Club Random with Bill Maher

Guest: Cary Elwes

Date: February 16, 2026
Episode Summary: "Cary Elwes | Club Random with Bill Maher"

Episode Overview

In this engaging and freewheeling conversation, Bill Maher sits down with actor Cary Elwes for a candid, humorous, and thoughtful discussion about Hollywood, acting, the legacy of classic films and performers, cultural differences, fatherhood, history, the nature of belief, and the peculiarities of fame. The episode captures the spirit of Club Random: relaxed, unpredictable, and full of sharp-witted exchanges and personal revelations.

Key Discussion Points

1. On Aging in Hollywood and Maintaining Perspective

• Maher teases Elwes about his youthful looks and full head of hair.

  • "You've aged well. You look very similar to when I first saw you on the screen." – Bill Maher [02:46]
  • Both joke about holding onto hair and the minor vanities of show business.

• On the myth of endless youth and partying:

  • "You can do it with two things, if you’re not fat and if you have hair." – Bill Maher [03:53]
  • Both reflect on how their bodies' limits have changed with age and how that alters their habits and self-image.

2. Breaking Out of the “Prince” Stereotype

• Elwes discusses the aftermath of 'The Princess Bride' and being typecast:

  • "I got offered every movie with a sword...And I just thought, man, so what do you do to fight that?" – Cary Elwes [06:09]
  • He shares his conscious effort "to mix it up" and not let Hollywood force him down one path.

• Getting Real About Early Career Struggles in New York:

  • Cary tells a humorous yet vulnerable story about being broke in New York, seeing Al Pacino at Café des Artistes, and nervously being introduced by a friend.
    • Pacino calls Elwes a “drifter” and imparts wisdom about acting as muscle and the importance of staying active ("You gotta go to the gym—go work them out. That’s why I do plays. I always keep my muscles loose so that I’m ready to work." – Al Pacino, relayed by Elwes [11:50])
  • Pacino offers tangible help: a contact at Lee Strasberg Institute, leading to pivotal career training.

3. The Actor’s Craft: Training, Stage Fright, Styles

• Comparing Acting Methods and Legends:

  • Discussion of actor training at Lee Strasberg, method acting, and how approaches differ from classic stylists like Laurence Olivier, whom both consider legendary but “pre-realistic” in style ("Heightened realism" – Cary Elwes [17:10]).

• Impact of Marlon Brando:

  • Brando is credited as shifting the art to gritty realism, with Maher noting: “With Brando, you could smell him and you could see the dirt under his fingernail.” [18:01]

• Anecdotes about Olivier's stage fright:

  • Olivier’s ritual of psyching himself up before performances is shared: "He would open the curtains and go, 'You’re about to see a performance you’ve never seen before tonight.'" – Cary Elwes [19:54]

• Maher and Elwes critique the logistics of acting for film:

  • They lament the unpredictability of shooting schedules, especially wasting peak energy on shots that aren’t used, and discuss the oppressive nature of Honeywagons (shared actors’ trailers).

4. On Drinking Culture Among Actors

• Reverie on Legendary British Drinkers:

  • Elwes and Maher swap stories about Peter O’Toole, Richard Burton, Richard Harris, Oliver Reed, and the hard-drinking tradition of UK actors ("They were able to drink and still deliver" – Cary Elwes [32:29]).
  • Elwes tells the story of O'Toole and Burton buying a bar to keep drinking after closing time [34:10].

• The Irish & Drinking Lore:

  • Cary’s story about inheriting John Wayne’s ancient, oil-dripping trailer in Ireland offers comic flavor [27:11].

• Elwes on avoiding substance issues:

  • Credits Al Pacino’s early influence for keeping him disciplined and focused on the craft rather than excess.

5. The Power, and Absurdity, of Celebrity

• Maher reflects on the Christ-like aura around celebrities:
  • “I’ve healed marriages...if I say, like, ‘You two, you love each other.’ And like, they wouldn’t do that for, like, a civilian.” – Bill Maher [38:30]
  • Both marvel at the way fame is both a responsibility and a surreal force in people's lives.

6. Faith, Spirituality, and the Limits of Knowledge

• Honest discussion of belief and skepticism:

  • Elwes is spiritual but skeptical of organized religion, prays as a private act; Maher affirms his atheism but not militantly ("People think atheists care a lot more about the subject than we do. Really, we just don’t give a shit." – Bill Maher [41:07])
  • Both agree that no one has the answers and that belief can be a positive source of calm and meaning ("I just like the idea of...when I stumble and fall, sometimes I find myself on my knees, and then I'm in a good position to pray." – Cary Elwes [43:03]).

• Maher’s Hairdryer Analogy:

  • "He says if you got your hair dryer out and you said you were speaking into it...they would take you to the mental institution. But take away the hairdryer and you’re praying." – Bill Maher, quoting Sam Harris [44:38]

7. On Miami, Family, and Parent-Life Balance

• Riff about Miami as uniquely international and party-centric:

  • "It’s like Vegas with a beach." – Bill Maher [59:59]
  • Elwes agrees: "The late night stuff is a lot. I need to get a room high in the hotel so I don’t hear the nightclub thumping all night." [61:27]

• Elwes on bringing family on set:

  • "I try to always bring my family with me, Bill. You do try to. Makes me feel more relaxed actually, to have them around." [61:49]
  • He describes prioritizing family time and making sure he isn’t the absent dad.

