Andrew Levitas Meets World

Summary

---

Pod Meets World — "Andrew Levitas Meets World"

Podcast: Pod Meets World
Host: Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle, Ryder Strong
Guest: Andrew Levitas
Release Date: June 1, 2026

---

Overview of Episode Theme

This episode of Pod Meets World features a multi-faceted conversation with Andrew Levitas, who guest-starred as "Crazy Luther" in Season 7 of Boy Meets World. The hosts—Danielle, Will, and Ryder—dive into Levitas’s remarkable career, which spans acting, fine art, metalwork, filmmaking, writing, teaching, entrepreneurship, and environmental activism. Together, they reflect on Levitas's brief time with the show, explore his innovative artistic techniques, and share lessons on living a creative life beyond rigid specialization.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Catching Up & Reminiscing (03:00–07:50)

• Warm banter about Will’s new haircut and shopping mishaps.
• Playful teasing about outfits for upcoming public appearances—showcases the hosts’ camaraderie.

2. Intro to Andrew Levitas (15:00–19:50)

• Danielle introduces Levitas with a humorous, jaw-droppingly long summary of accomplishments: actor, filmmaker, acclaimed metalwork artist, environmental activist, gin entrepreneur, and more.
• Levitas joins, expressing modesty and warmth:

  “It’s great to see you guys. It’s been about a million years.” (19:13, Andrew Levitas) “I wasn’t aware [of the podcast] and now I’ve listened a bit. It’s totally great and it’s so cool you guys all get to be together. It’s amazing.” (19:17, Andrew Levitas)

3. Memories of “Boy Meets World” (20:06–29:00)

Levitas’s Approach to Acting

• Acting was never his primary passion—always saw himself as “a tourist as an actor.”
• Levitas’s career started by accident, leading from role to role due to an open, enthusiastic attitude.
• Used acting money to fund his artistic pursuits:

  “Whatever money I made as an actor, I spent on canvases and cameras and materials, and it really got me through a pretty sizable chunk of those early days.” (23:07, Andrew Levitas)

The Set Experience

• Recalls the “warm and familyish” environment on Boy Meets World:

  “What I remember about that week... just how warm and familyish and how excited everyone was, just like, just how happy everybody was, or at least it felt that way to be coming in. That’s not normal. At least it’s not par for the course. It should be normal.” (21:44, Andrew Levitas)

• Will and Danielle are surprised, reflecting on how tired they actually felt by Season 7.

Auditions and Roots

• Levitas had little memory of auditioning for Boy Meets World or having ever seen much of it before appearing, but knew Ben Savage a little through his brother.

Versatility in Early Career

• Numerous appearances: The Nanny, Party of Five, Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher.
• Started as an “outsider” in acting, fell into roles serendipitously.

4. The Art and Metalwork of Levitas (35:59–45:30)

Discovering His Medium

• Levitas explains his move from photography to “metalwork installations”:

  “I started melting my negatives onto the aluminum and try to create something more... with more depth and three dimension to it.” (38:15, Andrew Levitas)

• Focused on narrative and environmental messaging without overt activism.
• Uses recycled aluminum, creating large sculptures with photographic images that reveal new details up close.

Technical Approach

• Develops images on transparencies, then heat-fuses them onto etched aluminum.
• Some pieces are up to two inches thick and require ropes and pulleys to move.

Artistic Motivation

• Interested in societal problems (e.g., mercury poisoning in Minamata).
• Balances beauty and discomfort, inviting viewers to “look closer” for deeper meaning.

5. Bridging Visual Art and Cinema (50:48–54:47)

Transition to Filmmaking

• Became a filmmaker to “reach more eyeballs” and broaden the audience for social messages.
• Debut film Lullaby featured a star-studded cast, born from a script intended for real bereavement families:

  “The biggest takeaway was like, wow. The experience was amazing and totally cathartic for me, but it also was so much better than anything I could make by myself.” (53:53, Andrew Levitas)

• Finds joy in collaboration, prefers creative team environments.

Navigating Anxiety as an Artist

• Remains calm in creative work, reserves anxiety for “kids’ report cards and conferences.”
• Slight discomfort with media appearances, as by the project’s release he’s already “checked out” and focused on the next thing.

6. The Comic Book "Eternus" (56:05–60:44)

World-Building with Andy Serkis

• Eternus was born from Levitas’s desire to revive Greek mythology in contemporary culture, connecting mythic stories into a new universe.
• Explores themes like religion, social manipulation, performative culture, feminism (via Medusa), and #MeToo-era victim blaming, all through mythological allegory:

  “The idea was like, what a great universe to work cinematically... and so much to do. And it’s adult, right? That was an adult delivery system for more complex themes, but in a sexy, exciting way.” (60:44, Andrew Levitas)

7. Gin Entrepreneurship (65:05–73:15)

“Cygnus” Gin Origin Story

• Inspired by the needs of wife Katherine Jenkins, renowned opera singer.
• Developed an ultra-clean, highly distilled, Manuka honey-infused spirit for singers' sensitive throats.
• Approach was intentionally outsider:

  “Let’s see if I can get my wife drunk and make an alcohol. She liked gin... We gave these super fancy 6th generation master distillers an impossible task...” (65:27, Andrew Levitas)

• Despite no entrepreneurial ambitions, they disrupted the gin space; product is now award-winning, sustainable, and available in the U.S.
• Marriage benefit:

  “It’s something... unbelievably great, like, because we get to do it together.” (71:24, Andrew Levitas)

• Fun family anecdote: Their daughter wrote in class, “My parents make gin and tonic.”

8. Creative Career Advice (73:42–77:22)

• Levitas’s teaching at NYU leads to frequent questions about how to find a path as a multi-hyphenate artist.
• His core advice:

  “Being an artist is a state of mind, not a discipline… The job is to take in as much information that you can from the world around you… then finding ways to put it out.” (73:42–74:51, Andrew Levitas)

• Encourages embracing discomfort, reading widely, staying curious, and being open to new opportunities.
• Artists should “commit and work,” developing a strong work ethic as essential as any banker or lawyer’s, even if much of that “work” is seeing and absorbing the world.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Boy Meets World memories:
  • “For me, I was a tourist as an actor...it was just an opportunity to learn and be around other artists and become a better filmmaker someday.” (20:06, Andrew Levitas)
  • “What I remember about that week... just how warm and familyish and how excited everyone was...” (21:44, Andrew Levitas)
• On embracing creativity:
  • “I think there’s a mistake [today] where everything is about specialization... being an artist is a state of mind, not a discipline.” (73:42, Andrew Levitas)
• On anxiety and art:
  • “Making art is such a privilege... My anxiety is before day one. Once we get there, I actually feel that my mind clicks in and I feel most comfortable.” (54:47, Andrew Levitas)
• On approach to opportunity:
  • “I never said no. If you wanted me to do your thing, I did your thing.” (24:07, Andrew Levitas)
• On gin entrepreneurship:
  • “We gave these super fancy 6th generation master distillers an impossible task... And 57 samples later... She tries it and she didn’t feel anything.” (65:27, Andrew Levitas)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:00–07:50] Shopping, haircuts, and the hosts’ banter
• [15:00–19:50] Long intro & welcoming Andrew Levitas
• [20:06–29:00] Levitas on early acting, Boy Meets World set memories
• [35:59–45:30] Journey into metalwork and narrative sculpture
• [50:48–54:47] From fine art to directing films
• [56:05–60:44] Writing Eternus, world-building, Greek mythology themes
• [65:05–73:15] The gin journey: Cygnus gin story, entrepreneurship, and marriage
• [73:42–77:22] Creative advice to aspiring multi-hyphenates

---

Host Reflections & Takeaways

• Admiration for Levitas’s “Renaissance” approach—embracing breadth, not just depth.
• Resolved to focus on process, not just end goals, and to find meaning in even the small steps of creative work.
• Ryder links creativity to athletic training: “You should always be working... just like Olympic athletes train for the big event.”
• Will shares advice from author Robin Hobb: “Just write a sentence a day... you might throw everything away, but just write a sentence a day and see what happens.”

---

Final Thoughts

This episode stands as both a celebration of unexpected career turns and a toolkit for aspiring creatives. Levitas’s humility, humor, and wide-ranging experience serve as both inspiration and reminder: artistry is not a box you check once, but a lifelong habit of curiosity, openness, and willingness to try anything that resonates.

---

End of recap

Transcript

[Podcast Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

[Will Friedle]

This one's for all my TV lovers. My entertainment from DirecTV gets you 60 plus channels and Disney, Hulu and HBO Max all in one pack.

[Ryder Strong]

But here's the thing. With so much great TV and my entertainment, you're going to want to talk about everything you've been watching.

[Danielle Fishel]

Just remember that your friends might not be as well matched as you.

[Will Friedle]

Don't be a spoiler and encourage them to get my Entertainment for just $34.99 a month.

[Ryder Strong]

Go to directtv.com genrepacks and sign up today.

[Danielle Fishel]

New customers only. Service renews monthly unless canceled. Credit card required conditions apply to apps. HBO Max Basic with ads begins after DIRECTV five day trial. Learn [e-mail] restrictions apply. When we were kids, we thought adulthood meant having everything figured out.

[Will Friedle]

Like we'd wake up at 30 and suddenly understand taxes, health insurance and how to fold a fitted sheet.

[Ryder Strong]

And then you start your own small business and you realize you do not have it all figured out.

[Will Friedle]

I just wish I had someone to make insurance simple.

[Danielle Fishel]

And that's where the Hartford comes in. They've got over 200 years of experience

[Ryder Strong]

and they insure more than 1 million small businesses across the country. So they've seen it all.

[Will Friedle]

Retail, salons, financial services, restaurants, tech. Whatever you do, the Hartford makes it easy to get a customized quote online or by phone.

[Danielle Fishel]

Get a quote [e-mail] small business. That's theheartford.com smallbusiness for those who like to stay in control, WIX gets it.

[Will Friedle]

That's why they created WIX Harmony. It's an AI website builder that lets you create any type of website quickly while maintaining full control over every detail.

[Ryder Strong]

You can choose to use AI or click and edit everything yourself until the site feels exactly right.

[Danielle Fishel]

Try it for [e-mail] Harmony that's wix.com

[Ryder Strong]

Harmony let's talk chewy.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes. For starters, they've got over 100,000 products. Food, treats, toys, beds. And as a dog and a cat mom, I can go to Chewy for literally anything I need. And it ships fast.

[Will Friedle]

And Chewy's customer service is unreal. Day or night. They're ready to help.

[Ryder Strong]

You know what else I love? They handle prescriptions, pet insurance, telehealth, vet visits. And they're rolling out vet clinics across the country for life with pets.

[Danielle Fishel]

The answer is chewy. Save $20 on your first order with free shipping at chupanions.chewy.com World.

[Ryder Strong]

Looking all clean cut, it's all gone.

[Danielle Fishel]

When did you do this?

[Will Friedle]

Yesterday.

