Episode 617 | Catherine Stewart | "The Last Starfighter" and "Weekend at Bernie's"

[00:00:09] The Star League to defend the frontier against Zor and the Kodan Armada. Yeah, yeah. Get ready, prepare for the last one. Centauri is the name. We have to talk about a matter of utmost importance. I invented Starfighter.

[00:00:38] You may have thought it was a game, but it was also a test. A test! Sent out across the universe to find those with the gift to be Starfighters. Whatever happens, it's you and me forever, right? We turn to you, Starfighters, to Navigators, full of all the billions of creatures in the Star League.

[00:01:07] You, you alone, stand between us and the black terror of the Kodan. We'll be able to save you. There's no fleet, no Starfighters, no plan. It'll be awesome.

[00:01:44] Listen, Centauri, I'm not any of those guys. I'm the kids from a trailer party. If that's what you think, then that's all you'll ever be. Take the career out! Now face it, Alex, you're a born Starfighter.

[00:02:14] Jeez, you look terrific. Oh gosh, thank you. Yeah. Did you like that? You know, it was funny. I was watching, you were at a, um, it was 2024. You were at a Comic-Con and the audience just loved you guys and they were asking you questions. And a lot of the comments are like, wait a second. She, they were, they were like, they couldn't, it was like you were in a time capsule. They're like, she looks amazing. I'm like, well, what did you expect? She looks great. You know, it's awesome. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

[00:02:43] Um, that's just very, very kind. Yeah. I, first of all, I, I'm, I like my lighting in this place. We've got like great available light. So that's always good for, um, for what I'm doing podcasts and stuff. Yeah. Yeah. Nice flat light. You know, you can't see too much of the stuff that's going on, but I, I think also, my kids are very youthful looking. My parents were very youthful looking.

[00:03:10] So there's some DNA involved as well. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, it's, it's, it's, you know, I have to say this too. Um, what, what are your kids and I don't know if you have any other children, but like the kids that your children, what do they think of your career as far as like, wow, mom is a, you know, this great, you know, legendary actor. Do your kids see it that way? Or do they just see mom? Oh my gosh. If anything, it's probably embarrassing to them.

[00:03:41] Yeah. I have to say as an actor, when you, you know, have this career where you get so much attention and so many accolades and everything. Um, when you have children, it's very humbling. It brings you right back to earth. Yes. Instantly. Yes. None of this. Uh, you're so great. So he's like, oh, geez. I have to tell you, uh, Catherine on a topic of having children, I'm, I'm an older dad.

[00:04:10] I have a three and a five year old. And I have to say, um, I was watching the movie air. It's about Michael Jordan story. And Viola Davis plays. Um, I think it was Viola Davis. She plays Michael Jordan's mother. And she's talking to Matt Damon's character about what it's like being a parent. She goes, you give and you give and you give until you have nothing left. And then you give some more. It's just the way she described, the way she described parenthood. Catherine was like spot on a plus perfect. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's true.

[00:04:39] But you know, the thing is you, because they're your children, you don't really mind giving. I mean, I always found with my kids as they got older, just when you were about to go, I guess, Jen, is it anymore? They would change. And, you know, a little like the terrible twos, but all of a sudden they were, they were starting to like communicate properly. And then just, I don't know. Um, but it is, it is, it's changing. It's challenging.

[00:05:08] And, um, you go through so many ups and downs. You have younger kids. You say? Yes. Yes. I have a five year old. You know, it's Catherine. It's funny that you say that about the, you want to, you want to go nuts at the way they're acting. Cause my daughter did something that was just, she's a great kid, but she did something I can't remember. That's, that's not something she usually does. And she got upset and she goes, dad, I love you. I go, well, how much do you love me? She goes, I love you more than she goes. I love you more than candy. So I was like, that's pretty good compliment. So yeah.

[00:05:36] That's a really big compliment. Yeah. I'm not. That's okay. Speaking of kindness, Catherine, you know, I see how you, you know, give time to podcasters. You're really good at comic cons. Um, you do all these wonderful things. Where's that come from to do that? Like, cause you, you treat everybody like you've known them. You're so kind to people. Like you're, you're giving of yourself. Is that kind of who you are? Do you see something else in that? What's, what's your formula and the reason behind that? Excuse me. Um, oh, I don't know if there's a formula.

[00:06:05] I don't want to say there's a formula. Well, you know, just as a default, I am Canadian and we're all so nice. That is very true. Canadian kindness. Everybody always says that. Everybody always says that, that you're just so nice. Canadians are so nice. Um, but I think, um, I think it, it has a lot to do with the way I was raised. You know, you don't take things for granted.

[00:06:32] Um, in this, it's such a weird business and having to, uh, figure out the balance between, like I said, all the attention that you get and all the accolades you get for, because you happen to be the one up on screen ultimately. So all the attention is on you. Um, when the reality is you wouldn't be there unless there was like 250 people on the set

[00:06:58] supporting everything that you do, making you look good, making you sure you say the lines, right? Making sure you're in the right spot at the right time. Um, and, uh, you know, certainly I think for an audience, they don't necessarily think about all that stuff. Um, but it's really important as an actor to, uh, remember all that.

