On this episode of The Story & Craft Podcast, we sit down with actor, Chris Diamantopoulos from the Prime Video show “The Sticky”, where he co-stars alongside Margo Martindale.  Chris is known for roles in films such as “Red Notice”, “The Three Stooges”, and as the voice of Mickey Mouse.  We chat about Chris’ career trajectory, his role in the Prime Video series “The Sticky”, and personal anecdotes about his family, his Greek heritage, and being able to be around his kids while doing voiceover work from his home studio.  Additionally, he shares insights from working with George Clooney, his approach to acting, and his future aspirations as a performer.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

01:53 Chris's Role in Red Notice

05:59 Voice Acting During COVID

11:12 The Sticky: A Unique Show

14:20 Greek Heritage and Family

19:05 Early Acting Career

22:13 Inspiration from Film and TV

24:14 Landing the Role in The Three Stooges

27:06 Reflecting on Career Shifts

27:38 Voicing Mickey Mouse: A Dream Role

29:49 Working with George Clooney

32:51 Audition Insights and Mentorship

39:56 Directorial Aspirations

41:44 The Seven Questions

Listen and subscribe on your favorite podcast app.  Also, check out the show and sign up for the newsletter at  www.storyandcraftpod.com

.

.

.

#podcast #ChrisDiamantopolous #Acting #AmazonPrime #PrimeVideo #Blumhouse #MargoMartindale #GeorgeClooney #JamieLeeCurtis #Greek #GreekActor #CanadianActor #Canada #MickeyMouse #Actor #Voiceover #storyandcraft

And so I watched him as he talked and then the journalist

2

asked him, would you do it, Mr.

3

Disney?

4

Would you, would you do

a little of the voice?

5

And he went,

6

oh boy.

7

And I watched what he did

with his, with his body.

8

I watched what he did with his face.

9

I thought, oh gosh, maybe I could do that.

10

Announcer: Welcome to Story and Craft.

11

Now, here's your host, Marc Preston.

12

Marc Preston: All right, here we go.

13

Back again.

14

Welcome.

15

Thank you so much for stopping back by.

16

Uh, if this is your

first episode, welcome.

17

My name is Marc Preston.

18

And, uh, today we are sitting down with.

19

Actor Chris Diamantopoulos, you might

know him from movies like George

20

Clooney's The Boys in the Boat.

21

He was also the bad guy in Red Notice

with Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne Johnson.

22

He's been in The Three Stooges.

23

Heck, he's even been the

voice of Mickey Mouse.

24

And of course, we talk about that

as well as his new show, The Sticky.

25

He co stars with Margo Martindale.

26

It is on Prime Video.

27

Watched a few episodes over the weekend.

28

Very cool show.

29

Chris is such a talented guy, uh, both

on stage and with a TV film, uh, also

30

voiceover, he's done tons of animation.

31

He is a great chat and

I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

32

Uh, Hey, by the way, if you would do me

a favor, pop on over to storyandcraftpod.

33

com slash rate.

34

Hey, do me a favor, drop a review, if

you will, on your favorite podcast app.

35

It helps folks to find the show.

36

So, you know, leave some stars, a

review, but make sure to follow the show.

37

That way you get notified every

time there is a new episode.

38

And, of course, the website.

39

We got everything up there from

past episodes to all of our guests.

40

You want to find out more about them.

41

Uh, and it's just a cool way to reach out.

42

Drop me a note.

43

You can even leave me a voicemail.

44

So, let's go and jump right on into it.

45

I really enjoyed this chat.

46

Very talented actor.

47

Is Chris Diamantopoulos day

right here on story and craft.

48

Hey man.

49

So good to connect with you.

50

I just.

51

Watched you the other night.

52

I was watching a red notice.

53

Love, love your character.

54

You had this, uh, sexy Euro

forest Whitaker thing going on,

55

which I just like that sound.

56

Yeah.

57

I love,

58

Chris Diamantopoulos: you know,

where that voice comes from.

59

Actually, that's a, it's the ultimate,

uh, this is a great actor story.

60

Uh, when I auditioned for the

role, um, the character was okay.

61

So originally the character was

supposed to be Antonio Banderas,

62

but, uh, something happened from a

budgetary and schedule standpoint.

63

He couldn't do it.

64

So.

65

When the audition came in, they wanted

a Spanish or a Latin American bad guy.

66

And, uh, I didn't feel comfortable.

67

They want to put some boots.

68

Well, I didn't feel comfortable doing

that only because I knew that, you know,

69

there are great Latin actors out there.

70

And for me to go in and impersonate

that just didn't feel right.

71

So I am Greek.

72

I speak Greek fluently.

73

It's my first language.

74

So I went in and I made them Greek.

75

And I changed all of the Spanish

stuff to Greek and director loved it.

76

Ross and, Marshall Thurber

absolutely loved it.

77

And so when we talked about when I got the

role, he was like, look, let's make this

78

guy kind of portly and he'll make him kind

of a, you know, bloated Greek billionaire.

79

And I love that idea.

80

And then about two weeks in before

production started, I got a call

81

from him saying flag on the play.

82

And I think we're going to

have to find another actor.

83

And I said, why?

84

He said, well, Ryan just did a

movie and the main bad guy in

85

his movie was a portly Greek guy.

86

And when we went through the

script recently, and he just saw

87

that change, he said, I it's, it's

just too close to something I did.

88

So he said, I'm really sorry, Chris,

we're gonna have to find someone else.

89

I said, no, no, no, no,

no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

90

I was actually going to call you because I

thought, ah, the bloated Greek billionaire

91

that's been done a million times.

92

Let's make this guy a Viper.

93

Let's make him of, uh, he said,

yeah, but what, where's he from?

94

What's his voice?

95

I said, well, he's of

indeterminate European origin.

96

No one knows.

97

He just popped on Interpol when he was 18.

98

He goes, what does he sound like?

99

I said, well, his vocal cords were cut.

100

Paralyzed because his father tried

to strangle him when he was a boy.

101

Marc Preston: Oh, that's right.

102

Yeah.

103

And

104

Chris Diamantopoulos: so it was, it was

me trying to save my job and finding a

105

way to make a non, non specific European

voice that, uh, uh, created that.

106

So necessity breeds invention, Marc.

107

Marc Preston: Well, the other

thing is I kind of dislike you

108

because we're about the same age.

109

I think I got like one or two years older.

110

That was more than 73.

111

Okay.

112

75.

113

Um, you, you're in way too good of shape.

114

You're like the gym, man.

115

I'm like, you're sort of like the totem

of where I'm trying to get to right now.

116

You know, both.

117

You're there,

118

Chris Diamantopoulos: man.

119

You look good to me.

120

You look very good

121

Marc Preston: to me.

122

You eat well, you exercise.

123

You know, it's funny, my youngest was,

went off to college, so now I'm an empty

124

nester and I moved down to a little

Island in South Texas called South Padre.

125

I'm kind of going for the

Jimmy Buffett lifestyle.

126

I love it.

127

And one of the reasons why I moved

down here is to be more active,

128

literally walks on the beach every day.

129

And I think that's really kind of

where I'm trying to get back to is just

130

walking more and then get easing into it.

131

And, uh, my kids are in way better shape.

132

They're all looking.

133

They're more athletic than me.

134

So like, um, I was talking to my cousin,

like, I'm sorry, I've got, I got three,

135

got a 21 year old daughter, uh, who's

about to graduate from, uh, uh, Loyola,

136

New Orleans, going to be a teacher.

137

My son's there.

138

And I think he's moving and want to be

a psychologist and my, uh, baby diva, my

139

18 year old daughter, Emma is going to

small university and, uh, Uh, Boca Raton.

140

Oh, wait, wait a minute.

141

Oh God.

142

She's going to be 19 in a couple of weeks.

143

When I'm thinking I'm staying the

same age, they keep getting old.

144

I know you feel like a reverse.

145

Uh, yeah, but, uh, but

no, I really enjoyed it.

146

That's one of the things to me, you are,

I don't like to use the phrase chameleon.

147

I don't think that's.

148

But you really have a nice, to say

you have range would be a gross

149

understatement, you know, going

from, uh, you know, three stooges

150

to, to that, um, was that a, is

that like a Neumann you got there?

151

It's a Neumann.

152

Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah.

153

Yeah.

154

So I have a Neumann.

155

I also have a Sennheiser,

uh, 416 next to it.

156

Just depends on what I'm recording.

157

I like the Neumann because And

I've got it on this sort of Omni,

158

so that if I'm moving around,

159

Marc Preston: that's, that's the

same thing I got in my booth.

