Call It What It IsJess is literally calling 9-1-1 in Nashville!
She talks about the big moment she got the call to appear next to Chris O’Donnell as Camilla screams on the sidelines for her BFF while pitching herself for a super cute cameo.
Call It what It Is with Jessica Capshaw and Camille Luddington, an iHeartRadio podcast.
Well, Hello, Hello, Hello.
Hello, Call It crew, and welcome to another episode of Short and Sweet.
I have a spring in my step.
Yeah, you do well.
I have a spring in my step in a month of April, which is also spring.
It is your favorite season. This is moreing timing.
Oh my goodness, there are so many you're right, you're right.
Well, spring sneaks up on you for all those who live in four seasons, and sometimes you can be smacked up in the middle of it and be like, is it though? The daffodils tell me that it is? But sometimes there's like ninety five mile an hour winds outside, yeah, disgusting rain.
So how would I really know?
Getting back to aforementioned spring in my step, Yesterday something was announced that I have been I have been knowing and keeping close to the vest for a minute, and it is that I am going to join Ryan Murphy's show nine one one, the franchise of nine one one, and this one's going to be in Nashville with Chris O'Donnell and some other very exciting people, but they have yet to be announced.
And I'm going to be back on ABC. I didn't want to scream during that whole thing. Do you know how hard it was for me to not interrupt you. I'm like, let her have this moment, it's not about you, but I was like, it's also about me, and she got nine one one. I'm freaking out because Nashville is truly one of my favorite cities.
We have family there. Have you ever even been to Nashville.
I've never been been to Nashville, which is weird, and it's definitely I mean, I feel like it's a it's a stop on the world tour. Like I think you got to go to Nashville in your life, and I haven't been.
I love Here's what I love about that city.
Sometimes you land in the city and it just la Los Angeles has us too.
New York has us too. I think Chicago has it too.
It has that spark, it has that energy, it has that liveliness. It feels like young and spicy and just like.
Dreams to be had. Also, I gotta tell you, I love a storm.
I love a story.
Well, I think that's where the drama is gonna come from, right, That's where the first responders are going to have to respond to the storms, whether they're emotional physical.
And the music, the music in Nashville.
Oh, if you heard you know what we should have had Chris Carmack gone to talk about this with you because he did the show in Nashville and he loves he loved filming there so much.
He talks about it all the time.
And I just think, you're gonna it's like gonna be your new second home and you're gonna have the best time. Ever, how does it feel to finally be able to talk about it?
Though? Well, that's so funny.
I you know, you and I know what it's like to be actresses because we've been we are them. Yeah, But it's funny how a lot of people will say to me like, oh, like they'll have an assumption about the audition process or about you know, or just how things happen. And I think that if you've heard one story of getting a job, you've heard one story of getting a job.
Every everyone is different.
So I kind of treat every audition like it's it's just all possibility. And I feel like I was taught a long time ago that you just treat an audition like you like you like you taught, like you like you treated, you know, doing a scene in acting class, like like give it You're all, yeah, you give it your all, you lay it down and then you send it off and then you know, you try and not to get attached until you know that something is actually really going to happen. And with this particular one, I mean, listen, it has so many components that are just undeniably really really exciting and just full of promise and possibility. And I mean I love the whole you know, I love the country aspect of of just all things.
I love putting on an accent?
Are you going to do an accent? We have never thought of this?
I know, this is this is all in progress.
I was just a Missoura is the Missouri coming Back?
Is the Maszuri come back?
Rashan Rasani is the showrunner, and I was speaking to him the other day and we were we're just strategizing, you know, we're coming up with all the things and where she's from and and and yeah.
So that's definitely a part of it. But you I put together the audition was it on?
Okay, so auditions for everyone that knows it's really changed since the pandemic. We used to always go in in person and read. Now there are two other ways to do it. We tape ourselves, have someone reading in our homes. Right, so you like your dog's barking in the background and you're trying to like you can't, yeah, chaotic, or you even do it on zoom, which is the most horrifying idea to me, which is on a computer on a laptop.
You have to really be in the moment with someone, which feels so awful. What was your first audition?
