# Jessica Biel

- **Show:** SmartLess
- **Published:** 12 Oct 2026
- **Source:** https://www.smartless.com/
- **Transcript:** https://podcasts.opennash.com/shows/smartless/jessica-biel-999a95/
- **Provider:** OpenNash Podcasts (machine-generated)

## In brief

In this SmartLess conversation, actor and producer Jessica Biel argues, mostly by example, that a long career comes from constant reinvention and doing the unglamorous work. She describes learning her craft on a teen TV series, deliberately choosing contrasting film roles, learning precision driving for Matchbox, and building a production company to make the stories she wanted.

The episode swings between career talk and the hosts' running jokes. The serious thread is how hard it is to stay employed, with Biel saying she is still fighting her way back into film and that her company did almost nothing for ten years. The comic thread, covering sandbags, bathing habits and surprise visitors, keeps puncturing it.

## Key insights

1. **Matchbox made Biel a performance driver** She trained in a Budapest parking lot to stop a car precisely on a mark and spin it 180 or 360 degrees. Real track speeds were only around 80 mph because the camera makes that look much faster.
2. **Film cars often stop on hidden sandbags** Jason and Will explain that crews put a weighted sandbag under a wheel so a car stops exactly on its mark and stays in frame. The skill is hitting it so the car does not lurch.
3. **Seventh Heaven worked as Biel's film school** Starting at fourteen, she spent four seasons on set learning basics like how to stand up, sit down smoothly and find the light. She then picked roles like Texas Chainsaw and Rules of Attraction to break her good-kid image.
4. **Biel started a company to control her career** With Michelle Purple she founded Iron Ocean to make small films and shows about women, when few others did. Agents told them not to, and they did almost nothing for ten years before projects like The Sinner and Better Sister.
5. **Dual careers abroad depend on paid support** During Matchbox, Biel was in Budapest and Morocco while Justin Timberlake toured, and they went eight weeks without seeing each other. She says it works only because of a large nanny and assistant team, since grandparents live far away.

## Questions this episode answers

### What is Matchbox and who is in it?

Matchbox is an action film based on the Mattel toy cars, released on Apple TV on October 9 according to Jason. Jessica Biel plays a character who is also a race car driver, and John Cena is in it too.

### What is the sandbag trick that Jason and Will talk about?

Film crews put a weighted sandbag on the ground so a car's wheel rolls onto it and stops exactly on its mark, keeping the car in frame. Jason says the art is hitting it so the car doesn't look like it is lurching to a stop.

### What does forest bathing actually mean?

It is not a bath in the woods. Jessica Biel explains it as walking through a forest and soaking in its sounds, like birds and wind, to relax.

### How did Jessica Biel get started in acting?

She performed constantly as a kid in Boulder, Colorado, took commercial acting classes, and went to Los Angeles for pilot season at ages eleven to thirteen. She booked Seventh Heaven at fourteen and did four full seasons.

### Why did Biel start her production company Iron Ocean?

She wanted to stop waiting for auditions and take charge of her career, so she and her friend Michelle Purple started a company to make small movies about women. She says it was very hard, with almost nothing made for ten years.

## Facts

- **Jessica Biel** [0:08:34]: "he's so fun, actually loved working with him. He's a doll."
- **Will Arnett** [0:10:54]: "Oftentimes, when you see people in in film or TV, pull in in a car or whatever, oftentimes what you don't know is that they're rolling into a sandbag."
- **Jessica Biel** [0:11:49]: "The team was there, and we were we literally were pr- we were training in this parking lot."
- **Jessica Biel** [0:12:17]: "Slovakia, um, Ooh, God, yeah, those were our main locations, if I remember."
- **Jessica Biel** [0:19:18]: "I was eleven, twelve and thirteen, did it three years in a row."
- **Jessica Biel** [0:20:14]: "I did seventh Heaven finally, when I was fourteen, I just turned fourteen, and I booked seventh Heaven"
- **Jessica Biel** [0:25:18]: "I did four full seasons and a so I did basically my entire high school career on the show."
- **Jessica Biel** [0:26:02]: "taught me how to stand up and sit down on a chair."
- **Jessica Biel** [0:30:26]: "I never finished college, which is a huge regret."
- **Jessica Biel** [0:32:22]: "Texas Chainsaw was probably one of those one of the moments where I thought, Okay, this is a really good move for me."
- **Jessica Biel** [0:34:51]: "All I remember is eating so much chocolate and running on a treadmill"
- **Jessica Biel** [0:39:28]: "We live in Montana, and that's the other thing."
- **Jessica Biel** [0:43:13]: "the kid's having a meltdown, they would go, Jessica, Jessica, and the kid would literally go"
- **Jessica Biel** [0:44:43]: "she hired me, her and Rob hired me for Stealth. That's how we met twenty years ago"
- **Jessica Biel** [0:45:59]: "we, we, we started this tiny production company, not not knowing how to do any of it."
- **Jessica Biel** [0:46:45]: "we have been trying to, uh, make movies and TV shows for twenty years. It was so hard. Um, we did almost nothing for ten years"
- **Jessica Biel** [0:49:24]: "Justin was on tour, um, in the middle of the the global tour, which was insane."
- **Jessica Biel** [0:49:24]: "I was in Budapest with the kids. They they came for seven weeks, we didn't see Justin for eight weeks."
- **Jessica Biel** [0:50:11]: "My mom doesn't live here, my mom lives in Colorado, his parents are in, um, Tennessee, my dad is in Hawaii, so we're all over the place."
- **Will Arnett** [0:53:30]: "It comes out of boredom. It comes out of letting your mind wander."
- **Jessica Biel** [0:54:44]: "walking through the forest, bathing in the sounds of the forest."
- **Jessica Biel** [0:56:46]: "it's a machine that injects, um, the hydrogen gas into and makes little teeny tiny bubbles"
- **Jessica Biel** [0:57:28]: "It's definitely gonna detox, but it's going to it's gonna take the inflammation away."
- **Jason Bateman** [1:00:13]: "Matchbox, October 9th on Apple TV, don't mess around."

## Transcript

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**[0:02:38] Sean Hayes:** Potential savings vary. Subject to terms and qualifications. Allstate North American Insurance Company and affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois. My sister just texted me. I gotta look this up. She says, I have my fortieth reunion next Friday. What the hell do I wear? Well, I don't know. You should probably wear something real sexy, and you should also probably wear a smile, and I hope all you are wearing a smile, cause it's in a whole new smartless.

**[0:03:10] Jessica Biel:** Smart, less smart, less smart, less

**[0:03:28] Jason Bateman:** Uh, I get to host you two ding dongs tonight at the house. You coming over I know for dinner?

**[0:03:31] Sean Hayes:** Oh, yeah, that's right.

**[0:03:33] Jason Bateman:** Uh, I don't. I don't think you guys have ever been to my house for dinner.

**[0:03:37] Sean Hayes:** what are you talking about?

**[0:03:38] Jason Bateman:** Uh, I I don't think you guys have ever been to my house for dinner. You're totally joking. Well,

**[0:03:43] Jessica Biel:** of course. J- Jason, what are you talking about?

**[0:03:45] Jason Bateman:** well, uh, when is the last time? then tell me when's the last time the two of you have come over to my house for Well, I don't dinner?

**[0:03:51] Sean Hayes:** keep a record of it, but I've been there about 25,000 times for dinner.

**[0:03:55] Jason Bateman:** I don't think so. Not just for dinner. Like sitting around the dinner table, sitting around just it is

**[0:03:59] Sean Hayes:** for dinner.

**[0:03:59] Jason Bateman:** a plan for you guys to come over for dinner. It's, you know, it's always just sorta casual, Last you know?

**[0:04:04] Will Arnett:** year, I haven't done it, but we were everybody was away, but I we did, uh, movie night one night last year. Yeah, but see, Uh,

**[0:04:10] Jason Bateman:** that's it. But it's with a bunch of other people, and it's kinda you're sitting around the k- the kitchen and you don't really

**[0:04:14] Will Arnett:** just us. Oh, you, oh, like, I mean, you mean, like, sitting yeah, you don't sit down. Yeah,

**[0:04:16] Jason Bateman:** down. You can multitask.

**[0:04:17] Sean Hayes:** that's true. We we I've done it, like, maybe twice at your place, or once or twice. Where was where

**[0:04:21] Jason Bateman:** was that? We always like, stand it's always

**[0:04:22] Sean Hayes:** in the kitchen. takeout, it's always takeout, Yeah, always standing around and just like, doing

**[0:04:25] Jason Bateman:** Oh, um, uh, yeah, well, that that's true. I've never

**[0:04:27] Will Arnett:** This is not a com. It's not a complaint.

**[0:04:29] Jason Bateman:** I don't cook. No, but I don't do you. Y- well, you guys, you guys don't cook. No, I You have no

**[0:04:33] Will Arnett:** don't cook.

**[0:04:33] Jason Bateman:** idea how to cook, right?

**[0:04:34] Will Arnett:** No, I don't, I have none.

**[0:04:35] Jason Bateman:** Sean, can you boil water?

**[0:04:36] Sean Hayes:** I can. I make sloppy Joes. I just had tons of sloppy Joes last week. You did? Oh,

**[0:04:42] Will Arnett:** And then and then you just spice it and make it chili. What's the dif? What's the diff? I used to do that at my school. They'd really be like, big sloppy Joes we're gonna have sloppy too. Joes, and the next day we have chili. I'm like, Hey man, I'm onto you. Okay, I know what's happening.

**[0:04:54] Jason Bateman:** hey, wait, wait, what's tonight? Did you guys talk to Amanda? What are we having tonight?

**[0:04:57] Will Arnett:** Uh, I don't know. She didn't say

**[0:04:59] Jason Bateman:** She hasn't taken your orders.

**[0:05:00] Will Arnett:** Sean, do you know? Sean? Do Do you know you know this? I don't of your dietary care.

**[0:05:02] Jason Bateman:** limitations?

**[0:05:03] Will Arnett:** I have? I have none.

**[0:05:05] Sean Hayes:** Why don't we sh- have sushi delivered or something easy? All right, All right,

**[0:05:09] Will Arnett:** Well, that's easy.

**[0:05:10] Sean Hayes:** or or that

**[0:05:11] Will Arnett:** Easily expensive. pizza. Yeah, why don't why don't we just have gold bars delivered? What do you sushi? What kind of life are you But no, what about living? We're gonna pizza? What about get a lot of lobster. just Uh,

**[0:05:22] Sean Hayes:** what about what about pizza?

**[0:05:24] Will Arnett:** I told you about the time, JB. I told you about the time I I witnessed Sean eating lobster on a private jet, right? That was incredible.

**[0:05:30] Sean Hayes:** It was in the dock. It was in the dock.

**[0:05:32] Will Arnett:** No, not in the dock. It was a different time when we went to Niagara. And and all of a sudden, and then the I, I Sean and I, I got a I got a lift and, uh, from these guys. Then I get on there. And all of a sudden, the the person comes out with the food. You guys ready for lunch? Yeah, and puts the thing down and all of a sudden starts serving lobster. What was that guy?

