[00:00:07] Welcome to this bonus episode of Crashing Game Night. My name is Matt Duorio, your host as always. We're actually doing this as a bonus episode to thank everybody for us hitting episode 300 a couple weeks ago. We couldn't do it without any of our guests, which Gerard Barrera and I are joined by the impeccable, amazing Tommy Earl Jenkins.
[00:00:33] Oh man, thank you. What a pleasure.
[00:00:36] So talk about a treat.
[00:00:38] I'm honored to be the bonus man.
[00:00:42] Oh man, it's more like a treat. We're just so happy because as we said it was episode 58 that we had you on.
[00:00:52] Yeah, it's been too long.
[00:00:53] But put that into context folks that episode which you can go to Tommy's profile on our on crashing game night calm with a link to the episode but that episode aired January 26 of 2020.
[00:01:09] Wow. Wow. Yeah, man.
[00:01:11] Wow.
[00:01:13] To put that into even bigger context.
[00:01:17] Um, for those have been sticking around us that long.
[00:01:22] My youngest son was born January 31 of 2020.
[00:01:30] Wow.
[00:01:30] So he was born like the week after we did the episode with you.
[00:01:35] He was born.
[00:01:36] So, oh wow.
[00:01:37] Month early.
[00:01:38] But yeah, it was.
[00:01:40] That's that's how long it's been.
[00:01:42] You know, next month.
[00:01:44] I know, man.
[00:01:45] I know it's like, we've been, you know, you and I have kept in touch over the years right since then and we've been talking about, okay, Tommy, what's your schedule?
[00:01:54] When can we do this right and let's catch up folks on just what you've been up to before we really catch up on.
[00:02:05] So you had fallout 76.
[00:02:09] Yeah, you were all dridge.
[00:02:11] Uber corn is still going for you.
[00:02:15] He's still out there, man.
[00:02:17] The world's disco unicorn.
[00:02:19] I love it.
[00:02:20] Right.
[00:02:21] Um, death stranding got a director's cut.
[00:02:23] That.
[00:02:24] Release that got to PC and everything.
[00:02:27] And with, um, some of the things going on in the US, some of the clips of his speeches in Death Stranding have now resurfaced.
[00:02:35] And you know, it's great.
[00:02:37] We're seeing tick tocks of those Diablo immortal.
[00:02:40] Mm hmm.
[00:02:41] H row.
[00:02:42] You were Jacob Kane in Gotham night.
[00:02:47] What a, what a treat, man.
[00:02:49] Bayonetta three.
[00:02:51] You were, of course, the mayor in Wednesday.
[00:02:55] Yes.
[00:02:56] You know, my gosh.
[00:02:57] Oh, I loved it.
[00:02:58] I loved it.
[00:02:59] I was so excited and ecstatic.
[00:03:02] I, I literally call, um, uh, when it, when the show debuted, uh, I, I immediately told my grandma and my aunt when I was watching it, uh, we interviewed the mayor.
[00:03:12] Yeah.
[00:03:14] Yeah.
[00:03:15] The mayor.
[00:03:17] Um, so Jedi survivor.
[00:03:20] Oh yeah.
[00:03:21] Awesome.
[00:03:23] Elder Scrolls online.
[00:03:25] Both with Necrom and the golden road.
[00:03:28] Starfield.
[00:03:30] Oh yeah.
[00:03:32] Diablo four.
[00:03:35] Wow.
[00:03:36] Star Trek prodigy.
[00:03:37] Nice.
[00:03:38] Nice.
[00:03:39] Which now I'm like, it makes sense when I saw the list, like which characters you were, I was like, Yup, that was him.
[00:03:47] Yeah.
[00:03:47] That's awesome.
[00:03:49] You know?
[00:03:50] Um, and then you've got a couple of projects that are in post-production that have been trailers have been released and stuff for that.
[00:03:57] And the announcements have been made, but you're playing Prince Thomas in the TV series adaptation of the rainmaker, which is an amazing Grissom novel, which has already had a movie made of it.
[00:04:09] Yeah.
[00:04:10] And then you get to be a part or you are part of the ending to a franchise, a movie franchise as goes back to when I was in high school.
[00:04:20] Yeah.
[00:04:21] In mission impossible.
[00:04:22] Oh my gosh.
[00:04:24] Dude.
[00:04:25] So great.
[00:04:26] When that came about.
[00:04:28] Wow.
[00:04:28] Yeah.
[00:04:29] Yeah.
[00:04:30] So for you, what, what's the last four years been like for you just personally with a lot of these projects?
[00:04:36] And have you, have you been able to take any time to rest?
[00:04:39] Because yes, it seemed you've been very busy.
[00:04:41] Yeah.
[00:04:42] Well, you know, it's interesting because the, the last four years included a lot of that stuff.
[00:04:49] Right.
[00:04:51] But you know, for our industry, the last two to three years, you know, since we went through COVID, we had the COVID, the pandemic period.
[00:05:00] And then after we came out of that, we, which was one of the things I battled with, with Gotham Knights, because it was whether or not I was going to get to Montreal to do motion capture and stuff.
[00:05:13] Oh, and then there was an issue and stuff with all of that, with traveling and, you know, COVID was just wrecking everything.
[00:05:22] Right.
[00:05:23] But, you know, with, with that said, things kept moving on, but then our industry went into total meltdown because we had the writer's strike.
[00:05:33] Yep.
[00:05:33] Then we had the actor's strike.
[00:05:36] Then we had, you know, IOTC struck.
[00:05:39] I think the director's had struck, you know, and industry just never recovered fully back to where we needed to be.
