Nick Jonas & Paul Rudd & John Carney

24:08Was singing part of your repertoire back in your bar mitzvah party starter days when you were a DJ? No, no. I was too busy organizing the limbo. This is a true... A lot of you probably know this. That was an early side gig, side hustle. I was in school. I could work on the weekends at bar mitzvahs and weddings and birthdays, and I did that for about a year. What was your secret to getting folks on the dance floor, getting folks riled up? Well, it really depends on the age. if I wanted the kids to get out there I knew that like

24:50can't touch this or Moni Moni that was a big one but if I wanted the grandparents to dance Glenn Miller swear to God pipe in the Glenn Miller right now let's see what happens what are all your philosophies at weddings? Are you the first on the dance floor? Yeah. I did it a while ago. Well, your references kind of revealed that. Yeah, exactly. But one of the kids out there, I put on a little Jolson and they went crazy.

25:28Are you guys first on the dance floor or last on the dance floor at weddings? What's your philosophy? I don't go to weddings. I hate fucking weddings. Wow. I hate them that's your hot take okay I love you you love me in front of thousands of people okay oh yeah

25:49I got married to myself and my wife got married like 22 years after we met for tax purposes

25:59sorry we thought he was a romantic until now well I was gonna say weddings are really nice they're gonna be so fun But to that, I don't know, probably right in the middle of the night, I'll get on the dance floor. That'd be the right song, too. Can't touch this, could probably get me out on the dance floor. Don't forget about Glenn Miller. Come on. Of course, and Glenn Miller. Nick. At the center of this film is this earworm of a song that's beautiful. And it really is, I mean, I can't imagine hanging a film on something this important that has to work in so many different ways in a film. I mean, when you get the script, does it come with like an MP3 of this song?

26:49Cassette. Yes. An 8-track. Sellotate. Right. Like a... Does it come with the song? No. It didn't. That's a lot. Which was interesting because, you know, so much hinges on it. And to read it and not know exactly what that song was going to sound like was an interesting experience. And then when we heard it for the first time, you know, it was great. And obviously it needs to work, right? It works, luckily, yeah. I mean, not so luckily. Well, John and Gary Clark, who also writes a lot of the music, are great musicians. And, I mean, as you know from John's other films, so talented, and they put so much into the songs themselves.

27:42So I think I never sweated. I kind of figured, oh, yeah, those two guys can crack it. Yeah. I mean not to reveal too much, but there's a there's a for the once fans out there There's something to look out for there is spot the once reference is this in the once cinematic universe Is there a John Carney cinematic universe there all can afford any other song then? By the time I paid these guys is fucked I

28:13Was like I was like Glenn, you know, you know that fucking song can just give it to me free really quickly No, it was a self-glorifying moment. The first thing is right. It was a reference to another piece of art through one piece of art. It works. Embarrassingly. I was saying before, this film did make me cry both times I saw it. I'm sorry about that. No, I love it. I love the way your films really break me down. But does your own work ever have that effect on you? Can it? John's work has that effect on me I mean I really love his films I was so excited to do it because I really wanted to work with John I think he has a way of tapping into just kind of what's beautiful about life how music makes our lives better and they're just such emotional kind of powerful films to me and when I saw this for the first time

29:17I think it might have been the first time, maybe. And I was like, oh my God, that's so effective. But it's because of him. For you, Nick, what kind of songs or films tend to bring that kind of emotion to you? Well, I'll say there's a scene, or there's two scenes in this movie that I'm not in, and they hit me super hard as a father. I think there's a real theme, which you'll see. I don't want to give anything away, but it's powerful stuff. Family, that whole aspect. And then outside of that, when I cry in a movie, it's The Lion King, probably. You know, things that I'm getting to watch with my daughter these days and kind of relive some of those experiences, the stories that shaped who I became, and now I'm sharing that with her.

30:06It's a totally special thing to experience. and then always on planes. Just going to cry on a plane watching a movie. I don't know what it is. More Happy Say Confused coming up.

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31:23One of the other themes that really resonated with me, I mean, is there's a real sense of that thirst for, that we all have, sadly, I think, this external validation. And sometimes that's money. Sometimes that's attention. and even when, if you're an artist... No idea what you mean. I know, exactly. We're all perfectly well-adjusted human beings. But I mean, I guess the question I have for you guys is, do you think you'd be artists if you didn't have the successes that you've had in your career? Would you have stuck with, you had this other job, this other life, do you think art still would have played an important part in your life, just for its own sake?

32:05Yeah, I do. I would have been doing this or trying like on a dinner theater stage wherever I lived, wherever I'm trying to get a play going with people that are interested in doing it. I just think it's just kind of who we are, who we all are. It's a great question, by the way. Thank you. Excellent question. The simple answer is I think so, because I'm not really good at anything else. And there are a lot of times I don't think I'm good at this, you know, the things that I'm doing. And I think part of that need to keep getting better and growing and working with different people that challenge you is what drives me, in addition to my love for it.

