 Welcome back everyone today. We're doing a very special interview today. I am interviewing Rob weed off He is the voice of John Marston in Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2 Two very popular games that I'm sure you've heard of and I have the opportunity to talk to him today He was a kind of to give me some time. So thank you for joining me Rob. It's good to hear from you Hey, man, thank you so much for having interest and having me on I really appreciate it and This is awesome. Yeah, of course, of course Yeah, so I'm just want to go. What have you been up to lately because it you know It's been a while since you've been doing some acting that Red Dead 2 is your last game that you acted in as John and That was about five five five or so years ago that released and since then People haven't really heard much much from you aside from some other interviews that you've done with some other youtubers and such So what have you been up to lately? well Gosh, it's it's hard to believe that it's been almost five years if I guess it has though. That's wild Yeah, I've been I've been hanging out with my wife and my kids Yeah, I've been really enjoying that and I Always had a job throughout the process of Red Dead Redemption 2 which was shot in New York. So I live in Indiana. I would fly back and forth for all of that work and I and I missed a whole lot of My wife and my kids lives because I was gone so much. So ever since I've been back. I've really enjoyed hanging out and I've had a construction job Throughout that entire process which which I really enjoyed But I got an opportunity To have another another job and I'm doing that now. I'm working at a at an auto body Like a collision center. Okay, and I don't I don't do the work on the vehicles, but I'm almost like a secretary That's basically what I But I'm really enjoying it and it's so different But it's I want to say something 46 years old and I was doing concrete for the last eight and a half nine years and that really really wears you out. So I'm excited I've been in the last few weeks Couple months actually Really been stressing out about this change because it's a big change for me and I think it's a change for the better But it's it involves learning a lot about computers. You know a lot about computers. I don't know a lot about So it's been it's been it's been a lot, but it's gonna be really great I think and it's gonna give me Guess an opportunity to continue to to provide you know and a less a Less physically stressful way. So I'm excited about it. That's good I'm glad to hear that. So you went from construction to to this auto body Job now. That's interesting Yeah, yeah, so you had a lot of the various jobs over the years, right cuz it's not just acting or construction There's a lot of different things you've tried apparently you you were into aviation at one point Yeah, well, okay, so I've always thought it would be really really cool to be a pilot I just really thought like that's Something I really would like to do and so when I was living in Los Angeles. I was a bartender and There was a guy that came in all excited and said I just flew a plane and I knew this guy But I didn't know him real real well He was he was kind of one of the regulars at this bar where I worked And I said what do you mean you flew a plane and he said I flew a plane and I had a guy with me I had an instructor with me But I flew that thing and I and so I said you got to tell me more because I thought Yeah, I know you I know that you're not I Know I knew him well enough to know that he wasn't like in school to be a pilot But he just so basically what happened was You go down to this it was the Santa Monica airport And if you walk in they have a they have ghoul there You walk in and let them know that you want to be a pilot and if you give them a hundred dollars I don't know what it is now. This is probably ten years ago they'll take you up in a little plane like a little Cessna and You fly it so I got to do that too. I was like man. I'm doing it. And so I really thought once I did that and Oh my goodness, I have actually flown a plane not on my own obviously But I thought I'm doing it. I'm doing it now I've always had a whole lot of interest in it and now I've actually kind of done it But what I realized is I think it costs like a hundred bucks per hour even as you're in the school like That's really expensive also by the time I would have had enough hours So I guess airlines they look at how many flight hours do you have and I think you need like 10,000 to even be considered to fly any planes commercially and I thought I don't have that kind of time or that kind of money and And There are so many younger people than me What airline is gonna hire it would have been about now probably that I would have been able to get that many hours in Oh, wow, I don't know But I just I it was it was Something that if I could go back in time Actually, you know what if I could go back in time. I wouldn't change a thing I'm probably the luckiest person in the world. I really feel that way. I've been so fortunate but Let's say I didn't have the the experiences that I've had if I could go back in time I would have gone to school to be a pilot. I think that would have been so cool Yeah, that would be pretty cool. That's interesting to hear about that actually So it would just like a time commitment is it really all really was in the end? I guess I'm Yeah, that and and how do you come up with all that money? I mean, you know, I Had a job so I had a hundred bucks to do it once But to do it as many times as I would have needed to do it ten thousand times That's a lot of money. So I thought Maybe this isn't right for me a lot of pilots are People who were in the Air Force and they got hours while they were while they were in the Air Force training and and so It makes sense, you know that it would be that way and then you know Obviously a lot of pilots are are not from the Air Force But I think that if you can get those hours in if you're interested in being a pilot get those hours in when you're young Not when you're I don't know how old I was. I was 35 at least or probably That's too late. It's too late. So Anyway, that was my experience, but I did fly playing. It was awesome That's interesting to hear. I didn't know it was like that, huh? Yeah Yeah, so let's see so aside from that what kind of hobbies do you like to do in your free time? Okay, what do you like to do? Honestly, I've always loved in the summertime. I love being on the water. I love the water ski I love to Be out with friends on a boat. That's that's probably when I'm happiest doing, you know fun stuff on the lake but now, you know, I Can't do a lot of things that I used to want to do because now I you know, I have kids and I have a home that needs upkeep and We're lucky that we've got it. We've got a pretty big yard. I love it to have some space I've never really had a bunch of space in my in my entire life and now I do but you got to take care of it So there, you know, we got a lot of trees and we got a lot of grass to cut Yeah, trees are always dropping limbs and I enjoy yard work I do but that is kind of what I do I you know, I try to get my kids to help me and enjoy being outside with them, you know, but that's I don't have a whole lot of hobbies. I really don't because I don't have time for them right now You know Yeah, I guess now I can understand. Yeah Yeah, well, so one I'm gonna start doing is Because I was doing construction for so long because that is so physical. Well, I stayed it relatively good shape But now I'm not gonna be paid Essentially to work out. I'm gonna have to do that on my own. So I guess working out Hopefully will become one of