Lio Tipton

As always, I'm your host, Brian baum Gartner. You just heard from Leo Totin, an incredible person. I so enjoyed my conversation with them. They got their start on America's Next Top Model being contacted on my Space, by the way, before getting their big break on Crazy Stupid Love. You also may know them from Manhattan Love Story, Warm Bodies, Vengeance. Are you starting to notice a trend here? Steve Carrell in Crazy Stupid Love. Vengeance is BJ Novak's new film. Now,

what to Steve b J and I have in common? Well, that my friends is a riddle even I could solve. Leo also has another project, an exciting new show on Peacock. It's coming out this week in fact, and if you've watched Peacock at all lately, and I do mean at all, I'm sure you've seen the promos for it. It's called Friend of the Family. Leo stars alongside my other old friend Jake Lacey in what Leo calls a star making

performance and Anna pack when. I'm so excited to watch it, and I'm also pretty excited for you to hear my conversation with Leo today. Let's have at it. I had so much fun with them. Leo tipton everyone, Bubble and Squeak. I love it. Bubble and Squeak, Bubble and Squeaker cookie every month left over from the nut before. Hi Leo, Hi, how are you man? I am I'm pretty good. Little jet lags, but me too. This is yet another thing we have in common. I am jet lagged today as well.

Where did you come from Los Angeles? You're in New York now, I am? Yeah? Okay? Are you what they called bi coastal? Yeah? I wish um not so much depends on what job I have at the time. Yes, I hear you eight planes in six days for me? Eight planes? It's not a joke. How where? Why? What are you? Are you what they called the know? How? Where? What? Why? That's a great question. I don't know. I just it was just one of those crazy weeks, lots of two

plane trips and so forth. Um, but I'm so excited to be talking to I just I found I found energy like thirty minutes ago, knowing that I was going to talk to you. I'm finding mine. Oh there you go. Nice. I got pressed today. And press makes me so anxious that oh god, yeah, why why? Why does to make you anxious? Doesn't? I mean, I feel like I have a difficult time socializing in general, and I think my the way that my words come out is not always

in a sentence. Uh. They more just kind of like fall out of my mouth and they roll around and I'm hopefully I can pick them up quick enough that no one notices and gleaning together and like throw them back. Um, but no, I just get really nervous, and uh, eye contact is hard for me, and remembering what I'm saying is hard for me, and so it's I got to kind of put on a mask when I'm doing press, but it's you much prefer this. I yeah, I hear you. I definitely early on it was. It was a struggle

bus for me. I can't believe I just used the phrase struggle bus, but yes, yeah it was. It was also tough for me, and I think I eventually decided I just don't care. So if I if that's a help for you at all, I just was like, you know what, it's all, it's all a game. Let's do the best we can. We're all humans on this planet and and that's it. Because I think I've got so precious about it, but like I couldn't. I can't screw up. I have to do this right. And I don't know. No,

I mean that is good advice. And I think the older I get, the I am finally at the point where I despise it so much that then I can kind of not care about it in that way. So it's it's less like it's less pressure going in, right, and I can coast coming out a little bit. Ye, Or it's just now when you when you start out trying to be exactly what you think that they want

you to be was exhausted for me. Yes, no, I know it is and and it's so it's so different, right, and you you have an impression of who you are. I mean, well, you know who you are, but everybody, everybody is something different depending on what the circumstances is. The circumstances are I think that would be English. Um, and and you have like there's like such a decided difference between like morning show and late and and you go, well, that's not really me, but like what how do you

tap into that version? Now? I know, I hear you. I hear you. I could tell you some stories. Yeah, it's it's brutal. Um. Well, good luck with that. I hope this is not so painful with me today again, this is this is a good part of the day. This is a good part of the day. Okay, good, Well that makes me feel better. Um, I want to go back. Um do they call it the mini Apple? I don't even know if that's true. You were born in Minneapolis? I lived there? Did you know this about me?

The Minnie Apple? I lived there? No? Did you do theater there? I did? Well? Were you did you do theater with? Um? No, I'm forgetting his name. I can't forget his name. He played my dad increased. Um, oh, your dad in Crazy Stupid Love. John Carroll Lynch, John Carol Lynch, John Carroll Lynch and I have not surprisingly been up for some of the same roles. So, yes, I know John. I know John well, though to be fair, he is significantly older than me. Let's be clear about

umificantly older than me, that we both looked timeless. Um, yes, I know I know John. Um. You so you grew up in Minneapolis, but you were not participating in the theater scene at this point. My understanding is you were a skater. I was a figure skater. Yeah, that is incredible because in Minnesota you you learn how to tie skates before you learn how to walk. That is true, which may which is why I didn't get along so well in Minneapolis. I was not. I was not a skater.

