
Are you still off sugar? It’s our friend Julia Garner. Witch energy, Waymo advocacy, pretending to be good at stuff, and feeling uncomfortable to feel comfortable. Failure is a friend of the clown… on an all-new SmartLess.
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Jason Bateman
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Will Arnett
Today's episode is sponsored by Ashley. They don't just sell incredible furniture. They they're also making an impact in vulnerable communities. Here's a tough over 7 million kids are affected by the welfare System and over 368,000 are currently in foster care. So together with Ashley and SiriusXM, we made a donation to four others, an organization working to end the child welfare crisis in America. You know, partnering with Ashley in our live show. First of all, they just made our set look really good. They made us really comfortable and they kind of made us look legit because otherwise it would have been, you know, milk crates and, you know, cardboard boxes. And Ashley made it look like a real, kind of looked like a living room, made it really comfortable, made our guest John Mayer really comfortable. And then he thought that maybe we're professional, we're not just a bunch of clowns. To be honest, there was a point where I got so comfortable I forgot that I was in front of an audience. I was sitting back on that nice Ashley couch and I was just hanging out with my buds in my living room. Anyway, Ashley offers timeless, well crafted furniture with white glove delivery right to your door. Visit your local Ashley store or head to Ashley.com to find your style.
Sean Hayes
How many cold opens are we going to be doing?
Will Arnett
Well, we're doing one right now.
Jason Bateman
We're doing one.
Sean Hayes
Oh, well, okay, let's start with the first one. And basically the big question is, listener, how you doing, huh?
Jason Bateman
Oh, gosh.
Sean Hayes
How you feeling out there, listener?
Jason Bateman
Huh?
Sean Hayes
Hey, just turn us up nice and loud. Let us enter your ear hole, because we're gonna fill it full of.
Will Arnett
Welcome to Smartless.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, smart.
Will Arnett
Smart, smart. Less.
Sean Hayes
Will, are you ready?
Will Arnett
Yeah, I've been ready for 20 minutes. Awad.
Sean Hayes
I mean, will had some real.
Will Arnett
Sean was busy doing the Trader Joe's lobster bisque pasta. He loves that trend he's on. He's all over TikTok doing the lobster bisque pasta trend.
Sean Hayes
Sean, do you do your own grocery shopping?
Jason Bateman
I don't. I. Yeah, sometimes I do. Yeah. Well, what was the pause for?
Sean Hayes
Go deeper on the pausing.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, well. Cause a lot of times. Scotty. Thank you. Scotty just made me some tea. Look at that. Yeah.
Sean Hayes
Can he take the rest of the afternoon off or.
Will Arnett
And by tea, do you mean chili?
Jason Bateman
Yeah, a cup of chili. No, I do. I go. I go to the grocery store. Scotty, do we go to the grocery store first? Help me. Yeah, sometimes we go to the grocery.
Will Arnett
Wait a second.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, we go to the grocery store.
Will Arnett
I'm sorry, can we just pause on that for one second? Can we pause on the. Scotty, do we go to the grocery store?
Jason Bateman
Sometimes we do sometimes. But here's the thing.
Will Arnett
Are you in a blackout?
Jason Bateman
I only like to go when I know exactly what it is I need. And then, like, years ago, it's so funny you said this. Cause last night I was talking about this years ago. I thought it was great.
Will Arnett
I thought it'd be. Here we go. It's a great story.
Sean Hayes
He does seem like he's really fire. He's filled the whole gas tank. Ready for this one?
Will Arnett
Yeah. Get into. Go ahead. Go back to. Take us back to years ago. Yeah.
Jason Bateman
I had this idea for this app, which was I was gonna, like, partner with all of these grocery stores. And when you walk into the grocery store, your phone recognizes your location, and then it gives you a map of that grocery store, and you put in what exactly you're looking for. So you're not in there for an hour just looking for the one item.
Sean Hayes
Some people just fill a poster.
Will Arnett
So instead of looking at the signs above, you just look at your phone.
Jason Bateman
That's right. And. And since somebody thought of it and somebody. It's already. Somebody's doing it.
Will Arnett
You know what.
Sean Hayes
And they're bankrupt already.
Will Arnett
Y. I went to. I remember one time being in Germany and seeing these stores. They had these food stores where you go in. True story. And they'd have, like, set up in different areas of the store. You Know, examples of prepared meals, like a beautiful. Like a pasta, like a chicken or whatever. And then all the way around that item. And they would switch them up every day. They'd have all the necessary ingredients you need to buy from the store just to make that at home. Pretty good. You don't like that?
Jason Bateman
Yeah. You know. You know what? Some, you know something? I would do that. I would buy that.
Sean Hayes
You know what? You know, you know what else they do at supermarkets is they've got rows and rows and rows of ingredients that you could buy to build.
Will Arnett
But this is giving you. This is. This is kind of eliminating the, like, oh, what do I need? I need to go in eight aisles. No, no, no. All of it.
Jason Bateman
But I can't wait for this answer. I can't wait for this answer, by.
Will Arnett
The way, standing in front of his huge glass house, lobbing stones.
Sean Hayes
Let me tell you something. Enjoy the market. And when I go. It's expensive, because I will. I'll take three hours, and I'll just go aisle to aisle. Yeah. And then last time, and then. And then this was 87, 88.
Jason Bateman
We're talking very recent.
Sean Hayes
Is. Sometimes I need a follow cart, you know, because the front one gets too.
Will Arnett
Lettuce and romaine lettuce, butter lettuce.
Sean Hayes
This was in the day where I'd get. I'd get everything, you know, because I, I. I grew up in a house that was very, very sort of, quote, healthy, you know, so there wasn't any garbage in the house. And so once I moved out, I bought all the garbage. I mean, the snacks, the sodas, the cereals.
Jason Bateman
It's almost like when you get older and you're on your own, it's. Something feels good about not having to ask permission to get eaten whatever you want.
Sean Hayes
Let's be clear, Sean. I grew out of it in about two years, and I've been taking care of my body ever since. You're. You're what, 62, 63 now, and you're still buying Froot Loops?
Jason Bateman
No, I, I will have something like that on occasion. I'm trying to. Now I'm trying to find balance for the first time ever.
Sean Hayes
Are you still off sugar? You were off sugar a couple of weeks ago.
Jason Bateman
Not entirely, but. But I didn't realize my favorite ice cream had 100 grams of sugar in a pint.
Sean Hayes
Didn't realize that, huh? What do you think? You think ice cream is just unicorn farts and cream?
Jason Bateman
Yeah. I didn't know they could. They could manufacture unicorn farts.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, it's cream and sugar. Full stop.
Jason Bateman
Now, what kind of dad joke do I have for you? This might have been.
Sean Hayes
I'd love to. Just to transition into our guest.
Will Arnett
This isn't new.
Jason Bateman
Wait, this. Because I don't know if I may have said this.
Will Arnett
You created your own segment here.
Jason Bateman
I may have said this before, so please forgive me if I told you this one right. But I asked my brother to pass me the travel pamphlet this morning. Yeah. And he said, bro, sure. Oh, I got a giggle. I got a giggle.
Will Arnett
Oh, JB really likes that one. JB really likes that one.
Sean Hayes
That one makes me real happy. Settles me. It's good that it settles me because I'm really nervous about this next guest. You know, this is.
Will Arnett
Is that why you wear a nice shirt?
Sean Hayes
Yeah, exactly. You've. I don't think you've ever seen me in a button up on. On this show.
Jason Bateman
Really nice.
Sean Hayes
So today's guest. This is someone I've wanted to meet for a very long time. She first hit my radar. Oh, no, wait, that's.
Jason Bateman
That's my. That's my wife.
Sean Hayes
That's the last guest.
Jason Bateman
It's Amanda.
Will Arnett
Hey. God, can you imagine how much shit you'd throw at me if you were. If I came this unprepared? And by the way, what is light to your guest?
