Carrie Preston — on making ‘Elsbeth’ her own, and the joyful grind of a working actor

Summary

Podcast Summary: Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Episode: Carrie Preston — on making ‘Elsbeth’ her own, and the joyful grind of a working actor
Release Date: October 7, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this warm, candid conversation, Jesse Tyler Ferguson sits down with acclaimed actress Carrie Preston at San Sabino in NYC for an in-depth meal and discussion. Ferguson and Preston reflect on their enduring friendship, the unique quirks and career arc that brought Preston to headline the hit series Elsbeth, and the everyday realities—the joys and challenges—of a working actor. They cover everything from formative moments in theater, the inside story of career-making TV hits (True Blood, Lost, Elsbeth), work-life balance, and navigating Hollywood as a character actor-turned-lead. The episode is a celebration of making it on your own terms, gratitude, and the power of persistence.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Serendipity, Theater Roots & Enduring Partnerships

[04:23]

• Jesse reminisces seeing Carrie in The Tempest at Shakespeare in the Park—her NYC stage debut as Miranda.
• Carrie recounts her early days: starting at Georgia Shakespeare Festival at 19, studying at Juilliard, then landing theater roles in NYC.
• Both actors share a love of the 'grind' and lasting friendships born in the theater world.

On meeting her husband, Michael Emerson:
[05:44 - 08:43]

• Carrie met Michael at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival—her brother invited her to audition for Ophelia, and Michael swept in as Guildenstern, impeccably dressed (causing Carrie to initially think, “He’s gay. Dammit!”).
• The chemistry was palpable:
  • “He was leaving flowers for me outside my door when I would wake up to go to work.” —Carrie Preston [08:02]
  • The ‘showmance’ became public after they arrived at a party together.
• Carrie knew quickly: “A month later, I was calling my mom, ‘You need to come meet the man I’m going to marry’… I’m not going to tell him that, but you need to come meet.” —Carrie Preston [08:40]

2. Navigating the Working Actor’s Life

[09:32 - 10:58]

• Jesse asks about relationship logistics when both are working.
• Carrie describes making long-distance work while Michael filmed Lost in Hawaii and she was in New York—complicated by natural disasters and scheduling:
  • “I don’t know how we’re gonna do this … It takes 13 hours to get there.” —Carrie Preston [10:08]
  • They kept apartments in both cities, coordinated “pockets of time” (True Blood filmed in LA, making things easier).
• Both reflect on balancing career ambitions with personal life.

3. Landing True Blood and TV Breakthroughs

[11:13 - 12:58]

• Jesse, a fan, recalls the show's ensemble and creator Alan Ball.
• Carrie’s route to True Blood: Met Ball through auditioning for the indie film Towelhead, bonded over their Georgia roots. Ball later pitched her the part of Arlene.
  • “You want me to play a buxom redhead? Sure. Gotcha. Yeah, you know, I can do that.” —Carrie Preston [12:49]
• True Blood became her first real taste of job security, after “8th or 9th” pilots: "Finally it hit. And it was such a relief… but we had no idea it was gonna be what it was.” —Carrie Preston [17:37, 17:46]
• Shooting occurred before anyone saw a finished episode; a writers’ strike almost derailed it.

On the show’s theme:

• “Alan described True Blood as being about the fear of intimacy, which I thought was a really cool way to look at it.” —Carrie Preston [19:01]

4. Career Crossroads & TV Guest-Star Roles

[19:08 - 21:01]

• Shared anecdotes about work on Lost, including Carrie pitching herself as a flashback mother to Michael’s character—"That was totally my pitch, too. And I didn’t even think...they were going to take it seriously.” —Carrie Preston [19:32]
• Jesse describes the surreal atmosphere of awards season, crossing paths with big names, and the dissonance of classically trained actors navigating Hollywood.

5. Becoming ‘Elsbeth’—From Supporting Role to Leading Lady

[21:05 - 28:54]

• How the character Elsbeth went from a recurring spot on The Good Wife to The Good Fight, then to her own self-titled CBS show. Carrie details the full-circle moment of working with Stephen Moyer (True Blood costar) as a guest star.
• The responsibility & anxiety of being #1 on the call sheet:
  • “I was terrified. Oh, my God. I really want to make sure I make this as great as I can do.” —Carrie Preston [22:43]
• Jesse describes Carrie’s “genius” physical comedy, e.g. searching for the invisible door—"This is the gold of the scene, actually." [23:30]
• Carrie on why Elsbeth works: "I love it that we’re kind of walking the line between comedy and drama… I think that’s what people want right now, cathartic fun.” [23:56]
• They riff on the “Columbo” structure: audience knows the murderer from the start, pleasure is in the how of catching them.
  • Notable moment: Jane Krakowski’s confusion about being revealed as the murderer in the first scene, and Jesse's reply: “No Jane, that’s the whole point!” [24:22]

6. Building Iconic Characters—Elsbeth’s Quirks

[25:37 - 27:25]

• The origins of Elsbeth’s many bags—“Brooke Kennedy… was like, I just feel like there’s so much going on in her life… she’d have a lot of things she was always juggling." —Carrie Preston [25:53]
• The “tote bags for guest stars” tradition: “I do still give out tote bags to the guest stars.” —Carrie Preston [27:26]

7. Breaking Through After Decades of Work

[27:34 - 30:31]

• Jesse reflects on the significance of staring as #1 later in a career, the layers of experience that come with the grind.
  • "I feel like only someone who has had this underbelly of your career would even think to" do things like gifting tote bags. [28:41]
• Carrie expresses gratitude for the opportunity:
  • “It’s not lost on me… it doesn’t get to happen very often for anybody. There are only so many television shows... I never thought it would happen.” [28:41]
• She notes the changing expectations for women over her career—once relegated to “the wife of the week,” now the quirky lead: “It was this supporting little character… now we’re following her. I’m amazed.” [29:31]

8. Stories from Rom-Com and Film Sets

[35:23 - 39:47]

