Claire Danes on Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Hi everyone, Amy here. I'm recording

this the day before our new episode with

the great Claire Danes comes out and

it's an episode we recorded a few weeks

ago and since then so much has been

happening in our country and honestly it

felt strange not to address it. The

intention of GoodHang has always been to

bring levity and joy and laughs in these

tough times and we're going to keep

doing that. But before we start this

episode, I just want to send much love

to the best people in the world, also

known as motans. What we are all

witnessing is terrifying and enraging

and illegal. But we are also seeing

neighbors helping neighbors. And if you

want to help, there is a directory of

local organizations and mutual aid

groups that you can check out at

standwithmininnesota.com.

Minnesota, you're in our hearts. Okay,

on with the show.

Hello everyone. Welcome to another

episode of Good Hang. Very excited about

our guest today. It is the incredible

Claire Danes. I cannot wait to talk to

Claire today. She is such a pro. She's

so good at so many things and I know

she's going to be a good hang. And we

are going to get into it today. We're

going to talk about her big brain. We

are going to talk about uh the lasting

effect of My So-Called Life and how

people still love it even to this day.

We're going to talk about her stint on

Law and Order and what that was like.

And we're going to hear about how she

met Bosiot in an elevator when she was a

New York kid. So much to talk about, but

before we do, we always like to speak to

somebody who knows our guest, who has a

question for me to ask our guest. And we

talk well behind their back. And we have

a great one today, the incredible Mandy

Patin. Mandy, actor, singer, activist,

now podcaster. Um, you can check out his

podcast, Don't Listen to Us, out now

with his wonderful wife Katherine and

his son Gideon and um, Mandy. Um, hi.

Can you hear me?

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What do you say?

I wanted

>> Hi, Amy.

>> Hi, Mandy.

>> Don't look Amy. I'm eating something

again.

>> Yum. What are you eating?

>> Um,

Murray's tuna.

>> Perfect.

>> And vegetarian chopped liver on Ezekiel

cinnamon raisin toast.

>> Wow, that's a lot of flavors. Well, I

love the cinnamon raisin and and uh I I

eat that cuz my uh my [clears throat]

trainer tells me not to eat this other

bread that this is the one he wants me

to eat and I'm feeling good and so I do

what he says.

>> You're a podcaster now?

>> Yes, I'm a I'm a podcaster. [laughter]

>> Do you only talk to podcasters? Is that

the deal?

>> I can't stand talking to someone who

doesn't have a podcast.

>> Oh, trust me, Amy. I know.

>> Right. When you see you're like, "What

are you doing with your life?" It's

unconscionable to even think of doing

that. It's horrible. So, I wouldn't even

Even hearing you say it upsets me.

[laughter]

>> So, that's not an option.

>> You do a show with um uh Don't Listen to

us with Katherine, your wife, and your

son Gideon, and um congratulations on

that.

>> And they and they don't listen to me.

[laughter] So, it always the title is

always in operation.

>> How how has it been? What have you been

uh learning about yourself and uh in in

the process of meeting

>> great Amy it's just great being with

your family 24/7 never a break

[laughter] you know what more could you

ask you know be at home work with them

you know just like you know my son you

know just can't get enough of his

[laughter] parents it's just it's a

total joy 24/7 it's just like being in

paradise [laughter]

>> before we get to Claire just one more

time so because I know Gideon will want

me to get the log line how would you

describe the podcast.

>> Oh, Justin. And the the podcast to to

describe the podcast is just uh it's a

podcast. It's unescribable. It's

[laughter] just extraordinary podcast.

Um it has my wife who I love. I've been

with her for seven 47 years. If I can

stay with her for 47 years, you can tune

in and stay with her for 47 minutes. And

my son, my glorious son, Gideon, he it's

all his. And then the one mistake is

having me at the table as well.

[laughter]

>> I am such a humongous fan of your work,

Mandy. It meant so much to me that I was

talking to you today. And we're talking

today to Claire Danes, who I know you

absolutely love.

>> I adore her. If I if I had a daughter,

it would be Claire.

>> Oh, can you tell me where you two first

met?

>> We first met in the rehearsal room in

Winston Salem, North Carolina. I believe

that's where we met. I think that's

where we were where we had the first

read through of Homeland. And I think

that's where I think that was the name

of the town where we shot the first

three seasons. Pretty sure it was

Winston Salem, but I could be wrong. I'm

at that age. I don't just look it. It's

the same thing inside my brain.

[laughter]

It's just just wiry gray white mess up

[laughter] there. And uh I'm pretty sure

I know it was North Carolina.

>> Charlotte? Oh, no. It was Charlotte,

North Carolina.

>> So, that's interesting. So, you met in

rehearsal for the first time and

obviously you were I'm familiar

[clears throat] with each other's work.

Um, what was your first impression of

her?

>> Well, I knew uh she was of the highest

pedigree and so I just uh was thrilled

to be with her and um I knew that I

wanted more than anything for her both

as Mandy and the character Saul. Uh, I

wanted her to feel safe with me

>> and I wanted her to feel protected by me

and I wanted her to trust me and I knew

that was a tall order.

>> Uh, but we sat down uh with with our

director to just have our first read

through and she finished the first scene

and she said something that I never

forgot and I just love. She said, "Well,

that was some of the worst schmacking

I've ever done." And I never I never

heard that word schmacking. And I loved

it. And uh I never heard her say it

again because uh I think she's

brilliant. I even thought she was

brilliant when she thought she was

smacking. And so um she is uh she's as

good as they come, you know, in the

arena. She's a a thoroughbred.

>> Uh which leads me to my second thought

that I had to offer you. Would you like

that or do you want to run this? No, I

love I don't think with you and I that

I'm ever going to run anything. I think

Mandy, whenever we're you're going to be

running it, but

>> I can I can shut up. I can

>> I know. I I love I I heard that you

wrote down a bunch of questions for her,

which I love because I too have so many

questions for her. How many you have on

that page?

>> I have I wrote down no one, two, three,

four five six seven eight nine.

>> Okay, [laughter]

great.

>> No, no, eight.

>> Perfect. I I I I I understand why.

>> And you can you can buy these questions

[laughter] from me.

>> Just go to your website.

>> Everything I have is for sale,

[laughter]

>> but I understand why you have all these

questions for her because she is to to

your point, thoroughbred is a perfect

word. Like so incredibly gifted and also

your story tells uh tells me that she

also does not take herself too

seriously. It's that combination that's

incredible to be around. She was a kid

actor, you know, and and the thing is,

as you've known from working with kids,

the the magic of them, it's literally

magic. They sit there, they play, they

play with the other kids, and then the

director goes action and they're there

with a believability that if you worked

at this craft till the day you die, you

would never get to be that good the way

these kids are.

>> And she's one of the rare ones that took

it into adulthood.

and uh and she has that she just

believes. She just believes in a way

that is I'm transfixed. I I had to do

the least work in my life. Uh because

all I would do is just sit and listen to

her.

>> You can really feel the love between you

two. So, let's get to those eight eight

or nine questions.

>> You got it. So, the next one that I

wrote down,

>> wait, what was the first one again?

>> Uh oh god, I didn't know it was going to

be a challenge. [laughter]

The first one. I have no idea what the

first one was. What did I say?

>> Okay. Okay. Forget it.

>> Look at me, will you, Amy? Look. Don't

ask. Start in the middle.

