Greta Lee

25:43Well, that's one way to put it. Why? Mariska's too damn sexy. Because I get worried about, like, is it going to be—is a girl going to be in the door? Is she hanging from the pole? Okay, so— It's a lot. what i was in the incest i knew it i knew it i was so afraid to ask it was such good residuals i'm not so upsetting it did so well oh god wait okay so you were that is the thing i wanted the young version of me wants to be an sbu or a law and order but you okay it's a really big deal but so imagine though that's my first job right sure and i comb my parents, immigrant parents. And I'm like, I did it.

26:31Oh my gosh. Okay, it's airing this time. They, and they - You didn't tell them what it was. No, I'm not going to tell them. But I'm like, okay. I don't know what, I don't know what they thought. What do you remember about shooting that with Mariska and team? Were you - Oh, just, I was like, terrible. Like, you know, the bells are like, meh, meh. Like, I had no idea what I was doing. People don't know that sometimes when you're in like a big studio, before they start the scene. They like ring this giant scary bell. Like a tornado's coming. Yeah. And instead of ducking and hiding or running, you're supposed to act.

27:08Yeah, and they're like, now go cry. Yeah, exactly. So crazy. Did you have to cry? What did I have to do? Oh, no, I had to, I was the roommate of the victim. Okay, that's better. So I wasn't participating in the incident. Thank God. Great. Right. So you just were around. You were like, I don't even know. I didn't do it. Kind of. Kind of. Oh, man. You were like, I don't know. She was here last Tuesday night and then she wasn't. Yeah. All right. Putnam Spelling Bee is the next big job. Yeah. What is it like to do shows? How did you, I mean, you're a young person at the time. But what did you do to prep and get ready?

27:48I'm always very curious about people that are on Broadway. Yeah. The, um, seven shows or eight shows a week. Um, I don't know. I think there are a lot of things happening. Cause I also, I had graduated from Northwestern, which was, um, a big 10 school. Like it was an incredible theater program and all of that, but it's also a big 10 school. So I learned how to like do like a keg stand and made all kinds of friends from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and it was very formative. And I kind of then was bringing that sort of like, oh, I'm going to like move to New York City and become an artist and live like a Sex and the City fantasy.

28:29But I had a very intense full-time job and you kind of, it takes so much discipline. And I think that, you know, it was hard. I bet. I was 21. I was 21, 22, trying to figure out how to be a responsible professional, show up on time. Yeah. You know, every time. Right. But you're on the West End. I want to ask you about Mark Rylance. Yes. I love him. He's an incredible actor. Yes, he is. Yes. That whole experience was also very unique, very special. We did a play called La Bette. It was set in 16th century France, and it was in iambic pentameter. My character only spoke in words that rhymed with blue.

29:15oh dear well you say oh dear yeah oh dear is right that would definitely be one of those things that i would show up and i'd be like oh man i wish i knew this no i think you would be like yes really i'd be doing you would okay cool but this is like when i guess in talking about this i'm like god life is long i'm like i wow there's like so much stuff people have no idea about. But you have had an amazing, interesting bunch of jobs. You have, you have toggled between very dramatic and very comedic, which few people can do well. And you have gone back and forth and back and forth. I don't know why.

29:54Well, cause you're tiring. You're really good at both. Stop being so good at both. Stop being good at both. I mean, I'm always worried that we're going to lose you because you're so naturally funny that you are going to lose me into my garden. I'm going to go in there and never come back. You're going to make jokes to the eggplant. They're going to get bigger and bigger. I'm going to be kind of that. Yeah. Um, no, I'm, I'm afraid we're going to lose you to like the drama world and. Oh, you won't. Okay. All right. Whatever. No. Okay. So then, um, here's something fun. Okay. You and I have something in common that I don't think we ever talked about, which is that we both worked in restaurants.

30:35Yeah. And And I do think there is like a very specific type of person that works in restaurants, especially like New York-y restaurants. And you're younger than me, but I imagine we at the same time in our lives worked in like kind of like fancy restaurants in New York. So we do something on the podcast where we ask a friend or someone to speak well behind your back and give me a question. We talked to Allison Roman today. Oh, my goodness. Yes. Oh, my gosh. You're a Brooklyn buddy. Yes. Yes. And she was with her cat, Leonard. And we were talking about, she was talking about so many things that she loves about you, your ease as a person and as a host, your incredible style, and like how you don't make anybody feel bad that you're the prettiest, coolest person.

