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00:11Hello, welcome everyone to the Caring Women in Motion Talks.
00:14My name is Angelique Jackson.
00:16I am a senior entertainment writer at Variety.
00:18And joining me here today is Hannah Einbinder.
00:22Congratulations, Hannah.
00:23This was a big, big, big week for you.
00:26Because you just had your very first Cannes Film Festival premiere.
00:32What was it like last night to hear that ovation and to walk into, you know, this palace of
00:39cinema?
00:40Yeah.
00:41Totally surreal.
00:42I think there's, like, not a single moment of this experience that is lost on me.
00:48Jane and I were walking to the photo call earlier yesterday and I was saying to Jane, like,
00:53do you ever get that feeling that you're in the past?
00:57Like, not in like a nostalgic way but in a way that makes you feel a certain amount of
01:04perspective.
01:05Like, in 10, 20 years we will be looking back at this moment of us walking together and having
01:11this experience.
01:12experience.
01:12And we're there right now.
01:14And it's interesting to maybe bring consciousness and attention to that fact that we are in the
01:20past.
01:21It's ironically something that helps me to stay in the present.
01:24I do have, like, a great amount of, I think, perspective in this moment which I'm really
01:31grateful to have and it is absolutely dazzling and surreal.
01:37I just never, in understanding, like, the standing ovation only via, you know, online as a viewer,
01:45I never really envisioned that, being a part of it myself.
01:49So, it's really crazy.
01:51So, cool.
01:51What was going through your head during those, you know, 4, 5, 6 minutes where people are
01:56just clapping for you?
01:57Well, it's actually, like, perfectly, it's, it reminds me of the art of clowning.
02:07Like, you know, the idea of, like, stretching something out for an impossible amount of time
02:13and it going through the sort of rising and falling of being, like, really, in the case
02:20of, like, clowning comedy, it's, like, it's funny and then you're going, oh my god, I can't
02:23believe this is going on so long.
02:25How long is this going on?
02:26And then it becomes funny again and then it stops being funny and then it, it's, like,
02:30so interesting.
02:31It felt, like, very reminiscent of that.
02:33It's sort of, like, the, the, the shape of, of, of that.
02:39It was so cool.
02:42It was also so cool that a lot of our crew members were there, you know, our production
02:46designer Brandon and our DP Eric and our costume designer Kendra and a lot of the actors
02:52from the film.
02:52So, it's nice to see everyone who was, you know, instrumental in making the film get to
02:59be appreciated.
03:02Yeah.
03:02Well, as much as, of course, yesterday was about celebrating, uh, teenage sex and death
03:07at camp, er, in camp miasma, it also was the five year anniversary of the debut of Hacks,
03:14your first TV show.
03:16What?
03:16Yeah.
03:16Yeah.
03:17Yeah.
03:17Simultaneous events occurred.
03:20Whoa.
03:21Shall we get introspective about that?
03:23Yeah.
03:24Whoa.
03:25Dang.
03:26That is so crazy.
03:28Yeah.
03:28I mean, that show has given me really everything that I, that I have.
03:34I'm, like, I'm so filled with gratitude for Paul Jen and Lucia, the creators of Hacks, who
03:40have just single-handedly made every single thing that I have ever done and will ever do
03:45possible.
03:45And so, it's, it's totally fitting that, like, this moment comes on an anniversary
03:50of the thing that, you know, made this all possible for me.
03:56So, that's so meaningful and so cool.
03:58Thank you for telling me that.
03:59Of course.
03:59I mean, as you look back on that experience and those five years and, you know, what you've
04:04learned from playing Ava, what is it about that that you're going to remember the most?
04:11The people.
04:12The, the community.
04:14Like, I think, um, something that I feel is true on Jane's film and is certainly true
04:19of my experience of Hacks is that, like, you know, there's this, like, myth that you have
04:24to be, like, a hard ass to get, to produce good work, you know, and I just don't, it's
04:29just not true.
04:30It's just not true.
04:31Like, you can be kind and warm and supportive and create a loving environment and it'll pay
04:38off and you can have good, good work and really funny work, you know.
