
The Staffa Corner
Greg Staffa created The Staffa Corner Podcast to provide listeners with a Staffatarian look at entertainment and life. Focusing on honest conversation, Staffa’s podcast is an appreciation of those he finds interesting in and out of television and film.The journey taken by Staffa in the industry started more than 8 years ago writing for Your Entertainment Corner. Motivated by the desire to become more knowledgeable in his field, he leveraged his learned and acquired knowledge and skills and earned himself the opportunity to interview celebrities such as Pierce Brosnan, Ethan Hawke, Martin Freeman and Seth Rogan among others. Setting up his own in home studio, Staffa is branching out into podcasting while continuing to write for YEC. An unsung hero recognized by The St. Cloud Times in 2013, and a Staffatarian to the core, Staffa spent several months in 2010 on a 48-state road trip transforming the perception of homelessness. During this time, he handed out over 1,000 pairs of socks and hundreds of cups of coffee to the homeless, before he finally settling down in St Cloud Minnesota. By July 2020 Staffa’s journey came full circle having bought a home. To his credit, he still finds time to help others. Staffa is able to build and maintain incredible working relationships, an attribute that has contributed greatly to his success. Consequently, actors, writers and directors among other TV/film stars are always open to guest. He has covered red carpet premieres for films like Stuber and Booksmart among other star studded TV premieres.
The Staffa Corner
Hollywood Beginnings: Mason McNulty on Acting, Music, and Riding into Billy the Kid's Legacy
What does it take to build an acting career from the ground up? Mason McNulty pulls back the curtain on his journey from child actor to versatile performer, offering a refreshingly honest look at the realities of Hollywood.
McNulty's story begins with his first role at just three months old—a PSA about safely surrendering unwanted babies that earned him the family nickname "dumpster baby." From these humble beginnings, he built an impressive resume including roles on Modern Family, Glee, and a recurring part on the Goldbergs spin-off Schooled, where co-star Brian became a mentor who "felt like an onset dad."
Behind the glossy exterior of television appearances lies the foundation of a thoughtful approach to performance. McNulty views acting as therapeutic, explaining, "If I have an angry scene, I can let out all my anger into that scene and I feel refreshed after that." This emotional intelligence extends to his growing music career, with his latest single "Dust" exploring heartbreak while three more songs are in development for an upcoming EP.
The conversation takes an exciting turn when McNulty discusses his starring role as Billy the Kid in a forthcoming film. Rather than mimicking existing portrayals, he crafted an original interpretation while mastering period-specific skills like horseback riding and gun spinning. "Everything you see in the movie came from me," he explains, "all of my original ideas while still staying true to the real-life counterpart."
Perhaps most revealing is McNulty's pushback against the common misconception that actors have everything handed to them. "I worked for everything that I've gotten," he emphasizes, highlighting the constant cycle of auditions, rejections, and unpaid promotional work that constitutes a performer's life.
Want to witness a young actor's authentic passion for his craft? Listen as Mason balances artistic ambition with practical reality, proving that behind every "overnight success" lies years of persistent dedication and genuine love for the work itself.
You're listening to the Staffa Corner Podcast a Staffatarian look at entertainment and life with your host, greg Staffa, my guest. This episode is best known for his recurring role in the Goldberg spin-off school. He's guest starred in shows like Teen Wolf, danger Force, modern Family, glee and many more. He plays Sam on the psychological thriller Deadly Fiance, now streaming on Amazon Prime, and he just released his new single Dust Mason Gnulti. Thanks for joining us today. Hey, what's up, man? Thank you for having me. So tell us a little bit about what got you started into acting. You're a young man. What got you going?
Speaker 1:Well, I started at a very young age. My parents brought me into acting and I've just been doing it ever since. I love the expressiveness that I can bring to plate when I act, because I'm very much so an expressive guy. So sometimes with acting I'm challenged with having to take it back or push it forward, and so it's just. It's a fun challenge and I like I like challenges, I like overcoming them.
Speaker 2:So were you always the center of attention, always looking for that spotlight.
Speaker 1:I? Yeah, I'd say so, because I just realized I came across an old video of myself where I'm standing on a table dancing to Big Time Rush. So yeah, I'd say so. What was your family like? You know it was a very loving family, love all around, care. We still do go to Disneyland all the time. We make sure to always have that as like one of our family trips for whenever we go, because my dad, he runs a mobile maintenance what's it called Trash compactor business and so we don't get to take vacations all that often. So whenever we go to Disneyland we count it as our little vacation.
