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00:01From 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York,
00:04it's Late Night with Seth Meyers.
00:07Tonight, Kristen Stewart,
00:10star of The Secret Agent, actor Magna Mora.
00:13An all-new Closer Look.
00:20And now, Seth Meyers.
00:23Good evening, everybody. I'm Seth Meyers.
00:25This is Late Night. We hope you're all doing well.
00:27And now, if you don't mind, I'm going to get to the news.
00:29The U.S. attacked Venezuela over the weekend
00:32and captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
00:36So, just as I thought,
00:38Trump and I had very different New Year's resolutions.
00:46At least he did his.
00:50The White House released photos over the weekend
00:52showing President Trump watching the U.S. military strikes
00:55on Venezuela from a room in Mar-a-Lago.
00:57Is that a room? It's just a bunch of black curtains.
01:02That looks like where they keep Stephen Miller
01:04until the sun goes down.
01:07When asked yesterday if he is considering
01:09U.S. military operations against Colombia
01:12after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro,
01:15President Trump told reporters,
01:16That sounds good to me.
01:18Alright, so maybe reporters should stop suggesting stuff to him?
01:21President Trump, are you considering launching a nuclear strike
01:25against the sun?
01:26Yeah, that's a good idea. Thank you.
01:28During a press conference over the weekend,
01:31President Trump announced that the U.S. military has seized
01:34the President of Venezuela and added the U.S. will temporarily,
01:37quote, run the country. What are you talking about?
01:40We can't even run our country.
01:42We had to invent GoFundMe so people could get root canals.
01:47The U.S. trying to run another country is like a coke addict
01:51trying to run a rehab center.
01:52We're bringing a lot of energy and no relevant experience.
01:56The White House recently provided an analysis
02:00of President Trump's EKG to The Wall Street Journal,
02:03which claimed President Trump's cardiac age
02:05is that of a 65-year-old.
02:08A 65-year-old dog?
02:18And they were like, Yeah.
02:21You got us. We didn't think you'd ask a follow-up.
02:25Like a 400-year-old man.
02:29While speaking to reporters yesterday aboard Air Force One,
02:32President Trump said that Elon Musk is, quote,
02:3480% super genius and 20% he makes mistakes.
02:37And, frankly, I'm just amazed Trump picked numbers
02:40that add up to 100.
02:43President Trump hosted a New Year's Eve party last week
02:46at Mar-a-Lago featuring a performance from rapper
02:48Vanilla Ice. What year were you celebrating?
02:521990 Happy New Year, everybody.
02:55I got you all snap bracelets.
02:59While speaking to reporters yesterday on Air Force One,
03:01President Trump called Colombian President Gustavo Petro
03:04a, quote, sick man who likes making cocaine.
03:07And I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe he'd try some?
03:13New York Mayor Zoran Mondani rode the subway to work on Friday,
03:17on his first full day as mayor, said, Mom Donnie, sorry I'm late.
03:24McDonald's is facing a new federal class action lawsuit
03:28that accuses the fast food chain of falsely claiming
03:31its McRib sandwich contains real pork rib meat when it's actually
03:35made of restructured shoulder, heart, tripe, and scalded stomach.
03:40Yeah, but people don't get as excited when you say
03:43the McStomach is back.
03:47That's right. McDonald's is facing a lawsuit
03:49that accuses them of falsely claiming its McRib sandwich
03:52contains real pork rib meat.
03:54But, come on, did anyone really believe it did?
03:57I got more bad news for you.
03:59These aren't French.
04:02And finally, a 535-pound bluefin tuna sold today
04:06at auction in Tokyo Fish Market for a record $3.2 million.
04:11It's also the first auction ever attended by a wealthy orca.
04:19That's exactly what I wanted them to look like.
04:22That was the monologue, everybody. Look at us.
04:25It's a new year.
04:27And we're going to celebrate with a fantastic show for you tonight.
04:30She's a terrific actress you've seen in films such as Spencer,
04:34Still Alice, and Love's Lies Bleeding.
04:36She was also nice enough to go day drinking with me,
04:38which made me, as everyone here attests, significantly cooler.
04:42Her new movie, which is also her directorial debut,
04:45The Chronology of Water, is in theaters this Friday,
04:48January 9th.
04:49Kristen Stewart is back on the show, everybody.
04:53And you know him from shows like Narcos and Dope Thief,
04:57as well as films such as Civil War and The Gray Man.
05:00He's starring in a terrific film,
05:02The Secret Agent, which is in theaters now.
05:04Wagner Mora is also joining us.
05:07I'm so happy he's here before, however, before we get to all this.
05:12You guys, this is very exciting.
05:14Donald Trump made history this weekend
05:16by becoming the first-ever winner of the FIFA Peace Prize
05:20to bomb another country and kidnap its leader.
05:24It's the most stunning turn of events
05:25since Hannibal Lecter's high school classmates voted him
05:28least likely to eat your liver.
05:30For more on this, it's time for a closer look.
05:37As you may know, the Trump administration
05:39has been threatening Venezuela and its president,
05:41Nicolas Maduro, for months.