>> Don't even ask me my name anymore. Just

please have a little, you know. Sorry.

>> Okay. [laughter] In Yiddish, it's called

Rakhmonus. Have some ramonus for what

you're dealing with here. re- regarding

uh her children.

>> Mhm.

>> I'm very curious uh because she's

married to an exceptional uh young man

uh young in my book and um young in

everybody's book. Um I would like to

know who is better in the family at

setting boundaries for the children.

>> Oo, is it is it Claire or Hugh?

>> Hugh or Claire? Her great actor husband

Hugh Nancy.

>> Now I would like you to ask her

something that only she would know. Uh,

what is Mandy's father's

favorite chewing gum? [laughter]

>> That does, that question seems like what

you have to answer to get into an

exclusive private club. It

>> You are right on the money. And how did

she commemorate the answer to that gift

to me? Excellent.

>> Which was one of the great gifts that

I've ever been given.

>> Wow.

>> Oh, here's a good one. How often uh does

she feel she pees? She needs to pee

before every take or every scene.

>> Love that.

>> So, it's it's not a downside. It gives

everyone a chance to breathe. We all

know that, you know, there's a rest

period coming up [laughter]

every

>> So, okay. Um Okay, that was it.

>> Okay, these are great. These are great

questions and they all speak to what I'm

learning about her and you know I I I've

known Claire over the years through

friends and loved my time spending my

spending time with her. But what I've

learned about her is um she's a really

considerate person. She's a very

considerate person. She really considers

other people. I think it's what makes

her a good actress and human in the

world. You know, the gift of the one of

the great gifts of a television series

in my humble opinion is that you get to

be there for a long time and you really

get to know each other and you get to

know each other's strengths and also

each other's fragilities. And she

learned mine. I sort of wear them on my

sleeve, but she learned them quickly.

And she she just took care of me. She

knew how to take care of me when I

needed holding and when I needed, you

know, and and and she knew how to leave

me alone when I needed leave me alone

time.

>> Beautiful. I know she's going to be so

excited that we talked. I don't know if

if she knows. This is might be a

surprise to her.

>> I I didn't tell her. I I saw her

recently at a political event for Mom

Donnie, which I was thrilled that she

was there. Uh and uh but I didn't

mention I I hadn't known about this at

that point.

>> Oh, that's great. I think she's going to

be

>> no idea from me. happy that we talked.

>> Please uh take my phone number. You have

it.

>> I will. I'm going to take your phone

number and I'm going to call you for

advice on a lot basically on most things

in life. [laughter]

>> And you're welcome. Well, thank and

you're just the dumbest [ __ ] person

on [laughter] the planet.

>> Thanks, Mandy. Take care. Bye.

>> Have fun. Bye-bye.

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>> [music]

[gasps]

>> And you do talk about this this being a

number eight business a lot. The n and

and

>> any

>> Wait, you're pretending. You don't know

what the anagram is.

>> I know now because of you.

>> Do you know what your number is?

>> I did it last night.

>> Yes.

>> Don't tell me what it is. I want to

guess.

>> I do.

>> You're an eight.

>> I'm an eight.

>> I'm an eight. I screamed.

>> Oh my god.

>> I yelled [laughter] out loud.

>> Freaking out.

>> Yes. Claire Dane just walked in with a

balloon.

With a be by the way, thank you. These

are beautiful.

>> Yeah, you're welcome.

>> Um, a beautiful eight balloon.

>> Yeah,

>> I'm going to bring it into frame. Look

at that. A gorgeous eight balloon in in

reference to the fact that we are the

same any number.

>> Well, I didn't know that when I bought

the balloon. [laughter] I just I just

knew that you were an eight girl cuz you

do talk about it pretty much. [laughter]

This is an intervention and everyone's

like, "And now you've got the balloon

and now shut shut up about it."

[laughter]

>> It's it's an intervention. Um, but I

You're so welcome. But I was so excited

that I got to be your your twin eight

sister.

>> Listen, if you're going to start with

any, we're going to go [laughter]

because I'm very pleased that you're an

anagram eight.

>> Okay,

>> that makes perfect sense to me.

>> Um, [clears throat] does it? I don't I'm

very new to this business. Did you learn

about Did you read the descriptions of

it and feel like it was you?

>> Sure. But I also worry that I might just

be a little impressionable and, you

know, kind of absorb and accept and make

it work. Um,

>> interesting. Well, that

>> that's not very eight-like, is it?

>> It's not. But perhaps you've got a wing.

You know, you can [laughter] you can get

a wing.

>> I just learned about I don't know. I

don't know what my

>> I'd love to see what your pie chart

looked like.

>> Okay. like what you actually what were

your big I wish you had told me you were

taking the test because I [laughter]

I would have sent a text that said send

me your pie chart. Send me your

>> Okay, I'm sure I can find it again.

What's your sign?

>> Virgo.

>> Okay.

>> What are you?

>> I'm Aries Virgo rising.

>> Oh my god. [laughter]

>> Like Claire, run all of the things. Run

all of the things. Do all the things. Be

in charge of [laughter] all of the

things. I mean, do you find yourself to

be like a

>> I mean, we know each other, but we don't

know know each other and I've had the

pleasure of being around you a lot a lot

and a humongous fan of your work, of

course. And thank you. And um we were

very excited that you said yes today.

And uh do you think you're a organized

person? Like are you an organized

>> I've gotten much more organized

>> over time, but I do love the Container

Store. I love a container so much.

>> A good container will change your life.

Jenna, why are you laughing? Jenna,

[laughter]

>> why are you laughing so hard? Um, but uh

and what I love about the when when I

love the idea of figuring out what

things

what are what do things mean to you in

your life?

>> Because they actually it's a paradox.

Yeah. They don't mean anything and they

mean a lot. They can be really valuable

tools and I think they do carry energy.

Like I really do believe that. And they

can transport you. They can be little

tiny time machines.

>> Yes. But okay, of course you're an

organizer. Of course you're Virgo. Of

course you're Aries. Of course you're an

eight. Claire Danes is here. [laughter]

>> I mean Claire, if I did not love you

already. I mean, the theme of I feel

like the theme of today is um

I've always felt like you and your work

were ahead of its time.

>> That's very nice. That's very, very

nice.

>> You've always brought me as an artist

into worlds that I didn't know I was

ready for. You're an intellectually

curious person who's interested in

interesting things and therefore you

kind of

>> you're drawn to those things almost

like, you know, like the cartoon

character when the pie's on the window

sill. I feel that with you. You're drawn

to interesting things.

>> I am. That's true. Thank you for saying

that. That's actually very very touching

and meaningful that you say that.

Really? Well, I can sense it from the

choices you made as an artist and um you

know, it is like My So-Called Life and

Homeland and Temple Grandon and um The

Beast in Me, like all these projects and

the way you you're kind of leading us

into some new territory always it feels

like and new territory for you too,

which is very exciting. Of course,

you're an enagram 8. You're a

challenger. You're incredible. Um but um

we're I'm sorry that we're the best, but

we are. [clears throat] And I'm sorry to

all the other numbers. [laughter]

Um, but but like it and and I just want

to say this as we like or as we get this

this thing started finally, which is you

have the ability to as an actor to stay

in your body and be in your brain. Those

are two very hard things to do.

>> Oh my gosh, this is so nice.

>> Claire, you're so smart.

>> This is so nice. This is so [laughter]

nice.

