Christoph Waltz Eats His Last Meal (YouTube Video Transcript)

(00:00:00) Your YouTube transcript will appear here (00:00:00) I am Kristoff Walt and this is my last (00:00:03) meal. [bell] (00:00:07) [music] (00:00:10) Every person has exactly two things in (00:00:12) common. We all got to eat and we're all (00:00:14) going to die. Today's guest is a (00:00:15) two-time Academy Award-winning actor (00:00:17) who's worked with some of the most (00:00:18) legendary filmmakers of all time. And he (00:00:20) continues that tradition with GMO del (00:00:21) Toros Frankenstein out in theaters (00:00:23) October 17th and on Netflix November (00:00:25) 7th. But who are we kidding? You know (00:00:26) him from the 2013 production of de Rosen (00:00:29) Cavalere at the Volansa Opera in Anerp. (00:00:31) Christo, welcome to the show. (00:00:33) >> Thank you very much for this wonderful (00:00:35) invitation. (00:00:36) >> Of course. Of course. Anytime. I'm (00:00:38) curious. When you were at the Uni (00:00:40) Vitadet for Musendi (00:00:43) >> Well, well done. (00:00:43) >> You studied under a man named Otto (00:00:45) Adelman who was one of the most (00:00:46) legendary oakon lean of all time. I'm (00:00:49) curious how that affected your direction (00:00:50) of de Rosen Cavalere. (00:00:52) >> It did because I wanted to do everything (00:00:55) differently. (00:00:56) >> [music] (00:00:56) >> and I don't want to study media um um (00:01:00) sciences for three semesters before I'm (00:01:04) entitled to to understand what is (00:01:08) happening. So that's my approach. (00:01:10) >> Had you thought about your last meal (00:01:11) before? (00:01:12) >> Never never (00:01:13) >> never I you know occasionally you see (00:01:16) you see in movies officer comes in and (00:01:20) asks for orders for the last meal. (00:01:23) >> Yeah. And would I care? (00:01:26) >> We tend to think uh less about the (00:01:28) execution part of this and more on like (00:01:29) the celebration and the retrospective (00:01:31) view of your life and experiences (00:01:33) through food. But you imagined your own (00:01:35) execution more or less. (00:01:36) >> No, no, no, no. I I just Well, maybe (00:01:39) maybe [laughter] that's No. You see, (00:01:41) would I care at all? Would I order a lot (00:01:45) of alcohol? (00:01:47) >> Yeah, likely. I won't need the (00:01:49) experience after that, you know. (00:01:50) >> Did you learn anything about yourself? (00:01:52) Were any of the dishes that you chose (00:01:54) sort of surprising to you? (00:01:55) >> Actually, those those dishes are are (00:01:58) they look simple on the surface? [music] (00:02:01) >> Interesting. (00:02:02) >> But simplicity is the most difficult (00:02:05) thing to achieve. Unless unless you (00:02:07) don't care and and then it's not simple, (00:02:10) then it's slipshot. (00:02:11) >> Absolutely. (00:02:11) >> And I hope the chef doesn't hold it (00:02:14) against me. I put a few tripping (00:02:17) [laughter] stones. Tripping stones in (00:02:19) there. (00:02:19) >> Spoken like a villain. booby trapping (00:02:21) his own last meal. Um, how much do you (00:02:23) think about death in general? (00:02:24) >> A lot. (00:02:25) >> Yeah. (00:02:26) >> And recently I I saw something that (00:02:29) they're trying to allow burials at home. (00:02:34) And one commentator said, "No, no, no. (00:02:36) It privatizes death." Whereas (00:02:39) traditionally, you know, I mean, look at (00:02:41) the the big funerals that they had um (00:02:44) with with the long processions in the (00:02:47) whole village or town or, you know, they (00:02:50) sort of accompany these extraordinary (00:02:53) personalities (00:02:55) on what they call their last journey. (00:02:58) >> Yeah. (00:02:59) >> So, the funeral is really for the ones (00:03:01) who stay behind. (00:03:03) >> Yeah. Vienna has a very very big central (00:03:08) cemetery. (00:03:09) >> Have you Have you staked out your plot (00:03:10) yet? (00:03:11) >> No. (00:03:11) >> No. That's my children once asked me, (00:03:14) "Where would you like to be buried?" I (00:03:16) said, "Where drop dead?" You know, the (00:03:17) rest is your [laughter] problem. (00:03:19) >> Uh, you ready to eat? (00:03:21) >> Sure. (00:03:21) >> Let's do it. (00:03:22) >> Actually, I'm waiting. [laughter] (00:03:24) [bell] (00:03:25) >> Kristoff, for the first course of your (00:03:27) final meal, we have a very simple (00:03:28) spaghetti pomodoro. We were inspired by (00:03:30) Marella Hzan's tomato sauce. So, we've (00:03:33) cooked down [music] whole canned (00:03:34) tomatoes picked at peak ripeness, of (00:03:36) course, with a little bit of onion just (00:03:37) for the scent. [music] Uh, and then some (00:03:38) fresh basil and paragano reano on top. (00:03:41) And then we have the vitello tomato. (00:03:43) Now, this is veloin that we've actually (00:03:45) rolled up, tied off, and [music] then (00:03:46) sousied to about 145°. Uh, served with, (00:03:49) of course, a tonato sauce. Plenty of (00:03:51) egg, olive oil, capers blended [music] (00:03:54) with the tuna. Then a Negrroni, a (00:03:56) classic 111 cocktail of gin, [music] (00:03:58) sweet vermouth, and kari. (00:04:00) >> Beautiful color. Beautiful color. That (00:04:03) not so much. (00:04:04) >> Not so much. Listen, these are your (00:04:05) choices. Um, please dig in. Where do we (00:04:07) start? And why did these end up on your (00:04:09) last meal? (00:04:10) >> Well, this is [music] something that I (00:04:13) learned from a friend in London about 40 (00:04:16) years ago. No one drank Negaroni then. (00:04:19) >> No. Um but the there were a few bars in (00:04:22) in in London where he and I used [music] (00:04:25) to go and um the bartenders there knew (00:04:30) what they were doing. So I'm very (00:04:31) curious. (00:04:32) >> Well, cheers (00:04:33) >> if you allow me. Cheers. Thank you very (00:04:35) much. (00:04:36) >> Thank you for