LUKE EVANS: I KNEW THE BULLYING AT SCHOOL WAS ONLY TEMPORARY

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1:46Hello, everyone. My name is Jamie Lang, and this is Great Company.

1:56Hi. Hey. How are you? I'm good. How are you? You don't seem okay. You seem weird. Hey, Jemima. How are you? I'm well. Hi, Jamie Leng, the presenter of the show. Hello, producer Jemima, the producer of the show. Ah, there we go. We're so smooth. We're so smooth. We've done this for how many episodes now? We're series two. What? We say series two. Jemima likes to call it series two because she likes it. Can we be honest? It's just reorganising. It sort of is, but what Jemima has a theory is, is that if we call it season two, that means when we get some guests to come on, they're going to be excited because they're at the start of season two.

2:34What they don't realise is that season one just flooded straight into season two. Yeah, it did. Also, I find mentally I need to know there's a series two. So I'm like, there's an end to series one, even though there is no gap. I'm like, woo, series one, wrapped. How nice to say, that's a wrap. That's a wrap. How have your resolutions gone? Fine. Thanks very much. Good. Don't ask me anymore. Okay, I won't ask you anymore. How are yours? Yeah, really good actually. Still running? Oh, I can't run. I think I'm allergic to my own sweat. And I'm asthmatic. Doing my affirmations. Are you? What are those?

3:10I don't have a little app that just, I read them out. Oh, it tells you what they are? Yeah. Interesting. So you're giving yourself positive vibes. Not that I, I think I'm pretty positive, but it's just like nice to have that as well. I like it. Nice. I am trying to reduce my meat. Good. Is that what you're going to do? Inspired by Professor Tim. Spectre. By the way, you can go and listen to that episode if you want. That was one of our first in the new year of 2025. Hey, today's episode is really exciting because we have Luke Evans. A Hollywood. Hollywood. Hollywood hunk. Luke has an incredible story.

3:43Born in Wales. Terribly bullied. Jehovah's Witness. His parents are still Jehovah's Witnesses. Yeah. He's a Jehovah's Witness. and being gay is not allowed in that religion, but he realised really young. So he suddenly had this like massive crisis of like, do I stay true to this thing that my family's been brought up in? Everyone I know is in this religion, but reject something that at my core, I think I am. So yeah, amazing. He's amazing. He moved to London to see the big city of the lights, got into acting, got on stage, and now is one of the biggest Hollywood stars in the entire world. And what's so great about this is it truly, truly, truly shows that you can really achieve anything if you really put your mind to it.

4:25And also what's so good is that if you like this conversation, he's also brought out his book. It's so good. Okay, so Jemima's a big fan, and you can go and get his book, which is called The Boy from the Valleys, and it's this incredible story. It's so good. It's amazing. It should be a film in itself. Well, watch this space. Jamie's going to do it, and he's going to play Luke. I'm going to play Luke. Yeah, I can't wait. Let me hear you sing. I'm going to play a young Luke. Sing Gaston. be my I'm not going to do it okay ladies and gentlemen please get ready for this episode because it's going to be incredible Luke is an amazing person to have on if you like this episode please subscribe to the show we absolutely love that and also you can get in touch send us a DM on Instagram at greatcompanypodcast or you can send us an email greatcompany at jampopproductions.co.uk everything you want is in the show description below okay I'm really ready for this of you I'm so excited I mean, a lot of people in the office are very excited to have Luke Evans coming in.

5:22Please enjoy this episode of Great Company with Luke Evans. Hello, I'm Luke Evans and I am Great Company.

5:35I remember when I was about 11 years old and I started becoming interested in girls. And I remember somewhat, I remember my biggest fear became this, is that someone, or I must have been 12, and someone had a Playboy magazine. Oh, yeah. And it was just naked women in it. And I remember someone showing it to me. And I remember thinking, if I'm going to have to have sex or something, what on earth do you do? What happens here? Oh, my God, how is it going to work? There's so many things that go on in someone's mind when they're growing up and they're going through puberty and things like that. but your experience was confusing because you didn't realize you didn't understand your sexuality and then there's a story of when a teacher came to your school yeah and he was a rugby player yeah and he drove a fast car yeah and such a great story yeah that's i mean yeah i mean i think i like i just remember his this image but he was obviously a giant rugby players are giants i mean i've met so many of the welsh rugby team over the years and you stand next to them and it's like I may as well just give up now.

6:43Like, it's like, what is the point? Like going to the gym when that is, you know, and so I can imagine this giant, and he played for Sonetli. He was a proper rugby player, but a teacher in his daytime, you know. And yeah, I remember just thinking, holy, I obviously didn't think those words because that was like nine or 10 or whatever. But I was like, what is this? This giant man, you know, like, yeah, yeah, funny. Was that the first time you started to maybe sort of question maybe that you were perhaps gay? Not even gay. I mean, I just felt something that I'd never felt before. It's so weird, you know, like things are changing, but a lot of gay kids working themselves out are completely confused.

7:33They're not surrounded by, you know, stories of gay love or this is how a gay kid feels. it's all about the straight world you know like he's got his first girlfriend she's got her first boyfriend you know it's all set up lovely lovely as it always has been but for gay kids they sometimes can be utterly confused by what they're feeling because everyone around them which seems to be the norm is not what they're feeling and so you know it's it's it's difficult to navigate when you're that young to understand what it was. And I don't think I understood it at all. I had no concept of it. But, I mean, he was good looking and he had big muscles and he had a sports car with my name Luke written on the seatbelts.

