"Experience Cinema" (w/ Michelle Yeoh) (RE-RELEASE)

This is a re-release of a CLASSIC Las Culturistas episode:

In this legendary episode, there is joy, there are tears, there are discussions that need to be heard. Naturally the only guest for this episode would be Michelle Yeoh! Her new film Everything Everywhere All At Once is important cinema and if you haven't seen the film, we recommend you stop right now, go watch the film, and then come back and listen! And if you have watched, do not wait any longer! PRESS PLAY! You will not regret it. Also, of course, we hear about Michelle's upbringing and how the experience of going to a movie theater really lit up her life. Love, tears, cinema history, and some IDTSH's that will have you jumping from your seats! Plus so much love for Stephanie Hsu!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Look man, oh I see you? Why why? And look
over there? How is that culture? Yeah? Goodness, wow dang
dungst cultures calling. Oh, it's just me and bow because
we are we are postcoidal right now, we're postcoidal. We
have post nut clarity. Joy we Um didn't have all

(00:24):
the time in the world with our guests by now.
You know it's Michelle Yo, you're looking at the title
the app. You know she's been doing days of press
for this movie, everything everywhere, all at once, which you
must see if you haven't already. And in fact, we
do get into some spoilers. So just if you're listening now,
just know, you know, maybe hold off on listening to
this episode. Please go see the movie first. Yeah, implore you,

(00:46):
because we really get into you know, we really talked
to her about what it was like to work on
this and it was just such a special conversation. It's
really I mean, this is I think one of my
favorite moments we've had on the podcast. Not likely because
you know, she's such an incredible icon of screen and
just like cinema history, but also she was a very

(01:07):
real person and I think that she had a lot
to say that like really resonated about how she prepares
and how she never stops learning when she's on set,
and she just really a very grounded person and you
wish that someone like her gets her do like this.
You know what I really do, you really do? And

(01:27):
it's that you know, classic thing where at this point,
you know, this is something that Matt says all the time,
which is can anyone else do this role? Can anyone
else do which this actor does in any given project?
And we definitely feel like that's not the case with
Michelle and everything everywhere else once like the role was
written for her. There aren't that many Asian female actresses

(01:51):
who can pull off action in a sci fi comedy,
who can pull off physical comedy as well as martial
arts like that is like she's I've listened to her
talk about the nuance and the different between physical comedy,
which he's never done before and martial arts, which she has,
and like how much fun it was for her anyway,
we're really just like soaring from this interview. It was
so fun. It's a little bit tighter than usual because

(02:12):
of the time constraints we had, but so much fun.
I Mean, it's just unreal because I've seen the movie
now twice as as you'll hear, and I'm so overwhelmed
because it's that thing, bo you know, way back when
we first met the people that we we all met,
and like you had a feeling about certain people and
then coming to find out it happened to be true.

(02:34):
So Stephanie Shoe is like our old friend from college.
Like I think we probably all met when we were
like nineteen nineteen. I was probably I was eighteen. Yeah,
so bo And is famously a little bit younger than us.
What she just mentioned, which was which was which was
not rude at all to mention his young age. But

(02:56):
Stephanie is literally one of those people that you meet
and it is just Yeah, she's truly limitless in terms
of what she's able to do perfect word. I'm also
really happy that she got to show off her beautiful
voice in this movie. So it's everything I mean, and
it really bowled me over bow because I'm more and

(03:17):
more I'm realizing that like those people that we had
a good feeling about from way back, actually that was true,
you know, And how how lucky to be in the
orbit of some of these people. I Mean, this is
such a incredible performance, and all the performances are amazing,
but I have to like sit here and tally as well,
you know what I mean, Like you gotta see it

(03:38):
to believe it. I texted you right after I saw
it the first time. I was like, Steph is gonna
blow your fucking mind. And you know what's funny, It's like,
first of all, this is like the most Steph movie
of all time yea, from everything from like from like
the Chaos of It to like the Bagel. I was like,
Steph found the step Shoe movie to do. And maybe
you know step from Marvelous Missus masl or you've seen

(04:00):
her on Broadway. She was in SpongeBob and Ye Be
More Chilled, so people are aware of her, but now
they're going to become super aware of her. Just watching
my friend. It's crazy, you know, because she was there,
like she does all these different things, but she was
there the whole time, and I was like in this
in this amazing way, you know what I mean, And

(04:20):
I was just like, oh my god, that's step I know.
You know. She always says like, oh I gave up
on comedy because the hours were crazy and she had
other things going on. But like she was doing political subversities.
It was the show in New York City, like at
the same theater that pap Roulette did shows out like Steps,
which is one of those people that you would like
kind of run into all the time and be like, oh,
what are you working on? And to see her do
this is really incredible and I just were so so

(04:44):
so thrilled. We must have her on the podcast and
I'll sort of mention some stuff to her then, But
I'm just thinking back to like conversations we had in
college and truly like such a like a great friend,
and yeah, I just like I'm like sitting around like emotional.
I'm so emotional about the movie because of the messages
in it, but also it's just really special to see
someone that you care about who's so talented, I know,

(05:07):
just and so full of love and always was supportive
of us, which she would. We shared a couple days
on set together at Norah. This was right before she
was about to start. Daniels directed that episode of Nora
The Daniels directed the flashback episode of Nora from Queens
where you know at all, like it's Grandma telling Nora
like her story and it all kind of gets shot

(05:28):
in the style of like a seed drama or a
K drama, and you know, and that's where the Daniels
like met, like Harry sham Junior, who's who's in the movie.
She's so so funny, so great. I've never been more
excited to support a project that, like I had nothing
to do with, which sounds so disgustingly vain, but it

(05:50):
is weird when someone's like so hype for something that,
like in our business at least, like it's someone's hype
for something that like they hadn't no part of. Yeah,
but we need more of that. I know, I totally agree,
because I always feel like that's how we get interesting. Yes,
I don't, I don't. I don't even know what I'm saying.
It's just like, I mean, that's really what I want
this podcast to be anyway as I would I would

(06:10):
love you know, that's so interesting talking about it, like
three hundred episodes in like what we wanted to be.
But I guess that's a good sign. Yeah that, like
you know, now that we're able to have access to
someone like Michelle Yo, like, it's so mind blowing. But
I do think that, like, especially nowadays when people aren't
necessarily going out to the theater. Like I'm happy like

(06:31):
that that, like there's things out there that are there's
really challenging things out there available to us that we
can go see. Like I'm going to New York um
next week and I'm gonna see five Broadway shows and
I haven't done that in years. But I think there's
like there's like a renewed interest in me and like
seeing things and absorbing things, and I think that that's
that's like a really important thing now that the world

(06:53):
is opening back up, as I knock fucking would, but um,
like you gotta get out there and see stuff and
then share what you loved about it with people. I mean,
I know that's like a simple, maybe like you know,
sort of stupid thing to say, but like tell people
what you like. I mean like, and I guess that's
what is so podcast. That's like this podcast, and that's
what I want it to be. And that's why I