my So I can try and stay in shape. We'll try and do that I really hope that I can figure that out, but sure I can All right, I'll be that's that's good to hear then. So yeah, it'd be nice to have an excuse to to get some exercise and everything and Yeah, I can relate a little bit with the whole yard work thing because we also have trees in the back and the raking is just crazy Every fall. Yeah All right, so let's talk about your time living in LA and how you got into acting You want to just kind of tell us about how that all started and everything? Yeah, yeah, so it's funny because I I never was real interested in Acting my entire life. I went to I Went to Indiana University, which is a really great school not necessarily for acting but Music, I've always loved music. I just never thought of myself as a performer. It really in any way I just never thought of myself as like I Wanted to do that. I that's what I want to do. I just really have always enjoyed it, but Even when it was right there at my fingertips, I never I never really had the itch to get involved with it. So Graduated from IU Indiana University, I don't know if I said that before or not, but people may not know of just IU anyway So my then girlfriend I Moved out to Los Angeles just for the summer. She graduated right on time at the end of her senior year of college We were in the same class. I didn't graduate right on time. I graduated at the end of the summer After my senior year. I had a couple things I had to finish up but so she when she was in LA I went out there when I finally finished up and and Visited for a weekend a week however long it was. I don't know But while we were there we ended up being extras on young and the restless which is a soap opera Because her roommate That she lived with out there worked at CBS. I think in casting. I don't know what she did but We went to visit her at work at the CBS building on the seat You know the the whole lot there and she walked us around and we ended up Being invited to come back the next day to be extras on young and the restless and we thought yeah. Yeah, we'll do that so While we were doing that which was really Weird, you know, you're in this place where we were in a coffee shop on the show So anybody that knows the show I think it's still on TV There was a coffee shop and we were extras in the scene And so we had to sit there and pretend like we were talking to each other But you can't make any sound because then obviously it it messes up the dialogue that's written for the characters So we were mouthing conversations to each other and it was really awkward but also became very difficult because Obviously, she and I knew each other really well We started mouthing things that she she would understand what I was saying and I would understand what she was saying but We didn't want to laugh and and like ruin the scene because there's these two people sitting at a table acting like idiots Whatever it was. It was fun, but Also really weird. Anyway, that was my first Real experience with acting even though I you know whatever I guess you can say I was acting But I wasn't hired for a role and anyway So that happened it was fun. It was cool. I didn't think much of it, but then Probably a year later. I found myself Living in Indianapolis and I was working a construction job there and the my boss said hey You've been here for almost a full year. You've got two weeks of paid vacation If you don't use it You're gonna lose it. It doesn't roll over so you need to plan a vacation or you know, you don't have to go anywhere, but You don't have to take it, but you can take days off and not get paid for it I want you to be aware and I said awesome and I was completely unaware up until that point. So I went home that night told my roommates then hey You guys got paid big cake. Let's go somewhere. Let's go on a trip. Let's go somewhere and they had all Used theirs already. So they were like, yeah, man Shoot wish you didn't know we didn't know earlier. You could have come with us wherever, you know Anyway, I decided I'm gonna go back to LA. I Don't know what to do. I've never been on a vacation by myself, you know at that point I don't know that I've ever been on one since by myself. Well, I guess I haven't but I Did I went to Los Angeles when I got there I called CBS Looked I googled it Called a number to CBS and said yeah, can you connect me to young and the restless? They did and I said hey, my name is Rob. Weedoff and I'm in town on vacation, but I was an extra on your show A year ago you're gonna have to go whatever and I want to do that again. Can I come in tomorrow and they said? Yeah, and The crazy thing about this I got I somehow got in touch with the right person and that person Said yes, it's it's insane that story It's just not even I can't even believe that it happened if somebody told me that that happened I'd say that's not true. It's not that's not how that goes But it did happen and when I got there I saw some of the people that I had seen the first time I did it and I was an extra again and Enjoyed the experience this time One of the directors and I don't know how that all works because the guy said I'm a director But our other director is watching the Monitor in another room, but he really wants you to be on the show as a bartender Like a you will have a role on the show and I said oh, yeah, cool. That's awesome man Thank you and tell him I said thank you, but I don't live here and I'm only on vacation I don't I don't have any interest in being an actor. This is just kind of something for me to do while I'm here And they were like all right. Well, yeah, all right great I'll let him know and they came back to me two more times and said are you sure this is a huge opportunity for you Do you do you really not want to do it? And I like the third time I was like Man, I'm I really appreciate it. I don't live here It's so I know this is all like really not believable at all probably but I promise you this actually happened And so finally the day was over and I said thank you and laughed and whatever and And then Realized six months later here. I am driving To la because I thought you know what I think I do want to try and be an actor. That was kind of fun I really enjoyed I'm gonna do it. I'll just call young and the restless again And tell them I'm here and I'll be there bartender This time when I called I never got through to the right people They were just you know, like what would happen if if you called there they'd just be like I'm sorry. You got to go through different channels. You can't just call but but Unbelievable that I had that opportunity when I really wasn't interested in acting even then I had a really huge opportunity That would have been a great way to get my foot in the door for a lot of different things And I just said no, I don't because at the time I wasn't interested but Anyway, I ended up living out there long enough. I got an agent Started doing auditions for commercials Had some luck with commercials actually ended up doing like 20 of them or something which Was fun and at the time it was good money But it wasn't what I had moved out there to do I didn't want to be an actor that only worked in commercials. I wanted to do movies and tv shows and I wanted to be you know an actor that that was working Like anybody would want to be that moved out to la to be an actor anyway One of my auditions happened to be for red dead redemption and and that worked out and that's been Honestly, that's why I feel like the luckiest person alive that has been from the moment that I first Went into the studio and met these people from rock star Until this very moment it has been so It has been such a cool positive experience and