Jack Lowden talks SLOW HORSES, Gary Oldman, Saoirse Ronan, James Bond I Happy Sad Confused

Introduction it is unbelievable how bad some directors are at directing actors it is shocking um because they're so good at other aspects of film of of film making I understand that but um you you you want to get the best out of an actor like you know you need an you need somebody that speaks actor prepare your ears humans happy sad confused begins now I'm Josh Horowitz and today on Happy said confused Jack Lowden is here excuse me that's first time Emy nominee Jack Laden respect must be paid to be clear Jack is far too self-effacing and humble to care about such things or maybe he's such a good actor that I think he doesn't care we're going to sort it all out today I'm thrilled to welcome the star of slow horses Dunkirk fighting with my family the one and only Mr Jack Lowden back on the show welcome man wow what an intro that's that's all you need right you don't need to say a thing just let me do all the heavy lifting yeah yeah yeah I wish we could have you just man yeah yeah yeah yeah that' be fantastic um congratulations man we were just chitchatting you're taking some time away from some valuable rehearsal in Edinburgh Edinburgh I'm an ugly American I don't know how to pronounce your your wovely edin yeah yeah um which I've never had the pleasure of visiting I need to get around to those parts one of these days will you give me the will you give me the cheat sheet will you give me the guide yeah I'm I'm I'm routinely asked for a edinb sheet sheet I was asked for about two days ago um so um and and I need to update it to be honest I need to update it I don't even know the restaurants that I recommend are still there so are they are there I wasn't planning on asking you but what are the you're not to go restaurants but what do you say to somebody take spending three or four days in your beloved City I mean it the great thing about it is that it's very very small in in comparison to other sort of major cities around the world it's very small and you do most of it on foot and but it's still to me the the most beautiful city on the planet um it's a bizarre City in the way that it has a an enormous Hill smack bang in the middle of it a city sort of based around this sort of extinct volcano and then right next to the hill is a castle on a rock so like if you're into medieval stuff or fantasy stuff I mean you know it's it's a great place to sort of lose yourself in but you will be able to find yourself again because it's small this is perfect speaking my language I'll be there I'll be there um I I mentioned it before congratulations are in order on a number of fronts but professionally speaking uh first sem nomination and uh you know I mean that's a big one man I mean slow horses is the First emmy nomination gift that keeps on giving um you must I mean I know you've loved this show from the start but like I don't know from an outsider's perspective it feels like there's more love than ever for this show people are really like the ones that were slow to find it have caught on right yeah I mean it's like you said in the in in your intro is it's it is a strange one is because you're sort of as a as an actor you're sort of not supposed to care about Awards you know it's sort of the opposite of athletes you know that get annoyed I'm just you know we're all watching the Olympics at the moment and and you know they get really pissed off if they win silver instead of gold and as as actors it's sort of taboo to even acknowledge the fact that you've even been nominated or something like that so it's and I I feel like this is a little bit different to anything I've ever been nominated for or one in the past is because it's it's a huge part of my life slow horses of course and and it's quite a nice thing to know that what I've chosen to spend a large part of my life on um is working so to speak it's it's it's hitting some some buttons for some people so um no it's it it does actually mean quite a lot to be honest it's it's it's really really rather cool did you uh as a kid did you win any childhood Awards what was the first award you recall having in your childhood bedroom I was Deputy head boy at school so I was Deputy so I don't know what I don't know if that's the same over in the States but where I come from Deputy was sort of like for the cooler kid which was which was a real coup when you're like 17 years old because to get that kind of Nod cuz I think that's voted for by the pupils and head boy sort of voted for by the by the teachers and is generally the smarter one the one that will probably go on and you know do do great things and run countries and things like that and the the deputes the sort of one that you have along you know who you want to go for dinner with and it was strange because I'm I was a very shy kid um so um it's still probably the thing I'm most proud of if I'm being honest um I I've been tracking your movements as best I can on social media you've had a busy summer how was the how was glastenbury how was the Summer music music festivals festivals it glastenbury um that's the first music festival I've been to since I was 18 I'm 34 now I I I had an experience at a music festival when I was about 18 and I I I really didn't I really didn't enjoy it and sort of being with massive crowds is not normally my my jam um but I was convinced to go along to this one and actually there was a big provisor was because like the play that I'm doing right now I I I it's just me and another actor so there is a an enormous amount of lines to learn and I I I was shooting uh season five of