- 10 hours ago
'Wonder Man' creators Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest, along with star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II chat with THR's Borys Kit to talk all about their Disney+ series during a THR Frontrunners conversation.
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00:00And I asked him, I said, hey, I know I only get one Marvel buck to spend.
00:04Like, is this going to be worth my dollar?
00:07Because I can wait.
00:09And he said, no, trust me, it'll be worth it.
00:13And I'm so glad that this is the role that I got to spend my dollar on
00:18because I'm getting all of the super stuff
00:20and I'm getting all of the human stuff at the same time.
00:23And it's really a gift.
00:27I've got one of the best jobs in the world playing Sonny Williams.
00:30That's for sure.
00:36Okay.
00:37Now, looking back in January when the show first launched
00:40and then the few years that you guys worked on this,
00:43are you at all surprised that we're now talking about a second season
00:47and now we're talking about awards consideration for something like this show?
00:57Surprise.
00:58Guys, Gaya and I were just having a conversation about optimism versus pessimism.
01:03Yeah.
01:04And it is very easy when you start a project to look at all the negatives
01:11or think of the worst case scenario.
01:14But from the very beginning, I really did feel like this project was special.
01:20And I was, you know, I feel like from the beginning,
01:25the studio was excited about doing something different.
01:29It was tapping into the child in all of us and the reason why we chased this crazy, weird dream.
01:40And you could see that kind of happening from Kevin Feige to our executives,
01:46to our producers, to everyone who was on set.
01:48When we talked to Gaya, like it's the story just tapped into something
01:53that really made the experience extremely fun
01:57to where I don't think any of us gave a rip where it ended up.
02:04The way that we made it was really kind of, I don't know,
02:11there were many times when I was on set with Gaya and Sir Ben or with my DP
02:16and the vibe was just like, screw it, just try it.
02:22You know, just try it.
02:23Just try something.
02:26It's amazing that we're here.
02:28I'm not going to lie.
02:29It's awesome.
02:30So I don't want to say it was, I'm surprised,
02:37but I kind of think we're so wrapped up in this wonderful world
02:40that we weren't thinking about it.
02:42What's been the most sort of surprising reaction all of you guys have gotten
02:48from either fellow actors or fellow directors or just people
02:52in response to this show?
02:54I will say one of the things that's been really rewarding
02:57is people who don't think they like Marvel shows
03:01or have nothing to do with Marvel
03:02and would think they wouldn't want to watch it
03:04and find themselves binging.
03:07My mother's therapist, literally the last person who would watch Marvel,
03:12texted her, was like, I stayed up all night.
03:15I've never binged a show before.
03:17I watched the whole thing.
03:18And I feel like that's a testament to Destin's directing,
03:23Yaya and Sir Ben's performance, that people get pulled in,
03:26and this is a show that hopefully people connect with.
03:30Excuse me.
03:32The thing that's been most rewarding to me about this experience
03:37is that it actually makes a difference.
03:41It's been making a difference.
03:43And people who have dreams and aspirations,
03:47and they see so much of themselves in Simon's journey,
03:52I get messages all the time about people who are on their way to somewhere
03:58and they sometimes feel like giving up or they don't feel seen
04:02or they feel like they're all alone
04:05or maybe they have pivoted and moved into a different direction
04:09and then through watching Simon, they were rooting for him
04:13and hoping that he didn't make the same choice
04:16and that's been able to, you know, sort of light a fire under them
04:20or just, or even like, not even a fire,
04:23but like just protect their candle, you know,
04:25protect their light from going out.
04:28So it's really, you know,
04:32reach people of all walks of life
04:35and not just the creative field, you know,
04:38people with secrets and aspirations
04:40of being something other than what they currently are.
04:44You said you were watching videos of people watching the show.
04:49Yeah, yeah, yeah.
04:50It's the first time that I did that.
04:53It usually takes me about three seasons, three years,
04:58to watch my work.
04:59But for this one, I was sort of curious because it was comedy.
05:01So I wanted to see if people would get the jokes,
05:05you know what I mean?
05:06And they did get the jokes,
05:08but I also saw people going on the ride
05:12when Simon's in that car in episode three,
05:17they're saying, well, I'll go with episode one
05:21because since we just watched two, you know,
05:23watched two episodes,
05:24when Simon's in the beginning in that first episode
05:26and he's, you know, making adjustments to the pencils
05:30and when he's talking about the script
05:32and maybe we should do it this way,
05:34they're on the edge of the seat saying,
05:35no, don't do it that way, man.
