Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson - LILY RABE — on "American Horror Story" and working with mom's ex Al Pacino

Episode Date: October 1, 2024

"Presumed Innocent” star Lily Rabe joins the show. Over oysters, Lily talks about working together on “Merchant of Venice," how Ryan Murphy made it impossible to say no to him, and why she knows her mother (the late great Jill Clayburgh) would approve of her partner Hamish Linklater.  This episode was recorded at The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does possible sound like for your business? It's having to spend to power your scale with no preset spending limit. Redefine possible with Business Platinum. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Terms and conditions apply. Visit amex.ca slash business platinum. Welcome to Origins with me, Kush Jumbo, the show with the biggest names in entertainment. Tell me the stories that made them who they are today. Origins is a conversation about my guests' early inspirations and growing up. Guests this season include Dame Anna Wintour, Poppy Delevingne, Pete Capaldi, and Golda Rushaval, aka Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton.

I only discovered my sexuality when I went to drama school. Join me every week to hear where it all began. From Sony Music Entertainment, this is Origins with Kuss Jumbo. Hi, it's Jesse. Today on the show, you know her from her nine seasons on Ryan Murphy's anthology series, American Horror Story, or perhaps from her recent film, Downtown Owl, now out on Netflix. Or maybe playing therapist

Dr. Liz Rush on the Apple TV Plus series Presumed Innocent. It's Lily Rabe. There was like one time when I set off the alarm at the airport because I hadn't taken the bullet hole out of my, the back of my head. Like I had really, like I was running. My hair was like all pinned up. This is Dinners on Me, and I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. I made my professional New York City debut

at the famed Delacorte Theater in Central Park. It was in 1997, and I was cast in a revival of the musical On the Town. Now, I have been lucky enough to return to the Delacorte Theater for five Shakespeare in the Park productions. I'm even scheduled to be in next summer's production of Twelfth Night alongside Lupita Nyong'o, Peter Dinklage, and Sandra Oh. Very excited about that.

Every play that I have done there has been so special for so many different reasons. The summer of 2010, I was part of the wildly successful production of The Merchant of Venice alongside Al Pacino, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Hamish Linklater. It was also the summer I first met Lily Rabe, who gave a star-making performance opposite Al Pacino as Portia. It was the summer right after my first season on Modern Family, and I actually found out about my first Emmy nomination while I was at rehearsal at the theater.

Lily, of course, went on to play a multitude of roles in the American Horror Story franchise. Our careers couldn't be more different, but the one thing we really share in common is our deep love for the theater, specifically Shakespeare in the Park. Now, a few years ago, I tracked down the graphic artist, Paula Shearer, who designs the poster art

for the Delacorte Theater, and I bought several archived posters from all the productions I had been a part of. The piece I collected from the Merchant of Venice never made it onto my wall because of its enormous size. I think it was literally designed to be a subway poster and I knew I wanted to give it to Lily as a belated birthday present. Hi! You look so cute. Really? Yeah! Thanks. You dressed up for me. Yeah I did. I brought Lily to Lonely Oyster in Elko Park. Fun fact about Lily is I truly think that when it comes to oysters, she could eat a

couple of dozen in one sitting. It's truly a sight to see, so I knew I had to indulge her love of seafood. The Lonely Oyster chef Dom Crisp serves up incredible oysters sourced from all over, from Maine to New Zealand. Chef Crisp has a passion for sustainable seafood, always curating the menu to showcase the best that's in season. Also, if you're someone who likes martinis with your oysters, Lonely Oyster has a full cocktail menu. Just want to flag that for my friends. Okay, let's get to the conversation.

I should tell people, if I start talking like this, it's my impersonation of Lily. It's very bad. It's his worst bit of acting, actually. It's not as bad as Jerry. Jerry O'Connell does it, too. Oh, Jerry's is worse. But sometimes you, Hamish, and Jerry would all do it at once, and it was like, who can just get their voice lower and sound like they've smoked more cigarettes? I was like. It makes no sense.

It really is a total departure from. Yeah, yeah, I know. I don't know why, it started when we were doing the Merchant of Venice together because I would do it backstage. Yeah, oh I know, I remember. Well I was listening to your performance, your brilliant performance, I was backstage just,

just eviscerating you with his voice, the smoker's voice. Ah, can't believe you still like me. By the way, not a smoker. I know, never, never have been. Never a smoker. No, no. But I love an oyster.

Oysters really, it's my favorite food group. I will, we, last time we had a meal together, it was at L&E, which is another oyster place that we like. Was it? Yeah, I think so. Oh no, I was at your birthday last year. By the way, happy birthday. I know you just had another one.

