"Laura Dern"

Hey gang, Jason Bateman here doing a cold open for SmartLess. I'm all by myself, I don't have the other two guys. So this is the horrifying look into what this podcast would be without Sean Hayes and Will Arnett. Just me talking, gaps, no fun, no humor, nothing interesting. Welcome to SmartLess. Alright, so listener, we've got Will beaming in from Bozeman Montana. We've got Sean Hayes there in downtown Hollywood. He said, oh, there it is. Scotty is applying Chapstick on to Sean's lips because that's the role they like to play. Wow. That just happened. Yeah, well Jason Threaten, that he don't do it and I may have done it. That was, uh, the Scotty ever call from the restroom. I'm done, Sean. Whitebie. Oh, okay. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, No, not in a while. Not in a minute. Well, he don't, well, don't you miss the days. Don't you miss the days of wiping the bumps and changing the diaper and the whole like, yeah, and then what about doing that to your kids? Oh, Sean. Oh, Sean. Oh, Sean. Oh, Sean. I do miss it. I just, we just sort of, especially now that my little guy is five. Yeah. He just seems like such a big boy. Yeah. He just seems like such a big boy now. When is he six? When is birthday? in May. Oh, yeah. Yeah. How about that? Yeah. Now Sean, and we, you know, we can cut this in this sharing to personal. Oh, we can cut this in. We can get this into limited, another episode. Draw it in. Have you and Scotty ever had a serious conversation about maybe adopting? You know, it's funny. You see that? I mean, yes, but no, like I, it's unfortunate that now, right now at this age is the time I'm like, oh boy, I could really have a kid that I think would be really fun to be a dad. But unfortunately, it's too, it feels like it's too late because of the energy that it requires and all that. Energy, yes. So I feel like that's what a staff is for, Sean. I can see you're so staffed up. I couldn't you will. Oh, yeah. Three night nurses, four nannies. Yeah, but then what, but then I would feel bad about the kid because the kid wouldn't, like, I'd have to take it to Disneyland. I mean, too tired. Yeah, but you'd be like, like, you know, like the, the old millionaire of distant, unavailable dad in the wheelchair, but bark in orders. Yeah, from the, no, but I mean, you don't mean like my brain is there, but like I, I, it's, my brain came too late. I think you'd be great no matter what. Me too. Me too. I know what would happen is it would happen and you would be absolutely obsessed, Sean, in the best way. Yeah, and 50 is the new 30. Oh no, what are you going to do? Your headphones are plugged in. You took your sweater off. I know. I can't, I can't unplug the fucking, you know, I took my sweater off over my headphones and I'm just a guy who tries to take his sweater off in the car when he's driving. No one, and you know what, JB, I think it's better he didn't have a kid. You know, you know, you saw that. I need a parent. You imagine him trying to collapse a stroller. Oh my god. By the way, trying to get it in the truck. No, it will. Nothing, nothing tests. You're intellect more than trying to figure out how to collapse one of those doors. Or by putting in a car seat and trying to try to strap in the seat belt thing behind it and into the anchors. I'm still in the booster phase. I'm out of the full car seat, but I am still in the booster phase and it is, I still do have sweaty moments. Yeah. I'm trying to find the thing to hook underneath and I'm like, just one second, one second and then I'm, God. You just, I know, but there, but a lot of parents are really bad marketers at it because like the second the baby goes crazy and it's having a tantrum and it's in its arms, they look over their shoulder and they mow to you. They go, don't have a kid. Right. I know. You know what I mean? And you're just like, well, now I don't want it because you just, I just so witness that. Yeah, but those are just the moments, you know. What was the line shown that you still always use? You'd say like I'd have kids. I'd rather regret not having them than have them and regret it later. Yeah. It's a great line. It's a great thing. Isn't it? I mean, it's just, it's abstract, but it's great. I mean, yeah. Yeah. I don't know. Listen, you got Ricky, you know, you know, yeah, by the way, I just brought it to every once in a while. I saw, I saw JB, Sean, I haven't seen you in forever. I know. I haven't seen you in forever. Yeah, so sweet Willie last night. Oh, where? There's some fancy, dancing, singing for Bob. Oh, the governor's thing. Yeah. That's it. I didn't know that was last night. That was last night and I said to, I actually said it to my thing. I said a few words at the start and I said, oh, yeah. I mentioned the podcast and I said, Jason is actually here today. And if you see him, just go up and touch him. Hugging me. Love strangers. Just like a receiving line. Wait, so did you know I was going to be there or were you just, did you improvise that? I just improvise that. Yeah, just, yeah, just in the moment. This guy's got skills. He's not a phantom microphone in a spotlight. It was a crazy room and I wanted to make sure to be just kind of respectful. And it was such a great night. How was it? Was it long and boring or kind of fun? For sure. Yeah. That's good. Yeah. So, all right. Well, there it is. There it is. Tell you who's not short. Oh, we got to talk about it. And I will say that this, she is an acclaimed actress producer and filmmaker known for versatility, emotional, intelligent performances across film and television. Born in LA, both her parents are acclaimed actors themselves. She started acting at a young age. She has been in some of my favorite movies of all time. And I'm also love and I've had the honor of being in a movie with her. We saw her in Blue Velvet, wild at heart. She ran into Moore's first Academy Award nomination. She wanted to get her. Look at this. Look at the sea of my stars. I was going to say she's our friend, Laura Dern. Oh, I'm guiding. I can't wait to drill you about just the tortures of working with Will Arnall. I knew that was the last favorite part of the movie. First of all, no, no, no, no. Before we get into her Lee's favorite part, because she has a lot of Lee's favorite parts. I will say, Laura, I love. I can see the reflection of your window, the fire going. Fire going. I mean, guys, and it wasn't even planned in LA. This is going to be the cozier step-in-one ever. It's so cozy. But by the way, has every single guest ever told you that the hardest acting job of their life is staying quiet while you're hysterical? And all I want to talk about is Sean and Scotty's parents. What? That's like dream come true. This is your turn. This is your turn. Go get him. Talk it in, baby. Laura, give