Regina Hall

[00:00] This episode is brought to you by Allstate. Checking Allstate first could save you hundreds on car insurance. Not checking your pockets before putting clothes in the washer? [00:09] Oof. Enjoy your freshly cleaned and completely destroyed earbuds. Yeah, checking first is a good plan. So check Allstate first for an auto quote. It could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Potential savings vary subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate North American Insurance Company and affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois. [00:29] This episode is brought to you by Ultima Replenisher. You know what no one has time for? Over-the-top wellness trends. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for taking care of yourself, but being healthy should make your day better, not harder. And that's where Ultima comes in. With all six essential electrolytes, Ultima provides balanced hydration that fits right into your day. Available in delicious plant-based flavors with no sugar, calories, or carbs. Shop Ultima on Amazon or in-store at Target and Whole Foods Market. [00:59] Thank you. [00:59] Hello everyone, welcome to another episode of Good Hang. So excited to talk to Regina Hall today. I love Regina, I love her work, and we're going to talk about a lot of fun things today. We're going to talk about her incredible range as an actress, we're going to talk about the difference between phobias and phonias, we're going to break down what it's like hosting award shows, and we're going to discuss her new movie, her great new P.T. Anderson movie,

[01:29] But we always do this before we have our guests. We talk to someone who knows our guests, who wants to speak well behind their back. And we have a great guest today, the extremely talented Andrew Rannells. Andrew was Regina's co-star on Black Monday. He is the imaginary father of the imaginary twins, Don and Don, that they seem to share. A little inside joke on set. [01:59] You know him from Too Much, Lena Dunham's new show. He's just... [02:04] a real peach. [02:05] So let's get them on. Andrew? Andrew? [02:10] Are you there? [02:23] There you are on your set and everything. There you are. It's so good to talk to you. It's great to talk to you. Thank you for asking me to do this. Are you kidding? Thank you so much for doing this. I know you and Regina are good buds. [02:36] We really are. And she has such a great rep. She really does. I've yet to meet anyone who doesn't say like, ah, she's the best. It's always a good idea to hang out with Regina Hall. Okay, we're going to get to Regina. But first of all, I'm very, very excited to talk to you. [02:54] To me? Of course. I hope I can get you in the stude one of these days. I would love it. I mean, I haven't got a chance. I feel like you and I probably crossed paths and like been in the same room at a fancy event. But I am a very, very big fan of your work. Well, that's very generous of you to say because I am a huge fan of your work. And I always get very nervous when I see you.

[03:25] Should I not talk to her? Am I talking to her for too long? Oh, yeah. You know, it's like, should I get in, get out? It's one of those things. I appreciate that. Because it usually is at some event that, like, there's a bunch of people around. And it's like, I don't know, there's like a receiving line of people who want to, like, talk to you. And I just sort of, I choose to do the, like, get in, get out. Well, I will say, if you have chosen not to talk to me, I appreciate that. [03:54] I do in those events and I get overwhelmed. [03:57] Same, same, same. One of the first like big parties I went to when I first moved to LA, I was very lucky. And I walked in with Jessica Lange. And I know, right? You floated in with Jessica Lange. I floated in with Jessica Lange. And Jessica Lange just wanted to like, hold on to me because I'm sort of tall. And I think she likes that. I think she likes that. So then all night, I got to be the gatekeeper to Jessica Lange. And people I really respected, [04:27] and saying, could you introduce me to Jessica Lange? And I was like, absolutely. You were like, let me check with Jessica first. Yeah, so I guess my advice is, if you can go to one of those events with Jessica Lange, [04:41] Do it. [04:42] That makes sense. God, I would, you two would make a very nice couple. I have to say a handsome couple. [04:47] I think we, yeah, I've got to be with her a couple of times and it's always successful. But, you know, how's this for a segue? You know who's very good at those events? Regina Hall. Ooh. Tell me why. You go to a party with Regina Hall and she, first of all, everybody loves her. So that's great. And she just sort of, I don't know, she just kind of.

[05:09] floats above it and just has a very kind of just kind of like chill attitude about everything. Now, whether or not that's actually what she's feeling. Right. I'm not sure because, you know, we all, you know, process those things differently. But it is really fun to go to those events with her because she just kind of she just sort of always is herself. And I will say from like, you know, we got to work together for three years on the show Black Monday and on Showtime. [05:39] And whether it was like 4 a.m. in the makeup trailer or 3 a.m. on a night shoot, she always maintained the same level of like cool and, you know, happy to be there and like sort of calmed everybody down. Because Don Cheadle and I on that show often had to do some like really wacky stuff. [06:00] And she not only could match that, she, you know, oftentimes like outdid us in that arena, but then also just brought like all the heart to it. She really like anchored it in a way. And it was such a good lesson of like how to be you can be absurdly funny and really broad, but still have a lot of thought and heart behind it, which I learned a lot from working with her. [06:30] you can do all of the clowny, silly stuff, but unless there is... [06:35] some kind of heart to it. It just looks like faces. You know, I think that way about you too. Like I feel like there's

[06:43] Sometimes there's the exceptional... [06:47] very eccentric, really kind of out there, funny person who's their own island. But for the most part, I find that people that are very good at comedy have a switch or a gear where they can really like they're just very good at being in the moment and being present when asked to do that. And it's kind of the theme that I want to talk to Regina about today is her career is really interesting. [07:10] really diverse and really wide her range she's done a lot of different things and she can do really dumb [07:18] fun comedy and very deep grounded stuff. And that's not, a lot of people don't have that range. I don't know if there's, it sounds like, [07:27] Maybe trite to say that she has a light to her because that usually is reserved for people who get murdered. But she does have a she really lights up a room. [07:37] She really lights up a room and not in a way. No, it's going to get murdered. No, not in that way. In a different way, in a very different way, in a better way, in a very different way. [07:49] You know, [07:50] Bleh. [07:51] This I absolutely loved you in Book of Mormon. I was lucky enough to see the original cast and you in it with Josh and so many other great people. And I'm. [08:02] But you bring something up that I always wondered about, and I haven't been able to ask anybody who's been on Broadway for as long as you have. Sure, sure. [08:09] Why is it unprofessional to see who's in the audience? Well, in theory...

[08:15] You should be, I guess, connected to your co-stars and telling the story. Yeah. But I think over time, you know, you're doing it eight times a week and you get to a place where you know – [08:32] eyes. I mean, you know, that's the tricky part about [08:35] one of the tricky parts about live theater is that of all of the, whatever, 1200 people that are in that audience, somebody is looking at you at all times. And I just know that from an audience member, like sometimes you drip to like an ensemble person, whatever you're like, you're not watching the action. So you do kind of always have to be on guard that like, okay, somebody's watching. So, but you never used to do what I used to do, which is literally peak. Oh, well, I mean, [09:05] at certain points and be like, oh, look who's there. And sometimes the worst is when you make eye contact with that person. [09:15] That's rough. That's rough. I made direct eye contact with Oprah Winfrey and I thought [09:22] I don't, that probably wasn't a great idea. And I reflexed, I smiled at her as if there was no fourth wall. You went, you went, hi, you went Oprah. Just like I'm doing like a nightclub act. I was like, oh, okay. [09:35] I remember smiling at her and she smiled back because she's polite. She could probably, she's probably had a lot of experience with intense eye contact. So she hears, I mean, the reactions to, yeah, to her must be extreme. You are so incredible in the Book of Mormon. I, oh my gosh. I mean, you're, you've written two books. You have, you have, you are, you are, you're constantly in so many good things.