>> Like it's hard to balance those two

things, body and brain. And I that's why

I'm obsessed with the fact that you love

to dance. I do love to dance. I love to

dance.

>> And for me, it gets me out of

>> out of my brain. Yeah. Yeah.

>> Jinx.

>> Yes. Um and I don't dance as much as I I

don't dance enough anymore. I had a good

wiggle the other night all by myself in

my bathroom. I really needed it. Um it

was

>> And that's where I've seen you probably

the most is on the dance floor.

>> Yeah. Well, where our friend Rashidita

is a pretty great dancer. She's had some

parties and we've danced in our pajamas

together and I feel like there's been

some awards shows where we've been on

the floor like where dancing regulates.

What does it do for you? How does it

What does it do for your body?

>> Um Oh god, it's so funny. I Well, cuz

it's my son's birthday today, my eldest

son. He's turned 13 and

>> it's like a superpower I have. I to I

just like a little tiny wiggle in

public. He's He will cross the street.

Like it's just But [laughter] yes, I I

can mortify him within a millisecond. Um

>> and even worse is you stop and go, I'm a

good dancer. [laughter]

People think I'm a good dancer and

they're like, "Mom, please. Oh my god,

mom. Mom, everyone's watching your

dance.

>> Um [laughter] yeah. Uh but what does it

do for me?" Well, I mean, the best is

when you enter that like flow state. Um

when you Yeah. when it's when it's

there's no thought and you're just

totally synchronized with whatever sound

is coming into, you know, through your

ears. I love watching toddlers dance,

[laughter] you know, when they jump,

they do that thing, they do the bouncing

thing.

They all we all do it. And um Shay, my

my baby, she had she's very kind of in

her head and dreamy and sometimes she'll

do this kind of dance. I'm like, that's

fabulous. Anyway,

>> how old is she?

>> She's two and a half.

>> Okay. I heard something that's amazing

which is that kids from three on like

from 3 to four, 3 to five are consider

them like on mushrooms like hallucenic

mushrooms because they're like the floor

is lava and like [laughter] I'm feeling

the music and they're like why do we die

and you're like whoa you are tripping

[laughter] and it's so true that

>> Oh, she's really fun.

>> You're a real dancer. Well, but never

not like a formally trained one. I had

this amazing teacher here in the city, a

woman named Ellen Robbins,

[clears throat] and she was great. Um,

and like from I from the age of four on,

I worked

>> with her. I say that like intentionally.

It sounds ridiculous cuz I was a tiny

human, but she

>> really took every kid very seriously.

And over the course of the year, you

would work towards choreographing your

own piece. And you would choose the

theme and and the music and

>> I was a moth to flame one year. Yes, I

was.

>> There was a lot of it. [laughter] A lot

of a lot of that.

>> Closing up and opening again. Finding

your light.

>> Yes.

>> Little Claire in dance class at 4. You

are a New York kid. Now I'm I'm really

always interested in kids that grew up

in New York. What was Soho. What was

your version of Little Kid in New York?

>> It was funky.

>> Yeah. and uh you know a little rough. Um

I was born in 79.

>> My parents were artists. They moved to

the Bowery in the late60s and my dad my

dad's uh mom Claire I'm named after

>> um died when he was a kid and then I

guess he he kind of [clears throat] had

this money finally that uh and they

bought a loft building with another

couple that they still own on Crosby

Street where I was growing up. So it was

you know we had a swing, we had a

trapeze, I would roller skate, you know,

>> it's kind of how we picture

living. I had some shame about it, too.

And I had cousins who lived in the

suburbs and all I wanted was to be in a

culde-sac and have like a basement and

>> carpet on the floor.

>> We get that when we're little we don't

want to be different, interesting. We

want to be exactly the same.

>> Um, but it, you know, it was it was it

was also very cool. And, you know,

Boscot lived in our building and you

know, like Yes. It's like,

>> did you meet him?

>> I did. I remember him. I remember being

really little and he, you know, I he was

kind of he was very sweet. Like he was

very

>> charming.

>> Charming and kind of tender. That's what

I remember about him in the elevator.

>> Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.

>> You know, Keith Herring was just around

and

>> uh Yeah, but there was it was also

violent and the mafia still existed. So

we were on Crosby and Prince. So just on

the other side of Lafayette that was the

different world and felt quite active.

And

>> did you become a vigilant? Are you a

vigilant person or a vigilant kid

because on the street?

>> Oh no. In life like was there some

hypervigilance that was created because

of that?

>> Yes. Because of New York and also I have

very like [laughter]

>> funky

>> groovy art artist parents.

>> Parents.

>> Totally. So I there was a rigidity

[laughter] that developed um and

speaking my language.

>> Yes. And [snorts] like a hyper

observance. Yes, for sure.

>> And so you go and speaking of vigilance

and hyper observance. You were on Law

and Order as a young person. How old

were you?

>> I was 12.

>> Can you tell me about

>> Sure. I played Yeah. It was amazing. It

was amazing.

>> And I played a teenage murderer.

[laughter]

>> Yeah. My mom was

a prostitute,

like high-end, and her like pimp was

grooming me to basically do the same

thing, but he was kind of presenting

himself as a an modeling agent, and he

was, you know, and I took these photos

of me,

>> typical law and order.

>> And my mom found out about it and she

inter, you know, intercepted and I was

furious. this and I took the scissors

from the dark room and stabbed him. I

think that's what it was.

>> God, I would have killed to have been

that was what I wanted to do so bad is

be a teen murderer. Yeah. On Law and

Order.

>> I then dated a boy by another guy, a

kid, another kid actor. We met an

audition who also had been a teen

murderer on Law and Order. [laughter]

Um, that was like our cute story. Um,

and now Hugh is on Law and Order.

>> I know.

>> Which is wild. I know. And we have so

much good um like gear like swag, law

and order swag. We have a giant button

that goes d that [laughter]

the kids really really like and we do

have to hide sometimes. But

>> that show is in it's just inc. First of

all, it just employed so many actors.

>> It still does. It's so I was also very

sure the day after it aired there was

like a screening party. It was sweet

that like it was going to be a problem

for me to ride the subway like cuz

[laughter] I was going to be so famous.

Um and um it was fine. [laughter]

>> Everybody was

No, it was it was pretty comfortable uh

still for me. Um

>> now you brought up so-called life when

How old were you when you auditioned for

that?

>> I was 13 when I did the pilot.

>> And I was and then it didn't get picked

up.

>> Yeah. Um, and I'd gone to public school

my whole life, but then like had made

money from these acting jobs and uh

could afford to send myself to private

school. So I went to Dalton and but yeah

then but in like the very start of my

freshman year we got this call saying,

"Oh no, they are going to pick it up."

So I was only physically there for a

semester and then we were off to LA.

Wow.

>> And was kind of tutored from that point

on. Now, I mean, I know you've talked ad

nauseium about the experience you had

making that show, and it is still so

zeitgeisty, that show.

>> It's really It was a very special

thing.

>> When you were making it, it felt like a

special sparkly thing. I I remember

reading the pilot um I guess before the

audition and and and and just having a

very profound, you know, experience. And

it was really powerful to have some

woman, some writer person so perfectly

articulate my internal life. Um

>> and that was Winnie Holtzman. Holtzman

who who who's still a dear dear friend

and just a wildly inspired hilarious

>> people should know like wrote Wicked.

>> Wicked.

>> Yes.

>> Just this little indie called Wicked.

