← Interrupted by Matt Jones
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- [00:01]
Matt Jones
This is Interrupted by Matt Jones on Newsradio 840. WHAS now, here's Matt Jones.
- [00:11]
Billy Rutledge
Welcome everyone to another edition of Interrupted by Matt Jones. I'm the normal producer of the show, Billy Rutledge. And today we have a bit of a throwback for you. Native Kentuckian and actor Steve Zahn just released a new movie with his daughter Audrey who co wrote the script. The movie is titled she Dances and premiered worldwide in theaters in Lexington on March 26th. It's now in theaters everywhere. But Matt interviewed Steve Zahn for his Matt Jones podcast back in 2020. We're going to replay that interview for you today as Steve talks about his career and living in Kentucky. So sit back, relax and listen to another episode of Interrupted by Matt Jones.
- [00:51]
Matt Jones
All right, welcome everyone to episode 85 of the Matt Jones Podcast where we are joined for the first time by high quality actor of international acclaim who immediately has his phone ring. Steve Zahn lives somewhere between Lexington and Georgetown. Steve, how are you?
- [01:13]
Steve Zahn
I'm good. Sorry about that.
- [01:15]
Matt Jones
It's okay. You're busy. You're a busy guy. I wanted to.
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Steve Zahn
I'm not, I'm not. That's why I leave the phone on you.
- [01:22]
Matt Jones
Hope somebody calls. I understand.
- [01:24]
Steve Zahn
That was my father in law. So I was like, well, whatever.
- [01:28]
Matt Jones
I have to tell you, when I announced on Twitter that you were going to be on, probably the biggest reaction I've had to you coming on since we announced that Katina Powell, the woman in the UofL basketball scandal, you were the biggest reaction since I announced we were having Katina Powell. That should make you feel good.
- [01:47]
Steve Zahn
Yeah, that does. It's awesome. Thanks, peeps.
- [01:52]
Matt Jones
Well, I want to start, we'll talk like acting stuff later. But I want to start with just a humanity question. You know, for six months we've all been kind of dealing with this weird thing where we're stuck in our houses, et cetera. What's that been like for you during the whole Covid thing?
- [02:09]
Steve Zahn
Well, it's odd. Like it's odd for everybody, but, but not odd for everybody. I mean, for some people, you know, there was this pause and then they went on with their lives and went to their jobs. They just have to wear masks and be conscious of whatever. In my world, we're shut down.
- [02:33]
Matt Jones
Is that still the case? Like still nothing's getting made?
- [02:35]
Steve Zahn
No, it's starting to come back now. Now they're, they've, you know, all the guilds and stuff got together and they figured out the safest way of going about Doing things, but it's still. It's still trickling in there. It's still experimental. Some of the shows that, you know, have been around for a long time and that are on, you know, on sets, you know, on lots in la. They're shooting a lot of stuff up in Canada and things like that. But it's been weird because when I come home, I love being home. Right. And when I'm home, it's. I'm not working, so it's a sanctuary, and it makes me happy. But I'm always aware of possibly having to leave in two weeks. So it's been very strange to be here for six months and know that that's not gonna happen. Yeah.
- [03:27]
Matt Jones
Will there be a period of time, I was sort of wondering if, like, six months, a year from now, we're gonna have a time where nothing comes out for a long period of time. Do you think that happens?
- [03:37]
Steve Zahn
I don't know. There's so much. Well, yeah, yeah. There might be a period of, like, the big stuff, you know, the superhero movies or whatever, but I don't know. There's so much content. There's stuff. Stuff is being made all the time, constantly. So, yeah, I turned on something the
- [04:00]
Matt Jones
other day, and I heard somebody talking about a show on Quibi, which I wasn't even. I didn't even know they had started Quibi. And then they were talking about this, and I heard the commercial say, a highly acclaimed show on Quibi. And I was like, how could it be highly acclaimed when I didn't even know that the entity it's on exists?
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Steve Zahn
And.
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Matt Jones
But, I mean, that's kind of the world. It is now, right?
- [04:23]
Steve Zahn
It is. I mean, look, I got. I have some stuff coming out, and I don't know what that means. I mean, you know, I mean, think about it. This year at the Academy Awards, people are like, what is that? Where do I watch that or seen it? I don't know.
- [04:42]
Matt Jones
Yeah, I tried to watch. So, you know, some of those movies debuted during it, just on your tv. And it was weird. Like, I wanted to watch the King of Staten island, the movie with Pete Davidson and all that, and it was weird to think it was debuting and you paid $20 to watch at your house. And I had this existential crisis. Is it worth $20 to buy a movie? But if you went to the movie theater, you'd pay that. So it's just weird how things have changed.
- [05:08]
Steve Zahn
Yeah, no, it's. It's. It's. It's bizarre. But I. I'm. I'M gifted in that I don't more than an hour ahead, so I'm able to keep my sanity and stay happy. And so I've just preoccupied myself. I mean, my wife's a writer, so. So she's working, so I just cook, clean, go to the grocery. Go. Go to K. Roger and, you know, fix stuff.
- [05:41]
Matt Jones
I was saying to you before we started that you're a guy who. Every person I know has a friend who sees you every day. Like, if I were to go through everything that. So there's, like, somebody that goes, you know, he hangs out at a coffee shop out on Winchester Road. Then another person be like, you know, I see him in Georgetown all the time at those chicken restaurants. Like, that's just where he goes. And I'm like, you must be everywhere. Everyone has their Steve Zahn moment.
- [06:06]
Steve Zahn
Yeah, I guess. I don't know. And it's. But it's weird with masks now. It's kind of great.
- [06:12]
Matt Jones
Yeah, that's true. People. Do you get recognized less because of mask?
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Steve Zahn
Well, I went to PE RAs today because dishwasher is gone.
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Matt Jones
Yeah.
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Steve Zahn
And ovens in the same day.
- [06:28]
Matt Jones
Ooh, that's tough.
- [06:29]
Steve Zahn
Yeah. So I went in there, and I was like, hey, what's the. You know, what's the good dishwasher and what's the good ovens? And we had a conversation for a half hour, and then the guy. And then he goes, let's go back to the computer and all that. And then he was like, you still on. You still live on that road?
- [06:45]
Matt Jones
Yeah. I was like, hey, you want to give that out?
- [06:48]
Steve Zahn
Okay. Like, yeah, I didn't tell my name. So. So sometimes it's weird. It's weird. Like, I. I think maybe our eyes, our brains are recognizing people in a different way. We're looking at eyes because it is tougher.
- [07:05]
Matt Jones
It's a lot tougher to dissect. Okay, so somebody who, for lack of a better word, performs in front of people at radio and television things.
- [07:14]
Steve Zahn
Right.
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Matt Jones
Part of what I really do is judge reactions. Like, that's a big part of sort of figuring out what's working, what's not working. It's really hard to tell people's reactions. Like, you don't. You don't know if something is hitting. Because so much of a reaction I've now kind of learned is your mouth. And even maybe more so than your eyes.
- [07:34]
Steve Zahn
Yeah, I think so. Yeah. It's weird. I mean, if you're like. If you're, like, really ugly, but you have, like, pretty eyes, this is Your time, man,
- [07:44]
Matt Jones
you've been waiting for this. I understand.
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Steve Zahn
It's like, oh, thank God
- [07:50]
Matt Jones
I was made for this time. Well, let me ask you a question. I've always wondered this because you're in like, I looked at your IMDb to get ready for this. You've been in 81 things over the course of your 30 year career. At least maybe more than that, but 81 on IMDb and that's a lot of stuff. And you've told me before that like, sometimes you'll get something and just do it a few weeks later or whatever. So how does it work? Like, how many things do you get offered? What percentage of stuff do you take? Like, how does an actor like you, how does your life work in terms of figuring out when you're going to be working on something?
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Steve Zahn
Well, you know, for me now it's, it's like I mostly get offers, you know, you don't have to try out.
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Matt Jones
That's what you're saying.