[00:05:48] And I think it's only maybe by the time January rolls around of 2025, that we will kind of be back on top of it.
[00:06:00] And we could still, like, get back on top of all of our staff and our staff and our family and our staff and staff and I think that's definitely the best.
[00:06:01] The best, hopefully, you know, because, and I, and I could feel the change.
[00:06:04] I could definitely feel the change, with the amount of castings that were coming through you know, job.
[00:06:11] When I would get a casting, I was thinking it was like gold dust to me because no one was getting stuff, you know, and to, and to even, to be able to book a job during any of those times.
[00:06:22] Was even, was even more gold to me because it was scarce.
[00:06:27] it really wasn't unless you were like the a-listers sitting at the top of the the pile there you know
[00:06:33] everyone else was just kind of getting the the breadcrumbs a little bit oh geez so we so we all
[00:06:39] felt it and it was it was hard man it was really hard but I was out on the picket line I was out
[00:06:45] there for SAG AFTRA doing my bit and stuff you know uh and you know dealing with the whole AI
[00:06:51] thing and there was so much involved in you know trying our insurance uh back where we needed it
[00:07:00] there was a lot it was a lot going on and so it was difficult which rightfully so though I mean for
[00:07:07] for you guys specifically the health benefits was big but also the fight against AI because I was
[00:07:13] seeing some of the stuff that was coming out about it and they were like here we're just going to give
[00:07:17] you this little day we're going to give you a little check for it but then we're going to use
[00:07:22] you for basically whatever we want to do going forward the contracts that were coming from the
[00:07:26] studios were just I didn't know they were doing that criminal it was just and and it was just
[00:07:33] we're buying you out we're and it didn't even border on absurd like it was absurd like this is
[00:07:39] absurd yeah you are you question like this is real like this is a real offer I've got a lot of friends
[00:07:45] who do a lot of background work on stuff they wanted to scan these people's image you know and
[00:07:53] and and use it into perpetuity do you know what I mean so they have it oh yeah whenever they a show
[00:07:59] or a movie comes up and they want to use like this and pop it in the background or whatever they have
[00:08:04] that ability and no residual so and that was the one thing too is like for us too like when the
[00:08:12] strikes were happening right we I didn't reach out to anybody for guests I was like you know what
[00:08:17] I don't want to even cost you guys because you know SAG had put out the statement that if you guys go on
[00:08:22] you guys potentially say something yeah you're gone from SAG I was like I'm not going to put any of your
[00:08:27] guys's jobs at risk because we love what you do and I'm friends with a lot of you guys like
[00:08:33] I'm not gonna say hey come talk to me you know come on this show or whatever because
[00:08:38] if something got said that SAG didn't like yeah it puts your career at risk so for us we were like
[00:08:44] nope we're going to support the we're going to support the strike we'll just cover some news
[00:08:48] not worry about guests and that was that was hard like and you can see how it affected everything
[00:08:53] you know even watching television and and uh talk shows or or some of the talk shows weren't necessarily
[00:08:59] affected as much uh because they were under a different union but there was a lot of things where
[00:09:04] some some of the the show hosts weren't you know they weren't having the writers because the writers
[00:09:10] were on strike so you know a lot of stuff was being rehashed you know and stuff like that it was
[00:09:17] it was just crazy absolutely crazy and I haven't experienced that side since being in in LA you know
[00:09:24] uh but I definitely felt it and and because I work across the pond as well in in London and things and
[00:09:30] that translated over there because so much of the American stuff is shot in Europe uh you know and
[00:09:37] so it was affected yeah and you know that's the thing is you're over in you're you're across the
[00:09:45] pond right now I am in Cleveland I'm in Dublin I'm in Dublin 19 so that's another reason like to make
[00:09:55] even makes this even better as a bonus episode get this recorded and put out for folks is that way
[00:10:00] you know we normally record I would be early in the morning for you sir and no I'm not making you
[00:10:06] get up at 4 a.m to come back and then you know also too is in this time too is your husband had a
[00:10:15] stage play run that you know he was doing while you were working so it was like oh my god nice yes I
[00:10:23] follow him I've been you know like you know did he make the is he on blue sky yet did he hasn't
[00:10:31] finally no he's he's still on twit on x uh but as you know I I jumped ship yep which is a shame because
[00:10:39] I left a lot of people behind and you know some of them come to blue sky but I was like it's just
[00:10:44] not worth it I'm sorry gang I'm really really sorry but it it just got too much for me and I had
[00:10:50] I had been sort of talking about doing it and talking about doing it and I thought no maybe I'll
[00:10:54] be okay I'll be all right you know T's just just keep scrolling just keep scrolling don't get locked
[00:11:03] in and um uh are you there oh sorry yeah we're here okay um I said don't don't get locked in don't
[00:11:13] let yourself be uh you know affected by all of it but you know I'm a I'm an empathetic person
[00:11:22] and I some things can affect me in certain ways and I know that about myself so when certain things
[00:11:29] get too much for me I'm usually pretty good about just you know letting it wash through me but then
[00:11:35] just got to a point where unfortunately I just thought you know maybe this particular uh platform
[00:11:40] platform I need to disassociate with for a little bit uh and so I deactivate it and you know you can
[00:11:47] uh have 30 days to kind of not lose your handle and all that sort of stuff you can go back and I
[00:11:55] actually thought about it thinking oh maybe I'll just go back and just check in and I thought no
[00:11:59] I'm not going to do it I think I made the decision to walk away you know and I miss communicating with
[00:12:06] some of the people that I communicated with but eventually I think maybe they'll be over on blue
[00:12:10] sky at some point and you know I haven't done threads or anything uh and after a while it just
