which is gonna
be so much fun.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Wow, that's huge, congratulations to you. I know that waiting
for that renewal is always a bit a nerve racking, right, Like,
you know how popular the show is, but did you
still have a little bit of worry or fear about
getting renewed.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Yeah, I kind of went through like seven stages of
grief about it. I was like thinking, it was like,
for sure gonna happen, and then it took so long
we weren't really sure what was going on. And then
there's all these like crazy articles coming out saying it
might switch to Amazon, which there was like that can't
be true. And then it you know, then we got
(05:12):
the good news and time if I can feel I
can finally breathe.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Well well deserved. I mean, this show I don't have
to tell you, but it broke all sorts of Netflix records.
Wednesday is truly, in my opinion, one of the freshest
shows of all of twenty twenty two. I think it
was done so beautifully. It also had a great record.
The show twice broke the record for the most hours
viewed in a single week by an English language TV series.
(05:37):
I'm curious to know, where were you in your life
personally and professionally when the opportunity for this amazing role
came up for you.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Why had come off another show that was like a
dream come true to be on It was your Honor
on Showtime and it was so much fun. But it
was supposed to be a limited series and my character
dies in the last episode, and so I was like, okay,
you know, like what a great ending. And then it
(06:07):
got renewed for a second season because it did so well.
But I was like, oh, well, I don't get to
be a part of that, and so I was really bummed.
And then it kind of all worked out for the
best because if I had still been doing that show,
I couldn't have done Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Yeah, it was like it came on along and it just.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Like a great, great time for me. That was like
so much fun getting that call.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
So you got the call, then what happened?
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Then I started can I you know, getting to work
on it because the audition process is long. It was
like I think the first tape it was February and
then I didn't find out I got the role until July,
and then we were going to go to Romania to
shoot in September, and so then I just started, you know,
(06:58):
getting the scripts and like breaking everything down and actually
trying to figure out this character. I like finally got
the official word that I was the bad guy, because
during the audition process they didn't want to, you know,
officially tell anyone what the real deal was with Tyler.
So I think I told you the last time we spoke.
It was like they gave me the clue like he
has a dark secret, and I was like, is it
(07:19):
you know, the dark secret?
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And they wouldn't like officially tell me.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
But then after booking it, I got on the phone
with Alan Miles are like amazing writers, and they kind
of broke down the whole history of Tyler and how
the whole first season was going to play out for me.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Were you hoping that you were the character with the
dark secret? Did you want to sink your teeth into it?
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Yeah, I mean that's just.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
For me. That fel like the most exciting element to
what could possibly be a part of this character.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
So how do you prepare for something like that? You
kind of have this juckle Hyde character. You play the
good guy and you play the bad guy. Is it
double the work? Double the prep, how do you get
into that bad guy frame of mind? What did you
do to really nail this character? Because you did it flawlessly.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Thanks. When I actually got the original like Jecko and
Hyde novel, read through that and like.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Used a lot of that for inspiration.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
That book is funny though as it like holds up
as a horror story in today's because I, you know,
Horace like comes so far and so intense nowadays, and
that leading that book is like a whole chapter would
be like and he received a mysterious letter and that
would be like the big scare of the chapter. But like,
something I took from that was the more that he
(08:36):
turns into mister Hyde and that the like lines between
them get blurred and like Hide kind of takes over
for him. So we kind of talked about that the
same for Tyler, Like the more he's transition into the
Hide and the more kills he does, the more that
kind of takes over, and like, you know, the real
(08:56):
Tyler is kind of pretty much gone by the into
the first season. Wow.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Yeah, the show ended on that total transformation for your character,
which was so satisfying as a viewer to see you
had the scene I was in an episode seven or
eight where you were in the police station or the court,
the police station, right, and you just tell me about
that scene. What was it like filming that?
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yeah, the police station scene. That was kind of like
the real you reveal for me because she has the
vision at end of episode seven, but they've kind of
spent the whole season reminding people that her visions may
not be able to be trusted. And then I start
off episode eight, I'm still playing against it, saying, you know,
tied up in chains, like how could you do this
(09:43):
to me? And then I've never been more nervous or
excited or prepared more for a scene than that police
station scene because I was like the villain monologue that
you hope to have and it ends with me talking
about killing people, saying it was delicious.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Wow. How much work would you say you put into
a scene like that before you film it? How many
times do you run in and practice it? Does it
consume you until you actually do it?
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Yeah? We were waiting on that script for a while,
and I knew the tyler was aware that he was
the bad guy, and like was the hide like wasn't
like a secret to him? But I didn't know what
extent and you know, just even you know, logistically the
dialogue of how he did it or revealed it now.
But once I got it, you know, I immediately started
(10:35):
breaking it down and also just going back throughout the
season and trying to make sure everything I'd done is
adding up and making sense now that I had all
eight scripts.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Well, that's what's amazing about how you play this role.
You don't kind of let on throughout the show that
you could be the bad guy everyone. You're kind of
suspecting as you're watching, like, oh, are they the Hide?
Are they the Hider? Are they the Hide? So you
have these feelings, Oh, it could be anyone, but you
were so not the obvious choice for me. Maybe thought
that early on, but then I'm like, no, it's not him.
(11:07):
So that was all deliberate.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Well, you didn't want to make it obvious, and I
felt like I didn't have to, you know, leave any
like hints for people because it was so well crafted.
Like in the story and every time, if you like,
go back and watch that Wednesday sees the Hide and
it's like he's followed her or something. It's Tyler knows
(11:32):
where Wednesday's going. To be and you know, people even
put it together on TikTok that when she has the
vision of Eugene getting attacked to the dance, there's a
split second where she bumps into me and that's why
she has the vision, you know.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
And I was a.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Shot you know that Tim designed from above that we
had to do over and over again trying to like
make sure it.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Was there but not too obvious.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
So well done. And you and Jenna Ortiga in this
show have such a great chemisty and it feels like
you've known each other forever. Like that's just how the
relationship unravels on screen, and that's how working together really
comes off. As how was it forming that bond with
Jenna and starting the character work together? What did you
guys do to get to that place?
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Honestly, we just kind of became friends in real life
and just spent a lot of time together on set
because I mean most of my scenes are just the
two of us, which was so lucky for me.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
She's phenomenal as this character.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
I reached out to her after I was cast and
we met up for coffee here in La before we
went over, just to like, you know, before we like
jump into this giant show and make sure we like
met in person, and I don't know, being over in
Romania as a cast in general, we all kind of
(12:54):
bonded really quickly because we were all away from home,
all the way from our families and friends, so the
only people we had to hang out with, you know,
was each other. You know, Jenna was on set though
almost twenty four to seven because you look at the
show and she's almost in every single frame of it.
And to be honestly, I mean, she's just so easy
(13:14):
to work with because she's phenomenal and she gives you
so much.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
As an actor to like bounce off of.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Was there a scene that you shot together that was
more difficult and you just really wanted to master and
just make sure it came off perfectly. Did you two
work really extra hard at a particular scene.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
I think the episode A had a few of those,
with like the police station thing, and she has the
scene right before that with you know, the sheriff and
the principle. I think it's always interesting to watch her navigate,
you know, how Wednesday reacts in these like high stress
moments because she doesn't respond the same way other people would.
(13:58):
And then earlier than that. I think this legally blonde
scene and when we're like having the date and then
like just trying to like build a romantic relationship with
Wednesday Adams, like I would kind of be like, okay, are.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
We selling this enough?
Speaker 3 (14:16):
And then you know, some people, like I saw online,
were making fun of a moment in episode four when
Tyler says, you know, he keep giving me these signals,
and everyone's like, what signals? She hasn't giving you anything.