31:25You never make us feel bad about it, which thank you, Greta. And also just your work ethic, Like how you have this way of kind of getting things done that feels like somebody who used to work in the restaurant. Because you were working with her, right? Where were you guys working together? We were working for David Chang at the Momofuku restaurants. What was that like? That was a hot restaurant. It was fucking crazy. It was so fucking crazy. Crazy. So hard. So hard. So hard. so so hard yeah but at that time in new york though it's like what year was that um from like 2007 2008 to i don't know i mean i was there on and off for a good five years maybe more yeah like i'd go do a job i'd book something and think like oh goodbye i'd have like a big goodbye like i'm never coming back yeah like and then see ya like oh and like pick up the tab you know Oh, my God.

32:31My friends who worked in finance, I'd like book like one, one commercial and be like, I got this. I got these buddies. Don't even worry about it. And then just come crawling back. Yeah. But that time for food was really exciting. I bet. Because it was like David Chang. And we're friends now. We have kids the same age. And, you know, we live really, really close. And we have mutual friends. And it's funny reminiscing about that time collectively because there's just, it's like chefs were rock stars. And being a part of that was really exciting for all of us. What's it like working at like a restaurant that is so hot, you know, that everybody wants to get to?

33:09What was the, what was it like? I was so powerful. Yeah. I was a hostess. I was like basically encouraged to be mean. So great. Incredible. Yeah. Okay, as a past hostess of a very fancy restaurant, what would you say to people never works? Oh. You know what I mean? Like when would people get, you know, what would they do that you'd be like, absolutely not? The culture was different then. And you would easily tell someone, okay, it's going to be four hours. that's not even within like a meal a stretch of a meal time like four out like dinner time is over like if if you're starting four hours is crazy four hours to get seated or four hours to eat four hours to get seated like wait time to like to tell someone like and they're like thank you mistress may i have another yeah do i just wait over here or do i like do you want my phone number I'm like, no, go away.

34:12That's what that means. Yeah, four hours means it's not happening. Yeah, it's not happening. Did you ever have people try to slip you cash? Yeah. And did they ever like try to like throw like fancy names around? Like, yes, but that I, I think that that restaurant, though, I don't know where you worked. That was really discouraged. So it was helpful. Like that just wouldn't work. Sure. I mean, I feel like when I was waiting tables, there was, there was definitely a vibe of like a. a finance vibe, I guess is the only way to say it. Where, and let's be honest, it was finance bros who were like, I'm willing to spend a lot of money here.

34:50Like that was the vibe. Like, I know you might have a system and reservations. Yes. But I'm very rich. Yes. I know. Like, I'm going to have so many oysters. Where did you work? I worked at a place called Aqua Grill. Oh my God. Do you remember it? Yeah, girl. Rest in peace. Oh, my gosh. Yes. You were one of those bitches. Oh, I see it now. Yeah, it was Soho. We were like a Soho gang. Yes. Congratulations. And it was very, like, seafood forward. A lot of oysters. Do you have to wear, like, a pressed shirt? A button down? Yeah, I had to wear a button down. Okay. And a button down and I think it was a maroon apron.

35:32Oh, wow. Remember maroon was really big? Yes, I do. So, Allison's question. Sorry. So, let me get back to Allison. So Allison's question was a really good one, I thought, which was like, what have you held on to from your restaurant days? Like, how does it help you as an actor? Does it? Do you think about any of that? Like, is there any connection to what you do now? I think like, you know, the expression being in the weeds, what that can feel like and like the crush of it and how exhausting it is. And I feel like that part that, I don't know, that kind of like, like multitasking, extreme multitasking.

36:13Yeah. What we do. Yeah. I was like thinking about like something I shot where I was drowning. Oh my God. Acting. Acting is so weird. So weird. Why do we do it? I don't know. I hate it. I hate it too. Oh God. So why did you have to drown? And is this recent? Yeah. Well, okay. So you were drowning. It's not for Toy Story. It's in that other movie. Spoiler alert. But did you know, Amy, that acting like you're drowning for something is just drowning? I can't. Did you know that? This is why you shouldn't do drama. Don't do it. There's no reason. Don't do it. It's not worth it. And even getting in water.