160

Actually, I've got a booth right here.

161

Uh, I got a four 16 cause I do

mostly promo and actually it's funny

162

cause I know you, uh, I saw you were

in, uh, the Kennedy's, you played

163

Sinatra and I was actually the

voice of reels channel at the time.

164

And that was like a really

big deal for the network.

165

It kind of put them, it was over the edge.

166

It was a big show for them.

167

Yeah.

168

And, uh, you have

169

Chris Diamantopoulos: a great promo voice.

170

I did promo all through.

171

I mean, basically from 2001

172

of promo in New York City.

173

That was my, my bread and butter.

174

Marc Preston: During Covid, were

you doing a lot of the animation

175

from home, you know, when you

couldn't go in, or did you have that

176

set up and, uh, kind of a screen?

177

Yeah, so

178

Chris Diamantopoulos: yeah, I, um, I

did a lot of animation before Covid.

179

Uh, we lived, you know, I

started doing animation.

180

Quite regularly in about 2004 is

when it really sort of began for me.

181

Uh, and I lived between New York and

182

2020, you really weren't doing stuff from

home booth, even if you had a studio,

183

you were always going into studio.

184

Um, because the producers were all

of a little bit different generation.

185

They were still used

to wanting to see you.

186

That's right.

187

They wanted you, they wanted you there.

188

Um, which was great.

189

You know, there was a

great sense of community.

190

Um, I was living in New York.

191

And I had a few series going a few

animated series going at the time and

192

COVID hit and I didn't have a booth

in my apartment in New York City and,

193

um, I lost, I lost a bunch of work

because they needed to, to pivot to,

194

uh, uh, a way where they had talent

that had, you know, studio space.

195

So we moved.

196

Not for this reason, but we

moved back to Los Angeles.

197

And one of the first things

that I did was I took the risk

198

of building a proper studio.

199

I have a proper studio.

200

Oh yeah.

201

Yeah.

202

You didn't,

203

Marc Preston: you didn't

get a pre made booth.

204

You actually kind of, uh,

retrofitted a space in your home.

205

I took an

206

Chris Diamantopoulos: actual building.

207

And, and, and, you know, it was, I

guess, uh, I don't know, a guest house

208

or something, but I turned the whole

thing into a proper studio, a recording

209

studio, and also, um, a taping studio

for me to be able to make, you know,

210

self tapes, you know, I'm an actor and I

have to get work and when George Clooney

211

wants to see an audition and it's COVID

and you can't Go and do that someplace.

212

You gotta, you know, I have speakers here.

213

So I hire someone to be a reader and

it sounds like they're in the room

214

and it looks like I'm doing a scene.

215

So yeah, I and I and by virtue of

building this space, I was able to record.

216

You know, probably 14 or 15

series over the last few years.

217

Marc Preston: That is so awesome.

218

The kids, when they were young, I just

wanted to be home with the kids and,

219

uh, so, so my daughter, she is not

phased at all about the thing I do.

220

She's not the least bit impressed,

you know, so I have four

221

Chris Diamantopoulos: kids.

222

I know, I know the drill

and being home is important.

223

That's one of the reasons that the

studio was super important as well was,

224

you know, making sure that if I'm going

to be, you know, doing recordings for

225

six, seven hours, eight hours a day

that, you know, I could pop out and.

226

Give them a squeeze, make them a

quick sandwich or whatever it is.

227

Isn't that the greatest though?

228

Isn't that

229

Marc Preston: the greatest thing

where you can actually be doing your

230

thing, but it's all kind of there,

you know, and it kind of gets.

231

It's

232

Chris Diamantopoulos: a, it's,

it's beyond a blessing, man.

233

I mean, it's, it really is.

234

It's a, it's a pinch me kind

of thing because it really

235

doesn't, doesn't get much better.

236

Although I will say that after doing

that for, A long time, you know,

237

for a couple of years, you don't

mind going to a set occasionally.

238

Oh, no, no, no, not in the least bit.

239

No, no, no.

240

Let's, uh, let's go.

241

Let's, uh, how old are your kids?

242

Uh, 14, 11, five and two.

243

Oh, okay.

244

So you've got a good spectrum.

245

Mine is all kind of packed in there.

246

We, we were, we had a, we had a couple of

couple, a couple of false starts there.

247

And, uh, But, uh, yeah, no, it's lovely.

248

There's sort of an act one and an act two.

249

The older two are good pals and

the younger two are good pals.

250

So yeah,

251

Marc Preston: my, my, my

oldest two get along famously.

252

The youngest one is just, she is,

she is a, uh, she is a man out.

253

She does her thing.

254

That's the best way to put it

in, but you're in LA right now.

255

Correct.

256

That's where you live in.

257

Yep.

258

Okay.

259

Yep.

260

In Los Angeles.

261

Yep.

262

I also saw, and I, this was not a

deep dive in your resume, but I did

263

see, uh, my kids loved watching 24.

264

I cannot for the life of me, why

I can't lock in and remember.

265

What you did on 24,

266

Chris Diamantopoulos: I was

the chief of staff to, uh,

267

Cherry Jones's, uh, president.

268

It was, it was in the last season of 24.

269

And I, uh, I mean, I was, uh,

instrumental in trying to basically

270

trying to bring it all down.

271

I was a pretty, pretty hateful guy.

272

Fun.

273

That was a lot of fun to do.

274

Actually

275

Marc Preston: seemed like a fun show to

shoot, you know, because we had a ball.

276

So as far as what you're doing right

now, uh, what's kind of the mix kind of

277

compared to on camera, uh, film and TV

to VO stuff you're doing for animation.

278

Or do you, do you all, by the

way, do you also do video games?

279

Have you found yourself in that realm?

280

Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah, I

just did a star Wars video game.

281

Uh, I, I do a little of everything.

282

I, I, you know, Broadway and, uh,

you know, um, feature films and

283

television and streaming and animation

and commercials and endorsement and

284

promos and the whole nine yards.

285

If.

286

If I can add value and I have time,

then I'll find a way to do it.

287

Um, yeah, I agree with looking at it.

288

Marc Preston: Yeah.

289

Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah.

290

Yeah, no, truly.

291

And, and, and it's, uh, it's just a matter

of, uh, it's really sort of what's out

292

there and it all sort of shifts, you

know, sometimes it's very animation heavy.

293

Sometimes, uh, it's, you know,

time is more spent doing work

294

as a series regular on a show.

295

Sometimes it all sort of.

296

Takes a beat and there's not much

happening and it's time to sort of

297

reflect on what I really want to be doing.

298

I mean, I think in all facets

of life control is an illusion.

299

So the notion that I can control

what comes to me in this chaotic

300

and amorphous business is

that's a very special illusion.

301

So I try to just not take

myself too seriously and I try

302

to allow myself to be open.

303

Um, And, uh, you know,

oftentimes, you know, the sticky

304

is a really great example.

305

When I first saw the script,

I thought it was great, but

306

there was nothing in it for me.

307

The character that I ended up playing

was written just slightly differently, a

308

little older, and I didn't see him as me.

309

When I read a second draft, I thought,

Oh, You know, this is interesting.

310

I want to be a part of this world and

maybe there's a world where that character

311

adapts a little bit and I could play him.

312

But then I realized they didn't,

they weren't interested in seeing

313

me because they had, they had an

idea that was completely different.

314

And so it took like a year and a

half for me to finally say, Hey, you

315

guys really need to meet me on this.

316

All right, we'll meet you.

317

We'll meet you.

318

And, and they met me and we

all sort of clicked and it was

319

like, Oh my gosh, this is right.

320

Blumhouse,

321

Marc Preston: this, this is

more of the horror genre.

322

Am I right?

323

I'm looking at Blumhouse.

324

Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah.

325

So Blumhouse, uh, definitely made their

name in the horror genre, but they, you

326

know, they go from horror into intriguing

into dramatic and, you know, they, they've

327

got, they've, I think, look, Blumhouse is

a, is a fascinating and innovative studio

328

and it's Blumhouse through Jamie Lee

Curtis, um, which, which is also just this

329

extra beautiful little spice on this show.

330

Not only is she in the show and she's

terrific, but as a producer and as a voice

331

on the show, um, she was instrumental

in making sure that the vibe of this

332

world that we haven't seen before this

criminal underbelly in Northern Canada,

333

this notion of maple syrup, these ne'er

do wells, these buffoons, this insanity,

334

that it all sort of comes together.