(07:14):
feel like, while this feels like a crazy episode for us,
because I never in a million years bo that we
started this on fucking Mercer Street in New York thought
that we would get to the point where we could
have Michelle Yo on our podcast. But now that we can,
it's like I'm so excited because I genuinely feel like
I can't express enough how this movie enriched me likewise,

(07:37):
and like there aren't that many movies that I can
like rattle off that have like had such an effect
on me like you have. I didn't even get to
say this to her. I watched that movie. All I
can think about is my mom. And that's that's what.
That's what, that's what I think about. I think by
my mom all the time. When I see Michell Yow movies.
I remember going and Crouching Tiger with my mom and
being like, wait, she kind of talks like my mom does,
and like she has the same sort of like warm

(08:00):
than energy and strength and whatever. Anyway, I'm just talking
about my mom now. But with everything ever, everywe at
all at once is literally the story of this woman
who's like, what if I had done things differently? But
my mom, in her loving way, She's not saying this
in like a way to like give me an existential
crisis or like throttle me into that kind of crisis,
but she always is, like, you know, I think about
all the time if I had stayed in China, like
I would have been this very successful doctor, I would

(08:22):
have not had you because you're the second child, because
you know, back then was one child only, Like in
Cheap it's a very common thing in the immigrant experience,
at least, not to make it specifically about that, to
be like what if it's very much about that, though,
no it is, but it's a universal thing, like everybody
walks this earth going what if I had done things differently?
What if things were different enough that we're out of

(08:43):
my control? You know, like everyone is in that space
all the time. And it's the perfect concept to bring
into a multiverse movie. It's just so I loved this
movie so much. It's so smart on so many different levels,
and it's also fun and it's moving, and it's because
and it's because the thing about this film is and

(09:04):
we should just say, it's also wild. I mean, like,
it's a truly crazy movie and you will be asking
yourself what the hell is going on? You've never seen
anything like this, and then it becomes clear. But the
thing is, while it is so expansive and so ambitious
and so audacious, it's also very simple in terms of
the story. It's actually just about a family trying to

(09:26):
come back together, and it's about realizing what you have
and it's about understanding possibility but embracing reality. And it's
just it's just so good. It's about accepting whatever reality
you're in. Yeah, and noticing noticing this movie. It was

(09:47):
so good and also especially and blah blah blah. But
in a time when everything is a sequel or you know,
a franchise movie, like you gotta go out and support
this movie. What we say in the episode, like put
on a mask if that makes you feel better, if
you haven't been out to the theaters, like this is
the movie to go see. You won't regret it. You
really won't regret it. It's not the kind of movie

(10:08):
that you will be like whatever, yeah, no, no, no, no no,
no no. At the very least, you'll have a strong reaction. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yeah.
And isn't it fun to go to a movie and
potentially hate it. I don't think you will, you won't,
but it. But also like I don't know, like it
made me feel all the feeling I mean, I just
I did not just say yeah, but that's like it's

(10:35):
just I don't know, it really transported me back to
like I don't know, maybe even feeling like that childlike
thing of like going to the movies and something just
is completely new. It's movie magic. And she not just
not to spoil the interview, and you know, if you
haven't skipped all the way to when Michelle Yo starts talking,
God bless, you think you're listening to us talk, but

(10:55):
she gets into that like, yeah, movie magic, Like it's
this thing that's hard to come by. Especially I felt
this way before I saw the movie, Like I feel
like I've been a little desensitized, just a little bit
desensitized to like the viewing experience or the intake or
consumption of something that I'm watching because I'm like in
bed watching it like from a TV or an iPad

(11:16):
or like it's sedentary, it's passive. Like there's something so
literally activating about this movie that you watch it and
you cannot help but go, oh my god. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
that sensory overload that happens in that atmosphere. Yes, yes,
that is not replicable at home. It really isn't unless
you have, like, you know, a crazy Dolby setup or something.

(11:37):
Unless you have a crazy Dolby set up, Honey, you're experience.
It's it's really culture number four. You're not gonna get
that experience, honey. Anyway, as do we have any anything
else to say? It's a bit of nothing else say.
I'm like so tapped from this conversation, Like, yeah, I'm

(11:58):
just excited. I'm so excited. She was so generous with us,
just was so honest. She was giving ponytail through a
white baseball cap. Un girl, can we talk about I
guess people know this already, but a hard reminder needs
to be set that, like this is a fucking style legend. Yeah, okay,
glamour Icon, glamour Icon. She just came out with her

(12:21):
interview magazine photos where she looks fucking amazing. Yeah. The
Ring and crazy rich Asians is her ring. Oh wow,
did you hear that? Have you heard the story? I
think I actually do like like like the props, like
like like because the ring is like a plot point.
It's like the like the Young Ring, and it's like wow,
the eleanor Young Ring, and it's like they like did

(12:41):
like a pretty generic looking but still like you know,
like something that communicates wealth or whatever that this family has.
But she came on to set or she saw the
ring for the first time, she was like, no one better,
I have a collection she has. This woman is like
very unassuming in a lot of ways. But also I'm
just remind ended of the fact that she is married

(13:01):
to the former CEO of Ferrari Oh Jesus, Like, this
woman knows fucking lavishness and luxury, and yet she still
is like such an artist in her way, and like
it doesn't like would never let that show, like, doesn't
let that inform anything about her in her work brings up.
But I just I'm obsessed with that. Like she's a

(13:23):
fucking glamour She's like, it's it feels old Hollywood. It
feels like so fucking Oh, I love it. It's so
lucks But anyway, it's her ring, that giant fucking emerald.
I don't know what cut of diamond that is, but
so beautiful. Yeah, this was I mean, we're doing the
fluffing of the century here, this four play that we're

(13:44):
doing with the readers. I say, let's just play of
the episode. You're gonna hear us ding dong again. The
intro is very short with her. I swear to god,
we're getting to Michelle Yo. Very very very soon. This
feels like when you're about to get on the roller coaster,
but like there's like a technical problem. It's like you
waited for an hour and then you get there and
they're like we're experiencing technical difficulties and you're like, fuck off, right,

(14:07):
but with no, with no further ado Bo, that's welcome,
Michelle fucking yo, come on, Dan du lost culture racist
calling oh bo. And it's a moment in time. Man, again,
what was the last movie you saw multiple times in theaters?
Besides everything everywhere all at once. I would have to

(14:27):
go back, but I can't remember, like sometime a movie
that I was immediately excited to see again, you know,
like that's how it happened, especially in the theater, especially
like pursuing the IMAX experience of it. I was like,
I have to see this on a giant screen with
a bunch of people. I will say this, The last
time I saw a movie repeatedly, again and again and
again was A Star Was Born with Lady Gaga and

