Yahya Abdul-Mateen Emmy Award-Winning actor on choosing to be interesting vs being right, opens up on pain, purpose, staying true to himself and honor of playing Denzel's role as John Creasy in Netflix's Man on Fire.
The Pivot Podcast: Full Episodes
Hosted by Channing Crowder, Fred Taylor and Ryan Clark
- 57m
- Transcript
Summary
Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II discusses his path from architecture to acting, triggered by being laid off from city planning and the death of his father at age 21. He studied architecture at UC Berkeley, took an acting class to overcome a stutter inherited from his father, and used the Ving Rhames "Guns and Butter" monologue from Baby Boy to get into his first class. After 14 months of trying, he was accepted to Yale, NYU, Harvard, and the American Conservatory Theater, choosing Yale where he graduated in 2015 and landed his first role on The Get Down ten days after crossing the stage.
He explains his acting philosophy centered on "being interesting rather than being right," illustrated by a high school scene from "Motherfucker with the Hat" where a character whose bed smells like "Aqua Velva and dick" must choose between fighting or going to the pie place with his girlfriend. He also discusses playing John Creasy in Netflix's Man on Fire, emphasizing that the role belongs to the character, not to Denzel's previous performance, and that he'd rather lose as himself than try to out-Denzel.
He talks about his production company House 1110 with a first-look deal with Sony, his redefinition of success as "peace and a clean conscience," and his ongoing pivot toward building a life outside of acting.
- His acting teacher's core question—"do you want to be right or do you want to be interesting?"—shapes every performance choice he makes. 23:24
- When taking on a previously iconic role, the role belongs to the character, not to the actor who played it before. 47:32
- He redefines success as peace and a clean conscience, rejecting external validation as a source of fulfillment. 44:34
- Memorization is the easiest part of acting; decision-making in the moment is what separates good performances from great ones. 21:26
- His father's death at his age 21 gave him the permission to pursue acting without the fear of regret. 31:09
Highlights
- 5:35
Security Guard Redirects His Futurestory
At about six years old, Yahya tells a mall security guard he wants to be a construction worker like his dad. The guard advises him to be an architect instead, which becomes his Plan C and eventually his college major.
- 12:18
Guns and Butter Monologue Auditionstory
He auditions for his first acting class by performing the Ving Rhames monologue from Baby Boy, leaning against a pillar and smoking a pen while looking the teachers dead in the eye. He gets in.
- 23:24
Being Right Versus Being Interestinginsight
His acting teacher's question—do you want to be right or interesting—becomes his guiding principle. He explains that being right means making the obvious choice, while being interesting means finding the unexpected truth in a scene.
- 23:49
Aqua Velva and Dick Scenestory
He recounts a high school scene where a character discovers his girlfriend's infidelity but must choose to go to the pie place instead of fighting. He had to learn to not think like himself to find the character's truth.
- 39:46
Filling His Father's Voidinsight
He realizes he spent years trying to fill the specific void his father left—six unique relationships he could never replicate. He learned that it is not his job to be his father.
- 44:19
Redefining Success as Inner Peaceinsight
Winning his Emmy five years after graduation taught him that no external award brings lasting happiness. He now defines success as peace and a clean conscience, building outward from there.
- 47:05
Not Competing With Denzelstrategy
For Man on Fire, he frames his approach by separating the role from Denzel's performance. He says the role is John Creasy, not Denzel's John Creasy, just as Hamlet is a role many actors have played.
- 50:44
Rather Lose as Himselfinsight
Asked whether he emulates previous actors in roles he inherits, he says he's guaranteed to lose if he tries to be them, but might lose trying to be himself—and he'd rather lose as himself.
About this episode
“Do you want to be right or do you want to be interesting?” Yahya Abdul-Mateen II In this episode of The Pivot Podcast, we sit down with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for a candid and inspiring conversation about the road that led him to becoming one of Hollywood’s most compelling actors. Full of energy, spunk and true authenticity, Yahya lets his guard down with Ryan, Channing and Fred- revealing a side of deep pain that has led to difficult healing as well as giving us a glimpse into the traits that make him one of film industry's most sought-after leading men. Yahya opens up about his childhood, sharing what it was like growing up from Louisiana to Oakland and how his upbringing and community helped shape his voice, work ethic, and backbone in creativity. He takes us behind the scenes of his unconventional journey into acting—from his aspirations of architecture and building to taking a leap of faith into acting classes and fully committing to the craft. Yahya reflects on the risks he took, the doubts he faced, and the defining moments that pushed him forward, offering insight into the discipline it took to break into a competitive industry. The conversation also dives into his standout roles across major hit projects like Aquaman, The Trial of the Chicago 7, and Watchmen—the latter earning him critical acclaim and an Emmy Award. Yahya shares how he approaches complex characters and prepares for emotionally demanding performances, giving listeners a deeper understanding of his creative process. A highlight of the conversation is his discussion of stepping into his latest role, starring as John Creasy in Netflix's new series Man on Fire, famously portrayed by Denzel Washington. Yahya explains how he honors the legacy of the performance while making the role his own—bringing a fresh perspective, new emotional layers, and a distinct physical presence that reflects his personal interpretation. He goes on to share that choosing to be interesting is more impactful than being right, which is a philosophy that he has used to separate himself from others in his craft. Grounded, thoughtful, and refreshingly honest, Yahya gives us a deeper look at the mindset, resilience, and purpose behind his rise—making this episode a must-listen for anyone interested in creativity, reinvention, and chasing purpose beyond comfort. Pivot Family, comment, like, hit the subscribe button, we enjoy hearing and learning from you- the good and the bad, we want to know! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcript
10,477 words · 6 speakers
Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
Topics
- Acting Philosophy
- Career Transition
- Grief and Purpose
- Production Company
- Identity and Authenticity
- New Orleans Culture
- Decision-Making
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