Ryan Coogler on Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Hello everyone. Welcome to another

episode of Good Hang. This is a This is

a good one. We were thrilled when this

person wanted to talk to us. Ryan

Cougler, the incredible director, um

Sinners, Black Panther, Creed,

Fruitville, Station, just so everything,

all the good things. And um we we we're

going to talk about so many things

today. We're going to talk about um

football. We're going to talk about

Jurassic Park. Uh we're gonna talk about

uh how vampires are sexier than zombies

and we are gonna get in in the minutia

of the beautiful film Sinners that is up

for all the awards and should win all

the awards. So I loved this conversation

with Ryan and um and uh can't wait for

you to hear it. And we always start

these episodes by speaking to somebody

who knows our guest, who gives me a

question to ask them and speaks well

behind their back. And joining me today

is Ludvig Yurensson. Um Ludvig is a uh

well just the most preeminent composer

has made music on all the films that you

love. Uh and and makes you know is a

record producer and and and just is so

super talented and they um he and Ryan

have been working together forever. So

we're going to join Ludvig and I'm going

to try out a little bit of my Swedish.

Hello

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Yeah. What's who can?

>> Yes. Uh my brother lives in Stocksund.

>> Okay.

>> So nice to meet you. Thank you for doing

this.

>> Where where are we talking to you from

right now?

>> Uh I'm in uh uh my studio in LA, Los

Angeles. Excellent. And are you working

on something right now?

>> Yes, I'm uh working on, you know, new

new projects, new

>> Can you tell us what it is or secret?

>> No, no. I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm in the world

of Chris Chris Nolan right now. So,

we'll just uh Yeah, that's that's taking

up my time and it's really fun.

>> Well, we're we're talking you uh we're

talking to Ryan Cougler today. We're

thrilled to talk to him. I'm a huge fan

and I'm really excited. And one of the

things I've been learning as I've been

getting to know him is how dedicated he

is to the people he works with and how

he has really long relationships with

the people that he works with. And you

two met in at USC together.

>> Yeah, we met at USC 200

early 2008, I believe. Yeah.

>> What was your first impression of him?

Do you remember meeting?

>> Yeah, of course. Um, I was so when I

first moved to LA, I move I lived in

Culver City and every everyone in

America told me that you need you need

to move you need to get a car, right?

You need to have a car. But I thought,

oh, silly Americans, they don't they

don't get the idea of walking, right?

So, but I I quickly understood that like

the bus just doesn't come, right? So,

so I moved to USC to live close to

campus. I could walk from and I and it

ended up I ended up moving into like a

fraternity house that was only open for

grad students

>> and uh it literally felt like I didn't

know what a fraternity was at the time

like it literally felt like I moved into

a American pie movie you know

>> so one night we had a party Ryan came

over and we ended up playing pool

together and he had and I remember uh

Ryan had these hu super long locks you

know down to his to his back uh and kind

of

you know kind of muscle muscular in a

way because he had just you know he had

just come from uh uh football. He played

football for SAK State for college. So

he you know so that and and we started

talking playing pool um and then I

remember specifically talking about

music and he he had a lot of knowledge

about we talked about Swedish artists.

>> Yeah. Uh, and that's kind of what we

kind of started bonding over music and

then that translated into film and and

so um we yeah we we just we were just

kind of college kids in the beginning.

Started just hanging out at parties and

talking about music and film.

>> Was there a moment when you decided

we're going to kind of work together

forever? Like you know it's one thing to

like each other's taste but sometimes

people work a certain way that doesn't

you know connect with the way you like

to work. How do you two like to work

together and why does it work?

>> The first score I did was for a little

um feature for the student film he had

called Locks and I I played guitar on

that and and he was like he was it was

just so funny because I remember his

reaction when he first heard his my

music for his little short film and he

was like blown away. He's like, "Oh my

god, I can't believe someone writes like

music for the for my film and and it you

know and I was like obviously you know I

was kind of worried he was not going to

like it first. So when he was just blown

away that reaction, it was just so it

was so fun. And that and then every time

we were together, it was like it was he

he had such an it was it was like such a

um it was so passionate about his work

and and uh and it was always so fun,

right? So and we and we so we both are

like addict addictive like we love our

work, right? and and when you get to

combine that friendship with with with

work. Uh so that that's that's that's

that makes it very special. You can hang

out with your with your buddies right

while working.

>> Can I geek out with you for a second on

three films? Fruit veil, um Black

Panther, and Sinners. When you think of

those three films, what instrument comes

up in your mind first for each? Uh,

Fruitville was guitar

cuz I knew I was like Ry I knew how much

Ryan loved guitar, you know, and and I

guess I never

really thought about why he loves the

guitar. And I never understood why he

loves it until like we started working

on Sinners. And I was like, I understand

like, okay, well, his uncle, you know,

was a blues

um um he he loved blues music and he

always played blues and obviously in

blues music, guitar is the that the main

instrument, right? So So Ryan kind of

grew up listening to that music and it's

always been in his in his in his bones

and his mind. And

my dad is a guitar player and it was

blues music that changed my dad's life

to become a a a blues guitar player.

1964 he bought his first my dad bought

his first blues album John Hooker and

that music you know coming from the

other side of the world to Sweden

changed his life to become a guitar

player and that obvious and that made my

you know he put a guitar in my hands

when I was seven.

>> So it's it's kind of a full circle

there. Um,

>> that's really cool.

>> So, yeah. So, with with Pil Station, I

would say the guitar is is is the main

the main instrument. Um, and Black

Panther

is the the the the talking drums.

>> I don't really know what talking drums

are. Could you explain?

>> Yeah, it's it's a it's kind of the first

type of communication device. It's the

first telephone. So in in in in Africa

and and I was specifically I went to

Sagal and West Africa. Um but this but

talking drum exists in in so many

different um regions down there down in

Africa. But it's it's it's basically a

drum that that you can play messages

with because it's it's very small and

you you can breathe and you can squeeze

it to have different pitches. Um so with

these different pitches and this these

different rhythms you can talk. It's

almost like Morse Morse code, you know,

but but analog on a drum. Um, and in

every village, they would have a talking

drum. They would relay messages to the

the the one you he would stand in the

middle. He or she would stand in the

middle and then play and they would you

could tell, oh, the king has died or or

we someone's back from being gone for a

long time or, you know, everyone get

together.

So, and I met this incredible musician

in in Sagal, Masambado,

who uh who's who um put together an an

amazing talking drum crew and and we

recorded a bunch of stuff in in Sagal.

Um and also it was like one one thing

that I thought was interesting was like

how would you say Tachella's drum tala's

name on that instrument on that?

>> Yeah. Oh wow. Very cool.

>> The theme and then and for singers Yeah.

It's the guitar again, man. We're back

to where it all started.

