Family Trips with the Meyers Brothers

Episode: STEVE ZAHN Surprised His Parents With a Cabin

Release Date: September 9, 2025
Hosts: Seth Meyers and Josh Meyers
Guest: Steve Zahn

Episode Overview

This episode features actor Steve Zahn as he joins Seth and Josh Meyers to reminisce about formative family trips, Midwest upbringings, surprise gifts, and the quirky ups and downs of family travel. Steve shares vivid childhood memories from Minnesota, opening up about his family, a legendary cabin surprise for his parents, and his lifelong love for educational (and slightly disastrous) vacations. The episode touches on Steve’s career, collaborations with his children, and various personal anecdotes—from station wagon road trips to pandemic filming in Hawaii.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Steve’s Family & Minnesota Roots

• Siblings & Adoption Story

  • Steve grew up in Minnesota with two sisters: Heidi (older) and Nancy (younger, adopted from Korea as a baby).
  • “Nancy has the heaviest Minnesota accent of anybody I've ever met in my life.” (05:23, Steve)

• Family Dynamics

  • Steve describes a close-knit trio, especially with Nancy.
  • “We played together. Yeah, yeah, we were tight for sure.” (06:01, Steve)
  • His father was a Lutheran pastor and university chaplain, both parents described as “open-hearted, giving people.” (06:31, Steve)

2. Cabin Surprise: The Ultimate Gift

• Minnesota Lake Life Dreams
  • Growing up, the Zahns didn’t have the money for their own cabin, but enjoyed trips to friends’ places.
• The Surprise
  • As an adult, Steve bought a family cabin and orchestrated a surprise for his parents.

    “It was Christmas and... the day after Christmas we’re gonna go somewhere and you gotta kinda dress up. I had to throw them off a little bit.” (07:51, Steve)

  • The reaction? “They were like, ‘wait, what? I don’t get.’ For like a half hour, they were still working through their grief about not going to Duluth.” (08:43–08:58, Steve and Seth)
  • The cabin became a cherished hub for family and nieces.

3. Classic Road Trips & Griswold Adventures

• No Money, No Problem: KOA & Griswoldian Trips
  • Family would camp, driving across the U.S. in a yellow Dodge Aspen station wagon—no AC, towels soaked and hung in the windows to cool off.

    “We would do the classic Griswold, you know, two week trip in an Aspen Dodge. Aspen…no air conditioning…put towels in the windows and wet them.” (10:37, Steve)

• Memorable Destinations
  • Out West to see relatives in Phoenix and friends in Michigan, with stops at historical landmarks.
  • “My favorite place I’ve ever been to when I was a kid was Gettysburg...it literally changed my life.” (11:58–12:24, Steve)

4. Gettysburg: Sparking a Love for History

• Historical Fascination
  • Gettysburg visit sparked a childhood passion for history and military books, which continues to this day.
  • “It changed my life. I was fascinated with it…still am.” (12:24, Steve)
  • Took his kids back years later—they loved the vending machines just as much as the battlefield!

    “They came running into the room, they’re like, ‘Dad, this place is great!’ …They were so excited there were vending machines.” (14:10–14:37, Steve)

5. Family Life, Parenting & Showbiz

• Parenting: Growing Up in Kentucky

  • After meeting his wife Robin on a tour of Bye Bye Birdie, Steve moved to a New Jersey farm, then Kentucky (Robin’s hometown).

    “We moved here in 2004. We lived on a farm in New Jersey…then moved out of the city in 1991.” (24:44–25:05, Steve)

• Creative Kids

  • His son became a playwright, his daughter an actor—neither pushed, just exposed to creativity at home.
  • “We never put them in the show or whatever…it was really on their own.” (28:29, Steve)

• Working with Family

  • Collaborated with daughter Audrey on the film She Dances:

    “It was amazing…I could—if it all ended right now, I’d be the happiest actor ever.” (32:50–33:19, Steve)

• Filming During the Pandemic

  • On White Lotus, filming in Hawaii with COVID restrictions:

    “We couldn’t leave the property...Every night we were… in the ocean, watching the sun go down, waiting for the green spark every night.” (30:42–31:26, Steve)

6. Adult Life, Career, and Locations

• Juggling Projects and Place

  • Steve’s projects also link back to family and close collaborators (co-writing and acting with Rick Gomez, e.g., She Dances, Silo).
  • Lives on a Kentucky farm, balancing “tapping out” in nature with shooting on location (London for Silo, Australia for Anaconda).
  • “It’s impossible to pack for five months. I have all these things to do, like, I have to order wood, winterize my machines…” (36:19, Steve)