335

And I think there's something really

special about a show like this in

336

a 30 minute format in six episodes.

337

It gives us everything we want

without feeling like we have to commit

338

to something that's just going to

take weeks and weeks and weeks to

339

Marc Preston: watch.

340

Did you tap into your Canadian

roots with a little bit of

341

Canadian dialect as a character?

342

Chris Diamantopoulos: No, no, no.

343

If you see the show, you'll realize I'm

actually playing an American on the show.

344

Uh, so yeah, not playing

a Canadian on the show.

345

Um, I play a low level.

346

mobster esque guy.

347

Who's, you know, uh, finds himself in

the, from the Boston area, up in Northern

348

Canada, collecting, uh, you know,

the, uh, milk money for his employer.

349

And, um, Margo Martindale plays

a local maple syrup farmer.

350

And we realize in the show and from

this show that in, in fact, in reality,

351

there is an association, a maple syrup

association that controls the global

352

Supply and demand of maple syrup,

and they store these giant vats and

353

giant oil drums of maple syrup that

are priced at thousands of dollars

354

a drum, uh, in, in this, in these

warehouses that are largely unguarded.

355

And so, uh, through desperation,

greed, and, you know, just a general

356

feeling of larceny, our characters

get involved in the scheme to steal.

357

Millions and millions of

dollars worth of maple syrup

358

and sell it on the black Marcet.

359

Marc Preston: You mentioned

something that they come up with

360

a Blumhouse, like different ideas.

361

And yeah, that's, I like being pleasantly

surprised by something like that.

362

I haven't seen something like this before.

363

That's always fun.

364

Yeah.

365

Yeah.

366

That'll be, it'll be fun.

367

You, I think you'll enjoy it.

368

As far as, uh, the Greek heritage, which

of course, me being a Jewish kid from

369

Texas, for whatever reason, in my family,

uh, for everybody's birthdays and events,

370

we always went to Greek restaurants.

371

So.

372

Great.

373

When I think of my comfort food

as a kid, it's always Greek food.

374

I love that.

375

I love that.

376

I think,

377

Chris Diamantopoulos: I think the

Greeks by and large would feel

378

happy to hear that statement because

the Greeks all over the world

379

Marc Preston: just want to

feed people pure comfort.

380

And I remember the guys that, uh, and

Dallas's Costas cafe, the brothers,

381

uh, there was a guy Zissy and they

owned it, but it's all one big family.

382

So every Greek restaurant in the Dallas

area in one way or another, they're

383

all related from what I understand.

384

Yeah.

385

Now are your folks, uh, kind of

first generation in Canada or?

386

Yeah.

387

I spoke, I spoke Greek

388

Chris Diamantopoulos: in the house.

389

It's my first language.

390

Um, my mother and father emigrated

391

My dad, uh, went to Toronto, Canada

to, um, to, uh, study business

392

and get his master's in business.

393

Um, and my folks were sticklers

for us learning proper.

394

grammatically accurate Greek,

both modern and ancient, actually.

395

It was very, very important to them

that we, um, identified culturally as

396

Greek, as well as embrace, you know,

living in Canada and being Canadian.

397

Um, and it was, I think, by virtue

of speaking Greek first, that my ear,

398

um, Was given the opportunity to train

itself to recognizing different sounds,

399

different timbres, different textures.

400

And I think that's sort of where

my mimicry and my understanding of

401

tone and pitch and voice came from.

402

Uh, manipulation really sort of began.

403

Marc Preston: I don't know any Greek

at all, except for what's on the menu.

404

It was always great hearing the guys talk

to one another, you know, it always felt

405

like, uh, even if they were arguing, it

always felt, that's just the way it hit

406

my ear, you know, but I got it, but I

got to know, I ended up talking food at

407

least once or twice, but I got to know.

408

Did you inherit the recipes

and the cooking vibe, or,

409

you know, Oh, my, my parents

410

Chris Diamantopoulos:

are both great cooks.

411

Now we weren't in the restaurant business.

412

My dad actually ran a Greek radio station.

413

He advertised for all the local

companies and he did a radio show.

414

Beautiful voice, Malifluous voice.

415

Um, it's really where I, I probably

got a lot of my, my vocal talent from.

416

Um, but my mother and father are great

cooks, very simple, what they call spitiko

417

fajito, which means, uh, like home cooked

stuff, nothing fancy, but, uh, Oh, yeah.

418

Everything delicious.

419

I mean, look, simple hand cut French

fries and olive oil, a little bit of

420

oregano and thick, uh, coarse sea salt,

um, lamb chops with just a squeeze

421

of lemon, uh, coarse black pepper.

422

Um, a perfect, uh, horiyaki salata, the

village salad, which is just, you know,

423

vine ripe tomatoes, a nice healthy dose of

olive oil, um, uh, cucumbers, big kalamata

424

olives, feta cheese, uh, red onion.

425

Marc Preston: Fantastic.

426

They talked about the Mediterranean

diet as being really good for you.

427

But I used to, uh, I still, I,

I'm trying to pick it back up down

428

here, but grew all of my own herbs.

429

That's one thing.

430

I got that from Greek cooking.

431

Cause there's always freshers.

432

And that's really the kind

of thing that set it off.

433

And my favorite, one

of my favorite things,

434

Chris Diamantopoulos: Avogadro Lemona.

435

That means it's, it's a, it's an, it's

an egg lemon basically where they beat

436

The egg white, the lemon is delicious.

437

We would have that when we were sick.

438

It was the kind of thing that would,

you know, nurse you back to health.

439

It's sort of the Greek,

you know, chicken soup.

440

Marc Preston: What about

your wife's heritage?

441

Is she by any chance Greek as well?

442

Chris Diamantopoulos: Well, she is

now, but she was, she was born and

443

raised in Guilford, Connecticut.

444

We met, um, 22 years ago.

445

Um, Uh, she, uh, she's a polyglot.

446

She studied, uh, European history

at Penn and she, so she speaks

447

fluent Spanish and fluent German.

448

Uh, and she took a course of, uh,

modern Greek at Columbia while we were

449

dating and now she speaks fluent Greek.

450

Really?

451

Um, Yeah, I married up Marc . Um, uh, she

is, um, she converted to Greek Orthodoxy

452

when we got married, and so we could

raise our kids in, in the faith as well.

453

And, um, but she's, no, she's

as American as Apple pie.

454

Becky Newton, you know, she's on a

show right now called the Lincoln

455

Lawyer, and she's about as good as

456

Marc Preston: someone

can be on television.

457

That's one of the shows that's

on the list, you know, there's

458

so much stuff out there now.

459

I got my little list of things

I, uh, that I, that I wanna see.

460

Sure.

461

And it's, it is definitely one of them.

462

And, uh, I think, yeah, my kids

always loved going in new Orleans,

463

uh, the, every year they'd have the

Greek food festival at the church.

464

And my daughter, uh, loved the,

the ice cream and the, uh, uh, the,

465

with the baklava, you know, they

kind of, so you can tell I haven't

466

had anything to eat today yet.

467

So, you know, you're killing me

over here, but, um, all right.

468

So, so when did the acting thing, when did

all the creative stuff kick off for you?

469

Was that kind of in high school, was

that all on already on the agenda

470

or did that come a little later?

471

Yeah.

472

No, Marc,

473

Chris Diamantopoulos: I started acting.

474

I've been acting for 40

years professionally.

475

I started acting when

I was nine years old.

476

Uh, I displayed, uh, an affinity

and a proficiency with regard

477

to performance and entertaining.

478

And so my parents, uh, despite their

lack of knowledge of within the field

479

decided that, you know, they should

try and help nurture that talent.

480

So they signed me up for a

kid's acting class on weekends

481

and an agent found me there.

482

And I started doing some, uh,

television work in Toronto.

483

And, uh, shortly thereafter, I, uh,

really started getting involved in

484

music and singing and stage performing.

485

Um, and so I started, um, auditioning

for professional productions in Toronto

486

and then quickly started doing some

big national tours in the States.

487

And I landed on Broadway, uh,

worked on Broadway for several

488

years and I met my wife, uh, while

I was working on Broadway, but.

489

She was not working on Broadway.

490

We met on the subway in

the middle of rush hour.

491

Really?

492

And then, um, Well, when you met on the

subway, did you both know what each other

493

Marc Preston: did or was it

just, you had no clue about what,

494

Chris Diamantopoulos: Oh, we were kids.

495

I was, I was 25.

496

She was 21 straight out of college.

497

And we just started chatting and, uh,

And, and then we ended up moving to Los

498

Angeles together and pursuing this career.