[10:05] with Tina. You also are just in, in Lena's new show too much where you play her husband, which was so funny to see. I do. We've graduated from being like the messy kids to now being like, but still a kind of messy adults. So my, I ask all of my guests if they have a question for our guest and, um, [10:26] And like I said, I hope someday to get you in the hot seat. So what do you have any question you think I should ask Regina today? A story you think she might want to tell, something you don't know about her, something you think people should know about her? Her career is so diverse. [10:43] And she bounces between all of these things like this Paul Thomas Anderson movie that she is, you know, that's that's coming out that it's wildly different from anything she's done in a lot of ways. And. [10:56] As much as I assume that she's, like, the architect of that, that she's, like, making these choices and doing these things, like... [11:05] I wonder, yeah, I do wonder, like, did she seek that out? Was she like, I want to, I'm going to switch this up. Or is this something that just sort of build, it was built sort of naturally? You're right. I don't think we know enough about like Regina's origin story. When I was learning about Regina, I know she wanted to maybe be a journalist at one point. So I'm very curious when she started acting. And then also, yes, the, her career is really feels like a flow, basically. [11:35] Thank you. [11:35] And also, you know, obviously, like, who does she like better? Does she like me better or Don Cheadle? I think that's an important... I think a lot of people probably wonder that.

[11:46] Yeah, and maybe you can stay on the Zoom while I ask her that. Yeah, I'll take my camera off and then, you know, and then I'll surprise her and be like, I knew you were going to say Don. Regina and I would annoy the cast that we... She told everybody that we were married at one point. And some people... [12:03] Some people who didn't really know me very well thought that that was true. And then she sort of in a who's afraid of Virginia Woolf way created – [12:12] children for us that we would talk about Don and Dawn. And we would reference Don and Dawn, our twins and, [12:22] and who had the twins and where are the twins and how are the twins doing she's so good i can't wait to talk to her i really appreciate your time and how tall are you andrew [12:33] 6'2". Oh, congratulations. Thanks. Thanks so much. I just, that's so great. I did. I, I like Jessica Lange, a tall man. Jackpot. Sign me up. I did it. It is so great to talk to you. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you very much. And thank you for being so generous and so lovely. And I hope I see you at some event sometime soon. And we just totally ghost each other. Yeah, I'm not going to look at you. I'm just going to be taking care of Jessica. [13:04] Okay, I'll talk to you soon. Thank you. Bye. [13:08] This episode is brought to you by Uber Eats. Beauty emergencies are bound to happen. How many times have you, oh, I don't know, dug around in your purse and pulled out mascara and thought it was lipstick?

[13:21] And then all of a sudden you got mascara on your lips and you're like, this is not the kind of look I want to bring to the very fancy dinner party that I'm about to have. So now that Sephora is on Uber Eats, you can get all your beauty essentials delivered for the same price as in store. Plus, treat yourself to $10 off when you spend $50 or more on your first Sephora order on the Uber Eats app. Order Sephora on Uber Eats today. [13:51] Terms apply. See app for availability. Delivery fees may apply. You're wearing formal pajamas. I am. I am. I was like, how can I be dressy and comfortable? And it's so hot out because I was going to be in sweats. [14:05] You look great. But not for you. You know what I insist on? Full hair and makeup. Yeah. If she's not beat, I don't want her. That's what I said. Yeah. I need two hours. Yeah. I need two hours of hair and makeup before we hang out. Wow, you look gorgeous. This lighting is nice. This is great lighting. Isn't it? You know what I realized? I'm not aging. Lighting is just getting bad. Because in my bathroom, I have really good lighting in my bathroom. [14:35] bathroom, I'm something else. Yeah. In my car, not so much. But in my bathroom, I'm like, I'm chef's kiss. But in the car, when the sunlight. So it's the lighting. I always say this about I mean, I'm probably saying something very obvious. But when I go into dressing rooms, I'm like, I can't believe the dressing rooms aren't better lit. I would buy so many more things. It would just be better for business. It was a dressing room where I honestly, the for the first time

[15:05] like, [15:07] The depth of my cellulite. Yeah. That's the truth. It was in a dressing room. Yeah. Yeah. It's super, super sad. It's when I started running. I started jogging. [15:16] I said I was shopping with my boyfriend at the time and I screamed. I'd never see. I did. I said, is this one? He's wrong. He's wrong with my legs. And I went and I said, baby, my leg. And he was like, what? He didn't, you know, they don't notice. No. They don't notice the legs. They don't care what's on it. They don't care. They don't care. I feel that way too. One time when I got a mammogram. [15:37] I turned to the person and I was like, [15:40] It's shocking how this hasn't gotten better. How has this not gotten better? How do we still have to literally squeeze our boobs? I don't have a lot of boobs. I was like, what are you getting? You're getting this much breast. It's sometimes worse when you don't. If it's larger. They're both worse, I guess. But sometimes if you don't have a lot to put in the machine... [16:01] That we're squeezing it between two metal... [16:05] No, like a waffle. And there's nothing to look at? No. [16:10] And then they're like, if you just move your arm a little, like, it's not like you're, it's a, it's a, it's, you're kind of contorting your body in a very. And I said, and I remember doing it. [16:20] Very, you know, like lucky me. I have a nice place to get my mammogram. I'm very grateful. [16:26] And privileged to have a nice place to get a mammogram. [16:29] Not a poster on the wall. Not a piece of art to look at. No distraction. I was like, you guys don't want to put...

[16:37] Even an inspirational. No. And it takes about it takes a few minutes to get the right angle because it's not just getting it in there. No, getting it in there. I need a little bit. And I was like, there's there's no there's got to be a better way. Yeah. It's shocking to me. My wife gave up. They were like, well, fuck it. If we've got something in it, then we've got something in it. Because after a while, they just couldn't get a photo. [16:59] No, they can't get it. And then what about when it comes out cloudy? And they're like, we need another one. We need an ultrasound. Also, they're like, they squeeze you in the tightest device ever. Yes. They say, don't move. Yeah, don't move. And then they leave the room because there's too much radiation. Yeah, yeah. [17:15] And that's the truth. Right. So it's just you, your nodes and your breasts and the rest of your body exposed and contorted. Like you don't even want to play an episode, an old episode of Everyone Loves Raymond. There's no sound. There's no music. I know. No music. There's no music. There's nothing. [17:33] I remember talking to my great dentist. I love my dentist, but I remember saying... That's good to love a dentist. I love a dentist too. You like your dentist? I do. And I get nitrous. A lot. I like my dentist. I do too. And my dental hygienist. I love her. Did you work as a dental hygienist? A dental assistant. Like, yeah, I just handed the instruments over and cleaned them and stuff. Do you feel like you have healthy teeth? Yes. [17:59] I do for the most part. [18:04] I grind my teeth. Oh, yeah. And I didn't know that when you grind, you can get a little recession from the grinding. Yeah. Do you wear a thing? I wear a thing now. Yeah. We're with Regina Hall and we just got really into it. We're talking about teeth and boobs. We're right into it. But I feel like the last time we saw each other was on a dance floor at Rashida Jones' birthday party. That was the last time, but there was a time I think after too. What was that? Yeah.