>> Yeah. Which is basically about like

teenage

>> girls, you know, and and their their

intimacies and and their their

friendships.

>> Um yeah, she's

>> and Winnie was Winnie was the creator of

the show. She was, yes, she was the

creator of the show. And uh and we were

both working so hard. We barely saw each

other, but [laughter] we were, you know,

in this very deep relationship um in our

imaginations, you know. Uh yeah.

>> Did you chemistry read with Jared Leto

for

>> No. No. No. No.

>> He just got hired and then you guys had

to kind of get find the chemistry there.

>> He was like in the Noximma commercial.

That was very exciting.

>> Yeah,

>> he was so hot. Oh my god, he was

ridiculous.

>> You know, Jordan Catalano is like become

>> and it's also one of those names it's

always the full name.

>> Yeah.

>> Um and there was also a character in the

show called Tino that you never saw. Um

anyway, there were so many

>> But I But do you have a theory? cuz you

know now with perspective like what what

do you think

>> resonates still with with Angela's like

>> well it's still radical I don't think I

think and it it remains ahead of this

time like I it shouldn't have been made

it no it it

>> almost wasn't made many times and um and

it just willed it wills itself into

existence [gasps] I don't know it's not

very often that we spend that much time,

intimate time

with a a a teenage girl.

>> Not really. We're seeing the world from

her from inside of her

>> um and really through her vantage point

when she's and she's so earnestly

wrestling with big stuff, you know. Um,

and she and it's I yeah, it's just so

well balanced and it's so it's so of

her, you know, but it's

there are some zingers. There's some

really well-crafted lines.

>> You know, I was rewatching that moment,

the like beautiful moment where that is

played over and over again on TikTok

every day of my life because it's on my

FYP, but of um of when Jordan comes over

to Angela and says, "Can we go

somewhere?" And you say, "Sure." and you

walk off with him and he takes your hand

in front of everybody. And that feeling

of being

>> chosen

>> publicly is a big

>> major

>> major deal for a young woman and young

man.

>> But why the show I think separates

itself from others is also editorially

we know what all the other characters

are feeling in that moment. Like we got

to everyone else's feeling about not

being chosen or the wrong person being

chos like everyone's having a feeling

like

>> we're we're feeling everybody's pain,

psychic pain or joy in that moment. It's

so

>> that's a very wellstated

uh yeah well well analyzed scene. Um

I've watched it for many times. Um, no

it and yes it was it was I feel wildly

fortunate that that was my entry point

and you've worked with what I imagine

only imagine are really [laughter] some

very

interesting complicated and maybe at

times difficult people at a young age I

I project on you that you have to like

figure out how to be self-possessed and

be your own artist and your own, you

know, like protect yourself and also be

among these like really

complicated adults. Do you feel like

there was some inner Claire thing that

helped you navigate all that early

stuff?

>> I feel like kids are doing that all the

time anyway.

>> Not every kid.

>> Okay.

>> You know, I think this is

>> um I don't know. I also I remember

people I never felt like a kid and now

now that I am a parent and I have actual

children, I'm like, "Yeah, no. I for

sure was a kid. There's no way.

>> Do you think you were going to I

sometimes think I I never felt like a

kid either. I when I was about eight or

nine, I was like, I'm in charge here.

[laughter]

>> I did. I was like, these people were

like I just remember being like, no, I'm

in charge.

>> My first memory.

>> I don't know if it's real or not.

Obviously, no idea, but was preverbal. I

I was an infant. I remember where I

where I was. I was by my the windows on

our in our loft on Crosby Street. out

overlooking Lafayette Street and I had

been handed to some other adult that I

didn't know very well and they didn't

know how to hold a baby and I remember

having I was like, "Okay,

this is one of those grown-ups who don't

know how to do this. They're

uncomfortable.

>> Wow.

>> There's nothing I can do about it. I'm

just going to have to wait it out." Um

Yeah. And then I remember

Yeah. [laughter] Blue. Um, and then my

second memory was being on the a kitchen

island and I was just about I just was

starting to have some language but not

quite enough and I was kind of playing

charades with my mom and I wanted to get

to the to the counter like the other

side of the kitchen and she was really

frustrated and she and I and I felt such

empathy for both of us and I was like

this we I this cannot continue like I

really really need to crack this

language thing because [laughter]

I mean, poor us. This is too hard.

Amazing. So, yeah, it was like that

always. And people would say like, how

you know, you know, it's so remarkable

that you can deliver performances at

such a young age. I was like, what are

you talking about? Feel like I've been

here for this has been an eternity. Like

11 years is so many years. And it felt

very rich. I was like, I've got enough

material for four lifetimes. It makes

total sense to me because when you're in

Little Women and you're dying.

[laughter]

>> I was like, she's been here before.

>> We had to reshoot that scene.

>> Just my side because apparently I got

too excited about the death rattle

>> cuz of course I read like five stages of

dying. I like and really studied

whatever illness Beth had.

>> Sure.

>> And [laughter] I got a little carried

away. Um, you refer me to Matthew Reese

and he calls me um death rattle Danes.

[laughter]

But

>> but Julian Anderson, the director, lied

to me. I only learned this like last

year literally. Then said that that Coke

had spilled on the negatives of the film

and that we needed to reshoot

really cuz she needed to like

>> like calm the death rattle down a little

bit.

>> Yes. So that's a factoid. By the time

you were 20, you were already in 13

movies.

>> So that's a few mo that's a lot.

>> I did not know that. Okay.

>> Went to school, went to Yale. What did

you study there?

>> I thought I was going to be a psychology

major and then it ended there ended up

being like a lot of lab work involved

with that.

>> Um

>> that's not what I meant. Uh um

eventually I think I would have been I

didn't complete my time um and I never

had to declare a major but if I had I

think I would have been an English major

which is what I meant you know I I

didn't

>> Yeah

>> um I didn't want to be the I the science

part was less interesting [laughter] to

me than the character studies.

>> Do you have a bit of like a slidy doors

fantasy that you would be a therapist in

another life? My best friend in the

whole wide world from the age of nine on

is a therapist.

>> Um,

>> congrats.

>> Thank you.

>> I did pretty well.

>> Best friend in therapist. I chose well

at nine. [laughter]

Um, and and actually it's really fun. We

do kind of play Barbies together with my

characters. Like if I'm starting a

project, we'll think about it in those

kind of formal terms and she'll diagnose

her and

>> Yeah. Cool. It is. It's actually very

handy. Yeah.

>> Um, and occasionally at lunch like I'll

see her kind of it'll be I see her shift

from Ariel, you know, into the and

she'll ask she'll say,

>> "Is it okay if I, you know, go into

actual formal therapy mode with you

now?" Be like, "A dream."

>> Yes, please. A dream. Um so so yeah I I

I mean that so so okay so I'd wanted to

be an actor from the age of five onwards

>> and then people would tell me you know

most actors actually don't make that

much money it's a fairly insecure career

choice

>> and continues to be

>> and I had a practical side and I thought

okay all right fine I'm going to be a

therapist and I'm going to

>> live in the suburbs I was going to live

next door to Ariel. We were going to

share a pool and we would have two

slides in our respective yards that

would go into the same pool. I would be

a therapist and do acting workshops.

Yes. To like nourish the soul.

And that was my plan for a good year.

