Episode 21: Steve Zahn

Summary

Andy Beshear Podcast – Episode 21: Steve Zahn

Date: August 28, 2025
Host: Andy Beshear
Guest: Steve Zahn (actor, farmer, Kentuckian)
Episode Theme: A candid conversation with Steve Zahn, exploring his journey from small-town Kentucky to Hollywood, reflections on family life, choosing a grounded path, and insights on acting, pop culture, and life beyond the screen.

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Overview

In this engaging episode, Governor Andy Beshear sits down with actor Steve Zahn for an open, lively, and heartfelt discussion. Zahn recounts the pivotal moments that led him to acting, reflects on maintaining a balanced and grounded life away from Hollywood’s glare, and shares stories about family, career highlights, and the unique journey of raising kids outside the entertainment capitals. The conversation is peppered with humor, humility, and glimpses into the real person behind the familiar face.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins: Discovering Acting

• The Les Mis Epiphany
  Zahn describes the exact moment when he realized acting could be his professional path—attending a performance of Les Misérables in London during college.

  • “I was like, I’m as good as that guy right there holding the flag. I should be up there.” (Steve Zahn, 03:33)

• Andy and Steve trade stories about major life-changing moments in their careers.

  • “If that’s something I can do for somebody, then I want to do it.” (Andy Beshear on his turning point, 04:03)

• High School Speech Success
  Zahn was a state speech champion twice, remembering the Tennessee Williams piece that helped him win.

  • “A Portrait of a Girl in Glass... the short story that became The Glass Menagerie.” (Steve Zahn, 04:40)

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2. Starting Out: Training, Friends, and Breaking In

• Comedy Troupes & Early Roles

  • Zahn recounts doing Biloxi Blues in Minneapolis, getting guidance to “go train,” and eventually enrolling at the American Repertory Theater at Harvard. (05:26–06:05)
  • Met Ethan Hawke, became lifelong friends, and co-founded a theater company in New York with Jason Blum as producer, who now helms Blumhouse (horror production giant).
    • “Jason Blum runs Blumhouse right now… he was our [producer].” (Steve Zahn, 06:43)

• Friendship & Next Generation
  Hawke and Zahn remain close—both now have kids in the business, recently witnessing their daughters act together in a film.

  • “We were just sitting, sitting by the monitor, watching both of them in the same shot… pretty amazing.” (Steve Zahn, 07:28)

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3. Breakthroughs, Hollywood, and Staying Grounded

• Big Moments
  Zahn identifies That Thing You Do! as a turning point for mainstream recognition, with later roles in Out of Sight and others further establishing him.

  • “It’s always in hindsight that you kind of go, oh, that was a big moment. In the moment itself, I’m not very good at seizing that…” (Steve Zahn, 08:12)

• Working with Icons
  Early career awe upon working with stars like Tom Hanks, but quickly finding camaraderie.

  • “It's incredible for five minutes and then it’s like, oh yeah, now we're just gonna hang out for six months… It turns into just your pals.” (Steve Zahn, 09:13)

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4. Life Outside Hollywood

• Why Kentucky? Why the Country?
  Zahn shares his love for rural life: horses, goats, farming, fishing, and the dark quiet at night.

  • “I live in the country because I like it dark at night and I like to fish and I like to grow things.” (Steve Zahn, 13:45)
  • He and his wife Robin (a Broadway veteran and now bestselling author) traded NYC for a cabin and, eventually, Kentucky.

• Impact on Career & Family
  Zahn says living outside entertainment hubs kept him “naive and curious,” perhaps missing career opportunities, but favored raising children in Kentucky.

  • “Sometimes I think I missed out on some stuff… but I don’t know what those things are, so it doesn’t really matter.” (Steve Zahn, 13:45)

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5. Fatherhood & Family Priorities

• Parent First, Actor Second
  Zahn reflects on prioritizing parenting throughout his career, flying home often, and being hands-on in his kids’ lives.

  • “Even if I worked in Vancouver… I would always fly home. And it was a pain, man. Even if it was for one day, it didn’t matter. You have to do it. They remember that.” (Steve Zahn, 16:06)
  • “Now [my kids] are my pals, you know, 25 and 23. I just made a movie with my daughter called She Dances, and we just sold it.” (17:10)

• Parenting Wisdom

  • “Over-prepare, show up early, and don’t be a jerk. And you’ll be surprised at how far that’ll take you.” (Steve Zahn, 18:06)
  • Zahn insists his daughter must earn roles on her own merits.

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6. Notable Roles & Hollywood Experiences

• Planet of the Apes & Mocap Challenges
  Zahn describes awe, nerves, and the physical challenges of performance capture, training with veterans like Andy Serkis.

  • “…They can make you look like an ape… but you’ve got to do all the physical stuff and everything.” (Steve Zahn, 19:21)
  • “That whole thing is like crazy how many different memes there are.” (Steve Zahn, 20:28)

• Becoming a Meme & ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’
  Zahn reflects on unexpected internet fame and being recognized by a new generation.

  • “It was the first time in my career where my kids were excited. I just go to work… but being the dad in Diary of a Wimpy Kid made me God status at pick-up line for about six months.” (Steve Zahn, 21:56)

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7. Seeking Variety as an Actor

• Choosing Roles / What’s Next?
  Zahn enjoys being a character actor, pursuing a range: “I just really want to be in a good product… I don’t care if I have one scene or I’m the lead. Director is a big deal, great cast, great character. Two of those three, oh man.” (Steve Zahn, 11:46–12:12)

• Missed Opportunities & Interests
  He regrets not doing Band of Brothers, is drawn to historical projects, and still loves theater deeply.

  • “Before she was writing, her outlet was directing these shows with amazing people in our community… It was as fulfilling as any professional job I’ve ever done.” (Steve Zahn, 24:15)

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8. Off-Screen Life: Hobbies, Superpowers, and (Literal) Spice

• Superpowers
  Both Andy and Steve bond over making killer Thanksgiving turkeys, sharing tips on grilling, and prepping for long stints abroad.

