We've had people like Jeff Daniels and Keri Russell,
who are actors who are on Broadway right now,
and I'm always fascinated by the distractions
that might happen with a Broadway audience
because obviously people are very excited to be there.
You know, but it is live, and all it takes is one person
doing something that could maybe, as an actor,
sort of pull you out of the moment.
What is the worst you've had to deal with?
-Well, it's interesting, because on your show,
if there was a distraction here, you would just cut the tape.
-Sure. -And no one would really know.
But when you're doing live theater, it happens.
It's there.
Well, what's interesting is that when an actor is on stage,
it's normal to feel an audience looking from right to left
at the actor speaking.
So this movement -- horizontal movement is natural.
What isn't natural is when someone is doing this.
It's like -- [ Laughter ]
And once when I was playing LBJ in a play here
called "All the Way,"
there was a kid about 16 years old, very front row,
right in the front and right in the middle.
And he was doing this.
[ Laughter ]
And it was catching my eye.
And I walked over to see what he was doing.
And I kind of looked down from the stage.
And I saw he had his phone.
-Oh, no. -In his lap.
And he was like -- [ Audience aws ]
Aw, aw. [ Laughter ]
Very sympathetic audience. -Yeah, very sympathetic.
-Aw. And he was doing this.
[ Laughter ]
And I got upset. -Sure.
-I did. I started to get a little angry.
Primarily because his parents
were two seats away and saying nothing.
And I thought, "Well, that's kind of rude."
So I realized that my next speech was a fiery one
filled with anger and vitriol and spittle.
[ Laughter ]
So I adjusted the blocking to come right downstage.
[ Screaming ]
[ Laughter ]
And my spit is flying at him.
[ Laughter ] And I swear to God.
The kid's like -- [ Cheers and applause ]
"Oh, no."
-That is -- -Yeah.
I spat on an audience member.
-I mean, that -- what a gift, though,
that you're playing someone like LBJ, who's got --
I mean -- and I should say, this is -- these are screamers.
You know, I think people should be warned
that you've got some real speeches
and you can throw some spit at them.
-Yes, and I will. -Yeah.
-I will spit on you. -Yeah, I think --
[ Laughter ]
-Please do come to my show so I can spit on you.
[ Laughter ]
-I also want to ask, you know -- because again,
when we first met, it was when you were on "Breaking Bad."
And I always love stories from that time.
And you -- Aaron Paul, you know, I know you guys are dear friends
and you worked together for years.
But you used to give him -- You used to play mind games.
-Well, as one would to a younger brother, you know.
He was very susceptible and sweet.
And he was only mid-20s then.
And I used to say to him, "Hey, man, it's been great.
It's really -- it's really been great.
And you're going to use this time
to go on to really other things."
He's like, "What do you mean?"
I go, "Did you read the next script?"
He goes, "No."
I go, "Oh, never mind, never mind."
[ Laughter ]
And then I let it go for a while.
And I'd say, "You know what?
The next best thing to being on a show for a long time
is a great death scene.
It's great.
You're gonna rock that death scene, man."
And he just bought it. He caved in.
He was like, "No, no!"
-After everything Walter White put him through,
you did that as well. -I teased him on top.
Yeah, exactly. -He needed that as well.
-Yeah.
-Hey, congratulations on the nomination.
-Thank you, man.
-Both the Tony and the Tomei. -Thank you.
-I hope you bring them both home.
That's Bryan Cranston, everybody.