"Alexa & Katie" and "Cobra Kai" star Barrett Carnahan | The Latest With Maya

A conversation with Barrett Carnahan.❤️ 


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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

It's the latest of fucking gonna fucking out gonna fuck.

SPEAKER_01 0:13

Hi Barrett, welcome to the latest with Maya. I first interviewed Barrett Carnahan about six years ago.

SPEAKER_02 0:23

A lifetime ago.

SPEAKER_01 0:24

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 0:25

A lifetime ago.

SPEAKER_01 0:26

Yeah, too long.

unknown 0:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 0:29

Um, you've seen Barrett in Alexa and Katie, One of Us Is Lying, Cobra Kai, Cruel Summer, and more. You can currently see Barrett in the new season of For All Mankind. For all mankind. Uh, thank you so much for joining me. I'm so excited to be talking with you again.

SPEAKER_00 0:55

It's a pleasure. It's been it's been lovely to keep in touch with you over the years. I feel like we've but I mean we've remained friends this entire time. And so and then I can't remember who it was, you or I, but that just said, like, yeah, we should, we should, we should talk again. Yeah, we should do another one. And and thank you so much for taking the time to see me. Uh, I'm currently bored in a hotel room, so uh so I'm yours. I'm yours, I'm here.

SPEAKER_01 1:20

Yeah, yeah. Thank you um so much for joining me again. I just our first interview, I just I had so much fun and I loved keeping in touch with you all these years.

SPEAKER_00 1:33

So thank you for keeping in touch with me. It's been it's been wonderful.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

Yeah. Um, yeah, so who has had the biggest impact on the person you have become?

SPEAKER_00 1:48

Oh gosh, I feel like that answer changes a lot. Um I would have, I mean, I would have to, this might be a boring answer, but I would have to say my parents. Uh, I I I I discover more and more about myself that is like them. Um, and as as everybody has to deal with growing up, there are you know some things about them that you that you wish that you didn't quite uh inherit. Uh and you have to and you have to fight those things off. But it's because of who they are, and it's because of who they have always been their entire lives and who they shaped me into being that I am the way that I am right now. If it weren't for uh if it weren't for my dad uh being an incredibly passionate actor that he was, an aspiring actor back when he was, an incredible creative soul, um, I wouldn't have been interested in in what I do. Uh and if it weren't for my mom being the you know, the the matronly woman that she was and and the way that she took care of me and the way that she just showed me so much love and so much empathy growing up, I feel like maybe I wouldn't have been as proud of a dad that I that I am today. Um I uh I I I feel like I got a lot of that from her. Um, and so just both of their interests and their um their influences on me made the made me the person that I am I'm I'm proud to be today. Um, so I owe everything to them.

SPEAKER_01 3:14

Oh, I love that.

SPEAKER_00 3:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:17

Yeah, it's true. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:19

But if we're talking actors, Harrison Ford. That's there's my shortcuts, sir.

SPEAKER_01 3:23

Oh, yeah. Uh have you uh do you watch shrinking?

SPEAKER_00 3:28

No, it is. I have very little time to watch TV these days. I'm very behind. Uh, but it is it's at the top of my list to watch.

SPEAKER_01 3:36

Yeah, it's so good.

SPEAKER_00 3:38

Yeah, yeah. I've heard I I've seen clips of Harrison, um, and every time I see a new one, I'm just like, oh god, I gotta start. Uh but as you know, I love Indiana Jones, and so I did see his his character intro for this year where he walks to the door and goes, dun-dun dun, dun-dun. And I just I cried. I cried when I saw that, and I heard that Jason Siegel did as well, and I can't imagine not. Uh it it's uh it's such a it's such a relief to know that that character has endured with him and stuck with him the way that it has. I just I love that Harrison Ford loves being Indiana Jones. Yeah, yeah, it's such a relieving feeling.

SPEAKER_01 4:18

Oh yeah, yeah. Um, so as you know, I'm pop culture obsessed and I go in stages of shows that I cannot stop watching. Um, is there a show that you are currently obsessed with?