him a good pitch, because you've got a great kid for two. Two great kids that you such as. Ray Moore, oh my gosh. I'll tell Sean how great he'd be. And the age is not a factor. It's not a factor. And I liked the citizen cane imagery. I sort of like. I'm the wheel chair. I'm Sean. I'm Sean. I'm Sean. I'm being rolling in to parents. I'm pretty schooler. Yeah, they're only going to be 10 years old before they have to wipe me. I like the idea of you, Sean, of you, you, Scotty and your child eating at one end of a huge like 30 person table. Yeah. And then we're coming in. And like it's a small market. Oh, the three of you at Dupars. I'm just so happy. Oh my God. Dupars. I'm so happy. Wait, so for Tracy, who may not know, I think she knows, well, Will and Laura star in the upcoming is this thing on direction? Sean Hayes co-stars. And so Sean Hayes and Scotty. Yeah, he's got ice-nougal. Oh, that's correct. We're both in it as well. Who is incredible in this movie. Yeah, he's great. We'll talk about Sean and Will as well, but I have to start with Scotty. Scotty. Scotty has one of my favorite lines in the movie, Laura in that scene where all of us are in that scene. And then they say, I want to raise a toast to somebody who's done a great thing. You're just got to go, thank you. All right. Exactly. All right, exactly. Exactly. Oh my God. Where was that great apartment? That was an awesome apartment. Oh my God. That was Dumbos, right? That was in Dumbos. Yeah. Yeah, that was Bradley and Andrew Day's apartment, their characters. Yeah. It was a great apartment. It was amazing. Well, while they turned it into a great apartment. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Laura, I just saw you in another great movie yesterday, Jake Kelly. Jake Kelly. Nice going. Oh, I want to see you in the house. Thank you. I want to see you. This is what I wanted to see. Yeah, she doesn't waste her time in bad stuff, guys. No, I know. When's the last time you saw her in a bad project? You can't challenge you. No, it doesn't exist. It doesn't exist. Okay, if we wanted to be a challenge. I can't challenge you. So Laura, how do you pick projects? Is it script director? Is there an order or like what? It speaks to you as the role and you don't care about the other stuff or how do you pick? I guess first I ask if any of you are in it. No, sure. And then if I'm lucky. And you got two out of three in the last one. By the way, three out of three because, and it always interests me, it's people that come up to me that know specific films that I'm in that they love have seen me over the years, mention a few of the films they're grateful for, and then also tell me how much they love me in Ozark. And I'm like, is it because my name is Laura? Oh, no. Confusing this, is it just the Laura connection, but Laura Lennie will also tell you this. Really great. You guys get stopped for each other? Yeah, yeah. Really? So I kind of, so we've worked together as well. I can see that people make that brain fart. And they're like, I loved you in Ozark with Justin Bateman. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That covers all the bases. Yeah. Laura, you started, listen, we're going to get into choosing rules. Well, first of all, you can answer Sean's question. What is your criteria? Yeah, is there a process? Yeah. I would say that I... Can you choose well? Thank you. I, one, have gotten very blessed to be chosen. So I don't know that, I think it's more about luck than the choosing. And if we are lucky and as our careers evolve, we maybe get to do some of the choosing. But when I was a kid and getting to watch my parents work with incredible filmmakers, I didn't know what was happening. I was just a six, seven year old kid on set. I fell in love with their relationship with filmmakers and what that felt like and looked like to see people understand or have an instinct about my parent in a way that I felt I knew them intimately. I knew them intimately. Things that others didn't know about them. And I thought, man, this is such a crazy dynamic that there are these people that get them in a way they may not even have caught up to in themselves. Right. I fell in love with that relationship before I even understood what acting was like. And so I always dreamt of getting to work with master filmmakers. And I got lucky at a young age that extraordinary directors hired me. But did you remember filmmakers being around the house like filmmakers that we know, filmmakers? Like do you remember them? Yeah. I remember when I was six, my summer vacation that became the year that I then went to my parents and said I wanted to start studying acting and became kind of obsessed with the idea of it, which seems so absurd now. But I just knew, I guess, you know, there are things you know about that you loved. But my mom was doing, Alice doesn't live here anymore with Martin Scorsese. And my dad was doing a film family plot with Alfred Hitchcock. And I went back and forth between those two sets. So for my sister who might not know, your dad is Bruce Stern and your mom is Diane Ladd who I'm sorry just recently passed him so sorry about that. Yes. Fantastic. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it was an amazing thing just like watching these, you know, mind blowing directors at work with them. And then, you know, yeah, as a kid, Hal Ashby was my dad's neighbor as well as a colleague and, you know, became such a hero director to me and a lot of directors. Did you do something in Alison? Doesn't live here anymore? I was in extra. Yeah. I ate an ice cream cone. And I had to, I think they did like 16 takes or something. So I had to eat 16 ice cream cones. And Marty said to my mom, Sean, they're not still gassing by the way. Yeah. Sean said, he's been paid for licking before. Oh my God. I thought it was going to be a leader. Sometimes for free. But he had sort of commented in front of me to my mom like, oh my God, she just ate 16 ice cream cones and she didn't throw up. Like that kid's going to be an actor. That's hilarious. That's hilarious. Oh, someone called me to me. Do you have any recall at all about what kind of person Alfred Hitchcock was? Yeah. Guys, it was the craziest thing I remember, you know, because there's all kinds of stories, you know, reputationally about him. But all I know is I was super little and a bit intimidated anyway. When I went on set, I always thought I was in the way and kind of shy. And he had props make a mini directors chair that he put next to him. Wow. And he sat there with him. No way. No way. I, you know what, I have one photo with them on set, but not in the directors chair, which is crazy. Just sit next to him. And I didn't know all I knew was, you know, that this man who would, yeah, like laugh hysterically at my dad, he thought my dad