Chris Diamantopoulos:
00:00:01
And so I watched him as he talked and then the journalist
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asked him, would you do it, Mr.
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Disney?
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Would you, would you do
a little of the voice?
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And he went,
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oh boy.
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And I watched what he did
with his, with his body.
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I watched what he did with his face.
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I thought, oh gosh, maybe I could do that.
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Announcer: Welcome to Story and Craft.
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Now, here's your host, Marc Preston.
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Marc Preston: All right, here we go.
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Back again.
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Welcome.
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Thank you so much for stopping back by.
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Uh, if this is your
first episode, welcome.
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My name is Marc Preston.
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And, uh, today we are sitting down with.
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Actor Chris Diamantopoulos, you might
know him from movies like George
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Clooney's The Boys in the Boat.
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He was also the bad guy in Red Notice
with Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne Johnson.
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He's been in The Three Stooges.
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Heck, he's even been the
voice of Mickey Mouse.
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And of course, we talk about that
as well as his new show, The Sticky.
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He co stars with Margo Martindale.
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It is on Prime Video.
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Watched a few episodes over the weekend.
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Very cool show.
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Chris is such a talented guy, uh, both
on stage and with a TV film, uh, also
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voiceover, he's done tons of animation.
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He is a great chat and
I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
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Uh, Hey, by the way, if you would do me
a favor, pop on over to storyandcraftpod.
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com slash rate.
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Hey, do me a favor, drop a review, if
you will, on your favorite podcast app.
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It helps folks to find the show.
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So, you know, leave some stars, a
review, but make sure to follow the show.
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That way you get notified every
time there is a new episode.
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And, of course, the website.
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We got everything up there from
past episodes to all of our guests.
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You want to find out more about them.
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Uh, and it's just a cool way to reach out.
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Drop me a note.
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You can even leave me a voicemail.
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So, let's go and jump right on into it.
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I really enjoyed this chat.
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Very talented actor.
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Is Chris Diamantopoulos day
right here on story and craft.
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Hey man.
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So good to connect with you.
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I just.
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Watched you the other night.
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I was watching a red notice.
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Love, love your character.
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You had this, uh, sexy Euro
forest Whitaker thing going on,
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which I just like that sound.
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Yeah.
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I love,
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Chris Diamantopoulos: you know,
where that voice comes from.
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Actually, that's a, it's the ultimate,
uh, this is a great actor story.
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Uh, when I auditioned for the
role, um, the character was okay.
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So originally the character was
supposed to be Antonio Banderas,
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but, uh, something happened from a
budgetary and schedule standpoint.
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He couldn't do it.
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So.
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When the audition came in, they wanted
a Spanish or a Latin American bad guy.
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And, uh, I didn't feel comfortable.
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They want to put some boots.
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Well, I didn't feel comfortable doing
that only because I knew that, you know,
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there are great Latin actors out there.
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And for me to go in and impersonate
that just didn't feel right.
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So I am Greek.
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I speak Greek fluently.
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It's my first language.
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So I went in and I made them Greek.
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And I changed all of the Spanish
stuff to Greek and director loved it.
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Ross and, Marshall Thurber
absolutely loved it.
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And so when we talked about when I got the
role, he was like, look, let's make this
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guy kind of portly and he'll make him kind
of a, you know, bloated Greek billionaire.
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And I love that idea.
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And then about two weeks in before
production started, I got a call
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from him saying flag on the play.
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And I think we're going to
have to find another actor.
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And I said, why?
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He said, well, Ryan just did a
movie and the main bad guy in
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his movie was a portly Greek guy.
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And when we went through the
script recently, and he just saw
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that change, he said, I it's, it's
just too close to something I did.
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So he said, I'm really sorry, Chris,
we're gonna have to find someone else.
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I said, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
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I was actually going to call you because I
thought, ah, the bloated Greek billionaire
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that's been done a million times.
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Let's make this guy a Viper.
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Let's make him of, uh, he said,
yeah, but what, where's he from?
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What's his voice?
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I said, well, he's of
indeterminate European origin.
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No one knows.
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He just popped on Interpol when he was 18.
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He goes, what does he sound like?
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I said, well, his vocal cords were cut.
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Paralyzed because his father tried
to strangle him when he was a boy.
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Marc Preston: Oh, that's right.
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Yeah.
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And
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Chris Diamantopoulos: so it was, it was
me trying to save my job and finding a
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way to make a non, non specific European
voice that, uh, uh, created that.
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So necessity breeds invention, Marc.
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Marc Preston: Well, the other
thing is I kind of dislike you
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because we're about the same age.
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I think I got like one or two years older.
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That was more than 73.
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Okay.
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75.
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Um, you, you're in way too good of shape.
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You're like the gym, man.
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I'm like, you're sort of like the totem
of where I'm trying to get to right now.
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You know, both.
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You're there,
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Chris Diamantopoulos: man.
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You look good to me.
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You look very good
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Marc Preston: to me.
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You eat well, you exercise.
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You know, it's funny, my youngest was,
went off to college, so now I'm an empty
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nester and I moved down to a little
Island in South Texas called South Padre.
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I'm kind of going for the
Jimmy Buffett lifestyle.
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I love it.
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And one of the reasons why I moved
down here is to be more active,
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literally walks on the beach every day.
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And I think that's really kind of
where I'm trying to get back to is just
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walking more and then get easing into it.
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And, uh, my kids are in way better shape.
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They're all looking.
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They're more athletic than me.
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So like, um, I was talking to my cousin,
like, I'm sorry, I've got, I got three,
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got a 21 year old daughter, uh, who's
about to graduate from, uh, uh, Loyola,
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New Orleans, going to be a teacher.
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My son's there.
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And I think he's moving and want to be
a psychologist and my, uh, baby diva, my
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18 year old daughter, Emma is going to
small university and, uh, Uh, Boca Raton.
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Oh, wait, wait a minute.
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Oh God.
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She's going to be 19 in a couple of weeks.
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When I'm thinking I'm staying the
same age, they keep getting old.
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I know you feel like a reverse.
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Uh, yeah, but, uh, but
no, I really enjoyed it.
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That's one of the things to me, you are,
I don't like to use the phrase chameleon.
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I don't think that's.
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But you really have a nice, to say
you have range would be a gross
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understatement, you know, going
from, uh, you know, three stooges
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to, to that, um, was that a, is
that like a Neumann you got there?
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It's a Neumann.
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Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah.
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Yeah.
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So I have a Neumann.
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I also have a Sennheiser,
uh, 416 next to it.
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Just depends on what I'm recording.
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I like the Neumann because And
I've got it on this sort of Omni,
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so that if I'm moving around,
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Marc Preston: that's, that's the
same thing I got in my booth.
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Actually, I've got a booth right here.
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Uh, I got a four 16 cause I do
mostly promo and actually it's funny
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cause I know you, uh, I saw you were
in, uh, the Kennedy's, you played
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Sinatra and I was actually the
voice of reels channel at the time.
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And that was like a really
big deal for the network.
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It kind of put them, it was over the edge.
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It was a big show for them.
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Yeah.
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And, uh, you have
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Chris Diamantopoulos: a great promo voice.
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I did promo all through.
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I mean, basically from 2001
to:
2008
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of promo in New York City.
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That was my, my bread and butter.
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Marc Preston: During Covid, were
you doing a lot of the animation
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from home, you know, when you
couldn't go in, or did you have that
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set up and, uh, kind of a screen?
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Yeah, so
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Chris Diamantopoulos: yeah, I, um, I
did a lot of animation before Covid.
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Uh, we lived, you know, I
started doing animation.
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Quite regularly in about 2004 is
when it really sort of began for me.
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Uh, and I lived between New York and
LA and, uh, you know, between:
2004
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2020, you really weren't doing stuff from
home booth, even if you had a studio,
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you were always going into studio.
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Um, because the producers were all
of a little bit different generation.
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They were still used
to wanting to see you.
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That's right.
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They wanted you, they wanted you there.
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Um, which was great.
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You know, there was a
great sense of community.
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Um, I was living in New York.
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And I had a few series going a few
animated series going at the time and
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COVID hit and I didn't have a booth
in my apartment in New York City and,
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um, I lost, I lost a bunch of work
because they needed to, to pivot to,
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uh, uh, a way where they had talent
that had, you know, studio space.
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So we moved.
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Not for this reason, but we
moved back to Los Angeles.
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And one of the first things
that I did was I took the risk
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of building a proper studio.
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I have a proper studio.
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Oh yeah.
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Yeah.
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You didn't,
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Marc Preston: you didn't
get a pre made booth.
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You actually kind of, uh,
retrofitted a space in your home.
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I took an
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Chris Diamantopoulos: actual building.
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And, and, and, you know, it was, I
guess, uh, I don't know, a guest house
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or something, but I turned the whole
thing into a proper studio, a recording
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studio, and also, um, a taping studio
for me to be able to make, you know,
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self tapes, you know, I'm an actor and I
have to get work and when George Clooney
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wants to see an audition and it's COVID
and you can't Go and do that someplace.
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You gotta, you know, I have speakers here.
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So I hire someone to be a reader and
it sounds like they're in the room
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and it looks like I'm doing a scene.
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So yeah, I and I and by virtue of
building this space, I was able to record.
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You know, probably 14 or 15
series over the last few years.
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Marc Preston: That is so awesome.
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The kids, when they were young, I just
wanted to be home with the kids and,
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uh, so, so my daughter, she is not
phased at all about the thing I do.
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She's not the least bit impressed,
you know, so I have four
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Chris Diamantopoulos: kids.
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I know, I know the drill
and being home is important.
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That's one of the reasons that the
studio was super important as well was,
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you know, making sure that if I'm going
to be, you know, doing recordings for
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six, seven hours, eight hours a day
that, you know, I could pop out and.
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Give them a squeeze, make them a
quick sandwich or whatever it is.
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Isn't that the greatest though?
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Isn't that
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Marc Preston: the greatest thing
where you can actually be doing your
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thing, but it's all kind of there,
you know, and it kind of gets.
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It's
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Chris Diamantopoulos: a, it's,
it's beyond a blessing, man.
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I mean, it's, it really is.
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It's a, it's a pinch me kind
of thing because it really
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doesn't, doesn't get much better.
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Although I will say that after doing
that for, A long time, you know,
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for a couple of years, you don't
mind going to a set occasionally.
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Oh, no, no, no, not in the least bit.
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No, no, no.
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Let's, uh, let's go.
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Let's, uh, how old are your kids?
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Uh, 14, 11, five and two.
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Oh, okay.
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So you've got a good spectrum.
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Mine is all kind of packed in there.
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We, we were, we had a, we had a couple of
couple, a couple of false starts there.
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And, uh, But, uh, yeah, no, it's lovely.
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There's sort of an act one and an act two.
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The older two are good pals and
the younger two are good pals.
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So yeah,
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Marc Preston: my, my, my
oldest two get along famously.