8:18I mean, what else? I was just literally like, why has he got my name on his seatbelt? I don't understand. And then he asked me about my mother, because my mother was like 29 at the time, beautiful, and he started asking me whether my dad was still on the scene. And I was like, oh yeah, right. Cause you fancy my mother. Um, yeah. Have you ever had your heart broken? Oh yeah. So who was your first heartbreak? Um, probably, uh, well it was, it was, it was a double heartbreak. We were both heartbroken. It was a relationship very early on. No, not that early on. I was like in my early twenties. um and he we we had like a three three four year relationship and he was a great human being we were we were both good people in the relationship but it just sort of died a death we don't really know why but we both accepted it and we were in paris when we realized that now paris is a mirror to everyone right if you're in love and you're in paris it's like you couldn't be in the most the perfect place in the world, the music, Eiffel Tower, glittering sunset, blah, blah, blah.

9:33If you're not in love, it's the worst place on earth to be. It just put a mirror up to both of us. And we went, this isn't working, is it? So we took two separate Eurostars home. And I wept the whole way. And I didn't, I couldn't stop myself. And this French woman hugged me the whole way back to London. And I, I just like, it's like embarrassing, so embarrassing. But I'm sure she's seen it many, many times. I'm sure lots of people get on the Eurostar and weep the whole way back to London. But yeah, that's, that was quite heartbreak. Heartbreak is the worst pain. It is. Out of anything. You know, somebody told me something once about love and I thought it was really interesting and I sort of stick to this and it's sort of, it, it eases heartbreak and, and breakups a little bit is you don't stop loving someone.

10:28You just learn to live with it. Weirdly, that person, I'm not naming him. He doesn't deserve a name. He'd love it if I named him. We now own a house together 25 years later. We own a house together in Ibiza. Um, and we have, we, we share a life and friendships and, you know, so that love I had for him then, I have a different love for him now, but during that time we didn't speak for a decade, he was never far from, something would remind me of him. And I think that's the thing about love. It just, you've got to live with it. What were your 20s like? Oh, they were quite debaucherous. Yes. Because you're from the middle of Wales.

11:13You suddenly come to the big city of the lights. You're on stage, you're in the West End. Everything's been thrown at you. How do you resist anything and everything? I don't think I did.

11:30I was in my 20s. You think you can take on the world in your 20s. You don't have hangovers. You can drink anything. You can eat kebabs every night. You don't put weight on. You know, you've got no baggage. You've got no responsibilities. holidays my weekend would start on a Thursday night we'd be atelier and the in Holborn amazing club then Friday night would be fiction and and the arches that don't even exist anymore in King's Cross when it was a really rough area Saturday night you'd chill out Sunday night DTPM Sunday morning you'd be in fire or orange in Vauxhall and that would be my weekend and a lot of partying went on and I loved every second of it I mean that's for your 20s of four you know and yeah Um, by the way, I was with a group of friends that are still my friends.

12:17Like I literally, the friends that I used to go out partying with, they're still my friends. I'm godfather to three of their kids, um, Ollie and Lorna, you know, and I was, uh, I was best man at his wedding and obviously I know them. And, uh, I started the, the, the speech. So a lot of people ask me how Ollie and Lorna and I met. And Lorna's like giving me evils, like don't you dare. Because like we met partying, popping ecstasy and dancing on a, you know, doing a bit of ketamine on the dance floor of DTPM. That's what you did back in the early 2000s. I mean, I'm not promoting it, but that's what I did.

13:03And it's my part of my story. But, you know, it's, yeah, man, God, I wish those days. It was wild and fun and free and just exciting. Yeah, yeah. And I loved it. It was part of, I think the 20s are for that, you know. And then you sort of like calm down and you realise you have to find a career and a job. Yeah. But yeah, the early 20s was nuts. Yeah, definitely. I remember sitting in a car with my dad and I must have been nine. And my dad saying, these are the best years of your life. And I went, there's no way. No. There's no way. No. And they weren't. No. Thank God. But in some ways, being young and having a healthy body and all those, that is quite great.

13:45Because as I've got older, things start to collapse. Oh, yeah. Everything aches. Everything from your eyelids to your toe knuckles. And everything in between. I have this new thing at the moment where I keep getting heartburn. Dude, I literally had it for the first time. I thought I was having a heart attack. No, no shit. I swear I was about to call an ambulance. It was so painful. So I looked it up. I said to Fran, my partner, I said, just check online. The pain is right in my sternum. And he went, you've got a heartburn. Something I've never experienced before. And it's just because I had some dim sum and I put too much chili in the soy sauce.

14:30It's really tragic. It's just a strange thing. Are you like me? Are you a bit of a hypochondriac? Um, I am very aware of my, my body, like what, what the feelings in my body. Um, I think it's because I, I have to look after myself physically because when I do a job, there's no taking a day off because you're sick. You know, you literally have to stay really healthy and you're doing like 14, 16 hour days shoots, you know, um, and you can't take a day off. You just can't, there's no one to replace you. You know, like I am the only one that can do my job. So the amount of pressure that uh causes a means i have to always like if i feel a little snivel or i've got i've got a an ache i've got to and talk about it find out what it is and get it addressed because if i if it's something that is going to get worse we may have a problem in next week when i'm doing this stunt sequence or whether we're you know so i'm always i'm very aware of that all the time but i'm not like i'm not obsessed with it i'm not like a hypochondriac but i don't Ignore things.

