Transcript: Dakota Johnson on Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Hey everyone, welcome to another episode

of Good Hang. Very excited to introduce

my guest, Dakota Johnson, just an

amazing actress and truthteller. And

this is actually the first podcast she's

ever done that she told us. So, we're

very honored to have her here. We talk

about a lot of fun stuff today. We talk

about analyzing her dreams. We talk

about her receiving the Rzzy for the

movie Madame Web. Um, we talk about her

new movie, The Materialists, coming out

with Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal. So,

we really get into it. A bunch of great

stuff. And we always like to start these

interviews with um with a with a Zoom

from a friend of our guests or a fan of

our guests, someone who's going to give

me a question to ask them. So, joining

me now is Blake Lee. He is an actor. You

may recognize him um from uh uh Parks

and Wreck. He played Derek, the

boyfriend of April Lgate, who also had a

boyfriend. So, they were a threpple and

that confused Leslie. Nope. Um, so, uh,

Blake Lee is joining us. He is great

friends with Dakota, and he's going to

fill us in and get us ready for this

interview. Blake, hi.

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[Music]

I'm so thrilled you can do this. Hold

on, let me move my head. Can you see?

Yeah. Wait, do you have my book behind

you? This is where it always lives.

For listeners, Blake Lee has very nicely

put my book behind him in his bookshelf.

And I should say he's also my editor.

Exactly. Exactly. You're welcome. Blake,

let's talk for a second about how we met

because I think some people will

recognize you. Um, but maybe you can let

people know how how we're friends, how

we met. So, Aubrey Plaza and I were good

friends and she brought me to a dance

party at some random club in Hollywood

and uh, she was working on this. It was

first season of the show of Parks, so no

one had seen it yet. So, you were all

out and I went dancing with you guys and

just instantly fell in love with you.

And I don't know if you remember this,

but do you remember Aubrey like smashed

a glass on her foot and was like gushing

cut her foot at this club? And so you

and I like took her into this bathroom

and we're giggling and we're like

putting her foot in the sink and we're

cleaning it and it was just like it was

so the one of those like magical nights.

And then like two weeks later Aubrey

called me and was like, "Hey, so that

show that I'm doing like my character is

going to have like a gay best friend."

And Amy was like, "What about your gay

best friend you brought dancing the

other night and then you changed my life

cuz I got to do the show for, you know,

a handful of times and it was the best.

It was the best." And it's like, yeah,

truly. I feel like every time I see you,

though, I'm like, "Thank you. You

changed my life." That was my first job,

my first acting job. Yeah. And so it was

so crazy to be like to have that. I feel

so lucky to that that was my first job.

And like it's like wild. There's I

still random times people will like be

like, "Are you the gay guy from Parks

Reckons?" I it happened once like I was

I was peeing at a urinal and some like

stranger was just peeing next to me and

like looked over and he was like, "Wait,

are you on parks and wreck?" This was

years after and I'm just peeing next to

him talking about parks. I have to say

I'll never as a as a woman with female

parts, I'll never ever

understand the

etiquette of standing and peeing next to

someone. It's so intimate. It's really

intimate and most people are straight

ahead, you know. I feel like most that's

the edit, you know. Well, yeah, I don't

know. Most of the time it's like you I

think that that's like the universe

thing is like just straight ahead, but

every once in a while you get a how are

you doing? It's so weird. So weird

because to be recognized in that moment,

it's so vulnerable.

I mean, it's just it's something else.

It's funny. I know it's funny. Life is

funny. Okay, so um we're talking to

Dakota today and I got to tell you

between you and me, I'm a little nervous

because and excited because I don't know

Dakota that well, I am a huge fan of her

work. I think she's an amazing actress.

She's so cool and and speaks so

slowly and h has a vibe that I think is

very like mesmerizing, which is she

seems to not worry too much about

getting people's approval, but I might

be projecting that. Before we get to

your question, what do you think people

get wrong about her? I think that people

think she might take herself seriously

and she doesn't. She's She really is

like so goofy and so silly. Ben, my

husband was like saying like he was like

when I was saying that I was doing this,

he was saying how like I get to see a

version of her that not everyone gets to

see because we're I I I don't know like

I make I'm so goofy with her and like

we're just stupid and and I think it's

like I think that that's the thing. I

think people might think that she's like

this really serious person and she's

she's not. She's so goofy. It's so funny

you say that because I, you know, came

up with all these comedians and sketch

performers and improvisers who everyone,

you know, was like, "Are they just

hilarious all the time?" And you're

like, "No." Yeah. No. And then

conversely, actors, you know, like, you

know, serious actors, there's a lot of

people that assume like they're very

very introverted and take their

themselves and their work very

seriously. And that's not the case

often. No, it's not. And I have to say I

went I think yeah, both times she hosted

SNL I was there and she I've never seen

her happier. Like she was like, "This is

the best thing on the planet. I never

want to do anything else. I want to be

here every day. And it's that like being

around funny

people. She just like gets off on that.

I think she she like is energized by

like by funny people. I love that. Okay.

Really helpful to know. So, um, what do

you think I should Do you have a

question you want me to ask her today?

