Billy Crudup: Born Charming

Summary

Podcast Summary: Let's Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa

Episode: "Billy Crudup: Born Charming"

Date: December 3, 2025
Host: Kelly Ripa
Guest: Billy Crudup

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Episode Overview

In this lively and heartfelt conversation, Kelly Ripa sits down with acclaimed actor Billy Crudup for an unfiltered discussion about career, charm, family, partnership (especially his marriage to Naomi Watts), vulnerability, and his renowned roles on stage and screen. With Kelly’s signature candid humor, they launch into stories about acting nightmares, memorable roles, the meaning of charm, and the real dynamics behind celebrity relationships.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Dinner with Richard Gere and the Art of Hosting ([01:00–06:45])

• Kelly shares a hilarious mishap involving hosting a dinner with Richard Gere, extra surprise guests, makeshift chairs, and her desire to sit next to Gere for the best stories—only for her husband Mark to get the coveted seat.
• Sets a relaxed, behind-the-scenes tone, with the hosts discussing what "off camera" really means: candid, human moments.

Introducing Billy Crudup ([06:45–07:18])

• Kelly openly admires Billy as the ultimate "scene-stealer" and charms the audience with tales of his career highlights, specifically citing his roles in Almost Famous and The Morning Show.
• Emphasizes Billy’s humility and enduring likability.

Billy’s Commencement Speech and Family Wisdom ([07:18–12:41])

• Billy recounts giving the commencement speech at NYU (Kelly’s daughter’s graduation) and tells the moving story behind it: his father’s late return to college and the impact of educational values across generations.

  "He had an unending curiosity in people, and he absolutely adored discovering something new and being wrong about something. It was a natural delight for him..." – Billy Crudup [09:41]

• Kelly reveals she recorded his speech for inspiration for her daughter, recognizing the resonance of Billy's words for young artists.

On Being Born Charming and Childhood Stories ([12:41–14:39])

• Kelly insists Billy was "born charming"; Billy opens up about being the "short kid" who moved often and coped by being the class clown and people-pleaser.

  "My way of fitting in was trying to be the class clown... trying to also, you know, toe the line so that the teachers wouldn’t send me into detention." – Billy Crudup [13:07]

• He recalls a childhood memory of helping at a party to win favor—not with the birthday girl, but her mom.

The Ski Trip & Accidental Gay Ski Week ([14:39–16:41])

• Kelly and Billy reminisce about a legendary ski trip that coincided with Gay Ski Week in Colorado and the newly legalized marijuana climate.

  "As soon as we parked on the street, there was a big banner across it: Welcome to Gay Ski Week." – Billy Crudup [15:13]

• The joy of adult friendship and shared hobbies shines through.

On Love and Finding Naomi Watts ([16:41–23:59])

• Deep dive into Billy’s relationship with Naomi Watts, filled with mutual respect, admiration, and humor over their courtship.

  "I felt precisely about her the way that you just spoke... She’s an incredibly hard worker, but has crazy resilience and additionally, is very compassionate about the other people who work around her." – Billy Crudup [20:13] "We definitely do [build each other up]. And we also test out a lot of different ideas on each other, and they’re not always incredibly successful. There’s a kind of trust that is unusual." – Billy Crudup [20:00]

• They discuss navigating intimacy in midlife, menopause, vulnerability, and finding comfort in being dorky and insecure together.

  "We’re the same age. We’re confederates in this." – Billy Crudup [23:17] "The insecure awkwardness in both of us is very familiar and very comforting." – Billy Crudup [25:15]

Theater Stories: Triumphs and Disasters ([30:21–39:24])

• Kelly highlights Harry Clarke, Billy’s one-man show, praising his performance as “spellbinding” ([30:21–31:24]).

  "He played 19 different people and flawlessly, seamlessly disappeared into each character..." – Kelly Ripa [30:21]

• Billy shares his backstage terror, sweating through performances, forgetting lines, and the infamous "Norm pits" ([31:24–35:23]).

  "Who is going to try to memorize a 48-page monologue? This is an idiotic idea...my competitive streak kicked in." – Billy Crudup [33:22]

• Candidly recounts a nightmare show where, paralyzed by stage fright, he skipped 20 pages, leaving the audience baffled:

  "That show came in at about 55 minutes because I dropped about 20 pages...Nobody understood shit." – Billy Crudup [35:23]

• The story comes full circle when he learns, years later, a director friend attended and deemed it “the worst theatrical experience of my life". Billy reflects on resilience in the face of humiliation ([35:25–36:36]).
• They swap war stories about onstage disasters—like an actor literally dying during a show (but surviving thanks to onstage CPR)—and the actor’s singular drive never to let an understudy take over.

The Morning Show & Playing "Subversive Nutbags" ([41:58–46:10])

• Kelly asks Billy about his Emmy-winning role as Corey Ellison on The Morning Show, pinpointing his expert portrayal:

  "Why are you so good at playing a slimy, sleazy network executive? Is it something you’ve observed?" – Kelly Ripa [41:58]

• Billy explains Corey's unique function: he's a "conduit" for the audience, always breaking the dramatic tension with offbeat confidence and sly humor:

  "Corey is kind of a conduit for the audience because he doesn’t take anything too seriously enough for too long so people can tolerate him." – Billy Crudup [42:49]

• They discuss workplace dynamics, hints of sexual tension with Jennifer Aniston's character, and the chaos of real-life network culture.

New Projects: "J. Kelly" and "High Noon" ([53:44–56:36])

• Billy talks about his next film, J. Kelly, directed by Noah Baumbach, a meditation on filmmaking, legacy, and the American obsession with “a life about to start.”

  "When you’re busy looking for your life to start, you’re missing the life that’s in front of you." – Billy Crudup [54:23]

• Describes working with George Clooney and Adam Sandler, and his excitement for another stage role: High Noon at the Harold Pinter Theater in London.

Acting Techniques & Stage Survival ([56:58–59:34])

• Billy and Kelly laugh about wild acting tips and rituals. Kelly shares a “soap opera breakdown” trick about imagining a magician’s hat in your stomach:

  "You pull the rabbit out by the ears, you punch it in the face as hard as you can and stuff it back down." – Kelly Ripa [57:56]

• Billy vows to try it:

  "I’m going to reach down in that magic hat in the future, pull that rabbit out and beat the shit out of it. Stuff it back in. Yeah, that’s it. That’s acting for you." – Billy Crudup [59:02]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On finding love later in life:

  "We have been incredibly lucky to find each other when we have." – Billy Crudup [25:15]

• On the resilience required for live theater:

  "You have to really apply force and technique to overcome the anxiety of that kind of experience. But once you do, it lets you know what you’re made of." – Billy Crudup [36:36]

• On education and family:

  "There’s a group of people in our country who revere our education system and particularly our higher education system. And anybody who endeavors to be a part of that... is revealing an interest in being a productive part of our culture and our society and our world." – Billy Crudup [11:28]

• On his marriage to Naomi Watts:

  "There is something nice about having a partnership with a colleague where not only do you speak the same language but you both try to manage the ups and downs of the business in a similar way. So there’s... a lot of trust." – Billy Crudup [19:41]