Speaker 2:Mobile trash compactor. How is it different than the garbage service?
Speaker 1:It's different because with the garbage service, they actually come in and they take the trash while we fix the machines that compact the trash. Best way I can describe what a trash compactor is is that scene from A New Hope where they're about to get squashed by the trash compactor. That's exactly what the trash compactor is. Behind the Targets, the Walmarts. That's exactly what they do and we fix them. And it's like a library. Libraries are not going to go out of business because they have knowledge, they have all these things that are needed for human consumption, whereas for us us it's the opposite of consumption. So with us it's not a dying business because we have to comply with the trash laws and, yeah, it's going to be one of those businesses that's going to stay up for years and years now you say.
Speaker 2:You keep on saying we is that something that your family kind of wanted you to get in? And by being an actor you're kind of the outlier of the family what was that?
Speaker 1:no, what it is it's. They're building the business up so that way when they do eventually do retire, they hand the business over to me. But they don't want me like working hands-on, like what my dad's doing. They want me to kind of work behind the scenes, if that makes sense, more or less of like a, like a secondary business, and if your acting career takes off even more.
Speaker 2:Is that something that might be a conflict? Is that something that you're worried about?
Speaker 1:I wouldn't say so, because it's one of those things that you can like, especially like with me. If I get, hopefully, more rich, I can hire somebody to do the harder parts, but no, hire somebody to do the harder parts, but no, hire somebody to do, like, the paperwork, the hiring, all that.
Speaker 2:Now liking being the attention, liking kind of being that presence to deciding to go into acting. What made you decide that that was a route that you could take?
Speaker 1:It was a route that I wanted to take because also, it offers such diversity, because I view it more as like my my therapist let's say that because with acting, if I have an angry scene, I can let out, you know, all my anger into that scene and I feel refreshed, I feel fine after that. So for acting, it's not staying in acting, it's not more or less of me wanting to be in that spotlight, it's more or less of like a. It helps me and also it's a good thing to have by my hip if that makes sense.
Speaker 2:Tell us about your first couple of roles that you got, oh my very first role.
Speaker 1:Oh, I don't remember it because I was like three months old, I think.
Speaker 1:I'm not certain about the age, but it was a PSA for a. I think it was the state of Michigan, where it's like if you can't take care of your baby you can drop them off at the firehouse and they'll get the proper care for them and for that commercial. I was that baby, and so my dad for years now has always called me the dumpster baby, because I guess there was a scene where the mom walked past a dumpster. It was funny. It's still a funny joke that we say from time to time.
Speaker 2:And then, as a young adult, what was some of your first roles?
Speaker 1:Coming into adulthood, my first role was, I think, gacy, serial killer next door, because, also, that wasn't just my first role, in quote, adulthood, it was more or less my first role as a producer, producer and so I had to really separate the two, like acting and now this new thought process of producing, but I was able to combine them two, uh, during certain scenes, and it was a fun experience and I love doing it and that's why we me, my and my dad we have our own now production company called McNulty Productions and we produce all these types of movies.
Speaker 2:Is it something that you, so you're producing? You're starring in some of them. You're also just a producer on others, where you're not involved as the actor.
Speaker 1:We have a couple in the works. Yes, I don't know when they should be released as of yet, but yeah, we have a couple.
Speaker 2:Tell us a little bit about your big recurring role was on the Goldberg spin-off Schooled. What was that like getting that cast? Had you watched the Goldbergs previously? Did you have an idea of the show?
Speaker 1:Yeah, we absolutely loved the Goldbergs. Before I got the show, we used to sit down and watch every night it would air on TV. And when I got the audition for Schooled at first I didn't know what it was because, also, I was what? 13 at the time, so I was kind of more focused on getting the audition done. And then when I finally booked it, oh my gosh, that was insane. I was in the office of my old acting studio when I got the message that I booked it. I was jumping up and down, I was yelling for joy and then working on it, it was so fun. The entire vibe of the place was just amazing. Brian, my co-star, he was so funny. Oh my gosh. Literally almost every take that we had together he would make me laugh.
