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This is the worst one.
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Yeah, I think like the roller coaster I feel about the worst one. >> Oh my goodness.
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>> I'm going to the I'm going to the bone. >> Oh my gosh.
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>> Hey, what's going on everybody for First We Feast? I'm Sean Evans.
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You're watching Hot Ones and today we deliver you a very special episode brought to you by Stella Artois, the official beer sponsor of Hot Ones and I'm thrilled to welcome Dave Franco to the studio.
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He spent the better part of two decades bouncing between studio comedies and prestige indies.
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He's a novelist, producer, director and you can catch him starring in the brand new comedy Idiots which is set to release in theaters on August 28th.
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Dave Franco, welcome to the show. >> Let's go, baby.
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>> [laughter] >> What's going through your head as you prepare to take on the Hot Ones Gauntlet?
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Are you someone who enjoys spicy food? >> what? I do.
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I do, but I have been here before and it didn't go well, Sean. Roll the clip.
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I don't think it was the spice that took me down, though.
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I think it was the fact that I didn't eat beforehand cuz I thought like there's not a lot of food that mixes well with hot wings and I just didn't want that combination tearing up my stomach.
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Anyway, >> [laughter] >> this is a long way of saying I'm excited to be back. Round two, let's go.
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>> [music] [music] >> Before we get started, what do you say we crack these Stellas and then get into it?
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>> Thought you'd never ask.
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You know what the one thing that does go well with hot wings? >> Beer, baby. Wow, good pour, too. I'm I'm sweating. Let's go. Dab me. Dab me.
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All right, we're still going. The game's not over.
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>> [laughter] >> We're easing in. >> Mhm.
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It's for the first one though.
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>> It's a little something.
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>> It's It's It's more than It's more than you want it to be.
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>> [laughter] >> So, Idiots is a two-hander comedy where you and O'Shea Jackson Jr.
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play these rock-bottom drivers assigned to take a spoiled teen over to rehab.
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How early into working with an actor do you get a sense of your comedic chemistry?
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And was there a moment or a scene or a day on set where you felt you and O'Shea clicked?
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>> So, I've actually worked with O'Shea before.
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We worked on a series for Quibi. Remember that? RIP.
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So, I knew that we got along really well.
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O'Shea, who's just like the sweetest guy in the world, but so genuinely funny. And we just gel.
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Like, he's one of those guys from like day one, he was family.
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>> And then I understand that this premiered at Sundance under its original name, which was The Shitheels. >> That's right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
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>> Can you pull back the curtain on the kind of push and pull involved in like changing a title from the original to one more suited for theaters? Was there a fight?
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>> uh it was unfortunate. Um Idiots, great name.
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Can't believe no one's taken that name, but The Shitheels, come on. It hits.
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It's like you get The Shitheels in your inbox, you're like, I'm in.
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I don't need to read a page.
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But, once we started talking with the distributor about the practicality of trying to sell your movie with that title, trying to put that on billboards, >> [laughter] >> uh it doesn't fly.
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And so, to their credit, IFC, they basically told [music] us, "We're down to keep the name.
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We're down to be punk rock and go for it."
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But, you know, [music] at that point it's like, "We put so much work into this movie. We want it to be seen."
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And so, that's the pivot to Idiots, baby.
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>> [laughter] >> Well said.
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Are you ready to move on here to sauce number two?
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>> I am, but let me take a quick sip.
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>> [laughter] >> Where Where does this hit you most? Where does it hit you?
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>> To me, this is a throat scratcher. >> Mhm.
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>> You know, and I think it's kind of a light your tongue on fire. >> Yeah, it does.
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I came in pretty confident cuz I've been here before.
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>> [laughter] >> This is not a good start. Really not.
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>> So, after playing a trust fund jerk in Scrubs >> Uh-huh.
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>> and then you played a burnout bully in Fright Night >> Okay.
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>> a drug dealer in 21 Jump Street.
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After that run, I heard a quote of yours where you said that you were offered every douchebag role in Hollywood. >> Correct.
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>> Is there a single role that you can point to that kind of broke you out of that seal?
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Like, what is the role that broke you out of that typecasting?
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>> First thing that comes to mind, maybe Disaster Artist?
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You know, I'm playing a real guy, Greg Sestero.
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Uh who Give me a sec, Sean. >> Yeah, take your time. >> He's a sweetheart.