15:34Sounds like you're hyper-commoderate. Well, possibly. Possibly. You know. But I didn't even think of it like that. Because you're so right. If you've got a whole cast and a whole production going on, you cannot get sick. No. Because it's going to cost thousands, if not millions of dollars or pounds. Yeah. So have you ever had a time when you have been sick, but you've had to show up? I kept going. What? I've thrown up on the side of a film set many, many times. You just keep going. I don't know, you know, they often, I've had many a B12 injection in my butt cheeks in the middle of a shoot just to keep going, yeah.

16:17But you do. Yeah, I was very aware of it the first time I played a lead role. I was like, oh God, I've got to stay well because if I go off, it's a quarter of a million dollars a day that they can't shoot. or they have to scramble to find something else that I'm not in. And if you're the lead, you're mostly in everything, right? So it becomes a huge pressure. But I'm really good. I have zinc and vitamins. I do vegetable juices every day, sleep very well, eat really healthy. And, you know, just usually what happens, Jamie, is I get through the job. I wrap the job. And literally by the time I get off the plane, I'm sick as a dog.

16:57It's like my body and my brain has been able to hold back anything that may be lurking. And then all of a sudden, full up with a cold. And then I spend a week in bed. Because you've been working at that. Yeah. Yeah. It's interesting. I heard the other day that someone said it's typically 250 ,000 a day. Yeah. That's what a big movie production costs. Yeah. That's the average price of a day on a film set. And two minutes of shooting. That's what you shoot every day is average two minutes. of a, yeah, and a big movie, yeah. Get out of here. Yeah. Are you fucking serious? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So an average shooting day is 12 hours.

17:34During that 12 hours, the camera rolls on average for two hours. Ten of those are setting up, resetting, rehearsal, moving, lights, camera angles, waiting for the actor, you know, all that stuff. So two hours of actual rolling of the camera per day and roughly two to three minutes per day of stuff. Each page is like 10 to 15 seconds of footage, of coverage, of content. Content. For the younger influencing audience, yeah. Influencing content. We create content. We create magic drama.

18:22I want to talk about the fact that you grew up in Wales and you've written about this in your book. You were confused with your sexuality and you also grew up as a Jehovah's Witness. Yeah. That combination is wild. Yeah. It's not the best combination in the world. Yeah, it didn't really work. What is a Jehovah's Witness first? Well, they are a sort of Christianity-based religion. The Bible, they follow the Bible very strictly. Rules that were set out for the Israelites, for example, they still follow those rules today, which includes things like no blood. You know, you cannot have a blood transfusion.

19:10You cannot eat blood. You cannot, you know, ingest blood. um then there's rule there's there's law there that would there's one that says people that will die at armageddon um are murderers thieves men who lie with men you know things like that they're in the same the same paragraph in the bible so as i'm a young kid you know realizing firstly i'm different not understanding what it is can't ask anybody because obviously I couldn't. No one around me wasn't a Jehovah's Witness. Then realizing who I was, coming to terms with that, but not being able to tell anyone because every now and again we'd be in Kingdom Hall and that scripture would be read out loud.

19:52And I just felt like, you know, there was a big arrow on my head. And anybody that doesn't stick to the religion who is baptized, which I was very young, if you don't stick to the rules, you're disfellowshipped and you're cut off and basically literally cut off you lose everyone they completely ignore you like you didn't exist their reason for that is that it keeps the congregation clean but i think partly it is also to do with the fact that that person who's been thrown out loses everything they've ever known their support network their family their parents their brothers and sisters, their friends, everything.

20:33It's removed from them overnight. And it can damage, I mean, the stories are horrendous. I am very fortunate when I read the stories of some ex-witnesses who've been disfellowshipped and have lost everyone, you know, from marriages breaking up to problems with drugs, employment, depression, confidence, loneliness and inevitably suicide and this there's too many of these stories so i'm very lucky in a way that um i managed to get out of it the way i did and start a new life but i was always very sort of like i remember at 12 years old going i have to make a plan because i know this isn't going to change i knew at 16 i was going to leave home and i did i made a plan And until then, I was just going to throw myself into the religion and be the best fucking Jehovah's Witness they'd ever had.

21:32So that when I left, they'd be like, oh, God, he was the best one we've ever had. So I did. I threw myself into the religion. I did everything they wanted me to do. And then I slowly just distanced myself and I got to 16 and then I left home and started another life. And so sadly, the only people I have in my life from before 16 are the non-Jehovah's Witness people, which we didn't know many. um all my oldest friends are from 16 onwards which is very sad your parents um man they just seem to be amazing they are they really are amazing yeah yeah to the point where they were devoted and they didn't when you decide to leave they didn't deny you no i'm not it was very difficult it wasn't like nope we're just going to be in your life it was not easy um it was just not easy it wasn't something that we could uh it was even cloak and dagger for a while you know when we would meet because they were just like i don't know like the cia or something just keeping an eye on us all the time are you serious even when i moved to london yeah i was disfellowshipped six years after i left the religion i thought i'd move to learn and get away from it all and not bring any reproach.

