Paul Wesley: Stefan, Stefussy & The Salvatore Brotherhood

Join Alex in the studio for an interview with Paul Wesley. Paul and Alex unpack everything from Mystic Falls to the Jersey Shore. They get into his life before Hollywood, the The Vampire Diaries era, his real-life bromance with Ian Somerhalder, how he accidentally became an internet icon, and, of course... Stefussy. Enjoy!

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• 2:15Speaker 03

  What is up, daddy gang? It is your founding father, Alex Cooper, with Call Her Daddy.

• 2:23Speaker 00

  Paul Wesley, welcome to Call Her Daddy.

• 2:25Speaker 04

  Thank you so much for having me.

• 2:26Speaker 00

  Okay, actor, advocate, director, bourbon connoisseur, father of Greg, best friend of Ian Sommerholder. I mean, it is such an honor and a pleasure to be sitting down with you today, Paul.

• 2:40Speaker 04

  You're so sweet. Thank you.

• 2:42Speaker 00

  Obviously, you were on one of the most iconic shows of all time, in my opinion, The Vampire Diaries. And I've always been obsessed. I remember when I started watching it, I've rewatched it, I've told you and Nina that I am a fan, met multiple times. You're like, Alex, we get it. And so it feels really full circle, because now you, me, and Nina are going to be doing a television show together, which is very exciting.

• 3:07Speaker 04

  How awesome.

• 3:08Speaker 00

  You deserve to know. The fact that you and Nina are gonna be back on screen together, it feels like we're healing something within the world. How long has it been since you guys have worked together?

• 3:21Speaker 04

  Oh, my goodness. Well, I mean, I, gosh, let's see if my math skills are any good. So I guess the show ended in 2017. Nina left two years prior to that, but she came back for the finale. So I guess theoretically, 2017, we're in 2026. It's been nine years since we've actually been on. It's almost a decade.

• 3:41Speaker 00

  By the time our show comes out, it will literally have been a decade.

• 3:44Speaker 04

  By the time, by the time we're filming, and by the time it comes out, maybe, yeah, a decade over a decade.

• 3:48Speaker 00

  Okay, I don't like that, because that makes me feel old. But also, I like it because everyone re-watches Vampire Diaries every five seconds. So what feels nice is it feels like we haven't missed you guys too much.

• 4:00Speaker 04

  It's such a strange thing, isn't it? It's like, it's the weirdest thing, because like, I, you know, once a show goes off the air, typically, you're like, okay, you like, it fizzles out and like, you know, whatever. And it's so funny, because there are, you know, Ian and I will do, like, you know, conventions, right? And I'll have someone show up with their teenage daughter, and they'll show up and make me feel old. And I said, I grew up watching you, and now my daughter's watching you. And it's like, the weirdest, like, it's this generational thing because of streaming, you know? And it never ends. It's like a vampire. It's eternal.

• 4:33Speaker 00

  Paul, it's like, we're still in Mystic Falls.

• 4:36Speaker 04

  We're still in Mystic. We never left. I've never left. I feel like I've never, it'll never leave me.

• 4:42Speaker 00

  Oh, I love that so much. Also, I was thinking about it. You leave the show, obviously, and your life did eventually move on. But like, did you and Nina know that you wanted to work together immediately after the show? Or did it take a little second to get the itch? To be like, should we do something?

• 4:58Speaker 04

  Look, so it's like, it's very public that Nina and I had this very fun, kind of, back and forth relationship, in the sense that what I mean by that is, in the beginning, we didn't get along. And that's, and that's highly, you know, you publicize, that's something she's spoken about, I've spoken about it. It's not like it's breaking news, you know? And now we're like, I, we're such good friends, and I absolutely adore her. And it's one of these things that like, it's not like the show ended, and we're like, let's do something together. It's just sort of like, we would see each other, we'd stay in touch. And then enough time went on, where I was like, you know, I don't know whose idea it was, but we kept saying, we should do something, you know? And, and let's make it special. Like, let's really make it great. And so we, you know, we were trying to find something

• 5:42Speaker 04

  for years. And then we would not talk about it for two years. And then another, we, oh, we should do this. And then until finally, You Deserve to Know came about. And we're like, I think, yeah, let's, this is it. Let's do this.

• 5:53Speaker 00

  Is Ian jealous? Do we need to write him in?

• 5:55Speaker 04

  We need to, maybe we need to like, call a friend and ask him if he's jealous, right?

• 6:00Speaker 00

  Ian, do you want us to write you in? There's still time. He's like, please stop.

• 6:04Speaker 04

  He'll pretend no, but deep down inside, you know, he wants to be written in.

• 6:08Speaker 00

  Also, I love, didn't you guys, you and Nina were, didn't you do courtside together at one of the Knicks games?

• 6:13Speaker 04

  Yes, yes.

• 6:14Speaker 00

  Just seeing it, I think The Vampire Diaries, every time you guys give any of those fans a little something, we get excited.

• 6:19Speaker 04

  Because, you know, Nina just moved to New York City full-time, and I'm in New York, I grew up in Jersey, but I consider myself a New Yorker, because that's like, a lot cooler. I always say in New York, and then people are like, really? Where? And I'm like, Jersey. They're like, ah, um, but, um, no, but I, you know, I'm actually, I've been going to Knicks games for years, and I'm friends with Jalen Brunson. He's a good buddy of mine. And I called Nina, I said, Nina, you gotta go to a Knicks game with me. And I know they would love to have you. And Jalen, I'm gonna call him out, I don't care, he's my homie, I love him. He's a huge Vampire Diaries fan. His, him and his wife are huge Vampire Diaries fans. And so I was like, I gotta bring Nina to a Knicks game, because Jalen is gonna love this. And so.

• 6:58Speaker 00

  Not him being a vampire, like, everyone's like, a huge fan of his, and he's like, Elena, Stefan.

• 7:04Speaker 04

  So I texted him, right before the game, I was like, hey, just so you know, I'm bringing Elena to the, to the, to the game. And he's like, no way. And it's so funny, because that game was like a blowout. They blew away. I forget who they were playing, but I think they won by like, 50 points, which is like, unheard of. And I was like, Jalen's doing this for Elena, isn't he? I know he is.

• 7:23Speaker 00

  That's actually amazing to know. Okay, in the new show that we're doing, Nina's husband is murdered. And you are the top suspect. That is giving very different vibes from Stelena, like, very different. What are you most excited about with this new dynamic? Like, you're not in a romantic relationship, you're more friends on a show.

• 7:48Speaker 04

  Yeah, I mean, you know, you were there when we were developing it, obviously, exactly, producing it. But, you know, I mean, obviously, Aaron Kaplan, one of the EPs, he said, do you guys want to play, you know, romantic partners? And Nina and I talked about it, we kind of like, we feel like there's some, like, there's just like, this whole, like, the Stefan and Elena thing is so iconic and so perfect. And in a weird way, we don't want to like, like, not ruin it, but like, have a comparison, you know? We don't want to, we don't, like, if we were playing husband and wife, or boyfriend and girlfriend, like, people would compare that to Stefan and Elena. So we wanted to create a new dynamic, so that we offered something new to the fans, where we're still interacting on screen, but it's in a different capacity.

• 8:32Speaker 00

  I know, and I really respected that, because, just for everyone watching, trust me, we sat there, and we're like, so you're sure that you don't want to be married? And you guys are like, Alex, but I really respect that you guys have so much respect for the craft of like, what you built on Vampire Diaries. And I do agree with you in a way, that like, it would almost be hard to see you two in a couple, and not be like, Stefan and Elena, oh, wait, no, this is a different show. So I think we did it right?

• 9:02Speaker 04

  Exactly. I think so as well.

• 9:03Speaker 00

  But don't worry, everyone, I asked. Since the show is called You Deserve to Know, I'm gonna ask you, okay, some stories that we deserve to know, Paul. Okay?

• 9:13Speaker 04

  The public deserves it.

• 9:14Speaker 00

  Yes, we deserve it. And you're gonna tell us these stories. Okay? Here we go. Tell us about your first kiss.

• 9:22Speaker 04

  Okay, so, uh-huh. My first, like, kiss was kind of like, I remember I was in the, I used to live in this, like, community in New Jersey, where it was like townhouses, but there would be like, a public swimming pool. And I was in the public swimming pool, and this girl, I don't even know who she was, she dared me to kiss her underwater. And I was like, let's do this. I had my goggles on. I don't know, maybe I was like, 10 or something. And I went down there, and we kissed underwater. And I still remember her, like, freckled face, kissing me underwater. And none of her parents knew about it. It was really sweet.

• 9:56Speaker 00

  Not your first kiss being underwater?

• 9:58Speaker 04

  It was underwater.

• 9:59Speaker 00

  Paul!

• 9:59Speaker 04

  With goggles, and maybe even floaties. I may have taken off my floaties. Yeah, otherwise.

• 10:03Speaker 00

  That's so romantic. And then eventually, you did it on land, but first underwater.

• 10:09Speaker 04

  And I remember my first on land as well, which was like, my first girlfriend ever, name's Carolina, shout out. And I remember my, somebody dared us to French kiss, right? Well, that's a bigger deal. Right? Whoa, big deal. Oh, my God. They go, French kiss behind the, you know, after the school bus drives you off. And I was like, And I was like, okay, I can do this. And I just remember like, you know, you would think I would be like very excited. I was just like, I cannot believe people like this. How do people like exchanging saliva? I was still too young to like fully appreciate it. And poor Carolina, because I did not, I wasn't like, I wasn't hyped about it.

• 10:48Speaker 00

  You're just like putting tongue out and closing your eyes.

• 10:50Speaker 04

  Yeah, I was just like, oh, God. Yeah, I was like, let's get through it.

• 10:53Speaker 00

  Okay, cute. What is a time when you completely misread the vibe, but still shot your shot?

• 10:59Speaker 04

  Hmm, like with a girl?

• 11:01Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 11:02Speaker 04

  Oh, man. Twice. Uh, yeah. I was twice, twice, twice that I could think of. I remember like, the most, the most simplistic one is like, I remember being on a date with someone who would go unnamed, because she's actually an actress. And this was like, obviously way back in the day. Uh, I was, you know, very single, pre Vampire Diaries. And, um, and I just remember like, I thought the date went really well. And I was like, I'm just gonna, like, I'm gonna go in for a kiss, like a good night, you know, like a good, a good night kiss. And, and I just remember she just, like, I went in for the kiss and she was just like, and it was like, yeah, like the turn. And then I had to pretend that it wasn't a kiss. And then it was like just a hug.

• 11:45Speaker 04

  And I was like, it was the most awkward. It was so awkward. I haven't seen her since. Thank God.

• 11:51Speaker 00

  No, literally since that moment.

• 11:52Speaker 04

  Yeah, since that moment, never saw her again. Thank God.

• 11:54Speaker 00

  Did you reach out after? Or you didn't?

• 11:55Speaker 04

  No.

• 11:56Speaker 00

  You both didn't reach out?

• 11:57Speaker 04

  No, it was like the worst. Oh, my God. It was the most embarrassing thing ever. Yeah.

• 12:01Speaker 00

  Paul.

• 12:01Speaker 04

  Yeah. I was like traumatized. That. And then I remember one time I was in New York. I just remember, um, I was on like a fire escape in New York City. And I was having this conversation with this girl. I was like at a party, I think. And I was just like, and I, and never do this again, Paul. And if like, there's any guys listening, don't do this. I was just like, I looked at her, I was like, can I kiss you? And she just goes, no.

• 12:26Speaker 00

  Paul?

• 12:26Speaker 04

  I was like, oh, okay. Those were like the two times I can think of.

• 12:31Speaker 00

  What do you do, though, to recover from that? Did you stay on the fire escape? Or are we like?

• 12:35Speaker 04

  I don't recall. It was so long ago, but I remember being like, what a dumbass. I cannot believe I just asked her when she clearly has no interest in me.

• 12:45Speaker 00

  That's actually completely amazing. Okay. What is a night out that you can remember that gave you the worst Sunday scaries?

• 12:55Speaker 04

  Oh, God, I've had so many of those. Um, you mean, like, is that what you mean by that is like?

• 13:01Speaker 00

  You made some bad decisions the night before you woke up, really bad hangover. You're like, oh, what did I do? Like, Paul, what did we do last night?

• 13:09Speaker 04

  I mean, I was a bit of a troublemaker when I was a kid. Um, and my friends and I got fake IDs like, you know, at the age of 15. And we, we would, you know, these horrible fake IDs, but somehow they worked in New York City. And we would take the, we would take the train up to the city at like 15, 16 and go to these clubs and stay out till like seven, eight in the morning. And like, that was like, it's the worst. I can't even imagine doing that at this point.