• My Best Friend’s Wedding: Carrie’s first movie, shooting in Chicago, working with Julia Roberts (“movie star!"), living the “glamorous” Hollywood life.
  • Costume trivia: “In the script they were called the Vengeful Sluts.” —Carrie Preston [37:33]
• On a possible sequel: “The twins need to be in it." [37:24]
• Duplicity: Julia Roberts (again)—gave Carrie a heads up: “She gave me a big hug and then… said, ‘I’m gonna be mean to you for the rest of the day…’ And it was exactly what I needed for the scene.” [39:02]
  • Filming an emotionally demanding scene with little rehearsal: “It was like the most high pressure acting experience I think I had at that point.” [39:58]
  • Julia led the crew in applause for Carrie: “She had the whole crew clap.” [41:06]
• The camaraderie among actors: at the Duplicity premiere, Julia called out, “We love you, Carrie” from the audience. [41:06]

9. Recent Success with The Holdovers

[41:19 - 43:09]

• Jesse praises Carrie’s performance in The Holdovers: “Heartbreaking. It’s one of my favorite movies… that relationship you have with Giamatti is so alive and nuanced and heartbreaking.” [41:22]
• Carrie shares Alexander Payne’s meticulous process, her admiration for Paul Giamatti’s total presence, and the humbling privilege of watching fellow actors (like Da'vine Joy Randolph, eventual Oscar-winner) create artistry “from the ground up.” [43:09]

10. Full Circle & Closing Sentiments

[43:44 - End]

• Jesse expresses his admiration for Carrie crafting Elsbeth: “I was watching you create something really special...I felt very fortunate, very blessed being on that set.” [44:07]
• Carrie is effusive in her appreciation of the rare and hard-won moment of leading a show, and the importance of making cast and guest stars feel welcome.
• Both reflect on starting out together at the O’Neill Center, the humbling arc of the actor’s journey.
  • “We were these little kids together… stars in our eyes at the O’Neill center… It’s humbling.” —Carrie Preston [45:05]
• Closing words: “I adore you… Dinner is on me.” —Jesse Tyler Ferguson [45:26]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On knowing she’d met “the one”:

  • “I was calling my mom, ‘You need to come meet the man I’m going to marry…’” —Carrie Preston [08:40]

• On True Blood finally hitting:

  • “Finally it hit. And it was such a relief… but we had no idea it was gonna be what it was.” —Carrie Preston [17:46]
  • “Alan described True Blood as being about the fear of intimacy, which I thought was a really cool way to look at it.” [19:01]

• On being #1 on the call sheet:

  • “I was terrified. Oh, my God. You know, I really want to make sure I make this as great as I can do.” —Carrie Preston [22:43]
  • “It’s not lost on me, you know, this gift…there aren’t that many TV shows in the world, and I never thought it would happen.” [28:41]

• Elsbeth character-building:

  • “Let me tell you—a choice that is made 15 years ago when you appear once a year…becomes quite a different thing when you have to carry three tote bags, 14 hours every day.” —Carrie Preston [26:43]

• On gratitude and creative community:

  • “I know what it’s like to walk onto a set and feel like you do not belong there. And it is really hard to do your work when you feel that way.” —Carrie Preston [30:31]

• On film set atmosphere:

  • “She gave me a big hug and then… said, ‘I’m gonna be mean to you for the rest of the day…' And it was exactly what I needed for the scene.” —Carrie Preston (on Julia Roberts in Duplicity) [39:02]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 04:23 – Jesse’s first Shakespeare in the Park: Carrie as Miranda
• 05:44 – Carrie and Michael Emerson’s meet-cute, early romance
• 09:32 – Making a relationship work long distance
• 11:13 – Landing True Blood and meeting Alan Ball
• 17:37 – Achieving job security—True Blood's cultural impact
• 21:05 – Origins of ‘Elsbeth’ and surreal “full-circle” experiences
• 23:30 – Elsbeth’s physical comedy—searching for the “door”
• 25:37 – The “bags”/character quirks of Elsbeth
• 28:41 – Jesse on what Carrie brings as the lead
• 35:23 – “My Best Friend’s Wedding” set memories
• 39:02 – Julia Roberts’ “method meanness” and emotional scenes in Duplicity
• 41:19 – Carrie’s experience making The Holdovers
• 44:07 – Jesse on Carrie’s artistic creation of Elsbeth
• 45:05 – Full circle reflections, O’Neill Center memories

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Tone & Style

• Conversation is intimate, effusive, humorous, and occasionally deeply vulnerable.
• Both delight in sharing “inside baseball” industry details, but with warmth and appreciation for each other’s craft.
• Carrie is humble, grateful, and generous in her reflections; Jesse is thoughtful, often in awe of his guest.
• An undercurrent of genuine friendship, hard-earned career wisdom, and joy in the “long game” of artistic life and success.

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For new listeners, this episode exemplifies Dinner’s on Me’s blend of personal storytelling, industry insight, and warm camaraderie—especially meaningful for anyone interested in the realities of a creative career, the craft of acting, and the joys of lasting artistic relationships.

Transcript

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

September. It feels like a big month in our house. Beckett just started kindergarten, which is wild to say out loud. I'm wrapping up Shakespeare in the park here in New York City before we head back to la. It's been such a special summer, but being away this long has got me thinking. What if our place in LA could be working for us while we're not there? That's the beauty of hosting your space on Airbnb. And the part that makes it feel really doable is Airbnb's co hosting network. You can team up with a trusted local who takes care of everything from guest messages to check ins, even styling, so your home can stay welcoming without you having to manage it all from afar. Find a co [e-mail] host you know, one of my favorite parts about this show is how much it reminds me of the little ways people show up for each other. A few years ago, I was starting rehearsal for a new play, and a friend surprised me by sending money for my lunch on the first day. It was such a small gesture, but it made me feel so supported, like, hey, I've got you. That's what I love about Zelle. Whether it's a big moment or a small one, Zelle makes it easy to send and receive money directly between enrolled bank accounts. So when someone you care about needs it or when you want to make a thoughtful gesture, it's right there. When accounts send money with Zelle, look for Zelle in your banking app or head to zelle.com to learn more. Hi, it's Jessie today on the show. You know her as the star of the hit CBS show Elsbeth. It's Carrie Preston.

