Episode 51: You Know the Viral Grinch... Meet Nick Darnell

If you've ever gone down the rabbit hole of those hilarious Grinch videos online, you've probably seen Nick Darnell's work—even if you didn't know it was him.

This week, Nick joins Kayla Becker and Vanessa Curry to share the story behind the character, what it was like going viral, and how he's navigating the next chapter of his career as an actor.

We talk about his feature film debut in Cotton Candy Bubble Gum, building a career beyond the character that made him famous, the realities of internet fame, and, of course, his Love Island obsession (because we couldn't let him leave without getting his hottest takes).

Whether you've been following him for years or you're just discovering who was behind the viral Grinch, this is a fun, honest conversation about taking unexpected opportunities and turning them into something even bigger.

🎙️ Be sure to like, subscribe, and let us know in the comments what your favorite part of the episode was!

Transcript

Welcome And The Viral Grinch

SPEAKER_06 0:12

Welcome back, everybody, to Milk and Honeys. We are so excited you're back here with a very special guest. He's someone millions of people may recognize even if they don't know his actual face. With his portrayal of the Grinch when it went viral across the internet, fans will travel across the country and the world to see him. Videos of his interactions wrapped up, millions of views. Probably a million of those were just from me. And somehow, you know, he literally turned a Christmas character into a pop culture moment. But now people are getting to know the man behind the green fur. He's an actor, creator, internet personality, Love Island commentator, Rin Tama Levine a little bit today, too. Recently made his feature film debut and Cotton Candy, Bubblegum. Please welcome Nick Darnell. Yeah. This is so cool to me that you're sitting here right now. And I'm like outside of the. I think I've met you at Universal once.

SPEAKER_02 0:59

Probably. I probably.

SPEAKER_06 1:00

I stood in line once upon a time. I did.

SPEAKER_05 1:03

For people who know the Grinch but don't know Nick Darnell. Who is Nick Darnell?

SPEAKER_03 1:08

Who is Nick Darnell? You know, I've asked myself that like every few months because I do so much character work. Who am I? But I am a Southern man born in Jackson, Tennessee. You know, we didn't have anything to do but theater. So that's kind of where I was like starting. I always knew I wanted to perform. Okay. That was like a no-brainer.

SPEAKER_05 1:29

No one could tell me, like, you sure you don't want to be a fireman, police officer, a lawyer, a dentist?

SPEAKER_03 1:34

Like, no, I want to be on TV. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:36

Would you would you make your family like watch you perform?

SPEAKER_03 1:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:39

Because I did.

SPEAKER_03 1:41

I was like, almost it'd be half the time when they're having like a crappy day, and then my mom would be like, all right, Nick, get up and do something for us. And I'm like, all right, yeah, it's my time. You just like turn my face into like a cartoon.

SPEAKER_06 1:52

But you do have a very expressive, expressive face. I love that. You have to. Like it, you know, of course.

SPEAKER_03 1:57

I've been told it's a rubber face. A rubber face.

SPEAKER_06 2:00

You can just kind of snap it and sprue away. Like it's like gumby.

SPEAKER_02 2:04

Yeah, like comes out of nowhere.

SPEAKER_06 2:06

You know, you said you were you were raised in Tennessee. We talked about before we started filming Alabama, Tennessee. We had Martin Morrow on he was from Alabama as well. And I think maybe you can, you know, relate to this. Coming from a small town like that, you are in Hollywood now, baby. Like, you know, was that obviously always the goal? But you know, what was it like trying to chase this dream when you did come from a smaller place in the world?

Tennessee Roots And The LA Leap

SPEAKER_03 2:27

I have like a weird origin story because when I was in college, like that's when the world was ending in 2020. Yeah. It was my senior year.

SPEAKER_05 2:35

Wow.

SPEAKER_03 2:36

And they I was a musical theater amazer and they canceled like my last show. So I didn't even get to do my last performance. And that's a big deal for a theater. Yeah. Because every year you're watching everyone take their last bow and everything, and I'm like, that's gonna be me. In like two weeks, I think into spring break, and they extended our spring break, and they were like, guys, we can't do the spring musical. It's done. And this is my senior year.

SPEAKER_08 2:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 2:58

So I think that motivated me more than anything to just like get out of town, get out of Tennessee. Now we were confined for a while, you know, like can't leave the house or whatever. But I found this, well, this girl found me. She was on the cheerleading team, and she said, There's this manager looking for talent and works at like an expo showcase place. You can go and like perform and get signed by agents. Oh. And it's in Texas. Like, would you be interested?

SPEAKER_00 3:23

And I'm like, yes, please sign me up anywhere.

SPEAKER_03 3:26

I go down there, I compete. I'm like freshly ready to perform. So nothing was gonna stop me from being the best I could be. And when I got there, like I won like the actor of the year over like everyone is like over 400 contestants. Found my agent. Well, the agent, I guess, found me repped in LA. He's like, hey Nick, I know I just met you. Like, I can't make you move to LA. You gotta want to move to LA. But he was like, You're the best in the building. Like, I want to sign you. And I was like, I'm moving to LA. Like, yes, nothing's not a good thing. And I've been here ever since 2021. Wow.

SPEAKER_05 4:04

Sometimes when the universe just puts plants those seeds for you, if you don't take them, it's like, what are you doing? It's right here.

SPEAKER_06 4:10

You know, when you have people from uh your school who've obviously seen your success of freaking out, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 4:16

They come up and wait in line for you ever and you just know that they're you know that would be crazy if if I just randomly saw like a classmate or a theater mate, I'm like but no, I haven't. There's been like people constantly messaging me, like, I'm gonna come visit you once. Of course. I know that's just all them showing love.

SPEAKER_05 4:33

Of course, yeah. It's just like it's like us when we're over we go on set and we're with people for a couple days, you build this family or you know, this family bond with somebody, and you're like, we're gonna so hang out after this. And we do, we always do because, but then you never do, you know.

SPEAKER_03 4:49

It's just like I think it's a respect thing. Like, I respect you so much, I'm gonna like want to be there. Yeah, of course, even if they never make plans to be. And I don't hold it against them at all.

SPEAKER_05 4:58

And have you always been funny?

SPEAKER_03 5:01

Funny looking for sure. Like, it's crazy you say that. I wanted to be like the class clown in high school, but I won most talented. And looking back on it, I'm like at the moment, I was destroyed. I was like texting all my friends whenever Superlowlips is going out. I was like, please like vote for me, guys. I'm I'm the funniest, man.

SPEAKER_05 5:22

And they're like, Nick, no, you're not the financial. Yeah, but most talented, that's that goes hand in hand with the one telling people because I always tell people I'm funny.

SPEAKER_06 5:31

They're like, if you can't tell people you're funny, that means maybe you're not as funny as you think. Oh, that's funny, right, Vanessa? I'm funny. She's like, she's like, yeah, Kilo, yeah, you're so funny.

SPEAKER_03 5:38

They're like, I'll take it. Most talented, whatever.