(14:48):
Bradley Cooper, which I famously did see four times opening weekend.
Now that does not mean that I wasn't equally moved
by this new film everything everywhere, all at once, which
I've twice this week in the theaters, and I know
Bowen has as well. And I have to implore all
of the readers of this podcast, everyone out there, to

(15:08):
get to the theaters to see this. Bowen, I know
you were as just as excited as I was. I was.
It's it's the superlatives are are there aren't enough? Do
you know what I'm saying. I think I told you immediately.
Our friend Stephanie Shoe is in it. We went to
college with her. I can't we can't wait to get
into this, can't wait to talk about it with our guests.
So there's really no need to introduce her, I mean

(15:31):
the way. She's truly a legend in cinema in so
many ways. Just we're so inspired and privileged to have her.
So please welcome Michelle Yo. Hello, Oh my god. What
an introduction to everything everywhere, all at once. I love
you boys already well, especially because you have friends with

(15:54):
my baby girls. Stephanie Shoe. We went to college with her.
I did sketch comedy with Stephanie Shue. I first met
her as you know, the hilarious, funny girl who could
do anything and then as I got to know her,
I realized how she's so good with drama, musical, She's
in completely insane person. She's everything everywhere all at once.

(16:16):
Absolutely it is. I mean, she is amazing in this
She's amazing, poll stop anything. So you are very lucky
to have met her at the early age, and I
can't wait to see all the amazing things that she
will continue to do and have the opportunity to do
what was like to set up that relationship and to
sort of brown that into something that was very, very

(16:39):
convincing because by the end, I mean, Matt and I've
talked about this, I never cry at movies, and I did.
I did cry multiple to multiple both times I've seen it,
especially in that last thing. We won't spoil up, but
there's a last moment with you and Stephanie's character Joy,
between Evelyn and Joy, like, how how did you? What
was the process like of just getting into that relationship? Okay,
but first of all, I really really want, I want

(17:01):
want to say thank you for you too having given
the shout out about going to the cinema yat this movie.
It is a shared experience and hello, Matt, if you
don't watch it more than four times. I'm coming okay,
I know. Hey it is the lady Yaga step aside. Okay,

(17:21):
he is going to say to Brad out of my way?
Is you? Okay? Absolutely? I love that movie. This one
is unique. It's different, right and all right. It is
like the primal way of our ancestors, where you sit
under the stars and you're a great storytelling. You have

(17:44):
to see it in the cinema because that's when you
devote yourself to that magic of filmmaking. Yeah. Yeah, And
it's like you don't want to go on a roller
coaster ride by yourself, No, I never. This is like
the more incredible rollercoaster ride that you're going to have
in the cinema and you're doing it. You have to

(18:06):
do it with people. You have to do it with
your friends, your family and strangers. And the most important
thing is like having conversations afterwards. Oh yeah, on all
the different issues, whether it's the mother and daughter, the
father and daughter, the husband and wife, just a relationship.

(18:28):
Look at the two antagonists because yeah, you know the audit,
the tax auditor, who is like that you think the
scariest person, but who is a real human being? Yes,
and you meet and you don't want to be left
out of the conversation, do you when everybody is going
have you seen this movie? Do you know what we're
talking about? And God forbid, You're like, no. It is

(18:51):
that though. It is a cultural moment, and I really
do believe that this movie is going to be something
that as more people see it, as more people talk
about it, is going to become a cultural conversation because
it's unlike anything. It's unlike anything. It is the Daniels
just I call them my evil geniuses because he had
the audacity, the courage to put it all on paper.

(19:13):
You know, it's like five genres of film in one movie.
And they took a very ordinary, totally unsuccessful immigrant Asian
aging woman, immigrant who is trying to pursue the American
dream with the love of her life, came here to
the complete disagreement and disapproval of her parents, especially of

(19:37):
her horrible father. I'm sorry, Jeff to say that. It's
almost like a vicious circle. It's like, that's how you are. You.
You understand that your parents want the best for you.
They tell you what to do and you should do that,
and God forbid you disobey them. And it's like when
she sees her daughter. That is the core of the
core of the movies is this mother daughter relationship. And

(19:59):
you right, Stephanie and I found the bond. We didn't
we didn't have you know, we are an independent film.
I only arrived in January. We had eight weeks to
shoot this, thirty seven days. Because you know, there is
a union. We can work like constantly, like twenty four seven, right.

(20:20):
So we but every character from Stephanie, myself, Kei Kuan, Jamie, Lee, Curtis, James, Honest,
the Daniels, every character was completely invested and knew who
they were. I saw I seeing this woman on this

(20:40):
we've passed by this Evelyn Wall, the supermarket, or when
we are if we're in Chinatown, we see the mothers,
the aunties, the grandmothers, where they are weighed down by
the responsibility of keeping a family together, keeping a business alive,
you know, doing what is right and helping the facts
the family survive. And she you know, she doesn't walk straight.

(21:03):
She literally waddles her way through, right, She's waving through
all these like problems and things. So what is the
American dream? It is tough it is also tough, but
the Daniels have given her such a strong voice to
highlight and to tell her story and give her an

(21:24):
opportunity to be a superhero because at the end of
the day, we believe in love, we believe in our family,
and we will never give up on that, and that
journey needed to be told in this way. This is
something I've observed, And I don't know if this is
what maybe jumped out at you when you first read

(21:45):
the script, but I feel like in your career you
portrayed power in such a such a wonderful way through
so many ranges, through such a wide range of things,
whether it's you know I when or young, or you know,
Star Trek with you know Phil so yeah, yeah, but
it's like I mean, you know, or even in mar
never dies. Like I feel like the Michelle Yoe in

(22:07):
her roles up to this point has been about portraying
a woman in power, which is wonderful. But this is
someone you look at, Evelyn, and this is someone who
is vulnerable at every level, socially, economically, emotionally, physically. Did
you recognize that to be something unique and different immediately?
Because you're right, like, this is a woman we've passed

(22:27):
on the street who is basically invisible to a lot
of people, Like, how how did you dive into that vulnerability?
That's a great question. Thank you for that, you know,
it's it's very i think at the beginning of my
career to show because we were all the ming bass
the Asian woman is like the fragile, you know, who

(22:50):
needs to be carefully catered to and all those kind
of like whatever, the very stereotypical indication of what it
is to be an age Asian woman. And for me
it was very important spell no, no, no no, no, we're
not that. We are at a mother. We are strong,
where independent, we are in control of our lives. And

(23:11):
it was it's a choice to portray and give a
voice to that because we cannot be seen as the
victims only. But with Evelyn Wong, she's not a victim. No.
She is trying to be the strong, the successful and
all that, but life has beaten her down in every

(23:32):
turn of the way. And that's a reality that surround us.
It's not that everybody gets to be successful even though
they give it they are hundred and two hundred percent right. Unfortunately,
that's the reality of life, but to be able to say, yes,
she is a failure as so many things that she does,
but every failure becomes it's an impact on our lives

(23:55):
and we have to learn to be to learn from
that and be stronger with that. And I think for
Evelyn Wong, if she was not open to be always
trying to be better or do something, she would not
be able to go into these multiverses and tap into
that and have an open mind. And I think that

(24:19):
was what that really attracted Yes, because we are all
flawed characters. We are all flawed human beings. And in
the beginning of my career playing the Strong, you know,
more and more dynamic characters were important because it empowers
you to believe that you can do this. And now
it comes to a stage where it's like, I want

(24:40):
to give the people who are not seen right the
chance to have a voice and say they can have
a different life too. And the Daniels have given us
a perfect opportunity to say, well, guess what in a
science fiction world, we can you know, because you're going
to be able to go into all these kind wolves
and see what could have happened, But what can you choose?

