Presenting: Julia on Podcrushed

Summary

Wiser Than Me™ with Julia Louis-Dreyfus: Episode Summary

Episode Title: Presenting: Julia on PodCrushed
Release Date: September 18, 2024

In this engaging episode of Wiser Than Me™, host Julia Louis-Dreyfus delves deep into her personal journey, career milestones, family dynamics, and philosophies on life and aging. Through heartfelt conversations and humorous anecdotes, Julia offers listeners a candid glimpse into the experiences that have shaped her illustrious career and personal life.

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1. Opening Anecdotes and Personal Stories

The episode kicks off with Julia reminiscing about a memorable middle school dance, highlighting the early signs of her comedic instincts and the challenges of adolescence.

• Middle School Dance Mishap (00:05 - 00:35):

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus: “My mom made me a super cute dress that I wore to the dance with this Lily Pulitzer fabric and really cute ribbon straps. It was actually pretty fab. And I got to the dance, and God damn it if that other girlfriend, the one who made the cut, was wearing a dress in the same fabric.” [00:05]

  This story underscores Julia’s early experiences with body image and her natural inclination towards humor, even in awkward situations.

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2. Navigating Adolescence and Self-Identity

Julia opens up about the complexities of middle school, particularly focusing on body image and self-confidence.

• Struggles with Body Image (05:12 - 07:43):

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus: “I developed early. Are we talking about that kind of thing on this show?... It was a mass. I was just not super confident. It was just miserable.” [05:24]

  She shares a poignant moment when she unexpectedly got her period at a dance, leading to an awkward yet humorous attempt to address the situation, reflecting her enduring ability to find humor in discomfort.

• Early Experiences with Relationships (07:50 - 09:22):

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus: “I remember the first time I touched a boy in a dance class and realized he was just another person, like me.” [07:50]
  • She recounts her first kiss at a dance, highlighting the innocence and unpredictability of teenage relationships.

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3. The Role of Humor in Her Life

Julia discusses how humor has been an integral part of her life and career, often serving as a coping mechanism and a tool for connection.

• Humor as a Family Tradition (09:54 - 12:23):

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus: “It's sort of baked in... there's a culture of making jokes and cracking up, even in inappropriate moments.” [09:54]

  She emphasizes the importance of humor in her upbringing and how it has influenced her interactions and professional relationships.

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4. Relationship with Her Mother and Personal Growth

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to Julia’s relationship with her mother, Judith, and how it has evolved over the years.

• Bond with Her Mother (13:16 - 15:32):

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus: “My mother and I have a very strong connection... she is intellectually curious, which is why I thought it would be fun to fold her into these conversations on Wiser Than Me.” [13:43]

  Julia describes her mother as a dynamo—an intellectually vibrant woman who continues to inspire her, especially in embracing life as she ages.

• Therapeutic Relationship (15:45 - 17:10):

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus: “When I was having these conversations, I find myself scrambling to jot down nuggets of wisdom... so we created Wiser Than Me notebooks.” [04:37]

  This collaboration with her mother not only strengthens their bond but also serves as a creative outlet for capturing and sharing wisdom.

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5. Career Highlights and Challenges

Julia reflects on her journey in the entertainment industry, highlighting both triumphs and setbacks.

• Early Career and SNL Experience (29:40 - 31:34):

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus: “It was a rough go, but I learned a lot. It was like going to graduate school.” [30:05]

  She shares insights into her time on Saturday Night Live, describing it as a formative experience that, despite its challenges, provided valuable lessons.

• Transition to Seinfeld and Development Struggles (32:36 - 36:15):

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus: “After I did Day by Day, then Warner Brothers wanted to make a development deal with me... I called Gary Goldberg, and he told me to stand up for myself.” [34:50]

  Julia recounts the hurdles she faced transitioning from SNL to Seinfeld, including contractual disputes and the pivotal moment when she learned to advocate for herself professionally.

• Seinfeld’s Cultural Impact (39:28 - 41:06):

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus: “The first time it truly struck me was during the finale... that's when it kind of first struck me that this was maybe Ginormous.” [39:28]

  She reflects on the monumental success of Seinfeld, recognizing its lasting cultural significance only during its finale when the show's wide-reaching impact became undeniable.

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6. Views on Aging and Mortality

Julia delves into her perspectives on aging, mortality, and the wisdom that comes with age.

• Embracing Aging (17:22 - 19:41):

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus: “I was happy not to be in middle school anymore... it made me feel even happier about getting older.” [17:22]

  She contrasts the struggles of youth with the contentment she finds in aging, appreciating the freedom and self-acceptance that come with it.

• Health and Resilience (48:18 - 51:18):

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus: “When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I focused on the ladder, which was just getting through this in increments.” [50:18]

  Using a powerful metaphor from a near-drowning experience, Julia illustrates her approach to battling breast cancer—focusing on small, manageable steps to navigate through adversity.

• Mortality and Spirituality (52:41 - 54:48):

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus: “I am a believer in those mysteries... I'm not a religious person in the standard sense, but something's going on we don't know about.” [54:18]

  She shares her contemplations on mortality, drawing parallels between the experience of waiting for her father's passing and the mysteries of life beyond death.

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7. Reflections and Advice

Towards the end of the episode, Julia offers reflections and advice based on her life experiences.

• Advice to Her Younger Self (54:35 - 55:23):

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus: “I would tell her it's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay.” [55:02]

  She emphasizes the importance of reassurance and the understanding that overcoming challenges often requires personal growth and resilience.

• Handling Creative Feedback and Relationships (25:43 - 29:30):

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus: “I rely on his brain... if something is not working, he'll tell me.” [27:10]

  Discussing her collaborative relationship with her husband, Julia highlights the value of honest feedback and mutual support in creative endeavors.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• On Humor and Resilience:

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus (09:54): “I was just sort of meditating on ladder. And so then when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I just focused on the ladder...”

