Reel Confessions: Lauren Lapkus

Summary

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Unspooled: Reel Confessions – Lauren Lapkus

Host(s): Paul Scheer & Amy Nicholson | Guest: Lauren Lapkus
Date: May 19, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively episode of Reel Confessions, Paul and Amy welcome actor and comedian Lauren Lapkus to share her "cinematic soul"—the films she adores, those that defined her childhood, the guilty pleasures she can't resist, and the movies she's reluctant to revisit. Together, they explore the evolution of taste, the unique experience of watching films with children, rewatching classics, and the pure joy (and anxiety) of communal cinema. Lauren also unpacks her love for movies about body-switching, time travel, and Richard Linklater, and turns reflective in the Cinema Repentance confessional.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. First Encounters with Movies and Podcasting About Film

• Lauren reminisces about co-hosting the Newcomers podcast, exploring big franchises for the first time:
  • “I thought I was gonna avoid Star Wars my entire life…Getting to sit down and watch it was so great because you can explore all the things that people don’t talk about, like how sexy some of the alien characters are.”
    – Lauren Lapkus (01:13)
• The fun and freshness of outsider perspectives on classics are highlighted, with Amy admitting she misunderstood the premise of The Aviator for years.

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2. Movies We Fear Revisiting

(04:26–07:58)

• Paul and Lauren discuss the anxiety of rewatching favorite movies for fear they won’t hold up, with Lauren naming Children of Men as a recent one-and-done classic for her.
• Rewatchable comforts: Lauren’s childhood favorites (Big, 13 Going on 30) and the experience of watching them in special circumstances (“I even watched [Big] when I was in labor at the hospital.” – 04:59).
• Lauren on movies with her daughter: “Now with her, I’m watching these movies like ten times in a row, and then it starts…It kind of becomes like this new joy where I now can quote movies.”
  (07:25)

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3. Parenting, Childhood Favorites, and Movie Memories

(07:25–09:08)

• Lauren’s daughter’s deep love for E.T. and Hocus Pocus, and how repeat viewings transform the parental relationship to films.
• The kids’ horror phase (Frankenweenie, E.T. in a dress), and the unexpected intensity or weirdness this can bring.

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4. Movie Character “F*, Marry, Kill” Game**

(09:09–10:57)

• Amy challenges Lauren: Gizmo (Gremlins), Falkor (NeverEnding Story), or E.T.—who would you F, marry, or kill?
  • “Gizmo walks the line because you might have to kill him, because he could turn bad…But I don’t want to kill him because he’s so cute. I think I want to marry him. I think I fuck Falkor because he looks comfortable. And then I kill E.T. because ultimately, he’s giving me the least in a relationship.”
    – Lauren Lapkus (09:32)
• The group riffs on the absurdity and deep emotional logic of such decisions: “His wealth is plants. Oh, boy.” – Paul Scheer (11:05)

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5. Movies Lauren Recommends Most: The “Before” Trilogy

(11:19–15:17)

• Lauren’s #1 recommendation: Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight trilogy.
  • “I love those movies so much…I saw [the first one] in college…it was about my age, you know, like, it was just perfect.”
    (11:36)
• Each film’s meaning shifts with age: “Then I saw After Midnight and hated it…and now I’m the age they are in the movie, and I’m like, that’s the best one, by the way.”
  (11:47)
• Paul and Amy agree, noting how life experience transforms these films and praising Linklater’s use of time as a “special effect.”
• Phones and romance: how tech would change these stories, and the meditative pleasure of films with minimal modern distractions.

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6. Movie Watching in the Digital Age: Presence vs. Documentation

(20:23–21:27)

• Amy shares a viral anecdote on parents experiencing their child’s first steps through a screen:
  • “We are making a perfect record of a life that nobody actually lived.”
    (20:49 – paraphrased)
• Lauren and Paul discuss the challenge of balancing living in the moment against documenting it, with Lauren noting her husband is the household photographer.

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7. Cinema Self-Reflection: Biopic Titles and Theater Behavior

(21:40–24:10)

• On the spot, Lauren names her biopic:
  • “I’ll just give it a name for fun: ‘Trying Not To Think.’”
    (22:45)
• Movie theater preferences: “If it’s empty, I want to be in the back…I like to get that seat where there’s that bar in front of you…Put your feet up, get all cozy. I bring snacks.”
  (23:17)

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8. The Joy of Communal Cinema and Theatrical Experiences

(24:10–26:32)

• Lauren describes the thrill of packed theaters—especially for comedies and horror:
  • “It was a packed theater and everyone was screaming and laughing…That’s my favorite. I would so much rather be in a room full of people watching a comedy.”
    (25:47)
• The sadness of missed premieres during the pandemic and yearning for moviegoing togetherness.

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9. Spoiler-Free Movie Recommendations

(24:10–29:13)

• Lauren and Paul enthusiastically recommend Send Help (current release) and Nirvana the Band the Movie—insisting listeners should go in blind for the full effect.

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10. Disruptions: Phones, Streaming, and In-Theater Etiquette

(28:23–29:13)

• Paul and Lauren lament how phones and streaming encourage passive, distracted viewing:
  • “People always talk about how movie theaters are disruptive…You know where people are on their phone? On your couch, and it’s you.”
    – Amy Nicholson (28:23)
• Google and the urge to “look up” actors mid-film—and why it’s a habit that can kill immersion.

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11. Being on Panels and Awkward Questions

(29:13–33:48)

• Lauren’s first panel experience: a reporter insults her performance:
  • “A reporter asked me…‘Why did you have your eyes open so wide in the pilot?’”
    (30:52)
• Paul shares a disastrous TCA panel mix-up between Regina Hall and Regina King.
• Reflections on the weirdness of being put on the spot and the social awkwardness of audience Q&A.

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12. Should Actors Read Reviews?

(34:01–37:29)

• Amy asks: “Should actors read reviews?” Lauren answers honestly:
  • “I can’t help but read everything…It usually just supports what I might already think…If it’s negative…I feel worse; if it’s positive, I still believe the negative stuff…It’s probably spiritually not good, but I don’t know that I would ever stop doing it.”
    (34:01)
• The hosts reflect on the toxicity of internet comments and making peace with public opinions, with Paul noting the value of avoiding reviews for his recent book.

