Dakota Johnson

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Hey, everyone, welcome to another episode of Good Hang.

Very excited to introduce my guest, Dakota Johnson.

Just an amazing actress and truth teller.

And this is actually the first podcast she's ever done that she told us.

So we're very honored to have her here.

We talk about a lot of fun stuff today.

We talk about analyzing her dreams.

We talk about her receiving the Razzie for the movie Madam Webb.

We talk about her new movie, The Materialists, coming out with Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal.

So we really get into it, a bunch of great stuff.

And we always like to start these interviews with

a Zoom from a friend of our guests or a fan of our guests, someone who's going to give me a question to ask them.

So joining me now is Blake Lee.

He is an actor.

You may recognize him

from

Parks and Rec.

He played Derek, the boyfriend of April Ludgate, who also had a boyfriend.

So they were a thruple, and that confused Leslie.

Nope.

So Blake Lee is joining us.

He is great friends with Dakota, and he's going to fill us in and get us ready for this interview.

Blake, hi!

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I'm so thrilled you can do this.

Hold on, let me move my head.

Very tasty.

Yeah.

Wait, do you have my book behind you?

This is the word always lives.

For listeners, Blake Lee has very nicely put my book behind him in his bookshelf.

And I should say he's also my editor.

Yeah, exactly.

You're welcome.

Blake, let's talk for a second about how we met, because I think some people will recognize you,

but maybe you can let people know how we're friends, how we met.

So Aubrey Plausman and I were good friends, and she brought me to a dance party at some random club in hollywood and

uh she was working on this it was the first season of the show parked so no one had seen it yet so you were all out and i went dancing with you guys and just instantly fell in love with you and i don't know if you remember this but do you remember aubrey like smashed a glass on her foot and was like gosh cut her foot at this club and so you and i like took her into this bathroom and we're giggling and we're like putting her foot in the sink and we're cleaning it.

And it was just like, it was so the one of those like magical nights.

And then like two weeks later, Aubrey called me and was like, hey, so that show that I'm doing, like my character is going to have like a gay best friend.

And Amy was like, what about your gay best friend?

You brought dancing the other night.

And then you changed my life because I got to do the show for, you know, a handful of times and it was the best.

It was the best.

And it's like, yeah, truly, I feel like every time I see you, though, I'm like, thank you.

You changed my life.

that was my first job my first acting job yeah and so it was so crazy to be like to have that i feel so lucky to that that was my first job and like it's like wild there's i still

like random times people will like be like are you the gay guy from parks and record like it happened once like i was i was peeing at a urinal and some like stranger was just peeing next to me and like looked over and he was like wait are you on parks and rec this was years after i'm just peeing next to him talking about parks.

I have to say, I'll never, as a, as a woman with female parts, I'll never, ever understand

the etiquette of standing and peeing next to someone.

It's so intimate.

It's really intimate.

And most people are straight ahead, you know.

I feel like most, that's

the etiquette.

Well,

I don't know.

Most of the time, it's like, you, I think that that's like the universal thing is like just straight ahead.

But every every once in a while, you get a

how are you doing?

It's so weird.

So weird.

Because to be recognized in that moment, it's so vulnerable.

I mean, it's just,

it's something else.

It's funny.

I know.

It's funny.

Life is funny.

Okay.

So we're talking to Dakota today.

And I got to tell you, between you and me,

I'm a little nervous because and excited because I don't know Dakota that well.

I am a huge fan of her work.

I think she's an amazing actress.

She's so cool and speaks so slowly

and

has a vibe that I think is very like mesmerizing, which is she seems to not worry too much about getting people's approval.

But I might be projecting that.

Before we get to your question, what do you think people get wrong about her?

I think that people think she might take herself seriously and she doesn't she's she really is like so goofy and so silly ben my husband was like saying like he was like

when i was saying that i was doing this he was saying how like i get to see a version of her that not everyone gets to see because we're

i i i i don't know like i make

i'm so goofy with her and like we're just stupid.

And I think it's like, I think that that's the thing.

I think people might think that she's like this really serious person and she's, she's not.

She's so goofy.

It's so funny you say that because I, you know, came up with all these comedians and sketch performers and improvisers who everyone, you know, was like, are they just hilarious all the time?

And you're like, no.

Yeah.

No.

And then conversely, actors, you know, like, you know, serious actors,

there's a lot of people that assume like they're very, very introverted and take their themselves and their work very seriously.

And that's not the case often.

No, it's not.

And I have to say, I went, I think, yeah, both times she hosted SNL, I was there.

And she, I've never seen her happier.

Like she was like, this is the best thing on the planet.

I never want to do anything else.

I want to be here every day.

And it's that, like, being around funny people.

She just like gets off on that.

I think she, she like is energized by like, by funny people.

I love that.

Okay.

Really helpful to know.

So, um, what do you think?

I should, do you have a question you want me to ask her today?

Okay, so my question is, what actors did she look up to that she wasn't related to?

Ooh, very good.

Yeah, because you know,

a lot of people, you know, you know, may not know that she comes from very successful, talented parents that we'll talk about.

Grandparent and grandparent,

step parent.

Yes.