Now were you one of the did you go? Did you learn like skating on the lay? Um? We skated in the backyard. We skated in the backyard and my mom would freeze down the you know, put water and freeze down there at the pavement and we'd ruin our skates. But we have videos of of us skating in our yard, which is just obscene to me. And I actually I don't think I ever skated on a lake, which is

really sad. But I guess if you're serious, that might be dangerous, Like if you're a serious skater, like bad things could happen right on a lake, you would think, although in your backyard you would think bad things could happen too. This is true. Although you know have in what is it in Norway where they the river freezes over and then people just like commute to work on ice skates and just go down the river. I have

this fantasy of doing that someday. That would be Yes, that would be great, and I do you know, I don't know if you know this, we'll talk about crazy stupid love. But your favorite co star in mind, Steve Carroll. You know he's a skater too, and his daughter was taking lessons um at the time. That's what I remember. He does hockey, right, he does hockey. He doesn't do figure skating. To be clear, hockey is a lot easier. That sounds like the gauntlet has been thrown. Are you

still skating? You know? I stopped probably around twenty two, I think I did. I did a benefit show around and I do skate sometimes. I don't know how I did some of the things I did, like getting up and down from a chair already is that's you know, that's that's something getting like squatting with one leg sticking out and then standing again. Forget about it. I for the life of me, I don't know how I did it. How anyone doesn't know. Well, I don't know how it's

done either, clearly. But he still like plays in the league, Steve. He's still like skates around. Yeah, but again I guess that's easier. Yeah. Actually I thought about going into going into hockey because it's I've never really done a team sport, and um, there's a lot of fun to be had in leagues. I don't think that I could make that. I'd have to do it in figure skates though, because without a topic, I don't know, it's like skating on butter knives. You couldn't do it. No, probably not, but

you know, but it's easier. It's easier. Did you do could you do the jumps, like the turns, the triple sal cows, double sal cows? I'm saying that word right, you are? Uh? Could I do them? Or did I do them? He's a two different things. I could you them, and I did. Um, I wasn't good at them. I was really bad. And I was very tall. Um, I'm I'm just shive five ten and yeah, and I hit that growth spurt in high school and I realized, like everyone I was competing against is like gymnasts five two.

And I'd come on the ice and just look like George the Jungle, swinging in divines and the walls and just back and forth, and I'd fall and everyone we like timber and I just slide across the ice and take out children, and um, I got to be a hazard. They made me wear an orange vest when I skated.

I'm kidding, because you were so tall. Uh No, we did actually have to wear vest sometimes, but not not necessarily for that, not that they told me outright, Okay, but you, let's be clear to anyone listening, you were very serious about this. You moved to Sacramento, I'm told, like an age a eat and you lived for a time with your skating coach. Is that is that right, so that you could train as much as possible. Yeah, And I mean I went into home schooling, and for

various reasons. I bullies are a thing, and it was tricky, and so I had skating where it's I mean, honestly, figure skaters are very much performers. It's kind of like a circus. Especially show skating. There's not a whole lot of difference behind stage at a skating show and a theater. It's just as chaotic, and I think that's probably where

I fell in love with it. But um, because ice drinks are so far and few between in um Sacramento, I had to live with my coach or my my mother would be driving for like hours, four hours a day at some point she did to get me to different rinks for different lessons and all the things that go into it. Less my parents hearts for doing that. Um. Yeah, yeah, it was intense. You you mentioned before you didn't you've

never done team sports. Did you feel like there was a sense of community though there, even though it was individualized like before the show or was it? Was it very solo? I didn't do show skating really until later, and I think that was my favorite part of it growing. I mean, as I for the majority of my skating career was solo, and it's it's really terrifying. I was talking to someone today about it who their child wasn't skating, And now that I recalled this conversation, I realized maybe