• On Career Growth:

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus (30:05): “It was like going to graduate school. I was there for three years. I learned a lot. I grew up a lot.”

• On Embracing Aging:

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus (19:08): “I feel better than ever. Like, the pressure from, like, about 14 to 24 was just immense.”

• On Mortality:

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus (52:41): “I am a believer in those mysteries... Something's going on we don't know about.”

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Conclusion

In this heartfelt and insightful episode, Julia Louis-Dreyfus shares the layers of her personal and professional life, offering listeners a blend of humor, wisdom, and vulnerability. From her early days navigating adolescence to her triumphs and challenges in the entertainment industry, Julia’s reflections provide valuable lessons on resilience, the importance of supportive relationships, and the beauty of embracing the journey of life.

Listeners are left inspired by Julia’s candidness and her ability to find light in the darkest of times, embodying the very essence of being "wiser than me."

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Connect with Julia Louis-Dreyfus:

• Podcast: Wiser Than Me™
• Official Website: OfficialJLD

Disclaimer: All quotes are attributed based on the provided transcript and reflect the speakers' perspectives during the episode.

Transcript

[Sophie]

Lemonade.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

My mom made me a super cute dress that I wore to the dance with this Lily Pulitzer fabric and really cute ribbon straps. It was actually pretty fab. And I got to the dance, and God damn it if that other girlfriend, the one who made the cut, as it were, was wearing a dress in the same fabric.

[Nava]

No, Julia.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yes.

[Sophie]

That is really.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

My mother made it.

[Pen]

Isn't that weird?

[Julia]

That's crazy.

[Nava]

It's scripted.

[Julia]

Welcome to PodCrushed. We're your hosts. I'm Pen.

[Nava]

I'm Nava.

[Sophie]

And I'm Sophie.

[Nava]

And I think we would have been your middle school besties fighting over whether we're team Britney or Christina.

[Julia]

Oh, guys, it's Britney, bitch. How was your week, Sophie?

[Sophie]

My week was great. I was in Paris, and actually I was there at the same time as Nava, and I got a couple messages from podcrushers who were like, oh, my God, are you doing a meet and greet? Because they could see that both Nava and I were there, and we had just been in New York with you, Pen. And so it was like a continuation of that time together.

[Julia]

Did you just unironically say podcrushers?

[Sophie]

I do.

[Julia]

Have you. Have you fully embraced?

[Nava]

She loves it.

[Sophie]

Like, stop.

[Julia]

And you had a problem with it, didn't you?

[Sophie]

You guys have said it so much. But, yeah, it did make me think we should do some meet and greets sometime. But, yeah, I was going with my parents and David, and it was. It was lovely. I was so ready for Paris to. For me to feel like it was overrated, but it's not. Turns out it's not.

[Nava]

I was also in Paris, and then I went to a few other places in France. The first week was amazing. The second week, it was like, oh, this is getting kind of expensive, and we're kind of all over each other and, you know, starting to, like, get annoyed by one another. And then my sister, my dad, and I all got sick at the end of the trip, and I was pretty sick when I got back to la. My first couple days back were really rough, but I will say I had hired a dog sitter. She had already left. My dad was not back yet, so there was, like, no one to take care of the dogs but me. While I was very nauseous, like, having a hard time just standing up. And the dogs were so loving. Like, my little dachshund Louie held my hand twice, which he's never done. He, like, clasped my hand between his paws, and Oliver, with his thumb. With his paws. He just. He kept like, holding my hand to comfort me. I swear he knew. And then Oliver would jump on me and just kiss my face, like, way more often than usual. And I felt like the dogs were like, we're with you. We're with you. And they weren't needy at all. I was really, like. I kept crying over, like, how much I love the dogs and how sick I was.

[Julia]

They knew you had French Covid.

[Nava]

They knew.

[Julia]

So sweet. They knew my week, actually. I think it was really lovely. You know, it was like I had, like, a halfway vacation because these guys were on vacation, so I was with my kids a lot. And, oh, man, by the way, the playoffs. I'm just really loving Jimmy Butler and the Heat. To which Nava and Sophie have a.

[Nava]

Response of Miami Heat.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I know who that is.

[Julia]

I'm shocked.

[Sophie]

Miami Heat. Yes.

[Nava]

It's in the right place that I could name, and that's one of them.

[Julia]

So anyway, I'm just like. I'm, like, watching basketball. If you guys really know you're watching.

[Sophie]

Basketball, we're watching succession.

[Julia]

Yeah.

[Nava]

Yeah. Weigh in. Who has better taste?

[Julia]

Today we have Julia Louis Dreyfus. And so for a lot of our listeners, that's all I need to say. That's who we got. Fast forward 15 seconds. For those of you who don't know, I mean, she started out on snl, but that's often forgotten because she played Elaine and Seinfeld, and then she was the vice president in Veep. So I don't know. I mean, she's carved out a singular space in American pop culture and comedy. She's got nine SAG Awards, eight Emmy Awards, two Critics Choice Awards, a Golden Globe, and in 2018, she won the very prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American humor pen.

[Nava]

Is it true you pooped your pants doing a TikTok in front of her?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Oh, my God.

[Julia]

I'm just appreciating the way you said pooped, because here's what adults say, Nava. They shit themselves.

[Nava]

Okay. Anyway, rumor has it. Rumor has it, guys.

[Julia]

Rumor has it. Stick around.

[Pen]

Hey, listeners, it's me, Julia.

[Julia]

We're back for season three of Wiser Than Me, and we have so much more wisdom to share from the legendary older women who have joined me this season. I can't tell you the number of times when I'm having these conversations. I find myself scrambling for, like, a piece of paper or a napkin or.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Whatever I can find on my desk.

[Julia]

To quickly jot down some nugget that.

[Pen]

My guest is sharing in our conversation.

[Julia]

I mean, you've probably had the same experience.

