May 13, 2020 • 43 mins
Actor Emile Hirsch shares all kinds of stories about how he got started in acting (thanks to his great-uncle), his influences, what it was like on the sets of “Into The Wild, “The Girl Next Door,” and “Lone Survivor,” and the crazy tale of how he landed the role in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.” He also talks social-distane skateboarding, fanboy’ing out over Sean Penn, working with Randall on “Midnight In The Switchgrass,” and his new music! Plus, Lala dishes on the #PumpRules finale, and the real story behind Scheana Shay’s “One More Time” music video. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Hello, my loves it is yours truly La La kent Ram,
and we are back at it again. I'm super excited
for our guests today because anyone who has more talent
in their pinky nail than most people have in their
entire bodies. I'm just fascinated by.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Well so very well said. Trying to comprehend that whole statement.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Did it make any sense. It's a Monday, and I'm
coming off of Mother's Day. Randall brought my mom and
my brother in and I'm gonna be honest, like I
have to force myself to not be lazy. And today
it's a struggle.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I know, but let's be let's let's give ourselves a
little a little grace here.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
It's we're still in quarantine in Los Angeles.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
That word I never win. The this is over you guys,
I never want to hear the word quarantine ever again.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Yes, so, not only we quarantine, we had family in
town and it's Monday. It's like, yeah, it's like we
need to like light a stick of dynamite in our
asses to wake up.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
That's exactly how I feel.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Okay, so we.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Got it, but we got to do it today because
you know, what people rely on us to light them up,
so we're going.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
To do it today.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Honestly, I rely on this podcast to make me feel amazing.
It's like I could be in the worst mood ever,
and then after we record a podcast, I'm like, let's
get this shit pop in best day ever.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Well, I'm excited because Emil Hirsh. You know, I just
want to tell you a little story that I first
spent a meal on Loan Survivor and we share not
only a love for movies, but we share a love
for poker, which I know you right now haven't seen
a lot of poker in the last few months. But
we were to New Mexico together for a while and
we every day off we had we played poker together.
(01:59):
He is the nicest human in the world. And now
I'm fortunate enough to be directing him in this movie Midnight,
So I know there's a lot of movies we both
love that he's been in, and I think he's gonna
share some fun stories for us.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
It's funny because you say that you guys used to
play poker, and now with the state that we're in,
you guys play pickleball together. He was just at the
house is right, whacking some balls around like a like
a little gangster.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Why don't we tell people about your experience that day
in the pickleball match, your real commitment and.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Lack of There's this thing called being like a sore loser,
and that is exactly what I am. If I'm playing
a game and I'm getting my ass kicked, I will
just give up and walk away, which is exactly what happened.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Well, and I want to I want to elaborate on
that a little bit.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Okay, I'm sure you do.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
You want me to pivot again? Tell no, I want
to really gonna mock me on Monday. What I want
to say is you're a really good pick a ball player.
You are, and you're a great athlete. What happened to you?
What people don't know is that when you get down
by two or three points, you basically check the fuck out.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
And not only do you.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Check out, I'm your partner on team trying to win.
Still you're done. You were preaching housewives in the middle
of the game.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yeah, well, because I love playing pickleball. But when Randall
tells me that he wants me to come out and play,
and I'm balls deep in season three of Real Housewives
of New York and I'm having an epic throwback moment
and you take me out of that moment, like I'm
just disconnected. I'm like, I love the game, but I
love Housewives more. So I'm just like pissed off.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
But I will tell you something.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Emil and Lucas Haas, who we had playing with us,
both gave you a lot of props when you went inside,
which I know you'd never heard, but.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
They're like, manah, that's cool.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Your chip plays pickleball and she's badass and da da dah.
So they did give you a lot of props just
for the effort. It just wasn't your greatest pickleball day.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
No, neither was yesterday. My mom is on the court.
We're having the best time ever. Here is the thing.
Randal and I should never be on those teams teams
because way too competitive. And then he's like the most
annoying winner ever. I love you, Randall, but you are.
And so I'm watching him and he's.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Winning and you don't have to finding it right now,
I'm watching you on the other side of the net,
and I'm like, God, I want to smack him with
my pickleball racket right now, just over and over again.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Because you're the most annoying winner ever. You love me.
It means that you're like, I mean winning bend Over
the best winner ever.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
It's just like over.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
I don't know what.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Wait, so you're telling me when I went, I told
you to bend Over. Okay, this is bullshit. First myself,
I think you're putting on a show here.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
What is going on?
Speaker 1 (04:47):
I don't know what you're saying.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
I'm an you're the worst winner.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
I'm a competitive person.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Well so am I. That's what we should be on
the same team.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Well we already agree that going forward, no matter what,
under any circumstances, we are going to be on same
team for life.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
I'm gonna try to be a better folder. But it
hasn't happened yet. I mean, I'm almost thirty and I've
been doing this since I was a kid. Like, fuck
this game, I'm out. If I'm not winning, if.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
You're down by two points, you quit. I mean, let's
just be.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Honest, because I'm better than that. I'm a winner, you know,
and when I'm losing, I'm like, you're better than this. Okay,
to just get the fuck out. And have like some pride.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
So the crazy thing is you are a really good
pickleball player. It's just the mental part of the game.
We got to work on a little bit, just.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
A little bit.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
There's a lot of things mentally I should be working
on a regular basis, not just when it comes to pickleball.
Trust me.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
That makes two of us.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
All right, Can I say, can I say something? You
remember my favorite nickname for.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
You, Hoopies hoopye.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
I wish people could see you right now because you
have the hoops the size of your head again back
in and it just makes me so happy.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
And with the ear with the headphones.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Face, it's like some robotic mask you have on. It's
pretty fucking funny. You should you got a screenshot and
put that on your gram so people at when it
comes out.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Can see what I'm talking about.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
All Right, we got to go to break here and
then after we're gonna bring a meal Hershion.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Okay, I like it. All right, We are back, beautiful people,
and we have an epic guest on the line, the greatest,
the greatest.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
We have a meal hersh on the line.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
The meal Hello, yeah, yeah, yeah, I love the energy.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
It's Monday and the meal is firing like.
Speaker 5 (06:39):
Me Monday, I am no Garfield. I like Mondays.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
That's good. So first of all, I want to say,
your pickleball skills are on point. We've I've been talking
about it since you left the house. I'm gonna kick
your ass next time you come to the house with
that little.
Speaker 5 (06:59):
Zinger, dude. That was honestly, that was some funny, funny,
amazing times because like me and Randall are both so
competitive and when we got on the court, but it's
funny because I'm such like a like a mental player,
and I actually like Randall's frustration when we were playing
(07:24):
actually like made me that much better. Like I'm not
even normally that good, but because Randall was so competitive,
like it like really brought it out of me. And
that was honestly so much fun I hope that.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
You talked that same way when you think of him
as a director.
Speaker 5 (07:43):
No, no, no, by the way, by the way, I
actually I told him. I texted him afterwards. I was like,
you know how I know you're a great director, Randall.
You bring the best out of me.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
I love that.
Speaker 5 (07:56):
I'm not I'm really not joking. There's some people that
they just they bring the best out of other people
around them. And Randalls, really, you you are one of
those guys.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Oh, thank you, buddy, And I'll tell you he did
text me after and that meant a lot. And I
want to tell you I'm competitive as fucking you whip
my ass, which I'm very upset about. And I've been
working every day with a coach. That's how obsessed I am.
So come on back and I'll give you your ass
whipping you deserve.
Speaker 5 (08:22):
Well. See, now I'm scared. Now, I'm scared to go back.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
By the way, Bil, sometimes it's better to just take
the win and revel in it forever.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
Yeah, just never go back. Like, no, no, I'm good.
I don't play anymore. I'm more into ping pong now,
you know. I went skateboarding the other day with my
homie Kenny from high school, and he hit me up.
He's like, should we do some like social distance skateboarding
full and I'm like, it's like, literally how we talked
in high school, just like these dumb ass LA guys.
(08:53):
So I roll up to his place with my skateboard
and mind you, I did Lords of Dogtown when I
was nineteen, but I was a skateboarder in middle school.
But it's been frigging years since I've skated. But I
used to do these kickflips and I could kickflip over things.
So I started skating. And immediately we go we go
to like some curb, and everyone by the way is
(09:14):
looking at us, like, what are these guys in their
mid thirties doing, like with their shirts off, skating on
the curve And this is this is actually really embarrassing.
But like Kenny's house is right across the like right
by my son's pediatricians office.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Oh my god, wow, So.
Speaker 5 (09:30):
Like I'm literally a shirtless dude skating in front of
his like son's doctor's office. Like I was like, this
is kind of this is kind of like weird.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
We do it.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
Kenny immediately tries to like one d up a curve,
the board flies out from underneath him and he just
gets bodied to the chest. Oh for a minute, and
I'm like, oh no, Kenny, it's been a while now, Like, Kenny,
this was your idea. You can't like break your spine
on your first trick. But we eventually got a a
few takes of me kick flipping over aboard. I hadn't
(10:02):
done that trick in eighteen years. Oh my god, I
landed it. I stuck it. I put it on my Instagram.
I was like so proud of it.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Oh you did you stuck it?
Speaker 5 (10:10):
I did so. I tried to do a kick flip
four days later, and I had like bruised my hamstring
a week before. So when I landed my first pick
flip I tried, it was like a shooting pain and
I just like went to the ground and I was like, oh,
I'm not twelve anymore.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Oh that's when you know you're you're a grown ass man.