Speaker 2:There was not one time I don't remember that he didn't make me laugh and when you're on a show like that that has a cast that the older cast was established from the goldbergs and then brought over for the spinoff, so there's a lot of familiarity with several of the actors. When you're a new actor, relatively new actor, getting into acting and you have the talent that that show had, is it business? Is there someone that stands out as a mentor that kind of helped shape you, or is it all strictly show up, do your lines?
Speaker 1:I definitely say brian was my mentor. I really grew a close connection to him. He felt like an onset dad. It was so fun and he really made everything feel welcomed. Uh, there wasn't one point where I felt like out of the crowd I. He made everybody and everything feel welcomed.
Speaker 2:Now your parents? They had their own business. They're looking at you to kind of grow into that business. Now you've branched off into being an actor. At what point did they realize that this is a real thing. Our son is doing, this is you know, he is an actor. What? At what point did they kind of realize that this is the career path for you?
Speaker 1:they realized it years and years ago because they always, they never wanted me to struggle like financially. So they wanted to have that clear set path and acting sounded like that fun thing that could offer that clear set path. So I say yeah, for years and years now they've, they've had their, their eyes set.
Speaker 2:And what is it like? I mean walking onto a show like modern family or even Glee, as a guest star. I mean the modern family had been established for years. You walk on. Is it almost like being the new kid at a school? Is it a welcoming experience for guest stars or is it just here's the cast, here's the guest stars. Show up and do your stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'd say it depends, really depends on the cast, but specifically for Modern Family it felt really welcoming because I feel like they're the type of cast who doesn't want anything bad out there. So they welcome everybody and I was fortunate enough to be on that show and be welcomed as much as everybody else, and it was, it was a fun experience. I it was. I remember it like it was yesterday.
Speaker 2:Tell us a little about your character on that show and and what you had to do so.
Speaker 1:I was, oh gosh, I was seven, eight young, single digits, and I remember I had to pull Lily's hair and I remember because I'm not a violent person by any means so they were telling me like, oh, pull her hair, pull her hair. And I was just like, okay, so I just basically held onto her hair without pulling it, and you can see that in the show. The show it's kind of funny, but it's just a. It's a fun little easter egg. And I remember, oh my gosh, uh-huh, when, um, the, the dad picked me up and pushed me on the pole, my head accidentally did hit the pole and I remember after that he came over. He's like, oh my gosh, you okay, okay, I'm like, yeah, no, I'm good, I got a hard head and what has it been like?
Speaker 2:I mean, even as a guest star on that, even at a young age, to be on a show that's so memorable so talked about just saying that you were a part of that what is that like as an actor to have that kind of repertoire in your you know quiver of arrows?
Speaker 1:yeah, I, I'm not going to lie. It is fun to flaunt at my friends Whenever we're comparing. I can always be like, hey well, look at me, my guys. But no, it is fun, it feels like a trophy I can display on a shelf, Like with Schooled Modern Family, Glee, all those shows. I feel like having that plethora of trophies. It feels like a trophy room.
Speaker 2:It feels amazing that you have that, that you're you know. Is that something that you look back on to give you the confidence that you need to say I am an actor, I've done this.
Speaker 1:Now let's get this next role yeah, I definitely say yeah, like looking back on past roles, uh being able to see how far I've come, seeing the roles I've gotten, specifically those, uh, major show roles it's definitely a confidence booster. And it does help me when I start to overthink on auditions, because there has been many times where I'm just sitting there at the editing table just like how the hell can I do this differently? And then I remember, oh hey, I was on these shows, so that means that I, I was good enough to get onto them. Let's just let's hope these people like, like me too, and let's go get this audition.
Speaker 2:I've heard a lot of people talk about, you know, feeling imposter syndrome, that you know, despite doing certain things, it still doesn't dawn on them that they've done those. Really, do you ever feel like what do they see in me for Modern Family? What do they see in me for this family? What do they see in me for this? And how do I find that? Do you see what they saw, and is that something that you rely on? Or is there still some question in the back of your head like god, how did I fool them into hiring me? It's how do you, how do you approach all that?
