JB
Appearances
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
You think that your lats are scared. Yeah. It's like a cobra. You know, you flare out the back.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
And all those kids— Did it lead to anything tangible? Yeah. Or was it just a great thing to have on your resume and you just started to do more sort of traditional auditions and—
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
Now, Felicity was quite some time past that, but that was also on ABC. It was under the same umbrella. That wasn't part of the same deal, was it?
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
I don't want to put words in your mouth. And at an age where things are challenging already at that age, right? Kind of like figuring out who you are.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
And then – but so – God. Most kids, me, part of it, like as soon as the kid show is done, there's a panic like, okay, what's the next show going to be like? What's my career going to be now that I'm kind of like almost an adult?
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
And you're dying to get another job and get back into that television series cocoon, you know, the safety of employment. You were the opposite. You were like, not only do I not want to work, I don't even know if I want to do this occupation anymore. Yeah.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
But a little bit more. So you're saying you're both going around chopping pillows. What?
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
Well, listen, but, you know, Sean and Scotty have nice things. Look behind him there.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
She stuck with it. What was the other industry that you were thinking about maybe going into? Yeah.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
But you didn't like start like one particular career that you were thinking maybe I want to kind of go in and then like that was kind of like, yeah, it's not that great. And then you went back to acting.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
Yeah, I was scared shitless of that transition. Yeah. Yeah. I thought no one's going to, you know, you're a kid actor. So why would anybody want to see you do adult acting when you're an adult? Like you got to start over. You know, there's not going to be an easy transition. And it wasn't. There was all through my 20s was just a barren waste field.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
No, no, no, no. Why start now? Will, you've been there a couple times? I have, yeah.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
Hey, wait. Sean, what did you just pull up in a frame there? Oh, that's what I'm talking about with scotch. Is it apple juice? It's apple juice.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
But the dirty little secret is that even the flashy sort of funny sort of I don't seem very nervous person is petrified underneath. They just have this flashy coping skill that is basically – Acting, they're just able to act twice, right?
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
Just like I am a fucking disaster inside, and so is Sean. We're fucking nut jobs. We're all crazy. Crazy. And you just figure out different ways to fake it. And then you get comfortable with that, and it kind of becomes a part of your personality too. Like, oh, this little suit that I put on to kind of deal with it is also just kind of me too.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
Yes. You have a real, I don't know, I'll bet you a half a dozen max of our listeners know someone that drinks a glass of milk or three every day and apple juice on ice. That's right. I mean, you are Mr. Americana.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
Right. Do you know what I mean? Sweatpants is the universal sign for... When you've hit fuck it, right? When you're wearing sweatpants outside.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
Yeah, over the course of two or three days. Yeah, because we've got to do the... I can't wait to see you clean shaven and clean. I know. I can't. I'm going to look so weird. Will you miss this look? I'll look old probably, right? Yeah. Do you think I'll look older?
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
Sorry, I meant to say duh. Right, because... Our guest liked it. Yeah, she seems like she's in a good mood.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
Hello, listener. We're in the middle of a songwriting operation here with Sean P. Hayes. Okay, it goes like this. Uh-huh.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
So Sean, you're still in New York City. Yeah, I am. Would you ever consider living there full time?
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
Out of the not shocking department. Mom, my wife can come in here and break you down. My wife would ask you, you're rising and you're moon.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
But yeah, no, for me, I mean... Sean, what type of stuff, like, would you go in there with a specific set of sides for an audition that's coming up and you'd work on it?
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
Now, what about, you know, Will is threatening to move to, I can't keep up. It's either, it's usually England. I think now it's Portugal. But he would like to live in England, I think. As would I, I think. Where did coming back from there leave you? I mean, would you go back?
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
Could you see yourself living there full time? Like would your whole family?
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
Of course, of course. What about your teenagers? Have they done some time there?
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
So in the summer they can be with you. Yeah. And would they or would they be like, because I've got a 12-year-old and a 17-year-old.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
But they're like, you know, they've got their lives, you know, and they got their friends and they got their places they like to go. And it's like, well, great. I'll see you when you get back, Mom, Dad.