Now you can't be doing that stuff.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
I disagree, disagree. I just want to tell you that
when I bought my.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Kids a skateboard, it's just because they wanted one and
I thought, I'm going to bring it back to Miami
old school.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Did that go for you?
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Not good? But but I just hold on.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
First of all, I could kick the board out still,
but I cannot flip that shit anymore.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
That's gone. Those days are over over. But I Meil,
I give you mad.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Props for going out there and still crushing. I do
mad promm.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
Yeah, I mean it had it had Legit been eighteen
years since I kick flip like a boss over a
staatee word on its side.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
And by the way, I just want to tell you
Lord's a Dogtown for those who have not seen it,
is one of the greatest ever, I mean, just epic film.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
And I just want to ask I just want to ask.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
You a few questions, like, because people have watched you,
you you've won awards, you've been nominated for everything, and
you're considered and I'm gonna blow your ego up. You
are considered one of those actors that are the real deal.
And when I say that from an industry point of view,
I think audiences know, but they don't know how to
verbalize it.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
It's like there's the Joaquin.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Phoenixes, that Daniel day Lewis's and the Emial Hersch's of
the world, people that you know, when you bring them
onto a film, you're gonna get the highest level of quality.
And I've always said that to you since we did
Loan Survivor together, and you know that. I mean, I
know you don't say it, but they're just certain actors
that are true artists that.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Really cannot stop watching it.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
You can't stop watching it, and you're one of them.
Just tell people how you started, like in the industry,
just you know, how did you get out, Like you
know you grew up in La How did it all happen?
Speaker 5 (12:03):
Yeah, Well, first off, I want to give a shout
out to my recently, very recently deceee late grandfather's brother.
My I guess he's my granduncle Cliff, who died a
few weeks ago at the extraordinary age of ninety nine.
Oh and uh great guide and he him and his
wife's Gladys, were famous Hollywood studio teachers, like for like
(12:29):
forty years, so they and they lived out in Malibu.
So when me and my sister were kids, my dad
used to take us out there, and Cliff and Gladys
used to be like, oh, yeah, we were teaching Elijah
Wood on set and kids on this and this and this,
and you kids could do it if you want. And
Gladys was super encouraging. And I was like six or seven,
and my sister was really into it. So I was like, well,
this sounds kind of weird, but it sounds kind of
(12:51):
cool being in a movie and like getting paid and like, oh,
lots pretty cool, you know. I was like, man, I
could probably buy a lot of toys with that loop.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Yeah, oh my god, yeah, no, fully, Fully what age
was this again?
Speaker 5 (13:03):
It was probably like six or six or seven we
started hearing the stories from Cliff and Gladys, so by
like eight or nine, Like my dad he you know,
he talked to some agent in Hollywood. I think it
was like Julia Roberts's agent at the time. He somehow
got a hold of her and asked her some questions
and she recommended him to like Samuel French bookstore, which
is basically like the like oh yeah, out of my face,
(13:24):
random person. It's like, oh yeah, I just go to
Samuel French Bookstore and look up how to Anything.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
By the way Sunset Boulevard, Samuel French, I remember. I remember.
It's like the big acting playwrights, you know.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
Yeah, So my dad got this book how to like
how to Raise a Rising Star Guide to show biz
kids and their parents by this guy David Mattis, who
was He's like a manager surfer out in Venice who
like basically just like had kids going like commercial auditions
and book little jobs and he would like surf half
today and he was a cool guy. So we met
We went and met him and at first, he didn't
(13:59):
want it to do with me, like this guy's boofy,
he can't remember any line. My sister was like way
cooler and like went more into it. And then over
the years it was like a thing where I did
a couple of summer camps, you know, into panga doing
like Shakespeare, and I associated acting because I went to
this will gear. Theatrical botanic of summer camp was like
(14:20):
being outside in nature in the summer and like playing,
so it was like the best intro to acting, you know,
was like, yeah, it was like outside fun with other kids, like,
oh this is this is fun. This is like a
hike with costumes. And then it just I just inched
my way forward, like year after year.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
It was.
Speaker 5 (14:39):
It was not like, oh, we got discovered and put
in this lead role in the movie. It was like
I really did like grind it out from like ten
to like fifteen of just doing tiny like bigger and
bigger parts like commercials and then little parts on guest stars,
and then slightly bigger parts and then a TV movie
and then you know what I mean. And then finally,
like when I was like fifteen, I got a role
(15:02):
in a movie. It was the first movie that I'd
ever done, and then that actually was the lead role
in the movie. Is this movie called The Dangerous Lives
of Ultra Boys with Karen Colkan and genlem Alone and
they're both great and wait.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Was it Jody Foster in that movie too, and.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Jody Yeah, Jody and Jody produced it too.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Just a few little actors you work with, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
Yeah, yeah, and we had and that was just it
was It was cool. So you know, I had a
you know, from then, I just kind of kept doing it,
and it was a thing where I think halfway like
in like my late teens, mid teens, like I started
really like getting into other older actors, you know, like
Sean Penn and Marlon Brando and you know Meryl Street
(15:40):
Caitlin's like he's just great, yeah, just great actors and
like studying them for the first time and really appreciating them.
I remember my sister's boyfriend when I was like fourteen
or fifteen. He was like this shaved head Buddhist monk dude,
who's cool, but he was like obsessed with Brando When
he sat me down and played street car named Desire
(16:01):
and was like watch his every move. Here's the genius
and I was like what And then I started watching
and I was like, wow, you kind of got a point, Alex.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Dude, that's amazing. I remember the first time I saw
you step into the scene, which I must have been
maybe high school, and you did The Girl next Door. Yeah,
And it's crazy to me because that movie was very
lighthearted and fun. And then you're doing movies with you know,
(16:32):
Mark Wahlberg, and then you did you know I once
upon a time in Hollywood, Like your range is incredible
and effortless.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
It's insane, and I want to I want to say
something to that effect. I mean, I got to work
with one loan survivor and an epic film that I
think we both feel is probably a special moment in
both of our lives. But I got to tell you
Into the Wild is, and I'm still a fan girl over.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Into the Wild.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Just tell I know you've done this one hundred times,
but just give us, like how brutal was the production period?
How long was it and what were the what was
the environment like? Because you know me, you could call
me at the four Seasons of the Rets. That's that's
about as brutal as.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
I can feel.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
That's funny.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Yeah, but tell me how, like, was it really as
ruthless as the film feels when you're watching it?
Speaker 5 (17:21):
The environment, I mean, I would say, And obviously I
haven't been on every movie shoot and actor's ever done,
but in terms of like the physical and mental pressure,
I honestly don't know if there's ever quite been a
role for an actor that would have that, because I
(17:44):
remember at the time being like, I like, I don't
even know if I can, Like this is so hard,
this is like I was like, I don't know, Like
I think I did it because I was twenty one, right,
and I was really really like so motivated. I knew
I had the role of a lifetime. I worshiped Sean Pan.
(18:06):
I still worship Sean.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Oh, He's the greatest.
Speaker 5 (18:10):
He's just a god to me, to the point where
it's actually like affected our friendship because I'm just such
a sick a fan around them, and you know, he
like he hates that, you know what I mean, but
just like I can't help, but I just like I'm
normal around most people, and then I get around Sean
and I just turn into this fan girl, and I
(18:30):
know he's just disgusted, and I can't. I can't, I can't.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
I'm dying.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
This is the fun. I mean, what's crazy if people
don't know? And I know you're a very private person
and so we appreciate you being on here, but like
you're around the biggest movie stars in the world, and
a lot of them are your friends because you guys
just grew up together. So for you to like even
have this conversation that you're in awe of Seana is like,
it's just it's crazy to me because I know the
(18:57):
kinds of actors that you're friends with and and and create.
So that's that's amazing that you still have that kind
of you know thing.
Speaker 5 (19:04):
Yeah, I mean, Sean he just he has this fiery
heart of integrity and courage and his drive and it
just it extends to so many different aspects of his
life and everything, all the activity activism he does in
the humanitarian work. He's just he's so the man. And
making that film, like because I felt the way I
(19:26):
did about Sean, it was like I did whatever that
was asked, and you know, I wasn't like known or anything,
Like I could not imagine any movie star doing that
at all. There's just no like there's there's no way.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Was there ever a moment on that movie where you
ever asked yourself like, holy shit, this is really scary,
Like this is a moment I've been here, Like they're
really pushing the boundaries, the environment is really fucking with you,
or you know, did you always just feel like, Okay,
it's just a tough shoot, Like just curious at twenty one?
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Did you ever have that moment?
Speaker 5 (20:02):
I mean, there were there were so many times that
I felt like that that it was almost like when
I didn't feel like that, I noticed it. I was like, oh, wow,
I don't feel like you know, because so much because
we didn't there was no stuntman, so the all the
hiking and the kind of the wildness it was. It
(20:24):
was just the most physical part I've ever done. And
then when you mix that on top with the kind
of the isolation of the role and how the pressure
as a performer of being so solo in that capacity
for such a long period of time also is like
a little bit of play. And then when we did
the weight loss, Oh.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Yeah, how many how many pounds did you lose for that?
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Yeah? I'm sure a lot of our listeners want to
know how you lost what forty pounds for this role?
Speaker 5 (20:51):
Oh? It was like, yeah, it was like forty two.
