"Elle Fanning"

oh my god we made it we made it i thought we were going to be late but here we are i i i didn't i didn't have a chance to stop and pod d oh you didn't potty yet wait me we could pod the today you want to call this pottying yeah you made us run in here for that yeah we can call it pottying we're gonna potty oh man um welcome to smartless don't you think we should go on another trip i do why don't we we always talk about it um by the way do you guys do you guys like doing laundry i just did a bunch of laundry i like you know what scotty and i were talking about hang on a couple things wait a second what do you why are you listeners gonna think that we've made a weird edit because i just finished no no i just finished a ton of laundry and i don't usually like folding laundry but i like folding towels i like folding towels because it's like ocd you know what i mean so you guys you are you trying to tell us that you do laundry when you're back home in la no sir i do it here i tell you what you're a fascinating dinner date tell us more about the folding of the towels man do you guys know what i mean i will tell you what i mean i'll tell you that you know blankets and towels did you guys have a lot of discipline growing up as far as like having chores and learning how to do everything yeah that like i know how to wash windows without streaks i know how to fold laundry i know how to load a dishwasher yeah i know how to sweep in in a way that you're not re-sweeping certain areas like my dad taught me how to do everything right yeah same like before i before i could like push back and say oh my god i'm not i don't want to learn am i i have not done that with my kids i mean i they they they get by but like i did i i just i know but your kids are very responsible no they're incredible i love them to death and and they're they do great but i have i've i wasn't diligent about like teaching them how to do the things that you're going to need to do the rest of your life like folding a towel how to do it properly yeah i remember my mom teaching me how to make a bed yeah we had to because we didn't have any money you know that whole story and and we didn't have a washer and dryer it always broke down so my me and my mom took garbage bags of clothes and put them in the car and drove to the laundromat and i was the only kid that did that wow yeah out of the five kids by the way they're all listening and yeah they're gonna we're gonna argue about that later i started last night getting ahead of the snow outside of my stoop here and so i was out every couple hours knowing and you knew how to shovel of course because the and and it did bring me back and made me feel like i was a young canadian it's the best right yeah i love it so good jay what about you getting behind the snow you know like so so i would i that's a coke joke it's coke joke early or in minute eight i know sorry jb but wait wait but like i like so there's there's something that my dad never did teach me because by the time we left the snow i was uh four so i didn't have to shovel it um but You don't struggle with snow. There's probably a real, you need a pair to teach you. Elbow grease. You can learn pretty quickly. You don't start at the bottom, right? You don't dig that shovel all the way to the bottom and try to lift it up. You got to start taking off the top, right? Yeah. Well, it depends on how much snow you got. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But that's why also, like, if you go out and you get it early enough, like I did it a couple times last night, so that by this morning wasn't too insane. You've seen that night? Yeah, I used to do that. What do you think my dad taught me? Uh-oh. Wait, can I come back to this? Because I'd love to fill out a joke list of 10 to 20. Yeah, I mean. And then I'd like to, you know, rank them and really just give you the right stuff. I think ultimately how to lower expectations, I guess. Yeah. In people. Keep your expectations super low. Also how to keep your emotional knees bent, you know? Always ready for disappointment. Yeah. Right. Emotionally bend from the knees, I guess. Yeah, uh-huh. In a ready position. Yes, and now look at me. Yeah. Yeah, anyway. Yeah, you're doing great. I will say. No, you know, Shawnee, for all the joking that we do about it and stuff like that, you're one of the most caring, thoughtful people I have ever had in my life. That's a true story. You really, really are. I was saying it to somebody the other day. Incredible. I was saying that Shawn is the first guy, anything's going on in your life, something's happening, he's the first person to check in, send you something, help. Yes. Thank you. Shawn, you are a perfect example of nature versus nurture. So there's no even question about the nurture part because we all know the story. Your father had something to do in some other place aside from staying with you. And you have been able to become this incredible person. Yes, your mother was incredible to you as well, but you have natured yourself all the way to the incredible Shawn Hayes. Well, that's very nice. I natured myself. That's a new verb. There's a few things in there that I really, I really enjoyed. Your father had something else to do elsewhere. He was late for something. Natured yourself. I would say, I would accept that compliment as I'm trying to learn as I get older. So thank you for that. And I will return it to both of you. I think we all come from backgrounds that challenged us to become better people. Yeah, amen. Yeah. Which tees up our guest perfectly. I guess it does. I was going to say, I mean, the warning signs were there. I mean, your dad had five kids and he bought a two-seater. So it's not, it's like this guy, he built an escape pod. He was sending you guys signs. It's so true. It's so true. A little MG convertible. Yes. I mean, just for him and a bag, like an overnight bag. By the way, he had that too. It's so true. Anyway, I'll tell you something about our guest. She is really no stranger to, to awards, SAG awards, any kind of, you know, it's insane. I mean, nominated for like, like 122 various awards around the world, 19 wins. And, you know, we're talking about, what are we talking about? We're talking about SAG's Critics' Choice. Recently an Academy Award. I can't say what yet because you're going to know exactly who it is. And I want you to guess. Emmys, everything she has. And, and her, for, for pieces of work that we all really, really adore. That we, and she, stuff that we've all seen a million times. And we're like, oh yeah, the greatest stuff, like breaking out in I Am Sam, Daddy Daycare, okay, all the way to the new Predator Badlands. And then this year's Sentimental Value for which she is nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Best Supporting Actress. You guys, it's none other than Elle Fanning. Oh my God. Whoa, God, you had me spinning. I didn't know where you were going with this. I know, I know. I took you on a weird route just to go into credits. Did I take it off at the right time? You did. Yes, that was great. Hello, good morning. Oh, hi. We usually have a, have a guess in there. We didn't even get to a guess. But I just thought. I thought at first you, you go I Am Sam. I'm like, oh God, they're going to think it's Dakota. No, I just wanted to throw them off the scent. I wanted them to be thrown. Wait, Elle, I just watched Badlands. It was so good. Oh, you did? Oh, thank you. Yes, I bugged Jason forever and