Milly Alcock

0:00Sierra has all the best active and outdoor brands for the super athletic stuff, like running gear for cruising up the trail. Woo! And the super athletic-ish stuff, like fishing gear for chilling by the creek. Nice cast. Fitness apparel to push for higher reps. You got this! And golf balls priced so you can afford to lose one. Or a few. Head to Sierra or Sierra.com for the brands you want at the prices that let you do it all. From athletic to athletic-ish, Sierra's got it. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Listening to this podcast instead of doom scrolling? Smart move. Another smart move?

0:38Getting help from one of State Farm's 19 ,000 local agents when you choose to bundle home and auto. Bundling. Just another way to save with the personal price plan. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings, and eligibility vary by state. Acting is so embarrassing. I don't think people realize actually how utterly embarrassing it is. Because you also have to try things and sometimes it doesn't land. But it's a part of the job is like taking a risk or swinging and you're like, OK, that didn't work, but let me try it again.

1:11And you have to have trust. The director has to trust you to try things. Yes. Because sometimes you swing and it's a home run. Prepare your ears, humans. Happy, sad, confused begins now. Hey guys, it's Josh. Welcome to another edition of Happy Sad Confused. Today on the show, Supergirl is here. That's right, Millie Alcock talking after a very long press tour in her final interview promoting Supergirl. Very excited for this one. Thanks guys, as always, for checking out the podcast. As always, if you like what I do, I'll remind you, patreon.com slash happy sad confused. That's your friend because over there, you'll get early access to all episodes, including this one.

1:52You'll get early access to our live events in New York and Los Angeles, discount codes, autograph merch, all sorts of cool fun stuff. Bonus materials, you know what to do. Patreon.com slash happy, sad, confused. Today's main event, as I said, it is Millie Alcock. And this was a fun one because this was literally her last interview of a very, very long press tour for a major moment for her. She is, of course, starring in Supergirl as Supergirl. And as you'll be able to tell from Millie. She's not that polished kind of like hand response interviewee, which makes her a great interviewee. She is honest and open and funny and serious about the work, but also has it very much in perspective.

2:38I really dug talking to her. This was her first time on the podcast, and she's just getting started, obviously, with House of the Dragon a couple years back and now with Supergirl. She's already filming her role in the new Superman film, Man of Tomorrow, and a lot more to come. So I'm thrilled she did the podcast. I'm thrilled this is happening. I'm thrilled it was the last of her long press tour because she was in a great mood. I think you guys are going to enjoy this one. So without any further ado, here is me and Millie Alcock. Enjoy. Millie. Hi. This is it. This is it. I have just learned.

3:09This is Millie Alcock's, essentially, I think it's your final interview of your Supergirl press tour. It is. Okay. It is. I feel pressure. I feel an honor. Don't. It's going to be great. It's going to be fab. This is similar. I had this experience once before with Paul Meskel on the Gladiator 2 press tour. And it was more therapy session. So feel free. They can't fire you now. It happened. They can't fire me now. The movie's coming out. The movie's going to come out so soon. So soon. We're hours away. Congratulations. Thank you. How are you feeling? Because it's, I know that's a loaded question.

3:45You've gotten that question for months, for years now. Yeah. But maybe now you can answer it more accurately than ever. because you really are at the end. The finish line is right there. Do you feel it? Yeah. I mean, making a film is so difficult. It's honestly astonishing that we ever see anything on screen. And this has been such a long journey. And I'm so excited for it to just be out in the world. I'm ready to give birth to this film. Just look at the movie already. Stop talking about it. Stop talking. Just like, go see it, guys. Yeah, I'm ready. I'm really ready. We're all ready. You kill it in this.

4:26You've heard that a lot. I'll say, I'll echo everybody. You were born apparently to play this role. You're amazing. Congrats. So at what point in this process did you realize that the real work of doing this was this part of it? Pretty quickly. Yeah, it really is. Like the whole press side is so different because when you're an actor, you know, you go to drama school and they teach you how to act. They don't teach you how to do press. And it really is baptism by fire. Like in any other industry, you know, they would train you up. You'd have an orientation. You wouldn't be like straight away thrown into all of these really big, scary scenarios.

