NOLA Film Scene with Tj & Plaideau
A podcast about acting, filmmaking, and the improv scene in New Orleans.
NOLA Film Scene with Tj & Plaideau
John Dylan Atkins: Two Super Bowl Spots And A Torn Achilles
Want to connect with Tj & Plaideau? Send us a text message.
What if your best shot at booking arrives the moment you stop trying to impress? We sit down with actor John Dylan Atkins to unpack how he booked two Super Bowl commercials in the same year, the surprising freedom of low‑pressure auditions, and why grounded reactions often beat big choices. From super bowl commercial spots to a director who rewrote on the fly after John tore his Achilles, this conversation blends craft insight with real‑world resilience.
Voiced by Brian Plaideau
Have you been injured? New Orleans based actor, Jana McCaffery, has been practicing law in Louisiana since 1999, specializing in personal injury since 2008. She takes helping others very seriously. If you have been injured, Jana is offering a free consultation AND a reduced fee for fellow members of the Lousiana film industry, and she will handle your case from start to finish. She can be reached at janamccaffery@gmail.com or 504-837-1234. Tell Her NOLA Film Scene sent you
Follow us on IG @nolafilmscene, @kodaksbykojack, and @tjsebastianofficial. Check out our 48 Hour Film Project short film Waiting for Gateaux: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5pFvn4cd1U . & check out our website: nolafilmscene.com
I'm TJ, and as always, I'm Play-Doh.
SPEAKER_00:Hello, we are live. We are back. And we're with John Dylan Atkins. Howdy. Hi, John.
SPEAKER_03:How are you? I'm doing well. How are you guys doing? We are in the countdown to Christmas, and we are worn out. At least I am. I bet you guys are. You guys have been working hard.
SPEAKER_00:Thank you. Thank you. We uh yeah, we had a a busy weekend. I guess it was was it two weeks ago now? It's all kind of blended together. We had Cajun Con, so we were we were over there for that. By the way, we're with John Dylan Atkins. John, you want to introduce yourself? Tell the listeners who you are. Yeah, I'm uh John Dylan Atkins.
SPEAKER_01:I am an actor. I direct music videos for my brother sometimes. He's a musician, Brenton Atkins. Check him out. I like this guy. Uh but uh I focus mostly on acting because it's the thing that I feel like I do best. Like I'm really I'm uh I wish that I could write stuff, but I can't because I'm not the kind of person who can imagine a world and like create it, but if someone else does it, I can break that down. Oh yeah. Like uh Yeah, but like imagining a world, I I that's not my skill set. So acting is where I fall the most in line with my talents.
SPEAKER_00:I think some people actually struggle to identify that that skill set. There are some people that try to write that probably shouldn't, and there's probably some people that should write that don't. But that I I'm tracking, I'm tracking with what you're saying. And I completely agree. I've been following you for a while. We've been friends online for a while, and the first time we met in person was about a year ago. Yep, a little over a year ago. I guess it was at Brig Caballero's office for a Super Bowl commercial audition. Yep. And I walked into that room, and there were some pipe hitters in there. When I walked in, uh Lance Nichols was in there, Jim Gleason was in there, Richie Montgomery was in there. All right, well, I guess I'm just gonna do my best, you know. And you ended up booking, you ended up booking, right? You booked that Super Bowl commercial.
SPEAKER_01:I did, and honestly, it's uh it's a funny story because uh just to divulge a little bit into the casting process, I'd actually been cast in the He Gets Us commercial. So, because I live in Tennessee, so that's why I was in town. Uh, and then Brent, I didn't even audition for the FanDuel commercial, and he just wanted to see me in office. So I actually thought it was one of those things, you know, where Brent was like, I've cat he's cast me in a couple commercials before. I was like, this is probably just to get a feel for who I am, and then I saw the heavy hitters, like you said, whenever I walked in, I was like, okay, I'm not gonna be in this commercial, but I think that's why I possibly booked because I was just like, okay, whatever. Like, this is not happening. Uh, so let's just go and have fun.
SPEAKER_00:So did you book so you booked two? Yeah, I got two Super Bowl commercials last year. That's what I thought. That's what I thought.
SPEAKER_03:But I mean, yeah, you you could save some of it for the rest of us. Thanks a lot. Uh well, I'm just kidding.
SPEAKER_01:No, no, no. Uh I don't want to, but uh it normally works out that way. It nor this was this was my luckiest drink I've ever had. Yeah. Uh I was like, uh oh wow. Okay. Because again, I was in town for the other thing. I really didn't expect to be cast at all. But I think that, you know, sometimes that kind of energy is what leads to us getting cast, is because like we take all the pressure off of ourselves. Like there was no pressure because I was so sure I was not getting cast. Like my wife came down with me and we turned it into a little mini vacation. And yeah, like she was like, No, you can do it. I was like, no, I'm not getting this. He's just bringing me in to fill me out. Like, I'm not getting this. I really think I I wish that I could use that energy more often.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. So I'm wondering, I want I was gonna ask you. I wonder if we I don't know if we auditioned for the same role or not. I auditioned for and I auditioned with my friend Jeff Roberts. Or wait, that might have been a different one.
SPEAKER_01:No, that one was for He Gets Us, I think. Because we went in by ourselves for the FanDuel one.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, yeah. I couldn't they they kind of ran together because they were both a week apart. Yeah, yeah. So okay, you're right. It was the other one with Jeff, so the FanDuel one. Okay, so uh it was imagining Hayt Manning or somebody on a float going by and getting excited. I think it was that audition, is that right? Is that the same one? Did you cry? Uh I didn't. I didn't either. I mean, I I mean I got I was a little a little teary-eyed, but not like a full-on excited cry or anything.
SPEAKER_01:I actually don't think that that was the one that they gave me first. Because I think I got like the director asked for like four different reactions. And the first one I got was uh you kind of like him, but you kind of don't. So I was just like I didn't really do anything. Uh and then he gave me a different one, and I just whatever it was, but uh then there was one that was like more emotional, and again, I don't know, I just kind of like felt it. It was one of those again, I didn't press because I didn't think I was getting. I feel like I press more whenever I'm like, oh yeah, let's go, let's get this. I didn't think I was getting it, so I didn't press. I was just like it felt like I did nothing. Uh but I guess that's the point.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah. I mean that whatever's the most grounded, right? And you had you didn't feel any pressure, you were just natural reaction grounded. That's what it's what it takes sometimes. And that's great.
SPEAKER_03:But if you can control it, yeah. Everybody could control it, and everybody would get everything.