was so funny and I just loved that because at the time, people would come up to me telling me what a bad guy my dad was because he'd kill John Wayne. And for your sister, my dad was, I think the only person to successfully kill John Wayne in a movie. So he was not very well liked at the time, but loved for being a bad guy in Westerns, but also as a kid, you're sort of intimidated by people talking about like, oh man, do I love to hate you? I was like, oh, okay. Enjoy your time at Disneyland. Sean Hays is with his child. Right. No, he was too tough. He has the man in the wheelchair. Exactly. Did you ever feel any sort of, or did you start too early to feel any sort of intellectual pressure to work as consistently as your parents have? Like that's a, those are real tall bars to try to match, jump over, live up to. I mean, you made it. It's such a question. It's done it. This is such a question for you as well. And I will say one thing I so love every time I get to see Jason because of our shared friends is I find you and we find a corner and then we just go and share growing up amidst family at young ages, working amidst other family members. I don't. Did you guys ever cross paths when you were young? Did you guys have Hollywood friends? I don't think so. No. No. I was, you know, the whole stratosphere higher than that. Don't you dare to resist? No, the stratosphere, the stratosphere to me was yours. I could live. But living up to what your parents are so immensely famous your entire life, were you, were you even conscious that you were setting yourself up to like how could I ever live up to that? That never got, got in your way, did it? No. I feel like I was so young that it was only later that, you know, that occurred. To me, or I probably never would have done it. But, but, but, but before you said for any, any kids out there that, that do struggle with that, like, thank God you didn't let it get in your way because it shouldn't because it is, you are a completely individual person separate from your parents, you know, even though you may want to go into the same occupation as them whether it's acting or not, like, it's completely natural that a kid would want to go down the same lane they've, they've watched and admired because your parents are your first heroes. And so why wouldn't you want to go and do the same thing that they were doing? And it, it doesn't matter whether you end up doing the same accomplishments that they do. It's just, I don't know, I just think I think it's a bad wrap. And most professions we, yeah, and most professions we know only kind of revere legacy families or going into the family business, your butcher, a doctor you go to, by the way, knowing your kids, they're just hilarious brilliant people. And I'm just can't wait for them to write and direct and act if they choose it because it's innate in them. And Will and I had an amazing experience because working on our movie, which I will get into and divulge all these beautiful things about Will. Sorry guys, I'm going to be super reverent about it. It's going to be a bummer for you both. But we also got to work with Peyton Manning. And when Peyton and I had a scene together and somehow the subject of, quote, nepot babies came up, he's like, yeah, I'm a nepot baby. And I thought, oh, right, no one ever talks about legacy, like the great NFL family of all time say, like Peyton Manning shouldn't have done it. He should have done something else. Yeah. It's so crazy. And here's the other thing. If people didn't want it, whatever, then they wouldn't have opportunity. That's just the way that it works. We know how it works. It all boils down to commerce anyway, right? In any business. If the guy goes, if he's like, my dad was a doctor and I decided to become a doctor and he was a shit doctor, he wouldn't have any patients. That's just the way it goes. It's the same in our business. So I do, but it's an easy target as you see because it's so public. So it's just, you know, yeah. But like you said, if you don't have the goods, if you're a nepot baby, you're not the goods. It doesn't, like, you know what? You know what, you just realized that's what you and Scottie should have. You should have a nepot baby. Yeah. Yeah. Dr. Nepot baby. Name the baby, Nepot. That was amazing. That was amazing. Great. A great idea. Nepot baby. Yeah. I take them to the pediatric. And he's like, Nepot baby. Nepot baby. I take them to the pediatric. And he's like, Nepot baby. Nepot baby. Nepot baby haze. This is our son, Nepot. Nepot, I snuggle. And get him in a show right away. Get him into a show. Yeah. And his show. Finding Nepot. And we will be right back. And now back to the show. What was the first job where you were you? Well, first of all, I want to do. I do want to say talking about the parent stuff, JB. I don't know if you know this. When you and your mom were the first time ever child, mother, daughter, child, parent were nominate, both got Academy of Word nominations for Rambling Rose, a film that I adore. It's in them. You're incredible in that movie, Laura. And I'm going to embarrass you because I just love you so much. I didn't know that. Both of you got nominated the same year. You're a movie. Yeah. The same movie. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. In the same category. No, separate categories. Yeah. One was supporting, one was lead. Yeah. Yeah. It's a wild. Isn't that incredible? Yeah. And did you go take, did you go, you go, you go, you go together? You went together. Like yeah. With my grandma was so, so, so, way. It was amazing. I'm glad it's got. I'm glad it's got. It was crazy. It was so beautiful. It was so crazy. What was, Laura, what was the first thing that you did where you felt like you were the first role that you had that you did and you were like, I got it. Like not, not I got it, but you felt really good. Like you feel really connected to it. Like the first sort of meaty thing that you're like, okay, like this is, this is really what I want to do. And it feels good. And did you have one of those? Yeah. Maybe this movie smooth talk. It was probably my first lead. And so I had no time to not find devotion. You know, like it was, we made it for under $2 million. I was in every scene. It was a really radical film with myself and treat Williams. There's a very deeply troubling and very complicated to shoot. Half hour long kind of coaxing of this young girl toward a sexual assault based on it. Joy's Carole Out story and you know, radical amounts of dialogue and you know, playing a character. And I was 15 when we made it who's sort of discovering her sexuality a bit before. I knew so many aspects of self. I didn't know myself in that way so completely. And I had to, yeah, I had to be so emotionally vulnerable and still somehow learn how to