(25:04):
That's very important. That is I think, and I'm actually
emotional even thinking about this, but what moved me so
much about the film was the message of choosing each
other and you know, even in seeing the vast possibility
in choosing the love in your life and in noticing

(25:25):
the things in your life that have actually given you
the strength that you didn't know. Because even though Evelyn
acquires skills and she's able to tap into these different universes,
it is her the whole time, and she is the
soul that we're with, and she is the person at
the end of the film who makes the decision that

(25:46):
she makes. And I cannot remember being more moved than
towards the end of the film when there is a
specific montage with Keys character and you are and I
just want to say, Michelle, like, there is so much
power in the way that you receive that you are

(26:08):
outstanding in this movie. I mean, it is an outstanding
I will say it Oscar worthy performance. I know it's whatever,
but this is the kind of thing where I just
don't think there is another person in the world that
could do this. And when I tell you how moved
I was, it had so much to do with keys
performance but also the way you receive that, and you

(26:30):
can see the character realizing so much about her life,
her reality, and what she wants in that moment. So
just that message I think is so important, you know,
in showing the beauty and the love in a life
that's big, but also a life that feels quote unquote small.
And so I just was that something that jumped out

(26:52):
to you in the script and maybe made you say
like absolutely, this is it. Oh my god, now you're
making me emotional some moved by the movie. No, I
think what it is it's like because when you read it,
it resonates, you know, like you say, with a husband
and wife relationship, any relationship is continuous work, and sometimes

(27:14):
we get sideswept, bocked down by the things, problems and
all those kinds of things, and we start looking at
the other person like why couldn't you be better at this?
But then we forget why did you fall in love
with this person to change him? Right? You love him
because he's a little darky. He knows how to find

(27:36):
like joy and beauty in the most horrible places, and
he's trying to instill happiness, and that was why you
loved him. In the first place, and you were ready
to you abandon your family, your parents, to go in
search of a new life because you love this man.
And I think sometimes we get lost along the way,

(27:58):
and I think what happened was like it didn't hit
her until when she saw the divorce papers. They were like,
what the f are you talking? It real? And then
it was yeah, right, But that was his point. It
was like, I don't really want a divorce, but I
think this will force you to stop because it happened
to somebody else. It stopped them to think. It's like,

(28:19):
do you really value this relationship? And if you have
lost complete respect and for the man or the woman
and the relationship, then yes, maybe it's time to step away.
Because you don't want to hate each other because it's
a very fine line. But if there is real love,
then you have to fight for it. You have to
fight for each other and you have to continue to

(28:41):
do that. I think where the Daniels were very very
clever when they wrote this is the emotional thread between
each character with even like the simple you know when
Jobu Chaki, then Stephanie comes out with all these like
amazing costumes and things incredible, she looks a comfortable but
I looked into her eyes and I see the longing

(29:06):
of I'm looking for my mother. Yes not you know,
even though my mouth says nothing matters, your eyes don't
say that. And that's what I see from from that
what bonds us together, because that's what Evelyn is seeing. Right.
It's like you know how sometimes children they say the
worst things. They're like I wish you're dead or your

(29:28):
blah blah blah. Always say it too because I wish
they never had you, Like what, don't be ridiculous, Okay,
but you say things you think to hurt each other
because you want them to feel, to hurt you are feeling, yeah,
and then you just take like silly things at each other.
But that's where you know when you are working with
someone like Key and Stephanie, who we look at each

(29:51):
other and we see love and we know this is
where we have to go because if you don't believe
that you love me, nobody else going to. You know,
your eyes are as an actor, the eyes are the
windows to someone's soul. Yes, and I believe in Evelyn
Wall as Stephanie believed in Joy and to packy. So

(30:13):
you know when we walk into that even though she's
like clinging those adult toys around. Yes, what the hell?
And that's where the geniuses of the Daniels are. They
put you in the most unapologetic raunchiness, silliness or whatever,
because you are thrown off balance, your head is getting

(30:35):
like messed up like Evelyn, watch right, and then they
pull the rock from under you and they watch you
fall going a genius evil genius. But this is something,
This is like the opposite end of what you've always
said that you know martial arts scenes are, which is
there's always drama and emotional sticks to any fight scene
you've done. And even with even between these characters, even

(30:59):
though there are all these insane visuals going on, there's
still that dramatic core, that thread between these two characters
that like makes you you can't take your eyes off
it because you understand what's going on on some different emotional,
different levels, the emotional curve for these two women they're
fighting me. You know, if it's like with Jobu Chupaki,

(31:22):
she she thinks she's trying to kill this woman that's
her mother, right, but she's she's testing her to the limits.
Is how much do you actually want me? Yes? Right.
It's like our children test us all the time, from
the minute they know how to crawl. They test you
to see, right, that's what we do and that we

(31:43):
do that with our friends. We do that with our
the people that we love. Right. You don't do that
to people that you don't know, because it's the ways
of the time. Right. But you you test your limits,
you test each other's limits constantly. But does that mean
that you don't you love that person? That's why you
are testing the boundaries. That's why you know how much
more than I can I achieve from this? And even

(32:04):
with the fight sequences with like the Late lay Brothers,
you know, with the mud clouds and all this kind
of thing, it's all about survival. It's all about that
and what I loved right at the end, you know,
when I was doing it, it it was like, huh, I
opened my arms and I fight love. At first, I
was really like, what the hell are you two boys

(32:25):
trying to do? It's like, how do you fight for love?
That's a very interesting thing. How do you say I'm
going to now not fight you with the physical like
you know, you are coming at me with knives at bombs,
you know, the whole staircase. Other alphas is like they
are they are ready to kill me and ready to

(32:47):
kill Evelyn wrong, and she has the google eyes and
she suddenly realized all the googly eyes it's all about
love and joy and this. But how do you present
to them. It's like, I'm not gonna fight you with
my fist. I'm going to embrace you and fight you
with love. So we were standing there going like, how
do you do that? How do you present that? Well,
I guess I would just call right, Loma, this is

(33:19):
something you know. We are in the industry, so we
know this, but these films are shot out of sequence
and so and so. So that must be a real
mind f for you to sort of like, you know,
have the script and you're reading the script and then
you get a shoot schedule. And that is something that
is also really impressive about your performance. Is it all

(33:40):
feels It's extremely specific, emotionally and continuous, which has to
be incredibly difficult because you could be shooting one scene
that leads into another at the end of the shoot
from the beginning of the shoot. So how did what
was your process for keeping that line that I am
going to post on my Instagram very soon my script.

