Shadowing Practice: Brad Pitt & Adam Sandler | Actors on Actors - Full Conversation - Learn English Speaking with Video
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I feel like we should be talking about colonoscopies.
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That's kind of our wheelhouse these days.
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By the way, I always wondered because when they put you out, you were on your back.
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I was on my back -ish side.
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It wasn't till So your film, Uncut Gems, that's a plug, when I realized they just must like push us over while we're out.
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Oh man, I'm terrified knowing that, because I was awake during that shot, but having to pretend to be asleep,
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and that wasn't a real doctor in there, and he was talking and he was touching, and I wish I was out.
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And poking, and prodding, and hey, the things we do for art, you gotta suffer they say it's in the script I do it now I know it was convincing
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because you looked at you had this kind of I know
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I know I know that's hard to pull I was in
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a weird position yeah yeah yeah I can't it's funny my
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I got shoulder surgery I played basketball with the guy who did my shoulder surgery
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and he looks at me now like he knows something.
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I'm like, what did you do to me, man?
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What did you do to me?
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But the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Tarantino.
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He's good, that Tarantino.
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He's pretty good.
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He should keep going.
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He should make at least one more.
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I think so.
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I think he should make one more.
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Exactly, but then he's got to pull the plug.
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To me, he's got one more in him, and then that's it.
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Yeah, he's done.
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He sure that now you get that script.
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I know I've seen Quentin.
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He is he goes Hardcore at perfection in the script.
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So the script itself you get
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that you get your character you have you you What's the first thing you do when you know you're gonna do it?
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Well this one he because the previous one the script got burned and
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So this one was just one copy his first copy and you had to go to his house and read it
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And I think the Rick Dalton character had to get cast first.
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He was trying to find the pair before the Cliff Booth would happen.
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So the first time I went, it was a nice, clean, crisp script.
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I got called back, I don't know how many weeks later, and it was all dog -eared and snot -stained and coffee cups.
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So you got to read it pretty much first?
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I don't know.
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The script was pretty clean when I first got there.
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When I got the job, it was pretty well used.
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Yeah, it was pretty dirty.
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And the dialogue itself is, it's, you, you, you've got to stay.
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Tarantino's different.
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Tarantino, me, who's never done Shakespeare.
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Yes.
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But there is a, you know, there is a specific rhythm, you know, they talk about the...
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Right, right.
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And I found that with the Coen brothers and I find that with Tarantino, that there is a very particular, you know, music to it.
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And where, you know, some jobs we do, we get to riff, and that's great.
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We make it natural, and we put our real interesting bits in it, you know, and we make it our own.
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But here, I find it only just, like, it lets the air out of the tire, and the stuff goes poof.
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Yeah, you feel it, yeah, yeah.
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That's so fun.
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He's one of the few scripts, he's one of the few writers that I've read where you get it, you can hear it immediately.
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Yes, for sure.
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It's so specific. For sure, yes he's also like you know when you're out somewhere
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and you like I describe his writing this way
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when you were in and you have an embarrassing moment
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or you get ripped you don't you know you're not sharp
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on the comeback driving home you think of the perfect comeback yes yes yes he has
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that he has laid out for you yeah man even
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that last even that bagel thing at the end when you said you could make a bagel.
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That was so funny.
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That was so funny.
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Was that your last line in the movie or something?
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Close to it.
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I tried.
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Man, you were funny.
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But that's him.
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That's Mr. Tarantino.
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Yeah, that was a good one.
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I think that might have been a little bit of the valley of knowing a lot about L .A
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and also the fact that he married an Israeli girl.
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The bagel was on his mind when he was putting this together.
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Maybe that is a connection.
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Didn't question it.
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No. I just liked it, because it didn't...
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It just was so strong that he's like, let me be alone.
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You're just gonna waste your time with me.
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It made sense without making sense.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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It's official, old buddy. And it has been.
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What are you talking about?
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What did that guy tell you?
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He told me the goddamn truth is what he told me.
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Whoa, whoa.
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Hey.
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I'm sorry about that.
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Man, scene after scene was making me laugh.
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It was, to me, you know, it's not a full -on comedy, but my goodness.
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I saw Conan O 'Brien, and I was at a hotel.
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I was just talking to him, and he just got done seeing it.
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And we talked about the movie, and we were both going, man, that was so funny.
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This was so funny.
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It's got the rhythm of a comedy, kind of.
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What, Quentin?
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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Yeah, I mean, well, thank you coming from you, because you, well, thank you.
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You know that stuff, but it's a different kind of humor, isn't it?
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It's kind of, it's subtle, it's a, it's subtle, it's also makes you want to be, you're, you and your, yeah, yeah, yeah.
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Well, the Bruce Lee scene, man, you just laughing on the side and just getting excited about a guy boasting and just being,
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of all people.
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I've seen that those guys hang out before, the stunt men, sitting on the side, talking, and that you do always go, well those guys are the coolest guys on the set.
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They are, we all know.
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We all know that, yeah.
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They're so much cooler than.
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By the way, I'm so happy they're there, I rely on them for every scene.
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I'm the opposite of, I don't know about you, but I have no pride in doing my own stunt.
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I'm like, I'll be taking a rest over there, You do your thing, I'll be rooting for you, buddy.
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I'd run right over to him after, and go, way to go, baby.
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That was amazing.
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You really made me look good there.
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But I even look at those guys with my, if I'm trying to be funny, if the stunt guys are laughing, I'm like, all right, the stunt guys thought it was good, everything's good.
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Exactly.
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But when you do comedies, when you do, you know, what I've noticed about, you know, you usually have a group, and you guys are used to riffing.
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You guys will try another line.
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Right, right, right.