I mean, let's just name it real quick: Tippy Hendon, grandmother, melanie griffith mom antonio banderis stepdad don johnson dad that's a that's yeah that's a lot so yeah other than them other than them

who as a kid were you like i want you know who did you look up to all right that's perfect that's all we need

i hope that helps so so good you're gonna love her and I'm so excited to hear it.

I am so excited to do it.

Okay, thank you so much.

I'm having so much fun.

Thank you so much, Blake.

You look so cute.

Is that bookshelf behind you real?

Can you imagine?

This is just like a.

Yeah, I'm in my...

It's wallpaper?

Bookshelf wallpaper?

It's just flat.

It's flat.

Okay, thank you.

I love you.

I love you.

I'll see you soon.

Okay, take care.

Bye.

Thanks, Blake.

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This is so fun.

Oh my God.

Dakota is.

Listeners, Dakota brought a puppy in.

First time we've had an animal in the studio.

Tell me about this animal person.

She's

my dog.

And that

bye.

New dog?

Yeah, we rescued her on Saturday from the Santa Barbara Pound.

I didn't plan on it.

How many dogs do you have?

Well, I had a dog for 17 years.

He was 17.

Oh, no.

And he died in.

Yeah, there you go.

Oh, my gosh.

She's a performer.

Tokyo is checking out the mic.

He died in December.

And I was like, oh, it's going to be a while.

But then I saw her and I just, she's like an angel.

What kind of dog is she?

she's really cute wow you are being amazing Tokyo if for listeners Tokyo is trying to

get up on the mic and also lick a little bit of the water

maybe oh look he's getting some of the water

wait

let's get this ASMR

She also hasn't peed in hours, so brace yourself.

Okay.

Well, we can always just hold her over the table and squeeze.

That's normally what I do over tables.

I'm happy that you brought, by the way, hi.

Hi.

Thank you for coming and doing this.

I'm so thrilled that you're here.

And

I was just saying to saying that, like, you and I have seen each other at different places.

We know a lot of the same people, but we've never actually been able to have a warm human chat.

No.

I know.

I'm thrilled that it's this.

Me too.

I actually was, I've never done a podcast and I only wanted to talk with you because I feel quite safe.

Yeah, I'm not going to, I'm going to take very good care of you.

Yeah.

This is, this podcast is, should be for the listener and for the guest, very stress-free.

That sounds ideal for me.

Yeah.

And Tokyo.

And Tokyo.

She is a,

honestly, she has come alive on camera.

Yeah, Tokyo knows how to find the lens.

She normally hides in the back of her crate.

She's really timid.

And now she's like, here I am.

She's a show dog.

She's ready to work.

You're an actress.

Just like your mom.

But you grew up with animals all the time, everywhere, right?

Like your mom is a big animal person.

Your grandmother was like a huge animal conservation.

Would you say conservationist?

I guess you could say that.

She rescued lions and tigers.

And elephants at one point.

Did you have lions and tigers around?

She did.

did at your house, yes.

Did you?

My mom did growing up as well.

Yeah, you did not.

By the time I was alive, there was more safety

in general in the world.

Well,

sort of.

Ish, ish, but certainly

at Marmar's house, they were no longer inside the house.

They were in there

still.

She's 95.

She turned 95 in January, and she's still a hat.

Excuse me.

she's still

Tokyo is chewing the end of the she's teething

so I mean this is why sometimes

well I mean

I don't allow pets at in my office and it's caused a problem I think with some of the younger Jen

Why do you hate animals?

I don't.

I love them, but

I don't have a pet.

And

I don't like pets at work.

But tell me why, Amy.

Okay, okay.

It's actually,

that's actually a really good question.

I feel like it's just a little too distracting when you're working.

Okay.

And I feel.

So you're like a drill sergeant.

Do you also keep the AC on full blast, like really cold?

Yes, of course.

It's 65 degrees in here.

To keep everyone awake?

Yeah.

To keep everybody up.

So they can produce, produce, produce.

Do you not do that?

No, I mean, I've thought about it because the women at Paper Kite at my company, they have dogs.

They have great dogs.

They want to bring them.

And I'm even more of a hypocrite.

I've, when I had Suki, I was allowed to bring Suki into.

When we were like writing our sketch show back in the 90s, I got to bring Suki into the comedy central office.

But

I'm going to say no thanks.

But

that's you.

Dogs are allowed in my office.

So if anyone who works for Amy wants to come to tea time,

bring your dog.

Bring your dog.

But wait, so you grew up, but you're, do you just say more and more?

Because more more.

Swedish?

Swedish, yeah.

Her, her parents.

Full, full Swede.

Full Swedes.

My brother lives in Sweden and his kids speak Swedish.

And so my nieces and nephews call their grandparents more and more.

Yeah.

More far.

And I've got to meet your mom.

When?

I feel like

you have.

I got to see her at where a lot of blondes meet, which is at the hair salon.

And one day,

well, more than once, actually, I've been on the same sketch as your mom.

And she's so lovely.

And she did something really generous that day.

She was talking to me about

skincare and then went

home and brought back all this skincare, like all this cream and handed it out to everyone at the salon.

It was really, really nice.

That is so sweet.

I know.

It was really nice.

It was a very, very nice.

She beats me.

Yeah.

That's so.

