January 29, 2024 • 61 mins
The gang talks to the final piece of the Kooshlings Commercial Club, and a memorable BMW guest star, when Larisa Oleynik joins the podcast in all her ‘90s glory.
A long time pal of Rider’s, Larisa played Shawn’s first love interest on Boy Meets World and, when she opens up her diary, it appears art imitated life.
Hear some unforgettable stories from Larisa’s time as Alex Mack, and from the set of “10 Things I Hate About You,” while one story about a limo ride with Danielle to the Mall of America brings back a wave of memories.
Also, you won’t believe who was her first kiss! Spoiler alert; we all saw it.
Find out more on the newest episode of Pod Meets World!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Recently, I saw a tweek by an American rapper named
d DG and I thought, this is this is I
want to know what will and writer think about this?
Would you rather know how you're going to die or
when you're going to die?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Oh, I'm happy knowing that I'm never going.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
To Now that's wonderful for you when that sounds miserable
for me.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
But yikes, all right, So if you know how you're
going to die, you can prepare for what you know
because if it's something awful, like you know, eaten by
a shark, okay, and you know that well, but you can't, right,
you can't avoid fake. That's that's part of the idea
stipulation here. So yeah, I guess you could prepare for
(01:09):
the how. I think i'd rather know how, because if
it was bad, I'd like to prepare for that so
I can like know that, oh I'm going to be
falling off a cliff and it's going to be those
are going to be the final moments and come to
peace with that. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
I don't know. I disagree. I think I'd want to
know when. Yeah, because a if it was something like
say a car accident, then every time you have such
a fear of being in a card, you know, whereas
if it's just when, then it's like I can prep
what I need to do, you know. I think of
was it Three Billboards where the worst.
Speaker 5 (01:46):
Movies I've ever seen in my entire life.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
But the way he did his last day where he
was just like he didn't let anyone know what was
going to be his last day, but he just had
moments with his wife, had moments with his kids, and
what he had to do.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
There's something about that where it's like I wouldn't.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
Tell anybody else, probably, but I'd make sure I'd have
moments with everybody that I wanted to have moments with,
but I wouldn't want to know how when.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Yeah, yeah, I think I would want to know when
for the same reason because I do think being a planner,
i'd want to know, Well, let's figure out what on
my quote unquote bucket list are really important and how
much time do I have to do those things? And
how can I maximize the amount of time, Like if
my number one thing is time with my children or
(02:34):
experiences with my children, I want to be able to
start doing those things immediately.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
And also I always.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Love when you hear a story of like somebody who
knew they were dying, they had a terminal illness or something,
and they actually plan something out, like for a letter
to be delivered later or a message left behind after.
And I think, Man, I hope when it's my time,
I feel decent enough, because that's this really truly the
(03:01):
worst part about when you're sick and you die is
that you don't feel good enough to experience those things
you know, like you think you're going to want to do,
like well, eat all the ice cream you want or
do all that, and it's like, but the truth is,
you don't feel.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Like you're not going to do any of that. Yeah, yeah,
you're not going to.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
Do any of those things. I'd want to do those
things while I still feel good.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
So you know that there are websites that you can
go plug in info and it'll tell you when you're
going to die, Like if like statistically you can get
the date and the year. I want to do this
because I don't know if you know, like exactly the
year like twenty sixty something or whatever. I guess let's
say forty years. No, that's not about you know, somewhere
(03:42):
somewhere between twenties sixty and twenty eighty. We're talking is
when we're gonna go.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
Right, right.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
So I was a heavy smoker and probably didn't take
care of myself.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
So I'd be lucky if I make it to my eighties.
So if that year you can go, you know, you
can start working backwards from that now and be like,
all right, have you seen speaking of that?
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Have you seen the It's one of my favorite things
in the world, and so something that I would do.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Have you seen the video?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
There is an.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Irish man who passed away, and right before he did,
he recorded his voice, so as they're lowering the casket
into the ground, it's his voice going, hey, let me out.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
It's dark in here. Oh come on, what are you
guys doing?
Speaker 4 (04:25):
You're just standing around and everybody's trying to mourn, but
they're laughing hysterically because it's actually his voice just going.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Why are you still loring me?
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Someone opened a.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Door like it was hysterically fun and he did it
on purpose, so that everybody's just laughing hysterically as they're
trying to be there where there's something so wonderful about that.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Yes, I do love that. I also I just was
thinking about the flip side of it. Let's say you
find out you're gonna die in ten years. That then
that year, just imagine every day you're like the morning,
he'd just be like, and every time you do anything
you cross the street, am I gonna.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
Make it a wor car?
Speaker 3 (05:08):
You'd have to know the exact moment, you know, like yeah,
because otherwise yeah, yeah. The same with how, like because yeah,
I think you guys are right if you knew just
the how and it was something like trying down the stairs?
How could you go through? How do you ever walk downstairs?
Speaker 4 (05:22):
But then isn't there isn't there the philosophical argument then
that you should live your life as if it's going
to be tomorrow anyway. So you're telling the people that
you love that you love them, you're not wasting the
time your you know, they say that nobody, you know,
nobody sat you know, was lying on their deathbed and
saying I wish I worked more, I wish I did
this date. It's always I wish I spent more time
in my family. I wish I told this person that
I love them.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
So all right, guys, let's quit the podcast and just
start telling our families.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
We love them well, we.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Can do both. This doesn't work. I love this, I
love it, and I love you both. I love you,
I love you guys.
Speaker 5 (05:54):
We love each other.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Don't diet be Today's.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Welcome to Pod Meets World.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
I'm Daniel Fishel, I'm Writer Strong, and I'm Wilfordell.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
If you've listened to Pod Meets World since episode one,
then you know there have been a handful of fellow
child actors whose names repeatedly pop up, from Jonathan Taylor
Thomas to writer's brother Shiloh to Andrew Keegan to Jason
Marsden to Genevan Oi. While some of you listeners grew
up amongst a high school clique, we had something kind
of similar, and one member of that crew, a lifelong
(06:42):
friend of writers, Larissa Olenik, was a vital mainstay. Larissa
began her acting career on stage in a San Francisco
based touring production of Le Mizerab, which should sound familiar
because it's also where a young baggy pants wearing former
rollerblader from Sebastopol started his journey to Hollywood as well,
(07:02):
and after running around a theater Willie Nilly and becoming besties,
with Writer, she'd travel between northern California and LA to
audition for TV and movies, where she'd eventually land a
role on Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman, and the rest is history.
She'd turned parts in The Babysitters Club and all that
into iconic titular role on the Secret World of Alex Mack,
and soon after she'd be sharing the screen with a
(07:24):
young Heath Ledger in the classic Ten Things I Hate
About You. She was more recently seen with her own
story arc in a little show called mad Men, and
return to Family TV for Netflix's Aaron and Aaron in
twenty twenty three. But today none of that is important
because we are focusing on her time as Sean's first
love interest Dana Pruitt on the TGIF family sitcom Boy
(07:47):
Meets World for season three's The Heart Is a Lonely
Hunter and Stormy Weather, and an eventual return for season five.
So welcome to the podcast. Writer Strong's Bay Area boyhood, Bosom, Buddy, Larisso, Lene.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
A lot of bees, very literative, very literative literation it.
Speaker 6 (08:10):
Boy Meets World hat, You have a I don't have
a Boy Meets World hat?
Speaker 5 (08:16):
Unbelievable? Was that the cast and Kruegift for season three.
Speaker 7 (08:21):
I don't know you.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
I'm so jealous you.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
Have that hat. I love awesome. That's so cool.
Speaker 6 (08:30):
Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Hi, we have heard so much about lame Is on
the podcast and the important role that it played in
both of your lives. So I want to know what
was nine lesbian Ryder strong.
Speaker 5 (08:49):
Boy meets World hat and.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Stole it?
Speaker 5 (08:53):
I hope you.
Speaker 7 (08:54):
Stole it shield me from how vulnerable this is probably
about to get. Nine year old writers strong? Was? I think?
Where are you right now? Writer?
Speaker 3 (09:06):
I'm in my parents' house. Yeah, so I'm in the
I'm in where my grandmother lives. So I'm in the studio,
the guest house. So this is like the first window
that the house is that way.
Speaker 7 (09:17):
Yeah. Daniel's question was, what was nine year old writer
strong like?
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (09:23):
What was nine year old thesbian rider strong?
Speaker 7 (09:26):
Like?
Speaker 5 (09:26):
Did you guys become instant friends?
Speaker 7 (09:30):
I don't. I mean the four of us were pretty
inseparable because you know, two girls, two boys around the
same age. It was all of our I believe, like
first big things.
Speaker 5 (09:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (09:46):
I got the job because my godparents on ad in
a newspaper, right, and I was like this sounds cool,
let's go do this. So I think even I don't
know Danielle, we can relate on that. I found my journal,
Oh no, with me were in my storage unit because
(10:07):
I just moved out of my mom I just moved
out of the house that I've been in, like similarly
to the Shire, the house that I've been in my
entire life that houses all the artifacts. So we just
moved out of there, and I think it ended up
in storage. But I definitely found my journal from when
I was eight years old. I was I also had
a very large crush.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Everyone with right, just a crush strong. You happen to
have known no, no, not when when we were on
when we were doing Late Miz. Yes, I guess so
you remember me.
Speaker 7 (10:42):
Like forcing you to hold my hand.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Yes, let's jump in. I feel like there were moments,
there were times when like we we all, like I remember,
we would all like admit that we had crushes on
each other. Like there was a moment where like Sabrina
and I we were both and I had a crush
on each other, and then that changed. So I feel
like it was just kids stuff. Yeah, we were nine
ten and.
Speaker 7 (11:04):
This was this was this is what I found in
the journal that everything was like today, I gave Writer
a handful of Eminem's and he didn't say thank you.
But when Sabrina also very very close, I like she
(11:25):
and our Instagram friends, Writer like she also like seems
exactly the same to me, like, you know, we're just
we're not like having a conversation, but like we're in touch.
But yeah, she and I were also very close, but
like I just I feel like I pretty much just
spent that entire time pining in desperately.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Were you also randomly in love with a guy named
Dave or David? That's what we found out in Danielle's journal.
I loved and David and I.
Speaker 7 (11:55):
Didn't know David was You don't know what it was.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
I did, but now I realized it was David Letterman,
I was a weirdo. Let's not go into my journal.
So this is about you. It's about all about that.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Very similarly, though, you did not hate Sabrina because I
did not hate Rachel. I was like, man, Rachel's so cool,
and Writer loves her so much.
Speaker 7 (12:25):
I can hate Rachel. You're like Rachel, She's got the
coolest style, she's so ready. I know I spent I spent.
I feel like I spent the majority of Leman's and
years afterwards just being like there he is never to
be mine. Narrative like that I have sort of like
(12:48):
continue to slap myself into in various different circumstances in
my life.
Speaker 5 (12:53):
Did you know he had a pony, Susie the pony?
Speaker 7 (12:56):
I don't remember. Okay, remember a lot of but I
don't remember. I don't remember the pony.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Did he ever give you.
Speaker 5 (13:03):
A white rose?
Speaker 7 (13:05):
No?
Speaker 5 (13:06):
Okay, all right, just these are just things I needed
to know.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Well, he's basically married by the time he was twelve, when.
Speaker 7 (13:13):
I'm so curious because you seem warmed up.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
How I want to talk about nine year old Larissa
because I feel like, let's let's see, she was amazing.
She was so talented, like and I remember like that
was that was the thing about doing le Midis at
that age, is like you knew which kids had something,
and like Larissa like immediately was just amazing, a great singer,
(13:40):
a good actor. And then like, yeah we stayed in touch.
Was it did you start going to Bruce's class like
right away? Or like how did we keep acting around
it because I remember then going to doing acting class
with you somewhere and being like, oh, God, Larissa's amazing,
like so talented. And then yeah, I did know that.
Speaker 7 (13:59):
I mean that wasn't I mean, I certainly didn't well think,
I mean, I guess, thank you, but same like I
always I always knew writer was good. Like it's just something.
It's so funny that even at that age, I'm like, oh,
that kid's good. And then yeah, when we were in class,
I think I just followed. I think my mom and
I just followed you and your mom wherever you guys went.
(14:22):
Basically I was like, oh, you're going to this class,
we'll go to that class. Or you have this agent, now,
we'll have that agent.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Yeah, well that's what I felt like. We were on
this journey together. Yeah, it was like our parents were
helping each other and like navigate this crazy thing. Like yeah,
and I remember when my mom broke her leg, like
your mom basically took care of her for six weeks
at the open Oh, we were like cause we were
like this little northern California crew of like actors, and
we like no one knew what we were doing, like
(14:46):
our parents like in retrospect, it's insane how much they
took on. And so like we were each other's family,
like going down to LA and like doing this thing,
and like there was this constant check in of like
are the kids okay? You okay? You know, and but
a lot but that came from also, like I know,
like for me, Larissa stood out as somebody because there's
a lot of kids doing this who you would watch
(15:07):
an acting class and be like, Okay, well you're doing
this because your mom wants you to or your dad
you know, maybe there's not an animating talent here or something,
Whereas like with Larissa, that was not the case. It
was like, oh, this is a real actor, and this
is somebody who's going to be doing this for the
rest of their lives. And like, I don't know, I
think we found that in each other, and our parents
found each other, and like it was just such a supportive,
(15:29):
amazing friendship to have moving into LA.
Speaker 7 (15:33):
I think our mom's just talked on the phone very recently.
Speaker 5 (15:35):
Writer.