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And another line.
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Sure.
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And then another take you'll throw out another, you know, look for that capper or something.
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You're always looking for a big out.
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Do you bring that same thing when you get to a drama or a serious thing?
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Not really.
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I let those guys, the Safdie brothers, I let them have total, I throw thoughts out there.
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And I talk to them during the pre -production and stuff.
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And then on the day, they'll say, try this, try that.
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Maybe don't be so upset there and see what happens there.
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We did, not like with the Quentin, we did go off the script a little bit.
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Mostly script, but then on occasion,
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before action, I would be back in a different room about to enter a set and the safety guys would say,
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hey maybe say this when you go out there, see what happens, you know?
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And we went off like that a few times.
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That got in there.
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I just figured that would be amazing training because it takes a
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while to be able to get that loose where you can yeah
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and in in truth i find i find the seats end up best
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if you're operating that same way like you're the lines don't have to be different
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but your approach is different yeah yeah your your tone's different right um yeah
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and i just i just thought
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that would be i was really impressed with you guys the way you do
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that and i thought that's that's really that's the way to approach a scene i see out there
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when the stadium's all booing you you're 30 up you're still
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going full tilt let's see what vegas what does vegas got you guys at
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that take a look let's see are you serious gonna pull
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this up right here look at this the sixes are supposed to win the game tonight it's
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so funny because when you do a scene
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and you got to cover a scene and do the master
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and blah blah blah and shoot and shoot
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and shoot there's nothing better than somebody coming up with a
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new line all of a sudden it's like the freshest thing to you.
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You say that new line, you're like, can you give me five more new lines?
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Because I think I'm getting stiff here with this other stuff, you know?
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And that was nice.
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Yeah, I worked with Adam McKay once, he would do that.
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He would just be throwing out, right?
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Yes, yes, exactly.
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That's how we, a lot of the comedians and the comedy directors do it.
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It's like you've got a list of a couple of comedy writers in the background going blah blah blah blah, handing it to the director, the director screams out, maybe try saying this this this
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and then you either say that line or something close to it
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and it does create a
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but the point what I took note is I once saw
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Tony Hopkins he we were doing this this was mid 90s
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or 97 or something
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and the scene wasn't working for him I mean for me I thought it was great
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but for me he wasn't working
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and he turned around he turned his back to us all for about 30 seconds
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and turned back around
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and he did it he just came in it was just
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a completely different tone all right words were the same
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but the tone was different and it was glorious
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and I've always made a point since then to like keep trying to
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mess up the intention of the scene or yes yes yes right
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and that's what I drew from
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when I whenever I see the comedy guys like riffing like
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that it's always fresh fresh fresh yes and
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if you know you're gonna get a few shots at it in your head it frees up
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so much where you go I can't I can't play with this stuff
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and come at with different directions and stuff when you're on the move
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and you're and it's pressing hey we got to get this shot
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and get out of there then you do sort of make a decision like let me give my A take
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or we're gonna end up with something that's not enough energy
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or whatever but it is it is cool with well maybe it's different
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when I because when I get into a drama it's don't necessarily know the answer again
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and again it's such a subtle it's such a subtle it's it's about feeling what you feel what
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but what you feel from the Oh yes, and what the other person brings you.
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And so that I find it kind of search and destroy.
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Yeah, it's funny, we did a few scenes in Gems where when I'm at home working on it, and I'm alone working on it,
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it's one thing, and then all of a sudden you're with the other actor, you meet in eyes, you're like, oh man, this is bringing like a whole other feeling up.
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And it's either working or not, but it is different.
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That's usually when I feel I did something right where I was there in the moment, you're locking in with somebody.
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When you surprise yourself.
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Yes, and you let yourself say, okay, well that was real at least.
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I don't know if it made 100 % sense for the scene, but I was there and I felt what I was supposed to.
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Well that's always my argument, that if it's real for you, it's going to read real, because the camera, man, the camera reads that.
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And I just wonder how you approach that with comedy.
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Is it the same?
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Right, right.
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I think so.
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I think so.
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I think you try to make it make sense to the story and your character and whatever you pick.
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And the realer the better.
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But then there are guys who come at it where they step back from it being real and they do something bananas, and it's funnier than anything you could do
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but like well I would say you know I'll see I see
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that in some of your other stuff like they're really irreverent ones like Zohan
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and stuff but I equate
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that too to like Will Ferrell you know yeah yeah yeah he's incredible at that
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but it's still there's truth in what he's making fun of
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you know yes yes he always looks in the scene as
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that guy as whoever person he's playing you believe Will Ferrell is in
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that situation and being put upon or taken over or whatever he does, he is incredible at that.
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Well what I love, but you are too, you guys are making fun of truthful situations.
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It can get absurd, it can get bananas, but there's truth in it.
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Yes, yes, you're trapped.
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But all right, back to Uncut Gems.
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Yes, I'm a little obsessed with comedy right now, that's why I'm banging on your door that way.
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I love when you, yes, I love that you like that.
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But this movie, first of all, hats off, man.
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Thank you, buddy, I'm so happy you liked it.
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I had such anxiety watching it.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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It looked like a ball to make.
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It was, it was.
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Except for the panic scenes, it looked really difficult.
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There were some heavy moments, yes, yes, sure, but there were so many people in every scene, it was so rat -tat -tat, everybody going nuts, and it was alive most of the time.
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It was alive.
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Yeah.
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It was noisy, it was chaotic, it was a lot of energy going, very kinetic, but oh my,
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watching it, oh my god, I was so anxious.
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Yeah, right, right.
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The guy, you know, watching someone, you know, the way they describe an airline disaster is like a series of bad mistakes, there's never like one mistake.