04:42It doesn't need to be, like, toxic or scary.
04:47So I'm most proud of that and I'm, you know, proud of the people who cultivated that environment,
04:53both on, on the film and in Hacks.
04:57So when I look back, I'm just going to think of all the love, you know.
05:00Yeah.
05:01Well, let's talk about teenage sex and, and death a little bit more to start.
05:05Um, you've described this film as a trans sapphic ode to marginalized communities.
05:10What do you mean by that?
05:12Well, um, my brain, my memory wipes.
05:20Men in black, uh, synthesizer.
05:23Um, yeah, I mean, um, this film is, is, uh, really genuinely a large, uh, um, product of
05:36Jane's experience.
05:37Um, it's kind of like a, a trilogy with, um, World's Fair and, uh, I saw the TV glow and,
05:46um, it speaks a lot to their experience of coming into themselves and, um, feeling a,
05:51a liberation from shame and embracing desire and embracing their identity as a queer person.
05:58And, um, so, so in, in saying that I'm, I'm basically recognizing that, that, that there
06:04is like an emotional through line for our filmmaker Jane, um, in the film and, uh, I think, I think
06:10that a lot of people who, yeah, are members of marginalized communities can, can, um, find,
06:16you know, can identify with that.
06:18Absolutely.
06:19And, and tell me a little bit about working with Jane and Jillian.
06:22I mean, you, you go from working with Jean Smart to Jillian Anderson, you're kind of just
06:25like racking up, like, uh, infinity stones, if we're doing some Marvel terms.
06:30I have a tie.
06:32You do.
06:33We'll get there in a second.
06:35But that idea of working with the two of them to capture, you know, Jane's experience
06:40in that way and, and, and find some way of translating that into cinema.
06:43Yeah.
06:44I mean, we just had a lot of long conversations on, on tree stumps, you know, like we shot the
06:50movie in Canada.
06:50It was so beautiful in Vancouver, on Vancouver Island, just like surrounded by nature and,
06:56um, really isolated.
06:58It was really just us, uh, in these very small towns and we just sat around and talked a lot.
07:03And I found that our conversations were really deep and intimate and helped me to connect
07:08more deeply to, to Jane and, um, and also to what, what I found true for myself within
07:17the, the, the film and, um, there's certainly a lot, a lot of that.
07:22So, yeah, it was, um, and Jillian and I just, you know, I've been asked a lot about our chemistry
07:28and how to build it, but I, I, I really don't think that chemistry is built.
07:32I think it's instant.
07:33I think it's something that just happens, um, organically and, uh, that was certainly
07:38my experience there.
07:40So yeah, it just, um, it was just swell.
07:45Well, what did you relate to about Chris?
07:48Because the, the series, not the series, the film, um, is also a bit of a satire on, you
07:53know, entertainment and culture and, and the way in which we kind of revive and, and reprise
07:58all of these, um, you know, this IP that we love.
08:03And Chris is tasked with, you know, taking something that, that she loved in the 80s and, and bringing
08:09new life to it while also trying to pay homage to what came before.
08:13So yeah, what did you relate to?
08:15You know, I really, really related to Chris's, um, difficulty, uh, being comfortable in her
08:28body.
08:29Um, I think that the film largely reckons with a thing that probably most people in this room
08:37have experienced in one capacity or another, which is shame and discomfort around sex.
08:44And, um, I definitely, in doing this film, had to examine just how true that was for me.
08:51And I think it's something that we do not talk about.
08:53And, and, um, that's why I think the film is so important.
08:58Um, it certainly was important for me and that's my hope, that people have a similar experience.
09:03Um, so that, that through line really rang true to me and as, as I shot the film it just
09:08became more and more true as I tried to dig deeper and bring more of, um, my actual, yeah,
09:15pain to it.
09:16Yeah.
09:16What is your process of doing that?
09:18Because this film does require a lot in terms of, you know, the different levels of comedy
09:24and drama and real depth, um, of, and of feeling.
09:28So how did you go about being vulnerable enough, uh, to really put all of that on screen?
09:33I just felt safe to, you know, Jane is an incredibly, incredibly safe person and, um, they just made
09:43an environment where they were vulnerable and allowed me to meet them where they were.