Speaker 7 (15:36):
Yeah, It's like they were definitely like each other as
touchstones for sure. Like I remember that about Marla specifically too,
that I was just like.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Yes, another NorCal so talented.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
So Writer's family they help you get set up with
an agent, and that's obviously pretty easy because, like Writer mentioned,
you're an incredible talent. So you get an agent and
then you book the lead in the Secret World of
Alex Mack and you're just twelve years old. Were you
then intimidated being the lead in a show at such
a young age?
Speaker 7 (16:12):
I mean, the funny thing about that is that, like
we've been coming down for pilot season for at least
two I think I booked Alex Mack when it was
the August version of pilot season, so probably two and
a half years at that point, which like two and
a half years from nine.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
To Yeah, you're burnt out, washed up already. You're like,
why hasn't this happened yet?
Speaker 8 (16:34):
Right, this is what I said, you.
Speaker 7 (16:36):
Already you'd already gotten Women's World yep, and like other
people's careers were taking off, I did not get the
part of Tapanga.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Oh you auditioned, You auditioned for Topanga?
Speaker 7 (16:51):
Why did not? I did not make it very far,
but I think I got a callback and that was
one of those that I was just in the backseat
of the car with my mom just like shoveling ice creaming,
like it's over.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
I got a call back and I didn't.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Oh man, but you got the part. You got the part,
kid got the part.
Speaker 7 (17:17):
But yeah, I know, I remember, like I remember all
of the heartbreak sort of leading up to it, or
really just the sense of like it's just the math
of it all, which I think I still do where
it's like, you know, I'm like, well, it's been a
second since I've booked something. It's either completely done for
me or something's around the corner. And that was sort
of like how I went into that whole experience, and
(17:39):
I think I was at that point in my career
as a twelve year old. I think I was sort
of ready to call it and I got the show.
But then, you know, as Natanya mentioned on her I've
listened to a lot of the episodes. Guys. It's been
(17:59):
incredible therapeutic, let me tell you. There there was a
big gap in between us doing the pilot and doing
the first season. I think about a year at least,
and there was a lot of shuffling. So I think
with all of that, it just the reality of it
didn't really sink in. Honestly, it was just kind of like, Okay,
(18:20):
we're shooting the pilot. We'll see if you get called
back for the first season. We'll see if the first
season does anything, we'll see. So I don't know. I
don't know that I felt that the pressure of being
the lead on a show until maybe later after we
started doing press and stuff, and yeah, I think at
(18:42):
that point I was just sort of in the routine
of it, in the routine of like cautiously optimistic but
preparing for the worst, like, well, maybe I'll just go
back to school. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Can anybody think of any other career ever where you can.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Be and like, I think I'm done with this at twelve,
But it is it's like it's maybe, yeah, maybe, like
if it's something, if you're some sort of athletics, gymnastics,
something like that. But to be in some kind of
lifestyle where you are eleven or twelve, you're in the
routine of I'm going to another audition.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
No, oh God, more disappointment and even more agonizing than sports,
because in sports there's measurable, quantifiable level like measures of success,
like you can run faster than anybody, You've won so
many games, whereas with acting, you could be slamming your
head against the wall and have no talent, no ability
to book jobs, no way about. You'll keep you have
the passion, you keep trying it. So you're also constantly looking,
(19:41):
So you're seeking evidence of whether this is the right
choice or not, some sort of validation, some validation something.
Your parents are, you know, looking for that validation too,
because they're committing their time and money and energy towards
Oh my god, like you know, so, yeah, it does,
it's it's it's a it's an incredibly strange pressure to
have as a teenager.
Speaker 4 (19:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (19:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Do you remember though, where you were when you found
out you got the role? No, so you were by
that time you were already like, well I booked a job.
Speaker 5 (20:10):
But we'll see how this goes.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Yeah, I mean I don't.
Speaker 7 (20:13):
I mean, I don't know if it was that extreme necessarily,
but you know, honestly, if we if we really want
to talk about it, there probably was some sort of
like protective mechanism in me that like, you know, either
knew not to get too excited because it might be disappointed,
but maybe even more was like, oh your life might
(20:38):
change and better to you know, dip like ease into
the water slowly, and you know, I think that maybe
there was some some sort of intuition of like, oh,
things are not going to be the same after this,
(20:58):
and you know, best to what's the word not burn out? Maybe?
Speaker 1 (21:10):
You know, were your parents celebrating this for you? Was
anybody in your life.
Speaker 5 (21:15):
Like the Wills and this Judy Savage?
Speaker 7 (21:20):
We all we loved Judy so much. Yeah? No, my
I mean I know both you know I Will. Are
both your parents lawyers?
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Or yeah?
Speaker 7 (21:30):
With my parents are medicine, So they're just kind of like, Okay,
what is this thing that you're doing. I really have
no concept of what was actually happening until it completely.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Started to ramp up, right, and then when it did
completely ramp up, were you then very excited about being
the face of a hit show or did you What
were your feelings then?
Speaker 7 (21:55):
I honestly was really excited to get invited to Nickelodeon's stuff,
because I think that started happening before we even aired,
and so I got to go. I remember flying to
New York, I mean maybe for the first time for
remember when we did upfronts. I think I did up
Fronts and I can't remember if the kids from all that.
(22:20):
I don't know if all that was on yet, but
like they were definitely a part of my whole Nickelodeon experience.
But Melissa was definitely there. And I've talked about this before.
I was like so excited to meet Melissa and like
the shirt that she was wearing. I was like, ah,
I have that same shirt from Express or what. She
was just that much older than me that I at
(22:41):
that particular age that I was just like, oh my god.
I looked up to her so much, and I think,
you know, obvious, it's very clear that like our show
would not have been successful had they not come first.
So I think once that stuff started to happen, it
sunk in.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
I don't know, I just went to work.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
Yeah, there's something so magical when you were a kid
about working for Nickelodeon, because I think I was eleven
when I got my Nickelodeon show, and there is you
like you're going to the studio. You're like you're going
to the offices and everything's bright, and there was something
so cool about that.
Speaker 7 (23:15):
The offices in New York were so fun. Everywhere I
went I got Nickelodeon product, I had like back and
slime and floam. I think was a thing like all
this stuff. And actually I did find some of those
things at my mom's house too, and I was like,
these have disintegrated. It's time. There are certain things that
you're like, this does not feel good to the.
Speaker 4 (23:36):
Touch to this is probably toxic, this is right, this
is officially burning my back.
Speaker 7 (23:42):
That element of it. I was like, I just I
think I honestly was just overwhelmed. And then, like I'm saying,
we just went to work. And I think, talking again
about le Miss, that was really the thing that for
me clicked in more than anything as a as a kid.
Because I listen, I will say for myself, I was
not naturally good at this. I decided at a certain
(24:03):
point to be good at this because I liked the experience.
I mean, sure I have some natural whatever, but like,
I liked the experience of it so much. I liked
the family that we made so much, like the fact
that writer and I were still in touch. I'm still
in touch with a lot of people friendly Miss, and
that was the aspect of it. And I remember a writer,
I went back and I was so thrilled to go
(24:25):
back and be with my family and so that's that's
always been And with Alex Mack too. We were filming
it in Valencia. We weren't filming it on a on
a h at the studio. We were we were sort
of separated, and so that that was really the part
that that just becomes your world. And so I mean,
I mean, I love going to work. So I've always
(24:45):
loved that part of it for sure, and known how
special that part is, especially as an only child, like
I just I need I need those people in my life.
Speaker 5 (24:58):
I have a very weird questionquestion I wanted to ask.
Speaker 7 (25:01):
Let's get weird.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
Recently, the actress Alison Mack, who was a child actor
and was most notably on Smallville, was jailed for her
role in a cult. And every time it comes up
in my head, I have to separate the difference between
Alex Mack and Alison Mack.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Same.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
Does that happen to you?
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Do people come up to you and say, like, tell
me about the woman with the cult and You're like, sorry,
what you're talking about?
Speaker 3 (25:32):
No, that has not.
Speaker 7 (25:33):
That's really funny. That has not since you know, in
light of recent events, No, no one has asked me
about that. I actually, I mean you know Alison and
I knew each other.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Yeah, you guys didn't know Alison will think so. Oh
I knew Alison was a young actors space. She was
so talented. I mean I just I was in love
with her. I was in love with her. It just
had such a cross on it. Pre this is pretty Smallville,
but yeah, we used to. She was so talented and
such a cool person too.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (26:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
When I heard all that, I was like, whoa, whoa.
I know, talk to her for twenty years and look
what happened.
Speaker 7 (26:07):
Actually the funny, but not the funny. I mean, I
don't know, I don't want it.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
Were you almost in the cult?
Speaker 7 (26:16):
Actually, I will tell a story that Diane, when I
was meeting with her to potentially have her be my manager,
she was like, this is before Alex Mack and she goes,
she goes, you know, you and Allison are just too similar.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Oh interesting, Yeah, I can see that.
Speaker 7 (26:33):
And so that's why she didn't was good managing. That's
like a I mean, how respects that's to be respected that.
She was just like, you guys are going to go
in for the same things. I'm already invested in her.
Speaker 5 (26:44):
And I'm interested she might take you on now.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Yeah, A good time to love to see.
Speaker 7 (26:49):
I would love to see her.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
I saw her two months ago. Yeah, we had the
reunion of the Young Actor's Space where you and Diana
and Judy were there and I got to sit and
sit with both of them and talk for a while.
Speaker 7 (27:00):
And an Angie too, Angie Angie Ellen right or I
can't remember. She messaged me on Instagram, but yeah, yeah,
I remember.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
Everybody was crazy.
Speaker 7 (27:10):
She was one of my teachers. Yeah, I was in
New York. I was so bummed I missed that.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
But well, so then Ten Things I Hate About You
comes along, and that movie, though released in nineteen ninety nine,
seems just as popular today with a whole new generation
of people.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
What do you think has made it so timeless? Uh?
Speaker 7 (27:30):
Listen, the writing is really good. Yeah, you know, it's
it's Keween Karen, who went on to write Legally Blonde
and The House Funny and a million other things like
they are awesome and the script was awesome, And you know,
that was a time. I don't think that I was
in a position to be super choosy, but there were
(27:53):
a lot of teen scripts sort of coming my way,
and that was the one that I just latched onto.
I was like, I became. I was just like no,
I would will not take no for an answer, And
I went in for both characters for a really long time,
up until the bitter end, when they were just like, okay,
we've decided that, like we're pushing you for Bianca. And
(28:14):
I met Julia and she and I read together, and
I was like, ah, yes, yes, yes, this fits, this fits,
even though well whatever. I just remember when I got
to said I had like pink in my hair, and
I was like, see, I told you I was punk
rock and they were like, we have to bleach that out.
Thanks so much, you're still show I forget we can
talk about hair hair, yes, And I think, you know,
(28:36):
that's another example of we all really got along. We
all really got along, and we were you know, it
was a different time. No one was on their phone,
like that didn't exist. We were in a hotel first
and Tacoma and then in Seattle, and it was summer.
Joe and Julia and I were all seventeen.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (29:00):
You know, it was a magical, magical time. Uh. And
we were all for the most part, like very invested
in what we were doing and honestly, I watched that
movie again recently, and aside from a few things that
do not age well, but it really does, I was
blown away by how much I enjoyed it. I knew
(29:22):
that I enjoyed it, like personally nostalgically, but I just
I really enjoyed the whole experience of watching it.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Did Gill direct that?
Speaker 8 (29:30):
That?
Speaker 7 (29:30):
Was?
Speaker 4 (29:30):
Was that?
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Gilly Younger? It was, Okay, I bought his car.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
It's not so strange the world, Gilly?
Speaker 3 (29:39):
What did you work with him on?
Speaker 6 (29:39):
He was?
Speaker 3 (29:40):
He was directing an episode of TV that you were in. Yeah,
he did? Was it?
Speaker 2 (29:45):
It might have been Go Fish, I can't remember.
Speaker 4 (29:48):
He did a show after and he pulled up in
this car and I was like, I need, I need
to buy your car. And it was it was the
it was the.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
Yeah, it was yeah, but it was.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
He pulled up and since the time I was a
little kid, I wanted a green Ferrari convertible and I've
never seen one. And he pulled up and parked it
right in front of me. It's like, I need your car,
and we just yeah. It was like a week later,
let me.
Speaker 8 (30:10):
Get rid of it.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
Yeah, And then I had it until twenty twenty.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
I saw it right before the pandem.
Speaker 5 (30:17):
I want to ask you a Heath Ledger question.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Did he always feel like just a special different actor?
Speaker 7 (30:27):
I try not to tell. I try not to talk
about Heath too much anecdotally because that is or because
it is very real. Yeah, sure, that particular loss like
(30:48):
collectively and also anyway, yeah, short answer, yes, like there's
there's some people sparkle.
Speaker 5 (30:59):
Yeah, yeah, he was a sparkler for sure.
Speaker 7 (31:02):
I just remember. I'll I'm like I said, I but
I do you remember the first time I met him?
He like ordered me dessert and I was like, okay,
and then I was like it was something like you
like push it across the tab and was like I
thought you'd like it.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
And I was like, yeah, I do need this Sunday.
Speaker 5 (31:27):
It's so sweet. So let's chat Boy meets World.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
Were you a fan of the show at all before
you came on? I mean, obviously you writer, but did
you can you watch the show?
Speaker 7 (31:51):
Yes, it was a big deal. I feel like we
would gather. I feel like we would gather and watch
it or maybe I don't know, writer, if you were
even a part of that, but the rest of us,
would it was a big deal. It was a big deal.
Uh yeah, and I was I was a big fan
of the show, and it felt it was a big
deal for me to be on the show. And I
don't I was trying to remember. I don't remember auditioning.