SPEAKER_01:No, it's true. But that's but I do notice that normally when I book something, it is uh because there is a moment when I'm taping that I I let go. Or if I or even if it's just a pen and I don't book it, like I normally have a feeling after of like, because I don't think I turned bad stuff in. Yeah, but there are those ones that you know you're like that felt different.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Yeah, I agree. I I had one of those one time. I I don't want to say who the casting director was, but he emailed me to my personal email and uh and didn't CC my agent on it and said, Wow, bro, best one yet. And I thought I and it was a Super Bowl commercial, I think, or maybe it was around the time of that, but it wasn't for the Super Bowl, maybe. It it wasn't Brent, though, it was a it was a virtual one, but I he emailed me and I thought, oh man, I I might have gotten that. I I felt like it was a a shoe-in, but I ended up not booking it. You did too. Brian does a lot better on commercials than I do. He's booked a lot more than he's he's a lot a lot more natural on him.
SPEAKER_01:The lottery one was there a lottery, yeah. The Santa Claus one is also great, don't get me wrong. Thank you. But my favorite, that lottery one. Like, I died. I was like, man, I wish I'd I wish I'd gotten to do that one. That was that was jealous.
SPEAKER_03:I was like, I didn't get I I did the he gets us. That was my first time going into an office for Brent, and then we were just talking, so it's just a personality thing. And then I did not get the fan duel, so I'm I'm a little jealous. I'm always happy for my friends to get the but you you have that instinct, like man, what was that came out of my throat? You're like, oh man, I wish I had it. So I'm jealous of y'all, but let's just admit it and move on. Um, the the lottery is Mississippi Lottery, and I was with David, let's see if I pronounce it right, the moncrief, the lucky buck.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03:So he he is like the star of those. He's had multiple of them. And then they wanted a schlub, you know. Like I'm always like, oh, I need to lose more weight, I need to do better. No, they wanted that guy, and I was like, hey, so that was a lot of fun. And that's the one where they it's a guy, he's in he's in his ratty place, and you know, oh, you could have a better place, and uh the buck clicks his hoofs, and you're in a mansion. And they took a photo of me and they made a picture, a photograph, and it's so it's like I'm in the Revolutionary War, like real rich goal, and you could see the painting, you know, like an old painting cracks. That's in the picture.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I was just getting ready to say it had they look like an old oil painting with the cracks. Yep.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, it's it's amazing, you know. And it when I posted that, people like, did you get the picture? I was like, I asked for that before we shot.
SPEAKER_02:So I still have it. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03:I I have to frame it. It's it's it's uh it's on a board to keep it safe and wrapped up, but you can't just put it in a modern frame. Old looking frames are expensive, even you know, so it's safe. You might be able to find one at uh an old flea market. I could. I could.
SPEAKER_01:And I go to flea markets all the time. I got you, brother.
SPEAKER_03:72 by 48?
SPEAKER_01:It's huge. I will be looking out for you.
SPEAKER_03:Wow, it's six feet tall.
SPEAKER_01:It doesn't matter.
SPEAKER_03:I go to I've got the numbers wrong then. It's four and a half by three and a half. It's huge, but let's let's keep rolling.
SPEAKER_00:How wrong, how wrong would that be in a slate, an audition slate? I'm 72 inches tall. What's that convert to in centimeters?
SPEAKER_03:I'm just measuring my personality. Let's move on. But the Santa one is uh my friends, and they do that for uh Cretan Towns and Homes, they do multiple. And I've worked with them before. I was the roach in Roach. So it's like a short film, and that's one of my favorites. And uh, we did battle scene, we were in in the dark. Um anyway. So he goes, You want to be Santa? I was like, I don't even need a pillow. Unfortunately, I I should have stepped up. I thought about coloring my beard. The the the uh the beard, we had to tie it to the hat and the wig there to keep everything on, so you can't see my mouth. So it it doesn't affect the commercial, but I can't use it for a commercial reel. Yeah, because you can't see your face. Can't see my face, but I love it, and I've shared it and I've I've messaged people and I've gotten a lot of response, and you know, it's funny. It's funny.
unknown:It's great.
SPEAKER_03:Creed and towns at home, go look for the recent Santa video.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, go look. It is funny, and I've had people message me and say, Yeah, Brian was funny. Just like no, I I forgot to tell you that. I've I've had quite a few people message me and tell me they thought you were funny in that. I keep a bottle of that stuff on hand for just such an occasion because you never know when you're gonna get asked to play Santa Claus. I haven't used it yet. I don't need it in the front, but the the sides and the mustache still have some red in them.
SPEAKER_01:I can't grow a grown-up beard. I can only do a chin strap, so I that's never gonna be a gig that I can get. Yeah, just own it.
SPEAKER_03:I mean, it that's you're booking things, you know, you got to do it when I got nothing.
SPEAKER_01:So hey. I take but it I take whatever comes, so I I promise. No complaints.
SPEAKER_03:But it it it goes because I I'm I'm a lot of belly. And for the schlub and for Santa It fits.
SPEAKER_01:You see, I I got a lot of belly too, and it's normally the average American man. That's that's what I that's what I get. That's my commercial identity. I don't think I've been in a commercial that that wasn't like the character name.
SPEAKER_00:Typecasting is casting. That's right. Yep. Jim said Jim Gleason says that. I'm actually uh a little envious. People some people occasionally say they're envious of my beard, but uh now I'm kind of envious of shorter ones because I'm I'm locked into this look. I can't go for the clean cut roles, I can't go for the the public servant roles, the lawyers, the doctors, businessmen, anything like that because it just doesn't fly.
SPEAKER_01:I feel like that happens to me with my long hair too. But like I the times that I get the roles that I do, I would say nine times out of ten, the hair is a part of it.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Yeah, same. I but I mean, at least with your look, you can pull your hair back this is true on shots when you when you need to.
SPEAKER_01:And I've gotten to do that, but only in independent productions. No big productions believe that that can be a look that can be achieved yet.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yep.
SPEAKER_01:But I don't need big productions, I just want to work. Same, same me too.
SPEAKER_03:TJ always kind of nudges me for this. I don't have to be a millionaire, I'd like to be, but mostly I want to be able to quit my safety job, you know, and just do this all the time. Or I need to get my voice acting demo real, and if that's my subsidy, great. You know, you don't have to see my face and I'll be happy. We all know that.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so I would love to I would love to voice act. I just have no room in my tiny apartment to be even to be able to think about setting that up. Uh because you need a little bit of sound control, and I think we all know that I struggle with that a little bit uh in my current location.