slow horses at the same time we just finished that so the weekend was the only free time I had so I had to sort of go but I said like you're going to have to leave me behind quite a lot of the time right so I sort of sat learning lines muttering to myself while hundreds of thousands of people were having fun but I did manage to to get along to some stuff and it was great yeah I I I I have to admit it will surprise nobody that's that knows me at all that I'm not a I'm not a music festival person I feel like I feel like it's a bit the crowd thing is a big thing I I like an odds concert here and there but I'm not like the dancer it's like I'm there's a lot of awkward swaying for me like I I don't know it takes a lot I agree I I I've always been very much like why would I go and watch why do I want to watch a band and they're like miles away and then solution is to watch them on massive screens and I'm like why yeah yeah I'm like I I want to be on the stage I want to see them like running off and taking like gulps of water and stuff right you know I'm a big sort of rehearsal kind of Backstage kind of fan I would rather watch theater rehearsals and sell tickets for like in the wings so sort of um and you feel like special and I also felt I a lot of the time with glastenbury because it's such an honor for these artists to play glastenbury is that we were making this night and I like like they would thank us all the time and I was like well no we've come to watch you you know I felt like were there to like when they say put your hands in the air I'm like that's so you can see that none of us can see that right was there was there one artist that you were turned on to that you discovered or what just tickled you to see the in person there was so um the the the the we went to see Ken uh that there was just a sort of time where I just feel like everybody of my generation listened to Keen or they listen to co playay or they listen to Star saor sort of very piano based right bands with big ballads and that was an amazing experience I cried just stood in the field at like 3 in the afternoon I cried to keen and then the great discovery of glassenbury was an artist called little Sims from I think she's from North London actually okay the most amazing stage presence I've ever seen just [ __ ] just mad just such incredible composure and and she just at the stage up and and and and both of those artists had in common was that they they loved being there you know they truly loved the fact that they were there so yeah those two yeah it's funny it's like I you know my day job for many years has been with MTV I'm not like necessarily like up on music generally but through osmosis I have to be kind of because of my peers are all like 22 years old so like I was just at I was at com I was at Comic-Con in San Diego over the weekend and going into Comic Con I'd never heard of Chapel rone for instance and by the end of ComicCon I was like obviously Chapel run everyone's talking Chapel it was like it was coming out of my pores so I'm always late to the party but you know doing my best as a 48-year old man keep it up you're 48 I am you 48 I'm falling apart inside I appreciate you you do not look 48 that's insane calm down well done sir thank you buddy um also okay so in doing my research I watched a couple really cool interviews that you did um and they tickled me because they were with some Legends in their own right I want to talk about both of these people because they're both important in your life in different ways uh I watched the Paul mcll Paul Mescal conversation with you uh and Paul is obviously just killing it and I'm not just saying that because he's a fan of this podcast thank you Paul for listening um but uh have you worked with Paul what's the association with Paul is that through ass like mutal friends no I've never worked with Paul we just um I became friends he did a film with s with my partner in Australia um and I I was over there um and so I got to know Paul through that and we've we've just become really great mates um you know there's there's a whole little group of us that sort of um that that that really get along and I just adore I actually Paul um I actually sort of e met him when during lockdown I when I watched um normal people and I was so utterly Blown Away there's a scene in that where he I think he's he's having therapy these character is having therapy and he broke down and and like I've I've I I've I I've I've done my first year breaking down over the years you know I'm sure like everybody has but um I was so utterly moved I'm never moved by those kind of things ever and I was moved by that and I just couldn't I he just took my breath away completely and I was like I've got to find this guy a kid at that point um and I I found him you know through the sort of social media route and I just got a message to him and I was just like I just have to tell you how wonderful you are and um and and sort of from there we sort of developed a an e e I don't know what you call it relationship and and then I know I know yeah I know I know we're really good really good friends and I um I just I I I love I I I just love watching him and I love I love watching Paul navigate his way through you know and and and like you you know I've I've I've had a relative Slow Burn in many ways as as a career um I've I've I've been very lucky in what I've been able to do but I've been very lucky that I've had sorts of space to learn and grow and right and Paul was sort of straight into the deep end I I love the way that he deals with it and and he he he's he's Unapologetic for how he wants to um you know