 Welcome to Toffy TV. I am joined by L.A. superstar Chris Mason, Evertonian, flying the flag for the blues over in the state. Chris, how are you mate? I'm good mate, how are you? Yeah, trying to, still smiling, trying to cope with this weird, this must be a little bit like a film, you know, the whole situation. Well, especially in L.A. like there's a few times that you do go out, you mean you drive down and see the palm trees and stuff, it does look like a kind of post apocalyptic movie, you mean no one's about kind of thing, but weird times here, you know, we're on a bit of a stricter lockdown and you know, at home. And obviously, you know, me and my wife are not essential workers, being actors, you mean, so we're just staying at home trying to keep busy, so could be able to talk to someone, you know mate. Are you getting through here, getting through Netflix and all that mate? I've done it, yeah, done all of it. Now, we've been watching a few things, but it's kind of also like, you know, read a few books and stuff, and I'm not a great reader, I've always been a slow reader, so it's like trying to force me self to do that and then be creative and I spent yesterday putting together a crib and she got an exercise, bike delivered, you know, we've been waiting on for a while, so we put that together and stuff. I've been doing the chores as it were. Well, you've just mentioned something there, the crib obviously, just announced you're going to be a dad. When's the baby due? It's due 9th of August, little baby girl. Nearly. I like it. It was weird. My wife was like, early on in the pregnancy, she was like, I like the name Everton for a girl and I was like, big part for me is like that's the dream. Do you mean that's the dream you call your kid Everton? But then, big part for me was like, well, it's not going to be nice when I bring it to England and my dad's sitting there going, get into them Everton, watching the match, you mean? And the poor baby's freaking out, doesn't know what's going on. Yeah, yeah. Could have gone with Evie, Evie Tony or something like that. Evie Tony Ann. Evie Tony Ann, you could have gone, yeah. Now, super listen, massive congratulations to you mate, fantastic. Changes your life gives you even more to worry about, but it's amazing at the same time as well. It's been good, especially this time we've got together, we've been forced to work together, but it's good because she's pregnant so I'm able to be there for her and do some stuff and it's all going fine. Are Spencer there, is she okay? Yeah, she's doing well, she's doing really well, keeping herself busy exercising and eating well, proud of it, she's doing well. Outstanding. So what have you been up to then? Last time you were in here, you weren't married, you've got married, you've now gone to be a dad. Yeah, that's how long it is you haven't seen us for a while. I think that was when it was, yeah. So what have you been up to? Getting a lot happened since then, but yeah, we married now two and a half years nearly, both house together in October and then obviously got the baby on the way so that's the kind of life stuff. But I've just been working on a show on a pilot for ABC called The Brides which we're hoping to finish when this, because we got stopped halfway through and had to come back. Luckily, I mean, they did the right thing, they took care of us because we were shooting in New York, so I was in New York like four weeks ago and it wasn't nice, weird. There was like a day where everything flipped, it was like, I was in the shop vehicle Trader Joe's, it's like Aldi or Tesco or whatever, I mean. And anyone could get something for the night in like Tennessee, you know, whatever it was, some chicken or something, I don't know. And it was crazy, people were like dragging things off the shelves and stuff and I was like, you know what, fine, I'll just walk out, I'll get room service in the hotel, I don't need to, you know, I'll get off. And then the next day I was like, I should go back and get some stuff. And that was the first time I'd seen the queues round the block and they were stopping people from coming in. And New York just changed, like the atmosphere and people on the streets, everyone looking at each other and it was a weird place to be. So I'm glad Descent is back, but I don't know whether we'll film, if we pick it up, if we film the rest of it in New York or not. You know what I mean, that might be something common forward, but hopefully we get to finish it and hopefully the show gets picked up and we get to do a season and people get to see it because I've done a few pilots now and they haven't been picked up. So, you know, you've got to do a month's work and then you never get to see a kind of thing, so fingers crossed on this one. But yeah, otherwise, I mean, it's got to show, I know it's on Netflix over there, season one day at the John. As Seanna, you tweeted or was on Instagram, I think it's on last night, outside your trailer, talking about it. Is that going to be over there, is it on Netflix or is it already on Netflix over there? No, it'll make it out, it's going to air over there on USA on the 2nd of June and then eventually it makes it's way to Netflix, you know what I mean. But the first season's really good as well. Totally different stories, so like eight episodes, kind of true crime kind of thing. The first season's great and the second season, hopefully it's going to be a little bit better, but yeah, that's one of me. One of the things I'm waiting to see, waiting to see come out. So, are you in that right the way through Chris? So, my character is, so I basically play the young version of Christian Slater who's the lead, so I played young Christian Slater, didn't I? Oh, awesome. And I was mad when I got