[Ryder Strong]

How's it feel?

[Will Friedle]

Feels pretty great.

[Ryder Strong]

It looks great, man.

[Danielle Fishel]

It looks so good.

[Will Friedle]

You like it?

[Danielle Fishel]

I love it. Oh, writer. Does Ryder like it better long?

[Ryder Strong]

What? No, I like it.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Ryder Strong]

I do like it better long in general. I think Will has excellent hair, and I like seeing more of it, but I think this looks great.

[Will Friedle]

Thank you. Yeah. I couldn't deal with anymore.

[Andrew Levitas]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

You know what? I'm. You know what? I'm noticing your bone structure is really just. Is. I can see your bone structure, whereas.

[Will Friedle]

Why, thank you.

[Danielle Fishel]

Maybe because your long, flowing locks were so distracting. I didn't notice, but now that you have that off, like your jaw.

[Will Friedle]

Yes.

[Danielle Fishel]

Everything's all, like, sharp.

[Will Friedle]

Well, thank you. I appreciate that. I like a sharp jaw.

[Andrew Levitas]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

Sigma face. Oh, mewing. Yeah. Dude, you got cheekbones.

[Andrew Levitas]

You always have.

[Will Friedle]

Wow.

[Ryder Strong]

It was.

[Will Friedle]

It felt so nice. The greatest part was actually shampooing it because he dried in two seconds. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Podcast Announcer]

Lovely.

[Danielle Fishel]

Great, great.

[Will Friedle]

Tried in two seconds.

[Danielle Fishel]

I love that your head is more square. It's square shape.

[Will Friedle]

I've got a Lego head now.

[Ryder Strong]

Very happy.

[Danielle Fishel]

I. I ran into the one and only Mr. Will Friedle and his gorgeous wife at, of course, the Topanga Mall.

[Will Friedle]

The mall?

[Podcast Announcer]

The mall.

[Danielle Fishel]

Where else do we go on a weekend? But Will was shopping for some new clothes, and he looked. He looked pretty dapper.

[Will Friedle]

I'm pretty happy. I got two whole new outfits where I met a guy, shout out, marco, Marco. At Nordstrom's, who's like, I'm gonna dress you from top to bottom.

[Andrew Levitas]

Good.

[Will Friedle]

So literally, you know, toes to tip. That sounded odd from my feet to my head, let's put it that way. To the point where I. I first went to another store. I won't say the name, but I went to another store and I bought an outfit myself. I'm like, wow, I like that jacket. And so a guy there helped me. And so I then went to Nordstrom and I got the second outfit. And Marco said, do me a favor, when you come back to get fitted for this one you just bought, bring the outfit you bought yourself and try it on for me. I just want to see how it looks. And I went, sure. So I brought the outfit. And he looked at me for two seconds and went, nope. No, nope.

[Ryder Strong]

What?

[Will Friedle]

And even sue went. And even I looked at it and went, oh, I don't like this at all anymore. And he's like, yeah, we're going to return all that and we're going to start over. And he got me the Whole second outfit that day too. And I returned the whole first one.

[Ryder Strong]

He's like.

[Will Friedle]

It took him two seconds. He looked at me. I walked out.

[Andrew Levitas]

He went.

[Danielle Fishel]

When you bought the first outf from the first store, did you try it on or did. Okay, okay.

[Will Friedle]

No, I did.

[Danielle Fishel]

Cuz it's a pretty will thing to just look at a shirt, hold it up, go, yeah, this is good. And then be like, that'll. This will go with this jacket, right? And then leave.

[Will Friedle]

No, I actually I. I tried it all on and I was like, man, this looks like something from Star Wars. And then when I put it on again, I was like, oh, man, this, this. This looks like something from Star Wars.

[Danielle Fishel]

Storm. Stormtrooper. Like, huh?

[Will Friedle]

No, it was more. It was more Luke Skywalker on. Yeah, on tattoo. A little tan on tan. Staring up at the two moons, wondering if I'm ever gonna leave.

[Ryder Strong]

It was lousy.

[Will Friedle]

Is that what I. Weird, like, jacket too. And the jacket was this, like something he would have worn. And then I didn't realize there was like a sheen to it. So it looked. It was odd. It was odd.

[Ryder Strong]

I'm sure it was fine.

[Will Friedle]

But the new one, I'm very excited. Danielle saw it.

[Ryder Strong]

I'm very excited.

[Andrew Levitas]

Good.

[Danielle Fishel]

Ryder, what are you wearing to New York?

[Ryder Strong]

I don't know, man. I tried to go shopping and just had a panic attack.

[Andrew Levitas]

It was awesome because Alex was going, talk to Marco.

[Ryder Strong]

I'll go with you. And then into some giant department store. I walked around, you know, she was shopping in her floor, so I was alone. It was awful. And I did buy a couple things. They returned most of them. And then. And then I just decided to go online and buy everything and return everything. So I bought like so many clothes online from like all my favorite shops online. And now I'm just in the process of returning 95% of them, which is

[Andrew Levitas]

kind of a pain.

[Ryder Strong]

When you order online, this is the payoff, right? I get the privacy of my own home and trying things on. But then when you have to return it, it's like, some use the post Office, some use UPS drop off, some use FedEx.

[Will Friedle]

Then another one uses DHL. Who's still using DHL anyway?

[Ryder Strong]

I had four different stops to return stuff. I still haven't returned everything, but. Yeah, but I think I've got some outfits.

[Will Friedle]

I don't know, man, I'm going to

[Ryder Strong]

go to market this, this year. This time. Like, I'm just like, I don't know. I like, I always. I feel like I always try and do like a Blazer to be more like fancy preppy formal. There you go.

[Will Friedle]

And it just doesn't.

[Ryder Strong]

It never works for me, so.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

I like you in a blazer. You got this, the school teacher thing going on. People. Hot professor. People love that.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Hot teacher. Thanks.

[Andrew Levitas]

I don't.

[Ryder Strong]

I don't. I'm not going to do it this time, guys. Sorry.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's all right.

[Andrew Levitas]

We're not.

[Danielle Fishel]

We're not upset with you. What are you. What? What's.

[Will Friedle]

Notice, none of us are asking you, Danielle, because it doesn't matter what we're wearing anyway. I know.

[Andrew Levitas]

We just might as well be next

[Will Friedle]

to the pango blurry garbage. B. Like, hey, what's going on? This is a. Yeah. This is a hefty. And I'm really excited.

[Ryder Strong]

Stop.

[Will Friedle]

It's not gonna matter what the hell we're wearing.

[Danielle Fishel]

Not true. I do have to wear tutus.

[Ryder Strong]

We should. You and I should just be in matching.

[Danielle Fishel]

Embrace it. Embrace it.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, exactly. We should know. We should really do to just to really piss Daniel off is find out what she's wearing and wear exactly the same thing.

[Danielle Fishel]

If you think that would piss me off.

[Ryder Strong]

Oh, she would love it. We just had like mini versions of whatever she was wearing. Like.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh my gosh. Literally nothing make me happier than the idea of the three of us dressed the same.

[Will Friedle]

That would be great.

[Ryder Strong]

See, ours have to be tiny, so they're like too tight. So we're like bursting out of them. Right.

[Will Friedle]

Like so it's like we're.

[Ryder Strong]

We're wearing her size stuff actually is what they notice.

[Will Friedle]

People would see us.

[Danielle Fishel]

It would be cute. But you know what else would be even better is if we could. If we really wanted to do it. Cuz like, the three of us together wearing the same clothes is kind of my dream. I could wear men's wear. I could like, I could. You know, like, if you guys wanted to, we could buy matching cool suits.

[Will Friedle]

Okay. Would you like the Men in Black? It'd be awesome.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

It would be like your Chicago number in Dancing with the Stars, Right?

[Danielle Fishel]

Correct.

[Ryder Strong]

You guys were all like, suit.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes. With a tie. That's cool. So cool. Right?

[Will Friedle]

Okay.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay. Oh, that makes me excited. I am possibly wearing a very short skirt to the premiere so that you guys would look great. It would be a great opportunity to show off your legs.

[Will Friedle]

I got killer legs. That's part of my body. That's my legs. No one.

[Ryder Strong]

Straight legs.

[Danielle Fishel]

I thought no one wanted to see your hobbit feet.

[Andrew Levitas]

Oh, both. Both.

[Ryder Strong]

Anything. It's basically for the waist dad, listen, no one wants to see me for the waist.

[Danielle Fishel]

Actually, you know what?

[Ryder Strong]

This is perfect.

[Andrew Levitas]

Like the crop.

[Ryder Strong]

If you could just crap me for how I am for Zoom in real life, everyone would be happy.

[Will Friedle]

You and your friend saved the Shire Rider. You deserve whatever all the accolades.

[Danielle Fishel]

Welcome to Podmeats World. I'm Danielle Fischl.

[Ryder Strong]

I'm Ryder Strong.

[Will Friedle]

And I'm Will Friedle. Hey, it's Will Friedle from Pod Meets World. It's hard to believe that the first phone call ever happened over 150 years ago. Just think about that. Over the last 150 years, so many special moments have happened with a phone call. I think back to the phone call I had to make on Hollywood Boulevard, back to my agents in New York who told me that I booked the role of Eric Matthews on Boy Meets World. And it's one of the greatest phone calls I ever had in my life. I mean, hey, I even remember the phone call with Danielle and Ryder when we decided to start a podcast. That one wasn't as good. Almost four years later, here we are. And you know, over all these years and phone calls, AT&T has been there, connecting people in meaningful ways. This is more than a story of technological innovation. It's a story of human connection.

[Podcast Announcer]

Connecting changes everything. AT&T.

[Danielle Fishel]

Cat parents, gather round. Ryder and I have some important advice to share.

[Ryder Strong]

Guys, we have to stick together.

[Will Friedle]

Guys.

[Ryder Strong]

Those of us with fur babies know the struggle. We understand the feeling of being ignored by our cats.

[Danielle Fishel]

But that's why we're here to help. Because sometimes I find myself wondering, does my cat even love me?

[Ryder Strong]

And there's only one solution to solve that. Sheba.

[Danielle Fishel]

You could be adored by everyone and still completely ignored by your cat.

[Ryder Strong]

It's time to feed your cat, Sheba and go from feeling ignored to truly adored in 12 days, guaranteed or your money back.

[Danielle Fishel]

The promised land is here. Turn things around for your feline with Shiba's menu of products, appetizers, entrees, treats, and even a kitten's menu.

[Ryder Strong]

Even the pickiest eater will love their new grilled entrees.

[Danielle Fishel]

Just snap, peel and serve for two gourmet servings and zero messy leftovers.

[Ryder Strong]

Its protein rich formula is made with real chicken and seafood. 100% complete and balanced with essential vitamins and nutrients for adult cats, which my bill is.

[Danielle Fishel]

But we don't call him old, we call him experienced.

[Ryder Strong]

It's made in the USA with the finest ingredients from around the world.