Well, so it's funny because and I remember I actually remember specifically Jennifer Garner saying this, and I remember being so greatly helped by her saying this because I saw I so highly regard her and I think she's so fantastic and she's clearly very successful. But I remember her saying to me, I've never gotten a job off of a tape, and I remember thinking, same girl, same like, I don't know what it knows about me, but like I don't. It's very hard to translate onto you know, these audition tapes that you put in and you don't get to have your personality. You have heuro human connection and so you're really just completely operating in a vacuum because.
Someone of that magic that happens for booking a job happens when you walk into the room, and it happens not when you're doing the scene, but you're chatting at them, and that's been taken away from actors.
Absolutely, absolutely, Like I couldn't agree with that more.
And the funny thing about this one was that for some reason, I actually can't even remember why, but I went in in person and it was a it was a casting office in the city, and I went in and this the reader was so generous and so kind and so much fun, and it was a lot of it was a lot of dialogue.
And also I think in order to really, you know, put everything into it, I memorize it so it's you don't even really want to have it in your hand. But then sometimes people will actually say that you should have it in your hand, so it still looks like a work in progress.
I always split the difference. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.
I think about that too, because what people don't realize is if you have your script in your hand, it kind of looks like him, I'm just working on this with you and if you take it out, maybe it looks like this is the only way I would do it. This is the scene right here. I don't take direction. It's it's solid.
This is my ten, this is giving my ten. We've hit the ceiling. This is as good as I get.
So yeah, The script in my hand meant I'm you know, maybe maybe I'm a donate and I'm open. Don't worry. I can get better, get better. I have not hit my ceiling. Yes, And we worked it and it was really fun.
And uh I walked away thinking, Okay.
I did everything I wanted to do, and I was and I was proud.
Did you have like shaky knees in the waiting room? I hate this shaw When you get the shakes, oh my.
Gosh, yeah yeah, yeah yeah.
And of course when you're holding the paper, that gets it to the holding the paper is the telltale giveaway when it's a shaking the paper, shaking papers.
Oh my god, you guys, I there's never really want to be an actor.
God, it's so vulnerable. There's nothing I got to tell you because you hate this.
Reactors all the time, like you know, Nicole Kimmen and other people, they really think that they still might get fired from jobs, Like we still have that insecurity as actors, that like, it doesn't matter if you're scholar Johanson or whoever.
You really don't know in the moment if you've got it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And then once you do, you know, as you and I both know from playing characters for so long, then you're afforded a luxury of knowing that you know the character.
You're playing more than anyone else.
Right. But but in the in this stage, you know, your version is just your version, so it's it's and then and then people see it and they either pick it or they don't. But anyways, I I really enjoyed it and I definitely felt like I gave it my all.
And then you kind of like, did you let it go? Able to let it go?
Oh?
I mean you try, but then you're you know, you're in. And I also remember early days, uh, when you first start acting, did you do this where you're like you call your agent like at the end of the day and you're like, it's any feedback.
Or you're kidding?
You don't still do that? I do that all?
I don't.
I don't why because a very wise person said to me unless you are unless your agent or your manager knows you really, really well, and the feedback they get is something that you need to know, like something that needs to eat, like that really really is resonant, like you really like you, like you need to know something. I don't even know what this would be, by the way, but like you need to know something about the way you audition.
Feedbacks all bullshit, like.
They're just giving you the reason you didn't get the job, but the real information is you didn't get the job. It doesn't matter why.
Yeah, it's so, I mean, it's true. I think I think what's hard for me is that when you're not in the room, there's you're taking your own.
Direction, right, like you're sort of like throwing.
The dice and hoping that like maybe this is in the zone of what they're wanting. And so my feedback is less like did I get it and more like do you need something else?
Because I can do it, you know, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, but I understand. Yeah, I'm I'm I'm always like feedback.
Yeah, feedback, what do I tell me? Tell me? Tell me? I know, I me something different, I can do something different. I can do it. All I can do it all.