SPEAKER_06 5:42

Now, uh obviously, you know, theater. What did uh you realize acting was gonna be more than a hobby, or when theater was more than a hobby? This is what you wanted to do as a career.

SPEAKER_03 5:50

Man, like when I was leaving, I I think the end of high school college, I just used to love dancing. Like, I love I love I'm a big Michael Jackson fan, Chris Brown, Usher. Like, I love just dancing big. And I would make videos as dancing and stuff, but I was always studying acting, I was always watching movies closer than anyone else, or whining it back. For some reason, like I would watch on my birthday, I just would love to go to the theater like by myself. I didn't care. But I think it was until I started making videos online in 2020, like I would do just impressions. I would do these sketches and stuff, and it built a fan base. And I had like a couple hundred thousand people like obsessed with it. They were like, yo, this is great. This is great.

SPEAKER_06 6:35

It was the first one, the person you're you did an impression of that caught fire.

SPEAKER_03 6:39

It was like it was like the fairly odd parents, but it was just like Nickelodeon characters. Like I just would rank cartoon voices that I could do. And yeah, I feel like that's where it kind of like oh man, people actually think this is good. Because I feel like your friends and family will be biased for a minute.

SPEAKER_06 6:56

Yeah, yeah, they will be. But when sometimes they'll lie to you, yes, exactly.

SPEAKER_05 7:00

But some when the strangers start coming in and saying, oh wow, you actually can do this, that's crazy. I know you just mentioned a bunch of people who inspired you in that moment. Um, you have mentioned, I know Jim Carrey was a huge inspiration for you. What was the first moment for you where you were like, damn, that's cool. I I'm inspired by this person. Well, well.

SPEAKER_03 7:31

It wasn't.

SPEAKER_05 7:31

That's why I'm asking.

SPEAKER_03 7:33

When I was young, like really, really, really young, my parents, especially my dad, it was obsessed with this like sketch comedy show in Living Color. And they would show me old clips of it.

SPEAKER_06 7:44

And I'm like, it was the second person who's mentioned that to me in the last time.

SPEAKER_03 7:46

I was like, what is this show? Like, and I guess it was like a black SNL. Really? No, but yeah, Jim Carrey was the only white guy, and he stuck out like a sore thumb. But it wasn't him trying to be anything different than who he was. Right. He just was crazy, right? He was like crazy, and I'm like, this dude is like he's went up there, he's like being a fire marshal, and then he's dressing up in bikinis and wearing wigs. And it was like the slapstick comedy and the unapologeticness of just him being himself that just made me be like, yo, I want to be just like that. That is fire.

SPEAKER_05 8:21

Yeah. I I love Jim Carrey. Who doesn't love him so? I I completely understand. He's never anything that he's been in, he's always been himself. In some way, you can see it in the underlying of his acting, which is so cool. Yeah. But he always brings out those like crazy characters. But what's something people would be surprised to learn about you before the social media happened? Before the social media happened.

SPEAKER_03 8:49

I don't know if I have a surprise. He's like, I'm just me, baby. The surprises they they keep coming out. People are like, oh, I didn't know. I feel like my one of my agents didn't even know I could dance until I submitted like a tape. Or like I play basketball occasionally, just for fun.

SPEAKER_06 9:07

Don't you do?

SPEAKER_05 9:07

You literally have Mitch and every like skill set that I've done. Have you trained in dance, or are you just you're just naturally like you just ban you can dance? And can you pick up choreo?

SPEAKER_03 9:16

Like, is it just in college? We did these crazy musical theater numbers. Like I was with Mary Poppins in the Heights, Little Mermaid.

SPEAKER_05 9:24

Lots of dancing in those.

SPEAKER_03 9:25

Super big heavy dancing. So when I moved to LA in 2021, I would just go to like the playground millennium classes, and I was like, do this. And I started to pick up the choreo. I was always like a big freestyle dancer. Like I love when Michael Jackson would just like go and pop and hit. But I knew I needed to learn more choreo just for like keeping the muscle.

SPEAKER_05 9:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:48

And I think that's what kind of helped me stay in the mix with it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 9:52

Hell yeah. Being able to pick up choreo is a I grew up dancing, so I know. Yeah, I have when you have someone who's like, I've never really trained, but I can pick up choreo. We saw it so many times, and so you think you can dance, you know, where it was like people came in as like pop, like pop it poppers, and like they could pick up choreo and everyone be shocked.

SPEAKER_03 10:10

So it's uh And I learned the hard way because I was like, oh, I'm not that strong of a dancer. I want to stand in the back. But no, like now when I take class or when I took class later, being right behind the choreographer always helped because like you can't really see what's going on if you're in the back, like, oh, I'm not really that good. No, you better get right there next to the guy or girl.

SPEAKER_06 10:31

Yeah, that's something I cannot do. I will sit and watch the same TikTok video 17 times and I can't get one. No, you can. You can. I think that's a good thing. You never know it. They have black side said no, Kayla, we're gonna abandon you on this one.

Building A Grinch That Connects

SPEAKER_06 10:44

Um, so let's talk about the role that obviously has changed your life and really kind of put you in the forefront of pop culture. What's the story behind you ending up the grid?

SPEAKER_03 10:53

I've I've done I've done Grinch impressions since I don't even know, like halfway through college. I bought my well, my theater director gave me a the costume that we used in our Christmas show in 2018. Since 2018, I've like developed that costume, I've expanded it, and I would get hired to go to parades and like go to Christmas parties and meet and greets, houses, whatever. And all of that leading up to where I am now kind of was like, I think the training process. Right. So anything that I was like auditioning for, any live appearance that I did as that character, being the Grinch, it felt like, oh, this is my time.

SPEAKER_05 11:35

Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_03 11:36

So the bigger, the smaller the stays prepared me for the biggest stage and the bigger stages to come. Absolutely. That makes sense.

SPEAKER_06 11:43

It does. Now, when did you realize that your version of the Grinch was resonating so much differently and bigger than everybody else's?

SPEAKER_03 11:50

I don't know. I I I want to say there was a there was a connecting moment I had with like a younger girl, I think that started. And she was a younger black lady, and she just was like she was hyping me up, you know, and I was just like, I love this. Like it was Jim Carrey was the blueprint. Yeah. You know, that's like the standard when you're playing the Grinch. But whenever I had like a, I think it was my own people that made me feel like a freedom to try something different. And then it started turning into anyone else. Anyone was just trying to like any race, any gender, everybody was just trying to find moments to connect with the Grinch and make it more relatable rather than performative. So as soon as I like took the barrier down of like while I honor Jim Carrey, I want to represent what he's done. This character was already established before him. And it can establish more after him too.

SPEAKER_05 12:48

Yeah. Right.

SPEAKER_03 12:48

So I had to find like a unique flavor to add, like a little shot.

SPEAKER_05 12:52

Like, what was the first viral moment for you was like, oh shit, this is this is happening.

SPEAKER_03 12:58

Um like while doing like Gertz impressions?