Okay. So, my question is, what actors

did she look up to that she wasn't

related to? Ooh, very good. Yeah, cuz

you know a lot of people you know you

know may not know that she comes from

very successful talented parents that

we'll talk about grandparent and

grandparent stepparent.

Yes, let's just name it real quick.

Tippy Hendren, grandmother, Melanie

Griffith, mom, Antonio Banderas,

stepdad, Don Johnson, dad. That's a

that's that's a lot. So, yeah. Other

than them, other than them, who as a kid

were you like, I want, you know, who did

you look up to? All right, that's

perfect. That's all we need. I hope that

helps. I hope that helps. So, so good.

You're going to love her and I'm so

excited to hear it. I am so excited to

do it. Okay, thank you so much. I'm so

much fun. Thank you so much, Blake.

You're You look so cute. Is this is that

bookshelf behind you real or are you

Can you imagine this is just like a

Yeah, I'm in my It's wallpaper. Is this

bookshelf wallpaper? It's just flat.

It's flat. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. I love

you. I love you. I'll see you soon.

Okay. Take care. Bye. Thanks, Blake.

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This is so fun.

[Laughter]

Oh my god. Dakota is listeners. Dakota

brought a puppy in. First time we've had

an animal in the studio.

Tell me about this animal person. She's

um my

dog. And then bye.

New dog. Yeah. We rescued her on

Saturday from the Santa Barbara Pound.

I didn't plan on it. How many dogs do

you have? Well, I had a dog for 17

years. He was 17. Oh, no. And he died in

Yeah. There you go. Oh my gosh. She's a

performer. Tokyo is checking out the

mic. He died in December and I was like,

"Oh, it's going to be a while." But then

I saw her and I just She's like an

angel. What kind of dog is she?

She's really cute. Wow, you are being

amazing. Tokyo, if for listeners, Tokyo

is trying to

um get up on the mic and also lick a

little bit of the

water maybe. Oh, look. He's getting some

of the

water. Wait.

Let's get this ASMR.

She also hasn't peed in hours, so brace

yourself. Okay. Well, we can always just

hold her over the table and squeeze.

That's normally what I do over tables.

I'm happy that you brought, by the way,

hi. Hi. Thank you for coming and doing

this. I'm so thrilled that you're here.

And um I was just saying to saying that

like you and I have seen each other at

different places. We know a lot of the

same people, but we've never actually

been able to have a you chat. No, I

know. I'm thrilled that it's this. Me,

too. I actually was I've never done a

podcast and I only wanted to talk with

you cuz I feel quite safe. Yeah. I'm not

going to I'm going to take very good

care of you. Yeah. This is This podcast

is should be for the listener and for

the guest very stressfree. That sounds

ideal for me. and Tokyo. And Tokyo. She

is a honestly. She has come alive on

camera. Yeah, Tokyo knows how to find

the lens. She normally hides in the back

of her crate. She's really timid and now

she's like, "Here I am." She's a show

dog. She's ready to work. You're an

actress just like your mom.

But you grew up with animals all the

time, everywhere, right? Like your mom

is a big animal person. Your grandmother

was like a huge animal conser would you

say conservationist?

I guess you could say that. She rescued

lions and tigers and elephants at one

point. Um did you have lions and tigers

around? She did at her house. Yes. Did

you? My mom did growing up as well.

Yeah. You did not. I at the by the time

I was alive there was more safety Mhm.

involved in general in the world. Well,

yeah, sort of ish. Yeah. Is certainly at

my at Marmar's house, they were no

longer inside the house. They were in

they're in still they're she's 95. She

turned 95 in January and she still had

Excuse

me. She's

Tok Tokyo is chewing the end of the

She's teething.

So I mean this is why

sometimes well I

mean I don't allow pets at in my office

and it's caused a problem I think with

some of the younger Jen. Why do you hate

animals? I don't I love I love them,

but I don't have a pet. And um I don't

like pets at work. But tell me why, Amy.

Okay. Okay. It It's actually We're

That's actually a really good question.

I feel like it's just a little too

distracting when you're working. Okay.

And I feel So you're like a drill

sergeant. Do you also keep the AC on

full blast? Like really cold? Yes, of

course. It's 65° in here. To keep

everyone awake? Yeah. To keep everybody

up above so they can produce, produce,

produce. Do you not do that?

No. I mean, I I I've thought about it

cuz the women at Paperkite at my

company, they have dogs. They have great

dogs. They want to bring them. And I'm

even more of a hypocrite. I've when I

had Suki, I was allowed to bring Suki

into when we were like writing our

sketch show back in the '9s. I got to

bring Suki into the Comedy Central

office but

I'm I'm going to say no thanks. But

that's you. Um, dogs are allowed in my

office. So, if anyone who works for Amy

wants to come to tea

time, bring your dog. Bring your dog.

But wait, so you grew up but your Did

you just say more more because Swedish?

Swedish. Yeah. Her her parents full full

Swed full Swedes. My brother lives in

Sweden and his kids speak Swedish and so

my nieces and nephews call their

grandparents more and more and more more

far. And I got to meet your mom when I

feel like I'm sure you have. We got to I

got to see her at where a lot of blondes

meet which is at the hair salon and one

day

um well more than once actually I've

been on the same sketch as your mom and

she's so lovely and she did something

really generous that day. She was

talking to me about

um skinincare and then went home and

brought back all this skin care like all

this cream and handed it out to everyone

at the

salon. It was really really nice. That

is so sweet. I know. It was really nice.