So I basically I started running like a beast early on,
like a beast because I was actually a little bit
out of shape when I got the part, and Sean
was like, you should get real fit, even to just
be the normal Chrisma canas because mcalleas was fit. So
I lost a bunch of weight even before we started shooting,
(21:12):
and then once we were shooting, I just became a runner,
salad eater. And then when we did the maximum weight
loss part, it was like we shut down for like
two and a half weeks and I was doing like
this tiny, tiny, tiny diet of eating little protein shakes,
but I was doing two spin classes a day, one
in the morning and one in the late afternoon, and
(21:34):
it was like maximum That was definitely the I think
the hardest thing I've ever done, because it was like
two months or so where I was like all I
could think about was food.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Of course, when you're being deprived of it. Yeah, on
top of you know, anyone who does spin classes, even
just one, I can't imagine doing two today. That is
so taxing on your body.
Speaker 5 (21:59):
Yeah, it's hard, and like eating nothing between the classes
was like it was just really extreme.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Dude, you're a legend. You're gonna hear legendary.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Yeah, I have a hard time losing three pounds, let
alone forty two.
Speaker 5 (22:11):
But that's what the the funny part is that I do.
I do too. It's not like I could do that regularly.
You know, It's like it it takes. It takes like
that kind of you know, situation to sort of bring
that out of you where you know, it's like you know,
the you know, the pressures on and you wanted I
wanted to do it right, and that role and that
(22:31):
story meant so much to me, and I knew I
think I really didn't know at the time that the
movie was going to be like remembered for a long time,
because like even now, it's crazy, Like I get messages
from people in every country around the world on Instagram
and stuff that have seen the movie and they're like
obsessed with it, and like every country like it's crazy.
(22:53):
It's like smash hit in India, It's smash hit in Asia.
You know, it's smash it in South America. And the people,
the people that really get into it are like it's
not a normal movie experience for them, you know it
like really is it? Like a lot of people feel
like it's changed their lives in.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Wow huge way.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
I want to say to that it really resonated even
to this day with me, and I agree with Neil.
It's just when a movie has that kind of effect
on such a mass amount of people, you really did
something special. And I know that's what we all dream
and that's why we make movies. And that movie checked
every box. In my opinion, it's just every box on
(23:34):
every level.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
It just was. It's just there's nothing that you know.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
You could criticize so many movies for so many different
reasons we all do. There are a few movies that
you cannot and that's one of them.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
So I'll give you mad thanks.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
Ugh. Yeah, it's a we're.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Gonna We're gonna go to a quick break and when
we come back, I want to talk about Once upon
a Time of Hollywood, another epic role in movie. And
obviously I know you have this awesome blossoming music career
and I want to hit on that to move back.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
In a minute, we are back with a meal, hirsh
and I'm just like my Jaws on the floor because
everything that you've done with your career, and you so
deserve it, because I feel like anybody who cares about
their craft as much as you do and just bringing
(24:22):
a story to life and making people that are watching
want to feel something is truly incredible. You don't find
that very often in actors. You know, it's just something
where they show up, they do their job. But the
way he was, the way a Mill was talking about
into the Wild, I was like, every like magical.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Yeah, I agree, Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
So on that note, Lala and I obviously were lucky
enough to have gotten to go through the awards circuit
and we saw you everywhere during during and you know,
it's funny because we could plane and now we're in
this pandemic lockdown and it's like, I I could.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Have that moment again.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
But you know, congratulations and you were side by side,
and you guys want a plethora of awards and once
upon a time in Hollywood, tell us just that experience
working with the great Quentin Tarantino and the cast, you know,
I mean, I know, Leo's one of your Leo DiCaprio
is one of your close friends, and all these guys
(25:23):
you work with, I know, you know.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
Just what's the takeaway? How epic was it?
Speaker 5 (25:26):
Well? It originated where I got a message on Facebook
a friend request from a little from a doll. It
was like a doll emoji or something that said Quentin Tarantino,
and I was like what I was like, is this
like some weird catfish or something? So I click, I
like clicked onto like mutual friends, and I was like, wow,
(25:48):
well he turns with that person. That person's like not
like that. That person's kind of legit. So I like
accepted the friend request and then I got this message
like hey me, what's up? And I was like, uh,
is this you? And he's like yeah, I'm like working
on a project. Might have like a part that you
might be right for. And I was like, oh my god.
(26:08):
If this is some like Sri Lankan teenager in a
basement right now, I'm going to be so annoyed. And
I was like, yeah, no, this is me? Is this
you like this? This would really be cool if this
is you. And he's like it's me and I was
like okay, and he's like I'll keep you updated. So
like months went by and I wouldn't hear from this
Facebook account and every now, and I'd be like, oh,
(26:29):
you know, I'm still kind of progressing and this and this,
but I still didn't know if it was real. Oh
and I was so I was so excited. And originally,
like I asked my agent, I was like this, this
guy claiming to be Quentin Tarantino sent me a message
that he might be in his movie. And my agent
was kind of like, sounds a little you know, yeah,
(26:49):
like you know, like you might be a little hopeful kid.
But it turned out to really be a real thing.
And it was like almost a year later that the
movie even into production. Like he really hit me up early,
and he had seen this movie, I did The Autopsy
of Jane Doe. He'd watched it with Eli Ross and
they just loved this movie. And he just he saw
me as this character j C. Bring, who was this
(27:11):
amazing hairstylence of the Error era, and he just was like,
he's the guy, and Quinn is He's really He's just
a great He's a great guy. He's got a huge heart.
He's just got this turbine engine of a mind that
just never stops. And I really, you know, he was
he was such a cool gentleman throughout the process, and
(27:34):
I have obviously I was so in awe of him
for such a long time and the chance to get
to work alongside him and Margo and Leo, and it
was just it really felt like for me at the time,
it was like if you get to do a Queen Tuarantine,
that like that's the excite the most exciting director and
actor could want to work with, you know. It's just
(27:54):
that that excitement that zing, and it was it was amazing.
It was it was really amazing. And it's funny because
my biggest flaw for the people that I really admire
is like, it's just I get starstruck by people. It's
hard for me to like relax, you know, interesting to
hear that well when Tarantino says action, it's like, it's
(28:17):
just it's so hard for me to like be chill.
I'm just like, oh my god.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
It's like it's like a moment that you know is
going to be in history, because it's just everything Quentin Tarantino,
like Martin Scorsese, they make films that stand for generations.
So you probably know subconsciously deep inside, like you are
putting your mark in history.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
I feel like the feeling of you know, Quentin Tarantino
yelling action on you would feel like you just got
pushed out of an airplane like that, Like the amount
of anxiety I would feel because he's the greatest and
like like you're saying a meal, it's like you've been
a fan of his work for such a long time
and he's so incredible that you do. I would totally
(28:57):
be starstruck too, And I don't really care about anybody.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
I know that both of you can relate.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
Like when I call action on my set a meal,
it's kind of the same thing.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
You just have a like total like rush of adrenaline.
Speaker 5 (29:11):
But in a way too, Like Randal, like when we
work together, I feel like because we were friends before,
it's so it's just there's a familiarity there. And I
really understand why actors work with directors over and over again,
because you know, the familiarity is great. You know, the
movie that I shot right before we started shooting our
(29:31):
film was this movie Some that I did with this
Irish director, Ivan Kavanaugh, and it was the second film.
It was the first time I worked with a director twice,
and it was like really kind of different experience of
making a movie. And I realized then for actors, just
how much of a psychological effect the director has on
(29:52):
all the actors. It is massive. It changes the experience.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
I want to add to that.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
You know, I'm going to tell you something, Meil, and
I didn't tell you that before because we were just
so caught up in the movie, in the moment and creating.
But I told my partner George, I said, you know,
I thank god you came to the table first, because
you're right, even though it was my first movie directing
and we had done many movies before this as a
producer actor relationship, you made me feel very comfortable and
(30:21):
I almost you know, I used you as a sounding board,
you know. I came to you many times and the
prepar you know, the pre process, and i'd get your
opinion and your advice because you are my friend and
I do trust you and I respect your work. So
when we got on set, I was probably the most
comfortable with you because I know you and I knew
that I could do things with you. And you know
(30:42):
what I mean, because I just have that relationship and
I agree with you. It makes sense to me now
why directors and actors stick together when they have a
good creative relationship because it is familiarity and it opens
up the creative process even more so.
Speaker 5 (30:55):
I absolutely even the first day we were shooting on
midnight in the Switchcraft so our film, I was like,
I felt so relaxed, and I was like, oh man,
it was.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
It was great, you know.
Speaker 5 (31:07):
And whenever I feel like that, it just the best
always comes out of me. It's just that's just the
way it is. That's what Robert de Niro even said
that in an interview. He was like, the most important
thing for actors is to be just relaxed. You know.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
I agree with you, and I'll tell you something I have.
I was the most relaxed day one. I probably would
have been like an insane asylum patient, but because you know,
I had you there on day one, it was the
same for me. I literally was like, dude, I got this.
This is my friend of mine and he's here to
create and I trust him and he's going to just
bring it.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
And this actor director romance that you guys have it's
really sweet. I really love that.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
Wait one last thing before because I want to talk
about the music. I gotta tell a story. People don't
realize that Carnies, Emil and I. It's our favorite hamburger place.
There's one on Sunset, one on Ventura. How many movies
have come out of that? When we've run into each
other at Carney's. I mean it's pretty epic.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
I mean it's amazing. I ran into Randall. I was
eating a burger alone at Carney's and I ran into Rentald.
I was like, what's up, dude, what are you doing.
He's like, what's going on? Well, I just did this
movie with Quinn blah blah blah. And he's like, oh,
I'm making this movie with mel Gibson right now. And
I was like, oh, that sounds amazing. And then you
were like it was like a light bulb went off.
You're like, yeah, I'm gonna call your agent about it tomorrow.
I was like, sounds good to me, this sounds amazing.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
This it is all so Hollywood. Can I tell you
this is like the shit I would imagine when I
lived in Utah, Like, I bet that's how it goes down.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
I swear to you. I was eating I was by myself.