keep as much of himself as possible and I'm I'm IM immensely proud of him for that alone forget his acting which is you know sort of just the sort of strange kind of beauty that very few actors have how he sort of holds himself is wonderful but I was going to say yeah it's funny because I was thinking that in relation to your career and you're right you've kind of had a different kind of trajectory and and it also though seems inevitable and I'm sure you've thought about this and I'm sure you've been up for those kind of like roles that feel like they could like really put you front and center in a giant way right that probably didn't happen for whatever reason at the time but how you navigate that and those those opportunities are going to still come you know like you know that that's going to happen at some point you're going to be front and center in something of a sizable you know realm and is that I don't know is that something that you think about of like can I rain what is important to me as an artist in an in a higher you know budget bracket in a way it's a great question I mean my my all I've you know again I'm not going to lie and say that you know i' you know every person wants to be sort of um in the best things possible they're working with the best people possible you know and every actor knows that you know the the the more you are a lead the more often that you're a lead um the more sort of say that you have to shape where something's going and that's the true Wonder of of and and true Joy of being a lead is how much you sort of get to shape it um and you feel part of it and you get your your muscles grow every day because you're in every day um but my my genuinely my favorite thing about um the way that my career's gone is that I and I mean this like I've gotten better at what I do like I I'm not saying I was awful or whatever but sure I I I am I only do this job for me in terms of that's all I'm really thinking about is me because I I I I'm My Own harshest critic and um it's really nice that I sort of started only recently sort of looking at stuff that I've been doing and I'm like God I am getting actually a bit better but I've known that because it's felt easier or it's felt more daring or it's felt more dangerous and so um getting better is is is what I enjoy most yeah it's fun also to talk to folks like you know that have gone through it with you and I will admit I picked the brain of somebody you go way Richard Rankin back with don't be frightened Jack but Richard Ranken gave me some dirt gave me some yes the one and only um and he talked I guess you guys were in a very formative play for both of you way back when correct um and he told me what do you think he told me what do you think like when I asked him for the Intel what should I know about what how Jack approaches what he does what do you think he ratted you out on I mean we were like I was I was 19 and that was my first big job what did he say I mean uh mean him once had an argument did he say that no see I'm self I'm making you incriminate yourself now yeah I'm gonna incriminate myself no we play We Invented this stupid I thought that's what you would have said we invented this stupid game because it was 10 boys 10 like testosterone chocked up Lads on tour and we invented this stupid game called Cafe ball I think it was in in dumbo in Brooklyn with upturn bar stools and a basketball and it was basically basketball but you got it in the thing and those games would get really really heat and Richard and I ended up in sort of like a clinch and ended up sort of like trying to throw him over my shoulder or he ended up trying to throw me over his or whatever and and but and I too much damn testosterone back too much too much and like oh right I thought that's what he would have said why wouldn't he say well he he went on the actly route which I appreciate and watching your conversations you obviously just love this [ __ ] so much and like he talked about how um and I may I use the word [ __ ] with affection um he talked about how you like to always throw out scenarios um whether it was like tonight let's play this as if we're both secretly in love with each other or or I think when he was he was in a play was doing mcbath with sersa I think he he said um maybe you suggested to him that um he play it as if he the it's super dark like it's getting darker is that right yes I did and he play he Richard plays them so well I because I find Richard Richard is this sort of Richard is like again it's these these guys that I grow up I I love watching it's the same with Paul it's the same with other guys that I've sort of feel like you one of a better phrase of come up the ranks with yeah and um Tom Glen carne is another actor that I I'm immensely proud of not not I I don't I just watching these actors grow and grow and grow is is is is one of my favorite things about what we do and we all get on and and I do I feel like a sort of a bunch of brothers that you know all started you know and we had no idea what we're doing and and watching everybody get better and Richard was somebody that to be in all honesty the fact that he's grown into this absolute hunk he's like this H like we were like 19 or whatever like you just never would have thought that running about playing soldiers literally playing soldiers he's like this funk and it makes me laugh um but he's got this brilliant comic ability and so yeah I give him I used to give him things like your left play tonight that your left foot is in love with your right foot but your right foot doesn't want to know and and he would play it full blood and and and I I I