[Carrie Preston]

I'm amazed every time I see it that it says Elsbeth. I'm like, I think I play Elspeth. You know, it's like, it's still, like. It's still this, like, little disconnect of, like, I'm the person who's playing that.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This is. Dinner's on me. And I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. There's a photo that I'm gonna put on my Instagram of me and Kerri preston at the O' Neill Theater Festival. And I'm gonna say 1998. I have known Carrie for so long. We met, obviously, through the theater world, as you might have gathered from the o' Neill Theater Festival Reference. I am so happy to have her on the show. I got to guest star as one of the first guest stars of her show that she is leading Elsbeth on cbs. She premiered the character of Elizabeth on an episode of the Good Wife, which she won an Emmy Award for. And she has gone on to play Elsbeth on the Good Fight. And now she has her own series named after her character. It is absolutely fantastic. I adore her, and I am so thrilled that she has finally agreed to find some time in her busy, busy schedule to do an episode of this podcast. It's noon, and I'm inside San Sabino Restaurant waiting for Carrie to arrive. For anyone who hasn't been, San Sabino is the sister spot to Don Angie, which we had Jim Parsons on the podcast at Don Angie's. Don Angie's is run by my friend Scott Castanelli and chef Angie Rito. The menu is a whirlwind of Italian American seafood. Shrimp parmesan with a sweet and sour Arabana twist, crab and mortadella dip with Ritz crackers. Fancy. It's fun. It's a little nostalgic. It's all those things. The space itself is a sunny Mediterranean dream. It has these buttery yellow walls, polished brass, a wavy bar that could have floated straight out of Capri in 1960. The cocktails are super inventive. They have a garlic bread martini. You guys. Okay, I know the conversation here will be as lively as the plates we're about to eat. The playful, whimsical vibe seems perfect for Carrie. I could just imagine her character eating here on the show. It's very, very chic. And in just a matter of time, Carrie is going to walk in. Oh, I think I see her outside. All right, let's get to the conversation. I was actually thinking this is serendipitous because I'm going to my last weekend of Shakespeare in the park here, and the very first Shakespeare in the Park I saw was the Tempest that you were in.

[Carrie Preston]

That was your first thing you ever saw?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Not ever saw?

[Carrie Preston]

No, no, no.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

My first Shakespeare in the park, then Shakespeare in the park, and I did the thing where I waited in line because it was a hot ticket.

[Carrie Preston]

It was a hot ticket. Did you have to wait it the night before?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I don't think I had to wait the night before. I think I got there early enough. But I remember you so vividly in that show as Miranda, and that, you.

[Carrie Preston]

Know, that show was, like, the dreamiest way to make a New York stage debut that you could ever come up with for a girl who came from Macon, Georgia, and then studied Shakespeare.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

At Juilliard.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah, at Juilliard. And then doing. I was doing Shakespeare when I was 19 starting at Georgia Shakespeare Festival. I mean, who gets to say that they made their Broadway debut doing Shakespeare? Not. Not very many people. All characters should wear.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thank you. Some water, sparkling, tap or still? What would you like?

[Carrie Preston]

Sparkling.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I would love sparkling. Thank you. Absolutely. We do have a nice special going on for lunch today. We have a delicious swordfish melt. Sort of like a rip off of a tyranny fish melt. You're gonna get three pieces of stretched focaccia bread. On top, you'll get a nice swordfish mixed with some shallot and caper, mayonnaise, melted fontina cheese, and these cherry pepper marinated tomatoes.

[Carrie Preston]

Wow. That's an app.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Or as a mint for 24. Oh, my goodness.

[Carrie Preston]

Thanks.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wait, okay. Did you and Michael just celebrate a big anniversary recently?

[Carrie Preston]

We did. 27 married. Oh, my God, 31 together.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's crazy.

[Carrie Preston]

And we met during Shakespeare.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You met during Shakespeare?

[Carrie Preston]

We were doing Hamlet at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No way. So Michael. Okay, we're speaking about Michael Emerson, Carrie's husband of 27 years.

[Carrie Preston]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And so you met during Shakespeare. Okay. I did not know that you met before you even moved to New York.

[Carrie Preston]

Yes, I went down there. I had just gotten out of Juilliard, and I went down there to do a play with my brother, John Preston, who's an actor, and he was a resident actor there forever. And he was like, hey, audition to play Ophelia. And then you could come down and if you get the part, then we get to hang out and play video games and like, go see mom, you know, that was like the plan. You know, I got cast and then first day of rehearsal, in walks this guy in a three piece suit.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Nothing's changed, right?

[Carrie Preston]

And I was like, wow. You know, everybody else is in, you know, actor wear, and he's in a three piece suit playing Guildenstern. And I was like, who the hell's that guy?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Were you in your late teens, early 20s?

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah, I was in my late. I was in. I was like 26 years old or something, 27 years old. And fell in love with him already on stage. And then he walked into rehearsal with a three piece suit. And I was like, oh, he's gay. And I was like, he's gay. Oh, no. Okay. I have another crush on the gay guys because they're the coolest ones and they're always well dressed and they're so polite and like, you know, totally stereotyping there.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But yeah. And also the most talented and the.

[Carrie Preston]

Most talented and still to this day, all of my best friends. So I was like, okay, damn it. You know, all right, I'll just be friends with this guy.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

So I asked my brother. I was like, hey, you know, what do you think about this Michael Emerson? Because my brother was trying to hook me up with some other guy that was in the master's program. And I was like, well, what about Michael Emerson? And he's like, oh, Emerson's cool. I was like, but he's gay, right? He's like, no. Like, so not. And I was like, oh. And then I started getting, like, shy around.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

Do you know what I mean?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So you'd already, like, developed a friendship as.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah, he would always.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You had your gay best friendship, like, definitely figured out.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah. Yeah. And it was very quick. I was like, oh, okay. I guess I'll just be. And then, you know, he was, like, leaving flowers for me outside my door when I would wake up to go to work, you know, and then he invited me to a party, and we showed up together. And you know how it is when you're, you know, doing regional theater if you show up to a party with somebody else.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

You're dating.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, Absolutely.

[Carrie Preston]

You're together.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. The showmance is.