[Danielle Fishel]

No artificial flavors or preservatives. No corn, wheat or soy.

[Ryder Strong]

So even when they're licking the bowl clean, you can know you're doing the right thing.

[Danielle Fishel]

Treat your cats right and introduce them to the delicious delicacies of Sheba.

[Ryder Strong]

To learn more, check out shiba.com Can

[Danielle Fishel]

I come clean about something?

[Ryder Strong]

This feels like a trap, but go ahead.

[Danielle Fishel]

I absolutely cut corners doing laundry.

[Will Friedle]

Oh yeah, same. I don't sort by color, I sort by vibes.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right there's could wear again probably fine and legally biohazard.

[Ryder Strong]

My gym clothes straight in with my delicates, survival of the fittest and jeans.

[Will Friedle]

I mean, are we sure they even need Washington?

[Danielle Fishel]

Meanwhile, I've got a pile of kids clothes that's been sitting near the washer for so long, it's basically a science project.

[Ryder Strong]

And this is why we need Arm and Hammer Deep Clean.

[Will Friedle]

It's the powerful shortcut that forgives all your, well, questionable laundry decisions.

[Danielle Fishel]

Even if you forget a load or your kids find a mud puddle that just needed a belly flop, Deep Clean is strong enough to handle it.

[Ryder Strong]

Made for real life stinks and stains because let's be honest, there's no way to avoid them.

[Will Friedle]

It's just laundry. You shouldn't stress over it.

[Ryder Strong]

And now you don't have to.

[Danielle Fishel]

From the number one liquid detergent brand that tackles more loads than any other. Come clean with Arm and Hammer Deep

[Will Friedle]

Clean number one claim based on total wash loads sold. I've been trying to make my space feel a little more elevated lately and honestly, article has become one of my favorite places to shop for furniture.

[Ryder Strong]

They have such a clean, modern style and everything actually mixes together really well, which makes decorating way less overwhelming.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, I have this bed but then I had no place to put anything in my room so I got this great bench for the bottom of my bed. Now I'm throwing everything on there and my wife is upset.

[Ryder Strong]

Nice. So a couple of years ago my wife decided that we should get a green like modern chair in the corner of our living room. But the one she wanted was literally over $1,000.

[Andrew Levitas]

Oh.

[Ryder Strong]

I was like that's never going to happen. And then we found almost the identical chair on article for very, very, very little.

[Will Friedle]

Perfect. That's gotta work out well. I also love that article. Focuses on timeless pieces instead of trendy stuff you'll want to replace in a year.

[Ryder Strong]

Plus, they offer fast shipping across the US and Canada, helpful customer support seven days a week, and even free interior design help if you need it.

[Andrew Levitas]

I need it.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, you do. And with their 30 day satisfaction guarantee, you can shop without stressing if something's gonna work in your space.

[Ryder Strong]

Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. To claim, visit Article and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

[Will Friedle]

That's article.compmw for $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more.

[Danielle Fishel]

Over our seven seasons of recaps, we have uncovered a lot about Boy Meets World that when all is said and done, we hope we made re watching the show a little more enjoyable. We organically figured out who the original Topanga was, we were reminded of the hidden lobsters, we discovered photos of random food in the apartment kitchen. And though we'll probably never know who the creepy janitor was, we've come a long way. But nothing from the past three years of this podcast could have prepared us for the deep dive adventure that this week's guest put us on after we re watched his guest star appearance. And honestly, this completely shocked by a guest we knew nothing about before this podcast. In the memorable season 7 episode what a Drag, he appeared as Crazy Luther, the leather jacket wearing college criminal who is so intimidating to Jack and Eric that they decide to dress as women to hide from his wrath. But somehow that's maybe the least interesting thing he's done in his career. Truth is, I bet friends of the filmmaker, artist, actor, producer, photographer, activist don't even know he was on the show. After acting as a kid on shows like Boy Meets World, the Nanny and Party of Five, the NYU grad would expand his creative resume with a social impact art career that led the New York Times to say he has the Midas touch. His metalwork installations are considered an artistic breakthrough, connecting photography, sculpture and contemporary art through a copyrighted signature method, transferring images onto custom transparencies that are then melted onto multi interlocking metal sheets. Will, you're really into that too, right?

[Will Friedle]

I am. Well, I mean, yes. I love melting things onto multi interlocking metal sheets. I mean, I thought I was the only one, but I'd love to know there's another one out there doing it.

[Danielle Fishel]

I know I didn't. Most people don't know that you're an expert in it.

[Will Friedle]

I literally can't even picture what that is.

[Danielle Fishel]

I can't either.

[Will Friedle]

I know. I can't wait to talk to him. I don't know what the hell that

[Danielle Fishel]

is, but even though his works are sold by auction houses, acquired by museums and the talk of international art fairs, he also found time to write and direct the 2014 movie Lullaby, starring Amy Adams, Richard Jenkins, Terrence Howard and Jennifer Hudson plus the 2020 critically acclaimed film Minamata, all about the photojournalist E. Eugene Smith's expose of corporate negligence and government cover ups in a Japanese coastal town starring Johnny Depp. He's also produced numerous movies focusing on actors turned directors like Julie Delphi for Mai Zoe or Christoph Waltz. In his debut behind the Camera. Georgetown.

[Will Friedle]

Wow.

[Danielle Fishel]

He also co wrote a comic book.

[Will Friedle]

Super co. Is it?

[Danielle Fishel]

That's what you're looking at.

[Will Friedle]

Super cool. It's these big huge metal.

[Danielle Fishel]

Whoa.

[Will Friedle]

Like enormous metal things with all these cool, like, look at this one. I mean, just super cool. Wow. Yeah. That's nice. Yeah. Wow. Okay. Geez.

[Danielle Fishel]

Alrighty then. He also co wrote a comic book with Andy Serkis, taught as part time professor at his alma mater, guest lectured at Yale, taught a masterclass in Athens, married an award winning British classical singer, launched his own gin brand and is an outspoken advocate on environmental protection and wildlife conservation as a global patron for the Wilderness foundation and an ambassador of Tusk Trust, a British nonprofit organization focusing on protecting African elephants, rhinos, lions and all endangered species across the continent. And yeah, he was on an episode of Boy Meets World, but who cares?

[Will Friedle]

Crazy Luther. I got a haircut and it was like my whole day. I can't imagine that. My God.

[Danielle Fishel]

Today we welcome someone who we have to assume thinks this podcast is stupid. It's multi hyphenate and recipient of our longest intro, Andrew Levitas.

[Andrew Levitas]

Hey, guys.

[Ryder Strong]

Hey.

[Danielle Fishel]

How are you, Andrew?

[Andrew Levitas]

I'm well. How are you?

[Danielle Fishel]

We are great. Thank you so much for even responding to our email. We just ran down your resume and we. We've never felt lazier.

[Andrew Levitas]

Well, it's great to see you guys. It's been about a million years.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes, just about that.

[Andrew Levitas]

You guys have this awesome podcast. I. I wasn't aware and now I've listened a bit. It's totally great and it's so cool you guys all get to be together. It's amazing.

[Danielle Fishel]

I know that that part is really nice. Will just got a haircut yesterday.

[Andrew Levitas]

Congratulations, Will.

[Danielle Fishel]

Thank you. Yeah, thank you. It did take up his whole day.

[Will Friedle]

It was my whole day. We were reading your stuff and looking at your artwork and all the things you've done and by the time we wildlife conservation, I was like, I had a sandwich. Like, yeah, it was. So. Yeah. You've already made us feel bad about ourselves. Andrew, thank you for coming on the show.

[Ryder Strong]

Thanks for coming on the show.

[Will Friedle]

Good to see you.

[Danielle Fishel]

Andrew. I do have to ask because it is worth asking considering the amount of actual artistic work you have done. Do you remember being on Boy Meets World?

[Andrew Levitas]

I do. Although it was a fun jog down memory lane, searching for it and watching the episode again. Yeah, I remember at the time, you know, for me, I was a tourist as an actor, right? Like, I never set out in my life to be an actor. For me, I always knew I'd be a filmmaker. I was already having museum exhibitions at the time that I came on with you guys, and it was just an opportunity to learn and be around other artists and see what you guys were doing and become a better filmmaker someday. So for me, it was wild to see it because I was so open to just being, like, an idiot.

[Will Friedle]

You're like, sure.

[Andrew Levitas]

You know, like, just going for it and not being stressed about it and having a fun time. But it's quite wild. What was in that episode, actually?

[Ryder Strong]

You mean you didn't take away great artistic truths in your experience?

[Will Friedle]

What, in your leather jacket?

[Andrew Levitas]

I'm sorry.

[Danielle Fishel]

This is insulting and shocking.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, my God. Throwing illegal rings at the place that's open all night long. It was like, wait, what? How is this not affecting your whole career?

[Ryder Strong]

It was a. It was a truly baffling episode.

[Andrew Levitas]

You know, it was. It was super cool to be with you guys. I mean, what you guys had done at that time was amazing, right? To have a series that had gone that long with the same folks where it all seemed lovely and beautiful. And you know what? I remember about that week? Because I done so much stuff over the years, like, prior to that, just how warm and familyish and how excited everyone was, just like, just how happy everybody was, or at least it felt that way to be coming in. Like, that's not normal. At least it's not par for the course. It should be normal.

[Ryder Strong]

Right?

[Danielle Fishel]

That makes me so happy to hear, because we have talked a lot about the fact that by the time we got to season seven, we were all in various stages of disconnect. Disconnect, Good. That's a great way of saying it. And so it's good to know that when someone who wasn't there with us week after week came in and got to spend an entire week with us, the feeling you still walked away from was that everyone was warm and happy to be there.

[Andrew Levitas]

So that's good to hear.

[Will Friedle]

So. So, Andrew, you said that you. You were almost taking. Were you. Were you auditioning because you just wanted to become a better filmmaker? Was there any part of you that wanted to be an actor, to stay in the acting industry? Or was this just like, okay, this is going to Be a fun part to learn the rest of the industry. But if I get a job, great. Or were you calling your manager every day like the rest of us, going, what's next? Do I have an audition?

[Andrew Levitas]

What's going on? No, I'm not even sure if I had. I must have had an agent or manager at that point. I don't know. I don't remember. But my, like, the acting side of my life was like a. Like an accidental thing that happened, and it just kept. I mean, like, all of your listeners who are actors are gonna hate me.

[Ryder Strong]

I just couldn't stop parts.

[Andrew Levitas]

One of those things where I was like, listen, anything that anybody wants me to do, I'm psyched to get the opportunity and have a different experience and meet other actors and meet other filmmakers and, you know, and spend time with different elements of, you know, production and talk to different crew and just have that. Have that time and enjoy it and not feel pressure of this is my life and my passion. I was. I felt. Felt fortunate and blessed to do it. But whatever money I made as an actor, I spent on canvases and cameras and materials, and it really got me through a pretty sizable chunk of those early days. And it was amazing. I mean, you know, I. I got really lucky. I stumbled on to being on a soap opera in the early days. I went and visited a friend on a soap. They were casting a boyfriend for her, and we were young, you know, in, like, late teens. I was growing up in New York, and I remember the producers being like, are you an actor? And I was like, yeah, why not?

