June Squibb

30:56What did you sing? Do you remember? Memories from Cats. Chris Colfer and I sang that. You guys are buddies. Yes, we are heavy duty buddies. And we did another, I can't even remember what numbers it was, but Memories was the big one that we had. What's so great about Chris? What do you love about Chris Colfer? Seems like a peach. Well, I met him on Glee and he had written the script and was doing the lead. And it was Peter Pan and I was playing Wendy. It's a whole story. But anyway, so we worked together so closely and I think we were shooting. It was big scenes. And I think we shot like a week and a half or two weeks.

31:42It was a long shoot. and I just sort of got to know him and liked him a lot and um so we we started then having dinner together and he has a great partner Will Sherrod who I adore too so it was just you know great fun what do you what do you get what do you learn from and get out of people who are younger than you because I mean as an older person I feel like what happens is people want to ask you for a lot of wisdom oh no no they know they're not going to get it so they don't they don't ask that at all for me in any way yeah and I feel like people really project on that on on people that are older that that they have something they want to share when in my my experience younger people teach me stuff all the time like I learn a lot from them what do you learn from people like Chris and your other I know you have a lot of younger friends yeah um I don't know I mean I I I just if I like someone I don't think I ever think in terms of how old they are you know if if I feel an affinity you know that there's something here that I want to to be more a part of you know yeah I mean why would I tell anyone what to do well because I I think people in their 90s are treated like astronauts i think people are like you you're you you got to go somewhere you're there and what are you bringing back like they i think people really you know i mean it's people you know we're all afraid to die mortality is the thing we're obsessed with and when people are in their 90s i think there's some uh people want to know the secret they want they think you've Put something in your pocket.

33:31Well, I don't think any of my friends feel that way. Let's just put it that way. We're sort of on an even keel, you know. Keep me happy or forget it. What age do you feel you are? 35. I always feel I'm 35. I don't know what I felt when I was younger than 35, but as I got older, I kept referring back to 35. I don't know why. I deeply remember my 35th birthday, too. Do you? Yeah. Where were you when you were 35? What year was that and where were you? Well, I was in New York. I don't know. I don't remember why 35 is so important. I think it's because I remember my mother at 35. There was something very grand about her at 35, which I did not always find as she got older or even younger than that.

34:27But somehow, my mother at 35 was great. I agree with you that when we meet people, I feel like we meet them, and we meet very old, wise 25-year-olds, and we meet really all over the place, hectic 95-year-olds. We meet all of those people. Age doesn't have a lot to do with where you're at. No, it really doesn't. Yeah.

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38:04It makes me think about what we're talking about kind of makes me think about what we worked on together, this film Inside Out, Inside Out 2, because it's kind of there's some themes in there, too, about the idea of time passing. And for people who haven't who haven't recognized June's voice yet as they've been listening to it, but you played Nostalgia. What I loved about Nostalgia when she comes in and she's drinking her tea is that it's kind of Buddhist what Nostalgia does. Because Nostalgia kind of says, remember, basically, remember when we were all getting along. But she keeps coming in during chaos to kick everybody back to, let's just take a minute and remember.

38:53Which is like, it feels very like, I don't know. But usually they keep pushing her out all the time. I know. It's kind of interesting why they don't want to get nostalgic in that moment. What is your relationship? Are you a nostalgic person? Not terribly. Yeah. I'm really not. Yeah. I've always been like, what's going to happen? Even as a young person, I was like that. Yeah, what's next? Yeah. Yeah. And do you think that's one of the reasons why you've worked so much and had such a long career as you've been thinking that way? I think it probably has a lot to do with a career, yeah. Yeah. And the working so much, I mean, you know, when I started out, I wouldn't have done anything.

39:39And I think you have to. I think when you're just starting, you know, either out here in Hollywood or in New York, wherever you are, or Chicago because there's a big group there, you have to do everything. You can't say no to anything because it's working, keeping that thing going that is going to save you. Well, I know you describe yourself as a character actor. And I love the way you talk about how you approach. You know, you've obviously done these amazing films in which you've led them and been number one on the call sheet and been nominated for awards. and you've done so much work where you have been part of an ensemble, part of a, like, and you talk a lot about how you treat them the same.

40:29I do. Yeah. Yeah. Why? Well, I, to be honest with you, I feel if I'm doing it, it's the most important thing in the film. I've always felt that. And that just carries through. I mean, you know, and I think, too, you know, you've seen films where somebody comes in and does one scene and you wow who's that I mean you just don't know yeah and and I just I like the work I enjoy doing what you do to get get it up there on the screen when you worked on your performances in about Schmidt and Nebraska are so good your Thelma is so great you and Fred are so great in that together and then Eleanor the Great when you work on films like that with directors like and you've got you you've memorized your script do you like to come in feeling like you know who you are already or are you are you hoping that that gets kind of shaped as you're working I think it's more shaped as as it goes on you know And I think I know a lot, but I also work with no idea of what I'm going to do.

