What? Wow, that's tough!
That's really tough! Why do you want to get us in trouble with Italy? We will defend you.
Action!
Action? Okay, so guys, thank you very much for being here with us. We are very excited to do it. Stefano was so excited that he spent the entire month preparing the first question. Yes. How are you? Stefano is so excited that he spent the entire week preparing the first question. Oh wow! One week?
Yes. How are you? Good stuff. Oh my god, this is hard hitting right off the bat.
Stefano, I know he is very excited. So excited that he spent the entire night preparing the first question.
Yes. How are you? Good stuff.
That's the first question?
Yes. Well done. We are good. We are good.
Hello Stefano, how are you? I'll get back to you in a month.
Yeah, I'm fine, thank you. I'm good.
Oh wow, that was beautiful. Me? Look behind you, see that? Yeah. Tokyo Tower. Yes. I designed that and built it. Wow. And it's finally I'm getting the credit I deserve. Yeah, finally. It's beautiful.
It looks a-fellish to me, you know?
Yeah, yeah, that's right. It looks kind of French. Yeah, that's right. A little French. It looks French. Yeah. That's right. I'm cold. Yeah, it is cold. Yeah.
It's very cold. And you have a shirt. I wish we were, yeah, I wish I was better prepared with a heavier jacket. But I'm doing very well. We've had an amazing time here in a very short amount of time here in Japan. I feel like I've seen so much and experienced so much amazing stuff. Like what was your favorite thing you experienced? Okay, for instance, last night we went out for some sushi. That was maybe the best sushi I've ever tasted. We got to ride on the bullet train. I've always wanted to do that. My whole life I've wanted to get on the bullet train. And that was incredible. Like lightning, lightning fast. What else? When we got here the first day, we actually went to Kyoto first. And what did we do on that first day we were here?
That first day? I don't, well, we took pictures by a tea house. Yes. And we took pictures and it was really great. And it was a really beautiful day actually. It wasn't too cold. It was like really nice out.
Dude, we had dinner with Miyamoto-san. Yes.
The creator of the Mario universe. That was awesome. Wow. Yeah, great. And you know, we brought our families and my boys were just in heaven. Of course. And so was I.
Anya. Okay. So you play Peach. Yes. The princess of the Mushroom Kingdom.
Mm-hmm.
Could you give us three reasons why monarchy is better than democracy?
Speaking from Peach's perspective. Of course.
Of course.
She was an elected monarch. That's right. So she is technically a nice bridge of the two. Oh. The toads chose her after having spent much time with her and seeing her grow up. Yes. So they could be a good judge of character. Okay. She throws nice parties. She really does. And everyone is invited to come. That's true. And whenever there is a problem, she goes out herself and fixes it.
Okay.
So in terms of Peach monarchy, I think we're doing quite well.
Yeah. Okay. I vote for you again. Thank you. I would vote for you again. You don't have a parliament. No. In the Mushroom Kingdom.
There's only one. I mean, you're the only member of the parliament. I'm the only member of the parliament.
Yes. I'm the prime minister and also the...
He wears many hats, not just the mushroom.
Many, many hats.
Yes.
My next question is for you. Hey. You play Toad. Yes, I do. I play Toad, too. Shouldn't you start a revolution to overthrow the kingdom and make it a republic? What? Because there's so many Toads in the kingdom. There are many Toads, yeah. And only one princess, so you could take power. It would be a nonviolent revolution, of course.
But they kicked me. The thing is, we picked her... See, here's the thing. We groomed her and picked her, so we wanted her to be the... The perfect leader. She's the perfect leader to represent our rules and our society. So it's an election, you're saying. It was an election. That's what I'm saying. We elected her to be the... It's a very strange thing that we elected her to be the monarch.
It's also funny because she's not queen. She is princess.
A princess, yeah. That's true. That's true. We don't have a queen. We have a princess. But it's only monarchy with a younger...
That's the loophole.
She's never the queen, so you cannot...
Exactly. So it's all fine. That's great.
Stefano, may I have a question for Jack? Yeah, you can.
So playing Bowser, this is kind of your first bad guy played in a movie. Mm-hmm. Can you tell us, are there other villains that you would have loved to play? Other villains from history of cinema that you would have loved to play?