yeah it's my favorite thing and you need those things when you're on a long tour yeah I'm sure yeah he makes me laugh like a few others I've done a lot with Outlander over the years and he's he's he's like he's hysterical did you did you did you go up for Outlander way back when I could see you being in the mix there no they never came they never came how dare they so being an adult definitely has its high points and perks right like you can if you so Ad--ZocDoc choose eat ice cream for dinner anytime any day you want you could sleep until 300 in the afternoon on a Saturday or go see a movie anytime you want within reason but it's not all fun like you have to do your taxes every single year you have to figure out how you're going to feed yourself every single night and you have to make doctor's appointments and for that one luckily there is Zach do it's the healthcare app that makes adulting that much easier Zach do is a free app and website where you can search and compare highquality in network doctors choose the right one for your needs and click to instantly book an appointment we're talking about in network appointments with more than 100,000 healthare providers across every conceivable specialty from mental health to dental health Eye Care to skin care and much more plus Zach do appointments happen fast typically within 24 to 72 hours of booking and you can even score same day appointments I've used Zach do and you should too so stop putting off those doctor's appointments and go to Zach do.com Slappy said to find and instantly book a topr rated doctor today that's Zach do.com Slappy sad Zach do.com Slappy sad [Music] the other interview I watched and I promised we're going to talk so horses but this just tickled me because I grew up obsessed with James El Brooks um and James L. Brooks you you have recently worked with James El Brooks in his first film in like 14 15 years um and I mean for me Broadcast News is like top five top 10 movies of all time uh and I know you talk a lot about trying to inject comedy into your work and nobody does that better in service of drama dramedy whatever we call it than James El Brooks so I'm just curious that must have been a big moment to be in that world wasn't it it it was enor it was an enormous moment I for for many reasons um one of them being the the the comic element to what to what we do is something that I've I've I have always wanted I'm always constantly trying to put it in the work that I do and then so to be in what I think is it's not an out andout comedy Jims film but it's cly the most comedic film that I've been in overtly comedic um and then to work with one of the great Geniuses of screen comedy um was was quite daunting at first and I couldn't quite believe that I was the guy that was chosen to be in that you know um but he he he he is truly is a genius at what he does um I I I I've never worked with a director writer or anybody that knows kind of sound like a dick but that knows knows love as well as Jim knows love he knows all the different versions of love like the most ridiculous and the most meaningful the most subtle um he also I just felt like a kid I would just because he does like 15 16 17 takes Jim and he's got an idea he's always seen it in a certain way and he we sort of do that for the first four or five takes you're sort of trying to get what he means sometimes you're getting it sometimes you don't and then it's then he will like go okay let's forget that and he'll go try this and then you get to about take 12 and he gives you those magic words where he sort of says okay now do one for you which is the most beautiful thing a director can say to you in my opinion because you it's a sort of validation you know you've given him what he wants now he's like go do it and it was in those moments that I really sort of felt again on the theme of getting better I really sort of pushed myself and he he there was no he's one of the great directors as well because it's best idea wins it's not who has the it's best idea and a guy of that caliber to be to be in the position where he turns to you and says what do you think you're like [ __ ] okay yeah I'm collaborating with a guy who doesn't need to collaborate he can just dictate what he wants but he's yeah and he laughs that laugh is like famous takes and you're like we're doing a take Jim and you're laughing and I've never experienced that loved it because I come from stage so I miss right that in perception no no that was wonderful uh I can't wait I can't wait um okay SLOW HORSES slow horses I was telling you before we started uh I've got a chance to see the new season uh no surprise it it's awesome it's a really great one season 4 is coming soon um I'm not going to spill anything but it's a big one for you too I mean it's a really interesting intense right from the GetGo Arc I mean you talk about kind of like tracking your progress as an actor I mean I guess there's no better like barometer like you've been on the show for a few years like do you internalized you say like okay season 4 season 5 I'm noticing a difference Within Myself of how I approach the work and I and I've progressed I'm at a different level now yeah there there's a uh I mean maybe it's just sort of like uh a first you know first day at school kind of thing but when when we first started you know I I just looked at the lines and it was it was delivering what I thought was on the page and basically Tred to do what I was told and try to deliver what from someone else's imagination the the biggest marker is the longer we've gone the more I'm just I'm improving loads and the writer Will Smith is