Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson

Episode: Josh Hutcherson — on cold calling agents at 8 and memories of Robin Williams

Original Release: December 9, 2025
Location: Night + Market Song, Silver Lake, LA

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Jesse Tyler Ferguson sits down for dinner and conversation with actor Josh Hutcherson. Best known for roles in The Hunger Games and Five Nights at Freddy's, Hutcherson opens up about his early determination to be an actor, his transatlantic life split between LA and Madrid, confronting rejection after early stardom, the realities of aging pets, and memorable moments with icons Robin Williams and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The conversation is candid, warm, and sprinkled with humor about LA stereotypes and personal quirks—capturing the unique intimacy that can only happen over a shared meal.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reuniting and Restaurant Vibe (03:11-05:00)

• Jesse reflects on their 15+ year friendship, starting from when Hutcherson starred in The Kids Are All Right and their first meeting at the SAG Awards.
• They dine at Night + Market Song in Silver Lake, a vibrant spot famous for spicy Thai "drinking food."
• Banter about the spicy menu, sticky rice, and the shambolic, creative LA crowd sets an informal, lively tone.

Quote:
"The chef calls it Thai drinking food, and that’s exactly what it is…borderline chaotic in the best possible way." – Jesse (03:51)

2. Life Between Madrid and Los Angeles (09:01-14:00, 20:12-22:36)

• Hutcherson describes splitting his time between LA and Madrid for over a decade, driven by his relationship with his girlfriend, Claudia, who is Madrid-born.
• He speaks about the cultural contrasts—LA’s hustle mentality vs. Madrid’s focus on living life—and how this has shaped his worldview and appreciation for both cities.
• Jesse and Josh talk about American exceptionalism and how travel challenges cultural assumptions.

Quote:
"Getting perspective—not only on Los Angeles, but on America—has made me actually love LA more, too..." – Josh Hutcherson (10:32)

3. Longevity in Love and Navigating Industry Expectations (20:27-22:36)

• The pair reflect on Josh’s 13-year relationship with Claudia, discussing the work and growth needed for long-term commitment—especially in showbiz.
• Josh observes how Americans often have “really high expectations of what life should be, what a partnership should be, everything—so it’s hard to find genuine connection and take care of it.”

4. LA Stereotypes & Filming ‘I Love LA’ (22:37-25:47)

• Jesse teases East Side LA stereotypes—walkability, creative food, a certain laid-back-but-ironic vibe—and how his friends gently mock him for it.
• The pair discuss Josh’s new series I Love LA and its accurate, playful send-up of local archetypes.
• Josh shares his delight at being able to walk to set:
  "Literally, when we were shooting– episode five…her house in the show is a five-minute walk from my actual house. So I walked to work in Los Angeles." (24:07)

5. Aging Pets and the Need for a Senior Dog Support Group (25:55-30:34)

• Jesse and Josh bond over their aging dogs—sharing hospital emergencies and the emotional weight as their first pets grow old.
• Josh suggests starting a “senior dog support group” for owners navigating the inevitable decline in their beloved animals.

Memorable Moment:
Both realize their dogs were in the animal hospital on the same weekend (26:23), leading to jokes about “bed roommates” and dark humor about “starter babies” and aging.

6. Wild New York Story: The Dead Dog in the Louis Vuitton Bag (28:33-31:03)

• Jesse shares a stranger-than-fiction tale about a new house-sitter in New York who finds the family's dog has died, bags it in luxury luggage, and then has it stolen on the subway.

Quote:
"This guy steals the bag, thinking there’s good stuff in here—oh, just you wait…" – Jesse (30:41)

7. Josh’s Wildly Determined Path to Acting (36:19-40:01)

• Josh recounts his “psycho” childhood ambition—cold-calling Cincinnati agencies from the phone book at age 8.
• Parental reluctance eventually yields after an acting class teacher urges them to try LA pilot season—and a family job layoff (post-9/11) makes it possible.
• Early on, Josh finds continuous work and rapid success.

Quote:
"I got out a phone book and looked up Acticare…an acting modeling agency in Cincinnati. I called them…they were like, well, you talk to your parents? I was like: that tracks." – Josh (37:43)

8. First Experience with Rejection—Downside of Young Success (40:01-44:27)

• Josh reveals he only learned about industry rejection at age 24—after The Hunger Games success—having booked nearly every job since age 9.
• He describes the post-franchise reality:
  "As quick as they’re excited to get you into that spotlight, they want to not give you anything else...as quickly." (41:00)
• He now understands that a slower build (with more ‘no’s) might foster more resilience.

