Anna Camp: Scream 7, Pitch Perfect 4, and Navigating Sexuality at 43

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2:01There's a difference between liking a house and actually getting it. Redfin is built to make up that difference and close the gap between finding and owning the home for you. Redfin agents close twice as many deals as other agents. So when you find a home you love, you're not a step behind when it comes to making an offer. That means less watching great homes disappear and more focus on the one you'll call home. Redfin helps turn saved listings into real addresses. Get started at redfin.com. Own the dream. Hey guys, welcome to I've never said this before. With me, Tommy Diderio. I am so excited to share today that my guest is one of the fabulous stars of scream seven, Miss Anna Camp. Now Anna Camp is so brilliant in anything she does, right? You know her from the pitch perfect franchise. She played the twins in you. Now she is back and better than ever in scream seven and this is a spoiler-filled conversation. So if you haven't seen the movie, go watch it

3:02and come back and listen. And if you have seen it, oh, you were in for a treat because we are covering it all and nothing is off limits. So the burning questions that you've had, chances are we're covering them today. We are really diving in. This is an episode for a true lover of the scream franchise. And yes, while we talk all about the scream things, we're also talking about other fan favorite projects and at the end, a really beautiful and moving conversation happens. So all around, I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I had interviewing. And I mean, it was truly such an honor. And did I put a ghost face costume on and chase her around the office? I sure did. You can look at that post on my Instagram. But anyway, you're in for a treat. Let's dive into the world of scream. And let's see if we can get Anna to say something that she has never said before. Anna Camp. What a moment it is for you. Hello, my friend. Hello, hello. I'm so happy to finally meet you and finally be here. I've been looking forward to this for a little bit of some time.

4:03We've been like insta-friends for a minute. We have. We've been DM-ing. I've been watching your show, obviously, and I'm such a fan, and I'm just so thankful that you wanted to sit down and talk to me. Oh, well, I'm so happy to have you here. It is such an exciting moment for you. I feel like I can't turn on any platform of social media without seeing the headlines of screen breaking all of these box office records and it being the number one movie. And it's the highest opening weekend out of any film in the franchise over a 30-year period, which just doesn't happen. It's wild. It's so wild, it's unprecedented, it's so crazy. I still have to pinch myself to even believe that I was a part of it. I mean, and this is really one of the first times you can freely speak about a screen. Yes, I can. So we are going to talk about it all. I am first on the huge fan of the franchise, and when I heard you were attached to it, I was like, oh, this is going to be good. This is going to be good, and I suspected maybe, maybe we'd get you as a killer, but I didn't know.

5:04I have to say the movie did throw me a little bit at certain parts, which we'll talk about. But I guess right from the beginning, you signed on to do it, right? Did you know that you were a killer? Do they tell you? Yes. So I had a Zoom meeting with Kevin Williamson. My agents were like, so Kevin wants to meet with you and talk to you about the new screen. And I was like, what? Me? I've also been a huge fan of the franchise forever. I think it's known that I like when it was announced. The very first date that I went to a movie theater with a boy was the first screen. So I have been just like a huge fan. So I get my Zoom meeting. They don't send me a script. And Kevin is there, and it's on Halloween, actually, which I found pretty cool and ironic and iconic that it was with Kevin on Halloween. And so we can talk about spoilers now, which is so crazy because I've just been so uptight not saying anything.

6:07But yeah, so he's talking to me about the script, and he said, what have your agents told you? And I was like, nothing, they don't know anything. And he goes, OK, well, let me tell you. And he starts telling me about this woman in the neighborhood who has a son who's kind of weird and a little freaky and odd and has a crush on basically the Sydney press scots family and all of it. And he's like a big crime junkie. And everybody thinks that he's like this weird killer. And then he goes, but he's not. It's the mom. And I went, oh, wait. What? Oh, and he goes, and I want you to play the mom. And I almost fell out of my chair. Oh my god. Literally fell out of my chair, because I mean, I would have done anything in the movie, right? I would have been any part of the film to get to work with this amazing cast and also Kevin. But then to be told that I would be playing Ghostface was absolutely mind-blowing for me as an actor, for sure.

7:09So there was no audition. You were just offered the role. No audition. That is wild. I know. Still to this day, I mean, I usually have to fight for things, especially in the TV space, but knowing that like one of the craziest roles and the on the biggest platform I've ever had, I didn't even have to audition. Like, I feel so grateful that he sees my, saw my talent and thought that I could kill it, literally. And especially as a fan of the franchise, what was it like putting on that Ghostface costume for the very first time? Oh my god. Really wild. So I remember them telling me that I had come in for a fitting for the robe and the mask and everything. And I'm just like, we shot in Atlanta, you know, and I'm like rolling in my sweats and going into this fitting. And I'm standing there in front of the mirror and just sitting there with everything on.

