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Jordan Firstman knows that he and Whitney Houston have two things in common. "We believe that the children are our future. And we do... other things."
The writer, director, and star of A24's Club Kid stopped by the Rolling Stone Studio to talk about his mondo-buzzy directorial debut, about a NYC club promoter who discovers he has a 10-year-old son. He soon bonds with the kid, and finds his inner dad while giving up his hard-partying ways and fighting to become the boy's guardian. "It's like Kramer vs. Ketamine," Firstman says.
The triple threat also talks LGBTQ+ club lingo, his role on I Love LA, what actor besides Laura Dern he wants to write a song for, and a lot more.
The writer, director, and star of A24's Club Kid stopped by the Rolling Stone Studio to talk about his mondo-buzzy directorial debut, about a NYC club promoter who discovers he has a 10-year-old son. He soon bonds with the kid, and finds his inner dad while giving up his hard-partying ways and fighting to become the boy's guardian. "It's like Kramer vs. Ketamine," Firstman says.
The triple threat also talks LGBTQ+ club lingo, his role on I Love LA, what actor besides Laura Dern he wants to write a song for, and a lot more.
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00:00I've I've seen 90 year olds at Berghain. I have. Really? Yeah. Do you think I could get into Basement?
00:05Yeah, you definitely definitely. Okay, great. You have like the bear look like I think you could do it.
00:11I've been cultivating it over several decades. Unwillingly.
00:18Hi, welcome to Rolling Stone Studio. My name is David Feer.
00:21I'm a senior editor and film critic here.
00:23So if you had told me last May that the biggest movie at Cannes would be a three-hour
00:28documentary about Lithuanian shepherds or a somber black-and-white drama about a 1950s housewife
00:34that had to make a choice, I'd be like, yeah, that tracks. Sure. But if you had told me that
00:39an
00:39American independent movie about a gay club promoter who suddenly realizes he's a dad and has to kind
00:44of step up to the job would be the hottest ticket at the festival, I would have thought that you
00:50were
00:51high on club drugs. But I did not take into account that writer, director, part-time male model,
00:58general, overall Orson Welles of the, of 2026.
01:03Jordan Firstman was the guy responsible for this. And when you see Club Kid, you will realize why this
01:09thing absolutely blew up at the festival. It is absolutely wonderful. I've been calling it Kramer
01:14versus Kramer meets Ketamine.
01:15I like that. You're right.
01:17Kramer versus Ketamine.
01:18Kramer versus Ketamine. It's even better. Please welcome to the studio, Jordan Firstman.
01:22Thank you. Great intro.
01:24Oh, thank you so much.
01:25So part of this comes from you going through a breakup. Part of it comes from you hanging out
01:30with a bunch of kids, just kind of through friends and stuff.
01:33Not a bunch. Not a bunch.
01:35A healthy amount of kids.
01:36A healthy amount. A normal amount of kids.
01:38We're not trying to start a scandal here.
01:40No, no.
01:41So walk me through how this film comes together.
01:43The first spark kind of came from, yeah, I was at a dinner party with, with my friend's
01:49kids and I was saying a bunch of inappropriate stuff around the kid and everyone was laughing
01:53and I was like, oh, there, this, there's something here. And then, yeah, I had a boyfriend in
01:58Berlin and so I was spending like all my summers in Berlin mostly. And yeah, just, you know, being
02:05a little excessive in, in my, uh, intake of excessive, doing a lot of drugs, my friend.
02:12Yeah. Yeah. A lot of different letters, a lot of different numbers. It's funny. Actually,
02:17there's this, like, there's this one, like really, uh, like kind of iconic party person.
02:22And I saw him at a party and he's like, he's like, um, I'm sober now. And I was like,
02:27oh,
02:28you are? And he goes, yeah, I'm just doing letters, no numbers.
02:32Because like right now, like the, the three MMCs and the four MMCs, these are these kind
02:36of new designery drugs. I guess they, they've been there for a while. They used to be called
02:41MCAT, but they're turned into a PSA. I know, I know. But, uh, yeah, I was doing a lot of
02:46drugs in Berlin and, uh, having a great time, but, you know, found, found it was kind of
02:53taking away from some of my ambitions and goals and, and a very, like, very, uh, slight
03:00way. It's like, you know, when you lose your Mondays and Tuesdays, you only really have
03:04Wednesdays and then Thursday, the party starts again. So it's really, you're, you're getting
03:09one day of the week to get that work done. And so, uh, you don't get as much done. And
03:14so, yeah, I was just, I had a lot to, you know, say about the things going on around me
03:20and myself and, you know, I would also be coming down and feeling like shit about myself.