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And when you watch, just a man just keep making bad choices.
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That's right.
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It's so funny, too, because you know when you're shooting, it's scene to scene.
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In the morning, you shoot one scene and you go, oh, that's where he makes that wrong decision.
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Okay, let's concentrate on that.
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But as a whole, when you watch the movie back, you're like, oh yeah, that does get on you, man.
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You feel terrible that the guy can't get it together.
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But doing it, though, isn't there a certain perverse freedom in it? oh my god
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yeah isn't there a sense of fun this was probably the
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most free I could ever be in a movie just just he made
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so many mistakes that and was so unlikable at times and
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that he was never unlikable well in my head he was
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but I'm glad he's never unlikable yeah that's good to know
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you you you in fact you worried for him that's why it was so that's great anxiety that's producing Yeah,
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that was shockingly cool to get to be that guy.
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I think you are the most annoying person I have ever met.
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I hate being with you, I hate looking at you, and if I had my way, I would never see you again.
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That's cause you're mad.
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You're mad, and it makes sense.
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You know, this is something that I, one of my favorite things you've ever done is punch, you know, punch, uh, punch drunk well?
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Punch drunk?
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Yeah, yeah. With PTA.
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Sure and he's the man
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but there's something in in everything you do I mean we go way back yeah
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but but what I love about you know it's what I love most in people
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but what I'm trying to say is there is a there's always a kindness that you
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that you bring to all your characters there's a kindness of
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heart in the back of it That's why you care for your man and Uncut Gems so much, and you worry for him so much.
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That's amazing, because there are times I don't think it's, I think I'm being strong, I think I'm being in my head.
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You are.
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You are being strong.
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Right.
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And you're being, making, you're being.
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There's something no matter what I do that's a little like something about me slightly goopy at all times, so it kind of makes you go,
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I don't know, he's off a little bit.
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You're definitely off, no question.
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Yeah, I try not to be, but it turns out that it goes that way.
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But there's this thing underneath.
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Sorry, you were going to say?
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I want to talk about you, that's why.
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We're not getting off you just yet.
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But there is this, I don't know, it's something that's unexplainable.
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It's probably something you're not aware of.
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I mean, you have a reputation for being very kind,
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very honorable, and honorable friends.
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I don't think that's so known out in the old universe.
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Yeah.
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And I've got great respect for that.
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But it reads in the characters.
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And that's why I like Punch Drunk Love so much, because it's so embodied in that character.
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He's so...
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Oh yeah, that guy is such a warmth thing.
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He's wanting something, too.
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Yeah, he's trying.
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He's trying so hard.
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And while I have that, okay, but let me just, of course, can I just say,
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watching you, we're going to talk about Hollywood now.
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Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, but your character to me, so again, like you're saying about me,
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I thought your guy was so warm, so kind, loved Leo's character, was his brother, sat and like was so,
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made Leo feel proud of his performance as his character.
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You know, I love that you were sat and that was
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so funny when he said you want to watch me the show
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and you're like well I couldn't think of nothing else I'd rather do
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or something whatever the line was this just was
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so genuinely loving like that's my buddy I'm gonna he loves
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when I watch and tell him how he's doing a good job
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and that was the best
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that was a real friendship it reminded me of a lot of friendships that me
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and you have mutual friends it reminded me of my feelings
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for the guys we hang out with it were just like just he needs something, he needs a friend, he needs something dependable in his life.
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You were so dependable for Leo.
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Even when he had to say goodbye to you and
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when he got married and he was having a hard time saying goodbye, just the fact that you guys get back together so quick, you're with him or you're just with him.
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He's like, I cannot be with this guy.
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He's my rock.
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I know, but don't you have those people who, you know, I know you do, friends of 30 years who, it's in between, it's the down time,
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isn't it, that can be torturous or joyful.
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It's those people who rely on so much of those friendships out here.
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Even in one of the best scenes, when the guy punctures your tire,
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besides the fact that we're so excited to watch you possibly pummel this guy,
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because we saw you're capable with a fight earlier in the movie.
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Just like the fact that he damaged your buddy's car, and you're like, man, you can't do that, man.
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That's it, like it hurt you.
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Besides it being a job for you, it means a lot to him, that car.
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Yeah, that was great.
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It was nice playing a guy with, who had kind of evolved past drama.
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So there was never, you know, there was like some of the scenes, You had panic scenes in Uncut Gems where you're in full
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panic breakdown mode like you're scared for your life like like it could all the walls could come tumbling down
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and you know those mornings when you go in
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and you gotta put yourself in
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that position it's an exhausting kind of day you know what
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you're up for you're up for a 15 round fight right right
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when they don't when they're they're only 12 rounds now yeah
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and and and oh
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and the like it was almost a bit of a joy
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not to you know this was a guy who had found his you know found this piece, he was like, you know, listen, I'll look for the best in people,
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I expect the worst, you know, surprise me, and if not, we'll deal with it as it comes along.
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And that was like, no hassle in the castle.
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Well that's what made you love this guy so much, he's so confident and cool, and just, and your days alone when you would drop Leo off at the set and be like,
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I got some errands to make, and just those drives when you would see one of the young hippie girls hitchhiking
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and having a little eye contact session it was just
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so you were
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so happy for like all right he's getting to enjoy his
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day a little bit he's flirting having fun well look red
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i'm coming in there with my own two eyes i'm gonna get a good look at george
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and this ain't stopping me so i I was thinking, too, when I watched Ad Astra,
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and I saw you had so many days where, first of all, the way it was shot was incredible.
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Hoyt van Hoytman.
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One of our best.
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Good Lord.
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Yeah.
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Beautiful.
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Good Lord.