22:55Nobody knew that I'd been a Jehovah's Witness. Um, but yes, it was like six years after then they disfellowshipped me. And I was like, seriously? Um, up until that time, of course, my parents could keep in touch because there was no disfellowshipping. But after that, it became very, very difficult. So we've been through a lot and I really admire them. I mean, I respect their religion. I respect their beliefs. It's wonderful that they found something when they were teenagers that's brought them a lot of happiness, but it wasn't my choice. I didn't get a choice. And of course, who I am, you know, deep down is not something that their religion that I was born into accepts.

23:35So I didn't really have a choice whether I wanted to be a witness or not. And because of who I am, I lost everyone except my mum and dad. They have managed to find a way where they love their God, they love their religion, they respect what they do, but they also have a child who they love and cherish, as do I them. Why on earth would it feel right to disown him? I've never questioned their beliefs. I never want to. I'm very happy for them. It just took some trust, understanding, patience, and just acceptance of each other. And they're great. I think they're such a, they're such a good example of what a Jehovah's Witness could be like if they just let them.

24:25There's an amazing thing which I wrote, which I want to read. I read this and it made me tear up because you, you've supported your parents in lots of ways. You bought the house next to them. You, they rented out, so they got money and all these different things. and your dad gave a speech. And he said this, when I got sick, who put petrol in the car? Who paid for the electricity? Who paid for the food in the fridge? Was it you? No, it was our son.

25:00Don't come to our house and tell us not to speak to our son because if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have this house. yeah that is unbelievable yeah yeah yeah it's it's very hard to even talk about it because it's it's a very emotional thing that you know he said those words and they came from the heart and and they're true you know i've i've always supported them and made sure they're safe usually before myself and they're good. They're my priority in life to make sure they're happy and safe and, you know, need for nothing, want for nothing. Um, so it was, yeah, it was a nice thing that he said that obviously not a pleasant thing he'd had to say to the people that he's, you know, supposed to spend forever on paradise on earth with, but you know, he put it straight, he set it straight and he's right.

26:02Damn it. Of course he's right. Of course he's fucking right. How dare you tell... Nobody has the right to tell somebody else not to talk to their flesh and blood. I know. That's your choice whether you do that. Nobody... It's insane. It's the personification of love which is unbelievable. I always got told something which is where if your parents show you love you know how to be loved yourself. And what is amazing as well is that when you were bullied at school, you kind of always said, well, there's something wrong with the bullies because you were loved so much, you knew you were okay. You felt almost enough maybe that you could sort of get through it.

26:44I somehow knew that it was, I used to say, and I don't know how, because I didn't have anyone to talk to about the bully, the words that they used to call me, right? It was horrible. What were they calling you? I think a bender, shirtlifter, jovey bender, which is like the amalgam of the two things, which could never be together. You know, it's like I used to say to myself at that young age, this is only temporary. At some point you are going to be able to leave school and something else will change. And I mean, I did have moments as a child wondering why they chose me instead of the other boy in the school, in the classroom.

27:22Why always me? I questioned a lot about myself, but there was a point when I just thought, well, whatever it is, I don't care because as soon as I leave school, I'm never going to see these people again. I'm going to leave. You know, I couldn't run out of those school gates quicker. But that is unique because as kids, right, we're learning, right? I truly think that the reason why when we're kids, everything happens so much slower is because we're experiencing a first kiss or like going on a first holiday or experiencing snow for the, you're experiencing this for the first time. And now when we go through joy or suffering or whatever it is, we kind of know it's going to pass.

28:01That's why I love the quote, this too shall pass because everything does pass. When you're younger in that moment, you don't know it's going to finish. No. You have no idea. First time. First time experiencing it. So how did you have that confidence that you were like, this is only temporary? Was your, is that from your religion that you realized that suffering was only temporary or you just, that's blind confidence. Yeah, yeah, blind confidence. And I think, I mean, what should have been the case is that I would have felt that I could have just talked to my mum and dad. I didn't have brothers and sisters.

28:36I should have felt that I could just talk to them. But the religion very clearly dictated that what I had a problem with, I couldn't talk to them about or anybody. So I had to rely only on my own voice, my own words, my own inner therapist, you know. And somehow I came up with that, that it's only temporary. I honestly still am amazed that I could compartmentalize the situation that I was under, you know, dealing with at that time. I know that there was a bigger world outside. I also knew about London. I mean I knew that you know we used to have a family that lived in Hemel Hempstead and we another Jehovah's Witness family and we'd go and visit them and we'd get on the train at St.

29:24Albans and then we'd turn it turn the underground then you'd go in the tunnels and then you'd come up the staircase at Piccadilly Circus and I'd be like what is this place I remember being like nine and going why is this place look and look at all the different light signs of people and the noise and the lights and all walks of life literally walking like you see most people in 10 minutes and I'd seen a year in Abba Bargoid, you know, and not a sheep inside.

29:56And, uh, and I remember going, everybody else is talking about getting to Madame Tussauds and I'm going, look at that person and look at this person. I'm thinking, I'm going to live here one day. And then you'd go back to Abba Bargoid and then a few years ago by and we'd go down again. And And then we started to go to see musicals. Me and my mum, we'd come on the bus. We'd go on a bus at like 5.30 from a bar guide and you'd arrive in London at like 11.30 for the matinee performance. And me and my mum, we'd just like walk the streets of London. And then I used to come, it's in the book, there's one story I used to then come with one of the women from the village.

