Halle Berry

Summary

Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend — Halle Berry

Release Date: Feb 16, 2026
Guest: Halle Berry
Host: Conan O’Brien
Co-hosts: Sona Movsesian, David Hopping (filling in for Matt Gourley), occasional participation by Eduardo Perez

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Episode Overview

This episode welcomes Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry. Conan, with his trademark wit and warmth, explores Halle’s extraordinary life: navigating identity, formative experiences, career-defining choices, motherhood, spirituality, and resilience. The conversation is candid, funny, insightful, and at times, moving—a quintessential blend of Conan’s irreverence and Halle’s sincerity.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Banter & Team Updates

• Matt Gourley’s Absence:
  [01:05] Matt Gourley is out on paternity leave. Conan, Sona, and David share delight and gentle mock indignation at a photo of Matt’s new daughter Nell.
• Flip Phone Saga:
  [04:30] Conan recounts his quest for a flip phone to avoid distractions, detailing his assistants’ (including David’s) struggles and reluctance to simply get it set up.
  • "Maybe I could commit a crime and then hit the highway. And I'm hard to trace. So I love this little blue flip phone that I have now." (Conan, [04:58])
• Deathbed Grudges & 'Death Poop':
  [08:05] A hilariously morbid tangent erupts about holding grudges and whether people poop when they die.

2. Halle Berry Joins the Conversation

[11:09]

• Halle’s Warmth and Playfulness:
  Halle opens by playfully saying she still feels “ghosted” by Conan ("You never called me.")—setting a tone of camaraderie. The hosts fawn over her iconic status.

  • "I can tell that we are gonna be friends." (Halle & Conan, [00:42])

• Cultural & Career Icon:
  Halle’s career touches iconic marks—Bond girl, Storm in X-Men, Monster’s Ball—mixing blockbusters, action, and acclaimed drama.

3. Identity, Childhood, and Resilience

[14:25]

• Navigating Mixed-Race Identity:
  Halle speaks candidly about growing up as a Black girl with a white mother, feelings of confusion, and ultimately acceptance thanks to her mother’s honesty and a pivotal fifth grade teacher (who remains her children’s godmother).
  • "If you accept this part of you, your life will be indelibly easier." (Halle quoting her mom, [17:43])
• Formative Experiences with Bullying:
  Halle recounts a powerful anecdote about being bullied—one particular humiliating beating serving as a turning point.
  • "That was the day I said, ‘No, I am never going to accept that somebody's gonna kick my ass’... I decided, I’m going to be the class president, on the honor roll, editor of the newspaper. I did all the things so I could not be denied.” (Halle, [23:06])

4. Finding Her Place: Pageants, Second City, and Acting

[25:19]

• Beauty Pageants:
  Halle describes unintentionally entering pageants (her boyfriend sent in her photo), her winning streak, and the resourcefulness required during those travels (hunting for Bananas Foster desserts as “research”).
• Transition to Acting:
  Encouraged by a Second City teacher to pursue acting, Halle’s path veers into more serious roles.

5. Breaking Stereotypes — The "Crack Ho" Audition

[28:20]

• Advocacy for Complex Roles:
  When auditioning for Spike Lee's Jungle Fever, she insists on reading for the more challenging “crack ho” role, against type.
  • "I am the crack ho. ...I want to show you that. Let me go." (Halle, [28:53])
• Risks for Black Women in Hollywood:
  Halle underscores the need to “rock the boat” when already positioned at the “bottom,” urging self-advocacy.

6. Monster’s Ball and Oscar Glory

[31:33]

• Risking Big for Big Wins:
  Halle describes the trepidation and resolve in accepting her Oscar-winning role, knowing it could “end her career” due to its demands; she commits regardless.
  • "Risk big, win big. You cannot win big if you don’t risk big." (Halle, [31:38])
• Historic Win:
  Discussion of the momentous Oscar win, with Conan humorously miswriting his notes (“first woman to win Best Actress”).
  • "[I] didn’t win the Golden Globe...so that was the night I knew, well, my chances are over. This has been fun, though." (Halle, [35:39])

7. Spirituality & Personal Evolution

[36:24]

• India & the Third Eye:
  Halle shares a remarkable “third eye” spiritual awakening during meditation in Kerala, India, guided by a shaman. This results in her feeling compelled to act on her intuitions and truths, sometimes ending relationships as a result.

  • "You're going to see so many things...but you'll have to act on them. That's going to get you in a lot of trouble...But I can see clearly for myself, and I let it guide me." (Halle, [40:16])

• Sense of Empowerment with Age:
  Halle and Conan agree that, with age, comes clarity, self-acceptance, and a blissful disregard for the opinions of others.

  • "I have zero fucks to give anymore about things and what people think..." (Halle, [43:17])

8. Motherhood and Letting Go

[47:49]

• Discussing Kids Growing Up:
  Both reflect on the surreal pain and pride of children leaving home. Halle expresses anxiety about her daughter's impending adulthood and independence.
  • "It seems like just yesterday she was this little thing...and now...she's going to do all these things because she's 18. But you were just 17 the day before!" (Halle, [50:41])
• Conan’s Experience:
  Conan admits to being “disconnected” from his feelings until his children actually left home, then being overwhelmed.

9. Crime 101 and Working in LA

[45:08]

• New Project:
  Halle talks about her new film Crime 101 with Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo, describing it as an adult, gritty, LA-set movie—a rare chance to shoot in her hometown and spend nights with her kids.
  • "It's like a love letter to LA. We never get to shoot in LA...and I got to see my kids every night." (Halle, [45:47])

10. Sustained Passion & Acting as “Me Time”

[52:19]

• Rejuvenation through Work:
  Halle sees acting as a welcomed break from the relentless logistics of parenting.
  • "Parenting is hard...When I get to go do a movie, it's like it's just me time." (Halle, [52:19])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Identity:
  “If you accept this part of you, your life will be indelibly easier.” — Halle Berry, recalling her mother's wisdom ([17:43])

• On Taking Risks:
  "Risk big, win big. You cannot win big if you don’t risk big." — Halle Berry ([31:38])

• On Self-Acceptance:
  “I have zero fucks to give anymore about things and what people think or how they feel about the choices I make...” — Halle Berry ([43:17])

• On Parenting and Growing Up:
  "Just because you turn 18...how much more do you know? You were just 17 the day before!" — Halle Berry ([50:41])

• On Spiritual Awakening:
  "That was your third eye opening...You'll see so many things you couldn't imagine...but you'll have to act on it. That's going to get you in a lot of trouble." — Shaman to Halle Berry, recalled by Halle ([40:10])

• Comic Gold:
  Conan’s off-the-cuff bits: “When someone around me screws up, it’s with me forever. On my deathbed…I’ll start spewing all of the mistakes I’ve recorded to exorcise them from my body.” ([08:05])

• Halle, on being “ghosted”:
  "You never called me." — Halle Berry, playfully to Conan ([00:16])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening banter, flip phone saga: [01:05–10:40]
• Halle Berry joins, reminisces late-night appearances: [11:09–13:44]
• Growing up with identity challenges, maternal guidance: [14:25–19:14]
• Formative bullying story and response: [20:04–24:18]
• Pageant years, accidental entry, Bananas Foster quest: [25:19–27:33]
• Advocating for “crack ho” role in Jungle Fever: [28:20–30:38]
• Landing Monster’s Ball, thoughts on risk: [31:33–34:27]
• Oscar win, spiritual life change in India: [35:25–41:55]
• Empowerment, aging, giving 'zero fucks': [43:17–44:19]
• Parenting, letting go of grown kids: [47:49–51:59]
• Still loving acting, career keeps her revitalized: [52:19–53:46]
• Closing mutual warm wishes: [53:46–54:11]

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Tone and Style

• Playful, self-deprecating, honest: Hallmarks of Conan are on full display, with Halle matching his vulnerability and mirth at every turn.
• Genuine warmth: Halle and Conan express real affection and respect for each other.
• Insightful and raw: Halle is candid on issues of race, self-discovery, risk, and aging.
• Signature quirkiness: From flip phone rants, death-poop debates, to disco ball-helmet white elephant gifts, there’s plenty of signature Team Coco eccentricity.