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And James Gray.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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He's one of our best.
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My God, man.
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And just the timing of the shield of the helmet coming into where we actually see your face from it, and your emotions were so powerful.
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And I was thinking the same thing with you like you had
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so many days where you had to be in the trailer before going out and being like, oh no, here we go again.
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This one's a rough moment, too.
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You didn't have any calm moments in that movie.
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That was a very, very, that was a tough shoot, huh?
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Yeah, that was not, you know, it's interesting because of what you're exploring, but it does, it takes a toll.
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I mean, I'm not in complaining, but you just know what you're in for, you know?
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You know what you're in for when you sign up for it
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and what it's going to be and right really grateful when you come out the other end yes yeah those were
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yeah those were those those kind of days where you got to be
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and you've got to put yourself in
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that he is whatever is personal for you right whatever the
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upset is in the scene yeah tonally you have to you
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know you got to be there yeah I know I know me
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and I don't know how you get there what do you do I I hope to get there.
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When that has happened, that has worked every time.
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But when I don't do it, in this, in Uncut Gems, I've had movies where I had to break down before.
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And I get really nervous about those days.
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If it's a couple days or so.
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I mean, I'm not kidding you.
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Leading up to it?
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Leading up to it.
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I'll say, when is that?
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When are they shooting that scene?
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Yeah.
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Counting down on the call sheet and you see them.
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Yeah, exactly.
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It screws me up a little bit.
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Oh, the third week, I know I'm approaching that.
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I've got to be up for it.
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And then once you do it, and if you get there, you're like, phew, the rest is then.
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You're like, no, you've still got to get it.
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Next week there's...
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Yeah, yeah.
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I don't know.
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I don't know how I get there.
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I do the same negotiation.
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Check.
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Check.
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I actually, I didn't do as much as I usually do where I put this pressure on myself.
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I just said, I'm feeling like this guy.
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I really did my backstory.
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I worked hard at this character and knowing the way he thinks and where he goes in my head.
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I felt confident that I knew the guy.
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So I was a little more confident than usual on the
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days he had a really awful day where I had to break down or whatever.
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I was just like, let me just go.
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Let me just do it.
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Instead of doing that whole thing of worrying and worrying, I just did my own way of getting there.
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And I actually talked, I called my wife and I said, all right, today I'm there.
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I got to do this.
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And she gave me some thoughts and blah blah blah.
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And so I looked good.
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It was great.
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I got it done.
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But it's funny.
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No, it plays.
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It plays.
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Thanks, buddy.
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I mean, I saw you, I saw those close -ups, I saw like, you always had this,
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so much baggage going on in your head and every facial expression, even when you weren't moving,
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even when it was such a still shot, it was very effective.
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I could just tell you were deep in something the whole movie.
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Yeah, that was, you know, I talked to James before going in, because it was such an insular
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and lonely kind of existence in the abyss of space and and where we're gonna end up.
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I told him, asked him you know I see this is very very very still I'm gonna see how right
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how still we can be and
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when it gets flat you know just pull me out yeah that's that's yeah you cuz
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that loneliness was there you were lonely and you were in pain
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and you miss you just do something constantly going on it's it's it's like I can't remember the particular scene
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but when you oh when You look at
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that video of your dad the first time and see what he said and done.
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And then masturbate.
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Yeah, that's weird.
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It was a weird move, but I thought it said something about the Pacific that was universal.
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I loved the masturbation.
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It was wonderful.
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What can you tell us about the Lima project?
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First manned expedition to the outer solar system, sir.
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Some 29 years ago.
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And the commander was?
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It was my father, sir.
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It reminded me a lot when you found out something about your dad
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and it crushed you because you had a belief about one thing, your whole life growing up, and then all of a sudden you hit with something else.
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It's when my father's funeral, when my father passed away, and after the funeral, and I love, you know I love my dad a lot.
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You guys are very close.
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We were tight.
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And then you have people coming up to you and telling you their own stories about your dad and them.
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And you're just like, what happened?
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It is a shocking feeling to get hit with stuff you didn't know about your father.
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Just stuff that you didn't want to know.
441
Stuff that he did that was totally out of character.
442
It is a shocking, weird change.
443
But anyways, yeah, old Tommy Lee was great in the movie too, huh?
444
Goodness.
445
He's another one just like I didn't think some of the dialogue actually worked in on paper Uh -huh, I was talking to James James.
446
We got to work this for him.
447
We right right right he comes in nope And just like oh he may have more to learn You're right
448
Tommy Lee whenever we work with these guys who are older than us
449
and better than us you do walk away going oh Oh yeah, I guess you start panicking.
450
Okay, this great actor's coming in.
451
Let's make sure his stuff is as good as it could be.
452
And then you're like, wait a minute.
453
They get there like, I took the gig because I like it.
454
I like what I'm gonna get to do with this stuff.
455
I know what I'm doing.
456
Don't worry about me.
457
Yeah, just relax, exactly.
458
It's cool, man.
459
Well, I mean, let's talk about, like the cast in Uncut Gems is sublime.
460
Yeah, great.
461
Everyone was so specific.
462
Yes.
463
And how much, you know, what's often, like we'll get credit for a performance,
464
but what's rarely talked about is what we do as a collaborative sport.
465
Right, right.
466
And we rely so much on, not just the set and how it's shot and the music and the sound design and the score,
467
but our partners we're playing with.
468
And it does, it really, when everyone's firing, the scene is so rich,
469
and it gives you so much more.
470
And I felt like you had a lot bouncing off on because everyone was all pistols were firing.
471
Those guys, the Safdie brothers, they take it so serious, every person in the movie meant so much to them.
