Happy Sad Confused

"Happy Sad Confused" (in the person of Josh Horowitz) has hit the road this week to take you to the Sundance Film Festival. So don't worry about scoring a ticket or trekking to Utah we've got you covered with three conversations straight from the historic launching pad of indie films. First up, it's Woody Harrelson, who memorably plays the title character in the Daniel Clowes adaptation, "Wilson". But we couldn't let Woody go without talking a little Star Wars (he was recently cast in the forthcoming Han Solo film). Josh finds out if Woody knows what kessel run is and discovers why the actor stays away from urinals at all costs.  Surprisingly Star Wars was also on the mind of Jack Black in this episode (find out how he ranks all the films here). Black made a triumphant return to Park City, starring in the hilarious fact based comedy, "The Polka King". Finally, we welcome two newcomers to the show but they're veterans of Sundance, Melanie Lynskey and Elijah Wood. Josh chats with the pair about their new black comedy for Netflix, "I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

***SPOILER ALERT***If you have not seen “Split,” do NOT read this or listen to the accompanying podcast. You have been warned!  ***SPOILER ALERT***  M. Night Shyamalan, so celebrated for his early films like “The Sixth Sense” and “Signs” has essentially reinvented himself in recent years, abandoning big budgets, to work on his own terms for psychological thrillers that could at times almost pass as black comedies. “The Visit” scored with critics and audiences alike and now he continues the trend with “Split”, starring James McAvoy as a man with DID (dissociative identity disorder). It’s all totally new territory for Shyamalan. Right? Not quite. If you’ve seen the film, (and if you haven’t this your last chance, get out of here!) you know the big secret at the heart of “Split”. This is the long awaited continuation of “Unbreakable”, complete with a return of Bruce Willis as David Dunn. Fans of “Unbreakable” have clamored for a sequel virtually since the film’s release in 2000. And while the filmmaker has teased a possible return to the universe at some point, no one anticipated it would happen this way. Talking at length in this exclusive conversation with Josh Horowitz specially for a spoiler-centric “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Shyamalan reveals a lot—from the origins of “Split” in the original “Unbreakable” script to his plans for the 3rd installment of the story, a film that will bring together David Dunn (Willis), The Horde (James McAvoy) and Mr. Glass (Samuel L. Jackson), a film the director intends to make next. There’s a ton of juicy details in the conversation below. If you’re an “Unbreakable” fan, prepare yourself!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bryce Dallas Howard’s busy 2016 (there was her memorable SAG nominated turn in “Black Mirror” and the underrated “Pete’s Dragon”) may be over but 2017 has a lot in store for her as well. In this return visit to “Happy Sad Confused”, Howard talks about co-starring with Matthew McConaughey in next week’s “Gold”, and how one memorable scene almost led her drinking the first alcohol in her entire life. Plus, Howard looks ahead to returning to “Jurassic World” for the sequel (her next shoot), confirming there is a title, and explaining why new director JA Bayona was “the one who got away” before he signed on to the film. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In his eleven seasons on “Saturday Night Live,” Fred Armisen appeared in over 800 sketches, proving to be the most versatile oddball utility player the storied late night show could hope for. Since leaving the show in 2013, rather than setting his sights on film, as many of his fellow ex-SNL-ers have, Armisen has found a groove on TV. His Peabody winning show, “Portlandia” has just entered it’s 7th season on IFC. That channel is also home to his deliciously specific documentary spoof series, “Documentary Now”. And most nights you can find him leading the band on “Late Night with Seth Meyers”. All of these busy jobs come up on this week’s conversation on “Happy Sad Confused” but you may delight most in the tangents. From Armisen’s lamenting the end of the nerd era to his creepy plans for his own funeral (he plans to have his tombstone read “Buried Alive. 666”), it’s all uniquely Fred. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this first “Happy Sad Confused” of the new year, it’s all the more appropriate that Josh welcomes two artists who very much represent the future. First up is Janelle Monae, already a phenomenal music success story, who has made a huge splash as an actor in recent months. Despite never acting on screen before, Monae’s first films roles, in “Moonlight” and “Hidden Figures” prove she’s a talent to be reckoned with, no surprise to anyone familiar with the rest of her career. Monae chats with Josh about her path as an artist, why she’s always been a sci-fi lover, and the influence her friend and mentor, Prince, had on her life. Also joining Josh on the podcast this week is Damien Chazelle, the filmmaker behind “Whiplash” and the critically beloved “La La Land”. If you’ve seen Chazelle’s work you know he’s the real deal and he lays out much of his creative vision and aspirations in this conversation. The 31 year old discusses his love of “crazy movies”, how a Miles Teller/Emma Watson version of his film (which nearly came to be) would have differed, and how a phone call from JJ Abrams changed his career.