Skip to playerSkip to main contentSkip to footer
Deadline
  • 2 days ago
Connect with Deadline online!
https://www.facebook.com/deadline/
https://twitter.com/DEADLINE
https://www.instagram.com/deadline/
https://www.youtube.com/@Deadline

Category

😹
Fun
Transcript
00:00I have this idea I want to pitch, we do like a commercial and we say it's mid-century modern and we're a very gay show.
00:08It's not for everybody, but if you happen to watch all ten episodes, it will turn you gay.
00:15And then we bring out two football players, you know, and then we send them in to binge watch the show and then they come out in caftans and big earrings.
00:24And we say, it's not for everybody, it's just for us.
00:28What do you think?
00:29I love it.
00:30I love it.
00:31I'm hiring you as a marketing person right now.
00:33Yeah, Hulu will love it.
00:43What are you starting with me?
00:45I'm just saying, this is the first time we're going to be together since Ethan left her, so don't pick at the little things.
00:52Guarantee you she shows up without a bra.
00:56Like that, for example.
00:58That's not a little thing, Bunny.
01:00It's a big deal.
01:01Bras are the family business, so she shows up braless.
01:05You think the Manischewitz kids drink frescas?
01:09Mother, please don't criticize her.
01:12Don't talk about what she's wearing, her hair, and whatever you do.
01:16Please don't ask her what's next.
01:18She doesn't know.
01:21I hope this wasn't important.
01:24It made a noise when I drove over it.
01:27No problem.
01:28I can get another kidney off Amazon.
01:33Hi, bun.
01:34Hi, man.
01:35Welcome to the actor's side.
01:39And finally, I have always wanted to have him on the actor's side.
01:43And what an actor.
01:44This is his 50th year in show business, which is hard to believe.
01:49A half-century laughs.
01:51Great dramatic performances, too.
01:53Everything you can imagine on stage, screen, and television.
01:56Currently, as Bunny Schneiderman in mid-century modern on Hulu.
02:02Of course, he played Teddy on his Emmy-winning role in Only Murders in the Building.
02:08In Monsters, the Lyle and Eric Menendez story.
02:11The Gilded Age, he's got a role in that, a recurring role.
02:15This is Nathan Lane.
02:17Do you not leave anything for the other actors in this business?
02:21I think there's plenty to go around.
02:24It seems like everyone's got two or three series going.
02:28Yeah, that's true.
02:29But, yeah.
02:30No, look.
02:31I'm very, very grateful and thrilled to be still viable in the marketplace, as they say.
02:37Viable, I will say.
02:38You have won three Tonys, seven Drama Desk Awards, an Olivier Award, a Primetime Emmy,
02:45two Daytime Emmys, over 25 Broadway credits, and you won Best Actor in 1974 at St. Peter's Preparatory School.
02:56It wasn't a lot of competition there.
02:58Really?
02:59Yeah.
03:00Was that your first taste of show business that started this 50-year run?
03:04You know, like everybody, you know, who's interested in acting or performing in some way.
03:10You know, it starts in school usually.
03:12There's school plays, and we did, I was a part of that.
03:16You know, there was sort of the Drama Society and putting on a couple of plays a year.
03:22And even as a little tyke, I would do impressions, or I had like a bad lounge act when I was, you know, five.
03:34And at family gatherings I would perform, and so it was, I guess it was always there.
03:39So you were born, you were born to play this.
03:42I guess so.
03:43In fact, there was an interesting quote about you that said,
03:47he makes every role seem like he was born to play.
03:50And, you know, and that's it.
03:51It doesn't matter if it's Bunny in the current show, mid-century,
03:56or if it's Dominic Dunn, or if it's Roy Cohn, or it's, you know, you jump in, you know, Max Bialystok.
04:02All of it looks like it was written for you.
04:05Well, you know, I'm also lucky that it's, this is all great material we're talking about.
04:12So, you know, it's that, you know, and that's really the beginning and end of it.