Look, I love scary movies, okay? And from an early age, I remember when I saw The Shining. It might be in my top five movies of all time. Jack Nicholson in The Shining, you can't beat it. Terrifying. And funny, too, sometimes, weirdly. Yeah. Who else? I love Silence of the Lambs. Anthony Hopkins, these are great characters.
You think you would have been a good Hannibal Lecter?
No. But, you know, I just love watching them. And those movies, it's all about the villain. And that's why I love getting an opportunity to play Bowser, because he's got a lot of that great villain sauce.
Can you do your version of Hannibal Lecter for us?
Clarice, I'd like to taste your brains. What? La, la, la, la. Put a little bit of fava beans and... And the Oscar goes to... I think it's good that it was Anthony Hopkins. He did a great job. I don't know. I haven't seen his version.
I got a feeling like, oh, I'm actually interested.
How did he eat those brains?
Yeah, that's a very good...
I don't think that was the line in the movie. He did eat brains. He did eat brains.
But not... Did he say... He may... Did he or did he not say, let me get them brains?
Here's what I loved about his performance.
His performance as Hannibal Lecter, this is a weird thing to love, but when she walked by his cell, he was like... Yeah, yeah. Just like the sniffing, he was able to get so much information just from his nariz when he sniffed in all of that information. Very cool. There's something weird about and interesting about... It felt animalistic. It felt like an animal. Yes. He was getting a lot of information. I get it. And sometimes I think I will just try to get the nectar. Yeah. The nectar of life through my nose. Yeah.
Yeah. I think you will be perfect for that role. Yeah.
You think so? I'm sure.
I'm sure.
You know who else is a good villain? I'm sorry. I know you want to move on to the... No, no, no. These questions are dynamite. No, no, no. But another great villain, Darth Vader, baby.
Darth Vader.
Come on!
Yeah, that's a great villain. That's a good one. So, what's your version of Darth Vader? Darth Vader? Yeah.
I'm your father. Who cares? Perfect.
Look, the point is... Also great. One of the great villains.
One of the great entrances of all time. One of the great just like reveals of all time. No one's shaking my foundations like Darth Vader. Underrated. One underrated before we get out of here.
Yeah. T-Rex from Jurassic Park. Oh, yes. Oh, yeah, yeah, of course. Yes. Best intro. Best... I just... Very underrated villain.
Yeah, start to finish. Yeah.
Perfect villain.
But you don't see him at the top and you're like, what?
But that... Like, you're like... Oh, it's very... Vibrating water. Vibrating water.
I think he's the good guy. He...
At the end. Yeah. I feel like that's what's kind of nice about him. It's like, he's like, hey, I'm not on anybody's side. I just want to eat. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right? Everybody gets hungry.
Yeah, we get it. Could you give us your version of the T-Rex? Okay, yeah. I could... I'm trying to think.
It's kind of like that. Yes. It's perfect. It's awesome. It's perfect. And also in some ways related to Yoshi. Yes. Yeah, of course. You know what? Yeah. He's just shell-less.
Yes. So you play Yoshi. Yeah. A dinosaur who eats his enemies, turns them into eggs, and then ejects them through his anus. Yes. How did you prepare for this role?
I've been waiting for someone to ask me this. Of course. You know, there was a lot... I mean, like, I went to Juilliard for, I guess, about three months beforehand, just asking, just, you know, how do I become that? No, you know what's kind of funny, though? Hiro, a director friend of mine, he always... An inside joke that we have on set when he's shooting with me, he would always come up to me and whisper that, like, basically we have this inside bit that, like, I'm turning into a raptor, and he'd always come up to me and whisper, he's like, 33% raptor. And then I just do it, like, a little bit, and then one day... We did this for years, and then one day he was like, 100% raptor. And I was so happy to do the scene 100% raptor. Yeah. So, like, maybe I'm gonna say Hiro, who is Japanese, and, you know, I would say thank you so much for actually giving me all of that, because they actually probably helped with this, you know? So it was great.
Chris, so you play Mario. Yeah. He's the most famous Italian in the world. Yes. Yes. So what are the Italian qualities that make him a great Hiro?