• On stage fright:

  "About three minutes in, I can’t remember my lines, start to have a full blown panic attack. I get tunnel vision, my heart’s going out of my chest, I can’t breathe. And I call for line. And I have never called for line before." – Billy Crudup [35:23]

• On The Morning Show character:

  "He doesn’t mind being in the middle of this tornado, feeling like he’s got the mental capacity to navigate his way out of anything." – Billy Crudup [42:49]

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Episode Highlights by Timestamp

• [07:34] Billy shares the origin and theme of his NYU commencement speech
• [13:07] Billy’s stories from childhood and the roots of his charm
• [15:13] The legendary ski trip and serendipitous Gay Ski Week
• [20:00] On partnership and creative trust with Naomi Watts
• [23:17] Navigating intimacy and aging together
• [30:21] Kelly’s raves about Billy’s one-man show, Harry Clarke
• [35:23] Billy’s onstage breakdown and coping with disaster
• [42:49] Deconstructing Corey Ellison and The Morning Show dynamic
• [54:23] The philosophical core of upcoming film J. Kelly
• [59:02] Kelly’s magician’s hat acting tip

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Tone & Language

• Tone is fast-paced, warm, and self-deprecating; peppered with showbiz inside jokes, off-the-cuff humor, and a sense of mutual respect.
• Billy is articulate, gracious, and quick-witted; Kelly is effusive, playful, and occasionally a bit irreverent, keeping things feeling truly “off camera.”

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This conversation isn't just a celebrity interview—it's a window into the creative process, the nerves and neuroses behind the glamour, and the rare, real partnerships that sustain a career (and a life) in the spotlight. If you want to hear Billy Crudup open up warmly about love, stage fright, being “born charming,” and the art of surviving both success and disaster, this episode is a can't-miss.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[Billy Crudup]

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[Kelly Ripa]

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[Billy Crudup]

So Naomi said, Gabby, I mean Billy thinks that I'm sure nobody even saw it. And she goes, I was there. And she goes, the worst theatrical experience of my life. No. And I was like, gabby, what about for me?

[Kelly Ripa]

Somebody gotta cue me or do I cue myself? Cue yourself. Ok. Hey everybody. We're back with let's Talk off camera. So let's get talking. Oh my gosh, cannot believe I only heard about it on the show today of your fucking dinner with Richard Gere. Yes. Can we get into that? Because that is insane. There's a certain level of propriety that comes, I think from just being talk show hosts. You bend over backwards to like make it easy for the people you're interviewing. Right. So when Sir Richard Gere we told the story about us having dinner on vacation this past summer and he represented that he arrived for our dinner on time and that we were a half an hour late, to be clear. And in fact we were most certainly on time and the gears were in fact a half an hour early. I had to imagine that that was crazy that he said he was like hanging out at your house with lol get time wrong. Lola was setting the table and putting the place because I. It was a rather large dinner party and then extra people that I didn't expect also showed up. So then I'm scrambling to get. I was like, how is it possible that I have planned a 25 person dinner and 27 people are here? So now I'm scrambling to get like, you know, random seats. Like do we have any chairs? Is there a chair? So like I'M pulling up like a kitchen, like, you know, like a chair. That's the weird height. So I take that for myself. So then I'm sitting at the table like this, you know, I'm down here. And I had sat myself next to Sir Richard Gere because I'm not passing up on this opportunity. Cause I want to get to the nitty gritty. I want to hear all the stories. I want to hear everything. I'm going to like do the talk show. I want to do in my head when he's on the show. You know what I mean? Yes. And when I scramble to go get the extra chairs for the additional people. And Mark sat himself next to Sir Richard. And so I take the place card that says Kelly and I pick it up aggressively in front of him and I move it down to my, you know, the pool float that I'm sitting on. And I, and I move, and I move Marks over here. Anyway, it was a lovely dinner. We had a great time. I sat next to my own kids. I was like, this sucks. And then Mark is across the table and all I can see is like raucous laughter and like, and they're like in lockdown at that end. Like the end that I was at, you know, and I'm sitting on the pool noodle and I'm shuffling around. I'm trying to make myself comfortable. But it was. Mark said the stories coming out of that end were incredible. Incredible. And I was like, so how's your fish? How's your fish? You know, like silence over here. It's crazy. It's crazy. All right, let's read our intro because I think he's ready. Okay. You know that feeling when you're watching a TV show or a movie and a character completely steals the scene? Like every scene in every movie and everything? This is today's guest and I mean, Billy Crudup, who is been the singular scene stealer in every TV series or movie or play for decades and decades. He also gave the commencement speech at my daughter's NYU graduation. And I felt bad for the other commencement speakers. Like I was so I was like, oh my God, if I had to follow Billy Crudup, I would die. I would literally die. So you probably know him best for his breakout role in Almost Famous where he plays like this incredible sexy egobaniacal rock star or his two time Emmy winning performance as a media exec on the morning show. He's just fantastic. I. I think the world of him. And I love his wife. Like, I love his wife. As much as I love him, I think they are too, like, just like elevation artists. They elevate everything. They're in, you know, Naomi Watts, elevated menopause. Jesus. You know what I mean? If they ever got divorced, I would go into seclusion. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Because then they seem like a great couple. I think they are a great couple. I think they are perfect for each other. Yeah, perfect. Like, he's very sexy. He's very. He's got ash. I'm going to use a word that you'll understand because you're young. Riz. He's got Riz. Yeah, he does, yeah. Is he six, seven? I don't know. I'm trying to use young people phrases now. I don't think it works for that. No, I don't know. I don't think so. Anyway, he's just like, everything about him is right on. So we should get. We should talk to him. Right? Let's talk to him. There he is. William C. I like it. I'm Kelly R. Nice to meet you. Kelly R. Nice to meet you. We were regaling our listeners with things that we love about you. And not that you would ever develop a big head because I don't think you have that kind of personality that would ever change. I think you are an unchangingly good person, which is, as you know, very unique in your industry. I'm sure your wife has told you you're a very unique in the industry.

[Billy Crudup]

Yeah, she doesn't usually use it in that way, though.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Billy Crudup]

You're a very unique person.

[Kelly Ripa]

Billy, we were talking about. Well, first of all, I was mentioning how you gave an incredible commencement speech at NYU the year my daughter graduated college.

[Billy Crudup]

I had so much fun doing that.

[Kelly Ripa]

Well, you told an incredible story. Do you want to tell a little bit about it to our listeners?

[Billy Crudup]

Sure. When they first asked me to give the speech, I thought, why do they want me to give them this speech? What do I have to offer them? And ultimately, what I concluded was they wanted me to fire them up a little bit. A little bit of a pep rally.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Billy Crudup]

Getting out of college, getting in the world can be a tricky spot. Coming into the work environment, especially if you go to nyu, it's likely you're in some kind of debt from student loans. So you need some motivation.

[Kelly Ripa]

And. And these are art students. So they're not going to get jobs. So they're going to be like an entire class of unemployed people.