472
So they had legitimate people there, people who aren't actors, people who are really jewelers, people who, you know, the FedEx guy in the movie who just drops off the rock to me,
473
that's the 47th Street FedEx guy.
474
Like, they're just like, we love his look.
475
We want him.
476
He'll play it more real than him.
477
You know, they just, they made
478
that very easy for me to be more alive in every scene because it all felt legitimate.
479
And then, yeah, and then the other parts, I mean, LaKeith.
480
Well, you blended right in.
481
LaKeith Stanford is amazing.
482
That kid is incredible.
483
Yeah, no, he's incredible he is deep
484
and he goes all day long he goes all day long
485
when we're not shooting it's an hour set up I swear
486
to God I never saw him not working hard he was just on the side either going over his stuff
487
or just staying in character being on his own coming back we would talk we'd have real conversations and
488
then I would feel like all right I better step back
489
and get him back to his world he goes he goes he's a guy
490
that I felt when we had toe -to -toe scenes a lot, I felt like, oh yeah, this is a whole other thing than I expected.
491
Yeah, he's giving it back.
492
He gives it up.
493
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
494
So we, me and you know each other from many years ago when we first started.
495
We kind of like started getting to do more and more of what we wanted to do.
496
at the same time we both kind of maybe I think you were ahead of me
497
but like in the same era of getting to do stuff
498
that was important to us and we're still gonna do
499
that I don't know how the hell
500
that happened yeah we snuck we snuck through sneaky sneaky this could be it though exactly
501
but yeah I just I feel like oh
502
when we started it was I mean I I got out here at the end of the 80s When did you get?
503
Right, yes.
504
When did you get?
505
Early 90s?
506
I finished college 88, got here like 89, 80, end of 88.
507
And then it was still, you know, it was big blockbusters with Stallone and Schwarzenegger,
508
and then we went through the 90s where independent cinema, which certainly Tarantino was a part of its birthing,
509
and we went through that and then we, I don't know what we call the yachts, I don't know how I would define that.
510
But then streaming services came on, and it's been a, you know,
511
after, in early 2000s you could see films, you know, it was getting harder and harder to make interesting material.
512
Like, you could see a heading towards the blockbuster.
513
And this was mainly because, as you know, prints and advertising was so goddamn expensive.
514
You couldn't take those gambles on gutsy material.
515
I say that, I don't mean that there weren't gutsy films made, but though they would usually - More opportunity for it.
516
More gambles, yeah, you had to do it under 10 million or something.
517
Right.
518
And then streaming service came along and blown it wide open again in a very interesting way.
519
I mean, I see more and more interesting stuff getting made.
520
You were one of the very first to go to Netflix.
521
I lucked out doing that.
522
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
523
I can't believe what they made.
524
You crossed the picket line at that time.
525
I sure did.
526
I didn't even know I was doing that.
527
I was very just, they were interested in working together, and it just turned out, they are so passionate.
528
So many of these companies are.
529
I mean, I'm just tight with Netflix.
530
I know those guys very well.
531
They just want want to make great material.
532
And that's all they talk about.
533
They just, they love providing opportunities for so many different types of comedies.
534
Well, in all fairness, they were certainly the first to bust open the door, and then it's become an arms race as far as material.
535
But you were one of the first to go that route film -wise.
536
You too!
537
And I wasn't far behind looking at you, but I think you were the very first.
538
I remember.
539
I said, let me get this going for Brad, and then I did it.
540
And look at you now.
541
Thank you.
542
Thank you.
543
You're welcome.
544
Thank you.
545
Thank you, sir.
546
Thank you.
547
My pleasure.
548
No, but it's interesting to see, you know, we, listen, I'm all for, I guess my point is, I'm all for change.
549
I mean, I'm certainly not going to fight it, but go with it and see what it is.
550
I see the positive more and more.
551
I see really interesting material getting made.
552
So many great filmmakers.
553
So much amazing talent.
554
So many people out there.
555
That were there all along and not getting a shot.
556
Right, yeah, right, exactly.
557
On the other hand, people talk about lamenting the death of the cinematic experience.
558
Is that gone because the home experience has gotten so good?
559
I don't see it being gone.
560
I like seeing, I saw your movie in a theater.
561
Yeah, I don't see it being gone.
562
It's different now.
563
It'll be fewer and far between.
564
Yes, yes.
565
But it's exciting when you're there.
566
It's very exciting when you're at a movie theater.
567
And when I saw, it's funny, I saw your movie a week ago or five days ago, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
568
And I was in New England and I looked up, where's the plane?
569
And I had to drive an hour and 20 minutes because, you know, it's out of some theaters.
570
And it was so much fun going to the theater, watching it on a big screen.
571
Of course, Tarantino wants you to see it on a big screen.
572
It looked incredible.
573
Shot on film still.
574
Man, was it shot nice.
575
Yeah.
576
Man, oh man, it just looked cool as hell.
577
But that's exactly the question.
578
Does it have to be an event film for them to play now?
579
Mm -hmm.
580
Which it seems to be heading that way.
581
There needs to be some kind of event propulsion behind it.
582
Yeah, that's where it's at right now.
583
And I bet it goes back
584
and I bet it makes a comeback into the movies you see on streaming a lot being on big screen.
585
I just think it's a moment.
586
I think it's a moment I don't think stuff goes away
587
forever I just think this is where it's at right now
588
and like I said sitting back and watching how great
589
that movie looked Tarantino's movie
590
and just seeing you guys on a big screen was just a great experience
591
but I saw Ad Astra at home on my screen and it felt more private I loved being alone with it.
592
I loved, because the sound design, I was digging the sound design, I was digging the shots, and the quiet, the stuff on the moon, that quiet feeling up there.