04:17If you have the material, you know, you can make something out of that
04:23and hopefully create something different each time.
04:27And this year it was, it's really, I owe a huge debt to Ryan Murphy,
04:32who gave me these two wonderful roles in television, a very serious part in Dominic Dunn.
04:38Right.
04:39And then this great comedy role in Bunny Schneiderman.
04:44And I hadn't done a situation comedy in front of a live audience in over 20 years.
04:50So it was, it was a shock to the system.
04:52It's a whirlwind process and, and, and it all builds to, I mean, you're working over, it's five days.
04:59And then you're, you're doing it in front of 300 people every week.
05:02So, and that's kind of the exciting nerve wracking part is getting to do it for an audience and seeing what works and what doesn't.
05:09It's the multi-cam of it all, which is what Norman Lear shows were built on.
05:14Yeah.
05:15Mary Tyler, MTM, all of those.
05:17And then it sort of went out of style.
05:19Well, yeah.
05:20And the single camera comedies became very popular.
05:23And, and the, yes, it's like the butter churn.
05:26Like you're still using that.
05:28You've got to, you know, this form goes back to, you know, the day Desi Arnaz said,
05:33I think I want three cameras filming in front of a live audience because that's how Lucy works best.
05:38It works best.
05:39And when you have the, the right material and the right company of actors, it, it can be a blast.
05:46It's so much fun.
05:47And, and, uh, but it's more of a high wire act than doing a, obviously than a single camera show.
05:53Yeah.
05:54And wasn't Desi Arnaz a genius for figuring that out?
05:57Well, he invented it and it was, and filming it.
06:00And filming it.
06:01We're still watching I Love Lucy today.
06:03Absolutely.
06:04Only because of that.
06:05He knew that she, she thrived in front of a live audience.
06:08Yeah.
06:09And they, when they made the pilot for I Love Lucy, they had toured for like, uh, several months doing an act together.
06:17That was a, would, would be a part of the pilot so that they honed it and, and they knew how to, you know, get every single laugh.
06:25And yeah, no, that was a, that was groundbreaking.
06:28He was a very, very brilliant guy.
06:3025 Broadway roles.
06:31I think you thrive in front of a live audience.
06:34So this makes perfect sense, Nathan.
06:36Yeah.
06:37One would think, but I've done it a couple of times in the past.
06:41Well, very early in your career.
06:43Yeah.
06:44You worked with Mickey Rooney.
06:45Sure.
06:46Television and comedy.
06:47And live to tell the tale.
06:49One of the boys.
06:50And you were one of the boys.
06:52Yes.
06:53What was that like?
06:54That was his show.
06:55I know.
06:56You were supporting.
06:57That wasn't my fault.
06:58So I won't take the rap for that.
07:02Um, it was, yeah, I was very young.
07:05It was writer.
07:06Creators were Saul Turtletaub and Bernie, Bernie Orenstein.
07:09And they had worked with Jack Albertson on Chico and the man.
07:13And they created that show for him.
07:15And then he died.
07:16And then, uh, somebody suggested Mickey Rooney and he was having a renaissance because he
07:22was, he was doing sugar babies on Broadway.
07:24Oh, yeah.
07:25He had done the Black Stallion.
07:26So he decided in his spare time during the day, he would do this situation comedy in New,
07:31in New York at 30 Rock.
07:33And Dana Carvey was, you know, he was, uh, he played his grandson.
07:38Uh, it was about a, a young university student who takes his grandfather out of a nursing home
07:43and brings him to live with him in his off-campus apartment along when I played his roommate,
07:48his, his cranky roommate.
07:50Yeah.
07:51No, you knew instantly it was not going to work.
07:54It's a fascinating thing to have worked with Mickey.
07:57Mickey.
07:58And he was, you know, he was a tremendous talent.
08:00You know, I think he bore the scars of having gone through the MGM studio system and he'd
08:07had a lot of ups and downs, but you know, when you could get him, when you could calm
08:12him down, he was brilliant at, at his craft.
