Going Back with Marshall Williams

And that's what you really missed with Jenna and Kevin an iHeartRadio podcast.

Welcome to you and That's what you Really miss podcast. We've got another new week, Kevin.

Yes, we're checking them off, check him them off, got to catch them all.

Sweet Canadian Marshall.

Marshall Williams is here, and like Jenna said, we're so excited to have him here. He's been great this season thus far, and I'm very excited to hear about his journey for all of you to learn about his journey to becoming an actor and ending up on Glee because it's crazy. Is he possibly like the biggest multi hyphen it we've had actor, athlete.

Alete, mobition, model, reality star crazy. So let's enjoy our conversation.

Hey, well, what's that.

Pretty good?

Welcome to the show. So good to see you. Thanks for joining us.

Thank you, thanks for having me on.

Oh my gosh, it wouldn't be without you.

Oh no, because we've gotten to season six and so we had to have you on. We've talked to Noah, We've talked to Billy, and the consensus is that from the fans is that you guys are like beloved and with each other you guys had like such like a close knit bond immediately because the situation you were walking into was probably quite challenging for several reasons. But I've loved just like hearing about like the friendships that you

Oh really that's it, thank you, that's uh No, Like honestly, like I had, I had such a good time, especially with you Kep Guy. I know we didn't hang out as much Jenna, but yeah, great time on there, and like all the new kids, they were great. I feel like coming in as like a new separate group, like that's just what ended up as, Yeah, and I think that's why, like we bonded all so good.

Yeah, definitely take us back. I need to know. Like, I'm sad we didn't get to work together all that much. I did. All I heard was wonderful things about you from all of the people on set who were feeding the information while I was off not being on set me. So just paint a picture for me, Take me back, Take me back to you know, how do you get got into acting and then how like you found Glee or Glee found you.

Oh wow, that's going okay, so yeah, really dig deep in there.

Yeah we're going. We're going all the way back, like.

I guess, Like I tried out for Canadian Idol when I was way younger, which is amazing.

I'll do the cliff notes of this or the spark notes of it, but.

Great Canadian when I was way younger, when I was still playing football for University of Mantoba, and then I made it to Toronto. I got cut, but then I signed with a modeling agency while I was there, so then I transferred to University of Toronto modeled and then I randomly got into acting because I went to New York on a cash job.

On this reality show called High Society.

Oh my god, there's.

Actually kind of fun.

All the models that the things started jumping in this pool. It was like this upper class like underground pool thing.

And then I didn't wonder if I should even tell this.

There's no way I'm jumping in the pool and these like tidy whities right now. So I went in sad and I started getting pretty drunk with one of the other patrons there, and she was the Lilid of that show. And I was being like a little facetious where she was complaining me with some girl and I was like, I throw a drink on her, and then she went and did that and and I was like, oh no, I was kidding.

Oh my god.

And the producers came up to me and they're like, hey, we really want you to be the love interest for this person. I was like what, And then that's kind of then after I did all that stuff, I got cut out of that show.

But then they're like, you should get into.

Oh my god, that you got cut out of the show.

Well, when I went to the Virgin Islands with the crew and stuff, and then I wouldn't like say mean things about the the other Yeah.

You're too nice, good for you, you know what?

Just boring.

Good for you, though. I feel like a lot of people would do anything to get on the show.

And he's a true Canadian. He's a nice person.

That's right, Yes, right, But I'm at my sister's place and we actually made maple syrup.

You know, you guys. He literally just got up and ran away from the.

And he's coming back with his maple syrup. Are you gonna bottles syrup?

Oh?

It looks beautiful.

It's like actual.

Label it.

Oh, is this like something you guys do for fun? Like you make maple syrup? Oh my god, the first.

Year that my sister and her husband did it. Sounds like super excited?

Okay, So then how did how did you find Glee? How did Glee find you from all the way from Canada?

Wait? Can I say that I saw Marshall before? Because you were in like a Disney movie?

Oh, Disney Channel.

Disney Channel movie? Like was it right before Glee?

Yeah?

And so when Marshall showed up, I was like, wait, I saw this guy in the commercials for this movie.

Shut up, that's so funny.

I was like, yes, everyone, I still watched it. Diney was working, was that booked and busy? You see this.

Yeah, Wow, that was that was the fun.

That was like the first like bigger thing than I got for sure, how to Build a Better Boy? I was like a lot in that or like it was like, what's that movie Weird Science but the other way?

And Disney yeah and the Disney Yeah.

But I guess I was living in Toronto when I got cast for Glee. I remember doing a tape on like Davin or when I lived there.