It was very very sweet. She beats me.

Yeah. Um that's so Is your mom a nice

person like that? a generous nice

person. She's extremely generous. She's

always been extremely generous. If you

said to her, "I love your shirt." She'd

take it off to you. Mostly cuz she loves

to be

naked and has great tips. You California

kids are something else. I mean, I know

so many of you know, like Maya and Micha

and you, like people that grew up in

California. Where did you grow up? Like

outside of Boston. Okay. In a in a

suburb. And there was like something

about I used to watch movies like Karate

Kid and the kids would be in school in

California and it was like what the [ __ ]

is this life? Like their lockers are

outside like it's sunny. Yeah. They walk

outside from class to class. So I didn't

fully grow up in California. I was

always like my parents divorced when I

was six and they were both actors or are

actors and um my so I'd spend the sort

of divorce deal was 2 weeks and 2 weeks

that was big at that time. Um so it

was I would do like two weeks on

location wherever my mom was and then

two weeks on wherever my dad was and

that was a lot. He was living full-time

pretty much in Colorado just in Aspen

for a long time and then he moved to San

Francisco. So the first full year of

school that I did in a school, not like

traveling with a tutor was fourth grade.

So when you think of your hometown,

where do you think of? I think of Woody

Creek, Colorado. What was that like? The

best. Yeah, it was the best. We like

rode dirt bikes all over and I lived on

in Woody Creek and there were two girls

my age that lived up the road. So, those

are the girls that I would know. Now,

one of them I don't keep in touch with

as much, but if we saw each other it'd

be the same. And um but it's it was it

was just fun. We'd like ride horses to

each other's house and tie them up

outside or dirt bikes and we'd

snowboard. Well, I actually hated

snowboarding so much to grow up in

Colorado and like hate skiing and

snowboarding is Yeah, I was just in

Colorado. Tina and I just did a show at

Red Rocks. Fun. So fun. Although it was

pouring rain and 32 degrees, but it was

still really fun. But everyone had like

everyone had their outdoor gear so set

like every single person had and it all

comes in like a tiny little bag.

It just like folds up. And it was like

pouring rain and they were like, "Let's

just go to the rain." Like they knew

exactly how to be outside. They love

outside. Yeah. I love outside. You love

outside, but no skiing. How come? Cuz it

sucks. Yeah. And it's cold and it hurts.

Yeah. It really hurts. Mhm. I have

nightmares about skiing. Mhm. I had one

recently. I'm just remembering it now.

Oo. Tell us about it. Well, no.

That's not interesting. When people talk

about their dreams, people talking about

their dreams. It's like people talking

about their improv shows. You're like,

Mhm. And then what happened?

Yeah. I'm fascinated by dreams because I

think we're similar in that I love

sleep. Oh god. So much. And I know you

do, too. And I've seen you talk about

it. And to get to dreams, you have to

get to sleep. Like like But I know that

that sounds stupid, but most people

don't dream. They don't sleep well

enough to even dream, which is very sad.

That is really sad. Yeah. I actually had

a dream the other night. Sorry. That

Let's hear it. Let's hear it. I Chris

was like, "That's a really good pitch

for a movie." So, Maddie Healey from the

1975 Yes. Familiar was in My Dream.

Great. And he was murdering people.

Yeah.

And he

was he was himself. He was Maddie Healey

as himself. And when the the people were

looking for him, they were cops maybe or

I don't know, he would turn into a piece

of

[Laughter]

asparagus and and people would just run

past him like that kind of thing. They'd

just be like,

it's really good. This is a really good

idea. It's like A24 would be all over

that. And I was trying to find him. I

was like, "Maddie, Maddie." And I just

saw like these two kind of poles in a

bed and I was like,

"Maddie." And the sheets came down and

it was him as an asparagus and Angelina

Jolie as an asparagus. What? She's in

this too? Let's They were getting

married.

They were getting married. And then they

left in a helicopter together as a spare

guy. That is such a weirdass dream. No,

you might be getting too much sleep

cuz you get a lot of sleep. Let's ask

America. Okay, so America, let's ask

Dakota. How much sleep do you get a

night?

If I am not working, I can It's like

somewhere somewhere between 10 and 13

hours.

Incredible. Incredible.

Incredible. But like 10 is normal for

me. And any sleep aids? Do you take

anything to go to sleep? No.

Incredible. I That's aspirational

because you've traveled so much and been

around so much. You must have a good

sense of like how to acclimate quickly

to wherever you are. Do you think you

do? I try to just not think about it. I

heard arnica is really good for jet lag.

Smearing it where?

Oh, as in your vagina.

Put it right in your vagina. Mhm.

Up your back. You wake up and you're in

another country.

You don't even have to get on the plane.

It's

crazy. Um, this is a new trick. But you

can swallow arnica. Little pellets.

Yeah, like homeopathic arica. Yeah.

Okay. Are you a homeopathic gal? Like,

do you like Yeah. What kind of stuff do

you like that is

pellets and creams and stuff? I mean I

feel like that again is and I mean I

don't mean to to generalize but it does

feel like when I move to California and

I meet California kids they love their

vaccinated and I yeah a lot of that a

lot of I never take and I don't believe

in medicine but I do think that you know

tea tree oil will get rid of my

gallstones or whatever

but do you are you a homeopathic person?