SPEAKER_06 13:01

Or just or does that do you remember even? I think going back to the viral video, like the the one that was at the woman you just spoke about, like when it popped off.

SPEAKER_03 13:07

It was I don't really remember the exact the first one that like really exact one just kind of all felt like a domino event. But it wasn't even Christmas yet, and I knew that, and suddenly just my aura began to change. Like the people around me, and then of course my social media numbers were yeah because I've done videos since 2020, so it didn't just like come out of course. Like I think like my core fans have been here for a while, but some people was like, What? How do you you just grow to 1.5 million followers overnight?

SPEAKER_06 13:45

How are they able to find you that was Nick?

SPEAKER_03 13:46

It was like because I've done impressions. So when they like hear my voice, it's like, oh wow, that sounds like Nick Darnell. And then when I wasn't working, whenever I wasn't like doing impressions, I always would post just like because that's what I've always done, you know?

SPEAKER_06 14:03

Yeah. What was the craziest fan interaction you can remember? Probably mine, if you remember. I think I proposed to you. I think I got that on one knee and proposed to you. That's exactly what happened, actually, now that I'm remembering it.

SPEAKER_02 14:14

Proposed.

SPEAKER_06 14:15

I think if it was you, I propose. I proposed to someone in a green table. I did my ex was with me. Let's just unpack it. My ex was with me. Let's unpack it.

SPEAKER_03 14:24

I want to unpack that. Like, what in your head was like today's day?

SPEAKER_06 14:28

I don't know. I was feeling feeling like confidence. She was feeling like it was really hot outside. I was probably gonna look at it. She was dehydrated all day, and I thought probably gotta come along.

SPEAKER_03 14:42

Man, I'm I'm sure the Grinch was honored. Like Martha May was hated. Hate her. She hates her.

SPEAKER_05 14:50

What's what's the what maybe not what's the craziest thing someone's asked you to do as the Grinch?

SPEAKER_03 14:56

Man, um I got hired once to come into this person's house and steal their gifts.

SPEAKER_06 15:04

Love that.

SPEAKER_03 15:05

But then it wasn't like it wasn't like a typical like no, I was hired to be Santa, but as the Grinch. Like I was supposed to bring the gifts to them. And they I it was like a 15, 14-year-old kid, and then like younger, younger kid. And I walked in, I was like, Shabbia! And then the guy was just like, I could tell his mom was like, Come out here, we have a guest.

SPEAKER_01 15:29

The guy was just like, he stood up and he looked at me, he was like, I was like, I'm here to bring you gifts. Take it.

SPEAKER_00 15:38

Then he just was like, the younger kid was like, you're not gonna get my presents, Ridge.

SPEAKER_01 15:46

I'm like, I'm bringing them back. You're talking.

SPEAKER_03 15:50

That's really strange. But like, I've been jumped before, like by a bunch of kids.

SPEAKER_06 15:56

Oh, okay. I was gonna say like that.

SPEAKER_05 15:58

I was gonna say, has it ever been like overwhelming in that sense? But I'm assuming, yeah, that would be overwhelming to have be jumped by a bunch of children. Anyone like children?

SPEAKER_03 16:09

And the you have to know, like, if you're you're a cosplay performer, like my costume was not cheap. It's a it was like a $3,000 costume. Of course. So I walked in, it was like a Montessori building, like a community center, I guess. All the kids were in the gym, all the adults were in like this kitchen area.

SPEAKER_04 16:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:27

So I they walk in, they're basically like, oh, the Grinch is here. It was almost like the clown is here to entertain the kids.

SPEAKER_04 16:33

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:34

And I walk in the gym and they all rush me. I'm running to the bathroom. I'm like, are you still in some character though? I'm still in character.

SPEAKER_07 16:41

Like I'm like, move, stop it, beat it.

SPEAKER_03 16:43

And they you don't hear that as like, oh, he's having a tough time. Because I don't break character. I'm not gonna straight up be like, hey, bro, chew.

SPEAKER_05 16:51

Yeah, yeah. Out of nowhere, all the kids just scoop back like a wave. Like, get the leg on.

SPEAKER_03 16:57

No, I'm I'm still like that. I think that probably was my worst problem because I just did not break. They followed me out to my car and they were like pushing on my car.

SPEAKER_05 17:07

Where were the parents?

SPEAKER_03 17:08

They just was like stinking.

SPEAKER_05 17:09

They're gonna take shots and they're like, this is so cute.

SPEAKER_06 17:12

Look, honey, they're chasing the Grinch.

SPEAKER_03 17:14

One of the moms messages, hey, you left in half an hour. We booked you for an hour. Like, you're not great, Grinch. I was like, you will never hear from me again.

SPEAKER_05 17:21

Don't worry, miss.

SPEAKER_06 17:22

You're like, you can keep the other half of whatever you're supposed to make. Yeah, I'm done. Well, but beyond that kind of stuff, though, you know, the fact that people did show up from across the world to come find you, that had to feel good. Some, you know, it had to feel good. Or were you able to even kind of know? Like, how did how did that make you feel, Nick? I don't want to assume it made you feel a certain kind of way. I'll be fair, people would travel across the world to see me, but they pull down their pants and you know, turn around. That's wrestling fans.

SPEAKER_03 17:50

It's always implied, but I know it's not specifically for me.

SPEAKER_04 17:56

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 17:57

I think it's just like, man, what God has for you will be for you. And honestly, an honor to anyone who was ever able to say, like, I came from Vermont. I came from Michigan. I'm like, oh, snap. Thank you.

SPEAKER_06 18:14

And waited in those, I mean those were some long ass lines. Oh, yeah. Just interactive, yes. You did something right. I feel like you don't like compliments. I'm starting to pick this out that you don't like.

SPEAKER_03 18:22

Nah, nah, that's not it. I receive, I receive all the compliments.

SPEAKER_05 18:28

Okay. What's something? What's something that people don't understand about being in that costume all

What The Costume Really Costs

SPEAKER_05 18:33

day? Performing. Performing. Hot character.

SPEAKER_06 18:36

Do you have fans in there? Like, how does that work? Yeah, like what? No fans? I mean, it gotta be. What? It's a stank up in it.

SPEAKER_03 18:42

I think when you play the character, there has to be a little bit of crazy.

SPEAKER_04 18:47

A mind shift.

SPEAKER_03 18:48

In a mind shift. Like, I just got, I was able to audition for America's Got Talent as the Grinch, you know, and they they didn't understand that I needed like breaks.

SPEAKER_04 18:59

Yeah. Right.

SPEAKER_03 18:59

Like typically, whenever I perform, I'm like, all right, I can't go nonstop for four hours. Like I need a second to get air, a second to get some electrolytes. So when I whenever, but I'm in characters, so whenever I'm like, I'm hot, like they're just like, I've grined. I'm like, no.

SPEAKER_05 19:18

In your mind, you're like, I'm about to pass out if you don't understand what I'm trying to tell you right now.