Sean Hayes
I'm wearing a sweater. What?
Will Arnett
A Sideswipe to your guest.
Sean Hayes
Oh, no. Here we go. Here we go.
Will Arnett
Here we go.
Jason Bateman
What if it started the exact same?
Will Arnett
I would have hung up. I would have gone already. If I were your guest, I would have walked.
Sean Hayes
We've got a real special treat today. Dash, I think. Can't wait to meet her. This is someone who I've been watching from afar, Very, very curious about. I already know she's a true chameleon. She started acting at 15, and now barely, barely 30. She's already won multiple Emmys, countless nominations, and seems positioned for a long and fruitful career. How did this Hebrew speaking beauty from the Bronx make it all the way out to Hollywood and into our hearts?
Jason Bateman
We're gonna find out.
Sean Hayes
Let's find out. This is Ms. Julia Garner. Did I say that correctly? Did I pronounce that right?
Jason Bateman
You threw me with I can't wait to meet her.
Sean Hayes
Oh, right. A real crafty like that. We can unblock the camera now, my sweet love.
Jason Bateman
Yeah. Oh, there you are. Hi.
Sean Hayes
Hi, Julia.
Jason Bateman
Nice to meet you.
Sean Hayes
Just like on the TV shows.
Julia Garner
Oh, my God. It is so nice to meet you, Jason.
Sean Hayes
You too. Wait, no Southern accent? No Southern accent. So that was just a put on from the.
Jason Bateman
Oh, my gosh.
Will Arnett
So that our listener knows Julia starred in was arguably the best part of Ozark for the entire. You're right. For years and years. And that's how you and JB met, I presume, was on Ozark, the award winning show brought to you by our very own JB and starring the wonderful Julia Garner. Julia, welcome to Smart and Jason.
Julia Garner
Jason, starring.
Sean Hayes
Brought to you by our friend Ted Sarandos. That's who brought it, right?
Will Arnett
Oh, my God. Huck her up.
Sean Hayes
Yeah. I love you, Teddy. Teddy, you're the best.
Will Arnett
Gross, disgust. Disgusting. Go ahead.
Jason Bateman
You know what, though, Julia? I, I. First of all, it's so nice to meet you.
Julia Garner
So nice to meet you.
Jason Bateman
I. Jason was joking because I know every interview I've ever given over the many, many years of Ozark was about that accent, but I. I was truly blown away. I was. Because I'd never seen you before, so. Because I'm an idiot. My first exposure to you was Ozark. And then when I saw you on your first talk show, I was like, oh, wait, what? Like, it was so believable. You were completely. Do you love playing characters like that?
Will Arnett
He's really blown away by the concept of it. It's so much fun.
Sean Hayes
And when you pretend to be someone else. Is it neat?
Julia Garner
Yeah, yeah, I guess.
Will Arnett
I mean, he thought Ozark was a documentary. Sorry.
Julia Garner
Yeah, it's. He just. Jason just brought a whole film cre.
Sean Hayes
Disturbed.
Julia Garner
You and your brother just did, like, Werner Herog style, basically.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, Yeah. I don't think I ever asked you was it, was it would have been fun for me. It would be fun one day to play and do some big Southern accent. Like, was it fun to do that?
Will Arnett
Hang on. Keep going. Who are we meeting? Introduce us to this character.
Sean Hayes
Power up the truck. Yeah. Did you. Was it fun to play, to use the accent all the time?
Julia Garner
Did I use it like off camera when we weren't working together?
Sean Hayes
No, no, no. But it was when you were doing it, when you were playing the, The Ruth Langmore.
Jason Bateman
Was it. Was it a. Was it a. Was it work or did you enjoy actually doing that? Because you have to be conscious of.
Julia Garner
Was both. But I feel like if you want anything to be good, it takes a lot of work.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, yeah. I'm writing this down as you're talking.
Julia Garner
Yeah. But also, it's like, also, if you want, you know, I'm always constantly, like chasing that flow state, so. And that takes a lot of work. In a way. Flow state is to kind of get there.
Sean Hayes
What Is that. That is. That is after, like, when you're acting. Right.
Julia Garner
So.
Sean Hayes
Well, I don't remember when you directed.
Julia Garner
Remember when you directed me.
Will Arnett
Yeah, yeah.
Sean Hayes
But the flow. But the flow happens. Does the flow happen after?
Julia Garner
He doesn't remember at all.
Sean Hayes
After massive preparation, one can reach a flow state. Because you've properly prepared. Question.
Julia Garner
Yes. Yes. So I, like, prepare. I prepare, prepare. And then once I get to your set, I throw it all away.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, you don't have to think about it.
Julia Garner
Yeah, I don't think about it.
Will Arnett
He doesn't take you out of that flow state. When you see his face, it doesn't go like.
Julia Garner
No. You know what? I love working with Jason.
Sean Hayes
Here we go.
Julia Garner
He kind of. I love working with Jason because. Cause he relaxes everybody. Like, he makes it fun. Cause sometimes when, you know, especially when I was, like, a new actor, I would always get super tense, and it felt like almost like life or death. And then Jason would do something ridiculous to kind of ease it, and I loved it. And I think that's so important, in my opinion. I love it.
Sean Hayes
I'm the best.
Julia Garner
You are the best. You really have. I say this to everybody.
Jason Bateman
Truly, Julie, I love that. Me, too. Never been directed by him.
Will Arnett
Ted Sarandos is the best.
Sean Hayes
Ted Sarandos is also the best. Yeah.
Will Arnett
Let me just say that.
Sean Hayes
Yeah. No, no.
Jason Bateman
But, Jay, why don't you. You never, ever have. By the way. Neither of you will. You don't either. Never show any signs of anxiety while me and Julia are walking around with, like, we're nervous about showing up and doing a good job.
Sean Hayes
You should look at my bowel movements.
Will Arnett
Would you. God, can we have one episode where we don't talk about bowel movements? This is. What are you talking about, Sean? You're very. You're not.
Jason Bateman
No, I mean, I get nervous. Like, you just said, Julia, about right before you start. And is the character that I worked on any. Gonna be any good and blah, blah, blah, you know, and then once you get. But I just don't feel that from you guys.
Will Arnett
Well, you know, sort of in that vein, Julia. So you do. You're gonna do Ozark. You. Obviously, you meet Mr. Bateman.
Sean Hayes
Thank you.
Will Arnett
As he makes you. I heard that he made you call him. And so you go through the process of getting that gig, and you show up day one on set, and you know that you're playing this Southern character. Were you nervous at all about taking that first swing, that first take of that first scene?
Jason Bateman
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Will Arnett
Or had. Or had you guys prepped enough. And he knew.
Julia Garner
No, I was so nervous because also, first of all, I thought that I wasn't gonna get Ozark when I auditioned for it.
Will Arnett
Well, his face just sagged. So he's also. This is him smiling.
Julia Garner
Look at his nose getting up. He's like.
Will Arnett
He thinks he's smiling.
Julia Garner
I'm thrilled.
Jason Bateman
Turn his whole head up. Smiling.
Julia Garner
I can see a booger right there. No, but it was kind of crazy because the first audition, I thought it was just a tiny, tiny casting room in New York, paper thin walls. And I'm hearing the other actors read the lines, and I'm like, oh, my gosh. Yeah. And I'm like, wow, she killed him. They're like, that was amazing. That was fantastic. And then I had to go in next, and I did it once, and I remember calling my mother, and I was like, I'm not. I don't think I'm just gonna move on. And then I Wanna say, like, 10 days later, there was a callback. And Jason was in that callback. And I remember the. I remember he.
Jason Bateman
Slower.
Julia Garner
He kept on. No, I'm trying.
Will Arnett
No, I'm just trying to make a story that.
Sean Hayes
You know what I remember?
