 Welcome to the very first web show of 2024. Happy New Year. As you can see, I'm not in my 80s basement. I'm somewhere very tropical, but I'm still rocking the 80s. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I enjoyed chatting to this actress. She is one of my favorites. She's in one of my favorite films. Dream a Little Dream. If you do love Dream a Little Dream, it's a fantastic two quarries film. Make sure you subscribe because I have another interview related to that film coming up. But in the meantime, please enjoy this chat. We talked about Corey Hame. We talked about the 80s. We talked about fame. We talked about succession. So without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, Lala Sloatman. Growing up, did you always want to act and model? Was it always something you wanted to do? When I was really little, like three, four, five, I wanted to be a stewardess, which we now call a flight attendant. I would fly back and forth when I was really, my dad was a pilot and I thought that was like the most fancy job when I was a little, little kid. And then I wanted to be a veterinarian, but around, I'd say seven, six or seven, I started wanting to be an actress. When I saw a turning point, I even remember watching Psycho and Loving That or Lady Sings the Blues with Diana Ross where she plays Billie Holiday and just like Loving That or even Mahogany with Diana Ross. That was one of my favorite movies too. There was an array of movies that made me want to be an actress. A Star is Born with Barbara Streisand and Chris Christopherson, forget about it. When you made that decision as a young girl to want to be an actress, what were your steps? Did you take lessons? Did you just start auditioning? Were your parents supportive? My parents weren't together, so I had several different caregivers, relatives. By the time I was eight, and I had made the decision that that's what I wanted to do when I grew up, I moved to Northern California, a place called Paradise California, which is north of Sacramento. And there's not a lot of acting going on up there. So it really wasn't until my teenage years when I moved down to Los Angeles, when I moved into my Uncle Frank's house, my Aunt Gail, her kids were acting and recording records and MTV VJs. And so she was like, I'm gonna help you do what you've been dreaming of doing. I'll help you become an actress. She got me an agent and sent me on auditions and that's how it ended up. And of course I got into acting classes. I took a ton of different acting classes. And your first, and again, apologies if the internet is incorrect, but your first breakthrough role was Tracy in Watches, which is a brilliant film. Did you feel at the time that you knew that this was gonna be something that would actually kickstart your career and how exciting was that? Was it kind of what you expected being on set to be like? That was actually my third film. I didn't think it was a horror movie. I didn't think it was going to do very well. You know, I was a teenager. So things that did well to me were like John Hughes movies. You know what I mean? That's where my mindset was like, Dream a Little Dream was my second film. I thought perhaps that would do better. Yeah, I mean, I had this false belief that I was gonna become a bigger actress than I was, but I wasn't a good enough actress yet. And I'm so thankful I got those roles, but I didn't know what I was doing. I had no idea. So the fact that there wasn't like a breakthrough role for me at that point, I still haven't really had a breakthrough role, but I didn't think that Watchers was a great movie. I thought it was like kind of unbelievable, like a crocodile slash gorilla, like a science experiment. I mean, I just knew that Corey Hame was in it. So it would probably be seen a little bit, but it wasn't. When I saw it, I was like, man, that's not gonna help me. It has become a cult classic though. You know, it's very, yeah, it's today, probably more popular than it was when it first came out then from what you're saying, but it's definitely a cult classic. Yeah, people DM me a lot about it, there's a whole group of Corey Hame fans that just love him so much. And I get a lot of messages about that movie. And I have a hard time watching it. It's hard for me to watch it because I personally was going through a lot of difficult things at that time. And I think I'm terrible in it. I really can't stand my acting at all. But Michael Ironside is amazing, Corey was great, Barbara was great, but maybe I should give it another shot, check it out. I don't know, it's one of those things where I'm like, oh, I can't even watch myself. Well, I mean, dream a little dream. And that's the reason I had messaged you because for me, it is actually my, I would say my ultimate favorite film just because how much it connects with me from my teenagers, it was my first CD, I ever bought the soundtrack. And it's just a really special film. And I hear that at the time it didn't do very well, but it again, it has become this cult classic. And I could ask you so many questions about it, but did you feel more confident going onto that set? And what was that whole experience like? You were in Wilmington and it