[00:07:23] It's so important and, um, it's not all about you, but, but I also feel so, um, grateful for the audience because I wouldn't be there without them either. So if you're going to do a convention and all these people are there to tell, you know,

[00:07:43] talk to you or there for you, I mean, in what other business or industry do we get this? It's all, it's almost like a pure thing. I mean, I can see in big business, people are really nice to you because you're very, very successful or whatever. But in the, in, as an actor, the, what the audience expresses is how you really have sort

[00:08:12] of, uh, an effect on their lives and played a role in their lives. And, and one of the things I'm really so grateful for is that the movies for the most part that I've done are movies of, you know, about, well, real people, but they're, they're movies that have a really nice message, a good message, you know?

[00:08:38] Um, and that's what the audience is attracted to. Like the last starfighter, for instance, as you have it here, um, you know, it, it, it spoke to kids in a real pivotal time in their lives. And, um, uh, so many movies are focused on adults or, or, and, uh, I don't even want

[00:09:02] to get into most of the movies nowadays that, um, but not only it did have that sort of sci-fi fantasy part of it, but it was also, um, attainable for the audience. You know, they, it, it, the message was, uh, you know, reach for the stars, you know, I mean, the, the line in the movie, um, if that's all you think you're going to be, that's all you'll ever be.

[00:09:32] And so it, it, it inspires, uh, kids to really reach for their dreams. Yeah. Um, and, and, and I, I love that. Um, even in something like night of the comet, you know, it's more tiny and cheap. Uh, and definitely crossed a lot of genres. But what was so powerful about that was that it was about a couple of young girls who take care of themselves. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:10:00] Which at the time, let people say, did you know that la la la, that, that this was like kind of unusual, I guess, um, for two girls to be the protagonist, the leads. And I really didn't think of it about it at the time, but I can't tell you how many people have come up to me saying what an important message it was for them as women and guys like it too.

[00:10:27] You know, there's that other thing about, oh, women can't carry a movie. And that's just something that the high, the, the business people have decided. It's just crap. It's not true. Yeah. No. Um, and it's so sad and frustrating that there's this idea and still to this day, sadly, um,

[00:10:51] that, you know, it has to be some guy, some girl who's the love interest and blah, blah, blah. Um, but that I'm, I'm so grateful that if I've had any impact on people, it's a positive impact. That's, that's makes me so happy. Yeah. So that's a great answer. Uh, I do want to say though, like you, so if I look at the eighties, like I think anybody, any generation, if they live the eighties, they would have loved it.

[00:11:19] We were lucky enough to live it and love it. And, you know, I have to say, Catherine, you're part of that fabric of why people love the eighties. You're a big reason why, you know, people's lives were changed. Like you gave them these performances that they remember forever as evident by those comic cons and me talking to you. And, you know, that's, it's like a ripple effect that goes on forever. So, you know, people ask why the eighties were so great. It's you're a big part of that reason. You're in that fabric, that woven fabric of why people love it so much.

[00:11:48] And that's gotta be such an awesome feeling as a, as a performer, as a human being. Yes. Both those things as a performer and as a human being. And it was also, I feel like the eighties was had a, uh, a feeling of sort of innocence about it as well. You know, and, and there was a lot of focus on kids and, you know, um, and all that we

[00:12:14] go through and all this other stuff, um, that, you know, you don't see so much anymore. They don't sort of touch on movies. Don't necessarily touch on the struggles of a kid in high school. I mean, there's, I don't know. What is it? Euphoria? Is that it? Maybe that does. I don't, I tried watching that. I was like, this is really dark. So, I mean, that's a subsect, I would say maybe.

[00:12:39] And I, I, and again, it's supposed to be wonderful and all that other stuff, but I just, it was, there was a likeness about the eighties and I loved every second of it. I loved the hair. I loved the clothes. I, the playfulness of the time. Um, the music, the music, it just felt like an innocent time.

[00:13:05] I felt, I feel like it was almost like a throwback to the fifties, you know, that sort of innocent period after we got through the depression and the wars and blah, blah, blah. And then there was a lot going on in the country and it was very positive. And, um, I felt like that was sort of, uh, it felt similar in the eighties. I feel like. Yeah. It's funny. You talk about today. Uh, you know, it's funny that you talk about the eighties because, um, I, I really feel like

[00:13:36] comparing now and then it's like, there's not just forget. There's no comedies that are produced today that even can touch anything that came out of the eighties. You know, we look at you, 16 candles, the last starfighter, Indiana Jones, Ferris Bueller, stand by me. There's nothing like that today. I'm not saying there's not great movies. Like there's a lot of great movies, but there's nothing that like, I wonder who kids come or this generation is going to come away with saying, I love this. This was my classic movie. I'm curious to know what that's going to turn out. Like, let me ask this thing. Might as well. I'm curious about that too.

[00:14:04] You talked about the genuine nature of the eighties. I totally agree with that, but what made it so special? Is it that genuine, that, that sincerity, that kind of just innocence that made the decade so special? Well, I think it's a combination of a lot of things. Um, um, you know, the, the fact that these little movies that I did got made could not be made today probably because they don't fit into sort of a, uh, uh, you know, a sleeve

[00:14:34] of what producers or, or, or studios think is going to make them as much money as they possibly can. Which is another sort of sad thing about today is that that's all moviemaking is driven by. I feel like there's a whole thing about Supergirl now. It's well, the studios are going to face harsh reality. It's losing a hundred million dollars, you know, or whatever it is. I saw a preview for it.