so fantastic with that he comes from that ianucci uh in the loop the thick of It kind of background where a lot of that was improv and so like that muscle has just grown and grown and grown because of the show and it's it's the way into to my work now is is is is improv and yeah it really is sort of collaborative and I guess like if you've played a char Like Richard did tell you if you played a character that long it's yours now you know nobody nobody's taking that away from me it's yours so um yeah it's it's that this the season that you've watched is the season where I really feel it sort of I think I think is is hitting a peak in a kind of way in story-wise things coming together and whatever um so I I I haven't seen it all you I haven't seen it all so I'm an no you're yeah it's it's excellent and again not to give too much away but um we can say there's some juicy stuff with you and Jonathan price you and Hugo weaving um which I don't know I mean I'm doing the math you must have seen Matrix when you were what like nine or 10 so playing opposite that formidable man must be a moment it's bizarre it's just Biz it gets more and more bizarre that show for that fact that I just you know you look over there and there's one Academy Award winner there's an academy nominee and there's there oh my God that you know you're just it's ridiculous yeah and but they're all they're all Lov the Hugo we was was particularly to jump into something like this as well was fantastic but he's such a nice man such a nice man I I know you inevitably end up talking a lot about Gary as as you Gary Oldman should I mean we've talked about him before I mean he's a legend and um after we spoke last time I did one of my favorite events I've ever done in my career we did a Live Career retrospective with him and my God like the work alone but like the humility the wisdom it's just like the gold standard um did that did did what shocked you the most as you started to get to know him in season one like did anything surprise you about any preconceived notions that were that were changed when you started work that how often he can think he's [ __ ] right right I I I you know and but it also makes complete sense it makes complete sense being an actor I know it feels like that I know what that feels like and and um everybody else is sort of you know it's I nowhere near the same sort of level of of this is Gary obviously but I kind of know what it feels like to sort of feel a bit mad because everybody stood there going no it was it was really good and you're like no it wasn't it didn't feel good and and and it I so I understand where it comes from with Carri to a certain extent but like Gary could just Gary could just lean against the door and it's fantastic um but that that was the biggest shock how often he sort of goes nah it's not working or whatever and getting to watch him work it out is great and getting to see the the the the performance through takes or whatever sort of build and you can see when he hits the crest of the wave and and all this kind of stuff it's it's just it's fantastic and I routinely go when him and Kristen do huge scenes if I'm not in that day I'll come in and I'll just sit somewh on the set like a strange boy and just sort of watched them behind the sofa um because it's I mean I don't want to miss that I would assume that's kind of both reassuring and depressing when you hear a legend like Gary Ol Man say you know like oh that was [ __ ] I can do better I'm not getting it because like if Gary old me can't like just relax and say I know what I'm doing there's no hope for any of us somebody said I think it was I think uh I think it was during dun Kirk or something I think it was dun Kirk and Tom Hardy said that to me when I was like I'm finding it so difficult I don't know if I'm any good and Tom said that's never going to leave you mate and and that's always stuck in my head like you're sort of doomed to always think that you're rubbish or whatever yeah did you did you grow up again doing math like were you a Harry Potter kid was Sirius Black a big thing or what was the Gary Oldman of your youth that connected with the Gary Oldman of my youth was Fifth Element yeah which I I'm sure you've had this conversation I I've had this conversation he's not a fan of he's not a fan of his work in that movie speaking of that doesn't surprise me that doesn't surprise me that that's I think that was the first Gary obman film I'd watched definitely and then I came late to sort of the Harry Potter stuff but when I saw his performance in that that is still one of my favorite Gary obman performances it's so serious black yeah serious black it's so beautiful it's where where everybody else is they're all brilliant in it but where everybody else is sort of being a bit big and mystical and whatever and Gary yeah Gary's Gary's especially then Gary had this thing across his eyes of sort of looking right through you and the way he looks right through Harry Potter that nobody looks like nobody looks at Harry Potter like that through the whatever 10 films it was um it's gorgeous performance you know what he said about that performance when I asked him about it you know what he called it shite mediocre he said a lot of my work in that as mediocre it's it's so it's so frustrating I do understand it I when you when you were uh backtracking a bit so I I know you grew up you did Youth Theater but you were also into sport you danced like your brother I Growing Up think was a big dancer right was were these all equal passions as a kid kind of like were you kind of like could you have gone down different paths depending