• Nineties NYC Theater Community

  • Came up with Ethan Hawke, Rick Gomez, and others—a golden era fondly remembered.
  • “We were…in the same bars...Sammy Rockwell and Josh Hamilton and, you know, Ruffalo…Phil Hoffman…” (51:03, Steve)

7. Quirky Family Memories

• Cup and Ball in Tijuana
  • Visits to Phoenix relatives included a day trip to Tijuana, memorable for a cup-and-ball souvenir.
• Camping Antics
  • Family of five assembling a circus-sized tent, no modern camping luxuries.

    “It was like a mini circus tent…All that just…and then I’m sure we helped out.” (22:54–23:17, Steve)

• Christmas Tree in August
  • During the video call, the Meyers point out Steve’s still-up Christmas tree in August:

    “You guys kind of like just year-rounders on Christmas? — No, I just drink a lot.” (53:59–54:01, Seth and Steve)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On surprising his parents with a cabin:

  “We pulled up to the cabin and I was like, here. It’s the cabin. And so from that moment, we had, like, a family cabin. It was kind of for everybody, and it was really cool.” (08:24, Steve)

• On enduring family camping:

  “We would do the classic Griswold, you know, two week trip in a yellow station wagon. No air conditioning. It’s crazy, right? We’d put towels in the windows and wet them.” (10:37, Steve)

• On Gettysburg:

  “My sisters were, like, going to claw their eyes out, they were so bored. And it literally, it changed my life.” (12:24, Steve)

• On vending machines in motels:

  “They were so excited there were vending machines. Like, the refrigerator of all time.” (14:37–14:54, Steve)

• On working with his daughter:

  “If it all ended right now, I’d be the happiest actor ever.” (33:17, Steve)

• On why he never moved to LA:

  “No, but I would, you know, go work. Four months and it was great...when I move here, if I could, if I can stay in a cool place.” (45:37–45:49, Steve)

• On music taste with his kids:

  “My son’s taste in music is insane. I’m just like, send me stuff.” (39:17, Steve)

Speed Round & Closing Questions

(56:28–59:55)

Steve wrapped up with the speed round:

• Ideal vacation?
  “Educational.” (56:36)

• Favorite means of transportation?
  “My Kawasaki mule.” (57:05)

• Family he’d vacation with?
  “Jack Black’s family or Paul’s family—just be funny.” (57:39)

• Stranded on an island with which family member?
  “My wife, for sure.” (57:54)

• Minnesota hometown clarity:
  “Born in Marshall, grew up in Mankato.” (58:07)

• Is Mankato a vacation destination?
  “Not since the Vikings left summer camp.” (58:15)

• Vikings loyalty:
  “I am [a fan]. Guess who’s playing in London?” (58:24)

• On the Grand Canyon:
  Saw it on a family field trip, didn’t take pictures.

  “Maybe I was like, this would not capture this incredible moment.” (59:55, Steve)

• Seth’s final compliment:

  “I feel like you did some of the most horrified acting that I’ve ever seen [in Out of Sight]...that was an incredible piece of acting.” (60:10, Seth)

Highlights by Timestamp

• Fantasy Football Song Tradition & Intro – 00:01–03:01
• Steve Zahn Joins, Family Composition – 03:20–06:43
• Cabin Surprise Story – 07:28–08:36
• Camping & Road Trip Stories – 10:17–13:44
• Gettysburg & Love of History – 12:22–13:54
• Camping with His Own Kids, Life on the Farm – 24:20–25:46
• Career Beginnings, Dropping Out of College – 46:46–48:26
• NYC Theater & Ethan Hawke – 49:31–51:14
• Christmas Tree in August – 53:25–54:43
• Upcoming Projects: Silo, She Dances, Anaconda, Chad Powers Show – 55:01–56:15
• Speed Round – 56:28–59:55

Final Thoughts

A heartwarming and often hilarious episode filled with 1980s family trip nostalgia, touching gift-giving, career reflections, and the unique blend of misadventure and warmth that defines the best family stories. Steve Zahn’s candor about his upbringing, parenthood, and journey in showbiz makes for an engaging listen—with anecdotes and laughter that resonate, whether you’re a fan of White Lotus, classic road trips, or just great storytelling.