[Billy Crudup]

Yes, they will be getting jobs outside of their field of expertise. There's no Question in order to hopefully someday venture into the world of expertise. So I just talked about how my family had related to education while I was growing up, about me, but in talking about their own lives as well. And I told it specifically through the lens of my father and my grandfather. And my father, he left college with, I think, about nine credits left because he married my mom and he needed to get a job, and he moved up to New York, and he was selling textiles, and he had promised my grandmother that he would get his diploma at some point. And it took my grandmother dying to motivate my dad to go back and get his diploma. It so happened that coincided with my graduation from high school. She actually passed away on the day that I graduated. And my father, that summer, he enrolled in community college and had his little backpack and went to community college every day and was very proud of his A's. Couldn't wait to tell everybody about how well he was excelling. And I'm trying to think how old he must have been at that time. So he died in 2005, 63. He was about 43. 43 or 44.

[Kelly Ripa]

Like, past the age where you can actually learn things. You know what I mean?

[Billy Crudup]

You know, it's interesting you say that, Kelly, because he. Of all of his interesting characteristics, he had an unending curiosity in people, and he absolutely adored discovering something new and being wrong about something. It was a. It was a. It was a natural delight for him, that kind of curiosity, particularly in people, not necessarily in politics or art or science, but in people in particular. He was fascinated. And when he did get his degree, he gave me the backpack that he used that summer. And he and my mom drove me up to college, and I started my academic career. There was. And my grandfather, who was now a recent widower, was adamant that he and I would become extremely close and that he was going to mentor me in some way by having lunch every week at the same restaurant. It's called the Rat Skeller. And we did that. And he was. He was a tough, tough cookie. And his idea of mentorship and parental guidance or being a grandparent was to beat you down, to toughen you up. And so there was no accomplishment that I ever had in college that he gave me praise about. Occasionally, maybe late at night, if he was going to bed, he'd say, well, that didn't suck. And, you know, that was, like, the greatest kind of compliment I would get from him. And I started to think about when I was giving this speech for NYU about why they were also interested in college, you know, they didn't say it specifically like that, but their behavior revealed a different kind of intention to them. It meant something to them, and they wanted to talk to me about it, and they wanted to do the best they could, maybe without all the authority in the world, but to guide me through my own college experience. And I think what I concluded was there's a group of people in our country who revere our education system and particularly our higher education system. And anybody who endeavors to be a part of that higher education system is revealing an interest in being a part. A productive part of our culture and our society and our world. And they deeply wanted me to show that investment. So that's what I. That's what I recall off the top of my head about that speech.

[Kelly Ripa]

It was a great speech. I recorded the whole thing on my cell phone. And Mark was like. And Mark turns to me and he goes, it's so weird that you are recording this. And I said, no, because one day Lola's gonna need to hear this, you know, and she won't listen to us, but she'll listen to Billy Crudup. I mean, you know, she'll. You know what I mean? She'll listen. She'll listen to Uncle Daddy. That's for sure.

[Billy Crudup]

I tried to do it in as charming a way as I possibly could to try to bring those kids in.

[Kelly Ripa]

You were so charming. I mean, I feel, and I think I'm probably not wrong, you were probably born charming and have been charming your whole life. Like, were people always drawn to you? Were people always like, oh, my gosh, you're so. Like, you are adorable. Were you your teacher's favorites? All of that?

[Billy Crudup]

I certainly aspire to that. I was the short kid, and we moved around a lot, so my way of fitting in was trying to be the class clown. Trying to also, you know, toe the line so that the teachers wouldn't send me into detention or anything. But I was also very helpful. Oh, my God, that reminds me. When I was in, like, seventh grade, there was a girl I had a huge crush on. Samantha. Samantha Crowley, I think that was her name. She had a birthday party over at her house, and I can remember after we had had dinner and cake, there was probably about 10 to 15 kids there. I was helping her mom with the dishes, and she was like, oh, Billy, you're just such a helpful, lovely young man. And I thought, oh, man, that's the way in right there. That's goals. Let me see if I can cultivate whatever was happening there. So I'm sure there's a portion of me trying to fit in as a short kid moving around that went to people pleasing, you know?

[Kelly Ripa]

Right, of course. But you spent time on Long island, is that right?

[Billy Crudup]

I did until I was six. I went to kindergarten there. Flower Hill Elementary. I don't remember so much of that profoundly.

[Kelly Ripa]

We were trying to figure out if you ever slept with Jan, but you probably didn't since you left too.

[Billy Crudup]

Well, I mean, I was a player at 6. Don't get me wrong.

[Kelly Ripa]

Jan's from Port Washington. Yeah, Port Washington Jan. Do you. Have you ever heard the name Port Washington Jan?

[Billy Crudup]

Yeah, I mean, I've heard about Port Washington Jan. I got around. I got around only from the bathroom stalls.

[Kelly Ripa]

Wait, Billy. Mark was so upset he wasn't here today because he wanted. He was, like, talking to us about your trip, your ski. Do you remember your ski trip?

[Billy Crudup]

Legendary.

[Kelly Ripa]

Legendary, right?

[Billy Crudup]

I mean, we still talk about it. We had the best group. That was such an incredible time.

[Kelly Ripa]

But did you guys know that it was Gay Ski Week the week you were there, or did you just like it? Was it a deliberate choice?

[Billy Crudup]

We found out. But it made perfect sense.

[Kelly Ripa]

It made perfect sense. It did.

[Billy Crudup]

I think at that time, Colorado had legalized marijuana. Yes. And none of us could really believe it. And we spent most of the time.

[Kelly Ripa]

You know, you were still trying to score secret deals of marijuana, like, because it felt wrong.

[Billy Crudup]

I'm not saying I was or wasn't, Kelly. I will not sign on to that. But we were interested in what it might be like to walk into a dispensary. And I just remember the feeling of anticipation getting there. Like, this just seems like a terrible idea. I mean, there's no way this is actually going to work. But as soon as we parked on the street, there was a big banner across it. Welcome to Gay Ski Week. And so that's when we discovered that we were there, all six of us. And Jules. And Jules.

[Kelly Ripa]

And Jules. I see. I told you Jules was there. I was like. I was like. It was a guy's ski weekend. And Jules. And Jules. And Jules.

[Billy Crudup]

Yeah. And you never find this. And I'm sure this is true of lots of hobbies that you can get six to eight adults together and all be at a similar level.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Billy Crudup]

So we skied together the entire time. That's a posse of 45 year olds, or however we were. And I can't tell you how enjoyable that is to be on a mountain with people who all ski at the same level and want to hang out together. And then we'd have dinner, of course. Your house was so gorgeous and you guys were so welcoming. I remember asking who. Who had done the interior.

[Kelly Ripa]

Did he know the answer to that?

[Billy Crudup]

He did. In fact, he did.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay, good.

[Billy Crudup]

I mean, he may have asked you in the meantime, but I can. Because my apartment was in desperate need of a renovation. And I remember calling the incredible firm and one of them came over, took a look at it, did some drawing, some. Some estimates. I saw the estimates and I decided not to renovate my apartment while it was a good thing. Because I got to put off a couple years until I actually had a job where I made some more money. And it was working with Naomi on Gypsy. Yeah. And coincidentally we got together shortly there afterwards. And I think she felt too that I needed some renovation on that apartment.

