Episode 136- Actress Liz Priestley

The dream is that someday soon we’ll all get to take trips for real, not just the ones in our heads. Or the one you went on after trying that mystery food at the very back of your fridge. Oh, the colors… Now, in our episodes we’ve provided you with lots of options of places to visit. Since some of them are further away than others — plus, we don’t know where you live — you may need to book a flight. (Well, you will. Heidi will rent an amphibious car and meet you there several weeks later.) But how are you going to entertain yourself on your flight? And is there anything you should avoid watching while at cruising altitude? (Apart from the obvious stuff. No one should be trapped on a plane with the movie “Toys.”) Let us know what has your vote, but we’ll throw out “Final Destination” and the very first episode of “Lost,” to get the ball rolling. Maybe include “Cast Away” and “Sully,” too. Any movie involving Tom Hanks and a plane, spacecraft, or World War, apparently. We mean, it usually ends up okay for him in the end, but it’s a rough journey.

One movie we will make an exception for is “The Mountain Between Us,” but that’s because it’s roughly 112 minutes of fantastic acting by Idris Elba. And while he has a great screen partner in Kate Winslet, Idris’s latest movie has a co-star we like even more. For this week’s episode we were lucky enough to talk with actor Liz Priestley. She, along with Idris (we’re on a first-name basis) and Caleb McLaughlin, star in “Concrete Cowboy,” which was just released for streaming on Netflix. It tells the story of a boy who meets up with the Fletcher Street Riding Club in Philadelphia and who rediscovers his father on horseback. Liz took us on a descriptive ride, detailing what it was like to film it.

For those of you who didn’t know Philadelphia had people riding horses through the streets, along with a century-long history of Black cowboys in the city, don’t worry — you’re not alone. Liz was born in Philly, but she shared that the setting for the story was a new one for her. Being in a movie is also new for her, though she is an established stage actor. Liz expressed what it meant to her to have her first venture on the big screen with Idris, Caleb, and the other actors. There’s a big difference between acting for the stage and for the screen, from how you move and project, to whether the story is told in order or not. And Liz broke it down for us.

Another big difference is how much sitting around and waiting occurs when acting in a movie. But Liz took full advantage of the opportunity to gain advice from the people around her. Plus, she got her own trailer — which is something we aspire to. (As previously discussed, we have our artist riders at the ready.) Liz painted a great picture of what it was like for her to prepare for her role, be on set, and interact with her co-stars. She also indulged us by answering our many questions about what Idris Elba is like. Yes, he’s professional. Yes, he’s cool as hell. Yes, he would make an amazing James Bond. And since their chemistry is so good, it makes perfect sense for Liz to work with him on the next Bond film. (We don’t want to sound greedy, but maybe the plot could center on a pair of quirky podcasters who asked the wrong kinds of questions during an interview… and now they’re on the run. Good thing Liz’s character is there to save the day. We’d be happy to write it, Hollywood. Call us.)

In all honesty, after talking with Liz we’re convinced her once and future co-stars will be interviewed about what it’s like to work with her. So instead of watching “Airplane” on your next flight someday, give “Concrete Cowboy” a try. Better yet, watch it on Netflix now — no need to wait until you travel to anywhere that’s not your house. Then you’ll see exactly what we’re talking about with Liz. Now we’re off to start working on our 007 screenplay. We’ve got to figure out a way to incorporate Captain in the script, but his short legs make doing any stunt work difficult. He’d make an excellent villain, though…