But then I was able to realize, you know, he's
kind of gaslighting her the whole time anyway, and like
tricking her into having feelings and making her feel like
(14:39):
she can trust him, and they have this bond of
not fitting in with the other never more kids.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
So that was kind of like my way in on
some of those scenes.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Yeah, oh that's so funny. People pick out the littlest
things and seeing oh yeah, well, does that surprise you
when you see things on TikTok and social media and
you're like, wait, that they're interpreting it one way, but
it's supposed to be meant in another way.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Definitely, And I mean there's so funny.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
I like I had to like repost a few like
I did like a series of like pre PoTA memes
and tiktoks on my Instagram the people in mad just
because people the fans are like so funny and I
just like, I mean, I love seeing it, so I
wanted to share it.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
That's awesome. I love seeing all the fan edits and
everything that goes around on social media. It's really cool.
The community that has come together through a show like this,
I think is incredible. It makes a lot of people
feel connected through just being a fan of the show.
(15:43):
I know the movie was before your time obviously, but
did you watch that growing up or did you kind
of have to go back and watch it for the
first time.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
I had seen it growing up, but then I did
go rewatch the two nineties movies with Christina Ricci in
it over again, not really.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
For like character research, more just for like, I was
excited about the job.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
But it was cool. It was like and I think
there's a lot of inspiration, you know, obviously with the
whole thanksgiving play that they do in the Adams Chanley
Values movie, and then you know, there's so much thanksgiving
stuff in Pilgrim World in ours and people kept giving
a shit.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Like why is the show not coming out on Halloween?
And I was like, just wait, I swear it makes sense.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Once it comes out.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Yeah, and it did. I mean it's I thought the
timing of it all was perfect. What would you want
to see in a season two? I know the writers
are brilliant and they're going to take the reins, But
if you had a magic ball and you were like, Okay,
this is what I want putting it out in the universe,
what is it?
Speaker 3 (16:43):
I want the first scene to just be Tyler having
escaped that van post like killing everyone that band covered
in blood, and I'm going to like, I don't want
to start the season off, like I think Tyler's going
to be totally kind of unhinged because he's in the
(17:04):
darkest place he's ever been in. And also he doesn't
have you know, risin Ricci's character pulling the strings anymore,
and so he doesn't have a master, so I think
he's gonna, you know, hopefully be a little lost. I
don't know. I wouldn't explore like does he get another
hide master or what is it like when he's on
his own? And then I mean, I hope for me
(17:27):
that like the big art for my character is like
just the like fight between the real Tyler and the
Hide and like which side is gonna kind of take
over at any point.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
So do you think there's redemption for Tyler? Could he
become a straight out good guy?
Speaker 3 (17:46):
I don't know. Maybe if he's never more people actually
let Hides into the school.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
It's not fair they won't teach him how.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
To control it.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Okay, fair enough, fair enough?
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Can you redeem someone who's like murdered seven people.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
That's a good question. I'm not quite sure. Yeah, I'm
gonna go with no, but very curious to see to
see how your storyline unfolds. It's definitely to me one
of the most interesting storylines on the show, really because
of that dichotomy, right of going back and forth from
the good guy to the transforming to the bad guy.
When you got that role and you've set out on
(18:25):
this adventure you filmed in Romania, you went out for
seven months, you were kind of detached from reality. You
came back home, you know, you were waiting for this
baby to be put into the world. Did you have
any idea that this was going to blow up in
the way that it did.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
No, not at all, Like I was telling someone recently.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Once I got back home, I kind of like disassociated
from it because they spent so long over there, and
then I don't know, it's like back home. And then
all of a sudden, I wasn't seeing the same people
every day, and I wasn't seeing any of the same
locations because it was so our way, and it kind
of felt like it hadn't happened in a weird way,
(19:05):
and I was like, oh, and then you know, it
got home, and then there was like seven months of
us waiting.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Until the show came out after we had wrapped. It
was really strange.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
And then I knew that it would be like a
thing and that it would like do well. And I've
been saying since we started shooting, like I'll be saying,
you know, I worked with din Ortego when I knew
she was going to just be an absolute megastar because
she's so great in it. But no, I mean, I
(19:36):
don't think anyone could have predicted the like kind of
way that it did blow up. You'd be like an
insane person to be like, yeah, I think this is
going to be more popular than the stranger things.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
You know, Like, how do you go about.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Saying that, Yeah, well, that's one of the things I
love about you. I think you know well, I know
when we met up in New York for a coffee,
I walked away from that being like, wow, like Hunter
is so grounded and with all all of the success
that came your way with the show seemingly fast, we'll say, right,
because it got set into the world and it just
everyone exploded from the show and in the best way possible.
(20:10):
It doesn't seem like you've let that success affect you
in a negative way. It doesn't seem like it's gone
to your head or you're buying into it in a
way that you've lost who Hunter is as a human being.
How do you not let this success that people dream
of and that comes really fast and really hard at
you not change who you are? Oh?
Speaker 3 (20:31):
Thank you? I don't know, I mean, like, how do
you define? Like why aren't you an asshole?
Speaker 1 (20:36):
That's the question I want to know. Why aren't you
an asshole?
Speaker 3 (20:41):
I don't know. I mean I think I like wanted
it for you know, just not the like whatever side
of it, but just like the being able to work as.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
An actor for so long because I moved out.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
To a like ten years ago, and I did extra
work for five years and was like so kind of
close to the thing I wanted to do, but like
also feeling so far away from it that I don't know.
I think I'm like just very aware of how lucky
I am to be getting to do it. And yeah,
(21:17):
there's like hard work and you got to be good
to do it, but there's such an incredible amount of
luck that goes into it. And you know, I have
so many friends that are actors, and I know how
talented they are, and like, but I've seen that they
haven't gotten, you know, their big break or whatever, and
(21:37):
so I just, you know, I'm trying to always remember that.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Yeah, I love that. And another thing that I just
love and it excites me about people like you who
have this newfound fast, you know, success and fast in
the sense of a show coming out and this happening.
I know you've worked your whole life towards this, but
I also love that you are a proud, out gay
man and you play a leading man, a romantic love
(22:05):
interest to Jenna's character to Wednesday in the show. Yet
you are somebody who is posting on social media your
wedding photos and you know your partner. And I think
it's such a beautiful thing when I see people like
you who are in these roles on such a mainstream
show putting that out there. So I would love to
hear a bit about your coming out journey and what
(22:26):
that was like for you.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
I kind of came out when I was like eighteen,
and once I got to LA it was like I
remember like being at like some house party and just
talking to someone and this guy was like, oh, and
you're gay, right, And I was like, froze and I
was like yes, and he's like, okay, cool, and just
I kept going.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
I was like, oh wait, it's not like a thing here.
It doesn't matter.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Because I grew up in Arkansas, and you know I
mentioned earlier, I got like very involved in like my
church youth group when I was in high school, and
so that whole process was just kind of a nightmare
for me personally. So then I'd been like out for
you know, my entire adult life, and then professionally, I'd
(23:15):
never really thought too much about it until I was
doing the testing process for Your Honor and the show
on Showtime, and I remember like, as we were gearing
up for the network test, which is like the final
audition stage for people that don't know and you have
to go in, and like I was going to read
(23:36):
with Brian and all of the executives from CBS and
Showtime We're going to be there, and the producers and writers.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Of the show.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
And so as we were gearing up for that, I
remember like coming through my social media and archiving stuff
with that had me and Fielder in it together, or
like anything that I had like was like obvious I
was gay.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
It was on my page or even accounts I was following, because.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
I was like, Oh, I just don't want there to
be any element of them being like, why does Adam's
not gay? So can Hunter really do that? Because I
mean I was a total nobody going up for this,
you know, role opposite Brian Cranston. There's so many things
already against me. And then it was kind of awful
once I got it, because once I got to set,
(24:25):
I like had to come out again.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
It was like people didn't know, oh, and that was
just felt so uncomfortable to be like, I don't know,
doing that for like the first time in like seven
eight years and making it for it to like feel
like that again and too like, you know, everyone on
that show is credit.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Like I remember I was talking to Peter Moffatt about
all this, who was the show runner of the show,
and he was just like gutted and like heartbroken to
like learned that I had done that, and he was like,
you know, I wouldn't have mattered, and you know, maybe
it wouldn't have, but I just like at the time
didn't know. But then after I went through that experience,
(25:08):
and then I remember, like my friend Grace came to
visit me and Brian and other people were like, oh, so,
is there something going on between you guys. I was like,
oh god, I was like, because she came to visit before,
you know, my boyfriend had come to visit, like, uh so,
like kind of from that point on, I just decided
that to me, it wasn't worth it to hide it
(25:30):
or you know, because that just was such a weird experience.
