Original subtitles

I'm not even focused up here at the moment. I'm just kind of like, what's

happening?

Lots of plates spinning over here. Yeah, what's happening?

Hey, what's going on, everybody? For First We Feast, I'm Sean Evans, and

watching Hot Ones. It's the show with hot questions and even hotter wings.

And today we're joined by Oscar Isaac.

He's a Golden Globe award -winning actor whose work spans everything from the

Broadway stage to beloved indie films to the biggest box office franchises in

Hollywood. You can also catch him starring in the rage -fueled dark comedy

series Beef, which returns for a second season on Netflix April 16th. Oscar

Isaac, welcome to the show. Hey, Sean. I'm very delighted to be here.

At least in the beginning.

What's going through your head as you prepare to take on this gauntlet?

Just surrender.

Surrendering the war with reality.

I'm here.

I'm ready.

All right,

we're in.

Okay.

All right, little cat.

Garlic delight.

So,

beef creator

Lee Sung -jin says that the second season of the show is about the internal

repression of rage you see in the workplace, a different engine from

one's road rage clash.

As an actor, what's it like to play someone who's constantly suppressing

beef rather than acting on it?

Yeah, it was interesting because I think like I was a couple of weeks in, I was

finding myself getting really hoarse and I was having trouble getting air out.

And I was like, I feel like I'm just so strangled. And so it was manifesting

itself as like a very strangled feeling.

And that was like not on purpose. It just, I think, was from playing somebody

that's being so squeezed.

You know, Sonny's just so great at that humor of people kind of being squeezed

and they make these sounds.

As you learn.

Which is what life is, really.

Life squeezes us, and these are the sounds we make.

That's yummy.

You like that one?

I like pickled things.

So, I've heard you describe acting as humiliation management.

Can you unpackage that?

Yeah, you know, that's kind of like the tightrope walk, right? That's why it's a

little bit of an extreme sport because you put yourself out there. There's no

separation between you and the work.

You know, and you arrive in a room with lots of people, their lights on, and

expecting you to find some sort of honest moment or whatever that is.

But, you know, I mean, they say public speaking, and people are more afraid of

that than death. Like anything, yeah.

No, that's part of the thing of just, like, you put yourself out there and,

know, some people deal with it by, like, punching themselves in the face before

a take and some people want to humiliate themselves more. Some people need to

control everything.

And so that, for me, it gives me a lot of empathy for the way people need to

manage those things to try to arrive to somewhere that's interesting to them.

How easy is it for you to switch into iambic pentameter? Like, is there a

metronome in your head? We were just talking about iambic pentameter. Yeah.

there, like, a metronome in your head that you can lock into to describe hot

sauce flavors, or is it something that requires a lot of work with the script?

mean, a little bit of both, but we naturally speak.

If you speak English, you kind of naturally speak in iambic pentameter. If

start to break it down, like, you know, we naturally speak in iambic pentameter.

If you start to break it down, you know, it just kind of keeps going in that

way. And it's just fun to see if you can force things into that rhythm, and it

can sometimes elicit almost like Chris Walken -esque readings of things,

you're like, that splits right in the middle, and, you know, it's fun.

Well, sweetness?

Well, it's just like a lull, so I put the guard down.

Oh, you're recognizing it.

You know too much.

So, in working in the Star Wars franchise, I've heard you say that a TIE

is more comfortable than an X -Wing. From an actor's perspective, what is,

the difference in those cockpits?

The X -Wing is a lot tighter.

I think it was also just the nature of the way we filmed those scenes, because,

especially on the first one, it was outside on a gimbal.

And so, you know, I'd be kind of...

squashed into this x -wing like the sun bearing down and like the cameras kind

of they're like really high up and uh and that was just it was really intense

and they're screaming like okay look left look right he's like all right the

just died be afraid but not too afraid be heroically afraid you know so and i'm

just kind of like moving on this like on this horrible ride uh and then the x

the uh tie fighter

You know, the way we shot that, they kind of made a lot more room in it so

camera could go around.

And I'm back to back with Boyega on that one. And that was actually, it was one

of the first things that we shot. And I just remember the whole thing being a

bit lighter.

So in my mind, TIE fighters are the way to go.

Which one is the smoking dragon?

Edgy. Oh, edgy. Yeah, we're getting edgy over here.

Getting dangerous.

Right. So when you have a particularly critical or taxing scene circled on the

script, like, for example, Victor Frankenstein's deathbed, what is the day

and the buildup to it? Like, is it different from other days on the call

or more similar than one would think?