Do you do you take supplements? I take

supplements. Yeah, I take um

supplements like Xanax and

um just like natural just natural

things. Yeah. Um but uh did you like can

you I know this is a weird question, but

I wanted to talk about it with you

because what I love so much about you is

the way that you're able to like handle

silence.

Mhm.

Yeah. How did you learn how to do that?

I think I learned early on in interview

situations that if I speak out of

context or like it doesn't go

well. I think I just have been so scared

of saying anything but answering the

question or not or trying to not answer

the question. very very like honest,

upfront, and truthful when you do answer

questions. I don't I don't find you

evasive at all. No. Yeah, I'm not. So,

was that always been your Although, you

know what? I did once do that lie

detector test for Vanity Fair. I'm doing

one again. Did you beat it? I lied and I

passed. Well, let's be honest. I mean,

there not a professional person running.

Do you think there's a real professional

person? I mean, they have them dressed

up as a suit, but we don't know. I've wa

I've watched other people and they're

like, "That's a lie. That's a lie." And

you see the thing and I fully lied and

and they didn't catch you. No. Do you

think you have low blood pressure? I

really Yeah, I do. You could. That must

be it. Truly, like I would be a good

spy. You would? Yeah, I'll do that now.

You heard it here first. You're in

Tokyo. You're in Tokyo out on the road.

But it's true because there is some kind

of You're right. There's like a um an

energy where I don't feel a grasping

energy from you ever. No, that's kind.

Thank you. I don't want to have a

grasping energy. Well, a lot of people

don't want to have it, but they just do.

Like they just can't figure out, you

know, it's like they're just managing

their anxiety in that way and it comes

out in that way. But I've always felt

that about you that you don't have that

or or you're really good at at managing

it. I definitely have anxiety. I But it

makes me hyper present. So maybe that's

what it is. Oo, say more about that.

That's cool. I don't know. It makes me

just like I'm so here. I'm so I'm not my

brain doesn't go to a million places

trying to figure out what to say next.

I'm just like very present. And that

happens also on, you know, like talk

shows or things. I get nervous and I

have to go on stage. I have terrible

stage fight. You do? Oh my god. Shocked.

Oh my god. Like an awards show is my

nightmare. I have to do breathing

exercises before like if I have to

present something or give a speech.

Thinking about it makes me what is what

what's the like what's the what would be

the nightmare you'd have about it?

What's the fear? you'd uh say something

wrong. No, it's like a physical manifest

like my kneecaps start quivering and I

and my voice gets kind of shaky and I

get like

um I'm like say if I have to give a

speech I'll be like I don't know how to

read like I'm so sorry I can't read. I

suddenly don't know how to read. So what

is it about the camera and acting in

front of the camera where you don't get

that feeling? I have no idea. Yeah.

I feel like very very free

and safe. Mhm. It's really weird.

Do you think it's like from growing up

on set? Like do you you you kind of

explained that when you were a kid sets

were homebased? Yeah. I mean I saw that

I thought they were the most magical

places. I Oh my god. I loved being on

set. What did you like about it?

everything. Like I just thought it was

the coolest. I loved the trailers. I

loved base camp. I loved set. I loved

like the the ring of when it would be

rolling. And I'd be so excited to go in

when it when the red light went off and

go and see what my mom looked like and

what clothes she was wearing. And I

guess that's how it felt. It started to

build in my mind as a sacred space. It's

like a safe place to be wherever the

cameras were in the scene because it is

really it's like a beautiful

magical space if you want it to be. And

what was your first professional job?

Well, I guess it was the social network

when I was 18, 19, but I did a part in a

movie that my mom was in when I was

nine. Yeah. And I took that very

seriously.

I was a professional. You did you

analyze your dreams? You I worked with a

dialect coach to have a little southern

accent.

And did you what do you remember about

that? Did you feel like you nailed it at

nine? Um I think I nailed it. Yeah. I

think I felt like I nailed it as well

and I loved it. Yeah. So much. That's

cool. Do you feel like it was in your

blood? Like do you always feel like ever

since you were a little kid like that it

was like inevitable that you were going

to be an actor?

Yeah. Yeah, I think so. Mhm. Definitely

for me. And it's funny, I my

siblings, my oldest

brother acts sometimes and he went to he

studied acting and

um my one of my sisters is an amazing

sort of photographer and my other sister

wants to be a director. So, it's

definitely in our family, but like my

mom, my dad, my grandmother, my

grandfather,

they were all actors. Yeah. And like

working actors, all with their own

special magic sauce. I also am

remembering too that I met your mom. I

saw your mom again when your stepdad

hosted SNL cuz I was there. Antonio

Banderas, your stepdad. What year was

that? That was probably

200. I'm pretty bad with this kind of

stuff, but it was pre-baby for me. So,

it was like 200 maybe four, five, six,

something like that.

And delightful. So nice.

Um, smelled great. Yeah. Always. Yeah.

And she wears moose dartier. Oh, I don't

know if they make that anymore even.

Moose dartier. Mhm. Moose. That means

the the moose cart in English.