05:43In fact, before he dropped the real bombs on Venezuela,
05:45Trump dropped an F-bomb.
05:47Maduro offered everything in his country,
05:50all the natural resources.
05:52He even recorded a message to you in English recently
05:54offering mediation.
05:56What should we do to stop that?
05:58He has offered everything.
06:00He's offered everything. You're right.
06:02You know why?
06:03Because he doesn't want to around with the United States.
06:06Oh, hey!
06:08Are you at the White House or a strip club in New Jersey?
06:11Who else was at this cabinet meeting?
06:14Christopher and Silvio?
06:15Hey, T, relax.
06:17He's just trying to cooperate, T.
06:19You know, he has offered everything, Tom.
06:23You know, a lot of people say a long winter break
06:26and your Sopranos' impressions are going to fall down a notch.
06:31Not for this guy.
06:33So Trump played tough guy with Maduro,
06:35while Maduro responded with a slightly different strategy.
06:39Please, please, please.
06:41Yes, please.
06:43Dancing at a rally in a red hat?
06:45He stole Trump's move,
06:47although Maduro did make some changes.
06:50For example, he decided to also dance with his lower body.
06:57Trump was probably embarrassed that Maduro had better moves
06:59than him, especially considering Maduro's moves aren't good.
07:02Being worse than Maduro is like being a breakdown
07:04who finished behind Ray Gun at the Olympics.
07:08I'm just kidding.
07:09I don't actually think the president of the United States
07:12started a war over a foreign leader's dance moves.
07:15That is absurd.
07:17According to the New York Times,
07:18they're reporting that the dancing videos really,
07:22you know, Nicolas Maduro sort of behaving like he was
07:25calling the president's bluff,
07:27really acting noxalantly about these threats.
07:30And that was really the last straw for the president,
07:33these dancing videos.
07:34That's according to that reporting
07:36to where they finally went in to go get him.
07:39Oh, my God.
07:40We invaded Iraq because of WMDs,
07:42and now we invaded Venezuela for WDM's wicked dance moves.
07:48So just to be clear, Trump bombed a country
07:50because he was annoyed by a foreign leader's dance moves.
07:52Normally, if I'm annoyed by someone's dancing,
07:55I just moved to another subway car.
07:58I'm sorry, Showtime dancers.
08:00I'm just trying to get to work
08:01and finish the wordle in peace.
08:03Now, let's see.
08:04What is today's wordle anyway?
08:06Ow!
08:08And by the way, if you think my use of the word kidnap is harsh,
08:12I'm not the only one who thinks it's an accurate description.
08:15Trump did say that the United States is working
08:17with Venezuela's vice president, Delce Rodriguez,
08:20who is in that acting role now.
08:22But she has pushed back
08:24and has called for Maduro's immediate release.
08:27So if you see that pushback from Rodriguez,
08:30and ultimately...
08:31Well, I don't think there was much back.
08:33I think that...
08:34She called it...
08:35Well, you know, you hear a different person than I hear.
08:38Really? So you high-scoped went up?
08:40You talked to him, yeah.
08:41Oh, you did speak.
08:42They've been very good.
08:43Because she called it kidnapping of Maduro.
08:45It's all right. It's not a bad term.
08:46Yeah, no...
08:49Yeah, it is.
08:50I mean, it might be an accurate term,
08:51but it's still a bad term.
08:53As a rule, if something is literally the name of a crime,
08:56it's a bad term.
08:57You never hear anyone use the term kidnapping positively.
09:01If you ever ask a couple how they met,
09:02you're not psyched if the answer is,
09:04let's just say someone did some kidnapping.
09:09Of course, the real reason for this illegal act of war
09:12remains a mystery.
09:13Even the most astute observers remain perplexed
09:16as to what could have possibly motivated this attack,
09:19given that the Trump administration
09:20has played its cards so close to the vest.
09:23The reality is we may simply never know
09:25why the Trump administration decided to wage war on Venezuela.
09:29Venezuela sits on the largest supply of oil reserves in the world.
09:33When I left, Venezuela was ready to collapse.
09:36We would have taken it over.
09:37We would have gotten all that oil.
09:39Venezuela, for the American oil companies,
09:43will be a field day.
09:45I think there's a very good chance
09:47that if something happens down in Venezuela,
09:50that we could really see oil prices go down even more.
09:53What we're not going to allow
09:54is for the oil industry in Venezuela
09:56to be controlled by adversaries of the United States.
09:59It means the oil that was taken from us is returned.
10:02Right now, what we want to do is fix up the oil.
10:04Have you spoken with the oil companies
10:06about going into Venezuela?
10:07Yes, I have.
10:08Which ones?
10:09Have you received any amendments?
10:10All of them, basically.
10:11Any amendments from the oil companies?
10:12They want to go in so badly.
10:14We're going to have the big oil companies go in.
10:16We're going to have presence in Venezuela
10:18as it pertains to oil.
10:20We'll be selling large amounts of oil to other countries.
10:23The oil companies are going to go in.
10:25They're going to spend money.
10:26We're going to take back the oil.
10:28We're in the oil business.
10:29Damn it. I just wish there were clues.