>> Yeah. And Buddy Guy and and who was in

the film and who I want to talk to Ryan

about. Uh it's just like

amazing like an amazing moment at the

end of the film.

>> Yeah.

>> Thank you for talking about Ryan and I'm

really excited to talk to him today. Do

you have a question uh for me before we

go that you think would be fun for me to

ask? It's it could be big or small. It

could be asking him a story to tell. It

could be a private joke of your many

years together or it could be something

about the film or anything at all.

>> I mean, you could ask him, you know,

because when we were doing Sinners, he

was he was practicing guitar. He was

playing almost every day, you know, he

had a guitar in his office. He had he

took it with him when he moved to New

Orleans for for production. So,

you know, and I spent I spent a little

not a lot of time, but a little time on

on with him just like showing him how

how certain riffs was going. And so, you

know, that's something you could you

could check in with him like how how

how's his uh chops coming along.

>> Perfect. Perfect. Okay.

>> And and only because the movie is over

does it mean that he just need, you

know, does does he that he doesn't need

to keep it up?

>> Yeah. Right.

>> Right. that Lig says like, you know, you

just can't put it down. Like, next time

I see you, I expect you to be I expect

you to have improved.

>> Exactly.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Great. Well, thank you so

much for your time. It really means a

lot that we got you in in in what I know

is probably a busy day with a young

upand cominging filmmaker, Christopher

Nolan. I wish him the best and um just

such a fan of your work and really

really appreciate your time, Lic. Really

nice to meet you.

>> Very nice to meet you, too. And I hope

to see you maybe in Sweden uh next time.

>> Anytime. And uh uh

>> t

I

>> Yes.

>> Okay.

>> Thank you so much.

>> Bye.

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>> Ryan Cougar is here. I am so so happy.

Thank you so much for doing this.

>> Thanks for having me. This this is it's

amazing. I can't believe I got I got

invited here.

>> Are you kidding? Are you kidding? We're

thrilled you wanted to do this. And I

just got to start by saying like I'm

going to I'm going to glaze you a little

bit in the beginning.

>> Please don't.

>> I know. I know you're not comfortable.

It only take a few minutes. I promise

I'll be done. But what of the what we

were talk when I was thinking about what

what I wanted to talk to you about today

like the big thematic thing is that and

what I love about your work and your

characters is that you don't limit

>> the possibilities of what you want to do

as an artist and what your characters

could do. Like you're really into the

idea of almost open borders in terms of

in terms of in terms of what people can

do and also like what's in them

basically what's in them. And I feel

like that comes from I've, you know,

been reading so much about you and

watching of course everything you make

and it feels like you're really into

this idea of making sure that you get

influences from everywhere like that

that really informs you.

>> Why do you think it's important to be

influenced all the time by many

different things? I think um for me

I'm interested in like a lot of

different things, you know. Um and all

of my experiences definitely like inform

>> me um where where I find myself, right?

>> Yeah. Um, and I think that

what I what I do and you know the

position I occupy um in the industry is

is is

you know I'm I'm trusted to to make

things that can go into theaters and and

um uh and work for people from a lot of

different backgrounds and environments

and circumstances. Right.

>> Yeah. So I think um I think like what I

have to do is I have to stay true to um

to myself and and what I like and and

and also consider um you know what what

people came up consuming if that makes

sense. Is that is that is that is that

>> it does and and what you're saying is is

really interesting too because as an

artist you have to kind of like you're

you have such a strong instinct about

what you want.

>> Yeah. And you it's almost like you can't

you almost want to forget who you're

making it for. But what I love about

your work is you don't

>> Well, yeah. Yeah.

>> You don't.

>> Yeah. No, no, no. For sure. Cuz I cuz I

can't, right? Like like um you know, I

fell in I fell in love with movies

>> like at at the multiplex, you know, you

know? I ain't go to I didn't go to a

house theater or to a film festival till

I was like

>> a fully bagged adult. You know, you know

what I'm saying? Like

>> when you were a kid, what did you uh

what did you eat at the movies? Oof.

>> What? Tell me about your movie

experience. What would Right. Would you

bring stuff in, sneak stuff in? Would

you get it there?

>> I cannot confirm or deny

any any snack smuggling. But but if I

but if I did, I might have brought a

peanut butter and jelly sandwich or two.

You know what I mean? Like that was what

I would do if I was into that.

>> Um

>> but but but no, like I I used to like to

I used to like it was a period in time

where they used to let you weigh the

candy.

>> Yeah.

>> You know what I mean? Like you pay by

weight.

>> Yeah. And um and I I would do

experiments trying to see like what

candy was lighter that looked that

looked crazy, which candy was heavier.

You know what I mean?

>> Like a trash bag full of cotton candy.

>> Yeah. Yeah. We Exactly. Exactly. We we

in there with limited funds, you know.

Um and shouts out to uh to to um uh all

the simmers that used to let us stay.

Once we bought one thing, you know, we

go ahead and go. They weren't tripping

off us going to see something else.

>> Yeah.

>> Get a little bang for your buck. But but

no, my go-to was peanut M&M's.

Um I'm not a big soda soda person, but

like but like when they started to let

you mix and match the drinks, I got

involved with that, you know. Um yeah.

So So yeah, it was peanut M&M's and and

then and then obviously the junior mix

if they if they in the freezer,

>> you know, like if they got them in the

freezer, then then I'm then I'm going to

do it. If you like the ritual of getting

the your snack and sitting down and

lights going down like you I know you've

talked about it but like it's so

important for you to for films to live

in theaters.

>> Why is it so important for you,

>> man? You you you uh this is really cool.

We talk about this. Um, no. I I just

love how um how uh

I mean, [ __ ] is the word egalitarian

like like like but I love how it's just

you you in you in there

>> with a bunch of different types of

people, you know? Um it's teenagers in

there cuz that's the only place I could

go be alone.

>> Um it's it's uh it's retired couples,

you know what I mean? Like it's it's

groups of friends depending on the movie

you

>> you going to see. But everybody's in

there together.

>> Yeah. And and when a movie and when a

movie is is great, you know, everybody

kind of unifies, you know, like like you

feel you can feel everybody's energy

focus on the same thing. Yeah.

>> And what I what I actually really love

about it that I learned about myself um

since since like the streaming era is

like when I get when I get overwhelmed,

whether it's something's too funny or um

something scary or I got too much

anxiety

>> or I'm too like I'm too like like turned

on by what I'm looking at or whatever, I

pause like almost like immediately. You

know, you know what I mean? like like

like out of a fear that

>> maybe I'm going to miss something cuz

I'm laughing too hard or or um

>> out of a out of a worry that like I'm

going to get too worked up and I'm going

to have a [ __ ] heart attack or some

curse on this curse. Okay,

>> I'm going to have a I'm going have a

heart attack or something. You know, I'm

like I'm have a [ __ ] panic attack.