09:48I mean, reading the script and seeing the film, you, you, it's incredibly vulnerable.
09:53And Jane speaks openly about the fact that this is, you know, there are a lot of really
09:58strong, like, you know, truths of theirs imbued in the, in the text and so, um, I think knowing
10:06that and knowing how free Jane was willing to be with their experience, um, it made me
10:12want to meet them there and to open myself up.
10:15And, um, yeah, it's a very cathartic experience, you know.
10:19Tell me about the experience with Jillian, that, that having someone who is so versed in this business
10:27and has played so many different types of roles has also been that person that we've all, you know,
10:32been obsessed with, much as Chris is obsessed with Billy, um, as the final girl from, from the films that
10:39she grew up loving.
10:40What, what was it about her that you, that you learned that you're going to take to your next project?
10:44Oh my gosh, so much.
10:45Jillian has such a, an incredibly meticulous approach to the work, um, she's incredibly disciplined
10:51and, um, you know, her physical choreography and her really, really, um, like, voracious desire to understand her motivation,
11:01um, in every moment is, is really, uh, really, yeah, it was super illuminating to watch.
11:09And I definitely feel like I will take some of that with me. Yeah.
11:16Do the physical choreography of it all. Bless you.
11:19Um, Jane also shouted out your intimacy coordinator yesterday at the premiere.
11:25Um, tell me a little bit about the importance of having that, that fourth person, if you will, in, in
11:30the conversation
11:31as you plotted out a film like this one.
11:33Yeah. Our intimacy coordinator, Aaron, was really, um, instrumental in, um, not only, like, making sure, you know,
11:43they were in conversation with us around how important it was to make sure that the dynamics felt respectful
11:49and that everything felt, um, just, like, balanced in the right way.
11:55There's such a fine line, not only in the, the, the action, but also in the, in the editing, right?
12:02Like, editing this movie differently could have turned it into something different.
12:07Like, it's, it's so, um, the details are so important to nail, um, so we just had a lot of
12:13conversations, um, about that.
12:16Jillian was also, you know, Jillian wrote a book called, uh, called Want, which is, um, a collection of sexual
12:21fantasies,
12:23uh, anonymous sexual fantasies that, um, a bunch of, uh, women submit.
12:27And, uh, so she's just been immersed in this, uh, subject matter.
12:32And so everybody really brought their own thing to it.
12:35And we just really, it was very important for us to make sure that we captured this very specific experience
12:41correctly.
12:42I know you can't really speak to the idea of what this is going to mean in your career later.
12:49Um, but I, I guess I'm sort of thinking in the same vein of what you were talking about walking
12:54with Jane earlier.
12:56Because you are having a lot of these experiences so early on in your career.
13:01Both, you know, through the talent that you're working with, having an intimacy coordinator on set.
13:06But can you kind of imagine, um, you know, the benefit of, of coming into an industry at this time?
13:15Yeah, absolutely.
13:16I think, um, I certainly think that, uh, our industry is incredibly, is totally imperfect.
13:22But I, I do feel really grateful to be able to do this work, not only with intimacy coordinators, but,
13:29you know, to collaborate mostly with, um, other women and queer people thus far.
13:33You know, um, that has been really incredible.
13:36Like, a lot of the writer's room of Hacks are queer people, our cast are queer.
13:41Um, and, you know, it's, it's just been helmed by, uh, these really incredible people who are writing to their
13:49own experience.
13:50Um, and the same is true for Jane.
13:53And the same is true for, I did another film, Seekers of Infinite Love, um, with Victoria Strauss, uh, directing.
13:59And, yeah, I just feel like, um, first and foremost I'm after, like, really good work.
14:06And, you know, we tend to make that.
14:09So, so that's just a coincidence in some ways.
14:12But, uh, yeah, I think that, um, I think that it's a, it's a, you know, it's a freakish time.
14:22But also, I think the response to that freakishness is going to be, uh, radical.
14:26And I think that this is a response to that in many ways.
14:29Yeah.
14:30It's a coincidence, but it's also very much an inevitability.
