Transcript

Taron Egerton | SmartLess

From SmartLess · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 55 min · 10,586 words · 72 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "Taron Egerton | SmartLess", an episode of SmartLess published June 30, 2025 (55 min, about 10,586 words). It mentions 78 people, works and ideas, including London, Carry On, Kingsman, SmartLess, Private tutor.

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 5:00: Artificial Intelligence, Atlanta, Lorenzo's Oil, Los Angeles
  2. – 10:00: Andrew Gilligan, Carry On, Denali, Ginger
  3. – 15:00: Cardiff, Carry On, Gareth Bale, Los Angeles
  4. – 20:00: Male voice choirs, William Shakespeare
  5. – 25:00: Your Song, Irish dancing, London, Oliver!
  6. – 30:00: Damon John, West End
  7. – 35:00: Bradley Cooper, Kingsman, Liverpool
  8. – 40:00: Kingsman, David Furnish, London, Matthew Vaughn
  9. – 45:00: London, Candy Crush, Carry On, Edinburgh
  10. – 50:00: Character actor, Jude Law, The Greatest American Hero
  11. – 55:00: Gareth Bale, Horrible Bosses 2, Private tutor, Sacramento
  12. – 55:29: Michael Grant Terry, SmartLess

Notable quotes from "Taron Egerton | SmartLess"

  • Good morning, good day, good evening, listener, wherever. We had a real robust in-house smartless text chain going this morning. Yeah, that's right. It's fascinating. I love…
    about SmartLess · at
  • What's that? Private tutor. Oh my goodness. That's fun, Sean. That's really fun. That is fun. I've taken that one. I'm going to ride that for a week.
    about Private tutor · at
  • Are you guys are in Los Angeles? I'm I'm very excited. I'm very excited to be done. It's been a great project, but I am excited to come home, see you folks again. When are you done? Saturday. I'm.
    about Los Angeles · at
  • Killed me in the incredibly satisfying and remarkably successful Netflix film called Carry On. Guys, please say hello to Taran Edertton.
    about Carry On · at
  • Questions about Wales. we're we're kind of friendly with Gareth Bale. Wales's own Gareth Bale listener. That's celebrated son of Wales. Celebrated. Very celebrated. And you've…
    about Gareth Bale · at
  • Well, weirdly, really weirdly, I was required to sing a song and I did your song by Elton John and Bernie Toin.
    about Your Song · at
  • Production of Oliver when I was about 14 15 and they had actors come up from London to play the adult roles and they were you know actors who'd been on the West End and they it…
    about London · at
  • Is called Sing and I sang I'm Still Standing in that movie. And then in the Kingsman sequel, Elton came along and played himself. And through that through those two things, it…
    about Kingsman · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Gareth Bale — Person · 2 mentions · first at
  • Jurnee Smollett — Person · 2 mentions
  • Andrew Gilligan — Person · 1 mention · first at
    And then here comes Shawn in a little Gilligan outfit.
  • John Skipper — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Don't say it. You guys should go as the skipper and Gilligan for Halloween.
  • Ginger — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Would be Oh my god. And we'll be Marian and Ginger. Come on, Willie. That's really funny. And Marianne. All right, let's let's wake up our guest. I'm sure he's completely passed out by now. guys, I'm very excited slash nervous for.
  • William Shakespeare — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Tied together through drama. So I was, I was getting involved with Shakespeare plays and more contemporary stuff and I just felt that I was in my groove, in my lane. Really…
  • Damon John — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Ask I'm excited to hear I'm excited for your project with the one that's based on the conversation with John Bishop. Is this thing on? Right. Yeah, that's so that when I heard…
  • Bradley Cooper — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Talking about the main figure that is the inspiration for Will's upcoming film with Bradley Cooper. That's right. Yes. Yeah. Yeah.
  • Matthew Vaughn — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Conversation on the set and you guys decided well maybe we should go out and kind of pitch this together or Matthew Vaughn who directed the Kingsman films and has produced a…
  • David Furnish — Person · 1 mention · first at
    And has produced a couple of other things that I've been in as well. He had he David Furnish and Elton had formed a friendship and I think the Rocket Man project in its in the…
  • Jude Law — Person · 1 mention · first at
    No, I feel I listen I listened to you guys talking with Jude Law and I he summed it up pretty one of the old times.
  • Michael Grant Terry — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Smartless is 100% organic and artisally handcrafted by Rob Armjarf, Bennett Barbco, and Michael Grant Terry.
  • Alexey Pajitnov — Person · 1 mention
  • Bernie Taupin — Person · 1 mention
  • Colin Firth — Person · 1 mention
  • Dennis Lehane — Person · 1 mention
  • Greg Mottola — Person · 1 mention
  • Humphrey Bogart — Person · 1 mention
  • Jason Bateman — Person · 1 mention
  • Jason Sudeikis — Person · 1 mention
  • Mark Chappell — Person · 1 mention
  • Matthew Rhys — Person · 1 mention
  • Patsy Cline — Person · 1 mention
  • Sean Hayes — Person · 1 mention
  • Seth Rogen — Person · 1 mention
  • Taran Egerton — Person · 1 mention
  • Will Arnett — Person · 1 mention

Books & papers

  • Your Song — Book · 2 mentions · first at
  • Oliver! — Book · 1 mention · first at
    Yeah. The West End, the West End. I remember I did a summer season production of Oliver when I was about 14 15 and they had actors come up from London to play the adult roles…
  • Bones — Book · 1 mention
  • Crazy — Book · 1 mention
  • King Lear — Book · 1 mention
  • Murdoch: Death in the Family — Book · 1 mention
  • Sulk — Book · 1 mention

Companies & orgs

Products & tech

  • Carry On — Product · 3 mentions · first at
  • Kingsman — Product · 3 mentions · first at
  • SmartLess — Product · 2 mentions · first at
  • Lorenzo's Oil — Product · 1 mention · first at
    Yeah, you need your natural oils. You need your natural clump. Yeah, but what about you got to get Lorenzo's oil?
  • Denali — Product · 1 mention · first at
    Are they? So, if you working your way around, what happens with the Denali?
  • Sierra EV — Product · 1 mention · first at
    Well, the Denali HD or are you talking about the new Sierra EV? Oh, God. so Sean, how was the Vegas trip? you That was a while ago. That was We drove trucks and What else did we do? Did you win any money, by the way? He's just.
  • Tetris — Product · 1 mention · first at
    That. We're going to loop it. we're going to Did you guys see Taran in Tetris? I loved that movie, man. I want to see it. Such a great cool film about how that game came about.…
  • Candy Crush — Product · 1 mention · first at
    Does it cut into your Candy Crush hours or The irony is that you do have such a crush on candy, you know?
  • Horrible Bosses 2 — Product · 1 mention · first at
    Have there's so little joy in your literally the last time I sang was in a karaoke bar doing press for Horrible Bosses 2 and I think I was still drinking, wasn't I? Maybe. I don't know.
  • Black Bird — Product · 1 mention
  • Gilligan's Island — Product · 1 mention
  • Paul — Product · 1 mention
  • Rocketman — Product · 1 mention
  • Sing — Product · 1 mention
  • Tetris (video game) — Product · 1 mention