had such a great cost. And it was just such a brilliant film. So my first, my very first part that I ever got was Tequila Sunrise, but it was only two days of filming. There was a few days of rehearsal with the whole cast, which was incredible. Like Michelle Pfeiffer, I was obsessed with her. To get a part in a movie with her was just my dream come true. So I was at these table readings and rehearsals. And then, so there was more days than just, I think I worked maybe five days on the movie and only two shoot days. And right in the midst of that, I got Dream a Little Dream. Being on the set of Dream a Little Dream felt a lot more comfortable. Corey and I were in a relationship. I got the part authentically, whereas in Watchers, I didn't get the part authentically. Like Corey told John Hess, our director, Lala's doing this part, or I'm not doing the movie, which was lovely, but it also, I wasn't chosen for the role. It wasn't for me. So I had a little bit of an issue being on that movie anyways. Corey on Dream a Little Dream was in a better state. And we were, our relationship was in a better state. And a lot of my friends were in that movie. So when I auditioned for it, Mark Rocco was so loving and sweet. I showed up to a couple callbacks with my best friend, Rhea, at the time, who's in the movie. And I showed up with Corey, because it was just Corey Feldman's movie. Corey Hames' part wasn't even created really. And when Corey was with me at an audition, Mark came out and was like, oh man, will you play a little part in the movie? And Dinger became a much bigger part. So it was like a bunch of us were all friends. Matt Adler and Meredith. I think I had known Josh a tiny bit before, but Billy, none of us had met Billy yet. But in this amazing cast, Jason Robards, all these people, it just was more of a fun environment. And so I felt more comfortable, but I still didn't like myself in the movie. I was still really, really critical of my acting abilities. I mean, there's some line readings that I'm okay with, but for the most part, when I watch certain scenes, like the scene outside with Rhea and Meredith, that we're talking about Bobby's homework, I do his homework, I can't stand it. I can't stand watching that. And there's another one where I leave, whatever, there's like some of the dance party stuff and we're at the dance, like that stuff I feel okay with, but a lot of my line readings on that movie too, it's really hard for me to appreciate myself in it, but everybody else is great. When was the last time you watched it? I guess it was about a year and a half ago, maybe sooner, because it came out on Blu-ray and somebody that is a big fan of the movie sent it to me, I watched it with my daughter. She liked it, she loved it. Her favorite movie that I'm in, it was called Man Fast, but they changed the name to Holding Out. She loves that movie. Is it true that your opportunity to read came from a strange encounter with Corey Feldman? We were both at the courthouse on the same day. We were both getting emancipated so that we could work longer hours as an adult, work adult hours, and Corey Feldman was getting emancipated because he was having financial issues with his family. I was just trying to be able to be on set longer hours. Mark Rocco was with Corey in court. We ran into each other in the hallway and Corey said, will you testify for me and help me with this thing against my parents? It's so sad to think about it now, but. So I did, I testified and afterwards Mark said, why don't you come in and read? I'm directing his next movie, Dream a Little Dream, I'll send you a script and I'd love for you to come in and read for it. So that's how I got the audition for Dream a Little Dream. Even though I had this fabulous, this amazing agent that was at ICM, I really, I didn't deserve her honestly and I know I'm really hard on myself, but as an actress, where I was coming from, she was just a much more high caliber agent and my Aunt Gale got her for me. She represented my cousin Dweezel. So she just kind of like, I'll send her out on a few auditions, we'll see how it goes. And I got the three auditions she sent me on, which was miraculous. So she did let me stay, like sign a contract with her and stay on, but that audition came through Mark, yeah, the director. And I promise I don't have too many questions about Dream a Little Dream, I do have more. But some of the cast in Jason Robars and Harry Dean Stanton and Piper Laurie, they were such legends of film. Did they give you tips? Hens, did you talk to them about the careers? Did they give you advice for your career? I did have a few conversations with Harry Dean Stanton and he was so lovely. Piper Laurie and Jason, my mom was like, oh my God, I can't believe you're doing a movie with Jason Robars, that's so amazing. And I loved Carrie growing up. I'd seen that movie a bunch of times. So I loved Piper Laurie, but they weren't on, I didn't have a lot of scenes with them. I only had that one running through the yard and the sprinkler, they turned the sprinklers on us. That was kind of like my only day on set with him. Corey and Meredith most worked with them more than I got an opportunity to. So I didn't really