10:32It's really just amazing how Trump just undercuts
10:35everyone around him and confesses the truth.
10:37He's got all his little minions on TV saying
10:39this is really about the drug trade or human rights,
10:41and then Trump immediately throws them under the bus
10:44by saying the word oil over and over again,
10:47like the uncle no one listens to on Family Feud.
10:50Top five answers on the board.
10:51Name something you put on a hot dog.
10:53Pickles, pickles.
10:54Uh-oh, it's got to be mustard.
10:55Oil.
10:57Whoa, it's ketchup. Oil, oil.
10:59The answer is oil.
11:00Why is no one listening to me?
11:01Is it because I got the last one wrong?
11:03The category was words that rhyme with cluck,
11:05and I said now.
11:09This is usually the point in A Closer Look
11:11where I would set up a long video montage
11:13of Trump contradicting himself by insisting,
11:15during his various campaigns,
11:17that he was against foreign wars and regime change.
11:20But I made a New Year's resolution,
11:22and that resolution was to never change, baby!
11:24Roll the hypocrisy package!
11:26We're going to stop the reckless and costly policy
11:29of regime change overseas.
11:32We will abandon the policy of reckless regime change,
11:35favored by my opponent.
11:37Our policy of never-ending war, regime change,
11:42and nation-building is being replaced
11:44by the clear-eyed pursuit of American interests.
11:48We believe that the job of the United States military
11:51is not to wage endless regime change wars around the globe.
11:55We're going to end these endless wars.
11:58Our current strategy of nation-building and regime change
12:01and regime change is a proven, absolute failure.
12:05I still can't actually believe anyone thought Trump
12:08was telling the truth about being anti-war.
12:10You really thought Donald Trump,
12:11the most thin-skinned, impulsive man on the planet,
12:14would suddenly discover the concept of restraint
12:16when she gained control of the world's most powerful military.
12:19Giving Donald Trump control of the U.S. military
12:21is like giving the cast of Real Housewives an open bar
12:24and a one-free slap coupon.
12:27There could be a lot of fighting, a lot of crying,
12:29and a lot of really bad dancing.
12:31And if you did fall for Trump's B.S.
12:34about ending regime change wars and nation-building,
12:37I'm sorry to say I got some bad news for you.
12:39Don't ask me who's in charge because I'll give you an answer
12:42and it'll be very controversial.
12:44What does that mean?
12:45That means we're in charge.
12:46We are going to run the country.
12:48What group you mentioned that would run Venezuela?
12:50Well, it's largely going to be, for a period of time,
12:53the people that are standing right behind me.
12:55We're going to be running it.
12:57First of all, I'm almost certain Trump has no idea
12:59who's standing behind him.
13:01He was probably caught off guard by that question,
13:03and after he said the people behind me,
13:05he was thinking, please be a Venezuelan expert,
13:07please be a Venezuelan expert.
13:08Oh, it's Marco Rubio.
13:12Also, poor Rubio thought there would maybe be
13:14more than one guy behind him.
13:23Trump always seems to be in the dark about who's around him
13:30at any given moment.
13:32He's always asking where people are.
13:34In fact, I'd like to ask Caroline.
13:36Where's Caroline?
13:38I'd like to ask Caroline a question.
13:41Where is she?
13:43Did she? Uh-oh.
13:44Where's Susie?
13:47Susie, come on, Susie.
13:49Bryson DeChambeau is up here someplace.
13:54What happened to Bryson?
13:56Where is he?
13:58Bryson.
14:00Oh.
14:01Bryson.
14:03Bryson!
14:05Where are you, Bryson?
14:06You're in charge of Venezuela!
14:09Somebody tell Caroline to find Bryson.
14:11We don't know where Caroline is.
14:13What about Susie?
14:14We don't know where anyone is.
14:16Marco, you in charge?
14:22Ananias Trump betrayed his supposed American First principles.
14:25He's also surrounded himself with the same old neocons
14:28from the Iraq War days.
14:30This is a good thing.
14:32This is not interventionism.
14:34This is making America safer.
14:36This is a good thing, not a bad thing.
14:39This is a good thing, not a bad thing.
14:41It's just like that time I told my Meemaw
14:43when that big city salesman came around selling musical instruments.
14:47He's not a con man, Meemaw!
14:50He's starting a band!
14:53I'm gonna learn to play the cornet and become a big star!
14:57You're stuck serving sarsaparilla to one-eyed horse thieves
15:00at the town saloon, you old crone!
15:03Did Lindsey not hear how loud Trump was talking?
15:08Why did he show up just shouting?
15:12So Lindsey Graham is very insistent that this example
15:15of regime change is a good thing,
15:17and I'm sure he's never been wrong about that before.
15:20I am glad Saddam Hussein's out of power.
15:22I'm glad he's dead.
15:23Even though there were no WMD,
15:26even though there were no links between Saddam
15:28and al-Qaeda or 9-11,
15:30you still think it was a good idea to go to war?
15:32Absolutely.
15:33I am glad that the Saddam Hussein regime is over.
15:37You were right, Meemaw!
15:38They put me in a montage!
