Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Episode: Mom's Car: Larry Trilling
Date: November 11, 2025
Overview
This episode of Armchair Expert welcomes acclaimed TV director Larry Trilling into "Mom’s Car," joined by Dax Shepard and best friend Aaron Weekly. The conversation weaves through Trilling's journey from public school in Santa Monica alongside future Hollywood icons, to his unexpected path to directing seminal shows like Felicity and Parenthood. With signature warmth and humor, Dax, Aaron, and Larry reflect on formative experiences, the craft of directing, the nuances of working with actors, and swap personal stories about friendship, aspirations, and the enduring impact of pop culture.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Larry Trilling’s Hollywood Roots and Early Influences
- Growing up in Santa Monica, Larry attended high school with the likes of Rob Lowe, Charlie Sheen, the Penn brothers, and Dean Cain (05:02).
- “I went to Santa Monica High School with… the Penn brothers, Charlie Sheen, Rob Lowe. …Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe… just kind of trot around Brentwood together.” – Larry Trilling [03:38]
- Noting the then-public school environment for future stars, Dax and Larry discuss how LA's culture both normalized and demystified Hollywood dreams (06:53 – 07:00).
- Trilling’s transition into filmmaking came via a childhood friendship with director Matt Reeves, who drew Larry into early Super 8 filmmaking (09:49).
2. The Leap Into Directing
- Larry’s parents were supportive, with a crucial caveat: college before film school. This “broad education” route took him from Columbia (English major) to UCLA film school (13:07).
- Trilling’s early career involved years of “delivering pizzas,” working odd jobs, and making independent films as calling cards before gaining traction in Hollywood (13:55 – 14:59).
- His first TV break came from shadowing J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves on Felicity, leveraging old friendships into professional opportunities (16:56).
3. Directing for Television vs. Film
- Dax and Larry compare the unique challenges of TV directing, highlighting the difference between shaping a project as the “visionary” in film vs. honoring established show style in episodic TV (17:38 – 18:32).
- Larry describes the director’s role as requiring “confidence and having a point of view, but within the boundaries of what the show is,” as well as the humility to accept and adapt to better ideas from collaborators (19:47 – 20:50).
4. Working with Actors: Empathy and Tactics
- Dax praises Larry as one of the best directors at working with actors (20:50), “By a landslide, you’re such a beautiful person to work with... and respectful.”
- Larry learned actor-director communication in part from Judith Weston, focusing on actionable verbs rather than adjectives:
- “Don’t talk about the result... Talk about the verb. So instead of saying, be angry at Aaron... say, ‘Scold Aaron.’” – Larry [22:44]
- Discusses “thin-slicing” personality types to direct each actor as the individual they are (23:52).
- Stories from set: balancing wildly different actor styles (e.g., William Hurt’s intensive rehearsal vs. Billy Bob Thornton’s improvisation on Goliath) and how to merge those for the best results (24:38).
5. Personal Histories and Friendship
- Dax and Aaron reminisce about their “golden year” of friendship in 7th grade (28:01), describing the invincible feeling of mutual comedic synergy and how it launched their social identities (28:39).
- The duo’s divergence in high school—Aaron into wild delinquency, Dax slightly less so—and eventual reconnection (29:05 – 31:11).
- Exploring punk and straight-edge music scenes, post-high school road trips, and how these formative years shaped both their outlooks (32:24 – 34:47).
- Dax’s move to LA: motivated by a fear of complacency and driven by creative ambitions, initially in writing and standup (33:55 – 34:53).
6. On Taste, Movies, and Directors
- Dax and Larry analyze what made them curious about film craft: Raising Arizona (visual style cues for Dax) and Annie Hall (for dialogue and behavior in Larry) were formative “gateway” movies (37:44; 38:45).
- Debate on Tarantino, with both sharing their top-three rankings (44:05):
- Larry: “Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill… and then either Reservoir Dogs or Inglourious Basterds.”