SPEAKER_03 19:23

I have like a I have a weird I think thing about myself where I'm like, yo, I'm born to do this. So a little bit of uncomfortability for my for me is gonna make everyone in front of me like 10 times happier. Yeah. So just because I'm like, and even learning that Jim Carrey himself hated the costume was so like affirming that I was like, okay.

SPEAKER_06 19:48

And you're doing it right.

SPEAKER_03 19:49

If the goat didn't like it, I'm not gonna try to not like it.

SPEAKER_06 19:53

Right.

SPEAKER_03 19:53

I'm gonna also be like, yeah, this sucks.

SPEAKER_04 19:55

We can compare. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_03 19:57

But you kind of like, it makes it turns you into a beast, like as a Grinch performer, like it makes you even more like crazy. Because while you're just trying to sweat and get motion and distract yourself from being uncomfortable, everyone else is just being entertained. It like whatever. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_06 20:15

Was there any jealousy with the other cast members made Soul House popular were? Or did you have, was it like our all kind of like they say trauma bonding, but you're all in this together? Do you have like friends that could kind of like kind of encourage your own?

SPEAKER_03 20:29

You know, I I don't really I can't really say like about specific characters.

SPEAKER_06 20:34

But yeah, you had few buddies out there on the lot with you that's yeah.

SPEAKER_03 20:37

I mean, I had like I've had so much support just from like the people that I've worked with and friends that I didn't even know online that were still watching me from back home or if you're from out here. I was like, wow, this is I feel like a household name now because I just have like so much support. And the people that were hating, I mean, I didn't know them or know of it. No one told me to my face.

SPEAKER_06 21:03

Like right.

SPEAKER_03 21:05

Hate you.

SPEAKER_06 21:06

Wait, what do they always say? The haters are your biggest motivators? Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 21:09

Who knows? They could have been blended in, you know, with the matcha.

SPEAKER_06 21:12

Like, you couldn't. You're great. Now, was there ever a fear that people, I mean, obviously, we're talking about it here in a second. You've done you've done a lot more since then. Was there ever a fear that people would maybe only know you as the Grinch?

SPEAKER_02 21:24

No.

SPEAKER_06 21:25

Okay. Because you know, sometimes it is. Sometimes it's hard to separate. Like for me, I was Caleb Braxton and WWE for eight years. Exactly. I left. I didn't walk away. I've been gone for two years. So I didn't want to, not there was anything wrong with it. That was an incredible career. I didn't want to always be known as, oh, WWE's Caleb Braxton. No, I got some other stuff that I want to prove and do. And that was important to me.

SPEAKER_03 21:44

I think until I'm shoulder to shoulder with Jim Carrey on set, or until he passes the torch, then I would be like, All right, now I'm trying to re brand myself. But right now I'm on the biggest like yo, I'm waiting on the call. Like let me let me take over.

SPEAKER_05 22:01

What was that moment when you sat with yourself and said, Okay, I I now I need people to know who Nick Darnell is?

SPEAKER_03 22:11

I feel like it was just New Year's, like the top of the year. I wanted to start the year and have it be no question that if the Grinch if the character of the Grinch name was mentioned, that they would not only say Jim Carrey, that they would think of Nick Darnell or know Nick Darnell. And for a while, I had troubles like finding my handle on social media. Like social media has a huge part of everything in my identity, because this is how I got here.

SPEAKER_07 22:36

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 22:37

So I was going by like I was going by Chocolate Jim Carrey. I was going by like Nick characters, I was going by like Nick Toon. And I was like, my name is should be the most identifiable part of me.

SPEAKER_05 22:54

Of course.

SPEAKER_03 22:55

So when I changed it to the Nick Darnell or just like Nick Darnell, I'm like, all right, now they have to know me.

SPEAKER_06 23:02

Wait, well, what is your what is your handle?

SPEAKER_03 23:04

It's Nick Darnell.

SPEAKER_06 23:05

So wait, do you and you already you didn't have that before? Or you had oh no. How the hell? You know how lucky? Wait, in what year did you get that handle?

SPEAKER_03 23:12

Well, last year I changed it. But that's hard.

SPEAKER_06 23:15

That's all Yeah, but he's Dick Darnell. I know, but still, I had to be like the only reason I got my handle back after Caleb Braxton was because I forgot that I bought it or that took it 20 years ago. And I just had it. I had to find the login. Because it's very hard to get your real names down because Instagram has been around for so damn long.

SPEAKER_03 23:31

Well, for IG, it's I'm using the like T-H-E-S. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_05 23:36

Okay. But still, it's still like the Nick Darnell. My mine is at Vanessa Curry because I where I got it, my friend was dating somebody before Instagram. He worked at Google. And so he came to our house and was like, hey, everyone here, you guys just need to sign up for this app. It's gonna be huge. And we're like, okay, like this was like 18 years ago, 18, 19 years ago. And we were like, okay, like, okay, what the hell are you talking about? And so all like a bunch of my friends, we all just have our first and last name on Twitter, on Instagram, on Which isn't like a yeah, like it, yeah, it was so unheard of. And everyone would be like, one of my friends has just his first name because that like he was the first person to like do that thing.

SPEAKER_06 24:19

I was like, I was like, this is crazy.

SPEAKER_05 24:22

Yeah, it's it's insane.

SPEAKER_06 24:23

Well, let let's let's get into Nick Darnell

From Social Content To Feature Films

SPEAKER_06 24:26

now. Thanks for letting us a little bit about the the Grinch. Yes. Um, we well recently watched your film, Cotton Drainy Bubblegum.

SPEAKER_03 24:33

You weren't gonna tell me.

SPEAKER_06 24:34

I wasn't gonna tell you. What do you mean? That I watched it?

SPEAKER_03 24:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 24:36

Yeah. Well, we were waiting until we were rolling. Oh, okay, you're right. You're right. Oh, yeah. I didn't want to tell you before we started filming. We did watch it. Really fun. Really fun. Okay, what's the little background behind that? Like, what how this project came to be? What attracted you to the role?

SPEAKER_03 24:51

So it's part of the reason why I knew that acting was gonna be like my job, career, whatever birthright. They called me on my birthday and told me I got the part. And it was crazy. I'm like, man.

SPEAKER_05 25:04

Amazing.

SPEAKER_03 25:05

But when I first got the audition, it was during, it was like an Easter break. I was back home in Tennessee and I have no setup or nothing. I just got the tape, and I took my best friend's like chairs and put it on the dining table and have a ring light.

SPEAKER_07 25:18

Sounds about right.

SPEAKER_03 25:20

I was like, all right, here it is. And they loved it. I guess it was just so the script felt right. It felt like a I'm not gonna say accurate version of myself, but it felt like an amplified emotional version of the city.

SPEAKER_05 25:35

Sure, because there's definitely like I was telling Kayla, there's there's you know, valleys in this film that show a very real and honest side about anxiety. And, you know, I we both struggle from that on a daily basis. So I understand, I understood watching that. I'm like, oh, I feel that when someone starts to panic and you're like you have to go back and like really train your brain to do what you've always been told, you know? Chew a piece of bubblegum, chew a piece of a can't a piece of candy or or whatever. But how how different was acting in a film rather than preparing content for your socials? What were what were the two major differences that you found?