499

Marc Preston: That is awesome.

500

It's very symbiotic.

501

You know, that thing where she, you know,

y'all both could do your thing together.

502

That's, that's really wonderful.

503

I mean, the fact that especially you

being able to work at home and she,

504

she understands your workflow and if

you've had a not great day, you know,

505

creatively or so, you know, so it's

probably like a lot of unspoken stuff.

506

You can kind of read each other as

creatives, you know, are your, any

507

of your kids kind of aiming in this

direction you think, uh, or are

508

they like, no, It's hard to tell.

509

You know, they

510

Chris Diamantopoulos: definitely, uh,

the great thing about kids is every day

511

they discover something new and then

they allow you to discover something new

512

about them, particularly at these ages.

513

Um, they're showing, uh, uh, desire

and skill in so many different facets.

514

So it's, it's hard to tell.

515

It's really hard to say.

516

I think, you know, Becky and I

will sort of nurture whatever

517

direction they end up going.

518

Um, you know, we have both of us having

been in this business as long as we have

519

been, have a healthy understanding of

how challenging this can be, but you

520

know, every business has its challenges.

521

Every endeavor has its challenges.

522

So as long as their heart's in it for the

right reasons and, uh, they, you know,

523

They go into it with, with a clear mind.

524

I'm,

525

Marc Preston: I'm open to it.

526

A lot of luck in that your folks

were at the outset, very, uh, they're

527

encouraging out of the gate, you know,

a lot of, you know, a lot of folks have

528

parents like, why are you doing this?

529

You know, very rare, very

530

Chris Diamantopoulos: rare

for Greek immigrants to, to,

531

to feel that way as well.

532

They, you know, they would have wanted

me to be a doctor or a lawyer or an

533

accountant, but they were, uh, to their

credit, they were very, very, um, uh,

534

Marc Preston: They were very

open, which was terrific.

535

So how did you make that

segue on stage to on camera?

536

Was that something that was

a seamless thing or was, was

537

that kind of your North star?

538

Was that ultimately where you were wanting

to go or just kind of ended up that way?

539

Chris Diamantopoulos: So I always

knew, uh, that I wanted I knew I

540

wanted to perform and entertain.

541

I mean, when I was a kid, I

wanted to be a movie star.

542

I didn't know what that meant.

543

I just watched movies and I

knew how they made me feel.

544

I'd go to the movies with my

father and I felt something.

545

You know, when you watch TV at home,

it's just kind of, but when you go to

546

the movie, there's something special.

547

We're all in that room.

548

It goes dark and it's, it's loud and,

and you're in the world and you're

549

in the story and then you, the movie

finishes and, and it's just There's so

550

much to talk about and how you felt.

551

And, and then for weeks I'm

play acting at what I saw.

552

And I'm now that person.

553

And that experience is just,

that's, that's a holy experience.

554

Marc Preston: Well, that, well, at

that age, no, when you were young and

555

when you were, you were, your juices

were flowing, what were you watching?

556

What were the things that were like

grabbing you actors or films or directors?

557

Yeah, I was.

558

Chris Diamantopoulos: Greatly

inspired by the works of Danny

559

Kaye, the court jester, the secret

life of Walter Mitty, five pennies.

560

I love Darryl Flynn, uh, the

adventures of Robin Hood.

561

Uh, obviously, you know,

anything Harrison Ford did.

562

I remember seeing, uh, Roger Moore

and Moonraker and thinking, wow,

563

I want to, I want to do that.

564

Um, but then I remember my father

coming home with a, a beta.

565

Uh, tape of Amadeus and he said, you

know, this isn't really a kid's movie

566

and he left it there and the next

night my brother and I watched Amadeus

567

and I remember just thinking that F.

568

Marie Abraham's performance was

marvelous, One of the greatest, most

569

terrifying things I'd ever seen.

570

So my inspirations were as varied as

the roles that I've ended up playing.

571

It's why I've never,

572

Marc Preston: Abraham was the

first to kind of get you feeling

573

something like it, like there was

a, there was a visceral reaction.

574

Chris Diamantopoulos: I mean, it

was certainly from a, from a, uh,

575

massively dramatic standpoint.

576

Uh, sure.

577

But there, I mean, the inspirations

came from so many different

578

places and so many odd places.

579

I mean, one of my biggest

influences were the three stooges.

580

Their level of humor, their

level of timing and commitment

581

to the bit, it was fantastic.

582

Marc Preston: Um, well, that's a

full arc of experience for you.

583

I mean, did you have to chase

that role to be, you know, uh,

584

mo, uh, did you, did you chase it?

585

Or did they look at you going,

you're the guy, you're the guy.

586

What do you think, Marc?

587

You think I walked in and they

588

Chris Diamantopoulos: looked

at me and said, you're the guy.

589

I think you're talented enough.

590

They might've been, took me about,

took me about six months and about 14

591

auditions, a lot of begging and pleading.

592

And there was, there was really,

there was no way that that was going

593

to happen, but, but somehow it did.

594

I was an unknown actor at that point.

595

The biggest thing I'd ever done was 24.

596

And I certainly wasn't the lead of 24.

597

I'd never done anything comedic.

598

Uh, Although I knew that I was, you know,

I could, I could work as a comedy actor.

599

It just hadn't happened at that point.

600

So it was a big leap of faith on

the fairly brother's part, huge

601

leap of faith on the studio part.

602

That was when Tom Rothman was running Fox.

603

Uh, and it was a confluence of my

strange history with the Stooges,

604

my, um, encyclopedic knowledge of

their Uh, shorts and, um, and then my

605

lack of guile and naivete to believe

that they would allow me to pull a

606

face and morph to play this role.

607

And it just, it ended up being me.

608

It ended up happening and two

other actors were offered the role.

609

They fell out one of them because

he couldn't do the, the impression

610

of Mo and the other one, because

he wanted too much money.

611

Marc Preston: I got to say, I remember

growing up, like you said, the

612

shorts, the ones that were just kind

of in and out is just a few minutes.

613

I like that.

614

I thought there was something

kind of cool about that.

615

But I remember this kind of the rhythm,

the physicality, the physicality.

616

Really?

617

And you nailed it.

618

I mean, that was just like

619

Chris Diamantopoulos: that.

620

Thanks.

621

No, I mean, the thing about the Stooges

that was fascinating was that they, they

622

perfected their craft on the vaudeville

circuit and the borscht belt too.

623

You know, I mean, they, they did

live performances for years and years

624

and years and years and years before

they ever put anything on celluloid.

625

So the daunting task for, for me.

626

Us, but when we made the movie was

we had five days of prep, there

627

was no, there was no rehearsal.

628

There was no, Oh yeah, it was, it

was, we were shot out of a cannon.

629

And so, um, I, again, through my

own naivete, not knowing that this

630

is what I wasn't supposed to do.

631

I just, uh, uh, uh, uh, took the

bull by the horns and, and, and,

632

and Sean and will, and I would meet.

633

The morning before a shoot and talk

about what we might do in a physical

634

standpoint to supplement what it

says in the script, the Stooges

635

fight, you know, what does that mean?

636

What does that look like?

637

And so we would create these bits

and then show up on set ready to go.

638

It was really, it was, um, a reMarcable

639

Marc Preston: experience.

640

Uh, great actor.

641

Good guy.

642

Yeah.

643

Yeah.

644

It was interesting

watching the physicality.

645

Cause that's what I remember as a kid.

646

I don't really remember

plot lines as much.

647

I just remember the seeming absurdity,

but the heart in it, you know, but I

648

know some people are really, really,

really into the three stooges.

649

It was an inspiration, but to be able

to be in a movie that had to be a

650

cool full, a full circle thing for you

651

Chris Diamantopoulos: beyond.

652

It really was.

653

It was, it was on an earnest.

654

Marc Preston: Uh, literal dream come true.

655

You'd been on 24.

656

So this is kind of like 180 degree

shift, but that's, did you kind of feel

657

that was when the momentum just started

kind of picking up for you, do you

658

think, did you use that kind of win?

659

I don't

660

Chris Diamantopoulos: think so.

661

No.

662

And you know, it was funny.

663

It was hard to bill me after that.

664

You know, my, I did a, you know,

it was a 50 million movie for

665

Fox and I was the lead of it.

666

I looked like Mo, I didn't look like this.

667

And if you look at the posters

or any of the trailers or any of

668

it, you just, it's not this guy.

669

So how do they sell that?

670

Right.