03:25And so, yeah, when it clicked for me that this story about me and a kid can, could be
03:30combined with the story about staying too long at the party and also just growing up
03:35and like, I call it a delayed coming of age film. So yeah, I think it all kind of just
03:40like clicked together one day.
03:42So much of this depends on the rapport between you and Reggie Absalom, who plays the kid.
03:48How did you find this kid? He's so fucking amazing.
03:50He's, he really is incredible. Like, I really feel like God sent him to me because it wasn't,
03:57I wish I had a story of like, we searched for years, but like he was in my, the first
04:02round of audition tapes that I got. And, uh, you know, we had, uh, our main casting director,
04:08Carmen Cuba, who did our, our, you know, our main cast, amazing casting director. And then
04:13we had a woman named Lucy Bevins in the UK who had just cast the Harry Potter series.
04:18So she had seen like 40,000 kids. And so she just sent me a bunch of her favorites and
04:25I saw Reggie's face. And it really was like, I, I was like, that is who I've been writing.
04:31Like, that's the face. That is the face that was in my head. And I would just remember like
04:35seeing the thumbnail and like not clicking it and just like praying, like, please be able
04:39to act, please be able to act. And then I clicked it and he just gave such a natural
04:46performance, like zero pushing. And like, I don't know, I was just like, wow, okay. Like
04:50there he is. And then, you know, I went and met like six kids, but I always knew it was
04:55Reggie.
04:56It always gave Reggie. Um, and giving very Reggie, he's giving very Reggie and I met him,
05:02he was just cool. And I, you know, I wrote the movie to a playlist. And so I sent all
05:07the kids
05:08a playlist before I met them and to see kind of like gauge their taste.
05:12What was on the playlist? Just out of curiosity.
05:14I mean, yeah, it was a lot of stuff that's in the movie. It was a lot of like Arthur
05:17Russell.
05:18It was a lot of cocktail twins. It was a lot of Elliot Smith, some Fiona Apple in there,
05:23some Alex G, uh, Pinback. Like, I think it was like songs that made me feel something.
05:32And like, I knew, I knew this, this story had to, I wanted it to be emotional. I wanted it
05:38to be
05:38earnest and I wanted to wear my heart on its sleeve. And music is the easiest way for me to
05:43emotionally tap in. And so I just chose songs that moved me. And, uh, yeah, I, I, Reggie was like,
05:51like, Oh yeah, I really love massive attack. And like Arthur Russell, I was like, okay,
05:54this kid's cool. Wait, this kid already knew who Arthur Russell was?
05:57I sent them the playlist I wrote the movie to and asked them to pick their favorites. That was
06:01my gauge of like, who's, who I'm going to connect with.
06:04I thought he was already like deep in the club scene. He's like, yo, where's this Klaus Nomi?
06:07How come Klaus Nomi's not right here?
06:09Yeah. Yeah. He, but no, now, I mean, he's, it's, it's so cute. Like how this, this stage of
06:15development for a kid, because you know, when he got to set, he was, he was like vibing with
06:21Metallica and Slipknot. Like he was in that era of his life and then, yeah, yeah, yeah.
06:27Yeah. You like the hard stuff I say in the movie. That was like kind of, yeah,
06:30it was just based on him. But, um, now all he listens to is like cocktail twins and massive
06:34attack. Oh my God. It's so cute. You're the, the, I've been told the children are our future.
06:39Yes. Jordan. Yes. You turning them into like little shoegaze fanatics.
06:42Me and Whitney had two things in common. We believe that children are our future and we
06:47do other things. Sure. Sure. At least two things in common. I'm glad you brought up the tone
06:53because, um, I sort of discovered you through your impressions on Instagram and there's this
06:58really great impression that you did where I think it's called someone being seen and accepted
07:03for the first time. Oh wow. That's such a deep cut. Thank you. You watch it and you see how
07:12beautiful
07:12and sincere this person who feels like he's being seen for the first time is and you tear up and
07:18then,
07:18and I hate to spoil this for anybody who hasn't seen it. I spoiled the 30 second impression. Exactly.
07:23Uh, but it ends with you being like, fuck off. You don't know me. You don't know who I am.