• 13:40Speaker 00

  Kids living in New York City when they're younger in New York City, you're like, you lived a different life.

• 13:43Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 13:43Speaker 00

  Like, what do you mean you're at a club at 15?

• 13:45Speaker 04

  No, it was crazy. And I just remember like sneaking out of my house and like, you know, doing the traditional like stuffing my bed with something that looked like a human. And then like losing track of time. And then like my phone, of course, like, I didn't even have a phone. I don't even, this was like pre-cell phone. And I was at like a beeper. And I just remember like seven in the morning would hit on a Sunday. And I would get like a beep, the beeper would go off. My mom would be like, 911, 911, call me right now, Paul. And I'd be like, oh, my God, how am I gonna explain this?

• 14:16Speaker 00

  Oh, wow. But also like 15 year old boy being in the club.

• 14:19Speaker 04

  Oh, my God.

• 14:20Speaker 00

  Like, not having much, um, success, I would assume?

• 14:24Speaker 04

  None. None. About as much success as I had on the fire escape.

• 14:29Speaker 00

  You're not, you're not buying bottles.

• 14:31Speaker 04

  No, I'm not doing anything. I'm standing in the corner doing God knows what.

• 14:35Speaker 00

  You're lucky to like get in the bouncer's like, get out of here.

• 14:38Speaker 04

  Oh, 100%. And they all knew it was a fake ID, but they're somehow letting you in. It was like, New York in that time was like a totally different.

• 14:43Speaker 00

  That's fair. Okay. A time when you did something petty to get back at someone?

• 14:49Speaker 04

  Oh, gosh. Um, I, I mean, I'm not, I would not consider myself a petty person. However, however.

• 15:00Speaker 04

  Um, you know, like in high school, um, I went to three different high schools. I wasn't like a cool kid at all. And, um, and even in middle school. And it was like, you know, the, the, the, there was definitely like times where I was like, you know, the, the town bully, or like the cool kids who are older that didn't want to invite you to the parties. Or like, you know, kind of making you feel like, you know, you're not part of the in crowd and all that. And I remember, you know, the, the, I got on this big TV show. I was 26. And all of a sudden, out of the woodworks, come all these guys that wanted nothing to do with me in high school. That like all, you know, the girls that wouldn't give me the time of day.

• 15:44Speaker 04

  And all of a sudden, they're like, hey, man, like, oh, my gosh, my girlfriend, you know, my girlfriend or my sister, whatever. Like, let's hang out. Or hey, you know, can you, can you, can I, can you call my sister or something just to say hi? And I would just be like, you know what? Like, as petty as this is, no. Like, like, like, no. You know what I mean? It just felt like now you want to be friends. You know what I mean?

• 16:09Speaker 00

  I appreciate, though, when people do that, because you're like, I remember.

• 16:14Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 16:14Speaker 00

  And I don't think that's fully being petty. That's you being like, oh, I clocked exactly what's happening right now. You don't get me now.

• 16:21Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 16:21Speaker 00

  That I'm all good.

• 16:22Speaker 04

  Yeah. And I, you know, and my philosophy these days is always like killing with kindness. Like, I'm always the kind of guy who's like, if, to always just be nice to like, kind of like, that's my technique. Like, I don't, I don't want to be petty. But I do remember when I was in my mid twenties and the show came out. I was like, you know what? I'm gonna be petty. I'm gonna be a little bit petty. I'm gonna, you know what I mean?

• 16:43Speaker 00

  I think we're all backing you on that one. What is something you did unexpectedly that went viral on the internet?

• 16:50Speaker 04

  I mean, I can think of very, one very big thing that, um, became viral on TikTok. Which was when a fan asked me if, um, I liked Madison Beer. And I thought it was, I thought that was a type of beer. And I said, I've never had that kind of beer before. And I was like, I don't, I've never had Madison Beer.

• 17:11Speaker 04

  So that was, that was special.

• 17:13Speaker 00

  And then as it like kind of spiraled, and then like, how did you handle that moment?

• 17:18Speaker 04

  I mean, at that point, I was like, do I then apologize to Madison Beer? Do I need to like make a public apology? Because she obviously is very famous. She's, you know, but I'm just like an idiot. I don't know. And, you know.

• 17:31Speaker 00

  Like you're in your own world, Paul.

• 17:32Speaker 04

  I don't know what's going on. And so I was like, you know, it was, it was, it was very funny because it became this whole thing. Like, I remember, I forget, there was some publication that like they, I guess, you know, frankly, it was during COVID too. So maybe it was less, less stuff going on, but it was like, top 50 pop culture moments of 20, whatever, 2019, whatever the heck it was. And I remember it was like Paul Wesley thinks Madison Beer is a beer. And I was like, that makes the top 15.

• 17:58Speaker 00

  Do you get anxiety when something like that you did is trending? Or do you not care?

• 18:03Speaker 04

  I think it's funny. I don't care.

• 18:04Speaker 00

  You don't care?

• 18:05Speaker 04

  Yeah, I don't care.

• 18:05Speaker 00

  You don't care?

• 18:06Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 18:15Speaker 00

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• 22:28Speaker 00

  When I was preparing for this interview, I discovered something new about you.

• 22:31Speaker 04

  Oh, no.

• 22:32Speaker 00

  I didn't know that your name isn't Paul Wesley.

• 22:36Speaker 04

  Right.

• 22:37Speaker 00

  I'm gonna try to pronounce it, and then you're gonna-

• 22:38Speaker 04

  I can't wait.

• 22:39Speaker 00

  Okay, hold on.

• 22:42Speaker 00

  Your first name is Pawe.

• 22:45Speaker 04

  Almost.

• 22:46Speaker 00

  Okay. And your last name is Vasilevsky.

• 22:51Speaker 04

  Whoa.

• 22:52Speaker 00

  Oh!

• 22:53Speaker 04

  Do you have some, like, Eastern European descendant?

• 22:55Speaker 00

  No, I actually put the pronunciation down for myself. Vasilevsky.

• 22:59Speaker 04

  That's perfect.

• 23:00Speaker 00

  So, okay, wait, you say it. Say your full name.

• 23:03Speaker 04

  Paweł Vasilewski.

• 23:04Speaker 00

  Paweł.

• 23:05Speaker 04

  Paweł.

• 23:05Speaker 00

  Paweł.

• 23:06Speaker 04

  Eł.

• 23:07Speaker 00

  Eł.

• 23:08Speaker 04

  Eł.

• 23:08Speaker 00

  Eł. Wait, that sounds too Philly. Hold on, let me try that again. Say it again.

• 23:11Speaker 04

  Paweł.

• 23:12Speaker 00

  Paweł.

• 23:13Speaker 04

  Vasilevsky.

• 23:14Speaker 00

  Vasilevsky.

• 23:15Speaker 04

  Amazing.

• 23:15Speaker 00

  Oh!

• 23:16Speaker 04

  Look at you.

• 23:17Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 23:17Speaker 04

  Do you wanna play an Eastern European on You Deserve to Know? Like, do you wanna play a Polish, like, murder suspect? Like, 'cause I think you could do this.

• 23:25Speaker 00

  Honestly, maybe.

• 23:25Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 23:26Speaker 00

  How did we get here? How did you get from that to Paul Wesley?

• 23:28Speaker 04

  So my, my mom, so my parents are both from Warsaw, and they immigrated to this country. My older sister was born there, from Warsaw, Poland. And I was the first of the family to be born in the United States. And growing up, we didn't speak any English, or, sorry, my parents didn't speak English well, and we spoke Polish at home primarily. So my mom always called me Pawe, and Vasilevsky is my name, but in, in school, it was Paul Wazaluski, because that's how the Americans would pronounce it, which, you know, phonetically, I guess that's like, or whatever, if you read it, that's, so it was like, my whole life, it was Paul Wazaluski. And I'm like, it's really, like, Wazaluski doesn't, like,

• 24:11Speaker 04

  speak to me. Do you know what I mean? Like, that's not who I am. So I tried to, like, correct people and be like, no, it's Vasilevsky. And be like, no, no. And I started acting. And then, and then I started, I got my first few TV shows, and it was like, always this huge drama to pronounce my name. And I just said, you know what? If they're gonna call me Paul Wazaluski, I might as well just change it. You know what I mean? So I didn't change it legally. I remember thinking, I wanted to, I want my last name to start with a W, and I want it to end with an E sound. Because like, my real name, Wazaluski, Vasilevsky. So I started, like, I just literally started writing down random, like, like, last names that could work. And I somehow stumbled upon Wesley, and I was like, I like the ring,

• 24:54Speaker 04

  I like the sound of that. And I just came up with it. It was as simple as that. It's like, totally arbitrary.

• 24:58Speaker 00

  Wait, what did your parents think about you changing your name?

• 25:01Speaker 04

  My, like, I remember asking my grandfather, who's, that, who, on my mom's side, so technically, that's, it wasn't his name. It's, but I remember being like, he's like, go for it. Absolutely. Change it. Like, duh, of course you should change it. My dad was a little bit like, I'm not so sure. But then they kind of like, came around to it. And I didn't change it legally. Yeah, legally, I'm still, yeah.

• 25:25Speaker 00

  Oh!

• 25:25Speaker 04

  Vasilevsky. Yeah.

• 25:27Speaker 00

  Okay, so your parents can be really happy about that.

• 25:28Speaker 04

  Exactly.

• 25:29Speaker 00

  Okay, that's good.

• 25:29Speaker 04

  It's just my stage name.

• 25:31Speaker 00

  From New Jersey.

• 25:32Speaker 04

  Yes.

• 25:32Speaker 00

  Not New York. Good to clarify. Um, your parents immigrating from Poland.

• 25:38Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 25:38Speaker 00

  Can you paint the picture of what your house was like growing up? Like, put us right in there, Paul. What are we experiencing in this home?

• 25:46Speaker 04

  Um, I had a great childhood, you know? My parents are, they're wonderful. And, and they, you know, I, what's great is I grew up in the proximity, 45 minutes south of Manhattan. And so, it was always like, Manhattan was this kind of like, oh my gosh, this like, this, this is like, the place, right? Like, you always, like, I, I was so enamored, like, I really wanted to end up somehow in Manhattan. And I remember, I was playing ice hockey my whole life, and my parents were, they're pretty smart people. Like, my dad went to Columbia, he's a computer engineer. My mom's, has a master's in psychology, and my sister's a lawyer. They're all pretty, like, highly educated. And so, I just never fit into that mold. I always wanted to do something different. And I started doing theater and all this.

• 26:31Speaker 04

  And my parents were so great, because they put me in acting classes. And they were like, you know, um, they wanted me to, like, just be happy. And so, I started doing these acting classes in Manhattan. And somehow, an agent saw me and was like, hey, do you wanna audition for stuff? And I was like, sure. And that's how I ended up in Manhattan. I got a TV show at 16. I started making my own money, and I got my own apartment in the city. But, so they, I, I guess, in answering your question, like, I credit them with giving me the kind of like, flexibility and, like, allowing me to pursue my dreams and being really, like, they, they wanted me to be happy. They weren't like, you have to go to, you know, they wanted me to get good grades, but they weren't, they want, they were like, more important

• 27:14Speaker 04

  is for you to be passionate about what you do. And so, I feel like I was able to do what I love to do, and to have this career in, in film and television, because they were supportive.

• 27:24Speaker 00

  Well, that's incredible, because I feel like so many people don't have that experience. So it feels like you have to rebel, but to have actually supportive parents, it must have felt so safe for you to explore your passions.

• 27:34Speaker 04

  Absolutely.

• 27:35Speaker 00

  Being close to New York, though.

• 27:36Speaker 04

  Mm-hmm.

• 27:37Speaker 00

  Obviously, there's so many different cultures that come in and out of New York in a beautiful way. But like, you were in New Jersey.

• 27:43Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 27:44Speaker 00

  So was, and, and close Jersey Shore, right?

• 27:46Speaker 04

  Yeah, ish, 20 minutes.

• 27:48Speaker 00

  You're like, please.

• 27:48Speaker 04

  Come on. Come on now.

• 27:50Speaker 00

  Calm down, Alex.

• 27:51Speaker 04

  But if, but if I showed you some photos of me, you'd be like, for sure, that guy could have been on the Jersey Shore. You remember the Jersey Shore, obviously, right?

• 27:57Speaker 00

  Paul?

• 27:58Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 28:01Speaker 00

  Oh my God.

• 28:02Speaker 04

  So I so, so, so I've never seen the Jersey Shore.

• 28:05Speaker 00

  What?