36:55Absolutely not. No. No swimming. Nothing. No. So, yeah, right. They're like, okay, so do the fake drowning. Yeah. It's like, okay, I guess it's the swallowing water. You have to choke and you have to, and when it's really good, they don't know if you're acting or if you're dying. How are they going to know that? And they tell you things like, well, you give them the signal, the hand signal. But if you're dying, how are you going to give the signal? Yeah, you can't give them the signal because it really breaks the mood. It does. It breaks the mood. Yeah. And also you want to be good. so inherently I guess if you're like oh turns out maybe you don't but if you are successful enough at the drown then you it's impossible to distinguish between real and not you know well this goes under a thing I like to say don't be good at things you don't want to do right so if you're good at the drown you're going to get asked to do it again so be careful because if if that scene is There is a lot of it.

38:01Yeah, and they're going to be like, let's get Greta. She's good. She's good. You have to get scuba certified. Oh, my God. No scuba. No scuba. People should not scuba. Sorry, I have a lot of hot takes today. But scuba, absolutely not.

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41:20Okay, you have two boys. Yeah. And I'm the mother of two boys. Mm-hmm. And they are how old? Okay, let's see. Apollo is nine now, and Raf just turned seven. So having a seven and nine-year-old, those are kind of delicious times for boys. What's it like being the mom of boys? I'm obsessed with them. Yeah. Oh, God. Yeah. I love them so much. Yeah. Ugh, it's so annoying. Yeah. They're your little husbands. They are. They're my little husbands. Oh, yeah. Okay. No, they're better than husbands. That's too weird, right? Yeah, it's scary. They're your best friends. They're your best friends slash son husbands.

42:03No, let's get it right. How have you changed from being, like, because you're a mom now? What's different? I mean, everything's changed. Everything's changed. I, God. I'm also a boy mom and I think that is specific and I never like thought about that one way or the other and I look at other moms who are not boy moms I'm like oh okay let's talk about it because I also am a boy mom yeah wait how old are yours my guys are getting old they're like 15 almost 16 and 17 no yeah they're oh no 15 and 17 they're like yes I know they're like driving and out in the world and oh god i know and almost voting and um but you i want to talk about it because you know there's a joke about boy mom but there is something very interesting about wait what's a joke about boy mom well the joke is kind of that boy moms are are i guess like a little more worn down because you know not all boys of course but and not all people kids that identify as male, but in general, you have to play.

43:13Yes. There's a lot of play. Yes. Why do you think I'm so tan? You're just always outside playing. I'm just outside. I'm like running on the bicycle. That's what I mean. I'm like, I'm doing stuff. I know. With the boys. I know. You're like, it's always like camp. It's like, let's go run them out. Yeah. Let's go. Every day. Yeah. You You got to run. I'm like dogs. You do. Yeah. And, yeah, because, and I'm also talking about how much I want them to be outside and how much I want them to be in their bodies. And so what does that mean? I have to be outside. Like, I want them to play soccer. I'm playing soccer.

43:51I know. Like, I want them to, I'm doing all of it. Do you like doing it? Are you an athletic person? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I do like it. Yeah. Did you play sports and, like, what was your sport? I did. I was like, I'm such an actor. I was always like good enough. I'm really good at faking it. Oh my God, me too. You know what I mean? I was good with chatter. Yeah. Like I wouldn't really quite have the athletic thing, but I was really good at the talk. Yeah. Same. Yeah. But sometimes I get it wrong and the kids are like, what are you doing? Like, what are you fast? Do you run? Yeah. I knew it. Incredible.

44:26I know. But again, had to do that for a movie. Oh God, that's right. Don't do it. Don't run in a movie. Don't worry. Nobody's going to ask me to run for a movie. It is so hard. It's so, so hard. Running is... It is so hard. You run... It's bad for you. It's actually bad for you. I absolutely agree. Yeah. I had to run in something where... What did you have to run in? For Tron. I had to pretend that I was going to be killed if I didn't run for my life. Okay? Oh, my God. If you think about that movie and you think about like the end, like, no, I'm going to say like half of that movie, my character is running for her life.

45:09And I'm not like, you just have to sprint. There's no way to train for that. And my character isn't a marathon runner. So it doesn't justify me. Like, it's just like me in this state, then suddenly running like, I don't know, like 13 miles, like in one, you know, a night shoot where I'm just. What? I broke. Yeah. Again, I was like, why am I doing this? You ran 13 miles? I measured. And yeah, with, I forgot how many takes we did where this one, yeah, this is a shot where I was like running along the length of a pier and they had to bring in the, we shut down production because the next day I took one step and I couldn't, I couldn't walk.