08:16Oh, believe me.
08:17I have had the pleasure of interviewing him when, uh, he was alive, obviously.
08:21It was getting him to stay on point and not drifting off onto other things.
08:26Yeah.
08:27Memories and things.
08:28Oh, sure.
08:29What an extraordinary talent.
08:30He had the longest running career in show business.
08:33I think of anybody, but you have, you're going for that record.
08:38I think.
08:39Am I?
08:40I don't think you're the kind of actor that ever wants to give it up.
08:42I think this is what makes you run, right?
08:45Yeah.
08:46I, I, sure.
08:47I, I, I'm a bit of a workaholic and, and, uh, but I also love what I do.
08:52I love, you know, and as you know, especially, uh, whether it's, it's, uh, something like
08:57monsters where, uh, you know, it was really a chance, but really, again, thanks to Ryan,
09:03who gave me one particular episode that was, you know, got into Dominic Dunn's backstory.
09:09And did you know Dominic Dunn?
09:11I did not.
09:12I once received a note from him after I was doing a play on Broadway and he sent me a note
09:18thanking me.
09:19And, but no, we never met, but I talked to a lot of people who, who knew him well.
09:24And, and I also spoke with his son Griffin, a wonderful actor who wrote this beautiful
09:29memoir, the Friday afternoon club.
09:31And, and he was, he was extremely helpful and, and, um, yeah, he was, you know, he was
09:37a great raconteur and charming and, you know, his story was his whole life changed after
09:44his daughter was murdered.
09:45And they went through this horrendous trial, which was just a travesty of justice.
09:50And, and that changed him personally and professionally because that's, he wrote the very first piece
09:57for Vanity Fair, which led to a whole new career for him.
10:00Yeah, I know.
10:01I mean, he was suddenly, you know, not the Dominic Dunn we knew.
10:04She was a wonderful, uh, actress and person herself.
10:08Dominique.
10:09Dominique.
10:10Oh, I know.
10:11Her guys is such a, her career was just off and running and it's a, it was a great tragedy.
10:15Yeah.
10:16And, uh, so, which is why he was, you know, he became such an advocate for victims and
10:21why he was so hostile towards the Menendez brothers and, uh, you know, and, and.
10:27What do you think that's going on?
10:28This, this series has led to, I mean, it's in the news every day.
10:32Yeah.
10:33Which is kind of remarkable.
10:35Well, it seems like they're, I, I haven't quite followed the most recent turn of events,
10:40but it seems like they're, they're going to have a look at another hearing at least or
10:46look at resentencing.
10:47Uh, I know the new DA was not, uh, not a fan.
10:51Um, so they, they, so there was some setbacks, but I, I think they're, they're at least gonna,
10:57uh, there'll be some sort of hearing, I think coming up, but.
11:00You know, it's a wonderful performance.
11:02Yeah.
11:03And Ryan's amazing because he just is like one of these, he's like an old style producer.
11:08Get on the phone and say, you know, I got them for you.
11:11Right.
11:12Absolutely.
11:13Uh, it's a, he's a, a character actor's best friend.
11:15Um, yeah, no, he called about that.
11:18And then when I was working on, on monsters, he said, I have this script.
11:22Um, it's by Max Muschnick and David Cohan who did well in grace and, and Jimmy Burrows is
11:28going to direct.
11:29And I, he said, I think it's really funny.
11:31I've never done one of these before, but I'd like to do this one.
11:35And so it was just, it was an easy yes.
11:38And, uh, it was just such a funny script.
11:40It's hilarious.
11:41I almost finished it because you don't see many comedies like that on television.
11:46Now that are lap out loud, funny, but also human.
11:49Yeah.
11:50You know, it can turn on a dime.
11:51I mean, we'll talk about Linda Lavin.
11:53She died during production.
11:55Yeah.
11:56You did an episode.
11:57She played your mother, did an episode nine.
12:00That was a masterful example of doing a show.