SPEAKER_00 4:38

Oh gosh, uh no, unfortunately. Uh like I said, I I don't really have a lot of time uh to watch television. Uh I did uh I did re-watch for all mankind uh to kind of get caught up on uh on the the season again. Um because I just wanted I wanted to uh kind of engross myself in the story and and I was watching when I could. Uh it's it's a great show. Um I know that there are several shows out there that kind of dive into that uh into that alternate reality uh genre. And this one has just knocked it out of the park. Um it's incredibly inventive and thought-provoking, and but also at the same time, there are elements of it that are very inspired by the way that that we live our lives today. And even though you know you know, under, you know, you're under very different circumstances, and there's these technological advances, and we've reached Mars by the by the year 1995, like it all kind of comes back to the fact that we are human and we're gonna make all the same mistakes that that that that we did in our own timeline. Uh but yeah, it's great. But other than other than that, I've been trying to watch movies uh as much as I can because I am a I'm I was a film junkie uh up to the point where I had kids and had less time to watch. Um I watched a great Burt Reynolds movie the other day called Hooper. Uh, and I that that movie has kind of been uh ingrained in my mind ever since. He plays the world's most famous stunt man, and uh he uh is kind of at the the sunset of his career, and he's realizing that he's not the young spring chicken that he used to be, and it's kind of about him struggling and and uh and and accepting that. But it's an incredibly fun movie. Um, so no, I do need to watch more television. Uh in my spare time, I watched Cheers. I believe I said that last time. Uh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:33

That sounds familiar.

SPEAKER_00 6:34

Yeah, yeah. I'm still I'm still obsessed with cheers. It's such a comfort to me. Cheers and friends. And uh and I remember one day when I was at Sony, I I before I came in, I had friends on the on the TV, and then I drove, I went into work, and then I was on a golf cart, and I pulled up to an intersection, and I see this beautiful woman walking in front of me uh through an intersection, and she's wearing a black dress. And I look closer and I realize, wow, that's Jennifer Anderson. I can't believe that. She was on my TV this morning. Um yeah, but no, sitcoms. I love sitcoms. I would love to do a sitcom one day.

SPEAKER_01 7:09

Oh yeah. I yeah, sitcoms are uh my favorite. I love them.

SPEAKER_00 7:15

Do you love New Girl?

SPEAKER_01 7:17

Yes, I do. That's right.

SPEAKER_00 7:18

I thought I thought I I feel like I remember you saying that you love New Girl.

SPEAKER_01 7:21

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I love Friends, New Girl, Will and Grace.

SPEAKER_02 7:29

Right. That's right.

SPEAKER_01 7:32

Yeah. And I was actually just re-watching uh um Alexa and KD this morning.

SPEAKER_00 7:37

So of course you were, yeah, of course you were, as one does. That's yeah, one of my favorite I I love, I I've always wanted to be, and I still want to continue to do it and do another one one day, but like I've always loved the idea of being a part of somebody's comfort show. Yeah, and I achieved that. I got to be a part of Alexa and Katie, which is the comfort show of of millions of of people out there. And like, like when people do come up to me and and and say that they love the show, the first question I ask is, how many times have you watched it through? And the answer is always like five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten times. And I I just love that. I love that because we all need that. And I and I think that television specifically is is one of the the most effective ways of achieving comfort. It brings so much comfort to so many people.

SPEAKER_01 8:29

Yeah, yeah. Definitely. Um, yeah, actually, since we last talked, I um it was last year or two years ago that I interviewed Heather Wordom. Um and so and she and I'm yeah, she and I have actually stayed in touch and she sent me um uh one of the scripts from Alexa and Katie. Oh, sweet. Which episode? Uh second first day.

SPEAKER_00 9:03

Yeah, yeah, cool. Yeah, she's sweet.

SPEAKER_01 9:08

Yeah, yeah, she is.

SPEAKER_00 9:10

I loved Heather. She really cared too. Yeah, yeah. She really cared about that show and she wanted to get it right, and and she did.

SPEAKER_01 9:17

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, she and I um talk a lot, and uh once it was last year when I was in LA, I had um my family and I had dinner with her and Scott. Oh Scott. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:37

I miss them. I miss them. I'm gonna reach out.

SPEAKER_01 9:40

Yeah. Yeah. Um so um what song, whenever you hear it, brings you back to a specific memory, and what is that memory?

SPEAKER_00 9:58

Oh man. Uh, you know, it's funny because I used a song. Uh when we did you watch One of Us is Line?

SPEAKER_01 10:06

Yeah, I did. I loved that show.

SPEAKER_00 10:09

Yeah, I I I bet it was hard for you to watch with with me. Uh, so I'm sorry because we're such good, we're good friends. And then when you see me being this evil, uh, this evil guy, I'm sure it was I'm sure it wasn't an easy watch.

SPEAKER_01 10:23

No, it wasn't.