[00:12:17] gets to be too much I've got too many social platforms I'm like yeah I just need to narrow
[00:12:21] this down so I can just concentrate on this particular group of people or followers that I can
[00:12:29] really focus on rather than running around all over the place you know it's great for business when I
[00:12:35] want to promote stuff for sure absolutely uh but you know sometimes it just doesn't allow me to really
[00:12:41] connect with people as much as I'd like to you know um so yeah I'm glad I made the decision and
[00:12:49] to be honest I've been it's gotten easier since the longer I've been away from it the easier it's
[00:12:55] kind of become that I don't think about it uh nice you know and it's still kind of a transitional stage
[00:13:01] like I think people going from blue sky from x to blue sky and yeah yeah it's just going to take
[00:13:07] some time yeah it'll stay and getting used to that the platform is slightly different to what I'm what
[00:13:14] I'm used to and but you know it's building up I'm back down to like a you know maybe 300 or 400
[00:13:21] followers you know from what I used to have but that's but I'm honestly it's it's not the end of the
[00:13:28] world it's not the end of the world you know they're just numbers at the end of the day my biggest
[00:13:34] concern was more about connecting with with the people uh and it was great for the gaming community
[00:13:40] because I had a lot of contact with with fans and stuff that I had never really had the opportunity
[00:13:45] to be I mean that's how I got in touch with you and then we started this was I sent you a message on
[00:13:52] on what Twitter I'm still gonna call it Twitter yeah I know right I know I know I know but uh no so I have um
[00:14:01] for the listeners just on that topic um when you go to Tommy's page I do have his blue sky handle
[00:14:08] updated on his profile page you can click on that and go directly also if you haven't checked out his
[00:14:14] TikTok page you need to go check him out on TikTok because his videos whenever you have a bad day
[00:14:20] seriously go look at Tommy's page and check out one of his videos because he'll make your day a better
[00:14:26] day just that's so funny oh man you know it's so funny because it is that's probably authentically me
[00:14:38] do you know what I'm saying just I I love to have fun you know I know there are people who are in the
[00:14:44] industry like we are who have a don't want to be seen in a certain light they want to keep an image
[00:14:51] because of a role that they play or this that and the other but I'm like that's why we're actors
[00:14:56] you know I go when I get a job and I act the role what I choose to do other areas don't judge me for it
[00:15:03] I'm just having a good time you know what I'm saying I'm just having fun some people are like
[00:15:08] I don't think I can do that I'm just being me yeah you know and when time comes for me to play a
[00:15:13] role I'll deal with that because that's the job TikTok is not my job no TikTok you need to have a bit of
[00:15:20] fucking fun yeah do you know what I'm saying and do a dance you know and it's a and it's a blast I love
[00:15:27] it like every time your new videos show up on the feed I actually really enjoy your unboxing videos
[00:15:32] whenever you get some good uh Death Stranding videos those are so I really love those because
[00:15:37] those are so much fun to watch I love it I love being able to share stuff uh yeah it's cool and
[00:15:45] in a way only because I know that there are people who are interested in in doing other than for the
[00:15:51] for myself other than to be able to share something that people kind of go listen I know you've seen
[00:15:56] this or heard about it but I haven't so I was jealous I was jealous of the the Jedi Survivor
[00:16:02] stuff you got I was like really so I'm also super jealous of the uh the custom the Death Stranding
[00:16:10] glasses the from the game yep oh yeah those and of course your mask like oh those look cool man
[00:16:17] yeah so how does it how does it feel you like that the game did well enough that Kojima is doing
[00:16:25] Death Stranding too he is how does that how does that feel for you being like a major part of the
[00:16:31] first game and well listen I I I have Death Stranding to thank a lot to to be thankful for uh because
[00:16:44] as long as I've been working in this industry you know I I started working as when I was 14 you know
[00:16:50] in theater so I've been doing this for decades but no one knew who I was and even though I had a voiceover
[00:16:58] career no one still knew who I was I mean there's voices out there that I've done that no one would
[00:17:06] ever ever really know so until I think you've had an opportunity to be a part of a big global
[00:17:15] project where you have a very prominent role in it uh it then allows people to to uh make you a little
[00:17:24] more accessible to who you are do you know what I'm saying um and Death Stranding did that for me
[00:17:30] because it wasn't just like it was one country it was worldwide and so anybody who was a fan of
[00:17:37] Kojima's or the Metal Gear were anticipating this particular game his first game out uh on his on his
[00:17:45] own uh and it just allowed me to to come into those people's lives uh that I've never been had was ever
[00:17:54] privy to before you know and so that created a following for me which was great uh and it just
[00:18:02] meant that you know it it helped me I suppose my career stepped up a little bit so I have Death
[00:18:09] Stranding to thank a lot for it uh and and part of it I think mainly is because my likeness was also
[00:18:16] used in it so it wasn't just me hiding behind you know a character that had been designed and just
[00:18:24] voicing it was my actual likeness was was a part of that uh you know and so that that that was something
[00:18:32] very new to me and I had never done motion capture before uh but it was great because I come from a
[00:18:37] theater background and it's not dissimilar uh in in that respect um but yeah you know uh and so
[00:18:44] DS2 is is is happening you know I have absolutely uh no idea about it I don't know anything whatever you
[00:18:56] know even even if you did Tommy I'm not gonna ask you yeah no it's just I just love to see when you
[00:19:06] know you have a game a new IP come out right and you have so many talented people be involved with
[00:19:10] it that it it kind of gives you a little sense of pride to say hey you know what we made that game
[00:19:16] so successful not just because it was Kojima right I think it was everybody everybody the story