  • “See, I think this might have to be that next big cooking shift… I’m packing for London right now… all [these] rubs, I’m gonna bring them with me.” (Steve Zahn, 27:11, 27:44)

• Quotable Moment

  • “Show up early. Don’t be a jerk. Over-prepare… you’ll be surprised how far it’ll take you.” (Steve Zahn, 25:35)

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Memorable Quotes

• “I never thought of it as a career. That was something that other people did, you know—movie people.” (Steve Zahn, 02:30)
• “I always knew that I had a talent for it. I think it was when other people recognized… That Thing You Do! was a really big moment.” (Steve Zahn, 07:45)
• “Sometimes I think I missed out on some stuff. I’m sure I did. I’m sure I missed out on some group… but I don’t know what those things are, so it doesn’t really matter.” (Steve Zahn, 13:45)
• “I would have been a canoe outfitter up in northern Minnesota… I would have done something like that.” (Steve Zahn, 26:30)
• “It was as fulfilling as any professional job I’ve ever done.” (Steve Zahn, 24:15, on local theater)

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Notable Segments with Timestamps

• Discovering Acting & Les Mis Story – 02:17–03:46
• Double State Speech Champion – 04:07–04:40
• Friendship with Ethan Hawke, Founding a Theater Company – 06:03–06:58
• Big Breaks: Hollywood Recognition – 07:45–08:43
• Living Outside NY/LA & Raising Family – 13:36–15:48
• Parenting as a Priority – 16:00–17:24
• Making a Movie with His Daughter – 17:10–17:55
• Planet of the Apes, Internet Memes – 19:10–20:35
• Superpower: Cooking & Packing for London – 27:11–28:13

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Tone & Takeaways

The tone is welcoming, friendly, and sprinkled with humor—both host and guest enjoy a genuinely unscripted back-and-forth that feels personal and relatable. Zahn’s humility and practical wisdom shine through, especially on the topics of parenting, work ethic, and staying grounded. The episode reminds listeners that extraordinary success can be rooted in ordinary values: family comes first, work hard, prepare well, and don’t forget to laugh at yourself along the way.

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Additional Segments

Following the main interview, Beshear and the “Johns” discuss current events (beginning at 30:10), touching on:

• National Guard issues and state sovereignty
• Partisan redistricting/gerrymandering
• The importance of authentic language in politics
• The new college sports season as a shared source of unity and joy
• Parenting transitions as kids go off to college

These sections reinforce the podcast’s mission: real conversations about both public policy and everyday life, always rooted in Kentucky values and a commitment to dialogue across differences.

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For those who haven’t listened:
This episode offers a fresh, down-to-earth look at what it means to balance public and private life, illustrated by Steve Zahn’s personal journey and anchored by Andy Beshear’s warm, inquisitive hosting. Whether you’re a movie buff, parent, or just curious about the stories behind familiar faces, this conversation delivers substance, heart, and plenty of Kentucky charm.

Transcript

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[Andy Beshear]

Hello everyone and welcome to episode 21 of the Andy Beshear Podcast. We are excited about this episode. Actor Steve Zahn is going to talk about his life's journey and some of his favorite roles. Remember, you can download the Andy Beshear Podcast on all major platforms, but we need you to go to our YouTube channel so you can watch this famous actor and my conversation with the Johns. If you'd like, you can subscribe at Andy beshear podcast on YouTube. This is going to be a good episode. Let's get right to it.

This week on the Andy Beshear Podcast, we have a very special guest. We've had several CEOs, we've had politicians, we've had folks from all walks of life. But we have never had a Hollywood actor.

[Steve Zahn]

Nope.

[Andy Beshear]

So this week we have Steve Zahn, actor, farmer, dad, also Kentuckian, which is, I think, the part I like the most.

[Steve Zahn]

I do, too.

[Andy Beshear]

Welcome to the podcast.

[Steve Zahn]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, excited to have you here. And I want to start at. That's something we have in common. I read that that you decided you were going to get into acting when you saw le Ms. Yep.

[Steve Zahn]

Well, yeah, professionally, like I had been acting and doing, you know, I was the, the kid in the, the leads in, in the school plays and musicals and, and then. But I never thought of it as a career. That was something that other people did, you know, movie people.

[Andy Beshear]

Those people.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, they like. It wasn't a career, you're thinking, right?

[Andy Beshear]

Other people.

[Steve Zahn]

So I went to, I went, I went to London with this Dance group. And I stayed longer because I was in college. It was my first year as a freshman, and I went to see Les Mis by myself. And at intermission, I was in the restroom and I was, oh, everyone was talking and I thought, I don't want to be in here. I, I, yeah. And I, it was cathartic. It really was. And I sat there and I, I was like, I know. It wasn't like, I want to be the lead. Right. I was like, I'm as good as that guy right there holding the flag.

[Andy Beshear]

Wow.

[Steve Zahn]

I know. I'm as good as that. Like, I should be up there. So that was, that was really the moment that I decided to pursue acting, drop out, then I went to a conservatory and all that. Yeah, that was, that was the moment.

[Andy Beshear]

You know, I had a moment because I never wanted to be governor where I'm standing in an elevator with my dad and somebody walks in, bursts into tears and says, I'm alive because of you, because of the expansion of healthcare. And I, and I looked at that moment and I said, if that's something I can do for somebody, then I want to do it.

[Steve Zahn]

That's great.

[Andy Beshear]

I think what people, other people don't know is that he could have been doing this job because I think you were state speech champion twice. Twice, yeah.

So you had to repeat.

[Steve Zahn]

To repeat. I did, I did. Okay. So the first year was in serious prose.

[Andy Beshear]

Okay.

[Steve Zahn]

And then the second year it was trauma, you know, but in speech, you know, declam. We called it declamation. Yeah. You held your speech. Yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

Do you remember your prose, what the speech was?

