This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Natalie Alyn Lind: Hi, my name is Natalie Alyn Lind, and you are listening to The Art of Kindness.

[0:10] Robert Peterpaul: Hello, beautiful people. Welcome to The Art of Kindness, where we have compassionate conversations with artists from all areas of the entertainment industry who are using their voice to spread joy and make this big spinning planet in the universe a better place to be. I'm Robert Peterpaul, and I'm so glad you're here.

[0:42] Robert Peterpaul: Ah! Of the Art of Kindness Podcast. We are 199 in, and I am doing something different. I'm just kind of riffing to you all today. Usually, I have a little outline of things I want to say, and I do have some things here. Not gonna lie, because lying is not kind, which we do get into in a future episode. Anyway, you can tell. I'm just rambling already. But I feel like it's a self-kindness to me to just authentically come to the mic and say whatever pops into my old brain. What's popping in the most right now, though, is gratitude. I have to say, I am so grateful for this journey, and I am sure that I will talk about that even more next week on our 200th episode. Ah! I can't believe it! Stay tuned to our social media channels at Robert Peterpaul and at Art of Kindness Pod to see who our guest is.

You are gonna love this incredible magical human, and I feel so fortunate to have gotten to share some space with her. Oh, that's a hint right there. So stay tuned for that. I also feel very fortunate to have gotten to share some space with today's guest, who I just feel like is my new best friend. I love her family already. They are amazing. We have Natalie Alyn Lind.

[2:01] Robert Peterpaul: Natalie Alyn Lind continues her rise in Hollywood as a lead in the highly anticipated Yellowstone spin-off Dutton Ranch. I watched some screeners, and she's so good in the show. A lifelong horror fan, Natalie is also producing and starring in the upcoming horror feature Halloween Store, which you know this spooky Muppet had to ask about. You may already know and love her from standout roles in hit series like The Goldbergs, Gotham, The Gifted, and Big Sky. Natalie is gifted and big fun. Seriously, I loved hanging out with her, and I hope you enjoy hanging out with the both of us. Thanks for being here. I also hope you'll join us next week for our 200th episode. Until then, please go back, bask in the kindness library of episodes we have, including Natalie's sister, who is on an incredible Netflix show, Wayward—have to shout her out—all the way back to our hundredth episode with Carol Burnett.

I mean, I am just bursting at the seams with joy to celebrate you all. Because honestly, I couldn't do this without you. Without you amazing folks who tune in week after week to hear this little guy again ramble on the mic. So thank you. Now, without further ado, please enjoy the awesome Natalie Alyn Lind.

[3:31] Robert Peterpaul: Hello, Natalie. How are you?

[3:33] Natalie Alyn Lind: Good, how are you?

[3:35] Robert Peterpaul: I am so happy that you're here today. That's how I'm doing.

[3:37] Natalie Alyn Lind: I am so happy to be here. There's very few podcasts or opportunities that you have that have such a great just message behind spreading kindness and love. And I am so happy to be a part of this.

[3:51] Robert Peterpaul: Thank you. Well, I have heard you were a complete ray of sunshine from multiple people. And I love your family. I think you're all iconic. So just again, I'm pumped and congratulations on Dutton Ranch. We have so much to talk about today.

[4:02] Natalie Alyn Lind: Oh my god. Oh my god, I can't wait. Let's dive in.

[4:06] Robert Peterpaul: Well, before we get to all that, you know, the question we always start out asking here is what would you say is your definition of kindness and how do you think it's evolved over the years?

[4:17] Natalie Alyn Lind: For me, kindness is understanding. I think that there's so many different types of people in this world and there's so many different things that people go through. Um, and it's just having an open heart genuinely and having it come from an authentic place that means making somebody's day or just being able to tell somebody that they look good or that you're thinking of them. It comes from a place of having an understanding for someone who is not necessarily the same as you, and that's so important. And I don't think that enough people have understanding in their heart. So that would definitely be my definition of kindness.

[4:55] Robert Peterpaul: That's beautiful. I'm gonna put that on a t-shirt. Understanding in their heart. I'm like writing on a pillow next to me. I love it. That's incredible. But don't you feel like in this industry, I mean, it's certainly evolved, but it can sometimes be hard, even when you're genuine, because some people don't think it's real. Have you come across that where you're kind and they sort of think maybe you're trying to get something or X, Y, and Z? It's kind of a weird thing in the entertainment industry. And we need it.

[5:20] Natalie Alyn Lind: Oh, 100%. I mean, the thing though is that if you are actually authentically kind, then the perception of what other people think of you shouldn't be important. And it's so easy to fall into this trap, especially with social media, where everybody puts their self online in a certain way. And I mean, for me, I try to keep my Instagram as just authentic as possible. But sometimes it's hard. If I'm looking really good on it, I'm not going to be posting a selfie on my feed if I'm not looking great. But there's probably like one day a week at the very most that I have like makeup or hair on. So to feel like somebody understands you from the perception that you put on social media. There's so many upsides and downsides from all of this.

Um, but I do think that a lot of people put their best version of themselves online. And being able to understand that there are different levels to humanity, and especially for like young females or kids that are trying to fit in. The person that I am today is not who I was when I was 15. I'm a different person, and it took a lot of growth, especially for me. Instagram was around when I was, I don't know. It was not something that I grew up with, and it's so interesting to grow up with it, and it's so just weird to see the different transition generational. I almost feel bad for the kids that always had it versus us who like I remember with Facebook, you needed a college email to sign up, and so I like used my cousins just to get in and feel cool.

My Facebook still says I was born in 1980 because I was like trying to put in sort of like weird age that was above a look. Look, I guess that the 80s were, so I'm not sure how old I am on my Facebook, but that's still that's my age on Facebook. You know, and manifesting like a fun eighties comedy movie, maybe down the line about that.

[7:11] Robert Peterpaul: Exactly. Exactly. Yeah, no, opposite and younger. Like, I don't know. That's maybe there's a fun premise in there. But I wonder, you know, looking back at that age, even, you know, or anything that comes to mind really, because I'm sure there were a bunch. I wonder, Natalie, is there an act of kindness that you feel like kind of changed your life and changed your trajectory into where you are now?