45:50Of course. Yeah. Of course. Because you basically ran a half marathon without any training. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I train, I train, I train, but I didn't train in the right way. I mean, I didn't know how, like, I didn't know how. I remember doing, um, Blades of Glory, this ice skating movie. And the, we had an incredible, like ice dancing coach who like was in the Olympics and she would just be teaching me. And I was like, I'm not going to be able to do this. Like I, I am an actor. I will try my best, but there's, I can't learn how to do this. to be an ice dancer. I don't. If you gave me 15 years.

46:32If you gave me all the money in the world. Like we're going to have to. We're going to work around this. So you would just tell her this and then what would she say? Well, really good coaches. You know, they just are like they're like, yeah, but you got this. And I'm like, I do not have this. And to your point about the chatter, I would we would have our like workouts, which I dreaded, even though she was so wonderful. And I learned, I was like, oh, you know what? If I get a little coffee in her and ask her a couple of questions, I can burn some of this time because we only had an hour. So I would buy her coffee and we'd sit.

47:12And I remember she would sit in front of the clock and we'd be right behind her and I'd be like, what is going on with your daughter? And she'd be like, okay, well, we have to get to work. But anyway, and she would, because I was like, please don't put me on the ice. Anyway. Yeah. Did you train? But you now run on your own in life. Okay, good. Thank God. God, don't run again. No. Don't ever run again. It's really bad for you. Don't do it. Okay. When I met you, you had done a bunch of TV. Like you said, you were on Red City. You were on Girls. You were doing a bunch of different things. And we worked together on a show called Old Soul with Natasha Lyonne, a pilot that did not get picked up.

47:54Right. And was, a basic idea was Natasha was kind of the youngest person in a group of very old people. And we gathered these incredible actors, Fred Willard, Richard Benjamin. Ellen Burstyn. Ellen Burstyn, Marla Gibbs, Rita Moreno. Yes. And it was a crazy cast, shot, not picked up. Yeah. Insane. Insane. What do you remember about this? Do you have any memories of that time? I remember Rita Moreno told me I was on my phone too much. It was so funny. Really wasn't. I still think about it. It's like one of those things that you just can't, I can't let go of that. Because I'm like, I was barely, and I'm not on social media now.

48:35Like I'm very, I don't consider myself to be addicted. I'm not. I wasn't. Well. But she told me I was. It's funny. I'm having a memory that I did a movie with Charles Grodin, a movie called The X, and he said, you're always on your phone. And I put my phone down. Like, I remember just being like, thank you for that feedback. But Rita. Rita. Gave it to you. Yeah. She did. Yeah. But she also, she, I think she had just written a book or I don't know. she was giving a lot of sort of like life advice and sort of her take on things. And it was so fun. Yeah, it was really fun to hang out with that crew.

49:17I remember it feeling like such a sure thing. I know. I know, right? Okay. And then we worked together on Sisters. Yes. Which is a movie for people. Paula Pell wrote it. Me and Tina were in it. It was a crazy talented cast, none of whom worked enough, in my opinion. It was like weeks and weeks. Why? How? It makes no sense. What was happening? I don't know. It was just like you and Kate McKinnon and Bobby Moynihan just like at craft service. Just like. Just there. So long. For so long. Because that sinkhole. Remember there was that soundstage. That's right. We had to be indoors. The house, like all the plants were dying.

50:03That's right. They were decomposing. Do you remember? Yeah, we had to build a sinkhole. That's right. It did start to smell. They built us, not you guys, but they built like Bobby, Kate, who else? John Glazer. Yeah. These little plywood cabins. Like little boxes to live in. They were like dog houses. To sit in? To sit. I don't know what they wanted us to do in them, but that's what we had. and we were inside. Get in the box. And we would just wait. Why were we there for so long? That movie took so long. It did. And also I can remember, because everybody on the, John Leguizamo, there were a lot of like very talented people on the movie.

50:49John Cena was there. John Cena. And Ike Barron holds, so many people. But I can remember, and when you're smart enough to be working for a long time, there's definitely a feeling when you walk into something and you're like, okay, we're going to be shooting at like a sinkhole for two weeks. Yeah. Where you start to angle, like, you're like, do I need, do you think my character is here? It needs to be here. Like, I wonder if she's already left the party. You are the sisters. Like, you are our sister. And you're like, could she have left the party? I feel like she's gone. And there was a couple moments where, like, camera was shooting this way and whoever was in the background was like, oh, my God.