I think probably it was just so it was just an audition. It wasn't like you didn't like post on my Space.

Or oh no, how to Build a Better Boy audition?

And then I actually went and did a test in La with Billy and then because were not or we went for different roles, but uh, they set it up where we thought we were going for the same role.

So it's kind of funny to me.

It's always nice where it's like you're not really in competition with anyone.

Yeah, in the room to print in whatever ways they are. And had you known about Glee before? Had you seen it?

I remember watching uh this song Billionaire by Chord that was they're like not by Chord but likes Billionaire. And my only memory of Gille at the time.

Yeah, wow, hilarious.

So this was just like another audition for you.

Yeah, I honestly I thought it was gonna be like like one or two episodes, and then I always like told my agents, like, don't tell me if it's like a big deal or not. And now you always see them in the breakdowns, right, because then then your nerves can get in and stuff. But then yeah, in eleven episodes or thirteen episodes or whatever it.

Was, that's right.

Yeah, that's I think that's smart because I don't think people realize like when you do go into for an audition, like you do get almost too much info and then you can start imagining the life you could have, Yeah, like books, this thing.

Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna I'm gonna get a horse, I'm gonna be able to yeah, gotta get a ranch and be all this cool stuff.

Like I could actually have a you know, a mini maple syrup company that I can found the money I make from this, I can.

Start making anything out of maple syrup.

So if you audition for Canadian Idol, would you consider yourself a singer? First?

Yeah? Probably, I think for sure.

But I find that even when I like sing music now, like it's for the most part, I'm like performing it at the same time.

So it's kind of a weird place where.

It's like I'm not acting, but you're living in that moment and feeling yeah, exacting singing. It's like singing acting not a mote in a song. But I definitely started off singing like acting was a random one. But I still get the same enjoyment from it. But like songs in your basement, that kind of thing.

Yeah, I mean it's all storytelling, right. Did you what did you sing for your audition?

I want to say it was it was probably like uh three am by Matchbox twenty.

Yeah, it would be boondog.

What a what a choice? I love this for you.

It's also crazy we never did that song on the show, or did we? Uh no, you haven't yet, so unless you did it in season six, maybe maybe it'll be coming up.

Yeah, maybe there's season seven.

Oh no, I don't think we did it, but I thought there was a song that maybe maybe it's said before. I just did like the Canadian idol songs that I've done. I think, hmmm, that worked for that.

Smart Your story is also sort of similar to Chords where Chords started out as an athlete and he had an injury and then obviously he grew up in a you know, like renowned musical family, but sort of just fell into acting. And you guys do remind me of each other in a lot of ways. Did, and you guys ended up getting to so far where we are in the season, Like you guys are having a lot of yeah scenes together and like you're playing a football player.

Oh Court was wicked.

It was always like a fun time, you know, like he's a pretty fun guy, so he loves to make people laugh.

He's insane.

Yeah, no, it's good.

That literally just jogged my memory to that that scene in the weight room, like whenever you get like cued for something, then I remember it, but remember that before.

That's funny.

Did you know that your character was going to be gay? And did you know? Did they was that in the script in your size or in the character breakdown?

Yeah?

Yeah, that was And I think it was the same as like I non non stereotypical gay jock.

I think that was what I think that was written in the breakdown.

Maybe it sounds right, sounds about right? Yeah, right. That storyline was so much fun to watch because it showed like, you know, where the show started five years prior to like when you show up like the fully formed like gay kid of that time, like Glee has raised. Yes, Like it was really fun to like see that. Did you have fun you know playing that?

Oh great?

I feel like, uh, like with anything, I just I played it like a human that was in.

Life, you know what I mean.

Yeah, yeah, that's the whole point.

Yeah, I had a great time. Do Yeah.

Do you remember like coming onto set for the first time or like any of like those first experiences of like filming hor Yeah, I mean I was to you, like, do you have any of those kind of memories that like that stand out.

My first scene was with Jane Lynch.

That was your first scene.

I'm so sorry.

It's not like an easy scene to do, Like it's like, I'm sorry, try and intimidate her in the office and I'm like I can just be like background at the start, like just to see what everyone.

Oh my god, I'm gonna throw you to the walls.

But I think it's your note.

It was it was a flash light scene, which is crazy because fresh light, because like I we talked about that scene and you feel like you had no problem being up against Jane Lynch in that and so that is insane to me.

Was your first scene? Yeah, that is big, remarkable, Yeah.

No, that was that was hard and one of the best actors I've worked with too, you know what I mean.