Thanks. I brought you something. Did you? Yeah, because I know that, but I showed up to your birthday without a gift, and Sarah Paulson arrived with this beautiful wrapped gift. I was like, oh, you brought a gift? And you were like, yeah, you bring a gift

to people's birthdays. I brought you an unwrapped gift. Wow, good. Well, good, you brought a gift. And you were like, yeah, you bring a gift to people's birthdays. I brought you an unwrapped gift. Wow, good. Well, good, I hate wrapping. Same thing. But, let's say one of the last meals we had together was at El and the Oyster. And I don't know if you'll remember this.

You had just finished shooting a really intense scene of American Horror Story. I think you were in season two, so it was Asylum. Okay. It was a really intense scene to shoot. Oh, I think I know where we're at. I think it was cut. Well, oh God, now that even makes it even better.

Because what I remember is you got to dinner, and you're like, oh my God, I had the craziest day at work. Yeah. You described the scene to me as like, oh my God, Lily. And you were like, you had to be crying all day. And then you had to do several set ups of it, and you had to do it so many times.

Anyway, you're like, I'm just so relieved it's over. And while we were at dinner, you got a phone call from production that you had to reshoot that scene. Do you remember this? Well, I think I might have been just bent over with my butt out being hit. That's what it was, you were being hit.

You were being spanked. Your butt was out. Yeah, my butt was out. It was like day one, so you were just meeting the crew for the first time maybe. Yeah. But you were being spanked. Your butt was out. It was like day one, so you were like just meeting the crew for the first time maybe. But you were just really relieved the scene was over. Yeah, we shot it really early.

And then while we were at dinner, yeah, full butt, FB. And while we were at dinner, you got a phone call and you had to go back in the next day and reshoot it. Yeah, because of a technical situation. A technical situation. My butt was perfect. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It was nothing to be good about.

Thank you. With some caviar and bops. Thank you. Love this. You guys have any restrictions? That's my other favorite food. Caviar and bops. Me too.

I don't have any restrictions. Nope. Nope. I'm very interested in this house made squirt. That's good. I think the Coppertone is really good too. That's what it says, house made squirt. Better house made than not.

You know what they say. That's right. Wait, what are you suggesting? The Coppertone is what? It's like a non-alcoholic, aperol spritz. Oh! It's like a non-alcoholic, aperol spritz?

Yeah. That sounds great. I'll try that. Yeah. Yeah, but I might have to try the housemate squirt too. We're gonna do... You know squirt the soda. Nope.

You don't? No, but that helps me. Yeah. I'm gonna get those right here. There's a soda called squirt. I was down a different path. I know. I know exactly where you are.

When I said it, I was like, this sounds obscene. Like a fruit pop. Ah! What's the soda? So it's a soda pop, it's like a, kind of like a Sprite, but it's like such a drink from my childhood. Like I don't think I've ever, I haven't seen a Squirt since. I have to stop saying Squirt.

I haven't seen it. I just. I mean, I bet you haven't. I haven't seen. Oh my god. Wow. These are big squirts. Wow. There it is, my homemade squirt. Oh god.

It's delicious. Here, let me take a photo so people know what I'm talking about. Yeah, do it. Oh, thank you. I want our Bumble Caviar. I forgot. Do you have any questions about the menu?

I don't think so. You want to do oysters, I know that. Do you guys want a little shrimp cocktail on the side? Ooh, it's a special shrimp cocktail. Anything spicy, we also have a really nice scallop aguachile that's light, has a nice spice. Cool. Yeah. And I'll pick your oysters for you?

Great, I'm literally gonna give you all of our oysters. Okay, all right. You guys enjoy. We're very excited. And then we'll go from there. Thank you so much. Oh, Lily. You and I met in 2010.

Is that right? Yeah, yeah. It was such, I know, Yeah, because I guess we just met doing this. We just met. And Modern Family had just started in 2009. So it was after my first season. So we did Merchant of Venice together.

And it was the first year that the Delacorte Theatre, the first time they had a repertory company where one cast did both plays. Except for you and Al Pacino, who were in The Merchant of Venice, because you were fancy. No, but weren't there two people also in- There was two people, Linda Eamon and Ruben.

Who didn't do ours. Who were in Winter's Tale, and they didn't do Merchant of Venice. So could it have just been that the numbers didn't match that? Right, right. But that was such a cool summer because first of all it was such a fancy production of the Merchant of Venice. It was kind of like my last summer.

Well it wasn't my last summer as a single guy. No children. You know, you were in a relationship with someone completely different than who you are now, but that's the summer you and Hamish kind of, I guess, worked together for the first time. And your mom was very sick that summer. And there was so much was happening at that time. And by the way, I'm so glad that I got to meet your mom that summer, she was so lovely.