07:26Immediately start pushing them. And then you're laughing and then you feel kind of, you're like,
07:30why do I feel so moved at this 30 second impression? Oh, because I don't feel like I'm
07:34personally seen and accepted. And the reason I bring this up is that it's easy to kind of do that
07:39over 30 seconds, but to try and sustain that for like a 90 minute movie, like that's a whole other
07:44kettle of fish. Yeah. So talk about finding the tone and being able to kind of
07:48keep it through so that it's poignant, but it's not sentimental. It's funny, but it's not like a
07:53straight up comedy. Yeah. That was, it was a really hard line to walk. And I think, thank God
07:59for the edit and thank God for editing scripts because you know, it, it did, there were,
08:06there were moments where I thought it would kind of feel less saccharine. And then I watched it back
08:11and I was like, this is just too corny and we cut it. And there were moments that, uh, felt
08:17too,
08:18too funny or too cynical. And I'm like, okay, we got to make them more corny. So I kind of
08:23liked that
08:24the movie, you know, I have a scene in the movie where I, I tell the kid, like, I've, I've
08:29been
08:29trying to be cool my whole life. And like, I feel like I got there, but like, you're just like,
08:34you're cool. You're so naturally cool. And that scene, when I wrote that scene, I was like, Oh,
08:38wow. Am I really going to like say this out loud? Cause it's like, that's like the number one rule.
08:43You can't really say it. You can write it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But, but I think now I'm feeling
08:50like it's like cool to me right now is, is wearing your heart on your sleeve and is being earnest
08:58and
08:59like being, being positive and like having, having hope. And I feel like that's so not in
09:04vogue in the culture right now, but I do think it's like what we need so badly. And so, yeah,
09:11I wanted to be unafraid to like show, show that side of myself, show that I like believe in love
09:17and I believe in change and I believe in hope and not be scared that it's like not cool.
09:23If anybody here who's watching this has seen rotting in the sun, the Sebastian Silva movie,
09:28which you show up in playing Jordan first. Yeah. Very, very, very hard air quotes.
09:34Exactly. Um, it is, it is basically like the worst, most toxic version of yourself. And I'd heard that
09:41when you were going into this to like put this film together, you wanted to do something that
09:46was like a little bit softer and that when you started writing, it was a little kind of cynical
09:50about the New York club scene and that you're like started to become more empathetic as your writing
09:56went on. Talk about the evolution of this story. I think when I started writing it, yeah, I was,
10:01well, when I was feeling guilty about doing too many drugs, like you do when you do too many drugs,
10:07there is the, the, these spirals of just like self hatred and it's so real and, and you, you know,
10:14it's going to pass, but it doesn't make it go faster. It's like, I know it's Monday. Like I know,
10:20I know what I'm feeling right now is a drunk drug come down, but then you convince yourself like,
10:25no, this is not, this is real and I'm horrible. And, but, and it just is what it is. And
10:31so,
10:31you know, I already, I, I was feeling that. And then, you know, I think there are some real
10:37issues happening with drug use and, and my community. And so I want to talk about that and,
10:44you know, also, but also just talk about just the reality in some, and, and, and just what I was
10:50seeing in the scene. But then, you know, once I started shooting in New York and I cast the friend
10:54group who are just like these amazing human beings that like, I just love so much. And the people
11:02started showing up from the scene. Like we had, we, all of our extras are real party kids in New
11:07York.
11:07And so seeing, seeing them like come together to make something creative. Like I was just reminded
11:14how much, how much like love and, and camaraderie and attention and creativity is, is built in our
11:23scene. And like the years and, and generations that have gotten us here that like, that we are,
11:29you know, we have that inside of us and like, we do show up for each other and it's real,
11:35it's so,
11:36so undeniably beautiful. And like, you know, our, our scene where we have contradictions and we have,
11:44our, our scene is filled with complicated emotions and traumas and, and, and bad behaviors and risky
11:52behaviors. But it's also just filled with so much connection and, and beauty and, and community that
12:00I don't know. I think, I think just being there and seeing the faces, I was just like, how could
12:04I ever
12:07make something cynical about what I'm looking at right now? Yeah. One of the things I really love
12:11about the movie, I mean, first off, I'm 97 years old, so I'm not hitting the clubs anymore. Right.
12:15I had to slow down. There is, I've, I've seen 90 year olds at Burkheim. I have. Really? Yeah.