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13. The Cinema Repentance Booth

(42:11–43:57)

• Lauren’s apologetic stance:
  • “I want to issue my formal apology to Lord of the Rings…There’s something really sweet about the movie…where everyone gives themselves so fully to this world…everybody’s putting their heart and soul into telling this story and I find that very endearing.”
    (42:41)

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14. Final Reflections: Timelessness, Empathy, and Family Movie Watching

(44:31–45:42)

• Amy urges Lauren to show NeverEnding Story to her daughter: “Let’s do it during the horse scene…Be there.”
• Paul: “I think seeing things like that are really good for them, like, to kind of, like, sympathize, emote, have feelings…I think it gives them empathy.”
  (45:20)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

“There are only a few movies I would watch over and over again… If I saw something and loved it into my adulthood, I just wouldn’t watch it again. I would just be like, that’s my favorite movie. And then I wouldn’t watch it again.”
– Lauren Lapkus (04:59)

“We are making a perfect record of a life that nobody actually lived.”
– Amy Nicholson, paraphrasing a viral story (20:49)

“Should actors read reviews? …It’s probably spiritually not good, but I don’t know that I would ever stop doing it.”
– Lauren Lapkus (34:01)

“I want to issue my formal apology to Lord of the Rings…There’s something really sweet about the movie.”
– Lauren Lapkus (42:41)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:03 – Introduction & Lauren Lapkus arrives
• 01:13 – Discovering classics for the first time on Newcomers
• 04:26 – Fear of rewatching childhood favorites
• 07:25 – Sharing old favorites with her daughter
• 09:09 – Gizmo vs. Falkor vs. E.T.: "F, Marry, Kill" game
• 11:19 – Lauren’s most-recommended movie: Before trilogy
• 20:23 – Living in the moment vs. documenting it
• 23:17 – Movie theater snack and seating preferences
• 24:10 – Joy of communal watching, “Send Help,” and “Nirvana the Band the Movie”
• 29:13 – Bad Q&A panel stories
• 34:01 – Should actors read reviews?
• 42:11 – Cinema repentance: apologizing to Lord of the Rings
• 44:31 – Empathy and letting kids witness powerful, emotional scenes

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Tone & Style

The episode is playful, insightful, and heartfelt—a blend of reflective parenthood, cinephile nostalgia, and good-natured self-deprecation. Lauren’s candid admissions and the trio’s camaraderie create a warm, open confessional atmosphere where loving movies and wrestling with their quirks go hand-in-hand.

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For Listeners:

If you love:

• Revisiting nostalgic favorites or sharing them with kids
• Lively, tangential film debates and playful games
• Honest reflections on the anxieties, joys, and awkwardness of movie fandom
  …this episode is a must.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[Amy Nicholson]

Welcome to Unspoiled's Real Confessions, the show where we dim the lights and ask our guests to bare their cinematic souls. We're talking about the movies they love, the ones they hate, the films they're embarrassed to admit they own, and the reasons you might not want to sit next to them in a dark theater. Today, stepping into the confessional, we've got Lauren the Lapkis.

[Paul Scheer]

Lauren, how are you?

[Lauren Lapkus]

I'm so good. I'm so excited.

[Paul Scheer]

I. You know, I'm such a fan of everything that you do. Besides being a fantastically funny actress, a comedian, you also, I think, come to movies. When you and Nicole did your series and you went through a bunch of different genres, the way that you both approached them was one of my favorite things, because, you know, whether it was Lord of the Rings or Fast and the Furious, like, you came in very, like, with, I think, observations that I would. That don't normally hear on movie podcasts, that made me laugh so hard.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Thank you so much. Yeah, it was really fun. That podcast newcomers that we did, like, we had, you know, we were watching movies that we never thought we would watch.

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah.

[Lauren Lapkus]

So, like, I thought I was gonna avoid Star wars my entire life, but. And I think Nicole did, too. We just didn't think about it. And then, you know, getting to sit down with her and watch it was so great, because it's, like, it's the perfect context to get to talk about it, where you just. You can explore all the things that people don't talk about, which is, like, how sexy some of the alien characters are.

[Paul Scheer]

I mean, that's finally right. I do think that there is something about seeing a classic film with some distance. Like, my wife June just watched the Godfather for the first time.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I saw it for the first time a few years ago. Yeah.

[Paul Scheer]

And it was like. And it was so funny because she was addressing it, like, well, this is all in the conversation. Like, we were out at dinner, and she's like, now, let me ask you a question. Now, why does Michael, when he's insisting, like, wait, what are you talking about? Yeah.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Like, we're, like, questioning things that everyone's just taken for granted for, like, 50 million years. Yeah.

[Paul Scheer]

Books have been written on it.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Yeah. It's so true.

[Amy Nicholson]

No, but it's astonishing, like, how much there is left to learn. Like, I watch movies all day, every day, and it wasn't until I went on Newcomers that I realized the Aviator was not about Amelia Earhart.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I just never bothered to watch it.

[Amy Nicholson]

I always thought it was Amelia Earhart.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Movie. That movie was mind blowing to me because I didn't know anything. I don't even think I had that in my head. So it was.

[Paul Scheer]

Hey everybody, One of my favorite podcasts, Talking Pictures, is back for another season. You know this. It's from TCM and HBO Max. It's a podcast all about movies and memories hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, and he gets to sit down with some of Hollywood's most influential actors and filmmakers to discuss the movies that inspired them. I've been on the show. It was the most fun. And this season he is talking to people like Edgar Wright about pacing and montages in film and Rosie Perez about her acting career and how it kind of just began on accident. He's also talking to Patton Oswalt, Susan Sarandon, Hiro Murai, who is a director who did a lot of Atlanta and the great new show Widow's Bay, Sally Field, Tony Goldwyn, and so much more. This season, Ben and his guests are on camera, so you can also watch Talking pictures on HBO Max and Spotify, or listen wherever you get your podcast.

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[Paul Scheer]

Unschooled well, we are gonna get into your cinematic soul here, and I wanted to start out with an easy question. There are movies that we love, movies that defined us as a child. But I know for me, I have a few that I refuse to ever watch again because I'm afraid that if I watch them now, they will be ruined. I can think of a handful in my head like I never wanted to watch Dumb and Dumber again because I enjoyed it so much that I was like, it will never make me laugh as hard as this, so I must

[Lauren Lapkus]

block it off yeah, well, you know, I have. I. I kind of my whole life. There are only a few movies I would watch over and over again. Besides, like, as a kid we had vhs and so you would just watch those over and over. But, like, if I saw something and loved it into my adulthood, I just, like, wouldn't watch it again. I would just be like, that's my favorite movie. And then I wouldn't watch it again. Like, Children of Men randomly is one that I'm thinking of that I was like, that's my favorite movie. And then I've only seen it once. I love that. Yeah. But I like, I was like, that's the best. And then. So, like, I have a lot of movies that I've re. That I have rewatched. Like, Big is my. Is like my favorite movie. I've seen that a million times. I even watched it when I was in labor at the hospital. Oh, wow. I love 13 on 30.

[Paul Scheer]

Does that, like, affect it in a way? Like, I remember one time when I was a kid, I drank mint tea and then I vomited very badly. And the smell of mint tea, even to this day, I'm like, oh, I can't do minty.

[Lauren Lapkus]

It did change it a little bit for me because I have put it on since then and it's a little like, oh, my God. Now the memories are about giving birth. Like, it's like, it's a. Like, I. I considered that a very happy experience. So it's all very. And like, my. And when I was in labor and watching it, I was like, super happy. So it was like, it was still fit into my category of like, I like this.

[Paul Scheer]

Okay.