SPEAKER_03:Uh we can talk and I can direct you to a website D. Bradley Baker.
SPEAKER_01:Oh no, I I actually have looked uh because I met him and he told me he was like, no, go go uh go check that stuff out.
SPEAKER_03:I want to be a voiceactor.com. And you know, you and I can talk because I I've had sound dampening blankets on PVC, but there's also ways to do it where you can collapse it quickly. Okay.
SPEAKER_00:You kind of can't really see it. The edge of it right there.
SPEAKER_03:It's hard to distinguish.
SPEAKER_00:That's I I built a booth with PVC pipe and sound blankets. They're kind they're like moving blankets, but they're they're the 96-pound ones, the the the thicker ones. And it I mean it does pretty good.
SPEAKER_03:And you know what you can do? You could line a closet with sound blankets, and then I have no clue. Closets are usually too tight, so when you shut them, but then you could just have like sound blankets on the outside. You know. It may work, it may not.
SPEAKER_01:No, that uh but that is actually one thing. I I mean I've I think that voice acting is probably would be a better skill than even on camera acting. I feel like that's I can do a lot of stuff with my voice and always have been that's why people laughed at me in school because I was always doing silly stuff with my voice my whole life.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that's yeah, you should lean into that. I mean, I I get it, location is is hard to change.
SPEAKER_01:That's the that's the that's the thing. And if I can figure it out, I will. Yeah. But I also don't want to like try to even submit for stuff like that right now when I don't think that I could give them something good. Because I don't want to get a bad reputation. Sure. Right.
SPEAKER_03:Well, and then I did the Santa commercial, and then I I was we filmed it backwards. So the house is fully decorated, and then we went to the decorating the house and then the pre-stuff. And so by the time we got to that, it was a bit cold. I'm out of breath. And then my bag had jingle bells in it, like these, you know. So this right when we're saying the name of the company, it's all Creating Towns and Homes, you know. So we had to do ADR. It was my first time doing that. And he had his nice setup, he got the computer, got this great mic. We were not, we were just in a room, and I went Creeton Towns and Homes. Like I went straight into like announcer guy, it didn't mean like I forgot about everything in acting, and he got me there. So I I was like, Oh, acting, yeah, right.
SPEAKER_01:No, ADR, it's like that. Uh, the only time I did ADR was for a short film ages ago, probably in like 2015 or something, but they didn't have the video up for me. So I was like, how am I gonna do ADR? Uh so I was trying to like time it the acting, they couldn't use any of it.
SPEAKER_00:It's it's difficult without the video. Oh, yeah, without seeing what you need to do.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I don't think that I I'm not gonna say it's not possible. Somebody could be better than me, but I I couldn't do it.
SPEAKER_00:I had to do one for a short film that I did, and it's actually in my demo reel. I I put it at the end of my demo reel. They they did a really good job, but I actually recorded it here and sent it to them completely untouched just as I recorded it, and they they did everything with it, but they've got some they they've got a lot of sound design going on with it, the music and the the real intense theme of the movie going and the part that I did, I had to blend my voice. Um I play in um a homeless guy struggling with mental illness, and then there's two other guys that play people in my head. And I had to blend my voice coming out of the younger version of me into me. I just started talking, I I repeated his and got his pace down, and then just did my part. And I don't know, it turned out they did pretty good with it. That's awesome. It was great. I saw it. That th thank you, thank you.
SPEAKER_03:Now, uh I I realized with the Santa ADR, you couldn't see my mouth, which was a great advantage. And I realized that wasn't my first time doing ADR because Wheel of Heaven, which is streaming now, I played Death, but he wanted it to be like off kilter, it didn't matter. So we I know. Never had it match up the lips. So I I had that advantage. That makes it so much easier. You play death a lot. Yes. I haven't mentioned it yet, TJ, but he did.
SPEAKER_01:I did. I'm the one who mentioned it.
SPEAKER_03:How did you know I played death photo double in Bill and Ted face the music?
SPEAKER_01:Well, because I follow you and uh well, Bill and Ted is important to me.
SPEAKER_00:People would come up to our booth at Cajun Con and Brian's doing the pitch and he's talking and he looked over at me as if to say, did I tell him yet that I played Death's Photo?
SPEAKER_03:That is part of my pitch when selling the podcast since we talked to Bill. William Sadler, who lets me call him Bill. I that's awesome. It's it's it's a hook, and I can't, you know, I've got my routine down. I try not to be too stale, but we're talking about me way too much, which I know you can't believe that I want to stop. What are some of any of your favorite roles that you've played or movies that you can describe to us, please, John?
SPEAKER_01:Well, uh, there are a lot of ways to describe that. Uh so I think I will go with the role. I mean, because there are like short films that uh unfortunately have never seen the light of day outside of festivals, and I keep trying because I have some really strong performances. Uh and normally both of those are actually like me being a person who's losing touch with reality. I thought that was going to be, you know, my thing. Uh, but there's not that many projects. Uh I, you know, as a young actor, and those being like my first two leads in a short film, I was like, there must be tons of movies like this, but there's not as many as I thought. Uh, because I don't know, there's something about that, that uh that genre was really fun. But nobody will probably ever get to see those, uh, unfortunately. But with stuff that's been released, uh I did this movie a few years ago, The Sticks, where I play uh a plainclothes detective. Uh I'm not a huge role in it, but I'm a I'm a big, big enough supporting role. But uh I I just felt like it was the first time that I I didn't impress at all. I was just like, I'm enough for this role, and I brought a lot of myself to the role. Uh, because you know, as actors, we like especially as character actors, because I mean, we're all character actors. I sure we like to experiment, we like to feel something else, but I was like, I don't I don't think I need to in this one, and I felt that like that led to just a really grounded performance, and uh uh there was actually a lot of this leads to a story that uh because uh the director is also the guy that directed is directing the uh indie faith-based show that I'm in right now, uh Jeron Lockridge. And I'm gonna tell this story just to tell how awesome this guy is as a director. Bring it. Because uh the last two days of my character filming, the lat uh the sat we were filming on a Saturday, and we were on the last scene for my character for that day. It's like a big fight scene, like we're coming in uh trying to arrest this guy. And we get to one of the scenes where like it's just a simple, we're standing there, we run into the house, we're gonna cut, and then we'll go inside later. But whenever I run in, I thought uh my scene partner, my partner, I thought he like kicked me in the leg. I was like, oh man, you just kicked my leg. What are you doing? He's like, I was way over here. Uh so turns out uh partially tore my Achilles. Is it was awful. Uh Jeron did a great job. Uh he had to completely redo everything on the fly. Because I mean, I really couldn't walk without a terrible limp. Yeah. Uh but he came up with safe ways because I I refused to not go on, because that's just who I am, whether it be stupid or not. Like, and it kind of was on my end, on my health, but like I really, really love this character. So I was like, I'm not gonna just like disappear at the beginning of this scene. So we found ways for me to get through that day. Uh, but then like you know, afterwards I go to Walmart. I can't even like walk, like I have to try to find a cart because I can't walk. Like my leg is messed up. So I go and get some I can't remember what the ointment is. It's one of those pain-relieving ointments.