Is your mom a nice person like that?

Is she a generous nice person?

She's She's extremely generous.

She's always been extremely generous.

If you said to her, I love your shirt, she'd take it off.

Can't you?

Mostly because she loves to be naked

and has great tips.

You California kids are something.

I mean, I know so many of you now, like Maya and Rashida and you, like people that grew up in California.

Where did you grow up?

Like outside of Boston

in a suburb.

And there was like something about, I used to watch movies, like Karate Kid,

and the kids would be in school in California.

And it was like, What the fuck is this life?

Like,

their lockers are outside,

like it's sunny.

Yeah, and they walk outside from class to class.

So, I didn't fully grow up in California.

I was always like

my parents divorced when I was six, and they were both actors or are actors.

And

my, so I'd spend the sort of divorce deal was two weeks and two weeks.

I was big at that time.

So it was,

I would do like two weeks on location wherever my mom was and then two weeks on wherever my dad was.

And that was a lot.

He was living full-time pretty much in Colorado, just in Aspen for a long time.

And then he moved to San Francisco.

So the first full year of school that I did in a school, not like traveling with a tutor, was fourth grade.

So when you think of your hometown, where do you think of?

I think of Woody Creek, Colorado.

What was that like?

The best.

Yeah.

It was the best.

We like rode dirt bikes all over and I lived on in Woody Creek and there were two girls my age that lived up the road.

So those are the girls that I would know.

One of them I don't keep in touch with as much, but if we saw each other, it'd be the same.

But it's

it was it was just fun.

We'd like ride horses to each other's house and tie them up outside or dirt bikes and we'd snowboard well i actually hated snowboarding so much do you grow up in colorado and like hate skiing and snowboarding is yeah i was just in colorado tina and i just did a show at red rocks fun so fun although it was pouring rain and 32 degrees but it was still really fun

but everyone had like everyone had their outdoor gear so set like yeah

every single person had

like a tiny little bag

it's just like colds up.

And it was like pouring rain and they were like, let's just go to the rain.

Like they knew exactly how to be outside.

Yeah.

They love outside.

Yeah.

I love outside.

You love outside.

But no skiing.

How come?

Because it sucks.

Yeah.

And it's cold and it hurts.

Yeah, it really hurts.

I have nightmares about skiing.

I had one recently.

I'm just remembering it now.

Ooh, tell us about it.

Well, no.

That's not interesting.

When people talk about their dreams, when you're talking about their dreams, it's like people talking about their improv shows.

You're like, and then what happens?

Yeah.

I'm fascinated by dreams because I think we're similar in that I love sleep.

Oh, God, so much.

And I know you do too.

Yeah.

And I've seen you talk about it.

And to get to dreams, you have to get to sleep.

Like,

but I know that that sounds stupid, but most people don't dream.

They don't sleep well enough to even dream, which is very sad.

That is really sad.

Yeah.

I actually had a dream the other night.

Sorry, that

let's hear it.

Let's hear it.

Chris was like, that's a really good pitch for a movie.

So Maddie Healy from the 1975

was in my dream.

Great.

And he was murdering people.

Yeah.

And

he was

in the sun.

He was himself.

He was Maddie Healy as himself.

And when the

people were looking for him, they were cops, maybe, or I don't know, he would turn into a piece of asparagus.

And people would just run past him like that kind of thing.

He'd just be like,

this is a really good idea.

It's like A24 would be all over that.

And I was trying to find him.

I was like, Maddie, Maddie.

And I just saw like these two kind of poles in a bed.

And I was like, Maddie?

And the sheets came down.

And it was him as an asparagus and Angelina Jolie as an asparagus.

What?

She's in this too?

Let's get it.

They were getting married.

They were getting married.

And then they left in a helicopter together as a sparagui.

That is such a weird ass dream.

I know.

You might be getting too much sleep.

Because you get a lot of sleep.

Let's ask America.

Okay.

So America, let's ask Dakota.

How much sleep do you get a night?

If I

am not working, I can, it's like somewhere, somewhere between 10 and 13 hours.

Incredible.

Incredible.

Incredible.

But like 10 is normal for me.

And any sleep aids?

Do you take anything to go to sleep?

No.

Incredible.

That's aspirational.

Because you've traveled so much and been around so much, you must have a good sense of like how to acclimate quickly to wherever you are.

Do you think you do?

I try to just not think about it.

I heard Arnica is really good for jet lag.

Smearing it where?

Oh,

in your vagina.

Put it right in your vagina.

You wake up

your body.

You wake up and you're in another country.

You don't even have to get on the plane.

It's crazy.

This is a new trick.

But you can swallow Arnica?

Little pellets, yeah, like homeopathic Arnica.

Yeah.

Okay.

Are you a homeopathic gal?

Like, do you like,

yeah, what kind of stuff do you like that is

pellets and creams and stuff?

I mean, I feel like that, again, is, and I mean, I don't mean to generalize, but it does feel like when I move to California and I meet California kids, they love their mother.

Oh, I know I'm not vaccinated and I

a lot of them

and I don't believe in medicine, but I do think that, you know, tea tree oil will get rid of my gallstones or whatever.

But do you, are you a homeopathic person?

Do you do, do you take supplements?