Julia Garner
I remember he was very. He gave very good. He gave amazing, like, really interesting direction. But also he was very sweet. And then he started talking about, like, local TV at the end of the audition. Local news. You were saying, what are you gonna do later? I was like, I don't know. Watch some tv. And he's like, what are you gonna watch? Local news.
Jason Bateman
That is funny.
Julia Garner
That's literally the first thing. I mean, I was like, that guy's an oddball. But I like him. And I was like, but also, how does he know that I kind of, like, love secretly? Local news.
Sean Hayes
Did I.
Julia Garner
He saw me, like, immediately.
Sean Hayes
Did I say any. I didn't. We didn't. I didn't say, hey, high five. You got the job in the room. Did I?
Jason Bateman
No.
Julia Garner
No. And Chris was in the room. And I just. I just remember feeling, like, still unsure. But I do remember with the first, it was like a mock scene. It wasn't even in the script. But I do remember seeing the first.
Sean Hayes
Did I read with you?
Julia Garner
Yeah, you read with me.
Sean Hayes
I did.
Julia Garner
And I remember the first scene that I saw, I was like, this dialogue's either gonna work if this person talks really fast or really slow. There's like, no. There was no in between. That was always very clear in the dialogue. And you went with the fast depending on her mood.
Sean Hayes
Yeah. And then what about the Accent. Was that something that Alexa Fogel, sort of our casting director? Did she give you sort of a hint, a tip on that, like you should speak, or is that just something you did on your own?
Julia Garner
No. By the way, we love Alexa Fogle. Shout out to Alexa Fogel. Yes. Grateful.
Sean Hayes
She loves that. Will Arnett.
Will Arnett
Many years. I've known her many years.
Julia Garner
Yeah. No, it was kind of one of those things that I just assumed because it was Missouri, that there was going to be an accident.
Will Arnett
Missouri.
Julia Garner
And that and that. And that's also why. That's also why I didn't feel like the first audition, nobody was doing that accent. And then I couldn't remember my lines with my regular speaking voice, so I started freaking out. That's why I didn't think I was going to get the job.
Sean Hayes
Oh, wow.
Jason Bateman
Wow.
Julia Garner
Yeah.
Will Arnett
Did you, you know, I will say it reminded me of. Did you ever know people? I knew a few actors over the years, especially, like, in the 90s, being in New York and sometimes coming out here, and you'd often, over the course of years, see, like, the same kind of people who are kind of your age up for the similar jobs, and you'd see them over and you get to know them from waiting rooms and stuff around town.
Jason Bateman
Oh, my God.
Will Arnett
And that's how I had the miss. It's like I had the misfortune of originally meeting Theroux over the years was in waiting rooms, right?
Julia Garner
There's always an actor in a waiting room. Like, but there were those.
Will Arnett
But you know those actors who would come out. I knew a couple and they thought they were being funny, and they'd come out and they'd go, like, well, I got it. Like, that was their fit all the time was I got it. Nobody else. And like, at a certain point, you're like, hey, man, just stay in your lane. Yeah, stay away from me.
Jason Bateman
Keep it inside.
Will Arnett
I want to work too.
Sean Hayes
Well, and then cut to you walking out of the Arrested Development audition and everyone and all the executives following you out saying, all right, we got it. We got our guy. As you guys all walked past, the remaining guys that were supposed to go in and audition for your.
Jason Bateman
Why did they do that?
Will Arnett
Which. Which, if you remember, JB at the time, I said to Mitch, I said, hey, let's keep it down is part of the story. Because one of the people was out there in the room who didn't get it. And I felt. I knew what that feeling was.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, well, we. We can say who that is, because he did just fine. Rainn. Wilson went on to get the office a couple weeks later.
Will Arnett
Yeah, he would have beat me at that gig. So, like, he. You know what I mean? Let's just be clear about that. Anyway, so with that. That kind of, like, actor politics is always weird.
Julia Garner
Well, it's funny. And I feel like that's slowly disappearing. Like, I feel like I. Yeah.
Sean Hayes
Everyone's doing their auditions from Poland.
Julia Garner
Yeah. Like, I was. I feel like I was kind of the last. The very, very last of. Like, there's so many actors that are working today that I've met in audition rooms when I was, like, 16, 17 years old. And then, like, there would be, like, a hangout after. After, like, they're like, oh, yeah, do you, like, want to hang out? Yeah. Like, it was just, like, a little more. There was, like. Like this spontaneous. A little more.
Jason Bateman
Now it's just camaraderie.
Julia Garner
Yeah. Yeah.
Sean Hayes
But you're also. You're. But you're. You're also are. You're. You were a great hanger outer on. On Ozark, right?
Julia Garner
You.
Sean Hayes
You guys.
Julia Garner
You always went out well, but because you always.
Sean Hayes
I would always hear the next morning at work, like, you guys would all talk about the night you guys had out. You go out with all the other actors, and you guys would all have a lot of fun then. I was like.
Julia Garner
I was, like, 22 when I started.
Sean Hayes
You had a real life down there.
Will Arnett
Where were you? JB?
Sean Hayes
Granddad. Went home, put on the comfy socks and PJs and watched Rachel Maddow and learned my lines and went to bed.
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Julia Garner
Oh, my.
Sean Hayes
Still doing the same thing today, Julia, you haven't met anyone.
Will Arnett
It's all gonna be over. No regrets. What have you done? What have you done? Nothing.
Sean Hayes
I've got one tooth left in my mouth.
Will Arnett
See, I've had no life experience.
Sean Hayes
I'm thin.
Jason Bateman
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Sean Hayes
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Julia Garner
Okay, so what are you waiting for?
Will Arnett
I'm not waiting.
Sean Hayes
The new Queso Crunch burger only at Carl's Jr available for a limited time at participating restaurants. Tax not included. And now back to the show.
Jason Bateman
Well, get off of Ozark.
Sean Hayes
Really?
Jason Bateman
You know, I'm sure after this I could talk about it forever. I love the show.
Sean Hayes
Shut up. You have not seen it.
Jason Bateman
I love seeing every episode. Was there anything? Because it was like, at times it was really physical. And I remember Jason telling me that. I was like, did you really do all that? He's like, no, that was a stunt double where he gets punched in the face, thrown on the floor, kicked across the room. Did you have anything like that? And did you ever get hurt?
Julia Garner
Yeah, I mean, yeah, yeah. But I'm also like, like my, you know. Ye. Yeah, but I also don't sometimes carry myself like one. So that's how I get hurt.
Sean Hayes
Oh, okay.
Julia Garner
Okay.
Sean Hayes
Julia had a of fun.
Julia Garner
Yeah. So I'm like, oh, yeah, I'll be fine.
Sean Hayes
Have you learned how to drive since.
Jason Bateman
The show you didn't know how to drive.
Sean Hayes
This woman, I'm. I mean, you ask her to just drive 10ft, just hit the mark. You just get in here, drive 10ft. We're going to put sandbags in front.
Julia Garner
Of you, and you're going to be the first person that I'm going to.
Sean Hayes
Call as soon as I'm not getting in the car. I will not get in the car.
Julia Garner
Till you get a gear under your belt.
Jason Bateman
Wait, Julia, do you drive now or you still don't drive?
Will Arnett
No.
Julia Garner
Cause it's just I've been.
Jason Bateman
Where do you live?
Sean Hayes
Los Angeles.
Julia Garner
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
Okay, well, I.
Sean Hayes
You honestly still don't drive?
Julia Garner
No. And then. And then whenever I'm in the process of learning how to drive, then I have to leave town. For real. Like, it's like always like that. So as soon as, like I want to, you know, work, I just, you know, learn how. Try to learn how to drive and then I'll.
Sean Hayes
So how do you get around your Uber all the time? Or does Mark drive you around?
Julia Garner
Both. Friends. You know what I'm saying? I'm like a passenger princess. That's what the kids say today. Totally. By the way, even if I learn how to drive, I still love to be driven. I'm not gonna lie. Like, I love it.
Sean Hayes
Call me if you ever need a ride. I do like to drive. All right, wait.
