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The Who What Wear Podcast
The Bear's Molly Gordon on the Importance of Female Friendships—and Delusion—While Making It in Hollywood
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- [00:02]
Hilary Kerr
Thank you to ebay for sponsoring this episode. This is what you do. When you have high standards and fancy all the fancy things like an iconic Dior saddle bag or that diamond tennis bracelet, you go to ebay. There you'll find new loves that will never disappoint. Expertly authenticated and everything. Whether it's that vintage pearl necklace or brand new ruby earrings, a Prada crossbody bag to be besties with your other handb. Even an eternally classic watch like that Rolex Oyster or that Cartier tank. You know the one. And when you find it, ebay has their expert's eyes to make sure you're getting the real deal. That way you can be confident that the designer finds you came for the luxury wardrobe that you've always wanted. It's all real. In fact, it's verified authentic. So bring your high standards and never limit what you can find. Yeah, ebay the place for new, pre loved vintage and rare fashion. Ebay Things People Love welcome to the who what Wear? Podcast, your direct line to the designers, stylists, beauty experts, editors and tastemakers who are shaping the ever evolving world of fashion. I'm who what Wears? Co founder and Chief Content Officer Hilary Kerr and today on the podcast I have the pleasure of sitting down with actress, writer, director and producer Molly Gordon. We got to chat in studio for this episode, so if you want to watch the best bits of this interview, make sure make sure to hit the link in the episode description. Molly was who what Wears June cover star and we clearly can't get enough of her. You likely know her from playing Claire on the Bear or from past roles in Booksmart Theater Camp or Shiva Baby. Of course we talked about all things the Bear season four, but we also dove into her new hilariously absurd genre bending film, oh High, which she co created and stars in. The film comes out in two days and you must trust me when I tell you to go see it in theaters. I truly loved it. Without giving too many spoilers, it involves Logan Lerman, bondage, and the aftermath of Calling a Woman Crazy. We're discussing the inspiration behind her new projects, what it's like inside her wildly creative group of friends, and how Molly's developed her red carpet style. It's all coming up on who, what Where. Molly, thank you for joining me. I've been so excited to sit down with you. We're gonna talk about the bear. We're gonna talk about your new movie, which I am obsessed with, like in a creepy good way. Can we talk about your who what where Cover?
- [03:15]
Molly Gordon
Yes, please. Thank you so much for having me on the COVID Our pleasure.
- [03:19]
Hilary Kerr
We were all so excited about it. Taylor, tell me, how did you feel about being able to live out your sea captain fantasies?
- [03:26]
Molly Gordon
I mean, it was so exciting. I've just always wanted to have a boat shoot.
- [03:31]
Hilary Kerr
That's on your list?
- [03:32]
Molly Gordon
Yeah, that's on my vision board. And just to kind of, like, peel the curtain. It was a very windy day. We weren't allowed to go out on the sea, so we had to stay in the port. And it was very choppy, and the photographer and a lot of people were struggling with being very seasick.
- [03:50]
Hilary Kerr
Well, that did not come through at all.
- [03:52]
Molly Gordon
I was fine, but they were like, it's going so well. It's great. But everyone was holding in some vomit. But it was still my dream. And then you guys gave me my full dream, which is that I got to dress up a camera assistant as a captain.
- [04:05]
Hilary Kerr
Where did that idea come from?
- [04:07]
Molly Gordon
It came from my mental illness. I was like, oh, I just have to have a captain, obviously. And I said, hey, put him in a hat. And then he was like, I don't wanna do this. And I was like, well, you're doing it, so. So there you go.
- [04:18]
Hilary Kerr
Everyone came back from that shoot and said, like, oh, my gosh, she has the best energy. It's so incredible. Are you just cool, or do you, like, actively practice vibe curation when you're out and about? I just.
- [04:30]
Molly Gordon
That's very sweet. I don't know. Life is so hard. We're in such an awful moment in the world that it's like, we're so lucky that this is part of my job that I get to play dress up on a boat. So I just was in such a great mood, and I never thought that I would get to do any of this stuff. The fashion was so beautiful, and I just felt giddy.