[Lauren Lapkus]

But yeah, 13 going on 30. I love movies. I love body switching and I love body aging or de. Aging. I love that when an actor has to play a younger age. I just love that. I think it's really funny and like, I just enjoy it. And Big is like, Big is such a classic. But for movies that I got away from, your question that I won't watch again, well, these are good.

[Paul Scheer]

You have it? Yeah, yeah. If you have any. Unless there's one that you're afraid of

[Lauren Lapkus]

that you know, there's a. I mean, there's so much that I loved as a kid that I'm sure, like, doesn't hold up that you just. I mean, you know what? I was afraid to watch for a long time, but then I did watch it again, and it kills. It's Tommy boy. I was always like, that one's so good. I don't even need to see, you know, I don't wanna watch it as an adult. I'm like, no, it's fucking hilarious. So there's some that you're just like, you should watch em again. Cause they're really funny.

[Paul Scheer]

It's good to go back. I've been having a great time recently watching movies that I loved as a kid with my kids. Like, I'm trying to select and then seeing if they find it funny too. And that is really like showing my kids Happy Gilmore.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Yeah.

[Paul Scheer]

I still think is one of my like best like dad film watching moments of the kids. Cause like their minds were blown, like.

[Lauren Lapkus]

And it was. This is what we had with ET this summer. We watched my daughter's four. Well now she's gonna be five. But we last summer watched ET Like a hundred times. And she loved it. And she loves Hocus Pocus, which is another one of my favorites from growing up. And I've now seen them. See, that's the thing with anything like that. I would watch it maybe once every many years. Now with her, I'm watching these movies like 10 times in a row and then it starts. So because I never did that myself, it kind of becomes like this new joy where I now can quote movies. I've never been like a movie quoter.

[Paul Scheer]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Lauren Lapkus]

And so I'm like, oh, wait, I'm like quoting E.T. i'm like quoting Homie.

[Amy Nicholson]

Wait, wait, wait. How would you have handled it if you showed her ET for the first time and she didn't like it?

[Lauren Lapkus]

I mean, I was afraid that she wouldn't like it because it's creepy. And I was afraid because she likes scary stuff. You know, One of her favorite movies when she was first watching movies was Frankenweenie, which is like the Tim Burton animated. Yeah, it's awesome. It's like claymation. It's so good. But she loved that it's all black and white and it's like weird and creepy. And she loved that. So I was like, okay, I think ET Might fall into this category. And she loves him. But one side note is that we got her a bunch of ET Stuff. Cause at that time it was around her birthday and so everyone was giving her ET Presents. And then she got given like the ET Stuff doll. And then she got the one where he's dressed like a lady.

[Paul Scheer]

Oh.

[Lauren Lapkus]

And she did not like that. And it has been like. It's been like I just donated it because she was. She's been so creeped out by it.

[Paul Scheer]

Is, by the way, an Odd choice. And it is creep. Like, when you see E.T. in that wig, in the hat, it's odd. It is very disturbing.

[Amy Nicholson]

But it is really weird how much that anecdote leads into the question that I already had in mind that I wanted to ask you. I want you to play Fuck, marry, kill for us, and I'm gonna give you Gizmo Falkor, ET

[Lauren Lapkus]

Okay. Okay. Okay. Oh, my God, I love these guys. These are the guys.

[Paul Scheer]

And just for people who don't know, I will say Gizmo's from Gremlins. He's the cute furry one. And then Falkor is from the Neverending Story, the big flying dog. Melekta. Yeah. You know, just in case people didn't know. I know that, you know, I mean,

[Lauren Lapkus]

it's hard because I don't really want to kill any of them. Gizmo walks the line because you might have to kill him, because he could turn bad really easily. But I don't want to kill him because he's so cute. So I think I want to marry him. Wow.

[Paul Scheer]

He really jumped up so quickly.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I think I marry him. I think I fuck Falkor because he looks comfortable. And then I kill ET because ultimately, he's giving me the least in a relationship. Like, I'm not getting. I'm not getting romance from this. I'm not getting, like, even conversation. And then on top of it, like, he just kind of mirrors what you do. So, like, then you're kind of like, are we ever really communicating? Are you just, like, mirroring what I'm putting out there?

[Amy Nicholson]

I was embarrassed by how hard I nodded with, yeah, I think you do fuck Falkor.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Yeah, right? You don't marry.

[Paul Scheer]

I mean, choice.

[Lauren Lapkus]

If you marry him, you can fuck him all the time. So I don't know. That's also. That's where it gets tricky in that

[Paul Scheer]

game, because marriage is too big to bring around. I mean.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Yeah, get him fits in my purse. We can go to all the parties. Everyone wants to talk to him.

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah. Oh, he's going to be. Yeah. He's the hit. Always.

[Amy Nicholson]

Yeah, I think something about killing E.T. now, as you were describing it, I started to picture in my head, for some reason, Anna Nicole Smith and her billionaire.

[Lauren Lapkus]

And I was like, there could be

[Amy Nicholson]

an advantage to, like, marrying him if he had any wealth, but I'm not seeing it.

[Lauren Lapkus]

We don't know. Maybe he does. We haven't explored his planet.

[Paul Scheer]

His wealth is plants. Oh, boy. Come on.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Bullshit.

[Paul Scheer]

Is there a movie that you find yourself recommending the Most. Or, like, as you are, you know, when you want to share something, like, you know, maybe some.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Yeah.

[Paul Scheer]

Is there one that you go to, you know, to share with other people?

[Lauren Lapkus]

Absolutely. The before trilogy.

[Paul Scheer]

Oh, really?

[Lauren Lapkus]

Yes. Those are Before Sunrise, Before Sunset. Wait, Before Sunset, Before Sunrise, and After Midnight. Midnight.

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I love those movies so much. I. I saw the first one when I was in college, and it was like, oh, my God, this speaks to me. This is like everything, you know, it's like it was about my age, you know, like, it was just perfect.

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah.

[Lauren Lapkus]

And then, you know, then I saw the next one years later when that came out and loved it. And then I saw After Midnight and hated it. And I was like, oh, my God, this one's so boring. Blah, blah, blah. And now I'm the age that they are in the movie, and I'm like, that's the best one, by the way.

[Paul Scheer]

Yes, I am. So on your page, I saw that. That. I just watched it recently. We did it here on the podcast. Or maybe I just watched them all

[Amy Nicholson]

back then I ran off this. We technically only did Before Sunrise, and Paul was so hopped up that he, like, stayed awake all night and watched all three of them in a row.

[Paul Scheer]

It was amazing because it was like,

[Lauren Lapkus]

oh, I just had. You never seen it?

[Paul Scheer]

I had. But here's the thing. And I don't know if this is a Covid thing. I watched Before Midnight, but. But I never saw the final scene. I saw the scene where they're fighting in the room. And here's what could have happened. Very truly based on me, I could have fallen asleep, and I thought, oh, what a bummer. Way to end the movie. And then I really think. I really do think it's beautiful. And I actually see it moving in a very different light. And I love it now. Really, really love it.