Concepts & topics

  • Private tutor — Concept · 2 mentions · first at
  • Artificial Intelligence — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    AI, I don't listener, I don't know if you've heard about this. This is the acronym is AI. It stands for artificial intelligence. We go back. And it's coming and it's going to…
  • Sunday Funday — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Oh, where? I thought you went too to Sunday. Sunday funday. You were not there. I guess Sean could not. We had a very robust conversation actually kind of about a lot of the stuff we were talking about this morning. We're.
  • Male voice choirs — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Into song and sing lovely harmonies and things. We have a tradition of male voice choirs here in Wales and that's something that I think has kind of seeped into who I am and Oh, that's right. Would that explain your ability to sing? I think.
  • Irish dancing — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    $5 dollar foot long. So, no, one little tidbit. I don't know if it's true, but Irish dancing, have you ever seen Irish dancing when they don't ankle slapping? Yeah. Where they don't move the upper part of their body?
  • Character actor — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Like character actors. I like actors who are different from one thing. A character actor. Yeah. And unfortunately, you're too goddamn good-looking to be a true character actor.…
  • Welsh language — Concept · 1 mention

Places & events

  • London — Place · 4 mentions · first at
  • Los Angeles — Place · 2 mentions · first at
  • New York, New York — Place · 2 mentions · first at
    I'm leaving today, but I'll be back Sunday. Wait, you're you're in I'm in LA, but I'm going to New York today for a few days. And then you're going to be back on Sunday. I'll be back Sunday.
  • West End — Place · 2 mentions · first at
    Yeah. The West End, the West End. I remember I did a summer season production of Oliver when I was about 14 15 and they had actors come up from London to play the adult roles and they.
  • Liverpool — Place · 2 mentions · first at
    A few times in passing at various things. my family are from Liverpool, so anyone from that part of the world is, I kind of feel a vague affinity with, but congrats on the championship. Let's get it out of the.
  • Atlanta — Place · 1 mention · first at
    Illegally. If it's $ 2.99, I'll I'll buy it. what else? Okay, I'm back in Atlanta. I'm in my final week here.
  • Cardiff — Place · 1 mention · first at
    Was able to enjoy some time in Wales for a few months many years back in Cardiff. Beautiful country, man.
  • Edinburgh — Place · 1 mention · first at
    If you spent a weekend in Liverpool, it's going to be vastly different from your experience, in Edinburgh, right? And I walk around London, last time I was there, just a couple…
  • Sacramento — Place · 1 mention · first at
    [ __ ] say that. What are you talking about doing Sacramento? What are you doing?
  • Aberystwyth — Place · 1 mention
  • Hoben — Place · 1 mention
  • Ohai — Place · 1 mention
  • Snowdon — Place · 1 mention
  • Snowdonia — Place · 1 mention
  • Vegas — Place · 1 mention
  • Wales — Place · 1 mention

Sponsors

  • GMC — Sponsor · 1 mention

Full transcript with timestamps

Listen, I think you two are going to be great at this. This is your first podcast. The both of you, Sean. Well, this Yeah, just first time out. Yeah, first time out. What What What do we need to know? Well, you just go ahead and talk into that big foamy black thing in front of your lips. And what do I do with my mic? Microphone. Wow. Welcome to Smart List. Smart. Smart. smart. Good morning, good day, good evening, listener, wherever. We had we had a real robust uh uh in-house smartless text chain going this morning. Yeah, that's right. It's fascinating. I love talking about that stuff, talking about all the scary stuff going on in the world. Like AI, I don't listener, I don't know if you've heard about this. This is the acronym is AI. It stands for artificial intelligence. We go back. And it's coming and it's going to be freaky. I wish the listeners could see how dead your eyes were when you were Shut up,

Will. This is serious. Okay. Um, no, it's coming. And um, so what now? I'm run for the hills, buy a pistol. What are we doing? Or or I guess double down on um um just chatting with folks like we're doing, you know? I guess you can kind of robot us, can't you? I mean, pretty much all you've always called me a robot, Will. Sean, there is no way, Jason. It's me, Will. I'm here. Sean, you look so good today. It is a pleasure to be on Marlo. I'm excited for our next guest. Wait, do I have any Do I have any good dad jokes? Oh, you going to try to lighten things? Yeah, I got one. Ready for this? This guy will open up the file. Ready? What do you call What do you call a teacher who never farts in public?

What's that? Private tutor. Oh my goodness. That's fun, Sean. That's really fun. That is fun. I've taken that one. I'm going to ride that for a week. I know how that feels. I was going to say, speaking of which. Mhm. Um now, uh Sean, do you have a call back today or a photo shoot or something? Cuz you look you do look great. You look great. Thanks. Yeah. What's the occasion? I didn't I took a shower and uh this is what it looks like. Yeah. There we have it. Wow. Yeah. I took a shower. Do you Now, when you shower, do you shampoo your hair and condition it? I don't condition. I've never conditioned my hair. I just shampoo. Okay. Or get the shampoo. Every time you shower, you shampoo your hair. Yeah. Who doesn't? Uh people who look good. I don't. What do you mean? Every time. Yeah. If you shampoo your hair every time you shower, you get that fluffy shitty hair do like and you're getting rid of the natural

oils. Okay. You get you're washing away your natural oils. You need some clump. Yeah, you need your natural oils. You need your natural clump. Yeah, but what about you got to get Lorenzo's oil? Okay. That's what that movie was about. Lorenzo's oil. Do you do you know Can I reference one of my own projects, please? Thank you very um of a picture called Paul. Um, not widely seen, but I did play Secret Service agent, last name Zoyle. Um, and in one of the last scenes of the movie, I finally introduced myself. First name Lorenzo. Oh my god, what a sweaty joke. And and I was told by the director um to And you're right.

Uh, no, it was actually Greg Matah. Oh, Greg Matah, right? Yes. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. But it was you and and uh Yeah. He says, he says, you know, I think it's the first time he's ever really heard this himself. Like, so in other words, play a beat once you say, um, Detective Zoyle, Lorenzo Zoyle, and then like play a beat of like, oh my god, that sounds like the movie, right? Like a little wink. And so it was so it was funny. I do recommend a rental on that. Yeah. Paul, it's called It's called Paul. All right. Seth Rogan plays an alien. I'd look for I' I'd look for like a free stream. Maybe, you know what I mean? Try 5 minutes of free and then go ahead and rent. I' I'd get on a VPN and uh stream illegally. If it's $ 2.99, I'll I'll buy it. Um what else? Okay, I'm back in Atlanta. Um I'm in my final week here.