- [04:51]
Hilary Kerr
You're like, we're living the dream. We're on a stationary boat and everyone's getting seasick and we're playing dress up. It's just a Tuesday at work.
- [04:57]
Molly Gordon
Yeah, if I vomit on the lighting person, then we'll just move forward.
- [05:02]
Hilary Kerr
I think one of the things that folks get really excited about is, like, anytime you and your pals, really Rachel and IO like, whenever people see you together, there's generally a comment that says, dream, blunt rotation. What is your creative energy? Like, when you're with your friends, how do you zone in on who you want to work with, who you want to create with? How have you come to that?
- [05:24]
Molly Gordon
That Makes me laugh because the idea of me, IO and Rachel high together is a nightmare. The anxiety that would happen there. I feel like I've just been very lucky in the last few years to manifest, like, these groups of especially female friends that are actors, writers, creatives. I had this summer where I shot Shiva Baby, where I met Rachel, and I shot this movie, the Broken Heart Gallery, where I met Geraldine, who's in Ojai. I was like, oh, these are soul sisters to me. And then they both were like, you have to meet our friend IO, and then my friend Shayna, who's a writer, and Mitra, who's in the Bear. Now, this industry is so isolating, but it's, like, so, so nice to just have this group that's, like, all pushing each other forward and then also who are creating their own things and can give each other jobs. So it's, like, a nice thing.
- [06:17]
Hilary Kerr
I also really appreciate the fact that you seem to have come straight out of the gate from, like, a hyphenate standpoint of wanting to do lots of different things. You have already started working on so many different projects in so many different capacities. How do you assess, like, this is what I want to do, or this interests me as well. What is your mindset?
- [06:38]
Molly Gordon
I think that as an actor, you have to wait for someone to go, here's a job. Now you can be creative. And so I just always wanted to be in charge of my own kind of life in that way. I always just imagined that I would be creating my own material. And then also I wasn't getting jobs as an actor, so I started out making web series with my friends just to get an agent. And people were like, you're not good. I'm not gonna give you a job. And I was like, totally fair. Watch me take a long time to get a job. I. I just feel like they all feed each other where getting to be involved, writing it or directing it is such a gift, but it takes you fully out of your life. You can't make two movies a year as a director. Like, I can't even make a movie a year. It takes everything. So then to get to pop into things like the Bear and act in them, but also get to kind of have a dream film school experience, get to watch Chris and Joanna direct and be like, oh, I'm gonna take this when I go do this. And then if I'm not getting a job in either thing, it's nice to be able to turn to the other thing, you know, the camp and Ojai Both took five to six years. Like, just happen when they happened. It's like, I have to pay my rent. So it's also like to wait five years for a project to make an indie movie where I'm not gonna be paid that much. It's like, I gotta work as an actor, too. Like, mama has to pay her rent too.
- [07:52]
Hilary Kerr
Yeah. Also, how do you stick with an idea for five to six years to see it through? Like, how do you stay interested in an idea throughout that time? Or does it continuously evolve through the process?
- [08:03]
Molly Gordon
How do I stay with something? Delusion.
- [08:05]
Hilary Kerr
Great.
- [08:05]
Molly Gordon
It's so weird, but I've heard so many no's, and you're just like, all right, gonna keep going. And then have collaborators who are as delusional and as hard working as you are to keep pushing it forward. And you just have to keep believing in it. But it's hard to keep the faith sometimes. I have ones right now that I'm pushing up the hill that are like, in the second and third year, fifth year, and I'm like, can I still face the rejection of this every day?
- [08:29]
Hilary Kerr
Are you a better writer from acting in other people's projects? Or a better director from being able to steal ideas from Chris at the Bear or whatever it is? Do you think that by doing all of the different things, it makes you better at all of the things?
- [08:42]
Molly Gordon
Yeah, I think directing a couple years ago made me such a better actress also. Just realizing how much it doesn't have to do with me. It's like, if you don't want to be collaborative, don't work in film. You go in and you just do your scene. But then so many people come in after and edit it and add music and. And change the coloring of the scene and all this stuff. It's just so not about you. It's about the collective. So all you have to do is come in and do the best you can do.