12:05That's a tribute to someone who has passed away on the thing, but also it's funny.
12:10You know, you rolled the humor into it.
12:13The scene where you're going under the sink, looking for stuff, you know, a physical humor
12:18trying to write her, um, uh, obituary.
12:20Yeah.
12:21Well, if that's a real tribute to Max and David and the writer's room is a great writer's
12:27room.
12:28Obviously we are all in shock.
12:29Yeah.
12:30And, and we didn't see that coming.
12:32Right.
12:33I had spoken with her the day after Christmas and she said, I'm calling Max, David and you
12:39to let you know that I've been diagnosed with lung cancer.
12:42I'm, I'm going to start radiation next week and they feel I can work through these last
12:49three episodes.
12:50And, and I'm, so I'm optimistic.
12:52And, you know, I said to her, look, it's just a TV show.
12:55The most important thing is your health and we, we can do whatever you want to do, you
13:00know, as, as little or as much as you want to do.
13:02But the main thing is to take care of yourself and we'll be there for you.
13:06And, and so look, the, the great thing about that was I get, I got to have that phone call
13:11with her and, and tell her how much I loved her and, and, and what this had all meant to
13:18me.
13:19And, and cause it was very special.
13:21We had known each other just sort of a little bit through the years from the New York theater.
13:26And, and, uh, we had always said, we hoped we would get to work together.
13:30So that made this a very special experience.
13:32And she was, there was nobody like her.
13:34She was just an extraordinary actress and could do anything.
13:37And you would never think she was 87 years old.
13:40No.
13:41She looked fantastic.
13:43And so the, it was a joyous experience.
13:46And then there was that shock of losing her.
13:49And then they took a week.
13:51Ryan had said to Max and David, don't wait until the end to do this.
13:56Do it now.
13:57Take a week and write the episode that deals with this.
14:01And they did.
14:02And they all rose to the occasion.
14:04So I thought they very deftly, uh, were able to, it was also Jimmy Burrows who said, you
14:12know, start off with comedy.
14:14And then, and then it happened, like in life, this thing happens that no one is expecting.
14:20I thought they did a beautiful job and, and Matt Balmer and Nathan Lee Graham, you know,
14:25I, I, I can't say enough good things about them.
14:28They're impeccable actors.
14:30Oh, the three, the three of you are great.
14:32I love when you break out into just break out in a musical number.
14:35Yeah.
14:36I know.
14:37I know.
14:38I do it so often at home.
14:40Oh, it's based on real life.
14:43It's based on my, my real, your life.
14:46Uh, yeah, no, they, yeah, it's fun.
14:48Uh, they're just the best to work with.
14:51And, and so that, yeah, that episode, boy, the, you know, we thought about, should we talk,
14:58tell the audience beforehand what, you know, what's going to happen.
15:02And I said, no, no, they shouldn't know.
15:05Oh, don't discuss it at all.
15:07Let, let them feel like it's just going to be another episode of this comedy.
15:11And then, and boy, you could hear a pin drop when, when we got into that stuff.
15:16Of course, they've endlessly tried to tie this to the golden girls.
15:19It really isn't the golden girls.
15:21Uh, you know, I mean, obviously living together and all of that, that is sure.
15:26But it's its own thing.
15:28It's, it's really interesting too.
15:30It's about older gay men still interested in sex.
15:34That is not something you could have ever gotten in the golden girl.
15:38Yeah.
15:39They're on network.
15:40Yeah.
15:41This is a beautiful thing of Hulu.
15:42And, uh, yeah, there's a lot more freedom.
15:44And yeah, I mean, it's very open about that.
15:47And it's three older gay men living their lives authentically and, and, um, with abandon and being there for one another.
15:56That makes it different.
15:57You all just talk about the golden girls.
15:59And I liked the golden girls.
16:00I wasn't obsessed with it the way some people are, but I, I liked it.
16:06I loved Bea Arthur and Betty White and Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty.