I take supplements.

Yeah.

I take

supplements like Xanax and

just like natural.

Just natural things.

Yeah.

But did you, like, can you, I know this is a weird question, but I wanted to talk about it with you because what I love so much about you is the way that you're able to like handle silence.

Yeah.

How did you learn how to do that?

I think I learned early on in interview situations that if I speak out of context or like it doesn't go well.

I think I just have been so scared of saying anything but answering the question or not or trying to not answer the question.

Very, very like honest, upfront, and truthful when you do answer questions.

I don't, I don't find you evasive at all.

No,

I'm not.

So, has that always been your?

Although, you know what?

I did once do that lie detector test for Vanity Fair.

I'm doing one again.

Did you beat it?

I lied.

And I passed.

Well, let's be honest.

I mean, there's not a professional person running do you think there's a real professional person i mean they have them dressed up as a suit but we don't know i've watched i've watched other people and they're like that's a lie that's a lie and you see the thing and i fully lied and

and they didn't catch you

do you think you would have low blood pressure i really yeah i do you could that must be it truly like i would be a good spy you would yeah I'll do that now.

You heard it here first.

You're in Tokyo.

You're in Tokyo out in the road.

But it's true because there is some kind of, you're right.

There's like

an energy where I don't feel a grasping energy from you ever.

No, that's kind.

Thank you.

I don't want to have a grasping energy.

Well, a lot of people don't want to have it, but they just do.

Like they just can't figure out, you know, it's like they're just

managing their anxiety in that way and it comes out in that way.

But I've always felt that about you, that you don't have that that or or you're really good at at managing it

i definitely have anxiety i but it makes me hyper present so maybe that's what it is oh say more about that that's cool i don't know it makes me just like i'm so here

i'm so

i'm not my brain doesn't go to a million places trying to figure out what to say next i'm just like very present and that happens also on you know like talk shows or things i get nervous and i have to go on stage i have terrible stage fights you You do?

Oh my God.

I'm shocked.

Oh, my God.

Like, an awards show is

my nightmare.

I have to do breathing exercises before, like, if I have to present something or give a speech,

thinking about it makes me.

What's the, like, what's the, what would be the nightmare you'd have about it?

What's the fear you'd

say something wrong?

Oh, it's like a physical manifestation.

Like, my kneecaps start quivering and I, and my voice gets kind of shaky, and I get like, like

I'm like, say, if I have to give a speech, I'll be like, I don't know how to read.

Like, I'm so sorry I can't read.

I suddenly don't know how to read.

So, what is it about the camera and acting in front of the camera where you don't get that feeling?

I have no idea.

Yeah,

I feel like very, very free and

safe.

It's really weird.

Do you think it's like from growing up on set?

Like, do you

kind of explained that when you were a kid, sets were home-based.

Yeah.

I mean, I saw that I thought they were the most magical places.

You did.

Oh my God.

I loved being on set.

What did you like about it?

I loved everything.

Like, I just thought it was the coolest.

I loved the trailers.

I loved base camp.

I loved set.

I loved like the ring of when it would be rolling.

And I'd be so excited to go in when the red light went off and go and see what my mom looked like and what clothes she was wearing.

And I guess that's how it felt.

It started to build in my mind as a sacred space.

It was like a safe place to be wherever the cameras were in the scene.

Because it is, really.

It's like a beautiful, magical space if you want it to be.

And what was your first professional job?

Well,

I guess it was the social network when I was 18, 19.

But I did a part in a movie that my mom was in when I was nine.

Yeah.

And I took that very seriously.

I was a professional.

You did.

You analyzed your dreams.

I worked with a dialect coach to have a little southern accent.

And did you...

What do you remember about that?

Did you feel like you nailed it at nine?

I think I nailed it.

Yeah.

I think I felt like I nailed it as well.

And I loved it.

Yeah.

So much.

That's cool.

Do you feel like it was in your blood?

Like, do you always feel like ever since you were a little kid, like that it was like inevitable that you were going to be an actor?

Yeah.

Yeah.

I think so.

Definitely for me.

And it's funny.

My siblings,

my oldest brother

acts sometimes.

And he went to, he studied acting.

And

my, one of my my sisters is an amazing sort of photographer and my other sister wants to be a director so it's definitely in our family but like my mom my dad my grandmother my grandfather

they were all actors yeah and like working actors all with their own special magic sauce I also am remembering too that I met your mom I saw your mom again when your stepdad hosted SNL because I was there

Antonio Banderas your stepdad what year was that that was probably 2000 and

I'm pretty bad with this kind of stuff, but it was pre-baby for me.

So it was like 2000, maybe four, five, six, something like that.

And delightful.

So nice.

Smelled great.

Yeah, always.

Yeah.

And she wears mousse de Cartier.

I don't know if they make that anymore, even.

Mousse de Cartier?

Moused.

That means the mousse cart in.

and what did Antonio wear?

Because he smelled great too.

We don't know.

I don't know, but actually now I think he has his own cologne or like perfume line, and it's so

cute and funny to me.

It's like stallion by Antonio Banderas

or something.

Perfect.

Or like

dark cloud.

Yes.

Sexy cloud.

Sexy dark cloud.

Sexy stallion.