the call about that. So I got to go to Seth and watch him and stuff and see how he was doing it and he's Christian Slater at the end of the day, you know what I mean. He's voice everything about it, so I mean about three episodes officially, could be more, could be less, but I know episodes two and three are the big story from when he was younger, so definitely a feature in them. Got some really good scenes, but I was looking forward to seeing that one. That'd be excellent. And obviously over there we saw you're in Broadchates, which was a few years ago now. I got that now, yeah. It was brilliant, absolutely brilliant. I think that's probably the last time I saw you, actually, when you were filming that. You come in to see us and it was good because you didn't give us anything away, did you? You didn't tell us what was happening in it. I probably didn't even know myself at the time. I remember we were shooting it, I didn't find out until we got the scripts, so episode seven and eight together a week before we shot them and it was like, oh, oh, okay, it was me, I found it. But it's a weird one because it's a great job to have and the show had such a strong message that year for women who've gone through stuff like that, me and the whole societal issue around that. It's a weird one because I come back to England and I get recognised for it and it's tough when you get recognised for the character who's so evil. I mean, people just come off these days when you're like, you've got a great person on Broadway, right? And you're like, yeah, I was, but I'm an actor, you know what I mean? Yeah, it's not me, not me. I'll be a nice lad. I mean, great job to be involved in, but it does seem like a very long time going on. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What's it like being, like living over there? Cos obviously you just think LA, actors, the dream and all that. Yeah, it's what I mean. Is it surreal for you or is it now just part of your life? Is it just the way it is? I think when I first came over, I came over for two months when I was living in London. I came over for a pilot season and it was like, I was having five meetings a day. I was meeting everyone and I ended up living for like a month with Robin Williams as daughter in a house in the hills, like six months after he died. And I was like, yeah, it was like blown off because you know, you're like, this is something you'd never thought of. You know, Robin Williams growing up as a kid, you know what I mean? Massive like an idol. And then so I kind of got the bug and I came back to London and I was like, I want to get back to LA. I wear everything. You know, but you learn very quickly. It's actually a very tough place to live. The business is so competitive, even more so than in the UK. Very hard to establish yourself. I spent years trying to establish myself in the UK and just about did it abroad yet. And then I spent years out here trying to establish myself. But I was very lucky to meet Spencer because instantly I had like a group of friends and community and like a family to be a part of and stuff. And you know, we fell kind of head over heels for each other and it, you know, that makes it a lot easier. It really swings your decisions. And you know, if you could act from anywhere else in the world and be as successful in terms of like, you know, be available to the studios and auditions and stuff. You know, I'd think about it. I mean, I've always said like if Liverpool had like one of the best acting scenes in the world, you mean it'd be the perfect place to live. Because I could go to the match. But you know, it chased me crazy and it led me this way. And I never thought of myself living in America, but it's not a bad place to live. I'm not going to lie to you. I mean, it's not. The weather's nice most of the time. You know, the people are nice enough that live around us and stuff. It's what you make of it, isn't it? The people you surround yourself with at the end of the day. It took a couple of years to find some good people. But funnily enough, it was evident. You've actually helped me find people who I had a kinship with. You know what I mean? You start going to pub and meeting these American Evertonians who at first make you cringe to the depths of your soul. You know what I mean? When they're going like, Everton, Everton. And you're like, you kind of want to punch them. But at the same time, you realise that like every Evertonian has got something in common. You can get on without any Evertonians because you know the values are kind of deep-setting. You've got the same values and it's amazing. You come out here and you see these fellas and these women and you go, you chose to be an Evertonian. And they're like, I don't know how it happened. It's like, well, you know, you were chosen. That was the kind of thing. They commit to it and they haven't seen anything good. I mean, it's been following since 2008-2008. 