[Kelly Ripa]

So she has, you know, she has nothing but style. Like this woman. She is elegant. I was like, I was telling Jan and Albert before you logged on that you are easily Marx and my favorite couple. We absolutely look at the two of you and it makes perfect sense. Two rare, non asshole movie stars like to. These are rare qualities. And these are two like non egocentric, really uber talented people in the industry who have found each other. And you weren't spring chickens. You had other relationships and you had like growing teenage children. Right when you got together.

[Billy Crudup]

Yeah, we got incredibly lucky. I mean, I felt precisely about her the way that you just spoke. I'm not sure it was exactly mutual. I think she was ready to dumb down her brand a bit, you know, just so she could broaden the audience.

[Kelly Ripa]

Don't believe it.

[Billy Crudup]

But she definitely dresses me up nice.

[Kelly Ripa]

Now I have this thought in my head because it's just a matter of time, but she's going to win an Academy Award and you are going.

[Billy Crudup]

Totally agree.

[Kelly Ripa]

And you are going to win an Academy Award. You are two of the. Like, she could be the greatest actress of her generation. And I feel the same way about you. I feel.

[Billy Crudup]

Well, that's. Thank you. I totally agree with you about her.

[Kelly Ripa]

Well, I. But I'm going to speak on your behalf too. And you, you are sort of like mirror twins. Like you are the male and female versions of each other. And so I think that when you both have your Academy Awards, they. The Academy Awards should have sex like action figures, don't you think? Wouldn't that be like now the weirdest.

[Billy Crudup]

Thought of it before? Yeah, you can't do that with the Emmys. Too pointy.

[Kelly Ripa]

It's too pointy. It's dangerous. But the Academy Awards are very aerodynamic. And just think. Now that you think about it, do you know what?

[Billy Crudup]

I have a different motivation now.

[Kelly Ripa]

You're motivated. See, I should be your agents. But let me. You know what? Assign me as, like, your shadow agents.

[Billy Crudup]

Well, I have to tell you, though, like it is, there is something nice about having a partnership with a colleague where not only do you speak the same. Same language, but you both try to manage the ups and downs of the business in a similar way. So there's, you know, a lot of trust.

[Kelly Ripa]

And I bet you build each other up.

[Billy Crudup]

We definitely do. And we also test out a lot of different ideas on each other, and they're not always incredibly successful. There's a kind of trust that is unusual.

[Kelly Ripa]

When did you know that she was the one?

[Billy Crudup]

You know, when you're working together, you get to experience. And she was a producer on that show, too. You get to experience because obviously the pressure of doing those kinds of shows can reveal a lot about how somebody navigates their life. Professional life, personal life, et cetera. And we just had a lot in common. And her way of managing the set, the crew, the writing, the other actors was unusual. She's an incredibly hard worker, but has crazy resilience and additionally, is very compassionate about the other people who work around her. And that's not a common mix of characteristics. Typically, you can be really generous because you don't really care and you're not working so hard. You can have the affable on set because you got other things to do. You can work really hard and put so much pressure on yourself that you make the people around you miserable because you're.

[Kelly Ripa]

That's how I like to do things.

[Billy Crudup]

I've heard about you, Kelly. I mean, I've been on your show and I've seen the bullshit, okay? I know what's really happening. Kelly Ripper.

[Kelly Ripa]

It's true there. She has an unending supply of, like, kindness, goodness, diligence, professionalism. She's like, all of the things.

[Billy Crudup]

And she can also turn the page so quickly. It's. I don't know how she does it, but if something doesn't go right on set, somebody isn't living up to their potential and this is able to have a talk or. So there's some kind of confrontation. The next day, it's gone. She's moved on. That's a pretty. That's a humane and loving quality.

[Kelly Ripa]

Extraordinary quality.

[Billy Crudup]

So, yeah. Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

So, Naomi, first of all, love, dare I say it, Everything I wish I'd known about menopause, I wish she had written the book, like, three years before she did because I was scrounging around looking for a book to, like, help me through it. But, you know, the book, I have.

[Billy Crudup]

Definitely heard that from people.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes. She talks about the night that you two decide to be intimate and how she was feeling about herself. Tell us the story about what you said to put her at ease.

[Billy Crudup]

You know, I could see she was incredibly self conscious. And so, you know, I did what any guy does who wants to get busy.

[Kelly Ripa]

You say whatever you have to say.

[Billy Crudup]

You say whatever you have to say.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right.

[Billy Crudup]

In order to make them not self conscious. But no, she was seriously preoccupied with what had been a difficult thing for her, being pre menopausal at the age that she was and the ways that she tried to navigate it. She was sort of in her own world about it. And it wouldn't have taken. I mean, and it didn't take very much language at all for me to go, okay, I understand that. No problem. Can. Can we continue?

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Billy Crudup]

So that's. That's sort of, I think, for her, not having to explain too much and not having any judgment or like, awkward curiosity for me about how people's bodies change over time, that was a relief to her. But, you know, for me, I felt like to that moment and to others, we're the same age. We're confederates in this. I'm aware of my body changing over time. There's plenty of things I'm sure that I was underprepared for. But, you know, you start to adjust to that as you get into your 50s, you know, late 40s. 50s, and doing it together was easy.

[Kelly Ripa]

When I look at Naomi, she is easily, to me, the most beautiful, most glamorous, most like. She's just the chicest person I've ever seen. And you. And I said this before you logged on. You are dazzling. You are perpetually charming. You have. Listen to this. I'm going to give you a phrase you can run by the kids. You have Riz.

[Billy Crudup]

Well, then I'm going to call my mom and put her on at the same time because she's going to totally love this.

[Kelly Ripa]

You have Riz. You have Riz. Have you heard that?

[Billy Crudup]

Rock on.

[Kelly Ripa]

Do you know that phrase, Riz? Yeah, it's like the great. It's like the bit. It's the best thing to have right now.

[Billy Crudup]

Oh, I cannot wait to share this with people. When is this going to air?

[Kelly Ripa]

It's going to. When does this air, Jan? I'm not sure I'm going to say Right before J. Kelly comes.

[Billy Crudup]

Telegram.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, I'll. Right before J. Kelly comes out. Right before J. Kelly comes out.

[Billy Crudup]

But, you know, people's fax machines are gonna be lighting up with notices about.

[Kelly Ripa]

They are. But when people look at the two of you, you would not think that there would be any imperfections and that there would be no discussion of insecurity whatsoever. And so I think it's very comforting and incredible to know that stars Jan, like Us Weekly says, they're just like us. Yeah, they are. They're just like us.

[Billy Crudup]

She's all of those things, and she's an incredible dork. And I'm the same, too. I mean, she'll do anything for a laugh. And I think that's part of her charm for me, too. But I think the insecure awkwardness in both of us is very familiar and very comforting. So we have been incredibly lucky to find each other when we have.