[7:35] Natalie Alyn Lind: I mean, for me, I was raised on set. My mom's an actress. And can I just tell you, we are binge-watching One Tree Hill right now for the first time. So we are in Barbara Land.

[7:45] Robert Peterpaul: And she's I love it.

[7:48] Natalie Alyn Lind: Most people I know are in Barbara Land. I swear, all the people that I hang out with just hang out with me to get to her. Um, no, definitely not, because you're awesome too. But I mean, I feel like it's nice to see her being funny.

[8:00] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[8:00] Natalie Alyn Lind: Oh my god. And she no, no, no, she is like, she's the funniest person too, because she's so opposite than her character on that show, and it's so fun to like have the crazy mom growing up. And if you're watching the show right now, my first role that I ever did was actually on that show when Nathan and Haley are watching the young kids. And I'm the little girl. And for that, for that specific thing, uh, my mom was so scared about us going into the industry, and it was never something that she pushed on us. Like it was something that obviously when we were younger, we saw her on set creating these characters and going to hair and makeup, and it was always something that we wanted to do so badly.

So when that role came about, uh, she made me audition, and we have different last names. So I'm a Lind, she's in Woods, and she didn't want it to just come easy, and she also didn't want to be like take her kid to set and go, oh, she's not great. So she made me go through the auditioning process, and everybody on the show didn't know I was her daughter until I pulled up to set specifically with those directors. The actors knew, but she made me work for it, even though I was like four or five.

[9:01] Robert Peterpaul: That's really cool. Wait, that's weird because that's we're like two episodes maybe ahead of that. We just watched that episode.

[9:06] Natalie Alyn Lind: So we just saw that's where we are in the series, yeah, season four, which is wild. I have notes on my acting, but I thought y'all killed it as the little menaces running around.

[9:18] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[9:19] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah. But I mean, even with that statement, like going back, something that changed my life. I think it was definitely just watching the way that my mom behaves on set growing up. She just has, since we were little, I mean, not just with this industry, but just being humans in general, she's such a caring and giving person, and it's so important for the industry specifically to know everybody's names and to relate to everybody on a human level that's not just work-oriented, because when you're filming these shows, you're put into these environments for months and months at a time, and it's so easy to fall into like the trap of either like getting sucked into a character or being like away from home for so long, that having genuine authentic relationships with all of your co-stars and your crew members, and just the way that you handle yourself and always leading with compassion was something that my mom taught us for sure.

[10:10] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, I love that. You could see that sparkle in her eye in all of your eyes, I think. And part of that right is is kind of having a life outside of all this craziness, right? And I know we had your sister on here a while back for Wayward, and she's so fun. I love talking to her. I could have talked to her for like hours, and I think one of her passions is is ducks. I don't know if that's actually one of her passions, but I know she loves ducks. What what's something that you have outside of this that maybe feeds into acting? But you know, I love this passion. But that's like stick with animals.

[10:43] Natalie Alyn Lind: No, but I I mean like I wait, then in the pilot of your new show, we there's something with well, I don't know if they're like pig pigs, but there's something scary with yeah.

[10:53] Robert Peterpaul: But with the word not wort hogs, but I'm hogs, right?

[10:56] Natalie Alyn Lind: The hogs, with the boars. Yes. I know I hate stuff like that. Anytime that there's like any sort of like animal sadness, it like drives me even crazier than human sadness. But I mean, a passion of mine, so I am a huge adrenaline junkie. Like anything that involves my heart racing, I'm obsessed with. I love white water rafting.

[11:11] Robert Peterpaul: Oh my gosh.

[11:18] Natalie Alyn Lind: I was doing uh I did a TV show where I had to learn parkour for a character, and in the same uh idea, I wanted to take up archery for my character. So I became super obsessed with archery. So but I'm also my fave show of all time is Survivor. I love Survivor.

[11:36] Robert Peterpaul: I I heard that. Okay.

[11:39] Natalie Alyn Lind: So excited for this. They paramount I'm like I had to get on a Paramount show because the 50th anniversary season that I'm watching right now, the finale is on the 20th, and I just asked, I was like, I will do anything when I can I please just go to the Survivor finale. And they got me tickets in our that is incredible.

[12:00] Robert Peterpaul: Oh my gosh, I'm so happy for you.

[12:02] Natalie Alyn Lind: It's like a dream come true, I'm sure.

[12:04] Robert Peterpaul: No, I mean that show is just so fun, and anything that has to do with outdoors, that's why I am so lucky to be on this show specifically, because so much of the show is the location that it takes place in, and it feels like it's one of the main characters. So getting to this and doing like cowboy camp and stuff and being able to just ride these horses and be in the was so special. So anything that's outdoorsy is kind of my passion.

[12:30] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, I'm with you there. We went white water rafting, and it was actually during an earthquake, but we didn't know there was an earthquake, and so it was extra like flying around. And then we got off and they were like, There was totally an earthquake when you guys were in there, and we were like, This is New Jersey too, which is crazy.

[12:46] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah.

[12:46] Robert Peterpaul: So is that cool?

[12:48] Natalie Alyn Lind: That's kind of crazy. Wow.

[12:49] Robert Peterpaul: It's cool, like after you get off and they tell you versus being on there and being like, This is Google.

[12:56] Natalie Alyn Lind: That's awesome.

[12:57] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. Well, let's get into the awesomeness of your show. We can ride on down and talk about Dutton Ranch. Congrats again on this epic series joining this universe. What's been the most surprising part of joining the Taylor Sheridan Galaxy?

[13:12] Natalie Alyn Lind: I mean, I think that it's not even surprising per se, but it's what a family all of the shows are. I know so many people in Lioness, on The Madison, on Landman, and even though they're not technically connected, there does feel like this huge family element to it.

[13:30] Natalie Alyn Lind: But I mean, just being on the show, it obviously coming in. I was such a fan of the original, and I've seen every prequel before joining this universe. So it was that feeling of like just I don't know, it felt very surreal, I would say. And I think that what surprised me about it was how easy I fell into it. Because I didn't know what it was gonna be like. And the first day that we got there, we started cowboy camp, and they just kind of started off hot and heavy. And I was the only woman in our cowboy camp, the only female actress. And it just felt like brothers throughout the entire thing. Anytime that I would do anything, it was just so cute. Cause everybody would go, Yay! She did a little.