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The youngest one is just, she is,
she is a, uh, she is a man out.
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She does her thing.
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That's the best way to put it
in, but you're in LA right now.
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Correct.
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That's where you live in.
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Yep.
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Okay.
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Yep.
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In Los Angeles.
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Yep.
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I also saw, and I, this was not a
deep dive in your resume, but I did
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see, uh, my kids loved watching 24.
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I cannot for the life of me, why
I can't lock in and remember.
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What you did on 24,
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Chris Diamantopoulos: I was
the chief of staff to, uh,
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Cherry Jones's, uh, president.
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It was, it was in the last season of 24.
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And I, uh, I mean, I was, uh,
instrumental in trying to basically
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trying to bring it all down.
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I was a pretty, pretty hateful guy.
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Fun.
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That was a lot of fun to do.
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Actually
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Marc Preston: seemed like a fun show to
shoot, you know, because we had a ball.
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So as far as what you're doing right
now, uh, what's kind of the mix kind of
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compared to on camera, uh, film and TV
to VO stuff you're doing for animation.
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Or do you, do you all, by the
way, do you also do video games?
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Have you found yourself in that realm?
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00:10:02
Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah, I
just did a star Wars video game.
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Uh, I, I do a little of everything.
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I, I, you know, Broadway and, uh,
you know, um, feature films and
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television and streaming and animation
and commercials and endorsement and
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promos and the whole nine yards.
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If.
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If I can add value and I have time,
then I'll find a way to do it.
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Um, yeah, I agree with looking at it.
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Marc Preston: Yeah.
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Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah.
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Yeah, no, truly.
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And, and, and it's, uh, it's just a matter
of, uh, it's really sort of what's out
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there and it all sort of shifts, you
know, sometimes it's very animation heavy.
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Sometimes, uh, it's, you know,
time is more spent doing work
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as a series regular on a show.
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Sometimes it all sort of.
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Takes a beat and there's not much
happening and it's time to sort of
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reflect on what I really want to be doing.
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I mean, I think in all facets
of life control is an illusion.
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:
00:10:56
So the notion that I can control
what comes to me in this chaotic
300
:
00:11:01
and amorphous business is
that's a very special illusion.
301
:
00:11:06
So I try to just not take
myself too seriously and I try
302
:
00:11:09
to allow myself to be open.
303
:
00:11:12
Um, And, uh, you know,
oftentimes, you know, the sticky
304
:
00:11:16
is a really great example.
305
:
00:11:17
When I first saw the script,
I thought it was great, but
306
:
00:11:19
there was nothing in it for me.
307
:
00:11:20
The character that I ended up playing
was written just slightly differently, a
308
:
00:11:24
little older, and I didn't see him as me.
309
:
00:11:27
When I read a second draft, I thought,
Oh, You know, this is interesting.
310
:
00:11:32
I want to be a part of this world and
maybe there's a world where that character
311
:
00:11:34
adapts a little bit and I could play him.
312
:
00:11:37
But then I realized they didn't,
they weren't interested in seeing
313
:
00:11:39
me because they had, they had an
idea that was completely different.
314
:
00:11:42
And so it took like a year and a
half for me to finally say, Hey, you
315
:
00:11:45
guys really need to meet me on this.
316
:
00:11:46
All right, we'll meet you.
317
:
00:11:47
We'll meet you.
318
:
00:11:47
And, and they met me and we
all sort of clicked and it was
319
:
00:11:51
like, Oh my gosh, this is right.
320
:
00:11:52
Blumhouse,
321
:
00:11:54
Marc Preston: this, this is
more of the horror genre.
322
:
00:11:56
Am I right?
323
:
00:11:57
I'm looking at Blumhouse.
324
:
00:11:58
Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah.
325
:
00:11:58
So Blumhouse, uh, definitely made their
name in the horror genre, but they, you
326
:
00:12:04
know, they go from horror into intriguing
into dramatic and, you know, they, they've
327
:
00:12:09
got, they've, I think, look, Blumhouse is
a, is a fascinating and innovative studio
328
:
00:12:13
and it's Blumhouse through Jamie Lee
Curtis, um, which, which is also just this
329
:
00:12:19
extra beautiful little spice on this show.
330
:
00:12:22
Not only is she in the show and she's
terrific, but as a producer and as a voice
331
:
00:12:26
on the show, um, she was instrumental
in making sure that the vibe of this
332
:
00:12:31
world that we haven't seen before this
criminal underbelly in Northern Canada,
333
:
00:12:36
this notion of maple syrup, these ne'er
do wells, these buffoons, this insanity,
334
:
00:12:41
that it all sort of comes together.
335
:
00:12:42
And I think there's something really
special about a show like this in
336
:
00:12:45
a 30 minute format in six episodes.
337
:
00:12:49
It gives us everything we want
without feeling like we have to commit
338
:
00:12:51
to something that's just going to
take weeks and weeks and weeks to
339
:
00:12:53
Marc Preston: watch.
340
:
00:12:54
Did you tap into your Canadian
roots with a little bit of
341
:
00:12:56
Canadian dialect as a character?
342
:
00:12:59
Chris Diamantopoulos: No, no, no.
343
:
00:13:00
If you see the show, you'll realize I'm
actually playing an American on the show.
344
:
00:13:03
Uh, so yeah, not playing
a Canadian on the show.
345
:
00:13:06
Um, I play a low level.
346
:
00:13:11
mobster esque guy.
347
:
00:13:13
Who's, you know, uh, finds himself in
the, from the Boston area, up in Northern
348
:
00:13:17
Canada, collecting, uh, you know,
the, uh, milk money for his employer.
349
:
00:13:21
And, um, Margo Martindale plays
a local maple syrup farmer.
350
:
00:13:27
And we realize in the show and from
this show that in, in fact, in reality,
351
:
00:13:33
there is an association, a maple syrup
association that controls the global
352
:
00:13:38
Supply and demand of maple syrup,
and they store these giant vats and
353
:
00:13:45
giant oil drums of maple syrup that
are priced at thousands of dollars
354
:
00:13:49
a drum, uh, in, in this, in these
warehouses that are largely unguarded.
355
:
00:13:54
And so, uh, through desperation,
greed, and, you know, just a general
356
:
00:14:01
feeling of larceny, our characters
get involved in the scheme to steal.
357
:
00:14:05
Millions and millions of
dollars worth of maple syrup
358
:
00:14:07
and sell it on the black Marcet.
359
:
00:14:08
Marc Preston: You mentioned
something that they come up with
360
:
00:14:10
a Blumhouse, like different ideas.
361
:
00:14:12
And yeah, that's, I like being pleasantly
surprised by something like that.
362
:
00:14:14
I haven't seen something like this before.
363
:
00:14:16
That's always fun.
364
:
00:14:17
Yeah.
365
:
00:14:18
Yeah.
366
:
00:14:18
That'll be, it'll be fun.
367
:
00:14:19
You, I think you'll enjoy it.
368
:
00:14:20
As far as, uh, the Greek heritage, which
of course, me being a Jewish kid from
369
:
00:14:23
Texas, for whatever reason, in my family,
uh, for everybody's birthdays and events,
370
:
00:14:27
we always went to Greek restaurants.
371
:
00:14:29
So.
372
:
00:14:29
Great.
373
:
00:14:29
When I think of my comfort food
as a kid, it's always Greek food.
374
:
00:14:32
I love that.
375
:
00:14:33
I love that.
376
:
00:14:33
I think,
377
:
00:14:34
Chris Diamantopoulos: I think the
Greeks by and large would feel
378
:
00:14:35
happy to hear that statement because
the Greeks all over the world
379
:
00:14:38
Marc Preston: just want to
feed people pure comfort.
380
:
00:14:41
And I remember the guys that, uh, and
Dallas's Costas cafe, the brothers,
381
:
00:14:44
uh, there was a guy Zissy and they
owned it, but it's all one big family.
382
:
00:14:50
So every Greek restaurant in the Dallas
area in one way or another, they're
383
:
00:14:52
all related from what I understand.
384
:
00:14:54
Yeah.
385
:
00:14:54
Now are your folks, uh, kind of
first generation in Canada or?
386
:
00:14:58
Yeah.
387
:
00:14:58
I spoke, I spoke Greek
388
:
00:14:59
Chris Diamantopoulos: in the house.
389
:
00:15:00
It's my first language.
390
:
00:15:01
Um, my mother and father emigrated
from Athens in the, uh, early:
1970
391
:
00:15:07
My dad, uh, went to Toronto, Canada
to, um, to, uh, study business
392
:
00:15:14
and get his master's in business.
393
:
00:15:15
Um, and my folks were sticklers
for us learning proper.
394
:
00:15:22
grammatically accurate Greek,
both modern and ancient, actually.
395
:
00:15:29
It was very, very important to them
that we, um, identified culturally as
396
:
00:15:34
Greek, as well as embrace, you know,
living in Canada and being Canadian.
397
:
00:15:39
Um, and it was, I think, by virtue
of speaking Greek first, that my ear,
398
:
00:15:46
um, Was given the opportunity to train
itself to recognizing different sounds,
399
:
00:15:54
different timbres, different textures.
400
:
00:15:57
And I think that's sort of where
my mimicry and my understanding of
401
:
00:16:01
tone and pitch and voice came from.
402
:
00:16:05
Uh, manipulation really sort of began.
403
:
00:16:07
Marc Preston: I don't know any Greek
at all, except for what's on the menu.
404
:
00:16:10
It was always great hearing the guys talk
to one another, you know, it always felt
405
:
00:16:14
like, uh, even if they were arguing, it
always felt, that's just the way it hit
406
:
00:16:18
my ear, you know, but I got it, but I
got to know, I ended up talking food at
407
:
00:16:21
least once or twice, but I got to know.
408
:
00:16:23
Did you inherit the recipes
and the cooking vibe, or,
409
:
00:16:26
you know, Oh, my, my parents
410
:
00:16:28
Chris Diamantopoulos:
are both great cooks.
411
:
00:16:28
Now we weren't in the restaurant business.
412
:
00:16:30
My dad actually ran a Greek radio station.
413
:
00:16:33
He advertised for all the local
companies and he did a radio show.
414
:
00:16:36
Beautiful voice, Malifluous voice.
415
:
00:16:38
Um, it's really where I, I probably
got a lot of my, my vocal talent from.
416
:
00:16:42
Um, but my mother and father are great
cooks, very simple, what they call spitiko
417
:
00:16:46
fajito, which means, uh, like home cooked
stuff, nothing fancy, but, uh, Oh, yeah.
418
:
00:16:51
Everything delicious.
419
:
00:16:52
I mean, look, simple hand cut French
fries and olive oil, a little bit of
420
:
00:16:56
oregano and thick, uh, coarse sea salt,
um, lamb chops with just a squeeze
421
:
00:17:02
of lemon, uh, coarse black pepper.