SPEAKER_00 10:26

Um, you know, when we were shooting that show, I have such fond memories because I it it felt like we were all at summer camp. Um, and we were all just young and and having fun and going out all the time and going out to eat for breakfast. Like we were just all we were together a lot. Um and uh Sarah Thompson, who played Vanessa, who I'm still like, I mean, like this, like she's like my sister. Um, we're very close. She put together this one, uh, I think it's still on her Instagram. It was a um, it was like a like a picture slideshow. And uh Anna Lisa was having her birthday, and the theme was like early aughts, like early 2000s. Um and uh Sarah had like edited the video of all these pictures that there was like a cool filter on, and it just looked like we were having the time of our lives. And she was like, Barrett, because I was the oldie of the group, and she's like, Barrett, what song do we pick? And I said, In too deep by some 41, which is a song that brings me back to my childhood. Uh, because I'm in too deep and I'm trying to keep up in mind. Yeah, it's so good. Uh, and it takes me back to when I was a kid riding the backseat of, you know, or next to my sister and like going to middle school and just playing outside all day and going to the pool, going to the city pool. It's just a song that brings me back to there. But now it's nostalgic for me because it brings you back to my one of us is lying days. Um, and so yeah, if if you haven't have you heard the song?

SPEAKER_01 12:01

I I don't think so.

SPEAKER_00 12:03

Listen, yeah, yeah. Listen to that. In too deep by some 41. It's it it was a punk rock hit. It's so yeah, just so fun. I love that song.

SPEAKER_01 12:13

Oh cool.

SPEAKER_00 12:14

I miss those days.

SPEAKER_01 12:15

Oh, yeah. I okay, I'm gonna look it up right um after our interview. So thank you for that.

SPEAKER_02 12:26

Welcome.

SPEAKER_01 12:26

Um yeah, I there are so many songs for me too. There's um well, Mark McKenna, his band Milk, I'm obsessed with their music. So I was actually just listening to it right before interview.

SPEAKER_02 12:44

Yeah, they make good music.

SPEAKER_01 12:46

Yeah, and so it's their music, like specifically their song Drama Queen. I just remember, I think it was during COVID and even before I had it on uh like all the time. And then there's um like any Asher Angel song I remember listening to every uh day during like lockdown, and then when I went through radiation, I listened to his music every day.

SPEAKER_00 13:19

So yeah, you know, I remember Mark brought some of his like musical, like he had he brought like a keyboard and stuff with him to New Zealand when we were shooting. And uh I was at his place or he was at mine, I can't remember, but but he said, he's like, what did he say exactly? He was like, he was like, Do you want to understand why music is so amazing? And he pulled and he he showed me a recording that he took of some birds outside, and he altered the chirping of the birds into a tune on his on his keyboard. So he was assigning different tunes to the chirps that were out his window and like auto-tuning them into music. It was so cool, it was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. He's a cool cat, Mark McKenna. I miss the heck out of him.

SPEAKER_01 14:06

Oh, that's so cool. Yeah, I love that.

SPEAKER_02 14:11

Cool.

SPEAKER_01 14:12

Oh yeah, so um of all that you have accomplished so far, is there something you are the most proud of?

SPEAKER_00 14:26

Um yeah, yeah, there is. And I don't want to pat myself on the back too much for this one, but I but I'm pretty proud of it. I um, as you know, Cobra Kai, I got to do a lot of fun fight scenes. And I think fight scenes were kind of my introduction to being an actor. Um, I I think I originally wanted to be a stunt man before I wanted to be an actor. I was obsessed with the Indiana Jones epic stuck spectacular at Disney World. I wanted to be Indiana Jones, still want to be Indiana Jones in that show. It's going to happen one day.

SPEAKER_02 15:00

Um I know what you mean.