Are you guys are in Los Angeles? I'm I'm very excited. I'm very excited to be to be done. It's been a great project, but I am excited to come home, see you folks again. When are you done? Saturday. I'm done on Sunday. Today's Wednesday. Sunday. I I'm flying home Sunday, too. I'm leaving today, but I I'll be back Sunday. Wait, you're you're in I'm in LA, but I'm going to New York today for a few days. And then you're going to be back on Sunday. I'll be back Sunday. I'll be back in the in the after midnight. So, Oh, I'm glad we're caught up with schedules. Wait. Oh, so you're not coming back. That is so rude. I know. It's so judgy.

So, listen. What about uh Sunday? Were you there, Jay, or just Will? Just me. Oh, where? I thought you went too to Sunday. Sunday funday. You were not there. I guess Sean could not. We had a very robust conversation actually kind of about a lot of the stuff we were talking about this morning. We're talking about AI and we were talking about the future and What did you discuss the present? We discussed the fact that we're all human. No. Oh, for on Sunday, Scotty rented a boat. We went out on to the ocean in the past. Doesn't that sound like a focus?

He managed to wedge his little talk notes in. Oh, doesn't that sound like a focus feature? Doesn't that sound like a little indie film? Scotty rented a boat. You know what I mean? To go into companion with Paul. Is he still is he did he make it back home or they still searching? No, we we all we all were going to go. And um And you guys used to have a boat though. So you toying around with maybe getting another one? I don't know. Maybe. Does Scotty Does Scotty pilot uh the boat? Is he? Well, he did this one for a little bit, but it had a captain. Yeah, it had a little captain.

Captain, but he likes to get behind the Does he wear a little cap? Yeah. You know, he you know, it's a weird little cap, but he likes to drive big machinery. So, for one birthday one year, well, he's with the wrong guy. I mean, I don't know what um he I for his birthday one year, we went to Vegas cuz I knew that. And in Vegas, there's a place that you can go where you can drive bulldozers and like really you can like excavate land. Have you guys ever done that or will have you ever done that? I've done that. It's It's incredible driving those big things. Yeah. I've never driven an excavator, but I drove like a big There's an ad for GMC. Get ready. Truck.

Well, GMC trucks are professional grade. Are they? So, if you working your way around, what happens with the Denali? Well, the Denali HD or are you talking about the new Sierra EV? Oh, God. Um, so Sean, how was the Vegas trip? Um, you That was a while ago. That was We drove trucks and What else did we do? Did you win any money, by the way? He's just doing a lot of things the driving the boats and then going driving the trucks. It's all different just different characters from the village people if I'm right I mean any ride alongs for the cop outfit clearly he's not doing a lot of working or are you No, these are the things. By the way, you're listening to this job. You're listening to this podcast and you're in you're in a truck or you're working somewhere and you're like these [ __ ] Hollywood elite [ __ ] What are you talking about?

Anybody can rent a boat and anybody can rent a going to Vegas to to make believe. I'm driving to track. You can buy like a 100 bucks to go to go drive these things in Vegas. Out of touch, dude. You're so out of touch. I was thinking I was coming back home. I was at 45,000 ft and I was coming home and I was thinking about how out of touch Sean, you're looking out the windshield to the past past the the pilot. I need to spit out my teeth. Yeah. Oh my god, that came out of my mouth. You know, Sean, I would say though, I would like to I I actually upon further reflection, Scotty would look good like a little sailor outfit. I'm just saying like like an old school All right, I'll make enough. Can we make that Can we make that happen? Yes, we can make it happen. He can wear like a striped like the bib, you know, like the bib thing that goes on the back, you know? No shirt. No shirt. Tits just resting over

the top. And then here comes Shawn in a little Gilligan outfit. Don't say it. You guys should go as the skipper and Gilligan for Halloween. That's really funny. You guys, that would be Oh my god. And we'll be Marian and Ginger. Come on, Willie. That's really funny. And Marianne. All right, let's uh let's wake up our guest. I'm sure he's completely passed out by now. Um, guys, I'm very excited slash nervous for today's guest because I've always wanted to meet him for quite a while now. Okay. He first hit my radar coming out of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in 2012.

Okay. Then he quickly became the lead in a very stylish action franchise. I can't mention because you know who he is. He voiced one of the most successful animated films. He went on to play one of the most iconic musicians of our time. was nominated and won all kinds of awards for that. Did we text about him today? Sorry. Go ahead. I'm gonna go back to the top now. No, no, no, no. Please don't. Please. I'm He has done and is doing a slew of cool stuff since then, but most recently, this hot shot has knocked me down and out. Literally killed me in the incredibly satisfying and remarkably successful Netflix film called Carry On. Guys, please say hello to Taran Edertton.

You guys didn't know. You thought there's no way he knows him cuz he says he's looking forward to meeting him and then I switched it and I tricked you. There's less of a red herring and more of a lie. You know what I mean? Yeah, but fun fun to lie. Sister loves that movie. Taran, no way. Which one? Sean, carry on. Carry on. Great film. Great film. Great bad guy in that. Let Taran talk. Good morning, Taran. Hi, Taran. Hi, Taran. Good day. How are you guys? Thanks so much for having me on. Very excited you're here. Very honored to have you. It's lovely.

It's nice to see you, Jason. You good. Good to see you. I love the shaved head. Listener, he's got he's got a real tight like a like a swim team almost marine type of shaved head. I've done it twice and I loved it. That's it. Streamlined. Yeah. Getting to where I'm going quicker. I just finished the movie where I had a kind of shaved head, so it's still growing out. Yeah. So, you're keeping it? I think so. For now. Yeah. Yeah, for now through the summer cuz it's warm. Through the although it doesn't get that warm when I grow it out anymore. I'm not blessed like you guys are. Well, you guys got you guys got three very fine heads of hair. No, it's all fake. Snap. You want to see me take it off? Snap it on. We'll glue it. Now, where do we find you? You're in Los Angeles. No, I'm not. I'm in Wales. I uh I got back from Australia a couple of weeks ago where I just finished the film and I've come home to see my family. So,

I'm here for two weeks before I've got questions about Wales. Um, you know, we're uh we're kind of friendly with Gareth Bale. Um, Wales's own Gareth Bale listener. That's celebrated son of Wales. Celebrated. Very celebrated. And you've had Matthew Reese on the podcast before. We've had Matthew Reese. Yeah, we've had a few. We've had a few very distinguished. And now we've rounded it out. We've had the most distinguished Welshman alive. I think Sweet Willy's done some time there in Wales. I don't want to call it done some time. I I I was able to enjoy some time uh in Wales for a few months uh many years back uh in Cardiff. Beautiful country, man.

Beautiful. Yeah, it's gorgeous. So, I'm from Aberist and it it's um it's a stunning part of the world. I'm further north. Couple of hours north. But when I finish a job, I like to come back and just decompress, spend time with Is that on the way to Snowonia? Is that this in that kind of If you're coming from Cardiff, it is. Yeah, it is. Right on the Snowonia is a place in Wales. Yeah. Wow. Snowia is a place in Wales and the mountain at the center of that area is called Snowden and I think it's might be the third or second highest peak in the UK. I think sounds like a game. Which would make it good 60 or 70 ft tall.