• 28:05Speaker 04

  But it was a funny story to tell you. So I, um, so I used to do the whole Jersey Shore thing. I had a house in Belmar and my friends and I used to like lift weights and, you know, like it was like, you know, gym tan laundry and all the kind of like literally wax our eyebrows and like, you know, walk around like this in our tank tops. Anyway, it was like so pathetic. Um, and I remember like I was in my twenties and I was doing like a something for the Vampire Diaries. And somehow they were like, oh, the cast of the Jersey Shore is here. And I was like, oh, cool. I don't know. I've never seen it. And, um, and, um, the guy who plays the situation.

• 28:42Speaker 00

  I love to see the guy who plays the situation.

• 28:45Speaker 04

  Is he the situation?

• 28:45Speaker 00

  Yeah, yeah, yeah. Mike the Situation. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

• 28:49Speaker 04

  Okay. So that guy comes up and he's like, hey, Paul. And I was like, hey, and he's like, we used to hang out in the Jersey Shore. And I was like, we did? And he's like, yeah, we, and, and I asked a few friends, like, yeah, he used to hang out with us. We used to like go out with the, the Jersey Shore. I didn't even know, I was part of the Jersey Shore.

• 29:07Speaker 00

  Paul?

• 29:07Speaker 04

  You know, fist bumping.

• 29:09Speaker 00

  Paul, you had the situation right under your fingertips.

• 29:12Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 29:13Speaker 00

  And you didn't even know.

• 29:14Speaker 04

  I had no idea.

• 29:14Speaker 00

  You may have been out with Snooki and you didn't even know.

• 29:17Speaker 04

  For all I know, I could have been, yeah.

• 29:19Speaker 00

  Paul, why do I feel like that's your life? Where you're like, I didn't know Madison Beer wasn't a beer. I didn't know I was friends with the situation. I didn't know any of this.

• 29:27Speaker 04

  Exactly.

• 29:27Speaker 00

  Like life just keeps happening. And Paul's like, what?

• 29:30Speaker 04

  Oblivious.

• 29:31Speaker 00

  Dude, that's crazy.

• 29:32Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 29:32Speaker 00

  Okay. So did you ever get a spray tan?

• 29:35Speaker 04

  Of course I got a spray tan.

• 29:36Speaker 00

  Gym tan laundering, actually.

• 29:37Speaker 04

  I did, I did a spray tan when I was, my friends, I'm telling you, I mean, it's like, I shouldn't be admitting this, but like, I'm telling you, when I was like 17 and we used to like literally, like it was all about like, how big our muscles are. I was like 40 pounds heavier, like it was all about muscles and being tan. And then like making sure you have no chest hair and like walking around the Jersey Shore like this and like, honestly fighting, we would get into like fistfights all the time. And like, oh my God, it was like, you have no idea.

• 30:08Speaker 00

  When you were saying that you were getting jacked and you were doing all that, you know what it made me think of?

• 30:13Speaker 04

  What?

• 30:14Speaker 00

  Donny.

• 30:15Speaker 04

  Donny from the OC.

• 30:17Speaker 00

  Paul?

• 30:18Speaker 04

  Donny from the OC.

• 30:19Speaker 00

  One of my favorite shows. How, were you on one episode?

• 30:22Speaker 04

  I was only on one episode.

• 30:24Speaker 00

  Okay. You made such an impression to remember that you were on the OC. And to only be in one episode? That's pretty incredible.

• 30:32Speaker 04

  You'd be surprised how many people come up to me and go, Donny. It is the craziest thing, like just one episode. And I remember, cause I read for, um, the main guy.

• 30:46Speaker 00

  Ryan.

• 30:47Speaker 04

  Ryan, who's Ben McKenzie is a good friend of mine. I adore him. By the way, so is Adam Brody. And I just met them on, on, when I was doing Donny, when I was playing Donny.

• 30:55Speaker 00

  When I was doing Donny.

• 30:56Speaker 04

  When I was doing Donny. Um, no. And I, uh, no, I remember I read for Ryan. I didn't get it. I was very devastated. And they called me like, how about Donny? You're more of a Donny. And I was like, sure, I'll play Donny. And then I just played myself, basically.

• 31:13Speaker 00

  Oh, it came so, cause that was like, you were in Chino with Ryan or something and you guys like, or like whatever. You, you were there. You were like the scary guy.

• 31:21Speaker 04

  Oh yeah. I shot somebody. I shot the, the blonde guy. I was like, yeah, bitch.

• 31:27Speaker 00

  You shot Luke.

• 31:28Speaker 04

  You shot, I shot Luke. Thank you.

• 31:30Speaker 00

  You fully shot Luke.

• 31:31Speaker 04

  I shot Luke.

• 31:31Speaker 00

  You came into the party.

• 31:33Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 31:33Speaker 00

  You had the gun.

• 31:34Speaker 04

  I had a gun.

• 31:34Speaker 00

  Oh my God. Cut the clip with good old Paul.

• 31:38Speaker 04

  Roll the clip with Donny.

• 31:39Speaker 00

  Bring it back. I remember, I think you had like a thick armband.

• 31:42Speaker 04

  Oh yeah, armbands and, oh my God.

• 31:44Speaker 00

  Oh, you were so Donny.

• 31:46Speaker 04

  I was so Jersey. I was so.

• 31:48Speaker 00

  Easy to play. It felt organic.

• 31:50Speaker 04

  A hundred percent. Didn't have to study for that role at all.

• 31:54Speaker 00

  So you eventually get into acting.

• 31:56Speaker 04

  Right.

• 31:56Speaker 00

  And in the early days, you end up living with your childhood friend Ricky. And his Pomeranian in a studio apartment.

• 32:08Speaker 04

  In the West Village.

• 32:08Speaker 00

  In the West Village. Did you have two beds?

• 32:10Speaker 04

  We had two beds.

• 32:11Speaker 00

  Oh, that's.

• 32:12Speaker 04

  The Pomeranian and him on one, me and the other, two twins, you know?

• 32:15Speaker 00

  Oh, two twins?

• 32:16Speaker 04

  Two twins. Yeah.

• 32:17Speaker 00

  Two twins.

• 32:18Speaker 04

  We're right there next to each other. Yeah.

• 32:19Speaker 00

  Oh, like a little nightstand in between.

• 32:21Speaker 04

  And by the way, this is like, yeah, exactly. Literally. And this is back when like, we were like wearing tank tops and like, you know, and, and.

• 32:28Speaker 00

  Still feeling yourself.

• 32:29Speaker 04

  Oh yeah, still feeling ourselves. So everyone was like, welcome to the neighborhood.

• 32:32Speaker 00

  And West Village.

• 32:34Speaker 04

  In West Village.

• 32:35Speaker 00

  What were you three getting up to around that time?

• 32:38Speaker 04

  Um, God, no. By the way, I love that you said you three, including the Pomeranian. Yeah. Like, like the Pomeranian was clubbing with us. No, it was like, I was on a soap opera with Brittany Snow.

• 32:51Speaker 00

  Oh, love her.

• 32:52Speaker 04

  Yeah. Who's, I think she did, she did the show.

• 32:54Speaker 00

  Yes, yes. Love her so much.

• 32:55Speaker 04

  Dear friends. I adore her. She's the best. So Brittany and I played boyfriend and girlfriend on a show called The Guiding Light. I was like 16 years old, making a bunch of cash. I was like, Ricky, I'm going to get an apartment in the West Village. And he's like, great.

• 33:08Speaker 00

  Is that how you would talk?

• 33:09Speaker 04

  Yeah, yeah, pretty much.

• 33:10Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 33:11Speaker 04

  Something like that.

• 33:12Speaker 00

  There was a little accent in there. It was giving a little New York.

• 33:14Speaker 04

  Giving a little like Sopranos. Yeah, yeah. No, I used to have a thick Jersey accent, but anyway. Um, and then I was just like, let's just like get, and it was just like the best time of my life, you know? It was like fake IDs and just partying and, you know, doing this soap opera. And like frankly, like that's where I like, kind of learned how to, you know, I remember when I first got on the soap opera, I was so uncomfortable. And like the soap opera taught me how to like work with the camera and like, you know, be more relaxed and like, it was an amazing training ground and so many great actors came from, from that. But like Brittany, Brittany is amazing. Want to hear something funny? I'm going to call out Brittany. She, she said this story, so it doesn't really matter.

• 33:53Speaker 00

  Yeah, yeah. Give it to us.

• 33:53Speaker 04

  It's really funny. Uh, Brittany's, I wonder if Brittany, uh, she said this story, so it's fine. So I, um, we were on set and like, you know, I'm like 16, 17. So like, you know, whatever. Uh, I had like, you know, done a bunch, I've, I've, I had kissed, I had a girlfriend. I'd kissed women, girls before. And, um, and Brittany and I had our first kiss scene. And I was like, cool, no big deal. Like whatever. Uh, cause we were playing boyfriend and girlfriend and Brittany was younger than I was. Um, and we did the kiss scene and I'm like, okay, like that was fine. Like that went well. And I remember afterwards, her mom comes up to me and goes, just so you know, that was her first kiss ever. And I was like, what? I didn't know that. And like to this day.

• 34:35Speaker 00

  Cute.

• 34:36Speaker 04

  Yeah, it's so sweet. Like to this day, like Brittany's first kiss is the kiss on camera with me. It was really sweet.

• 34:42Speaker 00

  Oh, you're a good guy. I feel like that you probably made it just like so sweet and like chill for her.

• 34:46Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 34:47Speaker 00

  Wait, that's cute.

• 34:48Speaker 04

  It was really sweet. Now we're really good friends. Yeah, it was really funny.

• 34:51Speaker 00

  And to see just how both like successful you've been in your own right and to think about you like little youngins.

• 34:55Speaker 04

  Yeah, it was.

• 34:56Speaker 00

  And like imagining Brittany also being probably so nervous.

• 34:59Speaker 04

  Oh my God, I can imagine. Yeah.

• 35:01Speaker 00

  Oh my, it's actually probably good that you didn't know until after.

• 35:03Speaker 04

  Exactly, exactly.

• 35:04Speaker 00

  Really sweet.

• 35:05Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 35:06Speaker 00

  Okay. So what would you and Ricky do though? If you both, if you had like a girl that you wanted to bring back? And we've got the twin beds, Paul. Like what are we doing?

• 35:17Speaker 04

  Oh my gosh.

• 35:18Speaker 00

  What happened?

• 35:20Speaker 04

  What did happen?

• 35:23Speaker 00

  You're like Ricky?

• 35:24Speaker 04

  Yeah. Um, no, it was, um,

• 35:29Speaker 04

  let me get back to you on that one. I don't remember. I plead the fifth. No, I don't know. I think we probably.

• 35:35Speaker 00

  You figured it out.

• 35:36Speaker 04

  Ricky, you know, go take a walk. Uh, get out of here.

• 35:40Speaker 00

  But you can leave the Pomeranian.

• 35:41Speaker 04

  Leave the Pomeranian, doesn't care.

• 35:42Speaker 00

  Okay, fair. So you and Ricky had your stint, you did your thing.

• 35:45Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 35:46Speaker 00

  Then there's been another bromance in your life.

• 35:49Speaker 04

  Uh huh.

• 35:50Speaker 00

  With none other than your Vampire Diaries co-star.

• 35:53Speaker 04

  Holder.

• 35:54Speaker 00

  Ian Somerhalder.

• 35:55Speaker 04

  The smolder.

• 35:56Speaker 00

  Is that what you call him?

• 35:57Speaker 04

  I call him the smolder holder.

• 35:59Speaker 00

  Like when you call him every day or is that what you're saying?

• 36:01Speaker 04

  Just smoldy. I call him smoldypants.

• 36:03Speaker 00

  Smoldy.

• 36:03Speaker 04

  I, I, for years I called him smoldypants. I still do.

• 36:06Speaker 00

  Does he like that?

• 36:07Speaker 04

  I think deep down inside he likes it.

• 36:08Speaker 00

  What do you, what does he call you?

• 36:10Speaker 04

  Um, fuckface probably. Yeah. Am I allowed to curse? No, I mean, we, we're, we're so funny. We call each other like, Ian and I are like, we're like in this like, domestic partner. No, not a domestic partner. We don't live together. It's like this, like we're in like a marriage, you know? It's like, we started off as like colleagues working together. Then we're like best friends. Then we're like, okay, we see each other every day for eight years. I love you. But also like, then we're like brothers. Then now we have this business together. It's like, we are so, it is like such a complicated, it's like my longest relationship I've ever had in my life. We've been, I feel like we've been together for 20 years. And we know, I know what he's going to say before he's even going to say it.

