Taron Egerton, Jensen Ackles, Eric Dane; 'Smoke' cast; 'Countdown' cast

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In this episode of pop Culture Weekly, Jensen Apples is on,

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Eric Dane from Countdown, Taron Egerton in the cast of

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Smoke on Apple TV Plus, and so much more.

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Let's go.

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Welcome to pop Culture Weekly with Kyle McMahon from iHeartRadio

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your pop culture news, views, reviews and celebrity interviews on

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all the movies, TV, music, and pomp culture U Crab Weekly.

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Here's Kyle McMahon.

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Nett ne it Net, Hello and welcome to pop Culture

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Weekly with Kyle McMahon. I, of course and Kyle McMahon

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and we have got an absolutely stacked episode of pop

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Culture Weekly. So I hope you've got your streaming passwords

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memorized because we're diving headfirst into two of the buzziest

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shows of the summer, Countdown on Prime Video and Smoke

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on Apple TV Plus, both really great thriller series. And

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I'm really really excited about that. First up, you know,

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I'm always you know, I spend my fourth of July

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in Washington, d C. For a Capitol Fourth, which is

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an incredible annual special that airs on pds, and you

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may have caught that I had the exclusive reveal of

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the lineup this year and it is awesome dance floor

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legend himself, Alfonso Robero returns as hosts for this year's broadcast.

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It's its forty fifth year and there's something for everyone

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with the performers Yolanda Adams, Gospel Queen and Anti Anti

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Yolanda Anti Yo, Abby Carter American Idol Season twenty two winner,

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Grammy winning chart topping larn Daegel low Cash is going

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to be bringing the summertime country bops, the Beach Boys,

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and the Temptations to legendary bands will be gracing the

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Capitol fourth stage. Trombone Shorty is performing and country crooner

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Josh Turner will be performing as well. And as always,

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the National Symphony Orchestra, led by Jack Everley, will be

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providing the soundtrack for this patriotic celebration. And because it

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is more than just about the music, there will be

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some incredible tributes to the people and the stories that

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make America America. There'll be a two hundred and fiftieth

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anniversary salute to the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps with

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an Armed Forces medley and a full color guard, So

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that's going to be great. World War Two's eightieth anniversary

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tribute honoring members of the Greatest Generation First Responders recognition,

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and of course that jaw dropping fireworks finale with the

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biggest and best fireworks in the country. So you can

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watch live Friday July fourth at eight pm Eastern on PBS,

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PBS's YouTube, and PBS dot org, with an encore presentation

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immediately following at nine point thirty. And if you already

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have plans, you will want to watch it on demand

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from July fourth through July eighteenth, so you'll be able

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to watch it.

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On YouTube, PBS dot org.

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And on your on demand. So I'll be there as

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always interviewing the talent, and we'll have an episode coming

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out the morning of July fourth with all my interviews

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with all of the cast, so be sure to tune

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in and look for that. All right, First up, buckle

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up for Countdown on Prime Video. Countdown is an explosive

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edge of your seat thriller from the Chicago Fire creator

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Derek has So we're talking like ticking clocks, impossible choices,

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and a crazy stack cast that includes Jensen Acles, Eric Dane,

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Jessica Camacho, Violet Bean, Juli Latsukifu, and Elliott Knight and yes,

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you know. I asked everything from secrets to survival to

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how it was on set. Then later things get even

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more smoky, literally with Smoke, the intense new Apple TV

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Plus series from the brilliant mind of Dennis Lee Haynes,

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who's done Mystic River and Shutter Island, two of my

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favorite movies ever. This one. Smoke has got Taron Egerton,

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Journey Smolley, Greg Kanear, Rafe Spaal and niare Moinna burning

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up the screen and Smoke is gritty, It's gripping, and

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somehow it manages to make even Greg kanear terrifying, which

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is pretty cool. So grab your popcorn, Aaron Haler, or

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maybe you know, vodka or water whatever, because we're jumping

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right in pop culture. Weekly starts right now. Countdown on

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Prime Video. Derek Coss He has brought us Chicago Fire, Chicago,

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p D Chicago Med and probably coming soon in Chicago,

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Bake Off.

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Well.

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Countdown is like uphulse pounding what would you do? Kind

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of series where the clock's against you and you never

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know who you can trust. I love it. It reminds

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me of like an updated version of twenty four and

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the cast is awesome. Jensen Ackles, who still somehow looks

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like a CW. Hart Throb and an ABC all at

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the same time, Eric Dane, Mike STEENI himself, and the rest.

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Of the cast.

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I talk with them all. The show is packed with tension, swagger,

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and very attractive people diffusing extremely complicated situations. So first

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up is Julie Let Tukifu and Elliott Knight. Julie has

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this presence on screen that basically says, do not mess

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with me, but his vibe in person is totally chill.

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He's really awesome. And the charming and sharp Elliot Knight,

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who brings some nuance intention to his role and Countdown.

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So let's jump right into my interview with them. Julie

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Let Tukifu and Elliot Knight, thank you both so much

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for speaking with me. I really appreciate it. Hey, nice

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to meet you. So first of all, congratulations on Countdown.

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It's really enjoyable. It's edge of your seat and I'm

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loving it. So congrats on that.

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Thank you.

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It's awesome to hear. Thank you, of course. So what,

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there's so much to the project. There's action you guys,

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you know, shot in La on location for a lot

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of it the writing, the other talent. What drew you

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to doing this?

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I think the uniqueness of the mix of all of

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those things, not as a cop out answer, but truly

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it's not that often that you get so many wonderful

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components coming together to make something original like that. And

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you know, Derek has a proven track record of being

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able to create beautiful dynamics of characters and stories that

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really draw people in. And I think that having a

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streaming home with Amazon is just a really exciting combination

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and it's made it really fun to be a path

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And how about.

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For you you, I mean, mate, I was born and

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raised in Australia, so kind of the opportunity to work

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in the City of Angels with you know, the industries

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was born.

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For me.

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That was a real special thing that I was really

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hoping would happen, and it happened, and the genre again

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and working with Derek proven trek record, as Elliott said,

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So it's all been a dream, Mate, I have to

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tell you.

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Well, it's it shows up on screen. So for both

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of you, you know, as as you were doing this,

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you know, I had asked some of your cast mates

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because it's just so fascinating to me like I would

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be fanboying out wanting to know what's next, you know, like,

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what's happening next in the story? Did either of you

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do that or did you take it script by script

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or like, what did you do?

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I read in advance just for my own sanity. Yeah,

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I kind of just understanding my personal arc by the

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end well as long as yeah, yeah, right, But but

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then took my approach when filming episode by episode because

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I didn't want to preempt anything or anything like that,

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but I did need to know for me that kind

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of what Derek was thinking about where he would end

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up and that kind of thing.

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And for sure, Yeah, I think you'd fit in if

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that's how you feel, because I definitely felt like that.

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It's exciting to find out what's going to happen, and

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every new script feels like a little treasure chest you

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get to open, not knowing what's going to be inside.

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Yeah. Oh that's good. I should have been saying that more.

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That's right, Yeah, that's good. That's I like treasure chests.

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But it does.

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It feels like that, not just about yourself obviously, but

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finding out where things are going to go, because he's

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really made a story that's so unpredictable. Yeah, so, yeah,

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you would not be out of place. It's it's easy

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to get excited.

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About and and then you know, you you filmed this

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a bit of go and now it's coming. You know,

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now it's here. Do you get that same excitement that

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you kind of had as you were filming now that

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this project that you work so hard on is being

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unleashed to the world or does it turn to nervousness

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or like what happens?

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I am I'm not nervous, but I'm I am. Yeah,

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I guess I'm excited because, you know, watching it back,

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I kind of get you get memories of where you

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shot things and who you're shooting with. That's always an

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important thing. I am quietly, quietly pumped for people to

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see it.

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I love that. How about you earlier?

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No, yeah, it's the way that this actually feels different

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for me. This is completely true. It was such a

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relaxed experience to enjoy doing this work, still caring about

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it and still bringing our all to it. But this

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feels like such a family energy around what we've done.

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I'm almost on the other side of being nervous or excited.

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I can't wait for people to see it. But I'm

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also just so proud of what we've done, and I

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fully believe in the fun that we created and what

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we've all done together, and anything else after that is

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a bonus for me. So I'm just I'm excited for

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anyone who does join us on this ride and enjoy

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the show like we have, because there's a lot more

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that we want to do, and hopefully I'm with you

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guys watching as well, we'll be able to do that.

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Awesome. I can't wait for it. Thank you both for

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speaking with me. I really appreciate it.

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Jui and Elliott.

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Great guys, very very sweet guys, and incredibly talented actors.

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All right, Next up, I chat with Jessica Camacho and

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Violet Bean. These two just own every scene that they're in,

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whether they're throwing punches or throwing shade. They bring the

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fire to count Down. Let's jump right into it. Jessica

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Camacho and Violet Bean, thank you both so much for

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speaking with me. I really appreciate it. Hi, how are you.