422
:
00:17:05
Um, a perfect, uh, horiyaki salata, the
village salad, which is just, you know,
423
:
00:17:10
vine ripe tomatoes, a nice healthy dose of
olive oil, um, uh, cucumbers, big kalamata
424
:
00:17:17
olives, feta cheese, uh, red onion.
425
:
00:17:21
Marc Preston: Fantastic.
426
:
00:17:21
They talked about the Mediterranean
diet as being really good for you.
427
:
00:17:24
But I used to, uh, I still, I,
I'm trying to pick it back up down
428
:
00:17:27
here, but grew all of my own herbs.
429
:
00:17:28
That's one thing.
430
:
00:17:29
I got that from Greek cooking.
431
:
00:17:30
Cause there's always freshers.
432
:
00:17:32
And that's really the kind
of thing that set it off.
433
:
00:17:34
And my favorite, one
of my favorite things,
434
:
00:17:35
Chris Diamantopoulos: Avogadro Lemona.
435
:
00:17:36
That means it's, it's a, it's an, it's
an egg lemon basically where they beat
436
:
00:17:40
The egg white, the lemon is delicious.
437
:
00:17:43
We would have that when we were sick.
438
:
00:17:44
It was the kind of thing that would,
you know, nurse you back to health.
439
:
00:17:46
It's sort of the Greek,
you know, chicken soup.
440
:
00:17:55
Marc Preston: What about
your wife's heritage?
441
:
00:17:57
Is she by any chance Greek as well?
442
:
00:17:58
Chris Diamantopoulos: Well, she is
now, but she was, she was born and
443
:
00:18:01
raised in Guilford, Connecticut.
444
:
00:18:03
We met, um, 22 years ago.
445
:
00:18:05
Um, Uh, she, uh, she's a polyglot.
446
:
00:18:09
She studied, uh, European history
at Penn and she, so she speaks
447
:
00:18:12
fluent Spanish and fluent German.
448
:
00:18:14
Uh, and she took a course of, uh,
modern Greek at Columbia while we were
449
:
00:18:18
dating and now she speaks fluent Greek.
450
:
00:18:20
Really?
451
:
00:18:20
Um, Yeah, I married up Marc . Um, uh, she
is, um, she converted to Greek Orthodoxy
452
:
00:18:28
when we got married, and so we could
raise our kids in, in the faith as well.
453
:
00:18:32
And, um, but she's, no, she's
as American as Apple pie.
454
:
00:18:35
Becky Newton, you know, she's on a
show right now called the Lincoln
455
:
00:18:38
Lawyer, and she's about as good as
456
:
00:18:40
Marc Preston: someone
can be on television.
457
:
00:18:41
That's one of the shows that's
on the list, you know, there's
458
:
00:18:43
so much stuff out there now.
459
:
00:18:44
I got my little list of things
I, uh, that I, that I wanna see.
460
:
00:18:46
Sure.
461
:
00:18:46
And it's, it is definitely one of them.
462
:
00:18:48
And, uh, I think, yeah, my kids
always loved going in new Orleans,
463
:
00:18:51
uh, the, every year they'd have the
Greek food festival at the church.
464
:
00:18:54
And my daughter, uh, loved the,
the ice cream and the, uh, uh, the,
465
:
00:18:58
with the baklava, you know, they
kind of, so you can tell I haven't
466
:
00:19:01
had anything to eat today yet.
467
:
00:19:02
So, you know, you're killing me
over here, but, um, all right.
468
:
00:19:05
So, so when did the acting thing, when did
all the creative stuff kick off for you?
469
:
00:19:09
Was that kind of in high school, was
that all on already on the agenda
470
:
00:19:12
or did that come a little later?
471
:
00:19:14
Yeah.
472
:
00:19:14
No, Marc,
473
:
00:19:15
Chris Diamantopoulos: I started acting.
474
:
00:19:16
I've been acting for 40
years professionally.
475
:
00:19:18
I started acting when
I was nine years old.
476
:
00:19:19
Uh, I displayed, uh, an affinity
and a proficiency with regard
477
:
00:19:24
to performance and entertaining.
478
:
00:19:26
And so my parents, uh, despite their
lack of knowledge of within the field
479
:
00:19:31
decided that, you know, they should
try and help nurture that talent.
480
:
00:19:34
So they signed me up for a
kid's acting class on weekends
481
:
00:19:38
and an agent found me there.
482
:
00:19:39
And I started doing some, uh,
television work in Toronto.
483
:
00:19:42
And, uh, shortly thereafter, I, uh,
really started getting involved in
484
:
00:19:47
music and singing and stage performing.
485
:
00:19:50
Um, and so I started, um, auditioning
for professional productions in Toronto
486
:
00:19:54
and then quickly started doing some
big national tours in the States.
487
:
00:19:57
And I landed on Broadway, uh,
worked on Broadway for several
488
:
00:20:01
years and I met my wife, uh, while
I was working on Broadway, but.
489
:
00:20:05
She was not working on Broadway.
490
:
00:20:07
We met on the subway in
the middle of rush hour.
491
:
00:20:09
Really?
492
:
00:20:09
And then, um, Well, when you met on the
subway, did you both know what each other
493
:
00:20:14
Marc Preston: did or was it
just, you had no clue about what,
494
:
00:20:16
Chris Diamantopoulos: Oh, we were kids.
495
:
00:20:17
I was, I was 25.
496
:
00:20:19
She was 21 straight out of college.
497
:
00:20:20
And we just started chatting and, uh,
And, and then we ended up moving to Los
498
:
00:20:25
Angeles together and pursuing this career.
499
:
00:20:27
Marc Preston: That is awesome.
500
:
00:20:28
It's very symbiotic.
501
:
00:20:29
You know, that thing where she, you know,
y'all both could do your thing together.
502
:
00:20:33
That's, that's really wonderful.
503
:
00:20:34
I mean, the fact that especially you
being able to work at home and she,
504
:
00:20:37
she understands your workflow and if
you've had a not great day, you know,
505
:
00:20:40
creatively or so, you know, so it's
probably like a lot of unspoken stuff.
506
:
00:20:44
You can kind of read each other as
creatives, you know, are your, any
507
:
00:20:47
of your kids kind of aiming in this
direction you think, uh, or are
508
:
00:20:50
they like, no, It's hard to tell.
509
:
00:20:52
You know, they
510
:
00:20:52
Chris Diamantopoulos: definitely, uh,
the great thing about kids is every day
511
:
00:20:57
they discover something new and then
they allow you to discover something new
512
:
00:21:00
about them, particularly at these ages.
513
:
00:21:02
Um, they're showing, uh, uh, desire
and skill in so many different facets.
514
:
00:21:10
So it's, it's hard to tell.
515
:
00:21:11
It's really hard to say.
516
:
00:21:12
I think, you know, Becky and I
will sort of nurture whatever
517
:
00:21:15
direction they end up going.
518
:
00:21:17
Um, you know, we have both of us having
been in this business as long as we have
519
:
00:21:22
been, have a healthy understanding of
how challenging this can be, but you
520
:
00:21:25
know, every business has its challenges.
521
:
00:21:27
Every endeavor has its challenges.
522
:
00:21:29
So as long as their heart's in it for the
right reasons and, uh, they, you know,
523
:
00:21:34
They go into it with, with a clear mind.
524
:
00:21:36
I'm,
525
:
00:21:37
Marc Preston: I'm open to it.
526
:
00:21:38
A lot of luck in that your folks
were at the outset, very, uh, they're
527
:
00:21:41
encouraging out of the gate, you know,
a lot of, you know, a lot of folks have
528
:
00:21:44
parents like, why are you doing this?
529
:
00:21:45
You know, very rare, very
530
:
00:21:47
Chris Diamantopoulos: rare
for Greek immigrants to, to,
531
:
00:21:48
to feel that way as well.
532
:
00:21:50
They, you know, they would have wanted
me to be a doctor or a lawyer or an
533
:
00:21:53
accountant, but they were, uh, to their
credit, they were very, very, um, uh,
534
:
00:22:00
Marc Preston: They were very
open, which was terrific.
535
:
00:22:02
So how did you make that
segue on stage to on camera?
536
:
00:22:05
Was that something that was
a seamless thing or was, was
537
:
00:22:08
that kind of your North star?
538
:
00:22:09
Was that ultimately where you were wanting
to go or just kind of ended up that way?
539
:
00:22:13
Chris Diamantopoulos: So I always
knew, uh, that I wanted I knew I
540
:
00:22:19
wanted to perform and entertain.
541
:
00:22:20
I mean, when I was a kid, I
wanted to be a movie star.
542
:
00:22:22
I didn't know what that meant.
543
:
00:22:23
I just watched movies and I
knew how they made me feel.
544
:
00:22:25
I'd go to the movies with my
father and I felt something.
545
:
00:22:27
You know, when you watch TV at home,
it's just kind of, but when you go to
546
:
00:22:31
the movie, there's something special.
547
:
00:22:33
We're all in that room.
548
:
00:22:34
It goes dark and it's, it's loud and,
and you're in the world and you're
549
:
00:22:38
in the story and then you, the movie
finishes and, and it's just There's so
550
:
00:22:41
much to talk about and how you felt.
551
:
00:22:43
And, and then for weeks I'm
play acting at what I saw.
552
:
00:22:47
And I'm now that person.
553
:
00:22:48
And that experience is just,
that's, that's a holy experience.
554
:
00:22:52
Marc Preston: Well, that, well, at
that age, no, when you were young and
555
:
00:22:54
when you were, you were, your juices
were flowing, what were you watching?
556
:
00:22:57
What were the things that were like
grabbing you actors or films or directors?
557
:
00:23:01
Yeah, I was.
558
:
00:23:01
Chris Diamantopoulos: Greatly
inspired by the works of Danny
559
:
00:23:04
Kaye, the court jester, the secret
life of Walter Mitty, five pennies.
560
:
00:23:08
I love Darryl Flynn, uh, the
adventures of Robin Hood.
561
:
00:23:12
Uh, obviously, you know,
anything Harrison Ford did.
562
:
00:23:14
I remember seeing, uh, Roger Moore
and Moonraker and thinking, wow,
563
:
00:23:19
I want to, I want to do that.
564
:
00:23:21
Um, but then I remember my father
coming home with a, a beta.
565
:
00:23:25
Uh, tape of Amadeus and he said, you
know, this isn't really a kid's movie
566
:
00:23:28
and he left it there and the next
night my brother and I watched Amadeus
567
:
00:23:31
and I remember just thinking that F.
568
:
00:23:33
Marie Abraham's performance was
marvelous, One of the greatest, most
569
:
00:23:37
terrifying things I'd ever seen.
570
:
00:23:39
So my inspirations were as varied as
the roles that I've ended up playing.
571
:
00:23:44
It's why I've never,
572
:
00:23:46
Marc Preston: Abraham was the
first to kind of get you feeling
573
:
00:23:48
something like it, like there was
a, there was a visceral reaction.