30:31I was 14. And basically, of course, I loved the musicals. But my excitement was I had this hour from when you get off the bus to you had to be at the theatre to watch the show. And I had a plan. I was going to find Soho and I was just going to sit and watch all the life of what was then the gay centre of London. And that's what I did. So I knew during all this time that there was a bigger world, a bigger life. Whether it could have been mine, I don't know. But I thought, I know there's more than this shitty little school with these nasty little fuckers all around me and this little village. I know.

31:07And I just, that's what kept me going. And sure enough, at 16, I somehow moved to Cardiff. And then I met these amazing people that said, if you get into a college, we'll pay for you to go. And I got in. So at 17, arriving the day Diana died in London, can you imagine? I arrived in this city that I was already familiar with, but now it wasn't some place I was visiting. It was going to be my home. And that's when, you know, and so these little bits of hope, I mean, the message really is, you know, even in your darkest moments, if you can just hang on to something that's outside of that darkness, something like there is a better, there's a better idea here somewhere.

31:47Just, I just need to get through this. It's temporary. This will pass. This too shall pass. It's very easy to say that when you're not in a dark place. I'm very aware of what I'm saying is like, great. It's easy for you to say, cause you're not there, but you know, that inner voice sometimes is the only voice you can hear. And I've had to use my inner voice and train it to be the one that helps me, not the one that diminishes me and inhibits me and causes me more drama. I try to make that the better voice inside me that helps me carry me through something, you know? Have you ever come in contact with any of the bullies again?

32:27No. Never? Never. Honestly, I wouldn't even recognise them if I did. Maybe they've reached out through social media. I mean, anybody can, as you know. I don't know. I really don't know. Would you forgive? I couldn't care less about them or what they said. It's sort of, it now, yeah, there's no, yes, I guess I forgive him. Yeah, yeah. I'd love them to ask for it though. On their knees. Please, please, please forgive me for calling you a jovey bender.

33:06I reckon I reckon they'll look at you now and going fuck yeah I do think that honestly they are trust me they are imagine like that little skinny kid and now he's like he's fighting Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel in the back of an Antonov aeroplane it's like it's crazy the ultimate revenge success it truly is yeah and it's the big thing which is be nice to everyone on the way up because you never know who you meet on the way down You're telling me, right? That's absolutely true. You're 100%. Yeah. Guys, we're just going to interrupt the podcast just then. I'm so sorry, so sorry. I am so sorry. But at Jampot, we have been creating lots of different things.

33:47And we've actually been working on a brand new show that lovely producer Jemima has also been producing. So if you like this show, you would definitely like the other show. The host of it is? Paloma Vaith. And it's called? Mad, sad and bad. And it's Paloma chatting to amazing different people about what makes them mad, sad and bad. Paloma is an amazing person. She's one of my favourite guests we've had on Great Company. That's how this whole thing came about because she came on the show and you just hit it off. We just hit it off. And so she's now sitting under the Jampot Network, which we're really proud of.

34:18And her new show is coming out. Yeah, it's out. It's out right now. Out right now. It's out right now. So once you've listened to this, you can go and listen to Mad, Sad, Bad. And here's a little bit of a trailer for you, just in case you want a little sneak peek of what it's like. Hi, my name's Paloma Faith, and this is my new show. One, two, three, four!

34:39I've been called Mad and Bad my whole life. I've also had some real moments of sad, so I decided to make a podcast. This series, I'll be speaking to my favourite actors, comedians, musicians and thinkers to find out what makes them mad. And I turned over the page and I cut off a wedge of my pubes and I sellotaped them. And I just don't know. But it is mad and it's so wonderful though. It's sad. I love being sad. It's like getting in a warm bath. And bad. Who does this? I got in trouble but I didn't really get in trouble because my mum was just like, you need help. And just so it's not too depressing, we all know there's so much of that in this world.

35:21What makes them glad? Does it have to be something that rhymes with the word glad? No. Okay, fine. It's just that I've got mad, bad, sad. Yeah, fine. I'm glad I'm getting older. I'm so lucky to be getting older and I'm glad that I'm enjoying it. You can follow Mad, Sad and Bad with Paloma Faith on your favourite podcast app and search for Mad, Sad and Bad Podcast to follow on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Out now. This is like free therapy for you, isn't it?

35:52Okay. Fantastic. Should we go back to our great company now? Yeah, but just after you finish this episode, I have a really small request. Can you head over to Madtown and Bound and quick? Quick? Click. Jemima's never sold anything. I've never sold. You've never sold. Like and subscribe. Do you still say that? And I'm going to, you know, this show is very much about me and a guest, but producer Jemima is one of the greatest producers. I'm going to say this for a second. You are one of the best producers. Your eye and your ear is top notch. That's why people love this podcast. And Paloma Face One is very different to this one, but it still has that same amazing creativity.

36:27So if you like what Jemima creates, you'll love that one as well. Oh, that's so kind. Right, should we head back to this episode? Let's go. The market's uncertain. Revenue's tied and hiring on hold. That's why results-driven companies are using Upwork to keep work moving. Go to Upwork.com today and start hiring proven freelance talent fast. No bulky overhead. No rigid long-term contracts. Just the right expert, right when you need them. Work smarter and faster with Upwork. Go to Upwork.com now and find your freelance expert. That's U-P-W-O-R-K.com. Post a job for free and get started today. Hi, this is Knox from the Popcast with Knox and Jamie.