coming. (00:04:43) >> This is excellent. Absolutely excellent. (00:04:46) If I may just No, no, no. It's not a (00:04:49) critic. I love a hint of the angusta. (00:04:53) >> Oh. Floated on top like on top of the (00:04:55) ice. (00:04:56) >> Like an extra drop. (00:04:57) >> Are you familiar with a 2016 study by (00:04:59) the National Library of Medicine that (00:05:02) linked enjoyment of bitter flavors to (00:05:05) quote psychopathy, mchavelianism, and (00:05:08) general day-to-day satism? That explains (00:05:11) a lot. (00:05:12) >> You and me both, brother. [laughter] (00:05:14) >> Once the spaghetti sits, it gets cold. (00:05:16) So, please dig in. I I kind of set the (00:05:18) the bar so high for myself that now I (00:05:20) [laughter] have it feels like I have to (00:05:22) live up to it. (00:05:23) >> No, no, no. This is your last meal. (00:05:25) Choose to be completely relaxed. (00:05:35) [laughter] (00:05:41) [clears throat] (00:05:41) >> It's a damn good spaghetti. [laughter] (00:05:43) >> Yeah, damn. It's excellent. I should (00:05:46) come more often. (00:05:46) >> I think you should. I think you should (00:05:48) come for Frankenstein 2 electric (00:05:50) bugaloo. We know it's coming out. (00:05:51) >> Come without [laughter] it. Yeah. (00:05:53) >> The vitello tonato I found is one of the (00:05:55) most difficult dishes to explain to (00:05:58) Americans. Cold boiled ve with tuna (00:06:00) sauce doesn't exactly sound appetizing. (00:06:02) Are there any dishes that you've found (00:06:04) in America that you think would be very (00:06:06) difficult to explain to your average (00:06:07) Austrian? the the the concept of (00:06:09) American cuisine, if there is such a (00:06:13) thing, is (00:06:15) burgers. (00:06:16) >> Sure. (00:06:17) >> Meaning broiled or grilled. (00:06:19) >> German word, in fact, that has then (00:06:21) looped all the way around. (00:06:23) >> Meat mostly. (00:06:24) >> Yeah. (00:06:25) >> And the the cliche is not terribly (00:06:28) refined. It's kind of what you would eat (00:06:29) on the trek west. (00:06:31) >> Yeah. (00:06:32) >> Wagons in a circle, you make a a fire in (00:06:35) the middle. Yeah. somewhere out in the (00:06:38) prairie and you throw a piece of dead (00:06:40) cow on it and then you have it with (00:06:43) baked beans or something. (00:06:45) >> A pretty good read on American food. (00:06:46) It's sort of like that and then just (00:06:48) kind of um unfettered capitalism (00:06:50) spreading around the entire globe. um (00:06:53) with I actually went to I was in Ken (00:06:55) recently and uh went to a gym out there (00:06:58) and there was a KFC right next to it and (00:06:59) I got kind of like bummed out seeing the (00:07:02) American exports to this beautiful you (00:07:04) know seaside province town. (00:07:06) >> I agree (00:07:07) >> of them just uh advertising um like the (00:07:09) you know double clucker deluxe (00:07:11) >> when when Starbucks opened a cafe in (00:07:14) Vienna I thought the world had ended. (00:07:18) >> Yeah. You know, you you pass Starbucks (00:07:21) and he's like, "Oh." [laughter] (00:07:23) >> Do you think that people from America (00:07:25) perceive your accent to have a certain (00:07:28) severity to it just because of the media (00:07:30) diet that we've been fed for the last, (00:07:31) say, 100 years? (00:07:33) >> They wouldn't be wrong. [laughter] Yeah, (00:07:35) of course. It's just me. [music] (00:07:37) >> Dig into dig into the feel. It's getting (00:07:39) room temperature. Uh the first time (00:07:40) we've made this dish on the show, most (00:07:42) people ask for uh double cheeseburgers. (00:07:46) I'm open to critique. No, there's no (00:07:48) protein. The sauce is fantastic. (00:07:51) >> Mhm. The ve is a little bit on the (00:07:54) a little a little dry. It's a little (00:07:56) dry. It's a little firm and it's a (00:07:58) little thick. We're comping this dish (00:08:00) from your check. (00:08:01) >> No, no, you no. (00:08:02) >> Okay, fine. Send him the full bell. (00:08:05) >> I think the first time that most people (00:08:06) in America were introduced to you was (00:08:07) obviously in Glorious Bastards, but more (00:08:09) specifically in the farmhouse scene, (00:08:11) which is one of the most legendary (00:08:12) scenes in movie history. What makes a (00:08:15) villain drinking a glass of milk so (00:08:17) uniquely terrifying? [music] (00:08:19) >> I'm not I'm not thinking about about (00:08:21) these things in these terms. (00:08:23) >> In what way? (00:08:24) >> I'm just thinking about, you know, this (00:08:26) is the character and this um and now I (00:08:30) drink a glass of milk and that distance (00:08:36) between (00:08:37) >> is what I negotiate. (00:08:39) >> Yeah. (00:08:40) >> And that's it. So, do you view yourself (00:08:42) more like a single sprocket or cog in (00:08:46) the large clock tower? (00:08:47) >> Absolutely. That's kind of awesome. (00:08:50) Yeah. Well, otherwise it would be (00:08:51) unbearable, you know, if I thought it's (00:08:54) all about me. It's my art. It's my No. (00:08:57) >> Sure. (00:08:58) >> You know, you you can do that and (00:09:00) everybody will will uh indulge you (00:09:03) because you know, they need to get the (00:09:05) day finished. But in the end, not even (00:09:09) in the end, in the beginning and the end (00:09:11) and all the while in between, that's (00:09:14) what you are. (00:09:16) >> Yeah. (00:09:16) >> So, you can make everybody suffer. (00:09:20) I don't really believe that uh it will (00:09:26) enhance the result. As a matter of fact, (00:09:29) I I'm almost convinced that it doesn't. (00:09:32) It's detrimental to the cause. There is (00:09:34) a cause, you know, a story. (00:09:37) >> Yeah, there might be a grander metaphor (00:09:39) here that you might agree with or (00:09:41) reject, but like if everybody sort of (00:09:43) just did their one part and focused on (00:09:45) the actual task at