Yeah, it's an interesting one that you bring up. That day I spent it, you know,

like, I want to focus. I'm not going to really, you know, expend a lot of

energy. I kind of want to just maintain myself in a state of as much relaxation

as I can be.

so that I'm available for stuff to come up. And I listened to my sad sack music,

and I, you know, looked at pictures of people that have passed and people that

mean something to me. When I was at someone's deathbed, you know, just kind

bringing up some of those things.

And I went in, and we shot the scene.

And it was five or six takes.

And Guillermo was very happy with it. Everyone felt really good. There were

tears in the crew. It's like, we got it, great. And then the way that Guillermo

edits, he's kind of quilting the movie as it goes.

He's got, like, a pretty full edit with music on it the very next day, which is

kind of terrifying. But he's like, you want to see it? You want to see it,

cabrón? And I'm like, okay.

And I was like, and I watched it, and I just was like.

was that take four that we used? He's like, yeah, that was take four. I was

like, I don't know if that was take four. He's like, it's take four.

And then we looked and it wasn't take four. It was like, it wasn't the right

take, but then I saw the take and it wasn't that much better either.

And I was like, all right. And I was sitting down and we were going to shoot

insert. And then he's like, he comes and sits next to me. He's like, what's the

matter? I'm like, well, you know, I'm feeling a little, I'm feeling a little

insecure. And he's like, well, you are an actor. And I was like, no, no, I

I know, but I just feel like maybe I should have looked up and said, you

I'm sorry, or should I? And he's like, no, no, those are all ideas. You know,

you were really in it.

And my Spidey sense says that it's great.

And then he's like, go take a break, and we're going to shoot this insert. And I

went to my trailer, and I just relaxed, and I made a phone call or whatever, and

forgot everything, and came back in, and he was set up for something else. I was

like, what's this? He's like, we're going to do it again. We're going to do

close -up again.

I was like, what? He's like, you know, if nothing comes, then I'll just make

of you for the rest of your life.

And so...

I didn't have time to, like, listen to anything or think of anybody or, you

know, and we just did it. And a lot of different things came out. And that's

what ended up being in the movie.

So, you know, it's one of the funny things where you try to control it and

not totally up to you how it comes out, you know. And it's usually better when

you get out of the way.

I love you, Amarillo.

I feel it. I think I'm good so far.

So far, so good.

I'm all right if you're all right. Yeah.

Is it true that your costume in X -Men Apocalypse was so heavy and

claustrophobic that you'd have to retreat to a cooling tent in between

I would.

I would.

One of the big reasons I did the job, I was like, Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence,

McAvoy, all these amazing actors. Yeah.

And then I never saw any of them because I was so overheated and I couldn't

turn. So I just got put in this cooling tent. And sometimes someone would come

by and be like, hey, Oscar.

By the time I turned around, they were gone already.

It was very challenging.

It was very challenging, but I'm thankful for the cooling tent.

Is it true that your uncle, a huge Star Wars fan, brought custom shirts for the

cast when he visited the set? A gesture that moved J .J. Abrams to make him an

extra in the film? He did. My uncle, he had made these Star Wars shirts.

And he was such a huge fan and a collector. And actually, speaking about

I'm wearing this shirt, which is Hidden Temple Toys, which my dear cousin Ed and

his wife Jen, they have this collectibles toy shop in Selma, North

And sadly, my cousin last month lost his life in a car accident.

And he was...

like an amazing superhero of a human, you know, and I do believe you are what

you love. And he really loved superheroes and he loved collectibles.

And he was just like a protector of people that are less fortunate and

that are vulnerable and like a beautiful, beautiful man. And he was

Oscar, you've got to do hot ones. You've got to do hot ones, man. I was like, I

don't know, man. I don't know if I can handle it. He's like, you've got to do

it, man. Don't be a pussy.

And so, you know, to get to be here, I was like, all right, I'm taking you with

me, Ed.

Love that. And thank you, Ed, for the referral, by the way.

Okay, how am I doing, Gino?

That sounds like, just don't embarrass me, Dad. Please don't embarrass me.

All right, so this one is called Homegrown Hell here. Okay.

And these are the ones for the season, because you change them every season,

right? Mm -hmm. So you're getting used to these a little bit now. Yeah, this is

the second -to -last shoot of this season, so about to say goodbye.

All right. Actually, to this lineup right here. To this lineup.

Savoring every last drop. Oh, I got it, you know?

It's always so sad to say goodbye to these ones. But there's no color

at all on the lifts? I mean, you've got it down.

I'm practiced. You know, I put my 10 ,000 hours in at this point. That's

Well, we all got to be good at something.

This is what I got.

Which theater was more essential in your journey as an actor, the Coconut Grove

Playhouse or the old Area Stage Theater?

Oh, that's a very sweet question.

Without a doubt, Area Stage. I love that Coconut Grove was always such a staple

there, which has since gone.

