SmartLess Podcast: "RE-RELEASE: Paul Thomas Anderson"

Hosts: Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett
Guest: Paul Thomas Anderson
Release Date: October 9, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of “SmartLess” features renowned filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson (PTA) in a wide-ranging, candid, and often hilarious conversation. The hosts—Jason, Sean, and Will—delve into Anderson’s creative process, his family history in show business, writing habits, thoughts on cinema’s shifting landscape, and personal life, including his relationship with Maya Rudolph. The tone is relaxed and improvisational, peppered with warm nostalgia, affectionate ribbing, and genuine admiration, making it both insightful and entertaining for film enthusiasts and casual listeners alike.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Paul Thomas Anderson’s Family Roots in Entertainment

• Anderson reveals his early exposure to show business through his father, who was the promo “voice of ABC.”

• [10:58] Jason: “Your dad was the voice of ABC for all of my years growing up in Los Angeles.”

• They discuss how PTA’s father influenced the standard use of shotgun microphones for network promos.

• [13:33] Sean: “Were you close to him?”
  [13:34] PTA: “Yeah, very. I got to go... be around anything that was show business related. That was magical to me.”

2. Beginnings of a Filmmaker

• PTA talks about his childhood experiences hanging out behind the scenes at ABC and being inspired by the camaraderie between technicians.

  [15:33] PTA: “For as long as my memories are there, I've wanted to make films for sure... Movies is like this gold ring. Not everybody gets to make movies, you know.”

• Writing was a passion from a young age, with PTA crediting his mother for providing him with the script of Monty Python’s Holy Grail as a learning tool for formatting.

3. The Writing Process

• PTA expresses a natural inclination toward writing:
  [18:17] PTA: “The writing part always excited me because I liked it... putting paper into a typewriter and typing out ideas.”

• He discusses the evolution of “Boogie Nights,” which started as a short mockumentary he wrote and filmed as a teenager, “The Dirk Diggler Story.”

  [27:07] Paul: “I wrote a short film that was called the Dirk Diggler Story. That was what Boogie Nights became.”

• The challenge and pleasure of adapting the same material across formats and years shaped his approach to storytelling.

4. On Inspiration and Thematic Process

• Anderson admits he does not begin scripts with a “theme” in mind—he prefers to focus on the facts and let deeper meanings emerge organically.

  [31:09] PTA: “Can you write a theme? I can never write a theme... I always have more like facts… What really happens here?”

• He finds films that overindulge in theme “annoying and boring.”

• The process is iterative, with editing and collaboration revealing additional depths.

5. Creative Collaboration

• Emphasizes the joy of collaboration, citing experiences with renowned production designer Jack Fisk and composer Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead).

  [35:53] PTA: “Well, it’s the joy of collaboration, particularly when you’re doing it with somebody that you love and work with.”

• Notable production stories:

  • Jack Fisk’s advice: Use children’s books for initial research—simple, clear illustrations spark ideas more readily than technical tomes.

6. Comedy Influences & Personal Life

• PTA is a huge comedy fan, which is reflected both in his film work and his personal life—being married to Maya Rudolph (noted by the hosts and himself as “the funniest woman in Hollywood”).

  [51:03] PTA: “It’s funny. I guess it's like anything... people making serious films really just love comedies, you know.”

• Relates the story of seeing Maya’s name as a new SNL cast member and immediately feeling his life had changed, eventually returning from London to New York to see her.

  [54:51] PTA: “I can remember seeing her name on that piece of paper… you realize your life just changed.”

7. Casting Legends: Boogie Nights & Leonardo DiCaprio

• Sean inquires about the longstanding rumor that Leonardo DiCaprio was once up for the lead in Boogie Nights.

  [25:47] PTA: “I asked Leo to be in Boogie Nights... he had a choice: Titanic or Boogie Nights. He chose Titanic. We laugh about it now, but he, you know, regrets missing the experience and doing it. But that's true.”

8. The State of Theaters vs. Streaming

• Sean sparks a conversation on the current state of cinema distribution.

  • PTA laments the decline of theater quality and extols the communal moviegoing experience.

  [41:44] PTA: “There's probably, you know, 30 theaters in this country where it would look great and sound great and the rest are filth. I'm sorry, but... I can understand why everybody says, like, oh, piss off, I'm staying at home.”

• He points out specialty theaters in big cities are thriving, indicating there is still a passionate audience for quality films.

  [43:11] PTA: “If you go to any of the great theaters, let's say in LA or New York that are playing specialty programming, they're packed.”