51:28Samantha Bee was in the background. I was like, I'm going to be in the background of this shot for the next two weeks. Oh, but. So I apologize. Thank you. Thank you. I came here to accept this apology. Now I have it. But it's so nice, though, thinking about, I feel like that doesn't happen anymore. I know. No one would say yes to that anymore. Everyone would be like, what? Like, you actually can't. Everyone would be like, no, we have fought. Our unions have fought for you to not do that anymore. Our unions have fought against the wooden boxes. Um, no, but I remember, I remember that time when we got to improvise together and I feel like that scene that we got to do together is really funny.

52:08And I, but I, but I'm curious if you think it still holds up. Yeah. It does. Yeah, it does. I think it does too. Why? Because it's tricky territory. So there's a scene in the film where Greta's character is playing like who you, what you first think is like this kind of submissive, quiet, but like secretly angry. Nail technician. Nail technician who you think cannot speak English very well. And is just kind of like dealing with these ridiculous women. And my character is doing that like gross kind of liberal thing where she's trying to connect, like, tell me about you, you know, and how do you pronounce your name and all that stuff.

52:45And let me save you. Yes, exactly. Very white savior bullshit and we are doing it back and forth. And, but it does, it does walk a little bit of a line and it is the bigger question for me about like, in your career, I'm sure you've had to decide over and over again, do I want to play a character that could seem stereotypical? Do I want to, do I want to speak Korean in this part? Do I want to like, like, what has that been like for you to have to try to figure that out. Everybody has to kind of figure out how they're going to exploit what they naturally know how to do at the beginning of their career, but it's not always based on their ethnicity.

53:26So like, how do you, how do you juggle that or manage that or have you? It's annoying. It's annoying to navigate. But with that, that was an easy decision for me because, and I, and I understand the kind of the conversation around it and what was tricky to navigate. Um, but it's just, it's people like I, I have so much love for Hewon because like, I know that chick. I know her. I know her so deep. And I, some of my funniest experiences, um, at nail salons, I was Maura. I, you know, it was, it's switched. And I think that scene also works because, you know, status is inverted. And I think that it's easy to assume.

54:19And I think it's easy to assume if you are not in the marginalized position to assume like, oh no, like this is, this is hurtful or this is. But I think when you're looking at people and for me in that moment, it, she is in total control. Yeah. So funny. And I've been in that situation at the nail salon. That's the thing about comedy. It's tricky, right? It's like, if it's funny, then there's something that's striking the right chord, but you can't always figure out what it is. And it's not funny unless it's true. And there's something about that that was very true. And I I felt like what we were doing and what the opportunity was, was a chance to play something that rang very true for me.

55:10And I could see, I knew it was going to be funny. I knew she was going to be funny. And there were many opportunities for her to come alive and like, yeah, be a person. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then you play someone completely different in Russian Doll. Yeah. play this like beautiful kind of like sweet birthday baby uh let's get ready to party like the the version of like who you want to have greet you at the door like the ultimate hostess yeah and also just this kind of like lost but free spirit like so aspirational this woman what was your experience like on Russian Doll what is it like to say a line over and over again and like for that line to become so iconic and like also to be on a show that was such a hit.

56:00Yeah. How wild was that? I mean, well, you know that first I said no. Yeah. I was like, there's no way I was, I just felt like, I don't know how to do this. I don't know how to say. Do you remember why you said no? Yeah. It was like, I don't know how to say the same line again and again. Yeah. I asked you guys, I said, can we just shoot it once and you can reuse that? Right. And you said no. Right. So for people who don't know, I produced Russian Doll along with Natasha and Leslie Hedlund. And we were talking about Greta's character specifically being like this reset. You are the reset. You're kind of home for that character.

56:40You really are a safe person. You play us, even though you play this twinkly, sparkly, like adventure, crazy lady, you are safe. Yes. and they're with the chicken and it's like, yeah. So you have to do the same line over and over again because in the show they start over and over again and it's kind of like Natasha's character has to reset. So how did, what was it like to do it? Was it like, did you get into it? Well, I said the line, I think that way once and then I realized that was the way I had to say it every single time. And I can't say it felt like I had landed like the perfect way I wanted to say it.