take care of myself. And yeah, that was the first time I think I had to be a grown-up. And after the film was done or after that particularly hard day when you did a particularly hard scene, did you feel like, wow, I just kind of slayed that dragon and I'm on the other side of it. I just went straight to like cynical like jaded divorcees, 47-year-old smoker. I just like, I've done, you know, now I get to just be a damn. No, not really. But did you feel that you're on the other side of it at the end of the movie or at the end of that day or once it came out and it got received? You know what? I think the coolest thing was I remember actually calling home and calling my mom after just a day of crying all day and thinking, maybe this isn't the most fun job. Maybe this isn't, like I didn't understand all these feelings and where to put them and I was blessed to have parents I could talk to about that and get some distance from things and learn how to even though it's emotional. You can kind of crack open all these spaces. You don't have to like live in it. It can be healing and a job toward healing and not something that kind of rips you apart in some weird way. But you felt that you'd pulled it off. Yeah, those, the tears were believable and all that. Yeah, I felt, I felt, I think I felt a little scared by it because I, it wasn't intentional. I wasn't trying to be a method actor. I was a kid who just had a day of crying all day and my body was like shaking and unhappy like when you've cried all day. And so I think just the getting to the place where at the end of that day I learned kind of what was me and what was this other place space of discovery. And I think the deepest joy which happened around that time and also on Blue Velvet which were like in your night. Yeah, that was great. Those were a couple years in my life where I discovered empathy as this like badass superpower that being vulnerable and being empathetic and being part of a, you know, a team of people where you're just going to kind of reveal yourself to each other and it's going to somehow be hopefully safe and, and generous. And move an audience. It was like so radical and hardcore and baller. You know, I felt like, yeah, I felt like a kid who just found a sport. Yeah, it's real. It is just like it's the craziest thing in the world to sit there and be so full of shit that you can make yourself cry. Yeah. And probably make the person watching cry. And like everybody's on board that we're playing make believe the people that are doing it are in make believe. And I'm pretending that that it's real so much so that it's making me, me cry while I'm watching it. Like everyone signs on to this like buzzer. A moment. Yeah. That we all go in this dark room together and sit next to these strangers, cry next to one another and then go leave getting our car and drive home and have what's for dinner. It's just like the coolest weirdest thing. Yeah, but it's so on a certain level. I can't believe it. I just I'm hearing you say it that way, JB, you realize it is all just about we all just want to connect and we all just want to connect with each other and have these shared experiences because something about that it inspires us. It makes us we can relate to it. We got a life really interesting. Yeah, yeah. Let's see these little pieces. And you go, well, you go and you, you know, when at its greatest, when you go and you see something that kind of moves you in that way, having that emotional connection to that or having that shared experience, not even just with the people in the theater, but the people aren't when you're watching it, I guess. And it's just a creamy for the first time. Maybe I'm just a slow learner. It does. There's something about it that like it sort of it stirs something in in us and makes us sort of gives us perspective on our own experience and it sort of answers questions about our own experience and all that kind of stuff. I think it's illuminating to the human spirit, if you will, as bullshitty as that sounds, I really actually believe that now today. I cried a force I cried a force awakens. Yeah, I'll bet you did. Yeah, but you did. Did the projector break or something? No. It crashed behind somebody with it. Were you sitting by somebody with a hat or something? Did you spill your bombons? With no caps. They ran out of milk cups. But it is crazy that you know, you can't fake truth. You could fake a lot of things. And you guys all know as incredible actors and also as directors that there's this other thing that happens that we all feel together when we get to the truth of a thing. And it can't be faked. But at the same time, we're all pretending that it isn't fake. Like, we know that it's fake and we're all just saying, let's all agree to focus so hard that we can convince ourselves and our tear ducts and everything that this is real. Like, I love that everybody just kind of silently signs on to that and no one knows each other. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But in those moments, it is real. That's the flip of it. Well, that's a magic of movies. We'll be right back. Shit, Sean's mic is working. I was watching JB weirdly enough on Instagram cross David Cross posted it from a rest of the helmet. And I was watching. Oh, no, I'm doing standout. No, and you were what you were doing a scene from early on. You were doing a scene with David and Portia. And there was something about you. I was watching you do this scene. And you were and they're both acting like imbosols. And so you're in the middle between them. And I was so on the ride with you. You were such a great. You took me on this thing. And I know it inside and out. And yet I was still really taking it with you doing. And it's not you, Jay. But you were doing this thing. And it made me laugh. And it made me feel good. And I had a connection to it on a deeper level as well. But I just made me love you. And I was just like, fuck look at this guy. He's so good at doing this. I love you. We'll say all those nasty things about you. Well, if we believe it, then the audience will believe it. Laura, do you? You had a... Oh, sorry. I mentioned Sean. Sean's got a spaghetti meatballs on the stove. And so he's got to get to his quest. No, I just got it in. By the way, I just said Chinese with what did I have to drink? A glass of milk because it was too spicy. Oh, it's 430. What do you mean? He said New York. He said New York. New York. Yeah, by the way, Jay Pimes on. By the way, I had a face time with him before the three of us had a face time before our session of your Laura. And then before that, Sean and I talked like an hour ago about something and I go in and Sean goes, I got to go, I got to eat before we do the show. And he goes, and I go, oh, yeah, okay, I let you go. And he goes, I'm