14:33Um, because all the statistics show that, you know, when women, when people of color, when, you know, anyone, when
14:38LGBTQ people, um, are in positions of power, our, our stories are richer.
14:43Yeah.
14:44Our, our crews are more diverse.
14:46Right.
14:46Um, and so, yeah, you're already kind of getting a taste of that from the beginning versus the other way
14:51around.
14:51Yeah.
14:51Yeah.
14:52Like, you know in Wonder Woman when they're on the planet that's, like, all the babes?
14:57I'm like, cool, I'm on the Wonder Woman planet.
14:59Like, I feel like I look around and it's just, like, all my girls around.
15:04It's nice.
15:05Well, I will say, I noticed this comment on, um, I believe it was, I think it may have been
15:09the trailer, um, for Camp Miasma.
15:12Um, but somebody's noted, uh, Hannah is not beating the, Hannah not beating the having amazing and possibly sexual chemistry
15:20with iconic older actors allegations.
15:23Um, I've gotta say, it is amazing that it's happened twice.
15:26Yeah.
15:26Between Jillian and Jean Smart.
15:28It is.
15:30I wouldn't be surprised if my life was, like, the Truman Show.
15:32Like, I would not be surprised if I won some contest or something.
15:37I wouldn't be surprised.
15:38Yeah, it's, it's crazy.
15:40I mean, I just, yeah, it maybe relates to your previous question.
15:43Like, I feel, like, uh, really grateful to just, you know, be around at a time where people are embracing,
15:53um, you know, our stories.
15:55And, um, yeah, I mean, I've just, yeah, my, I, I feel so unbelievably fortunate every single day.
16:05Like, it is just never lost on me.
16:07And, you know, to, to work with Jean from the jump, like, she just is the most incredible human being
16:16and just embraced me right off the bat and taught me everything I know.
16:21And I just, yeah, I'm, I'm so lucky.
16:25What is one of those things that you learned from Jean?
16:28Faster and funnier.
16:30You know, if the, if the take's feeling a little weird, faster and funnier.
16:34Just, uh, get the pace up.
16:36She's also, like, such a, she's so gifted.
16:39She's, like, it's, it's, it's so effortless with her.
16:44Like, she'll just be, like, telling a story.
16:46Like, she'll be like, yeah, oh, no, no.
16:47And then this weekend we were going, action, okay.
16:49And she's right in, like, she just, like, pulls it right in and she's just perfect.
16:55So, yeah, I mean, she's, I, I feel like what I observe from her is just, like, the totality of
17:04her naturalism and her performance.
17:06It's, it's unbelievable.
17:07She's, like, a gifted athlete, genuinely.
17:10But you guys finally got her to break with the episode that we just saw.
17:14Yes.
17:14The Montecito episode.
17:16Yeah.
17:16I know you guys have another term for that episode.
17:18Yeah.
17:19The L word.
17:20Yes.
17:21The, it's, it's the lesbian episode.
17:22That's right.
17:23I think you're allowed to say that.
17:24Yes.
17:24That's a good thing to say.
17:25Absolutely.
17:26Tell me about that experience of, one, finally seeing Jean Smart break.
17:30Yeah, it was so fun.
17:31She, um, there was a joke in the episode, uh, that she just could not get through saying.
17:38And it was funny because she, it's like she was breaking herself.
17:42She, usually when you're breaking, it's the other actor making you laugh.
17:46But she's never, ever cracked at anyone doing anything.
17:49And we've all been doing such, like, high voltage, insane comedy around her.
17:53But she actually made herself break with, there was something she was doing with, uh, her voice on a certain
17:59word that was just sending us all into hell.
18:02Like, truly, like, every crew member around was having to, like, turn away.
18:08It was so, yeah, funny.
18:10I remember that very well.
18:11Well, we do.
18:12We only have two weeks left.
18:15One of those weeks being your birthday.
18:16Oh, yeah.
18:17By the way, happy early birthday, Hannah.
18:18Thank you so much.
18:19How are you celebrating?
18:2031, wow.
18:22So significant.
18:24Such a famous age, 31.