(34:02):
Oh how I normally work a script. It's like I
tag you know, when you get your script and I
tag them which are the scenes I'm appearing in. If
it was an action sequence, they get a red tag,
and if it was a very heavy dramatic one, it
gets like a blue one. So you know, you work
it out. And then because you have to see as
the character, you see the entirety of the script, right,

(34:27):
And that was how you the emotional arc of where
you're going or whatever it is. I think one movie
that I had was as challenging but not quite as
this was The Lady, where it spanned like twenty years
of her life, right, And like you say, we don't
do it in order, You never do. I mean for

(34:48):
so many reasons. So you have to know that if
you go into the eighties or then the twenty two thousands,
what is the mindset? Where are you going from your hair,
a wardrobe or whatever that helps you recreate this this moment.
But with everything everywhere all at once, it is everything
everywhere all at once, you're self. Then you're like, oh

(35:11):
what okay, I'm like back to this universe and then
I'm jumping into the jail whatever you know. You But
when you see how I have tagged, I am literally
every scene of them. Yes, oh yeah. Emotional art goes work, work, work,
he goes sideways, up and down and every It really

(35:33):
is insane. And the amazing thing is like, even though
she goes into the other multiverse, Evelyn is still Evelyn Warm, right.
She she sees what this multiverse is about. She doesn't
live that multiverse. It's not like, Hey, his character Wayman
when he is can travel, right, but in that universe

(35:56):
he is who he is, like the CEO. He doesn't
know about the other uni versus, so he is very
contained with who Wayman is in that universe. But with her,
it's like she sees, this is like why am I here?
And can you imagine when she went into the hot
Dog Dutiverse Nightmare atagonist Jamie Lee Curtis whose dear reader

(36:18):
whatever her name is, like yeah, and it's suddenly her
lover and coming at her with these like hot dog
you guys and wanting to hug her and Kissa like
don't touch me, you know, And that was the amazing
thing about the whole thing. It's like, first you have

(36:39):
to know your spirit. I am like Stephanie. She is
brilliant with ad living and you know she is quick
to change and do stren right off the skin. She
always and I say, I don't do that to me. Okay,
I'm not I'm not gonna make up. You have to

(37:00):
a certain guidelines that we're going to do this the point. Yes.
So then it's like when you get into all these things.
One thing I always say to my dinos, you are
my you are my anchors, right because we are going
to be jumping from here to there all these kind

(37:22):
of times. I'm going to look to you and say, okay,
and we passed out? We rock are we? I mean earlier?
It's like and because it's into cutting the whole time. Yeah,
the two geniuses know exactly where they're going with Lockin
our DP, and I think at the end of the
day with Paul our editor, Oh my god, they had

(37:44):
it down to the team. Like the action sequences. We
don't have much time to shoot it, right, we have
like a day and a half or two days maximum
for the entire sequence of you know, the thing and
the dad and the butt plugs and all these kind
of things. Yeah, they have to know what they need
and take that time. They can get attle bit more,

(38:06):
but they first have to shoot what they need. I
can't believe from like an art direction and set decoration
standpoint that this was shot in eight weeks. That is crazy.
That must have been like stepping into a completely different
film every day. Yeah, exactly. I think what grounded us
was the IRS building. We were very fortunate. You know,

(38:27):
when you're you're an ND film, you have to be creative.
You have to know where you can save the money
and you know, put it where you need to spend it.
And so with this abandoned IRS building, it grounded us
because we shot six weeks there. Yeah, this place you
could build little sets and things like that in there,

(38:50):
So we had a place to go to which we
were familiar with. I mean it was a huge place,
but it had us to sort of have it centralized
in some way. And I heard this great story from
Keihuai sharing having his dressing room next to Jamie Lee's,
but Jamie Lee never being there, and then he finally
was like, why are you ever in your dressing him?

(39:11):
And she was like, even with her career that spans decades,
she goes, I never learn anything in the dressing room.
I always learn everything when while I'm on set because
she's she is. She's not just an amazing talent. She's
not just an amazing actress. She's an amazing human being, thoughtful,
she's generous, she's always giving, and she's always learning. And

(39:34):
that's what we all need to do, is that you
wake up in the morning and not think I know everything?
So why don't you just go back to sleep? Then? Right?
The whole process of being alive is about learning and
experiencing and being there. And Jamie is going to it's
it wants to direct her own movie. She oh wow,
oh you will, so that she will. I mean she

(39:55):
has children's books, she has her own podcast, she has
so many things she he's ever ever inventing and creating
and things like that. So the next step for her
is to tell her own story or direct her own film. Right, absolutely, right,
He's right. What is she going to live sitting in
the you know she has she's and she's always out

(40:16):
there because she loves people, always watching, and it's sometimes
it's not fun. It's like the legendary Jamie is watching
your performance. Why does she just go back have a
cup of coffee. Ye, but our friend Tally Metals plays

(40:37):
Stephanie's girl. She's so wonderful in this broo, oh my god.
Really that relationship that she has very very little lines.
But it's not how much screen time you have, is
what you do impact you have that And she has

(40:59):
such a beautiful presence, that expressive eyes and face. She
doesn't have to say a word, but you can, you know.
So that's exactly it was so well cast in that
way she gave brilliant She was saying that you were
so so kind to her, You were so just curious

(41:20):
about her life. You made her feel so at ease,
and I just I read that she know, she posted
this to her Instagram, and I just got so emotional.
I wasn't surprised that you were gracious, but I was like,
I mean, yeah, like you're the star. You're setting the
tone and the environment for that kind of project that
is so ambitious, and um, I don't know, I just
I just I just think that's so special that you
and Jamie Lee and Kihwi Kwan just being like these

(41:41):
three people who have seen various signs to this business
all coming together kind of like handing it down to
another generation of people. No, um, not handing it down,
not handing it down. Sharing, sharing, I'm sorry sharing, you know, like,
but but teach not yet, not yet, not yet, I'm
so sorry. But teaching it in a way, you know,

(42:03):
like I you know, I don't think I am good
enough all we don't try to teach. We try to share.
And I think a lot of years just like when
you see someone young and talented, you have to tell
them that they are talented, but making them understand. Don't
just take it for granted. I don't think I'm entitled.