By the way, I was by myself too, or maybe
I was assistant. I can't remember, but I literally Meil
said he just finished. I was like, oh my god,
we don't have a lead for this movie a Meal,
and a Meal was like, dude, send it to me.
I called this agent. I think it was like three
or four days later, a meal we were doing the deal.
It was pretty epic.
Speaker 5 (32:55):
Yeah, it was so quick. I was like, man, I
was the best burger I've ever had. I love Carnie before,
but now I love Carnie. And and by the way,
like I love that movie. I watched it recently a
couple of times. Sports of Nature Michael Polish's movie, and
the part it's just it's it's such an entertaining role
(33:16):
is like mel is vintage mel It's like the part
you want to see mel in, like the leap a
weapon guy, like thirty five years later.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
I agree.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
By the way, we're having actually Michael and Kate Bosworth
on the Week after You, So that's so that's perfect segment.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Yeah right, yeah, okay, Meil, I have the movie. I
have seen that movie, and it's fun. I have to
ask you about your new music. I'm a music head.
Tell me everything, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
How did this start? And everything? Tell us?
Speaker 5 (33:50):
Well, the music originally started. I did this movie with JK.
Simmons called All Nighter, and I played a bluegrass singer
and they gave me like a real band to work
with for a few songs. I had to sing in
the movie, and my buddy was I played a cover
song we did my brother. My buddy was like, that's cool.
He's like, why don't you record some originals. So I
(34:12):
started sitting down and I started like writing out melodies
and lyrics, and then I took them to the band
and they were like, these are cool. So we ended
up literally recording an entire bluegrass album in the genre
of the band player that I did. So it was
like some weird, like messed actor experiment where it's like
I made the album of the character's band and we
(34:33):
like released it. It's called the album was called Simple Things.
It's actually out by our band name in the movie
was Hysterical Kindness, and we kept that. Oh and I really,
I really enjoyed the process of songwriting so much that
I kept writing songs after the movie. And this was
five This was five years ago now, so I've been
songwriting for the last five years, and I've been working
(34:55):
with like different producers, and I moved on from the
guys that did hystorical kindness because they were kind of
getting into some other stuff and I worked with these
other kind of rock producers and different and then I
finally found this French guy and the Frenchman Matchiu Carratier, Okay,
and he he was He's like this French Urson Weld
kind of dude who's like so talented and kind of
(35:19):
very like just like a dark, like gutey voice, very
serious kind of guy. And he was. We had a
mutual friend and we made one song together and I
was like, this is kind of like a this is
an interesting sound. And we made a few songs and
then we finally kind of hit the vein of almost
like kind of like the Weekend song Blinding Lights, where
(35:41):
it's got a little like retro eighties, but it's like
it feels fresh and new, almost like it could be
on The Drive soundtrack or something, and we just we
just really we just really pushed in that direction, and
we worked NonStop pretty much for like almost a year,
and we made this album called Mnemonic, somewhat based off
(36:02):
the Johnny Knaemonic movie, which I thought, I just love
that word mnemonic and it's like device and I.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
Was like, yeah, no, it's really good. And whereable where
can we download your music because I'm about to do
that as soon as we Yeah, I'm like.
Speaker 5 (36:18):
Well, you can get it. It's basically you can get
it on any music platform. It's under hersh and it's
like Spotify or Apple Music or Google Player title or
Deezer or any any one of those places. Even YouTube.
You can hear the songs. And we've made we put
out now twenty two songs. We just put this song
out last week called Favors, which is actually probably it's
(36:41):
kind of considered by like the music people in the
radio world to be our best most commercial song or whatnot.
And it's you know what's crazy. I sent it to
this buddy of mine, this guy Steven Servanka, and he
called me back and he's in the music business and
he's like, dude, this is like it's pretty radio where
he's like, I'm going to send this to my contact
at Deezer Wow. And he sent it to his buddy
(37:02):
at Deezer and the guy pitched it to Deezer and
Deezer is like Spotify, but they're huge and like Latin
America and Yeah, France, and they put us number three
on their biggest playlist, which is the selection on for
Mexico and Central America. It's got six point seven million
(37:23):
followers of the playlist and they put his number three, dude,
after Fiona Apple and this amazing artist.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
God.
Speaker 5 (37:30):
Yeah, it's like, it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (37:32):
Dude, We're on not only with a movie start now
we have a rock star, music star.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
This is we're gonna download this.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
You you just start like, how long have you been
doing music? Like you said, you have twenty two songs
that you that you guys have done. When did you
do your first song?
Speaker 5 (37:49):
The first song was the first album for uh that
was five years ago for the Okay movie. So we
recorded a whole bluegrass album. I really cut my teeth
on the process of songwriting and everything like that and
learning about it, and then I made a bunch of
songs with other producers in between over the years. And
then like a year and a half ago, me and
(38:11):
Matthew started working together and then we just kind of
really partnered up and made this our main jam and
we've been we've been making songs during quarantine. I'll like
send them my ideas and we'll get together and we
even like recorded like socially distanced, where like I bought
them like a forty foot microphone ports like in the
other wing of I'm in the other wing of the house,
you know what I mean. Yeah, so we're we're still
(38:34):
going for it. And like, for me, it's just something
that I love doing, and I you know, I love
music and it's not it's not like about like it's
definitely not about money because in order to make money
in the music business, Like I looked at the money
that we made, it was like, uve me five.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
Hundred dollars exactly.
Speaker 5 (38:54):
Like it's that it's a really tough business to like
make money. But for me, I just love music. And
there's a longevity to it too, Like you can go
back and listen to songs. Someone, I still listen to
so many old songs like forty years ago, fifty years ago.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
Oh that's what I live off of. I live off
of all of these old school songs. And I also
make music. And for me, you know, I've done the
same thing that you've done where I look at it
and I'm like, wow, I mean three hundred bucks this
month off that song and it's like you don't do
it for the money. It's so therapeutic and just fun
to do.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
Will you ever go on tour meal?
Speaker 1 (39:29):
Oh? I like that.
Speaker 5 (39:30):
I would in a heartbeat for sure.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
That's dough, that's really cool.
Speaker 5 (39:33):
Yeah, I would in a heartbeat for sure. I mean,
we have twenty two songs. If we get like another,
I don't know how many, but I really want to
get enough to where like if we have like a
live performance like lineup of songs, you know, They's just
the thing I don't like is when there's like one
song everybody wants to hear, and then the rest people
don't know or they don't care about like I would.
(39:54):
I would really want something that like everybody dug and right.
You know, there's such a there's such a stigma around
actors that do music right. It's honestly one of people's
like most relish stigmas, Like they really it's like, oh actor.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
Music, Well, well, musicians, as you know, historically want to
act and actors want to do music. But I will
tell you it's so weird to have a sting. But
because actors are artists and artists do everything, so I
think like when actors do music.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
It's pretty odd you grow up in the arts art.
Speaker 2 (40:26):
Exactly exactly agree with that.
Speaker 5 (40:29):
I do think though that, you know, it did take me,
you know, a good five years of songwriting before we
started making songs that like we're getting on these types
of playlists that we're on on Spotify and Deezer in
all these places. So it wasn't It wasn't. It's definitely
not something that was like if you try to jump
(40:49):
into it and like make an album in a month
and do it for the first time, like I could
see how that could go real south, real quick, you know.
But I think I think because we had so much
time to like keep learning and listening to more music
and like kind of adjusting and finessing, it was I mean,
five years is like kind of a like I look background,
(41:11):
I'm like, god.
Speaker 1 (41:11):
That's a long time.
Speaker 5 (41:12):
Yeah, it's like a long time, you know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (41:14):
Yeah, that's you you made something that is amazing because
I know exactly those people you're talking about that push
an album out in a month and you're like, you know,
the first song you can tell how much they worked
on it, and then the rest of the songs are
like what you were talking about like they kind of
it goes south.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
Well, yeah, I gotta say, first of all, we're running
out of timeer, but I gotta say something, mail anything.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
To download every song.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
I know you by the.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
Way, a mail, she'll she'll know all your songs by
the next time we see you. But I just got
to say, I just got to say, I can't thank
you enough for being on our show and doing this
for us, and doing it under the situation that we're
all living in. You're an amazing artist, amazing performer. Your
music everybody should download it and check it out. And
h is there anything you want to say before we
(42:01):
say lovey or goodbye or all whatever you say.
Speaker 5 (42:04):
Thank you so much for thank you so much for
having me on. And I know it's a difficult time
for everybody right now, so I just want to give
shouts out to everyone and all the all everybody, everybody
keeping the world running right now. You know, I went
to the grocery store the other day and I was like,
thanking the people bagging the groceries. I was like, dude,
you got you guys are the heroes right now, you
know what I mean. So I just respect to everybody
(42:25):
that is keeping the world running right now, like they
really are the heroes. And just thanks for thanks for
having me on. Man. I I really I really appreciated
our relationship from the very beginning and it's a lot
of fun. And you guys are special people, so I
was super happy to come on and and you know,
there's nothing funner, more fun than like, uh, there's nothing
(42:49):
more fun than like a musician peddling their music. So
I do relish the opportunity to emil.
Speaker 1 (42:56):
Thank you so much for having you.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
Yes, it's an honor. Thank you all right, buddy, we'll
talk to you soon.
Speaker 5 (43:02):
Thanks Hurst you guys have a great day.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
Damn.
Speaker 1 (43:06):
I love when our guests leave me super inspired, like
I need to go out and work a lot harder.
Speaker 2 (43:11):
Now. Did he motivate you on Monday?