593
It was just me alone and the screen, and it kind of rocked me hard.
594
I thought it would have rocked, it got me better than it would in the theater.
595
Not hard, not hard.
596
Rocked me.
597
Not hard.
598
Okay.
599
That's a long time ago. That doesn't happen anymore.
600
I'm not going to take a stab at the comedy.
601
I'm sorry.
602
I apologize.
603
You set me up.
604
I had to do something.
605
I don't know.
606
I was at home.
607
I was alone.
608
It was dark.
609
There was a pause button.
610
You can't do that in a theater.
611
It had nothing to do with you, right?
612
Not anymore, anyways.
613
You could in the 70s, but you can't do that.
614
The times have changed.
615
No, you can't do that.
616
No, I guess the only fear, not the fear, the downside of,
617
the upside of films through streaming is a lot of them get more eyes on it.
618
More people have an opportunity.
619
More people actually see them.
620
The downside is that there's so much material that they can become disposable.
621
Where we just see it, cluck, gone, you know, like a meal seems like stuff
622
that is exciting to see though does get talked about a lot where you say okay I got to check
623
that out so yeah but I hear what you're saying I don't really care do you?
624
about other people saying making a no at where it I
625
mean I just don't really I mean things are getting made
626
and that's what I care about I do like that
627
and quality quality with quality with a lot of care from the The people are helping get it made.
628
Again, just Ted Sarandos, man, does that guy care about movies more than anyone I've ever heard?
629
He really gets excited about films and gets excited about filmmakers, and it's cool.
630
Well, what I love is we don't have to do much press.
631
Oh, yeah.
632
That doesn't make life a lot of you, too.
633
No, it's kind of nice, isn't it?
634
We don't have to get out there.
635
We're not fighting for eyes.
636
Yeah, for the opening weekend, yeah.
637
We're not trying to put butts in seats as they tell us we need to do.
638
You're right.
639
You did put a few butts in the Hollywood seats, though, I've got to say.
640
Well, that was, again, Tarantino, the cast, My Friend Leo, you know, it became an event thing.
641
Hollywood, 69, Manson.
642
Yeah, yeah.
643
Man.
644
What about, we didn't talk about 100 % Fresh, because that came out this year, too.
645
Come on, it's a movie.
646
Doesn't it count?
647
Don't we call this a film?
648
I don't think it's a movie, no. We don't call this a film?
649
A special, a special.
650
We call it a special?
651
A variety show or something like that.
652
I don't know.
653
Really?
654
I love that.
655
Me do stand -up.
656
That was a fun night. But it's wholly original.
657
Thanks, buddy.
658
I hope you keep doing that as well.
659
Yeah.
660
Yeah, me too.
661
It is.
662
It's funny.
663
I was saying to you back before.
664
It's good -hearted.
665
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
666
Sorry, man.
667
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
668
Exactly.
669
I have that.
670
Most of the time I am.
671
Not every day, though.
672
I know.
673
Listen, you're irreverent.
674
Yes, yes.
675
And you get down and dirty.
676
Yes, yes.
677
It's good -hearted.
678
You're a good -hearted man, too.
679
I know that.
680
But I was going to just ask you, this is kind of an actor question.
681
Now, sometimes you sit, you've done a movie, it's coming out, and then you have to think about, okay, life has to go on,
682
I have to do another movie, or I have to sit for a while what do you do?
683
What goes, do you have stuff that you've been working on a long time?
684
Like Ad Astra.
685
How long were you working on that before you actually shot it and had it gone?
686
Well, I mean, James Gray, much longer.
687
I think he developed it, working on it for like five years.
688
We worked on it for a good, I think a good ten months up to, you know, really honing the script.
689
Right until we got to shooting
690
and then afterwards you know the the post production was pretty long for us it was almost
691
that seemed a half almost two years oh man by the time we got it out yeah the look of
692
that movie almost look at that movie the cut of
693
that movie it's it's incredible and the sound and everything
694
that was and the music I love the music also yeah
695
that got me good too but I feel like we're we you know it's easy
696
when you're on a film you can put everything else aside.
697
You say, hey man, I'm on a film.
698
You know I can get myopic about it.
699
I feel like we're busier when we're when we're not shooting something.
700
Like we're called upon.
701
I don't talk about anything else except when I'm doing that movie.
702
I don't know what else is going on out there.
703
How long was the shoot, the safety bills?
704
It wasn't bad.
705
It was probably 37 days or something like that.
706
That's amazing, man.
707
It was kind of all over New York, most of it live, most of it in the city,
708
and most of it in apartments and stuff and then there was the jewelry store itself that was a set
709
That was a cool set.
710
It was great.
711
That was nice.
712
Dude, I put on a dinosaur mask and I got recognized in New York City.
713
I don't know what it is, especially when people grow up with you, but you were deep in character.
714
I had a character going, I still got recognized, yes, yes, yes.
715
No, it may be a little more of a delay, but like you were just saying, Pitt, I was skiing one time,
716
had the helmet on, the dicky up, the goggles, and I was like, this is gonna be a fun day,
717
no one's gonna, literally, just like 6 .30, 7 in the morning, hey Adam Sandler, I go, how'd you know,
718
he goes, that big nosey boy, all right man.
719
No, I think it's something in growing up, we can discuss it later, I won't waste it here, but just our body types and yeah just know like yes like
720
when you see the Bigfoot in the forest yeah the body types are Brad's body and then my
721
scoliosis pops up huh well I mean you know you you
722
you started out like originating your own comedies yeah I kind
723
of got to know the favorite yeah the films I'll go to when I'm done with the day, that's where I want to be.
724
You can watch those over and over.
725
That's funny.