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For Those Who Missed It

This episode is a masterclass in candid, hilarious, and unexpectedly deep celebrity conversation. Halle Berry lifts the curtain on formative struggles and moments of triumph, revealing a philosophy grounded in courage, authenticity, and hard-won self-possession. Whether recounting spiritual revelations or schoolyard fights, she’s as compelling and relatable as she is iconic. Conan’s irreverence and empathy bring out the most resonant and entertaining aspects of the conversation, making this both a celebration of friendship-in-the-making and an exploration of what it means to risk, persist, and continually grow.

Transcript

[A]

My name is Halle Berry and I feel still ghosted about being Conan o' Brien's friend.

[B]

Wait, how did I ghost you ghosted me. When did I ghost you?

[A]

You never called me.

[B]

Well, there are issues. My wife doesn't love it when I call you. Also in my sleep, when I yell Halle Berry repeatedly, she gets upse.

[A]

Hear the yell Back to school Ring.

[B]

The bell Brand new shoes Walking blues.

[C]

Climb the fence Books and pens I.

[A]

Can tell that we are gonna be friends.

[B]

Yes, I can tell that we are gonna be friends hey there. Welcome to Conan o' Brien needs a friend. I am that Conan o'. Brien. Joined by sonam of session.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

And a little twist here. Not Matt Gourley. Yeah, we got David hopping sitting in. Good to see you, David.

[D]

Great to see you.

[B]

And David is sitting in. This is very exciting because I don't know when this airs, but last night Matt Goerley and his wife Amanda had a baby girl. And so now they have two girls. They have their second child, and it's very exciting. We're very happy for them. Crazy. Matt sent us a photo this morning of Amanda holding his new daughter. And just Amanda Luce.

[C]

It enraged me.

[B]

It enraged me, too. Yeah. She looks like she's had full hair and makeup and she hasn't. She's just that beautiful.

[C]

She is gorgeous.

[B]

Gorgeous.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And look.

[C]

Looks completely unfazed by it.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And I, It. It made me angry.

[B]

Yeah. It just. I was. I was very. I was like, good God. Yeah, she looks beautiful. They did put false eyelashes on the daughter, which I thought was weird. And press on nails, those really long ones. Yeah, I thought that was a little much.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

The tan or two.

[B]

Yeah. And she's spray tan, but it's a beautiful. Sorry to interject. It's beautiful. I didn't think you needed to come in. I honestly didn't think you needed to interject. It's a beautiful photo. Well, I just have to bring something up. It's a beautiful photo of this lovely little girl. And we all have a text message, a chain going on with all of us. And we're all saying, oh, she looks great. She looks great. And then you wrote, that's the face Blay makes when he levels up in Elder Scrolls 5.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[B]

Well, no, you told the story incorrectly. I did? Yeah. There's a second shot of just the baby.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

That's what I'm saying. There was a. You didn't say that.

[E]

Okay.

[B]

And I'm just. I disagree with everything you do and.

[C]

I want to go on record, because.

[B]

There was a picture of this beautiful baby with this beautific smile. That's right. And I said to that that's the face Blay makes when he levels up in Elder Scrolls 5. Yeah. So I just cleared that up. Yeah. And I just want to say you're right. But also, I'm impressed.

[A]

You know What?

[B]

Elder Scrolls 5. Who did you ask, please?

[D]

Did you Google it?

[C]

Did you text Beckett?

[B]

Guys.

[C]

Did you text Beckett?

[B]

Guys, guys. I know about all things, and I just like to. I'm a Renaissance man. Okay. I don't go to Renaissance fairs, but I am a Renaissance man. But let's get back to the task at hand here, which is congratulating Matt and Amanda on their beautiful. A little girl.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Nell, I believe, is her name. That's really nice. I was hoping it would be Conanina, but I think that has yet to fly.

[D]

Maybe the next one.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[B]

No. That's very exciting. And so instead of Matt, we have David hopping. David is my assistant.

[D]

Yep.

[B]

You called me very excited this morning because my flip phone came through.

[D]

We know the flip phone saga.

[B]

I got a flip phone last year when preparing for the Oscars because I really wanted to focus, and I don't want to be constantly harried and harassed by the thousands of people that have my phone number. So last year, I got a flip phone so I could really, really focus, and I just. Only five people had the number, and I could bury my other phone. And so I asked you several months ago to reactivate the flip phone. And you're great, David. You do everything the minute I ask.

[D]

Thank you. Let's leave it there.

[B]

You wouldn't do it. I kept forgetting. I kept asking you, and you'd be like, on it, and you wouldn't do it. Almost to a pathological degree now. Is it stupid? I could just turn off the other functions on my phone. And is it stupid that I have a flip phone? Probably. But I loved it. I love flipping it open, and I love looking like I'm trying to get some meth. I just love it. Or sell it, you know? It's a burner phone. I like that. Maybe I could commit a crime and then hit the highway. And I'm hard to trace. So I love this little blue flip phone that I have now.

[D]

It's a black one. Because your blue one stopped working.

[C]

Can't you just reactivate it?

[D]

No. Like, the phone wouldn't turn on.

[B]

Yeah. Oh, but you know what's interesting? Let's get to the issue here. The crux of the issue. You wouldn't do it for the longest time, and it got a little crazy. Cause I think I brought it up maybe twice a week, and you'd say, yep, and then he just wouldn't do it. And I thought.

[D]

I kept forgetting what.

[B]

Really?

[D]

And then, like, you thought you had, like, the sickest burn. You were like, you're turning into Sona.

[B]

Why did you say that? Was Sona here? Why'd you say that Was Sona here?

[D]

I'm just trying to get the heat off of me.

[B]

Well, you used to famously not do things.

[C]

I have. I have a point to make. I think you're changing the narrative a little bit. Did he really do it twice a week?

[D]

He doesn't twice a.

[C]

No, you didn't. That's the thing. You always change the narrative to make the person seem less calm.

[B]

How many times do you think I asked over the last three to four months?

[D]

Maybe like three or four.

[B]

No, absolutely not. Anyway, Sona, you admitted in a remote that you had a hard time doing something that I asked you to do.

[C]

What is it about you that makes people not want to help you? Like the people who are supposed to help you?

[D]

I told him I never really understood when you said you had a block about assisting him, until for whatever reason.

[C]

This flip phone thing, I think you're the problem.

[B]

So the flip phone, it's not there was something. But as a. As a licensed psychiatrist and psychologist, I would like to dive in on this. Okay. What was it about the flip phone? Because you've never done that before, but you really did dig in in your own way. Go.

[D]

Here's what I think it was. You got a flip phone originally. Great. It was working. For whatever reason, the service stopped.

[B]

The person who was setting up our phone, I think, had never seen a cell phone before.

[D]

I think it was his first day.

[B]

I think he snuck in the back, pretended to be working there. Anyway, we had a bad experience there.

[D]

We were there so long that I was talking to the guy trying to get the phone set up, and I couldn't see Conan.

[B]

And I.

[D]

Look, Conan's just laying on a bench.

[B]

By the window there for more than an hour and a half.

[C]

Oh, no.

[B]

And this person just looked absolutely dumbfounded about how to give me a phone number and. And. And just initiate the phone. So that's what did it. We got burned there. And that's why you didn't. You thought you'd have to go back there.

[D]

The important thing is the phone's working now.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah, that's the important.

[D]

You have a new number.

[B]

Yeah, but you know what I'll remember is your refusal to do it for such a long time. That's the part. Not the fact that now it's here and I should be happy, but I'll always remember is how long it took. That is my illness.

[C]

It is.

[B]

And my talent.

[C]

And you'll bring it up in two years.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

And it's gonna be something he may have forgotten because why would anybody remember that?