I'll pause. Like what's what's dope

>> in the theater is you can't pause.

>> That's so right.

>> You know, like it's no so when

something's happening that that has you

like feeling like you

>> you out of control, you still got to you

still got to go with it. That feeling of

giving yourself over

>> Yes.

>> to to something that you don't have to

control to pause, rewind or fast

forward. Like that that is a really,

>> you know, it's a really nice feeling.

Like you come from you come from from

you're making me remember like when I

went to the movie theater

too, what also happened was like from

like I wanted to be funny. So also it

was a place where you could be kind of

funny like you know you'd have a a

moment a quiet moment you know like

especially in the like in the trailers

not so much in the movies sometimes

people wouldn't like it but in the

trailer a mo a trailer would come out

and someone would be like

>> nope you know or whatever whatever and

>> AFTER AFTER THE TRAILER

>> YEAH OR you know or someone be like so

and you'd get to get a laugh in a group

>> like you'd get like that was sometimes

like a lot of people's first laugh.

>> Oh, that's awesome. I never thought

about that.

>> And also in movie theaters, a lot of

action happens like your first date.

>> Yeah.

>> You're scared. You grab someone's hand.

The first time I held someone's hand was

in a movie theater.

>> Like it is so intimate. It's so cool.

Who were the What were the movies when

you were like What were the movies that

you can remember as a young person going

in and walking out of that theater and

feeling like you had been completely

transformed?

>> Yeah, it it'll be it'll be um two big

ones. Boys in the Hood. Yeah. Um, and I

was I was a baby in there, man. Like

like younger younger than my younger

than my eldest kid is now.

>> And she can't get through a Pixar movie

without being like, "Dad, that's too

crazy." You know, my dad had me like

Boys in the Hood like right here, son.

You know, like I'm like four years old.

Like, ah, oh [ __ ] Um, but then uh but

then Beauty and the Beast.

>> Yeah.

>> Um, and then and then Malcolm X.

>> Yeah.

>> Um, all of these was like kindergarten,

first grade.

And and then I would say I would say

probably

one of the biggest ones was Jurassic

Park.

>> We we saw Jurassic Park when Oakland

still had a drive-in. Um and I I was I

remember being in I remember being in

the in the car like um and I used to

hook the uh speakers up to the window.

>> Yeah.

>> And I'm in there and and it's the scene

where uh the T-Rex scene at night.

You know that thing comes out. They in a

they in a they in a car driving away

from you and they got the shot in the um

in the in the uh like side view mirror

where it says objects may be closer than

they appear

>> and the T-Rex is right on them screaming

and I and I look at I look at I look at

my side view mirror and it's got the

same [ __ ] written on it. So I'm I'm like

like going to be a you know I mean like

a T-Rex jumping off, you know? I'll

never like I'll never forget I'll never

forget that [ __ ] man. And like I got

addicted to that feeling. Yes. Yes.

>> Um, so I got the opportunity now to try

to to to attempt to give people that

feeling, you know.

>> You So you mentioned Oakland. You grew

up in Oakland. You're going to school

there.

>> You're really good at sports. You're

really good at

>> I was I was like, "Yeah."

>> Okay. Uh, you you're a really good What

position did you play?

>> Um, in college I played receiver.

>> Mhm.

>> Yeah. So I I returned kicks, play

receiver.

>> Um, and and

>> when you're a receiver and you're in

college, are you always worried about

your hands?

Like, you know, do you when you're like

out and you're like, I can't do that.

Like,

>> no, we didn't I didn't think about it

like that.

>> You don't treat your hands like

>> No, I didn't. I didn't. Okay.

>> Yeah. I Yeah. No, we was I mean I was

like,

>> but I mean it feels like it like it

would be like you didn't get

>> No, that's I mean, if I was smart, I I

would like I was like 17, you know? You

know what I mean? I wasn't tripping like

like um I was I was literally like

slamming my hand in car doors, you know,

like like so it wasn't it wasn't really

something we was I should have been

thinking about. But like now the kids

get paid which is great.

>> Yeah. you know, um I was on scholarship,

which is like the most you could do

legally, you know what I mean? Like at

the time and um and I was like I was

like thrilled that I could pay for

school cuz my parents was busting their

ass put me through put me through

private school most of my most of my

life.

>> Um so y'all was just I was thrilled,

man. I was not thinking about my my

>> No, you were. And

>> did you love that? Did you love that

feeling of playing? Like what was so

great?

>> Oh, yeah. I loved it.

>> And were you you're a Raiders fan

growing up, obviously.

>> I was agnostic. Yeah. Like like in the

Bay I was acknowled.

>> Do you have any posters on your wall?

Did Young Ryan have posters on

>> I I did I did.

>> Who were they of athletes or were they

>> Yeah, athletes artists. I had I had them

all like um

>> Who do you have?

>> I was crazy. I had Jerry Rice.

>> Oh yeah.

>> Um I I had Tim Hardaway Warriors

Warriors around TMC. um you know down

the road um you know I would I would get

I would get into like into like other

athletes like Hakee Elijah was a big one

for me

>> um you know and then and then

football-wise I once I started playing

receiver I just love you know I liked

all the receivers man Randy Moss Terrell

Owens

>> um Tim Brown you know Steve Smith who

was Steve Smith I love cuz he was like

short like I was you know and was still

out there making it happen

>> it's interesting like athletes just like

any anyone else are I find looking for

people that rep like look like them.

Absolutely. That that are that are good

because it's like I absolutely Yeah.

>> But I mean I I also knew that like you

know I would I would meet players like

>> um like Maurice Jones, Drew or Marawn

Lynch like players I would play against

and I'll be like man they got a lot

better than me. You know what I mean?

Like you were like oh they're going to

be like you come across players that's

like oh that's something different

happening there. and and and that was

kind of how how I also kind of could see

early maybe football wasn't going to be

what I did for every

>> How about Maran being like a comedy star

now?

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

>> Was he always funny?

>> I mean, he not funny when you trying to

tackle him, you know what I'm saying? I

used I used to really I used to really

play against him, you know, like like we

we came across each other a lot.

>> Um and he would he would he would he

would actually in high school he was

trying to guard me. So, I was dealing

with him on offense and and defense. I

had some success on the offensive side

against him, but like but like trying to

trying to tackle that man was

impossible. So like yeah, he was not

funny on the field.

>> But but but yeah, as a as a as a person,

man, he he hilarious, you know what I

mean? Like his whole family is like that

though, you know? Like like our family's

from the same

>> from the same part of Oakuckland and he

Yeah. His mom hilarious. You know what I

mean? Like his brother's,

>> you know? Um Yeah.

>> But how do you go from So you're playing

and you're a finance major and then you

you switch to becoming a film major. No.