hand [music] across (00:09:47) say society, do you think that would (00:09:49) make everybody sort of better off? (00:09:50) >> Yeah, totally. And and watch the edges (00:09:54) because that's where you connect to the (00:09:56) others. (00:09:57) >> What do you mean connect to the others? (00:09:58) >> No, you know, everybody does that. Oh, (00:10:00) certainly (00:10:01) >> everybody contributes or or should (00:10:03) ideally contribute their um whatever it (00:10:06) is that they have at their disposal. (00:10:08) It's never irrelevant. It's and be it (00:10:11) only that you get out of the way of (00:10:13) others. You know, you need to have that (00:10:16) sensitivity too. (00:10:17) >> What do you think the main cause of (00:10:18) people not being able to just get out of (00:10:20) the way is? Do you think it's it's (00:10:22) narcissism that everybody wants to feel (00:10:24) more important than they actually are in (00:10:25) a certain sense? How' you avoid that or (00:10:27) how (00:10:27) >> whether that's necessarily narcissism is (00:10:31) is debatable with some it clearly is but (00:10:36) it's interesting to see how much damage (00:10:38) it does (00:10:39) >> you know socially I read I read a (00:10:42) fantastic quote the other day uh it's (00:10:45) volatering [snorts] (00:10:50) I'm paraphrasing change is annoying but (00:10:54) certainty iss absurd [music] (00:10:58) >> and I thought that's exactly what you (00:11:01) can observe wherever you look people are (00:11:04) so certain of themselves of of their (00:11:08) view of the world of their opinion (00:11:11) mostly opinion of what they feel if you (00:11:15) accept the uncertainty (00:11:18) >> of all of these aspects make life worth (00:11:22) living (00:11:24) that needs to be certain (00:11:26) And if I had been Voltater coming up (00:11:29) with this fabulous idea, I would have (00:11:32) chosen much harsher words. How many (00:11:35) glasses of milk did you drink doing that (00:11:36) scene? (00:11:37) >> Not more than 27. It's a good amount. (00:11:40) Ready to go into course number two? (00:11:42) Cheers. (00:11:42) >> Cheers, [bell] (00:11:44) >> Kristoff. For course number two of your (00:11:46) final meal, we have the salad niss. We (00:11:48) have the ceviche with the tostadaras (00:11:51) over here. And then we have the (00:11:52) perfectly [music] clear chicken soup and (00:11:54) a glass of Gruner Velina. May I pour (00:11:57) your soup for you, sir? (00:11:58) >> Oh, thank you very much. I I can't tell (00:12:01) you how impressed I am. [music] You (00:12:02) know, I made a few suggestions (00:12:05) um what could be a possibility and you (00:12:09) made it all. (00:12:10) >> We almost take that as a challenge, you (00:12:13) know, and and truly for you to spend (00:12:15) your time being here means a lot for us (00:12:18) and you know, somebody's last meal. (00:12:19) Although through the artifice of a show, (00:12:21) it is still something that is highly (00:12:22) personal and so we do uh take our craft (00:12:25) seriously. Tell me about the Grunerina. (00:12:28) The Grunerina (00:12:31) Grunina. (00:12:34) >> It's good. (00:12:35) >> It's no Gvertina, but no, thankfully (00:12:38) not. (00:12:39) >> But [laughter] um it's not first [music] (00:12:43) class. This is like this is the the (00:12:45) local swell. I Yeah, that's a little (00:12:48) What is it? (00:12:51) >> Vox Vox. (00:12:52) >> This is This is really the good stuff. (00:12:55) You know, (00:12:55) >> you can take it home, please. (00:12:56) >> I will. (00:12:57) >> Uh, tell me about the clear chicken soup (00:12:58) because this was the first thing I saw (00:13:00) when you sent us your last meal and I (00:13:02) was immediately obsessed. Why the clear (00:13:04) chicken soup? (00:13:04) >> It's another one of these real simple, (00:13:08) immensely difficult things to do. (00:13:10) >> It is immensely difficult. You literally (00:13:12) have to like grind eggshells and egg (00:13:15) whites with ground meat to create a raft (00:13:18) on top and then slowly skim off the fat (00:13:22) through all the scum. There's kind of (00:13:23) the the metaphor there of, you know, uh (00:13:26) the actual time that you spend doing it (00:13:28) is maybe 10 times more important and (00:13:31) laborious than the final product, which (00:13:33) at the end of the day is just soup. Now (00:13:35) that that's a fantastic (00:13:39) topic for a long conversation and I (00:13:42) actually bothered my children from a (00:13:46) very early age onwards. Process versus (00:13:51) result. (00:13:52) >> Mhm. (00:13:53) >> This here is a very very resultoriented (00:13:57) uh culture. (00:13:59) >> You mean here as in American (00:14:00) >> in in America or the west? The west. But (00:14:03) this is you know ahead of the rest of (00:14:06) the west but it is west and the rest (00:14:08) will follow. Sure. No that's how it (00:14:09) happens. It's all about the result. We (00:14:12) don't care about the process. Well (00:14:14) actually it's exactly the other way (00:14:16) around. It's all about the process. The (00:14:18) result is at the end. Speaking [music] (00:14:20) of death, you can't plan your death. uh (00:14:24) I I find you know you you can live out (00:14:28) your years and the death will as a (00:14:31) result of that follow (00:14:33) >> inevitably. (00:14:35) >> So same thing with with um now I'm (00:14:39) really getting excited [laughter] with a (00:14:41) job worth doing is a job worth doing (00:14:43) well. That's ex the same principle. It's (00:14:46) it's the doing of it not what you've (00:14:49) done. And government is one of the most (00:14:54) difficult and important (00:14:58) process (00:14:59) that humans can aspire to. (00:15:03) >> Yeah. (00:15:03) >> You don't go for the result and say well (00:15:06) you know thank you very much. (00:15:08) >> Yeah. (00:15:09) >> You know it's it's people's lives. Time (00:15:12) passes. People