05:37It's like, oh, this guy needs to shut up.
05:40And then you have the ones that are just experts
05:42and there's like, he's blowing it.
05:44You just can't do that, you know?
05:45So people really, they got to interact with this
05:49from all different angles.
05:52And later on, especially the parts
05:54where Simon felt like giving up,
05:56they really, really didn't want him to give up.
05:58And to me, that signal that they were right there
06:02in his shoes the entire time.
06:04Yeah, that's amazing.
06:07You guys, so this started off as two different shows, correct?
06:12When you guys sort of then came together on this?
06:16Yeah, it started off with like kind of a joke show,
06:19which was Trevor Goes to Hollywood.
06:21It was like this joke pitch
06:24that I gave to Jonathan Schwartz,
06:28our producer on Shang-Chi,
06:29that we should just do a show
06:32called Trevor Goes to Hollywood
06:33and just follow him to this place
06:35that he disappeared from
06:37and find out all the things that he,
06:39all the trouble that he's been running from.
06:43That joke pitch turned into a real thing
06:46when we found out that Wonder Man
06:48was in early development
06:53of this character
06:55that also operates in the MCU Hollywood.
06:58And so those two ideas collided
07:02and that's when Andrew came in
07:05to help us try to discover
07:08how we could make a show
07:09out of these two very distinct characters.
07:14Yeah, they were,
07:15which is unlike Marvel,
07:17they were really open to any interpretation
07:19of this comic book character
07:21who has a very complex
07:24and varied backstory.
07:27And they were like,
07:28we don't,
07:29we really want to try to do a show
07:31about the entertainment industry.
07:33And that let us sort of really explore
07:37what I was the most interested in,
07:39which is this guy who does have a dream.
07:42This town is tough.
07:44It is hard to create a career here.
07:47The people who come here
07:48because they believe in something,
07:50it's a testament to them
07:51that we get these stories made.
07:53And even when they're pains in the ass,
07:55like Simon is.
07:56And, you know,
07:57sometimes that's what you need.
07:59You need that pain in the ass
08:00because they're going to elevate the material.
08:02And there's something beautiful in that to me,
08:04even though, God,
08:05you don't want to work with Simon
08:06when you're fucking starting out.
08:08You know, it's a pain.
08:10Well, it's funny that you guys talk about
08:12like sort of the magic of the journey.
08:14And right now,
08:16there's a bit of a doom mentality
08:18over Hollywood and the entertainment,
08:20the film and TV industry.
08:23But this show,
08:25it has a lot of sort of sincerity
08:27and magic to the Hollywood journey.
08:31And, you know,
08:32how do you find that right tone
08:34to keep it from veering
08:36that the sky is falling?
08:37Or conversely, you know,
08:40how do you make it
08:41not too much of a satire,
08:43but still like keep it on this journey?
08:46It's also all you guys.
08:48I mean, for me,
08:51what I have always loved about,
08:54you know, all the scripts
08:55that came out of this amazing writer's room
08:58that Andrew put together,
09:00it was always just character first.
09:04It was,
09:04and the character of Simon Williams
09:08is not that he's a superhero.
09:11It's not that this is a satire
09:13on the MCU or superhero movies.
09:16It's also not that this is a,
09:18it's not only just a satire on Hollywood.
09:21I think this is a show about this kid
09:26who had gifts.
09:28And the gifts are the things
09:30that made him very different
09:32and feel like an outsider
09:35since he was a kid.
09:36Those gifts are also what happens
09:39to make him a pain in the ass
09:41and a really good actor.
09:44And the only person
09:46that really believed in him
09:49or was his dad
09:52who's no longer with him,
09:53that to me is the heart
09:54of this season, you know.
09:56And that connection to movies
09:59to me is rooted in his connection
10:03to another person that he loves.
10:05And there's nothing more relatable
10:07for me than that moment,
10:11sitting in a theater
10:11with somebody you love
10:13and where the movie
10:15becomes the most important thing
10:17in your life
10:18because of the person
10:19you're sitting next to
10:20and the experience
10:21that you went through that day.
10:24Did you guys have somebody
10:27that you went to the movies with
10:28that you kind of have that moment?
10:32Personally?
10:33Yeah, personally.
10:33I remember going to see
10:35League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
10:37with my dad.