I shouldn't have said this um to them. I was like, yeah, no, skating is great. I think I've been maybe scarred a little bit by being like shoved on the ice in a spotlight at you know, nine, and then just falling all over of the ice and then being judged for it over and over and over. You're alone and you can't get off the ice, and it just and I always felt I was not a performer when it came

to the athleticism of it. It was very artistic and I had nice lines, but I mean my coach would just like walk off, walk at, walk away from the boards, and I would sit there and end the program and just be like, I'm gonna get a talking to. Yeah, you just like failed over and over and over in the public eye, and I think that's what acting is. Yeah, No, there is. There's a lot of similarities. And but let me be clear. You were a two time regional champion

and you competed in four synchronized skating championships. This it sounds like you may have been falling a lot, but you also had a lot of success. You mentioned before you hit a grossbert and my understanding is that's sixteen you decided to retire. Is that is that? Why did you just get too tall physically for it? Or well? I knew that I would have loved to go into

show skating. Um, a lot of my friends have been in Disney on ice and holiday holiday and ice in Europe like and yes, and it's I mean, the life is fascinating to me. But I didn't think I would be able to cut it for that long. And so I also kind of got obsessed with filmmaking at that time and realized, Okay, I can continue to focus on skating, but what am I gonna do. I'm not going to make it to the Olympics. I'm not. I just am not, and I don't think I want to figure out where

else I go in this sport. So I became obsessed with filmmaking and I kind of slowly transitioned into into that. You started a film club in high school, Yeah, so you were really into it. What was it about film? Why did you love it or what? What started your obsession with it? I think I was always found with a camera in my hands, like a video camera in my hands. And I think I know it's because social

skills are not my strong point. Um too. You know, I was in high school before social media, and um, it wasn't normal to be filmed exactly. So I would walk around with my video camera and I was a student body officer again, like I really kind of placed myself outside. You know, students are interacting, um, but with a camera, everyone wanted to be on camera. And I was allowed in these circles that I never was allowed in before, and people wanted wanted me to be around them.

They wanted to be filmed. Um. They liked the little like movies that I put together for assemblies, and it kind of it gave me. It gave me an inn and it gave me a shield and I could. I mean, I I love looking through lens. There's to me, there's nothing like it. I feel like the world just takes on a different color, in a different shape, and I see things in slow motion and it's I love catching

someone laughing or just those little moments. And um, my friends probably didn't know that that's what I was looking at, mind you. Um, but it really really gave me a sense of belonging and purpose where I think I really struggled to have that outside of it. It's so interesting to me. And just hearing you talk right there, it occurs to me. You know, you're someone who has a difficult time in social settings, and you know, if I distill that down, it's like, why, well, it's it can

be very chaotic. There's lots going on, there's different people who want different things from you, etcetera, etcetera. But it's it occurs to me that with a lens you can frame exactly what you want to frame, and you can examine and look at exactly what you choose to look at and interact with, which I think for someone who has a difficult time in in chaotic social situations, that must be very freeing, right Is that was that part

of it? Oh? Yes, yeah, absolutely. I mean even red carpets today you can see me usually carrying a camera and if I get really nervous, I'll take a picture of you know, people taking pictures, and I use it a lot. And yeah and and and no one, I don't bug people like I don't. I'm not self conscious behind a camera. I know I know my camera and that's I'm confident where talking or walking or moving in general.

Like I'm I'm always trying to I'm very aware of my movements in my face and things and behind a camera just to do that and I'm sure of myself. You wanted to go to film school? Yeah, is that right? So the story I hear is you got into USC, and you are having a party congratulating you for getting into USC, and then what you found out that there was like an issue with the acceptance. What what happened? Yeah? And my sister was applying for law school at the time.

She had gotten into UC, the USC, the law school, she got in everywhere. Um, And I had a letter from the dean of the film school because I had taken summer courses there and I was very excited and I only applied to film schools. I was very sure that's what I was doing. And I got a letter about a week and a half letter I called. I got a call a week and a half later because we were waiting for, you know, the packet to arrive

and stuff. And there have been a mistake. It happens sometimes they released because the schools roll out their acceptances at different times sometimes. And I was an early applicant. They hadn't gone. I mean something ires crossed and my S A T scores in the math section. We're not I hear they're they're not having S A T s anymore or putting a lot less emphasis on it, which, um, I'm very jealous of because out of all the schools that I applied to, I didn't get into a single college.