Oh, my gosh. Well, he stands up to bullies. Yes. He's tough. He loves his family. He would do anything to fight for the little guy. And despite the fact he's himself a little guy, he'll take on anyone.
Yeah, that's true. That's a beautiful answer. Thank you very much. That's us.
Us.
The Italians. Yeah, that's us. You described us.
He makes a good tomato sauce. Yeah.
He probably makes killer tomato sauce. Yes.
I have a question for you, Charlie. You play Luigi, a great Italian guy. Who's your favorite Luigi in recent American history?
In recent American history? I don't know.
I don't know.
It's a stupid question. It's a stupid question. It's a stupid question. It's a stupid question.
It's a stupid question. It's a stupid question.
It's a stupid question.
It's a stupid question. It's a stupid question. It's a stupid question. It's a stupid question.
It's a stupid question.
It's a stupid question. It's a stupid question.
It's a stupid question.
It's a stupid question. It's a stupid question. It's a stupid question.
Well, I think he's got a great sense of humor, like all good Italians. You know, originally my grandfather's last name was Del Giorno. He changed it today because he didn't think that he would do well as an Italian in America. But he was wrong. It was his grandson that did well. As an Italian around the world. Around the world. What was the question? Other Italian qualities. You know, look, I think he's a great cook. Apparently plumbing, is that an Italian quality? Yeah, why not? We'll take it. Roman aqueducts? Yes, there you go. That's right. Plumbing, right. You had some of the original plumbing. Plumbing was invented in Rome. Yes. And then, of course, his ability to smite his foes. But he never does that. His brother does that. But I think, you know, because he's just a little more laid back. Who? A proper Italian plumber, yes.
Benny, you play Bowser Junior. That's right. Which is the son of Bowser. Could you explain us, as if we were children, how Bowser Junior's are born? How Bowser Junior's are born? Yes, like there is a mating process or …
Is that a Mama Bowser … There is a Mama Bowser …
Yes … And Mama Bowser lays an egg … Yes … And the egg sits somewhere in a pool … It's a pool …
Okay. In a pool or a pond, a vernal pool, let's say, and the, eventually the egg hatches and a Bowser Jr. is born.
Ah, that's beautiful. So, Bowser Sr. has nothing to do with it. He does. He does have something to do with it.
He fertilized the egg? Before or after it's laid? Before. Okay. Cool. Like a chicken, not like a salmon. Yes, exactly. Understood. How does that happen?
How does it happen? Immaculate. Okay. Great. Of course. Incredible. Okay.
In the movie, Bowser is a singer, but he's also a painter. So, we know that you're a great singer because we are a fan of Tenacious D. Grazie mille. Prego. But are you, can you also paint?
I like to doodle. I like to draw. I've never really worked with paint. I just pencil and pen. Can you do a doodle?
Yes, absolutely. I'll give you a pen.
What am I drawing? Anything I want. Me. Me. Me. I'll draw you? Oh, this is going to be crazy. How long do I have? I mean, this is always the question. As long as it takes.
Two minutes. I have a question for Donald while...
Yeah, you want to...
Okay, great. Yeah, talk to Donald while... This is already going really well. So far, so good.
So, in the first movie, there's a great song from Bowser. Oh, yeah. Peaches. Peaches. It's a hit. That's beautiful. Thank you. So, you are a musician at least as good as Bowser, which is...
Well, we'll see.
He's one of the greatest. Yes. So, you think for this movie, there could have been a... Yes. A song by Yoshi, and how would a Yoshi song be like?
It'd be really hard for Yoshi to make a song because he has to express all the lyrics through just saying Yoshi. Yeah. So, it would be tough, but I feel like, you know, if anything, I think he would be more like, you know, like a DJ Khaled type. Yes. You know, where he just says his drop. He just say, Yoshi on top of the beat. Yes. And maybe Pink Pantherists or Petra Nada or, you know, someone. Somebody else is doing all the heavy lifting. Yes, of course. But he's hyping them up. Yes. Saying Yoshi on the beat. Yeah, that's perfect. You know, that kind of thing. I think so.
So, what would be the genre, the style of the song?
I would say hyper pop. Hyper pop. Probably hyper pop. Yeah. Digi pop. You know, maybe, you know, like some sort of... Yeah, any sort of like bubblegum-y pop. Yes. Would probably work, I think.