[Kelly Ripa]

Today's special holiday segment was made possible by Bosch Home Appliances. Every family has a hosting superstar. They're tablescaped, the food is fantastic. Everything feels easy, even the perfectly roasted chicken. You know who makes a good roasted chicken? Jan? Lola Consuelos. Really? Yes. She puts the lemons up the chuff, as she likes to say. Up the chuff. She's becoming very British. But let's be honest. Honest. Even the professionals could use a little bit of help. And here are some of my hosting tips that have helped me create the perfect night. So you've got to create a schedule. People don't understand how long things take and what they need to do ahead of time versus what they're trying to do on the fly. Decide on your menu in advance and take advantage of the make ahead dishes that you can freeze or refrigerate. I always try to do the heavy lifting stuff early. Try to do it early, day or two before. Put it in the fridge or the freezer and let it sit. Some of my tips for keeping the guests out of the kitchen. Set up a drink station away from the cooking area because nobody needs your help. It's the worst when they come in the kitchen. To all of my aunts, I honestly don't need your help. I got it. I got it. When I say I don't need any help, I swear I mean it. Unless I'm talking to you, Jen, then I need all the help in the world. Keep all of the appetizers in an area where you want guests to spend the most of the time.

[Dr. Tomasian]

Smart.

[Kelly Ripa]

I always have, like a little app station. You do. And I have an elegant cheese board station. Like, I have it set up, so. And it's way out of the way of the kitchen. So nobody feels compelled to go in there and enlist a wing person. Albert, that would be you. A partner, a family member, or Albert trusted friend to shepherd your guests away from the kitchen and into the bar, which you are so good at. That you are. Well, you're the bar master, so you know, nobody's gonna. Nobody's gonna bother asking me if I need help. If you're making martinis, that is. That is true. Facts. However, hosting is not without its challenges. I know all too well about burnt pies. I know about raw pies. Really? Or there's always one dish that never dries. You ever notice that, Albert? No. Yep. There's always that thing. Sometimes it's the wine decanter that never dries. Can't get it. Nope. Takes a lot of effort. But having the right appliances, like a Bosch dishwasher, can transform chaos into calm. Yes, that is true. So if you're looking for the perfect gift, here is my biggest tip of all. Bosch appliances. Bosch dishwasher saved my Thanksgiving once. Tell us. Yeah, two days before Thanksgiving, my dishwasher died, got a Bosch that afternoon, was put in the next day. In 10 years, it's still the best. Still perfect. Yeah, still perfect. Everything is always spotless in your house. Yeah. Yep. Using Bosch makes you feel like a pro, like the kind of person who runs their home with precision, confidence, and ease. Nothing cleans Dries cooks like a Bosch with bosh. Everything works better. So you can too. Make this holiday the season of giving. The gift of clean and dry dishes. Discover the full Bosch kitchen suite at a dealer near you. Struggling to see up close. Make it visible with Viz. VIZ is a once daily prescription eye drop to treat blurry near vision for up to 10 hours. The most common side effects that may be experienced while using VIZ include eye irritation, temporary dim or dark vision, headaches, and eye redness. Talk to an eye doctor to learn if VIZ is right for you. Learn [e-mail] the holidays are back at Starbucks. So share the season with a peppermint mocha, Starbucks signature espresso, velvety mocha and cool peppermint notes topped with whipped cream and dark chocolate curls together is the best place to to be at Starbucks.

[Billy Crudup]

On December 19th. Based on the best selling novel, Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney star in the Housemaid. A wildly entertaining thriller about a live in housemaid and the wealthy Winchester family. Experience a twisted world where perfection Is an illusion and nothing is as it seems the shocking twists will leave you guessing until the very end can you keep a secret? The Housemaid Rated R. Only in theaters December 19th. Get tickets. Now.

[Kelly Ripa]

When anybody asks us, what's the greatest thing you've ever seen? And we get asked this a lot, you know, our friends come, what's your favorite play that you've ever seen? What? What's the best show you've ever seen? And I always say it was Harry Clark starring Billy crudup. He played 19 different people and flawlessly, seamlessly disappeared into each and every character. Different accents, different ages. I was spellbound. I had, I don't mind telling you, like, giant sweat stains down. Oh, phenomenal.

[Billy Crudup]

Me too. During the first previews, I was sweating like a hog. And it wasn't, like, because I was overactive. It was because I was nervous as hell. And my agent. I don't know if you remember Cheers, the great sitcom in the 80s. There was a guy in the bar, Norm, who everybody loved, but when Norm took off his jacket, he had sweat stains, like, almost down to his belt, starting in his armpits down to his belt. And they were called Norm pits. And so my agent, Jimmy Darmody, the.

[Kelly Ripa]

Very greatest Jimmy Darmody, he said he flew across. He flew across the country to come in.

[Billy Crudup]

Across the country to come see a play. So he comes to see and he goes, yeah, pretty good, but you got to lose the Norm pits. And I was like, I've got Norm pits because I'm shitting my pants out there, Jimmy.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay?

[Billy Crudup]

That's a very hard thing to do. I'm doing the best that I can. Well, the invention of the director, she was like. She felt the same way. She was like, you perform it, you know, in a dexterous way. And so we want to make people feel like it's not hard for you, but we can tell by the sweat stains on your shirt. Shirt. Then it's a really uncomfortable experience. And so the costume designer and her came up with this idea where there's essentially sponges under my armpits and, like, maxi pads. That was like, maxi pads, Exactly. That was the solve for them. So it was a similar kind of experience for me doing it as it was for you watching it. And what made me think I could do it, I have no idea. It was a. Actually, I didn't. When they first sent it to me, Doug Abel is the guy who. And he just retired this absolutely legendary force in New York and theater. Also great casting director cast Jay Kelly, and I Did the first play in, well, the first play I ever performed in New York was at his theater, the Vineyard Theater. And so I felt very comfortable. I'd worked there again, I'd seen many productions originate there and just some expert theater stuff there. And he sent me this monologue and he said, David Kael has typically done his solo performances himself. For whatever reason, he wrote this. And on the COVID of the first draft he had handwritten, starring Billy Crudup, directed by Lee Silverman. So none of. We hadn't talked about it. I was not anywhere near it. He sent it to me. He said he has this idea for a night of theater a year telling the story and Lee's going to direct it. And here's the script. And I read it and I mean I, I had the same reaction that audiences do when you're kind of just following along, trying like it's a, it's a suspense thriller, you know, film noir kind of deal. And so I, I'm following along and I finished the thing really quickly and I just put it aside and I'm like, who is going to try to memorize a 48 page monologue? This is an idiotic idea. So I was like, no, I'm definitely not going to do that. And then I wake up that night and it must be because I have two brothers, I feel pretty competitive. And I thought, what? You can't do this. You can't get off your ass and do something like this. Somebody thinks you can do it, you should get off your ass and do it. And so sure enough, that competitive streak. And also I think the realization that so few actors get afforded an opportunity like that to open a play like that in New York City. And if I didn't take that, so.

[Kelly Ripa]

Few actors could do an opportunity like that.