5:06So it's been a massive learning experience. And, yeah, this is the real job. Part of it. Are you good at, like, do you get the talking points? You're, like, trying to memorize. Wait, what am I supposed to say? What am I not supposed to say? I don't like being told what to do. Good. That makes for a better interview. Yeah. I mean, have you ever talked about yourself for such a sustained period of time? I'm so fucking sick of myself. Can I swear? Yes. Okay. I'm so sick of myself. Like, people are only so interesting. I'm only so interesting to myself, let alone other people. Oh, my God. I'm so sick of my face.

5:40And I really hate attention. so this is just like really bad. You made some bad career choices. Really bad career choice. I didn't think I would make it, you know? To act as notoriously as an incredibly difficult competitive industry. I didn't think I would be successful. Yeah, I mean, what are the odds? What are the odds? I know that's very like anti what you're meant to say. You're meant to be like, believe in yourself. You can do it. And I'm like, girl, no. No, you're smart enough to know the odds. And this is not going to happen. This never happens. I'm a realist. I'm not, yeah. Let alone your, I mean, officially your first movie.

6:13Well, Superman is the first movie, I guess. Yeah, but this is like my first movie, basically. Which is, again. Insane. Yeah, you should play the lottery because this doesn't happen. Maybe I'll do that today. Yeah, get a scratch off. I'll get a scratch for you. What's been the question we need to retire from the press story? The suit. If one more person asks me about the fucking suit, I'm going to lose my mind. Tell me about the suit. No, what was it like? They're like, what was it like to wear the suit for the first time? And I get it. It's important. but it's just a very boring answer because there isn't like all things in life that happen.

6:45There wasn't a big moment. The spotlight doesn't come out on you. No, music doesn't stop playing. I don't suddenly feel like I am Supergirl, you know? Right. Yeah, it's like all moments that you think are going to be really big are in fact incredibly small. Yes. And it's always like the car ride back from the audition. That's the big moment or the phone call. you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. Life happens in the smaller moments. So where have you been on the tour? Have you traveled around the world, I assume? Yes, I've been to LA, Mexico City, New York, Brazil, London. I'm back to New York. I haven't had a day off in three weeks.

7:26I'm dying. You're just rallying for 35 minutes for me. I appreciate you. Yeah, it's okay. You were in Japan, but I think that was for a job. That was for a job. I'm jealous because Japan's my favorite. Outside of New York, it's my favorite place. It's pretty cool. As a foodie, because we're both foodies. Yeah, we like food. How was it? Amazing. It's really hard to get a bad meal. Right? It's so hard to get a bad meal. Even like the convenience. I know. 7-Elevens and the whole. I got obsessed with the sweet potatoes. Right? That you can just buy from like if you go to. On the street, yeah. Yeah.

7:54Or if you go to like a really good grocery store, they have them cooked. And they're so sweet and so good. that and onigiri's were just like the easiest grab and go food. Like it's really hard to find. They've really cracked the code. They have. And the steak. I had some Kobe steak. Come on. That was insane. Okay. We'll come to that a little later. Circle back. Because I do want to hear a little bit about that film because that sounds exciting too. But so in the course of this, I would imagine some things keep you going. Like, you know, you're proud of the product. You know that like it's turned out well and you're satisfied hopefully.

8:26but also just seeing like fans like at these events, seeing little girls probably dressed up as super girls. Yeah, because it's not about you, it's actually not about me. You know, playing a part that is so beloved to a pre-existing audience, it's like anything that has pre-existing IP. It's not about you in this really bizarre roundabout way. It's about them and the impact that hopefully this film has on them and for them to be seen. And that's always really important I think just to kind of remind yourself it's not about you. Do you get a little emotional at any point when you see a little girl like?

9:01I did. Yeah. Whenever people would ask me about my mom, I got really emotional. I was also just really tired. I was like, why mom? Moms do that. Was there, so for you growing up, was there like a super girl kind of like heroic figure, either in fiction or in real life that you kind of put on a pedestal that was meaningful to you? I love Shockboy and Lava Girl. Say it again? Shockboy and Lava Girl. You know Lava Girl? I was not expecting that answer. The Incredibles. No, but when I was a little girl, like that's what I'm thinking of. Yeah, that works. Yeah, yeah. Like those kind of girls. Yeah.

