-Welcome back to the show. -I'm so happy to be here.
-Thank you very having me back. -Congratulations on joining
what many people believe is going to be the next behemoth
in streaming, Disney+,
with a brand-new movie that some people are saying
-is gonna be the next Christmas classic. -Yes, I'm very smart.
-It's just, like, yeah. -Yeah. I've made all the right moves.
It feels like you have, because this is, like...
even the premise of the movie, I was like, "Oh, yeah,
-Adorable. Darling. -This is... this is genius."
'Cause you play Santa's daughter,
but basically it's, like, the Santa gets passed down
-from generation to generation. -Yeah. Yeah.
So, Bill Hader plays the next Santa in line.
-Right. -He disappears, 'cause he's nervous
that he won't do a good job, and I have to-- what?--
go and save Christmas.
-I mean, naturally. Why wouldn't I? -Right.
Why would I make a Christmas movie
where I didn't have to save Christmas-- that's my job.
But it's a cool story, because, like, I mean, like,
I'm not giving anything away, really, other than the fact
that, like, it's just a story where Noelle, your character,
goes like, "Oh. Why does Santa have to go down to the boys?"
Like, Santa could be the most efficient Santa,
the most, uh, you know, the most experienced Santa.
-Yeah. -Whoever's the best Santa,
-that could be anyone-- that could be you. -Yeah.
-Could be anyone. -Right.
You have a better chance of fitting down a chimney.
Well, well, well, thank you, Trevor.
I think you do. I think you'd do a much better job
of fitting down a chimney than Santa.
-Yeah. -I think you would be... Every time I see Santa,
I'm like, "No, this is not gonna end well."
Like, he's gonna sue somebody for the chimney.
But I feel like you could make a more efficient Santa.
Th-Thank you. Yeah, I mean, that isn't an argument
we use in the film, but maybe it's not too late for reshoots.
Well, but that's 'cause in the film, like,
-Santa has magical things... Yeah.
-Yes. -Of Course. There has to be magic.
-I mean, it's a Disney movie. -Yes. Right.
I mean, if you're gonna do a Christmas movie,
it should be with Disney, because they're gonna build
a North Pole where the whole thing is ice,
there are no sidewalks, it's all ice,
and you ice skate everywhere, and it's all very...
-very magi... -That is magical.
It... it is magical, it's friggin' magical, is what it is.
Did you... so, when you join, like, the Disney team,
do you get to, like, meet, like, cool Disney, like, like,
do you, like, hang out with Mickey, like...
-With Goofy and stuff? -Yeah.
-Yeah. -Is there, like, a secret, like, like, party
that Mickey hosts and stuff?
I mean, I can't talk about that here.
-(laughter) -I shouldn't have even asked.
Um... you are... you are doing something amazing
in your career right now, which is not just acting,
not just writing books, not just singing,
not just being this all-around performer,
but you've stepped behind the camera as well
as an executive producer
on your projects, which is really exciting.
Yeah, it's been really exciting. It's, um...
uh, I mean, it's nice to have a seat at the table,
and it's also, like, I do feel like...
in so... you know, like in so many things in life,
it's... a job that I have felt, frankly, that I've been doing
on a lot of projects, and I just haven't had the title.
Um, so, uh, I've had, like, comments from directors
being like, "Oh, God, like, thanks for that, Anna.
I owe you a car. My God."
I'm like, "Or you could give me an E.P. credit."
Um, so it's been really, really exciting.
But isn't it a bit weird to be, like...
'Cause here's the thing-- when you're acting,
the director's sort of your boss,
but then, 'cause you're the... you're the actor,
and then there's the director's above,
-Yeah. -but then as the E.P, you're now the director's boss.
-Yeah. -So, is, like, 'cause it'd be weird
-if the director gives you a note. -I know, I know.
It's been... I've been really lucky so far,
where, um, 'cause sometimes you get on a project, and, like,
uh, two weeks in, you're like, "This guy's an idiot. Oh, no."
Like, what do I do?
Um, but so far, anything that I've been a producer on,
like, I have just such respect for...
-and trust for the director. -I think you should do
a fake phone call-- that's what you should do if that happens.
-Oh. -You just do a fake... fake phone call as yourself.
-Okay. -Do you get what I'm saying?
I'm, like, I'm, like: actor Anna needs to speak to producer Anna.
"This isn't working out with this director."
"Don't worry, babe, I'm gonna get down there. You're a star.
Keep it go... keep it going. You're doing great."
Exactly. That's exactly what you do,
and then you kill the game.
-Yeah, yeah, yeah. -I love it.
Do you ever think you'd see a world
where you wouldn't be in front of the camera, then?
I-I don't want to see that world, but I don't...
Like, a lot of people gravitate towards that, where people...
like, actors go like, "No, I actually enjoy this.
I like just, like, running everything."
Um, I mean, I could see that.
No, I just said I don't want to see that.
-(laughter) -Um, I mean, it's just,
it's less kind of hair extensions and all that stuff.
-Oh, that makes sense. -So that's, you know...
that would be... that would be a plus.
Um, I could wear hoodies again, you know, that kind of thing.
-That makes sense. -Um, but, I mean, yeah,
I like... I really like my job.
I... If anything, I think I, for a long time
I felt like really all I wanted to do
was the acting part, and I felt like, um,
there came a time when I was, like,
"Oh, crap." Like, again, like so many things in life,
you realize, like there aren't just grown-ups in the room.
You know, you're the grown-up, and you're like, "Oh, no,
"that means nobody knows what they're doing.
-(laughter) -"That's such bad news!
Oh, no!"
Um, 'cause it would be great if there were kind of grown-ups
that were more grown-up than you are, and there aren't.
-Right. I like the idea -Just that level.
that you're saying that in the meeting out loud.
-Just like in meetings... -To everyone, going, "Oh, no,
"you're all... none of you know what you're doing!
-(laughter) -God, why did I listen to any of you?"
I think that would be amazing.
Uh, I think everything that you're doing is amazing.
Um, Disney+ is gonna be huge just because it's Disney.
I agree. I'm... I've made the right move.
You have made all of the right moves.
The Christmas movie is coming out.
Noelle is your character.
Is there anything else you want to tell us about?
'Cause I just like chatting to you.
Oh, I actually did want to say that I hope that the facts
that Between the Scenes has become, like,
a whole (bleep) thing
is something that you're happy about
and not, like, "I've got to do, like, bonus interviews now
because Anna, one time, came on after in between the scenes?"
And now it's, like, a whole thing.
No, no, but you were the only person who,
like, refused to listen to me when I said
-It's not a thing? -that Between the Scenes
-is not a thing. -But now it's a thing.
-So you're welcome. -Yes.
-(cheering, applause) -And I...
Thank you, Anna.
But I hope that that's okay and not just more work for you.
-No, no, it's fine. -I can tell in your eyes
-that you kind of hate it. -No. These are happy eyes.
These are happy eyes.
These are eyes that enjoy doing more work.
-That's what these eyes are. -No, Trevor, no, no, no.
Well, I guess maybe we'll do another Between the Scenes.
Noelle will be available to stream
when Disney+ launches November 12.
Anna Kendrick, everybody!