Speaker 1 (43:12):
Yeah, he motivated me on Monday. Okay, so that was amazing.
You guys, I want to thank you so much for
listening to give them la la with Randall. We love
you guys. We hope you stay safe and healthy and
slay the day babies. We'll see you next week.
Hello, my loves it is yours truly La La kent Ram,
and we are back at it again. I'm super excited
for our guests today because anyone who has more talent
in their pinky nail than most people have in their
entire bodies. I'm just fascinated by.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Well so very well said. Trying to comprehend that whole statement.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Did it make any sense. It's a Monday, and I'm
coming off of Mother's Day. Randall brought my mom and
my brother in and I'm gonna be honest, like I
have to force myself to not be lazy. And today
it's a struggle.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I know, but let's be let's let's give ourselves a
little a little grace here.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
It's we're still in quarantine in Los Angeles.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
That word I never win. The this is over you guys,
I never want to hear the word quarantine ever again.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Yes, so, not only we quarantine, we had family in
town and it's Monday. It's like, yeah, it's like we
need to like light a stick of dynamite in our
asses to wake up.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
That's exactly how I feel.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Okay, so we.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Got it, but we got to do it today because
you know, what people rely on us to light them up,
so we're going.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
To do it today.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Honestly, I rely on this podcast to make me feel amazing.
It's like I could be in the worst mood ever,
and then after we record a podcast, I'm like, let's
get this shit pop in best day ever.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Well, I'm excited because Emil Hirsh. You know, I just
want to tell you a little story that I first
spent a meal on Loan Survivor and we share not
only a love for movies, but we share a love
for poker, which I know you right now haven't seen
a lot of poker in the last few months. But
we were to New Mexico together for a while and
we every day off we had we played poker together.
(01:59):
He is the nicest human in the world. And now
I'm fortunate enough to be directing him in this movie Midnight,
So I know there's a lot of movies we both
love that he's been in, and I think he's gonna
share some fun stories for us.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
It's funny because you say that you guys used to
play poker, and now with the state that we're in,
you guys play pickleball together. He was just at the
house is right, whacking some balls around like a like
a little gangster.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Why don't we tell people about your experience that day
in the pickleball match, your real commitment and.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Lack of There's this thing called being like a sore loser,
and that is exactly what I am. If I'm playing
a game and I'm getting my ass kicked, I will
just give up and walk away, which is exactly what happened.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Well, and I want to I want to elaborate on
that a little bit.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Okay, I'm sure you do.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
You want me to pivot again? Tell no, I want
to really gonna mock me on Monday. What I want
to say is you're a really good pick a ball player.
You are, and you're a great athlete. What happened to you?
What people don't know is that when you get down
by two or three points, you basically check the fuck out.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
And not only do you.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Check out, I'm your partner on team trying to win.
Still you're done. You were preaching housewives in the middle
of the game.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yeah, well, because I love playing pickleball. But when Randall
tells me that he wants me to come out and play,
and I'm balls deep in season three of Real Housewives
of New York and I'm having an epic throwback moment
and you take me out of that moment, like I'm
just disconnected. I'm like, I love the game, but I
love Housewives more. So I'm just like pissed off.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
But I will tell you something.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Emil and Lucas Haas, who we had playing with us,
both gave you a lot of props when you went inside,
which I know you'd never heard, but.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
They're like, manah, that's cool.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Your chip plays pickleball and she's badass and da da dah.
So they did give you a lot of props just
for the effort. It just wasn't your greatest pickleball day.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
No, neither was yesterday. My mom is on the court.
We're having the best time ever. Here is the thing.
Randal and I should never be on those teams teams
because way too competitive. And then he's like the most
annoying winner ever. I love you, Randall, but you are.
And so I'm watching him and he's.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Winning and you don't have to finding it right now,
I'm watching you on the other side of the net,
and I'm like, God, I want to smack him with
my pickleball racket right now, just over and over again.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Because you're the most annoying winner ever. You love me.
It means that you're like, I mean winning bend Over
the best winner ever.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
It's just like over.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
I don't know what.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Wait, so you're telling me when I went, I told
you to bend Over. Okay, this is bullshit. First myself,
I think you're putting on a show here.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
What is going on?
Speaker 1 (04:47):
I don't know what you're saying.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
I'm an you're the worst winner.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
I'm a competitive person.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Well so am I. That's what we should be on
the same team.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Well we already agree that going forward, no matter what,
under any circumstances, we are going to be on same
team for life.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
I'm gonna try to be a better folder. But it
hasn't happened yet. I mean, I'm almost thirty and I've
been doing this since I was a kid. Like, fuck
this game, I'm out. If I'm not winning, if.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
You're down by two points, you quit. I mean, let's
just be.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Honest, because I'm better than that. I'm a winner, you know,
and when I'm losing, I'm like, you're better than this. Okay,
to just get the fuck out. And have like some pride.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
So the crazy thing is you are a really good
pickleball player. It's just the mental part of the game.
We got to work on a little bit, just.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
A little bit.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
There's a lot of things mentally I should be working
on a regular basis, not just when it comes to pickleball.
Trust me.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
That makes two of us.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
All right, Can I say, can I say something? You
remember my favorite nickname for.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
You, Hoopies hoopye.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
I wish people could see you right now because you
have the hoops the size of your head again back
in and it just makes me so happy.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
And with the ear with the headphones.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Face, it's like some robotic mask you have on. It's
pretty fucking funny. You should you got a screenshot and
put that on your gram so people at when it
comes out.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Can see what I'm talking about.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
All Right, we got to go to break here and
then after we're gonna bring a meal Hershion.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Okay, I like it. All right, We are back, beautiful people,
and we have an epic guest on the line, the greatest,
the greatest.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
We have a meal hersh on the line.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
The meal Hello, yeah, yeah, yeah, I love the energy.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
It's Monday and the meal is firing like.
Speaker 5 (06:39):
Me Monday, I am no Garfield. I like Mondays.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
That's good. So first of all, I want to say,
your pickleball skills are on point. We've I've been talking
about it since you left the house. I'm gonna kick
your ass next time you come to the house with
that little.
Speaker 5 (06:59):
Zinger, dude. That was honestly, that was some funny, funny,
amazing times because like me and Randall are both so
competitive and when we got on the court, but it's
funny because I'm such like a like a mental player,
and I actually like Randall's frustration when we were playing
(07:24):
actually like made me that much better. Like I'm not
even normally that good, but because Randall was so competitive,
like it like really brought it out of me. And
that was honestly so much fun I hope that.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
You talked that same way when you think of him
as a director.
Speaker 5 (07:43):
No, no, no, by the way, by the way, I
actually I told him. I texted him afterwards. I was like,
you know how I know you're a great director, Randall.
You bring the best out of me.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
I love that.
Speaker 5 (07:56):
I'm not I'm really not joking. There's some people that
they just they bring the best out of other people
around them. And Randalls, really, you you are one of
those guys.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Oh, thank you, buddy, And I'll tell you he did
text me after and that meant a lot. And I
want to tell you I'm competitive as fucking you whip
my ass, which I'm very upset about. And I've been
working every day with a coach. That's how obsessed I am.
So come on back and I'll give you your ass
whipping you deserve.
Speaker 5 (08:22):
Well. See, now I'm scared. Now, I'm scared to go back.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
By the way, Bil, sometimes it's better to just take
the win and revel in it forever.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
Yeah, just never go back. Like, no, no, I'm good.
I don't play anymore. I'm more into ping pong now,
you know. I went skateboarding the other day with my
homie Kenny from high school, and he hit me up.
He's like, should we do some like social distance skateboarding
full and I'm like, it's like, literally how we talked
in high school, just like these dumb ass LA guys.
(08:53):
So I roll up to his place with my skateboard
and mind you, I did Lords of Dogtown when I
was nineteen, but I was a skateboarder in middle school.
But it's been frigging years since I've skated. But I
used to do these kickflips and I could kickflip over things.
So I started skating. And immediately we go we go
to like some curb, and everyone by the way is
(09:14):
looking at us, like, what are these guys in their
mid thirties doing, like with their shirts off, skating on
the curve And this is this is actually really embarrassing.
But like Kenny's house is right across the like right
by my son's pediatricians office.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Oh my god, wow, So.
Speaker 5 (09:30):
Like I'm literally a shirtless dude skating in front of
his like son's doctor's office. Like I was like, this
is kind of this is kind of like weird.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
We do it.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
Kenny immediately tries to like one d up a curve,
the board flies out from underneath him and he just
gets bodied to the chest. Oh for a minute, and
I'm like, oh no, Kenny, it's been a while now, Like, Kenny,
this was your idea. You can't like break your spine
on your first trick. But we eventually got a a
few takes of me kick flipping over aboard. I hadn't
(10:02):
done that trick in eighteen years. Oh my god, I
landed it. I stuck it. I put it on my Instagram.
I was like so proud of it.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Oh you did you stuck it?
Speaker 5 (10:10):
I did so. I tried to do a kick flip
four days later, and I had like bruised my hamstring
a week before. So when I landed my first pick
flip I tried, it was like a shooting pain and
I just like went to the ground and I was like, oh,
I'm not twelve anymore.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Oh that's when you know you're you're a grown ass man.
Now you can't be doing that stuff.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
I disagree, disagree. I just want to tell you that
when I bought my.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Kids a skateboard, it's just because they wanted one and
I thought, I'm going to bring it back to Miami
old school.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Did that go for you?