16:10Um, but so I went back just to watch the pilot.
16:14And that's something.
16:15First of all, I never knew that the house belonged to Rue McClanahan.
16:19Did you know that?
16:20Oh, I had no idea.
16:21Okay.
16:22She owned the house.
16:23I thought Bea Arthur owned the house.
16:24No.
16:25No.
16:26Rue McClanahan.
16:27Wow.
16:28And in the pilot, she's about to marry somebody.
16:31And she says to them, well, you know, you're going to have to move out to Betty and, and, and Bea.
16:37And then Estelle Getty shows up.
16:39Her nursing home has burned down suspiciously.
16:43Honestly, someone, I think Rue remarks that she's had a stroke that has taken out the part of her brain that filters things.
16:52So this is why she's so abrasive with everyone.
16:56Anyway, it's a little far fetched.
16:59You know, it's a joke, joke-a-thon, you know, and, and those, those ladies are so magnificent.
17:04Oh, and Coco, Coco, the gay cook.
17:07Oh, yeah.
17:08We are, we are, we, we're sort of.
17:13We pick up where Coco left off.
17:15He was all, he was only in the pilot.
17:17It's, it's so much fun.
17:18And you keep mentioning Jimmy Burroughs, who sat in this chair with me, and I'm just such a fan of him.
17:23He's amazing.
17:24He comes from.
17:25A legend.
17:26That family, A Burroughs, Broadway.
17:28Guys and Dolls.
17:29Legend, Guys and Dolls, which.
17:30We have that connection.
17:32Yeah.
17:33Which you got your name from, right, Nathan?
17:35Yes.
17:36You, you plucked it off of Nathan Detroit?
17:38Well, it's, it's a, I've told this story before.
17:42But yes, there was a, my real name is Joe Lane.
17:46There was a Joseph Lane in Actors' Equity when I joined.
17:49And so they told me, you have to change your name.
17:52And then they said you could change your first name or your last name, but you can't be Joe
17:56Lane anymore.
17:58So it was a little traumatic.
18:00And I, they said, well, don't.
18:02I must've looked stricken.
18:03And they said, no, go take a, you know, a week and think about it.
18:06I said, no, just give me a minute.
18:08And I went and sat down and I, I had played at age 19, Benjamin Franklin in 1776.
18:17And I had played Nathan Detroit in a dinner theater production.
18:21And I thought I'll either be Nathan Lane or Benjamin Lane.
18:26And I thought Nathan had a better rhythm.
18:28And so I said, I'll be Nathan Lane.
18:32And that's how it.
18:33And that's how it happened.
18:34And on the set, you have another Nathan you're working.
18:36Nathan Lee Graham.
18:37And he's wonderful.
18:38The most delightful, just the greatest guy in the world and so talented.
18:43He and Matt.
18:44Oh, and Matt Bomer.
18:45Matt Bomer.
18:46Yeah.
18:47The three old guys.
18:48Matt's not really.
18:49No, no.
18:50Originally, you know, the, yeah, I mean, it was men.
18:53The gay golden girls was mentioned.
18:55And then suddenly they said, Matt Bomer.
18:57And I was like, well, what am I?
18:59What am I?
19:00Is grandfather them?
19:02That's not fair.
19:03So it suddenly became more about gay men at different stages of their lives.
19:08So, yeah, you know, it's not just about, and it's not just about being gay, but it is about getting older.
19:13And what happens to you when that, you know, in the world and, you know, how you sort of become invisible and it's, and it's, it's about chosen family.
19:23It's, it's the, how important that is.
19:25And especially with our show, once we lost Linda, it, it, you know, it was something we never wanted, but it suddenly took a turn that, wow, this chosen family is more important than ever to him because he's lost the most important relationship in his life.
19:41So, no, I'm very happy to be doing something like this.
19:45I hope this gets renewed.
19:47Are we renewed?
19:48Yeah.
19:49Well, it, all signs are, are very positive.