She is a powerhouse in her own league.

And then everything's easy after that. Once you've already done the big, scary Jane Lynch scene, then the rest of it is nothing.

Well well, I mean, so Glee is such a like a machine by that point, with the musical numbers and how fast it moved. And obviously you were an athlete, you were a singer, but were you a dancer? Were you shocked by like the by the pace by which the show moved and the rehearsals and the recording and all of that, Like what was that like for your brain when you came it was.

Definitely not a dancer, which uh, I think I agree with that they wrote that in that I broke my leg because I couldn't dance very well. Like if you if you literally if you watch some of like the ensemble scenes of the background, you see everyone like turn one way and if you're just watching me, I'll turn the other way. And I'm like, damn, they had to keep that cutting there. But I was like, that's uh, that's how bound. Yeah it was.

Great, But I was an efficient mover, you know.

Yeah, I get that, but you're also like the football player, Like I feel like you get a pass in Glee Club for like not being the dancers kind of like a La Cory Who where it became like a joke you know, behind the camera too, and yeah, and.

The writers writing it in Yeah, yeah, they like to pick on us. That's how it worked.

Michael Hitchcock.

Yeah, yeah, guy was Hitchcock. So we heard from some of the others that Hitchcock was really it sounds.

Like he was Shepherd.

They're a lot, yeah, sort of like looking out for you guys and befriending you guys, which was I imagine, like nice to have somebody from that department around because it's hard to know what's going on in a writer's room. We could feel so mysterious and far off. Was your experience with Hitchcock like that as well?

Awesome? And I still talk to Mike like he's awesome.

Uh, And it made like things so much more comfortable, getting to set and like knowing how the backhand of things work a little bit, and like just finding out like they do write in the real things that are happening, which is like I think someone told me, it's like don't say if you go, if you like, don't like someone, or something like that, or like, don't say too much of your personal life because like that's going to end up in there, which I think mine.

Was just heartbreak. I guess I found love.

Oh my god, Yeah, you fell in love with Phineas.

Yeah, yeah, I fell in love with me. Okay, I put it out there. That's right, that's right, thank you. I never got to really work with Phineas. I met him like a couple of days towards the end. I don't know, But I don't know how I spent so much time with you guys and then so little with like Josie and Phineas. I don't I don't remember what happens yet, but I think.

It's just because they came in like halfway through the season, because the the one group of new kids came in at the start, and then they added on.

To the new kids.

We'll say, yeah, three episodes maybe, I think, because that's that's right, three to five episodes.

Maybe, I don't think.

The same amount as yeah, uh Noah, Laura, Sam and Billy and me.

I'm excited to see that because I, like Jenna and I have said every single episode so far this season, our memory is garbage, and so we don't necessarily remember.

So Panise and Josie they end up. They show up at episode nine, no way really late in.

The Wow, Well that's why.

Yeah, I mean that's the end.

Yeah, that's basically the end.

Oh my gosh, Okay, that's why.

Do you feel like your character's staging enough on the show? Do you feel like you? I mean, okay, so here's some context, like because I really wasn't there, I don't. I haven't seen this season. Kevin and I have really haven't seen this season. So as we're rewatching it now where we're learning everything as we go. There are new things that we learn every day as we watch the show. What do you have memories of, Like did you sing

It's an ensemble, I think, so for sure, like I got I got like two duas I think, a solo and then involved in a lot of songs, but with so many people, I feel like that makes sense. Yeah, yeah, for sure, that's pretty good, like ten tracks total or something.

But yeah, I actually don't know.

I can't even remember, so you're like us where you don't remember that, just like black and like Blackout.

Yeah, it was a long time ago.

It was a long time ago.

Yeah.

It just was like a lot happening in like a vacuum, like all at once, and then you like spits you out and then you're like, have a good time, Thanks so much for your work, because that was wild.

It was you were also doing multiple episodes at once, so that was also like who knows where we were at what point doing what?

Yeah, that's true, and I feel like it was a lot of go go go, just for well for me too, where it's like lines uh singing and dancing where it's like it felt like a lot, Well it is a lot, but it felt even more because I wasn't good at the dancing for sure, and then.

The recording process was new to me as well.

Was this the first time you had recorded before.

I don't think like uh, first time recorded, but like pretty much uh recorded professionally, and then you're like.

Yeah, which is wild.

After that, I did another musical and oh no, I sing in uh in how to Build.

A Better Boy actually got it, so that oh Canadian idol.

I can't too performing, I guess, but it's just it's different. I remember being in the rooms and uh or being in the recording booth and like learning a lot of good tips.

