This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Sydney Lucas: Hey there, everyone.

[0:02] Eli Tokash: Welcome back to Take A Bow Podcast.

[0:03] Sydney Lucas: I'm Sydney Lucas.

[0:05] Eli Tokash: And I'm Eli Tokash.

[0:07] Sydney Lucas: And it's the 21st episode.

[0:10] Eli Tokash: Um, we have an amazing guest today.

[0:12] Sydney Lucas: Uh, she was in Annie, and she was in the musical adaptation, the film adaptation of Into the Woods.

[0:20] Eli Tokash: She, you can see her now.

[0:21] Sydney Lucas: She's in Billy Elliot.

[0:22] Eli Tokash: And she was in Billy Elliot, and um she is in the Who Was show, and we talk about all that, and we love her, and we hope you love the episode.

[0:33] Sydney Lucas: Yes, this was a super long episode, so but we talked about some weird things.

[0:38] Eli Tokash: We just kept talking.

[0:39] Sydney Lucas: We loved it.

[0:41] Eli Tokash: We literally could have talked for days because like we really wanted to dive into her career, but also like what she's up to now, because what she's up to now is quite interesting, quite different from her career.

[0:52] Sydney Lucas: So we're excited for you guys to listen to it.

[0:55] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and it's honestly quite refreshing to talk to someone who you know has had a similar childhood um to you.

[1:02] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, totally.

[1:03] Eli Tokash: Lilla Crawford, curtain up.

[1:28] Sydney Lucas: Our guest today has been a professional actor since the age of six.

[1:33] Eli Tokash: She has conquered the Broadway stage in Billy Elliot and as a title role in Annie.

[1:38] Sydney Lucas: At just 13, she played Little Red Riding Hood in the musical fantasy film adaptation of Into the Woods, and you can see her on Netflix in the live action sketch comedy, The Who Was Show.

[1:49] Eli Tokash: And we've only just begun to scratch the surface, but what she's been able to accomplish at just 19 years old is beyond impressive.

[1:55] Sydney Lucas: Everyone, please welcome Lilla Crawford to the podcast.

[1:59] Lilla Crawford: Welcome.

[2:01] Sydney Lucas: Hey guys.

[2:03] Lilla Crawford: Very, very, very chill.

[2:05] Eli Tokash: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[2:06] Sydney Lucas: We're so excited because w this is gonna be fun because and different because not only are we gonna talk about some shows, but we're also gonna talk about Lilla as a person and not just as an actor.

[2:17] Eli Tokash: But before we get into the personal stuff, let's talk about you being an actress.

[2:22] Sydney Lucas: So, okay, you started acting at such a young age.

[2:26] Eli Tokash: So, like what inspired you to be like want to become an actor at such a young age?

[2:32] Lilla Crawford: Yeah, um, my parents were uh big patrons of the arts, as they say.

[2:38] Lilla Crawford: Uh so at a young age, like they were constantly taking me to uh the ballet.

[2:43] Lilla Crawford: I I uh saw a production of Swan Lake.

[2:47] Lilla Crawford: The story goes that uh the woman behind us uh looked pretty pissed off that a three-year-old was going to see the Swan Lake, and I think in her head she was like, Oh, here we go.

[2:58] Lilla Crawford: Like she's gonna cry, she's gonna make a fuss, she's gonna talk loud, whatever three-year-olds do in a theater.

[3:03] Lilla Crawford: And apparently the entire time, like my eyes were glued to the stage, and I what I didn't move, and I just was mesmerized by the performance.

[3:12] Lilla Crawford: And afterwards, the lady came up to my family and was like, I think you've got a performer on your hands.

[3:17] Lilla Crawford: Like I've never seen that kind of focus from a kid watching a show.

[3:21] Lilla Crawford: Like, I think she likes it.

[3:23] Lilla Crawford: Um, yeah, so uh, and then I I think the the way that I started professionally acting, um, I told my mom that uh I wanted to be a cartoon because that's obviously what I was watching when I was little.

[3:37] Lilla Crawford: Right.

[3:37] Lilla Crawford: So I was pointing to the TV, watching, you know, Dora and Elmo and whatnot.

[3:42] Lilla Crawford: I mean, Elmo's puppets.

[3:43] Lilla Crawford: Maybe I wanted to be a puppet.

[3:44] Lilla Crawford: I don't know.

[3:45] Lilla Crawford: But I was like, this is what I want to be.

[3:47] Lilla Crawford: Um I want to do that.

[3:48] Lilla Crawford: And so my mom was like, okay, cute.

[3:50] Lilla Crawford: And so she put me in like dance classes and singing classes and uh theater classes.

[3:54] Lilla Crawford: Um, and I was doing I was constantly doing junior productions of uh like the first ever show I did was Beatty and the Beast Junior and I played the wardrobe.

[4:02] Lilla Crawford: Um then it was a babysitter I had um who noticed that I loved to sing and loved to dance, loved to act, and I was a ham as a child.

[4:17] Lilla Crawford: Like I I felt like I was like constantly performing, like I never turned off.

[4:23] Lilla Crawford: So I think people saw that in me, and she said to my mom, um, like you should really get her to do this professionally.

[4:31] Lilla Crawford: Like it seems like she really wants to.

[4:32] Lilla Crawford: And I was like, Yeah.

[4:33] Lilla Crawford: And my babysitter told me like what an agent was, uh, because she was an actress as well.

[4:39] Lilla Crawford: And she was like an agent, like, is you know, they can get you real jobs.

[4:43] Lilla Crawford: Like you could be doing you could be on real TV and not just do classes and and you could be on a big stage, like you know what I'm saying?

[4:51] Lilla Crawford: And and so I convinced my mom when I was only six years old.

[4:55] Lilla Crawford: We're gonna go with six.

[4:56] Lilla Crawford: We were talking about this earlier because I'm not sure if I was six or seven, but uh let's just say six.

[5:01] Lilla Crawford: Okay, so I was six years old.

[5:03] Lilla Crawford: Um, and I I I actually remember the moment too.

[5:06] Lilla Crawford: Like I have a really strong memory of going up to my mom and being like, I want an agent.

[5:10] Lilla Crawford: And um right.

[5:13] Lilla Crawford: And she um hesitated at first, uh, but eventually came around.

[5:20] Lilla Crawford: And she like, like, my mom's awesome.

[5:23] Lilla Crawford: Like, she went the extra mile to make sure that I followed my dreams and that I accomplished what I wanted to accomplish.

[5:31] Lilla Crawford: So uh she helped me submit to like oh god, must have been like 20, 25 agencies.

[5:39] Lilla Crawford: We got it was it was back in the 2000s, so like it we still did it the old school way where my mom went to the bookstore and she bought a book, and the book had a ton of contact information of like all the agents in LA because that's where I'm from, by the way.

[5:51] Lilla Crawford: So all of this is happening in LA.

[5:53] Lilla Crawford: So um, I know, and I was lucky to be there because it's like entertainment capital of the world.

[5:58] Lilla Crawford: Right.

[5:58] Lilla Crawford: I had a lot of access to to what I wanted to do, which was really nice.

[6:03] Lilla Crawford: But um, yeah, we looked at the book and sent off.

[6:07] Lilla Crawford: I wrote a hand handwritten letter to every single agent, like telling them why I wanted to be at their agency and why I wanted to ask.

[6:17] Lilla Crawford: Like, I would please like to be in your agency.

[6:19] Lilla Crawford: I don't know, I wonder what I said.

[6:20] Lilla Crawford: I wonder if we could find it.

[6:21] Lilla Crawford: Um, yeah, right.

[6:24] Lilla Crawford: And so um, and then a lot of people answered back, which was really cool.

[6:29] Lilla Crawford: And I remember we saw three agencies, and my mom let me pick.

[6:34] Lilla Crawford: She was like, which one do you?

[6:35] Lilla Crawford: Because she was like, This isn't my thing, like this is your thing.

[6:38] Lilla Crawford: She was like, which one do you want to go with?

[6:40] Lilla Crawford: And I picked the one that gave me a signed poster of the high school musical cast.

[6:45] Lilla Crawford: I think they were just a bowl of.

[6:48] Lilla Crawford: Like before I left, they gave it to me, and I was so excited.

[6:51] Lilla Crawford: And so they won, obviously.

[6:53] Lilla Crawford: Um, so I wonder if I still have that too.

[6:56] Lilla Crawford: I'd have to find that because one of their clients was I think one of I think one of their clients was Brian.

[7:01] Lilla Crawford: Okay, I don't know his real name.

[7:03] Lilla Crawford: I wish I did, but yeah, and so that's why they had the poster.

[7:07] Lilla Crawford: And so I was so yeah, that's why I went with the agency that I went with.

[7:11] Sydney Lucas: Dev what an incredible mom.

[7:14] Eli Tokash: Yes, right?

[7:16] Sydney Lucas: We gotta give it to our moms.

[7:17] Sydney Lucas: Like child actors really I mean, I know there's some crazy stories out there of like, you know, some gypsy rose moms out there.

[7:24] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[7:25] Sydney Lucas: Um what's her name?

[7:26] Sydney Lucas: Blanchard, I forget mom.

[7:28] Eli Tokash: I know the well, Mama Rose from Gypsy.

[7:30] Sydney Lucas: I'm talking about Gypsy Rose Blanchard, you know, the act.

[7:34] Sydney Lucas: Oh crazy mom.

[7:37] Eli Tokash: What's her name?

[7:38] Eli Tokash: With the Munch House and by Proxy.

[7:40] Sydney Lucas: That show was good.

[7:41] Sydney Lucas: Yeah.

[7:42] Eli Tokash: With my friends and I like to do impressions of the mom's like gypsy and the and the kids like my mom is my best friend.

[7:49] Sydney Lucas: Those are that.

[7:50] Sydney Lucas: Oh my god.

[7:50] Sydney Lucas: The show.

[7:51] Sydney Lucas: You know that show I'm talking about?

[7:53] Eli Tokash: Oh yeah, it's the it's the is was it the the Dee Dee Blanchard thing?

[7:58] Sydney Lucas: Dee Dee, that's her name.

[7:59] Sydney Lucas: Okay.

[7:59] Sydney Lucas: Her name is Dee Dee Blanchard.

[8:01] Eli Tokash: Okay, so I'm trying to say is like, yes, okay, like there's there's that side of it, but like, I mean, my mom in particular what has just been so amazing.

[8:11] Lilla Crawford: I mean, like, you know, she gave up her life to let me follow my dreams.

[8:14] Lilla Crawford: I mean, we had to move all the way from LA to New York so that I could be on Broadway.

[8:18] Lilla Crawford: And it's not often that like a family and and uh and a mom and my sister is willing to drop everything so that I could, you know, follow my dream and be on Broadway.

[8:27] Lilla Crawford: So I I do really gotta give it to them.

[8:29] Lilla Crawford: And I mean, they're still my biggest fans to this day, my mom and sister.

[8:33] Lilla Crawford: They're cheering me on at every at every step of the way.