on where your talents bore fruit yeah I well we were we were wonderfully supported by by our mom and dad we were you know I count myself incredibly lucky and that they they whatever we me and my brother thought we could do we would do like we watched The Mighty Ducks franchise and thought we could be ice hockey players um and they I remember we sort of convinced them to take us for a trial at the ice rink in Edinburgh for the whatever the hockey team is in Edinburgh and you know within about 15 seconds I think the guy was like they should leave the ice now um but we had the passion um um and dance was the same dance was a direct consequence of us watching uh River Dance Michael flatley's River dance but then that one took off because my brother is now a professional principal balet dancer so um that one really worked out for him and I sort of went along with him sort of used to stand next to him in a dance class and look at myself in the mirror um and mutter to him you know I I shouldn't be doing this should I because I couldn't do what he could do but I'd been it was too late I'd been on stage and I sort of fell in love with being on stage and then acting just sort of happened from there yeah do you still dance in any capacity in any s situation actually it's strange because I I dance in this play that I'm doing and we did a dance I had to come up with this dance with this wonderful dance teacher movement uh coach that we've got on it um and I was absolutely knackered at the end of it I was soaking wet um so I I I I'm still Boogie every now and again oh yeah oh I love to dance got a couple drinks in you and we'll see what your moves are next time um the the evolution from theater to film and TV I know was was something that wasn't necessarily didn't necessarily you felt come naturally at first right like when you started to get in front of a camera you felt a little lost is that fair to say God man yeah I I I hated it early on camera work absolutely despised it I just couldn't I felt like I was moving through mud um and it's only sort of in recent years that it's something's changed something's kind of started to shake off a bit but yeah really like what was that about was it was it just like not knowing who to play to the mechanics of it the marks I mean you that that's all part of stage work too to a degree but I guess no you know what it it took me years to work out what it was and what it is is because of being on stage a lot and from a young age um and but I was a shy kid there was somehow it was okay on stage because there was a sort of permission because it was very much us I'm on stage audience everybody's watching right it's a sort of permission the lights go down lights come up on me I've got permission this is we've all agreed that this is a performance there's something about when I made the transition into screen was that because there's no audience and you could literally be you know anywhere shooting it like in a layby off of a main road or whatever and it's lots of people like high viz Toops doing jobs I feel like I felt on a film set the acting was getting in the way of like a construction site like we were I'm in the way I'm a nuisance real world yeah yeah can can we take a break I need to do a bit of Hamlet like that's what it feels like so sorry can you put that pipe down that's what it feels like so the the lack of the sense of performance I think made me very very embarrassed I got embarrassed and so I felt I felt like it was like walking up to somebody working in an office and going do you mind if I uh do you mind if I cry you know what I mean it and it took me years to work that out honestly it's taken me years and years and years and so um I'm glad I've worked it out yeah you got there you got [Music] there you're obviously also in recent years I mean you've been working with some astounding filmmakers and filmmakers that don't necessarily read to me as like usually emotional or validating I'm not saying that as a Prive but like I don't think of like Steve McQueen or Christopher Nolan is folks that are gonna be like nailed it you're killing it man like do you need Christopher Nolan & Steve McQueen that as a performer and is that like you're in the hands of the best but you're probably not getting like that kind of validation in the moment so can you kind of in your own head like clock like I'm doing what I need to do well it's interesting with those two you know with Nolan with Chris he's it's sort of it's more like a sort of like um I guess what it's like you know like Alex Ferguson like a like a sports coach like a real you know somebody at the absolute top of the game and it's sort of with Nolan it's more a sort of Nod across a crowded room which is film in itself that you know you you search for it and he just gives you a nod and you you you just learn to go oh well that's the difference between no all right he thinks it's good yeah he's um I also think just Chris someone like Chris Lan's got so much going on in his head he's got so much more to think about so you learn to read those things Steve McQueen on the other hand Steve will scream that was [ __ ] brilliant oh I didn't realize that I oh I'm surprised to hear that okay oh I've seen him run in after actors have done a certain take and he's picked the actor up of like like like and we all celebrate this actor he he he he has a wonderful way oh I love to hear that amazing great it's fantastic yeah obviously that's the one you prefer needy actors we need something come on of course you do and but but what's wonderful is being on some of these massive sets is that I'm on it with a lot of