15:42Also, side note, how is it possible that 17 years ago
15:44Lindsey Graham looked like a little boy,
15:46and now he looks like a little boy played by an old man
15:48in a school play?
15:50Is that actually gray hair,
15:52or is that a wig from a baby senator costume?
15:55No one wants this.
15:57Polls have consistently shown that most Americans
15:59oppose any military intervention in Venezuela,
16:02let alone regime change and nation-building,
16:04and yet the Trump team isn't stopping there.
16:06They're threatening to go after a long list
16:09of other countries next.
16:11After the U.S. operation in Venezuela,
16:12the wife of Trump official Stephen Miller
16:14posted to social media an image of Greenland
16:17with an American flag overlaid,
16:19and the word soon.
16:20By the way, you have to do something with Mexico.
16:22Mexico has to get their act together.
16:25The Cuban government is a huge problem.
16:27I think they're in a lot of trouble, yes.
16:28Colombia is very sick, too, run by a sick man
16:31who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States,
16:35and he's not going to be doing it very long, let me tell you.
16:38So there will be an operation by the U.S. and...
16:40It sounds good to me.
16:41What do you mean it sounds good to you?
16:44You're the president.
16:45You're talking about bombing another country like a stoner
16:48whose roommate just asked if they should order extra pancakes
16:50with their mushu pork.
16:52Because, like, maybe we could even roll joints in that.
16:56Yeah, it sounds good to me.
16:59Trump told Americans regime change and nation-building was over.
17:03Now he's claiming America will run a country of 20 million people
17:07that's roughly 2,000 miles away.
17:09In one breath, he says he wants to stop the flow of drugs.
17:12In another, he pardons a convicted drug trafficker.
17:15There's no consistency.
17:16It's almost like his main goal is to around with the United States.
17:20This has been A Closer Look.
17:26We'll be right back with Kristen Stewart, everybody.
17:33For more of Seth's Closer Looks, be sure to subscribe to Late Night
17:37on YouTube.
17:46Our first guest tonight is an Academy Award-nominated actor.
17:49You know from films such as Spencer, Still Alice, and Love Lies Bleeding.
17:53Her new movie, which is also her directorial debut,
17:56The Chronology of Water, will be in theaters on Friday, January 9th.
18:00Please welcome back to the show my friend Kristen Stewart, everybody.
18:03Welcome back. Thank you.
18:20My first guest of 2026. What a start to the year.
18:23Wow, look at you. You're so lucky.
18:25I am so lucky. How was your New Year's?
18:28Are you a New Year's Eve person?
18:31I would identify as a New Year's Eve person.
18:34This year, I was like...
18:36I was lucky enough to be working so hard peddling my new movie.
18:41Yeah. You're out there.
18:42Look, you make a labor of love.
18:44You want to get out and tell people about it. So, yeah.
18:46Yes. And so then I had to go inside and stare at a wall for a week.
18:49Okay. Oh, to like give yourself a break.
18:51Yeah. Did you make it till midnight?
18:53I did. I had... I don't know. It was like...
18:56It was like half perfect because all the right people were around and it was chill.
19:00But like I had this like fluffy tree with like two baubles on it.
19:02Didn't get around to decorating it.
19:04It smelled really nice. Like...
19:06Now, can I say something? I think a tree with two ornaments is worse than one with no ornaments.
19:10Yeah. Like, because two, you wonder like, what happened?
19:14Like how do you... You slutty little tree.
19:16You slutty little tree. You're barely even trying, dear.
19:20You were asking for it, tree.
19:22That is not where my head went, but I like that that...
19:25I know. I've been reading a lot of feminist literature.
19:27I like two ornaments. Now I'll know that when a tree has two ornaments, that's when it's being a slut.
19:33Did you... With not a very boozy New Year's Eve, or was it?
19:41Because we drank. Because we drank together.
19:43Well, we drank together. So now, this is a photo of us drinking together.
19:45This is a really nice moment where...
19:48We are happy drunks.
19:50Well, we're very happy drunks. We had a great time.
19:52This is... You gave me a lesbian makeover and did a great job.
19:55I love how you stuck to it as well. I'm really impressed.
19:57Oh, I mean...
19:59I want to take back what I said about how excited I were. You were my first guest.
20:09Yeah. It's a huge compliment. Everyone wants to be...
20:13Thank you very much. Thank you very much.
20:16Did you ever have a really boozy New Year's Eve?
20:19Like, did you ever have one? I mean, I certainly had plenty where I woke up on, you know, January 1st and I was like, oh, dear God.
20:25No. No, I've never...
20:27No, that's good.
20:28I've never really tied one on over the... Are you kidding me?
20:32This year, I got to tell you, though, like, when it comes to resolutions, I never am, like, super concerned.
20:37I never sit down and go, like, now is the time. Now is the time. Now is the time.
20:41Really? To take care of yourself.
20:42Oh, I see. So your resolution is just, like, taking care of yourself, both mentally and physically.
20:47Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. We have stuff to do, you know?
20:50Yeah. We got to be with each other, present.
20:53There's... It's nice to, like, you know, go through periods of release, but right now I kind of want to, like, absorb.
20:58And you're five days in. Have you violated it yet? Are you still...