[00:15:00] And I was like, I, I don't know what it is about this that is appealing in this, especially in the sense of relating to it as, as an audience. It's just, and to your point about what kids will look at as classics. Um, I, I don't know because it's, there is this whole thing for the most part, except for

[00:15:28] the most part, speaking of the superhero kind of movies, of course, where there's, it's just over low senses, you know, just in your face. And, and so what do they come away with? I don't think maybe a headache. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Yeah. It's funny. Yeah. Go ahead. I'm sorry, Catherine. No, no, no, no. Go ahead. I have to say, you know, we went to go see Supergirl yesterday and you're so right.

[00:15:57] Like, um, you know, the woman who plays the girl who plays the lead is great, but it's like, I've seen this movie 700 times before it's explosions. It's, you know, and I have to say, it's my, I went with my daughter and my wife, my daughter was like kind of checked out, but this is the same girl who a couple of days before has rewatched Goonies numerous times. So there's an everlasting effect. There's an everlasting. That's what I'm talking about. Having characters that you can actually identify with. Yes.

[00:16:25] You know, that you see yourself in is one of, one of the magical things about movie making. It's, it's where the audience is captured by the story and the characters, not smacked upside the head with special effects and dystopian future. And, um, people that, I mean, I don't know, maybe did she think she could be Supergirl?

[00:16:52] Was there any, ever a moment in there where it was like, oh, she could relate to this young woman. Yeah. I'm not sure. Like going back to, uh, the last start fight. I mean, the buildup of, of this boy, who's just a regular kid from a trailer park, just, you know, just wanting to get out of the trailer park. And then he finds himself in outer space. Well, at least it's, you have a, you've established a foundation where this is a character that could

[00:17:20] be you and the girlfriend could be a lot of girls, you know, um, uh, the innocence in that they obviously been together for a long time and they knew each other, cared about each other. And, um, it, you just don't, yeah, you just don't see that. I think it's, it's a shame. Yeah. In a way. Yeah. It's that's so well said, you know, um, let me ask you.

[00:17:48] So some of your movies, we see terms like, uh, B movie cult classic. I always feel like those terms are, are backhanded, right? They're like, it says the movie is great, but it's got this B or I, I don't like those terms. Like I'm not like a big cult. I don't, I feel like it diminishes, even though I don't think people do it on purpose to be mean. I don't love it. What is your take on those terms? B movie and cult classic.

[00:18:11] Well, it seems like if you do a low budget movie, it's B, you know, nowadays, well, even back then, the movie had to be $10 million and have all the, you know, movie star. It just, that was just, was an A lister movie kind of a thing. Um, the, the cult thing. Yeah.

[00:18:34] It feels, I always, I always, uh, associate cult movies with like, it, they feel dark to me and they're dark and culty because you know, they're horror or they're, they're a very specific genre that is kind of culty or dark and kind of gritty. Something like Blair Witch Project. Something like that is a cult movie. Yeah. I mean, yeah.

[00:18:59] Um, and so the, the, the, um, movies that I did were more commercial, I would say sort of, you know, towards a more commercial audience, I guess. Um, I think it's meant in the sense that it has this following, um, that's hung in there. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:19:21] Cult feels a little off to me as well, but we do have a die hard following of fans that, and they're almost the fact that it is a smaller, less acknowledged movie than so many of them. Right. Right. They're kind of, they're so proud of that. It's a sense of pride for them that they, this is the movie that they, you know, felt

[00:19:48] something from more than even, you know, pretty in pink or whatever. Um, maybe, I mean, I don't want to put those movies down because they're, they're hugely successful of course. Right. Right. And you're right. I think the people that do use it don't mean it in a derogatory way. I'm positive of that. Yeah. But, but when they call like movies like Shawshank, a cult classic at first, because it didn't do well in the theaters, I'm like, that's, can we just call the movie a good movie? Like, but I, I get what you're saying.

[00:20:17] You know, I wanted to say to you, you brought this up earlier, night of the comet, you know, night of the comet was dystopian and you know, um, apocalypse before that was cool. You look at the last what? 30, 35 years. How many movies are dystopian and that's all we see. I feel like night of the comet was there before anyone else was, or one of the people there before you. Am I right with that, Catherine?

[00:20:42] Well, I don't have that massive a history, you know, movie history knowledge. I know that Tom Eberhardt, the director and writer, he loves apocalyptic kind of dystopian sort of movies. That is his passion. And so when he was, uh, researching this, he, he interviewed a couple of teenage girls.

[00:21:07] It's like, what would you do if, if, you know, a comet and everybody was gone and you were the only survivors, what would you do? And like so many dystopian apocalyptic movies, everybody turns on each other or, uh, you know, whatever it's, it, it always seems to become this horribly violent, you know, struggle for survival, you know, life or death situation.