[14:16] Robert Peterpaul: Did anything intimidate you? I know that you're an adrenaline junkie, but I wanted to ask you about this cowboy camp because I think you had you found out, and then two days later you were there. Is that right?

[14:26] Natalie Alyn Lind: It was a fast turnaround. It was so I flew out to Fort Worth to meet with everybody on the show, and I got there. And I think it was a big group of girls, and we all became really close. These testing processes can sometimes be really difficult. John Papsdara, who's the casting director for all of Taylor's shows, he's one of my favorite people of all time. He's one of the best casting directors that there is. And we did the test, and on the way home, I found out that I booked it that night, and they said you have two days, pack up your stuff. Oh my gosh. Uh you're moving to Texas for six months. So I didn't have any time to kind of like let it feel real until I got on the horse. Like that was the first, like, okay, we're you're in this universe, you're doing it, and it's happening now. It was wild.

[15:11] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, I mean, I don't know, but you burst into this show like a rocket. I mean, the first time we meet you is pretty intense. I don't know if that was even an audition scene, but I'm wondering in that sense or while on set filming, how do you kind of gear up for these more intense moments? Being such a kind light person, I'm curious.

[15:29] Natalie Alyn Lind: I mean, obviously you're very talented, but oh, thank you. I mean, for me, I so enjoy playing characters that kind of push my boundaries and are not similar to me. I mean, I again like even in real life, I'm not the type to just I don't know, like burst out in any way like that, I would say. I mean, I don't know, a couple drinks just gonna be No, listen, sometimes. Get you on a white water raft, see what happens. Exactly. Um, but no, I mean, from the very beginning, I think that the thing that's most important for me playing Oriana is that all of her anger and all of her craziness and her wild free spirit comes from a place of genuine emotion and hurt within herself. So she's very good at projecting.

She's also very manipulative. And I think that she tries to cause attention to draw attention from her family, because it's not something that she got a lot growing up. Um, so she's a very real character, even though she kind of does these extravagant things and puts herself out there so intensely, it all comes from a very like insecure internal, but she is confident at the same time. She has all these insecurities, but the way that she presents herself, it does come from a place of confidence. For me, I wish that I was more like my character and I am learning from her every day because she really isn't afraid to say what she feels. And I feel like specifically for women in this industry, sometimes that can be difficult, like in any scenario.

I mean, for men, just as much. But um, no, I mean, I I'm absolutely in love with my character, which is a hard thing to find sometimes. It's really hard to find characters that when you're reading a script, you're like, she did that, yeah. Like you get excited. Um, I've been very blessed with characters that I played in the past, but I've never played a character so just wild as Oriana. So fun. It's so cool. Wild stallion.

[16:11] Robert Peterpaul: And it's great because when we meet you, there's sort of two, I mean, not to bring it back to kindness, but I'm gonna two acts of kindness back to back, right? Like you say you're being saved, but I mean, I think you're a strong character in your own regard, but it's in the sense of really appreciating this person, and then you save him and return the favor with another act of kindness by sort of—I mean, I won't spoil what happens even in the first two episodes that I got to see, which was such a treat. But I think it's cool that your character is this like strong brash person, but also shows that that equals kindness too. I mean, kindness doesn't have to be being a pushover and saying yes and being, you know, with a puppy and sitting under a rainbow, you know what I mean.

[16:11] Natalie Alyn Lind: Oh, a hundred percent. And I think that the thing that's so genuine about their relationship is that they truly see each other as people. The difference between any guy that Oriana's been with and Carter is that he is so real and he's so sensitive. And I don't think that she's used to seeing such a vulnerable side of a man. And you can see that he's strong and he's like able to defend her, but then he has this vulnerability that I think that she finds super interesting and something that she hasn't experienced before. So it's kind of like a new world, and their characters are supposed to be my character's supposed to be older than his character. So it even just playing with little elements of that as well, where you're looking at a character that's supposed to be younger, but he's so emotionally developed because of his backstory. Um I think she just finds it fascinating.

[18:51] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, and that's funny too, because they think in the beginning that he's actually older. I mean, that's like a whole thing, and then it's like, well, actually, we're about to meet the older one in the room.

[19:00] Natalie Alyn Lind: No, oh my gosh. Apparently, Oriana means sunrise or golden. I did do some light googling. So I wonder there's a lot of sunrises on this show. I mean, we talked about it filming in this beautiful landscape. I guess I'm very curious. You had the cowboy camp, but what have you found the most interesting about this culture that you've got to learn and be a part of? Because these shows have really brought cowboy culture and sort of westerns back to the forefront of entertainment.

[19:29] Natalie Alyn Lind: I mean, there's this vision of cowboys that you see on TV or you've heard about. I don't think that anybody understands how hardworking these cowgirls and cowboys are. It's so inspiring to see the amount of work that they put in and they love their craft so much. Training these horses, such incredible animals. Um, and in Texas too, there's I mean, my mom did One Tree Hill in North Carolina, and there's like this southern hospitality that comes with just living in the South, and it's something that I was raised halftime on, even though I was from LA. There's so much time that we spent in North Carolina because my mom was filming this show, that it just kind of made me feel like I was home again. And I mean, Texas is such a beautiful environment, and there's just so many incredible different pockets and different small towns. And I was expecting to like it. I wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did. I really love it there.

[20:22] Robert Peterpaul: Wow, that's so cool. That's so fun to be somewhere working where you know, you're blessed to get any job in this industry, but then sometimes you get on a set and maybe you don't feel the most comfortable, whatever it is, but it's wonderful to hear when it's a family like this one.

[20:38] Natalie Alyn Lind: And I wasn't expecting it to happen so fast. I was so shocked. Like it shows casting specifically. I mean, I guess that they can sense something from us more than we can sense from ourselves. I don't know how some of these casting choices are made, and when they work, they just really work and the show really works.

[20:55] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, well said. Well, speaking of the cast, okay. I just we gotta bring Annette Bening into the room, who is an acting Titan. I mean, a legend. And you go toe-to-toe with Annette. I mean, you seriously hold your own. It it's incredible to watch. What has it been like working with her? And what do you feel like you've learned as an actor?