- [09:08]
Hilary Kerr
Well, it's also interesting to think of, like, okay, well, if you're directing and that makes you see that it's not about you as an actor, then in a way, I would imagine that would be very freeing. Like, it would take you, I can imagine, out of one's potential insecurities.
- [09:22]
Molly Gordon
Totally. I think before I would be like, well, I ruined it. That take was the worst thing in the entire world. Or sometimes your mistake is, like, randomly your best take. Cause it's the most alive. And they'll cut it in a way that it'll be like the most surprising moment or something. And the more that you can get out of your head as an actor and just be, like, fully present, the better, which is so hard for someone with my anxiety to do.
- [09:46]
Hilary Kerr
Okay, so I feel like I would be possibly, like, tarred and feathered if I had you here. And we didn't talk about the bear, so let's talk a little bit about season four. It's out in the world. Spoiler free at this point. How does it feel now that people are getting to experience the ride with your character and come along on the journey?
- [10:07]
Molly Gordon
I feel so lucky to be a part of that show. It's just this odd combination, like, the filmmaker being great, the actors and the experience being really fun and people liking it. And then getting to work with IO this season was like, oh, my God. Claire and Sidney finally get to be together. Yes. And then the wedding was so much fun under the table with the entire cast. And then, yeah, this season, like, getting to kind of have this really beautiful scene with Jeremy written by Chris, where Jeremy and I both got to kind of say these things that I think both of our characters had been waiting to say for, like, a long time. And it felt like this beautiful release. And then to get to work with someone like Jeremy, who I think is one of our greatest actors.
- [10:55]
Hilary Kerr
That scene in particular was so raw. Like, you guys were so present in it was that fully, like, word for word. Did you get to improvise in the bear at all? Like, what is that process?
- [11:05]
Molly Gordon
Like, that scene was very word for word. Chris really pushed us to yell at each other in that overlapping section. But we did get to improvise a bunch in the wedding with John Mulaney, which was really fun. Chris was just like, molly, go over there and say something weird to John. And I think John and I are talking about the borsados. And John is kind of like, what do you think about them? And I said, like, they're a group of people that feel things very deeply or something. And that was really fun to just improvise how lovable and insane and relatable this family is. But also that Chris knows all of us so well. He'll, like, write lines that we would say because we've all been friends for so long. And then it was fun to do the scene with IO and watch her give this acting tour de force. And then at the end of that scene, we. We're laughing, and she's like, I look really gross because she's been sobbing and has mucus everywhere. But I actually thought Ayo looked gorgeous because I do think you look more beautiful when you've cried. And so those were some fun improvs, but that was kind of just IO and I being friends, being like, no, you look really pretty.
- [12:09]
Hilary Kerr
So as you look ahead, do you have any storylines that you would really love to see play out or break or change in some way?
- [12:17]
Molly Gordon
I'm going to just follow Chris down whatever he wants. I absolutely love Liza's character and so want to follow her more. And then I love Sarah and Eben's flirtation that's happening this year. I'd love to see more of that. But, yeah, just classic yelling in the kitchen. More cooking. I want to manifest Jeremy and IO and Eben screaming at each other. Just more.
- [12:41]
Hilary Kerr
Just more yelling. Just more cooking and yelling. All of the classics.
- [12:45]
Molly Gordon
I'd love to come in and just yell at someone. That'd be fun.
- [12:49]
Hilary Kerr
Are yelling scenes hard, or are those the fun ones? Of all of the dramatic scenes, like, what is the most fun to do?
- [12:56]
Molly Gordon
I feel like the most fun scene I ever had on the bear was still that first scene in the grocery shop with him, because I loved the show. I was such a big fan of Jeremy's, and that was my first scene, and that was just like, whoa, this is so crazy that this is happening. And Chris shoots really quickly. You do, like, three takes and that's it. Yeah, and he shot it, and he was like, and we're done. Good night for the day. And then, of course, I was overthinking, and I went home that night, and I was like, well, you've ruined everything and ruined your career and everyone hates you.