21:01No, but there's, like, 60 opportunities. You know what I mean? You walk through an airport, you're like, oh, oh, it... Yeah. I'm like...
21:07Airports? That's where you're sitting? You can't... You can't fight the urge off at an airport?
21:12There's people everywhere. There's free alcohol everywhere. Are you kidding me?
21:17Oh, yeah. Like, if... Cut this.
21:19What's that? Huh? What was that? What did you say?
21:22Cut. I'm a director now. Scene's over.
21:24Did you just cut... Did you just cut one of your own answers?
21:27No, I was, like... I was talking to your producers, actually. I said, please cut this. Thank you. Yeah.
21:32We're responsible adults. You want to cut everything after you said I still dress like a lesbian?
21:37Uh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
21:40I think I really landed that joke. I think it's a nice cutting point. Go to commercial, laugh track. Here we go.
21:45You are. This is amazing, because you did direct your first film.
21:49And, obviously, you've been in films for basically your whole life.
21:53Did you love it right away, being a director?
21:56Yes. Yeah. And you knew you would, I feel like.
21:59I've been really, like, leading up to this forever.
22:02I've wanted to do this since I was nine, but that would just be silly.
22:05Yeah. Little nine-year-old director running around telling people what to do.
22:08The producer wanted to be like, I think we gave our money to the wrong person.
22:11What a bunch of cowards!
22:13But this is a... You obviously had a plan going into it,
22:16and this is a film based on a book that you loved as well.
22:20Did you, when you were reading this book,
22:22The Chronology of Water for the first time,
22:24did you see it as a movie in your head,
22:26or was that something that took a little bit longer?
22:29I would say, honestly, 40 pages in,
22:32I was having these, like, striking image-filled experiences
22:35that felt so physical and also, like, really personal,
22:39because it's such a choose-your-own-adventure text.
22:42It's an amalgamation of experiences that I think maybe every individual
22:47would choose different ones to latch onto,
22:49and I thought if they were so immediately full
22:53that there had to have been something that connected them
22:55that was about me and not necessarily this woman,
22:58and then you find the sort of concentric circles that we all have,
23:01and then you realize this book is about all of us
23:03and about excavating identity and voice
23:06and being somebody who could, like, reach in
23:08and value your own perspective,
23:10which takes sometimes if you're a lesbian.
23:14No, if you're, like, somebody who's, like, you know,
23:18just told to take up less space than the people
23:21who are predominantly allowed to do so, hard to do.
23:24And this book is just, like, screaming at you
23:27to be somebody embodied and fulfilled and loud
23:31and, you know, yeah, alive.
23:34And so I was just like, well, that's a movie,
23:36but it's also really, like, not an obvious one,
23:38because it's just all over the place and super transient
23:40and nonlinear, and therefore it feels like being an actual person
23:44instead of, like, I could never do...
23:46I could never direct a movie that was, like, easy to describe.
23:49Like, that's what movies can do.
23:52It's, like, do something bizarre,
23:53do something that feels, like, genuinely internal
23:55is kind of the opportunity.
23:56Well, you know, and again, as somebody who, like,
23:57grew up loving movies and I still love movies,
23:59like, I think you fall in that trap where certain movies start
24:02and you just, through the pattern of movies,
24:05you know where it's gonna go and you know where it's gonna end.
24:07And so it's really exciting, I would assume,
24:09both as a filmmaker and as an audience member to be like,
24:11oh, I don't know where... I don't know what this is yet.
24:14And that, I think, is also a lot more like being a human being
24:16than just being, you know, somebody who is being served
24:19something you've had before.
24:20Totally. Yeah, I mean, like, I like movies
24:22that are slug-lineable, but this one is, um...
24:26I don't know. Even the title,
24:27like, The Chronology of Water, no one's like,
24:29oh, I bet I know what that is.
24:30Yeah, you know. It's real.
24:33From top on down, it's real.
24:35Even now, people are like,
24:36but actually, what are you talking about?
24:39Well, we're gonna talk about it more.
24:40Stick around. We're gonna be right back
24:41with Kristen after this.
24:56In the house.
25:00Alone in my room.
25:02My arms ache.
25:04My sister is gone.
25:07My mother is...
25:09gone.
25:11My father designs houses in the room next to my smoking.
25:17Okay.
25:35Welcome back, everybody.
25:36We're here with Kristen Stewart.
25:38That was a clip from The Chronology of Water.
25:40And I'm gonna reveal a little bit about what we were talking
25:44about during the clip because, you know, usually when a performer's
25:47on the show, the clip, they're in the clip.
25:49Mm-hmm.
25:50And it's a really awkward moment,
25:51because, like, often I'm just sitting with someone,
25:53and I am, like, watching them act.
25:55Yeah.
25:56So that was nice for me.
25:57Oh, really?
25:58Yeah, because I was, like, watching with the director,
26:00which I just felt like, you know what I mean?
26:01Like, it was less needy.
26:03Right, right, right.
26:04Yeah. Usually, I'm like...
26:07Okay, okay.
26:08And this time, I was like, that is good.
26:11We should put that in a movie theater.
26:14This is a...