Like so so

>> you leave and go to USC after you, after

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, so um I went to I

went to high I went to I went to high

school in Berkeley.

>> Yeah.

>> And at this point, I was living in

Richmond, another city

>> that that's even that's even more blue

collar than Oakland, right?

>> Yeah.

>> Um and I I got I got a a scholarship to

a school called St. Mary's College,

which bay.

>> I had a teacher there, Rosemary Graham,

who who read something that I wrote in a

credit writing class was like, "Yo, you

should write screenplays." But at that

time I was a chemistry major. So I

figured I was going to try to be a

doctor or something, right? And then um

but the chemistry labs was not working

out with my football practices. I was

having a real tough time. So I was like

I got to get out this chemistry [ __ ] so

I can keep my keep my scholarship. And

um that that football program collapsed.

So I got another scholarship to

Sacramento State. Went there and majored

in finance but I took I took film making

classes on the side. That makes sense.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah. I mean, when I'm when I've been

learning about you like USC, you've met

so many people that that

>> it's talking about talking about a team,

it's where you met your team.

>> Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah,

that's was grad school. Um,

>> right.

>> And then I met um

>> Oh, man. I guess out of all the people I

worked with, Lou Vig was who I met

first. Um, Louis Van,

>> my composer, and then um my coowriter on

on Creed, Aaron Cington. Um, and then

eventually I meet Sev Onion who

>> your producing partner.

>> Yeah. Who who works for me and Zay at

Proximity.

>> And you met your beautiful wife Zindy

there.

>> Well, Zindy I met in Oakuckland. Like I

met I met

>> Oh, you met You guys met when you were

like 13.

>> I was 13. Yeah.

>> You guys grew up together.

>> You grew up together. I think it's so

amazing when you talk about all the

stuff that you make. Um, you talk about

the people that you make it with, which

>> in my opinion, um,

>> like really,

>> I don't know. I

>> I so respect artists who remind people

that what they make is a communal

effort.

>> Oh, yeah.

>> But people don't always want to do that,

right? Like they don't want they

sometimes they that's just not their

first instinct. And it really is. And I

know

>> Zindy makes your films with you. And how

important is she uh in terms of like

your process? How how do you guys work

together?

>> We just like since we so so so we

started dating in high school. We broke

up for a little bit and then um

>> what happened there?

>> I mean, you know, that's not for the

podcast but

>> Okay. OKAY.

>> High school [ __ ] Um but but but but we

got back together right before we went

to college.

>> Yeah.

>> And and what we would do like that

summer before we before we left cuz we

was both on scholarship. She went to

Fresno State. I went to um St. Mary's

like I mentioned in there Sacramento

State. But what we would do is we would

just work out together um to get ready

for college and we go to the movies like

that was it like we was either we was

either on the track working out in the

weight room lifting weights or we was

you know we was uh uh at at the movies

you know in Emeryville and Richmond in

Oakland. Um, and for us, we got really

uh used to just pushing each other, you

know, and supporting each other, you

know,

>> um, being at each other's meets, her

being at my at my football games.

>> She's incredibly shy, but like at my at

my games, I could hear her voice, you

know, while I was out there trying to

trying to catch touchdowns and

everything. I try to do the same for her

to track me. Um and and and when I got

interested in film making, um you know,

she she was just really supportive, you

know, like like I was writing

screenplays and in Microsoft Word

>> and kind of like venting to her like,

>> man, if if one day I I got the software

that cost 300 bucks

>> um called Final Draft and you know,

maybe one day I could get that, you

know, in the meantime I got adjusted the

margins and all of that.

>> Yeah.

>> Um and then she, you know, she set her

over money, got that from me. Um and it

wasn't just like here baby, here goes

the draft. She was like, "Yo, where's

that script at?" You know, "Where's that

thing you working on?"

>> Um, you know, that athletic mindset. Uh,

so so how it works is,

>> you know, I always talk to her about

what I'm thinking about working on, and

she'll I kind of hone my pitch with her.

>> Yeah.

>> Um, she'll be the first person to read,

you know, what I what I write, give me

feedback. Um, so my scripts always going

out really really hone at the the early

stages in my career. And, um, the film

school, she was with me um, you know,

all the time. shoot down a classes with

me ass work on work on the sets, you

know, um producing and sometimes

operating the camera, you know, um if I

had to jump in um you know, so so it was

that kind of support and it just it just

kind of stayed that way um through

Fruitville when we shot at home. That

was when we first moved in and started

living together.

>> Wow.

>> She was on say even though she had a day

job, she would just come like get off

right, come straight.

>> How many days did you shoot Fruitville

station in? Um

>> 20 days.

>> 20. Yeah.

>> What I'm learning or what I feel like I

know about you, Ryan, is like you're

super collaborative and also you know

what you want. Like those two things are

so important I think for any real

leader, especially on set. But I don't

think enough people know that a set is

like a little town. Like totally

>> it's like so many people working.

>> No. Totally. Totally. And your parents

was were school teachers.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah. So like you you you get it like

like like the um like like that you know

that blue collar mindset um you know the

communal the communal mindset the need

for communication. And for me it really

is I think that's why movies work when

they when they work you know um because

you're talking about like like mass

entertainment you know what I mean? like

a lot of people go in and go engage with

the

>> But that's why you're such a genius is

because it's it's

it's hard to make it's hard to make a

movie. Number one, just hard to make a

movie. Then it's hard to make a good

movie. Then it's hard to make a good

movie that people enjoy making with you.

They walk away and go that was a good

experience. Then it's hard to make a

good movie that was enjoyable to make

that people go and see.

>> Yeah.

>> Those things are really hard to make and

you've done it over and over and over

again. And you've done it again with

sinners. So incredible. Thank you.

>> Like and I picture you going to your

team and being like, I have an idea.

>> And they were like,

>> what was their first instinct was?

>> So So I went to Zenzi first.

>> Yeah.

>> Um and and it wasn't fully baked and she

was like, "Man, that ain't ready yet."

You know, keep thinking on that.

>> So So I thought I bought her some more.

>> Yeah.

>> I think I went back I think I went to

her like three times before she was

like, "Okay, that makes sense." you

know, um, and and it was better for and

then it goes to Sean,

um, who who who, you know, we we're the

three founders of Proximity.

>> Um, we got a co-founder in Louis and

this is a it's a music based film. So,

we brought Lou again crazy. Yeah,

exactly. Before that was a script.

>> Um, you know, while it was just all

idea.

>> Oh, that's so interesting that living.

So, um, uh, were you always thinking

about Michael B. Jordan from that? You

were always thinking about using him as

the twins and the twins was always an

early like that was

>> why why why twins? It's hard to shoot.

>> I know.

>> Yeah.