[Billy Crudup]

Well, I appreciate that. I'll tell you, the first week there was at least one show where I didn't do it. About three minutes in I went up. And that means, you know, you can't remember your lines. And this is an hour and 20 minute show, or an hour 15 minute show, depending on how fast I went. And about three minutes in, I can't remember my lines, start to have a full blown panic attack. I get tunnel vision, my heart's going out of my chest, I can't breathe. And I call for line. And I have never called for line before. And so we didn't have any system set in place. And so the poor stage manager from the booth goes. And I was like, huh, oh God, I guess I'm on my own here. Well, that show came in at about 55 minutes because I dropped about 20 pages.

[Kelly Ripa]

Wow.

[Billy Crudup]

And.

[Kelly Ripa]

Wow.

[Billy Crudup]

Nobody understood shit. And so afterwards, the director comes up and hugs me, and I'm just, like, absolutely mortified. I feel terrible for the playwright. I feel terrible for the theater, all the people that were there. So the director goes, well, that happened. And I come back the next night, and I, you know, try to muscle through it again. I'm telling this story just like this, about three years later at a brunch with one of Naomi's friends, Gabby, who is a director. And there's a silence at the other end of the table, and it's Gabby. And Naomi said, gabby. I mean, Billy thinks that. I'm sure nobody even saw it. And she goes, I was there. And she goes, the worst theatrical experience of my life. I was like, gabby, what about for me? I was like. I wanted. It was the kind of nightmare that can sort of stain your memory. You have to really apply force and. And technique to overcome the anxiety of that kind of experience. But once you do, it lets you.

[Kelly Ripa]

It lets you know what you're made of.

[Billy Crudup]

You feel you. If you feel a certain kind of.

[Kelly Ripa]

That's. That's the worst thing that can possibly happen besides, like, dying. That's the worst thing. It happened, and you're still here.

[Billy Crudup]

And let me tell you, I've seen that as well. Richard Easton, he was in a production of coast of Utopia with. It was a Tom Stoppard play. It was a trilogy. This was three plays about philosophy, Turn of the Century Russia, the Oncoming Revolution, and believe it or not, it was 11 hours long.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Billy Crudup]

And we did them in repertory at Lincoln Center. And so on Tuesday, you'd see one show. Wednesday, matinee, you'd see the second show. Wednesday night you'd see the third show. Or you could come on Saturday and see all of them together.

[Kelly Ripa]

Wow.

[Billy Crudup]

It was called the Marathon. It started at 11, then you had lunch, and then the next one started at three. Then you had dinner, and the next one started at eight.

[Kelly Ripa]

Wow.

[Billy Crudup]

And every one of those marathons was sold out. It was amazing. In any case, this brilliant actor, Richard Easton, who played the patriarch of the family in the first act, had this line where he's arguing with his family and he's about to storm out. And he said, that's my last word. And sure enough, he had a heart problem, and he collapsed on stage with his feet dangling on stage, his body off stage. And so the audience is like, what's going on? Immediately, Martha Plimpton and Ethan Hawke calls their doctor in the house. Fortunately, the stagehand who was replacing another stagehand that day, new CPR, and kept him alive until the EMTs got there. And he was.

[Kelly Ripa]

This is all coming back.

[Billy Crudup]

Literally died. Literally died. And I was back on stage three weeks later.

[Kelly Ripa]

Actors. Actors are unbelievable. Unbelievable.

[Billy Crudup]

Just a total force. So I have seen people literally die on stage. Me, I was only metaphorically dying.

[Kelly Ripa]

He didn't. He didn't want to be replaced. He got right back to work. He was like, you know, 100%.

[Billy Crudup]

Well, he and I shared a dressing room, and, you know, months later, and he was complaining about the bruised ribs that he had from the person who had kept him alive.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yes, right. But they're so rough when they're keeping you alive.

[Billy Crudup]

He was like, oh, I'd be absolutely fine if it wasn't for the. That thought of that awful man. Like, the one who kept you alive. Yes, whatever. I came in, you know, three months later, because the show. The. Our. Our run was, like, nine months long, and I came in, like, three months later, and I said, how you doing, Richard? He goes, oh, not so good. And I was like, why? He goes, cancer. He got cancer, started chemotherapy, and was still performing. No, I mean, he was a baller.

[Kelly Ripa]

Actors hate for their understudies to go on. Like, you cannot. The death won't kill an actor. Trust me. The understudy taking over will kill an actor, but death will not kill an actor.

[Billy Crudup]

I never want to miss shows, and in fact, one of the only times I've missed shows, I got strapped during that, and I just had too big a fever. I couldn't also go on.

[Kelly Ripa]

Also horribly contagious. And you could give it to your cast members.

[Billy Crudup]

Yeah, whatever. I mean, I wasn't thinking so much about them, but my understudy went on, and in that show, the character that I played had, like, one of the great monologues. I'm at home shivering, you know, with a fever, and still absolutely contemptuous that my understudy gets to go on and kill it with this monologue. My monologue. And. And the number of people who were at those performances came up, said, oh, I saw your show, but I bet you weren't on. I'd be like, no, no, no.

[Kelly Ripa]

Don't tell me you saw this monologue. That's right.

[Billy Crudup]

Yeah, it really is.

[Kelly Ripa]

Mark was. Mark just went recently to the opening of Art. Did you see Art?

[Billy Crudup]

I'm gonna see it. I saw when it originally came out, but I'll see. I Mean, I love all those guys.

[Kelly Ripa]

So Mark and our youngest son, who just graduated drama school, went to go see art opening night. And Cannavale calls for a line. And Mark, Mark has never seen that before. Yeah, he is like. And he's. And Mark, who does a lot of plays, has an immediate anxiety attack because he's never seen that before. And that is like, it's his worst nightmare. So Cannavale calls for line. They give him the line. Mark is astounded. Like, he is like, you know, he just internalized. Mark is such an empath that he internalizes everything.

[Dr. Tomasian]

He.

[Kelly Ripa]

Mark came home with Giant. You know, he had Harry Clark sweat stains. Like he was literally dying. And the next day there's an interview with Cannavale and they ask him about it and he goes, somebody farted on stage. And it literally took my breath away. He said, I was so distracted by the smell that I left the scene for a minute.

[Billy Crudup]

That's amazing.

[Kelly Ripa]

Isn't that amazing?

[Billy Crudup]

There's only three of them.

[Kelly Ripa]

I know. I was like, who is it?

[Billy Crudup]

Yeah, that's the problem with the monologue. I couldn't have gotten away with that line.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, exactly, exactly.

[Billy Crudup]

One of the characters farted on stage and I guess one of my alter. One of my alternate characters. Right.

[Kelly Ripa]

So tell me, tell me about the morning show and why are you so good at playing a slimy, sleazy network executive. Is it something you've observed in your multi decade career? Have you seen this?

[Billy Crudup]

I can assess. That is just a great character that people like giving to me. And I have played a kind of character like that. But I've never, I think, experienced reading a character in something that's in some ways going for such a broad audience. You know, you've got Reese Witherspoon and Jen Aniston and Steve Carell in the first one. Like big, big stars going for a big audience. And they have this kind of subversive nut bag kind of weaseling in and out.

