>> Stephen: HEY, WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY!
DELICIOUS.
FOLKS, MY NEXT GUEST IS A DELIGHTFUL ACTOR YOU
KNOW FROM "LADY BIRD" AND "BOOKSMART."
SHE NOW STARS IN THE REVIVAL OF "FUNNY GIRL" ON BROADWAY.
PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW," BEANIE FELDSTEIN.
♪ >> THIS IS SO EXCITING!
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] WOW!
>> Stephen: NICE.
HEY, KID, HOW ARE YOU?
>> I'M GOOD.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> Stephen: I'M DOING JUST FINE.
THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE WITH YOU IN THAT CHAIR WAS SEPTEMBER OF
2018 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT YOU HAD A SURPRISE APPEARANCE ON
THE SHOW ABOUT A YEAR LATER I GOT A PICTURE OF RIGHT HERE.
>> A SURPRISE TO US ALL.
>> Stephen: YES, YOU WERE PART OF A KAREN OWEN DANGER MOUSE'S
PERFORMANCE ON THIS SHOW DIRECTED BY SPIKE JONZE WITH A
WRECKED CAR ON STAGE.
THAT'S YOU RIGHT THERE AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE -- KIND OF LIKE --
BUT I HAD NO IDEA YOU WERE HERE UNTIL I WAS ABOUT TO INTRODUCE
THE SONG AND YOU TURNED AROUND AND WENT, "HI!"
IT'S BEANIE.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?
>> MY QUESTION, EXACTLY.
>> Stephen: I THINK YOUR REACTION WAS OH!
HOW'D THAT COME BACK?
>> I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO KNOW THE INCREDIBLE SPIKE WHO FILMED IT
ALL.
IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
IT WAS LIKE A LIVE MUSIC VIDEO.
SPIKE CALLED ME AND SAID I HAVE THIS IDEA.
KAREN'S SONG IS ALL ABOUT EMPOWERMENT.
IT'S CALLED WOMEN.
I WANT ALL OF THESE WOMEN WHO AREN'T TRAINED DANCERS TO COME
HERE AND BE HER BACKUP DANCERS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A PART OF
IT?
I SAID, YEAH, WHAT A GIFT.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
THIS IS DREAMY.
IT WAS IN BROOKLYN.
WE HAD A DAY AND A HALF OF REHEARSAL AND THEN WE'RE LIVE ON
OUR SHOW.
I GET TO THE REHEARSAL.
I WALK IN, AND ALL OF THESE GIRLS ARE LIFTING THEIR FEET
ABOVE THEIR HEAD AND I'M LIKE WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?
AND WE START REHEARSING.
I'M BARELY KEEPING UP, STEPHEN, AND WE HAVE TO TAKE OFF KAREN'S
JACKET AT ONE POINT IN THIS SORT OF LIKE COOL REVEAL, AND WE'RE
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT.
TWO OF THE GIRLS LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND THEY'RE, OH, IT'S LIKE
HOW WE HAD TO DO WITH IT WITH B, YOU JUST TAKE IT -- AND I'M LIKE
THESE ARE BEYONCE'S DANCERS.
I'M IN A ROOM WITH BEYONCE'S DANCERS EXPECTED TO DANCE
ALONGSIDE THEM.
THEY WERE ALL TRAINED DANCERS EXCEPT FOR ME.
THEY'RE NOT JUST DANCERS BUT BEYONCE'S DANCERS --
>> Stephen: AND YOU NAILED IT.
YOU CRUSHED IT, BEANIE!
ARE YOU READY TO BE BACKUP BOOTY FOR BEYONCE?
>> NEXT STOP AFTER BROADWAY IS BEYONCE'S TOUR.
CLEARLY THAT'S THE NEXT STEP FOR ME.
>> Stephen: FROM THIS BROADWAY STAGE TO ANOTHER, YOU'RE PLAYING
FANNIE BRYCE IN "FUNNY GIRL" WHICH HASN'T BEEN MOUNTED ON
BROADWAY -- ICONCAL -- HASN'T BEEN MOUNTED ON BROADWAY IN 58
YEARS.
I'M NOT EVEN 50 YET.
FOR PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT DON'T KNOW FANNIE BRYCE, TELL THEM THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF HER.
>> FANNIE BRYCE, SO MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW SHE WAS A REAL
PERSON.
SHE'S A TREMENDOUSLY FAMOUS COMIC BORN AT THE END OF THE
1800'S AND POPULAR IN THE 1920'S.
SHE WAS THIS CLOWN.
SHE HAD THESE ICONIC CHARACTERS.
SHE WAS THIS TREMENDOUS WOMAN.
IF IT WASN'T FOR FANNIE BRYCE, I BELIEVE THERE'S NO JEWISH WOMAN
ON A STAGE TODAY PERFORMING THAT WOULD BE THERE IF IT WASN'T FOR
FANNIE.
SHE REALLY PAVED THE WAY AND OPENED EVERY DOOR.
THANK YOU, AND SHE, UM, THANK YOU TO HER AND SHE WAS -- SHE'S
AN INCREDIBLY UNAPOLOGETIC CHARACTER.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY INSPIRATIONAL TO PLAY EVERY
NIGHT.
WE ALL KNOW THE SONGS, "PEOPLE" AND "DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE."
AND "I'M THE BIGGEST STAR."
SHE PURSUED WHAT SHE WANTED.