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I'm doing good? Thank you, and I'm loving Countdown. It

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is awesome, and so congratulations to both of you on that.

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Thank you, of course, So tell me about you know,

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obviously it's an it's an exciting series, and but what

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drew you to it?

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Was it?

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The script?

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Was it?

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The idea? Was it? You know what drew you to

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do in the project? I think it was a bit

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of all of it.

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I think, Yeah, I mean, the characters are awesome, They're

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all so uniquely themselves, and Los Angeles is like the

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fact that you would shoot here is so wild to

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me because so many shows don't, first of all, but

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also it's a show that takes place in La you know,

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it's not just going to be in a studio, and

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we were on location probably half half of the days

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every week, shooting in different neighborhoods. And yeah, I think

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just all the unique characters with such a big draw.

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For me, how about for you, Jessica, Like action thriller,

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you know what I mean? Just the exciting nature of that,

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getting to play in a world where the stakes are

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so high, everything's the need for resolution is immediate, it's now.

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And you know, how people show up when they're operating.

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In those stakes is fascinating to me.

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How they how the dire need to survive relies upon

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you know, your your skill set, your capability, your smarts,

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your intellect, your your intuition, relying upon each other, working together,

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you know, being part of a cohesive group of people

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who are tasked with this mission that has detrimental costs,

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you know if we don't succeed.

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So I just love all of that.

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The excitement inherent in all of that.

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Really pulled me.

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And then, yeah, I've been talking about this all day,

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reading the script in which the scene in which oliveris

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is introduced for the first time. It is such a

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delicious scene. I was picturing it immediately, and I was

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picturing myself and and I was like, well, I'm gonna

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play this.

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Just set it up in her room, and he was.

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A bit creepy.

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You know.

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I loved ones.

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I didn't know if I was a kid but that,

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you know, that first scene. I was like, she's so dynamic,

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there's so much to play with, And yeah, I was,

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I was in scene.

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Yeah I didn't, you know, until you just said that.

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It never really really dawned on me that, like, everybody

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is bringing kind of their own skill set. You know,

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mine would be obviously making peanut butter sandwiches, but it's important.

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Hey, not everybody can do that, you gotta eat.

244
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It's true, I'll keep the team fan But but as

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you're reading the script as you're shooting and all, I

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don't know in your particular cases, uh, if you know

247
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it was like sides or if you got the whole

248
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script or whatever, but were you kind of like fanboying over,

249
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like what's going to happen next?

250
00:14:09.240 --> 00:14:11.639
So when we when we auditioned, we only got the

251
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pilot right, yes, but then right after we or right

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before we started shooting, we actually had the privilege of

253
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reading all thirty if we wanted, if we wanted to,

254
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some people wanted to, some people did it. Sometimes we

255
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read like a couple episodes ahead. But that's crazy because

256
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you never get to know that. And I think I

257
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think we were both on the same side of like,

258
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I don't want to know too too far because we

259
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wouldn't know in real life where things are going to go.

260
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But it is helpful if there's some big character choice

261
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that you are making or want to make, that you

262
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get to know what's going to happen at the end.

263
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And it's very rare. Derek had already written all of

264
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them because he's crazy our show creator. He's like so talented,

265
00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:53.799
so he already knew everything, and that was that was

266
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fun to kind of know the general idea of where

267
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we were going.

268
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Yeah.

269
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I like to strike the balance between like knowing enough

270
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in order to play what I needed to play, but

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not knowing, you know, too much, so that I could

272
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I could still bring an element of surprise to her

273
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and alongside her, you know, as Amber's learning information, I

274
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want to be discovering that information as well. You know,

275
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you want to play the moment, not where they end up.

276
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So it's a balance.

277
00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:22.279
Yeah.

278
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Well I think you both balanced it beautifully. I can't

279
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wait for everybody to see the Countdown. Thank you both

280
00:15:27.679 --> 00:15:29.960
so much, Thank you so much.

281
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We appreciate it having I appreciate you you too, Jessica

282
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and Violent.

283
00:15:38.519 --> 00:15:43.039
All right, Last, but not least in our Countdown block,

284
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Jensen Acles and Eric Dane. Jensen the Man, the myth

285
00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:51.919
and the trench Coat legend and Mixsteini himself. Eric Dane,

286
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you loved him and Supernatural, you feared him in the Boys,

287
00:15:56.200 --> 00:15:58.960
and now he's back in Countdown as a man with

288
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a badge past and no time for nonsense. And Eric Dane,

289
00:16:04.399 --> 00:16:08.799
who has officially transitioned from mcsteeny to mister I will

290
00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:13.559
break you with my voice in Countdown. He brings serious

291
00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:16.519
weight and those intense eyes to a role that's going

292
00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:18.879
to keep you guessing. And I have a feeling you're

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gonna love it just as much as I did. Here

294
00:16:21.159 --> 00:16:28.559
they are Jensen Ankles and Eric Dane. Thank you both

295
00:16:28.600 --> 00:16:30.919
so much for joining me. I really appreciate it.

296
00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:33.399
You gonna hit us with some pop culture trivia because

297
00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:34.080
we're not prepared.

298
00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:39.600
No, no, and I wouldn't be prepared either, which all right,

299
00:16:39.879 --> 00:16:42.279
it's kind of typical for me anyway. But first of all,

300
00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:46.360
I love Countdown, and uh, it's it's such a great show.

301
00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:50.480
It's so exciting, edge of your seat, high stakes. What

302
00:16:50.759 --> 00:16:53.200
what drew you both to do?

303
00:16:53.279 --> 00:16:53.360
It?

304
00:16:53.279 --> 00:16:57.759
It all of what you just said, honestly, Like, uh,

305
00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:02.960
there was there was the heists, the action pack, the intensity,

306
00:17:03.080 --> 00:17:07.279
the fast paced. But you know, I'll speak for me,

307
00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:11.720
there was there was a there was a vulnerability to this,

308
00:17:11.880 --> 00:17:12.440
to this show.

309
00:17:12.519 --> 00:17:13.880
There was a heart to this show.

310
00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:14.680
Personality.

311
00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:16.960
There was a personality to the show. That's right, that's

312
00:17:17.000 --> 00:17:17.640
that's very good.

313
00:17:18.680 --> 00:17:22.319
That that it that I think it It really it

314
00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:26.000
made me want to care about these characters. In a

315
00:17:26.039 --> 00:17:28.799
way that I don't think you normally get with with

316
00:17:29.319 --> 00:17:32.960
a show like this. You want to you want to

317
00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:35.440
want you want to root for these people. You want

318
00:17:35.480 --> 00:17:38.400
to make them, you want to you know, you want

319
00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:40.359
to you want to hope that they succeed. You really,

320
00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:42.680
I don't know, there's they.

321
00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:46.319
It's there's the time enough invested so that you can

322
00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:48.079
as an audience invest correct.

323
00:17:48.200 --> 00:17:51.799
Yeah, And I think that that's we're hoping that that

324
00:17:51.799 --> 00:17:55.440
that's that's one of what's going to give us seasons two.

325
00:17:56.039 --> 00:18:03.440
Three, ten, fifteen, twenty. And that actually was something that

326
00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:06.279
was something I was going to ask you guys, was

327
00:18:06.440 --> 00:18:10.839
are there more Is there more room in the world,

328
00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:16.720
in this world for more stories? A hundred percent?

329
00:18:17.400 --> 00:18:21.960
Yeah, Derek's Derek's an absolute phenom of a writer. He's

330
00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:23.519
got stories for days up asleep.

331
00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:27.039
Yes, he has like forty seven different shows on the

332
00:18:27.079 --> 00:18:27.680
air right now.

333
00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:30.720
I think, yeah, Well, I mean it's a testament to

334
00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:31.240
who he is.

335
00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:32.960
And yeah, what he's capable of.

336
00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:37.079
And I think he's uh, I think he is proudly

337
00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:39.640
hanging his hat on this show as he should, because

338
00:18:39.799 --> 00:18:41.160
I think he's done a dynami job.

339
00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:45.440
Yeah, it really is a great show, and you know,

340
00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:47.359
and it's I feel like we don't have a lot

341
00:18:47.400 --> 00:18:49.559
of shows like this anymore. Like when I was a kid,

342
00:18:49.559 --> 00:18:52.039
remember twenty four, like had that, you know, that was

343
00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:54.119
kind of like an edge of your seat show for me,

344
00:18:54.359 --> 00:18:56.759
and I feel like we've been kind of missing that

345
00:18:56.960 --> 00:19:01.240
and Countdown brings it back, at least for me. Scratches

346
00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:01.920
that itch. You know.

347
00:19:02.039 --> 00:19:04.880
I don't know what we've been doing, but that is

348
00:19:04.920 --> 00:19:07.160
a great reference twenty four.

349
00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:09.920
Yeah, I've used. Yeah, that's a great reference.