live in this in this (00:15:16) passing of their time until it's done. I (00:15:19) take responsibility for others. I have (00:15:23) to at least at that's the bare minimum. (00:15:28) Show interest (00:15:30) in your well-being. (00:15:32) >> Yeah. (00:15:33) >> Why? I tell you because (00:15:37) my existence will be better thanks to (00:15:41) that. (00:15:42) >> Yeah. (00:15:43) So if if we make it at least reciprocal (00:15:48) process, we will inevitably arrive at a (00:15:53) at a at a worthwhile result. (00:15:55) >> Yeah. (00:15:57) >> Everything else is, you know, hey, the (00:15:59) product counts. Why? Because you can (00:16:02) sell it. There's nothing for sale, you (00:16:05) know, but people's lives continue. (00:16:08) >> Yeah. (00:16:09) >> So I'm sorry. (00:16:11) >> Oh, no. No. Like genuinely that was (00:16:12) beautiful, but your soup's getting cold (00:16:13) and that's what I was worried about. (00:16:21) >> We should open a restaurant. [laughter] (00:16:24) >> Finally, somebody is worried about the (00:16:26) result in the product that can be (00:16:28) developed from this wonderful human (00:16:29) experience. Kristoff, we'd never thought (00:16:31) about that. Everybody should get rich. I (00:16:34) I'm totally for it. (00:16:36) But I ask with what taking it from you (00:16:39) won't do. I think people don't (00:16:42) understand the sort of zero sum game (00:16:45) that we all live on the earth with a (00:16:47) finite amount of resources. This is a (00:16:49) good segue into Frankenstein cuz one of (00:16:52) the central themes I read Mary Shelley's (00:16:53) Frankenstein when I was a teenager and (00:16:55) it was you know very heavily affected (00:16:57) me. One of the obvious themes is that (00:16:59) unchecked ambition plus unfettered (00:17:01) technology equals uh the scourge of (00:17:04) humanity. Do you think that's a very (00:17:07) close allegory for what we're currently (00:17:09) going through with regards to, you know, (00:17:11) AI and everybody just trying to make a (00:17:13) quick buck off of it? (00:17:14) >> Frankenstein is not in the in in our (00:17:18) cannon over there, literary cannon. So, (00:17:20) so we we don't read Frankenstein in (00:17:22) school, (00:17:22) >> but it sounds so German. (00:17:24) >> Well, because of Frankenstein, you know, (00:17:26) but we even say it differently, (00:17:27) Frankenstein. (00:17:29) >> So, did you like grow up knowing that (00:17:31) story at all outside of like the Boris (00:17:32) Carlo? (00:17:33) >> Exactly. we knew about because the the (00:17:37) Hollywood's propaganda machine is (00:17:38) infinitely stronger than Mary Shell's (00:17:41) >> USA baby (00:17:42) >> going into playing this part in (00:17:44) Frankenstein. [music] (00:17:45) I I thought the least I I should do is (00:17:48) or the first as well is read the novel. (00:17:52) I was (00:17:55) enlightened [music] (00:17:56) in a way. (00:17:57) >> Yeah, (00:17:58) >> it is it you shouldn't read it when (00:18:00) you're 16. You don't get it. the what (00:18:02) what is generally referred to as the (00:18:05) monster is everything but (00:18:08) >> Mhm. (00:18:08) >> So from then on I decided I don't call (00:18:10) it the monster anymore. I call it the (00:18:12) creature. And um so does Guyana by the (00:18:15) way. (00:18:16) >> Yeah. this long (00:18:20) explanation of the creature, what he (00:18:24) expected from (00:18:27) being alive (00:18:29) and the discrepancy (00:18:32) to his uh experience. (00:18:36) >> I read it like three times in a row (00:18:38) because I couldn't I could not believe (00:18:42) that a 19-year-old girl (00:18:45) >> Yeah. (00:18:46) had that width of horizon to even to (00:18:51) even (00:18:53) fathom (00:18:55) the necessity to to at that time 1816 (00:19:00) [music] to write this down. It's a (00:19:04) little bit like that one Shillock (00:19:06) speech. Do I not have the right uh to be (00:19:11) like you are? Do I not have the right to (00:19:14) [music] be taken seriously as a human (00:19:17) being? Do I do I not have (00:19:22) desires? Do I not have the wish to lead (00:19:28) a meaningful? And he never said happy or (00:19:31) or prosperous meaningful. He wants (00:19:36) meaning amongst his fellow men. (00:19:40) >> [music] (00:19:40) >> I was so touched by this. Anyway, yeah. (00:19:43) So, another relevance. (00:19:45) >> Can I offer you some salad? (00:19:47) >> Thank you. You know, now that it's so (00:19:50) beautifully sitting here demanding its (00:19:53) own attention, the civiche, I feel it's (00:19:56) kind of misplaced. [laughter] (00:19:59) We tried to we tried to figure out how (00:20:02) to course everything in a sort of timely (00:20:04) manner. And sometimes it gets tough (00:20:06) which in the sense of like telling the (00:20:07) story of of one's life cannot neatly fit (00:20:10) into four courses but we do try our best (00:20:12) >> you know it it may give rise to another (00:20:15) um interesting aspect um in terms of (00:20:18) process and and and result (00:20:22) >> and misplaced. What's misplaced? It's (00:20:26) it's (00:20:27) >> sure (00:20:28) >> a little bit of a contradiction, but (00:20:30) there there can never be a whole without (00:20:34) a contradiction. Contradiction is part (00:20:37) of the whole. You see, contradiction is (00:20:39) what gets movement into the process. You (00:20:44) can't just do one thing. You have to (00:20:46) consider the contradiction in order to (00:20:50) eventually (00:20:52) arrive at something at all. (00:20:53) >> Oh, please dig into this. (00:20:55) >> Thank you. thing. (00:20:55) >> Of course, (00:21:00) >> it's just good. You see, it's just good. (00:21:02) >> It's just good. (00:21:03) >> But also like there's so much history (00:21:06) and storytelling in like like oturship (00:21:09) among so many of these. You seem (00:21:10) somebody that's very very fascinated by (00:21:14) that process and I think