And I had a very good d p A. And it was traumatizing. And I remember hugging my dad and be like, you know, I'm so sorry I didn't get into college. My family is very, very academically driven, and I remember my dad hugging me and just going to prove them wrong. I don't know what that means. Uh really, but you know it's not It's not the end all be all, I'm telling myself still fifteen years later. Obviously for you it wasn't. But you decided to move to l A anyway, why you just want you wanted to

be there. Yeah. And I had friends that were in film that we're going to USC and we're going to other schools. Um, and I knew I still wanted to be a filmmaker. There was no plan B. I mean, this was my life and I moved down and I was going to finish my g S at Santa Monica Community College, and um, I went to Marymount College and then I was going to transfer, but I was on an academic scholarship and I didn't finish my classes. I

lost my scholarship. Um, and I needed money and I never went back, and then I didn't have time to go back. Right, You started getting approached by modeling recruiters. Yeah, Now what does that mean? Are you putting your photo out there or people are stopping you on the street. Now, I heard the MySpace story. We're going to talk about that in a second, but like, how how does that happen? No one's ever approached me. A modeling recruiter has never reached out to me, So tell me how how does

this happen? Um at malls. At malls, they just come up to you. Yeah, I mean, I don't know if it's as common nowadays. Actually I'm sure it is. But mostly through it was. It was a lot through like my space and things when we were putting it, you know, and everything was open to people, which is really terrifying to think of now that now that we know so

much about it. But I would get Um, someone from Top Model recruited me through that, But yet happen't malls and um, and they're saying they're saying, like, you have a good look, you should be a model, call me or come here. Now? Were these sketchy people ever? Or was this like legit? This is like what legit people did? Um? People legit did this, and I think it was you know I they were doing it in fuls of my where I was living. Um, and I I'm not exactly

sure of how legit that was. But I did some local things in Sacramento and it seemed fun and I had such low confidence, had such low com I mean that in a way, even though it did not give me confidence at all. Um, I was really trying to find some sort of acceptance or coolness. I mean, this is someone again and who like lived behind the camera because I couldn't say hi to people right now, I was on my Space. I don't know if you've heard

this story. The office was well, we were almost canceled very early on, and so as a way to try to drive audience, several of us at the time, it was my Space, right, So this is before Twitter or Facebook or anything else. We were like, what do people in offices do? Well, they're on this thing called my space. And so as our characters, we got onto my space and started communicating with people as though we were working in off So that's my experience. Kevin Malone was on

my space. I was never on my spit. Brian was never on my space, but Kevin Malone was and wrote blogs in character about the people that were around me. Again as a very early way to try to attract interested in the show from early Gerrilla advertisement. That's amazing. This was early. Yes, this was us or we thought we were going to be canceled like we were. So there were four or five of us. Bj Novak included, he was one of the early adopters of that too,

And yes, so we so we did that. I you know, I don't even remember a lot of function Occasionally someone will come up to me and say we used to message on my space or something like this, and I'm like, Okay, I don't even remember how that functionality worked. It's been so long. But so you're on there, are you posting pictures in terms of trying to get work, or you're just on You're just on my space? You know, enjoying because it was mostly music. I think that was like

it's core focus. And then people would see pictures and start messaging you. Yeah, I mean I was that was it was a pretty normal thing to be on in uh in high school that was like, you know, my Space was still just college only. Um okay, So I think that was the That was the early days of kind of like an Instagram nowadays in a way a lot less, a lot less. But yeah, so I think I like all my friends were on my Space and stuff and no, no, not not posting to find anything, right,

you were just there. And so someone from America's Next Top Model approaches you about coming on the show. Now, do you have modeling experience at this point through these other recruiters and stuff, or are aware that you're a model? Uh? Yes?

And I mean that's such a broad term too. It's but I did some like really little things around Sacramento, and no, they they hadn't and taught more like reality television hadn't fully become what it is, and it still had this edge of oh cool, Like someone else from my school was on Top Model and it seemed just really really cool. And I went and I auditioned and

I didn't get in. And then like six months later, seven months later, the same woman contacted again and asked, UM, asked I would come back in and I yeah, and then I got on the show. And so at that point it was cool. It was it was cool. I had some friends that were actually disappointed, Like some of my film friends were not okay with it. They're just like, that's not um. My parents were really scared. I was excited. I was really excited. Was it a positive experience? Yes, yes,

I think it was. Um. So it's what's interesting is you have to take a lot of tests, right, You have to take a lot of personality tests. You have to take a lot of like the intelligent tests that like it just a bunch of tests, and you have to sit down with a psychiatrist or therapist and they go over your answers and try to get what kind of person you are. And early on in the elimination process, one of the producers came in and kind of they were like thirty of us left and said, you know

this is this is television. We need you guys to start talking about each other. You know that you guys are all being polite and everything and too afraid, don't want to say anything bad, but we need you guys to be more honest. We want people to watch, and and they were very honest about it, like, um, I went back to my hotel room and a panic attack, and I went and found the producer and they brought me in and I was like, look, I know, I know what you just said. I can't I don't think

like that. I can't say those things because they're not in my head, Like I don't process information like that, and they don't process in like individual interactions like that. And she said, you know, I know, and you don't have to because we've talked about it with the doctors and you. That is clear and lines up with who you are, so you shouldn't feel pressure to do so. And I didn't, And in that way, I think I

one got too. I had the fortune of avoiding maybe some strange editing moves or specific editing things, and and I knew my my role. I was the peace loving hip. I wore peace sign the entire time and that was kind of don't you wish that your nineteen year old self was recorded doing things for the world to see? Yeah, do you think the show gave you any extra confidence? No, no,

