S1E6: HDP

Summary

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Pluribus: The Official Podcast

Season 1, Episode 6: “HDP”

Release Date: December 5, 2025
Host: Chris McCaleb
Featured Guests: Vince Gilligan (Creator & EP), Vera Blasi (Writer), Ganja Montero (Director), Samba Schutte (Actor – Mr. Diabate), Nicholas Tsai (Editor)

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Episode Overview

This episode of the “Pluribus” official podcast offers an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the making of episode 6, “HDP.” Host Chris McCaleb is joined by an all-star creative roundtable: series creator Vince Gilligan, writer Vera Blasi, director Ganja Montero, and actor Samba Schutte. Their candid conversation explores how they brought this pivotal and visually ambitious episode to life, covering everything from collaborative writing and intense character casting, to the technical wizardry of filming Las Vegas during a record heatwave—including creating an “empty” Vegas and wrangling an iconic set where Elvis once lived. The episode is rich in insider anecdotes, creative insights, and memorable moments, all delivered with warmth and humor by the team.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Joining the Pluribus Team: New Voices in the Writers’ Room

(01:43 – 05:20)

• Vera Blasi describes her initiation into TV writing, calling it "a dream come true” (02:02). She shares her jitters and excitement, noting the support of the team and the show’s “Pluribus happy” energy, where everyone “cared about everybody and we were happy” (02:29).
• Vince Gilligan recounts first discovering Vera’s talent through mutual friend Mark Johnson and her “stranger in a strange land” script about Pontius Pilate—“It really, really stuck with me… At some point a smart producer is going to make this thing” (02:31).
• Vera shares her post-pandemic return to LA and how Vince invited her to lunch only to offer her a spot on the show—“I was like, oh my God. Is this possible?” (04:05)

2. Directing Amid High Stakes & High Temperatures

(04:22 – 08:04; 15:26 – 21:23)

• Ganja Montero discusses joining an established crew, appreciating the unique “collaborative frequency” of Vince’s team: “Things either expand you or contract you. The Vince world definitely opens you up so you can do the best version of the thing that's already been written” (05:32).
• Coming in mid-season, she describes adapting to the "ultra fresh" tone of the show, “There are no comps for it…it’s impossible to say, ‘oh, it’s this meets that,’ which is the classic Hollywood thing” (06:41).
• The crew filmed during a "record summer heat wave" in Las Vegas, requiring night exteriors at 103°F+ and the challenge of depicting an empty Vegas—“Vegas is pretty busy 24/7” (15:48).
• They used “array plates” (multi-camera 360° imaging) to create empty streets, stitched together in VFX to erase crowds: “We needed enough runs so that if there was a human in front of a McDonald's…when you cut to that shot, there’s no human in front of the McDonald's” (17:17).

3. Character & Casting: Creating Mr. Diabate

(08:04 – 14:54)

• Samba Schutte reflects on his audition and connecting with the role of Mr. Diabate—a “Mauritanian character” which felt close to home. The audition process stretched over five months (09:05).
• His initial performance was “smooth, macho,” but casting asked him to “play him more nerdy and awkward—which is closer to who I am as a person…that made it even closer to my skin” (09:37).
• Gilligan: “To a man, no one else had the innocence you had. Everyone else played it some sleazier than others…The innocence you infuse…is—I don’t know how you do it…but you make this guy so likable” (12:11, 13:20).
• Schutte sees Diabate as "a kid in a candy store...living his best life," which keeps the character joyful rather than sleazy (09:56-10:49).

4. Las Vegas Location & Legends

(21:04 – 23:17)

• The poker suite was Elvis Presley’s former penthouse at the Westgate: “On the top floor…was where Elvis Presley lived for years...We really did shoot…in the area that used to be Elvis’s bedroom” (19:16).
• The Westgate’s VP, Gordon Prouty, became an unofficial tour guide, “always dressed to the nines…knows the history…inside and out” (20:12).
• The hotel is purportedly haunted; “Crew members told us…lights would flicker, TVs would switch on, and showers would turn on” (21:04).

5. Visual Design & The Art of the Party

(23:06 – 29:09)

• A bold creative choice: Carol’s video log was shot in real selfie mode by actor Rhea Seehorn. “The authenticity…brings so much…as an amateur cinematographer or camera operator, that comes across even more" (23:38).
• Vince’s hidden cameo: “The severed head that Carol holds up, that's me…[made via 3D scanning and printing]” (24:43-26:23).
• For Mr. Diabate’s lavish suite, massive portrait paintings of Schutte were commissioned and hung throughout the “Elvis suite” (22:08-23:02).
• The 1960s-themed “James Bond party”—complete with lookalikes of cultural icons (Elvis, Bob Dylan, Audrey Hepburn, Bruce Lee, etc.)—was a dazzling logistical and creative feat, allowing costume designer Jennifer Bryan to deliver "incredible" fashion moments (27:14-28:59).

6. Constructing the Episode’s Signature “One-R” (& Surviving the Hot Tub)

(29:29 – 34:23)

• The hot tub scene was shot first—“The first time I met them all was when we shot the hot tub scene. So that was not awkward at all…Hi, I’m Samba…Okay, let’s get naked in a hot tub” (29:42).
• Montero describes embracing chaos and protecting actors: “There’s never a production without chaos…For me, it was about keeping all of them…not aware of the chaos” (32:16).
• Facing time constraints, they synthesized plans on set, opting for dynamic single shots to capture the party’s scale and intimacy: “If we do a oner that begins tight on him and starts pulling out, it becomes about the choreography…of where each character is in space” (33:00).