I'm so fortunate. I've been able to To enjoy it. It's really really been cool And honestly, I don't know. I mean, I know that my story is crazy like how did you get interested in acting? How did you do it? Whatever? I don't know that that's like Just do what I did. Yeah, it's very unique circumstances. It's just wild. It's just I mean I just feel like I've won lottery ticket after lottery ticket really I just did it just was enough to make me think like This is possible. It's possible. It's already happened in different ways. It's already happened. I've had enough to Encourage me to keep moving forward and so Who knows? I mean, I've really really enjoyed the work with rock star That's that's obviously the the biggest work I've done I don't know if anything will will come from it or Or if there'll be more of it from rock star. I have no idea but I'm really glad that I enjoyed all the experiences. I was fortunate enough to have for sure All right, we'll see Yeah, I'm glad to hear that you had a good experience with that and everything It's it's an interesting story how you how you got into everything just everything kind of just fell into place in a way, right? Yeah, I mean, yeah, I think That and it kind of is it's just weird. I don't know. I guess I didn't know I had no idea. Nobody ever told me like no, you can't just call there They're not going to give you the right people. You can't do that because everybody that's what everybody thinks and I And I would say that now too like no, it doesn't work that way But it did it did that time somehow Um, but at the time that was enough to encourage me to keep just keep doing it Just keep trying one thing. I know for sure though Is that even if someone does tell you you can't just call there? That's not how it works. Whatever It doesn't hurt to try I mean I It's likely that it's not going to work out the way it did for me but Anybody that's in a position where they're interested in trying to do something anything whatever it is if you tell yourself It's now that's not going to work and I'm not I'm not even going to try that because it's just not going to work It's not how that's not how it happens and you say No, and you don't try then you're right. The answer is no it's for sure no But if you try I mean someone has to say no or They might just say uh, yeah Yeah, you're in town. Yeah, come on in you can work tomorrow. That's what happened So you never you never know for sure If you say no though Then you know for sure the answer is no Yeah, it's a great way of looking at it. That's what I was going to say. Yeah, thanks So so yeah, it's it's like um, if you if you kind of just don't put yourself out there Then obviously, you know, you're never going to make it So a lot of people kind of have that mentality and I guess that's why a lot of people Is don't make it very far and they're in their hobbies or their career or whatever Yeah, well, and I think too a lot of times, um people You know the acting like for me acting is is something that honestly, I I feel like I won the lottery I got lucky. I honestly got lucky even with red dead. I got lucky. They could have cast so many different people Who would have done a really great job? And they chose me and I'm and I love that but it's I'm lucky that they chose me. Um I did the best with the opportunity that I could but so You you do have to you have to try and you have to also recognize that uh, sometimes Even though it's a dream of yours It takes work. It takes determination and you know, you can't Just walk into wherever. I'd say you want to be a painter. You can't just sit down in front of an empty canvas And and paint something that everyone in the world says. Oh my goodness. That's beautiful. It's not it's not likely to happen You have to you have to put in work and I think a lot of people get discouraged by Whatever work they realize they're gonna have to do and think oh, no, I don't want it that bad, you know, so I think that's a big part of it for a lot of people too all right So, um regarding the role, right? Um, so it was kind of like a blind audition You didn't know who you were auditioning as when you auditioned for john and red dead You had no clue that it was even for red dead, right? Right. Yeah No, and my agent called me said we have a an audition. It's called untitled video game project we assumed That it was it was going to be some kind of a promo or commercial for a video game that had already been made because I mean, what does that look like when people cast a video game? We didn't know my agent didn't know I'd never thought about like what would that look like? I didn't even know, you know, really much about games because i'm not much of a gamer myself um, I don't know that I even really thought about like Are these video games like it's someone's voice but Are they actually walking around in performance capture suits and And and acting this stuff out. That's that's how we did red dead and the whole series And that's how they do the majority of of triple a games now. I it's uh It's a it's a production and it's not just voice acting, right so it's um It's one of those things where yeah, we we didn't have any idea what it was what it was for at all, but it wasn't I don't think it crossed my agent's mind or my mind that it was for a role in a video game Uh turns out we were wrong I guess All right, that's pretty cool. So what was the audition like like they told you to act a scene out of some sort Like do you remember what the scene was like or what was it like? Yeah, I remember it was um I was given a page With a whole whole bunch of dialogue on it and the guy said just memorize that the best you can and I thought That's that's a whole page Yeah And it was like a monologue kind of thing. I thought oh my goodness. Could you not I get whatever, you know, like that's that's That's a big ask right there for anyone. I don't know anybody who can memorize it. Anyway I sat there For probably 15 or 20 minutes before I got called in because the place where I was auditioning was so busy um it was just there were people everywhere and um They weren't all auditioning I'm sure even for red dead redemption but Even some of them that were weren't auditioning for the role of john. So it was just It was a madhouse a lot going on and uh By the time I got into the room I really felt pretty confident that I had actually memorized that page of dialogue and so I got in there beside the camera like if If the camera was my face then beside it was this big white piece of paper with the dialogue written On it. He said if you need to you can reference this Uh, but try and just you know show that you memorized it and also You're not going to just say the lines There was a table in front of me that had clothes on it like That were folded and he said so the last person did a good job at folding clothes But couldn't couldn't remember the lines so Took the clothes and scattered them all around and got them all messed up And he said so yeah, just just try and fold those clothes and talk directly to camera and Say those lines and the lines were like Talking it was clearly a man talking to a woman Saying how much he enjoyed her apple pie And how he would love to be able to hang out longer, but he's got to leave town People know that he's here. You can tell he was kind of a bad guy whatever, but it was none of it was uh part of the story from red dead redemption it was just It was they wanted to see you know like I guess what you sound like Uh, obviously what your voice sounds like are you able to memorize? lines and are you able to perform tasks while you're saying your lines and so somehow somehow The first take that I did I I think I got all the lines right. I don't