10:39That's the only movie
10:40that I ever remember seeing.
10:42Wow.
10:43That's the only movie
10:44that I ever remember seeing
10:45with my dad.
10:46And it was because of that
10:47that for a long time
10:49League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
10:52was like my favorite movie.
10:57Like my favorite movie.
10:59And it was because
11:00I saw it with my dad.
11:03So that absolutely
11:04it had nothing to do
11:05with the movie.
11:06It had nothing to do
11:07with the movie.
11:08It had to do with like
11:08the guy who I was sitting next to
11:10you know
11:11when I was so young.
11:13So yeah, I have that.
11:15That stuff is super
11:16like I saw Crocodile Dundee 2
11:18with my dad.
11:20And I you know
11:21the movie is a movie
11:22but like it's that
11:23you know
11:24you remember the parent
11:25dad being there.
11:26What about you Andrew?
11:28Indiana Jones
11:29seeing it multiple times
11:30with my dad
11:31who loved that movie
11:32and I loved it
11:33with him
11:34for that reason.
11:37Yaya
11:38so you
11:39before this
11:40had done
11:41Aquaman
11:41as a villain.
11:43Then you did
11:44the very mysterious role
11:45of Doctor Manhattan
11:46in Watchmen
11:48and when Marvel
11:49came calling for this
11:51were you
11:52at all like
11:53okay I've done enough
11:54comic book stuff
11:55or were you
11:56like did you need convincing
11:58to do this?
11:59I did need some convincing
12:00but I still
12:01but I wasn't
12:02it techno
12:02it wasn't like
12:03I had done enough
12:04man I was over there
12:05looking over the fence
12:06I was waiting for a chance
12:07to like come and play
12:08in the Marvel world
12:09and you know
12:10I really
12:11I really see
12:12no I can say
12:12I really wanted
12:13to be over here playing
12:14like it was
12:15it was so cool
12:16what Marvel was doing
12:19they were building
12:19something that I thought
12:20was very smart
12:22it was fun
12:23it was funny
12:24my friends were
12:26you know
12:27my friends were
12:28on the Marvel side
12:29and I really
12:32wanted to
12:34I really wanted
12:35to play
12:36but when the phone call
12:37did come
12:38I had a conversation
12:40I had a couple conversations
12:40where I had one conversation
12:41with Destin
12:42and I said
12:43I want to play a character
12:44who can
12:44take a sip of water
12:46you know
12:47because I had been
12:47chasing Aquaman
12:48for two movies
12:49you know
12:50and I was the only human
12:51I didn't get a sip of water
12:53in like two movies
12:54and I'm in this hot suit
12:56and Aquaman's chugging beers
12:58and riding motorcycles
12:58and drinking
12:59and eating hamburgers
13:00and I'm like
13:01I'm like hey dude
13:02I'm the only
13:03like human
13:04in this movie
13:05so I kind of want to sip
13:06but
13:08I don't have baggage
13:09I don't have baggage
13:11no but so
13:14Destin let me know
13:14that hey
13:15we're going to do
13:15something that's human
13:16something that
13:17he said
13:18basically you will
13:19get a chance
13:20to have your sip of water
13:21and I said
13:22okay cool
13:22and then I had
13:23I said okay
13:23well I need to still
13:24talk to Feige
13:25to make sure
13:26that it makes
13:27that this actually
13:28makes sense for me
13:29to do
13:29and my reps
13:30did not want me
13:32to bug him
13:33for a conversation
13:34and I said
13:35no
13:35I need to talk
13:36to him
13:36and they said
13:38well maybe
13:38maybe somebody else
13:39I said get him
13:40on the phone
13:41or I'm going to say no
13:42and so
13:43Feige can you have
13:44so Feige
13:45you know
13:45he made time
13:46and he had the conversation
13:48and I asked him
13:49I said hey
13:49I know I only get
13:51one Marvel buck
13:52to spend