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He He's just an aspiring actor. He's very vulnerable.
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There's nothing douchy about him.
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He's paired up with Tommy Wiseau, larger-than-life character.
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And to be the person who has sympathy for this larger-than-life character, you got to have like a real sweetness and empathy there.
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So, I would say Greg Sestero. Um yeah. >> Okay. Okay. We're doing great, Sean.
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>> [laughter] >> Are you sweating underneath that dark shirt?
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Are you >> No, it's actually like so airy. >> Oh, yeah.
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It's got a little You know what?
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There's a little meshness to it. >> to it. >> Sexy Sean. Sexy Sean. >> Good polos today.
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Good polos over here today. Yeah. >> [laughter] >> Okay. >> Calm down.
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>> Sophisticated man right there.
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You're recently crowned People's Sexiest Cat Dad.
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And then you said in your acceptance that this is a campaign that you'd silently been working towards your entire life. >> That's true.
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[music] >> Were you born a cat person or was it something that you grew into?
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Like what's the origin story?
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>> Always had cats growing up.
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This [music] doesn't preclude me from being a dog person.
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People are People think you're one or the >> One or the other?
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>> I love all I've I love it all.
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It was especially weird when I was single because I was a single guy with two 18-lb cats. >> Big cats.
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>> Um 36 cumulative pounds of cat.
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I didn't realize that not all women were down with that.
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And so it really weeded out the dating pool for me.
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And so when I met Allison, she was like, "I'm in."
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I was like, "You're really my only option. Let's go."
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But it worked out because she's the greatest.
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>> Those are the pros of being a cat dad. A cat guy. >> There we go.
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The social filtering process of it all.
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>> It's not um shutting my whole system down like every other one so far. So why why is that?
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Why is the dry heat not getting me like the others? >> You know what? Everybody's different. >> Okay.
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>> So peppers will affect you in different ways, you know?
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But this one to me, I feel it in the chest.
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This one to me is kind of a chest hitter. >> Okay. Okay.
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>> So I've heard you say that no one sets out to make a bad movie and that you've been on sets [clears throat] in the past where people are openly talking about Oscar aspirations and then it comes out and fails to hit commercially or fails to hit critically.
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But I'm wondering on the flip side of that, have you ever been making a movie that you felt was going off the rails in real time but then turned out to be like an excellent hit?
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>> Um I can actually talk about this.
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I can talk about this I can talk about this because we've done three of them.
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The Now You See Me series.
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Okay, so day one, this is magicians pulling off bank heists, right?
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I remember at the end of the first day it was such just like just chaos trying to figure it out that we all went out to dinner and we literally cheered to the end of our careers.
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We thought this movie was going to take us down.
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Cut to 15 years later, we've done three of these things with a fourth coming. >> your last one. >> That's right.
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[laughter] I've learned over the years to never have expectations.
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I know how hard it is to have a movie that hits.
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And so when a movie does hit, it's a nice surprise for me now.
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>> [music] >> I go into every single like release of one of my films being like I hope it does well.
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You know, I'm going to push this as hard as I can, but who knows.
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It's just letting It's just not No, just letting go and allowing Sean, the heat is getting to me.
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I can't >> [laughter] >> You can't get sentences out.
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Tell me We need another Stella.
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We need another [laughter] Stella.
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That's what I need to clear my head and just get me locked back in.
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>> [laughter] >> Oh, this is me hand out the window just doing this. Just doing this. >> on it. >> I like that. >> one.
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Is it true that for the body horror film together that you would sometimes spend up to 10 hours physically fused with your screen partner, also your wife Alison Brie, in the shared prosthetic? Is that true? >> That is true.
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It was one day in particular where we came in very early.
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You know, we came in at like 4:00 a. m.
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They start putting the prosthetics on [music] us.
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So where at that day they were attaching us by the arms.
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And so what that means is we're going to the bathroom together.
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And like I've been married to Alison for nearly 15 years.
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And so of course I've seen her go to the bathroom from a distance, but I've never been attached to her over her looking into her eyes.
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And it was a whole new thing, man.
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Every single day on that film, we said out loud to each other, "We couldn't have made this with anyone else." It was so intimate.
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[music] We knew that that movie would either end in divorce or we'd be more codependent than ever. Luckily, that one.
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>> [laughter] >> Well, Seth, are you ready to move on here to the back half? >> I am. I am.