He did a scene.

I did a scene with him and Chris Parnell on SNL that I loved, where we were like describing wine and just describing like the adjectives of wine, which is very similar.

And there was a line where he was like,

do I sense a hint of sword play?

So good.

That's funny.

You are so great on SNL.

And I know you loved doing it.

What did you love about doing it?

Well, we love SNL so much.

Well, you know, I like,

I mean, even moments sitting here talking to you, I'm like, I can't believe I'm sitting here talking to you.

Come on.

I know, I'm serious.

It was such a huge part of shaping like my

wanting to work in comedy at all.

And then the fact that I've even

gotten to do it once, but twice.

Like, that is the,

it's my favorite place in the world.

It's that same kind of thing of like, I want to be in there.

Yeah.

But are you nervous?

You're not

so nervous.

Okay, great.

So nervous, but push past.

In like a fit of glee.

Absolute glee.

I love it.

What do you love about it?

I think I love

how

everyone is just trying to make the best thing and the funniest thing.

And everyone is so smart.

And the energy there is

like, it's the most important thing anyone has ever done in their lives.

And yet, it's just funny.

Yeah, it is like a theater camp vibe.

Totally.

It's like, oh, no, we have a show.

We have to do it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And then I really like all of the like behind the scenes gossip and the like, these people don't get along and this is really hard and

everyone's really tired.

And drinking, like going

when I was there last year and going around in like the first couple days and meeting with all the writers and they had, it was like 8 p.m.

and everyone had just gotten there.

And

like, I can't imagine, I can't imagine that.

Like everyone had really big iced coffees that they just got.

Just starting.

Just starting.

That was like the hours of that show are like left over from

cocaine days, basically, I think.

But they're just, it's crazy that you don't start writing.

Or, I mean, some people do, but the, the majority of people don't don't start writing until Tuesday night.

And we even talk about there's this feeling that happens sometimes on Tuesday nights, which is this panic, and you don't know where it's coming from.

And then you're like, oh, this is just writing night fear.

Yeah.

And you walk around and everyone's pitching you ideas that they haven't even written yet.

Yeah.

Yeah.

But it's, it's a magical place.

It's like Disneyland.

It's my most favorite place I've ever been.

I just, I don't know what it is.

I love it so much.

I watch it all the time.

I go back and watch your sketches.

I watch it all.

It's very weird.

I should stop.

I should go.

Wait, is Tokyo asleep?

Yeah.

Tokyo has completely fallen asleep.

And I mean, listeners, you can't see, but it's just the cutest dog in the world.

She's sitting on Dakota's lap.

So special.

You really are making me think that

animals should still not be allowed in the workplace.

Did you notice my nails?

Oh, yeah.

I have a French manicure.

Ooh.

Which is

very not me, but Tokyo has one.

I thought it would be funny if we had the same nail.

Oh, yeah.

Tokyo does have them.

Oh, come on.

Oh, my God.

Oh, come on.

I think it's because she has a calcium deficiency.

Yeah.

That's why.

So she has a little natural French

little tea here.

Boy, she's cute.

She's really cute.

Anyway.

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So we do this thing where

we talk

well behind people's backs and we ask someone that knows our guest,

you know, what they think I should do

and how to ruin their life.

We ask, yeah, we all get all the dirt.

And I talked to Blake.

Did he tell you?

No, I, but I heard you were going to do that.

And I think he thought it was a surprise.

Oh, so he didn't tell you?

He didn't tell me.

He's such a good boy.

I know.

He's such a nice boy.

What did you talk about?

So, Blake wanted me to ask you: who, besides your family, when you were growing up, who did you look up to as an actor, actor, and actress?

Like, who did you like?

What actor and actress did you

admire?

Blake wanted to ask that?

Yeah.

Did he Google like most basic questions to ask an actress?

That's the question.

You can say pass.

Okay.

No, I'll answer it.

Recently, I actually exchanged texts while I got a voice note from Sandra Bullock.

Wow.

I know, because I don't know if you know, but I won the Razzie for worst actress.

Oh my God, you did?

Congrats.

That's a really good.

There's a lot of good people that have won that.

Thank you so much.

What did you win it for?

This really good movie called Madame Wayne.

Oh my God, yes.

I don't know if you've heard of it.

And did you accept the Razzie?

Oh, yeah.

I asked if they'd send it to me.

That's incredible.

But Sandra Bullock sent me a voice note being like, I heard you are in the Razzie Club and we should have brunch.

We should have a monthly brunch.

Because I guess she won that when like the year that she won the Oscar as well.

Are you kidding me?

It was like in the same year, I think.

But I freaked out getting this message from her because

that she's so iconic

to me.

As like a movie star, I was like, oh my God.

It was just crazy.

But, but I, I don't know.

Like, I, I grew up

being fascinated by, first of all, younger actresses that worked with my mom.

So, like, Thora Birch, Christina Ricci.

I was always like, oh, you can do that as like a teenager because I really wanted to.

And then

Diane Keaton, I was obsessed with,

still obsessed with.

And then like SNL, a lot of SNL.

But

yeah,

great question, Blake.

I mean,

can I talk about that Razzie thing for one more second, though?

Because

why I love talking about that with you is because I think your career is so super diverse and always interesting.