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, it was called A Portrait of a Girl in Glass, which was the short story that we cut that Tennessee Williams wrote before he wrote the Glass Menagerie. So it was a, it was really interesting, kind of like shortened version of that play. And then I did Paul's speech from Chorus Line. It just became public.

[Andy Beshear]

So after you, you're state speech champion twice, and I'm sure that's all downhill, extra Super Bowl. It's just, it's, it's really hard to repeat. All right. And you see Les Mis, you decide I'm going to do this, you actually start putting together some comedy troupes and some different acting groups.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, I was, well, I started working in Minneapolis and, and I, I did this eight month run of Biloxi Blues as. And so I, I met all these New York actors and, and, and then they were like, hey, man, you gotta, you should go train. You're a little rough around the edges. You Know, you're kind of like the country kid that everything was great. I just couldn't believe someone was paying me to do this, you know? And so I auditioned for some, some good schools and I got into the American Repertory Theater at Harvard. It was a two year program. It was great. Changed my life. Moved to New York.

[Andy Beshear]

That's a school in Boston, right?

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

Okay.

[Steve Zahn]

And then, and then, yeah, when, when.

[Andy Beshear]

You go to Vanderbilt, that's how you feel.

[Steve Zahn]

Oh, right. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Co Tied. But I was an actor, so it was like, you know, it's a different, different, whole different deal. But, but I was there, met a bunch of people, then moved to New York. And then I started, you know, just pounding the pavement. And that's when I met Ethan Hawke. We did a play together. We started a theater company called Malapart, and our producer was Jason Blum.

[Andy Beshear]

Wow.

[Steve Zahn]

And Jason Blum runs Blumhouse right now, which is one of the biggest production companies around. He was our. Yeah, it was crazy.

[Andy Beshear]

And so one of the first friends you make in New York, hitting the pavement is still one of your best friends today.

[Steve Zahn]

Yep. Ethan is still, we're very tight. He came to my wedding here in Lexington in 1994.

[Andy Beshear]

Okay. And now kids even making movies together.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, he, he shot a movie, Wildcat here with his daughter Maya. Audrey was in that. My daughter. And God, it was so great, man. We were just sitting, sitting by the monitor, watching both of them in, in the same shot. We're like. And we just turned to each other.

[Andy Beshear]

And we're like, yeah, it was just like pretty amazing.

[Steve Zahn]

Little kids. Yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

What was the moment where you said, I can be pretty good at this? What was that moment where, where you knew it was going to get bigger?

[Steve Zahn]

That's a great question. I always knew that I had a talent for it. I think it was when other people recognized, I think it was like that thing you do was a really big moment.

[Andy Beshear]

It's a really big movie.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah. Where people were paying attention to me on a different level. I, I will criticize. My out of Sight was another one.

[Andy Beshear]

Okay.

[Steve Zahn]

Steven Soderbergh movie. It's interesting though, as I think back at those times, it's always in hindsight that you kind of go, oh, that was a big moment. In the moment itself, I'm not very good of seizing that and taking advantage of it. I, I, which I think is a good thing, actually. But yeah, because it was all just so gradual, you know, it wasn't like that moment, you know, where everything hit.

[Andy Beshear]

Is it what's it like though, say in early in your career having somebody like Tom Hanks.

[Steve Zahn]

Right.

[Andy Beshear]

Walk on the set of one of your movies?

[Steve Zahn]

It's insane. Yeah, it's. It's so exciting. I still get really nervous. I still, I still get nervous like it's first day of school and I'm gonna screw up, you know, that's why I over prepare. I just, I, I thought if probably makes you better. Yeah. I mean, it's out of complete fear, you know, But.

[1-800-Flowers Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Steve Zahn]

And then you, you meet Tom Hanks and it's incredible for five minutes and then it's like, oh, yeah, now we're just gonna hang out for the next six months and it's just if we do the. It's like a normal dude. Yeah, it's like. And that's how it always kind. You know, it turns into just your pals.

[Andy Beshear]

So you're about to head off to, To London.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

You've got another season of one of your hit shows on Apple coming up.

[Steve Zahn]

Silo. I'm on a show called Silo, which is, it's our final season. There's only four, and I do that with Rebecca Ferguson. It's a big show. My partner, My production company called Macaroni Art Productions, and Rick Gomez, my, the, My partner is also on the show, which is a total coincidence and very strange. And another coincidence is that this year our characters are together, so we have the same schedule, which is just insane. But that's a, That's a big show.

[John McConnell]

So when you look at a show.

[Steve Zahn]

I mean, of course that's a dystopian.

[John McConnell]

Kind of a different type of show. You see that script.

[Andy Beshear]

What draws you to something or what.

[John McConnell]

What made you look at that one and say this, this one's, this one's me?

[Steve Zahn]

Well, Rebecca Ferguson, who's an executive producer and the, and the star of it, she, she was working with Rick, my partner, and Rick gave her a couple shorts that we made, and she watched one of the shorts that I did and it was about a, A, a famous photographer who's a fictional character, but an artist who was a famous photographer who took pictures of fireworks and he had like really thick glasses. And anyway, she saw this short we did and she was like, oh my gosh, he would be perfect for this, this character next year. And so they approached me with it and there was already a show shot, so I was able to, to see the product, you know, that I was going to be inserted into in the second season. So that's an easier decision. You're not, you're not wondering what it's going to look like or trying to, trying to talk, what the tone is and you know, but, but generally speaking, you know, you know, a good script within a few pages, you know, you really do. And for me, it's like characters, huge. It's not the. I.

[Andy Beshear]

Do you want to play different characters?

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, yeah. I'm a character actor. I mean, I, you know, it's just play the gamut really, and, but it's. I really want to be in a good product. I don't care if I have one scene in it or I'm the lead. You know, it's. I just, you know, director is a big deal. It's got a great cast, you know, great character. Two of those three. Yeah. Oh, man.