SPEAKER_03 26:18

I think it was like learning that adjustment different from theater to film. Because theater is so like you can't, there's no cut, like you just have to keep going and improv your way through. But for like being on set, especially being number one on the call sheet, there was like a specific number one in the call sheet.

SPEAKER_06 26:38

First film, number one in the call sheet.

SPEAKER_03 26:40

I was literally, I was giving like a responsibility to myself to be on it and like on my best game. So when I was on set, I had to make sure my lines were down, I had to make sure I was locked in. I couldn't really goof off like that. Because I was like the straight man in the comedy. My my co-star, Morgan J, he was like the comic release.

SPEAKER_06 27:01

He was funny too.

SPEAKER_03 27:02

But I had to kind of be the POV character of like, all right, this is what's going on. Oh, okay, what's going on? So it was it was humbling, challenging, and exciting all at once. When I look back on it, like I filmed it three years ago.

SPEAKER_05 27:15

Oh, it wasn't that long ago. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 27:17

I was like, this is it's funny.

SPEAKER_05 27:18

I said that to Kayla, because I was like, I mean, I know how film works. I've I've filmed movies that have A never came out, or I filmed it three years prior and then it came out. So I I was telling her, I was like, I wonder when he filmed it, because you look younger, you look, you look more mature now, like presently. So I was like, it had to have been, you know, a little bit prior to this. What what was the most challenging thing for you during filming?

SPEAKER_03 27:44

So I had to be super anxious. Like my character was just like wigging out any chance he got. That's why he the bubble gun was such a crutch. There was a scene where we had to, I was freaking out. I had to like really hyperventilate, and I gave myself a panic attack. Yeah. So like the directors and the producers was like, all right, we gotta take a second, cut. And like I just was like, like really freaking out. And never forget, like, my producer Cole Dabney, he came over to me and he brought me like a drink. Uh, I think it was like a Gatorade or something. He's like, Nick, breathe. You're good. You're good. You gotta, you have to have a moment of like cutting it off. But it's difficult.

SPEAKER_00 28:26

Like, I feel like I'm such a character actor, maybe method, that even when it was cut, I was still going around like talking, hey guys, uh can I have some of that uh high C like just still not able to shut off the angst part.

SPEAKER_03 28:40

But your body doesn't know you're acting. No, so it's even though your mind is like, oh, this is a scene, like your body's like, what's happening right now?

SPEAKER_05 28:48

Yeah, oh yes.

SPEAKER_03 28:49

So when that was happening, I was lightheaded. I was actually it was scary, but it was awesome.

SPEAKER_06 28:56

Yeah, of course. Yeah, so like I'm sure you learned a lot about yourself when you were filming this first movie. What was like do you think the biggest lesson now that you learned about Nick? Besides the fact that you can you can do it. You could be a number one on a call sheet in your first movie.

SPEAKER_03 29:09

I mean there's literally nothing else I'm born to do. Yeah. Like I feel like that was whenever I was able to see like wow, you fully transform into these roles, I'm like, all right, bro. Yeah, I got you. It's up to it's up to me to kind of make sure I'm putting myself first and putting myself in a position that aligns with God, that gives me the opportunity to keep doing that. Because I can't not working in a retail store, I'm not doing no like fast food, no shade to those workers, but I think we're given certain abilities that complement us, and we have to have the mindset and discipline to continue to reward ourselves of that. But it's a struggle still, like just because I'm like born to act, I only want to act, doesn't mean I'm not gonna have struggles with it. Of course. I'm like, I still will suffer through this job, through this career, but I just have to continue to grow in it.

Viral Fame And Protecting Your Head

SPEAKER_06 30:06

What's what's what's been like the response like? And what you know, people seeing you now as Nick, you know, not not just as a character, but we're seeing Nick Darnell.

SPEAKER_03 30:15

Some people are like really like, can you just talk like you? Can you just be you? And I'm like, I I am.

SPEAKER_06 30:23

But now getting to know you next time, though, I feel like I feel like you, you're right. That's just an extension of who you are, your personality.

SPEAKER_03 30:30

I don't know if you guys have seen Ace Ventura.

SPEAKER_06 30:32

Yes. I mean, come on.

SPEAKER_05 30:34

Oh my god, do you imagine for like one? Yeah, I'm like, am I? What am I a millennial?

SPEAKER_03 30:40

That was like, I think for a while, it wasn't because I was shy, it's just because I didn't know how to like cut it off. Yeah, that would be my default character, just going about, I think, any public, any outing, any like, hi, how's it going?

SPEAKER_07 30:56

How are you?

SPEAKER_03 30:57

Yeah, just constantly like animated. And I feel like I don't know, maybe it took like age, like as I got older, I just was like, all right, I need to kind of show a bit of like me. And my dad would say, flip the script. And I was just like, all right, turn it off, turn it back on.

SPEAKER_05 31:14

Yeah, yeah. What what kind of scripts do you want to have mostly on your table? Is it is it comedy, drama, horror, romance? Where's your heart holding?

SPEAKER_06 31:27

Where do you see fitting in Hollywood?

SPEAKER_03 31:30

I want to be one of the biggest, like ever. Of like so, I see like I admire Will Smith. Like he could do everything. Yeah, right. And now Michael B. Jordan is in that lane. And Leonardo DiCaprio, like, I want to be one of those names that are like, all right. But even Jim Carrey, some of my favorite films by him are the more dramatic performances. Truman's show and Eternal Sunshine. I'm like, Cable Guy. He was actually even saying there's an ending in Bruce Almighty that gets me every time. And that's like I was like hopeless romantic for so long. But the way he talked about his girl, he's like, I just want her to be happy, even if that's not with me. Right. Like that was like, so a lot of myself, I want to have a footprint in comedy. Bottom line, I'm I'm obsessed with horror films. I love sci-fi.

SPEAKER_06 32:24

What's your favorite horror movie?

SPEAKER_03 32:27

I mean, since obsession, like really?

SPEAKER_06 32:30

Oh, session was great.

SPEAKER_03 32:31

Session was good. Session was great. I ain't even gonna lie. It's it was great.

SPEAKER_06 32:34

What about the Philippou brothers movies of the last few years with Talk to Me and Bring Her Back?

SPEAKER_03 32:38

Talk to me. Talk to me. I have the hand in my house. No way.

SPEAKER_06 32:41

I go dab it up every time I go to bed. She does. I I'm not a huge horror paper.

SPEAKER_05 32:46

My house is covered in horror paper. Her house, yeah, is covered in horror. Yeah. I just imagine like your first dates coming back to the channel.

SPEAKER_06 32:59

I ended up having to remove that one. That one was being a little weird.