Jason's schedule and mine's schedule never got together. I was like, fuck it. I'm just going to watch it. I hear that's incredible. So good. Thank you so much. I, I am a real listener to this and my sister and I and our friend Chloe, we absolutely love your show and your documentary. Oh, that's nice. So this is, this is a big deal. I'm like sitting here, like my heart is pounding. Well, we're so. So happy for you to be here. I do know Will. We've been seeing each other around. Yes. Yes. Congrats. How long you guys been dating? From the Puck convention. Wait, Puck the website or, or Puck a hockey thing or Puck the website thing? No. Puck is a real, that's a for Tracy. I wanted to get that in there. Yes. Yeah. Tell Tracy, cause I don't know what it is either. No, that's a real listener. Yeah. Puck is, what, what is it, Will? It's that guy, Matt, Matt, is it, what's his name? Matt, Matt Bologna? Bellany. Bellany? Oh yeah. Bologna. Boy, I'm going to get crushed for that. And he's a great, who's also. John Heilman and, um, right? Yeah. There's a lot, there's a lot, a lot of great. Am I right about that? Is that the same, is that the same crew? Is it, is it? I still don't know what, I mean, it's a website. It's like an entertainment email thing too, right? People get like in the industry, you have to sign up for it and it's like you get little inside scoop. Coups and things? Yes. Yeah. There's a, there's a bunch of stuff in there. It's very, very. Jason, you must, you must subscribe to it, Jason. Oh, you know it, girl. But wait a minute. For me, for me and my sister, I still don't understand. So Puck is a thing, like it's a website? It's like a newsletter. So you sign up, they send you an email, then you sign up for a thing. Yeah, it's like a website. And how are you and how. And then you have access. It's like, how does that. Well, they did a, they did a, uh, what was it? Like a, um. Q&A panel. Q&A panel. Oh, oh, oh, okay, got it, got it. Yeah, and he was there for his This Thing On, and I was there for Sentimental Value. And Jesse Plemons was with us, and Tessa Thompson. Yeah. Right, right. I can't, I've only heard amazing things about Sentimental Value. I, I can't wait to see it. Can I tell you, Sentimental Value is so good. I love it so much. And Elle, I don't know if I told you. Maybe I talked to you about it, but I think I talked to you about it and your wonderful director, Joaquin Trier, and also with Stellan and Renata, how amazing that film is. It's such a beautiful film. It's such a, I mean, just the level of filmmaking in every department from the direction to the acting to the production to all of it is so complete. I mean, that is truly the height of great filmmaking, I think. Thank you. Yeah, it was an unreal experience with Joaquin, and it was just really something. Joaquin, I said his name wrong. How do you pronounce his last name, too? Is it Trier or Trier? Trier. Trier. Yeah. How embarrassing. I'm sure there's going to be a headline how we've just besmirched the guy. A lot of people say Joaquin, but it's, or Joaquin or something. Joaquin. If you had a Norwegian accent, they would say it different. It would be like Joaquin. Joaquin. Joaquin. Yeah. Joaquin. Now I'm saying great. I say Joaquin. Joaquin. Wait, Al, where are you right now? Are you in New York? I am in L.A. I am in L.A., yes. But I have been, my boyfriend lives in New York, and so he just sent me actually a photo. Yeah, it's crazy in New York right now, isn't it? He sent you photos. It's so nuts. There was a tree that fell down in front of his house, this giant tree, but it looks so cozy. I mean, I'm in L.A., and it's like glorious and sunny outside, so it's so crazy how opposite it is. Yeah, you and Jay. I know, it's, I had, yeah, yeah, I just, I ventured out for two minutes. My local coffee shop's closed. Nobody went in because- There's not, by the way, I just, there's nothing open. Nothing's open. My gym was open, thank God. Obvi. Wait, pause for compliment. Nothing, okay, moving on. Wait, so Al, you're in L.A. You spent a lot of your life in L.A. You were born, we're going to go early days. You were born in, just outside Atlanta, I'm guessing, right? Is that right? Yes, yes. I was born actually during a tornado warning, and- Whoa. Yeah. I've been through a tornado warning in Atlanta. It's not fun. Well, I guess, yeah, I wasn't really, definitely don't remember it. I was going through something else at the time. You slept through that. Wait, so your mom was giving birth to you while there was a tornado, like, happening? I don't think it was happening, but it was very close, and there was a warning, so like the hospital, like the hallways, like there was kind of this shutdown. Yeah, what do you do? You don't think about that. It meant that my sister was in the room while my mom gave birth, and she was asleep. She was asleep on a cot next to the bed, and my mom didn't find out with either of us, like if we were a boy or a girl, and so my mom gave birth, and then my sister woke up, and like famously, and I think it's on camera. We have like a video of it, but she says, she says, what is it? And it's like, it's a baby sister, and that, yeah. That's very sweet. You're lucky your parents didn't do that thing of like decide to name you like Nato, you know, F3 after the size of the hurricane. After this tornado. I know, but yeah, I was born in Georgia. Like my family is very Southern. So even though, yeah, even though I grew up in LA, like I moved here when I was three, so I definitely don't remember Georgia that much, but the Southern roots like run deep, and my grandmother lived with us growing up, and she still lives with my mom, and she would go with me on film sets, and my mom would go with my sister. Oh, wow. Because when we were working at the same time. Yeah, you were, and what I loved about reading, reading up a little bit about your sort of early days is how your, and I mentioned I am Sam Leper because you did play a younger version of your sister in the movie, and someone like Wikipedia, of course, we have a deep research department, said that you, your first, it sort of lists your first few credits, and then it says her first role where she wasn't playing a young version of her sister. Right, because I did it a couple times. Yeah, really? They would throw me in. Yeah, because they would, you know, there would be flashback scenes, and then they'd be trying to find a young girl that looked like Dakota, and then I would be on set, like with my mom, and they're like, actually, can we just use Elle real quick? And so technically, and my mom's like, sure, and I, they took me, and I just got handed to Sean Penn, and we're swinging on the swing. Wow. And that's the first. That's the first moment. Jason played a young Justine Bateman many times, so I think. Many, yeah. Right. Put in the extensions, and off I went. Throw out the hair. What's the age difference between you two? She's four years older than me. Okay, and it's just the two of you? Just us, yep, just us. Yeah, and when, so. Yeah. Yeah, well, how old were you when you guys started? I'm getting to sort of this question about, like, missing childhood and all that stuff, and I've had to answer that. You're going down the dark way. I know, people love asking that to us child actors. Well, there's a great, there's a great, kind of, there's a great, I know you worked a lot when you were a kid, but there's also, there was a lot of normalcy there, and I was going to get to it, but you, go