- [13:26]
Hilary Kerr
You know, just casual thoughts.
- [13:27]
Molly Gordon
Yeah, of course.
- [13:28]
Hilary Kerr
So do you, like, working that fast? Is three takes the right pace? How do you feel about it on the other side when you're in charge? Is that what you want?
- [13:35]
Molly Gordon
I think Chris, he makes every actor show up ready to go. Cause a lot of times, you know, you have a lot of takes, so, like, you don't really know your lines, and you kind of just like, no one's ready right away. And on the bear, everyone's just, like, ready. And it's made me more confident being, like, okay, we got it, and if we don't, we'll figure it out. And, like, it should be imperfect. That's life. And especially with a show like this, like, the more human that it is, Jeremy and I were talking, and you'll be on, like, a normal set where, like, they're just doing the normal amount of takes, and then you're like, wow, this is such a long day. And it's, like, just completely normal, but it's just like you got used to a different way of working, different pace.
- [14:13]
Hilary Kerr
Okay, that makes sense. Chris has gone on record saying that he thinks that you have, like, all of the skills to be a fantastic director. And that leads me into wanting to talk about your new project, which you didn't direct, but you co wrote, co produced, and star in. It's called Ojai. I watched it the other night. I am obsessed. It is hysterical. It is fascinating. I was locked in for the entirety of it. And for me to be locked in after a long day of work and putting two children to bed and maybe having taken like that is hard to lock in at that point in time. Like, sleep wants to lock in. Talk to me about it. Where did the idea come from?
- [14:55]
Molly Gordon
First of all, not a lot of people have seen it, so it means a lot that you like it, and I love that you watched it. High. Thank you for revealing that.
- [15:01]
Hilary Kerr
Allegedly.
- [15:02]
Molly Gordon
Allegedly. The idea came from. Sophie Brooks, who directed it, is one of my best friends. And in the Pandemic, she came to me and she was like, I have an idea for a movie. It's about a couple that go away on a trip together. And then he says he didn't know they were a couple, and she holds him hostage. And I was like, I love that I'm fully in. And Soph had gone through a bad breakup five years earlier, and then I went through a bad breakup, and she was like my guru. And both of these men shout out to them. We love them. We're on good terms with both of them, but they both kind of left without having these, like, closure conversations.
- [15:38]
Hilary Kerr
They never want to have a closure conversation.
- [15:40]
Molly Gordon
No, they never do. So this movie was kind of the wish fulfillment of the darker parts of ourselves. If I was 5% crazy a year, would I trap said man to have this conversation? Iris, my character in the movie, goes off the rails, but also, like, we're all a little crazy, and for the right person, you're not too much. And, yeah, we just wanted to, like, make fun of ourselves because I'm insane and Sophie's insane.
- [16:04]
Hilary Kerr
Were there any moments when you were developing the script where you're like, this went a little bit too far. We need to reel this back in.
- [16:10]
Molly Gordon
We just had to, I think, like, make it more equally weighted. It's from the female gaze. It's our experience. We don't want it to be a takedown of men. I want to also have people come away from it and be like, Oh, I actually felt connected to the other.
- [16:24]
Hilary Kerr
Character to that point. I identified with the male character more because I went through a period of time when I was very emotionally unavailable. And it gave me some moments of like, oh, God, I definitely did some of this, like, vampire nonsense to people, and that is not cool.
- [16:40]
Molly Gordon
There are soft girls out there. There are soft anyones. Like, I'm not avoidant at all. And neither is Logan. We're the opposite. We're both, like, very Iris coded. But I have had guy friends and girlfriends reach out, especially when the trailer dropped, because there's like a line of like, you made me scallops. And my guy friend reached out and he was like, God, this happens all the time. Like, I make a girl dinner and she thinks that I like her. I'm like, oh, my God, fuck you. But you know what? I also think in my life, I've just wanted to hear what I've wanted to hear sometimes. And I haven't been honest. So it's made me think about that as well.