(42:25):
There is no entitlement. We have been in the business
so long and you look at us and say, oh god,
you guys are the successful, legendary la la la la.
But every day we learn, we find things to learn.
We don't just sit back and go, well, you know, wow, No,
and I want them to already begin their incredible journey understanding.

(42:49):
It's like, as long as you have grounded, you will
fly to a lot of places, but you always feel
the earth. But can you imagine if you fly and
you don't know where to land, it's a long way down. Yeah, yeah,
And it's it's interesting to hear you acknowledge, um, you know,

(43:10):
people coming to you with this this verbiage of legend
like you know, and even the movie is aware of
that because when when you need to acquire the skill
of martial arts, you know, there's a funny montage that
cuts to essentially b roll of your life and it
doesn't inform that. But I wonder, like, what has it

(43:32):
been that has kept you grounded and kept that in
mind mindset? I mean, you've worked with some incredible legendary people.
I was looking at the list of directors you've worked with.
I mean, ang Lee, Rob Marshall, you know, upcoming, James Cameron.
I mean, and I'm gonna be asking about that, but
I I bet, I'm sure I can ask and you

(43:54):
will give me nothing you right now, But is it
that is that the people you've worked with that have
kept that instilled in you? What has what has anchored you?
My family and friends, my real friends? You know, It's
like I remember at the beginning, very start, and someone says,

(44:16):
you have to remember every time, don't let every flashbulb
like make you go. Always appreciate your opportunities that you
are given. Love what you do, because the day that
you don't love to do it. That means maybe it's
time to find move on to something else that you

(44:36):
find joy it. And yes, when you meet it's very interesting.
The more successful they really are, the more grounded they are. Yeah,
they are not taken them back by the bs of
you know, glitz and whatever it is. Yes, we love that,
you know when we walk down the red carpet and

(44:58):
all this, because this is part and parcel of the allure,
the magic shut the movies or you know, TV, and
that gives our audience, our fans that ah, it's not great. Yes,
it's part of the whole thing. I mean you don't
really want to see your stars coming out in their
sweatpants and go like yeah whatever, you know, Yeah, yes,

(45:23):
and for a night or two to dress up and
have fun and you know, look fabulous. Why not. It's
it's nice, it's fun. But do I want to do
it every night? Now? Absolutely not. But I think what
it is is like your real friends, your family, and
a lot of times you make real friends in this

(45:45):
world as well. Right, they ground you because they remind
you who you are. You're not some character in a
movie or a TV series. You are who you are
and you should never ever forget that and be present,
you know, appreciate what you have. That's that's the thing
that really grows me. Wow, thank you. I mean, just

(46:07):
going back to your script being tagged in all these ways,
I mean, how did you develop this sense of for
lack of a better word, I'm using this word again,
development like because I feel like it's always so finely
tuned that you always match the tone of the project.
But then this is just so you know, to go
from like wild West Hong Kong beginning of Hong Kong

(46:29):
cinema days where like no scripts, you just go in,
they tell you what to say on the day and
then you do it where you know you don't have
to think about it, like you know, on those sort
of macro conceptual terms. But now you i'd be hearing
you talk. I could hear you talk forever about the
way you prepared for this role, Like what what was
the process like for what was your journey like to
sort of get that instinct. It's learning along the way.

(46:53):
It's like from no squitts and learning to shoot from
the hip. You're like going whatever is thrown at me.
I mean, when we started, we have time for rehearsals.
We have no rehearsals. You get there, you get on
the set, you're all dressed in your costume, and they
will choreograph the action sequence. You learn it, you shoot it,
and you do something else. And like you say, sometimes

(47:14):
the lines are not given and you're going like one, two, three, four, five, six, seven,
eight nine, ten. Oh yeah, many of many times. And
then finally when you see the final cut of New oh,
that is what's going on in that. Yeah, because they
edit and they filmed so fast, I mean for the
longest of time, even Jackie Chatt. We didn't have we

(47:37):
didn't use, we didn't dub our own movies right right,
somebody else did it for us. Yes, they were only
from when I did the song Sisters. That was the
first time I actually it was. I think it was
recorded right on the set Prior to that. Never because
you know, the we didn't have that kind of technology.

(48:00):
It wasn't done and it was much faster, easier after
they edit and get someone to do it. As you
know some Alltelians, while we're filming, their editors someone is
recording it. So wow, that process didn't really come into
play because there was no none of that time for it.
Yeah yeah, but what you did learn was that you
watched and you listen and it was like how these

(48:22):
I was very fortunate to work with some of the
best actors in Hong Kong as well, so I watched
how they did it. It was like, I was fascinating,
How the hell do you cry on? Like, yeah, so
what do you do? Where is that coming from? Yeah? Right?
And I think that's the time when you're young and
you have to be like, I am a ding dong,

(48:44):
I have no I am I am learning. And if
I am so proud and say then you look nothing,
I would go in too, like Dani Yip and say
please teach me. Wow. And you know, then you work
with like Jung Win or you know all the amazing
Maggie Chung and yeah, oh my god, we were best friends.

(49:08):
But you know, I'm not afraid to ask my best friend.
I have no clue what I'm doing. Okay, maybe I
can do martial arts better than you, but when it
comes to the performances, you guys, and Maggie is like
an award winning actress is to have a conversation with
her and like, so tell me how do you do this?
But I must say it's also the directors, starting with

(49:31):
you know, with Tomorrow That Never Dies really was my
first international sure, and we have a bond girl in
the zoom everyone, okay, I have some respect to This
is our first bond girl ever on Lost Cultures. That's
it's a huge moment. And I remember Roger Spotters were
turning to me and he says, do you know I

(49:52):
can double you when it comes to the action. We
don't need the martial artists or whatever it is. You
are here because you demonstrated in your auditions that you
can carry the role of playing way Lynn. You don't
need us someone who can fight, because I can't double
you when it comes to the emotion. Yeah, emotional tide. Right.

(50:16):
So that's where you learned that how you have to
be invested in the character. And every director gives you
something and taught me tremendously about giving the character a
full background. Yeah, that's very clear when you we watched
the film again last night Crouching Tiger in preparation for this,

(50:36):
and even when you first come in and you see
Chaw Yun Fat for the first time, there is so
much history on your film and it is very lived
in he's obviously an incredible director. Yeah, because I've had
the privilege of working with like Danny Boyle, like Rob
Marshall and all these kinds of people. They it's a
learning process. But if you are ding dong in off

(51:00):
not to open your heart and mind to that, then
you've lost great opportunities to learn. And so you know,
you gather all these kinds of things and you learn
how important the script is, how important the director is,
how important your co stars are are, because you know
that making a movie or TV series, it's not a

(51:21):
one person thing. It's true collaboration on all the different
levels and all the people behind the scenes. Yes, and
you know the crew that whether it's the gaff or
the DP. You know the set designer, the costume designer,
your hair and makeup. They help. They're the accessories that
make this character. That how you build this character and

(51:44):
make a real They could really really, like you say,
have a life. And yeah, and I just because I
know you're not going to be able to tell us
anything about the plot of the Avatar sequels, which you are,
Here's this is the question. I will ask you, what
did you learn working with James Cameron on these films.
If that's something you can answer. He's a bringing genius.