>> Like this extra work.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No. No. For sure. I

mean look like it was a hook for me. It

was so sticky, right? like um

>> um and in this day and age you need uh I

think you need multiple reasons to like

lean in,

>> you know, like like when there's so many

great things available,

>> you know, like I was in the white room.

I'm watching you and I'm watching you

and Julie Drifus talk and it's so

entertaining like it's an hour it's an

hour of like two really entertaining

people being intimate and talk, you

know, that's just on my phone for me to

click, you know, there so many ways to

spend time. So for me, like I think that

I'm a firm believer in like things

having multiple hooks, you know, you

know what I mean? And and and it's a

hook for me because um I I have twins in

my family,

>> but I and I love them and I I got a lot

of homies as twins, but I'm also also

have a crippling fear of doppelgangers,

>> like a strike phobia. You know what I

mean?

>> No, I don't. What do you mean?

>> Yeah. Um

>> what are you afraid of?

>> That you're going to run across your

own? Yeah, I've had nightmares like

that.

>> Yeah. But but also like

>> because I know what you mean because no

offense to twins, but twins, the idea of

twins in general is a little creepy.

>> A little creepy. Yeah.

>> It's great. It's just creepy enough.

>> Yeah. Like like so so I think

>> someone who was in the womb with you.

>> Well, yeah. That's that's fascinating to

me. Like and and

>> we dug deep with Mike. Like I got two

buddies um who are filmmakers, Noah and

Logan Miller. Um they actually wrote the

script G20 that um Violet was in which

she was the president like doing action

[ __ ]

>> Yeah. Yeah. But

>> they from Northern California, a little

bit further north than than where I'm

from and and um

>> and you know I actually asked them if

they would be open to being consultants

on the movie like to work with me and

Mike on developing the characters. And

we dug so deep into like the into like

the mindset and the dynamics of of of

what it's like to have

>> Yeah. you know, um, you know,

essentially a copy of yourself next to

you all the time, you know. Um, but

Michael, Michael B, he just like he just

knocked he just knocked knock knock

knock knock knock knock knock knock

knock knock knock knock knock knock

knock knock knock knock knock knock

knock knock knock knocked me back by his

brilliance and um and how he portrayed

these characters

>> where did you first see Michael did you

see him before you knew him did you see

his did you see did you watch the wire

>> I did

>> so good in that

>> yeah he was heartbreaking

>> heartbreaking yeah heartbreaking

>> I knew a lot of kids like that you know

um both you know friends of mine and

also when I was working with my Mhm.

>> You know, um so yeah, like he it was a

brilliant a brilliant portrayal and um

you know, kudos to to Mike for his

performance and David Simon for for you

know, for writing the character

>> and HBO for having the show, you know

what I mean?

>> That that show was a next level.

>> Yeah. And he was he was great Friday

Night Lights.

>> That's right. And did you um like do you

think it's important for directors? A

lot of directors have

>> an actor that they get to kind of you've

had a few, but like an actor that you

get to kind of keep working with and

working stuff out with. Why is that

helpful to work with the same person

>> more than once?

>> Yeah. I mean, I think it's it's great,

man. Like when I It's funny cuz it

actually comes back to football for me

cuz I play I play receiver and I I play

with a lot of different quarterbacks,

you know, especially in college. And it

was tough cuz I never felt like I found

my rhythm with one with one person, you

know. Um and and and that's so important

like I think uh finding a rhythm is is

like a

>> um it's like fundamental to to I think

to achieving greatness, you Yeah.

>> Um, so it's phenomenal to have to have

um found a actor um who's so who's so

talented, you know, gifted um uh uh

ambitious, you know, cuz Mike is

constantly trying to push himself and

get better at his craft.

>> He's professional,

>> but he's also like a good person, you

know, like like he's like when you doing

a movie with him,

>> if he's number one on your car [ __ ] you

know that you going to have a safe set

for people, you know? um he going to be

able to do

>> great work without making people's lives

miserable. He going to treat people with

kindness. Um he got nothing to prove. So

he he learns the PA's name. He learns

the camera operator's name the same way

he'll know the producers names, you

know.

>> Um and and that

>> that is something that I think permeates

the set like at a at a foundational

level. I've been very blessed in that.

Well, one could argue too that you you

you um that's also what you transmit,

give off. That's your station. Like your

channel is attuned to that so people

take their cue from you.

>> I try to,

>> you know,

>> but it's great to have Mike there to

amplify it, you know, cuz that's who he

is, you know.

>> Um and he's ridiculously talented. Like

it's he's he was doing work that

required a lot of focus, you know, like

he was

>> he was still generous to people even

though he'll come to sell in a day where

he's got to be,

>> you know, two different people, you

know. Was it fun to call him up and be

like, "You're going to be a vampire."

>> What's crazy is

>> because I would be psyched if someone

>> was Hey, we might have to make the call

at some point, man. We might have to

figure it out. But but but for for me,

um what it what it was was how it ended

up working. I was trying to get the

screenplay together

>> cuz Mike's busy, you know.

>> Um and and and I didn't want to I didn't

want to say, "Hey, I got a thing."

>> Yeah. and then have me waiting for, you

know, for for a script. I didn't need

him blowing my phone like I wear a

shirt. Um, but what ended up happening

was he called me and pitched me

something

>> while I was working on this for him. Um,

and then and I was like, at first I was

like, Mike, I can't, you know, I can't

work on that right now. And he got upset

like, "Hey, man. What's

>> Hey, what's going on, man? Like, you

know, I want I want to get this going."

>> Like, it's something you're not telling

me. So, I'm like, "Look, I'm working on

a thing."

>> Oh, it's interesting. You're like, "I

have a secret, but I'm not ready. I'm

bringing this to you.

>> This is what it is. his his his twins,

you know, his his period, his vampires.

And I remember how he how he reacted cuz

he just got quiet for it for before for

a long time.

And I was like I was like, "Oh [ __ ] did

I lose him?" You know, and he's like,

"Uh, he's like, "Man, you know what?

That sound pretty interesting, man."

He's like, "Okay, okay. When when you

want to do it and and so I got the

script done and got it to him and then

he was he was in." I mean, I there's a

lot I'm not a big uh horror I I I get

kind of scared at movies and um I'm not

really a big horror fan,

>> but what's so cool about vampires is

vampires are sexy.

>> Exactly.

>> Zombies are not.

>> Zombies not sexy. No,

>> vampires are sexy. There's

>> It's true. And and your film has a like

there's so much going on. Sinners is so

amazing and original IP and like

beautifully written and beautifully

acted and shot and incredible cast. The

chemistry between the characters in your

film is so real

>> and the way in which you basically

create uh in the midst of horror

like like love and romance and sex. It's

like you do a lot of things in this

movie really really well. And I would

just like to say the most of of the many

things in the film that I loved.