SPEAKER_00 15:02

And uh but uh um so yeah, and so fight scenes with my dad, he was he was kind of we would like choreograph. I was like a three-year-old kid and we were doing choreograph fight scenes together, and and I I remember doing it and we would do it out in public and frighten people. And so when I ended up getting the job on Cobra Kai, it was an opportunity to kind of like tap back into that little, you know, childlike imagination of mine and to just just be a kid, uh, but with the sensibility of being an adult and knowing what pain feels like, you know? And uh and so I had done several fights on the show. Um, and you know, there was the back alley fight uh at the diner, uh, and then I ended up doing the bridge sequence, which was really cool um over the pit of snakes. Like that was just epic. And then I got called back to do another season where Marty was in a jail cell, uh, Creese was in a jail cell, and then he gets punched out by one of the prisoners, and then when he rises back up, it's young Crease. So basically, Marty tapped in his younger self, and he ends up taking on like five prisoners at the same time, um, and and kicks all their butts and leaves leaves them all on the floor. Just, I mean, absolute badass, uh, just uh just gets unleashed. Uh, and uh I show up to the rehearsal and we're doing it. I'm getting it. Uh, and there was the stunt coordinator, Ken Bearfield, and then the fight choreographer, legendary guy by the name of Don Lee, uh, who's an incredible martial artist. He was there and he was very, very meticulous with the way that I was doing it. I was giving it my all, but also at the same time, I wanted to be accurate, I wanted to be right, I wanted to make sure that everybody was safe. But it's my element, you know? And so I get there on set uh and I look around and I realize that there's no there's no double for me. And I thought that that was really weird uh and unusual. And then I go up to Ken and I'm like, I'm like, Ken, uh, do I not have a double? He's like, no, you don't need you don't need one. I'm just like, really? He's like, no, you got this, man. He's like, he's like, also, you should know this is the first time in the show that there's never been a double standing by. And I was just like, wow. He's like, yeah, that's actually a pretty big deal. And so so I got to do every single shot. Every single shot in that in that fight scene is me. And if you look sp if you look carefully at all the fights, like you can, you can some they're very really good at covering it up, but there are sometimes like if you're involved, you can see like who's the double and who's the actor. But no, I got to do that all myself, and I'm I'm so proud of that. Um, I'll I'll never forget that experience. And and I'm still friends with a lot of the stunt guys that were there that day. It was a it was a precious day to me. I'll never forget it.

SPEAKER_01 17:57

Wow, that's so cool.

unknown 18:00

Cool.

SPEAKER_01 18:01

Yeah. Um so um how do you keep yourself motivated to create even on days when you aren't fully feeling it?

SPEAKER_00 18:16

That's a good question. Um you know, honestly, it's probably watching uh watching my favorite movies that gets me going. Um Yeah, it's it's it this is a tough this is a tough business to keep yourself going. Um this is kind of i'll answer it kind of in two ways. Sometimes you're not feeling the creative juices, and sometimes you're not feeling that passion because it does kind of come and go. And on days like that where I'm not feeling if if I if I want to write, if I'm if I if I feel like I'm not inspired, I'll put on a movie like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which is one of my recent favorite movies of all time, because I feel like it just encapsulates the dream of this city. Um at a time that was very uh transformative, uh, 1969. Uh I'll put on a movie like Raise of the Lost Ark, I'll put on a movie like Last Picture Show, I'll put up on a poof movie like like Paper Moon, like Cool Han Luke, uh like The Wild Bunch. I just these these movies that that make that remind me of the magic of the movies really helps me. And then also when I'm when I'm uh you know, as an actor, it's tough. You go through sometimes long stretches where you know you might get close on a gig and it doesn't happen, and and and another gig comes along and you're really excited about it, and you love the script and you love the character, and you get far along in the process and it doesn't pan out, and that can really take an emotional toll on you. Uh, and in times like that, I I lean on my wife, um, who actually just called a second ago. Um, I'm gonna have to let her know that I'm that I'm busy. Um, but uh she uh she gives me all the motivation that I need uh and all the um all the all the the back rubs and the backpats uh when I need them and a hug and a shoulder to to cry on sometimes. Um if it weren't for her, I feel like I I could have potentially given up. Um because you know, I you know there there have been dark times in this industry uh and as of late, um, you know, so with with strikes and COVID and and uh and and inflation and it's it's it's a hard time. And so, you know, the there have been times where I've said to her, like, I don't know if I can keep doing this. And she just like very uh frankly reminds me, Well, what else are you gonna do? And I'm like, Well, I guess you're right. There is nothing else I'm gonna do. And if I do do anything else, I'll be depressed for the rest of my life. Um, so yeah, the movies that I love and my wife.

SPEAKER_01 20:54

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 20:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:56

Um so what is uh the biggest obstacle, either personally or professionally, that you've overcome?

SPEAKER_00 21:09

And uh I you know I would I would say probably the uh it was it was a couple years ago. Not to not to double up on my answers, but uh when the strike was going on and there was no work uh to be had. Um you know, we were still recovering from COVID, uh, and also there was a strike going on. And so the work was just very, very slow. And also I had uh two kids. Uh no, I think I had one kid and I had another kid on the way. And I just thought, man, if this is if this is gonna be my life, I don't I don't know if I if I want this life. I don't know if I want to keep going down this path. And like I said, if it weren't for my wife to keep me going. Yeah, I would say that uh that's Strike nearly did me in. Um, I would say that that was definitely one of the darkest times in my life. Uh, because you you want to provide for your family. And when you're not given a means to provide, um you it really it, you know, you look in the mirror and you wonder, like, what you know, what kind of a man am I if I can't do this? Um, but uh, but yeah, I give all the credit to my wife there. She got me through.