And I made an actual announcement one

night at the dinner table and I said,

>> "Look guys, like who am I kidding? There

is no plan B. I am an actor. money or no

money, this is this is my calling. And

my parents like, "Uhuh, sure." Um, and

[laughter]

I was so serious. It's ridiculous. Um,

and

>> but I love that person because that

person's making a declaration

>> and I and I really meant it. And I went

to, you know, I took Saturday acting

classes at Lee Strawber, which is in my

neighborhood and I pass almost every day

and is a total trip. But yeah, anyway.

Um, so yes, but actually my favorite

class was a graphic design class.

>> Oo,

>> my very favorite class. And then I

thought, oh, maybe if I weren't

[clears throat] an actor, I would be a a

that kind of person, a graphic designer.

>> I can see I I can see all these things.

What I what I like love about your work

is that it feels and again it just feels

like when you're watching you work that

there's just real life that exists in

your life like you have a real life.

You're a real person a sane real person.

>> I'm trying.

>> And then so then when we're watching you

play people when you're they feel like

real people. There's just a little bit

you just kind of can't explain it.

people have it or they don't where they

feel like they've actually existed on

the earth [laughter]

>> and had a real life and people that are

kind of um in a just a different sphere

of I don't know and there's something

that feels uh like you have taken care

of other parts of your life.

>> It was it was good for me to do that. I

really needed a timeout. I needed to not

have so much responsibility.

Uh, and I needed to like [ __ ] around a

little bit and like get stoned and play

Mario Kart, you know. Um, uh, [laughter]

that doesn't need to go away.

>> That was that doesn't need to go away.

>> As important as, you know, the the work

I was doing in class, which was also

really really wonderful. And um and I

also felt like validated as a thinking

person. Um

>> I feel like you've spoken about like the

kind of wonderful things about

perspective and getting older. What's

the best thing about being the age you

are?

>> That it's perfectly okay to have the

same breakfast every morning.

>> Mhm.

>> To [laughter]

exercise

>> for 45 minutes to an hour. Um

>> how's your bone density?

>> I don't know. And I should know. And I

don't lift enough weights.

>> No. Nobody ever have to lift so many

weights.

>> I'm I I like lifting my own body weight.

I really like yoga these days, but it's

not enough. Apparently, you have to lift

actual iron.

>> And you run. You're a big

[clears throat] runner.

>> I used to run more. The third pregnancy

really kind of [laughter] put a dent.

>> So, people that don't know, you had a

pregnancy uh a few years ago. Kind of a

surprise. [laughter]

>> Whoa.

>> Out of the blue.

>> That wa

>> did you um burst into tears like, "Oh

no, I have to be pregnant again."

>> Totally. Yeah,

>> I called my my [laughter] OB/GYN in

convulsive tears.

>> Um, yes. No, I it was it it was a pure

like it was all meltdown. Oh, no.

>> Because you had what a what, like a

12year-old or or like a 10year-old and a

six-year-old or something?

>> Yes. I mean, he must have been around 11

12. Yeah. I They're 5 years apart each

kid. None of this was by design.

[laughter] Um, but yeah, I didn't know

it was physically possible. I was 44 and

>> um and actually Rowan was very

hardearned. I had to do two rounds of

IVF. Like it just was so unlikely. So

this is a funny story that I'm going to

share about my best friend. Okay.

>> So um

>> and this is Ariel.

>> This is Ariel.

>> Okay. Ariel.

>> She gets name checked a lot in these

things. [laughter]

>> Well, she is your therapist

>> and she's and she's other people's

therapist, too. I would like her to be I

just ruined her career. Um but uh yes,

so we we had this like uh spa day

scheduled and and I admitted to her and

I wasn't I wasn't coping very well with

the heat. I kept I was like, "I'm sorry.

I'm such a [ __ ] I got to get out of

here." Anyway, and so I wasn't going to

say anything and finally I admitted I

was like, you know, I I totally lost my

mind last night and just decided that I

was pregnant. I went down this crazy

rabbit hole and finally like looked up

what are the odds of naturally

conceiving at 44 and they're like less

than 1%. And I was like so that

obviously is ridiculous and she said

whoa

that's really weird because I had this

dream last week. She said it was really

vivid

>> and I told people about it. I mean, I

didn't say it was you, but I had this

dream where I was pregnant and I looked

down and I saw my distended belly and I

said, "Oh, I'm Wait, but this is a

really this isn't my torso. This is a

long torso. This is Claire's torso."

>> You have a great torso.

>> Thank you. But um yeah, and

>> she was in she was

>> she had this dream where she looked down

and saw that she was pregnant, but she

wasn't pregnant.

>> She was in my pregnant body. And then

the, you know, I had two strong

cocktails when we had dinner and then

first thing in the morning hit the CVS

and it was just like bold cap locked,

you know.

>> Yeah.

>> Pregnant. [laughter] And I burst into

tears. [gasps]

>> Because for for me the thing would just

be like you know what you know now. You

know what you're [laughter]

>> I Well, that was that was deeply

humbling. Yeah.

>> Because I realized oh I am not authoring

this thing like

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

>> Okay. Okay. This is really this is the

illusion that I am

>> like driving this thing.

>> Um, so you had to surrender.

>> I really did.

>> And then this beautiful girl emerged and

she's the best and none of it was up to

me and I'm just delighted.

>> Yeah. But

>> but she was disruptive. We had to move.

It was a thing. [laughter]

>> It was a lot of work. Well, it's

interesting like her origin story will

be I bet will just like naturally be

like you really wanted to be here.

>> She did and she's psyched like she is

all about it. She's having a great time.

Um unequivocally like into this living

business. Um yeah,

I mean I I it is that's the thing about

I think about the best and worst thing

about late 40s for me mid50s is

>> you kind of know the deal. So it's like

okay that's going to be this

>> and okay this one's going to hurt or

>> you know there's still stuff to discover

certainly but there is a sense of

>> it's amazing to have so much of your

life like established

and you know

>> yeah um

realized like and set

>> well you've experience it's basically

you've uh you've come through things

>> and you've and you've made it you made

it through something.

>> Yeah. And there's a lot of um I don't

[clears throat] know power in that and

joy in that

>> and it's also sad cuz I'm really really

aware of time now.

>> Me too. It's really like the thing I I

crave I crave time is my time is a

thief.

>> Yeah. And it's and it's it's it's

actually and I'm sure you're this way

too more and more with work or with any

project. It's the thing I care about the

most. How much

>> and you know it makes me think about

your work on Homeland which was a 10year

>> commitment.

A lot of time hard work.

>> Yeah. It was and and we were all over

the planet. Like we were in so many

different countries.

>> Um and I had two kids.

>> Yes. And I was like fighting terrorists

while deeply pregnant. [laughter] It was

weird.

>> Did you have a um a thing like you liked

to do on that show when you saw on the

call she were like today I get to do

this,

>> you know, because like was it like

today? Oh, and you know, maybe it was

like today I get to

>> It was cool that after a while, like,

you know, a few seasons in, people knew

Carrie Mat and and every it was almost

like an anthology series, like we would

reimagine ourselves every year. But, you

know, so a new set of actors, you know,

I'd walk into a room and they would like

get quiet and be chasened and I like had

this this power that, you know, I I had

earned over seasons, you know, and that

was pretty fun. [laughter]

I'm back.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You know, and never

have I ever had that experience in my

life, nor will I ever again, even in a

fictional realm, you know, [laughter]

but that was like amazing to have that

kind of swagger.

>> Yes.