[Ryder Strong]

Sure.

[Andrew Levitas]

And I acted on. You know, I'd acted on school plays and that kind of stuff, but I wasn't like. But I was like, yeah, whatever. And they're like, you know, here are the sides. Like, do you want to take it home? I was like, no, let's go now. It's fine. No stress. And I read it, and I got that. And I did however many episodes of that soap opera. And it was funny and fun and easy. And then I, like, went on one audition in New York just because it came out of maybe it was the same casting people or something. And I ended up flying to LA to screen test, which I didn't even know what that was at the time, on a series for the wb, which had just started, and they couldn't find their, you know, tough Italian guy, which, like, I wasn't tough or Italian, by the way, but, you know, it was a little typecasting that clearly went on over the years. And the Next thing I knew, I was like, had my own series, flew to la, stayed at that. Like, you know, I don't know if they're one of your sponsors or not, but the crappy apartment thing that everyone stays at.

[Ryder Strong]

Oakwoods.

[Andrew Levitas]

The Oakwoods. But it was super fun and interesting, and, you know, I was paying attention. Like, I was learning. I was out there to learn and see what was going on. And then it just kept sort of happening for a while. And I never said no. Like, if you wanted me to do your thing, I did your thing. And there were wild ones, too. Like, I remember getting offered a. I never had to audition. Getting offered a, like, weird, campy, off Broadway, like, strange, you know, off Broadway show that had run for a long time that had this cult following. They were gonna make a feature of called Psycho Beach Party. And at the time, I'm like, yeah, sure, whatever. I'll play, like, a repressed, sexually repressed surfer. And, you know, the Gidget era, no problem. Right?

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Andrew Levitas]

But, like, that film suddenly was at Sundance. Suddenly was having this.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, my gosh.

[Andrew Levitas]

And there were amazing. Like, Lauren Ambrose was in that movie. Amy Adams was in that film. Like, I made all these friends and all these relationships that served me, served me later. And I. And I learned from it. So it was awesome.

[Will Friedle]

You're that guy. And then as I was leaving, I tripped over a lottery ticket and I won. It was the craziest thing.

[Andrew Levitas]

It's gonna end horribly for me.

[Will Friedle]

Knock wood. Knock wood, go outside, turn around and spit. You don't wanna say that.

[Danielle Fishel]

So do you have any memory of your Boy Meets World audition? You did have perfect hair for Michael Jacobs.

[Andrew Levitas]

Yeah, I don't.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Andrew Levitas]

I assume that I went in and read at some point. I don't know how it came about. I don't know what it was, but I have no memory of it.

[Danielle Fishel]

Had you ever seen a Boy Meets World episode before you were cast on the show?

[Andrew Levitas]

Probably.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Andrew Levitas]

I think I. Probably. In fairness, I think I was quite excited to come see you guys. I knew Ben a little bit because of his brother. And so I, like, knew his brother from around and then. I was just psyched to see you guys. I mean, you guys were cool. You know, you guys were cool. You were doing something nice, like, awesome for a long time. So. So I was psyched to be there when I was there.

[Will Friedle]

Do you remember by. Oh, I'm sorry, Danielle. I'm just curious. Do you remember when we were shooting? Cause one of the main memories I have from this episode was originally, you didn't have a gang behind you. It was just you and us in the note session. Matt and I look at you and going like, andrew, no offense, but there's two of us. Like, if we add up at that point, I'm like 205 pounds. I was like, michael, we could take this guy. Like, I'm sorry, but there's two of us here. We could take this guy. And Michael and I got into a whole thing back and for which almost never happened. I mean, we were not kind of clapping back at note sessions. And so we were kind of going back and forth, and I felt like you were in the middle a little bit. And finally he went, well, then we'll surround him with guys. We'll just surround him with guys. And we're like, okay, fine. Like, it shouldn't be that big a deal.

[Andrew Levitas]

I don't remember, but I'm impressed that you remember.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, Yeah. I think it's. Cause it's one of the first times I. I kind of questioned a note, you know, publicly.

[Danielle Fishel]

Certainly, you know.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, you're clapping back at, quote, unquote, dad on the set in front of everybody was a no, no. So, yeah, I certainly remember that, But I didn't know if you remember that moment. We had so few of those kind of uncomfortable note session moments that I think they stick out in our minds.

[Andrew Levitas]

I don't remember, but I really remember having a good time.

[Will Friedle]

That's good.

[Andrew Levitas]

I know you guys don't look back fondly, like you said at that exact moment, but it seemed like you guys were having fun.

[Ryder Strong]

We were.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, God, we were. Overall, we were having so much fun with each other and doing the show, and it was a blast.

[Ryder Strong]

I do think. I mean, well, Will, you were committed 100% all the time. But I do feel like, artistically, we were checked out. Like, I did not care about the show itself anymore. We were having fun together. Like, I cared about the community. Right?

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

But, like, the quality of what we were putting on the screen, like, oh, my God. Like, I just didn't care.

[Andrew Levitas]

By season seven, which season was amazing. It was Fifi, right?

[Danielle Fishel]

Fifi?

[Ryder Strong]

No, that wasn't me.

[Andrew Levitas]

No, not you. Well.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, Chantal. Yes, I was. Chantal. I forget what that was.

[Danielle Fishel]

Fifi Larue, Something like that. Had you ever done a live studio audience multicam before?

[Andrew Levitas]

I had. So that first series that I came out for the WB1, the WB1 was in front of the audience, which I loved. So fun. But again, I imagined that walking into those things and being comfortable, not Being stressed.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Andrew Levitas]

In your skin, you know, you can be fun, you can be funny, you. It's so easy. Like, I found it quite easy to be present in those things. I actually found being on the, like the single camera dramas that I did in the. In the midst of all that to be a bit tougher because it was. You couldn't just like vibe off of what was going on. You weren't doing it.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right. Right. There's no feedback loop. Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

It's also very. Stop start. You know, you can't. There's no flow to it that you get when you're. I mean, we were essentially a play. We might do the scenes over and over a couple of times, but we were doing a play every week. And there was that wonderful hybrid of, of the audience interaction and, and being able to step in front of the crowd and. Yeah, there's. There's kind of nothing like doing that four camera sitcom. It's really, really wonderful.

[Andrew Levitas]

It's a shame there are more of those now.

[Will Friedle]

It's killing me. Yeah, it's killing me.

[Andrew Levitas]

Isn't there like a man still in the world or something that you guys.

[Will Friedle]

Man. Man meets world. World no longer wants man.

[Danielle Fishel]

World sick of being met. Your part of Crazy Luthor was a little unhinged. You threaten the guys after they catch you stealing speakers for a rave and then they dress in drag as a disguise to avoid you. I say this to ask, were you in any way a tough guy in real life?

[Andrew Levitas]

Not at all. There is no tough guy here at all. But I feel like there's a history of this in Hollywood.

[Will Friedle]

Right.

[Andrew Levitas]

It started with, I mean, probably Travolta, but like Henry Winkler. Like these guys. These guys are. Yeah. Puppy dogs, you know?

[Will Friedle]

Yes.

[Andrew Levitas]

And I am definitely not that tough. Although my kid is learning karate. Just one of my kids.

[Danielle Fishel]

Just great. How old is that?

[Andrew Levitas]

He's eight.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay. I have an almost seven year old. He's been in karate since he was three. We love it.

[Andrew Levitas]

Yeah, it's really good.

[Danielle Fishel]

We joked in our intro that Boy Meets World is by far the least interesting thing you've done professionally. But we did want to know, does anyone from any of your subsequent artistic lives know that you were on Boy Meets World? Does it ever come up?

[Andrew Levitas]

I'm not sure. It must. It must. Because oftentimes I'm like traveling through the rest of my life and people are like, oh, man, I, you know, I love this. Or I remember you from that or that sort of thing, which is, you know, it's awesome. I mean, it's great when it happens. I'm not sure if the Boy Meets World one comes up that often.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Andrew Levitas]

But it must have. I mean it must have. You guys have so many people that grew up with you.

[Danielle Fishel]

I mean you were a pretty busy young actor in the circuit of auditions. You booking not only Boy Meets World, but you were on four episodes of the Nanny. You did six Party of Fives as two timing high school football player Cameron Wellcott.

[Will Friedle]

Yes.

[Danielle Fishel]

And you were a regular on a show called Nick Licensed Teacher.

[Andrew Levitas]

That one was the series regular one. Oh, they had a season of it and then they recast it or aged it up or something. And so it was all new folks in that second season with the exceptional. With the exception of the guy that played Nick Frino was terrific. Passed away a comedian guy called Mitch Mulaney. He was a lovely guy.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, Mitch Mulaney was really funny.

[Andrew Levitas]

Yeah, yeah. But, but yeah. So it was.

[Danielle Fishel]

Did you have anyone in your family in the business? What does your family do?

[Andrew Levitas]

I didn't, I didn't. My, my sort of life trajectory was I just never stopped doing all the play pretend that so many parents make their kids do and schools do. Like I just never stopped painting. I never stopped writing. The second I had a camera, I went out and made art films of the Bolex and shot film and learned how to develop film. And you know, with acting it's like I just always was in the place all the way up, like just was fun. It was something to do. So I never lost that thing. My parents loved going to the theater, loved going to cinema and being part of that. But they didn't have any connection to it. But they did have an interesting thing which I've done with my kids which is essentially if there's anything they want to see, see, we can go see it. Even if it means they have to miss something that they don't like, like school stuff or homework stuff or whatever. Just as a way to get, get you in. And it's, you know, I guess unsurprising how much they choose to see that research. Like I want to see. We just saw not with the kids, but we saw a Rocky Horror Picture Show. Our friend Luke is in it and it's amazing. If you're in the city, you should see it. There's not a plug for them, but it's amazing. And we're seeing. And that was one that my daughter was like, hey, I read about Rocky. My 10 year old, I heard about, they're doing Rocky Horror Picture Show. Like I really want to go. It's a hard no. But we ended up going.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah. So. Okay.

[Will Friedle]

So did you grow up in New York City then?

[Andrew Levitas]

I did. I grew up in Manhattan.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, wow. Okay. So you're surrounded by culture anyway, which is phenomenal. Yeah.