SPEAKER_01 22:27

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_00 22:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:29

Yeah. Yeah. Um, so what small things bring you joy on a daily basis?

SPEAKER_00 22:39

My kids. My kids. And I and I only give that answer because uh day to day, uh, they're all they're pretty much all I have. Uh day to day. They are they are totally consuming all of my energy and all of my focus at the moment. In fact, my kids uh will probably be the answer to many of your questions. So I'm sorry if this turns into a boring interview.

SPEAKER_01 23:02

Um, I love that.

SPEAKER_00 23:05

Yeah, but uh they they're just they're so full of energy. Uh my son is gonna be four in July, and my daughter just turned two. So they are pretty much the biggest handful that you could actually imagine. Um and really all my son ever wants to do these days is act, believe it or not. Um I didn't push him. I didn't push him to do this, I promise. You know, I you know, I would prefer him to be a scientist or a mathematician or a lawyer. Um but no, it's undeniable. This kid is into the arts, and all he ever wants to do are recreate scenes from movies that he's seen. Uh, I took him to go see Hoppers. He loves going to the movie theater. Um he's very quiet, he's very courteous. He's not getting up and running around or making a ruckus. If he wants to ask me a question, he tugs on my sleeve and then pulls me in and whispers in my ear. He's a very courteous moviegoer. But as soon as we got home for the movie theater, he immediately wanted to uh recreate all the scenes. And he was a he assigns characters to me and his mom and even his sister and himself. And he wants to he wants to be in the movies. Um so yeah, I would say just it's the little moments with with my kids throughout the day. And uh, and pretty much anytime my daughter says a new word, um that's that's the highlight of my day. Um, and anytime that Henry learns, I I would say I it in short, which I'm very bad at doing, uh, anytime my kid does something new, anytime my kid does something that they haven't done before, that's uh that's a treat. Um that just that that can't be replaced.

SPEAKER_01 24:52

I love that. Yeah. Um so is there a movie world that you wish you lived in?

SPEAKER_00 25:04

Ooh, yeah. That's a that's a good question. Um wow. There's there are so many. Um man, you know, I feel like I was thinking about this recently. Uh a world that I wish that I that I lived in. Probably Lord of the Rings. Uh I would probably say the Shire. Uh if I if I had to pick anywhere, it would be the Shire. Uh I I mean, Fellowship of the Ring came out in 2001, and I was nine years old, and I watched it, and still to this day, it gives me that feeling of nostalgia. I feel like I'm watching it for the first time every time I watch it. And the entire intro of The Life of a Hobbit uh is so uh inviting to me. And I feel like I was born to be a hobbit uh because my wife and I we love our home and we love making it comfortable. Uh and uh and I I dream of living off the land that the way that the hobbits do. So yeah, if I if I could live in any movie world, it would absolutely be the Shire. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:12

Oh, I love that.

SPEAKER_00 26:13

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I I can't imagine a more comforting life.

SPEAKER_02 26:19

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:20

And I think what J.R.R. Tolkien said, like there's there's absolutely something like there's absolutely no shame to be had uh in in living a comfortable life, uh, which I love.

SPEAKER_01 26:32

If you had a reality TV show about your life, what would your theme song be?

SPEAKER_00 26:43

Oh man. Uh goodness. Uh my life right now is chaos uh with the kids. I know it doesn't look like it right now because I'm I'm out of that right now. Um honestly, it would probably be I I think I think this the song, the orchestral piece is called Flight of the Bumblebee. Uh but it's uh yeah, this is what I'm gonna go with, and it's basically those high trumpets that are going to Yeah, it's just madness. Uh that would that would that would be it. Because like when you're when you're in a house full of dollars, uh it just never stops. It's just constant simulation. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:29

I love that.

SPEAKER_00 27:31

That's what it would be. It would drive people nuts. The ratings would be terrible, nobody would watch it. Uh because they just couldn't stand it.

SPEAKER_01 27:43

Um, so is there someone who without fail always makes you laugh?

SPEAKER_00 27:54

Uh yes. Uh there is a uh a writer friend of mine. Um, well, I not a writer friend, a friend, a good friend of mine. His name's Tidy Martino. He's my writing partner and and good friend. Uh he actually wrote the movie that I first did, uh, a movie called The Pledge. I don't know if you've seen it, uh, but it was a small independent film that we made in Wheeling, West Virginia. And he he wrote it, and he is the funniest man I've ever met in my life. Uh he has such a quick sense of humor, and the closest thing that I can that I can name uh to his sense of humor and his personality is Conan O'Brien. He reminds me a lot of Conan O'Brien. Um, and so if we're yeah, uh him personally, uh, but also uh in in the in the film and television world, Conan O'Brien. Conan O'Brien, I I I feel like he can make absolutely anything funny. And if and if it you could throw in any situation, you could throw in any person or any prop or anything to throw him off and he will somehow make it funny without fail. I think he's a comedic genius. Um, and I think he's gonna I I think in the end he'll be considered a comedical engine uh a comedic legend for sure.