32:57It's rare that it's just a joyful experience. Sometimes it's combined with those feelings of self-doubt or questioning oneself. but when you work with people like these guys and others who I've been fortunate enough to work with who make you better, make you stronger, it is absolutely worth the pursuit of it even when it feels like, you know, if I wasn't doing this I don't know where I'd be so I'm glad that I still get to and that people still, to whatever degree, are allowing me to. So thanks.

33:30It's hard to follow that. I would just go back to male modeling. Yeah. Well, when you've got this. When you have this, you don't need to worry. I didn't really hear what Nick said because all the time I was just thinking, I think I just offended everyone that does dinner theater. It's not my intention. I've done it. Yeah. My lifelong goal of canceling Paul Rudd has come to fruition. We started off strong with a little girl joke.

34:05There's no we there. That was you.

34:10Oh, my God. Where are we at? This is random. Where are we at a music biopics? You make musicals that are not musicals. Where am I on? Yeah, I want to hear from any of you guys. It's very interesting. Well, I'll answer it first because I change my mind every few weeks. And I have to be careful because I'm tentatively, I've got an email in my inbox saying, I believe you like this artist. I shall remain anonymous right now. You know, is there a way in for you? Because I say no to those things quite a lot. Just because I can't find a way to get personally into something. And some weekends I'm like, oh, I'd love to know more about that singer, songwriter, or that person, or, you know, I'd love to know more about Aretha Franklin, or people that I can't find books on, or whatever, you know, and then I watch them, and I'm so frequently, like, they so frequently are the, the, what is it, cradle to grave, straightforward, you know, that Aretha Franklin will never amount to anything type movies, you know, which, like, what amazes me is you see something like, Walk Hard.

35:25This guy. You see Walk Hard, there should never be another musical biopic after that. Because it's so, it's like if somebody came along to you and said, do you want to make a film about glam rock English rockers who talk like that? You'd be like, Spinal Tap, you can't make, that's done. And to me, every brilliant pitfall of the biopic, all of the minds that you could step on are hilariously done in that movie, but they're still making biopics of people. I mean, I should be careful now. The snapshot ones I enjoy the most. You were in, you played the great John Lennon. Your John Lennon is the ultimate depiction of John Lennon in cinema, I would say, yes?

36:09Well, we haven't seen the new ones about to come out yet. Have you given Harris Dickinson any advice for playing John? You know, it's funny, he hasn't called.

36:23What was the research process for that? Was it a long one? The research for playing John Lennon? Yeah, in Walk Hard. The night before we had to film that scene,

36:38Justin Long and I, Justin Long played George Harrison, and we watched Hard Day's Night, and we were trying to just watch as much stuff on The Beatles to see if we could get the voices down. There was no chance in hell I was going to be able to do it, and Justin is incredible. But we were panicked. But thankfully, they really were not hinging the film on an accurate portrayal.

37:15Are you playing Paul Stanley, though, in a Kiss film? Is that something that's potentially happening? potentially being the operative word there I'm you know hopeful that it comes together but there's a lot of factors and things that are kind of still up in the air but it would be amazing to do that and to get to tell that story it is a biopic I'm sorry it'll be one of the good ones though don't worry it's a good one yeah unless they make billions of dollars and people really enjoy them I'm an asshole I don't like weddings I'm just a curmudgeonly old Irish Larry David or something. It's okay. I'm actually not like this, am I?

37:52Not at all. Nick's the only one that hasn't said anything controversial tonight. It's been you and Paul are out. It's not too late.

38:01I'll be like going back to my wife saying, do you want to get married and go and see a biopic together? Speaking of your wife, do I have this right? She's in the film and it's very significant role. Yeah, Marcella Plunkett is my wife and she plays Paul Rudd's wife in the film and she has to kiss him. Which was... which was not weird at all shocked my children no end it was very hard to and then and then he would say things to her and paul would have a scene with marcella and he you'd say things to her and and people would be like that's so profound what he's saying and i'd be like i said that i shouted that to you a week ago and they're like yeah but you you're not paul rudd it just sounds really horrible coming from you if and this this the music in this film is fantastic this is not an inconceivable idea.

38:48If you get nominated for this earworm amazing song you guys are going to hear, you could perform at the Oscars. Are you game? Paul, Nick?

38:59Paul? Boy, talk about putting the cart before the horse. I'm putting it out into the universe. I want to be first.

39:10Do you accept - When the film wins an Oscar for that song? at the 25-year retrospective.