57:25It was already done. Like I was like, that's, that's the one. Okay. Great. Moving on. Let's get her in. Let's get her. Let's get to her drowning. Yep. Okay, good. Let's get to the drowning scene. Start running. Okay, moving on. Yeah. But you know, that, I love acting with Natasha. Yeah. My buddy Tosh. Yeah. And it's been some time, but there is this thing with her where I feel it feels different for me than other people that I've acted with. There's something that happens when I act with her. And that was true for Russian Doll, too. because it's not I can't say that there I could lie and tell you that I came up with some like insane backstory and boarded like each time we went back but it wasn't it wasn't that it was just about friendship yeah and like it's just like a connection that you have with someone and Natasha over the years I just like she's just one of those people that I had like a very instant connection with.

58:33And you just look into those huge fucking eyes and you are just so locked in and, and it's just, it's so nice. Yeah. It's, it's, I think it's what anchored that show was the genuine chemistry between the two of you. Cause you would work together. You really had such great respect for each other. You work so well together. And that show is about like, who, who is, who are my chosen family? Who are the people that are going to be like at my birthday party, saving me from myself. Yeah. Like, who are they going to be? Yeah. And you can't really fake that. And you definitely had that. Yeah. Okay. But now I'm moving on to drink.

59:18Isn't it weird that I'm drinking Diet Coke, honestly? Like, I feel like— No, I do— Does it look like I'm— You are the first guest to have a soda. And it is in a clear glass, which we probably forced you to do. Yeah. You know what? I'm so tired. I'm just tired. Now, is that a straight-up Coke or a diet? It's a diet Coke. I mean, that's what was available. Yeah. You're not going to get any judgment here. Sometimes you need a soda. Like a little soda. Yeah. Are you a coffee drinker? Yeah. And why are you so tired? Too personal? No, I mean. What's going on with your sleep? Let's get to it. God. I know.

59:54All right. Look, I was like, I don't want to talk about perimenopause because this is like all in I know, dude. I just talked about my frozen shoulder. Your frozen shoulder. Which one is frozen? See, I brought it up again. I said to Jenna. Yeah. I was like, I'm not. I said, I'm like, not going to talk about it. Because it's like, it makes me feel so old. And women out there are suffering. You're not old. You're beautiful. But I am an old, old crone. I'm an old crony witch who can't lift her arm. I'm trailing behind you. I'm right there. Left. Left shoulder. Millennials are just getting old. And I'm here to tell you as Gen X.

1:00:29Yeah. First of all, welcome. Like we welcome you. Like coming on the other side of it is not bad. It's actually kind of nice to not be young, like considered young. It's kind of nice. But you have a frozen shoulder. But it's a nightmare for the body. It's a nightmare for the body. Every day. No. The body. I know. It's happening. I don't know. I don't actually drink soda. I am today. You know what I mean? Do you remember when we were kids and you're like, yeah, you're like, whatever it takes. Let's try it. Um, what is your sleep, uh, routine? What do you like to do? Like, how do you talk to me about your nighttime?

1:01:06My nighttime? Well, when I'm home, right. And I'm too much travel. Yeah. Too much travel. What? Yeah. Yeah. Traveling for work. Oh yeah. The travel. Yes. Yeah. Too much. Like, oh my God. I was in Korea two weeks, two weeks ago. Three weeks ago. This is why you're so tired. But yeah. But what were you doing in Korea? I was, it was a film festival. Well, speaking of Korea and thank you for that transition. Past lives. Yeah. what Greta yes I believe I may have texted you I think you did I I mean that movie is spectacular your performance in it everyone's performance in it Celine is so beautifully directed yeah it's just like we were talking about it earlier today in anticipation of this and we were just talking about like the meditative quality of it the the rhythm of it like the music of it.

1:01:55It's like everyone is watching and being watched at different times. It's this beautiful triangle. The actors are so great. You are so good in it. It must feel so wonderful to be in such a good movie.

1:02:15Does it?

1:02:20It feels so good. It must. It feels so good. It's so good. It feels good to be in a good mood.

1:02:32It feels really good. You want it all the time. That's what you want. I know. Your performance in it is so beautiful. All the awards. Thanks. And like, I know the award season is long over. That's been amazing. Did you win? I don't even know. Did you win? Shit. No. I wasn't even nominated. What? In the end? Yeah, but you know, no one even knows that. No one knows. Yeah, no one knows. 100%. No one ever remembers who won. I couldn't have introduced you as Academy Award winner. No one would notice. I wouldn't have corrected you. No, no. That's bullshit. Of course. What is Celine like to work with?