SPEAKER_01 29:14

Oh, I love that. Yeah. Um so what is something people are always surprised to learn about you?

SPEAKER_00 29:29

You know, it's uh that I have that I have kids. People never believe that. People never believe that I am my age. It's actually starting to kind of catch up with me a little bit because I had to grow my hair out for uh I had to grow my facial hair out for a roll. Um and I never attempted to grow out my facial hair. Uh, but now that it's here, I kinda I kinda like it. What do you think? Yeah, I think on a scale from one to ten.

SPEAKER_01 30:02

Yeah, I I never know, okay. I don't know how to rank it, but I I think you look good.

SPEAKER_00 30:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 30:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:09

Uh yeah, for years everybody has always just been like, you know, I'll tell them that I'm because I'm 33, and I would tell them my age, and they they would always just be like, What? Yeah, so I just have a young face. And in this industry, that's nice, uh, but it can also be aggravating because you can't play your age. Um, but uh, but I actually I've had this for going on like three months or something like that, and uh a picture on my iPhone popped up of me from last summer, which was not that long ago, and I just look, I thought I looked like a baby. Like I I I couldn't believe how young I looked. So it's true. It's true. These people are are definitely shocked when they realize that I'm a full a full-fledged adult. But other than that, I think I'm pretty uh I'm pretty there's no mystery to me. I know that that's a that's a very sexy thing right now to be like mysterious uh and to have people wonder about you and be like, there's something about this guy. I need to learn, I need to learn about him. I can fix him. That's just not me. I I mean I like what like you look at me and like what you see is what you get, you know?

SPEAKER_02 31:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:17

I think I'm pretty I'm pretty cut and dry.

SPEAKER_02 31:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:20

Uh and uh there's yeah, no mystery to this guy.

SPEAKER_02 31:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:24

Um so yeah, I so yeah, other than the age thing, I think if I like if I if I were to sit with somebody for an hour and then I told them something about me, they would be like, oh yeah, that checks out. Yeah. Yeah, pretty much.

SPEAKER_01 31:40

Oh, I love that. Yeah. Yeah. Um so if you had a warning label, what would yours say?

SPEAKER_00 31:54

Oh boy. Uh uh, it would probably say warning. Uh misplaces items without fail. That's that's what that's what mine would say. I I'm always misplacing things. I I I don't know why it is the way that I am, uh, but it's like I I lose my wallet and my phone and my keys on a daily basis. It's a very, it's a very bad, it's a very bad habit. And I've tried, I've tried so hard to make sure that I put them in one place or hang them up on the key ring or put them in the bowl by the door, but somehow, because of one reason or another, they end up somewhere else, and then I can't remember where that place is. And you want to know the really funny thing is my um my son, he'll just show up with no shirt uh in the house and we'll be about to leave. I'm like, buddy, where's your shirt? Go go find your shirt. And I said, Where are your shirt? Where's your shirt? And he goes, I don't know. My daughter, who is two, uh, say she takes off her shirt and we're about to walk out the door. I say, Hazel, where's your shirt? Go get your shirt. And she'll leave. She'll go out the she'll go out the the room and then she'll she'll be gone for about a minute and she'll come back with her shirt. So maybe it's just a guy and girl thing. I don't know. Uh, but or maybe it's just genetic. And I passed along my worst trait to him, uh, which I hope is not the case. Um yeah, yeah, it's a uh it's a hard life being somebody who is uh who is uh who misplaces their items a lot.

SPEAKER_01 33:33

Yeah, so um is there a show or movie that you find yourself quoting all the time?

SPEAKER_00 33:45

Yes. Uh actually the movie that I probably quote the most, and it's because it's my wife and I's favorite movie, is Just Married. Have you seen it?

SPEAKER_01 33:53

I haven't.

SPEAKER_00 33:55

Oh man, Maya, you gotta watch Just Married. It's so funny. Ashton Kutcher, Brittany Murphy, they played Oh wait, yes.

SPEAKER_01 34:02

I think you told me about this uh last interview, and I did watch it.

SPEAKER_00 34:08

You did, you did.

SPEAKER_01 34:09

Yeah, I thought I forgot the name of it, but I did watch it.