[Carrie Preston]

The showmance is public.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

So everyone just knew then. And then that was true. It was. It done. Like a month later. I was calling my mom, you need to come meet the man I'm going to marry. I'm not going to tell him that, but you need to come meet.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You knew. You had a feeling.

[Carrie Preston]

Yep. Yep.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love that. So interesting feeling. Ready to order anything that catches her eyes. I mean, I think I could do it.

[Carrie Preston]

I'm gonna have that special you were talking about. The swordfish, please.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm gonna do the Summer Herb. Nudie. Summer. Nudie. Yep. And I think that's good. I mean, I did a. I dated actors a little bit when I was starting off, but, you know, early 20s, nothing serious. It's complicated. It's complicated dating someone, getting to know someone when you're always being pulled away in your years now. I mean, do you. I know you're working. You know, you're tied down to New York right now with. With Elsbeth. But, I mean, he must be pulled away for things and.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah. But he's now at the point where he's really happy to kind of have me have the heavy lifting as far as work. He did that like, he was on Person of Interest for five years. He was on Lost, but Lost was such a big ensemble that he didn't have a Lot of. I mean, he, he. He had to. He had to be away. And Hawaii was tough. Yeah, Hawaii was tough because it's, it's. It's very tough to get to Hawaii.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes. Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

You cannot just like, you know, when these tsunamis would happen and I mean, I cannot. I cannot get an actual vehicle and go and rescue. Yeah, that's a little scary. Yeah, it was, like, alarming. So when he got that job and I was still here in New York, I was doing a Broadway show. He was out there. I don't know how we're gonna do this, you know, like, how are we supposed to do. It takes 13 hours, you know, to get there.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And then there's New York, certainly. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

So that was when I was like, okay, we're gonna. I'm gonna have to base myself out of la. And so I. We had kept a little apartment there, and I just based myself on there to be closer. Yeah, yeah. I mean, we still always had New York, but we'd sublet here. It was that whole dance of. You know what I mean? Like. And then we had a little place there, and then that way I could at least get to him quicker and he could come to me on the times off. And then I started doing True Blood and that shot in L. A.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Carrie Preston]

So it actually worked out pretty well because we were both in these big ensembles, so we would have these little pockets of time.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And they were also such incredible opportunity. I mean, you know, True Blood was. My God, I love that show so much.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah, it was so cool.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What an ensemble.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah, it was so bright.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And to have. What was the creator's name from Six Feet Under? Alan Ball. Alan Ball. I mean, I was already such a fan of his From Six Feet Under.

[Carrie Preston]

Oh, I know.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Whatever this guy does next, I'm gonna be gonna wanna see. And it was such a fantastic different world that he created with Jim. Yeah, I know.

[Carrie Preston]

And it was so surprising. Cause I met Alan. Well, first of all, he's from Georgia, and so. But we had never met. So he wrote and directed this movie. It was an indie and it was called Towelhead, and it was based on a book of the same title. And so I auditioned for it and I met him in the audition and we hit it off because of the whole Georgia thing.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

And so I got cast in that movie. So we were standing around one day on set and I was like, well, what are you gonna do next? And he said, well, I've been reading these vampire books. And I was like, what? How do you how do you go from six feet under to towel head to a vampire? He was like, the HBO is going to make it into a series. I think I might have something for you in it. And I read and I got the hold of the pilot. I read it, and I didn't know what character he was talking about because it's not like you, you know, open the dictionary, Arlene Fowler, and you think of Carrie Preston. This is not like. But he was like, no, no, no, it's Arlene. And I was like, okay, okay. And I was like, great. You want me to play a buxom redhead? Sure. Gotcha. Yeah, you know, I can do that. Beautiful. That looks great.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thank you. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we return, Carrie recalls how she and husband Michael Emerson, who you might know as the incredible villain Ben on T, made long distance work. And she reflects on what it was like to both a character actor and a leading lady being on top of the call sheet on Elsbeth. Okay, be right back. You know, between two kids, two dogs, and my rehearsal schedule, sometimes the last thing I want to do is wander the grocery store aisles. That's where Instacart comes in. Instacart is more than a grocery technology platform. It's really a care company. It connects me to thousands of stores across the country and gives me back time to focus on what matters most. The other day, Justin was in Routes to New York City to bring the kids to come see a performance of Shakespeare in the park, and I was realizing we were completely out of snacks here in New York City. I don't want to talk about who might have eaten all the goldfish crackers. That's not what's important here. With just a few taps, I had fresh groceries and household essentials ready for pickup or delivery to my door in as fast as 30 minutes. Honestly, it saved the day. I also love that I can trust the shoppers. They're reliable, accurate, and it always feels seamless. Instacart helps take care of delivering some of the things I love so I can take care of people I love. So if you want to take something off your plate, pun intended, download the Instacart app and use code dinners on me 20 to get $20 off your first order of $80 or more. That's code dinners on me 20 for $20 off your first order of 80 DOL or offers valid for a limited time. Excludes restaurants. Additional terms apply. All right. I've been on the hunt for ways to simplify my Mornings between getting the kids out of bed, breakfast on the tables, lunch is packed, I gotta get out of the house. I just don't exactly have time for a handful of supplements as well. That's why I started drinking AG1. It's become this little morning ritual. I just scoop it into some water, stir it up, give it a little shake, and I'm done. What I love is that it's not just some random powder. AG1 is clinically shown to support gut health and fill in common nutrient gaps. It's packed with five probiotic strains and over 75 vitamins and minerals. So instead of juggling a multivitamin, probiotics and a bunch of other pills, AG1 does it all in one go. And honestly, I feel the difference. I've got more consistent energy, my digestion feels smoother, and I don't have to overthink my nutrition every morning. Plus they've added new flavors, tropical berry, citrus, so it actually tastes really good. My current favorite is tropical because it feels like a little vacation in a glass. So if you've been looking a way to streamline your health routine, I use this. And hey, I think you should too. Head to drinkag1.com dinner to get a free welcome kit including a bottle of vitamin D and free AG1 travel packs. When you first subscribe, that's drinkag1.com dinner I love Halloween. Give me pumpkins, costumes, a haunted house, candy corn. I want it. I'm all in for the fun kind of scary, but the real life kind. No, that's not my vibe. I recently saw a video of an arsonist trying to set a family's home on fire. It was absolutely terrifying. What stopped it was SimpliSafe. Their AI powered cameras stopped the threat right away and live monitoring agents jumped talking to him through the system, setting off alarms, even alerting the police before the fire could spread. That's what makes Simplisafe different. See, most systems only react after someone's already inside or once a fire has spread. Simplisafe helps stop the crime before it even starts. And for me, knowing Justin and the kids are protected when I'm away, it makes all the difference. There are no contracts, no hidden fees, and monitoring starts at about a dollar a day. Plus there's a 60 day money back guarantee. Right now my listeners can save 50% off a new SimpliSafe [e-mail] Jesse that's simplisafe.com Jesse there's no safe like Simplisafe and we're back with more dinners on me. And that lasted. I mean, that was. Was that your first, like, kind of taste of job security?