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Not good? But but I just hold on.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
First of all, I could kick the board out still,
but I cannot flip that shit anymore.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
That's gone. Those days are over over. But I Meil,
I give you mad.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Props for going out there and still crushing. I do
mad promm.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
Yeah, I mean it had it had Legit been eighteen
years since I kick flip like a boss over a
staatee word on its side.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
And by the way, I just want to tell you
Lord's a Dogtown for those who have not seen it,
is one of the greatest ever, I mean, just epic film.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
And I just want to ask I just want to ask.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
You a few questions, like, because people have watched you,
you you've won awards, you've been nominated for everything, and
you're considered and I'm gonna blow your ego up. You
are considered one of those actors that are the real deal.
And when I say that from an industry point of view,
I think audiences know, but they don't know how to
verbalize it.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
It's like there's the Joaquin.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Phoenixes, that Daniel day Lewis's and the Emial Hersch's of
the world, people that you know, when you bring them
onto a film, you're gonna get the highest level of quality.
And I've always said that to you since we did
Loan Survivor together, and you know that. I mean, I
know you don't say it, but they're just certain actors
that are true artists that.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Really cannot stop watching it.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
You can't stop watching it, and you're one of them.
Just tell people how you started, like in the industry,
just you know, how did you get out, Like you
know you grew up in La How did it all happen?
Speaker 5 (12:03):
Yeah, Well, first off, I want to give a shout
out to my recently, very recently deceee late grandfather's brother.
My I guess he's my granduncle Cliff, who died a
few weeks ago at the extraordinary age of ninety nine.
Oh and uh great guide and he him and his
wife's Gladys, were famous Hollywood studio teachers, like for like
(12:29):
forty years, so they and they lived out in Malibu.
So when me and my sister were kids, my dad
used to take us out there, and Cliff and Gladys
used to be like, oh, yeah, we were teaching Elijah
Wood on set and kids on this and this and this,
and you kids could do it if you want. And
Gladys was super encouraging. And I was like six or seven,
and my sister was really into it. So I was like, well,
this sounds kind of weird, but it sounds kind of
(12:51):
cool being in a movie and like getting paid and like, oh,
lots pretty cool, you know. I was like, man, I
could probably buy a lot of toys with that loop.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Yeah, oh my god, yeah, no, fully, Fully what age
was this again?
Speaker 5 (13:03):
It was probably like six or six or seven we
started hearing the stories from Cliff and Gladys, so by
like eight or nine, Like my dad he you know,
he talked to some agent in Hollywood. I think it
was like Julia Roberts's agent at the time. He somehow
got a hold of her and asked her some questions
and she recommended him to like Samuel French bookstore, which
is basically like the like oh yeah, out of my face,
(13:24):
random person. It's like, oh yeah, I just go to
Samuel French Bookstore and look up how to Anything.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
By the way Sunset Boulevard, Samuel French, I remember. I remember.
It's like the big acting playwrights, you know.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
Yeah, So my dad got this book how to like
how to Raise a Rising Star Guide to show biz
kids and their parents by this guy David Mattis, who
was He's like a manager surfer out in Venice who
like basically just like had kids going like commercial auditions
and book little jobs and he would like surf half
today and he was a cool guy. So we met
We went and met him and at first, he didn't
(13:59):
want it to do with me, like this guy's boofy,
he can't remember any line. My sister was like way
cooler and like went more into it. And then over
the years it was like a thing where I did
a couple of summer camps, you know, into panga doing
like Shakespeare, and I associated acting because I went to
this will gear. Theatrical botanic of summer camp was like
(14:20):
being outside in nature in the summer and like playing,
so it was like the best intro to acting, you know,
was like, yeah, it was like outside fun with other kids, like,
oh this is this is fun. This is like a
hike with costumes. And then it just I just inched
my way forward, like year after year.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
It was.
Speaker 5 (14:39):
It was not like, oh, we got discovered and put
in this lead role in the movie. It was like
I really did like grind it out from like ten
to like fifteen of just doing tiny like bigger and
bigger parts like commercials and then little parts on guest stars,
and then slightly bigger parts and then a TV movie
and then you know what I mean. And then finally,
like when I was like fifteen, I got a role
(15:02):
in a movie. It was the first movie that I'd
ever done, and then that actually was the lead role
in the movie. Is this movie called The Dangerous Lives
of Ultra Boys with Karen Colkan and genlem Alone and
they're both great and wait.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Was it Jody Foster in that movie too, and.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Jody Yeah, Jody and Jody produced it too.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Just a few little actors you work with, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
Yeah, yeah, and we had and that was just it
was It was cool. So you know, I had a
you know, from then, I just kind of kept doing it,
and it was a thing where I think halfway like
in like my late teens, mid teens, like I started
really like getting into other older actors, you know, like
Sean Penn and Marlon Brando and you know Meryl Street
(15:40):
Caitlin's like he's just great, yeah, just great actors and
like studying them for the first time and really appreciating them.
I remember my sister's boyfriend when I was like fourteen
or fifteen. He was like this shaved head Buddhist monk dude,
who's cool, but he was like obsessed with Brando When
he sat me down and played street car named Desire
(16:01):
and was like watch his every move. Here's the genius
and I was like what And then I started watching
and I was like, wow, you kind of got a point, Alex.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Dude, that's amazing. I remember the first time I saw
you step into the scene, which I must have been
maybe high school, and you did The Girl next Door. Yeah,
And it's crazy to me because that movie was very
lighthearted and fun. And then you're doing movies with you know,
(16:32):
Mark Wahlberg, and then you did you know I once
upon a time in Hollywood, Like your range is incredible
and effortless.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
It's insane, and I want to I want to say
something to that effect. I mean, I got to work
with one loan survivor and an epic film that I
think we both feel is probably a special moment in
both of our lives. But I got to tell you
Into the Wild is, and I'm still a fan girl over.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Into the Wild.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Just tell I know you've done this one hundred times,
but just give us, like how brutal was the production period?
How long was it and what were the what was
the environment like? Because you know me, you could call
me at the four Seasons of the Rets. That's that's
about as brutal as.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
I can feel.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
That's funny.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Yeah, but tell me how, like, was it really as
ruthless as the film feels when you're watching it?
Speaker 5 (17:21):
The environment, I mean, I would say, And obviously I
haven't been on every movie shoot and actor's ever done,
but in terms of like the physical and mental pressure,
I honestly don't know if there's ever quite been a
role for an actor that would have that, because I
(17:44):
remember at the time being like, I like, I don't
even know if I can, Like this is so hard,
this is like I was like, I don't know, Like
I think I did it because I was twenty one, right,
and I was really really like so motivated. I knew
I had the role of a lifetime. I worshiped Sean Pan.
(18:06):
I still worship Sean.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Oh, He's the greatest.
Speaker 5 (18:10):
He's just a god to me, to the point where
it's actually like affected our friendship because I'm just such
a sick a fan around them, and you know, he
like he hates that, you know what I mean, but
just like I can't help, but I just like I'm
normal around most people, and then I get around Sean
and I just turn into this fan girl, and I
(18:30):
know he's just disgusted, and I can't. I can't, I can't.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
I'm dying.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
This is the fun. I mean, what's crazy if people
don't know? And I know you're a very private person
and so we appreciate you being on here, but like
you're around the biggest movie stars in the world, and
a lot of them are your friends because you guys
just grew up together. So for you to like even
have this conversation that you're in awe of Seana is like,
it's just it's crazy to me because I know the
(18:57):
kinds of actors that you're friends with and and and create.
So that's that's amazing that you still have that kind
of you know thing.
Speaker 5 (19:04):
Yeah, I mean, Sean he just he has this fiery
heart of integrity and courage and his drive and it
just it extends to so many different aspects of his
life and everything, all the activity activism he does in
the humanitarian work. He's just he's so the man. And
making that film, like because I felt the way I
(19:26):
did about Sean, it was like I did whatever that
was asked, and you know, I wasn't like known or anything,
Like I could not imagine any movie star doing that
at all. There's just no like there's there's no way.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Was there ever a moment on that movie where you
ever asked yourself like, holy shit, this is really scary,
Like this is a moment I've been here, Like they're
really pushing the boundaries, the environment is really fucking with you,
or you know, did you always just feel like, Okay,
it's just a tough shoot, Like just curious at twenty one?
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Did you ever have that moment?
Speaker 5 (20:02):
I mean, there were there were so many times that
I felt like that that it was almost like when
I didn't feel like that, I noticed it. I was like, oh, wow,
I don't feel like you know, because so much because
we didn't there was no stuntman, so the all the
hiking and the kind of the wildness it was. It
(20:24):
was just the most physical part I've ever done. And
then when you mix that on top with the kind
of the isolation of the role and how the pressure
as a performer of being so solo in that capacity
for such a long period of time also is like
a little bit of play. And then when we did
the weight loss, Oh.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Yeah, how many how many pounds did you lose for that?
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Yeah? I'm sure a lot of our listeners want to
know how you lost what forty pounds for this role?
Speaker 5 (20:51):
Oh? It was like, yeah, it was like forty two.
So I basically I started running like a beast early on,
like a beast because I was actually a little bit
out of shape when I got the part, and Sean
was like, you should get real fit, even to just
be the normal Chrisma canas because mcalleas was fit. So
I lost a bunch of weight even before we started shooting,
(21:12):
and then once we were shooting, I just became a runner,
salad eater. And then when we did the maximum weight
loss part, it was like we shut down for like
two and a half weeks and I was doing like
this tiny, tiny, tiny diet of eating little protein shakes,
but I was doing two spin classes a day, one
in the morning and one in the late afternoon, and
(21:34):
it was like maximum That was definitely the I think
the hardest thing I've ever done, because it was like
two months or so where I was like all I
could think about was food.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Of course, when you're being deprived of it. Yeah, on
top of you know, anyone who does spin classes, even
just one, I can't imagine doing two today. That is
so taxing on your body.
