Trump Named TIME Magazine's 2024 Person of the Year | Lisa Kudrow, Elle Fanning, Jack Huston | Thursday, December 12

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Episode Title: Trump Named TIME Magazine's 2024 Person of the Year | Lisa Kudrow, Elle Fanning, Jack Huston
Release Date: December 13, 2024
Guests: Lisa Kudrow, Elle Fanning, Jack Huston
Host: Jimmy Fallon

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1. Opening Monologue and Current Events

Jimmy Fallon kicks off the episode with his signature monologue, highlighting significant news and pop culture moments.

• Donald Trump as TIME's 2024 Person of the Year:
  Fallon humorously announces that Donald Trump has been named TIME Magazine's 2024 Person of the Year, remarking, "Trump is the first man in history to be Time’s Person of the Year and McDonald’s Employee of the Month. History is being made now." (01:04)

• Additional TIME Categories:
  He shares other TIME accolades, including Caitlin Clark as Athlete of the Year and Elton John as Icon of the Year. Fallon amusingly references the "awkward question of the year" involving a grandma asking, "What is hoctua?" (01:43).

• Trump's Stock Exchange Moment:
  Fallon recounts Trump's celebration of his TIME cover by ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, noting the humorous incident where Trump received a Diet Coke from a staffer (01:47).

• Political Satire and Business News:
  He sardonically discusses Trump's invitation choices, mentioning Trump's invitation to the president of China but not Vladimir Putin, followed by a mock UN statement about dictators. Fallon transitions to lighter business news, poking fun at the online rivalry between Chili’s and Applebee’s over value meals, likening it to the "great chicken sandwich war of 2019" (02:12).

• Entertainment Update:
  Fallon shares an exciting update about Peacock’s reboot of "Friday Night Lights," humorously describing the new show's focus on a high school flag football team that “doesn't keep score” (02:47). This segues into a comedic skit with Tariq Trotter, portraying coach-client dynamics and vulnerabilities (03:33 - 05:14).

• Viral Stories and Quirky News:
  He highlights a viral story about a woman leaving an urn of her father’s ashes in a Wisconsin movie theater during a screening of "Beetlejuice," blending humor with the unusual nature of the act (05:06 - 05:55). Additionally, Fallon jokes about New Jersey governor candidates facing severe punishments for minor infractions, like posting fake Spotify rap results showing only Bruce Springsteen songs (05:55).

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2. Interview with Lisa Kudrow

Guest: Lisa Kudrow (06:25)
Highlight: Lisa Kudrow discusses her new show "No Good Deed" and shares personal anecdotes from her early career and experiences during floods.

• Career Beginnings and Security Work:
  Fallon reminisces about Kudrow’s early days as a security guard at Bullocks department store. Kudrow humorously recalls her first night wearing a red jacket and manning the exits, describing herself as a “17-year-old girl in a red jacket” projecting authority (07:12 - 07:37).

• Handling Emergencies with Humor:
  During their conversation, Tariq Trotter interrupts with a heartfelt but comedic moment, leading to a staged altercation where Trotter reveals his inability to sleep without watching "Friday Night Lights," culminating in a playful punch from Fallon (07:37 - 05:14).

• Flood Incident Story:
  Kudrow shares a funny yet relatable story about managing heavy rains and flooding by using trash cans to collect water. She humorously narrates falling headfirst into a trash can while trying to divert water, only to be reassured by her laughing husband afterward (08:01 - 09:10).

• Experience on "Friends":
  Kudrow reflects on her time filming "Friends," expressing mixed feelings about live audiences and their laughter disrupting the show's rhythm. She comments, “the audience is definitely supposed to be here,” but admits that laughter sometimes felt excessive and hindered the flow of the scenes (09:21 - 10:19).

• Musical Talents and "Smelly Cat":
  The discussion shifts to Kudrow’s musical moments on "Friends," particularly her rendition of "Smelly Cat." She admits to not being a true musician despite playing instruments on the show, prompting Fallon to joke about the simplicity of the guitar chords needed for iconic songs like "Smelly Cat" (10:18 - 11:28).

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3. Interview with Elle Fanning

Guest: Elle Fanning (13:55)
Highlight: Elle Fanning discusses her directorial debut "Day of the Fight," her personal life, and experiences with celebrity doppelgangers.

• Celebrity Doppelganger Encounter:
  Fallon and Fanning reminisce about her celebrity doppelganger, who resembles Bill Hader. Fanning shares a humorous encounter at the Golden Globes, where she met Hader and even posed for a photo together, leading to playful embarrassment and laughter (13:55 - 15:43).

• Support for Male Actors and Personal Relationships:
  Fanning narrates a sweet story about meeting Jack Black and the ensuing humorous interaction, emphasizing his charm despite being with his wife. She describes a lighthearted moment where her boyfriend introduces Black as her "hall pass," causing Fanning to blush (15:21 - 15:55).