[Pen]

Right.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Well, guess what?

[Julia]

Problem solved. We have created brand new Wiser than me notebooks with fun sayings on the.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

COVID like, get wise or wise up, so you can keep all your newfound.

[Julia]

Wisdom in one place. We just added these groovy hardcover notebooks to our merch shop. To buy yours, head over to wiserthanmeshop.com today.

It will start this way. We'll start now.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Okay.

[Julia]

Hello.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Now.

[Julia]

Hello.

Yes, hello. Welcome to the show.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Oh, thank you.

[Julia]

I have to ask, can you give us a snapshot of middle school, Julia, where you were physically, spiritually, mentally, you know, what was going on?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Well, I am very happy not to be in middle school anymore, and I'm very happy not to be that age. I developed early. Are we talking about that kind of thing on this show?

[Nava]

Anything you want to talk about, Julia?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Julia]

All right.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Well, anyway, I developed early, and I was. On one hand, I was happy to be getting breasts and so on and so forth. And on the other hand, I was very unhappy with my body all at the same time. It was a mass. I was just not super confident. I was. Oh, God. Yeah. It was just miserable. Actually, I'm thinking about it now. Like, I remember. I remember once there was this dance, and there was this dance with boys, and that's what. That's what started to happen. That's right. They used to have, like, mixers. So you'd have. With the boys school, and so there'd be a dance, and the day of the mixer, I got my period and. Yeah. And I remember being so, like, not knowing what to do. This is too intimate. All of a sudden, I'm all. I realize everything I'm about to say, but I like, I gotta get out of here.

[Julia]

I can try and pump the brakes. We can edit.

[Sophie]

There are a lot of period stories on our show.

[Julia]

We weren't many of them.

[Nava]

Surprisingly, Penn has a period story which has made it onto the show.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

That is surprising. Dying to hear about that. Anyway, I just remember very vividly coming into the dance and I was wearing. I think I was wearing pants, but I was feeling very uncomfortable in my own skin. And I was wearing a Kotex sanitary napkin. And I remember doing, like, a thing where I was looking at my girlfriends, and I was sort of, like, going. I tried to make a joke about it, and I was sort of, like, walked in, kind of like into sort of a squatting, and I thought it was funny. And then after I did, I thought, oh, that's not funny. And.

[Sophie]

Oh, it is.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

And it was. It actually. It is funny, isn't it, in the telling?

[Nava]

It is really funny.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah. But I don't think anybody. I remember. My memory is. Everybody sort of peeled away from me at that point. But anyway, yeah, it's not a great time.

[Nava]

Julia, did you know how to talk to boys since you were at an all girls school? Like, did you draw boys at that dance?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

In fact, when I was really little, like when I was in fifth grade, we took. I took a dance class, like a cotillion type of class, you know, And I remember the first time. And you know, we were so young, fifth grade. I mean, like, they would have a break in the middle of this dance class where you learned the foxtrot or the, you know, the box, I don't know, whatever. And the boys, they would give us cookies and juice and the boys would like, spit ice at the girls. That was the way they flirted, if you can call it that. But I do remember the first time I, in the class, I sort of touched a boy and I put my hand on his shoulder and my other hand in his hand, and I remember thinking, oh, wow, his shoulder feels like a regular shoulder.

[Sophie]

Oh, my gosh, that is really cute.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah.

[Nava]

Like, he is.

[Sophie]

He is a human being. He is another person. Just like me.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah, exactly. And I remember, I think it was at that same dance class that I was dancing with the boy once, and we were sort of spinning around, doing some sort of whatever the move was around and around. And all of a sudden he leans in and he just kisses me really quick. And then he sort of pulled back and he goes, who did that?

[Julia]

Was that genuine? Like, that was not.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

He didn't know. I think it just came out of his mouth. I don't know. And I didn't even resp.

[Nava]

Funny.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah. Who did that?

[Sophie]

Julia, you told this story about having this Kotex pad between your legs and doing a bit. And I just thought, oh, my gosh. Okay. She was obviously already so funny. Because I think about myself at that age. I would have never done that. I think I would have, like, maybe retreated instead. And so I think it's so interesting that that was your natural instinct. And I wonder, what was humor like for you at that time in your life? Did you already know you were funny? How were you using it?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

No, I don't. I mean, it's not that I thought I was unfunny, but it was just sort of baked in. I guess it's my sort of go to. And I think in our family it was Sort of. There's a culture of making jokes and cracking up, all very much enjoy laughing in inappropriate moments. Yeah, that's. I mean, that's a piece of it anyway. But, yeah.

[Julia]

Would you seek comedy out specifically or, like, what kind of art were you gravitating to at that age?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Do you remember any kind of performance? It didn't matter what kind. I was just, you know, getting in school plays. I mean, I did the Cherry Orchard. I was head of the Thespian Society. I was just like as many plays and shows as I could possibly get fit into the year. And I still feel just amazed that I'm able to do this for a living, because it was really then an extracurricular activity that, you know, you had to still get your homework done. You had to, you know, study for this exam. But I was, like, desperate to get to rehearsal or work on the performance. That's what I was really laser focused on. So the fact that now it is a focus is a complete treasure.

[Sophie]

Julia, I listened to a few episodes of your podcast, Wiser Than Me, and I was listening to the episode with Fran Leibowitz, and she said that her mother told her, boys don't like funny girls.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Right.

[Sophie]

And you talked about that briefly, and you talked about how maybe there is some truth to that, because there's a lot of power in humor. And I wonder, what was your experience being a funny person at that age around boys? Did you. Did you notice that?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah. I certainly grew up with. I mean, not all boys feel that way, but I certainly knew boys who might. Some not recoil exactly, but not like if a girl was being sort of assertively funny. I know those kind of boys, and they're not boys we want to be with, FYI.

[Nava]

That's true. Yeah. That's important.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I think that being funny is a great. It can be a great sort of superpower in certain situations.