[Carrie Preston]

It was, yeah. Because I had done. I was one of those people that was fortunate to do a lot of pilots, but unfortunate in that none of them went to series.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Carrie Preston]

And so I think that was maybe my. Over the years, you know, of hitting the pavement, like, 8th or 9th pilot or something like that, you know, and. And finally it hit. And it was such a relief, you know, but when we were shooting that show, we had no idea that it was gonna be what it was.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It was kind of a cultural phenomenon.

[Carrie Preston]

They put all 10 of those episodes in the can before anyone saw it. Anyone saw it, you know, and we had that 2008 strike in the middle of that.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Carrie Preston]

So we shot, like, the first three or something, and then there was that long strike, and then there was a change of regime at HBO and all this stuff. So it really was something that could have never seen the light of day.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Carrie Preston]

Pun intended. Stupid. But really.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And if it did, it would turn to ash, but it would burn in the sun.

[Carrie Preston]

It would burn. It would blow up, and there would be guts everywhere.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This is, by the way, delicious. I feel like right up your Southern roots alley.

[Carrie Preston]

Oh, is.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is feeling very good. It's a nasty. Yep.

[Carrie Preston]

But I remember one time Alan describing True Blood as being about the fear of intimacy.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh.

[Carrie Preston]

Which I thought was.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

Really a cool way to. To look at it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Did Michael ever guest on True Blood?

[Carrie Preston]

He didn't. He didn't. A lot of. A lot of people did. But he was a Lost, and it was a little.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right. Well, I know. And I know you famously guessed it on Lost in a flashback sequence where you played Michael's mother, which I just love so much.

[Carrie Preston]

That was totally my pitch, too. And I didn't even think that they were gonna take that seriously at all. I was making a joke.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

They're like, I'll play him as his mother in a flashback.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah. It's like, wouldn't that be hilarious? I mean, I'm here. I'm here in Hawaii all the time.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

Wouldn't that be so fun?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So it really did line up with you just, like, hanging out and with Michael on set, and they're like, oh, yeah, we'll just use you to play his mother.

[Carrie Preston]

Yep.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love that.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah. Oedipal, in a very weird way, but.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And that all. That show also was such a. A phenomenon. I mean, I remember sitting, like, with Matthew Fox and Evangeline Lily, and they Were, like, literally right behind me because they were nominated for Emmys. And, like, it was my first year at the Emmys, and I felt like, yeah, it was.

[Carrie Preston]

I was like, oh, here we are.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love these shows. Yeah. Truly. I mean, it was always so weird going to. I mean, it's still bizarre going to any of those award shows because I feel so out of my element. But to go and, like, see all these people that I just were such massive fans of.

[Carrie Preston]

Oh, I know. I'm still the same. And now on Hellsmith, like, people that I have, you know, worshiped my whole career are coming on to do the.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Show Honest with you. I know. I know you. I mean, yeah, let's certainly get to that, because I was so lucky and that I got to be.

[Carrie Preston]

You were right at the beginning.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right at the beginning of Elsbeth.

[Carrie Preston]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You had already shot the pilot.

[Carrie Preston]

Yep.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And ironically, full circle moment. Your guest star on the pilot was Stephen Moyer from True Blood.

[Carrie Preston]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Who I think you told me you called and favored him. Right? Was it?

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah. They were casting this role of, you know, a teacher at a prestigious acting school, not unlike Julliard. There's a teacher who is, you know, sleeping with his students, and then when he's worried that he's going to be canceled when it comes out, he. He murders one of his students. So, huh, Surprise, surprise. We weren't able to really get a lot of yeses from people. And I kept saying.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Because also, no one knew what the show was.

[Carrie Preston]

No one knew what the show was.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

They knew your character, maybe from Good Wife and Good Fight, if even that.

[Carrie Preston]

And, you know, they really wanted to set the Columbo precedents of having people like yourself be the fun, splashy guest stars. Fun, splashy guest stars. And so they wanted to get out of the gate early, and Stephen had just moved to New York. And I was like, you guys just cast Steven? Just cast Steven? And I was calling him, and I was like, are you available? And he's like, I mean, sort of, but I would do it for you, you know, and then it just worked out, and they were finally. They were like, duh. Of course. And he could not have been more perfect. Yeah, he was perfect and game. And for me, you know, there was a lot of responsibility on your shoulders, you know, trying to get a pilot off the ground and being the show's.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Named after your character.

[Carrie Preston]

It was like, I was terrified. Oh, my God. You know, I'm finally getting this opportunity to, you know, be the lead on a TV show. I don't I really want to make sure that I give it. Make this situation as ideal as possible to make it as great as I can do.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And you're a producer on it as well. I remember one of the scenes that I did, I played, like, an Andy Cohen type character, and I was in my office, and there was a whole wall of glass looking out into the hallway. And then at the end of the glass wall, there was a door to get into the office. And there's this of you trying to get into my office, and you just were, like, pressing against the entire wall, looking for which panel might.

[Carrie Preston]

The door.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But just, like, little things like that just brought me so much joy. And it was a whole thing like, okay, we gotta, like, set up this shot. This is the gold of the scene, actually.

[Carrie Preston]

This is the fun part of watching her, you know, Brian.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But that can exist in this kind of. It's not a serious show at all. But it is, you know, there is a murder.