You have a team, right, You've got managers and agents, and I have two agents that have I've been working with for the past one of them for I can't even put a number on it, but it's been a long time. And you know, they have to really believe in you because they're selling you for every single thing and you don't always get it. And they keep selling you and selling you and telling everyone why you're the best, next, best idea and all that stuff. And we've been together for such a such a minute, and it takes a lot of work on their part, and you know, we have this audition and we had this possibility. And when you get a phone call from any more than one of the people on your team, you know it's like good or bad news.
Yeah. If you're on a job and.
They both and like your team calls, you're like, you're.
Fucked, I'm something bad it's happening.
And if you don't have a job and they call on conference, you know it could.
Be good news.
Yes.
And when Harry and Jess called me, it was a Friday, which we always call our day. I don't know how it started, but we'd always connect on Fridays and they told me, and we were it was such a celebration and we've been together in it in the trenches, and they were so excited to call with the good news. And it was a reminder that you don't do anything alone, you know. I mean, I was there alone on the tape, but it took a lot of people to get me there. And I'm just so grateful for the teamwork that goes into all things.
Yeah, yeah, I feel like there is a whole team rooting, rooting for you, and you know, yeah, exactly what you just said, telling everyone you're the.
Most amazing thing and the reason why you're.
Right for the role, and yeah yeah, oh okay, So how long did it take before you actually knew that like you were the pick?
This one actually moves. Sometimes things can again, everything's different. Sometimes things move at a glacial pace for a bunch of different reasons that again had nothing to do with you, And sometimes things move really quickly. I feel very lucky because all jobs are different. Sometimes you're taking a huge leap of faith based on you know, you just really love a script or you really want to play a character, or a bunch of different things, and that can be very exciting and there's absolutely a time and place for doing that in a big way, and then something like this can come along where you're like, I adore Chris O'Donnell. I've been watching him for so long. I worked with him early days I was on when I was on the show called The Practice, he came and guest starred, by the way, the same year that in the same storyline as Patrick Dempsey, who guest starred on The Practice Child, I know, And and it was probably like the year or two before Patrick went on to to to Gray's. And then Chris ended up on Grays Don't Forget he played Finn. Yeah, oh forget?
Are you kidding me? I know?
Can you imagine how.
No, we have not talked about that. We'll have to catch up on that. Would it's like to have to come in and like be the other in a.
But you know what, he was a great other because some people.
Were team other I know.
So you know what, because he's just he's just so darn likable. Yeah, just something about him likable. Now, but on this show he plays your ex husband, I know, my husband.
Oh, your current husband, current husband, oh current husband, oh.
Yeah, current husband and family man. But he has his secrets.
That's what I read, and that's what I read in the announced because that's all I'm going to say past that.
Yeah, you can't, no, no, don't.
It's all going to be a mystery, yes, and that you know what, we get to share it with the Call It crew as we're allowed to talk about it, and that's so fun.
Yeah.
But just I mean, such incredible people being a part of it, right, like obviously Ryan Murphy who also, funnily enough, early early days, just out of college, I'm I'm, you know, auditioning for things. And one of the first shows that I auditioned for was one of his first shows called Popular Oh.
Yeah about high school and great show. People loved that show. Wow yeah, and he was so.
Great and I and I mean, we're uving both babies, and then Brad Foulchek producing it, and Tim Near and then Rashad Rasani's show running, and I.
Just, I mean just I couldn't. I could not be more excited. I think it's going to be.
I'm very very I'm just really excited.
Okay, So I have to tell you.
I posted yesterday on Instagram and I was like, but you know, obviously and uh in my.
Comments they go, you have posted this announcement before Jessica has, which.
I didn't realize because I was like, of course she's done, and it was like, no, you were out and about in the world yesterday and I had clearly a lot of time.
And I the second it came out, like you're number one fan.
Like frying, Lie, I love it. I love it well. You and I have been talking about it because of course I had.
I mean, obviously keep it secrets you knew, and so I honestly wanted it to come out more so that I could tell you that it came out.
Also because I was bugging you. I'm like, when can we When can I? Because you were like, don't tell anybody, and I couldn't. I know. I have this thing in my mind where I had this moment in my mind where sometimes ABC does these events right before the fall lineup or whenever, and all the shows walk the carpet and you see the Bachelor there, and I was like, oh my god, I'm going to be on the carpet for Grays and aatam.