[Andrew Levitas]

And I was in a repertory company when I was a kid. Like, I was around it. It just wasn't an objective. It was just something that you did, something that was. Was part of it. So I knew the, you know, I knew the words. I knew the stuff I'd been around that I'd visit friends on, you know, movie sets or I'd watch things happen. I mean, actually, the first thing. There's one audition that happened previously which was that. And this would have been a very different conversation if that one would have happened. I think it would have stuck. Was that Joel Schumacher when he was making Batman and Robin? I think that's the one with the nipples. I'm not sure it is. When he was making Batman and Robin, he came to my school in New York, in Manhattan, to look for kids to discover. Because I guess the initial version of that script had a younger Robin, Like, a much younger Robin. And so me and two or three other kids from private school in Manhattan were asked to audition. And so I did prep for that, and I did meet him. And I remember it was the day of the earthquake in LA. 94 was when I met him in. In New York at Warner's. And I remember walking in and seeing, like, the big WB and stuff like, wow, this is pretty cool. I can't believe this could actually happen. I might be Robin. How crazy. Anyway, it didn't happen, but that was the only other. Like, get out there and audition and try out before it all sort of ticked over, man. Wow.

[Danielle Fishel]

We know that you also paint, but you're best known for your signature technique in metal and photography. How did that become your medium?

[Andrew Levitas]

So I always felt that photography. Let me repeat when I started, and I was in a dark room, and I was, I don't know, 12 years old, 14 years old, and you're in the dark room. We still didn't have iPhones. There still wasn't even. There may have been some version of a digital camera, but it wasn't something that everyone was running around with. And so I felt at the time when I was learning and making prints that that was a finished product. Right. It was something that was, like, done. You touched it, you'd done it. And then as all this, everyone became a photographer. Everyone could just snap unlimited photos until you Stopped watching the world and you just, you know, just hold down the trigger or whatever. I felt that I needed to do something more to tell stories, right. And a single image wasn't enough. And so the only way I could really also I started to look for how do I tell a narrative story with photography but in a single item. And then I became fascinated with just the environment and all the terrible stuff we were doing to mess up the earth. So sort of looking for ways to talk about that but not be, I don't know, overt or political. Even in my 20s, just didn't feel like yelling at somebody was the right way to get a message across. Right. And making and hitting them over the head with this. And so I started to look at aluminum and aluminum in particular was something that, you know, was recyclable. It was reusable, it was, it just wasn't as, I don't know, it didn't mess with sort of that, that cycle as much. And I looked at it as a way to. And it was very malleable, right. Because you can get it thin, you can get it, you know too. So I started etching on it to play with it. And then I started melting my negatives onto the aluminum and try to create something more like with more depth and three dimension to it. And eventually that ends up with, you know, I was still a fairly. I mean I feel like I was a boy, but you know, young man or whatever, you know, when you have a chance, you live by yourself in la, away from your family, you have a house that basically was like a flammable art studio. It's amazing burnout. The first thing you do when you go on Boy Meets World and make a couple thousand bucks is go buy a welding and start as one does.

[Danielle Fishel]

A writer would have as well and

[Andrew Levitas]

doing that and having fun with those toys. And so it eventually became these large scale photographic sculptures where I could put multiple images on and really tell a narrative story that as an object it could look beautiful. So you could, you know, a 10 year old could look at it and be like that's really just nice looking. But equally I could push more, I don't know, uncomfortable messaging on the work in a way that you didn't have to just stare at that you didn't have to feel upset about it. You know, I'd made an easy one to explain is I did a film about mercury pollution, that one actually and a methylmercury molecule. It's sort of like the big ball part. And then there's there's two little ones and then one at the top or however it would go. But if you frame it that way and it sort of looks like a pregnant woman. Right. And so when women. The reason that I don't know when you had your kids, Danielle. But you know, when my wife, for our 10 year old, the doctor, you know, said to my wife, you can have, you know, certain kinds of fish, you know, once a week, there's certain things you can eat every day, there's certain things you can't have ever. Like can't have tuna or deep sea fish. By the time we had our second child two years later, it was like no fish. Right. And so part of that is that methylmercury, when you eat it, when you ingest it, if you're pregnant, it goes through your body, but the placenta pulls it out of. And all heavy metals pulls it out of your body and puts it into the fetus. And so these children were being, being born like horribly deformed and it was terrible. And so that work, you can look at the. And so I took images of fishermen and Japanese fishermen, which is where this took place, this particular issue, and sort of melted, melted the negative stock which Kodak was making for me and onto these, this big sculpture of the methylmercury molecule. And so you could see it as a 10 year old and look at it and not feel uncomfortable and just look at it as a beautiful object. But if you look closer, you see, see really what it is and start to put the pieces together. And so making these objects became quite, I don't know, it's just fun also.

[Will Friedle]

Right?

[Andrew Levitas]

It's a good delivery system for storytelling. Yeah. So really fun to do these things. Like you get to be a big kid, right. Like, I mean, I have a laser cutter that can cut a piece of metal that's this thick like butter. I mean, it's, you know, I mean, if you guys are in New York, you're more welcome to any time. Come by and play a little bit. It's really fun.

[Ryder Strong]

But so how do you get noticed? How do you get, I mean, like you're so you're in la, you're doing this incredible work on your own. Like how do you get the attention of the art world? Or how do you, how does anybody find it?

[Andrew Levitas]

You know, I've never chased the attention. I found that I was making things that were different. My work ended up finding its legs and giving me the financial support that I needed through private clients, private. And a lot of, a lot of like Commission work. Right. Where someone would say, hey, I saw this in this gallery. It's not exactly what I'm looking for. And my stuff could go indoors or outdoors, which was also quite unique because you can't. Generally there's not much photography or image based work that can sit outside. So I was having quite a few folks that were living in hot weather places, vacation weather places, where they have these big homes and they want something big outside. But most of the sculptural work that you would see traditionally was like heavy, heavy metal shapes really. And so it just sort of made its own way. And then some museums came and auctions came and, you know, sort of.

[Will Friedle]

I'm looking at some of the pieces right now. I'm sorry if it looks like I'm looking at my phone, because I am. And some of these are just. They're so cool. This is. This is one, right?

[Andrew Levitas]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

So if you look at it again, if you look at the picture wider, it's just this really cool, almost sci fi kind of sculpture that you like to see anywhere. And then you zoom in on it and it's all skulls. Yeah. And it's just super cool. I mean, really incredible.

[Andrew Levitas]

Well, it's a way of playing with it. Right. So I did that one with intentionally looking like something that could have come from outer space. The shape. Shape, but also the elements to that one are egg shaped. Right. So, like, you know about life, death, where we come from, this sort of thing. And the images that I've melted onto there are from a famous chapel, underground crypt, I guess in Rome. That's meant to be like the gateway to the afterlife.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, yeah. It was where Dante said you entered the purgatory. Right.

[Ryder Strong]

And.

[Andrew Levitas]

And so these skulls are the skulls of Capuchin monks. And so it's meant to be the holiest place on earth to this cult, this group. Right. But when you look at it, like, my takeaway is like, this is freaky and scary and looks like death, not life. But to some people it looks like life and afterlife and, and positive. So sort of playing with those things and. And you know, because you can suddenly play with shape and you have something three dimensional, you just have the ability to just put more information in there that people can take different things for.

[Will Friedle]

Now, before you started with the laser, you said you went and you got a welder. Isn't aluminum, like, really flammable?

[Andrew Levitas]

No, it's not. Not.

[Will Friedle]

It's not. Okay.

[Andrew Levitas]

Not in a way. Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Okay.

[Andrew Levitas]

I never tried to light like a piece of aluminum foil on Fire.

[Will Friedle]

No, but like, when you're melting, isn't it hard to touch? You join two pieces of aluminum together, or is it easy to do that? I thought it melts if you try to get.

[Andrew Levitas]

No, I'm using thick slabs.

[Will Friedle]

Okay, gotcha, gotcha, gotcha. So the. So like, a piece like that is a bit.

[Andrew Levitas]

Is a big, heavy, thick. Like this.

[Ryder Strong]

Wow.

[Will Friedle]

Okay.

[Andrew Levitas]

The panels. Yeah. So, yeah, about an inch and a half, two inches thick. How heavy is something like that? Heavy. Heavy. But again, these are fun things. Like you have ropes and pulleys and things to move stuff around your studio. I mean, I was, I had custom development trays I was developing images in that were, you know, like this. Half the size of like an SUV or something. I mean, it's really fun to play with. These are like, you know, big boy toys.

[Will Friedle]

So I have to ask, are you almost like you're taking the images from the negatives, right? And then you melt the. Is it. Is it almost like shrink wrapping a car? Like, how do you know?

[Andrew Levitas]

So I etch onto the aluminum. So I make the shape. It depends what it is, but generally speaking, I'll make the shape, I'll etch onto the aluminum, like whatever I want on the metal behind it. Right. And then I'm basically developing onto a transparency. Right. Like, if you think almost like the thickness of. You remember, I don't know the age of most of your listeners, but do you remember in like elementary school they had that like that projector thing and they put like the clear thing on it, like about that thickness. Right. And then I'm taking that and I'm heating the metal underneath with pretty big industrial hot plates. And it just melts like enough that. Enough that it makes the work feel like it has added depth, but not enough that if even if you got really close and looked at it, you would see any bleed or any melted pieces.

[Will Friedle]

Hey, it's Will Friedle from Pod Meets World. It's hard to believe that the first phone call ever happened over 150 years ago ago. Just think about that. Over the last 150 years, so many special moments have happened with a phone call. I think back to the phone call I had to make on Hollywood Boulevard, back to my agents in New York who told me that I booked the role of Eric Matthews on Boy Meets World. And it's one of the greatest phone calls I ever had in my life. I mean, hey, I even remember the phone call with Danielle and Ryder when we decided to start a podcast. That one wasn't as Good. Almost four years later, here we are. And you know, over all these years and phone calls, AT&T has been there, connecting people in meaningful ways. This is more than a story of technological innovation. It's a story of human connection.

[Podcast Announcer]

Connecting changes everything.

[Danielle Fishel]

AT&T cat parents, gather round. Ryder and I have some important advice to share.

[Ryder Strong]

Guys, we have to stick together.

[Will Friedle]

Guys.

[Ryder Strong]

Those of us with fur babies know the struggle. We understand the feeling of being ignored by our cats.

[Danielle Fishel]

But that's why we're here to help. Because sometimes I find myself wondering, does my cat even love me?

[Ryder Strong]

And there's only one solution to solve that. Sheba.

[Danielle Fishel]

You could be adored by everyone and still completely ignored by your cat.

[Ryder Strong]

It's time to feed your cat, Sheba and go from feeling ignored to truly adored in 12 days, guaranteed or your money back.

[Danielle Fishel]

The promised land is here. Turn things around for your feline with Sheba's menu of products, appetizers, entrees, treatment, treats and even a kitten's menu.

[Ryder Strong]

Even the pickiest eater will love their new grilled entrees.

[Danielle Fishel]

Just snap, peel and serve for two gourmet servings and zero messy leftovers.

[Ryder Strong]

Its protein rich formula is made with real chicken and seafood 100 complete and balanced with essential vitamins and nutrients for

[Danielle Fishel]

adult cats, which my bill is. But we don't call him old, we call him experienced.

[Ryder Strong]

It's made in the USA with the finest ingredients from around the world.

[Danielle Fishel]

No artificial flavors or preservatives. No corn, wheat or soy.