SmartLess
"Keri Russell"
It's hard to get them away, nor do you really want to disrupt them. Jace, kids' names real quick. Oh, God.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
We talk about this sometimes. What is it? Is it like a nightly thing? I've just been sort of teasing, but now I'm actually, I'm in my fee-fees about it. You guys talk every night?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
No. You do with Josh. Fucking Josh Shotland gets you on a FaceTime every goddamn day. Who's Josh? Just this guy who likes to talk on his FaceTime with Will on his couch without his top on. That's true. Yeah, and he frames himself just below the T's. That's true. Just below the teeth. Yeah, it's weird. Is he still on plastic on his couch?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Higher while you lie to me. Is it every other night? No. That's another lie. You go super low or super high. They're lying. But this is fun for you guys. You guys stay in contact because you're best friends and you like to keep up on each other's lives and call into reunions and stuff like that. You know, I'm fucking sitting here doing nothing.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Well, but James, so you didn't really kind of start this super passionate about it. Like this wasn't your plan really to be an actor out of the gate, right?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Weren't you going to maybe be a priest at one point or is that just a Wikipedia lie? No way, really?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
And this is, you don't just pay 10 bucks and get in to that place. This is a very, very prestigious place.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
But still, it ain't some swinging door there. This is a high-end institution.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
I don't know where Will's going with this. Will, you got a pretty high, you know, low range there. You can play 1920.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Can you give us just a little bit of rapping, Will? Yeah, in Scotland, in Scottish, in the
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Take this as an opportunity to audition just a little bit, Will. I'm the beatbox guy.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
This film that you're going to be directing, the role that you're going to be playing in it, is it a role that is going to, that is appropriate for you to do sort of character type acting or is it a role that would be more appropriate if you were to do that level of acting, would you be overplaying the part or do you just need to just be a guy?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
You know, I remembered I have a pool. You know? I was like, oh, I can enjoy.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
He does. Yeah, a plumbing van. But this new film is a Blumhouse as well, right? Speak No Evil?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Yeah, but again, for Tracy, you know, when you shoot a movie, it's all out of order. You're not like taking care of, you do one character and then you're done. And then in James's case, you do another character and then you're done. So you're probably playing what, sometimes three or four different characters on the same day. Yeah, that's crazy.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
And would you agree that you seem to be the kind of real actor that will find the version of each character inside you? And if that is true, then when you're playing in a movie where you're playing multiple characters and basically going through schizophrenia…
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
does it ever become super taxing on yourself to explore all those different parts of yourselves and try to be as authentic and as believable as possible and it sort of like triggers and brings these characters up in you and you don't know who the hell you are then when you go home?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Look at you, Groove. I wanted to put it in my face quicker than Uber could bring me.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Hugging everybody goodbye with you slinging the bag over their back while you hug them all. Hollywood bad boy steals donuts from family reunion.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
No, this was a sugarfish special. Yummy, I love that place. They make a nice box down there.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Yeah, yeah. Let's talk about when you decide to toggle between mediums, when you go between theater and film. Yeah. Because you've done an incredible amount of very prestigious theater work, and I would imagine that's very, very rewarding to you. Yeah. But you also have to pay the bills, and you're a big movie star, and you probably enjoy doing that stuff too.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
So how do you decide between – is there a rhythm you like to maintain, or is it just kind of job-to-job kind of thing?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
I do. Is it me or does sushi delivery now, they've kind of upped things. Yeah, it used to be it didn't travel well. Right, a real slapdash thing with a sweaty plastic see-through box. Now it's a paper thing that's got nice printing and graphics.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
What about the time that it takes, the commitment you have to make ahead of time to commit to that play, rehearse, put it up, and you can't leave until it's done? How many really killer jobs have you missed because you've committed to a play and you're like, oh, fuck. had no way of knowing that script is coming?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Everything happens. Is there one job that you're comfortable telling us that you wish you would have gotten?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Christ. Wow. And then when you saw who they cast, were you like, oh, that's why I didn't get it? No.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
And so did you do this big film for him or did you tell him to go fuck off?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. What about, didn't you burn one of your video games because you were too addicted to it? Wait, what?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
All right. Tighten up, guest. Here we go. Guys. I don't know if you like acting talent. A lot of people do. For some reason, the three of us seem allergic to it being anywhere near our work. But this guy has got a lot of it. And if we're nice to him, maybe he'll share some. He could also lend us a few of his numerous nominations and wins for his work, which he's been, well, he's been...