And you pick really big movies and you pick small movies.

And it feels like you pick what you want to do.

Like it feels like you really go with your gut about what you want to make.

And I feel like you

handling it that way is the most powerful and like interesting way because

if we're lucky, we're we're going to have a really long career.

Like, that's the goal, right?

Stick around.

Yeah.

So, this idea of like, we have had our last, you know,

our last best thing, or that this thing didn't hit, but I don't know.

How do you ride the wave of that?

Like, you have a sense of humor, I guess, about your work.

It's important.

Yeah, it's so, it's, I think about this a lot because, and I know you, you have experienced this because everybody is going through it all the time now, but you, you, like, we don't have control over how something turns out anymore.

No one does.

Like very, very few directors or actors, like Tom Cruise maybe does.

Yeah.

You know, like, but I don't,

I've signed on to a movie that is by the end of shooting it a completely different script than what I attached to.

And that.

is a wild thing to to

like a crazy journey to go on as a as as an artist because you're like okay i'm doing something like with my actual body and my actual mind and my heart my emotions i'm like using things and and it's just

being taken

and fucked with but you can't do anything about it like what am i gonna do cry about madam webb no no I'm gonna laugh.

You're gonna go to the Razzies and you're gonna spike the

drum personality.

I wish they did.

They should.

Oh my god, I wish they did.

That would be amazing if you went there and then you just gave an epic speech and then you just spiked the award.

You just like, God, you just threw it down.

Sandra Bullock said she asked for the award and like picked it up and then they called her and asked her to give it back because they only had one.

By the way, who is the Razzie committee?

I know.

I'd love to, I'd love to, I'd love to hear, I'd love to have the Razzie committee show themselves.

I know.

So I'm going to do a lip balm break.

It's really a funny thing.

But

I mean, I feel like this probably, you probably had to figure that out with 50 Shades of Gray, right?

Yeah.

That was another thing.

It was like, okay, this project, it's a big project.

I'm signing on.

And now I have to give up control.

And now I'm in this.

And it's going to be a lot of years of my life.

And I got to figure out how to.

Yeah, that was a wild journey.

Very, very interesting.

That was another version of signing on to something that was one thing and it turned out to be another.

But I'm so grateful.

I was going to say, with time, how do you look at it now?

I, I mean,

I, I'm so grateful for that experience.

The first movie with Sam Taylor Johnson directing was really extraordinary, as an as an experience, extraordinary.

And I think the movie is as good a version of it as it could be.

Yeah.

But it was challenging.

Like it was, I signed on to a script that was different than what we ended up shooting.

Right.

Written by a different person.

It was, you know, and then you, then you're attached.

You're signed a contract, so you're in.

Signed on to do it with a different actor.

It was like a different thing.

And then it all changed.

And

I was

just in it.

And,

but it was so, I I was so young.

I was I think I turned 24 while we were shooting.

Wow.

And I was so like brave.

I just feel proud of myself for being brave and being

interested in like,

I don't know, it just felt wild.

And it also like there were no intimacy coordinators then or anything like that.

That was not that long ago too.

Like that a lot has changed.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And there was an expectation of just like figure it out yourself in real time in front of everyone.

It's intense.

Yeah, it was, it was a lot.

Who has been your favorite director?

Someone that you just think when, you know, you've worked with a lot of great directors and a lot of great actors.

Who's someone that when you think about, you think that was just, that experience was so good.

I loved it.

I've had that a lot and I've had the opposite a lot.

Yeah.

But I loved Celine's song.

She is.

I love her.

I'm so excited about this.

She's a spectacular director, filmmaker.

For people who don't know,

she wrote and directed Past Lives with Greta Lee a few years ago.

And she is the, did she write your new film or just she writes?

She wrote and directed the material film.

It's her second film and it is coming out.

It's actually, I mean, it's the reason why you're here.

Let's be honest.

That's true.

It is June 13th.

Thank you.

June 13th.

Have been trained.

Tell me why you love Celine.

She's an incredible director.

She's amazing.

She comes.

Well,

her background is she's a playwright.

And I think there's a different sort of control that she has over what she wants, which is really such a relief.

Like, it's nice to work with somebody who knows exactly what they want from every single frame of the movie.

I was like, oh, yes.

Do you think she's, you mean she's had it in her head?

She's like storyboarded it in her head or she's just able to communicate what she wants.

She's able to communicate what she wants emotionally.

And we, we spent a couple months going through every line of the script.

And she would, she was like, this is what she means here is this.

And what do you think about like we just talked about it?

We talked through everything.

And

then on the day,

it was like we had one brain.

Have you ever directed?

I have directed a short that Blake was in, actually.

Do you want to do more?

I would, yeah.

Yeah.

Do you want to direct primarily?

I like it right now more than acting for sure.

I think about you for things all the time.

Really?

What should we work on together?

I have something that I think you would love.

Email it to me right now.

I'll read it.

Okay.

I'll email it to you later.

Great.

That would be so fun.

I would love to work with you.

I mean, I feel, well, we should talk about Materialists because it is a movie about,

you know, two men

being in love with you.

Congratulations on your first documentary.

Thank you.

Well, what, Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans, and you, what is the movie about?