• Award-Winning Performance in "A Complete Unknown":
  Discussing her role in "A Complete Unknown," Fanning expresses pride in the film's rapid success and accolades, including winning Best Supporting Actress from the National Border Review. She highlights the quick turnaround despite production challenges like COVID-19 and strikes (15:55 - 17:43).

• Working with Timothee Chalamet:
  Fanning shares her admiration for co-star Timothee Chalamet, describing his dedication to portraying Bob Dylan and his live performances. She recounts attending his concert before filming, where nerves and a bad turkey sandwich led to an amusing incident of her vomiting, only to be sympathetically addressed by Chalamet himself (17:02 - 19:54).

• Character Development and Historical Insights:
  Fanning delves into her character Sylvie, inspired by Suze Rotolo, and discusses the historical context of Bob Dylan's transition to original songwriting influenced by Rotolo’s activism. She emphasizes the film's focus on personal growth and the impact of trusting oneself amidst external pressures (19:27 - 21:42).

• Support for Independent Cinema:
  Encouraging listeners to support "Day of the Fight" by viewing it with loved ones, Fanning emphasizes the importance of backing independent films. She shares a heartfelt message about performing acts of kindness by sharing meaningful experiences through cinema (21:42 - 27:50).

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4. Interview with Jack Huston

Guest: Jack Huston (22:16)
Highlight: Jack Huston discusses his new film "Day of the Fight," his recent marriage, and experiences on set.

• Recent Marriage in Las Vegas:
  Huston recounts his impromptu marriage proposal to his wife Shannon in Las Vegas, highlighting the spontaneity and emotional impact of the moment. He describes the heartfelt reaction Shannon had, reinforcing the significance of the day (23:32 - 24:33).

• Directorial Debut and Film Insights:
  As a writer, producer, and director of "Day of the Fight," Huston shares insights into the film's development. He explains the inspiration drawn from boxing documentaries and the human elements that elevate the story. The film explores a boxer's final day before a pivotal fight, delving into themes of legacy and personal struggle (24:19 - 25:25).

• Collaboration with Timothee Chalamet:
  Huston speaks highly of Chalamet's dedication to his role as Bob Dylan, reflecting on his friend's live performances and artistic commitment. He narrates a humorous misunderstanding during rehearsals where he initially thought he would interact with the legendary Bob Dylan himself, only to realize it was Chalamet embodying Dylan (25:25 - 18:21).

• Character Inspiration and Narrative Depth:
  Discussing the character Sylvie, Huston explains the historical significance of Suze Rotolo and her influence on Dylan’s political activism and songwriting. He emphasizes the film's focus on personal authenticity and resisting societal constraints (18:45 - 21:42).

• Personal Anecdotes and On-Set Experiences:
  Huston shares a memorable incident involving Chalamet during a live concert, where a combination of nerves and a bad turkey sandwich led to him vomiting. The situation was handled gracefully by Chalamet, adding a humorous and humanizing story to their professional relationship (21:42 - 27:50).

• Support for Independent Films:
  Echoing Fanning’s sentiments, Huston encourages listeners to support "Day of the Fight" to sustain independent cinema. He highlights the film’s critical acclaim and the importance of community support in the current cinematic landscape (27:34 - 27:50).

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5. Musical Performances and Closing Remarks

The episode features performances by The Roots, adding musical depth and entertainment value. Jimmy Fallon wraps up the show by thanking guests and the audience, encouraging listeners to subscribe and watch the Tonight Show on NBC and Peacock (29:15 - 29:39).

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Jimmy Fallon on Trump’s TIME Recognition:
  "Trump is the first man in history to be Time’s Person of the Year and McDonald’s Employee of the Month. History is being made now." (01:04)

• Lisa Kudrow on Her Security Job:
  "Who's scarier than a 17 year old girl in a red jacket? You know, just sort of like. Okay, bye." (07:19)

• Elle Fanning on Supporting Independent Cinema:
  "If you love the film, and I hope you love the film, but take someone you love to see the movie. It could be a best friend, it could be a mother, a father, a mentor, a grandparent, a kid, a complete stranger." (27:50)

• Jack Huston on Collaboration with Timothee Chalamet:
  "He was laughing so hard that he couldn't speak. You're in a garbage can." 19:07)

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Conclusion

This episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon offers a blend of humor, heartfelt stories, and insightful interviews with esteemed guests Lisa Kudrow, Elle Fanning, and Jack Huston. From lighthearted monologues on current events to deep dives into personal and professional experiences, Fallon ensures an engaging and memorable episode for listeners.

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Note: Timestamps are based on the provided transcript and correspond to the approximate moments of the quoted content.