[00:19:23] everybody being involved with it that made that game a success yes like I I myself I still need
[00:19:29] to go back I still need to finish the game and like I've been sidetracked by so many different
[00:19:33] games yeah I'm gonna replay it has just grown but I bought I bought the director's cut so I'm
[00:19:38] going to plan on replaying it soon I was never I was never a Metal Gear fan like that was just it
[00:19:44] was just something I retrospect in retrospect right I absolutely respect Kojima and what he has done
[00:19:50] for the industry and what he means like he is when you talk about game directors and stuff he's on
[00:19:55] Mount Rushmore like for me he is yeah yeah Death Stranding the second I started playing it I was like
[00:20:02] I dig this I really I like everything with it your performance you know Lindsay Wagner being in there
[00:20:10] as part of it and and whatnot um what said I I haven't finished it yet I need to now that I've got the
[00:20:17] director's cut for the PS5 I'm going to go back and actually enjoy it how it was meant to be yeah
[00:20:23] joy it was an you know incredible experience you know and and to have the opportunity to work with
[00:20:31] those not only was it my first time working with Kodeo but the entire cast of stellar performances
[00:20:40] being able to work with those people uh you know and I remember uh bumping into Lindsay Wagner in
[00:20:46] at Sony I think she was coming in for a session just after I'd finished and I tell you I grew up
[00:20:56] obsessed with three women growing up absolutely obsessed with them one was the Wagner faucet oh okay
[00:21:05] okay who did okay there we go Farrah Fawcett growing up in those eight you know 70s 80s and all that I
[00:21:12] mean yes that's that's a given yeah Farrah Fawcett Linda Carter as Wonder Woman yep oh good one and
[00:21:20] Lindsay Wagner as the bionic woman okay I had those three women on my wall now I don't know if it was
[00:21:27] because I saw them as very powerful women and what they did and stood for but they were absolutely
[00:21:33] beautiful and I just I loved it you know and and part of it is kind of I think it was just the the child
[00:21:40] the the young boy in me that was fascinated with these beautiful women they were stunning they were
[00:21:45] Hollywood they were all these all these things they weren't the only people but they were the three that
[00:21:50] I can remember so when I bumped into Lindsay Wagner uh it was the first time I met her and I said to her
[00:21:58] she we met and they introduced us and everything and I said literally I was fangirling out just
[00:22:04] and I said listen I'll be honest with you I said I'm actually fanning out on the inside and she just
[00:22:25] did a thing in New York together her and Troy Baker and myself uh uh the deal uh they all had his uh
[00:22:31] uh uh the world's uh convention thing that he had for uh Kojima production and Death Stranding it was
[00:22:38] amazing it was amazing oh that's so cool yeah speaking of uh well I'm I come on the opposite side
[00:22:44] I grew up on the Metal Gear uh games I adored them that was my first window into Hideo Kojima so
[00:22:53] I really uh love his work and and uh was very uh excited when he announced his first game obviously
[00:23:02] Death Stranding and was so excited for the game and uh yeah I just loved it I was so excited for you and
[00:23:10] and getting it and the fact that uh I wanted to mention that you're part of being part of that
[00:23:16] world like as Matt said but uh you're part of that fan base that the fan base will never forget because
[00:23:24] like like I don't ever forget the first characters I saw from the first Metal Gear I played
[00:23:29] sure same with Death Stranding you're part of that like ecosystem oh yeah the fans or why the fans have
[00:23:37] clung to you and and and loved your work and and are still are still around is because we we
[00:23:46] appreciate the first games the second game yeah we just love the stories that we've just fell in love
[00:23:52] with the characters and uh yeah so just that that's just what's so wonderful about you're a part of that
[00:24:00] world and part of that fandom now I I'm so grateful uh to have experienced it I'm so grateful
[00:24:07] to the people who have supported it uh who've also you know supported me um and it's probably the first
[00:24:15] project that I really feel like I've I've done where there's been this recognition for him uh around
[00:24:21] the world you know and that's a major for me and to be a part I mean I think about it sometimes I get a
[00:24:29] little chill about it because I'm actually a part of of a Kojima legacy do you know what I mean exactly
[00:24:36] yes yeah and not only that but it's a character that he does stand out purely for a lot of different
[00:24:42] reasons you know and I all I ever really wanted to do was to do to do it justice and I you know I
[00:24:50] I think we did a great job with it and I could be more uh you know full of gratitude for the people who
[00:24:58] have reached out to me you know I I was gonna say hundreds but I'm I'm probably in the thousands now
[00:25:04] of people who reached out to me just to express and you know I had no idea that the the confession
[00:25:13] scene was going to be as powerful and impactful to people as it as it was you know I was just on the
[00:25:20] actor on stage doing you know what came from a truthful place at that moment in time and the fact that it
[00:25:29] it had such an impact I feel like it's if I ever never did another game for him I feel like well
[00:25:36] I've left a mark somewhere exactly I mean and and my job is done my job is done and like you said
[00:25:44] you're part of that legacy and yeah but yeah who you are as an actor is what made that oh yeah so
[00:25:52] powerful to begin with right yes the words themselves had power but it was you giving those even more
[00:25:59] power that is what resonates with everyone which is why some of those scenes are now resurfacing back
[00:26:06] on tiktok and everything as of lately where they're just the speeches and stuff um yeah but let's move
[00:26:13] from one icon to another what's what was it like being part of final reckoning dude um it was a send
[00:26:25] off for ethan hunt oh my god listen you know I'll start by saying uh you know when when I got the
[00:26:34] audition it was a little under wraps about what it was for uh and the script that was sent to me was a
[00:26:43] sort of a dummy script uh so I was auditioning for a role uh that I thought the role was going to be