massive D massive actors and particular like the Jim Brooks one I was on it with Jam Lee Curtis right and Jamie and Jamie would say this you know Jamie wants to feel the love too even though she's an Oscar winning you know Legend the woman um it doesn't leave an actor and i' I've I've I have yet to work with an actor that's like couldn't care less if anyone thinks they're did it's it's the oxygen that's fun it's fun so so no need to uh your partner just Saoirse Ronan worked with Steve I can't wait for Blitz this is going to be a big one for the fall I know do you uh did you I guess you don't need to give tips sersa knows how to work with the best but she knows she's say um no I um I definitely don't need to give her any tips no and and I mean even when we first the job that we met on on on Mary Queen of Scots you know she was about 23 on that job and and even at 23 years old was just sort of you know rocking rocking every moment and un completely and utterly unfazed by anything and it's it's um you know they're a rare they are a rare breed you know and these younger actors that that that I work with now I'm I I love it I love it I love it when I when when I work with a young actor and the there's a difference between being like a [ __ ] and then just being somebody that's just completely at ease and sort of thrives in it um and I I love watching it Tom Glen Carney was one of them on on done Kirk just watching this kid he just toked it like a duck to water um and he still does and I yeah I adore him uh I haven't seen the outrun yet but I know you produced that c is obviously starring in that what's it been like to collaborate I mean obviously mer W Scots is where you guys met this is a different kind of collaboration you know some couples uh we're never going to work together we just want to keep it separate did you find it a natural fulfilling experience to work in in this kind of capacity with her yeah I mean you know she she is she is first and foremost um in terms of the Arts you know she's first and foremost um one of the elite actors I think that that that that's that's working even even even how young she still is um and we we we've it's inevitable I think if if actors are with actors writers or with writers or whatever that you that you you're drawn towards making something together we didn't go out looking for something to make together we we always sort of fantasized about it or whatever and then I read this book and I was like Jesus Christ I mean this part like you should play this part and she read the book and and we sort of chased it and and then it ended up that we produced it and and she was in it um um and it was it was one of the great joys of my life doing that project it's it's been it's it's such a hard thing to get an independent film made yeah and it's an absolute miracle and I feel very fortunate that I've had the experience of it but it's one of my favorite things I've ever done with my life and I think um her and I definitely want to do more and we're going to do more um and we you know we're excited about how how we do that in different ways you know do we produce do we direct whatever right you talked about wanting to direct um that could be that's gonna happen that's inevitable yeah I yeah and um you know I you know I would love to direct her um I I know she's she she wants to direct as well um so it's it's just it's it's quite exciting to see what we do but like we're in no rush at all we're we're in no rush um we we just we want to meet we want to love it still you know we want to love it because it's a tough tough thing to get a film made it's a tough thing right right right well yeah we were talking about Paul's career trajectory again like to look at the way she the choices she's made because I know she's had franchise opportunities and stuff and like just chase the good filmmakers and the good work as you have like this is this is the way to do it not not Chase Park's office um if we got if if if I wanted to direct and I got Paul to do it it would be a [ __ ] easier to make the film yeah get Paul and sersa and this is a go project let's make this happen yeah no but it's it's um yeah it's it's it's so exciting and I love you know I love seeing other actors that are getting involved in that side of stuff you know um it's and and the more actors that are involved particularly in directing act more actors like gret Gerwig more actors that should move into becoming directors because the best directors of actors still for me that I've ever worked with and I've worked with quite a few people now have been actors they are the best directors of actors it is it is unbelievable how bad some directors are at directing actors it is shocking um because they're so good at other aspects of film of of film making I understand that but um you you you want to get the best out of an actor like you know you need an you need somebody that speaks actor yeah and I suppose the worst case scenario is is like it's one thing if they acknowledge they don't know what they're doing with actors and like leave you to do it but it's like to fake it and try to like give a half ass direction oh it's that side of it that's right horrible yeah some some directors some directors like Nolan's very very like that Nolan's very like you know it's so respectful and it like you know what you're doing so you do it you know and I I'll po poke and P certain bits but yeah he's very like that but yeah it is the ones that are like if you were a mango I'm not a mangle yeah it is amazing how bad they are jeez uh you'll be happy to know I checked the odds this morning you're you're 12 to one to