Transcript

[Jimmy Fallon]

From Studio 6, speed Rockefeller's cover. In the heart of New York City, it's the Tonight show. Starring Jimmy Fallon. Tonight joins Jimmy and his guest, Lisa Kudrow. Elle Fanning, Jack Houston. And featuring the legendary Ruth 2068. Jim.

[Tariq Trotter]

And now, here he is, Jimmy Balance.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Thank you. Amazing. Thank you so much. Enjoy yourself. Welcome, everybody. Hey, everybody.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Welcome, welcome.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Welcome to the Tonight Show. You're here. Thank you very much. Enjoy yourself. Sit down. Yeah, enjoy, guys. Everyone is talking about this. Today, Time magazine named Donald Trump their 2024 Person of the Year. Trump is the first man in history to be Times Person of the Year and McDonald's Employee of the Month. History is being made now. Trump said the honor feels just as exciting as the birth of his child, except he was present for the award. Time also announced some additional categories. Athlete of the Year is Caitlin Clark.

[Elle Fanning]

That's good.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Icon of the Year is Elton John. An awkward question of the year is your grandma asking, what is hoctua? And you go, yeah. Did you guys see this? Trump celebrated his Time cover this morning by ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Yep, Trump rang the bell, and out of habit, a staffer brought him a Diet Coke. Right here.

[Elle Fanning]

Mr.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I heard the bell. Mr. Trump. Oh, listen to this. I read that Trump invited the president of China to attend his inauguration, but he didn't invite Vladimir Putin. Today, the UN Issued a statement that said, now if you invite one dictator, you have to invite the whole class. Said he didn't care that he was actually going to a better party with his girlfriend who lives in Canada. You probably don't know her, so no big deal. Well, some business news. Chili's and Applebee's are now fighting online about who has the better value meal. Not since the great chicken sandwich war of 2019 has the country been so divided. You have Chili's versus Applebee's. This might be the only peace agreement that Trump is qualified to negotiate. Baby back ribs are as good as riblets are good. But some entertainment news. I saw that Peacock is going to release a reboot of Friday Night Lights. Yeah. The new version has been updated for a younger generation and will focus on the inner workings of a high school flag football team that doesn't keep score. We're all winners. We're all winners here. That's right, a Friday Night Lights reboot. How exciting is that? I was such a huge fan of that show. Hang on, Treek. You look upset.

[Tariq Trotter]

I. You know, I really, really want to watch that reboot, Jimmy, but, you know, I do. I Just don't think I'm going to be able to do it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

My gosh. What? Why? Is everything okay at home?

[Tariq Trotter]

Listen, Coach, you and me, we live different lives. Do we come from different worlds? You wouldn't understand.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Nonsense. That's what I'm here for. Okay, But I can't help you if you don't talk to me. God damn it, Coach.

[Tariq Trotter]

You know I'm not good at that kind of thing. I can't even open up like that. I'm ashamed.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Hey, T, come on now. It's just you and me, all right? What's getting you down?

[Tariq Trotter]

Well, it's just that ever since I was a little boy, I can't sleep without. Oh, it's so embarrassing. I can't say it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Say it.

[Tariq Trotter]

All right, fine. I can't sleep without Night Lights.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Night Light? No, no, Tariq, it's not a TV show about night lights. The show's called Friday Night Lights. Like the lights on Friday nights about football. Oh, great. Well, then how about we watch it at my place? I'd really like to do that, T. Wow, your fist.

[Tariq Trotter]

All right.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Dude, you really punched that locker. You break your hand on that bit? Wow, that was a good. That was a good punch.

[Tariq Trotter]

I'm fine.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Tariq Trotter, ladies and gentlemen. That's good. Action. Fantastic. Well, this is going viral. A woman in Wisconsin admitted to leaving something pretty unusual at a movie theater. Take a look at this.

[Jack Houston]

An urn full of ashes found in a movie theater in Wisconsin.

[Ruth 2068]

It appears the mystery has been solved. The woman now admits she left the urn there on purpose. She says the remains inside are those of her father, with whom she did not have a close relationship. She didn't want the remains in her home, so when she went to see a movie, she brought the urn and ditched it underneath seats where Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice was playing.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Beetlejuice? Beetlejuice. One moviegoer was like, earn. I thought it was a promotional popcorn bucket. You guys getting a lot of cheese dust? That's all I'm getting here. Well, get this. A candidate for New Jersey governor has admitted to posting fake Spotify rap results that showed only Bruce Springsteen songs. It sounds like no big deal, but in New Jersey, that's punishable by death. With Lisa Kudrow, everybody.