26:15Well, look, it's a heavy subject matter,
26:18but it's also a beautiful film.
26:20And I'm wondering, I would assume that would be the same way
26:23you would describe the book, right?
26:25I haven't read the book, but I would imagine it's beautifully
26:27written for something that is very dark.
26:30There are high highs and low lows.
26:32Yeah.
26:33Yeah, it's like...
26:34I think there are a lot of tough movies this year that I've loved,
26:37and this one has been categorized.
26:39It's kind of like a Rorschach test, too, because they're...
26:41Is that how you say it?
26:42Yeah.
26:43Like, some people are like,
26:44oh, God, I just, like, couldn't get through that one.
26:45I'm like, why?
26:47And then some people are like,
26:48God, it felt so good when she was okay at times,
26:50and, like, had releases, and she really...
26:53They're like a series of sort of, like, false victories,
26:55and then she just, like, slams life.
26:58Because by the end, you realize the only reason we're here
27:00is because she wrote herself into being.
27:02And so everything is her responsibility,
27:04and it's, like, completely subjective.
27:06So it's not like I'm telling you, like, what happened.
27:08It's more like the fact that she was able to express herself
27:11is what it's about, and that feels joyous.
27:13You, obviously, having acted in films,
27:16now you're directing other actors.
27:18Did you find that you were an amalgamation
27:21of all your favorite directors over the years,
27:23or were you very unique to yourself?
27:26I was myself.
27:27That's great.
27:28Do you feel like you...
27:30Were you ever like, man, I would love to be directed by...
27:33Myself.
27:34Yeah.
27:35Uh, actually, yeah.
27:37I would love that.
27:39Um, I...
27:41I think I had to kind of put on a straitjacket
27:44when I went to work, because I was always...
27:46It's like my favorite directors set you on a path
27:49and give you a bit of freedom,
27:51but then are so emotionally connected at all times,
27:53you never feel alone.
27:54But kind of being told how to say something or what to do
27:56is, like, I don't know, just not the way I function purely.
28:02And, uh, on this one, I was just like,
28:05get out of everyone's way.
28:06Just let them have, like, let them have their own experience.
28:09Because I put this together over eight years,
28:11and so when we got there, I was like...
28:13Okay.
28:15Uh, so, yeah, no, I think if I hadn't been doing everything
28:18I've done to get here, then I wouldn't have known how to,
28:21like, I don't know, like, not piss in my own pool.
28:23You know what I mean? Like, leave it alone.
28:25Don't trample the snow. Don't blow away all the butterflies.
28:28Like, you got to really protect that environment.
28:31I mean, the very... The way you're talking right now,
28:33I wish I was getting directed by you.
28:34I mean, just...
28:36Everything about this, I'm like,
28:37let me out there, Kristen. I can do it.
28:39Oh, my God. Really?
28:40You're gonna be the ace up my sleeve in my next movie?
28:42I would really like that.
28:43You're the next Jim Belushi.
28:44I would love... Jim Belushi, by the way, fantastic in the movie.
28:46Imogen's great in the movie. I mean, you got...
28:48Imogen is a revolution.
28:49She... You did a fantastic job with your cast,
28:51and you can tell by watching it
28:53that you are very, very good at this,
28:55and I hope it's not your last one of these
28:57because it was a really special watch.
28:59Thanks so much for being here, pal.
29:00Thank you so much.
29:01Happy New Year. Happy New Year.
29:02Happy New Year.
29:03Just be sure everybody, the Chronology of Water
29:04will be in theaters this Friday, January 9th.
29:06Stick around. We'll be right back with Bob and Laura.
29:21Our next guest is a Golden Globe-nominated actor.
29:29You know best from his work on shows such as
29:31Narcos and Dope Thief in films like Civil War and The Gray Man.
29:35He's currently starring in The Secret Agent,
29:37which is in theaters now. Let's take a look.
29:39Good luck.
29:40I...
29:41I...
29:42I'm not a violent person.
29:48But this guy...
29:55I killed him with a sword.
29:57Please welcome to the show, Wagner Mora, everybody!
30:24Welcome! I'm so happy to have you, Wagner.
30:42I've been a fan for a long time.
30:44Brother, thanks for having me. I'm a big fan.
30:46You also made a real effort to get here.
30:49You took a red eye from L.A.
30:50You were at the Critics' Choice Awards last night.
30:52Yes, yes.
30:54And Secret Agent won Best Foreign Film. Congratulations.
30:57Thank you very much. Thank you.
30:59You were also nominated as an actor.
31:04Didn't win.
31:05No, I didn't. No, no.
31:06So I just don't want you to get too high on you.
31:08I was nominated for two different categories, and I...
31:11Were you nominated for Secret Agent and Dope Thief?
31:13And Dope Thief, and I lost both.
31:14Gotcha. So you won one.
31:17Yeah.
31:18Lost two.
31:19Exactly. That's not bad.
31:20Well, it's not bad at all, because guess what?
31:22I was nominated.
31:23Just lost the one.
31:25So I would give anything for your life, brother.
31:28I will say, you know, one of the delightful things,
31:31this was one of those movies I heard a great deal about.