• 36:53Speaker 04

  And he knows what I'm going to say and we're yin and yang.

• 36:56Speaker 00

  Do you bicker like a married couple?

• 36:57Speaker 04

  Oh my God. We bicker. We, we hug it out. We like, I mean, it is like, it is.

• 37:03Speaker 00

  How do Nikki and Natalie feel about it? Like when you guys are all together?

• 37:06Speaker 04

  They're like the calm energies and like, we're the Tasmanian devils. Like they're like, by the way, thank God for Nikki and Natalie. Like Natalie is like, calms me down so much. And I feel like Nikki calms him down so much because him and I are, are a little.

• 37:19Speaker 00

  Natalie's energy, when we got drinks, I was like, she is so good. She's so good. She is so steady.

• 37:26Speaker 04

  So steady.

• 37:27Speaker 00

  Calm.

• 37:27Speaker 04

  Yes.

• 37:28Speaker 00

  Sophisticated.

• 37:29Speaker 04

  Oh my God.

• 37:29Speaker 00

  Lovely. I'm so happy for you.

• 37:32Speaker 04

  Thank you.

• 37:32Speaker 00

  But now knowing the two of you are like that, I'm like, ooh, even more now. That makes sense.

• 37:36Speaker 04

  Yeah. And like, yeah, Nikki and Nat, and Nikki as well is like much more like Ian is like, Ian is like moves a thousand miles a minute, you know? And like, have you met Ian?

• 37:46Speaker 00

  No.

• 37:47Speaker 04

  He's like, I mean, the guy will literally, he can talk to anyone for like two hours. Like he will literally just corner you and talk to you and lose track of time. Like he is like this, he's the most personable person that you'll ever meet. Like you would love him. Everyone just looks into his blue eyes and just like melts. It's like, I mean, it doesn't work on me anymore. I'm like, get the hell out of here. Yeah, but it worked initially, you know?

• 38:11Speaker 00

  Wow. Okay. Almost 20 years in this partnership, in this marriage.

• 38:15Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 38:17Speaker 00

  Go back, think about what was your first, first impression of him? And like, when did you first meet him?

• 38:23Speaker 04

  I, my first, the first time I met him was in Burbank, California. After we both got cast on the show, we knew we'd be playing brothers. And they're like, you need to go to this dental office because you need to get a fang fitting. We need to, you need to get your fangs fitted for this, for the show. Cause they have to mold them. So I remember I was like pulled up to this dentist and he's like leaving. And I'm like, hey, hey, and hey, like, I guess we're going to play brothers. He's like, yeah, yeah. He's like, I just got my fangs fit. I'm like, yeah, I'm going to get my fangs fitted as well. I was like, I'll see you on the plane tomorrow. And then I remember like, being like, okay, cool. And then I remember we sat, we decided to sit next together, next to each other on the plane on the way to Vancouver.

• 39:06Speaker 04

  Cause we shot pilot in Vancouver and I'm sitting there, we're chatting. And, and this is a perfect example of how me and Ian are total polar opposites. I'm glass half empty. I think everything is doomed. He's glass half full and we're usually somewhere, the, the truth is usually somewhere in the middle. This time he was right. I look at him and I go, so we're doing this pilot, huh? He's like, yeah. I'm like, I don't know, man. I'm like vampire diaries. I was like, gee, I was like, you know, you think we're going to get picked up? He's like, yeah, I think we're going to get, I'm like, I don't know. You think it's going to be a hit? I don't think it's going to like be a thing. And he just looks at me and I still remember to this day, he just goes, oh, contraire mon frère. It's going to be a big deal. Mark my words.

• 39:51Speaker 04

  And I was like, oh, contraire mon frère. I was like, who speaks like that? But anyway, he was right.

• 39:57Speaker 00

  Ian.

• 39:58Speaker 04

  He, he was right. He was dead on.

• 40:00Speaker 00

  Oh my God. That's actually kind of crazy though, because knowing, cause you guys ended up shooting all the time in Atlanta.

• 40:05Speaker 04

  Yes.

• 40:06Speaker 00

  But going for that pilot, I've, I've obviously interviewed actors before that it is crazy to know, like most of the time, that first episode is not filmed where it's going to be filmed.

• 40:14Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 40:14Speaker 00

  And you have no idea if you're going to get picked up.

• 40:16Speaker 04

  No idea.

• 40:17Speaker 00

  When was the moment, do you think you were like, oh, I like, I think I really like this guy. Like, so first you're kind of like dipping your toe in the water. You're like, oh, contraire frère. You're like, okay, this guy's like kind of kooky and I like him and he's uplifting. But when were you like, oh, we're friends?

• 40:32Speaker 04

  Well, so we, so the show got picked up and then I was like, okay, I was like, and then I was like, I'm going to take this shit really seriously. Like this is a big deal. This is a huge, cause I had done like eight pilots and they all failed. And like, I mean, some got picked up and none of them lasted. And I had this feeling after the show got picked up, I was like, and it tested really well. They tell you about like whether it tests well with the audience. Like they're like, something's special with this one. I was like, we have to do a good job. So I was like, Ian, we need to like, we're playing brothers. We need to like bond and we need to like really study together. He's like, you're right. He's like, I have an idea. He's like, let's fly to Atlanta and let's get apartments next to each other so we can just live next to each other.

• 41:10Speaker 04

  And I was like, good idea. So I remember and to this day, I remember we literally get to the airport and I pull up, I'm wearing these light blue jeans, a, a black leather belt, a white Hanes shirt, black Ray-Bans and cowboy boots, these like fry boots. And I look over at him and he's wearing the exact same thing.

• 41:35Speaker 00

  No.

• 41:36Speaker 04

  We literally looked at each other and we're like, we look like the Blues Brothers. We got off the plane and we were like, decided to go apartment hunting and got apartments next to each other so that we can be close to each other, so that we can practice and study lines together. And it was just like the funniest thing pulling into Atlanta or in the exact same, oh, we had the same back, colored backpack as well.

• 41:59Speaker 00

  Paul.

• 41:59Speaker 04

  And I remember we, we stayed at like the W hotel for the first night. We walked in and everybody just looked at us like, who are these guys? It was really funny.

• 42:08Speaker 00

  He's basically your soulmate.

• 42:09Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 42:10Speaker 00

  Since day one.

• 42:11Speaker 04

  So he was like my brother, the minute we landed in Atlanta.

• 42:14Speaker 00

  Okay. But then I'm like, I can't help but be like, why do I feel like I can see Ian and you living next to each other was a good idea at first? And then you're literally like coming home after a long day on set. Then you're going into your rooms and Ian's like knocking and you're like, Paul, come out and play.

• 42:27Speaker 04

  Yeah. Yeah. I was like, leave me alone.

• 42:30Speaker 00

  He's like knocking on the wall.

• 42:31Speaker 04

  No, but it, you know, truthfully, like, you know, jokes aside, like we really like, we didn't mess around. Like the first two seasons, we were like, oh my God. And then like by the third season, we're like, we're good. Let's, this is, doesn't need to be fake bourbon on set anymore. Like let's go ahead and maybe switch that out with some Woodford Reserve. And by the way, yeah, sorry Warner Brothers.

• 42:52Speaker 00

  Cause you guys did drink so much.

• 42:55Speaker 04

  By the way, it's not like we were shit faced on set, but like, you know, towards the end of the day, you know, you're like, I'm, I've drank enough of this like unsweetened iced tea, which is supposed to be bourbon. I think I can like, you know.

• 43:06Speaker 00

  And like the amount of scenes that like Ian had to do, like dancing, like in the mansion alone. Like, give that man a little something.

• 43:13Speaker 04

  Give, give that man, yeah, get him some bourbon.

• 43:14Speaker 00

  Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, speaking of bourbon, look at that transition. You guys started Brothers Bond Bourbon, inspired kind of by these like Vampire Diary days that you had together.

• 43:26Speaker 04

  Yes.

• 43:27Speaker 00

  How many drunk nights did you guys have trying to develop this and get it right?

• 43:33Speaker 04

  So, you know, so COVID hit, right? So we always talked about doing a bourbon and I remember COVID hit and it was like, I couldn't leave. Like I was sort of a nomad. I was shooting these TV shows. I was like up until COVID and then I was stuck. We were all stuck. We couldn't leave. And I remember being in, um, in, in a, we live in the same little community at the time in, um, we had houses in, in Topanga. And I remember, um, Ian called me up one day. He's like, hey, man, we're not doing shit. We can't leave our houses. We can't do anything. He's like, do you want to just come over and like blend some bourbon? And like, let's figure out how to blend some bourbon and like, let's launch a bourbon. And I was like, yeah, I'm not doing anything else.

• 44:15Speaker 04

  So we, I just would go to his house and we would just like drink, uh, create these blends for like, and in his kitchen, we'd go by the fire pit outside and we would just like try, like he, I would come to his house and he would have all these like graduated measuring cylinders. He looked like a mad, like, you know, like, uh, in Back to the Future, what's his name? Doc? What was that guy? He kind of looked like that. His hair was everywhere. It was mad. He had his, he had a beard. He was like, had all this bourbon. It looked like a chemist. And I remember we were just like, we just like spent like months, just like creating these blends that we liked. And then we finally found something we loved. And then like, we sent it into this lab essentially to analyze the mash bill. And they were like, this is your mash bill. I was like, great. That's Brothers Bond.

• 45:00Speaker 04

  And then we like did a small friends and family, uh, round and raised a little bit of money and launched the bourbon and boom.

• 45:06Speaker 00

  Congrats. That, it's like so crazy to see, and it's such a great idea. Obviously you guys have such a strong brand already in the two of you, but then to launch that, that felt very organic for you guys to do together.

• 45:20Speaker 04

  And we like genuinely like, and this is not like a plug, like we genuinely love bourbon. And like, that's all we drank in Atlanta, you know, when we would film, finish filming and be like, God, like we just shot 14, 14, 15, 16 hours. Let's go to the bar and we would always drink bourbon. That was like our thing. And so like the brothers bond, obviously it's like a nod to me and Ian on screen. We have a bond as brothers, but also like off screen, that was like our brothers bond, you know what I mean? So it was very funny because when we started the company, we didn't have a name. And we were like pitching Walmart and, and, and our CEO is like, we need a name. And they're like, well, calls in an hour. We can't just like pitch a brand that doesn't have a name. And Ian's like, okay, I got it. I got it. I got it. I was like, okay, what is it? He's like, Brothers Supreme. And I was like, Brothers Supreme?

• 46:05Speaker 04

  I was like, dude, that's the worst name for a bourbon brand ever. I was like, we are not Brothers Supreme. He's like, I think it should be Brothers Supreme. I was like, all right, give me a minute. And I sat there, I was like, and I started like texting all these, and I was like Brothers Bond. I was like Brothers Bond. He's like, great, done. And then like 15 minutes, 15 minutes before our pitch to Walmart, we had the name Brothers.

• 46:26Speaker 00

  We also love it because it's so you and Ian, like he basically came up with the first word and then you're like, no, no, no, no, no. Second word is this, boom, go. Okay. Stefan obviously had doppelgangers. But do you have any alter egos when you're drinking? Paul?

• 46:44Speaker 04

  I'm like, you know, I'm like a pretty good drinker. Do you know what I mean? Which is probably not a good thing.

• 46:50Speaker 00

  Are you like happy? Are you quiet?

• 46:52Speaker 04

  No, I'm just like happy and like funny and like, you know, you know, sometimes I do these Q and A's online.

• 47:00Speaker 00

  Oh, we're getting there.

• 47:01Speaker 04

  Okay. Like half the time I'm like drinking. Okay. So like, you know, yeah.

• 47:06Speaker 00

  Paul, that's how I know.

• 47:07Speaker 04

  Maybe more than half the time.

• 47:08Speaker 00

  No, I love it so much. That's how I know. Like that is some people's worst nightmare is like, I don't want to do anything online unless I am, know exactly what I'm posting. You're like, oh, no, oh, I'm drinking.

• 47:18Speaker 04

  Give me a drink. No, no, give me a drink. I'll tell you what I like, what I don't react well to is like, some people are like, oh, I'm going to smoke a joint. And then I'm relaxed. That's like my worst nightmare. If I smoke a joint, which I don't, I don't react well to marijuana. I will be the most awkward, insecure, like I'll have a total mental breakdown. Like I'll have a panic attack, but if you give me like a bourbon or what, I'm like chilling, man. I'm, I'm my real self.

• 47:46Speaker 00

  Okay. Let's talk about those Q and As.

• 47:48Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 47:49Speaker 00

  You have really. You've really cornered the market.

• 47:53Speaker 04

  Unintentionally, for the record, this was not a master plan.