(32:14):
I'm not quite sure how that worked out.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
I don't you must have had you visited the set
before you worked on the show, I mean a taping. Yeah,
you must have come to a taping. But I feel
like I feel like our writers and Michael in particular,
must have known who you were. I'm sure, like I
wonder if they just offered this part to you, because
it was like, oh, you already had your own show
on Nickelodeon and we knew each other. Yeah that's amazing.
(32:40):
Yeah yeah.
Speaker 7 (32:43):
You know. There's very few jobs that I've gotten with
on auditioning, but I really wonder if this was one
of those. I mean, Barbie and Sally would probably know
oh yeah, uh yeah, but I do. It was I'm
just thinking and looking at my hair. I was like, oh,
I think that must have been like second season of
Alex Mack, so that would have already been happening and
(33:06):
probably been like mildly successful at that point, I.
Speaker 3 (33:08):
Bet you they wrote either wrote this part for you
or yeah, or is a straight offer after they wrote
the part.
Speaker 5 (33:13):
And they were yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Well, now in light of the journal finding, this question
is even more interesting. What was it like then playing
Sean's first girlfriend, writer's first girlfriend on the show and
you kind of constant makeout partner?
Speaker 5 (33:31):
What was that like for you?
Speaker 7 (33:34):
Ryer? Have we talked about this?
Speaker 3 (33:37):
No, I don't think so. Are you serious? Was it ever?
Speaker 7 (33:44):
Ever?
Speaker 3 (33:45):
You kissed me during rehearsal though I remember, but I
remember during rehearsal you just went for it, and I
was like, Oh, we're going to be kissing during better
Oh my god. You seem so confident to me. I
was like, oh, I guess we're doing this like okay,
And we were tired, so.
Speaker 7 (34:01):
I can't even tell you that I knew this was
like I mean, and I hadn't watched the episode in
forever and I went back in just like, oh god,
oh god. And it's been a couple of months I've
had But yeah, no, all I remember about that entire
experience of the first episode at least was I mean,
because I, like I said, it was between first and
second season. Since Alex mac I was fourteen or fifteen,
(34:22):
but I was a very very very young, fourteen fifteen
year old. I was a very late bloomer. And then
you know, once thing sped up, they really sped up.
But at that point in my life, like I was,
I was a kid.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
Yeah, yeah, you were definitely, and I remember you were.
You were more sheltered, you know, than like me. Like
I remember like me and my brother were way more
advanced in certain areas, and I remember you and your
mom were like, no, no, no, I did.
Speaker 7 (34:47):
Exactly what my mother told me to do.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
A good way.
Speaker 7 (34:52):
And I was like until I wasn't. And then you know, subsequently,
like all exploded at this certain age.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (35:02):
I think it's healthier too. It's just sort of.
Speaker 3 (35:06):
A little bit. But yeah, that's crazy. That was your
first kiss, you you because I remember sitting at the
rehearsal being like, this is gonna be weird because it's Larissa,
you know, and we like went to hold hands for
the rehearsal, and then you just right in for the kiss,
and it was I was like, oh, this this is fine, great, Okay,
we're going to be kissing, I know, but you were
you seemed so confident to me, I thought like, oh wow,
(35:27):
she is such a like consummate actor, she just wants
to do it, and like, yeah, that's son.
Speaker 7 (35:33):
No wow. Shot freaked out the entirety because I don't
think we did it until the run through.
Speaker 3 (35:41):
Okay, So I just remember you. I just remember not
expecting you to actually kiss me, and then you kissed
me and being like, oh wow, I didn't.
Speaker 7 (35:48):
Know you guys have talked about there was no intimate
intimacy coordinator. I'm sure like mccrapan did his best, but yeah,
there was no one sort of talking us through it.
And I think for me at that age, I was
just like I didn't want to look like I didn't
know what I was doing. I'm like, oh my god,
I had no idea what I could see. So I
(36:09):
just went like one hundred and fifty. Instead, I was like,
I'm just going to commit. I'm just going to commit,
and then it was fine, and then it was fine
once we got over it. But I do remember, I mean,
leading up to that first run through, and of course
we're all in school together, and I'm like, how am
I supposed to do school? Right now?
Speaker 1 (36:26):
I can't think about anything except writer's tongue, and.
Speaker 7 (36:30):
Then it's like and then there's nothing worse than just
like sitting, like driving back to the apartment or hotel,
probably like with my mom, just like my mom threw
Both our moms were there. Both our moms were definitely there.
Speaker 8 (36:45):
Wowses, and the men, middle aged men in their hands
and pencil looking at you, going hmm, is.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
This going to work?
Speaker 6 (37:03):
But you have your first kiss on film, you have
your first kiss ever, it's kind of like you can
kind of watch your whole first that it would have been.
I'm saying, like the first week though, it's like that's
crazy for you.
Speaker 5 (37:14):
Great, Well, what other memories do you have on set?
Speaker 3 (37:18):
Do you make the trauma? Okay, guys, let's just laugh
about it.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
What memories?
Speaker 1 (37:25):
What other memories do you have of being on set?
Because then you were on set with us for several weeks.
Once the awkwardness of the first kisses out of the way,
then it has to just be more fun, right.
Speaker 7 (37:36):
Once all of that, once all of that was out
of the way, I remember having I just remember having
a great time. I Mean, it's funny the way that
you guys talk about or y'all talk about your experience
on the show. It's sort of like not feeling like
you were cool or not feeling like it was the
cool show. Like to me, it was the cool show.
(37:58):
And I, you know, I also was like I was like,
I'm going to get in there. I'm gonna, I'm gonna,
I'm gonna flex them acting like the scene. I'm like, okay,
so it's so good.
Speaker 3 (38:15):
Good, it's fine?
Speaker 7 (38:17):
Or no, you mentioned too ready, you mentioned the hand acting.
I noticed almost like behind the ear acting.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
Yeah, well, I could feel you and I we were
loving every moment and I could feel us. I could
feel watching it back. It was like I could feel
us just loving the like drama and the like awkwardness
and like leaning into the like let's make this as
natural as possible and like and so it just ends
up being a lot of looking at our hands and
rubbing our hands. It's but it's great. I mean, you know,
(38:45):
I'd rather that than like very polished that comback. Like
I could tell that we are two young actors who,
you know, like thought thought we should be on My
so called life were disappointed as boy meets World.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
Yeah, who had probably done my so called life scene
my so.
Speaker 7 (39:02):
Called life impersonations. I think like the second season of
Alex Mac, I did it through all of that as well,
like my best so fun, my best approximation of clar
days And but that's fine, you know, like it's the
only way I've sort of been able to keep going
as is that I can look back on stuff like
that and be like, well, I was just in process.
(39:23):
It was just I was just figuring it out. And
it usually is like the scene that you're like this
is it that ends up kind of being like, oh,
that's cute, that that's how you did it, and then
the one that you kind of throw away, it's like
then there's like at the next episode, I can see
as having a lot more fun to get so much
relationship they like each other.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
Yes, I wish there had been more episodes of that,
like just being you know, partners together like in in
situations that are funny. Yeah, I felt I had.
Speaker 7 (39:53):
A blast with you guys. I mean I just remember that.
I remember that part very I was like, oh, here
we are, here, we are.
Speaker 3 (40:02):
Now.
Speaker 4 (40:03):
I have a question, did you know when when you
got Boy Meets World that it was going to be
multiple episodes or was it supposed to just be a
one off.
Speaker 7 (40:09):
I think it was the I think it was always
the two together. Okay, then the one that they.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
Brought everybody back, right and.
Speaker 7 (40:18):
And lindsay back for that, I think, I mean, I
don't think that was ever on anyone's agenda, But I
think it was always the first two together because as
you guys I listened last night, as you mentioned, like
there is there's a significant amount of continuity between the two.
So yeah, yeah, they must have always been coupled.
Speaker 1 (40:35):
Yeah, I think they I think that was always a plan.
And by that time that you were now had done
a couple of episodes, we were all pretty close.
Speaker 5 (40:42):
Larissa. I have a great picture of you and I
in a limo.
Speaker 1 (40:46):
And I'm wearing a hard rock cafe leather jacket and
you have on a great striped sweater, and I have
no idea where we were going.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
Probably the Kid's Choice Awards, because Kids Choice were every year.
Would have like I remember, Liverisa, you and I presented
at the Nickeload and Kids Choice Awards. I did it
in roller blades. It's like roller blades and you jeans. Yeah,
remember you don't. We can probably find it online, but
I'm pretty sure you and I are at the podium
together and you're like, yeah, and but anyway, that was
(41:17):
something we would have been picked up in a limo
for if we were all going.
Speaker 4 (41:20):
To the Choice.
Speaker 5 (41:21):
I wonder that's what Oh well, I mean.
Speaker 3 (41:26):
Do you think, oh we got to talk about We haven't.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
Even talked about.
Speaker 1 (41:33):
It's at night though, And where would we have where
would they have picked us up from?
Speaker 7 (41:36):
Like, do you know what it might have been? Do
you remember that we did that slumber party together at
the Great Mall?
Speaker 1 (41:41):
Yes, it was the slumber party at the Great Mall.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
You guys did a slumber party. It's a great mall.
What's the great you put together?
Speaker 5 (41:50):
The Great Mall of America.
Speaker 3 (41:52):
In Minnesota and Minnesota they flew you guys out to Minnesota.
Speaker 7 (41:56):
Yes, it was one of those things. Well, and that
this could also be like a Judy thing, because I
was asking my mom about it recently and she was like, oh, yeah,
I remember that it was something like they had approached
me about it, and I was like, I was like,
this doesn't sound like something that would be fun to
do on my own.
Speaker 5 (42:12):
Won't bring us end?
Speaker 7 (42:14):
What if Danielle came along too? You know, I'm just
like I'm like, you can get.
Speaker 3 (42:22):
Two of us.
Speaker 7 (42:24):
Also, we'll have a much better time totally.
Speaker 3 (42:28):
So what did you guys do sleep on the floor
in what was us? Did you sleep on the floor
in the mall?
Speaker 1 (42:34):
We just went and like I feel like we just
had a slumber party. We visited the slumber party.
Speaker 7 (42:39):
Yeah, we like brought some wars or something like that
and there Q and so odd.
Speaker 3 (42:45):
It sounds so weird.
Speaker 7 (42:50):
I feel like that might have been a limo situation
because they know you're.
Speaker 1 (42:53):
Right, because it's it's also like a bunch of pictures
and which could have very well been that we were
somewhere local and my mom decided to use this as
an opportunity for a little photo shoot for us. But
it does feel very much like a photo shoot you
have when you're on a trip, like you're in a
different location, Like we should commemorate this look at us
in a limo in Minnesota at.
Speaker 5 (43:14):
The Great Mall.
Speaker 1 (43:14):
That is exactly what it was, for sure. And let's
please talk about our Kushling's commercial.
Speaker 7 (43:21):
And memories that they made about our lives just after
hanging out, like.
Speaker 3 (43:28):
When you walked into her dressing room and had that conversation.
It's just totally natural, just.
Speaker 7 (43:33):
Happen to be care with there.
Speaker 1 (43:34):
Do you remember about that experience, because I have I
have a surprisingly kind of a lot of memories, and
none of them are of actually really filming it. They're
of all the stuff like gearing up for filming it.
Do you remember looking at the storyboard, like when they
showed us the storyboard.
Speaker 7 (43:51):
I do remember all of us just kind of being like, oh.
Speaker 3 (43:54):
Oh, I am this is what today is going to
be these days.
Speaker 7 (44:02):
But again, like you know, the fact that we were
in it together. I was just like, thank.
Speaker 3 (44:08):
God, yes, like you know, nothing God.
Speaker 7 (44:11):
I mean, not that it was so listen, it wasn't
so embarrassing. I mean, it's just we're teenagers, you know,
just were teenagers.
Speaker 5 (44:18):
Like feeling uncomfortable.
Speaker 7 (44:20):
Yeah, we're being awkward already, and it was just like, okay,
so we're going to commit to this thing. But at
least it was, you know, the three of us in
it together. And yeh, that's not what I remember. And
actually I have to say this last show that I
just worked on, our set decorator came up to me,
went in she was like, oh my gosh, my boyfriend
(44:41):
and I found this video of this commercial and I
was like, oh god, I know, so embarrassing. And she
was like, what was embarrassing about it? And I was like,
I don't know, it's just so cheesy, and she was like, honestly,
it was just really nice to see the three of
you together. And I was like, noted, no, note.
Speaker 5 (44:58):
You know, and I do.
Speaker 1 (44:59):
It's it's nice because the three of us are obviously
friends in the commercial.
Speaker 5 (45:02):
But you're right that, like my overwhelming.
Speaker 1 (45:04):
Memory of the thing is just that the three of
us looked at each other and we all shared the
same sentiment, which.
Speaker 5 (45:10):
Is like, this is so fun together.
Speaker 1 (45:13):
Here we are doing this together, and I'm happy that
we're here together and we're doing this.
Speaker 3 (45:29):
Do you remember, Larissa, you and I were you know,
national ambassadors for the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, which
was like this huge Washington push for They were trying
to pass some legislation, you know, some anti tobacco legislation.
So there was this it was this giant it was
like hundreds of millions of dollars dollars funneled into this campaign,
(45:50):
and we were like the national ambassadors and they flew
us to d C. We had like give speeches and
be part of that.
Speaker 7 (46:00):
I was available, I shouldn't have been asked to be
a part of it. That's the photo that I sent you, writer.
I feel like that's from one of those. I sent
it to you, like a couple years ago, because they
were asking something for press for another show and I
was like, I was like, oh, I have this because
I sent it to you for approval. I was like, hey,
remember when I was Gwen Stefani and you were a
(46:22):
beat poet the writer with like full goate. I think
I said it, but I think that was from one
of those.