>> Can I just get small for a second to

talk about the scene, the dancing scene

in the film?

>> Um, uh, Autumn, your incredible DP,

first female DP to shoot in this IMAX

format. Arauta.

>> Yeah. And, and Autumn, but how did you

guys approach the scene? And there's

that beautiful scene where everyone's

dancing and kind of enjoying themselves

before the horror starts and their

ancestors kind of they join them.

>> How did that scene look on the page?

>> Yeah, I could tell you um it cuz I had

outlined the script before getting into

final draft and writing it.

>> Yeah.

>> And I I didn't have I didn't have that

that um um surreal like element to it.

It was it was just going to be that that

that you know preacher boy sings and

people like it, you know. Um

>> that's what it said in the script.

>> No, no, no, no. That's what it said in

the outline.

>> Okay. The outline.

>> In the outline. When I got to it in the

script,

>> like I I got I felt strange cuz I had

fallen in love with all these all these

characters. I didn't want them to die.

You know what I mean? Like like that was

I realized in this movie I got I got to

like

>> get bit in the neck and and check out.

You know what I'm saying? Um, and and

and I felt I felt bad and I and I and I

realized that this scene was the

midpoint and

it dawned on me that like these these

people uh the real people not in my

script but the real people that that

they based on um these these black folks

in 1930s who were like of age to be in

this juke joint. um you know they they

were they were living in uh in in in

Clarksdale during Jim Crow. They all

were they all were sharecroppers um

because it was there was nothing else

that the society allowed them to be.

Their grandparents were enslaved. Um

they their children and their children's

children would still be sharecroppers.

Um but somehow they they um invented,

you know, probably the most impactful

American contribution, the global

popular culture, and they invented it

just because they wanted to feel alive

for a few hours, you know, Friday and

Saturday night, you know. Um and and and

and they had no I don't think they had

any idea that the music that they listen

to

>> would change the world, you know, like

like um so so so I thought I thought

about that. And I say, man, I'm about to

I'm about to like kill him by vampires,

you know, like I got to have something

else in the movie that that that that is

like some type of some type of victory

moment, you know? Um and that was where

that was where the idea the idea of um

um of of depicting just how how powerful

and transcendent Sammy's voice um um is.

If it could call a vampire, you know,

maybe it could call the these people's

ancestors and and descendants, too. So

So that was So I wrote the script. I

wrote it all in in italics.

>> I clicked the italics on and and I kept

it all in one chunk. Wow.

>> You know, um like like almost like a

stream of consciousness and left it like

that in the script for when for when you

know for when my my partners read it and

everybody read it to know that to to to

really you know um you know read that

read that differently, you know.

>> Yeah. It was so powerful and and thank

you for putting that putting that giving

that context to it because that's what

it felt like. It felt like you were you

were loving those characters in real

time. That's what it felt like. It felt

like a loving gesture in real and and we

felt that when we saw it was so so

beautiful and so beautifully shot just

the way the camera moves.

>> I mean it was everybody working like in

concert with each other. Um we we we

brought in Akaman Jones who's who's a

choreographer works a lot with Usher

Raymond

>> um to choreograph like Pitch Perfect and

he did all the Panther films. I actually

met him through Chav Boseman. Um rest in

peace

>> and and and uh you know every department

was in on that like from Hannah Bler to

our visual effects supervisors Michael

and James Alexander um all them they're

all ARA cinematographer obviously we had

a brilliant steady cam.

>> Yeah the steady cam work was incredible.

There's a kid named Renie. Um, Haitian

American kid, ex football player.

>> Um, I think he played niu. Yeah, he used

to be strong strong d and sharp,

>> you know. Um, and everybody had to, you

know, everybody had to work together.

actors, the the incredible dancers

>> um you know, Ruth Carter with our

costumes and beautiful

>> and it was it was like that was the most

team effort

>> uh of everything that we that we did

that that that scene as well as it's is

uh I used to call like the twin

counterpart which is the the step

dancing scene that happens Yeah.

>> that happens a little bit later in the

film.

>> Yeah. It's so beautiful. And um I I I

want to say you you you talk about your

work on Black Panther and Chadwick. You

gave a beautiful speech recently um at

the Hollywood Walk of Fame about

Chadwick, which is beautiful. And I

don't think people ask you enough or I

don't hear enough like what did you guys

laugh about when you would work together

on Black Panther? You know what? Me,

>> what did you what when when you think

about the times where you

>> have you seen Have you seen Chad on SNL?

>> Oh, yeah. Yeah, he's hilarious. He is

hilarious. Like, you know, he played

James Brown. He could do anything.

>> Yeah. No, but he but his his natural his

natural way of being I think.

>> Would he Did Would he Does he like to

tease

>> all the time?

>> That's the thing.

>> Yeah. No, no, no. He he was

>> No, he he would do it in action, which

is what was crazy about him on set.

Yeah. He was very disciplined. So, so

he's he's constantly in accent. Yeah.

and and just being and just being like

like you know it'll be ridiculous like

in between takes in between you know

like like um

>> like I'm trying to I'm trying to think

of like

>> like do you guys did you guys goof

around when you were I mean it's you're

working hard I was I was ridiculously

stressed out

>> you know like like like unbelievably

stressed out

>> and um and and we know we know now what

all Chad was dealing with you know

>> um but he was he was incredible man like

and like deeply

>> deeply funny you know deeply funny man

like he would he He would tease with

with uh with Lupita and Deny.

>> Um you know uh constantly constantly

cracking jokes, man. Like like in in um

you know we would laugh

>> we would laugh most about the costumes,

you know, like like just just how how

>> and I bet it must be fun to like

introduce a new costume.

>> Oh yeah. Oh yeah, man. Like like like um

>> uh Yeah. But but like we like the like

like some of the props too, man. Like we

would joke, we would joke and say that

he was we was going to give him like it

was a walking scene and we would joke

and say we was going to give him the um

like the the that the giraffe tail that

he can like that he can like swipe like

swipe flies away while he was walking

with while he was walking with Lu Pizza

and he would he he was he was a martial

artist. So he took that he took the he

took the uh the little thing was

>> Yeah. He had like the ability to like

clown. He was so talented. So talented.

>> Yeah. He was gifted, man. Like like um

but but had a you know had a great sense

of humor.

>> I feel like comedy sometimes is where we

stay connected sometimes with the people

that have passed like

>> like thinking about the times we laughed

with them

>> 100%.

>> And they I feel sometimes like they make

us laugh.

>> Yeah.

>> We we see something that makes us laugh

that makes us think of us laughing with

them. I don't know. I just think that

like it's fun sometimes to think about

those times.

>> No, for sure, man. like um and and I

think uh for for me

when I when I look when I look back on

my my relationship with him, man, it it

it it taught me it taught me so much.