8:12Looking out of the little eyes, right? Like you're looking out of the little eyes and you're seeing yourself in the mirror but you're seeing Ghostface. And it doesn't quite make sense. It doesn't feel real in a way. It's a very, just an odd feeling to have that whole costume on, for sure. Did you pull any inspiration from previous Ghostfaces? Did you talk to any previous Ghostfaces? Get any advice? Like how do I play a killer? There should be a Ghostface support group at this point because it is a lot of pressure to play that particular character and know that the entire movie is basically hinging on that reveal scene. So I didn't get to talk to anyone but I did meet Matthew Lillard the other day at the premiere and he was my favorite Ghostface.

9:16I mean, everybody has been so good but he was my, ultimately my favorite. And I just remember thinking like I really, I told him when I met him, I said I wanted to do you proud, man. Like I really wanted to do you proud and he was like, was so complimentary and he was like, you blew it away. I called Kevin after I saw a screening. I told him that you freaking nailed it and I was like, just so thankful to have his support. So yeah, I do think there should be a Ghostface support group. Yeah. So I'd like to talk to all of them and see how they felt as well. Yeah, I mean, it's such an iconic moment in all of the movies, right? And it's a powerful moment and we're all waiting for that moment and it's so cool. I mean, I agree with you. They're all great but I think his performance too was great in the original. So I'm not surprised that's the one you kind of were looking at. Yeah, yeah, definitely. I mean, they had it written in like in the final monologue that I kind of mock her. You know, and I'm like, oh, Sidney. And so I definitely was like,

10:16doesn't he do a little of that? So I was like studying his performance too and trying to give a little bit of a nod of him into mine. So yeah. I'm sure NDAs are huge for a movie like this. You have to sign everything saying I can't talk about it. Were you able to tell anybody that you got cast as the killer? I ended up telling my girlfriend. Yeah. Because she flew into Atlanta to see me. We had just started dating and we had our very first Valentine's Day together. And I mean, there was a chunk of lines that I really needed to like, I needed some help memorizing, right? So I definitely told her and she was just like, what? A lot of us joking at first, right? She was like, no, like, how is that possible? Oh my God, that's insane. But yeah, she was the only person that I told. It's so hard. I have to keep that a secret. I imagine. Yeah. I want to scream it to the world like I'm ghost face. I know, I know. It's really, it's really crazy. Also just like getting interviewed so much beforehand.

11:17People knowing that I was going to be in the movie like that was the question of like, are you ghost face? Are you ghost face? And like, I hate lying to people. Like, I don't like keeping things from people. So it was actually really, really, really hard for me to do that. And I'm really glad that it's finally out and we can talk about it. Yeah, yeah. And there's so many great scenes. I mean, you go toe to toe with Nev Campbell in the end. You two beat the crap out of each other. Stop the crap out of each other. Yeah, I mean, literally, you do. And it's so good. How was working with her and having that moment with like the queen of the franchise? Oh my gosh, I can't say enough good things about Nev. I met her on a day like where I wasn't. I just came into set and they were shooting. I think at the psychiatric hospital and I was just like, I never met her in person when I saw her. I just was like, oh my god, like, I can't. Like, oh my god, Nev Campbell. She's so kind, she's so sweet. We became really good friends. She became my rock, you know, while we were shooting

12:20and we would check in on each other, we'd go get our nails done together. You know, we'd go get pedicures together. It was really, really, really fun. And that final scene was really towards the end of the shoot. So I was there for a while shooting those tiny little scenes at the beginning and just like mentally preparing to get on set for this like giant scene at the end. And so we got to be really close and go to dinner and just be each other's support system, which was really awesome. So I would say she's going to be a friend for life. Did she give you her seal of approval with your final performance? She did, she did, she, I mean, in between takes, you know, she would come up to me and just be like, oh my god, like, you're flawless, you're killing it. And obviously just the amount of pressure, you know, that scene just kind of is like building up and building up in your head and especially

13:20because I like, I had to wait around for a long time in Atlanta waiting for that scene to finally be on the schedule. I mean, it's like, yeah, she was, she was thrilled and we saw each other the other night the premiere and also like hugged and it was great. And I loved your scene with the other OG Courtney Cox. It was a little heated, a little spicy, right? It was a little, a little moment with you too. That must have been fun. It was super fun. I was really happy like that I got to have any scenes with her obviously because I mean, it's Courtney Cox, Gail Weathers. So yeah, I think that was the first scene that I shot. Actually, was that night, yeah. And you never met her? Never met her. Oh my God. No, but it was great. I loved, I loved it. It was so fun. That's, that was another good one. And she's so good in the movie. Yeah, one line of hers and everything that she gets to say is incredible. And her entrance too. Her entrance got cheers. Right? Standing ovation in my theater. Oh, it did? Oh my God, that's so cool. I love that. It was so good. Let's talk about your motive for a moment. Sure.