7. “John Cena Explains Cannibalism” Cameo

(34:38 – 36:07)

• Vince Gilligan: “Who do you have explain why the world is taken to cannibalism? Who better than John Cena?” (34:52)
• The cameo was filmed in Tampa, FL, on Cena’s day off. He delivered multiple pages of monologue “basically one take wonder” (35:39).
• Filming the in-show sequence, they used a stand-in video of Vince delivering the lines—“Me and Rhea were giggling as we're trying to be serious…Vince explaining it in his nice accent” (36:07).

8. Visual Highlights & Editorial Praise

(37:17 – 37:55)

• Host Chris McCaleb highlights “an incredible shot of Mr. Diabate at the window, and then there's that rack through the champagne flute," calling it “Michelle MacLaren type stuff…really incredible” (37:17).
• Editor Skip Fanta cut the episode—“Amazing…not much to do!” Montero jokes (37:43).

9. Tease for What’s Next & Wrap

(38:16 – 39:49)

• The closing sequence teases Minutos’ search for a signal, underpinned by a mysterious Dave Porter sound effect (38:17).
• Montero praises actor Veska: “His silent, brooding action hero—master brooder…So exciting to film the beginning of that journey” (39:13-39:20).
• The roundtable expresses mutual admiration and excitement for next week's episode.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Vera Blasi on her first show:
  “After being here with you, I believe miracles can happen.” (03:23)
• Vince Gilligan on casting Mr. Diabate:
  “No one else had the innocence you had. Everyone else played it some sleazier…The innocence you infuse into Mr. Diabate is—I don’t know how you do it.” (13:20)
• Ganja Montero:
  “The Vince world definitely opens you up so you can do the best version of the thing that's already been written.” (05:32)
• Samba Schutte on Mr. Diabate:
  “He’s just living his best life...now he has the opportunity to be the best version of himself. And so that's the nerdy side for me…” (10:49)
• Ganja Montero recalling heat & challenges in Vegas:
  “The main challenge was that we had to depict an empty Vegas…Filming in Vegas, you can't really shut down a casino...But we also needed to shoot exteriors of empty Vegas, and that's the actual challenge.” (15:48–16:36)
• Vince's secret cameo:
  “The severed head that Carol holds up, that's me. That's my head.” (25:06)
• Ganja Montero, on creating the party sequence:
  “You really recognize these characters, understand that we're in an elevated reality. And then land on Samba...what an introduction.” (28:14–29:07)
• Vince Gilligan on John Cena:
  “Who better than John Cena? As in, a very friendly, likable fellow that everybody in the world knows who can very matter of factly explain why human beings have resorted to cannibalism.” (34:52)
• Chris McCaleb on one standout shot:
  “Just an incredible shot of Mr. Diabate at the window, and then there's that rack through the champagne flute...Just really, like, incredible shot.” (37:17)

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Noteworthy Timestamps

• 01:43 – Reflecting on joining the writers’ room
• 06:41 – Director’s perspective on entering the show mid-season
• 09:37 – Samba on adjusting his audition for Mr. Diabate
• 13:20 – Vince explains why the role was so difficult to cast
• 15:48–18:59 – The logistical challenge of shooting empty Las Vegas
• 19:16 – Filming in the former Elvis penthouse
• 21:04 – Haunted hotel stories
• 23:38 – Authenticity in the camcorder opening
• 24:43 – Vince’s secret as the severed head
• 27:14–29:09 – Conceiving and costuming the party sequence
• 29:42 – Hot tub scene: intimacy and introduction
• 32:16–34:23 – Surviving the pressure and protecting actors
• 34:38–36:07 – How John Cena's comedic cameo came about
• 37:17–37:55 – Celebrated visual moments
• 39:13 – Praising Veska’s performance

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Final Thoughts & Mood

The episode is filled with a clear sense of comradery and gratitude among the creative team, punctuated by laughter, awe at technical achievements, and delight in storytelling. The group’s mutual respect and the show’s ambitious spirit come through in every anecdote and reminiscence, offering podcast listeners a vivid and personal window into the world of Pluribus.

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Transcript

[A]

Welcome to Pluribus, the official podcast, an intimate insider conversation about the making of the Apple TV series with the cast and creators behind the show. My name is Chris McCaleb. I'm one of the editors of Pluribus and the host of this podcast. This is not a recap show. It's more of a wide ranging roundtable discussion about the making of each episode. So if you haven't watched this week's episode yet, I definitely recommend before listening because we'll be talking openly about the plot, how we made it, everything this podcast is about. Episode 106, entitled HDP, written by Vera Blasi and directed by Ganjo Monteiro. In this episode, Carol records evidence of her discovery, then, worried that the others won't distribute her findings, rushes to hand deliver a tape to Mr. Diabate, who is having the time of his life in Las Vegas. I really love this episode and this was a fun conversation. So without further ado, let's welcome to the podcast executive producer and creator, Vince Gilligan. Hey, writer of this episode, Vera Blasi.

[B]

Hello.

[A]

The director of this episode, Ganja montero heya. And Mr. Diabate himself, samba Shoot.

[C]

Bienvenue.

[A]

And on the ones and twos, the wheels of steel, Nicholas Tsai.

[C]

Hello.

[A]

Hello, Nicholas.

[D]

Nicholas.