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Oh God, still rolling? Which he's received well-deserved recognition for from all over the world. Sean, you're gonna wanna discuss with him the whimsy and the wonder of projects such as The Chronicles of Narnia, X-Men, Children of Dune. While Will, you'll be more interested in the subjects covered in titles such as Shameless, Wanted, Filth, and ultimately Atonement.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
I love that. Well, James, you're a lot of fun. We've laughed our asses off with you today. We sure have. We appreciate your time, my friend. Very nice to get to know you. Huge fans of yours.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
He's a Scottish treasure, a Celtic FC diehard, and a recovering video game addict. Please show some compassion and hospitality to the one and only James McAvoy.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Speak no evil. Out now. It is from the great Jason Blum. Directed, written by James Watkins, everybody. Speak no evil. Check it out. Go and see it.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Bye, buddy. Wow. Hey, guys. Yeah. We're back. We're back from commercial. Hi. Do we do commercials after?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Right, right, right, right, right. So, guys, that was James McAvoy. And, you know, I'm not buying the accent. I think he needs to work on that.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Yeah, I mean, everyone knows he's from Dayton, Ohio, and he's been working on the Skies. Dayton, Ohio.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Nice. Yeah, thanks. Hey Willie, are you still doing that book club thing? Yeah.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Right. You know, I was thinking he looks a lot like Josh Charles, our friend Josh Charles. Do you guys know Josh?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
We really snuck that one up on a shiny boy. Nice going. Smart. Less. Smart.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Now, Sean and I are excited about it too, but here's what's good. Sean and I are much more sort of like the, a bit more of the typical American audience that does not know as much about soccer as you do. So you have taken that into account with the way in which you've gone about developing this podcast, yes?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Don't choke the puppy, Sean. Hey, Will, do you have anything you'd like to say about Celtic FC? Or do they mess around with your Liverpool fans?
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
So what do you… Do you prioritize the American audience, the global audience? What do you do? I don't know, Jason. It's a very difficult one because I'm going to have to… We'll wait to see the numbers. Whoever listens most… gets soccer or football.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
But you know, the British accent covers you. I think anytime you say football, people are going to think you mean soccer because you're saying it with a British accent.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
When I listen to Goalless, I want to learn about these things. I want you to take care of the dingbats like me too. Not just the smarties like Will.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
This is the kind of flavor and spice we want to get from you on a weekly basis.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
That's exactly it, yeah. I need that. I'm actually excited about that. Yeah, me too.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Uncle Hansy. Bitch slap. Wait, James. James, I have a feeling by the end of this interview, we're going to have nicknames for each other. I feel like we've got a real quick connection right here. Not with the other guys. No. Just me.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Latterly, I've been... I'm going to want you to lay down right through this part and just elevate your head and just tell us what you're feeling.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
Yeah, it's a really, really good point. Because I'm also a big fan of actors that, I mean, I really respect character actors that, like yourself, or like a Daniel Day-Lewis, or somebody that can really morph into somebody completely different with the limp and the thing and the whole... Totally the limp.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
But I really respect an actor that can be comfortable with just disappearing and not doing anything except just... excuse the term, story, servicing the story and just not doing any sort of performance. Do you know what I mean? Like that takes a lot of talent too. And I love those actors.
SmartLess
"James McAvoy"
It's like, you know... Yeah, and James, when you say movie acting, you're talking about smaller sort of leading man stuff, right? Where you're just sort of like... I'm talking about like... Right. Holy shit.