18:27Iconic, they call it.
18:28Yeah.
18:29Well, to some extent, though, it is kind of apt and appropriate.
18:35And that idea of, you know, as you were saying earlier, being a little introspective.
18:40You know, this second half of your 20s has been pretty transformative.
18:44Yeah.
18:45From, you know, starring in your first TV show, starring in your first film, having your debut stand-up comedy
18:50hour come out.
18:54When you look at going to from 30 to 31, you know, what is, what does that mean to have
19:00accomplished all of these things?
19:02It's crazy.
19:03It's so crazy.
19:06I feel like I've been given license to just, like, follow my heart and my artistic sensibility.
19:16Like, I feel like it has set me up in a place where I'm incredibly privileged to just do the
19:25things that, yeah, call to me in that way.
19:33So, I feel really stoked.
19:36I just try to, yeah, I feel like I don't really tend to, like, think of, like, what's my career?
19:43Like, I don't really spend time totally thinking about that.
19:48I think I just am like, what experience can I have?
19:52Like, Jane, on this movie, like, we had such a deep and connected experience, and I feel like that's what
20:00I'm really after.
20:01Like, I'm just, I want to connect to other artists and make something personal, you know?
20:07Sure.
20:09I do want to ask you one more thing about Hacks, because, like I said, we have the series finale
20:13coming.
20:14Yeah.
20:14I know it's emotional.
20:16How would you describe the tone of that final episode?
20:19Pain.
20:23I was like, I know you can't really say much more.
20:25I would say pain.
20:27So, I guess prepare for pain, everyone.
20:29Yeah.
20:30Prepare for pain.
20:31Smiles, of course.
20:32Laughing.
20:33The girls are laughing, but also it's incredibly painful.
20:37How did your goodbye go to Ava?
20:40Oh, my God.
20:41It's the long goodbye.
20:42It's like, I don't think I'll ever say goodbye.
20:45I've been wearing a lot of her clothes.
20:47I've been like, like a deceased relative.
20:50Like, I'm just like, yeah, like, I love Ava.
20:56It's, I used to always, before I was an actor, I used to like, think of like actors being like,
21:02and I miss her and I think of her often as being like corny.
21:05But I'm like, yep, it's real.
21:07It's real.
21:08It's real.
21:09It's so personal.
21:10I like genuinely view her as a human being who is real.
21:14And that's kind of crazy.
21:18But, yeah, I love her.
21:20I'm so, I think of her fondly and often.
21:23And sometimes me and Paul and Jen and Lucia will be hanging and we'll say something and we'll be like,
21:30Ava vibes.
21:30And we'll be like, ha ha ha.
21:34So, that's what's crazy.
21:35Like, still thinking in her brain and especially from them because they created her so they can keep, you know,
21:44making her.
21:44They still have an email going with the title jokes and they, it was like where they first started putting
21:50jokes for hacks like 10 years ago or something.
21:53And they still type on the same email chain and even now they'll like update it with little lines for
21:59Ava and Deborah, which like, ha ha ha.
22:02And that breaks my heart.
22:04But it's really sweet too.
22:06No, that's just giving me hope for five seasons in a movie.
22:09I'm fine.
22:10They can keep writing jokes.
22:11We were at dinner the other night and they did pitch me the movie.
22:13There is no movie.
22:14It's not happening.
22:15But for fun, they did pitch me a fun idea.
22:20But yeah, no, it's like, it's forever.
22:22It's like, it's like a never ending flow of, yeah, love.
22:28Well, whenever you miss her, you can always just look at your Emmy.
22:31Where is that, by the way?
22:32Where do you keep it?
22:34Um, I, okay, so my grandfather fought in World War II and he, uh, fought the Nazis and, um, was
22:43in the Air Force and he got a purple heart.
22:45And when he died, we found it in his bottom desk drawer in a manila envelope.
22:51So, uh, mine's in the closet.
22:55I'm like, if he was like, it's fine about that.
22:58I'm like, I think I can put mine away.
23:00I don't need to.
23:01I think that would make him incredibly proud.
23:05But, I mean, even to that idea, you know, you got on the Emmy stage and you also used that
23:10moment to deliver just a very, like, incisive but powerful message.