574
:
00:23:51
Chris Diamantopoulos: I mean, it
was certainly from a, from a, uh,
575
:
00:23:54
massively dramatic standpoint.
576
:
00:23:56
Uh, sure.
577
:
00:23:57
But there, I mean, the inspirations
came from so many different
578
:
00:24:00
places and so many odd places.
579
:
00:24:02
I mean, one of my biggest
influences were the three stooges.
580
:
00:24:06
Their level of humor, their
level of timing and commitment
581
:
00:24:09
to the bit, it was fantastic.
582
:
00:24:11
Marc Preston: Um, well, that's a
full arc of experience for you.
583
:
00:24:14
I mean, did you have to chase
that role to be, you know, uh,
584
:
00:24:17
mo, uh, did you, did you chase it?
585
:
00:24:19
Or did they look at you going,
you're the guy, you're the guy.
586
:
00:24:22
What do you think, Marc?
587
:
00:24:22
You think I walked in and they
588
:
00:24:23
Chris Diamantopoulos: looked
at me and said, you're the guy.
589
:
00:24:25
I think you're talented enough.
590
:
00:24:26
They might've been, took me about,
took me about six months and about 14
591
:
00:24:30
auditions, a lot of begging and pleading.
592
:
00:24:32
And there was, there was really,
there was no way that that was going
593
:
00:24:35
to happen, but, but somehow it did.
594
:
00:24:37
I was an unknown actor at that point.
595
:
00:24:38
The biggest thing I'd ever done was 24.
596
:
00:24:41
And I certainly wasn't the lead of 24.
597
:
00:24:42
I'd never done anything comedic.
598
:
00:24:44
Uh, Although I knew that I was, you know,
I could, I could work as a comedy actor.
599
:
00:24:48
It just hadn't happened at that point.
600
:
00:24:50
So it was a big leap of faith on
the fairly brother's part, huge
601
:
00:24:53
leap of faith on the studio part.
602
:
00:24:56
That was when Tom Rothman was running Fox.
603
:
00:24:58
Uh, and it was a confluence of my
strange history with the Stooges,
604
:
00:25:03
my, um, encyclopedic knowledge of
their Uh, shorts and, um, and then my
605
:
00:25:13
lack of guile and naivete to believe
that they would allow me to pull a
606
:
00:25:19
face and morph to play this role.
607
:
00:25:23
And it just, it ended up being me.
608
:
00:25:24
It ended up happening and two
other actors were offered the role.
609
:
00:25:27
They fell out one of them because
he couldn't do the, the impression
610
:
00:25:30
of Mo and the other one, because
he wanted too much money.
611
:
00:25:33
Marc Preston: I got to say, I remember
growing up, like you said, the
612
:
00:25:34
shorts, the ones that were just kind
of in and out is just a few minutes.
613
:
00:25:37
I like that.
614
:
00:25:37
I thought there was something
kind of cool about that.
615
:
00:25:40
But I remember this kind of the rhythm,
the physicality, the physicality.
616
:
00:25:43
Really?
617
:
00:25:44
And you nailed it.
618
:
00:25:45
I mean, that was just like
619
:
00:25:45
Chris Diamantopoulos: that.
620
:
00:25:46
Thanks.
621
:
00:25:46
No, I mean, the thing about the Stooges
that was fascinating was that they, they
622
:
00:25:50
perfected their craft on the vaudeville
circuit and the borscht belt too.
623
:
00:25:53
You know, I mean, they, they did
live performances for years and years
624
:
00:25:56
and years and years and years before
they ever put anything on celluloid.
625
:
00:25:59
So the daunting task for, for me.
626
:
00:26:01
Us, but when we made the movie was
we had five days of prep, there
627
:
00:26:05
was no, there was no rehearsal.
628
:
00:26:07
There was no, Oh yeah, it was, it
was, we were shot out of a cannon.
629
:
00:26:12
And so, um, I, again, through my
own naivete, not knowing that this
630
:
00:26:17
is what I wasn't supposed to do.
631
:
00:26:19
I just, uh, uh, uh, uh, took the
bull by the horns and, and, and,
632
:
00:26:23
and Sean and will, and I would meet.
633
:
00:26:25
The morning before a shoot and talk
about what we might do in a physical
634
:
00:26:29
standpoint to supplement what it
says in the script, the Stooges
635
:
00:26:32
fight, you know, what does that mean?
636
:
00:26:34
What does that look like?
637
:
00:26:35
And so we would create these bits
and then show up on set ready to go.
638
:
00:26:38
It was really, it was, um, a reMarcable
639
:
00:26:41
Marc Preston: experience.
640
:
00:26:47
Uh, great actor.
641
:
00:26:48
Good guy.
642
:
00:26:48
Yeah.
643
:
00:26:49
Yeah.
644
:
00:26:49
It was interesting
watching the physicality.
645
:
00:26:51
Cause that's what I remember as a kid.
646
:
00:26:52
I don't really remember
plot lines as much.
647
:
00:26:55
I just remember the seeming absurdity,
but the heart in it, you know, but I
648
:
00:26:58
know some people are really, really,
really into the three stooges.
649
:
00:27:02
It was an inspiration, but to be able
to be in a movie that had to be a
650
:
00:27:04
cool full, a full circle thing for you
651
:
00:27:06
Chris Diamantopoulos: beyond.
652
:
00:27:07
It really was.
653
:
00:27:08
It was, it was on an earnest.
654
:
00:27:11
Marc Preston: Uh, literal dream come true.
655
:
00:27:12
You'd been on 24.
656
:
00:27:13
So this is kind of like 180 degree
shift, but that's, did you kind of feel
657
:
00:27:17
that was when the momentum just started
kind of picking up for you, do you
658
:
00:27:20
think, did you use that kind of win?
659
:
00:27:21
I don't
660
:
00:27:21
Chris Diamantopoulos: think so.
661
:
00:27:22
No.
662
:
00:27:22
And you know, it was funny.
663
:
00:27:23
It was hard to bill me after that.
664
:
00:27:24
You know, my, I did a, you know,
it was a 50 million movie for
665
:
00:27:28
Fox and I was the lead of it.
666
:
00:27:30
I looked like Mo, I didn't look like this.
667
:
00:27:32
And if you look at the posters
or any of the trailers or any of
668
:
00:27:34
it, you just, it's not this guy.
669
:
00:27:36
So how do they sell that?
670
:
00:27:37
Right.
671
:
00:27:38
So, uh, no, it wasn't necessarily the,
I mean, one thing that it did do was
672
:
00:27:43
it caught the attention of someone at
Disney when they were looking to start
673
:
00:27:46
a new show based on the original Walt
Disney Mickey mouse, where they wanted
674
:
00:27:52
to go back to the root of what Mickey
sounded like, which was Walt himself.
675
:
00:27:56
And, um, someone had seen me do.
676
:
00:27:59
The Stooges and the Stooges
had that intrinsic thirties era
677
:
00:28:05
cadence to it, just by virtue of
the ways that the Stooges talk.
678
:
00:28:09
And so they wanted to bring
me in to voice Mickey.
679
:
00:28:11
And, um, I was reticent at first because
I have a deeper voice and I, I, you
680
:
00:28:16
don't mess with an icon like Mickey.
681
:
00:28:18
By sheer luck, um, Tom Hanks had
been promoting his, uh, Finding Mr.
682
:
00:28:23
Banks, uh, movie.
683
:
00:28:25
And they had all of these, um, Walt Disney
documentaries on television at the time.
684
:
00:28:29
And I watched.
685
:
00:28:30
A particular documentary where it
showed Disney talking to a journalist
686
:
00:28:34
and his voice was very similar to mine.
687
:
00:28:36
Very, he had a, there was a base
to his voice, but where his voice
688
:
00:28:39
resonated, um, aside from his
regionalism was, was similar.
689
:
00:28:44
And I found that intriguing and so
I watched him as he talked and then
690
:
00:28:48
the journalist asked him, would
you do it, Mr Disney, would you?
691
:
00:28:50
Would you do a little of the voice?
692
:
00:28:51
And he went, Oh boy.
693
:
00:28:53
And he sort of, and I watched what
he did with his, with his body.
694
:
00:28:56
I watched what he did with his face and
I saw what, what, where his larynx went.
695
:
00:28:59
And I thought, Oh gosh,
maybe I can do that.
696
:
00:29:01
And so, you know, uh, I went in and I
gave it, I gave it the old college try.
697
:
00:29:07
And, uh, I mean, that really was, that
was a shift in my life that I would never
698
:
00:29:13
have expected that, uh, that is really
just a beautiful blessing in my life.
699
:
00:29:16
Uh, You know,
700
:
00:29:17
Marc Preston: voicing Mickey
Mouse, you mentioned the
701
:
00:29:19
thing about like the thirties.
702
:
00:29:20
I always wondered as a VO guy, how
much of that was affected or how much
703
:
00:29:25
of that's the way people spoke back
704
:
00:29:26
Chris Diamantopoulos: then?
705
:
00:29:27
Marc Preston: I've, you know, I can't
get it at a time machine and go hear it.
706
:
00:29:29
They're kind of like, uh, those people,
they talk like, you know, the, the,
707
:
00:29:31
that if there's that an, an affected
thing that they did, or if that was
708
:
00:29:35
just part, it's a great question, right?
709
:
00:29:36
I
710
:
00:29:36
Chris Diamantopoulos: mean, it's all,
it's like, uh, how, how much of what
711
:
00:29:38
they showed us of anything was affected,
you know, how many people spoke?
712
:
00:29:41
Slept in twin beds and full
nighties and buttoned up pajamas.
713
:
00:29:44
Do you know what I mean?
714
:
00:29:47
Who knows what it was
really like back then?
715
:
00:29:49
I did, I did, uh, the boys in the
boat with George Clooney last year.
716
:
00:29:53
And, um, that was a thirties, uh,
period piece and threading that Needle.
717
:
00:29:59
And I played a journalist actually,
uh, and a radio announcer and the
718
:
00:30:02
fellow who was announcing the races.
719
:
00:30:04
So finding the right balance of what
would have been reasonable back then.
720
:
00:30:08
And also what would work
cinematically for today.
721
:
00:30:11
That was fun.
722
:
00:30:12
Finding that with George, you
know, how far do you want to go
723
:
00:30:14
into You know, the year was 1935.
724
:
00:30:17
You know what I mean?
725
:
00:30:17
How far do you want to go into that, uh,
726
:
00:30:20
Marc Preston: to, to thread
727
:
00:30:21
Chris Diamantopoulos: that balance?
728
:
00:30:22
Marc Preston: He directed it, correct?
729
:
00:30:23
He did.
730
:
00:30:23
Thank you for reminding me.
731
:
00:30:24
Cause I wanted to ask you about that.
732
:
00:30:25
That is a, it's a true story.
733
:
00:30:27
Correct?
734
:
00:30:27
It is.