On how to record or how to manif voice and stuff.

Do you feel like that was helpful? Like going into glee. Then it's like a fast paced environment.

I think so, like I find usually you're more organized or or I'm more organized when there is a lot of stuff going on football or training camp or anything. Like you can get all your schoolwork done if you're in season, but then as soon as seasons and then there's no pressure, then you're like, right now I'm failing.

I volunteer all yeah.

Yeah. It's like if you want to get what's this saying, like, if you want to get something done, ask a busy person.

Yeah yeah, yeah exactly.

When you're in that mode and that that's the miracle of this show, even like making it six seasons, Like how did we do all that in that amount of time?

Yeah, that's wild And especially for you guys too, the first the first three seasons, right or the first two where you went a season to show forming and then right back into the season and it was more episodes.

I thought maybe yeah, it was twenty twenty two. Yeah, that a tour. Would you wanted to go on tour?

For sure?

I like doing anything anything that's like cool. I think that'd be fun. Yeah, who were.

Yeah, this is why Marshall was great, like instantly, like you have one bit like Marshall show up was like, yeah, down for whatever, this is great.

I love that ude you need to have on.

It is because the show is a lot, especially like you come from such a varied background, and I think, you know, people come in with like preconceived notions of how TV works or how the like being on like a big show like that works, and I don't think there's any way to like properly prepare yourself for what it is. And I think the best way to combat that is to do exactly how you just naturally are, just to like be open to all of it, like yeah, I'll try it. Yeah, throw me at it.

Yeah, I feel like.

And looking you can always like find a way to make something negative, but I think there's almost always a way to make something positive, whatever it is, like like reframing or cognitively restructuring your thoughts around.

Things or I think probably the most important of that.

And also like I think part of I wasn't a leader on that show, but being in that position, even if I'm having a bad time, you should be making sure that everyone else is having a good time, even if I don't want to be there.

How do you feel like Lee has affected like your career since bat Do you think it? Like, do you feel like it? How theyre you still making music? Has it influenced you?

I think it did a ton of good things, like first and foremost, I think feeling legitimate or not having an imposter syndrome after that, but like I still get that all the time still. But no, I think that helped, especially in Canada for a lot of early bookings and stuff.

But I actually didn't work for like two years right after Lee, which was strange. But I've heard that story a lot of time from people. If you're too associated with something.

Yeah, they want do you need like time and space?

Like yeah, we all have, all of us sure.

Yeah, yeah, but it's nice because I had a shaved head in that and I think i've I've changed my parents a little now totally. I was looking very young at that time, even though I am a fountain of youth, but I was even more youth.

Yeah you haven't.

Yeah, you're aging backwards. So are you still making? Are you making music?

Yeah?

I'll probably record some more stuff. Well i'm here.

I've actually been living in an RV for like the last five months, so I've just been taking around.

So I'll probably sit down and think of some songs for that, but and then record it in there.

I just haven't fun. What is this RV experience? How did this happen?

Well?

I was I was in Vancouver and I'd actually lived in a van before in twenty seventeen for a year, and I thought that was fun, and then I wanted to do it again and I'm and it's just like, I'm pretty bored right now just sitting around.

So I went out and bought.

An RV and then now I've just been traveling around like I just got credible, like a week or two ago. That's why it be so long to talk to you guys. Oh where am I going to be though? Am I going to be in or like in the middle of nowhere? Like I should probably be able to down somewhere so again, and then I've got a wedding at the end of the month, so I'm just going to chill here for a couple of weeks and then.

Get over and then you're going to go on the road again.

Yeah, yeah, amazing. Where are some places you've gone that you've you know.

The places I stayed in the longest.

I think there was like Court Site, Zion Lake, Havasu, Gardner or no Emigrant in Montana.

You've seen more of America than I have.

There's a lot of it. Yeah, there is a lot of There is a lot of America to see.

That's incredible.

But I went down the coast and then cut in because there was like a big mud slide I think, I want to say it was like near Eugene or something something, and then went so, oh yeah, I went to La briefly, but then I was like, I don't really like being in the city.

Yes, but after being on all that beautiful.

Making nature get me out of here.

But yeah, I kind of went all over there for the most part. I don't even know anymore.

Yeah, that's incredible.

That is pretty cool. Okay, I have a couple more good questions for you. I need to know, like if the show had gone longer, right, is there any artist or music that you would have wanted to cover that you didn't?

Oh, for sure, like anything by Jason Isbel tragically hipp.

Now, I guess Zach Bryan and in that area.

