“There’s a line from the play that Sidney says— ‘The why of why we are here is an intrigue for adolescents; the how is what must command the living.’ I don’t know the why, but the how is while we’re here, you have a chance to do what’s before you with all your might and to commit to things. The play is very much about continuing to put yourself out there.”
-Oscar Isaac, episode 334 of Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
Today, we’re joined by Oscar Isaac in New York City! At the top, we discuss the past six months of his performance in The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window (5:10), the play’s timeless writing (6:55), and the legacy of the great Lorraine Hansberry (11:27). Then, Isaac reflects on growing up in the early ‘80s (12:47), his punk-rock salad days in high school (18:05) and then Juilliard (27:45), and the inspiration behind his breakout role in Inside Llewyn Davis (30:54).
On the back-half, we talk about grieving through Hamlet (36:54), a guiding piece of poetry from Jeremy Strong (39:49), the pre-show ritual he continues today (41:09), a formative Bible passage (45:57), and how he embraces the present moment (50:57).
Show-notes:
- See Oscar in The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window on Broadway.
- Watch his previous work in Scenes from a Marriage, Dune, The Card Counter, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Ex Machina, A Most Violent Year, and Inside Llewyn Davis.
- Revisit his opening monologue on Saturday Night Live.
- Read the poem Final Instructions.
- For more talks, hear our conversations with Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe, Tessa Thompson, Cate Blanchett, Ethan Hawke, and Michelle Williams.
- Order your Talk Easy mug in cream and navy or our vinyl record with Fran Lebowitz.
Illustrations by Krishna Shenoi. Reference image by Rick Wenner.
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