350
00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:17.920
Yeah. I don't see the show as a throwback, but

351
00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:21.839
I do understand what you mean. And it's an elevated procedural.

352
00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:27.000
And like Jensen said, you get to invest in these

353
00:19:27.079 --> 00:19:32.559
characters because you get the time to care about them.

354
00:19:33.480 --> 00:19:37.119
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely, And I think everybody is going to

355
00:19:37.160 --> 00:19:38.599
I can't wait for everybody. I can't wait for it

356
00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:40.519
to come out so I can start talking to people

357
00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:42.880
about it because now I'm like, I can't talk to

358
00:19:42.920 --> 00:19:45.680
anybody about it yet. So one week, baby, one week,

359
00:19:45.880 --> 00:19:48.799
there we go. Thank you, Eric, and Jad said, I

360
00:19:48.839 --> 00:19:51.039
really really appreciate both of your time. I can't wait

361
00:19:51.079 --> 00:19:52.839
for everybody to see Countdown.

362
00:19:55.519 --> 00:19:56.799
Jensen and Eric.

363
00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:03.279
Love these two amazing talented actors love Countdown and I

364
00:20:03.319 --> 00:20:06.640
think you will too. It is streaming right now on

365
00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:09.960
Prime Video, so hit me up, let me know if

366
00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:12.160
you're watching it, let me know what you think. There's

367
00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:14.559
a lot to talk about with this one, so let's

368
00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:15.160
get to talking.

369
00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:17.359
All right, don't go anywhere.

370
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We're taking a quick sixty second break to pay the

371
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bills and to keep the lights on over here pop

372
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Culture Weekly. But when we come back, we're diving in

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just Smoke on Apple TV Plus with Taron Egerton and

374
00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:37.480
the rest of the cast. All right, thanks for hanging

375
00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:41.160
with me and supporting our sponsors who support me, that

376
00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:44.240
help me bring this show to you. So all right,

377
00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:48.319
let's talk about Smoke, Apple TV Plus's latest entry into

378
00:20:48.359 --> 00:20:52.279
the gritty crime drama that will emotionally wreck you in

379
00:20:52.359 --> 00:20:55.000
eight episodes. And I mean that in the best way possible.

380
00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:58.839
It is so good. This one comes from Dennis Lehane, who,

381
00:20:58.920 --> 00:21:05.000
let's be honest, doesn't write stories as much as emotional uppercuts,

382
00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:09.039
often with Boston accents. So if you've seen Mystic River Gone,

383
00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:12.839
Baby Gone, or Shutter Island, you know Dennis does not

384
00:21:12.960 --> 00:21:16.759
come to play Smoke is moody it's messy in the

385
00:21:16.799 --> 00:21:20.599
best way possible, and it's really magnetic. It stars Tarren Egerton,

386
00:21:20.640 --> 00:21:24.359
who somehow manages to look both dangerous and like he'd

387
00:21:24.440 --> 00:21:29.160
apologize for bumping into you at Starbucks, and Journey Smalay,

388
00:21:29.799 --> 00:21:32.960
Greg kinnear just the whole cast is giving emmy bait

389
00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:36.119
with a side of Oh no, I need therapy after

390
00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:38.880
this episode. It's that good. So I sat down with

391
00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:42.240
everybody to talk about the show. Let's get right into it.

392
00:21:42.400 --> 00:21:42.720
First.

393
00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:47.920
Up is actor Tayray and Winnen, whose performance in Smoke

394
00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:50.960
is so layered you'll be thinking about it long after

395
00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:51.720
the credits roll.

396
00:21:51.920 --> 00:21:57.039
Let's jump right into it. Here he is Tray and winning.

397
00:22:00.200 --> 00:22:02.359
Thank you so much and sorry for speaking with me.

398
00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:03.400
I really appreciate it.

399
00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:08.799
Thank you. Kyle Culcher, was that what's up? Pop culture?

400
00:22:10.119 --> 00:22:15.839
I'm loving Smoke. It is a really incredible series, and

401
00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:20.720
congratulations to you on that. So I was talking to

402
00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:26.160
Dennis earlier and Taren about the series, and I asked

403
00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:29.200
them what drew them to this, and I wonder the

404
00:22:29.240 --> 00:22:32.319
same with you, just because you know, I'm interested in

405
00:22:32.359 --> 00:22:36.119
this for this project because it is to me kind

406
00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:40.519
of fascinating on how it is originally a true story

407
00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:44.400
that was then a book that was then a podcast

408
00:22:44.440 --> 00:22:46.839
that is now a limited series that has that is

409
00:22:47.440 --> 00:22:52.319
inspired by based on this what drew You to Smoke?

410
00:22:53.319 --> 00:22:57.640
Dennis Lame, Taron Erton, Joreny Small, that the incredible team

411
00:22:57.720 --> 00:23:00.880
that's assembled here's a dream to work with. And Dennis

412
00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:04.519
has been a mastermind in creating psychological thrillers that have

413
00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:07.599
taken us on a thrill ride.

414
00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:08.799
That is.

415
00:23:10.519 --> 00:23:14.160
Wonder where it all comes from. This piece, there was

416
00:23:14.200 --> 00:23:16.680
a source material, so there was some sort of loosely

417
00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:21.079
inspired by true events. My character is loosely inspired by

418
00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:24.799
one of the most prolific serial arsists in US history.

419
00:23:25.799 --> 00:23:29.279
So that what a playground. Any actors dream to be

420
00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:30.440
able to dive into this world?

421
00:23:31.880 --> 00:23:34.720
And were you able to or did you.

422
00:23:36.519 --> 00:23:39.400
Kind of speaking of diving into the world, did you

423
00:23:39.480 --> 00:23:43.200
dive into the reality at all or did you you know,

424
00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:48.160
what was your angle as an actor? What was your

425
00:23:48.200 --> 00:23:49.000
tactic for that?

426
00:23:51.240 --> 00:23:55.920
Freddie Fassano's lived a life that, from my point of view,

427
00:23:55.960 --> 00:23:58.880
is unimaginable. I didn't know anyone who's sort of gone

428
00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:02.480
through circumstances lived through I had no sort of personal

429
00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:06.519
connection to what he's been through. When I spoke with Dennis,

430
00:24:06.519 --> 00:24:08.319
I was like, where did this come from? How did

431
00:24:08.359 --> 00:24:12.839
you write this? And he just simply said his imagination.

432
00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:17.799
He let his imagination run free. And sometimes when you

433
00:24:17.839 --> 00:24:21.680
do that, you can surprise yourself and surprise others. And

434
00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:23.559
so that gave me the creative license to sort of

435
00:24:23.559 --> 00:24:27.720
play and play with the incredible dialogue that he written,

436
00:24:27.799 --> 00:24:31.000
the incredible scene partners that I had Dakota Delby, Adina Porter,

437
00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:35.960
Taron Edgerton, and having that sort of creative license playing

438
00:24:35.960 --> 00:24:40.759
opposite them led to fireworks that I think surprised all

439
00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:41.119
of us.

440
00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:45.880
As you are preparing for a role like this, do

441
00:24:45.960 --> 00:24:52.119
you dive into the reality of it? Do you know,

442
00:24:52.279 --> 00:24:55.160
go introspective? What's your method?

443
00:24:56.039 --> 00:24:57.599
I mean, you try as much as you can to

444
00:24:57.680 --> 00:25:02.319
try to understand through of what the characters live through.

445
00:25:03.319 --> 00:25:08.599
But for me, with this role, I had to let

446
00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:13.599
go of that because there's nothing I could possibly I

447
00:25:13.640 --> 00:25:17.160
can never fully understand the depths of despair that this

448
00:25:17.319 --> 00:25:20.680
characters live through. I would be a fool to say

449
00:25:20.680 --> 00:25:24.559
that I understand his pain, or his suffering or his loneliness.

450
00:25:26.039 --> 00:25:30.119
All I can do is try to pretend and let

451
00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:33.839
my imagination go on what that might be like and

452
00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:38.319
hope and pray that that translates on screen. But for

453
00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:40.440
you to ask me, do you really know what it

454
00:25:40.440 --> 00:25:44.279
feels like to be Freddie? I was like, I can't

455
00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:47.400
speak to that because there's people who really have lived

456
00:25:47.440 --> 00:25:56.519
through that, and I have utmost empathy for anyone who's

457
00:25:56.519 --> 00:25:57.359
been through this journey.

458
00:25:58.759 --> 00:26:02.160
Yeah, and for you, you know, you're you're such a

459
00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:07.880
creative person. You've You've done so many projects from stage, documentary,

460
00:26:08.039 --> 00:26:13.880
film series. Is there something that when you were, you know,

461
00:26:14.599 --> 00:26:20.359
considering your next project, do you have a pattern or

462
00:26:20.440 --> 00:26:23.359
is it just like, oh, you know, my agent sent

463
00:26:23.400 --> 00:26:25.559
me this awesome project and I'm interested in it. Or

464
00:26:25.640 --> 00:26:28.279
is there there's something you know more to it? Is

465
00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:33.279
there stories you're drawn to over you know, one type

466
00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:33.799
over another.