Yeah, that sounds right.
It feels good. Thank you very much. Man, that's great. Wow.
You can do it all. Wow, that's beautiful. Very good.
It's me.
You gotta sign that, bro. It's me. Okay. That's really good. You zoom in on that. I want to get a really good check. Try to walk up to you. I got to be honest. I want one. This is really good. It's going to actually be tough. It's going to be tough to top this one, though. I think I fucking nailed your soul, bro. Yeah, jeez.
That's really good.
This one might have to go up. Can you sign it for me, please? Yeah, I'm signing it down here. Come on.
Yeah, that's really good. That's it.
You got the eyes. The eyes. I will frame it. In the movie Mario changes a lot of clothes. You did something similar when you were younger because we read that you've been a daytime stripper. Yeah, that's right. Is that true? Yeah. What is a daytime stripper? What's different compared to the nighttime stripper? Is there a different audience?
I'm not sure the term daytime versus nighttime, but there was a moment where I did that a couple of times. I never worked in a club. But I worked at parties. Okay. So I'd go to some parties and I'd take off my clothes and then get some cash and get out the door. Oh, that's awesome. Yeah. Was it fun for you? Yeah, it was. Yeah. And I never made that much money, but I did it because it was a challenge and because it made people surprised. I was always operating from a place of trying to impress people and shock people. So there was a value to it that people were like, I can't believe you're doing that. I was like, yeah, I'm doing it. Okay. So I was like, you know, I don't know where it came from and I'm not necessarily proud of it. Okay. But yeah, it was something, you know, hell, I'd do anything for money back then. I was pretty broke. Interesting.
But it brought you to Tokyo where you built and designed a beautiful tower.
That's exactly right. That's exactly right. I stripped for the right person and she loved me and she brought me over here on a steamship and she saw me drawing and she was like, what is this? What's this design? I thought you were just a piece of me. You were going back to the drawing. Yeah. I thought you were just a piece of me that I brought back. Yeah. And she brought here to strip for me in my dining hall of my steamship. I said, no, no, I actually am more than just a piece of me. I'm an architect. She was like, what is this? I said, Tokyo tower. She had never been to France and she commissioned me to do that. And yeah, but she did pay me in ones into my G string. It took 11 years to collect. And now you're finally here.
So you lived in Hawaii?
Yeah.
Yes. Really?
Oh.
What do you think about pineapple on pizza?
I love it. Love it. Yeah.
That's great. Do you think Mario would love it?
No. Yeah. I don't think so. But he also doesn't like mushrooms, but I like mushrooms.
Oh, that's true.
Yeah.
So you actually love- He doesn't really like mushrooms. He gets big with the mushrooms.
No, he is. Remember in the first movie, he hated eating them. Oh, yes. That's true. He doesn't like the taste of them.
That's true. So you like pineapple on pizza?
I do. Proudly, I will say it. I like pineapple on pizza. And I think it's important for the Italian people to hear from me that if you don't like it, you're wrong.
Yeah. You're breaking some hearts in it. I think I'm the guy who should let you know.
That's- Oh, guacosa di mangiare, pineapple.
Oh, that's perfect. Hearing it from Super Mario, it's going to be great.
Yeah. Yeah. If you didn't already have a reason to hate me playing Mario, just know I like pineapple on pizza. I defend your position. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You like it?
Yeah, he wants it. Let's go, it's good. It's good, it's not- Sweet and savory, come on.
It's not my favorite, but it's alright.
It's not my favorite, but I don't understand why people are so vehemently opposed. Those who don't like pineapple on pizza, it's like their whole identity.
I just think they've had the wrong kind of pineapple on the pizza. Maybe. Oh, and I think it's- What's the right kind? The right kind is the canned pineapple. Yeah. Oh, yeah? That's the right kind. That's right. It's a little sweet, a little smaller than the normal. If you have a fresh chunk pineapple, it's not going to be good on the pizza. It's not going to be good. Okay. Well, it makes sense.
Oh, yes. It is. Oh!
Oh!
He scared us.
I'm so sorry, guys. He made me do that.
Did he? We're happy. We're happy. We're so sorry. Yeah. Thank you. But you've met Obama, right? Me? Yes. Yes.