[8:37] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, I I had a similar story to you because at like four I went to go see I think Xanadu was my my first show, and I and I got to see like Sha Shine Jackson on stage.

[8:47] Sydney Lucas: And I just same as you, I was mesmerized.

[8:50] Sydney Lucas: I saw kids on TV.

[8:52] Sydney Lucas: I was like, I want to do that at four years old, and my, you know, my mom listened and my parents listened, and even being at such a young age.

[9:01] Sydney Lucas: Also, in a lot of cases, you can tell if a if a child is meant for if if it if a you know, if they're like, oh, that you know that's a star right there.

[9:01] Sydney Lucas: You can tell.

[9:12] Sydney Lucas: They're always performing, always singing, always just putting on a show.

[9:16] Sydney Lucas: I love love being, you know, on stage, center of attention.

[9:20] Eli Tokash: Um, and yeah, I shout out to our moms who literally and our parents and our family for sacrificing their entire lives for that.

[9:29] Lilla Crawford: Moms are awesome.

[9:30] Lilla Crawford: Like, I even think about like just in every profession, like like kids who have like soccer games every weekend, and like their mom has to like travel with them to like matches, like is so sick.

[9:42] Lilla Crawford: And then like cheer, did you guys watch cheer on Netflix?

[9:45] Eli Tokash: Yes.

[9:46] Lilla Crawford: My gosh.

[9:47] Lilla Crawford: I was oh, you gotta watch it.

[9:48] Lilla Crawford: I was obsessed, and like, okay, technically they're all in college, they're adults, but like even like when those kids are in high school and they're having competitions like every single weekend, and like their mom has to like pay all this money for costumes and for lessons.

[10:01] Lilla Crawford: Like, it's just like I don't know, moms are the greatest.

[10:04] Sydney Lucas: Happy Mother's Day.

[10:05] Lilla Crawford: Couple couple months early, but yeah, shout out to moms.

[10:10] Eli Tokash: Yeah, for sure.

[10:11] Sydney Lucas: Mother's Day is every day.

[10:12] Eli Tokash: Yeah, come on now.

[10:14] Sydney Lucas: You have been in like two of the coolest Broadway shows ever.

[10:18] Sydney Lucas: And especially like for kids, like kids want to be in those two Broadway shows, uh, which are Billy Elliot and Annie.

[10:26] Eli Tokash: I mean, Matilda is also something that every kid wants to be in, but those are like two main.

[10:30] Lilla Crawford: Do you know how badly I wanted to be in Matilda?

[10:32] Lilla Crawford: Oh my gosh.

[10:33] Lilla Crawford: This is the secret, I guess.

[10:34] Lilla Crawford: It's not really a secret, but I was an Annie, and like while I was an Annie, I was like, God, I wish I was in Matilda.

[10:39] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[10:41] Lilla Crawford: I was like, I wanted to be after I saw that show, I was like, I want to be in the show so bad.

[10:45] Lilla Crawford: And then I realized, like, well, I'm in this other show like at the same time, and like I'll probably be too old for it when it's like when I'm done with Annie.

[10:53] Lilla Crawford: And so I was like, Well, I really miss my chance there.

[10:55] Lilla Crawford: Like, I would have killed it as Matilda.

[10:56] Eli Tokash: Like, yeah.

[10:58] Lilla Crawford: Matilda and Annie are like, and Billy Elliot are dreamroll.

[11:03] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[11:03] Sydney Lucas: So talk to us about your like first time stepping on a stage.

[11:08] Sydney Lucas: So you're memorized mesmerized when you like saw your first performance.

[11:11] Sydney Lucas: And then talk about that feeling being that person that people you were mem mesmerizing other people.

[11:18] Lilla Crawford: Yeah.

[11:21] Lilla Crawford: That's true.

[11:22] Lilla Crawford: Also, like your first time, like, since you're not from New York, talk about your first time like coming to the city and like feeling that moment.

[11:29] Lilla Crawford: Oh my gosh, I have a really dramatic memory.

[11:31] Lilla Crawford: Like, I remember the first yes, one of the first nights that I was here.

[11:37] Lilla Crawford: We had we were in this apartment, and the window in my bedroom faced Times Square.

[11:43] Lilla Crawford: You could see Times Square from it.

[11:44] Lilla Crawford: And I was in rehearsals for Billy Elliot.

[11:46] Lilla Crawford: And I just remember it was so cold.

[11:47] Lilla Crawford: We're from LA, so we were freezing because it was the dead of winter, and it was like the worst winter.

[11:51] Lilla Crawford: I think it's like was the worst winter in like 20 years.

[11:54] Lilla Crawford: And my family would wear ski jackets and like ski pants everywhere.

[11:58] Lilla Crawford: Could you imagine how ridiculous we must have looked?

[12:00] Lilla Crawford: And I would wear a ski mask, like like a burglar.

[12:04] Lilla Crawford: And so I remember coming home and and I was so cold.

[12:08] Lilla Crawford: And so I sat on the heater to warm up.

[12:10] Lilla Crawford: And I just remember like turning and looking at the window and looking at Times Square.

[12:15] Lilla Crawford: And just thinking, like, look at my life.

[12:17] Lilla Crawford: Like, I'm in New York.

[12:18] Lilla Crawford: I'm gonna be on Broadway.

[12:20] Lilla Crawford: Like, um, I think like a moment in a movie.

[12:24] Lilla Crawford: I'm well, I'm dramatic that way.

[12:26] Lilla Crawford: So like I make every life of the movie.

[12:29] Sydney Lucas: First, like winter you experienced.

[12:33] Lilla Crawford: No, luckily, I I traveled as a kid, and so I had like seen snow before.

[12:38] Lilla Crawford: I had seen winter, but like I wasn't used to it.

[12:40] Lilla Crawford: So in LA form all the time.

[12:43] Lilla Crawford: So I was I was like shocked, culture shocked.

[12:46] Lilla Crawford: Yeah, stepping onto the stage for the first time.

[12:49] Lilla Crawford: I remember a lot of just memories, you guys.

[12:52] Lilla Crawford: That's what we're talking about today.

[12:53] Lilla Crawford: Um, I remember the moment of stepping out on stage for the first time.

[12:57] Lilla Crawford: And Billy Elliott, my my first entrance is I have to burst through these red doors, and I have to run around in a circle to Billy, and I have to steal a lollipop. No, I have to run around to small boy, and I have to steal his lollipop, and then I have to run around, and he chases me around in a circle. Um, and um I remember bursting through those red doors, and like the I think the first thing that you notice is like all the lights that are on you and how everything's really dark, and you actually can't see anybody that's watching you except for the first row, but you feel the weight of it, like you feel that it's a big thing, and it's bigger than all the other stages that I've been on, and so it it feels really intense, but also you know, that's what I wanted, and it was happening.

So I was really I couldn't believe it. I was so excited. I mean, I mean, what a crazy thing to happen to a 10-year-old. I was 10 at the time, and yeah, it's I mean, you guys relate as well. Like, we started very young, and we, you know, made it to Broadway very young. And so yeah, kind of intense for a 10-year-old, but really cool.

[14:08] Eli Tokash: I love that you have these vivid memories of these moments. Cause uh a lot of times when we ask people, they'll be like, Oh, it's it was a it was a blur. I don't even like I blacked out. But the fact that you remember these moments so vividly means that you were super present in the moment, which I find admirable.

[14:27] Lilla Crawford: Okay, I would like to just say thank you so much. Uh I'm proving science wrong in this moment because for a science experiment, I took a cognitive test, and the person said that I have the worst memory that they've ever seen. And I think it's short-term memory. I think I have really bad short-term memory. Um, because you know what? I have problems remembering people's names when I meet like when they when someone tells me their name, I'll have to ask them like five times before I get it. So maybe it's short term, but like that really destroyed me. I was like, I'm supposed to be an actor. Like, how am I gonna memorize lines?

[15:01] Eli Tokash: Like, what I was about to ask. Do you have a problem memorizing lines at all?

[15:05] Lilla Crawford: It depends on the it depends on the project. You know what I'm so bad at? What memorizing Shakespeare? Because I've had to a couple times. And I'm sure we'll talk about it later, but when I was in the Who Was show, I played Shakespeare. And um, there was like a comedic, uh, it wasn't a real Shakespearean monologue or what are they called? Uh a sonnet of Shakespeare. Sonnet, yeah. It wasn't real. It was it was uh written by one of our incredible uh writers on the show, and it was funny, it was about a banana. It was so hard to memorize to the point where I got on set and I still didn't really have it memorized because I only had a day to memorize it. And I was freaking out so badly. You guys, like I get really stressed out by things, and especially like because I want things to be perfect.

And so when things aren't going perfectly, especially in in my career in acting, I get really stressed out. And so like I'm not this is kind of a sad behind the scenes. Like, I'm not even joking you. Like I would perform it and mess up really badly, and then I would like turn around really quick and like wipe a tear and then like come back and be like, I'm fine, I'm fine, guys. Uh and I was so stressed out that day. Oh my gosh, I could I can't with Shakespeare. Brilliant man, but like, why did you have to do this to us? I can't memorize this. Brilliant, but I uh no, Shakespeare. I mean, you can't base your ability to memorize lines based off of how how well you memorize Shakespeare. That is the hardest thing to memorize.

[16:47] Eli Tokash: That's true. Gosh, it's so hard.

[16:49] Lilla Crawford: I yeah, it's so hard. But yeah, I mean, it really just with memorizing. See, here's my problem. This is my actor problem. Like, yeah, when you memorize, you say the words over and over again, so that you memorize the words, but when you say them it when you say them like in a certain cadence, then when you're actually performing it, you like can't get yourself out of saying it in that exact same way. Do you know what I'm saying? Does that happen to you guys?

[17:14] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, so I'm really trying to, I'm trying to figure out like give me some tips because I'm trying to figure out a new way to memorize that doesn't make me like memorize acting, but that makes just makes me memorize. And the tip that I've gotten is like, oh, memorize it monotone, like when you say the words out loud over and over again, like don't have any tone in your voice at all. And I don't know, I've tried that, but maybe I'm not doing it correctly. I don't know, but you know, I memorize um the way I memorize lines, and I I'm kind of lucky in that I memorize lines really, really quickly, and I can like look at a line once and just pretty much get it.

[17:51] Lilla Crawford: Oh wow, that's great.

[17:53] Sydney Lucas: But I do have tricks to learn it. I I go I obviously go word by word. I'd say about like four words. I look I look at it, I repeat it about five times in a monotone voice, and I s I look away and I repeat it five times in a monotone voice. I look back and once I finish the sentence, I say the entire sentence about five times, and then I s I start saying it over and over but with different subtexts. So I I say it with um pretty much any subtext that I can think of, if if that makes sense.

[18:25] Lilla Crawford: Yeah, I've actually I've gotten that tip before too. I should keep doing that again, like where you you say the line over and over again, but like every time you say it, you say it differently, a different way. Cause then it's like obviously if you're doing it a million different ways, you're not gonna memorize one way because you're doing it different every time.