Jason Bateman
Wait a minute, Julia, wait. I want to stay on this driving thing just for just two seconds.
Will Arnett
Okay? Okay, Sean.
Jason Bateman
So wait, you have your friends drive you or Mark. I'm guessing Mark is your boyfriend or husband.
Sean Hayes
Yes.
Will Arnett
I could ask you 6 million questions.
Jason Bateman
About this and have you ever waymo'd.
Julia Garner
Is that the thing? That's a self driving car. That scares me. I don't like that. Yeah, yeah, I've done that before with my friend. Cause he also doesn't drive. Cause he's from the uk and that scares me. That scares me.
Sean Hayes
Sean's a big advocate.
Jason Bateman
Well, no, I mean, I think it's where the future's gonna. I think ultimately like 20, 30 years.
Sean Hayes
Is that where we're going? Driverless cars Prognosticator.
Will Arnett
Do you think AI is gonna have an impact?
Sean Hayes
Wait, what's AI?
Will Arnett
What's gonna be popular? Computers.
Sean Hayes
What else?
Will Arnett
Sean, I think food's really gonna catch on.
Sean Hayes
Any more hot takes? Julia, I've got a question for you. Sean, quiet please. So you booked Martha, Marcy Mae, Marlene. Okay, hold for applause. At 16, was this the first time that you really felt acting was a viable career path? Julia, Julia, please Answer the question.
Julia Garner
Please answer the question. It was still like a test because I was so young. I was 16, so I was still.
Sean Hayes
That was like the first biggie, right?
Julia Garner
Yeah, that was the first job. And I didn't even really know. Cause this was 2010, and so Sundance was not what it is today. It wasn't like, it was. Still felt kind of indie in that way. There was, I think, like, Swag Bag was like a thing for like two. It was like. It was just new, so it wasn't commercialized in a way. So I didn't really know what that anything was. So it felt more like a test, I guess, in a way. But I just really loved it. I just loved meeting people and.
Sean Hayes
And that film kind of took off and you started to get some notoriety and the phone started ringing just a little bit. And like, was that kind of notoriety?
Will Arnett
Was it bad news? What happened? Did you do.
Sean Hayes
Could you kind of see the future a little bit? Did you have the courage to kind of dream a little bit there? Or was it still a little distant?
Julia Garner
Well, I've always been a big dreamer, but it felt. But I never thought that my life would end up like this. Like, I never thought that this was. I always loved movies. I grew up, like, watching Turner Classic Movies, and I always loved. Loved films. But. But there was still something that felt very far, even though I grew up in New York and I grew up around actors and going to the theater. But there's something that felt very far because it wasn't. I didn't know it was like a real profession. It didn't feel real.
Sean Hayes
Right. So then even as sort of some momentum started to gain there. So you're 16, you're approaching the end of what would be the high school years and the possibility to maybe go to college and study another career. So since you weren't really committed to. You weren't allowing yourself feel super positive about a career in the business, were you keeping your other irons hot as far as other occupations, other industries?
Julia Garner
No, because I was so bad at everything else. And I seemed.
Sean Hayes
You were all in. You didn't even go to college.
Julia Garner
No. And I was like, oh, well, I'm getting a good response with this, so I must be okay with it because I'm so bad at everything else.
Will Arnett
You know what's funny about that is that that's a common. That's a. That answer comes up for a lot. And it goes for the three of us, too, right?
Jason Bateman
Yeah, we can't do that.
Will Arnett
And what I find, I'm Sort of coming to the conclusion that actors are just a bunch of people who are bad at everything else. Yeah, Right.
Jason Bateman
It's true.
Sean Hayes
Let's pretend. Let's get a job where we can pretend to be good at stuff.
Will Arnett
Yeah, it's kind of true.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, that's true.
Julia Garner
Yeah. And I also. I didn't do. I don't do well when I feel like there's, like. Has to be rules in a way. Like, I don't. I. You know, I.
Sean Hayes
That there's a right way to do something and a wrong way.
Julia Garner
Yeah. Like, I like running. I like the feeling of, like, running around and kind of being free, as corny as that sounds, but.
Sean Hayes
Right, right, right, right.
Will Arnett
Sounds like you're advocating for anarchy.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, yeah.
Julia Garner
No, she is.
Sean Hayes
She's a rule breaker. I didn't know. Tell me what. Tell me about what. What is this David Chase thing that Wikipedia is talking about here?
Julia Garner
So there's actually. Speaking of. So that. That was my second movie.
Sean Hayes
This is Not Fade Away.
Julia Garner
Not Fade Away. And this is a crazy story. So my first time going to LA, I was. I just turned 17. It was like a month after I turned 17. And I only remember this because it was, like, in March, and all the purple, you know, trees. I'd never seen anything like that.
Jason Bateman
Jacarandas.
Sean Hayes
Jacarandas, yeah.
Julia Garner
And I remember being.
Sean Hayes
And were you alone at 17, or did you come out with Mom?
Julia Garner
No, I came out with mom and. And my acting coach.
Sean Hayes
Oh, yeah.
Julia Garner
You know.
Sean Hayes
And did you stay at the Oakwoods?
Julia Garner
Yeah.
Will Arnett
You did?
Julia Garner
Near. Nearby. Yeah. And. And we didn't know where anything was. This was like, GPS was new, so it was, like, recalculating. It was like, like all the time. It was so crazy.
Sean Hayes
Sounds like mom was as gifted as you are behind the wheel.
Julia Garner
Yeah, recalculating. Yes, recalculating, exactly. But it was one of those things that I had crazy callbacks, auditions every single day while I was doing that one day of shoot for the David Chase project that he basically wrote that part for me because I auditioned for a different part and I didn't get. I didn't get James Gadolfini's daughter. So he was like, I wrote a part for you. And it was like in this dream sequence. So that was my first time in la and on the plane. I got the worst eye infection on my way there. I had green pus coming out of my eye, like green goo. It was terrible. And I had all these auditions booked, all these callbacks, like, sometimes these callbacks. I'm looking at it, I'm like, where are these meetings now? Like, I'm like, these meetings. Things were crazy and I had.
Sean Hayes
Poor thing. You must have been just a nervous wreck that you didn't show up.
Julia Garner
So this callback, this callback that I had. So there was all these callbacks and auditions and meetings with this, like. And it wasn't, you know, contagious. So I went to a doctor and they're like, yeah, you're fine. But it just looks. It's literally an eyesore. And. And I got this phone call. Well, I had a chemistry read with Claire Danes. So I had to like, go in with an eye infection with Claire Danes. And I had to like, apologize, basically explain my eye, which was horrific.
Sean Hayes
Don't look at this one, look at this one.
Will Arnett
Yeah, so called I not will.
Sean Hayes
That is great.
Julia Garner
And then in the middle of all these meetings, going back and forth, didn't know where I was going, never been to la. I got a call from my manager and like a few weeks before I went out in New York, I went on this audition for an untitled Paul Thomas Anderson film. Is there a phone ringing?
Jason Bateman
I can't.
Sean Hayes
No. You made a name of the film.
Julia Garner
I don't know what's going on.
Will Arnett
I didn't see that one.
Julia Garner
Yeah. And by the way, it would be.
Will Arnett
A great title for a Paul Thomas Anderson.
Sean Hayes
For a phone ringer.
Julia Garner
Exactly. No. So it was. It was an untitled Paul Thomas Anderson film. I was 16. And they called in, they're like, he wants to meet with you. So I had that and then it turned out to be for the Masters.
Jason Bateman
Oh, wow. I love that.
Julia Garner
But I had this eye infection. I had this crazy chemistry read and. Yeah, but that was my first time in la. And then also who I met that week was Fred roos. I was 17 years old. It was like, one of, you know, the producer of the Godfather. But then, by then I met him. It was like a Friday, and my eye, like, calmed down. But during that time, I also did not fade away just to give you, you know, I'm giving you the bullet points.