Speaker 1:yeah know, I definitely will say I do have some of those thoughts Like gosh, I don't know what they even saw in me for that role. But with acting it's one of those things where sometimes they will give you the clearest answer and other times they won't even tell you like why or why not. They won't even tell you like why or why not. So it's definitely frustrating as an actor, like giving it your all and then them being like, oh sorry, well, why are you sorry? Are you going this direction or that direction? And you don't. You know, you don't find out till the day that they air it. So yeah, I did. Yeah, I say I definitely have those thoughts still lingering in my head for a lot of auditions not for every single one, because there's certain ones where I'm like, oh yeah, that fits me to a tee, like come on.
Speaker 2:But yeah, how is it? I mean, you're a young adult, I think as fans we don't realize that acting is a lot like being part of a job search or being part of a temp agency, because you're always looking for that next gig. Does that get frustrating? Or is that just part of the job, that knowing that you're on set for a couple of days and then you're looking again, and then you're on set for a couple of days and you're looking again, days, and then you're looking again, and then you're on set for a couple days and you're looking again. Yeah, even if you have something that is a little bit longer term, you're still focused on needing to look again. Does that get frustrating? Or is that just part of what you signed up for?
Speaker 1:it definitely gets frustrating at times, especially when those in those slumps that you get when you're just submitting audition after audition and you don't hear anything back. But once you do get like a role, it definitely feels, it feels good, it feels amazing to finally feel seen and not just feel like you're submitting stuff into the abyss. Yeah, it does. Yeah, it does get annoying, but it is part of the job and I do have to remind myself that a lot. So yeah, it definitely does get annoying at times.
Speaker 2:What are some of the biggest misnomers that maybe you had or your friends say or assume about you being an actor? That you're like if you only knew the truth? What are some of the things that they assume or you assume before becoming an actor about acting? That really surprised you.
Speaker 1:I definitely say a lot of people think that us actors have everything handed to us, while in some cases, yes, but in a ground zero actor absolutely not. Like, for instance, leonardo DiCaprio. I look up to him for acting so much because he came from nothing and he worked himself up to where he is now and people just think, oh, since he's an actor, he's got a lot of things, and it's him, and that's the opposite, the exact opposite. I worked for everything that I've gotten and where I am today, like with acting, with even the stuff I have in my house right now. I've worked for everything.
Speaker 2:I think that's one of the things that people don't necessarily realize. They think, oh, he's an actor, he gets paid a lot, but you might be on the show for a short period of time, but then you're doing press and you're not getting paid to come on. Today You're giving me 45 minutes of your time for free. Then you're probably going to do some more 45 hour interviews for free and then you're going to go on maybe a talk show for free and do radio and print interviews for free.
Speaker 2:I think you're giving a lot of your time and I think people don't realize that that you know, yeah, you get paid for the work that you do, but there's a lot of time, effort, energy that gets like this in order to get yourself out there and promote yourself and promote your thing. And I think a lot of people don't realize how much work goes into it. And if you look at all the effort you know coming on here, you know and figure for a job how much work you're doing for free and how much you're making, you know what you get paid an hour is almost nothing. The end result might be great, but that buildup and that work that you're doing of all this time and press. I think it's lost on general fans and stuff like that that you're putting in a lot of work outside of that one role that you shot, so that's something that, what you said I think makes a lot of sense so it definitely it does.
Speaker 1:I've come to the realization that, you know, it's just a part of the job and that's why I've also grown to like podcasts and stuff, because it's one of those things where I just get to express myself without a script, without any dialogue. I just get to say what I feel and if it helps people later down the line, that's really. That really makes me happy Sure.
Speaker 2:So now, not only are you acting, but you just released your latest single, Dust. Tell us a little bit about the music. End of Mason.
Speaker 1:So the music end of me is very much so a lover boy, because the past two songs I've released are about love, either with a heartbreak or, you know, right person, wrong time. But there actually will be a couple more songs, three more songs, because I'm going to be releasing five for an EP and we have three more in the works. One we don't know what we're doing with and the other two we're actually going to record a demo for pretty soon, and so I'm very much a lover boy when it comes to my singing. And the next two I have are completely about love. One is a. It's called Someone, it's like a future letter to my, my, someone, and the the. The fourth one we have is called sinner, like me, and I can't say much about it, but there will be news about it releasing soon, hopefully more for them.
Speaker 2:What got you into singing?