[00:26:51] in an actual fact it it wasn't that wasn't the case it was it was something else now the experience of
[00:26:59] working with Tom Cruise and that entire cast of amazing people I think we spent five I spent five
[00:27:07] weeks in London maybe almost six weeks or something in London going on set every day and watching this
[00:27:14] process unfold watching you know how scripts were done and scripts were changed and things were coming
[00:27:20] off the press and the paper was still hot you know kind of situated uh but it was literally like
[00:27:28] watching masters at work you know uh Christopher McQuarrie doing his thing as the director and then you
[00:27:36] know there's something about Tom Cruise who is the epitome of A-list action movie star movie star yeah I mean at the top of his game uh he celebrated I think we were there for his 60th birthday which he celebrated good god he looks amazing you know when he walks in you know I'd be in my trailer waiting to start the day and you'd hear the rumble the trailer
[00:28:06] would shake you think oh here comes the boss and his helicopter would be landing right outside he would come to work in his helicopter which is hysterical man uh and then you walk on set and he's like hey Tommy how you doing and you're like Tom Cruise just said my name
[00:28:23] like he said my name oh my god he said my name can you say it again I just want to get it down
[00:28:30] yeah but he was he was wonderful to to watch and and to work with and my role isn't very big
[00:28:37] in in the piece at all I'm I'm I'm in a section that's I'm throughout uh and I sort of play
[00:28:45] uh Colonel a character called Colonel Burdick uh you know and he's like the right hand of a of another
[00:28:52] uh big character in the show uh so it was it was a great experience uh you know Angela Bassett um
[00:29:02] oh yeah Nick Offerman you know some great great great people uh a part a part of it and that was only one
[00:29:11] section of of the of the movie you know all the other people the the regulars that I would never
[00:29:17] necessarily wouldn't see you know they shot somewhere else and wherever they were filming um so
[00:29:23] those standard people who were always there like Simon Pegg and that lot are being reigns and all
[00:29:28] them yeah everyone's in there okay yeah you know um so but my experience and I I met a group of people
[00:29:34] we call ourselves the scorpions uh and they were a group that we all worked together uh on on the
[00:29:42] project and we have a sort of we still have a what's that what's that group oh cool and we still contact
[00:29:49] each other all the time like a group chat yeah a group chat oh sweet and uh uh and because scorpion
[00:29:56] what I think was a was a code name uh for for the show oh cool that's you know a lot of projects
[00:30:04] have code names and stuff so you never really know what it's called uh but working title of something or
[00:30:10] whatever but uh yeah so and I made some really good some close friends out of that uh and that
[00:30:18] doesn't happen very often either you know you do you do a job and there's such short terms uh
[00:30:24] yeah you kind of say your goodbyes and like hey hopefully I'll see you on another project or something
[00:30:30] yeah exactly that whereas theater you know you work do eight shows a week for a year on a contract
[00:30:36] and you these people are part of your life every day you know eight shows a week for a whole year
[00:30:42] and if you re-sign a contract you do another year with some of these people it's a little bit of a
[00:30:47] different connection the theater uh uh community but um yeah I mean honestly like I said I it was
[00:30:55] another incredible experience to just be a part of and to be a part of the final one you know you
[00:31:01] know uh just just I can't I can't you know I I can't still quite believe that I had a chance to
[00:31:10] experience it you know for me I'm still I'm still like a kid you know when I get these moments
[00:31:15] nuggets that are just you know I can just savor and kind of go that was a moment everything you know
[00:31:22] work every job that I do no matter how big or how small I'm incredibly grateful for you know and
[00:31:29] I always remember you know where I came from I always remember how hard it has been you know and
[00:31:35] even still I still think it's I I still consider myself uh a working actor but there's a part of
[00:31:43] me that still considers myself the struggling actor do you know what I mean is yeah because it just
[00:31:49] because the the struggle is always real you know that's a that's a good way to keep it grounded
[00:31:54] keep that mindset yeah like you said always keep going for it don't get complacent you know
[00:31:59] yeah a hundred percent I like that and I see it happen to people I see people change uh through
[00:32:05] the course of things happening to them and I just I just go yeah I can I can sense that there's a
[00:32:11] change in in that person and that's fine that's their journey it's nothing to do with me I can't take
[00:32:16] any of that personally um I'm just always I try to be aware you know and I always try to you know
[00:32:25] remember uh remember people remember situations uh remember what it took for me to get to where I am
[00:32:34] uh and and have a little empathy for people who are a part of it you know what I'm saying and just
[00:32:39] understand it uh because it's not a you know this is it's a job it's a life commitment to try and do
[00:32:46] what you do because you can't just go I'm going to do something and I'm going to make it and then
[00:32:50] it's done the the work never stops yeah no you you could I'm always feel like I'm grinding and that's
[00:32:58] and I and I don't have a problem with that I'm I'm always out to go and get the job I'm always happy
[00:33:04] to to get the audition I'm always happy to get the recall I'm always happy to book it you know because
[00:33:11] I know how many other people were you know I had to be going for it yeah that role you know so it's
[00:33:19] just putting things in perspective about it at this point they should just be like okay we're we're
[00:33:26] gonna audition them nah just give them the role I mean seriously every performance every performance
[00:33:33] of yours Tommy is great though I mean like when we see you like both in your your voiceover work
[00:33:39] and then Wednesday right you had a part in bringing you know an iconic character from the Addams family
[00:33:47] to the screen in a different light um yes how was great pivot yes yeah great pivot by the way because