2008-2009, if so not. It's like, even me as a 29-year-old, just the big memory of the FA Cup final. So I know I haven't seen much. So it's even worse, but they stick by it. And some of them have become really good friends of mine, which is a big thing. It's incredible isn't it? Just what you say in there because they don't laugh. We almost have to, if you like, being in this city. It's just part of what our DNA is, isn't it, for this city? But you know, being a football fan, but you're right there miles away and I've still chosen to get up at 6 o'clock in the morning and go to a pub to watch a team. And let's be honest on, more often than not, has led us down rather than brought us any joy but outstanding. I was in New York for the Chelsea game and I had the day off. But it was a little bit of a later kick-off, I think. I was in New York compared to a year, so it was like 10 o'clock or something. Went into the, there's never been a pub there. I forgot the name of it. But I went in there and it's full of blues. And I just sat at the bar. I was sitting next to two lads from Heighton or it was just on a holiday. Channaway all game. We were awful that day. But looking around it was like a full bar and you think, it's impressive, do you know what I mean? It's impressive to manage to get that many people out at once and you know there's others watching from home or there's that at work and stuff. It only continues to grow. Everton especially. I think, I know you did the interview with Rog from the Men and Blazers podcast and he does a lot to really drive that home and that's a really popular podcast over there and obviously they're on NBC every weekend and stuff. That's pushing us up. And then moving on to Carlo Ancel. I think all of a sudden people are standing up and going, I know him. He's that really talented manager and manager in Everton. So yeah, we are growing which is a good thing and I try and do me a bit. Oh, most definitely. I mean, still do you feel between two worlds or whatever it was called and you had Everton kit on it and all that, it was quality. What did you make of the Ancelotti thing Chris? Cos obviously being over there and seeing the way Marko Silver's error ended and then we had the big dunk moments against Chelsea which was fantastic, but then the membranes of Ancelotti were there. Did you think that? We're not getting any much more people talking and then we're surprised. I think everyone had that at the beginning in your mind. Even the most optimistic blue would have been like, nah, come on, all right, you're messing. When it happened though, it was like, and I've had a few people be like, oh, I'm not sure if it's the right one. I was over the moon. I mean, look at the people we've had. Even Moise, Moise did well. He was a good manager, but this is a different status for you. This guy, and he's come in and he's shown as he just gets it. Even I was lucky when I came home, me first, I had four matches while I was home and they were with Ancelotti's first four games. Oh, OK. Ben, Lee at home, not sitting by me dad, and it's like, you're looking at the touchline. I can't even remember much about the game. I know Calvert Loving's good and we won in the end, but he's just watching Ancelotti on the first line going, I can't know Ancelotti, you know what I mean? And I was at the New Castle away game, which I mean, I love, I've got to make two lives up there, because we go to New Castle away when we can. It's a great, when you win, it's not better as though when you're on an away day and you've won. That was great. And then it was City, which was flat, flat from everyone New Year's Day. Didn't expect to get much there. And then sadly, the other one was the FA Cup where I'm field. I don't know what Les said about that, it's better. Yeah, that was great money, what a great time. But it's been good though, isn't it? You know, compared to where we were after, you know, you just mentioned one, I'm field game, but the 5-2 Silver's last game, to what he'd achieved up until obviously Chelsea in the lockdown. It's certainly things that picked up at me, and there was some really positive signs that what he could do given a period of time at the club. Yeah, I mean, that 5-2 Derby, I was on set, doing some, the equivalence of casualty over here, doing like, you know, I was playing, I was playing a footy player, going, at the beginning of the episode, there was a footy player, and then he gets injured, and then he's in a bed for the rest of the episode. So I was doing that, and I'm in the bed, pad up old tubes and stuff, and they'd be like, okay, cut, and I'd have my phone underneath the thing. I felt like every time I looked at the phone, I looked at the score, and it was awful. And everyone, all the people there, like, how's your game going? How's it going? What's going on? I want to kill someone. I'm going to rip myself out of bed, and go mad at everything, but yeah, and then, even that other Derby, I mean, Stupid Evertonians, I was in the Royal Oak before, and we're all getting, we see the team sheets, and we're like, we're going to win. We're actually going to win a game in Anfield. You learn that lesson 50 fast, and the difference in those two games was, you know, just the chances we created, you know what I mean? We should have scored three or four in that game. If you don't score, you don't win. But what he's done, and how quickly he's done it, was impressive, and I think this break is going to be good, because it gives him a bit of time to sit back and see how the players come back, see what attitude they come back with. It gives him a little bit more time to the board, and maybe, you know, talk to a few players, and be like, look, this is where we want to go, and you're not involved, or... There's still a, you know, a kind of deadge of players there that you could replace easily. But there's some real quality as well, and in the other ones we've got tied down to the contracts, and that's what he's going to be pushing towards, hopefully. So it's exciting, isn't it? Even getting linked with these mad players, and you know, getting linked again, but at least we're getting linked with them. You'd rather be linked with them than not linked with them when we get in. Yeah, yeah, of course. He gets you in the room, doesn't he? OK, a lot of these links will just be superfisher ones, because he's managed these players before, or whatever, but at least we're getting, like you just said, we're getting linked with Coole of Ali as a real option, and it's like, you know, Silver couldn't have gone after Coole of Ali. Do you know what I