[Andy Beshear]

So you being a character actor, you really get into that character and that's what people see on the screen. But tell people about you me because, because like, you get up early, you've got a ton of energy. It's about as different from some of.

[Steve Zahn]

The early years that, you know, I was like, I was like the go to stoner. I was like the go to like, urban guy, like totally opposite of who I am. I live on a farm, have horses and goats.

[Andy Beshear]

And you do it all yourself?

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, pretty much, yeah. I mean, when I go, obviously I have help, but. And we've been. We were like that at the beginning. We, My wife and I, Robin, we met doing the national tour Bye Bye Birdie and with Tommy Tune and anne ranking in 1990, 13 months on the road. And then we moved back to Hoboken, N.J. couldn't afford our apartment. We bought a cabin in Pennsylvania, this little cabin, and we thought it was going to be our weekend place. Unemployed for three weeks. And that became our house. So we moved out there. So we were always these. The weirdos in New York that lived in a cabin and contended with bears, you know, and our birdseed. But it became like this, this unique. Like now people, everybody's moving out of the city, moving into the. We did it in 1990.

[Andy Beshear]

So anyway, do you think living outside of Hollywood and living outside of New York has, has affected your career positively?

[Steve Zahn]

Sure. I mean, it keeps me naive and curious. I, I can't wait to go back to work and be with people and be in and, and be in with those amazing, funny, smart folks. I, I mean, I, I think you're, you're either grounded or you're not. I mean, that's just, that's a good point. You know, you're not going to go find that. I like, I live in the country because I like it dark at night and I like to fish and I like to grow things. But yeah, sometimes I think I missed out on some stuff. I'm sure I did. I'm sure I missed out on some group. Like I was part of groups early, you know, like theater groups and stuff. But I'm sure that I missed out. But I don't know what those things are, so it doesn't really matter.

[Andy Beshear]

I know raising kids outside of Hollywood and New York was important to you too. Huge.

[Steve Zahn]

I mean when we had kids, I was shooting a movie, Sahara in Africa and I was there and that was, you know, that's when we shot with 35 millimeter and it took forever. And you were on a movie for seven months and we were living on a farm in New Jersey and it was beautiful, but it was in the middle of nowhere. And then I convinced Robin to move back to Kentucky. She grew up here.

[Andy Beshear]

Yes.

[Steve Zahn]

And she was like, I want to move back home. I was like, we're not going to move your parents basement. We're going to get a sweet place.

[Andy Beshear]

That helped as an internationally calling early Internet.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, yeah. And then I came home, I was like. She was like, well, what could we get? I'm like, check this out. You know, it's like really? That's interesting.

[Andy Beshear]

You were coming off the right movie in the right paycheck to be looking totally us.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah. And we were young and dumb so we were like going way too far. But you kind of happy you do that because otherwise you would never do it. So anyway, we, we moved here with, you know, a two and a four year old and it was the best thing we ever did.

[Andy Beshear]

I think about how, you know, before we, we came on to do the interview and then other times we've talked. You put being a dad as important as anything professional you've ever done.

[Steve Zahn]

Sure. Yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

So what do you, what do you.

Take, what do you take pride in?

[Steve Zahn]

I'm very proud of. I've, I've. I was always around. Yeah. You know, even if I worked in like Vancouver. I've spent two and a half years of my life in Vancouver. All the movies, Plan of the Apes, Saving Silverman. I'm crazy, but I would always fly home. And it was a pain, man. And even if it was for one day, it didn't matter. You have to do it. They remember that. And then people would apologize and like, I'm so sorry that you have to be gone so much I'm like, when I'm here for four months, I'm the dude picking up, dropping off, going to dance, going to. To lacrosse, you know, it was. That was my gig.

[Andy Beshear]

My thing was, no matter how late I got home, I was going to get up with the kids that next day.

[Steve Zahn]

That's. Yeah, that's huge.

[Andy Beshear]

And it was just that time, especially when they were young, before they go to school or. Or go to camp and.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

And that's when I felt like I got the. The real interaction with them and hopefully they knew I'd always be there.

[Steve Zahn]

Yep. And they do. I think that's really important. And. And now are my pals, you know, 25 and 23. I just made a movie with my daughter called she Dances, and we just sold it.

[Andy Beshear]

Oh, wow.

[Steve Zahn]

Congratulations.

[Andy Beshear]

Tell us about it.

[Steve Zahn]

We. We just sold it Friday. It's still in the works, but it's a really good deal.

[Andy Beshear]

And now her first deal on a movie that she's made.

[Steve Zahn]

Yes. And. Right. And right now she had that no one even knows about this movie. And she's doing an Apple show right now in la. It's crazy, but I don't know when they want to put it out there, but it's going to be in 50 theaters in 10 cities, so that's huge.

[Andy Beshear]

Being somebody who does what their dad did at one point. Do you try to be careful about how much nice how.

[Steve Zahn]

Oh, totally.

[Andy Beshear]

But asking for a friend with my kids.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, but it's like I told both my kids, it's like over. Prepare, show up early and don't be a jerk. And you'll be surprised at how far.

[Andy Beshear]

That'Ll take you or how many people fail.

[Steve Zahn]

Right. That easy test go. Really strive for this and fail big, you know, but. Yeah, yeah, no, I mean, you know, she knows that I can't get her a gig. She's got to get her own gig. You know, you got to get your, you know, be elected on your own. It's. It doesn't. You know, and so. And so I'm just really proud of her. And the movie's fantastic and it's shot all in Kentucky and it's, It's. It's gonna be. I think it's gonna be huge.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, I tell you what, when it's, when it's coming out, when you're allowed to say more, if she wants to come on the podcast, let's make sure that we talk about it.

[Steve Zahn]

That'd be great.

[Andy Beshear]

Oh, and would. Would love to hear her perspective. That'd be really so you men Planet of the Apes?