• Maher reflects on choosing not to have kids:

  • Expresses respect and fascination at parental devotion, even as someone who doesn't relate personally.

• Elwes’s daughter and the “Nepo Baby” question:

  • "I don't want to be a regular Nepo baby. I want to go, where did you study?" – Cary Elwes’s daughter, per Elwes [65:59]
  • Proudly shares her initiative in training at Groundlings and doing the work herself.

8. On Films, Violence, and Criticism

• Debating the effects of Hollywood violence:

  • Maher points out the hypocrisy of glorifying guns in movies while lamenting real-world violence.
  • Both agree violence is contextually necessary in film ("Violence is a big part of life...if it’s not gratuitous, I’m okay with it." – Cary Elwes [75:10]).

• Kubrick, Cancel Culture, and Responsibility:

  • Elwes recounts how Kubrick pulled "A Clockwork Orange" after real-world copycat violence, Maher argues against artists being held responsible for audience actions: "Clockwork Orange should not have canceled one showing. That is not the answer to that, in my view." [76:18]

• Maher on modern film reviews:

  • Critical of reviewers showing off or “flexing” rather than helping viewers decide what to see [70:09].

9. On Directors, Cinema, and Kubrick Appreciation

• The Uniqueness of Kubrick:

  • Maher and Elwes lavish praise on Kubrick’s range, innovation, and ambition ("Every movie is like, from a completely different universe" – Bill Maher [84:03]).

• Debate over '2001: A Space Odyssey':

  • "If I was 50 years younger, I still wouldn’t do it." – Bill Maher balks at watching 2001 in full [83:27]
  • Elwes defends it as a film "to be sipped, not gulped." [81:41]

• Favorite recent films and love of historical cinema:

  • Elwes praises Paul Thomas Anderson and Ryan Coogler, but confesses his real love is historical epics and stories rooted in real events [84:46].

10. History Buffs: A Final Banter

• Shared fascination with British and American history:

  • Both digress into a lively exchange of Tudor, Stuart, and Civil War history, capped with jokes about hygiene in Elizabethan England and witty quips about monarchs and beheading [87:02+].

• Appreciation for Mel Gibson as a director and storyteller:

  • Elwes praises Gibson’s skill in transitioning from acting to directing, stating that working around great directors inspired Mel’s craft [94:41].

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On acting as a muscle:

  • "You gotta go to the gym—go work them out. That’s why I do plays. I always keep my muscles loose so that I’m ready to work." – Al Pacino (as told by Elwes) [11:50]

• On the wisdom of celebrity:

  • “I’ve healed marriages...You just command so much respect. A celebrity...like, he did that for you.” – Bill Maher [38:30, 38:44]

• On skepticism and prayer:

  • "If you got your hair dryer out and you said you were speaking into it...they would take you to the mental institution. But take away the hairdryer and you’re praying." – (Sam Harris via Bill Maher) [44:38]

• On children and “Nepo Babies”

  • "We love kids, but why? It's just going to grow up to be some guy named Doug." – Nikki Glaser, quoted by Maher [65:31]

• On Kubrick’s diversity:

  • "Every movie is like, from a completely different universe." – Bill Maher [84:03]

• On family priorities in showbiz:

  • "I'm all about my family, really. All about my family." – Cary Elwes [61:59]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:00 – Aging, hair, and vanity in Hollywood
• 06:09 – On being typecast after 'The Princess Bride'
• 09:50 – 12:34 – Al Pacino's advice and pivotal career moment
• 14:10 – The craft of acting, Olivier vs. Method
• 19:54 – Laurence Olivier's stage fright ritual
• 27:11 – The Irish trailer with “John Wayne’s” oil dripping from the ceiling
• 32:29 – The drinking prowess of British actors
• 41:07 – Religion, atheism, and spiritual perspectives
• 53:47 – Discussion of new projects, ‘Dead Man’s Wire’ film
• 65:59 – Elwes’ daughter, acting, and the “Nepo Baby” challenge
• 75:10 – On violence in movies and Kubrick pulling “A Clockwork Orange”
• 84:03 – Kubrick’s creative range, film favorites, and historical obsessions
• 87:02+ – British and American history riff, the Virgin Queen, and dirty monarchs

Tone & Style

The conversation is characteristically Club Random: witty, self-deprecating, and intellectually nimble. Maher mixes irreverence with sincere curiosity, while Elwes is warm, smart, and full of industry anecdotes and British candor. The episode veers easily from comic banter to serious reflection, maintaining an inclusive, listener-friendly vibe.

Conclusion

This episode is a must-listen (or read) for fans of film history, acting, British wit, and thoughtful conversations about what it means to create, believe, and stay sane in the entertainment universe. Whether tracing the arc from “The Princess Bride” to Kubrick, riffing on Miami nightlife, exploring the culture of drinking among British actors, or marveling at the odd power of celebrity, Maher and Elwes keep things brisk, funny, and unexpectedly moving.