• 47:58Speaker 00

  Paul.

• 47:59Speaker 04

  Another byproduct of COVID.

• 48:01Speaker 00

  Okay, a lot of good things came for you.

• 48:03Speaker 04

  I guess so.

• 48:04Speaker 00

  So you started posting this like close friends Q and A thing, basically. And talk to me about the criteria for, you know, close friends.

• 48:15Speaker 04

  Okay, so this is how, this is the genesis. Okay, so um, a girl that works with us named Remy, who's awesome. She does all the brothers bond, like she does our social media. She does a lot of our marketing. She does whatever. Long story short, Remy was like, hey, there's this app that allows you to have close friends. That subscribe to your, like, cause I didn't have a close friends, like on my own Instagram. And there she's like, it allows your fans to be close friends. It's this app thing. I forget the name of it. And I was like, she's like, should I sign you up? I'm like, sure. What the hell else am I doing? It's COVID. And so she's like, great, do whatever you want. I'm like, well, I'm not gonna like, it's not only fans. I'm not gonna like post shirtless selfies. But like, so what can I do? What can I do to like, make people feel?

• 49:00Speaker 04

  So I'm like, how can I interact with people? So I just started doing these random, like, ask me a question and like, let's just shoot the shit, you know? And that, and then suddenly, this was, I didn't realize that you could then take, take those Q and As, screen record them. And then suddenly they ended up on TikTok. And I, by the way, unbeknownst to me, so suddenly I'm all over TikTok with these Q and As. And that is how this whole thing happens.

• 49:30Speaker 00

  It is like, the through line of this is Paul Wesley has no idea what the fuck is going on.

• 49:35Speaker 04

  What the fuck is going on?

• 49:36Speaker 00

  This whole interview, you're like, and then somehow this thing called TikTok.

• 49:40Speaker 04

  I know, it sounds like it's this premeditated, I promise you, it's all just like.

• 49:44Speaker 00

  No, no, I believe you.

• 49:45Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 49:45Speaker 00

  You could tell.

• 49:46Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 49:46Speaker 00

  Okay, so we're gonna make daddy gang feel like close friends of yours today.

• 49:50Speaker 04

  All right, let's do it.

• 49:51Speaker 00

  We're gonna do a little Q and A.

• 49:52Speaker 04

  Okay.

• 49:53Speaker 00

  And you're gonna get in the headspace of like, your phone's in front of you. You've had a little bourbon.

• 49:57Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 49:57Speaker 00

  And you're just gonna answer from the heart, whatever comes to mind.

• 50:01Speaker 04

  Okay.

• 50:01Speaker 00

  What is something that really pissed you off lately?

• 50:03Speaker 04

  What is something that really pissed me off lately? Oh, my gosh, so many things piss me off all the time. Um, well, I haven't spoken to Ian in a week, so I've been pretty calm. Um, zen, more than usual. No, I mean, listen, I love Ian, but he will drive me crazy. Because he is, um, he's too positive for, he's too, he's too glass half full. And I need some negativity in my life. So I would say like Ian, the answer is Ian.

• 50:39Speaker 00

  Why haven't you spoken to him in a week?

• 50:41Speaker 04

  I just, I don't know, I've been busy.

• 50:42Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 50:43Speaker 04

  I gotta call, should we call him?

• 50:44Speaker 00

  Please call him.

• 50:45Speaker 04

  We'll call him.

• 50:46Speaker 00

  Yeah, we'll call him, call him now.

• 50:47Speaker 04

  Should we call him?

• 50:47Speaker 00

  Yeah, just say, just tell him to say hi. Come on, Ian.

• 50:50Speaker 04

  All right, let's see if he picks, by the way, he never picks up the phone. Let's just see, maybe. Do I even have him, I don't even have him in my favorites. That just goes to show you how little.

• 50:57Speaker 00

  He's in my phone.

• 50:58Speaker 04

  No, I have him in my phone.

• 50:59Speaker 00

  Do you have him in his Ian Summer holder?

• 51:01Speaker 04

  Oh, my God, you're gonna laugh. I have him, I make fun of Ian's fedoras, his giant hats.

• 51:05Speaker 00

  Of course.

• 51:05Speaker 04

  I have a giant exaggerated fedora as his profile photo. He won't pick up. This is gonna piss me off. If you ask me what pissed me off, this is what's gonna piss me off.

• 51:14Speaker 00

  Like, I'm in the middle of a show.

• 51:16Speaker 04

  He never picks up.

• 51:17Speaker 00

  I feel like he would pick up. I think that's his personality.

• 51:21Speaker 04

  Ian, come on, pick up the phone.

• 51:22Speaker 00

  I feel like you're the one that wouldn't pick up.

• 51:23Speaker 04

  I'm the one, I definitely wouldn't.

• 51:24Speaker 03

  Your call has been forwarded to voicemail.

• 51:26Speaker 04

  Are you kidding me? This is what pisses me off.

• 51:31Speaker 00

  Ian, oh, wow. Okay, so he doesn't answer your calls often?

• 51:35Speaker 04

  No, he does. He's just, you know what? Ian's the kind of guy that like, he's like, literally will like, put his phone down and corner someone for like, three hours. And then you, no one can get ahold of him. And we're all just like, yeah.

• 51:45Speaker 00

  He's in one of those calls.

• 51:46Speaker 04

  He's very focused on what he's doing, which is probably a good thing. He's not a multitasker.

• 51:51Speaker 00

  Got it, okay, good.

• 52:00Speaker 00

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• 53:22Speaker 00

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• 53:41Speaker 03

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• 53:57Speaker 00

  Okay, what is something that gives your fiance Natalie the ick about you?

• 54:02Speaker 04

  Hmm.

• 54:03Speaker 00

  Hmm.

• 54:03Speaker 04

  Oh, um, I refuse to go to bed unless I have a humidifier and a sound machine.

• 54:11Speaker 00

  Oh, wow.

• 54:12Speaker 04

  So I have to travel with a humidifier and sound machine.

• 54:15Speaker 00

  You're high maintenance.

• 54:16Speaker 04

  I like good sleep, it sleeps important to me. Sleep's important to me.

• 54:20Speaker 00

  Do you do the mouth tape?

• 54:21Speaker 04

  No mouth tape.

• 54:22Speaker 00

  Okay. Eye, eye cover?

• 54:24Speaker 04

  Eye cover.

• 54:25Speaker 00

  Earplugs?

• 54:26Speaker 04

  Sometimes.

• 54:27Speaker 00

  Oh, you're strapped in.

• 54:28Speaker 04

  I'm strapped in. Natalie's like, I'm not feeling turned on right now. She's like, she's like, I look over at you, you have a mouthguard, a sleep mask, a white noise machine, and a humidifier blowing in our faces. She's like, Paul, can we just like, can you chill?

• 54:45Speaker 00

  Just tone it down.

• 54:46Speaker 04

  Can you just like, relax?

• 54:47Speaker 00

  Okay, this is a good visual to have.

• 54:49Speaker 04

  Yeah, or not.

• 54:50Speaker 00

  You know, yeah. Okay, what is the craziest thing a fan has sent you?

• 54:55Speaker 04

  I mean, I have a crazy story. I don't know if this is something that they've sent me, but one time I came home. I was living at the time in the Hollywood Hills. And I came home from a, um, this is kind of a weird, this is actually kind of creepy. I came home from something and it was like the middle of the night. And I remember like, at 11:00 PM, I pull up and I'm in, I don't live in this house anymore, so it's okay. But I pull up in the driveway and all of a sudden I see like, like nine suitcases in my driveway. Okay. And like, you know, those like, it was the weirdest thing. You know, like back in the day when women would go to the hairstylist and they had those bowls?

• 55:30Speaker 00

  Oh, yeah.

• 55:31Speaker 04

  What do they call them for, like a, like a?

• 55:33Speaker 00

  Yeah, like a perm bowl.

• 55:34Speaker 04

  Like a perm bowl.

• 55:34Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 55:35Speaker 04

  It was a perm bowl.

• 55:36Speaker 00

  In your driveway?

• 55:37Speaker 04

  In my driveway. I was like, why is there a perm bowl in my driveway? I was like, what is going on? And there was a fan there and she goes, hey. And I was like, can I help you? And she's like, I, we've been emailing, you told me I can move in. I, by the way, I swear to God. And I was like, what are you talking about? She's been, she was emailing with someone who thought she was pretending to be you. Was pretending to me and said that I, she can move into my home and she brought the perm bowl.

• 56:08Speaker 00

  I was gonna say, I don't know what's weirder, that she was ready to move in, not weird at all. She brought.

• 56:14Speaker 04

  The perm bowl was the thing that weirded me. The luggage, I was like, whatever, it's fine, we can deal with this. The perm bowl, I was like, why does that have to come with the?

• 56:21Speaker 00

  I love also that we're talking in a perm bowl.

• 56:23Speaker 04

  Yeah, or whatever, what is it?

• 56:24Speaker 00

  It's a dryer that is, when you're getting a perm.

• 56:28Speaker 00

  Paul, so what did you do?

• 56:30Speaker 04

  I just, I said, look, it's not me. I haven't been emailing, first of all, I was like, how do you know where I live? And she's like, what do you mean? Everyone knows. I was like, everyone knows. I was like, what are you talking about? So that was, yeah.

• 56:44Speaker 00

  Yeah, that's weird.

• 56:45Speaker 04

  That was weird.

• 56:46Speaker 00

  I also heard someone sent you a big, uh, box of sausages.

• 56:50Speaker 04

  Oh, yeah, yeah, someone did send me a big box of sausages. Thanks for reminding me. But yeah, no, I did, I did get sausages.

• 56:57Speaker 00

  And what, what did you take from that?

• 56:59Speaker 04

  I didn't eat the sausages. Yeah, I don't, I don't know if it was innuendo, if it was just, maybe it's because I'm Polish.

• 57:05Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 57:05Speaker 04

  Kyobasa.

• 57:07Speaker 00

  It will make you feel better if that was it.

• 57:08Speaker 04

  It was because of the kyobasa.

• 57:10Speaker 00

  Yeah, yeah, yeah.

• 57:10Speaker 04

  Maybe they were meant for Ian.

• 57:12Speaker 00

  So for Ian.

• 57:13Speaker 04

  They were so, they were like, get this to Ian. I was like, no, no worries. I'll get that over to him.

• 57:18Speaker 00

  Love Island, have you watched?

• 57:19Speaker 04

  I've never seen Love Island.

• 57:20Speaker 00

  So do you not know what the clam slam?

• 57:24Speaker 04

  I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. This is the weirdest thing I've ever heard in my life.

• 57:30Speaker 00

  If you had to think about like, all right, a clam slam.

• 57:32Speaker 04

  I, I, what? I don't even know where to.

• 57:36Speaker 00

  Start?

• 57:37Speaker 04

  Okay.

• 57:37Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 57:38Speaker 04

  Walk me through this.

• 57:40Speaker 00

  This is your new Madison beer.

• 57:41Speaker 04

  Okay.

• 57:42Speaker 00

  So everyone in the world is talking about like, the clam slam.

• 57:45Speaker 04

  Clearly not everyone in the world.

• 57:47Speaker 00

  But you know nothing, Paul.

• 57:48Speaker 04

  Okay, true.

• 57:49Speaker 00

  It's the clam slam that was heard around the world, basically.

• 57:51Speaker 04

  Okay.

• 57:52Speaker 00

  So there is this woman, Kenzie, and on Love Island.

• 57:55Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 57:56Speaker 00

  She could just be mid-conversation with you and then she just drops to the ground and she does a split.

• 58:06Speaker 00

  I'm seeing your face. Oh, my God, I'm laughing so hard. Paul, it's just a quick little one, two, boom, to the ground.

• 58:13Speaker 04

  I just snorted.

• 58:13Speaker 00

  And she.

• 58:13Speaker 04

  Um, what? I mean, this is so out of left field.

• 58:18Speaker 00

  I know.

• 58:19Speaker 04

  I don't even know.

• 58:20Speaker 00

  But I just didn't know, maybe you, Jersey, I don't know, like, do you know?

• 58:28Speaker 04

  Are you, what are you asking me?

• 58:31Speaker 00

  I guess I was wondering like as

• 58:33Speaker 04

  Have I seen a clam slam in the Jersey Shore? What?

• 58:36Speaker 00

  Have you ever seen a clam slam in real life? It's like

• 58:40Speaker 04

  I have never, I didn't even know, I don't even know where, I don't even know what to say. I'm, I've, I've met it for the first time in my li- life. I'm at a loss for words.