9:40Yeah. That was one of the Spy Kids spinoffs, right? Yeah, Spy Kid Possible. Right. Like those types of shows growing up. I mean, you were a Disney star, we should say. Guys. I saw Fallon kind of ratting you out. I know. I don't know where he dug up that photo because I was looking online. So old. So you were. I was a BF chef. But wait, there was another show too that I saw like on the IMDB. Which one? Wait, let me go into my records. It said you were a presenter on a show as well. That was the show. Oh, that was the show? Yeah. So you were playing Millie. You were just Millie. I was Millie the health nut.

10:16They each gave us like a thing. which upon reflection I was like, okay, that's interesting considering who you casted to be who. So was there, at that point, was there an aspiration like, because you're in the Pantheon, you're in the Ryan Goslings, the Zendayas, you're part of the team. You're the Disney star team. No, I'm not. So not. I was like on the shows, in between the shows that people actually wanted to watch, telling them how to make, you know, a fruit salad. Right. And like a peanut butter celery boat. These are the important things to learn in life. These are the important things. This is the impact.

10:49Have you retained that information if we need to do the tutorial now? I can barely remember what I said like an hour ago, let alone what I said 10 years ago. We'll be right back with more Happy, Sad, Confused. Sierra has all the best active and outdoor brands for the super athletic stuff, like running gear for cruising up the trail. Woo! And the super athletic-ish stuff, like fishing gear for chilling by the creek. Nice cast. Fitness apparel to push for higher reps. You got this. And golf balls priced so you can afford to lose one. Or a few. Head to Sierra or Sierra.com for the brands you want at the prices that let you do it all.

11:31From athletic to athletic-ish, Sierra's got it. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Listening to this podcast instead of doom scrolling? Smart move. Another smart move? Getting help from one of State Farm's 19 ,000 local agents when you choose to bundle home and auto. Bundling, just another way to save with the personal price plan. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings, and eligibility vary by state.

12:04Wow, this really has turned into a therapy session very quickly. But like you do have, I mean, this is not unique among actors. I've talked to other actors like this that have this really strange relationship with yourself. Yeah, you do. I mean So what like how do we figure this out? Like you obviously love perform You love to be in front of a camera you love to inhabit other characters But then you also don't like I don't want to be seen. It's a weird relationship where it's like my dream would be like skin suit Hear me out. I act in a different like physical body and face and I can take it off Okay, I just don't yeah, that would be like my my dream I think to do it but that's the kind of cost of it and some people idolize that and some people really want that and some people feel like it's not a problem and it's not a problem so there's also this weird thing of like you can't feel bad about it because you put yourself there and you're successful and there's people that you know the world is fucked so badly so irreversibly badly so you can't complain Right.

13:09It sounds, again, we all have to keep this in context. Like, yes, we're all very lucky. We're not in an age of context. People don't like context at all. Yeah. We sound like uppity whatever, like, oh, you're complaining, you're like on a movie poster. But again, the in-between stuff can, you know, wear on you. It's a lot. I think as consumers, we should all try and be a bit kinder. This is... To people. Yeah. And just remember that everyone's human. Everyone's struggling through their own things. Everyone's just a person at the end of the day. How's the social media thing? Were you on social media back in House of the Dragon days?

13:47Have you been on consistently? Has that been something to navigate? Yeah, it's a working relationship, and I'm trying to get off it a lot more. I'm trying to get people to manage it for me. But then there is a part of you that wants to read all the bad comments because it fulfills your own self-belief about yourself. You're like, see, they know. They know. They see the real me. They see the real me. I'm a terrible person. Oh, no. You know? But I think that's just what humans do. Yeah, I always say. It'd be a stranger if I was the opposite. And people don't talk about that. No, I talk about that on this podcast.