735
:
00:30:27
It's a beautiful, if you haven't
read the book, I would say
736
:
00:30:30
Chris Diamantopoulos: that's, that's a,
that's, you should put that on your list.
737
:
00:30:32
It's a beautifully written book.
738
:
00:30:33
Okay.
739
:
00:30:33
Read the book first before singing.
740
:
00:30:35
I mean, it's not necessary,
it's not necessary, but it's
741
:
00:30:37
such an homage to America.
742
:
00:30:38
It's such a, a love letter to what
this country really about to, to the.
743
:
00:30:45
The, um, the pain and struggle resulting
in an exaltation of the American spirit.
744
:
00:30:54
It's a, it's a really beautiful homage
to what it means to be American.
745
:
00:31:01
It's it's lovely.
746
:
00:31:02
Marc Preston: It'd be nice if something
old was new again right now, you
747
:
00:31:07
know, bring, bring some of that vibe
back would be glorious right now.
748
:
00:31:11
So the, you know, so.
749
:
00:31:13
As you're progressing, were you thinking,
okay, I'm doing this, uh, you know,
750
:
00:31:16
you work at George Clooney and I hear,
you know, I love everything he does.
751
:
00:31:19
In fact, when I, when I coached
voiceover students, I always mentioned
752
:
00:31:22
thing I love about him is we talk about
brand and who you are, your signature.
753
:
00:31:25
We think of Danny Ocean, swab, Devin
air, modern day, Cary Grant, you
754
:
00:31:29
know, but the things he's really
notable for, he's a total dolt like
755
:
00:31:32
the Coen brothers movies, or when he
steps outside of being a handsome,
756
:
00:31:37
Charismatic dude, you know, absolutely.
757
:
00:31:39
That had been a great
758
:
00:31:40
Chris Diamantopoulos: experience.
759
:
00:31:41
Uh, it was reMarcable.
760
:
00:31:42
It was reMarcable watching him
work, listening to him, seeing how
761
:
00:31:45
confident he was with regard to having
already, uh, sort of seen how he
762
:
00:31:50
wants the story to unfold on screen.
763
:
00:31:52
It gave the actors a tremendous
sense of peace showing up on set,
764
:
00:31:56
knowing that he's got the reins.
765
:
00:31:58
Um, and just a lovely guy.
766
:
00:32:01
Marc Preston: How does he direct?
767
:
00:32:01
Cause I know like a Clint Eastwood's very,
as I say, kind of directs in the camera,
768
:
00:32:05
he's like, he gets a scene done moving on.
769
:
00:32:08
You know, what, what's
George Clooney as far as, I
770
:
00:32:10
Chris Diamantopoulos: mean,
771
:
00:32:10
Marc Preston: he's
772
:
00:32:10
Chris Diamantopoulos: very casual, uh,
uh, very much in favor of the actors.
773
:
00:32:14
Uh, you know, he loves actors
and he, he is an actor.
774
:
00:32:18
Um, I never felt like we were.
775
:
00:32:21
Chasing the clock like we
were in trouble for time.
776
:
00:32:24
It never felt like we were belaboring
something and doing multiple
777
:
00:32:26
takes when they were unnecessary.
778
:
00:32:28
You know, it also didn't feel like he
was doing prototypical wide medium close.
779
:
00:32:33
He knew how a scene was going
to play if the whole thing was
780
:
00:32:36
going to play in the close.
781
:
00:32:38
He would eschew the wide
and say, I don't need it.
782
:
00:32:40
I know I'm going to come right in here.
783
:
00:32:41
So there's a, there was something
really beautiful about that.
784
:
00:32:45
He, you know, he was really a mentor to
me during those several weeks in London.
785
:
00:32:51
Um, and I asked him a lot of just,
you know, business questions and
786
:
00:32:54
he was always ready with a story.
787
:
00:32:57
Um, but one of the things that stuck
with me, one of the things that
788
:
00:32:59
he said to me that I found very
profound and very liberating was
789
:
00:33:03
that when you're an actor and you're
auditioning, playing with house money.
790
:
00:33:09
The casino has given you 10, 000 and
they say, do with it what you will.
791
:
00:33:13
Now you may lose it, but
you're not losing anything.
792
:
00:33:15
They gave you the 10, 000, who cares?
793
:
00:33:18
You may turn it into 20 and you
could turn it into a million.
794
:
00:33:21
And that's what an audition is.
795
:
00:33:23
You've got nothing to lose.
796
:
00:33:25
So go for it.
797
:
00:33:26
And, and I, I thought that that
was very simple, but very profound.
798
:
00:33:29
And it's definitely indicative
of his casual, but you know,
799
:
00:33:35
Marc Preston: hardworking nature, right?
800
:
00:33:37
Yeah, I think that's the
hard thing to do as an actor.
801
:
00:33:39
And like I say, I work in voiceover folks
and I'm like, go in there, do your thing.
802
:
00:33:44
You don't know what they're looking for.
803
:
00:33:45
And it's a fool's errand to kind
of assume, you know, but you do,
804
:
00:33:48
you try to get down in the middle,
but did you audition for George
805
:
00:33:51
or is it like, okay, it was just
kind of like, okay, you're the guy.
806
:
00:33:53
I That that works.
807
:
00:33:54
No,
808
:
00:33:55
Chris Diamantopoulos: Marc.
809
:
00:33:55
I, I love, I love the notion that
you think that it ever happens
810
:
00:33:58
where someone says, you're
the guy, you know, I, I'm sure
811
:
00:34:00
Marc Preston: that a lot of actors,
812
:
00:34:01
Chris Diamantopoulos: I think you
were, I think you were that talented.
813
:
00:34:03
I've seen you do your thing and I saw
he is like, I know he can do that thing.
814
:
00:34:06
I want him, you know, I don't think
it's ever happened for me in life
815
:
00:34:08
that someone went, you're the guy.
816
:
00:34:10
No, I, I made a tape actually in
this studio, um, for that role.
817
:
00:34:15
And look to his credit,
uh, he watched the tape.
818
:
00:34:19
And then he gave me the role.
819
:
00:34:21
Uh, there wasn't anything
fussy about George.
820
:
00:34:25
A lot of directors will see a tape and
then decide that they want to meet with
821
:
00:34:28
you or meet with you on zoom or read
again or give you notes for George.
822
:
00:34:32
I think I would venture to say that
every aspect of his life is this way.
823
:
00:34:36
He's decisive.
824
:
00:34:38
That's the guy.
825
:
00:34:38
Call him, tell him he got the
826
:
00:34:39
Marc Preston: part.
827
:
00:34:40
Now is his directing style verbose
giving you lots of exp explanations
828
:
00:34:44
or is he very pithy with just a
few words just to get you there?
829
:
00:34:46
It's interesting, I found him,
830
:
00:34:48
Chris Diamantopoulos: um, you mentioned
the word chameleon early on in this, in,
831
:
00:34:52
in this interview, and I think George
is a chameleon in some ways as well.
832
:
00:34:55
And his directorial style I think has
a chameleonic essence to it because
833
:
00:34:59
there would be some big boisterous
scenes where there are hundreds and
834
:
00:35:02
hundreds of extras outside and he
would use his megaphone and use humor.
835
:
00:35:06
to motivate and direct.
836
:
00:35:08
And then there were some really intimate
sequences where he would ask the crew to
837
:
00:35:13
be politely, pleasantly, almost not even
have to, but the crew would recognize
838
:
00:35:17
that they would need to sort of bring
it all down as they were setting up.
839
:
00:35:19
And he would sort of come
quietly next to the actor.
840
:
00:35:23
And I remember them doing this with me and
sitting and sort of sitting with me you
841
:
00:35:29
know, just like What do you think, Chris?
842
:
00:35:31
You want to, you want to sort of just like
jump into it or, you know, just very like
843
:
00:35:35
a paternal, like, take your time, pal.
844
:
00:35:37
We, we can do this any way you want, like
almost an arm around the shoulder and,
845
:
00:35:42
and I believe in you sort of thing that
just, it just took all insecurity and
846
:
00:35:46
evaporated and just allowed me to just be.
847
:
00:35:51
I joked with my wife, I was
like, she's like, how was it?
848
:
00:35:53
I was like, I just wanted him to, to put
his arm around me and say, I got your son.
849
:
00:35:58
Just, just a really, really look, man.
850
:
00:36:00
You know, they say,
don't meet your heroes.
851
:
00:36:02
Well, if you're heroes, George
Clooney, meet him because he's
852
:
00:36:04
not going to let you down.
853
:
00:36:06
Marc Preston: I can imagine being
in a room with him and Brad Pitt.
854
:
00:36:07
I think that, I don't
think you can go in there.
855
:
00:36:08
There's too much charisma.
856
:
00:36:09
Oh, it's insane.
857
:
00:36:11
Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah, no.
858
:
00:36:11
And, and, and they also,
I haven't met Brad, but.
859
:
00:36:14
They seem like good dudes too.
860
:
00:36:15
That's the other part.
861
:
00:36:16
So there's all that charisma.
862
:
00:36:17
There's all that handsomeness.
863
:
00:36:18
There's all the talent experience.
864
:
00:36:21
And, but, but then add to that, that
they, they seem like good natured fellows.
865
:
00:36:24
Yeah, it would be, uh, it'd be too much,
866
:
00:36:27
Marc Preston: too much for a mere, well,
I think you Hold your own very well and
867
:
00:36:32
the stuff I've seen you without a doubt.
868
:
00:36:33
I mean, I mean you and in the red notice
Are in red notice without you that the
869
:
00:36:39
scene would have been as electric, you
know Cuz you've got Ryan Reynolds who's
870
:
00:36:42
I mean, he's an okay looking guy, I guess
and You've got the physicality of Dwayne
871
:
00:36:46
Johnson, but it without you it didn't
really have that tension, you know And
872
:
00:36:52
it's I love watching people Who don't
have dialogue, but you'd love watch it.
873
:
00:36:56
You just like, okay, you kind of lean in.
874
:
00:36:57
Okay, what's going to happen?
875
:
00:36:59
And that's, I think they did a really
wonderful thing shooting you from
876
:
00:37:02
behind without even showing your
face for a good moment to moment.
877
:
00:37:05
It's like, okay, what's going on?
878
:
00:37:07
And it kind of built up the tension.
879
:
00:37:08
So I'm glad you enjoyed it, man.
880
:
00:37:10
I really appreciate it.
881
:
00:37:11
I love making that now.
882
:
00:37:13
You talk about George Clooney talked
about on the, on the menu of guys
883
:
00:37:18
and gals you'd like to work with.
884
:
00:37:19
Is there, is, is there a director, is
there a type of film, a type of project
885
:
00:37:24
that's been itching and you know,
like, okay, this is where I need to
886
:
00:37:26
add this to the recipe of my career.
887
:
00:37:29
That's a great question.
888
:
00:37:30
I mean, look, I
889
:
00:37:31
Chris Diamantopoulos: love all
of Paul Thomas Anderson's films.