But the biggest thing is like to not

take things for granted, you know, like

even even all of this, shammy, like like

um

>> the success of the film

>> um being invited to do podcast with you

uh uh um doing um um awards press with

my cast. Yeah. like be before losing

him, you know, I would be um not present

in those in those moments, you know,

like I would be overwhelmed or or be

considering it to be work or or uh

dealing with like imposter syndrome or

what have you.

>> Um but but but since since losing him

because he would be the one to to like

snap me out of that,

>> you know, like when I would be stressed

on on Panther, I would say, "Man, I got

to hurry up and do this or I'm going to

get fired." M you know and he would say

hey man stop saying that. He actually

pulled me to the side. He was like yo

stop saying that you know and I'm like

no I truly believe that. He was like yo

I'm not going to let anything happened

to you. He told me I'm not letting

nobody fire you bro like me like so so

please stop you know please stop saying

that. Relax, man. You know do your work.

Enjoy it. You know

>> um and and

>> that that very act of being present. He

was so he was so

>> good at that.

>> So I think about that all the time like

like even walking in here with you. I'm

like, man, I'm really I'm really here.

Like, I just seen it set on the podcast

and I'm here talking. I seen you perform

and and watch all your movies and your

shows and it's like it's like, damn.

Like, I'm I'm being invited to come sit

in this in the same in the same spot.

Just be just being present. I literally

learned that from him, you know?

>> It's a

that lesson is like I feel like the

lesson we just have to keep remembering

and being reminded of over and over

again. Like, be where you are.

>> Be where where your feet are. Be where

you are. It's hard. It's not easy, but

you're right. It's a gift every time

you're reminded of it. So, are you

getting to enjoy the fact that you have

a gigantic

successful movie that's

>> like being rewarded and will be awarded

and you're with these people that you've

worked with now for a really long? It's

awesome.

>> Yeah, I'm having time in my life.

>> And so, we do this thing on the show

where we talk to people who know our

guests. We kind of talk well behind

their back before we get before we talk

to them. And we talked to Ludvig today.

>> Okay. Oh man, that's crazy.

>> Okay. And first of all, so Swedish.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

>> My brother lives in Sweden, so I tried

to talk a little Swedish to him.

>> How'd it go?

>> It didn't go well.

>> He talked back to you in English.

>> No, he talked back to me in Swedish and

I panicked. Like I totally panicked.

>> Well, you got through the first thing.

>> Like I said like two words and then he

answered me and I

>> usually usually when I try to speak

another language of people who native

speakers, they just talk back to me in

English and be like, "Hey y'all, stop

it." You know what I'm saying?

>> Oh, I know that. There's nothing sadder

than when they than when they talk back

to you in English and they're like

whatever we don't they're like what are

we trying to do here?

>> Yeah. So you got Swedish back.

>> So I did get Thank you. You're right.

Maybe I should look at it as a win. So I

got the first base. You know what I

mean?

>> Exactly. He definitely he was humoring

me. Um, and he's so Oh my I mean what an

incredible talent and the music it it's

so interesting to me that you brought

him in so early because you can tell

that I mean this is a movie about the

power of music too and

>> you know you have buddy guy be like the

embodiment of kind of like the before

and now you know is like a living

person.

>> Totally. and and in many ways

>> almost feels like a vampire

>> in the way that like

>> feels like he's still here and was there

then

>> was there then yeah

>> it's so cool

>> but it wasn't that long ago

>> that's like kind of like what the what

the what the movie is

>> saying

>> right and Right and a very good reminder

>> it's actually like it's actually like I

cheated him for younger cuz like

>> if if the character would have actually

been Buddy's age it would have put the

movie into the 2000s Right.

>> Put it in in 2002 as opposed to 92

>> which would have put the fashion

>> like it is today. So it would have

probably confused.

>> Oh right. Yeah. Because you right. You

need a little bit

>> confused audience.

>> Well that's really interesting. And you

and Ludvig you know he he's talked about

where how amazing it is to work with you

how collaborative it is to work with

you. He also said like, you know, there

were a bunch of different versions vers

versions of sinners that before the

final version and working on that

together and figuring out what that was

>> and um and how his dad and your family

like the blues be were brought us

together. It did. How did it bring it

bring you guys together? Well, um yeah,

like so so the the history of the how

how the blues kind of um became this

this instrument of like global cultural

change was was um really interesting

like

um the Delta Blues

when the record industry came, they made

those records race records and this was

a time where where where um you know the

country was segregated and and and the

record industry was was was was a

product of that. So they would they

would kind of put race records over

here. Anything made by a black person,

the same record might, you know, made by

a white made by a white person, they

call that maybe rock and roll or blueg

grass or country. And um and black

musicians when the record industry was

burgeoning, they couldn't tour,

>> you know. Um but but uh their records

would would would travel you know um

overseas

and and a lot of a lot of you know uh

bands in Europe kind of fell in love

with the music

>> um like maybe most famously the Rolling

Stones for instance or the Beatles. Um

and and and then those those guys would

come to the to the states and seek out

these musicians

>> and and then take them on their European

tours, you know, as opening as opening

acts.

>> Um and in Sweden, Louik's father

>> uh saw I believe John Lee Hooker um and

Albert King. Yeah. Yeah. And and and was

was so inspired by seeing him that he

decided that he wanted to become a Bulls

guitarist and became one, you know. Um

and and when he had his when he had his

his his his first son who who was

Louvig, you know, he introduced him to

to guitar lessons, you know. Um and and

and his dad made money as a guitar

teacher.

>> Wow.

>> And and what's crazy is Louvig, you

know, how he tells me he was it was

something that he he liked spending time

with his dad,

>> but he wasn't necessarily crazy about

about the music that his dad was

listening to until he heard Metallica,

you know,

>> and then and then and then boom, he fell

in love with it. and and you know became

a became a you know a guitarist, had a

jazz cartel, all kind of different stuff

going went to music school

>> and eventually came to came to to the

states to learn how to become a film

composer and that's how we met. We met

in school.

>> Yeah.

>> You know, in 2008.

>> Yeah. You met at a party.

>> We did.

>> Yeah. I mean, if you want to call it

that. Yeah. It It was It was pretty It

was pretty uh It was pretty dead.

>> Bunch of people sitting around.

>> Yeah. It was a bunch of It was a bunch

of nerds sitting around and we was two

of them, you know what I mean?

Thank Thank God I found him.

>> Yeah. His question to you is is like a

perfect musician guitarist question,

which his question that he wanted me to

ask you was, "How is your guitar playing

going?"

>> Oh my god.

>> He wants to know how it's going.

>> So busy.

>> Oh, okay. So maybe maybe there's one

thing you're not great at.

>> There's a lot of things I'm great at.

You should bring Zindy in here. She'll

tell you. She'll tell you all of them.

But but uh no no I'm I'm terrible. Yeah.