>> Um Yeah. And

>> and what was what was hard to shoot like

was it like I mean just like balancing

life, I'm sure, and traveling all over

because it shot everywhere. It shot all

>> especially when Brody died.

Oh god, that secret.

>> Spoiler alert, Claire.

>> I remember. So we It was also like

really rough. Just really graphic. Like

they really went there over like

>> come on. Intense.

>> It was so intense. But like he dies on a

crane, but then the crane when we were

filming broke. Oh no.

>> So like we were really hung up by that.

Um

[laughter] um but uh I don't know. It

was like landing in a new because that

was in where did we shoot that? That was

in Morocco. But yeah, so the first three

seasons we were mostly in Charlotte,

North Carolina, which was standing in

for DC and then we would make these jags

like we would shoot a month in Israel or

Morocco or something. Yeah.

>> But then [snorts]

>> when we when we had to really redefine

the show in a more me, you know, macro

way, we then became this traveling, you

know, enterprise. So we were shooting in

>> in Cape Town for half a year which was

standing in for Palestine and

Afghanistan. The next year we were where

were we? There was a year in Berlin,

then a year in New York, which yeah,

that was kind of that was actually very

strange to be home and weirdly stressful

because like people expected me to go to

dinner. Like my friends were like,

"You're here. Let's hang out." And I was

like, "I am working." So

>> I had to get tied up and beat up

tomorrow and then I get to tie someone

else.

>> I can't do this and live my life. There

was something nice about being on

location and just being allowed to like

give myself entirely to it cuz I didn't

have any energy to spare.

>> That was actually weird. That was the

weird almost the hardest season because

I kept like I you know

>> there was this illusion that I was

living my life and I I couldn't.

>> And then where were we then? We were

>> I don't even Then it was a full year in

Morocco. Wow. There was

>> What was What's Morocco like?

>> Pretty great. I was nervous about

spending so much time there and I I I

grew to really love it. Cyrus went to

school in all these places, too. So, he

he still can't eat couscous because he

ate it at every meal [clears throat]

every day for 6 months at this school.

[laughter]

>> Um Um

>> that must be very cool for him to have

his memories of traveling.

>> Yeah. I wonder what he you know what can

what he can consciously recall. I think

that he was like five or six. that six

that he could.

>> He also his first school that he went to

was in Berlin and he was he was around

three

>> and uh and he started to have temper

tantrums like half in German and he was

going nine nine and he'd be like whoa

suddenly this like sounds this is a lot

scarier in this language. [laughter] Um

and and he would around that time like

when we would come home and we'd be at

the playground at Washington Square

Park, you know, he would toddle over to

other tiny people and say, "Hi, my name

is Sus. I speak English." Because it was

like not a given that another person

>> speak another language.

>> Nine. If I could, you know, put a chip

in my brain and be able to speak in a

different language.

>> Oh, same. Bat and fly.

>> Yeah. Fly.

>> I mean,

>> yeah.

>> Yeah. But the langu almost feels like it

has the same thrill level.

>> And you know what I love about speaking

other languages is you have to do like a

version like a funny you almost you have

to move your body and your face in a

version that feels insulting. It feels

stereotypical but you have to to get the

language right.

>> Well, there is that kind of

>> Yes. You have to and you or if you're

Italian, you have to justiciculate or

like there's all these different things.

Like there's a reason why people move

the way they do. Getting back to

movement.

>> Yes. I love learning dialects for this

reason. I look I think humans are humans

and you know it is mostly a universally

shared experience whatever that is. But

it's also true

>> that there are real differences and we

go we do like see the world through

these slightly different these different

filters and it does shape us and inform

us and that is also kind of amazing.

>> Well, I'm really into that those kinds

of differences again without

appropriating them or getting them wrong

but because we are in a monoculture now

everything is the same now. So now it's

like I'm like wa the way you express

this thing or the way you like language

still feels sometimes like a way

>> of getting into some new little world

and it's so like it's I I'm delight in

the ways that we're not the same anymore

because everything is the same. Every

[ __ ] store is in the same

>> Yeah.

>> city kind of sad that we're not I mean

that is what we do. You and I do and I

think a lot of

>> Well, I don't I don't do

>> Well, you do. You totally do. You

imagine yourself in a, you know, as

being a different person.

>> True. But dialects are their own real I

mean that's a real that's real acting.

>> Now look,

>> look, I can't just I can't just riff

though. Like I'm this ooey person. If I

have a good

coach, I'm all about it.

>> Do you like to improvise when you act or

>> I haven't had that many opportunities to

>> Oh, interesting. I don't I guess in I

guess in more dramatic stuff it's hard

to do, right?

>> They don't let you. They're very strict

about

>> because they're on the crane. They're

like, "He's up on the crane. You can't."

And you're like, "Just [laughter] give

me I just want to riff."

>> Yeah. Uh crane [laughter] work is pretty

strict. Um uh but no, I don't know. I I

would be really intimidated by that

actually.

>> I feel like you'd be so good. I feel

like

>> that's scary. I I did one episode of

Portlandia and um they did give me pages

and then they disappeared and they

[laughter] were like, "Don't look at

this."

>> Yeah. And I was like, "But wait, I

learned them." And they were like, "Oh,

sorry. [laughter]

I don't know." Um and they were like,

"You know what? We're just going to like

do it as we want to do it in the

moment." And I wanted to vomit. Um

>> I have I have no I worked at SNL and

it's where I realized like oh

preparation is this this thing that

people do. No um it's [laughter] this

thing it's this thing that when people

bring it to the process and someone says

like and also let's try this. It's hard

to not feel like wait

what what are we doing? Like it's a it's

it is a learned skill to just assume

that things aren't wrong if we are not

doing what we prepared. Yes. I mean, I

am I mean, I'm ridiculous. I mean, I'll

go to the writer and say, "Is it okay if

I like put the comma here rather than

there?" And they're like, "Don't come to

me with this bullshit." Like, I'm sorry.

[laughter]

But I And I think actually because I

started at such a young age, my socks

are still up to my knees a little bit,

you know, like there's still that like

>> little girl who's just wanting to do a

good job. Um, I don't know if that's

because I was actually a little like a

literal little little girl. Say that

five times fast. Um, when I began or

maybe that's just in me and would have

been if I started at 30. But I don't

know.

>> Yeah, you you do such a good job.

>> Thank you.

>> You're so You're so good at your job.

>> You do. You are so good at your job

>> and your job. I love listening to your

show. I listen to it a lot.

>> Thanks. I heard that you love podcasts.

>> I love podcasts, but you have one of the

very best ones.

>> Oh my god. Thanks. And it's it's um it's

it's really wonderful.

>> Thanks, Claire.

>> Really,

>> speaking of wonderful, we do a thing on

this podcast where we talk to someone

who knows our guest. We talked to Mandy

Patenkin.

>> Mandy.

Mandy who I saw the other night. I

hadn't seen him for a long time.

>> You said you guys were celebrating

celebrating Donnie.

>> I mean, he is his I mean, you could tell

in the show, but I also loved knowing

that outside of the show the

relationship you two had. It was it felt

very paternal, very respectful. There

was a lot of love there.

>> I love him madly, truly, deeply. And

also, he's just an amazing person to act

with. Um, and

>> how come,

>> okay,

>> he's very musical.