467
00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:43.000
Yeah, sometimes we can self sabotage ourselves as an actors.

468
00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:45.319
I didn't. I never would have thought I could do

469
00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:49.880
this role. This character is so far out that I

470
00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:52.960
was never pitching my my agent saying this is the

471
00:26:53.039 --> 00:26:55.920
kind of role I need to play. He's needed this

472
00:26:55.920 --> 00:26:58.359
this the other you know. I don't give any spoilers away,

473
00:26:58.400 --> 00:27:01.440
but I said to my reps, this is the kind

474
00:27:01.480 --> 00:27:04.519
of thing I want. I would never have thought I

475
00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:07.160
would never have drapped up a role like this, and

476
00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:13.279
so to be given this opportunity, sometimes you got to

477
00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:16.880
think out of outside the box and be and be

478
00:27:17.000 --> 00:27:20.480
surprised at what is handed to you as an opportunity

479
00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:24.119
and be willing to just dive in. Because even when

480
00:27:24.119 --> 00:27:26.640
I got the audition material, my first audition scene was

481
00:27:28.920 --> 00:27:34.279
a barbershop scene where they're shaving my characters surly afro

482
00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:38.319
and as you can see, I'm not very well gifted

483
00:27:38.359 --> 00:27:40.240
in the hair department. And I was like, how do

484
00:27:40.279 --> 00:27:43.039
I even do that audition scene because they're talking about

485
00:27:43.079 --> 00:27:46.160
cutting my hair and I have I'm recording that an

486
00:27:46.200 --> 00:27:48.079
audition where I have no hair and I'm talking about

487
00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:50.599
my hair. I was like, it just didn't even make sense.

488
00:27:51.960 --> 00:27:53.440
I was like, should I wear a wig? And then

489
00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:57.920
I was like, that's gonna look cheesy. So all I

490
00:27:57.960 --> 00:28:02.960
could do is sort of let go h of expectations.

491
00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:05.720
And sometimes when you let go of expectations, you experience

492
00:28:05.799 --> 00:28:08.480
the divine, and hopefully that is what happened on screen

493
00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:08.839
with this.

494
00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:12.880
I love that sometimes when you let go of expectations,

495
00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:17.680
you experience the divine. That's very powerful. Finally, what do

496
00:28:17.799 --> 00:28:23.960
you hope that a viewer gets from Smoke? You know, ultimately,

497
00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:28.480
while it is a drama, dramatic drama dramatized versions is

498
00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:31.079
why don't use speak words, but why it is a

499
00:28:31.160 --> 00:28:33.400
fictional lottt version of true events that you know it

500
00:28:33.480 --> 00:28:37.160
is based on some truly horrible, horrible things. What do

501
00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:40.480
you hope that a viewer gets watching Smoke?

502
00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:43.279
I think that viewers are going to get a thrill.

503
00:28:44.519 --> 00:28:49.279
I mean, it's a thrilling ride of love, loss and

504
00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:55.400
revenge and what happens when people try to connect with someone,

505
00:28:56.480 --> 00:29:00.880
want desperately something from someone else and doing the thing

506
00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:04.000
that makes things worse. I mean, we've all been in

507
00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:06.359
a situation where you've lost something and you try to

508
00:29:06.359 --> 00:29:09.440
get it back and it just makes it worse and

509
00:29:09.640 --> 00:29:13.000
you get in a vicious cycle and you can't figure

510
00:29:13.039 --> 00:29:16.319
out how to get out of it. This is not

511
00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:20.799
the extreme, but in a way that there's you hope51200:29:21.359 --> 00:29:28.279



for the best for the characters, and you see their51300:29:28.319 --> 00:29:32.079



attempt to try to get the best for themselves, but51400:29:32.160 --> 00:29:35.160



in the process somehow shoot themselves in the foot, and51500:29:35.200 --> 00:29:36.519



then you hope for the best for them again.51600:29:39.599 --> 00:29:44.000



Much like life. I would say Thank you so much, sir.51700:29:44.039 --> 00:29:46.160



I can't wait for everybody to see Smoke and then51800:29:46.160 --> 00:29:47.839



I can finally talk about it with people.51900:29:48.440 --> 00:29:49.720



Thank you for getting the word out.52000:29:50.559 --> 00:29:55.799



Of course, have a great day you too. Let's ay52100:29:55.960 --> 00:29:59.680



Ray awesome guy, such a charming guy and a great actor.52200:30:00.359 --> 00:30:05.839



All right. Next up the man behind the Madness Dennis Laane.52300:30:06.400 --> 00:30:11.400



His resume reads like a syllabus for incredibly well crafted52400:30:11.480 --> 00:30:15.519



trauma one oh one, the Drop, Mystic River, Shutter Island,52500:30:15.720 --> 00:30:18.680



and now with Smoke, is once again proving that no52600:30:18.720 --> 00:30:23.799



one writes morally complex, emotionally devastating drama quite like he does.52700:30:24.720 --> 00:30:26.039



So let's jump into it.52800:30:26.440 --> 00:30:32.640



Dennis Lane, thank you so much for speaking with me. Dennis,52900:30:32.640 --> 00:30:36.200



I really appreciate it. No pleasure, thanks of course. So53000:30:36.440 --> 00:30:40.799



first of all, congratulations on Smoke. It is really compelling53100:30:41.039 --> 00:30:48.119



and I absolutely love it. What this story, which is53200:30:48.119 --> 00:30:51.200



obviously you know, based on a true story, has been53300:30:51.279 --> 00:30:54.160



through a book, in a podcast, now a limited series.53400:30:55.079 --> 00:31:00.880



Why did you decide to create this in this It53500:31:00.960 --> 00:31:03.200



was brought to me by Carrie Antolis, who did the53600:31:03.279 --> 00:31:06.839



podcast Firebug, and then he brought it to me, and53700:31:06.920 --> 00:31:08.640



even when he was pitching it to me telling me53800:31:08.680 --> 00:31:09.079



the story.53900:31:09.079 --> 00:31:11.839



I was like, h really, I don't know, you know,54000:31:12.240 --> 00:31:14.480



but he stuck with me because I had the exact54100:31:14.480 --> 00:31:17.720



same reaction to Blackbird too. So I'm very hard to54200:31:17.720 --> 00:31:21.160



convince to do stuff. So I listened to the podcast.54300:31:21.240 --> 00:31:22.640



I went back to him and I just said, look,54400:31:22.720 --> 00:31:25.880



carry I like one really like one thing about this54500:31:26.000 --> 00:31:28.400



that I feel like I could look into, which is54600:31:28.759 --> 00:31:31.960



I like this idea of this guy who's so in54700:31:32.079 --> 00:31:37.480



denial that he's an arson investigator chasing a serial arsenist54800:31:37.759 --> 00:31:40.559



who he happens to be, and then he's writing a54900:31:40.599 --> 00:31:43.519



book about it in which he's putting in fires that55000:31:43.599 --> 00:31:46.200



mirror the actual fires with the information that only the55100:31:46.240 --> 00:31:50.920



actual arsenists could know. That I find interested because I55200:31:50.960 --> 00:31:56.440



find this sort of I don't know, I just find55300:31:56.480 --> 00:32:00.640



denial interesting. And so I said, I can do that,55400:32:00.960 --> 00:32:02.640



and I can pull in this idea of fire, like55500:32:02.640 --> 00:32:03.440



what does fire mean?55600:32:03.559 --> 00:32:05.640



You know? What does fire mean? Metaphorically? What does it mean?55700:32:06.319 --> 00:32:06.839



What does it mean?55800:32:06.880 --> 00:32:07.720



Emotionally? Does it mean?55900:32:07.759 --> 00:32:10.079



Psychologically? What is it to be trapped in a fire?56000:32:10.400 --> 00:32:12.720



If I can do that, and then I can throw56100:32:12.759 --> 00:32:14.359



out everything else because I really don't want to do56200:32:14.599 --> 00:32:16.960



the nineteen eighties I don't want to do Glendale, California.56300:32:17.000 --> 00:32:18.319



I don't want to do this guy's trial.56400:32:18.359 --> 00:32:19.319



I don't want to do any of that.56500:32:20.519 --> 00:32:21.240



Then I'll do it.56600:32:21.759 --> 00:32:25.279



And then I had the exact same conversation with Tarran,56700:32:25.440 --> 00:32:27.599



and Tarran said, I'll do If you're doing that character,56800:32:27.759 --> 00:32:29.759