14:20Okay, there's a lot, I need to see it again. I feel like because there's a lot there. Like there's a lot there that you can really dissect. Would you say, if I were to like dumb it all down, would you agree with the statement that your character represented in some way fans that were angry, Nev Campbell, Sydney, did it come back for the last movie because they formed this deep attachment to her and felt like they were owed that. And when she did it, your character kind of snapped. Would you, was that one analysis? I think that's, I think that could be. Yeah, definitely. I did not think of it that way at all, but I think now that you're saying it out loud, it could be. I played it just as who Jessica was as a person. And kind of like as an actor, I have to fill like what it means for the person to be obsessed with Sydney Prescott,

15:21but I think if like narratively, if you're looking at it that way, you could definitely say that about the character, but I played it as just a person who was like absolutely obsessed. And I even played it as if I was in love with her. And it didn't quite like the diet, like the maybe the lines weren't there, but I had to come into that scene with it so emotionally filled with things that I had to create on my own because there was really nothing there in the script for me to draw, right? So it's like that scene had to be so, I had to come up with backstory, I had to come up with why I loved her, why I was obsessed with her. And this is all on my own in my hotel room because the scenes beforehand didn't do anything,

16:22didn't inform the character at all, really. And I even remember reading the script, they made me go into an office building in Beverly Hills to read it in a closed room like by myself. And I remember one of the producers came out and he just said, you know, I kind of want to know what you think and there were less scenes that you saw in the movie in the script draft. And I remember saying, so I'm gonna put my producer hat on here, I'm not an actor who wants more to do. As a producer, you need to add something because right now this character is just coming in and being a mom and then I didn't show up until the very last scene. And so I said, I think she needs one more scene and the scene that they ended up adding was just the scene with Courtney in front of the house. Wow. And it wasn't necessarily what I had pictured, right?

17:24I was hoping for some sort of scene that gave a little more backstory for my character, a little more depth, a little more coloring as to how she felt about her son, how she felt about anything, you know, truly, really. But, you know, at the end of the day, like I couldn't keep pressing them to change the script because I wasn't a producer on the film. I wasn't an actor that they hired. And so at that point, I just had to start justifying things and filling things in on my own in order to make that scene resonate and feel like the scene it needed to feel. Wow. So that's pretty cool, though, that you did have the input of, hey, I think we need at least one more scene and even though it's not the scene you imagined, they listened. They did listen, which was really nice. And I also added the line in the end about me not liking my son. So that wasn't in the script when I say he was too much

18:25like his father, he had to go, he had to die. I didn't mention my son at all in the draft that I read in that scene. And I was like, we have to address the fact that my son Lucas is now dead. Like I have to have a line about it. So they listened to me there too, which was great. But I think I learned an even more valuable lesson is to like, I have to keep fighting, you know, for these scenes that are ultimately gonna make the movie better as a whole in the end. Yeah. But I tried my best. Yeah.

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22:40Good on them and the creative team for listening, right? Yeah. It's not everyone would. No, of course. And a lot of people think they always know best. Right. And the best thing you can create the best art in my opinion is collaborative. Absolutely. It is. And I wrote a rom-com that I'm trying to get made right now. Oh, fantastic. And yeah, I'm really psyched about it. And one of the notes, somebody very high profile in the business gave me from their experience was you need to chop 20 pages off. And I'm like, 20? That's a lot. 20? And then your script should really fall around 100 pages, like 90 to 100, and the stay-in-age. And I'm like, OK, and the initial reaction is I'm not chopping 20 pages off. Yeah, so this is my baby. Right, it's bright. I need it all. And then I started cutting, cutting, cutting a chop that I got 20 off. And I'm like, oh, it's a better movie. Oh, see, here you go. So just like the fact that you had a great collaborative experience is amazing. And the choices you made were right. We needed a line about your son, or we'd be like, wait. What happened? Totally, totally. Yeah, it was really nice to know.