12:19And they're, you think I could get into basement? Yeah, you definitely, definitely. Okay, great.
12:24You have like the, the bear look, like I think you can do it. I've been cultivating it for several
12:28decades. Yeah. Unwillingly, but apparently, you know, you know what? I own it now. I'll take the zaddy.
12:33Yeah. When you're seeing this kind of portrait of a community and really feeling like it's an
12:38authentic version of this, I mean, there's a part of me that is living vicariously through all of
12:43this. And there's another part of me that's really happy that like mainstream America is going to
12:47know what Condell Jenner, let me make sure I pronounce this correctly or else everyone's going
12:51to get on my ass about it. Condell Jenner at the Ket Gala. Yeah. Got it. Yeah. That's going to
12:57go
12:57mainstream now. Benson Boof. Benson Boof. Sniffony Haddish. Keep it going. Those are all,
13:03those are all the, Lana Del Kay. Um, who else do we have? Uh, Anne Passaway. Um,
13:13there's, there's a whole lit, there's kind of like a shared document in the, in the club scene in New
13:17York with all of these names on it. And I can't take credit for it. It's not my list, but
13:22I have the
13:22list and there's some amazing ones. I cannot wait for my mom to see this. So then she's like,
13:28what's up, Anne Passaway? Yeah. Yeah. You just infiltrated mainstream America. So, uh, talk about
13:34filming in these actual clubs and these actual parties, because there is a sense that like,
13:38you didn't throw a party here. You stepped into a party with cameras and you and Adam, uh, Newport
13:44Barrett, your cinematographer just basically like went for it. Yeah. I mean, I, Adam is such a genius and
13:51he has such an eye for beauty. And, um, yeah, we, we, we knew we were going into these spaces
13:58and it
13:59didn't, what made it feel not anthropological is that this is my scene. Every party we shot at,
14:06I've been to multiple times. So, uh, I think it's like, it's what makes it not feel like,
14:12oh, we're going to like observe this community. Like I was living in it. I was going, I was going
14:18to
14:19party from like group to group and we were shooting it. And I kind of let Adam have free
14:23reign. Like, you know, we, we were very meticulous and very controlled about a lot of the movie and
14:30shot listing and storyboarding, but we, we really gave ourselves freedom at those parties to just
14:34like, it's like a party, anything can happen. And like, we wanted to have that energy and have it
14:40feel really frenetic and immersive and just do a bunch of cool shit and, and see what we got. And
14:47it was exhilarating. It was like, it was scary. It was, it was fun. Like people were like really
14:54partying. Also, we had a 35 millimeter camera there. It felt like we were like doing this like
14:59guerrilla style shooting from the seventies. And like, it just felt cool. It kind of feels like a
15:04seventies movies and a lot. Were you looking at New York seventies movies to kind of like get a feel
15:09and
15:09a sort of a template for it? What were you looking at? It's so funny. I always want to say
15:12my gold star,
15:13but I mean, North star and gold star is a gay guy who hasn't fucked a girl. So I think
15:17I just get my
15:18wires crossed. Yeah. But like my North star has always been Paul Mazursky. I just, I, I love him
15:25so much and he changed my life. Like when I, I, you know, I grew up watching Woody Allen, but
15:31then when
15:31I saw Mazursky, I was like, Oh wait, that's actually my guy. He's able to have this, this, uh, uh,
15:38a critical kind of observational mindset, but with really soft human edges. Yeah. And like,
15:46I, I was like, Oh, he has, he, he's a humanist and he believes in people, but he sees them
15:53for
15:53their humor and their flaws. And like, it's still funny. Who else is going to make an unmarried
15:58woman? No, that's just going to be blooming love or next stop. No, no, no, no, no. Like
16:02no, all of them. Even Tempest is so great. I, but yeah, so unmarried woman was, was our
16:08go-to for this movie. And anytime I didn't know what to do with the camera, I would, I
16:12would rewatch that movie. And I, I just think it has, it has such a humanity, but has such
16:18a grace and elegance in the way that it portrays it. And like, I wanted this movie to feel like
16:25life. Like I just wanted it to, to flow like life and pass, like, you know, I think by the
16:29end of the movie, you're like, Oh, Whoa, I just like lived a lot of years with this person.