37:08And maybe like us at the Popcast, you also know people who have been smokers or vapors. And Zen is the one product it seems like everyone is talking about. Because there are many good reasons to make a change to Zen nicotine pouches. Reasons like Zen nicotine pouches are still America's number one choice for smoke-free, hands-free nicotine satisfaction. And you can choose between 10 varieties, each variety available in either 3 or 6 milligrams. Check out zen.com slash find to find Zen at a store near you. Warning, this product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. I'm no tech genius, but I knew if I wanted my business to crush it, I needed a website now.

37:45Thankfully, Bluehost made it easy. I customized, optimized, and monetized everything exactly how I wanted with AI. In minutes, my site was up. I couldn't believe it. The search engine tools even helped me get more site visitors. Whatever your passion project is, you can set it up with Bluehost. With their 30-day money-back guarantee, what have you got to lose? Head to bluehost.com to start now.

38:11when was the first time that you experienced this love of acting and being on stage what was that moment that you were like this is it um well I was in school it was um it was an end of year show called uh they did sound of music and I played captain von trapp um at this point by the I was just, I knew I loved to sing, but didn't think it would go any further than this, this end of year show in school. And, um, I sang Edelweiss. I played Captain Von Trapp and, uh, the audience of 300 all just went completely silent as I started to sing. And there was like a huge applause at the end of it. And I remember there was something special about that.

38:55Like, wow, everybody stopped moving. There's no Chris packets. I can't hear anything. All the heads have all stopped moving. They're all looking at me and they're listening to what's coming out of my mouth. And I thought, wow, that's mad. Like that power, that control of a mass of people just from all looking, all their eyes are on me. It was a thrilling moment. And then, you know, two years later, I'm in college learning the craft of stage performance and dance and acting and singing. And there's nothing quite like live performances. Just being in the same room as hundreds of people, but they're all looking one way.

39:40And they're looking at you and you have to entertain and perform and take them on the highs and the lows and take them on a journey. It's a real rush. A family paid for your college. Yeah. Tell me this story because that is wild. Yeah, so they were friends of ours and they had money, which I didn't. And anyway, we just went to visit them and I'd been having singing lessons. So they said, oh, sing us a song after dinner. So I sang, I think it was Danny Boy. Anyway, sang the song. As in, oh, Danny Boy. Oh, Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling. That one. And then we went to bed and the next morning at breakfast, they said, you shouldn't be working stamping application forms in a finance company.

40:36You should be learning how to do this for a living. If you can get into a college, we'll give you a bursary and we'll let you go to college. I was like, I didn't, I couldn't get my head around what they were offering. but that changed I mean I don't think I would have gone to college it was like 45 ,000 pounds to go to my college over three years so there was no way 45 ,000 pounds I didn't know anybody that would do that so this was a really incredible thing that happened yeah that is amazing do you think life is like that? do you think we have those moments those pockets of luck that we have to grab hold of oh absolutely and we don't realise when those things are happening.

41:22Well, that's the point. That's the point I've always said is like, don't be lazy. Keep your eyes open. Just look for the opportunities. They sometimes come veiled or in camouflage. And sometimes they pass before you've realized that was a moment. I should have taken that. Don't beat yourself up about it. There will be another, but it's always about realizing like they don't come all the time. And sometimes they come veiled in something else. you've got to be really savvy and understand opportunities and don't keep thinking I'll do I'll take the next one I think you should always grasp things if you can you should even if you fail even if it doesn't work out opportunities are valuable in life sometimes they're small opportunities you know sometimes they're huge and you don't even know it opportunities can literally change the trajectory of your life I wrote a card to a casting director once in the West End for a play.

42:20I'd never done a play, only musicals. And this play was about two Welsh boys. It was at the Donmar Warehouse, which is sort of like the Nirvana of, of theatres and, you know, Nicole Kidman does a show there. I couldn't get seen. So I personally wrote a letter to the casting director and I thought, what have I got to lose? And she phoned me back. I went in three weeks later, I got one of those lead roles. And that was the play that changed my whole career. A year later, I was in my first movie. I just did my 46 film 15 years later because I wrote a card. Opportunities. Look for them. Don't take them for granted.

42:59Just take them by the horns and just go with it. That's epic. I sat with someone recently who said, you can't just think you're good because lots of people are good and lots of people go, it's unfair. I'm so good at what I do. That's not good enough. You have to put yourself out there. You have to show people your talent. You have to show that you're going to write letters, get on doorsteps, knock on doors, do anything. Because otherwise people don't know you're good if they can't see it. No, exactly right. Yeah. It's the same with, you know, when I have a film coming out, you know, when we have a film, when I have a film coming out, I have to go sell it.

43:39I have to, press junkets, podcasts, interviews, you know, travel the world, do red carpet. You put the effort in because it's your product and you want people to see it, but you have to make the effort to make people aware of it. And I think it's the same with personal things like, you know, if you've got something to show, then put it out there and, you know, be your own spokesperson. The best spokesperson you'll ever have is yourself. You wrote the letter and you did the play and then Hollywood comes calling. What was the, was it a, it was a Hollywood agent or? It was a, firstly, it was, yes, it was, um, so it was, uh, it was an agent from CAA and the same day, an agent from William Morris.