[Kelly Ripa]

They are the subversive nutbag is the show. That is why people tune in to watch.

[Billy Crudup]

I'm convinced that the reason people are interested in them is because the themes that they're taking on are so difficult. Like the kinds of heightened drama that these characters are in the midst of navigating is so intense that the audience is waiting for a little bit of relief too. And so Corey is kind of a conduit for the audience because he doesn't take anything too seriously enough for too long so people can tolerate him. And he's also, he doesn't mind being in the middle of this tornado, feeling like he's got the capacity, the mental capacity to navigate his way out of anything. He's a very confident person who is alive and present for all of those moments. He's not typically drowning in his own. The agony of experiencing these major dramatic moments.

[Kelly Ripa]

Have you learned anything about morning TV programs since you've been doing this show?

[Billy Crudup]

Well, I've learned that when we go on morning TV shows, they think the show gets it pretty right. Everybody's real.

[Kelly Ripa]

Well, everybody thinks it's about them. So there's. That. There's the, like. The ego factor is like. Everybody thinks it's about them.

[Billy Crudup]

And you're on a set that is like the set that we work on. So it's all very familiar. But I do like to take liberties with the fact that people are typically afraid of me and my character. So intimidating. The morning shows with the sense that I may have some kind of invented power to undermine them all, has been quite fun.

[Kelly Ripa]

But you have, like. You have, like, sexual. I mean, Jan. Yeah. He's with Reese Witherspoon right now. Right. But there's also sexual. I. I'm gonna say this. Tell me if you agree. I feel like there's, like, a little sexual tension with Jennifer Aniston's character. I feel like you two could somehow end up together.

[Billy Crudup]

Well, you know, we had that thing the first season where we sang together.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Billy Crudup]

And I thought there might be something might develop there. But I think the writers were interested in the ideological connection between Bradley and Corey, where they're both kind of weird outsiders and they don't know how to apply their particular skill set. Bradley does it in a way that is constantly undermining her, and he's doing in a way that's constantly undermining everybody else. So there's a weird kind of personality trait connection between them that he's very careful of observing the boundaries, the hierarchical workplace boundaries, since he's her boss, that he does not want to cross over. But I think he's discovering sort of, you know, in the middle of his life that he has incredible affection for another person.

[Kelly Ripa]

Now, most of our executives now, where we work. Jan, I don't know if you've noticed this, Albert are women. And that has really been a tremendous game changer for my. Where I work, we just are on the morning show. We are much more efficient group. It is. It's been like a true pleasure when.

[Billy Crudup]

I do tours, you know, press tours for this. The number of entertainment industry people who Come up to me and say, oh, that's got to be based on so and so. I'm like, no, never heard of that person. Somebody else come. Oh, that's got to be based on. There's like 40 different people that others are sure that this character is based.

[Kelly Ripa]

On because there are so many exist. I mean, they live amongst us. Us. It's the best character ever. I think you steal that show. All right, I want to get into. Because we have to let you go soon. I want to know about J. Kelly. Today's winter skincare segment is sponsored by l'. Oreal. Tell me if you can relate. Every December, my skin goes on strike from the dry air heating. All of the time, time, all of my travel, my skin starts screaming for help. Well, here to give us some quick winter skin tips is dermatologist Dr. Tomasian. Okay, Dr. Tomasian, I think we all need your help right now. Once the cold snap begins, which it began earlier than normal this year, way too soon for me. I feel like we were plunged into cold. But it's like my face. Face decides to sort of like give up. It's very dry, it gets very dull looking. What causes that?

[Dr. Tomasian]

Great question. So it's really a lot of things that happen during the winter months and it starts off with the cold really. So lower humidity, colder weather, we start losing more water in our skin. We're using a lot more heat on our skin too. Which means those nice warm showers when you get home. Home, you're losing a lot of water.

[Kelly Ripa]

Like to cook a chicken in the shower. I want my shower hot. I don't understand these cold plungers. I don't get it.

[Dr. Tomasian]

I don't either.

[Billy Crudup]

But maybe like lukewarm, you know, but.

[Dr. Tomasian]

So all that stuff, you're losing a lot more water so your face looks drier. That's the number one thing. So drier skin automatically will look dull, less radiant, less. Less of a shine, less of a bounce on your skin when you have light hit it. So. So I think it all starts off with like a really good moisturizer. Really.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right. What else should we be doing outside of moisturizer?

[Dr. Tomasian]

Great question. I think if you are trying to get really radiant hydrated skin, a couple of key ingredients I really like to look for is one, vitamin C serums or vitamin C in general as an ingredient. It's really brightening. It's an antioxidant. Retinol is amazing. It's a gold standard for anti aging. And then of course, hyaluronic acid is awesome as well. Because it's going to just suck in hydration, make your skin more hydrated. And that's the beauty right now. With a lot of these skincare products out right now, they're combining all these ingredients. And I know, like, one of my favorites is that l' Oreal Paris triple power moisturizer because it contains pro retinol, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C. So the people who are like, I don't have 15 hours to be in front of a mirror and do my skincare routine, you just put that on, on, you've knocked out many of the key ingredients and, like, you're gonna see results. That's the beauty of it. So I love a simple skincare routine, especially a good serum and a moisturizer like you're doing and the triple power tripeptide serum. I mean, you're packed with ingredients to help anti aging, improve fine lines and wrinkles and kind of brighten up your skin. And then you follow that up with the triple power moisturizer. You're gonna have radiant skin, glowing skin. And the most important thing for me, especially in the winter months, is hydrated skin, which is super important.

[Kelly Ripa]

Hydrated skin. What are your thoughts on how tending to your skin can also ground sort of your mindset? Like, I feel. Jan, go with me on this. Yeah. I feel like when I look better, I have a better overall outlook on life. When you look good, you feel good. I mean, I'm sorry, I hate to say it, but I feel like they think that's. That's true.

[Dr. Tomasian]

I completely agree. I think you look good, you dress well, you feel well, like all that matters. And I think having that routine is super important because just like you wake up and brush your teeth, going to bed and doing your skincare routine kind of just. It will ground you. And the best thing about it is if you do it consistently and you get into that habit. Yeah, it will. I think one, you'll see results because you're being consistent. But it's something to ask you to look forward to is like, you. It's your check mark that you're ready for, like the night to end and to calm down, kind of quiet your mind too.

[Kelly Ripa]

I love this little conversation that we had. It was great. Should I ask Dr. Tomasian what I really want to know? Sure. Are you single?

[Billy Crudup]

Unfortunately.

[Dr. Tomasian]

Actually, I said fortunately. I am very married.

[Kelly Ripa]

You're married?

[Billy Crudup]

Very married. Very married.

[Dr. Tomasian]

One year into marriage, actually. Very happy, very blessed.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay, good, because I have like 12 people I want to set you up with, but never mind. You're off the market, so. No, stop asking Jan. It's not going to happen. Anyway, I really, I loved having this conversation with you. I really appreciate it. Hopefully everybody takes a little bit better care of their skin this winter. Albert, I hope you learned something. Thank you so much for joining us today. Of course. Dr. Tomasian. Thank you. And thank you to Lore Elle for all their continued support in the quest for perfect skin. And tell your wife we said hi.