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Steve Zahn
Yeah, right. But that doesn't, sometimes it's better to audition, you know, for, for people. Because when you just get offered something, you show up and then your anxieties and your, and your, you know, that of performing, then, then you go, oh man, I better prove that I'm the guy that they wanted in the first place. Right? Whereas if I audition, they know, they're like, oh, that was great. Yeah, you're right. But you know, obviously, but sometimes I'll say, you know, somebody will say there was something just recently and they're like, hey, would you read for this? And I said, and I read the, I read the script and the part and I was like, yeah, I mean, it's, it's kind of like if you have a pro football team, right, you're the Dolphins, and you need a wide receiver and you zoom with that person. You go like, hey, we're really, we need, we need, you know, we need a new wide receiver. Could you go in the backyard and have some, throw some balls to you and you could like catch them and you know, do some moves and stuff. And your response would be, yeah, yeah,
- [09:57]
Matt Jones
I can do that.
- [09:58]
Steve Zahn
I mean, you can also watch the, you know, I played all the games I played. Yes, I had a really good game. You could watch that. So it's kind of like that, you know what I'm saying?
- [10:10]
Matt Jones
I understand. That makes sense. But like, so how much do you like, how many things do you get offered vis a vis? How many you do?
- [10:20]
Steve Zahn
Oh, I get offered a lot more than I do. Yeah, yeah. I mean, sometimes during normal times, I would get offers. You know, in busy times of season, like now is a busy time, right? Fall, you know this, when you go off and work. That's why I always miss dub season. But that would be like a couple of weeks sometimes, you know, that kind of thing. Or it might be more than that, or it's. It's so weird. I mean, it's so fickle. I mean, sometimes you go through. You'll go through three months, and you don't anything. You're like, hello, am I there? Isn't there any.
- [11:02]
Matt Jones
Like, the only way that I can sort of relate at all is in the sports media world, you have agents who will pitch you to people. And sometimes, like, the biggest people don't need someone to pitch them, but somebody like me needs someone to pitch them. So you have agents who will sort of read everything and think, this would be good for Steve. This is, you know, is that kind of how it works?
- [11:27]
Steve Zahn
If I get an offer to send it, send. Like, they might. They might write a note with it, like, this is a pass, but here's the script.
- [11:35]
Matt Jones
Okay.
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Steve Zahn
You know what I mean? So they'll put their two cents in, or they'll. They'll. But I get pretty much everything that comes in and have the opportunity to read it. Because sometimes I go like, no, I like this. Or I might know the person and, you know, do it for different reasons. Is Internet unstable? Is it?
- [11:58]
Matt Jones
It's a little unstable. I mean, if you. If you have a way of. It's. Why don't we try this? Why don't you just see if we can make this better. Why don't you turn your video off? I'd like to see you, but I think that's what keeps freezing and see if it makes it better if we're only doing audio.
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Steve Zahn
Okay, I turned off my video.
- [12:18]
Matt Jones
All right, let's try this. I mean, I'd rather see you, but I think maybe this will make the sound a little better. If it doesn't make it better, I'm just gonna have you turn the video back on. Okay?
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Steve Zahn
The people watch this as well.
- [12:29]
Matt Jones
No, they don't. But it's easier for me if I see you, you know, to make it like. We'll cut this part out where we're talking. This isn't better. So just put the video back on. It'll be what it is. It's fine. It's not. It's doable. Ok. Yeah, just turn the video back on.
- [12:45]
Steve Zahn
Okay, cool.
- [12:51]
Matt Jones
Now, see that one? I wish There was video for that.
- [12:54]
Steve Zahn
I was just getting comfortable, So.
- [13:01]
Matt Jones
All right, so I'll tell you an interesting thing. So I've seen you in 20 things. I've gotten to know you a little bit, so I actually think of you less as the movie guy and the person I know. But the thing that people. When I tweeted about you, that people bring up the most, I have never even seen and barely know exists, which is the whole diary of a Wimpy Kid stuff. But there's a whole generation of people. I would assume that that's what they know you for. And is that, like, become a predominant way that people know who you are?
- [13:29]
Steve Zahn
Yeah, it depends on how old people are. I mean, like, now, like, my son is 20, right? When he was nine, that's when I did the first one. And I was like a God, you know, because he. He knew those books, right? And I. And I did them because I was like, these are going to be huge. My agents didn't know. They didn't understand that world. But I was kind of in that, you know.
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Matt Jones
Because you had a kid that age. Yeah, exactly.
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Steve Zahn
And so now those kids are like, you know, you know, they can go to a bar, you know, so if you're at a bar and some kid comes up and says, hey, man, can I buy you a beer? I love diary. Wimpy kid. It's very strange because it seemed like, you know, a year ago to me, and yet now there's this adult, you know, saying, I love that movie. And you're kind of, you know, you have this rebirth. You know, that's the great thing about doing, like, kids movies is because they recognize you. Because when they were a kid and then. Then they get older and they go, oh, oh, he's done that. Oh, that move. That's the same thing.
- [14:39]
Matt Jones
Is it strange getting into that genre? Like, I always think of, like, Ice Cube, who, when I was growing up, you know, Ice Cube was NWA and like, I had to listen to Ice Cube with the volume down so that my mom wouldn't hear me with those words. And now, like, everybody knows him from Daddy Daycare or whatever the things is he does. And that's so strange to me that.
- [14:59]
Steve Zahn
That.
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Matt Jones
That's Ice Cube. Is it weird being in that world, or does it just fit for you?
- [15:04]
Steve Zahn
No, it's just, you know, I don't know. I don't. I don't. You mean something. You just become some. Some. A part of someone's subconscious, and I. It's fun for me. It's a Game for me to, like, try to guess as they're walking up to me. Oh, what are they going to refer to?
- [15:22]
Matt Jones
Yeah, what is so my age? Like, if you're. If you're with a 40 year old, what do you get most? Like saving Silverman.
- [15:27]
Steve Zahn
Yeah. Be Saving Silverman or, you know, out of sight or that, you know, movies that you watched when you were watching movies.
- [15:37]
Matt Jones
Okay. I did. I intentionally didn't read the story because I wanted to hear it from you. But as I was kind of researching for this, I saw a headline that said Steve Zahn nearly died on the set of that thing. You do. What does that mean?
- [15:52]
Steve Zahn
Oh, that was crazy, man. There was a. There was this big jib which is a. Is a big crane that holds the camera when you have those huge shots, you know, and it's on a track and it's. It's huge. Right. And this was monstrous. Some of them are small. This one was big. And it takes, you know, a couple guys to push it. And anyway, they were setting that up and I was playing guitar. I was in costume and I was at the sound booth and I had my headphones on and I was. I was playing to play that, you know, before we shot. And there wasn't. It was kind of the beginning of the day. And I looked up and I saw these like fluorescent bulbs falling from the ceiling. And it was like an auditorium. I was like, that's how high this thing was. And I was like, what? Wow, man. What is that? That's crazy. It was like a dream. And then I heard something. I look up and there's a dude, one of the crew guys, and the whole thing is coming right at me, falling. And I. Out of the way. And it went into the sound booth. Sound card. And it just. It just missed me. And if you didn't yell out, I would. It would crush me. And I went. And I. I was in shock. And then I was bleeding because I bit my lip. I was like reacting to it. I was like. And it was like bleeding all over the place. And the only thing I could think of is I didn't want to get my costume.
- [17:26]
Matt Jones
That was your biggest worry? Yeah.
- [17:31]
Steve Zahn
At the trash can like this. And then Tom Hanks came in and he was like. He saw me and we were all joking around all the time. And he was like, like, I was kidding. I was like, no, dude.
- [17:43]
Matt Jones
So that let me. I mean, some people have moments like that in life where like, you know, you almost. If it's a few feet away, you could die or A second away, and they, like, have some sort of revelatory moment. Did you just, like, keep right back on what you were doing or did it have any effect on you?
- [18:00]
Steve Zahn
No, none. I don't. I don't see ghosts. I don't. I don't feel. Yeah, I'm not that guy.
- [18:09]
Matt Jones
Are you. Are you. Are you a religious person at all?
- [18:14]
Steve Zahn
Yeah, I grew up. My dad was a Lutheran minister.