[Tariq Trotter]

Oh, come on now.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That's what I'm talking about. Our first guest is an Emmy winning actor who stars in the new show no Good Deed, which is out on Netflix today. Everyone, please welcome Lisa Kudrow. Lisa, welcome to the show. Thank You. It's great to see you. We were talking backstage. You had such an incredible career. Yeah. I think you're great in everything you do. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But your first job was a security job. A security guard.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Yeah, yeah. At a department store called Bullocks. It doesn't exist anymore.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, I kind of remember Bullocks.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Bullocks, yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

And you were.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Well, I was a floater at first. You don't get assigned anywhere, so I was a floater and my first night I was like 16, 17, they gave me a red jacket and I was security at the exit. I know.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Do you think that's a smart move? I mean, this is. You're young.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

What would you.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Yeah, no, it's brilliant. Because who's scarier than a 17 year old girl in a red jacket? You know, just sort of like. Okay, bye.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, yeah. If there was an emergency or a crisis.

[Lisa Kudrow]

No, what am I doing? I mean, really, what was I going to do?

[Jimmy Fallon]

That's a total mistake.

[Lisa Kudrow]

I see you.

[Tariq Trotter]

Bye.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, take care. Yeah. Are you good in crisis or emergencies? Would you be calm? I am.

[Lisa Kudrow]

I think I am.

[Jimmy Fallon]

You are.

[Lisa Kudrow]

I think I'm very calm. Okay, you know what? We had heavy rains a few Christmases ago and it was flooding like the gutters and the drains weren't working. And you know what the genius thought of getting trash cans to collect the water, Right. And then I can go take them, roll them away and dump them out in a drain.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That's brilliant.

[Lisa Kudrow]

It was brilliant. Except at some point I fell headfirst into the trash can. Because I was running. I was running with it and it got caught on something and I just went, woo.

[Jimmy Fallon]

For real?

[Lisa Kudrow]

For real. And my husband was there and someone else and I was inside just wondering if I was hurt. You know, you just kind of. You're like, wait, yeah, so I'm still. I said nothing seems to hurt. Oh, I don't hear anybody saying anything. Am I not here anymore? Like, shouldn't somebody be saying something? And finally I just heard, are you okay, my love?

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah.

[Lisa Kudrow]

He was laughing so hard that he couldn't speak.

[Jimmy Fallon]

You're in a garbage. You're in a garbage can.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Headfirst.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Unbelievable.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Into a garbage can.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Do you miss the live audience, by the way? Because you did. Friends so many years in front of a live audience. I mean, does this feel good? This is what I'm talking about.

[Lisa Kudrow]

This does.

[Jimmy Fallon]

This feels great.

[Lisa Kudrow]

This feels great.

[Ruth 2068]

Yes.

[Lisa Kudrow]

I mean, the audience is definitely supposed to be here.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yes. The best.

[Lisa Kudrow]

But I had felt while we were doing this show that we're doing a TV show, not a live show, so they're laughing too much.

[Jimmy Fallon]

You thought people were laughing too much on Friends?

[Lisa Kudrow]

Like, too long. Too long. You know, after a certain point, anything anyone says was like, oh, my God, it's too long. And it's kind of interrupting the rhythm. And then all the like. Oh, yes. You know those things.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Aw. Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I love that. Yes. And that would just throw you right away. You go, come on.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Sometimes, honestly, I would just be in a scene and we'd hear that, and I would be like, come on.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Come on. It can't be that. You're not laughing that hard. Yeah, come on.

[Lisa Kudrow]

It's not that funny.

[Jimmy Fallon]

You famously play guitar on Friends and. Yeah. And in your new show, no Good Deed, you played piano same way.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Not at all.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I was gonna add, but are you a musical person or is that. No.

[Lisa Kudrow]

I mean, I thought I was, but it turns out I'm not.

[Jimmy Fallon]

No, But I'm friends with, like, Chrissy Hine when she came on the show.

[Lisa Kudrow]

No. Well, she did teach me, you know, all of rock and roll are three chords. It's all you need to know. Because I was trying to learn and it hurt my fingers, and I really didn't enjoy it. And she's like, all you need to know are three chords. But I don't remember what the three chords are.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Do you know. You must know someone.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I know a couple. Yeah. It was probably G, A D, I'm guessing. I don't know. Yeah. Anyone knows. Yeah. Probably the Brizzy. We can find that out. Yeah, we can find it out.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, that's basically.

[Lisa Kudrow]

That was basically Smelly Cat.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That was. That was it. Yeah, that's. Do people ask you to play that all the time? And when they go, hey, they asked.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Me to sing it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Grab a guitar and do it. Yeah.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Oh, yeah. Sometimes someone's like, hey, we've got a guitar. It's like, good for you.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I don't know how to play it.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Nice.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I don't. Yeah, I have a guitar. You're so funny on no Good Deed. And you're great with Ray Romano. It's out today. It's funny. It's a mystery. You and Ray Romano are husband and wife. Can you tell everyone what it's about?

