Club Random with Bill Maher

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Joel Edgerton | Club Random with Bill Maher

Jan 12, 2026

Guest

Joel Edgerton

Joel Edgerton, an acclaimed Australian actor and director, dives into his transformative role in Train Dreams, highlighting why stories of ordinary lives resonate deeply. He reflects on the rise of Aussie actors in Hollywood and the impact of TV on accents. Maher shares his hilarious misadventures as an inexperienced bodyguard, while the duo discusses personal struggles with addiction and the importance of empathy. They also contemplate the cultural nuances of acting, the balance between art and authenticity, and the evolving landscape of modern parenting.

01:32:25

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INSIGHT

Why Australians Nail American Accents

Australian actors often sound convincingly American because they grew up watching U.S. TV with few local-content mandates.
Joel Edgerton and Bill Maher say that early exposure to American shows made American accents second nature for Aussies.

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ADVICE

Choose Authentic Casting When It Matters

Cast roles authentically when it clearly improves a film, such as hiring deaf actors for deaf characters.
Joel and Bill suggest case-by-case decisions preserve artistic truth and strengthen films.

insights

INSIGHT

Power Of Small, Ordinary Stories

Train Dreams resonates because it centers ordinary life, loss, and resilience rather than extraordinary heroes.
Joel argues stories about common people can hit harder and feel more relatable than spectacle films.

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Australians Dominating Hollywood

01:41 • 5min

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Accents, TV Influences, and Award Season

06:23 • 3min

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Appropriation, Casting, and Quotas

09:42 • 3min

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Authenticity Onscreen and Deaf Representation

12:45 • 3min

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Why Train Dreams Resonates

15:50 • 4min

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Small Stories, Big Impact

Technology, Change, and Everyday Life

27:21 • 3min

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Nature, Consequence, and Human Hubris

30:30 • 3min

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Human Progress and Perspective

33:30 • 3min

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Work, Early Jobs, and Humble Beginnings

37:00 • 4min

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Struggling Early Years and Odd Jobs

40:30 • 4min

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Parenting, Trust, and Vetting Caregivers

Drugs, Creativity, and Hitting Bottom

50:44 • 3min

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Addiction, Recovery, and Empathy

53:50 • 4min

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Judgment, Compassion, and Public Perception

57:30 • 3min

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Dreams, Fame, and Social Media Risks

01:00:50 • 3min

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Publicity, TMZ, and Navigating Stardom

01:04:11 • 3min

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Parenting Guilt and Childhood Memories

01:07:40 • 5min

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Marriage Choices and Balancing Career Family

01:12:40 • 4min

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Privilege, Merit, and Cultural Backlash

01:16:20 • 3min

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Appropriation Revisited and Acting's Tradeoffs

01:19:31 • 3min

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Stars vs. Story: What Makes Movies Work

01:22:39 • 3min

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Train Dreams' Success and Career Turning Point

01:25:43 • 5min

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Acting Craft, Patience, and Mature Roles

“Leave It to Beaver” is a tie-in novel based on episodes of the classic television series about 10‑year‑old Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver and his suburban family. Written by Beverly Cleary in the early 1960s, the book presents a series of light, episodic adventures that capture Beaver’s scrapes at home, at school, and with his friends, reflecting the child’s‑eye view of growing up in mid‑20th‑century America. Cleary’s adaptation preserves the gentle humor and family dynamics of the show while adding her characteristic warmth and kid‑centric perspective.

#11706

• Mentioned in 4 episodes

12 Years a Slave

Solomon Northup

Solomon Northup's memoir, 'Twelve Years a Slave,' recounts his harrowing experiences as a free black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Deep South. The book vividly describes the brutal conditions of slavery and the struggles he faced during his twelve-year bondage. It became a significant abolitionist text, providing firsthand insight into the inhumanity of slavery.

#110

• Mentioned in 144 episodes

Exodus

Leon Uris

The novel 'Exodus' by Leon Uris is a historical fiction account that explores the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. It follows the stories of Jewish refugees, many of whom are Holocaust survivors, as they attempt to reach Palestine despite British opposition. The book delves into the back stories of its characters, the history of Jewish settlement in Palestine, and the broader political context of the time, including the struggle for independence and the conflicts between Jewish and Arab populations.