[B]

I don't know why I will. I just never forget. When someone around me screws up, it's with me forever. And on my. I think on my deathbed, and I hope this is not for a very long time, maybe I'll even be comatose. But all of a sudden, when the end is very near, I'll just start almost like I'm in tongues. I'll start spewing all of the mistakes that I've recorded to exercise them from my body.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And it'll be just some people poop you. I'm not gonna do that. I'm gonna just be.

[C]

Don't people poop?

[D]

Oh, when they.

[C]

When they die, you're. That's your way of pooping.

[B]

I don't think anyone does that.

[D]

No, No.

[C]

I think Noah poops.

[D]

Don't they.

[C]

Don't they poop a little. Isn't there a poop? Death poop. It's a death poop. You're death pooping with. But you.

[B]

With your.

[C]

The things that you're holding in.

[B]

I've never heard that.

[C]

No one poops. Did I make that up?

[D]

No, I've heard that. I thought it's like your last.

[C]

I've seen two people die. And you're right, neither one of them's on it. Yeah, neither one of them pooped. I saw.

[B]

How did this change? How did you do this? You totally effed up this conversation royally. Yeah, we were solving this whole flip phone issue and I was gonna go into a great impression of me spewing out all the.

[C]

Oh, I'm sorry, no, it's too late.

[B]

That's not happening. But now we are into death poop. The test occurs because all muscles, including the sphincter muscles that control bowel and bladder movements, relax immediately upon death. The release of waste is not guaranteed, but it is a normal, natural part of the post mortem process. Death poop.

[C]

I'm right.

[B]

You ever heard of eliminated? That's what it's called. Never heard of that. Well, okay. I think we should just end this segment. I'm really bummed out.

[C]

Why?

[B]

Well, that was just a really bummed me out death poop. Congratulations to Goerli on his new yes. Hey, we were on death. What about the creation of new life? There'll be no pooping there.

[C]

Can I ask you a question? Were you upset that when he. If he, if, if. I don't know if David apologized for it, but if he apologized for it, were you upset if he didn't mean it or that he wasn't beating himself up over it?

[B]

I'd like people to beat themselves up over it.

[C]

I know you do.

[B]

And you never would. You were just like, oh, yeah. I'd be like, oh, that medicine that keeps me alive, the heart medication. Okay, yeah, I just didn't get it. Big deal. And you just wouldn't do it. You wouldn't say, oh, I'm sorry, Conan. That's all you had to do. Oh my God.

[A]

In your world, you're just like this.

[C]

Like, everything I do is so nice and I need medicine and no one's helping me. Evil.

[B]

There's no medication I'm on that is necessary. Nothing. Not a thing. But in my mind I've turned it into. I need to have this nitroglycerin pill or my failing heart will give when probably what I was asking you for was a supplement. Where's my whey protein pill? All right.

[C]

There you did your voice. You're welcome. You're welcome.

[B]

Okay, my guest today is an Academy Award winning actress. You know, from such movies as Monster's Ball and Die Another Day. Now you can see her in the film Crime 101. I'm in love with this woman. I'm just going to say that right now. Halle berry. Welcome.

[A]

Conan. You have been one of my favorite people ever.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

I think you know this. Like, I'm not saying something.

[B]

I can't take that in emotionally or spiritually.

[A]

It's true.

[B]

You know, I will say this.

[A]

It's really true.

[B]

You were on the late night shows, I think nine times you came on the show and it was always just fantastic. One of my favorite clips is at one point we're going back and forth and then I kind of fake diss you and you stand up and walk out and I leap to try and I mean, it's a talk show and I leap to like, no, come back. And you committed, you like left, but then you came back. But it was such a great. And I have to say, a lot of cool people, a lot of very famous people come in this building, things are a little different today. So I show up about an hour and a half ago here in the building and everyone's freaking out that you are coming. And these are people that see, you know, big names all the time. Ted Danson does a show here. He's a big deal. He comes in and all of a sudden I heard all this noise downstairs and I said, I betcha Halle Berry's here. And they said, someone said, no, I think that's Ted Danson. And I went, no, they're way too happy. And I love Ted Danson and people here love Ted Danson. That's how off the charts things were. So, just so great to see you. You look gorgeous as you always do. I'm going to warn you that sitting next to you is a gentleman who's got. Listen, I think we have to come out with this.

[E]

It's full disclosure kind of thing.

[B]

Full disclosure kind of thing. So let's hear it. This is Matt Gourley. And Matt, why don't you conf. You're a love and obsession.

[E]

Well, I just love the Bond movies. And so it's such a pleasure to have a Bond girl in here like this.

[B]

And also iconic Bond girl.

[E]

I know.

[B]

In my opinion, very iconic.

[E]

Very iconic scene. Jinx. Anyway, I'll shut up now. That's out. We've got it. It's taken care of.

[B]

Why are your glasses fogging over?

[A]

I don't know.

[E]

Am I not in the shower right now?

[B]

Okay, yeah. I would say between. There's this. I mean, you hit so many notes in your career, but you think about it. There's this intersection of Bond girl, which means the world to so many people, but also X Men Storm and then all this crazy hardcore legit movie roles and it all comes together. And you couldn't have planned a career like that. Do you know what I mean?

[A]

Yeah, I know. I did not.

[B]

It'd be scary if you did.

[A]

It'd be scary. I don't even know how you could.

[B]

I'm seven years old and you had a chart with different intersecting circles and yarn. That would have been cool. But no, that's not. You know, it's so funny because I was thinking a lot about you today, as I do.

[A]

See, I know you do.

[B]

Wait, I do.

[E]

Your glasses are fogging.

[B]

You're not even wearing glasses. I don't have glasses. My retinas are fogging up. I'm getting glaucoma.

[A]

I know. You have never forgotten me, Conan.

[B]

I have. No one does not forget you.

[A]

I know this.

[B]

Yeah. And so this was, you know. Wait, what was I just saying? I just. My. My mind just.

[C]

You were thinking about her.

[B]

I was thinking about you today. And I think about you and yesterday and then a couple of weeks ago.

[E]

Stop reiterating.

[B]

Stop. I had this theory that very creative, interesting people and creative souls are created by this in childhood, not quite knowing who they are. Meaning that that's where real creativity comes from. And I was just reading over your whole life story, which is really something. And you as a child were very dislocated in a lot of ways emotionally, and I thought still dislocated. Yeah, but I mean. Yeah, but I mean, I think that leads to a creative soul. It's not always pretty, but I sometimes think that living a completely normal, happy childhood isn't always the best recipe for being creative. Do you agree with that?

[A]

I do. I think so. I think having always searching for something, for love, for acceptance, for belonging, I think does allow us to go really far in our business. You know, we're searching. I'm still searching. I think that's the purpose of being here.

[B]

Right.

[A]

If ever I figure it out, I think that's when I'm in that box, looking straight up.

[B]

But yeah, yeah, I'm gonna be buried facing down.

[A]

I'm gonna be burned up. I don't wanna be in a box.

[B]

Actually.

[A]

I'll finally be out of a fucking box when I die.

[B]

So you wanna be burned up and then burnt through like a snowblower and.

[A]

Shot all over the place, all over everybody.

[B]

That's. Wow. Okay.

[A]

That's what I want so much.

[B]

My.

[A]

When I die.

[B]

So many people are gonna turn out for that ceremony. I'm covered in Halle Berry. This took a crazy turn. I didn't think this was coming, but that's what just happened. No, but I was thinking about it. You born to white mom, black dad. Right. And then not really much of a relationship with your dad. And this childhood of. I know your mom, you're in a. I took you to an all white neighborhood, so there's a lot of dislocation, I would think, and a lot of like, wait a minute, what's going on? I need to figure out who I am.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Your dad's family didn't want to have much to do with you.