And what did Antonio wear? Cuz he

smelled great too. Um, we don't know. I

don't know. But actually now I think he

has his own cologne or like perfume line

and it's so cute and funny to me. It's

like Stallion by Antonio Banderas or

something perfect. Or like

um Dark Cloud. Yes. Sexy cloud. Sexy.

Sexy dark cloud. Sexy stallion. Yes.

He did a scene. I did a scene with him

and Chris Parnell on SNL that I loved

where we were like describing wine and

just describing like the adjectives of

wine which is very similar. And there

was a line where he's like uh do I sense

a hint of sword play?

It's so good. That's funny. You were so

great on SNL and I know you loved doing

it. What did you love about doing it?

Oh, I love SNL so much. Well, you know,

I

like I mean even moments sitting here

talking to you, I'm like I can't believe

I'm sitting here talking to you. Come

on. I know. I'm serious. It's so It was

such a huge part of shaping like

my my wanting to work in comedy at all.

And then the the fact that I've even

gotten to do it once but twice. So like

that is the it's my favorite place in

the world. It's that same kind of thing

of like I want to be in there. Yeah. But

are you nervous? You're not so nervous.

Okay, great. So nervous but in like a

fit of glee. Absolutely.

I love it. What do you love about it?

I think I

love how

um everyone is is just trying to make

the best thing and the funniest thing

and and everyone is so smart and the

energy there is

is like it's the most important thing

anyone has ever done in their lives and

yet we're it's just funny. Yeah. It is

like a theater camp vibe. It's like oh

no we have a show we have to do it.

Yeah. Yeah. And then I really like all

of the like behind the scenes gossip and

the like these people don't get along

and this is really hard and everyone's

really tired and drinking like going

when I I was there last year and going

around in like the first couple days and

meeting with all the writers and they

had it was like 8:00 p.m. And everyone

had just gotten there

and like I can't imagine that like

everyone had really big iced coffees

that they just got just starting. I

knowing that was like the hours of that

show are like leftover

from cocaine days basically I think. But

they're just it's crazy that you don't

start writing or I mean some people do

but the the majority of people don't

start writing until Tuesday night. And

we even talk about there's this feeling

that happens sometimes on Tuesday

nights, which is this panic and you

don't know where it's coming from and

then you're like, "Oh, this is just

writing night fear." Yeah. And you walk

around and everyone's pitching you ideas

that they haven't even written yet.

Yeah. Yeah. But it's it's a magical

place. It's like Disneyland. It's my

most favorite place I've ever been. I

just I don't know what it is. I love it

so much. I watch it all the time. I go

back and watch your sketches. I wa I

watch it all. It's very weird. I should

stop. I should go. Wait, is is Tokyo

asleep? Yeah, Tokyo is completely fallen

asleep. And I mean, listeners, you can't

see, but just the cutest dog in the

world. She's sitting on Dakota's lap. So

special. You really are making me think

that. Do you know what's funny is

animals should still not be allowed in

the workplace. Did you notice my nails?

Oh, yeah. I have a French manicure,

which is very not me, but Tokyo has one.

I thought it would be funny if we had

the same nail.

Oh, yeah. Tokyo does have them. Oh, come

on. Come on.

Oh my god. Oh, come on. I think it's

because she has a calcium deficiency.

Yeah, but she has a little natural

French

boy. She's cute. She's really cute.

Anyway, so we do this thing where we

talk well behind people's backs and we

ask someone that knows our guest um you

know what they think I should ask you

and how to ruin their life. We ask Yeah.

We all get all the dirt. And I talked to

Blake. Did he tell you? No. I But I

heard you were going to do that and I

think he thought it was a surprise. Oh,

so he didn't tell you. He didn't tell

me. He's such a good boy. I know. He's

such a nice person. What did you talk

about? So Blake wanted me to ask you who

besides your family when you were

growing up, who did you look up to as an

actor actor and actress? Like who did

you like what actor and actress did you

admire?

Blake wanted to ask that. Yeah,

he's Did he Google like most basic

questions to ask an actress?

That's the question. You can you can say

pass. Um, okay. No, I'll answer it. I

uh recently I actually exchanged texts.

Well, I got a voice note from Sandra

Bulock. Wow. I know because I don't know

if you know but I won the Rzzy for worst

actress. Oh my god, you did. Congrats.

That's a really good um There's a lot of

good people that have won that. Mhm.

Thank you so much. What did you win it

for? Uh this really good movie called

Madame Weather. Oh my god. Yes. I don't

know if you've heard of it. And you did

you accept the Rzzy? Oh yeah. I asked if

they'd send it to me. That's incredible.

Um, but Sandra Bulock sent me a voice

note being like, "I heard you are in the

Razy Club and we should have brunch. We

should have a like a monthly brunch."

Um, because I guess she won that when

like the year that she won the Oscar as

well. Are you kidding me? It was like in

the same year I think. But I freaked out

getting this message from her because

that's she's so iconic. Yes. To me as

like a movie star. I was like, "Oh my

god, it was just crazy." But but I I

don't know. Like I I grew up

being fascinated by first of all younger

actresses that worked with my mom. So

like Thora Burch, Christina Reachi, I

was always like, you can do that as like

a teenager cuz I really wanted to. And

then Diane Keaton, I was obsessed with

um still obsessed with. Um, and then

like SNL, a lot of SNL,

but

yeah, great question, Blake.