I'm a performance level. No you know actually someone um, one of the judges, was like, you should be an actor, and I had ahead, I had, I had the best cover cover girl commercial. And then I was voted off later for not being able to speak Dutch. Not not that I've had like twenty years of bitterness almost but no, not at all, Um, And that was that was that was nice to hear kind of point in that direct? Did you want to be an actress? At that point?

I did theater in high school and I loved performing because it was similar in a way to being behind the camera, at least when it came to not being able to interact, but being so I could live as someone else in a lot of a lot of my own internal turmoil would calm down and quiet while I was playing someone else. I played a sneezing tree, and Um, I played crow. I played one of the Indians in uh I say this Peter Pan the musical nowadays, I don't even know how that would fly in high school,

but I you said, fly by the way in Peter Pan. Anyway, keep going? That was that was nice? Um, So clearly I mean I figured I'd have a great path in front of me. Um, how can you not with sneezing Tree number three. But in in college before Top Model, I actually did. I was in theater and that theater director loved my work like I did a model, like I read a monologue of a book to audition. I mean,

we didn't really have a serious theater thing. It was a two year college, so it was very small and and he was really excited, and I was so baffled because I had never gotten a lead at school. I'd never gotten much of a speaking role. And I played Billy Bibbett in the theater program. We went to a theater called like a United States Theater competition, and then I came back and I got the lead of the

of Picnic. And in the middle of that, about two weeks before we opened, that's when I got the call that I would be going to the show and I had I had to. I had to train someone else very quickly, and I think, thank God, she was amazing, But I didn't realize I've devastated I would be, and

how much I loved it. So that was there, planted from right before Top Model, and an experience that I had not understood that I would love so much and feel welcomed to right when you left Top Model, were you on that path to try to begin auditioning and get roles. I know you had a fairly big break the role of hot Chick in The Green Hornet with Seth Rogan. Yes. Yeah, although although my character got a name, Oh what was the name, Anna Lee? It's but well honortly,

but Michelle Condrey couldn't say yes, which was my previous name. Um, I never know how to say that, but it was because Michelle uh Gonere, the director couldn't pronounce my name on set, and he'd come up and go and uh and and and Seth was like, it's Onnoly And they thought that was funny. So in the movie they say my name, they say, or I say, you know, it's Anoly because Seth can't remember either, And they gave me a title. And I felt so much better because my

family was not letting me live down. Hot Chick, Hot Chick, Okay, all right, I apologize, No, no, it's it's a good it turned out, really, I mean hot Chick. I can think now you can thank yes. Did you feel like that was was that your first break. So a break in terms of film. Yeah. After Top Model, Um, I didn't know what to do and I lost my scholarship, and I decided to put filmmaking on hold and see

what would happen. And my cousin was down here, down in l who introduced me to an agent at Abrams Agency and they decided to take me on commercially, not theatrically at all. Um. Turns out I'm terrible at commercials. My face just moves a lot, and the way that I speak, I'm not a commercial individual. Turns out. Um. But there was a show about models on the c W, and because I had just gotten off the show, Abrams was like, yeah, you know you're a model, go ahead

and close. Before this Big Bang, Theory was doing a episode where they broke into the Top Model house and so I had auditioned for that with other girls from Top Model and I got the speaking part um, and so taffed hearted into SAG, which allowed me to then audition for things. So I went up for this this modeling show and I tested and I didn't know what

testing was, um. And it's a terrifying experience where you do your scenes and new audition live in front of a bunch of people wearing suits, um, with grave expressions on their face. Always it's terrifying. There's there's nobody, nobody. Yeah, it's awful. It's awful. It is. But because of that I was they were like, oh, well you act here,