for it, Elle. Yeah, yeah, I mean, that's definitely something, you know, that's asked. I mean, I, the origin story, it's so funny, because my sister's like, you're not telling it exactly right, and I'm like, well, I was a baby. I'm like, it's, you know, it's been told to me. It's been told to me, so, because a lot to do with my start is really her start into everything, and so she was in, you know, Georgia. My mom and my dad, they were both athletes. My dad was a professional baseball player. My mom was, played tennis in college. Her dad was a quarterback in the NFL for the Eagles. What? Yes. That's crazy. So sports is in our blood, and we were really, yeah, we were really, supposed to, I think mom probably thought that we would be tennis players or something. Oh, really? Or, I mean, you know, something, something sporty, and it's funny, I mean, this has to do with it, but, like, our mom is, she tans really easily, has really dark eyes, super dark, long hair, and so this, this, it all tracks, because our dad is part, he's German. His mom was German, and so, we kind of came out with this, like, fair, fair skin, and this, like, white hair and blue eyes, and so when my sister, you know, she went out on the tennis court from, you know, my mom got her out there young. She's, like, you know, four or five, you know, and she would just get so hot, and, like, we don't tan. Like, the sunburn was just insane, and so she's like, oh, my God, like, my precious little, you know, fair-skinned, like, baby, like, she's just not cut out for this. This sport, like, you know, and then she put her in soccer, and it's like, yeah, like, we need to get her indoors. Let's get her on a dark stage. But I appreciate, you know, I think there's the athleticism and the discipline is actually really translated into acting. Like, as I've gotten older, I really see the correlation to it. Like, I approach my work kind of in this athletic way. Like a team sport? Yeah, team sport, but also just, I think, the adrenaline, like, hiking yourself up, like, making sure you're nourished like, for the, like, there's just something to it that I think there is a correlation there. And so then, I know I'm trying, the origin story, because it's kind of crazy, but my mom wanted, you know, wanted Dakota to, because I wasn't born yet, but to find, like, her passion. Like, okay, what are we going to put you in? So then she was like, all right, you know, she did violin, she played the piano, and my sister was like a savant. Like, she is just, was always incredibly smart for her age, and she has a photograph. She has a photographic memory. Her memory is insane, which doesn't help in arguments, because she's completely always right. I know what that's like. Yeah. It's a burden. It's a burden. And so then there was this, you know, then my mom kind of would observe my sister playing around the house constantly of just, all she wanted to do was, like, play with her baby dolls. I mean, a lot of kids do, but it was just very extreme in an elaborate, in the, you know, all of that. And then when I came along, she got, like, this real-life baby to play with. She was like, we can make it even more real. You know, we would watch the TLC shows, like, my baby story. Yes, yes. Like, as a kid, we loved that. And all, we would play, and then she would give birth to me, so I would, like, come out of this beanbag, like, underneath her. And, like, and we wouldn't perform this for people, but we would do it for ourselves. Right. Like, push, push, and it'd just be, like, a beanbag, yeah. Oh, yes, yes. And it's like, oh, God, we're losing her, we're losing her. You know, she's, like, pounding on me, and I'm playing along, or just these real scenarios. And so, my mom, I mean, we're kind of jumping around, but this was kind of, yeah, I guess Dakota was, like, five, so I was around. But she put her in this play camp in Georgia. And the people at the play camp, they were putting on this, I think it was called Blue Fish, like, this play. And she got a big part in that. And she got into that play and just lit up, like, found, they could just see something in her from the other kids that was different. And they talked to my mom and were like, you know, maybe she could do some commercials or get an agent here or, you know, maybe get a TV show. But it wasn't, like, go to the movies. It was just, like, try this out type of thing. Yeah, yeah. And, I mean, mom had a genuine conversation, like, with Dakota at that age, like, is this something you'd want to do? And she's, like, at any point, this is, like, not fun for you. Like, we're going to go home. We won't do it. Yeah. And. And so then it eventually, she got an Asian in Georgia. And then my mom and my sister, they went themselves to L.A. because my aunt, who was a sideline reporter for the NFL at the time. Wow, good Lord. Yeah, she was living in L.A. And so my mom and my sister, like, slept on her couch and, you know, did pilot season. And I think she got Ally McBeal. She played the young Ally McBeal. Wow. Yeah, and got commercials, you know. So where does Elle come in? No, no, I love it. Well, this time, I'm just like, I'm so young, but I'm watching. It's just becoming a part of my life from that age of seeing my sister, oh, going on these auditions. And then, oh, then she gets to dress up and gets to go to other places. And it's like, I want to do that. It really was a copycat. Like, I call myself, like, a nepo sister in a way because I completely just copied her because I would visit her on sets all the time. Which also. Cat in the hat, Sean. Cat in the hat. You were in Cat in the Hat. With Dakota, yeah. Did you come by? Did I meet you? Probably met you as a child. Oh, I was on set all the time. Oh, my gosh. How have you been? Sean, how many times a day do you say, did I meet you? Just guess. Ballpark. We'll be right back. And now, back to the show. So, but what about school for the both of you guys? Mm-hmm. Like, did you have. A very normal childhood? Like, looking back now. Kind of, right? Yeah. Yes, we really did. I mean. Sorry, that one was for Elle, Will. No, no. Will, how could you have a normal childhood? I'm sorry. Yeah. Willie. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. No, but you did. So, you went to public schools and stuff like that? Yeah, my. Well, yeah. My sister went to. She was homeschooled. Okay. For a long time until ninth grade in high school. Uh-huh. And so, then that meant, like, the age-wise. I was homeschooled by my grandmother until fourth grade. Okay. And so, at that, at those two ages, we just kind of felt like we wanted, you know. I think our mom wanted us to have that experience. Sure. You know, it was very much an experience that our mom had. Like, she just never had a. She is shy. She's not. And, like, no one is in the business. Like, this is just not. This is not how she saw her. This is not how she saw her life going. And then it was, like, Dakota just kind of kept getting jobs. And then, we're like, she always thought, oh, we're going to move back to Georgia. And then, they never did. Because she kept getting things and, like, moved to L.A. Right. And so, my mom was really, you know, figuring out as she was going along as well. It's interesting because my sister, her birthday is today. Oh, happy birthday, Dakota. Yeah. Happy birthday. But she's, yeah, she's 32. But we were, it's interesting because we're like, mom was 32. And she was on set with I Am Sam, like, navigating this, you know, with