be James Bond as of James Bond this morning I know you keep up with this every day very much yes yes it's it's um it's something I'm told quite often speak to people like your good S I apologize but do you think I should put any should I put any money on it is would I is that a is that a good bet or is that a [ __ ] bet I mean you I mean you it's up to you yeah it's it's up to you you do you want to do it's your money here's my question if if that amazing opportunity and look I know it's a long shot for any actor this is a one in a million kind of thing but we talked about comedy do you go do you do I'm not that we need a comedic uh James Bond but there have been um lighter bonds and and darker bonds is it time for a Roger morish lighter bond is that what the Jack loud in take might be I I can't speak for the Jack loud in take but I can I can speak for um it is an interesting moment I think what what on Earth you do do with it and sort of you know with with with things of that nature it's um the sort of realism matches with sort of entertainment um and I think what they did with it where where the last where the last one finished and the last the last um incarnation of it of of with Daniel was just so brilliant I I just I loved it um I don't really know where they go um and and I'm I'm just as eager as everybody else to see where they go but yeah I'd love to see some I'd love to see more humor in it um I don't think humor has been particularly missing from it but I I would yeah no I felt like especially as Daniel moved through the films like he was willing and able and and open to kind of injecting some of that humor which was which was fun to see and and now he's now he's now he has a full-fledged comedic career going with the knives out movies I mean come on he's amazing yeah of course yes so he does yeah um we're going to end with our happy sa Fus Pro family random questions Profoundly Random Questions Jack are you ready these are some rapid Fires for you dogs or cats which one are you dogs correct this is a dark houseold well done all right I thought I thought I was supposed to do it as quick as possible sorry that was a really cut no no no no no you can you can elaborate what kind of dog do you have do you have multiple just one no I have I have one dog but I grep my my uh dogs play a big part in one side of my family from my mother's side it's dogs are a big thing yeah do you collect anything uh do I collect anything uh Maps oh very nice okay what's the what's the wallpaper on your phone wallpaper on my phone see for the record proof oh Waller my is a picture of Scotland very unbrand very we get it yeah that's quite sad it's a nice country it's a photo that I took okay okay who's the last actor you were mistaken for last actor I was mistaken for uh B Affleck wow okay that's a compliment I mean he's a little older but he's looking great yeah yeah I don't mind that um we we kind of alluded to this before but my question is what's the worst note a director has ever given you besides be more like a mango or whatever worst note of director ever given me maybe not necessarily a note it was uh a director before starting the shoot on a film before we shot the first scene said so I was I was reading um the book last night um how to make a movie and that was the first sentence that's the worst thing a director's ever said to me on a film set just palpitations you just like okay okay that's what we're dealing with cool maybe keep that as an inside Voice next time Mr director yes yes uh in the spirit of happy say I confus an actor that always makes you happy you see them on screen you light up you're ready to have fun and enjoy yourself uh Simon Russell Beal great one amazing on the stage in particular right yeah one of the great actors just hopefully uh movie that makes you sad uh oh my God movie that makes me sad you cry at a Pixar movie you know I'll say James L Brooks Terms of Endearment gets me every time just to say it but that's that's mine that's that's that's not a bad shout I watch um there's a film called Finding Neverland about bar the writer the giant up sure yeah i' I've always found that so sad it's a sad one yeah yeah SPO word it goes to sad places yeah it does and a food that makes you confused uh um fennel oh yeah what are people what what are we doing what's the point what what yeah what are we doing with it like what stop it like it's it's it's enough now fenel like what yeah you you and my wife you can have a long conversation you both ha hate funnel um thank you for taking the time out from a I know a busy schedule you're in the middle of uh getting ready for a big play are you planning to bring that anywhere outside of Scotland am I GNA see you here in New York or but hopefully if it's any good yeah we won't bring it if it's not good promise a promise or a threat yeah yeah I promise you if it's not any we won't bring it um that would be rude that would be rude well I've never seen you on stage so uh I'd like to remedy that if it's all at all possible that's my request of you um congratulations man um the new season is coming very soon slow horses uh it's fantastic as they all are last season amazing congratulations on all the nominations the first Emmy the bafta Etc um all the good things um and thank you again man as always for making the time I appreciate you my pleasure man thank you so much Josh and so ends another edition of happy sad confused remember to review rate and subscribe to this show on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts I'm a big podcast person I'm Daisy Ridley and I definitely wasn't pressured to do this by Josh [Music]