- [17:14]
Hilary Kerr
It encompasses so many different tones. Like, it's funny and it's sexy, and then the great moments of friendship. But then there are also, like, suspense and horror to it. How did you meld all of that together? Because it's complicated and you, like, stuck the landing.
- [17:32]
Molly Gordon
Thank you. That was like, the hardest part because we really wanted to blend genre. But, you know, we would do a test screening and people would be like, okay, we think that she's going to kill him.
- [17:42]
Hilary Kerr
Which you want them to think that a little bit. Totally.
- [17:44]
Molly Gordon
We want to do that and then flip it on its head. Because there are moments in a relationship where you've gotten drunk and suddenly you have this fight and you're like, oh, I don't know you at all. And we wanted to use those and play with, like, obsession makes you crazy. And also, like, play with how miscommunications. Yeah. Can just lead to, like, the darkest moments. That was fun with our camera positions, to kind of think about the way that the Stephen King movie Misery, how Kathy Bates was framed. And then use a kind of horror score to put you in Isaac's point of view. Because being in a relationship sometimes is like being in a horror movie. And then also, like, my humor gets me in trouble all the time. Like, I've said crazy shit that people have thought was real before. And it's like, I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. And I am a very weird, absurd person. I make fun of the wrong things and all that. So it's like, let's throw all of this in that. Let's make people a little bit uncomfortable. Let's have them laugh. Because I think, you know, I'm just so sick of the unlikable female conversation.
- [18:46]
Hilary Kerr
Yes.
- [18:47]
Molly Gordon
And so it's fun to have a character right now that is kind of.
- [18:51]
Hilary Kerr
Like, dark and twisted and loved by her friends.
- [18:54]
Molly Gordon
Yeah. And, like, have Geraldine's character come in and be like, I'm here for you. I accept you. Probably in a week, we're going to talk about this and think about what you did. But right now.
- [19:03]
Hilary Kerr
But right now, we're going to cast a spell.
- [19:04]
Molly Gordon
Yeah, exactly. But it's been fun to see the reactions and see that maybe some other people have freak humor like I do.
- [19:10]
Hilary Kerr
Yeah. Talk to me about witchcraft, that there's a witchcraft element to this movie. As someone who started going to the Psychic Eye bookstore when I was 12, it's a real thing. I felt very appreciative of that moment. Do you believe?
- [19:24]
Molly Gordon
I fully believe. Sophie is way more into it than I am. She's always like, let's burn this. And I'm like, what? But I really am into manifestation psychics. I just found this English. Marisa Bella, this actress on industry, just told me about this English witch who is on TikTok that I have to send you, that I'm obsessed with. And I've followed some of her stuff. We have to put our hopes onto something because life's too crazy and sad to not well.
- [19:49]
Hilary Kerr
I love that moment. I thought it was really great. It made me all kinds of happy. I'm like, the girls need more witches.
- [19:54]
Molly Gordon
You know, Some of the feedback we got on the script originally was like, well, that's not believable. It's like, you don't understand. Every time I'm sad, Geraldine, who's my real friend, is like, okay, like, what spell are we doing? How are we manifesting? Do you have a lock of his hair? Like, this is real life. That's, like, a very grounded part of it.
- [20:09]
Hilary Kerr
I love that. Witchcraft is one of the most grounded parts.
- [20:12]
Molly Gordon
That's a grounded part of it.
- [20:16]
Anna
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- [23:08]
Hilary Kerr
Okay, so I know that you have some upcoming projects that you're going to be directing. First, there's small parts, which is a heist Story. Talk to me about this.
- [23:18]
Molly Gordon
It's a reimagining of this Bette Midler movie called Outrageous Fortune.
- [23:23]
Hilary Kerr
Yes.
- [23:23]
Molly Gordon
Yeah. Oh my gosh. I'm so happy that you know it because so many people don't know it. It's such an incredible film.
- [23:28]
Hilary Kerr
It's great. And I've seen everything Bette Midler has ever done.
