How Matthew Rhys Ended Up In “Cocaine Bear” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
obviously I love the Americans I love uh. Perry Mason and I love the take on it I. love that the first season was about. it's the origin story which I thought. was brilliantly done yes and uh and now. that that's been settled you're off and. running which is fantastic but I must. mention your stunning cameo in cocaine. Bear yes yes hey I want to stop by. saying. when I I read I read the script and then. that one of the first lines is Andrew. Thornton the second so if you Google.
Andrew Thornton II. surely as already said I've pitched this. to Elizabeth Banks I said we have to do. the prequel that leads up to that moment. where he's throwing cocaine because he's. a fascinating story oh my God yes he's. unbelievable but the film opens and I. don't think I'm spoiling much of. anything but I you know I was uh you. know I would have I'll I'll go see you. in anything so did I not know uh that.
you know um Elizabeth Banks I'm I'm. friendly with her and I was excited to. see cocaine Baron I really enjoyed it. and so the whole thing was a success but. if I hadn't known any of those things. and I just heard that you were in this. movie I'd have said well it's it's. Matthew Reese I gotta go check it out. and so I would go. and here's you were gone very quickly. yes instantly in a way that's hilarious. yes but it was very strategic because I. was getting shooting in Ireland Island. was being shot as Appalachia obviously.
right um and I've been I've been with. the kids going to various aquariums for. some time and I'd read the script and. I'd and in passing I said who's playing. that who's playing under the under. Thornton the second she's like who's he. I was like the guy the guy the guy at. the beginning the whole reason for this. film right and she's like I don't I I. don't know I'll ask but I was like text. pranks now Stephen she goes we haven't. even cast it yet so I said tell do I'll. do it I'll do it because it would mean. half a day away from the children Kerry. wasn't in the scene and I knew I could.
get like a solid three quarters of a day. on my own yes and that that was really. sole reason for doing it and then you. held out for 10 million dollars I did I. did you got it I got it I got it but I. think it was worth it I think I think I. I was with him and I had a lot of it's. the best 80 Seconds Of My Life of my. life that's all my real is now is that. 80 Seconds. um we're talking about uh you know this. Antique Motorcycle reminds me that I. heard that you got yourself this boat. recently yeah and I love the way you got.
the boat which is it it started which is. a deadly combination I think were you on. were you on the internet and was drink. involved and late at night yes yes yes. it was actually Welsh whiskey I hastened. to add right I don't usually drink so I. count that as part of this madness. befell me but I was I I do I do. occasionally like to look at all old. boats. um and and I was I was looking and I'm a. little bit of a Hemingway fan and I saw.
this boat which I I knew Hemingway had a. Wheeler Playmate and I saw a Wheeler. playmate for sale on eBay and I knew. there's very few around. this boat was also called rare bit now I. don't know if you know the dish Welsh. rare bit yeah and she was named rabbit. in 1939 which was built in Brooklyn and. so many planets were aligning and. colliding oh that's what that's that's a. voice from Beyond saying this you have. to do this right and that's what I told. Carrie in the morning I said what did I.
have to do this that I had done it. reeking of alcohol yes I've bought a. boat and she's like you don't even row I. was like oh it's beyond rowing oh we're. not talking about no growing no no we. shall take family trips to this. so yeah so I embarked on this four-year. Odyssey of Madness where I've restored. the where I've restored this book one. myself and the captain did she's she she. kind of spearheaded the restoration.
because so many things went wrong we. started out with a shipwright who said. he would do it didn't do it another one. did didn't do it so in the end she my. captain said we'll do it listen there's. plenty of YouTube videos we just. need to do that we'll be fine and that's. what we did over many years and then we. passed we passed the inspection and now. she's being charted in New York Harbor I. am still waiting for the captain to call. going we're going down down and it's. that little bit in the front that you. did you have it yeah you said you.
patched it I did I did I didn't say with. what yeah uh so this is the boat because. I'm also a Hemingway fan and I think. this is the boat that do you have this. boat in Cuba he did okay and uh I think. there's there's famous footage of him he. would he would go out and uh and Fish on. this boat yes. um and had it had a big chair like a big. fighting chair fighting chair yeah and. then uh he would. um you know unfortunately also drink a. lot yeah yeah yeah which uh which is you.