13:52like is this going
13:54to be worth my dollar
13:55because I can wait
13:57and he said
13:58he said no
13:59trust me
14:00it'll be worth it
14:01and I'm so glad
14:02that this is
14:03the role
14:04that I got to spend
14:05my dollar on
14:06because I'm getting
14:07all of the super stuff
14:08and I'm getting
14:09all of the human stuff
14:11at the same time
14:11and it's really
14:14it's really a gift
14:15I've got one of the
14:16best jobs in the world
14:17playing Simon Williams
14:18for sure
14:19so that's
14:20that's his perspective
14:21of getting cast
14:22and what about
14:23you two guys
14:24trying to chase him
14:26to convince him
14:27how was
14:27how was that process
14:28or maybe it wasn't
14:29that challenging
14:30for you guys
14:30I mean I
14:32I remember
14:32our first conversation
14:34and
14:35you
14:36you weren't
14:37at least you weren't
14:39portraying to me
14:40that you were
14:40bouncing off the walls
14:41about to say yes
14:42in a second
14:43so
14:43it definitely
14:45I think
14:46rightfully so
14:50A
14:50you were wondering
14:51you were wondering
14:52about the experience
14:53how the experience
14:54would be
14:55that was one
14:56one thing
14:56which
14:57which I
14:59you know
14:59that's
15:00that's one thing
15:01I
15:01I feel like
15:02we
15:03can
15:06control
15:06is the experience
15:08of what we're about to do
15:09not necessarily
15:10control the weather
15:11or the money
15:12or the time pressure
15:13but we can
15:14we can control
15:15who
15:15who we hire
15:16and the types of people
15:17that are going to be
15:18working on this
15:19we were able
15:20we knew we were
15:20shooting in LA
15:21I knew
15:22so much of the crew here
15:23it's like
15:24the best crew in the world
15:26but also
15:27it's
15:27you know
15:27this is a city
15:28of dreamers
15:29and so
15:30we knew
15:30that
15:30I knew
15:31that we could
15:32create an experience
15:33that would be
15:34fulfilling
15:35the
15:36the other thing
15:37that
15:37Yaya was very
15:40pointed about
15:41was tone
15:43he wasn't
15:44interested in doing
15:45a
15:46slapstick comedy
15:47he was also
15:48not interested
15:49in doing
15:49you know
15:50just a
15:51straight
15:52down the middle
15:53superhero show
15:55and
15:55I was
15:57very happy
15:58to hear that
15:59because that
16:00that was
16:01not what we
16:02wanted for this show
16:03and I will say
16:04as a writer
16:05I had
16:05before we began
16:06this casting process
16:07write a
16:08pilot
16:09where I was
16:10making a choice
16:10about who this
16:11character was
16:12and trying to
16:12figure out
16:13how Simon
16:14worked
16:14or whatever
16:15and one of the
16:16things
16:16we all knew
16:17and this may
16:18sound stupid
16:18but Simon
16:19had to be
16:20a really good
16:20actor
16:21because
16:21not only does
16:22he have to
16:22act well
16:23in the show
16:24he has to
16:24act
16:25not well
16:26he has to
16:26act poorly
16:27and that is
16:27hard to do
16:28and I didn't
16:29want to have
16:30a character
16:30be like
16:30oh my god
16:31did you see
16:32that terrible
16:32performance
16:32I wanted
16:34Simon's
16:34performance
16:35to be the
16:36thing that we
16:36knew as an
16:36audience was
16:37either good
16:37or bad
16:38and that is
16:38really hard
16:41and Destin
16:41had seen
16:42Yaya and
16:42Top Dog
16:43Underdog
16:43on Broadway
16:44and he's like
16:44Andrew you
16:44gotta go see
16:45him
16:45and I went
16:45I mean
16:45I already
16:46was a fan
16:47of his work
16:47from the
16:47Watchmen series
16:48and many other
16:49things
16:49but I mean
16:50how many people
16:52look like a superhero
16:53have a soul
16:53of a poet
16:54and have his
16:55ability
16:55and his range