23:41And Kevin and Nev both were big listeners to me, and they were really collaborative, especially in that final scene where we were talking about adding things and taking some things away. So I felt very heard, which is rare in this business. I love that you created a backstory of her being in love with Sydney. Because I kind of felt like that could have been the case. Oh, good. I did. I'm like, this feels a little bit more than just a fixation or obsession. It was like that. And then it's like if she couldn't have her, like if I could have had another little tiny chunk in that scene, it would have been about me being so obsessed that I was in love with her. So I'm glad that you kind of felt that. Yeah. And to your point, if you couldn't have her, no one could. Right. No one could. Exactly. The one thing I was curious about your opinion of is, you were going to, you, your character was going to leave Sydney's daughter alive. Right.

24:41But then when did she know who the killers are? You know, at the end of the day, I think that Jessica was, my character was crazy enough to be on a suicide mission. Gotcha. Gotcha. I think that it was that dire for her and her obsession. I don't think she cared if she lived or died. That's an intense role to play. Yes. And I'm hoping that people will get that, like when I come out for the final and I scream Sydney, that was my final, like giving myself up, you know, to this whole thing. And knowing I was going to be shot dead by them, like that was definitely like, I knew. I knew. Gosh, I wish we could see more scenes with you after this conversation. I'm like, I need more. I need a whole Jessica's spit off.

25:42My friend was so sweet. She came with me to the premiere and she was like, I want a prequel. Yeah, how did she get to this place? And that's the testament to the work you did. It's like, we want more. We want more questions answered, like, well, that's good. I always want you to, I want to leave people wanting more and not like, oh, god, I mean, like, shut up. No, absolutely, absolutely. And I imagine there were no scenes that left on the cutting room floor if you had to have scenes added for your character. No, there were no scenes. There was a tiny in the theater, if you remember the theater scene, we were all getting, like, questioned by the police and we're us sitting there with the parents. There were little tiny things that were cut from, I think, almost everybody's dialogue there. But that's it. Okay. No, nothing else was cut. Wow. No, like you said, you're out of. I had to add and I wish there was just a little tiny, bit more backstory for my character. Do you figure out in your own mind

26:42or are you told what kills are your characters? Okay, so yeah, I've, I've not told that. I definitely think that I did the kill for a mechanic race's character. I think one of the easier, one of the easier ones for my character too, because, you know, she's obviously like on the thing in the theater and she's like basically strung up and, you know, ghost face is just kind of slicing her. So, and I thought that that kill was so creatively done too and shot so beautifully and mechanic was so fantastic and so talented. And what a horrible thing, right? If you put yourself in her shoes, just like what a terrible way to go. But I think that that was probably one of the kills that I did. And then I'm not sure about in the, in the final sort of act where Lucas, my son gets killed and then the other ghost face is chasing Tatum and then the two ghost faces come together.

27:43I mean, my god, like, did I kill my own son? I don't know. I mean, I don't know, I guess maybe. I can't imagine you put him on the, on the beer I couldn't lift him, right? Yeah, yeah. I know, but then in the final reveal, I think something that Ethan Embrie's character says is like that he got shot with the bullet professed. So I'm hoping, I don't know. I'm gonna leave that up to the audience to decide which one is which. Fair enough, fair enough. I mean, even sitting or talking about you as ghost face, it's such a moment in pop culture history that you're ever like cemented in. Like you're in that franchise now as this and you alluded earlier to the pressures of it, right? Did you feel that filming it? Do you push that aside? Do you feel that after, like how do you manage that? It's a roller coaster ride of emotions for sure. When I'm on set, I mean, just going back to like when I put on the mask and the fitting,

28:44like it's a different thing when I'm behind this like fake fence on a sound stage and they're pumping fog in and I can see Nev Campbell, you know, in her backyard and like I'm coming through and I have the hood on and I'm waiting to walk through this fence and there's cameras everywhere and lights everywhere. It's like I feel like I'm in a story or something like I feel like it's not really Anna Camp's life. Do you know what I mean? And then I'm walking toward everyone and I have this like knife in my hand and we're shooting and it's just, I can't believe that it's me. Yeah. Still, I still think like somebody's gonna be like, this is crazy that this even happened. It didn't really happen, but it did. And when I'm actually shooting it, I have to put all of that to the side and just execute what I want from the scene, how I want this person to feel

