Wyatt Russell Plays Young Kurt Russell In Monarch: Legacy of Monsters | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend
so last night I was watching uh this. project that you did together and this. fascinates me because first of all this. thing looks it's it's beautifully done. this project yeah it's funny because you. probably grew up in an area where there. in an era Kurt where there's there's TV. and then there's film and I think we're. in this world now where stuff that comes. out on TV streaming Apple you look at it. and you think this is cinema this is. it's so beautifully done uh and it's. it's just a different World well that's.
what you know when when this this came. to us to to look at Monarch Legacy of. monsters yeah and it was Godzilla so you. know first of all. you Godzilla Godzilla or you know it's. like what you mean which Godzilla no no. the the refined God and that's what we. were in yeah we were we were like well. you know but what you know so we started. talking about it because it was It was. obviously it could be epic it could be. cool um I love I I'd seen Godzilla when.
I was probably eight or nine years old. and never forgot him but um it just. became you know the movies are are about. the monsters you see them that's what it. is and it's fantastic you know in a. certain way for a certain audience they. love it but um we also you know when. went came to us we started talking about. it we said you know that's not something. we would probably want to be interested. in doing because it's just not I don't. know it's not doesn't doesn't hit us um. but that was not what they were wanting. to do they were wanting to look at this. thing and take the human.
The Human Condition that was living with. it and and do a real true. sci-fi where it's a it's a relatable. Human Experience and there are people. who are dealing with this and uh that. was very interesting to us and so uh. yeah we started talking about it and and. ended up uh you know ended up doing it. and loving that we did it because it. really the fact that Apple would put. this kind of effort into it the fact. that the showrunner and the headwriter. were as invested in it as they they were.
the fact that they really went out to. get really good good actors to do it. made us feel like uh yeah this is. something that maybe we should we should. seriously take a look at and we'd have. the opportunity to do something nobody. had ever done that with two known actors. father and son playing the same person. yeah that's the part that blows me away. is uh you are the younger self you are. the uh more mature self yeah slightly. older I say more mature wiser. um well but no no somehow less wise.
uh but it's it's really cool that you. you're both playing the same character. and so I would think if you're preparing. for a role like that you're kind of be. going to be eyeing each other you don't. have scenes together because that's not. possible obviously but you're going to. be trying to figure out each other's. physicality I mean I'm guessing that. might be part of it that was that was. sort of the unspoken thing that was in. the back of our heads the whole time. right um the thing that was fascinating.
for me uh cuz Wyatt was going to be. different was uh was first of all the. opportunity to watch him work MH and how. he worked and the things that it would. remind me of or things that I would. learn from him watching him but I've. never done a character where somebody. else was starting it out yeah it's like. wait a minute we we talked about this. with the guy not having a big Lim and. now I see you limping around I me okay I. don't I don't have a. limp.
and so whatever yeah he whatever he lays. out there because it's you it's you in. the 1950s whatever he lays out there you. have to pick up on so just to be mean to. you he could drool a lot that's what I. mean that's exactly drool all the time. it's like and scratch his face like this. and it's like pick up on that old man I. better see that in your role that's. exactly right I mean it's funny but it's. also like well okay I'm G to have to do. what you know and so we the thing about.
it is that let why I talked to it. because he he he he really you know he's. absolutely fantastic in the show and I. love seeing the reaction to him in it um. he he was going to establish these. things that that we were going to do so. we we had to be in line his rhythm his. we have idiosyncrasies that are the same. you know familial things we knew that. those would be there and then we we'd. work on the look and kind of this and. that but uh it was really the fact that. we have different rhythms that was.
something we were going to have to deal. with you know and and find and then what. you find yourself in doing in that is. finding a character that you you really. want to play but I mean it was fun to go. down to his set watch him work do you. get intimidated at all if you're I mean. first of all you know my dad's a. microbiologist so it's not like he would. you know I but I would still if I knew. my dad was in the audience when I was. doing a show it felt like more pressure. you know even if there's 7,000 people in. the crowd if I know my dad's there too. because it's my dad felt like a level of.