get to speak to them all that much. I mean, I do, I vaguely remember being on the backyard lawn, all of us sitting around in between takes, like talking slightly, but there was eight kids with these two amazing actors that I don't, I don't remember a word I said in the conversation. Whereas Harry Dean, I definitely remember. He came to my, I had a party in my hotel room. We were all staying in the same hotel, but I had a party and he came to my party. He was the only adult actor that came to the, like some of the crew members came, but out of the cast, he was the only adult that showed up. And he was so lovely. Fame seems to be, obviously from someone who was not famous, fame seems to be this incredibly crazy thing that you can only understand if you actually become famous. And then in the late 80s, when you had like the machine of the two quarries and the soda pop club and no social media and phones. And was it, what was it like to have that level of fame and be around all these people with that level of fame? Was it crazy? Was it scary? Was it fun? All of the above? It was all of the above, yeah. Having grown up with so much dysfunction in my family and different caregivers raising me, I had a very low self-worth at that time. So to be Corey's girlfriend and to see how much attention they were getting, we'd go to premieres or parties or any kind of function, like the kids' choice awards or whatever, to see how much girls loved him. I, it felt like I got this false sense of self-worth through being chosen by him. But I always had a feeling like this wasn't for me. This was his. And it was scary too, because there was a lot of, at that time, there was a lot of drugs involved. And it just, it could be really scary. It could be super exciting and really fun. I mean, both quarries used to love to go into Westwood, which is like the, where UCLA is, at the time there was like these six big movie theaters and the Lost Boys was playing there and they'd love to go like sit in the audience and listen to all the kids go watch it and the attention that they got from doing that. And yeah, it was crazy. I mean, it really was. All those magazines, you go to a newsstand and there was like every Teen Bob, Teen, whatever, Tiger Beat, like there was thousands of these magazines. And then they had those 900 numbers. Hey, Mom, are you a good kisser? Yeah, I think I'm a good kisser. Oh, I think from what I've heard, from what I've been told, the feedback I've gotten is you're a great kisser. You could call every week and Corey would leave like a 15 minute message of what he'd been doing the week. Call me, 1900, 909, 3300. It's very important. I have a lot to tell you guys, please call me. So people would call and listen to this message. Alyssa had one. There was a few actors that had them. It was just crazy. Guess what? Corey Hayman, Corey Feldman are giving out their personal numbers. If you call 1900, 909, 3700, you can listen to their private phone messages and get their personal number where you can leave them a message of your own. $2 to first minute, 45 cents each additional minute. Ask your parents before you call 1900, 909, 3700. If you call me right now, I'll give you my private number. You call that number and you'll hear a recording and I'll give you my personal number if you call that and we'll wrap. It really was crazy. I mean, I'm sure for Justin Bieber, it's like a whole different, now it's with social media, it's a completely different beast, but it was fascinating and scary and amazing. I had read also in an interview that you had called Corey your biggest heartbreak and I believe you were dating for a couple of years, but how do you feel like he should be remembered as an actor and as a person because he is obviously still so loved? Yeah, well, he wasn't my biggest heartbreak but he was my first major heartbreak. The first time I felt like I was dying from a breakup. Like I just couldn't even, I couldn't stop crying. I couldn't function for a good six months. We had this really dysfunctional relationship. We got back together, broke up, got back together. I mean, I wish people would remember him like in the Lost Boys, that's my favorite. I love him in Lucas to license to drive is amazing. I mean, I think he needs to be remembered for what a great actor he was. He was a really good actor before it started to go downhill and he was fun loving and silly and goofy and yeah, I really appreciate all his fans that reach out because they love him so much and he deserves it. I wish he was here to feel it, I really do because I don't think he ever really could feel, take it really in and really feel it. You later on worked with Sophia Coppola in Somewhere which I thought was a beautiful film. I believe you knew her for modeling days as well. I think I saw a picture of your Instagram where she was the photographer. What was she like to work with? Oh, I love Sophia. She, we worked together a lot in the 90s. She would use me for all different campaigns or just photographs when she was really just taking pictures and the first thing she directed she had a clothing company called Milk Fed and she directed this little short film with me and Josh Freeze who's a drummer. He