[Sophie]

Yeah. Okay. I know I've asked a lot of questions in a row, but I will ask this one, and then I will zip it. But why?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Why? Isn't this what we're supposed to be doing?

[Julia]

Because I'm a boy who doesn't. I don't prefer power and humor coming from my co hosts. So if you could just zip it up after this, Sophie, I will.

[Sophie]

That's my plan. No, I have to tell you, Julia, that I am obsessed with the fact that you talk to your mom at the end of your podcast episodes.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Oh, good.

[Sophie]

When people ask me my career goals, I'm like, it's to start a podcast with my mom, that's my ultimate. That's my ultimate plan, and I just love it.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Why does it have to be ultimate? Just do it.

[Sophie]

I know, I know.

[Julia]

Well, she's on this one right now.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah, but she can do two. She could do two.

[Julia]

Sophie, do you want to do two podcasts now?

[Sophie]

No.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I do, too. I don't know.

[Nava]

I think you have to. Julia's told you to do it, Sophie.

[Sophie]

I might. I might. I just love that you call your mom at the end of the episodes. And I wonder about your relationship with your mom. Has it always been close? What was it like in middle school? How has it evolved over the years? I also know. I also heard in an episode of your podcast that you entered into therapy with her at the age, like, around 60, which I think is incredible and probably was such a rich experience. So. Yeah. Anything you can tell us about your relationship with your mom and how that's evolved?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

My mom and dad divorced when I was a baby, and right around the time that they divorced, her father actually died by suicide. So it was just her and me for, you know, almost four years. We were kind of this duo. And I think that being a new mom, she was, you know, young. She was 27 when I was born. And being a new mom under these circumstances that were challenging, to say the least, the mothering part was, I think, kind of a savior for her in terms of keeping her sanity. And then she married my wonderful stepfather, and my dad married my wonderful stepmother. And so I was a member of two families. And so I would say that we have a very strong connection just based on even just what I just told you. My mother, she's a writer, and she is a poet. And she, at the age, I'm going to say, of, I believe, 75, maybe 80, she published her first book of poetry. And so, yeah, she is somebody who is intellectually curious, which is why I thought it would be fun to fold her into these conversations on Wiser Than Me, because she's. She's an intellect, and she does things like she goes on. She's 89. She goes on theater trips, she goes to lectures, she takes classes. This.

[Julia]

This woman's a dynamo.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

So she's very much my role model. And certainly when it comes to aging and how to embrace life fully, actually.

[Julia]

That spirit of your podcast, I have to say, I really loved it, but I didn't even realize why until I was kind of deep in it. And the way that you're speaking about maturity, and I mean that literally, like, getting older, which hopefully means In a lot of ways, getting wiser.

Right.

And the fact that, I mean, we all know this, but, like, you just don't hear women in high profile public places, at least speaking about age in this way. You're doing it so directly, so naturally, without hesitation, without any. Like, I didn't even think about it. You know what I mean? It was just like, oh, this is interesting. It's compelling. All of this makes sense. You're having incredible people reflect on their lives and what they've learned, which is like, yeah, why wouldn't we want that? And yet you realize there's this crazy barrier, I think, for all people, but of course, a unique one for women. There's a unique barrier, like, that's not spoken about in this way. And you actually, I feel like in your first episode with Jane Fonda, or maybe you're even saying in the intro, you're talking about how, like, half of the world's population were not getting their wisdom, you know, and it's like, look.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

What we're missing out on.

[Julia]

Yeah, it's unbelievable.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah, we could benefit from this, you know? You know, we're sitting on a gold mine. We're sitting on a gold mine here.

[Julia]

How much money is the podcast making?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Ka ching, ka ching, ka ching.

[Julia]

That's all why you started it?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah, I started it for the money.

[Sophie]

Yeah.

[Nava]

Julia, just while we're on the topic, what's been the most surprising part of the podcast or, like, anything that's sort of come up again and again? Like, what are you gleaning from it that maybe you didn't expect to?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Well, I mean, you know, there are certain things that people have said, of course, that I take to heart. I think both Ruth Reichel and Amy Tan both said. Talked about doing things that frighten you and how important that is. But I think, you know, generally speaking, it's made me happy doing this podcast. I've just. I've really, truly enjoyed these conversations. You know, I'm authentically curious to hear from these people. And actually, in fact, when I was speaking to Isabel Allende, she. I made a joke. I said, my God. She was describing her life and how good she's feeling right now. I can't remember how old she is. I think she's 82 or 83. And as she was sort of characterizing where she's at, I had this feeling like, God, I can't wait to be in my 80s for real. I mean, it was like, there's a lot of stuff that you can let go of.

[Sophie]

Yeah.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I Think it's hard to be young?

[Julia]

Yeah. Actually, that's what you say in your first episode.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

That's right.

[Julia]

And that's kind of why we do what we do.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Exactly.

[Julia]

That's the beginning of all of this.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

That's the beginning. That's right. Yeah, exactly. You're at the beginning. I'm doing the end. Ish. But I mean, it is hard to be young, and there's an enormous amount to look forward to as you age and the more experience you get. It's just. You can, I think, maybe relax into yourself, hopefully so much.

[Julia]

I mean, even as, like, I'm 36 and I know that sounds very young, but, like, it's not 20.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

No, it's not.

[Julia]

And I feel better than ever. Like, the pressure from, like, about 14 to 24 was just immense like that.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I think being in your 20s sucks, actually. I think it can be really difficult, you know, And I was, by the way, I was working and stuff in my 20s, but I didn't. There was so much. What's the word? Discomfort. Yeah. So I like, I personally, it's made me feel even happier about getting older.

[Julia]

I'm happy you're doing it.