9. Rekindled Artistic Ambition (43:00-44:27)

• Josh admits that before landing I Love LA, he’d started to consider maybe he wasn’t destined for “top tier” or “prestige” projects.
• Working on the series reignited his love for the craft and sense of belonging among elite creatives.

Quote:
"It’s nice feeling somewhat accepted in that world I’ve been yearning for forever." – Josh (44:37)

10. Five Nights at Freddy’s: Joining Another Franchise (45:13-47:27)

• Jesse asks if he was hesitant to join another big franchise after Hunger Games.
• Josh didn’t realize how massive the Five Nights at Freddy’s fanbase was; he was drawn by director Emma Tamley’s character-driven take.

Quote:
"I wasn’t aware of how massive the game was. I didn’t think I was stepping into this…massive world." – Josh (46:05)

• He praises the practical effects: real, 7-foot Jim Henson animatronics—not CGI or tennis balls this time.

11. Memories of Robin Williams and Philip Seymour Hoffman (47:28-49:01)

• Touching on his time with Robin Williams during RV (with Kristen Chenoweth), Josh calls Williams “the funniest person…I’ve ever seen in my life,” an “energy always there at a level 1000.”
• Of Philip Seymour Hoffman: “Just watching how he works…that’s a level of excellency one of a kind.”

Quote:
"Robin…just brought joy like to everyone around him…such a great role model as a 12 year old to be around.” – Josh (47:53)

12. Kitchen Rituals & Cooking at Home (49:51-51:56)

• The meal wraps with confessions of control-freak cooking habits—Jesse and Josh both prefer to do everything themselves but are “dabbling in delegating” in the kitchen.

13. Eastside Raves Disguised as Soup Parties (52:04-53:19)

• Josh shares a laugh about being invited to a "soup" party that turned out to be a wild dance rave—classic East Side LA.

Quote:
"I was showing up in a cozy sweater…for some evening soup…that to me was going to be delightful." – Josh (53:13)

14. Wrap-Up and Looking Forward (53:44-54:37)

• Jesse admits a love-hate relationship with horror movies; they both discuss the forthcoming Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 and celebrate I Love LA as a highlight in Josh’s career.
• Both speak warmly about the night and their longstanding friendship.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• [03:51] Jesse:
  “The chef calls it Thai drinking food…They don’t ease you in here. The menu starts at ‘chili heat’ and then goes up to ‘are you sure?’ heat, which the answer for me is no.”
• [10:32] Josh:
  “Getting perspective—not only on Los Angeles, but on America—has made me actually love LA more, too.”
• [24:07] Josh:
  “I walked to work in Los Angeles…her house in the show is literally a five-minute walk from my actual house.”
• [26:23] Jesse:
  “Our dogs were in the hospital at the same time.”
• [30:41] Jesse (on the New York story):
  “This guy steals the bag, thinking there’s good stuff in here—oh, just you wait…”
• [37:43] Josh:
  “I got out a phone book and looked up Acticare…an acting modeling agency in Cincinnati. I called them…they were like, well, you talk to your parents? I was like: that tracks.”
• [41:00] Josh:
  “As quick as they’re excited to get you into that spotlight, they want to not give you anything else...as quickly.”
• [44:37] Josh:
  “It’s nice feeling somewhat accepted in that world I’ve been yearning for forever.”
• [46:05] Josh:
  “I wasn’t aware of how massive the game was. I didn’t think I was stepping into this…massive world.”
• [47:53] Josh:
  “Robin…just brought joy like to everyone around him…such a great role model as a 12 year old to be around.”

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Life in Silver Lake & Madrid: 09:01–14:00, 20:12–22:36
• Aging Dogs/“Starter Babies”: 25:55–30:34
• Wild NY Dog Story: 28:33–31:03
• Start in Acting/Early Auditions: 36:19–40:01
• First Taste of Rejection: 40:01–44:27
• Memory of Robin Williams: 47:28–49:01

Episode Tone

Warm, funny, sincere, and lightly irreverent—much like the dinner table in a roomful of old friends. Both Jesse and Josh are candid about their vulnerabilities, real about the entertainment industry, and gently self-mocking about LA lifestyles.

Summary

A conversation as flavorful as the meal itself, weaving together showbiz tales, reflections on identity, loss, and enduring friendship—with a spicy dash of Eastside LA quirks. For listeners, it’s a satisfying mix of nostalgia, insight, and genuine connection.