[18:41] Sydney Lucas: Yeah, I gotta I gotta fix that because I've yeah. I've had similar experiences too where I've just been like, oh, I'm memorizing the line, but I'm also memorizing like how I'm saying the line, and I was like, I don't know why I'm doing this. And to be honest, I noticed that like when I was doing a self-tape per se, like I was just so focused on the line itself that I wasn't really being as present as I should be. And like, so like when I started mem memorizing again uh like the next self-tape, I was l trying to just do it in my head and not out loud. And so that was kind of a shift for me. But I had like a photographic memory, so it kind of worked, and it took a little longer, but like doing it in your head was kind of fine and then when I finally did it it was like my first time doing it out loud so I had to like listen and then like whatever happened just naturally came down.

[19:42] Lilla Crawford: Yeah I guess it worked I don't know that's actually very interesting yeah that's actually very uh uh I think that's a very good tip also you know I will say when it comes to memorizing the older you the longer you've been in the business for every audition you pretty much have to like remember your lines so you the how many auditions we've had to go on where we've had to memorize like three pages of scripts and then just try and wipe all that from your memory and rem remember another three pages of script for another audition and another four pages of script for another audition and the beautiful audition that comes that only has one page um it's just it's a lot to remember you know what I mean so uh definitely uh the the whole uh memorizing and and and getting your your subtext right it can be tricky when you're constantly memorizing things and trying to yeah refresh your memory so that you can memorize another thing.

[20:45] Lilla Crawford: Oh my gosh nails your nails are so cute. I didn't say you didn't super cute resonant oh great that's dedicated. Um I will say I just remembered this I I do really well memorizing under pressure. So like when we're filming, like I did this pilot for ABC not too long ago, maybe like two years ago. Yeah, yeah. And yeah, when you do a pilot, like you have no time, absolutely no time to finish. And uh they take super long to film things because they really want to get it right. Um, because we're technically not a show yet, we're still pitching. Right. Yeah, so we were constantly, I was constantly having to memorize lines. And when you're doing TV, like you are getting new pages and every day, and and you're constantly having to memorize things fast, and there's not really a turnaround for you to like sit down and memorize your lines.

Like you're memorizing lines in your trailer, you're memorizing your lines while you're getting your makeup done. And so in those situations, yes, I'm really good at like memorizing. I might like paraphrase it like a little bit, but which is kind of bad. But but in those situations, like I'm pretty sure like a lot of Annie was paraphrased by me. Like, I'm pretty sure like so many of the lines like actually weren't how they were written. Cause like when I'm saying them every night, then like that's how I'm memorizing it. But like I'm pretty sure like the initial way I memorized it, like wasn't right. Like, because you know how I realized it because um I was doing the show and like there was one day where I was like, I want to watch the show.

And so I I just took a a day to just sit in the audience and watch the performance, and my understudy was on, and she was like doing a lot of the lines like differently. And I was like, I was like, wait, like, am I wrong or is she wrong? And then like I think I realized I was like, wait, I think I'm definitely wrong. Like, I think I'm saying so many of the lines, like not how they were written. She was she did she did the good job of it. So yeah, but that's that'll be something I'll work on. I'll continue to work on it.

[21:09] Sydney Lucas: When you do a show every night, it's like, is this right? Like, does this doesn't sound right? Because you're saying it so many times, so it makes sense.

[22:51] Lilla Crawford: Yeah, I think like in rehearsal, I initially like I think I didn't even have it from the get-go, and like no one corrected me. Like, I think that's like have you ever performed something performed a role so much that all of a sudden you just forget all of your lines? Like have you ever been in a show so long that all of a sudden you're like, oh my god, I don't even know the line anymore.

[23:19] Sydney Lucas: Okay, this is shade time, guys. Get ready. Okay.

[23:25] Lilla Crawford: Um I've never had that happen to me, but I've in both Billy Elliot and Annie, there were instances where it happened to another actor, and we were all just like, oh the actor just like stepped on stage and was like, uh uh uh uh uh and like the as the other actor, like you just kind of have to like roll with it and like improvise something. Like you have to like, yeah, you know, we can't just stand there forever. So like theater, yeah, like things go wrong. And so like I yeah, that was that was crazy. I I don't think it I was never in a situation where like I had to be the other side of it. Right.

[24:02] Sydney Lucas: Um, but like I was just like on stage and like another like and I was just like, oh, I don't know if that's like Lila.

[24:08] Lilla Crawford: I think you must have a really good um long term memory. I mean it's like the stories that you're telling and how vivid you're telling them and the fact that that or how vividly you're telling them and the fact that you've never that's never happened to you, you must have just a phenomenal long term memory.

[24:26] Sydney Lucas: Thank you. I am phenomenal.

[24:28] Lilla Crawford: You are you really are waiting. So okay, we gotta talk about Annie. Um we'll start from I guess the beginning of Annie. Can you talk about the audition process for Annie? How many callbacks were there, what the auditions consisted of. And when you went in, I know that um they auditioned like a bunch of girls at the same time. Did you know that Annie was the role you were going in for?

[25:00] Lilla Crawford: No, so I'll actually even so um I was w oh oh here we go with my phenomenal long-term memory. Um I was walking down, I was walking down the streets in New York with my mom and my sister, and my mom was like, guess what? Because my mom is the biggest fan of Annie, and especially when she was younger, like all she wanted to do is and her name is Annie, like that was her nickname. Oh my god. And so she was like absolutely she was the biggest fan uh when she was younger. So she was like, guess what, Lila? Like they're bringing Annie back, like, and you're totally the right age for it. Like, you're totally gonna go in. And I distinctly remember saying, like, Annie, like that sounds like way too many lines.

Like, I do not want to be Annie. That was the reason. I was like, that's so many lines, like to do a whole show like that, like no. And I was like, I said to my mom, I was like, hmm, like Tessie sounds fun. Like, I'll go in for Tussie. Like that's that was my head space.

[25:56] Lilla Crawford: So I like went into the audition. Everybody's initial audition was "Maybe" and "Tomorrow." Everybody, everybody. Um, that was what we had to prepare, but then when we got there, they said only sing one, like which one do you want to sing? And I was really bad at singing "Maybe." Like when I was first auditioning, I was really good at singing "Tomorrow." So like I was really good at belting really loudly and like high notes. Right. But then "Maybe," where you have to be softer because you're like singing children to sleep, like I wasn't so great at that at the time. Um, so I chose "Tomorrow," like immediately. And then the next audition was an acting audition. And I think it was the locket scene, like when she's really upset that Warbucks wants to replace her locket.

Then the next audition was a dance call. And we did "Hard Knock Life" dancing. And then I guess the next audition was there were two final callbacks, funnily enough. There was, it was interesting, like there was a final callback all of the girls that ended up being in the show were at that callback. And then there were two girls at that callback who weren't in the show, but they ended up in "Matilda," both of those girls. Isn't that funny? Yeah. So we, everyone was good at the end of the day. Um, but I guess after that first final callback, maybe it was because of the two girls who ended up being in "Matilda," they decided that they wanted to do another final callback and they brought all of us back from that final callback.

Um, and uh, then they added more girls in and both of those final callbacks were about a week long, which is so like, did they want to torture us on purpose? Probably, like I don't know. I've never heard of, yeah, like I don't know, it's kind of crazy. Like they wanted it to be like a boot camp. It was like "Annie" boot camp. So we did everything and anything "Annie." So we did all these like improv exercises where we had to like improv being in an orphanage. I can't, and then we had to like, there was a dog portion. So like we had the dog, like they had like a dog there that we had, they watched us interact with the dog and, and yeah, and like we had to do tricks with the dog. And I remember, guys, this is funny.

Like, I had a really big fear of dogs when I was little. Yes, I was so scared. Like, I wasn't scared of all dogs. That's kind of a lie. I wasn't like scared of dogs. End of sentence. I was scared of big dogs that would bark really loud and jump at you. And um, and I didn't like when dogs licked my face. Like, I thought that was so gross. And so, um, I literally like they brought the dog in, and I like sat myself down because here's the thing, like the more callbacks I got, like the more I was like, okay, I'm gonna be in this show or else. Like the more I was like, I am gonna be in. Like by the end of the call, like I was sat there, like when they brought the dog in, and I was like, 'You glisten up here, Lila.

Like when you go in there and you see that dog, like do not freak out, like do not flinch. Like if it wants to lick your face and jump on you, like just be the most excited girl you've ever been, and like pretend that you love it.' And like I gave myself that pep talk, and like literally immediately when I walked in, and I asked them later, and they said that they make the dog do this on purpose. Like, I walked into the room and immediately starts jumping on me, licks my face. I was just like, "Oh, I was just like, 'Wow, this dog is so cute!'" But inside I was like, "Oh my god." And so, um, but that was the dog portion, and then yeah, they did all the dancing, the acting, the singing. Like, they would make us sing "Tomorrow" like three times in a row, and like one time they had me go in and like just speak the lyrics of "Maybe," and then one time they had me go in with the scene with the cop where she has to convince the cop that Sandy's her dog, and they had me read the cop's lines, uh, not the notes lines.

Yeah, it was just like, it was just like all over the place. It was crazy, but it was really fun. Like, I remember having so much fun. Um, but yeah, James Lapine was James Lapine, the director, uh, he was inventive like that, like having me do the other lines. And then there was one call where, um, it's the scene where she first walks into the White House and she like can't believe that it's so nice. And he was like, "Pick your nose and scratch your butt and like here's a piece of gum, like chew gum while you do the scene and just be gross." Like he was just like that, um, experimental and experience. No, yeah, um, get you out of your, like he was really trying to, he was really trying to challenge us.

And you know what they did too? This was kind of messed up. I don't know if I approve of this, but like they, we had name tags on our, on us with, uh, character names and like during the audition, they would be like, "Can you come here?" And they would like rip people's name tags off and switch it with other people. So like girls that had Annie name tags on, they would be like, "Oh, sweetie, can you?" and they would like rip their Annie name tag off and like put on like, you know, July or whatever. And then the girl would be like so upset because like I guess that means she's not Annie. I don't know. No, but like I know there was a lot of weirdness, but I don't know. I mean, uh, you know, it was, it was pretty exhilarating, like as a kid who's just like, "Oh, I want to be in a show," and like, "Wow, I guess this is how it's done," I guess.

Um, and then yeah, I, they took forever to call me though. Like I, every day I was like, "Can I call you?" It was okay. Emma Watson said this in an interview. I guess what long-term memory, it was an interview for W magazine. Wow, those interviews, those screen test interviews, and um, she was talking about how like when you want the call to come, it never comes. Never comes. So, like she would talk about like for Hermione, she would like sit by the phone and wait for the phone call. And like the phone call came when she was like out somewhere, like not thinking about it. Always. That's what it was. Every, like, I mean, it was literally months. Like it must have been like three months, like after the final callback.

And like we would ask my, my agents, like, "Did she not get it? Like, is that's why it's taking so long?" And they were like, "Nope, she's still in the running, like they're just taking long." And then, oh gosh, like the how I got told I got the part is like a whole nother story. I don't know how much time we have.