I'm going to look over it literally makes me emotional.
I don't know why, and see you and you're going to be there for nine to one to one, and I'm just gonna I'm gonna point to.
You, yeah, and we're going to share some eye contact. This is I love you. You're in a different show, but I still love you.
I think the eye contacts gonna happen, but that you didn't include the part ride then run over to you.
Yes, I know.
And then I'm like, let's just do the rest of the press. Let's do the rest of the press line together.
Okay, I a double a double stages before.
For you know, promoting fall lineups.
I know, because listen if we got to go to upfronts together.
Again, dreamsh I mean dream Yeah. I love it. I love it. I love it. It was great and you know what, it was nice that I was announced and it was also.
What was the response, Well, I was gonna say social, the socials.
You know, I think Instagram probably, you know, in its ideation that the whole cell was like you can share with a ton of people instead of having to you know, text each person.
Right, So it did that yesterday.
It felt like a very big your phone was below it all cats.
Out and it was very you know, It's just it's such a great thing to hear from all sorts of people it and it really reveals for me it was such a warm hug because I can tell you now and I'm not even twenty four hours from it. But honestly, the messages that I've received have run the spectrum of.
Places and people in my life.
It was all good, and the girl and like the kids were excited for it to be out there.
And I always think, you know, you know that how I feel about this. I am.
I feel lucky enough to love my job. And part of the responsibility that I feel in that is that I when I have when I when I go to work, I try very hard to never say to them I have to go to work, right, I have to leave you and I and I really wish I didn't and all that not because I don't have to go to work, because yes, that is how you get bills paid.
You do have to go to work.
But I do love framing it for them in the sense that that I get to go to work. You know that I that I I thankfully have a profession that I'm excited about, and that going to work it's not always easy, but it's fulfilling and it serves a purpose. Again, it's not a volunteer job, right, there's an exchange of value and and that you go do that, and so I love that part of it for the kids, and it's all just it's kind of just been really great again less than twenty four hours.
But I'm very h Now.
Well, we had to we had to hop on here.
It was like an emergency shortened seet situation where.
Yes, yes, because you haven't been able to.
This is like your first sort of public conversation about it other than announce.
So I'm so glad that we get to share this with all you guys.
And I'm very excited to be working with Chris again. I can't talk about all the other exciting people too. But you know what you're gonna find out about him and you're gonna come visit me.
Right.
Is that a joke?
Okay?
I mean little we have family there. I love I love Nashville.
I told you the other city that I would love to move to at some point would be Nashville.
So listen, since it's ABC, I mean, is.
It such a stretch that Joe Wilson, Well, listen, I don't know.
I mean, if there's a hurricane and so you know, a tornado when they need someone to get sucked up there.
Yeah, maybe I've seen a crossover. A crossover I'm seeing all right, A little a little com mingling, yes, a little com mingle.
I will listen.
I'm gonna be there, whether I'm in a tornado or not, I will be there. I love you so much. I'm so glad we get to talk about this. I am. I can't believe your helping headline a new show and it's on ABC.
It feels like back in the family of everything.
And to get to see you back on our screens every week. You're wilcome everybody, explorgeous face. I mean I get to see her every week anyway, but I mean you guys all get to see her, and the show is going to be incredible. All those shows are so fun, and yeah, well deserves to new.
Things to spring in, new things to spring in.
New things. I love you. I love your support. You know what it's like.
And I truly feel like every time I have something that I fall in love with on some level and I call you about it, you just always believe in me when sometimes, oh I'm getting emotional, sometimes I don't believe in me yeah, or I think maybe you know, oh, it's going to go to someone else or this or that, and you always you always think it's going to be me.
And then when it is, and I call you and I explained why they were horribly wrong and why no one's going to watch that, why the ratings will tank and it'll get canceled, and I'm sorry about that, but you may.
So the wrong.
Goddamn joice.
This is why our friendship really works.
It works so.
Well, it's okay, it's meant to be.
I'm like, yeah, it's meant to be that the show gets canceled.
Yeah, there we go.
Okay, well, here we go on to this next really fun, exciting and promising chapter.
Okay, let's call it the end of the episode.