(52:07):
He is so creative. He multitasks like madness. He's a writer,
he's the creator. He dreams of all these universes that
we can't even begin to fathom. I okay. The one
thing I said to him, can't you turn me blue?
I don't want I'm like hope. So I also learned

(52:28):
that he is also very resolute in his decisions. Yeah,
he seems to be a capital D director. Yeah, you
know what it is you have to be. Yeah, that's
how you have to be, how you lead a discipline. Yeah,
it's a determination, the discipline. You know. The dude, you
have to be the duo. You have to be the
one that says yes no, I imagine, I have to

(52:51):
visualize this. I have to fight for what I believe in,
and it's cost with the director, like here in the
Daniels cases with them so, oh my god. Before but
before I forget you mentioning Maggie Chung, I just I
just think it's incredible. It's it's incredible, everything all everywhere,
all at once. It's incredible for movie lovers, just because
you you can't believe you're watching like snippets of a

(53:14):
wonkr Y film, like you doing Maggie Chung. You know,
I was gonna doing Tony Lung Like it's just so incredible,
And I just think back to you in this movie,
like for any actor this would be so so so
it's steeping yourself in so much work on a technical

(53:35):
lovester obviously it's just a master class. So Michelle, I'm
just just congratulations. We do do a thing on the
podcast where we brought this up to you at the top,
and I know you can answer it. We asked the
question what was the culture that made you say culture

(53:57):
was for you? And I just want to know what
was it When you can think back to your childhood
or maybe when you were, you know, a teenager, how
did you decide to go along this path of becoming you, Like,
what was that thing you saw or received from the
universe that made you say I'm gonna do this okay?

(54:19):
As a child, I think it was very open to
the world of music, dance, and my mom used to say,
you know, you could dance before you walked, and so
but I think one I never dreamed that I would
be an actush I did not have that dream. I
was always like the ballet, so watching ballets and you know,

(54:41):
seeing these ethereal creatures on the stage. But one thing
that always fascinated me was the cinema. My mom was
an avid cinema goal so human. As a small child,
we would go as a family to watch all these
like whether it was Indian movies, comm these love stories, Dracula,

(55:03):
New Magic, and my dad was like the Nature of
Us so documentaries, Tarzan ben Her. But that that feeling
of the magic of cinema, sitting there and like I
still see myself, you know, like watching like the Sound
of Music, Wizard of Us. It was like all the

(55:24):
all the things that I love into that. But I
did not understand at that point the magic of cinema,
you know, telling a story through cinema. It was just
enjoying it and taking it in that whole experience. Did
it lead me to this? I think when I was
given the opportunity to join it, when I was went

(55:46):
to Hong Kong to do the commercial, the Watch commercial
with the Jackie Chan and I was given the opportunity
to partake in this world, and you go like, oh
my god, I remember the magic of it. Yeah, maybe
I can be part of that. Maybe that was the
culture thing that drew in and I had to say

(56:06):
it sounds like it was, yeah, right, So I said yes.
And today I still recognize that as a fact. And
I think when we went to watch Everything Everywhere, all
at once in south By Southwest, and I think for
so many people it was the first time they had
gone to the cinemas in two years. These last two
years has been such an impact on people's lives and

(56:29):
so many different levels. And you know, with our industry
on how it's been you know, touch and go and
opening up more like streaming and different platforms for creative people,
which is good and sometimes you please don't just rush
into it and turn it all out, because good things
does take time, and time is something that we feel

(56:52):
that we're always like, oh come on, come on, I
need more of. But sitting in that cinema and watching
not just our our love on there, but sharing that experience, yeah,
with with everybody. Oh yeah, I would like when you
hear them laugh and yeah, they actually find me funny.

(57:13):
You were like, you know what's funny? You were so funny,
and you were talking about how it's that communal experience.
The first time I saw it, I did go by myself,
but it was in a packed theater and during the
end of the movie, I truly cried during the last
thirty minutes, and I looked over at the guy next
to me, and we were having the same experience, and
it was really fun because even though I didn't know him,

(57:36):
it was that community connection, right, It was community in
connection and that and I don't know anything about him,
you know, I don't know anything about his life. I
don't know anything about the woman he was sitting next to,
but we knew that we were receiving the same messages
and we were internalizing them. And maybe it meant something
different to him when he was thinking about his relationships
in relation to the movie than it was for me.

(57:58):
But we were both moved. And when I went back
with my friends last night, it was the same situation
where I was just excited to share it. And so
I would say to everyone listening, if you've been hesitant
about going to the movies, now is the time put
the mask on. If it's going to make you feel better, go,
I mean, it's just it's a movie that, especially you

(58:21):
know in the sequences where your reality is breaking and
they have those incredible montages, and kudos to the editor.
Just watching that in the theater, it was breathtaking. It
was just simply breathtaking. Nicely, and with our last five
minutes with you, we are going to do I don't
think so, honey. So this, Michelle, is our one minute

(58:42):
segment on lost cultures, this very podcast where we take
something in pop culture or in our lives that are
bothering us and we do a rant for one minute
about it, using the phrase I don't think so honey.
The demonstration first, you're gonna get two one from that
one from me, and then you'll all set to go.
So for now, let's have Matt Rodgers go. This is

(59:04):
Matt Rodgers. I don't think so, honey. As time starts now,
I don't think so honey. Stephanie Shoe as a Texter girl,
it takes you a day to get back to me,
and I know you can text your old girl from
college back sooner than that. I know you're on a
worldwide press tour, Mama. I know all of a sudden
we're at International Film Star suddenly and about to pop
all the way off into another stratosphere. But you can

(59:25):
text me back because you listen. We have a sole connection.
Stephanie Shoe and I connect. I remember when you were
Flarge and a sketch character in college. This is just
for me and you right now on people in Hammercats.
But I remember all the trips we took. I've seen
you get drunk on college campus as a girl. I
have photos of you you do not want released. So
text within eighteen hours. Let's say I'll give you a day.

(59:48):
Text me back within eighteen You always get back, and
it's always very warm and happy. Don't forget about Matt
Rogers me. We used to have lunch and downsteam. We
shared emotional connections. Stephanie Shoe as a text her, I
don't think so, honey, Stephanie Shoe as a person, I
do think so honey. You're the most lovely person in
the role, and I can't wait to hug you and
squeeze you. We love It is crazy Wow. We are

(01:00:14):
we gonna be? Are we gonna be the project that
scares Michelle Yo after she's done so much, The project
that Michelle YOUO walks away from. I can see where
you guys definitely went to the same college. Two crazy
rents just like that. I mean you should see. I
mean I think Stephanie Shoe and I think I've been

(01:00:36):
in more situations with Steph Shoe and Bowen Yang then
I can remember. But um, anyway, I love Steph. I
just love. I want to be texted back. She's got
a text back. She is very busy right now. Maybe
she did say, Stephanie, if you don't texting back, god
knows what the next rent is going to be about.