[A]

Well, I didn't want to have much to do with my mom because she was white. But I was really close to my grandparents, my dad's mom and brother. But the thing about that kind of childhood was looking like me, obviously being black, but having a white Mother, all girls, kids, you know, you want to be like your mom, right? But it was painfully impossible for me to be anything like my mother. Right. She was blonde, blue eyes, like everything I wasn't.

[B]

And your mom was born in Liverpool?

[A]

Yeah, that's.

[B]

I mean, I never knew that. So your mom doesn't even sound like you when you're growing up.

[A]

Well, she did because they came here very early. So she didn't really sound. She kind of lost like her family. Really. You didn't still sound like that. But we looked nothing alike. And I could never achieve that, no matter. I used to walk around with like a yellow towel around my head pretending I had long blonde hair, you know, I just wanted to be like her. And so I felt very confused about my identity growing up. You know, even though we lived in an all black neighborhood, I still, I wanted to be like my mother. You know, I think that's a very natural state of being and I never could be. And I think that's led to my feeling of, you know, not belonging and not really knowing who I was. And if my mother's white and I'm black, like what does that mean? Who am I? Am I really black? Am I half black? Am I mixed? Am I not mixed? I don't feel very white. I don't look very white. But yet I have this white mother. Like it's part of me. Like there was a lot of confusion growing up. How would I identify? And it was actually that white mother that really made me realize, you are not white. Yes, you are half me. And you know, and she knew, I was proud of that. But she told me, you will be identified as you are. You will be perceived as black. You are black. And if you accept this part of you, your life will be indelibly easier. Because she saw me struggling to identify myself some way. We all need to identify with something, right? To feel a part of something. And so I realized pretty around the middle school years, I realized I was black and that was okay. That I didn't have a black mother and that I would never be like her. That I was. I had a black fifth grade teacher. That helped me also realize you're amazing just as you are.

[B]

This fifth grade teacher was so important to you. She became a big part of your life.

[A]

She did, Yeah. A big part of my life. She's now my kid's godmother and she's still a part of my life. Yeah.

[B]

That's amazing.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I do not have that relationship with my fifth grade teacher.

[A]

Do you remember Your fifth grade teacher.

[B]

I do. And I got the police looking for. Oh, no, no, I'm kidding. I'm thinking fourth grade. And you know who you are. Anyway, we'll get into that later. Meaning. We'll never get into that. But, you know, it's interesting because when you, When a. When a kid that young, I think is struggling to figure out, feels off balance with such an elemental thing at such an early age, they start looking for signals. They start looking for things maybe harder than a kid who's completely comfortable would. And for you, it's watching movies, you're watching movies, you're watching, you know, whatever's gonna come on television or whatever you can see in the theater.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And that's where kind of this begins, this road you get on.

[A]

I think so. We were latchkey kids, you know, my mom was busy working. She was a single mom, so she was always working. So it was a lot of get home, let yourself in, figure out, you know, figure out your fun, do your homework if you want to.

[B]

You don't, you don't. It's all cool.

[A]

Yeah. So we grew up, we were very independent, you know, And I also got into a lot of fights growing up. I was busy fighting a lot.

[B]

Physical fights.

[A]

Physical fights?

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Bullied? Mm. Yeah.

[B]

And you would fight back. Were you good at fighting back?

[A]

I didn't fight back at first. There's a story that really, the moment when I decided to fight, I was. One day. Do you want to hear this story?

[B]

I do.

[A]

Okay. Okay. So one day I was getting bullied quite a bit and I would always know that I was going to get my ass kicked because they would come and tell me after school, we're going to kick your ass. And I'd be like, okay, thank you for letting me know.

[B]

Was this all because of the color of your skin?

[A]

That and I was not still not like a shrinking violet. So if you said something to me, I'm going to say something back. So that probably got my ass kicked a few times.

[B]

Yeah.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

But one particular day, this really tall, like this girl was already like 6ft tall in the sixth grade, came to me and said, yeah, we're going to kick your ass after school. Just so you know. And I said, okay, sounds good.

[B]

This is all very. I love that. It's like, can we schedule that in?

[E]

Yeah, I'll put it in my planner.

[B]

I'll do something at 2:15. I could do 240. 240 works. Ass kicking, 246 foot girl.

[E]

Making me think, was this you no, no, red hair.

[B]

Okay, very funny.

[E]

All right.

[B]

And yes, go ahead.

[A]

So I get. I'm on the bus. They're on the bus. I know it's happening. I get off. And sure enough, she gets off, and two other girls get off. And then, like, three boys get off, too. And I thought, that's interesting. Get off the bus. And sure enough, I'm walking home, Got my head held low. I know it's coming. I just don't know when the first thing, the first hit's coming, but I know it's coming. And out of nowhere, I just feel like on the top of my head, that's how tall she is. Just like, boom. And I, like, did, like the wiggle down, you know?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, you turn into an accordion.

[A]

Became half of myself hit the ground. And when I was down there, she then ripped my shirt off. And then I realized why. The boys were there. They were gonna see something, ripped my shirt off, and I just have my little breast buds out. And the humiliation was so great. And I felt I could not do anything. I allowed this to happen to myself. I just knew it was gonna coming, and I just accepted it. I didn't know the stripping of the clothes was coming, but it all was just so terrible. And they all continued, the boys included, then laughing and kicking me until I ended up in the sewer, which was like the open water that ran outside of our house. We were, like, in a little country suburb. And there I was in the gutter as they ran off, laughing. And when I got out that day, that was the day that I said, no, I am never going to accept that somebody's gonna kick my ass. And I said, okay, well, then let's do that. And that was the day I started fighting back. And I didn't fight back necessarily fight with fire. I decided I was going to control everything at the school, right? I was going to be. Because part of the reason I was letting myself get beat up is because I didn't feel good enough. I didn't feel on par with these kids, right? I felt like somehow, in some twisted way, I deserved that or I didn't belong there. And I decided, I'm going to be the class president. I was gonna be on the honor roll. I was gonna be the head chee. I was going to be the editor of the newspaper. Like, I did all the things so that I could not be denied. And through that, little by little, respect grew for me, and I felt good about myself. And so therefore, I. I felt that from everybody else. And by the time I left that school. I felt like I was now running the shit. I was, like, in charge. And that's how I dealt with feeling less than allowing myself to be beat up.

[B]

There are those forks in the road where, you know, that terrible experience you had. Things can get worse after that, or they can start to get better. And you made this decision, all right, things get better now.

[A]

Yep. Yep.

[B]

That's what's gonna happen. Yep.

[A]

And those are pivotal moments in one's life. And it was my fifth grade teacher, Yvonne, who was there to help me come up with this strategy. Helped me realize how I could. You know, leaving the school wasn't an option. So it was, how could I fight back without going to their level and using violence and, you know, figuring out how I was gonna, like, murder all these kids? It was more about, how do you really fight back? That really will benefit you as you grow, not just beat these kids. It's not about these kids, really.

[B]

Well, also, best revenge is success.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

You know, having an amazing life and being a superstar.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

I'll get there.

[A]

Yeah. I'll show you all.

[B]

I'm real pretty. You know, I was thinking your early foray into being seen is in beauty pageants, you know, and so it's interesting to me that. Which you were very successful at, you know, and to be. To have people looking at you that way.

[A]

Are you successful in beauty pantry?

[B]

Were you not? Was it. I mean, how did you. You took that route, and then you're being seen that way. But you must have known. No, I've got this whole other. I've got this amazing tool set that isn't even being utilized in me just being in this pageant.

[A]

Yeah, that's. You know, sometimes you kind of fall into something. You don't really know how you got there. That was kind of my story. I don't really know how I. Well, my boyfriend at the time entered me in my very first one because he wanted to have a girlfriend who was a queen, a beauty queen.

[C]

What the fuck?

[B]

He just wanted that tiara. I want a tiara. You're expensive.

[E]

Because that make him the king.

[B]

That's so weird. Yeah, I guess the queen consciousness. That's a strange calculation. Yeah.

[E]

Yeah.