Yeah. Yes. Exactly. Exactly. Um now tell me about what if if if you're a dummy like me and you're like hey I don't know whether I should go to England or I should go to Wales. What are the diff what's what would be the biggest difference? And be careful here because you're you know you you're surrounded by Welsh. Um what's the big difference between Wales and England? What what would be Well, let's say there there are quite distinct cultural differences. We we have a language here that we still speak, you know, really speak Yeah. In certain parts of the country, people speak Welsh sometimes as a first language. So you go It's not It's not English. It's not English. It's It's Welsh. What's it sound like? Um it's much old. So it's much older than than English or you know as as I understand it but it's it's filled with kind of lots of very kind of um throaty guttural sounds. Is it like is it like did you do

you got you really didn't know it's got a lot of consonants next to each other as well? Yeah. Exactly. So it's so it sound so it it sounds more like uh like Scots Gaelic or Irish Gaelic than English can you give us just a little something? The one that I'm always asked to do is the like the the village that I was raised in is the thing that I'm always asked to do on talk shows and things cuz I was raised in a village called Wow. Wow. And then you get there and you bang a right. Yeah, exactly. Wow. I wonder what that what is that derived from? Like it sounds it sounds almost German but also real Nordic, right?

Yeah. There are bits of there that you see strange little crossovers between other languages in Europe. So there are things like you'll just find odd words that are very similar. So German for rabbit is kinen and Welsh for rabbit is kuningen. So there's like really strange little bits of crossover that you find. Yeah, I got you. That's interesting. Wow. What is anything specific about your Welsh upbringing that has kind of shaped your perspective on your your career? Like managing kind of the the the silliness and the nonsense sometimes that that that we all kind of enjoy slashny anything anything about your Welsh upbringing that is specifically suited you for that? Well, I think I'm I'm from a fairly kind of, you know, I'm not from an a particularly affluent part of the world. I'm from a very normal town, quite blue collar, as you you'd probably say. Um, and I come from a place where people are quite I think

quite down to earth, quite relatable and real. You know, a lot of my early adult life from the end of my teens was spent kind of I don't know, we've got like the most pubs per square capita of anywhere in the country. So, really and it's and it's and it less less less now, but I remember when I was coming up, you'd still see groups of older gentlemen who'd kind of spontaneously break out into song and sing kind of, you know, lovely harmonies and things. We have a tradition of male voice choirs here in Wales and that's something that I think has kind of seeped into who I am and Oh, that's right. Would that would that explain uh your ability to sing? I think in part, you know, most Welsh people have a go at some point. I think we have choirs are a big part of school life, certainly in my experience anyway. And I think that's something that I um that I've definitely carried forward into my

life because I've done a couple of bits of singing. Yeah. So Taran, so then how did you come from this this sort of small town in Wales, you know, sort of out out, you know, out in the sort of rural area, if you will. Yes. The middle of nowhere, maybe. Middle of nowhere. I I was I didn't want to say that, but No, you're fine. You're fine. Okay. Okay. So, middle of nowhere, uh, Wales, beautiful country, but but middle of nowhere, and then you end up and now you're Taran Edertton, uh, movie star. So, what that that's a kind of a long way to go. What was the first step in that to sort of move from there in that direction? Well, thank you uh that I I thank you very much. That's very nice of you to say. But I um I so it's it was a lot to do with the town I'm from actually. The town I'm from is called Aberith and we had a we have a great art center and I joined a youth theater there when I was 15. Mhm. I moved I

moved from one part of Wales to another when I was 12. And I had a couple of years where I really struggled to acclimatize and make friends and meet new people. And I joined a youth theater when I was 15. And it just felt like the universe clicked into place. You know, I found my tribe. I felt like I had an aptitude to something which wasn't a feeling I'd really had before. Was that something, sorry to interrupt you, but was that something that like your parents were like, "Oh, poor Taran is not making friends and we keep moving around and maybe joining this theater group, honey, you meet some friends." Or was it a passion you had for acting? No, I don't. I think it was I think I just was watching other people do it from afar and started to get that itch and that craving and and I always I was I think I always even don't get me wrong even though I was struggling to kind of acclimatize in a new place. I was still

an insufferable attentionseeking class clown you know so it was it was like an appealing outlet for that thing. Can't relate. No, it's funny, Sean. It's not dissimilar. It's not dissimilar from you. I'm I'm all bitscorted. And what I was going to say was it occurs to me, and this is nothing new. It's not breaking news. But there is a recurring theme here that we hear from a lot of people, a lot of performers of how many times people when they're younger join a local theater group, a local theater, whatever. how important these things are in our communities for for being an outlet. Not just an outlet for kids, not not as a certain not as a a conduit to superstardom, but just a place for kids who don't feel like they fit in to be able to go to find their voice and how often we hear it and how important that is and how much we need to protect that. And because it's one of the few I think so too. I think it's one

of the few places where it doesn't matter who you are. Yeah. what color your skin is, who you are, your gender, anything at all, everybody's welcome. Yeah. Team sports, too. Team sports. Yeah. And sports, too. And we will be right back. And now back to the show. So, you join this local youth theater and you find a place where you you find your people as it were. Yeah. Exactly. That's exactly what it felt like. Found my tribe. And you know what ensued between the ages of 15 and 19 were just these really blissful years of being really creative, really social, really out of my shell. And it was all kind of tied together through drama. So I was, you know, I was getting involved with Shakespeare plays and more contemporary stuff and I just felt that I was in my groove, in my lane. Really, really loved it. and and I um by the time I was about 17, I think I I knew that I wanted to go to drama school. And so I auditioned and

this ties back to me being the insufferable uh attention seeker. The first year I auditioned, I was I was I was rejected everywhere and and from the limited amount of feedback I got, they said that I was a little a little underprepared and a little maybe a little cockshure on myself. And that really really took me down a couple of pegs and um the following year. But you took the note. But you took the note and recovered. I've gotten that note. It's debilitating. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. I think so. I think so. Did you have was there was was there was there a mentor in there? Was there a person in that in that journey or multiple people who you can identify as people who encouraged you and and pushed you the right way?

Totally. There's so many people. I mean, the the first people that spring to mind are my my family. So, at that time, we were still we were still we still rented the family home. We I'm you know, my I've never wanted for anything growing up, but I'm not from an affluent background. And um my each each audition for drama school cost somewhere in the region of 40 to60. and my uh my auntie paid for one, my father paid for one, my stepfather paid for one, my mother paid for one. Um and I paid for one and and it was a real family effort to get me to this handful of auditions. Wow. And um I'm like picturing Charlie Babbitt and Charlie and Chocolate Factory like in the same bed like Yeah. I love it.

Um and then yeah, the second year it I it all came together and I got a few offers at different drama schools and um yeah and the rest is the rest is history. What monologues did you do for for your auditions? Do you remember? Well, weirdly, really weirdly, I I was required to sing a song and I did your song uh by Elton John and Bernie Toin. And then I did um Edmund, Thou Nature Art, My Goddess, which is a kind of classic flashy villain turn from King Le. Um and I I I actually can't remember what my modern piece was, but yeah, that's so cool. And what was your growing up? First of all, two things.