[32:04] Eli Tokash: Like, how did you get told?

[32:06] Lilla Crawford: Tell it. At the time I was homeschooled because of "Billy Elliot." Right. Because like "Billy Elliot" ended at a weird time. I was still like enrolled into homeschool, so I couldn't be put into a real school after it was done. Right. I guess I could have, but I just didn't. Um, so I don't know. I feel like I don't know, being homeschooled is tough because you're sitting at home all day. I mean, we're all doing it now because of corona, but like you're just sitting at home all day on your computer, like you know, you're not getting to interact with people. So this friend of mine, because we moved back to LA after "Billy Elliot." We moved all the way back in the world. Wow. I know, right? So we, so my friend in LA was like, "Why don't you spend the day at like my kids' school?"

Like my mom's friend was like, "She could spend the day at school. Like, we can pretend she's like interested in going to the school and like she can spend the day there. Like, I'm sure she'll really like that." So I was there at that school, and I wasn't supposed to leave until the end of the day, but my mom shows up. Like, I've only been there for like two hours, and my mom shows up and she's like, "We need to go now." And I'm like, "What?" And she pulls me into the car and she's like, "You have an emergency audition, and we have to go to your agents, like we have to go to your agent's office." And you never, like you guys know, like you never go to your agent's office to do an audition unless they have like a, there, like you don't go and do an audition with your agents. So I was like, "What?" Yeah, so I get there, we get there, and every single agent, we should have known something was up because every single agent is sitting in the main room.

[33:27] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[33:31] Lilla Crawford: And my managers were there too.

[33:33] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[33:34] Lilla Crawford: Right. Everyone's sitting in the room, and there's a camera set up. And they put me, they sat me down. And um, my sister was really young at the time, and she like made a lot of noise, and she's kind of, you know, she's savvy. So my mom was like, "I'm gonna take Savvy." My mom was like, "I'm gonna take Savvy to the bathroom and we're gonna hide in there while she does her audition." But the thing is, is we were, they wanted them to be in the room. So like we waited and waited and waited, and they weren't coming out, and then one of them knocked on the door and was like, "You have to be here for this." And my mom was like, "I do, like why?" So my mom and sister were there, and everyone was there, and they were like, "Okay, this is an audition for like a national dog commercial.

So all we have to do is we're gonna ask you some questions about your dog," because I had a dog at the time. I was like, "Okay." And so they were like, "Yeah, they were like, What's your dog's name?" And what's, and I was so like flabbergasted that like it was a terrible audition. Like, I wasn't answering the question correctly. I was like all over the place, like with my words. I don't know, it wasn't good.

[34:30] Eli Tokash: Um, then were you like, yeah, this seems normal, or were you like...

[34:30] Lilla Crawford: I know, I well, I thought it was weird, but I didn't think like, "Oh, they're gonna tell me," like I didn't think this was related to "Annie" at all. Like, I thought it was just weird. Right. But then one of the questions, so then he's asking me questions about my dog, and then he goes, "How does it feel um to play Annie on Broadway?" And literally, I had my answer rehearsed in my head. I was about to say, like, "Well, I haven't heard anything yet, but you know, I did audition," like I was about to say that, but then somebody in the background screams, like, "You got the part."

[35:06] Eli Tokash: Oh my god.

[35:07] Lilla Crawford: And then everybody's screaming and cheering, and like it was really happy moment. Um, and see the reason why they did all that is because there was a documentary for PBS being filmed behind the scenes of "Annie." And they wanted every, yeah, they wanted everyone's, so they didn't even put mine in the movie. I don't know what was all that's what I was thinking. Like, I don't know if you were seeing yours. I remember seeing the girl who got Molly. I remember seeing literally everyone's, but I was like, I don't know. I think I was like, "I'm a good one."

[35:36] Eli Tokash: No, I think because it was bad.

[35:38] Lilla Crawford: Like that's why I didn't make it. Like, because my, because like my question, like I wasn't like talking correctly, and then I think my reaction like wasn't because everyone's reaction was so like dramatic. Like all the other girls were like crying and like were like cheering and jumping up and down, and like my reaction was more just like, "Oh, this is audio. How do I okay? I'm gonna explain my reaction." It was more like confusion, like my face was like, "What?" And then like I was just kind of looking around at everyone, and then I probably just like smiled and nodded my head. That's that was probably my like I don't think it was a good enough reaction for the film.

[36:17] Eli Tokash: I don't know. They need to release this video.

[36:21] Lilla Crawford: I see it. Come on, that's like the coolest story. You have to be like so happy that that's your story, and like that's how you were told, and that was your reaction. Like, that's unlike anyone else. It's crazy, and and the "Into the Woods" one is crazy too. I don't know if that's your next question.

[36:37] Eli Tokash: Actually, we had so many people ask what it was like to do "Into the Woods." For example, uh, at Madison dot bishop with three P's asked what was the audition like for uh for Little Red, and I'm trying to find another one that says I've been actually trying to find the oh oh yeah, oh, and there are a lot of questions about "Into the Woods," but I know there we had a we had a, I'm sorry if I'm missing your name because I know a lot of um multiple people asked this question, but a bunch of people wanted to know what was your audition process like for "Into the Woods"?

[37:12] Lilla Crawford: Yeah, it's another crazy story, like two crazy stories back to back. Please tell. Um, all the other ones have been pretty normal, but this one, I mean normal for the business. Like, you know, you know that call you get where you're like, "Oh, you have to be on a plane tomorrow?" Well, okay, I basically spoiled the story, but like here we go. So, okay. So um, this is kind of scandalous. We're getting into scandalous territory. You guys, there was another girl cast for the role.

[37:38] Eli Tokash: No way.

[37:39] Lilla Crawford: So here's what happened. I auditioned like any normal audition. Right. Um, long-term memory coming back in. It was, I had like a gala. I don't even remember what gala it was for, but it was for some probably like a Broadway award. I don't know. I was an Annie still at the time, and I was really stressed out because the gala made me late. So we get there and I was like freaking out, and my mom was like, "Do you want to just like let me call them? Like maybe you can go in another day. Like, like, are you sure you want to do this? Like, you seem like kind of freaked out." And I was like, "You know what? I was like, no, like I'm gonna pull it together and I'm gonna, I'm gonna do the audition." So I walk in and it was really just like nothing special.

Like I just did the material and, and like I think it was Caesar at Telsey, like put me on tape and like I loved it. Right? Yeah, put me on tape and, and that was that. It was the end. Like I just walked out and went home. Um, and I didn't hear anything, didn't hear anything, didn't hear anything, and then they announced. I'm I don't, I I'm not gonna like put her on blast and say her name, but it's, you know, if you want to do the dirty work and find out who it is, you can do that. Uh, but they announced that this other girl got the role, and so I was like, "Oh, I mean, I just kind of thought, like, yeah, okay, well, I didn't get that."

[38:53] Lilla Crawford: All right, next one, I guess. Um, and uh I had left Annie already. I did my last performance in July, and I did get this other movie though, like right after Annie, right after I finished Annie and got this movie uh uh called Little Miss Perfect. Um it was an independent film made by uh Marley Roberts, who was an alumni at um NYU Tish Film School, which is where I go now. Um yeah, so uh I did this film. Uh it filmed upstate, upstate New York, and um I didn't have like a huge role, so I only filmed like four days or five days. Um, but while I was filming this movie, uh, we're on the train back home because we were upstate uh and I live in the city, so we're on the train back home, and again, with these crazy my managers' agents are crazy.

We get this call, we get this insane call from my manager saying, like, where are you? And like I'm like, we're on the train, like about to go home. And he's like, She she's being she's being considered for something big, something really huge, and she needs to send in a tape immediately. And we were like, What? Like, what am I being considered for? And he like he was like, I'll call you back. I can't tell you right now. Oh we're like and I thought the most recent audition I had done was for the Fairly Odd Parents movie. And so I was like, I was like, dude, I'm totally fucking that. I was like, I'm going to Hawaii, like I'm gonna be in Fairly Odd Parents. Like, I was so excited. Um, and then um we get home and he calls back and he's like, okay, he's like, I can tell you what it is, but like you cannot tell anybody else, like you can't, like, even if you like work with like a coach or something on this, like you can't even tell them.

Yeah, like it's for Into the Woods. And my mom, like my mom and I looked at each other and we were like, what? And like my my mom's first reaction was like, Oh my god, this is so exciting. But my first reaction was confusing because I was like, I thought that was like done, like somebody else got the part. Right. And my mom was like, Well, something must have happened, like we're gonna do this. Like she like something to happen. And so, um, so um, what happened? So they had me that the next day, I um I did a like a work session with um I think Tiffany, her name is it, Telsie, right? I might, I don't know, I might be getting that wrong. Sorry, Tiffany or whatever your name is But um she she went over the scene with me and then we Skyped with Rob Marshall, the director.

Oh wow, and we had so many technical difficulties, you guys. It took like an hour to get on. And I got on, he was like, he was like, I'm in the middle of rehearsal, like I don't have a lot of time for this. I don't know if he like said that, but someone was made it clear to me that like there wasn't a lot of time for this. Right. And um, and you know, I just did the scene. I'll tell you what scene it was. It was the one with um Cinderella about oh, giants are people too, right? Like no one is alone, right? Mm-hmm, right? Um, and so I did that scene for him, and he's like, Okay, thanks, bye. And and I only did it like once or twice. And so then I was like, Okay, bye. And then, yeah, and then the casting director was like, Okay, bye.

And so then I left, and like I literally just walk into the door of my house, and we get a call saying, like, you have two hours to sign this contract, like she got the role, you have two hours to decide whether you want to be in it. We have another girl on standby, so if you don't say yes in two hours, like we're giving it to another girl. And I was like, Whoa, okay, and like obviously the answer was yes, and so we immediately said yes and like got our everything together. And um then when we agreed to the part, they were like, awesome, you have to be in London in 48 hours. Yes, isn't this crazy? And so, um, and it yeah, and I was supposed to start school, like after being homeschooled for so long because of Broadway shows, I was finally gonna start real school, and my mom had to go to the school and pull me out again, and like my sister had to be pulled out of school to go.

She went to she went to school in London, you guys, when we were there. No way, she went to British school. Did she think that's a British accent? She did, and I thought it was so annoying. Yes, I was like, I was like, you you don't speak like that. What happened to no? Um, no, British accents are awesome. No, but she um she yeah, she totally picked up on one. It was crazy. Yeah, like we so we went to we just packed our bags and we we went to London, and like I immediately get off the plane and I'm taken straight to see Steven Sondheim. Like, I'm oh my god. I'm in plain clothes, and I'm meeting Steven Sondheim, like it was like a two-second meeting. Literally, it was hi, hi, uh, nice to meet you, nice to meet you.

