Seeing 'RED' with Stars Alfred Molina and Jonathan Groff

You're on boss. Fine. You're a great actor. You're shirtless in the show. Let's talk about that. Let's talk about it.

What's up, guys? Leslie Robins here. Young Hollywood is on the stage at the Mark Taper Forum, where right now Alfred Molina and Jonathan Groff are currently starring in the Tony award winning show Red. We're just starting the interview and you're making me laugh already. I want everyone to know how funny you are.

No, no. I'm not funny at all. Not funny. Very serious.

Well, I know that friends call you Fred. Some call you Al. Can I call you Fred?

You can call me Fred, yeah. No one calls me Al.

Well you can call me Al. It's a song. I wanted to...

Oh, yes, I know it. Yes, I bought the record first time round, believe it or not. No, no. No, yeah, but Yeah, all my friends, I was introduced myself as Fred. So when people say, "Oh, I know Alfred really well." They don't.

Talk to me about your show. I I saw it and was moved beyond belief. So, tell me a little bit about your character and then I'm going to tell you what I thought of it.

Well, I'm I'm very glad that you felt that way. Um, I'm I'm playing Mark Rothko, who was a abstract expressionist painter in the mid-20th century. So the play, I mean it sounds rather dramatic, but the play is also very funny. And and and it's the juxtaposition between Mark Rothko, who's the established old painter, and this young assistant who sort of represents the new generation, the next generation. So the play's also about that moment in an artist's life when you've achieved something and then you just have to hand it on because that's the that's the cycle of life.

I love the relationship, mentor, mentee. It was beautiful, because everyone has that in their life.

That's exactly what that's exactly the kind of reaction we want. Yes.

They paid me to say that. I really didn't see it. I'm really not in it. You shaved your head just for this interview?

Just for this interview. Yeah, it's I need the exposure.

Let's talk about the shaved head. Do you miss your goatee?

A little bit. But you know And the hair, I mean.

A little bit.

But like but like bad habits, it'll always come back.

Can you tell me, was there a shock that you found in your head, like was there a bump or a bruise or a dent that you didn't know was there before?

There I found a small family had had moved in around the back. Right?

How how long they been there?

They've been getting their mail there and everything.

Let me talk about your film career which goes forever. You've been in an Indiana Jones movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Chocolat, Frida, Boogie Nights. It goes on and on and on. What role do you get noticed for most?

Well, I think I think recently it's been um, sort of Doc Doc Ock, Octopus in Spider-Man 2. I think that's that's been the most common one. But it it's an age thing. Fans who are closer to my age will remember Raiders because we were all young when we did that. And then sort of younger younger people who are interested in the movies will will remember, you know, Da Vinci Code or Spider-Man and stuff like that.

You've hit every genre possible. That's great.

I've tried. I've tried. But, you know, it's never been a plan. I just I just took every job that I got offered, you know? I I mean, you Your kids must think you're super cool.

No, they don't. I'm my kids are totally unimpressed. Totally unimpressed. No. But I remember whenever If ever I got when my daughter was a teenager, if ever I got stopped in the street by someone saying, "Oh, I saw you." I could feel her kind of going

Who's this charming fellow? This is Jonathan Groff, my co-star.

Let's talk about the hair for a second, because now that you've joined us, you're showing them up with a sick head of hair. And he has to shave his off every night for the show.

No, I think that the the sort of like no hair look is way more badass. Don't you think?

Oh. Obviously not. Yeah, you were nominated for a Tony. You've been on Broadway. You've been in Glee. You're on boss. Fine. You're a great actor. You're shirtless in the show. Let's talk about that. Let's talk about it. And you've got the hair. I know. I get it. I think you're great.

She says the same line on me. She, "Well, you're a great actor and you're bald."

So that hug that you guys give each other during curtain call

So painful. Hardest part of the show. Painful.

And that's probably the most acting you do all night, right?

I liked that hug. I actually felt that hug. It was it was warm.

Well, once you've learned how to fake sincerity, you're you're fine.

Well, we know how phenomenal of an actor you are. And you as well, who I'm just getting to know now. And I was reading up on you and your journey to becoming a successful actor was quite the journey. And you're young.

I'm 27.

Yeah. How old are you?

I'm not allowed to tell you that.

Oh, really? Oh, let me just We hit on this earlier. So rude. You wanna you wanna get a room or something?

Well, I was I I really wanted to go to college. Like, I was obsessed with the idea of going to school for theater. I wanted to train. And then my senior year of high school I went to New York and I and I got this tour of The Sound of Music, which is like a bus and truck. A lot of one-nighters. Like every every small city outside of a big city, we played all of those. And so, a year, I did that for a year. And I deferred my admission from college. And then after the tour was over, I'd made like in an entire year of work, like $8,000 or something. And I thought I'll never be able to pay off $40,000 a year at Carnegie Mellon. So I took my cash and moved to New York and started waiting tables. And waited tables for like a year.

Fred has great advice. Tell them.

Yeah, just pay your bills.

Come on in to my dressing room. Thank you.

Nice. What do you think? I think this is really nice. You have a suede couch and

We got a suede couch that came with the place.

Did you have to rehearse the abs? Because like I've mentioned before, you get half-naked on this stage, which has nothing to do with the play, but it's, you know, you see all the ladies with their hair. Sure. And your and your you're your wa you're taking a shower in the sink on the side.

I'm washing my the paint off my body. Right?

I mean, really? This contraption. What is that?

It's called an ab wheel.

Okay.

And before the show, I work out a lot. I work out every day.

It's noticeable. Good job.

I do. Thank you. Thank you. I do. I weightlift three times a week. I run, I swim. But just before the show begins, just to add a little like just to get my blood going, you know?

Sure. For the blood.

Yeah. And then you roll and back up.

Wow.

Yeah. And then you go from side to side. To get the the side abs.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Anything else you want to show me on the floor? Well, we're here. I see Maker's Mark and some wine.

Yeah. You have a good eye. You have a good eye. Post-show when I have people up to my dressing room, I like to pop open some booze and have a drink.

Well, on that note.

Hi there, I'm Jonathan Groff.

Hello, I'm Alfred Molina.

And you're watching Young Hollywood.

You're watching Young Hollywood.

Do I get paid for holding the microphone for you?

I think you do.