16:56I mean
16:56it's a one
16:57of one
16:58situation
16:58so I was
17:00just thrilled
17:00that he was
17:01interested
17:02and that we
17:02all wanted
17:04to make
17:04the things
17:05that interested
17:06us about this
17:06project
17:06were all the
17:07same things
17:07and we were
17:08all trying
17:08to make
17:08the same
17:08show
17:09Top Dog
17:10Underdog
17:11was what
17:12fully convinced
17:13me that you
17:15would be the
17:15perfect Simon
17:17Williams
17:17because that
17:18play
17:20I mean
17:21the subject
17:22matter of
17:22that play
17:23it should
17:23not be
17:24funny
17:25but man
17:26when I
17:27saw it
17:28I flew to
17:29New York
17:29to watch
17:29it
17:30and I
17:30was in
17:31a
17:31you know
17:33I think
17:34the audience
17:34that I was
17:35in was
17:35pretty classic
17:36theater audience
17:38like you
17:38know
17:39upper class
17:40type people
17:41who
17:42you know
17:43but
17:44who
17:44I didn't
17:45even think
17:46would get
17:47the play
17:47but they
17:48were rolling
17:49on
17:50like
17:50I mean
17:50it was
17:50very
17:51it was
17:51also very
17:52dramatic
17:53and emotional
17:54but the parts
17:55that were
17:55funny
17:56which were
17:56just
17:57just
17:57just
17:58Yaya
17:59on stage
18:00by himself
18:01prepping
18:02just
18:02cleaning
18:03and getting
18:04ready
18:04for the
18:04for the
18:05date
18:05or whatever
18:06and it
18:07goes on
18:07forever
18:08and the
18:08audience
18:09were just
18:09rolling
18:10because
18:10anyway
18:12that's
18:12that's
18:13when I
18:13knew
18:13that's
18:13why
18:14that's
18:15cool
18:15well
18:15you brought
18:16this up
18:17about
18:17an actor
18:18playing
18:18a bad
18:19actor
18:19and a
18:19good
18:19actor
18:20so
18:20to
18:20Yaya
18:21you're
18:22an actor
18:22playing
18:22an actor
18:23and you
18:24have to
18:24play an
18:24actor
18:24who
18:25is a
18:25bad
18:25actor
18:25you have
18:26to then
18:26play
18:27an actor
18:28who
18:28is
18:28an
18:29improving
18:29actor
18:29and then
18:30you also
18:31then have
18:31to find
18:32your way
18:32to be
18:33an actor
18:33who plays
18:34a good
18:34actor
18:36so
18:36how
18:36you want
18:37to know
18:37how
18:37I did
18:37it
18:39yeah
18:39how
18:40yeah
18:40how did
18:40you do
18:41it
18:41and then
18:42what was
18:43sort of
18:43the internal
18:43clock
18:44that you
18:44were setting
18:45you know
18:46at different
18:46stages
18:47all right
18:48so
18:49and how
18:49did these
18:50guys help
18:50I'll take a
18:51minute to
18:51tell this
18:52if I can
18:52so we
18:53were talking
18:54about optimism
18:54outside
18:55right
18:56one of the
18:57things that I
18:57do for
18:58myself
18:58well
18:59I'm not
18:59always
18:59optimistic
19:00about
19:00everything
19:00but in
19:01my acting
19:01I try
19:02to stack
19:02the deck
19:03in my
19:04favor
19:05one of the
19:06things that
19:06I had to
19:07make very
19:08simple
19:08is like
19:09I'm not
19:09an actor
19:10playing an
19:10actor
19:10I had to
19:11take away
19:11all of
19:12that
19:12and I
19:13had to
19:13say
19:14what is
19:16basically
19:16I set
19:18it up
19:18such that
19:23Simon's
19:24fears
19:25and his
19:25insecurities
19:26that's what
19:27he was
19:27always
19:28dealing
19:28with
19:28he was
19:29just a
19:29guy
19:29who was
19:30who had
19:31a dream
19:31he had
19:32some goals
19:32but he
19:32was afraid
19:33he loves
19:34acting
19:34but he
19:35was just
19:35really
19:36navigating
19:36his nerves
19:37on the
19:38inside
19:39he was
19:39really
19:39navigating
19:40these
19:40rough
19:41waters
19:43acting
19:44was the
19:45only
19:45place
19:46where
19:49he
19:50felt
19:51quiet
19:51on the
19:52inside
19:52so
19:54it was
19:55really
19:55my process
19:57was really