we'll start sending you out on something. The first audition that I went out for after was per Stephanie um in uh Percy Jackson, and I wore I dressed up as Persephone and I wore like this long black dress and I had this makeup and everything, and I I couldn't remember my lines and I was so nervous that I started stuttering. And the casting woman was like, you can you can hold the paper and I was like no, no, no, I can't, No, I can't. And I got out of

that audition and just hysterically crying. It was so bad and it was so bad. Um And so the Big Bang theory came out and I got hot Chick on Green Hornet. I think because I did some sort of improv at the end and it came really fast and it went really fast. And during that time I I was in acting class and they gave me a scene for crazy stupid love for Jessica. Yes, now I don't

understand this story, so help me out here. Why do they have Why are they giving you scenes from something that hasn't been shot, like I'm used to like either a play or even a film that exists. Why are you getting the sides for this movie that isn't out yet? Can you explain this to I think I did. I think I had a man like a brand new manager at the time, not brand new. My first gave you side? Yeah, who was? And I needed something for class and I was like, is there anything I could work on? And

they sent and I really loved it. And my my acting coach was like, you know, you shot audition for this and they called and they didn't want me to audition. They said I was too old. Um I was twenty um. And it was really hard to get an audition for it. But I had no pressure on me because I figured that, I mean, this is just a role that I really love doing, and I don't have to try to be what they're looking for since I'm not what they're looking for.

In general, I wish I could apply that to everything I do. It's not always that easy to have that kind of freedom going into a role. But yeah, and so they eventually say yes and you go in and you you get the role of Jessica. Did you watch The Office at that time? I hadn't, but my my whole family had. Okay, so you don't know who's Steve carrells or you know, peripherally, I didn't know who Steve

Carrell was or Julianne Moore or Ryan Gosling. I knew who Kevin Bacon was, and that was My family was just so excited that I was a few degrees from the two degrees from Kevin Bacon. I remember when we when my mom and I were googling these these these names, being like, oh yeah, okay, I recognized them. Looking back, it's just it's I can't believe that. Yeah, that was Yeah, you were stored. That is crazy that you didn't know any of those people. Did you think that took the

pressure off you? Do you think you would have felt more pressure if you had known. I mean, at the time, and I'm saying this, this is not like The Office is the biggest show on television at this point, and he has after forty year old virgin become like essentially the biggest comedy star on the planet and and you

just don't you just don't know. I mean, that's got to have helped you, right, I mean, I like, I had no idea who Seth Rogan was, but I loved Michelle Gondry's films, so like filmmakers, I could kind of you know, I was I was into and I think, yes, I think it it was really everyone around me being so anxious. That was the confusing factor. Honestly, at the

beginning of my career. I think I was very confused as to what was happening most of the time, um, and it just kept happening um, and I I was just trying to take it all like it really wasn't. I mean, it's confusing. I didn't mean to be an actor, and I don't want to say that lightly because I'm very happy to be one now. But it was never

the plan. I was always going to be a filmmaker, the director, writer, and I think as I began getting roles, it took me like three films to finally on press junket be like, I guess, yeah, I'm an actor, because they'd say, like, your model turned actress was like one I was not a model. That did not happen. You can ask Ford about that for firing me instantly. And uh, and no, I'm not an actor like you are in a movie. Yeah, I don't know how, but now I'm

not an actor. That's fascinating you. You you once said that Steve taught you more about how to be on set than anybody you've ever worked with. What what do you what do you mean by the Thames down? I mean before that again, Like besides Big Bang Theory, which was a very studio, very different grade, Hornet was the only films that I'd ever been on student films, I didn't know what a mark was. On the way to rehearsal. I actually I remember asking a p A being like

what are you supposed to do in rehearsal? And they looked at me and they were like, rehearse whatever that means. And getting on set with on Crazy Stupid Love, I learned everything. I mean one Steve would watch himself, so we would do some takes and we'd go back and I would watch our scenes, watch how he analyzed it, how he would tweak things. And I think my skill at that time, if you could call it, that was observing someone else and working off of that because I

didn't have any ideas. Really, I again, I had no idea what was happening, but I could react, and you know, Steve was so giving and so kind I don't think, I mean, to this day, I think that's kind of the gold standard for my experience in general. Looking back. It was such an incredible set and group of people and so loving and warm that I really owe everything going forward to that experience. It was very much acting

one on one. Well, I mean, as it said, as it sounds like you know by now, I mean, how incredibly lucky you were because and I say this with all respect to most of the people that I've worked with since it doesn't get any better than him. It just doesn't. In terms of as a person to work with, as a professional on set, someone who's generous and giving and always willing if you have something funny or better to step back and allow that to go for I mean,

it just doesn't get any better. So, yeah, that's just an incredible gift you were. And because I had never i mean done comedy or or anything. Um, now I realize what what a gift. Some of that experience was learning for instance, to give and receive in comedy and be open and listen to the other actor, I think is something that is priceless to me, and I have had other jobs where that has not been the case. I didn't realize that isn't the case for everyone. You know.