So I don't know, I'm sure I'll lose out on
some opportunities.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
But it's just not worth it to you know, not
be yourself in that way.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Yeah, I'm hopeful things are changing. They have changed already,
but they need to continue to change and I'm hopeful
they will and that being who you truly are in
any industry hopefully won't affect people in a negative way.
And I just I commend you because I know it's
not always easy and our business. Did you ever feel
afraid that being out would affect your career and did
(26:06):
you have any moments where it did? Would you say, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Definitely, I have had moments of being afraid and.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
You know me and it was thinning on your honor
Lily who played you know, we were a couple on
the show, and she's also queer, and so you know,
we would have a lot of conversations about it and
just like you know, wondering if you know, maybe not
hide it, but should we just like not be so
(26:37):
open about it, just like you know, should Instagram just
be professional stuff for I don't know. So there was
definitely a fear to it, and then I'm sure it
has affected stuff, but that's like kind of the I
would never hear about that, you know, I would never
know which jobs I lost out on because of it,
(27:00):
because I think people are smart enough to not say
this is the reason why. But yeah, I don't don't know.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
I love that it's worth it for you to live
as your authentic self in an industry while pursuing your
dreams than it is to maybe achieve a dream that
you have at the cost of being who you really are.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Yeah. I mean, because I you know, I told you
that story. I basically did that and it felt horrible.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Yeah. I think it's such a great example for so
many people who are listening today and for our youth
right who were wondering, oh, should I be coming out
or is that going to affect me negatively? I think
when we see people like you, I think you think, oh, man, well,
if Hunter's doing it. Yeah, it might not always be easy,
but I can have a career and a dream job
that I want one day, you know. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
I mean there's so many other like actors that did
it before me in a much harder time that made
it possible. So so grateful for those actors like I mean,
like Neil Patrick. Harris always stands out in my head
because you know, he played like, you know, a womanizer
and was also this out proud gay man.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Yeah, it's very possible to be who you are and work.
And I think that the more we have stories like
yours and see people like you the more that we're
moving in the right direction, it's about damn time. As
Lizo says, right.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
What's frustrating is like, you know, a street man plays
a gay part and people were almost like, how did
he do it? Let's give him an award, and then
like when it's vice versa, it's like, one, if we
let you do it, and two you're like, well, you're
expected to be able to do it that way.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
What are your thoughts on that. I know a lot
of people have very different opinions. What do you think
about the idea of you know, straightenman being cast to
play queer I.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Think, like at a foundational level, like it is acting,
and I don't want it to get to a point
where you can only play exactly what you are in
real life. That's boring and that's not what it's supposed
to be. And people have said this in a much
more eloquent way than I'll be able to say it.
But I think it just comes down to like opportunities,
(29:28):
and you know, I think we've like really seen it
come to a better place now, especially for like trans roles.
I think you know nowadays you'd be insane to take
a trans role where that's something that could have happened, like,
you know, not even ten years ago, but it was
(29:48):
because you know, transactors were not getting those opportunities to
you can, tell their own stories and you know definitely
not to you know, tell us his story. And I think,
you know, I don't think that straight actors like shouldn't
be able to play a game, but I'd like it to.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
Go the other way more too.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
And I think, you know, people want also authentic stories,
you know, more of them where queer actors are telling
queer stories. So I don't know, is that a cop
out answer?
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Oh no, I think what you're saying is you just
want a seat at the table. Like, you know, straight
actors get to play all these different roles. You just
want queer people to have a seat at the table
as well. I think it's fare, you know.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
So I don't know, I'm just going to continue going
out trying to steal all the other straight roles I can.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Let's go, I'm ready for you in like a Marvel
superhero movie. Come on, let's go.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
Yeah, let's do it. I'm down.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
I love that. So Hunter, I'm very interested in the
idea and the conversation around mental health. I think it's
super important and I'm glad we're finally talking more about
it as a society. You know, on a personal level,
I lost a friend early last year to a mental
health struggle, and I just I'm making an effort to
(31:00):
bring this topic up more in my conversations with people,
because you just never know who's listening and who can
feel seen or helped by a conversation like this, and
with somebody like you who's on such a public platform.
And yes, you receive so much praise and so many
people just adore you and now follow you obviously through
(31:20):
your growing social media channels. But with that obviously comes
trolls and the keyboard warriors who hide behind and say
awful things to all of us. We've all received it
and gotten it. How do you, on a personal level
deal with those comments when they come up? Talk to
me about your relationship with kind of tuning out the negative.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
First of all, I'm so sorry about your friend. It
does affect me. It's really horrible. Some of the things
like people will say and like can so casually just
you know, come on to another humans page and throw
out there is like baffling to me. But I also
(32:02):
have to remember, like it's like people like yes for
better or worse. You know, they wouldn't say that stuff
to you in real life or most of the time.
I think the last time we talked to I like
told you I had to like limit comments on my
Instagram because it was affecting me because I couldn't understand why,
(32:23):
you know, I was posting about the show, and you know,
at the time, like you know, those posts would get
like two thousand comments, but then my wedding photos from
six months ago had eight thousand comments, and it was
people like fighting in the comments and and a lot
of like support, but then just so much like just horrible,
(32:49):
like ugly hatred, and like at first I would like
see stuff pop up and i'd like just try to
like delete a comment when I like happened to see
it pop up, and like the stream of notifications.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
But then I went and like actually.
Speaker 3 (33:05):
Clicked on it and was like scrolling through and there's
just so much awful stuff in there that couldn't keep
up with, that couldn't like I didn't want to put
that much energy into it, and I couldn't keep up
if I did want to, And so I you know,
I limited it to just at least people who follow me,
so I was like, Okay, you have to at least
(33:26):
want to be here. And I still get some comments
like that that people are taking that extra step to
follow me, and then I'm sure commisling awful and then
unfollow me. But yeah, I don't know. I like, you know,
I personally tried to, you know, set that boundary, but
(33:46):
it does affect you.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
I don't I think it would be hard not to.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
I always say the real world matters, right, because we
forget sometimes especially the fandom is amazing and they get
so passionate about the projects like Wednesday and and you know,
whatever shows or movies they watch. But sometimes you have
to remind everybody like you're playing a character. It's not
who you are and you're not Tyler. Have you found
that distinction one that you've had to kind of make
(34:15):
more and more as the popularity of the show goes on.
Speaker 3 (34:18):
You know, the actual like fans of the show are
amazing and like, I think get that, and they engage
with all of us in what seems to me like
a really fun way, and especially like the younger fans
of the show, it's so cool for me to see
like there's this whole like online campaign called like wind
(34:39):
Clear because they want Wednesday to be with her roommate
in Instintclair and so that's like their ship name. But
like for me, I was like, oh my god, this
is like the great irony of my life that I'm
kind of getting, you know, in a fun way, trolled
for being in the way of a gay relationship.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
There's like the is just so cool and fun and
I love the thin you know, these like you know teenagers.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Are like no more gay.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Yeah, I'm telling you. It's something I've noticed with the
show as well. I've interviewed a lot of people from
any different shows, and the fandom around Wednesday seems incredible.