know for sure But I think I got them all right and I I didn't fold all of the clothes But I got through like three quarters of them. Can't say they were folded really well, but Um So I got done and the and the guy run to the camera said all right great. That was really great. So um That's really great that you that you got that far into it. Um and did that well, but that's not Exactly what they're looking for and so he gave me some changes to make And then he said all right I gotta I gotta leave the room because I gotta go check on something real quick And then when I come back, we'll do it again. You'll have those changes made and it'll be great And so I said all right. Okay, cool So I felt pretty good, you know because I thought all right good and I and I think I understand the changes you want me to make I'm ready so the guy comes in five minutes later and when he comes in He's got another actor with him And he and he walking in he's telling the other actor like yeah, so here's what we're gonna do And he looks and sees me and almost like whoa like He completely it's clear that he completely forgot that I was even in the room and so Uh, I'm standing there and I'm looking at this other actor and the other actor was like, oh shoot You Is it your turn and I said well, I got it and the the camera guy then cut me off. It was like, you know what? I'm so sorry. We're so busy. We've got to keep moving. What you did was great Really appreciate you coming in all that stuff and kind of rushed me out the door And I left there thinking Man, I'm so mad. I had it. I had that. I know that I could do that better I know I could do it right and and I just I was so bummed out for the next All the way home and in the next few hours. I'm sure just thinking that was really I can't believe that guy forgot I was in there Wow Yeah, anyway, anyway, it was just it was that crazy of a of a night in this casting place and so When when I realized that I booked the role and was speaking with the director He told me that They actually had specific people in mind for the role and I don't know I didn't ask him who But he said, you know, like some some well-known actors we had in mind for this role and it didn't work out for any of them We couldn't get together with any of them on and agree on terms and all the different things and so We opened it up And uh, I think it's better that we got you and he's telling me I think it's better that we got you I think you're gonna be better than the other people We had in mind anyway, it's it's gonna be great and I thought Awesome. Thank you I have no idea still I I knew at that point it was a video game and I knew it was like a GTA cowboy version kind of but I don't I don't know enough about video games to know at all What I'm doing. I'm I'm happy to be here. You know, I just thought oh my goodness But I told him my experience in the audition and he was like, oh my gosh, man Those guys a lot of times those people that that run those sessions and and run that they don't have any idea What they're talking about. I don't know what and I thought okay, that makes me feel a lot better It was just uh, he said you what you did was perfect. That's why you're here. And I said, okay great Thanks Who knows who knows man, but that's that's the experience I had it was uh Not real straightforward. I guess Yeah, that's really interesting It's really interesting how uh, how weird it was and how you kind of thought you didn't get it And then you got surprised that you got it in the end, right? That's cool. Yeah Yeah, yeah So That's how it went. It's wild Yeah, so um, what was it like like working for rock star like how was the what was kind of the big picture like how How did it all just kind of go over basically well, um so one thing even even rock so The technology Any kind of technology as you know technology Gets better and better and better faster and faster and faster, right? And so if you think Back to 2008 or whatever it was When we started doing Red Dead Redemption, you know what I can tell you because Oh, it doesn't have a year on it. Anyway, I've got a script back here that was given to me by the Steve j palmer who played bill williamson in both red dead and red dead, too And it's got a date on it. It's the very first scene that we shot And it says january 19th Monday, but I don't know. I guess that was 2008. I'm guessing that's when that was anyway, okay um The technology then Was was not quite as good. It was I guess not at all as good as it is now It's probably even better since I've seen it by in five years. I'm sure it is but We wore the same performance capture suit, which looks like a wet suit. Basically, um, I don't know You've seen it. I'm sure right, you know what that looks like. Yeah. Yeah, it's got the dots and stuff all over it. Like, yeah Yeah, so basically So all that all of that was brand new to me. I had never even seen that stuff before And I didn't know how it worked. Um, but rock star is really really good at At recognizing most people aren't gonna know what this is that we're doing. They don't know what performance capture is they don't know how to perform When they don't know where the camera is because like if you're doing a tv show or a movie or even a commercial You know where the camera is, you know, right where it is and you have to kind of play to the camera And then that you know, they'll move and do different angles of the same shot, you know, so they can get But in a video game doing performance capture I shouldn't say a video game performance capture is used in movies now a lot too But you anyway, there's no camera. There's no camera. You're in this crazy wetsuit looking thing Uh, and you're you're supposed to be acting out these scenes as these rough tough cowboys, right? So They they have a good way of making everyone feel very comfortable and very at home with it and um So I guess the the very first thing that I would say is that they're very, um knowledgeable and they're very considerate and they're very patient and so You realize right away. Okay. This is new but I'm I'm fully supported by the people that I'm working with if this doesn't feel natural to me at first They're aware that it probably won't they don't They don't put pressure on anyone. They don't make anyone feel silly They they take the time that everyone needs to to be comfortable and then Once you get comfortable They really do a good job of explaining what it is that they want out of these characters and and i'm telling you that because When I was given my script Excuse me for red dead and red dead too and undead nightmare for that matter I wasn't given the script in its entirety. I was given it only in sections and those sections that I received weren't in order So, um, I it took me a long long time to know Who is john marson? I don't I can't like read the script and understand who this character is. I don't know what he's motivated by I don't know and because I don't have the whole story. So rock star does a really really good job of saying, all right, so In this scene Here's what we're doing. You're really angry. You can probably tell by the dialogue, but you're really angry and and Here's why and then so then they fill you in as as you need to be filled in but, um The performance That I gave in red dead redemption I've made I moved around and you heard my voice. I memorized the lines. I said I'm out loud, but that really ultimately is Rod edge our director's performance. He told me okay, you did it that time At this point. I want you to do it a little bit different. You'll understand why later This is how I want you to do it and it's kind of fascinating that It adds a whole different level of responsibility to his job because Normally an