1:03:15You know, it was her first movie. Crazy. I think it was her first time on A-set. Celine Song, the director of Past Lives. So was it just collaboration city there? Yeah, it was its own thing. Yeah. I'm never going to have anything like that. I felt like it's I felt like, oh, we're we're making something that is going to be something. You did. You felt it at the time. You could. You could feel that. And it felt very, yeah, extremely collaborative. She'd done a lot of theater and it was so personal. And it was just everyone was taking such a big risk to like, I had no idea if I was going to be able to act in Korean.

1:03:55Yeah. And also, I'd never been the number one in a movie on the call sheet ever before. I'd never done drama in that way. Like, I hadn't done realism. Okay, you'll understand this. I realized this instinct that I needed to turn off where I would improvise my face off. And I needed to turn, I needed to stop doing that. Yeah. Where I would fill the silence with jokes. Can you imagine past lives with like, what the hell, babe? Where'd you get that? Rustin dollars? Like, crazy. You speak in my language. And she'd be like, stop. Stop that. And you'd be like, what? Which is all such an immature response.

1:04:47Like, what? What? I'm not doing anything. the whole idea that the camera was going to stay on my face with nothing happening i it was like i could not handle it i could like i would i would be like cut cut we got it like what are you just long shots just looking out the window yes for so long yes it's that is thank you for sharing that because I so relate. Yeah. It is like my hardest thing to just be kind of like still in the moment. Yeah. Like you said, sit in the kind of like in-betweenness of it all. Right. And that film does that beautifully. Like you, that dreamy quality of the in-betweenness of everything.

1:05:37Whatever you had to adjust, you adjusted perfectly because it is so, I recommend to anybody who has not watched past lives, I mean it's my favorite kind of like melancholy nostalgic like kind of happy sad love dream and yes it was a side of you that I of course I knew that you had but I don't think a lot of people I got to see which is to your point the kind of like space yeah given to you and given to the project was really amazing yeah I think I could at one point I counted how many seconds was the longest number of seconds that I'd been in one take. Like literally for it to stay on my face for longer than, I think it was like a couple of minutes.

1:06:25Yeah. Which was really wild. Well, you know what? It makes me, it leads me to the question that I like, and I want to form the right question because it's the idea of being looked at and watched in general, even though we're in this profession and you would think we would be comfortable with it. but and yet what are we doing what am i but you are fashion like i know oh yeah you are a fashion icon greta i don't like you're basically a model i don't you were you're so you have the best clothes in the world you're incredible at posing thanks and there's something that comes over you yeah were you like acting it's acting it's like character acting.

1:07:12I think when ever since I was really little, I just wanted to be a male character actor. Like I wanted to be one of the guys. And I, and I think that posing on a red carpet is not close to like, you know, De Niro or like, but okay, I'm going to make a connection to De Niro is when I see you being like when, when we're all watching you on the, I'm just talking about like fashion carpet stuff. Cause it takes a certain, like, you have to kind of withstand the gaze, the male gaze usually, but just the general gaze that you have this very solid foundation in that moment that is very De Niro-esque, which is, it's very baller.

1:07:58Like you have a very like confident vibe and you know, you have great style and you know what you like to wear. I do. Where does that come from? I have great people working with me. Also, you're fucking Calvin Klein act. Jesus Christ. Oh, God. Oh, God. But, you know, in that running. But the abs, dude. The abs? Oh, God. I mean, I don't want to objectify you, but you. What? What is going on with your body? It's like, you're so ripped. I'm just. It was actually rude. It was actually rude for people. um okay okay um toy story five yes toy story five from calvin grind in toy story five um okay pixar yes is this your first time working with pixar yeah can you talk about the character you are in toy story five can we talk about it i play the villain the main new villain oh my god exciting I play an iPad.

1:09:08Her name is Lily pad. Oh, she's an iPad. Oh, wow. It was just fun. And the movie, the movie's so good. Oh, I bet. Really. Joan Cusack. Oh my God. I love her so much. What Joan does is just, I mean, oh my gosh. I think I cried six times during like a screening. It was really embarrassing. Like with her and Tim. And I was just crying. Oh God. I love a Pixar cry. There's like nothing like it. This is such a good, I think if you like past lives, you are going to love Toy Story 5. I'm serious. That's an incredible tagline. I'm serious. I'm serious. It's really good. It's Oh, I think I might be trying to put together what you're saying, but that sounds amazing.