**[0:05:49] Sean Hayes:** It was unbelievable. It was unbelievable.

**[0:05:53] Will Arnett:** That just turned my morning around.

**[0:05:55] Jason Bateman:** all right. Um, oh shit.

**[0:05:58] Sean Hayes:** I know.

**[0:05:59] Jason Bateman:** Okay, good. I was just checking on this restart have we cause I lose got a guest all my yeah,

**[0:06:01] Will Arnett:** tonight? Or no? I was, yeah, we have to. Like, Who are we?

**[0:06:03] Jason Bateman:** I was panicking if I lost We are having my notes.

**[0:06:05] Will Arnett:** dinner tonight so we can catch up later.

**[0:06:06] Jason Bateman:** I know. All right, wait, wait. Um, and then, oh, fuck, I think I may have lost my notes on this restart. Hold oh my on, I've got

**[0:06:14] Sean Hayes:** god, are you kidding?

**[0:06:14] Jason Bateman:** my intro, I've got my I've got my intro, um, Okay, you and then

**[0:06:18] Sean Hayes:** intro, and we'll chat and you look for your notes.

**[0:06:20] Jason Bateman:** no, no, here, okay, and then where are my notes? God damn it, this is all Michael Grant Terry's fault. It's gotta What did he be somehow,

**[0:06:27] Will Arnett:** do? What did he do?

**[0:06:28] Jason Bateman:** it just somehow it's gotta be his.

**[0:06:30] Will Arnett:** Michael Grant Terry? Can I just talk about him? For a

**[0:06:32] Jason Bateman:** there it is.

**[0:06:32] Will Arnett:** sec? There's the notes. Michael Alright, guys, Rob, Rob and Bennett and Michael need a we. We haven't had a minute. Uh, Robert Robert Carl, Rob, Rob um, Garf. Uh, Michael, Bennett and Rob grease the wheels on this thing. They make it c- they make it happen. They the So we're gonna trains on, see keep the trains on time. They do so much stuff, always. they do so much for us. she's our producer. What a bunch of professionals.

**[0:06:57] Will Arnett:** Um, and I really

**[0:06:58] Jason Bateman:** all right, I'm ready.

**[0:06:58] Will Arnett:** appreciate it. Okay, you ready? All right, I was vamping, but I meant it. all right. I meant

**[0:07:02] Jason Bateman:** I mean it too. I second Love those all that praise. guys. Yeah, third, Okay, all right, here we come, guys. We have with us today a woman who has been a success in this business for over thirty years, and she's still going strong with multiple nominations and awards to her credit. She's been working across film and television since she was a child now balancing acting with producing. Now she's running Justin her own production Bieber company. No, she's set to have one of her biggest projects ever release this October.

**[0:07:30] Jason Bateman:** It's massive, massive. She has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, she's sung at the Hollywood Bowl. Sean, she's a level six trained gymnast. Will you

**[0:07:40] Will Arnett:** What?

**[0:07:40] Jason Bateman:** met her on Seventh Heaven? You rooted for in Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and you're about to ride

**[0:07:45] Will Arnett:** Jessica Biel?

**[0:07:45] Jason Bateman:** shotgun with her in the blockbuster Matchbox this fall. Guys, it's Kim and John's girl, Jessica Biel. Woo Oh, guys, Jessica, thanks for coming on. guys. Thank you so And it's so nice to much for having

**[0:08:00] Sean Hayes:** meet you.

**[0:08:01] Jessica Biel:** me. It's so nice to meet you too. I'm nervous, I my heart is pounding. I feel like if I had to take a polygraph test, I would. Li- I would fail.

**[0:08:06] Jason Bateman:** hey, I'm excited to see that movie. I watched that trailer this morning. Wait, tell me

**[0:08:10] Jessica Biel:** It's fun.

**[0:08:10] Sean Hayes:** what is it?

**[0:08:11] Jason Bateman:** Matchbox, the movie.

**[0:08:13] Sean Hayes:** No way. Okay, yeah, dude, it's like, remember Oh, that's exciting.

**[0:08:16] Jason Bateman:** Fast and Furious, you like that? You're gonna love this.

**[0:08:18] Sean Hayes:** oh wow, that's a. But Oh my god, based on the Hasbro thing,

**[0:08:21] Jason Bateman:** yeah, yeah. Or was it Mattel? Mattel.

**[0:08:23] Sean Hayes:** Mattel, sorry, Mattel. Mattel? That's going listen to this to show guy. Hasbro Um, I used to play that all the time.

**[0:08:30] Jessica Biel:** me too.

**[0:08:31] Jason Bateman:** It looks so great. I love John Cena, the I know guy kills me

**[0:08:34] Jessica Biel:** he's so fun, actually loved working with him. He's a doll.

**[0:08:37] Sean Hayes:** Yeah, he's great.

**[0:08:38] Jason Bateman:** now. Let me ask you a question. I bet you got a million times in the junket if you've already done that, and if you haven't, you're going to. Are you a fast driver yourself?

**[0:08:47] Jessica Biel:** No, I am an old lady defensive driver. Slow. I've

**[0:08:50] Jason Bateman:** Really?

**[0:08:50] Jessica Biel:** got kids in the car, I live on Flashers a dirt road,

**[0:08:53] Jason Bateman:** on?

**[0:08:54] Jessica Biel:** I've got all of it. I've got like a seat lifter that keeps my butt from getting tired and and, you know, how You sit your butt falls

**[0:09:02] Jason Bateman:** on a on a quarter apple?

**[0:09:03] Jessica Biel:** asleep, basically. Um, I'm a very I'm a slow old lady driver. But then when we did the movie, I got to learn all this cool performance driving and now I now I want a muscle car.

**[0:09:14] Sean Hayes:** And you did that. Did they train you

**[0:09:17] Jason Bateman:** really?

**[0:09:18] Jessica Biel:** It was so fun.

**[0:09:18] Jason Bateman:** Okay, talk to us about that, cause I've done a little bit of that. That's that's very, very fun stuff,

**[0:09:22] Jessica Biel:** It was so much fun. I mean, that is the best part of our job, right? We're ge- we're getting to learn these cool, weird, uh, skills that you may never get to learn. I got to learn how to, um, you know, stop a car on its mark, like, put the right back wheel on a mark. Oh, really,

**[0:09:38] Jason Bateman:** It's called it's called the sandbag.

**[0:09:40] Jessica Biel:** Yeah, yes, and slide it and then stop it. Do a one eighty and stop it, do a three sixty and stop it right you can do on a dime. that. oh my god, that's I

**[0:09:48] Will Arnett:** that's advanced.

**[0:09:49] Jessica Biel:** I did it. I don't know if I can do it now. You need the right car. I think that is what I realized is, like, these performance cars that we were driving, they they do exactly what you ask them to do. It's

**[0:10:01] Jason Bateman:** needs to be the real unbelievable. you would be, I one.

**[0:10:02] Will Arnett:** bet you'd be able to do it in a GMC, uh, of your, of Jesus, your choice. isn't Uh, once it? Isn't a professional it about grade engineer, you go, Sean,

**[0:10:09] Sean Hayes:** isn't it about, like, the timing of the break and the emergency break or whatever? And like, it's it's a lot co- a lot of coordination. Yeah,

**[0:10:16] Jessica Biel:** well, the cars I w- I was driving, which is why I it would be hard to just do it in a regular car, as I was using pedals. So I had I, I wasn't h- I wa- it wasn't an emergency brake, it was a clutch, and there was another, there was another, there was multiple pedals. It was like a car.

**[0:10:30] Jason Bateman:** so you're driving stick. Were you driving stick shift car?

**[0:10:33] Jessica Biel:** This one was not a stick shift.

**[0:10:35] Jason Bateman:** Do you know how to drive a stick shift?

**[0:10:36] Jessica Biel:** I do know how to drive a stick shift. Yeah, Yeah, me too, because, it's fun, it's a lot of like I said, start. those are fun. It

**[0:10:40] Jason Bateman:** they don't make it anymore, is, I know they don't you know, make, they it's tough don't make stick shift anymore. at all. at all, I don't think so. like I think you, like, you have to, like, special order it.

**[0:10:47] Will Arnett:** They mu- like people like Porsche must still I I, it's, make those, don't they?

**[0:10:50] Jason Bateman:** it's I. I believe it is. You have to really specify it. But, you

**[0:10:54] Will Arnett:** know, y- I, I was gonna say, Sean, you said something, uh, or Jason, you said, uh, maybe Tracy would be interested to know this. And he's, uh. Oftentimes, when you see people in in film or TV, pull in in a car or whatever, oftentimes what you don't know is that they're rolling into a sandbag. As Jason said, as a as sort of like to help so it can them fine-tune.

**[0:11:12] Sean Hayes:** stay in the frame.

**[0:11:13] Will Arnett:** So it can stay in the frame. So they have it, cause they have a hard mark they need to stay to s so the the vehicle.

**[0:11:17] Jason Bateman:** it's like a twenty five pound, uh, sandbag, um, that's like, kinda like f- uh, flayed open, like like a butterfly that they drop on the ground. It's usually we meant to weight down, like a stand that holds lights and stuff like that. Um, and they'll put it down and and and when the when the when the wheel rolls up on it, it j- it hits it. And then there's an art to actually hitting it so it doesn't look like it's lurching the car to a stop, like it's hitting a rock or something.

**[0:11:39] Jason Bateman:** It's it's a whole thing, it's a it's a another actor cheat. We've we've got tons of those, um, but wait, so d so you went to driver performance like school, like Willow Springs or something like that?

**[0:11:49] Jessica Biel:** we were in well, we were in Budapest, so we we just was. The team was there, and we were we literally were pr- we were training in this parking lot. Oh my god, Just me and a couple of these incredible

**[0:11:59] Will Arnett:** and they were like they were like, Oh, so, Budapest, okay, go on the street, don't worry, just we don't want you to go basically, basically, on. No, no, no, just go downtown, don't worry.

**[0:12:06] Jason Bateman:** don't worry about the children.

**[0:12:07] Will Arnett:** No, he's no police, no.

**[0:12:09] Jessica Biel:** that's that's about right.

**[0:12:12] Jason Bateman:** So wait. So the whole thing was no, there was Budapest, it wasn't there. Morocco, too, there was Budapest, a bunch of different spots.

**[0:12:17] Jessica Biel:** Morocco, M Morocco, Slovakia, um, Ooh, God, yeah, those were our main locations, if I remember.

**[0:12:24] Sean Hayes:** Did you have to did you have to go like d? I've always wanted to do this, like, get a guys for my birthday, get me a like a racing track, like gift certificate. Like, where you race cars around a track, did you have to do that?

**[0:12:35] Jessica Biel:** I did. My character is sort of a, uh uh, she's a race car driver on the side, c- which is cool. Um, and, uh, I did. We did a we did a track, we did some, some rounds on a real And, like, how track.

**[0:12:46] Sean Hayes:** what'd you get up to?

**[0:12:48] Jessica Biel:** Nothing crazy. I mean, it wa- I think we were around s, you know, eighty or something, kinda normal freeway. Because it looks so much faster when when the cameras are rolling. I know And also the weird part was sometimes I was in a car where I wasn't even driving and, uh, someone else is driving, and that was so

**[0:13:06] Jason Bateman:** with on the hood.

**[0:13:06] Jessica Biel:** much harder. We had people on the roof, we had people in the back, but it was so

**[0:13:11] Sean Hayes:** Oh, you have to act like strange. you're driving. Yeah, so when Yeah, so Yeah, I wasn't strange.

**[0:13:13] Jessica Biel:** driving, it made me sick, you know, cause I'm w- you're so much more in control when you're driving, right, like you you're in control, you know, know when the turn's coming, you know what you're gonna do. When you're not driving, it's the strangest thing.