- [18:20]
Matt Jones
Oh, really?
- [18:21]
Steve Zahn
I grew up in the church. Yeah. Yeah, up in Minnesota. I grew up on campuses. My dad was a campus chaplain until I was in high school. And that's when he had his first congregation. Like, you know, church before that, it was just like growing up on universities, which was really cool. And during the 70s and, you know, 60s, 70s, it was fun. And so, yeah, I've been. I grew up involved in the church. It was. And it was real active church. My dad was an amazing minister, like a real literary guy who. He's just starting to send me his sermons that he wrote longhand. He never repeated anything. And he refers to. I'm reading them now, and I'm like, golly, man. He's just, you know, his references are to, like, like, World War I poetry and, like, really fascinating guy. Like, a real positive guy, too. So there's a lot of positive. He was one of the first guys talking about, like. Like, the earth taking. Being stewards of the earth, you know, like, anyway, so, yeah, not a hell.
- [19:40]
Matt Jones
Not a hellfire and brimstone preacher, but more.
- [19:45]
Steve Zahn
No, no, no, no, no.
- [19:49]
Matt Jones
Clayton and Kroom was founded on a simple idea. All leather goods should last a lifetime. They make everything from bags, belts, wallets, and much more. And the best part, they're doing it right here in Kentucky. You can check them out at claytonandkroom.com c r u m e.com or visit one of their retail stores in Louisville, Charleston, and now open in Nashville, Clayton and Croom. Quality Goods. Built to last. So, you know, you ended up starting in acting. And I read the beginning, which is you were at a play, I think, of Biloxi Blues or something. And you saw that and you said, well, I can do that. And people got you involved after that. But I was looking at your first seemed like acting. Acting gig. And was it on a soap opera? Is that right?
- [20:44]
Steve Zahn
That was insane. Well, that was my first. I had done a lot of theater. Right. Okay. I'd done some great theater. And then I moved to New York and so I moved to New York and then. And, you know, I thought I was going to take the Place by storm. You know, I was confident, young, cocky actor, and it was, you know, it was really difficult. And my manager, my agent, who is still my manager right now.
- [21:13]
Matt Jones
Oh, really?
- [21:14]
Steve Zahn
She knew. She goes, look, I'm gonna try to get you in with these soap operas. And if you get like, they're called under five, meaning under five lines. And if you get a gig on a soap like that, you maybe can recur like once a month or whatever, it'll pay your rent. Like, it will be great. Just one day's work. So I went in and I got a job on All My Children. And it was like, All My Children? Yeah. Walt, Willie. And I just revisited this, actually. I just. Yes, it's crazy. And so. And I hated it. I absolutely hated it.
- [21:59]
Matt Jones
Because you've been doing theater and now all of a sudden you're on a soap opera.
- [22:03]
Steve Zahn
Stupid. And it was just not. I didn't. It was crazy to me. I just didn't get it. It was just like, you would go in, you'd go into makeup and they put like six layers of just like, you look like you were dead. It was crazy. And then you'd go in and you'd do this, like, weird blocking rehearsal. And then you'd have lunch and you'd shoot at like 4 o' clock in the afternoon. You'd be there all day. And it's really an exercise in just memory. Can you memorize your lines? If you're a soap actor? You just get a script every day and it's like, hey, I got them. But it doesn't necessarily mean that it's good, you know, So I don't know
- [22:41]
Matt Jones
how they do it. And they still have some. I am shocked that there are still soap operas, but there's a couple left. Like Days of Our Lives. And I think Young and the Restless still going.
- [22:48]
Steve Zahn
Yeah, I know. It's, it's. And I, I kind of was hinted, hey, they want you as a regular, you know, maybe you could, you know, what do you think, huh? And I was like, absolutely not. No, no, this is good. But I was, I, you know, it saved my butt. Really.
- [23:09]
Matt Jones
Did it really? Yeah. So you could make, you could make a month's rent in New York City for doing one day of a soap opera is just like an extra.
- [23:18]
Steve Zahn
Remember, my rent was, you know, 500 bucks, you know.
- [23:22]
Matt Jones
Yeah, but still, I mean, that 500 bucks for just standing there.
- [23:26]
Steve Zahn
Now that place is, you know, 2,500amonth. But, but yeah, yeah, you could, you could. You know, that's back in New York, when. Those are the days when you could wash dishes and live in the city, you know?
- [23:38]
Matt Jones
Yeah, you can't do that.
- [23:39]
Steve Zahn
That's gone.
- [23:40]
Matt Jones
Yeah, you. You can't do that now. My. My girlfriend's there, and I know the cost is absurd, but crazy.
- [23:47]
Steve Zahn
Yeah.
- [23:49]
Matt Jones
So you do. That is your first. Would you consider, like, your first big break? Like, I mean, you did a bunch of stuff, but I. I first became aware of you with reality by. Would you consider that, like, you're the thing.
- [24:00]
Steve Zahn
Yeah. Yeah. That was the first kind of. That was when I was. Yeah. I really went, oh, okay. This is. This is a different thing now. Like, the soap opera was weird because you. You know, I've done a lot of great work that I was really proud of. And. And then. And then, you know, your cousins, all they wanted to talk about was your five lines on.
- [24:21]
Matt Jones
Was a soap opera. Yes, I understand what. Yeah,
- [24:28]
Steve Zahn
but then reality bites. You know, I did that, and I came back actually poorer than when I went to do the movie because it. You know, just staying in a hotel for three minutes.
- [24:39]
Matt Jones
Well, you had no idea. I mean, that's a movie that I don't think anybody would have thought would have become. I mean, it sort of became, like, a statement for a generation, but I don't think anybody would have thought that would happen. When you're filming, probably. Right.
- [24:51]
Steve Zahn
No, but, you know, there were less movies back then, and. And, you know, it was Winona Ryder, who was big at the time, and Ethan. Ethan and I were pals before that because we had done theater together, so.
- [25:07]
Matt Jones
And you're still friends. I mean, I feel like you do stuff together. You did the movie. You and I talked about that Blaze movie. I mean, like, he was, I think, the director. Director or something of that. Like, you. You. You. Is that, like, one of your closest friends in the industry?
- [25:19]
Steve Zahn
Probably. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. We still, you know, we've got, like, a. Like a text, you know, group that we, you know, it's him and, you know, Sam Rockwell and Josh Hamilton and, you know.
- [25:35]
Matt Jones
See, now that sounds like the most awesome tech. I have no idea if those people are cool or not, but, like, Sam Rockwell is great in everything. I would feel like that would be an awesome group.
- [25:45]
Steve Zahn
Yeah. You know, Justin Long and, you know, these guys that we all kind of, you know, grew up together in the business, and we competed against each other for parts, but we're all just buds.
- [25:59]
Matt Jones
And do you feel like. Like, you guys all made it? I'm sure. Do you feel like there are people that, when you were starting that were as good as you, that just didn't get the break. That just like. And is that like. And what. What do they do? I mean, is it just whatever, or do you stay in contact with them?
- [26:17]
Steve Zahn
There's not a lot of people that, you know, just because work keeps you, you know, like Ethan and I know that, hey, we're gonna. We're gonna stay buddies, and the only time we're gonna be able to hang out is if we work. We're not gonna go golf, you know, so let's just do gigs together.
- [26:33]
Matt Jones
Do you play golf?
- [26:34]
Steve Zahn
Not really.
- [26:36]
Matt Jones
I was about to say, I'll play golf with you.
- [26:37]
Steve Zahn
I'll play golf with you. But I love playing golf. But I golf, like, once everybody, like four years.
- [26:43]
Matt Jones
That's fine. That's a good amount. I've got friends that bad, so it's
- [26:46]
Steve Zahn
perfect, but it takes too long.
- [26:49]
Matt Jones
Well, I always say this about radio, like radio and television. There are certain people that are really good at it. But what gives you that first chance to show you're really good is oftentimes just luck. Is that. Do you. Is that like that with acting?
