43 - Jake McDorman (The Right Stuff)

Actor Jake McDorman joins host Jenny Curtis to talk about the
Disney+ series THE RIGHT STUFF, the lessons he’s learned
throughout his career, and behind the scenes stories from his
many projects. Throughout the conversation they discuss: 


0:36 - the impending election at the time of the recording


1:15 - his experience of quarantine and being back in Los Angeles


3:03 - getting to live through the fantasy of being an astronaut
and learning about the history of the space race in THE RIGHT
STUFF


5:22 - finding inspiration in unique ways per projects


5:55 - Getting to learn about the real life Alan Shepard from
conversations with astronauts who’d met him. 


7:34 - Taking a road trip to Florida in order to have time to
absorb his research


8:50 - Getting to do some astronaut training, including what
Jenny calls ‘the spinny thing’


10:25 - The casting process and feeling like he bombed his
initial audition.


14:34 - Having the role of Alan be offered to him without reading
and how that changed his process of approaching the role. 


16:38 - The cast’s united effort to prepare without having much
rehearsal


17:23 - The big confrontation scene with John Glenn and Alan
Shepard


18:38 - The episode shoot order


19:46 - Always finding the character on the last day and watching
his work in post. 


22:41 - What makes a hero in the face of public image versus
human flaws


24:23 - What the feeling of being strapped to a rocket and being
blasted into space could be like. 


26:35 - Taking classes when he was young and his experience of
moving to LA for pilot season


29:10 - Booking Quintuplets and gushing over Andy Richter


30:48 - Having a tight-knit ensemble on GREEK and staying close


31:40 - Actively deciding with his reps to pursue projects on a
more mature level, beginning with SHAMELESS


35:15 - Lessons learned from Bradley Cooper in working with him
on AMERICAN SNIPER and LIMITLESS. 


38:05 - Dealing with the anxiety in wanting to get it right


39:02 - AMERICAN SNIPER’s quick process


39:53 - Moving quickly on LIMITLESS


42:15 - Having LIMITLESS being a different kind of procedural


45:08 - Thinking about where Brian Finch might be had the show
continued


46:00 - Loving LADY BIRD and connecting to the script immediately
with a unique connection to St. Francis


47:53 - Knowing that when production asks you to prepare
something “just in case”, you’ll definitely need it, and brushing
up on algebra for LADY BIRD


49:09 - Using GREEK to learn all the lessons from set


50:07 - Getting cast in the series, WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS,
the surprising scene on his first day on set, and Taika Waititi
having some fun. 


54:27 - his upcoming holiday film, HAPPIEST SEASON. 


55:30 - The consummate actors he’s worked with setting the tone
on set and getting to apply that when leading LIMITLESS. 


58:03 - What ‘The Right Stuff’ is to be in the entertainment
industry


58:42 - Getting sappy and loving this medium of telling stories.


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Hosted & Produced by: Jenny Curtis


Co-Produced and edited by: J Whiting


Executive Producer: Stuart Halperin


Theme Music by: Celleste & Eric Dick


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