[A]

Well, let's get into this episode hdp, huh? Is that what's really going on? It made me think, is that what we've been eating for lunch here at the office? Oh, well, you know, because I don't know that I gave consent for any of that.

So much going on in this episode. Let's start with Ganja and Vera. Like you're coming into this kind of group of people who've been kind of doing this Better Call Saul style. Talk about coming in, writing the script, getting into the script, how you approach it.

[B]

Well, it was a dream come true.

For sure. It was my first television episode, so I was a little bit nervous at first, but I got in the groove. And Vince was so generous and so helpful. Everybody was. It's really teamwork. And I think that that was one of the most comforting things about the experience, was how everybody cared about everybody and we were happy. Like Pluribus happy.

[D]

That's right.

[B]

We were very happy people.

[D]

That's true. And I've known you for years. I was so glad to get to work with you because I had known Vera for years. Our mutual friend Mark Johnson, who was the guy that kind of discovered me way back in October 1989 at the Virginia Film Festival when he was the judge of a Contest. I was one of the winners. And he is an excellent producer and he knows talent when he sees it. I'm not speaking about myself, I'm speaking about Vera because he gave me your script. It's a stranger in a strange Land, kind of, as I recall, kind of story where Pontius Pilate moves to Judea. He's basically posted there by the Roman Emperor, the Roman government, and he feels like he's a fish out of water and he's, you know, there's a certain amount of sympathy for the devil, so to speak. And it's just really, really stuck with me. At some point, smart producer is going to actually make this thing. At some point.

[B]

Well, you know, after being here with you, I believe miracles can happen. So Vince was so kind to read it and we met and we've been meeting sort of like at parties or events. And then after the pandemic, I came back to LA because I spent the pandemic with my parents in the Bay Area. So I came back to LA and I thought, oh my gosh, what happens now? I was so cut off from everything and you invited me to lunch and I thought, oh, this would be great, I'm going to catch up with Vince. And then he said, do you want to come and write on my new show? And I was like, oh, my God.

Is this possible?

[A]

That's wild.

[B]

Come back from a pandemic to a city that has become a little bit strange and you want to get your bearings and now suddenly you have the best job in the world.

[D]

Well, you fit right in. You did a wonderful job.

[A]

And Ganja, how about you? How did you come into this whole situation?

[E]

I was working on a pretty tough job filming in la and I received a message saying that the Vince Gilligan team was interested in meeting. And I met with Jen, Trina and Diane and it was a great conversation. I didn't have a script, obviously. It was all very. I think it was more of a vibe check, I think, and I guess I passed the vibe check. And I think that it was the first experience where I felt like this is how filmmaking should be, how TV making should be. I think that in the TV space, sometimes it's so fast paced and as a director you don't get to hire your own crew. But not always are you coming into a place that is truly collaborative, where the intention is very much the same, everyone's trying to make the same thing.

[A]

Right.

[E]

Sometimes it feels like, you know, I'm making one show, the DP is making another, and the showrunner is making yet another. And I think because Vince and the whole team have been together for 13 years or so.

[D]

Oh, gosh, we've been going on 20, going on some of the folks, so.

[E]

20 years or so. And I think because of that, it puts everyone in the same frequency. And that is exactly what you need in order to bring out the creative juices. And I always say that things either expand you or contract you. And the Vince world definitely opens you up so that you can do the best version of the thing that's already been written, you know, And I think it's our job as directors to come in and elevate and make this incredible script that's already super strong, you know, and it really does pop off the page. But making it even more real, authentic, and in this case, making it the most visceral and realistic and humanistic, I think that it can be. Because it is a pretty wild story, right?

[A]

Well, it seems like it would be an even bigger challenge for you coming in on episode six, when, you know, the machine is already kind of in motion and things are. The stories are being told. I mean, were you given the scripts immediately of the other episodes, so you had to kind of catch up and.

[E]

Oh, yeah, yeah. That's what's interesting. Coming in mid season is that because I've often come in early in the season or finishing it out, so then there are more episodes to watch. And coming in mid season, I was able to watch the pilot, which was really helpful. But this is like right before I started production. So I was able to get a true sense of what the visual style, what the tone. Because the tone, it's so specific and so unique and so fresh. I think that's the thing is that the show is ultra fresh. There are no comps for it. It's almost impossible to say, oh, it's this meets that, you know, which is the classic Hollywood thing, the way to describe new projects or ideas. And so, yeah, I think that having had the scripts, obviously Vera, who not only is an incredible writer, but is also Brazilian like me.

[C]

Yay.

[E]

Well, I wasn't born there, but my DNA is 100% Brazilian.

[B]

Her Portuguese is 100% Brazilian too.

[E]

Oh, yeah. I work hard on it, but she obviously had been in the room. So I think that also helps to give you a very smooth bridge into what was planned. You know, the thought process behind everything. Because that's what you really want to understand. You know, it's not just what's on the page, but what is the subtext. What are the interior, innermost thoughts that then led to this. And same goes for the characters. The words that are coming out of their mouths are often not exactly what they're thinking or feeling.

[A]

Right. Is that true? Samba?

Are the words coming out of Mr. Diabate's mouth the words of samba shooting?

[C]

Well, it's really interesting. Cause when I first got this audition, I had just become a dad, and I was getting two hours of sleep a day. And a month later I get an audition for an untitled Vince Gilligan project. And I think I'm in a fever dream, but I see the name was. It was Dummy sides. I realized at this time, and the name of the character was Mr. Kumba, and that's a very Mauritanian name. And so I thought, oh, my God, this is a Mauritanian character. Vince wrote a Mauritanian character. So I immediately understood the words he was saying. And it felt like it was something really close to home. And that made it easier to get into this guy's skin. Little did I know that when I did my first audition, I played him very smooth, macho and everything. And I did that at the callback. When I got a callback five months later.