**[0:13:24] Will Arnett:** it's the way I I did. I did, uh, a couple times, I did the the one of those big NASCAR tracks, uh, and I did it with, uh, uh, Jeff Gordon, and he took me around in Atlanta. And first of all, the bank, those curves are are like, it's almost like straight down, it's almost like a full. And so doing that and you're not driving, I hated it. I felt and I'm not a nervous driver or nervous ab- about speed and stuff, but I was.

**[0:13:47] Will Arnett:** And I also did it in a, uh, Formula one track in, uh, outside of Austin there at the uh, uh, a and I. I was so I. I got giddy almost, cause I was so nervous. He was going so fast and passing people and you're not in control. It makes you feel like you feel like, Oh, this is it. It's all over.

**[0:14:05] Sean Hayes:** When when you were in control, though, Jessica, was was it a rush? Like, did you did you understand why people do it? Did you get the adrenaline? Yeah, for sure, I I I bet

**[0:14:14] Jessica Biel:** think I started to really get into the speed. I I think I'm just so used to having to be a responsible driver on the road and responsible for people's lives, you know, little little lives. And it was so cool to get behind the wheel and know that everybody knew to get out of my way and that the I was gonna be safe and I could go s fast, and that was exhilarating. So, yes, that adrenaline, I'm kind of an adrenaline junkie in most ways, except usually in a car on the road, because it's so serious

**[0:14:43] Sean Hayes:** like you can't.

**[0:14:43] Jessica Biel:** and so scary sometimes. Um,

**[0:14:45] Jason Bateman:** So it's like, so, so it's all so. It's family car all the time for you. You don't have, like, your own little, uh, personal little sports car you like to zip around. Mahalondon.

**[0:14:52] Jessica Biel:** I don't, I don't, eh, n- no, So we're talking I I wobble.

**[0:14:56] Jason Bateman:** full mini, full minivan. It's an Escalade, Okay, so it's, it's, all right, it's a, you sure,

**[0:15:01] Jessica Biel:** know, it's a. It's like a cool mommy car, it's a it's a cool car. But I would love, like, a little Porsche, or, you know, I really like, I really like those those new kind of Bronco twos. It's not, it's not a s sports car, but it feels

**[0:15:16] Jason Bateman:** that's a cute car.

**[0:15:17] Jessica Biel:** like a faster, sexier, cute, like with the top that

**[0:15:19] Jason Bateman:** It's a cute car.

**[0:15:20] Jessica Biel:** comes off.

**[0:15:20] Jason Bateman:** Will. Talk to us about the Bronco, too. no, I will Tell us about, not. I will Yeah, tell us how not. much of the Bronco, too, will you?

**[0:15:25] Will Arnett:** no no. Friend friends don't let friends drive Fords. Ever.

**[0:15:29] Jason Bateman:** Here we go.

**[0:15:31] Jessica Biel:** The Bronco was my first car ever, so I have, like, it's a just as a it has a little place in my Jessica, I heart.

**[0:15:36] Will Arnett:** know you like the Escalade, but I'll tell you something I'd love to get you into a Yukon X L Denali.

**[0:15:40] Jessica Biel:** It's great. Send him my way. So

**[0:15:43] Will Arnett:** I would love the Yukon. Jessica, this I got a triple max whole diesel. Go ahead, Jason. I'm this, this sorry, I'm

**[0:15:47] Jason Bateman:** Jessica, this whole love affair with America and the world in general. It started in Boulder, right

**[0:15:55] Sean Hayes:** oh, it did.

**[0:15:55] Jason Bateman:** with your outdoorsy, unconventional parents. Huh? What God, the fuck?

**[0:15:59] Will Arnett:** that's so. It's so judgmental. That's so The way you're saying great. that is so creepy and judgmental.

**[0:16:05] Jessica Biel:** I know I was like, What is he gonna say? Oh, were they were Yeah, what's

**[0:16:09] Will Arnett:** they carefree? up? Yeah, Jessica, this is what him and I was saying. John, they just Fresh air you're out there playing eating, gro-

**[0:16:14] Jason Bateman:** grab ass in the woods. You love the air, Yeah, what, what? How did? How did performing come into your brain? Out there? Were you guys

**[0:16:21] Sean Hayes:** And Boulder.

**[0:16:22] Jason Bateman:** were you guys doing like little shows for one another, little kids running around in front of hippie dippie mom and dad? God,

**[0:16:28] Jessica Biel:** God, that sounds gross. It's all on Wikipedia, you're so you guys,

**[0:16:30] Will Arnett:** offensive the way you said that, that's so creepy. It's so I say, so. And a guy

**[0:16:35] Jessica Biel:** did you say grab ass in the woods? Cause yes, that

**[0:16:37] Jason Bateman:** grab ass in the woods.

**[0:16:39] Jessica Biel:** that's what was happening. Um, I don't know you guys. All I can remember is I was one of that and I was just was a that annoying little kid. That was like, Mom, watch this, turn the video camera on mom. And she's like, Okay, great, okay, we're done. No, no, no, I have more watch again, you know, it was just constant, like I was just constantly performing, doing dumb things that were not cool, that she was pretending were cool, they were pretending

**[0:17:05] Jason Bateman:** But did it?

**[0:17:06] Jessica Biel:** were cool.

**[0:17:06] Jason Bateman:** Where did it come? And I I Where? Like,

**[0:17:07] Jessica Biel:** don't know where it came from. It was just always within me.

**[0:17:09] Jason Bateman:** was it w- like, did you watch a ton of TV?

**[0:17:11] Jessica Biel:** No, no, we didn't really watch a ton of TV.

**[0:17:15] Will Arnett:** No, they were playing grab ass in the We were grab forest, yeah,

**[0:17:17] Jessica Biel:** ass in the woods. Uh, All right, well,

**[0:17:20] Jason Bateman:** that too.

**[0:17:20] Jessica Biel:** I don't know what it was.

**[0:17:22] Sean Hayes:** I used to imitate Nadia Comaneci. Remember that gymnast Nadia Comaneci? sure did. Seven And I,

**[0:17:26] Will Arnett:** six, Montreal.

**[0:17:27] Sean Hayes:** I would be like, I, I would do it over and over, like, watch this, and I would imitate that, like the heavy breathing after, you'd really land and the and your splint the stance, Oh, you did. Oh, right? And everything.

**[0:17:35] Will Arnett:** sorry, you, you were imitating the actor, not the actual gymnast.

**[0:17:40] Jessica Biel:** the end pose, which is important, too.

**[0:17:42] Jason Bateman:** you gotta snap it. All right now. Well, that that brings us to your, to your you were training as a gymnast as well, right? At about the same time

**[0:17:51] Will Arnett:** I wanna see you do that, Sean, so bad. I wanna you can say that see it

**[0:17:53] Jason Bateman:** I'm Will and Grace. too, He does a lot of that. please.

**[0:17:55] Sean Hayes:** do a round off and then the breathing. Um, and and then h- where were you in order of siblings?

**[0:18:00] Jessica Biel:** I'm the oldest and I have one younger brother.

**[0:18:03] Jason Bateman:** Now, where was J- where was gymna- gymnastics? Was it was a serious thing for a second? Were you training for that?

**[0:18:08] Jessica Biel:** was. It was a serious oh, how about thing in Boulder.

**[0:18:09] Sean Hayes:** that?

**[0:18:10] Jessica Biel:** Um, I was playing soccer, I was doing gymnastics, and I was also Football. football. I was playing football, um, Ooh, yeah, and I was, um, you know, I. I was randomly getting involved with an agency, like a like a talent agency in Denver, and and literally doing commercial acting classes in the summer and that kind of thing. Because I was interested in that stuff. And then I started to get tall, and gymnastics started to, kind of, you know, not not really be my sport.

**[0:18:41] Jessica Biel:** And I had to focus on other things, and I was

**[0:18:44] Will Arnett:** were you getting commercials?

**[0:18:45] Jessica Biel:** not at that time. I was just learning how to talk about products like you will, cause you're really good at that. Um,

**[0:18:51] Will Arnett:** well, thank you.

**[0:18:52] Jessica Biel:** you're so good at product Well, what's your favorite talking.

**[0:18:53] Jason Bateman:** car? Will?

**[0:18:54] Will Arnett:** Well, we've already mentioned it, but, you know, the Sierra comes in in in the Sierra EV. Uh, is tremendous.

**[0:18:59] Jason Bateman:** Um, so then when did, when, when did you th- when did you discover? Okay, I gotta, I gotta get to Los Angeles, I gotta, I gotta get out there to the Oakwoods, get myself a nice studio apartment and start knocking That was on doors. my life, Jason, Yeah, yeah, I, that was I know.

**[0:19:12] Jessica Biel:** my place. I was there.

**[0:19:13] Jason Bateman:** Yeah, of course. I was there Yep,

**[0:19:14] Jessica Biel:** at those Oakwood apartments, in that studio apartment with my mom,

**[0:19:18] Jason Bateman:** What age were you?

**[0:19:18] Jessica Biel:** going to pilot season. I was eleven, twelve and thirteen, did it three years in a row. You know what, really? Okay, now I'm remembering. Sometimes I have these weird blackout moments where I forget about my life. Do you I know guys ever have

**[0:19:29] Jason Bateman:** it's the weed.

**[0:19:29] Jessica Biel:** that? Is it the weed? Okay, I figured it was the weed.

**[0:19:32] Jason Bateman:** a lot of that's a weed. I mean, I'm from

**[0:19:33] Jessica Biel:** Boulder, so you guys can remember. Yeah, it's goddamn parents, yours. So

**[0:19:37] Will Arnett:** Yeah, you got a head full of rope. Go ahead.

**[0:19:40] Jessica Biel:** correct, it was music, weirdly. I wa- I was interested, I was like a theater kid. I wanted to. I auditioned for Annie when I lived in Connecticut, we took the train to New York. I wanted to be Annie, that was my dream. So it was all really easy show, music stuff, and then, yeah, and then it kinda switched into acting. Somehow, I don't know. So then you're out there for eleven, Tomorrow eleven, twelve, thirteen, I love

**[0:20:05] Jason Bateman:** uh, pilot season. you. Did. Did we book a pilot? tomorrow you're on the Ignore them. Did you book a pilot? day.

**[0:20:14] Jessica Biel:** wow. Wi- wills, Wills register. Wee I did seventh Heaven finally, when I was fourteen, I just turned fourteen, and I booked seventh Heaven that was and I've been book

**[0:20:23] Will Arnett:** your first, that that was your first gig.

**[0:20:24] Jessica Biel:** that was kind of the

**[0:20:25] Jason Bateman:** First pilot?

**[0:20:25] Jessica Biel:** first real gig, that was the first pilot. And then, um, Yuli's Gold with Peter Fonda, like, booked at the same time, which was a little like an indie movie.

**[0:20:32] Sean Hayes:** I remember that. oh my god, yeah, Yeah,

**[0:20:34] Will Arnett:** that was a great movie.

**[0:20:37] Jason Bateman:** And we will be right back.

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**[0:23:31] Jason Bateman:** So now, were you old enough, savvy enough to, like, think about, Okay, well, I've got this television career potentially starting here, I've got maybe this movie career starting here. How can I balance both? Which one do I want? Were were there any sort of that type of thinking, or or or no? Were you just like, Great work, work, work, great, I'm not in school,

**[0:23:48] Jessica Biel:** Yeah, I think it was I, oh my god, I g- the dream is coming true. I'm working, I'm not in school, I'm living. It's happening. And I didn't think much about it. It just, you know, showed up on set and just started doing my job every day,

**[0:24:02] Jason Bateman:** right? And it, and it was, and it was smooth, but you had you had to stay there. Now, you now, you're not living in Boulder anymore, you're not seeing your friends anymore. Moms have or dad, or both are having to relocate. Um, how was all of that kind of, like, fun, weird, uncomfortable, or would you would you even pay attention?

