Michael Urie On Shrinking, Working With Harrison Ford & Oh, Mary!

**Romesh Ranganathan** (0:00)
So the last time I went to New York, I took my, I've got three boys. We went to, me, Lisa, and the three boys went to watch Little Shop of Horrors. Yeah, cool. It was an amazing show. As we're walking out, a homeless guy sat down, turns to me out of nowhere and goes, what are you looking at, you fucking little bitch? And it was out of nowhere, he shouts at me. It's so loud that it draws attention. And then people are like, is this guy squaring off with this homeless dude? My kids, it's the highlight of their trip.
They fucking loved it, man.
Why do you feel that homeless guy thought you're such a little bitch, dad?

**Michael Urie** (0:41)
I'm Michael Urie and I'm going to be on The Romesh Ranganathan Show.

**Shanthi Ranganathan** (0:55)
Oh, shut up, Romesh.

**Romesh Ranganathan** (0:58)
Okay, let's get into it. So I'm going to do your intro now. My guest today is an award. If you've got any issues with this, let me know.
My guest today is an award-winning American stage and screen actor who studied theatre at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City, as well as classical and contemporary theatre credits, has appeared in hit TV shows including Ugly Betty, Younger and Apple TV, Smash It, Shrinking, a performance that has earned him a Critics' Choice Award and two Emmy nominations. Fresh from his stint on London's West End in Oh, Mary is Michael Urie.

**Michael Urie** (1:31)
Welcome, everyone. What do you think? That was a really good intro. Yeah, great. I can't believe all those things are true.

**Romesh Ranganathan** (1:37)
Yeah. Is there anything we missed out that you'd want added?

**Michael Urie** (1:40)
No.
Handsome? Sensitive lover?

**Romesh Ranganathan** (1:44)
Well, I think that comes across on screen.

**Michael Urie** (1:46)
Oh, good. Okay.

**Romesh Ranganathan** (1:47)
I think straight away you can tell you're handsome. You look like you'd be a sensitive lover.

**Michael Urie** (1:51)
Yeah, very sensitive.

**Romesh Ranganathan** (1:52)
Just gentle and considerate of the other person's needs. And not rough, unless it was requested.

**Michael Urie** (1:58)
If that's what they wanted, I'll do it.

**Romesh Ranganathan** (2:01)
But listen, welcome to the podcast.

**Michael Urie** (2:02)
Thank you so much.

**Romesh Ranganathan** (2:03)
We are all massive fans of you.

**Michael Urie** (2:04)
Oh, thank you. So nice.

**Romesh Ranganathan** (2:06)
You are fantastic. How are you finding London?

**Michael Urie** (2:08)
I love it here. Everything is so interesting. I know that's a weird word to say, but I've been trying to figure out this trip, because I've been here lots of times, and I've worked here before, and I've been trying to figure out this trip. What is it about London that I love so much? And it's that everywhere I look, it's interesting. It's so old and so beautifully maintained, and the new and the old mix together so well, and people are so cool, and the streets are so weird. There'll be an alley, and then there'll be a big street, and then there'll be a giant bus.
And I live mostly in New York.

**Romesh Ranganathan** (2:50)
Because a lot of things that you've just said, you could say about New York, right?

**Michael Urie** (2:53)
True, yes, true. But New York, I guess, maybe I'm just used to New York, because I've lived there so long. But maybe it's also that like, New York is so much newer all around. And it's, I mean, you know, everyone's small to be like a pretty rancid smell here. I'll walk by something, and I'm like, oh, that's awful. That's an awful smell. But in New York, that's what we're really used to. Lots of rats, lots of stinky stuff, and then like some beautiful areas.
And it is a fabulous pace and exciting and there's so much great stuff going on.
But the buildings are so tall, so like the light is, you know, weird and sometimes you feel like it's all closing in on you. And I mean, I love New York, like that's my home. But I think the differences are what make me love London so much that like the buildings are short, every street is a little bit different. The grid in New York is very great. It's very easy to get around. You know, it's very easy to find like 16th and 6th because-

**Romesh Ranganathan** (3:56)
It's great to be a visitor to New York.

**Michael Urie** (3:58)
Right. It's very helpful. And that's great. And riding the train is really clear and easy because it's just, you know, they only go one way or, you know, back and forth.