[18:31] Uh-oh. [18:33] It was on a street and you were directing. [18:36] Thank you. [18:37] And it was on a cul-de-sac. And I was like, what's going on down there? I think they're filming something. Oh, yeah. Around the corner from. Yep. And and I walked down the street and I was like, who's directing? And they said Amy Poehler. And then I made my way. I made my way. It was very exciting. Do you remember that? I do remember that that was pre-COVID. It was pre-COVID. [19:07] been felt like a mammogram everything did was like this is gonna really hurt it's really weird it's gonna take a long time yeah and everybody's gonna be exposed to all things totally um but i feel like we've had a couple times so rashida jones often had a pajama jammy jam as she talks about in this podcast and she had a dance party and i feel like we've had a couple good times on the dance floor together dancing in pajamas do you you're you like to dance [19:34] So here's the thing. I do like to dance. I wish I were a better dancer. I'm not a good. I can hold the beat. Sure. But I would love to be able to do and Rashida does them very well. She can learn choreographed dances. And I wish I had that gift. Yeah. Her and her sister Kadada can do like old dances. [19:55] Routines from the 90s. They can get a choreographer in front of them and they're able to. Yeah. To dance. Yeah.

[20:03] and learn that choreography. You can't do that. I can't. No. I was having a conversation with Sheila E and she was like, excuse me. I know you just dropped that. I know. And I did. Did you see how I dropped it? Like suddenly, like I said, nothing. I was like, yeah. So when Sheila and I were talking, E, you know, I did. We were, I did a one-on-one interview. And so she was my subject and she's so amazing. And I was asking her, does she understand her impact on girls when she first [20:33] drums. We hadn't seen a lot of women playing the drums necessarily. But anyway, she said everything for her moves very separately. [20:43] Hmm. She can feel all the rhythms. She feels every limb and every portion. Everything is separate for her. Ooh. Yeah. [20:53] So if you feel like you're not maybe the strongest at choreography, what part feels like you're like, that's a good skill. Like I can do that. Well, can you memorize fast? Can you have a good ear? [21:05] Can you sing? [21:06] I think I can, but I'm going to tell you. [21:10] You know, because I used to tell me that I had a terrible pitch. [21:16] I disagree with that. [21:19] And then I went on, I think it was. [21:22] Corden and I was like [21:26] I and I they started and then I joined in the harmony and boy was I off. [21:32] So I'm not a harmonizer. Okay. I'm a soloist. Yeah, no one else sing when Regina's singing. But I have a good gift for...

[21:44] I can remember a face. Hey, that's good. Yeah. Not a name. Terrible with names. But you'd be able to. You. You. [21:54] Remember me? [21:57] I want to talk to you about so many things today, Regina, because... [22:00] The theme today for me with you is range. Like you are, you can do it all. And how to approach you and your career and your work is really interesting because you can come in through a lot of different doors and it's. [22:17] It's [22:19] Well, first of all, let me just say that you have a great rep. [22:22] Like everyone loves working with you. Oh, I thought you were talking about my agent. I was going to say he used to have me as me. I was like, I've got a good team. But yes, oh, thank you. A great reputation. [22:35] Does it matter to you like how you like when you go to work, like what matters to you, like how you show up and how other people show up? [22:45] I think for me, like when I'm working... [22:49] Thank you. [22:50] I think of everybody who put so much work into it before I got there. Writers, you know, people who write that's once it's written, selling it, like sitting with studio notes. There's so much, you know, this you've done it all directors that goes into it. So for me to come and be like anything less creative. [23:09] then like excited for what like they're bringing a vision together in addition to what I get to do and have fun then I think it's I won't take it if I don't think I could come and and bring something to the environment or and to the work so I think that that's important for me okay what kind of kid were you because you grew up in DC and you know

[23:32] Went to Fordham, went to NYU to be a journalist. Like very, you were not a kid who, were you around actors or anyone who was acting? No, because I just, we didn't, I guess we had, I was like, we didn't have any, but. [23:45] Thank you. [23:46] Yeah, I wasn't exposed to it. You weren't studying it in school? No, we had our plays. Okay. I went to Catholic school. And so we had the nuns. [23:56] who I loved. I loved my nuns. I loved... What do you love about nuns? Because my mom went to Catholic school and she was very afraid of her nuns. Oh, I think I had some... [24:07] I was respectfully afraid. I mean, I certainly had a reverence. [24:12] where I wouldn't cross a line, but I wasn't afraid of being hurt. [24:16] I was more afraid of them telling my mom and then getting in trouble. So I didn't have that. I found my nuns to be very... [24:26] I mean, they were, I wouldn't say they were strict, but they were, they were loving, I would say. Yeah, they were loving. And then... [24:35] Is it true that you thought about perhaps becoming a nun? I did. I did several times when I was in high school. And then again, when I was, [24:43] older and I was too old. [24:46] You were too old to. 39. That was a cutoff. I was 41. They were like, it's not a backup plan. This get on out of here. But for that particular for that particular order. [24:56] Okay, got it. Because they're different orders. Yes. You know, with some orders, it's a sleeping partner number thing. Yeah. [25:02] Right. Four.

[25:04] i don't know if anybody wait you can only have slept with four people yeah maybe can you make it [25:10] You don't have to count them, you know. No, I can't. [25:16] I don't want to brag, but... Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on. So there's some orders where there's a number. You can only have had a certain amount of partners. Some could be a certain amount of partners. Some might be how many attachments that you have. Some, you know, in the world, it's hard. And some is age. Yeah. Wow. [25:38] as a young person, what was... [25:42] attractive about that life for you. [25:44] What did you think about? What was the fantasy of that life? I thought, wow, if you'd spend your life in prayer, prayer for others, I would imagine. [25:54] Because it's unless you were like healing because they don't you're not really attached to anything material. Right. So they're. [26:02] They wouldn't have an outward striving. Yeah. [26:05] of like, oh, right, the thing of like, you know, success, whatever that is. And [26:12] Um... [26:15] And no romantic heartbreak, right? You don't want to say love because that part is beautiful, but it's the other side when... [26:24] Whatever our whatever trauma, whatever reasons things don't make it. And then I'm. [26:31] You had that singular focus. I'm sure that it's not that easy. I'm just saying that was what I romanticized it would be if I did it. And then I thought that was...

[26:43] Lake Lovely. And, and, and, [26:45] How is your faith... [26:47] like now many years later, [26:50] young Regina looking out at the world that way, figuring that might be a way in which I can manage my own world. How do you practice your version of loving God now? What does it look like? I mean, I think I really believe if you believe in past lives, I believe I had a past life where I was that. I believe I've come from that. So I believe it probably exists within me because it [27:14] has existed. [27:15] You know, and so it feels familiar. It feels familiar. And so there's a certain piece in that familiarity. It makes sense to me then that you're. [27:23] you know, for a while thinking about going into journalism because it's just like quite, it's like the idea of like unpacking big questions, finding out the truth, being curious, like all that stuff feels like it's connected. When did you decide to, [27:37] Okay, I'm [27:38] I'm happy that I have my journalism degree, but I want to be an actor. What, when did that change happen? What, what? [27:45] Well, my parents were like, you're not going to just my parents were divorced, but they were just like, you're not going to be in New York. [27:50] partying because I had also... [27:53] I'd left the nun life behind. [27:57] You were like, before I go in. I was in New York and I was partying. And I loved partying. You know, I had great friends and from college and like... [28:06] We finished. Yeah. And then it was like, what am I? You know what? We were going out. And we were probably in New York at the same time, like in the 90s, right? In New York in the 90s. Yeah. It was great.