I'll do it. And so then we were off to56900:32:29.799 --> 00:32:32.200



the races. But it was always meant to be a57000:32:32.279 --> 00:32:37.799



heavy fictionalized version inspired by a true evet, which was57100:32:38.160 --> 00:32:40.640



this one guy who had done this one thing. And57200:32:40.680 --> 00:32:42.880



there's a little of the same thing in.57300:32:44.400 --> 00:32:45.200



The Freddy character.57400:32:45.279 --> 00:32:48.519



Freddy character was inspired by an actual guy too, and57500:32:48.599 --> 00:32:51.640



so inspired by and then you break bad and then57600:32:51.680 --> 00:32:53.759



you go as far afield as you want to go.57700:32:54.160 --> 00:32:56.079



And I think where we really had the most fun57800:32:56.119 --> 00:32:59.559



with that early on was Michelle. There's no Michelle in57900:32:59.599 --> 00:33:02.720



that in this story, in the real facts of the58000:33:02.759 --> 00:33:05.839



real case. And I just said, what if we created58100:33:06.680 --> 00:33:11.079



an investigator who had her own really warped relationship with Fire,58200:33:11.720 --> 00:33:16.480



and what if she was attracted to Fire in a58300:33:16.519 --> 00:33:19.599



way that she didn't even understand, And it's the reason58400:33:19.640 --> 00:33:22.640



that she ended up going to war, it's the reason58500:33:22.680 --> 00:33:25.079



she became a cop, it's the reason she makes all58600:33:25.079 --> 00:33:30.759



these disastrous romantic decisions. It's all of a piece, and58700:33:30.839 --> 00:33:32.640



that's when the show began to get really fun. In58800:33:32.640 --> 00:33:33.839



the writer's room. I remember that.58900:33:34.400 --> 00:33:36.920



You know, it's interesting to me that you were I59000:33:36.960 --> 00:33:39.119



don't want to say so adamantly against it, but so59100:33:39.599 --> 00:33:43.160



really almost not interested in a way in the early59200:33:43.240 --> 00:33:48.839



stages to where you know, you've been able to creatively59300:33:49.039 --> 00:33:52.079



kind of, as you said, you know, go on a59400:33:52.079 --> 00:33:55.759



fictionalized version and kind of run with it. And it's59500:33:56.079 --> 00:34:01.039



it's I find that fascinating for me, just for you59600:34:01.119 --> 00:34:04.119



as a creator, you know, and and then how it59700:34:04.160 --> 00:34:06.799



comes together so well. Obviously in my opinion, it was59800:34:07.039 --> 00:34:10.400



the right creative decision. It's it's an incredibly great series59900:34:10.559 --> 00:34:13.199



and you and I think, you know, the decisions that60000:34:13.239 --> 00:34:13.800



you made.60100:34:13.639 --> 00:34:18.400



Obviously worked very well to support that. Uh Taraan you60200:34:18.480 --> 00:34:20.280



worked with them on on Blackbird.60300:34:20.760 --> 00:34:24.159



Was he at you know, at the forefront of your60400:34:24.199 --> 00:34:27.760



thoughts as you were, you know, kind of exploring this project.60500:34:28.039 --> 00:34:29.679



Yeah, I brought it to town before I wrote a60600:34:29.679 --> 00:34:31.400



line of dialogue. I mean, I brought it to town60700:34:31.440 --> 00:34:34.360



before I wrote anything. And we got we both got60800:34:34.480 --> 00:34:37.320



jazzed by the idea of the character and in what60900:34:37.360 --> 00:34:40.840



we were trying to investigate. I don't like to say things.61000:34:40.920 --> 00:34:44.079



I like to investigate. I like to question things. So61100:34:44.159 --> 00:34:46.440



we thought, what are we saying about sort of male61200:34:46.480 --> 00:34:50.159



culture right now? It's different than what we said in61300:34:50.239 --> 00:34:53.840



Black Blackbird, but also of a piece, you know, we61400:34:53.840 --> 00:34:58.039



we really that's something that he and I love to investigate.61500:34:58.119 --> 00:34:58.599



What is it?61600:34:58.920 --> 00:35:01.440



What is manhood in the world modern world, you know?61700:35:01.960 --> 00:35:06.400



And so we ran down that path, and he was61800:35:06.440 --> 00:35:08.360



all in because he knew this was gonna be a61900:35:08.800 --> 00:35:11.280



crazy character to play. He knew I was going to62000:35:11.360 --> 00:35:14.960



take it someplace absolutely nuts. I mean that was something62100:35:15.000 --> 00:35:18.079



that I was conveyed to him through text very early on.62200:35:18.119 --> 00:35:21.920



I'm like, this show is going mad, and we just62300:35:22.440 --> 00:35:25.480



we you know what, It was a wonderful feeling in62400:35:25.559 --> 00:35:29.199



the writer's room when we realized we were going to62500:35:29.320 --> 00:35:31.760



just blow the doors off this thing, like there was62600:35:32.159 --> 00:35:36.039



it was just Blackbird was a very controlled it was62700:35:36.119 --> 00:35:40.159



it was a very controlled piece of narrative, and this62800:35:40.320 --> 00:35:43.800



just felt like, no, this demands chaos. You're trying to62900:35:43.800 --> 00:35:46.480



write about chaos. You're trying to write about something that's63000:35:46.639 --> 00:35:52.840



dangerously both chaotic and sexy, which is fire and sanely63100:35:52.920 --> 00:35:56.440



destructive and what does that mean for everybody involved? And63200:35:56.519 --> 00:36:00.880



that that just that just allowed us, that became our63300:36:00.920 --> 00:36:04.559



marching orders, like basically, there's no limit to where the63400:36:04.599 --> 00:36:05.239



show can go.63500:36:07.000 --> 00:36:10.000



And is that part of what you know attracts you63600:36:10.079 --> 00:36:12.039



to a project like this where you can do something63700:36:12.119 --> 00:36:15.639



like Blackbird, which you say is is more controlled and63800:36:15.679 --> 00:36:18.920



then this you're like, Okay, we're going the opposite way63900:36:18.960 --> 00:36:21.159



with this. Is that something that attracts you as a64000:36:21.159 --> 00:36:24.320



creator to that, Yeah, it's challenging, It's someplace I've never64100:36:24.360 --> 00:36:25.400



been before, you know.64200:36:25.920 --> 00:36:30.000



And and I think that's what attracts both Taran and64300:36:30.000 --> 00:36:34.960



I think are the secret to our our collaboration is64400:36:35.159 --> 00:36:37.559



neither of us likes to do things unless something about64500:36:37.599 --> 00:36:38.320



it scares us.64600:36:39.760 --> 00:36:40.880



I think that's a big thing.64700:36:41.000 --> 00:36:43.440



Like Taran doesn't like to take roles unless they scare them,64800:36:43.480 --> 00:36:45.199



unless some part of it is like can I do that?64900:36:46.039 --> 00:36:48.639



And I don't like to write something unless I'm like,65000:36:49.519 --> 00:36:52.880



I could really mess this up. I couldn't really screw65100:36:52.960 --> 00:36:57.760



this up, so uh, let's let's give it a try.65200:36:58.400 --> 00:37:01.760



That's and that's that's why, that's what keeps the juices65300:37:01.800 --> 00:37:03.519



flowing you know what I mean. That's what keeps it.65400:37:03.800 --> 00:37:04.679



You know, you do it.65500:37:05.559 --> 00:37:08.000



That's the Tom Sizemore line. You do it for the65600:37:08.039 --> 00:37:11.559



action and uh and he you know, yeah, that's what65700:37:11.639 --> 00:37:12.559



it is, you know.65800:37:12.920 --> 00:37:16.559



So I love that, Dennis. Thank you so much. I65900:37:16.559 --> 00:37:18.760



can't wait for everybody to see Smoke so I can66000:37:18.840 --> 00:37:23.239



talk about it. Tell you, I'm like itching for discussion66100:37:23.280 --> 00:37:26.480



on it, and nobody can't do it yet, so I66200:37:26.519 --> 00:37:28.480



can't wait for everybody to do I.66300:37:28.400 --> 00:37:33.000



Really appreciate the enthusiasm. It's great to hear. Thank you, Yes,66400:37:33.119 --> 00:37:34.440



of course, Thank you, Dennis.66500:37:34.519 --> 00:37:35.239



I have a great day.66600:37:35.360 --> 00:37:40.000



Cheers you too. Dennis Waye.66700:37:41.239 --> 00:37:44.039



Love that I got to talk to him, and he's66800:37:44.159 --> 00:37:48.800



just his work some of my favorite favorite projects, like66900:37:48.880 --> 00:37:52.199



Mystic River. Shutter Island is one of my favorite movies.67000:37:52.360 --> 00:37:55.079



Gone Baby Gone, Like what anyway?67100:37:55.239 --> 00:37:55.599



All right?67200:37:55.760 --> 00:38:00.599



Next up, Greg Kinnear and Rafe Spa together they bring67300:38:00.679 --> 00:38:04.639



a wild energy to Smoke, a little bit charming, a67400:38:04.639 --> 00:38:07.960



little bit unhints, which honestly kind of how I would67500:38:07.960 --> 00:38:08.559



describe me.67600:38:09.239 --> 00:38:15.559



Let's jump right into it. Greg Kaneer and Rape Spy.67700:38:15.559 --> 00:38:17.800