SPEAKER_03:And Icy hot or something.
SPEAKER_01:It was something like that. Uh, but like a more expensive version. Like biofreeze. Biofreeze. That's it. The expensive good stuff. The good because it was I was like, I can't do this. And then I just went and got like some bottled waters so I could throw them in the freezer and have ice packs because I was in Airbnb. I didn't have anything with me. So I do that. I iced up my leg. I've thrown biofreeze on, I'm throwing down like Tylenol and ibuprofen just to get through the night. And he texts me, he's like, dude, luckily, the next scene, I was in one more scene in the film, or yeah, in the movie, and it was the next day. Uh, and my character technically didn't have to come back because my character gets hurt in the film. Not the same injury, but he gets hurt in the film. Ironically enough, that's where my character gets sidelined in the film, and then he comes back at the end. But he was like, hey man, if you can't walk, don't worry about it. Like, I can rewrite, we can make this work, I'll still pay you for the day. That's the part like such a good guy, a good person. Like, and this is a guy who is making this art out of his own pocket. So, like, he doesn't, he's not getting this money from anyone else. So he is willing to pay me. And I was like, no, man, like my character needs closure, I'm gonna figure it out. And then he got the Airbnb guy to give me a late checkout, so I didn't have to leave until right before I needed to be to set. And I iced it down, bowel freezed all day. You see me limping in that last, even though my character had a concussion, you see me limping in that last scene, and that's me like doing the best I can to be upright, and then I didn't walk again for 10 weeks. Ooh. Because like it was I could like it was if my leg was down, the blood would rush, I could feel my heartbeat. It was like intense pain. The discolor I've I started taking pictures the first day, and then by like the third day, I was like, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to have surgery, so I don't want to take pictures anymore.
SPEAKER_00:Oh yeah, it was black, wasn't it?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it looked bad. Yeah, and I didn't have health insurance, so uh I was just I know a physical therapist and he told me what to check for. I was like, Yeah, no, when I'm doing the calf test, uh my foot's barely moving. That means it's still attached and it'll reattach, right? It's like it should, but you need to see a doctor, and I was like, Well, we'll see what happens. Luckily, yeah, it just took me being off of my leg for 10 weeks for me to be able to hobble around. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:But uh never torn an Achilles, but I've torn other things, so I I get it. That's that sucks.
SPEAKER_01:And it was awful. Uh and then you know, after after the fact, I'm like, man, I'm an idiot. I should have not I probably made it worse. Uh, but that's just also who I am. Like uh I I really like the character, and I really didn't want my character to not have the resolution. And now since Jeron has actually pivoted because he was he had a different production company he started, and now he's doing uh uh Christian ministry productions, I believe is the name. Uh uh, but so he's uh but that's his character, he's going more to where his heart is, so I don't think that there's gonna be a sequel to that anymore. So now in the future, I'm like, I'm so thankful that even with the pain that I did that because the character meant so much to me. Yeah. If I hadn't have gotten that closure, I think I would have regretted it for the rest of my life. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Looking back, I mean, 10 weeks is gonna be a small price to pay for that for that memory and for that reputation. We've talked about it before, about work ethic and about attitude, and both of those things get around in the industry. And when you have a strong work ethic, it people find out.
SPEAKER_01:I mean that's one thing I will say about myself is uh I don't think I'm ever gonna be outworked. People may be better than me, people may do a better job. I don't think that anyone I I'm not saying I'm gonna work harder, but I don't think I'm gonna be outworked by anybody because I'm going to work.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Because it's fun, but it's work.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah. That's one of the ones that we won't be able to see that it's in festivals.
SPEAKER_01:No, no, that one is. It's on, I believe you can buy it on Amazon. You can watch it on Tubi, maybe, if you're into ads and free. Uh so no, you can watch that one. You give us links and we'll share those. What's it called? Uh the sticks. S-T-I-X. I will. I'll send you links afterwards.
SPEAKER_03:So the ones that we can't see, did you get your footage for the real for your reel?
SPEAKER_01:Uh on one of them. And uh I don't look like that person, so I can't really use it anymore, unfortunately. But it is, I guess technically I do have a copy of the movie because the guy sent me a whole copy of the movie, and I could just throw it on YouTube if I want, but I have ethics and morals, so I'm not going to do that.
SPEAKER_03:But I wanna I have a bunch that I can't share with people, but they said you can use this for your reel, you know, on actors access.
SPEAKER_01:So yeah, I I look he allowed me to do that, but again, I wouldn't breach trust and ever like post the full thing. Right. Uh even if I want to, because I think that people would be like, Wow, he's a better actor than I thought. Because I have, I mean, uh, I mean, I'm not going to lie. The biggest thing I ever did, I felt like I oppressed. Is the minute you wake up dead, it's got Morgan Freeman and Jamie Alexander and them. Like, I feel like I pressed. I don't think it's my best work. Uh uh, people tell me they like it, but I feel I think I could have been more grounded. I think I could have done better. Uh again, I really do think that some of that comes to I was on my first big set and was like don't mess up.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah. And you're gonna be your hardest critic.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I I there's one scene that honestly I can't watch. Uh I can't watch because I feel like I just went too far. Uh the rest of it's not terrible, but I I counterweight it on the one scene. So I'm just like, what was I doing? Why did the director not be like, could you like not do that?
SPEAKER_03:And then you just remember what the director said. You don't even know when you look at the footage, that's all you see. Oh, that's what he told me not to. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Well, I mean, like Brian said, we're our worst, our own worst critics, but if you feel like you press too much on it, maybe that'll give you a baseline now of okay, up to this point and not any further. I I'm still trying to find that boundary on the on the other side of things and maybe push a little bit more and let go a little bit more. And with each one I do, I let go a little bit more, but I still haven't fully, I don't think, let go. Maybe a couple times.