But Area Stage, John Rodez and Maria Rodez, I remember that was the first

even saw a play that wasn't like a musical or anything, straight play.

A friend took me, and I watched, I saw Oliana, David Mamet's Oliana.

I just, my mind was blown. I was 17.

And I waited afterwards to, like, meet the artistic director. I was like, I

would like to work with you, sir.

And then about a year later, I auditioned for, like, an original play,

that, and I got to do that play, and I became really close with John, and he

became a mentor to me.

And we did quite a few plays after that together.

That was the first domino.

Yeah, yeah, we keep in touch. And he came up to see me do a play, the last

I did a couple years ago.

And they have an acting school down in Miami.

Okay. Now we're getting silly, right?

No.

I mean, I guess I'm pretty numbed out already, so...

Good place to be on this show. I'm not feeling too many sharp hits, but I see

what's coming.

For me, I just feel this one in my chest, you know?

I was going to say staying neck up for me right now, but we'll see what happens

later in the day. Yeah, hopefully we can catch the same wave at some point over

here. So you've collected the Infinity Stones of A -list directors from the

brothers to Ridley Scott to Guillermo del Toro, and that's kind of just

scratching the surface. Yeah, yeah, starting to come in a little bit. Just

waving and saying hello.

Hello, I'm here.

Of the directors you've worked with, which one would you say requires the

number of takes in aggregate before moving on to the next lead? Oh, that was

Paul Schrader. It was like one, two, max.

Soderbergh as well. I mean, that was like one of my very first things I ever

did. And he just, he's editing it in his head so much that he knows exactly the

snippets that he needs. I remember I was, I remember following Benicio. We

movie called Che Guevara and I was following him into the United Nations.

think there was someone behind me.

He goes in, the door kind of hits me, and then I keep going, and then someone

else literally, like, falls and gets stuck in it, and we keep going, and then

he's like, moving on!

And I was like, did you see that? He's like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Anyway, next thing, you know, so that I was, you just never know what's going on

in there.

Is it true that you and director Alex Gardland debated what the robot's

parts should be called in Ex Machina? And if so, do you remember how you

where you landed? Yeah, so this is my dad, my dad's a doctor.

And, you know, it's an incredible script. It's so amazing. And I showed it

him and he's like, I don't buy it. And I was like, like the whole thing? He's

like, yeah.

I was like, why?

And it was just because of this. He's like, you wouldn't call it a cavity.

And he's like, ew.

You wouldn't call it a cavity. I'm like, what do you mean? He's like, it's an

orifice. A cavity is like a cavity. You'd call it an orifice?

Or a...

Yeah, and I was like, all right, Dad.

And if I change that, then it's awesome? He's like, yeah.

And so I think we went with orifice.

Hole? I don't know. I don't know what we went with. I'm not sure. But it wasn't

cavity. As long as it wasn't cavity.

And, you know, speaking of cavities, mine are kind of lighting up right now.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But not enough to stop me.

Yeah, I feel like this.

It'll change the situation, and then I won't be able to recover. So I'm holding

off as long as I can. All right. Then I will, too.

We'll see if we can hold off after this one. All right. This is the bomb beyond

insanity. Yep. And this has not changed at all? No. You talked about out with

the old and with the new, except for this one, which always holds down. Or

ingredients or the stuff. It's always the same. Exactly. Every single time.

It's our control in the experiment.

Looking over, can we get a thumbs up?

There it is.

Yeah, okay.

Okay, okay.

So you've been an incredibly prolific actor over the last couple of decades,

stacking up dozens and dozens of credits along the way. So what I want to do

here is test your recall.

What I'm going to do is I'm going to give you the tagline to an Oscar Isaac

film, and then I'm going to challenge you to try to connect the tagline to the

name of the movie, if you're ready.

What's that?

To erase the line between man and machine is to obscure the line between

God. Totally.

Do you know which Oscar I as in the movie?

I said that?

No, it's a tagline in the movie. It's a tagline in the movie that I was in?

Yeah.

Give it to me one more time?

Yep.

To erase the line between man and machine is to obscure the line between

God.

A little wordy.

Explicit? Bing, bing, bing, bing. One for one.

That was good. That was good. How about this one?

New York City, 1981.

A dangerous place to build an empire.

That was your use in the context clues right there. Don't get harder.

Don't get harder.

Let the past die.

Kill it if you have to.

Yeah.

Let the past die. Kill it if you have to.

We'll go back in time. It's got to be like a...

Something about going back to the past.

Send me one more time of it?

Let the past die. Kill it if you have to.

Apocalypse? The X -Men?

The last... I'm sorry?

I'm sorry.

Make no apologies. I'm so sorry, Sean. Make no apologies.

You seem so disappointed.