[B]

But so, of course I show up.

[A]

I get this letter in the mail that says one day you've been accepted to the Miss Teen Ohio pageant. I was like, well, really? How did I get in that? He's like, oh, I sent your high school picture. I sent it in for you. That was a good thing. So once you got In. I got in. And the thing about beauty pageants, when you win one, then you have to go to the next one. Like, there's always a step next, right? So I went on a string of winning, and every one I got into was just because I'd won the one before. So I had to go do the next one, then you had to go do the next one. And then finally I lost and it stopped.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I went on to my life. But that was.

[B]

And you were never heard from again. I don't know who you are right.

[A]

Now, but it was a good way to start. I mean, you know, I got to travel. I went to every state in this country, which was really good. And I had to find where the best Bananas Foster was in every state that I went in before Internet. So that was a hard thing to do.

[B]

We'd like to know.

[A]

I had to find it in each city. I had to find where they sold made the best Bananas Foster for our group. So I was very resourceful.

[B]

Bananas Foster is. Does that have caramelized.

[E]

Is it the one you light on fire?

[A]

Yeah, you light it on fire. It's got bananas and brown sugar and rum and butter and cinnamon and vanilla. And you put it over vanilla ice cream. You make a thing with the cooked bananas.

[B]

It's like, get that in here. Right? Can we have that? Or just some rum? Screw the banana and shit. I want that rum. So there. Then there's this leap I don't understand, which is you go from that experience to. And I know there's a lot that must happen in between, but Jungle Fever, Spike Lee, when does that. How does that happen?

[A]

How does that happen? Well, I. Because I came from beauty pageants. I. When I realized I was studying at Second City, and one of my teachers there said, you know, you should be an actor. And I really didn't. I said, really? He said, yeah. So when I got this chance to audition for Spike, it was to play his, you know, his girlfriend. And the thing was, you know, pretty girl is his wife. And I was like, okay, that got me in there. But when I got to meet Spike, I said, I know you want me to read that, but can I read the crack ho part? Can I read the other part? And he was like, no, I don't. You're not the crackhoe. I said, I am the crack ho. I am the crack ho.

[B]

No ideas, Spike.

[A]

I am the crack ho.

[B]

Not crack. It's Bananas Foster. That's my crack. But it's still the same idea. So how did you convince Him, I.

[A]

Just said, you know, I am really more than the pretty girl. I really. I want to show you that. Let me go. He goes, okay, go in the bathroom, wash all your stuff off, and maybe I can see you as the crack ho. So I did that, and I came out, and then I got to audition for that part. And he was like, you are the crack ho.

[B]

Congratulations. Ultimate compliment.

[A]

You won.

[B]

You get the crackho. No, I'm getting crack ho right now.

[E]

Congratulations to Crackhoe.

[A]

You know, that's like a journey. But I also knew if I was gonna really be doing this thing, seriously, I felt like I needed to come out of the gate being more than. Speaking of boxes, I did not want to get put in that box.

[B]

But I think if you look back at the trajectory you already had and what you had been dealing with because you had had to fight all those battles, you're in a situation where most people are just thrilled to be in the Spike Lee movie. Do you know what I mean? And pretty girlfriend in the Spike Lee movie is just fine. Thank you. But to be in that situation, say, no. Actually, over there is where I think I need to be director, writer, director, auteur. That. It all comes from this. It goes back to this same idea. Discomfort, a feeling of being unsettled as a kid. I think that builds this strength. And where you're, no, I'm not gonna do that. I need to be over there. Even if maybe people around you are saying, don't rock the boat. You know, this is the part you could have.

[A]

Yeah. And I knew being a black woman, you know, it's the bottom. It is really the bottom. And you have nothing to lose. Only to gain by rocking the boat and demanding more and asking for more and being loud about it. You have nothing to lose. Cause you're already at the bottom. And that's really how I felt.

[B]

Yeah. It's unbelievable that I'm gonna skip ahead to Monster's Ball, for which you win an Oscar. And it's a historic Oscar. It is a seminal moment in film history. History. It's. It's a big moment when you see that part. Do you think this could be huge for me? Did that resonate with you? Or did you go into it thinking, oh, this is another part I can play, and I'm gonna do it? And maybe it was hard to see how far this could go.

[A]

Yeah. I can't say I thought Oscar. I don't think anybody can think, oh, this is gonna be an Oscar. I don't know if you think that that's like insane. But I felt like this was either gonna be one of the best things I ever did or it would end my career. But that's where I like to live of risk big, win big. I've known you cannot win big if you don't risk big. And if you don't even try, you're surely gonna lose. So people around me said, because at that time, I hadn't done nudity and the sex scene was like a big, like it had a big red light on it. Sexy. Like, it was such a big part of that movie that people close to me said, you know, this could really be, you know, this could hurt you. This could really hurt you. This could not be a good thing. It was a little small movie, no money. It's like a little indie. Like it could all for nothing, right? And I had the feeling that I related to the character, I wanted to play the part. And I said, if this ends my career, then I'm ending my own career on my own beliefs. Right? No, you know, it's what I wanted to do. And if that's the case, then, then I, I have a knowing, then that's what it's meant to be. And this, this isn't for me then. Right. I, I, I have a knowing of that, that if it ended it, then I'm in the wrong place. And it would be the universe showing me to move or where to go.

[B]

Right.

[A]

I didn't think that there could be a negative, no matter how it turned out.

[B]

Also, as you just said, you have that I've got nothing to lose here. It's a great attitude. It's a great attitude which you came to. You come by that the hard way. You come by it very honestly, but it's such a position of strength.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. And when you really believe that, and I do, I can still sit here 30 years later at 60 this year, not afraid to do anything, really, because I still feel that way. I have nothing to lose. Nothing. And that is a really empowering feeling. And that has allowed me to try many different things over my career. Didn't always win, but it didn't mean I lost. It didn't turn out the way I wanted it to. Yeah. But it didn't mean I lost. I'm still here, you know, and it's just like, okay, well, that didn't work. Let's try something. You know, it doesn't. Nothing can level me.

[B]

Right. When you're at the bottom, I say that to young people.

[A]

You're already out down there.

[B]

Yeah, I say that to young people all the time, which is I tell them you don't get dinged as much as you think you will be for failing.

[A]

And in order to get it right, you need more shots on goal, right? So you have to keep trying.

[B]

Well, now you're getting to sports. And I don't know what you're talking about.

[A]

I don't know either. I just know what that means.

[B]

Someone help me here.

[D]

Matt.

[B]

Oh, forget it.

[C]

No, not me.

[B]

There's no one here. Oh, Edward. Analogy. Okay, there you go.

[A]

With shots on goal, man, you need more chance. You have to keep trying.

[B]

So there's a ball of some kind. Look, this interview is over. Completely lost me. You know that moment. I still remember that moment when you won. And like I say, it was a historic win. The first. You know, it's so funny because I was writing notes, you know, like, I write notes and I can't always read my own handwriting. I was writing them real fast and ideas and stuff. And then I wrote down on a piece of paper, like yesterday, when I was thinking about you coming. And what I wrote was supposed to say, first black person to win Best Actress. And what I wrote was, first woman to win Best Actress. And of course, I'm writing real fast, and I just drop. And then this morning, I'm looking it over and I'm like, wow, first woman to win Best Actress.

[A]

That's amazing.

[B]

How did she pull that off? But, you know, it's so interesting. Cause that was such an electric moment and so real. Because you really, I don't think, had thought that might happen. And you.

[A]

I was sure I wasn't. Because back then, the Golden Globe was the precursor. And I didn't win the Golden Globe. So that was the night I knew, well, my chances are over. This has been fun, though. This little movie that they thought could have leveled me got me this far. It was done then. One of my only memories of that night, actually, is Russell Crowe. When I walk to get my Oscar, he saw that I had left the building and he just looked at me and he was like, breathe, mate. Just breathe, mate. You gotta breathe, mate.