[D]

Was it that much later?

[C]

It was that much later.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[D]

I didn't know that.

[C]

Oh, yeah. No, I thought I'd lost the job, Vince. I was like, oh, I didn't know that at all. It was five months after I did the self tape. So I was like, oh, that job's gone, unfortunately. But then I got a call back five months later with Sharon and Russell, our casting directors. And they made me do the same thing. I did my first self tape, you know, playing him smooth and everything. And then they told me to forget everything I did and play him more nerdy and awkward, which is closer to who I am as a person.

So that made it even closer to my skin.

[A]

So, yeah, what does that say about me that I. I look at Mr. Giobatte as like, this guy's as about as cool as they get?

[D]

No, I see him as pretty. The way you play him is pretty damn cool.

[A]

I mean, like you described it, even nerdier. Is that what it is? I think we might be.

[C]

No, the way Vince described it. When I finally spoke to Vince once I found out I booked it was. I said, is there any malice in this guy? Is there any kind of hidden agenda? And Vince said, he is a straight shooter, he is sincere. He's just living his best life. All of a sudden, he's a kid In a candy store. And I connected with that immediately because I like candy. But I thought, okay, no, it's that excitement. It's that enjoyment of life in his eyes that now he has the opportunity to be the best version of himself. And so that's the nerdy side for me, because someone who enjoys now flying on an airplane with supermodels and living his best life in a Vegas suite is someone who didn't have that before, you know? And so now he gets to live out these fantasies that could be seen as sleazy or whatever, but for him, it's role playing. It's like playing, you know, a role. So, like going to a Comic Con.

[A]

Sure.

[C]

He's wearing a costume.

[A]

I mean. And everybody's cosplaying in that poker sequence.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

You know. Yeah. He's just living out a fantasy.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Which I think we talked about that on the first episode, and I think we didn't really want to get into Mr. Diabate. But you were talking about the conception of the show, and an early, early idea was this guy who. And how great it was that he could just do whatever he wanted. I don't know how you feel about that, Vince, but it feels to me that the DNA of that character, the person who does have it all and does whatever they want, is definitely infused into Mr. Diabate, especially as you're playing him.

[D]

Exactly. True. The original idea, going back to walks, I would take around this very building recording in when we were doing Better Call Saul, we'd take these lunches and I'd walk around and I'd think about the beginnings of this. What became this TV show. And this was going back almost 10 years. And I would think about a character, and he was a male character originally, who everyone is inexplicably nice to, and they'd bend over backwards. They'd do anything for him. And that's really. Is that character that evolved into Mr. Diabate? Because I was thinking about it and thinking about it, but then I thought, the guy who really enjoys this, you can't really build a drama around someone who's happy. You can't really build a drama around happiness. Or can you? Well, maybe if the main character is miserable. And then at about the same time, I was thinking, I love Rhea Seehorn. I should make something for her. Why can't it be this thing? Why can't it be the main character, be a woman? And it took years to figure all this stuff out. But Mr. Diabate, I gotta say, this was one of the hardest roles to Cast, really? Absolutely. Maybe that's why it took five months. It took months and months and months. We saw a lot of actors from all over the world. We saw a lot of self tapes. We saw a lot of really talented actors, but to a man, and they were obviously, they're all men. No one else had the innocence you had. Everyone else played it some sleazier than others, but there was always a certain element of sleaze. There was a certain element of, well, it's not that they were sleazy guys, but it was a certain element of, okay, this, this is kind of unseemly, but somehow you. The innocence you infuse your Mr. Diabate with is. I don't know how you do it because clearly Mr. Diabate loves the ladies. But. But I don't know. I don't know how you pull it off. You make this guy so likable. I don't know. I don't know how you do it.

[C]

Thank you for saying that. And I can't believe that you saw so many people. And I'm honored, of course, that I got this part because it's a dream come true. Like Vera says, I think I've just never been surrounded by supermodels and so I get giddy naturally.

[E]

I think there's a naivete, even though there is maybe an element of desire or sleaze in your eyes naturally, you know, and there is a certain joy de vivre that I think is really key. And I think it's people, as they get older, tend to harden up, you know, and I think it's that. That thing of that. That survival instinct or that need to be safe or to self protect. And I think you don't have that as an actor, as a person. And that's what the camera captures. You know, it's. It's the rawness of that moment. And I think that the moment that an actor tries to put a mask on and that mask doesn't fit, it feels inauthentic. And that's the reason why we're able to like you while also maybe criticizing you.

[C]

Right?

[E]

You, as in Mr.

[C]

It's a thin line to walk, you know, because it's so. You can so easily be sleazy or, you know, creepy. But you know, it's that chat I had with you, that Vince, that really helped. Just knowing that this guy doesn't have a bad bone in his body and is just really excited to be here in this new world and is embracing the change and that he's just like that Kid that's just living his best life in fantasy all of a sudden. He doesn't come from opulence and now he has it. So live it up.

[D]

Enjoying himself.

[B]

Yeah, he enjoys it without any guilt. And I think that's an important quality. And why we like him so much. Because you're so free. You have an immense capacity to be happy and you don't feel guilty about it. Why, you know, why should you put.

[D]

For a couple of Catholics here?