23:15I think that's the thing that we know about you, Hannah.
23:17Yeah, thank you.
23:18As, as talented of an actor as you are, you're also equally convicted about, you know, speaking up about social
23:24causes, about, you know, telling your truth and, and not being afraid of doing that.
23:29Where did you get that courage from?
23:32It's an interesting question.
23:35I mean, I think in the case of, um, speaking about Palestine, I follow in the footsteps of Palestinians who
23:41set the bar, um, who have always had to be their own advocates.
23:45Um, and I'm really pleased to join a tradition of, of Palestinians and Jewish allies who are committed to, you
23:53know, being vocal, uh, in a time where, yeah, a lot of people, I think, shy away from that.
23:59So, yeah, I, I follow, I follow their lead.
24:02Sure.
24:03The reason I ask that too though is because, again, you're earlier on in your career and there's always that,
24:09that question, that conversation, if I speak up, will I be blacklisted?
24:13We've seen a number of women in particular recently from Susan Sarandon or Melissa Barrera, um, face significant controversy for
24:21speaking out, but you do so anyway.
24:23Yeah, I think what, what they know, um, is what, what I know, which is that, um, the cost of
24:30not speaking is higher, you know, um, there is a greater, uh, toll in not, in not speaking.
24:39And, um, you just gotta have your priorities straight, you know, um, I am under no impression that my, like,
24:47one small career could ever measure up, um, in comparison to even one human life.
24:52So, you know, it's, um, an obligation and, uh, yeah, I will always do it.
25:00Absolutely.
25:01Um, actually, Melissa did tell us recently, Variety, um, that she really would hope to work with you someday if
25:07you've been in touch.
25:08Yes, I, I would love to work with her.
25:11I would love to work with her and, you know, and Susan and, you know, all, everyone.
25:16Yeah, who is next on your list?
25:18I mean.
25:19Oh, my God.
25:20I don't, I don't know.
25:22I mean, I, I feel like it's, um, you know, uh, honestly, yeah, like, them and, and, um, Mark Ruffalo
25:32and Javier Bardem.
25:33Sure.
25:35All of them.
25:36I'm with Melissa.
25:37I'm like, let's all do something together.
25:39Road trip movie.
25:40Just kidding.
25:41Ooh.
25:43I mean, but why not go?
25:44This crazy gaggle of people are all in a car.
25:49This summer.
25:51Coming soon to theaters near you.
25:54I am super bank.
25:56But I, you know, this, this festival, while we, we focus on cinema, we also focus on the state of,
26:03the industry, um, another hot topic has really been that, that topic of AI.
26:08You guys tackled that in episode six of Hacks.
26:11Yes.
26:11Yeah.
26:12Um, what, what has it been like to kind of navigate, you know, basically like what I'm doing right now.
26:17All of these questions about all of, um, I don't know, everything else going on in the world aside from
26:23your art.
26:24Um, I, I, you know, I come at it from like a standup comedian place.
26:28Like I say what I think, you know?
26:30Um, so for me, I'm not really navigating anything.
26:33I feel like I am taking in information and, uh, forming thoughts and they fly out of my mouth, you
26:40know?
26:41I'm kind of like, uh, maybe I should be a little more concerned, but I, I am like, I'm like,
26:48uh, yeah.
26:49I think, uh, it's, it's pretty evident, um, you know, uh, what, what the, what the technology has done and,
26:57and will continue to do.
26:58So I'm really proud of the way that we were presented in, in Hacks incredible episode directed by Jen Statsky.
27:04And, um, you know, they've been really clear.
27:07I feel, again, it's just so lucky to work for people who are vocal, you know?
27:12And it's like no coincidence that their art is as successful and good as it is and honest and political,
27:19you know?
27:19Yeah.
27:20I, I think that, um, they don't underestimate their audience.
27:23And, uh, they also don't patronize their audience.
27:26It's not like they're preaching.
27:28They are representing two sides of the conversation.
27:31They model productive discourse through Ava and Deborah.