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I don't know if I'm used to it.
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I don't know if I'm numb.
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This is hitting me nice, though.
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>> So, you've directed two features now, and I heard you say that the experience of doing that made you more appreciative of being an actor. >> Yeah.
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>> I'm wondering, what's the most naive thing you thought about a director's job before you were on the other side of the camera? >> Mhm.
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>> Like, did you have any sort of reality check that hit you once you start directing?
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>> I just didn't realize what was fully on a director's plate.
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[music] It's just relentless.
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The The two movies I've directed have been two of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
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I love it so much, but it depletes me.
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It takes every ounce of me.
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[music] And so, because of that, now when I step on set as an actor, I'm like, I got one job?
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Oh, I'm going to kill this for you. And it's so fun.
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What I will say is like, part of the reason [music] I was pushed into into directing is cuz I had a pretty bad experience on set, and I was like, it doesn't need to be like that, and I want to create an experience for everyone where we can do [music] good work, but also have a good time.
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Has anyone ever done two bites at once?
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>> You're like to Yeah, you're like Woah.
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It's like a wings over here. >> I don't know.
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I don't feel anything anymore.
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>> [laughter] >> I've heard you say that the most painful experience for an actor is doing take after take after take, not sure what the director wants.
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>> Oh, oh, I hear what you're saying.
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>> What do you think is your personal record for most takes ever requested?
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[music] >> So, I want to I want to clarify.
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I actually am an actor who likes a lot of takes.
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>> lot of actors do like a lot of takes.
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>> I like to know that I can just go nuts, experiment, try weird things.
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But I think the reason I said that is because as an actor, sometimes you'll do, you know, 10 takes, 20 takes of something and the director isn't telling you why you're why you're why you're doing that many takes.
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And so, when you're not hearing any feedback, you get in your own head and you're like, "Okay, clearly it's me.
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I'm doing something wrong."
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What I realized though is when I started directing, it's a lot of the time it's technical stuff.
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And so, I'll go and talk to the actors after every single take because I know kind of the psychology of an actor and most of the time I'm going up and being like, "Hey, technical problem.
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You guys are doing great.
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We're just doing something for us."
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And so, just letting them know, just being helping them be a part of the process so they don't get in their own head and they start to get insecure and then their their performance suffers.
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Uh so, that's where that was coming from.
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But like, you know, a Fincher movie, like, "Bring it on. I love it. 99 takes? Easy. Let's go more. Absolutely. Let's have fun." >> Well, it's that time. >> It is that time.
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>> [music] >> How big of a bite you take on the ball? >> Standard. Standard. Standard bite. >> I'm numb. I'm numb. >> Tell yourself that. >> I love it.
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>> This is so not going the way I thought, but it's going exactly the way I want it.
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>> [laughter] >> You gave me permission to be free. >> Yes. Yes.
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>> So, >> how you feeling? Tell me. Tell me. >> Tough. >> Yeah. Lay it out. Walk me through it. What are you feeling?
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>> Uh like [clears throat] my throat is seizing up.
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Like I might start hiccuping. >> Yeah. Yeah. Hiccup. Go for me. Do it. Do it. >> My eyes are watering. My eyes are watering. >> Let those tears go.
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>> So, you're directing me right now. >> Uh-huh.
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>> [laughter] >> But you it's already in you.
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I'm just encouraging you to be you.
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>> [laughter] >> To me honestly I think that this is like the worst.
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>> This is the worst one?
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>> Yeah, I think like the roller coaster >> about the worst one? >> Oh my goodness. >> to the bone. I'm going to the bone. >> Oh my gosh. >> Take my the bomb. Absolutely.
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Sean, what did you do to me?
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>> [laughter] >> You're stronger now.
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You're going to be going for those extra levels of heat.
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You're a heat seeker now, baby. Lean into it.
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So I [snorts] understand at 14 years old you got a job at a mom and pop video rental store.
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>> Too young to work there so paid in free rentals. >> Yes, yes.
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>> at all bemoan the death of the video rental store?
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Like what do you think has been lost when like the brick and mortar browse the aisle experience is replaced with the click of a button on your remote.
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>> There's something so charming just about being in a video store and just seeing the wall of just like VHS covers.
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That's how old I am, Sean.
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[laughter] Yes, like you said I was 14.
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It was actually illegal for me to be working there at that age.
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So they allowed me to take home as many movies as I wanted and that was my payment.