[28:17] And so... [28:19] We used to go out a lot. And then my mom was like, well, my dad was like, well, what are you doing? You have to get a job or something. I either had to get a job or go back to school. And so I went, I was like, I'm choosing school because I could arrange my classes to still party. [28:34] But work, I couldn't do it. I did work for six months. Oh, what was your job? I was working at a director's office and their office was in their home. And so they really had to... [28:46] Thank you. [28:47] carefully vet who worked there. So I was like an assistant. Was that like your first job in near the industry? And it was working with a director. Yeah, he was a commercial director. He did TV commercials. And, um... [29:00] One day I fell asleep with my elbow on a button on the computer and it was blinking. It was just like all X's, whatever was at the end. And the screen was blank and I woke up because I had been out too late. And I was like, and then my roommate and I were like, we... [29:18] are going to raise money and, um, [29:20] I don't know. And I was like, we have to quit our jobs. Our jobs are holding us back. Yeah. And then I had to borrow money. And my parents were like, what are you going to do? So I was like, I'll go back to school. Okay. So you went back to study journalism then. I went back to study journalism and my dad had a stroke and passed away very suddenly my first few months of school. First few months. And so you didn't, you stopped going to school after that? No, I finished because I knew he'd want me to, but I had a friend who said,

[29:50] was like, I got introduced to my manager. I met her manager, that manager. I couldn't show up for auditions because I was like, I'm doing my thesis. I can't show up to an audition. But I did. And then I took a class in acting and I think it was very healing for me after my dad to be out of my head a little bit. And that's how, and then I was like, oh, I love this. So then I finished NYU and [30:13] And then decided to go [30:15] to Columbia's bartending school. Whoa. Because I was going to need to pay for acting school. Yeah. And then I went to acting school. I remember my mom was like, so you just don't want a job, huh, baby? And I could have been a professional student. I did love school. I studied at, at, um, [30:31] At the Esper. I could see you also being a great bartender. Oh, my gosh. I can see you. But I don't know how to make any drinks because you were supposed to spit those drinks out in class. [30:44] I was really tipsy after every class. [30:48] But so much of bartending is faking, like you're just making the drink, but it's about the chit-chat. Yeah, and I do like people. So I love to converse and meet. I find people to be fascinated. Okay, so back to commercials. You're auditioning for commercials. Did you get any commercials during that time? I did. What did you get?

[31:14] It was national. Shit. McDonald's. What? You got a national McDonald's commercial? I did. How much money did you make from that? [31:23] That could change your life. A national commercial. Yeah. [31:27] It was, yeah, I had my line. I had to say in some McDonald's fries. [31:32] You were ordering them? I was at a movie theater watching movies. [31:37] We were watching a... [31:39] movie about McDonald's and then no no we're watching a movie about something and they were running maybe I don't even remember but he says I could go for a Big Mac yeah I think the movie they're watching and then I sent in some McDonald's fries and what do you remember about being on the set of like you know how sometimes you can remember the feeling when you're shooting something what was it were you nervous I was nervous yes I was nervous [32:02] I was nervous. [32:04] I remember I was like, I don't know if I like my hair because they did these rods. But now I look back and I'm like, that hair was just fine. Yeah. [32:12] I thought everyone was going to recognize me. I thought that commercial was going to air. I was outside like this. You were like... [32:19] Waiting. Waiting for people to be like, the fries girl. There she is. Did you just do a McDonald's commercial? Not one. [32:26] Nobody. But that's a big get. It was a big get. That is a big get. And it ran for a while? [32:31] It did. It ran for like, you remember how they had to pay for your cycles? I think I made like... [32:36] Over a period, like 30, 40,000, 30,000. Yes, back then you could make, you could live. And there were some people who made like, yeah. But I made like, I think I made like 30. Yeah. And if you could get a commercial and it could run. Yeah, your residuals were nice. Yes.

[32:57] So you're saying with Hilton Honors, I can use points for a three-night stay anywhere? Anywhere. What about fancy places like the Canopy in Paris? Yeah, Hilton Honors, baby. Or relaxing sanctuaries like the Conrad in Tulum? Hilton Honors, baby. What about the five-star Waldorf Astoria in the Maldives? Are you going to do this for all 9,000 properties? [33:19] When you want points that can take you anywhere, anytime, it matters where you stay. Hilton for the stay. This episode is brought to you by eBay. Lately, more and more people have been talking about selling on eBay, and we can see why. Everyone has stuff that no longer fits their lives. And selling on eBay is actually really easy. Just snap a few photos, write a description, and set a price. Suddenly, the stuff that's just been sitting around is in front of millions of buyers already searching for what's next. Find what you love. Sell what you don't. [33:49] eBay. [33:50] This episode is brought to you by K18. So you've tried a million different hair masks only to watch your results literally wash down the drain? Well, you should know that K18 molecular repair hair mask actually reverses damage. Thanks to the patented K18 peptide, you'll get strong, soft, bouncy hair in just four minutes. Color, bleach, heat, however your hair has been damaged, this totally transforms it from the inside out. Shop at Sephora or get 10% off your first purchase [34:20] 2018Hair.com with the code Amy. [34:23] This episode is brought to you by PayPal. Imagine getting to the checkout at Sephora, a cart full of your favorite beauty products, and saying to yourself, I don't have to pay the full amount today.

[34:34] Crazy, right? [34:35] Wrong. With PayPal Pay in 4, you can buy what you love now and pay the rest later. With no fees, no interest, and no impact on your credit score. Pay in 4 with PayPal. Subject to approval. Learn more at paypal.com slash payin4. PayPal Inc. NMLS 910457. [34:57] it's been like really interesting to look at your range. Like we talked about, I mean, I mean, [35:04] You have done all different kinds of work. You've done, you've been in big, huge franchise. Can I interrupt? Yes. I love this woman. No, I want to say that. You know what? No, no, no. I have to say it because I have to say how profoundly. [35:23] inspiring you are, right? [35:27] That's across all cultures, races and genres. You know, that too. Thank you for saying that. In terms of comedy. Yeah. Because it's like, you know, if you say Amy Poehler, it doesn't matter. Right. We all know who it is. [35:40] And so. [35:42] When I would watch you and Tina, I'd be like, they're beautiful. They're funny. And so you, you know, you're always looking at people who you admire and, you [35:53] Um, [35:55] I think... [35:57] also how much fun they're having. Right. And so, um, [36:04] whether it's conscious or subconscious, like, and Maya, like,

[36:08] Rudolph, um... [36:12] Who's also hilarious, but... [36:14] To see women be so funny and so like... [36:18] Um, [36:19] beautiful and yet not vain because you can't really have that right when you're doing comedy. That's right. Like you can't be like, hmm. Um, [36:28] I don't know, but that was profoundly like... [36:31] impactful and inspirational with, I don't even think without me, without me knowing it at first. And then [36:39] It became like... [36:41] Oh, my goodness. I love them. Well, you know, thank you for saying that. It does mean a lot because I have followed your career and been and been so impressed by how genuinely and deeply funny you are. You are really funny. And also, you have played incredibly subtle, grounded, interesting characters, including the film that you're in, the new Paul Thomas Anderson film that you're in that we'll talk about. Like you are playing deep, complex characters and also getting [37:11] other way, that's very inspiring because it's very hard to not be just limited or like, you know, to come in through the comedy door and never leave that way. Yeah. Have you found that to be like, was that, did that happen in the beginning? Like when you were doing more comedic stuff, did you feel? After Scary Movie, I think after, and the interesting thing with Scary Movie is after Scary Movie, [37:36] And then it was like, oh, she only does broad comedy. So then you have to say, well, can you get a, you know, a grounded and a lot of them I just.