27:34It's one of the amazing ways that the show can, you know, frankly bridge the gap between generations is modeling
27:40these discussions and watching people change their opinion.
27:43I mean, it's like what they've done is, is really great.
27:46And so, yeah, I just feel totally thrilled to, to be a part of it.
27:52And, um, yeah, I'm always just like, what would Ava do, you know?
27:56Ava would be speaking up, so.
27:59Ava would maybe do more than we need Hannah to do.
28:04But we appreciate it.
28:06What, what is your personal favorite hacks moment or episode?
28:11Um, oh God.
28:14Oh my God, I can't pick one.
28:17There's just like, I, I think every single one, I mean, you know, I, I, I think that, um,
28:27there's like nothing quite like that, that, um, initial scene where Ava and Deborah meet.
28:32I've heard from some people that it's like used a lot in acting classes, which I think is so cool.
28:38Um, yeah, we, we've heard from a lot of actors that it's like become this, like, uh, this scene that
28:46a lot of people choose to do.
28:47Which is like such an honor and so awesome.
28:50Uh, yeah, I think that that scene is like a really beautiful, uh, sort of, uh, yeah, template for their
28:59dynamic.
28:59And, um, it's, yeah, I, I got, maybe I'll say that, but everything.
29:04I mean, that's pretty remarkable.
29:06The idea that, you know, you, you come in and you mean like in the pilot.
29:10Yeah.
29:11So one of your first days on, on a big TV series set for HBO now is something that somebody
29:18else coming up in the business is, is getting their feet wet doing.
29:22Yeah.
29:23I mean, what does it mean to kind of be already kind of like leaving a legacy, um, for the
29:27actors that come up behind you?
29:29It's just totally thrilling and moving to think that anything that I have done is making someone feel joy or
29:40benefiting them in any way.
29:41Like that is truly the, the meaning of the work.
29:45Like that is the, the purest, um, best benefit of being an actor is connecting to other, other people and
29:56other actors.
29:57I think it's awesome.
29:58And of course an actor, but also a comic.
30:01Yes.
30:02Um, when, when will we be heading back out on stage?
30:04Are you working out, working out new material?
30:06I, I actually just got back on stage for the first time in over like a year and a half.
30:11Um, and mostly because I'm trying to like do fundraiser shows for local city council candidates in Los Angeles.
30:17And I've just, or like Democratic Socialists of America.
30:20And I'm just trying to like, I'm like, okay, well, I guess I'm, I guess I'm throwing the shows again.
30:25Sure.
30:25I was kind of like content to, uh, take time off.
30:30I think also because my special was like, uh, the cumulative product of like seven years of my, uh, my
30:37origin as a standup comedian.
30:40So I was like, okay, like I've done, this is a huge, like, this is like a birth.
30:45Um, and, uh, but yeah, I've been, I've been writing and, um, it's, it's fun.
30:52It's my, my style, you know, like kind of minute, uh, silly, uh, kind of stupid, small stuff.
31:01And then like the largest possible thing you could discuss.
31:06So, yeah.
31:06Yeah.
31:07I mean, what was it like to get back on the stage after so long as you, not like, you
31:13know, any of the characters that you've been embodying?
31:15It, it was so cool.
31:17Mostly like, again, it comes back to community, like going to some of these spaces and running into comics who
31:23like, I really just only see at shows.
31:25Who for, you know, the first several years of my artistic life, I saw every single day, um, every day
31:32of the week at various open mics or shows, you know, local shows.
31:36Um, that, that was so, that's like just seeing these people who I love, who like, it just feels like
31:43no time has passed.
31:44That is like the best, best, best, uh, part of it.
31:49And just like talking shit and hanging backstage.
31:52Uh, but yeah, I mean, I love, I love, um, I'm a showman.
31:57I, uh, I love a crowd.
31:59And so it's a good, it's a good feeling.
32:02Um, and it's really fun.
32:05I think like I, perhaps I'm approaching it now from the most embodied place that I maybe have ever been.
32:11And that might truly be as a result of, um, not only doing hacks for six years, but also miasma.
32:17So it makes all my work better, I think.
32:19Absolutely.