• 58:49Speaker 00

  I have not laughed this hard in an interview in so

• 58:50Speaker 04

  Yeah, no.

• 58:53Speaker 00

  Okay. So you've never witnessed a clam slam?

• 58:55Speaker 04

  No.

• 58:57Speaker 00

  Okay, okay, okay.

• 58:58Speaker 04

  In my mind now.

• 58:58Speaker 00

  No, this is good. This is good. Cause the Love Island fans are gonna love that. We're moving on. Um.

• 59:04Speaker 04

  Please.

• 59:07Speaker 00

  Kenzie's gonna love that one.

• 59:08Speaker 04

  Okay.

• 59:08Speaker 00

  Okay. Are you and Justin Bieber in any way related?

• 59:11Speaker 04

  I don't think so. I don't, not to my knowledge.

• 59:15Speaker 00

  You see people say you guys look like?

• 59:16Speaker 04

  Yeah. Not when, when I was younger. It is true. Yeah. I've seen some photos of, the fans have taken photos of the two of us and they put them, and yes, no.

• 59:25Speaker 00

  Have you ever met him?

• 59:28Speaker 04

  I don't think so.

• 59:29Speaker 00

  Okay. We gotta get that together.

• 59:30Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 59:31Speaker 00

  Okay. Someone who also looked like you. There was a Halloween costume situation.

• 59:37Speaker 04

  Oh, yeah.

• 59:39Speaker 00

  And

• 59:41Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 59:41Speaker 00

  I, I'm gonna have to find the pictures and put them up because when I was looking at them,

• 59:45Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 59:46Speaker 00

  that it is so insane.

• 59:48Speaker 04

  It's unbelievable.

• 59:49Speaker 00

  Can you talk, tell the story to everyone watching of like, what happened, Paul?

• 59:53Speaker 04

  Right. Well, I just, I don't even know how they came to my, like, how did I, how I learned about them. But effectively, like, I just started getting word of these, that I was, people were like, hey, man, like, didn't know you were doing Halloween costumes now. And I was like, what? Like, what are you talking about? Like, yeah, yeah. My sister just saw you in the Halloween store. And like, yeah, man, like you're

• 1:00:18Speaker 04

  hard on cash? Like, what's going on? I was like, what is, so I was like, somebody find me these Halloween costumes. And then suddenly fans started sending them to me. People online were like, hey, Paul, I just saw you at this Halloween store. And they would send me photos. And so I got wind of these Halloween costumes that are so unbelievable, um, because they're so awful, where they just literally took my face. And they would put them on various, it's almost like a comedy. They would put me in like various positions, like, you know, like Luigi, but then like the, the mustache was upside down. And then they'd be like, warrior, warrior, uh, you know, zen warrior master. And it was like me in a robe.

• 1:00:59Speaker 04

  And I called my lawyer and I'm like, what can I do about this? Like, there's Halloween costumes with my I was like, one, there was one with me with a sombrero. It was like unbelievable. And I was like, where did they come up with these ideas? Anyway, I had a few people bring them to me. Like, I actually have them, physically have them. So anyway, my lawyer found out the company that was making the Halloween costumes. And she was like, hey, cease and desist. Like, what are you doing? Like, you cannot use my client's face. And they were like, we have no idea what you're talking about. They're like, this is not, this is someone that looks like Paul Wesley. This is not Paul Wesley. Like, this is, uh, and, and it's literally my face. And my, I'm like, what do we do? She's like, we don't, it's a company out of like, the company's based in China.

• 1:01:43Speaker 04

  Like, we don't know how to get, we don't know what to do. So to my knowledge, they're still producing these Halloween costumes.

• 1:01:49Speaker 00

  Oh, Paul Wesley's still out there.

• 1:01:50Speaker 04

  He's out there, like, and I'm, it's like G I Joe. And there's always a new one. There's like Doctor. And then it's like, but then it's like my, like, my hands are huge, but then I have these like short legs. It's like the weirdest, it's like, they're like the worst Halloween costumes ever.

• 1:02:04Speaker 00

  I, so you just keep seeing like every Halloween?

• 1:02:07Speaker 04

  There's like a new, I'm, I'm playing, it's like, it's like cosplay. Like, I'm playing a new character.

• 1:02:12Speaker 00

  Oh my God. And so you have no compensation for this?

• 1:02:14Speaker 04

  No compen- by the way, I should be getting tons of compensation.

• 1:02:17Speaker 00

  The sales are through the roof.

• 1:02:18Speaker 04

  Through the roof. Okay.

• 1:02:20Speaker 00

  That's really weird.

• 1:02:21Speaker 04

  Yeah. Yeah.

• 1:02:23Speaker 00

  Can you, this is, this is a really big question.

• 1:02:26Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 1:02:26Speaker 00

  So I need you to lock in.

• 1:02:27Speaker 04

  Okay.

• 1:02:28Speaker 00

  Can you

• 1:02:28Speaker 04

  I'm still thrown off from the clam slam, but I'm still recovering, by the way. Like, I'm frazzled.

• 1:02:34Speaker 00

  Well, I started sweating. I was laughing so hard.

• 1:02:37Speaker 04

  Yeah, me too. I snorted. I don't snort.

• 1:02:40Speaker 00

  The clam slam?

• 1:02:41Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 1:02:41Speaker 00

  Will go down. You know what the clam slam?

• 1:02:44Speaker 04

  Yeah, it will.

• 1:02:45Speaker 00

  This is a perfect

• 1:02:45Speaker 04

  Literally.

• 1:02:48Speaker 00

  This is, this is a good transition from the clam slam.

• 1:02:51Speaker 04

  Okay.

• 1:02:52Speaker 00

  It's kind of same caliber.

• 1:02:54Speaker 04

  Okay.

• 1:02:56Speaker 00

  Lock in.

• 1:02:56Speaker 04

  Okay.

• 1:02:57Speaker 00

  Can you define Stefussy?

• 1:03:06Speaker 04

  I gotta lock in.

• 1:03:07Speaker 00

  Yep. That's what I, I said, take your time.

• 1:03:10Speaker 04

  I gotta take my time with this.

• 1:03:11Speaker 00

  You need a water break, whatever you gotta do.

• 1:03:12Speaker 04

  It's a bit, it's a bit, uh, it's a bit of an enigma. It, it really is.

• 1:03:19Speaker 04

  I was doing the Q and A. Uh, as you know, the infamous Q and A. And, um, and one of the questions, someone called me a Stefussy.

• 1:03:31Speaker 04

  And I was like,

• 1:03:34Speaker 04

  I am gonna answer that question. They say, I think they said, are you a Stefussy? Or something like that.

• 1:03:41Speaker 04

  And I was like, I'm gonna answer it. Cause I could choose the questions, you know? So I willingly chose that question. I was like, I think this is a good idea. This is a good one to answer. And I, uh, and I was like, uh, and I don't remember, I somehow was like, yeah, I guess I am a Stefussy. And somehow this became the greatest, like now, when I walk down the street, I swear to God, people aren't like, hey, Paul, or like, hey, you know, Stefan from the Vampire Diaries, or whatever, any other thing. They're just like, what's up, Stefussy? So now for the rest of my life, I am a Stefussy. Because I, someone asked me if I was a Stefussy on my Q and A.

• 1:04:22Speaker 00

  Paul?

• 1:04:23Speaker 04

  So

• 1:04:24Speaker 00

  Paul?

• 1:04:25Speaker 04

  If you want, you tell me what a Stefussy is.

• 1:04:27Speaker 00

  I have no idea.

• 1:04:28Speaker 04

  Nor do I.

• 1:04:29Speaker 00

  I can't even.

• 1:04:31Speaker 04

  Like, we kinda maybe understand what it's like.

• 1:04:34Speaker 00

  It's groundbreaking.

• 1:04:35Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 1:04:35Speaker 00

  It's almost better to not define it.

• 1:04:36Speaker 04

  It's almost better to not define it because it could be whatever it is for anyone.

• 1:04:40Speaker 00

  And we can't put it in a box.

• 1:04:41Speaker 04

  Exactly. We can't put it in a box. Yeah.

• 1:04:45Speaker 00

  Wow.

• 1:04:45Speaker 04

  Yeah. And by the way, I keep waiting for it to fade. I'm like, surely in time, I will no longer be Stefussy.

• 1:04:53Speaker 00

  You're on Call or Daddy?

• 1:04:54Speaker 04

  It's been years.

• 1:04:55Speaker 00

  Stefussy question.

• 1:04:56Speaker 04

  Oh, no, no, it's been years.

• 1:04:57Speaker 00

  Yeah, yeah, yeah.

• 1:04:58Speaker 04

  It will not leave me.

• 1:04:59Speaker 00

  But you did it to yourself.

• 1:05:00Speaker 04

  I did it to myself.

• 1:05:01Speaker 00

  You almost wonder

• 1:05:04Speaker 00

  who, who was that person?

• 1:05:07Speaker 04

  Who, and, and are they pissed that they are not getting the credit?

• 1:05:09Speaker 00

  The credit. Come forward.

• 1:05:11Speaker 04

  And how do you prove? How do you prove it?

• 1:05:12Speaker 00

  How do you prove? Who came up with Stefussy?

• 1:05:15Speaker 04

  Some genius. Some genius. I'm, who knows? Who knows?

• 1:05:21Speaker 00

  We're gonna circle back to that.

• 1:05:22Speaker 04

  We will.

• 1:05:23Speaker 00

  I have a question.

• 1:05:24Speaker 04

  Yes.

• 1:05:25Speaker 00

  Even though obviously you touched on this way earlier, but I still have to ask. When you and Nina started Vampire Diaries and you were like, we hate each other. How did you? When you look back, how did you two come together and make it look so good on camera? Cause I'm like,

• 1:05:43Speaker 04

  Just, you know, just for the record, it's not that it was like, we immediately were like, I hate you. It wasn't like that. We were like, actually great. And then it was just like, we would have these like, it's slowly, you know, it was like, first of all, we were all in our twenties. I was, I will take a lot of responsibility because I was a bit of a curmudgeonly. I was like a bit of a grumpy, pain in the ass. I was like, I'm taking my acting seriously.

• 1:06:10Speaker 00

  Yeah, I heard you were a little intense.

• 1:06:11Speaker 04

  No phones on set, nah, nah, nah. Like, I was a little bit, I was a little bit intense. I was a little bit intense. And then, you know, everyone else was like a little bit more chill. And so I think I'm gonna take a lot of responsibility for being a bit of a pain in the ass.

• 1:06:26Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 1:06:27Speaker 04

  All right. So that's, that's, that's number one. And so, but we were both professional and we both knew, and the work mattered to us. So regardless, so we would, we would like butt heads on set, but then the minute the cameras rolled, it was like, we knew we wanted to make it magical. And like, some actors just, you can be like, have two really good actors and the chemistry isn't there. For whatever reason, Nina and I had this chemistry. And I remember when I was auditioning for the Vampire Diaries, um, screen testing for it, it was like me and nine other guys. And I remember like, all these guys were like, you know, kinda kissing your ass, trying to like, you know, whatever.

• 1:07:10Speaker 04

  And I remember I just was like, I'm not gonna look at her. I'm not gonna look at her. I'm not even gonna acknowledge her because I wanna meet her in the audition. I wanna meet her for the first time in the audition. And that, cause our scene was us meeting for the first time. And I just remember being in the audition at Warner Brothers, like in front of all the executives and just like, we looked at each other. And it was just like this immediate chemistry and we were these two characters. And it just was magical. And so regardless of us not like getting along, it somehow clicked. I don't know. I guess I didn't really answer your question.

• 1:07:42Speaker 00

  No, like, when did you guys start to be like, okay, like, maybe we can be friends? Like, was it like season one, we were like?

• 1:07:47Speaker 04

  You know what? No, it was like, season, I, it was like season, so her last season was season six.

• 1:07:54Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 1:07:55Speaker 04

  And I remember, yeah, yeah. Her, the, and then five minutes before she left, no. No, and I just remember like in, during season six, I remember we like, we all kinda grew up and I chilled out and I was like, less of a pain in the ass. And I just remember looking at her and I was like, you know what, Nina? She's, I was like, you're gonna miss me one day. I said that to her. I was like, you're gonna miss me one day. And she's like, Maybe, maybe. And I remember like then like she and then like years, like two years went by and we kind of kept in touch and then she came back to do the finale. And I like, and we like hadn't worked together in two years and I like, we like looked at each other and I was like, I was like, I missed you. You know what I mean? Like I missed her. Like I missed

• 1:08:38Speaker 04

  having her around and then, and then like it was like just, and then to this day, she's always like, I remember you said to me, uh, you're gonna, you're gonna miss me one day. And you know what? You were right. Like you were right. And it was like, it's just like this thing that just like slowly happens.