[37:45] you know, [37:46] I mean, a lot of stuff you don't get, right? Isn't there like times? Well, I'd be curious because I was thinking like, what is Regina when you were, you know, we all have this thing where... [37:56] We get scripts sent to us or parts sent to us and we scroll down to see what people are thinking about us. And sometimes it's like, OK, I got my first part job I got was a stripper. And I just was like, I'm going to get inundated. I haven't been asked again. I'm offended. I'm serious. I literally was like, watch. I'm just I do remember I had an agent. I love her so much. Her name is Jamie. And she said, we've gotten a foreign film for you. [38:23] Thank you. [38:24] I haven't read it yet, but we just got the offer. This is after Scary Movie. And I was like, oh, gosh, I'm international. [38:33] And this is before emails. Remember when you had to pick your scripts up? [38:38] Oh, yeah. Physically go to someone's house. So I physically went to the agency and it was in the bin because I wasn't at the point where they were messengering them to me. So I got the script and I remember it. It was Playa Haters, which she was reading as Playa, the beach. No. Yes. Playa Haters. Playa Haters. That's what she said to me on the phone. And I said, it's it's it's Playa Haters. [39:08] No, and it's not a foreign film. There's nothing foreign about it. And so, and so I didn't end up doing playa heitas. It's a foreign film. She was so excited too. Um,

[39:30] Do you feel like you were getting, after Scary Movie, were you getting a lot of the same stuff offered to you? Probably like more broad. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, like I was laughing because I was like, I bet Regina and I would be in a movie where we'd be playing like stereotypical versions. Because I still, you know, to this day, someone's like, we thought of you. We think it's great. And I'm like, okay. And I read the part. I'm like. [39:56] I know. [40:00] very like, let me speak to the manager. Very nice. Very like, get her out of here. Yeah. And, and I feel like we would probably be cast in a movie where we would be. I'd be the one that you wanted to speak to the manager over. I'd be like, they'd always have it. Like there's some hood chick and she's always like, and I would be like, totally. Cause you just can't do that. All this. [40:30] We do this thing on the show where we talk well behind someone's back. We kind of try to find out more about them, see people that know them. And so we talked to Andrew Rannells today. Hi, baby daddy. I heard you have twins together. Dawn and Dawn. We have children. We don't know where. Where are our kids? [40:49] Dawn and Dawn. I love Andrew. I love Andrew. I know. What do you love about him? Oh, he's just, he makes me smile. He makes me laugh. He's funny.

[41:00] talented. Yeah. But he's just such a nice human being. Like, I love Andrew. Like, I knew he was my baby daddy from the first moment I saw him. Yeah, I know. I can tell you have a special connection with him. I love Andrew. Like, one day we did a scene and I said decade instead of decade. And it was late. [41:20] And then every time we had to do it over and it would come to the word, you know how that happens? You get the giggles and we couldn't stop. I have a clip of that. Deckard. Deckard. And I was like, [41:33] It was just we couldn't stop. And he was like, don't look at me. And we couldn't do it. We couldn't do it. We had to break. He loves you. And he loves working with you, loved working with you. And you guys work together on Black Monday. And yeah, and he talked about like one of the questions is kind of like what we talk about. We're talking about now, because like whether it's, you know, girls trip or love and basketball or one battle after another. Your new film, you've done big budget. You've done small independence like that. [42:00] support the girls. You've done scary movie. You've done big and small, like, uh, [42:06] dramatic and comedic. And he was just saying like, I want to ask Regina, does she feel like she's the architect of this? Or does it feel like part of a kind of a bigger flow? Like, [42:17] Like, [42:18] Are you feeling like you're adjusting the dials on those all the time or are you just kind of seeing what's coming up next? [42:26] Yeah. [42:27] I mean, at a certain point, you have more options, right, in your career. I mean, I think it was, I mean, I would love to say I was an architect. I think it was probably accidental because in the beginning, you would just, you kind of said yes. Yeah, totally. I got a job. Yeah. When does it start? If that would have been my first offer, I would have been there. So it's kind of been like...

[42:50] I know it is kind of funny in retrospect when people say, you know, what made you make that choice? And it's like, they just asked. [42:59] I know. And it went well. But that's kind of how it was. I mean, Scary Movie was a little, I think Best Man in the Love. Scary Movie was different because I was a huge fan of the Wayans. And I mean, I really wanted to work with Kenan, but. [43:13] And then that just ended up having, but it's, it's, I will say for the beginning, it was kind of an accident. Everything was an accident. When that movie comes out and it's a huge hit, you've been in a couple of films that are just like giant hits right away. Scary movie, girl strip, like where you're just on this train. [43:31] What is it like to just have, you know, do something and then suddenly it's like, oh, we've got a franchise. [43:38] You know, I don't know. I'll ask you this. Nothing necessarily feels like that in real time. Yeah, that's right. It's kind of like what is what's discussed later. Yeah, it's later. I think in real time it came out. It did well. [43:51] And I was like, you know, that's great. But I did die in the first one. That's right. And I didn't expect to come back for the second one. It was like I didn't have a deal. Remind me how they got you back after you died. It was a near-death experience. Right. They described it as a near-death experience. And then I became psychic. But I really wasn't psychic at all. [44:15] Brenda just swore she was psychic.

[44:21] yeah that was like it's kind of like I you know you don't know who knew yeah I mean and that was did you feel that way about girls trip too which I mean I can remember when that came out Tracy Oliver who I got the pleasure to work with on we produced a show together called Harlem oh yes for a couple years on Amazon and Tracy's Megan yes Megan and Tracy's so talented and [44:43] I just remember that feeling very exciting when that was a big, big hit. What was that experience like? [44:52] That was great. You know, I will say this. This is going to sound crazy to many people, but my dog got really sick right before. And my dog passed away like four days after girlship came out and he had been really sick. And I loved my dog, Zeus. So it was a bit of a blur. I was very sad. I was very sad because I had lost. [45:13] I had lost my little, little fat little baby. You know, he was a little bulldog. And so, [45:20] Thank you. [45:21] I was very happy it did well. [45:24] Yeah. I remember because at first I was like, [45:28] I think I was not, I think the girls were a lot more, um, [45:33] optimistic. I was like, should we be coming out in the summer? That was my thought. I was like against... [45:38] I mean, he's not like he's very talented, but Chris Nolan and Dunkirk. I was like, we're coming out the same day. But sometimes that counter-programming can really work. Sometimes. And I guess at that time it did. I guess because I'm a Nolan fan, so I was not.