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah. And.

[Andy Beshear]

And what was it like to think about, I'm gonna do something I grew up watching that was on what, every Saturday. They'd replay those over and over. Yeah.

[Steve Zahn]

I mean, I was so thrilled. Beyond thrilled. I was so. I was so excited. And then I was so scared because they can make you look like an ape or a chimp in Mike in my circumstance, but they can't. You know, you gotta do it. You gotta do all the physical stuff and everything. And it was. And I didn't realize how difficult that was going to be. And then I was with. Inserted into a world where people had done it over and over again and Andy Serkis was.

[Andy Beshear]

And huge followings and.

[Steve Zahn]

And so I was really nervous about it. But then it was so exciting. It was. It was a monster. I've never been in something I think that big. When you would go to work and it was just like the sets and mind blowing. But. But we, but it was. We did it like, we rehearsed. Like it was theater. We'd rehearsed for an hour. It's just unheard of. But that's why those movies are good, you know?

[Andy Beshear]

Well, and. And I think your performance has since gone a little bit viral in different ways.

[Steve Zahn]

It has. Oh, no. Yeah. That whole thing is like crazy how many different memes there are.

[Andy Beshear]

So.

So what's it like now being. Being a Gen Z meme? Because we often have my son Will or daughter Lila on who explained Gen Z concepts to us.

[Steve Zahn]

That's funny. That's funny. Yeah. It's always my daughter that sends me like, dad, you're going crazy right now. On TikTok, there's like. And it's also. I played the dad and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, so there's a bunch of those things too.

[Andy Beshear]

My kids love that growing up where.

[Steve Zahn]

I was like, what was it like? He's like, I was psychotic. And I like, dad. Yeah, that's crazy.

[Andy Beshear]

How different is it from. From the way people might consume it to what you were thinking in your head at the time playing a character like that.

[Steve Zahn]

What, like dad? Yes. In the. I don't know. I knew that was going to be huge, though, because I. I had insider trading kind of knowledge. It was like my agent called and said, do you. Do you know this is called Diary of A. I'm like, yeah, I read it every night. And. And they said, yeah, they're. They. It's a three picture deal. And I said, yeah, definitely, I'm in. And I Had the script and I had it downstairs in our little kitchen, like breakfast nook. My son came down.

[Andy Beshear]

He was like.

[Steve Zahn]

It was the first time in my career where my kids were excited. I was just, I just go to work. It's like, it's not really that big of a deal. And he was like, dad, are they making this into a movie? I was like, yeah, man. Are you gonna be the brother and we're gonna get.

[Andy Beshear]

No, I'm gonna be the dad.

[Steve Zahn]

He was like, oh, okay. That's really cool. So I knew that I would. At pickup line, I, I thought I could potentially move to like God status. It's like.

[Andy Beshear]

And with our kids, that'll last six months to a year.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, right. But it keeps getting. They. But then they give it to their kids and they give it to their kids pretty special. So it's weird. It's. Found it very strange to be in, in at. At the K, Roger and being. Getting some cereal and the adults, the adults kind of going like, not noticing me and having like a nine year old going, wait.

[Andy Beshear]

It was, you know, that's him.

[Steve Zahn]

It was.

[Andy Beshear]

Or is that him?

[Steve Zahn]

It's. That's why you do kid children, you know, movies for kids.

[Andy Beshear]

As you, as you look back at your career, is there a type of movie that, that you haven't done that you're maybe looking for?

[Steve Zahn]

No. I mean, no, not really. I mean, I didn't, you know, I, I was regret this. I, I could have done Band of Brothers and I, I didn't love that and memories. Yeah. And I would have met Rick, my, my, my business partner because he played, he was in that. I'm a history bub, so I like things like that.

[Andy Beshear]

Right.

[Steve Zahn]

You know, I.

[Andy Beshear]

101St Airborne in Kentucky for Campbell.

[Steve Zahn]

There you go. Yeah. So that's the kind of thing that I gravitate towards. But I've been really lucky. I mean I've done like three westerns and you know, and I'd done Rescue dawn, which is a Vietnam POW movie, you know, and then. So I, I have fulfilled some of those things. But yeah, I don't know. At this point I just, I'm just happy to work. Really.

[Andy Beshear]

You still love theater?

[Steve Zahn]

I love theater.

[Andy Beshear]

You even do some theater here in Kentucky from time to time. I have support theater, yeah, for sure.

[Steve Zahn]

We used to have a company called the. The Rep. And my wife, before she was writing. My wife is a New York Times bestselling author. She's written, she's. She's a big deal. Robin Peterman is her name. She.

[Andy Beshear]

She is a big deal.

[Steve Zahn]

And before she was writing, her. Her outlet, because, you know, she was an actress. She did a lot of Broadway dancer. And then. And then her outlet was. Was directing these shows with these amazing people in our community that probably could be pros if they would have followed that path. And. And it was so much fun. It was. It was as fulfilling as any professional job I've ever done.

[Andy Beshear]

So I made my theatrical debut.

[Steve Zahn]

You did?

[Andy Beshear]

About a month ago in. In the Opera House in Lexington.

[Steve Zahn]

Nice.

[Andy Beshear]

I'm told I broke one of the cardinal rules, but people seem to have liked it. You. You broke the audience. I did. I broke that fourth wall. But I figure they expected it for me.

[Steve Zahn]

What was it?

[Andy Beshear]

I played the doctor in 42nd Street.

[Steve Zahn]

Oh, great.

[Andy Beshear]

Yes.

[Steve Zahn]

Oh, great.

[Andy Beshear]

So. So I have not gotten any offers since.

[Steve Zahn]

Oh, but.

[Andy Beshear]

But I appreciate that encouragement.

[Steve Zahn]

Show up early. Don't be a jerk.

[Andy Beshear]

It's over. Prepared.

[Steve Zahn]

Over. Prepare.