>> Um, but that this was a weird thing. In

the first read through, we barely met

each other

>> and

>> it just like the music worked, you know?

my cadence and his cadence were in

really good harmony

>> with each other and that was like can't

can't nobody can take credit for that.

That was just really good fortune

>> and you know I played this manic person.

I'm almost like getting into it now that

you're saying I'm thinking about it. So

[clears throat] she's like a stone

skipping, you know, on the water and

he's, you know, has a much, you know,

has this like low pulse rate

>> as Saul and is so steady and is her

ballast and, you know, this

counterpoint. Um,

>> yeah.

>> Well, he adores you. He calls you a

thoroughbred.

>> Oh, well, thanks. He's just a really,

really, really good performer. Um, I

don't quite know how he does what he

does, but it was also always fun to see

him

>> at the gym, the hotel gym or whatever

weird apartment complex we were living

in, like singing his Yiddish songs,

prepping for his tour, like on a

stairmaster,

>> right?

>> It's just it's

>> also I just love a big man.

>> Yes,

>> I do. I love a big man. Um, sometimes I

love feeling small like in relationship.

Do you know the like the idea of like

big and small?

>> No. which is basically like some days

you want to feel big and some days you

want to feel small. So some days you

want to be like I'm going to take us get

us to the airport. I'm in charge of

whatever. I'm big today.

>> And other times you're like I want to be

small today. And it's like being taken

care of but also can just kind of feel

physical. Like sometimes when you're

like at, you know, I don't know, you're

bossing it up all day at work. You want

to come home and feel small and vice

versa. And being able to have someone

kind of do that with you.

>> It's like CEOs who go to the doms.

>> Exactly. It's a subdom thing. Um, so

those are all Mandy's question. No, I'm

just kidding. Um, so Mandy wants to

know, are you No. Um, okay. So he had 10

questions for for us.

>> That's a lot of

>> We're not going to We can't get to

>> That's a lot of question. This is Mandy

had 10 questions.

>> Yeah, he really overprepared, which is

very nice, but also he couldn't get on

the Zoom and he was eating when he was

on the Zoom, too. So was it was like

mixed messages, but um um [gasps] but he

was so

>> He was eating the lacas that he had

made. He was eating a delicious

>> the mayor

>> cinnamon raisin bagel I believe with

some other stuff on it.

>> Um

>> and it looked delicious and

>> he likes peanut butter and an apple too.

>> Oh, that's a great snack. That's a great

sad snack. Um okay, so you had a couple

questions. Who is better at setting

boundaries for the kids? You or Hugh?

>> Oh,

goes back and forth.

>> Okay, that's good.

>> Um Um So Cyrus wants to wear shorts.

He's like a gaffer

all the time.

>> There's a whole thing. Do you You're not

on TikTok, I'm sure.

>> No.

>> Oh, congratulations. But um there's a

whole thing about middle school kids

always wearing shorts.

>> It's It makes me so upset.

>> Let it go. I'm here to tell you my boys

are older. Let them freeze their

bunneroonies off. Don't say one thing.

Don't ever don't mention a coat.

>> Okay. So,

I've said 50 or below [laughter]

you have to wear shorts. Hugh is more

teen size. [laughter]

>> If you're below, you have to wear pants.

>> Yeah, sorry. Pants. Sorry. Thank you.

And sudden now Hugh is like kind of

being more permissive and that number uh

uh went down to 40. So

>> there's a whole literally a whole

scientific thing about middle school

kids waiting for the bus in by

scientific I mean it's on Tik Tok.

[laughter]

>> Um about kids waiting for the bus with

shorts. They boys love shorts in middle

school. It's a whole thing.

>> What? Okay, whatever.

>> And they run hot and they're not going

to get cold from the cold. You know

that. And just let them do it. But they

will grow out of it. I promise. Then

they'll become obsessed with like sweats

and sleeping and being warm and they'll

always be freezing.

>> Uh yeah. Okay. All right.

>> It's just a warm period.

>> I got that.

>> My family thanks you. Um but but I

actually think that Hugh and I are

pretty we're very lucky. like we're well

matched humans and I think our our

parenting styles are are pretty level

and equal as well. So that

>> it's good.

>> You guys are a really really special

couple.

>> Thank you.

>> He's a very He's a swell dude.

>> Yeah, you can tell. And you can tell you

have a lot like a lot of love and a lot

of like for each other. Both those

things are important.

>> We do. And so many children now.

>> Yeah. [laughter] So many. You're

outnumbered. You're out. Um anyway.

Okay, Mandy's next question.

>> And this now, now Mandy's referring to

himself in the third person.

>> Sure. [laughter]

>> Um, what is Mandy's father's favorite

chewing gum?

>> Oh, um, it's the, uh, black

licorice. Oh, I embroidered something

for him.

>> That's what he was asking. How did you

commemorate? Um because he he used he

would chew it as Saul because and I

think he mentioned at one point that but

I'm I'm forgetting the name of the

brand.

>> Did it come like in a tin?

>> Blackjack. Blackjack.

>> Blackjack was the gum

>> was the kind of gum.

>> Okay. And um and you made and you

embroidered something.

>> I went I went hard on the embroidery for

a while.

>> Let's talk about this embroidery. You

embroider. Do you

I don't really

>> There was a point when I embroidered

everything around me. I embroidered an

umbrella. That was weird. Um, so my mom

taught me and you know it started

because in my 30s I was away from my

friends and we were at the everybody was

having babies and I was really missing

them and so I embroidered onesies from

my friends babies that I embroidered

their name and then an image that

related to the name somehow. Um,

>> but it was really more about just

communing with them.

>> Embroidery by hand.

>> Yes. Okay. Um and and it we started with

the onesies and then it just then it

went haywire. It's a great onset

activity. Yes. And I did it a lot more

before I had children. Um and I also

found the contrast amusing and enjoyable

like that. I would be fighting

terrorists as Carrie and then I would go

back to my seat and embroider

>> knitting or crocheting. Do you do that?

>> I went on a knitting jag too and then

that didn't take. So, I I embroider

onesies for, of course, all of my kids.

And I have one [clears throat] for Shay,

this third child. She's She She's It's

not She doesn't wear onesies anymore.

I've missed that chance.

>> It's okay.

>> I'm confessing. I'm I'm actually

confessing to you,

>> you know. I mean, you're supposed to do,

you know.

>> Anyway,

>> you've done it all. I mean, no more. You

got to start giving us

>> um uh That's what I tell every woman.

And then, um I want to talk about the

beast in me.

>> Okay. Um because I love the fact that

you are producing on this and I want to

know what that experience has been like

producing.

>> I loved it. It was just really fun to

>> like,

>> you know, hire people who I admired and

trusted. And you have a I mean you like

you said you've been producing probably

you've been producing without credit for

a long time and you've been producing

and seeing you've been on sets for a

long time and you're realizing like oh I

want to I want I want to bring my system

here.

>> Yeah. And that first week I was just I

was I just was had a blast. I was really

like I like everybody here and I

realized all right because you know I

asked them to the dinner party right and

um yeah and it was so nice to like

I don't know, not be surprised by the

home that suddenly I was discovering on

the first day of filming. Like I got to

have a say on what that house would

actually be. And um yeah, I I really

enjoyed it and it was just like

>> a lot of Zoom calls. That's okay. Um but

they were conversations I wanted to have

and be a part of and yeah, so it's on

this next gig, I'm more of an actor for

hire. So, you're playing a neurosurgeon

and can we talk about The Pit?