29:46and just make sure that I do my job and I do it really freaking well because I want the fans to be happy and I want this scene to be great. That's my main goal always. Well, everything I've seen about your performances that it's been spectacular. Oh, no way. Okay, thank you. I try not to look at all that stuff. Yeah, I'm sure you don't. That's why I'm telling you. But it's nice to be here because thank you. Well, it's true that's what I'm seeing where I just wouldn't say anything, but I believe you. Yeah, it is. So the work you brought to it is truly amazing. As a fan of the franchise, if you could be any other character in any other film, who would you be? Oh my God, well, my favorite character of all the screen movies is Dewey. Oh, Dewey. I love Dewey so much. And I finally got to meet David Arquad on the carpet. And I just was completely fan-girling what a fantastic character. What a, I mean, I just, I mean, I just love Dewey more than anything in the world. He's the best. Yeah, he's an OJ. He's an OJ.

30:47So to put a pin on the screen portion of this, did you get any injuries on set? Cause those stunts, those, that choreography, you were throwing and flipping. And I know you have a stunt double, but. Yeah. So the last couple shots to the face, I took that and obviously it's, there's a gun on set, but it's obviously filled with like air or whatever. But I took it back and I, and I remember like my neck going back and then I like fell, and I remember people rushing over to me and being like, we saw it on camera. It looked like your neck like flipped. And I was like, it did? Good, let's use it. You know what I mean? But I remember waking up the next day and being like, oh, I really, I really took, I really mean my neck go back. I'm the hope they use that shot and they did. They did. They did. That's the one that's in there. I only did two takes of that.

31:47And it was, it's pretty crazy watching it in person. It was all worth it. It was worth the little injury. It was worth it. I'm fine now. I can say yes and I can say no. Good, happy to be here. Yeah. Oh my God. Well, again, what, as a fan of the franchise, what a great job you did. What a great, cool moment for you in your career. And, you know, a lot of actors, a lot of artists don't get to be a part of something so iconic and you keep hitting these roles that resonate in such big ways with people. Obviously, I loved you. And you playing the twins, pitch perfect. Like you're part, a part of these things that have such meaning to so many people. That's pretty wild. Like with pitch perfect, do you know you were a part of something so incredibly big? Oh God, no. No. God, no. We had no idea that that was going to turn into what it was going to turn into. I mean, a lot of the people were like fresh out of college. We were all so young. I think I started filming that movie when I was 28. I turned 29 on the movie and then I turned 30 right when it came out.

32:49It was a very special feeling, I think, filming it. Because, you know, we didn't have stand-ins. Like we were all like, and Brittany Snow and I, we would be shooting like the old Bella's dance sequence and then changing clothes into the new Bella's dance sequence and going back and forth and back and forth. And without stand-ins, I mean, it was really, it was an exhausting for the love of movie making time of my life. And then once it came out, I think we were all like, wait, what? This acapella movie has resonated with like so many different types of people also, which I found like, I still go out and about and like, I'll see like middle-aged dads being like, oh my God, you know, you're Aubrey from pitch perfect and it's just the amount of people that responded to it. I don't think anybody was prepared, but obviously like that's a dream position to be on it. Also, especially to get to play a character multiple times in your life is just such,

33:49like you don't go into this business thinking that that's gonna happen necessarily. And when it does, it's such an honor. So I'm just so happy that people respond to the work that I do. Yeah, and the film changes your life. Definitely changed my life. Oh my gosh, completely. I mean, I had just done true blood, I think. And then thank you, me too, great show. But I had just been doing New York theater and then I got true blood and then Elizabeth Banks who produced pitch perfect, saw me in true blood and asked me to audition. So that completely, yeah, changed my life from there. And Aubrey is a character quoted constantly. Like to this day, to this day, do you hear a quote more than others do people throw you quotes? Acha, excuse me. Uh-huh, uh-huh. Like you'll just be walking on the street and they'll say, yeah. They'll be like, Acha, excuse me or you're Acha awesome or whatever. And it's very sweet, it's very sweet. I love hearing it. And I'd rather that than, you know,

34:52other things that could get talked to me or quoted at me. So yeah. Yeah. What made her so fun? Was it the musicality? Was it the lack of self-awareness? Was it her intensity? I think, you know, I mean, my God, I, if I'm looking at the character, like what would I like about it? I think it was her passion for Achapella, right? Like it was like more in peace to her. The stakes were that high for an Achapella championship. Um, and I think that that, hopefully, people can find endearing, right? Because whoever is treating an Achapella championship with that much, that, that, that, that, those high of stakes, like, that's funny. Yeah, it's really funny. At the end of the day, it's really funny. Hey, I love passion. Yeah, and so did she. Mm-hmm. We have to get a fourth one. Oh my God, I hope so. We have to. It's probably, when you're on Recarpet,