Speaker 5 (21:59):
Yeah, it's hard, and like eating nothing between the classes
was like it was just really extreme.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Dude, you're a legend. You're gonna hear legendary.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Yeah, I have a hard time losing three pounds, let
alone forty two.
Speaker 5 (22:11):
But that's what the the funny part is that I do.
I do too. It's not like I could do that regularly.
You know, It's like it it takes. It takes like
that kind of you know, situation to sort of bring
that out of you where you know, it's like you know,
the you know, the pressures on and you wanted I
wanted to do it right, and that role and that
(22:31):
story meant so much to me, and I knew I
think I really didn't know at the time that the
movie was going to be like remembered for a long time,
because like even now, it's crazy, Like I get messages
from people in every country around the world on Instagram
and stuff that have seen the movie and they're like
obsessed with it, and like every country like it's crazy.
(22:53):
It's like smash hit in India, It's smash hit in Asia.
You know, it's smash it in South America. And the people,
the people that really get into it are like it's
not a normal movie experience for them, you know it
like really is it? Like a lot of people feel
like it's changed their lives in.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Wow huge way.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
I want to say to that it really resonated even
to this day with me, and I agree with Neil.
It's just when a movie has that kind of effect
on such a mass amount of people, you really did
something special. And I know that's what we all dream
and that's why we make movies. And that movie checked
every box. In my opinion, it's just every box on
(23:34):
every level.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
It just was. It's just there's nothing that you know.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
You could criticize so many movies for so many different
reasons we all do. There are a few movies that
you cannot and that's one of them.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
So I'll give you mad thanks.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
Ugh. Yeah, it's a we're.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Gonna We're gonna go to a quick break and when
we come back, I want to talk about Once upon
a Time of Hollywood, another epic role in movie. And
obviously I know you have this awesome blossoming music career
and I want to hit on that to move back.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
In a minute, we are back with a meal, hirsh
and I'm just like my Jaws on the floor because
everything that you've done with your career, and you so
deserve it, because I feel like anybody who cares about
their craft as much as you do and just bringing
(24:22):
a story to life and making people that are watching
want to feel something is truly incredible. You don't find
that very often in actors. You know, it's just something
where they show up, they do their job. But the
way he was, the way a Mill was talking about
into the Wild, I was like, every like magical.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Yeah, I agree, Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
So on that note, Lala and I obviously were lucky
enough to have gotten to go through the awards circuit
and we saw you everywhere during during and you know,
it's funny because we could plane and now we're in
this pandemic lockdown and it's like, I I could.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Have that moment again.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
But you know, congratulations and you were side by side,
and you guys want a plethora of awards and once
upon a time in Hollywood, tell us just that experience
working with the great Quentin Tarantino and the cast, you know,
I mean, I know, Leo's one of your Leo DiCaprio
is one of your close friends, and all these guys
(25:23):
you work with, I know, you know.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
Just what's the takeaway? How epic was it?
Speaker 5 (25:26):
Well? It originated where I got a message on Facebook
a friend request from a little from a doll. It
was like a doll emoji or something that said Quentin Tarantino,
and I was like what I was like, is this
like some weird catfish or something? So I click, I
like clicked onto like mutual friends, and I was like, wow,
(25:48):
well he turns with that person. That person's like not
like that. That person's kind of legit. So I like
accepted the friend request and then I got this message
like hey me, what's up? And I was like, uh,
is this you? And he's like yeah, I'm like working
on a project. Might have like a part that you
might be right for. And I was like, oh my god.
(26:08):
If this is some like Sri Lankan teenager in a
basement right now, I'm going to be so annoyed. And
I was like, yeah, no, this is me? Is this
you like this? This would really be cool if this
is you. And he's like it's me and I was
like okay, and he's like I'll keep you updated. So
like months went by and I wouldn't hear from this
Facebook account and every now, and I'd be like, oh,
(26:29):
you know, I'm still kind of progressing and this and this,
but I still didn't know if it was real. Oh
and I was so I was so excited. And originally,
like I asked my agent, I was like this, this
guy claiming to be Quentin Tarantino sent me a message
that he might be in his movie. And my agent
was kind of like, sounds a little you know, yeah,
(26:49):
like you know, like you might be a little hopeful kid.
But it turned out to really be a real thing.
And it was like almost a year later that the
movie even into production. Like he really hit me up early,
and he had seen this movie, I did The Autopsy
of Jane Doe. He'd watched it with Eli Ross and
they just loved this movie. And he just he saw
me as this character j C. Bring, who was this
(27:11):
amazing hairstylence of the Error era, and he just was like,
he's the guy, and Quinn is He's really He's just
a great He's a great guy. He's got a huge heart.
He's just got this turbine engine of a mind that
just never stops. And I really, you know, he was
he was such a cool gentleman throughout the process, and
(27:34):
I have obviously I was so in awe of him
for such a long time and the chance to get
to work alongside him and Margo and Leo, and it
was just it really felt like for me at the time,
it was like if you get to do a Queen Tuarantine,
that like that's the excite the most exciting director and
actor could want to work with, you know. It's just
(27:54):
that that excitement that zing, and it was it was amazing.
It was it was really amazing. And it's funny because
my biggest flaw for the people that I really admire
is like, it's just I get starstruck by people. It's
hard for me to like relax, you know, interesting to
hear that well when Tarantino says action, it's like, it's
(28:17):
just it's so hard for me to like be chill.
I'm just like, oh my god.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
It's like it's like a moment that you know is
going to be in history, because it's just everything Quentin Tarantino,
like Martin Scorsese, they make films that stand for generations.
So you probably know subconsciously deep inside, like you are
putting your mark in history.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
I feel like the feeling of you know, Quentin Tarantino
yelling action on you would feel like you just got
pushed out of an airplane like that, Like the amount
of anxiety I would feel because he's the greatest and
like like you're saying a meal, it's like you've been
a fan of his work for such a long time
and he's so incredible that you do. I would totally
(28:57):
be starstruck too, And I don't really care about anybody.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
I know that both of you can relate.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
Like when I call action on my set a meal,
it's kind of the same thing.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
You just have a like total like rush of adrenaline.
Speaker 5 (29:11):
But in a way too, Like Randal, like when we
work together, I feel like because we were friends before,
it's so it's just there's a familiarity there. And I
really understand why actors work with directors over and over again,
because you know, the familiarity is great. You know, the
movie that I shot right before we started shooting our
(29:31):
film was this movie Some that I did with this
Irish director, Ivan Kavanaugh, and it was the second film.
It was the first time I worked with a director twice,
and it was like really kind of different experience of
making a movie. And I realized then for actors, just
how much of a psychological effect the director has on
(29:52):
all the actors. It is massive. It changes the experience.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
I want to add to that.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
You know, I'm going to tell you something, Meil, and
I didn't tell you that before because we were just
so caught up in the movie, in the moment and creating.
But I told my partner George, I said, you know,
I thank god you came to the table first, because
you're right, even though it was my first movie directing
and we had done many movies before this as a
producer actor relationship, you made me feel very comfortable and
(30:21):
I almost you know, I used you as a sounding board,
you know. I came to you many times and the
prepar you know, the pre process, and i'd get your
opinion and your advice because you are my friend and
I do trust you and I respect your work. So
when we got on set, I was probably the most
comfortable with you because I know you and I knew
that I could do things with you. And you know
(30:42):
what I mean, because I just have that relationship and
I agree with you. It makes sense to me now
why directors and actors stick together when they have a
good creative relationship because it is familiarity and it opens
up the creative process even more so.
Speaker 5 (30:55):
I absolutely even the first day we were shooting on
midnight in the Switchcraft so our film, I was like,
I felt so relaxed, and I was like, oh man,
it was.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
It was great, you know.
Speaker 5 (31:07):
And whenever I feel like that, it just the best
always comes out of me. It's just that's just the
way it is. That's what Robert de Niro even said
that in an interview. He was like, the most important
thing for actors is to be just relaxed. You know.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
I agree with you, and I'll tell you something I have.
I was the most relaxed day one. I probably would
have been like an insane asylum patient, but because you know,
I had you there on day one, it was the
same for me. I literally was like, dude, I got this.
This is my friend of mine and he's here to
create and I trust him and he's going to just
bring it.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
And this actor director romance that you guys have it's
really sweet. I really love that.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
Wait one last thing before because I want to talk
about the music. I gotta tell a story. People don't
realize that Carnies, Emil and I. It's our favorite hamburger place.
There's one on Sunset, one on Ventura. How many movies
have come out of that? When we've run into each
other at Carney's. I mean it's pretty epic.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
I mean it's amazing. I ran into Randall. I was
eating a burger alone at Carney's and I ran into Rentald.
I was like, what's up, dude, what are you doing.
He's like, what's going on? Well, I just did this
movie with Quinn blah blah blah. And he's like, oh,
I'm making this movie with mel Gibson right now. And
I was like, oh, that sounds amazing. And then you
were like it was like a light bulb went off.
You're like, yeah, I'm gonna call your agent about it tomorrow.
I was like, sounds good to me, this sounds amazing.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
This it is all so Hollywood. Can I tell you
this is like the shit I would imagine when I
lived in Utah, Like, I bet that's how it goes down.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
I swear to you. I was eating I was by myself.
By the way, I was by myself too, or maybe
I was assistant. I can't remember, but I literally Meil
said he just finished. I was like, oh my god,
we don't have a lead for this movie a Meal,
and a Meal was like, dude, send it to me.