31:34And then when I'm watching it, I'm like, wait, I know this guy.
31:37And, you know, one of the things is, I guess,
31:40the first time American audiences probably got to see you the most
31:43was in Narcos.
31:44Oh, yeah.
31:45And that, uh...
31:49You look better than this guy.
31:51Oh, yeah, man.
31:52I like to think that I'm looking better now.
31:54Yeah.
31:55I was 40 pounds heavier back then.
31:57Yeah.
31:58And for the part. It was for the role.
31:59It was for the role.
32:00Yes.
32:01I was eating delicious things.
32:02You know, I was eating whatever I wanted,
32:04but it was absolutely for the role.
32:06Yeah. The one thing your takeaway was, like,
32:08Pablo Escobar had a really nice diet.
32:11Exactly.
32:12And then Civil War, which is a movie I absolutely loved last year.
32:15God, I'm looking better.
32:16Yeah, you look really good in that one, too.
32:17So you're in the right trajectory.
32:18You just keep getting handsomer.
32:19And that doesn't happen to a lot of people in Hollywood,
32:21so congratulations.
32:22No, but I really...
32:24I really, um...
32:26Those are two things that are...
32:27I mean, I really love Narcos.
32:28I think they're both...
32:29Narcos and Civil War are both very political...
32:34Yes, of course.
32:35Things that I feel very particularly attached to.
32:41I think that Narcos was a series about the jerk trade
32:44in South America, which is a thing that affects my country,
32:47Brazil.
32:48And Civil War was a film that I...
32:51I was very shocked when I read that script,
32:54how timely that was.
32:55How scary...
32:57Well, any time a movie is timely in that way,
33:00when you know how they have to start...
33:03You know, you work on these movies.
33:04They don't start a week before they come out, you know?
33:06So you have to, like, years, you know, in the past,
33:09sort of, like, time it to just be perfectly of the moment
33:13when it came out, and that was a film.
33:14And certainly, strangely, Secret Agent feels the same way, right?
33:17Like, this is a movie that takes place in the late 70s in Brazil,
33:20and yet it does really resonate as a modern film as well.
33:23Certainly, that must have been something you knew...
33:25Yeah, it's interesting, because Secret Agent was a film that,
33:28of course, it's...
33:29Brazil was under a very heavy dictatorship from 64 to 85,
33:33so the film is set up, and the film takes place in 77.
33:37But the urge to make this film was what was going on in Brazil
33:43from 2018 to 2022 when Brazil was under...
33:46I never know how to put it.
33:48Like, um, we had a... a fascist president.
33:53Yeah. I think that's okay.
33:54We might actually say that every time.
33:56You kind of know what I'm talking about.
33:57Yeah. Yeah.
33:58Yeah. And whoever was vocal against him
34:04suffered lots of consequences.
34:06So the director, Kleber Mendoza, and myself, we got together,
34:10and this is a result of our shared perplexity
34:14of what was going on in Brazil in the 21st century
34:17when this guy was bringing back the values of the dictatorship.
34:22It's also... I will say, you know, I think it's really important
34:24to stress for anybody who hasn't seen it,
34:26it's also, like, a very fun movie.
34:28It's very funny at times.
34:30Yeah, yeah.
34:31It makes you want to visit Brazil.
34:32There's real things. Yeah.
34:33Have you been to Brazil, by the way?
34:34I've never been to Brazil.
34:35And even watching it under a dictatorship,
34:36I'm like, that looks so much more fun than anything I'm doing.
34:38It's fun. Well, yeah, yeah. It's funny.
34:40And it's interesting because I was at Narcos again
34:42when I was in Colombia doing Narcos.
34:44I was asking my friends that...
34:46Because Bogota, back in the 80s,
34:47was probably the most dangerous city in the world.
34:50And I was asking my friends, like,
34:51what was it to live in Colombia back then?
34:54It was like, dude, we were going out, going to bars,
34:56and having fun. We were living our lives.
34:58Yeah.
34:59So, that's it. Yeah, Brazil was fun back in the 70s, too.
35:01But you were...
35:02I mean, obviously, you were a very young person in Brazil
35:05during this dictatorship.
35:06And so, did it unearth memories for you that you...
35:10Absolutely.
35:11But you know what happens,
35:12because the dictatorship ended in 85,
35:14but it didn't really end in 85.
35:16The echoes of the dictatorship are still there.
35:19Yeah.
35:20You know, somehow.
35:21Brazil is a very complex country.
35:23It's like everything that you see about Brazil,
35:25the diversity, the culture,
35:28and the...
35:29It probably is a country that has the most modern constitution
35:32in the world.
35:33But it's also a country that is...
35:36It's the last country in the Western world
35:40to abolish slavery, for example.
35:42You know, like colonialism and imperialism
35:45and violence and coup d'etats
35:47and things like the dictatorship that they had
35:49are still present in the daily life of the country.
35:54So, I have memories, of course.
35:56I have memories like that shirt that I'm wearing
35:59in the film.
36:02It's kind of how my father used to wear his shirt,
36:04like with the buttons up.
36:05Yeah, yeah.
36:06Like showing his chest.