Will Arnett
What were you meeting with Fred Roos about?
Julia Garner
Just a general meeting, I guess. I don't know, it was kind of.
Will Arnett
Did he make you an offer you couldn't refuse or.
Sean Hayes
Hell, no.
Julia Garner
No, I just met with him.
Will Arnett
It was like, okay. I just thought maybe.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, so jump. Jump from that to.
Julia Garner
Yeah. But that was my first time in la. Like, crazy.
Jason Bateman
Wow.
Sean Hayes
So if. If you will make the. Make a big, huge leap now from, you know, your sort of Nascent stage there. And now you've just won your first Emmy of three consecutive Emmys, by the way.
Jason Bateman
Unbelievable.
Sean Hayes
What did that feel. So you just won an Emmy.
Will Arnett
What a streak.
Sean Hayes
What a streak.
Will Arnett
Unbeaten three years in a row.
Sean Hayes
What was. What. What. What was that like? Did personally and professionally, Was there a big sea change or was it sort of a gradual thing or. Sorry. Recalling that. Here's the question. Did the next day, after winning an Emmy feel like you thought it would when you allowed yourself to dream that. Very good.
Will Arnett
Very good.
Julia Garner
Well, first of all, Jason, I just want to say, like, the. You know, it was such a dream working with you this whole time or that whole time of just the. And what I mean is, like, the process, it really. The next day, it was not depressing. It was not depressing, but it made you look at how important the process is and the experience rather than the result.
Jason Bateman
That's right.
Julia Garner
In a way.
Jason Bateman
Amen.
Will Arnett
And now what?
Julia Garner
It's a token, in a way. It's like. It's a great. It's an amazing token, and it's like an opportunity for things. But then after the opportunity, you're looking for a new process in a way.
Sean Hayes
Because you kind of feel like there's nothing really changed. It's just the next day, Dwarfin Rush.
Will Arnett
And all that stuff is all in the anticipation. It's not in the getting of the thing, which is.
Julia Garner
Yeah. And also your problems, like, you'll have 30 seconds up there and it's great. And then you right back to your life, get off the stage, and then you're like, the next day, your problems are still. Personally, your problems are still following you. It doesn't change anything.
Will Arnett
That's why I've never won an Emmy.
Sean Hayes
That's why you just keep returning. Yeah, no, I want to take myself out of the running. It's not going to change.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, I know.
Julia Garner
You know, but it's funny, I think what it resulted to was after that, I was. It made me very feel not confident in a complete different way, in a sense, because what it does. Well, you know, when you have a win after win after win after win, you kind of put this pressure where you feel like you have this. People are having this expectation on you. But during the strike, I went to clown school because I didn't know what else to do with my time. And I went to France and. And the thing that they. The teacher, Philippe Gollier, who's amazing, he kept on saying, you know, the son.
Will Arnett
Of a bitch.
Jason Bateman
He'S like, let's show.
Will Arnett
This guy a thing or two about being a crow. Oh, you like France, Come to Italy.
Sean Hayes
Sorry, this is a running joke.
Will Arnett
He's got a real loud mouth.
Sean Hayes
He's a handsome.
Jason Bateman
Anyway.
Julia Garner
Yeah.
Will Arnett
And he's got a real touchy and sensitive about other Europeans.
Julia Garner
Exactly, exactly. But he kept on saying, the failure is the friend of the clown, which I love.
Jason Bateman
Failure is the friend of the clown. Yes.
Will Arnett
Failure is the friend of the clown. I like that.
Julia Garner
And you can't have great art if you don't have some sort of, like, you know, humility in a way.
Will Arnett
Yes, please.
Jason Bateman
Yes, please. Tell me, what goes on in clown school.
Julia Garner
Well, a lot of things.
Sean Hayes
Face painting.
Jason Bateman
But I mean, like. You hear that?
Will Arnett
Are you guys kind of juggling a lot of different things?
Julia Garner
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
Nice, Will, another nice one.
Julia Garner
Actually, I. I didn't. You know, I didn't. I did get a clown certificate. So you are talking to a certified clown.
Will Arnett
Was it an oversized shoe or just a red nose? Red, foamy.
Julia Garner
It was a red nose. And he assigned me. He took one look at me and he was like, yeah, the witch. He assigned me to be a witch. I don't know. I maybe give him, like, witch energy.
Sean Hayes
The witch. One cigarette.
Julia Garner
Wait, but he was really.
Jason Bateman
But I mean, do you do the. Do you do, like. Cause I hear it, and I'm an idiot. So I hear. I went to clown school, and I do everything that Jason and Will are joking about. Like, I think about. Oh, well, you put the paint. Is it that you paint your face and you put on.
Julia Garner
No, no, it's.
Will Arnett
It's old school. Like, European clown.
Julia Garner
Yeah, old school. You're. Yeah.
Will Arnett
And, like, it's kind of depressing.
Jason Bateman
Oh, really?
Julia Garner
Yeah. It's like he puts you on stage, and then you go behind a curtain, and then they cue the music, and you walk around, like, in a clown circle, and then you just. And then the music stops, and you just have to do whatever comes to your mind and make people laugh. And if you don't make people laugh, he kicks you off the stage.
Jason Bateman
Oh, my God. Wow.
Sean Hayes
So you have to really kind of just completely almost humiliate yourself. Just basically pull your pants down, metaphorically, Right. And just like, be a fool.
Julia Garner
Be a fool. So I also. I just felt this the first, you know, two days. I was like, what the fuck am I doing? Why did I do this? Like, what is wrong with me?
Will Arnett
I love you, dude.
Julia Garner
I'm like, I'm not even in Paris. Like, I'm in this town. Which, by the way, the town that I was Staying in, I was like, why is this energy so crazy? And there's like the biggest mental asylum in France in this town.
Will Arnett
It's not a coincidence.
Jason Bateman
Slash town, school.
Julia Garner
But again, of course, I also love. That's just me. Sign me up for the weirdest experience. And I'm all up for that. But yeah, no, it was an amazing. It was a 10 out of 10 experience. Genuinely. It was amazing.
Jason Bateman
Wow. How about that?
Sean Hayes
Yeah, that's really cool. So did it. Had. Has it adjusted your acting at all? Sort of incorporating this fearlessness of humiliation. Although you were always brave about. You never worried about making yourself look foolish or ugly or flawed or something like that?
Julia Garner
No, not ugly. Well, no. And I think for me it was more that I just needed to. I have to constantly make myself feel uncomfortable. And that's gonna make me feel comfortable as an artist. Like if I feel any sort of comfort, like then something's deeply wrong.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, I totally get it.
Julia Garner
And also, I don't like you totally get it.
Will Arnett
You're comfortable beyond me. Are you?
Jason Bateman
No, no, no.
Sean Hayes
Being uncomfortable around in cashier slippers starting.
Will Arnett
At 24 hours, you and one other person live in a 15,000 square foot house.
Sean Hayes
Like, shut the hell up, Sean. Go ahead.
Jason Bateman
Guess it's uncomfortable.
Will Arnett
She's talking about discomfort as a fucking artist. Jesus Christ.
Julia Garner
I'm not talking. Listen, don't get me. I love my sweaters, but I just.
Sean Hayes
There's our bumper sticker.
Jason Bateman
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Jason Bateman
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Sean Hayes
All right, back to the show.
Will Arnett
Julia, now you're surrounded by musical instruments. And I've been wanting to ask since. Are these yours?
Julia Garner
No, these are my husband's. We're setting up a studio here.
Sean Hayes
She's married to a rock star, you stupid dick.
Will Arnett
Okay.
Sean Hayes
Oh, really? Study up.
Will Arnett
I didn't know his. I didn't know his.
Jason Bateman
Is he a singer? I don't know who he. Forgive me.
Julia Garner
Mark Foster. Foster. The People.
Sean Hayes
Oh, wonderful.
Jason Bateman
I didn't know that.