SPEAKER_03 33:02

Yeah, I was terrified of Chucky, the doll, like deepest creepers. When I was a kid, I was a scaredy cat.

SPEAKER_05 33:08

Oh.

SPEAKER_03 33:08

But then think like going to college, going to like all these Halloween parties. It had you feeling like, oh, this is just make believe. Yeah. This is like the best time of the year. Now it's my favorite holiday. And I want to be in horror films. Same.

SPEAKER_06 33:21

Me too. Well, I did a couple, well, I did a couple horror movies.

unknown 33:24

Oh.

SPEAKER_06 33:25

They keep killing me. I want to be, I want to be like the one who kills. That's my favorite.

SPEAKER_02 33:29

You want to see it. What were they like?

SPEAKER_06 33:31

Well, one of them actually is with Justin Long. That's the one I'm so waiting on. That's why I loved him from Deeper's Creepers. I was like, I want my first big movie to be with Justin Long. I happen to be. It's called Stranglehold. It's not out yet. The last one was a horror comedy.

SPEAKER_05 33:43

Yeah, I did, I did one uh Always and Forever, and I I died, and uh it was like an overdose, but obviously I was killed. I didn't actually overdose like I'm not dumb, you know? But it was so fun. Like just it wasn't fun, but it was fun. But like you said, you get into a character where you're like you're they're putting all like the stuff there, and then you're looking down and it's like, why does it hurt now? Yeah, like the um always and forever. Because I over it was like a heroine overdose. So like they had a needle, and like it was just like it was an you know, they found my character um in her workplace. So it was it was just like one of those things. But yes, it's it's those moments where you're like, oh, wait, yes, it does, it does, it does hurt.

SPEAKER_06 34:27

I know that my name was, yeah, it's like my name is Crystal, but I was a meth addict. Yeah, and they had to teach me how to smoke a pipe because I've never obviously done that before. Thank goodness, thank goodness. They're like, you know what? This one's gonna CGI. It's fine. Um going back to fact, obviously, you got your start in, you know, kind of the viral world, which people um I mean, I grew up in the world when YouTube first kind of came around, all doing YouTube videos and did some viral stuff back then. And people don't understand what viral fame really is and the way it can actually like launch you into the next dimension from where you've where you've been. Like, what do you think people misunderstand the most about viral fame as it pertains to breaking into Hollywood?

SPEAKER_03 35:09

I mean, it it goes as clearly as just talking to my reps, and I'm like, hey, you guys know what the world is saying about me on TikTok? And they're like, hey, there's still hundreds of other actors that have been doing this a long time. And I think my time will come when it comes to like, oh, this guy has a fan base and he has a specific niche and style for a role. But there's been hundreds of actors that have worked for so long just to get a co-star, a guest star, and uh appear in a film. And like I have to keep going. Like, I can't just I received like a great amount of local fame, which is amazing, but there's still so much more growth to have and to be able to be shoulder to shoulder with these other guys who have been in the mix for a minute. Of course. I'm like well aware of that.

SPEAKER_06 36:01

Would you ever like want to produce or direct? Because going back to Obsession or Backrooms, Carey Barker, TikTok comedian, you know, makes one of the biggest movies of the biggest movie of the year. Same with the backrooms guy, all getting the start from social media.

SPEAKER_03 36:14

I think directing eventually, eventually.

SPEAKER_06 36:18

But I'm so much more like you want to be on screen right now, as you should be. Yeah, yeah. Look, you think we got these faces for nothing? I mean, how the camera needs to see us. Come on, it needs to be in front.

SPEAKER_05 36:30

Yeah. What's the biggest opportunity um being viral has created for you that you remember?

SPEAKER_03 36:48

I don't think it's happened yet. Okay. I love it. I don't think it's happened yet. Like there's been opportunities, there's been offers, there's been straight to all um there's been chemistries and stuff like that, but like I think I'm still waiting. TBD. I love that. That's for sure.

SPEAKER_06 37:06

I love that. Are there any downsides to the viral fame?

SPEAKER_03 37:09

Of course.

SPEAKER_06 37:10

Yeah, like do you read the comments?

SPEAKER_03 37:11

Yeah, I'm a I'm a I'm gonna read everything. People were DM me, like, I know you're not gonna see this, but like, oh well, I see it. I'm like, I see it.

SPEAKER_02 37:20

Seeing it right now.

SPEAKER_03 37:21

Yeah, the downside is like, like with me trying different stuff, like I had no idea. Like around when the Michael Jackson movie came out, I wanted to do cosplay as like a character that he played in the 80s um or the late 70s, I think, for the whiz. And that's like a dance-heavy character. So even though I on my old page, I would make dancing content, on my current page, I'm only doing acting stuff. So my followers had to kind of get used to seeing something new. And even before I gained a lot of followers, anytime I would do anything out, if I wanted to randomly post like a singing video, I just would like plummet.

SPEAKER_05 38:00

Right.

SPEAKER_03 38:00

And they had to trust it for a minute.

SPEAKER_05 38:02

Right.

SPEAKER_03 38:03

But I noticed, like, all right, it's me, it's my natural voice, it's my original audio that outperforms anything. Like, I never had to find a trend. I don't have to find like a the trends that I do find, it's where I can talk, of course. I can do an impression. That's why it was so easy with Love Island, because I was like, I can try to sound like one of these guys or two of these guys. I thought the Al trend earlier this year. Like that was so fun and able to do something that I could use my voice as a weapon in a way.

SPEAKER_05 38:34

What's the weirdest thing the internet has uh said about you, whether it's true or false?

SPEAKER_03 38:41

Said about me.

SPEAKER_06 38:45

They say I'm only four foot eight before 11. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:53

Nice dang.

SPEAKER_05 38:55

That's pretty weird. Okay, well, okay, not even that, but like how do you protect your mental health from from, you know, just talking? We just talked about there's comments. There's comments that we you can't control what people are putting on there at that moment. So how do you protect your mental health? What would you tell somebody who is pursuing something that you're pursuing right now? Because I know it's really tough out there, and I know a lot of people, everyone grows up with the social media these days, right? So how do you do that? What would you say to somebody?

SPEAKER_03 39:26

You know, my mom will always tell me, like, hey, don't read comments because it's just it's bad. Like, don't do it. And I'm like, there's some comments that are like, yo, you saved me for depression, or like, I just lost my parent. Like, those are always rewarding. So I don't want to miss those because I'm avoiding the negative ones.

SPEAKER_05 39:45

There's always gonna be like people not loving you, and it's so easy to delete you guys. Like, I mean, I know I know I know you have like tons of you know, comments. But even if you're deleting, you're still seeing. Of course, of course. But I I don't know. I feel like if I've ever gotten like negative ones, I'll just delete it and then it's finally it's out of sight, out of mind.

SPEAKER_03 40:04

It gets it has to be remembering the bigger picture. Like, what am I really on this platform to promote? Like, and my biggest thing is I'm wanting to help people escape their reality. Yeah, right. If it's bad, if it's sad, if you're down, like come to my page and hopefully laugh. Yeah, you know, I that's has to be the bottom line. And if if everyone doesn't receive the type of content I make, if it's negative, if it's like gruesome or whatever to people who they watch it, I just know that that's I have a bigger goal.