Thank you Greg and Rape for speaking with me. I67800:38:17.800 --> 00:38:20.599



really appreciate it. Thank you for having us, of course,67900:38:21.000 --> 00:38:25.840



So first of all, congratulations on the series. Smoke is68000:38:26.079 --> 00:38:33.000



so compelling, It's such a powerful story. What drew both68100:38:33.039 --> 00:38:34.760



of you to this project?68200:38:37.000 --> 00:38:43.119



I was a huge fan of Blackbird, of course, starred68300:38:43.119 --> 00:38:47.760



Greg Clear and Taron Edgerton. I was really blown away68400:38:47.800 --> 00:38:53.039



by it, and then I got an email about speaking68500:38:53.079 --> 00:38:55.320



with Dennis about it. I read the first few episodes68600:38:55.320 --> 00:38:59.840



and was blown away by them. Look, it's a show68700:39:00.039 --> 00:39:05.199



which is ostensibly about fire and arson, and that is68800:39:05.199 --> 00:39:09.960



an inherently fascinating subject. But what kept me there and68900:39:10.000 --> 00:39:14.480



which in tern will keep the audience interested, was the69000:39:14.679 --> 00:39:18.320



universal themes between the characters in terms of, you know,69100:39:19.679 --> 00:39:24.679



people letting themselves down, people doing bad things. I think69200:39:24.719 --> 00:39:27.960



that's pretty identifiable. All the characters in this I think,69300:39:28.199 --> 00:39:31.639



see themselves as good people, but from the outside point69400:39:31.639 --> 00:39:33.800



of view, we can see that they do bad things.69500:39:34.039 --> 00:39:36.199



So nothing is black and white. There is a lot69600:39:36.199 --> 00:39:39.599



of gray there. So that kept me interested. Wanted to69700:39:39.599 --> 00:39:40.960



be a part of it, and I think it will69800:39:41.000 --> 00:39:42.440



be the same for the audience as well.69900:39:43.360 --> 00:39:45.719



And how about for you, Greg, Yeah, same thing I70000:39:45.800 --> 00:39:48.960



mean I was. I mean, this is a wonderful group70100:39:49.000 --> 00:39:52.360



of actors. We got to work with like Blackbird, and70200:39:53.320 --> 00:39:58.079



I was always never bored on the show with any70300:39:58.199 --> 00:40:04.280



what anybody was doing with they had. Partially that's credit70400:40:04.360 --> 00:40:08.159



to the writers and Dennis because the as I'm saying,70500:40:08.199 --> 00:40:11.800



I mean, these characters are not obvious. And but I70600:40:11.840 --> 00:40:14.000



remember reading it and thinking, oh, this is going to70700:40:14.039 --> 00:40:16.559



be interesting to see how this actor takes this. And70800:40:16.599 --> 00:40:22.280



sure enough, everybody, everybody, uh, lived up to expectations and70900:40:22.599 --> 00:40:27.679



created something that is you know, that is I think unexpected,71000:40:27.760 --> 00:40:31.639



and it's fueled by kind of an exotic, weird thing71100:40:31.719 --> 00:40:37.079



of arson at its you know, front and center. It's71200:40:37.119 --> 00:40:40.880



it's off based off a loosely off a podcast called Firebug.71300:40:41.320 --> 00:40:43.599



That's just kind of the starting point of it, but71400:40:46.400 --> 00:40:49.599



it goes it's a pretty unexpected show in terms of71500:40:50.800 --> 00:40:51.840



the dance it's doing.71600:40:51.880 --> 00:40:56.079



I think, yeah, as I was talking to Tarn and71700:40:56.559 --> 00:41:01.119



Dennis earlier, and what I find so fascinating about it71800:41:01.119 --> 00:41:04.760



as you know, essentially based on true events that there71900:41:04.840 --> 00:41:06.920



was this book, then there was this podcast, and now72000:41:06.920 --> 00:41:13.360



there's this limited series. And yet Dennis told me that72100:41:13.440 --> 00:41:17.840



he shows specifically to divert away, you know, use that72200:41:18.000 --> 00:41:21.599



use the real story as the basis but divert away72300:41:21.800 --> 00:41:26.559



from many of you know. The reality which I find,72400:41:27.039 --> 00:41:31.840



you know, so fascinating to me is that you know,72500:41:31.880 --> 00:41:35.360



for both of you and Greg, you can start as72600:41:35.360 --> 00:41:38.079



you're doing something that is, you know, loosely based on72700:41:38.320 --> 00:41:42.840



real events. Do you dive into that reality news pieces72800:41:42.880 --> 00:41:45.519



and that sort of thing, or do you pull back72900:41:45.559 --> 00:41:48.960



and kind of do your own take based on the script.73000:41:49.239 --> 00:41:53.360



Now I find you know that the source material for73100:41:53.480 --> 00:41:58.119



me is the script the first and foremost these other elements.73200:41:58.159 --> 00:42:02.000



I mean, listen, there are you know, people who making73300:42:02.159 --> 00:42:07.159



true stories, but even every story is taking license, I think,73400:42:08.519 --> 00:42:11.400



and having worked with him in Blackbird, I saw this.73500:42:11.800 --> 00:42:15.880



I think keeping the show entertaining and interesting and making73600:42:15.920 --> 00:42:19.360



it something for an audience is first and foremost what73700:42:19.599 --> 00:42:24.159



is interesting to him. It's certainly what I support. You know,73800:42:24.239 --> 00:42:28.000



I've seen shows that I'm sure are very accurate, but73900:42:28.280 --> 00:42:31.519



that's not what I'm Jason. I'm chasing for a full bodied,74000:42:31.679 --> 00:42:35.360



interesting series that's going to take me to places I74100:42:35.400 --> 00:42:38.400



don't expect, and if that has to deviate from reality,74200:42:38.440 --> 00:42:40.559



so be it. And I think that we have a74300:42:40.599 --> 00:42:45.519



great launching point on this. But this thing goes to74400:42:45.639 --> 00:42:51.360



some pretty twisted places that even the actual reality and74500:42:51.480 --> 00:42:55.360



story wouldn't take you too and for you.74600:42:55.360 --> 00:42:58.039



Rafe is that kind of the same thing. I would agree.74700:42:58.199 --> 00:43:01.880



I'm much like Greg the the Bible is the script74800:43:02.000 --> 00:43:04.079



that's to jumping off point now. I think if you're74900:43:04.119 --> 00:43:09.400



playing someone that everybody in the world knows. So if75000:43:09.440 --> 00:43:12.239



you're going to play Muhammad Ali or whatever, or someone75100:43:12.320 --> 00:43:16.559



someone that everyone knows and everyone understands the rhythms of75200:43:16.599 --> 00:43:19.719



their speech, and they everyone knows bits about their story,75300:43:19.920 --> 00:43:22.840



you have a kind of duty whoever's playing that person75400:43:22.880 --> 00:43:25.280



to be as accurate as possible. But if you're doing75500:43:25.360 --> 00:43:28.079



a world which is kind of based on a story75600:43:28.159 --> 00:43:30.239



of a load of people that apart from the people75700:43:30.239 --> 00:43:32.639



and their families, no one's ever heard of them, no75800:43:32.639 --> 00:43:33.559



one knows what they.75900:43:33.400 --> 00:43:34.440



Look like or sound like.76000:43:34.519 --> 00:43:37.719



It's a blank canvas to be as creative as possible.76100:43:38.719 --> 00:43:40.679



So I think it changes from projects to projects. If76200:43:40.679 --> 00:43:42.880



you're playing someone super famous, then you have a duty76300:43:42.920 --> 00:43:46.239



to kind of, you know, in some way give an76400:43:46.280 --> 00:43:48.920



accurate portrayer that person. But you know, when it comes76500:43:48.960 --> 00:43:51.679



to prep you've got the scripts, and if there are bits,76600:43:51.719 --> 00:43:54.119



bits from the actual story that are helpful and playable,76700:43:54.159 --> 00:43:57.400



then so be it. But a lot of research can76800:43:57.440 --> 00:44:01.440



be quite dry and not playable. What's playable is human76900:44:01.480 --> 00:44:03.960



emotion and that can come from myriad places like a77000:44:04.000 --> 00:44:06.519



song or a or a book that's got nothing to77100:44:06.559 --> 00:44:07.639



do with it, something that might.77200:44:07.519 --> 00:44:10.280



Inspire and I love that.77300:44:10.360 --> 00:44:14.199



And and finally, you know, it is some heavy material.77400:44:14.480 --> 00:44:18.880



How did you both kind of keep it light when77500:44:19.199 --> 00:44:22.920



when needed as you're shooting? You know, I assume I77600:44:22.960 --> 00:44:25.079



don't know, I'm not an actor, but I assume you77700:44:25.159 --> 00:44:28.320



need some levity in, you know, kind of when you're77800:44:28.320 --> 00:44:32.639



dealing with such heavy stuff. Maybe I'm totally off.77900:44:32.440 --> 00:44:36.119