And she was just, it was just really, really lovely. She loved that, I think she saw it in the park. She never got to see it on Broadway, but I think, because you weren't in it. Right, right. That's right. And I mean, also the role I played in Merchant of Venice was a notoriously difficult one.

You were so wonderful. My mom actually, I remember her saying, I think we talked about this, where she was like, he cracked it. Like he figured it out. So kind of hard to say, because it's a notoriously difficult role, because it's an anti-Semitic, you know, it's a clown, but you know, this anti-Semitic clown is not an easy

part to play for, you know. Impossible. But that, I think you, and I'm sure with Dan, because he's like, I feel like Dan Sullivan, who directed it, like he has some red phone to Shakespeare. It's crazy. Yeah, he did such a remarkable job with that play. You were so, so incredible in it. It was, yeah, it was a really, that was sort of the wildest, certainly the hardest time of my life. But it was really, I don't know that I would have gotten through it without that play and that part.

Like she kind of, all I remember doing after my mom died is like I don't remember anything. I only remember those three hours on stage during that whole period of time. Like everything else has just kind of vanished. It's wild. But that broke through and I think she was kind of like, yeah, dragging me through.

So I'm really grateful. Yeah, yeah. And another, you know, interest, I didn't know this at the time, but you told me, I had no idea that your mom and Al had dated. Yes. For a very significant amount of time. During like a very significant, like she was with him

when he was, that kind of famous story of him, his audition process for The Godfather. It was like endless and he had to gain weight, he had to lose weight, like there was, it's a story and she was like, around for that. Yeah, with him and their cats.

I mean this was before she met your dad, Dave Grabe. Well, no, they'd met. So my mom first met my dad because Al was doing a play of my father's in Boston. I should mention that your father is a very prolific Tony Award winning playwright, just in case someone doesn't know. Oh, and I never said your mom, Jill Kleberg. is a very prolific Tony Award winning playwright. Just in case if someone doesn't know. Okay, shh.

Oh, and I never said your mom. Jill Kleberg. Yeah, the best mom. The best mom ever, incredible actress, Oscar nominated, produced two beautiful children. She really was, she was the greatest mother and she was an amazing actress. Anyway, they were,

Al was doing the production of that play of my dad's in Boston and my mom was coming to visit Al and was like late to a train. So my dad's first memory of my mother is her like running to a train like really, really late. Like, oh nice to meet you, I gotta go. But anyway, it's kind of, it's like an unbelievable, there's just so many layers of overlap.

And then that Al and I were meeting and doing that play together around the age, I was around the same age my mother would have been when they were together. Like, and they all, I think Al, Dan, and my father all turned 70 while we were doing the play. Yep, I remember that. It was, yeah, it's pretty profound and wild.

I didn't get to do the Broadway transfer, and I know that your mom passed away during previews, I believe. What was it like having Al around, you know, someone who meant so much to your mom. You know, I didn't tell any mom what was going on, really. Dan knew. Because normally, like, I would never, I don't think I'd ever missed a show in my career.

But he knew when we transferred, like, things had taken a turn. And we still didn't know, like there's so much we didn't know, but Al didn't know until, there was like a day, during previews I would go from the hospital to the theater, we'd rehearse the play, I'd do the show and then I would go back to the hospital. And then there was just like something that happened, which would take up our whole time together.

But it was a moment in the hospital when I knew that I couldn't leave her again. And I called Dan from the hospital. And then a week later, we got her home. She died on Friday morning and I did the show on Saturday. And we opened on Sunday. That was after that opening. Yeah, because I just, it was like once,

once I couldn't be with her, there was no, I didn't, there was nowhere else. Like I didn't know what to do with myself. So the only thing that made sense to me was like to go back. Absolutely. And so that, and then yeah, we opened that Sunday. Yeah, it accumulated in such a, you know, you and Al were both nominated for Tonys.

And, like, it was such a celebration of this very difficult play that is hard to produce. And it was just so well done. And I think about that time a lot. I'm so happy you did have that show. It's such a difficult moment in your life. You know, I think it was really special. I know you told me that you and your mom watched The Modern Family a lot that show, it's such a difficult moment in your life. You know, I think it was really special.

I know you told me that you and your mom watched The Modern Family a lot when you were, you know, sort of stuck in bed together and that meant so much to me to hear. I still do that though. Like, it's so comforting and it's so good. I feel the same way about American Horror Story. I feel yours, thank you.