The movie is about a woman who's a matchmaker in New York City,

which is funny because Celine was a matchmaker in New York City for six months.

This is where the movie comes from.

She did it on the side to pay the bills because she was like a struggling playwright.

So I play Lucy, who's the matchmaker, and she's just the best at her job and really good at sort of assigning people as mates

based on pretty surface level criteria like height and income and

hairline.

Like that's what people are out there looking for.

It's not about a soul connection.

It's about like

do you do you tick my boxes of what I want, what I think my life should look like?

And

she then kind of goes on her own journey of what you would think is that she doesn't really have, she's not really invested in people's souls, but you realize she is and she cares about these people that she's working with and how their lives turn out and if they're happy.

And then she has to kind of figure out for herself

what is more important really, truly in this life.

Is it to achieve the life that you think you want?

Or is it to

actually

be seen and loved?

It's interesting you say that because it feels like, oh, of course you want be, right?

Of course you want to be seen and loved.

But

there is something about

in life, how relationships help you get some, get to be some version of yourself that you want.

Like whether it's you want to be, you want to have kids or you want to be married or you want to live in France or whatever is the version of the thing of your fantasy of your life.

Relationships help you get that.

And you're right.

Sometimes it's a trade-off.

Like, I get this thing, but I don't get this thing.

Or I feel seen and loved, but the person doesn't fit into some version of my dream life.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Or my ideal whatever.

What do you, when you have to do sex scenes, like,

how do you psych yourself up for that?

Amy, I don't have to.

You don't.

I'm like always psyched up for sex.

You're psyched up.

Fuck it.

Psyched up?

Is that a thing?

What do you mean?

You have to like make I'm psyched.

But you know, like psych up.

Today you're like 7.30 a.m.

Let's do it.

Like that's a lot.

Let's go to Power.

Let's go to Boundtown, everybody.

Let's get the lights in here.

It's a lot.

Oh, God.

You're psyched.

I recently did a movie a few months ago, and we had an intimacy coordinator on set.

And it was the first time I've ever worked with one.

And she was really

great.

Great.

It was so cool.

It was.

Because

I'm so used to just, you know, like, it's a sex scene.

It's not.

No, I don't.

Like, I see.

It doesn't feel like it.

Most people don't know.

I'm being serious.

Like, I'm not like, no.

All right.

A fake sex scene is a complete.

It's it's like being an astronaut.

Like, so few people have done it.

That's really true.

You're right.

So sorry.

It's okay.

And not, you know.

Okay.

Let me.

Yeah.

Do you want me to explain?

Of course.

Okay.

So a sex scene.

Hold on.

I got to write.

I got to get this down.

Are you going to take notes?

I'm going to take notes.

Go ahead.

When two actors

pretend

that they're having sex.

Yeah.

And you do all the things except have have sex.

Right.

And that's important.

Or you have people.

Make sounds like you're having sex.

Right.

And you're not yet.

Yet.

So when you approach a scene, you're like, today is the day.

You don't feel stressed.

You feel, like, how do you feel about it?

And then what was the difference with this coordinator?

What made a difference?

Because you're right.

You've done a lot and you know how to handle yourself during it, I guess is what you're saying.

Yeah.

Well, first, I think it depends on like who's the character and who's the character supposed to be to the audience.

Is she like a super

idolized hot girl?

Is she like a housewife?

Is she lonely?

Is she scared?

Is she

uh conservative?

You know, like it doesn't you, so that's obviously character work, but then

so like certain prep, I guess, would go into it.

Like, I want to feel good in my body.

Yeah.

If I'm showing my body, I've never felt, felt

like my mom raised me to be really, really proud of my body and

love my body.

So I've always felt so grateful for that, especially in my work, because I can use it and it feels like

real.

How did she do that?

Because I think a lot of mothers want to make sure they do that for their daughters, but they don't know how to do that in practice.

Would it be the way she would speak about it with you, or was there other ways that she made you feel that way?

I think it was the way she

spoke about it with me.

And also,

she was very like honest and open about

body stuff and

like getting my period, you know, like really

good about it.

And like, I have friends whose mothers never spoke to them about that stuff, and it's so

hard and sad.

Just got very warm on my lap.

She may have peed on me.

Oh my gosh, Tokyo.

But I don't think so.

It's okay.

It's okay.

And listeners, Tokyo, not me.

If you're not watching, just got very warm on my lap.

Maybe peed on me.

It was not me.

So, okay, so

she also talked to me about sex and like how precious and important, and to, you know, whatever.

So I guess

in my work, I I,

it's something that I feel brave with and that I feel when it's when it's used the right way in a story, it's important.

So I've always just like done the simulated sex scene, but now with the intimacy coordinator was like, do you want a Pilates ball between you guys for the thrusting movement?

Just to get some core work out of it.

And I was like,

what?

But then we're going to be like so far away from each other.

And I was not, and we didn't end up using that.

But

a lot of it also is like, there are times when I've done a sex scene where I'm by myself because I'm only in the frame.

So I'm just like,

like gyrating on my own and throwing a tennis ball off camera.

Yeah.

Exactly.

Or like slamming myself into a headboard.

And then on the other side of the camera is like just a bunch of crew guys.

