“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
On the heels of Beef S2, we’re revisiting a favorite of ours with actor Oscar Isaac.
We begin with his 2023 Broadway debut 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 discuss 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).
Original air date: June 11, 2023
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Show-notes:
- See Oscar Isaac in Beef S2.
- Watch more of his work in Frankenstein, 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 Steven Yeun, Pedro Pascal, 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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