Speaker 4 (46:31):
So you were in costume and writer was writer. Do
you guys do wait to Danielle? Do you do you
guys know that Larissa and I actually did a show.
We did a pilot together after Boy Meets World with Jeff.
Jeff Sherman wrote it, Jeff McCracken directed it, and Alex
(46:54):
Daysier was in it too.
Speaker 3 (46:55):
Oh that's right, you did mention that and it was
shot at.
Speaker 7 (46:58):
My house, right, because that was the only way we
could get you to do it, was.
Speaker 5 (47:02):
That what it was that would make sense because at.
Speaker 3 (47:05):
The time, at that time, that totally makes sense.
Speaker 4 (47:07):
That's the only way I could do it is I
guess we have to shoot it here year was it.
Speaker 7 (47:11):
I'm not making they wouldn't be clear. I'm not making
light of that. I just I was like, I just.
Speaker 3 (47:15):
Remember, No, I forgot.
Speaker 4 (47:16):
That was the reason that that was hugely in my
in my anxiety face.
Speaker 7 (47:20):
We shoot it at his house, and I was like, well,
shoot at his house, then that's right.
Speaker 3 (47:23):
Good I found the photo. Larissa.
Speaker 4 (47:25):
You and I didn't really work together until later because
we did voice some voice over together and then we did.
Speaker 7 (47:32):
Did we do voice over together?
Speaker 3 (47:34):
Was it?
Speaker 7 (47:34):
Did you did you Club?
Speaker 4 (47:36):
It was? Yeah, we did winks. We did Winks for
a while and then we did and we did that pilot.
What was the name of that show, Katie?
Speaker 7 (47:44):
Yeah, because I wrote that with Jeff and Wendy or
I mean right, yea, yes, the three of us kind
of collaborated on that, and it really was yeah, like
a Boy Means World Reunion.
Speaker 3 (47:55):
It was. It was a good show. It was it
was fun.
Speaker 7 (47:58):
Honestly, Will like our like I our scenes were really good.
Speaker 3 (48:03):
Yeah, I thought, so, yeah.
Speaker 7 (48:04):
Oh there's really something here well. And also I have
such a fondness for Alex too, Like I mean because wow,
I said I was propped out, but I'm not more
catch on Hapcatcher hepcat baby tea.
Speaker 5 (48:23):
Yeah, that's the most nineties thing ever had.
Speaker 3 (48:26):
I was a big Scott.
Speaker 7 (48:27):
I mean, I'm still I still love Scott, but I
was like a he that was like my life when
I was sixteen, and so Alex and I sort of
like had kept a connection for years before then we did. Yeah,
we did this pilot together. Yeah, that was Yeah, we
shot it here. I'm trying to remember there were turtles.
Speaker 4 (48:42):
Yes, I owned I sold turtles on the internet or
something like that was.
Speaker 5 (48:47):
Part of the show.
Speaker 3 (48:48):
As part of the show.
Speaker 4 (48:49):
Yeah, no, I sold turtles in real life, not turtles
is real life.
Speaker 5 (48:53):
And I was like this drumps pony.
Speaker 3 (49:00):
That's so funny. Oh man.
Speaker 1 (49:02):
Now going back to just some memories, do you have
like a favorite hangout session, like a favorite hang with
writer story?
Speaker 7 (49:11):
I remember, well, gosh, I mean I don't know writer,
We've just known each other for so Also Writer, I mean,
do you remember that I did Pepper Dennis.
Speaker 3 (49:19):
Too, Yeah, of course, yeah, yeah, So third job together
was doing Pepper Dennis where I met my wife.
Speaker 7 (49:25):
So yeah, yeah, they're just honestly, like most recently. The
last time you and Alex were in New York, it
was a couple of years. It was pre pandemic, so
you think you were both in New York. I think
it was her short that you were in Tribecca for
that's we did, like we had like a solid.
Speaker 3 (49:43):
Hang oh yeah. We stayed late.
Speaker 7 (49:45):
We late, and I remember I was like, this is it.
Speaker 3 (49:50):
This is you came out to a screening of her short.
It was part of a program at Tribeca, and then
the three of us and maybe some other people went
out for pizza afterwards, and I remember you and I
got into it. Yeah, it was really a good oh
yeah wow. And you know they were so pissed that
(50:12):
I had to go to They were like, why we
want we wanted a teenager, We want want to be
twenty one year old. Du You look a lot like
Shiloh in that totally Oh wow, I do.
Speaker 2 (50:24):
Yeah, a lot like Shiloh in that picture.
Speaker 3 (50:26):
That's amazing. Wow, there another one.
Speaker 7 (50:31):
You've seen each other through so many iterations, you know,
and it's it's always reassuring when and I mean I
think that this is sort of like look.
Speaker 3 (50:42):
At that he both looks so awkward here. You're like, uh,
does he have to put his arm around me? Does
he have to put his arm around me? And I'm like,
hey man, I'm just here. You're just lucky I'm here.
Speaker 5 (50:56):
I refuse to show you my teeth, oh.
Speaker 3 (50:59):
Riot, or do something like I share my teeth so cute?
Come on, it's adorable.
Speaker 7 (51:10):
But isn't that why we're here? You know? Isn't that
why we're all here? To appreciate the fact that like
we're still here, Yes, we're still here, and years can
go by and there's just some things you share with
people that it's all you can kind of just get
(51:31):
right back into it. Yeah. Yeah, isn't that the beauty
of I think now after the fact, I know we
all went through our phases of sort of like rejecting
this time in our lives, which I think is healthy
to need to step away and say and sort of
compartmentalize and say like that's something that I did before,
(51:51):
but now to be able to embrace it more holistically
and just I mean, we're all in our we're all
in our forties, right, Yeah, It's like it's a small
miracle that we're all even still here. I just I've
never really appreciated it more. That's why it is the best.
(52:13):
It is such a great age. Yeah, because of stuff like.
Speaker 5 (52:16):
This that it is.
Speaker 1 (52:17):
Writer and I had this conversation recently where it is
so nice now to be far enough removed from some
of the things we would have called childhood traumas that
or that felt you know, pretty serious at the time,
to be far enough away from them now to be
able to truly laugh at at ourselves and the way
and how serious we may have taken something. And it
(52:39):
doesn't mean that it was any less significant at the time, sure,
but just being able to have the distance to say,
it's kind of nice to laugh about that now.
Speaker 5 (52:49):
It's it's really it really is beautiful.
Speaker 1 (52:52):
And you are still acting a bunch now, you're still
having dream jobs like.
Speaker 3 (52:56):
Well, that's what I wanted to ask about, because you
you mean, you were doing a sitcom with kids, right, like,
you were working with child actors. So what was that like?
I mean, how was it to be on the other
side of it?
Speaker 7 (53:07):
I love it, Yeah, I love it. I have to say,
I have to say that I think that's also a
huge part of you know, I'm going to use a
big word and maybe it's with a capital eight. I
mean with the capital the lowercase H. But that's part
of like the healing process of all of this, is
(53:27):
when things come full circle like that and then you
get to be in a position where it's like, oh,
I might actually have something to impart here, And especially
seeing the kids on the show, I actually just zoomed.
The show is called Erin and Aaron. We aired on
Nickelodeon and now it's on Netflix. We're waiting to hear
about a season two. But so I was just zooming
(53:49):
with the parents, but then the kids hopped on and
of course, you know my question is I was like,
I was like, I know, we all want a second season,
but like, how are the kids feeling?
Speaker 6 (53:58):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (53:59):
Very cue And this is my third time playing a mom,
and I've been incredibly I just I just love it.
I've been incredibly protective every time. Like I've loved all
I've loved all of these kids that I've I've worked
with because I'm able to see in them. Yeah, some
(54:20):
people don't want to be there, sure, and it's like
it's like this is a path, this is a hobby,
You'll grow out of it, whatever. But then with some
of them, I'm just like, yeah, man, sometimes there's just
no other way. Sometimes I'm actually curious to know if
you would have it any other way, because I honestly
think that, like I can look back and say I
wouldn't really want anything to be different other than maybe
(54:41):
just I would just be gentleer on myself in general.
But yeah, but I see it. So when the kids
hopped on and then like I sort of asked them
and they were like, they were like yeah, I was like,
how school, And they're like, you're kind of ready to
get back to work, and I was.
Speaker 3 (54:55):
Like, yeah, there you go, there you go.
Speaker 7 (54:58):
I remember the exact same thing. I remember being so
ready to get back to school. And actually, Danielle, I
don't think I realized that you too were in like
real scholar school, regular school. I didn't realize Jodie was.
Christine was like that's something that I'm like, oh, no,
wonder we sort of gravitated towards each other because very
few people really understand absolutely and that is such difficult balance.
(55:22):
But I wouldn't change it. I'm very old that I
had both. But I was like, yes, I remember this.
I remember wanting to get back to school and going
for a semester and then just being like, when are
we getting back to Yeah, I mean I'm obsessed. I
mean I'm obsessed with them, So I I just love
(55:43):
you know, I have no plans to be a mother
in my real life, but I love playing a mom.
I love anytime. I think it was maybe just towards
the end of the season one of them sort of
like quietly approached me and was like, oh, you know,
I'm gonna get I'm actually surprised I haven't busted a
(56:05):
tear yet. She was like, she's like, well, I'm just
kind of nervous about, you know, how what's gonna happen
when the show airs. And I was able to give
her some i think solid advice because it's hard to
hold yourself back, at least for me it is. I
just want to tell them things all the time, but
I have to wait for them to, you know.
Speaker 5 (56:24):
Help too.
Speaker 7 (56:25):
Yeah, yeah, exactly, they have to want to anyway. And
it was like it was like I imparted what I
could and she walked away, and I was like in
the makeup trailer and I was like, I like called
it together, and I was like after she was out
of the room. I was like, oh, because I just
(56:46):
I there are so many elements of this business that
are completely magical. And I'll say it again like that
really is one of them. The people that you meet,
the connections that you for, the family that you make. Yeah,
(57:07):
I'm a lifer.
Speaker 1 (57:08):
Absolutely. My final question is totally related to that. What
would little lame is Larissa think about current adult, beautiful
Alissa still working all these decades later, and the wonderful
human woman you've grown into being.
Speaker 7 (57:31):
Sorry, that's a big one. I think she's so much
smarter than me. Honestly, I think she's more just like, Yeah,
I told you.
Speaker 5 (57:48):
I love it.
Speaker 7 (57:54):
Yeah, I love it.
Speaker 5 (57:55):
That's a perfect answer. That's exactly right. Yeah to you,
this is life. This is the if I knew you
were going to have you just duh, I've d at it. Yeah,
And sister enjoyed that Kushli's commercial. You've got decades more
of this, sister.
Speaker 7 (58:10):
A.
Speaker 1 (58:13):
Larissa, thank you so much for being here with us
and gracing us with your presence.
Speaker 5 (58:17):
It's always so wonderful to see you.
Speaker 7 (58:20):
I mean I said it briefly, but you really are.
And I kind of joked about it with you in text,
but like you really are providing a service. Like I
think I think you understand, but like I just want
to mirror back for you that, like the ripple effect
of this podcast is much bigger than and I think you,
(58:43):
I think you get that, but I just I just
wanted to reiterate it that I think it's just even
for those of us who aren't child actors, there's something
that's just so relatable about well just about what you're doing.
(59:03):
It's important.
Speaker 5 (59:04):
Thank you, It's very sweet.
Speaker 7 (59:06):
Thank you, special corner of the world. It's very important.
Speaker 5 (59:10):
Thank you means a lot to us writers.
Speaker 1 (59:12):
Emotional I can tell, so I won't on the whole time.
Speaker 5 (59:19):
So cute on you. Thank you, Larissa, thank you so
much for being here. We'll see you again soon.
Speaker 7 (59:23):
Thank you. Bye bye.
Speaker 5 (59:26):
We need to bring her back to do.
Speaker 4 (59:28):
We should actually, yeah, well we should have all three
of the girlfriends back for the episode where they all
gather for sure rewatch.
Speaker 3 (59:38):
We'll do a rewatch for that.
Speaker 5 (59:39):
Yeah, let's do it.
Speaker 2 (59:41):
That'd be fun, wonderful.
Speaker 1 (59:43):
I would I would love that we could also bring
back Larissa and Jody and do a Kush Links episode.
Speaker 5 (59:49):
Yes, we watched the.
Speaker 2 (59:54):
Entire time.
Speaker 4 (59:54):
We should do it while doing while having a sleepover
at the Mall of America.
Speaker 5 (59:59):
And we can watch Will's show with Larissa.
Speaker 3 (01:00:02):
Oh it was it was fun. It was good.
Speaker 2 (01:00:04):
I still have it too somewhere. I mean, I think
we should.
Speaker 1 (01:00:06):
We could throw out and Pepper Dennis guys, Yes we could.
Speaker 5 (01:00:10):
We'll have a great to going. I really like this idea.
Speaker 1 (01:00:15):
Well, thank you all for being here with us for
this episode of Podmeets World. As always, you can follow
us on Instagram pod Meets World Show. You can send
us your emails pod Meets World Show at gmail dot
com and we have.
Speaker 3 (01:00:25):
Merch another crush on Riders Strong merch.
Speaker 5 (01:00:29):
Od Meets Worldshow dot com will send us out.
Speaker 3 (01:00:33):
We love you all, pod dismissed.
Speaker 4 (01:00:36):
Podmeets World is nheart podcast producer and hosted by Danielle Fischel,
Wilfredell and Ryder Strong. Executive producers Jensen Carp and Amy Sugarman.