One is when you said you were singing stuff. I have a little tidbit. I don't know if I thought you were going to say when he said your song. You're going to say my song like $5 foot long. Isn't that your song? The subway. That's his anthem, not his song. $5 dollar foot long. So, um, no, one little tidbit. I don't know if it's true, but Irish dancing, you know, have you ever seen Irish dancing when they don't ankle slapping? Yeah. Where they don't move the upper part of their body? They don't move the upper part of their body. Do you know why? Why? Oh, good.

Because I don't know if this is true, but in Ireland, dancing used to be against the law or something like that. And so the the police used to walk by the pubs and so they didn't see the upper part of their body moving. They would just move the bottom part of their legs. And that's how that's what I heard. God, I hope it's not. What do you mean you heard on what are you diving into? When did you hear that? I I heard that growing up because I'm Irish. Can we just Can we stop and conjecture wherever we want now? Can we just flick?

I asked Chad. That's I mean I don't know if that's true. If that's true, that's one of the dumbest things I've ever No, but isn't that interesting? It makes sense cuz they don't move your upper body. Your upper body is stiff. No, because there's windows that only go down to waist height throughout it. We understand. I hope it's not true. God, I hope it's not true and that you've been saying this forever. All right. So, don't read a book. So, the So, the other thing is what was your view uh from Wales? What was your impression of America and was that different than when you actually arrived? How early did you see Will and Grace and did that inspire you to make the trip across the Atlantic? A huge part of my formative years. I did. I enjoyed that show very much. I love that show. Thank you. Thank you. And uh I I mean it was like it you know certainly when I started acting it's the perception of America is like I

don't know. Um I suppose uh the land of plenty I guess and you know and was that always the destination? No, absolutely not. No. When I went to drama school, I thought I thought I'm going to be a theater actor and I thought I will get a couple of guest spots on the telly and that will that will pay my rent will pay the mortgage. And I I really I really mean that. It was a shock when films happened. Um so that was the adult that was the that was the life goal. the adult the occupation sort of career goal was I'm going to be a working actor in the theater uh and uh a guest spot here or there on on television will will subsidize keep the lights on. Yeah. I mean that would be incredible, you know, that was that was the dream. And um and so I remember I remember very clearly getting an offer for a drama school and sitting at the kitchen table with my mother and saying, you know, people who go who went to this drama school are on

are on the TV and it was like a mindblowing. Yeah. The West End, you know, the West End. I remember I did a summer season production of Oliver when I was about 14 15 and they had actors come up from London to play the adult roles and they were you know actors who'd been on the West End and they it was like you know it was like Humphrey Bogar had just stepped into our you know it was that level of kind of grandeur and um and for for Tracy the West End is the London version of Broadway just so myself so then Taran was there enough time for you to be comfortable with where you are today? Cuz dude, you're Are you even 30?

Like, you're not I am I'm 35. Um, okay. So, then the amount of time is that's not enough. That's not a lot. It's not enough. Thanks. Like, you know how long what is it? It's like it's like 15 years, I think. Somewhere in that ballpark. Yeah. It's And and you know what? I I I think there are times where there are it's like with with the attention that comes with success as you will have all experienced. There are days when you're really really good at dealing with it. And there are days where you feel robust enough to be available to everybody who comes up to you and asks for a photo or wants to have a conversation with you or asks if you'll record a bit for their daughter's 16th birthday. Right? And then of course there are days where not even because something's bad's happened in your life.

There are days where you just, you know, I think there are days where I find it much harder. And the common denominator is, and I think what people don't always realize about, you know, people in our position is normally the days where you feel less good about being available to the public are days where you feel terrible about yourself. You there days where your relationship to self is so weak. Whether it's because I listened to one of your episodes the other day, Sean, you know, you said that you'd eaten, I don't know, some mac and cheese at 11:00 p.m. at night. Yeah. So, have to narrow down the episode.

But the guy the guy who wakes up the next day is not going to be as good at being the guy to take selfies as the guy who's just done 10 weeks eating chicken, broccoli, and rice and is kind of, you know, ready to go. You know, that's that's my experience of the world anyway. So in answer to your question, Jason, I find it at times I love it. If I feel psychologically, emotionally robust enough to be available for people, I'm great at it, but it it chops and changes. Where did you have to be? And you probably still it's an ongoing thing. Uh are you helpful to where you to your family and your friends like where you where you are right now? You can't just like slide into Wales, you know, fresh off the set down in Australia and and expect everyone to be as kind of easy with the with the light switch as you are. Like do you have you have to help them kind of intellectualize what's happened to their

dear Taran as well, right? Like now you're known all over the world and you've got all this money and all of this access and and so I mean there's a bit of a responsibility on your end to make them comfortable with it too. Question. Well, I think my I'm lucky. I'm from a well, you know, my family are well adjusted and cool and I think we're very uh empathetic and understanding. So, they really see I feel very seen very clearly by my family, by the people who are important to me in my life. Um, and I guess I feel like I guess I feel like I don't know. Sorry, I got distracted because I don't know if that was like a getaway car. Like some sort of souped up engine zooming back.

Is that Mr. pays. Um, and you know, to that to that point, Jason, it's like, you know, it's easy to kind of lament the drawbacks of being famous or noteworthy, but it's it's it's [ __ ] it's awesome to be successful. It's awesome to do what you love. It's awesome to be involved in, telling stories and to have the money. It's also really weird. And it's and it's okay to say it's it's very weird. And I I don't know if you guys have done this. I I've quite literally and I'm sure members of my family are listening, sisters and and or mom or whatever. Uh and where I I've had moments where I've said, "Hey, I'm really sorry that I put you in this position. I didn't do it on purpose, but I'm Yeah. You you find yourself almost apologizing like that." Well, sure.

Because you everyone's involved. I mean, you know, Willie, you you walk down the street with your kids and you know, photographer gets up in your face. you kind of know how to flow with it, but maybe your kids aren't aren't even thinking about the fact that their dad is famous and that's like weird. Can I tell you something funny that uh Abel, my 14-year-old, who's a really funny kid, said the other day, we're talking about another friend of all of ours who's very who's very well known globally and he and he was talking about them and he said, "Oh man, thank God we're not that famous."

And what I found started drinking again. What what I found really funny about it was a about like his sort of perception of where everything was on on a scale and b the wear of it all was it's it's a circus group. I love that. Wait, so go ahead. No, I was going to ask I I'm excited to hear I'm excited for your project with the one that's based on the conversation with John Bishop. Is this thing on? Right. Yeah, that's so that when I heard about that, it was such a such a collision. You're familiar with him? Yeah, Taran. I know.