Comforting, oh. Oh my goodness, this is gorgeous. So I have your oysters today. We just gave you two of everything. So I wanna tell you about these sauces because they're fun and special. Fermented Thai chili mignonette. And then we have a yuzu tamari.

It's like a gluten-free. Oh wow. Wow. And this is a really nice chili oil from Japan called Chiyoda and it's like a nice rich rounded heat with a little sesame. Wow. We have Riptides right here from southern Massachusetts, Buzzards Bay. Then we have the Kaiparas from New Zealand. You'll probably want more of those for dessert because they're amazing. And in France they pay top dollar to finish oysters to look like that. Then we have Pemiquaids from Maine.

These are stalwart classic Maine oyster. Then these are a newer one from New Brunswick called Peters Creek. Then we have our scallop agu chile and shrimp cocktails. Thank you so much. And is there anything else you want me to get started on, like apps? I mean, I kind of want some greens. I really recommend, since you love seafood, to do the Louie salad and share it. Great.

Yeah. Let's do a Louie for you guys. Sounds good. And then entrees, you guys can kind of ruminate. But we do have one special pasta coming for you. What about clams, too? Can we get? Yeah, that's no problem. I'll get those going.

Awesome, Louie. Thank you. When I was watching Downtown Owl, You did, I love, you were your text meant so much to me. Well, you know what I love so much about that film? First of all, I mean, it's really incredible that you and Hamish directed that together, and I wanna ask about how that went.

I loved seeing you do comedy. I mean, you are so good at playing these, like, incredibly dark characters, so it was just so, I mean, I already knew you were funny because you are, just in real life. Thanks. But you don't get to do comedy a lot. I don't, and I really wish I did,

because I love doing it. So, I'm so glad that you felt that way. Thank you. For your directorial debut, to do something that is so far out of your comfort zone was just, it struck me as really cool. Yeah, the tone of that, because that's, it was adapted from this Chuck Klosterman novel that I had fallen in love with, like his tone, like he's, Chuck is so funny. And also it's heartbreaking and it's really poignant and moving and, but he makes me laugh. I mean, you had some incredible,

the scene on the football field where you're just balling. Yeah, that's not so many jokes in that scene. No, not so many jokes in that scene. Like, there's the Lily I know. There she is. There's my girl. Gotta get it in there. But I loved that scene.

That scene like took me so by surprise too, but I would love to do like a romantic comedy where I have, no, I had that scene. That scene took me so by surprise too. But I would love to do a romantic comedy where I have... No, I had salt burns. I've had this one salt burn on my left eye from crying so much in crazy conditions because it's like the crying with the wind and the cold on various jobs and then just going into the next one. They're like, it hasn't healed yet.

We can't. I'm like, okay. Oh my God. But like if I just, yeah, maybe just a job where I don't have solver in my mouth. That's incredible. Oh my God. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Lily and I talk about the crazy schedule

she adopted to be in American Horror Story, having two therapists, and the one and only time she was cast right on the spot. Okay, be right back. I don't know about you, but every year fall rolls around and I struggle to find the right gift for my friends and my family. But luckily Justin Wine makes it super easy. Justin offers curated gift sets, library wines, magnums, and even custom edged bottles,

which you could add a message or logo to. That's very fancy. Just in case you're not an expert on Justin, it's world-class Bordeaux style wines put the Paso Robles region on California's central coast on the wine making map. They recently sent me some of their wines including the Cabernet Sauvignon and their flagship wine Isosceles which I simply cannot wait to enjoy with my friends and family this holiday season. Can't wait to enjoy a glass of Justin with my Justin. Isn't that cute? Shop all

of Justin's exceptional wines at Justinwine.com and be sure to use promo code Jesse20 to receive 20% off your order today. That's Jesse20 for 20% off. This summer I took a little break that me and Justin had in our schedule to do a little two week summer vacation. We grabbed Beckett and Sully and we introduced them to some of our favorite spots, Provincetown in Massachusetts, and we also jumped across the pond to London.

While we were away, I had this thought, what if we hosted our home on Airbnb? We all have times when we're away from home, whether we're visiting family or traveling for work, or maybe taking that well-earned vacation. While you're away, you could be earning some extra cash. You can host your entire home or if let's say your kid is away at college, which seems so far away since my boys are still just so young,

but for you empty nesters, you could just host a spare bedroom. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host. Find out how much at airbmb.com slash host. And we're back with more Dinners on Me. Well, the first time I saw Hamish on stage was with your mom and my very good friend, Luke McFarland. And what was the play called again? It was called The Busy World is Hush.