[Lisa Kudrow]

Yeah. Cause it's out, so.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah. That's interesting. Yeah. You could watch it or you can hear us talk about it.

[Lisa Kudrow]

No, but the whole thing is kind of this unraveling mystery. There's so many secrets with this couple. And all the couples that all Ray and I own a house and it's really beautiful and all these other couples want to buy it. But there's a lot of secrets. And for us, our secret involves a tragedy that's really kind of dark. Really kind of deep and dark. It's not funny.

[Jimmy Fallon]

No, exactly.

[Lisa Kudrow]

That part is not funny.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It is deep and dark. But I feel. But the characters, the cast is amazing, by the way.

[Jack Houston]

Amazing.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Everyone is so funny. Everyone crushes all their lines. And the writer director is Liz.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Liz Feldman.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Liz Feldman is fantastic.

[Lisa Kudrow]

She did Dead to Me, which I liked a lot.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Dead to Me is great, too.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But this is. It's brilliant. And you go, it's kind of like. I don't want to say like a whodunit, but it's like a glass on your knee type of thing. You and Ray are watching on like a nest camera or something like that in your house, going like, ooh, that person might want to buy the house. Oh, that and every character that comes in are weirder and stranger than the other ones.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But gosh, you're so good and so funny. And I saw that Will Ferrell is a producer on this.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

And I know you and Will go way back to Groundlings. You're one of the best Groundlings I studied at Groundlings, never became a Groundling, but you're one of the best to ever do it. But did you ever run into Will when you did Groundlings?

[Lisa Kudrow]

Well, I saw Will. I was in the main company when Will was, you know, coming up in the Groundlings, and I voted him in to the main company.

[Jimmy Fallon]

You did?

[Lisa Kudrow]

Yes, because he was so good.

[Jimmy Fallon]

There you go.

[Jack Houston]

Come on.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That's so good. Lisa Kudrow, everybody. No Deed is streaming on Netflix today. Elle Fanning joins us after the break. Stick around, everybody. Our next guest is an Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actress who stars in the new movie A Complete Unknown, which is in theaters everywhere Christmas Day. Everyone, please welcome Elle Fanning. Welcome back.

[Jack Houston]

Thank you so much. I love coming to you.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I love every time you're here. It's always great to see you. Last time we were on the show, we talked. You have a celebrity doppelganger, if you remember this. We showed a photo and I was like, who is it? And you said, it's Bill Hader. And there you are, 100% kind of. A little bit.

[Jack Houston]

Those photos, the mouth and the nose.

[Jimmy Fallon]

A little bit there. See that?

[Jack Houston]

It's uncanny.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah. And earlier this year, you finally had a chance to meet Bill Hader at the Golden Globes. And you got a photo with him. There you are, the two doppelgangers together. Finally. Yay.

[Jack Houston]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Was he laughing?

[Jack Houston]

I mean, it was crazy that we were, like, in the same room at the same time, you know, because people think we're the same person, but we broke that.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Of course. Yeah.

[Jack Houston]

But he was. I told him that I think that I look like him. And he was like, no, no, no. But he's the best. Yeah, he's the best. It was like. I couldn't believe. I was very starstruck.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Then you told me you brought another photo. You said this one of your other favorite photos that night, you and Jack Black.

[Jack Houston]

Yes.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Now, you said this moment made your life.

[Jack Houston]

It has made my life. So we have a group chat. My sister and all my girlfriends, and it's basically dedicated to how hot Jack Black is. Like, he is our perfect man, like, beyond. And, like, we. And we send each other, like, clips of him all the time. And, like, specifically the saxophone clip.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Oh, yeah.

[Jack Houston]

Of, like, on the show Saxaboom. It's iconic.

[Jimmy Fallon]

He's unbelievable. Yeah.

[Jack Houston]

But this was just. We were waiting for our cars at the valet at the same time, and my boyfriend was with me, and he's like, go up to him. Go up to him. And he convinced me to. And I did. And then my boyfriend yelled to him. He's like, you're her hall pass, by the way.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Did Jack love it?

[Jack Houston]

Loved it. And he was with his wife. And, like, we were laughing. I mean, I was turning bright red. I still am.

[Jimmy Fallon]

He's the best. He's a sexy dude, man. I love. I love him.

[Jack Houston]

So funny. Like, perfect.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Last time I think I saw you, I was out to dinner with you and your boyfriend. Yes. And you were about to start this Bob Dylan, this complete unknown movie.

[Jack Houston]

Right. Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I think the next day you were going to. Yeah.

[Jack Houston]

And we were at Mineta Tavern, which is right across from Cafe Wah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yes. The whole area.

[Jack Houston]

The lore.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Yeah.

[Jack Houston]

And. Cause I had finished doing a Broadway show.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yes.