16:34I think Mazursky had it, but you know, we were also, we, we had cruising on the mood board,
16:39you know, we had after hours on the mood board, a lot of, a lot of, uh, early Scorsese on
16:44the
16:44mood board, but seventies was like our obviously Kramer versus Kundal. Um, and, uh, but yeah,
16:51the seventies were our main mood board. And then we kind of also had some nineties nineties
16:57in there for like the outside New York stuff. I wanted to like, I grew up in the nineties
17:02and I would come into the city and I just have these memories of walking with my parents
17:06through the city and the colors of the fall. And we shot, you know, we shot in the fall
17:10and randomly like this movie one fine day with Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney.
17:15Oh my God. Yeah.
17:16I like, like reference that a lot for my color palette. Like there's a lot of like, uh, red there's
17:21like the trees are brown and there's a lot of red. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I, I, I've said this before,
17:26but like, I, I want the movie to feel like you're, you're getting a really great hug from someone you
17:33love right before they tell you, you need help. And I think that's what like, we wanted it to feel
17:39like the movie does have a warmth to it and has a comfort to it, but it's about some real
17:43shit.
17:43But you brought up Scorsese. Do you know, I'm assuming now that Charlie XCX is hanging out
17:48with him on a daily basis that she's shown him the film, right?
17:51I would hope so. Charlie, you have a link. Um, I gave you an illegal link, Charlie. Um, no,
17:58I really want, I, I don't think he has seen it, but I would love for him to see it.
18:02I mean, it doesn't surprise me that Charlie XCX is posting about the movie, but since you've
18:06been showing this at all these different festivals, like what kind of fandom has come to you
18:09that has surprised you? I know you brought up Telluride. You said like you saw 76
18:13year old gray haired men, like weeping in the lobby after your screening.
18:17I think that has been the, the biggest surprise is like all, all of the, like just older,
18:25older people and like older legends and like old casting directors or makeup designers. Like,
18:30you know, we have these kind of screening screenings for like Academy members or whatever,
18:36like you do. And, and I don't know, it's, it's shocking how moved, uh, people from such a different
18:43generation are. But then I think I'm like, they were there in the seventies. They were doing Coke.
18:48Like they get like everyone alive now was alive for a version of this scene. So it's another theme
18:57I wanted to talk or something that kind of came to me later in the process of the movie,
19:02but just like, I never thought of my parents as people. And I think they didn't think of me as
19:07a
19:07person. They thought of me as their son. And I thought of them as my parents. And I think it's
19:12the same, same thing as like, I, I was thinking, I think of other generations as this completely
19:17separate thing. But like, once you realize we've all had so many of the same experiences and we do
19:23all age in similar ways, it, it, it is this binding thing that, that you're just like, oh yeah, of
19:32course,
19:32of course we're all, we all understand this.
19:34Yeah. It's a universal situation. It's just the club drugs change.
19:38Exactly. Exactly. Yeah.
19:40Speaking of which there, uh, there's a real theme in this film of knowing when it's time to leave the
19:46party.
19:47Yeah.
19:47Have you figured out when the time to leave the party is for you personally?
19:51Four. Four. It's perfect.
19:54Four a.m.
19:54If you're really partying.
19:55Yeah. Yeah.
19:56Like if you're really partying four before the sun comes up and then you can be up and still go
20:02to
20:02the gym the next day.
20:03I love this. This is, this is content we can use people.
20:06I've heard that the post premier party at con has already taken on this kind of legendary mythology
20:14here. You guys ended up at a yacht in international waters. How, how was that whole experience bringing
20:21it to con?
20:22Yeah, it was, it was amazing for me, for me, the cool, I mean, there was a lot of stuff
20:27that was
20:29amazing about it, but like, I don't know, we made this story that is filled with, with real queer,
20:35queer people from the community and amazing trans women. And so for me, like the most moving part was
20:41seeing them on the red carpet. And it's like, I, yeah, I actually, I always, I always like,
20:48there always is like a slight tear that builds up when I talk about them on the red carpet,
20:53but like, yeah, just like seeing their beauty and like seeing we, there is this moment that felt like
21:00heaven sent where like, we got to the red carpet, all of a sudden, like a warm wind starts blowing.
21:07Everyone's hair is blowing like Beyonce and they start playing Whitney Houston. This, and we just,
21:12it stops and there's like, share my life, take me forward. And like, we get on the red carpet and
21:18it's like, it's the most magical moment ever. And like seeing everyone like, yeah, just seeing like
21:24the, the like queer people, like be able to shine like that. And like on that stage and like in
21:30front
21:31of the whole world, it was just like, yeah, we don't get these opportunities much. And yeah,
21:37it was just really, it was cool to see.