It made it a little It made it challenging to sometimes be like, there's a better there's a better way to do this, there's a better way to interact. Like if you listen to what I'm saying. I heard you had you had a solo scene with Steve in a car and you were you were having a rough time right before that scene started shooting, and he told you a story or you guys started started talking about figure skating. Is that right? Yeah, figure skating in space camp um.

And then I had a panic attack outside of the car and the directors took me back into the trailer and getting me a shot of whiskey. And because it was the first it was like the first big scene I was doing with Steve. I had never been on a ride before, and it was just it was so purpouse. But yeah, no, I mean, Steve was absolutely wonderful and kind and calming and Whiskey helped and we go through it. Yeah, you moved to New York City or you were in

New York City a lot. You do a bunch of other projects at this point, Hbos, hung Warm Bodies, Manhattan, Love Story, Why Women Kill, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. I do want to talk about and congratulate you on Vengeance, just out, very very very popular, excellent movie with my other coworker bj Novak. And now did you get an offer? Did you? Did you audition for? I did audition? Um? I did audition and I felt you know, you know when you go into an audition and you're like, Okay, I feel

like I feel like this is gonna work out. Um. Yes, And it did and uh and it was quite a whirlwind. It was around the pandemic I die, and it was held to film I will have I have one story there. We're filming out in the oil fields, uh, in New Mexico. And it was like it was really late and cold, and I was in a dress with nothing like it was like a sheet. It was like a thin dress. And I'm on the ground in these oil fields which are fit. There's no ground. It's birds and thorns, all

it is is thorns and dry, itchy, painful stuff. And they put the gurney down, um and line up the shot and it would be fun because the gurney was there, but then they've removed the gurney and it would happen to be like on you know, hopefully. We tried to kind of make a path. But one of the last shots was a wide shot the camera. I couldn't even see the camera right. It was like mile away. And they put down the bourney and they brought up and I mean there, it's a tumbleweed. It is like a

three ft high bush of pointy, pointy sharp things. And I sit there and I'm and I have to crawl on my I'm dying, so I'm crawling. Um, not really a spoiler. It's in the first like three minutes. I'm crawling on my on my belly and my hands and knees, and I'm having a drug overdose. I'm like spitalling and everything, and I'm pretty bruised by this time. And BJ goes, what what what is it? Just right like there's a lot of thorns right here. And he pauses and he goes,

there's thorns everywhere, like okay, my god, damn. And at the end, and I mean I never, I never. I think I might have told this to b J later, But I got back to the hotel and I was just bloody and I had an allergic reaction and I just cut and laced all over and I put it in a script that I was writing later, I put a very similar scene. Good make him play storms everywhere, storns everywhere and uh. And I worked with Jake Lacey. I know when when is our turn a friend of

the family peacock. This is coming out eminently, yes here right October six, It's coming out like almost immediately after we finished talking. This is the true story of the Broburg family. You played the wife of Jake Lacy. How is Jake Um? Well, he plays a terrifying role in this, which is a pit of children and people alike. Um. And it's funny because I mean, he's just he's so nice. Jake is like one of the He's so nice and he's just he's She was so great to work with

and so thoughtful. On set. I had a baby, which I don't think i'd have worked with before. Um, and I every time the baby would just start hysterically crying like it was not. It started to not be funny for me because the we had like twins one time and they put the baby in my arm and it would be fine. It would have been fine for like forty five minutes setting up everything. People were passing around

the baby. The baby like barely touched my hands and would break out into hysterics, and they bring the other baby and the baby would be fine for about three minutes until it broke out into hysterics every single time. And Jake was just so kind during that and making short like I was okay and that you know I could act and whatnot. Um, now he's he's wonderful. I'm so excited for him for this show because man, what

a performance. I'm so excited to see it. Obviously I haven't yet it has it's not out, but this is also produced by the real life mother and daughter who who was kidnapped. Did you did you find yourself doing a lot of research to the original stories or talking to them about their experience going through it? How was that?