671

So, uh, no, it wasn't necessarily the,

I mean, one thing that it did do was

672

it caught the attention of someone at

Disney when they were looking to start

673

a new show based on the original Walt

Disney Mickey mouse, where they wanted

674

to go back to the root of what Mickey

sounded like, which was Walt himself.

675

And, um, someone had seen me do.

676

The Stooges and the Stooges

had that intrinsic thirties era

677

cadence to it, just by virtue of

the ways that the Stooges talk.

678

And so they wanted to bring

me in to voice Mickey.

679

And, um, I was reticent at first because

I have a deeper voice and I, I, you

680

don't mess with an icon like Mickey.

681

By sheer luck, um, Tom Hanks had

been promoting his, uh, Finding Mr.

682

Banks, uh, movie.

683

And they had all of these, um, Walt Disney

documentaries on television at the time.

684

And I watched.

685

A particular documentary where it

showed Disney talking to a journalist

686

and his voice was very similar to mine.

687

Very, he had a, there was a base

to his voice, but where his voice

688

resonated, um, aside from his

regionalism was, was similar.

689

And I found that intriguing and so

I watched him as he talked and then

690

the journalist asked him, would

you do it, Mr Disney, would you?

691

Would you do a little of the voice?

692

And he went, Oh boy.

693

And he sort of, and I watched what

he did with his, with his body.

694

I watched what he did with his face and

I saw what, what, where his larynx went.

695

And I thought, Oh gosh,

maybe I can do that.

696

And so, you know, uh, I went in and I

gave it, I gave it the old college try.

697

And, uh, I mean, that really was, that

was a shift in my life that I would never

698

have expected that, uh, that is really

just a beautiful blessing in my life.

699

Uh, You know,

700

Marc Preston: voicing Mickey

Mouse, you mentioned the

701

thing about like the thirties.

702

I always wondered as a VO guy, how

much of that was affected or how much

703

of that's the way people spoke back

704

Chris Diamantopoulos: then?

705

Marc Preston: I've, you know, I can't

get it at a time machine and go hear it.

706

They're kind of like, uh, those people,

they talk like, you know, the, the,

707

that if there's that an, an affected

thing that they did, or if that was

708

just part, it's a great question, right?

709

I

710

Chris Diamantopoulos: mean, it's all,

it's like, uh, how, how much of what

711

they showed us of anything was affected,

you know, how many people spoke?

712

Slept in twin beds and full

nighties and buttoned up pajamas.

713

Do you know what I mean?

714

Who knows what it was

really like back then?

715

I did, I did, uh, the boys in the

boat with George Clooney last year.

716

And, um, that was a thirties, uh,

period piece and threading that Needle.

717

And I played a journalist actually,

uh, and a radio announcer and the

718

fellow who was announcing the races.

719

So finding the right balance of what

would have been reasonable back then.

720

And also what would work

cinematically for today.

721

That was fun.

722

Finding that with George, you

know, how far do you want to go

723

into You know, the year was 1935.

724

You know what I mean?

725

How far do you want to go into that, uh,

726

Marc Preston: to, to thread

727

Chris Diamantopoulos: that balance?

728

Marc Preston: He directed it, correct?

729

He did.

730

Thank you for reminding me.

731

Cause I wanted to ask you about that.

732

That is a, it's a true story.

733

Correct?

734

It is.

735

It's a beautiful, if you haven't

read the book, I would say

736

Chris Diamantopoulos: that's, that's a,

that's, you should put that on your list.

737

It's a beautifully written book.

738

Okay.

739

Read the book first before singing.

740

I mean, it's not necessary,

it's not necessary, but it's

741

such an homage to America.

742

It's such a, a love letter to what

this country really about to, to the.

743

The, um, the pain and struggle resulting

in an exaltation of the American spirit.

744

It's a, it's a really beautiful homage

to what it means to be American.

745

It's it's lovely.

746

Marc Preston: It'd be nice if something

old was new again right now, you

747

know, bring, bring some of that vibe

back would be glorious right now.

748

So the, you know, so.

749

As you're progressing, were you thinking,

okay, I'm doing this, uh, you know,

750

you work at George Clooney and I hear,

you know, I love everything he does.

751

In fact, when I, when I coached

voiceover students, I always mentioned

752

thing I love about him is we talk about

brand and who you are, your signature.

753

We think of Danny Ocean, swab, Devin

air, modern day, Cary Grant, you

754

know, but the things he's really

notable for, he's a total dolt like

755

the Coen brothers movies, or when he

steps outside of being a handsome,

756

Charismatic dude, you know, absolutely.

757

That had been a great

758

Chris Diamantopoulos: experience.

759

Uh, it was reMarcable.

760

It was reMarcable watching him

work, listening to him, seeing how

761

confident he was with regard to having

already, uh, sort of seen how he

762

wants the story to unfold on screen.

763

It gave the actors a tremendous

sense of peace showing up on set,

764

knowing that he's got the reins.

765

Um, and just a lovely guy.

766

Marc Preston: How does he direct?

767

Cause I know like a Clint Eastwood's very,

as I say, kind of directs in the camera,

768

he's like, he gets a scene done moving on.

769

You know, what, what's

George Clooney as far as, I

770

Chris Diamantopoulos: mean,

771

Marc Preston: he's

772

Chris Diamantopoulos: very casual, uh,

uh, very much in favor of the actors.

773

Uh, you know, he loves actors

and he, he is an actor.

774

Um, I never felt like we were.

775

Chasing the clock like we

were in trouble for time.

776

It never felt like we were belaboring

something and doing multiple

777

takes when they were unnecessary.

778

You know, it also didn't feel like he

was doing prototypical wide medium close.

779

He knew how a scene was going

to play if the whole thing was

780

going to play in the close.

781

He would eschew the wide

and say, I don't need it.

782

I know I'm going to come right in here.

783

So there's a, there was something

really beautiful about that.

784

He, you know, he was really a mentor to

me during those several weeks in London.

785

Um, and I asked him a lot of just,

you know, business questions and

786

he was always ready with a story.

787

Um, but one of the things that stuck

with me, one of the things that

788

he said to me that I found very

profound and very liberating was

789

that when you're an actor and you're

auditioning, playing with house money.

790

The casino has given you 10, 000 and

they say, do with it what you will.

791

Now you may lose it, but

you're not losing anything.

792

They gave you the 10, 000, who cares?

793

You may turn it into 20 and you

could turn it into a million.

794

And that's what an audition is.

795

You've got nothing to lose.

796

So go for it.

797

And, and I, I thought that that

was very simple, but very profound.

798

And it's definitely indicative

of his casual, but you know,

799

Marc Preston: hardworking nature, right?

800

Yeah, I think that's the

hard thing to do as an actor.

801

And like I say, I work in voiceover folks

and I'm like, go in there, do your thing.

802

You don't know what they're looking for.

803

And it's a fool's errand to kind

of assume, you know, but you do,

804

you try to get down in the middle,

but did you audition for George

805

or is it like, okay, it was just

kind of like, okay, you're the guy.

806

I That that works.

807

No,

808

Chris Diamantopoulos: Marc.

809

I, I love, I love the notion that

you think that it ever happens

810

where someone says, you're

the guy, you know, I, I'm sure

811

Marc Preston: that a lot of actors,

812

Chris Diamantopoulos: I think you

were, I think you were that talented.

813

I've seen you do your thing and I saw

he is like, I know he can do that thing.

814

I want him, you know, I don't think

it's ever happened for me in life

815

that someone went, you're the guy.

816

No, I, I made a tape actually in

this studio, um, for that role.

817

And look to his credit,

uh, he watched the tape.

818

And then he gave me the role.

819

Uh, there wasn't anything

fussy about George.

820

A lot of directors will see a tape and

then decide that they want to meet with

821

you or meet with you on zoom or read

again or give you notes for George.

822

I think I would venture to say that

every aspect of his life is this way.

823

He's decisive.

824

That's the guy.

825

Call him, tell him he got the

826

Marc Preston: part.

827

Now is his directing style verbose

giving you lots of exp explanations

828

or is he very pithy with just a

few words just to get you there?

829

It's interesting, I found him,

830

Chris Diamantopoulos: um, you mentioned

the word chameleon early on in this, in,

831

in this interview, and I think George

is a chameleon in some ways as well.

832

And his directorial style I think has

a chameleonic essence to it because

833

there would be some big boisterous

scenes where there are hundreds and

834

hundreds of extras outside and he

would use his megaphone and use humor.

835

to motivate and direct.