[Ryder Strong]

So even when they're licking the bowl clean, you can know you're doing the right thing.

[Danielle Fishel]

Treat your cats right and introduce them to the delicious delicacies of Sheba.

[Ryder Strong]

To learn more, check out sheba.com Can

[Danielle Fishel]

I come clean about something?

[Ryder Strong]

This feels like a trap, but go ahead.

[Danielle Fishel]

I absolutely cut corners doing laundry.

[Will Friedle]

Oh yeah, same. I don't sort by color, I sort by vibes.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right, there's could wear again probably fine and legally biohazard.

[Ryder Strong]

My gym clothes straight in with my delicates. Survival of the fittest and jeans.

[Will Friedle]

I mean, are we sure they even need washing?

[Danielle Fishel]

Meanwhile, I've got a pile of kids clothes that's been sitting near the washer for so long it's basically a science project.

[Ryder Strong]

And this is why we need arm and hammer.

[Andrew Levitas]

Deep clean.

[Will Friedle]

It's the powerful shortcut that forgives all your, well, questionable laundry decisions.

[Danielle Fishel]

Even if you forget a load or your kids find a mud puddle that just needed a belly flop, Deep clean is strong enough to handle it.

[Ryder Strong]

Made for real life stinks and stains because let's be honest, there's no way to avoid them.

[Will Friedle]

It's just laundry. You shouldn't stress over it.

[Ryder Strong]

And now you don't have to.

[Danielle Fishel]

From the number one liquid detergent brand that tackles more loads than any other. Come clean with arm and hammer. Deep, clean.

[Will Friedle]

Number one claim based on total wash loads old.

[Danielle Fishel]

You know that moment when your kid asks for your phone and you're already bracing yourself for whatever random video they'll disappear into? That's why I started handing them Lingokids instead. It's still screen time, but not that kind of screen time. With Lingokids, they're actually playing, singing, tapping, exploring stories they're learning without the need to complain about it. And I love that it's colorful, high energy, and designed so kids stay curious instead of just turning into media zombies. They think they're getting a treat, but I know I'm giving them something special built just for them. Lingokids. Everything kids love. Download the Lingokids app now on your phone or tablet. It's free. So you take a break from acting for quite a while. You're focused almost entirely on art. But then you do dive back into Hollywood headfirst with directing, writing and producing. What do you you see other than creativity? Do you see any sort of similarities between the work you do in the art world and the art you make in the entertainment industry?

[Andrew Levitas]

Sure. So the biggest difference to, to start with is that I am limited as a fine artist by my own skill set. Right. I can't make anything that I can't physically make. Like if I'm not good enough to make it, I can't do it. And I was making quite a few little art films just outside of Hollywood. Just things that were, you know, experimental is a weird word, but just pushing it, just trying different things, seeing what I could capture, how I could say something, how I could tell a story, you know, And I always had a couple talented crew members around, a great cinematographer if I wasn't shooting at other, other folks. And every time those works were coming out or not every time, but a lot of the time those works were coming out better than anything I felt I could make by myself. And I always figured I would be making sort of Hollywood movies, like bigger. I mean, I don't really make commercial, commercial film, but like more commercial films for more eyeballs. And I wanted that, I wanted more people to see it. And I saw cinema as like the all time best delivery system for any of the things that I care about. And so I wrote a first Feature or the first kind of feature that could work for them. And it was meant to be something experimental. It was this movie called Lullaby. And it was meant to be something that I was going to go out and cast actual families going through bereavement or going through the death of a parent where they were kind of considering taking them off. Life, spirit, right? And so right to die, patients rights, those sorts of things. And I had gone through something like that in my family. And so I wrote it just to figure it out. And I was looking to do that and one of my clients, and my client became a friend, you know, but someone that collected a bunch of my art was quite a high level person in Hollywood that was an agent, owned an agency. And I was like, hey, I'm just looking to do this, looking for family. Do you guys ever, you know, this was like before reality tv and you can, you know, you guys have any way you can help on this? He read it, the lit department read it. They're like, listen, you need to stop at all the like fine art stuff and you just need to be like writing and making films. Like, this is exactly the thing. And the next thing I knew, I had this out of control cast on a like million dollar art film. And you know, that cast was insane. I mean, it was. I had Garrett Hedlund, Richard Jenkins, Ann Archer, Terrence Howard, Jennifer Hudson, Amy Adams, Jessica Brown Finley, this girl, Jessica Barden, like an amazing cast coming together to play with me in a little hospital on Roosevelt island, just in a room making this thing. It was incredible. And then when I watched, did a lot of the things that I wanted it to do. But the biggest takeaway was like, wow. The experience was amazing and totally cathartic for me, but it also was so much better than anything I could make by myself. And that kind of multiple of it was amazing. And I'm not a megalomaniac that needs to control everything. I was really happy for all of my department heads and everyone on that set to be creatively together. And so I just kept going. And it's by far the most fun thing that I get to do outside of family life and that. But I mean, I love making movies. I just seem to choose impossible ones to get made.

[Will Friedle]

Well, you mentioned that when you were acting, and I'm putting that in quotes because you seem like you were doing it just kind of for fun and for the experience that you're just kind of going with the flow. You weren't really nervous because it was like, let's just have Fun. Do you feel the same way as a filmmaker? I mean, do any of the mediums that you work in make you anxious, nervous, or is it all just kind of like, hey, let's go in and just enjoy the process?

[Andrew Levitas]

Not really. You know, I get more nervous when I get my kids report cards and going conferences and stuff like that. You know, I don't. You know, making art is such a privilege. Right. And like, the kind of work that I've gotten to do is such a privilege that just getting to day one, it's like my anxiety is before day one. Right. But once we get there, I actually feel that my mind clicks in and I feel most comfortable in those environments. There's no time for anxiety. There's no time to be sort of, I don't know, nervous about it, if anything, I'm very prepped for my work. So, yeah, I don't really feel out of place in those environments. I feel more out of place here talking to. I mean, you guys are awesome, but, like, doing this kind of thing.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Andrew Levitas]

I guess the one place I do feel awkward is. Is sitting on panels and press talking. And the press part is quite. Feels weird to me because also by the time I'm doing that, I'm so, like, I'm checked out. I'm done.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, you're done with the piast under. I have a checklist of things we have to talk to you about with you. So now we're onto the comic book with Andy Serkis. Tell us all about Eternus.

[Andrew Levitas]

Yeah. So I was fascinated, like, there was all this world building going on in Hollywood, and it just felt, you know, it's amazing what Marvel did and what these guys are doing. There was all this talk about it, but it didn't feel like there was anything more or anything that, that, I don't know, you could gain from it as a viewer. Like, it was sit back and just like, let it all come to you. And I like anything, whether it's a book you're reading, a graphic novel, or a movie where you're just leaning forward like you're meeting it somewhere. And then I noticed that Greek mythology in general just wasn't being taught in the same way it was when we were kids.

[Will Friedle]

Yep.

[Andrew Levitas]

So, like, this is a shame. Like, there's an opportunity here. How can I take all of Greek mythology and just combine it and, you know, we spent, I don't know, six months or so having a really good time trying to connect, make false, you know, just sort of create the sinews between the different stories and the different pieces and like, how do we make this one, this person? And like somehow in the same family tree or somehow connected to this person. It doesn't exist. But it's not in conflict with anything that does. Just sort of bundle it up and then look for ways to make it speak to modern issues. Right. And so one of the things that we played with was religion and the idea, I mean, I'll ruin it for all your viewers if you happen to be going out to get this graphic novel or wherever at Barnes and Noble, like I guess press mute or something. Granted. But we loved the idea that, that Zeus effectively could, because he's all powerful, all knowing, you know, number one, A plus God could basically go, all right, this, this thing isn't working out. Like I'm losing followers because I don't hang out at the temple and I don't do this thing. Right. And this is like we were doing this, this while social media was really exploding. And I'm not like courting followers by doing stuff that I'm not down with. I'm not playing the game. Whereas some of the other gods, the lesser gods are. So I'm going to check out. So he fakes his death, basically. We don't know this till later. And he becomes Jesus, right? And he goes, I'm just going to do this other thing. Like I know how to work the system. And he goes and does it and then starts his own thing and, and reveals. And it's just this talk about, like, how do you get people to buy in? What are the manipulative elements and like how performative do you have to be? It's not an indictment on any religion or anything. It's just more of an indictment on modern culture, modern society, but really fun and also sexy. Right. Like there's a view on Greek mythology, the way we've all read it, you don't necessarily feel the sexiness of it, right? I use sexy, I don't mean like sexy sex. I just mean sexy, interesting, exciting. But we, you don't read it on the pages normally. We wanted to lean into that as well and have a good time with it. And you know, looking at things like Medusa, like Medusa was a totally under explored character in the modern world, right. This is that. And so we looked at Medusa and looked at the original history or the original lore and Medusa was the curse, not the person. Right. And so the idea that, you know, you had this is also before me too. And all of the things that came later so we looked at the idea that there was a lot of, like, victim blaming in our culture, right? And so Medusa, like how you get cursed, you know, there was rape and taking advantage of people, and that person was getting blamed and becoming Medusa. And so there's all these, like, complicated themes inside of it, but it was really fun. And the idea, but we haven't gotten to it yet because we've all gotten so busy and Andy is, like, out of control and what's going on in his world in the best way. The idea was like, what a great universe to work cinematically and make films with and television shows because there's so much to play with there and so much to do. And it's adult, right? Like, that was an adult delivery system for more complex themes, but in a sexy, exciting way.

[Will Friedle]

Hey, it's Will Friedle from POD Meets World. It's hard to believe that the first phone call ever happened over 150 years ago. Just think about that. Over the last 150 years, so many special moments have happened with a phone call. I think back to the phone call I had to make on Hollywood Boulevard, back to my agents in New York who told me that I booked the role of Eric Matthews on Boy Meets World. And it's one of the greatest phone calls I ever had in my life. I mean, hey, I even remember the phone call with Danielle and Ryder when we decided to start a podcast. That one wasn't as good. Almost four years later, here we are. And you know, over all these years and phone calls, AT&T has been there, connecting people in meaningful ways. This is more than a story of technological innovation. It's a story of human connection.

[Podcast Announcer]

Connecting changes everything. AT&T.

[Danielle Fishel]

Cat parents, gather round. Ryder and I have some important advice to share.

[Ryder Strong]

Guys, we have to stick together.

[Will Friedle]

Guys.

[Ryder Strong]

Those of us with fur babies know the struggle. We understand the feeling of being ignored by our cats.

[Danielle Fishel]

But that's why we're here to help. Because sometimes I find myself wondering, does my cat even love me?

[Ryder Strong]

And there's only one solution to solve that. Sheba.

[Danielle Fishel]

You could be adored by everyone and still completely ignored by your cat.

[Ryder Strong]

It's time to feed your cat, Sheba, and go from feeling ignored to truly adored in 12 days, guaranteed or your money back.

