S5 EP8: Michael Cera on working with Tom Cruise, featuring in 'Barbie', and never graduating episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 24, 2025 · 1H 19M

S5 EP8: Michael Cera on working with Tom Cruise, featuring in 'Barbie', and never graduating

from The Louis Theroux Podcast · host Spotify Studios

In this very special bonus episode, Louis is joined by actor and writer Michael Cera. Michael tells Louis about his foul-mouthed run-in with Tom Cruise, nearly missing out on his role as Allan in Barbie, and the reason he never graduated from high school. Plus, Louis reveals which Superbad character he most aligns with…     Warnings: Strong language    Links/Attachments:    Film: The Phoenician Scheme (2025) - dir. Wes Anderson  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEuMnPl2WI4    TV Show: Arrested Development (2004-2019) - Fox/Netflix  https://www.netflix.com/title/70140358    TV Show: The Office (2001-2003) - BBC   https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b00jd68z/the-office    TV Show: The Grubbs (2002) - Fox  https://youtu.be/knwPbzLWCNQ?si=9d10SEXncfPkrdaK    Film: Superbad (2007)  https://www.netflix.com/title/70058023    Advert: ‘Pillsbury Doughboy Commercial’   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDEYPbfWY6I    Film: Year One (2009)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H_Eepvg3aU    Film: Ghostbusters (1984)  https://www.netflix.com/title/541018    Film: A Minecraft Movie (2025)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJO_vIDZn-I    Film: Anora (2024)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1HxTmV5i7c    Film: Funny Games (1997) - dir. Michael Haneke  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec-70W_K77U   Film: Benny’s Video (1992) - dir. Michael Haneke  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18X_kyHW3G0    Film: White Ribbon (2009) - dir. Michael Haneke  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JOXs8KEiDY    Film: The Castle (1997) - dir. Michael Haneke  https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8hsui0    Film: Right Now, Wrong Then (2015) - dir. Hong Sang-soo  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOE-Zznq_S4    Film: Yourself and Yours (2016) - dir. Hong Sang-soo  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48F7SkR8yew    Film: Claire’s Camera (2017) - dir. Hong Sang-soo   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4-C5L0TupE    Short Story: ‘My Man Jeremy’ - Michael Cera  https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/11/25/my-man-jeremy    Short Story: ‘Pinecone’ - Michael Cera   https://store.mcsweeneys.net/products/mcsweeneys-issue-30    Book: True Grit – Charles Portis     Book: Masters of Atlantis – Charles Portis     Book: Dog of the South – Charles Portis     TV Show: Scenes from a Marriage (2021) - HBO    Film: Fanny and Alexander (1982)   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euGIHjc6C_Q    Film: Barbie (2023)   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBk4NYhWNMM    TV Show: Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace (2004) - Channel 4  https://www.channel4.com/programmes/garth-marenghis-darkplace    Film: Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010) - dir. Edgar Wright   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wd5KEaOtm4    Film: This Is The End (2013)   https://www.netflix.com/title/70264796    Documentary: Louis Theroux: Miami Mega Jail (2011) - BBC  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011k0xx    Film: Rushmore (1998) - dir. Wes Anderson  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZVdXXG3KN8    Film: A Clockwork Orange (1971) - dir. Stanley Kubrick   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T54uZPI4Z8A&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD    TV Show: Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995-1998) - HBO  https://www.hbo.com/mr-show-with-bob-and-david    Film: Bottle Rocket (1996) - dir. Wes Anderson   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJPQ-NnjZR0    Credits:  Producer: Millie Chu   Assistant Producer: Maan al-Yasiri  Production Manager: Francesca Bassett   Music: Miguel D’Oliveira   Audio Mixer: Tom Guest  Video Mixer: Scott Edwards   Executive Producer: Arron Fellows       A Mindhouse Production for Spotify   www.mindhouse.co.uk     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this very special bonus episode, Louis is joined by actor and writer Michael Cera. Michael tells Louis about his foul-mouthed run-in with Tom Cruise, nearly missing out on his role as Allan in Barbie, and the reason he never graduated from high school. Plus, Louis reveals which Superbad character he most aligns with…     Warnings: Strong language    Links/Attachments:    Film: The Phoenician Scheme (2025) - dir. Wes Anderson  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEuMnPl2WI4    TV Show: Arrested Development (2004-2019) - Fox/Netflix  https://www.netflix.com/title/70140358    TV Show: The Office (2001-2003) - BBC   https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b00jd68z/the-office    TV Show: The Grubbs (2002) - Fox  https://youtu.be/knwPbzLWCNQ?si=9d10SEXncfPkrdaK    Film: Superbad (2007)  https://www.netflix.com/title/70058023    Advert: ‘Pillsbury Doughboy Commercial’   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDEYPbfWY6I    Film: Year One (2009)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H_Eepvg3aU    Film: Ghostbusters (1984)  https://www.netflix.com/title/541018    Film: A Minecraft Movie (2025)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJO_vIDZn-I    Film: Anora (2024)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1HxTmV5i7c    Film: Funny Games (1997) - dir. Michael Haneke  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec-70W_K77U   Film: Benny’s Video (1992) - dir. Michael Haneke  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18X_kyHW3G0    Film: White Ribbon (2009) - dir. Michael Haneke  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JOXs8KEiDY    Film: The Castle (1997) - dir. Michael Haneke  https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8hsui0    Film: Right Now, Wrong Then (2015) - dir. Hong Sang-soo  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOE-Zznq_S4    Film: Yourself and Yours (2016) - dir. Hong Sang-soo  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48F7SkR8yew    Film: Claire’s Camera (2017) - dir. Hong Sang-soo   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4-C5L0TupE    Short Story: ‘My Man Jeremy’ - Michael Cera  https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/11/25/my-man-jeremy    Short Story: ‘Pinecone’ - Michael Cera   https://store.mcsweeneys.net/products/mcsweeneys-issue-30    Book: True Grit – Charles Portis     Book: Masters of Atlantis – Charles Portis     Book: Dog of the South – Charles Portis     TV Show: Scenes from a Marriage (2021) - HBO    Film: Fanny and Alexander (1982)   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euGIHjc6C_Q    Film: Barbie (2023)   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBk4NYhWNMM    TV Show: Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace (2004) - Channel 4  https://www.channel4.com/programmes/garth-marenghis-darkplace    Film: Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010) - dir. Edgar Wright   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wd5KEaOtm4    Film: This Is The End (2013)   https://www.netflix.com/title/70264796    Documentary: Louis Theroux: Miami Mega Jail (2011) - BBC  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011k0xx    Film: Rushmore (1998) - dir. Wes Anderson  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZVdXXG3KN8    Film: A Clockwork Orange (1971) - dir. Stanley Kubrick   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T54uZPI4Z8A&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD    TV Show: Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995-1998) - HBO  https://www.hbo.com/mr-show-with-bob-and-david    Film: Bottle Rocket (1996) - dir. Wes Anderson   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJPQ-NnjZR0    Credits:  Producer: Millie Chu   Assistant Producer: Maan al-Yasiri  Production Manager: Francesca Bassett   Music: Miguel D’Oliveira   Audio Mixer: Tom Guest  Video Mixer: Scott Edwards   Executive Producer: Arron Fellows       A Mindhouse Production for Spotify   www.mindhouse.co.uk     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NOW PLAYING