Yeah. You and me. And. Yeah. Just what is that like not having guilt?

Tell me about that.

[A]

Can we talk about shooting in Las Vegas?

[C]

Oh, God. Oh, my God.

[A]

And not just shooting there. Shooting during, like a record summer heat wave. I know that on one of those days it was 120 degrees. And I know I've got here in the notes that on the second day, it started with night exteriors. It was after midnight and it was already 103 degrees.

[E]

Yeah. And the main challenge was that we had to depict an empty Vegas. Las Vegas had to be devoid of humans. So in terms of filming in Vegas, I'm sure everyone who's shot in Vegas has perhaps faced a challenge like this, but you can't really shut down a casino.

[A]

No.

[E]

So. And we didn't just need empty casino, which we were able to cordon off a section and be really nice to the security who are helping us. And. But we also needed to shoot exteriors of empty Vegas. And that is the actual challenge, because Vegas is pretty busy 24 7. And so, I mean, we can get specific.

[A]

How did you accomplish that? And as a director, like, you see that in the script. What are your first thoughts as far as how are we going to accomplish this? How going to shoot this?

[E]

Well, the funny thing is that I got to Albuquerque and I didn't have much information. And I was just wondering, how are we going to pull off Vegas and Albuquerque? Because that's something that we do in Hollywood all the time. You know, I've shot LA and Vancouver, you know, you name it. Shot Vermont and Romania. So. But.

[D]

Wow, that sounds like a good one.

[E]

Yeah, that was definitely challenging. That's actually when you start thinking about architecture and what is quintessentially America, USA and what's not. So the main challenge was how do we shoot these streets? You know, how do we get empty streets? Because she arrives and we need to see the arrival and understand and contextualize it geographically in Vegas.

[D]

Right.

[E]

So we ran array plates. How do you describe a replay? 360.

[A]

Like cameras. Multiple.

[E]

Multiple cameras.

[A]

Like nine or 12, I think it is. And they take close to a 360 degree image of what they're seeing. And so you can use those to then put on screens or replace blue screens.

[E]

But the key thing for us is that we needed to stitch, so we needed to run these array plates for as long as possible. And the exact path that Carol's car was, well, the police car was going to be going, and then later, with the help of our VFX team, stitch those images together. And so, meaning that we need enough runs so that if there was a human in front of a McDonald's, then suddenly you need to make sure that you capture enough there so that when you do cut to that shot, there's no human in front of the McDonald's. And then, because our very last day of shooting for this episode was Carol in the car. And so her arriving, seeing the westgate sign, seeing all the messages to her and her reactions. So we needed those images on the video boards or the LED screens to then be able to have enough of a soft image in the background. So you do realistically believe that she's driving a car. So, I mean, I think some of the most tense conversations we had were actually, how do we get mt. Vegas? And it was also, and it's always a challenging thing to work with a local crew because we brought a lot of the New Mexico crew, the Albuquerque crew, but we also had to figure out how to make this work. And of course, when you're shooting with picture vehicles, you also need police help. The Vegas police was actually very helpful in that sense. They killed it. Yeah. And, you know, we have certain shots that we need. Everything's been storyboarded. But at the same time, you face these challenges because it is doing driving work. Any sort of car work is actually really slow.

[D]

Yeah. You know who else is great? The west gate hotel. Big shout out to the westgate. That's really what is now known as the westgate. Used to be the old international hotel and then the international hilton. But that on the top floor of the old international, which is now the west gate, was where Elvis Presley lived for years when he was doing his Vegas residency. So we really did shoot, as Mr. Diabate described, we really did shoot in the area that used to be Elvis Presley's bedroom. His bedroom. That's right, it was. They have redone those suites up on the top floor since his time. They are much larger now than they were in Mr. Presley's time. But Gordon, this wonderful gentleman who is classiest guy, you catch a quick Glimpse of him in that beautiful shot you got. Introducing the hotel. The suite. Yeah.

[A]

Gordon Prouty. He's the VP of Public and Community Relations at the Westgate.

[D]

And Gordon's a great guy. And he is a really classy gentleman who looks like he just. And the best way not. It looks like he just stepped out of the movie casino. He is so stylish. Always stylish, always dressed to the nines and knows the history of the old international, now the Westgate inside and out. And had all kinds of great Elvis stories. But he was explaining the area where the poker game takes place. That area was Elvis's. You're right. Elvis's bedroom.

[C]

Also, apparently, this hotel is haunted. Yes. So Mr. Diabate says it's haunted and that intrigues him. And actually, we had a few crew members tell us that in the middle of the night, their lights would flicker, TVs would switch on, and showers would turn on.

[D]

Oh, my.

[C]

I don't know if.

[A]

Showers? Yeah, I don't care for that.

[C]

And I don't know if it's true. But, yeah, apparently it was. It was actually haunted. I don't know if it's by Elvis or just by, I don't know, disgruntled casino goers.

[E]

Well, we included an Elvis impersonator also in that first shot.

[C]

Looks so good.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

I remember getting to that hotel and just, you know, it was surreal because I started filming with this episode for me, and it was kind of weird to start with six, but it kind of.

[D]

That's right, Shot six. Before you shot your introduction, too. That's right, yeah.