[Danielle Fishel]

The promised land is here. Turn things around for your feline with Sheba's menu of products, appetizers, entrees, treatment, treats, and even a kitten's menu.

[Ryder Strong]

Even the pickiest eater will love their new grilled entrees.

[Danielle Fishel]

Just snap, peel and serve for two gourmet servings and zero messy leftovers.

[Ryder Strong]

Its protein rich formula is made with real chicken and seafood 100 complete and balanced with essential vitamins and nutrients for adult cats.

[Danielle Fishel]

Which my bill is but we don't call him old, we call him experienced.

[Ryder Strong]

It's made in the USA with the finest ingredients from around the world.

[Danielle Fishel]

No artificial flavors or preservatives. No corn, wheat or soy.

[Ryder Strong]

So even when they're licking the bowl clean, you can know you're doing the right thing.

[Danielle Fishel]

Treat your cats right and introduce them to the delicious delicacies of Sheba.

[Ryder Strong]

To learn more, check out sheba.com Can

[Danielle Fishel]

I come clean about something?

[Ryder Strong]

This feels like a trap, but go ahead.

[Danielle Fishel]

I absolutely cut corners doing laundry.

[Will Friedle]

Oh yeah, same I don't sort by color, I sort by vibes.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right there's could wear again probably fine and legally biohazard.

[Ryder Strong]

My gym clothes straight in with my delicates, survival of the fittest and jeans.

[Will Friedle]

I mean, are we sure they even need washing?

[Danielle Fishel]

Meanwhile, I've got a pile of kids clothes that's been sitting near the washer for so long it's basically a science project.

[Ryder Strong]

And this is why we need Arm and Hammer Deep Clean.

[Will Friedle]

It's the powerful shortcut that forgives all your, well, questionable laundry decisions.

[Danielle Fishel]

Even if you forget a load or your kids find a mud puddle that just needed a belly flop, Deep Clean is strong enough to handle it, made

[Ryder Strong]

for real life stinks and stains because let's be honest, there's no way to avoid them.

[Will Friedle]

It's just laundry. You shouldn't stress over it.

[Ryder Strong]

And now you don't have to.

[Danielle Fishel]

From the number one liquid detergent brand that tackles more loads than any other. Come clean with Arm and Hammer Deep

[Will Friedle]

Clean Number one claim based on total wash loads Old if you're like me

[Danielle Fishel]

and have kids between the ages of 2 and 8, you know that not all apps are Created equal. My 4 and 6 year old will just explore like little screen time Magellans, clicking any and every button until I've received 10 notices of apps and in game coins they're trying to buy. In reality I just want something that still gets them excited but also has them using their brains. And that is why I love Lingocan kids. It's an absolute blast and perfect to keep them engaged and thinking. It's a world of interactive games, music they'll want to sing along to, and stories that spark their imagination. It's high energy, vibrant and it keeps them actively playing rather than just zoning out and ignoring my pleas to come to dinner, whether it's a rainy afternoon or a weekend morning. It's the fun they're looking for and the quality you want. Lingokids, everything kids love. See why millions of families love it. Download the Lingokids app on your phone or tablet now for free. Ryder, do you want to know about the gin company?

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah, tell us about. You have a gin company.

[Andrew Levitas]

The gin is amazing. The gin is like the real thing that will make you hate me. So my wife is a classical singer, she's an opera singer, and she is, I guess, the most successful classical singer of this century.

[Danielle Fishel]

And,

[Andrew Levitas]

and I mean, it's, it's like I definitely overachieved in that category in a big way. And Catherine couldn't drink alcohol, right? So she went to Royal Academy of music, you know, 20 years ago, and there was nothing that she could drink. And they're quite focused at the Royal Academy about, like, teaching them how to protect their voices, right? They're not, you know, people that go there are very specific in, in terms of how they, what, what they have to do to not damage their, their instrument. So, you know, my wife is almost like a psychotic Novak Djokovic type in terms of, like an athlete, in terms of what she puts into her body, like, she couldn't drink alcohol. We're sitting in Covid, we're in the uk, we live between there and at the time we were living there and, you know, it was just one of those things that was like, oh, well, let's see if I can get my wife drunk and let's make, let's make an alcohol. And she liked gin, she wanted gin. We found a master distiller to make this gin. But we knew nothing, we're not entrepreneurs, we knew nothing about the spirits business. We did not approach it in that way at all. We basically gave These super fancy 6th generation master distillers an impossible task of. Here are the things I use for my voice, Manuka, honey, bee pollen, these things that you wouldn't traditionally put into a gin. And I need you to make it so smooth and have no sugar and use this specific water from rural Wales that has the least amount of microplastics in the world in it. And I need you to, you know, distill it in a way that takes out any added sugar that we were putting in because of the manuka honey. And I need you to use like the most high quality Manuka, like just crazy stuff like what dirt the juniper is grown in all this and 57 samples later and creating Basically a new technology to make gin with a totally outsider's view. She tries it and it, it doesn't. And she's the kind of person, like, you know, she doesn't eat dairy. Like, if there's a little touch of dairy in something, she immediately is like, yeah, there's dairy in this. And. And she feels it. She didn't feel anything. I. I'm on a zoom call with the Distillers, Catherine's Zoom call Distillers. And I'm like, so how much do I have to buy? Like, this is amazing. I can stop bleeding money now on this. Like, you know, do you have jugs to send it over in? Like, what do we do? And the guy is like, like, you, you guys really need to do something with this. Like, you've, this is like the 1942 of gin. Like, you've created the thing you. Oh. And also, she couldn't. We needed to be able to drink it without mixers because you don't really know what's in the cocktails. So it was like a gin to have on the rocks basically, right? Or in a martini. It's like, you guys have nailed it. You've got this thing, you gotta, you gotta do something with it. I'm like, we're like, I'm going to make a movie now. The world has opened up. Catherine's going on tour. Like, we're good, good. Just tell me how much I need to order. He's like, well, if you're not gonna do something with it, how about I give you gin for life, for the rest of your life, unlimited. And I'll take all the tech and all the recipes and everything we developed for you. And that was sort of like, let's pump the brakes. I'm just gonna go just check this out quickly. And it's been wild. And we are the first really like clean, clean, ultra premium, highly sustainable. So we did the same thing with the bottle because again, we had no idea what we were doing in starting a business. So the liquid was wildly expensive to produce, but the bottle, I was like, I want a hand blown piece of art and I want it to be 50% lighter than any of the other bottles. Because recycling is not that real with bottles. So I needed to reduce carbon footprint through just the product itself and how you make it and how you transport it. So I needed to be lighter. So we did all this development with another friend and we ended up with this beautiful bottle. It just sort of took off and now we are the most awarded, I think it's. We're the most awarded ultra premium gin ever. Mind you, that's a very small category in terms of, like, there are very few, few people that are playing in that space. And yeah, it's, it's, it's incredible. And our team is like, we've attracted unbelievable talent. The thing became a real business. We've now come into the U.S. we're in New York, Louisiana, Vegas, Florida. It's so cool. That's where we're going. And it's really fun because it's, you know, it's the first thing. Like, Catherine would come into the edit suite and look at cuts or, you know, read a scenes that I'd written or a script. And I sit in her studio and listen to music and give advice or give notes or give thoughts. But it's still yours or hers or mine. Right? This is something, as a. In our marriage is unbelievably great, like, because we get to do it together. In fact, our daughter, to give you a sense of how much time is spent on this thing that wasn't even supposed to be a project and wasn't a passion for us, we went to like, our, our daughter's parent teacher conference. And in front of this, in front of the classroom, you know, they put on the walls like these, like, these, you know, like a self portrait and you know, things about your kid that, that they wrote. And, you know, it says, you know, she likes dance, she likes this, she likes singing, she likes whatever. And it's like my parents like what your parents do, right? And she wrote, my parents make gin and tonic. We of course, like freaked out every day. We are not gin and tonics at home. We actually have a brand and it's a thing. But just like we talk about it all the time because it's something that's shared between us. Yeah, it's really fun. It's.

[Will Friedle]

Does it have auris in it?

[Andrew Levitas]

Auris.

[Will Friedle]

Okay. Because I love gin and I had to stop drinking gin because I'm allergic to orus. So I'm hoping maybe there.

[Andrew Levitas]

I'll tell you what, get. You're in la, right? We can just send me your details and we'll get you something to try to try on air Sample.

[Danielle Fishel]

Where, where is it? In New York. Like I said, we're about ready to leave for New York next week. Where can we find it in New York?

[Andrew Levitas]

I don't know. So the beauty of the business is that when we started, it was Catherine and I sort of moonlighting on the side. And one person now our business is, I think we have, I don't know, 35 full time employees. We have a whole distillery that we own in Wales where it's made like it's a different thing. So I no longer know places. Yeah, but there's a lot of them. I mean, we manage the creative and you know, the new products. And we have a non alk that's amazing, like an adaptogen non alk that we launched in the UK in January. That'll come here soon.

[Will Friedle]

What's it called? What's the name of the gin?

[Andrew Levitas]

It's called Cygnus.

[Will Friedle]

Okay.

[Andrew Levitas]

Signet. Like a baby swan. So it's made in Swansea, which is Catherine's hometown in Wales. And their mascot is a, is a baby swan. So you've got Cigna 22, which is really Catherine Spirit. This was the one that was created for her. But I was like a brown, like a dark spirit drinker. I like tequila, I like whiskey. And so I took that and put it in Welsh oak whiskey barrels, like used whiskey barrels and aged it for a year. And what came out was like out of control bananas.

[Ryder Strong]

Good.

[Andrew Levitas]

Which is this one, which is called Sigma 77. They're both like sipping gins. I mean, they're great in cocktails, but it's just fun and it's creative and like I'm making short movies for Signet and I have budget that I don't have to ask anyone for. So that's fun too.

[Danielle Fishel]

So great. My final question for you is. Let's say someone who is listening to this episode has heard all the incredible stuff that you have done. And I'm sure many of those accomplishments are things you could have never seen coming, you know, 25, 30 years ago when you were on a set of Boy Meets World playing Crazy Luther. What advice would you give to someone who's looking to all to make all of their artistic dreams turn into a successful career?