Well, I know him. I've said hello to him a few times in passing at various things. Um, my family are from Liverpool, so you know, anyone anyone from that part of the world is, you know, uh, I kind of feel a vague affinity with, but congrats on the championship. Let's get it out of the way. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, yeah. I mean, it's obviously a terrible thing happened, but um yeah, what happened? I some people were injured. A guy drove into celebration. Great parade. But yeah. Yeah. John John's an amazing guy. Proper scouser. I mean, you know, just a really cool dude and uh got to know him a little bit and then we've uh through that sort of you know inspired this listener. This is this is they're talking about the uh the the main figure that is the uh the inspiration uh for uh Will's upcoming film with Bradley Cooper. That's right. Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. We just finished. Yeah. So, yeah, it was it was it was a lot of fun and he's such a great guy and his life is is fascinating. Did you write? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's cool. Yeah. With with Mark Chapel, who's a who's a friend of the podcast, Chappie. We got it. Magic part of the day. And and Bradley, of course, too. So, the three of us. Yeah. Yeah. And um um so if had you had you not gotten into the Royal Academy, was there were you sort of getting ready to maybe do something else cuz it that was right at the age when you kind of had to decide, right? Oh man, like that's a conversation that happens regularly in the in my family, you know.

Um, we have a lot of pinch me, I'm dreaming moments while I've been away filming the that this at the house I'm in now. We've been renovating for a long period of time and it's kind of just coming into fruition. It's just coming together and um, you know, it's been made possible largely through what's happened to me in my life. And um, uh, it we did have that conversation over dinner the other day. What? What the [ __ ] would you have done if you hadn't been an actor? Because I can't I can't do anything else. I can't do anything else.

Getting ready for this podcast was so stressful because it involved me opening a MacBook and changing the settings and plugging a mic into the device. These things are totally beyond my abilities. I'm the world's weakest millennial. Well, first of all, it should be noted, Taran, we've done over 250 episodes. I don't know if you watched Sean this morning trying to do it. He couldn't connect over 250. Imagine if he was our pilot. I can't connect thoughts, let alone a computer. Um, so then Taran, it would be safe to say you probably would have been more on the labor side of things. Well, I I don't know. I honestly I really don't mean pushing a wheelbarrow. Is that what you're saying? Swinging a hammer, you know, whatever it is. Yeah, maybe. Wow. Yeah, swinging a hammer.

There's people who'd laugh at the prospect of me swinging a hammer. I can't put up a set of shelves. I don't know. I think I think I'd have figured something out. But it's true that acting is the only thing that I ever felt a huge kind of cosmic pull towards and I love it. I absolutely love could have been singing. Um, now I did not know this. Uh, you correct me if I'm wrong because I'm just, you know, Wikipedia is my research partner. Um, you sang with Sir Elton John recorded the song that won an Academy Award for best original song. Um, I mean, Huh?

Wait, what? So, so did you see you sang with him on that on that song? Yeah. So, so he he in the movie Rocket Man. I love the movie. Great. Thanks, Sean. I think it's uh I think it's the credit song and um it's a song that he and Bernie wrote for the movie that we sing as a as a duet. I think it's like it's like a call and response sort of deal, you know. And yeah, they won a they won an Oscar for it. Yeah. They you you you saying how you It's a duet. So you you get do you get to you get to hold the Oscar for a couple of months a year? Yeah. No, I think uh I think the Oscars are reserved for the for the chaps who who who wrote it, you know. Mhm. But still, I mean, talk about a pinch me moment. I mean, that Did you sing with him in the studio or did you do your part and then later they recorded his part? No, we went in and sang. We went in and sang together in the studio. Yeah, it was um it was a

lovely it was a lovely experience. That's pretty wild. Of course, by this time you guys were probably close buddies because was was he a part of your early research, auditioning, uh, etc., etc.? Yeah. So I it I sang um I'd say the animated movie that you mentioned when you when you introed me is called Sing and I I sang I'm Still Standing in that movie. And then then in the Kingsman sequel, Elton came along and played himself. And through that through those two things, it the the conversation around me playing him in Rocket Man came about and grew from there. Um, so wait wait wait in intern did the two of you kind of have that conversation on the set and you guys decided well maybe we should go out and kind of pitch this together or Matthew Vaughn who directed the Kingsman films and has produced a couple of other things that I've been in as well. He had he David Furnish and Elton had formed a

friendship and I think the the Rocket Man project in its in the iteration it was in at that time because there was a different director and a different actor attached had stalled and um Oh, I see. Okay. And we were there to kind of step in basically. Yeah. That's cool boy. Wow. Nothing if not opportunistic. Yeah. I love that. Well, listen, I mean it's a right place, right time. That's a famous, you know, part of our and the and the movie, like when I saw the movie, you were so great in it. I I love I love that movie. I have no picture locked cuz I didn't. No, but when I was watching it was like, oh, well, the next logical move is to make the movie a stage musical. Yes. I thought the same thing. Yeah. Right. I mean, it's like done. It's all done. And so I just didn't know if you wanted to ever if you were part of that conversation or whatever. No, no, I'm sure it's occurred to them. David and

Elton, you know, they obviously I know that they they've got various irions in the fire with theatrical um endeavors and I'm I'm sure it's occurred to them. You're you're you're friends with Elton, right? Yeah. Yeah. We we we've hung out for many years. Um I don't know um whether they've ever considered it seriously, but it would I don't think it would involve me. It's one of those things that I'm so It was such a moment in my life and something I'm so fiercely proud of that I'm I just wouldn't want to touch it. For sure. You already did it. You already did it.

We'll be right back. And back to the show. A completely different um experience with the success of a project than what you experienced on your other projects that have been um equally successful. I mean, you know, I I would imagine that that the the Kingsman process was was probably more startling and challenging to you because it was the first big splash into public. That was I mean, you know, I'm very I'm really grateful for it. It was the thing that made my name and I really that first film especially I really I do think is a kind of cool and they're incredibly well made. I mean, I'm sure we could do a whole podcast on the process of making those things with the stunts and the the intricacies of the camera work and stuff. It's just stunning stuff. Yeah, it was really well done. But um but it was a lot. I was 23 and um I remember I was making a TV show. I was a year out of drama school

and I was filming a TV show for Sky in the UK and I remember I got an email from my agent and it at the time it was called Huntsman and Sun and it it didn't have the script but it had two scenes in it and it was one of the scenes was the scene where I first meet Colin F's character in the pub and I didn't know Colin was involved. I didn't know Michael Kane was involved. I didn't know anyone was involved, but I read the scene and I I don't know about you guys, but I don't know about you guys, but I find that whenever I'm excited about uh a piece of writing, I start reading it aloud and that's how normally how I know that it's something I you know, and um and I was I know the street corner I was on in London and I was reading this scene and I started reading it aloud.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you selling newspapers? Yeah, I really a sandwich board. No, I was in Ho I was in Hoben and um and I just popped popped the email open, started reading it and as and as I read I'm I kid you not, I read the scene and I thought that's that's my part. You got to get that part. That's my part that and I've never actually had it since. I've never had that level of service. They say nowadays you manifested it. Yeah. Well, it felt like that these hippie dippy kids. Come on, man. You put it. You got to put it.