having Chinese. What is it all about? Love it because Jay tenners an event in his life. I love that. It was so funny. I haven't had Chinese since. What is so long? Laura, do you like Chinese food? I love it. I love it. Not as much as Nepo. Nepo talked a lot about how much he loves Chinese. He can't get enough of it. I'd like Chinese tonight. Hey, this is the... I promised this is the only Jurassic Park question last. But when we were on the set of... Is this thing on, we were on the set. You told me the greatest story. Can you just tell it really fast? Cause it's so cool. Something about, do you remember what it was? It was about, oh, was it about Steven with the megaphone the first day? Yeah, yeah, yeah. That we were, I mean, this was the first CGI movie. So all we knew was we were going on this journey and there was this new idea called CGI. And there was this company called ILM industrial light magic. And you know, Dennis Muren was this guy I met on set and they were talking about how they could paint an image on the computer and things might show up that aren't there in real life. And they would put an X on a piece of paper and put it in like an orange picker up into a tree and they stare at the X and I kept thinking, oh, this may really not work. It just seemed nuts that it was even possible. And it was the first day, I think it was like second or third day on set and it was the first day we were all there as a group. And we're looking into the, what was the Raptor pen, I guess. And and Sir Richard Attenborough is kind of giving us a tour of the park. And they're supposed for the first time we hear something that may be a roar in the distance. That's right. It's like your first hint of something. And we did the first take and we were all like looking in the wrong direction and not responding at the right time. So he said, Stephen, we need help. I mean, yeah, nothing's there, but we need to hear it at the same moment. He goes, oh my God, of course, of course. And I'm obviously we had to be scared to sell the things that aren't there. So Stephen was sitting at camera and they rolled camera. Action. We're looking, we turn our heads in the moments about to come and Stephen takes a megaphone and goes, roar, roar. roar. roar. roar. roar. I feel all lost with that. I know in that moment this group of actors have looked at each other like, this is a disaster. That must have been like, wait, what are we doing? Like what? So you're just going to go roar through the whole move. It was this prayer. This is another horrible thing. It also occurs to me, Laura, you've become sort of like the emblem, like the icon for, they always use that image of a person. Yes, for me, you're my icon. Obviously, yeah, you're my, but that thing of you, of the, of the big dinosaur coming up, like right up against your face and you're totally freaked out. That is like such an iconic, you know, they always include that. You know, it's like a huge, when you see that, do you remember the day you were shooting it? Do you remember what you were going through? Do you remember like, yeah, the reaction? Yeah. Yeah, that was crazy. And I mean, it was amazing because the incredible Stan Winston had built animatronic puppets. So there were so much practical puppets for you. That's a real head there. Yeah. Oh, yeah. And it was, yeah, you cuss. I've heard of this show. Yeah, fuck, fuck, fuck, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Like scary as fuck. Like nothing scary. Oh, shit, we don't, we don't use the, we don't say that. Sorry, not from the women, not from the only woman. And I'm a third time. Um, I'm so, no women. But it's so scary. The dinosaurs were terrifying. Yeah, I mean, isn't it, wasn't it? I'm sorry if you get asked this all the time, but isn't it wild to be part of something that you had no idea what it was going to be? It was cutting edge technology. And now it spawned like, I don't know how many movies it was part of like this massive movement in Hollywood that changed how they made movies. And you were the first person. You were part of it. It was, that's just so cool. I'd made wild at heart. I guess like the year before, two years before something like that. And, um, and so I told Nick Cage that I had been offered this opportunity. And I was like, you know, I haven't read it yet, but, but all I know is Steve and explained that I guess there's dinosaurs are going to come back to life. And I, there's a book I'm going to read the book. And he goes, you don't have to know anything. Yeah, dinosaurs are going to come back to life. You have to do this movie. Yeah. And I just remember Nick being the person who, yeah, maybe know I had to say yes, instantly, but for that's going more. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, so Sean, open the door and then you just mentioned while it hurts. So first of all, it should be noted, Laura made, you made so many great movies with the incomparable David Lynch, who I know is a close friend of yours as well. And it was just, you know, one of the all-time greats. And the two of you had this great collaboration on all these great movies. First one being Blue Velvet, just talking for a second about how that came to be. So good. A met him on an audition. And I guess it's just different. Well, part was he reading for? And he was very good to be honest. But crazily, I went in and we talked for, I feel like 45 minutes with the casting director and David about everything. And I never read for him. And the casting director had seen me in a couple of films and I guess recommended me, but he, I don't think had seen my acting yet. But he just had an instinct and he was so a believer in following instinct. And it seemed to go well. I mean, I just was, you know, so in love with his movies already. So it was such a huge thing to me. I'd seen a racer head. I'd seen elephant man. Right. So I was just blown away by him. And then he invited myself and Kyle McLaughlin to lunch at Bob's big boy. And I remember him doodling on a plate in ketchup, making like the most abstract and amazing drawings on his plate while the two of us were just talking and chatting it up in him, watching the two of us. And I could see in his eyes him starting to see his movie. It was amazing feeling as an actor. You know, it wasn't about us necessarily or us separately, but as a whole, there was something that he felt was right for the film. So that was really cool experience. Yeah, that's good. I mean, that must have been amazing. I got cast. Did you, did you, when you started making Blue Velvet instant, well, it sounds like you did at that moment. Understand that you were doing something different, like that doing with him was different. I didn't know what it was going to be or it was such an insane, brilliant and insane script and