19:57such that
19:58I allowed
19:58it
19:58I allowed
19:59Simon
20:00to be
20:00calmed
20:01by
20:02the
20:03act
20:04by the
20:04opportunity
20:05to stand
20:05on the
20:06marking
20:06to say
20:07the
20:07word
20:07so
20:08acting
20:08was
20:08really
20:09Simon's
20:11his
20:11safe
20:11space
20:13and
20:13everything
20:14else
20:14was
20:15really
20:16the
20:16physical
20:18negotiation
20:18of like
20:19the nerves
20:19and what's
20:20going on
20:20on the
20:20inside
20:21so I
20:21never
20:21thought
20:22about
20:22playing an
20:23actor
20:23being an
20:24actor
20:24because
20:24all of
20:25that
20:25would
20:25just
20:25get
20:25way
20:26too
20:26complex
20:26for me
20:27and
20:27the
20:28camera
20:28would
20:28pick
20:29that
20:29up
20:29and
20:29I
20:30wasn't
20:30too
20:31sure
20:31if that
20:31would be
20:31a good
20:31thing
20:32I don't
20:32want
20:32to
20:32start
20:33behaving
20:33like
20:33Simon
20:34and
20:34trying
20:34to
20:34move
20:34pieces
20:35around
20:35stalling
20:36and
20:36things
20:36like
20:36that
20:36because
20:37I'm
20:37trying
20:37to get
20:37my
20:37mind
20:38right
20:38so I
20:39broke
20:39it down
20:40and I
20:40made it
20:40really
20:41simple
20:43so that
20:44I'd never
20:44have to be
20:45an actor
20:45playing an
20:46actor
20:46I would
20:46just
20:46have
20:47to be
20:47Simon
20:47really
20:49trying to
20:49cover up
20:50his fears
20:50or going
20:52through his
20:55internal
20:56moments
20:57while
20:58betting
20:59on
20:59this
21:01the
21:02acting
21:03experience
21:03being the
21:04thing
21:04that
21:04calms
21:05those
21:05waters
21:05and
21:06when
21:06it
21:06came
21:06time
21:07to
21:07that
21:07it
21:07either
21:08worked
21:08or
21:08it
21:08didn't
21:08but
21:09luckily
21:09when it
21:10didn't
21:11we just
21:12do another
21:12take
21:14I didn't
21:15have to
21:16get it
21:16all right
21:16on the
21:16first
21:17take
21:17so
21:18it
21:18was
21:19teamwork
21:19but I
21:20definitely
21:20did have
21:21my
21:21method
21:21to
21:21make
21:22it
21:23less
21:23complex
21:24still a
21:24feat
21:24to do
21:26but
21:26yeah
21:28jump in
21:29on that
21:29one
21:29or
21:31I
21:31I mean
21:32I would
21:33only say
21:33that I
21:33don't
21:34think
21:34Simon
21:35in this
21:35show
21:36is ever
21:36a bad
21:37actor
21:39he does
21:40some bad
21:40performances
21:41on his
21:42self tape
21:42where we
21:43know
21:44I'm just
21:44saying
21:45that he's
21:45not a
21:46bad actor
21:46in general
21:47he does
21:47a bad
21:47performance
21:48in the
21:48moment
21:48like
21:49sure
21:50I really
21:50like those
21:51performances
21:51I was like
21:53would you like
21:54to charge it
21:54to the room
21:58how about
21:58that one
21:59what was
22:00that rap
22:00that rap
22:01from
22:02which
22:03oh my
22:04god
22:04zombies
22:04yeah
22:05which
22:05I
22:06didn't
22:06I
22:06recently
22:07watched
22:08zombies
22:08with my
22:09kids
22:09and saw
22:10that
22:10rap
22:11this is a
22:12Disney movie
22:12and I
22:12was like
22:13but it
22:14for when I
22:15saw the
22:16rap I
22:16was like
22:17Simon
22:17Williams
22:17should have
22:18booked
22:18this
22:18part
22:19he's so
22:20much
22:20better
22:20not better
22:22but he
22:22was like
22:25he was
22:25acting
22:27in the
22:27tone
22:28of that
22:28show
22:28he did
22:29a great
22:29job
22:29so
22:30it wasn't
22:31one of the
22:31times he
22:31was performing
22:37let's talk
22:37about working
22:38with Sir Ben
22:39yeah
22:41he
22:41he's
22:42you know
22:42has a reputation
22:43of being
22:43a very
22:43serious
22:45actor
22:45a thespian
22:47yeah
22:47as they say
22:49do you remember
22:50your first meeting
22:52with him
22:52yeah my first
22:54my first meeting
22:55was a zoom
22:55meeting