I tell you a film of yours, Taran, that I really love. I loved all your films. And you're uh sorry. Uh I never saw that one. Is that the one? Is that the one where you your character wore a ball cap? Um what a choice. Listen, what a [ __ ] Oh, man. A [ __ ] ball cap. You guys see what he's doing? Um, no. I was uh I don't know. No, we're not going to cut that. We're going to loop it. Uh, we're going to Did you guys see Taran in Tetris? I loved that movie, man. I want to see it. Such a great cool film about how that game came about. And it's it's a fascinating story, isn't it? It's a really fascinating story. It's cool. I think you're one of about 27 people who saw it. So, I'm really thrilled. Thanks, bro. It's a great little movie, man.

Yeah, it's about the guys that designed that game. Yeah, it is. It's about Well, it sounds so dry. It's about the guy who licensed the game for distribution in globally from memory and his relationship with the designer who uh who designed who, you know, designed the game in Russia before the war um in '89. So, um yeah, he it's a fun it's a fun movie. Uh yeah, that was released on. It's amazing and people are trying to sort of muscle their way into to grab the license for it because they understand the the impact that it's going to have. It's fascinating. Well, I do like the game, so I'll watch the movie. Oh, thanks for so much.

[ __ ] Um, what did you think of the game? Does it cut into your Candy Crush hours or The irony is that you do have such a crush on candy, you know? It's so true. But wait, go back to the America thing for just a second, Taran. Okay. Um, is no like cuz I want to know like so I got your impression that you know cuz I'm always fascinated with the perspective of people in other countries that come here and work here. What was it like when you first worked here and was it everything that you thought it would be or what was not? It was better.

I I love America. I bought a home in America. I I you feel comfortable here? I absolutely do. And you know I I whenever I have you know meetings with prospective I don't know directors or writers quite often people ask what is the perception of America now given everything that's happening. Yeah we'd like to know that. Please go ahead. And I don't know, I think it depends on who you are. But my experience of America, regardless of where you go and I've visited, you know, various places, not just um New York and LA, but the people in America, from my experience, generally just it's just a wonderful place. It's a place I remember when I first landed in New York, I had a really weird feeling that I was like, I don't know if it's cuz I'd watched Home Alone too many times, but it felt like coming home. You know, there's a warmth and an I think historically like there's an there is an inclusiveness at the heart of what

America is. It seems to me that I really love about it. And um Yeah. A melting pot. Yeah. And I uh I have nothing I mean, as I say, I I have a I have a house in California that I um that I you know, split my time between and I That's great. Yeah. I love I love being in the States. Why? What is What's your fear, Sean? No, no. I I like to know different people's perception because I find it fascinating. I mean, when I go over to London or people ask the same thing, what do you think of London? What do you think of England? Whatever. And I I absolutely love it over there. I mean, I haven't been to Wales, but I need to go to Wales. Yeah, I'd like to go to Wales.

Yeah. And I mean, it strikes me that like, you know, you have such microcosmic identities when you move from one place to another in a country. if you spent a weekend in Liverpool, it's going to be vastly different from your experience, you know, in Edinburgh, right? And I walk around London, last time I was there, just a couple months ago. And I'm like, you know, everywhere you go, it's incredible history, which we don't have here. And so, and I talked to people about it and they're like, and this one, this one girl I know over there, she's like, "Yeah, I always forget to look up." I'm like, "What do you mean? I always look good. I always forget to look up and look at these historical buildings cuz everybody's just so used to it. So fresh eyes is really cool. That's what I I always ask people who aren't from here. What do your fresh eyes see? Yeah. You know, now um Taran, you know, you are managing to

knock off uh really great commercial projects, really good sort of like artistic projects. Like I is is this just dumb luck? No. you you're you're you're doing some sort of um really good deliberate work in choosing what what you do. What is what is what is the perfect project kind of look like to you? Is it is it about the part? Is it about the people involved? Is it um you know theater versus streaming versus theatrical? Like what what what do you what do you look for? I don't know. I mean, you you operate within the constraints of what you're of what you're asked to do and you can all there are the grass is always greener. I could be, you know, I could let a side of myself out where I would lament not doing certain things and there are things that I would love to be doing, but you you have to focus on the things that are available to you. And I'm so lucky and I do get offered things that

feel um I I try I know that I try and look for things that feel different from a character perspective. So I I'm not comfortable I don't like the idea of being um pigeonholed and yeah put in a box or whatever. I mean, in fact, you know, when we did Carry On, my my biggest concern about a picture of Bravo. The only thing happened when they rolled credits is I wish they would carry on this picture. Where is the sequel? Sorry. We'll get him out soon. Um, he's running around the balcony. Go ahead. Yeah, I was um I worried that it was too that it was too too vanilla or whatever or it was too near to me. It was a kind of average Joe guy and I I suppose the actors that I look up to and and really admire and rever the actors who try and stretch themselves and like with a ball cap, right? Do I have a limp limp and a missing tooth and a weird accent? Oh, I heard that. So, but I try and look for things like, you know, when I when I

after Elton I, you know, went and did that the show for Dennis Lang Blackbird, which I felt satisfying because of Oh my god. I um I definitely like doing things that feel different. I suppose I aspire to be some, you know, like a I like character actors. I like actors who are different from one thing. A character actor. Yeah. And unfortunately, you're too goddamn good-looking to be a true character actor. So, you have to act your way into that perception and you're doing it and you're getting opportunities now with scripts that lend itself to that. And so, you know, it's I'm I'm going to ask you the Jason Baby question, which is you've been doing it now for a while and you've done a lot of great work. Do you see yourself doing different stuff as in directing or writing something? That's a great question. That's kind of where I No, I mean, you know, I I feel I listen I listened to um you guys talking with

Jude Law and I he summed it up pretty one of the old times. We have got to get a caller on that guy. He's disrupting the record. No, go ahead. Please go ahead. But I feel that way. It scares me, you know, and I have such admiration for anyone who who makes that leap because I' i'd love I'd absolutely love to do it. Of course I would. But I um What's going on with Smoke? What's going on? This This is This is the Apple show that's coming out June 27th. Yes. What What drew you to it? What is it about? Is this is this going to be different than the thing that that immediately precedes it? Like as as you as you're just talking about doing? Yeah, I I think so. I think it's it's definitely different from anything I've done before. So, it's it's uh created by Dennis Leane, who was the creator showrunner of Blackbird. Yeah.

And when we finished shooting that show, he um approached me about doing another story. And um it's one of those the trailer's out. It's just come out, but it's it's one of those that's really hard to describe. But the the user friendly log line is I I play an arson investigator who is having very very limited success catching two prolific arsonists in a fictional town called Umberland. And um uh a police detective is brought in to help him solve these arson basically. And that that role is played by Journey Smilelette. And um and what you learn over the course of the show is that he is harboring some secrets. And I I it's one of the it's one of those shows where I I I don't really know. This is the first bit of press I'm doing for it and I I have no idea how to promote it without kind of giving it away. But um is there enough in there to craft some sort of log line? Oh yeah.