The Busy World is Hush, yeah. And that was the first called again? It was called The Busy World is Hushed. The Busy World is Hushed, yeah. And that was the first time I saw Hamish on stage. That was the first time you saw him on stage as well? That was the first time I met him. Oh, wow. Yeah. Wow. I think I was one, 22, 23.

Okay. But that's when I first met him because they got really close. Yeah. And it was like my mom's friend, Hamish. 2006. 2006. Do you think there's like, in some way,

there's like a piece of her that like approved of, because she never got to know you two as a couple. Not as a couple, but she loved him so much. And they had, we've had such kind of remarkable things where he was like with, like he was standing next to her when I got cast in Heartbreak House, which was like a huge deal for me at the time.

It was like, I guess that was my first time on Broadway, or no, second time on Broadway, but that sounded very fancy to me. Yeah. Oh. Oh. But I really wanted that part. Yeah. second time on Broadway, but that sounded very fancy to me. Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!

But I really wanted that part. Yeah. And I was cast in the room. Oh wow. Has that ever happened to you? No. I feel like it's probably like not allowed anymore or something, right?

No, no, no, no. And there's always so many people. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But it was like the director, I had gone in for whatever, maybe two or three times. Probably even more, because I'd probably like pre-read, read the thing with the other person. And then I was there with the director and Jim Carnahan was casting it.

And it was like he gave Jim Carnahan a nod. Yeah. And they like told me in the room and I like ran into Jim Carnahan's arms. Like I was so excited. And then I called my mother and Hamish was standing next to my mother when I called her.

So he had her side of that moment. And then I also had like a friend who was at a dinner with them and she really wasn't being like, it would have been totally inappropriate for her to say this in a matchmaking way. She wasn't at all, but it was like they had all had dinner and my friend who was like helping her as like a part-time assistant was at this dinner and I guess when they were going to drive home together she said to my friend, I just wish Lily could find someone like him about Hamish.

And so it does feel like yes, like blessed or acknowledged. And also it sure means so much to you to have a partner who knew her so well on his own terms too, not through you. Exactly. Through his own eyes. He fell in love with her through his own eyes. I for sure, when she died and I was single, I definitely said to friends, like,

because I really wanted to have a family, or I wanted to have kids, but I was like, I don't wanna, I can't imagine explaining her to someone, and I can't imagine loving someone who didn't know her, so I will just have kids by myself or whatever, but like, I really was kind of horrified by the idea of having to start a relationship with someone who didn't.

With someone who didn't have context for her. Yeah, and then this, so. It would be better if she were here, but it's a very, very lucky, lucky thing that I am grateful for constantly, actually. Because now with the kids, when we're explaining her to them, we do it together. You do it together, yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. And I love that, you know, her name lives on in your oldest, it's lovely. Yeah. It's so interesting, also, like, I guess, then having Hamish playing opposite of you in that production, and Merchant of Venice,

she had such knowledge about these plays, and he, you know, he was like, he would go to do Shakespeare every summer. He was raised doing it. Yes, his mother, Kristen Linklater, was an incredible voice and speech coach, and, you know, it was such a special time, and you know. That's nice. Yeah.

It's so funny, after that summer, I mean, the first yeah it's so funny after that summer I mean the first thing I saw you do after that was American Horror Story I was like well that is a hard pivot to the left and you know I mean you really and I think right up with Sarah Paulson you know and maybe even Jessica Lang where the cast members that seem to be always coming back. Like you were in many, many seasons of that. How did Ryan Murphy find you? Like what did- I had done an episode of Nip Tuck

that I auditioned for. I played a, I remember I had a headband and I was a cannibal. Like I, an accidental cannibal. I think it was like my husband and I were stuck in a snowstorm and I ate his arm or he ate my arm and then we had to deal with that. The details are foggy.

Did you tell us? We had to deal with that. They're foggy, but I remember the headband very well. Okay. I love that you can't remember if your arm was eaten off, but you remember you had a cute headband. I do. It also just was like so perfect

that I was talking about arm eating a cute headband. I do. It also just was like so perfect that I was talking about like our meeting in a headband. Like it's just like delicious Ryan Murphy world. And Ryan called me and he said, there's this part that's gonna be in this new show that I have called American Horror Story. And it's like three episodes. I was about to start rehearsals right after Williamstown first seminar with Hamish and Alan Rickman which was this Teresa Rebeck play directed by Sam Gold.