Speaker 1:yeah, I've been singing for years now, since I was seven. I just more or less took as like a hobby, just in case of like acting calls for it, then, boom, hey, I can pull it on my hat. But then there was this certain role that I went out for where they needed a professional singer. And I am nowhere near that singer and I am nowhere near that. So we went to a friend. She gave me her amazing singing coach, which we have been with for now three, two years, I think two, maybe three years.
Speaker 1:Um, and then she's the one that actually got me into singing. Because she's like Mason, you have to put a song out. And I've always, I always fought it. I'm like, no, no, I don't want to put a song out, I don't know, I don't want to. And then she finally persuaded me to do it. And that's what Lessons of Love came out of. And that was my very first time really ever putting a song out there. It was very nerve wracking, oh my gosh. It was nerve wracking because I put my heart and soul into those words and I was very worried about what the public would say about it, and seeing the amount of praise I got only pushed me further for my second song, dust, which is it is based off a breakup I had.
Speaker 2:Uh, it is based off a breakup I had and you know, the main lesson of both of my songs is you live and learn, but don't let it define who you is, who you are, well said, besides the acting and what is, what are some of the things that you enjoy doing as a hobby?
Speaker 1:I will say this I am very much so a nerd when it comes to like star wars, anything horror. But with star wars specifically, I have oh my gosh, I have a bunch of lightsabers that I just go out in my front yard and I just start spinning. That's like I've been self-training spinning for about five, maybe six now, and I'm definitely at that point where I can say I spin like the prequels and I'm not gonna lie, it is fun, yet it hurts. It hurts a lot, because there's been a couple times where I've hit myself in the leg and myself in the arm. There's actually one time I was spinning this bam not bamboo, but it's like a wood katana and I was spinning it hard and then all of a sudden, on the blunt side, I hit my head and my hearing went out for like three seconds. That was the most terrifying three seconds of my life.
Speaker 2:I do love how, when I asked about your dad, your eyes kind of lit up when you were able to compare what your dad does to Star Wars and the fun that you had in that. One of the things I do want to talk about and I know you're really limited of what you can and can't talk about is you have the upcoming film, billy the Kid. Full disclosure I'm a huge Billy the Kid fan. There's the MGM series Billy the Kid out currently. I don't know if there's going to be a third season or not.
Speaker 2:Young Guns 1 and 2 are two of my favorite movies. I'm from Minnesota but I've traveled to many of the real-life locations of some of the shootouts. I visited the grave of Pat Garrett, billy the Kid, doc Scurlock and many others Pat Garrett, billy the Kid, doc Scurlock and many others. I've been to, like I said, some of the locations of the shootout, like where Dick Brewer was shot and killed at Blazer's Mill, and so, hearing that another incarnation is coming out they actually just announced that Young Guns 3, which really confuses and excites but scares me they're actually filming this fall. Oh nice. But I guess my first question is what makes this Billy kid incarnation needed and different, and why should I be excited about it?
Speaker 1:I say it's different because you know it's just with Billy the kid, there wasn't much known about his life because there wasn't, there was documentation, but not as much as we have now. So it's definitely, it gives it another, it shines another light on that entire world. And you should be excited, man, because, oh my gosh, we watched this movie the other night because the director sent it to us and be like hey, do you have any notes? Oh my gosh, it is good, it is really good. Everybody did amazing and it definitely it makes the story so good. Like the story itself of Billy the Kid is already good, this puts another spotlight onto it. I'm just excited to see what everybody else says about it.
Speaker 2:Is there a spin to it? Is there a different approach? Is it just a fresh, new storytelling of it? What sets it apart?
Speaker 1:It's a fresh, new storytelling of it. There's a couple new elements that we brought to it to switch it up a bit, to make the audience perceive it in a good light, yet also a different light, if that makes sense.
Speaker 2:And what was the? I mean, did you grow up learning how to ride a horse, Did you? Is that something that you had to quickly learn? What I've always heard? That actors are always asked by producers hey, do you know how to ride a horse? And they all say yes, and then go oh shit, I need to learn how to ride a horse. Was that your case, or how did that all go?
Speaker 1:Uh, uh, yes and no. Uh, because I knew the basics of riding a horse. Uh, because a couple years back uh, catch the bullet there was a couple scenes where I had to ride a horse. Um, so I had to quickly learn on set how to ride it. But then with this movie, the director actually gave me a little bit of a heads up and we went out, we got, got some riding lessons, I learned how, I learned the basics of, like, like cowboy riding stuff like that, um, so it was definitely it wasn't, it wasn't one of those moments where I could be like, oh yeah, I know how to ride a horse, oh shit, I gotta go ride a horse.