[Carrie Preston]

There is a murder. There is.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But the fact that it can exist in the same show is just so fun.

[Carrie Preston]

I know, I know. I love it that we're kind of walking that line between comedy and drama. You know, it's fun. It keeps it. I think it's what people want right now. They really want things that are, you know, cathartic fun. They don't, because of the structure of the show. In the same way that Columbo is. You see the murderer. You know who the murderer is.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I remember Jane Krakowski called me when she found out I was doing an episode of the show, and she was being asked to do the following episode, and she just read the script and she called me and she goes, I love the script, but I feel like, is it weird that in the very first scene, like, you find out that what's happened, like, but I'm the murderer. And, like, what's the tension? I was like, no, Jane, that's the whole point. It's like the audience knows what the conflict is, and you watch the characters try and figure out how they did it.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And she's like, oh. And then she was like, Columbo. I was like, yes. Did they not pitch it to you?

[Carrie Preston]

I don't know who didn't listen to that conversation, but that's definitely how we always.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, no, for sure.

[Carrie Preston]

That's how we always talk about it. And I think that just, you know, that takes the pressure off the audience because they're like, oh, okay. I don't have to. I'm not gonna be stressed, wondering, you know, who did it. And I'm just gonna see how Elsbeth figures out how they did it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Carrie Preston]

And there's always that one little clue that the audience doesn't know.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

That they find out. And it's just like a lovely little, you know, thing for someone to enjoy and then be able to go to sleep and not have nightmares.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Exactly. I mean, first of all, I have a few questions. I want to know where Elspeth carries an obscene amount of bags.

[Carrie Preston]

Yes. That started in the Good Wife.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay, so what was the impetus for that character choice? Was that something you discovered, or was that something that was written in a script?

[Carrie Preston]

No, it was not even the script. It was Brooke Kennedy did your from. Who was the producing director on the Good Wife. Oh, Brooke, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, of course. I know Brooke.

[Carrie Preston]

So Brooke was directing an episode, one of the earlier episodes, where Elspeth appeared, and she was like, I just feel like there's so much going on in her life. She would have a lot of things that she was always juggling when she comes in, you know, and is it an act? Isn't it? Who knows? Is it? Or is it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is it a fanny pack? Carrie.

[Carrie Preston]

Well, I should introduce some fanny pack. I should. That should be the next thing that Elspeth uses. It is New York, after all. Totes are very. Let me tell you. Let me tell you a choice that is made 15 years ago when you appear once a year.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I know.

[Carrie Preston]

Becomes quite a different thing when you have to carry three tote bags.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's what I was going to say.

[Carrie Preston]

14 hours every day. And I made the decision early, early on that the character, whenever the big gotcha scene happens, where we come in to make the arrest, I don't need the bags anymore.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Carrie Preston]

So I never. Those scenes, I never have to carry the bags.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Carrie Preston]

Because they're like a crutch, you know, they're like a crutch for the character, and she has everything she thinks she might ever need for that particular case. The audience is never, very rarely going to be privy to what's in there, but it's stuff that she needs, you know, and I like that.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love it.

[Carrie Preston]

And I do still give out tote bags to the guest stars. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, my God. It's so generous.

[Carrie Preston]

I love doing that.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You are a very good number one on the call sheet.

[Carrie Preston]

Oh, thank you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I feel like, you know, there is that thing, too. And I've talked with several people on this podcast who have had, like, really successful moments later in their careers, and I think there's Something that you bring with you when you get to have that moment. Like, you have been doing this for so long. I mean, I think back to, like, when I saw you as Miranda in the park, and that was so long ago.

[Carrie Preston]

It was. It was 1995.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It was a really long time ago. But, Nia, you know, you're now number one on the call sheet. I feel like there is something really wonderful about that experience that you've brought with you from all these incredible experiences you've had. From, like, My Best Friend's Wedding to, like, True Blood to, like, being number seven on a call sheet or just being like a day player. And then you get this moment to be number one. You're the face and the name of the show. And then just something as simple as you bringing tote bags for the guest star is something I just feel like only someone who has had this career and this underbelly of your career would even think to do. And I think it's really wonderful.

[Carrie Preston]

Well, thanks. Yeah, I. I do. It's not lost on me, you know, this. This gift and, you know, it doesn't get to happen very often for anybody. There aren't, you know, there are only so many television shows.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

In the world. And I never. I never thought it would happen. Of course I want it to get to happen, but I never really assumed it would. You know, early on, you know, when we were first starting out, there was a different sort of expectation for women in the industry. Thirty, you know, 30 plus years ago, it was a. It was a little bit more about younger, prettier, sexier, more, you know, whatever that image of that. That. Or you were the. You were the wife.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Carrie Preston]

Of the week.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Carrie Preston]

And so I was just like, okay, I'm just going to be the character actor and happy to do that, and I'm just going to do that and. But they're not going to let that person, the character person lead a show, you know. But it's so funny that this. It was this supporting little character that they plopped down in the middle of the, you know, something where we were following her, you know, and, you know, just feeling like, so humbled by that and kind of, you know, amazed still. I'm amazed when I. Whenever. Every time I see it that says Ellsworth, I'm like, I think I play Elspeth. You know, it's like, it's still, like, it's still this, like, little disconnect of, like, I'm the person who's playing that part. That's so wow. And so always my number one priority is to make sure and anyone who's coming on to play on the show feels 100% welcome. Because I know what it's like more than a lot of people. You do too. What it's like to walk onto a set and feel like you do not belong there.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

And it is really hard to do your work.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's right.