9. Film vs. Limited Series: On Storytelling Economy

• PTA is wary of the trend towards stretching 80-minute stories into bloated multi-part miniseries.

  [58:14] PTA: “80-minute stories being turned into like nine-part, you know, things that... just seems to be the kind of the call of the day… piss off. This is stretched out way too much.”

  [59:09] PTA: “People say... 'You gotta wait nine episodes in.' Yeah, just wait. Piss off.”

10. Film Preservation and Working with Scorsese

• PTA discusses his collaboration with Martin Scorsese’s Film Foundation and the importance of film history and preservation.

  [46:11] PTA: “Being a part of his Film foundation has been one of the great honors of my life. It’s great.”

11. Family, Home Life, and Being Present

• On balancing an intense career with parenthood (he and Maya have four kids):

  [63:08] PTA: “One of the benefits of writing... is, you know, the ability to work from home, the ability to be present.”

• Practical about time away during long shoots (“as long as I'm with you the other chunk of time, you won’t miss me that much”).

12. Los Angeles and California as Storytelling Subjects

• Will and Jason praise PTA’s cinematic depiction of LA and the Valley—he is uniquely able to elevate the region’s stories to mythic status.
• [65:16] Bateman: “Tarantino says any great filmmaker only has 10 films in them. You’ve made nine. Tell me that’s not true.”

  [65:27] PTA: “Oh, that’s horseshit. I don’t even. I don’t understand what he’s on about... What else are you gonna do?”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• PTA on resisting forced themes:

  “Films that overindulge in telling me the theme are annoying, you know, and boring.” (34:01)

• On Leo & Boogie Nights:

  “He had a choice... Titanic or Boogie Nights. He chose Titanic. We laugh about it now, but he regrets missing the experience.” (25:47)

• On streaming and poor theater experiences:

  “There’s probably, you know, 30 theaters in this country where it would look great and sound great and the rest are filth.” (42:11)

• On meeting Maya Rudolph:

  “I can remember seeing her name on that piece of paper. You realize your life has just changed. I don’t know how, I don’t know why, I don’t know what just happened.” (54:51)

• On being a present parent and filmmaker:

  “One of the benefits of writing, I suppose, is... the ability to work from home, the ability to be present.” (63:08)

• On Tarantino’s “ten films” theory:

  “That’s horseshit. ... What else are you gonna do?” (65:27)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Key Segment | |-------------|-----------------------------------------------| | 07:16 | Jason introduces Paul Thomas Anderson | | 10:58 | Discussing PTA’s father, ABC’s promo voice | | 13:33-14:28 | PTA on his close relationship with his father | | 15:33-18:17 | Early filmmaking inspirations | | 18:17-20:03 | Writing origin, learning script formatting | | 25:47 | Leo DiCaprio & Boogie Nights | | 27:07 | "Dirk Diggler Story" and evolving a story | | 31:09-34:00 | On writing process: facts vs. theme | | 35:53-39:16 | Collaborating with Jack Fisk, Jonny Greenwood | | 41:38-43:58 | Streaming vs. theatrical releases | | 46:11 | Film preservation, Scorsese’s Film Foundation | | 51:03-55:09 | How PTA met Maya Rudolph | | 57:54-58:59 | Adam Sandler's talent in Punch-Drunk Love | | 58:14-60:33 | Limited series vs. movies, storytelling time | | 65:16-65:49 | Tarantino’s “10 films” claim rebutted | | 66:12-66:51 | Will and Jason praise PTA’s career/longevity |

Episode Highlights

• Fun banter around the origin of “Boogie Nights” and the “Leo vs. Mark Wahlberg” casting anecdote.
• In-depth reflection on the writing and evolution of stories, with insights into adaptation over time.
• Honest critique of the modern entertainment landscape, especially the future of non-blockbuster films in theaters versus streaming.
• A moving, romantic account of how PTA met and fell for Maya Rudolph, revealing his emotional, less-public side.
• A thoughtful perspective on parenthood, creativity, and remaining grounded in a notoriously demanding industry.

Final Thoughts

“SmartLess” with Paul Thomas Anderson is a must-listen for anyone interested in film, storytelling, or the intricacies of creative collaboration. The episode skillfully blends comedic improvisation with meaningful exchanges and candid wisdom about filmmaking, personal growth, and adapting to an evolving industry. Anderson’s humility, humor, and intelligence make his appearance a rich, engaging masterclass in both craft and life.

For more, listen to the full episode on SiriusXM Podcasts+ or your favorite podcast app.