836

And then there were some really intimate

sequences where he would ask the crew to

837

be politely, pleasantly, almost not even

have to, but the crew would recognize

838

that they would need to sort of bring

it all down as they were setting up.

839

And he would sort of come

quietly next to the actor.

840

And I remember them doing this with me and

sitting and sort of sitting with me you

841

know, just like What do you think, Chris?

842

You want to, you want to sort of just like

jump into it or, you know, just very like

843

a paternal, like, take your time, pal.

844

We, we can do this any way you want, like

almost an arm around the shoulder and,

845

and I believe in you sort of thing that

just, it just took all insecurity and

846

evaporated and just allowed me to just be.

847

I joked with my wife, I was

like, she's like, how was it?

848

I was like, I just wanted him to, to put

his arm around me and say, I got your son.

849

Just, just a really, really look, man.

850

You know, they say,

don't meet your heroes.

851

Well, if you're heroes, George

Clooney, meet him because he's

852

not going to let you down.

853

Marc Preston: I can imagine being

in a room with him and Brad Pitt.

854

I think that, I don't

think you can go in there.

855

There's too much charisma.

856

Oh, it's insane.

857

Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah, no.

858

And, and, and they also,

I haven't met Brad, but.

859

They seem like good dudes too.

860

That's the other part.

861

So there's all that charisma.

862

There's all that handsomeness.

863

There's all the talent experience.

864

And, but, but then add to that, that

they, they seem like good natured fellows.

865

Yeah, it would be, uh, it'd be too much,

866

Marc Preston: too much for a mere, well,

I think you Hold your own very well and

867

the stuff I've seen you without a doubt.

868

I mean, I mean you and in the red notice

Are in red notice without you that the

869

scene would have been as electric, you

know Cuz you've got Ryan Reynolds who's

870

I mean, he's an okay looking guy, I guess

and You've got the physicality of Dwayne

871

Johnson, but it without you it didn't

really have that tension, you know And

872

it's I love watching people Who don't

have dialogue, but you'd love watch it.

873

You just like, okay, you kind of lean in.

874

Okay, what's going to happen?

875

And that's, I think they did a really

wonderful thing shooting you from

876

behind without even showing your

face for a good moment to moment.

877

It's like, okay, what's going on?

878

And it kind of built up the tension.

879

So I'm glad you enjoyed it, man.

880

I really appreciate it.

881

I love making that now.

882

You talk about George Clooney talked

about on the, on the menu of guys

883

and gals you'd like to work with.

884

Is there, is, is there a director, is

there a type of film, a type of project

885

that's been itching and you know,

like, okay, this is where I need to

886

add this to the recipe of my career.

887

That's a great question.

888

I mean, look, I

889

Chris Diamantopoulos: love all

of Paul Thomas Anderson's films.

890

So, uh, a chance to work with

Paul Thomas Anderson would be a

891

real, um, a real dream come true.

892

You know who his dad is, right?

893

I know who his dad is.

894

Yeah.

895

Yeah.

896

I know his dad.

897

And I know his wife is, you know, I've

worked with his wife on a few projects.

898

Uh, Maya and I have done

a few things together.

899

No, I know all about him.

900

I've been a, you know, uh, uh, a

distant student of his, if you will.

901

You know what I mean?

902

Um,

903

Marc Preston: His dad has

the greatest outtake reel.

904

It's 11 minutes of, uh, Yes.

905

Chris Diamantopoulos: Yes.

906

I know what you're

907

Marc Preston: talking about.

908

Actually.

909

I, I, I have seen this.

910

Yeah.

911

Well, I remember hearing it.

912

My voice of record back

913

He said, uh, just go listen

to this as 11 minutes.

914

He was the voice of, uh,

some different TV stations.

915

Just the video he did when he was

the voice of America's funniest

916

home and ABC, uh, he, he used

the Sennheiser four 16 because he

917

wanted to sit in the booth with.

918

And this, the, the, the, the banter,

it's like anybody who does voice

919

or any kind of creative thing.

920

I remember hearing a story that one time

for Paul, uh, Paul Thomas Sanders for

921

this, I think he had other kids, um, for

Christmas, he wanted them to have snow.

922

Cause he was, I would think originally

from Cleveland or something and

923

being in Hollywood, he actually

paid to have snow machines brought

924

an overnight cranking out snow.

925

So the kids woke up Christmas morning,

they had snow on their front yard,

926

courtesy of a movie studio snow machine.

927

That's pretty cool.

928

That's lore.

929

That's pretty cool.

930

That's Yeah.

931

I like that.

932

I like that a lot.

933

Besides Paul Thomas Anderson,

who else is kind of on your

934

Mount Rushmore, if you will?

935

Chris Diamantopoulos: You know, did

you watch, um, did you watch Shogun?

936

It was really, really beautifully done.

937

And um, there's a director that

won the Emmy this year for his work

938

on that show called Frederick E.

939

O.

940

Toy.

941

And he and I have actually worked

together before on a couple of

942

things, but he's the kind of guy that

I love on a TV set as a director.

943

Um, this is a guy with a

specific vision and such a.

944

Um, calm and quiet.

945

Way of leading with that vision.

946

Um, it's guys like that, that

I, that I want to work with.

947

There's a show, uh, if you watch the

show, slow horses with Gary Oldman

948

Marc Preston: recently,

that's an Apple TV show.

949

You know, it's one of

those, you know, yes or no.

950

I started watching and I

was working on the computer.

951

I was sitting on my sofa and

I was like, this is one of the

952

shows I need to pay attention to.

953

Totally.

954

I can't like half pay attention.

955

Yeah.

956

Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah.

957

You got to pay attention.

958

You got to pay attention

to that one for sure.

959

But it's, it's a brilliant show

and that's the kind of material

960

that I would absolutely love

961

Marc Preston: to, You talk

about George Clooney directing,

962

but what about you directing?

963

Have you thought about, okay, this, this

is a muscle I haven't flexed yet that I

964

want to try it out and see how it works.

965

Chris Diamantopoulos:

Yeah, I have definitely.

966

And Stooges was sort of the first

time that that came onto my radar.

967

Um, my involvement in that movie was

much more than just acting as Moe.

968

Um, because of my Knowledge of the

Stooges in my understanding intrinsically

969

of what the task was, um, I got my

first taste of what it might be like

970

if I were to, uh, direct something

that I, that I really believed in.

971

And I think that's really

what it's going to take.

972

I think it's going to, I'm going to need

to find a story that I think is the most

973

compelling story that needs to be told.

974

And then I'm going to have to tell

it, um, you, you, you had your wife.

975

Is she right at all?

976

We both do.

977

Yeah, we both, we both right.

978

And, and it's one of those things where.

979

We're not in any rush, you know, we're

still so, uh, beautifully motivated

980

by the work that comes to us by

virtue of other, you know, gifted

981

screenwriters and producers that

were happy doing that work right now.

982

And I feel like in every aspect of my

life, like when I transitioned from the

983

theater into television and then when

film found me and then when animation

984

found me, it was all rather organic.

985

So I feel like, um, the next step,

uh, with directing will, will

986

probably also follow in that path.

987

Marc Preston: Cause it sounds

like you're kind of been more.

988

Surfing kind of taking it as is the wave

moves and you can't, you kind of have

989

done a reMarcably wonderful job writing

it because I didn't realize how deep your

990

resume was and the diversity of stuff.

991

And you can't, you know, you

gotta be one hell of a talented

992

guy to, to, to ride that wave.

993

So good on you, my friend.

994

Now, as we kind of wrap up here,

I throw my, Seven questions out,

995

always a little bit extra fun.

996

First one, one of my favorite, I'm a food

nerd and we discussed it, but I got to

997

know what is your favorite comfort food?

998

Being a Greek guy.

999

Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah,

it might surprise you.

00:41:54,170 --> 00:41:59,840

My favorite comfort food is a

two inch thick bone in ribeye.

00:42:00,105 --> 00:42:01,725

A grass fed bone in ribeye.

00:42:01,725 --> 00:42:03,645

Yeah, I would reverse sear it.

00:42:03,655 --> 00:42:10,835

I'd probably, I'd put it in, in a small

oven for at maybe 300 for eight minutes

00:42:10,905 --> 00:42:18,415

and then, uh, iron skillet, big pad of

raw butter, uh, and just sear a minute,

00:42:18,515 --> 00:42:23,210

minute, And then maybe 30 seconds, 30

seconds, rosemary on top or something.

00:42:23,450 --> 00:42:23,700

Yeah.