726
I just watched a Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart movie the other night and I was so calm watching it. So happy.
727
This makes me laugh.
728
I don't know why I'm so happy watching comedies, but I was like that my entire life.
729
No, we all are.
730
I think there's something that's playable where a heavy drama, you need distance from.
731
You can't Yeah, you jump in.
732
You've got to adjust when you sit down to watch a heavy movie.
733
You've got to go, okay, am I going to, do I want to get myself into that right now?
734
But it is a good feeling.
735
It is a good feeling to get lost in a movie.
736
Like I said, the Lima Project, baby, that really hurt me.
737
It hurt me.
738
I was heartbroken watching it, and that's good lengthy movie and I was just moved by it.
739
By the way I did Uncut Gems, Darius Kanja.
740
Yeah, shot seven.
741
Shot seven.
742
Kanji, Kanja?
743
Kanji.
744
Kanji is a good guy.
745
He was shooting meat and he really, he couldn't help himself.
746
He kept saying your face, something about your face is better than Brad's and did you shoot?
747
He just said I shoot better than you, have better eyes or something.
748
No, no, no. But yeah, he's a superstar, that guy.
749
He's a sweetheart.
750
He's a sweetheart, yeah.
751
Really sweet guy.
752
Those Safdie boys were really funny because they were pushing their stuff on him too.
753
And Darius was very much like, no, no, no, that will never work.
754
You can't use that lens.
755
And they'd go, and they were like, they're two young guys, and they love so many movies, and they know so much.
756
They go, please, Just look at it.
757
Look at it.
758
I'm telling you.
759
I'm telling you, it's going to be good.
760
You're going to like it.
761
And he'd be like, it's impossible.
762
I'll never.
763
And then he'd put on this, you know, 200 lens or whatever.
764
And he'd be like, I do like it.
765
I do.
766
Let's go.
767
Let's try this.
768
Yeah, you feel them breaking rules.
769
They were breaking rules.
770
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
771
I never knew what they were shooting, the whole shoot.
772
Because they were using such long lenses that I didn't know what the hell was being done half the time.
773
So where the crew would be way off?
774
They'd be way off and they'd be in tight on you and you didn't know it.
775
I thought, oh man, and then I started going, I can't walk through anything.
776
I gotta really give every take my own, because I don't know what the hell they're doing, and there was no playback.
777
You know how that goes.
778
Tarantino has no playback, right?
779
No, no, he's there.
780
What I love is, when we started, cables everywhere, and massive lights, you'd be sweating all the time,
781
this way you know and big ass cameras that were super loud
782
and now it's like it's like it's getting down to we're
783
almost we'll just be sitting in our room in the dark now
784
and it's a whole nother thing yeah amazing it is cool
785
but starting out income I mean dude you could you could you can do dramas all day long
786
if you want you've proven that with several films and especially this last one.
787
You know, what was the, were you ever coming from comedy?
788
Were you ever reluctant to make that to make that switch?
789
Or what did it take you to find your confidence in that?
790
I think ultimately it was just Paul Thomas Anderson writing me something.
791
I didn't know how to write that stuff for myself and I went to NYU.
792
I studied acting at Strasburg and all that stuff.
793
I was never doing comedy monologues in school.
794
I always was doing Indian Wants the Bronx and stuff like that.
795
Really?
796
Oh yeah, I mean, I didn't know any comedy stuff existed.
797
That's hilarious.
798
I was doing stand -up on my own, but when I was in school I was just doing serious stuff.
799
So I always knew I was kind of like...
800
I felt comfortable doing that stuff.
801
How amazing was stand -up training for this thing?
802
Because here's my take on it.
803
One, it scares the shit out of me.
804
I mean, I'm too old to jump off that bridge.
805
It scares the shit out of me.
806
But you guys, you don't figure out, what I understand, like before you put a show together,
807
before it makes it, you gotta go in front of a live audience and you gotta try stuff out.
808
I mean you got to fail, you got to fail, you got to fall flat until you find those gems that work and then start culling those gems.
809
Yeah, you put them together in an order that makes sense.
810
You got to have a pretty tough.
811
You don't even think about it anymore.
812
I got to the place where one even, I mean sometimes all of a sudden you get punched in the face
813
so hard where you're going out and what just happened there and you're rocked in front of an audience and you're like, oh, you feel naked or whatever the hell happens
814
but now I even had this
815
when I was 19 I would do I would say something
816
that didn't work I was just going what's the these guys
817
didn't get it they didn't understand what was good about that but uh I'll forgive them.
818
Oh it was their fault?
819
Yeah it was their fault.
820
Never blame me.
821
The times you blame yourself though you are shook up.
822
When you finally just go what am I doing man
823
that was a very stupid thing to do in front of decent human beings but anyways
824
but you use Brad I you know your comedy man you
825
do you certainly be funny as hell on set like how funny was it in the acid trip
826
when you had the gun up to the guy what a funny ass side shot of you
827
and when you said it's I know it's it's Rex or yeah and it's something stupider than that, so that was the funniest.
828
Yeah, he, Quentin said right before we started shooting, by the way, the end's gonna be, you're on acid.
829
That was crazy.
830
Great!
831
That was so funny that you bought that thing such a throwaway earlier in the movie and then you go, tonight's the night, and you hit it, and then...
832
No, that's Tarantino.
833
But when you get to those with him, he's all for playing, like he'll be throwing out stuff in this.
834
Oh, really?
835
Yeah, he'll be calling audibles.
836
And audibles with lines too?
837
He'll be Peyton Manning.
838
Oh, that's good.
839
Like, looking at the, yeah, calling something else.
840
That was really the funniest scene.