I mean, can I can I talk about that

Razzie thing for one more second,

though? Because why I love talking about

that with you is because I think your

career is

so super diverse and always interesting

and you pick really big movies and you

pick small movies and it feels like you

pick what you want to do. like there it

feels like you really go with your gut

about what you want to make and I feel

like

you handling it that way is the most

powerful and like interesting way

because

if we're lucky we're going to have a

really long career like that's the goal

right is to stick around. Yeah. So this

idea of like we have our had our last,

you know, our last best thing or that

this thing didn't hit, but I don't know,

how do you ride the wave of that? Like

you have a sense of humor, I guess,

about your work that's important. Yeah,

it's so it's I think about this a lot

because and I know you you have

experienced this because everybody is

going through it all the time now, but

you you like we don't have control over

how something turns out anymore. No one

does. like very very few directors or

actors like Tom Cruz maybe does. Yeah.

You know, like but I don't I've signed

on to a movie that is by the end of

shooting it a completely different

script than what I attached to. And that

is a wild thing to to like a crazy

journey to go on as a as an artist

because you're like, "Okay, I'm doing

something like with my actual body and

my actual mind and my heart, my

emotions. I'm like using things and and

it's

just being

taken and [ __ ] with, but you can't do

anything about it. Like, what am I going

to do? [ __ ] cry about Madame Web? No.

No. I'm gonna laugh. You're gonna go to

the Razies and you're gonna spike the

You're in person.

I wish they did. They should. Oh my god.

I wish they did. That would be amazing

if you went there and then you just gave

an an epic speech and then you just

spiked the award and you just like God,

you just threw it down. Sandra Bulock

said she asked for the award and like

picked it up and then they called her

and asked her to give it back because

they only had one. By the way, who who

is the Razzy committee? I know. I'd love

to I'd love to I'd love to hear I'd love

to have the Rzzy committee show

themselves. I know. So, I'm going to do

a lip balm break.

It's really a funny thing. But, um I

mean I feel like this probably you

probably had to figure that out with

Fifty Shades of Gray, right? Yeah. That

was another thing. It was like, okay,

this project, it's a big project. I'm

signing on and now I have to give up

control and now I'm in this and this is

going to be a lot of years of my life

and I got to figure out how to Yeah,

that was a wild

journey. Very very interesting. That was

another version of signing on to

something that was one thing and it

turned out to be another but I'm so

grateful. I was going to say with time

how do you look at it now? I I mean I

I'm so grateful for that experience. The

first movie with Sam Taylor Johnson

directing was really extraordinary as an

as an experience. Extraordinary. And I

think the movie is as good a version of

it as it could be. Yeah. Um but it was

challenging. Like it was I signed on to

a script that was different than what we

ended up shooting, right? Written by a

different person.

Um it was, you know, and then you then

you're attached. You're signed a

contract, so you're in uh signed on to

do it with a different actor. It was

like a different thing and then it all

changed

and and I was just in it and

um but it was so I was so young. I was I

think I turned 24 while we were

shooting. Wow. And I was so like brave.

I just feel proud of myself for being

brave and being

um interested in like the I don't know

it just felt wild and and it also like

there were no intimacy coordinators then

or anything like that. That was not that

long ago too like that a lot has changed

and yeah and there was an expectation of

just like figure it out yourself in real

time in front of everyone. It's intense.

Mhm. Yeah, it was it was a lot. Who has

been your favorite director? Someone

that you just think when you know you've

worked with a lot of great directors and

a lot of great actors. Who's someone

that when you think about you think that

was just that experience was so good. I

loved it.

I've had that a lot and I've had the

opposite a lot. Yeah. But I loved Selene

Song. She is I love her. I'm so excited

about this.

spectacular director filmaker. For

people who don't know, she she wrote and

directed Past lives with um Greta Lee a

few years ago and she is the Did she

write your new film or just she she

wrote and directed the materialist film?

Yes. It's her second film and it is

coming out. It's actually I mean it's

the reason why you're here. Let's be

honest. Okay. That's true. It is June

13th. Thank you. June 13th. I've been

trained. Tell me why you love Selene.

She's in She's an incredible director.

She's amazing. She comes well her she

has a her background is she's a

playwright. Um and I think there's a

different sort of control that she has

over what she wants which is really such

a relief. Like it's nice to work with

somebody who knows exactly what they

want from every single frame of the

movie.

I was like oh yes. So do you think she's

you mean she's had it in her head? she's

like storyboarded it in her head or

she's just able to communicate what she

wants. She's able to communicate what

she wants emotionally. And we we spent a

couple months going through every line

of the script and she would she was like

this is what she means here is this and

yeah, what do you think about like we we

just talked about it. We talked through

everything and and then on the day we it

was like we had one brain. Have you ever

directed? I have directed a short that

Blake was in actually. Um, do you want

to do more? I would. Yeah. Yeah. Do you

want to direct primarily? I like it

right now more than acting for sure. I

think about you for things all the time.

Really? What should we work on together?