- [27:03]
Steve Zahn
Yeah, it is. I mean, it's. You know, my. You know, my daughter is about to get into this world, and. And I say, just prepare yourself so that when you go in that room, it doesn't matter what school you go to, doesn't matter what your dad's name is, doesn't matter how many shows you were in. It matters what you do in the room. All that other stuff might be interesting for about 10 seconds, but that's it. And you gotta be so good that they can't ignore you, and that's it.
- [27:32]
Matt Jones
And are you glad she's doing that? I mean, would you do.
- [27:36]
Steve Zahn
Look, I'd be the first to say, hey, honey, you don't do it. You don't. You don't have it. Yeah, I mean, I would. I mean, would you.
- [27:46]
Matt Jones
You would look at your daughter and say, you don't have.
- [27:48]
Steve Zahn
Yes, because.
- [27:49]
Matt Jones
Oh.
- [27:50]
Steve Zahn
Because that's a hell if. You know, people that aren't very good that just keep hanging out and doing it and going. It's like the lottery. It's not like the lottery. It's work. You know, it's work.
- [28:04]
Matt Jones
So what is the sort of biggest production that you've been a part of? Because one of the things that's unique about your career is it feels like to me, you've hit every end of the spectrum. You've been on blockbusters, you've been on the most indie of indies. Is that a fair characterization? And what's the big difference between those beyond budget, but like, on your day to day work on it?
- [28:29]
Steve Zahn
Well, it's. It's just the obvious stuff. I mean, you know, if you're on the set of. I did this movie called Cowboys right up in Montana. Tiny movie. Tiny, right. I mean, the only difference is the amount of people and trucks and crew and, you know, you know, Planet of the Apes. Holy crap. You know, Sahara. Those were, those were. Those were cities that moved. I mean, there were trucks and trucks and, you know, that was like a. I don't even know what that budget was. It was like over $200 million. It's insane. It's like a quarter million dollars to make that movie. But there's no difference when the cameras roll.
- [29:22]
Matt Jones
Same thing.
- [29:22]
Steve Zahn
It's the same thing. I mean, it would be the same thing if you were golfing. I mean, you, you still, like, whether you're in a big tournament or you just, you know, playing in a tiny thing. If you're playing at the, you know, with the open or you playing, you know what I mean, you. You still play the game in the same way. You still, like, concentrate the same way. You still do your thing, you know.
- [29:45]
Matt Jones
Did you. Did you, like. I saw you in an interview, say, about the Planet of the Apes, that you were oddly nervous about that.
- [29:54]
Steve Zahn
Oh, God.
- [29:54]
Matt Jones
Was that because of the scope of the production or what made you nervous?
- [29:59]
Steve Zahn
What made me nervous is that I had to play a monkey, right? And that I had to do it. I had to do it really well with other people that had done it for years.
- [30:11]
Matt Jones
Okay.
- [30:11]
Steve Zahn
Okay. So I was in that small group with Caesar and, you know, and. And I. And on that first week, I was like, I have to do this, right? I, you know, I have to move, right? I have to be compelling as a. As an actor. I have to have, like, an inner life, you know, and all this stuff. And it's got to work. This is huge. And so I walked in on my set, which was, if you haven't seen the movie, I live. They find me in this old ski resort, like this huge chalet, like, enormous, like, and it was this built set. And I was like, holy crap. This took a month to build. At least a month. And this is my set. And this is why I'm the reason why this set is built. And I have to be as good as that set.
- [31:03]
Matt Jones
Don't screw it up.
- [31:04]
Steve Zahn
Exactly. With like 10 producers sitting there with their arms folded. Your first take, you're like, oh, dude.
- [31:13]
Matt Jones
But on something like that, on something like that, because you again, you've at that point, you've had a 20 plus year career and you've been very successful and people think you're very good. It's interesting to me that you still have nerves because I think that's really says a lot because I think some people would be so cocky, like, I deserve this. You're still nervous 20 plus years later.
- [31:32]
Steve Zahn
Oh, yeah. No. I have never known a real actor or really good actor that didn't have some good amount of insecurity about work. Because it's not like I, you know, I hit so many home runs last, last year and that's proof. I mean, you saw it, it went over the fence. So what I do is it's relative to your, to your liking. Right. And we all feel like, we honestly all feel like this is the last gig and they're gonna come and take your union card away from you and go, you had a long run, man. But we figured he out. You actually suck.
- [32:16]
Matt Jones
So you still feel that way even now. It could end tomorrow.
- [32:22]
Steve Zahn
Yeah. I pinch myself all the time and yet I'm very confident as a performer. I know that I have a lot to give and I'm a pro and I can hit my mark. And I look, if I'm good, it's because I over prepare, I over practice, I overdo it because. And that's completely out of fear.
- [32:44]
Matt Jones
See, I'm really glad to hear you say that because on a completely different level again, my equivalent of Planet of the Apes was when is when I now do once a week on ESPN Radio nationally, I do these shows and, and I find myself not before everyone, but before ones I know that are big, really nervous and like it's almost not crippling nervous, but just nervous. And part of me goes, does this mean, like this isn't a level I think I can do. I don't feel like that's what it is. But there is just a nerves of. I just don't want to screw this up because so many people have believed in me to get to this point.
- [33:20]
Steve Zahn
Yeah. And I think that's healthy. And I like tell my daughter I said, when you stop being nervous before you perform, when you, when that stops, you're done. Done. If going out on stage in front of a live audience doesn't make you nervous, then I don't know what I know then you don't have a heartbeat.
- [33:43]
Matt Jones
Yeah. Well, all right, so I want to go back to a couple of things that are interesting about when the few. The few times we've been in the same place or hung out, you have these people who come up to you and they're just like, passionate about something you've done. But I think you probably would say it's not necessarily always the thing that you think is the best or you're most proud of. So you're on Friends for, like, I think one episode, right? That had. But Friends, when it was Friends, like, it was like. I mean, nothing on TVs watched like Friends was during that time.
- [34:15]
Steve Zahn
No.
- [34:15]
Matt Jones
Did it change like the next day? Did people recognize you three times as much after Friends, after your own?
- [34:22]
Steve Zahn
Yeah. That's a very strange. When that, yeah, when that episode aired, I definitely got. I had people recognize me and remember, like, I, I've always had a really gradual thing with this whole recognition thing. And like, I always laugh at people when they say, like, well, you're a. You're a star. I go, no, I'm not star. I'm an actor. That's a big difference. I. For me, it was the tiniest gradual as far as people recognizing who I was. Right. And the honest truth is that it wasn't until like, movie 20 that someone recognized me or walked up to me at an airport. And I thought, after Reality Bites, like, I'm huge. It's going to happen now. And it doesn't. And I think even. And that was before, when there was less stuff like Friends, there was a lot of TV shows to watch. Right? Now you can. Yeah. I mean, my God, it's like, it's crazy. So. So now it's like you can be on a hit show now for five years and no one's ever seen it.
- [35:30]
Matt Jones
Yeah. No. I think that that has to be really weird. There are things that like. Like those Friday night CBS shows, like the Tom Selleck show Blue Blood, like, those things are huge. And I've never seen an episode. I wouldn't know who's in them. But like, my parents, they're the only thing they watch, you know, because they're
- [35:47]
Steve Zahn
used to watching television. They're used watching network television, right. I mean, I've done a network show and they're. They're really hard to do, man. I gotta say. Like, they're. I mean, if you do a talk about Modern Family. No, Modern Family is great, but I'm talking like, if you get like, Like I might get an HBO Max show this week, right? That's the show you want to do. You can, you know, it's It's. It's a lot looser. There's no commercials, so they don't write for commercials. There's, you know, network they write for. I mean, if you're doing an hour in and out. Yeah, it's insane. And even though it's a great script and you go like, oh, this isn't going to be like a TV show. You go into it and week later you like, this is a TV show, man. This sucks. Yeah, but I'm just saying you could be on a really popular, good show. Quality that no one sees. I mean, I did Treme for four years. No one saw that show because there's so much out there which actually liberates.
- [36:47]
Matt Jones
Is that right? Cause Treme is awesome, in my opinion. I mean, I think it's a great show. I think you are great in it.