actor will have already read the entire script and they know the story when they don't They and they're there ready to shoot someone's got to explain to them. This is what you're doing and this is why and so it's It's a very It's a very cool environment. Like I said, you feel supported you feel encouraged And they recognize that It's not it's not normal really in any way Of course, what you do it for a while then it becomes like yeah, this is I get this and I love it But yeah, I think I think that's the way that I that I felt and I know that once I was comfortable I know that I recognized it when they were doing that with other people and making sure first You need to be comfortable. You need to you need to be confident And and we're going to do this and we're going to get the best that we can out of this whole situation because we're all aware that There's a whole lot that we don't understand as far as actors go whatever and so um I think that Really stands out from from the beginning of it that stands out the most and then throughout The entire series that I worked on One of the things that I noticed about rock star that stands out so much to me is that Because like we talked about I've had a whole lot of different jobs, right? Try to be an actor I've been a bartender. I've been this that whatever. I've done a lot of different things even now I just changed jobs again, but rock star has has shown me What it looks like to have really talented Really motivated people Who are very supportive of each other, of course, they were all cool to the actors Because they kind of have to be right. I mean you can't have People from the production company be a jerk to an actor. That's just that wouldn't work They would get fired. It's too. It's hollywood protect protect the actors the precious actors, right? so But so of course they were all cool to us, but they were cool to each other too It was genuine. It felt genuine, you know, and uh, it was really I I love I love the word inspiring, but I'm so inspired By what I saw because I know that it's possible that people can work together And they can be cool to each other and supportive to each other and I want everyone to be able to experience that in their lives because it's Amazing to to see what a group of talented people can do when they work together And feed off each other in a positive way It's that's that's the result that you get when you buy a rock star game. That's that's why you get that result they're Really got it figured out Yeah, it sounds like a great experience honestly So uh, yeah, so I'm assuming you got along really well with your uh, your fellow cast members in the first and second game or Yeah, yeah Yeah, I mean we all you know, we were all Uh, excited to be there. There are some people in the cast that are huge gamers and we're I could not believe How lucky they were to be in these in these cast, right? Whether it be the first one or the second one um overwhelmed the joy by the fact that they were able to work with rock star games and On red dead redemption the series they there were people that were really really excited about that, but Uh, I think we all we all realized that we were we were in a really great opportunity to uh Be part of something that's that's big and uh, we all were motivated to do our very best and we probably learning from what we saw rock star do We're very encouraging to each other and and supportive and I'm telling you It's it was I've never seen anything like that before in any job that I've worked in and I've never seen it since Where it seemed like everyone was into it and excited about it and it felt good about every aspect of it So yeah, it was great. And then also yeah, we still have a text chain even today. There's like 15 20 cast members on there and we all Text each other almost every day. Wow about yeah, and it's great And then you know, so I consider them to actually be like friend. They are my friends and we all Met because of this great experience, but we're still friends. It's awesome. It's so fun That's really great to hear. Yeah, so it sounds like you had like a really like a really great time It's a really unique experience. It sounds like to you Uh, do you ever get like tempted to like go back to like acting to go back into maybe another video game or something like that or? Yeah, I think you know once you uh Once you get a taste of it and you really Experience what it's like to to be able to Work in that environment and enjoy it and it's it's a challenge too I mean, you know, it's not It's not always easy. Sometimes the scenes don't require a whole lot of effort You don't have to memorize a whole lot of lines or whatever but um I loved The work loved it and I don't know that I've ever had a job that I've enjoyed that much Again, I think a lot of that had to do with the people I was surrounded by um, but I really did I really enjoyed it and I would love to do it again. Um I think that you know Circumstances are very different now for me than they were when I moved to la. I was single. I mean that girlfriend that I told you about She and I broke up I mean that was like My college girlfriend and and it wasn't like we were ever going to get married. It's When I moved to la I was single I had no one to worry about but myself um, and so now, you know, I I've got a wife and I've got kids. We got a house and pets and it's uh, you know, a lot of times I guess if you if you book an acting role, it's It's good financially a lot of times but During The production of whatever it is that you book I would be gone I would not be part of what we have around here and and that would be hard on me and it would be hard on my wife and kids and If something comes up that I really can't turn down, of course, I won't but I'm not actively searching Right now for for acting work. I'm not trying to find auditions and It's just not my it's not my focus right now. So Let's see what happens in the future All right, that's pretty understandable. I I get it um Yeah, so uh like between la and new york Did you live in new york when you were doing reddit too or you were just flying back and forth between uh, indian and and new york, it was new york city, right? Yeah, well, yes, uh part of it was in manhattan. There was uh What their big studio is in long island? So When when I was going back and forth I would stay in long island sometimes I would stay in a hotel Sometimes I would stay They had an apartment rented um And if nobody else was using it like no execs or no, you know Sometimes they would have me in the apartment, which is always awesome because I would be there for three weeks at a time um, and you know things like doing your laundry and instead of eating, uh Fast food or going to a restaurant whether it be in the hotel or down the road or whatever every night you could actually Cook Something yet a kitchen it was a full apartment furnished and you had a fridge and you you know It was always better to stay in the apartment. I actually stayed there the majority of the time I was very fortunate, but I didn't live it wasn't my apartment Uh, so I can't say that I actually had an address in new york, but for For at least two years straight of the production of reddit too I was in new york more than I was home in indiana. So Uh, yeah, I feel like I know That and that I will say too that was in long island. I was out there For that part when I went in and worked in manhattan They have a sound booth in manhattan and so I would go out there When I would go out there to do just the stuff in the sound booth I'd go out there for maybe three or four days at a time And uh, I it was awesome. I loved I loved being there. Um, I don't know that I could ever live in manhattan. It's