44:24One came to the matinee and then one came to the evening. CAA came to the matinee and we went for late lunch and then William Morris and Dever came in the evening and we went to the IV and, you know, had another dinner. and I had to choose which one I wanted to go with. What did they say to you? Oh, they were like, you know, like proper Americans. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, we think you can go big with you. You're going to be a star. You're going to be a star. You're going to be a star. They just wanted, I don't know. I mean, I didn't think I put much weight on what they were saying. I mean, they're just Americans and from LA.

45:02I didn't really get it. I'd never been to LA. They had no idea of what their brains were thinking. And I thought, well, what have I got to lose? They're not asking me for any money. You know, I'm not signing anything. It's just they want to represent me. I mean, they may not ever get me a job. What have I got? So who cares? Yeah, go for it. So WME, I chose William Morris and that was it. And literally within like two weeks, I had my first audition and screen test. I was like, oh, okay. Thinking, well, it's never going to happen, you know, whatever. and I mean it was it was so quick um and I just went with it I just like rode that wave and just whatever they asked me to do or audition I'd go for it I had no knowledge of what I was doing but they had grand ideas and you know William Morris my team at William Morris you know for the first 12 years of my career you know that's they they're responsible for that they guided me through everything.

45:57And now I'm with CAA who have equally done brilliant things. So for the last six years, I've been with CAA and a whole different kind of career as well and different choices. And so, yeah. Yeah. What about an Oscar? I mean, yeah, of course. Yeah. Why not? What are you going to say? No. Yeah, exactly. What am I after here? I mean, what am I after? I think what's important though is for me, this is my career. You know, what I do, what gets me out of bed in the morning, what makes me happy in my business, in my job, is telling stories, finding stories that matter, characters that really resonate with me, something that I find important, a message to tell.

46:55That's where I find the joy in this. Now, if an award comes along after the event, how lovely, how lovely that somebody's recognized it. But I'm not in it for that. I mean, as lovely as it is to have a shelf of Golden Globes, Oscars, and wonderful, but I, I'm a storyteller. My joy is from telling stories. My joy is from, you know, bringing characters to life and the challenge of that. That's the fun of what I do. Awards, great, but I'm not doing it for that. Favourite role you've ever played? The most fun I think I've ever had on a film set was probably Gaston. I mean, how could it not be Gaston?

47:43I mean, it's like... Getting that, that is... Look, it's wild. You played Gaston. Are you kidding me? It's nuts, right? It's nuts. I know. I know. And I remember reading that script and I remember that scene when he looks in the mirror and you're only looking at the reflection and it's like, you're the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen. Nobody deserves you. And then you pull out and he's actually saying it to himself. And I was like, I am going to have so much fun bringing this awful person to life. It was just, it was just wonderful. And obviously I sing. So then to sing those songs. Because that's in your heart.

48:22Singing is your heart. Yeah. It was just so fun. I knew it was special when we were shooting it. That doesn't happen very often, but I just knew it. Because there was, there was a magic on the set. They'd put so much work. and it was a bloody expensive film. But the detail, like the frozen castle and the forests, and oh my God, it was, yeah, it was epic. Are you proud of yourself? Yeah, yeah, I am, yeah. In a nice way, not in an egotistical way, but I think one should be proud of oneself if you've achieved, even the smallest thing, could you give yourself a tap on the back? Like, good on you. Luke, I want everyone to go and buy your book, and we're going to leave a link in the description.

49:01How are we going to do that? Okay, okay. How we, for everyone listening to this, everyone listening to this, go and buy Boy From The Valleys. Honestly, because we've only touched on just this incredible life that you have lived. And your book is sort of a, to share this idea of hope. And there is hope, there's hope. And you just have to cling. It's amazing what you said. You cling onto something, find that North Star, whatever it is. Yeah, I think it's, I want my story. I mean, it is my story. There's, it's all, all of that was my journey and we've all got wonderful journeys and I just happened to write mine down in a book, but you know, I want people, whoever reads the book to feel hopefully inspired maybe, or go, wow, that wasn't his, supposed to be his journey.

49:51That was very unexpected and look where he came and how he got through it. You know, I just, I hope it's a story that will bring people, I don't know, like hope. I think I want people to read it and go, okay, well maybe it's not so bad. I mean, if he, if he can do that, then maybe I can do something great too. Like, but this wasn't supposed to happen to me. I was this skinny, bullied, little quiet kid knocking doors on a Saturday morning. And now I kill dragons and drive fast cars and, you know, uh, sing Disney songs for a living. It's like, you know, it's, if I can do it boys and girls anybody can it's unbelievable

50:33we like to end the conversation with eight quick questions which you can fire at me okay what's a saying or phrase that makes you smile or cheers you up so every time and I'm talking every single time I've ever called my mother since the day I left home I'd answer you down to the phone hello hiya how are you can't grumble that's her every single time in 40 the 30 years can't grumble and when I no one else I know says that and when I hear it or when I think about can't grumble it's like that's my mother off to a tea she she can't grumble she looks at the positive of what's going on in her day and she has no reason to grumble and it puts a smile on my face because it sort of encapsulates my mom and dad, they look at the positive and realise they can't grumble.

51:26Life's okay. Best compliment anyone's ever given you? You're better looking than on the telly.