[00:21:35] And so you sort of would expect the girls to go, oh, but apparently their reaction was split. Our parents, we would go to the mall. Uh, and, and it's such a, I love that because yes, we have some zombies in there and stuff, but there is a certain aspect of survival. It's very cartoony as well.

[00:22:00] The night of the comet, which I also dig because it doesn't take itself too seriously. You know, some, some people call it a zombie movie, but well, okay. There's a couple of zombies in there, right? Yeah. You know, it's not really a zombie. I mean, it is and it isn't, but I love it. It's a zombie that it's, it does, uh, cross-forming, um, genres and it, it is kind of tongue in cheek. I love that about it. Yeah. It's a lot of people's favorite.

[00:22:27] Like I have a friend who was so psyched that I was interviewing you today and his friend, one that I don't know very well. He loves the night of the comet. It's his favorite movie, not his favorite cult class. It's his favorite movie. So yeah, he loves it. You know, you don't have to say, Catherine, you mentioned the word mall. I'm kind of bummed. My kids are going to grow up not knowing what that means. There's no more malls. I mean, not for the most part, right? The mall was it when we were growing up. That was it. That was, that was social media. That's where you went on the weekends, right? Yes. Got your orange Julius.

[00:22:57] Yeah. Catherine, fun fact. Tom Eberhardt, guest coming on Thursday. Oh, I love him. He, I love him to death. He's got so many great stories. Such a good guy. So, so seems so kind. Yeah. He'll be happy that I talked to you. Well, I'm sure. Yeah. Give him a little internet hug for me.

[00:23:24] I did want to say though, what do you think makes the last Starfighter so special? Cause I rewatched it a few times. My daughter watched it. She loved it. Did she like it? Oh, she did. And it's got such, I think she, but with her, it's, it's, so she, she's five. She'll watch it now and she'll like it. But when she's six, she'll pick up on things. She, you know, aging and the progression of aging. I just has such a, it's in my book. It's you.

[00:23:49] Well, I talked to Henry Thomas who did cloak and dagger ET, you know, and he said, I said to him, I said, cloak and dagger is so underrated. I got to say the last Starfighters in that same, like these two movies, cloak and dagger last night, last starfighter, very different, but not different in the way that they should have gotten way more kudos than they, I think people that watch it love it. And these movies should have been way more popular because they were so good. They had such a good heart. They came from such a good place.

[00:24:16] And a lot of the people on IMDb, Catherine time after time said it's the characters that make the last Starfighter work, which is a testament to your hard work. Oh, thank you. Yeah. So what do you think I want to just do? Yeah. I, I, I think that's, uh, I think that's a huge part of it. Like I said before, I think it's, it has so much to do with the character. And, uh, how they are relatable to the audience.

[00:24:44] I mean, that's what, that's what brings the audience in is if they could see themselves somehow in the characters, um, uh, then you have them. And if you can, um, tell a story that holds them, you know, that's the, that's the secret. I mean, for, for the last Starfighter, I think timing was everything that it was, it was released right at a time when a lot of really big, heavily publicized.

[00:25:14] That's a good point. That's a good point. The timing was terrible. Yeah. You're right. I mean, it was bad. Um, and it just didn't, it, it just didn't find the audience at the time, but you know, VHS came along and last, so many of these movies became, uh, household staples. You know, a lot of kids, it was also a time when both parents were starting to go out and work. So there was a lot of latsky kids.

[00:25:45] And, uh, I've, I've heard so many times from, uh, fans, you know, at, at conventions, how they would come home and just put that VH tape in the recorder and watch it over and over and over again. And that really, you know, it's, it's a movie that is so accessible, but it was also, I think, I feel like it's a movie that parents were completely comfortable with their children seeing. Right. Right.

[00:26:14] So there was no restriction there. Um, there was just nothing in it that you could, I don't know, say anything bad now, really. No, no. The fighting in outer space, if people aren't into violence or something like that, or maybe the melting face, I don't know, but very little, you know, not, um, just sort of, just kind of a really nice, sweet story. And it's again, inspiring.

[00:26:43] Um, so I, I, I think it really found its audience through VHS, but I think what kept it going was the, um, the, um, what's the word I'm trying to, it, it's gone. Um, but just, it's just accessible to the kids. And, and I feel like it's real.

[00:27:08] Like it, there's a, when you say it's, it's a sweet, whatever movie, I mean, shooting the movie was such a lovely experience. It's Nick Castle, the director, and this is very cliche to say, but it was kind of like a labor of love. I mean, no cliche. That makes perfect sense. Yeah. Nick wasn't well known. The producer wasn't well known. The writer wasn't, nobody was, but they were making this little movie that they have such

[00:27:38] a passion about. And you feel that in the movie, Lance and I became great friends. Um, I think you feel that we're still great friends. We're great friends to this day. I adore Lance. He lives in California. Whenever I'm out there, I'm staying with he and his wife, um, in their house. They have a little extra suite that. Oh, how cool is that? That's so cool. Yeah. I know.

[00:28:04] And, um, I love seeing him or going in a couple of weeks, we're going to go to San Antonio, Texas. They they've released a last star fighter comic book, which is kind of, I think it's sort of like a sequel comic book, um, that we're going to this, uh, it's called big, uh, is it a pocket big alpaca comic store in San Antonio to sign, um, comic books for people.