THE BELIEF IN HERSELF IS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO GET INSIDE
OF.
>> Stephen: THIS ROLE WAS A STAR TURN FOR BARBARA STREISAND.
>> MY QUEEN.
LET'S JUST MAKE THAT CLEAR.
>> Stephen: SHE MADE THIS ROLE FAMOUS AND IN SOME WAYS THIS
ROLE MADE HER FAMOUS.
HAS SHE SAID ANYTHING TO YOU?
HAVE YOU HAD ADVICE FROM HER OR ANYTHING?
>> I WAS IN MY DRESSING ROOM THE NIGHT BEFORE THE FIRST PREVIEW
AND I GOT A PIECE OF MAIL.
IT JUST SAID FOR BEANIE ON IT.
I OPENED IT.
IT WAS FROM BARBARA STREISAND.
AND IT WAS, UM -- >> Stephen: YOU NEVER HEARD
FROM HER BEFORE?
>> I NEVER MET HER BEFORE.
>> Stephen: WOW.
>> AND IT WAS A REALLY BEAUT BEAUTIFUL, TOUCHING THING I WILL
KEEP AT MY SIDE OF MY TABLE GETTING READY FOREVER.
IT'S BEEN, YEAH, IT'S BEEN FROM BARBARA STREISAND, STEPHEN.
>> Stephen: I KNOW!
I'VE NEVER GOTTEN A NOTE FROM BARBARA STREISAND.
HOW'S HER HANDWRITING?
>> GORGEOUS.
STUNNING.
IT'S EXACTLY HOW YOU WOULD THINK IT IS.
>> Stephen: ANYTHING ABOUT PLAYING THE ROLE OF FANNIE BRYCE
THAT SURPRISED YOU?
>> EVERYTHING.
I THINK THE -- I THINK PEOPLE'S LOVE FOR THE SHOW IS -- I MEAN,
IT'S NOT SHOCKING BUT NOW THAT WE'RE PERFORMING, WE'RE IN THE
SECOND -- WE'RE ABOUT TO BE IN THE THREE WEEK OF PREVIEWS, IT'S
REALLY THINKING TO HEAR PEOPLE'S REACTION TO THE SHOW, SO, UM.
>> Stephen: BROADWAY AUDIENCES RIGHT NOW ARE ALL SO FANTASTIC.
PEOPLE SO HUNGRY TO BE BACK IN THE THEATER.
>> YES.
JUST LIKE YOU ALL.
IT'S INSANE.
[APPLAUSE] AND, UM, VERMINE WHO PLAYS NIC
NICKY, WE WERE PLAYING THIS SONG WHERE SHE'S TRYING TO SEDUCE A
NERVOUS NANNY.
SHE'S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
HE OFFERS HER PATE.
SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.
HE HANDS IT TO HER.
SHE'S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS.
FINALLY SHE REALIZES IT'S JUST CHOP LIVER.
AS I'M COMING TO THAT REALIZATION, A WOMAN IN THE
FRONT ROW SAYS WITH ME OUT LOUD AS LOUD AS SHE CAN "CHOP LIVER."
LITERALLY SCREAMS IT AT ME.
IT WAS -- I MEAN, IT TOOK ME BY SURPRISE FOR SURE.
BUT IT WAS AMAZING.
IT WAS AMAZING.
IT WAS -- PEOPLE REALLY KNOW THE SHOW IN THEIR GUTS.
>> Stephen: YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF FUNNY PARTS BUT DO YOU
YOURSELF, BEANIE FELDSTEIN, THINK OF YOURSELF AS A FUNNY
GIRL?
>> NO.
>> Stephen: NO?
>> NO.
>> Stephen: NO, BUT YOU'RE SUCH A FUNNY GIRL.
>> THAT'S VERY KIND COMING FROM YOU, THE FUNNIEST GIRL.
>> Stephen: THANK YOU.
I HAVE CHILD-BEARING HIPS.
I'LL GRANT YOU THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> UM.
BUT, UM, IN MY HOUSE, UM, I'M LIKE THE MAYBE THIRD TO FOURTH
FUNNIEST PERSON IN THE HOUSE AND THEY REALLY LIKE TO LET ME KNOW
IT.
MY MOM AND MY BROTHER -- SPECIFICALLY MY MOM -- YOU'RE
NOT THAT FUNNY.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
YOU GET ON THE STAGE -- I THINK IT'S THE WRITING.
THE WRITING MUST BE GOOD, BECAUSE YOU'RE NEVER FUNNY AT
HOME AND DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH ONCE.
OK, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I GET IT.
HA-HA.
SO, UM, YEAH THAT'S NOT REALLY MY THING IN MY FAMILY.
IT'S NICE TO BE IT ON 52ND STREET.
>> Stephen: WHAT IS THE ROLE YOU PLAY AT HOME?
PEACEMAKER?
>> CARETAKER.
SWEET, CARING ONE.
>> Stephen: THOSE PEOPLE COULD TAKE THE FUNNY AND PUT IT ON
STAGE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE AUDIENCE.
>> EXACTLY.
EXACTLY.
>> Stephen: YOU'RE FUNNY.
"FUNNY GIRL" IS IN PREVIEWS NOW AND OPENS APRIL 24TH ON BROADWAY
IN THE AUGUST WILSON THEATRE STARRING BEANIE FELDSTEIN,
EVERYBODY!