00:42:23,700 --> 00:42:25,160

Depending on how I'm going to do it.

00:42:25,160 --> 00:42:25,390

Right.

00:42:25,390 --> 00:42:28,590

It's not, I'm not sure if I would, but

the actual comfort food would be just

00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:32,790

that if I was going to have it with

some of my hand cut fries, then I might.

00:42:33,145 --> 00:42:36,825

Do rosemary might actually do a little

oregano to take it into the Greek place.

00:42:37,215 --> 00:42:40,105

If I was going to eat it later,

I would slice it up, squeeze some

00:42:40,105 --> 00:42:43,705

lemon, a drizzle of olive oil,

and that gives it a different sort

00:42:43,705 --> 00:42:46,655

of a vibe, but that's, yeah, that

would be my comfort food for sure.

00:42:46,825 --> 00:42:48,995

Marc Preston: I have to ask you,

you're Greek, you know, your food,

00:42:49,045 --> 00:42:52,635

you, you come from a place of a

family that knows up from down.

00:42:52,635 --> 00:42:54,985

I got to know what are

your feeling on Dolmas?

00:42:54,985 --> 00:42:58,775

Cause when I, when I grew up,

they were the big warm, you

00:42:58,775 --> 00:43:00,205

know, they're just delicious.

00:43:00,205 --> 00:43:04,260

But when I moved to new Orleans, uh,

whereas For about 20 years, they had

00:43:04,260 --> 00:43:06,850

the small little oily ones, you know,

the little tiny little oily ones.

00:43:07,120 --> 00:43:07,480

Yeah.

00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:09,610

I like, what is your preference?

00:43:09,610 --> 00:43:11,310

What is considered authentic?

00:43:11,885 --> 00:43:15,815

Chris Diamantopoulos: I mean, look,

do del change the size and whether

00:43:15,815 --> 00:43:20,765

they're served cold or served warm

room temp based on the region, right?

00:43:20,765 --> 00:43:24,965

So in the north where my mother's

family is from, they tend to be

00:43:24,965 --> 00:43:26,495

more in the way that you like them.

00:43:26,795 --> 00:43:30,515

Um, I was never the biggest Dolma fan.

00:43:30,755 --> 00:43:34,265

I think when I was a kid, the idea of the

stuffed grape leaf was just not my thing.

00:43:34,445 --> 00:43:35,675

, I like the stuffed peppers.

00:43:35,675 --> 00:43:39,695

They're called, um, yata, where where

you take a pepper, you hollow it out.

00:43:40,625 --> 00:43:45,405

And you put the rice and the really,

Oh yeah, you have to have that next

00:43:45,445 --> 00:43:48,945

time you go to a Greek restaurant,

you ask them for yemi stuff, stuffed

00:43:48,945 --> 00:43:49,345

Marc Preston: peppers.

00:43:49,345 --> 00:43:50,105

They're delicious.

00:43:50,175 --> 00:43:51,255

That in Indian food.

00:43:51,255 --> 00:43:54,625

I've never mastered the seasoning ratios.

00:43:54,625 --> 00:43:57,985

I, it's one of the few foods I really

have to look at a recipe to get it.

00:43:57,995 --> 00:44:00,635

You know, it's just, but it's the

grandmothers that make it a little

00:44:00,635 --> 00:44:03,165

this, a little of that, you know,

but I haven't quite mastered that.

00:44:03,215 --> 00:44:03,555

Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah.

00:44:03,555 --> 00:44:03,895

I think.

00:44:03,895 --> 00:44:04,034

Yeah.

00:44:04,075 --> 00:44:07,435

I think for you to enjoy it best,

you go to a restaurant, Marc.

00:44:07,435 --> 00:44:08,305

I don't, I don't want you cooking.

00:44:10,085 --> 00:44:10,455

I do.

00:44:10,455 --> 00:44:13,835

Like I tell you, you're not giving

me the confidence of someone that's

00:44:13,835 --> 00:44:15,315

going to deliver an authentic,

00:44:16,035 --> 00:44:18,745

Marc Preston: I will say

all mastered lamb bar none.

00:44:19,095 --> 00:44:21,445

Um, now the next question I got

for you, uh, three people, let's

00:44:21,445 --> 00:44:24,015

say you're going to sit down with,

you have a few hours, talk story.

00:44:24,155 --> 00:44:25,055

Living or not.

00:44:25,055 --> 00:44:25,965

Who are those three people be?

00:44:25,965 --> 00:44:32,005

You would love to sit down with

Marcus Aurelius, Frank Sinatra.

00:44:32,535 --> 00:44:34,670

And, um, And Jesus Christ.

00:44:34,670 --> 00:44:35,030

Very cool.

00:44:35,130 --> 00:44:36,590

Jesus has come up a few times.

00:44:36,630 --> 00:44:37,590

Uh, never Sinatra.

00:44:37,620 --> 00:44:42,029

Uh, Marcus Aurelius actually I was

watching, um, Paul Giamatti and, uh, in

00:44:42,030 --> 00:44:45,110

the film he was in, he played a college

professor, came out last couple of years.

00:44:45,600 --> 00:44:45,750

Yeah.

00:44:45,750 --> 00:44:45,830

Yeah.

00:44:45,860 --> 00:44:50,580

And he talked about, uh, uh, the book

meditations and love all the quotes.

00:44:50,580 --> 00:44:52,800

I actually just ordered the

book sitting on my nightstand.

00:44:52,800 --> 00:44:53,560

I need to read that.

00:44:53,620 --> 00:44:55,360

Chris Diamantopoulos: And you know, it's

funny, it's sitting on your nightstand,

00:44:55,370 --> 00:44:57,260

but that's what it was intended to be.

00:44:57,260 --> 00:44:58,720

You know, it was never meant to be a book.

00:44:58,790 --> 00:45:00,880

That was Marcus Aurelius.

00:45:00,880 --> 00:45:00,899

Jesus.

00:45:00,970 --> 00:45:02,690

Night stand journal.

00:45:02,930 --> 00:45:04,820

He wrote his ideas and thoughts.

00:45:04,820 --> 00:45:07,440

It was literally a got to

get apples tomorrow morning.

00:45:07,670 --> 00:45:09,950

Remember not to be rude to the shopkeeper.

00:45:10,210 --> 00:45:13,250

You know, it was like

little things to himself.

00:45:13,250 --> 00:45:17,900

Now they get more involved as you go

through and you realize this is the,

00:45:17,950 --> 00:45:19,710

this is a brilliant mind at work.

00:45:19,720 --> 00:45:23,060

This is a mind that That really, you

know, had something to say, but he

00:45:23,060 --> 00:45:25,900

never did you have a quote that sticks

out in your mind that is sort of a,

00:45:25,900 --> 00:45:28,360

uh, resonates that you hold on to.

00:45:28,510 --> 00:45:32,870

Um, well, I mean, it's, it's, you

know, I'm, I'm diverging from it and,

00:45:32,870 --> 00:45:35,660

and, you know, Churchill certainly

used a version of it as well, but

00:45:35,670 --> 00:45:37,190

the obstacle is the way, right.

00:45:37,190 --> 00:45:37,590

You know what I mean?

00:45:37,590 --> 00:45:41,460

Whatever the obstruction is actually

ends up being, ends up being the way that

00:45:41,470 --> 00:45:45,210

that's, that's the very definition of,

of, uh, for me of being an actor, right.

00:45:45,210 --> 00:45:46,600

It's like, here's this thing.

00:45:46,610 --> 00:45:48,090

Oh no, this isn't going to happen.

00:45:48,090 --> 00:45:50,270

Or they, they need this

and you can't do that.

00:45:50,270 --> 00:45:50,619

Yeah.

00:45:50,690 --> 00:45:54,450

All right, well, it's, it's really,

it's, you know, it's the art of living a

00:45:54,450 --> 00:45:58,090

judo lifestyle where you take the thing

that's not working and you just sort of

00:45:58,440 --> 00:46:00,410

Marc Preston: make it not only

use the energy to your advantage.

00:46:00,410 --> 00:46:00,530

Yeah.

00:46:00,530 --> 00:46:02,700

My grandfather always, that

was his nickname for me.

00:46:02,700 --> 00:46:03,100

Marcus really.

00:46:03,700 --> 00:46:06,640

So I've always been kind of

aware of quotes over the years

00:46:06,640 --> 00:46:07,460

since I was a little kid,

00:46:07,500 --> 00:46:08,360

Chris Diamantopoulos: philosophically

00:46:08,360 --> 00:46:08,730

Marc Preston: inclined.

