Angels in America

You know, he very much was in denial, but he was also very open at the same time.

You know? Uh, this is the reason why I wanted Russell, because he did Angels in America in London, um, where Nathan Lane played Roy Cohn, and, uh, Russell was, um, Joe Pitt, who was the kind of the protege to Roy Cohn i- in the play.

And, uh, now Russell's at a certain age in his career where he's able to almost take on that type of figure.

You know, now he's in his mid-40s, he can take on that figure.

Just let him do his thing.

Not, I mean, it was written for him.

Um, I wanted him to do the role 'cause again, 'cause I saw him in Angels in America and because I saw him in a film that he did called The Pass, where he plays a closeted football player, and both those particular projects were just really strong, and they really stuck with me.

And almost 10 years later, I've kind of asked him, you know, "Would you like to do this particular role?" And it went, you know, we had a quick meeting.

Okay, and don't worry about hurting anyone's feelings 'cause I just wanna know what's, like, a, a production that comes to your mind right away that you're just really, really proud of?

Angels in America one.

Ugh.

Can you explain to me...

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But Angels in America won, and only-- not because of any of the people and not because of any of the performances, because I loved them all-

Of course

Garfield is one of the best actors working, by the way.

I saw him in Angels in America and that changed my entire opinion of him.

I really didn't like that Spider-Man

movie.

Oh, yeah.

Angels in America-

Mm

... which was like-

If, if it connects with...

I mean, we did, I did, um, a play called Beautiful Thing.

It was a kind of response to Angels in America.

It was a British play about two young closeted gay boys on a council estate in London.

So my first acting gig out of college was 10 years after [laughs] I left college.

I was in Angels in America at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

Oh, right.

Um, and then from there I went back to stand-up.

And so w- how did this idea even enter into your head? Because that is so specific.

[laughs]

Well, it was when I was working on Angels in America and working in California, and I just remember having a thought like, I, I just remember thinking to myself, "I would listen to Harriet Tubman's hip hop album."

What the [laughs]

Romeo and Juliet.

Angels in America.

F, Marry, Kill: Genre Edition.

Comedy, tragedy, musical.

Um, and he was unreal in that.

And then I, uh, I saw him in Angels in America, both parts, [laughs] which is like, it's a day.

It's your day.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Angels in America was like the most important work of art of all time.

Still is in a lot of ways.

And it was funny.