Uh, can you talk about shooting that scene and what it meant for both of you to be, to be playing this really fractious relationship between father and son?

Yeah, man, it's interesting.

I mean, it was, uh, I think it was challenging for both of us and challenging in the sense that it, like, felt really uncomfortable to, to, to do.

Um, because...

And it's, it's one of those things where it's meant to, I feel like.

Uh, it's kinda one of those things where it's like if you're having, uh, I feel like if you're having, uh, fun or f- feeling good about it, that's almost, like, a bad sign-

Yeah.

Um, so it was, uh, I feel like it was, it was, it was challenging in a lot of different ways and, and, uh, and uncomfortable.

Introduce us to your characters and the world of the film.

Sure.

Uh, [laughs] um, I mean, my character's name is, uh, is, is Jay.

He's, he's someone that, um, is, uh, you know, kind of when, when you meet him, he's, like, recently lost his, uh, father to cancer, and they had a really, um, tumultuous relationship where I feel like he always, but he always wanted to be closer.

Yeah, and then kind of goes, you know... [laughs] I don't know how much I should say, but he, he, uh, he, like, kills himself so that he doesn't have to, uh, go through, um, like, the rest of the process of dying from the cancer, and then my character goes and tries to find him in the ocean.

Um, [laughs] I feel like that was a terrible description of it.

... those notes must have been exceptionally helpful when you were-

Yeah.

To both of you, when the premise of the movie was run across your desks, was there a moment where you went, swallowed by a sperm whale? How are you going to pull this off?

That was, yeah, the whole time.

But that was also part of the great appeal, you know, was it was just an absolutely insane idea, you know? Totally.

And just the thought of like, how are you possibly going to do this and film this and, you know, everything, you know, something that no one knew how we were going to do, you know.

And what a physical challenge for you, Austin, as well, because you've got you've got the diving gear, you've got water, you've got underwater shots, but you're also completely constricted inside this, I guess, pretty realistic internals of a whale.

Yeah, I mean, as realistic as, you know, they could, everyone could muster up, you know.

Dude, it was insane in kind of every way and just didn't know if it could be done.

So I was just curious.

No, I mean, I think that's true.

I think that's true.

But I feel like there is a difference when you're creating it.

You know, I mean, the most could be like a stunt if it goes wrong or maybe before a stunt or something like that.

You know, I think a part of it is you kind of...

Regardless, not necessarily even in shooting, but just in other scenarios, if there's fear, you kind of like absorb it rather than push it away.

How much of what you prepared for was actually useful once you got on set? And how much did Brian have to throw at you that no amount of preparation could prepare you for?

What was that experience like working with him?

Oh, man, he's amazing.

He's, you know, he's an actor that really, like, gives everything, you know? And also he's so vulnerable in this movie, too, which is really beautiful.

But just a great partner, you know? And, yeah, it's special because I feel like...

A lot of actors, maybe they kind of find their thing that they feel comfortable doing, and they won't necessarily, just saying he's open to exploring and going to new places that he hasn't been before, even if it's scary or whatever.

Hopefully you played Pinocchio at some point in your life, too.

Sure.

I wish.

Austin Bryan is such an engaging character in every sense of the word, and I wanted to know, in crafting your performance here, because you're almost in every shot, or maybe every shot, I think, did you look to hit specific sort of beats, you know, comedically, horrifically, or did you just sort of let the fear and humor sort of take care of itself as you went through this? I think kind of

take care of itself, yeah.

I feel like, because I feel like having him be a just regular dude you know gave us the opportunity for there to be more humor to me you know rather than him being like i mean you could still have maybe you still have some of someone that knows what they're doing but i just feel like there's like so many opportunities when like you know you have a new gun and you don't know like where to put the you know the what the hell the thing is called into wherever.

But yeah.

The bullet stick into the gun vagina.

Yeah.

Well, I don't know what it is.

I mean,

[laughs]

[laughs] I mean, I...

Yeah, man, I, I read it really fast, um, which I've done with everything that I've read of Zach's.

Uh, it just, he has a way of writing that just, like...

And the same with his movies, that just, like, really grabs your attention.

Um, and uh, you know, maybe you have something else planned or something, it, it, but you just end up reading the whole, the whole thing right there.

Um, but uh, yeah.

But hooking into the character at the same time.

[laughs]

I mean... [laughs] No, I mean, you know, not at the time.

It's just everything's, like, happening so quickly.

Um, and, um, yeah, I mean, a- not even, not even afterwards really, I mean, until, like, people told me.

But also c- the, the, the possibility of it, I think, kind of never really fully, uh, sunk in.

... i- is there, are, is each one different? Have you learned to compartmentalize certain things?

Gosh, I don't even know if I have a good answer to that.

I mean, yeah, I f- uh, I mean ... [laughs] I feel like each thing is different.

... very formative experience in that way where I was like, "Oh, dude, you gotta, like... " Do you find yourself, like, do you find yourself, like, bouncing off the walls and try- kinda, like, seeing what sticks? Or, like, you, are you kind of, like, kind-

Kinda, kinda, kinda both.

Definitely, definitely both.

I mean, it can be, like, having an idea, uh, of what you wanna do, but then so much of it depends on, like, the moment and what's actually happening, like, in the scene and what, like, what your, what the people you're working with need.

Um, and it also depends on the director, you know? Like, uh, working with, like, uh, Gregor, he's like, he really enjoys, like, shaping, uh, the scene, you know?

Huh.

Um, so it didn't come up until, until, I don't...

Like, the beginning of '25 or something.

[laughs]

Uh, no, but he's, um, I mean, he's easily, you know, one of my favorite directors I've worked with, and he just, like, he has a vision, man.

I mean, he's got a very strong vision, and he's also just incredibly creative and collaborative, and, uh, and, like...

But his visions are-

are-... are great.

It's like when he tells me something, it's like, "Oh, that's, that's a really great idea," and like [laughs]

Good to talk to you.

Thanks, guys.