21:39No, it sounds incredibly moving. You had said that, uh, this actually happened at the right
21:44moment for you, that even if you'd had this kind of attention, the film had gotten this kind of
21:48attention and success a little bit earlier that you might not have been ready for it. Do you feel
21:53like you were, you had finally kind of stepped into a place where when you were getting all this love
21:58and adulation and, and validation, I'm guessing as an artist that you were able to kind of accept
22:03it and really like wear that mantle? I think definitely more than five years ago, more than
22:1010 years ago, it still is like, feels overwhelming sometimes to like, it just, it just feels like
22:17more pressure. Um, like Miley said, too much pressure and I'm nervous. Yeah. Yeah. That's what we
22:25just need the Jay-Z song to come on. And I throw my hair back. Wait, I didn't throw my
22:30hands out.
22:31Yeah. Then you just got to throw your hands up playing your song. Yeah. Um, but yeah, I think,
22:37I think I'm definitely, I, this movie, the process of making it has matured me. I do feel like a
22:44father
22:45in some ways to my cast. Like I feel like a father figure to Reggie in some ways, like I'm
22:50really
22:50protective of him. Like I want to make sure he's like, you know, not overworked and all of this and
22:57like, and like still being a kid and still having fun and he likes to do, wants to do it.
23:02And you know,
23:03same with my cast. Like I just want to make sure they're taken care of. And so I feel like
23:08I have
23:08stepped up in, in a lot of ways. I've stepped up for myself. I feel more responsible. I go home
23:14at 4am.
23:15I party once every three to four months now. Like that's my responsible party. Yeah. It's
23:20and now I can have fun at the party. Like I could actually go and cause when you're doing it
23:25every
23:25weekend, you know, at, it's just a weekend and it just, you just feel bad about it. You're like,
23:31I shouldn't have done that. Even like I, I, uh, I slipped up a bit at our London premiere and
23:37you
23:37know, it's also when you make a movie like this at the after parties, people are handing you drugs all
23:43the time. And so, you know, in London, I was like, I can't, I have press tomorrow. I can't do
23:48it.
23:49Ended up doing it felt like Peter on the way home. Like I felt really guilty about myself. I'm like,
23:54Jesus, I like not an adult. Like I, I don't know. That's the thing about like growth. It's like,
23:58you feel like you're on the right track and then you fumble and then you, but then I felt,
24:02I felt like actually, like I got this, like this, like gift from God because I had to wake up
24:06in like
24:07four hours for press and I woke up and I was like totally fine. And I was like, okay,
24:12this is my pass. This is my pass and I can't do it again. And I'm not going to,
24:17and I haven't done it since. And I won't do it for the rest of this run.
24:20I feel like I have to give you a congratulations.
24:23Yeah.
24:23Yeah.
24:23I survived. I made it through.
24:25I can actually do this now.
24:27Yeah.
24:27I would be remiss if I did not bring up the Laura Dern song.
24:31Yeah.
24:31It is, it is still iconic.
24:33I mean, it's Rolling Stones.
24:34It's Rolling Stones, right. You're not normally that big on music,
24:37but I have to bring up the Laura Dern song.
24:45So obviously it was a big hit. You wrote it for the Independent Spirit Awards.
24:48She seemed to just love it.
24:49Well, can you imagine that happened to you?
24:52Like all this, you're sitting at somebody who writes songs for people right here.
24:57Yeah.
24:57So I can maybe imagine it happening.
24:59Yeah, I mean like a gay man's choir chanting your name,
25:02like in front of a room full of your industry peers.
25:06Like it is the best thing.
25:07Can we make this happen?
25:08No, I mean it's the best thing that could ever happen.
25:10So here's my question.
25:11If you had to write one of those songs,
25:13if you had the opportunity to write one of those songs for another actor,
25:17who would it be?
25:18I mean right now it's got to be Julianne.
25:22Yeah, Julianne Moore.
25:23Yeah, yeah.
25:24Like I just think she's the best in everything she does and she just stays so classy
25:32and I've gotten to like meet her through the festival circuit this year
25:35and she's just so nice, so warm, so always smiling, always has a good attitude.
25:42It's not easy to do these tours and she's just so fucking talented.
25:48She's so fucking talented.
25:49Yeah.
25:49Yeah, no, she deserves a song.