Beyond fear, destiny awaits. It begins.

Doom. There you go.

Yeah, no fear.

Back on the horse. No fear.

Only monsters play God.

Frankenstein. There you go.

He's playing the hand he was dealt.

Card counter.

You are doing great using the context here. How about this?

Warrior hero, the untold story of the man behind the legend.

The man behind the legend.

What is the man behind the legend?

It's a legendary man.

Did I do a legendary man? It's an untold story.

I don't think I do legendary men.

Is Robin Hood a legend?

Oh, God, yeah.

I'm just thinking about myself, you know?

I'm just up in here too much right now. I get it. One last one. It's about

others. It's about serving others. It's Russell Crowe.

He's a legend.

Every couple meets their match.

Every couple meets their match.

Is this the beef timeline?

What a pro.

I mean, I haven't seen it. What a pro.

What a pro.

I mean, all right. Two?

Two? Six out of eight is good on the show. It's a recurring game that we

Okay, all right. And you're... Does it mean I'm just, like, so egotistical that

I just know them? Like, I got this.

But you know what? The work paid off. Good.

Good. The work paid off.

Are you ready to move on here to sauce number nine?

So up next is a squash reaper egg sauce.

You're in the nine spot.

Okay, baby.

Okay, baby.

I'm just trying not to shit my pants right now. I feel like that's the

that I'm having. I'm not even focused up here at the moment.

I'm just kind of like, what's happening?

Subterranean. Lots of plates spinning over here. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just a

tectonic shift.

Can you give us one highlight and one low light of having a cat as a co -star?

Like, what are the pitfalls and what are the rewards of sharing so many scenes

with an orange tabby for inside the one day? Most of the pitfalls. Yeah, I'd

imagine.

There was, like, six different cats that all had different skill sets.

Or just what, you know, we're just naturally. Areas of specialization.

Like this one is basically kind of dead. So just, if you just needed to sit

there. The docile cat.

Yeah.

And then, but the one that they'd often give me was like the more feral one.

And they would tie it, they would tie it to me with like this wire.

So that if it did run out, it wouldn't get away.

And I had to run down the steps to try to catch the subway.

And almost every time it would jump.

And then because it couldn't get away, get really pissed at me, and then just

attack my leg. And you're tethered, so you can't even escape. I couldn't get

away. We're both like, ah!

That was awful.

Be careful around the ass. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And, yeah, the animal trainers, God bless them, seemed to be more like

agitators. They were like, get them really nervous, and then give them to

So that was tough, but we got through it.

All right, Oscar.

Okay. You know the drill.

I do.

Okay. Mama.

All right. Okay.

And with that... Salud. Salud.

And this is like the millions and the millions up there?

We're up in the clouds. But the good news is the

wings of death are behind us. You have conquered the hot ones gauntlet. And to

close things out, it's been such a remarkable journey through your acting

career, through the spice. But to close things out, I want to bring it full

circle. Your high school yearbook quote was.

I like to be different, and I'm into the art.

When you look at me, you can tell.

How accurate is that to the Oscar of 2026?

Like, does that yearbook quote hold up? Let's hear it again. I just gotta hear

it again.

Sure. I like to be different, and I'm into the art. When you look at me, you

tell.

Does that hold up 25 years later?

I mean, look at me.

You can tell.

When I look... I'm into the arts.

The dark arts.

And you know what? You've conquered the dark arts of spice today. And now

there's nothing left to do but roll out the red carpet for you. This camera,

this camera, this camera. Let the people know what you have going on in your

life. Beef.

Season two.

No.

Beef season two.

April 16th.

You guys are fucking good, man.

You're really good.

April 16th, like Sean said.

Beef season two.

It's going to be good.

And you can tell when you look at my eyes.

That's the guy who's into VR.

Yeah, he's into VR. He knows. He knows what's good.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Sweet,

man.

I did ask for the bad bunny of the coconut ice cream. Oh, well, you know

When I saw that, I'm like, that's my jam.

We do have that. I heard.

Hold on. And we're quick on the draw, or at least.

I think I've earned it.

I think I've earned the.

Yeah, you've earned this. The Benito Coco.

I got to get some of yours now.

For the plot.

There we go.

Great job.

Great job.

Thanks, buddy.

Hey, what's going on, Hot Ones fans?

You know you can catch me every Thursday interviewing celebrities over the wings

of death. But if you're looking for a little more Scoville -laced action, tune

in Tuesdays for Hot Ones Versus.

It's the show where celebrities go head -to -head. They either tell the truth or

suffer the wrath of the last dab.

So tune in Tuesdays for a front -row seat to the fiery fights and celebrity

clashes. That's Hot Ones vs.

Tuesdays on Firstly Feast. Don't miss it.