35:53it's probably the number one thing you're asking, right? It is. It's definitely, it's definitely one of the things that I think all of the bellas are asked about. Like, is there going to be a fourth one? Yeah. I do know that we would love to do it. Um, I'm hopeful that there will be one, so I'm never, say never. Yeah, I mean, in this stage, especially with nostalgia and franchise, hello, franchise is like people want it. Yeah. People want it. Do you have an idea what you would want for your character? You're like, I've thought about this. Oh my gosh. Well, I remember the end of the third one. I decided to go become a doula. Mm-hmm. I remember. Um, so I hope that I think it would be nice if Aubrey was out, like, she's, like, completely changed. She's super relaxed. Maybe she's smoking a lot of weed now. She's, like, living in the desert, and she's a doula, um, and maybe I don't know. Chloe or Becca gets pregnant and I end up delivering their baby or something. I don't know. Something crazy like that. But I would like to see Aubrey incredibly relaxed. Very zen.

36:54Very zen vibes. Yes. We're putting it out there. Yes, we're manifesting that. What, even thinking of that role to this role in scream and everything in between, you've done so much. You've touched so many genres and types of projects. Is there something you haven't done where you're, like, that would be my next wish list? Oh my gosh. There's so many things that I haven't done that I, like, just cannot wait to do. Um, I've played a lot of villains recently and I love a great villain. Um, I would like to play someone closer to myself, to be honest. I love playing complicated, complex characters. I would like to play someone who is slightly more normal. Yeah. And I'll probably get bored and want to go back to like the crazy. Um, but it would be nice to explore someone a role that's slightly more grounded than the characters that I've played recently.

37:56Um, and just see where that takes me. I think that that would be something just different for me. I feel like you'd make a really good superhero. Oh my God. I would love to play a superhero. Are you kidding? Like a good person. Yes. Like a good, saving the world. Saving the world and doing good kind things instead of really evil, horrible, sadistic things behind people's backs. Yeah, you don't want to keep killing your son. No, let's not keep killing people that we know and people that we love. Let's like do something good for the world. So my God, I would love to do that for sure. Start trading crypto on Kraken with just $10. Buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, and over 450 other crypto assets in seconds. Kraken has been around for over 14 years and is trusted by millions worldwide. Whether you're brand new or looking for a better experience, Kraken makes it easy to get started. Download Kraken on the App Store or Google Play. That's K-R-A-K-E-N. Not investment advice. Crypto trading involves risk of loss

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39:56Text lift to 323232. Text lift to 323232. John, we can't put off renovating anymore. The kitchen's tiny. The basement's unfinished. Renovating is expensive. Not with Renify. What's Renify? Renify loans are a new type of home equity loan just for renovations. No refinancing required. We can get up to $750,000 while keeping our low mortgage rate. How do we get started? I've already started. Visit Renify.com to receive a text to see if you qualify for up to $750,000 to renovate your home with Renify. That's REN-OFI.com. NMLS number 1802847. Terms apply. Not all borrowers are property qualify. Equal opportunity broker. One ice coffee. 99 cents please. For real? No way. Hmm. One ice coffee. 99 cents please. For real? No way. Hmm. One ice coffee. 99 cents please. For real? No way. Hmm. What a deal. Your new morning. Ice coffee from McDonald's. Any size for just 99 cents to 11 a.m. Pricing participation may vary. Can I be combined with any other offer? What if your soda actually did something for you?

40:57Introducing Skypop Protein Soda. Skypop Protein Soda has 10 grams of complete protein, zero sugar, and real delicious soda taste. Skypop Protein Soda. Reach for the sky. Get your Skypop Protein Soda now at Target. See you next time. You've been an artist for two decades? No. I'm working consistently and doing all sorts of things. What keeps it fun for you still? What makes acting still the place that you feel like you need to be and want to be? Human connection. Hmm. Human connection connecting with the person I'm acting with. Making them either smile or laugh or cry in a scene, creating a real moment. Everyone is so online these days and we're just constantly looking on our phones and seeing a lot of negativity out there in the world.

42:02And I love being at work for so many reasons. I love going to set and learning everyone's name on a crew. I love making people laugh, making people smile, doing what I can to make the day go by fast and fun. I don't have any ego in this. I just love being a storyteller, meeting my scene partner, figuring out a scene, and then also sharing that to the world. This is such a collaborative space to live in. That's why I do it. I want to learn from other people. I want to share ideas with people. I want people to be moved from what I do. I don't want them to be bored ever with my performances. I want them to be excited. They can be mad. They can be joyful, whatever it may be, but I want them to feel something. So that's ultimately why I still want to continue to be an actor.