[21:15] Natalie Alyn Lind: I learned something new from Annette every single day. I mean, it's not specific like words of advice that she's giving. It's just the way that she handles herself on set. I mean, she is such a powerhouse and being able to watch her character development and everything that she does and it is intentional. And that's how Beulah is. And I feel like that's also what Oriana does as well. It's very, it's very uh, I wouldn't say manipulative, but they're very smart women and they know they know they understand what they're putting out. Annette, I mean, in that first scene, obviously, it's Annette Bening. I grew up on her movies, like American Beauty, like just down the like insane. So obviously there's like just kind of this uh nervousness that I had for my first scene with her.

And the moment that I got on set, I was I was I was pretty nervous. We ran into I know, and she just had so many different incredible perspectives of these characters and brought up so many points that I probably wouldn't have thought of. And we just kind of melted into it. And the more that our relationships develop, our relationship develops on the show, there's so many different twists and turns that our characters take that I can't specify. But it really does feel like a real family. And these two characters, Oriana and Beulah, I mean, she's her grandma, but Oriana wasn't raised with a mom, so she had to take on that responsibility as well. I mean, I think that the two marry each other in very different ways.

And just being able to, I mean, just being able to be in the same room as her is just incredible. I mean, it's just like what is happening right now. Every single day. And it never and ever I never lost that wonder of being able to work with her and that just like excitement. Yeah. I'm very lucky.

[23:06] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. And it comes across on screen everything you were just talking about, the melting into each other, which I like how you said that. I feel like it will be cool maybe like a few seasons down, if this happens, I don't know, to see if you end up sort of in her position eventually because you have this scene where you're like, I would never want to be like you. And I'm like, I feel like she's gonna maybe end up maybe in a similar position one day of like feeling power and how that kind of changes a person. So there's a lot of there's a lot set up in the in the first two. I will just say without giving anything away, there's such a backstory that comes with the Jacksons that I'm I'm not gonna say when you start figuring stuff out, but the development that went behind these characters, I mean the same way with the Duttons, but you got to see that kind of unfold on screen. So we had to kind of create our family dynamic that's not seen. I'm just I'm gonna leave it at that.

[23:57] Natalie Alyn Lind: Okay. There's a lot that happens that you'll underst you'll understand a lot as a c I don't know how to say. No, no, no. No, I I feel yeah, yeah, you know, but it's this and this and this, but Well, I mean, I've been living under a rock. I'm basically Patrick Star because this is the first Taylor Sheridan show I've watched. So this is my introduction into the Yellowstone universe, and I'm like, what have I been doing? This is like both thrilling, entertaining, and also relaxing because it's just beautiful. Yeah. So it's checking so many boxes, and I can't wait to keep watching it.

[24:30] Natalie Alyn Lind: I do feel like I don't know if I'm channeling this energy, but I feel like there's maybe a dog in the room with us. And I that makes me wonder.

[24:38] Robert Peterpaul: I have two dogs in the room with me.

[24:39] Natalie Alyn Lind: Oh yes. Okay, wait, what are their names? Can you share?

[24:44] Natalie Alyn Lind: They are I would pick them up to show you right now, but if I pick them up, then they're just gonna be scurrying all over the place. But these are my two babies. Oh if they wake up, then I'll show you.

[24:54] Robert Peterpaul: Okay. That's exciting. I feel like a mom right now, just trying to keep my baby asleep.

[24:59] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah, keep them naptime. I get you. That's like my two cats. My cats are always under the door during interviews, like shaking the door trying to. I'm like, ah.

[25:07] Robert Peterpaul: Wait, Georgie, did you watch Love on the Spectrum? Do you watch Love?

[25:11] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yes! Yes! Georgie. I know Georgie.

[25:14] Robert Peterpaul: Oh my god.

[25:15] Natalie Alyn Lind: I'm actually watching, I've seen every season, and I think I'm on episode seven right now for this last season. Love on the Spectrum is one of my favorite. It's actually not just my favorite show, it's my entire family show. That's like our show that we watch together. And it's such a positive, just like breath of fresh air. And it has you look at life so differently. That show is so incredible.

[25:37] Robert Peterpaul: It's so good. I if you want, okay, we had Tanner on here a while back, which was like the best day of my life.

[25:43] Natalie Alyn Lind: I know I was like, he called me Mr. Rob.

[26:45] Natalie Alyn Lind: Oh okay. But there's a lot of different animals. I mean, I'm I'm such an animal person. I would like animals over humans any day.

[26:46] Robert Peterpaul: Oh god. I'm so jealous.

[26:48] Natalie Alyn Lind: Allie met Allie did the Netflix show, so she met Tanner, and I was so jealous. I'm like, you can meet any celebrity, but you I can't believe that I miss meeting Tanner. I know.

[26:57] Robert Peterpaul: You both have such positive energy.

[26:59] Natalie Alyn Lind: He is yeah, anyway, I could go off about Tanner, but I was mentioning the animals because obviously in this universe, animals are a huge part of the show. As we kind of mentioned at the top, and you're filming outdoors. I mean, there's a lot going on. Talk to me about working with the animals. I don't know how much you got to do over the full season, but I'm guessing. I mean, it's one of the coolest parts of the show, and it's it's so uh interesting to see the cowboys because like all of the horses kind of make rounds between all of the shows and the cowboy family has always stayed the same. So from the original Yellowstone, I mean there are horses that I'll take turns riding. Um, but I mean there is a very exotic animal that we have on this season that I'm not gonna say what it is yet.

[26:54] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah. So I don't know. I sometimes I feel like it might come across as a little bit unprofessional because I just like will only care about animals when they're all set that day. Like, oh just freaking out, just wanting to spend all my time with them, some of my favorite co-stars. But no, our Wranglers on the show, they're just they're so talented and it's such a fun environment on set too because it's so dog friendly. Uh our director and DP and executive producer Christina Varos, she brings her dogs to her dog to set every day and she gives many. So it it's just I don't know, dogs make my life happy. So to be surrounded by them in a work environment. Oh it genuinely and her makeup trailer, there are dogs everywhere.