But uh basically for anyone who's seen Blackbird, it's a kind of sister piece, I suppose. Well, Dennis Leane, I mean, it's this this guy tip top. Um now, Taran um you're drunk, you're out at a karaoke bar, you're feeling good. Yeah. What's your go-to karaoke song? Yeah. Faith George Michael. Oh, yeah. You got I bet that's good. Faith George Michael is a good one. Um, didn't take you a long time to answer that. How many times? No, that's a long that's a long-standing one. And it depends on the mood as well, you know, if it's like a kind of um I don't know if I'm looking for a bit more gravitas, maybe a couple of radio head numbers like Bones or Sulk or, you know, really dirty maybe like Blackar, something like that. Yeah, with your off the first album. I love that you have a few available, Jason. Never. Yeah, mine's just I'm just on the Uber app looking for a ride out of there.

Mine's Mine's the the theme to The Greatest American Hero. Is that true? Okay. Yeah, remember that? Believe it or not, I'm walking on. Remember that song? Mine is uh No joke. Mine is Crazy by Paty Klein. Always. Really? Crazy? Yeah. What do you mean always? How much time you doing in a karaoke? I'm doing a lot of karaoke, man. Once a week. You don't know my life. I don't. Do you sing, Jason? Do you sing? I don't. Not even in the shower. Next question. Which is why I want him I want to hear you sing so bad. Not even start drinking again. You have there's so little joy in your literally the last time I sang was in a karaoke bar doing press for Horrible Bosses 2 and I think I think I was still drinking, wasn't I? Maybe. I don't know.

No. No way. Right. And you did and you did karaoke. I did. And [ __ ] Sedakus. This guy, you know, this guy's a natural performer. He's a talent. He's he can sing and dance. I would I I'd love to see a a smackdown between you and Sedake. Yeah, he I think that I think Taran would take him down though. But that would be a real That'd be a heavyweight. He's got He's got a voice. He sings. He's got a voice and he's also just got like he's the guy's not uncomfortable with a with a microphone in his hand. He's great. That's a certain talent. Yeah. Yeah. I'm I sort of find it easier when there's a there's a character I can hide behind. So the show the show they wrote in a whole bit in this new show I have coming out called Smoke where my guy is obsessed with karaoke. Oh really? Partly partly because they knew I could sing. And I find I noticed that I find it much easier to do it on set as a as as a

character than if I do it in my own personal life life at a pub or something. Yeah. I find it quite stressful, right? No, we're all like that. I I it's it's called I hate being me. Also a good thing for a blank bumper sticker, Willy, if you got a second one. You know, it's blank t-shirts that I have. I hate being me is so true. I hate being ellipsies and then on the back just put me. Okay, we love you, Jason. We love you. Thank you. I'll tell you who we do love. Taran, you are something else. You are something else. Um thanks for anyone who cares in Wales. Um, if you see Gareth Bale, tell him to send me the money. Um, and um, you know, best of luck with uh, with Smoke Smoke Smoke on Apple TV. It's on Apple TV. I can't wait to watch that.

When does it come out? It comes out on the 27th of June. Day after my birthday. Oh, no way. So, for my birthday, we'll watch for Tracy. Uh, Sean's birthday is the day he was born. Is that [ __ ] That's pretty That's safe to say. Are you registered anywhere, Shnie? I I I'll I'll email. Yeah. Yeah, I'm registered. Um Taran, love you. I love seeing you again. I miss you, my friend. Nice to meet you, Taran. Say hi when you come back to LA. Yeah, I will, mate. Take it easy. Pleasure. All right, my friend. Thank you very much. Byebye. Bye, you guys. Bye, Taran. Bye. Bye.

Okay. So, anyway, so Taran was amazing. Yeah, it was so good. And I love having Taran. It was so good. Oh, you're just trying to get to your by. Are you excited about your buy? No. Oh, no. But it was just because like he was once he was gone and then it was like the rush to see who was going to talk for how he is. Sean, I think he did Taran leave a mark on you. Well, he did. I liked him a lot. Yeah, I liked him a lot. He's got a great vibe. Who else? No, I'm just saying [ __ ] breathing head. He said he was single, right?

I'm passing out. Somebody lay me down. Call a grown up. call a grownup. Um, no, that's that's a goodlooking male. Hey, another I'm just saying he's good looking. Don't objectify Terry. He's a good good guy. Very very good guy. Great actor. Very smart. Good hat on his shoulders, focused, isn't like like um you know, he doesn't seem like he'd fall off the rails in any. And he said his attention be very low temperature, like very even killed. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah. Not some ninny. Okay. You know, whales should be proud. Oh, whales. I'm sure they are. I'm sure they're beyond proud. So, uh, Sean, how's the search going? Oh, good. Um, this Sunday, this Sunday, Scotty and I are going to, uh, my friend Kevin's birthday party in Ohigh. Oh, yeah. This is a long This is a really long Yeah.

So, it's north of here. It's called Ohhigh. Not to be confused with No. No way. No [ __ ] way. Wait, don't even [ __ ] say that. What are you talking about doing Sacramento? What are you doing? What? Yeah. No, but you know what? Wait, what was that father joke you said at the beginning? The dad joke. I said so good. The teacher um Yeah, I said what? Oh, wait. Where is it? Oh, yeah. Private tutor. What do you call a teacher who never farts in public? Yeah, private private tutor. Private tutor. You know, I He did that. He did the he did the rocket man as well, right? Which was such a great and one of my favorite albums ever. Goodbye yellow road.

Smart. Smart less. Smartless is 100% organic and artisally handcrafted by Rob Armjarf, Bennett Barbco, and Michael Grant Terry. Smart less.

Questions about this episode

What is discussed in "Taron Egerton | SmartLess"?

In order: 0:00 Artificial Intelligence, Atlanta, Lorenzo's Oil, Los Angeles; 5:00 Andrew Gilligan, Carry On, Denali, Ginger; 10:00 Cardiff, Carry On, Gareth Bale, Los Angeles; 15:00 Male voice choirs, William Shakespeare; 20:00 Your Song, Irish dancing, London, Oliver!; 25:00 Damon John, West End; 30:00 Bradley Cooper, Kingsman, Liverpool; 35:00 Kingsman, David Furnish, London, Matthew Vaughn; 40:00 London, Candy Crush, Carry On, Edinburgh; 45:00 Character actor, Jude Law, The Greatest American Hero; 50:00 Gareth Bale, Horrible Bosses 2, Private tutor, Sacramento; 55:00 Michael Grant Terry, SmartLess.

What is mentioned in this SmartLess episode?

78 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including London, Carry On, Kingsman, SmartLess, Private tutor, Los Angeles. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Taron Egerton | SmartLess"?

The episode runs 55 min; the transcript is about 10,586 words in 72 timestamped sections.

More from SmartLess

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated January 24, 2026.