**[0:24:17] Jessica Biel:** I remembered it being or I remember it being fun for me. I think it was a nightmare for my brother. I think my brother was like, What is happening to my family? My mom and I were here, my dad and my brother in Colorado. Then they eventually joined us in LA. And we lived in Calabasas for a while after getting out of the apart uh, Oakwood apartments after a while. Um, and then

**[0:24:38] Jason Bateman:** Now, what about brother? Was he thinking about, or tempted, or encouraged to to act as well?

**[0:24:44] Jessica Biel:** never his interest. He was an incredible

**[0:24:47] Will Arnett:** discouraged. He was discouraged.

**[0:24:48] Jessica Biel:** yeah, none for you. No, he was a crazy talented soccer player, so he was just

**[0:24:54] Jason Bateman:** Really?

**[0:24:54] Jessica Biel:** very n- normal lives, going to school, playing soccer. Tell you Um,

**[0:24:59] Jason Bateman:** out there in the West Valley, there's a lot of soccer. I played years of it out there in Woodland Hills. same, I did Yeah, that's a lot, too. that's a lot.

**[0:25:05] Jessica Biel:** Good, good level of players out there, really. California

**[0:25:07] Jason Bateman:** Great level of players. players were just Oh yeah,

**[0:25:09] Jessica Biel:** seriously good.

**[0:25:10] Will Arnett:** Is that right? yeah, yeah, yeah. Bass so yeah,

**[0:25:12] Jason Bateman:** Don Soccer.

**[0:25:13] Will Arnett:** Wait Wait. Uh, Jessica, how many seasons of Seventh Heaven did you do?

**[0:25:18] Jessica Biel:** I, I did four full seasons and a so I did basically my entire high school career on the show. And then went to college for a little bit, and then once that happened, um, I kinda came back and forth a little bit and did s some some little, uh, uh, storylines that lasted three or four episodes, but never really came back for a full season after that.

**[0:25:39] Will Arnett:** right. But they were like, just come back and do this, and please just come back and do the. But did you find that you doing that? So how sorry, you were fourteen when you started doing seventh heaven. Is that right? So what Jeez, a great and you what? What a great way to learn to go and do the the sort of the discipline of doing a a TV series. Day in and day out, for those four years, in those formative years, must have taught you a lot everything.

**[0:26:01] Will Arnett:** about right.

**[0:26:02] Jessica Biel:** Oh my god. Well, eh, I, I went to film school there, that was like film and TV, eh intensive program. I had the most incredible cast and crew. It was such a supportive, cool environment. Just a bunch of kids, like all the sib- all the wonderful actors playing my siblings and the parents. And I learned, ha- I mean, the stuff I remember so vividly is our amazing, um, uh, camera operator who taught me how to stand up and sit down on a chair.

**[0:26:32] Jessica Biel:** You know, cause I would go like I was all over the place. He's like, you gotta stand up and then you gotta slowly sit back down, and you gotta make it smooth. You come back up and find your light, and I was like, What the fuck does that mean? You know, I learned to find the light, stand up, sit down, um, g- get emotional in front of strangers, be do crazy things in front of people I didn't know.

**[0:26:52] Jessica Biel:** I mean, get comfortable doing all of those things,

**[0:26:55] Jason Bateman:** And for Tracy, there's there's a phrase for this. They call it, they call it. I need you to groucho a little bit when you stand up there. And what that that's a groucho marks, you know, when you see Groucho marks? You kinda like when he walks and he's got the little cigar, and he, he's kinda like hunched over a little bit. That's their phrase for like, when you come up, don't shoot straight up because they can't keep you in the frame if you come up fast.

**[0:27:12] Jason Bateman:** They want you to kinda, like, ease up a little bit, like Groucho walks.

**[0:27:16] Jessica Biel:** I learned a lot. So,

**[0:27:17] Will Arnett:** Jason, what an impression of Greg. I didn't know that you

**[0:27:19] Jason Bateman:** I guess I, I guess I have.

**[0:27:20] Will Arnett:** oh, look at there, he is.

**[0:27:21] Jason Bateman:** Yeah, thanks, man, thank you, thank you.

**[0:27:23] Will Arnett:** But JB, you had the same experience, right? Like, as a kid, you learned, you kinda learned on, They teach you learned to fly

**[0:27:28] Jason Bateman:** you a lot.

**[0:27:28] Will Arnett:** in flight.

**[0:27:29] Jason Bateman:** Yeah, yeah, yeah, you learn a lot, but what you don't learn is how to be a kid. You don't learn about like yourself, cause you're not That's in school a lot. Here And also, we go, here how is that? we go, Uh, I'm

**[0:27:37] Will Arnett:** here we go. thinking, Oh, Jason By the way, every again. you're drawing time you say JB, a mural, Hey I think you're talking Jason, get off

**[0:27:41] Jessica Biel:** to me.

**[0:27:41] Will Arnett:** the cross, we could use the wood. Okay,

**[0:27:44] Sean Hayes:** yeah, JB. JB and JB.

**[0:27:47] Jason Bateman:** yeah, uh, so Jessica, how was that? how was how? w- were you mana- did you manage to to maintain a a semi-normal upbringing? Were you? Were you going into a normal school, uh, during the hiatuses? Were you going back to Boulder, or would you stay working with a tutor?

**[0:28:01] Jessica Biel:** No, I was, I had I did have a school in LA. that I was working on, a program through. It was like one of those weird school for for for like bad kids, you know, or we're coming weird, weird kids. together. Yeah, And I was like one of the weird kids who never showed it wasn't on up.

**[0:28:15] Will Arnett:** a bus, was it? By any chance? I'm just sh- shot in the dark here, Thank God, but okay,

**[0:28:21] Sean Hayes:** I know Jason went to school with him.

**[0:28:22] Jason Bateman:** we didn't have room for it. oh man, so I,

**[0:28:26] Jessica Biel:** I just, uh, I. I never really showed up back into real school, but I was playing soccer and my team was everything. I missed every practice, you probably did the same, and I only showed up to the games. So I was, like, sorta good killed and also really bad at the same time, cause I never

**[0:28:43] Jason Bateman:** What position were you with practiced. on your soccer team?

**[0:28:44] Jessica Biel:** I was a right midfielder, but what about you?

**[0:28:48] Jason Bateman:** Uh, I l- left half, yes, left, uh, left inside forward at a left foot. So, uh, they they really took care of me there. that's right, Um,

**[0:28:56] Jessica Biel:** as as they should have. But I was also that weird kid that, like, I would. I was super fast, so I could run with the ball really well, and then I would miss. I would miss the goal every time, like it was the most

**[0:29:04] Will Arnett:** not much of a shooter. easiest. It was You couldn't, you had

**[0:29:06] Jessica Biel:** so embarrassing.

**[0:29:06] Will Arnett:** no finish to your game.

**[0:29:07] Jessica Biel:** Every nobody wanted to give me the ball. They were like, Oh God, there she goes again, and I was, I just, you know, but I was, like, That's good. really positive totally know the and believing feeling. Yeah, if you can in myself,

**[0:29:15] Will Arnett:** provide good ser- if you can provide good service, that's okay, you know, then they they probably bring in a quality finisher with you. And and the

**[0:29:21] Jessica Biel:** that's right.

**[0:29:21] Will Arnett:** and then all of a sudden, you know, the

**[0:29:23] Jason Bateman:** all right, so so we're wrapping up seventh Heaven. We're now we're, we're, we're, we're kind of a big star. And then we get into rules of attraction, perhaps yes, a brea- Bret Easton Ellis uh novel, that's that's a little not quite so seventh heaven. Uh, were we thinking about, uh, was there strategy now starting to come in a little bit? And and uh, we're, we're, we're, we're approaching Texas Chainsaw Massacre, we're approaching Blade, we're approaching stealth.

**[0:29:52] Jason Bateman:** We're start we're, oh my god, we're starting to this is like go,

**[0:29:54] Jessica Biel:** full slate. yeah, once I forgot.

**[0:29:57] Jason Bateman:** you're laid down on the bank, cat, okay, we're gonna go deep here. Um, uh, but

**[0:30:01] Will Arnett:** take us on this journey, take but us on this like things are th- journey.

**[0:30:04] Jason Bateman:** you're transitioning into being a a an adult, um, and we're no longer like a teen star. And and it's exciting, and it's, uh, nerve-racking. I'm, I'm, I'm assuming we're making a career of this. Yes,

**[0:30:14] Sean Hayes:** yeah. When did it switch for you to be like, Oh, you know what, I'm in a business? And, you know, when did that occur to you?

**[0:30:21] Jessica Biel:** I don't know, I don't remember. Um, probably

**[0:30:23] Jason Bateman:** when you have to start paying rent, probably.

**[0:30:26] Jessica Biel:** Yeah. When I w- when I came back to LA. I never finished college, which is a huge regret. Um, trying not finishing and

**[0:30:34] Jason Bateman:** high school.

**[0:30:34] Jessica Biel:** oh, I'm sorry for you, that's that's rough. That's it's okay, really, really rough. It's okay. still Uh, I'm here for you.

**[0:30:38] Jason Bateman:** working on it.

**[0:30:39] Jessica Biel:** Okay, you got this, you can do anything, you can do anything.

**[0:30:41] Will Arnett:** Well, when the in fairness, the bus, w- with gas prices going high, and

**[0:30:46] Jason Bateman:** We could not fix the the left we couldn't complete rear tire. the loop. the loop, All right, so so you're getting into adulthood, you're now you've moved out of Colorado completely, you're now living on your own in Los Angeles, and we're starting to knock down some movies. Um, how are we feeling about living in Los Angeles by ourselves? Um, uh, mom's gone back home, brother's back home.

**[0:31:13] Jessica Biel:** yep, everybody's back home. I'm in LA. by myself.

**[0:31:16] Jason Bateman:** How do we like living in LA. by yourself?

**[0:31:18] Jessica Biel:** I mean, I w- it was good, I w- I think it was, it was, I think it. It had a c- you know, nerve, nervy at some times, and feeling kind of got a good circle you, of friends, yeah, had a good circle of friends.

**[0:31:30] Will Arnett:** But but so. But you're coming off the show and you're gonna start doing some movies, as Jason sort of started listing them. And there there is that moment of, like, Hey, is this gonna? Am I gonna? Am I gonna s uh, sink, or am I gonna? Or am I gonna make it here? Do do you remember the moment you g- a a certain job? What that you went like, Okay, this thing is gonna. We got some legs here to kinda make that transition into films.

**[0:31:52] Jessica Biel:** Well, you if you guys will remember, that was a time where you really were only on television, or you were only in film. I think the I think I started to feel like, Oh, this is a business, and I'm gonna have to work hard to make that transition. Because everybody knows me as this very kind of proper sort of good kid on this show. And now I have to cross over into another part of this industry.