world. Terrifying and beautiful and all the things that, you know, and hilarious and all the things that Blue Velvet is. But I had just started college. I was on day two when I got offered the movie and was beside myself and was told that I couldn't leave school. They wouldn't let me have a leave of abs. And so I went to the head of the program. I was in to say, here's the script. Here's everything. Can I have a tutor and I'll, you know, make a... Whatever it takes. You know, buying the scenes. I'll do whatever I can do. Please, please. And I remember saying to this professor, I just have this feeling, this is my college education. And they told me that not only would I never be invited back to this university if I chose the movie, but that I was making, you know, the most radical mistake of my life. And so I remember entering that whole experience thinking, which I don't think I ever would have understood if I hadn't watched my parents with these directors and had this feeling with David like, this is my not only home, but this is my teacher. This is my college. This will be... Right. I mean, in some unconscious way, I think I did know. This is the greatest opportunity. You were literally at a crossroads. You were literally at a crossroads and you chose to go that way. It seems you made the right choice. We don't have to name that professor by name, but if you'd like to take the opportunity to shame them, that'd be fine. Right, right. If you... If you... What was running second place as far as a possible career path for you? Was there ever anything else on your radar? Or since then, like if somebody said, you can't do this anymore. Got to do something else to... I'd be pretty fucked. Really, yeah, I think I would... Now, I would definitely be at like 12. I had... At 12, I had an idea about being a child psychologist. That was really interesting to me. As Will knows, I loved being a swimmer. Yeah, we Laura, a psychologist for children, not a 12-year-old psychologist. Not a child, so that's... Right. Yes. We'll be right back. And back to the show. Where does the swimming come from? Yeah, she was a swimmer. I just... When did that start? Love it since I was little and then became, you know, just in school, competitive swimmer. And Will knows what you do about it. Yeah, you know about it. And in the movie is this thing on. You play an Olympic volleyball player. And remember when we were... When we were starting and you're like, God, I really got to like figure this out. I got to find how... Like, I got to do the work. And you went and you played volleyball right or something or you took lessons or something like that. Really? And in the movie, in the shots and everything, I'm like, oh my God, I completely believe that you were a volleyball player for the Olympics. I mean, a hundred percent. I mean, you mean me. Yeah, it's true. Thank you. I don't remember you. I've seen it twice. I don't remember. Was it just the one picture that has... Yeah, there's a picture and there's one quick cutaway of me. I think we should just... Yeah. It's spiking. But I think it's mostly... Well, two things. One, as Will and I both can talk about. You guys all know that Bradley is like such a radical discipline beyond compare perfectionist in his like a drive of whatever it is. The truth, the Philly Cheese Sticks. The movie. Yeah. You know, it's got to be the one. And so, you know, I feel like I pride myself sometimes on throwing myself into things. But in this case, I was like, oh yeah, even if it's not in the movie, I got to get up two hours before in train. Because, you know, the manner at which you hold yourself in the way you carry your body when it's embedded in you is different. And her manner is different. And Sean Jason, maybe you know, a little bit, but when we were talking about like when Bradley said, I think that Laura is going to do a great to do this, which totally elevated everything that we were talking about doing once she agreed. And it was... And he always describes, he's like, this character needs to be an assassin. And Laura is a fucking assassin. Yeah. When she started to really inhabit that... That really hurt my feelings. I know. No, because she's literally killed people. She's killed people. She's a sniper. We said we wouldn't get into that. She does. She has silencers. She does. Piano wire. She's an assassin. No, but she... That she, you know, this idea, and then she started to carry herself with that thing. Like she had this sort of like... That sort of competitive athlete edge to it. It was fucking rad. And we did some work before. Yes, so Will, so what was that like? Would you started to go through just even just the reading the script sort of rehearsal process I'm assuming you guys did? Was there a moment where you're sitting across the table from Laura and you start seeing Laura do Laura stuff? And like you start seeing that talent and you're like, oh fuck. I've got a really kind of... Yeah. 100%. I mean, we had the luxury. I mean, J.B. We will tell you, yes, first of all, a lot. And she's the most gracious and warmest and kindest person and really... I just found her that. Yeah, held my hand and we were such partners and she was just... And we started and we read a bunch early on and went through the script and she had so many great ideas for leading up to it. And then we went through this great rehearsal process together and did this workshop which was super rad and where we got to know each other and that's why we know a way too much about each other's lives. Early everything. And then we ended up... Yeah, when you're just in this scene, of course it accrued to me that I'm like, oh, wait. And I said this to Laura like early on. I said, you know, it's for me this is such a leap. Again, Laura, you can play your ears or whatever. And I'm embarrassed early. And then she's Laura Dern, Academy Award winning, you know, just super talent and watching her. It's like playing tennis with a great and it just does nothing but just, you know, it raises all boats, you know, high time. But I was nervous and I expressed it. I told her that and I said, you know, I feel nervous and she was really gentle with me. You know, it was awesome. Well, let me just say this is a great privilege on SmartLess because being... a radical fan of all three of you, not to mention your incredible friendship and the way you can destroy or mock each other with so much love is an art no one else and no other friendship knows. But let me be the person who gets to be on SmartLess to pay homage to Will's bravery because Sean was there with us. Yeah. And you've seen it like incredible performance. Incredible. Yeah. Who he is, what he's willing to reveal, his vulnerability, his willingness to yes, take my hand and for us to explore everything with each other for