[Nava]

Thanks, Julia. We have a couple more questions about adolescence, and then we'll talk about your amazing, illustrious career. But we have a question we ask everyone, which is to share about their first love and heartbreak.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Well, I mean, I. I had a boyfriend in high school who I was really. I really liked him a lot. And then I found out that he was cheating on me with his girlfriend that he had had before. Oh, I'm trying to. Yeah, okay. I'm not trying. I'm not saying anybody's names. I have to be very careful.

[Julia]

Probably best.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

So I had. I told him. I gave him an ultimatum, and I said, it's got. It's either me or her. And of course, he chose her. So that was a real bummer. And then again, back to another fucking dance. There was a dance, and there was this. And my mom made me a dress. And this is the 70s now. There was a dress label, and they had fabrics, too. It was called Lily Pulitzer. I don't know if it's around anymore. It probably isn't. Doesn't sound very preppy. Okay. Very preppy. Sort of bright colors. And my mom made me a super cute dress that I wore to the dance with this Lily Pulitzer fabric and really cute ribbon straps. It was actually pretty fab. And I got to the dance and. God damn it if that other girlfriend, the one who made the cut as it were, was wearing a dress in the same fabric.

[Nava]

No, Julia.

[Sophie]

Yes, that is.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

My mother made it.

[Pen]

Isn't that weird?

[Nava]

That's crazy scripted.

[Sophie]

It's like, yeah, she spied on your mom.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

The fabric's not cool. Not cool.

[Nava]

Stick around. We'll be right back.

[Pen]

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[Julia]

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[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

So if you've ever thought I should.

[Julia]

Really start saving for the future. But after this next episode, Acorns is for you. Their mission of making investing accessible has resonated with so many people who previously thought getting smart with money just wasn't for them. Head to acorns.com wiser or download the Acorns app to start saving and investing for your future today. Paid non client endorsement compensation provides incentive to positively promote Acorns Investing involves risk Acorns Advisors LLC, an SEC registered investment advisor. View important [e-mail] wiser.

[Nava]

I want to ask about your new movie.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Sure.

[Nava]

Which is called you Hurt my Feelings. And in the movie which we had an opportunity to screen, it looks like one of the central themes is sort of how family members hurt each other's feelings the most when they're actually trying to encourage each other. And I was wondering if that resonates with you. And I don't wanna give anything away, but there's this amazing scene where you find out your husband feels a different way than you thought and you're trying to say that you don't care, but you obviously are emotionally really, really caring and I was wondering how that is for you and Brad. Has there ever been a project that he wasn't that enthusiastic about? Are you guys able to talk about that candidly?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

The movie centers around this couple who are have had a long and happy marriage. She's a novelist and her husband is a therapist and she's just written her second book and she hasn't heard from her agent about it and et cetera, et cetera and her husband keeps, has read multiple drafts. He keeps telling her how much he loves it, he thinks it's fantastic, it's a wonderful book, you know, feel good about it, et cetera, et cetera. Only then does she overhear him saying to her brother in law how much he hates the book. And her world is rocked to the core. So the movie is about obviously truthfulness and honesty in relationships. And also it also examines, I think, like, are you. Your work? Who are you separate from your work? What is your worth separate from your work? And so with my husband, I do very much rely on his input for projects that I do. You know, be it a script, be it an edit, I'm always going to him for. I need his thoughts, I need his brain. In fact, I'll say, can you put your brain on this? And so I do rely on that. And I also rely on him to tell me the truth. So if something is not working, he'll tell me. And he's, and he's, you know, he's kind about it. If it's a, if it's a proper criticism, he can find a way to be kind about it. And sometimes we might argue, but. But it is. And vice versa, by the way, so. But I rely on that as a creative person. I really rely on his, on his brain.

[Sophie]

I find that to be so relatable. My husband David is a producer on the show, but he is an artist and I'm also an artist. I'm a visual artist mostly, and he's a musician. And I really rely on his brain. He doesn't rely so much on my brain for his work, but I rely on his brain. And we've had to like, time and time again. When I, like show him a project, something I'm working on, it's time for him to give feedback because he will be honest with me and thoughtful, but we've had to really figure out what is the best way. I'm also sensitive. So, yeah, it's just, it's very relatable. I think that that's a hard thing as an artist, to separate yourself from the things that you create.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Totally.

[Julia]

And in our industry, I feel like in particular, it subsumes people and their families. I don't necessarily always mean in a negative way, but it's just like the hours alone are all consuming. They can be.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

They can be. Yeah.

[Julia]

And then just. Yeah, just like the, the impact of like a successful artistic person in a family, I think can be just huge, you know?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Totally.

[Julia]

You've been a part of A handful of really iconic things. Something that we think a lot about here is the theme of rejection.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Oh, yeah.

[Julia]

And there's something that you've spoken a lot about in terms of. Like, when you first got on snl, you were with Larry David. You speak about, like, just feeling kind of. Or at least he was feeling quite shafted on the show.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

And I was shafted, too.

[Julia]

Yeah.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah, for sure.

[Julia]

So you're having this, like, what surely felt like you. In a way, you'd gotten to the summit already.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Oh, yeah.

[Julia]

And then you were feeling immediately rejected.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Like, was that like, this isn't at all what I thought it was gonna be? Yeah, yeah. It was hard. It was very difficult. I mean, I had no idea how to perform in front of a. In front of a live television audience. I didn't go there with a bag of characters, a bag of tricks that I could pull out and do X, Y, or Z in a sketch. I did not have that. I was just. I thought people would just write for me and I would do funny sketches, you know, but it's not like that. It's pretty. It wasn't like that then. It was kind of pretty, dog eat dog. And so, yeah, it was a rough go, but I learned a lot. It was like going to graduate school. I was there for three years. I learned a lot. I grew up a lot. I didn't come out of that show a star by any means. In fact, hardly nothing. But I came out with experience. I had a lot of experience after that, and I think it helped me figure out my certain kinds of priorities that I had from a creative point of view. So that was good, Julia.