36:08Yeah, my children have requested their father never do that.
36:11Never do that, yeah.
36:13It's becoming trendy again.
36:15You'll be surprised.
36:16I think for you it's trendy, yeah.
36:17I remember that kind of thing.
36:19But also that the feeling of being in a country
36:23that is full of contradictions is still very alive in Brazil.
36:27Also, Golden Globe nominated. Congratulations.
36:30It's very exciting.
36:31So, you're going right back out.
36:33Our friend Nikki Glaser is hosting.
36:35She's the best in the business.
36:36But it also must be really special
36:38to make this really personal film about where you're from.
36:40And to have this reception in America,
36:43not just critically, but, you know,
36:45I would assume, like, award nominations,
36:47look, they're important for everybody.
36:48They mean a lot to everybody.
36:49Yeah.
36:50But it must just be such a cool thing
36:51that people are rewarding a movie like this.
36:53Yes, it's very important for us for...
36:56I think it's important for Brazilians, Seth,
36:59because back in that time from 18 to 22,
37:03when Brazil was under that fascist moment.
37:08You know, in the fascist manual,
37:11the first thing that they do is attack.
37:13What they attack is universities, journalists, and artists.
37:17And they were very effective in transforming,
37:21in trying to make, to transform artists in Brazil
37:24into the enemies of the people.
37:26Yeah.
37:27With that kind of, you know, populist conversation.
37:30So, to see Brazilians...
37:32Since last year, when a film called I'm Still Here,
37:34which is...
37:35Another fantastic film.
37:36Beautiful film, a Brazilian film.
37:37Won an Oscar.
37:38To see Brazilians rooting for that film,
37:40and seeing those artists as, like,
37:43these people represent us as...
37:45I think it's just beautiful, and I'm just happy to...
37:48for Brazilians and for our culture.
37:50You were the first Brazilian to win Best Actor
37:53at the Cannes Film Festival.
37:54Congratulations on that.
37:55But you were not...
37:57An incredible concert.
37:58I was not there.
37:59You were not there.
38:00I was not there.
38:01And I was heartbroken to hear you were not there.
38:02That was a crazy story,
38:03because I was shooting a film in England, London.
38:06Very close.
38:07I couldn't, like, just take a...
38:08Yeah, you could have made it.
38:09I could have made it.
38:10But...
38:11And that was on a Saturday.
38:12Saturday was my day off.
38:13Yeah.
38:14So I was, like, completely free.
38:15I could have gone to Cannes.
38:17But they asked me to shoot not with the main unit,
38:20not with the second unit, but with the third unit.
38:23Basically, people that didn't even know
38:24what kind of film we were doing.
38:26Gotcha.
38:27These are just basically a unit
38:28that's gonna shoot things that you need for the film.
38:30Like a close-up of your hand.
38:31Yeah.
38:32Things like that.
38:33And I couldn't tell them,
38:34hey, I think I have to go to Cannes
38:35because I think that I might win an award there.
38:39You know?
38:40So I was too embarrassed to say that.
38:41So I was like, yeah, sure, let's do it.
38:42So I was doing a scene where I was basically...
38:46No, before, so my friend called me,
38:48and he was like, I think he was shooting the ceremony,
38:52and Klobber Mendoza, the director, was on stage,
38:54and he was like...
38:55He's on stage.
38:56He was like, we won something.
38:57He was like, no, you won.
38:58He is there to pick up your award.
39:00And I was like, oh, my God, I won Best Actor in Cannes.
39:02And they called me, and he was like, Wagner, could you come in?
39:05Yes.
39:06So I didn't know anyone.
39:07I couldn't share it with anyone.
39:08I couldn't...
39:09Hey, guys, I just won Best Actor in Cannes.
39:11And the scene that I did was...
39:13This is the scene that I was doing.
39:14I put, like, a plastic bag on my hand,
39:17and I was picking up the of a dog.
39:21So I was picking up the dog on my hand and thinking,
39:25I just won Best Actor in Cannes.
39:27And I couldn't share that with anyone,
39:30because I didn't know anyone.
39:31By the way, if you had, they would have been like,
39:32no, you didn't.
39:33No, you didn't.
39:34Just pick up the .
39:35If you won Best Actor in Cannes,
39:37would you be with us picking up the dog?
39:39Exactly.
39:40I don't think so, buddy.
39:41I don't think so, yeah.
39:42But it's true, and it's well-deserved,
39:43and it's been so wonderful talking to you.
39:45Congrats on the film.
39:46Best of luck.
39:47Thank you very much.
39:48No matter what I see, I see.
39:49Live and more, everybody.
39:50The Secret Agent.
39:51Christina Snell will be right back.
39:57Come join the audience at Late Night live in Studio 8G.
40:06For tickets, head over to LateNightSethTickets.com.
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40:17And subscribe to the Late Night Podcast,
40:20featuring a closer look, guest interviews, and more.
40:22Available wherever you listen to podcasts.
40:27I'll be right back.
40:32I'll be right back.
40:33I'll be right back.
40:34I'll be right back.
40:35Thanks for watching.
40:36Happy New Year.
40:37We love you.
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