SPEAKER_01:You know, and and honestly, it took me a little while because I overcorrected after that in auditions. And it probably took me like eight months to like feel like I could allow myself to let go again. And the first audition that I did that I let myself, I think it was I can't even remember what it was, but uh, it was probably a year after that. Uh like I was like, me and my wife, she read it with me, and I did a good job on the scene. I was like, I kind of want to do one that's crazy, just let loose. And after I did it, like she was crying a little bit and like scared. And I was like, oh wait, I just affected you that way, you know me better than anybody. And now you're like kind of shaking, you're scared, and there's tears coming out of your eyes because of what I just did, and I got pinned. I didn't get that, but then that was a good reminder like, yeah, there's a time to be reserved, there's a time to just let yourself go. And if you get two takes, do one reserved and do one where you let yourself go. But if you only get one take, you have to like judge.
SPEAKER_00:I always struggle. Yep. You were talking about the not having the vision to create the world in your head. Sometimes I struggle with that with a variation, but it also depends on the characters. I uh I tend to get a lot of these either just you know, redneck awful, terrible people that said some awful things that challenges my faith to have to say some of the stuff that I say in some auditions, and my wife reads with me, and it's the same for her. And I have been in not uh it's not as bad now as it was a state of overcorrection because of the community that I grew up in that in the military and the the world that I was used to, you had to be reserved. You didn't share your feelings, you didn't show personality, and I I I stayed in overcorrection for so long that it took a while, and I'm still I'm still trying to work toward that. I don't know. Tell me how what do you do? How do you resolve uh with your faith uh some of those roles, some of those uh rougher characters?
SPEAKER_01:Well the way that I get to it because honestly, this year the only thing that I've played uh that I've been cast as uh is like an abuser. You know, like abusing child, abusing the wife. That's all I've gotten this year. And like uh it's hard, uh because you know, I really don't want to be seen like that, and I don't want that to be the first thing that a casting director thinks of when they see me. I'll do it, but the way that I get around it is uh I did this commercial a few years ago, and I was telling uh this girl that I had uh it was something that I had self-submitted to because I was like, this this will be fine, because it was like I think it was hinted at in the listing that they were P Do. But then when I got the script for the audition, I was like, I can't do it. Like I this is too much. And the thing she told me was, well, somebody's gotta do it. You're not that person. Uh what you're doing is you're reflecting a story that will need to be told that can help someone, so sometimes you gotta get out of your way. And you know, I was like, maybe not for this role, but I think that's kind of the mindset that I've had to take on to do some of the stuff that you know aren't necessarily the roles that I would choose for myself, but also you know, know how I look. So I know that that's the kind of stuff that's gonna get offered to me. So yeah. Like uh, because the TV show, uh, I can say like the guy is very verbally abusive. Uh it's called House for the Broken. It should come out sometime next year. It'll be an independent release. He's he's an alcoholic, he's he's abusive, but for me, the only way that like I can really get there is for knowing why.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And that I'm the deconstructionist, like I said, so like I have to break down like why is he like that? And you know, there's one offhanded line mentioned that like his mom had died, and he hasn't like gotten there since. I'm like, that makes sense. This guy's not a bad guy, he just doesn't know how to process his emotions. Yeah, so I can try to lean into that and not because if it was like making him like a mustache twirling villain, just like going to beat, but like I can't do that. Like I I can't. And if someone tried to direct me that way, I wouldn't be able to do it. Because, like, I need to find a reason why this person would be doing this. Because you know, if you're playing someone like that, it needs to be justified, and you need to think that in the moment you're doing something, it's what you should be doing. Yeah, but even if that's not how you are, so you just have to find that why. And that's really because I mean I I've played a lot of characters like that, because when I was in college, uh, I did I went through and did theater, you know, I was kind of always the guy playing the the bad guy, but I would always find a reason why he was that way, and he's not a bad guy, he's just making bad choices. And I think that's the difference, is like finding a reason to make them making bad choices, but not a bad person.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Yeah, that's that's a really really solid way to look at it. Anne Mahoney told me one time, and it really stuck with me when she said it don't judge the character. And it's the very thing that you just said. They there's a reason that they're that way. And you're right, the story the story has to be told. I mean it's Gotta be somebody that does it. There has to be there there wouldn't be Star Wars without Darth Vader, right? Somebody has to play the bad guy. Sometimes that bad guy is the worst of the worst to highlight other, you know, good things.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and and sometimes it's something that, again, you personally, because I know exactly what you're talking about with a lot of the racist characters and stuff too, like Hillbilly Racist, because I get a lot of those too. Me too. And those those scenes when they want you to say that word. Yeah. You're like, man, no, I don't want to.
SPEAKER_00:Like like I I yeah, I know. And I I try to use limit that stuff, especially when I'm running lines and rehearsing it until I have to.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. No, same, because it feels dirty. And it does. It's even though I know it's for a role, it still feels and that's probably like the way I look at it is my like core feeling. I don't think I've been able to get to the point to where I can compartmentalize that and make that person a good person. That's one of the reasons why I'm never booking those roles. Yeah. It's because like I try, and again, I think superficially the take is okay. But I think casting directors for the most part can also see through you. Uh that's their job. Uh, so I think they can see something in your face, you might be a little uncomfortable with what you're doing. And if you're doing that, you can't be uncomfortable with it.
SPEAKER_00:I I uh oh man, you just you just hit a nerve in a good way, an accurate way. I had one of those, a racist guy not long ago, and the words were there, and the words were believable, but my son my teenage son watched it, he's like, I can your eye uh actually he was reading with me. My wife normally reads, but she wasn't available, so I had my son read with me, and he said, I didn't believe your eyes. In those parts, in those moments when I had to make the racist comments, he he said he didn't believe me. And I'm like, hmm, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:No, and that's hard, that's the hard thing. And see, I'm not there yet on stuff like that. Like, because there are still lines for me, just like that uh Chris Hansen movie that uh I've we probably all got auditions for it. There was one of the roles, again, I can't talk too much about it because it hasn't come out yet, but it was a real life situation and it was some really disgusting stuff, and I tried my best, but I was like, man, this is really disgusting. Like so I'm sure that there was some of that on my face because I couldn't get past it. Like I I I tried, I tried, I did my best, but sometimes sometimes, but for like stuff like this, I don't know why I can do it with with like being an abusive guy, but I can't do it with being a racist guy. But uh I think maybe that's a good thing.