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That was my film school and it was the year 1999 which is regarded as one of the best ever and so I was watching these like really out there movies like Being John Malkovich and Fight Club and The Matrix and it's what got me into movies.
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It's why I'm doing all of this and I never thought I would be an actor.
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I never thought I would perform in any way, but that was like my way into this all and now it's really exciting that I'm able to kind of, you know, be a part of all these different, whether it's writing, producing, directing, whatever. >> Full circle. >> Yeah.
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You're going to the bone? >> Go to the bone. >> Okay, all the way. All the way around. I love it. I love it so much. I love it so much.
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You ask me to lick your fingers, [music] I would.
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>> [laughter] >> Rather poetic segue, actually.
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No, I'm just >> Sean, I feel invincible.
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>> [laughter] >> So, I understand that when you were at USC >> Mhm.
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>> right, the dream, the track was that you were going to be a creative writing teacher.
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Have you ever thought that [music] through?
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Like, what do you think you'd be like as a creative writing teacher?
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Do you think you'd be good at the job?
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>> Yes, I think I'd be pretty good.
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When I thought back to high school the one of the main teachers that stood out in my mind was my creative writing teacher.
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And the reason is they are getting works of art from their students that are so personal.
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And so, you really get to know each other.
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[music] It's like these students are like being very vulnerable and giving a part of themselves.
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And so, I was that student at one point.
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And so, with my creative writing teacher, it was like we had this bond. I was like, you know me. You know me. Let's talk about this.
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Therapist is too big of a word, but like I always have been with even with my friends, like just someone who asks a lot of questions and someone who just wants to be there [music] and help out. >> Well, you know what?
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I can tell just by the way that you so eloquently described the experience of being a teacher that you would have been a great one, Dave. >> Thank you, Ben. Thank you.
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Why are you shaking that?
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>> [laughter] >> Should I be shaking it?
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Last one on that on the air. We're shaking it. Here we go. More, more, more. Other side, other side. There we go. We're just lathered. >> We're lathered. We're soaked. >> Ready? >> Yeah. >> Still like it.
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>> [laughter] >> I like it so much.
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>> [snorts] >> Sean, you you you altered my just inner chemistry.
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I don't know what you did to me, but >> Turned your inside out. >> Really did.
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>> So, as we've learned today, you've been a film obsessive your entire life from working in the mom-and-pop video stores as a teenager to directing and starring movies of the last couple decades here in Hollywood.
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So, what I want to do is close it out with the game called one breath reviews where I give you a film and you try to review it, but you only have that one breath. >> it.
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>> With your chest >> it. >> on fire. >> Give it. Give it. >> Punch-Drunk Love.
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>> Oh, yeah, it's incredible score.
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Adam Sandler showing he's got this other side that just set him on this trajectory with where he is now, one of the most iconic actors in our industry and just the look of it, those inner stitches with the colors. Let's go. >> Blue Ruin.
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>> Uh perfect acting, perfect build-up, perfect perfect violence.
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They have this moment in the bathroom early on where the guy gets stabbed in the neck and it sells the violence for the rest of the movie and it's just a perfect build and the perfect writing and it's just wonderful. >> Boogie Nights.
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>> Uh really Paul Thomas Anderson. Just a perfect ensemble.
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Everyone is killing it, top of their game.
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Philip Seymour Hoffman, are you kidding me?
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Um and just the score and just the everything about it.
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>> Dave Franco taking on the wings of death, living to tell the tale and now there's nothing left to do but cheers with a Stella.
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This camera, this camera, this camera.
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Let the people know what you have going on IN YOUR LIFE.
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>> [laughter] >> THAT'S SOME NOW YOU SEE ME right there.
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>> [cough] [laughter] >> We got Idiots coming out August 28th. Uh I'm I'm embodying it.
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Uh Forgotten Island, looking at the other camera.
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Forgotten Island, DreamWorks animated a September 25th.
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It's truly like one of my favorite things I've ever been a part of.
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I'm like so grateful to be a part of it.
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Both great movies, check them out. Give me that ice cream. I earned it.
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>> That was a wild journey, man. >> Right? >> You did amazing. How you feeling? >> Excellent. >> Yeah, right?
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>> Started tough, and then excellent.
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>> I think the beard did help. >> It clearly did. >> Yeah.
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>> Sean, what did you do to me? >> [laughter]