[45:58] So, yeah, it was great. But sometimes you've had a day and you're just like, I can't go see Dunkirk today. You're like, I can't do it. [46:08] My day was Dunkirkian. Yes, right. And I need to laugh. Yeah, I don't need Dunkirk. [46:14] Again. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because I remember Tina and I did a movie called Sisters and it came out against Star Wars. And so it was like, hmm. I have a film I'm coming out in an animated film. Oh, Spongebob. Yes. And that's coming out the same day as Avatar. So I was like that. But I like that programming. I like that because I don't understand that. Tell me. Tell me. I like it. You like an avatar. [46:44] SpongeBob choice. Because I feel like I would take my kids to see Avatar as well. Dude, how much Avatar are we going to get? But the thing is, this is the last Avatar. That's what they say. You've got to go see it. But he hasn't filmed anymore. And it takes like. I mean, is it the last Avatar? Yeah. I mean, how many times do we get fooled by that? Right. That's true. The last. I feel safer now. And I don't know. And that one, I just, it's going to take so long. [47:14] Well, SpongeBob is only, it's short. I mean, 96 minutes, you're in and out. Of course it is, because it's hilarious. Yeah, it's in and out. And it's in and out. But I mean, when you see, I just like, the other thing is like, what do you, I could only go to that movie at starting at four o'clock. And there's no way I'm going to go to an eight o'clock movie of Avatar. But of SpongeBob, aren't they sleep by then to the kids? You got to get them in and out of there by 12. Yeah.

[47:36] One, two, five. Yeah, SpongeBob, you've got to do like a 6 p.m. probably. A 6 p.m. But I think you're going to get a lot of dogs. That's a good idea because... [47:43] Going to SpongeBob. But don't you think those adults would see Avatar 2? Not this adult. So we got one, everybody. I'm going to say it right now, and I'm sorry if I'm going to cause problems. I'm not going to see the new Avatar. [47:58] I'm not. I don't. I'm not going to see it. Well, we're not on IMAX anyway, so the Avatar took the IMAX, so we're going to be on. Also, I don't like IMAX. Yeah, those big theaters. That isn't so intense. It's too loud. [48:13] One battle after another is coming on IMAX. Okay, except for that one. [48:21] Right, yeah, that one. Okay, but so before I get to that movie, because it looks so great, and I mean, Paul Thomas Anderson is just such an incredible director, and your cast is incredible. [48:34] But I want to talk about award shows because you and I are, we both hosted stuff. I love, yes, I love when you host. And I love when you host. You are so good at it. Well, I mean. What do you like about doing it? I mean. [48:49] I don't know that I do. I know what you mean. [48:53] It's hard. I know what I mean. It's hard. And it's a little bit of like diminishing returns. Like the more you do it, like when you pull it off the first time, you're like, we did it. And they are like, come back and do it again. It's like, I don't know if I should do it. Although you all have managed to do repeat performance and honestly be amazing each time. Thank you. Right back at you. And I feel like you have something that hosts need that you just kind of can't teach, which is you have to be a little...

[49:19] a little ambivalent, a little relaxed. You can't care too much about it. No, because people can feel that. I know. They can feel it in the room. They can feel it in the room. So what do you do to kind of keep that vibe going or like fake that vibe when you're out there doing it? I do. I mean, I don't know. Let me ask you if you feel this. You know, you're nervous, but once the curtain goes up, you're like, well, here it is. Yes. There's nothing you can do. I mean, at that point, it's just, you know. [49:47] It's like that breast exam. It's on. The shirt is off. We got to do it. The machine is open. We got to slap them on in there. I think it just kind of. [49:57] And [49:58] I mean, you've got to feel that what you've got is enough. I think that's what it is. You've got to just feel like, well... [50:04] What I have is enough because I always feel like the minute you, [50:07] feel like you panic. Yes. [50:09] that's when it's going to be the hardest. And you are like a host, whether it be you're having a dinner party, whether you're having a wedding, whether you're hosting the BT Awards, whatever is the thing. [50:20] If you're having fun. Right. I agree. And you set the tone, people relax. Yeah. But if, to your point, if you, I mean, you were hosting the Academy Awards during a very hectic year. [50:30] year, the year of the slap, very stressful, you and Amy and Wanda, and you guys... [50:37] had to handle like this crazy live thing. Are you the kind of performer when something like that happens? Were you like, how do you? [50:46] How do you adjust? Do you just...

[50:49] like try to stay in your body? Do you disassociate? Do you, what do you do? How do you adjust when those kinds of things happen? I mean, I mean, it was wonderful to have them, you know, and not be doing that alone. Yeah. And they were great. [51:04] Um... [51:06] I think you just are like, let we just, you know, the show must go on. Right. I think there's just something about the show must go on. [51:12] mentality that you just are like, it is we, here we go. Yeah. And because you're at that point, you are thinking of your audience. You want your audience to, um, [51:22] Continue to enjoy the show. And that's the thing about a live show. You know, anything can happen anyway when you're doing anything live. So I think you have to just always be prepared for that. Totally. Whatever that ends up being, you just ride it out. Yeah. I mean, it's a skill. It's a skill to be able to do that and to not let things kind of throw you. And you're so good at pivoting in real time. [51:50] Like, I, [51:52] whether you're accepting for Kevin Costner in real time, which was amazing, like a beautiful poem. [51:59] And an incredible. That is my fault because they said, Regina, you should read this backstage. And I was like, no, no, no, I got it. I was like, no, no, no, I got it. And I didn't realize what they had written. And I think it was that discovery in real time. It was very human and very light, lovely, like because you were real. You were accepting for Kevin Costner, who wasn't there at the time.

[52:22] real destructive weather that people were, you know, and you were, of course, doing what anyone would do, which is like doing like this fun, gracious kind of light tease to the person who won until you realize mid-sentence that you're like, I see, this is more serious. And it was a beautiful pivot. [52:43] Do you remember, I forget what award show it was. [52:48] Maybe it was the Emmys and Jimmy Fallon's prompter went out. Do you remember that? No. Yes. And I mean, he handled it so well. He just was like, hey, I can't read the prompter. And he just kind of riffed for a second. Yes. And I thought, oh. Oh, I do remember that. He just kind of made a thing about it. And I remember like for hours after just kind of lying in my room thinking, that is a living stress dream. [53:15] That you would just walk out to all these people and just the prompter would go out. I know. And even for two seconds, because it's like the beginning. It's right when you need, it's right when you are like, I need to engage them. I'm letting them know what this night is going to be like. And then you don't have a prompter. Back to dentistry. [53:35] Have you ever had dreams that your teeth fall out? [53:38] "'No, have you?' [53:40] You haven't? It's a very typical stress stream that you go to talk and your teeth fall out. Oh, my God. I'm stressed thinking about it. I know. I'm sorry to bring it up. What would be a typical stress stream for you? I probably am not sleeping if I'm not stressed. Okay.