Yes. I was like, Ryan, of course I want to do it, but I can't. I'm going and he was like, well, what's your day off? I said, well, Monday's. He was like, well, what's your day off? And I said, well, Monday's, but, and he was like, mm-hmm, okay. And then I would do the play on Sunday, because it was like overlapped with when we were,

maybe the very end of rehearsals, but it was really like when we weren't doing the show. And I would do the show on Sunday, get on a plane, fly to LA, sleep for a couple hours, go to set, shoot all of my stuff on Monday, get on the Red Eye, come back, and we did it for like nine episodes. He just kept bringing her back. The whole time you were doing seminar, you were,

oh, I had no idea. And there was like one time when I sent off the alarm at the airport, because I hadn't taken the bullet hole out of the back of my head. Like I had really, like I was running. My hair was like all pinned up. Cause it was like 20, it was really, the costumes were so beautiful.

And then I was like, oh, oh, oh, there's a bullet hole in the back of my head. Let me just shake that up. That is so incredible. Good, are we good now? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But it was, but now like when jobs, and you can use this too, but when they're like, we we good now? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But it was, but now like when jobs,

and you can use this too, but when they're like, we just can't work out the dates, you're like, let me tell you a little story. Right. Where, you know, where there's a will, there's a way. Like there is actually a way to work it out. I have tremendous, like the amount of cases of wine I sent that line producer,

because I can't even imagine how hard that was. I mean, if you had kids, you wouldn't have been able to do that. This is all pre-kids. This is all pre-kids. This is all pre-kids. Yeah. I mean, how many seasons did you end up doing? I think I did nine of them.

Wow. That's incredible. I think I did, yeah. I mean, I talked about this. Sarah was on the podcast, and we talked a lot about Brian and just the gift that that show was for actors to be able to be a part of a series and also not be tied down to one role.

I mean, it's a dream. Total dream. Total dream. It's like same crew, same family, but so, you know, I mean, this person changes or that person changes, but really you're going in and like, you know the costume designer, you know,

you know, like it's, it is like going in the way that you must feel or felt, you know, like it is like going in the way that you must feel or felt with your show, like it's going home. Yeah. If like Ryan is really, I don't think there's anyone like him in that way where he'll just. Make it work. Make it work, yeah.

I mean, you also got to play a lot of historical figures. I mean, like Eileen Vorneos and also Amelia Earhart. Yeah, that's right. Do you? I know I was like secretly pregnant playing Amelia Earhart. Yeah. Yeah.

I think I was throwing up a lot. Throwing up a lot. Oh, God. I was throwing up in a lot of trailers. Yeah. Secretly pregnant. Well, you had a stretch where you were pregnant a lot. Yeah.

You had three kids pretty quickly. Really? In succession, yeah. It's true. Yeah. How am I gonna do this? This is complicated, Lily. Let me help you.

Okay. Need some greens. I think I once ate like, I went to this place with my brothers where you shuck your own oysters. Huh? Was it called Hogs Island or something? It was like north. Oh, I wouldn't want to do that.

No, it was so beautiful. Really? But you put on the gloves and you shuck, and I think I ate like 50 oysters. Oh. Okay, this looks incredible, actually. It's an expensive habit, though. It is.

Ostriches are not cheap. No, these were delicious. I'm really into this place. It's got a good vibe. Oh is. It's just not cheap. No. These were delicious. I'm really into this place. It's got a good vibe. Oh, let's talk about Presumed Innocent, which I love. Did you finish it? Not yet. Have you been able to stay away from the end,

or you know the end? I don't know the end. OK, great. Joanna and I were talking about how your portrayal of a therapist is so different than, I think, therapists we've seen on TV and in entertainment. There's this honesty to her that is really refreshing and kind of shocking as well.

Thank you. I'm a big fan of therapy. Me too. Such a privilege, but I've been really, yeah, I've had some great therapists over the years. What are we gonna do? You guys still working on the oysters and everything? Yeah, I will get them all. Yeah, I just want to replay it for you so the ice is not all.

Okay. Sure. Thanks. And by the way, this is the Louie salad. It's delicious. Yeah, it's got two kinds of crab, it's got an extra prawn, because I know you're missing one. It's nice and spicy. And yeah. I, it's got two kinds of crab. It's got an extra prawn because I know you're missing one. It's nice and spicy. And yeah, I like it.

Do you guys want to put in some more entrees for you right now? Are you still using into it? Let's do some more oysters. More oysters? Do you want to like some lobster rolls or anything like that? Ooh, I'll do a lobster roll. The churro is really nice. Sure. Yeah.

And then we're going to do this caviar pasta for you. That's wow. OK, well, that's going to be enough. That's a lot. Yeah, it, well that's gonna be enough. That's a lot. Very nice. Yeah, it's funny. Thank you so much. I had like my first ever therapist was more of an analyst.

Like I didn't know anything about her. Okay. To this day, like I don't know if she was married or gay or straight or kids or like anything. Was that kind of common though? Yeah. Yeah. Totally.