it really comes (00:21:15) through in all the directors that you've (00:21:17) worked with. It's not just the highest (00:21:19) grossing box office directors, but it's (00:21:20) like the who's who of the greatest oours (00:21:23) of our time. What did you find from (00:21:25) Gumo's process that really drew you to (00:21:27) it? (00:21:28) >> Joy. Among all the monstrousness, it's (00:21:31) the joy. (00:21:31) >> Guo is one of the most joyful people (00:21:34) I've ever met. Even when he's annoyed, (00:21:37) even when he's in a bad mood, there's (00:21:39) still this joyous, life and love (00:21:43) embracing (00:21:45) personality. (00:21:46) >> Is that different than you found with (00:21:48) other directors? Like that's [laughter] (00:21:50) >> who's the least joyful director you've (00:21:52) worked with? Well, you know, the human (00:21:54) mind has a sort of self-regulating (00:21:58) hygienic mechanism. I forgot. [laughter] (00:22:02) >> I'm sorry. (00:22:03) >> I'm sorry. Try the ceviche, please. (00:22:09) >> See what I mean with (00:22:12) misplaced or contradiction. (00:22:15) It's so good. (00:22:16) >> It is so good that it elevates the salat (00:22:21) salad. (00:22:22) >> It does. It's the the the that (00:22:24) existential terror that makes the (00:22:25) laughter laugh harder and the laughter (00:22:27) that brings you back. It's you're sort (00:22:29) of being pulled on the string of (00:22:30) contradictions. I want to be a (00:22:32) marionette as an audience in service of (00:22:33) the art. Whether that's movies or that's (00:22:35) food. All I look for in art is I want to (00:22:38) be physically moved against my will. (00:22:39) >> I I don't know. I I may have misheard (00:22:43) but I just had a you know a flash in my (00:22:46) mind. I'd like to laugh on my deathbed. (00:22:50) >> Why is that? (00:22:52) the the the little limited um experience (00:22:55) I've had with that was it it was like a (00:22:59) fight (00:23:01) >> a fight towards death or a struggle. (00:23:03) Let's put it [music] that way. I'd like (00:23:06) to laugh myself into onto the other (00:23:09) side. Um I don't know whether that (00:23:12) works. I you know because laughter (00:23:14) laughter is not a not a trivial thing. (00:23:17) >> No. Um, laughter is serious. (00:23:22) That's the best best [music] laughter (00:23:24) this. [laughter] (00:23:26) You ready to move on to course number (00:23:27) three? (00:23:28) >> Not yet. (00:23:29) I got all day. I got nowhere to be. (00:23:32) [bell] Kristoff, for course number three (00:23:34) of your final meal, we have the lamb (00:23:36) filt with a little bit of red wine and (00:23:38) Dijon mustard demigloss. And then we (00:23:40) have the crown jewel of Austrian (00:23:42) cooking, the venus schnitle, pounded out (00:23:44) ve cutlet, egg wash, breadcrumb, shallow (00:23:47) fried in oil, some lingon berry jam, and (00:23:50) [music] a little bit of parsley and (00:23:51) lemon juice. And then of course we have (00:23:53) the flui. This is a bojoule. One of my (00:23:55) favorite wine regions in France. May I (00:23:57) pour? (00:23:58) >> Thank you. (00:23:58) >> Of course. Decanted. Served at exactly (00:24:01) 57°. (00:24:02) >> Thank you. Why is it decanted? [music] (00:24:04) >> Did you not want me to see the bottle? (00:24:06) >> We're ashamed of it. We got it at (00:24:08) Target. Not as (00:24:09) >> well, which does not not mean at all (00:24:12) that it can't be better than what you (00:24:15) >> as we just discussed. Well, you'll be (00:24:17) the judge of that. Cheers. (00:24:20) >> Cheers. (00:24:25) >> I'm not an [music] expert, you know. (00:24:26) >> Yeah. (00:24:27) >> I I also think I don't need to be an (00:24:29) expert. I need to taste and like or (00:24:32) dislike or have an opinion or not have (00:24:35) an opinion or just pour it down or sip (00:24:37) it. Well, you know. Yeah. (00:24:38) >> Whatever. Whatever enhances the (00:24:42) enjoyment. (00:24:43) >> That's interesting though because like (00:24:44) flurry is like a very specific pull. (00:24:46) Some like we've had guests on the show (00:24:48) who just say a glass of red wine and (00:24:49) then we just sort of guess. [music] But (00:24:51) where did flurry come from? (00:24:52) >> It's oddly (00:24:54) what some would consider a minor grape (00:24:58) gummy. (00:24:59) >> Mhm. (00:24:59) >> I really like it. (00:25:01) >> You and me both. It's [music] it's the (00:25:03) plum cherry aroma that that um I just (00:25:07) seem to enjoy. (00:25:09) >> But also that minerality of the old (00:25:10) world. (00:25:11) >> Yeah. And you don't have to pretend that (00:25:13) it's an event, you know. It's a sip of (00:25:15) wine. Come on. (00:25:16) >> It's a sip of wine. And it's a lamb (00:25:17) flameon. Please dig in. I I can't let it (00:25:19) get cold on you. Where does the lamb (00:25:20) filean come from? (00:25:22) >> I like lamb. (00:25:23) >> I do. I think it's the best [music] (00:25:24) animal to eat. And it has nothing to do (00:25:27) with the playful innocence of the little (00:25:30) animal, you know. What about the feel, (00:25:33) Kristoff? (00:25:34) >> Well, same thing. Yeah. No, it's just (00:25:36) fine meat. If you eat meat at all, it (00:25:38) should be fine. (00:25:40) >> Having that bite in my mouth and (00:25:42) anticipating the way that this wine is (00:25:44) going to hit my pallet after. (00:25:46) Tremendously exciting for me. (00:25:48) >> It's a good combination. (00:25:50) >> It really is. (00:25:51) >> This not so much. (00:25:52) >> Would you eat this with lingberry? I (00:25:54) wouldn't. You may. (00:25:56) >> What do you mean you when you say (00:25:58) >> No, no, no. I mean, I I just, you know, (00:26:01) I think if you want jam on your meat, (00:26:03) you know, you can um A lot of people (00:26:06) like it a lot. Some put a little ring of (00:26:10) anchovi with a caper on top. Sure, why (00:26:14) not? You can