32:20I mean, every experience really does build on itself and builds confidence on itself and builds presence on itself.
32:26And, you know, even as we were talking about this idea of, you know, the state of the industry for
32:31women in cinema,
32:32it's also very similarly true for women in comedy.
32:35That's what you've been exploring in hacks is, you know, having these opportunities,
32:39being able to go to, to comedy clubs and own them to, to have, you know, a late night show,
32:45all of those things.
32:46Where do you kind of look at the state, um, of, of affairs for women on that, in that sector?
32:52You know, it's interesting.
32:53I think that, um, like, uh, it's, it is, uh, because of the internet, I think, um, standup has really,
33:01really changed.
33:02Like, I think the, um, open mic scene is different.
33:06I think that, um, I've also seen a lot more people who already have a following, um, like, uh, jumping
33:15over to start standup while having, like, already built that,
33:19which is fascinating because it's like they're starting that journey in real time with, like, so many more eyes.
33:23Um, so it's just like a different experience than the one I had, um, where I just kind of really
33:28got to develop in anonymity.
33:30Um, so, yeah, it's, it's a, it's a different time than when I came up for sure, I think, because
33:36of the internet.
33:38Absolutely. Absolutely.
33:39And, and to that idea of, like, looking to the future, um, for, I know you said you're, you're looking
33:45more at, you know, the idea of the art that you want to put into the world,
33:50and the things that are inspiring you, what is inspiring those next stories as you start to look for the
33:57projects to come?
33:59You know, it really, it really, for me, like, it just, it depends on, um, the person and the filmmaker
34:07and, you know, um, just like what I, uh, usually when I get something, it's coming to me fully formed.
34:15Um, so, uh, for me, I'm, I'm kind of just like taking on, you know, reading scripts and, and, uh,
34:24connecting with filmmakers and feeling if that thing is there.
34:28But I'm always aiming to do stuff that, um, feels like vulnerable and, um, like true, but also like really
34:37funny.
34:37Like, I, I, I, I, I love the work of, you know, like the stand-up comedian actors, like, you
34:44know, Robin Williams and Jim Carrey, who will do like Flubber and The Mask and then like, you know, Eternal
34:51Sunshine and, and, and Good Will Hunting.
34:54And so, I, I, I think that like, that stuff is, um, alluring to me.
34:59I mean, that's kind of the brilliance of Camp Miasma in particular is that you are kind of asked to,
35:05to definitely get real funny.
35:07But also, like we said, it is very deep and, you know, dark and vulnerable.
35:13So you, you kind of got a chance to do both in one movie.
35:16Yeah, yeah, I love it. It's, that's like my bread and butter, you know, like, and I feel like Hacks
35:21also, like, really allows me to do,
35:23all of that.
35:24I think it's representative of, you know, that, that fusion is representative of life.
35:28It is all those things, you know, and so I like, I like doing both at the same time.
35:33Yeah.
35:34What do you kind of look at as your kind of like guiding light?
35:38Your kind of, maybe not even like personal motto, might not be quite that specific.
35:42But yeah, what did, what do you, as you, as you go out into the world again today, I guess,
35:47go back into the Cannes Film Festival, go back out on the closet.
35:50What is your, what is that guiding light you have?
35:52I think a general thing that I approach life with is that like everything around us is totally constructed and
36:01not to like, like a stop sign, for instance.
36:06Yeah.
36:09Green means go.
36:12Does it?
36:14Why?
36:16You know, so that kind of frees me, just to be like, rules are fake, nothing is real, free your
36:22mind.
36:26You know?
36:27I'm actually not going to lie, I feel like that's a perfect place.
36:30It's like.
36:31That is, that is, that is the type of, you know, actual like real world wisdom that is true for
36:37how you can be so free in your performing, though.
36:40You know, that's what allows this brilliance to come forth.
36:44Well, thank you.
36:45Well, Hannah, thank you so much for spending some time with us.
36:49And thank you all so much for spending some time.
36:52Please make sure to, to come back for more of the Caring Women in Motion programming.
36:57This is just the beginning of this year's celebration.
37:00But again, please give another round of applause for Hannah on Monday.
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