**[0:32:20] Jason Bateman:** and show that that was just a character.

**[0:32:22] Jessica Biel:** Yeah, I, I would say, I, I would say, Texas Chainsaw was probably one of those one of the moments where I thought, Okay, this is a really good move for me. This is really opposite, really different, same with rules of attraction, very opposite. Um, so I was getting a little bit more calculated. And and honestly, I think I was just interested in doing something totally different than what I had been doing, um, up to that point.

**[0:32:46] Jessica Biel:** So,

**[0:32:47] Jason Bateman:** And and and was it? Were these ideas coming from you, or was it agents? Like, I, I guess I'm pressing on all this stuff. Because it's like, it's so weird for a kid actor. You start thinking about these strategies. It's like, well, wait, but I'm just like playing different people and pretending this is all pretend for me. Just going back to, like, what you used to, like, do in front of your mom and stuff like that.

**[0:33:04] Jason Bateman:** But then it you start to think about, well, God, I gotta make a career of this. And what are what are the keys to longevity? I mean, I'm just like thinking back then, if somebody told you you're gonna be, you know, you're gonna be thirty years into your career and things are gonna be better than ever thirty years from now. You know, like, would you have gone like, Oh shit, that is great? Like, did you think that that was, that that was are.

**[0:33:25] Jason Bateman:** Are they something that's easily

**[0:33:26] Jessica Biel:** better than ever? I still feel I don't but I know you. I mean, like, y- y- mean, I know you you just, guys are, like, really famous and have it all together. But I still f- I am still fighting my way back into the film industry. we all are, Oh my god, we all of it never, us are. Every single ever, ever job ends, you guys,

**[0:33:43] Jason Bateman:** it never stops. it never I know, ends.

**[0:33:44] Will Arnett:** that's but that's healthy. So is Yeah, it is. Yes, 100%, a hundred if it, if it percent.

**[0:33:50] Sean Hayes:** was easy, it would be, it would be, it would be s

**[0:33:52] Jason Bateman:** there really is no security yeah, could on anything.

**[0:33:54] Jessica Biel:** it be just slightly easier? I just a little, just just a let me make some little bit easier. calls. Um, Would you I'll make Oh, then not have some calls it would to push be boring,

**[0:34:00] Sean Hayes:** after this.

**[0:34:00] Jessica Biel:** all this? yeah, then it would So hard?

**[0:34:00] Jason Bateman:** be boring. Um, all right, let's talk to before, before we jump to today. Um, we're still on the journey, we're still carving out great job. What about this? Tell me about tell This is not boring, me,

**[0:34:11] Jessica Biel:** this journey is not is so boring to talk about.

**[0:34:13] Jason Bateman:** no, it's exciting. That that I wanna know that getting to know you, Sean wants to know if there was any dirt on the set of that Super Bowl cast of Julia Roberts, Anne Hathaway, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Alba, but Kathy Bates, Shirley MacLaine, Ashton Kutcher, all the on Valentine's Day. I mean, well, the there must have been some kind of, like,

**[0:34:31] Sean Hayes:** that was a big movie.

**[0:34:32] Jason Bateman:** nonsense or or, uh, I

**[0:34:34] Sean Hayes:** Are pranks?

**[0:34:34] Jason Bateman:** I just can't.

**[0:34:35] Sean Hayes:** anybody play any pranks?

**[0:34:37] Jessica Biel:** God, I can't. I'm telling you, I can't remember anything. It was just fun and,

**[0:34:41] Jason Bateman:** I just love those movies.

**[0:34:42] Jessica Biel:** eh, you know, we we nobody worked together, we only worked with, like, one other. Y- y- All these stories were so separate, so, like, I only worked Everybody's with, like,

**[0:34:51] Jason Bateman:** on for a week.

**[0:34:51] Jessica Biel:** people. Yeah, and then you're off and you're gone. I know, I know, Um, so, I know, and it was so long ago, I I I don't even. All I remember is eating so much chocolate and running on a treadmill and then getting off the off out of that scene and just puking oh, cause Valentine all the chocolate.

**[0:35:09] Jason Bateman:** really, right?

**[0:35:09] Jessica Biel:** I mean, it just was chowing

**[0:35:10] Sean Hayes:** Really?

**[0:35:10] Jessica Biel:** during this one scene and just threw it up everywhere. It was, that's what I remember.

**[0:35:16] Sean Hayes:** um, what about? And what do you do when you have long shoots like that? How do you? How do you organize kid time and who stays where and how do they come with sometimes? And all of that?

**[0:35:25] Jason Bateman:** Well, she didn't have kids then, did you have kids then? no, I didn't have Not yet, it then, didn't have kids not yet. then. oh, oh, that one's not yet. Don't fun. jump ahead, Sean. Sorry, Yeah, sorry, sorry, all right. So sorry. then, so

**[0:35:35] Jessica Biel:** I'm with you, Sean. then I'm I'm ready to jump. This story now, at is

**[0:35:37] Jason Bateman:** this point, at this point, do we run into the woman with the greatest name in the world, Michelle Purple? And do we start Iron Ocean? Do we do we Michelle start your production company?

**[0:35:46] Jessica Biel:** Purple started back. Get over here immediately, just get Oh, she's over here and

**[0:35:49] Jason Bateman:** in the room.

**[0:35:49] Jessica Biel:** say hello. Uh-oh, come on, We've got you have to purple. come over. No, but this guy's here. Oh, this guy Oh, that is that

**[0:35:54] Sean Hayes:** Justin Timberlake. Michelle? Michelle, you look same just like Justin

**[0:35:56] Will Arnett:** to you. Same to you. Timberlake. She came Take care,

**[0:35:57] Sean Hayes:** out here.

**[0:35:58] Will Arnett:** everybody. Wanna get me high? I was saying Hi, Mr. Timberlake, I was saying,

**[0:36:02] Sean Hayes:** how are you?

**[0:36:03] Jason Bateman:** Michelle, Michelle, you look just like Justin Timberlake. We were talking about Michelle Purple. Uh, hi, buddy, welcome Hi, to Smartless.

**[0:36:11] Speaker 6:** hi, how you guys doing?

**[0:36:12] Sean Hayes:** hey, Justin. Good. Do you remember when I was nominated for a Teen Choice Award? And I came into your trail and you were rolling on my stomach?

**[0:36:19] Will Arnett:** he sure doesn't, he sure doesn't.

**[0:36:21] Speaker 6:** Good to see you guys. Good to see you guys. I was just gonna see if you wanted something to eat.

**[0:36:27] Jessica Biel:** I'm g- Oh, thank you, baby, I'm good She needs some tech support.

**[0:36:32] Speaker 6:** yeah, it's tech support. Do you want some food?

**[0:36:35] Jessica Biel:** right now.

**[0:36:36] Speaker 6:** Not just, eh? You all right?

**[0:36:37] Jessica Biel:** No, I'm okay. Okay, bye. He's literally yeah, yeah, cook

**[0:36:39] Will Arnett:** trying to see if she's

**[0:36:39] Jason Bateman:** it up.

**[0:36:39] Will Arnett:** safe. He's like, Are you safe? or do you want? do you want me to get you out of this?

**[0:36:43] Speaker 6:** I I I think I'm gonna sit down with you guys soon.

**[0:36:45] Jason Bateman:** Yeah, get in. oh good. Oh, good old Oh, wait,

**[0:36:48] Jessica Biel:** See, now they're really excited, they're so excited, we're excited again. like, so whatever, Just take over, take we don't know whatever over, you're here, she says about you're

**[0:36:54] Speaker 6:** me, I'll get to retort. Yeah, yeah, okay,

**[0:36:56] Jason Bateman:** there you go. good. Great to see I know you guys. Bye you too, pal. I, I,

**[0:36:59] Sean Hayes:** me too.

**[0:36:59] Speaker 6:** Sean, I can't wait to rub your belly again. Okay, but okay, thank you.

**[0:37:03] Will Arnett:** he doesn't.

**[0:37:04] Jason Bateman:** Wait, was it a rubber or a right? He wrote he wrote it on wrote it down. my he wrote on What did

**[0:37:07] Sean Hayes:** my bel- on my shirt and I didn't

**[0:37:09] Jason Bateman:** what did he write? know. What did he write on your shirt?

**[0:37:10] Sean Hayes:** I don't remember.

**[0:37:10] Jason Bateman:** Just says, like, a an autograph?

**[0:37:12] Sean Hayes:** No, but I framed it and I gave it to my niece.

**[0:37:14] Jessica Biel:** Do you do you guys want me? Ask him to just come back and like, I can slide out? No, you're kidding No, no, he just me, he just told are you kidding? Wait, us he by the way,

**[0:37:21] Jason Bateman:** just. He just told us that he's coming on the show, which I guess I know, means that that's a secret revealed. It must

**[0:37:27] Sean Hayes:** is a secret. be, oh, Reveal. We're all doing there's another, there's visitors now. oh, visit, another visitor. Oh, Will us, it was Denny ever say hi, Denny? time.

**[0:37:32] Will Arnett:** And you can't hear them, but just say hi. Oh my god, Ah, listener, what a voice, that's Willie's

**[0:37:36] Jessica Biel:** what a voice.

**[0:37:36] Jason Bateman:** youngest, Danny. Yeah, wait, What a sweetheart.

**[0:37:39] Sean Hayes:** Jess, he said. Ja- I did look at us. No, we, Hey, Jess, Yeah, okay, um,

**[0:37:44] Jason Bateman:** So he, yeah, he just revealed that he's coming on the show. He said. Anything you say shitty about him, he can retort in his episode.

**[0:37:50] Sean Hayes:** gimme a sh- give us a shitty story that happened this morning, or what's the or last That we have something night?

**[0:37:56] Will Arnett:** something that we can hold his feet to the fire on

**[0:37:58] Sean Hayes:** yeah, about food or watching movies. Does anything, he does he grab anything. the remote? Like, does he ever let you take control oh, I, oh, of the movie?

**[0:38:04] Jessica Biel:** I've got a good one,

**[0:38:05] Sean Hayes:** Choices?

**[0:38:05] Jessica Biel:** I've got a good one for you, which

**[0:38:06] Will Arnett:** okay, here we go.

**[0:38:06] Jessica Biel:** happened this morning. So we have in our we have this little cute fitness space in our house, and we have this cool accordion, you know, these accordion windows that kind of fold into themselves.

**[0:38:19] Jason Bateman:** Yeah, like on a honey wagon,

**[0:38:20] Jessica Biel:** Yes, oh, a honey wagon. That just brought me back a honey wagon. Do we need to explain that to Tracy? I'm not sure. Is that so Tracy, she knows?

**[0:38:30] Jason Bateman:** there there are these trailers, uh, yeah, we that service did before. dressing I was thinking rooms, and

**[0:38:33] Will Arnett:** of something else. Okay, go ahead. Yep, that too, anyway,

**[0:38:37] Jason Bateman:** they're small, small dressing rooms. Yeah, anyway, go ahead, go ahead.

**[0:38:39] Jessica Biel:** okay. So the accordion windows slide open and then you have this pretty view and you can work out with the windows wide open. Cool, I, I put the alarm on last night, went to bed, woke up and started, you know, pulling shades up. And the shades in the gym kind of went, kinda was the. It looked like they were getting sucked into the corner of the window and started to go up. And had a big crinkle in them.