Okay, I'm very busy now. Goodbye, goodbye. Like that was me meeting Steven Sondheim. He's a busy man. I mean, yeah, he was he was conducting an orchestra, so I mean, it wasn't, yeah, he was busy. Um, and then I and then I met like Chris Pine and Billy Magnussen right after, like immediately after, and I wasn't even, I know it was crazy, and then yeah, and then I was just put into rehearsals with everybody else, and then we started the movie. Like it was so insane. Like, and I still, like, I had so many questions, but I was just like, you know what? Like, I'm just gonna accept like the like incredibleness of what's going on to me right now. Like, but I mean, the one thing that you can guarantee about I guess just the business is that it's super spontaneous and crazy, and these kind of things happen and you just honestly just gotta go with it because it's a it's a ride, man.

[44:14] Eli Tokash: So true.

[44:15] Lilla Crawford: Yeah. So before we go on to Into the Woods, I want to ask one more question about Annie that you brought up. You worked with a dog. Um what is the process like? And you worked pretty closely with the dog, obviously. Sandy and Annie go hand in hand. Um, but what Bill Berloni was a was a person who he, if you don't know who he is, Bill Berloni is um, or William Berloni, but he goes by Bill, is a person who basically trains um rescue dogs in order to act in TV and Broadway, and it's the coolest thing. He's worked in A Christmas Story with uh Eli and Finding Neverland with Eli and Um he's worked in Annie uh as well. Um what is the process like of working with a dog? Like um and and and training them to to go places and I heard you have to have like treats in your hand or treats in your pocket when you're singing.

It's like having a whole piece of chicken in your pocket when you're a vegetarian while you're singing tomorrow. That's what it's like. I you know, to to make uh her name was Sunny, uh her character's name is Sandy, her real name was Sunny, to make Sunny do uh what we wanted her to do, uh it uh it had to come with some food. That's a true diva. Like I should operate like that. Like I will not act until I'm fed. Um but um I mean that is kind of how we are. It like craft services, like come on, craft services is my life. Yeah, yeah, it's a happy place. A happy place for sure. Cold chicken just in my pocket um during tomorrow. Um and you know, it's she was such a fun dog. And my dog had just my personal dog had just died during rehearsals.

Um, and it was like it was like she was my dog in real life. Um, like before the show, she would come to my dressing room and we would play, and I would come to the theater early so that we could um you know rehearse our movements and um and uh Sunny was the cutest at the end of every performance. We we the whole cast would sing tomorrow at curtain call, and she would howl with us because she was on stage, she would howl because everyone was singing. It was like she was singing, and I was so sad they trained her to not do it, and it made me so we were all so sad because it was so cute that she was singing with us. Um and she's the sweetest. I would love to see her again. I don't know. I mean, I think she's just at the farm, right?

I I think she did a couple other productions of Annie as well. Apparently, dogs remember, like I apparently she would remember me if I saw her again. Like she would immediately be like, I know you. I think my scent is stuck in her brain forever. That's time with her. What a sweetheart. So just to clarify, you weren't afraid of this dog. No, oh my gosh, no. She was a sweet, she was a sweet, sweet dog. And she was yeah, she was a sweet dog. I was only afraid of like big, you know why? I think I had like a PTSD thing of I think when I was little, a dog bit me. Oh, so I think that's what I think I was I was afraid of like scary big dogs that barked really loud and would were crazy. Yeah, she was wonderful.

[47:31] Eli Tokash: Okay.

[47:32] Lilla Crawford: Now on to the Into the Woods questions. First of all, you you talked about you talked a little bit about it and just like how you met everyone and how the quick turnaround from the audition and to filming. Um but like when did this hit you that like you were about to be in this like hit movie on like a big screen? Like was it did it feel like a dream? Like did it all happen super fast? Like what was it?

[47:57] Lilla Crawford: It really did. For the first couple of weeks, it I really felt out of my element. I mean, I had experience on my belt. Uh it was my first huge future film, but I did that other movie right before. And I started doing commercials. That was the first ever thing that I did. And I did like, oh, I must have in my I must have done like 16 commercials, like a crazy amount of what I did when I was, yeah. When I was in LA and when I first started acting, um, guys, I booked my first ever audition. Isn't that um yeah, it was for a Cool Whip commercial. That's a good idea. Yeah, I think I think it's still out there. Like, yeah, it was it was that was cute. So I don't know, I but I did feel really intimidated um being with all these people that you know are really famous and really experienced and and really good at what they do.

Um, and just me being like totally like, you know, way younger than everyone else, and like kind of, you know, obviously since I'm young, like I'm not as experienced as everyone else. And like it just it was really, really I I don't know. I remember um I remember being really nervous, and the first person that really made me feel like okay, like you really don't have to be nervous anymore was Emily Blunt. Like she was so nice. Like she sat down with me with her T and like her scarf, and she was just like, it is so nice to meet you. Like I can't tell you how happy you are we are to have you here. And like I can't wait to work with you. Like she was just so sweet from the get go. She helped me.

I've said this in a couple other interviews. Um, so excuse me if I'm repeating myself, but um, she helped me study for a Spanish test and I got an A on it. Yeah. In in between when I was in seventh grade, what was I, seventh grade? Yeah, I was in a Spanish class, and like in between scenes, I was I had my flashcards, and she was like, Let me quiz you. And uh Yeah, it was it was she was so sweet, and so many people on that film were so nice. Like um, uh everyone loves to ask about like how I was working with Meryl Streep. Like, she was so sweet, um, very poised, and like, you know, when you're around her, like you you feel this presence of like being around someone who's really, really good. Like every time she performed, even just in rehearsals, and Rob Marshall was like, she had to do Last Midnight so that we could rehearse it.

And he was just like, Oh, you can just like mark it for now. And like afterwards, I was like, that was marking. Okay, Meryl. Like that was the most incredible thing I've ever seen in my life. Like filming that scene, like I was truly an audience member. Like, I wasn't acting at all. Like I was just like, couldn't believe what I was watching. And um, and she was just such a graceful woman. That's like the best way I can describe her. Um, and we got to uh her and I went to Japan for a press event. Yeah, for if like a three day press junket. Yeah, and it was just, it was just her and I. Like that was we were the only people that went. And so she told me, oh, she really had my back at this moment.

We were in the elevator and she was like, girl, you got some she didn't say it like that, but I'll I'll pretend she said it like that. She was like, girl, you had some deodorant on your shirt. You want to wipe that real quick? And I was like, oh thank you. And like I did. I like put deodorant on while I was wearing my shirt and so it was like on my shirt and I like wiped it off. I was like thanks Meryl. Like you like back for a second. People like those are real ones. They're your real friends. They're your real friends. Yeah I'm sure she has no idea who I am at this moment. No. I don't know. Do you think she'd remember me? I we obviously I mean she's Meryl Streep like we didn't keep in contact but like I don't know I think she would.

The kind of person who has also a a good long-term memory. Maybe yeah that would be cool if she was like Lilla I would be like whoa oh my gosh yes it's me Lilla. But um yeah I mean everyone was great.

[51:52] Lilla Crawford: Yeah, at Lola underscore Lindsay wanted to know what it was like working with Meryl Streep and you answered that perfectly and at Zara dot drw wants to know what was it like meeting Johnny Depp.

[52:06] Eli Tokash: I feel like I recognize those accounts. Oh wow, very cool.

[52:09] Lilla Crawford: My followers showed up for me. Okay. Yeah, Johnny Depp was really cool. Like he, okay, I'll tell you the whole thing. Yes. It was, he was only going to be there for two days and the only people that got to work with him were me and James Corden and then like the crew and the director and everything. And so all the cast members were like, you have to tell us what it's like, oh my God. And so I get there and like I know it's the day that we're gonna be meeting him, and we're doing a rehearsal first the day before filming. Right. And like I'm like so excited. I'm like, oh my God, like this is the day. And we're waiting on set for like two and a half hours. And like I ask somebody, like, hey, what's going on?

They're like, Johnny comes when he wants. And I'm like, whoa, we have a star in our presence. He comes when he wants. And so, um, we're waiting, waiting. And he literally, he comes in with like a posse of eight, and he's wearing these like tight, like black ripped up jeans, and like a newsboy cap and like a scarf, like a green scarf, and he has like all these piercings and he has sunglasses on, and he has these like leather boots. And he's like, what's up? And like he was so, he's like, what's up? And he was so nice. I mean, definitely all that kind of stuff. Like, like apparently he was only there for like three days, and they like repainted his dressing room and put all this like furniture in it.

Like, that's all the kind of like star, like, I'm famous and I'm rich stuff, but like genuinely, like he was such a nice person as well. Like, he told me about his kids. He's like, you're the same age as, you're about the same age as my kids. Like, he told me stories, but like I guess he was filming some movie in the Amazon, and like a huge poisonous spider almost bit him, and if it had bit him, he would have died. And he like told me these like crazy stories, and he was really like complimentary of me, and um, which was so like especially since um, oh my gosh, like when I was giving interviews at the time of the movie came out, like this article for it must have been like, it was a big magazine, like it might have been the New York Times, like this, the um, headline of the article was crazy Johnny Depp fan Lilla Crawford has cardboard cutout of Johnny Depp like in her basement, like gets to work with him in movie.

Because it was true. I, when I was younger, my favorite ever actor was Johnny Depp. I loved Johnny Depp. Like, if you'd asked me what my favorite actor was, I would have said Johnny Depp. And as a joke, as a joke, you guys, my mom bought a cardboard cutout of him as the Mad Hatter. That's a good thing. And like we, we bought it to scare people, but it didn't really like, we didn't really use it for that. And it just kind of sat in our house. And so I think I had mentioned that briefly in an interview, and it ended up being like the pole of the article. Like I was like, now I look crazy. I look like I'm a crazy fan. But like it was this really surreal moment of knowing that I was obsessed with him when I was younger, and to get to meet him and work with him in real life.

Like, and to have him be so sweet and to have him be like so cool and like intimidating in the best way. Like it was, I mean, how cool is that? Like getting to meet your idols is always really, really special. Right?

[55:12] Eli Tokash: Yeah, and like you said, like for him to be like complimentary of you, like that had to mean anything.

[55:16] Lilla Crawford: Crazy. Like crazy. Like he was like, you're actually a really good singer. And I was like, I actually am. Thank you. No. I was like, I was like, oh my gosh, like you think I'm a good singer? Um, yeah, like, yeah, he was, he was awesome. Like, yeah, that was, and he was so, he had so many ideas, and he kind of took the role of director, if I'm being honest. Like, he was like, you know what we should do? We should do this, and I wanna, he's like, in my jacket, I want to have all this candy in it. Like, I'm like a candy, like, like I'm like a like a drug dealer, but it's candy. And I wanna, and I want to present it to her like I'm enticing her. And they were like, okay, and the costume department got it together for the next day.

And in the movie, he opens his jacket and there's a bunch of candy inside. That was his idea. Um, and he really, yeah, he was, he commanded the space, and I really admire that. I think I, I would love to, like I, as I said before, I'm in film school, and so directing is something that I really love and I would like to do someday. And um, even when I was little, I um was constantly, I was writing and directing my own shows, and I would bring them to the playground in elementary school, and I would cast it, and then I would always cast myself as the main role. And like I remember like I, I would have auditions, and then I would audition everybody, and then I was like the role of like Julia, let's say that's like the main person.