00:46:08,730 --> 00:46:09,680

That's what I try to be.

00:46:09,910 --> 00:46:13,750

But as a kid, next question, who

was your first celebrity crush?

00:46:14,205 --> 00:46:15,135

Chris Diamantopoulos: Alyssa Milano.

00:46:15,135 --> 00:46:16,565

I think that sounds about right.

00:46:16,695 --> 00:46:17,595

She was on who's the boss.

00:46:17,815 --> 00:46:18,855

She was Samantha.

00:46:18,885 --> 00:46:20,085

She was the cutest thing I'd ever seen.

00:46:20,085 --> 00:46:20,255

Yeah.

00:46:20,255 --> 00:46:22,285

She was maybe a year older than me.

00:46:23,125 --> 00:46:23,765

Maybe a little more.

00:46:23,765 --> 00:46:24,085

I don't know.

00:46:24,085 --> 00:46:27,965

I don't know exactly, but I remember,

uh, so she would be my first crush,

00:46:27,965 --> 00:46:31,099

but I think the first time I was

ever aware of like va va voom.

00:46:31,280 --> 00:46:32,210

Was Moonraker.

00:46:32,540 --> 00:46:33,170

Oh, yeah.

00:46:33,170 --> 00:46:33,280

Yeah.

00:46:33,280 --> 00:46:33,569

Yeah.

00:46:33,570 --> 00:46:34,490

I forget who.

00:46:34,650 --> 00:46:35,040

Marc Preston: Yeah.

00:46:35,340 --> 00:46:38,120

I remember a kid I went to elementary

school with, you know, there was one guy

00:46:38,120 --> 00:46:40,210

had like gold or metal teeth or something.

00:46:40,620 --> 00:46:43,930

And the kid said, I don't want to brush my

teeth because I want to get all fillings

00:46:43,940 --> 00:46:45,220

so I can make my mouth look like him.

00:46:45,340 --> 00:46:46,860

So you just eat sugary stuff all the time.

00:46:47,120 --> 00:46:50,240

That's one thing I remember about

Moonraker for whatever reason,

00:46:50,260 --> 00:46:53,375

uh, things it's People I forget

about until I'm in an interview.

00:46:53,375 --> 00:46:55,395

I'm like, Oh yeah, that kid,

what her house teeth are doing.

00:46:55,685 --> 00:46:57,355

But the next question I got for

you, if you're going to be on an

00:46:57,355 --> 00:46:59,585

exotic island, you got a year,

it's a, it's a beautiful place.

00:46:59,585 --> 00:47:01,205

You want to be there, but

it doesn't have streaming.

00:47:01,665 --> 00:47:05,285

Uh, but you're going to bring one

DVD, a movie you can watch over and

00:47:05,285 --> 00:47:07,555

over and a CD, or I can say a box set.

00:47:07,555 --> 00:47:11,505

If you'd like musically a theatrical,

you got just one thing each.

00:47:11,505 --> 00:47:13,185

You, you got to stick with the whole year.

00:47:13,185 --> 00:47:14,285

What would those things be?

00:47:15,080 --> 00:47:15,530

So the

00:47:15,530 --> 00:47:18,790

Chris Diamantopoulos: movie would be

Casino Royale a which version of the box

00:47:18,790 --> 00:47:23,980

set would be the Daniel Craig version

of the original Daniel Craig Not Marc.

00:47:23,980 --> 00:47:24,230

No one.

00:47:24,900 --> 00:47:30,650

Come on Marc Marc get it together

man for the love of God Yeah,

00:47:30,650 --> 00:47:32,360

no, but I heard somewhere you can

00:47:32,360 --> 00:47:37,425

do a good Sean Connery though the quest

for the grail It's not archaeology.

00:47:37,675 --> 00:47:38,955

It's a race against evil.

00:47:39,185 --> 00:47:41,965

The Nazis will cover the Grail

and the armies of darkness will

00:47:42,105 --> 00:47:43,565

march all over the Earth forever.

00:47:43,795 --> 00:47:44,765

This is an obsession.

00:47:44,905 --> 00:47:45,935

I never understood it.

00:47:46,085 --> 00:47:46,555

Never.

00:47:46,735 --> 00:47:47,455

Neither did Mom.

00:47:47,465 --> 00:47:48,265

Oh, yes, she did.

00:47:48,865 --> 00:47:49,795

Only too well.

00:47:50,425 --> 00:47:51,775

She kept her illness from me.

00:47:52,315 --> 00:47:53,735

And all I could do was mourn her.

00:47:54,315 --> 00:47:56,825

Okay, uh, I gotta do the golf clap.

00:47:57,065 --> 00:47:58,585

You gotta get the golf clap on that, man.

00:47:58,615 --> 00:47:58,845

Awesome.

00:47:59,975 --> 00:48:00,485

That's wonderful.

00:48:02,025 --> 00:48:03,590

Um, Uh, let's see.

00:48:03,610 --> 00:48:06,200

And then, uh, the record

would be a Sinatra come fly.

00:48:06,200 --> 00:48:06,880

Very nice.

00:48:06,880 --> 00:48:07,510

Marc Preston: Very nice.

00:48:07,880 --> 00:48:08,670

Um, yeah.

00:48:08,700 --> 00:48:12,960

Now, uh, from stem to stern, beginning to

end, from the time you wake up to the time

00:48:12,960 --> 00:48:16,590

you go to sleep at night, what are the

component parts for you of a perfect day?

00:48:17,250 --> 00:48:17,620

Okay.

00:48:17,620 --> 00:48:19,000

The component parts for

00:48:19,010 --> 00:48:20,150

Chris Diamantopoulos: me of a perfect day.

00:48:20,220 --> 00:48:22,770

Um, all right.

00:48:23,280 --> 00:48:27,870

I would say waking up without

someone needing me desperately

00:48:27,930 --> 00:48:30,170

to do something immediately.

00:48:30,630 --> 00:48:34,970

Uh, you know, no children in any sense of.

00:48:35,430 --> 00:48:37,450

distress needing something.

00:48:37,580 --> 00:48:39,710

So I wake up and, well, no one needs me.

00:48:40,230 --> 00:48:40,930

That's pretty cool.

00:48:41,430 --> 00:48:45,420

Um, I get to sit out on the deck and

get a little morning sun and maybe have

00:48:45,420 --> 00:48:47,710

a cup of coffee peacefully and quietly.

00:48:47,960 --> 00:48:49,410

Then I get to come downstairs.

00:48:49,750 --> 00:48:51,560

And make everyone

breakfast, including myself.

00:48:51,780 --> 00:48:52,300

That's fun.

00:48:52,300 --> 00:48:54,470

And the, and the chaos and

the craziness can ensue.

00:48:54,990 --> 00:49:04,300

Um, I'm able to take, uh, the dog and

my wife and I take the dog for a stroll.

00:49:04,330 --> 00:49:09,115

And we just sort of catch up on the,

uh, On what we might have missed

00:49:09,275 --> 00:49:11,585

over the course of the days that we

might be might have been working.

00:49:11,945 --> 00:49:14,775

We plan out what we're

going to make for dinner.

00:49:15,275 --> 00:49:19,375

I take a brief sojourn to

come to my studio and record

00:49:19,765 --> 00:49:21,205

a fun little bit of animation.

00:49:21,605 --> 00:49:24,915

I have to finish up quickly

because I have to run.

00:49:25,120 --> 00:49:30,270

To Culver studios to do a reshoot on

one scene for a movie that I'm super

00:49:30,270 --> 00:49:32,900

excited about that's coming out, but

it's only going to take a couple hours

00:49:33,100 --> 00:49:36,320

and it's perfect because on my way home

from Culver, I can stop at the Marcet

00:49:36,460 --> 00:49:41,630

and pick up the perfect ribeye, uh,

and some nice, uh, little tidbits for a

00:49:41,630 --> 00:49:43,730

little, uh, crudité and a little salad.

00:49:44,120 --> 00:49:45,730

Um, come home.

00:49:46,015 --> 00:49:47,555

Kids tell me school was great.

00:49:47,925 --> 00:49:49,295

The fire's roaring.

00:49:49,655 --> 00:49:51,745

We've just gotten the

little ones to sleep.

00:49:52,055 --> 00:49:53,235

I make a beautiful dinner.

00:49:53,235 --> 00:49:57,725

We sit, we eat, and then we all chill

out watching Survivor or Shark Tank.

00:49:58,155 --> 00:49:58,515

Marc Preston: There's a perfect.