[B]

I was with him in a Lamaze class. That is exactly how he sounds. That is.

[A]

I mean, and it woke me up to. I gotta breathe. Yeah, I gotta turn and I gotta.

[C]

Talk to these people.

[B]

You're a very spiritual person, and I've always known that about you. Whenever I talk to you, I mean, there is an aura around this woman. And there you have this. You're connected to something that Cannot be explained. And I know that you've talked about having this life changing experience in India. Were you like on a soul searching mission when you went to India and were you talking to a shaman? Were you talking to like a religious figure? What happened, Cass?

[A]

How do you know about that?

[B]

I've been following you.

[A]

I know about this Conan, you know.

[B]

That weird lady that you always see about six, about nine feet behind you, scribbling in a notebook. First woman to win Best Actress. Can you believe a woman won Best Actress?

[C]

You're not even accurate.

[B]

No, I was just reading all this stuff about you and it said that you had this great life changing moment in 2017. 2017. And it sounded kind of fascinating. Like, I know I'm a skeptical person, but I'm also, in a weird way, not a skeptical person. And I'm very much interested when someone else has an experience like that. I want to know what happened.

[A]

Okay, well, I, yeah, I was there on a thing and I decided to go to. After we left Mumbai, I wanted to go to this wellness center in Kerala. So I did. And there was a shaman there and he took me in my group. We were there at like the end of our week. He took us all out to meditate, like right on the edge of the ocean. And you do it at like 3 o' clock in the morning when all the high priestess and the Buddhas are meditating. It's the highest vibration, right? So we're out there at the edge of the ocean. We're on our mats. I have like four people with me. We start. He says it's going to be a long meditation. Like we're going to go three, four hours into it. So we're in it. We're in it. I'm going to be about an hour in. I'm still in it, but I just kind of, kind of look around. All my people are like.

[B]

Are these friends of yours or is it like agent, manager, accountant?

[A]

No, they're friends of mine.

[B]

I'm just picturing me bringing Rick and Gavin. Oh my God, you know, Michael Carlin, all these guys in suits. All right, everybody, let's get in the lotus position. They're on their phones. But anyway, so these are friends. They're friends and they're not having it.

[A]

They're like, it's too damn early. They're sleeping. But I'm still in this meditation. So finally he comes to me and he says, for the last hour, I want you to put your eyes in at like 20%, just so you can kind of see but, you know, stay in your meditation. So he keeps guiding me and talking. So all of a sudden, he starts to walk in front of me, and he walks to the edge of the ocean. And I sort of see him out there, but I'm in my. My state, and I'm meditating, doing what I'm doing. And I look and I see that there's a shadowy figure that comes to him. And I'm thinking, where did that come from? It looked like it came out of the ocean. But I'm thinking while I'm in the meditation, well, how could that be? Like, what would come out of the ocean? Is that an alien? Like, what. What am I seeing here? So it stays out there for a while, and about 20 minutes later, he starts to walk back towards me, and that person or that figure just kind of goes away. And I thought, now what? Now what the hell is that? Who was that? Right? So when he. When the meditation is over, he says, so you know what happened? And I said to him, what I just saw? And he said, oh, yes, it's what I thought. Come with me. So he takes me into a little room, and he said, you know, what just happened out there? I said, no idea. Where did that man or that person, where that thing come from? And he said, that was your third eye opening. You saw my aura? He said, was it black? I said, yep. He said, that was my aura. You now are in the club of your third eye opening, and there's a good, there's positive, and there's a negative to this third eye. You're going to see so many things you couldn't imagine you would see. You're gonna understand things instantly in a way you never used to before. But the bad part is, the negative is you're gonna have to act on it. And that's gonna get you in a lot of trouble. That's gonna make you unpopular. It's gonna have. You have a really hard time in relationships with people. A lot of them will come and go as a result, because you will no longer be able to be silent when you know something or you see something or you feel something. And I said, even if I try not to say anything, he said, you'll see. You will not. You will not be able to be quiet. And Conan, that is the thing that has happened since that time. I can no longer be quiet. And people have come and gone as a result. I have ended relationships as a result, like, seemingly out of nowhere because I saw the truth of the situation, right? And there's sometimes when I see the good in a situation, and I go down a path and I embrace something that everybody's like, what you're doing? That I'm like, I see it. This is gonna be great for me. I see it, and it turns out to be great. So I've learned to trust that this third eye, this thing I have, it's real and I got it, and I just trust it. Now when someone leaves or I tell someone, you know, this is done, or I stand up for myself, or I switch my management or I change, whatever I'm changing, I now have a knowing that there's this other force, that there's this I. That I'm seeing clearly for myself. Can't see for you or anyone, but I can see clearly for myself, and I let it guide me.

[B]

Well, this is why I ghosted you, because I realized you had that third eye and I couldn't handle it.

[A]

It. I just. You don't want to ghost me, Cody.

[B]

Now I'm terrified that I did ghost you.

[A]

You don't want to ghost.

[B]

But it. It's.

[A]

You don't want to ghost me.

[B]

I. This is something that I've come to realize at my age, and I'm. I'm a bit older than you, but I. I like it now. I just realize, you know, we have this culture that just glorifies being young, and being young was great, but I just feel like things make more sense to me now, and I know myself now, and I feel like a little bit. That's what you're describing. I can't say I've had that profound a conversion, but I've had a subtler feeling of, yeah, there's. You know, there's some aches and pains now, and I. I do my weird comedy moves, but I enjoy this period now more than the intensity and, I don't know, kind of sometimes maniacal misdirection of 20s, 30s, 40s. This feels. It's a calmer place to be.

[A]

I describe it by saying I have zero fucks to give anymore about things and what people think or how they feel about the choices I make or what I'm doing or how. How I'm doing my life, you know? And that is a really empowered place to be able to say, hey, I know you don't care that much about me anyway, so why do I give so much energy to what you're thinking about me or making choices that satisfy you or make you happy? Like, you know, that's a really good place. And I can't say I was Always there. I've been the dancing bear. And I've been trying to make everybody love me and like me and, you know, fit in. And it's really. That's exhausting when you go through life that way.

[B]

Yeah. And also this profession is. It is a profession.

[A]

Agreed to that.

[B]

Yep. And it's about how much am I being liked at this moment versus that other moment versus the next moment. And it can get in your head.

[A]

Yeah. And when you can really not care, like, really don't just say you don't care. When you can really not care.

[B]

Really not care.

[A]

That is like a really powerful place to be.

[B]

I can't say I have zero fucks to give. I have like three fucks to give.

[A]

Okay, what are your fucks? I want to know what Conan's fucks are.

[B]

You mean I believe I can have sex three more times.

[C]

In your life?

[B]

In my life.

[E]

Huh?

[B]

Yeah. I mean, I've been to a doctor and he said, I think he got three. Three left. And he did measurements and things. And he said, there's three left here. Oh, no. Yeah, no, it's true. I said, can I get a new cartridge? And they're like, no, you are out of ink. So I'm being very careful with how I use them.

[C]

God, I'm sorry, Halle.

[B]

Very like, I haven't seen Conan in a while and I now know why.

[E]

Yeah, she read your aura.

[B]

Yeah. You read my aura. I'm like, what made you Conan?

[A]

I know.

[B]

Let's talk about crime 101. You made this film with Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo. These are fantastic people. I would think to.

[A]

Oh, my God. Fantastic. Fantastic.

[B]

Yeah. And it just sounds like a really fun movie. It really does sound fun.

[A]

It's very adult too. You know, I think we sometimes. I've got two kids, so I search to find adult themed movies. You know, I've had two decades of cartoons and animated movies, and it's really nice to be a part of making a real adult, sort of a throwback of heat and like, very.

[B]

It's kind of got a gritty la.

[A]

Gritty la. It's like a love letter to la. We never get to shoot in la. I'm so happy working here. Go to work and come home like normal.