[53:58] I think that's what happens. Are you a good sleeper? I love to talk about sleep. [54:03] I love sleep. Here's the thing. I love sleep. [54:06] I want more of it. Okay, let's talk about how to get you there. Okay. What's your bedtime? What's your bedtime? [54:12] Well, there's the answer. Too late. It's too late. There's a lot to do sometimes when I get home. Okay. [54:20] um [54:21] or, [54:22] It's that last Dateline episode that I've never seen, and I want to get that last one in. You cannot watch a Dateline. To feel good. Late at night. That happens. Well, it's just bad for dreams. Oh, I have great dreams. Okay. A lot of times it's spouses. Have you seen that? Have you noticed that? That is true. And I was talking about this with Zarna Garg a couple weeks ago on this podcast. Love Zarna. That women who are, I think Zarna, great, that women who are married are much more likely to die earlier. And yes, to get murdered. Oh, you mean from stress. Oh, yes. Yes, yes, yes. [54:52] It shortens your life if you're married. You know that. Yeah. Yep. Sex it right out. Sex it right out. Because you're caretaking and you're thinking of, and a lot of times women... [55:02] Um... [55:04] They're nurturing, so they're giving so much. But the men, they fare better. [55:08] They do. A man lives longer. That's why I don't even know why y'all don't want to get married. Y'all should be begging to run down an altar. Like, literally. Yeah. [55:15] Yeah, right. Men should know that it's going to add. They should do like a [55:20] You should do like a very like – [55:24] Like, [55:25] There's all these podcasts and books and classes of maximizing your potential. They should just do it about getting married. They should just say, you get married, you live five more years. 86% of the most successful men are married.

[55:43] Thank you. [55:47] Just saying. [55:50] I mean, that's got to, you know, they need that grounding. They need that home base. And women don't. [55:55] No, no, no. Because they find it in friendships. Yeah. You know what I was saying? And tell me this. [56:01] Anyone else in here? Have you noticed that men... [56:05] Oh, there was a study. If you ask men who their best friend is, most of them say their wives. Right. And if you ask a woman, she's really got her friends. She's like, Lisa, you know, Amy. Like they really they have they have it. And for men, it'll be their wives. Yeah. I do feel like women have, you know, tribes and we're in our 50s. Right. So we're kind of in the middle 30s. [56:27] Oh, we're in our 30s. Wait, let me check. Yeah. 39. 39. And we are in the watery middle. [56:35] We're in the watering minute. [56:39] So water is so important. Water is a sponsor. It is. Please. Don't go. Don't go. Water, don't go. Do you worry about, like, are you a. Totally in the climate change. Yes. Yes. And do you, are you like a prepper? Are you, are you, do you think about. Okay. Totally aware. And I'm like, fuck it at the same time. Yeah. I'm like, what can I do? I can't, I can't live in the stress of it. Yeah. But I'm aware enough to be like, if there is something that can be done, I will do it. [57:09] If there was a zombie apocalypse, let's just say. Oh, my gosh. Take me out. I can't live in buildings and just take me out. I'm going to go at some point anyway. I feel exactly the same. I would just be like, let me be the first to go. Just, yeah. Like, don't bite me because I don't want to be alive and dead. But just somebody just run me on over. However, whatever is the quickest way. Right. But I don't want to just survive. I haven't slept. Amy, get up. I hear something. You've got a gun. We've got one candy bar between us. It's got to last for like 10 days.

[57:39] No, we should do a zombie movie where the two of us immediately get killed. [57:44] We're trying to get killed the whole movie. No one will kill us. [57:49] Can't even get bitten by a zombie movie. We can't. Yeah, no. That was a good idea. Yeah. Because I feel, but there, but. [57:57] What are you like in a crisis? Because I'm projecting you. I feel like you'd be very level headed. I think I'm pretty calm in a crisis. At least most crisis. But I have a metophobia. So it depends on that crisis I'm not great in. [58:11] Let's talk about that. I know. I love a phobia. [58:14] Do you have any? [58:16] *shriek* [58:20] I don't think so. I don't have a real phobia. I think I have like intrusive thoughts that maybe is phobia adjacent, like fear of stuff, but I don't have an actual... [58:31] Fear of clowns? I don't love clowns. You don't. I don't mind clowns. I don't love them. I definitely don't want to be around a clown, but I wouldn't scream in my way. They're just, they see, it's a lot. It's a lot. I don't like any people that are like performing clown stuff. Clown stuff. [58:52] But I respect them and I wouldn't scream if I saw one. Right. But emetophobia is... [58:58] Well, I have two phobias. Ametophobia. Ametophobia. Yeah. And then claustrophobia. Ametophobia is a fear of like... [59:07] Throwing up. Yeah. Someone throwing up. Are you throwing up? Yeah. I have some friends who have that. We won't talk about it anymore because it makes people stressed. Yes. For people listening, we won't talk about it.

[59:15] But it's real. It's real. And so is claustrophobia. Okay. And so claustrophobia... [59:22] How does that manifest in your everyday? You know what? I only am claustrophobic if I'm like, I can't get out. So like I can do a small space if I can get out of it. But if it's a small space and I'm like an MRI, I got to know I can scoot out. [59:37] But you can't in an MRI. Exactly. That's why I can't do those. So do you take a... [59:43] A night-night pill when you do that? No, I do the open MRI. [59:47] There's an open one? Yeah, which is wider. Which is wider. Well, you can scoot out. You can scoot out. And I don't let them leave me alone. Yes. They have to sit in there with me and then I have to talk to them. They have to talk to me. And are you feeling, do you know, do you have a sense of where your claustrophobia came from? [1:00:06] Thank you. [1:00:07] I remember it starting when I got a... [1:00:11] A face mask. What do you call those? Facial? Not a facial. Oh, I know exactly what you're talking about. So actors often have to get... Yes, yes. [1:00:19] Like a plaster cast of their face. And it is terrifying. And that's when I didn't have it before that I remember. But I remember when they were both on me. [1:00:31] plastering me. Yeah. Plastering my face. I know. Neither sounds good. It's a very weird thing. I keep trying to make it sound better. It's a very weird thing that people don't know, which is a lot of actors have to get, especially if you're doing any prosthetics. Yes. And I'm sure makeup artists have made it better and better and easier and easier. But back when we were doing it, it was like stick two straws in your nose. Yeah. And they do your mouth and then they're patting you and your ears are covered and then they're trying to go fast and then it has to harden. That's right. And then once it hardens, they can remove it.

[1:01:01] wasn't that. I just was like, what if a fire comes, they forget about me and run out. [1:01:05] wait this is a really interesting thing your brain is doing so my brain creates scenarios it wouldn't be the fire that would be the problem it would be that you've let you've been left alone i've been left and i can't get and i can't get the thing out right that's a good that's what happens that's what happens to me okay so i do want to talk about one battle after another because i mean you worked with a lot of great directors paul thomas anderson is yeah [1:01:35] Yeah, he's my favorite. What was it like to shoot it? It was shot all in L.A.? All in L.A. All different parts of California. Yeah, right, right. Not L.A., California. It was great. Yeah. You know, it's wonderful to... I mean, the cast is amazing. And how did you like working with Leonardo DiCaprio, Leo? [1:01:52] Well, he's... You know, the thing with Leo is... [1:01:56] He's not very experienced. He's green. And so you've, when you're working with. Oh no, sweetie, that's crafty. That's crafty. That's not set. Exactly. I knew you went the wrong way. No. Yeah. I had to do a lot of that. No, that's the lens. Don't look into it. Because he was doing a lot of that. Yeah. Yeah. Once we got past that though, he was, he was, he was great. He's great. He's great. [1:02:19] Yeah. No, it was sad, but it was also sweet. Yeah. Tender.