[Andy Beshear]

I got that because they didn't give me my line until I got there.

[Steve Zahn]

And they're really.

[Andy Beshear]

That was a hard one. It had been emailed to me.

[Steve Zahn]

Oh, really?

[Andy Beshear]

But they gave me a clipboard to where I had it.

[Steve Zahn]

Okay, you had it right there? Yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

Okay. So if you hadn't gone into acting in theater, what do you think you'd be doing now?

[Steve Zahn]

Well, as a kid, I always wanted to be in the military, and that was kind of it. My. My dad was a Lutheran minister, and he was, like. He was always baffled with me. Like, I was just fascinated with that world. I don't think I would have gone into the military, because I could have out of high school. And I kind of went. I don't. I don't have the thing for it. I. I probably would have been doing something outdoors. Like, I would have been a outfitter up in northern Minnesota. Like, canoe outfitter.

[John McConnell]

The boundary water.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, I would have been. You know, I. I would have done something probably like that.

[Andy Beshear]

We always ask what people's secret superpower is. That's something that you're good at, that no one knows. And most of the time serves no good purpose for me. I make. I make a Thanksgiving turkey better than most people I know. It works one day a year. That's my superpower. Brittany can pack a suitcase better than anyone I've ever met. John, we're still looking for something. We'll find something that helps us out.

[Steve Zahn]

Man, that's a tough one. That's a good question.

[Andy Beshear]

You get a lot of interviews.

I gotta have something.

[Steve Zahn]

I know. I do make a killer turkey. Oh, I'm a big green egg guy.

[Andy Beshear]

See, I think. I think this might have to be that next big cooking shift.

[Steve Zahn]

You know that I'm packing for London right now.

[Andy Beshear]

Yes.

[Steve Zahn]

And so when you pack for a five month trip, you have like the dining room table and that's where you put this stuff. And then upstairs you put your coats and your shoes.

[Andy Beshear]

Yes.

[Steve Zahn]

And then. And you just. And you do that for a week. So it's not like the day before because you don't really know what you want to bring or you forget. And so the other day I put. I ordered. Robin was like, what did you order from Amazon? It was like boxes and it was all rubs.

[Andy Beshear]

Oh, all dry tubs that you are sending.

[Steve Zahn]

I'm gonna. I'm gonna bring them with me.

[Andy Beshear]

Wow.

[Steve Zahn]

So I don't know if it's legal or not, but it doesn't matter.

[Andy Beshear]

I. So I could pardon you in Kentucky. It's gonna be tough.

[Steve Zahn]

I know you can't buy spices there.

[Andy Beshear]

Really?

[Steve Zahn]

No.

[Andy Beshear]

I was gonna say five months of like my.

[Steve Zahn]

My rubs for my chicken and my.

[Andy Beshear]

That's great. That's great. By the way, Amy Kloe, the shark told a story on this podcast of Minnesota always provides the turkey that the White House then. Then forgets.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, of course, because big turkey state.

[Andy Beshear]

So apparently one year the all. All the press is still in Minnesota. The governor does something before they leave. The turkey sees all the flashing lights, leaps out of its cage somehow into the media, and the White House calls and will not take this turkey.

[Steve Zahn]

Really?

[Andy Beshear]

It then became Thanksgiving dinner.

[Steve Zahn]

Really?

[Andy Beshear]

Yes, yes.

See, we like to get good stories. So I love that you've got to order and take the rubs to. You have to.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah. And then I have a couple crew guys who are like, hey, would you bring more of those rubs? Like. Yeah, so.

[Andy Beshear]

So this is what you become known for.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah. I bring their little packages and they're like, oh, man, oh, man. So great.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, really grateful you take the time.

[Steve Zahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

Thanks a bunch for joining the podcast. Hope to have you back.

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[Steve Zahn]

Thank you. I'll be back.

[Andy Beshear]

You're listening to the Andy Beshear Podcast. And now our segment where we process the issues of last week and the week to come, my conversation with the Johns, A conversation among friends. This is when John Rabinowitz, John McConnell and I try to make sure we can make sense of the news that's out there that hits us minute after minute after minute. And it's where we as friends, Democrats and Republicans find that we typically agree on a whole lot more than we disagree on.

Today.

We're going to start with news coming out of Illinois. I think the lieutenant governor made a post that they believe that Chicago is the next place that the president plans to send federal agents and National Guard troops. Now, they have been very clear, Both the governor, Governor J.B. pritzker, the lieutenant governor, I believe the mayor of Chicago has also weighed in that they do not want federal agents and National Guard on the streets of Chicago. So this is a little bit different than Washington, D.C. though. I think Washington, D.C. is certainly feeling the impacts of having National Guard on their streets. I think the law is a little bit different. But let's turn it over first to John Rabinowitz. What do you think about this newest threat of National Guard on the streets of Chicago without the permission of or the request of the local and state officials?

[John Rabinowitz]

Yeah. So I think it's going to be a real challenge for Trump. I think it's going to be litigated heavily. Chicago and the other cities, unlike D.C. don't have that federal status. I, I will say this. It appears, if the articles are correct, that it obviously has a deterrent, as allegedly there wasn't a murder in the last 10 days in the last article I read. So I think it will have an impact. But I do think it is concerning that they're going into states. They say, I'm all about public safety. It's very, very important. It's one of the number one things that we should focus on. But to do it without being aligned with the mayor and the governor and to put our friends and neighbors at risk is really A struggle for me.

[Steve Zahn]

Well, in.

[John McConnell]

When you start to look at depending on the next city, let's say it is Chicago. When you've got people visiting there all of a sudden and you're downtown and you're walking through the streets and then you've got National Guardsmen in fatigue standing on corners, it's going to. It's going to have a different impact on you just there as a visitor. And are you going to feel safe or you're going to feel more nervous?

[John Rabinowitz]

Listen, I do think it's a deterrent.