[Andrew Levitas]

Sure. So, you know, I. I teach at nyu and I've been doing it for about a little over a decade maybe. And I get asked this specific question all the time. And I think there's two pieces. The first piece is, I think that there's a mistake that happens in modern society where everything is about specialization. And I think that we've lost this idea that being an artist is a state of mind, not a discipline. And so you become an actor, you become a director, you become a painter or a novelist or a. A screenwriter or novelist or whatever that is. And I think being an artist is about, I think the job is to take in as much information that you can from the world around you, right? To have your eyes up when you take the subway, to not be locked into your earbuds as good as it feels, but to be looking at people and seeing how people interact. Being a. That's studying the world around you and reading everything, listening to everything thing, being uncomfortable, going to places and having conversations with people that you don't agree with, right? Taking it all in. And I think the job is then like mixing it around, finding the subjects that you care about and then finding ways to put it out, right? Like I have books of poetry. I've tried to write a couple of novels. I've never gotten them out there, right? But I did it because there was something that was felt right to me, something that I wanted to look at and examine and a story I wanted to tell. But it wasn't right to make a film, it wasn't right for TV series, wasn't right for a body of sculptural work, right? So it needed to be a book, but it didn't work. It's not good enough. I couldn't get it there. But that's the place that it should have been and it made sense. And so that's part one is keeping going. And the other thing is, that's connected to it is, is being open, right? Like, I may yet find a moment where I step back in front of the camera. In fact, I can't wait for that moment, right, where, you know, I'd have to work out a lot more and get fit and do some other things. But, you know, I can't wait to sit on the other side of the camera. Now I'm not actively looking, but when that comes, my approach would be totally different and it might come right, and there may be a whole other turn for me. So I think it's about having confidence to know that inside of you you're capable of doing any of these things, right? You just have to commit and work. And part of that, by the way, is, and this is also something I tell my students, all of the 18, 19, 20, 22 year olds, the people that are coming out of school, if they're going to go be a banker or they're going to go be a lawyer, or they're going to go be an engineer, they're going to work all day, every day at what they do. I think there's a feeling for artists where they find they sort of fall into this despair sometimes. And they don't just constantly push like push Work. They don't work on it. And you don't have to. If you're a screenwriter, you don't have to sit at a computer and write all day. Right. You can be out walking around and seeing the world and just trying to be inspired. And I think that work ethic is something that artists sometimes wrestle with because they feel like they're. It's wasting time. It's somehow wasting time to watch five films in a row. But it doesn't have to be if you have an object with it. Right.

[Danielle Fishel]

I love that. Andrew, thank you so much for coming that you have such a fun and interesting career and you are such an interesting alumni of Boy Meets World. So we are honored to be a small part of your journey and we are going to take credit for it after this interview.

[Will Friedle]

You're welcome. You're welcome. That's why we brought you on here. You're welcome.

[Danielle Fishel]

Welcome.

[Andrew Levitas]

And I hope I get to see you guys at some point. It'd be. Be terrific.

[Will Friedle]

We would love.

[Danielle Fishel]

Will and Ryder are going to dress in drag. We're going to all be wearing. We're all going to wear the same outfit. We actually talked about it earlier that the three of us were going to dress like. They were going to dress like me. So when we do that is when we should get together. Make sure we can see you.

[Will Friedle]

Perfect.

[Andrew Levitas]

That would be fantastic.

[Will Friedle]

I'm going to need some Signet 77 first.

[Andrew Levitas]

Let's do it.

[Ryder Strong]

Awesome.

[Danielle Fishel]

Thank you for joining us. Us. Great talking to you.

[Will Friedle]

Bye.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, my gosh.

[Ryder Strong]

What an underachiever.

[Andrew Levitas]

I want.

[Will Friedle]

I so want one of his pieces. I've been like. I was trying not to just stare at my phone the whole time, but I was looking at some of his work and they're just really cool looking.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Truly amazing. And you wonder how. I mean, I know how somebody writes a screenplay. I know how somebody paints a painting. I can't do all that stuff. But you wonder how somebody comes up with something like that. Like an all new, new technique of I'm gonna take a sculpture but it's also gonna be part like.

[Ryder Strong]

It's exactly what he was describing though. It's that like, it's that Renaissance. Renaissance man is the term, but like Renaissance person approach to life where you're just like, yeah, if you're. If you're smart and talented, you can kind of do anything if you put your mind to it. And the fact that he just always has put his mind to it, you know, his body to it. Like here he was in la like moving to LA for a time TV show. But then obviously he started doing all this art and photography. Like that's just so cool, man. And I like, I agree with him that like, I wish more people sort of activated those parts of the, you know, I feel like we are so, we're so like career driven. Especially like in high school you're basically told like, well, you are an actor, you are going to be this, you're going to be a painter, you're going to be a photographer and like, you know, or I mean actually those are, that's in the best case scenario I think more often it's, you know, you should be an engineer, you should be, you know, it's like, it's more practical. So like the arts getting any attention is rare. And then within those arts I feel like, yeah, people specialize. Like people are told like, you're just going to be a filmmaker. And it's like, man, if you open yourself up, you could do anything. Like, yeah, you know, it's also, you're

[Danielle Fishel]

talking about being career driven and stuff. It's also like we get into. I know for me this is like my big thing. I need to know what's the goal? What am I doing this for? For what's the end. So the hope is. The hope is what? And then, okay, that sounds like a worthwhile endeavor then for me to go through steps A, B, C and D. But if something even slightly intrigues you or piques your interest, pursue it a little farther. What's the worst thing that happens is you end up deciding you don't journey is the goal.

[Ryder Strong]

Well, exactly, yeah. In fact, I would say that that's actually helped. I think that's the problem, especially with the film industry is that so many people are like, well, I want to be a movie star or I want to be a TV star. And it's like, actually the process of being an actor is something very different. The process of being an actor is probably going to be doing small theater auditioning a million times a day. And if you can enjoy that, then you're probably cut out to be an actor because. And also the bigger parts come because of the smaller things you've done. Do you know what I mean? The idea of being so end focused is actually detrimental to your artist artistic development and detrimental to your career. Whether you realize it or not. Like the amount of actors or people who want to be actors who spend their time at the gym and an acting class and don't take smaller roles or just make their own projects or whatever. You know, it's like, that's. That's a trap. Like you.

[Will Friedle]

I was guilty of that, too. I never called myself an actor when I. Especially when I was a kid. I always wanted to be on tv.

[Andrew Levitas]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

That was it. I want to be on tv. And so the. You wonder what the. The career path would have been had it been like, no, I want to learn the crowd craft of acting.

[Ryder Strong]

I just want to act wherever that takes me. Yes.

[Will Friedle]

Is where it's going to take me. But it wasn't that. I just. I wanted to be on a sitcom, which is great, and I got my goal, but at the end of the day, sitcom is now essentially dead. And so I. I'm. I trained, you know, the. The theremin, which nobody plays anymore. So it's like, hey, you specialized in this one instrument that nobody wants. And so it's like, you wonder where it would have been if it been like, no, I just want to be an actor. And wherever that takes me, that's going to take me.

[Danielle Fishel]

But I love also the thing Interesting he was saying about that, he says to his NYU students about, like, if you were going to go and do a job that wasn't in the arts, you'd be spending a minimum of nine hours a day at your job. And so if as creatives who maybe our work isn't behind a desk, it isn't to set the routine for yourself, that every day, even if I don't have a job right now, my job is doing something that's inspiring me.

[Andrew Levitas]

Yep.

[Ryder Strong]

I make the same. The comparison I always make is, like, to athletes, you know, like. Like, because I feel like, especially with screenwriters, there's a sense of like, well, I could bust out a script over the summer. Or like. And it's like, no, no, you should always be writing.

[Will Friedle]

Right.

[Ryder Strong]

Just like people who climb Mount Everest or who are in the Olympics are always training for that big event. And eventually you're going to write the thing that will be the script or the novel that, like, changes your life. But you should always be working because, you know, nine hours a day is a minimum. You should be putting into your. You know. But we don't think of it that way. We tend to think of, like, oh, wait till somebody pays me, and then

[Will Friedle]

write it, even just a little bit. I mean, I've been working on this book now forever, and it's. Cause I take months on, months off. And Robin Hobb, who's an incredible fantasy writer, has been helping me, and she always just writes me and she's like just write a sentence a day. Yep, she goes, that could become a paragraph a day. That could become a page a day. And you might throw everything away, but just write a sentence a day and see what happens.

[Danielle Fishel]

And it's so smart.

[Will Friedle]

God, she's right. Just sit down. Yeah, so, yeah, really smart.

[Danielle Fishel]

Well, thank you all for joining us for this episode of Pod Meets World. As always, you can follow us on Instagram podmeetsworldshow and you can send us your email podmeets worldshowmail.com and we've got Merch.

[Will Friedle]

Thank you for making me feel like a lazy piece of Andrew Merch.

[Danielle Fishel]

Pod meetsworldshow.com Pod Meats World Is My

[Will Friedle]

Heart podcast produced and hosted by Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle and Ryder Strong, executive producers Jensen Karp and Amy Sugarman, executive in charge of production Danielle Romo, producer and editor Tara Sudbaksh, producer Matty Moore, engineer and Boy Meets World superfan Easton Allen. Our theme song is by Kyle Morton of Typhoon, and you can follow us on Instagram @podmeatsworldshow or email us at podmeatsworldshowmail.com

[Danielle Fishel]

as cat parents, Ryder and I know the feeling of being ignored by our cats. I often wonder, does my cat even love me?

[Ryder Strong]

Well, there's only one solution to solve that.

[Danielle Fishel]

Sheba Feed your cat Sheba and go from feeling ignored to truly adored in 12 days, guaranteed or your money back. Sheba has so many incredible products that can satisfy even the pickiest eater, like New Sheba Grilled Made in the USA with the finest ingredients from around the world. They are savory strips in a succulent sauce that cats are sure to love. And it's 100% complete and balanced with essential vitamins and nutrients for adult cats, like my bill. Made without artificial flavors or preservatives, no corn, wheat or soy. To learn more, check out shiba.com dry

[Podcast Announcer]

eyes still feel gritty, rough or tired with Meibo eyes can feel Meibo Perfluorohexaloctane ophthalmic solution is used to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. It's the only prescription dry eye drop that forms a protective layer for the number one cause too much tear evaporation so eyes can find relief. That's don't use if allergic to mibo. Remove contacts before using and wait at least 30 minutes before putting them back in. Eye redness and blurred vision may occur. For more info, talk to your eye doctor, call 1-844-MAIBOYA or visit maibo.com

[Will Friedle]

you ever show up late to the game and your friends already saved your seat, your drink, even a play?

[Ryder Strong]

That's looking out, that's having your back.

[Will Friedle]

And that's exactly what AT and T does with the ATT guarantee.

[Ryder Strong]

They know that staying connected matters, so they actually guarantee a network that comes through when it counts.

[Will Friedle]

AT and T has connectivity you can depend on, or they'll proactively make it right, just like that friend who takes care of things before you even ask.

[Ryder Strong]

AT and T connecting changes everything. Terms and condition apply.

[Will Friedle]

Visit att.comguarantee for details.

[Danielle Fishel]

You know that moment when your kid asks for your phone and you're already bracing yourself for whatever random video they'll disappear into? That's why I started handing them Lingokids instead. It's still screen time, but not that kind of screen time. With Lingokids, they're actually playing singing, tapping, exploring stories they're learning without the need to complain about it. And I love that it's colorful, high energy, and designed so kids stay curious instead of just turning into media zombies. They think they're getting a treat, but I know I'm giving them something special built just for them. Lingokids Everything kids love. Download the Lingokids app now on your phone or tablet. It's free.

[Podcast Announcer]

This is an I Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.