know didn't help things for him no I was. in uh Cuba once I didn't get to see his. house but I was shooting something in. Havana when I was in a bar I was. shooting a travel show in in uh in in. Havana how long have you been doing this. travel show uh it was called Conan. Without Borders it's now we're shifting. into something else we're gonna give it. a difference with borders Conan with. yeah with orders responsible oh good um. Conan who stays within yes the county. lines mental borders yeah yeah it's just. me roaming around a very small portion.
of Los Angeles mostly in the same Mall. brilliant uh but. um I was there and I went to a bar and I. guess it was one of Hemingway's favorite. bars in Havana and there's a big statue. as a life-size statue of him at the bar. so it's a life-size Hemingway in bronze. that's at the bar leaning against the. bar having a drink and I thought. you know he was an alcoholic yes I know. we're this is strange I know that this. is strange the applauding or the the.
deifying yeah it was a little strange it. was uh yeah but whatever yeah so I know. after a few drinks I was happy to see. the statue and have your photo taken. yeah exactly yes several photos I know I. know I have this I have I do have this. this relationship with Hemingway kind of. I think it boils down to my own strange. relationship with kind of possibly what. I do and and and. do you say machismo yeah yes. so I kind of grapple with all these. things at time because sometimes I look.
at what I do and I go my God this is so. I said oh oh I feel at times very. emasculated and therefore I want I. wonder sometimes if I overcompensate by. doing stupid things like this or whether. I you know but then at the end of the. day I enjoy it's a boat it's a beautiful. boat yeah I'm all for it I know and I. accept your invitation glorious. I started too heavily wow you're a damn. you're not quite as good an actress I. thought no no polishes no isn't there. yes. yes ah damn it asked me again there's.
always a second take that's why I love. uh soap operas is that. um the and and certain kinds of TV. dramas is that an actor Will clearly. register displeasure but the other actor. all the ACT you know so you'll come to. me and you'll say well Conan I'll be. spending the weekend with you and I'll. go the weekend. and then you'll go problem and I'll go. not at all I know and then you're as. happy as a clown I know there's anyone.
else did you did you blink for that. length of time what happened to your. brain in those four seconds I love to do. that in real life I know but I think I'm. happy that you got this boat I think. it's great well then come aboard anytime. you want Oh seriously children the. children Don't Go Near it anymore. they've only done like twice I think. it's you and me out on the ocean it's. pretty much it sending out distressed. calls you know we can't have immediately. I'll be sending out distress calls I. don't when it's slightly rocking yeah. say Conan we're fine why is it doing.
that. why is there Motion in this vehicle Make. It Stop. um. I am going to well you're a busy man. you're a busy man you have things to do. you have worlds to conquer I say I do I. know but you know what every everyone I. learned to say it I used to say I have. nowhere to go and my time is yours yes I. was dead in Hollywood. so what I love is when you get the call. ahead of time uh Matthews and he's got a.
lot going on he's very busy and so I. know that if I follow you down to the. lobby you're going to go across the. street yeah get a bubble tea no there's. a Biryani truck outside I clocked out on. the way in I'm no strainless stranger to. some Street Indian food. um I uh you are a pure delight uh you're. a crazy talented actor but also you are. hilariously funny and it is a personal. Grudge of mine.
um I when when handsome uh talented. actors are also hilariously funny it. enrages me because at you this was I. like to say this was my consolation. prize for other things so you thank. you you thank you. it's not right no there's a turn of. phrase I've heard in many a time and. we're happily here again but you. thank you you know I always heard the.
Welsh were just brilliant poets yes and. there you heard it you heard it right. there I hear it in Welsh in caligraphy. caddy gravy there they go perfectly said. Telegraph yeah yeah I'm gonna keep that. one yes that will come in handy I was. doing it I was doing a play once Off. Broadway and and I was playing not a. very a very likable character and I I. was I would say within half a block of. the theater after finishing and a woman. was walking in the opposite direction me. she was I was walking away from this she. was coming towards me and she just went.
you're an and I thought and then. I thought oh she's seen the play yeah. and then I went hang on she's walking in. the opposite I'm walking from the. theater she's walking the opposite route. towards it so maybe she hasn't seen the. play and that stayed with me forever did. you ever find out no and it's I've. always wondered whether she's seen the. play or not then you married her and. then and that's when I knew. I'm so needy that's the woman I would. follow exactly is there any way I can. make it I played into every insecurity I.
had uh well played Matthew uh good God. it's uh just it's just as the made my. day seriously thank you very much thank. you for the invitation as always oh my. God a true Joy yes I will come I will. haunt you on your boat please please do. it needs a ghost. hahaha.