**[0:39:02] Jessica Biel:** And so and I was looking, and I quickly brought them back down and walked over. Accordion windows had been left open all night long. Oh boy, oh boy, And

**[0:39:12] Sean Hayes:** uh oh, that's not good. honestly, I was And then you had to looking, first of all, make a show that alarm of it.

**[0:39:15] Will Arnett:** needs to be updated. First that was my first of all,

**[0:39:17] Jessica Biel:** thing, was who did not connect these ginormous, scary windows to the alarm system, which let me turn JT. it on.

**[0:39:25] Sean Hayes:** And don't you live? So You don't live, you don't live in Los Angeles,

**[0:39:28] Jessica Biel:** I don't.

**[0:39:28] Sean Hayes:** or don't you?

**[0:39:28] Jessica Biel:** We live in Montana, and that's the other thing. We have humongous animals here, Oh my god, and if they they come in for garbage. So we could have woken up to a bear in there

**[0:39:37] Sean Hayes:** uh, my dream. or a couple Yeah,

**[0:39:39] Jessica Biel:** of elk or a moose.

**[0:39:41] Will Arnett:** again, something else, Sean's thinking of, something Sean wakes else.

**[0:39:44] Jason Bateman:** up to a bear every morning. Thanks, Scotty. Um, So there you go,

**[0:39:48] Sean Hayes:** um, wow, that's interesting.

**[0:39:49] Jessica Biel:** you can give him some shit for that.

**[0:39:50] Sean Hayes:** What about, you know, Scotty and I just? We always have this thing with the TV, too, where, like, every night when we watch something, I'll be like, Can you turn it up? Can you turn it down? God, I'm like, Well, if you're going to, if you're going to man the remote control, then you have to deal with me

**[0:40:07] Will Arnett:** Yeah, you have to be willing saying, to take, uh, yeah,

**[0:40:09] Sean Hayes:** Yeah, you have to take direction. who gets You too,

**[0:40:10] Jason Bateman:** the remote? You, you or Scotty? Scotty,

**[0:40:12] Sean Hayes:** Scotty all the time. always, of course, I don't even know how to turn. I don't even he's Johnny know how the fucking Tech, although works.

**[0:40:16] Will Arnett:** I will say his phone went off the other day at a service and I was like, Hey, Johnny Tech, how I know you doing?

**[0:40:19] Sean Hayes:** well, that was for his diabetes, thanks. So Jessica, Our lives nice, well, will alert good, it was Avadana really, Avadana. wasn't really, wasn't yeah, it really was, cause of his diabetes. Um,

**[0:40:33] Will Arnett:** donut. Grab the donut.

**[0:40:35] Sean Hayes:** yeah, and then I just grabbed it instead. We'll be right back. It's finally that time of year. Maybe the weather is getting a little more crisp, or you're just clocking it from all the pumpkins at the grocery store, which means the holidays are just around the corner. Amazon delivers joy with low prices on the gifts you want, even this early in the season. Get ahead of the season, shop early gifts, top picks, holiday decor, and advent calendars at low prices.

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**[0:41:51] Sean Hayes:** Shop fall flavors with higher standards at Whole Foods Market. Sitting in traffic, huh? Watching an old lady with a walker make it further up the road than you have in the last fifteen minutes. And, of course, your gas tank is in the perfect spot between not a problem to stranded on the highway. Hit your booking point, book with Southwest and enter airplane mode. Experience award-winning reliability, fly with the best crew in the sky, and never worry about change or cancellation fees.

**[0:42:28] Sean Hayes:** Now, tell that old lady to slow down. Kids live around here. Southwest Airlines enter airplane mode.

**[0:42:40] Jason Bateman:** And now, back to the show.

**[0:42:43] Sean Hayes:** So wait, oh, by the way, you know what else? I saw? Because I'm on TikTok a lot

**[0:42:47] Jason Bateman:** Sure, hold on one sec. that Jessica, go ahead, Sean.

**[0:42:48] Sean Hayes:** so I know I wanted to say, I wanted to say how funny it was. Because there was a TikTok trend a while ago, and I saw your hilarious response to, Um, what was it? Moms used to startle their kids by saying, Jessica or something like that. What was that, right? Do you remember that trend?

**[0:43:06] Jessica Biel:** yes, that that really happened. F- that was like a thing for a minute.

**[0:43:09] Sean Hayes:** Yeah, where, where?

**[0:43:10] Jason Bateman:** Well, tell me, I don't know Jason, I meant, that.

**[0:43:11] Will Arnett:** Oh, it's so funny.

**[0:43:12] Sean Hayes:** Well, just you tell it

**[0:43:13] Jessica Biel:** Well, it was just if if the kid's having a meltdown, they would go, Jessica, Jessica, and the kid would literally go

**[0:43:21] Sean Hayes:** and stop crying.

**[0:43:22] Jessica Biel:** and stop crying. And, like, look around in panic. And I and I literally was like, Guys, Jessica's are nice people. Your ki- you're making them scared, you're making your kids scared of us. We are not trying to, you know, creep you out or freak you out, and it d definitely doesn't work for my kids. My kids are like, she's going crazy, finally, she's just saying her name over and over and over and over again.

**[0:43:43] Jason Bateman:** It does not work on your kids. How old are they? Uh, eleven and six, Ooh, Oh, fun ages.

**[0:43:50] Will Arnett:** six. I got a six. it was. Is he He just made my six

**[0:43:52] Jessica Biel:** six? or he's six, yeah, so sweet, My, and that's a great isn't it? that's a

**[0:43:55] Will Arnett:** age, isn't it? sweet age, it's Yeah,

**[0:43:57] Jessica Biel:** cute. But wait, wait, Jason, you were talking about purple, you were talking about Michelle Purple, oh, Michelle, right? Michelle yeah, of course, Michelle Purple, let's go, let's Purple.

**[0:44:03] Jason Bateman:** get back to her.

**[0:44:04] Will Arnett:** who is Michelle Purple?

**[0:44:05] Jessica Biel:** Michelle Purple. Okay, I'm so glad you brought her up. I know you hear this all the time, but she is your number one fan of S Me, Smartless. She is the number one fan of this show and is so excited that I'm talking to you guys. And she literally said to me this when she goes, If you fuck this up, if you embarrass me or us or our company, I swear to God. And I was like, I, I, I'm gonna do my best.

**[0:44:28] Jessica Biel:** So so let's go mi-

**[0:44:29] Jason Bateman:** deep on purple. Okay, let's So she's your go.

**[0:44:31] Will Arnett:** bus, she's your business partner, I, I'm She's my business guessing,

**[0:44:33] Jessica Biel:** partner and has been my best friend for over twenty years. Um, she pr- she ran Rob Cohen's company, she was a she Love Rob produced Fast and

**[0:44:41] Sean Hayes:** Cohen? the Furious, Triple X Wow,

**[0:44:43] Jessica Biel:** and Stealth, and she hired me, her and Rob hired me for Stealth. That's how we met twenty years ago, and then we were in Australia together shooting stealth, um, and we became really good friends and started watching movies together. And that talking about going Then you poached her, back then you poached her, and I poached her, and she was ready to be poached. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do, and, honestly, but she I, I,

**[0:45:05] Jason Bateman:** knew she wanted to leave Rob. She she, knew that.

**[0:45:07] Jessica Biel:** she knew she needed to move on from that. Um, and I said to her, Hey, let's do, let's let's make a production company, let's do it. And she was like, You don't know anything about that, and I said, You're right, but you do so, let's. And she's like, This is a terrible plan. This is a So for Sean, bad idea.

**[0:45:25] Jason Bateman:** Sean's sister in Madison, Wisconsin, uh, tell her what, re- g- uh, starting a a a production company really means. What, what, what? What did you wanna do with starting Iron Ocean

**[0:45:34] Jessica Biel:** ST Okay, so when you started

**[0:45:35] Jason Bateman:** with Michelle Purple? with Michelle Michelle Deep Purple? Purple, um, Yeah,

**[0:45:40] Jessica Biel:** Michelle Purple, the best.

**[0:45:41] Will Arnett:** Jason, do you know her? Do. Are you good sh- l- friends with her?

**[0:45:43] Jason Bateman:** We're deep, we go deep, deep, deep purple, deep

**[0:45:46] Will Arnett:** Does he know? purple. Does he know her? Does

**[0:45:47] Jessica Biel:** deep purple.

**[0:45:47] Will Arnett:** he know her?

**[0:45:47] Jessica Biel:** Um, I don't think so, Oh, we're gonna but guess what? She wants to know you, great, so she should come for dinner she may change your tonight. She lives mind, in LA.

**[0:45:55] Will Arnett:** she may change your mind.

**[0:45:56] Jason Bateman:** or at least let's let's have a Zoom for a development meeting on something.

**[0:45:59] Jessica Biel:** Oh God, yes, please, anyway, production company. So that was a moment where I really wanted to take charge of my career and not just sit around and wait for for the phone call of, like, you have a you have an audition, or you have this or that. She wanted to take Charg- charge of her career. And so we, we, we started this tiny production company, not not knowing how to do any of it. Well, she knew how to do she, she was a she made big films, big action movies, and we wanted to make small movies about women and female stories.

**[0:46:27] Jessica Biel:** And that was when nobody was doing that, the only company that was doing that was Drew's company. Um, Yeah, yeah, yeah, flower flower, flower. So

**[0:46:37] Jason Bateman:** with the great, with the great Nancy Nancy, Thibodeau. we love with the Nancy, with Nancy, the with the legend we love of all time Nancy. Yeah, Nancy, I love Nancy too. So same,

**[0:46:45] Jessica Biel:** that was that literally, we would go into, you know, we'd go talk to our agents and managers and tell them this idea that we're doing this thing. And they literally looked at us and would just blink with blanks faces and go, do not do this. And we're like, we're gonna do it. So we have been trying to, uh, make movies and TV shows for twenty years. It was so hard. Um, we did almost nothing for ten years,

**[0:47:05] Jason Bateman:** And then did you do? did you do better sister through, um, right? So iron? Yeah, through Iron

**[0:47:10] Jessica Biel:** Ocean, we we did the sinner, we produced the sinner, we produced,

**[0:47:14] Jason Bateman:** yeah, yeah, that was great um, Blind

**[0:47:15] Will Arnett:** great, great show. too.

**[0:47:16] Jessica Biel:** Town, which nobody saw, which was such a bummer and was such a But good show.

**[0:47:19] Jason Bateman:** taken from a podcast, so, uh, teach us how to do that. We're looking to break the smartless movement.

**[0:47:25] Will Arnett:** I love the sinner. I loved that. That was great.

**[0:47:27] Jessica Biel:** Thank you. Um, better, better sister candy, cruel summer.

**[0:47:33] Jason Bateman:** You had to work with that, that Liz Banks gal on better sister, though. How did you get through that? Oh, that Liz Banks Oh, this, this she woman, oh,

**[0:47:42] Jessica Biel:** does more than anyone I know.

**[0:47:43] Jason Bateman:** and and Max and Max, Oh, Max, I love oh boy,

**[0:47:48] Jessica Biel:** her, she, she's a delight.

**[0:47:50] Jason Bateman:** they're the best, they're the best.

**[0:47:52] Jessica Biel:** They're just delightful and fun. She's so fun, God, she's cool and We love she does so her. She's the much shit. I'm

**[0:47:56] Jason Bateman:** friend of the show.

**[0:47:56] Jessica Biel:** like, how does she do so much shit? I know She's impressive,

**[0:48:00] Will Arnett:** Jessica, can I ask you? So you did all you did, all this stuff? Remember, J- uh, Sean asked you before when he when he jumped the gun, as he does about, yeah, having kids. And you had kids at the time, or you didn't have kids. But now when you go and you do something like, uh, Matchbox and and, and, um, and then you go, y- you're in, you're in Hungary, you're in Morocco, you're in Slovakia, you're in all these places, and you got to.