wear it as a hat as well if (00:26:17) you [laughter] (00:26:19) >> You seem like you've lived a very (00:26:21) examined life. You seem like very deep (00:26:23) and thoughtful. (00:26:25) >> Thank you. I'm I'm I'm I'm still trying. (00:26:28) >> I'm curious. Were you like that when you (00:26:30) were younger? Cuz I know you like grew (00:26:31) up in a family that was very involved in (00:26:33) the theater and you didn't necessarily (00:26:34) want to become an actor from a young age (00:26:37) and the way you talk about it, you (00:26:38) almost seem like I stumbled into it or I (00:26:41) accidentally became an actor. But that (00:26:43) seems contra to this person sitting (00:26:45) before me who seems to have thought (00:26:47) about everything. (00:26:48) >> No, I haven't. I wish I had. I'm I'm not (00:26:51) even sure whether I'm retrospectively (00:26:55) I feel I I missed a lot of (00:26:59) crossings and kept going. I took it as (00:27:04) it came. [music] (00:27:04) >> Yeah. You've also referred to acting as (00:27:06) sort of a pubescent fantasy. (00:27:08) >> Yeah. (00:27:09) >> That a lot of people tend to grow out of (00:27:11) or if they don't grow out of it sort of (00:27:12) leads [music] the problems. Is it the (00:27:14) acting that's the pubescent fantasy or (00:27:16) is it the trappings of fame that come (00:27:18) with acting that's the pubescent (00:27:19) fantasy? (00:27:20) >> Well, the acting is not a pubescent (00:27:23) fantasy. The acting is possibly one of (00:27:26) the most powerful human urges to make an (00:27:30) impression on someone else. (00:27:32) >> I'm not asking you to do it. You could (00:27:34) you could muster some form of (00:27:36) understanding for certain personalities (00:27:39) that are, you know, have this demon (00:27:43) working in them to always impress on (00:27:46) someone and be the best. You know, it (00:27:49) becomes this really sick strive for (00:27:52) dominance. (00:27:54) >> Yeah. (00:27:55) >> Which is so destructive that that I (00:27:57) shudder to think of it. (00:27:59) >> Did you ever indulge in that, do you (00:28:01) think? (00:28:01) >> No. (00:28:02) >> Never at all. Never. [music] I mean, (00:28:04) yeah, I I I I indulge in destructiveness (00:28:08) and self-destructiveness as well. (00:28:10) >> Yeah. (00:28:11) >> But more self-destructiveness (00:28:13) and destructive uh in relation to other (00:28:17) people. (00:28:18) >> I'm curious how we did on the schnitle. (00:28:20) >> So am I. [laughter] (00:28:22) >> When it came in, uh, it smelled like the (00:28:25) real thing. (00:28:26) >> Thickness. Okay. (00:28:27) >> Thickness of the meat. Perfect. Of the (00:28:29) breading? (00:28:30) >> Mhm. (00:28:31) >> Far too thick. far too thick. (00:28:32) >> Yeah, (00:28:32) >> it's like a pancake. [laughter] (00:28:35) >> The taste. (00:28:39) >> You, I believe, trained with Lee (00:28:40) Strawber at some point and you said (00:28:42) something interesting [music] that (00:28:44) teaching acting in other words is just a (00:28:46) way to make money. Do you sort of view (00:28:49) acting as almost this very like (00:28:51) quotidian job like akin to [music] say (00:28:54) being a mechanic or a line cook? (00:28:55) >> If they didn't pay you, you'd have to, I (00:28:58) don't know, drive an Uber or do (00:28:59) something else. (00:29:00) >> Oh yeah. Look, I I think you can (00:29:02) mythologize (00:29:05) everything. [music] (00:29:05) >> Do you think we shouldn't mythologize (00:29:07) everything? Because to me, sometimes the (00:29:08) the myth is the fun of it all. (00:29:10) >> If it's myth as a a necessity, (00:29:16) >> then you [music] have a problem. You (00:29:18) should be self-confident enough (00:29:22) to abandon your certainty (00:29:25) >> and to explore [music] and to to allow (00:29:29) contradictions. There is a this German (00:29:32) [music] thinker Marcus Gabriel is his (00:29:35) name. I just happened to have uh met him (00:29:40) at a party and engaged him or him me I (00:29:43) don't know. he developed a a a way of (00:29:47) thinking that he and others call new (00:29:51) realism. Um I immediately felt at home (00:29:56) in that kind of um view of the world. (00:30:00) There's not one reality that we have to (00:30:05) suffice to [music] at with um there are (00:30:10) many segments of reality. The shift in (00:30:14) perspective is kind of coming down to (00:30:15) like cultural relativism in a way in (00:30:18) terms of like understanding where (00:30:20) somebody might be coming from from a (00:30:21) completely different yes set of values (00:30:23) and from even like a constructivist (00:30:25) approach of like (00:30:27) exactly not [music] (00:30:28) >> exactly not constructive (00:30:28) >> exactly not because the constructivist (00:30:30) approach is is that you say it's all (00:30:33) it's all what we make of it. No, no, (00:30:36) there is a reality (00:30:39) >> but it doesn't consist of one thing that (00:30:43) we have to achieve result. It's not (00:30:47) >> this one thing. [music] (00:30:49) It is innumerous (00:30:52) different aspects. There was a moment I (00:30:54) believe at the Englorious Bastards (00:30:56) premiere [music] at K where Tarantino (00:30:58) said that you gave him his movie back (00:31:00) and then you used a very specific word (00:31:02) where you said Tarantino gave you your (00:31:04) vocation back. Why did you use the term (00:31:06) vocation specifically? [music] (00:31:09) >> Well, I didn't want to call it calling. (00:31:11) So, you used the Latin word for calling. (00:31:13) >> Yeah. To obstruct it a little bit. (00:31:15) >> Yeah. Yeah. No, but but it was, you (00:31:18) know, because I I had I had grown (00:31:20) extremely frustrated with the (00:31:24) It was the right person with the right (00:31:26) thing at the right time to pull me out (00:31:29) of a trajectory that (00:31:33) promised to become very [music] (00:31:35) frustrating, very