Sean Hayes
Now, that's a band.
Will Arnett
This is a fantastic band.
Jason Bateman
That's great. Wait, can I jump ahead? I mean, I'll let Jay drive it in a second, but please. Were you. I just remembered. Were you supposed to play Madonna at some point? Is that gonna still happen?
Julia Garner
Yeah, I mean, that's supposed to still happen, but yeah.
Jason Bateman
What do you think? How did that come about? And, like, were you ever a fan and all that?
Julia Garner
Oh, my God. I was such a fan of Madonnas. You know, I grew up. I grew up listening to Madonna. It just came about like I knew that they were doing a project, making a movie about it. And then I went out to audition. I want. I kind of. That was also another thing that I kind of just wanted to see if I could do it. Cause, you know, I wasn't a trained dancer, and I had to, like, learn how to dance and then dance in front of her and convince her that I'm can dance, basically. Yeah. And sing. And sing with her.
Sean Hayes
Stressful.
Julia Garner
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
I mean, so then how was that? Did it go well? Or did she give you a bunch of notes? Or was she just like, oh, my God, you're amazing. Do this, do that?
Julia Garner
Well, you know, I kind of just, like, thought, like, okay, what would Madonna do? Which is, like, convince you that she deserved, you know, to be in this room? And, you know, and I owned it. And I was kind of like, you can take it or leave it, but if you leave it. If I leave, then, you know, that's on you. You know what I mean? And it's like, if you take it. Great. That kind of, like, mentality.
Jason Bateman
Yeah. Jason calls that sexy indifference.
Julia Garner
And work the room. Literally work the room.
Will Arnett
So what happened with that? What happened with that?
Sean Hayes
Still sort of brewing.
Will Arnett
Still brewing.
Sean Hayes
It's a long gestating. You know, good meals take a long.
Julia Garner
Time to eat, but I also feel like anything that's great also, too. I notice if you hear stories like it. I feel like it takes a long time. Or it's, you know, it's either or.
Sean Hayes
Meanwhile. Meanwhile, you've snuck in a couple of fantastic jobs. Fantastic Four. Anyway, July 25th.
Jason Bateman
That's gonna be huge.
Sean Hayes
Yeah. I mean, what. What was that process like? I imagine it was a lot of effects. You had to work with that pain in the ass, Pedro Pascal. I don't know how you get through that. How do you get through something like that?
Will Arnett
He's real chatty.
Julia Garner
I love him. You know, it's so funny. Cause I met Pedro when I was 18, and everybody now is on this Pedro craze, which I'm so happy. Not us, but I've not.
Will Arnett
We're not fans. We're not fans.
Julia Garner
But I've met him, and I always thought he was just so talented. And it was always a matter of time with him, I felt.
Sean Hayes
And so. But what about. So, like, green screens and special effects and all the. Like. Like, that's all. That's a big, spicy meatball, that thing. You've got costumes and, like, future stuff. Like.
Julia Garner
Well, no, I. I didn't have any costumes because they. I was like, you're Silver Surfer. Yeah. So I was just like, oh, wait.
Jason Bateman
You'Re the Silver Surfer.
Julia Garner
Yeah, so I was like, lazy.
Jason Bateman
Sean.
Julia Garner
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
So it was Scotty. Scotty's gonna slide in on a chair. Like, Weekend Update question.
Jason Bateman
No, I used to love this when I was a kid. I used to watch all the time, like.
Julia Garner
Yeah, so just, like, I'm chrome and silver.
Sean Hayes
Right. So does then. Does that mean you had to, like, wear, like, a green bodysuit with, like, little markers on it for visual effects?
Julia Garner
I had the helmet with the giant GoPro type camera and, like, the wires.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Julia Garner
And it was crazy. And the first day on set. My first day on set was wild because. Well, I finished Weapons.
Sean Hayes
Like, now, weapons that. Let's not jump to the Josh Brolin vehicle coming out August 8th. Called weapons.
Julia Garner
Yeah. By the way. So I filmed that, like. I wanna say, like, three weeks before. So, like. But my first day on Fantastic, I.
Jason Bateman
That's Fantastic Four. Yeah.
Julia Garner
Fantastic Four.
Jason Bateman
I'm kidding.
Julia Garner
First step. Yes. Yes. That's Fantastic Four. I, you know, had to do this, like, all these, like, lines in the middle of. It's supposed to be, like, Times Square, and it was 30ft in the air.
Will Arnett
JB, you did a bunch of lines in the middle of Times square, right? Like, 94.
Sean Hayes
Sure did. Yeah. The New Year's celebration is always classic.
Julia Garner
That's what it was. But it was crazy because I was doing. You know, it was my first day on set and I was doing a scene 30ft in the air with an earpiece and a microphone, you know, talking to 500 extras. And number two was at Marvel, from Marvel was, like, on set. So I was like, that was my first day. Yeah. But. But after that, I felt like, you know, I have no reason to be nervous. I think if I can do a scene 33 in the air.
Sean Hayes
You have a robust promotion schedule coming up. You gonna travel the world for that?
Julia Garner
Yeah. So it's. I mean, I'm. You know, I feel like with that, they were so. The four, the Fantastic Four, the cast, they were so nice. And I kind of felt like a really nice dinner guest in a way. So they, like, were really great hosts. So I'll, like, come in and out to their dinners, but I'm not gonna. And I'll be, like, a good dinner guest, but I'm not gonna be, like, the dinner guest.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, you'll be number five over there.
Julia Garner
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
Pick your cities.
Julia Garner
Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
Sean Hayes
All right, so then that. So then that comes out July 25th, and you got weapons of Josh Brolin, August 8th. Geez, man, tell what's, what's weapons about?
Will Arnett
First of all, Brolin, I mean, come.
Sean Hayes
On now you think Pedro Pascal's a pain in the ass? This guy Brolins.
Julia Garner
I know, I just. I work with all the best men. Jason, Pedro, Josh.
Sean Hayes
Well, you know how to slay the dragons.
Jason Bateman
Unbelievable.
Sean Hayes
What is that one about?
Julia Garner
It's so crazy. It's kind of like a multi story intertwined spider web, but it's like a horror magnolia kind of vibe.
Sean Hayes
Oh, really?
Julia Garner
I don't even know how to explain it to you.
Jason Bateman
When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
Sean Hayes
Huh.
Will Arnett
Well, there it is.
Julia Garner
And I play a teacher.
Sean Hayes
I'm in. I'm in.
Julia Garner
Yes.
Sean Hayes
I like you. And I like the Brolin fella. I think he's going to go far.
Will Arnett
Julie, what do you do for fun? What do you do for fun?
Julia Garner
Yeah, what do you do when you don't work?
Will Arnett
Yeah, what do you do when you don't work? You sound like you work a lot, which is great. Bravo. You know, it's. It's great. Great work ethic. Yeah, but, but what do you do when you're just, you're just chilling? You're not driving, so we know that.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Will Arnett
Are you.
Sean Hayes
What are the hobbies?
Julia Garner
You're sound so bad in this interview. Oh my gosh.
Sean Hayes
She just skateboards around la. What do you. What's the hobby?
Julia Garner
Yeah, I'm trying to figure that out.
Sean Hayes
You have zero hobby right now, but.
Will Arnett
When you're down, like you're in la, you're down. You've got downtime.
Julia Garner
Well, the problem is, is that when I'm not working, I love watching movies. But then even then it still feels like I'm reminded that like it's still work.
Sean Hayes
Like, like. Let me.
Julia Garner
What?
Sean Hayes
What are you gonna do the rest of today?
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
You're not, you're not going to set today?
Julia Garner
Well, I have an ADR after this today and then I am leaving on Thursday to Vancouver for five and a half months.
Sean Hayes
Oh my God. So then you're gonna pack. You'll pack tomorrow?
Julia Garner
Yeah. Yeah.
Jason Bateman
Right.