Yes. Mm-hmm.
How was the encounter? I mean-
Well, you know, he is, he's so wonderful and also so smooth. Like, as smooth as he is. As smooth as you think he is. But, you know, I got to perform with him, which was what was so wonderful. And it was crazy because who knew he was going to be such a great straight man? And it was also, I found out later, and it was an interesting time to be doing the White House Correspondents Dinner, because like earlier that week is when they had done all the plans for Osama bin Laden. Oh, wow. And for him to be, for him to come into the rehearsal with me and give me all of his time and all of his attention, and I was just like, there's all this other stuff going on.
I mean, it was, he was amazing.
It was amazing. Yeah. It was really, it was really wonderful to work with him. And he's, he has quite a kind heart. And, but on top of everything else, he's just, he's just, he's just, just level-headed and grounded. It's a, it's a, I miss him. So. Wow.
That's great. That's great.
That's great.
There's many characters, but there's two great Italian brothers. So, to balance things out, could you tell us-
Three things that you don't like about Italy or Italians. What? I don't, wow, that's- Oh my God, that's tough.
That's really tough.
Wow. Why do you want to get us in trouble with Italy?
Yeah, we will defend you. We will defend you. We will defend you. What don't I like? Okay. It's easy to think of things that I love.
I find that pretty hard. I think Italy is a pretty great place.
I mean, because the food's really good. Yeah. Yeah. We're going to suggest, I mean, you guys- We're allowed. You don't have enough Roberto Benigni's. But you're fun. You only have one Roberto Benigni. Yeah. But you could have more Benigni's.
But you could have more Roberto Benigni's. Yeah, that's why.
Not enough Benigni's. Not enough Benigni's. Charlie Day wants more Benigni's. Roberto Benigni's. Roberto Benigni's. I want more Benigni's. He's my hero. What else? What else?
You just, you said you were loud, but the thing is, we would say you're expressive. Ah. Can I tell you? I was having a bad day one time and I got out of a cab in Rome and the cab driver gave me a hug. No way.
So I have a hard time.
I have a very hard time finding anything bad to say. And did you still have your wallet? Yeah, that's it. There we go. Oh my God. There we go.
I'm trying to check for my billfold.
Goodbye, Italy.
Why? I mean, I don't know. Why did he give me a hug?
Yes. Why? I don't know. I can't remember what was wrong. I was just feeling kind of blue. And he was like, this is amazing. This is not a bad quality. Can I tell you this? They want dicks. The first thing I ever heard, I was in a boat. Yeah. I was in a boat and the guy was taking us from Marco Polo to over to the square. Yes. Right? And I remember I asked him if he would put out his cigarette and he took the cigarette out of his mouth and he literally took it out of his mouth.
And I was really sad. I had been in Italy for four hours. My man goes, there's a mamma mia. Oh, yes. He said mamma mia, which was like worth the entire trip. That he actually said mamma mia.
I have to say, we say this a lot.
You guys really do say it. I really say it.
Up on this beautiful rooftop, it's quite cold and we said mamma mia like three times around.
I love it. I love it.
As soon as we got here, we were like, ah, mamma mia.
I love Italians. I love Italy. Yeah. We will defend you.
Here's what I like. Here's what I don't like. Yeah, yeah, go ahead. I don't like that you guys would be talking to each other and I think you're about to get into a fist fight. But you're just talking about some random thing. And I'm like, you guys, call the cops. Like, oh, actually they were just discussing the weather.
Yeah, it's a conversation. Normal conversation.
Very passionate. Yeah, that's true.
I'm Norwegian. We have no passion. I'm going to say this because my wife is Italian. Oh, okay. It's kind of the double-edged sword. You guys are very passionate. Yeah. Okay? Like, it's just when you're happy, it's the best thing. But when you're not, it can be pretty rough. Okay? That's just, that's the one thing I'll say. Like, it's beautiful, but it also can be scary. You know, like, you guys care a lot. Yes. We agree. The hot temper. Yeah. We agree. The hot temper. But on the other side, the love side, it's great. They don't want to hear the good. They want to hear the critique. That's right.
They want to hear the critique. Okay.
Yeah.