43:03We are very lucky to have your art in this world. You deliver such great performances time and time again. And it's cool to feel like from an outside perspective, you're in a really good place professionally. You seem very happy personally. We seek glimpses of your love life on social media with Jade and you seem so fulfilled. Happy in that department. How is love for you evolved in this chapter of your life? What's been the most exciting thing about it? Oh my gosh. Just the word evolved. You're using that word. You think you've got it made one way. You think you know yourself and you think you've got this idea of who you are and that's how your life is going to go. And that's happened to me several times in my life where I thought that I knew what was happening. And it could have stopped in that way. I could have settled. I could have said no, I'm done evolving.

44:04This is what I've been taught in my life. This is my, the way that I've been kind of domesticated in a way and taught to believe certain things about what it means to be a woman and what it means to be from the south. And stay in your lane and all of that kind of thing to continue to evolve as a person means that your partners can either evolve with you or not. And I find myself really having a major evolution in my forties and not being afraid of it. I mean, sure there are times that I feel like, oh God, like I'm taking a risk. This is scary. I'm doing it in a public forum. But to say, no, I only get one life and I want to be happy. And I want to learn the most about myself that I can. And that's what life is all about, right, is to continue to evolve and to learn.

45:10The way you light up talking about this chapter of your life is really cool to see. You genuinely seem happy. Thank you. I feel like I'm figuring out who I am for the first time instead of who was acceptable for other people in my life. Like I was put into a box early on and I was told to stay in that lane because that was acceptable and I would be rewarded for that. And then all the while knowing, that's just me. This isn't me. I'm much more than this label or this specific type of person. Like I got to like break out of that. And it just happened for me that I'm breaking out of that. And I just feel like I'm finding my footing and my wings as a person, you know. Is it scary? Um, it is. It is. It's definitely scary especially, you know, from me growing up in the South, I'm from South Carolina. There's certain things that in standards, you know, that you're taught growing up.

46:14You know, like I went to Cattilian. I taught Cattilian for a while all about good manners and we were learning like what forks to use and like how a boy was supposed to ask you out and do all these things. Um, yeah, it's been scary but my family has been very supportive of me. My friends have been very supportive. But there was a time where I was like when I had to like come out to my parents that I was like I just don't let them to think I'm weird. I just don't want anyone to think that I'm weird or something because I don't feel weird. This doesn't feel weird. This feels true. Right. Um, and should be normalized. But yeah, I've never, I was so terrified to come out to my family. Wow. How old were you when you get that? This was this past year. This year? Wow. Is that it? Something that you said earlier? Totally, totally. No, of course, of course. That's an honor. You know, but this was this past year. This was this past year that I finally came out and it's so interesting because I felt like a kid.

47:17Yeah, I bet. All of a sudden I felt like I was like a 15 year old again at 43. Wow. Right. I felt like I was a 15 year old going, oh my god, am I doing something wrong? I don't want to disappoint anyone. And then you have to look at yourself and go, no, you're a 43 year old woman who can make decisions for herself. And by God, it's about time you start doing that. Yeah. Yeah. And people don't really talk a lot about or think a lot about someone coming out later in life. Right. And what that looks like, what that feels like, what that means, right? Yeah. And no age is ever easy by all means. But it is a different thing because people think they know you a certain way. Yeah. And suddenly, four decades into your life, you're like, well, actually, you don't really know all about me. Yes, yes. It's a very interesting time. You see, like, your friends who were your, like, ride or die, friends, right? And then there are also some people who may fall off who don't know how to maybe communicate with you anymore.

48:22Because of things that have happened and the fact that I've changed my lifestyle, and I am dating a woman now, it's a really interesting time to navigate. I'm definitely thankful for my therapist. Yeah. She's been incredibly helpful. And just like trusting myself and knowing that I am a good person. And thank God it happened at some point. Yeah. And thank God I didn't stay married when I was incredibly unhappy and felt like I was being like a person that I wasn't really. Yeah. You know, it was like not freeing and not a freeing place to live. And the people in your life who are by your side for it all will always be. And the people that kind of fell away were meant to be in a first season, right? 100%. That's life. And I've learned that too. I told you earlier, I just turned 40 and I've had some friendships over the years' change. And while it's been upsetting, I've learned they were meant to be what they were at a time.