Sean Penn's, like, method, you know, talking to Dakota. And just, they're having to navigate that together. It's just so interesting. Like, kind of sweet to think about our young mom dealing with that. Yeah, that's really cool. Yeah. But, yeah, schools, it's, yes, we were homeschooled. And then, it was like, I think, you know, I was like, I don't really have any friends my own age. And I want to have that experience. And so, mom's like, yeah, certainly, you know, wanted proms. And the parties and the whole thing. And so, we went to the same school. And it was a private school here in LA. Yeah. That's great. Yeah. And then, did, again, I'm just, I find myself, I'm just projecting here. I was thinking about all of my, you know. Oh, take us away on this journey. Yeah. So, for me, but did you guys think about college? I didn't know there were tickets left on the journey. You guys, you guys just kind of blew right by college, kind of like I did, thinking like, oh, I'm good. I've got my career started. I don't need it. And it's. I did. It's stressful, right? I certainly did. I was not sure. I was so done with school. I was. I knew from pretty quick. Yeah. I'm not going to college. Dakota did. Dakota went to NYU. Okay. She's much more studious than I and has much more, like, the attention span. She's got a backup career in her back pocket. I know. She should be. She. We always tell her, like, she should be, should have been a lawyer. I mean, not should have, but. Right. Like, yeah. Right. She still can be. Yeah. She still can be. Why not? Yeah. Yeah. That's why. Wait. I want to just say one sidebar about homeschool because I don't know anything about it. It just imagined. Oh, well, then definitely go off on it then. Let's have your hot take. I always imagine when somebody says they're homeschooled, like, how eat, like, who's checking to see if you've done your home? Like, how does it. You know, like, you just wake up like, man, I don't feel. You can't say I don't feel like going to class because your class is in your house. You know, like. Like, I would cut class all the time. Sure you would. Like, in high school. You'd be late a lot. You'd just be sleeping. Yeah, I'd be late or whatever. I'd be late almost every day to school. But yeah, but there's, you know, there's no, like, anyway, we don't have to go into it. I just. No, it was, it was like a curriculum that was a full curriculum and they would send you all of the books and then. And then your quote, your quote, teacher is your grandmother. Yes. And then I also had a studio teacher that was the same studio teacher with me even when I would, when I was in my regular school. Oh, okay. Yeah. Yeah. And would leave and go back and forth. And we had to keep up with the assignments. Got it. But it was also, I mean, it was interesting because I felt like I learned a lot more. Like, the certain curriculum, they taught us cursive first instead of, and which is kind of reversed. I don't, when I went into school, like, a lot of my, they didn't know cursive as, and they thought it was kind of weird. Like, why are you doing cursive? I'm like, oh, that's what I was taught first before. And so it was kind of like an advanced. Right. I know what you mean about the college thing, though, because I was, it's like, I completely advocate for everybody going to college just for the experience of it, right? However. But I understand when people, like, want to pursue acting or something because if you have a degree in act and being an act, like theater or an actor, it doesn't help you get a job. Like, either you're right for a part or you're not right for a part. But I mean, I still, I still. As a doctor, you need to have that diploma and the credentials and all that stuff before you can. Yeah. I still advocate for people going to study because I. Yeah. We heard that the first time. I mean, we're really covered on that point just in case you're worried about taking fire. By the way, and by the way, just a little plug. I have a scholarship set up at Illinois State University for theater kids. So I do. We're going to cut that. Boy, there's a long way to get to that. I'll tell you what. That's a plug. It's important. No, I had, my, my, my thing was I dropped out after one semester because I was like, sure, I want to get out into the world and I want to get doing the thing I want to do. That was it for me. Let's do this, you were saying. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Let's do it. Let's get on to this. That's how I felt. I mean, yeah, it was, yeah. So, so Al, what was the first gig where you, where you were actually front and center and not a, a, a, a, um, stand in for your sister that you were up, you know, you're front and center and you were, you were like, wait a minute, this is really cool. And I really get it. Yes. There was, gosh, I'm trying to remember the very first, I mean, I definitely, I mean, I did, you know, I had a lot of commercials. I definitely, I did the, you know, law and order stint. You know, I burned down a house. It's like a crazy, you know, demon child. And, you know, I had the rite of passage there. What was, what was your style of, of burning? Was it, was it like lighter fluid? How did you burn down the house? Do you remember what your character did? Oh, I don't, I don't remember. Asking for a friend or a bunch of old newspapers. Yeah, I don't remember exactly. Cause there's a bunch of different ways to do it. It might've just been, I don't know if they showed me doing it. It was more like, you know, fire starter. Like I was just like this girl in front of the burning building. It didn't come out of your eyes or anything like that? No, no. But Criminal Minds, they really loved me. They brought, I was a, I was kidnapped twice. The same character. I was brought back. To get kidnapped again. Yes. Uh-huh. The best kicking and screaming we've ever seen. Not since Liam Neeson. Yeah. Yeah. So that was a big thing. Sean, after, after being kidnapped, how quickly would they let you go, do you think? If they told you? Oopsie. Like on the ride to the hideout? Well, you know, as Oprah says, never let them take you to the second location. Well, the first movie, Sean asked something. You were about to say, first job on your own. Well, like when the fire started. Like when that flame first started. Like, oh wait, this is exciting. Was it, was it like all of, all of those little episodic things? You're like, wait a minute. I'm, this is really, really thrilling. Yeah. I remember there was a movie I did called Phoebe in Wonderland. And I was nine. It was with Felicity Huffman and Patricia Clarkson and Bill Pullman. They're both great. They're all great. Yeah. And I played Phoebe. So like my, my name was in the title and it was about a young girl who had Tourette's syndrome. And I realized it was the first time that I, you know, had to learn about something and portray something in like a sensitive way. I mean, yes, I was young, but I realized, oh, there's another layer to acting obviously of like, I have to transform into this person and kind of, it's a very specific experience that I don't know that I have to learn about. And I talked to kids that had it. And so that was very unique. And just to be for the first time, like the person who was like number one on the call sheet, like I was Phoebe. Yeah. And go deep like that. Yeah. That's really cool. I remember watching What's Eating Gilbert Grape and I'd never even heard of Leonardo DiCaprio. It's my sister's