Yeah.

You know, that's, that's one of the big reasons, but everybody was immediately on the same page when we did the table read, which was with everybody.

Uh, and it was really the only script we'd read, only one I'd read, 'cause I came in a little late, I think.

Uh, but the tone of the show was set immediately that day that we did the first table read, and it was set by Matthew and by Hiro, 'cause Katie had already written this great script.

Um, but it w- uh, the main thing that, that I think is important f- for Matthew, being number one, is to keep the correct tone, to keep everybody on it.

Like, are you doing side hustles? Like, what's the-

Yeah.

Well, I went straight from, uh, the University of Florida to New York City, because I, I, I got, uh, the National Shakespeare Company, which is a bus and truck out, that came out of New York City.

Right

... he'd go, go do the scene and go, "Was that good enough? Okay, good." And then, [laughs] and then he'd go direct.

But he would let you play around a lot.

There, I remember there was, there, there was an episode where my, my hands got stuck on the wheel of the car.

[laughs] We, we did a scene after that that didn't work, and Bill said, "No, we're gonna throw that out.

We're gonna go over here to this, [laughs] go over here to the park.

We're gonna improv, you know, what happened after that scene." And we did that, and that's what ended up in the, in the piece.

A good director does what?

W- he's gotta be our John Ratzenberger and we've gotta have him in everything"?

[laughs] I, I think I was luck...

I think I scared them.

Uh, first, the first real audition I had with them was for O Brother.

And, uh, I, I, I n- I knew this, I, uh, as a character actor, I knew these Southern guys, 'cause I have a lot of Southern friends.

Did a lot of theater that was Southern.

So I came in, I knew what I wanted to do with the guy, and, uh, sat down on the table very, you know, three feet from them, and they said, "Do you, you, you w- you know what you wanna do?" And I said, "Yeah." Uh, and they said, "Okay, go ahead." And, and I, and I went like this.

... yeah, I mean, you know, you wonder with the residuals and stuff, like, he probably has to have a, a great accountant just to keep track of everything 'cause the checks probably come flying in nonstop.

One of my favorites.

Yes.

That was my period when I was doing only sequels.

Right after that, I did RoboCop 3.

See? Yeah.

Were you nervous working with a first-time director that was also starring in the show? No, no, I was

a big fan.

So I was happy to come play with him.

Good morning, everybody.

Uh, thank you all for being here so early.

My name is Stephen Root.

I am an alcoholic, and the power of God separated me from alcohol January 7th of 2008.

I'm truly as grateful as I know how to be for that fact this morning.

Uh, I do wanna give a shout-out to my home group, which is the Main Object Group here in Austin, Texas.

[laughs]

... um, [laughs] he, he f- he feels a responsibility, uh, to the town.

And, and here's this guy coming in and saying, "No, let's bring more people, and kids, and fun." [laughs] It's like, "No.

No, let's not do that, because you have no idea what, what this island is about, and what it's n- what it's been about for not just your lifetime, but for centuries.

Literally centuries." And it's, uh, the island, uh, really is a character unto itself, as you'll find out later, um, uh, more about the island.

And, uh, uh, will you find out about why these things are happening? Maybe, maybe not.

But the, the island itself is definitely a character in this movie, and he feels like he has to protect these people from the island.

... those people.