[00:28:33] So that'll be fun. So we'll see each other then, which I'm excited about. I'm always excited to see it. We do. We often do the conventions together. You guys are a fun team. You guys are a fun team from what I saw on the internet. You guys are pretty fun together. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, yeah, he's, he's, you really nailed it. Catherine, when you said that when you put that movie into the VCR or Blu-ray, whatever, um, it does give you that feeling like those are the great movies, right? The ones that when we put in, we know that our brain's going to be in a great place in

[00:29:03] the next two hours. Like it gives you that feeling of like a, a warm blanket, a good place to be. Let's do it. Bring out the popcorn. That's what the last starfighter. There's very few movies that do that. And the ones that do, we cherish forever. Yeah. Yeah. I think, I think that it's had that kind of effect and I'm, again, I'm just really grateful to have been a part of it. And, you know, it's always surprising when something like that keeps popping up in your life.

[00:29:30] You know, you, you do a little movie and you move up in the eighties. I was working all the time. So you were just sort of popping from one thing to the next and you don't really think a lot about how it's going to last or if it's going to last or anything. You don't think of anything. And then all of a sudden, you know, I remember it was the 25th anniversary screening of the last starfighter in California. And I happened to be there.

[00:29:59] And this guy who represents people at conventions said, I love this movie. I really want to represent you to do conventions. And at that time I was like, what was that movie where they were just joking about conventions? Anyway, I forget what the name of it was, but, um, real, oh, it's like a Star Wars kind of a convention idea in the, in the movie.

[00:30:27] It was really funny, but at that time I was really skeptical about conventions. I didn't know what that meant. Yeah. So I kept him waiting a while and he of course wanted Lance to come on board. Um, and he also eventually got Nick Castle to come on board, um, because Nick Castle was in Halloween, right? Halloween. Yes. Yeah. Um, as the, the Michael Myers. I don't know. I get them all mixed up. No, you're right. You're right. Michael Myers. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:30:57] Yeah. So he comes to represent that movie and gets a lot of people, uh, wanting to meet him. Um, um, oh boy, I feel like I went off on this tangent and I have no idea. No, I, I, you know, I, I do have to say though, um, one of the things that makes this movie very special. I think I hinted at this earlier, you know, is the characters. Do you and Lance when you were younger, um, making the movie, did you guys, do you,

[00:31:23] did you hang out off screen and do you feel like that played into your on-screen rapport? I don't want to call it magic and be over the top, but it really was a convincing relationship. It looked, it felt real, authentic, all those great things. Did you guys spend time with each other, hanging out, being friends, doing your thing? Whatever you wanted to say about that, Catherine. Yeah. Um, I remember, well, I actually auditioned with Lance. So you have the first audition and then you have the callbacks and we were paired with people and I happened to be paired with Lance. Yes.

[00:31:53] And, um, um, we did our, our reading and everything. And when we found out that we got it, uh, together, he, he was, he really wanted to spend some time together and discuss, discuss the characters and the relationship and all that and this stuff, which of course I was totally happy to do. I wouldn't say we hung out a ton, but I think, um, but we really did like each other, you know, we, and, um, he was in every scene in the movie.

[00:32:23] So I was, you know, I did my bits and pieces, but we didn't hang out during the shoot because he was very good. Um, we actually, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's the weirdest story about how we, so there were years where we didn't see each other or communicate or anything. And then one day in this apartment building that we were living in, my husband and my kids and I

[00:32:49] were living in, in the Upper West Side here in Manhattan, um, the doorman calls out and he knew this, the movie, the doorman did. He was a big fan of Blast Art Fighter. And he said, somebody's, uh, here who wants to see you. And I was like, that's really weird. Who? Well, it's Lance Guest. So the doorman recognized Lance and knew that I was in the movie. And I was like, what? It had been at least a decade.

[00:33:19] And, um, he comes and knocks on the door. He had a little, his little baby with him. It was about two at the time. And he was actually on his way out. His wife's aunt, I forget the exact relationship. His wife has like a complicated relative situation, but the relative to his wife lived in the building and we never put those two together.

[00:33:45] Well, I didn't know his wife anyway, so it wouldn't have, there wouldn't have been a reason to put them together, but they were visiting and they were actually on their way up. And so Lance was like, I can't say very long, but I just wanted to say hi. And I was like, oh, and you know, finally at that time there was the internet or Facebook or whatever it was. So we ended up keeping in touch and it was just wonderful. It was just, it was so, such a wonderful reunion.

[00:34:14] Catherine, this is such a random thing to say. Cause you got me thinking is, is, I don't know if you would know this, but is he part of that, like the guest family that has Nicholas and Christopher, is he related to that guest family? I'm probably a better question. Okay. Okay. Cause I'll say Nicholas guest plays Todd in that Christmas vacation. I was like, what a, what a good tie in that would be. But yeah, that's a great, that's it. That's an awesome, awesome story. Do you find that without CGI, it's a lot tougher to act? Like, did you find that not knowing what, I mean, you didn't know what the movie was going to look like, right? No. Yes.