[Nava]

Sort of. Lorne Michaels famously came on Cleaned House. You were one of the people who was let go. And I'm sorry to ask you to revisit a dark day, potentially. But I am curious, like, what was the next day like for you? Do you remember it?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

No, I don't. I just assumed I wasn't. Can I tell you something? I was so low on the totem pole that it wasn't even a consideration that I would have been kept there. I mean, I. And I didn't get a call like, you're not coming back. I never heard from anybody. Yeah, well, see, it was a different administration at SNL when I was there. It was a. Lorne Michaels was not there. It was a guy named Dick Ebersol. And so he was there for those three years that I was there. And then when he left, everybody who was on the show left. Actually, I think the Whole cast, tell you the truth. And then Lorne came in and did his thing, which is understandable. So. But no, I was not even remotely crushed when that happened.

[Julia]

And were you excited then to be in New York and to be like, were you. Were you trying to be in theater then or were you.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I was trying to be in. I was trying to get jobs. I was auditioning and having no success. None.

[Nava]

Was Seinfeld the next big project?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

No, what happened was I went to LA for pilot season. They used to have. Pilot season? Yeah, remember pilot season?

[Julia]

That's what brought me at 12 years old to.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Right. So. But I don't think there's pilot season anymore.

[Julia]

There is. It's. There's vestiges. I think there's really. I think it's like there's still a time.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

There's a period of time in which kind of scattered. It's all mushy. Yeah. Anyway, and I went there and I did get a pilot and it was a spin off of Family Ties and it didn't get picked up, but it did get me noticed by more people at NBC. And then I got another series that was short lived. It was two years I was called Day by Day and I was the snarky neighbor next door to a daycare, a preschool. And yeah, so that's, you know, things started to happen. You know, I wasn't like, you know, huge famous person at all, but I was getting work and that was meaningful.

[Julia]

Is it true that you were. You were about to, like, sign a development deal with Warner Brothers before you did sign?

[Nava]

Yeah.

[Julia]

Yeah. Right. So then you definitely were like, you were.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Well, after I did Day by Day, then Warner Brothers wanted to make a development deal with me. And we did. We made a deal. I had a creative out based on the material that was being developed. And it turned out it didn't work out, this material. And so I did bow out. And maybe two days later I got these Seinfeld scripts, Seinfeld Chronicle scripts sent to me by Larry Davis. But what was interesting is that then Warner Brothers threatened to sue me because they thought that I had pulled out of the deal because I had gotten these other scripts when in fact that hadn't happened. And I was really scared because, you know, it was Warner Brothers.

[Nava]

That's horrifying. Yeah, that's terrifying.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Horrifying. And I was just this girl who was an actress, you know, I mean, I wasn't like. I didn't have. I felt very small and because I was. And in fact, I had, you know, representatives who were saying to me, you better just give them their money back. Give them their money back. You know? And I said, but if I give them the development money back, which, by the way, won't that imply that I did something dishonest, that I broke the contract? And they're like, just do it just to get rid of this problem. And I called because it didn't sit well with me. And so I called Gary Goldberg, who was the head of. He's the guy behind Family Ties. He was the creator. He's since passed. Wonderful human being. He did Family Ties. He did Spin City. He was a huge force in. At NBC and in television specifically. And I called him and I told him this story, and he said, you know what? I don't respond well to bullying, so just tell them to fuck off and don't give them their money back. And it really. It really emboldened me to stand up for myself. And so that's what I did. And they just went away. That was the end of it.

[Nava]

That's amazing. Wow, Julia, that's incredible.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah, it is incredible. That was a seminal moment for me when he said that, because it was bullying.

[Nava]

By the way, Julia, when we heard that you might come on the show, I started to rewatch Veep. I watched it the first time, obsessed with it. One of my favorite shows ever. So brilliant in it, in the rewatch. I was watching with my sister, actually. We were just in France together. We were, like, crying, laughing at the scenes between you and Tony Hale. They're just so good. And so I had sort of two related questions. One is, like, how did you and Tony get through those scenes? And I won't presume that it's him. Who is the actor that you've worked with that, like, makes you break the most? Those are sort of two things I was wondering as I was watching.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Oh, well, I don't know how Tony and I got through it, because we had so much delight in making that show and coming up with all of the bits and bobs of physical things that we sort of discovered in rehearsal. And, you know, it was like we were doing a dance, you know, and so we have. He would really break quite a lot, but I would break, too, because he made me laugh. So I was just. I don't know what to tell you. I was just enjoying it beyond belief. And he definitely. He's the one who certainly has made me laugh. Well, I mean, in recent. Yeah, the most. I mean, for sure. He's just. It is. His performance is so sublime and so Authentic and tender, and that's who he is. He's a very tender, wonderful guy. God, you should have him on this show.

[Julia]

I've always been fascinated by him. I love him. I mean, ever since the rest of development, like, I just.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Oh, you need to have him on this show. Yeah, I would, because this is really. This is like his talking about middle school. Ooh.

[Julia]

All right. You know, I was thinking about that before we had you on, and now it's confirmed.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah. Okay.

[Nava]

Julia, I don't know why I want to point this out, but I feel like he's always in your face, too. Like, I've never seen two characters. He's just, like, always physically. And I just wondered, was that ever uncomfortable to film?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

No, I loved every second of it. I loved every second.

[Julia]

No, like you said, it's like a dance. I mean, it's not like a dance. He was like, people around you finding ways to bounce.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah.

[Nava]

He had, like, a crush on you. He's always trying to, like, touch you an extra second. So it was so interesting.

[Sophie]

Julia, you've been in so many, like, several iconic comedic franchises in American culture. And I. I have to bring up Seinfeld. I love Seinfeld.

[Julia]

I told her not to do it, but she.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I really wish you would not discuss it, Sophie.

[Sophie]

It was in the contract.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I will never talk about that show.