Like it's not going well.

>> Yeah. It's not going well.

>> Good. It makes the rest of us feel a

little better that you're also not like

excellent at guitar. Blues guitar yet.

>> Yeah. But you're learning. You're

trying.

>> Better at typing.

>> Yeah. But but but um the guitar is still

there. You know, my kids play now, you

know. Um but uh I got to get back on my

I got to get back on my lessons.

>> Yeah. He wanted to he wanted to check

in.

>> It's not going well.

>> Okay. We'll let him in. Um well well I

just want to say you know before we

before we wrap is that the effect that

Black Panther had on um

>> you know I I I went to the movies to see

that with my sons my teen sons

>> and to see something together a shared

experience like that together and to

kind of walk out to your point out into

the world after feeling completely

changed like this the color of the sky

is different and the way we're talking

to each other is different and the

things we've heard is different. Like

the way in which their lives were truly

changed by that film is so special to

me. I really I thank you for it because

it's not always easy to find that

especially like

a mom and her boys and teen boys and

like to find something that you can

share in together and love equally.

>> It's such an incredible piece of art. Um

they would want me to ask you

>> if you're making another one.

>> Yes.

>> Okay. That's all that's all I want to

know.

>> They like my my mom was my was my movie

buddy, you know. Um and she still is.

>> Uh you know um so so yeah, I got that

that hearing that story.

>> I can't tell you how many times I've

been in the car with my mom going to go

>> see a movie she was excited about.

>> Um she would go when I was too young to

go to see movies. She would come back

from dates with my dad and she would if

the movie was good, you know, she was

she would she would stand there in the

living room and act out the movie for me

like walk me through everything that

happened. That's so cool.

>> Um my fondest memory was her doing that

with the fugitives. You know what I

mean? Like she's like yeah for jumps

down the waterfall and then Tommy Jones

says I don't care. And then like you

know that was my mom. So like like

hearing that you watched it with your

boys, y'all had a yall had a nice time

that that means everything to me. Thank

you. It meant a lot to me, too. I really

appreciate it. And I the the last

question I want to ask you is um your

relationship to comedy, you have you you

you I think in all of the stuff that you

do, you you have fun. You like have fun

with the

>> the ways and again which your you don't

put boundaries on how your characters

are going to react to things. Sometimes

they're like light and comedic. You have

a you want to have fun in the stuff that

you make and you want people to have fun

when they go and see your films. Um,

what what are your what were some

influential comedic films for you

growing up and what are what's making

you laugh now? How do you laugh?

>> Man, that's so funny. Um, a lot of it

for me

these days

um is coming like it's coming from the

internet.

>> Yeah.

>> Like like like like

big time, man. like um but coming up,

you know, my like one of my favorite

movies is Coming to America.

>> Oh my god. Incredible movie.

>> Like like that's that's that's my you

know that's my

>> incredible

>> that's got my that's got my heart um to

this day. Um and I I love I love like

>> I love Friday.

>> Yeah.

>> You know like like that's a big one.

>> Yeah.

>> Um I love I love like May's McKay's

work. Like one of my favorite movies the

other guys.

>> Oh yeah.

>> I think I think that gets slept on. I I

totally agree.

>> That's my favorite movie of his even

though you make some some great some

great ones.

>> Um

>> that is a stupid fun movie.

>> Yo, I can't like it's like it's so it's

so much it's like it's so much Yeah,

it's so much in that movie. That's

that's that's that's so deeply

hilarious.

>> Um you know uh and yeah, like like

obviously SNL, you know.

>> Do you watch SNL?

>> Yeah, big time.

>> You do?

>> Yeah. Yeah,

>> I got homies that's been on there and

just, you know, like like I love what

Mike did on there with the State Farm

bit,

>> you know.

>> Okay, let's watch that.

>> Wait, tell me again. Explain again the

State Farm bit.

>> So, so, so, so Mike is u You want me to?

>> Yeah. Will you set it up?

>> So, so, so Mike, so Mike is Jake from

State Farm and um and and it gets it it

just goes dark like like from there it

become it becomes like a like a like a

like a like a David Lynch movie.

But um you know

>> Oh yeah, Jake from J-pop. Okay.

>> He he just totally replaces He totally

replaces his he becomes his man's worst

nightmare.

>> Like he he replaces him.

>> I can see how why you would like this.

>> He's teaching his kid how to play.

>> He's got his hand on the small of his

wife's back.

>> Yeah. Oh, he just gave him a look.

>> Okay. So, you're you do you watch you

watch Sketch to get

>> I do.

>> Okay.

>> Yeah. Yeah. I do. I love it.

>> I like it. I love it. Well,

>> that's why I'm so excited to to be here.

I mean, obviously I mean that that enjoy

from from Pixar, you know what I'm

saying? But but all all of the all the

all of the comedy stuff, man, I'm like

I'm like

>> I think it's like the highest level of

of of what we do. So, like, you know,

any of y'all that can that can that can

kill it on multiple levels and multiple

ways, you know what I mean? live

scripted or improv. It's like, you know,

but you would know that from my work,

>> but I'm defin I'm definitely in there.

>> Yeah, I get it. And it's it's I I'm know

you're like beyond busy. It means a lot

that you came. Thank you so much for

coming. It was such a such a such a

pleasure. And um thank you to every your

incredible team of people, too, who made

it happen. So, thanks, Ryan. It means a

lot. Thanks so much for coming.

Thank you so much, Ryan. That was

awesome. And uh I learned so much about

you and about films and your love of

them. So, thanks for joining me today.

And um for this Polar Plunge, as we

finish, um you know, I asked Ryan what

kind of posters were hanging on his

wall, and I thought it was only fair to

share what was hanging on my wall when I

was growing up. So, you should know that

I had a poster of the band White Snake.

Okay, that's number one. Um, number two,

I think I must have had like a a movie

poster. It was probably,

you know, something like Lily Tomlin and

B. Midler and like big business or

something like that. I don't remember. I

probably had an 80s motivational poster

like a cat hanging on a branch saying

hang in there. When I was really young,

I used to uh look at a magazine called

Teen Beat and I would rip out posters of

Sean Cassidy

um and put them on my wall and put um

lip balm on my lips and then kiss the

picture.

So,

um I don't know. Just felt like you guys

needed to know that. Okay, Ryan, thank

you so much for joining us. Thanks for

listening. Bye.

You've been listening to Good Hang. The

executive producers for this show are

Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss Berman, and

me, Amy Polar. The show is produced by

The Ringer and Paperkite. For The

Ringer, production by Jack Wilson, Cat

Spalain, Kaia McMullen, and Alia

Xanerys. For Paperkite, production by

Sam Green, Joel Levelvel, and Jenna

Weiss Berman. Original music by Amy

Miles.

really good. Hey