-You know our next guest
from his Emmy winning role on "Watchmen."
Now you can see him staring in the new movie "Candyman" --
Ooh, it's scary -- which is in theaters this Friday.
Please welcome Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.
That's my man! Yo!
Welcome! -Oh, keep it going.
-You want more? You want more? -Keep it going.
You want more? -Yeah, let me --
-Yeah, come on.
I can't see you from the waist down.
♪♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
-Yeah, man. You can't cheat me out the music.
You can't cheat me out the music, man, you know?
I need that. -I'm so happy you're here.
Thank you for doing our show.
Man, you're blowing up, bud.
It's all happening.
You were on the cover of the "Hollywood Reporter"
saying that you're the new A list.
[ Cheers and applause ] -Yeah.
It's cool. That's cool.
-Is there ever a part of it
where it's like a pinch-me moment
where you go, "Yeah, I can't believe this is my life"?
-Yeah, man. You know, every once in a while,
you know, you end up in these certain scenarios.
You know, I try to basically live as normal life as possible
and things like that. And I do, for the most part.
But then, you know, sometimes, you end up in situations.
Once I was at a party --
At a Oscars party, right? Go figure.
And, you know, Jay-Z throws this party, the Gold Party,
and he throws it every year for the Oscars.
I got an invitation, and I'm in there.
You know, I'm in my tux,
and I'm dressed up, feeling good.
And one of my favorite songs comes on.
It's like a Juvenile song.
I hop on the stage, and I'm dancing, and I'm sweating.
And I'm just, like -- I forget where I am.
I just lose all my, you know, scruples.
And I look over, and Jay-Z's looking me dead in my eyes.
You know, no judgment or nothing like that.
But he's looking at me, and I saw myself through his eyes.
Was like, "Yeah, I should probably hop down off the stage.
I should probably get off the stage right now.
You know, play it cool. Play it cool."
-Yeah, exactly, right, yeah.
-But it's cool to get carried away, you know?
-Yeah. You're the youngest of six siblings, is that correct?
-Yeah, yeah, yeah, youngest of six.
-Do they keep you grounded?
-Not the girls, but my brother does.
My brother does for sure. Like, the girls --
They just, you know, they give me wings, and they support me.
My brother supports me, but he kind of does this thing
where he -- It's like he gives me the tough love,
like a heavy, heavy, heavy dose of the tough love,
you know what I'm saying?
Like, I post a picture that I've been working out.
I'm trying to gain weight and get my muscles for "Aquaman,"
and he'll be the one in the comment
talking about skipping leg day.
You know what I'm saying? [ Laughter ]
-Yeah, yeah, that's what I'm talking about.
-I try to get back in shape, right?
I'm posting a video of me dunking a basketball.
And he's like, "Yeah, I saw you posted the video
getting 2 inches off the ground."
And I'm like, "Yeah, okay, man.
I was actually proud about that."
-He's a good man.
-Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you need that. You need that.
-I want to talk about "Candyman."
-Oh, yeah. -I remember the original.
This is -- It's not a remake.
This is a continuation of the story.
-Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, it's not a remake. It's a continuation.
Our "Candyman" picks up about 30 years after the original story.
It's set in present-day Chicago,
and, you know, I think it's a refreshing take on Candyman.
You know, by going back to Chicago 30 years after,
it gives us a chance to, you know,
to talk about some of the social issues that affect Chicago
and Cabrini Green today
while also, at the same time, giving the fans,
you know, the loyal fans,
some of the things that they know and love about "Candyman,"
you know, the frightening moments,
the horror elements
that people have come to know for a long time.
But we get to put our own fresh twist on it, also.
-Did you -- I know it's a movie --
-Yeah. -And I know it's a fake story.
But did you actually ever say "Candyman"
five times in a mirror?
I mean, you did in -- -You said five times?
-Yeah.
-No. No, I don't have a good reason to do that.
No, I don't have a good reason to do that.
Four. I'll give you four. I'll give you like my best four.
-Exactly! I can give you four. Exactly, you're right.
-Exactly, right.
I got a good thing going on right now.
So I'm trying to keep it that way.
-I haven't -- There's no mirrors here,
and I've said it probably a couple times.
But anyway, it doesn't matter.
We're good. We're cool.
[ Laughter ]
That's what I say, like, to ghosts,
if I think there's ghosts.
I just go, "Hey, we're cool, right?"
You can do whatever you want.
Ghosts come in through walls.
-Wait, wait, wait --
-Whatever ghosts want to do.
-Jimmy, you believe in ghosts?
-Sure.
-You know what? It helps to believe in them
because if you don't believe in them,
they might take that personal.
So, if any ghosts in the house right now,
I believe in you.
I support you dreams.
I support your ghost ambitions. [ Applause ]
-That's exactly right.
-You know what I'm sayin'?
-I want to show a clip.
Here's Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in "Candyman."
Take a look at this.
-The legend is, if you say his name five times
while looking in the mirror,
he appears in the reflection and kills you.
-Mm.
So, I thought that we could --
-[ Chuckles ] What did you think?
-Summon him.
-[ Laughs ]
Hell no.
No.
-Candyman.
-Anthony.
-Candyman. -Anthony, no.
-Candyman. -Stop.
Stop it. -Candyman.
-Stop it.
-Okay.
-You better not do that last one.
-Okay, okay, okay.
♪♪
[ Whispering ] Candyman. -See, you playing --
-No, no, stop!
[ Cheers and applause ]
-No!
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II!
"Candyman" is in theaters this Friday!