Wait a minut I've got to ask you now, So,
aside from Tyler being a little a little bit crazy,
aside from that, who would you be interested in seeing
your character get in a relationship with on the show? Anyone,
(35:32):
any any demoned werewolf, man, woman, anything in between, whatever.
Who would Tyler ship? Who would you like to see?
Speaker 3 (35:42):
Oh wow, I don't know. I mean I really want
to explore, like what is real between Wednesday and Tyler,
because you know on her end, she really fully you know,
fell for it and for him, and I think that
there was an initial, like genuine attraction between them because
(36:06):
when they first meet, he doesn't know who she is,
and it's like, I think, interested in her. And then
I think that there's like this like you know, sexual
kind of compatibility or like you know, flirtiness, the fact
that they like can kind of like go at each
other at the like same level with like their digs,
(36:29):
and also like yeah, just the way they like interact
in that way. I think like they both like rise
to the challenge of each other, which is fun. I
don't know. I guess I haven't spent too much time
thinking about like who else in the show Tyler could
end up with. Like, to me, that's that's pretty far
from what I was thinking about.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
Well, I gave you something to think about, now, yeah,
you can come back to me with that. What is
something you can and tell me about that you're working
on just for yourself?
Speaker 3 (37:03):
And I think for me, it's like this probably goes
back to like social media stuff too, But like I
wish I didn't spend so much time and energy thinking
about like like looks and like like my body and
like just like my relationship to like, you know, food
(37:26):
and stuff. I think it's almost impossible to kind of
like be in this industry in that not to like
be in your head all the time. And I know
that's like a thing for you know, a lot of
people not in the actors or in front of the
camera in any since. So I think it's cool that
people are like talking about that more now, but I
(37:49):
still haven't found a way for me yet to get
to where I want to be with like how I
feel about all that stuff.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
So you're trying to find a better or a more
positive way to kind of, you know, deal with how
you view your body, is what you're saying. Definitely, do
you feel that you put a lot of the pressure
on yourself or do you feel like through your work
that's added pressure as well.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
Both, there's definitely an added pressure of like.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
It being like stuff like you know, being recorded or
being photographed or being on camera.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
But then like if I'm actually taking a step.
Speaker 3 (38:30):
Back, like the only criticism I'm really hearing is from
inside my own head, yeah, which is insane.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
Yeah, So when you hear that voice, which we all have,
how do you kind of quiet it and carry on
in a way that it doesn't cripple you and you
know cause you to just have a terrible rest of
your day or week.
Speaker 3 (38:51):
I think that's kind of what I'm trying to work
on and figure out, is how to quiet it more.
I've seen a lot of stuff. Anyone just a felt
like being like grateful for your body and like I
try to like think about you know, even like working
out as like something like more about like what your
body like can do and being grateful for that. Like.
Speaker 2 (39:13):
But one thing that specifically helped me is actually I
lost my dad a few years ago.
Speaker 3 (39:19):
He passed away because he had als and he was
like a tennis player and like he played professionally and
then like he taught tennis all of my like childhood
growing up, and so then to see him like lose
control of his body and like you know, fully be
there in his mind, but then his body is like
totally fail him.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
Like that was like a big kind of awakening moment
for me.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
I was like, Oh, Alice is about so much more
than just you know, how I look in the mirror.
Speaker 1 (39:48):
Yeah, Wow, that's that's powerful. I'm sure watching that could
not have been easy for you.
Speaker 3 (39:55):
No, I was, Uh, it was really difficult, especially just
for to be him and like you know, all my
memories of him or him being so active in running
around and yeah, that was the hardest thing I've ever
had to go through.
Speaker 1 (40:13):
Well, thank you for sharing that, and also for talking
about the layer that you would take off and work on.
I think that we don't talk enough about in our
society the struggles that nailes have with body image. And
it's very real and I've discussed this with many people before,
and I think that just in a way that a
lot of women have talked to me about feeling the
(40:34):
pressures of being super thin or having the curves or
whatever it may be. I think there is also a
lot of pressure on men to look a certain way sometimes,
and I think we need to as a society work
on not commenting on people's bodies. Yeah, like whether you're
athletic or not athletic, or whatever the case may be. Like,
let's just let people be. And if you're close to
(40:55):
a friend, of course that's different. But in general, like,
I'm not comfortable when people talk about that with me.
It's just weird. I don't want the compliment. I just
rather you talk to me and let's talk about other things, right,
It's just it's awkward. Yeah, And I feel like you
feel the same way, and I think a lot of
people feel that way, like let's just focus on things
that matter. So I appreciate that you're putting it out there.
(41:16):
I think a lot of people listening today also have
the same struggle, no matter who they are. And I think,
knowing that this seemingly together and perfect guy, that many
people will look at you and think because of your success, right,
which can be deceiving, but they think success means you're
okay and you're perfect and everything's great, right, right, you
(41:38):
also have struggles that everybody else has, So thank you
for that. I hope you enjoyed your experience.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
I always enjoyed talking to you. Thanks for having me on.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
This was so much fun. Hunter. I am such a
fan of you personally and professionally, and I'm excited to
see where season two takes you with everything, and I'm
glad we could deep dive into the show and then
talk about some other fun things. So I have a
feeling i'll be chatting with you again when season two
finally comes out. Yeah, that'd be great, all right, we'll
be well, and thank you so much, and I'm glad.
(42:08):
And wait, you didn't give me the finger like your childhood.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
Picture, did, Julie.
Speaker 1 (42:13):
I mean, I think I need one at this point,
I need one. There we go. Yes, Yes, I've never
said this before. Is hosted by me, Tommy Dederio. This
podcast is produced and edited by Mike Coscarelli, and executive
producers are Andrew Piglisi and Katrino Norbel at iHeartRadio I've
(42:34):
Never Said This Before. It is part of the Elvis
Durant podcast Network on iHeart Podcasts. For more rate review
and subscribe to our show and if you like this episode,
tell your friends. Until next time, I'm Tommy Dedario.
Hey, guys, welcome to I've never said this before with me,
Tommy di Dario. This is the first episode of this show,
and I am so excited you were tuning in. So
during the pandemic, it was March twenty twenty, the world
shut down and my job stopped. I wasn't going on
television and doing my feel good segments and my celebrity interviews.
(00:22):
So I had to pivot and I was sitting home
wondering what was I going to do. Was I going
to contribute during this scary time, or was I going
to do something to help people feel connected and together
and close to the people that they admired. And that's
what I did. So I launched an Instagram live show.
It was called Let's Stay Together, where I brought on
today's hottest actors from films and TV shows and we
(00:44):
dove deep into the projects that fans loved, and then
we went there on some other more human connection type
of questions. It was a five day a week show
for quite some time, and then as the world began reopening,
we scaled it back. But it was something that I
had a very big aha moment doing, and that was
people don't just want to hear about the highs in
(01:04):
somebody's life, right, they want to hear about the lows.
They want to learn about what they went through and
what they took away from that low. I wanted to
do the show because I think it's so important to
have conversations that go deep, and when I'm on the
red carpet, I don't get the chance to do that.
And I see the people I'm interviewing. They're craving it.
They want to go there, right, We're just about to
get there, and then we run out of time. So
(01:25):
this is the space to have the time to go there,
because I think that's where we can all connect to
one another. You see the shine, you see the glitz,
you see the glamour. It's smoking mirrors. We're all stripped down.
I want to show people that we all have a
lot more in common than we don't. This is a
show where people who pretend to be someone else for
a living have the chance to be real. Today's guest
(01:48):
is no big deal. One of the most talked about
actors in the world right now. Hunter Duhan grew up
in Fort Smith, Atlanta, where he had big dreams of
making it in Hollywood and I think it's safe to
say he did just that. You may know him from
his co starring role as Brian Cranston's son in Your
Honor on Showtime, or of course, as Tyler in Wednesday
(02:10):
on Netflix, starring in one of the most popular shows
in the history of Netflix ever, where he plays Jeno
Ortego's love interest turned billing and on a personal note,
I am so psyched that season two has been announced,
because well, we all need more of his brilliant character
work playing the evil monster known as the Hide. I
(02:31):
hope you enjoyed this conversation as much as I did.