And it just makes me so happy. Y'all must have like lint rollers on tap, just the kind of wardrobe department is like. I love that so much. Uh I did a TV show called The Gifted like years ago, and one day one of our trans show guys brought this little pig to set, and it was this cute little tea pup cup pig, and I'm obsessed with pigs, and he let me take it home certain nights, and me and this pig just bonded, and then the pig ended up biting somebody because she was getting protective of me, and then I like couldn't bring the pig to set anymore, and it was the most devastating day of my life. Oh, no, any sort of animals in my vicinity, it's like usually where television that's where my attention goes.

[28:17] Robert Peterpaul: Did you okay? This is like what I mean. When I was in preschool, we had the stuffed animal with the journal, and you would take it home from the weekend and fill it in, like what we did together, like a learning thing. I'm just picturing you with the pig, like going about town, like flat Stanley. I don't know if you know that. That is incredible.

[28:35] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yes, hundred percent. I mean, if I could have a pet pig, I would have a pet pig right now. Maybe but I just can't seem to figure out if there is actually a thing, is like a teacup pig because I've had friends that have gotten pigs and they end up being like 300. They get huge.

[28:49] Robert Peterpaul: I know. It's I don't think it's real, unfortunately. Have you swam with pigs though? Have you got done like the whole swim with pigs thing?

[28:56] Natalie Alyn Lind: No. No, I have not. And I did it so badly in the Bahamas. Trust me, I know exactly what you're talking about. I get people sending me DMs from there all the time with the It was Yeah, it was amazing because the waters that day were a little too rough, but they still they bring the pigs out like a show. Like they're almost like, here comes and then at the end they're like, and here's big tanga. And it was like the biggest pig I've ever seen. So it started little to small. And then you just like feed them, you pet them. Ideally you swim with them. You each get to hold one and take a picture. It was it was pretty magical.

[29:33] Natalie Alyn Lind: Like that is literally my heaven. You gotta move to Pig Island.

[29:36] Robert Peterpaul: You I would I would move to Pig Island in a heartbeat. That is my genuine. If you could look at my house, it's like Star Wars horror movie and pig themed. Like a crazy person. Put that in a blender, and that could be there's maybe a horror movie cooking over there.

[29:54] Natalie Alyn Lind: Wait, I love that. We're gonna get to a horror movie in a moment, but I'm wondering with all this going on, and again, filming outdoors, it's just it's not an easy show to film, I'm sure. How are you kind to yourself on set? Like what are you doing in your downtime to kind of take care of yourself?

[30:10] Natalie Alyn Lind: I mean, for me, I mean, specifically filming in Texas, I'm terrible at drinking water. So making sure that I'm like maintaining water is definitely something that's very important. But I think that within all of these like crazy scenarios and just so much wildness happening on set, it's so important to just take moments to breathe and like step away. Um sometimes I forget to do that and then I find myself getting kind of like overload, kind of like crazy, like what's happening different things at once. But um yeah, just scrap my brain, that's my resting state. I'm like resting overload face. Yeah. I have ADD as well, so sometimes it's really difficult for me, like in a very real way. Um, just not to be able to focus on one thing at a time, and especially in an environment like this where there's so many pretty things happening everywhere and there's so many different things pulling away attention.

But I think it's also just like being able to focus on your character and being able to take downtime. And for me, getting into character and staying in character is so important for me to listen to music. I have different soundtracks that I create for every character that I play. And for Oriana, I have like a happy, sad, angry, and music really helps me get into a certain mindset. So I'll just like every once in a while I'll just step aside with some earphones, and in the moment that I listen to a specific song, it just rewires my brain to be back in it. Um that's always been that's always been something that I've done. And music is so influential in my life and in my moods that without it, I think I would just be going absolutely crazy.

[31:42] Robert Peterpaul: I guess yeah, no, I feel you. Is there one song that particularly helps you kind of like lock in to the show?

[31:48] Natalie Alyn Lind: Well, there I'm not gonna say why, but before he cheats, Carrie Underwood was a major influence for my character, and I'm not gonna say why, but our character in the show. That's a good tease. I like that. That yeah, that that brings all the feels. That's a fun one. Well, I'm sure there's a different playlist to going from the ranch to a store. I gotta ask you about what honestly sounds like my dream movie, Halloween Store. Halloween Store follows people trapped in a Halloween store, obviously on Halloween, and I think there's a killer on the loose. Okay, you're a producer on this, first of all, which is super cool through Big Bad Pig productions.

[32:24] Natalie Alyn Lind: Okay, now it's making sense. My big bad pig I told you it's everywhere. So this is your production company then. Yes, so it's my production company. It's like it was such a crazy experience. Just I mean, the strike was happening, and everybody was kind of sitting on their hands trying to figure out what's happening. And I just realized during that time that I've always wanted to create stories, and I'm a huge horror fan, and I've always had such a passion for character development, but I've never been able to do it on such a big scale. I've only developed my own characters. So our director, Shane Dax Taylor brought me this script, and it was just really fun. And for me, there's like just this nostalgic feeling of late 90s, early 2000s slasher films that just so exciting to watch.

And this movie is definitely like my love letter to horror. I can name any horror film of all time. I'm so obsessed that I wanted this movie to feel like different, different parts of so many different horror films. And it was it was just such an incredible experience. We have an amazing cast. Every single person on the cast is one of my friends or somebody that I know from a close friend. So it felt like summer camp. We have Anthony Michael Hall and Simon Rex, who were just like legends. I mean, scary movie. Yeah. Yes. And then Sydney Park, who's our other female lead, she just is in the new scary movie now too, which is insane because now it's like the big for us scary movie kind of revival.

And even though they're reviving that there, we're doing our own mini revival. Um but no, I mean, it was just such a positive experience and having such talented friends is such a blessing. But it just gave me so much respect for producers and the backside of all of this. And I had some sort of understanding before, but until you're in it making phone calls every single day for five months, then you just don't understand how aggressive it can get. And it's one of the best experiences that I've had, and I've taken that and now I'm in the process of producing two more movies.

[34:29] Robert Peterpaul: Gosh, congrats. That's awesome.

[34:31] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah. Thank you so much. No, I mean, it's hard to I think it's like finding your funning in this industry. There's so many influential producers that I look up to, uh, female specifically, and being able to kind of do both is such a task. But once you're able to find stories and develop them and create them and make them exactly what you want, it's so fulfilling. It's so fulfilling.