[Lauren Lapkus]

It is so interesting how they change when you rewatch them, too, and you have different life experiences that you're putting onto it. And I recently was working with someone who was. I don't know, she's probably, like, 25 or something. And so I was like, she'd never seen them. And I was like, you have. I was like, you have to watch these movies. So I was really, like, going off about it, but I was like, please tell me you'll watch it. Because I just, like, needed to know. Like, I just feel like when you're that age, watching something like that, it can really move you. And then, like, each. And then each one, like, the way that they grow. And I also just think, like, Richard Linklater is so cool for, like, the way he's so patient to make movies over time. Like Boyhood, obviously. What that. I mean, how many years that take 12 years or something?

[Paul Scheer]

Like, you don't even know what he's working on. He could be working on something right now.

[Lauren Lapkus]

He literally is doing something with Ethan Hawke or. No, the movie that they just did. He said that he wanted to wait until he was old enough to portray this character who is going through this. And I was like, you just waited till he got older. That's like, kind of awesome. I don't know. Like, I just like that.

[Paul Scheer]

I love it because I also feel like he put out two movies this year that are kind of an awards conversation. It's like, that's amazing, the fact that he is. It feels like he makes movies that are so free and like, yeah, I'll just make this. There's no pressure to it. And there's something really beautiful about that. And the conversations are so interesting. And the way he approached it by having them improvise, but then taking it and then rewriting it. And I feel like it also is a reflection of who they are as

[Lauren Lapkus]

people at those times. Yeah, totally.

[Amy Nicholson]

Very much. But I mean, I love that he uses time as a special effect, you know?

[Lauren Lapkus]

Yes. Like, Josh is like letting it like, Boyhood is amazing. I've also only seen it once, but I loved it. I was thinking I should rewatch it, but he just like, the fact that that kid is growing up on screen and you're not. Like, of course we can all suspend our disbelief if it's another actor who's portraying this person at different ages. When have we ever had the opportunity to just watch an actor grow up? Like, that's so fucking cool.

[Amy Nicholson]

Like, I don't know.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I just think, yeah, so cool.

[Amy Nicholson]

And I couldn't have guessed, like, what he would look like as a kid.

[Lauren Lapkus]

You know, he ended up being so

[Amy Nicholson]

much taller than I thought he would be.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Yeah. Yeah. Good for you.

[Paul Scheer]

I also, like, there's something that I feel like is very universal, especially about that trilogy. And I'm wondering, did you know that the 25 year old that you told to watch it, did they like it or did have you not known? Because I'm.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I don't know.

[Paul Scheer]

See, because I'm very curious.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I don't have her number.

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah, I'm so. I just want to know if it holds that same weight. I think it should because it's pretty timeless.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Ultimately, I think it is too, because it's just Two people walking around and talking. Like, they're not. It's not even like, I don't know. I think technology can be so frustrating in storytelling.

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah.

[Lauren Lapkus]

And, like, it's kind of nice that they're in Europe. So, like, you kind of take away the, like, communicating with anyone, you know, like, you take away a lot of, like, things that are. That get in the way of, like, just two people connecting. And like, obviously the phone element that we have now where it's like you're getting texts during this conversation that you're looking at, like. And it's like, oh, I have a side problem. I'm dealing. You know, they would totally put that in now where it's like, well, yeah, yeah.

[Amy Nicholson]

That scene we were talking about it where he's like, let me take a picture of you. And he doesn't bring out a phone or even a camera. He just stares at her with his eyeballs.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I know. Now I'm horny.

[Amy Nicholson]

Falcore.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Falcourt.

[Paul Scheer]

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[Lauren Lapkus]

Unschooled.

[Paul Scheer]

I would really love to see someone break down every movie that could be easily solved by a phone. Because I think that I feel like I'm gonna say boldly 90% of films before cell phones could all be solved with one phone.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Oh, it's always that. Yeah, yeah, we've taken away from the one. She could find him easily even if they didn't give each other their name, you know what I mean? Like whatever. She'd be able to figure out who he was like yeah, yeah.

[Paul Scheer]

And it kind of sucks. It's like it almost like we lose like great premises because it's like well yeah, just. Yeah, just Google or just pay for like an identity search.

[Lauren Lapkus]

It's annoying. Well, and I love that too. Was like the second movie or is it yeah. Where he has written the book and she kind of comes to like see him at his reading and stuff and it's like, it's just like we kind of are missing like she did see. That's not something that was like public knowledge that he's having this book reading or whatever and then whatever. I don't know what year it was. And if the Internet was I think

[Paul Scheer]

by that point, I think it was up and running. I mean, to a certain extent.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Yeah. So. But it's. Yeah, but it's still kind of, like, mysterious. Like, she's still kind of like, oh, here I am. And now we're walking around again, and like, whatever. I got just. There's some romance there that we can't.

[Amy Nicholson]

Yeah. You wouldn't even necessarily know what he's going to look like.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Right, Right. You haven't seen him.

[Amy Nicholson]

Could have changed.

[Lauren Lapkus]

You haven't been stalking his Instagram for the last 10 years while you watched his life. Exactly.

[Amy Nicholson]

Like, I'm going to do something really embarrassing, which is, like, paraphrase an Instagram story. That was somebody else screenshotting a tweet. But I saw it today, and it was somebody saying, like, that they saw a dad videotaping or on his cell phone, his kid's first steps, and that he was watching the first steps through the screen and the kid was approaching him, but he wasn't paying attention to her. And the end line was just, we are making a perfect record of a life that nobody actually lived.

[Paul Scheer]

Oh.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I was like, now I'm really gonna cry. Not. Okay.

[Paul Scheer]

I know.

[Amy Nicholson]

Anyway, that's gonna go in the nose.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Well, when I film my kids, I try to look at them as I'm filming.

[Paul Scheer]

Yes. Sometimes I get that video. But yeah, or I try to get. I try to get it when they're doing something with my wife. I can. I try to be more of a voyeur.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I don't.

[Paul Scheer]

Because when you're in the moment, you are. I try to be in the moment. You know, it's nice to also film

[Lauren Lapkus]

your partner so that there's a record of them doing something with their child, too, because it's like, those are special things to have, like, a video.

[Paul Scheer]

I do believe that there's not many videos or pictures of me. I like, Like, I'm like. I've looked through. I'm like, oh, it's so hard to find me and everybody else.

[Lauren Lapkus]

My husband is, like, the photographer in the family, too. So I. It's like, all the pictures are, like, amazing of, like, me and my kids, which, I mean, thank God. But also, I'm like, oh, I need to, like, turn this around once in a while and hope it's not blurry, because he uses, like, real cameras.

[Paul Scheer]

And I love it.

[Amy Nicholson]

I mean, this makes me wonder, though, what would be the title of the biopic of your life?

[Lauren Lapkus]

Oh, my God.

[Paul Scheer]

It's a tricky one. It's a hard one to kind of come up with right away.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Oh, my God.

[Amy Nicholson]

I mean, the aviator's taken. It's a little bit. I know.