**[0:48:20] Will Arnett:** And we we deal with that. I know a little bit of what, what that's like, but how, how are you at managing that and dealing with that? With the family and traveling and doing if she can't cause it's come back and it's a constant,

**[0:48:30] Jason Bateman:** forth when you're over there, right? Like, it's hard,

**[0:48:31] Will Arnett:** yeah, cause not only do you have to do the thing, not only do you have to do the job and be concentrating on twelve hours that, a day, twelve hours a day. You've got all these people and kids who you, who, who, who you're

**[0:48:40] Jason Bateman:** not a problem.

**[0:48:40] Will Arnett:** responsible for, and you have to make sure that they're having a great experience. It's not, it's not easy.

**[0:48:45] Jessica Biel:** no, it's not, and it's a constant balancing act. Um, sometimes I think I do it better, we do it better than others, and other times it's an absolute shitstorm. Um, You're right,

**[0:48:56] Will Arnett:** and and we, and and it should be. It should be noted that w- we know that a lot of people out there, obviously everybody in the world, deals with work and kids and stuff like that, and so we're not. But it. But it's also a adding in just the travel element of it, you know, being overseas.

**[0:49:09] Jason Bateman:** yeah, there's a few occupations that that that have the same thing, you know, uh, not the least of which is military. And, um, yeah, I mean, uh, athletes and politicians and all these, they're, they're all, they're, they're stationed around the world, all that kind of stuff. It's it's very, very difficult, that travel element. How do you guys do it?

**[0:49:24] Jessica Biel:** well, usually we try not to work at the same time, but that did not work at all for Matchbox. Justin was on tour, um, in the middle of the the global tour, which was insane. He was literally in South America, or he was in, he was in North America, and I was in Budapest with the kids. They they came for seven weeks, we didn't see Justin for eight weeks. Then we met back up in the Bahamas for a week.

**[0:49:49] Jessica Biel:** Then I went to Morocco, then he went to South America, and my kids went back to Montana. It was, w- it was wild. The only way it works is the incredible nanny team, support team, assistant team, colleague team. I cannot do this, my life does not function without, like, all of those incredible.

**[0:50:09] Sean Hayes:** And do you guys have family in Montana with you, near you?

**[0:50:11] Jessica Biel:** We don't have, well, Justin's cousin Rachel and my kids cousin's Hawkins is here, but we d like. My mom doesn't live here, my mom lives in Colorado, his parents are in, um, Tennessee, my dad is in Hawaii, so we're all over the place. We don't really have kind of the we don't have grandparents close by, unfortunately, which is a bummer.

**[0:50:33] Will Arnett:** yeah, but you. But you make it work and you figure out and you get great people to help you, and those become. I think that that's, that's pretty normal. It used to be generations ago that you had family around to help. And now, because people live in all these places, as you pointed out, you have to have people who can help you, who become part of your family oh my god, and and help you. Yeah, yeah, same, yeah, takes a village, same,

**[0:50:53] Jason Bateman:** all right. So what? does. Uh, so, when you're done being I, uh, incredibly prolific as as an actor, as a producer, It's a um, your your your job at home, which is even harder. Um, when you're alone, what would? What do you do to completely?

**[0:51:10] Will Arnett:** what are you scared of?

**[0:51:11] Jason Bateman:** Oh, yeah, what, what, what do you? What's What do you do? the thought that That that you can't would surprise get out of your you? what settles

**[0:51:15] Will Arnett:** head?

**[0:51:16] Jason Bateman:** you? that would be surprising to people, Oh, wait, you know, what's Yeah, wait, don't listen to Will.

**[0:51:21] Jessica Biel:** settled? unsettled? said, Don't listen to Will,

**[0:51:23] Jason Bateman:** you don't listen to Will.

**[0:51:23] Jessica Biel:** but his voice is so hypnotic, that's all I can I know hear right it gets in now. I'm like, Oh there, my god, it's it is getting in like, here.

**[0:51:29] Jason Bateman:** how do you decompress? don't listen to Will how do you reset? I I I like to just zone out and stare at a baseball game on a television screen. Uh, that sort of is just very meditative for me. What, what is there something that that takes you back down?

**[0:51:43] Jessica Biel:** U- usually it's exercise or getting outside God and just being, you know, taking a walk, taking a hike, walking the dogs or training hard.

**[0:51:54] Jason Bateman:** do you have headphones on when you're when you're when you're outside, or d or do you? Can you get quiet with I your brain?

**[0:51:59] Jessica Biel:** go a little bit of both. I like to listen to books on, you know, like books on tape, whatever have you wanna call that? yep, works, Um, so I listen to the like I I. I love to read, I love to kind of dive into that kind of imaginary space world. And also just to listen to the birds and listen to the wind. That for me, I love, like, a a good forest bath I love that

**[0:52:22] Will Arnett:** you go to forest bath, I really, love that. That's forest bath. That's forest a great. bath. the name You know,

**[0:52:24] Jason Bateman:** of my production company.

**[0:52:25] Will Arnett:** Jason, Jason, we were Jason, we were talking about this the other night at dinner. Sean, you didn't come because you had no plans. A and we were at a. Just so, you should know, we're all together and we're leaving this place and we're going for do because we're all in town again.

**[0:52:38] Jason Bateman:** we've just shared a very emotional bonding evening at a A memorial a dear friend's

**[0:52:42] Will Arnett:** for a good, dear friend's memorial. memorial, the And Sean and great Jim Sean and Scotty go Burrows. home, they got nothing to do, and they go home. They don't, they don't come with their best friends for dinner. I I yeah, they're, know, I don't they're in a want to. rematch and No, no,

**[0:52:52] Jason Bateman:** pold each other. I know, I

**[0:52:54] Sean Hayes:** just I was just I

**[0:52:55] Will Arnett:** what was it?

**[0:52:56] Jason Bateman:** Wheel of Fortune was starting, probably, right?

**[0:52:57] Sean Hayes:** a B. I. I was tired. C I know Jeopardy too. I had Jeopardy's Jeopardy's before Wheel of Fortune.

**[0:53:05] Will Arnett:** you're you're retired from from what? So, but anyway, my point is this. J- uh, JB. You and I were talking at dinner about this idea of there's not enough premium these days paid on for for the idea of just sitting around and having nothing. You're not holding your phone, you're not listening to anything, you're looking out the window, you're just alone in your thoughts. And just that sort of I in in that kind of state. And that is where people say, like, Oh, you know, where does creativity come?

**[0:53:30] Will Arnett:** or whatever? It comes out of boredom. It comes out of letting your mind wander. And I don't think, do you ever do you do that?

**[0:53:35] Jason Bateman:** who? me? No, she does, they she says. Yeah, sh- she No, she said, doesn't she's outside and she's out in the forest

**[0:53:40] Will Arnett:** waiting for you. bath. Yeah,

**[0:53:40] Jessica Biel:** but but s. But to your point, just like sitting there, f- forest bathing, I mean, you gotta do we're it, but in the forest, I need where more of that in my life, honestly, I. I can get into that space where when I do come home, I'm like, Okay, now it's time to work out. Okay, now it's like, Oh, what's happening for the kids tomorrow? Like, there's not, there's not much time, and you really do have to carve out that time to sit quietly.

**[0:54:02] Will Arnett:** You know, when I find, you know, when I do it these days, we were talking about it. I do it on airplanes. I'll often force myself to not read, not to watch a movie, not to. And I just look out like a

**[0:54:11] Jason Bateman:** the window. like a dummy, Yeah,

**[0:54:12] Will Arnett:** drooling, looking out the window, and I just I agree. but wait, look, uh,

**[0:54:15] Sean Hayes:** can I go back to the forest bath thing? Is that a real? Okay, That no, it It's not a

**[0:54:18] Jessica Biel:** is a thing.

**[0:54:18] Jason Bateman:** real thing. Yes, we can No,

**[0:54:19] Jessica Biel:** go back.

**[0:54:20] Sean Hayes:** so wait, is I? Is it a real bath in the for? is there such thing you fucking as god damn it,

**[0:54:25] Jessica Biel:** Well, maybe we shouldn't have gone

**[0:54:26] Jason Bateman:** get over here.

**[0:54:26] Jessica Biel:** back. I'm so sorry, you guys, wait. What do that's my

**[0:54:28] Will Arnett:** you think? And he's a bad, that's CIA? you think

**[0:54:29] Jessica Biel:** my bad.

**[0:54:29] Will Arnett:** she's in a SiaLis ad? She's just sitting in a bathtub out in the forest. What are you talking about? You

**[0:54:35] Jessica Biel:** I s I fell into

**[0:54:36] Will Arnett:** Dweeb? Numbskulls.

**[0:54:37] Jessica Biel:** that trap. I walked right in.

**[0:54:39] Sean Hayes:** I don't understand.

**[0:54:40] Jessica Biel:** It's it's just the sounds, baby. it's the

**[0:54:42] Sean Hayes:** Oh, okay, so you put on sound

**[0:54:43] Jessica Biel:** it's you're.

**[0:54:43] Sean Hayes:** so as as while you're taking You're just a bath?

**[0:54:44] Jessica Biel:** like walking through the forest, bathing in the sounds of the forest.

**[0:54:49] Jason Bateman:** Let the s let the forest wash over you. okay, so Yeah, yeah, wash

**[0:54:51] Sean Hayes:** but let's talk about a bath. over. But let's talk about a bath versus a shower, Let's do. I because a bath

**[0:54:54] Jessica Biel:** love a bath. to me is Great segue. Let's get into the bathroom, because a ba-

**[0:54:58] Jason Bateman:** shall we?

**[0:54:58] Sean Hayes:** because a bath is ten times more effort and work than a shower.

**[0:55:03] Jessica Biel:** Wait, are you saying you prefer the bath or not?

**[0:55:05] Sean Hayes:** No, prefer the shower, the bath, you gotta turn it on, you gotta be the right temperature, you gotta wait for it to I forgot ha- I'm

**[0:55:10] Will Arnett:** about turning it on. for You're right. But that's hard. You're Oh man, I right, and I forgot about and then you wait, it. Yeah. wait, wait. I gotta have feel like

**[0:55:15] Sean Hayes:** an hour.

**[0:55:16] Jessica Biel:** JB, you might be into a hydrogen bath. no, I I You're kind of

**[0:55:19] Jason Bateman:** I don't. like a longevity What's that? f- like I I, uh, I

**[0:55:22] Jessica Biel:** person, right?

**[0:55:22] Jason Bateman:** don't. Yes, I don't mind working on my longevity for sure, but what I don't like about baths is not only, as I've discussed before on this Uh, I know show, are you stewing what this is. Dirty in your own juices? water. But you've gotta get out of the bath and then shower. Do you? Because you Wait, now gotta get well, of course You have you do, because to. you've been sitting in your filth for 20 minutes and How dirty you've gotta get in something.

**[0:55:42] Jason Bateman:** Jason,

**[0:55:42] Jessica Biel:** are you, JB?

**[0:55:44] Will Arnett:** Jason, Jason, and it's your dad's voice again. It's your dad's voice again. Stop. That was l- that It's your dad's voice.