• 1:08:52Speaker 00

  Well, you know what's also cool about that? And yeah, cause I remember talking to Neen about it. It's like the amount of episodes that you guys were doing, TV shows don't really do it like that anymore. Like how many were in a season?

• 1:09:03Speaker 04

  Twenty-two. Sometimes we would do 23.

• 1:09:05Speaker 00

  I wish we could go back to those days so I could just binge it all. But now there's like eight. But like that amount, you guys were together so much. And so sometimes you almost like don't recognize what you have until it's gone kind of thing.

• 1:09:16Speaker 04

  Absolutely. And I also think like it's different environments. Like you're, you're, there was a lot of stress, you know, and you're young and like, there was this whole like, you know, this was like very pop culture, you know, like we were like at the forefront. It was very different from like having like a success in like a prestige show where it's like, yeah, people know you, but you don't have like screaming, you know, uh, fans. And we had this like a lot of pressure and it kind of like, we just didn't know. I, I'm gonna speak for myself. I didn't know how to handle it in a way that was like, like really mature.

• 1:09:47Speaker 00

  Yeah. I was gonna ask, like the becoming so famous and having such a fandom, like, how, how did you feel about it in the beginning? And how did you like navigate that?

• 1:10:00Speaker 04

  I was really, uh, uh, very deeply uncomfortable. Um, truthfully, and I'm not just saying that's like, oh, humility. Like I genuinely like was deeply uncomfortable and I kind of like turned into like a bit of a recluse. Like I didn't go out that much. I didn't do that much. And thank God we were in a, in a way, thank God we were in Atlanta because we were kind of like separated from the Hollywood and all the parties and all the nonsense. And so, but I definitely like sort of like tried to hide under a rock a little bit, you know? Um, and I didn't like luxuriate in that moment. Cause this is such a special time, you know? Acting is such a difficult career and like to have something that's successful that people love and people like look forward to is such a

• 1:10:42Speaker 04

  privilege, you know? And I didn't take it for, it's not that I didn't, I, I, I didn't take it for granted, but I definitely, the things that came with it, I didn't enjoy them. Whereas now I'd be like, this is awesome, you know? But at the time I just didn't, I wasn't equipped. Yeah.

• 1:10:57Speaker 00

  Did you guys in Atlanta, like, would you guys hang out and like go to bars all together? Cause you're together 24/7. Were you able to go out?

• 1:11:05Speaker 04

  Yeah, yeah. It was, we had like our one bar that was like our stomping ground. That was like our bar. And it was, it doesn't exist anymore, but it was called Krog Bar. And it was this tiny little bar. It was like a wine bar and we took it over every Friday night, every Saturday night. It was like our thing. The all, the whole cast would go, the crew would go. And that was like, and nobody else would, and like, nobody else really went. And that was like our thing and we didn't really go anywhere else.

• 1:11:32Speaker 00

  Oh my God, that makes us, that makes me really happy.

• 1:11:43Speaker 00

  Call Her Daddy is brought to you by American Eagle. Okay. So fall is almost here and the new arrivals from American Eagle, kind of obsessed. We're talking sweet dresses, soft sweaters you'll want to live in, on trend jeans and cargos you'll want to wear on repeat. And if you see a style you love, grab it now because you already know the good stuff doesn't stay in stock for long. You can check it all out at ae.com or just go to the store. Call Her Daddy is brought to you by Pandora Jewelry. I love to accessorize my outfits with jewelry, obviously. And I feel like all the time, depending on my outfit, it's going to be kind of dependent on what jewelry I'm wanting to wear

• 1:12:25Speaker 00

  that day. Discover Pandora Talisman, a new collection designed to help you express every side of who you are. Because the most powerful statement you can make is being yourself, obviously. Daddy Gang, they have meaningful Zodiac symbols and personalized jewelry pieces. Each design tells a story that's uniquely yours, a reflection of what you stand for, what you believe, and how you choose to show up every day. Pandora Talisman, a new language of self-expression, because every version of you deserves to be seen. Shop new styles in store or online at pandora.net. Okay, Stefan, rock in. If Stefan had told Elena in season one that he stalked her because she looked like Catherine, do you think their relationship would have survived?

• 1:13:09Speaker 04

  Probably. It's kind of creepy, kind of weird. No, I don't think it would have.

• 1:13:13Speaker 00

  Okay. Did Stefan and Caroline's relationship feel like a natural evolution to you?

• 1:13:17Speaker 04

  Not really.

• 1:13:19Speaker 00

  I agree. I, I, I didn't need that. Do you think he should have ended up with Caroline or Elena?

• 1:13:25Speaker 04

  I think the brothers should have died together and he should have ended up with no one.

• 1:13:29Speaker 00

  Oh my God.

• 1:13:30Speaker 04

  Morbid. Ian feels the same.

• 1:13:33Speaker 00

  Wow. Have you guys talked about that a lot?

• 1:13:37Speaker 04

  Oh yeah. Ian's like, I wish I died with you. He's like so upset.

• 1:13:43Speaker 00

  So you guys though?

• 1:13:44Speaker 04

  He's so upset.

• 1:13:45Speaker 00

  Oh wow. Okay. I'm glad you guys agree though. Um, did you ever take anything from set?

• 1:13:50Speaker 04

  Yes. I took the daylight ring.

• 1:13:55Speaker 04

  And then I lost it.

• 1:13:56Speaker 00

  Paul.

• 1:13:57Speaker 04

  Can you believe it? Ian still has.

• 1:13:59Speaker 00

  Paul.

• 1:13:59Speaker 04

  I took a pair of jeans. They still have Stefan on them.

• 1:14:02Speaker 00

  They had them engraved Stefan?

• 1:14:05Speaker 04

  No, just so they wouldn't get mixed up with Damon's.

• 1:14:07Speaker 00

  Oh, like on the back?

• 1:14:08Speaker 04

  Yeah. No, in the inside, they put Stefan.

• 1:14:11Speaker 00

  You lost your ring?

• 1:14:12Speaker 04

  I lost my ring.

• 1:14:13Speaker 00

  So you guys can't like go to events and wear your rings together? You need to get like one.

• 1:14:16Speaker 04

  We would do that anyway. Come on. Go to events and wear my ring?

• 1:14:21Speaker 00

  Me literally going, oh, but, but you have them and Ian, Ian puts his on, no?

• 1:14:27Speaker 04

  Oh, Ian's like, oh, I have my ring on just to give him a taste of Damon. I was like, you're a loser.

• 1:14:34Speaker 00

  But you're also secretly like, I wish I had mine.

• 1:14:35Speaker 04

  But I secretly am jealous.

• 1:14:36Speaker 00

  We need to, he needs to get you one made for your birthday.

• 1:14:39Speaker 04

  Yes.

• 1:14:40Speaker 00

  I'll work on that. Um, okay. Who do you identify most within real life? Stefan, Silas, or Tom Avery?

• 1:14:50Speaker 04

  Uh, Silas.

• 1:14:53Speaker 00

  That is such a good segue to the next one.

• 1:14:55Speaker 04

  I got.

• 1:14:56Speaker 00

  Where do you stand with Matt Donovan today?

• 1:15:01Speaker 04

  I firstly, love Zach Rourke, who played Matt Donovan. I have a, um, my whole gag with Matt Donovan, the whole reason I'm always giving Matt Donovan shit is because Matt Donovan was the only human. He's the only mortal. Okay. And he's the only one that like didn't die.

• 1:15:20Speaker 00

  How did he not die?

• 1:15:21Speaker 04

  And I'm like, how did Stefan die like nine times? And then like, how did Elena, he also, there's this one scene where like Stefan, I don't know if you remember this, like Elena's drowning in a car with Matt Donovan. And Stefan's like this immortal vampire. And I'm like, I'm gonna go save the love of my life. And he dives down there and he's like trying to get her out. And she's like, no, no, no, don't save me. Save Matt Donovan. And Matt, and, and Stefan's like, okay. And then he just takes Matt Donovan and she drowns. So like, I have this like, you know, I'm like, what is going on? Okay.

• 1:15:55Speaker 00

  Wait, I forgot that it was Matt Donovan in the car.

• 1:15:58Speaker 04

  That's my whole beef. That's my beef.

• 1:16:00Speaker 00

  Wait, that was so unbelievable. But it was cause like Elena felt bad for Matt Donovan. Everyone felt bad.

• 1:16:06Speaker 04

  Whatever. Imagine. Are you kidding me? Like, what? No.

• 1:16:10Speaker 00

  We don't care about Matt.

• 1:16:11Speaker 04

  We don't, we do not, I mean, we love, we love Matt. Look, Matt was an instrumental character and we love Matt Donovan, but we will, the love of my life here. Come on. I'm gonna say, I'm not gonna save the sheriff.

• 1:16:22Speaker 00

  And you save Matt Donovan.

• 1:16:24Speaker 04

  And let her drown. Okay. So to this day, it's a big problem for me.

• 1:16:28Speaker 00

  As it should be.

• 1:16:29Speaker 04

  Thank you.

• 1:16:30Speaker 00

  What storyline could you just not get behind still? Still?

• 1:16:35Speaker 04

  Um, oh God, there were so many storylines because we did like 170 episodes. It's like, it's like my brain is like, it's all just like this mishmash. Yeah. I mean, there was a couple, what? There was like these, what, what, what did they have? These, these, um, gosh, you know the show better than me. I've never even seen the show. They had these, um, I've never seen it. I've, I've seen, I've seen the first couple of episodes and then I directed a few episodes. I, I watched the episodes I directed. I've never seen the show otherwise. So I actually don't remember.

• 1:17:06Speaker 00

  Oh, we gotta do like a rewatch.

• 1:17:08Speaker 04

  Should we wear daylight rings?

• 1:17:10Speaker 00

  Wait, you know, you want to make some bank?

• 1:17:13Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 1:17:13Speaker 00

  You and Ian rewatch podcast Vampire Diaries.

• 1:17:19Speaker 04

  I, that, that would probably do well.

• 1:17:21Speaker 00

  Call me.

• 1:17:22Speaker 04

  I'll call you. Can we like do a?

• 1:17:24Speaker 00

  Yeah, we'll do a whole thing. Yeah. I got a whole, I got a whole studio for you. We'll make it look like Mystic Falls.

• 1:17:29Speaker 04

  Okay, let's discuss. We'll talk.

• 1:17:31Speaker 00

  We're gonna do a whole thing.

• 1:17:32Speaker 04

  We'll talk offline.

• 1:17:33Speaker 00

  We're gonna get everyone too excited. So now you actually have to do it.

• 1:17:36Speaker 04

  That is true.

• 1:17:36Speaker 00

  You can't fall through. Let's talk about your love life.

• 1:17:39Speaker 04

  Okay.

• 1:17:41Speaker 00

  You got engaged last summer?

• 1:17:43Speaker 04

  Yes.

• 1:17:43Speaker 00

  Last summer? Congratulations. You guys met in the wild, which is like, so few people meet in the wild now. So can you indulge us? Like, how did you guys meet?

• 1:17:52Speaker 04

  You know what's funny? Uh, Ian was there.

• 1:17:54Speaker 00

  Of course he was there.

• 1:17:56Speaker 04

  Ian was there. I, so it was, there was, uh, we were promoting Brothers Bond.

• 1:18:00Speaker 00

  Okay.

• 1:18:01Speaker 04

  And my buddy owned a bar. The bar doesn't exist anymore sadly in the East Village. And he said, hey, pop into our bar and like, we'll, we'll get you guys a Brothers Bond cocktail and we'll, you know, you know, whatever, shoot a few photos for us, like get us impressed for the bar and like, we'll, we'll support Brothers Bond. And he's a good friend of mine. I was like, yeah, of course. Let's do it. So we were like, Ian and I were in New York and, um, and I was like, let's pop into this bar. So we went to the bar in the East Village and, um, we were shooting some content and stuff. And I had a couple of other friends meet me there and, um, and I just see this beautiful woman sitting there and I was like, Who's this like hot girl?

• 1:18:41Speaker 00

  Right.

• 1:18:41Speaker 04

  I was like, I, and I looked at her and I was like, okay, I don't want to be creepy. I'm not going to look. And but then I saw her look at me and I was like, aha. It's like, okay, so clearly there's like some, something's going on. So I was like, I'm just gonna go. And I never like, I like, I like, don't hit on girls. It's like, not my thing. I'm terrible at it and I, whatever. So I was like, I'm just gonna go there and I'm just gonna like, say hi. And thank God, my friend who owns the bar happened to be there. And I walk over and he's like, hey, and he's like, hey, by the way, have you met Natalie? And she was right there. So thank God he introduced us because it probably would have been a disaster if I just like cold, you know, whatever.