[34:53] Robert Peterpaul: Well said. And it was I don't know. I mean, I cannot be more grateful, especially like I said, to our cast, to our crew, to everybody. We filmed it in Hawaii, has nothing to do with Hawaii. I we were just like going over locations and it was everybody did it for such a low rate. I was so grateful. And um, I was like, what is gonna be the most fun for everybody? It w the only heart part about production that was really difficult was all of my friends were in Hawaii, we're all staying at the same hotel, and they would like take the weekends and go on these beautiful beach trips. And I was getting photos on the beach, and I'm like in a production office, just like typing out deal memos and trying to put stuff together, and I was just getting major FOMO, but that's I knew that they were having fun.

[35:33] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah, they're like ATVing, and you're just like NDAing, I don't know, signing things.

[35:40] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, no, but I again I was like it was fun to see my friends having fun. I wish that I got to do a little bit more, but uh the movie's gonna come out. I'll do a separate Hawaii thing once everybody once everybody sees the movie, we'll take like a separate trip and do all the stuff that I missed out on.

[35:55] Natalie Alyn Lind: Oh my gosh, that's awesome. Wait, did I read that Keenan Thompson is also on the producing team?

[36:00] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah, so I've known Keenan and Comedy Legend uh producing partner Johnny for years. Uh, I've known them since I was little, and it's Keenan and it's also Steven Schneider. Um, and they're really good friends of mine, and I just kind of reached out and asked them to do this as a favor because I mean they work on these massive, crazy budget movies, and I like I said, I just have the best friends of all time. They were so excited and they love the script so much, and just being able to work with horror and comedy legends in one film, it's such a blessing.

[36:32] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. Oh, that's amazing. I think that's such an important lesson, too. For we have a lot of creatives that listen, you know, actors, writers, it kind of runs the gamut, and just to kind of try, because everybody sort of has their own passion projects, and it's very rare that someone's gonna come to you. And so to just put yourself out there, you'll be surprised at how many people actually want to help you. And I think it's you learn to just like not give up and keep making calls. Is there is there kind of one thing you took away from this experience about even just pitching in particular? Because it's all storytelling at the end of the day.

[37:06] Natalie Alyn Lind: 100%. I think but on a micro level.

[37:08] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[37:08] Natalie Alyn Lind: I know, no, but I think that like the main thing is like if you never try things, then not nothing's ever gonna happen. So, like, even different pitches and people that we went to for just different aspects of cast or financing or just all of the stuff that comes with it, you'd be surprised at the people that sometimes just say yes. Like I wasn't expecting to have the cast that we have and the producers that we have. Um, but I I genuinely think that like if if you're afraid to put yourself out there, then you're not gonna ever get anything back. Because if you're too scared to try things, then there's no point in doing anything. Like you ha you have to try new things and you have to learn every day uh from the experiences that you have, and specifically with producing, it is such a you'd be surprised on how what a uh like passion like passion, like you have to have so much passion and want something to work, and there's so many incredible filmmakers out there right now, and so many incredible writers and so many incredible artists that uh it's very rare to get a film made these days, but anybody can do it, genuinely anybody can do it. It's just about taking those first steps and just going in the right direction because if you don't try, then what's the point? You know, like you can't do.

[38:22] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, exactly.

[38:23] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah, that's so inspiring. Oh my gosh, I know it it's so true too. I want to connect you with if you don't know Resonate Entertainment, it's this amazing group of producers that focus on female driven stories, and together they've produced everything from the parent trap way back when to like they just did sitting in bars with cake, which was like on Amazon. But um yeah, definitely check them out. Everybody's little little plug for them.

[38:47] Robert Peterpaul: I love it. But back to Halloween Store. Again, and I'm pumped for this. And I wonder I guess looking back on it now, because you said you rapped filming, right?

[38:56] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah, we rapped a while ago. It was that thing where we rapped and then kind of Dutton Ranch kind of like came up. So the editing process was kind of put on hold for a second while I was filming in Texas, and then I came back and it's been every single day. Every single day.

[39:11] Robert Peterpaul: Oh my gosh.

[39:11] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah. But we wrapped back in uh March of 2025.

[39:15] Robert Peterpaul: Okay. I'm so excited for you. What's it like to now be a part of this post-production process? I guess what are you learning in that regard?

[39:22] Natalie Alyn Lind: Well, it's so incredible. And our director, Shane Dax Taylor, he's he's so collaborative and he's such an incredible director as well. Like he he uh him and I have become thick as thieves. Like the two of us kind of we meet up every day and we just go over stuff, and um it's so interesting just to see the perspective. Because I mean, so often for me, when you are an actor, there's so many scenes that are cut, or there are so many that you're like, oh, why'd they use this one? And being able to see it from a wider perspective has been so interesting, and I have such respect for our composer on the movie and our colorist and all of the people that work after production raps that you just as an actor you don't really get to see, especially like the post post aspect of it.

An editor's medium, you know. Yeah, and it gives me again, it just like I already had respect for like just everything that goes into making a film, but being able to sit on a couch and just watch these people work has been so incredible.

[40:21] Natalie Alyn Lind: I mean, it's taxing. I'm so tired of this movie. Just kidding. I still love the movie. I still love watching it every time. My gosh. So it's like, is it hard for you to watch yourself or have you gotten over that by now?

[40:42] Natalie Alyn Lind: Not in this movie. In this movie, I don't even associate myself with me anymore. I'm like, okay. I've just seen every single take that I've done so many times now, and we've done so many different versions of it and so many different cuts that I genuinely don't associate myself with who's on screen at this point. I think it was like after watching the movie for the five hundredth time that I just didn't associate anymore. But no, I mean, it gives you a different perspective, and like I said, you learn something new every day, and this has been one of the most just incredible experiences in the way that I'm learning something so new every day. So new every day, and it's just been such a blessing.

[41:23] Robert Peterpaul: Wow. I admire you so much. I think that is truly incredible, and I can't wait to see it. Everybody stay tuned. Hopefully, for spooky season, it'll be coming to us, and we can— you should do a screening at a Spirit Halloween store.

[41:36] Natalie Alyn Lind: That would be so fun. I don't know, I don't know. They're popping up everywhere, so I don't know. I'll look for the film popping up inside of the pop-ups, but that would be so fun.