**[0:55:48] Jessica Biel:** went up, that went up.

**[0:55:48] Will Arnett:** It's not filth, Jason. You're not dirty, Jason. You're But so you're so dirty show got your own filth.

**[0:55:53] Jason Bateman:** tell me, te- but just just give me the math. Uh, just indulge me for 1 second. You get into the bath, you're you're not clean before you get in the bath, right? Well, we can we agree upon that. You've taken your clothes off, so you've got your dirt and your sweat, whatever from your day, and you get into the water. Where does all the filth go? Still in the water, the the drain is clogged so that the water doesn't run out, right?

**[0:56:15] Jason Bateman:** So you're still in all the dirt that was just on your skin.

**[0:56:18] Jessica Biel:** oh my god, I just realized I am a disgusting human and I have been socializing.

**[0:56:21] Jason Bateman:** Yeah, when you get out of the bath, you gotta take a shower.

**[0:56:23] Jessica Biel:** I do often take a shower

**[0:56:25] Will Arnett:** you're dirty, Jason.

**[0:56:26] Jessica Biel:** most, I would say 95% of the time, I am taking a shower after the bath, except when it's hydrogen bathing, and you're not supposed to do that What's hydrogen cause it's pulling the bathing? detox, it's detoxing you.

**[0:56:36] Sean Hayes:** But what is that? And then

**[0:56:37] Will Arnett:** I love that.

**[0:56:37] Jessica Biel:** it's in the water, you just gotta get out, and then I think you're supposed to leave that on your body. Am I wrong about that, JB?

**[0:56:42] Jason Bateman:** but what's hydr- well, how is hydrogen She doesn't in water? I know. don't know about it. Is it like Epsom salts?

**[0:56:46] Jessica Biel:** It's like a M it's a machine that injects, um, the hydrogen gas into and makes little teeny tiny bubbles

**[0:56:53] Sean Hayes:** In the bath? in the bath, That sounds and it's good. It's a carbonated

**[0:56:56] Jessica Biel:** detox, detoxing.

**[0:56:56] Jason Bateman:** carbonated bath. Yeah, it's like So it's still

**[0:56:58] Jessica Biel:** you're it's like you're in a soda. effervescent.

**[0:56:59] Sean Hayes:** Really? That's what it feels Does it work? like.

**[0:57:00] Will Arnett:** I like a bath. I love I think a bath.

**[0:57:01] Jessica Biel:** so, I love a bath. I also love a crazy Epsom salt bath, like with 20 pounds of Epsom salt. I'm not kidding. Can I tell you

**[0:57:08] Jason Bateman:** That works.

**[0:57:08] Will Arnett:** something? Can I tell you? One of the most relaxing things in the world to do is to smoke a cigarette in a bath. I I love doing that.

**[0:57:15] Jason Bateman:** With a little t you have a little TV on in the corner there, will Yeah, I did,

**[0:57:17] Jessica Biel:** That's nice. I I I had But wait, what

**[0:57:18] Will Arnett:** the I sure do. about but I love let me ask about sports, love sports.

**[0:57:20] Sean Hayes:** Epsom salt? Like, is Epsom salt supposed to do? What is it supposed to do to your skin? Why? Why do you have so much it it pulls of it?

**[0:57:26] Jason Bateman:** stuff out of your skin, right? Isn't

**[0:57:28] Sean Hayes:** It does.

**[0:57:28] Jason Bateman:** that the point of the science?

**[0:57:28] Jessica Biel:** It's definitely gonna detox, but it's going to it's gonna take the inflammation away. So if you're if you're soaking with so many pounds of it, like, to your body weight, you wake up next morning snatched, snatched, you know what I'm saying?

**[0:57:41] Sean Hayes:** do you ever?

**[0:57:42] Jason Bateman:** did you say snatched?

**[0:57:43] Jessica Biel:** I did. Snatched.

**[0:57:45] Jason Bateman:** You wake up snatched? Snatched? Yep, Yeah, like, if you Oh

**[0:57:48] Jessica Biel:** have a, you know, you gotta shoot the next day and e- everything, you know, your whole body,

**[0:57:53] Jason Bateman:** oh, wait a second.

**[0:57:54] Jessica Biel:** your body's basically a giant hemorrhoid, guys. It's going up, it's going

**[0:57:57] Jason Bateman:** What? down, it's going up, the gut, it's going down, yeah, it's inflamed so you gotta and stuff. You're saying

**[0:57:59] Jessica Biel:** make it go down. I can wake

**[0:58:00] Jason Bateman:** up slightly thinner, a little bit more taut, less Not even slightly less water.

**[0:58:04] Jessica Biel:** thinner, like, it's gone, you are snatched.

**[0:58:07] Sean Hayes:** do you ever do you ever, um, You turned

**[0:58:08] Jessica Biel:** You know what I mean? pretend it, you turned it

**[0:58:09] Sean Hayes:** when you're in the bath Tits. up. that you're shooting? Do you ever pretend you're shooting a commercial? And you take the sponge and you just kind of wash your arm, you know, like they do in movies and commercials.

**[0:58:18] Jessica Biel:** You mean, like, slow and sexy alone in the bath?

**[0:58:21] Sean Hayes:** yeah, yeah, do you ever do that Nope, not sometimes? ever.

**[0:58:23] Jessica Biel:** No, you know what I I like, scrub like it's the end of my life, you know, I'm like, trying to get that yeah, I'm like, scrubbing so hard

**[0:58:30] Will Arnett:** oh, same.

**[0:58:30] Jessica Biel:** and it's not cute.

**[0:58:31] Will Arnett:** I take I take a shower like Karen Silkwood. I'm just in there in the corner, just crying. Yeah,

**[0:58:39] Jason Bateman:** uh, but Johnny, can I come back to you for 1 sec? So so you're in the shower and you slow things down with the s. First of all, there's a sponge in the shower. Did I get yeah, there's that right?

**[0:58:48] Sean Hayes:** always a sponge. Yeah, yeah,

**[0:58:49] Will Arnett:** a loofah.

**[0:58:49] Sean Hayes:** but I do, but but Uh-huh, and I do you slowly think I

**[0:58:51] Jason Bateman:** drag it across your arm with a slight grin, as if you're Some no, in a commercial.

**[0:58:55] Sean Hayes:** I do scrub, but I do, you know what I do? When I wash my legs, like my calf, Shower. I'll hold the sponge and move my leg, not move the sponge.

**[0:59:03] Jason Bateman:** what fun you have in Amazing the shower. dude, I just

**[0:59:06] Will Arnett:** on aggression of humans. Yeah, I'll This is You've learned do. so much. Yeah, I'll do

**[0:59:09] Jessica Biel:** this is interesting. this. Watch,

**[0:59:09] Sean Hayes:** this, Jess, Jess, watch, I'll do I'm watching, this, I'll do, I'll do definitely.

**[0:59:12] Jessica Biel:** I'm watching.

**[0:59:12] Sean Hayes:** this. If this is a thing, I like this. Definitely show. Oh, that's Fuck incredible. That's that

**[0:59:17] Will Arnett:** So it's kinda like a little workout in the middle. reminds me of the

**[0:59:20] Jason Bateman:** guy I know that masturbates, um, he masturbates missionary style. He, uh, he he lays on his bed, he lays on his bed stomach down, and he just fucks his hand. And this is a guy I know, okay? It's still he's as stupid as you are. Fucking moron. Hey, Jessica, I love having you on this show so much.

**[0:59:42] Sean Hayes:** shit, what a joy you are.

**[0:59:44] Jason Bateman:** Uh, you're the greatest, all right. and what do What a pleasure

**[0:59:47] Jessica Biel:** you?

**[0:59:48] Will Arnett:** to have you on the those podcasts, So take that as your parting thought, you know what I mean? I'll never I'll never

**[0:59:55] Sean Hayes:** thank you. forget that. That's something uh, I really you can't unsee. I appreciate you I guess I thoroughly

**[0:59:58] Jason Bateman:** taking time out.

**[0:59:59] Sean Hayes:** enjoy you and I hope we can meet in person one day. I've been a fan for a long time.

**[1:00:03] Jessica Biel:** me too.

**[1:00:04] Jason Bateman:** Yeah, you're the greatest. Well,

**[1:00:05] Jessica Biel:** thank you guys.

**[1:00:06] Sean Hayes:** all right.

**[1:00:06] Jessica Biel:** This has been a lot of fun.

**[1:00:07] Jason Bateman:** Enjoy the rest of your bath today.

**[1:00:09] Sean Hayes:** Yeah, I can't wait for the car I'm not even Oh, I'm gonna movie.

**[1:00:11] Jessica Biel:** be taking so many showers.

**[1:00:13] Jason Bateman:** Yes, Matchbox, October 9th on Apple TV, don't mess around. Oh, that was, that was 3 days ago. Today's October 12th. Happy 12th, everybody. Jessica, love you, love see you, love you you. Jack.

**[1:00:25] Jessica Biel:** guys, thank you. Bye.

**[1:00:27] Jason Bateman:** Enjoy the rest of your day. Bye. Goodbye. goodbye. Oh

**[1:00:30] Sean Hayes:** That was great.

**[1:00:31] Will Arnett:** my fucking god.

**[1:00:34] Jason Bateman:** That's the great Jessica Biel. Um, I

**[1:00:37] Sean Hayes:** She's great. guess y- you are By the way.

**[1:00:38] Jason Bateman:** welcome. Uh, she's a delight. I she's a And, um,

**[1:00:42] Will Arnett:** delight. I want to do the outro. I I j- I give her her due. Her movie, you gotta go see it. Matchbox. He came I'm telling out this past you, the the trailer weekend.

**[1:00:48] Jason Bateman:** was incredible. I can't wait. Trailer I can't

**[1:00:50] Will Arnett:** looks amazing. wait to see Well, that's

**[1:00:51] Sean Hayes:** gonna be huge. She's great in everything

**[1:00:52] Jason Bateman:** It's huge.

**[1:00:52] Will Arnett:** she does. She's such a talent. JB, walk us through your body of work.

**[1:00:57] Jason Bateman:** This guy, this guy, yeah, is it? This is the this is, by the way, he's not the same guy, but he's also friends with the fella who doesn't chew gum because he doesn't understand why you'd chew something that you never swallow.

**[1:01:11] Sean Hayes:** What? These these 2 Are you serious?

**[1:01:12] Jason Bateman:** guys are friends, both friends. Yep. So, uh, this is why I'm constantly shopping for new friends. I'd love to find time for the both of you. We're gonna start tonight at dinner, and I hope it works out.

**[1:01:23] Sean Hayes:** ugh, what are we gonna have for dinner?

**[1:01:25] Jason Bateman:** Sushi and pizza, right? Ugh, Wasn't that the request?

**[1:01:28] Sean Hayes:** Yeah, you know what? I could eat sushi, I could eat sushi Here it comes, in in chunks of twelve pieces, right? So that which would be would be, uh, the buy the dozen.

**[1:01:37] Jason Bateman:** oh, and then you're gonna Buy say twelve bites, the dozen. sorry, all right, bye everybody. Bye.

**[1:01:43] Will Arnett:** wait, holy fuck. Smart, Less Smart, Less Smartless is 100% organic and artisanally handcrafted by Michael Grant Terry, Rob ArmJarv, and Bennett Barbico.

**[1:02:09] Speaker 7:** Smart, Less.

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