[B]

That's no small thing to shoot in Los Angeles because everybody is now, you know, they're in like, whatever. They're in Greenland and they pretend that it's. I mean, they will be once we own it. But I'm looking into it.

[C]

You're gonna buy It.

[B]

We're gonna move our. Once we conquer Greenland, I'm moving the podcast studio there. You're gonna love it. Lots to eat.

[C]

Lots to eat.

[B]

Not a wide variety, but there's a lot of it. I've been there, you know, I did a show there. I did a show there. Yeah. I went to Greenland when this. A couple years ago.

[C]

The first time.

[B]

Yeah, the first time. The first time our president was talking about Greenland. I went there to check it out and talked to a real estate agent and walked around and it's. You can see it all on one of our travel shows. But it was. It was a profound experience. But I was saying that most. You don't take it for granted because nobody shoots much in Los Angeles anymore. And so to shoot an LA movie about la, and this sounds like a joke, but if someone shoots a movie that's a love letter to LA these days, there's a 90% chance they are shooting it in the Netherlands. Do you know what I mean? And then they just throw some palm trees in there. So it's amazing that you got to do that.

[A]

You really got to shoot it here. And it makes all the difference in the movie, too. You feel like you're where you're supposed to be. And I got to see my kids every night, which is.

[B]

Was.

[A]

I'm about to go to France to work. I will not be seeing my kids every night. And that's always it, you know, that's how it's what it's become, you know?

[B]

Yeah. Would you. Can they go with you, or. It's just too hard for the.

[A]

It's hard. You know, they're at the age my daughter is about to. But she's 18 next year.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

She's going to college.

[B]

She's got her own things to do.

[A]

She's like, no, thank you, mom. My son's 12. He'll probably come because his dad's French. He speaks French, so he likes France, so he'll probably come for a little bit.

[B]

When my kids turned 18, they said, we never want to see you again. This has been nice. It's been real. Way too many bits every day in the kitchen. My daughter's 22 and my son's 20.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

So they. They're off in school and doing their own thing and constantly.

[A]

And how did you feel? I'm dealing with my daughter leaving. How did you feel? Did you.

[B]

I'm someone who can get very disconnected from how I feel. Meaning I'm really good at sublimating things and pushing it Down. So. So my daughter, when she left. Cause she was the first, and she's like my little girl, and then suddenly she's going off into the world. I had a hard time with it. And then I think I convinced myself that, well, it's my son. I won't feel my. You know. And I kind of spiraled when he left. Cause I realized that I was in denial a little bit. And then it hit me hard.

[A]

And when she left, did she leave town?

[B]

She went to school. Yeah. Yeah, they both went away to school. But my agent says they're doing very well. I can't talk to those kids. Impossible. No, it's tough. It's a huge adjustment. I mean, you're going through this vow to have a second child, a daughter.

[E]

Coming in a week or so.

[A]

Oh, my God. You're starting.

[E]

I know. It's really late.

[B]

And Sona has twins.

[E]

It's my second.

[A]

Your second. Okay.

[B]

Sona has twins.

[C]

They're young. They're like four and a half. I mean, they are four and a half.

[B]

I'm not.

[C]

Yeah. I don't know why I said it like that.

[B]

You're a strange person. But that's. That's. You don't think. And then when it happens, it is very surreal. It's very surreal. And then when they call you and say, how did it happen?

[A]

Like, it doesn't. It seems like just yesterday she was this little thing and looking at me like I'm a jelly bean. And now I'm just like, no.

[B]

When they say I'm. Yeah, Broccoli's good. Good for you.

[A]

It's good for you. But, like, you know, I know I'm good for her, but it's hard to come to terms with, like, they're.

[B]

It's very hard.

[D]

I don't know.

[A]

I'm sorry.

[B]

It doesn't make any sense to me. The most surreal thing is when one of them says, okay, I'm going. I'm gonna hop a plane. Hop a plane. No. You know, I'm going to go grab the, you know, the Delta flight and go flying to another part of the country. And I'm going to. Then go do my own thing. And I think, well, who's going with you? You know? Is your mother going with you? Who will sure tend to you to make sure that you get to the bathroom, you know, and it's. I've just completely lost my mind.

[A]

Yeah. Well, because. It's also just because you turn 18. One day you're 17, and one day you're 18. So how much more do you know? Just because you turn 18.

[B]

Right, right.

[A]

You're the same.

[B]

Right? Right.

[A]

So she's gonna be 18 and she's like, well, I'm gonna do all these things I wanna do now because I'm 18. But you were just 17 the day before.

[B]

Just cause this little arbitrary click. That's a good point. Now I'm more terrified.

[A]

I know I'm terrified.

[B]

It's terrible talking to you.

[A]

But you're past that part though.

[B]

I'm past.

[A]

They're 21.

[B]

No, you're never past this. Goes back to the very beginning of the conversation. You said you never stop putting yourself out there. You never stop feeling like I need to grow. You never stop being a little afraid. That just doesn't stop.

[A]

It doesn't stop.

[B]

It's the good news and the bad news and these things don't stop. I think if I get to live a really long time and my kids, I get to see my kids be in their 40s or 50s, I'll still be stunned that they're headed out the door to go do something and that we're not with them making sure everything's okay. It's always gonna be the way that doesn't go away.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. I don't think so. Are you still having like on this movie, Crime 101, you're working with these fantastic actors. Are you still in it, having fun after everything you've been through, all these successes and everything, you still there enjoying it? In it?

[A]

I love it.

[B]

Yeah. That's great.

[A]

I still do. Sometimes I joke with my friends and think I go to work for a break because parenting is hard, you know, it's hard work. And when I get to go do a movie, I just have to think about myself. I don't have to think about anybody's clothes, what they're eating, what they're doing, driving to a soccer game, picking them up. My daughter goes to school all the way downtown, like it's a trek. It's an hour and a half almost each way. And you do that, you know, twice a day. You're looking at six hours out of your day. Just school driving, you know. So when I go to do a movie, it's like it's just me time. I don't care if it's 16 hour day, six days a week. I'm just focusing on me and that feels like a break.

[B]

Do you refine your choosing roles where your character is, like, taking a lot of bubble baths, bubble bath and chocolates? The movie I'LL do it. It's really not a good script. There's no plot. There's no character development. I'll do it. That's what I would do. It's like Adam Sandler does that every movie. It's like he's in Hawaii. He's at a great resort. Oh, and look, he's having a sundae. Well, this has been an absolute delight. You've lit up our whole building. Everyone's thrilled you're here, and I adore you. I think you're amazing. You're just such a great, honest, cool person to talk to. And I'm just so happy you could be here today.

[A]

I'm happy to. And I legit mean. You have been always one of my very favorites. Every time I've gotten to come. We have so much fun.

[B]

We have so much fun.

[A]

It's been easy and it hasn't, you know, you don't always feel that from everybody, so I feel you just as genuinely.

[B]

Well, I'm crazy about you, so I'm just delighted you're here. Thank you. It's all good. I'm just very happy.

[A]

Thank you very much. Thanks for having me.

[B]

You take care.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

I'm gonna ghost you again.

[A]

I will. And if I see something, I'm telling you.

[B]

God.

[E]

It's currently January. February. Beginning of the year.

[B]

Earlier.

[E]

Last year, we never scheduled it. It fell through the cracks. But we were going to do a white elephant Christmas party suggested by Eduardo, and I purchased something.

[B]

This is a year ago. You purchased something? Well, no.

[E]

Last year in December and. All right, what did we say our price was gonna be? 30 to $40.

[B]

Yes.

[E]

I think I spent about $100. This thing, I just couldn't pass it up. And I don't wanna oversell it, but I'd like to just bring it.

[B]

Is it a gift for one of us?

[E]

It would have been if we did the white elephant. You know what I mean?

[B]

If I like this thing, can I have it?

[E]

Well, let's just see.

[B]

It's like a prop comic. Oh, my God. Oh, wow. Talk to me. What's happening right now?