just Non-stop. Have you been there? Yeah, I go there pretty frequently. I go I visit the museums every every year and it's just so busy Yeah, I mean, it's definitely you feel the energy of all of that, you know, all the people moving around and Everything going on it just never stops and I like that for the time that I'm there But then when I come back To my tiny little town in indiana in the middle of nowhere Can really tell like oh, I feel I feel so much more relaxed here. Yeah So I think it's great. I think everyone should go to new york check it out But I don't know that I would ever want to live in manhattan. That may not be my speed I don't think yeah, it's quite a busy place and everything So, um, uh, how was your interactions with like your fans and everything like how's how's that? How's that being over the years? Could you like uh, maybe tell me a little bit about that? My goodness, man. It's it's been So awesome. I mean you see all this artwork behind me. This is all Stuff that's been given to me By people that I've met at conventions who love the game the series Um It is fascinating. I I think In fact, I've got something going on now that's new, uh, but I'm really excited about it I think that there are so many people that I have met Who are fans of red dead redemption who are so talented and so cool I'm trying now to help kind of highlight some of these people. I'm going to do instagram lives And I'm going to link up with these people and we're going to talk about what it is that they do And what motivates them and what it takes to do what they do whether it be drawing or singing or whatever it is that they're into and uh, I'm really excited about that because I'm the lucky one that that booked a role in a video game that was hugely successful and so I meet all these people and They're all excited to to come say hello and share stories about their experience with red dead Not only just their own personal experience, but when they've Played it and their family has seen it and because it's so pretty they all stood around and watched and then Eventually they all be on the couch together and it was a moment where they could all bond And hang out where maybe before they didn't They didn't find reasons to all sit in the same room and hang out This made it possible so they could all enjoy each other and have A common interest to be excited about that's awesome Uh all the people that have told me that they've made friends playing red dead online And and maybe you know, I meet them at a convention or something and they come up to me together and say We just met today. We've known each other for Five years, but today we actually met in person for the first time and now we're meeting you and I think my goodness. This is so cool I'm really I'm really blown away by a lot of it and it's something that you know when you're In the middle of making a video game about cowboys Doing the stuff that these cowboys are doing in this game. You never I don't think it ever crosses your mind that you're going to have people that have such Really heartwarming stories To share with you because of the work that you were part of and and it's really really awesome And and like I said too, it's it's been really awesome to meet so many people who have shared their talents With me and now I'm gonna I'm gonna try and help share their talents with My fan base is bigger. My following is bigger because it's not my fan base. It's red dead redemption's fan base, but I'm gonna try and and Spread these people out and let them Get some exposure if I you know if I can hopefully that's my goal anyway That's cool. So it's on instagram. You're gonna be doing this. So you do a little bit social media stuff on this side a little bit Yeah, yeah, and uh, I did I did uh instagram lives a couple years ago a couple summers ago when I built our chicken coop we've got five chickens out there and I thought this will be this will be fun. We'll get people involved. We'll uh Build this thing and I can I can every now and then go on and click on somebody's name Just completely random people And and talk to them see what they got going on that day whatever and it's amazing Some of the people that I've met that of course I I never knew who they were I had no idea and it's not even like You know if it's a guy or a girl that's going to pick up most of the time because people don't use typically their their real name it's some kind of a Nickname that they've given themselves or whatever is their username whatever so it was just completely random and uh It's some of the stories that I heard and and interactions I had it was just a really cool experience I enjoyed that so much that factors into what i'm doing now too and in fact i'm doing one Excuse me the next Guest if I can say that that i'm that i'm linking up with Is someone that I met The first time I met her I happened to click on her when I was doing an Excuse me doing an instagram live building the chicken coop And we've become actual friends at this point and so um You just never know you just never know what's going to happen with these things, but That's what i'm trying to do now. I'm trying to Uh, make people aware, you know, there are some really cool Really talented people out there And i'm fortunate enough To know them, but I want everybody else to know them too for for everyone's sake. I think it's I think it's gonna be cool That sounds really cool. Yeah, it sounds uh, it sounds like you have a really good relationship with your fans Like uh, you know, it sounds like uh, you know, you talk to them and they appreciate the time you give them and Seems a really good overall for most part. Yeah Yeah, I really enjoy it. Yeah, thank you. Yeah, so um, you know, you don't really change your voice that much for when you're playing John It's kind of like just your normal voice, right? So like when you're in public and you're just talking to like the cashier Does anybody ever doesn't recognize you like hear you and be like, oh my gosh, it's you like does that ever happen to you? You know what now, I mean I so I live in a I live in a really small town Then I grew up in so I think most of the people around here. We all know each other anyway, right? And it's fun, you know, I'll run into people That that I grew up with who have kids now who are playing red dead and they'll say hey listen to him Do you recognize who that is? And I'll say hey, how are you and they'll kind of look at me and be like and then and then I'll say, uh My name is John Marston and then they're like, oh Oh my goodness, and and then their mom or dad or What's the guy, you know, so that's fun, you know, but um For the most part, I think there was one guy I don't even remember where I was but I was somewhere for a convention And we stopped into a gas station On the way to the hotel I think Peter might have been in this car with me. I can't remember who it was but This cashier then recognized both of us Because he had bought tickets. He was going to the convention. He knew that we were going to be there. He was a he was a con guy He was like I love conventions and I'm going to be there, but I can't believe you guys are here We're like, yeah, right on I'd never really gone anywhere Um outside of of that and had somebody say You're the guy that played john. I don't think that's never actually happened. So that's surprising. Yeah So, uh, so so this is your you're in your chicken coop right now This is this was actually like literally a chicken coop that you turn into like you're kind of you're kind of like your man cave sort of right Yes, so my wife But I don't even know how long ago it was But I'd say we've lived in this house for like eight years or so when we first moved here