Now let's see if today we can get Hunter to
say something that he has never said before. Okay, I've
got to ask you first before we dive in. I
was on your Instagram doing a little scrolling, and I
(02:53):
noticed there was a picture of you as a kid
giving the middle finger. A little scared that that might
happen to me today if you don't like the interview,
but you gotta give me the backstory on that.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Yeah, that's a warning to everyone I do an interview.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
With, so behave No. That's I think the credit or
blame for that goes to my mom.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
For encouraging me to take that picture.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
In taking it, she's the best and has a very
immature sense of humor.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
So were you a spicy kid? Was that your default?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
I think I was like little, But then when I
was in like high school, like not at all, I
was like kind of lame. I was just running around
the theater department and got very involved in my like
youth group church. I was like not going to party
like drinking parties as me like oh called them.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
So you were a good boy, mm hmm, okay, all right,
but obviously that phase maybe didn't last through your work
because you kind of play a bad boy on Wednesday, right.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Yeah, spoiler alert, but Eve had two months come on, people,
catch up. Yeah. It was so fun kind of got
to play both. That was kind of like the nice
guy for seven episodes and then you know, we wanted
that like big shift to happen on the last one,
and it was so much fun.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Getting to play the villain. And I'm so excited.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
I think last time we talked, I couldn't say anything
because I didn't know. But we are officially coming back
for a second season, so I get to like start
off the second season in that place, which is gonna
be so much fun.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Wow, that's huge, congratulations to you. I know that waiting
for that renewal is always a bit a nerve racking, right, Like,
you know how popular the show is, but did you
still have a little bit of worry or fear about
getting renewed.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Yeah, I kind of went through like seven stages of
grief about it. I was like thinking, it was like,
for sure gonna happen, and then it took so long
we weren't really sure what was going on. And then
there's all these like crazy articles coming out saying it
might switch to Amazon, which there was like that can't
be true. And then it you know, then we got
(05:12):
the good news and time if I can feel I
can finally breathe.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Well well deserved. I mean, this show I don't have
to tell you, but it broke all sorts of Netflix records.
Wednesday is truly, in my opinion, one of the freshest
shows of all of twenty twenty two. I think it
was done so beautifully. It also had a great record.
The show twice broke the record for the most hours
viewed in a single week by an English language TV series.
(05:37):
I'm curious to know, where were you in your life
personally and professionally when the opportunity for this amazing role
came up for you.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Why had come off another show that was like a
dream come true to be on It was your Honor
on Showtime and it was so much fun. But it
was supposed to be a limited series and my character
dies in the last episode, and so I was like, okay,
you know, like what a great ending. And then it
(06:07):
got renewed for a second season because it did so well.
But I was like, oh, well, I don't get to
be a part of that, and so I was really bummed.
And then it kind of all worked out for the
best because if I had still been doing that show,
I couldn't have done Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Yeah, it was like it came on along and it just.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Like a great, great time for me. That was like
so much fun getting that call.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
So you got the call, then what happened?
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Then I started can I you know, getting to work
on it because the audition process is long. It was
like I think the first tape it was February and
then I didn't find out I got the role until July,
and then we were going to go to Romania to
shoot in September, and so then I just started, you know,
(06:58):
getting the scripts and like breaking everything down and actually
trying to figure out this character. I like finally got
the official word that I was the bad guy, because
during the audition process they didn't want to, you know,
officially tell anyone what the real deal was with Tyler.
So I think I told you the last time we spoke.
It was like they gave me the clue like he
has a dark secret, and I was like, is it
(07:19):
you know, the dark secret?
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And they wouldn't like officially tell me.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
But then after booking it, I got on the phone
with Alan Miles are like amazing writers, and they kind
of broke down the whole history of Tyler and how
the whole first season was going to play out for me.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Were you hoping that you were the character with the
dark secret? Did you want to sink your teeth into it?
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Yeah, I mean that's just.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
For me. That fel like the most exciting element to
what could possibly be a part of this character.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
So how do you prepare for something like that? You
kind of have this juckle Hyde character. You play the
good guy and you play the bad guy. Is it
double the work? Double the prep, how do you get
into that bad guy frame of mind? What did you
do to really nail this character? Because you did it flawlessly.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Thanks. When I actually got the original like Jecko and
Hyde novel, read through that and like.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Used a lot of that for inspiration.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
That book is funny though as it like holds up
as a horror story in today's because I, you know,
Horace like comes so far and so intense nowadays, and
that leading that book is like a whole chapter would
be like and he received a mysterious letter and that
would be like the big scare of the chapter. But like,
something I took from that was the more that he
(08:36):
turns into mister Hyde and that the like lines between
them get blurred and like Hide kind of takes over
for him. So we kind of talked about that the
same for Tyler, Like the more he's transition into the
Hide and the more kills he does, the more that
kind of takes over, and like, you know, the real
(08:56):
Tyler is kind of pretty much gone by the into
the first season. Wow.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Yeah, the show ended on that total transformation for your character,
which was so satisfying as a viewer to see you
had the scene I was in an episode seven or
eight where you were in the police station or the court,
the police station, right, and you just tell me about
that scene. What was it like filming that?
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yeah, the police station scene. That was kind of like
the real you reveal for me because she has the
vision at end of episode seven, but they've kind of
spent the whole season reminding people that her visions may
not be able to be trusted. And then I start
off episode eight, I'm still playing against it, saying, you know,
tied up in chains, like how could you do this
(09:43):
to me? And then I've never been more nervous or
excited or prepared more for a scene than that police
station scene because I was like the villain monologue that
you hope to have and it ends with me talking
about killing people, saying it was delicious.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Wow. How much work would you say you put into
a scene like that before you film it? How many
times do you run in and practice it? Does it
consume you until you actually do it?
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Yeah? We were waiting on that script for a while,
and I knew the tyler was aware that he was
the bad guy, and like was the hide like wasn't
like a secret to him? But I didn't know what
extent and you know, just even you know, logistically the
dialogue of how he did it or revealed it now.
But once I got it, you know, I immediately started
(10:35):
breaking it down and also just going back throughout the
season and trying to make sure everything I'd done is
adding up and making sense now that I had all
eight scripts.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Well, that's what's amazing about how you play this role.
You don't kind of let on throughout the show that
you could be the bad guy everyone. You're kind of
suspecting as you're watching, like, oh, are they the Hide?
Are they the Hider? Are they the Hide? So you
have these feelings, Oh, it could be anyone, but you
were so not the obvious choice for me. Maybe thought
that early on, but then I'm like, no, it's not him.
(11:07):
So that was all deliberate.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Well, you didn't want to make it obvious, and I
felt like I didn't have to, you know, leave any
like hints for people because it was so well crafted.
Like in the story and every time, if you like,
go back and watch that Wednesday sees the Hide and
it's like he's followed her or something. It's Tyler knows
(11:32):
where Wednesday's going. To be and you know, people even
put it together on TikTok that when she has the
vision of Eugene getting attacked to the dance, there's a
split second where she bumps into me and that's why
she has the vision, you know.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
And I was a.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Shot you know that Tim designed from above that we
had to do over and over again trying to like
make sure it.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Was there but not too obvious.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
So well done. And you and Jenna Ortiga in this
show have such a great chemisty and it feels like
you've known each other forever. Like that's just how the
relationship unravels on screen, and that's how working together really
comes off. As how was it forming that bond with
Jenna and starting the character work together? What did you
guys do to get to that place?