Speaker 1:But that is definitely actor rule Number one always say you can do it and then figure out how to do it later. Um, but with this case it was a horse. But that is definitely actor rule number one Always say you can do it and then figure out how to do it later. But with this case it was a bit different because we personally we're personal friends with the director. So he was able to give me that quick heads up and I was able to get those lessons and I got a lot in actually now that I think about it. So that way, when day came, you know, I could ride a horse.
Speaker 2:How is your gun play skill?
Speaker 1:Not to brag, it's pretty decent. I personally haven't actually shot a gun before which I need to go do but my gun spinning abilities they're fun. There's a couple scenes in this movie where I do spin the gun, like I have a shootout and I spin the gun, put it back in the holster. So it was definitely fun to film those. But I've also never spun an actual .44 Cal before, so feeling the weight on my hand definitely hurt after filming.
Speaker 2:I mean, besides my own affection towards the character or the person I can't imagine. I mean like for school. Yeah, you wore pretty much regular clothes. You know, for most of your roles modern family you were a kid wearing kids clothes. You know, for most of your roles, modern family, you were a kid wearing kids clothes. But billy the kid to put on that wardrobe the first time and have the gun hanging at your side and you know that. Look, what was that like as an actor?
Speaker 1:it was amazing, oh my gosh, putting on the outfit for the first time. I remember the first day I came to set because we filmed a couple like family owned ranches and when I first put on that first outfit like the famous Billy the Kid outfit I just looked at it, I looked back at my mom and I just smiled the biggest smile on my face and actually to get into character for Billy the Kid. I didn't method act, but I did use a song that did help me to get into character. It was by Donut Larson. It's called Heather and it just has the exact feel for what I was trying to portray for Billy the Kid and it just helped me tap into character every single time.
Speaker 2:It just helped me tap into character every single time and I apologize for all these questions but, like I said, I'm such a so to have Billy the Kid before he's known to the rest of the world as Billy the Kid for me is exciting. I'm excited to see it. Do we know when, because you finished filming last year? Do we know when we're going to see a trailer or a release date or anything?
Speaker 1:We just locked picture, okay, so hopefully, uh, fairly soon. I don't want to give an exact date because I I personally don't even know, but we are super close.
Speaker 2:I will tell you that are they looking and I know you can't say everything are they looking at having it being streaming? Is this a theater release that they're looking at? What is the goals and aspirations?
Speaker 1:I don't know all the details of that, but from what I remember back in filming, I think, I believe it's a mix of both theater and streaming, I believe, but I could be incorrect, be incorrect and how much did you know about the character himself?
Speaker 2:was there any frustration in learning that mgm had their own series coming out? I mean it almost was like, oh, we could be getting. I mean we're potentially, depending on how fast young guns 3 films and again I don't know what they're doing I mean they're that movie is going into kind of mythological, you know, because I mean he died and whatnot. But you're we're potentially looking at like a season three of billy the kid, your film, billy the kid, and then young guns three coming out all within six months to a year. Is there any worry about saturation or is this film in your mind good enough where it stands by itself and compared to the rest of them?
Speaker 1:I definitely stay say it would stand off by itself because, also, when I prepared for the character, I didn't look at any modern media of billy the kid because I didn't want to accidentally copy their acting style or what they did. So everything that you see in the movie all came from me, all of my original ideas. So I think that's what stands it.
Speaker 2:apart from those two, it's another original idea of the character, while still staying true to the real life counterpart and then one last question, and again I apologize for taking so much time up on this, but, like I said, I'm I'm thrilled to death, but not. There can't be enough incarnations of billy the kid that that would drive me nuts. I wish I could get a copy and screen it and review it. Like I said, I've been to like Blazer's Mill. I don't know if you shot any scenes about that, but it was a famous shootout where Dick Brewer died, and actually there's a highway and there's like a dirt road that goes off like 10 feet and you would never know that Blazer's Mill is like 10 feet over this berm and you hear the highway going by and no one really, unless you're like a local, no one knows that. That's where it was.