[41:45] Robert Peterpaul: Speaking of popping up, I have a surprise game that's gonna pop up here. It's called the compliment game. And basically, Natalie, I reached out to someone in your life for a loving statement about you. I'm gonna read it to you, and then you have to guess who said it. Everyone's beautiful in their way. It's the compliments game on the compliment. Compliment, yay, okay.

[42:12] Natalie Alyn Lind: Also, speaking of animals, there's just like constantly cats here everywhere. That's the movie that I'm gonna make.

[42:17] Robert Peterpaul: Oh my god. Wait, this is so interesting. This is so like, I'm like so interested right now. I've never even heard of anything like this. I love it.

[42:24] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yay! I try to play it every episode, but sometimes it's hard to get a quote. So yours is pretty long, which is great. I do have a hint if you need it, and then you can ask me yes or no questions, which I don't know much, but we'll say you get three guesses. Because people freak out if there's no rules.

[42:37] Robert Peterpaul: Okay, here we go. My favorite thing about Nat is the way she makes everyone in the room feel genuinely loved and appreciated. She carries this constant warmth, and no matter what's going on, she still shows up with a smile that makes everything feel so much lighter. And then there's her cooking and her ridiculously deep knowledge of Survivor. She is just impossible not to love, which is so sweet.

[43:09] Natalie Alyn Lind: This is like gonna make me cry. This is so sweet.

[43:13] Robert Peterpaul: It is so sweet. Okay, so if it's somebody that— okay, I'm trying to think. So they know you're gonna be— can I ask if it's somebody from the show?

[43:28] Natalie Alyn Lind: Oh, yeah. Is it somebody from the show?

[43:31] Robert Peterpaul: Okay, so it's somebody that's in my life. Is it my mom?

[43:35] Natalie Alyn Lind: No.

[43:37] Robert Peterpaul: Is it Allie?

[43:40] Natalie Alyn Lind: I'll give you the hint and then maybe it'll reveal. Okay. Hint. Specifically, her chicken tortellini soup is my favorite. I requested it at every special occasion.

[43:50] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, so it's Olivia.

[43:51] Natalie Alyn Lind: It's Allie.

[43:52] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, it's Allie.

[43:53] Natalie Alyn Lind: Oh, yeah, it is. I was going back and forth. I was like, okay, I wasn't sure. Cause I make that chicken tortellini soup for my boyfriend as well. So I was like, either my boyfriend or it's my sister.

[44:02] Robert Peterpaul: And they both know me just so sweet.

[44:07] Natalie Alyn Lind: She is so sweet. I had so much fun again when she came on here. And then I was like, wait, I should just get one from her. Thank you, Allie. Can we talk about Allie and the fam a little bit more? Like, what do you think you've learned about kindness from them? I mean, you talked about your awesome mom, but I guess your awesome sisters. What about those legendary people?

[44:26] Natalie Alyn Lind: I mean, the two of them, it's like, it's such a crazy thing. I mean, right now is the first time in all of our careers. We've all been series regulars on shows, but it's been the first time that all three of us are on a show as regular right now. So it's this back and forth where I'm so proud of us, but I miss them so much because we just see each other all the time. And I mean both of my sisters, I'm just so, so profoundly proud of them. And they both just have this incredible heart and passion for everything that they do, not just acting. They're such genuinely kind people, and I just feel so blessed. There's like just two built-in best friends, and Allie specifically too. She's like up in Canada and she just turned 18, so it's her first time moving by herself. She's doing a show with Olivia Coleman and Brie Larson, and she's just my gosh. Wow.

[45:16] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah, and this project is just so great. And I mean, my two younger sisters, we grew up so close, and I mean Emily and I are two years apart, and me and Allie are seven or eight years apart. And just growing up with them was so cool. And they're— they were just, I don't know. I feel like they're my kids, like to a degree. Growing up, I always just like have this such protectiveness about them.

[45:45] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah.

[45:45] Natalie Alyn Lind: I mean, somebody can yell at me for days and it doesn't really affect me. But if they say a single even bad thing about my sisters, I will— I just get so angry.

[45:55] Robert Peterpaul: No, I'm with you there. I have two siblings, and I also feel like the parent because they're a little bit younger. My sister's actually here now. I'm like, don't listen to me. Try and ask questions. But it's the same thing. I'm like, you can— I'm a Muppet, whatever. You can say whatever. But siblings, that's when the— and that is still kind to defend people, I think. If you have to, you know, use some choice words.

[46:16] Natalie Alyn Lind: I definitely do just like I'm very about them. And I also, for me, typically, like in this industry, there's so many like just different types of people, and there are a lot of people that can be extremely fake. So I'm just very aware of the people that hang out with, and they have such a good radar of who's real and who's not. I think growing up in this, you kind of start to sense real and fake relationships. But no, I mean, just being around them, and they're my favorite, they're my favorite people to be around, and I am so lucky that they're so cool. Yeah, I genuinely, I mean, they're cooler than I am, and I feel like I'm just like out of being cool with them. Like they just like have all the friends that are younger and know like terms that I don't know, and are, you know, trying to brush me up on TikTok trends and it just makes me feel like I'm just like the weird older sister, but they're just best friends.

[47:07] Robert Peterpaul: I relate a lot. I'm like everybody's rising and doing and rotting, and I'm just like, uh, here.

[47:14] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah, I'm like who's the one that— I think it was, yeah. I think it was Riz that I— it took a second, like I was getting so angry because I was trying so, so hard to figure out what like where what the six seven thing was, and Allie just kept on like waking up fake, fake things of this six seven thing and I didn't understand it.

[47:31] Robert Peterpaul: I guess that that's the point that it isn't anything.

[47:33] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah.

[47:34] Robert Peterpaul: But I was just— why I know, and Allie just like wasn't explaining it, and I'm like, please, I need help.

[47:40] Natalie Alyn Lind: Like, no, but trust me, like I've had it broken down for me and I still don't understand it. And I guess that's the point.

[47:45] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, because they just laugh at you. But I'm like, it's like that's why it's a trick.

[47:50] Natalie Alyn Lind: It's like a trick for like younger generation to mess with like the slightly older generation.