negative. And I (00:31:38) thought acting is for idiots. Um I still (00:31:41) do, but only for certain idiots. The (00:31:44) others do it well. You know, doing this (00:31:47) thing [music] with Quinton was a very (00:31:50) powerful reminder that maybe (00:31:55) I did not necessarily (00:31:59) become an actor for nothing. (00:32:02) >> Do you ever think maybe you deserve to (00:32:03) mythologize yourself in story a little (00:32:05) bit more? Not at all. You won't indulge (00:32:06) in. (00:32:06) >> No, you don't deserve anything. You (00:32:08) deserve diddly squad. You know, you need (00:32:11) to get on with it. (00:32:12) >> Sure. You ready to get on with the (00:32:14) dessert? Yeah. Let's do [laughter] it. (00:32:16) [bell] (00:32:16) >> Kristoff, for the final course of your (00:32:18) final meal, we have the green apple (00:32:20) sorbet. We didn't make this in house. (00:32:22) And the espresso [music] with a lemon (00:32:24) wedge and some rock sugar, if you (00:32:26) please. (00:32:26) >> I really thought you couldn't pull this (00:32:28) off. [laughter] (00:32:29) >> Why? (00:32:30) >> Well, beginning. (00:32:30) >> You hadn't even met us when you uh made (00:32:32) that decision. (00:32:33) >> Yeah. Sorry. I had this in Venice once (00:32:36) >> with the calvados poured on top. Yeah. I (00:32:38) would pour it for you, but how much (00:32:40) calvados goes on there? you know, as (00:32:42) much as you can fit. (00:32:43) >> This is good. Thank you. (00:32:45) >> Modest, but good. And I thought it was (00:32:48) the perfect because I'm not into cakes (00:32:51) and you know that's speaking of American (00:32:54) cuisine. (00:32:55) >> This this (00:32:58) exaggerated obscenity of sugar and cream (00:33:02) and ice cream, you know, pile of it all (00:33:05) to me. You know, we've forsaken God. (00:33:07) We've hijacked our own central nervous (00:33:09) systems. you know, sprinkle (00:33:12) more stuff on it and then have this, you (00:33:15) know, that that makes me sick looking at (00:33:17) it really. [laughter] (00:33:19) Um, and then you see the kids, you know, (00:33:22) I understand. I understand the kids. I (00:33:23) understand. (00:33:24) >> Sure. Sure, sure, sure, sure. Um, no, (00:33:26) no, no, no. This is exactly exactly the (00:33:30) right combination of everything. So, (00:33:32) let's try, (00:33:33) >> please. (00:33:41) It's a little sweet. (00:33:42) >> It's a little sweet. Could have used a (00:33:43) little bit more acid in the sorbet. (00:33:45) >> It's a little sweet. (00:33:46) >> I would agree. (00:33:47) >> If you really break down what taste is, (00:33:50) it's a poison verse reward detection (00:33:53) system in the mouth. So, we talked (00:33:55) earlier about bitterness and (00:33:56) psychopathy. That bitterness is (00:33:58) literally nature telling you this is bad (00:34:00) to eat. And then the sweetness is nature (00:34:02) telling you this is good to eat. Is (00:34:04) there something intrinsic to the human (00:34:05) experience that draws you towards (00:34:07) bitterness? (00:34:08) >> I I I have to admit I did ask myself why (00:34:12) am I drawn to bitterness and I wondered (00:34:15) whether it has something to do with with (00:34:17) the med medicinal (00:34:20) association (00:34:23) or with the I really don't know. So, so (00:34:27) I find it terribly interesting what you (00:34:30) said about bitterness that there is a (00:34:32) direct correlation to a mental (00:34:35) disposition. I doubt very strongly. (00:34:38) >> You have been in a disproportionate (00:34:40) amount of movies that deal with the (00:34:42) meaning of life. I'd say (00:34:44) >> really (00:34:45) >> do you think about the meaning of life (00:34:46) and does that affect the roles that you (00:34:48) take? If you think about thinking about (00:34:52) the meaning of life, you're already (00:34:55) watching yourself thinking about the (00:34:58) meaning of life, which kind of as we all (00:35:01) know that observer alters the (00:35:04) experiment. (00:35:05) >> Um, so you can turn that a few more (00:35:08) times and then write a paper about it (00:35:10) and I'm sure you'd be immensely (00:35:12) successful if you throw a few jokes in (00:35:14) it. But uh (00:35:16) >> but it's kind of an academic thing (00:35:19) >> when you've talked about being like the (00:35:21) cog in the clock created by the clock (00:35:24) maker as an actor, but it it does seem (00:35:27) like you're sort of seeking out these (00:35:30) people who have very large things to say (00:35:32) [music] about the world or is that me (00:35:34) sort of seeing that with a retrospective (00:35:35) lens just because they're good? (00:35:38) >> No, no. You know what I know I know. (00:35:40) >> Yeah. (00:35:41) >> I'm interested in what you know. (00:35:43) [laughter] So, I can sit on the few the (00:35:46) few things that I I know I can do and (00:35:49) and then what? Like the dragon on the (00:35:52) treasure and um let no one touch it. (00:35:55) >> Yeah. (00:35:55) >> And therefore nothing happens. I know (00:35:58) there's a biblical um analogy. It (00:36:01) concerns us and that's why it became a (00:36:03) biblical analogy, not the other way (00:36:06) around. (00:36:06) >> Yeah, (00:36:06) >> I'm a secular person. [laughter] (00:36:09) >> I was going to ask, but you grew up (00:36:10) Catholic. I believe you were an alter (00:36:11) boy at some point, but none of that was (00:36:13) ever able to stick. (00:36:14) >> No, no, no, no, no, no. It it I was an (00:36:17) alter boy for the theatrics. (00:36:19) >> It is such a theatrical thing to do. (00:36:22) >> No, this is this is Austria, you know, (00:36:24) in Cath in the Baroque churches with (00:36:26) with the whole performance and the (00:36:28) costumes and and the wine. [laughter] (00:36:32) >> So, what ultimately do you believe (00:36:33) happens when you die? And I'll cheers to (00:36:35) you on your final bitter