[Lauren Lapkus]

That was hooked. Anyway, aviator's good for most people. Um. Oh, God, this is hard.

[Paul Scheer]

You know, this is.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Well, do you have one of yours? I kind of want to hear if

[Paul Scheer]

you do have one, because I don't know how I would answer it. I always look at this question on our sheet, and I go, if I can't answer it, I'm. I'm. But, like, there might be something. Oh, gosh. Now I'm like, I'm trying to think about.

[Amy Nicholson]

I don't know. Last night I was taking my boyfriend to a mystery play. Like, I didn't tell him what we were going to go see until we got there.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Fun.

[Amy Nicholson]

And he was like, is it called the Agony of Adam, Egypt, Mortimer, and how he's ruining his own life day by day, and time is ticking past, And I was like, yes.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Wow.

[Amy Nicholson]

Except that was all sold out, so we're seeing something else.

[Paul Scheer]

That's a fun. Oh, that's a fun.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Yeah, I mean, I think I guess I'll call it. I'll just. I'll just give it a name for fun. Trying not to think.

[Paul Scheer]

Ooh. Ooh, I like that. That's a tough.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I'm gonna stick with that.

[Paul Scheer]

I like that.

[Amy Nicholson]

You know, I'm not even gonna ask you to explain it, because I think

[Lauren Lapkus]

it's in the title.

[Paul Scheer]

I'm all on board. All right, so let's talk movie theater behavior. Yeah. How do you like to sit in a theater? Are you a person that, like, puts your foot up on the armrest in front of you? Are you, like, you know, what is your posture like, if, you know, without upsetting anyone else? I'm not saying that you're annoying people, but if you have an empty theater, how are you gonna be enjoying?

[Lauren Lapkus]

So I think my ideal scenario, if it's. So if it's empty, I want to be in the back because I want to keep eyes on the situation. I just like to. I want to feel like I'm aware of what's happening at all times. And I'm also a little paranoid in movie theaters, but I. I. With friends, I like to sit. I like to get that seat where there's that bar in front of you. You're at the front of the.

[Paul Scheer]

Before the back. That's a good one. Yes.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Put your feet on the bar. I want to be totally comfortable. I like to bring a sweatshirt and kind of, like, get all cozy. I bring snacks If I. I went to see movies.

[Paul Scheer]

Well, you bring snacks.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I bring snacks. I bring candy. I bring sparkling water or bottle of water. I bring. I might bring some, like, chips or something. Whatever. If I. Because I sometimes don't want to get popcorn. If I want to get popcorn, I go the whole way. I'll buy M and Ms. I'll do the whole thing.

[Paul Scheer]

Right?

[Lauren Lapkus]

But I went to see a movie last weekend or two weekends ago, and it's a new favorite, and I was so happy to be at the movie theater, I went to see Send Help. Have you seen this?

[Paul Scheer]

Ooh, no, I haven't seen that. I saw that. It's Amy.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I can't wait. Oh, my God.

[Amy Nicholson]

Sometimes when I missed it and I'm

[Lauren Lapkus]

just so good, right, Paul?

[Paul Scheer]

It's so good.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I don't know anything.

[Paul Scheer]

Yes.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Don't know anything. I mean, I had seen a little. I had seen enough of the trailer to know that it was the. But I didn't even. I couldn't have even gone, well, that's what I.

[Paul Scheer]

Like, I didn't really know. And I knew, like, all I knew was a little bloody and Sam Raimi. I was like, oh, that'll be interesting. But I got there. I was completely. I kept on, like, I kept on thinking to myself, I don't know where this movie is going.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I never knew. Every time I thought I was making a prediction or guess about it, like, I was wrong or it was just something, or I was just totally surprised by the next thing that happened that I was like, I can't even think about that thing I was thinking about. Like, it was just. I don't even know Sam Raimi. I'm not familiar. So my husband is familiar and was, like, excited for that reason. And he was like, oh, he did Evil Dead. I was like, this feels irrelevant because Rachel McAdams and by the way, she's, like, one of my favorites. She's in so many movies. I mean, About Time is another favorite. That's another time travel movie. Time travel, body switch, whatever. Whatever type. That's, like, one of the best movies I've ever seen. But she's amazing in this movie. She's mind blowing. I, like, I don't want to give anything away to anyone who hasn't seen it. I just feel like everyone has to see it. But I just have to say, like, she. She deserves, like, everything.

[Paul Scheer]

Like, she's just, like, unbelievable.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Incredible.

[Paul Scheer]

I fully agree. It is a. Like, a. Just a brilliant performance. It's such a good, good movie.

[Lauren Lapkus]

It was so much Fun. And we went out. It was like a birthday date for my husband's birthday, and we went out with another couple. And we never do that. We never, like, go see a movie because you get to a babysitter and do the whole thing. I'm like, I'm gonna see a movie. I wanna, like, talk or something. But, like, no, it was the best. And just, like, eating all the food and, oh, my God, I had the best time. And it was a packed theater and everyone was, like, screaming and laughing and, like, that's my favorite. I would so much rather be in a room full of people watching a comedy. Like, Naked Gun, like, blew my mind. And I was like. I truly was. Like, this is the best feeling in the world to all be laughing at a movie together again. And, like, I don't know. I mean, of course, the pandemic took away so much of that. But also, just, like, the way that we all stream everything and everything is put on streamers immediately. It's like, I just really enjoy sitting down and laughing with people.

[Paul Scheer]

Well, I mean, like, you know, like, we do comedy. And now there is such a movement to, I think, release comedies direct to streaming. Right? Like, that's where they live. And, like, when the wrong Missy came out, were you able to see that with a crowd at a time?

[Lauren Lapkus]

It was literally like a month into the pandemic.

[Paul Scheer]

Okay, that's. Okay.

[Lauren Lapkus]

That's crazy. I never got to have, like, a premiere with that, which I would have really enjoyed because it's a silly laugh out loud movie. And it's just like. Yeah, I. And so I do. I feel sad about that. But no, I mean, that's the thing. These things just. You never get a chance to, like, be together and laugh.

[Paul Scheer]

And I know. It's like, it's. It. I feel like it's such a cry. Like, I feel like a theater should just almost have, like, a courtesy slot for, like, any comedy that comes out. Like, just go see it. I just saw Nirvana, the band, the movie.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I have to see this.

[Paul Scheer]

So again, I will not say a thing about it that should not be

[Amy Nicholson]

spoiled in the slightest.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I don't know anything at all. And everyone's just like, you got to see it. So I have to go see it.

[Paul Scheer]

And don't. And be vigilant in finding out nothing.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Paul Scheer]

And I will say, based on conversations that we've had in this moment, in this episode, you will love it.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.

[Paul Scheer]

But, yeah, it is such.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Oh, my God.

[Amy Nicholson]

So specifically. Sorry. I just realized all the levels of watch. I love it.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Oh, I can't wait. Oh, no. I have to go. Oh, my God.