The role of Julia goes to me, and everyone would go, of course it does. Yeah, again, we get it. Like I was such a, I was such a brat. Um, but um, that I would do that to people, like I would make them do an audition, and then I would be like, the role goes to me. Like they were your shows. Yeah, I would write them. I would, I would, I would speak them, and my mom would type it out for me. Like I would, I would speak it, and then um, and then yeah, and then I would bring him to the playground, and then everybody would quit the next day. And it got me so upset that the very next day I brought contracts that I told everyone they had to sign, saying that you can't quit on me because we're putting on this play.

[57:26] Eli Tokash: Wait, how they're just being unprofessional.

[57:28] Lilla Crawford: Gosh, I must have been, yeah, unpro unprofessional, unprofessional. Um, I got it. So unprofessional then must have it was around right. Um, it was around the same time that I started acting. Like I must have been like five, six, seven, like really little. And so I don't know, but um, yeah, but I don't know how we got to that. Yes, about Johnny Depp being so, yeah, having so many ideas and being so collaborative and really commanding the space. I, I aspire to that for sure.

[58:00] Eli Tokash: So you mentioned that you are going to film school. So, and you're currently studying at New York University, Tisch, and uh you participate in an NYU sketch comedy club as well as an improv club that like won awards. Like, so as someone who's applying to NYU, I want to hear all about this.

[58:18] Lilla Crawford: Oh, I'm smiling so big right now. This is my passion at the moment. Um, I'm a huge fan of comedy. I'd say like the beginning half of my life, I was a huge fan of Broadway and all things musicals. And when I got to high school, it really flipped into me being just a huge fan of comedy. Like I could tell you anything and everything about like all things comedy. Like I just immersed myself with everything I could. Um, and yes, and and so um, as soon as I, this is what I did. When I was applying to colleges, I pulled up a list of uh best film schools in the US, and then I simultaneously put up, pulled up a list of um best sketch and improv, best college sketch and improv teams in the US. And then I decided that I would be applying to colleges that were on both lists.

Like I was so committed to like when I get to college, I'm gonna be on this team. Now I made this list, but like ever since I was younger, like probably when I first moved to New York and started meeting people who uh went to NYU, I was like, well, that's where I'm going. Like I'm going to NYU. And I'm kind of, um, I'm a very stubborn black and white person. Like I literally, when I was applying, I applied to NYU early, and I was like, if I don't get in, I'm gonna take a year off and apply next year. Like, I was like, I do not accept any other school. Like, I am going to NYU. Like, that's what's happening. Um, and I got in, which was such an amazing moment. Um, yeah, really lucky that I got in.

Since I knew that I wanted to go to NYU so badly, I was like hammercats. Like, uh, as I was applying, like I was like putting it out into the universe. Like, I'm gonna be on Hammercast. Hammercats is the name of the sketch team that I'm on. Donald Glover started it along with Derek Comedy, uh, which consists of DC Pearson and Dominic Dirkis. I'm, I'm probably saying his last name wrong, but um, that's how I've been saying it. Um, but uh, and Rachel Bloom was on the team when she was a student and like tons of other people who have gone on to write for SNL and write for uh the Daily Show and like the Tonight Show, and uh it's a, it's a really cool um team and like with a lot of history, and I'm even luckier, like lucky to get into NYU, but I felt even luckier to get on that team.

Like I was so excited when they let me on. It was all I wanted. Um, and yeah, we do shows once a month. Obviously, everything is online now, but we're still doing online shows. Um, I post about them every so often, yeah. Um, and they used to be um in person, but now that they're online, like it's a lot more accessible for people to come watch. When do you think? So um October. Oh gosh, we talked about this on our last meeting. October, I'll have to get back to you. October something. It's like I, it might be October 16th or might be like October 20th. I'll get back to you. Everyone marks the palette. Yeah, wait, just um look out for a post. I don't know. I'm totally getting this wrong. I should totally be plugging this on the opportunity.

Something. Yeah, October something, yeah. This is my opportunity to plug it, and I'm bombing. Okay, so um, but yeah, we do shows once a month. Um, and I'm also on an improv team. Uh, that like, as you said, this is total brag. I'm not even gonna be humble about it. It's a brag. My improv team, Pasadena Golf Club won the college improv national championship. Um, we won our regionals, we won our New York regionals, and then we won the championship. And the championship was online, which we thought would be super tough. But turns out it wasn't. I'm totally being like, I'm totally tooting my own horn, but I'm really proud that we won. I love it. So yeah, I'm excited to toot my own torn. Oh, toot my own horn. Yeah, we're, we were so excited to win.

[1:02:00] Lilla Crawford: Improv fascinates me. Like anyone who can do improv is like, first of all, like super smart, wise beyond their years, but also like improv is just like another level of talent. And also it just like it's talent, but it's also just like your ability to like think really quickly and just to be like be as silly as you can, especially like if you can be improv.

[1:02:22] Sydney Lucas: I completely agree with you, and I so admire, I mean, I'm still learning. I'm pretty good, but I'm still learning. Like the people out there who are just so unbelievably good at improv, it really blows my mind because it's so hard. It's so hard.

[1:02:40] Lilla Crawford: Um, and yeah, I started, so when I was about 15, um, during my freshman year of high school, that's when I started taking UCB classes. I was so much younger than everyone else. Like you're not even really supposed to take classes there when you're that young. Um, but I slipped through the cracks and like I totally I remember um pretending like I didn't want anyone to think that I was super young because I thought they would like treat me differently and talk down to me. So this one lady was like, Oh, like um, what college are you in? And I was like, I'm taking a year off. And I totally like went along with it and pretended I was like way older than I was.

[1:03:18] Sydney Lucas: Um, but yeah, I did I did all four levels of improv there, and then I did two levels of sketch. Uh and so I studied, I really studied my comedic uh craft uh before uh getting into these teams.

[1:03:31] Lilla Crawford: And honestly, studying at UCB, like really helped me. This might be your next question, like super duper helped me with booking the Who Was show, which is a sketch comedy uh uh TV show for Netflix. Um and uh I couldn't have done it without having taken those classes for real. Uh because that show was intense, like it that was an intense comedy boot camp. Like we really we really had to be on our toes for that one.

[1:04:02] Sydney Lucas: Um I loved every minute of it. In fact, at underscore Sophie Keys underscore once wanted to know how do you improvise comedy? Like, you know, tips on improvising comedy.

[1:04:11] Lilla Crawford: So oh, how do I improvise? Oh my gosh. Well, I took like three years of classes to learn that. How am I gonna sum this up in like three years of classes? Okay. Um I don't well, how do I improv? I think the key to it is, you know what uh UCB's motto is, one of their many mottos is don't think. That's the that's the it's written like everywhere in the theater and in in the um rehearsal space, which uh sad so sad doesn't exist anymore.

[1:04:42] Sydney Lucas: I that's a whole nother sad thing.

[1:04:44] Lilla Crawford: Uh unfortunately, yeah, because of COVID. Yeah, UCB, a lot of UCB closed down.

[1:04:48] Lilla Crawford: Still in LA though. Um, but you really the more you think of like the worst thing you can do is stand on the back line. Back line is like standing against the wall and be like, I'm gonna go out there and I'm gonna say, hey, nice hair. And she's gonna be like, Oh yeah, my hair is nice. And then I'm gonna be like, like if you do that, like you're completely setting yourself up for failure. Like you seriously, it it's such a scary feeling to not know what's happening next, especially so especially like someone like me, who like has to like be like in control of like everything that is going to happen. Like to genuinely be out there and you literally don't know what's happening next, uh, is a challenge.

And and you really just have to go with it. Like you just gotta go out there and like I don't know what's happening. And someone will be like, Oh, the floor is wet, and you kind of just have to say the next thing that comes to your mind. Like, you really can't think about it. And that's where the comedy comes from. Um, it doesn't come from like witty, like pre-planned jokes or like, or like, oh, this is really gonna get the audience laughing. Like, it comes from the awkwardness of the scene and it comes from like saying something weird that you didn't really mean to say. It comes from like weird phrasing of of words because you're thinking on your feet, like that's really where it comes from.

Um, so I mean, yeah, it's it's really tough and uh and I still think it's hard. Like sometimes like we'll have a rehearsal that's just so bad. Like, oh my god, I remember we did this show in Brooklyn we opened for for these people and that we bombed so badly. And so even just like we won this big competition, but comedy is you're not, you're not gonna be at that at that level every night. Like you, like you could be like, I don't know, you could be Chris Rock and you could go out there and completely, like, completely bomb and you're Chris Rock. And that's just how it is. And so like we did so bad. And we just like were laughing because all you can do is laugh about it. Right. And like in that moment, I was like, gosh, like this is so hard.

Like, this is such a hard thing that I've gotten myself into. But but I don't know. It's it's fun though. I mean, when it when you get it right, when it's so good and you can feel that it's so good, it's the best feeling in the world. It's so much fun. Like you really feel like you're doing something.

[1:07:07] Eli Tokash: I can imagine it's so fulfilling. I just wanted to know, like, as like doing an improv in like sketch group, how cool is it to like not be not good, like go on stage not knowing what's gonna happen and like kind of being more uh expressing your true self and not just like some other character?

[1:07:27] Lilla Crawford: Well, that's really the key. I think a lot of bad improv comes from people trying to do like wacky, like unrealistic characters, like huh, my name is Billy Bob. How are you? It's like this is so annoying. Like, I don't want to watch this. And um, I and really good improv, and this is also a lot of UCB's philosophy, like, really good improv is when it's really real. Like, obviously, maybe the circumstances around you are crazy, like, oh, there's an elephant in our backyard. But if your reaction to an elephant being in your backyard is genuine and like genuinely, I mean, how would you react to that as an actor? Like, or as a person, you would be confused, you would be scared, you would be, you would immediately need to call animal control. You would wonder why, why it's there. Like, if if it's a genuine reaction, then that's what's gonna get you the laugh, not some crazy character. That's what's gonna get you to laugh.

[1:08:20] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:08:21] Lilla Crawford: Um, yes, uh, a lot of like life is funny. Like, life is funny. And so if you're real and if you're true to yourself and if you're a genuine person, it'll be funny because things are just naturally funny. You don't have to force forced comedy is horrible. Like please don't do that. Like if any of you are into comedy, like never try to be funny. Like you just like just be funny. And then that's the thing is sometimes people just like aren't funny. Like sorry to break it to you but like there are some people in this world that just like are not funny. And like that's and it's just funniest like it just it's something that comes naturally. And but everyone has the ability to be funny because you're your funniest when you're not trying to be so like if you've ever made someone laugh or gotten your friends to laugh it's probably because you just like said something random that you didn't think would get anything out of someone and then everyone starts laughing really big and you're like whoa like what did I just say?

[1:09:16] Eli Tokash: Yeah literally yeah uh I hope that answered your question. I feel like I veered off but yeah it totally did. We I want to talk about the who was showing so this is basically it's a it's a live action sketch comedy thing with pretty much teens as the cast um and for those of you who don't know Lilla can you please explain what the show is about and what basically you do in the show.