14:23Good. I always say I don't trust the people that think they're perfect. No. Because I don't. I don't. No one does. Perfect is boring. Perfect is boring. Really boring. That segues well into this character. She's not perfect. No. She's messy in the best possible way. She's human. Imagine that. Yeah. When this came around, had you ever done like a comic book audition? Like, have you ever been up for anything like this? No. So, long process, I take it. No. No? It was two auditions. Seriously? Yeah. You're too good. You said it, not me. James Gunn just sent me like a WhatsApp text with the deadline article when I got the part.

15:06he didn't even call me. Which I was like, this is a calling situation. Yes, this elevates to that level. This is FaceTime, this is something. This is something, I just awoke to like a message. Not like FYI. It was just like a link to the deadline article. And I was like, okay. And then I called him. Right. Yeah. So two sessions with James, two camera tests, like spoon tests? One self tape. I was in Australia, I'd just gone home for the first time in very, very long. Yeah. And then they were like, come do a screen test in Atlanta. And I was like, what's a screen test? And I discovered I'd never done a screen test before.

15:44They like shoot you as if you're doing a day on set so that you get in hair and makeup, you wear clothes that they pick out. And it was me and another girl and you're like in the same makeup truck, like sussing each other out. And I'm like, oh, she's like me, but like prettier and more polished. So another actor that was trying to get the role? Yeah, yeah. But they do that with all of these things. So like, sometimes they do like seven different people, but it was just me and one other girl. That seems to be like a psychological test. That seems mean. There's enough room on the sound stages to find someone another trailer.

16:16Yeah. Oh, no, the trailers are separate, but like you'll do hair and makeup. This is one hair and makeup trailer. What's the etiquette with the other actor? You say, hi. You say, hi. Oh my God, how are you? You nervous? I don't remember when I was. Bye. And then they kind of put you at either ends. Did you know the actor? Have you interacted since? I didn't know I didn't I didn't know her but she's very sweet. Sure. She's very lovely. Sure. So did you have did you feel like you had a beat on Kara right from the start like you do you had like a way in did you feel in that moment like yeah I get this.

16:45I think so. Yeah I think so. I remember listening to This Is The Day by The The. It's hard to say. It's hard to say. Yeah. On the way back and I was kind of like fuck. I got that. what have I done? So if you hadn't gotten that WhatsApp from James, would this have been one that stuck in your craw? Like, oh, this really felt like this was the one. I think that you always have a feeling. You always kind of know if it's you or not, you know? Yeah. Yeah, I think you can kind of gauge a vibe. So the first person that directed you as Kara Supergirl was James. Yeah, it was James. Right, on the set of Superman, obviously.

17:30did he have strong thoughts on like directing you or were you kind of like self-guided? I can't really remember. I think it was a bit self-guided. Yeah. I think it was a bit like, you're drunk, be more drunk, stumble. It was kind of like that. Yeah. Yeah. Pretend a dog is licking you. Pretend the dog is licking you. And there was like a four foot 11 actor. These actors that play animals. Of course. And she was pretending to be a dog and barking at me. Yeah. Who has the worst job in that situation? Is it you having to pretend a 4 '11 person is a dog or the 4 '11 person that thinks they're a dog?

18:06I don't know. Tougher job. Depends on the ego, I think, can be either one of them. I guess that teaches you this kind of pulls the curtain back. Acting is so embarrassing. I don't think people realize actually how utterly embarrassing it is because you also have to try things and sometimes it doesn't land. But it's a part of the job is like taking a risk or swinging and you're like, okay, that didn't work. But let me like try it again. Right. And you have to have trust. The director has to trust you to try things. Yes. Because sometimes you swing and it's a home run. Are you pretty good at giving that trust away?

18:39Does it take a lot to earn your trust on a set? I mean. I don't know. I think that I'm the type of actor that if I don't believe it, I just can't do it. Right. Which is probably just I'm stubborn and I'm a bit proud. It could be Ridd is that way. But, yeah, I'm someone that I really have to. I can't fake it. I can't like fake it. Yeah. Ever. So on those first couple, is that just a day or two on set on Superman? Just one day. It's like an afternoon. Crazy. Yeah. So working with David, the contrast between those characters, I mean, I don't know if we're ever going to see Superman drunk or hungover.

19:16It'd be fun to see. I would love to see that. Right? Yeah. Do we think Superman drinks?