SPEAKER_03:Like I'm about to say, because you're a good person. Our friend Jim Vest was he was doing background, and he is not racist, and the character was, and he was talking, he folds origami dollars, so he makes friends everywhere he goes. So he's talking to one of the the celebrities, one of the stars, and he's man, I'm having trouble with this, I'm having trouble. And she goes, That's why you need to do it. Just like I was saying, you're bringing this story to life, so it's important. So I think as long as it's not a flippant, I guess you could do it for comedy. I don't think I could. You know what I mean? It's an important story, yeah. So, um, and also no villain thinks he's the villain of the story, he thinks he's the hero. Yeah, you know, think about Lex Luthor. Yeah, yeah. Sure, he's doing it to make money, but he's stopping Superman because that alien is gonna take over the world, and he sees you know, and he'll do whatever it takes, especially this last movie. So it's finding that background, that I had to say motivation, but but I mean you're right.
SPEAKER_01:Because I I played Edmund in King Lear before, and it's it's the same thing. He's like, he's a despicable person, but I was like, yeah, no, it's really stupid that you know he was born of a woman whenever the guy wasn't married, and now he gets nothing, and the other brother gets everything. That is pretty stupid. Uh so like I can I don't think that what he does and how he pretty much makes a demise of so many people in doing it, I don't think that that's good, but I can find the reasoning and why he's upset. Uh so no, like I I I agree with you because that that's the one thing that I've done that I can feel like, yeah, no, he's totally super villain. He he's like, uh, and you could play him like but no, like he he's just a guy and he feels like everything isn't fair, which you know, for the most part it isn't. Uh yeah, and it's how you deal with that. But you know, it's like you said with Lex Luthor, like you can see why in his brain he's like, no, this is like there's an alien taking over, guys. Like, what are you talking about? We gotta stop this. That makes sense.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it does. Man, I wish I had your accent. I just did one and they wanted a a Tennessee accent, but they also didn't want any, you know, forced accents. And I lost a lot of my Southern accent when I left for the military because I was right at that age where it wasn't really fully solidified yet. And where I was in California, it wasn't like now if you go somewhere and you have a southern accent, they're like, Oh, I love your accent. Where I was, they're uh you get made fun, you heal Billy, you get made fun of, you know, and you kind of I kind of dialed it down a little bit, and it just never fully came back.
SPEAKER_01:Well, I don't know. If it makes you guys feel any better, my accent only really comes out whenever I'm comfortable. So that speaks well to you guys. Well, thank you. Because I have trained myself out of it too. Like if I'm in a neutral setting, like uh for the most part, I can go to my Midwestern accent and just, you know, but I'm just comfortable. So I'm just I'm just letting it flying.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I can I can slip into it a little bit, just not different dialects, you know. Not, you know, there's I can hear it. I can hear Tennessee, I can hear Georgia. Oh man, you can hear that.
SPEAKER_01:I'm not I'm not good at changing the dialects. I just do what comes natural to me if they ask for it. Uh and like, give me Texas Southern. I'm like, I'm just gonna do what I can do. I'm not gonna try to do Texas Southern uh because that is an expertise. Uh I don't I I'm decent with some foreign accents, but like uh when you break down the American accents, I don't have any training in that. Uh yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Whenever I have to do something, I I I call Brian, I'm like, hey, I need help with this accent. He's got some he's got some hints, courses, some tips that he gives me some he gives me some some tips and some tricks. And I I did one one time. It was actually a faith-based project, and it was for Caiophas, and they wanted a a Hebrew sounding accent, and I worked on it and worked on it. I did the Yiddish the Yiddish tapes and I worked on it. I just couldn't I couldn't stay in it. I I could stay in it for maybe a sentence or two. The words were just too difficult and it was too much. And at that point, it was still auditioning was still a really new process for me, and I'm like, uh I I could do maybe a sentence of it and stay in it, but the rest of it I just kept slipping back out of it. And I on top of that, my skin tone wasn't really right for the project. And I I know that I didn't have the right look, but it was I mean, it was a fun audition. I just I couldn't stay in it. I yeah, I did a project last year where I had to do an Irish accent, and Brian helped me in with that one as well. That one I was able to stay in, and I I don't know if you've ever been to sea or roller skating, like when you get off a ship and you have the sea legs for a day or two afterwards, or roller skating, you can still feel like you're skating. That's kind of what was happening with that Irish accent. Uh for a couple of days, I kept it kept slipping out. Not all the time, but some things, some of the words kept slipping out.
SPEAKER_01:I feel that way if I have to if I have to study any of the like uh European or uh Slavic kind of dialects, like it it stinks for a little while. Like I can't I can't break it. And sometimes my wife thinks that I'm being silly and I'm like, nah, like my brain's just wired right now. It's just in a couple of weeks.
SPEAKER_00:I get it. I get it. I could see you playing a you know a Russian or Armenian heavy.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I I I've uh I was about to try to slip into it, but I haven't done it in a while, so I don't want to look bad.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, no, it's all good.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, so I have done that, uh not got cast, but I mean I've been pinned a couple times as Russian guy, so that is one of my one of my things.
SPEAKER_00:So go ahead, Brian.
SPEAKER_03:I was gonna say we've talked about a certain role that I got where I play at Cajun, which I have to keep my mouth shut for till about summer, so it's hopefully won't be too long to wait. But I had it pretty good, and I could, you know, I can get into it. But maybe as a day it slipped into my normal, but Cajun to yet is not too bad, so I'm not that worried about it. But I also had some straight French, and I have a friend, well, she's been on the podcast, uh my known, and I asked her to r sound out each word of the sentence, but then do the sentence make it flow because I did a movie uh called Shattered Justice and they had Spanish lines. I'm a gringo in South America, so it's not like we were trying to make me something else. And my friend, he did that and he broke up the words to make sure that I could do it, and I had it, except I couldn't make it flow. Every time I got it. Ba ba-bah, bah ba. And I'm like, no, I want to do like my brain couldn't make that leap. So I learned from that.
SPEAKER_01:And then for this one, now that that's many things, but that's a good point because how you practice is how you're gonna do it. Yeah, I try to take that into like whenever I'm rehearsing anything, like I try to not do it the same way because I know I'm gonna get stuck in that rhythm. So I do anything. I'd be like, okay, now I'm gonna come over here and like cook, and I'm gonna do them while I'm cooking, and all right, now I'm gonna be eating something while I'm doing it, because that's gonna throw the whole rhythm off. Uh like I try to do that because you're 100% right. If you practice something the same way, it's so hard to break.
SPEAKER_00:And it makes it harder to do that second take different. Absolutely. Because you're you're used to those beats and you're used to doing it and uh eyelines and doing yep, I get it.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. That's a great point.