[1:02:26] He's never had a big movie. No. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, he sounds sweet. He is. And then you're making another scary movie. Making another scary movie. Which is like a perfect example of your career. You have this like... [1:02:38] kind of prestigious, very intense. And then you're going to go do that dumb fun. Because I imagine it's real big, dumb fun. Oh, my gosh. Yes. Yeah. Yes. It is. And like, you know, I think for us, it's like, well, let's see how far we can push humor in 2025. You know, that's a that's a big thing. But, you know, the great thing is you get at everybody. [1:03:00] Yeah, that's right. That's what comedy is. [1:03:02] That's where it lives, right? Getting at everybody. I think so. I mean, like what I asked this of all my guests, but what do you, why do I have an urge to do this? [1:03:11] What is it called? It's called, what's the word when you, misophonia. So I don't think it's a phobia. I think it's a phonia. I don't know what's the difference. But yeah, misophonia is when you can't hear. Can you look up the difference between phobia and phonia? Maybe I have phonias. I can, I have a laptop here. [1:03:34] And she is part of that generation like myself of pre-technology. [1:03:41] years ago, we would be going to the microfiche. Remember microfiche? Yes. [1:03:50] Okay, misophonia is a condition where specific sounds trigger intense negative emotional reactions such as anger, annoyance, or anxiety. I don't know if it's intense, but for example, if I'm listening to a podcast and someone needs to take a drink of water and they're really dry mouth. You can hear it. Not only can I hear it, but I really can't listen to the person. So you must have an incredible ear.

[1:04:20] ear and I can hear things pretty well. Now look up phobia and just see what that definition is. Phobia. Let's see what the Latin word of phobia is. Phobia meaning. If I was like phobia. Yeah. [1:04:32] in an extreme or irrational fear or aversion to something so it's fear and and the other one is anger and disgust yeah but just about just about sound because like phonograph yes that makes sense [1:04:47] But you want to know what causes phobia? What? It's genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and traumatic experiences. So there you go. That experience of that thing. [1:05:00] of that face thing. [1:05:01] Thank you. [1:05:02] I also was like, they could be doing anything. I can't see. [1:05:07] Right. I just heard fingers and then like, you know, I could have been ass up in like 30 seconds. Not that I not that I thought that I didn't think that. Yeah. But if I think about it now. Yeah. Anything could happen. They were very nice. Both of them. Treatment is CBT, exposure therapy, exposure, medication, exposure. [1:05:28] So how are you going to, you know, so I just have to get in small spaces, claustrophobia, and then just be forced to send it sitting there, huh? So you don't like to get smushed. I love getting smushed. I don't mind getting smushed. I just need to know I can get out. If you put me in a small closet and I know it can't get locked, then I'm fine. [1:05:47] That can get in there. Yeah. I can get in an elevator just fine unless the elevator gets stuck. Oh, has that happened?

[1:05:56] One day I was panicking. I just hadn't hit the open button. Because, you know, if the doors don't open, it's very stressful. Yeah. Yeah. [1:06:05] And I was like, you know, because it's the can't get out part. It's not the actual because I can do. Can you do roller coaster rides where you get strapped in? OK, I can do them. I don't feel a phobia from them, but I hate being shook that much. [1:06:21] Like the shaky... I don't do roller coasters. I feel it's too much... Where is it shaky for you? Just the... I don't... Like a roller coaster to me is... [1:06:31] I get nauseous. I feel all dizzy. It's not worth it for me. The feeling of [1:06:38] I love them. You love them. I get on them and like, and I want to get off. And when it's going chick, chick, chick, chick, I'm like, I want to get off. I want to get off. As soon as the first drop happens and I make it, I'm like, now I can't enjoy it because I worry about someone throwing up on it. But if roller coasters are like a way to shake it up, [1:07:03] What is and I ask my guests this, what is something that you're listening to watching? Where do you go to laugh? Because I know you love to laugh. You have a great sense of humor. You're deeply funny. Who makes you laugh? I have comfort watches. I've seen Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally 5000 times. Yeah. And Heartburn. [1:07:24] I kind of like more Hepburn, isn't it? Heartburn is one of my favorite. Meryl in that movie. Oh my God. And Jack.

[1:07:33] They're so good. And you know, Jack, stop. You wanted it to work. [1:07:38] What about when she had that pregnant belly and then that little baby and she had this thing and she had to leave? That movie, I think that movie is not, I don't know if it's underrated, but I say it's underrated. I think you're right. It is so good. Check out Heartburn, everybody. Check out Heartburn. It's so good. And it's so honest. You know, when she came back. You know what I loved? The... [1:08:02] The delivery scene when he was talking to her and he cried and you were like, it's going to be different. And they had the baby. He was right back out there. He was right back out there in 10 minutes. He couldn't even. She couldn't. She couldn't do it anymore. No. People are complicated. People are complicated. And it's not good or bad, but it is. It is. Can I stand it? And there was a little bit of her that was too compromised in that film, in that story. [1:08:30] And I love Heartburn. Even in the beginning when it was like, should we get married? Remember behind when she had the cold feet? Yes. So good. So human. So human. Yeah. She's funny too. Oh, Meryl's so funny. I mean, Meryl's everything. [1:08:47] Meryl, [1:08:48] Meryl. [1:08:49] I mean, there's no words. Meryl. Meryl, rub on us. Meryl, rub on us. Yes, just rub on us. I mean, love Meryl. That was a great one, though. Well, I have to say, Regina... [1:08:59] It's been so great talking to you. And I have to say that the Catholic Church loss has been our gain. I really appreciate you doing this. Thank you so much for coming. It's so great to talk to you. I know. And I'll see you on another dance floor hopefully soon. Yeah, absolutely. Okay. Okay. Thanks, honey.

[1:09:16] Thank you so much, Regina Hall. You are awesome. And it was so great to talk to you and so fun. And today's Polar Plunge is presented by BMW Certified. [1:09:29] Certified-Pre-Owned to learn more. For this plunge, I want to talk about a... [1:09:36] film that we mentioned briefly that Regina was in, but [1:09:41] It's just great if you get a chance to check it out. It's called Support the Girls. And it was 2018. It was just kind of this slice of life indie film about a bunch of young women working at like a sports bar. Regina is just so great in it. And I just wanted to take the plunge moment to remind you to check that out in wherever it's streaming on. [1:10:01] And just a fine example of Regina at her best doing things. [1:10:06] Big, hilarious moves and deep grounded. [1:10:10] dramatic acting. So check that out. But don't forget, [1:10:14] The Today's Polar Plunge was presented by BMW Certified. In a world full of uncertainty, BMW Certified pre-owned vehicles are the real deal. They come with a BMW Certified warranty, genuine BMW parts, and an additional three years of 24-7 roadside assistance. Learn more at bmwusa.com slash certified dash pre-owned. [1:10:37] Bye.