And then my current therapist, I have two. Yeah. Hamish and I have someone together who we love so much. Gosh. That's great. I mean, a couple of therapies like. You know, everyone always says that.

And Justin and I are like, we should get on board with that. And then when people are like, but nothing's wrong, I'm like, no, no, no, it's not. Nothing. Right. Money aside, because it's not just like do it. It's totally expensive and a thing. Did your parents embrace therapy? My mom, both of them, yes.

And my mom like really, she did 20 years of hardcore analysis, changed her life. She did 20 years of hardcore analysis, changed her life. And when I graduated from college, she was like, you're on your own kid, but until you get a job, I'll pay for therapy. Oh really? Yeah. Wow.

That's incredible. Because my babysitting money wasn't gonna cover it. She was like, that's the one thing. Like, I'm not covered. It's your mental health. Yeah. Totally makes sense. Now for a quick break, but don't go away.

When we come back, Lily tells me about watching her mother's film with a new generation of women. And we revel in my aforementioned late birthday gift. to like America's number one luxury cabernet. Since 1981, Justin's Vineyards and Winery has been producing world-class Bordeaux-style wines from Paso Robles on California's Central Coast, and are what put the Paso Robles region on the winemaking map. They recently sent me some of their wines, including their Cabernet Sauvignon and their flagship wine, Isocilis. I cannot wait to enjoy these with friends and family, especially with the holidays coming up.

Speaking of, Justin Wine makes great gifts for friends, family, or colleagues. They have curated gift sets and even custom etched bottles which you could add a message or logo to. It's very fancy. Shop all of Justin's exceptional wines at justinwine.com and be sure to use promo code JESSI20 to receive 20% off your order today.

That's JESSI20 for 20% off. Welcome to Origins with me, Kushtumbo, the show where the biggest names in entertainment tell me the stories that made them who they are today. Origins is a conversation about my guests' early inspirations and growing up. Guests this season include Dame Anna Winter, Poppy Delevingne, Pete Capaldi, and Golda Raishaval, AKA Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton.

I only kind of discovered my sexuality when I went to drama school. Join me every week to hear where it all began. From Sony Music Entertainment, this is Origins with Kus Jumbo. And we're back with more Dinners on Meme. Um, do you think that, wait, have you done one of your dad's plays? I was meant to do this play called Early History of Fire and then.

So you plated that. Thank you. A couple extra kai paras because I figured you guys would like that. Thank you so much. This is the dish we're going to roll out in fall. Ooh, it's so pretty. House made fettuccine with amazing trout roe

and caviar and a little delicato. Wow, it's gorgeous. Yeah, and then we have our brown butter miso and then the remoulade which is like a spicier sauce and then the classic mayo based lobster roll. My gosh. Pretty. Yum. Pretty sammies.

It's like a lobster roll is just so summer. OK. That's delicious. When we just have the brown butter one. I've definitely done, like, worked on his plays, but I've never done, like, an actual production. And then there's this movie script that he'd written for my mom that he gave to me after she died and at the

time I was like really too young to play the part but now I'm like really the right age and so sometimes oh wow like moments of that's really profound yeah it would be I do think about it would you tell me what it what's about it's a movie about a divorce really it's. It's like this wonderful story about what happens in a neighborhood when one couple gets divorced. It feels actually very, like I don't know if any of your friends have started getting divorced.

You know, when that first couple that you don't expect to separate does, I feel like it really unearths a lot of shit. Yeah. You mean in your own relationship? In other relationships. You know, in the block of like, or like, you know, the pickup line at school. It's like suddenly everyone, and I remember Hamish talking about this with his divorce, where it was like people looked at him like it was something that they could catch from him. You know, I'm so interested in that. And that's really what it's kind of about.

It's wild how life does repeat itself because my dad had been married before he was with my mom, had my older half brother. I didn't know he was a half brother. Yeah. Um, Jason, my older brother, is exactly 10 years older than me. And Hamish, my older brother, is exactly 10 years older than me and Hamish, my stepdaughter, is 10 years older than

our eldest and it's really... Oh, interesting. Yeah, it's amazing. But I would love to make that movie. That was a long, that was not a pitch, see? No, but I thought, I mean... I got out of doing the pitch by talking about something else. You just said, it's about a divorce.

I don't know. I'll buy a ticket to that. Have you revisited any of your mother's work? So I got this Instagram message from someone who was hosting a screening of Unmarried Woman at Vidiots, which have you seen a movie at Vidiots? It's the coolest theater in the world. I've heard it's incredible, yeah, I haven't been yet. I was hosting a screening of Unmarried Woman at Vidiots, which have you seen a movie at Vidiots? It's the coolest theater in the world.