- [23:31]
Molly Gordon
Thank you, Shelley Long. Bette Midler. And yeah, my writing partner Ali Levitan and I have like a new take on it and it's a kind of accidental heist movie. We're really excited about it and I think it's gonna be very outrageous and very inappropriate and bloody and it's about two out of work actresses.
- [23:55]
Hilary Kerr
So are you shooting it now?
- [23:56]
Molly Gordon
No, we just finished the script basically. So we're now moving forward with thinking about who would be in it and stuff. You know, Bette is like a north star for me as a performer. So like rewatching this movie for the last year like every few weeks has been a gift.
- [24:12]
Hilary Kerr
Oh my gosh, that's so exciting. And then you are also going to have your solo directorial debut.
- [24:19]
Molly Gordon
So Ali and I also shout out to Ali, who's an incredible writer and performer. We wrote a movie that is about a high school reunion and we're making that for a 24.
- [24:30]
Hilary Kerr
Wait, this is Peaked.
- [24:31]
Molly Gordon
This is Peaked. And we're casting that to make it.
- [24:34]
Hilary Kerr
And just so people know it's P E A K E D. Yeah, like someone peaked in high school.
- [24:39]
Molly Gordon
It's about the two most popular girls in high school who are not invited to their high school reunion and go back to reclaim their glory days.
- [24:47]
Hilary Kerr
What is the relationship to Romy Michelle?
- [24:49]
Molly Gordon
I mean, the relationship to Romy is that it's in my blood. Romy Michelle is the most inspiring movie ever. And this is like a flipped version because this is about popular girls. If you were brave enough to put yourself out there and were a freak in high school, you have a life and you have an identity. But if you just hid behind being popular and kind of being cool, you don't have anything to show anymore. Just like kind of about finding yourself and putting yourself out there at this weird age of 2830 where you're. These girls were just too scared to do it. You know, my generation grew up with like Facebook and all this stuff. Like we all just hid behind our phones judging people. But it's been fun. We just started casting and a 24 is like a dream group to be collaborating with.
- [25:32]
Hilary Kerr
Are you in it?
- [25:33]
Molly Gordon
I'm in it. And Then it's going to be a great group of actors and comedians and, like, a collection of friends and new people, and we're all just going to hopefully make something funny together.
- [25:45]
Hilary Kerr
How do you feel about the process of, like, high solo directorial debut? And you're also lead.
- [25:52]
Molly Gordon
Being in the thing you're directing gives you a really interesting vantage point to what's working, what's not working, but when you're really in it, you, like, can see it in a different way. And there's just a really cool flow that happens, but you have to have a great team behind you. And, you know, I just always want to be the stupidest person on set. So if I can continue to be lifted up by the people around me. And directing was, like, the most excited and, like, best feeling I've ever felt. So I just, like, really want to get back there, even if it's scary as well.
- [26:22]
Hilary Kerr
I mean, that's really exciting, though. And I know the numbers on female directors, they are teensy tiny. Like, it is so important that young women that everyone sees women making movies. And it makes me so excited that really in, like, the very early days of your career, like, that you're doing it. That's a big deal. It's really inspiring.
- [26:43]
Molly Gordon
But it takes people like Logan Lerman saying yes to being a part of Ojai and lifting up Sophie as a director. Like, people get nervous to take a risk on, like, new directors, but a lot of times they'll take a risk on a male director more. So I think it's on everyone to continue to choose those projects, me as an actor as well, and also for women to take up space in that way. And, like, not until I saw Emma Seligman directing Shiva Baby At 24, I was like, oh, I really want to direct. I'm just scared I'm gonna put myself out there. So that was like a life changing moment for me. And my mom is a female director. And I still was scared because there's just like five working female directors at once. And I hope that that will change because getting to be in Stories from the Female Gaze is so fulfilling as an actor. And then what we were talking about with girls, just seeing it was so life changing as a young woman.
- [27:38]
Hilary Kerr
And also I think that there are all of those amazing details in Ojai that, like, you can tell it's female gays, it's Iris going pee after sex. Like, those are details that, like, men don't put in because they don't know that. And representation matters totally.