[1:09:44] Lilla Crawford: Yeah so uh did you guys I'll ask you guys because obviously our audience we cannot hear them um but um do you do you know of those books uh that you that you probably read when you were younger they're the who was books it was like it would be a big blow up head of a historical figure, and it would be like, who was Queen Elizabeth? And then it would be like Queen Elizabeth's big head on a and the book was like kind of small. Yeah. So those books, um, it it's a series based off of those books. And obviously, there are multiple books. So the geniuses behind the show were like, this should totally be a sketch show because there are so many different characters under this under this series that we just gotta bang them out all at once.

Like, let's just do a ton of sketches about a ton of different people. Um, so it's it's a sketch comedy show for families. Um, and I say that because I think adults really get a kick out of it. Um, we uh our biggest inspiration for the show was the Muppet Show, which yeah, which it's it's really a show for all ages. Like, yes, they're puppets, and like yes, I mean that is usually like a kid thing, but like I think it can be enjoyed by all ages. And so we really could for that adults to enjoy, but it's also family friendly.

[1:10:54] Eli Tokash: I love that.

[1:10:54] Lilla Crawford: We also uh got a lot of inspiration from a show from shows like uh Bill Nye the Science Guy, um, meaning that we were educational, but like fun was kind of the most important, like fun and funny was important, and then you know, education was yeah, you're gonna learn something along the way while you watch too. Um and uh a lot of people show uh the Who Was Show in schools in their classrooms, which we thought was so cool that um it's being used for educational purposes. Um, but um yeah, I played over 50 characters. Uh and each episode, yes, each episode features everything.

[1:11:34] Eli Tokash: Yeah, costumes were insane.

[1:11:34] Lilla Crawford: Yeah, the costumes were awesome. Um, yeah, I I was Marie Antoinette and I wore this like huge blue dress with a big big tall wig. Um, yeah, and uh yeah, each episode features two different historical figures. Uh, and uh we do sketches around their life. I played, I again I played multiple characters, but like my five main characters were uh William Shakespeare. Uh but yeah, that was cool. We got to gender bend a lot, which was super fun. Um yeah, I played William Shakespeare, Marie Antoinette, Queen Elizabeth, uh, one of the Wright brothers, uh, I think Orville, I played Orville Wright. And then um Susan B. Anthony. Those were my five.

[1:12:16] Eli Tokash: Oh, Marie Antoinette, for sure.

[1:12:17] Lilla Crawford: That's my favorite episode.

[1:12:19] Eli Tokash: Oh yeah.

[1:12:19] Lilla Crawford: That was that was the funniest. That was where I got to be the funniest. Um I tried to be funny in every character I did, but like that was I that character was what got me the job. They told me that after the fact. They were like, when you did that audition, like as Marie Antoinette, like we knew like you were gonna be in this show. Which is so because then I had to do another audition after that. And it's like, but if you knew, why did I know? The business is so weird.

[1:12:40] Eli Tokash: They always left you.

[1:12:41] Lilla Crawford: Like, did you hear the um Quentin Tarantino story about uh Julia Butters and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood?

[1:12:47] Eli Tokash: No.

[1:12:48] Lilla Crawford: While he was writing the script, he uh was watching American Housewife in the background, and she's on that. And he was like, I want her to be in the movie. And still they made her audition like five times and they saw other girls, and I'm sure like other girls like made it to Final Callbacks, like got pinned, like they probably thought they were so close to getting it. Like, and it was this it was her the entire time. That's why you really can't take this stuff personally because there's so much, like there's just so much that goes into it and so much like silliness and just so much like back and forth and like weird moves that people want to make. Like it's so crazy this business that like when you don't get a role, or uh when you get really close to one and then it doesn't work out, like it's it's not you. Like it's it's some other thing that has nothing to do with you.

[1:13:40] Eli Tokash: Um, and and I that's something that I've definitely had to learn, and that I still have to remind myself like, oh, I didn't get that role because I'm a horrible actress. Like, I didn't get that role because my hair is not blonde, like it's something it's something stupid like that.

[1:13:56] Lilla Crawford: Um but yeah, that's off topic.

[1:13:58] Eli Tokash: No, I'm glad you said that because um at Rocky X Scarlet wanted to know is there anything in the acting industry that people don't talk about, which that's one thing. So I mean, yeah, is there anything in the acting industry that people don't talk about?

[1:14:12] Lilla Crawford: I mean, I think people are are are opening up more now. I feel like in like the 30s and 40s, like everyone was like, this is a glamorous life. Like we're we're the best job. And I think now a lot more people are really open with it. Um I mean, I think I don't know if this is necessarily something that's not talked about, but I think something that is definitely forgotten, uh, is how lucky we are. Like, I spend a lot, it's something that I have to remember too. Like, I spend a lot of time complaining about how like horrible this business can be, because it really can be sometimes, like it really can be. Um, but it's it's kind of, I mean, it's it's all I've ever wanted, and and a lot of people would give anything to be where I am. Um, and which makes me feel very, very lucky.

[1:15:10] Lilla Crawford: Uh, and because it it really is luck too. Like, can I remind you guys of that also? Like, like I think getting a role is a mixture of talent, practice, and luck, like for real. Like, a lot of girls could have been Annie and would have booked Annie in that moment. Like, I'm sure there was like 10 options that they were like looking at. Like, I'm sure I wasn't the only girl that was considered. That's not how it works. And like any one of us could have booked it. And like just on a chance, like it the decision making process doesn't even really make sense. Like, I'm sure like they were just kind of like, oh, well, I mean, yeah, she she was the last person that we saw. So I mean, yeah, well, she's she's good.

Let's go with her. Like, that's that's how casting decisions are made most of the time. And so it it really isn't a personal thing, this business, even though it really feels like it and it really can beat you up. But I think to survive this business, the most important thing to remind yourself of is like remind yourself of what you've accomplished, remind yourself of what you have, and remind yourself that like it's not over. Like, no matter how old you are, no matter your experience, no matter where you are in life, like there's a lot more life to live, and there's a lot more career to have. I think that's what I remind myself of too. Like, I'm 19 years old. Like, I'm not gonna win an Oscar tomorrow. Like, it's gonna, you know what I mean? Like, I have a lot of life left, and I have a lot of career left, and I have a lot of time to get there.

[1:16:39] Lilla Crawford: And um, it doesn't happen overnight. And I feel like I'm jumbling up a million ideas into one paragraph, and I don't even really know what I'm saying anymore. But what I would I will finish this by saying um drink lots of water and and um uh I hope what you're watching on Netflix right now is really good because I'm watching some really good things, and I also hope that you have a good Halloween. I don't know when this is gonna come out, but I'm excited for Halloween. I already have my costume.

[1:17:11] Eli Tokash: Um you're gonna have to see.

[1:17:16] Lilla Crawford: Come on.

[1:17:17] Eli Tokash: Okay, I can't spoil it.

[1:17:18] Lilla Crawford: I can spoil it on the podcast. I'm totally gonna have a post for it on Instagram. It's gonna be like no, I'm just kidding. What if I was just Annie for Halloween? What do you think people would say?

[1:17:28] Eli Tokash: Like, what would that reaction?

[1:17:30] Lilla Crawford: Like, what do you think?

[1:17:34] Eli Tokash: People would be obsessed.

[1:17:35] Lilla Crawford: You think?

[1:17:35] Eli Tokash: Yeah, I think people would think I'm crazy.

[1:17:37] Lilla Crawford: Well, Kristen Bell was Elsa with her daughter. So I think that that was cute. Like that was genuinely very cute. Uh I yeah, I guess people would, but I my gosh, I feel like that would make me look crazy.

[1:17:48] Eli Tokash: But no, no, anyways.

[1:17:49] Lilla Crawford: People would love it.

[1:17:51] Eli Tokash: Really?

[1:17:52] Lilla Crawford: Hundred yeah.

[1:17:53] Eli Tokash: Anyways, I yeah, I definitely got off track there, but I hope like some of that was helpful.

[1:17:58] Lilla Crawford: No, any of it. It was amazing.

[1:18:00] Eli Tokash: Oh, oh, oh, oh, and hold on, I have to ask this because uh this person I love so much, and she was so so so so so excited that you were coming on the podcast.

[1:18:11] Eli Tokash: Pip X Lee, we love her so much.

[1:18:15] Eli Tokash: And um literally the first I I asked on the on the um on my Instagram story, and the first thing she said was, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.

[1:18:24] Eli Tokash: Okay, hold on. And then and then this was her actual question.

[1:18:28] Eli Tokash: She said, What does it feel like to be so young and and have people look up to you?

[1:18:36] Lilla Crawford: Yeah, oh my gosh, I really can't believe it. I I genuinely I don't know. I do struggle with my self-esteem a little bit. So my first reaction when all these fan accounts pop up is like, why? Like, why? Like, I don't know what I did to deserve this. Like, I don't know, like, especially recently, I've gotten a uh a few new fan accounts, and they're so wonderful. And they make these really cool edits, and I'm really just like, oh my gosh, like I I can't believe that that these people like, you know, watch Into The Woods or watch Annie or The Who Was Show or whatever they're seeing and like and think to themselves like Lilla, like that's who I'm gonna aspire to be. Like, I don't know. It's really just hard to to fathom. Um, but you know, I think like definitely when I was in Annie, when you're in a Broadway show, like that's really where you have the closest connection to your fans because of the stage door.

[1:19:32] Lilla Crawford: Yeah. Um yeah, so walking out of the stage door every night and seeing like, I mean, that stage door was packed, like there were so many kids and families waiting to get autographs. And walking out and doing that every night, like it's funny. Like, if I'm being honest, like it got I got so used to it that I was just like, another signing, like here we go. And like I would open the door and I would be like, hi, how are you? Like, I'm signing your playbill. Like, I've signed like thousands and thousands of these. But looking back at that now, like I I mean, what a what a crazy thing to be known by people.

[1:20:04] Lilla Crawford: We're gonna get really deep right now. Like just this idea that like people know who you are, like other than like your friends and family, like that somebody in London that I don't know is like, oh, Lilla Crawford is cool. Like, that's so crazy. And kind of with social media now, everybody's famous. Like, so I mean, it doesn't really mean much now, uh, because it's so easy to be famous. But um, fame is such a weird thing. What a crazy thing. But I really do hope, like, I don't know, I think I think a lot of celebrities are in the wrong when they're not so nice to their fans and when they like refuse to take pictures and like refuse to like do this and that and like they don't want to be asked this and that. Like I understand that like it's it's tough when when your career and your personal life blends together. That can be that can be kind of annoying.

