Blank Check with Griffin & David Inside Llewyn Davis with Rachel Zegler
Nov 2, 2025
Rachel Zegler, an actor and singer known for her role in West Side Story, shares her admiration for Inside Llewyn Davis. She dives into the Coen Brothers' fascination with failure and how Llewynâs character reflects a thwarted artist's journey. The discussion highlights Oscar Isaacâs preparation and unique musical performance, as well as the film's cold cinematography. Zegler also touches on the film's impactful cat symbolism and its resonant themes, linking her experience with the film to her own stage work in Evita.
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Episode notes
Oscar Isaac's Quirky Early Credits
- Early in the episode they joked Oscar Isaac's rare singing roles make his Inside Llewyn Davis performance feel proprietary to the character.
- They also discovered Oscar's amusing 2004 credit as 'Detective Fartman' in a obscure TV film.
Failure As A Self-Perpetuating Loop
- Inside Llewyn Davis treats failure as a self-created, repeatable loop rather than pure external tragedy.
- The Coens show that the film's ambiguity (repeat events, fades vs cuts) is intentional and part of its meaning.
A Teen Obsession Turned Lifelong Comfort
- Rachel Zegler first saw Inside Llewyn Davis as a teenager and watched it obsessively through freshman year of high school.
- She still re-watches it often and even ushered in a New Year's alone with the film this year.