SPEAKER_00:That's actually probably one of the best tips I've heard about acting is is that that and Austin Nulty told me not long ago on a film project to cry. Someone told him to pinch your eyebrows together. And he said, try it. And I did it, and I could you I could start feeling that emotion well, and I'm like, wow, that is wild. That's crazy. Squint your eye pinch your eyebrows together. And and he was right. It I mean, I'm real happy right now, so I can't I can't I can't do it right this minute.
SPEAKER_01:But no, I I I was so close to being like, I almost did that too.
SPEAKER_00:Because I think it I think it maybe it evokes that emotion, like when you're sad, when you're upset, you you kind of you know, you have that squinty look, and I don't know. I may I guess it triggers something. That's what I'm saying.
SPEAKER_01:But I mean it makes sense because like the uh like when I was in college, you know, we took so many different kinds of classes. Uh but like body language is a thing. Like if you want to feel sad, like hunch over and like start covering up your chest and cover your heart a little bit, and like even just minor shifts, you could do it right now, and you could feel the difference in your body, you know. Like if you feel you open up, you open up your chest, you feel lighter, and you feel like body language is insane because it does your brain is so in tune with your body, and it's stuff that we don't really think about. Uh, but I do obviously, because like I said, deconstructionist, I will deconstruct it probably too far.
SPEAKER_00:No, that's man, that is brilliant.
SPEAKER_03:Well, so we were just talk talking about it, and I felt I was like, oh my god, right. Um I wanted to go back to the accent stuff. If it's a different language and you don't know it, make sure you have the translation also.
SPEAKER_02:Yes.
SPEAKER_03:So that you know what the words mean. So it it's not just tie it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so you can tie it together. Because yeah, if you don't know what it means, then you're just talking.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah. For emotion. I haven't, thank you. I haven't cried on cue. I never tried, never really been able to. And you another pro tip we've all heard don't force it. So if you're in a scene, we want you to cry. If you're not crying, just feel what you feel because it it comes out so fake. So anyway, um, but I want I love NYPD blue. And I've I've been watching it on Hulu. Now I gotta watch it. It's like a live stream, yada yada yada. And I'm watching it, and they keep hitting me with such strong emotions, I keep crying. But what what I try to do, remember that moment, say, okay, it starts in my nose, and then my eyes are fire, you know what I mean? Like feel those feelings. You can't force those feelings.
SPEAKER_01:You have to feel them.
SPEAKER_03:But like you were saying, pressing the nose, I know where it starts. So from what I hear, that's another step down, you know, getting closer to finding your cues. But notice the physicality of it like that.
SPEAKER_00:I've got a few. I've got a few. I can think if I hear, I can I will do this while I'm running the lines, while I'm learning my stuff and breaking it down. That way when I hear it, then I'm reminded of the emotion I felt that's tied to that scene. And hearing taps, reveling, you know, the flag coming down in the evening, the national anthem in some settings, Amazing Grace on Bag Bagpipes. There's a few different things that I can I can hear, and there's a couple of them that I can think of, and instantly I start feeling that sometimes it's not as sad, sometimes it's a prideful yeah. No, you know, that sounds bad.
SPEAKER_01:Actually, like a thank you for that, because I've always just done it with picture. Uh, but I almost started crying just thinking of a couple of those things. Yeah. Cause I've never even thought about adding the sound to it. So you just like leveled me up. So thank you so much, TJ.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Wow.
SPEAKER_00:So and it and obviously in the moment in the scene, you can't be thinking about whatever music or taps or revelation or whatever gets you to that. But remembering whatever sad emotion, you know, that is from the funeral of a service member that died, you know, that you tie that emotion to whatever the emotion of the scene is. You may not have ever experienced whatever's going on there, but you have to find a way to relate it. And I don't know.
SPEAKER_01:No, absolutely.
SPEAKER_03:I've heard you could also have your playlist so cut. Put those headphones on and you know, just stay, okay, take it off. Action. Yeah, no, that so whatever it takes to keep you that I guess you don't want to be super sad in between takes, but you can't go, okay, or like if you're uh I don't want to say molesting, but even just uh predatory against a person. You can't go after they cut and hug your victim. You know what I mean? I'm not saying you have to, you know, hate the person, but that's too much. You know what I mean? You've got to kind of stay in it and then maybe at the end of the day, you know.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Definitely at the end of the day.
SPEAKER_00:Not full not full method, but a little a little bit. Just to stay in the emotion.
SPEAKER_01:The the only time that I don't do that though is if I'm working with kids. Uh because I work that that worries me. Uh yeah. Because you know, kids are impressionable. Because like both both of the ones that I've done recently, there's a kid on set, and I felt like it's it's my responsibility as the person who's because they're they're actually being abused. You know, like it's my responsibility in between takes to make sure they're okay.
SPEAKER_00:Sure.
SPEAKER_01:And and to cut it off. And it makes my job harder, to be honest. Yeah. Like you're saying, because like if it was just grown-ups, that's exactly how I handle it. But with when there's a kid on set, I I don't want to do damage. Yeah. Because I know that they're signed up for it, but they actually can't make that choice by themselves. They don't know what they're actually getting into. Because like I said, it's actually if you're in the scene, you're actually and you're being authentic. You're like, even if it's just verbal, not like physical abuse, but like you're you're abusing them. So that is my only caveat to that. Is if there's kids involved, I I personally can't do that. Yeah. Because I I just super protective. Uh I mean, I think you can tell that's just kind of like who I am. Like, I don't want I don't want those kids to like think because like with the House for the Broken TV show, like the girl was actually really nervous because like she didn't want me to yell at her and stuff. So I felt like I really needed to be her friend, you know, when the camera wasn't rolling, because I could tell that she was nervous. This last one I did this week, uh, and I think this her this is her first thing that she's ever done. These guys, uh these kids were they're they're pros. They've done it a little bit more. So there could be a little bit more distance while we were shooting, you know, but like still just check in on I still had to check in on them between takes just because Did you have an intimacy coordinator on onset on that project? Uh no, on either one. There was uh like a fight choreographer like kind of stuff to like make sure everything any time something got physical was safe. But there wasn't anything for the intimacy aspect of it. And again, that's why I felt very, very imperative that it like it fell on me. Yeah. To as the person who's acting with them to make sure that you're like, hey, it's okay, we're friends. This isn't real, it's gonna feel real, and it's gonna not feel good, but we're friends.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. That's it. It's a good thing that you did that you do that. Yeah. Do I bro?