- [36:53]
Steve Zahn
It's.
- [36:54]
Matt Jones
And I'm not just saying that, like, my buddy, the turkey hunter had never seen it and just watched it over the last few weeks and was like, that show is so good. But it wasn't really popular at the time at all, was it?
- [37:07]
Steve Zahn
No, not at all. No one watched it, man. I mean, my mom and dad and everybody's mom and dad watched it. I mean, and people in New Orleans or people that were hip to New Orleans scene or love jazz or, you know, whatever, that's who watched it, but it lives forever, you know, I mean,
- [37:25]
Matt Jones
that is a difference. Like, so again, my friend picks it up a few weeks ago and now loves it. That wouldn't have happened 10 years ago, five years ago. I mean, a show would just go away forever, right? A show like that. Right.
- [37:37]
Steve Zahn
I mean, most shows do. Most things you do just kind of like fade away. They're recorded forever, but people don't really watch them, you know, and that's why it's cool to be in something that, you know, is.
- [37:48]
Matt Jones
Did you have to learn jazz and all that to do that? Because, I mean, you play this character that knows everything about it and you even, you know, you have a musical part of it. Did you. Was that something you were into before? Did you have to learn?
- [37:58]
Steve Zahn
No, I mean, I mean, I play a little bit and all that, so I, you know, but. But the whole New Orleans scene, I had to really dive into that. And when we shot the pilot, I mean, I mean, I. I went to everything. I went to every second line I could. I went to to every club I could. I just immersed myself in that city. And for four years I did. And I love that city. I mean, I miss that city. I hate that city. And I love that city.
- [38:26]
Matt Jones
Why? What do you mean? You hate it and you love it
- [38:28]
Steve Zahn
just wear you down. You know, the first year you're going out, you're eating, you're gaining weight, you know, you're not getting sleep, and then you go, like, okay, I gotta stop. How do people do this? And then you realize.
- [38:39]
Matt Jones
That's a good question.
- [38:39]
Steve Zahn
Live there. They don't. They just live their lives and they have fun and they're. But at the same time, you know, it's. It's people from outside that come in and do that. But that lifestyle can. That's why I was like, you know, I'd work for three days, and I had seven days off. And I drive. I always drove. I never flew. And I drive from New Orleans back to the farm here. And when I left, I was so happy to go back home. I was like, oh, peace and quiet, man.
- [39:05]
Matt Jones
Wait a minute. You would drive back and forth to New Orleans once a week or once every 10 days?
- [39:10]
Steve Zahn
Once every other week, probably.
- [39:12]
Matt Jones
I mean, that's a hell of a drive. I've made that drive many times. Like, all the way through Mississippi. You feel like Mississippi will never end.
- [39:18]
Steve Zahn
I know. Mississippi is killer because you think I'm there.
- [39:23]
Matt Jones
You're not. It's so funny.
- [39:25]
Steve Zahn
What? And I drove at night. I love driving at night. Overnight.
- [39:28]
Matt Jones
I do, too.
- [39:29]
Steve Zahn
I would just. I. You know, a couple apples and, you know, a podcast, whatever, and. And. But you. Hey, if you're in the middle of Mississippi and you're running out of diesel, I had a diesel truck that drove, and I was like, you had to plan it, man.
- [39:47]
Matt Jones
You better know where you're going to stop. Yeah. So you. So you have all these various gigs at this point in your life. You probably don't have to keep doing any of this. Does that make you more selective?
- [40:04]
Steve Zahn
Yeah, I do have to do it.
- [40:07]
Matt Jones
You do?
- [40:07]
Steve Zahn
Okay. I mean. I mean, yeah. I mean, I haven't worked. I haven't got a page.
- [40:12]
Matt Jones
I mean, I Googled your. I Googled your. One of the things I looked at, had your net worth. I was like, oh, man, he must
- [40:18]
Steve Zahn
be rolling that, too. I'm like, oh, really? That would be awesome.
- [40:24]
Matt Jones
It's really high. I think it was like. It was like $25 million. I was like, man, I didn't know Steve rode like that. What is that?
- [40:31]
Steve Zahn
I mean, did they add up everything? Like, when I was working on the. Like a roofing, you get a cut
- [40:36]
Matt Jones
of all my children every.
- [40:39]
Steve Zahn
You know, when you start a Corner Tasseling all the way up to your last movie, and this is how much? Yeah, that's a bunch of crap. No, I do. I do well, and. And I'm extremely fortunate, especially during these times. And I can't imagine how some people. I mean, I. I. I feel for people. I really do. And it's got to be horrible for some folks, and for me, it's hard, but, yeah, you know, even when I'm crunch for money or, you know, whatever, I can't help but try to do good stuff. I mean, it's just. It's just who I am.
- [41:23]
Matt Jones
Well, you know, I remember it was interesting to me. So I want to go back about a couple years ago. I really like the country singer Blaze Foley. And I heard, hey, they're making this movie about him, which I thought was kind of crazy, because I didn't think that many people even knew who he was. And then I saw you were in it, and so I was like, hey, this movie's coming out. You're in it. Is it good? And you said, I have no idea. And you're like, I mean, I did it. I don't really know. I was like, well, it's coming in Lexington. And you said, well, we should go see it. Well, we didn't, and I ended up not watching it for a while. I did watch it, and you're only in it for a little bit, but it was interesting to me. You do this movie, It's a movie that ends up being released, et cetera, and you didn't even know it was gonna be released or that it was like, does that happen a lot that you don't see it or even know?
- [42:08]
Steve Zahn
Yeah. I mean, but that was a different kind of gig. Like, I wouldn't have done that gig if it wasn't Ethan.
- [42:15]
Matt Jones
Okay?
- [42:16]
Steve Zahn
Ethan called me up and was like, dude, listen, I need your help. I'm doing this movie. Blaze Foley. I was like, I love Blaze Foley. He's like, yeah, okay. Well, you know, and he explained it a little bit, and then he said, look, there's these three parts, and I want to get you and Rockwell. And I forget. He was trying to get, like, Vincent d', Onofrio, I think, to play this part. And it was like, you're oil guys. And I was like, geez, you.
- [42:46]
Matt Jones
You were over the top oil guy. I loved it.
- [42:49]
Steve Zahn
You guys can do whatever you want. And I was like, when is this? He's like, oh, it's like, you know, three days before Christmas. Like, dude, come on, man. I can't do that. What do you want me to do? And then he's like, look, if. If Sam. If you do it, Sam will do it. And I'm like, all right, I gotta call Sam. So I called Sam. I'm like, what are we gonna do, man? He's like, I don't know, man. You got the kids. I was like. And I just remember going, like, you know what? We're not gonna see each other if we don't do this movie. And let's stay. Let's get, like, a room together, and it'll be like old times. I was like, yeah, okay. So we all decided to do it. And then Linklater did it. So just, like, it was like, reunion.
- [43:38]
Matt Jones
I love the scene. Cause I'm, like, watching it. I didn't know who you played, so I'm watching it, wondering when you're going to come on. And you guys are, like, over the top, like, Texas oil guys. It's hilarious.
- [43:49]
Steve Zahn
It was so much fun. It was just. It was like a reunion. Josh Hamilton was there. We're all old pals, and it was great. It was like three days and just, you know.
- [43:57]
Matt Jones
So I asked you when you did the radio show with me back a while back, I asked you. I was like, okay, so what was your. We were talking about that show you did for. For, I guess, Amazon Mad Dogs. Because Shannon, the dude, my co host, loves it, like, still today, I said on my radio show, hey, I'm doing podcasts with Steve Zahn. He's like, tell him I love Mad Dogs. What are they doing? Season two. And I remember you saying you hated that show and we had to go to break, so I never heard why you hated it. I don't like it like Shannon does, but I thought it was all right. But you despise it.
- [44:32]
Steve Zahn
No, look, I don't watch a lot of the stuff I'm in. Not because I don't want to see myself, but because I just, you know, I get busy in the barn or something. You know, I'm not a TV guy. I mean.