[00:33:56] I've been wanting to ask you what what has it been like working with not not only the general take
[00:34:02] that cast but uh Tim Burton because my child my very first movie in the movie theaters was Batman
[00:34:09] so and I feel very lucky that that was my first movie my grandma's actually youngin
[00:34:14] yeah and and so that that open that alone opened the doors to Tim Burton whenever I heard more movies
[00:34:22] of his were coming out so I was that's why I was just so excited for you for the fact that you got to
[00:34:28] work with another iconic yeah not such an iconic director but one of those directors that I also
[00:34:36] kind of wanted to ask you uh depending on his uh um uh work like his work ethic uh that has his own
[00:34:46] signature look to his movies because I would say I would say you can definitely tell uh like Tim Burton's
[00:34:53] kind of involved with this or it's a Tim Burton movie you know he usually has a certain tone and look in his
[00:34:58] films yeah and I was just wondering I would just love to hear your elaboration and how one how much uh uh
[00:35:07] how was it working with him um as as a director yeah yeah well you know once again that that was another uh
[00:35:16] uh casting that came through for me that I auditioned for and I wasn't sure I knew it had to be uh something
[00:35:25] to do with the Addams family because I saw the name on one of the characters on the script and all it said
[00:35:31] was Morticia and I thought oh that that was that I mean that's it that's it that's it
[00:35:46] uh when I got the the script the breakdown for the role was not me at all it was not me at all it was
[00:35:55] literally it was he was uh sort of broken down as a he was a politician and to be for this is very funny
[00:36:05] it read like he was a politician with us with a tan uh but maybe a slight sort of undertone uh in his
[00:36:14] demeanor or something like that and what it really read like was it read like a Trump type character
[00:36:21] oh wow yeah that that's that's what the that's what the breakdown kind of almost insinuated as
[00:36:28] a as a politician or a mayor or whatever uh and I'm not saying that that's what it was so I don't want
[00:36:34] to put that out there and make people think otherwise this is what this is how I saw I saw
[00:36:39] and I thought how you interpreted it yeah how I interpreted it but also that he wasn't uh he
[00:36:44] wasn't uh African-American it wasn't the role wasn't really no wow um and so when I got it
[00:36:53] I was like whoa I did I kind of didn't see that coming uh but I was thrilled to hear that you know
[00:37:00] my agent was like you know you've been handpicked by Tim Burton I'm like what
[00:37:04] that's awesome um for for this role and then of course then I later find out I have a son
[00:37:10] uh in the show as well which is great who was brilliant um but working with Tim was another sort of
[00:37:20] uh unexpected dream I suppose to come true because he's always someone I highly revered and in what he
[00:37:29] has created his entire career but I had the early days I had the the luxury of spending time with him
[00:37:37] you know there was a group of us who would go out to dinner and he would come out to dinner I'd gone
[00:37:41] to his place and we had some time when my my birthday was it two years ago almost yeah two years ago I spent
[00:37:50] my birthday with him oh cool yeah it was the coolest thing for me personally oh I just started spending my
[00:37:57] birthday with Tim Burton and a few of some wonderful cast mates uh you know it's only like four of us
[00:38:03] uh but I was able to spend time talking to him uh and understanding you know how much he was saying
[00:38:10] that he'd related to the character Wednesday that being us like outcast himself you know he's an
[00:38:15] incredible he designed uh a lot of Wednesday in terms of the the the uh designing of the monster in
[00:38:26] in the show and sets stuff I think he's come up with he had a vision like like tojima he has a vision
[00:38:33] of how he sees things um and so it was great it was wonderful and working with him on that he was just
[00:38:40] very easy easy going and laid back didn't feel like they were one of the coolest things I heard about
[00:38:48] him and I I hope uh you can confirm it that I I heard that he's like kind of like a a child in a in a
[00:38:55] playground he's just in his element he just loves filmmaking yeah yeah yeah I love that you know and when
[00:39:04] and you get the feeling that they love and I think Hideo's the same way he loves what he does
[00:39:09] okay good I love hearing that yeah it's it's that thing and if I have the opportunity to work with
[00:39:14] either of them again I would jump with the chance absolutely um you know but he was wonderful to work
[00:39:21] with and you know you get the thumbs up and you're moving on to the next thing and he'll give you a couple
[00:39:26] of things to think about and you know and you just I just felt comfortable I felt comfortable
[00:39:32] good uh and in fact the entire cast and the and the team I've had some great people uh to work with
[00:39:39] like Gwendolyn Christie and I used to laugh a lot uh on set uh you know and I was always a fan of hers
[00:39:47] because I loved her in Game of Thrones oh yeah you know uh so and just to be working with those
[00:39:53] people uh Christina Ricci Catherine Zeta Jones even Jenna Ortega who I think was just masterful
[00:40:00] in in oh my gosh funny enough they're they're filming uh in Dublin here uh while I'm here so I met up with
[00:40:08] a couple of them no way awesome their second season whilst I'm yeah you're over here going come on
[00:40:17] I'm I'm still here give me sequence if you want to resurrect me yeah I'm here you never know hey
[00:40:25] yeah I mean it is supernatural elements so yeah you never know yeah yeah yeah maybe that's so cool
[00:40:32] season three yeah the mayor's twin brother
[00:40:38] so that was the one thing you know you mentioned that you're gonna be in Dublin for a while are you
[00:40:42] over there working on projects right now or is this more just a personal vacation no I'm working
[00:40:47] I'm filming the Rainmaker here oh wow okay great Rainmaker in Dublin yes they are again oh case
[00:40:54] in point yeah yeah you know shooting an American show yeah yeah there we go uh yes we're filming in uh
[00:41:02] filming here in Dublin uh and they have the locations that they have found because you know
[00:41:08] I think the show takes place in South Carolina yeah of all places so a lot of rural life yeah I know
[00:41:15] right but I think like the green like land and pasture areas yeah yeah yeah they've got a lot of uh