890
:
00:37:32
So, uh, a chance to work with
Paul Thomas Anderson would be a
891
:
00:37:36
real, um, a real dream come true.
892
:
00:37:40
You know who his dad is, right?
893
:
00:37:42
I know who his dad is.
894
:
00:37:43
Yeah.
895
:
00:37:43
Yeah.
896
:
00:37:43
I know his dad.
897
:
00:37:44
And I know his wife is, you know, I've
worked with his wife on a few projects.
898
:
00:37:47
Uh, Maya and I have done
a few things together.
899
:
00:37:49
No, I know all about him.
900
:
00:37:51
I've been a, you know, uh, uh, a
distant student of his, if you will.
901
:
00:37:56
You know what I mean?
902
:
00:37:57
Um,
903
:
00:37:58
Marc Preston: His dad has
the greatest outtake reel.
904
:
00:38:00
It's 11 minutes of, uh, Yes.
905
:
00:38:02
Chris Diamantopoulos: Yes.
906
:
00:38:03
I know what you're
907
:
00:38:04
Marc Preston: talking about.
908
:
00:38:05
Actually.
909
:
00:38:05
I, I, I have seen this.
910
:
00:38:07
Yeah.
911
:
00:38:07
Well, I remember hearing it.
912
:
00:38:08
My voice of record back
in:
1990
913
:
00:38:11
He said, uh, just go listen
to this as 11 minutes.
914
:
00:38:14
He was the voice of, uh,
some different TV stations.
915
:
00:38:16
Just the video he did when he was
the voice of America's funniest
916
:
00:38:19
home and ABC, uh, he, he used
the Sennheiser four 16 because he
917
:
00:38:24
wanted to sit in the booth with.
918
:
00:38:26
And this, the, the, the, the banter,
it's like anybody who does voice
919
:
00:38:30
or any kind of creative thing.
920
:
00:38:32
I remember hearing a story that one time
for Paul, uh, Paul Thomas Sanders for
921
:
00:38:35
this, I think he had other kids, um, for
Christmas, he wanted them to have snow.
922
:
00:38:40
Cause he was, I would think originally
from Cleveland or something and
923
:
00:38:43
being in Hollywood, he actually
paid to have snow machines brought
924
:
00:38:45
an overnight cranking out snow.
925
:
00:38:47
So the kids woke up Christmas morning,
they had snow on their front yard,
926
:
00:38:50
courtesy of a movie studio snow machine.
927
:
00:38:51
That's pretty cool.
928
:
00:38:52
That's lore.
929
:
00:38:53
That's pretty cool.
930
:
00:38:54
That's Yeah.
931
:
00:38:55
I like that.
932
:
00:38:55
I like that a lot.
933
:
00:38:56
Besides Paul Thomas Anderson,
who else is kind of on your
934
:
00:38:58
Mount Rushmore, if you will?
935
:
00:38:59
Chris Diamantopoulos: You know, did
you watch, um, did you watch Shogun?
936
:
00:39:03
It was really, really beautifully done.
937
:
00:39:05
And um, there's a director that
won the Emmy this year for his work
938
:
00:39:10
on that show called Frederick E.
939
:
00:39:11
O.
940
:
00:39:11
Toy.
941
:
00:39:12
And he and I have actually worked
together before on a couple of
942
:
00:39:15
things, but he's the kind of guy that
I love on a TV set as a director.
943
:
00:39:20
Um, this is a guy with a
specific vision and such a.
944
:
00:39:24
Um, calm and quiet.
945
:
00:39:28
Way of leading with that vision.
946
:
00:39:31
Um, it's guys like that, that
I, that I want to work with.
947
:
00:39:34
There's a show, uh, if you watch the
show, slow horses with Gary Oldman
948
:
00:39:37
Marc Preston: recently,
that's an Apple TV show.
949
:
00:39:39
You know, it's one of
those, you know, yes or no.
950
:
00:39:41
I started watching and I
was working on the computer.
951
:
00:39:43
I was sitting on my sofa and
I was like, this is one of the
952
:
00:39:45
shows I need to pay attention to.
953
:
00:39:46
Totally.
954
:
00:39:46
I can't like half pay attention.
955
:
00:39:48
Yeah.
956
:
00:39:48
Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah.
957
:
00:39:49
You got to pay attention.
958
:
00:39:49
You got to pay attention
to that one for sure.
959
:
00:39:52
But it's, it's a brilliant show
and that's the kind of material
960
:
00:39:54
that I would absolutely love
961
:
00:39:56
Marc Preston: to, You talk
about George Clooney directing,
962
:
00:39:58
but what about you directing?
963
:
00:39:59
Have you thought about, okay, this, this
is a muscle I haven't flexed yet that I
964
:
00:40:02
want to try it out and see how it works.
965
:
00:40:03
Chris Diamantopoulos:
Yeah, I have definitely.
966
:
00:40:05
And Stooges was sort of the first
time that that came onto my radar.
967
:
00:40:09
Um, my involvement in that movie was
much more than just acting as Moe.
968
:
00:40:15
Um, because of my Knowledge of the
Stooges in my understanding intrinsically
969
:
00:40:20
of what the task was, um, I got my
first taste of what it might be like
970
:
00:40:29
if I were to, uh, direct something
that I, that I really believed in.
971
:
00:40:32
And I think that's really
what it's going to take.
972
:
00:40:33
I think it's going to, I'm going to need
to find a story that I think is the most
973
:
00:40:38
compelling story that needs to be told.
974
:
00:40:40
And then I'm going to have to tell
it, um, you, you, you had your wife.
975
:
00:40:43
Is she right at all?
976
:
00:40:45
We both do.
977
:
00:40:45
Yeah, we both, we both right.
978
:
00:40:47
And, and it's one of those things where.
979
:
00:40:49
We're not in any rush, you know, we're
still so, uh, beautifully motivated
980
:
00:40:54
by the work that comes to us by
virtue of other, you know, gifted
981
:
00:40:57
screenwriters and producers that
were happy doing that work right now.
982
:
00:41:01
And I feel like in every aspect of my
life, like when I transitioned from the
983
:
00:41:05
theater into television and then when
film found me and then when animation
984
:
00:41:09
found me, it was all rather organic.
985
:
00:41:11
So I feel like, um, the next step,
uh, with directing will, will
986
:
00:41:15
probably also follow in that path.
987
:
00:41:17
Marc Preston: Cause it sounds
like you're kind of been more.
988
:
00:41:18
Surfing kind of taking it as is the wave
moves and you can't, you kind of have
989
:
00:41:22
done a reMarcably wonderful job writing
it because I didn't realize how deep your
990
:
00:41:26
resume was and the diversity of stuff.
991
:
00:41:28
And you can't, you know, you
gotta be one hell of a talented
992
:
00:41:30
guy to, to, to ride that wave.
993
:
00:41:32
So good on you, my friend.
994
:
00:41:40
Now, as we kind of wrap up here,
I throw my, Seven questions out,
995
:
00:41:43
always a little bit extra fun.
996
:
00:41:44
First one, one of my favorite, I'm a food
nerd and we discussed it, but I got to
997
:
00:41:48
know what is your favorite comfort food?
998
:
00:41:51
Being a Greek guy.
999
:
00:41:52
Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah,
it might surprise you.
:
1000
00:41:54,170 --> 00:41:59,840
My favorite comfort food is a
two inch thick bone in ribeye.
:
1001
00:42:00,105 --> 00:42:01,725
A grass fed bone in ribeye.
:
1002
00:42:01,725 --> 00:42:03,645
Yeah, I would reverse sear it.
:
1003
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
:
1004
00:42:10,905 --> 00:42:18,415
and then, uh, iron skillet, big pad of
raw butter, uh, and just sear a minute,
:
1005
00:42:18,515 --> 00:42:23,210
minute, And then maybe 30 seconds, 30
seconds, rosemary on top or something.
:
1006
00:42:23,450 --> 00:42:23,700
Yeah.
:
1007
00:42:23,700 --> 00:42:25,160
Depending on how I'm going to do it.
:
1008
00:42:25,160 --> 00:42:25,390
Right.
:
1009
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
:
1010
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.
:
1011
00:42:33,145 --> 00:42:36,825
Do rosemary might actually do a little
oregano to take it into the Greek place.
:
1012
00:42:37,215 --> 00:42:40,105
If I was going to eat it later,
I would slice it up, squeeze some
:
1013
00:42:40,105 --> 00:42:43,705
lemon, a drizzle of olive oil,
and that gives it a different sort
:
1014
00:42:43,705 --> 00:42:46,655
of a vibe, but that's, yeah, that
would be my comfort food for sure.
:
1015
00:42:46,825 --> 00:42:48,995
Marc Preston: I have to ask you,
you're Greek, you know, your food,
:
1016
00:42:49,045 --> 00:42:52,635
you, you come from a place of a
family that knows up from down.
:
1017
00:42:52,635 --> 00:42:54,985
I got to know what are
your feeling on Dolmas?
:
1018
00:42:54,985 --> 00:42:58,775
Cause when I, when I grew up,
they were the big warm, you
:
1019
00:42:58,775 --> 00:43:00,205
know, they're just delicious.
:
1020
00:43:00,205 --> 00:43:04,260
But when I moved to new Orleans, uh,
whereas For about 20 years, they had
:
1021
00:43:04,260 --> 00:43:06,850
the small little oily ones, you know,
the little tiny little oily ones.
:
1022
00:43:07,120 --> 00:43:07,480
Yeah.
:
1023
00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:09,610
I like, what is your preference?
:
1024
00:43:09,610 --> 00:43:11,310
What is considered authentic?
:
1025
00:43:11,885 --> 00:43:15,815
Chris Diamantopoulos: I mean, look,
do del change the size and whether
:
1026
00:43:15,815 --> 00:43:20,765
they're served cold or served warm
room temp based on the region, right?
:
1027
00:43:20,765 --> 00:43:24,965
So in the north where my mother's
family is from, they tend to be
:
1028
00:43:24,965 --> 00:43:26,495
more in the way that you like them.
:
1029
00:43:26,795 --> 00:43:30,515
Um, I was never the biggest Dolma fan.
:
1030
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.
:
1031
00:43:34,445 --> 00:43:35,675
, I like the stuffed peppers.
:
1032
00:43:35,675 --> 00:43:39,695
They're called, um, yata, where where
you take a pepper, you hollow it out.
:
1033
00:43:40,625 --> 00:43:45,405
And you put the rice and the really,
Oh yeah, you have to have that next
:
1034
00:43:45,445 --> 00:43:48,945
time you go to a Greek restaurant,
you ask them for yemi stuff, stuffed
:
1035
00:43:48,945 --> 00:43:49,345
Marc Preston: peppers.
:
1036
00:43:49,345 --> 00:43:50,105
They're delicious.
:
1037
00:43:50,175 --> 00:43:51,255
That in Indian food.
:
1038
00:43:51,255 --> 00:43:54,625
I've never mastered the seasoning ratios.