though She wanted to get chickens and I thought She also wanted to get cows and goats and all kinds of things she grew up in la so She lived in and very beautiful homes. She was fortunate When she lived in la, but she never had a yard as big as ours And so she thinks now that it's not even that big. It's not even honestly that big especially for this area Most people have way more property than we do but she feels like Because our yard is so big. We need to have animals We need to have cows and goats and pigs and all of it And I thought ah We don't know anything about that. We're not farmers Just We don't know how to take care of them. We don't have we can't do all that what she said I know about chickens. I have had chickens before I want chickens and I thought okay. I can't I can't really Argue with that and I thought I'm not going to learn anything about them and you're going to take care of them I just need to build the structure and she said yes So where I'm currently sitting Is the first chicken coop that we bought? Or used built it's chickens were at one point This was their home. There were 13 of them and we Quickly realized that for a family of four If you just want chickens for yourself, you don't need 13 hens They in the summertime when they're getting sunlight In they're warm and all that's however that works my wife should be the one explaining this but They lay an egg each chicken lays an egg every day so There's too many for four people So we started giving them away Then the people that we were giving them away to Would say I'm sorry. We've got too many still, you know, so Luckily we found someone Who wanted chickens And wanted all of them And I think because we were so overwhelmed by our experience. We said yes, please take them all and so my wife Get got all these chickens to this other person and that other person really enjoyed them and did whatever they did with them I don't know but um We didn't have chickens for for three or four years and I needed a space To to do social media stuff or interviews or whatever We really didn't have one. So I said, I'm gonna turn that chicken coop into something. I have I gotta have a space and so I ended up it took forever to get the smell out. Oh my goodness. They gosh chicken stink. They smell so bad uh now It doesn't smell in here at all. I promise you it smells great, but Painted it and painted it. I probably have 15 coats of paint on the inside of this place just to cover up everything. Um But since Since we've had this In place taylor said she wanted chickens again not 13 This time but five okay, so built another coop I'm probably the only person in the world that has two chicken coops one for actual chickens and one for myself But that's that's our setup. That's what we got That's cool Yeah, yeah, it's an interesting story for sure Yeah, yeah All right, so yeah, it's pretty cool that you have those those little space. So um, I'm trying to think of what else to talk about Uh, do you do you like westerns like do you like western films? I do I I do enjoy them Uh now way more than I than I did before of course, but I will say Probably my favorite movie honestly of all time the one that I've watched the most was um Tombstone I loved it. I loved that movie and that was way before I had Any idea I hadn't even thought about moving to la to try and be an actor at that point But I really really enjoyed that movie. It's coincidental. I guess that I ended up booking a role As a character in a video game about cowboys But I I knew that you know, I love that movie. I loved, um Wyatt Earp, I thought was great. I mean, it's basically the same story, but I thought it was really cool I like 310 to Yuma, but I didn't know much about spaghetti westerns. I I didn't know much That I just never got into those movies. So, um I learned about them though Really through roger clark who played arthur morgan and red dead two I I got a really good education by him On spaghetti westerns because it's something that he's always enjoyed and he would Sit down and show me on his computer like just check out this scene. You got to watch this and It was really it was really awesome. So There were some movies that I I got to watch in its entirety because of roger from scenes that he showed me but Yeah, it's it's interesting a lot of this stuff that we did too and both red dead and red dead two Paid tribute to a lot of those old western movies and I and I think that's cool I I guess at the time I didn't realize A lot of it what we were doing was was doing that but, um There's no doubt when you watch the game if you know those old westerns you say, oh, this is They've taken this from whatever, you know And so it's fun Yeah, they're they're really similar to those spaghetti westerns because they're pretty it's pretty violent and kind of kind of little, uh Uh gruesome. So I think that's kind of what they what they got out of it too a little bit of that Um, uh, so so he's a big movie buff, uh roger clark then and he kind of Showed you a little bit of uh, its favorite movies. I guess Yeah, yeah He's he's definitely a western buff for sure. Yeah And I I think yeah, he enjoys all movies. That's roger is still very active and Still working. He's just won a a film festival for His short film that just came out and I can't remember the title of it. I hate to say that um But he's he's still working. He's working on uh Some good stuff. So be excited about roger. Yeah, yeah, definitely. That's pretty cool. So yeah, yeah So like um, if if they were like to make a red dead three What do you think like the the setting would be because there's a lot of people like always talking about that And they're always like wondering where the where the story's gonna go next. Do you have any like ideas about that at all or Oh my goodness. I I I love to talk about it I mean, I think now too because So many characters in red dead redemption two were so well developed You could go in so many different directions now. Um I guess I guess the crazy thing about the the time right they they said that that was kind of the end of an era, right red dead Was kind of the end of that wild west era So if you went past that time and It would be almost like you'd see a whole lot more cars and you'd see, you know It would be more much way more modern now and it wouldn't be so much of a western game anymore It would kind of change into a different genre. I would assume Who kind of have to you? Or maybe i'm wrong. I don't know but I think that if they did another prequel Be really really cool to learn more about black water to see what happened there. It would be uh It would be interesting to know dutch Before he met mica it would be interesting. You know what I mean? It's uh For me, it's like how how did dutch and hosea too, but how did dutch? find a way to make that many people believe in him and trust him and Want to follow him and stay with him How did he do that because he's not someone that you think like when you see him? Now like I wouldn't follow that guy anywhere. Yeah, it's crazy Right, but he did one point They all did and and so it'd be interesting to see that side uh, but also you've got Sadie adler uh, who is still Alive right at the end of red dead two um charles smith You got piercin. I mean, you know what I mean? It's like, uh, there's a whole lot of things that They didn't exist in red dead redemption but they could have And they could they could definitely have all kinds of different possibilities there So, I don't know. I don't know. Um One thing that kind of I don't know just selfishly I I would like to think that they would do Something that would be at least Where it would make sense that john would be old not old but as old as he possibly could