41:48I have none. Yeah. So what happens is what happens hits me, and then that's how I react. Who are some of your favorite scene partners, people where you felt like you were in the scene with them and there was a vibe that was really working? Well, Richard Rowntree and Fred in Thelma. I think they were both kind of amazing. And Eleanor, Aaron as the young girl. We have so much together. And, well, Jack Nicholson. I mean, he was so great and so wonderful to work with. And he always made me feel like a peer. He never once. Well, he better. You are a beer. Well, but, you know, I came in and he could so easily have been, I'm Jack Nicholson and you're not, you know, that one of those.

42:47Yeah. And he never, ever. I love to hear that. I appreciate that so much with him. Love to hear that. did you ever have a young actor in their first role or film and you thought oh they're very good and then see them you know ascend over like do does anyone come to mind uh i did scent of a woman and oh god what is his name we can look it up we've got al pacino chris o'donnell Philip Seymour Hoffman. Philip. Wow. It was so funny because I had a scene with both Chris and Philip, and I came home and I said, boy, I just worked with this young kid, and he is going to be so big. I said, this kid's going to be a star.

43:39I knew it immediately, and I really don't do that very often. I mean, I don't sense that. What did you remember seeing in him? I don't know what it was. There was something about him, and he was never, like, standing out. He was always a part of. He and Chris, he and the other boys, you know, this. I mean, he didn't push anything. He was amazing. But you knew, I knew just the minute I worked with him. He was such a talented actor. Oh, God, yes. Did you get to work with him again? No, I never did. They used to tease me because my character's name was Hunsacker, so they called me the Hun. And they would tease me all the time.

44:25And we lived in this motel, all of us, because we were shooting outside of New York. And he and Chris constantly were trying to get me to go have booze and beer in the bar downstairs. And I would go once or twice, but I was a big Knicks fan. And so I would sit there watching the Knicks and they'd be up at the bar drinking. Yeah. Are you a basketball fan? I am. Are you a big sports fan in general? Not hugely. I played basketball in high school and I loved it. And I started watching the Knicks when I lived in New York. Were you a guard? I mean, you don't have the height. I was a guard. I was a guard.

45:10We don't have the height. I could have stopped anything. I was really good at it. That's cool. Yeah. Wow. And were you a sporty kid? Yeah. I ran. I was a pretty good runner. And the tumbling, you know, that you do in the gym. I was a cheerleader. You had to be sort of sporty for that. Yeah. And a drum majorette. Yeah. And they're all sort of sporty. It's more or less. And like in your, you know, 70s, 80s and 90s, what do you how do you stay? I mean, you're very physically fit. What do you do? I do Pilates once a week for an hour. On the reformer? Some. Some on that, but some just stretching and weight stuff.

46:01Yeah. I have two different massagers, masseuses. and I try to walk. I try not to just sit all the time. Now you have a, we spoke a little bit about your late husband who was an acting teacher and who taught, I thought this was really wonderful, taught, worked with Margot Martindale's husband and you and Margot were neighbors. Neighbors, yeah. And still remain very good friends and Margot is such a terrific actress. Oh, she's heaven. And is this a true story that she got the script for? Nebraska. Yes, it is true. What's that story? I was coming out of my apartment, and she was coming out of hers, and she said, Hey, she said, Have you heard about this new film, Nebraska?

46:52And I said, No. And she said, You've got to tell your agents about it. She said, You should be doing this role. And she said, they sent it to me, but she said, I'm too young. She said, I really am too young. And she said, it's a wonderful role. So that sort of started it. And so I talked to my agents about it, and they kept up. And since I had already done About Schmidt with Alexander, and the thing was that they didn't, Alexander and the casting director, both thought I was wrong for Nebraska. And I said, they think I'm that little lady from about Schmidt. And that's exactly what it was. And my agents kept at them to the point where they finally said, have her send, you know, we'll send the script or send some scenes and have her send a tape in.