39:21So that was a maybe? You're still... I thought the laugh applause was just going right into the next... I'll find something. Okay, let's see. Some questions from the audience. Maureen has better questions than I do. Don't worry. What music do you listen to, gravitate to, when preparing for your roles on set? Do you often have playlists for different characters? Is that something that you find useful? Either of you. Sometimes. I mean, it depends. On something like this, I was kind of reflecting on my own, you know, sort of chapter of trying to find myself musically. And so I went back to a couple of playlists that I made back in 2014, 15, and the things that were really inspiring to me at that time.

40:06And it was nice. It kind of put me back in that place. but for something like Jumanji, I don't really have a whole lot of... It's just sort of, oh, there's a tiger, and then we... That's great. There are some big musical sequences in Avengers Doomsday, as I understand it. There's a lot of... I'm joking, I'm joking, I'm joking, I'm sorry. I'm so excited there. You're like, what? Huh? Never mind, never mind. This is a question for Nick. How does your relationship with performing change when you're acting as a musician versus being yourself on stage? Well, I think that being on stage, I'm singing my songs and sharing my stories for the most part.

40:54And with this, it was really exciting to take the music that John and Gary had written and think of who that guy is going to be with that music and what that looks like. Even vocally, there are things that I approach differently. subtleties that maybe no one will notice, but for me it was important to kind of take that on. But it's just a matter of, yeah, telling my own stories and then telling someone else's and using their words. And you'll see once you see it, it runs deeper than just the songs, but those bigger themes and how the music connects to that. And I think John did an excellent job, as he always does, of making sure all the thoughts are clear and concise and and heartfelt, but that there's music at the center of all of it, and that it's being used in a way to propel the story, make it more engaging, and not just, oh, here's a great music sequence.

41:43How do you accomplish the concert scenes? I mean, is it movie magic, or are there some big crowds there? All the wedding, well, again, you haven't seen the movie, so I don't want to be careful how I give my answer. But it was a mix. Yeah, there's a mix of old-school, silly, the crew running around behind the camera to try and meet us at this angle with a bit of green screen next to some actual CGI which we threw in and stuff like that. So it was kind of like a nice mix. There's nothing too tricksy or anything like that. Well, the fact that I'm asking the question is good. It was a good sign because I couldn't tell what was going on.

42:24Oh, yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Catherine would like to know what surprised each of you about working with each other. What's the biggest surprise? I mean, I assume you tried not to go with preconceived notions, but... Yeah, you know, I'd seen Nick act before and I was really good. And so I can't say this was a surprise. but I'm I'm really just amazed at how good he is and there you go you know you know Nick is such a thoughtful person and it's a very deft performance and I feel like I can I know what's going on in his head in almost every moment by what's going on in his eyes. And there are moments when I finally saw the film that just, I felt it in my chest.

43:26And so it wasn't that I was surprised, but just kind of continually impressed by him. And we all know what a great musician he is, but he's a hell of an actor.

43:42Thank you. you don't have to reciprocate you don't have i i will gladly i mean i i've said it before but you know the music part of this it's a huge task for for anyone um you know if that's been your only thing you've been doing for your career but but paul is is you know obviously paul rudd the the the paul rudd and and uh that first day on set it was it was just uh wild to see you know So he grabbed his guitar and started singing and just let it ring. And it was kind of just a magical thing to get to experience. Also, side note, while we were doing that scene outside, we saw the Northern Lights.

44:23Yeah. It was kind of a... That's the first time ever. It was a magical thing, yeah. The other thing that was surprising was that he knows everything there is to know about Ireland and is so beloved by the Irish people. He's basically Irish. And it was fun. I had no idea you loved it as much as you do. But that's beautiful. And then with John, in a lot of ways, I feel like he directs like a musician, because he is a musician. And so there's a fluidity to it that's so helpful. It makes you feel free to try things and know that it may not be right, but it'll get you to a better place. You know, often in songwriting, you'll throw out a line that you know is bad, that gets you to the better line.

45:02And I appreciated the fact that it was just a really loose and free environment. and I think because when I've watched his films and you can see how technical they are I thought maybe it would be more rigid but it was so surprising just how free and fun it was. Nice. So we end the Happy Sad Confused podcast with the Profoundly Random Questionnaire. John and Nick have never been on the podcast. You're going to have to come on at some point solo. You're coming back soon too I hope but here we go. For all of you guys you can all jump in however you like. Dogs or cats? Dogs. Dogs. Cats. Tracks. Maine Coon cats.

45:44Okay. What do any of you collect? Are you collectors of anything specific?

45:52Yeah, I'm starting to collect first edition or first prints of children's books so that my daughter can have a little collection of her own one day. So that's, yeah. Nice. Sorry, come on, how can we fucking follow that?