but I don't know if you had that when. when your dad's watching you um there's. I think early on there was a sense of. like yeah I want my dad to think that. I'm good you know like I'm a good actor. or whatever um and then there'd be. things he'd see or that I'd write and he. be like no okay like when in the. beginning um and so yeah you always want. that to be part of it but I learned I. think beyond my dad and getting a little. bit of success in film and also in. hockey it was the same thing like you.
just can't do it for that otherwise like. you will sink yourself your whole life. it just will suck you dry like you'll. never that's an insatiable desire that. you cannot um Quench and so I really. started going down the road of like no. I'm I really am just going to do what I. want to do and if it like I said earlier. if it doesn't work it doesn't work and. if my dad doesn't like it like that. doesn't mean that it doesn't work it's. just you know but he's been always so. supportive of it wasn't ever something.
that like he that. that they were just great parents I mean. they were they always wanted us to do. well they were always supportive uh and. then they also disassociated from it. enough to where it was like hey it's. great work if you can get it but I'm not. going to be in your hair about this. stuff all the time cool and we never. talk talk about it you know this was the. most we'd ever talked about film outside. of you know being on a movie Set It was. like we had to talk about it a lot. because you had the like make sure the.
character was congruent and point A to. point B even Arc and you got to like hit. those spots and stuff like that so it. was really fun to work with them off. camera um seeing how he I'd seen how. he'd worked all the time when people. would come over to the house and I'd be. playing a video game or watching sports. center or something and you'd hear. meetings right and then all he ever did. in those meetings was trying to make the. movie better never was it about like me. me me it was just not the way he is. wasn't the way and it seemed like a good.
way to do it because his movies were. always cool and people loved them and. they were always good you're the movie's. good you're going to be good and so I. took that approach and then as I moved. on with my career that's been good for. me and worked for me and now we were. able to do it together and it was. awesome you know it was really fun to be. able to do funny story about the God. about getting cast as Godzilla though my. our Doula who Doula for those of you who. don't know they' help you deliver your. child mhm uh she was with my wife and I.
we were getting the offer to do Godzilla. and I have like a relatively large. jaw um you can't see it without my beard. ever since Jason Russell and so yeah and. the D and my wife goes yeah he's gonna. do Godzilla him and Kirk gonna do. Godzilla why it's gonna be in Godzilla. and the dla goes oh my God he's going to. be so great as Godzilla. that.
I always pictured him with that jaaw and. I'm. like I'm not playing look so much he's. such a radioactive. lizard like oh no that would be great. if if you agreed to it thinking it was. this other thing and it's your dad doing. all this complex acting and you in a. rubber suit. going your dad's like you you're killing. it doing a really good J way to go.
son I'm proud of. you uh well this is uh man this is. extremely cool uh for me because this is. a double treat I've as you know long. been a huge fan of yours uh and we've. talked about it many times even some of. the movies that people don't all know. I've watched those movies like bone. Tomahawk and said man uh that. conversation I will go see if you're in. it I go see it and I never regret it and. then uh as as a to get to meet you cuz I.
really love your work I love what you're. doing and I also you're you are so much. your own person and uh and it's very. it's very satisfying for me to like get. to meet your your uh your son I keep. wandering around the neighborhood. because I know you live nearby and I. always see this bearded guy kind of see. me and then duck behind a. head well next time. next time I'll wear bells and you can.
hear me good it's like a bear you're. like a bear I have to make noise around. you so you don't attack me right do you. ever see Sandler Adam Sandler lives in. our neighborhood Adam bought our old. house that's right and this is what Adam. does you know it's La so people are. supposed to you know you call first you. send a text maybe we'll get together at. a neutral it's not like that's a weird. thing about La people just don't go over. to other people's houses and ring the. bell right except for Sandler s will. come and stand outside my house and go.
Cody. Cody it's like street car Named Desire. he's. yelling and I'll open the door like what. he's like how's it going buddy and then. he says everything's the best do a it's. the best it's the best did you know that. Kurt Russell and Goldie Li yeah they're. the best you seen Wyatt he's the. best you ever had botulism it's the best. the best of the diseases.
buddy and then he takes off again yeah. but uh well thanks for saying that I. know I know how hard it is for you to be. Earnest I appreciate. it.