Sean Hayes
Okay.
Julia Garner
So I'm always working.
Sean Hayes
That's great. What about. What, what, what, what are you watching right now on television, aside from the movies? Like will you just put on an old movie wherever it is?
Julia Garner
Yeah. Well then. Or I'll watch new stuff or I'll watch things that I know that I should watch that I haven't watched.
Sean Hayes
Yet, like, below deck. Mediterranean.
Julia Garner
Yeah. By the way, I never got into that. I may be one of the few, but now I just. I'm going to finish watching the Paul Reuben doc. It's really good.
Jason Bateman
Oh, yeah, I finished it. It's really good. It's interesting.
Julia Garner
It's so good.
Jason Bateman
Did you see the Osama bin Laden doc?
Julia Garner
I started watching it and I wanted to watch it, so I stopped. But it looks. It's amazing.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
Now, what about. Talk to me about fashion and modeling. I'm sure that's a passion for you, but also.
Will Arnett
Well, I mean, I kind of.
Sean Hayes
Sorry, not for you. Well, this is for our guest. This is for our guest, Julia. Yeah. Yeah. Is that kind of a hobby? I mean, you don't look at it. You're not doing that to make a living. Because you make plenty as an actor. I'd imagine that it's kind of fun to be asked to do these things.
Julia Garner
Well, I actually, like. There was a very long time where I actually made better money doing that than my acting. Really? Yeah. A lot of that came from that.
Sean Hayes
Wow.
Julia Garner
So it's like a half. It's like a. I'm like, you know, I have two jobs, I guess. I don't know. But. Yeah.
Sean Hayes
And so do you love. You love all the dress up and the traveling and the.
Julia Garner
I don't love the traveling, but, you know, I do love. I've always loved fashion as a kid. Cause I always found it like a form of expression in a way.
Will Arnett
You've got a big billboard in New York. What was it for? That I've just seen recently. There's.
Julia Garner
It was Gucci.
Will Arnett
Gucci.
Julia Garner
That was amazing. Cause I got to shoot with Steven Meisel again and he shot. You know, he shot my first cover when I was like 21.
Sean Hayes
Wow. Wow.
Julia Garner
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
So that's cool.
Julia Garner
And I think it was like. Yeah. A year before it did Ozark. The first season of Ozark. Yeah.
Sean Hayes
Oh, my God.
Julia Garner
So crazy.
Sean Hayes
Oh, my God. Really? Cool.
Julia Garner
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
Very, very cool.
Will Arnett
Sean, you ever done a cover?
Jason Bateman
Yeah. This year or. No, I mean.
Will Arnett
Sorry, sorry. We need to be more specific.
Jason Bateman
Yeah, Just give me the year.
Julia Garner
I think you can do a cover. Yeah, I think you can do a cover. Yeah.
Jason Bateman
Gq, whatever.
Sean Hayes
Well, Julia, when you get back in five and a half months, maybe we can say hi.
Julia Garner
I know, I know. And I. I get like. I always, you know, I miss. I miss working with you. I. That's the thing that I want to do the most, is just, you know, work with you again.
Will Arnett
Boy, she closed her she closed her eyes when she said that. You know what I mean? It's a tell.
Sean Hayes
It's a tell.
Will Arnett
A little bit of a tell.
Julia Garner
A little bit.
Will Arnett
Tell us one thing that we don't know about Jason that you experienced on. That was kind of fun, but also revealing and maybe embarrassing.
Sean Hayes
She can't think of it.
Julia Garner
It's. No, I can't think of it. So not. Jason's probably the most. He paid me to say all this, by the way. No, I'm kidding. No, Jason is the most nurturing director I've ever worked with. There's this sense of safety that.
Jason Bateman
That's our time. I think we just.
Sean Hayes
You know what, though? If I ever had the chance to direct Will or Sean, I'd be a fucking monster with them.
Julia Garner
Yeah. What do you think?
Will Arnett
You already have.
Sean Hayes
Have. Shut up over there, Will.
Will Arnett
You directed, and we got in an argument the first time. You directed Arrested Development?
Sean Hayes
Yeah, because you were all. Yeah, because he was all. He came in all pouty because. Who was it who lost the election? Carrie.
Will Arnett
Carrie. Yeah.
Sean Hayes
John.
Jason Bateman
Yeah. John.
Sean Hayes
Carrie lost the election and. And old Canadian Will walks on to set all pouty about our.
Will Arnett
Hey, man. I was wearing yellow leotards, and I was in a banana suit. That's a true story. I had to pick you up, Jason and I. And he picked me up with a crane, and we got in an.
Sean Hayes
Dropped you in the bay. Yeah.
Will Arnett
And I'm in a banana suit and we're arguing outside. He's like, just do the seat of Mike. Hey, you.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Julia Garner
Was that the last time you. Was that the last time you worked with him?
Will Arnett
That was it.
Julia Garner
As a director, as a. As an actor. And Jason directing.
Will Arnett
Oh, he's pursued me so much.
Sean Hayes
I can't make a deal.
Will Arnett
No, I can't. Yeah. I can't make a deal.
Sean Hayes
We worked together. As an actor, I get. Was it the. It was the smartless doc. Right. But that wasn't really actor acting.
Will Arnett
No, that was the last time we did anything. Yeah. I mean, I see you every goddamn day now doing this.
Sean Hayes
I'm always acting like I like you. And then shy.
Julia Garner
This was so funny how this happened, because I remember you were doing Ozark when you started the podcast, and I remember you're like, yeah, you know, I'm just doing something silly. It's like I'm just doing with my friends. We're just, you know, for shits and gigs.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Julia Garner
And cut to.
Sean Hayes
It's a monster. Thank you, listeners. Nice people. I get to meet my heroes, like Julia Garner. You're everything I hoped you would be, Julia. They say don't meet your heroes, and you were just such a delight.
Jason Bateman
Yes.
Sean Hayes
Love to meet you in person one day when you get back from your movie. Please look me up.
Will Arnett
Oh, God.
Julia Garner
I'll find you.
Sean Hayes
Yes. Please do.
Julia Garner
Yes.
Sean Hayes
Love you. Love to your mother. Love to Mark. Have a great shoot. And we're gonna see fantastic. Fantastic four.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
We're gonna see.
Will Arnett
July. What? July.
Sean Hayes
July 20th.
Julia Garner
July 25th. August 8th. July 25th, August eight weapons.
Sean Hayes
Yeah. And then. And then look for the altruist. She's about. Is that what you're about to go do?
Julia Garner
Yes. Yeah.
Sean Hayes
That's gonna be on Netflix. Sam Bankman, fried. You're playing his wife.
Julia Garner
Girlfriend. Caroline Ellison.
Sean Hayes
Yeah. There you go. Very, very good.
Jason Bateman
That's exciting.
Will Arnett
Impressive. Impressive.
Sean Hayes
You're an impressive.
Jason Bateman
Congrats on everything, Julia.
Sean Hayes
Very thrilled for you. Happy for you. Love you. Go kill it. Thank you.
Julia Garner
Thank you.
Sean Hayes
Hit me when you're back.
Julia Garner
Yes, I will. Thank you guys so much. Bye.
Will Arnett
Bye, Julia. Thank you.
Sean Hayes
Bye, Julia.
Will Arnett
Oh, my God. Jason.
Sean Hayes
Right.
Will Arnett
By the way, you must feel. You must genuinely feel a sense of pride having watched her grow from being sort of a young actor, like a young kid.
Jason Bateman
She's 22.
Will Arnett
Yeah. She starts on the show, a show that you helped create and brought to life and directed and were the star of. And then she had. She was not only amazing in it, but was recognized and had all the success and has now had a huge career and in part by all the great work she did on a show that you were instrumental in. That must. You must feel a great sense of pride in that.
Sean Hayes
Yes, but just barely. I take nothing away from her. She was, like, incredible.
Will Arnett
You're not taking credit.