25:51You need to make that happen.
25:51Yeah, I'm going to make her a song.
25:53Did I hear that season two of I Love LA just wrapped?
25:57Yeah, we just wrapped.
25:58So what can you tell us about it without Rachel Sinnott hiring a sniper to take both of us out?
26:03I think it's just like more shenanigans.
26:07It's very shenanigan-y.
26:10It feels sillier in a lot of ways,
26:13but also I think hopefully more dropped in and dialed into our characters.
26:17And, you know, Rachel knows how to write for us better now
26:22just because we've been together for a couple years now.
26:25And so it just felt really locked in.
26:28It was like we got there day one and we were like we knew how to be funny
26:32and we knew how to do it and there was no insecurity.
26:34And so I think it'll feel like more confident.
26:37Is Charlie a way for you to express certain feelings you might have about LA?
26:41Because he really is a great LA archetype in a lot of ways.
26:45Even though he's, you know, slightly over the top, but not by much.
26:48Yeah, I think it's like I think he's a way for me to express my ambition
26:55in a way that other characters I've played haven't been able to.
26:59Oh, interesting.
27:00Because he's a very ambitious person and he knows how to get what he wants,
27:04but kind of life always ends up humbling him.
27:07I think that's the biggest like overlap with my life.
27:10I feel like if I go too far, life ends up really humbling me
27:16and it's happened countless times.
27:19Yeah, that's where I connect.
27:20And also it gets like, I don't know, I get to be like just a little cuntier.
27:25Like it's like a wish fulfillment of like, oh, I get to be a bitch.
27:28You get licensed to cunt.
27:29Licensed to cunt.
27:30Have you ever tipped a straight waiter 40%?
27:34Ooh, I feel like if I were to tip 40%,
27:37it would usually probably be for a female, a female waiter, female waitress.
27:43Wait, can you say waitress?
27:44I think it's like actor and actress, right?
27:46Where you say a waiter is just now non-gendered.
27:49Yeah, yeah, yeah.
27:49Sure.
27:49New York versus L.A.
27:50You've lived in L.A. for a while.
27:52This is really a New York film that you're promoting right now.
27:55What are the differences?
27:55I'm not going to ask you to choose one child over the other.
27:58I mean, for one, they're in completely different locations.
28:01They're just objectively not in the same place.
28:05Like different coasts?
28:06Different coasts, yeah.
28:07There's different oceans around them.
28:09Wait, what?
28:10Yeah, yeah.
28:11That's not one big body of water.
28:12No, no, no.
28:13I guess like it is technically one big body of water.
28:19Heavy, man.
28:20That's far out.
28:21All the oceans are connected.
28:23Whoa.
28:23Yeah.
28:24What is the law, Roach?
28:25Like we're from the same place, the world.
28:28No, I don't know.
28:29I feel more calm in L.A.
28:33I feel like I can, for my creativity to, some people get really inspired by hustling and
28:41being around people.
28:42Like I get inspired by being alone and lonely and sad.
28:46And so L.A. is great for me for work.
28:50Because it makes you feel lonely and sad?
28:52A little bit and just introspective.
28:54Like I can really be in my feels.
28:56I'm a Cancer.
28:57Like I drive and cry and listen to Frank Ocean and like that's not.
29:01Sorry, when's your birthday?
29:02I'm a Cancer as well.
29:03Oh, July 8th.
29:04See, this is why we get along so well.
29:05What are you?
29:06A Cancer.
29:06But what's your birthday?
29:07July 19th.
29:08Great, great.
29:09Yeah.
29:09I mean, I think this, I think Club Kid is a very Cancer movie.
29:13Hard same.
29:14Yeah.
29:15Hard agree.
29:15Yeah, there was like one, one person who saw it early on and they're like, why is it
29:20so like melancholic?
29:21And I was like, it just is.
29:22You're like, I don't know, Charlie XCX.
29:24Why is it so melancholic?
29:25Yeah, yeah, yeah, it just is.
29:27Jordan Firstman, thank you so much for being on the Rolling Stones studio.
29:28Thank you so much.
29:29This is great.
29:30This has been the best one of these we've done ever.
29:31Oh, shut up.
29:32And I'll say that on camera.
29:33Shut the fuck up, David Beer.
29:35Nope, I'm not.
29:35You can't make me shut the fuck up, Jordan Firstman.
29:37All right, I'm going to write a song about you.
29:39Yes!
29:41Score!