- [27:52]
Molly Gordon
I mean, The UTI peeing moment is important. Sophie, like, wanted him to not know that I came. Like, yes, it's just, like a cringe moment. But she wanted to be like, men are not always aware of what's going on. We're kind of on our own journey sometimes. So I think all the sex in the movie felt important to me to get to show. And also, like, I was nervous to be naked, but I was like, if I'm gonna do this, to do it with my best friend will be the most control I've ever had. And I don't want it to look perfect. Like, I want it to look real. And that stuff really does matter. If you're just seeing Instagram reels of bikini bodies and you're young, you're just like, why don't I look like this? And you're like, oh, because these are edited photos.
- [28:36]
Hilary Kerr
Can I ask you about a 24? Like, there's such lore around them, and now you're working with them. What was that process like?
- [28:44]
Molly Gordon
They were, like, the dream for this movie because I think they're just the most original filmmaker friendly company, and they've just been so collaborative and trusting, and they're just a rare gem in this industry that feels like it's dying. Rachel and I were talking the other night. Like, we've come into this industry in the worst time. Like, strikes Covid. It's just everything's AI. Everything's being bought by some larger thing. And the original stories are harder to get made, but we have to keep pushing for original weird stories. And we're lucky that there are places like A24 or Neon or whatever that are still wanting to make things like that and know that they can find an audience.
- [29:27]
Hilary Kerr
It is a really rough time in so many ways. But because things are so disruptive right now, it also feels like there are these unique opportunities for you guys to create these interesting projects because no one knows what's gonna work.
- [29:42]
Molly Gordon
Totally. I think that a lot of, like, new voices will come out of this moment, and it's on us to support them. And I wanna see, like, original, weird stories right now. And I was thinking about it the other day, like, when you walk out of a movie that you love, you're never like, this was perfect. You're like, I loved this scene. I loved this moment. That was a crazy swing. Da, da da. And it's like, I wanna see more stuff like that. Just. That is wild and daring. I think people are just like, something has to be perfect because they're scared. No One will come to see it. But it's like the movies growing up. When I rewatched them, I'm like, this is a crazy film. But it has this amazing moment. You never go like, what a great plot when you leave a movie.
- [30:19]
Hilary Kerr
No. You're like, that was Heather's and that was wild. Like, what are they doing?
- [30:23]
Molly Gordon
Yes. But I felt so seen by how insane it was. Yeah.
- [30:27]
Hilary Kerr
I feel that way about fashion where like, I look at so much red carpet fashion and have for such a long time. I'm like, please give me something interesting and weird. Even if it doesn't work over like a strapless, perfect mermaid situation at all times.
- [30:40]
Molly Gordon
Take a chance.
- [30:41]
Hilary Kerr
Like, liven it up.
- [30:42]
Molly Gordon
Yeah.
- [30:42]
Hilary Kerr
Which is my segue for talking about your personal style. You have mentioned before in other interviews that you are a comfort over everything girl. You have mentioned to me that you are a dresses girl.
- [30:54]
Molly Gordon
Yes.
- [30:54]
Hilary Kerr
What are some of your go to pieces?
- [30:56]
Molly Gordon
I always am wearing a hat because I get sunburned really easily and I'm shy and my hair is sometimes dirty because I shout out to Barb for giving me a blow dry. But I always have dirty hair so I'm always hiding it with the hat fair. This is a Sandy Liang dress. I love her stuff. I love a ref moment. I love a vintage dress. I love a big like striped button down vintage Dior, vintage Ralph Lauren and like a Levi or a legging. I love like a flat. I love a Reebok fast. Fashion is complicated, but I love a Brandy Melville T shirt. Honestly, I just like vintage. I grew up in la going to the Rose Bowl. I have a lot of the dresses that I've had since high school.
- [31:39]
Hilary Kerr
You work with Jared Elner on the styling front. And also for anyone who doesn't know, he works with additionally amazing people like Sabrina Carpenter and Emma Chamberlain. How do you guys talk about approaching like a press tour or a red carpet or like, what is the process like?