[1:20:57] Lilla Crawford: Like when you're at a restaurant with your family and somebody's like, Can I get a picture? Like I do understand like that is kind of like, oh, okay. But like in my opinion, like you do it because I'm not here without them. Like that's you when you're an actor, you're you're serving the people. I mean, it's like being a politician, like, but but not actually making laws for people. You're just providing entertainment. But like the I work for you. Like, I I genuinely I work for you. Like the people that watch my show or the people that bought a ticket to to go see my show on Broadway, like that's where I'm getting my paycheck from. It's from you. So like I'm gonna be nice to you because I mean to be to put it in like a business perspective, like I think I think I you I think famous people really have to, and I think the smartest famous people are the ones that are super nice to their fans and like do a lot of like fan interaction.

[1:21:46] Lilla Crawford: Um yeah, because that's really where it's at. So I guess I'm gonna end this by saying thank you. Like, thank you to all of those fan accounts, and thank you to all of the nice comments that I get on Instagram and on TikTok and whatnot. Like it's genuinely very nice, and I really I really am very grateful that people say so many nice things about me. It really makes me feel good. So thank you.

[1:22:09] Eli Tokash: That's awesome.

[1:22:10] Eli Tokash: Well, what a way to end it.

[1:22:12] Eli Tokash: Yeah, well, and there. Thank you so much for coming on and sharing these incredible stories and these words of wisdom.

[1:22:19] Lilla Crawford: Of course, and I think we successfully made it a two hour episode.

[1:22:23] Eli Tokash: I don't know how to have that.

[1:22:26] Lilla Crawford: I'm so excited for the be the longest episode.

[1:22:31] Eli Tokash: I'm so excited.

[1:22:32] Lilla Crawford: Oh my god, we're so honored.

[1:22:33] Eli Tokash: No, it's amazing.

[1:22:35] Lilla Crawford: No, we're come we're so honored that you are our longest episode.

[1:22:39] Eli Tokash: Um we could talk honestly for forever.

[1:22:42] Lilla Crawford: Um, but thank you, thank you so much. This has been such a pleasure.

[1:22:42] Lilla Crawford: Thank you.

[1:22:42] Lilla Crawford: Thank you so much for having me. Like I said, off the air, like I think this is a super cool thing you guys are doing, and I'm glad you guys are having fun with it. I had a lot of fun today, so thanks for having me on.

[1:22:57] Eli Tokash: Uh and yeah, I'm a regular listener now.

[1:22:59] Lilla Crawford: I'm totally gonna listen to Wrestling's podcast.

[1:23:01] Eli Tokash: Yeah, thank you so much.

[1:23:02] Eli Tokash: And Lilla.

[1:23:04] Eli Tokash: Come back anytime.

[1:23:05] Eli Tokash: Seriously.

[1:23:07] Eli Tokash: First guest to come back twice.

[1:23:11] Lilla Crawford: Okay, we love you.

[1:23:13] Lilla Crawford: Thank you so much. This has been such a blast.

[1:23:15] Eli Tokash: Bye.

[1:23:16] Eli Tokash: Take a bow Lilla Crawford.

[1:23:19] Lilla Crawford: Yeah.

[1:23:20] Eli Tokash: That was such a fun episode. I mean, seriously, like she had so many great stories.

[1:23:24] Lilla Crawford: I loved her first time in the city, first time on a stage, working.

[1:23:28] Eli Tokash: The dog story was hilarious, I personally thought. Like how she was terrified with of dogs, and then all of a sudden she had to work with one and had to act like she loved it.

[1:23:37] Lilla Crawford: And she ended up loving it, so that was great.

[1:23:40] Eli Tokash: Yeah, it's funny because I I did the the Annie auditions and I I got um I had a few callbacks, and it was so interesting. She she would always like sit in this like specific chair, and she would have, I think, purple headphones on, do you know, to just kinda pre game before before the audition, like get into the zone before the audition.

[1:24:02] Lilla Crawford: And I swear, just everyone in the room knew that she was Annie.

[1:24:06] Eli Tokash: Like everyone would just look at her and be like, that's Annie.

[1:24:09] Lilla Crawford: We're looking at Annie right now.

[1:24:11] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:24:12] Eli Tokash: Oh wow, that's really cool.

[1:24:13] Eli Tokash: Sometimes it's true. Like sometimes you're in an audition room and you're like, yeah, that's the one.

[1:24:18] Lilla Crawford: That's who's gonna get it.

[1:24:20] Eli Tokash: You can tell.

[1:24:20] Eli Tokash: It's so interesting.

[1:24:22] Eli Tokash: Um, but yeah, she had great stories that and yeah, another thing that I thought was really, really funny that she kept uh kind of pointing out was her short-term memory.

[1:24:32] Lilla Crawford: Um I thought that was funny.

[1:24:33] Eli Tokash: And her amazing long-term memory.

[1:24:35] Lilla Crawford: Yes, it's I loved it.

[1:24:37] Eli Tokash: It was so funny.

[1:24:38] Eli Tokash: I mean, like, I would have never like thought of that, and then like she just like kept mentioning it, and like as like literally, just in our like short time of talking to her, like an hour and a half, she at least mentioned it like five times.

[1:24:53] Lilla Crawford: Oh, it was amazing.

[1:24:54] Eli Tokash: And then like afterward, um we we talked for quite a while afterward, and just she kept like bringing up these things that happened years ago, and she kept uh like telling them in such vivid detail.

[1:25:07] Lilla Crawford: I'm like, how do you remember this stuff?

[1:25:10] Eli Tokash: Yeah, totally.

[1:25:11] Eli Tokash: And it's so different from other people who are like, oh yeah, I was like young, it's a little bit blurry in my mind.

[1:25:17] Lilla Crawford: But she's like, Oh, it this specifically happened, I remember, and especially being so busy.

[1:25:23] Eli Tokash: I I would it would make sense if she if if everything kind of being so young, number one, and also being so busy, it would make sense if everything kind of was a little bit of a blur to her.

[1:25:33] Lilla Crawford: But she she has an incredible long term memory.

[1:25:36] Eli Tokash: Yeah, seriously.

[1:25:38] Eli Tokash: Um yeah, and then she's up to like these sketch skits at her schools and um the improv stuff.

[1:25:45] Lilla Crawford: So that's all great stuff.

[1:25:47] Eli Tokash: And as soon as she gets back to us on like a date for that stuff, we will definitely let you guys know.

[1:25:52] Lilla Crawford: We'll post it to our Instagram or somehow notify you guys if you guys are interested in watching that and watching Lilla Crawford.

[1:26:00] Eli Tokash: Um other than that, uh Broadway news, the Broadway got pushed back to June 1st opening and hopefully uh of 2021.

[1:26:12] Lilla Crawford: And hopefully that is the last pushback, and hopefully Broadway will reopen in June 1st.

[1:26:18] Eli Tokash: Um but fingers crossed, you never know what's happening.

[1:26:21] Lilla Crawford: Um but we'll see how it goes.

[1:26:27] Eli Tokash: I know.

[1:26:27] Eli Tokash: Everyone just please wear a mask.

[1:26:31] Lilla Crawford: It's not that hard.

[1:26:32] Eli Tokash: It's literally not that hard.

[1:26:34] Eli Tokash: We've got a long way to go still.

[1:26:36] Lilla Crawford: Um there have been some progress, but that's so that's good.

[1:26:40] Eli Tokash: But I mean, it's just everything's so crazy and scary at this moment.

[1:26:44] Lilla Crawford: Um, but yeah, we're we're that's why we're trying to do this and trying to bring smiles to all your faces.

[1:26:50] Eli Tokash: So yeah.

[1:26:51] Eli Tokash: Yeah.

[1:26:52] Eli Tokash: I I mean, we've talked about this a a little bit, but when when Eli came to me and said he wanted to start a podcast, uh, this was in like I think January 28th.

[1:27:03] Eli Tokash: And this was obviously before thank you.

[1:27:08] Eli Tokash: This was before the the obviously the pandemic happened and the and the quarantine happened.

[1:27:14] Lilla Crawford: Um we you know, we were ready to start and we were gonna go like we're trying to, you know, figure out who we which network we would want to sign to.

[1:27:28] Eli Tokash: And uh, by the way, Broadway Podcast Network is so incredible.

[1:27:31] Lilla Crawford: Um, and it's so interesting.

[1:27:34] Eli Tokash: Like in the middle of the preparation process, like right before we started, this pandemic hit, and so we were left with the choice to either wait until it was done or to just carry on and you know head first and and try and figure out what to do as as we go on.

[1:27:52] Lilla Crawford: And we decided to do it.

[1:27:54] Eli Tokash: And we always it's just crazy how we started a podcast in the middle of a pandemic.

[1:28:02] Lilla Crawford: But honestly it's taught us perseverance.

[1:28:04] Eli Tokash: It's taught us resourcefulness and it's taught us so much more and it's honestly it honestly gives me hope and and it makes me kind of proud of us that even in the craziest of circumstances luckily we have the internet and that's a thing so otherwise we wouldn't be able to do this but in during the craziest of circumstances we were still able to pull this off and and create something that would hopefully make you smile and make us happy and and and a a way for us to connect with people during this time when we're all so disconnected at least physically um I don't know it just kind of it kind of it kind of makes me happy.

[1:28:46] Lilla Crawford: It makes me proud that that we're able to pull it off.

[1:28:46] Eli Tokash: Yeah and thank you guys for listening because you guys are the ones who continue to allow us to do this.

[1:28:58] Lilla Crawford: So yay you guys are the best we love you all right well we'll see you guys next week for another episode we have yet another exciting guest a good friend of Sydney's and I think you guys are gonna appreciate it.

[1:29:21] Eli Tokash: Yeah, thank you, Lilla, so much for coming on, and thank you everyone for listening.

[1:29:27] Eli Tokash: Um, so yay, uh, keep an eye out and tune in next week.

[1:29:27] Lilla Crawford: Bye, everyone.

[1:29:28] Eli Tokash: See you next week.

[1:29:32] Eli Tokash: Sick beat him, alright?

[1:29:34] Eli Tokash: For our curtain call, we wanted to give a few special thank yous to Nikki Torsha and Corm McCollinon for our amazing music, Giselle Bustos for designing our logo, and Tessie Tokash and Sydney Lucas for editing our episodes.

[1:29:47] Eli Tokash: Feel free to subscribe and leave a review on whatever platform you are currently listening to us from.

[1:29:52] Eli Tokash: This podcast wouldn't be possible without the help of Dory Berenstein, Alan Seals, Brittany Bigelow, and Katie Rosen at the Broadway Podcast Network, as well as our top patrons Henry Friedman, Brian Thompson, PCC, and Patrick McNamara.

[1:30:06] Eli Tokash: Speaking of, if you enjoyed this week's episode of Take A Bow, go check us out on Patreon at Patreon.com slash T A B and become a patron today.

[1:30:16] Eli Tokash: Through our Patreon, you will form a relationship with us and get an inside look on what goes into this podcast.

[1:30:22] Eli Tokash: To learn more about this podcast, visit BPN.fm forward slash take a bow and follow us on Instagram at takeabow podcast, where you can contact us with any feedback, suggestions, or questions, and keep up with all things take a bow.

[1:30:36] Eli Tokash: See you next week.

[1:30:37] Eli Tokash: Bye everyone.