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 and Produced by: Jenny Curtis

Executive Producer: Stuart Halperin

Edited and Co-Produced by: J Whiting

Theme Music by: Celleste & Eric Dick

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