[Paul Scheer]

And. And I just feel like it's such an important thing because I do believe that, like, a communal experience, a horror movie, a comedy movie. It. I think it. I've read this quote. I may have said this before. So we can edit it out or keep it in. It was. Sorry. Ryan Coogler had this quote.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Be or not to be.

[Paul Scheer]

Ryan Coogler had this quote that I thought was so interesting. He said that he hates watching movies at home because when it gets too stressful, he can check out.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Yes.

[Paul Scheer]

And that's the thing. It's tension across the board. Even if it's like, Marty Supreme. It's. Whatever. It's like you're wrecking the flow. Yes.

[Lauren Lapkus]

It's true.

[Amy Nicholson]

People always talk about how movie theaters are disruptive. People might be talking. People might be on their phone. I'm like, you know where people are on their phone on your couch, and it's you.

[Lauren Lapkus]

And it's so annoying, too. Like, to each other. Like, Mike and I will totally be like, can you just put your phone down? Like, I just want you to watch this with me. You know what I mean?

[Paul Scheer]

Yes.

[Lauren Lapkus]

We do it. We both do it all the time. Because it's also very easy to just be like, oh, I got a text. Oh, yeah. And then suddenly you're looking at something on Instagram and you forgot what's even happening, and you're.

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah. You've gone three steps down. Like, it's like you start researching the movie.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Of course, we always look people up, like, yeah, stuff like that. And you're like, I just want to be taken away by this. And with send help. I was not familiar with the other lead actor.

[Paul Scheer]

No.

[Lauren Lapkus]

And then I was so happy that I did. He was wonderful. And I was like, I'm happy. I can't Google, because I don't. Maybe I'll go, oh, yeah, I did see him in that thing.

[Amy Nicholson]

Oh.

[Lauren Lapkus]

And like, no, no, no, no. I want to just, like, watch this performance and be taken away by far.

[Paul Scheer]

Right home. Yeah. It's so good. All right, so we have. This is another kind of a tricky question. I know that you have. You've been on panels, right? You have been in front of people after a screening of it. Like, what do you. If a. Do you have a worst question you were ever asked or what's like.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Like.

[Paul Scheer]

Because it's like. I'm like. It's such an interesting thing when people get up there to ask a question. Do you remember? It doesn't have to be awful, but it's just like an embarrassing or weird, you know, I always think, like, the actor studio, like, I'm on the acting track, you know, or whatever it is. You know, but, like, people, you know, who get up there and try to, like, does anyone ever. Anyone ever tried to pitch you anything? Has anyone tried to give you anything, you know.

[Lauren Lapkus]

You know what stands out to me? This is just the only thing I can think of, which is the first panel I was ever on was for a sitcom that I did the fir. It was my first job. It was like, I. It got picked up. It was like a very. For me, like, very lucky, exciting thing.

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah.

[Lauren Lapkus]

And I had never been on TV before. I had done, like, a couple commercials, whatever. So. Excuse me. It was at the TCAs, like, the upfront. Yes.

[Paul Scheer]

The worst.

[Lauren Lapkus]

And like, I don't know anything. Okay. So you're putting me out there and I don't know anything. And I don't even know what's about to happen. I also feel like I'm a side character. Like, I feel like kind of like I'm just excited to be here. Yay. And a reporter asked me a question that, like, insulted my performance. It was. He basically was like, so we did a pilot, and then we ended up reshooting it and doing the whole season, you know, together. Yeah. And so he had watched the pilot. And. And by the way, I just want to preface this by saying all of my experience acting was on stage doing improv, whatever.

[Paul Scheer]

Sure.

[Lauren Lapkus]

It's coming. Coming to TV with this, like, bigger performance. And it was a multicam show. And he was like, why did you have your eyes open so wide in the pilot?

[Paul Scheer]

And I was like.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I was like, oh, I don't know, like. And I was. And it truly had something that I'm like, oh, I did see that later and understand what he meant. And, like, I've never forgotten it. It was like 15 years ago. But, like, I was like, so taken off. I don't even know what to say. I don't even know what I did say. But I was like. I think someone else kind of stepped in and was like, she's great, like. Or whatever, you know, like. Like, let me off the hook. But, like, it was so uncomfortable. And I've since been, like, kind of put on the spot by people like that a few times where they're kind of trying to, like, I don't know, make you uncomfortable or, like, get something out of you or.

[Paul Scheer]

Like, dig at you and just, like, kind of. It's a real tough spot to be in, especially in a room where there's. It really can be anything. And I'll just tell you, like, that I was on a panel with Regina hall, who is. I love Regina. She's one of the funniest people. And this same thing. Tca, they go, so you're doing Watchmen. You've done Beale Street. Like, what brings you this comedy? And then we realized, oh, she's talking about Regina King.

[Lauren Lapkus]

And I was like, what?

[Paul Scheer]

And it's like.

[Lauren Lapkus]

And then you have to be, like, so uncomfortable.

[Paul Scheer]

And then we're like, no, no, no. That's Regina King. And she's like, oh, right, right. What brought you to comedy? And then you. What brought you to comedy?

[Lauren Lapkus]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Paul Scheer]

She's like, oh, it's just.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Oh, my God.

[Paul Scheer]

And you. And it's an irrecoverable.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Yeah, no, you can't, because you're just like, well, now you don't know what you're talking about at all. And you insulted me, and it's racist and weird, and it's like. It's like everything. It's like everything in one. You're like, just stop.

[Paul Scheer]

Oh, God.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Oh, my God.

[Paul Scheer]

It's a dangerous. It's a dangerous place to be. Sometimes when you have, like, questions from the crowd.

[Lauren Lapkus]

It is. And it's like. It's very, like, unsettling when you also. Like, especially at that point in my life, I had, like, no idea what I was even expected to do in that situation. Like, with any question. Like, I don't know, like, how to answer anything. I've never been.

[Paul Scheer]

I wouldn't know how to answer that question now.

[Lauren Lapkus]

It would be like. I mean, now I might be like, that's kind of rude. You know what I mean? Like, I don't know. But, like, it's just so weird. I mean, even. Still, no, I wouldn't know how to answer because I think I've. I've even more recently had weird questions where I'm like, I feel like a defensive. And then I'm like, I. I wish I had said that differently or I don't know what I said or, you know, like, people. I don't. And I don't know what the goal is with a weird question to somebody. But.

[Paul Scheer]

No, it's. It's. I always find it's like people are trying to get, like, something interesting out of you. But it's the same thing when people ask you, like. And for the most part, like, what brought you to this part? Well, I auditioned, and with a million other things, it's like Paul Giamatti or whatever. If it's like Susan Sarandon, it's like, oh, yeah, I like this. But it's like, most of us.

[Lauren Lapkus]

What made you choose this? Well, I like working, and then this was an opportunity that came in, and I got to do it and get money and support my family. And it was also fun. Like, you know, I don't know, like, what to tell you.

[Paul Scheer]

Like, like, everyone, like, we're just all just tossing scripts left and right like garbage.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I would never.

