Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
Actor Linda Cardellini joins hosts Sean Hayes, Jason Bateman, and Will Arnett to discuss her expansive career, from early days in community theater and skipping class to go on The Price is Right to her recent Emmy-winning role in DTF St. Louis. The conversation covers her transition from playing young, plucky characters in shows like Freaks and Geeks and ER to working on massive franchises like The Avengers, Mad Men, and Bloodline, along with upcoming projects like Crystal Lake and Way of the Warrior Kid. Throughout the episode, the group shares behind-the-scenes stories about grueling shooting schedules, unexpected auditions, and the mechanical nature of intimacy coordination.
Hosts open with a playful Google Book advertisement, setting a light‑hearted tone.
Sean, Jason, and Will tease each other about pre‑show drinking and a quirky “shake” incident.
The hosts announce the episode’s guest, Linda Cardellini, and give a brief career overview.
Linda recounts growing up in Northern California and her first acting experiences in community theater.
The episode wraps up with sponsor plugs for Skinny Pop popcorn, Hotels.com, and Indeed, before the hosts sign off.
The show opens with a brief ad break followed by the hosts joking about the order of films and their own experiences.
Linda talks about her experience moving from a Marvel film to various television projects, including her feelings about the shift.
The conversation turns to Linda’s work on Dead to Me, her interactions with cast members, and anecdotes from set.
Linda shares details about her new roles in the Friday the 13th prequel and the Apple TV+ series, including character insights and production notes.
The hosts delve into Linda’s thoughts on acting, her hobbies, and how she balances fame with a low‑profile lifestyle.
The episode wraps up with final jokes, thanks to Linda, and a brief recap of her career highlights.
Soup Classified as Sauceinsight
A casual conversation about cream of mushroom soup leads to the realization that thick, creamy soups are essentially runny sauces, ruining them for the hosts.
The guest recounts skipping college classes to stand in line at The Price is Right, where she ultimately won a gas fireplace despite being terrible at the pricing games.
Nailing a Pool Shotstory
Recalling a guest role on Step by Step, the guest describes practicing a difficult multi-ball pool shot until she nailed it on the first take in front of a live studio audience.
Medical Jargon on ERinsight
Discussing her long run on ER, the guest explains how memorizing arbitrary medical numbers, complex terminology, and intricate oner choreography added unique layers of difficulty.
Working as an Extrastory
Before landing major television roles, the guest answered a telephone pole flyer to work as an extra in a low-budget cable movie set in a closed-down downtown jail.
Weight Placement Surprisesstrategy
The guest explains discovering what weight placement meant during underwear fittings before shooting an intimate scene with Jason Bateman on DTF St. Louis.
“I was an extra in, I didn't know what, like union or non-union meant, and I was a teenager still, and I was maybe 17, 18”
“I used to love horror, I mean, I really loved it”
“I was an extra in a movie that turned out to be kind of, um, one of those movies where everybody takes their clothes off, but I didn't know”
Hug a stranger, it’s the incredible Linda Cardellini. We’re still in awe of showbiz: weight placement, soup as sauce, The Price is Right, and a stick of butter for 10-grand. “Exploring the borders of who Linda is to you,” on an all-new SmartLess.
13,987 words · 6 speakers
Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
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