[Carrie Preston]

When you feel that way. And it's so easy. And our crew is amazing to just make people feel welcome. And then everybody's gonna do their own, their great work and then we're gonna make something fun.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we return, Carrie tells me what it was like to be a part of the rom com classic My Best Friend's Wedding. And she shares why Julia Roberts was mean to her while filming Duplicity. Ooh, tea. Are we about to stir some shit up? Oh, you gotta wait and see. Be right back. You know, one of the things about hosting a show that's literally centered around meals is that you start thinking a lot about what foods do to your body. As for me, it's not just about enjoying a dinner with a friend. It's about feeling good after the meal, too. That's why I've been really curious about Psygnos. It's an AI powered app that pairs with a biosensor to help you actually see in real time how your body responds to what you're eating, your stress, your sleep. And even when you take a walk after dinner, instead of guessing, you suddenly get this clear picture of what's happening inside your body. Here's what I like. Psygnos can tell you which foods actually cause blood sugar spikes. It can give you little nudges in the moment, like, hey, maybe take a quick walk. And it even helps you notice the difference between when you're really hungry and when you're just bored or stressed. Honestly, I wish I had had this when I was figuring out how to eat more intuitively. Cygnos really does take the guesswork out of managing your weight and building healthier habits. And right now, they've got an exclusive offer just for our listeners. Go to cygnos.com that's S I G N O S.com and use code D O M to get $10 off select plans. That's cygnos.com code D O M for $10 off select plans. Today, fall is officially here, and Macy's is kicking it off with a star deals week. Thousands of deals. 20 to 50% off. I have got my eye on the men's selection. First up is Levi's jeans because they're classic, they're timeless, they're always in style, and somehow they just get better the longer you wear them. At 30% off, it is the perfect time to grab another pair or two because let's be honest, you can never have too many pairs of jeans. I'm also loving the packable puffers and jackets. 50 to 60% off I travel so much for work. Sometimes I'm in New York, sometimes I'm in la. Sometimes I'm on a plane with my coat stuffed into my backpack. Having a jacket that's warm, stylish, and actually folds up small, that is a total game changer for me. And don't sleep on their sweaters for under $50 or their big betting deals for home too. Star Deals Week runs October 7th through 13th. Shop macy's.com or in store Lately, our August calendar has been absolutely packed. Between summer travels, Sunday dinners with friends, chasing our K kids around the park, it's it's busy in the best possible way. And when you're juggling all that and you realize you need to hire someone fast, that's a whole different kind of heat. That's where Indeed comes in. When it comes to hiring, Indeed is all you need. Instead of waiting around hoping someone sees your post, Indeed's Sponsored Jobs puts your listing right at the top for the right candidates. And it works. According to Indeed data, sponsored Jobs posted directly on indeed get 45% more applications than non sponsored jobs. One of the things I love about Indeed is how fast the process is. No long term contracts, no subscriptions. You only pay for results. How fast is Indeed in the minute I've been talking to you. 23 hires are made on Indeed, according to Indeed Data worldwide. There's no need to wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed and listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit. To get your jobs more visibility@indee indeed.com dinnersonme just go to indeed.com dinnersonme right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Indeed.com dinnersonme Terms and conditions apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need. And we're back with more dinners on me. Do you have any coffee, tea or dessert? I might take a coffee, thank you. I do want to ask about you got to be a part of a cultural moment with my best friend's wedding that was at the very beginning of your career.

[Carrie Preston]

That Was my first. That was my first movie.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It was your very first movie. Yeah, I. I mean, that goes down in my. My book is like one of the rec room, like, rom com classics of all time.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was. And that was like when, you know, rom coms were the queen of Hollywood.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. And not only that, but Julia Roberts was like the queen of. The queen of Hollywood.

[Carrie Preston]

And she's also from Georgia.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, really?

[Carrie Preston]

Okay. She's from Georgia and I'm from Georgia and stuff. So that was a fun connection when I worked with her. Yeah, she's. She was amazing. Amazing. And we were, you know, 20, 27, 28 years old at that time. And, you know, she was the top of her game that young, you know, and boy, did she, you know, did she show it like on, you know, she was. That was a movie star. You know what I mean? And it just like, we. I was very, you know, nervous around her, but she was such a pro, you know, like, to watch her do that, you know, it was, it was, it was a good learning experience. But also it was like, you know, I was living in Chicago, we were shooting there. You know, they give you this per diem and it was just like, oh, my God, this is how. This is how.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This is Hollywood. This is how movies are made. Yeah, yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

And, you know, to have that experience now, because it's kind of gone now.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

I mean, that was a really high budget thing, you know. It was. They did not want for anything in the production values and they're shooting on film and the costumes and the lighting and, you know, it was just. It was like the glamour. And now I'm hearing news. I don't know. No one's talked to me that they're thinking about a sequel.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, really?

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That would be incredible. I'd be so happy.

[Carrie Preston]

That'd be so crazy, right?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That'd be so crazy.

[Carrie Preston]

See, like, where did these characters end up? And I'm like, well, the twins need to be in it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, you and Rachel Griffins absolutely have to be in it.

[Carrie Preston]

We gotta find out.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

When I was with those hats, same.

[Carrie Preston]

Hats, in the script. They were called the Vengeful Slut. Oh, I love.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's so good. Yes. So funny. And then you, you worked with Julia again in Duplicity, right?

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah. And then I worked with Joy again.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Was there, like a reconnection? Like, did you, like, reminisce on my.

[Carrie Preston]

No, it was very interesting because that movie Duplicity, I really only had two or three days in it. You know, it was like a Wonderful cameo, basically. And so I had shot the scene with Clive Owen in the bar, which is one of my favorite scenes I've ever gotten to do on camera.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

And then a month goes by before I'm on set again. And then I'm on set doing a very intense scene where Julia Roberts is staring at me, wanting me to die because I had slept with her boyfriend. And I have to do that cry on cue thing.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

Which, as you know, is a really.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

A lot of pressure.

[Carrie Preston]

A lot of pressure. Especially when I don't know any of the crew. I mean, I was only on the show, the movie, for one day already.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And that was a month earlier.

[Carrie Preston]

A month earlier. And then, you know, they got me there. They got me ready, hair and makeup. And then I had to wait eight hours before I shot the scene. And, you know, you gotta, like, keep yourself in a vulnerable spot to be.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Ready if they're ready to go. Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

So I saw her earlier in the day. She gave me a big hug and then.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thank you.

[Carrie Preston]

She said, I'm gonna be mean to you for the rest of the day. Like, she gave me a fair warning. She was just like, I'm not, you know, I'm not gonna. I'm gonna be mean. I'm not. I'm just not gonna talk to you for the rest of the day. And I was just like. And it was exactly what I needed for the scene, you know.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Because you don't want to, like, be thumbing it up.