[Andy Beshear]

In some of these cities.

[John Rabinowitz]

Some of these cities there are issues like I also heard St. Louis is one in St. Louis is a city that I have to go to quite often. When I tell you that downtown is. Is dead because people are scared to go out, that might be an understatement. So. But I think that you have to be aligned with the mayor in the governor. I think there needs to be. Everybody needs to be on the same team and rowing in the same direction. I think just throwing people out there is a problem.

[Andy Beshear]

I think we can recognize that there is a problem. If people don't feel safe, then, then that's. That's bad for both the people, their mental health as well as the businesses. But then it's. What is the answer to the problem? I think the answer to the problem has to be recruiting more local law enforcement, increasing pay or benefits, making sure that you're getting the best people in. I think in D.C. you're seeing militarizing the streets is hurting small businesses, too. People aren't going out to restaurants. It might have a deterrent effect on crime, but it's also having a major effect on life. And I think that the ethos of the United States, part of why we've always claimed we're so free and a country that people want to come to, is that we don't have military in our streets. It's not like when you get off the plane in another country where there's that show of military force. In the United States, one of the things that we've always loved is, yes, you have local law enforcement, but you don't have those folks on the streets. And I just want to be clear in my position that it is wrong for a president to send National Guard into an area that hasn't asked for it, doesn't want them. Remember that most National Guards are under a governor's control. And so if a governor of a state is saying no, I think it's a violation of our state sovereignty. And this idea that we are sure one country, but we're also 50 states that elect governors and other officers. And then we're cities and counties that elect local officials. And you've got to honor those differences and those localities and that sovereignty.

[John Rabinowitz]

I was going to ask you, what is the process like if the governor of these states says no, like you can't use, I mean, can the president come on top of that and order them out?

[Andy Beshear]

There are generally two different ways to call up the National Guard. One puts them directly under federal control. One calls upon governors at the request of the president to authorize. What we've seen in the news is at least one governor, the governor of Vermont, say no to the D.C. operation. And that's another thing that concerns me about D.C. it's really two pieces. Number one is chain of command, because at least under the law, all those Guard from other state are technically under the instruction of their own governor, yet operating in a different state, potentially with police power. And then the second is training, because most of these Guard don't have law enforcement background. Most of them are mechanics or CPAs. They have different jobs, but they join the Guard in case our active military needs logistical help and, or we need help after a natural disaster. Those are what the Guard are trained for, not for this. And again, I mentioned on the last, on the last podcast, I've had to call the National Guard in to make sure that a massive protest didn't get out of hand. I know what it looks like when you need to do that as a governor in your own state. And that's not what's going on in D.C. and it's not what's going on in Chicago.

[John McConnell]

And then speaking of what's happening in other states and other cities, you know, we've still got Texas, who has moved ahead with their redistricting plan. And now all of a sudden, California is preparing with their own. So, you know, Andy, what's your, what's your feeling on this?

[Andy Beshear]

Well, I think I made a little news on the last podcast when I said I supported what Gavin Newsom was doing. And to be clear, I think this middle cycle redistricting is wrong. It's bad for democracy. But you can't have one party changing the rules in a way that favors them and not expect the other party to do the same. That's just not reality. Texas knew when they did this that other states would respond or they should have known. And if they thought other states wouldn't, then they were simply saying, we're willing to break the rules, and we expect everyone else to be so good that they won't break the rules, and we will get the advantage that President Trump is asking for. So now we've seen Texas move ahead. We've seen California move ahead. The question is, what is the next domino? There are folks in our state that say maybe now they'll take a look at our maps. We have five Republican congressmen and one Democratic congressman. And if they redraw that one very Democratic district, you. You might get what you're not looking for. You might get two Democratic congressmen instead.

[John Rabinowitz]

Of just one, you know, Andy. But it depends how they redraw it. These maps in every state are getting out of control. Just ridiculous. The. The whole idea of gerrymandering is so wrong, in my opinion. I understand that both parties do it. The Democrats probably did it before the Republicans and Vice. It may never end. And I just think it's so unfair. And if people really sat down and looked at these maps and saw who represented them, they'd be very unhappy.

[Andy Beshear]

If Texas would just go back and say, okay, this wasn't what we wanted to start this state by state by state, mid cycle, mid decade redistricting. California's resolution that they put up even conditioned it on Texas moving forward.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah.

[John Rabinowitz]

And you're hearing already redistricting in Missouri, redistricting in Illinois, redistricting in Indiana. Like, even. Like you said this week, all over our local news, they're talking about redistricting in Kentucky. Where does it end? How does it end? Why can't people from either party just talk normal? My understanding is that an article came out recently that's, you know, basically said, hey, politicians speak to people in a normal tone in a normal way. Can you tell us a little bit about that article, what it said, and the significance of it?

[Andy Beshear]

Well, I think it picked up two of our podcast rules. One is be authentic. You be you. And the second is talk like a normal human being. And I think what this article is about, and it's what I talk about as I travel the country, is that we've got to stop using terms that don't have meanings, that are sterile, that sound like we're talking down to people or at people instead of to them. One of the best examples is the opioid epidemic that Kentucky got hit by, maybe worse than anyone, save maybe West Virginia. Now, we've all lost people we love and that we care about, but we didn't lose one of them to substance use disorder. We lost them all to addiction. When you say the word Addiction, it is mean, it is nasty, it kills people, it takes them from you. And when you've lost someone, that word is how you feel. It evokes that emotion of hurt and of loss. Or if you have beaten it, if you are in recovery, you deserve credit for going up against that mean, nasty, difficult opponent. That is addiction, not substance use disorder. Now, when we talked about the big ugly bill, you know, pushing back against that, you don't push back against it saying more people will be food insecure. It's. It's tough to actually feel that it's about more people going hungry.