[C]

So I was like, okay, let's get into the show and find out who this character is. But I show up to this Westgate, you know, I'm on a location for Vince Gilligan show. So I'm all nervous and I'm all, like, walking around the hotel trying to get a vibe of what it is. And a security guard runs up to me and goes, you're the guy. I'm like, what do you mean? He's like, you're the guy. I'm like, oh, great, I'm about to get arrested for something. I'm like, what do you mean? He's like, you're the guy. He's like, what? He's like, come with me. So we go outside to one of the entrances, and a freaking huge poster of me in an Elvis suit is hanging up there.

[D]

I love it.

[C]

And I'm like, oh, no, it's already up. And like, yeah, you're the guy.

[D]

What are you doing?

[C]

Are you a magician or what? And I couldn't say I was on the show.

[A]

That's amazing.

[C]

I don't know. Please hide that.

[E]

My introduction to you as Mr. Diabate was actually the photo shoot for the first time.

[C]

We did a photo shoot a week.

[E]

Before, and the paintings and all of the set design that we needed featuring you.

[A]

Is that your first day in your greatest.

[C]

So my first day was a day in Albuquerque where they dressed me up in all kinds of outfits and we did a photo shoot. And I was like, oh, it's just to, you know, introduce a character. And then they started saying that they're gonna actually make live paintings of me that are gonna be hung up in the suit. And then they turned these photos into actual posters that are all over the hotel. And Ganja was there. That's where I first met Ganja. And so we were trying to just, okay, have fun with this character. And it's the most ridiculous costumes, and then they turn out to be amazing paintings, but huge, ridiculous paintings of me. And of course, everyone's like, are you gonna take one home? I'm like, why? What am I gonn.

[A]

Did you have any pushback from production? There's. There's two, I think, like, super bold choices in this one is having Carol actually shooting that teaser in selfie mode on a camcorder. And then also just that bravura shot leading into the poker game.

[D]

What an awesome shot.

[A]

So cool. Yeah.

[C]

The Warner talk.

[A]

Talk about how you thought of both of those things and the unique challenges that maybe those present.

[E]

Well, you want it to be experiential, especially the opening, you know, because episode five ends with her having gone in and seen something. Right. So we know that it has to feel extremely raw and emotional for her. I wanted to do it as a POV or I know, as the camera that she is holding. So there is that feeling of the experience itself. And also not a camera operator trying to mimic the thing that she's doing. You know, I think that. That the authenticity of having Rhea herself be holding that camera brings so much to it, because then it's her. You know, I think props are super important in filmmaking and storytelling in general. But then she is holding the camera, and then she as aunt. I mean, she's a professional in so many ways, but as an amateur cinematographer or camera operator, that comes across even more so, I think. And then once I asked Vince and he said, yes, that's a good idea.

[D]

Oh, yeah, I love it, I love it, I love it. Rhea did a really and with your help, your direction, she did a really nice job because that is her shooting herself.

[B]

It's like a short film made by Rhea. See Horton.

[D]

Yeah, yeah. And it's wonderfully done, by the way. This is my Alfred Hitchcock cameo moment. I don't think I've ever been in an episode of Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul or El Camino, nor was I ever in X Files. I don't think my brother was. But anyway, this was my cameo. The severed head that Carol holds up, that's me. That's my head.

[C]

What?

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Like a mold of your head.

[D]

It wasn't. In the old days, it would have been a mold. And it was so amazingly painless because I've actually. In high school, I made a mold of my own head to make monster masks out of. My brother helped me do it, except I used regular plaster of Paris that you get at the department store instead of the stuff you're supposed to use. And I didn't realize that it heats up when it's setting. It was.

[E]

It was bad living dangerously, I was living in.

[D]

But I. So I had that experience and I was thinking, oh, my gosh, if they're going to use my head, I don't want to go through that just for this funny bit of, you know, whatever. But Joe Ulabari, this mad genius of a prop builder and sculptor and just a jack of all trades, really made it easy. He scanned my head with this crazy device, used a 3D scanner, a LiDAR scanner, and then he made this head out of a. I think he used a 3D printer or something like that. But it's amazing. It's like it took all of 45 seconds for. You know, we're living in Star Trek times now. It took all the 45 seconds for him to walk around me three times pointing this thing in my head. And then there's like this perfect likeness in my head.

[C]

That's amazing. That's you.

[B]

I hope you kept the head.

[C]

He.

[D]

Joe made me the really cool bust of myself that I have in my office. I love it. I love it so much. And, yeah, the head is somewhere. We got a lot of body parts. A lot of styrofoam body parts.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[D]

And we saved them up and who knows, maybe we'll do something fun with them, related to the fans or something.

[E]

But that was the other challenge, too, is that the body parts, when they were shrink wrapped, they didn't necessarily. The first try, they didn't look like body parts. They kind of just looked like chunky blocky, white things. And so then between us, we figured out that if we inject some blood, fake blood into them, then at least that's right. The blood. The contrast of blood, plastic and Styrofoam would give us a little bit more of a sense, especially under low lighting circumstances. And her with that little camera and the directional light.

[A]

That's so smart.

[B]

And it even looked marbled. Like a good steak.

[D]

Just like you want your steak. Yeah.

[E]

But in terms of the intro to the party, or the intro into Mr. Diabate's fantasy, we. I think originally it was scripted as a party, a James Bond party. So that, to me, obviously inspired the 60s, the 1960s. And then at some point I thought, well, then it should be a 60s party for sure. And then at some point it was like, well, maybe it should be filled with impersonators. Like, who would Mr. Diabate want there? Yeah, the creme de la creme of Las Vegas. Of course.

[C]

We saw Elvis. I think there was a Bob Dylan.

[A]

Audrey Hepburn.