- [31:56]
Molly Gordon
So Jared is my best friend and family because very serious. His boyfriend is my childhood best friend.
- [32:05]
Hilary Kerr
Stop.
- [32:05]
Molly Gordon
Owen Thiel. So Owen is also a part of the styling team. Like I had a fitting last night and Owen's on FaceTime being like, no, ugly. You're not wearing that. So you get both of them. Jared has pushed me to explore color cause I usually wear. I probably would not be wearing a yellow dress. I would be wearing a black dress.
- [32:23]
Hilary Kerr
That is the faintest of yellows, ma'. Am.
- [32:25]
Molly Gordon
He tries to get me to wear shorter things. He's always trying to make it shorter. He's just pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and to take chances and yeah, to take off the hat every so often. It's always about comfort with me. Like, I can't walk in heels. I have low hanging breasts that are very hard to. Hard to put in dresses. And he's like, we're taping them, we're figuring it out. He, yeah, just like, pushes me to have more fun. You know, sometimes I have to be like, you can see my vagina. I can't be that short. Or I'm like, vulva alert. It's like vulva alert on camera.
- [33:03]
Hilary Kerr
So you don't go out and think, okay, I want to strategize about I'm directing this. Or, like, what's the plan for Ojai? Is it playing into it, playing against it? Or is it just like, we're going to be Molly?
- [33:14]
Molly Gordon
We definitely, like, do each one differently. Like, for Sundance, when we were trying to sell the movie, I really wanted to dress like different rom coms. So we did a Notting Hill thing. I did a When Harry Met Sally. I did a whole Diane Keaton moment. So that was really fun. And he's really good at recreations with vintage pieces. And then for Ojai. Yeah. I feel like in maybe my director era of theater camp, I was wearing more pants, more buttoned up. And he's like, you're an actress. Actress in this film. So we are showing some skin. We are wearing a short dress. We are taking chances. I'm doing Colbert next week and we tried on some fun things for that that are like, more showy and are not as shy Molly and are pushing me out there.
- [34:02]
Hilary Kerr
So I know you had like, a very stunning vintage Versace moment.
- [34:06]
Molly Gordon
Yeah. Well, also, I fit for that. In the barn where we shot Ojai, Jared drove. This is how good of a friend he is. I was supposed to have a fitting with his assistant, but he's like, I wanna be there. So he flew into New York and drove three hours to upstate New York to fit me on a night shoot at 2 in the morning in that Versace dress. And then I flew to the Emmys two days later. And it was very sweet of him.
- [34:27]
Hilary Kerr
That is amazing. Were there other options or was that the option?
- [34:31]
Molly Gordon
There was one other option. And then we decided like that day, so we had fit both. Also, very candidly, as an actress, my body changes constantly. Like my hormones if I'm working a lot, my anxiety if I'm indulging more. And I think having a stylist that's understanding of that and also really supportive because I think it sucks sometimes with fashion because, like, when you're tinier, people are like, great, you fit into everything now. And I've seen stylists do that to my friends or something. And it's so cool to have someone that's like, ooh, you're curvy in this moment. Let's accentuate that. So I feel grateful for that.
- [35:07]
Hilary Kerr
That's amazing. Okay. Anything else that we need to cover? Anything else we have to look forward to? We've got a lot to look forward to.
- [35:13]
Molly Gordon
I hope people see Ojai and feel seen or triggered by it. Thank you for having me, Molly.
- [35:20]
Hilary Kerr
My pleasure. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. This was, like, so dreamy. A huge thank you to actress, writer, director, and producer Molly Gordon. Make sure to subscribe to our show wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode. And while you're there, I'd also be so grateful if you'd rate and review us. If you have any guest suggestions or any other feedback, drop us a line at podcast@whowhatwear.com or you can find us on socialwho what where? See you next Wednesday on the who what Where? Podcast. This episode was produced by Hilary Kerr, Summer Hammeris, and Natalie Thurman. Our production assistant is Claire Schmidt. Our editor is co Takasuki Chernovin. Our audio engineers are at Glen Canyon Audio, and our music is by Jonathan Leahy.