But I would say, yeah, I would say the off78000:44:36.239 --> 00:44:39.639



camera chemistry, uh was was really excellent.78100:44:39.679 --> 00:44:44.599



I think everybody on this show was was really great.78200:44:45.320 --> 00:44:47.480



Good people, fund to work with.78300:44:48.119 --> 00:44:52.119



And and when we weren't, when the cameras weren't doing78400:44:52.119 --> 00:44:54.119



their thing, you know, we had.78500:44:55.480 --> 00:44:56.480



We're in a lot of laughs.78600:44:56.679 --> 00:44:59.159



We did have and that's what's important, you know, is.78700:45:00.800 --> 00:45:06.519



Having fun Because we're in are we breathe very sanctified78800:45:06.559 --> 00:45:08.880



air and get into what we do. We do the78900:45:08.960 --> 00:45:11.199



jobs that we dreamed of doing when we were kids.79000:45:11.239 --> 00:45:15.280



We get to put makeup on, wear other people's clothes79100:45:15.400 --> 00:45:19.039



and pretend to do shit. These are my dreams and79200:45:19.079 --> 00:45:19.920



they could see you.79300:45:19.920 --> 00:45:21.480



Guys get paid for that. I try to do it79400:45:21.519 --> 00:45:24.800



and I got yeah, sorry, yeah, exactly, yeah, but we79500:45:24.840 --> 00:45:25.519



get paid for it.79600:45:25.679 --> 00:45:28.639



People bring us into work, they bring us coffee. Everyone's79700:45:28.679 --> 00:45:29.400



super nice to.79800:45:29.440 --> 00:45:31.800



Where you're an actor, Sarah Toga when you want.79900:45:31.599 --> 00:45:36.320



To exactly, it's a it's a damn fine life, and80000:45:37.119 --> 00:45:41.239



actors tend to be really lovely people, open and fun80100:45:41.320 --> 00:45:46.440



and funny and self deprecating, and it's it's a lovely job,80200:45:47.119 --> 00:45:48.239



last work, get it.80300:45:49.239 --> 00:45:51.239



I love that. Thank you both so much. I can't80400:45:51.239 --> 00:45:54.360



wait for everybody to see Smoke so I can talk80500:45:54.440 --> 00:45:57.119



about it with them. I'm like dying to discuss.80600:45:56.760 --> 00:45:58.920



Itay very much, thanks for your time.80700:45:59.320 --> 00:46:04.400



Have a great day. Red can hear a rape spa.80800:46:05.920 --> 00:46:09.000



You can tell everybody's so passionate about Smoke. It's such80900:46:09.440 --> 00:46:12.519



a good series and you just gotta watch it. It's81000:46:12.639 --> 00:46:15.119



on Apple TV plus. It is so good and I81100:46:15.119 --> 00:46:16.840



can't wait to talk to you about it all right.81200:46:16.960 --> 00:46:20.599



Next up Journey smell a And when I say she81300:46:20.760 --> 00:46:24.519



devours every scene she's in, I mean you might want81400:46:24.519 --> 00:46:28.199



to keep snacks nearby, just to emotionally recover. We talked81500:46:28.239 --> 00:46:30.679



about what drew her to Smoke, how she prepped, and81600:46:30.920 --> 00:46:35.280



so much more. Let's jump in right now, Journey, Smelly,81700:46:38.559 --> 00:46:40.800



thank you so much, Journey for joining me. I really81800:46:40.800 --> 00:46:41.440



appreciate it.81900:46:41.679 --> 00:46:44.159



Thank you for having me man of course.82000:46:44.519 --> 00:46:48.320



So first of all, congratulations on Smoke. I love it.82100:46:48.320 --> 00:46:53.519



It's such compell it and television. I find it interesting82200:46:53.639 --> 00:46:57.119



for me that it kind of had this interesting journey82300:46:57.519 --> 00:47:00.760



from you know, kind of real life to book to82400:47:01.119 --> 00:47:06.639



podcast to now, you know, this limited series where this82500:47:06.840 --> 00:47:10.280



series itself isn't you know, it's not like a documentary,82600:47:10.639 --> 00:47:12.880



so there's a lot of creative license and that sort82700:47:12.920 --> 00:47:17.320



of thing. Is that part of what drew you to it? Like,82800:47:17.360 --> 00:47:19.840



I feel like there's this mystique to this whole kind82900:47:19.880 --> 00:47:23.239



of backstory of the show itself, you know what I mean?83000:47:23.519 --> 00:47:26.960



Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean you know, look, Dennis Lahane83100:47:27.400 --> 00:47:32.000



is such a skilled writer and being in his hands83200:47:32.280 --> 00:47:37.000



with a project that is a crime thriller, you know,83300:47:37.079 --> 00:47:40.079



I mean, it doesn't get better, right the two right,83400:47:40.679 --> 00:47:43.920



and yes, while it's inspired by true events, he does83500:47:44.039 --> 00:47:47.920



take and he takes a lot of creative liberties with83600:47:48.000 --> 00:47:52.159



the story and a lot of the characters, especially my83700:47:52.280 --> 00:47:55.760



character Michelle. It was his brain child, you know, and83800:47:56.320 --> 00:47:58.480



I remember speaking to him early on and he said,83900:47:59.119 --> 00:48:01.840



you know, Journey, everyone says that they want to be happy,84000:48:02.039 --> 00:48:04.159



but why are we drawn to the very things that84100:48:04.239 --> 00:48:08.840



want to destroy us? And that question of why is84200:48:09.880 --> 00:48:12.679



honestly at the heart of Michelle. You know, when you84300:48:12.760 --> 00:48:16.159



meet Michelle, she's literally destroying her home in order to84400:48:16.280 --> 00:48:20.519



rebuild it, and we will see that she's in a84500:48:20.760 --> 00:48:24.800



pattern of destruction and creation. And when she's paired with84600:48:25.159 --> 00:48:30.800



Dave Terren's character, you know, at first they're in this84700:48:31.000 --> 00:48:34.360



like weird dynamic of neither of them want to be there,84800:48:35.840 --> 00:48:38.840



and then he starts getting in her mind, she starts84900:48:38.840 --> 00:48:41.760



getting in his mind. Then one minute they are kind85000:48:41.800 --> 00:48:43.599



of like brother and sisters, and then the next minute85100:48:43.599 --> 00:48:48.000



there's this sexual tension. And so, you know, I think85200:48:48.039 --> 00:48:51.960



Dennis is so skilled at writing crime thrillers that are85300:48:52.039 --> 00:48:52.920



at its core.85400:48:52.920 --> 00:48:54.079



Character driven stories.85500:48:55.239 --> 00:48:58.079



I love that so much, and it's it's it is85600:48:58.119 --> 00:49:01.039



a heavy, you know, heavy topic set. We're dealing with.85700:49:01.440 --> 00:49:04.519



How did you as an actor as a person, how85800:49:04.559 --> 00:49:08.599



did you have some you know, some levity or did85900:49:08.599 --> 00:49:12.599



you live in that world for the entire shoot or86000:49:12.679 --> 00:49:16.320



were you able to take, you know, moments, steal moments86100:49:16.360 --> 00:49:19.719



that you could be Journey and be happy and not86200:49:19.960 --> 00:49:20.920



all this heavy stuff.86300:49:21.360 --> 00:49:24.360



That's a great question, you know. I used to I86400:49:24.400 --> 00:49:27.039



remember back when I was shooting this TV show called86500:49:27.119 --> 00:49:31.280



Underground about you know, the Underground Railroad. I would live86600:49:31.320 --> 00:49:35.360



with that stuff man, you know, and take it home86700:49:35.559 --> 00:49:38.840



and stay in it. And now I'm a mom, so86800:49:38.920 --> 00:49:42.199



I don't have that luxury because my son is not86900:49:42.239 --> 00:49:44.320



only you know, he's in and out on my trailer,87000:49:44.400 --> 00:49:47.199



going to craft service, coming and checking on mommy, Mommy.87100:49:47.239 --> 00:49:48.960



I want to sit at the monitor and watch this scene.87200:49:48.960 --> 00:49:50.599



And if it's a scene he can watch, I let him,87300:49:50.679 --> 00:49:55.440



you know. And so Hunter honestly has changed my approach87400:49:55.679 --> 00:49:56.400



to my craft.87500:49:56.960 --> 00:50:01.440



I have to be very official with it.87600:50:01.599 --> 00:50:03.280



I have to do a lot of prep in the87700:50:03.280 --> 00:50:07.199



wee hours, early mornings, late nights. But when I come home,87800:50:08.360 --> 00:50:11.679



he wants dinner and he wants to play, you know.87900:50:12.000 --> 00:50:12.440



And so.88000:50:14.599 --> 00:50:18.239



I think it's a blessing because he helps me find88100:50:18.280 --> 00:50:19.400



those moments of levity.88200:50:19.960 --> 00:50:22.719



I love that so much, and I love Smoke, and88300:50:22.760 --> 00:50:23.760



I love you in it.88400:50:24.239 --> 00:50:25.960



You are amazing, Journey.88500:50:25.960 --> 00:50:26.559



Thank Thank you.88600:50:26.639 --> 00:50:29.360



I can't wait for everybody to see Smoke exclusively on88700:50:29.440 --> 00:50:30.599