[Paul Scheer]

Ye. All right, so this might be an

[Amy Nicholson]

awkward question, but you can tell me anything. I will. Yes. Whatever your answer is, we're cool. This is a safe place. Should actors read reviews?

[Lauren Lapkus]

Oh, wow, that's a fun question from you. I mean, I think, first of all, I can't help but read everything that is. Like, I read reviews, I read all that shit. I wouldn't say it's helpful to me necessarily, because it usually just kind of supports what I might already think. If it's negative, you know, I'm like. I'm like, oh, I know, I know. And if it. But then I feel worse, and if it's positive, it's like, yay. But then, like, I still believe the negative stuff, so, like, it doesn't really balance out. Like, you know what I mean? Like, yeah, I don't think it's. It's probably spiritually not good, but I don't know that I would ever stop doing it. It's very hard not to. Like, I often think about, like, people who are not in the entertainment, who aren't being reviewed publicly. Like, if you were being talked about online, wouldn't you want to know what people were saying? Like, I mean, like, it's. It's kind of, like, a hard thing to stop looking at. Like, I. I've stopped, like, searching myself in any way. I don't ever do that. I did that years ago when it was, like, kind of exciting to, like, be in things. And you're like, oh, there's topics and, like, things about me. And then you start going, like, I simply don't. It's not my business. But I often think, like, if. If you're someone who's like, just kind of, like, doing your life, and then you found out there was a whole Reddit thread about you, you might be curious what they said. So, like, it's a weird. Like, it's that part of your body that's like, I kind of Want to know, but I know you kick yourself later.

[Amy Nicholson]

It's so scary to me. Like, I can't imagine. Yeah, honestly, like, sometimes I come across Reddit threads about other people I know, and I'm. And it almost is like. It almost is like a vaccine against.

[Lauren Lapkus]

No, it really is. I've done that too. I've seen. Just not even on purpose. Like, something like, where people are talking about someone who appeared on a podcast that I like or something, whatever, and then I'm like, oh, they're being so nasty. And it's like, know you. Yeah, that's how they are. Like, it's like, anything that's not true about my friend. And, like, it's not true about me when you say the mean thing about me. And like, whatever. Like, right. It's so you. When you see it. It's kind of helpful to just see it and go like, oh, my God, it's just a toxic place. Like, this is not. Even if it's positive, it's like, it's just not good for you.

[Amy Nicholson]

I read comments on other people's reviews to be like, never read comments on my own reviews.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Oh, there's comments on your reviews. Right. I wasn't even thinking of that. Like, there's so. There's a whole world where people are just ripping apart your review.

[Amy Nicholson]

I want them to get rid of the comments on the LA Times in general, because they should. I don't think there should be comments on these comments. Yeah, it's old people comments, and it just makes all of us look embarrassing. It's like 50 angry trolls. And I'm like, why do we even let these people say that every article we write is wrong? It doesn't.

[Paul Scheer]

If you want to enjoy great reviews from a bitter community deadline. The deadline review. Like, the deadline comments under it. They're always so angry.

[Lauren Lapkus]

They're like, he's always like, that guy's so washed up. And nothing's ever gonna come from this. It's like, whoa.

[Paul Scheer]

Whoa.

[Amy Nicholson]

Rough.

[Paul Scheer]

I will say, as I made agreement, Chelsea DeVontes and I both. She said it to me and I said, I'm going to do the same thing. I did not read a single review of my book unless it was somehow given to me as a nice review. But I didn't go in Goodreads. I didn't do anything. And I will say it was lovely because it was nice to be like, I know that exists. I know it's there, and I'm going to just push. By the way, sometimes they're sending you reviews too. And you got to look at them. But it was nice to not get involved because I do think, ideally, what we're trying to do, everybody is trying to, like, work without the voice. We already have our own voice in our head.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Right.

[Paul Scheer]

We don't need somebody that we don't know or respect whose voice is in our head.

[Lauren Lapkus]

No, especially with, like, your book, which I loved. I think that, like, it's. That's such a good point. With something like that, that's so personal, you're like, I really don't need to hear what you thought. Like, I don't really need to hear what didn't work for you. It's like your story. You know what I mean?

[Paul Scheer]

Yes. And it's like. And whatever you're coming to, like, Ian Roberts had this really funny joke. He had this show called Players with Matt Walsh for a while, and I always remember this one scene from it. It is just this moment where a person's ordering some food, and he goes, well, what would you recommend? And Ian's like, well, what does that make a difference? He's like, I could like something that you hate. What I recommend means nothing to you?

[Lauren Lapkus]

No, it's so true. I was actually just watching this new show last night, this new game show called, like, the Average American Something by.

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah. Oh, wow. Oh, yes. I saw the ad for that.

[Lauren Lapkus]

The questions, it's. It's arbitrary. Like, you're voting on something that simply doesn't matter. So it'll say, like, we've surveyed a hundred average Americans. Which. Which let me think of one that was, like, driving me crazy last night. It was like, well, there was one that was like, which potato form can they not live without? Or something. And that one, you're kind of like, okay, that's. Maybe fries are more popular than hash browns. Like, sure. But then it would be like. It would be like, more. Fuck. I wish I could remember the exact things. I was. I was stoned, so it's hard for me, but I.

[Paul Scheer]

Like, but, yeah. But it means nothing, right?

[Lauren Lapkus]

It's like, so. Because how am I wrong? Because you guessed that. Like, it doesn't matter. That's. There's no right answer. Like, so a hundred people said, like, five people said fries, and six people said chips. And, like, I'm wrong now because I said fries or whatever. You know, you're like, that's not right or wrong. Like, it's just random. So, like, what does it matter what you think?

[Paul Scheer]

Well, that's.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I don't even know.

[Amy Nicholson]

Right? It's like, what if it was like a stealth thing being like, we should just get rid of all opinions about Americans? Like, I'm done with polls. I'm done with average voters. To be like, you don't need to hear what anybody made.

[Lauren Lapkus]

If it had layers going on there,

[Paul Scheer]

I mean, to me, I would imagine sushi would be eradicated if the general population was like, would you eat raw fish? People like, nope. And it would be gone.

[Lauren Lapkus]

That's what I do.

[Paul Scheer]

Like, I don't want everyone. Your summer starts now with Memorial Day deals at the Home Depot. It's time to fire up summer cookouts with the next grill 4 burner gas grill on special. Buy for only $199 and entertain all season with the Hampton bay West Grove 7 piece outdoor dining set for only $499. This Memorial Day, get low prices guaranteed at the Home Home Depot while supplies Last priced invalid May 14 through May 27 US only exclusion supplies. See homedepot.com Pricematch for details. Get business done with the new American Express Graphite Business Cash unlimited card with unlimited 2% cash back on all eligible purchases. Unlimited 5% cash back on flights and prepaid hotels booked through American Express. Travel online and a flexible spending capacity that can grow with your business. You'll have the confidence to keep building. Apply today and earn a welcome offer of $1,500 cash back after you spend $50,000 in qualifying purchases on your new card within the first six months of card membership terms apply. Learn more at Go Amex Graphite. All right, so here's our final question for you. If you could, and this is a. If you could only have one actor to be in the. In movies for, like, that's it. You could only see one actor and they could have to do it all. Like, who is the one actor that you are completely down with?