22:55I wanted to
22:56meet him
22:56to tell him
22:57to really
22:58you know
22:58being number
22:59one on the
23:00call sheet
23:00I'm just
23:01being a leader
23:01and I'm
23:02introducing myself
23:03to the guy
23:03who's going
23:04to be my
23:04partner
23:05and I want
23:05to see if
23:05he needs
23:06anything
23:06and he
23:07let me know
23:08very quickly
23:08that he
23:09don't need
23:09a thing
23:12he's not
23:12going to need
23:13a thing
23:13from me
23:15and that
23:15if I wanted
23:16to get
23:16make any changes
23:17to the script
23:18that I better
23:19do it now
23:19because he's
23:20putting those
23:21words in his
23:21head
23:22and once
23:23they go in
23:24it is
23:24stones
23:25that
23:25it is
23:26stone
23:27that's
23:27what he
23:27said
23:29and I
23:29was like
23:30oh okay
23:30all right
23:32I'll talk
23:33to you later
23:33I'll let you
23:34get back
23:34to your
23:34little glass
23:35of wine
23:35and we
23:37was over
23:37at Zoom
23:37boy that
23:38lit a fire
23:40under me
23:40I was like
23:41you know
23:41I don't think
23:41Sir Ben
23:42know who
23:42he dealing
23:43with over
23:43here
23:43you know
23:44what I
23:44mean
23:44yeah
23:45you texted
23:45me right
23:47because I
23:47knew that
23:48he was
23:48talking to
23:49Sir Ben
23:49and then I
23:50got the text
23:51right after
23:51why didn't
23:52you warn
23:53me
23:54but then
23:55when I
23:56thought
23:56what I
23:57really
23:57respected
23:58was
23:58your
23:59response
24:00was
24:00like
24:01okay
24:02because you
24:03said
24:03I kind
24:04of like
24:05it
24:06and
24:07I think
24:08that's
24:09what
24:10ended
24:10that
24:11attitude
24:11very
24:12quickly
24:13won the
24:13respect
24:14of
24:14Sir Ben
24:14yeah
24:14it was
24:15a challenge
24:16and this
24:17is the
24:17very beginning
24:18stages
24:18I took
24:19that
24:19as a
24:19I took
24:20it as
24:21a slight
24:21I was
24:21on Broadway
24:22doing some
24:22of my best
24:23work
24:23I'm 100
24:24shows in
24:24I'm classically
24:26trained
24:26you know
24:27yeah I've been
24:27around for
24:28nine years
24:29but like
24:29you know
24:30nine to his
24:3140 or whatever
24:32how many years
24:33plus years
24:33he's been around
24:34but you know
24:37I put in real
24:38tough work
24:38real hard work
24:39during those
24:40nine years
24:40and I
24:41you know
24:41I respect
24:41myself
24:42so I showed
24:43up to the
24:44table read
24:45ready to go
24:45and I'm prepared
24:46and he's going
24:47and I'm going
24:47and then
24:48it was sort of
24:49like we just
24:50saw each other
24:51and I think
24:52he said
24:53oh he cares
24:53and then I said
24:54oh he just cares
24:56and that was
24:57really all that
24:58we needed
24:59to be
25:01sort of
25:02in cahoots
25:03and then we
25:03really became
25:04partners
25:05and then our
25:05job was to
25:06protect
25:08Simon and
25:09Trevor
25:09and to protect
25:10this story
25:10because we
25:11weren't always
25:11going to have
25:12you know
25:12Destin
25:13he would be
25:13there on the
25:14phone
25:14you know
25:15but he was
25:15there to kick
25:15us off
25:16you know
25:16to set us
25:17off for those
25:18first two
25:18episodes
25:18and then
25:19we were going
25:20to be the
25:21constant
25:21moving throughout
25:22the rest of
25:23the age
25:23so we really
25:24formed a
25:24partnership
25:25that allowed
25:26us to
25:27advocate for
25:27those characters
25:28in between
25:29action and
25:29cut
25:30and that's
25:30really what
25:31the relationship
25:32ended up being
25:32like a really
25:34beautiful
25:36you know
25:36relationship
25:38Did the
25:38relationship
25:39extend beyond
25:40the set?
25:41Were you guys
25:41hanging out
25:42at restaurants?
25:43No?
25:44No.