[E]

Audrey Hepburn, John Baez, Angela Davis, Bruce Lee.

[C]

Oh, my gosh.

[D]

My God. Right?

[E]

That was a challenge. Casting them was a challenge.

[A]

And a huge shout out to Jennifer Bryan, our costume designer. Yeah. This gave her the opportunity to dress a lot of people in incredible ways.

[C]

Yeah.

[E]

I mean, incredible. The first time, I think Jen, Trina, and I were all. I think Vera was there, too. When we first saw the truckloads of clothing arrive. Actually, no, it was already set up. It was set up like a showroom. And we walked on and it was just so incredible. And it's really interesting to think about texture and shapes and the way they interact with light. And this is getting nerdy. But sequins. There's a reason why sequins are part of the that world. And building those costumes and making sure that we were able to, in very seconds, really recognize these characters, understand that we're in an elevated reality. And then land on Samba.

[C]

Sitting there, being his fullest shot is just. I kept telling Vince, like, what an introduction. This is how you introduce, like, a George Clooney, Brad Pitt in a movie. And then all of a sudden it's.

[E]

Like, hi, it's me.

[D]

It is a movie star introduction.

[A]

Well, and it's unbelievable because for a minute you're like, what is this? Is this a flashback? Like, is this before what is happening? And then just landing. Yeah, like you said, that movie star shot on you. It's so dynamic. It's so exciting.

[C]

It was so much fun to see that whole thing. Everyone was amazing.

[E]

And the Scene also playing out. That's right.

[C]

It's all in French.

[E]

So we had to cast French speaking actors. And that's a whole other challenge.

[D]

Who have to be gorgeous, too.

[B]

Yeah.

[E]

And gorgeous.

[D]

And they're the sweetest bunch. They're sweetest bunch.

[C]

The first time I met them all was when we shot the hot tub scene. So that was not awkward at all.

[D]

Was that the first time?

[C]

That's the first time I met all our supermodels. Just like, hi, I'm Samba. Hi, I'm so and so. Okay, let's get naked in a hot tub.

[D]

Oh, my God.

[C]

Yeah. That was so crazy. But everyone was super professional. Our intimacy coordinator, Christine, was so sweet and guiding us and, you know, making sure we're all respectful. And it was so much more relaxing than I thought it was going to be. But that's where I met everybody. So after that, there were no more borders.

[D]

Oh, my God. I forgot it was done in that order. Wow. Boy, the thing I remember was how little time we had, because you only had time for, like, one or two takes of that. It was, boy, you. And you did a great job, Gadja, because it was. I mean, you did a great job, period. And your eye, you remind me so much of another one of my favorite directors, Michelle MacLaren.

[E]

Okay, you can pull that quote out.

[D]

You're wonderful compositions, but you were so under the gun. Well, it was. It was so little time.

[B]

It was a one or two.

[D]

It was a oner and so little time.

[C]

But you guys were so relaxed, which I loved, you know, ganja and just the, like, setting up what the shot's about. And then Vince having to explain to everybody kind of like what's happening because they had no idea what the show was about. And you still came up with a button for the end of that scene, Joette, when Tiapante says joanne, and she.

[D]

Says no and walks up.

[C]

That was your idea. That was you on the spot.

[D]

Well, that was. And that's. And that's her real name.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, that was her real name.

[A]

She was so great.

[D]

Yeah, because it would have been nice for you to have been able to have a little more time to get some coverage.

[C]

It was like the scene. No coverage.

[A]

Did you.

[D]

Well played.

[A]

In your prep for a scene like that. So you're. I'm hearing that you guys just totally under the gun on schedule. Did you have other shots planned? And what's the key? Or how do you find yourself staying, as you just said, calm and focused, and he didn't even realize that things were so tense.

[E]

So, yes, we did. We had all the more complicated sequences. We had storyboarded. I think I was working with Mark Bristol, storyboard artist. But the thing is, I think that storyboarding or shot listing, which I do a lot of, like, there's not a single scene. I never go into a shoot without a shot list. I actually have nightmares about doing that.

[D]

Me too.

[E]

And I think that the main point of that is to actually break down what you need. And I also. I used to act and I used to edit. So those two things, the emotional and the technical, come together in a really helpful way. I never thought that all those years of cutting some research documentaries and things would actually lead to me understanding what an edit requires. I can envision the blocks in my mind. Like, I have a really good sense of what we need. But because you have a sense of what you need, you also understand what's superfluous or what might be just really nice to cut together. But for that sequence specifically, because I not only had storyboarded, but I'd also shown it to Vince, and we'd gone through and said, you know what? We don't need this, we don't need that. So it'd been synthesized already. And then when we got to set and we didn't have time, we realized, well, you know what if we do a wonder that begins tight on him and starts pulling out? Then it becomes about the choreography or the dance of where each character is in space. And how do we also overcome the challenges of not really showing their bodies, because there are restrictions there as well. That's the importance of having an intimacy coordinator. It really is. But in terms of staying calm, some of my best friends are actors. And I come from a theater background in dance. I really care about protecting. I think that one of my jobs is to make sure that actors are at ease. They're not aware of the chaos that production is. There's never a production without chaos or some form of it. Different iterations of it, of course. And so for me, it was about keeping all of them. There's already a sensitivity there because there's nudity. But also. And you guys meeting for the first time and also you starting the production. And so I always want to make sure that I can shield. It's almost like I come in with the shield that's blocking or the flag that's blocking their view of what's happening on the other side. Because we also were losing light and we didn't have the right. The exact crane we needed that's what it was.