Sean Hayes
Yeah. No, but I mean, she. I remember very, very quickly, we made a sort of a decision to really make that character really drive a lot of story because she was so, so good and the audience was going crazy for her. And, yeah, it was really credit to Chris Mundy and the whole writing staff that kind of changed a lot of storylines to really, you know, utilize what a great talent she was.
Jason Bateman
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
She's.
Jason Bateman
Yeah. And a delightful person. Like, I never met her before.
Sean Hayes
Yeah. It's so, so sweet. My God.
Will Arnett
So sweet.
Sean Hayes
Exact opposite monster. You know, Ruth was. Although, you know, she did play the character with a lot of vulnerability, but, like, she was really capable of just being, you know.
Jason Bateman
You love to hate her.
Sean Hayes
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jason Bateman
Love the character.
Sean Hayes
I mean, but what a. What a sweetheart. I'm so glad she's doing really well. And happy. Happy home life, happy work life. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jason Bateman
How about you? Yeah. I always find it interesting when a lot of actors I know are married to musicians. You know, like, it's a good comedy.
Sean Hayes
You're married to one?
Jason Bateman
One, Yes, I am married to one. He makes music. Yeah.
Sean Hayes
And will you do some modeling? I'm married.
Will Arnett
I'm married to my work. Yeah. As a model.
Sean Hayes
Yeah. Yeah. What's your. Is your next. Your next campaign for Will?
Will Arnett
My next campaign is for laxative. And I've moved into a different category at this stage of my life, so.
Sean Hayes
Something for the seniors.
Will Arnett
Yeah. Which I think. And because now we live in this world. World where. And so anyway, so it's like.
Jason Bateman
So those photo shoots got to be shorter then.
Will Arnett
No, when the poster is just I give a. A lot, you know, and it's going pretty. It's going pretty well. Yeah.
Jason Bateman
It sounds like it's going smooth.
Will Arnett
Yeah.
Sean Hayes
Yeah.
Jason Bateman
I got new glasses.
Sean Hayes
Oh, okay. So you got the kind.
Will Arnett
So. So working. Working Bifocal backwards. Yeah, that's right.
Jason Bateman
Oh, well, you ruined it.
Sean Hayes
No, no, go ahead.
Will Arnett
I don't think I ruined it. I don't think you were ahead of anybody on that the second you said glasses, but go tell us a story.
Sean Hayes
About your new specs.
Jason Bateman
They really are new. I just got them yesterday.
Sean Hayes
Are they.
Will Arnett
Is it one prescription or two?
Jason Bateman
Because the bottoms are.
Sean Hayes
What are they?
Will Arnett
That. No, it's not the bottoms are it. By having two, it makes them not get that.
Jason Bateman
Is that how the B is so angry?
Will Arnett
Because you just don't get it when it is. Bye.
Sean Hayes
Goodbye.
Jason Bateman
Goodbye.
Will Arnett
Smart Less. Smart less. Smartless is 100% organic and artisanally handcrafted by Bennett Barbico, Michael Grant, Terry and Rob Armjarf. Smart Less.
Julia Garner
At Capella University, Learning online doesn't mean learning alone. You'll get support from people who care about your success, like your enrollment specialist, who gets to know you and the.
Jason Bateman
Goals you'd like to achieve.
Sean Hayes
You'll also get a designated academic coach.
Jason Bateman
Who'S with you throughout your entire program.
Julia Garner
Plus, career coaches are available to help.
Sean Hayes
You navigate your professional goals.
Julia Garner
A different future is closer than you think with Capella University. Learn more at Capella.
Sean Hayes
Edu.
Will Arnett
What does possibility mean to you?
Julia Garner
That's a hard question.
Will Arnett
Something that you can strive for.
Julia Garner
I'm able to do anything I set my mind to. You're confident in yourself and you believe in yourself. So stuff that you could achieve, I feel. Etsyra Eddie Ling is possible. When you're more confident, shoes are a.
Will Arnett
Huge part of that. They are the most important part of my style.
Julia Garner
You can express yourself in the right shoes. Anything is possible.
Sean Hayes
Dsw countless shoes at bragworthy prices.
Julia Garner
Imagine the possibilities.
SmartLess Podcast Episode Summary: "Julia Garner"
Release Date: July 28, 2025
Hosts: Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett
Guest: Julia Garner
In this episode of SmartLess, hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett welcome acclaimed actress Julia Garner. Known for her standout performance as Ruth Langmore in the hit series Ozark, Julia brings insightful discussions about her acting journey, personal growth, and upcoming projects.
Julia Garner began her acting career at the young age of 16. Discussing her initial foray into the entertainment industry, Julia shared her experiences auditioning for various roles and the challenges she faced transitioning to Hollywood.
Julia Garner [00:27]: "I never thought that my life would end up like this. I always loved movies... It didn't feel real."
Julia recounted her first audition for a Paul Thomas Anderson film, detailing the nerve-wracking experience amid an eye infection.
Julia Garner [00:56]: "I had green pus coming out of my eye... I had this chemistry read with Claire Danes."
Julia’s collaboration with Jason Bateman on Ozark has been a pivotal point in her career. The hosts delved into their professional relationship and Julia's portrayal of Ruth Langmore.
Julia Garner [12:35]: "I love working with Jason because he relaxes everybody. He makes it fun."
Jason shared his admiration for Julia's transformative skills, humorously mistaking her acting for reality in their interactions.
Jason Bateman [10:54]: "I was truly blown away because I'd never seen you before."
Julia has won three consecutive Emmys for her role in Ozark. The conversation explored how these accolades have affected her personally and professionally.
Julia Garner [35:56]: "It made me focus on the importance of the process rather than the result."
She emphasized that while awards are gratifying, they bring additional pressure and expectations.
Julia Garner [36:10]: "People have these expectations on you, but my problems are still following me."
During an industry strike, Julia pursued an unconventional interest by attending clown school in France. This experience highlighted her commitment to embracing discomfort to enhance her artistry.
Julia Garner [37:53]: "Failure is the friend of the clown. You can't have great art without humility."
She described the rigorous and sometimes humiliating training, which ultimately contributed to her fearless approach to acting.
Julia Garner [39:01]: "I had to constantly make myself feel uncomfortable to feel comfortable as an artist."
Julia is actively involved in several high-profile projects, including a role in the Fantastic Four reboot and an upcoming film titled Weapons featuring Josh Brolin.
Julia Garner [47:50]: "I play a teacher in Weapons, a horror-magnolia vibe story."
The hosts expressed excitement for her roles, particularly the release of Weapons on August 8th.
Julia is married to Mark Foster of Foster the People. Despite her busy schedule, she finds time to indulge in her interests, such as fashion and acting-related projects.
Julia Garner [53:10]: "I've always loved fashion as a form of expression."
She also balanced her acting career with modeling, sometimes earning more from modeling gigs than acting roles.
Julia Garner [53:42]: "I made better money doing modeling than my acting at one point."
The episode concluded with heartfelt goodbyes, with the hosts expressing their admiration and excitement for Julia’s future endeavors. Julia reciprocated the warm sentiments, highlighting the genuine connection formed during the interview.
Sean Hayes [57:07]: "You're everything I hoped you would be, Julia."
Julia Garner [58:15]: "Thank you guys so much. Bye."
Jason Bateman [10:54]: "I was truly blown away because I'd never seen you before."
Julia Garner [35:56]: "It made me focus on the importance of the process rather than the result."
Julia Garner [37:53]: "Failure is the friend of the clown. You can't have great art without humility."
Sean Hayes [57:07]: "You're everything I hoped you would be, Julia."
This episode of SmartLess offers an intimate glimpse into Julia Garner's life and career. From her early beginnings and breakout role in Ozark to her fearless artistic pursuits and upcoming projects, Julia's journey is both inspiring and relatable. The authentic and humorous dialogue between the hosts and Julia makes this episode a must-listen for fans and newcomers alike.