[Lauren Lapkus]

Just, you know, can I pick a man and a woman?

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah, let's do that.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I think that that's fair because I've got my immediate answer. Okay, well, God, I could go. Oh, no, that opens it up so much more. Well, I'm gonna. You know what my first answer is? Donald Gleason. That's my answer.

[Paul Scheer]

Wow.

[Lauren Lapkus]

That's my hero from aftertime.

[Amy Nicholson]

I love this. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I love him. I love everything he does. I enjoy watching him. He was also in Star Wars. Yes, that was unexpected, but a pleasant surprise for me as someone who didn't want to be watching it. And I love him. I also want to say Rachel McAdams and of course, yes, they do both star in About Time, but she's amazing in everything. So I think the two of them together are like a perfect. Oh, it's everything I want.

[Amy Nicholson]

I love this for gender representation. We don't have enough redheaded male actors anyways, like, period. So we can just have all redheaded actors.

[Lauren Lapkus]

He's very charming. He's a delight. He played a creep on a TV show with Steve Carelli. I also liked that. I like all the range.

[Paul Scheer]

I am so I love that you had it right there. I feel like we can't get any better than that. Lauren, thank you so much.

[Amy Nicholson]

Well, we do close with something that we call the cinema repentance booth. And this is where you have a chance to make amends to anything in the world of cinema that you need to formally apologize to. It could be a film, a director, a theater, anything.

[Paul Scheer]

Like some people have said I want to apologize to. You know, like, it could be an actor or a movie that I went out and, like, I talked so much on X and I didn't see it and now I saw it and I actually realized it was good or I changed my opinion, you know, like, whatever it is. Yeah.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Newcomers, in some ways is my repentance for, like, everything, because I'm like, I. And I still. We still on some stuff, but, like, I did find so much to love and appreciate that I didn't expect in everything that we watched. And I wanna issue my formal apology to Lord of the Rings, because I can't say I'm sitting down to, like, put it on, but my husband does love it and he put it on for our daughter and she's enjoying it. And I'm just like, you know what? There's something really sweet, especially the first one. There's something really sweet about the movie and the sort of the way that everyone gives themselves so fully to this world. And I think that's something I can really appreciate about these movies and, like, think other styles of movie that I don't necessarily gravitate towards. Like, Star wars or, like, Marvel or whatever, where I'm like, oh, it's not like, what I would. Or even Fast and Furious, that kind of stuff. I'm like, I wouldn't go out of my way to see it, but everyone's putting their heart and soul into telling this story. And I find that very endearing. I think I almost want to cry. Like, it's like, if you're gonna, like, really hardcore, perform Fast and Furious, you know what I mean? Like, there's something about it that's like, very. Like, it's, like, it's hopeful. And Lord of the Rings, I think, fits this category where, like, people love it. There's so much. Like, one of my best friends, Mary Holland, loves those movies, and I think there's something very sweet about that. So I'm gonna issue an apology.

[Paul Scheer]

I love that. She loves that. I gotta ask about that. That's amazing. Wow. Okay. I love that. That's great. And I love that reasoning, too. I think you're so right. Like, there is a joy there that is. Like, they don't. Like, I feel like when you look at Star wars and you talk to those actors, there's a fatigue there where they're like, ah, yeah, well, I'll do it again. Like, it doesn't feel like. But this. It felt like a summer camp that went on for, like, five years, and everyone was like, it's totally.

[Lauren Lapkus]

We love it. And I just saw Elijah Wood say that he doesn't want anyone else to play Frodo as long as he's alive and able to play him. And I was like, that's very moving. Yeah.

[Paul Scheer]

Oh, wow.

[Amy Nicholson]

That's so sweet.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Well, I know.

[Amy Nicholson]

I mean, Lauren, this has been magical, and I have loved all of your answers for this week. We appreciate you being on the show so much. I really believe the only formal amends I'm gonna need you to make beyond this as your penance is if you have not yet shown your children a neverending story. I think it is time.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I haven't. Okay. Yes. And I haven't seen it since I was a kid, so that.

[Paul Scheer]

Actually, I know it might be tricky,

[Lauren Lapkus]

but let's do it.

[Amy Nicholson]

Let's do it during the horse scene. You do remember the horse scene? Be there.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I do. I just felt like something that was like, AI and I don't love this, but it was like, AI remaking moments that were hard. And it was like the horse getting pulled out of the water, and it's like, fine. Oh, that's like.

[Paul Scheer]

So I love it.

[Lauren Lapkus]

But no, no, I know that's. It's. There's scary stuff in all of these things. We were like, oh, no. Now you have to. Well, ET Dies. You know, she's dying.

[Paul Scheer]

That destroyed my kids. And then they kind of loved it. And there's this idea, like, I think seeing things like that are really good for them, like, to kind of, like, sympathize, emote, have feelings. It's like, I think that that's good. I think it gives them empathy.

[Lauren Lapkus]

That's true. I think it is good. And he also. Then they rescue him and it's really exciting. It's like you have to have those sad moments to get the joy, too.

[Paul Scheer]

So this was great. I love it. This is perfect.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Thanks, guys. It was blessed.

[Paul Scheer]

And make sure you check out our substack each and every week to go a little bit deeper on the movies that we talk about here. It's always free, so join in the conversation. Unspooled is produced by Amy Nicholson, Paul Scheer, Molly Reynolds and Harry Nelson. Sound engineered by Cory Barton, music by Devin Bryant. Episode art by Kim Troxall, show art by Lee Jamison and social media production by Zoe Applebaum. This is a Rome production. See you next week. Bye for now.

[Lauren Lapkus]

Stitch Fix. Stop shopping. Get styled. Not today, sweatpants. Somebody's wearing jeans that fit. Wow.

[Paul Scheer]

No photos, please. I'm just a regular dad who happens to have a stylist.

[Lauren Lapkus]

I really look my best when someone else makes the decisions. Hey, we can all see you two way mirrors. Just share your size, style and budget and your stylist sends personalized looks right to your door. Stitch Fix, get started today@stitch fix.com. i want to hug you. I'm gonna hug you. I'm coming. I'm coming in for a hug. Welcome to Inside the Art House, the go to destination for cinephiles and the number one place for art house cinema and filmmaker conversations. Each week, today's most visionary filmmakers pull back the curtain on the art of cinema. Sharing how stories are made and why they matter. Hosted by Greg Laemmle of the legendary Laemmle Theaters, a family that shaped the movie business for over a century. And Raphael Sparge, actor and award winning director. Together they explore the creative process, the struggles and the triumphs behind the camera and the bold ideas shaping film today. From indie debuts, documentaries to international art house cinema, Inside the Art House dives deep into a world where passion meets craft and where the love of film lives loud. Inside the Art House conversations with today's most visionary filmmakers. Listen or watch wherever you get your podcasts.