• 1:19:16Speaker 00

  Yeah, yeah, yeah.

• 1:19:16Speaker 04

  And I said, hey, nice to meet you. We started talking and found out she was from Europe as well. She spoke five languages. Um, I speak two languages. And we started talking and then just like, um, just really hit it off. And that was it. That was kind of like, you know, and then just like, I left the next day, actually. We just like exchanged numbers and I left, I left for Europe. I went on a guys' trip to Europe, to Italy, funnily enough. And then, um, we just were texting and I would send her some pics from Italy. And then I got back to New York and she was still there. And then I asked her out on a date when I got back, because we had been texting for like a few weeks.

• 1:19:52Speaker 00

  And then fast forward, you're now engaged.

• 1:19:54Speaker 04

  And now we're engaged.

• 1:19:55Speaker 00

  How, how was the proposal? Were you stressed? Did you put a lot of thought behind it?

• 1:20:00Speaker 04

  I, I, I put some thought behind it because, um, so I had to go to, um, what, once we started dating, we hadn't been dating for very long. And I had to go to Italy for, um, I was doing a, uh, there's a, there's a magazine called, um, Icon. Uh, it's an Italian, whatever. It's a cool fashion mag and I did the cover and we were doing a launch party in Rome. And, um, they were like, you can bring a guest if you want. And we kind of like, we'd only been seeing each other for a little bit. And I said, hey, do you want to come with me to this, to Rome? And she's like, sure. So, um, it was in October, all the hotels were closing. I was like, let's rent a car and drive down, um, to the Amalfi Coast. Like, let's just go see, like, I didn't book anything. And there was, there's a hotel down there, Belmont, uh, Caruso, it's called.

• 1:20:42Speaker 04

  And it was the final day before the closing for the season, the final two days. So we, and I booked a room and I was like, we had the hotel for ourselves. And we had this like magical time there and really kind of like fell in love. And, um, so I thought, so I thought, why don't I contact the hotel? This is years later when I went to proposal and tell them the story that, and, and tell them I want to propose there. And so I contacted the Belmont, I said, hey, this was like our first trip together and I want to make it special. And they were so awesome. This, uh, this girl, um, actually her name's Elena, funnily enough, who works, uh, at the Belmont. Uh, now she works for a different company, but at the time she worked for Belmont. She's like, of course, I'm gonna make it really special.

• 1:21:25Speaker 04

  So she set up this, um, we, we sort of talked about it on our last night there. I took her to the Belmont and on our last night there, there's this like private Olive Grove. And she set up this long table with candles and a private chef. And I, and I tricked Natalie, I was like, hey, you know, the Belmont wants to do like a goodbye, like a goodbye dinner for us because it's our last night here. And she's like, oh, that's so nice. I was like, dress, yeah, dress nicely, like, you know, I was like, I was like, and I kind of like made it, um, you know, like it was them, like the Belmont did this and not me. And then we got there and she was kind of suspect. And then, of course, that's when she realized, um, and then I pop a question, that's when she realized like, oh, this was a setup, Paul set this whole thing up.

• 1:22:09Speaker 00

  Paul?

• 1:22:09Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 1:22:09Speaker 00

  That is so romantic.

• 1:22:11Speaker 04

  Yeah, it was, it was really sweet.

• 1:22:12Speaker 00

  Wow. It's also so sweet to like connect it to an early core memory that you guys had together and then bring it back.

• 1:22:18Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 1:22:19Speaker 00

  Wow.

• 1:22:20Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 1:22:20Speaker 00

  Oh my God, I'm so happy for you.

• 1:22:21Speaker 04

  Thank you.

• 1:22:22Speaker 00

  Well, you have a lot to look forward to. You are starring in season four

• 1:22:27Speaker 04

  Yes.

• 1:22:27Speaker 00

  of Star Trek Strange New Worlds.

• 1:22:29Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 1:22:30Speaker 00

  Can you give fans anything? Like, what can we expect?

• 1:22:34Speaker 04

  Um, so I love this show so much. Um, and I, I play a young James Kirk, which, you know, is one of the most iconic characters like in the history of television. So obviously it was like a huge honor for me to be, um, given this role. Um, and you know, what I love about our show is that it, it pays homage to the original TOS from the 1960s, which is such a important, um, iconic piece of television history and so important to so many people. While we also pay homage, homage to that, but we also kind of create our own spin, our, our modernized spin. And we sort of like, we tell the story pre Enterprise. So this is Kirk, um, James Kirk before he was captain. He's Lieutenant Kirk.

• 1:23:18Speaker 04

  He's not as like, he's not, it's like the genesis of who he is. But it's really about like the, the, the crew that was on the Enterprise prior to James Kirk taking the helm as captain. And this show is like, it's this beautifully imaginative, adventurous, um, cinematic, uh, series that has humor and heart. And, um, we explore all different genres. And if you watch, sorry if I'm blabbing.

• 1:23:46Speaker 00

  No, you're good.

• 1:23:47Speaker 04

  I love, I love this show, so I can like go on about it. Um, what I love about the original series about Star Trek is that it is so optimistic. It is so filled with imagination and our show is exactly that. It's like this, every episode is like, kind of like individual. You can enjoy them like individually because they all have their own like, sort of like story of the week. But there's this beautiful through line with all the relationships and all the characters. And I don't know, we're just really proud of it. We, we, we, we want people to tune in.

• 1:24:17Speaker 00

  I know, of course, as you should be proud of it. Also, it's so cool, like being a part of such a huge franchise, obviously. I, and now obviously knowing you and knowing how much you take your craft really seriously. It's so cool to hear you also talk about like recognizing what was so well done before.

• 1:24:35Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 1:24:35Speaker 00

  And still having the respect for that and also leaning into a new version and finding a way to bring that to life while still.

• 1:24:42Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 1:24:42Speaker 00

  It's really cool.

• 1:24:43Speaker 04

  Yeah, I'm proud, I'm proud. It's a lot of pressure, obviously, because like William Shatner, it's like, I'm not, you know, it's like.

• 1:24:48Speaker 00

  No pressure.

• 1:24:49Speaker 04

  He is, yeah, exactly.

• 1:24:51Speaker 00

  Um, Kirk's look is quite, you know, the switch up from Stefan's, like, talk to me about that costume.

• 1:24:59Speaker 04

  Well, I mean, it's the Starfleet uniform. It's like, it's, it's very, um, everyone's kind of wearing the same thing. Although I will say, when he's, um, when he's not on the ship, you do see him in some civilian clothing. But like, um, you know, it's definitely a switch up. Like, it's definitely, and I sort of lean into this sort of, um, you know, Kirk can be interpreted in so many different ways. And my interpretation of Kirk is like a little bit more, less of the kind of, you know, machismo kind of like ladies man that sort of like is in pop culture. And he's more of like, kind of this, I wouldn't say like bookish, but he's definitely like a little bit more of the

• 1:25:40Speaker 04

  sort of, not nerdy Kirk, but like, like still coming of age Kirk. Like still trying to find out how to be like a captain, you know what I mean?

• 1:25:51Speaker 00

  That's what I love so much about, like, obviously everything you've done so far. Like, this is so different from Stefan.

• 1:25:57Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 1:25:57Speaker 00

  And then even this, I feel like is so different from what you're about to do on the show that we're making.

• 1:26:02Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 1:26:02Speaker 00

  Because the character on You Deserve to Know, like, your character is pretty sus.

• 1:26:09Speaker 04

  Yeah. And like, you know, when you're, when you're, when you're get cast in a show or when you're, um, when you're starring in a show that has become so popular, it is so difficult to break away from that image, right? Like, that's such a thing. Like, it's like a CW thing too, I feel like, or even like Friends or whatever. And so like my whole goal ever since I ended, um, uh, my work on The Vampire Diaries has been like, what can I do that's the opposite of Stefan? Like, how can I possibly, how can I differentiate myself? Because I don't want to be, you know, I mean, now I am, now I am Stefussy.

• 1:26:42Speaker 00

  You were forever Stefussy.

• 1:26:43Speaker 04

  At least I have that going for me.

• 1:26:45Speaker 00

  No, no, no, that is like in the Hall of Fame. Like Stefan Salvatore is kind of yet to the wayside.

• 1:26:50Speaker 04

  It's sort of like in the shadows, right?

• 1:26:52Speaker 00

  It's kind of not a big deal.

• 1:26:53Speaker 04

  It's not a big deal anymore.

• 1:26:53Speaker 00

  It's Stefussy through and through, but that's not even like a television character now. So now you can focus on Kirk, you can focus on, you know, our new show. Stefan's over there, but it is Stefussy is kind of like the top co. And then we have all these little things.

• 1:27:06Speaker 04

  It's like unwell, right? And then it's like, we have, yeah, there's a bunch of different, and it's like, Stefussy. And then within that is, you know.

• 1:27:14Speaker 00

  That needs to be on your trailer.

• 1:27:16Speaker 04

  Yeah.

• 1:27:17Speaker 00

  I'm gonna make sure that's on your trailer.

• 1:27:19Speaker 04

  Please.

• 1:27:19Speaker 00

  Do you have anything weird on your rider? Like, should I know about anything? Not that I'm gonna be filling your trailer.

• 1:27:23Speaker 04

  On my rider?

• 1:27:24Speaker 00

  No, no, yeah, like, you know.

• 1:27:25Speaker 04

  Oh, you mean like, we, we just, we want this kind of shit?

• 1:27:27Speaker 00

  Yeah, like, what's on your rider?

• 1:27:28Speaker 04

  No, should I start being that guy?

• 1:27:29Speaker 00

  I don't know.

• 1:27:30Speaker 04

  I feel like Ian would have good shit in his rider. I feel like he would have like hair, mirrors and hair products and a cowboy fedoras.

• 1:27:36Speaker 00

  You don't ask for anything?

• 1:27:37Speaker 04

  I don't ask for any, I, I'm gonna start. What should I ask for?

• 1:27:40Speaker 00

  You need to put a rider together and we're gonna make sure.

• 1:27:43Speaker 04

  What do you ask for?

• 1:27:44Speaker 00

  I asked for like Sour Patch and like

• 1:27:46Speaker 04

  No shit.

• 1:27:47Speaker 00

  iced tea.

• 1:27:48Speaker 04

  You can do that.

• 1:27:49Speaker 00

  Oh my God, yeah. Before I was pregnant, I'd have like Casamigos Reposado in there if I need a little hit.

• 1:27:54Speaker 04

  Brothers Bond.

• 1:27:55Speaker 00

  Brothers Bond. I told you, when you gave me that bottle.

• 1:27:58Speaker 04

  By the way, you loved it.

• 1:27:59Speaker 00

  Matt and I drank it. We were like, oh, and then it was so nice because like it was really good. And I was like, okay, now I can actually like look at them in the eyes and be like, no, no, no, you're right.

• 1:28:07Speaker 04

  You don't have to, you don't have to pretend.

• 1:28:08Speaker 00

  It was delicious. Okay, so we'll work on your rider.

• 1:28:10Speaker 04

  Yeah, please.

• 1:28:11Speaker 00

  Um, Paul, this has been so fun.

• 1:28:13Speaker 04

  Such a pleasure.

• 1:28:14Speaker 00

  I am so, like, I love getting to talk to people who have such a good personality. And you are one of those people

• 1:28:21Speaker 04

  Oh, thanks.

• 1:28:21Speaker 00

  where I could talk to you for forever. But the range in this episode, from Jersey Shore, from Donnie, then we had this Stefussy.

• 1:28:29Speaker 04

  We got Clam Slam. We got, yeah.

• 1:28:32Speaker 00

  How is this episode not called Stefussy and the Clam Slam?

• 1:28:36Speaker 04

  It has to be.

• 1:28:37Speaker 00

  Your publicist is gonna love.

• 1:28:39Speaker 04

  Spinoff, yeah. They're gonna, Stephussy and the Clam Slam.

• 1:28:42Speaker 00

  They're like, what is this?

• 1:28:44Speaker 04

  They're like, Paul, what have you done? Yeah.

• 1:28:47Speaker 00

  Paul, this was, we were going on here with a vision and you went completely the opposite.

• 1:28:52Speaker 04

  Yeah, we went off on a tangent.

• 1:28:53Speaker 00

  No, it was so, so fun getting to sit with you and talk with you. And I, you know, I'm a big fan and all the things. So like, thank you for your time.

• 1:29:01Speaker 04

  Thank you so much. Thanks for having me.

• 1:29:18Speaker 00

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