[Jack Houston]

That I was on here for. And then I was like, the next day, I'm literally going into rehearsals, like, to start this film.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But now you're winning awards for the film that. We were just out to dinner, and you go, congratulations, by the way. This is so exciting.

[Jack Houston]

Thank you.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Great reviews. You won Best Supporting Actress from the National Border Review. That's how you do it. It was like just yesterday we were doing that.

[Jack Houston]

Thank you.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It was.

[Jack Houston]

I mean, it kind of was. It was a very quick turnaround for the film because they Obviously. I mean, the film was supposed to go and it kept. You know, we had Covid and strike. So, like, Timothee Chalamet, who plays Bob Dylan brilliantly in this film.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah.

[Jack Houston]

Amazing.

[Jimmy Fallon]

He does a fantastic job.

[Jack Houston]

Yes. And he has been training for, like, five years for this part, so it's a long time coming. But.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah. Well, what was it like to see? Cause you've been friends with Timothee Chalamet for a long time.

[Jack Houston]

I have.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Is it fun to watch someone dive into the character that much and become Bob Dylan, like, a legend?

[Jack Houston]

It was. I know. I mean, he. We worked together when I was 19, so I have known him for a bit. But I remember, like, the first time seeing him on set as dressed as Bob Dylan. Like, he walked out on stage and he performed A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall, and then he gave us a full concert. It was like he did Masters of War. And I forget the other one he did.

[Jimmy Fallon]

And he does it real all live.

[Jack Houston]

Yeah. Singing live, playing the instruments live. And it honestly moved me. Like, I was just so proud of my friend and his kind of version of Dylan that he is in this film. It's. It's really perfect. It's not a mimic or, like a caricature of a character.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah. It's not somebody doing it. No. This is legit. Bob Dylan.

[Jack Houston]

No, it's legit.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I mean, it's great.

[Jack Houston]

It's funny because I. So I've never met Bob Dylan, but I thought I was going to. I was doing. So they sent me, like, for rehearsals. They sent me the schedule of my rehearsals, and they sent me an email saying, you're going to have a rehearsal with James Mangold, who's the director of the film, and Bob Dylan. And I was like, oh, my gosh. Like, this is it. Cause I'm a huge Bob Dylan fan. I have been for a long time. And, like, I have to figure I was calling people asking for advice on, like, what to ask him. I'm freaking out.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah. How do you act around Bob Dylan?

[Lisa Kudrow]

Yeah.

[Jack Houston]

And so then I walked into the rehearsal room, and it was just James Mangold and Timmy. And I was like, what? I was like, so let down. I was like. They put, like, Bob. Looking back at the email, Bob Dylan was like, in all caps, in bold. So they were just calling, like, Timmy Bob Dylan. Only, like, girl in America to be let down by having a rehearsal. It's you.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It's only Timothee Chalamet. Oh, God, that's hilarious.

[Jack Houston]

I know. Maybe one day he's the greatest.

[Jimmy Fallon]

He's the nicest guy, too. Have you ever seen him perform live?

[Jack Houston]

I have. I have.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah.

[Jack Houston]

I went to the King's Theater, I guess, in Brooklyn, I think.

[Elle Fanning]

Oh, yeah?

[Jack Houston]

Yeah. And Timothy was there, too. It was right before we started filming. And I'd never seen him live before, but I went. I was there, and it was incredible. And then I started to, like, feel like, ooh, I'm gonna throw up. And I.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Because of the nerves.

[Jack Houston]

No, I think it was just a bad turkey sandwich. So. I'm also not a New Yorker, so I'm like, I don't know the delis to go to. You know what I mean?

[Jimmy Fallon]

Oh, yeah. You can't just go in any random deli.

[Jack Houston]

I think I did.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Oh, no, no. You have to learn that the hard way. Oh, no.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Yeah.

[Jack Houston]

So I had to run out and, like, I threw up, like, right. I busted out of the piano.

[Jimmy Fallon]

What are you talking about?

[Jack Houston]

I threw up on the ground.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Not in the bathroom? No.

[Jack Houston]

I didn't make it. Yeah. And so it threw up on the floor. You know, I mean, it happens, but. And then Timothy comes out, and he's like, are you like. Are you drunk? I'm like, no, I'm not, like, wasted for the Bob Dylan concert.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Like, oh, my God.

[Jack Houston]

I'm like, no, I had a bad turkey sandwich. And they, like, put, like, a sad cone over my vomit. You know, like one of those yellow things.

[Jimmy Fallon]

This has only happened to you. That's so funny.

[Jack Houston]

I know, but it's memorable. But I saw. I have to go and see if. Full of shows.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah. Yeah. As a longtime fan, that's a perfect story. It should be that.

[Jack Houston]

I think he would like it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It should be that interesting. Yes, of course. Is there anything new that you learned while you were watching the movie or filming the movie?