19:23No. I feel like he'd be polite enough to hold an alcoholic beverage at a point of celebration. Right. And then he would probably just put it down. I don't think he would know what to do with his hands if he was holding a beer. I'm trying to remember. What does Cara drink in the film? What's her drink of choice? She doesn't shot anything. That sequence is actually a lot longer. And I was just kind of grabbing shit and just drinking it. Right. But they cut it because I think they were like, she's too drunk. I mean, it's good to be able to sip. She's getting like a harmony. You don't go method. You're not one of those actors.

19:55No, I don't believe in method acting. Right? No. Have you worked with method actors? I don't think so. Okay. Yeah. But it feels like, again, the BS detector in your brain would have trouble kind of buying into that. Just feels a bit insecure, personally. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, I've had that actually with Olivia Cooke, actually, last week here. She's worked with some method actors. And it feels, she was saying, we were saying, you can sometimes feel it's a little bit more about them. It can be selfish. Yes, but it's also that thing of like, okay, I'm at work. I'm not gonna let my own personal kind of opinion towards what they're doing affect the relationship.

20:30I have to just accept what is happening. I can't change the way that they're gonna approach their process, right? You know, right, but then you bitch about it when you get home Like as we all do with the co-workers No matter what job, of course So you're number one on the call sheet on this your supergirl that's a big thing in a giant movie yeah with a lot of people putting a lot of you know money into it etc a time and effort um i mean what did that feel like kind of having to be that person obviously craig is directing the set but you also have to set the tempo yeah as number one was that something you were conscious of not really yeah um i think for me i really love to to be a collaborator on set.

21:15I love to become really close with the crew and really lean on them from the ADs to the standby, props to the cameraman. I really want to feel like this is a team and we're all doing it and we're all pushing this, we're all moving a mountain every day together. So I think that that set a nice precedent and I'm also just a very open person. I'll just be like, I don't know what I'm doing. Like, what's kind of, you know, I didn't, I just wanted to feel like a person and that this was a team and I'm not the most important person in the room. Always show up on time, always be there for other people.

21:55You know what I mean? Just do the job. I think it's the healthier way to, I've talked to directors in a similar vein because I think there are two ways to do it. It's like to pretend you have all the answers or to be open and invite collaborators in and say, I don't know, what do you think? I think that's where the best work is made. I think having too many yes men is incredibly dangerous in any sort of creative field. And you can kind of see when certain creatives have gotten to a certain standard. And it's only yes men. And you're like, it's a hindrance. It's not helping you. No, it's why some of, honestly, some of the great filmmakers, they just sort of plateau and go down.

22:31And you're like, no one's telling you. And also restriction creates creativity. If you're given access to absolutely everything, you will impact no one and you won't make any creative choices because you can do anything. But when you're restricted, you will fundamentally become more creative. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, so give me the moment you felt coolest on set and dumbest on set. Coolest on set. The fight sequences. The boss fight specifically was really cool. That was like my first, no, that wasn't my first fight sequence while we were shooting. But I had learned that one pretty front to back. Most of that is me.

23:15All of it is pretty much me. Yeah. Which felt very badass. And then, I was saying this on Fallon, whenever you have to like go into flying from standing. That's amazing. Yeah. It just never feels not stupid. Or when you're kind of just like dangling in the air and everyone's like, they're like, Mellie, can you hold for 10? We've got to move. And you're just like, kind of like. It's like the dead puppet. It's like, it's like. It's so painful. It's so uncomfortable. Yeah. So people might not know this. In the middle of this press tour, James has said this. I mean, we know that Man of Tomorrow is shooting and you're a part of that.

23:52Yeah. What's it been like to be shooting your role in the film in the middle of all of this? Is it hard to kind of code switch? It really is. It's hard to code switch. and it's a different environment than the environment that we had on Supergirl. It's a different story but all of the cast I've gotten to work with have been super open and really lovely. Like Nicholas Holt, David. He's a gem. I love him. He, love him. Alan, who plays Gary the Robot, was also there. Funny man. He's so funny. Yeah, and Laws, we've had a few people, yeah. Brainiac himself. I mean, James has said on the record that you have a big role in the film.