[Sophie]

I love it so much. I watch it with my husband. I wanna know, was there a moment when you realized, like, oh, this is huge, like, this is gonna be a cultural phenomenon, or was it just kind of. Did it just happen?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

The first time I. It sort of truly struck me was when we were doing the finale. We shot the show at CBS Radford in Los Angeles, and we were on stage nine, which you could see from the gate of the studio. You could see the entrance into Stage nine. And so when we were. So when we were doing the finale, they had to put up big barriers by the gate because there were people on the other side with long lenses trying to take pictures of who was going to be in the finale.

[Nava]

Wow.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

And I remember thinking, seriously, I mean, does everybody. I mean, come on, really? Do you give that much of a shit? I mean, you know, it's just. And then I remember thinking, wow, I guess this is really a big deal. I mean, it was a big deal to me, personally, because I was doing the show for nine years, so it was my heart and soul, of course, but to see the impact in that moment, that's when it kind of first struck me that this was maybe Ginormous.

[Sophie]

And I mean, so long lasting. There's only a handful of shows that I think have been that long lasting and have picked up new audiences, like, generation, generation after generation.

[Julia]

But there's also just nothing like it. I mean, yeah, this is.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

It's a funny show. There's no doubt. Funny's funny. Yeah, funny's funny.

[Julia]

No, and I mean, it's like. It's just. It's plain. It's a rarely objective fact.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

It's just not anything else.

[Nava]

Yeah. Julia, I'm sorry to go back to Veep. I did want to ask you one other question because you're sort of famously political and activist. I was looking at your Instagram, and it's like, so you give so much real estate to promoting social causes. And your character, the administration that she's part of is, you know, abhorrent. Some might say. Yes. But at the time that you started playing the character, you know, there was one administration in place, and then the political situation in the US Started to change, and things that felt like satire in your show started to feel like this is what happens in real life.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Correct.

[Nava]

And I was wondering how, if your feelings about the character changed, and did you ever start to feel nervous, sort of, as the political landscape changed while you were doing that show?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I'm not sure I felt nervous, but I did start to question how we really could pull off this satire because the Trump administration was doing really a better version of our show, except it was tragic and not funny at all. So, yes, the satire of our show, the tenor of it kind of changed, and it was like. Like we needed to change, outdo them. It was more of a challenge and sort of one of the reasons we kind of stopped doing the show. Not the only reason, but one of them. Yeah, but it sure was fun. I'll tell you, man, I just loved making that fucking show so much. I really did.

[Nava]

It was very special.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I did. I mean. Yeah, it was great.

[Julia]

So does Baltimore feel kind of like a home away from home now?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah, the first four years were in Baltimore, and then we moved to Los Angeles, which was nice, because the bulk of all of our actors and writers at that point actually were in California. So it was. Not everybody could be with their families.

[Julia]

Yeah, it was actually.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah, it was hard to be away. The romance of being on vacation wears. I mean, on location wears off pretty quick. The one thing that was great is that we really bonded as a cast and with the writers as well. We were sort of. We all kind of clung to one another, and I think that showed up on screen? Actually, there was a familiarity that we had with one another that was something we could really tap into, which was nice.

[Sophie]

And we'll be right back.

[Pen]

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[Julia]

There'S nothing better than slipping into soft, luxurious sheets that make your bed the coziest place on earth. That's exactly what Cozy Earth delivers with their best selling Bamboo sheet set sheets designed to transform your sleep and make every night feel like a retreat. Made from 100% premium viscose from bamboo, these sheets offer unmatched breathability, keeping you several degrees cooler through the night. No more tossing and turning from overheating, just cool, comfortable sleep the whole night through. And with every wash they get even softer, which is just amazing. Plus, these sheets make the perfect gift. Whether you're treating yourself or someone else. They're a thoughtful way to give the gift of better sleep. Because who wouldn't love waking up refreshed wrapped in the the softest sheets imaginable. Plus, with Cozy Earth's 10 year warranty, there's no need to worry about pilling or wear just silky smooth sheets that are built to last through countless cozy nights. Whether it's for yourself or someone on your list Cozy Earth's bamboo sheet set is the perfect way to embrace the season and gift a little comfort this year. Wrap the ones you love in luxury with cozy earth. Visit cozyearth.com wiser and use our exclusive 40% off code wiser to give the gift of luxury this holiday season. That's cozyearth.com wiser if you get a post purchase survey say you heard about Cozy Earth from the Wiser Than Me podcast. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Let's take a moment to express some gratitude.

[Pen]

We here at Wiser Than Me would love to thank all of the incredible women we've had on this show so far and all of the women out there, our friends, moms and mentors who are constantly finding ways to inspire us.

[Julia]

Life can get overwhelming, and whether it's friends, family, or even a therapist, it's important to recognize those who support us and to remember to thank ourselves along the way, too. Remember, just doing your best is no small feat. Therapy helps us stay connected to that sense of gratitude, even when life feels chaotic. It creates space to reflect on what's going well, builds habits that nurture appreciation, and reframes challenges with a new perspective. If you've ever thought about starting therapy, now might be the perfect time. BetterHelp offers therapy entirely online, making it convenient, flexible, and designed to fit your schedule. Just answer a few quick questions to get matched with a licensed therapist and you can switch therapists at any time without extra costs. Therapy isn't just for those navigating big challenges. It can also help with everyday things like building positive coping skills and setting boundaries so you feel empowered to show up as the best version of yourself. Let the gratitude flow with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com wiser today to get 10% off your first month. That's better. H E L p.com wiser.

[Nava]

Julie, I heard you share in another interview, sort of a comparison between how you approached your breast cancer diagnosis and a time when you had to make a recovery in the ocean. And I wonder if you can sort of tell that story and tell us what the metaphor was.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I was in the ocean and I was swimming around. I was far from the boat and we were actually my husband. This was many years ago. I mean, I think I was like, really? I mean, I was like in my 20s. Anyway, whatever. And so we were doing this. It was a science boat actually. Okay. None of these details matter. What am I doing? Okay. So anyway. What?