47:53So that's what happened. Wow. And Alexander again said, And the minute I saw it, I knew you should do it. But he said it was so funny because for About Schmidt, he had cast it from somebody out here. And I was in New York, and my agents kept pushing me, pushing me. Finally, they again said, just tell her to send a tape in. I'm sure they thought that would be the—and Alexander told me, he said, I saw that tape and knew you had to do it. well we do this thing on this podcast where we have people talk to me before i talk to the guest and give me a question to ask and we kind of try to talk well behind people's back so i was talking with will forte earlier isn't he i adore him and he and he adores you yes and he was on set of a new movie in a trailer and we got him on zoom to um to tell us what it was like working with you And then just to give you a question, to give me a question to ask you, what was it like working with Will?

48:59Oh, he's great. And he was so scared because, you know, he kept saying, I'm a comic, I'm a comic. And we all, no, you're an actor now, Will. Just shut up and do it, you know. And so that, you know, he was wonderful. He was so great. And then he went to Cannes the first time I went, he and I and Bruce Dern. Yeah. What was it like working with Bruce? Oh, Bruce is great. This is one hell of an actor. He really is a great actor. Yeah. You guys were great together. Yeah. So Will wanted me to ask you, this was his question for you, and he wanted me to tell you, June, I love you. I love everything about you.

49:43What is your favorite food, and could you tell us about it in song?

49:54So no pressure, June. Well, my favorite food are papoosas.

50:05I have a cook who's from one of the islands that her mother makes papoosas for me all the time. Sounds like a good title of a song. Let me see. Papoosas. Papoosas. who says I love you. Yes! There, Will Forte. One of the lost songs from South Pacific.

50:34That's beautiful. That's like the new Peaches song that Jack Black sang. So the other thing I wanted to ask you about is I'm the mother of boys. You have a son, and he is in the business too, right? Writer, director. What was it like, you know, you were a working mother in the 70s. What was it like being a working mother in the 70s? It's much different. He was born in 70s. He was born in 70s. So, yeah, so 80s, I guess. The 80s. What was it like? Well, by then, he was, I think, in high school. So, he was pretty, you know, in New York. He was pretty loose. Oh, yeah, you guys were in New York. Yeah.

51:15Yeah. Do you ever work together? Do you? Yes, I did some films for him. I did in New York and out here, both. And gosh, he was, I don't know, it was just a little family of three. Yeah. And I went off, but he had his dad there always. And your ex-husband Charles was an acting teacher. Did you work with him on your stuff? That must have been really interesting. What did you learn from him? Well, everything. truly because you know my work as a as a performer really in musicals I mean I considered myself pretty realistic and I was considered one of the more realistic actors doing musical theater but Charlie when I met him and we met doing a musical in stock and he said you could be a really fine actress if you really do what you were doing.

52:17And he was right. I mean, and I remember going into his class and it was hard because, I mean, it was like tearing down everything that I believed or thought I was doing, you know, and to put something else in there. And I was crying and he was yelling at me and all the kids in the class were laughing. They thought, oh, this is pretty funny. So we went through this awful screaming and yelling and everything. But I mean, truly, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing if it were not for him. Well, honestly, it seems very passionate. It was. I mean, he was determined, almost more determined than I was to do it.

52:59He was determined I was going to do it. That must have been nice to have someone in your corner like that. And it was interesting because we worked together then for years, and I was auditioning for a regional theater, a script that I liked a lot and wanted to do. And he always helped me at home. And I said, you know, I have this audition. He said, I'm not going to help you. And I said, no, I need help. And he said, no, you know what you're doing. and you do it. This is very exciting foreplay that you're talking about. And yeah, and no, no, it wasn't. It was like, you know, but we kept, and then I got the role and I said, you've got to help me.

53:46Yeah. He refused again. He died about six months later. Wow. And do you think he knew? I think he knew somehow that he had to like push me out or out of the nest is what he did. Wow, June. That's wild. He probably maybe sensed something? I think so. So do you feel like in the early days you were kind of dependent on his— Oh, very much so. Yeah, I couldn't—I felt, you know, I couldn't do it if he didn't help me, set me straight. Yeah. And he just—and that was—he just refused. And he never once helped me after that. And how old were you when he passed? 99. 1999. Right, so— How old was I? I have no idea.

54:34I mean, I can't do that math. Let's not do it. Let's not even try it. That's outrageous. And did you ever consider dating or did you date after that? I did date a little bit, but I dated a little bit in New York and I dated some out here. What's dating like in your 80s? Not very interesting.

54:59It really wasn't. Yeah. You know, nobody came along that really excited me. And I was working all the time, you know, so it just sort of went by the wayside. Well, you know, and I mean, do you feel like what, like, I ask a lot of my guests this, but you have friendships now, especially female friendships that probably, you know, they span many decades. What do they continue to do for you, even, you know, into your 90s? Well, I think mentally, I think without them, I would, you know, I need that, I think. Yeah. The mental push, the mental excitement. Yeah, yeah. And someone who kind of knows your story.