favorite movie. So good. And when Leonardo DiCaprio came on as that character, I was like, oh my gosh, how did they cast that kid? Like, where do you find the kid? That kid. And you're like, oh, he did what? That was a part, like that blew my mind. Yeah. As I'm sure. He was so good. Elle, so that happened. What was the first film when you were kind of on your own? Like you really felt like you were an adult and really had agency over it. I mean, you always had agency over the roles and stuff you wanted to do. Or mostly you're just auditioning and you're trying to get the best thing and it just so happens that, oh, you know, you got the part. So you can't really pick when you're done. But what was the first thing that you like chose, that you picked, that you felt like this is, all right, I want to do it. I'm an adult. This is the kind of stuff I want to do. Do you remember? Was there a certain thing that you. Gosh, I know it's so funny because there's also so many different chapters that I can pinpoint of like, of remembering. Like I felt like Somewhere was a film that I did that I auditioned for that. I was 11, but that was the first time that people started. Was that Sophia's film? Somewhere and Super 8, it was Sophia's film. Yes, with Stephen Dorff. And we filmed The Chateau. And Super 8, that was with J.J. Abrams. They were kind of close. I was 12 in that. Those were the first times I started getting recognized not as Dakota Fanning because constantly I would just always get recognized as Dakota. I'm sure, yeah. And so that was like a, there was like a kind of stepping stone there and like another chapter. What is coming to mind with like a role that I chose that really felt like I fought for it was The Neon Demon, this film I did with Nicholas Winding Refn, who directed Drive. Right. Oh, yeah. Drive had just come out and it was this, I mean, it was a crazy script. Yeah, and that film was incredibly ambitious too. Yeah, I remember the excitement around him right after Drive too. Yeah, that was awesome. Yes, and the script was, you know, I was 17 when I filmed it. And it was, I guess, quote unquote, I mean, I was playing a 17-year-old girl, but it was kind of, I was playing a 17-year-old girl, and it was horror, it was intense. Like, it was, like, again, kind of polarizing with the themes. It was kind of like The Substance in a way, like pre The Substance. It was about, you know, beauty in the modeling industry. And it was kind of extreme, but I was like, I want to do this. Like, I saw something in it and I, and obviously, I mean, Nick was from Drive. I mean, he was a big, you know, director that people wanted to work with. And so it was a part that a lot of people wanted. But it was something that I really, like, pushed for and wanted to go there. And I think people in the industry, I don't know, I think it went to Cannes and it, you know, got boos and then got applause and it was, like, very polarizing. But I enjoyed that, that it was not, you know, straight down the middle. And it was my first time kind of doing something like that. Yeah. Do you see, so the job, obviously, of being an actor is playing different people. And can I, this is going to be a weird question, but, like, did you find as a kid, when you're just learning who you are and becoming who you are, did you find it confusing to be asking yourself to be all these different people at a time when you're trying to figure out who you are? I mean, I just, I thought that was confusing for me. You know, like, we didn't become schizophrenics, but, like, you're really trying to be a convincing version of something. You're trying to be something that you're not at a time when you're trying to figure out who you are. So, how was that for you? That is really good. It's something I haven't completely thought about. Get it out now. This is the place to get it out. This is the moment right here. I think that. I think it can be helpful, maybe, right? It's just something that I hadn't thought about. I think, yeah, I think there was, for me, acting and the experience, I just felt like it was so enriching. Like, there's nothing, like, for me, it's added so much to my life and, like, expanded my life of getting to also know how to handle yourself, like, around adults and be in those social situations and go to other countries and experience. Like, it was just kind of, it opened my world in a way that it seemed, I was like, oh, this is normal, but it's obviously not the normal. And then playing characters, I mean, I'm a real big, I live in my head a lot, and, I'm a big daydreamer and kind of like my imagination more than reality anyway. So, I felt like I found a place that I could expose all of those inner thoughts. Yeah, an experiment, right? An experiment and almost put on different types of clothes and different personalities. And I did that, not so much in my real life, but I got to act that out through the characters I played when I was a kid. When I was younger. So, it wasn't confusing. It was more like cathartic, I guess. Right. To have an outlet like that. Can you point to any character that you feel that you adopted still to this day that's become a kind of a good part of your personality? Jason, another great follow-up. I know. Guys, I've done a lot of work. A lot of work on this interview. That's a really good question. It wasn't someone that I played when I was younger, younger, but I was in the show, The Great, where I played Catherine the Great. Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes, we did it for three seasons. Nicholas Holt? And Nicholas Holt, yes. He played Peter III and we were a married couple. And Tony McNamara, who wrote The Favorite, wrote it. So, it was very, you know, we had an asterisk that said, like, this is not historically accurate, like, before the show happened in, like, a tongue-in-cheek way. And it was raunchy and definitely not about history. Yeah, it was really stylized. It was awesome. Yeah, it was kind of in that favorite, like, tone, the rhythm. It was very written, very, we had to be punctuation perfect, word perfect. And, you know, it was a real, you know, you had to hit the joke. Yeah, it was a real challenge. But I felt like Tony was watching me kind of come to my own as a woman. Yeah. Because I started the first season, I was 19, 20, and then we finished when I was 25. Wow. So, 100%, my personality was informing what Tony was writing throughout the seasons. Catherine was, I was absorbing her. And to this day, I feel like she's the most like me, which could be better. I mean, there's a lot of negative things to her as well, but. Yeah, for sure. Which is, you know, I, she was a very messy character and complicated. And I think also people sometimes want to put you in a box of, I mean, especially me, of like, ooh, you laugh all the time and da-da-da, you know, and you're naive. And, you know, that is something, you know, I did Maleficent. I played Sleeping Beauty. So, I was a Disney princess. And so, to be able to do this show where I technically was playing an empress, a queen that was, that came into the, you know, ruling and had a coup on her husband when she was super young, but she was super underestimated, but had this really calculating side to her. You got to show all the stuff that's under. Yeah, she would use her naivete. And I feel like, ooh, I kind of, I think I do that. And so, she was like me. Good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, yeah, because you're a good actor. And