[Julia]

Taking notes?

[Nava]

We love it.

[Julia]

Yeah. What month do you think it was?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I'M trying to remember what bathing suit I had exactly. And I had one of those snorkels that goes. Anyway, so I'm toodling around in the water, and my husband comes to the bow of the boat, and he goes, jules, I don't want you to panic, but you need to come back to the boat now. There's a shark in the water.

[Nava]

God.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Right? Doesn't that just make you die? Did your heart just drop?

[Nava]

Like, what?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Dropped? Yeah, dropped.

[Nava]

Oh, my gosh.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

And so I thought, okay, there's the ladder. And I was far. Okay, I'm telling you, I was far away from the boat. Okay, there's the ladder. I see it. I'm just going to keep my eyes focused on the ladder, actually, as I say this. Mike can feel my heart racing.

[Julia]

Yeah. That's intense.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

And so how can I.

[Julia]

This is detail. I do want to know how were you swimming? Was it like a. Yeah.

[Nava]

Cause you're trying not to draw the shark's attention.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

You were doing the. Yeah, I was trying to actually swim calmly, and I was doing. Which is freestyle.

[Nava]

Freestyle.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Freestyle.

[Nava]

Freestyle.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I was swimming freestyle. Cause that's. I can get faster. I'm faster. The crawl is not gonna take me there quick enough.

[Nava]

Yeah.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

And so. Or the butterfly. Can you imagine?

[Julia]

And you can do it.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I don't know. That's a lot. You're making a lot.

[Sophie]

That's commotion.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Noise in that water. So anyway, I kept.

[Sophie]

Did you see the shark? Did you see the shark? Or you were just like, okay, I need to swim?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

No, my husband saw it. I did not see it. And my plan was not to look at the shark.

[Nava]

Yeah, yeah, good point.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

My plan was to look at the ladder, and so that's what I did. I just kept my eyes focused on the ladder, and I was just thinking about the ladder. Literally, it was like, you know, probably without even realizing it, I was just meditating on ladder. And so then when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, which was like having a shark in the water, I just focused on the ladder, which was just getting through this in increments and onto the ladder and onto the boat, not considering the danger, not focusing on the danger, but focusing on the. The. The way out of the danger. And that's what I did with. That's the mindset that I had when I was going through my cancer romp, as it were.

[Julia]

Cancer romp.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yes.

[Julia]

That's a new one. That's a new turn of phrase.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

It is. I hope it doesn't take.

[Julia]

Yeah, it's a viral moment that we will exploit your insensitivity.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I'm allowed to do that. I'm allowed to. I'm playing the cancer card.

[Julia]

We'll let the Internet decide.

[Nava]

Julia, I think that's such a helpful. Obviously, the patterns of thought that we have influence illness. I think healing is also tied up in the mind and our will. So I think that's really a helpful mindset to focus on healing instead of illness. Somehow that helps the healing process.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah. And also I think little steps. Focusing on the little step to get you there, you know, manageable parts. As my son's teacher used to say, when a project would feel too overwhelming, let's just break it down into manageable parts. And that really applies. God, does that apply? That applies to so many things in life, and it's so useful. It's so useful. From the mundane to the most critical aspects of life.

[Julia]

I think we all confront death in ways big and small, all the time, and eventually we all do it. What's been your views on mortality and spirituality over time, and where do you land now?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

My father passed away. What year are we in? 2023. So he passed away about seven years ago now. Now. And I was with him when he passed, and that was an extraordinary. And I spent a lot of time with him during his sort of the last couple months of his life leading up to his death, and I found it to be a remarkable experience to have been able to be with him during that time. And this is going to sound odd. I actually. Isabelle Allende and I sort of spoke about this on the podcast. Being with him and waiting for him to pass what felt very much like waiting for somebody to give birth. There was a similar. I'm not suggesting it was a joyful thing, but there was a similar feeling of awe and mystery about it. And now, as I say it, I start to cry. But it really, it. The parallels are there for certain.

[Julia]

Yeah.

[Sophie]

Yeah.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

And so I am a believer in those mysteries. You know, I'm not a religious person in the standard sense of the word, but I certainly. I mean, something's going on we don't know about. Right. That's what I would say. Something for sure. And I'm interested in that, and I have enormous respect for it. Yeah.

[Sophie]

I'm a Baha'I, and there's a prayer in the Baha'I writings. There's a line in it that says, like, make them or make me a confidant of thy mysteries, which I think is so beautiful.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Yeah, it's gorgeous.

[Nava]

Yeah, that's beautiful. Julia, we have a final question that we ask every guest which is if you could go back to your 12 year old self, spend a little time with her, what would you say? What would you do?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

I would tell her it's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay. That's it. Love that. Yeah, yeah.

[Julia]

Do you think she would listen?

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Definitely not. You have to pass through. You've got to pass through the difficult stuff to get to the calmer place.

[Nava]

I think this has been such a delight, such an honor.

[Sophie]

Thank you so much for giving us your time.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Thank you. It's been so nice to talk to you guys and yeah, what a nice conversation. Thank you.

[Nava]

Thank you.

[Sophie]

Thank you.

[Julia]

Thanks for coming.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Thank you.

[Nava]

You can watch Julia Louis Dreyfus new film youm Hurt My Feelings in theaters now. You can listen to her show Wiser Than Me wherever you get your podcast or you can follow her online at OfficialJLD.

[Sophie]

David's going to keep coming in like there's some things I need to handle in.

[Nava]

View him at the end. You got to intro him.

[Sophie]

No, he'll kill me if I do that.

[Nava]

Will he kill me if I do it?

[Sophie]

Yeah.

[Nava]

He's turning red.

[Sophie]

This is his actual middle school crush. Basically.

[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]

Stitcher.

[David]

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