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Honestly, we just kind of became friends in real life
and just spent a lot of time together on set
because I mean most of my scenes are just the
two of us, which was so lucky for me.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
She's phenomenal as this character.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
I reached out to her after I was cast and
we met up for coffee here in La before we
went over, just to like, you know, before we like
jump into this giant show and make sure we like
met in person, and I don't know, being over in
Romania as a cast in general, we all kind of
(12:54):
bonded really quickly because we were all away from home,
all the way from our families and friends, so the
only people we had to hang out with, you know,
was each other. You know, Jenna was on set though
almost twenty four to seven because you look at the
show and she's almost in every single frame of it.
And to be honestly, I mean, she's just so easy
(13:14):
to work with because she's phenomenal and she gives you
so much.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
As an actor to like bounce off of.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Was there a scene that you shot together that was
more difficult and you just really wanted to master and
just make sure it came off perfectly. Did you two
work really extra hard at a particular scene.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
I think the episode A had a few of those,
with like the police station thing, and she has the
scene right before that with you know, the sheriff and
the principle. I think it's always interesting to watch her navigate,
you know, how Wednesday reacts in these like high stress
moments because she doesn't respond the same way other people would.
(13:58):
And then earlier than that. I think this legally blonde
scene and when we're like having the date and then
like just trying to like build a romantic relationship with
Wednesday Adams, like I would kind of be like, okay, are.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
We selling this enough?
Speaker 3 (14:16):
And then you know, some people, like I saw online,
were making fun of a moment in episode four when
Tyler says, you know, he keep giving me these signals,
and everyone's like, what signals? She hasn't giving you anything.
But then I was able to realize, you know, he's
kind of gaslighting her the whole time anyway, and like
tricking her into having feelings and making her feel like
(14:39):
she can trust him, and they have this bond of
not fitting in with the other never more kids.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
So that was kind of like my way in on
some of those scenes.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Yeah, oh that's so funny. People pick out the littlest
things and seeing oh yeah, well, does that surprise you
when you see things on TikTok and social media and
you're like, wait, that they're interpreting it one way, but
it's supposed to be meant in another way.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Definitely, And I mean there's so funny.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
I like I had to like repost a few like
I did like a series of like pre PoTA memes
and tiktoks on my Instagram the people in mad just
because people the fans are like so funny and I
just like, I mean, I love seeing it, so I
wanted to share it.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
That's awesome. I love seeing all the fan edits and
everything that goes around on social media. It's really cool.
The community that has come together through a show like this,
I think is incredible. It makes a lot of people
feel connected through just being a fan of the show.
(15:43):
I know the movie was before your time obviously, but
did you watch that growing up or did you kind
of have to go back and watch it for the
first time.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
I had seen it growing up, but then I did
go rewatch the two nineties movies with Christina Ricci in
it over again, not really.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
For like character research, more just for like, I was
excited about the job.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
But it was cool. It was like and I think
there's a lot of inspiration, you know, obviously with the
whole thanksgiving play that they do in the Adams Chanley
Values movie, and then you know, there's so much thanksgiving
stuff in Pilgrim World in ours and people kept giving
a shit.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Like why is the show not coming out on Halloween?
And I was like, just wait, I swear it makes sense.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Once it comes out.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Yeah, and it did. I mean it's I thought the
timing of it all was perfect. What would you want
to see in a season two? I know the writers
are brilliant and they're going to take the reins, But
if you had a magic ball and you were like, Okay,
this is what I want putting it out in the universe,
what is it?
Speaker 3 (16:43):
I want the first scene to just be Tyler having
escaped that van post like killing everyone that band covered
in blood, and I'm going to like, I don't want
to start the season off, like I think Tyler's going
to be totally kind of unhinged because he's in the
(17:04):
darkest place he's ever been in. And also he doesn't
have you know, risin Ricci's character pulling the strings anymore,
and so he doesn't have a master, so I think
he's gonna, you know, hopefully be a little lost. I
don't know. I wouldn't explore like does he get another
hide master or what is it like when he's on
his own? And then I mean, I hope for me
(17:27):
that like the big art for my character is like
just the like fight between the real Tyler and the
Hide and like which side is gonna kind of take
over at any point.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
So do you think there's redemption for Tyler? Could he
become a straight out good guy?
Speaker 3 (17:46):
I don't know. Maybe if he's never more people actually
let Hides into the school.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
It's not fair they won't teach him how.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
To control it.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Okay, fair enough, fair enough?
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Can you redeem someone who's like murdered seven people.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
That's a good question. I'm not quite sure. Yeah, I'm
gonna go with no, but very curious to see to
see how your storyline unfolds. It's definitely to me one
of the most interesting storylines on the show, really because
of that dichotomy, right of going back and forth from
the good guy to the transforming to the bad guy.
When you got that role and you've set out on
(18:25):
this adventure you filmed in Romania, you went out for
seven months, you were kind of detached from reality. You
came back home, you know, you were waiting for this
baby to be put into the world. Did you have
any idea that this was going to blow up in
the way that it did.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
No, not at all, Like I was telling someone recently.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Once I got back home, I kind of like disassociated
from it because they spent so long over there, and
then I don't know, it's like back home. And then
all of a sudden, I wasn't seeing the same people
every day, and I wasn't seeing any of the same
locations because it was so our way, and it kind
of felt like it hadn't happened in a weird way,
(19:05):
and I was like, oh, and then you know, it
got home, and then there was like seven months of
us waiting.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Until the show came out after we had wrapped. It
was really strange.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
And then I knew that it would be like a
thing and that it would like do well. And I've
been saying since we started shooting, like I'll be saying,
you know, I worked with din Ortego when I knew
she was going to just be an absolute megastar because
she's so great in it. But no, I mean, I
(19:36):
don't think anyone could have predicted the like kind of
way that it did blow up. You'd be like an
insane person to be like, yeah, I think this is
going to be more popular than the stranger things.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
You know, Like, how do you go about.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Saying that, Yeah, well, that's one of the things I
love about you. I think you know well, I know
when we met up in New York for a coffee,
I walked away from that being like, wow, like Hunter
is so grounded and with all all of the success
that came your way with the show seemingly fast, we'll say, right,
because it got set into the world and it just
everyone exploded from the show and in the best way possible.
(20:10):
It doesn't seem like you've let that success affect you
in a negative way. It doesn't seem like it's gone
to your head or you're buying into it in a
way that you've lost who Hunter is as a human being.
How do you not let this success that people dream
of and that comes really fast and really hard at
you not change who you are? Oh?
Speaker 3 (20:31):
Thank you? I don't know, I mean, like, how do
you define? Like why aren't you an asshole?
Speaker 1 (20:36):
That's the question I want to know. Why aren't you
an asshole?
Speaker 3 (20:41):
I don't know. I mean I think I like wanted
it for you know, just not the like whatever side
of it, but just like the being able to work as.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
An actor for so long because I moved out.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
To a like ten years ago, and I did extra
work for five years and was like so kind of
close to the thing I wanted to do, but like
also feeling so far away from it that I don't know.
I think I'm like just very aware of how lucky
I am to be getting to do it. And yeah,
(21:17):
there's like hard work and you got to be good
to do it, but there's such an incredible amount of
luck that goes into it. And you know, I have
so many friends that are actors, and I know how
talented they are, and like, but I've seen that they
haven't gotten, you know, their big break or whatever, and
(21:37):
so I just, you know, I'm trying to always remember that.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Yeah, I love that. And another thing that I just
love and it excites me about people like you who
have this newfound fast, you know, success and fast in
the sense of a show coming out and this happening.