SPEAKER_00 34:13

Watch it again. So funny. Uh I I don't think that there have been any two young uh actors together on screen that have had just the incredible comedic chemistry that they had. Um still to this day. I think that it's very young for people that young to have such great comedic timing and chemistry together. I think it was just lightning in a bottle. And I haven't seen anything like that since. Uh, I love that movie. And my wife, my wife and I say it all the time. There's probably the one that we say most of the time is they're in uh, I think they're in Florence, Italy. And they're walking by, and he's just, you know, action coacher is just so undeniably American, which is exactly how I would be. Uh that's how I felt when I was in New Zealand. Like, I mean, like you could spot like people could spot me from a mile away. Um, probably just because of how loud I was. Um he's walking and then he he starts acting like he hears something. He's like, Do you hear that? Do you hear that? And it what and she's like, no, what is it? And he goes, and what he heard was like the crack of a baseball in a baseball stadium, and he goes, It's a sign from God. And so my my wife and I probably say all the time, it's a sign from God. The way that he said it. But yeah, yeah, just married for sure. It's so quotable.

SPEAKER_01 35:39

I love that. Yeah, my brain is just filled with show and movie quotes and references.

SPEAKER_00 35:46

So well, you're yeah, you're the pop culture queen.

SPEAKER_01 35:50

Yeah, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 35:52

You're welcome. It's true. All hail.

SPEAKER_01 35:56

Thank you. Yeah, yeah. I um, I mean, there's so many shows. I quote Friends and Will and Grace all the time, and the new adventures of old Christine. Um, my mom and I, there so there's this one character in the new adventures of old Christine named Barb, that there's an episode that every uh when she answers the phone, she just goes, What do you want? And so my mom and I always when we call each other, that's how we answer the phone.

SPEAKER_00 36:30

That's so cute. I love that. I love that.

SPEAKER_02 36:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:36

What do you want?

SPEAKER_02 36:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:40

That's funny.

unknown 36:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:42

I'm gonna do that to my wife.

SPEAKER_01 36:44

Yeah, it's this whole thing where it's she and Christine are like they meet these two guys and they're trying to flirt with them, and it's the funniest thing ever. And then when they call them at home, it's and Barb doesn't know how to answer the phone, so she has two voices. She goes, like one voice is she goes, hello, and then she goes, What do you want? and she's like, I have two, I have um, I forget exactly what she says, but she's like, I have two um like two personalities. That's not what she says, but something like that. She's like, me or sexy, pick one.

SPEAKER_00 37:34

So depends on the day, yeah. Depends on the time of day. Have I had my coffee yet? No, then I'm not sexy, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:42

Yeah, yeah, and so that's just uh it's one of my favorite episodes of the show because it's just like you're crying, you're laughing so hard.

SPEAKER_00 37:54

Yeah, oh gosh, yeah, love the laugh.

SPEAKER_01 37:59

Yeah, yeah, me too. Yeah, I remember um it was actually during COVID that I watched the new adventures of old Christine for the first time. So it's that that's another one of my comfort shows. I and I've been recently re-watching it for like the hundredth time. So I gotta check it out.

SPEAKER_00 38:18

I've never seen it.

SPEAKER_01 38:19

Yeah, oh it's so good. It's yeah, every episode is like uh yeah, laugh out loud, funny that you're crying from laughter. Yeah, I've actually I've gotten to interview a few of the um stars of the show and the creator, um great which yeah, was so surreal.

SPEAKER_00 38:42

Yeah, I bet.

SPEAKER_01 38:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:46

I bet meeting your idols like that is is is is quite the it's quite the experience. Yeah, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 38:55

Yeah. Definitely, yeah. Um so if you could give someone in your life a star on the walk of fame, who would it be?

SPEAKER_00 39:11

Ooh, somebody in my life star in the walk of fame. That's a good question. You know somebody who I believe is a star is uh you might know him, uh, an actor by the name of Luke Benward.

SPEAKER_01 39:26

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 39:27

No Luke?

SPEAKER_01 39:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 39:29

Yeah. Um I he was my roommate at a time. Um and and he and he uh he's he's he actually he did a he did a Hallmark movie this past uh Christmas, and then I think he's doing, oh shoot, I don't remember the name of it, but he's doing I think it's a I think it's a lifetime film about one of the Duck Dynasty guys. Um he's an incredible actor and he's an incredible man. Um and I remember when I lived with him, I just remember I remember thinking, like, man, if I could just be as good as him, man, why can't I be 6'2 like this guy? You know, why can't I be as sexy as this guy? Why can't I be as talented as him? He's such a great actor, he's so natural, he's so he's so interesting to watch, um, but also one of the most humble, kind human beings you'll ever meet in your life. Uh, and he more more than deserves a a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. So yeah, I'd give it to my good buddy Luke.

