How Claire Danes Helped Conan Impress His Wife | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

hi my name is Claire Danes and I am. decidedly giddy about being. Conan O'Brien's friend that's are you. sure the giddiness. is about me. or were you doing nitrous recently no I. I yeah no I am you are it's very nice to. see you again nice to see you again I'm. going to say something that uh I hope. this comes out right but this is how I. feel whenever I meet people as I met you. many many many many many years ago quite.

a few moons when you came on the show. and probably for my so-called life or. something you know just like something. ancient something uh and. I have this feeling and I've said this. to uh Like Scarlett Johansson who was on. as a child actor she she was in a sketch. that we did oh really where she played a. uh. we we build her as a uh the spelling bee. Champion oh and then we brought her out. and we didn't tell the audience it was.

all a hoax and she couldn't spell her. way out of a paper bag which was the. joke but I'll see you or her and I'll. think. um I'm like your uncle or something. because I you've all I mean like you've. done so well and then I have this weird. Pride which is misplaced because I've. had nothing to do with your life I've. done nothing other than. um have you on the show a couple of. times and so I've in no way contributed.

to your success but I still have this. kind of weird quasi-paternal thing that. I don't quite understand that's very. sweet and I will take that Pride. um gladly and uh hungrily yeah no that's. Father's Day is coming up. yeah I have also have a very nice memory. of my wife and I this was a long time. ago in Seattle yes at the Museum of rock. and roll or something yeah it's like the. music experience experience Music Museum.

and we're walking along and I'm my wife. and I our relationship is not that you. know it's like we've we've I think we're. newly married or recently married or. maybe even not married yet and you came. running up to me and were really nice to. me and my wife was like you know Claire. Danes and I was like yes yes I do I know. many people and that's my job that may. have sealed the deal for me that may. have like gotten me my wife okay of 21. years so good for you yeah I remember it.

too it was quite exciting seeing you so. out of context yes yeah I remember uh. that very well there's just like these. little flash moments you have. um and we have so much to talk about. because. uh I saw this uh this show that you did. recently uh fleischmann's in trouble and. I was interested in it right away. because I adore you I adore Jesse. Eisenberg it's a good girl I love Lizzy.

cat I mean it's just like this is as and. I had this thought of they're getting. some of my favorite people together to. do a project and watched it and and I. was floored by what you did in that uh. in that I don't know I want to call it a. movie because it's not a TV show it's. cereal you know what do we call them now. I think we call them limited series. which is like a schmancier version of. mini series which had a very different. connotation exactly so long ago yeah. it's uh there were so many things that.

like after school special yes exactly no. it was it's not about you know vaginal. discharge or something. um I was disappointed because I tuned in. thinking that's what I was gonna see. um and uh we'll talk about it a little. more later because I don't want to give. anything away but. um that floored me and it shouldn't have. surprised me because uh you know the. work that you've done throughout your. career is so good oh thank you and um I. know you hear this a lot and it's it's.

it's interesting to me because. knowing you just a little bit as. yourself. you are so good at playing these people. who are going through something. torturous and who are just being crushed. by like seismic plates of emotion you're. so able to do that and then when I see. you you're just the lightest most fun do. you know what I mean you're effervescent. and fun and and uh great laugher and I.

think man she's a good actress yeah I. know it's funny I I I don't know it was. it's so exquisitely real well written. this show and. um and you know it's this great magic. trick that Taffy is able to uh uh create. both in her novel and in in the series. um I have to say I mean I felt so. supported by. the material and the people that I was.

making the thing with and yeah it's you. know it's taxing and risky to venture. into those dark crevices. um of The Human Experience but I so. believed in the thing and was so excited. to have a chance to you know explore. these themes and and these experiences. that are so. under represented in pop culture.

um that uh you know I I felt really. invested and. and. able to do it and there's even some kind. of joy in it I mean I I think. because I know it's in service. potentially of something worthwhile you. know like. I mean sometimes it's much harder to do. a kind of technically easy scene with. wonky writing than a really exacting.

demanding scene with excellent writing. like it carries you there's Brian. Cranston said. um he said as an actor. I can get the material if the material. is like an a I might be able to get you. to an A plus yeah yeah but he said if. the material is a c. I can get you to a c plus yes if I'm. really like totally on game or maybe it. would be minus but he said the the you. know really has to be on the page.

absolutely you know we are talking about. this during this writer strike and it's. appropriate to bring up like here here. that that is uh. I I know there's so many people that. think. um they'll watch a show. uh a drama and there are many people. that think the writers are just kind of. making it up as they go along almost. like you could watch Citizen Kane and. yeah Orson Welles got Joseph cotton a. couple of people and they just kind of. improved and then they came up with that. sled thing in the end isn't that crazy.

totally and it's amazing yeah and having. spent so much of my time within. television I'm you know acutely aware of. how vital the writer is in the process. and the intimacy that you start to have. with your writing Partners on a series. is kind of uh unmatched I mean it's it's. it doesn't really exist to the same. extent in any other medium so I have. just like the deepest of of respect for.

writers and and I'm you know really. aware of how much I owe to them.