- [44:46]
Matt Jones
Okay, which. I mean, you're an actor. Why would you be a TV guy? Why would you watch anything?
- [44:51]
Steve Zahn
I don't know. I. You know, I like watching documentaries. I like watching. Okay, well, I read, you know, stuff like it. It's just not part of my thing. So I watched about 2, 3. Two episodes of Mad Dogs. Okay. And it's a great, good show. I'm not.
- [45:10]
Matt Jones
I'm not saying that's not what you said before.
- [45:13]
Steve Zahn
I'm saying no, no, let me say the product is good. The actual shoot was horrible.
- [45:21]
Matt Jones
Oh, okay. Got. So the experience wasn't good.
- [45:24]
Steve Zahn
It wasn't good. The guys were great. We're tight as can be, but it was just, it was mismanaged when, you know, it was a real tough thing I got when I shot the pilot. We were there for one week before and the pilot we shot in 10 days. So I'm, I'm there for one week for pre production in San Juan. The first day of shooting, I got Dengue Fever.
- [45:49]
Matt Jones
Oh, I remember you saying that. Yeah, that's brutal.
- [45:51]
Steve Zahn
Yeah. And so I, and I missed one day work and I worked for like 10 days just like pushing up, you know, boulder up a hill, man, it was like. So when I left there, I was like, oh, man. So that didn't help with my, you know. And then, and then you leave, you shoot the pilot and then. Which is the first episode for. People don't understand this. And then it goes to the network or wherever and that in that case it was Amazon.
- [46:19]
Matt Jones
And back then they would order a ton of Amazon. I remember they had those couple years, they would order a ton of pilots and then decide which ones they were going to do.
- [46:27]
Steve Zahn
And then there'd be like eight pilots or 12 pilots or 20 pilots, whatever it is. And they go like, we're going to make four of these. So they. So at that point you're like, you know, you work out a contract, like in a network show or any show, you're going to do one pilot that takes 10 days to shoot, right. And you'll do a contract for five years or for three years or whatever, just in case it gets picked up and it's a big hit. So you have to think, well, if this is a big hit, I want to make sure that I'm making certain amount of money or get BO bumps, whatever. So a lot of times when I was younger, you get a pilot, it was like, it was like awesome pilot money. And I hope it doesn't get picked up because we all just wanted to make cool movies, Right. It was always a risk, especially when you were younger. Because if you got on a TV show when you were younger, it probably would go, right.
- [47:17]
Matt Jones
And people didn't cross from TV to movies as much. You kind of got.
- [47:21]
Steve Zahn
It was kind of like, oh, if this gets picked up, I'm out of the theater scene, I'm out of film scene, I'm just tv.
- [47:28]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [47:29]
Steve Zahn
So you would do the pilot hoping that it would not get picked up. Yeah, that sounds weird. To some people, but. But this one was picked up and I was like, okay, all right. I guess I'm going to Puerto Rico for six months. You know what I mean?
- [47:50]
Matt Jones
Hope I don't get dinghy fever.
- [47:53]
Steve Zahn
I get. Okay. When I left there, I was sick. And, you know, I'm sorry if you. I love Puerto Rico. I've done two gigs there. The people are amazing. The food's outstanding. That old San Juan is amazing. But I tell you what, it. You know, Puerto Rico is kind of the Cleveland of the Caribbean. You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying?
- [48:18]
Matt Jones
My girlfriend's from Cleveland, and I still
- [48:21]
Steve Zahn
get what you're saying. Pretty cool town. But. But you know what I'm saying? It's. You know, when you're landing, you're like, oh, my gosh, those beaches are so amazing. And then you get down there, like, there are toasters everywhere. What is up with the toasters? Yeah, you have to walk through, like, you know, and. And so they're. They're. You know that. So Puerto Rico has some. You know, I feel for them right now, man. I have no idea. Like, the film industry was. Was really booming there. And it was.
- [48:55]
Matt Jones
Yes, it was prior to the hurricane.
- [48:58]
Steve Zahn
And I have friends there that lived there that were amazing crew, like, top notch crew. And I did a movie there called the Perfect Getaway that was supposed to take place in Hawaii, but we shot it there. And it was great. It was beautiful. But we were just. The reason I didn't like it is because of production, and we. And they worked us too hard, and. And it was just. It wasn't as fun as it could have been. And it's really the greatest job in the world. And if it's not fun, it's a sin. And that's where I can understand that now.
- [49:32]
Matt Jones
You did. You told me you do. You did that one Adam Sandler movie, which was the ridiculous Whatever. But you told me that, like, Adam Sandler shoots are awesome because he just makes it to, like, hang out with his buddies.
- [49:46]
Steve Zahn
Yeah, they're the best. And he's one of the. One of the most generous people I know. Like, you know, usually you go to these things. I probably said this before. You go to these shoots, and they're like, hey, we're having a dinner tonight. There's only eight. Eight people coming to the dinner. One of them, you know, and you're like. You just dread it sometimes because you're like, oh, great. The other seven, you know, will they have wine? Then you go to this like, hey, you're invited to dinner. And I go to the dinner. The entire crew, the entire restaurant is just bought out and the entire crew and all their kids and their families and it's like, wow, this guy is amazing. He had daycare on set for the crew. Like that doesn't happen, I guess, you know, that's on.
- [50:34]
Matt Jones
Yeah, so. Yeah, well, so he actually got all that Netflix money and used it. I get the sense that he's almost like when we have been with KSR sometimes, which is. We've had some success, so we just use it to like hang out with our friends at the SEC tournament and the NCAA tournament. He kind of does that with movies, right?
- [50:51]
Steve Zahn
Yeah, yeah. And now. Go ahead, go ahead. No, he's, he's funny because he'll be the producer and he'll. But. And you know, he kind of directs in a way, but he doesn't. He loves being an actor because he likes hanging out and shooting the shit and having a good time and, and just. He loves being on set. And that's me. Yeah, I mean, I, I, you know, I love being on set. I love to work. I'm not as much into the whole. After the thing I watch.
- [51:25]
Matt Jones
Like what, for instance? Watching the movie.
- [51:27]
Steve Zahn
Exactly. I mean, I'm into the camaraderie. I love acting, I love actors, I love writers. I. Funny people. I mean, you're hanging out with really funny, smart people. That's just you working 14 hour days. I mean, it's great. It's.
- [51:45]
Matt Jones
You have, you have a reputation. Every time I tell people I know you, they all assume like you're some kind of stoner because of all the things you've played over the years. Like they all.
- [51:57]
Steve Zahn
I'm not.
- [51:58]
Matt Jones
It's weird because I don't find you like that at all, but everybody just assumes that you're going to be a stoner. Have you found that in various ways that people sort of have that expectation of you?
- [52:08]
Steve Zahn
Sure. I mean, you know, when I started working and being recognized, it was for playing roles like that. But, you know, a month prior to that first role, I was playing an ingenue and, you know, in some Moliere play. So it's just, it just depends on, you know, what you kind of get pigeonholed into, you know, And I was that guy for a long time. I was like the stoner guy.
- [52:32]
Matt Jones
But you also, I mean, so Jared Lorenzen, who, of course you knew. One of the things I always liked about him, but I also sort of felt sorry for him is that he was known as a football player that everyone loved, but he was also known for being heavy. So people, when they came up to him, were always excited to see him, but would make jokes that I always felt were terrible even. I don't think they were trying to hurt his feelings, but I think it did. Now, that's not what happens with you, but I watch when people come up to you and every. Not everyone, but a lot of guys come up to you and they want you to do something crazy, and they're like, ah, like, they're like yelling at you and stuff. Like, does that ever get old? Or you just like, hey, that's part of it and I'm cool with it.
- [53:12]
Steve Zahn
No, most of the time it's just part of it, and I'm cool with it. I mean, there are days when you're not in a good mood where you just had a fight with your wife, or you're, you know, just like, you're having a bad day. Right. Those days, it sucks in those days. Sometimes you, you, you know, you shouldn't. But you say, like, you know what, man? Get out of my face. You know?
- [53:40]
Matt Jones
All right, let me ask you about.