SPEAKER_01 40:31

Oh, I love that.

SPEAKER_00 40:33

Yeah, yeah. Great guy.

SPEAKER_01 40:35

Yeah, oh I love that. Yeah, I'm such a fan of his.

SPEAKER_02 40:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 40:42

Good guy.

SPEAKER_01 40:43

Yeah. Um, I love that. Um, so I just have um one final question for you. Um so today, what are you most grateful for?

SPEAKER_00 41:00

Today, what am I most grateful for? I mean, it it might not be uh you know, I was talking, I was talking to it's gonna be another boring answer, Maya. I'm sorry. Uh I I um I was I was talking to a fri I had dinner with a friend last night, and um and they're you know, um as as so many people are right now, I feel like this is this is a time uh where people are having a really hard time finding the one, you know. Uh and a lot of people are having a hard time dating and and and uh and because every you know a lot of people, at least in my generation, like have the dream of settling down and having kids. Um, but they just feel like, you know, whether it's because of the economy or whether it's because they can't find, you know, somebody who they, you know, they they think is is right to be, you know, a husband or a wife, um, they uh a lot of people have given up hope. And it's a it's a hard world out there right now to find the one. And I would say the thing that I'm probably most grateful for is the fact that I that I found a partner that is just so right for me. Um I don't know how it happened. It was luck. I'm pretty sure I shared with you last time how we met uh on a on a movie set uh shooting in Weirton, West Virginia, the movie Super 8. And we just hit it off. And and over the years I've realized uh in in some ways that I wasn't aware of before, but like everything that I lack, she excels at. And the things that that she struggles with, I excel at. And it just, it's I I feel like it was like a one in a million chance to find somebody that was so perfect for me. Um and so when people ask me like relationship advice, I I I can give them you know little snippets here and there, some nuggets that I've learned along the way, but but I I kind of feel guilty when they ask me because I was I just got very lucky. Um so if if I'm grateful for anything, it's the amount of luck that I had that I met Nina. Um so uh but yeah, that's that's today and every day. Because if I didn't meet Nina, I'd I I truly don't think that I would that I would have had the chance to live out my dreams. Um so yeah, she's kept me going.

SPEAKER_01 43:29

Oh, I love that.

SPEAKER_00 43:31

That's true. That's true. So my my my wishes and uh my wishes go out to everybody out there that feels like they haven't found their person yet. Um you will. It just takes time. Uh but don't don't take it's but then I but then again I feel bad because once again I got lucky. You know, not everybody's that lucky.

SPEAKER_01 43:54

Yeah. Oh, I love that. Yeah. Um well. that was um my final question for you um i just want to keep talking to you i just i always have the best time talking with you so it's so nice talking to you too yeah it's so nice talking to you it's uh it's it's I I I love how um you've been I know you've been through a lot um and I know that it takes a lot of strength a heck of a lot more strength than I would have to go through the things that you've gone through the patience um but you know what you need to to to make it through and I I I love that uh that I love that this industry has people like you as as stories and as examples of like the the power of what this town can do and what this industry can do uh when it comes to like what we were talking about like the the amount of comfort that it brings to people you know um you people go through hard times all all the time and and a lot of people deal with things that that that I that I can't imagine going through but it's just a it's a nice it's a it's a it's a comforting thought knowing that Hollywood can bring comfort to so many people um and the and and you're probably the greatest example of of the reason that I'm proud to have been a part of Alexa and Katie um because I I'm I'm sure that it I'm sure that there were days when that that I can't imagine what you were going through.

SPEAKER_00 45:35

And to know that Alexa and Katie was uh was bringing you peace and laughs when you probably need them most makes me so so happy. Seriously when it comes like if I were to pick a job that I would be the I would feel like I was the the happiest and most fulfilled that I got to be a part of. I think it would be Alexa and Katie for that reason.

SPEAKER_01 45:57

I love that well thank you. I just yeah I'm so I'm so grateful for that show and grateful that like I've gotten to meet you and like now call you a friend. Um and yeah and I'm grateful that gotten to interview so many people from that show. So yeah yeah and yeah I whenever you want to come back on I would love to talk with you again and I hope it's not another six years.

SPEAKER_00 46:35

I know yeah let's let's not have it be another six years I'm I'm happy I I got to come back with you period but yeah yeah no it'll be it'll be sooner next time okay good yeah yeah um yeah and um I hope you have a great rest of your day um you too Maya but no thank you this this made my month it was so nice to talk to you me too you too yeah thank you so much um and that's a wrap on today's edition of the latest with Maya bye everybody