[00:34:44] So do you like, are you like, are you ever like, God, how is this going to look like there's aliens and this and that? I mean, obviously we know the final product now it looks terrific. Were you ever, were you ever, I don't want to say doubting it, but were you ever like, I hope this goes really well. Um, well, I didn't ever doubt it. I also, I, it's so funny to go back to the 25th anniversary, uh, screening in Los Angeles.

[00:35:13] That was the first time I found out that the CGI that was used was not only groundbreaking and, you know, it had never been done before to this extent. We're often compared with Tron, but the, to the extent of the CGI and Tron to what they tried to accomplish in the last Starfighter are completely different things. They were creating codes, you know, for the last Starfighter as we went along.

[00:35:41] And I found out also at this 25th anniversary that they weren't sure, the production wasn't sure that they were actually going to use this, this new CGI thing because they really didn't know what that meant. Um, so while we were shooting, it's a place in LA with all these giant, in the day, giant computers, you know, you weren't doing things on your phone back then.

[00:36:07] Um, they were creating the, the CGI effects and it was really touch and go whether they were going to use traditional practical effects, you know, models or, uh, use this new thing. And there was also huge time constraints. So they were working, there was a bunch of them working as quickly as they could just to create this image, these images.

[00:36:33] Um, one of them was saying that they wish they'd have more time because they felt like some of this stuff sort of looked like, like, you know, when they're doing the outer space battle and then flying into the rocks and hiding in the caves and all that stuff. You sort of described it as looking a little like melted chocolate ice cream. So they would have wanted, they would have in a perfect world had a lot more time to really

[00:36:58] dig into the details, but it really, uh, that CGI was so grassroots and it really foundational for what you see today, which is slightly different. I have a few more questions, Catherine. Thank you for all this time. You've been so kind. You're more than welcome. I'm going to, I'm going to hate saying this next thing. I really worry because I hate remakes. I hate them.

[00:37:27] Like, I feel like if you can't come up with a movie on your own idea, don't remake it. I worry that the last starfighter is a, it's cause I have to admit if you're going to remake anything this, not because the first, the first one was an unbelievable movie. I just feel like it lends itself to 2026 video games. You know, we talk about, you know, uh, sci-fi, like it's got all those key check words that you want to see. And I hope they don't, I hope they don't. I worry that it's a prime candidate for one. Eventually Catherine, is that something you guys have thought about, talked about?

[00:37:58] They have been talking about a sequel for years, which is slightly different than a remake. It would be a continuation of the story. They've been talking about it for years and years. Um, uh, um, there has been like, even Nick Castle, um, uh, wrote a script and well, actually Lance even wrote a script, just, you know, a spec script with an idea because it's so wide open for a sequel, the way it ends. Right.

[00:38:26] Um, um, Jonathan Betchel, who's the original, uh, writer got the rights back eventually from Universal, I believe it was, the right back fourth story itself and has written a sequel. Um, and he's, he's been sitting on it for a while and he tried to, he was taking it around to studios, trying to sell it. And one of the reasons there's this comic book coming out now is to, if they can just, they're

[00:38:55] trying to stir up some interest so that that will sort of pay into actually making a sequel. Now I agree with you a hundred percent. I am not interested in, uh, remakes that much there. I don't, I can't think of one off the top of my head that I thought was successful unless I hadn't seen the original, you know, sometimes that works.

[00:39:20] Um, in terms of a sequel, the, the upside to me is that it's Jonathan Betchel, um, Nick Castle's involved. So some of the original people that, uh, that really brought so much integrity to the story are involved. And I think that their goal is to maintain that kind of integrity. Um, I think they, um, hopefully, I, I mean, I haven't seen the script.

[00:39:49] I have a vague idea of what it might be about, but they better hurry because the lands on her going to be like in a wheelchair. Yeah, you know, Starfighter, my great, great grandkid is a Starfighter now. Um, uh, but that gives me hope. I mean, I would, if I could be in a sequel for The Last Starfighter, I would jump at the idea because I have so much affection for it.

[00:40:17] Um, but yes, I agree with you. Uh, I don't want to see, uh, crazy over, you know, over action packed over CGI, you know, sequel that is just talking about superhero Starfighter person. Um, cause it would be nice to see how, it would be nice to see how their life turned out, right? She leaves. We don't know what happens. Yeah. I would love a sequel.

[00:40:47] Like, and there's, it's still completely appropriate. Like you got everyone involved. Everyone's here. We're ready to go. There's so much garbage that we have to watch in the theater. Like this is something that would just, it's kind of like, um, uh, Cobra Kai when they brought back Karate Kid, it's kind of that kind of nostalgic kind of, even if they did it in a show, Catherine, that would be great. Like where we can have like a series, get it going. Like it doesn't have to be a sequel movie, which would be great. But if we could do like a show, that would be awesome as well.

[00:41:16] Would you be all in on a show? Right. Oh, sure. I mean, and keep it authentic to the original to us as much as possible. I mean, obviously if you can, uh, if you can make the CGI a little more detailed, that would be great. But without, I don't know, reigning in just the excess would, would be good because ultimately the last starfighter is about the characters and that is what drives it.