[Dr. Tomasian]

She's here. She's actually in the room.

[Kelly Ripa]

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[Billy Crudup]

Noah has made the most lush movie about filmmaking and movie stars in particular. And it's, you know, it's. It's kind of a metaphor for me and my friend Bart. We used to always have this line when we were in our 20s and 30s and we were making movies, and so we were doing the thing that we wanted to do, but we kept having this nagging sensation that our great life was about to start. And, like, we weren't. This wasn't actually our great life. This was. We were still filled with the same kind of neuroses and discomfort. And we're like, it's going to be ahead of us. And I think that's kind of an American thing because, you know, the. Because we're the world or the land of opportunity, people keep imagining that at some point they're going to hit the jackpot. That was my dad's biggest, big downfall there. And so when you're busy looking for your life to start, you're missing the life that's in front of you. So I think Noah uses this in a really beautiful metaphorical way. But aside from my philosophical take on it, it's just a gorgeous movie. George Clooney and Adam Sandler give spectacular performances, and the cast is, you know, just loaded top to bottom. And Noah's been a director that I've wanted to work with for a long time.

[Kelly Ripa]

He's an incredible film filmmaker. Incredible.

[Billy Crudup]

He is an absolutely sensational filmmaker and a wonderful man. And I've had a great fortune of. Not just because, actually, when I was doing Harry Clark in London and I did this while I was doing Harry Clark, and I certainly don't want to do anything else when I was doing that play, but to work with him, I would have done anything. And he only worked on it for about four or five days. But the kind of welcoming, artistic, creative collaboration that he afforded me was unusual. And the crucial part is it's about moviemaking. So you want to see it in a theater. It's beautifully. And there's. There's a great. George Clooney's character ends up going to. He's getting a tribute at a film festival. So the actual tribute at the end of the film festival is in a movie theater. It's a. It's him watching sort of his life as reflected through movies. And so to see it in the theater is a really beautiful, wonderful way to see it.

[Kelly Ripa]

It's like the meta, meta, meta of it all. It is, yes.

[Billy Crudup]

I also Wanted to mention I'm about to go to London to do another play. Eric Roth, who is a screenwriter, he has adapted the movie High Noon for a play. And I'm gonna play the Gary Cooper part. And a brilliant actor, Denise Goff, is gonna play the Grace Kelly part.

[Kelly Ripa]

And when are you doing that? When?

[Billy Crudup]

I'm leaving next month. You can see it. It's gonna be at the Harold Pinter Theater, starting previews, I think. Dec, we're going.

[Kelly Ripa]

We are going. Our. Our daughter lives in London. We are there all the time. We are coming to see you 100%.

[Billy Crudup]

Okay, well, you have to let me know, and then we'll go off for dinner.

[Kelly Ripa]

That would be so fun. I. I mean, honestly, so fun. And I was just thinking, like, I said, Jan got a special link. She saw J. Kelly, and she said, billy steals the whole movie. And I go, of course he does. He steals everything. He's in the whole movie. The scene in the. I mean, it's that scene. That scene. How did you do that?

[Billy Crudup]

I know that writing is unbelievable. To get a chance to try to do that. I'm telling you, I was the writing.

[Kelly Ripa]

I mean, you were reading a menu, right?

[Billy Crudup]

Yeah, exactly. I mean, that's the whole setup. You're reading a menu. I kept saying. I was like, noah, this is a really tough thing you're asking, man. Like, I'm not sure I know how to do it, and I didn't know how to do it. I'm not a method actor. I'm just a storyteller. And if, you know, scene calls for a particular kind of emotion to come out. And I told Noah, I was like, that's not really the way that I work. And I said, maybe we could change a couple of lines. And he kept saying, yeah, sure. Okay. Yeah, sure. And then the script wasn't changing. So about two weeks before, it was like, I better figure out method acting or whatever this is here. And so I just. When I got on set that day, I turned to George, Noah, and said, guys, I don't really know what's going to happen here. So fingers crossed. Best of luck. I got a couple of backups if it doesn't work, but we'll see how it goes.

[Kelly Ripa]

I mean, I can't. I'm literally vibrating with excitement. You know, on the soap, I think you'll enjoy it. On the soap, we had this crazy thing. Cause, you know, like you said, it was just like every day you're having a nervous breakdown on camera because that's. The soap opera is very dramatic. Everything's dramatic. And so I learned this trick somebody taught me. They said, in your stomach lives a magician's hat. A magician's hat lives in your stomach. And right before you have to go on scene and have a breakdown and. Because the breakdowns would happen, and three, two, one. You know, and they cue you, and you're sobbing. And so she. This woman said to me, you keep a magician's hat in your stomach, and when the stage manager is counting you down, you stuff your hand down into the magician's hat. You pull the rabbit out by the ears, you punch it in the face as hard as you can and stuff it back down. And it worked. Every time. It works. So you know what, Billy? I want you to use that. You take that and use it whenever you need it.

[Billy Crudup]

I tell you, I'm going to. I'm going to reach down that magic hat in the future, pull that rabbit out and beat the shit out of it. Stuff it back in. Yeah, that's it. That's acting for you, and that's acting.

[Kelly Ripa]

And then. And then you'll get your Academy Award. Naomi will win her. Because you'll tell her. You'll give her that good advice, and then you'll both have. Have your Academy Awards.

[Billy Crudup]

We'll let them have sex.

[Kelly Ripa]

They can have sex, but you'll, like. You'll film it. You'll film it on your cell phones, and you'll send it to Jan and me. Okay? And we won't put it anywhere. We won't post it.

[Billy Crudup]

Done. I promise. No, when that happens, it's coming.

[Kelly Ripa]

We just like to watch, like, award porn. I think it's very exciting. Very, very exciting. Billy, thank you so much for joining us. It is.

[Billy Crudup]

Ellie, thank you so much. I appreciate it.

[Kelly Ripa]

Give my love to the whole family. Family. Okay.

[Billy Crudup]

I definitely will. I definitely will. You do the same.

[Kelly Ripa]

Bye, listeners. Don't forget, check out J. Kelly once again. It's in theaters November 14th, streaming on Netflix December 5th. Oh, my gosh. How lucky are we to have Billy Cr. My God. Well, what more do you want from me? That's it. That's it. Can't wait to talk. You know what, Chan? You do it. I'm. I'll talk down. Can't wait to talk to you all off camera next week. Wow, Jan, that was sexy. Let's talk off camera with Kelly Ripa is a production of Malo Jo Productions from Malojo. Our team is Kelly Ripa, Marc Consuelos, Albert Bianchini, Jan Chalet, Seth Bronquist, Roz Therian, Devin Schneider, Michael Haupt, Julia Desch, and Team Radio Andy Lisa Mantineo, Scott Marlowe, Jake Getz.

[Billy Crudup]

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[Kelly Ripa]

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[Billy Crudup]

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[Kelly Ripa]

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[Kelly Ripa]

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[Billy Crudup]

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