Hot temper. Dude, I mean, it gets really tender. This could be, you know, people might get mad. But, oh man, I don't know. I don't think I should go here. I don't think I should go there.
Go ahead. Go ahead. Let me just say. Let me just say. You can just hop on mine if you want.
You remember when, I can't remember her name. What was her name? She was a great singer and she died not too long ago. And she was a great singer. And she was on Saturday Night Live and she tore up the picture of the Pope.
Oh, Sinead O'Connor. Sinead O'Connor.
Sinead O'Connor. What she said. She didn't like him. She didn't like him. And maybe that, is that Italy? I don't know. I'm very noncommittal about this. But whatever Sinead said, maybe that. Okay.
I don't even remember.
Perfect. Thank you. Thank you. Also, maybe too many carbohydrates in the cuisine. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.
Maybe.
Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.
Maybe.
Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.
Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.
Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.
Maybe. Licorice Pizza, in Italy we thought it was a great movie with a scary title for us. Licorice on a Pizza. Oh, Licorice on a Pizza sounds very good. That does not sound good. Yes. But you made us Italians proud because you said in an interview that on the set of that movie you ate maybe 30 tiramisus. I did. That's amazing. So the question is what's your secret? How do you eat 30 tiramisus and stay like this? You look great. If Stefano ate 30 tiramisus he would literally die.
For me too.
The trick is you do it for one day only. You can't eat 30 tiramisus all the time.
30 tiramisus in one day, that's like competition.
Yes, it's competition. You're right. It's mainly because I don't like seeing an actor not eat on screen. So I put myself, I got to put my money where my mouth is and I got to eat the food in front of me. And sometimes I can't. It comes back to bite me. That was not a fun evening.
I would imagine, but you are my hero.
It's great. Thank you. It was good tiramisus.
That also helps. But is there something that you don't like but you had to eat for a scene? Is there something I didn't like?
Yes. It was edamame and sushi at 9 in the morning. Okay. Yes, that was not.
How many of that did you eat?
Oh, God, I'm remembering. I had a bowl. We must have done 13 takes. I had a bowl of edamame, a big bowl of edamame and four pieces of tuna sushi and one shrimp tempura. Wow. You remember everything. Each take. Oh, each take. Oh, my God. How many takes more or less? Let's say nine. Oh, no. That's disgusting.
Yeah, that's too much.
It was disgusting. I love the meat. I love the meat so much. Just one thing, negative thing about Italy.
But no one said a negative thing. Yeah, I know.
I know. This is...
I love Italy. I want to live there in the future. Okay. It's a good style of living. And I really like that people respect their elders there.
That's true. That's a lot of good one.
That grandmas and grandpas are invited into the party. That's true. It's not the kids are by themselves. Everyone's together. I love that.
That's also because we got nothing but elders. We stopped making kids. Yeah. We have to accept the elders because it's only them around. Everyone. Can't get rid of them. Yeah, that's true.
I think that if you go to Italy and you get like a jet skiing accident, there's no... You can't like sue anybody. Like people are like, it's wild, you know, do your thing. That's probably true as well. Yeah. That's like, there's no... I actually kind of like that about it. No litigiousness. You're just... You're going to fix it yourself. You're going to fix it. You're going to figure it out. You're going to figure it out. Yeah. But hey... Here's one thing I hate. There was... You're also handsome. Like you're also handsome and exotic. I'm like, enough. We get it.
Yeah. We get that a lot. He's talking about you, Seth. Handsome and exotic. You were telling me something about my glasses before. Can you say that again?
I said that you have very good glasses. Okay. And that there was a great shop in Rome that had really cool dead stock 60s, 70s, 80s glasses. And they reminded me of something from there.
Thank you. You're welcome.
Just for that.
You're welcome. Oh, wow. This is what you want to take away from this. Okay. Yeah. Of course. Thank you. Thank you very much, guys. We have to... Thank you.
It was a pleasure. Thank you. Pleasure. Thank you so much. Stefano. Thank you very much, guys. Thank you. Grazie mille. Thank you.
Interception. Interception. Thank you.
Thank you so much. I appreciate you. And thank you for hanging out with us in the cold. Thank you. You guys are hilarious. Thank you. Thanks for making us laugh.
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.