S5 EP8: Michael Cera on working with Tom Cruise, featuring in 'Barbie', and never graduating

0:00 1:19:34

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Big Old Life: Heather Blackbird interviews people on planet earth. Heather Blackbird loves asking questions. This podcast is a learning experience. Join me, Heather Blackbird, as I talk to people about their lives. Frequency of new episodes is a little all over the place and I'm learning as I go. Big Old Life is a small way of talking about the vastness of life, one person at a time. If you are reading this or found this podcast it's probably because someone you know gave you a link to it. :) Explicit Tales Of A Superstar DJ The Insomniac Spun seemingly out of nowhere from her complacent life in the corporate world, turned seemingly overnight from 16-Hour shift work and into the life of a literally starving artist and working musician, The Protagonist navigates her supposed rise to fame and superstardom on a journey through spiritual awakening, coming-of-age, and intimate self-realization--guided by an omnipresent force and equipped with the power of love, magic, and music. {Enter The Multiverse.} [The Festival Project] The Festival Project, Inc.™ is a multidimensional multimedia platform which encompasses exploratory and artistic social personifications and expressions on cosmic theory, spirituality, growth, health & wellness, philosophy and theoretic dynamics in entertainment such as music, design, film, television, radio, dance and festival culture, art, fashion, literature, and science. The Festival Project™ and its subsidiary Non-Profit, The Collective Complex © aims to challenge modern artistic and philosop Explicit Bitcoin Is Dead Trey Carson Welcome to Bitcoin is Dead, the ultimate Bitcoin variety show where host Trey takes you on a journey through the ever-evolving world of Bitcoin. Each episode brings new personalities, fascinating locations, and insightful conversations with politicians, educators, and innovators shaping the future of Bitcoin. Whether you're a seasoned Bitcoiner or just starting your journey, tune in for thought-provoking discussions, unique perspectives, and a deep dive into the ideas and people driving the Bitcoin revolution. Explicit The Sacred +Profane Podcast nephtaragrace The Sacred + Profane Podcast is a provocative conversation dedicated to cementing a better future for all. We specialize in unpacking the nuances of what is considered sacred and profane, particularly focusing on sex, death, and all that pertains to the circle of life. Our aim in focusing on such ”taboo” subject matter is to demystify what is unconscious, bring to light what has been known for centuries as ”the occult,” and empower the rapid transformation that is occurring on the Planet. Explicit

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Louis Theroux Podcast?

This episode is 1 hour and 19 minutes long.

When was this The Louis Theroux Podcast episode published?

This episode was published on June 24, 2025.

What is this episode about?

In this very special bonus episode, Louis is joined by actor and writer Michael Cera. Michael tells Louis about his foul-mouthed run-in with Tom Cruise, nearly missing out on his role as Allan in Barbie, and the reason he never graduated from high...

Can I download this The Louis Theroux Podcast episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!