SPEAKER_06 40:38

Right.

SPEAKER_03 40:39

And that's gonna be so like small compared to the mass.

SPEAKER_06 40:42

Mm-hmm. No, I love that. What's your relationship uh with social media now versus how it was years ago when you first got in?

SPEAKER_03 40:50

I'm always trying to learn more. I think it's way better because I'm studying the algorithms, I'm trying to maximize views and engagement. Before I would, if anything got viral, and I'm talking about viral and it's like 10,000 views, like years ago, I would be like, I'm not gonna comment or like any of these comments.

SPEAKER_02 41:10

Like, they're just gonna let them load up.

SPEAKER_03 41:14

But I'm now I understand how much community is important. Yeah, you know, and rather that's not even showing love on my own page, but going out to other pages and being like, yo, this is good. Like, yeah, you look fire. This is awesome. Like showing that I'm like a real person and not wanting to collaborate more.

SPEAKER_06 41:32

Absolutely.

Love Island Opinions And Reality TV

SPEAKER_06 41:33

But we're gonna take a quick break about we're gonna get back to you in a second, but Mitch and Love Island, your Love Island stuff is really funny. I'm a huge Love Island fan. Like, I'm are you caught up?

SPEAKER_02 41:42

I am okay.

SPEAKER_06 41:43

I was a few questions about your Love Island content. Wait, so how how and when did you become a Love Island guy? Yeah, have you been secretly watching Love? I've loved like every season.

SPEAKER_03 41:52

No, no, like I did not, I was not hip at all. It my my lovely fiance, you know, she showed me the way.

SPEAKER_02 42:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 42:03

She was like, Don't we all?

SPEAKER_02 42:04

I'm just gonna just watch one episode and I'm like, no.

SPEAKER_03 42:09

But it was last season. Like I saw when I saw Nick and Ace, like the characters from last season, I was like, they dope. Like this is fun, this is great content. Like, and if now when I keep watching, I'm like, this is like delicious garbage.

SPEAKER_04 42:24

Yeah, delicious garbage. It's like an obsession. Delicious garbage. I'm like, it's not, it's not realistic.

SPEAKER_03 42:29

And I have like an actor, I guess now director-producer brain. When I'm like, all right, this seems orchestrated, this seems fake.

SPEAKER_05 42:35

Of course.

SPEAKER_03 42:35

So when certain certain moments happen, I'm like, all right.

SPEAKER_05 42:38

We know what you're trying to do.

SPEAKER_03 42:40

But that kind of ruins the show for me when I think about this. Okay, and it bothers me.

SPEAKER_05 42:43

Yeah, we're like, we talk about it all the time.

SPEAKER_06 42:44

But do you think this was this was produced? Like, did you actually want to say that?

SPEAKER_03 42:48

And I'm like, dang.

SPEAKER_06 42:49

I know.

SPEAKER_03 42:50

But now, like, I'm all in. Like, this season is.

SPEAKER_06 42:53

Yeah, let's go. Let's get into it. Who's your favorite islander this season? Right. Not not cost some more, just in the in the middle of it.

SPEAKER_03 43:00

No, that's easy. Gore girl or guy.

SPEAKER_06 43:02

Do both.

SPEAKER_03 43:03

All right, all right. I'm probably gonna receive haters. I don't care. Melanie is is one.

SPEAKER_06 43:07

I love Melanie. I said the same thing to Mel. The first episode took me a second after her. Give me 10. No, she's like, give me 10. Just walk, but then uh I love her. She's my number one too.

SPEAKER_03 43:18

Yeah, and what?

SPEAKER_05 43:21

Who? Wait, which one is this?

SPEAKER_03 43:24

I feel like if you have two fishes, you have to choose one fish.

SPEAKER_05 43:27

And if the one fish Wait, wait, is that the guy that I think you hate?

SPEAKER_03 43:32

Sincere! I'm so sincere.

SPEAKER_06 43:34

He's your favorite?

SPEAKER_03 43:35

He's not my favorite.

SPEAKER_06 43:36

He's my least favorite. You know what's funny? It's that like he is such a all of his, like, all of his analogies. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 43:43

Like he is, he is that guy that's like, I really I wonder, like, this sounds so ugly. I wonder what his sign is sometimes. Cause I'm like, you sound like he's trying to remind people, like, still like me, even though I'm thinking all these. Time making all these horrible decisions, but I'm gonna come with an analogy that's gonna like an unfair edit?

SPEAKER_06 44:05

Like, do you think it's gonna be an unfair edit? Because also you better think about they're filming for 24 hours, we're getting an hour.

SPEAKER_03 44:11

I feel like I'm always rooting for the underdog.

SPEAKER_06 44:14

He's not the underdog.

SPEAKER_03 44:16

He lucky is though.

SPEAKER_06 44:17

You think he's the underdog? I'm talking about like As far as America liking him.

SPEAKER_03 44:22

Likeability.

SPEAKER_06 44:22

Yeah. Okay. Yeah, you think more than Corbin? Can you do a Corbin impression?

SPEAKER_03 44:26

Ladies, ladies. Oh my god. Can I get a kiss?

SPEAKER_06 44:30

Oh my god. He's growing on me though, but like explore.

SPEAKER_03 44:35

Like Corbin, I think is the most liked, but not in like a genuine guy way.

SPEAKER_05 44:44

No. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:45

It's Lust Island, right?

SPEAKER_05 44:46

It's Lust Island. That's Kim Deer, our split queens. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 44:49

I'm not lust poor.

SPEAKER_05 44:50

Poor poor girl last night. She might be that last episode with that oh, which was she poor thing. She liked during the challenge. They put men's toes in their nose.

SPEAKER_06 45:04

I'm not germophobe, but I do get grossed out by like bodily fluids and shit like that. Like all like the making out eight people in a row and all the saliva is gone. And then like the I don't think I just I do I would sit there just like in the corner. Oh, by the way, did they get rid of Homegirl? Who they got rid of her the girl because I didn't see her last night. Oh, who like you said the N-word in a song? Yes. They just quietly got her.

SPEAKER_03 45:27

I don't know if like I'm never gonna be like, you said the N-word? Because I'm I'm telling you, and it's it's probably gonna give me a lot of flack, but there's a lot of people that say it when they when they sing songs, whatever. When you go into a show, like it could ruin your career. I'm not gonna be like, oh, I hate this character because she said it in a song. But it's like the way her energy was, yeah. She got on there.

SPEAKER_06 45:55

Oh, she didn't kiss either uh she didn't kiss. No, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 45:59

It seemed like, oh, okay, so you're gonna say this word and you're also not gonna be able to get it.

SPEAKER_03 46:03

But an argument can be made. Like, if you were on the show, are you are you only kissing the guys that you're into or are you kissing every guy?