be and Maybe wouldn't be in the game for much of it But I'd love to be able to work with rock star again. I'm afraid if they do a prequel again John may be in it But he'd be so young I'm 46 years old. I don't sound like i'm 15 I don't move like i'm 15 It would probably be Someone else who would be cast to play john and if they did that then of course I would be supportive As as supportive as anybody could possibly be But selfishly I want to be involved in it too I understand that yeah So so you you'd like to be in red at three like in some kind of way maybe like a flashback or anything right whatever they can do Whatever yeah, whatever they can do of course. I mean It's I say that the cast, you know like the cast We are actual friends But I think that Because we worked so long with the people at rock star That we're friends too. I mean if we got back together it would be Just how it is when anybody gets back together with an old friend they haven't spoken to in five years You pick up right where you left off You really enjoy the time that you have together and it's It would be it would be really awesome. I don't interact with rock star on a regular basis because I know how busy they are it would be It would be kind of it would be selfish I would say for me to reach out to them all the time. We're like, hey, how you doing? What's going on? You having a good day? Whatever like would just be like I know better. I know how busy they are. I know they're focused and I would I would be a distraction that that I don't want to be but It would be great to be back with those friends too, you know So that that would be a big part of why I would enjoy it so much Yeah, it sounds it sounds like it would be it would be fun to do it again You know as long as it's like not going to take out too much time because I think uh, it took a long time to Film the second one right it took like a how many years, uh, would you say? I I think uh, believe it or not. I think the guy that played michael bell worked The longest right roger clark who played arthur morgan obviously he worked more hour like more days in between But peter bloomquist. I think was the first person That did any kind of work on red dead redemption too. I'm not even sure why And then he worked until almost the very end And then all his stuff was finished But roger of course He's fit the most days there But yeah, it does it takes time It took uh, peter. I think five years it took me I might have been there for four From the very first day that I worked Until the very last day of course. I wasn't there every day Like I said, I'd be there for three weeks at a time um but sometimes I'd be there for For three weeks and then I wouldn't go back for six weeks You know for a while. It was three weeks there two weeks home three weeks there two weeks home That that went on for two solid years of it, but Yeah Uh, it does it takes time But I wouldn't I would find a way to make it work. I mean if If they were doing it in new york, then my family and I we would all move to new york probably That's probably what happened For the for the amount of time that it would take. Yeah, I think we would and I think my wife She knows how much I love it. She's so supportive when it comes to this kind of thing She she'd probably be into it too. She loves manhattan too. She would move to manhattan I wouldn't but she she'd be happy to be close Okay, it's good to see that. Uh, she supports uh, she supports her what you want to do and everything So that's nice to hear Yeah, yeah Really cool All right, um, so uh, who's your favorite character in the whole series? Like who would you say your favorite character? Oh my gosh That's so hard to say I I've really No, my goodness. I don't think I can pick. I don't I really don't think I can pick I'm so sorry to just say that but I want to tell you It's really difficult to choose someone when When he knows them You actually know the person that played the role. Yeah, it's true It's really difficult. I mean I Can't pick them all because that's not what you asked me But I don't think that I could pick anyone specific either. I'm so sorry. It's fine That's a good answer. Actually. Yeah, because it's like it's kind of a surreal one when you like know everybody You know all the characters, but personally Yeah All right, so I'm trying to think of what else we could talk about um All right, am I taking up too much of your time because I know we've been doing this for about an hour now Yeah, uh No, I mean if you got one more maybe or or if all right Just one more thing uh to to close off Is there anything you wanted to say to people who want to get into acting and maybe were inspired by your role Your roles over the years and they want to get into acting do you have any like awards of encouragement or advice for those kinds of people? That'll be last one um Well, I I think I think that what you have to do is um No matter what no matter what um You are being asked to do Don't ever I mean you're going to be outside of your comfort zone In a lot of different cases for a lot of different reasons and you have to be willing to do that and uh But Don't do anything Don't do anything that you that you know that you're going to look back on and really regret. Don't Don't go against your morals To get a job. Don't don't I would say that more than anything is is something that I would want people to really think about because like me I've I promise you I got thrown into this By luck. I mean I just I don't belong I don't belong In the situation I'm in I I didn't do it the way that I don't even know how you're supposed to do it I wish I did if I did I would tell everyone and just say just do this And you got it But I don't know what that is. I got very lucky and I'm aware of that But I I wish that I had more information. I just think it's important I I did have some people say hey if you'll do this Then we can you know we can make this happen and I thought As much as I would like to experience the opportunity that you're talking about me being part of I it's not worth it to me to Do some of these things that you're being asked to do and I and I and I just want everybody to have the uh Confidence to say no, I'm not doing that Because if you're if you're in a position where someone's saying that to you other opportunities are going to come So you don't have to uh go against your morals or anything like that, but otherwise Uh, I guess the likelihood of You being at a restaurant or out in public somewhere and some famous Well-established director comes Near you The likelihood of that director saying hey You know what I'm I'm making a movie and I want you to be the star of it. Are you an actor? Do you have interest in it that that doesn't happen? That's never going to happen. You have to put yourself out there You have to look for work And when you get an opportunity you have to you have to do your best and enjoy it and uh Just go for it go for it Don't expect it to come to you Go for it. I guess that's the best advice I can give It's good advice. I I appreciate that and I am sure many people will appreciate hearing that as well So, yeah, I uh, I just want to thank you for giving me all the time to talk about your career and what you've been up to and everything I really appreciate it being able to talk to you. Um I think we had a good talk about a lot of different subjects, um And I guess we'll uh, we'll probably be closing off this so Uh, I'll plug your socials and everything, you know, so people can follow you on instagram and see what you're doing and all that And uh, yeah So, uh, I hope everyone enjoyed this talk ahead with rob. Uh, I hope you guys, uh, enjoyed hearing from him and uh, I'll see you guys next time