I have a I have a I have something that

I think you would love. Email it to me

right now. I'll read it. Okay. I'll

email it to you later. Great. That would

be so fun. I would love to work with

you. I mean, I feel Well, we should talk

about Materialist because it is a movie

about, you know, two

men being in love with you.

Congratulations on your first

documentary. Thank

you. Well, what? Pedro Pascal, Chris

Evans, and you. What is the movie about?

Um, the movie is about a woman who's a

matchmaker in New York City and she,

which is funny cuz Seline was a

matchmaker in New York City for 6

months. This is where the movie comes

from. She did it on the side to pay the

bills cuz she was like a struggling

playwright. So, I play Lucy, who's the

matchmaker, and she's just the best at

her job and really good at sort of

assigning people as mates. Um, based on

pretty surface level criteria like

height and income and um

hairline, like that's what people are

out there looking for. It's not about a

soul connection. It's about like do you

do you tick my boxes of what I want what

I think my life should look like. And

um she then kind of goes on her own

journey of what what you would think is

that she doesn't really have she's not

really invested in people's souls, but

you realize she is and she cares about

these people that she's working with and

how their lives turn out and if they're

happy. And then she has to kind of

figure out for herself what is what is

more important really truly in this

life. Is it to achieve the life that you

think you want or is it

to actually be seen and loved? It's

interesting you say that because it

feels like oh of course you want be

right. Of course you want to be seen and

loved.

But there is something

about in life how relationships help you

get some get to be some version of

yourself that you want. Like whether

it's you want to be you want to have

kids or you want to be married or you

want to live in France or whatever is

the version of the thing of of your

fantasy of your life. Relationships help

you get that. And you're right.

Sometimes it's a trade-off. Like I get

this thing but I don't get this thing.

Or I feel seen but and loved but the

person doesn't fit into some version of

my dream life. Yes. Yeah. Or my ideal

whatever. What do when you have to do

sex scenes like how do you psych

yourself up for that?

Amy I don't have to. You don't. I'm like

always psyched up for sex. You're

psyched? Yeah. [ __ ] yeah.

Psyched up. Is that a thing?

What do you mean? You have to like feel

like I'm psyched. But you know, like

psych today, you're like 7:30 a.m. Let's

do it. Like that's a lot. Let's go to

pound town. Let's go to pound town,

everybody. Let's get the lights in here.

It's a lot. Oh god.

I recently did a movie a few months ago

and we had an intimacy coordinator on

set and it was the first time I've ever

worked with one. Mhm. And she was really

great. Great. It was so cool. It was

like cuz I'm so used to I'm so used to

just, you know, like it's a sex scene.

It's not like No, I don't like sexy. It

doesn't feel most people don't know.

I'm being serious. Like I'm not like No,

a sex scene is a sex a fake sex scene is

a It's like being an astronaut. Like so

few people have done it. That's really

true. You're right. I'm sorry. It's

okay. It's not, you know. Okay, let me

You want me to explain? Of course. Okay,

so a sex scene.

Hold on. I got to write I got to get

this down. You going to take notes? I'm

going to take notes. Go ahead. When two

actors

pretend, right, that they're having sex.

Yeah. And you do all the things except

have sex. Right. And that's important

for people to know. Make sounds like

you're having sex, right? And you're not

yet yet.

Um, so when you approach a scene, you're

like, "Today is the day." You don't feel

stress, you feel like, how do you feel

about it? And then what was the

difference with this coordinator? What

made it different?

Um, cuz you're right, you've done a lot

and you know how to handle yourself

during it, I guess, is what you're

saying. Yeah. Well, first I think it

depends on like who is the character and

who's the character supposed to be to

the audience. Is she like a super

idolized hot girl? Is she like a

housewife? Is she lonely? Is she scared?

Is she Is she uh conservative? You know,

like it doesn't So that's obviously

character work, but then so like certain

prep, I guess, would go into it. Like I

I want to feel good in my body. Yeah. If

I'm showing my body, I've never felt

felt

um like my mom raised me to be really

really proud of my body and and love my

body. So I've always felt so grateful

for that, especially in my work because

I can use it and it feels like real. H

how did she do that? Because I think a

lot of mothers want to make sure they do

that for their daughters, but they don't

know how to do that in practice. Would

it be the way she would speak about it

with you, or was there other ways that

she made you feel that way? I think it

was the way

she spoke about it with me. And also she

was very like honest and open about

um body stuff and and like getting my

period, you know, like really good about

it. And like I have friends whose

mothers never spoke to them about that

stuff and it's so hard and sad. Just got

very warm on my lap. She may have peed

on me. Oh my gosh. But I don't think so.

It's okay. And listeners, Tokyo, not me.

I just If you're not watching, I just

got very warm on my lap. Amy, it was not

me.

Um, so Okay. So, uh, she also talked to

me about sex and like how precious and

important and to, you know, whatever.

So, I guess in my in my work, I I

it's something that I feel brave with

and that I feel when it's when it's used

the right way in a story, it's

important. Mhm. So, I've always just

like done the simulated sex scene, but

now with the int the intimacy

coordinator was like, "Do you want a

Pilates ball between you guys for the

thrusting

movement just to get some core workout

in?" And I was like, "What?" But then

we're going to be like so far away from

each other and I was not and we didn't

end up using that.