[E]

I don't think I need to say a thing. I think this says it all.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Well, if you're watching a video right now, then yes. But let me describe for anyone who's not, you've just put. Basically, they've turned a disco ball into a motorcycle helmet is what it looks like. Oh. Vice versa. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[E]

I saw this and I just knew that this was the thing. And I Was just hoping it was in the price range and it wasn't. And then I left and then I went back and got it.

[B]

So this.

[C]

And then we canceled it and I.

[E]

Was stuck with this thing. But now I'm kind of glad that.

[B]

I love that you. So this is. There's so many things that are perfect about this. You bought this as kind of a gag for a jokey thing that then got canceled. It didn't happen. You now have what appears to be a disco ball on your head, but a complete with a strap with a little clicker so that you can strap it on.

[C]

It can't be street legal.

[B]

Yeah, I think it's distracting. Yeah. Of course, anyone behind you with their brights on is gonna be killed immediately by lasers. So no, you can't be driving that down the street. You said a store had this? Yeah, it was. Now it looks like something that you would buy on a site. It doesn't look like something that would exist in a store.

[E]

No, not only that, but there are two of them. And I seriously consider getting two of them so that when somebody got this and it went crazy in the white elephant, I could pull out a second one and go, like, how much?

[C]

You know, you thought we would all like, want it and fight over it and stuff.

[B]

Oh, no.

[C]

And then we would pay you more than market value.

[E]

I was gonna make a mint, so.

[B]

So.

[E]

You look so good.

[B]

Tell me about the store. Yeah, tell me sometimes sona with.

[E]

You see this thing out with your jacket? Oh, my God.

[B]

Oh, this jacket's too cool. Bitch.

[C]

No, you wear that.

[B]

Matt, talk to us about the store where you bought this. I'm picturing, you know, in the 40 year old virgin, when.

[D]

Yes.

[B]

When they go into a store that just sells stuff from ebay.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And who is it who wants to buy?

[C]

Jonah Hill wants to buy.

[B]

Jonah Hill wants to buy those high heeled platform shoes that have a goldfish in them. I'm picturing it's that kind of store.

[E]

It was a vintage store in Santa Barbara on State Street.

[B]

Vintage. Yeah.

[E]

So there was all kinds of stuff.

[B]

So people were. Long ago.

[E]

Hey, man, I'm Disco Fonzie.

[B]

This is good to remember that people had terrible ideas 40 years ago because.

[E]

Someone'S making these and there's a couple of them. It's new. So I mean, make an offer.

[C]

Make an offer.

[B]

Yeah. Okay.

[C]

Yeah, I'll pay you not to have it.

[B]

Yeah. My offer is you can work somewhere else if you like. That's the offer I have for you. You know what's not nice. You know, you're a dad and soon to have two kids. They might like it when dad wears that.

[E]

My daughter responded just the same way you guys did.

[C]

She lost respect for you a little.

[B]

Dude. Yeah.

[E]

She had zero. Did she say zero already?

[B]

How old is she now?

[E]

Four.

[B]

She's four. And she said, you know, it's trying to be meta and arch, but it's a little too much and a little too self consciously twee. And you're like, wow.

[E]

You said in a second what Conan's been trying to tell me for seven years.

[B]

So you didn't buy two? No. Okay. If you had another one and you put one on Sona 2, and you went outside where there's sunlight and you aimed your helmets at each other, you might both go back in time.

[A]

You.

[C]

Know, or you might Freaky Friday, just switch bodies. Oh, yeah, yeah. No, I know what you mean.

[B]

Just switch bodies.

[C]

I don't know.

[B]

That would just be weird.

[C]

It's just absurd. I'm kind of glad we didn't do white elephant.

[E]

Cause you could have ended up with this.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Have you done a lot of white elephants? It was not a thing in my culture growing up. It feels like it's something that's more in life.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

British. I think the. It's. It's. Is that right?

[C]

I don't know. I have. No. I did white elephants with my friends.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

My family now does them in lieu of individual gifts because it's just too big. It'd take too long. So we just do a big white elephant.

[B]

But also, it can get really mean.

[E]

It can. Yeah, I would think. I wish you do it this coming year because I imagine you'd get pretty ruthless.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

No. What are you talking about?

[A]

You know.

[B]

Yeah. But also, you know what I could do is even if I lose out in the game, when the segment's over, I could just say, and now I want all of the gifts. And you'd have to do it.

[E]

You'd have to give them to you.

[B]

Of course you do.

[C]

Why?

[B]

Yeah. I'm a ruthless dictator here, Yogi. Yeah. I'm the Maduro of podcasts. Why do you think I'm so. I'm always hiding. Any minute now, they're gonna come take me away.

[E]

Hey, Duardo, is there any way to, like, dim the lights, but just get a spot on this base? I know I didn't.

[C]

Should I use my phone?

[B]

Just start hitting buttons over there, Adam.

[E]

And then watch what it does to the room. And then see what you want to.

[B]

Try to Hit the.

[E]

Will the. Turn all the lights off? That's okay, because Sona's got.

[C]

Is it worth doing, putting this much effort into it?

[B]

Oh, yes. Yeah. This is big.

[E]

This is big.

[B]

Sona does say that about everything. Someday when they're. Someday they'll be doing CPR on me, and Sona will be saying, do we really need to put this much effort.

[C]

They're doing CPR on you.

[B]

Some of my best jokes happen in the dark.

[E]

All right, now I'll entertain offers.

[B]

Okay, that was spooky. It did feel like I was in a strip club that closed, and I'm still there, and I'm there for the food, so there's no ladies anymore, and they're not even serving drinks. But I just can't get enough of that beefaroni.

[E]

Hi, I'm Roscoe. I'm the lighting designer. And strip all in one.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[B]

You know what? I think that's one of those gifts that's going to pay dividends, you know?

[C]

So it is.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah. I don't know.

[E]

Even I doubt that.

[B]

I just know not to pick your gift next. I know we actually do this.

[A]

Well, they.

[C]

You don't know whose gift is this? You won't know that. We used to do white elephants, and one of my friends forgot a gift, so he went back to his car and got Taco Bell sauce packets. And I would rather have the Taco Bell sauce packets than that. That disco ball helmet.

[B]

And you'd say that even if you were at a Taco Bell and there was just. And you were surrounded. There's just bins of them, and still you're like, you can have more of these free things that surround you. Or that disco ball helmet.

[C]

Yeah, no, I like white elephant, though. It's fun. We should do it next year. This year.

[B]

Okay, we'll do it. Yeah, we'll do it.

[E]

And will you shop, or will you just have David go find you something?

[B]

That's a terrible thing to say. People act like I live in some kind of bubble. Once Covid's over and stores reopen, I'm sure David will show me where these quote stores are, and I will go to one and talk to a purveyor. All right, well, listen, all I ask is that you wear that on the ride home and that you lower your windows as you head into Pasadena.

[E]

I'm riding on a motorcycle. No need. Disco ball.

[B]

That's definitely a Vespa. You need to be on a Vespa for the that. All right, Peace out, Conan.

[E]

O' Brien Needs a Friend with Conan o' Brien Sonam of Session and Matt Gourley Produced by Me, Matt Gourley Executive produced by Adam Sachs, Jeff Ross and Nick Leow Theme song by the White Stripes Incidental music by Jimmy Vivino Take it away, Jimmy. Our supervising Producer is Aaron Blair and our Associate Talent Producer is Jennifer Samples, Engineering and mixing by Eduardo Perez and Brendan Burns. Additional production support by Mars Melnick Talent booking by Paula Davis, Gina Bautista and Brit Kahn. You can rate and review this show on Apple Podcasts and you might find your review read on a future episode. Got a question for Conan? Call the Team Coco hotline at 669-587-2847 and leave a message. It too could be featured on a future episode. You can also get three free months of SiriusXM when you sign [e-mail] Conan and if you haven't already, please subscribe to Conan O' Brien needs a Friend. Wherever fine podcasts are downloaded.