[Jack Houston]

Gosh, I mean, there's so many things I learned. I mean, my character is Sylvie. She's based on Suze Rotolo, which I didn't know much about Suze.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I know photos of her. I don't know much about her.

[Jack Houston]

Exactly.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Yeah.

[Jack Houston]

She is famous for being on the Free Whelan album cover with Bob Dylan. And she was kind of his first girlfriend in love. And it was Bob himself who actually wanted her name to be changed from Suze to Sylvie out of kind of respect because she's since passed. And so I think. Yeah, just learning about her. I mean, she was very politically involved, like an activist in the 60s. And Bob wasn't actually so much into politics until he met her. And she really inspired him to sing his own songs and not just, you know, the old folk song. So she's kind of instrumental in that, which was cool to learn.

[Jimmy Fallon]

The movie really works in that way. You're like, where is it gonna go? And you go, oh, this is really cool. Where it's taking us.

[Jack Houston]

Yeah. Cause it's only, like, 61 to 65, which is like. I mean, obviously Dylan, like, you know, has so many phases in his life, but this is such a dude.

[Jimmy Fallon]

He takes a risk.

[Jack Houston]

Exactly.

[Jimmy Fallon]

He takes a big risk. Goes electric. Cause I wanna go electric. I'm gonna play it. And it's like, no, you don't do that. You're folk.

[Jack Houston]

Yeah, exactly.

[Jimmy Fallon]

You don't do that. And everyone around him's like, don't do it. Yeah.

[Jack Houston]

I think that was also inspiring, too, for, as in actor or just, like, anyone in general, like, what the movie is telling us is to, like, trust yourself and, you know, you. And you can change, you know, don't allow people to put you in a box.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah.

[Jack Houston]

So good.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Love that. Al Fanning, everyone. A complete unknown is in theaters everywhere Christmas Day. Jack Houston joins us after the break. Cigarette, everybody.

[Tariq Trotter]

If we bother about it rocking. You wouldn't do it I'm still the living definition if you really Ain't nobody till somebody love you Bet you ain't nobody till they see.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Our next guest is a very talented performer who wrote, produced, and directed the new film Day of the Fight, which is in theaters nationwide tomorrow. Please welcome Jack Houston. Welcome back. I cannot wait to get into this movie and talk about the day of the Fight. First, I want to say congrats. You just got married recently, since last time I saw you. I did, yeah.

[Elle Fanning]

We've been together 11 years, and I was in Mexico making a film, and I was with a friend of mine. It was the same day I got the contract saying that I got my movie finance. So I signed the guy. I was like, that seems very grown up. So I was like, maybe I should get married. And I'm not joking. At dinner, my friend, he was one of my best friends. He was like, what are you talking about? I was like, I'm going to propose to Shannon. So I just got on FaceTime, called her, and I was like, hey, baby. I was like, do you want to get married? Would you marry me? She was like, are you joking right now? What are you talking about? I was like, listen, the only problem is I've got a week off in between jobs, so we have to do it in two weeks in Vegas. But we did it, right?

[Jimmy Fallon]

You did it in Vegas. There's an Elvis impersonator right there.

[Elle Fanning]

It was.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I mean, gorgeous. That's how to do it.

[Elle Fanning]

One of the best days of my life. And Elvis runs. And then when I. When she went to speak to me, she just suddenly started crying. And I was like, I've waited too long.

[Jimmy Fallon]

No, it's beautiful.

[Elle Fanning]

I waited for so long. I felt so bad.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Oh, it's perfect. Congratulations. Thank you. Beautiful bride. I want to talk about your film. This is your directorial debut and, man, it's getting great reviews and it's a fantastic film. Day of the Fight. You also wrote it and produced it.

[Elle Fanning]

Yes.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah. It's getting. By the way, it's getting praised from Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott.

[Elle Fanning]

I know.

[Jimmy Fallon]

These are big names. Jack, I'm so proud of you, bud. I'm excited. I mean, walk me through this.

[Elle Fanning]

It was one of the great days. Martin Scorsese introduced it on our first screening in New York and just, like, gave the most beautiful introduction. It was those pinch me moments. I can't even tell you.

[Jimmy Fallon]

How did you choose this film? And why is this the first one to write and direct this one?

[Elle Fanning]

I always felt like it had to be the right thing. It had to be something special, something that made me like I had to do it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But you had this in your head, this idea.

[Elle Fanning]

Yeah, the idea. And it sort of. It started ruminating and. You know, I always remember Michael Pitt when I was on Boardwalk, the Boardwalk Empire days. He always used to be punching sandbags, going to the boxing gym in between takes. And I was like, I. I got this idea. I saw Stanley Kubrick short documentary, a little documentary just about a boxer on the Devil Prize fight. And I said, all the films I loved growing up. The story itself was simple, but it was the human aspect of it that made it complex. It's that they just turned it up a notch and they added something into it. So I said, well, what if this day was his last day and he's the one going into the fight with the knowledge that this is going to be.