But there's also like a ton of like there's so many good songs that are fun to sing, Like the Cannonball would be sweet, like, but I think that was done done probably Like is it called cannonball?

Cannonball can Leah and there's Cannonball that's right.

Well, yes, Melissa Banois did that one, and she actually recreated the music video on a wrecking Ball.

So yeah, so you could have been on the Wrecking Ball.

That in New York and it was just like such an awesome yeah, because then they started like running through the crowd and stuff or amazing yoke in New York, it's like pretty wild, get very into it.

Yeah, it's all Broadway people. This is my moment to shine.

They do, they do shine.

They do No, I mean they absolutely do.

Your people.

I heard that some of the movies said that. I'm sorry if we call you mobies, but if some of the movies said, you guys watched the show together, did you do that with them?

Yeah?

I think we watched that the place Billy was rent.

Yes, yes, on a protector or something like that.

No, that was that was great And I think we did it for Thanksgiving too and cute random but like it was like no, I had like sweet potatoes and marshmallows up and I.

Was like, this is wow. The America is great.

America is crazy. To add that sugar on top, maybe it's syrup.

Yeah, oh wow. You could even do a combo of that.

That's what I'm saying.

You could maple syrup on top of the marshmallow on top of potato. Would be.

Crazy.

What was it like watching yourself? Like, how do you feel about watching yourself back on the show, And like what did you what did you think about yourself on the show?

What did you think about yourself?

But like what did you feel like when you watch?

Like I hate watching my own performances of things for sure, just go basically off of when I'm in a scene or whatever. It's like, oh no, that was real, because it felt like it was real.

I don't know. You always I feel like I like, I think I did pretty good.

Ongley, you did great. I really enjoy watching your storyline. I know it's just weird to watch yourself back and then you're like on a juggernaut of a show, and so it must have been.

Yeah.

I think you can always like find problems with your performance in whatever way or things that you better slowed something down. But no, I just in general don't love watching myself. Yeah, but I liked it was it was very enjoyable to watch it with everyone. It helps I would watch my own stuff otherwise. But if there's like a thing to be done, then that's fun to me.

I mean, you didn't you stumbled into acting. But was there a point where, like swimitched, we were like, oh I really enjoy this and like dove you know, dove into it and you were learning about it because like you have been great on the show so far.

Yeah, really good.

Oh thank you? Yeah, like like taking it seriously.

I think.

I don't think I was even in the headspace to take it seriously, like I thought it was a lot of.

Flu You're natural is what you're saying.

And then but then as soon as I like, I was like, oh, there's a lot more to this, or.

Your instincts are good. Then like if that just happens, like you just have good instincts.

Yeah, well, oh yeah, I.

Guess that was right after how to Build a Better Boy. But yeah, no, Now I like really like character kind of stuff. I hope to be able to do more of that, especially getting into the the the older like not older roles, but like getting out of maybe the kid roles and stuff.

Yeah, do you do you get tattership for things your age? No one ever buys me as my No, I.

Just shaved you. But I had a sweet beard before.

I get it cool and now I just now I just I shaved for you guys. And no, usually I don't audition for my own age at most part, but I've started to.

Now, which is nice.

That's so nice. So we ask everybody, what is the feeling that Glee leaves you?

With Glee?

You know what, I don't think we've gotten that one yet.

Really, I feel like that would be the what well.

We've gotten synonyms.

Maybe one person has said it, but it hasn't been as popular as you think.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't know.

I have like a lot of good memories with Glee and it like open the doors for a lot of things, So it would be hard to put a word on it. I can't really think of what opportunity.

Yeah, it all works.

Well, it's really wonderful to watch you on the show. It's like really refreshing all of you guys, the newbies. Season six has been really fun for us, obviously because we really haven't seen all of it in its entirety, but but you guys, yeah, yeah, yeah, And the fans

You know, you.

Know, you know, you got to label that stuff up, you know.

Well, thanks for having me on the show so much. It's it was nice to reconnect with you guys too, you.

Too, nice to see Travels. Yeah, thanks my show. Bye.

Oh.

He's such a sweet guy and he has I love the Canadian accent.

Scotten thicker I've whenever we.

Work with Canadians and it comes out, you know like that. Thank you so much to Marshall for taking a break from your RV Travels to chat with us.

He's just a good dude. He's no I know, we're.

Just loving I'm loving his storyline and his character on the show as well as we watch it. So uh, that's what you really.

Miss Thanks for listening and follow us on Instagram at and that's what you really miss pod. Make sure to write us a review and leave us five stars. See you next time.