1:10:01Yeah. Oh, wow. Speaking of Joan and things, people that we love and people who make us laugh, I always ask my guests, who are you listening to? What are you watching? What video, TV show, movie, what are you reading? Anything that you're doing right now to like laugh and enjoy. High low. Does not have to be fancy. Yeah. Okay. So. Are you ready? My, something that I literally just started watching is my friend sending me these YouTube stain removal videos. Okay. Let's talk a little bit about that. Okay. Yeah. So there's one guy in particular. I love stain removal. You love it too. Yeah. Yeah. All right.

1:10:44Here we go. Yeah. So check ink stain removal. Ink stain. Ink stain. Ink stain. I mean, let's start with the toughest ones. Ink stain is the toughest one. Okay. Let's see. Gentle, gentleman, gentleman's gazette. Okay. The right ways to remove ink stains. Okay. To remove ink stains. All right. So, uh. Gentleman's gazette. Greta's been watching the right way to remove ink stains. Here we go. Again, I have got to get my commercials off YouTube. I think actually YouTube reached out and offered to take them away. And I was like, I don't, this just seems too hard. What do you mean? Like, what do you mean?

1:11:31I got to get a new account. I mean, it just seems too much. Okay. Oh, cute. Yeah, right? Okay, so this is a nice gentleman named Preston. This is a stain removal emergency. Go to this time to see our tips. Isn't that nice? For everyone else, enjoy our standard intro. Yeah. Oh, so he tells you if it's an emergency, skip the intro. And he's going to tell you the first thing you need to do is make sure you get it off your hands. I love this guy already. He's treating us like we're idiots. But sometimes if you found your way to this video, then it's nice, isn't it? Really nice. And this is a condensed video.

1:12:12Now, Preston is pulling out a fountain pen, which... Right. Oh, you don't use a fountain pen. you only signed your contracts at the fountain yeah yeah yeah wait i know we're finishing up but are you gardening now are you getting into thanks for asking i am i'm getting into it i'm getting into it yeah i'm like what's going on what are you making um what are you what are you right now i've planted um uh some lettuces like easy like lettuces lettuce is hard is it hard Lettuce is hard. Lettuce is. Shit. Lettuce is the hardest. It looks so easy. It's already done. Take it out. Take it out? It's the hardest.

1:12:54Rip it out? Because it's too hot for lettuce here. Oh, dang. Because this is what happened. Oh, I'm not gardening here, honey. I'm gardening on the East Coast. Okay, good. Then you're fine. Here, no way. Disgusting. Rip it out. Rip out the lettuce here. No, no. I'm doing it on the East Coast. Okay, okay. But it's still going to be hot. Yeah. You're right. It does burn, doesn't it? And it bolts, it flowers because it's too hot. And then it gets bitter. I like that we're ending with gardening because you love gardening. I find it very gratifying. But now a lot of actors are doing it too. And I'm just like, oh, everyone's doing it.

1:13:33You're an actor. I am? Yeah, I am. We just found out. Oh, God. Academy Award winning actor. You heard it here first. That's right. That's right. Greta Lee. Yep. love you Greta I love you so much thank you so much for doing this thanks for having me here thank you for my beautiful gifts of bounty yes enjoy it and my gorgeous my gorgeous produce yeah you can't eat that avocado anytime soon I really need to start with my shoulder yeah thank you so much Greta Lee you are so funny and talented and beautiful and it's just such a pleasure to get to talk to you and um you know Greta has done so many things and worked with so many great people.

1:14:11And we talked a little bit about Joan Cusack today. So for this polar plunge, I just want to remind everybody yet again about the genius that is Joan Cusack. I mean, you know her from 16 Candles, from Working Girl, from School of Rock, High Fidelity, broadcast news. Do yourself a favor. Open up a bottle of wine and watch broadcast news tonight. Albert Brooks Holly Hunter Joan Cusack just film and comedy at its best so thank you Joan thank you Greta thank you all for listening and see you soon bye you've been listening to Good Hang the executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons Jenna Weiss-Berman and me Amy Poehler the show is produced by The Ringer and Paper Kite for The Ringer production by Jack Wilson Kat Spillane Kaya McMullen and Alaya Zanaris For Paper Kite, production by Sam Green, Joel Lovell, and Jenna Weiss-Berman.

1:15:10Original music by Amy Miles.

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