I've heard it's incredible, yeah, I haven't been yet. It's so great. And I'd seen Unmarried Woman a number of times, but I'd never seen it on a big screen. And so I went to this screening, and I was like, really? It was hard because it's like everyone has such a personal relationship with that movie, like fans of that movie.

I think some people were singing it for the first time. I know some people were singing it for the first time, but I think a lot of people were like, it's one of their kind of touchstone movies. And it was so beautiful seeing all of these people have this personal thing with it, but I was also like, she's mine, you know? It's like, it's such a... It's a very complicated, specific feeling. But we went to see it, and I brought my stepdaughter, Lucinda, I guess her, I'm always like protective, but like Lucinda. Yeah. But we went to see it and I brought my stepdaughter, Lucinda, I guess her, I'm always like protective,

but like Lucinda. Yeah. And her friend, she goes to Laksa and they came and we got there, not late, but like kind of close to starting time, starting time? Starting time. Starting time. Starting time, time to start the movie.

And we couldn't all sit together. So the two of them sat together, and me and Hamish were together. The movie is so incredible. Paul Mazursky is such a genius. The fact that he is writing women like that at that time, it's so, you know, people, it was ahead of its, it's so ahead of its time. It's really, it felt so current.

Her performance is so unbelievable. Right. Everything about the movie is, the therapist, one of the great therapist performances, like, ever. But I was so worried through pockets of it like that Lucinda was going to be really bored. We're two hours in, we haven't even met Alan Bates, like we haven't even gotten to the... And when Lucinda, they were a little bit behind us and she came up, Hamish and I were like sobbing all over each other.

But then Lou came up and her face was like shining and her eyes were like glistening with tears and her friend from Laksa and they looked at me, they were like, that was a great, I've never seen, all I want to do is watch movies like this. I've never seen a woman like that. And we went home and Lou and I just like cried together about my mom but also about how moved she was as like a young person who is interested in being a writer and creating things and telling stories and writing women and also just like what the movie meant to her. It was really profound

and the movie's also just so beautiful to get to see it on a big screen meant so much. It was also really wild seeing my kid's faces in her face. Oh, I'm sure. And like with the girls, it's a little more obvious sometimes, you know, but then with, there were moments of her smiling that was like my son's face. Wow. Yeah.

Isn't that incredible? Yeah. Lily, I'm so happy you did this with me. Oh my God, this is so good. Wait, can. Isn't that incredible? Yeah. Lily, I'm so happy you did this with me. Oh my god. Wait, can I give you my present? Yeah. Okay. What if I hate it? No, you're not gonna hate it. You're gonna love it so much, but it's really big. How big could it be? I don't see anything. Oh, I see something. You know what this is? No. Am I gonna cry? I hope so. I love it so much. How did you get this? Okay, I'll tell you. Here, let me roll it up. This is really beautiful. Thank you so much. Happy birthday. Oh my god, I love it. So, Paula Schrier, I think that's how you say

her last name, she's done the graphic designs for the Public Theater like forever. Anyway, I went to her studio in New York and I asked her if I could see posters from the shows I've done and so she had A Midsummer Night's Dream, and then I have this one, and I have another equally big one of The Tempest. And I was like, I just don't have the wall space. And I was like, if I don't keep this, Lily and Hangman's have to have it. I know, it's a real two for one.

Yeah. Like it's a gift to both of us. It belongs with you. Thank you so much. Like it's a gift to both of us. It belongs with you. Thank you so much. Of course. This really couldn't be better. You were right. You were so confident.

You're like, you're gonna love it. And I was like, Jesus. Oh yeah. And you were right. It's really special. Thank you so much. Thanks for taking it off my hands. I'll send you the framing.

Yeah, the framing's on me. The framing. Yeah, the framing's on me. This episode of Dinners on Me was recorded at Lonely Oyster in Echo Park, California. Next week on Dinners on Me, you know him from animated hits like Frozen to musicals like Book of Mormon, it's Josh Gad. We'll get into our overlapping histories, his Broadway career, and being a kid's icon. And if you don't want to wait until next week to listen, you can download that episode right now

by subscribing to Dinners on Me+. As a subscriber, not only do you get access to new episodes one week early, you'll also be able to listen completely ad-free. Just click Try Free at the top of the Dinners On Me show page on Apple Podcasts to search your free trial today. Dinners On Me is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our associate producer is Angela Vang. Sam Baer engineered this episode. Hans-Dyl She composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison. Special thanks to Tamika Balanz-Kalasny and Justin Makita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

Join me next week.