was in The Vandals, he was in Guns N' Roses, he's in Foo Fighters now. I mean, Josh is like this incredible, amazing drummer but he's in it and it was just like this little short thing she directed. So it was like the first thing she ever directed but I love working with Sophia. On Somewhere, I of course had grown up with Steven and I met Steven when he was 11. And then of course we lived on the same street in the 80s. It was great to come on that movie because Sophia wanted us to rehearse, like spend the whole day pretending that we were a real family and she just shot it with a couple just handheld cameras. So the three of us just spent the whole day at the chateau acting like we were a family having a lunch and sitting around the hotel and up in the room and getting into fights and it was really helpful to have that connection because I wasn't a mom yet but it was really helpful to rehearse and spend the whole day pretending we were a family. I love working with Sophia, she's amazing. Of all your acting work that you've done today what are you most proud of and that you can look back on and be proud of? I like pump up the volume. I like holding out. It's not that great of a movie but I can watch myself in it. The movie I'm doing right now with Zan Cassavetes is like the first time in my entire life that I can watch myself and I'm actually not criticizing everything I'm doing. I'm like, holy shit, I'm good. I'm really good in this. So that's that movie I'm really proud of. I'm really proud of myself in it and I don't know what's gonna happen with it. I don't know how it will be received but it's good to finally like myself in something and not be cringing the whole time I'm on the screen. Again, the internet but I read that in addition to acting you worked as a costumer. I am still doing costume but when I was married I used to style my ex-husband and then in 2000 I started assisting a costume stylist and did a ton of music videos and then I started doing my own things. The last TV show I worked on, it's called Shrinking. I love that show, that's so good. Yeah, I worked on just a few episodes. The last two episodes, but that was really fun. I've mostly done a lot of commercials. I just started doing like television and live TV. Is acting something you want to get into more again? Yeah, absolutely. I love acting, especially now because I went through a period after my daughter was born. I started getting really uncomfortable auditioning and just couldn't be present in my body and feeling really anxious every time I had an audition and just sort of like blacking out in the audition process. Then I decided that I needed to take a break from it and then I didn't want to go back but during the pandemic, Xan wanted to work on this project and I fell back in love with it so now I want to start doing it again. What would be your dream role or dream cast or dream director? Oh, wow, that's a good question. I mean, I like Todd Fields. I would love to work with him. I'd love to be on a show like Succession. I mean, that's the best. It's funny, my last question actually, I have two more but one of them was did you watch the Succession finale because I saw you post about it and what did you think? Oh my God, I love that show so much. I can't believe it's over. The other show that ended too was Berry. I love Berry. See, there's Bill Hader, somebody else I would love, love to work with. It was so sad to see Shiv sort of in that role with Tom. But I had heard, I'd heard because I like to go on a Twitter deep dive after Succession and see what other people do. And someone had said that the moment she saw Kendall sit in Logan's chair, that was when she purposefully didn't want him to become Logan. So she sacrificed the vote and her life becoming her mom and Lady Macbeth and all of that analogy. So Kendall out of love for Kendall. I like that theory, but I don't know if it's correct but I do like that theory. It's hard for me to believe that she, it was out of love for Kendall. I don't know. I don't know, I like that theory too though because I saw that, it just made me sad because she, the way she put her hand on his hand, the look on her face, I just felt like, ah, this is the last thing she wanted. I just wanted her so badly to finally get that opportunity from her dad. It reminds me of my family too, a bit. Like the way that he spoke to that, there was a lot of, my Aunt Gail is a lot like Logan with much less power. But yeah, I think that's why I was watched it so much because it was kind of like, oh, this feels like home on a much smaller scale. Did you have a Greg in your family then? Oh yeah. In fact, I feel kind of like I am the Greg. I really do. I feel like Greg a lot. Knowing what you know now and everything you've been through, if you could go back to your pre-watches, Stikela Sunrise, dream a little dream self and give yourself some advice, what would you say? If I could go back and talk to that teenage self, I would tell her, first of all, your body is kicking. Stop picking on it and love yourself. Give yourself a break. And I would just, I would tell her to protect yourself more and put more self-love into every day. Don't be so quick to abandon yourself.