these characters and this, you know, 25 year relationship. Oh my God, the truth, the heartbreak that he exposes within himself and to me is like unparalleled. So it's me who has to say how blessed I was, really like no bullshit to be staring in his eyes and be forced to be honest and see myself in ways sometimes was not comfortable and also beautiful and revelatory. What a fucking actor. Even just the bravery, how it just started even early by Will just like just writing it, you know, with Chappy like saying, well, yeah, I'm going to try to write a script and it's not going to be like, you know, silly shit. This is going to be like real stuff from the heart like a drama, a raw drama and then like expect it to be taken seriously and read by people that are like Academy Award winning nominated people and then and then and then they say, okay, we're doing it. Yeah. Yeah. You're like, oh, just kidding, just kidding. Yeah. And now I got to like be a great actor in this thing and like and then pulling that off too. Like it's this pretty fucking cool. Oh, thank you guys. Thank you. It was scary. There were a couple, there were a couple of great moments and Laura will tell you this is we were making the movie and we were trying to get the scene. We had a crazy trying to get this trying to get the scene. We had a crazy day where we rehearsed all morning with the crew standing by. That's the scene towards the end of the movie. Yeah. And then we shot it all afternoon and and it was tough and we just, you know, it's one of those days where you're just swimming. Like, did we get it? Are we getting it? Are we close or are we super far away and are we just swimming even further away from what we want and all this kind of stuff. And over the week and it was a Friday. And so we wrapped late on the Friday night and over the weekend. Laura and Bradley and I ended up having a bunch of conversations over the weekend. And Laura and I had this, it was, I don't know how you felt, but for me that was such a turning point. And we had this really awesome, honest conversation about just all of it and being honest with each other about how we felt in Boa. And it was like this crazy turning point for us in the movie. Yeah. And from that point on, we were such partners. Yeah. And I take, I love that people respond to our relationship in the movie, but I will say that like you were, that it was born out of real experience. Yes. A million percent. Yeah, you can tell the chemistry is real. Yeah. Yeah. And it's interesting that we didn't get there because the first sort of half of the shoot we were in this antagonistic dynamic. And so it was like when we had to truly face each other, the boundary list about who we were, then, you know, and you really held my heart and it, and, you know, I said stuff, you know, that's what's incredible, right? And these intimate relationships, as you were talking about Jason, like there we are in this familial story that we're trying to tell all together, but that we were truly the most honest I've ever been. I know. Me too, ever. And I remember we showed up. We shot this scene. It's not in the movie where we go to the hospital. It was the first thing on Monday. And we all, and we, so we had this great conversation, a couple conversations and we showed up. And it was like from that moment on, it was just unreal. Like that, that scene, it just didn't work in the movie. The scene is fucking great. Yeah. Yeah. It was like, oh, it just changed everything. It was really wild. And for me, anyway, it was the first time I've experienced it. Can we enjoy that scene on DVD Extras? Yeah, I'm going to load it up on the internet pretty soon. Okay, great. Yeah, let's see what's in the DVD. Extras. I do miss DVD Extras. Extras. And Sean and Scotty. I'm going to show you what miraculous best friends. I know, yeah. I mean, will actually has them in his life. I just pretended. And you were the best friends I'd ever had. We ended up on a group text. I felt so excited to see our- Yeah, really good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I love that the first day we showed up, Willie was so sweet. He said, I feel like my family just showed up on set. It was very kind. It was true. That was so fun. Sean had to do. Sean does this scene, by the way. I don't know if you've told this. Sean does this scene. Lauren knows it. I mean, we're in the oyster bay house. And he's got to, he and Scotty have to go. And it's a stretch. They had to go and raid the fridge at night for all the like terrible, and ice cream, right? All right. And you're on the couch. Sean is. And so they're supposed to be in bed. He's like, and he goes like, yeah, I think they're kind of high in whatever. Yeah. Sean eats a gummy. And so all day he's trying to time when he's going to eat the gummy. Wow. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. He kept going to me like, do you think it's too early if I eat it right now? So when you eat it right, we shoot it, right? Laura, I want to know like who other than the three of us, because I know that's what you would joke around and say. But yeah, truly, because you've been around, because you've been around its since you were a kid, who were you star struck the most by growing up or recently or anything, or do you even get it? And I always ask Jason that too, because you guys obviously grew up in the business, and I didn't. So I'm always like, wow, wow, wow. And I know you guys are too, but like, who is, is there a person recently, or even when you were younger, you were like, okay, I can't believe I'm working with this person, or I'm meeting this person. I don't know about you, Jason. I feel like, sometimes I feel like I'm the most star struck, and maybe because the equity for mastering something or loving something was all about movies in my family. So if I meet heroes, I lose my mind, but it's movie actors and directors and musicians big time too. Oh, musicians, yeah. Meeting music heroes is a big deal. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Exit, what is that about musicians and athletes and actors? They all kind of want to be one enough. Yeah, yeah, yeah, because it's a world you're not in. So it's like, wow, yeah, I get that. It's a crazy thing, but I think for me, like, meeting heroes of another time was always such a huge gift. Yeah, yeah. Like Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great was huge. Oh, well, I told you that story. Like, I said, he knows all my stories. You're a ten. No, because I remember when Rashida Jones was on, I was like, she just grew up with like Michael Jackson coming over for dinner. I'm like, that's crazy. I know. I know. But I've become friends. Can I say that, which is insane and so privileged with Carol Burnett, because I produced this show from Real and like working with her, knowing her. And even though she knew my mom and, you know, there are these crossover things, but when you have your own relationship with these legends that raised you on their talent, raised you on their shows, that's crazy. Yeah, really? I did just find, and Jason will relate to this because it was of an era that we grew up around. My mom's Battle of the Network Stars Award, CBS one when she was on the team, yes. No way. And it was such a, I became such a fan. I was like, oh, my God, Battle of the Network Stars. It's like the greatest award. I can't believe I have her Battle of the Network Stars Award. That's a big award. Because you realize it's the way things entered your living room. Like Lucy, there will never be a greater hero. It was a great show, like the thing is that, why don't they bring that goddamn show back? I know. Didn't we talk to about it for a minute? Didn't we talk to it? And we talked, we actually, we were at a dinner with Ted Sarando's telling him they should make Battle of the Network Stars. Battle of the Platform Stars, right? Yeah, the streaming stars. Yeah, the streaming stars. Well, the streaming stars. Exactly. The people against Amazon. The people against Apple people against. Yeah. That is fine. The people. Yeah. How great would that be? That's like the screening guys. But then what would you put it on? Yeah. We know who's winning. To be. Yeah. To be. Yeah. To be. Yeah. Put it on to be. Justin, do you? I'm not sure. Do I have to be? That's such an old reference. Not to be. That's an old, smart-less reference. Yeah. This is a world-renowned parade. Yeah. Oh, Lord. Laura. Laura, I could just, I could just have a whole day. Look, David, for the sequel, you guys. Yeah. Oh, we've already just got a little... Yeah, it's called, this thing's still on. Yeah. We've discussed this thing still on. And then you came up with the title for the third or fourth film. Which, what was it? What was it? Like somebody turned this thing the fuck off or something. Oh, yeah, we've seen somebody please turn this thing off. Please turn this thing off. That's hilarious. The final adventure. Say the date when the movie comes out again. So we know. December 19th. December 19th. December 19th. December 19th is this thing on, starting the great Laura Dure. We'll learn it. And the great Laura Dure. And Sean Hayes. And Sean Hayes and Scott Icenogel, and Andrew Day, Bradley Cooper, and Bradley Cooper film, this Christmas, take your heart on it. Can I do the old, my phone for you? Please do. Take your heart. Take your heart on a funny bone, dried, a funny bone. What? Every once in a while, a film comes along, that'll touch your heart. And then I feel good, dude. That's literally every trailer. You know, you were like in the 80s, every trailer did that. Laura, we love you. Thank you. Laura, we love you. I love you guys. I'm so honored to be on this brilliant, incredible ride that is called Smartless, and your guys friendship and they're so happy. I'm so glad you're here. It's overdue. But I guess we had to time it to your release and everything. I know. As long overdue, we had to wait. We had to wait. We've been talking about this since March. But Laura, I will see you really soon. I love you. I love you. I love you. And I'm going to see you. Literally, I'm seeing you instantly. I think we're like taking it on the road. As soon as you're in. I'm your venture right now. Yeah, we're going to, I'll see you in London. I'll see you in London. I'll see you in London. I'll be here with you. And I'll see you guys very soon. I hope. Yeah, it's sort of a holiday party or something. I'm sad we aren't making Ozark anymore, but I know we're a lot of things. Yeah. You know, what I got last night when we were reading where the valley, Rilohllywood moment. Yeah. And Ed Sheeran came over to Jason Bateman. Jason was completing because the guy who lost his ticket for his ride, it was great. Thank God. It was a great way to make my way out of him. Yeah. Don't make me snap this off. And I was, and I was making it work because he's legit frustrated. I'm like, look at Bayman, he gummed up the line and stuff. He was not happy. And then Ed Sheeran came over and said, Oh, man, I love Ozark. I think he gave him a hug and they hugged. Oh, that's great. Did you know that was Ed Sheeran? You don't know anything. I did. I figured it out. No, of course. Well, and then you handed him your wig as a thank you. And I said, yeah, let me give you that. Let me sign this for you. Let me sign this for you. We're right there on the netting. Yeah. I'm a netting man. A Sharpie will work on the netting. I'm a label. Yeah. God. He's a label maker as well for his wigs. I love you guys. Love you, Lord. I love you so much. See you soon. I'll see you soon. I'll see you soon, Lord. We love you. Love you. Thanks guys for having me. Bye. Bye. Bye guys. Bye. Bye. Bye. That Laura Dern, how lucky did you did you and Bradley get by getting her? Yeah, just just like so dependent on somebody that kind of comes out of the screen. It's like someone you just you you want to make an emotional investment in. Yeah. Right. You just you you can't help it. Love you. Also the pedigree. The pedigree and she's just and the she's telling in the history of the she's got no choice in the talent. She's one of those people is just it's just in her. I mean before I before I knew her for years and years and years and years and years we would go how you'd earn because of her. How you'd earn? Oh, you'd say that to your friends. Remember those times? Yeah, remember that? How you'd earn? Yeah. No. No, we were in Glen Hill and Illinois man. So yeah. I've been nose hair. What you are smelling your region. Are you smelling your fingers? It's what it was. It was just. Oh, I was fucking nose hair. Hey, why don't you just by the way every time I see you've got like these fucking animals coming out of you. What is going on? I'm the fucking. Get a nose hair. She has gotten to you. Are you drunk on MSG from the Chinese food? What's happening? I'm hanging out. I know, but you guys get you have them too. Sure, but I attacked them. We're going to be out of here in a minute. Next time Scottie comes in to reapply your lip balm. Have them whack a few hairs out of your nose. Okay, put it on the list. Is it coming out of your ears too? No, I never get it out of my ears. Really? Yeah. She did, though, mention, Laura didn't mention the word later, Hoson. I was going to say what you know what you know the same thing of later, Hoson. Right? Like it's kind of the same thing as saying, you know, later, Hoson. I mean, like buy me Hoson. Yeah. Hey, buy Hoson. That's what I said. Or buy Hoson. That's what we say. Oh, buy. Oh, give it. Oh, give it. Bye. Oh, give it. Bye. 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