[D]

We weren't going to get kicked out. It was that the light was changing out the window because that looked out into an atrium that's way up on the 30something 40th floor, but it's an open air pool up on the very top floor of this skyscraper. Yeah.

[C]

Well, you absolutely made us feel safe.

[A]

Can we quickly talk about John Cena?

[D]

My God, that's right. This episode has it all. Really think about it.

[A]

How did that happen? And is that was. Was it always John Cena in the show?

[D]

He just kept calling and calling, begging us to know he was. He's awesome. We thought it would be the most cool thing in the world to have. I mean, who do you have explain why the world is taken to cannibalism? Who better than John Cena? As in. As in who better a very friendly, likable fellow that everybody in the world knows who can very matter of factly explain why human beings have resorted to cannibalism. Thank God he said yes. We went to Tampa, Florida. Remember that? You want to talk about that?

[E]

Oh, yeah. We went to Tampa, Florida on a Friday night to shoot on his day off. And he was such a pro because he had what, three pages of dialogue of a monologue? Three or four. It was a lot of words.

[D]

It was a lot.

[E]

Yeah. And he did an incredible job. I mean, basically one take wonder.

[D]

Yeah, I think we could have used the first take and we figured we came all the way to Tampa, Florida, we might as well have him do it two more times. But he was a pro. He's very pleasant, very professional. And I do remember as he's leaving, he said, well, I can't wait to see this episode when it airs. So I know what the hell I was talking about.

[C]

When we were filming that scene with Carol when she walks in and I show her the video of John Cena explaining the hdp. We didn't have John Cena do it when we were shooting that scene. It was actually Vince. And so it was super meta to do the scene with Rhea while Vince is explaining cannibalism and why it's justified, holding up a carton of milk. And it was all Vince.

[A]

But Vince as Vince, right? Instead of like, hey, I'm Vincenzo.

[D]

I personally think we should have kept me in there. But everyone said, no, John Cena. So I said, okay, finally, and I gave in. But by the way, as Ganja and Vera are making this thing, I'm sitting back behind him in my little chair and watching, having to watch me over and over again up there. It's like there's a reason people pay extra for people like John Cena and samba. And Ray say horn.

[A]

You did great.

[C]

It was so fun.

[E]

And we didn't tell you guys, though, right? We. I think we just played it for you.

[C]

Just played it. And so me and Ray were, like, giggling as we're trying to be serious, listening to this end of the world scenario. Vince explaining it in his nice accent. And so it was just. Yeah, you did a great job.

[A]

Well, as we wrap up, I just wanted to call out. There was this one shot that I remember. Just an incredible shot of Mr. Diabatte at the window. And then there's that rack through the champagne flute.

[D]

See, this is Michelle McLaren type stuff.

[A]

Just really, like, incredible shot.

[D]

Fantastic.

[A]

And then we sort of leave this episode with minusos embarking on a journey.

[E]

Yeah. So the process of TV directing is that you finish your episode first, you receive your editor's cut, which Skip Fanta. I mean, I was like, well, I guess there's not much to do.

[D]

Skip did a great job editing it. Yeah.

[E]

I mean, amazing. And so then you finish your director's cut, and it gets handed over to the producers. And then sometimes you get a message, and sometimes you don't get a message. In this case, I got an email from Vince, which, with your permission, I might one day print Very large in frame.

[D]

Okay.

[E]

But specifically because you mentioned minut, you talked about the persnickety concept of what he's doing going through every radio wave, trying to find some. Some sign of life. And that's something that I thought about a lot and trying to figure out, how do you visualize that without making it boring?

[D]

You know?

[E]

And it's also the. The end. It's a completion of a process when you finally realize, all right, well, there's this one sound. I don't even know what that sound is actually like now.

[D]

It's because. Yeah, because as we're recording this, you. You have. You know, we. We've been keeping these things so under wraps, and you've been so busy globetrotting around, making wonderful work in every continent of the world, it sounds like. So, yeah, you haven't heard this thing yet. It's really. It's an awesome sound effect that our sound team came up with, and I think actually Dave Porter helped create it. Or created it. Yeah, Dave Porter, our composer created it. It's really cool. Yeah, you're gonna like it.

[E]

And Veska is just so amazing.

[C]

I mean, his silent, brooding action hero, master brooder.

[E]

Yeah. And there's so much. I mean, there's so much going on behind those eyes. And he maybe he whispers one word or something. But yeah, it was just really exciting to film the beginning of that journey.

[A]

Yeah, it's really exciting and I'm excited for everybody to see what happens next week. But thank you all for coming in on a Sunday. We've been at this. The sun is going down right now. We're experiencing the sunset on the podcast recording as well.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Thank you all for coming. And thanks for listening, everybody.

[C]

Thanks for having me.

[E]

Thank you for having us.

[A]

All right, thank you so much to Samba Shoot, Ganja Montero, Vera Blasey and Vince Gilligan. And thank you for listening to Pluribus, the official podcast, an Apple TV podcast produced by Hybrid Productions and Sony Pictures Television. Be sure to follow on Apple Podcasts to get the next episode in your feed, including those bonus episodes. And watch Pluribus on Apple TV were available. Our editor and mixer is Nicholas Tsai. Theme music by Dave Porter. Associate producers are Alana Hoffman, Justin Verbeeste and Nicholas Tsai. Executive producers are Jen Carroll and me, your host, Chris McCaleb. Follow and listen on Apple Podcasts.