But a lot of it also is like there are

times when I've done a sex scene where

I'm by myself cuz I'm only in the frame.

So I'm just like like gyrating on my own

and a tennis ball off camera. Yeah.

Exactly.

Or like slamming myself into a

[Laughter]

headboard and then on the other side of

the camera is like just a bunch of crew

guys. Just a bunch of dudes. Yeah. with

their heads down. Okay, but I'm going to

ask you a bunch of things very quickly.

This is like a speed round and I want

you to tell me your thoughts. Okay,

Tokyo has woken up. Oh, wait. Tokyo's

coming. Oh, hi.

Okay. Um, Olivia Coleman, the best human

on the planet on the planet. Yes, that

the the film you guys did together was

isn't so good. Lost so great. She's

amazing. Just seems smart and funny. She

is the funniest person and so much fun.

Yeah. So much fun. Okay. Um, and you

love reading. I love reading. I do too.

How do you have a number of books you

try to read a year? Like do you try My

bedside table right now is maybe 27

books. It's ridiculous. It they're just

piles and piles of books that I'm trying

to get through. A lot of them are like

therapy books and then Stop it. Um, and

then

I'm fired. I don't work for you anymore.

I mean, this is exact. I mean, this is

what always happens, right? Is like

animals are super cute and

then they're animals. They can't help

it. I mean, look how cute this dog is. I

think you should get a puppy.

Absolutely.

No. Done.

And then, oh, Tokyo, you are very cute

though. You're very cute. I talked to

you about Olivia Coleman. I have I have

written down here work life

balance. Right now, I'm just scratching

Tokyo. Okay, this dog is winning me

over. This This dog is really nice. I

know.

She's very nice. Go wee weeze. Don't

tell her to go wee wee wee on.

[Laughter]

Um, what are you listening to right now?

Watching uh checking out. That's like

when you want to check out and laugh,

what do you where do you go? What do you

listen to? This is a very weird thing

that I've been doing. Great. Love it. I

don't watch reality television. Same. I

barely watch it. But I have found a show

called Farmer Wants a Wife.

[Music]

Have you heard of it? No. Oh my god.

It's a nightmare. Please tell me. It's a

nightmare. A farmer like scrolls through

a list of women and picks eight of them.

They all come. There's four farmers.

Okay. Eight women per farmer. Eight

women per farmer. Yes. Then they go on a

The odds are stacked. 10 minutes per

woman. Okay. And do they speed date on a

farm or in like a studio? in like a far

in like a barn set. Yeah. And then they

see if they have a connection and then

he has to choose five women to bring

back to his farm and date them all for 6

weeks. Oh my god. It's insane. First of

all, I'm just horrified by the amount he

gets to pick from. He gets to pick from

five. It's ridiculous. And do they And

is a lot of his choosing about what kind

of like how is she going to help me with

the farm? That's the crazy thing is he

makes them do a lot of manual labor.

This is nuts. And I'm like, what is

going on? Well, he wants a wife. Farmer

wants a wife. Farmer wants a wife. And

they're like, you know, I really like

that she's from the city, but I don't

know how she'll do out on the

tractor. So, I don't know what accent

that was. I don't know where that

farmer's from. Reminds me your dialect

coach back your 9-year-old to call her

up. Yeah. Whoa. Okay. And what do you

like about watching it? Are do you like

cuz you're outraged by it or Yeah. And I

can't stop. I feel really uncomfortable.

Like deeply uncomfortable,

but then I keep going. And do you get

invested like who is he going to pick?

Yeah. And is there ever been drama

between the girls? Of course. Yeah. Do

they sabotage each other at all? Like

they definitely talk some [ __ ] and they

like gang up on each other and some of

them are just they're just nuts. Yeah.

And some of them are like I'm like, "Oh,

they'd be a good match. They really get

along. Do you ever get a vibe like,

"Wow, they're going to be together."

Like sometimes like it's a good it's a

good match. Yeah. Farmer wants a wife.

Okay, Dakota, thank you so much for

doing this. Thanks for having me. Thank

you for coming on your first podcast.

That means a lot. You are so great and I

just so appreciate you coming. Thank you

for having me. And Tokyo, thank you for

coming. You're our one and only dog.

Because we have to put a sign up outside

after this. This is

She is. I'm so There's a lot going on.

Um, girl, Dakota, thank you again. Thank

you. I loved spending the day with you.

Thank you. Loved it. Yay. Let's do it

every day. Woohoo.

Okay, that was really that was a great

interview. Dakota is so fun and funny

and she did bring a dog. And I just I I

I just want to say I love animals. I

think you should adopt animals from

shelters. I had a dog for a long time.

So, don't let my uh resistance to having

a dog on the podcast lead you astray.

And speaking of strays, there's a lot of

strays to adopt.

Um, so please adopt an animal today. Um,

but maybe just check with your boss

about whether or not you should bring

that animal to work. Um, because you

know, the answer might be no. Um, but uh

just please no. I just love

animals

and and Tokyo, thank you for coming on

the podcast and um we'll check in with

you next time.

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

Spelain, Kaia McMullen, and Aia Xenerys.

For Paperkite production by Sam Green,

Joel Levelvel, and Jenna Weiss Berman.

Original music by Amy Miles.

Good. Hey.