:
1039
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.
:
1040
00:43:57,995 --> 00:44:00,635
You know, it's just, but it's the
grandmothers that make it a little
:
1041
00:44:00,635 --> 00:44:03,165
this, a little of that, you know,
but I haven't quite mastered that.
:
1042
00:44:03,215 --> 00:44:03,555
Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah.
:
1043
00:44:03,555 --> 00:44:03,895
I think.
:
1044
00:44:03,895 --> 00:44:04,034
Yeah.
:
1045
00:44:04,075 --> 00:44:07,435
I think for you to enjoy it best,
you go to a restaurant, Marc.
:
1046
00:44:07,435 --> 00:44:08,305
I don't, I don't want you cooking.
:
1047
00:44:10,085 --> 00:44:10,455
I do.
:
1048
00:44:10,455 --> 00:44:13,835
Like I tell you, you're not giving
me the confidence of someone that's
:
1049
00:44:13,835 --> 00:44:15,315
going to deliver an authentic,
:
1050
00:44:16,035 --> 00:44:18,745
Marc Preston: I will say
all mastered lamb bar none.
:
1051
00:44:19,095 --> 00:44:21,445
Um, now the next question I got
for you, uh, three people, let's
:
1052
00:44:21,445 --> 00:44:24,015
say you're going to sit down with,
you have a few hours, talk story.
:
1053
00:44:24,155 --> 00:44:25,055
Living or not.
:
1054
00:44:25,055 --> 00:44:25,965
Who are those three people be?
:
1055
00:44:25,965 --> 00:44:32,005
You would love to sit down with
Marcus Aurelius, Frank Sinatra.
:
1056
00:44:32,535 --> 00:44:34,670
And, um, And Jesus Christ.
:
1057
00:44:34,670 --> 00:44:35,030
Very cool.
:
1058
00:44:35,130 --> 00:44:36,590
Jesus has come up a few times.
:
1059
00:44:36,630 --> 00:44:37,590
Uh, never Sinatra.
:
1060
00:44:37,620 --> 00:44:42,029
Uh, Marcus Aurelius actually I was
watching, um, Paul Giamatti and, uh, in
:
1061
00:44:42,030 --> 00:44:45,110
the film he was in, he played a college
professor, came out last couple of years.
:
1062
00:44:45,600 --> 00:44:45,750
Yeah.
:
1063
00:44:45,750 --> 00:44:45,830
Yeah.
:
1064
00:44:45,860 --> 00:44:50,580
And he talked about, uh, uh, the book
meditations and love all the quotes.
:
1065
00:44:50,580 --> 00:44:52,800
I actually just ordered the
book sitting on my nightstand.
:
1066
00:44:52,800 --> 00:44:53,560
I need to read that.
:
1067
00:44:53,620 --> 00:44:55,360
Chris Diamantopoulos: And you know, it's
funny, it's sitting on your nightstand,
:
1068
00:44:55,370 --> 00:44:57,260
but that's what it was intended to be.
:
1069
00:44:57,260 --> 00:44:58,720
You know, it was never meant to be a book.
:
1070
00:44:58,790 --> 00:45:00,880
That was Marcus Aurelius.
:
1071
00:45:00,880 --> 00:45:00,899
Jesus.
:
1072
00:45:00,970 --> 00:45:02,690
Night stand journal.
:
1073
00:45:02,930 --> 00:45:04,820
He wrote his ideas and thoughts.
:
1074
00:45:04,820 --> 00:45:07,440
It was literally a got to
get apples tomorrow morning.
:
1075
00:45:07,670 --> 00:45:09,950
Remember not to be rude to the shopkeeper.
:
1076
00:45:10,210 --> 00:45:13,250
You know, it was like
little things to himself.
:
1077
00:45:13,250 --> 00:45:17,900
Now they get more involved as you go
through and you realize this is the,
:
1078
00:45:17,950 --> 00:45:19,710
this is a brilliant mind at work.
:
1079
00:45:19,720 --> 00:45:23,060
This is a mind that That really, you
know, had something to say, but he
:
1080
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,
:
1081
00:45:25,900 --> 00:45:28,360
uh, resonates that you hold on to.
:
1082
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,
:
1083
00:45:32,870 --> 00:45:35,660
and, you know, Churchill certainly
used a version of it as well, but
:
1084
00:45:35,670 --> 00:45:37,190
the obstacle is the way, right.
:
1085
00:45:37,190 --> 00:45:37,590
You know what I mean?
:
1086
00:45:37,590 --> 00:45:41,460
Whatever the obstruction is actually
ends up being, ends up being the way that
:
1087
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.
:
1088
00:45:45,210 --> 00:45:46,600
It's like, here's this thing.
:
1089
00:45:46,610 --> 00:45:48,090
Oh no, this isn't going to happen.
:
1090
00:45:48,090 --> 00:45:50,270
Or they, they need this
and you can't do that.
:
1091
00:45:50,270 --> 00:45:50,619
Yeah.
:
1092
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
:
1093
00:45:54,450 --> 00:45:58,090
judo lifestyle where you take the thing
that's not working and you just sort of
:
1094
00:45:58,440 --> 00:46:00,410
Marc Preston: make it not only
use the energy to your advantage.
:
1095
00:46:00,410 --> 00:46:00,530
Yeah.
:
1096
00:46:00,530 --> 00:46:02,700
My grandfather always, that
was his nickname for me.
:
1097
00:46:02,700 --> 00:46:03,100
Marcus really.
:
1098
00:46:03,700 --> 00:46:06,640
So I've always been kind of
aware of quotes over the years
:
1099
00:46:06,640 --> 00:46:07,460
since I was a little kid,
:
1100
00:46:07,500 --> 00:46:08,360
Chris Diamantopoulos: philosophically
:
1101
00:46:08,360 --> 00:46:08,730
Marc Preston: inclined.
:
1102
00:46:08,730 --> 00:46:09,680
That's what I try to be.
:
1103
00:46:09,910 --> 00:46:13,750
But as a kid, next question, who
was your first celebrity crush?
:
1104
00:46:14,205 --> 00:46:15,135
Chris Diamantopoulos: Alyssa Milano.
:
1105
00:46:15,135 --> 00:46:16,565
I think that sounds about right.
:
1106
00:46:16,695 --> 00:46:17,595
She was on who's the boss.
:
1107
00:46:17,815 --> 00:46:18,855
She was Samantha.
:
1108
00:46:18,885 --> 00:46:20,085
She was the cutest thing I'd ever seen.
:
1109
00:46:20,085 --> 00:46:20,255
Yeah.
:
1110
00:46:20,255 --> 00:46:22,285
She was maybe a year older than me.
:
1111
00:46:23,125 --> 00:46:23,765
Maybe a little more.
:
1112
00:46:23,765 --> 00:46:24,085
I don't know.
:
1113
00:46:24,085 --> 00:46:27,965
I don't know exactly, but I remember,
uh, so she would be my first crush,
:
1114
00:46:27,965 --> 00:46:31,099
but I think the first time I was
ever aware of like va va voom.
:
1115
00:46:31,280 --> 00:46:32,210
Was Moonraker.
:
1116
00:46:32,540 --> 00:46:33,170
Oh, yeah.
:
1117
00:46:33,170 --> 00:46:33,280
Yeah.
:
1118
00:46:33,280 --> 00:46:33,569
Yeah.
:
1119
00:46:33,570 --> 00:46:34,490
I forget who.
:
1120
00:46:34,650 --> 00:46:35,040
Marc Preston: Yeah.
:
1121
00:46:35,340 --> 00:46:38,120
I remember a kid I went to elementary
school with, you know, there was one guy
:
1122
00:46:38,120 --> 00:46:40,210
had like gold or metal teeth or something.
:
1123
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
:
1124
00:46:43,940 --> 00:46:45,220
so I can make my mouth look like him.
:
1125
00:46:45,340 --> 00:46:46,860
So you just eat sugary stuff all the time.
:
1126
00:46:47,120 --> 00:46:50,240
That's one thing I remember about
Moonraker for whatever reason,
:
1127
00:46:50,260 --> 00:46:53,375
uh, things it's People I forget
about until I'm in an interview.
:
1128
00:46:53,375 --> 00:46:55,395
I'm like, Oh yeah, that kid,
what her house teeth are doing.
:
1129
00:46:55,685 --> 00:46:57,355
But the next question I got for
you, if you're going to be on an
:
1130
00:46:57,355 --> 00:46:59,585
exotic island, you got a year,
it's a, it's a beautiful place.
:
1131
00:46:59,585 --> 00:47:01,205
You want to be there, but
it doesn't have streaming.
:
1132
00:47:01,665 --> 00:47:05,285
Uh, but you're going to bring one
DVD, a movie you can watch over and
:
1133
00:47:05,285 --> 00:47:07,555
over and a CD, or I can say a box set.
:
1134
00:47:07,555 --> 00:47:11,505
If you'd like musically a theatrical,
you got just one thing each.
:
1135
00:47:11,505 --> 00:47:13,185
You, you got to stick with the whole year.
:
1136
00:47:13,185 --> 00:47:14,285
What would those things be?
:
1137
00:47:15,080 --> 00:47:15,530
So the
:
1138
00:47:15,530 --> 00:47:18,790
Chris Diamantopoulos: movie would be
Casino Royale a which version of the box
:
1139
00:47:18,790 --> 00:47:23,980
set would be the Daniel Craig version
of the original Daniel Craig Not Marc.
:
1140
00:47:23,980 --> 00:47:24,230
No one.
:
1141
00:47:24,900 --> 00:47:30,650
Come on Marc Marc get it together
man for the love of God Yeah,
:
1142
00:47:30,650 --> 00:47:32,360
no, but I heard somewhere you can
:
1143
00:47:32,360 --> 00:47:37,425
do a good Sean Connery though the quest
for the grail It's not archaeology.
:
1144
00:47:37,675 --> 00:47:38,955
It's a race against evil.
:
1145
00:47:39,185 --> 00:47:41,965
The Nazis will cover the Grail
and the armies of darkness will
:
1146
00:47:42,105 --> 00:47:43,565
march all over the Earth forever.
:
1147
00:47:43,795 --> 00:47:44,765
This is an obsession.
:
1148
00:47:44,905 --> 00:47:45,935
I never understood it.
:
1149
00:47:46,085 --> 00:47:46,555
Never.
:
1150
00:47:46,735 --> 00:47:47,455
Neither did Mom.
:
1151
00:47:47,465 --> 00:47:48,265
Oh, yes, she did.
:
1152
00:47:48,865 --> 00:47:49,795
Only too well.
:
1153
00:47:50,425 --> 00:47:51,775
She kept her illness from me.
:
1154
00:47:52,315 --> 00:47:53,735
And all I could do was mourn her.
:
1155
00:47:54,315 --> 00:47:56,825
Okay, uh, I gotta do the golf clap.