[Jimmy Fallon]

No one else knows.

[Elle Fanning]

Nobody else knows.

[Jimmy Fallon]

The boxer has a fight of his life. He's finally getting.

[Elle Fanning]

This is the one, man. And it's a whole day of, you know, if you only have one day left, what would you do? Who would you go speak to? What would you say? And that just took me down this sort of mad, amazing sort.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It's a very gorgeous.

[Elle Fanning]

Yeah, very beautiful.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, gorgeous. And obviously your grandfather is John Huston. Yeah, Amazing director. As well, and everything. Yeah, absolutely. Legend. Now you. And then I have a photo here. Here's your wife and your son, Cyprus on set. Yes. How many generations does that make this now of Houston?

[Elle Fanning]

So he is fifth generation of my family on screen, which is kind of amazing. I don't think that's happened before. So we're. It's so beautiful because he's. He's really dyslexic, and he was having a really hard time at school, and he has ADHD and everything like that. He's just the sweetest boy in the world. But I got on set, and the very first day, I said, okay, right side, you're gonna stand up, you're gonna turn to the camera. You're gonna walk over here. Get the cookie box, open it up, turn back, you see this happening with your mother on the side. You turn. Literally the first take, he does everything perfect, and I just started crying.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Oh, my God.

[Elle Fanning]

It's so beautiful.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It's a beautiful, beautiful film. I will say also, Joe Pesci.

[Elle Fanning]

Joe Pesci.

[Jimmy Fallon]

No, I love Joe Pesci. I don't know how you got him to do this.

[Elle Fanning]

We got Joe out of Fireman.

[Jimmy Fallon]

He doesn't do anything. He doesn't do anything.

[Elle Fanning]

I realize you're a golfer, right? Y. I am not a golfer, but I took up golf because that's the only thing.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That's the only thing he does every.

[Elle Fanning]

Day at the golf course. And every time, I just, like. Just trying to persuade him to do it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But over Martin, you put in the film, which is so beautiful, is you play one of his songs, because I don't know if you know that Joe Pesci is a great singer.

[Elle Fanning]

Amazing.

[Jimmy Fallon]

He has a great voice.

[Elle Fanning]

It's why I wrote the part for him, because he's suffering from dementia in it. And my grand. When she was suffering from dementia, music used to bring her back into the room, and she'd have these moments of lucidity. So I was like, well, how about. It's Joe. You don't hear him necessarily speak, but you hear him sing. And this voice. When I heard this voice, I was like, oh, my God. It all came to light. So I actually wrote the part for Joe and Michael. I couldn't imagine making the movie without them.

[Jimmy Fallon]

So, yeah, it's just. It's a movie. It's a movie that you just. If you want to see a movie. This is a movie. Yeah, this actually is a movie. Movie. I love it.

[Elle Fanning]

Movie lovers, man.

[Lisa Kudrow]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But you were saying. You were saying to me Backstage, the one thing you want to take is like, hey, tell everyone.

[Elle Fanning]

Oh, yeah, this is, I mean, my first love. Our caption for the film, what we have on the poster is, how far would you go for the ones you love? Because the entire thing is day of the fight isn't actually what he's doing in the ring. He's fighting for everybody else. He's fighting for everybody in his life on this one day. So I said, you know, if you love film, independent cinema, where we're at, it's a really difficult time for films like ours, you know, because they're beautiful, they get amazing reviews, and we've got 100% with top critics, and we really need people to come up and shop for this. I said, well, if you love the film, and I hope you love the film, but take someone you love to see the movie. It could be a best friend, it could be a mother, a father, a mentor, a grandparent, a kid, a complete stranger. Do an act of kindness because you won't just be supporting the film, but you'll be supporting independent cinema and showing somebody that you love them, which I think is really important right now. So good for you.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I think that's the best. Do it. Jack Houston, Day of the fight is in select theaters now. More Tonight show after the break. Stick around. I love you, bud. No, you're the greatest.

[Tariq Trotter]

How much charisma could another one stomach If I be a Christian and I was a more kind of wild if I come outside I'm not running the stone load will put it back Every stone death I'm lying.

[Jimmy Fallon]

My thanks to Lisa Kudrow, Elle Fanning, Jack Houston and the Roots right there from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Thank you, Roots. Good night, everybody.

[Tariq Trotter]

Got involved, got it Got involved Get, get, get involved get it, do it. Uh huh. Yes, sir.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Thanks for listening to the Tonight show starring Jenny Fallon. Don't forget to subscribe to get the latest episodes weekday mornings, wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the Tonight show starring Jimmy Fallon, weeknights on NBC and streaming on Peacock.