51:35Every time it happened last night, I was like, really? Are you sure? What is it that's better? I get that. I get that. But then I get it. Then I get it. Continue with, but you're much shorter. So they tell me I'm taller. It's a weird thing. That's better. That's better. Earports. That's better. You're much taller than you are. Okay. You're smaller. Okay, brilliant. What scares you most about yourself? I don't have anything that scares me too much. Maybe I take on a lot and sometimes I think, am I pushing myself too far? But that's not scary. When was the last time you cried? Last night on stage in Chester.

52:18So I'm on a book tour right now. and I did an audience with last night in Chester Town Hall in front of about 300 people and I told a related story from the book related story from the book and it just caught me and my voice quivered and my eyes welled up and that's what happens when you talk about memoir in front of an audience and it's a touching moment so yeah, last night What's something you can't let go of? So when I was 16 when I moved to London, I remember going to Covent Garden. There was this Ghanaian unity sculpture, which is made out of one piece of wood and they carve it out and ends up being like human, like men holding each other by their hands.

53:05And it's really, really strong. And you can put a table on it or you can even stand on it. And the one I bought was all scratched. So I asked for a discount, shop, shop, shop floor. And they gave me a discount because didn't have much money and I've still got it. I've still got it. That's amazing. In my living room. That's amazing. What's something you'd be embarrassed for people to know you like or want? I just couldn't care less what people think of me. Love that. I'm not embarrassed about anything. Great. Like, just like, who the fuck cares? Yeah, exactly. Who cares? I couldn't give a shit what you think of me.

53:38Not you, but like anyone. It's like, I don't care. Whatever. This is me. Like it or lump it. What turns you off? Bad breath. Yeah, great one. Great one What turns you on? Eye contact And a really good smile Now I'm getting awkward I'm staring at you and smiling You have great eye contact Which is super important as an interviewer Because you've got to be in it You've got to Hi this is Nox from the Popcast with Nox and Jamie And maybe like us at the Popcast You also know people who have been smokers or vapors And Zen is the one product it seems like everyone is talking about. Because there are many good reasons to make a change to Zen Nicotine Pouches.

54:21Reasons like Zen Nicotine Pouches are still America's number one choice for smoke-free, hands-free nicotine satisfaction. And you can choose between 10 varieties, each variety available in either 3 or 6 milligrams. Check out zen.com slash find to find Zen at a store near you. Warning, this product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. Snack time just got to glow up with My Mochi ice cream. My Mochi is scoops of delicious ice cream wrapped in sweet chewy dough. It's creamy, dreamy, and totally satisfying. My Mochi comes in fabulous flavors like strawberry, mango, and cookies and cream.

54:58Gluten-free and only 70 calories apiece, My Mochi is the perfect anytime treat. Because why wait for a reason to feel joyfully chill? Grab a purple box of My Mochi ice cream and chew it. Love it. Repeat. Hello, everyone. We're Jamie and Sophie. You may remember us from Nearlyweds and then Newlyweds. But now, guys, things are about to get even wilder as we take on our biggest adventure yet, becoming parents. Yeah, that's right. Newlyweds is now Nearly Parents, and we're bringing you the same honest, heartwarming takes on our journey to parenthood, I guess. Join us as we find out what it really means to become a family while trying not to kill each other.

55:38Get ready for Nearly Parents, your favourite new podcast.

55:45I don't trust anybody that can't keep my eye contact. Now I'm focusing on your eyes. Thank God it's the end, so I don't have to think about it. What do you like most about yourself? I think the thing I most like about myself, if I'm looking at how I live my life and who I want to be, to others and to myself is I like making people feel special. And if I can do something to help someone or make someone feel happy, even for a minute, and I know it's within my power to do that, I'll do it. Bonus, favourite swear word? Say it. Cunt. There we go.

56:32Luke, it's been an honour thank you so much thanks so much yeah, that was good so good well done Jemima well done Jamie thanks PJ thanks do you know what I've not spoken about? the owls for a while but anyway, before we get on to that excellent, loved that It was so funny. It was moving. What a guy. So you probably can't feel this within the podcast, but Luke has an amazing aura. Like a really warm, lovely energy about him. You feel very... The only way I can describe his energy is like a crackling fire. A crackling fire? Yeah, in like a pub or somewhere. That's what it feels like. That's a lovely description.

57:16Yeah, you feel quite warm. I think the Welsh accent is that warmth adds to it. More than that, his energy. You can feel his energy. And I've got to say, I think he's better looking in real life. Talking about me or Luke? Both of you. Okay, thanks very much. I really appreciate it. When you see a picture of Jamie online and you think, ew. Yeah, it's not what I look like in real life. He is incredible, Luke. Thank you so much for coming on. Now, if you love the episode and you like the conversation, go and get his book, The Boy from the Valleys. It's an incredible read. And you can hear so much more about Luke and his incredible story.

57:47Also, you can get in touch with us at Great Company Podcast on Instagram or greatcompanyatjampotproductions.co.uk if you want to email us. You lovely owls. My owls. Jemima's Owls are PJ's Owls Oh god Producer Jemima's Original No Our Our Wonderful listeners Wonderful listeners So there you go So if it was Producer Jemima's Wonderful listeners It would be A lot of A lot Of concerts PJ's Owls No Okay Anyway We're getting confused We're rambling But listen Don't worry We're going to be back Next week for another episode Of Great Company We cannot wait to see you then So please tune in And share this episode Wherever you can Okay We'll see you next week On Wednesday for another episode of Great Company.