Speaker 2:In the movies it's always in the middle of nothing and there's nothing there. But there's this major road and then there's this brick building that looks like it's old and decapitated and then off in the distance is a couple of gravestones and that's where. So I love that kind of stuff, visiting those kind of stuff, because you're from in Arizona, correct? Yes, sir. Did you go to any of the locations? Did you visit the grave? Did any of that? Or is it all kind of we're creating our own story, so we're looking less on influence?
Speaker 1:Yeah, we definitely for location, our our own way, but for, like, story-wise, we definitely did follow. But no, I did uh. I went to tombstone, uh, when we had our day off and there isn't much like of billy the kid there. There was like one instance of him at a reenactment where he was at a bar. But I went to the the okay corral gunfight show and in their little gift shop they had a little poster of billy the kid. I was asking if they could sell that and she's like no, unfortunately you can't, but you could take a picture of it and print it out. I'm like, oh, okay, but um, yeah, no, being able to and and indulge myself into that world was just amazing, because also, I'm very much so a big fan of western.
Speaker 1:One of my favorite movies well, not the greatest example, but one of them it was, uh, cowboys versus aliens. I loved that movie. Growing up it was one of my favorites and I definitely said that was my introduction to the Western world. I started watching all the older Western movies, like what's it called the Rifleman. I loved that show. Just all those fun, goofy, serious cowboy shows. Goofy, serious cowboy shows.
Speaker 2:If you ever get out to New Mexico, I invite you to go to Lincoln County, because it's amazing. You're in the middle of nothing and you're driving down a road and all of a sudden there's a street and the street has a building and it'll be the Tunstall store and it's all preserved. So it's like traveling back in time. The courthouse is there, the Tunstall store is there, the McSween house where it used to be, there's a sign saying that, but it's a street of like 20 houses and like each one has a sign like this is where this took place, this is where, and you're able to drive along the street and basically see the street that Billy the kid lived on, and it's the actual store. The core core house is there and just it's an amazing thing, and so I apologize for taking so much time up on this.
Speaker 1:I love, I love talking about acting and just the entire industry in itself.
Speaker 2:So you're good man, but to talk about this before it comes out to anyone else, and to be able to talk to Billy the Kid himself is just a joy. Is there anything else that you could talk about coming up?
Speaker 1:I don't think I have anything else coming out as of yet, but back to your New Mexico thing. Real quick, anything else coming out as of yet? But back to your new mexico thing, real quick I'm. I booked a movie that we are leaving for, to texas, on the 19th I believe, and I think we're passing by new mexico. So I will definitely check out that place that you said, because that sounds awesome it's just.
Speaker 2:I mean, I mean, there's nothing for like 20 miles, yeah. And then all of a sudden you make this curve and it's a street and, like I said, it's the Tunsil store, it's the courthouse where he escaped, it's the restaurant that who's a Bob Olinger ate at and then heard the gunshots and then ran across the street and got shot himself. It's all. These buildings are there. The McSween house? In the movies the Mccsween house is always off in the distance somewhere, but it's actually on that street and they have a spot where it burnt down and I don't know how much of this you cover in the movies. Oh, and that's my one question, what time frame, if you're able to give this away or not, what time frame does the movie cover? And, like I said, I don't want you to spoil anything if it's a spoiler, but is there like a, an area that you cover or something you have to wait and see?
Speaker 1:with the time frame itself, without giving you spoilers. We start where Pat Garrett is a bartender and then we end where you know no spoilers, but you know something happens Gotcha Interesting, wow.
Speaker 2:Anything else that we look forward to seeing you in?
Speaker 1:I'm trying to think, not as of yet, but that can always change.
Speaker 2:Well, I sincerely appreciate you coming on, mason. I appreciate you indulging my Billy the Kid love and passion. I cannot wait to see my Billy the Kid love and passion. I cannot wait to see this movie or hopefully, screen and review it. Like I said, there can't be too many Billy the Kid incarnations and just from the little research and researching you, the look feels authentic. The costumes look really good, based on some of the pictures that we do have of him. So I'm excited about that. I'm excited to see about the new music that you're putting out again. The latest single, dust, is out right now and you said there's some news coming a little bit about your music that we should be looking for, so fans should be looking for that. Um, fans can sign up on your instagram and I'll put a link to that. Uh, but, mason, thank you so much for coming on hey, thank you so much, man, I had a blast.