#1693

• Mentioned in 22 episodes

Boys in the Boat

Daniel James Brown

The book chronicles the journey of nine working-class American boys from the University of Washington who, despite long odds, won the gold medal in rowing at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The story is set against the backdrop of the Great Depression and the rise of Nazi Germany. It focuses on Joe Rantz, a teenager who overcame significant personal hardships to become part of the team. The narrative also explores the broader historical context, including the political and social climate of both the United States and Germany during that era. The book highlights the determination, grit, and teamwork of the crew members as they achieved an extraordinary sports achievement.

#1154

• Mentioned in 30 episodes

The stranger

Albert Camus

Published in 1942, 'The Stranger' tells the story of Meursault, a Frenchman living in Algiers, who is characterized by his emotional detachment and apathy. The novel begins with Meursault's indifferent reaction to his mother's death and follows his journey through a series of events, including a senseless murder, which leads to his trial and sentencing. Camus uses Meursault's story to illustrate his philosophy of the absurd, highlighting the lack of inherent meaning in life and the importance of accepting and living with this reality. The novel also explores the tensions between French colonialists and native Algerians, reflecting Camus's own experiences and critiques of colonialism.

#4257

• Mentioned in 10 episodes

Train Dreams

Denis Johnson

The novella follows the life of Robert Grainier, an orphan sent to Idaho in 1893. Grainier works as a laborer, building bridges and felling trees for the expanding railways. He finds happiness with his wife and daughter but faces tragedy when a wildfire changes his life forever. The story is a reflection on isolation, the closing of the American West, and the simple yet harsh life of a pioneer. It juxtaposes the sounds of trains with the natural world, creating a dream-like and elegiac portrait of Grainier's life.

Black Mass

John Gray

In 'Black Mass', John Gray explores how utopian ideals have led to catastrophic outcomes in history, linking them to apocalyptic religious movements and their influence on contemporary political ideologies. He critiques the notion of social progress and examines its impact on recent political events, such as the Iraq War under George W. Bush and Tony Blair.

#78

• Mentioned in 185 episodes

The great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Published in 1925, 'The Great Gatsby' is a tragic love story, a mystery, and a social commentary on American life during the Jazz Age. The novel is narrated by Nick Carraway, who moves to Long Island and becomes entangled in the lives of his wealthy and mysterious neighbor, Jay Gatsby, and Gatsby's obsession to win back his first love, Daisy Buchanan. The story delves into themes of honesty, the temptations of wealth, and the struggle to escape the past, ultimately reflecting on the disintegration of the American Dream.

Bill sits down with award-buzzed actor Joel Edgerton for a sharp, funny, and moving conversation that jumps from Hollywood absurdities to deeply personal truths. They dig into Edgerton’s career-defining performance in Train Dreams, and why stories about ordinary people, loss, and resilience can hit harder than any superhero spectacle. Edgerton opens up about early struggles and the love that carried him through, while Maher shares a bizarre first “job” as an unqualified bodyguard for a South African diplomat’s kids. Along the way, they talk about how Australian actors seem to be quietly running Hollywood—and that most American accents these days were probably learned in Sydney watching Leave It to Beaver.

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ABOUT CLUB RANDOM

Bill Maher rewrites the rules of podcasting the way he did in television in this series of one on one, hour long conversations with a wide variety of unexpected guests in the undisclosed location called Club Random. There’s a whole big world out there that isn’t about politics and Bill and his guests—from Bill Burr and Jerry Seinfeld to Jordan Peterson, Quentin Tarantino and Neil DeGrasse Tyson—talk about all of it.

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ABOUT BILL MAHER

Bill Maher was the host of “Politically Incorrect” (Comedy Central, ABC) from 1993-2002, and for the last fourteen years on HBO’s “Real Time,” Maher’s combination of unflinching honesty and big laughs have garnered him 40 Emmy nominations. Maher won his first Emmy in 2014 as executive producer for the HBO series, “VICE.” In October of 2008, this same combination was on display in Maher’s uproarious and unprecedented swipe at organized religion, “Religulous.”

Maher has written five bestsellers: “True Story,” “Does Anybody Have a Problem with That? Politically Incorrect’s Greatest Hits,” “When You Ride Alone, You Ride with Bin Laden,” “New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer,” and most recently, “The New New Rules: A Funny Look at How Everybody But Me Has Their Head Up Their Ass.”

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