841
I mean, that last 20 minutes or so was just full on.
842
It's outrageous.
843
Hilarious, the dog.
844
It's outrageous.
845
There was not one corny move Tarantino made with, like, with just the action of it all.
846
It was just like, boom, boom, boom, boom, everything was fun.
847
You're right, he should do one more.
848
He's got to do one more, but then I'm telling you, that's it.
849
He's probably done.
850
I don't want him to join anymore.
851
He's just gonna start hanging out more and enjoying his life.
852
You were talking about NYU, your time at NYU?
853
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
854
This is my favorite Adam Sandler story that I heard from Bennett Miller.
855
Oh, really?
856
Yeah.
857
Yeah, yeah.
858
And it was that you were at NYU.
859
Yes.
860
And it was an acting coach, I believe, or acting professor.
861
Acting professor, yeah.
862
Okay, and he said to you, he said, I want to take you out for a beer? is this
863
how it he took you out for a beer yeah something
864
like this way this is what I'm told he took you
865
out for a beer right now you guys went to a bar right
866
and he he kindly said to you yes think about something else you listen you got a heart
867
but you don't have it you don't have it yeah yeah
868
right choose another path oh yeah truth truth it was it was like that he
869
and he actually he sent a letter this is just one there's a second part to the story yeah you're Okay?
870
Oh right, this is the event that reminded me of this.
871
This is why it's my favorite Adam Sandler story, and I think it says it a lot about you.
872
That you ran into him at the heights, when you're getting the ultimate payday, and you're with a bunch of friends, and you run into him out at a bar.
873
Yeah.
874
And anyone would think that's the opportunity where you go, you know, you rub it in his face.
875
and reportedly what you did was you said hi
876
and you introduced them to your friends
877
and you said this is the only teacher to ever buy me a beer something like
878
that that's right that's right yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah of course of course I love
879
that I think it just it that's that's yeah you know I know
880
and I think that's why you're you're here after all these I love you you you too Brad There's nobody, I mean, even when I would talk to you about, I just got done seeing your movies,
881
and I was just trying to tell you how much I loved them, which they both crushed me, you didn't want to talk about that for one second, you're just a thing.
882
Let's move on, Matt, you don't want to sit in here.
883
Doesn't it feel like we're on to the next, you know?
884
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
885
Like, live our lives.
886
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I gotta tell you, when you tell me I did good in Uncut Gems, that feels good.
887
I can sit in that a little bit because what you've been doing over so many years and crushing for so long, when you tell me I'm doing something good,
888
because it's not my, I'm so much more comfortable with the comedy.
889
And if you're saying I'm doing well on this stuff, that does feel nice.
890
Crushed it.
891
All right, on baby.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 891 sentences and 9134 words to shadow. The speech runs for 49:57. The speaker talks fast, about 183 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| script noun | /skɹɪpt/ | A writing; a written document. |
| gem noun | /d͡ʒɛm/ | A precious stone, usually of substantial monetary value or prized for its beauty or shine. |
| buddy | /ˈbʌdi/ | A person far removed from the conversation. |
| theater noun | /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/ | A place or building, consisting of a stage and seating, in which an audience gathers to watch plays, musical performances, public ceremonies, and so on. |
| punch noun | /pʌnt͡ʃ/ | A hit or strike with one's fist. |
| sudden adjective | /ˈsʌd.ən/ | Occurring quickly with little or no warning or expectation; instantly. |
| remind verb | /ɹəˈmaɪnd/ | To cause one to experience a memory (of someone or something); to bring to the notice or consideration (of a person). |
| boom verb | /bum/ | To make a loud, hollow, resonant sound. |
| crush verb | /kɹʌʃ/ | To press between two hard objects; to squeeze so as to alter the natural shape or integrity, or to force together into a mass. |
| subtle adjective | /ˈsʌtəl/ | Of an action or movement: very delicate or slight, and thus barely noticeable; not obvious; inconspicuous, unintrusive. |
| stunt noun | /stʌnt/ | A daring or dangerous feat, often involving the display of gymnastic skills. |
| friendship noun | /ˈfɹɛn(d)ʃɪp/ | The condition of being friends. |
| rely verb | /ɹɪˈlaɪ/ | To trust; to have confidence in; to depend. |
| panic noun | /ˈpænɪk/ | Overwhelming fear or fright, often affecting groups of people or animals; (countable) an instance of this; a fright, a scare. |
| lens noun | /lɛnz/ | An object, usually made of glass, that focuses or defocuses the light that passes through it. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| come out verb | /ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/ | To be discovered; to be revealed. |
| go out verb | To leave, especially a building. | |
| break down verb | To stop functioning. | |
| come along verb | To accompany. | |
| end up verb | To bring to a conclusion. | |
| get out verb | To leave or escape. | |
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. | |
| grow up verb | To mature and become an adult. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | you've been working · you've been doing |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've seen · I've read · has laid |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | guy who did · guys who come · people who rely |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | being put · were sat · was shot |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 308 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, I'm, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: theater /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/, rhythm /ˈɹɪð.əm/, underneath /ˌʌndɚˈniθ/, warmth /wɔɹmθ/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: crush /kɹʌʃ/, friendship /ˈfɹɛn(d)ʃɪp/, shock /ʃɔk/, sharp /ʃɑɹp/, reputation /ˌɹɛpjʊˈteɪʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: anxiety /æŋˈzaɪ.əti/, hilarious /hɪˈlɛə.ɹi.əs/, legitimate /lɪˈd͡ʒɪt.ɪ.mət/, universal /ˌjunəˈvɜɹs(ə)l/, necessarily /ˌnɛs.əˈsɛɹ.ə.li/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like script, gem, buddy.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.