psychopathy (00:36:37) laden espresso. (00:36:43) Talk about medicinal. (00:36:44) >> It all is. Is Isn't there a beautiful (00:36:46) sequence and order to it that there (00:36:49) really is starting with the bitter of (00:36:50) the Negrroni and and coming (00:36:52) >> and actually now I really like the (00:36:54) ceviche because it was that you know (00:36:57) that sore thumb that stuck out. [music] (00:36:59) >> It was if you're looking at this this (00:37:01) meal like graph. It's that one little (00:37:03) data point. It's the outlier. (00:37:04) >> That's exactly what my horoscope looks (00:37:06) like. All the my planets are in Libra. (00:37:10) >> Mhm. (00:37:11) >> Except (00:37:13) for Mars, which is in Aries. (00:37:16) >> I know more about German opera than I do (00:37:19) astrology. (00:37:20) >> Someone did it once for me and drew the (00:37:22) graphics and it looked like a boat. It (00:37:24) was all sitting in Libra and [music] and (00:37:28) Mars was in Aries exactly opposite. So (00:37:31) it looked like a boat with a mast and (00:37:34) Venus and Mars were in exact um um uh (00:37:39) contradiction. Um what does it mean to (00:37:41) me? (00:37:42) >> Yeah. (00:37:43) Nothing. [laughter] (00:37:45) But it looks good. (00:37:47) >> Sure, I get that. No, you kind of had (00:37:49) this beautiful um both hyperrealistic (00:37:51) and then almost hyper abstract thought (00:37:53) process which I'm sure is only from the (00:37:55) outside looking and I'm I'm sure it (00:37:56) makes tremendous amount of sense to you, (00:37:58) but I kind of love the way that you draw (00:38:01) on the idea of like holistic forms in (00:38:03) your mind. What form does take for you? (00:38:07) Cuz for some people it's just the (00:38:08) ultimate fear and terror. Um for some (00:38:11) it's an Academy Award-winning actor (00:38:13) calling somebody a schmuck on the beach (00:38:14) in black and white. (00:38:16) >> I don't know. The trajectory is really (00:38:18) what I'm can't deny that that occupies (00:38:20) my mind a lot you know meaning aging you (00:38:23) know the the recurring thought that had (00:38:26) I known that you know 20 only 20 years (00:38:28) ago (00:38:30) >> um my whole life would have no just from (00:38:34) 20 years ago onwards but anyway my wife (00:38:38) likes to say better now than never and I (00:38:41) agree with her but that's the kind of (00:38:43) thing that I I you know physically (00:38:46) fully. (00:38:47) I I still have that within my control. (00:38:52) My thoughts about death at the moment (00:38:56) are still [music] (00:38:57) within the the realm of the deliberate, (00:39:02) >> meaning I choose how to think about (00:39:05) death. (00:39:06) >> I'm very much um (00:39:09) concerned with life. (00:39:11) >> What's the alternative to death? paying (00:39:13) a a very handsome but wy scientist who (00:39:16) thinks he's figured out the secret to (00:39:17) [music] everlasting life to harness the (00:39:20) power of electricity. No, we've seen how (00:39:21) that turns out (00:39:23) >> in movies. (00:39:24) >> In movies? [laughter] (00:39:25) >> Yeah. Um Um (00:39:28) [snorts] (00:39:29) Good luck. [laughter] (00:39:31) >> You ready to go to the lightning round? (00:39:33) >> Let's do it. Who's the one person dead (00:39:35) or alive you'd want to share your actual (00:39:36) last meal with? (00:39:38) >> All these people now flip by. (00:39:41) just through my head right now. I think (00:39:44) it's Buster Katon. (00:39:45) >> Oh, what song do you want to be played (00:39:46) at your funeral? (00:39:47) >> Oh, I want that that clarinet solo from (00:39:50) 8 and a half at the end. (00:39:51) >> Who's the next director that you want to (00:39:53) work with that you haven't yet? (00:39:54) >> PT Anderson. Oh god, what a to force. (00:39:58) Who's your dream eulogizer at your (00:39:59) funeral? Cicero. [laughter] (00:40:03) Uh, if Hans Landa, Dr. King Schultz, and (00:40:06) Blofeld were at a dinner party, what (00:40:08) would you serve? Vermouth. What's your (00:40:11) biggest fear? (00:40:13) >> Losing my mind. It's going to be a good (00:40:15) test then. Do you remember the flight (00:40:16) number of the Lufansa plane that lost (00:40:18) your razor? What razor? A whole a whole (00:40:21) bag. Um, a number comes in my mind. (00:40:24) 2306, [music] (00:40:26) but but it's it's not. I know it's not. (00:40:28) Finally. Kristoff, are you happy? (00:40:30) >> Not (00:40:34) unconditionally. (00:40:35) >> I think if you were unconditionally (00:40:37) happy, you probably wouldn't be very (00:40:39) bright. (00:40:39) >> You'd be stupid. Uh truly, thank you so (00:40:41) much for joining me. This has been the (00:40:43) pleasure of a lifetime for myself. (00:40:44) >> Thank you very much. I hope it wasn't (00:40:46) the pleasure of a life lifetime, but um (00:40:49) >> the first 33 years. I'll see how the (00:40:50) back half goes. (00:40:51) >> Yeah. Well, I hope it'll do better. (00:40:53) >> If you want to deliver your last words (00:40:54) to that camera right there. (00:40:56) >> What? My last words? (00:40:57) >> What would your last words be? (00:41:00) >> I shall miss myself. [laughter] (00:41:03) And (00:41:04) >> I shall miss you, too. Everyone check (00:41:06) out Frankenstein. That's out in theaters (00:41:07) October 17th on Netflix November 7th. (00:41:09) You got Only Birds in the Building on (00:41:11) Hulu right now. (00:41:12) >> Yeah, this building and others. (00:41:13) >> You got anything else coming up? (00:41:15) >> Um, frustration, disasters. (00:41:18) >> Everyone check out frustration. Check (00:41:19) out disasters. They're happening all the (00:41:21) time. (00:41:22) Speaking of which, (00:41:24) >> watch the full recording of Good (00:41:25) Mythical Evening Sloshed in Space on (00:41:28) demand at good mythical evening.com. And (00:41:30) don't forget to grab a limited edition (00:41:32) tea while you're there.