[Carrie Preston]

Thumbing it up and then have to go and, like, cry. And so it was. Yeah. They built the set on. They built it as a set. So I. You know, they call me. They're like, are we ready? Ready for your. You know, we're ready to go. And the cameras are all set up. We hardly rehearsed. And then I just went and sat down. And then she's just like. And I was like, you know, I just started sobbing.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It came.

[Carrie Preston]

It came, it came, and it was. But it was like the most high pressure acting experience I think I had at that point. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It almost felt like she was doing that more for you than for her.

[Carrie Preston]

That's what I'm saying. I think she was. I think she was. And she very graciously, you know, the director had asked me, even in the audition, if you were to get this part, you know, what would you need on the day? And I said, I guess I would need.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Robbie's gonna be a dick to me.

[Carrie Preston]

Well, really, I didn't even think that was what I needed. But it turns out it did. And then, you know, we did the scene in it and it went well. And then. And then she. She had the whole crew clap. You know, it was very. It was. It was a cool moment, you know, and then at the premiere of that. And then. It's not like she and I are friends or anything. I didn't see her since then. But at the premiere, again, like, he was up there. Tony Garroy was introing the film. And he just, you know, he said, julia and Clive are here. And then also, you know, Carrie Preston, I can't wait for you to see her in the film. And then Julia screamed from the back of the audience, we love you, Carrie. And it was just like, wow, okay. Yeah. These little moments, you know, that make you go, oh, wow, okay. All the hard work.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's a community, too. You know, when I was doing Elizabeth, I think the Holdovers had maybe just had a screening.

[Carrie Preston]

Oh, okay.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And so a lot of your cast was talking about it, and I was so excited to see it, and I got to see it a few weeks later.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Carrie, you are so incredible in that movie.

[Carrie Preston]

Oh, thanks.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Heartbreaking. It is such a. It's one of my favorite movies. I reference it a lot. I mean, I think Alexander Payne's a genius.

[Carrie Preston]

He is a genius.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But that. That relationship that you have with Alexander Jumani is just so you. Alive and nuanced and heartbreaking. It's really. I hope you're so proud of that.

[Carrie Preston]

I'm so proud to be a part of that. It was such a lovely experience because Alexander, first of all, like, he spends so much time on a movie before he even shoots one frame. And you can tell by the time he gets to set, he is so. This guy was as relaxed on day one when I met him early as he was when I came on. The way he worked with. With Dom Dominic, who plays the kid who. You know, that was his first movie. You know, watch how he worked with him, how Paul worked with him also. Paul Giamatti is, you know, one of a. One of a handful of people that I've ever worked with that is so incredibly present that you. I can't even believe. I never saw the man look at his script. I never saw him struggle for a line. I never saw. He just was dropped into it in such an inspiring way, in a lived in way that it kind of permeated everyone around him. And so doing a scene with him, it didn't feel like we were doing anything except just what you and I are doing right now, so all those elements make for. You know. And watch Dayvine just commanding that role.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Carrie Preston]

And knowing her, what she was contributing to it fully. Just watching that, it was really cool.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, I've experienced this because I've gotten to work with some very talented to people, but, you know, and like. Like Davine, like, you know, she ends up winning an Oscar for that performance. And. And then you go back and think, like, God, I watched that person create that role from the ground up.

[Carrie Preston]

It's.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's really. You know, I always feel very fortunate that I got a front row seat to such brilliant.

[Carrie Preston]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But. And this is not to, like, blow smoke or be asked, but I do feel I felt that way of when I was working with you. I mean, like, I was watching you create something that was really special with Elsbeth, and I know that so many people just love that character so much. And, like, the fact that I got to be with you on set and watch you figure out things like the glass.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah, yeah. Right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And then the bags and all these wonderful things you did, I just. I felt very fortunate. I felt. It felt very blessed being on that set with you and that crew. And I'm just. I know. I'm so happy that you're having this moment with this show and with this character that you are. I don't know, it just feels like it's a. It's an extension of you in a way that, like, most times, characters don't feel like an extension of someone, you know?

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And I. I know you're having a ball doing this. If you're one of those people that is not afraid to say how grateful you are, which I think is also really refreshing. And I just am. I'm so proud of you.

[Carrie Preston]

Thanks. I know, I know. I feel like we're these. We were these little kids together. I mean, I was ahead of you. But when I think about you and I, these young, you know, people with stars in our eyes at the o' Neal center, when we were just at the o'. Neal.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm going to have to put that on our Instagram.

[Carrie Preston]

Little baby, you know? Yeah, just go. Just, you know, they're like, you know, serving playwrights. You know, we were there to, you know, make something and help a script come to life, and, you know, it's humbling. Yeah, it's humbling.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I adore you. You too. I'm gonna see you tonight. Thank you for doing this. Dinner is on me.

[Carrie Preston]

Thank you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Truly. I love you.

[Carrie Preston]

Love you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This episode of Dinners on Me was recorded at San Sabino in the West Village, New York City. Next week on Dinners On Me. You know her from our iconic performances as Janis Ian in Mean Girls and beloved shows like Freaks and Geeks and Party Down. It's Lizzy Kaplan. We reminisce about our time together during our short lived sitcom the Class, the lasting legacy of Janice in Mean Girls and going from a scene stealing supporting actress to leading lady in shows like Fleischman Is in Trou and Fatal Attraction. And if you don't want to wait until next week to listen, you can download that episode right now by subscribing to Dinners On Me. Plus, as a subscriber, not only do you get access to new episodes one week early, you'll also be able to listen completely ad free. Just click Try Free at the top of the Dinners On Me show page on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial today. Dinners On Me is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our associate producer is Alyssa Midcalf. Alex Schuman assisted in the production of this episode. Sam Baer engineered this episode Hansdale. She composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison. Special thanks to Tameka Balance Kolasny and Justin Makita. I'm Jesse Tyler Fergs and join me next week. And Doug Limu and I always tell you to customize your car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual, but now.

[Carrie Preston]

We want you to feel it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Cue the emu music.

[Carrie Preston]

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[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Customize and save we six that may have been too much feeling. Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings Very unwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates. Excludes Massachusetts.