mean? He's just gone, ew, no, yeah, whatever. So, it is all of that, it's Hamers, Rodríguez, and all this, there won't be anything in that adder, but it's that link, and it's people going, well, he might go to heaven, because he's worked with Anciolote before, it's that kind of, that's the change, isn't he? Yeah, and it's something we've never seen before, really, I mean, so it's exciting. I mean, it's amazing how quickly you can forget my Cog Silver as well. Like, honestly, I've honestly forgotten all of Adam. Like, even when you watch highlights of, like, you know, the four-nil against Manu and stuff, you don't think of him, you think of, you know, the players on it, you think of Richie and Genius going on, so you don't think of him, he just, he was so forgettable, and just that's what he proved to be as a manager, so, yeah, I mean, even, you see it now, but in the middle of a fucking global crisis, and Carlo Anciolote's phone and blues up, actually, that's what they're doing, man, difference, isn't it? Giving recommendations out on Netflix. I know, I know. Telling people what to watch on Netflix is a favourite of mine, when you say, yeah, like this, this. Outside is quite good, and you're just like, Carlo, what are you on about? But it is, it's great. Yeah, of course they will. Netflix figures have gone like that mate, all of these shows. Try we need to get yours on, we can watch that. But, I mean, it is a weird time, isn't it, in terms of, like, football and stuff, cos there's no, at this moment in time, we've got no idea when we're going to be back. We won't certainly be in the stadium before probably September, maybe, I don't know. So it will be weird watching the games behind closed doors. I mean, do you think do you think they'll finish these nine games, or? I don't know. I mean, I think, there's so many different options there's so many different ways of doing it. With the Euros being cancelled, especially like, gives you that time that if you can get back playing by June, July, even behind closed doors, but you know, they might be able to go on like nine games, we're going to squeeze them in. You're going to play a game every other three days. You know what I mean? We're all going to be, you know, everyone will have the same kind of disadvantages to it. You want to have any fans you're going to be playing all these games. I must believe it over anyway. For those especially, like, when, you know, unless we've been on nine games and finishing in a European place, like, I think we've just fell off, you know what I mean? I think it's like we're not going to come back and get into those places and make a big difference. And I don't think Angelotti's that worried about Daddy there. You know what I mean? I think he doesn't mind going into next year with the clean slate. So like, give them a pre-season, but you know, I'd love it if they just not avoided it. You know what I mean? That would be one of the funniest things I've ever seen in my life, you know what I mean? But I think they will probably time to finish it because I think it's too much rides on it, you know what I mean? It's how relegation European places all that, like, I think there'd be too many lawsuits off the back of it if it wasn't finished in some sort of way that you can agree on. But yeah, it's weird because like nothing is getting done here, man. I know productions are tentatively aiming to get back into production by September. So like, September seems to be the month people are looking at now and two months ago people were looking at which finished working and they were like oh in two weeks we'll re-evaluate and we'll come back and start filming again and it was like okay. Four months, five months later. So it could be September for you for you start working again and start working. I think that's them being cautious and smart. I think they're not trying to be like what if we start filming again in June but we do like, no one can touch each other and it's like you can't stand next to anyone and say it's a bit hard, it doesn't act out, you know what I mean? But yeah, I think September, hopefully by then there'll be some sort of structure in place for like how work will be different for everyone. I mean I'm glad that the show started just before, you know what I mean? Otherwise if it hadn't started it would have been a lot easier for them to just cancel it completely. I'm thankful for that at least. I think that's the thing isn't it? This is bigger than my work, this is bigger than football and like as much as you miss football it's missing like it's more missing the social aspect of it. Fair enough if we were six points away from Wynddon League I'd be thinking about it every day and I'd be missing football, you know what I mean? But I'm more missing about going on the football talk and talking to it about my mates or you know watching your videos and stuff and watching the player ratings and agreeing or disagreeing and you know it's just that's how you spend your weekend, you know what I mean? One of my best mates said to me said this is how people who don't follow sport live their whole life. It is mad-out. At the weekend there's no like structure there and I get it, I mean it's tough but just trying to think of this as like pre-season and this is just the off, the bit where we're off. It's going to come back, it doesn't matter it's going to come back one day. That's how I, to be honest like obviously there's the serious stuff but football is serious for us isn't it as well. You've got to have other things in your life and you write it most of our lives we're structured around football and you get the pre-season and you're like made up the seasons finished, have a few weeks off and after about two weeks you're like when did he come back to