Just a bunch of stewards.

Yeah, with their heads down.

Okay, but I'm going to ask you a bunch of things very quickly.

This is like a speed round.

And I want you to tell me your thoughts.

Okay.

Tokyo has woken up.

Oh, wait.

Tokyo's coming.

Oh, hi.

Okay.

Olivia Coleman.

The best human on the planet.

On the planet.

Yes.

The film you guys did together isn't so good.

Lost Daughters.

So great.

Oh, she's amazing.

Just seems smart and funny.

She is the funniest person and so much fun.

Yeah.

So much fun.

Okay.

And do you love reading?

I love reading.

I do too.

Do you have a number of books you try to read a year?

Like, do you try to read?

My bedside table right now is maybe 27 books.

It's ridiculous.

Great.

They're just piles and piles of books that I'm trying to get through.

A lot of them are like therapy books.

And then stop it.

And then

I'm fired.

I don't work for you anymore.

I mean, this is exactly, I mean, this is what always happens, right?

Is like animals are super cute.

And then

they're animals.

They can't help it.

I mean, look how cute this dog is.

I think you should get a puppy.

Absolutely.

I would rather get a

kick in the face.

A case of snakes than a puppy.

Dumb.

And then, oh, Tokyo, you are very cute, though.

You're very cute.

I talked to you about Olivia Coleman.

I have written down here work-life balance.

Right now, I'm just scratching Tokyo.

Okay, this dog is winning me over.

This dog is really nice.

I know.

She's very nice.

Go wee wee.

Don't tell her to go wee-wee.

What are you listening to right now, watching,

checking out?

That's like when you want to check out and laugh, where do you go?

What do you listen to?

Okay.

This is a very weird thing that I've been doing.

Okay.

Great.

Love it.

I don't watch reality television.

Same.

I barely watch it.

But I have found a show called Farmer Wants a Wife.

Have you heard of it?

No.

Oh, my God.

It's a nightmare.

Please tell me.

It's a nightmare.

Okay.

A farmer scrolls through a list of women and picks eight of them.

They all come.

There's four farmers.

Okay.

Eight women per farmer.

Eight women per farmer?

Yes.

Then they go on a

speed date.

10 minutes per woman.

Okay.

And do they speed date on

a studio?

In

like a barn set.

Yeah.

And then they see if they have a connection.

And then he has to choose five women to bring back to his farm and date them all for six weeks.

Oh my God.

Insane.

First of all, I'm just horrified by the amount he gets to pick from.

He gets to pick from five?

It's ridiculous.

And do they, and is a lot of his choosing about what kind of, like, how is she going to help me with the farm?

That's the crazy thing is he makes them do a lot of manual labor.

This is nice.

And I'm like, what is going on?

Well, he wants a wife.

He

wants a wife.

The farmer wants a wife.

And they're like, you know, I really like that she's from the city, but I don't know how she'll do out on the tractor.

So I don't know what accent that was.

I don't know where that farmer's from.

That's your dialect coach.

He's coming back your nine-year-old

caller up.

Yeah.

Whoa.

Okay.

And what do you like about watching it?

Do you like because you're outraged by it?

Yes.

Yeah.

And I can't stop.

I feel really uncomfortable, like deeply uncomfortable.

But then I keep going.

And do you get invested?

Like, who is he going to pick?

Yeah.

And has there ever been been any drama between the girls?

Oh, shit.

Of course.

Yeah.

Do they sabotage each other at all?

Like, they definitely talk some shit and they like gang up on each other.

And some of them are just, they're just nuts.

Yeah.

And some of them are like, I'm like, oh, they'd be a good match.

They really get along.

Do you ever get a vibe like, wow, they're going to be together?

Like, sometimes.

Like, it's a good, it's a good match.

Yeah.

Farmer wants a wife.

Okay.

Dakota, thank you so much for doing this.

Thanks for having me.

Thank you for coming on your first podcast.

That means a lot.

I'm excited.

And you are so great.

And I just so appreciate you coming.

Thank you for having me.

And Tokyo, thank you for coming.

You're our one and only dog.

Because we have to put a sign up outside after this.

She is, I'm so, there's a lot going on.

Dakota, thank you again.

Thank you.

I love spending the day with you.

Thank you.

Yay.

Okay, good every day.

Woo!

Okay, that was really, that was a great interview.

Dakota is so fun and funny, and she did bring a dog.

And I just, I just want to say I love animals.

I think you should adopt animals from shelters.

I had a dog for a long time, so don't let my resistance to having a dog on the podcast lead you astray.

And speaking of strays, there's a lot of strays to adopt.

So please adopt an animal today.

But maybe just check with your boss about whether or not you should bring that animal to work.

Because,

you know, the answer might be no.

But

just please know.

I just love animals.

And

Tokyo, thank you for coming on the podcast.

And we'll check in with you next time.

Bye.

You've been listening to Good Hang.

The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss-Berman, and me, Amy Poehler.

The show is produced by The Ringer and Paperkite.

For The Ringer, production by Jack Wilson, Kat Spilane, Kaya McMullen, and Aalaya Zanares.

For Paperkite, production by Sam Green, Joel Lovell, and Jenna Weiss Berman.

Original music by Amy Miles.