:
1156
00:47:57,065 --> 00:47:58,585
You gotta get the golf clap on that, man.
:
1157
00:47:58,615 --> 00:47:58,845
Awesome.
:
1158
00:47:59,975 --> 00:48:00,485
That's wonderful.
:
1159
00:48:02,025 --> 00:48:03,590
Um, Uh, let's see.
:
1160
00:48:03,610 --> 00:48:06,200
And then, uh, the record
would be a Sinatra come fly.
:
1161
00:48:06,200 --> 00:48:06,880
Very nice.
:
1162
00:48:06,880 --> 00:48:07,510
Marc Preston: Very nice.
:
1163
00:48:07,880 --> 00:48:08,670
Um, yeah.
:
1164
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
:
1165
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?
:
1166
00:48:17,250 --> 00:48:17,620
Okay.
:
1167
00:48:17,620 --> 00:48:19,000
The component parts for
:
1168
00:48:19,010 --> 00:48:20,150
Chris Diamantopoulos: me of a perfect day.
:
1169
00:48:20,220 --> 00:48:22,770
Um, all right.
:
1170
00:48:23,280 --> 00:48:27,870
I would say waking up without
someone needing me desperately
:
1171
00:48:27,930 --> 00:48:30,170
to do something immediately.
:
1172
00:48:30,630 --> 00:48:34,970
Uh, you know, no children in any sense of.
:
1173
00:48:35,430 --> 00:48:37,450
distress needing something.
:
1174
00:48:37,580 --> 00:48:39,710
So I wake up and, well, no one needs me.
:
1175
00:48:40,230 --> 00:48:40,930
That's pretty cool.
:
1176
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
:
1177
00:48:45,420 --> 00:48:47,710
a cup of coffee peacefully and quietly.
:
1178
00:48:47,960 --> 00:48:49,410
Then I get to come downstairs.
:
1179
00:48:49,750 --> 00:48:51,560
And make everyone
breakfast, including myself.
:
1180
00:48:51,780 --> 00:48:52,300
That's fun.
:
1181
00:48:52,300 --> 00:48:54,470
And the, and the chaos and
the craziness can ensue.
:
1182
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.
:
1183
00:49:04,330 --> 00:49:09,115
And we just sort of catch up on the,
uh, On what we might have missed
:
1184
00:49:09,275 --> 00:49:11,585
over the course of the days that we
might be might have been working.
:
1185
00:49:11,945 --> 00:49:14,775
We plan out what we're
going to make for dinner.
:
1186
00:49:15,275 --> 00:49:19,375
I take a brief sojourn to
come to my studio and record
:
1187
00:49:19,765 --> 00:49:21,205
a fun little bit of animation.
:
1188
00:49:21,605 --> 00:49:24,915
I have to finish up quickly
because I have to run.
:
1189
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
:
1190
00:49:30,270 --> 00:49:32,900
excited about that's coming out, but
it's only going to take a couple hours
:
1191
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
:
1192
00:49:36,460 --> 00:49:41,630
and pick up the perfect ribeye, uh,
and some nice, uh, little tidbits for a
:
1193
00:49:41,630 --> 00:49:43,730
little, uh, crudité and a little salad.
:
1194
00:49:44,120 --> 00:49:45,730
Um, come home.
:
1195
00:49:46,015 --> 00:49:47,555
Kids tell me school was great.
:
1196
00:49:47,925 --> 00:49:49,295
The fire's roaring.
:
1197
00:49:49,655 --> 00:49:51,745
We've just gotten the
little ones to sleep.
:
1198
00:49:52,055 --> 00:49:53,235
I make a beautiful dinner.
:
1199
00:49:53,235 --> 00:49:57,725
We sit, we eat, and then we all chill
out watching Survivor or Shark Tank.
:
1200
00:49:58,155 --> 00:49:58,515
Marc Preston: There's a perfect.
:
1201
00:49:58,515 --> 00:49:58,915
Very good.
:
1202
00:49:58,915 --> 00:49:59,205
Very good.
:
1203
00:49:59,205 --> 00:49:59,645
My friend.
:
1204
00:49:59,645 --> 00:50:00,875
Last question I got for you.
:
1205
00:50:00,875 --> 00:50:01,845
A 16 year old.
:
1206
00:50:01,845 --> 00:50:04,675
You, you're going to go, you're going
to jump in the DeLorean and go see him.
:
1207
00:50:04,845 --> 00:50:07,755
Piece of advice to either make
that moment a little bit better or
:
1208
00:50:07,755 --> 00:50:09,175
put you on a different trajectory.
:
1209
00:50:09,175 --> 00:50:12,965
What's the piece of advice
to 16 year old you stop
:
1210
00:50:12,965 --> 00:50:14,275
Chris Diamantopoulos:
asking if they like you.
:
1211
00:50:14,865 --> 00:50:16,335
It doesn't matter either way.
:
1212
00:50:16,905 --> 00:50:20,145
And if you ask and get the honest
answer, you're really going to
:
1213
00:50:20,145 --> 00:50:21,625
be disappointed with that answer.
:
1214
00:50:21,805 --> 00:50:22,215
So just
:
1215
00:50:22,225 --> 00:50:22,715
Marc Preston: carry on.
:
1216
00:50:22,785 --> 00:50:23,295
Awesome.
:
1217
00:50:23,295 --> 00:50:23,615
My friend.
:
1218
00:50:23,615 --> 00:50:24,255
Thank you so much.
:
1219
00:50:24,305 --> 00:50:26,145
Uh, you've been generous with your time.
:
1220
00:50:26,155 --> 00:50:29,105
Um, go have a great weekend and, uh,
hopefully we'll catch up down the line.
:
1221
00:50:29,275 --> 00:50:29,715
Appreciate it.
:
1222
00:50:29,965 --> 00:50:31,685
Thanks for your time and your generosity.
:
1223
00:50:33,605 --> 00:50:33,785
Okay.
:
1224
00:50:33,785 --> 00:50:34,235
There you go.
:
1225
00:50:34,265 --> 00:50:35,925
Chris Diamantopoulos.
:
1226
00:50:35,975 --> 00:50:37,425
What a cool dude.
:
1227
00:50:37,705 --> 00:50:40,795
Uh, stage TV film voiceover.
:
1228
00:50:40,795 --> 00:50:42,145
He is doing it all.
:
1229
00:50:42,325 --> 00:50:44,415
Like I mentioned, he
is kind of a chameleon.
:
1230
00:50:44,625 --> 00:50:47,445
You know, he does things from
being the bad guy in the movie
:
1231
00:50:47,445 --> 00:50:49,685
Red Notice to being Mickey Mouse.
:
1232
00:50:49,745 --> 00:50:52,845
I really enjoyed sitting down
with him and I appreciate you
:
1233
00:50:52,845 --> 00:50:54,275
stopping by to check it out.
:
1234
00:50:54,475 --> 00:50:58,225
Again, the new show on Prime
Video is called The Sticky.
:
1235
00:50:58,455 --> 00:51:01,135
It is funny, really cool,
something kind of different.
:
1236
00:51:01,145 --> 00:51:03,895
I enjoyed a few episodes over
the weekend and this week I'm
:
1237
00:51:03,895 --> 00:51:05,165
going to finish up the series.
:
1238
00:51:05,175 --> 00:51:06,245
So, check it out.
:
1239
00:51:06,265 --> 00:51:06,925
Good stuff.
:
1240
00:51:07,115 --> 00:51:09,155
Hey, do me a favor as I always ask you.
:
1241
00:51:09,295 --> 00:51:10,715
If you would, a little love.
:
1242
00:51:10,775 --> 00:51:15,725
Pop on over to story
and craft pod.com/rate.
:
1243
00:51:16,015 --> 00:51:19,195
That's story and craft pod.com/rate.
:
1244
00:51:19,465 --> 00:51:22,795
Uh, just go ahead and leave a
review, drop some stars, if you will.
:
1245
00:51:22,825 --> 00:51:25,495
It's a great way for people
to find story and craft.
:
1246
00:51:25,495 --> 00:51:28,975
And of course, uh, when you're on the
website you can find out everything
:
1247
00:51:28,975 --> 00:51:32,665
you could possibly want to know about
the show, past guests, past episodes.
:
1248
00:51:33,390 --> 00:51:34,240
It's all right there.
:
1249
00:51:34,240 --> 00:51:34,662
Storyandcraftpod.
:
1250
00:51:34,662 --> 00:51:35,085
com.
:
1251
00:51:35,085 --> 00:51:40,156
And of course, don't forget to
like and follow Story and Craft.
:
1252
00:51:40,156 --> 00:51:44,160
That way you get notified every
time a new episode comes out.
:
1253
00:51:44,440 --> 00:51:44,720
Okay.
:
1254
00:51:44,740 --> 00:51:46,840
So I'm going to jump on out of here again.
:
1255
00:51:46,870 --> 00:51:51,290
I so appreciate you making whatever I
got going on part of what you've got
:
1256
00:51:51,300 --> 00:51:52,870
going on, no matter what you're doing.
:
1257
00:51:53,085 --> 00:51:56,835
Exercising, walking the dog, or
maybe, you know, kind of what I enjoy
:
1258
00:51:56,865 --> 00:52:00,855
doing, listening to podcasts in the
car whenever I'm, uh, driving about.
:
1259
00:52:01,015 --> 00:52:02,405
So, thank you again.
:
1260
00:52:02,505 --> 00:52:05,655
Going to be back in a few days,
another fun episode for you,
:
1261
00:52:05,765 --> 00:52:07,535
right here on Story Craft.
:
1262
00:52:07,535 --> 00:52:10,095
Announcer: That's it for
this episode of Story Craft.
:
1263
00:52:10,405 --> 00:52:14,775
Join Marc next week for more
conversation, right here on Story Craft.
:
1264
00:52:15,225 --> 00:52:19,095
Story Craft is a presentation of
Marc Preston Productions, LLC.
:
1265
00:52:20,080 --> 00:52:22,430
Executive producer is Marc Preston.
:
1266
00:52:22,840 --> 00:52:25,240
Associate producer is Zachary Holden.
:
1267
00:52:25,600 --> 00:52:28,910
Please rate and review Story
Craft on Apple Podcasts.
:
1268
00:52:29,180 --> 00:52:33,630
Don't forget to subscribe to the
show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
:
1269
00:52:33,630 --> 00:52:35,290
or your favorite podcast app.
:
1270
00:52:35,310 --> 00:52:38,250
You can subscribe to show
updates and stay in the know.
:
1271
00:52:38,410 --> 00:52:40,680
Just head to storyandcraftpod.
:
1272
00:52:40,710 --> 00:52:42,530
com and sign up for the newsletter.
:
1273
00:52:43,100 --> 00:52:43,840
I'm Emma Dylan.
:
1274
00:52:44,410 --> 00:52:45,210
See you next time.
:
1275
00:52:45,380 --> 00:52:47,790
And remember, keep telling your story.