I know you've worked your whole life towards this, but
I also love that you are a proud, out gay
man and you play a leading man, a romantic love
(22:05):
interest to Jenna's character to Wednesday in the show. Yet
you are somebody who is posting on social media your
wedding photos and you know your partner. And I think
it's such a beautiful thing when I see people like
you who are in these roles on such a mainstream
show putting that out there. So I would love to
hear a bit about your coming out journey and what
(22:26):
that was like for you.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
I kind of came out when I was like eighteen,
and once I got to LA it was like I
remember like being at like some house party and just
talking to someone and this guy was like, oh, and
you're gay, right, And I was like, froze and I
was like yes, and he's like, okay, cool, and just
I kept going.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
I was like, oh wait, it's not like a thing here.
It doesn't matter.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Because I grew up in Arkansas, and you know I
mentioned earlier, I got like very involved in like my
church youth group when I was in high school, and
so that whole process was just kind of a nightmare
for me personally. So then I'd been like out for
you know, my entire adult life, and then professionally, I'd
(23:15):
never really thought too much about it until I was
doing the testing process for Your Honor and the show
on Showtime, and I remember like, as we were gearing
up for the network test, which is like the final
audition stage for people that don't know and you have
to go in, and like I was going to read
(23:36):
with Brian and all of the executives from CBS and
Showtime We're going to be there, and the producers and writers.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Of the show.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
And so as we were gearing up for that, I
remember like coming through my social media and archiving stuff
with that had me and Fielder in it together, or
like anything that I had like was like obvious I
was gay.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
It was on my page or even accounts I was following, because.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
I was like, Oh, I just don't want there to
be any element of them being like, why does Adam's
not gay? So can Hunter really do that? Because I
mean I was a total nobody going up for this,
you know, role opposite Brian Cranston. There's so many things
already against me. And then it was kind of awful
once I got it, because once I got to set,
(24:25):
I like had to come out again.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
It was like people didn't know, oh, and that was
just felt so uncomfortable to be like, I don't know,
doing that for like the first time in like seven
eight years and making it for it to like feel
like that again and too like, you know, everyone on
that show is credit.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Like I remember I was talking to Peter Moffatt about
all this, who was the show runner of the show,
and he was just like gutted and like heartbroken to
like learned that I had done that, and he was like,
you know, I wouldn't have mattered, and you know, maybe
it wouldn't have, but I just like at the time
didn't know. But then after I went through that experience,
(25:08):
and then I remember, like my friend Grace came to
visit me and Brian and other people were like, oh, so,
is there something going on between you guys. I was like,
oh god, I was like, because she came to visit before,
you know, my boyfriend had come to visit, like, uh so,
like kind of from that point on, I just decided
that to me, it wasn't worth it to hide it
(25:30):
or you know, because that just was such a weird experience.
So I don't know, I'm sure I'll lose out on
some opportunities.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
But it's just not worth it to you know, not
be yourself in that way.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Yeah, I'm hopeful things are changing. They have changed already,
but they need to continue to change and I'm hopeful
they will and that being who you truly are in
any industry hopefully won't affect people in a negative way.
And I just I commend you because I know it's
not always easy and our business. Did you ever feel
afraid that being out would affect your career and did
(26:06):
you have any moments where it did? Would you say, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Definitely, I have had moments of being afraid and.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
You know me and it was thinning on your honor
Lily who played you know, we were a couple on
the show, and she's also queer, and so you know,
we would have a lot of conversations about it and
just like you know, wondering if you know, maybe not
hide it, but should we just like not be so
(26:37):
open about it, just like you know, should Instagram just
be professional stuff for I don't know. So there was
definitely a fear to it, and then I'm sure it
has affected stuff, but that's like kind of the I
would never hear about that, you know, I would never
know which jobs I lost out on because of it,
(27:00):
because I think people are smart enough to not say
this is the reason why. But yeah, I don't don't know.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
I love that it's worth it for you to live
as your authentic self in an industry while pursuing your
dreams than it is to maybe achieve a dream that
you have at the cost of being who you really are.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Yeah. I mean, because I you know, I told you
that story. I basically did that and it felt horrible.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Yeah. I think it's such a great example for so
many people who are listening today and for our youth
right who were wondering, oh, should I be coming out
or is that going to affect me negatively? I think
when we see people like you, I think you think, oh, man, well,
if Hunter's doing it. Yeah, it might not always be easy,
but I can have a career and a dream job
that I want one day, you know. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
I mean there's so many other like actors that did
it before me in a much harder time that made
it possible. So so grateful for those actors like I mean,
like Neil Patrick. Harris always stands out in my head
because you know, he played like, you know, a womanizer
and was also this out proud gay man.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Yeah, it's very possible to be who you are and work.
And I think that the more we have stories like
yours and see people like you the more that we're
moving in the right direction, it's about damn time. As
Lizo says, right.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
What's frustrating is like, you know, a street man plays
a gay part and people were almost like, how did
he do it? Let's give him an award, and then
like when it's vice versa, it's like, one, if we
let you do it, and two you're like, well, you're
expected to be able to do it that way.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
What are your thoughts on that. I know a lot
of people have very different opinions. What do you think
about the idea of you know, straightenman being cast to
play queer I.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Think, like at a foundational level, like it is acting,
and I don't want it to get to a point
where you can only play exactly what you are in
real life. That's boring and that's not what it's supposed
to be. And people have said this in a much
more eloquent way than I'll be able to say it.
But I think it just comes down to like opportunities,
(29:28):
and you know, I think we've like really seen it
come to a better place now, especially for like trans roles.
I think you know nowadays you'd be insane to take
a trans role where that's something that could have happened, like,
you know, not even ten years ago, but it was
(29:48):
because you know, transactors were not getting those opportunities to
you can, tell their own stories and you know definitely
not to you know, tell us his story. And I think,
you know, I don't think that straight actors like shouldn't
be able to play a game, but I'd like it to.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
Go the other way more too.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
And I think, you know, people want also authentic stories,
you know, more of them where queer actors are telling
queer stories. So I don't know, is that a cop
out answer?
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Oh no, I think what you're saying is you just
want a seat at the table. Like, you know, straight
actors get to play all these different roles. You just
want queer people to have a seat at the table
as well. I think it's fare, you know.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
So I don't know, I'm just going to continue going
out trying to steal all the other straight roles I can.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Let's go, I'm ready for you in like a Marvel
superhero movie. Come on, let's go.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
Yeah, let's do it. I'm down.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
I love that. So Hunter, I'm very interested in the
idea and the conversation around mental health. I think it's
super important and I'm glad we're finally talking more about
it as a society. You know, on a personal level,
I lost a friend early last year to a mental
health struggle, and I just I'm making an effort to
(31:00):
bring this topic up more in my conversations with people,
because you just never know who's listening and who can
feel seen or helped by a conversation like this, and
with somebody like you who's on such a public platform.
And yes, you receive so much praise and so many
people just adore you and now follow you obviously through
(31:20):
your growing social media channels. But with that obviously comes
trolls and the keyboard warriors who hide behind and say
awful things to all of us. We've all received it
and gotten it. How do you, on a personal level
deal with those comments when they come up? Talk to
me about your relationship with kind of tuning out the negative.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
First of all, I'm so sorry about your friend. It
does affect me. It's really horrible. Some of the things
like people will say and like can so casually just
you know, come on to another humans page and throw
out there is like baffling to me. But I also
(32:02):
have to remember, like it's like people like yes for
better or worse. You know, they wouldn't say that stuff
to you in real life or most of the time.
I think the last time we talked to I like
told you I had to like limit comments on my
Instagram because it was affecting me because I couldn't understand why,
(32:23):
you know, I was posting about the show, and you know,
at the time, like you know, those posts would get
like two thousand comments, but then my wedding photos from
six months ago had eight thousand comments, and it was
people like fighting in the comments and and a lot
of like support, but then just so much like just horrible,
(32:49):
like ugly hatred, and like at first I would like
see stuff pop up and i'd like just try to
like delete a comment when I like happened to see
it pop up, and like the stream of notifications.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
But then I went and like actually.