I called this agent. I think it was like three
or four days later, a meal we were doing the deal.
It was pretty epic.
Speaker 5 (32:55):
Yeah, it was so quick. I was like, man, I
was the best burger I've ever had. I love Carnie before,
but now I love Carnie. And and by the way,
like I love that movie. I watched it recently a
couple of times. Sports of Nature Michael Polish's movie, and
the part it's just it's it's such an entertaining role
(33:16):
is like mel is vintage mel It's like the part
you want to see mel in, like the leap a
weapon guy, like thirty five years later.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
I agree.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
By the way, we're having actually Michael and Kate Bosworth
on the Week after You, So that's so that's perfect segment.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Yeah right, yeah, okay, Meil, I have the movie. I
have seen that movie, and it's fun. I have to
ask you about your new music. I'm a music head.
Tell me everything, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
How did this start? And everything? Tell us?
Speaker 5 (33:50):
Well, the music originally started. I did this movie with JK.
Simmons called All Nighter, and I played a bluegrass singer
and they gave me like a real band to work
with for a few songs. I had to sing in
the movie, and my buddy was I played a cover
song we did my brother. My buddy was like, that's cool.
He's like, why don't you record some originals. So I
(34:12):
started sitting down and I started like writing out melodies
and lyrics, and then I took them to the band
and they were like, these are cool. So we ended
up literally recording an entire bluegrass album in the genre
of the band player that I did. So it was
like some weird, like messed actor experiment where it's like
I made the album of the character's band and we
(34:33):
like released it. It's called the album was called Simple Things.
It's actually out by our band name in the movie
was Hysterical Kindness, and we kept that. Oh and I really,
I really enjoyed the process of songwriting so much that
I kept writing songs after the movie. And this was
five This was five years ago now, so I've been
songwriting for the last five years, and I've been working
(34:55):
with like different producers, and I moved on from the
guys that did hystorical kindness because they were kind of
getting into some other stuff and I worked with these
other kind of rock producers and different and then I
finally found this French guy and the Frenchman Matchiu Carratier, Okay,
and he he was He's like this French Urson Weld
kind of dude who's like so talented and kind of
(35:19):
very like just like a dark, like gutey voice, very
serious kind of guy. And he was. We had a
mutual friend and we made one song together and I
was like, this is kind of like a this is
an interesting sound. And we made a few songs and
then we finally kind of hit the vein of almost
like kind of like the Weekend song Blinding Lights, where
(35:41):
it's got a little like retro eighties, but it's like
it feels fresh and new, almost like it could be
on The Drive soundtrack or something, and we just we
just really we just really pushed in that direction, and
we worked NonStop pretty much for like almost a year,
and we made this album called Mnemonic, somewhat based off
(36:02):
the Johnny Knaemonic movie, which I thought, I just love
that word mnemonic and it's like device and I.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
Was like, yeah, no, it's really good. And whereable where
can we download your music because I'm about to do
that as soon as we Yeah, I'm like.
Speaker 5 (36:18):
Well, you can get it. It's basically you can get
it on any music platform. It's under hersh and it's
like Spotify or Apple Music or Google Player title or
Deezer or any any one of those places. Even YouTube.
You can hear the songs. And we've made we put
out now twenty two songs. We just put this song
out last week called Favors, which is actually probably it's
(36:41):
kind of considered by like the music people in the
radio world to be our best most commercial song or whatnot.
And it's you know what's crazy. I sent it to
this buddy of mine, this guy Steven Servanka, and he
called me back and he's in the music business and
he's like, dude, this is like it's pretty radio where
he's like, I'm going to send this to my contact
at Deezer Wow. And he sent it to his buddy
(37:02):
at Deezer and the guy pitched it to Deezer and
Deezer is like Spotify, but they're huge and like Latin
America and Yeah, France, and they put us number three
on their biggest playlist, which is the selection on for
Mexico and Central America. It's got six point seven million
(37:23):
followers of the playlist and they put his number three, dude,
after Fiona Apple and this amazing artist.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
God.
Speaker 5 (37:30):
Yeah, it's like, it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (37:32):
Dude, We're on not only with a movie start now
we have a rock star, music star.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
This is we're gonna download this.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
You you just start like, how long have you been
doing music? Like you said, you have twenty two songs
that you that you guys have done. When did you
do your first song?
Speaker 5 (37:49):
The first song was the first album for uh that
was five years ago for the Okay movie. So we
recorded a whole bluegrass album. I really cut my teeth
on the process of songwriting and everything like that and
learning about it, and then I made a bunch of
songs with other producers in between over the years. And
then like a year and a half ago, me and
(38:11):
Matthew started working together and then we just kind of
really partnered up and made this our main jam and
we've been we've been making songs during quarantine. I'll like
send them my ideas and we'll get together and we
even like recorded like socially distanced, where like I bought
them like a forty foot microphone ports like in the
other wing of I'm in the other wing of the house,
you know what I mean. Yeah, so we're we're still
(38:34):
going for it. And like, for me, it's just something
that I love doing, and I you know, I love
music and it's not it's not like about like it's
definitely not about money because in order to make money
in the music business, Like I looked at the money
that we made, it was like, uve me five.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
Hundred dollars exactly.
Speaker 5 (38:54):
Like it's that it's a really tough business to like
make money. But for me, I just love music. And
there's a longevity to it too, Like you can go
back and listen to songs. Someone, I still listen to
so many old songs like forty years ago, fifty years ago.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
Oh that's what I live off of. I live off
of all of these old school songs. And I also
make music. And for me, you know, I've done the
same thing that you've done where I look at it
and I'm like, wow, I mean three hundred bucks this
month off that song and it's like you don't do
it for the money. It's so therapeutic and just fun
to do.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
Will you ever go on tour meal?
Speaker 1 (39:29):
Oh? I like that.
Speaker 5 (39:30):
I would in a heartbeat for sure.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
That's dough, that's really cool.
Speaker 5 (39:33):
Yeah, I would in a heartbeat for sure. I mean,
we have twenty two songs. If we get like another,
I don't know how many, but I really want to
get enough to where like if we have like a
live performance like lineup of songs, you know, They's just
the thing I don't like is when there's like one
song everybody wants to hear, and then the rest people
don't know or they don't care about like I would.
(39:54):
I would really want something that like everybody dug and right.
You know, there's such a there's such a stigma around
actors that do music right. It's honestly one of people's
like most relish stigmas, Like they really it's like, oh actor.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
Music, Well, well, musicians, as you know, historically want to
act and actors want to do music. But I will
tell you it's so weird to have a sting. But
because actors are artists and artists do everything, so I
think like when actors do music.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
It's pretty odd you grow up in the arts art.
Speaker 2 (40:26):
Exactly exactly agree with that.
Speaker 5 (40:29):
I do think though that, you know, it did take me,
you know, a good five years of songwriting before we
started making songs that like we're getting on these types
of playlists that we're on on Spotify and Deezer in
all these places. So it wasn't It wasn't. It's definitely
not something that was like if you try to jump
(40:49):
into it and like make an album in a month
and do it for the first time, like I could
see how that could go real south, real quick, you know.
But I think I think because we had so much
time to like keep learning and listening to more music
and like kind of adjusting and finessing, it was I mean,
five years is like kind of a like I look background,
(41:11):
I'm like, god.
Speaker 1 (41:11):
That's a long time.
Speaker 5 (41:12):
Yeah, it's like a long time, you know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (41:14):
Yeah, that's you you made something that is amazing because
I know exactly those people you're talking about that push
an album out in a month and you're like, you know,
the first song you can tell how much they worked
on it, and then the rest of the songs are
like what you were talking about like they kind of
it goes south.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
Well, yeah, I gotta say, first of all, we're running
out of timeer, but I gotta say something, mail anything.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
To download every song.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
I know you by the.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
Way, a mail, she'll she'll know all your songs by
the next time we see you. But I just got
to say, I just got to say, I can't thank
you enough for being on our show and doing this
for us, and doing it under the situation that we're
all living in. You're an amazing artist, amazing performer. Your
music everybody should download it and check it out. And
h is there anything you want to say before we
(42:01):
say lovey or goodbye or all whatever you say.
Speaker 5 (42:04):
Thank you so much for thank you so much for
having me on. And I know it's a difficult time
for everybody right now, so I just want to give
shouts out to everyone and all the all everybody, everybody
keeping the world running right now. You know, I went
to the grocery store the other day and I was like,
thanking the people bagging the groceries. I was like, dude,
you got you guys are the heroes right now, you
know what I mean. So I just respect to everybody
(42:25):
that is keeping the world running right now, like they
really are the heroes. And just thanks for thanks for
having me on. Man. I I really I really appreciated
our relationship from the very beginning and it's a lot
of fun. And you guys are special people, so I
was super happy to come on and and you know,
there's nothing funner, more fun than like, uh, there's nothing
(42:49):
more fun than like a musician peddling their music. So
I do relish the opportunity to emil.
Speaker 1 (42:56):
Thank you so much for having you.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
Yes, it's an honor. Thank you all right, buddy, we'll
talk to you soon.
Speaker 5 (43:02):
Thanks Hurst you guys have a great day.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
Damn.
Speaker 1 (43:06):
I love when our guests leave me super inspired, like
I need to go out and work a lot harder.
Speaker 2 (43:11):
Now. Did he motivate you on Monday?
Speaker 1 (43:12):
Yeah, he motivated me on Monday. Okay, so that was amazing.
You guys, I want to thank you so much for
listening to give them la la with Randall. We love
you guys. We hope you stay safe and healthy and
slay the day babies. We'll see you next week.
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