49:27Yeah. And it's okay. Yes. Life has many chapters. And that's okay. And it's actually great because you get to experience different people, different times of your life, different seasons. You don't have to have it figured out. I was trained that you were supposed to like get married, have the kids, get the job. And then you'll be happy. No. Life has many seasons, many chapters. And that's the beauty of it. Yeah. I'm with you. I love this conversation so much. I'm like, I could keep talking about this for four more hours. But in the interest of letting you have some sort of afternoon, I'm going to wrap this up with a question that I wrap up every interview with. And the show is called I've never said this before. Born because I cover a lot of red carpets, a lot of junkets for a show extra I work on at IMDB. And, you know, they're quick. You get two minutes with somebody. And I find, as much as I'm grateful for the work, I was walking away a little unfulfilled after these interviews.

50:32And I could see sometimes the people I was sitting across wanting to share a little something more. But then being told we're done next, bring the next one in. Always. Right? And it's just like you don't get to really connect in the ways that we've gotten to connect. And I feel like today you've already been so open and beautiful with this conversation. But I give the opportunity to everyone to say something they've never said before that they don't get a chance to say. So is there anything today you want to leave us with? Yes, definitely. I think it goes along with what I was just talking about. I mean, I don't think that I've ever said this in a public forum. I probably maybe have said it. I don't even think I've said it like fully to even my friends or my family. But as a 43 year old woman, I'm very proud of myself for owning my sexuality at this age. And I think I'm a very strong person for doing it in somewhat of a spotlight with people criticizing and judging and making assumptions.

51:42I'm really proud to be bisexual. I kind of took my breath away because I love that for you. I love that you can sit here and honestly say that. And it isn't easy doing it. It's not easy doing it at any point of life. But you're right when you add a spotlight to it and subject yourself to criticism. And we know it's a cruel world within. Oh, it's cruel sometimes. Yeah, there's a lot of awful, awful things being said about all of us on social media at any given moment. Yes. And you're doing it. You didn't let that stop you. No, no. And I never, ever, ever will because I know in my heart that I lead from a place of love and kindness and joy and openness. And no harsh words or critiques or bullying can dampen that light that I have inside. That breaks my heart though that someone could bully someone based on their sexuality.

52:47Like you felt you have felt moments of that coming in. Oh, 100%. Yeah. The majority has been very supportive. Thank goodness. There's always these outliers. And I try not to even judge the outliers. That's why it doesn't affect me as much because I understand that there's something probably within themselves or whatnot or how they were raised or whatever it may be. That is causing them to want to bully me or someone else. But I just don't take it personally. Yeah. You just can't. Yeah, no, because it's not about you. Right. Exactly. At the end of the day, it's just, it's not about me. No. And I only wish people happiness. Yeah. Well, that's very evident. Yeah. And you just being visible is helping so many people. You must feel that and know that. I do. I do. I've had a lot of, like when I first came out, I had a lot of people reach out to me and some older women to reach out to me and just say,

53:48thank you so much. Like, I don't feel as weird now knowing that like that happened to me too at 40 that I was like, wait a minute, something's different. Like, I'm evolving or maybe I've always been attracted to women, but I've just never let myself. And it just made me feel less alone too. So there are beautiful parts of social media. There's a lot of people who can reach out and like support. And that's the part that, like, that's why I enjoy doing it because it's nice to know that you're not alone in a world that can feel so, so, so alone. Oh my God. Could I have enjoyed this conversation anymore? I don't think so. I don't think so. I love, love, love your spirit. I think it's been really cool to admire your work from afar, but also now to get to know you and see more of who you are. And, you know, remind people you're not a crazy serial killer. It's just who you're playing right now. I just want all the time.

54:48Yeah, that's a pretty good role for you. All the time. All the time. We're ready for a lighter rom-com. We are. We bring it. We're ready for it. Bring on a wrong com or a superhero. Please God. But in the meantime, keep watching Scream 7. Yes. You are brilliant in it. And thank you so much for finally coming to hang. Thank you. Come back anytime. I would love to. Thanks. I've never said this before is hosted by me, Tommy Diderio. This podcast is executive produced by Andrew Puglisi at iHeartRadio and by me, Tommy, with editing by Joshua Colaudney. I've never said this before is part of the Elvis Derand podcast network on iHeart Podcasts. For more, rate, review, and subscribe to our show. And if you like this episode, tell your friends. Until next time, I'm Tommy Diderio. Crackin is built to make crypto simple by Bitcoin, Ethereum, and over 450 other assets in seconds.

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