also, like, God forbid that when people are like, oh, you're laughing positive all the time. Like, that's a bad thing. I had a little bit of that experience, Shawnee, with you. With Teen Wolf, right? Oh, I thought you were going to say, because I feel a lot of that. It's like, well, I'm super hairy on the outside. I'm pretty naked and bald on the inside. I feel a lot of that, sort of like a real Teen Wolf energy. No, but Shawnee, I was thinking that. People think you're a wolf. It's a whole thing. I mean, seeing, seeing Shawnee, you know, you do that, the one-man show a couple weeks ago. Like, there's so much sort of like, you know, deepness and darkness and at times during that show. And you just do it so effortlessly. I'm like, yeah, there's the guy underneath all the warmth and the generosity that you socially, you know, put forward to people to put them at ease. There's like this incredibly deep, serious person. Ferocious. Yeah, dark. Fuck you. Yeah. And the only part I didn't buy is that you would walk over to the river because I know you'd take a cab or you'd take an Uber. There's no way you'd walk. That took me out. That took me out. Well, I don't think that you can't have like, even in like scripts where I always like look for this or something. Like you can't have like incredible joy without like deep sorrow. Like it doesn't work. Yeah. And it's also like any four of us right now talking, it's like we have tons and tons of different sides of us that people have seen and people haven't seen. And so for people to think that you don't have that is just by default a Hollywood thing. You know, it's like, no, you could never do that because. Yeah, you get typecast for sure. I know all about it. By the way, so I didn't mention in the opener, Elle, your new show that's going to premiere A24 for Apple, Margot's Got Money. Troubles. Money Troubles. Margot's Got Money Troubles. Margot's Got Money. No, she's got money troubles. Wait a minute. I was pausing. I was taking a pause. Was this a documentary on Margot Robbie? Because we just had her on. She didn't mention having any issues with cash. I don't think she has any money troubles. Wait, Elle, was this a book? It was a book. I think I read that book. Yes. Not sure? And it was, not sure. Yeah, Ruby Thorpe. That was the one. That was the one I read. It had to be. Yeah, the title's very specific. Yeah. Oh, that's so cool. Yeah, she's a young mom and she doesn't have the cash and so she joins OnlyFans. Yes. I think, yes. Oh my gosh, this is so cool. Yes, and it's cool. Cool on a lot of. I mean, first of all, it's got an amazing cast. Yeah. And you and your sister produce it as well, right? You and your sister have a production company together? Is that true? Yes, called Llewellyn Pictures. Oh, that's fun. Oh, that's great. That's so fun. After our late dog. Aw. We'll be right back. Back to the show. I have a dumb, dumb question. Have you guys, other than like the stuff when you were kids, have you done anything as adults together in a film? No. And it's about to happen in a month. No way. No way. Are we making news? Yes. We have never read a line together. Never. We visited each other on set, but we do not. We have never done that. Never been on camera together other than, you know, me playing her young, but we're obviously not together. And so, yeah, we're doing The Nightingale, which is a best-selling book by Kristen Hanna. And we're playing sisters in that. It's a sister story. In World War II. Oh, wow. That's so cool. Yeah. That'll be huge. That'll be huge. I know. And we're excited and nervous. Will knows a lot about World War II. What portion of the war are we covering and what country? It's the French Resistance. Oh, sure. Oh, sure. Yes, it is. One cigarette. It's the best. I take a cigarette. I go and I kill some Nazis. I leave a bag with explosives next to their car. We're still casting. We're still casting. So if you want to give us an audition, you can. I'd love to send in the tape. That's excellent. That's so great. I'm so happy that you guys are doing that. That's so cool. You must be – are you nervous? Are you excited? Are you all of the above? We are – I think we're all of the above. I think it's also stepping into the unknown a little bit. And people who have worked with both of us say that we work in a very different way, that we're extremely different on set. Oh, cool. Yeah. It's not a bad thing, but just that – We'll see. Our energy is very different. Do you guys talk every single day? Every day. Every day. We are unbelievably close, yeah. Really? We hang out. We live close to each other. We talk every day. I love that. I love that. But wait, we scooted right past your new show. I know. So tell us about – Margot's got money. Troubles. Troubles. Troubles. There's no ellipses there? It just goes right through? There is not. It's you and the wonderful Michelle Pfeiffer, whom we adore. We adore Michelle. That Will just worked with. Will just worked with her. I love her. I love her. I love her. I love Michelle. She's amazing. Yeah, she's the best. And her husband, David, right? Yes, David is the – he wrote the show. He created the show. I mean, it's – Yeah, they've never worked together before. They've never? Wow. This is the first time. Wow. In this show. Yes. Whoa. Yes. A lot of people working together who've never worked together. So it's – yeah, so it's you and Michelle and – Nick Offerman. Nick Offerman. The great Nick Offerman. Wonderful. Yeah. The great Nick Offerman, whom we adore. Greg Kinnear. Yes, Greg Kinnear. The great Greg Kinnear. We just saw him the other day. Someone, you know, an unknown, Nicole Kidman. Nicole Kidman. Wow. We're rooting for her. Yeah, Nicole Kidman. I have a good feeling about her. Keep your eye on her. Let me just – let me Wikipedia – oh, Jesus. Holy shit. Got me. That's so – that's so great. You must be so excited about the show. Everybody's talking about how great it is. Oh, that's so nice. No, I really am. It was also kind of one that – I mean, I was a producer on The Great as well, and I – Oh, you were? I was. I was. I was. I was. So that was kind of the first time. That was the first time I actually got to see behind the scenes of, like, you know, pitching a show for the first time. That was the first time I did it on that. But this – Margot truly feels, like, from the ground up because it was – I read the book before it was published. Oh, wow. And so I had to talk to Rufy, who wrote the book, and she had to get – you know, it was a real process. And then we assembled this, like, dynamic team with A24 and David and the cast. And then – And then we went out and really pitched it hard. And so it just feels like it's definitely this collaboration, but something that I'm – I don't know. I'm very involved in, and I love this character, so. Well, yeah. I thought you were going to say – I'm sure you're very proud of it, that process of being there right from the – right from the get-go and sort of shepherding it all the way through. Do you feel responsibility? I don't mean that in a negative way, but do you feel like this – like, real care for it in that way? Yeah. I think so. I think you do feel this care, and you feel a little bit of pressure, because you – it's kind of like exposing your heart, and you hope that – that's with every – that's with everything. I mean, and you hope that people – you hope that people like it, obviously. I mean, a show also takes so much time to film, too. Yeah, yeah. Do you like that – do you like that longer involvement, the fact that you're involved with it during pitching and developing and pre-production and post-production, aside from just the filming part of it, or having gone through that a couple of times? Sometimes now, you're like, yeah, maybe I'll just do, like, a couple of acting gigs in between, just sort of hit and run, get in, get out. Do you – do you – do you – or would you like to – do you like staying with a project from start to finish and doing the whole thing? I kind of got a taste for it now. I feel like I like the power. I think there's something in also being a – That's hilarious. Yeah. Yeah. Being, like, a child actor, I think you also spend a lot of time – not spending a lot of time – not that – I mean, we're not harping on this, but it is, like, my origin story. But, you know, being an observer, like, you're cast as the observer who watches the adults do the fun things. Right. And you're also on set. I think I've gotten to a place now where I feel very, like, in myself where – I think it also comes from, okay, like, respect your elders and you don't want to be like, I know too much or I know more than you. Right. But there does come up. And I think now that I can say, well, no, maybe I do because I've been on set since I was two. Right. So I've seen a lot. Yeah, you've got all this experience. You know what you're talking about. Yes, and, you know, like, you know, how to avert a crisis or how to problem solve and what – like, I've seen – and I really learned on the job. Like, I didn't go to acting school or anything. Right, right. So I was learning from these directors and they all worked in this vastly different way. So I became very malleable. You had to be, you know. And so I get to put that into the producing process now and I like that. In an unapologetic way. You have a seat at the table, legitimacy at the table. So when you chime in, you don't have to say, oh, sorry, excuse me. Exactly. I used to – I definitely used to do that, you know. And I don't so much have to anymore. I really like the post-production. I love editing. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Well, then my next – my next favorite question always is, do you see directing in your future as well since you've got so much set experience? I know. It's such a cliche. Everyone's like, oh, yeah, I want to be a director. Yeah, but it's – I think everybody wants to – Jamie, you're such a cliche. But in any occupation, you want that promotion. You want to be able to use what you've been learning and that usually lives in the job that's just above you, you know. You're constantly learning more about the process. And so with directing, it allows you to use everything you've been obviously taking a look at and absorbing and observing. Yeah, I've dreamed about that. I've dreamed about that for a long time, even since I was young. Like, and I would write a lot. I don't so much do it as much anymore, but it was, you know, my favorite always in school and coming up with stories and things. And so I know that that's in my future, but I don't think it's in my near future. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's there. Yeah. Well, speaking about your near future, what are you doing when you're not – I mean, you're constantly working. Yeah, this year's been – this year and last year was really insane. But I always knew that – I'm such a freak. Like, I love the number five, and so I – I do, too. That's my favorite number. It's my favorite number. Yeah. Yeah. And we – I just felt like 2025 was always – I planned – like, I did certain things when I was 15, like, because the number five, like, I planned a lot of stuff. Why five? Why five? I feel like it's an even number, although it's an odd, because it's in the middle of all the numbers, like one to ten spots. Very solid. Does that make sense? I like that. Yeah, I like that. That's interesting. I like the number five, too. For what it's worth. I love it. What do you like, Sean? What do you like? I like three. I like three. Yeah, I kind of like three, too. That's a cousin. As well. Yeah. So then, yeah, what's Sean – I don't know if I even answered, like, what the heck did I just say? What? He was talking about – You asked me a question. I'm like, yes, I really like the number five. Nick picked number five. Weirdo. Well, he was saying, like – And my sister and her friend, Chloe, they are going to listen to this. That's why I'm like – my butt cheeks are, like, clenched. I'm like – No. Because they love this show so much. Oh, we love you guys. And I talked to Dakota right before. She's like, you're about to do Smart Listen. But she actually – I was like, I'm nervous. She's like, no, it's just a conversation. Like, it's not – Yeah, we're just hanging out. We're all just hanging out. Well, hello to them both. Yeah. But what Sean was saying, like, about the future, like, you're working so much. What do you – Oh, yes. Have you carved out some, like, non-work time in your future? Yeah. You know, I guess I got to get better at doing that. But also, I'm not – I don't think I'm too – I'm just so – I want to do it all in this moment. What do you and Gus like to do? What's your favorite thing to do? For Tracy, that's your boyfriend. Yes, that's my boyfriend for Tracy. We love going on trips. He has actually been a really nice – Gosh, he is such – Well, we're very similar in a lot of ways. Because he's also extremely extroverted. But he's extremely grounded. And is able to really ground me. And also, he kind of carves out the time for me. And I'm like, I don't even realize it. But like, okay, let's – or we're gonna do this weekend away, or we're gonna drive to Santa Barbara, gonna set up this trip and and it's just not i'm not great at organizing i don't and um and i i'm good at organizing in my uh like with scheduling with work like that i'm i'm very on it and that's kind of all i think about and so then he kind of turns me away to also think about those other things it's a really it's a spectacular we call them anchors scotty's my anchor i mean everybody needs an anchor yeah we um we really are i mean fucking no comment yeah i mean he's talking about that's good scotty's my anchor everybody i'm trying to do that but also we're extremely ambitious like both of us and so i think it's also i'm like yeah you go do your thing and i go do mine it's like you don't got it you didn't you don't have to come follow me to right set like come and visit but also you know you don't i don't need you just like sitting in the trailer it's like i know that's boring he's a nice i've i've met i've met uh your gus a few times over the years he's a real nice really nice guy yeah um yeah well that's great so what but what do you do like on a day like today right and amidst all this stuff you're doing you're i mean right now you're constantly doing press and screenings and meet and greets and getting ready to work and prepping and blah blah what do you do today what do you do today if you have the afternoon like what are you going to do what makes you happy to carve out for you gosh well you said ebbs and flows like i get into modes of like okay now i'm like i love working out or i love doing this so i'm gonna go to pilates and do this and then and it's like all or nothing for me so i'm not in that phase right now at all what about like arts and crafts i have a cooking thing yeah that's what i'm saying yes i love painting and drawing and like that is in me yeah but it's not i gotta do it more like i think about i think about it i'm like you know what if i had like a painting room or something i would be so happy but it also feels too hard i'm like yes i'm setting it up you know you know my my dream is my dream is to have somebody come or by the way i did this once i had somebody come over this is years and years and years ago with some friends we got totally stoned we all smoked pot and then some woman came over with seven sewing machines and we all made pillows like stoned out of our mind and we just made pillows and like that's what we need to do right we need to have somebody come over to teach us like hey i want to paint can you just set some stuff up for me and i'll paint and then we're done and then we did it see if someone else sets it up for me i sound like if it's set up for me it's like okay you got to go to this class then i will do it i feel also i'm like oh no i don't want to stand up that teacher that's right you know so i'm like there's an obligation yeah but if it's just me alone then i sit on my computer and i watch traders same there you go i'm like oh my god i'm like oh my god i'm like oh my god i'm like oh my god i'm obsessed seen every episode of every iteration i'm watching so well obviously we're watching the one now domestic one yeah right there's there's a brit there's a there's a new zealand or australian whatever yeah they um was the english one the first one yeah the english one was the first one this is like a survivor type of thing right yeah yeah it's like mafia yeah okay yeah we used to play that jb sure yeah you're a great leader yeah i always had to do it any of y'all watch it i mean i want rob to win i want rob to win too because he's so clever i know and i always want the traders to win yeah always yeah i'm always like that i also just started the celebrity uk which i know is i'm a little late too yeah i'm loving it but do you know who won that because i had to spoil okay i won't do you have a guess do you have a guess see i feel like everyone is on to them really quickly yeah so i just can't see that i mean cat i like cat a lot cat's great so she possibly i feel like and alan i love i love i love them but i just don't they're all seem to be on them unless they get particular people out i think cat and alan could go it's a very satisfying ending oh good okay good yeah my mom watches it too and she was like you're gonna love this she's like it's a great thing yeah but i love reality tv so i just spin i'm like okay i sit i also have tvs in my home i don't turn them on i only watch on my computer huh okay so they're just decoration or yeah i literally i don't they have to be here it's so weird and i have a giant computer that is heavy and old and i just can't get rid of it but the screen is so big i'm on it right now and like the tech check this morning i was like guys i don't know any of these wires you sent they're going to fit into this archaic thing they all worked out yeah while we're paused here will did you want to double back on um sean's pillow party i did i just the visual alone uh you a bunch of bunch of stoned middle-aged entertainment types in a beautiful hollywood mansion it's everything i ever always thought it was so fun you guys we should do it i'm not even kidding it's really fine make sure to yeah when i'm good i'm super wealth of never come on we'll make pillows it's really doing we'll do it el listen you are yeah you are a delight just a delight el you are so happy to have you you i mean you're just you're such an impressive actor and you've done so many amazing things so happy for your new show margo's got money troubles yes i'll say money come on trouble troubles money troubles pause troubles uh listen uh we're just it's just such a great uh uh you you you just bring such positivity and you're amazing and we're just i could talk to you all day long all day thank you god i feel the same i feel the same and my favorite part i just got to say this because the best part on the doc is when you're uh worried that ordering the surf and turf is too extravagant is unbelievable well but i didn't know going oh did we go long on that i mean that's the best so when i'm in when i need a pick me up like i turn i watch that on tiktok like yeah and i think a lot of people do i think it is a thing but it's freaking little bites yeah yeah well thank you my dear um yeah all right thanks for doing this we love you enjoy the rest of your day thank you thank you well thank you bye guys this was so fun for sure thanks thank you for having me on you got it thanks pillow party oh sean yeah well why was that what should we do tonight you know we got all this big bag of weed and what do you think should we should we just go crazy and and call that gal with the sewing machines yeah yeah yeah that sounds sweet bro do you remember her number uh-huh yeah and then what should we do with this one let's make pillows yeah we all made pillows this is why i never you know what'd be really cool we should go and pit this is this is on the night right yeah you know what we should do we should go pitch a celebrity sweatshop right you we all make pillows um wait so that was uh that was a real delight i mean what a wonderful human so impressed she is a wonderful human being she's got great energy she's always just she's always just positive and cool she was exactly as i had always hoped she would be yeah and then just does all this incredible work constantly doing different stuff i mean it's just amazing she's she's got one of the new she's in the one of the new um what are those um you know the thing that i'm talking about oh here he comes no no no i'm not it's a um hunger game she's in the new hunger games as well oh she is yeah she's on fire she's amazing oh she's totally on fire and uh and i can't wait to see marcus got money troubles i know that that book was really good i love that you forgot oh i think i read that book i know well how what do you read a book in an hour or something like that no i i it's i read like three or four in my life that was one of them and so even though you forgot the one i know well it takes me a month and a half to read a book i like i'm not gonna forget if i read it takes me a while will how long does it take you to read it like an adult book well i've been reading a lot later like the last last two weeks i'm on my fourth book in the last two weeks wow yeah when do you when do you when are you doing this at night sometimes during the day if i have time down in the day for an hour or whatever i'll just so you how many pages will you read before you knock off 60 pages depends on how tired i am yeah yeah yeah but like sometimes sometimes you get in 10 15 pages and you're just eyes are right right but usually it's about a half hour reading and then you're and you're and then you're sleeping uh-huh yeah and i do a lot of reading during the day too on my like sometimes in the morning i'll wake up and if i if i'm up early and you enjoy it you just enjoy reading i like reading about things i like to read about i get excited i mean but if if you sent me a book about like i don't know uh-huh yeah like what motorcycle driving sure i don't know what that'd be called motorcycle before but you know what would be a good to read about would be what bicycle riding well that was cheap that was good that was good smart smart smart is 100 organic and artisanally handcrafted by rob armjarff bennett barbaco and michael grant terry Smart Less.