>> Sure.

>> Cuz you love it.

>> I do love it.

>> What do you love about it?

>> I Well, Noah Wy

>> I mean Noah Wy.

>> Okay. Did you watch ER when it was on?

>> No, but I would think I was a little too

little. Yeah,

>> it was on maybe while I was shooting my

so-called life. Is that right?

>> I don't know. Maybe maybe I'm getting

that timing wrong. But um

>> yeah, I was aware aware of it, but I

didn't watch it. But no, he feels so

credible and I really think all those

hours he put in as a TV doctor have

acrewed and he has a kind of

gravitational, you know, gravity now.

>> Yeah, he does this. He he it feels like

he's doing he's doing his blocking

without thinking.

>> I am so convinced. Totally.

>> Um and uh No, and I just think it's it's

also like feels a little throwbacky.

Like it's so nice to watch excellent TV.

>> Love.

>> Love. You've made excellent TV.

>> Thank you. But I enjoy watching

excellent TV.

>> It's my favorite thing to watch. TV are

better than movies. Sorry. [snorts]

>> TV's better than movies.

>> I love movies. Movies are very special.

>> I'm a little worried about movies. I

really am a little bit worried about

movies.

>> Well, they got to get their [ __ ]

together. No, I'm just kidding.

[laughter] I love movies. I love movies.

I love it all. Is there anything that

you watch I know you are a big listen to

podcast. Is there anything you watch

like just for like kind of brain

checkout fun?

>> You know what? Okay. I know you ask this

sometimes, so I had a prepared answer.

Um, there is

>> You're the only person that's ever

prepared. I want you to know this, of

course Claire.

>> But is it okay? Tim Robinson.

>> Yes.

>> So, he's he has this there's this one

sketch.

>> Yeah.

>> From the show focus group.

>> Incredible.

>> You just got a O you just got a O from

>> We watch this all the time in our

family. Do your kids watch it?

>> Well, so so all the kids are allowed to

watch this. So Cyrus is so we tuck the

little guys in and then then we have

like special mature viewing hour and it

started with like the Simpsons and and

then it was

>> Simpsons is always gay only murderers in

the building

>> Omib which is basically Scooby-Doo for

grown-ups and um and it's great and and

then and it's and then Hugh English

husband introduced him to Monty Python

stuff. He got really into that.

>> Yes. Um but now we've been watching

mostly because of this focus group um

his latest show which is the chair

company.

>> Yeah. Which there was a

>> so

>> not safe for work moment [laughter]

>> in that show.

>> I mean the whole genius of the show is

that it takes you in very quickly to

places that you are not prepared for.

[laughter]

>> So totally we're all like cuddling in

bed.

And then there is this giant erect penis

and Hugh says, "Close [laughter] your

eyes. Everybody close your eyes."

Close up your eyes. [laughter]

>> Everybody close your eyes.

We all We Yeah, it was intense.

[laughter]

We're still recovering.

>> It was intense.

>> Yeah, but it was great. So, we do love

that show. I think that like what Claire

what I understand why you would like

this because number one I think you are

like I've known you to be a very fun and

like comedy. You love comedy.

>> I do.

>> Yeah. And you have good taste.

>> Thanks.

>> And there's a tiny bit of a disruptor in

you that I imagine is fun to watch.

>> Yes. I think you're right. Speak and we

the other thing that we've been watching

is the latest South Park.

>> Oh yeah. What you talk about?

>> Wild.

>> What? They're just saying the thing.

>> Just a chicken in a hen house. A fox?

No, it's a fox in a hen house.

[laughter]

>> I didn't get that right.

>> That makes me feel Thank you for that.

Um, well, thank you. This is This was

amazing. This was so This was really

nice.

>> This is so fun.

>> Um, birthday present to me.

>> No one's ever brought me a balloon.

Thank you for bringing a balloon. And

again, for people that are sick of me

talking about the gram, I don't know

what to say. I but let me just read you

this as we wrap up and see if any of

these land. These are things that annoy

an enog. Are you ready?

>> Sure.

>> People who talk just to talk.

>> That's very annoying. That is deeply

annoying.

>> And I have a podcast. But um [laughter]

yes, people who talk just to talk. FAKE

PEOPLE

>> BEYOND. I mean I'm like I literally if

someone's like I'm a I'm a piece of [ __ ]

or whatever. I'm like okay great. But

fake no way. Uh people who aren't on

time.

>> Uh I have to have some tolerance for

that because I am not the

>> same. I was late today.

>> That yeah Jenna's always on the

>> most punctual person.

>> And then this one really scratches an

itch for me.

>> Others asserting power in a situation

where they have none. [laughter]

>> Okay. Uh, so I went through a period in

junior high where I became like a

vigilante and I [laughter]

I would like rough I would like confront

the bullies for

>> hate bullies.

>> Yeah. Really? And and I went to the

principal's office one time because I

like slap like I hit a bully. [laughter]

I slapped a bully and

>> Yeah,

>> that's exciting. and we talked through

it, the bully and I and [snorts]

um and actually we made some progress

and then he was so differential to me

and so and he would open doors like he

was really, you know,

>> but um I I had to stop that because

>> it was like going on my record. Um

[laughter]

but yes, I mean so I think I yes that

that

>> I that makes sense that that would be

>> fantasy that I stand up to bullies and

that everybody sees it [sighs]

>> like that's that's my like embarrassing

fantasy that I stick up for people in

public

>> when I so there was a [laughter] there

was a bully in elementary school and I

admitted to my mother at one point that

like my self soothing um fantasy it

would I there'd be a circle of people

and this boy and I would were at the

center of it and I was just beating the

[ __ ] [laughter] out of him.

>> Yeah.

>> And I was like, "Is that okay to have

that bandage?" She was like, "Your

thoughts are your own. [laughter]

>> Enjoy them."

>> Um, [clears throat]

which was a nice a nice bit of mothering

there.

>> A nice bit of mothering there. Really,

>> we've come full circle back to New York.

Back to the apartment.

>> It did help. It was nice.

>> Yeah. I could talk to you forever,

Claire.

>> I could too. Thank [laughter] you.

>> Thank you so [gasps] much. It was so

fun. [applause]

>> Thank you so much, Claire Danes. That

was so fun. I could have talked to you

forever and uh you're so interesting and

smart and funny. Um so, thanks so much

for that time and for for uh the Polar

Plunge today. I guess I just want to

remind everybody how good Law and Order

is, especially the first 10 seasons.

Okay, just go back and watch, find

Claire as the young, you know, child

maniac and um just go back and and

here's a little tip. Whoever you

recognize, they did it. [laughter]

So, it's a young actor just starting

out, they're the murderer. So, take that

tip with you and go check out a little

show called Law and Order. I can't get

enough of it. [laughter]

And you know, it's these kind of new

things that I'm going to fill you in on

when you uh take the time to listen to

the Polar Plunge. So, thanks so much for

listening and um see you soon. Bye.

You've been listening to Good Hang. The

executive producers for this show are

Bill Simmons, Jenna [music] Weiss

Berman, and me, Amy Polar. The show is

produced by The Ringer and Paperkite.

For The Ringer, production by Jack

Wilson, Cat Spalain, [music]

Kaia McMullen, and Alia Xanerys. for

Paperkite production by Sam Green, Joel

Levelvel, and Jenna Weiss Berman.

Original music by Amy Miles.

>> Want [music] a really good Hey