25:44He wasn't
25:46interested in
25:46that
25:47Sir Ben
25:49basically
25:51treats
25:51the process
25:52incredibly
25:53seriously
25:54and
25:54when he's
25:56working
25:56he's working
25:57and he's a
25:58monk
25:59he goes
26:00home
26:01and he knows
26:02his lines
26:03and he's
26:04somebody who
26:06with this
26:07classical
26:07Shakespearean
26:08training
26:08treats the
26:09script
26:09like it's
26:11his job
26:12to make
26:12it work
26:12he's not
26:13coming there
26:13with questions
26:14or wants
26:15to change
26:15things
26:16if it's
26:16on the
26:17page
26:17I go
26:18home
26:18I figure
26:19out how
26:19to make
26:20it make
26:20sense
26:20and I
26:21come home
26:21and I
26:21come on
26:22set
26:22and I'm
26:22ready
26:23and he
26:24works
26:24and then
26:25he takes
26:26his time
26:27and he takes
26:27whatever else
26:27he needs
26:28and in a
26:30great way
26:31it extends
26:32throughout the
26:32whole set
26:32and everyone's
26:33taking the
26:33work more
26:34seriously
26:34and we also
26:35didn't need
26:35it
26:36we didn't
26:36need it
26:36and we
26:37didn't want
26:37it
26:38I met
26:39Sir Ben
26:39and I kid
26:40you not
26:41in the
26:41rehearsal
26:41process
26:42that's
26:42where I
26:42met him
26:43a bit
26:43but I
26:45met Sir Ben
26:45in the moments
26:46between action
26:47and cut
26:47just as
26:48Simon
26:49was meeting
26:51Trevor
26:52and the
26:53camera
26:55witnessed it
26:57and that's
26:58why as the
26:59season progressed
26:59these two
27:00characters
27:00they get
27:01closer and
27:01closer and
27:02closer in
27:02friendship
27:03because we
27:04didn't
27:04because we
27:05were actually
27:05establishing a
27:06relationship
27:07and meeting
27:07one another
27:08finding one
27:08another
27:09in between
27:10action and
27:10cut
27:10talking and
27:11listening
27:12and then
27:12cut
27:13and we
27:13walk in
27:13our different
27:14directions
27:14he's always
27:15way over
27:15there
27:15and I'm
27:16over here
27:16looking
27:17sometimes
27:19but I'm
27:20way over
27:20here
27:20doing my
27:21thing
27:21you know
27:22top of
27:23the day
27:23the most
27:23we would
27:23do is
27:24at the
27:24top of
27:24the day
27:24we would
27:25say
27:25what's
27:25the story
27:26and then
27:27we'd
27:27talk
27:28less than
27:28a minute
27:29on what
27:29the story
27:30was
27:30then he'd
27:31go over
27:31his way
27:31I'd go
27:32my way
27:32and then
27:32I'd see
27:33him on
27:33the mark
27:34you know
27:35when it
27:35was time
27:36to go
27:36and that
27:37was a
27:39perfectly
27:39fine way
27:39to work
27:41Was this
27:41series shot
27:42in order?
27:44Pretty much
27:44I'm just
27:45going to jump
27:46to the end
27:46then
27:46second season
27:48where
27:49what can
27:50you tell
27:50us about
27:51like the
27:52direction
27:52or the
27:53tone
27:54of a
27:56season
27:56two
27:57because
27:57the
27:57ending
27:58is
27:58you know
28:00through the
28:01sky
28:01right
28:02so
28:03what can
28:03you say
28:05the tone
28:06is going
28:06to stay
28:06the same
28:07the people
28:07who
28:08like this
28:09show
28:09and like
28:10it because
28:10it feels
28:11different
28:11are going
28:12to be
28:12rewarded
28:13and the
28:14people who
28:14are like
28:14well maybe
28:15the show
28:15is going
28:15to suddenly
28:16turn into
28:16something
28:16else
28:17I'm sorry
28:17to say
28:18it's not
28:19I mean
28:20every element
28:21that's still
28:21here
28:21Simon
28:22still has
28:22superpowers
28:23it's still
28:24going to be
28:24a show
28:25about this
28:26relationship
28:26and about
28:27two artists
28:27and about
28:28our industry
28:29that is
28:30essentially
28:31what we want
28:31to maintain
28:33and where
28:34are you guys
28:34in the
28:34writing process
28:35now
28:35or
28:36where
28:36yeah
28:37the early
28:37stages
28:37of the
28:38writing
28:38process
28:39so
28:39you're
28:39writing
28:40you're
28:40like
28:40awesome
28:41if anyone
28:42has any
28:42ideas
28:43and want
28:43to pitch
28:44me
28:44some ideas
28:44after this
28:45okay
28:46well
28:46and on
28:47that note
28:47let's wrap
28:48this up
28:48thank you
28:49guys
28:49so
28:49much
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