- Dax’s evolving love for Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood: “It’s almost challenging Pulp Fiction now.” [44:32]
- Larry’s three criteria for favorite films:
- Transformative first viewing impact
- Relevance/cultural influence
- Rewatchability (“There’s many films I love I don’t ever want to see again. I don’t ever want to watch Schindler’s List ever again.” [46:50])
- Comedy picks:
- Larry: Annie Hall, Manhattan, The In-Laws, Airplane, Something About Mary
- Dax: Raising Arizona, Fletch, Flirting With Disaster (47:07 – 48:33)
- Dramas: mutual love for The Godfather, Ordinary People, Shawshank Redemption, Michael Clayton, Thief (Dax’s all-time favorite drama) [48:39].
7. Reflections on Vulnerability, Masculinity, and Being “Emotionally Available”
- Dax asks Larry if he always felt at ease being emotionally available, prompting a candid discussion about the social trade-offs of sensitivity as a young man (42:08 – 43:45).
- “I didn’t have any game. I was just like, ‘I really like you and want to know all about you.’ And pretty soon… I have to hear about the guy they have a crush on…” – Larry [42:38]
- “If you can make them laugh, you can make them breakfast.” – Larry’s favorite expression (43:39).
8. Top TV Shows and Parenthood’s Legacy
- Larry names Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Sopranos, Friday Night Lights, and 30 Something as his TV pantheon (51:11 – 51:19), plus a nod to Parenthood:
- “Can’t be objective about Parenthood, but would hope it’s up there somewhere.” – Larry [51:26]
- Mutual musings on the idea of returning to Parenthood for a reunion, with Dax expressing his desire to work with Larry again, regardless of the project (53:17 – 53:38).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)
- “He’s just the sweetest, sweetest, sweetest man I’ve ever worked with... So smart and thoughtful.” – Dax on Larry [00:00]
- “I went to Santa Monica High School with, you know, the Penn brothers, Charlie Sheen, Rob Lowe...” – Larry [03:38]
- “If you can make them laugh, you can make them breakfast.” – Larry [43:39]
- “The director is the one thinking about everything… put your ego aside.” – Larry [20:50]
- “By a landslide, you’re such a beautiful person to work with.” – Dax [21:10]
- “Don’t talk about the result... Talk about the verb.” – Larry [22:44]
- “You have to have the confidence to go like, ‘You know what? That’s a better idea…’” – Larry [20:50]
- “I have two versions [of Brad Pitt]… I very much hold Brad Pitt on screen as this other person that I’m in love with and obsessed with.” – Dax [52:30]
- “Let’s make that happen.” – Larry on working again with Dax [53:34]
Timestamps for Major Segments
- 00:00 – 01:26 – Show intro, welcoming Larry Trilling
- 03:38 – 06:08 – Trilling’s Santa Monica High stories, famous classmates
- 09:49 – 11:02 – Early filmmaking with Matt Reeves, J.J. Abrams encounter
- 13:07 – 14:59 – College, film school, early struggles
- 16:56 – 17:26 – First break: shadowing on Felicity
- 17:38 – 20:50 – Navigating TV vs. film directing
- 20:50 – 24:38 – Directing actors, knowledge from Judith Weston
- 24:38 – 26:58 – Managing different actor temperaments (Goliath example)
- 28:01 – 34:47 – Dax & Aaron’s friendship, formative years
- 37:44 – 41:24 – First “gateway” movies; film taste origins
- 44:05 – 44:50 – Top three Tarantino films
- 46:09 – 47:07 – Larry’s film criteria
- 48:39 – 49:37 – Top dramas
- 51:11 – 53:38 – Top TV shows and Parenthood legacy, reunion musings
Original Language & Tone
The episode maintains the show’s trademark mix of humor, candor, and camaraderie. There's a genuine sense of warmth between the guests, particularly as Dax celebrates Larry’s professional skills and their mutual love of storytelling, film, and friendship. Anecdotes range from hilarious (parking meter thefts post-Heat) to heartfelt (Dax’s devotion to Aaron, Larry’s vulnerability), all shared with open self-deprecation and insight.
For Listeners Who Missed The Episode
This conversation is a masterclass on the creative and personal pathways into Hollywood, the craft of directing TV versus film, and the enduring value of empathy and connection, both professionally and personally. It’s a nostalgic, funny, and deeply relatable road trip through the decades—with movie lists, TV debates, and touching admissions about love, growth, and what endures beyond fame.