>> JAMES: THAT WAS A CLIP FROM, "OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH," WHICH
PREMIERES THIS THURSDAY ON HBO MAX.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE SHOW.
I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE IT.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) TELL US WHAT IT'S ABOUT AND WHO
YOU PLAY.
>> IT'S ABOUT PIRATES!
( LAUGHTER ) IT'S A TRUE STORY ABOUT A GUY --
NOT THE CHARACTER I PLAY, THE ONE REESE DARBY PLAYS -- DECIDED
TO UPTURN HIS LIFE, LEAVE HIS FAMILY, HAD A MID LIFE CRISIS
AND WENT OFF TO BECOME A PIRATE, BOUGHT A BOAT -- FIRST THING
YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO STEAL ONE.
SECOND THING, FOUND A CREW, PAID THEM A WEEKLY WAGE.
YOUR INCENTIVE IS TO STEAL STUFF.
HE WAS A DISASTER ON THE HIGH SEAS AND BECAME FAMOUS.
THEY CALLED HIM THE GENTLEMAN PIRATE.
HE MET BLACK BEARD WHO WAS HIS HERO, PLAYED BY ME.
THAT'S AS MUCH AS I COULD DIVULGE.
>> James: YOU HAVE A VERY, VERY BEAUTIFUL TRADITION.
ON THE FIRST DAY ON EVERY SET, TELL EVERYBODY WHAT IT IS AND
MORE IMPORTANTLY WHY YOU DO IT.
>> I EAT A PERSON.
A SMALL PERSON.
I BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO IT.
>> James: A BEAUTIFUL THING.
A BEAUTIFUL OLD TRADITION.
I PUT THEM IN A LITTLE AIR OVEN AND SLOW COOK THEM.
A LITTLE ROSEMARY, THYME.
I LIKE THE TOES, MYSELF.
>> James: TELL ME, I'M INTERESTED.
>> THE THING WE DO, USUALLY, WHAT WE DO IN NEW ZEALAND AND
AUSTRALIA IS THAT YOU BASICALLY INVITE THE NATIVE PEOPLE WHOSE
LAND YOU'RE ON TO COME DO AN OPENING CEREMONY FOR THE
BEGINNING OF YOUR SHOOT.
IT'S A NICE WAY OF BEGINNING ANY PRODUCTION AND IT CREATES A
LOVELY VIBE AND KIND OF IS A PEACEFUL SORT OF CLEAN AND GOOD
ENERGY WHILE YOU'RE SHOOTING.
>> I LOVE THE IDEA.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FIRST DAY RITUALS ON SET?
>> WELL, I USUALLY GIVE, LIKE, A TED TALK TO MY WHOLE CREW AND
THEY'RE ALWAYS, LIKE, WE KNOW, WE GET IT, YOU'RE A MOMMY, YOU
LOVE US.
AND THE ONE THING THAT I SAY IS, IF YOU SEE ME SITTING ON A CURB,
STARING OFF INTO SPACE, I'M NOT LONELY, I DON'T NEED A FRIEND,
DON'T COME OVER AND TALK TO ME, I'M CONCENTRATING.
( LAUGHTER ) WHICH IS KIND OF THE OPPOSITE OF
YOUR BEAUTIFUL TRADITION.
BUT I HAVE SO MANY RITUALS THAT ARE BUILT, LIKE, KIND OF BAKED
INTO THE FABRIC OF THE SHOW.
WE'RE SPINNING, TOUCHING THE STATUE, THROWING SALT OVER OUR
SHOULDER.
>> James: LIKE SUPERSTITIONS.
YEAH.
>> James: YOU HAVE SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
>> YEAH, I CAN'T GET RID OF THEM IT'S A NIGHTMARE.
>> James: DO YOU HAVE ANY SUPERSTITIOUS THINGS?
>> NO.
( LAUGHTER ) >> JUST THE PEOPLE EATING.
JUST THAT THING.
IT'S BAD LUCK NOT TO EAT A PERSON.
>> YOU HAVE TO DO IT NOW THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
>> JAMES: REGGIE, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR GUESTS?
>> Reggie: I DO.
TONIGHT'S QUESTION -- ( DRUM ROLL )
-- THIS QUESTION IS FOR BOTH OF YOU IF YOU FEEL LIKE ANSWERING.
FLYING CREATURES ARE VERY INTERESTING THINGS TO LOOK AT,
BUT, OVER TIME, THEY CAN BECOME A LITTLE TIRESOME.
DO YOU THINK, WITH PROPER PLANNING, YOU COULD SUSTAIN A
FEELING OF EXCITEMENT THROUGHOUT THE DURATION -- A LONG
DURATION -- OF OBSERVING ANY TYPE OF CREATURE THAT'S FLYING
EITHER MYTHICAL OR REAL?
>> I FEEL LIKE I COULD FLY IN MY DREAMS AND I LIKE BIRDS, THE
ONLY THING.
>> I THINK I COULD SUSTAIN LOOKING AT, SAY, FOR INSTANCE, A
CAT ATE TOO MANY BIRDS, SOMEHOW THEY TOOK FLIGHT WITHIN THE CAT.
THE CAT LIFTED OFF.
AS IT'S FLYING, THE BIRDS WERE SCRATCHING THEIR WAY OUT.
>> James: YEAH.
SO YOU'RE KIND OF SEEING A CAT HURTLING THROUGH THE AIR,
ITS STOMACH BURSTS OPEN AND IT REBIRTHS 16 SPARROWS.
( LAUGHTER ) I COULD WATCH THAT WHOLE THING.
>> James: NOW YOU SAY IT, I DON'T FEEL I NEED TO.
I JUST SAW IT.
IS THAT RIGHT, REG?
>> Reggie: THAT'S CORRECTLY ADJACENT.
>> James: IT'S ABSOLUTELY ADJACENT AND CORRECT!
PLEASE THANK OUR WONDERFUL GUESTS TAIKA WAITITI AND PAMELA
ADLON.
WHEN WE COME BACK, DON'T GO ANYWHERE!