Executive in charge of production, Danielle Romo, producer and editor,
Tara Sudbaksh producer, Maddy Moore, engineer and Boy Meets World
super fan Easton Allen. Our theme song is by Kyle
Morton of typhoon, and you can follow us on Instagram
(01:00:56):
at podmeets World Show or email us at pod Meets
World Show at g mail dot com.
Recently, I saw a tweek by an American rapper named
d DG and I thought, this is this is I
want to know what will and writer think about this?
Would you rather know how you're going to die or
when you're going to die?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Oh, I'm happy knowing that I'm never going.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
To Now that's wonderful for you when that sounds miserable
for me.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
But yikes, all right, So if you know how you're
going to die, you can prepare for what you know
because if it's something awful, like you know, eaten by
a shark, okay, and you know that well, but you can't, right,
you can't avoid fake. That's that's part of the idea
stipulation here. So yeah, I guess you could prepare for
(01:09):
the how. I think i'd rather know how, because if
it was bad, I'd like to prepare for that so
I can like know that, oh I'm going to be
falling off a cliff and it's going to be those
are going to be the final moments and come to
peace with that. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
I don't know. I disagree. I think I'd want to
know when. Yeah, because a if it was something like
say a car accident, then every time you have such
a fear of being in a card, you know, whereas
if it's just when, then it's like I can prep
what I need to do, you know. I think of
was it Three Billboards where the worst.
Speaker 5 (01:46):
Movies I've ever seen in my entire life.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
But the way he did his last day where he
was just like he didn't let anyone know what was
going to be his last day, but he just had
moments with his wife, had moments with his kids, and
what he had to do.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
There's something about that where it's like I wouldn't.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
Tell anybody else, probably, but I'd make sure I'd have
moments with everybody that I wanted to have moments with,
but I wouldn't want to know how when.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Yeah, yeah, I think I would want to know when
for the same reason because I do think being a planner,
i'd want to know, Well, let's figure out what on
my quote unquote bucket list are really important and how
much time do I have to do those things? And
how can I maximize the amount of time, Like if
my number one thing is time with my children or
(02:34):
experiences with my children, I want to be able to
start doing those things immediately.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
And also I always.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Love when you hear a story of like somebody who
knew they were dying, they had a terminal illness or something,
and they actually plan something out, like for a letter
to be delivered later or a message left behind after.
And I think, Man, I hope when it's my time,
I feel decent enough, because that's this really truly the
(03:01):
worst part about when you're sick and you die is
that you don't feel good enough to experience those things
you know, like you think you're going to want to do,
like well, eat all the ice cream you want or
do all that, and it's like, but the truth is,
you don't feel.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Like you're not going to do any of that. Yeah, yeah,
you're not going to.
Speaker 5 (03:15):
Do any of those things. I'd want to do those
things while I still feel good.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
So you know that there are websites that you can
go plug in info and it'll tell you when you're
going to die, Like if like statistically you can get
the date and the year. I want to do this
because I don't know if you know, like exactly the
year like twenty sixty something or whatever. I guess let's
say forty years. No, that's not about you know, somewhere
(03:42):
somewhere between twenties sixty and twenty eighty. We're talking is
when we're gonna go.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
Right, right.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
So I was a heavy smoker and probably didn't take
care of myself.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
So I'd be lucky if I make it to my eighties.
So if that year you can go, you know, you
can start working backwards from that now and be like,
all right, have you seen speaking of that?
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Have you seen the It's one of my favorite things
in the world, and so something that I would do.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Have you seen the video?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
There is an.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Irish man who passed away, and right before he did,
he recorded his voice, so as they're lowering the casket
into the ground, it's his voice going, hey, let me out.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
It's dark in here. Oh come on, what are you
guys doing?
Speaker 4 (04:25):
You're just standing around and everybody's trying to mourn, but
they're laughing hysterically because it's actually his voice just going.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Why are you still loring me?
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Someone opened a.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Door like it was hysterically fun and he did it
on purpose, so that everybody's just laughing hysterically as they're
trying to be there where there's something so wonderful about that.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Yes, I do love that. I also I just was
thinking about the flip side of it. Let's say you
find out you're gonna die in ten years. That then
that year, just imagine every day you're like the morning,
he'd just be like, and every time you do anything
you cross the street, am I gonna.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
Make it a wor car?
Speaker 3 (05:08):
You'd have to know the exact moment, you know, like yeah,
because otherwise yeah, yeah. The same with how, like because yeah,
I think you guys are right if you knew just
the how and it was something like trying down the stairs?
How could you go through? How do you ever walk downstairs?
Speaker 4 (05:22):
But then isn't there isn't there the philosophical argument then
that you should live your life as if it's going
to be tomorrow anyway. So you're telling the people that
you love that you love them, you're not wasting the
time your you know, they say that nobody, you know,
nobody sat you know, was lying on their deathbed and
saying I wish I worked more, I wish I did
this date. It's always I wish I spent more time
in my family. I wish I told this person that
I love them.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
So all right, guys, let's quit the podcast and just
start telling our families.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
We love them well, we.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Can do both. This doesn't work. I love this, I
love it, and I love you both. I love you,
I love you guys.
Speaker 5 (05:54):
We love each other.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Don't diet be Today's.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Welcome to Pod Meets World.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
I'm Daniel Fishel, I'm Writer Strong, and I'm Wilfordell.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
If you've listened to Pod Meets World since episode one,
then you know there have been a handful of fellow
child actors whose names repeatedly pop up, from Jonathan Taylor
Thomas to writer's brother Shiloh to Andrew Keegan to Jason
Marsden to Genevan Oi. While some of you listeners grew
up amongst a high school clique, we had something kind
of similar, and one member of that crew, a lifelong
(06:42):
friend of writers, Larissa Olenik, was a vital mainstay. Larissa
began her acting career on stage in a San Francisco
based touring production of Le Mizerab, which should sound familiar
because it's also where a young baggy pants wearing former
rollerblader from Sebastopol started his journey to Hollywood as well,
(07:02):
and after running around a theater Willie Nilly and becoming besties,
with Writer, she'd travel between northern California and LA to
audition for TV and movies, where she'd eventually land a
role on Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman, and the rest is history.
She'd turned parts in The Babysitters Club and all that
into iconic titular role on the Secret World of Alex Mack,
and soon after she'd be sharing the screen with a
(07:24):
young Heath Ledger in the classic Ten Things I Hate
About You. She was more recently seen with her own
story arc in a little show called mad Men, and
return to Family TV for Netflix's Aaron and Aaron in
twenty twenty three. But today none of that is important
because we are focusing on her time as Sean's first
love interest Dana Pruitt on the TGIF family sitcom Boy
(07:47):
Meets World for season three's The Heart Is a Lonely
Hunter and Stormy Weather, and an eventual return for season five.
So welcome to the podcast. Writer Strong's Bay Area boyhood, Bosom, Buddy, Larisso, Lene.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
A lot of bees, very literative, very literative literation it.
Speaker 6 (08:10):
Boy Meets World hat, You have a I don't have
a Boy Meets World hat?
Speaker 5 (08:16):
Unbelievable? Was that the cast and Kruegift for season three.
Speaker 7 (08:21):
I don't know you.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
I'm so jealous you.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
Have that hat. I love awesome. That's so cool.
Speaker 6 (08:30):
Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Hi, we have heard so much about lame Is on
the podcast and the important role that it played in
both of your lives. So I want to know what
was nine lesbian Ryder strong.
Speaker 5 (08:49):
Boy meets World hat and.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Stole it?
Speaker 5 (08:53):
I hope you.
Speaker 7 (08:54):
Stole it shield me from how vulnerable this is probably
about to get. Nine year old writers strong? Was? I think?
Where are you right now? Writer?
Speaker 3 (09:06):
I'm in my parents' house. Yeah, so I'm in the
I'm in where my grandmother lives. So I'm in the studio,
the guest house. So this is like the first window
that the house is that way.
Speaker 7 (09:17):
Yeah. Daniel's question was, what was nine year old writer
strong like?
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (09:23):
What was nine year old thesbian rider strong?
Speaker 7 (09:26):
Like?
Speaker 5 (09:26):
Did you guys become instant friends?
Speaker 7 (09:30):
I don't. I mean the four of us were pretty
inseparable because you know, two girls, two boys around the
same age. It was all of our I believe, like
first big things.
Speaker 5 (09:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (09:46):
I got the job because my godparents on ad in
a newspaper, right, and I was like this sounds cool,
let's go do this. So I think even I don't
know Danielle, we can relate on that. I found my journal,
Oh no, with me were in my storage unit because
(10:07):
I just moved out of my mom I just moved
out of the house that I've been in, like similarly
to the Shire, the house that I've been in my
entire life that houses all the artifacts. So we just
moved out of there, and I think it ended up
in storage. But I definitely found my journal from when
I was eight years old. I was I also had
a very large crush.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Everyone with right, just a crush strong. You happen to
have known no, no, not when when we were on
when we were doing Late Miz. Yes, I guess so
you remember me.
Speaker 7 (10:42):
Like forcing you to hold my hand.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Yes, let's jump in. I feel like there were moments,
there were times when like we we all, like I remember,
we would all like admit that we had crushes on
each other. Like there was a moment where like Sabrina
and I we were both and I had a crush
on each other, and then that changed. So I feel
like it was just kids stuff. Yeah, we were nine
ten and.
Speaker 7 (11:04):
This was this was this is what I found in
the journal that everything was like today, I gave Writer
a handful of Eminem's and he didn't say thank you.
But when Sabrina also very very close, I like she
(11:25):
and our Instagram friends, Writer like she also like seems
exactly the same to me, like, you know, we're just
we're not like having a conversation, but like we're in touch.
But yeah, she and I were also very close, but
like I just I feel like I pretty much just
spent that entire time pining in desperately.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Were you also randomly in love with a guy named
Dave or David? That's what we found out in Danielle's journal.
I loved and David and I.
Speaker 7 (11:55):
Didn't know David was You don't know what it was.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
I did, but now I realized it was David Letterman,
I was a weirdo. Let's not go into my journal.
So this is about you. It's about all about that.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Very similarly, though, you did not hate Sabrina because I
did not hate Rachel. I was like, man, Rachel's so cool,
and Writer loves her so much.
Speaker 7 (12:25):
I can hate Rachel. You're like Rachel, She's got the
coolest style, she's so ready. I know I spent I spent.
I feel like I spent the majority of Leman's and
years afterwards just being like there he is never to
be mine. Narrative like that I have sort of like
(12:48):
continue to slap myself into in various different circumstances in
my life.
Speaker 5 (12:53):
Did you know he had a pony, Susie the pony?
Speaker 7 (12:56):
I don't remember. Okay, remember a lot of but I
don't remember. I don't remember the pony.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Did he ever give you.
Speaker 5 (13:03):
A white rose?
Speaker 7 (13:05):
No?
Speaker 5 (13:06):
Okay, all right, just these are just things I needed
to know.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Well, he's basically married by the time he was twelve, when.
Speaker 7 (13:13):
I'm so curious because you seem warmed up.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
How I want to talk about nine year old Larissa
because I feel like, let's let's see, she was amazing.
She was so talented, like and I remember like that
was that was the thing about doing le Midis at
that age, is like you knew which kids had something,
and like Larissa like immediately was just amazing, a great singer,
(13:40):
a good actor. And then like, yeah we stayed in touch.
Was it did you start going to Bruce's class like
right away? Or like how did we keep acting around
it because I remember then going to doing acting class
with you somewhere and being like, oh, God, Larissa's amazing,
like so talented. And then yeah, I did know that.
Speaker 7 (13:59):
I mean that wasn't I mean, I certainly didn't well think,
I mean, I guess, thank you, but same like I
always I always knew writer was good. Like it's just something.
It's so funny that even at that age, I'm like, oh,
that kid's good. And then yeah, when we were in class,
I think I just followed. I think my mom and
I just followed you and your mom wherever you guys went.
(14:22):
Basically I was like, oh, you're going to this class,
we'll go to that class. Or you have this agent, now,
we'll have that agent.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Yeah, well that's what I felt like. We were on
this journey together. Yeah, it was like our parents were
helping each other and like navigate this crazy thing. Like yeah,
and I remember when my mom broke her leg, like
your mom basically took care of her for six weeks
at the open Oh, we were like cause we were
like this little northern California crew of like actors, and
we like no one knew what we were doing, like
(14:46):
our parents like in retrospect, it's insane how much they
took on. And so like we were each other's family,
like going down to LA and like doing this thing,
and like there was this constant check in of like
are the kids okay? You okay? You know, and but
a lot but that came from also, like I know,
like for me, Larissa stood out as somebody because there's
a lot of kids doing this who you would watch
(15:07):
an acting class and be like, Okay, well you're doing
this because your mom wants you to or your dad
you know, maybe there's not an animating talent here or something,
Whereas like with Larissa, that was not the case. It
was like, oh, this is a real actor, and this
is somebody who's going to be doing this for the
rest of their lives. And like, I don't know, I
think we found that in each other, and our parents
found each other, and like it was just such a supportive,
(15:29):
amazing friendship to have moving into LA.
Speaker 7 (15:33):
I think our mom's just talked on the phone very recently.
Speaker 5 (15:35):
Writer.
Speaker 7 (15:36):
Yeah, It's like they were definitely like each other as
touchstones for sure. Like I remember that about Marla specifically too,
that I was just like.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Yes, another NorCal so talented.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
So Writer's family they help you get set up with
an agent, and that's obviously pretty easy because, like Writer mentioned,
you're an incredible talent. So you get an agent and
then you book the lead in the Secret World of
Alex Mack and you're just twelve years old. Were you
then intimidated being the lead in a show at such
a young age?
Speaker 7 (16:12):
I mean, the funny thing about that is that, like
we've been coming down for pilot season for at least
two I think I booked Alex Mack when it was
the August version of pilot season, so probably two and
a half years at that point, which like two and
a half years from nine.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
To Yeah, you're burnt out, washed up already. You're like,
why hasn't this happened yet?
Speaker 8 (16:34):
Right, this is what I said, you.
Speaker 7 (16:36):
Already you'd already gotten Women's World yep, and like other
people's careers were taking off, I did not get the
part of Tapanga.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Oh you auditioned, You auditioned for Topanga?
Speaker 7 (16:51):
Why did not? I did not make it very far,
but I think I got a callback and that was
one of those that I was just in the backseat
of the car with my mom just like shoveling ice creaming,
like it's over.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
I got a call back and I didn't.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Oh man, but you got the part. You got the part,
kid got the part.
Speaker 7 (17:17):
But yeah, I know, I remember, like I remember all
of the heartbreak sort of leading up to it, or
really just the sense of like it's just the math
of it all, which I think I still do where
it's like, you know, I'm like, well, it's been a
second since I've booked something. It's either completely done for
me or something's around the corner. And that was sort
of like how I went into that whole experience, and
(17:39):
I think I was at that point in my career
as a twelve year old. I think I was sort
of ready to call it and I got the show.
But then, you know, as Natanya mentioned on her I've
listened to a lot of the episodes. Guys. It's been
(17:59):
incredible therapeutic, let me tell you. There there was a
big gap in between us doing the pilot and doing
the first season. I think about a year at least,
and there was a lot of shuffling. So I think
with all of that, it just the reality of it
didn't really sink in. Honestly, it was just kind of like, Okay,
(18:20):
we're shooting the pilot. We'll see if you get called
back for the first season. We'll see if the first
season does anything, we'll see. So I don't know. I
don't know that I felt that the pressure of being
the lead on a show until maybe later after we
started doing press and stuff, and yeah, I think at
(18:42):
that point I was just sort of in the routine
of it, in the routine of like cautiously optimistic but
preparing for the worst, like, well, maybe I'll just go
back to school. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Can anybody think of any other career ever where you can.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Be and like, I think I'm done with this at twelve,
But it is it's like it's maybe, yeah, maybe, like
if it's something, if you're some sort of athletics, gymnastics,
something like that. But to be in some kind of
lifestyle where you are eleven or twelve, you're in the
routine of I'm going to another audition.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
No, oh God, more disappointment and even more agonizing than sports,
because in sports there's measurable, quantifiable level like measures of success,
like you can run faster than anybody, You've won so
many games, whereas with acting, you could be slamming your
head against the wall and have no talent, no ability
to book jobs, no way about. You'll keep you have
the passion, you keep trying it. So you're also constantly looking,
(19:41):
So you're seeking evidence of whether this is the right
choice or not, some sort of validation, some validation something.
Your parents are, you know, looking for that validation too,
because they're committing their time and money and energy towards
Oh my god, like you know, so, yeah, it does,
it's it's it's a it's an incredibly strange pressure to
have as a teenager.
Speaker 4 (19:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (19:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Do you remember though, where you were when you found
out you got the role? No, so you were by
that time you were already like, well I booked a job.
Speaker 5 (20:10):
But we'll see how this goes.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Yeah, I mean I don't.
Speaker 7 (20:13):
I mean, I don't know if it was that extreme necessarily,
but you know, honestly, if we if we really want
to talk about it, there probably was some sort of
like protective mechanism in me that like, you know, either
knew not to get too excited because it might be disappointed,
but maybe even more was like, oh your life might
(20:38):
change and better to you know, dip like ease into
the water slowly, and you know, I think that maybe
there was some some sort of intuition of like, oh,
things are not going to be the same after this,
(20:58):
and you know, best to what's the word not burn out? Maybe?
Speaker 1 (21:10):
You know, were your parents celebrating this for you? Was
anybody in your life.
Speaker 5 (21:15):
Like the Wills and this Judy Savage?
Speaker 7 (21:20):
We all we loved Judy so much. Yeah? No, my
I mean I know both you know I Will. Are
both your parents lawyers?
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Or yeah?
Speaker 7 (21:30):
With my parents are medicine, So they're just kind of like, Okay,
what is this thing that you're doing. I really have
no concept of what was actually happening until it completely.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Started to ramp up, right, and then when it did
completely ramp up, were you then very excited about being
the face of a hit show or did you What
were your feelings then?
Speaker 7 (21:55):
I honestly was really excited to get invited to Nickelodeon's stuff,
because I think that started happening before we even aired,
and so I got to go. I remember flying to
New York, I mean maybe for the first time for
remember when we did upfronts. I think I did up
Fronts and I can't remember if the kids from all that.
(22:20):
I don't know if all that was on yet, but
like they were definitely a part of my whole Nickelodeon experience.
But Melissa was definitely there. And I've talked about this before.
I was like so excited to meet Melissa and like
the shirt that she was wearing. I was like, ah,
I have that same shirt from Express or what. She
was just that much older than me that I at
(22:41):
that particular age that I was just like, oh my god.
I looked up to her so much, and I think,
you know, obvious, it's very clear that like our show
would not have been successful had they not come first.
So I think once that stuff started to happen, it
sunk in.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
I don't know, I just went to work.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
Yeah, there's something so magical when you were a kid
about working for Nickelodeon, because I think I was eleven
when I got my Nickelodeon show, and there is you
like you're going to the studio. You're like you're going
to the offices and everything's bright, and there was something
so cool about that.
Speaker 7 (23:15):
The offices in New York were so fun. Everywhere I
went I got Nickelodeon product, I had like back and
slime and floam. I think was a thing like all
this stuff. And actually I did find some of those
things at my mom's house too, and I was like,
these have disintegrated. It's time. There are certain things that
you're like, this does not feel good to the.
Speaker 4 (23:36):
Touch to this is probably toxic, this is right, this
is officially burning my back.
Speaker 7 (23:42):
That element of it. I was like, I just I
think I honestly was just overwhelmed. And then, like I'm saying,
we just went to work. And I think, talking again
about le Miss, that was really the thing that for
me clicked in more than anything as a as a kid.
Because I listen, I will say for myself, I was
not naturally good at this. I decided at a certain
(24:03):
point to be good at this because I liked the experience.
I mean, sure I have some natural whatever, but like,
I liked the experience of it so much. I liked
the family that we made so much, like the fact
that writer and I were still in touch. I'm still
in touch with a lot of people friendly Miss, and
that was the aspect of it. And I remember a writer,
I went back and I was so thrilled to go
(24:25):
back and be with my family and so that's that's
always been And with Alex Mack too. We were filming
it in Valencia. We weren't filming it on a on
a h at the studio. We were we were sort
of separated, and so that that was really the part
that that just becomes your world. And so I mean,
I mean, I love going to work. So I've always
(24:45):
loved that part of it for sure, and known how
special that part is, especially as an only child, like
I just I need I need those people in my life.
Speaker 5 (24:58):
I have a very weird questionquestion I wanted to ask.
Speaker 7 (25:01):
Let's get weird.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
Recently, the actress Alison Mack, who was a child actor
and was most notably on Smallville, was jailed for her
role in a cult. And every time it comes up
in my head, I have to separate the difference between
Alex Mack and Alison Mack.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Same.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
Does that happen to you?
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Do people come up to you and say, like, tell
me about the woman with the cult and You're like, sorry,
what you're talking about?
Speaker 3 (25:32):
No, that has not.
Speaker 7 (25:33):
That's really funny. That has not since you know, in
light of recent events, No, no one has asked me
about that. I actually, I mean you know Alison and
I knew each other.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Yeah, you guys didn't know Alison will think so. Oh
I knew Alison was a young actors space. She was
so talented. I mean I just I was in love
with her. I was in love with her. It just
had such a cross on it. Pre this is pretty Smallville,
but yeah, we used to. She was so talented and
such a cool person too.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (26:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
When I heard all that, I was like, whoa, whoa.
I know, talk to her for twenty years and look
what happened.
Speaker 7 (26:07):
Actually the funny, but not the funny. I mean, I
don't know, I don't want it.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
Were you almost in the cult?
Speaker 7 (26:16):
Actually, I will tell a story that Diane, when I
was meeting with her to potentially have her be my manager,
she was like, this is before Alex Mack and she goes,
she goes, you know, you and Allison are just too similar.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Oh interesting, Yeah, I can see that.
Speaker 7 (26:33):
And so that's why she didn't was good managing. That's
like a I mean, how respects that's to be respected that.
She was just like, you guys are going to go
in for the same things. I'm already invested in her.
Speaker 5 (26:44):
And I'm interested she might take you on now.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Yeah, A good time to love to see.
Speaker 7 (26:49):
I would love to see her.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
I saw her two months ago. Yeah, we had the
reunion of the Young Actor's Space where you and Diana
and Judy were there and I got to sit and
sit with both of them and talk for a while.
Speaker 7 (27:00):
And an Angie too, Angie Angie Ellen right or I
can't remember. She messaged me on Instagram, but yeah, yeah,
I remember.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
Everybody was crazy.
Speaker 7 (27:10):
She was one of my teachers. Yeah, I was in
New York. I was so bummed I missed that.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
But well, so then Ten Things I Hate About You
comes along, and that movie, though released in nineteen ninety nine,
seems just as popular today with a whole new generation
of people.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
What do you think has made it so timeless? Uh?
Speaker 7 (27:30):
Listen, the writing is really good. Yeah, you know, it's
it's Keween Karen, who went on to write Legally Blonde
and The House Funny and a million other things like
they are awesome and the script was awesome, And you know,
that was a time. I don't think that I was
in a position to be super choosy, but there were
(27:53):
a lot of teen scripts sort of coming my way,
and that was the one that I just latched onto.
I was like, I became. I was just like no,
I would will not take no for an answer, And
I went in for both characters for a really long time,
up until the bitter end, when they were just like, okay,
we've decided that, like we're pushing you for Bianca. And
(28:14):
I met Julia and she and I read together, and
I was like, ah, yes, yes, yes, this fits, this fits,
even though well whatever. I just remember when I got
to said I had like pink in my hair, and
I was like, see, I told you I was punk
rock and they were like, we have to bleach that out.
Thanks so much, you're still show I forget we can
talk about hair hair, yes, And I think, you know,
(28:36):
that's another example of we all really got along. We
all really got along, and we were you know, it
was a different time. No one was on their phone,
like that didn't exist. We were in a hotel first
and Tacoma and then in Seattle, and it was summer.
Joe and Julia and I were all seventeen.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (29:00):
You know, it was a magical, magical time. Uh. And
we were all for the most part, like very invested
in what we were doing and honestly, I watched that
movie again recently, and aside from a few things that
do not age well, but it really does, I was
blown away by how much I enjoyed it. I knew
(29:22):
that I enjoyed it, like personally nostalgically, but I just
I really enjoyed the whole experience of watching it.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Did Gill direct that?
Speaker 8 (29:30):
That?
Speaker 7 (29:30):
Was?
Speaker 4 (29:30):
Was that?
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Gilly Younger? It was, Okay, I bought his car.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
It's not so strange the world, Gilly?
Speaker 3 (29:39):
What did you work with him on?
Speaker 6 (29:39):
He was?
Speaker 3 (29:40):
He was directing an episode of TV that you were in. Yeah,
he did? Was it?
Speaker 2 (29:45):
It might have been Go Fish, I can't remember.
Speaker 4 (29:48):
He did a show after and he pulled up in
this car and I was like, I need, I need
to buy your car. And it was it was the
it was the.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
Yeah, it was yeah, but it was.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
He pulled up and since the time I was a
little kid, I wanted a green Ferrari convertible and I've
never seen one. And he pulled up and parked it
right in front of me. It's like, I need your car,
and we just yeah. It was like a week later,
let me.
Speaker 8 (30:10):
Get rid of it.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
Yeah, And then I had it until twenty twenty.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
I saw it right before the pandem.
Speaker 5 (30:17):
I want to ask you a Heath Ledger question.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Did he always feel like just a special different actor?
Speaker 7 (30:27):
I try not to tell. I try not to talk
about Heath too much anecdotally because that is or because
it is very real. Yeah, sure, that particular loss like
(30:48):
collectively and also anyway, yeah, short answer, yes, like there's
there's some people sparkle.
Speaker 5 (30:59):
Yeah, yeah, he was a sparkler for sure.
Speaker 7 (31:02):
I just remember. I'll I'm like I said, I but
I do you remember the first time I met him?
He like ordered me dessert and I was like, okay,
and then I was like it was something like you
like push it across the tab and was like I
thought you'd like it.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
And I was like, yeah, I do need this Sunday.
Speaker 5 (31:27):
It's so sweet. So let's chat Boy meets World.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
Were you a fan of the show at all before
you came on? I mean, obviously you writer, but did
you can you watch the show?
Speaker 7 (31:51):
Yes, it was a big deal. I feel like we
would gather. I feel like we would gather and watch
it or maybe I don't know, writer, if you were
even a part of that, but the rest of us,
would it was a big deal. It was a big deal.
Uh yeah, and I was I was a big fan
of the show, and it felt it was a big
deal for me to be on the show. And I
don't I was trying to remember. I don't remember auditioning.
(32:14):
I'm not quite sure how that worked out.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
I don't you must have had you visited the set
before you worked on the show, I mean a taping. Yeah,
you must have come to a taping. But I feel
like I feel like our writers and Michael in particular,
must have known who you were. I'm sure, like I
wonder if they just offered this part to you, because
it was like, oh, you already had your own show
on Nickelodeon and we knew each other. Yeah that's amazing.
(32:40):
Yeah yeah.
Speaker 7 (32:43):
You know. There's very few jobs that I've gotten with
on auditioning, but I really wonder if this was one
of those. I mean, Barbie and Sally would probably know
oh yeah, uh yeah, but I do. It was I'm
just thinking and looking at my hair. I was like, oh,
I think that must have been like second season of
Alex Mack, so that would have already been happening and
(33:06):
probably been like mildly successful at that point, I.
Speaker 3 (33:08):
Bet you they wrote either wrote this part for you
or yeah, or is a straight offer after they wrote
the part.
Speaker 5 (33:13):
And they were yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Well, now in light of the journal finding, this question
is even more interesting. What was it like then playing
Sean's first girlfriend, writer's first girlfriend on the show and
you kind of constant makeout partner?
Speaker 5 (33:31):
What was that like for you?
Speaker 7 (33:34):
Ryer? Have we talked about this?
Speaker 3 (33:37):
No, I don't think so. Are you serious? Was it ever?
Speaker 7 (33:44):
Ever?
Speaker 3 (33:45):
You kissed me during rehearsal though I remember, but I
remember during rehearsal you just went for it, and I
was like, Oh, we're going to be kissing during better
Oh my god. You seem so confident to me. I
was like, oh, I guess we're doing this like okay,
And we were tired, so.
Speaker 7 (34:01):
I can't even tell you that I knew this was
like I mean, and I hadn't watched the episode in
forever and I went back in just like, oh god,
oh god. And it's been a couple of months I've
had But yeah, no, all I remember about that entire
experience of the first episode at least was I mean,
because I, like I said, it was between first and
second season. Since Alex mac I was fourteen or fifteen,
(34:22):
but I was a very very very young, fourteen fifteen
year old. I was a very late bloomer. And then
you know, once thing sped up, they really sped up.
But at that point in my life, like I was,
I was a kid.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
Yeah, yeah, you were definitely, and I remember you were.
You were more sheltered, you know, than like me. Like
I remember like me and my brother were way more
advanced in certain areas, and I remember you and your
mom were like, no, no, no, I did.
Speaker 7 (34:47):
Exactly what my mother told me to do.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
A good way.
Speaker 7 (34:52):
And I was like until I wasn't. And then you know, subsequently,
like all exploded at this certain age.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (35:02):
I think it's healthier too. It's just sort of.
Speaker 3 (35:06):
A little bit. But yeah, that's crazy. That was your
first kiss, you you because I remember sitting at the
rehearsal being like, this is gonna be weird because it's Larissa,
you know, and we like went to hold hands for
the rehearsal, and then you just right in for the kiss,
and it was I was like, oh, this this is fine, great, Okay,
we're going to be kissing, I know, but you were
you seemed so confident to me, I thought like, oh wow,
(35:27):
she is such a like consummate actor, she just wants
to do it, and like, yeah, that's son.
Speaker 7 (35:33):
No wow. Shot freaked out the entirety because I don't
think we did it until the run through.
Speaker 3 (35:41):
Okay, So I just remember you. I just remember not
expecting you to actually kiss me, and then you kissed
me and being like, oh wow, I didn't.
Speaker 7 (35:48):
Know you guys have talked about there was no intimate
intimacy coordinator. I'm sure like mccrapan did his best, but yeah,
there was no one sort of talking us through it.
And I think for me at that age, I was
just like I didn't want to look like I didn't
know what I was doing. I'm like, oh my god,
I had no idea what I could see. So I
(36:09):
just went like one hundred and fifty. Instead, I was like,
I'm just going to commit. I'm just going to commit,
and then it was fine, and then it was fine
once we got over it. But I do remember, I mean,
leading up to that first run through, and of course
we're all in school together, and I'm like, how am
I supposed to do school? Right now?
Speaker 1 (36:26):
I can't think about anything except writer's tongue, and.
Speaker 7 (36:30):
Then it's like and then there's nothing worse than just
like sitting, like driving back to the apartment or hotel,
probably like with my mom, just like my mom threw
Both our moms were there. Both our moms were definitely there.
Speaker 8 (36:45):
Wowses, and the men, middle aged men in their hands
and pencil looking at you, going hmm, is.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
This going to work?
Speaker 6 (37:03):
But you have your first kiss on film, you have
your first kiss ever, it's kind of like you can
kind of watch your whole first that it would have been.
I'm saying, like the first week though, it's like that's
crazy for you.
Speaker 5 (37:14):
Great, Well, what other memories do you have on set?
Speaker 3 (37:18):
Do you make the trauma? Okay, guys, let's just laugh
about it.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
What memories?
Speaker 1 (37:25):
What other memories do you have of being on set?
Because then you were on set with us for several weeks.
Once the awkwardness of the first kisses out of the way,
then it has to just be more fun, right.
Speaker 7 (37:36):
Once all of that, once all of that was out
of the way, I remember having I just remember having
a great time. I Mean, it's funny the way that
you guys talk about or y'all talk about your experience
on the show. It's sort of like not feeling like
you were cool or not feeling like it was the
cool show. Like to me, it was the cool show.
(37:58):
And I, you know, I also was like I was like,
I'm going to get in there. I'm gonna, I'm gonna,
I'm gonna flex them acting like the scene. I'm like, okay,
so it's so good.
Speaker 3 (38:15):
Good, it's fine?
Speaker 7 (38:17):
Or no, you mentioned too ready, you mentioned the hand acting.
I noticed almost like behind the ear acting.
Speaker 3 (38:23):
Yeah, well, I could feel you and I we were
loving every moment and I could feel us. I could
feel watching it back. It was like I could feel
us just loving the like drama and the like awkwardness
and like leaning into the like let's make this as
natural as possible and like and so it just ends
up being a lot of looking at our hands and
rubbing our hands. It's but it's great. I mean, you know,
(38:45):
I'd rather that than like very polished that comback. Like
I could tell that we are two young actors who,
you know, like thought thought we should be on My
so called life were disappointed as boy meets World.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
Yeah, who had probably done my so called life scene
my so.
Speaker 7 (39:02):
Called life impersonations. I think like the second season of
Alex Mac, I did it through all of that as well,
like my best so fun, my best approximation of clar
days And but that's fine, you know, like it's the
only way I've sort of been able to keep going
as is that I can look back on stuff like
that and be like, well, I was just in process.
(39:23):
It was just I was just figuring it out. And
it usually is like the scene that you're like this
is it that ends up kind of being like, oh,
that's cute, that that's how you did it, and then
the one that you kind of throw away, it's like
then there's like at the next episode, I can see
as having a lot more fun to get so much
relationship they like each other.
Speaker 3 (39:42):
Yes, I wish there had been more episodes of that,
like just being you know, partners together like in in
situations that are funny. Yeah, I felt I had.
Speaker 7 (39:53):
A blast with you guys. I mean I just remember that.
I remember that part very I was like, oh, here
we are, here, we are.
Speaker 3 (40:02):
Now.
Speaker 4 (40:03):
I have a question, did you know when when you
got Boy Meets World that it was going to be
multiple episodes or was it supposed to just be a
one off.
Speaker 7 (40:09):
I think it was the I think it was always
the two together. Okay, then the one that they.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
Brought everybody back, right and.
Speaker 7 (40:18):
And lindsay back for that, I think, I mean, I
don't think that was ever on anyone's agenda, But I
think it was always the first two together because as
you guys I listened last night, as you mentioned, like
there is there's a significant amount of continuity between the two.
So yeah, yeah, they must have always been coupled.
Speaker 1 (40:35):
Yeah, I think they I think that was always a plan.
And by that time that you were now had done
a couple of episodes, we were all pretty close.
Speaker 5 (40:42):
Larissa. I have a great picture of you and I
in a limo.
Speaker 1 (40:46):
And I'm wearing a hard rock cafe leather jacket and
you have on a great striped sweater, and I have
no idea where we were going.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
Probably the Kid's Choice Awards, because Kids Choice were every year.
Would have like I remember, Liverisa, you and I presented
at the Nickeload and Kids Choice Awards. I did it
in roller blades. It's like roller blades and you jeans. Yeah,
remember you don't. We can probably find it online, but
I'm pretty sure you and I are at the podium
together and you're like, yeah, and but anyway, that was
(41:17):
something we would have been picked up in a limo
for if we were all going.
Speaker 4 (41:20):
To the Choice.
Speaker 5 (41:21):
I wonder that's what Oh well, I mean.
Speaker 3 (41:26):
Do you think, oh we got to talk about We haven't.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
Even talked about.
Speaker 1 (41:33):
It's at night though, And where would we have where
would they have picked us up from?
Speaker 7 (41:36):
Like, do you know what it might have been? Do
you remember that we did that slumber party together at
the Great Mall?
Speaker 1 (41:41):
Yes, it was the slumber party at the Great Mall.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
You guys did a slumber party. It's a great mall.
What's the great you put together?
Speaker 5 (41:50):
The Great Mall of America.
Speaker 3 (41:52):
In Minnesota and Minnesota they flew you guys out to Minnesota.
Speaker 7 (41:56):
Yes, it was one of those things. Well, and that
this could also be like a Judy thing, because I
was asking my mom about it recently and she was like, oh, yeah,
I remember that it was something like they had approached
me about it, and I was like, I was like,
this doesn't sound like something that would be fun to
do on my own.
Speaker 5 (42:12):
Won't bring us end?
Speaker 7 (42:14):
What if Danielle came along too? You know, I'm just
like I'm like, you can get.
Speaker 3 (42:22):
Two of us.
Speaker 7 (42:24):
Also, we'll have a much better time totally.
Speaker 3 (42:28):
So what did you guys do sleep on the floor
in what was us? Did you sleep on the floor
in the mall?
Speaker 1 (42:34):
We just went and like I feel like we just
had a slumber party. We visited the slumber party.
Speaker 7 (42:39):
Yeah, we like brought some wars or something like that
and there Q and so odd.
Speaker 3 (42:45):
It sounds so weird.
Speaker 7 (42:50):
I feel like that might have been a limo situation
because they know you're.
Speaker 1 (42:53):
Right, because it's it's also like a bunch of pictures
and which could have very well been that we were
somewhere local and my mom decided to use this as
an opportunity for a little photo shoot for us. But
it does feel very much like a photo shoot you
have when you're on a trip, like you're in a
different location, Like we should commemorate this look at us
in a limo in Minnesota at.
Speaker 5 (43:14):
The Great Mall.
Speaker 1 (43:14):
That is exactly what it was, for sure. And let's
please talk about our Kushling's commercial.
Speaker 7 (43:21):
And memories that they made about our lives just after
hanging out, like.
Speaker 3 (43:28):
When you walked into her dressing room and had that conversation.
It's just totally natural, just.
Speaker 7 (43:33):
Happen to be care with there.
Speaker 1 (43:34):
Do you remember about that experience, because I have I
have a surprisingly kind of a lot of memories, and
none of them are of actually really filming it. They're
of all the stuff like gearing up for filming it.
Do you remember looking at the storyboard, like when they
showed us the storyboard.
Speaker 7 (43:51):
I do remember all of us just kind of being like, oh.
Speaker 3 (43:54):
Oh, I am this is what today is going to
be these days.
Speaker 7 (44:02):
But again, like you know, the fact that we were
in it together. I was just like, thank.
Speaker 3 (44:08):
God, yes, like you know, nothing God.
Speaker 7 (44:11):
I mean, not that it was so listen, it wasn't
so embarrassing. I mean, it's just we're teenagers, you know,
just were teenagers.
Speaker 5 (44:18):
Like feeling uncomfortable.
Speaker 7 (44:20):
Yeah, we're being awkward already, and it was just like, okay,
so we're going to commit to this thing. But at
least it was, you know, the three of us in
it together. And yeh, that's not what I remember. And
actually I have to say this last show that I
just worked on, our set decorator came up to me,
went in she was like, oh my gosh, my boyfriend
(44:41):
and I found this video of this commercial and I
was like, oh god, I know, so embarrassing. And she
was like, what was embarrassing about it? And I was like,
I don't know, it's just so cheesy, and she was like, honestly,
it was just really nice to see the three of
you together. And I was like, noted, no, note.
Speaker 5 (44:58):
You know, and I do.
Speaker 1 (44:59):
It's it's nice because the three of us are obviously
friends in the commercial.
Speaker 5 (45:02):
But you're right that, like my overwhelming.
Speaker 1 (45:04):
Memory of the thing is just that the three of
us looked at each other and we all shared the
same sentiment, which.
Speaker 5 (45:10):
Is like, this is so fun together.
Speaker 1 (45:13):
Here we are doing this together, and I'm happy that
we're here together and we're doing this.
Speaker 3 (45:29):
Do you remember, Larissa, you and I were you know,
national ambassadors for the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, which
was like this huge Washington push for They were trying
to pass some legislation, you know, some anti tobacco legislation.
So there was this it was this giant it was
like hundreds of millions of dollars dollars funneled into this campaign,
(45:50):
and we were like the national ambassadors and they flew
us to d C. We had like give speeches and
be part of that.
Speaker 7 (46:00):
I was available, I shouldn't have been asked to be
a part of it. That's the photo that I sent you, writer.
I feel like that's from one of those. I sent
it to you, like a couple years ago, because they
were asking something for press for another show and I
was like, I was like, oh, I have this because
I sent it to you for approval. I was like, hey,
remember when I was Gwen Stefani and you were a
(46:22):
beat poet the writer with like full goate. I think
I said it, but I think that was from one
of those.
Speaker 4 (46:31):
So you were in costume and writer was writer. Do
you guys do wait to Danielle? Do you do you
guys know that Larissa and I actually did a show.
We did a pilot together after Boy Meets World with Jeff.
Jeff Sherman wrote it, Jeff McCracken directed it, and Alex
(46:54):
Daysier was in it too.
Speaker 3 (46:55):
Oh that's right, you did mention that and it was
shot at.
Speaker 7 (46:58):
My house, right, because that was the only way we
could get you to do it, was.
Speaker 5 (47:02):
That what it was that would make sense because at.
Speaker 3 (47:05):
The time, at that time, that totally makes sense.
Speaker 4 (47:07):
That's the only way I could do it is I
guess we have to shoot it here year was it.
Speaker 7 (47:11):
I'm not making they wouldn't be clear. I'm not making
light of that. I just I was like, I just.
Speaker 3 (47:15):
Remember, No, I forgot.
Speaker 4 (47:16):
That was the reason that that was hugely in my
in my anxiety face.
Speaker 7 (47:20):
We shoot it at his house, and I was like, well,
shoot at his house, then that's right.
Speaker 3 (47:23):
Good I found the photo. Larissa.
Speaker 4 (47:25):
You and I didn't really work together until later because
we did voice some voice over together and then we did.
Speaker 7 (47:32):
Did we do voice over together?
Speaker 3 (47:34):
Was it?
Speaker 7 (47:34):
Did you did you Club?
Speaker 4 (47:36):
It was? Yeah, we did winks. We did Winks for
a while and then we did and we did that pilot.
What was the name of that show, Katie?
Speaker 7 (47:44):
Yeah, because I wrote that with Jeff and Wendy or
I mean right, yea, yes, the three of us kind
of collaborated on that, and it really was yeah, like
a Boy Means World Reunion.
Speaker 3 (47:55):
It was. It was a good show. It was it
was fun.
Speaker 7 (47:58):
Honestly, Will like our like I our scenes were really good.
Speaker 3 (48:03):
Yeah, I thought, so, yeah.
Speaker 7 (48:04):
Oh there's really something here well. And also I have
such a fondness for Alex too, Like I mean because wow,
I said I was propped out, but I'm not more
catch on Hapcatcher hepcat baby tea.
Speaker 5 (48:23):
Yeah, that's the most nineties thing ever had.
Speaker 3 (48:26):
I was a big Scott.
Speaker 7 (48:27):
I mean, I'm still I still love Scott, but I
was like a he that was like my life when
I was sixteen, and so Alex and I sort of
like had kept a connection for years before then we did. Yeah,
we did this pilot together. Yeah, that was Yeah, we
shot it here. I'm trying to remember there were turtles.
Speaker 4 (48:42):
Yes, I owned I sold turtles on the internet or
something like that was.
Speaker 5 (48:47):
Part of the show.
Speaker 3 (48:48):
As part of the show.
Speaker 4 (48:49):
Yeah, no, I sold turtles in real life, not turtles
is real life.
Speaker 5 (48:53):
And I was like this drumps pony.
Speaker 3 (49:00):
That's so funny. Oh man.
Speaker 1 (49:02):
Now going back to just some memories, do you have
like a favorite hangout session, like a favorite hang with
writer story?
Speaker 7 (49:11):
I remember, well, gosh, I mean I don't know writer,
We've just known each other for so Also Writer, I mean,
do you remember that I did Pepper Dennis.
Speaker 3 (49:19):
Too, Yeah, of course, yeah, yeah, So third job together
was doing Pepper Dennis where I met my wife.
Speaker 7 (49:25):
So yeah, yeah, they're just honestly, like most recently. The
last time you and Alex were in New York, it
was a couple of years. It was pre pandemic, so
you think you were both in New York. I think
it was her short that you were in Tribecca for
that's we did, like we had like a solid.
Speaker 3 (49:43):
Hang oh yeah. We stayed late.
Speaker 7 (49:45):
We late, and I remember I was like, this is it.
Speaker 3 (49:50):
This is you came out to a screening of her short.
It was part of a program at Tribeca, and then
the three of us and maybe some other people went
out for pizza afterwards, and I remember you and I
got into it. Yeah, it was really a good oh
yeah wow. And you know they were so pissed that
(50:12):
I had to go to They were like, why we
want we wanted a teenager, We want want to be
twenty one year old. Du You look a lot like
Shiloh in that totally Oh wow, I do.
Speaker 2 (50:24):
Yeah, a lot like Shiloh in that picture.
Speaker 3 (50:26):
That's amazing. Wow, there another one.
Speaker 7 (50:31):
You've seen each other through so many iterations, you know,
and it's it's always reassuring when and I mean I
think that this is sort of like look.
Speaker 3 (50:42):
At that he both looks so awkward here. You're like, uh,
does he have to put his arm around me? Does
he have to put his arm around me? And I'm like,
hey man, I'm just here. You're just lucky I'm here.
Speaker 5 (50:56):
I refuse to show you my teeth, oh.
Speaker 3 (50:59):
Riot, or do something like I share my teeth so cute?
Come on, it's adorable.
Speaker 7 (51:10):
But isn't that why we're here? You know? Isn't that
why we're all here? To appreciate the fact that like
we're still here, Yes, we're still here, and years can
go by and there's just some things you share with
people that it's all you can kind of just get
(51:31):
right back into it. Yeah. Yeah, isn't that the beauty
of I think now after the fact, I know we
all went through our phases of sort of like rejecting
this time in our lives, which I think is healthy
to need to step away and say and sort of
compartmentalize and say like that's something that I did before,
(51:51):
but now to be able to embrace it more holistically
and just I mean, we're all in our we're all
in our forties, right, Yeah, It's like it's a small
miracle that we're all even still here. I just I've
never really appreciated it more. That's why it is the best.
(52:13):
It is such a great age. Yeah, because of stuff like.
Speaker 5 (52:16):
This that it is.
Speaker 1 (52:17):
Writer and I had this conversation recently where it is
so nice now to be far enough removed from some
of the things we would have called childhood traumas that
or that felt you know, pretty serious at the time,
to be far enough away from them now to be
able to truly laugh at at ourselves and the way
and how serious we may have taken something. And it
(52:39):
doesn't mean that it was any less significant at the time, sure,
but just being able to have the distance to say,
it's kind of nice to laugh about that now.
Speaker 5 (52:49):
It's it's really it really is beautiful.
Speaker 1 (52:52):
And you are still acting a bunch now, you're still
having dream jobs like.
Speaker 3 (52:56):
Well, that's what I wanted to ask about, because you
you mean, you were doing a sitcom with kids, right, like,
you were working with child actors. So what was that like?
I mean, how was it to be on the other
side of it?
Speaker 7 (53:07):
I love it, Yeah, I love it. I have to say,
I have to say that I think that's also a
huge part of you know, I'm going to use a
big word and maybe it's with a capital eight. I
mean with the capital the lowercase H. But that's part
of like the healing process of all of this, is
(53:27):
when things come full circle like that and then you
get to be in a position where it's like, oh,
I might actually have something to impart here, And especially
seeing the kids on the show, I actually just zoomed.
The show is called Erin and Aaron. We aired on
Nickelodeon and now it's on Netflix. We're waiting to hear
about a season two. But so I was just zooming
(53:49):
with the parents, but then the kids hopped on and
of course, you know my question is I was like,
I was like, I know, we all want a second season,
but like, how are the kids feeling?
Speaker 6 (53:58):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (53:59):
Very cue And this is my third time playing a mom,
and I've been incredibly I just I just love it.
I've been incredibly protective every time. Like I've loved all
I've loved all of these kids that I've I've worked
with because I'm able to see in them. Yeah, some
(54:20):
people don't want to be there, sure, and it's like
it's like this is a path, this is a hobby,
You'll grow out of it, whatever. But then with some
of them, I'm just like, yeah, man, sometimes there's just
no other way. Sometimes I'm actually curious to know if
you would have it any other way, because I honestly
think that, like I can look back and say I
wouldn't really want anything to be different other than maybe
(54:41):
just I would just be gentleer on myself in general.
But yeah, but I see it. So when the kids
hopped on and then like I sort of asked them
and they were like, they were like yeah, I was like,
how school, And they're like, you're kind of ready to
get back to work, and I was.
Speaker 3 (54:55):
Like, yeah, there you go, there you go.
Speaker 7 (54:58):
I remember the exact same thing. I remember being so
ready to get back to school. And actually, Danielle, I
don't think I realized that you too were in like
real scholar school, regular school. I didn't realize Jodie was.
Christine was like that's something that I'm like, oh, no,
wonder we sort of gravitated towards each other because very
few people really understand absolutely and that is such difficult balance.
(55:22):
But I wouldn't change it. I'm very old that I
had both. But I was like, yes, I remember this.
I remember wanting to get back to school and going
for a semester and then just being like, when are
we getting back to Yeah, I mean I'm obsessed. I
mean I'm obsessed with them, So I I just love
(55:43):
you know, I have no plans to be a mother
in my real life, but I love playing a mom.
I love anytime. I think it was maybe just towards
the end of the season one of them sort of
like quietly approached me and was like, oh, you know,
I'm gonna get I'm actually surprised I haven't busted a
(56:05):
tear yet. She was like, she's like, well, I'm just
kind of nervous about, you know, how what's gonna happen
when the show airs. And I was able to give
her some i think solid advice because it's hard to
hold yourself back, at least for me it is. I
just want to tell them things all the time, but
I have to wait for them to, you know.
Speaker 5 (56:24):
Help too.
Speaker 7 (56:25):
Yeah, yeah, exactly, they have to want to anyway. And
it was like it was like I imparted what I
could and she walked away, and I was like in
the makeup trailer and I was like, I like called
it together, and I was like after she was out
of the room. I was like, oh, because I just
(56:46):
I there are so many elements of this business that
are completely magical. And I'll say it again like that
really is one of them. The people that you meet,
the connections that you for, the family that you make. Yeah,
(57:07):
I'm a lifer.
Speaker 1 (57:08):
Absolutely. My final question is totally related to that. What
would little lame is Larissa think about current adult, beautiful
Alissa still working all these decades later, and the wonderful
human woman you've grown into being.
Speaker 7 (57:31):
Sorry, that's a big one. I think she's so much
smarter than me. Honestly, I think she's more just like, Yeah,
I told you.
Speaker 5 (57:48):
I love it.
Speaker 7 (57:54):
Yeah, I love it.
Speaker 5 (57:55):
That's a perfect answer. That's exactly right. Yeah to you,
this is life. This is the if I knew you
were going to have you just duh, I've d at it. Yeah,
And sister enjoyed that Kushli's commercial. You've got decades more
of this, sister.
Speaker 7 (58:10):
A.
Speaker 1 (58:13):
Larissa, thank you so much for being here with us
and gracing us with your presence.
Speaker 5 (58:17):
It's always so wonderful to see you.
Speaker 7 (58:20):
I mean I said it briefly, but you really are.
And I kind of joked about it with you in text,
but like you really are providing a service. Like I
think I think you understand, but like I just want
to mirror back for you that, like the ripple effect
of this podcast is much bigger than and I think you,
(58:43):
I think you get that, but I just I just
wanted to reiterate it that I think it's just even
for those of us who aren't child actors, there's something
that's just so relatable about well just about what you're doing.
(59:03):
It's important.
Speaker 5 (59:04):
Thank you, It's very sweet.
Speaker 7 (59:06):
Thank you, special corner of the world. It's very important.
Speaker 5 (59:10):
Thank you means a lot to us writers.
Speaker 1 (59:12):
Emotional I can tell, so I won't on the whole time.
Speaker 5 (59:19):
So cute on you. Thank you, Larissa, thank you so
much for being here. We'll see you again soon.
Speaker 7 (59:23):
Thank you. Bye bye.
Speaker 5 (59:26):
We need to bring her back to do.
Speaker 4 (59:28):
We should actually, yeah, well we should have all three
of the girlfriends back for the episode where they all
gather for sure rewatch.
Speaker 3 (59:38):
We'll do a rewatch for that.
Speaker 5 (59:39):
Yeah, let's do it.
Speaker 2 (59:41):
That'd be fun, wonderful.
Speaker 1 (59:43):
I would I would love that we could also bring
back Larissa and Jody and do a Kush Links episode.
Speaker 5 (59:49):
Yes, we watched the.
Speaker 2 (59:54):
Entire time.
Speaker 4 (59:54):
We should do it while doing while having a sleepover
at the Mall of America.
Speaker 5 (59:59):
And we can watch Will's show with Larissa.
Speaker 3 (01:00:02):
Oh it was it was fun. It was good.
Speaker 2 (01:00:04):
I still have it too somewhere. I mean, I think
we should.
Speaker 1 (01:00:06):
We could throw out and Pepper Dennis guys, Yes we could.
Speaker 5 (01:00:10):
We'll have a great to going. I really like this idea.
Speaker 1 (01:00:15):
Well, thank you all for being here with us for
this episode of Podmeets World. As always, you can follow
us on Instagram pod Meets World Show. You can send
us your emails pod Meets World Show at gmail dot
com and we have.
Speaker 3 (01:00:25):
Merch another crush on Riders Strong merch.
Speaker 5 (01:00:29):
Od Meets Worldshow dot com will send us out.
Speaker 3 (01:00:33):
We love you all, pod dismissed.
Speaker 4 (01:00:36):
Podmeets World is nheart podcast producer and hosted by Danielle Fischel,
Wilfredell and Ryder Strong. Executive producers Jensen Carp and Amy Sugarman.
Executive in charge of production, Danielle Romo, producer and editor,
Tara Sudbaksh producer, Maddy Moore, engineer and Boy Meets World
super fan Easton Allen. Our theme song is by Kyle
Morton of typhoon, and you can follow us on Instagram
(01:00:56):
at podmeets World Show or email us at pod Meets
World Show at g mail dot com.
Hosts And Creators
Will Friedle
Danielle Fishel
Rider Strong
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