[00:41:46] And that to me is what made it as successful as it was. Yeah. Such a beautiful movie. Um, I have, I can't let you go without asking about Weaking at Bernie's. I asked you about what, when you, we talked about last starfighter, I said to you, did you wonder what the movie was going to look like? You know, when it was all put together, I have to say when you were shooting Weaking at Bernie's, were you wondering, are people going to believe this? Because I mean, obviously we know now that it's a classic, people love it, supremely rewatchable. So funny. Like when you're, when you're filming, are you like, this is, this is a crazy premise.

[00:42:16] Like when you're filming this movie, you're like, Weaking at Bernie's, this has got to be in it. Nobody's going to buy this. This is insane. I don't want to say doubts. Cause I said that before. I didn't mean that. But were you like, I hope this is well-received. Is there any of that going on, Catherine? When I first read the script, I, to, and then subsequently auditioned for it. I thought it was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever read in my life. I mean, what? That dead guy.

[00:42:43] And then all this awful stuff happens to this dead guy. And we're supposed to laugh at this. But one of the reasons I wanted to do it was because Ted Koch, Jeff, the director, John Silverman, Andrew McCarthy, and it was a comedy and it was just, it was, it was something different from what I'd done before. So, but I was, I was doubtful.

[00:43:10] I didn't get the humor and I have to say it is a specific kind of humor. I, I kind of call it sort of sophomore. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But it is belly laugh humor. And I think I personally think the reason it was as successful as it was, was because of Terry Kaiser who played Bernie. Yeah. Terrific. He, to me was brilliant.

[00:43:37] I mean that he's a dead guy and you're drawn to him. All this other stuff is going around, on, around him. But when he's on screen, you're, you're just looking at him and I don't know exactly what the secret is. I know that he, he's talked about this at conventions as well, where he was like, okay, I'm a dead guy, but he's a consummate actor, by the way. And I'm the nicest guy I'll ever want to meet.

[00:44:07] He said, that's just, that's not enough, you know, within the context of the movie. You can't just be dead. That's, that will get old or boring or whatever. So he really created a character. And so, and you, you're never quite sure where is it? It's going to flop. Where is it? What his mouth is going to be doing.

[00:44:34] And he, in his brilliance, he created a character out of a dead guy that you can't, he takes, he, he, he, he owns the movie, which is saying a lot. I feel like. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He's absolutely unbelievable. You know, we started this conversation talking about the eighties and how the movies had such heart in them. Even the movies that quote unquote, people look back to a misfire. They look back on and they say, you know what? You know, I'll say, I'll give you a movie like a movie soul man, right?

[00:45:03] The premise people are like, it's awful, which it is not great. But if you watch that movie and its own eighties stumbling way, um, and had a good heart, he kind of was like, I see another person's perspective. See the eighties wasn't perfect, but it had a heart and nothing is ever perfect, but I just feel like the eighties did it and did it better than anybody else. I don't know. I just, uh, any other decade, I should say, I just, I don't know. I just, I have such a fondness for it, Catherine. Well, thank you. I do too.

[00:45:33] I loved, I loved being a part of it. I really, really enjoyed every second of it. It was fun. I had a big smile on my face every day. What's going on with you now? Are you, are you, what are you up to? I'm just curious as to know what you're doing with yourself, um, in 2026. Well, I've been, I've actually been busier now than I have been for so, for many, many

[00:45:55] years, not that I'm making any money, but that doesn't, you know, um, I am, I have gotten into directing a little more. Uh, I, I, um, just finished up this Friday, the 13th fan film with a friend of mine. He's a huge man. Again, I am, it's, it's sort of fun looking at all these little horror 80s movies. There's this talk about innocence. They're just, they're kind of funny.

[00:46:22] I was never a big fan of them, but, um, doing this film with my friend, Bobby Heckman, who's a massive fan and he wrote, it started, our relationship started basically when he invited me to have this role in his first one. It's a, and again, it's a fan film. It's not going to be released in theaters or anything. He just does it for the sheer love of it. Um, and I, when we were doing it, we were, became, we were good friends and I told him,

[00:46:52] you know, I really want to do some directing. So he let me direct a few scenes in the first one and then second one, which is a feature length. He invited me to co-direct with him. So because it's very, very, very low budget and we shot it all on Long Island with local actors who actually have jobs, you know, during the day. So we would just, we'd have to wrangle them to shoot. And it was very sporadic. It took us over a year to shoot this thing.

[00:47:21] We finally finished in May. Um, but it was a really good experience. I loved, I love just directing actors. And more recently what I'm working on right now is directing a one woman show for the Emperor Fringe Festival, which comes up in August. And again, a good friend of mine, um, that I met a few years ago, she is a tarot card, uh, creator.

[00:47:49] She creates tarot cards and she writes about them. She's sort of an expert in the tarot card business. And she created this story, this, um, this one woman show called Ghost Stories in Tarot. Sasha Graham's Ghost Stories in Tarot. So you can Google that, um, for the Fringe.

[00:48:08] And it's, it's a 50 minute show of five ghost stories that she tells based on her experience in New York City when she first moved, uh, here in 1992. Um, she moved into a haunted loft apartment in Midtown. So she tells all these stories about that.