training and it all starts again doesn't it so that's what I'm kind of, that's the way I'm looking at it but a few actors have done a couple of interviews with Sam Horwich in the English game I don't know if you've had the chance to watch that yet Chris. Light and Bones, it's looking like they're at the Al Fergus looking very Bonesy, I spoke to Andrew Gower and I spoke to Sam Bentham as well. All Blues, all flying all flying the flag for Everton within the amongst you Thespians but they've all come back and said they want to make a Dixie film is that something you've thought about or are you? It's already been done you know coming out. And now is it out on Netflix, is it a big is it like an English game type one? I don't know much of Ari and you know the actor that they cast Toby Kebel is a phenomenal actor like he's done like he was in Dead Man's Shoes I think it was a Dead Man's Shoes and one of the black mirrors he was in that servants he's just a phenomenal actor and I'm interested to see what they're going to make you this film what it's going to be about My one is I want to make a big Nef movie Oh yeah you're the bit of a cat aren't you? It's a goal keeping me self so I want to make a show film, a comedy about Nef. Have you read this book The Man Chronicles? Yeah, reading this book and about when he got left in the stadium by his dad he never picked them up and he was like four times when he ended up sleeping there and then getting you know they've been running away from him and chasing it down the street you know man I see like dad as a little short that's the one I had going on Are you going to have the moustache as well you have seen you with the moustache anyway so you pull the moustache off I grew one of them in Brazil when I was filming up there Yeah, I think I saw the picture That would be an interesting one actually a Nef will show to me Obviously Wales greatest goalie could have that little bit of comedy with it as well at the iconic moments Just his attitude It's so funny that he was as you said the greatest goalkeeper in the world but you wouldn't know it to me I'm sure you know Nef Fantastic That would be very, very interesting From acting then let's finish on this now because it's your work what are your big aims what have you got to do that you'd think Oscar obviously you want to win an Oscar what are your targets let's say over the next three to five years what do you want to achieve a difficult question It's so funny because you never know with this business someone could be writing something right now that's absolutely perfect for me you rely on a lot of things to happen as an actor to get to an Oscar point I'd love to win an Oscar but at the same time it's just an award based on opinion I always feel like if I can do a show that might not be as big for example when we did Wonder Kid it was a show film that went on Sky Sports 1 and did the rounds and it's still online but it's done a lot of good work for the message that it was the thing it was trying to talk about something like that is something that you're more proud of because it's got a purpose so I think for me I'd love to show that I'm working on now to get picked up that would be a big thing in the couple of seasons because it's a fun one and it would be a really good show Directing and production of my own stuff I've written a few scripts but I want to definitely get into the direct inside as well and hopefully shoot some of my own stuff alongside alongside the acting I was going to say it's a good one you need like a modern family it's something in the 11 seasons where you're getting the money don't you so you know to look after you and you're in this one in the one you do and now you're a good guy no I'm never a good guy when you come back into this country people don't come up to you and go oh you're that fella from Brotea well he's definitely not as bad as that character anyone ever will be unless I play Ted Bundy but yeah this one's a bit more of a fun one it's not as dramatic it's a little bit more fun and lighter hopefully I won't get boxed in as the bad guy but it's not a bad place to be no no not if you get a big part if you become the best you can there's a lot of bad guys needed in films that's what makes the world go around exactly right I'm going to let you go but before I do this is a mad question as well because no one knows but when are you open to being back over here we're thinking for the babies in August we're going to probably aim for next Easter I think my mum and dad are going to come over here for Christmas hopefully next Easter they'll be a good time to come over and she can meet everyone and then she'll be too young to go to the match but I'll be going to the match so I thought it would be fun it'll be nice just in time for us to be given the leg you know when you come over to Easter we'll have probably won it bad then so it'll be a few points clear man she is lifting it that'll be nice wouldn't it that'll be nice thank you very much for taking time out of your morning I know you've got to go and get to the shop with your mask on and pick up the important stuff but now listen thank you very much for joining us hopefully it won't be two years before we have you on again what's happened in those two years definitely now listen it's this easy it's this easy isn't it maybe we do this again and once the 40 kicks off and we can actually have some 40 to discuss as well that'll be quite nice alright mate cheers look after yourself stay safe all the best with the baby and everything else take care of yourself there you go big thanks to Chris Mason joining us all the way from LA there make sure you give this video a thumbs up subscribe if you haven't and if you want more videos join us on page and see you later