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Natalie Portman is known for many things but being a great impressionist is not one of them (she’s not shy about admitting this). All of which makes her transformation into Jackie Kennedy in the new film, “Jackie”, that much more impressive. It might be time to stop placing any expectations on the 35 year-old, unless you’re expecting her to land another Oscar nomination for this performance, because that’s basically a done deal. Far from a conventional cradle to grave biopic, “Jackie” captures the grieving first lady at a pivotal juncture, in the days immediately following her husband’s assassination. On this episode of “Happy Sad Confused”, Portman takes us back to the beginning, how her career bizarrely intersected with Britney Spears’, how she avoided being sexualized on screen at a young age, and finally answers the million dollar question: which “Star Wars” film will she show her children first? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re going to list the actors most filmmakers are dying to work with these days, Michael Fassbender’s name had better be at or near the top of the list. All of which makes his decision to lend his talents as an actor and producer to “Assassin’s Creed” all the more intriguing. And yet, despite being an admittedly lapsed gamer, the 39 year old says, on this week’s “Happy Sad Confused” the concept was too intriguing to pass up. But this conversation goes far beyond actor motivations and career calculations. Fassbender goes full showman, singing his own made up song for the upcoming “Alien Covenant” and debuting spot-on imitations from “Dumb & Dumber” and “The Big Lebowski”. Plus, just how close did he come to starring in a “Star Wars” movie? Speaking of what ifs, Megan Mullally joins the podcast this week to talk about some films you might have missed her in, such as her cut role from David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet” and her blink and you’ll miss it film debut in “Risky Business”. But it’s the “Will & Grace” star’s role in “Why Him?” opposite Bryan Cranston and James Franco that has her excited, calling it “the biggest job I’ve ever gotten”. She explains why in this very funny chat.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emile Hirsch, acclaimed for performances in films like “Into the Wild”, “Milk”, and “Lone Survivor”, has returned to the big screen for “The Autopsy of Jane Doe”, a thriller that earned raves when it screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and Fantastic Fest earlier this year. In this, his first extensive interview in nearly two years, Hirsch opens up about his formative acting experiences, from “The Girl Next Door” and “Alpha Dog” to “Speed Racer.” He also opens up for the first time about the incident that changed the course of his life in 2015 when, drunk past the point of recall, he was arrested for aggravated assault at a nightclub during the Sundance Film Festival. Hirsch plead guilty to misdemeanor assault, servicing 15 days in jail. In this candid conversation, he candidly discusses for the first time his rehab time, sobriety, and finding clarity as the father of a three year old.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot of assumptions have been made about Aaron Taylor-Johnson. He became tabloid fodder simply because of his engagement at the age of 19 to noted filmmaker Sam Taylor-Wood. This wasn’t the career playbook for an actor on the rise thanks to diverse works like “Nowhere Boy” and “Kick-Ass”. In this conversation on “Happy Sad Confused”,  his podcast debut, Taylor-Johnson opens up about what it’s been like to be scrutinized and judged simply for falling in love and wanting to be a young father. Currently starring in the critically hailed Tom Ford thriller, “Nocturnal Animals”, the 26 year old reveals he never harbored a wish to play a superhero despite playing two already. Plus he pulls the curtain back on what it’s like to be “media trained” and why his big moment with Bruce Springsteen got ruined.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shia LaBeouf has certainly packed a lot into his relatively short 30 years on this planet. From child star to a franchise leading movie star. From avant garde artist to outspoken asshole. He’s been labeled a lot of things (some unfairly, some he’ll cop to quite willingly) and he’s not afraid to talk about all of it in this very honest conversation with Josh Horowitz on this week’s “Happy Sad Confused”. Professionally this has been a banner year for LaBeouf, earning widespread acclaim for his role in “American Honey” and now returning to his roots, re-teaming with filmmaker Dito Montiel for “Man Down”, a PTSD drama co-starring Kate Mara and Jai Courtney. LaBeouf discusses his changing priorities for his career, how he’s obsessed with chasing truth, why he considers himself a blue collar actor, and whether he could imagine returning to a “Transformers” or “Indiana Jones” movie. The answers, like LaBeouf himself, will likely surprise you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices