Ok here is the new interview with Michael and Stern. Meyers touches on many many things and says some stuff that is sure to be controversial, but hey it's Michael, did we expect anything else??? Here's what's discussed:
- The plot of Truth or Die
- His relationship with Scarlett Johansson and how they went from friends to lovers
- His dislike of Natalie Portman
- The reason for his falling out with Olivia Wilde
- Him thinking Robert DeNiro is overrated
- His controversial speech to the SFT students
- The controversy surrounding Chants of Reign's "Can't Sleep" music video
- He is currently filming Ted and recording Chants of Reign's fourth album as well as a remix album for Ill Escape
- His favorite porn stars
- Joe Wright, Matthew Vaughn, and Danny Boyle in talks to direct the next Bond film
- He wants to play Bond for as long as he can. He puts no limit on the number of films he'll sign onto
- He and Chants of Reign have signed a new rap group to their label who release their debut album in 2014
MRM: I'm back!
RQ: Seems like you were just here yesterday!
MRM: Yea I was here in May I think.
RQ: Yes you were.
HS: Most exciting actor in the game...I think!
MRM: Most exciting actor in the game. Most exciting interview in the game! Haha.
HS: Damn right. Let's get to it. Let's get to the controversy.
MRM: I'm joking, I'm joking! Don't need anymore of that.
HS: Oh come on, who do you hate???
MRM: But seriously, glad to be back, you guys give the best interview in the business.
HS: Sit down man I need to talk to you.
MRM: Uh oh, about what? What'd I do now?
HS: Your tweets are depressing me. I need to find out why you're so depressed man.
MRM: Depressed? What you talking about?
HS: I follow you on Twitter man, you're one of the few celebrities I care about enough to read their tweets. I think you are super talented and I want to keep up on your mental health and what's going on with you because every other month there is some new drama or rehab or something.
MRM: Nah man I'm steering clear of all that shit man. New leaf. All positivity.
HS: Are you sure because I'm reading some of these tweets man. You seem kinda depressed man. You seem damaged.
RQ: Damaged movie star!
MRM: I dunno what to tell ya man. I mean on Twitter, I just like to speak for the people and to the people. I like to show people I can relate to their struggles in understanding the opposite sex and the complexities of dating and life in general. I try to say stuff that people can relate to, laugh at, create discussion. I really love it. But sometimes that entails saying the dark stuff. It may not necessarily be stuff that I am personally going through but it's stuff I know others are going through, ya know?
HS: Oh so not all of this always applies to you and your life...
MRM: Right.
RQ: Yea see he's fine.
HS: Yea man what you gotta be depressed about? You're rich. You're good lookin'. You get pussy like no one's business. You're famous.
MRM: Hey now!
HS: Hey now! But seriously...you need to cheer up and stop focusing on the negative stuff man.
MRM: I try, I try.
HS: So you still banging Scarlett or what?
MRM: Haha. That's one way to say it.
HS: Well how else am I gonna say it? Are you dating?
MRM: Yes. Yes we are.
HS: What a piece that is.
MRM: She's a great girl.
HS: How'd you get that? How'd you even meet her? At an event or something?
MRM: No, no we did a movie together in 2005. That's how we met. And funny thing is we didn't even get along. We didn't hate each other or anything, but the friendly chemistry that you'd like to be there with a co-star with whom you're gonna have love scenes with, just wasn't there.
HS: So what she was being cold to you...
MRM: Pretty much. She was just coming into her fame at the time and was kind of struggling with how to deal with that, which happens to us all. But she was hard to crack but we got through it. Over the years we'd run into each other from time to time at events and stuff but I was always involved with other people as was she so I never thought about her in that way and really in a way she's not really my 'type' anyway. But last year she reached out to me for tickets to a show for my band Chants of Reign because she was a fan. She came to a show. We re-connected. She just seemed, different. So mature. So kind, so open and friendly. Nothing like before. We started hanging out. She opened up to me about her divorce from Ryan Reynolds. We became good friends. Went on a date but decided there was no spark and to stay friends. Then something weird happened. In August I was on tour with my band in Europe and the news came out about her getting attacked by some fans and my heart broke. I felt it deep. Like anger ya know? How dare someone hurt her. I couldn't wait to get back to the states and just be there for her. It awoke something inside of me for her I didn't even know was there. We been tight ever since.
RQ: So here's what I wanna know. How is that for an actor to have no chemistry with his lead or straight up not like each other?
HS: Yea I've always wondered how do you handle that? Has that happened with anyone, other than Johansson?
MRM: Haha. Maybe...
HS: Come on, give it to me, give us a name.
MRM: Oh boy. You guys want that controversy. I've had enough of that.
HS: Yea like that speech you made for the acting school.
MRM: Yea I'm sick of talking about that. I was just preparing those kids for the real world. I'm sorry if people don't like that truth.
HS: So what actress did you hate?
MRM: Well I didn't hate her, but yea, there was one, who, yea...
HS: Who?
MRM: Well first let me say I'm not saying I hate her or she's a bad person. I just think she's a little...in love with herself.
HS: Who?
MRM: Well, here's the thing... Natalie Portman is a decent actress, but working with her, wasn't fun.
RQ: Oh my but she's American's sweetheart.
HS: I always knew she was a bitch. She looks like she thinks her shit don't stink.
MRM: Haha!
HS: Isn't it true?
MRM: She's one of those straight A valedictorian class favorite types who thinks because her GPA is higher than yours she should always have her way and is always right and that kind of self serving entitlement to being the teacher's pet or in our world the director's pet, can get kind of annoying. But like I said, not a bad person, just a bit self righteous.
HS: So you wouldn't work with her again? Don't like her...
MRM: No I wouldn't. Just not my cup of tea.
HS: Would you fuck her?
MRM: Haha, what?? I just said I don't like the girl.
HS: Yea but do you find her attractive?
MRM: Yea she's a cute girl. She's pretty. I just don't like her as a person. I want to. You hear nice things about her and you think she's gonna be a sweet person but you come to find out she's very...judgmental. I don't find that attractive. She has this attitude of, if you are different from her, she ain't fuckin' with you. She puts you in this box and you stay over there and she will be over here. I just think she grew up very sheltered. She's a very sheltered girl.
HS: Oh I see. I think I got it. So she's one of those girls from the big house in the suburbs who gets around say a black guy or some minority or something she isn't familiar with and go...ok statistics say you guys are scary so I will stand over here and you stand over there because I'm supposed to be afraid of you.
MRM: Well maybe not that exact example but yea pretty much. Very closed minded. Which is shocking for a Harvard grad. I wasn't expecting that. But, like I said. Nice girl. Decent actress. Hard worker. Oscar winner, haha.
RQ: Wait did I hear you call her a decent actress? Just decent?
MRM: Yea.
RQ: You know she won an Oscar right?
MRM: Yea, so? What's that mean?
HS: So you think she's overrated?
MRM: I think a lot of so called great actors are overrated.
HS: Like who?
MRM: Oh boy here we go.
HS: Hey man you opened the door.
MRM: Well I just look at acting from a certain perspective. The actors who I think are overrated, I'm not saying their bad actors. They're good actors, heck even GREAT actors. But not the greatest of all time the way some people rank them. I just don't see it. And I'm very analytical and picky and particular about what is great acting.
HS: So who do you think doesn't deserve their reputation as the greatest?
MRM: Well A lot of people won't agree with this but I think DeNiro is a little overrated, in my opinion.
RQ: What???
HS: The guy hasn't done anything all that great in a while...
RQ: Both of you are crazy!
MRM: Listen I know people will say that but I don't care. I know what I'm talking about. I'm just not impressed. To me acting, again coming from someone who does it for a living...acting is like juggling. And the more balls you juggle the more I'm impressed by what you're accomplishing. So every thing you have to change about yourself is one more ball you're juggling. If you change your accent, ok that's one ball. You gained or lost a lot of weight, that's another ball. You changed your hair or eye color or grew a beard or something, that's another ball. You deepen your voice, another ball. Your mannerisms and movements and ticks, that's another ball. How many actors, each time out, every single time, juggle four or five balls with each performance? Gary Oldman. Daniel Day Lewis. Mark Strong. These are the guys, the real pros who I want to be like. Who I admire as the best of the best of the best of the best. Again, not saying DeNiro isn't real or believable. The guy is a legend and one of the most natural and effortless actors. I love what he does but how do you expect me to be impressed by him juggling one or two balls at MOST and hardly any in the last 15 years when other guys juggle 5 every role they do? How and why the fuck should that impress me? He stopped caring a long time ago. And even his best performances from back in the day and yes I have seen everything he's done, just aren't what I thought. Sorry that's how I feel.
HS: Hey I can respect that.
MRM: Ok now that I have pissed off half of Hollywood, don't I have a movie to promote?
HS: Oh yea, that thing? Yea...let's get to that. So "Truth or Die" right?
MRM: Yea comes out October 18th. Starring myself, Olivia Wilde, Keira Knightley, Sean Penn, Gary Oldman. Just a great thriller. A sequel to Phone Booth. I'm a young politician who gets caught in some lies and Kiefer Sutherland's caller character is back to make sure I start telling the truth. Pretty crazy flick.
HS: Now you and Olivia Wilde play husband and wife in this correct?
MRM: Yea.
HS: But I heard you two aren't even speaking now.
MRM: Correct.
HS: Whoa, whoa what happened there? I thought you two were tight.
MRM: We were man, we were. Like best friends but now we don't speak.
HS: Why, what happened?
MRM: She and I just had a falling out ya know? Shit happens.
HS: No shit doesn't just happened between two good friends, there had to be something going on.
MRM: I don't think it needs to be said. That's all.
HS: Oh come on you always spill the beans. What happened? You guys fucked didn't you?
MRM: I'm ...not...saying...anything!
HS: You fucked her!
MRM: It's more than that. It really is.
HS: Than what is it?
MRM: I gave her some friendly advice she couldn't handle and she chose to cut me out of her life.
HS: Friendly advice? Like what?
RQ: I read he didn't like her boyfriend or something.
HS: Is that so?
MRM: Yea she can do better.
HS: He's a loser?
MRM: He's a director.
HS: So what's the problem?
MRM: Just isn't a good guy. And she told me stuff he's done yet she goes back and one day I blew up on her and said you can do better and said some hurtful things and she basically said don't ever speak to me again.
HS: And that was it?
MRM: We haven't spoke since.
HS: And when was this?
MRM: ...Uh, June or July I think? Of this year.
RQ: You know as a woman, I can speak from experience when I say..I've dated my fair share of bad apples. And while my female friends always have their say and give me advice, they never stop being my friends just because I'm dating a guy they don't think is good for me. But I've had tons of guy friends, always straight ones of course, who the minute they find out I'm back with a not so good guy, they blow up on me, call me all sorts of names, and say the friendship is over. Make a whole production!
HS: Wow.
MRM: Oh yea?
RQ: Yea. And almost every single time...later on I come to find out, that guy friend had a crush on me.
HS: And you see, it's because he wanted you to give them the chance you keep giving this other loser, who doesn't even deserve you.
RQ: Exactly.
HS: So that means Mike you wanted her to give YOU that chance.
MRM: (smiles and rubs his face)
HS: Come on, admit it. You wanted her.
MRM: ...there was a moment in time where, yea I had it pretty bad for her. And she knew. I never verbally said it, but one night we had a moment, and she knew. And she chose to ignore that fact and pretty much rub it in my face she was with someone else. And I never expected that. She went from this great friend to a mean girl cheerleader type who flaunts her relationship in the face of the guy she knows wants her and it turned what I thought was a close friendship into this strange competition where I was dating girls just to show her I was over her and we would compare notes.
HS: Like how?
MRM: Just you know, like if they were having problems, I'd say, well me and so and so are doing great.
HS: Like to see whose relationship is doing better.
MRM: Yea as a way to sort of I guess, prove to other, hey you made the wrong choice. I'm still with so and so and I'm treating her great while your guy is doing dirt. You made a dumb move on your part.
HS: So what do you think her deal was? Why'd she choose this other guy over you?
MRM: Listen over the past couple years I have been doing an insane insane insane amount of research on human psychology and mainly focused on romance and gender relations and why we date who we date and stuff and I am not psychologist or anything but it's a fact we chase the people who fill a void. Who solve a psychological issue we have. And over the year's I've noticed Olivia has always been attracted to power. Her first husband was a prince. This new guy is a director. Rick Yune comes from a rich lawyer family. I dunno. It's just a trend I saw. I think she was dating a very famous DJ too at one point. There may be another common thread these guys have, but we've had many deep conversations about it. But whatever it is, I didn't possess it. Which is fine. Everything happens for a reason. She's not the girl for me. She showed her true colors. She's a very money hungry person, so she's in the perfect industry for that.
HS: Wow. This behind the scenes Hollywood stuff fascinates me. Whose bangin' who? Whose doing what?
MRM: Believe me a lot goes on behind closed doors you have no idea about. Alot of people who you think never even met probably know each other, may be friends, have hooked up, even dated. They just chose to hide it. When you want to hide something you can. Anything that gets "leaked" was leaked on purpose for a reason. Nothing's by accident.
HS: Oh Mike I've been known that. Like when these celebs act all pissed when they see the paparazzi outside following them, they knew they were gonna be there...
MRM: They're publicists told the paparazzi they were gonna be there! They aren't psychic.
HS: Exactly. It's all smoke and mirrors man.
RQ: So when Halle Berry fights off those paparazzi guys she asked them to be there!??
MRM: Well at the time she wanted to prove to the judge in her child custody case that LA was a dangerous place to raise her daughter because of how aggressive and invasive the paparazzi are so that run in was supposed to help her case.
HS: Oh...I see. There ya go.
RQ: Wow.
MRM: Exactly. They tip them off then act shocked they are there. It's all apart of the game. Hollywood is a crazy crazy place. That's why I tell young actors just be careful when you come here. It's not this nice happy place where everyone wants to help you succeed. It's the most fake, backstabbing, insecure, vapid, fame and money hungry and ego driven industry next to politics and wall street, haha. It's crazy!
HS: Well yea like I was saying, like how people made such a big stink about your speech you gave to those acting kids...
MRM: Yea.
RQ: Yea where you basically told them it's impossible to make it in Hollywood as a struggling actor without cutting ties with everyone close to you, sleeping your way to the top, paying off your agent, and basically selling your soul to the devil, haha!
MRM: Well I did those kids a service because I told them something teachers at acting schools NEVER tell them...the truth!
HS: That's right.
MRM: Why should we lie to these kids and not give them ever bit of correct info we can about the industry they are about to get involved with? They spending their time and money on getting an education, head shots, all kinds of things to get work and then you don't tell them the real ins and outs of it. That's a real shame. It's a scam really. I didn't want to do that. I didn't wanna stand up there for 15 minutes and say the standard cliche "just work hard" bullshit they paid me to say. That's all they wanted me to say. But I was like 'fuck that'. I'm gonna tell these kids how it really is. So now there's two things that will hopefully happen. One, the kids who realized, 'Wow I don't wanna be in a world like that..let me go apply for an office job somewhere', will get out now before it's too late and spare them self the pain and heartbreak of finding out they aren't cut out for this shit. I always say, salmon weren't meant to swim with sharks. And the second thing is the actors who decide, 'Ok I know this is gonna be an extremely difficult and very very competitive world to get into where morals are low and ambition is high but I want this more than life itself' then those kids will know now what they are up against and what it's gonna take to compete. I did them a favor. I saved the kids who weren't built for it from a major disappointment and I let the kids who are built for it sage advice on the tools of attack. I gave them priceless advice that will change their lives for the better, no matter which of those choices they make.
HS: I agree.
RQ: But you had another controversy recently with your band's music video where they said some girl was being raped???
HS: Yea???
MRM: No that was a misunderstanding. My band has a song out and in the music video for the song it's about a guy who is in some girl's friendzone and can't get out and ultimately kills himself. There's a scene where he is fantasizing about what it would be like to date her and in that scene he is ripping off her panties in a rough way but people got it confused and thought he was raping her when he wasn't. Guys do that to girls all the time.
HS: Yea I see it in porn all the time.
MRM: I know right. I think whoever started that controversy hasn't seen enough porn.
HS: You still watch porn?
MRM: Come on man. Of course!
HS: Thank you! At least you admit it. So many guys come here and are like 'man i don't watch that shit..i get laid bro'...I'm like Yea ok!
MRM: Bull. All guys watch it. Even when they are getting laid. Maybe not as much obviously, but you still check it out from time to time. Just to keep up with the trends, what's going on. Who the hot new porn star is.
HS: Whose your favorite?
MRM: Porn star?
HS: Yea.
MRM: Man...so many. Sooooo many, haha! Sasha Grey of course.
HS: You dated her.
MRM: Yep.
HS: Aye Marrone. I can't even imagine.
MRM: Who else? This girl named Dina, from backroom casting couch.
HS: Love that site.
MRM: Yea. Um, Asa Akira is this asian one I recently got into it.
HS: Don't know her.
MRM: Bangin' body. Bangin'. You gotta look her up.
HS: Ok I'll make a note of that.
MRM: Um, this blonde chick, forgot her name. But she's from some UK site. A casting couch spinoff from eastern Europe somewhere. I think Czech Republic or something.
HS: Czech chicks are hotttt!
MRM: Oh man...yea! This one looks just like a hotter version of Anna Kournikova.
HS: Oh, wait...I think I know who you're....is it...Veronika something...?
MRM: Veronika..??
HS: Yea czech broad? Veronika Love...something?
MRM: No it's um...
RQ: Wish I could help but uh....
HS: Let me look this up right now....
MRM: I think I know who you are talking about but I think Veronika is just the name they gave her on some early videos she did before she came up with an official porn name because I remember some YouTube interview I saw with her where she said it took her a while to come up with a porn name because she wanted something that was memorable but also represented who she really is or whatever...
HS: Candy Love?
MRM: YES! Yes!!! That's her! (high fives Howard)
RQ: HAHA! Oh my goodness. You guys. You guys. You men and your porn stars.
HS: Yea Robin go somewhere and occupy yourself. Go buy some shoes or do something women do. Leave us men alone here. We're talking about porn here. This is serious business right here.
MRM: This is serious business right here.
RQ: Male bonding at it's finest.
HS: Yea this broad is something...
MRM: I'm telling you man. That's my girl right there. If I ever meet her bro, it's over.
HS: I dunno about dating it but I'd let her do something to me...
MRM: Ok I maybe you're right, haha.
RQ: I think you have enough women in your life.
MRM: Nah, just one. One's all I need.
HS: Ok let me click outta this before I get all hot and bothered.
MRM: Yea man sorry about that. I got a little overzealous there.
HS: No it's okay man. I see what you see. But let me calm down here and get back to this interview before I start touching myself. Whoo! Look at that bod. God I love women. Sexy women!
MRM: They're intoxicating.
HS: So you still doing these James Bond movies right?
MRM: Oh yea. I signed on for two more so that will make four when it's all said and done but I have the option to do more.
HS: So the next one is happening?
MRM: Yea man, start shooting next year sometime, maybe summer or fall. It comes out November 2015. We're talking to three big name directors right now, waiting to see who signs up.
HS: Oh yea who?
MRM: Not sure if I can say...
HS: Come on it's just you and me talking here...
MRM: Haha, yea ok.
HS: Spielberg or something?
MRM: No, haha.
HS: Spike Lee?
RQ: HA! That'd be something.
HS: Who they talking to?
MRM: A couple guys. All British. One guy named Joe Wright. He's worked with Keira Knightley a lot. Pride & Prejudice. Atonement. Anna Karenina. He's very visual with his camera work and he directs actors really well. He's kind of eccentric but very funny and intelligent. Keira swears by him. If he does it I will try to convince him to get her in it too. She's always wanted to be a Bond girl. She's one of my best friends and we've worked together three times now so why not in a Bond film?
HS: Why nothing ever happen between the two of you?
MRM: Me and Keira?
HS: Yea man, too skinny?
MRM: Yea that...and just ya know, she's like a sister. We kinda grew up together. I never looked at her in that way and the few times I did it just felt wrong. Like if we broke up, I dunno how I'd get along without her in my life and there's no dying urge to bang her so the friendship becomes what's most important. I don't wanna risk it. She's one of the sweetest and most genuine people in the world and she's married now anyway.
HS: Oh yea, I didn't know.
MRM: Yea to Nate Foster. Lead singer of a band called Foster the People. But yea anyway so we're talking to Joe Wright and also a guy named Matthew Vaughn. He's married to or dating Claudia Schiffer. He's a real tough as nails old school type A personality director but I love those types. He gets the job done. He makes dark thrillers like Layer Cake with Daniel Craig, but also can jump into sci-fi/fantasy action with stuff like Kick Ass and X-Men: First Class. Then the third guy is Danny Boyle. He's a very celebrated cinematographer and director whose been around a long time. He has a very cool and fast editing style and jumps from genre to genre a lot. He directed James Franco's 127 Hours where he got nominated for the Oscar...
HS: The guy who went hiking and had to cut his arm off right?
MRM: Yea. And he also did Trance with James McAvoy recently. 28 Days Later. Bunch of stuff. Very eclectic filmmaker and personally he is just very friendly and almost Woody Allen-ish in his mannerisms. Like this short old nerdy white guy, but British, but even though he's stumbling over his words and seems nervous he's the smartest guy in the room. The guy's a pure genius. Even if it's not Bond I'd just love to work with Danny someday, on anything.
HS: Well good luck with that man.
MRM: Thanks. It's a dream role. Still can't wrap my head around it. Maybe it will all sink in after it's over.
HS: How long do you plan to do it for? I mean do you ever fear being type cast?
MRM: No, people asked that when I first got the part and I said the same thing I'm saying now. People already knew me before and I'm a chameleon anyway so it won't effect me because of the stage in my career when I took the role and the way I work.
HS: How long do you wanna do it for?
MRM: As long as I can. If they keep asking me I'll keep doing it until they tell me they found someone who can do it better.
HS: So what's next then for you?
MRM: I'm filming Ted right now. That's why my hair's grown out. It's a hilarious R rated comedy written and directed by Seth McFarlane from Family Guy. It's me and Amy Adams. It takes place in Boston. I do a Boston accent. I'm a stoner pothead slacker who won't grow up and Seth voices this CGI stuffed teddy bear named Ted who can talk for some reason. And my character has been friends with him for years. I mean since young childhood. Amy's character has gotten used to it but she reaches her breaking point and demands I choose him or her. It's really really funny man. It's a new challenge for me. Comedy. I needed to do it. And Amy, she's been great to work with. She's easily one of the nicest and most talented actresses in the game now and she's unexpectedly attractive. I mean on TV and movies and stuff you see her on screen and she looks, alright. But in real life, man, she's gorgeous. Her husband is very very lucky. She's like that 'every woman, average girl walking down the street' hot. She really is. Just a natural normal down to Earth person. Very funny. She's giving a great performance in the film. Loved working with her. So that comes out in April and I'm also going to Costa Rica in December and January to film a movie called The Intern with an actor named Alex Pettyfer and Selena Gomez. It's kind of like Training Day in the business world. I take Alex under my wing and he idolizes me until he realizes I'm doing some pretty shady stuff with the company and he realizes he has to bring me down. That comes out next fall. Other than that I'm still focused on music. My band. We're recording out fourth album now. It's an R and B album with some funk and jazz thrown in there. Very romantic. We're working with producers like 40, Timbaland, Daft Punk, so many great people. That will be out next fall as well. But we're also doing a remix album for our last CD, Ill Escape. That's gonna have some new tracks and remixes of a bunch of tracks from that album, which has been our biggest hit yet. That should be out March sometime. We also started a new record label called Chemical Chameleon records and this year we signed two new artists who we're really excited about. One is this rap group from San Diego called Hyper Crush and we can't wait to see them blow up next year. They are a guy, a girl and their DJ and they are all very...um, unique personalities. They are ready for fame, I'll say that. They have an 80's, early 90's type of sound that they mesh with current rap and pop and dubstep and rage music. They are like a raunchier version of LMFAO. They have a good formula. Can't wait for the world to hear their stuff. Another artists we signed is someone who I think is going to take over the music scene. Her name is Lordess. She's a singer from the Czech Republic. We met her this summer overseas. She is insane. Like truly insane. Crazy party girl which I am a little worried about but she has a Lana Del Rey, Lady Gaga, Ellie Goulding, Amy Winehouse kind of vibe. I just wrote a song with her and a guy named Hudson Mohawke that is going to be the biggest song in the world next year. It's her first single. I'm beyond excited about her potential. Also helping both those artists work on their debut albums now as well. So it's all coming along. We keep it moving.
HS: Well good luck with the acting, the music, the women.
MRM: Well thank you, thank you.
HS: We love you here. We have to go but we will see you soon, and everyone go out there and see Truth or Die on Friday. We'll be back after these words.