46:13Well, I'll tell you what I'm doing for my daughter Yeah,

46:20sorry Your collection of anti-wedding books Anything, Paul? Yeah, I tend to I like historical memorabilia Okay. What's the prize possession? Give me an example. I have

46:43an invitation to the grand opening of the Brooklyn Bridge. Whoa. But it was actually FAO Schwartz's invitation. That's pretty cool. What a reaction. I wasn't expecting that reaction. I just, I think it's... Did he go? Still valid? If he did, he held on to the invitation. I don't think he turned it in. I don't know. But, you know, I think that's, I am fascinated by history. And in particular, like that bridge and the construction of that bridge is a really fascinating story. And when I found that, I was very excited. Love it. Anyone have a favorite video game of all time? Very important question.

47:27What do you got? Max Payne. Okay. Super Smash Brothers.

47:37Thank you The crowd goes wild Top that Paul Dig Dug

47:51Oh my god, alright Okay, quickly, the last few I want to let you guys go and let them see this movie This is an important one Dakota Johnson asked me this, I ask everybody Would you rather have a mouthful of bees or one bee in your butt?

48:08I actually, I'm not sure. I think you said a mouthful of bees. Or one bee. It sounds like something my nine-year-old boy would ask me. And then we'd talk about it for ages. Exactly. Well, it is true. You have to get, like, where exactly in the butt? Right? I mean. Right. I mean, pretty far up it, I would say. I think that would be nice for some people. Yeah. Not so much for the bee.

48:42Wow. Okay. What did you do today at school? What did you do today, John? Well, I was on stage with Paul Worden. We were talking about bees in your arsehole. Last three, quickly. What's the wallpaper on your phone? Anybody. What do you got? I have a beautiful garden. Great. Great. Great. Right. I got the one where it switches out, so it's like a bunch of different photos. It's a good setting. If you don't have it on there, just do it. My kids. Oh, sorry. Your kids. Yes. See, he's a good person, after all. Not my kids. Just kidding.

49:23It's not my fault, just for the record. Last actor either of you were mistaken for?

49:35Neither of them are going to get They're massively famous guys You'd be surprised One idiot is going to say You know you look a little bit like Paul Newman Joe Jonas

49:50Kevin Jonas Yes No I see it Yeah

49:58I actually got, I have a good short story about that. When we made that movie once, we were in America for the first time ever. I'd never been here and we were sitting, we were in a cafe and I don't know if all of, any of you are going to get this, but I'll try it anyway. And we were inside and there was a fortune teller on the pavement outside that her, I think her husband just sort of dropped her there. And she was like outside with the little thing over like that. And she was telling fortunes during the night. and we came out of the place and I had a cigarette outside and like this and she says, you know, cross my palm and I was like, I don't have the money, blah, blah, blah.

50:31Goes on like that and she makes me sit down eventually on like$20 and give it to her and she looks at my hand and she goes, oh, yes, yes, yes, like this and goes through and tells me everything about my life and all this stuff and children and blah, blah, blah and then at the end of it she says, and I'm a big fan and I had just arrived in New York once was tiny. Nobody knew it. A few odd, arty people knew it. And she wasn't one of them. And I was like, no, you couldn't. And Marcel and my wife were like, maybe she's seen, maybe she's just a huge movie buff, and she happens to have seen an obscure Sundance movie.

51:09And I was like, are you sure? And she said, yes, I love what you do. And I was like, what? And she said, and then she said, you know, Harry Potter. Very good. No, no, no, not in that. And then she mentioned some other movie, like an English movie. And I start to realize she thinks that I look like David Thewlis. The English actor. Great actor. Who then 20 years ago I met and I told him that story. And he was like, oh, that's really fucking funny. And I said, yeah. So like, I know how long you live for. I got your fortune. Yeah, exactly. That's amazing. Amazing. And last, worst note a director has ever given you, what jumps to mind?

52:00I'll close my ears. Yeah. Can't be John. Or something that's generally unhelpful, if you can't think of a specific thing. I had a director tell me, just, yeah, one more time, but this time, a lot better. Okay. Got it. Wasn't him, I promise. Nothing really comes to mind I, uh, yeah I'll take any note anybody wants to give me There's a New Yorker There's a really funny New Yorker Um, cartoon That the director is saying Okay, good, now go again But this time you're good at acting Perfection Alright, as I said, you guys are in for a real treat Not only did you get this wonderful conversation But you're about to see Power Bowed Which is fantastic, I know you're gonna wanna spread the good word.

52:51This film is out in theaters May 29th in select theaters and then June 5th around the country. Please, like I said, spread the good word and give it up one more time for John Carney, Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd, everybody. Thanks, everyone.

53:15And so ends another edition of Happy, Sad, Confused. Remember to review, rate, and subscribe to this show on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm a big podcast person. I'm Daisy Ridley, and I definitely wasn't pushed to do this by Josh.

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