SPEAKER_03:Uh I I had a movie I had booked where I was gonna be the abuser, but it wasn't gonna be It would be it was gonna be implied. So it the scene would have been all everybody friendly. But I had the thoughts like you're saying, and it's like, hmm. And we've talked about staying in it, but I wanted to protect the kid. I I wonder how much is like in the morning talk to the parent. This is my plan, and let them take that. Yeah. Unless it's a a very yelly or very abusive scene, and then at the end of the day, but I don't I haven't had to deal with that yet. So I agree with you, and then I just wonder what would help.
SPEAKER_01:No, no, because there is there are ways, uh, like you're saying, uh, to where it definitely doesn't have to be on you. And I don't think that my way is necessarily the right way. Because like I said, it does make it more difficult on me as as the actor. Because then I have to reset and get back. Uh but I think that's just uh uh because no, it I mean it's not technically my job to do that, because my job is to deliver in the scene, and I completely hear you. Uh, and I don't disagree with what you're saying. Uh it probably sounds like I do, but I don't. Uh, because like I see both, I see both sides. I six, seven. I see both sides.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, I agree. I'm the same way.
SPEAKER_01:But I'm five-six, so not but like yeah, I I I get it. Uh that's just uh, I think more me coming out uh and something that I'm not sure that I can turn off. Maybe under the right circumstances, I probably could. Uh you know, like if there is intimacy coordinator or something that can take on that role. Uh but whenever you're in a smaller, a smaller set. So I I don't know. I I I think you're totally right.
SPEAKER_00:I I agree. I I feel like I haven't been in that situation, but knowing me, I would want to make sure that they were okay too. I yeah, I mean, I just kind of have a tender heart for kids. Yeah. And I don't I don't want to see them get hurt, you know.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, my my parents were divorced and you know, single mom, and the days that she worked, she's working 12s. So I mean, I had to help take care of my brother. So I grew I grew up with that nurturing aspect. I mean, I wasn't always a good brother. I'm not gonna act like I was, but you know, like that is that's a role I took on really early, and I think that that you know shaped me as a person. So I do have that like I want to take care of people. Like that's just kind of who I am at the core. So I actually don't even know if I would turn it off or be able to at this point, but in certain situations, I think I should be able to, and that's something for me to work on, like again, in the right situation.
unknown:Sure.
SPEAKER_01:If there's because there were parents on set for the one that I did this week, uh, but I I think I was still so on the other situation.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Uh which the in the other situation, uh, her stepdad is in the crew, so there was still parent there, but still, I don't know. She was so nervous, I think, that that had me feeling like I needed to over-correct the situation, and I think I carried that into the next project because I'm like, I just need to take care of these babies.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, I think you're totally right. Because there's also stage parents who would not care.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, no, there are, I mean, there are. I think the ones the ones this week that I met, they did seem to care, uh, which was good. But no, you're right. I mean, you gotta you gotta judge the situation by what's there, but still, I don't know that I would be able to turn it off because it's just who I am.
SPEAKER_03:Like uh Ashley Landry told us it's all make-believe and everybody gets to go home safe. Yeah, you know, and that's I don't know if that's first or second goal. Let's call it first because that's the way it should be, but you know, the getting getting the scene right after safety after safety after emotional health. Yes, that's number one.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. Actually, I uh directed this music video for my brother uh on one of his songs, and we put my nephew in it, and he was like for weeks going up into it, he was like uh practicing crying whenever I was visiting because there's a scene where he needed to cry. And then when we got to the day, uh you know, his dad said something that he's never because my my brother is like the most loving, the best dad ever. I don't think he's ever yelled at him. He's ever like, I mean, he's stern when he has to be, but like just really, really good dad. And he was like, he just said something like, Hey, you don't need to do that. I'm busy. And he like really started crying. We were like, Oh, buddy, buddy, no, no, we're just playing. Uh so like again, I think that also like I don't want anybody to feel bad. And then he, you know, was okay after like a couple of seconds, but he was like, No, but the tears are here, so please roll. I want them to see me cry. Which I also was like, that's really cool. That like you felt something, but then you were able to be like, hey, oh no, wait, yeah, this isn't real. Please, I wanted to cry, so get me on get me on camera and show me crying.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, John. It's been great talking with you.
SPEAKER_01:Been great talking to you guys.
SPEAKER_03:And we went longer than we usually do. We are in the holiday season. And we didn't get to talk about it much, but Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Hope you have a happy new year. And let's end it with one one more question. Yeah. If Santa could bring you your dream rule, what would you find in your stocking on Christmas morning? What kind of booking?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I actually have a very specific dream role that I'm about to age out of. Uh, and it is uh uh I've gotten to do it on stage. Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night, Jamie Tyrone. I would love to play that on film. I don't see it happening because it's a four and a half hour play, and you can't cut any of it. So it's it would be hard for it to be made. But if I could do that again and do it on film so it's there forever and it doesn't get lost to the ether, that would be my dream. Please, Santa. Please, Santa, find the budget, find the people, put me in this, Santa. That's all I'm asking for. I'm a true believer. I believe you're out there. Do this for me, Santa. I've been a good one.
SPEAKER_00:They could make it a two-parter. They can make it a two, like yeah, or you can make it a media. Yeah, right?
SPEAKER_01:Because there's five acts. There could be five episodes.
SPEAKER_00:Five episodes, one act.
SPEAKER_01:You just solved the problem. Thanks, Santa.
SPEAKER_03:When Netflix makes a binge series, they drop it all at once.
SPEAKER_01:Let's do it. Somebody out there, please hear this and throw me in it. I promise. I already still remember the four hours of lines.
SPEAKER_03:So, like nice, half of it's fun. If Santa doesn't do it, you'll just have to do it your elf.
SPEAKER_01:That's a puns. It's a play of words.
SPEAKER_03:And with that, we're gonna let you go, folks, because I I can hear you groaning at my jokes now. I'm laughing.
SPEAKER_00:I know. John, thank you so much for joining us. You have given us some brilliant insights. You have given me some incredible hacks that I absolutely plan to implement in my own technique. So thank you for coming on. Thank you for sharing a little bit of your world with us.
SPEAKER_01:Oh no, thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_00:Really great seeing you again.
SPEAKER_01:Hey, great to see you again. Great to see you for the first time, Brian. And I'm I'm always game to come back.
SPEAKER_00:Cool, awesome.
SPEAKER_03:Let's just say I've started to have some ideas for a we're looking to expand things to do on the podcast and talk to you. I have some ideas, so we'll see. All right. We'll see. All right. 2026. Let's go. Maybe even 2027.
SPEAKER_00:Let's go. Six seven. No, sir.
SPEAKER_03:I had to do it. Later, folks.
SPEAKER_00:See ya.
Podcasts we love
Check out these other fine podcasts recommended by us, not an algorithm.