SPEAKER_05 46:09

Oh no, I kissed. Well, I think I think if I were to actually go on that show, the whole premise is to be open and kiss everybody. So I think you would have to. No, would I be able to? Well, at least you have to have enough, like you have to have enough, like, you know, you but you have to like that's the whole point. Like you're you're willing to go on the show to be open to every ethnicity, every kind of person. And you know, those girls that come and do the costumes, they have to sit on that, everyone's sitting on that couch, they have to go and kiss and do something.

SPEAKER_06 46:40

I can't so wait, looking ahead, well, I think we're only halfway through the season. Who do you think the couple is going? What couple's gonna win? I know it's hard to tell because we just got a more. I feel it's gonna be Bryce. And uh wait, what do you think?

SPEAKER_03 46:52

I feel like Bryce and Trinity is the obvious answer.

SPEAKER_05 46:55

But I just there's there's gonna be a twist. There's gotta be a twist. We're only we're too close, we're too early. Casey, I'm sick of Casey.

SPEAKER_06 47:01

Um Casey just dropped. Casey needs to use a whole lot of.

SPEAKER_05 47:04

He just has no idea what the hell is. He just like a kid is a kid. He's like, I want this, I want to kill you. Well, he switched up so quickly and he's like I love sleeping with you, but I'm gonna sleep with this person. He damn nearly had sex with this girl in the first night.

SPEAKER_03 47:16

No, no, no, no. Well, let's talk about Anaya though, because she was she was playing him the whole time. She was his he was her safe option.

SPEAKER_05 47:24

Is that what you think about Anaya?

SPEAKER_03 47:26

Heavy.

SPEAKER_05 47:26

Okay. That's fine. But when he went to casa, when he went to casa, though, he's like already with two girls, which I get. Like I said, they're supposed to be open. That's the whole point of like the process. Yeah. And that's why you're given these opportunities. So I understand, but just I don't know if you're not going to be able to do that.

SPEAKER_03 47:42

I understood the energy of the first girl. I was like, all right, this looked like what he's been looking for. Yes. Then he definitely got greedy with Sydney. And I'm like, bro, what are you doing?

SPEAKER_05 47:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 47:51

But then I was like, Anaya has literally been like, yeah, she never wanted KC. She wanted Sincere. She was in front of Sincere's door since day one. But it's like, just be honest about what you want. Don't say, like, I miss KC. He's my person. I'm like, you just, everyone else has just been like on lock.

SPEAKER_06 48:09

Of course. Doesn't it always seem to go that you don't know what to get till it's gone? Okay, well, you know, like if producers were to call you to do that. I was saying not Love Island because you said you're engaged. Congratulations on that. But yeah, would you do a reality show? Love not Love Island, Big Brother, Traitors, Amazing Race, Dancing with the Stars.

SPEAKER_03 48:28

I would, I would do I would make an appearance as a character. Like no one knew like who I was, like what they were guessing. I mean, of course, if it was like the Grinch.

SPEAKER_05 48:38

Like the mass singer?

SPEAKER_03 48:39

I think that would be dope. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 48:41

Yeah. I think I could see you on like some. I could we we talked about it too, where it's, you know, when we first came here into this industry, doing reality television bombed your career, right? Now it's not. Now all these reality TV stars are having, you know, brand deals, commercials, national commercials, campaigns, movies, like all these things. So yeah, I think if you found the right reality show, I think you would freaking kill it. I would do traitors and harpy. I'd be so good. I think you would kill it.

SPEAKER_03 49:12

I don't know if I'd give reality, which is so crazy to say.

SPEAKER_06 49:16

Like, but I think if it was like a traitor situation, we're already famous for watching celebrity traitors.

SPEAKER_03 49:21

I've never seen it.

SPEAKER_06 49:22

You've never seen traitors? Okay, you'll have one more.

SPEAKER_03 49:24

I know like this is the host is from Spy Kids.

SPEAKER_05 49:28

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 49:29

He played Nightcrawler.

SPEAKER_05 49:31

So there's like 12 people, and there's like a few people are traitors, but no one knows. And that what they're basically trying to do is win the sh win the show by like kind of manipulating the.

SPEAKER_06 49:40

But if you're the traitor, like you ain't got friends after this season. Right.

SPEAKER_05 49:43

You like piss off everybody.

SPEAKER_06 49:44

Yeah. And I like to be likes. I don't know if I'd be like a traitor. No, no, no. I would have to be a faithful. I feel faithful. Okay, watch it. You have to watch it. What do you think about it? We'll have like a recap also of that. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 49:55

Traitor.

SPEAKER_06 49:55

Traitor.

Defining Success And Younger Nick Advice

SPEAKER_06 49:56

All right, let's get back and talking about you before we close this thing out. Moving forward, we kind of talked about this earlier, and then where you're sitting right now. Where what does success look like for you, let's say the f the remainder of the year and the next year or so? What do you want for yourself?

SPEAKER_03 50:14

I want to be able to show everyone and not tell them no more.

SPEAKER_06 50:21

Ooh, I like that. Okay. I like that.

SPEAKER_03 50:25

So I mean it's I could name like a whole list of things on my vision board that I want to happen. But once you start seeing me doing what I'm born to do, which is acting, being on screen, I think that's that's it right there.

SPEAKER_05 50:40

Absolutely. What's a piece of advice you'd give younger Nick?

SPEAKER_03 50:51

I would say maybe like don't focus so much on beating the stereotypes. I was really heavy into that. Like I found myself being isolated just because of who I who I am, like what I look like. But there was so much about me that I think I should have loved more about my identity of being a black man rather than being like, I want to be the token on the show. Yes. Because that's acceptable.

SPEAKER_05 51:29

Right.

SPEAKER_03 51:30

So I mean, it's you really have to really appreciate the skin you're in. You can't wait too late to because the world will tear you apart. And I was so focused on just being like, I want to be better than what the world sees us as, rather than just loving what God created me to be.

SPEAKER_06 51:47

Right. I love that. That's a great thing to go out on. Nick, you're fun. I'm so glad we did this. Again, you're becoming the internet's favorite grinch, stepping into film, building a career that's entirely his own. You're gonna see this guy everywhere in no time. I have no doubt. It has been amazing watching your chapter unfold. Again, from an actual true fan of yours, it is an honor that you decided to grace us with your presence today. Thank you so much. I'll tell everybody well with uh that can follow you.

SPEAKER_03 52:11

Oh yeah. Oh yeah. You can follow me on all platforms at the underscore Nick Darnell.

SPEAKER_01 52:18

That's who I am.

SPEAKER_03 52:19

Me.

SPEAKER_01 52:21

I don't know. Am I him? Am I him?

unknown 52:25

I don't know.

SPEAKER_07 52:27

Whatever.

SPEAKER_05 52:29

Oh my gosh. Well, that does it for this episode, everyone. Remember, the two ingredients for the best tasting pea around is milk and honeymoons. And we will see you guys next week. Bye! Bye. Do not go in there.