19:53It's, you know, it was, it debuted at number one, you know, on Hulu and, and it's, it, we're certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
20:03So everyone seems very, you know, excited by what's happened with the show.
20:08And, and so we should find out in the next month.
20:11Oh, good, good.
20:12Yeah.
20:13And I want to mention only murders in the building.
20:15Yes.
20:16A wonderful character.
20:17You finally won that primetime Emmy after setting records.
20:22Yeah.
20:23In the guest star category.
20:24Yeah.
20:25The Emmys.
20:26Uh, I think that was your seventh nomination.
20:29Yeah.
20:30And, and it was a wonderful episode, um, ASL.
20:34Yes.
20:35Sign language.
20:36Sign language.
20:37Well, for those, those scenes.
20:38Yeah.
20:39It was like a, you know, when I, when they asked me to do it, I said, sure, I would love, I knew Marty and Steve.
20:46And, and then, um, it became, it's a much more serious role in, in the midst of this comedy.
20:52You know, he's sort of a dark character, but yeah, it was a joy to do.
20:57And I did the first episode of the fifth season.
20:59Oh yeah.
21:00I'm supposed to come back, uh, like a nine and 10.
21:03Uh, I get out of jail.
21:05I've been in jail.
21:06That's Hulu too.
21:07That's Hulu.
21:08Hulu, right?
21:09I'm apparently.
21:10You actually broke your own record, got nominated again.
21:13And now you're eight, eight times.
21:15Yeah.
21:16No, I, I, it's lovely.
21:17We're going to move you up this year.
21:18Yeah.
21:19Oh, well.
21:20Oh yeah.
21:21Yeah.
21:22I know.
21:23I'm king of the guest stars.
21:24Well, no, I mean, it's great to be in all of that.
21:26Before we go, I want to ask you about, um, we're talking about being under attack and
21:31everything and, and gays.
21:33Roy Cohn, you played, uh, obviously, and won a Tony award on Broadway.
21:38Yeah.
21:39In the revival of angels in America.
21:41Roy Cohn is responsible for everything that's going on today.
21:46Yeah, I know.
21:47It's unbelievable.
21:48He's smiling in hell right now.
21:50Yeah.
21:51Uh, yes, he was, you know, Trump's mentor and, and many of these tactics are, were taught
21:59to him by Roy Cohn.
22:01He also sort of gave him entree to New York society.
22:05And, and, uh, yeah, he was, um, he was a bad guy.
22:11Is it hard to play somebody like that and still give them humanity?
22:14Well, no, I think you, um, no, those people, you know, don't think of themselves as villains,
22:21right?
22:22Yeah.
22:23They're the hero in their story.
22:24And he was, um, as, as vile as he could be, you know, he had a certain charm and, and,
22:32and, uh, a seductive charm that he, you know, and people that I certainly talked to people
22:37who were friendly with him.
22:38They didn't like to admit it, but they were.
22:41If you were friends with him, he was very loyal.
22:43The real Roy is very different than the Tony Kushner version of Roy, which is incredibly,
22:50uh, smartly written and witty.
22:53And, and, uh, it's, it's one of the greatest parts ever created for the theater.
22:58Going back to Broadway?
22:59Not, uh, next season, but the following, I will be.
23:04You will be.
23:05I will be making a return, but not till it's not.
23:07Do we know what you're returning in?
23:09I can't talk about it.
23:11Okay.
23:12But, uh, it's, it's, uh, it's something I wanted to do for a very long time.
23:16And, and with Joe, Joe Mantello, uh, great director that I've worked with a lot in the
23:22past.
23:23So can't wait for that.
23:24And in the meantime, Mid-Century Modern on Hulu, Only Murders in the Building on Hulu,
23:29Monsters of Lyle and Eric Menendez story on Netflix, The Gilded Age on Peacock.
23:35This is Nathan Lane.
23:36Thanks for joining us on the actor side.
23:38Thank you so much, Pete.
23:40Appreciate it.
23:42.
23:48.
23:52.