(01:00:56):
She has always been a flaky text her. I will
say that some people are not a text thing. Are
you a good texter, Michelle? I am the worst, the worst.
I've gotten worse. Yeah, Bowen has gotten way worse. Actually sorry,
and again it's when it's when they get famous. I'm
telling you, no, we having other things to do. I'm
not going to say important things to do, but yeah,

(01:01:18):
other other All right, Boon Yang, are you ready to
do your I don't think so. I'm ready. I'm ready there,
Bowen yangs, I don't think so, honey. His time starts now.
I don't think so, honey. I Love Before Time by
Coco Lee and the Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon movie not
winning Best Original Song at the Oscars in two thousand.
I tell you can you guess which song won that year?
I bet you can was a two thousand. It was

(01:01:40):
two thousand. It was Things Have Changed by Bob Dylan
from Wonder Boys Things. Who cares? I all do respect
to Bob Dylan. We love Bob Dylan on this podcast.
But A Love Before Time is one of the most
iconic Mandarin to English translations international hits thirty seconds? Can
you think of an international hit from that time? Like
for a movie to cross over that way and for

(01:02:01):
the song to be nominated for the Oscar and to
impact nations, communities all around the world, and to not
receive it. To do is abominable to me. Second song
is auditory memory to me. It's sense memory to me.
When I think about Crouch and take your hind Dreg
and I think about Michelle, I think about Chaw, you
and Fat, I think about things Z, I think about everybody.
But that song deserves more seconds. I can't believe we

(01:02:21):
as a culture have forgotten about A Love Before Time
by Coco Lee. That's one and that's one minute. Wow,
absolutely correct, Bo, look at the show right now. She
is moored. Michelle can do it. You can do it.
I know there's something in pop culture that grinds your gears.

(01:02:41):
Can you bring me a bottle of whiskey? Please? Whatever else?
You do it for as long as you want. We won't.
It won't be the full minute. But it's something that's
like on your mind, maybe from this press tour. Perhaps. Okay,
you know what I think. One thing that I wish says,
I don't think so, honey, and put your phone down

(01:03:04):
and have dinner with your most adorable cuckoo and all
of you are still on the freaking phone. What are
you texting someone on the table that's next to you,
and you can't have a real conversation. And when we
go to the cinemas, you freaking put your phone down, sweet,
and don't try and receive messages in the middle of
a movie when your life st are so bright and
you're taking me away from this amazing movie or everything

(01:03:27):
everywhere all at once. And if you don't look at
it and watch your phone for two seconds thirty seconds,
rip on what is happening? So I don't think so
honey that you can't put your phone down. You have
to put your phone down because you want to have
a gorgeous dinner with your adorable godmother or auntie or
whatever it is, and you second phone down and if

(01:03:48):
you're in the cinemas, if I see you one more time,
I don't think so, honey, you're gonna get away with it,
because I'm let the hell out of you that phone
at eight you Okay, you that one, Michelle, you really
very delete on that one. You were great. That was perfect.

(01:04:11):
Oh my gosh, I did that, you know the Alamo
Drafthouse where I saw the first time I saw um
everything everyone all at once. I love they really they
make it funny too, like they're like, seriously, put the
phone away, seriously, put the phone away, and you do.
But it's crazy that we have to get to this
point where we're like threatening the audience because they really

(01:04:32):
can't put the phone down. No, it's so crazy. And
then they answer the phone. It's like, yeah, I'm watching
a movie. Okay, Yeah, I'm in the cinema okay, yeah, yeah, yeah,
I mean in the cinema watching a movie. Like what
the hell? Yeah, I know you're not on the movie
anymore if you're on the phone. Wow, this was so
so special. Thank you so much for taking the time

(01:04:53):
to talk to us, Michelle, Thank you both of you.
And the movie is everything everywhere, all at one, and
luckily for you, it's now playing nationwide everyone lucky audiences everywhere. Um,
and you have to go. You have to go, and
you you're going to be moved by it. You're gonna
be surprised by it. You will laugh, scream, cry, feel
all the emotions. It isn't that why we go? Yeah,

(01:05:15):
it's why we go. Thank you so much, Michelle, Thanks,
thank you, thank you, thank you, and thank you Matt.
It was a real pleasure talking to Thank you foraking
the time. Of course. Well well well that was um yeah,
just really fantastic. I want this is I won't get

(01:05:37):
over this. This is a highlight of my year, highlight
of my life. You texted me right after Cloud nine,
Cloud nine, Cloud nine, and thank you for bearing with
this structurally different kind of episode. You know, she this
opportunity to talk to her. It came in a little
last minute and we were like, yes, let's we've got
to make it work. No matter what. I texted people like,

(01:05:58):
you know, producers at work. I was like, I need
this hour blocked off. Yeah, I'm it's a very important
thing that I have to do, so please don't schedule
anything around it. I've never pulled that before. I was like,
you need to leave this open. So um completely worth it.
I think, Yeah, this is amazing. And we only jumped
on because we want to give the readers a full episode. Um, well,
you see we jammed in the culture question. We jammed in.

(01:06:20):
I don't think so, honey, and we're gonna jam in
the fact that we finished every episode with the song
great Hi would see fuck bye, hey bye bye. I
see in your eyes the world I know they do.

(01:06:42):
What tie? It's an amazing whoa, I love that time.
That was good. Listen to it. It's like it's like
an R and B song mixed with like a traditional
Chinese like gujang Bob Like it's it's quiet, says and
I agree, he did get quiet really like my gain

(01:07:06):
is my gain is off? Yeah, something happened. I thought
you did it on purpose? No, no, did you touch
the mic? Consa saying, Um, I don't think so. How's
how's it now? Is it better? Better? Yeah? Okay, okay,
I think you have to sing it again. Really it
got quiet in the song, very okay and we're keeping

(01:07:26):
this whole thing. You have to sing it again. I
would do bye bye in your eye. The world I
know fades away before time time. I butchered the last

(01:07:48):
little melody, but I think it was one of the
most stunning vocal performances of the of the decade. I
think Coco Lee. Her name is Coco Lee. Can you
think of a better pop star name? I can't, and
I know names like Camila Cabe and I still think
this name is better. Thank you well, goodbye bye. Do

(01:08:10):
you hear the rest of that song? Listen to a
love before time Bye Coco Lee on the Crouching Tiger
Hidden Dragon sound. I'm putting it on a checklist for today.
Bye Bye,