- [53:41]
Steve Zahn
You could be in an airport going to a funeral.
- [53:44]
Matt Jones
Yes.
- [53:45]
Steve Zahn
And what do you do? Tell them about the funeral you're going to? No. It's tough. Sometimes it's hard.
- [53:52]
Matt Jones
Let me ask you about the Kentucky part of you. So you move here, your wife's from here, you end up living here. I know you grew up in a smaller place, so it wasn't a huge change for you, but it is a completely different world than the acting world. And I don't know how many people. Are there very many actors like you that sort of still are in the industry, but live just kind of in the middle of America. I don't feel like there are a lot of.
- [54:15]
Steve Zahn
Not, Not a ton. But look, when I was younger, when I was like, you know, 23, I lived. My wife and I lived in a cabin in Pennsylvania. That was unique. We were like the only people. Right?
- [54:31]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [54:31]
Steve Zahn
Did that. But at my age now there are more people that. That don't live in LA and move to, you know, that moved to where. Where, you know, my, My. My business partner, Rick Gomez, is an actor. He was in Band of Brothers and stuff. They live up in Sonoma county, you know, and. And that's where they live, you know, and it's so. So there are more people, I find, as I get older.
- [54:55]
Matt Jones
But you seem to have embraced, like, you seem to really love Kentucky I think that's one of the things that people in.
- [55:02]
Steve Zahn
Yeah.
- [55:03]
Matt Jones
Why do you. Why do you love it? You know, brag on us a little bit? As a state,
- [55:10]
Steve Zahn
I'm a huge history buff. That's all I read, really. American history and fascinated with, you know, military history and all that. Very, very active at the Perryville battlefield, doing a drive. Everybody should become a member of the Friends of the Perryville Battlefield. Really?
- [55:31]
Matt Jones
You're involved in that. That's interesting. I've been there, and I think a lot of people don't even know that's there. I didn't know you were in.
- [55:36]
Steve Zahn
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a great place. Preserving land and all that stuff, keeping that place going. But. But this place has. Is, aside from being beautiful and all the things that are obvious, it's. It's really its culture and it's in its people and. Which relates directly to history. It's got a history. And you know that when you, when you come here from the outside, you know, New York, that doesn't exist anymore. Those neighborhoods are gone. Right. All that character is gone. Right. You can go to Little Italy. Little Italy, but it's just named Little Italy. And there's a couple of restaurants. Right. Chinatown. Snow kind of Chinatown. But. But no, it's.
- [56:21]
Matt Jones
You wouldn't. There are places in Brooklyn that look like different planets than they did even 20 years ago.
- [56:27]
Steve Zahn
Totally. You know, but here you get a sense of history. You know what I mean? You got your families that, that, that, that settled here, and they're still here. You know, there's something about this place that I just, you know, and I'll never leave it. I, you know, never say never. But, but, but I. It's really a paradise. And, and, you know, my friends live in Sonoma County, California, right now. And I'm like, you guys got to get out of there. You guys have to. And then, you know, they know that it's. Everything's on fire. You know, I said, you guys, it's,
- [57:03]
Matt Jones
you know, you don't have to be
- [57:04]
Steve Zahn
there, you know, so you.
- [57:08]
Matt Jones
And you've become kind of. Not kind of. You've become a full fledged Kentuckian. You mentioned. I mean, not only do you farm, you mentioned dove hunting. I don't know how many people outside of this area. Dove hunt?
- [57:18]
Steve Zahn
Yes.
- [57:19]
Matt Jones
You. You. You get involved even in local political. I mean, you were involved in some political stuff. Like, it feels like you've fully embraced being a Kentuckian.
- [57:30]
Steve Zahn
Oh, yeah, totally. I mean, I still. You know, the funny thing About Kentucky is it's like, how long have you been here? You know, you're like going on 17 years. Like, well, someday, you know, and then you go like, yeah, then you're 17 years. I love it. Where are you from originally? You know, and it's like, Minnesota.
- [57:56]
Matt Jones
Well, I think part of it is. I do think part of it is people are surprised that you or someone like you would want to live here. They feel good about it. Like, I think that's one of the things that's interesting. We're used to having all of these people from this state have success and
- [58:13]
Steve Zahn
leave, but there's not a whole lot
- [58:15]
Matt Jones
of examples of people having success and coming here. It just doesn't happen, really. And I think people are really, like, proud and happy that you do that, that you've done that.
- [58:25]
Steve Zahn
Yeah, I guess so. Yeah. I mean, I can see that. I mean, you want to leave. Kind of like my daughter wants to leave right now. I get it. I would, too.
- [58:33]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [58:33]
Steve Zahn
And I'm like, you just go like, do you ever see yourself coming back? She's like, absolutely not. Okay. But my wife was like that too. When I suggest.
- [58:41]
Matt Jones
But that's what I was like. I left and I went and I never thought I would come back. And it 30 I was back, right.
- [58:48]
Steve Zahn
And my wife and I said, let's move to Kentucky. She's like, no, we're not. I was like, well, we're not gonna live in your parents basement. We're gonna have, like a cool place. It's gonna be awesome. Because I'm worth $38 million. No, I'm not.
- [59:07]
Matt Jones
Well, that's what the Internet says. I tend to believe it. Yeah.
- [59:10]
Steve Zahn
Trust it. Anyway.
- [59:11]
Matt Jones
All right. UK football. So you. I guess you're a moderate. Would you say you're a big sports fan, Moderate sports fan, or did you just, like. What made you sort of pick UK football as going to be your thing?
- [59:24]
Steve Zahn
Well, UK football. See, I was once. I. Look, Robin and I have been together since 90. Right. And that's when I was indoctrinated into the. To the world of University of Kentucky sports. And I. And I loved it.
- [59:41]
Matt Jones
And we were terrible.
- [59:43]
Steve Zahn
And I. And I loved the whole. You know, I just loved how it was such a buzz with this family. And it was, you know, this. It was always talked about and it was really exciting. And I didn't experience that where I grew up as much. Right. Because, you know, like, the Golden Gophers playing in Minneapolis St. Paul. Right. That's a huge city. It's not it's not the center of, you know, life.
- [60:09]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [60:10]
Steve Zahn
Here it is. It's like this weird tribal thing, which is really infectious. And I. And I. And I caught it and I was like, yeah. And I started caring and I started getting upset, and I was like, wow, this is interesting. And then when I moved here, it was another thing that I was so excited about. I was like, I gotta get football tickets, man. That's gonna be.
- [60:34]
Matt Jones
And then Bill Curry was running the option, unfortunately, and it wasn't as exciting.
- [60:38]
Steve Zahn
Exactly. But, yeah, it's. Look, I'm not, you know, I can't sit down and, like, like you. I'm amazed at what you can keep in your head. And that's. That's amazing to me. I just like being a part of the. Of the cult. It's fun. I know football really well. You know, I know the game. I played it. Basketball, I love basketball. Never played the game, so I don't really understand it on that level.
- [61:18]
Matt Jones
Do you like, I mean, you gotta. Like that we've gotten good. I mean, like, that's exciting, right? Have you enjoyed.
- [61:23]
Steve Zahn
No. It's amazing. Last year was the craziest year of all time. I mean, that was the craziest.
- [61:31]
Matt Jones
So what do you like during games? Okay, so, like, you know, there are various fans. There are people who just, like, my parents can watch it and they root for Kentucky, but if they lose, the game's over and they don't care. Like, I'm pacing back and forth and, like, it affects my mood. Like, what are you?
- [61:45]
Steve Zahn
I'm the same. I mean, I honestly, I used to watch, like, games inside. And when the kids were young, my wife. I was so loud and I was so animated that I was literally kicked out. And I had to start listening to the games on the radio.
- [62:05]
Matt Jones
So you wouldn't be allowed to watch them. You'd have to go and listen to them on the radio.
- [62:08]
Steve Zahn
Yeah, get out of here. The kids aren't dead, you know, And I was like, this is a huge house and they are far away. And, you know, it was like, one of those things.
- [62:18]
Matt Jones
I love it, but.