55:44Yeah. Yeah, yeah. And we still, I mean, I have two female friends that I'm very, very close to. And I see them all the time, so it's great. Yeah. what are you what are you doing right now what do you listen to watch read that makes you laugh you know when you want to laugh when you want to check out well I watch Saturday Night Live for one day oh yes every week not every week but a lot so good who are some of your fave performers on that show right now uh I love Colin I mean I just think he's he and Michael together just knocked me out. But so you like sketch comedy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I did it, you know.

56:31Yeah. So I really sort of, I have a thing. I understand it. Were you big, like, what kind of shows did you like in the comedy? Were you like a Monty Python fan? Were you laughing? I love Monty Python. I liked laughing. Yep. Buzzy was a really good friend of mine. Ruth Buzzy was a friend of yours? We worked together in reviews in New York. Actually, in Provincetown. Tell me about that. What was Ruth Buzzy like? Well, she and I worked in the same little group. I love that you called her Buzzy. Yeah. Yeah. Sorry. That's what everybody calls. I didn't know that. I always called her Ruth Buzzy. Ruth Buzzy.

57:08No, Buzzy. Buzzy. And so we worked together. We did a ship. We did a cruise ship together. And we did some nightclubs in New York together. And then she had gone to Provincetown the year before. and they needed someone. The summer coming, it was a summer job. And she suggested me. So they talked to me and then they hired me. So we had the whole summer together. Oh, that's fun. Yeah. Do you ever watch The Neighborhood? That to me is funny. Oh, with Max Greenfield? Yes. And Cedric? Yes. Yes, so funny. They are funny. They are really funny. Yeah. Max is so funny. And I used to watch Cedric, the entertainer, he used to be part of those like comedy Def Jam where there'd be like a bunch of standups together.

57:59And he was so funny. That's a good show. I'm amazed at him. I watch him on the show. Yeah. Because of how he, he knows he's going to do it and it's comedy, but he's just sort of like, I don't know. He's wonderful. Did you ever see, that got arrested on stage. Oh, I know who you mean. Okay. Let's play this game. Let's see how long. Okay, I heard that for memory, you shouldn't look things up. You should try to visualize. Okay, we're going to do it. Putting the— Lenny Bruce. Lenny Bruce. Oh, my God, dude. Lenny Bruce. I did see him in Chicago. I knew you would see him. What was that like? Do you remember seeing him?

58:46Yes, I remember that everybody, oh, you know, because he would say these things. Yeah, he was an interesting guy. And that, and I mean, I think that's going back to where we started our conversation. There's something about, I would have loved to have been, and it must have been so cool to have been in the city during that time in the 50s and 60s when everything was just starting to unravel in an interesting way. You know, I keep thinking I can remember being worried about things. And again, it passed. And I hope that's what happens with us now. It too will pass, but I don't know. Yeah. I don't know.

59:27Well, I think that is the one thing that a long life gives you is you get to see. I've seen a lot pass. Let's just say this. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I loved our time together, June. Thank you for coming and doing this. It's been so great. I mean, I just, I think you're such an incredible talent. Oh, thank you. And I'd love to be your friend. And I know this is awkward, but I tend to bully people into being my friend. You don't have to bully me. Okay, so if you would accept the invite. I would love it. I would love to be considering, I'd love for us to be new friends. Yeah. And I know it's awkward. I'm asking you on this podcast.

1:00:12I mean, what are you going to do? Say no. No, no. June just hands me, June hands me her card and it's just 555-5555.

1:00:23I'll call you next week.

1:00:28Thank you so much for doing this, June. This has been the best. I hope you had a good time. I did. I had a great time. Okay, great. And I got a mocha. Oh gosh, your mocha. We didn't even sip it. Sip some of that mocha. It's going to be watery now. It's still good. Thank you so much, June Squibb. My new best friend, you heard it here. She can't take it back. We recorded it. June, you're the best. So, such a great artist and person. Thank you so much for coming in. And June talked about a lot of exciting musical theater. So for today's Polar Plunge, I just want to just take a moment to say that West Side Story was so important to me as a young person.

1:01:11And that being able to even picture the original musical and seeing it on stage in its first week or two that June talked about. I just I don't know if you haven't seen the film, watch it. I'm sure there are productions local productions happening right now the original film with from the 60s is so beautiful and the music is so beautiful and I'm sure we can't afford to sing this but I would like to say and everything is I am too anyway thank you for listening

1:01:55and see you soon 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. Original music by Amy Miles

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