[00:41:21] American style homes in in far out where they've used certain things I don't want to give a lot away
[00:41:29] but the locations have been great oh that's so cool yeah and they're so wild it's in Dublin that's so wild
[00:41:36] yeah yeah it's really really cool so are you going to be able to at least see your husband for Christmas
[00:41:43] and stuff or funny enough you mentioned that he is arriving on the 17th of December nice nice
[00:41:52] he comes to Dublin on the 17th of December and uh for three and a half weeks almost a month oh so you
[00:42:06] have to go to Dublin and come back to Dublin in the new year awesome yeah that's awesome because I know
[00:42:11] when you're traveling and stuff like that he usually has his projects and it doesn't make it easy
[00:42:16] sometimes for you guys to get there yeah it's always awesome we're never in the same place at the same time
[00:42:20] for very long but I will say you mentioned him earlier about his uh show in in London
[00:42:28] and I I say this because I feel like I I want people to know if they hadn't seen it syncopation
[00:42:36] it was a two-hander show excuse me and he was phenomenal phenomenal uh definitely his Johnson his
[00:42:47] his uh co-star the two of them together were just were absolute magic absolute magic and I could not
[00:42:54] have been more proud uh to to be there and it was great because I had gone to Amsterdam as well
[00:43:01] uh everything just fell into place I was doing a uh Elder Scrolls convention in Amsterdam for a while
[00:43:09] and then I was able to fly to get to see his final week as well um so that was really good yeah yeah
[00:43:16] it was amazing amazing he's really talented really talented that was some of the things I know when
[00:43:21] you were posting it and he was supposed to I was like retweet retweet because I mean honestly it's
[00:43:28] like some of the little clips that he was put on I was like he was fantastic in those clips I'm like
[00:43:32] you know what those people that are able to go see it go see it and yeah um you know one last thing so
[00:43:37] you mentioned conventions like how is it how is it for you going to these conventions now like you
[00:43:43] mentioned with like Elder Scrolls right and people are showing up to these big conventions just to see
[00:43:49] these characters like how does it feel to be a part of that is this the is this your first time doing
[00:43:54] conventions or have you done a few well honestly to be fair you you'd think I would have done more
[00:44:01] uh considering a lot of stuff that I had done but like I said unless you are a prominent character I
[00:44:08] think the good thing with Elder Scrolls for me was they had their 10 year uh anniversary but it also their
[00:44:15] big convention which was held in Amsterdam at the place called the sugar factory it was incredible but
[00:44:22] I um I um I played a companion and my particular companion became very popular with a lot of people
[00:44:31] so that that was a request for me to to go you know and so I think that has a lot to do with it I think
[00:44:38] if you if you play a character that becomes incredibly popular people want to to book you in
[00:44:45] yeah I you know I have people who look after me for doing conventions but I have done I did comic-con
[00:44:52] I think uh in London last last October or maybe October before anyway but it was I love it I can't believe
[00:45:01] that people it's so nice to see them face to face and to hear what they think and how much they know
[00:45:08] they know they know that was going to be my next question like well then how is it experiencing with
[00:45:15] the fandom face yeah face to face and I love the passion in in their eyes and and yeah the love of
[00:45:22] like what character you you brought to life for them yeah it it just gives you an absolute uh overwhelming
[00:45:30] feeling one about how much they are invested in it yeah and how much they love the character and even
[00:45:38] there are certain things about certain characters that I've played where they kind of go like people
[00:45:42] didn't like die die hardman in the beginning uh-huh you know what I'm saying and and that was another
[00:45:48] interesting term because I think if you stick with the game long enough people kind of go oh
[00:45:54] I didn't see that coming or whatever I think that is part of his journey the part of his journey he's so
[00:46:00] disconnected in so many ways throughout the game uh but he's he's there you know and so when you have
[00:46:08] people who come up and and can uh give their input or shower you with their praise or whatever it it it makes
[00:46:17] you feel like you've touched someone in a way that has inspired them or you know given them something
[00:46:24] to look forward to or they just become so attached to what you've done that they look forward to what
[00:46:29] you do next you know and that your work has has you know uh come across in a way that makes them feel uh
[00:46:39] their feelings validated I suppose do you know what I mean so I absolutely I'm always I I'm
[00:46:47] very active on social media with with fans and I and I like that because without them we are who we are
[00:46:55] yeah well just just to say coming from two uh convention goers we've been pretty prominent the
[00:47:03] last couple years of being convention goers and just please do more and we would love to run into
[00:47:10] you and see you and oh my god and yeah so I'm so glad you've had a great time yes I have I have I look
[00:47:18] forward to doing more you know uh if the opportunity arises so yeah for sure perfect well we can't wait
[00:47:25] what makes being a fan of yours you know so like what is that you are engaged with your fans like you are
[00:47:32] active and interacting with them and and whatnot and you actually care about them like it's not just
[00:47:39] a hey I'm putting this up as a front you actually care about them because to your point right is
[00:47:44] without them in some ways there wouldn't be a you right because no you know absolutely we we have the
[00:47:52] fans to thank for the careers that we have because they're the people who pay the money to see you
[00:48:00] you know what I'm saying and so yes you may still be as good as you are and gifted as an actor or an
[00:48:06] artist or a performer or whatever but if you don't have people supporting you it's kind of like when
[00:48:14] you're just are you just doing it for yourself which is fine which is fine but to be catapulted into
[00:48:21] you know a-list celebrity status status you know it's because you're bankable people want to pay money