Speaker 3 (33:05):
Clicked on it and was like scrolling through and there's
just so much awful stuff in there that couldn't keep
up with, that couldn't like I didn't want to put
that much energy into it, and I couldn't keep up
if I did want to, And so I you know,
I limited it to just at least people who follow me,
so I was like, Okay, you have to at least
(33:26):
want to be here. And I still get some comments
like that that people are taking that extra step to
follow me, and then I'm sure commisling awful and then
unfollow me. But yeah, I don't know. I like, you know,
I personally tried to, you know, set that boundary, but
(33:46):
it does affect you.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
I don't I think it would be hard not to.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
I always say the real world matters, right, because we
forget sometimes especially the fandom is amazing and they get
so passionate about the projects like Wednesday and and you know,
whatever shows or movies they watch. But sometimes you have
to remind everybody like you're playing a character. It's not
who you are and you're not Tyler. Have you found
that distinction one that you've had to kind of make
(34:15):
more and more as the popularity of the show goes on.
Speaker 3 (34:18):
You know, the actual like fans of the show are
amazing and like, I think get that, and they engage
with all of us in what seems to me like
a really fun way, and especially like the younger fans
of the show, it's so cool for me to see
like there's this whole like online campaign called like wind
(34:39):
Clear because they want Wednesday to be with her roommate
in Instintclair and so that's like their ship name. But
like for me, I was like, oh my god, this
is like the great irony of my life that I'm
kind of getting, you know, in a fun way, trolled
for being in the way of a gay relationship.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
There's like the is just so cool and fun and
I love the thin you know, these like you know teenagers.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Are like no more gay.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Yeah, I'm telling you. It's something I've noticed with the
show as well. I've interviewed a lot of people from
any different shows, and the fandom around Wednesday seems incredible.
Wait a minut I've got to ask you now, So,
aside from Tyler being a little a little bit crazy,
aside from that, who would you be interested in seeing
your character get in a relationship with on the show? Anyone,
(35:32):
any any demoned werewolf, man, woman, anything in between, whatever.
Who would Tyler ship? Who would you like to see?
Speaker 3 (35:42):
Oh wow, I don't know. I mean I really want
to explore, like what is real between Wednesday and Tyler,
because you know on her end, she really fully you know,
fell for it and for him, and I think that
there was an initial, like genuine attraction between them because
(36:06):
when they first meet, he doesn't know who she is,
and it's like, I think, interested in her. And then
I think that there's like this like you know, sexual
kind of compatibility or like you know, flirtiness, the fact
that they like can kind of like go at each
other at the like same level with like their digs,
(36:29):
and also like yeah, just the way they like interact
in that way. I think like they both like rise
to the challenge of each other, which is fun. I
don't know. I guess I haven't spent too much time
thinking about like who else in the show Tyler could
end up with. Like, to me, that's that's pretty far
from what I was thinking about.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
Well, I gave you something to think about, now, yeah,
you can come back to me with that. What is
something you can and tell me about that you're working
on just for yourself?
Speaker 3 (37:03):
And I think for me, it's like this probably goes
back to like social media stuff too, But like I
wish I didn't spend so much time and energy thinking
about like like looks and like like my body and
like just like my relationship to like, you know, food
(37:26):
and stuff. I think it's almost impossible to kind of
like be in this industry in that not to like
be in your head all the time. And I know
that's like a thing for you know, a lot of
people not in the actors or in front of the
camera in any since. So I think it's cool that
people are like talking about that more now, but I
(37:49):
still haven't found a way for me yet to get
to where I want to be with like how I
feel about all that stuff.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
So you're trying to find a better or a more
positive way to kind of, you know, deal with how
you view your body, is what you're saying. Definitely, do
you feel that you put a lot of the pressure
on yourself or do you feel like through your work
that's added pressure as well.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
Both, there's definitely an added pressure of like.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
It being like stuff like you know, being recorded or
being photographed or being on camera.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
But then like if I'm actually taking a step.
Speaker 3 (38:30):
Back, like the only criticism I'm really hearing is from
inside my own head, yeah, which is insane.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
Yeah, So when you hear that voice, which we all have,
how do you kind of quiet it and carry on
in a way that it doesn't cripple you and you
know cause you to just have a terrible rest of
your day or week.
Speaker 3 (38:51):
I think that's kind of what I'm trying to work
on and figure out, is how to quiet it more.
I've seen a lot of stuff. Anyone just a felt
like being like grateful for your body and like I
try to like think about you know, even like working
out as like something like more about like what your
body like can do and being grateful for that. Like.
Speaker 2 (39:13):
But one thing that specifically helped me is actually I
lost my dad a few years ago.
Speaker 3 (39:19):
He passed away because he had als and he was
like a tennis player and like he played professionally and
then like he taught tennis all of my like childhood
growing up, and so then to see him like lose
control of his body and like you know, fully be
there in his mind, but then his body is like
totally fail him.
Speaker 2 (39:37):
Like that was like a big kind of awakening moment
for me.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
I was like, Oh, Alice is about so much more
than just you know, how I look in the mirror.
Speaker 1 (39:48):
Yeah, Wow, that's that's powerful. I'm sure watching that could
not have been easy for you.
Speaker 3 (39:55):
No, I was, Uh, it was really difficult, especially just
for to be him and like you know, all my
memories of him or him being so active in running
around and yeah, that was the hardest thing I've ever
had to go through.
Speaker 1 (40:13):
Well, thank you for sharing that, and also for talking
about the layer that you would take off and work on.
I think that we don't talk enough about in our
society the struggles that nailes have with body image. And
it's very real and I've discussed this with many people before,
and I think that just in a way that a
lot of women have talked to me about feeling the
(40:34):
pressures of being super thin or having the curves or
whatever it may be. I think there is also a
lot of pressure on men to look a certain way sometimes,
and I think we need to as a society work
on not commenting on people's bodies. Yeah, like whether you're
athletic or not athletic, or whatever the case may be. Like,
let's just let people be. And if you're close to
(40:55):
a friend, of course that's different. But in general, like,
I'm not comfortable when people talk about that with me.
It's just weird. I don't want the compliment. I just
rather you talk to me and let's talk about other things, right,
It's just it's awkward. Yeah, And I feel like you
feel the same way, and I think a lot of
people feel that way, like let's just focus on things
that matter. So I appreciate that you're putting it out there.
(41:16):
I think a lot of people listening today also have
the same struggle, no matter who they are. And I think,
knowing that this seemingly together and perfect guy, that many
people will look at you and think because of your success, right,
which can be deceiving, but they think success means you're
okay and you're perfect and everything's great, right, right, you
(41:38):
also have struggles that everybody else has, So thank you
for that. I hope you enjoyed your experience.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
I always enjoyed talking to you. Thanks for having me on.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
This was so much fun. Hunter. I am such a
fan of you personally and professionally, and I'm excited to
see where season two takes you with everything, and I'm
glad we could deep dive into the show and then
talk about some other fun things. So I have a
feeling i'll be chatting with you again when season two
finally comes out. Yeah, that'd be great, all right, we'll
be well, and thank you so much, and I'm glad.
(42:08):
And wait, you didn't give me the finger like your childhood.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
Picture, did, Julie.
Speaker 1 (42:13):
I mean, I think I need one at this point,
I need one. There we go. Yes, Yes, I've never
said this before. Is hosted by me, Tommy Dederio. This
podcast is produced and edited by Mike Coscarelli, and executive
producers are Andrew Piglisi and Katrino Norbel at iHeartRadio I've
(42:34):
Never Said This Before. It is part of the Elvis
Durant podcast Network on iHeart Podcasts. For more rate review
and subscribe to our show and if you like this episode,
tell your friends. Until next time, I'm Tommy Dedario.
Host
Tommy DiDario
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