Apple TV plus.88800:50:30.719 --> 00:50:34.119



Thank you, appreciate the love. Of course, have a great88900:50:34.199 --> 00:50:41.280



day you too. Thank you. Journey Smoley. All right.89000:50:42.039 --> 00:50:46.039



Our next and final guest for this episode, Taron Egerton.89100:50:46.199 --> 00:50:50.800



I love this man, Golden Globe, Winner, rocket Man, Kingsman,89200:50:51.199 --> 00:50:59.400



sometimes Mustache Icon, Robin Hood Sing, Tetris, Legend, Billionaire Boys Club,89300:50:59.719 --> 00:51:02.480



and so much more. And I love everything he's done.89400:51:02.519 --> 00:51:05.519



He is one of my favorite actors. In Smoke, He's89500:51:05.519 --> 00:51:09.320



playing a man who's moral compass is flexible, so we89600:51:09.360 --> 00:51:12.800



talked about diving into that darkness and so much more.89700:51:13.360 --> 00:51:15.960



Here he is for the first time on Pop Culture Weekly.89800:51:16.360 --> 00:51:22.559



Tarn Egerton, thank you so much for talking with me, Taren,89900:51:22.599 --> 00:51:23.559



I really appreciate it.90000:51:23.719 --> 00:51:25.119



Likewise, thanks Kyle Hayden.90100:51:25.800 --> 00:51:28.519



I'm doing well. Thank you man. First of all, I90200:51:28.599 --> 00:51:32.559



love your work, Tetris and Eddie the Eagle, rocket Man90300:51:32.800 --> 00:51:36.400



A Rocketman's one of my favorite films ever. I can90400:51:36.800 --> 00:51:43.280



Blackbird and now Smoke. What drew you to doing Smoke?90500:51:44.239 --> 00:51:46.440



So you know, when.90600:51:48.639 --> 00:51:52.079



A writer like Dennis likes you, you know you don't90700:51:52.119 --> 00:51:54.400



pass up on the opportunity to work with him again.90800:51:54.559 --> 00:51:58.239



So I was drawn to it because well, I knew90900:51:58.239 --> 00:52:01.199



what the character was in a nutshell, because it's based91000:52:01.239 --> 00:52:04.519



on a true story. But I also knew that to91100:52:04.599 --> 00:52:07.440



have the opportunity to have a second outing with Dennis91200:52:07.480 --> 00:52:12.800



after Blackbird was just a really one of those opportunities91300:52:12.840 --> 00:52:15.320



that you just can't pass up on. I'd so loved91400:52:15.360 --> 00:52:20.519



making that show and playing Jimmy and Blackbird alongside Paul,91500:52:20.559 --> 00:52:24.760



who played Larry. Was there just a really extraordinary creative91600:52:25.239 --> 00:52:27.960



moment for me in it, and the show remains something91700:52:28.000 --> 00:52:31.880



that I really am fiercely proud of. So when Dennis says,91800:52:31.880 --> 00:52:33.639



you know, hey, do you want to come and tell91900:52:33.639 --> 00:52:36.000



another story with me, It's like, yeah, well, you know,92000:52:36.079 --> 00:52:36.760



sign me up.92100:52:36.800 --> 00:52:40.039



And it was great, you.92200:52:40.000 --> 00:52:43.400



Know, I think as well, To be completely honest, I92300:52:43.440 --> 00:52:47.199



suspect Dennis had I loved doing Blackbird, as I've said,92400:52:47.239 --> 00:52:50.559



but you know, a part of me, I think always92500:52:50.639 --> 00:52:55.800



was watching what Paul was doing with some if not envy,92600:52:55.920 --> 00:52:59.480



you know, a mixture of admiration and desire, you know,92700:52:59.599 --> 00:53:02.320



And I think think Dennis, to his credit, maybe he92800:53:02.480 --> 00:53:05.920



saw that on some level, and I think he recognized92900:53:06.119 --> 00:53:09.119



this show smoke as an opportunity for me to maybe93000:53:09.719 --> 00:53:14.559



have a go at doing something a little nearer to that,93100:53:14.880 --> 00:53:19.199



you know, and play the weird guy for you.93200:53:19.199 --> 00:53:21.920



You're also an EP on this, uh, you know, you're93300:53:21.960 --> 00:53:26.840



an executive producer? Why why this project?93400:53:27.199 --> 00:53:27.440



You know?93500:53:30.440 --> 00:53:30.519



So?93600:53:30.679 --> 00:53:35.960



I think for me, the the you know, I suppose93700:53:37.079 --> 00:53:43.119



when there's a project where my involvement is feels like93800:53:43.239 --> 00:53:47.039



it is broader than just the job of an actor93900:53:47.079 --> 00:53:50.960



stepping on set, I say, just you know, I think94000:53:51.400 --> 00:53:56.519



it's a I suppose it just feels like a reflection94100:53:56.639 --> 00:54:00.079



of my involvement in things behind the scenes. And it94200:54:00.119 --> 00:54:02.760



tends to be, you know, when I ask to be94300:54:02.800 --> 00:54:05.280



a producer on something, or I'm approached to be a94400:54:05.280 --> 00:54:08.400



producer on something, it's it's normally those things where I94500:54:08.519 --> 00:54:14.360



feel specially excited about it creatively, you know. And it's94600:54:14.400 --> 00:54:17.519



always a lovely, lovely thing when you're allowed that opportunity.94700:54:18.039 --> 00:54:21.519



But I don't always ask and I'm not always offered,94800:54:22.079 --> 00:54:25.880



And I suppose it's a reflection in some senses of94900:54:27.599 --> 00:54:30.000



not my investment, but my involvement.95000:54:30.119 --> 00:54:30.320



You know.95100:54:31.599 --> 00:54:34.719



I love that, And I want to thank you so95200:54:34.920 --> 00:54:37.639



much for speaking with me. I can't wait for everybody95300:54:37.639 --> 00:54:40.079



to see this, and I have a feeling that we'll95400:54:40.159 --> 00:54:44.880



end up seeing you at the Emmys again. So so congratulations.95500:54:45.000 --> 00:54:47.639



Well that's lovely of you to say.95600:54:47.639 --> 00:54:49.679



It might be a little early for congratulations, but I95700:54:49.719 --> 00:54:50.760



appreciate the sentiment.95800:54:50.840 --> 00:54:52.639



Thank you, of course, Daron.95900:54:52.719 --> 00:54:54.639



Have a great day you too, mate, Thanks for your time.96000:54:57.840 --> 00:55:01.320



Taron Egerton. Love him.96100:55:01.599 --> 00:55:04.800



I love that he joined us on Pop Culture Weekly,96200:55:04.840 --> 00:55:07.960



And I love Smoke, which is on Apple TV Plus96300:55:08.400 --> 00:55:11.880



right now, and I'm telling you it is really really,96400:55:11.880 --> 00:55:16.159



really really really good. So watch it, let's talk about it,96500:55:16.760 --> 00:55:20.599



and uh yeah, that's all I got, So all right,96600:55:20.719 --> 00:55:22.440



let me know what you think of this episode. Hit96700:55:22.480 --> 00:55:27.159



me up on socials and let's talk countdown Smoke or96800:55:27.159 --> 00:55:30.400



whatever else you want to talk about with pop Culture,96900:55:30.840 --> 00:55:33.320



or leave a voicemail. If you're on the free iHeartRadio app,97000:55:33.320 --> 00:55:35.920



you can hit that talkback button comes right to me.97100:55:36.159 --> 00:55:39.199



Or go to my site podcast dot Popcultureweekly dot com97200:55:39.239 --> 00:55:41.760



and there's a voicemail button on every page.97300:55:41.960 --> 00:55:45.760



You might just be featured on the show. All right, We're.97400:55:45.559 --> 00:55:49.639



Back on the fourth for an all star special celebrating97500:55:49.679 --> 00:55:53.360



a Capital fourth, live from the West Lawn of the97600:55:53.440 --> 00:55:55.039



US Capitol in Washington. DC.97700:55:55.599 --> 00:55:58.000



I can't wait to see you. Then, I love you.97800:55:58.440 --> 00:56:00.960



We thank you for listening to pop Culture Weekly.97900:56:01.480 --> 00:56:09.360



Here all the latest at popcultureweekly dot com.98000:56:09.559 --> 00:56:17.360



Taron Niggerton, Eric Dave, and Jansenakles. How at this becomes98100:56:17.440 --> 00:56:19.679



such a dreamy episode.98200:56:20.639 --> 00:56:23.679



I don't know, I don't know.