[00:48:29] to see you yes you know and yes there are those people who feel like they they're entitled to a
[00:48:36] little bit more of you than you than you're willing to give or you give so there is a line don't get
[00:48:43] me wrong there is a line but I walk up to the line I'm not going to cross it but I walk up and meet you
[00:48:50] halfway and there's a there is a point where we we don't go any further than that let's just have a
[00:48:56] a civil conversation and thank you so much for supporting me I'm going to be a nice guy about it
[00:49:01] absolutely I've got no reason not to be no reason not to be you know uh and as long as people approach
[00:49:08] me in a way that is respectable I'm exactly the same way back exactly the same and I think that's this can
[00:49:16] be the same you know said about any of your acting brethren right because you know um last year at
[00:49:24] denver fan expo not only did I get to meet nolan north but for me I'm a huge star trek fan and next
[00:49:35] generation plays a big important part in my life in terms of it was shared memories with my mom and stuff
[00:49:43] and with um jonathan frakes and gates mcfadden brent spiner and michael dorn were all at denver fan expo
[00:49:53] right and I got to actually have a good 15 minute conversation jonathan frank's held up the line
[00:49:59] to keep talking to me about it but like it was I had to thank him for what they did with picard season
[00:50:05] three because last year for some reason was just hitting me hard from memories of my mom's passing and stuff
[00:50:12] like that and it just that show helped get me through those memories as like a steward because
[00:50:20] that was something we used to do every sunday night we used to watch ng when it would come on and and
[00:50:25] whatnot and he he's the same way like you are it's like he is not here unless it's because of him
[00:50:33] because of you and he shared some you know memories of his loss and stuff that kind of
[00:50:39] coincides and it's I think that's what makes going to conventions so nice yes is that yeah you get to
[00:50:45] see people you're a fan of but when you share those stories with them they actually you see their human
[00:50:51] side and that they're like very grateful for that connection in those stories you're sharing with them
[00:50:58] that make them make it all the worth it yeah all the money in the world yeah it's great but
[00:51:04] it's the work that you do bringing those characters to life and how they impact people like you talked
[00:51:10] about die hard man right and how that impacted people so but um speaking of seeing people and stuff
[00:51:18] like that it's the same thing that happened with the last time you were on the show we're already at the
[00:51:23] top of the hour oh my gosh you know and we we have to have you fast man we have to have you back on
[00:51:34] more often than just 250 yeah yeah yeah when i did honestly you have an open invitation of course
[00:51:40] i didn't even think it'd been that long really i didn't think it'd be on four years and you know why
[00:51:45] that is because we're always in contact with each other and i don't feel like the time has passed like
[00:51:51] that much so and even then it's like it's not like i've been always going hey when you can be on
[00:51:56] it's also in the message how have things been like how are things going and you know how you're
[00:52:02] doing you know and it's like you know grand i'll send you you know text you a picture like the
[00:52:07] christmas card or whatever and say hey merry christmas and whatnot yeah but yeah but that's the thing is
[00:52:11] like conversations with you we could just sit here and go all day long oh yeah i would love listening to
[00:52:19] this i was easily i was so excited to see you guys you know oh yeah oh yeah we were so yeah
[00:52:27] and then and unfortunately you know theo and jason they're working couldn't make it but yeah it was
[00:52:34] like hey you know what let's let's get you back on and we're gonna do this as a bonus episode because
[00:52:40] tomorrow night we're gonna do our uh voting for the game awards oh yes of course
[00:52:45] yeah yep so but tommy it is always an honor to have you on and i'm i'm glad to count you as a
[00:52:55] friend in life and and whatnot and we'll get you back on sooner than later um you know in case we
[00:53:02] don't get to talk before the end of the year which i'm assuming we will but merry christmas
[00:53:06] merry christmas you know to you and your husband happy holidays happy new year yes to our listeners
[00:53:13] that are catching in this uh you know this episode which won't be live like i said we're gonna
[00:53:19] so put up as a bonus episode um thank you for taking the the time out of your day over these
[00:53:25] last 300 episodes plus to to join us have these amazing guests that are on our show to talk with them
[00:53:31] um go check out tommy's profile on crashing game night.com um you'll see links to his blue sky and
[00:53:37] his tiktok on there um but for everybody especially what's going on not only in the us but throughout
[00:53:45] the world right now with all the different things going on just please be excellent to each other yes
[00:53:52] that's right all you nerds out there thank you all for joining in and once again i was very excited for
[00:53:58] this uh episode bonus episode i i want to call it uh just a treat uh tommy i was so excited that you
[00:54:06] were finally coming back and just for i'm so happy for all of your success recent success and i hope
[00:54:12] more is to come and i uh i also hope you have just a wonderful and relaxing time with uh the husband for
[00:54:19] those three weeks for christmas deserved he's been away for a while well deserved yeah and uh and yeah
[00:54:27] anytime and uh let's let's not make it a longer you know amount of time until the next episode so
[00:54:35] yeah um but uh once again i just want to uh send out that same message out there let's uh all try and
[00:54:43] be a little bit more patient um let's try and do and uh be a little better let's just try and lend out
[00:54:50] a helping hand and just try and uh be there for one another listen and try and have a more of an open
[00:54:57] perspective in mind because uh it is crazy out there right now yeah uh we all have our opinions you
[00:55:04] know and uh let's just try and uh be patient and be kind thank you all and tom and in the moral words
[00:55:11] thank you so much the moral words of theo until next time everybody thanks for watching thank you for
[00:55:17] listening ttfn that's all for now
[00:55:19] that's all