[47:55] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, no, probably. Wait, I think it's really cool what you said. It's a very interesting perspective to me about learning who you can sort of trust, maybe who's genuine and who's not, having grown up in this business. And I just wonder— I don't know, I was gonna use the word trick because that's what we just said, but if you have like a hack for that, like how do you feel like you've been able to— I guess it's almost like honing in on your intuition, yeah, and sort of knowing when someone's being maybe nice versus kind, because I do think they're different.

[48:24] Natalie Alyn Lind: Oh, a hundred percent. I mean, one of the biggest indicators for me is just personal relationships. Like if I meet somebody and the first question that they ask me is like what show I'm doing or what job I'm on or what I do or whatever, like that's kind of— it's not a red flag per se, but it sometimes can show where people's interests are. For me, it's like always really important when I get to know anybody, like, where are you from? What is your family like? What do you like to do as a person? Like questions like that sometimes are deciding who is in your life for an authentic reason sometimes easier. But not to say that I have a lot of fake people in my life, I really don't. Like I haven't found myself in a ton of situations where I have really had to question somebody's like just loyalty or mindset.

But I mean, they're just like a— I don't know, I think that with any— not just like the entertainment industry, with any— with any just friends, like there's just questions that sometimes pop up, you know. But it's just about getting to know people for them. Just yeah, figuring out who they are as individuals.

[49:27] Natalie Alyn Lind: As humans seeing them because I'm on the East Coast and then sort of in like the Broadway theater circuit in an audition room, it's exactly what you just described. It's like you'll see someone, they're like, oh well I just got off this contract, like what tour are you doing? And then you're kind of like, how's your mom? Like how's your mom doing? What ice cream? Like cookie dough, thank you for asking. I'm— oh my god, what it— I've been going— have you had Jenny's ice cream? There's a Dolly Parton flavor that is on my bucket list.

[49:34] Natalie Alyn Lind: I didn't know important flavor. I like the brown butter brittle, that's my favorite.

[49:34] Robert Peterpaul: Okay, I gotta try it because I see that all the time at Whole Foods and I just like— is it so, so good?

[50:06] Natalie Alyn Lind: Okay, that's my dream is to win one of those contests where you get to design the flavor like Ben and Jerry's has them. That'd be so fun. I love that. Have you been to the Ben and Jerry's factory? It's in Vermont.

[50:06] Natalie Alyn Lind: No, I have not. I have not tried to go random. I've actually never been to Vermont before, but something— I don't know, I see pictures of Vermont all the time and I see videos and I know people that live there and for some reason I see myself, even though I've never visited, I see myself ending up in Vermont.

[50:35] Robert Peterpaul: You know what's weird? I just like felt the need to say Vermont. I think because there's a lot of adventures there. I think you like the adrenaline. There's a lot to do in the winter and the summer.

[50:45] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah.

[50:46] Robert Peterpaul: This is sponsored by Vermont.

[50:47] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah, Vermont's a good time.

[50:48] Robert Peterpaul: Sponsored by Vermont. You'll see me soon. You could do the Sound of Music thing, like at the Von Trapp estate where you just twirl around singing.

[50:57] Natalie Alyn Lind: Yeah.

[50:58] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. Almost go. Okay. I love that. I love that review. Well, I've just loved getting to share some time with you, and I'm so grateful. We always end with a tangible kindness tip. So, Natalie, is there something that you would like everybody out there listening today to do on their own corner of the world to try and make the world a little brighter?

[51:17] Natalie Alyn Lind: I would say check up on your friends. Even if you have a friend that's in a very positive place, just take time and ask how they genuinely are. Check up on strangers on the street. If you see somebody that's crying and having a bad day, just go over and give them a hug. Don't ask them what's wrong. Just show up for the people that you surround yourself with.

[51:36] Robert Peterpaul: Well, that's so beautiful. I love that. Because even like you're celebrating this thing right now, and people could be like, oh my gosh, she's killing it. But like I know you're probably also tired and doing a million things.

[51:46] Natalie Alyn Lind: There's like— it's so crazy. Like you just— you never see what's happening behind like closed doors. And I think that it's like this idea that you don't always have to ask somebody what's wrong. You can just let them know that you're there for them. Even if it seems like it's a negative place, it's just really important to feel love and to feel like you're surrounded by— even if it's a stranger, that you're not alone. And I think that that's something that we're lacking these days, just feeling alone. So just showing up, just being there. It's easy.

[52:15] Robert Peterpaul: Perfectly said, it is easy, and I think it's leading with love, right? Like even what we just talked about before. I think when you ask people about their career, whatever it is, it's kind of leading with fear. It's like in a way. So leading with the love is a good recentering, or just, you know, get out there and hold a pig. Maybe do that.

[52:31] Natalie Alyn Lind: 100%. And that's the perfect— if you're holding a pig, then you're good.

[52:35] Robert Peterpaul: If you're holding a pig, then you're probably fine.

[52:37] Natalie Alyn Lind: I'm like looking around my room because I have so many weird things in this studio. I'm like, do I have a pig? Oh my god. I have a gizmo from grandma's. So I do— oh no, that's not a pig.

[52:48] Robert Peterpaul: Okay, I'm in the living room. Next time.

[52:50] Natalie Alyn Lind: Next time I'll be around.

[52:51] Robert Peterpaul: Okay, but it's okay. Please do. I would— maybe I'll have a real one. But I did think when I asked for your advice that you were just gonna say fuck it, because I'm pretty sure that's what your character on Dutton says in the first episode. She's like, you know what? Just say— just say fuck it.

[53:01] Natalie Alyn Lind: Just say fuck it.

[53:04] Robert Peterpaul: Hey, I like that advice too. I like that advice too. That's more Oriana advice, less than Natalie's advice, but I wish that's— that's also up there too. It's in the back of my head.

[53:14] Robert Peterpaul: That's what I was thinking of saying. I take that. Well, I again thank you so much for being here, and I feel so grateful that especially younger performers have you to look up to because you just are not only talented, but seem to have a really great head on your shoulders. So thanks for being you.

[53:30] Natalie Alyn Lind: This has been like the nicest interview ever. Thank you.

[53:32] Robert Peterpaul: So good. I loved it getting to talk with you. Seriously. Until next time, remember, everything is gonna be okay.