[John Rabinowitz]

Yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

You know, if you're talking about the fishes and the loaves, the miracle that appears in every book of the gospel, Jesus was helping people who are going hungry. Or one of the newest ones is justice involved population. Those are our inmates. Those are folks that are in our jails. And I believe in second chances. We have one of the lower recidivism rates we've had in a decade. I've got now a trade being taught in every one of our prisons. I believe that second chances are something that we are called to do. But you know what? Our inmates call themselves inmates. And so if we're going to actually communicate with each other, if we're going to be able to talk to the American people about tough issues, we at least have to use language that they. That they understand that. That that actually has meaning and can evoke real conversation.

[John McConnell]

And I think that was one of the missions that we had when we first started this podcast. I mean, we all sit down and we said, when the three of us get together to talk, it's going to be about things that people actually communicate about across their kitchen table and in a normal way. And I think we've done that. And this article talks a lot about what that is.

[John Rabinowitz]

I will say this. We did say we were going to have some discussion on politics in these podcasts from Inception, but we also said we were going to talk about life and other things. And there, in my mind, is not a better time of the year than right now. What's about to kick off, which actually kind of kicked off Friday and Saturday with high school football, college football. Found myself watching an Iowa State vs. Kansas State game in Dublin, which I probably would never.

[Andy Beshear]

In Dublin.

[John Rabinowitz]

Yes. But we're back. You can kind of see the fall. Temperatures are coming in this week. The stars are aligning for the best time of the year, in my opinion.

[Andy Beshear]

Sports are a great chance to breathe, to root for your team, to come together with different people and to root for that, that common cause. And it's fun. And now with nil, we've got players staying in college football longer. We may see some really good teams this year because of it. I think it's going to be exciting.

[John Rabinowitz]

And guess what? In Kentucky, you can wager on these games, which is a lot of fun.

[Andy Beshear]

We also have baseball coming down to the wire, you know, getting closer and closer on what teams are going to make the playoffs. And then as we move into those, you see these powerhouse teams playing each other. You got the brewers that have been on just a tear, looking like they might be the team to beat in the nl despite the Dodgers and everything they've been these last several years. This is when you have all these different sports, professional college, all playing high school, all playing at the same time.

[John Rabinowitz]

I will say, John, I don't know if you noticed this or not. My daughter said, hey, dad, are you coming to Family Day, the football game of Family Day uk? And you think Family Weekend UK would play a team that was somebody that. It's Texas, the number one team in the country. That schedule is brutal.

[Steve Zahn]

Yep.

[John McConnell]

It's going to be a heck of a football game.

[Steve Zahn]

You're correct.

[Andy Beshear]

Now, from a guy whose kids are still in high school to two guys whose daughters are now in college. When they ask you to come to Family Day, is it because they want a nice dinner or they want to see dad?

[John McConnell]

You hope it's to see dad, but I'm assuming they expect a dinner as well. What do you think?

[John Rabinowitz]

Dinner? It's probably Target or Walmart. Probably a couple dinners. And don't forget to leave or put some money on my card before you leave.

[Steve Zahn]

But.

[John Rabinowitz]

But. Great to see you, dad.

[Steve Zahn]

Yep. Yes. Yes.

[John Rabinowitz]

Hey, don't worry, Andy. It's right around the corner for you. A couple more years and you'll. You'll come commensurate with us.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, as you all know, my kids are a year and three days apart, so it's going to happen pretty quickly. The bills are going to stack up pretty quickly. But very excited for when they get that chance to pursue their next level of education. Proud of both Will and Lila.

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[Andy Beshear]

Pandora taught us a whole lot of lingo.

Our next segment is called In My Kentucky Accent. It's what's on my heart and mind this week. This week, I want to talk about my approach towards elected officials, whether they are in my party or not. I believe that once we are elected, we are elected to represent our people, and we always have to put them first. For me, that means the Commonwealth of Kentucky. When I was first elected, President Obama was president, I was attorney general. There was a lot that I agreed with President Obama on and cheered him on. While certain legislation was passed, there were other regulations that were harmful to Kentucky, and there were even instances where I had to sue that administration. Then came the first Trump administration. And while a lot of attorneys general sued on everything, I sued on those pieces that impacted Kentucky the most and that I thought was unlawful. The Biden administration became governor. I took the same approach. When that president, who I supported, did something good for Kentucky, I thanked him. When he did something that I thought hurt my state, I spoke out. And that's where we come to now for how I deal with President Trump. You only have credibility in criticizing a president when they do wrong if you also are willing to admit when they do right. I've told you on numerous occasions that the FEMA response in Kentucky under President Trump has been some of the best that I've seen. That doesn't mean that I don't vehemently disagree with him on the devastating Medicaid cuts under the big ugly bill, or his actions as it relates to sending National Guard from other states to Washington, D.C. or a tariff policy that is going to wreak havoc on our economy in Kentucky and across rural America. I can stand up and say, I think this president is harming rural America at a level that I've never seen before, while at the same time, when he does something I agree with, making sure that I say that, too. That's the idea that we put our people first. And if we did that in Congress, we wouldn't just have straight votes with Democrats over here and Republicans over there, but you'd actually have people talking about policies that help a region, policies that help a people, policies that could help the country, and not just policies that can help one party. So if there's a prescription out there to healing this country, number one, put our people first. Number two, push the politics out of it, and then let's get a lot of things done, that's the end of episode 21 of the Andy Beshear Podcast and folks, we are so much closer to our big gigantic announcement. We are really excited about what we're going to be able to share with the world. Remember, you can download us on all major platforms but follow our YouTube channel at andy Beshear Podcast. This is going to get fun. Come along for the ride. I promise you we'll continue to process the tough information, but we'll also work towards that better United States of America and that better world that we all so desperately want. Remember, you can download us on all major platforms or subscribe to our YouTube channel @andy Beshear Podcast. Your downloads and your subscriptions are what keep us going and keeps this conversation going. So make sure you're a part of it and let's do this together.

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[Steve Zahn]

I need a coffee.

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