[00:48:33] And in between she's, she relates the stories to specific tarot cards. Um, and then in between each story, she'll read the tarot card. Whoever has, she'll hand up tarot cards at the beginning and whoever has that tarot card, she'll read their tarot card. Um, so that's been really fun and really challenging. Uh, the worst part is trying to raise the money for it. I don't really like doing that part, but we are booked. We got the venue.

[00:49:02] We got, we've paid for everything already, but the goal is to help people donate so that we can, it's not all out of our pockets. You know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah, for sure. I don't like that part. I don't like the fundraising part very much. And because it's, it's Sasha, me and Mia Borrelli is her name. She's our producer. It's just the three of us.

[00:49:26] So we have to figure everything out, including previews and finding spaces. It's, it's, it's so much more than just directing, but, um, it's been a really, really interesting learning curve for me, a lot of work. And I am just so excited to go to Endra, Scotland for a few weeks and just jump into this craziness called the fringe. Yeah.

[00:49:55] I have to say, Catherine, what a pleasure it's been for me to talk to my childhood crush who's become this amazing human being. So, um, I really appreciate every minute you've given me today and you, this couldn't have been a better interview. You have been so kind to me and I appreciate every second of it. Thank you for that. Thank you, Derek. I appreciate that. I love that. I love that. It's called director's cut. I was like, it took me a minute. Then I was like, Oh, that's his name. That's so clever. I love that. Yeah. Because my old name was Monday morning critic. And it's like an implied critic implies negativity.

[00:50:24] And I'm like, I have people that whose work I love on the show. So when I was sending out feelers, people be like critics. So it's like, well, is he trying to be like, so it didn't go with anything. So I'm like, I don't, I'm not smart either. So I don't know how I came up with director's cuts. I had a moment. Maybe it was when the caffeine was kicking in in the morning, but early morning. We don't do that in the afternoon. That sundowners of vaccine. I lose everything in the afternoon. I'm like, I should just stop doing anything at like three. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Catherine.

[00:50:53] I appreciate it. By the way, I wanted to ask you, you look all tan. Oh, so, oh my God, Catherine. So the cruise. Okay. So there's a lot to this, but I like it. We went to, we went to Nova Scotia. We went from Boston to Nova Scotia. And then I loved it, but it was raining. But then we went from Nova Scotia to Bermuda and it was, it was raining a little bit, but

[00:51:18] then there was a day Wednesday where the boat was just rocking for like 24 hours back and forth. But I have to tell you, Catherine, I was, I had nausea. Like, you know, that feeling when you have like too much to drink and you're like, I got to stop. But like, you're already too late. That's what it felt like an entire day. It was just that nausea kind of like, I hated that. Oh, I hated that. But I got to tell you, if I had to make a show, I would make a show about the people who work there. They're amazing.

[00:51:47] They're from all over the world, Philippines, India, all over the world. They don't have, they can't, they don't get off the boat. They work seven hour days, 10 hours a day. I'm sorry. Seven days a week, 10 hours a day, no days off. And it's like, what a hard, like they get good benefits, I guess. And I was talking to a lot of them just getting their input on it. They loved it. But Catherine, it's crazy. Just how they, how this works for them. They never get off the boat. They're on that boat nonstop. There's no, there's no, there's no free time.

[00:52:16] Was it one of those giant cruise ships? It was Norwegian. Yeah. It was a huge one. It's a huge, I, you know, I got to tell you, Bermuda. I don't know if you've ever been to Bermuda. Oh my God. Yeah. Oh my God. I was not ready for that. Like pink sand and like water. That's so clear. It looks like when you put on your tap or something, you pour spring water. Oh my God. I couldn't believe it. The fish are at your feet. Like it's, I've never seen anything like it. So my kids loved it, which was most important. You know, do you like, have you done a cruise, Catherine? Have you done a cruise? I haven't been on a cruise.

[00:52:46] My husband refuses to go on any cruises. He just doesn't like the idea of being trapped on a boat in the middle of the ocean. I kind of agree with him. I kind of agree with your husband. Yeah. I'm fine with that. I, I'm a land lover and, um, I like to, I'd rather be in a city exploring the city and then move to another city or something like that.

[00:53:10] Um, and I have to say, we, we live like two blocks off the Hudson river and we'll see one of those giant ships come by from up on probably 34th street or wherever the big piers are up there. Um, it's, it's just like surreal. I don't know. It's like Disneyland on the ocean. I don't know. And Catherine, this was a seven day cruise and there's people that are staying on the boat to do another seven day. Like there's people that are called cruisers.

[00:53:40] They stay on the boat. Yeah. I, it's almost like they live at sea, not my lifestyle, not my choice, but you know what? If they love it, God bless them. But I, I mean, there's a lot of fans of cruises. That's for sure. You're on the East coast. Very hot. Uh, Wednesday, Thursday. So I live in Massachusetts. So very, very hot. Yeah. Very hot. Yes. I guess, uh, is it tomorrow that it's going to be over a hundred? Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Yep. So yeah. I got to walk my dogs early in the morning when I go. Yes, exactly. Yeah.

[00:54:09] Uh, Catherine, you rock and good luck with everything that's coming up for you. And I wish you nothing but success and come back anytime. You're more than welcome. Oh, thank you so much, Derek. This is really fun. Enjoy your day, Catherine. Thank you. Thank you.