- [62:19]
Steve Zahn
So I still enjoy when the weather's right. I enjoy listening to the games in the shop because I find it's more calming for me. I can actually do something. I can do stuff and listen, and if I'm just inside, I get crazy. There's a great picture. There's a great picture of me and Henry, my son, and we're standing my wife together. And it's. It's like a final Four game or something. And it's a big, big screen tv. And we're both standing, you know, we're both like. And we're. We're standing, like, a foot away from the television with our arms
- [63:01]
Matt Jones
right in front of it. So what do you do? So what do you do on a big win? So when we win the national championship in 2012, or when we beat Penn State in the Citrus bowl or whatever? Like. Like, what do you do in the big. In the big moment?
- [63:13]
Steve Zahn
Well, in 2012, I was in New Orleans, so that was.
- [63:16]
Matt Jones
Oh, I remember. No, I remember. We have this great story of. I think it was the. Did you go to the SEC tournament that year, too?
- [63:24]
Steve Zahn
No. Oh, yeah, I did. No, I went.
- [63:26]
Matt Jones
You did. I know you did. Because as I was. I was driving away. You were either walking or on your bike to go to, like, go somewhere. And I was like, I think that's Steve Zahn. And it was you. You were, like, leaving the arena with, like, a sad look because we lost that game in the finals. We lost to Vanderbilt. And you were on your bike. And I was like, drew, I think that Steve's on. We didn't know you then. And he was like, no, I was like, I think it is. And it was.
- [63:56]
Steve Zahn
I told. That was when I was doing tremendous. And I told the production during. During the NCAA tournament, I said, if they are playing, I am not working. Yeah, do you better get hip to this? If you're not a. Hip to, you know, college hoops, you better, because I won't be here. And I'm not. That's not like a threat. I'm just saying, like, I won't be here. So if you schedule something, you're screwed. And they were like. And they were just laughing. I said, no, I'm absolutely serious. I'm going to be at the games again.
- [64:30]
Matt Jones
Because it was all in New Orleans. You had to think that was, like, heaven to have it there, right?
- [64:33]
Steve Zahn
And they were like. And they were actually paying attention. And they were like, okay, well, it looks like they're pointing.
- [64:39]
Matt Jones
I was so. I remember a couple years ago, you told me that was you. I was so happy to know that was you on that bike because I could have sworn it was you riding that bike. And you were leaving after Vandergen Vanderbilt. Well, so. So now you go into this year. We're gonna be really good. I talked to you, though. You're not gonna go to the games. Is the coronavirus, like, are you still nervous about it? Don't wanna be in crowds. Is that kind of the thing.
- [65:05]
Steve Zahn
Yeah. I mean, it's a pandemic.
- [65:09]
Matt Jones
Well, I mean, but you're looking at me like I'm crazy. I agree with you, but there's a lot of people that don't. I mean, like, you know, there'll be people there. I think if they. Oh, if they opened it up, we could have half the crowd, probably.
- [65:20]
Steve Zahn
Yeah. That's crazy to me. I mean, look, you know, it is real. And I mean, you know, I tell people is like, look, I'm wearing a mask because I want to go back to work. Okay, yes, I care about your ass, but I want to go back to work. And I don't see.
- [65:38]
Matt Jones
So it's not for you. It's not about humanity. It's like, I want to go back to work. That's why I'm wearing a mask.
- [65:44]
Steve Zahn
So just put your mask on, and then everything will be cool.
- [65:48]
Matt Jones
Yeah, yeah.
- [65:49]
Steve Zahn
No, I think it's a big deal. And, yeah, I'm not fearful to go outside, but I'm just cautious and. And I'm doing what I think you should do as a citizen that cares about people.
- [66:01]
Matt Jones
You don't know, are you. I know in 2018, you got sort of involved in that in politics and the Amy McGrath race. Are you. Are you involved at all this year? Are you kind of sitting this one out?
- [66:11]
Steve Zahn
How can you sit this one out?
- [66:14]
Matt Jones
Well, I don't, but I didn't know if you.
- [66:16]
Steve Zahn
I didn't know if, like, this is pretty big. Pretty, pretty, pretty. Pretty big moment, I think, in history.
- [66:23]
Matt Jones
Yeah. Before I let you go, what's the next thing someone could see you in? I know. I see you. There's, like, a miniseries coming out with
- [66:32]
Steve Zahn
you in it with Ethan Hawke. He's playing John Brown, abolitionist. Yeah, yeah. And he.
- [66:40]
Matt Jones
Well, I know a guy named John Brown who lives in Middlesbrough. I didn't know if they'd made a movie about him, and no one told
- [66:45]
Steve Zahn
me it's about that guy. That's why it's not just an hour. It's eight hours long. Because that guy's fascinating.
- [66:54]
Matt Jones
He's awesome.
- [66:56]
Steve Zahn
That would be insane. Anyway, yeah, so we did this. We did this Showtime thing called the Good Lord Bird, which is great novel, and it's about. It's about John Brown, the Appalachian. I'm in one of those episodes.
- [67:12]
Matt Jones
You're gonna have to. Whatever you're ruffling with there, it's causing the mic to screw up there.
- [67:16]
Steve Zahn
Hey, you worry about your stuff.
- [67:18]
Matt Jones
No, I'm just saying you're talking about the show. I want people to be able to hear you say it.
- [67:22]
Steve Zahn
Yeah. I don't know what I'm doing, so. Yeah. The good Lord Bird, and I think that's next month, comes out on Showtime. That would be pretty good. That looks really good. And then I did a. Yeah. Called Cowboys, which was at the Tribeca Film Festival. It went the best actor in that. At the Tribeca Film.
- [67:43]
Matt Jones
Wait, you did.
- [67:44]
Steve Zahn
That was cool. And it won best script.
- [67:47]
Matt Jones
That should have gotten more attention. You won best actor at the Tribeca. I feel like I should have gotten a text not from you, but from. Because that would be bragging, but just from something like. That's awesome.
- [67:56]
Steve Zahn
It's just like, you know, it's. It's. Things are so weird and distant. Anyway.
- [68:02]
Matt Jones
Still, though, that's a big deal to win best actor at the Tribeca Film Fester. Congrats.
- [68:06]
Steve Zahn
And the better. What's great about it is that movie was sold. I mean, sometimes you go to a film festival and it doesn't really. You know, I mean, it's like, you get to the festival, so what if it doesn't get bought and released and no one sees it? And then I have allergies. I swear to God. I get tested once a week. Then I did a movie called Gringa, where I played.
- [68:37]
Matt Jones
I saw that. I don't know what that. What is that?
- [68:39]
Steve Zahn
It's another. You shot it down in Mexico. That's the last thing I did. And it was a blast down on the Pacific Coast. I played this, like, expat, drunk, bearded pro soccer player, turned.
- [68:57]
Matt Jones
Oh, really?
- [68:58]
Steve Zahn
Yeah. Turned ex soccer player that turned. Turns just surfer. That's all I do. And my. My. My daughter finds me and wants to live with me, and she's, you know, 18. I teach her how to surf, and she gets me sober. It's kind of a. It's a nice film. I haven't seen it.
- [69:17]
Matt Jones
That's it.
- [69:17]
Steve Zahn
So we'll see.
- [69:18]
Matt Jones
Well, what I'd like to do, if you would, is at some point during the football season, have you come in and sit in with us on the radio again and just do football stuff, you know?
- [69:30]
Steve Zahn
It's so nice to be here in the fall, I gotta say, because.
- [69:33]
Matt Jones
Yeah. Cause you're usually gone, I'm gone.
- [69:35]
Steve Zahn
Or I get to, like, two games or whatever, you know, or one game. But this year I'm here. And now we have this crap. So, you know, it's like. But. But, yeah, I'm here.
- [69:48]
Matt Jones
Well, thank you for doing this. I mean, I think everybody would assume this about you, but I just want to make sure everybody knows, like, Steve is the nicest. I mean, he has no reason to give us the time of day. And yet you always do. And I really do appreciate it.
- [70:02]
Steve Zahn
Anytime.