I mean that was priceless. That was priceless to have them there, and I think that it wouldn't have the show would not have happened had we not had that support from them, truly, because you can't tell a story this harrowing and do it justice and not have the victims involved. And I'm sure you could, but we really thought it was important because she wants to tell her story jan Um, since this is a story of a

predator and grooming. He didn't only groom the little girl and and her family, but also his own family, Gail and his children. Really and when you're doing something that deep. I know for Jake it was really important too, because jan got on and was like, look, I've I have healed, I have gone through this, I've come out the other side. I'm good. I want you to then feel free to take this where you need to take it and how

it was. And I think the important thing is like how not only is the storage sponkers and it it's it just gets more and more bonker. She was abducted twice, Um, twice the same girl by the same person. And I think jan looks and was like, people look at my

parents and say, how could that have happened? And she wants people to know that it very much is not her parents that this happens, that grooming happens right under your nose, and that children and adults are like are susceptible, and trying to get that out her, I'd out, yeah, so I don't. I don't want to. I'm not asking for any spoilers here. But you play the abductor played by Jake Lacy, you play his wife. Are you a victim or you a perpetrator? So that's a really good question.

The real, the real Gail Um chose not to sign off on, you know, with her rights, didn't want to be involved. And I totally understand and respect that. Um. I didn't even see a photo of her. I listened to tape, and I got to read a lot of letters and obviously speak with Jane and kind of form the fictionalized version that I brought since I didn't have

that first interaction. And the way that Gails comes across is especially on paper, is you just I can't imagine anyone not asking themselves how did she let this happen? How did she let her husband? How did she protect her husband when this was happening? She must have known and instead of looking at each scene and going okay,

this is where she knew, this is where she was ignorant. Um. I tried to take that completely out of it and do it through one simplify it and go through one filter of I'm not a parent, yeah, but um, my mother is a is a fierce mother, mama, mama bear. And I thought about what she would do for her girls and for me, and realizing like the depths that I believe she would go to protect me, protect them.

I use that as as like a template for Gail, and every decision, everything that she did to me was through love protecting her family because it's the seventies and there are in a Mormon community and there is no divorce, and she doesn't have a job, and she has four children, and something like this coming out would not only ruin her and her family. I mean, I think to Gail, there was no option, and I really wanted to take

kind of that. I wanted that to play out at least, and people are going to make their own judgment either way. But for me, I it was what would I do to protect my family even though this horrific thing is happening. Um. Obviously, I don't think Gail wanted any of it to happen, and I think she was probably pretty traumatized by it as well. And things aren't black and white. Things are not black and white when when it comes to this stuff. Yeah,

I'm super super interested in it. I love Jake. I've seen all the trailers, and congratulations on that as well. And yeah, you're just going through the office capt one by one, you're just picking everybody off. Eventually it will be my turn, and it will be my absolute pleasure. I find your story amazing and so unique and rare, and you to be such an interesting, special person. I wish you truly nothing but the best moving forward. Um, is there any other projects you have? I heard rumor

of one. I don't know if we can discuss it or not. An adaptation of a podcast. Yes, it is actually hopefully going to be out. It's a very popular podcast. We'll see if they're they're in the middle of trying to sell it. But that was that's with New Regency. I'm letting in my fiance, which I get married. Um the two days after the show comes out, Oh, congratulations, congratulations, thank you, that's that's awesome. A friend two days after a friend of the family premier. Yes, so you you've

been on flights. I came I got in yesterday. I fly back to l A on Friday. Then on Sunday or Sunday night at midnight, I fly to Wisconsin and then back. So it's I I am going to feel you on the flights. Well, congratulations to you on your upcoming nuptials. Congratulations on the show. Do out later this week. I'm so happy for you, and I'm so thankful that you took some time to talk to me. It truly has been my pleasure. Likewise, honestly, it's it's an honor.

I'm so excited. Let's let's find something to work on together. That would be amazing. I would love to do that. Leo. Thank you so much, Leo, thank you for stopping by the podcast. Uh such a pleasure getting to know you. I can't wait to see which of the office cast you work with next, hopefully it will be me And to everyone out there listening, I will see you again, same time, same place, next week. But until then, I

hope you get out there and enjoy yourself. What a beautiful time of year is fall and a new episode will be falling next Tuesday. We'll see you soon. Off the Beat is hosted an executive produced by me Brian Gartner, alongside our executive producer Lang Lee. Our producers are Diego Tapia, Liz Hayes, Hannah Harris and Emily Carr. Our talent producer is Ryan Papa Zachary and our intern is Sammy Cats. Our theme song Bubble and Squeak, performed by my great friend Creed Bratton,