Tanya Mosley

Wait, who's the Cool Dude?

Yeah, because you know that happens when parents get too serious about it.

I actually want to play a clip, two clips actually, from that late night performance, you talking about it.

The first clip is your son singing, followed by a clip of you singing the song that you guys put together.

Let's listen.

And then here's you picking up the guitar.

Okay, now I know.

This is where you lost it.

I think this is why Fleas broke up, because you were on The Tonight Show.

Right, I know.

You know, I mean, I loved seeing that, though.

That had to be really great to, like, have this connection with your sons from the place that you started to find your artistic voice.

Are you playing for yourself as well?

Oscar Isaac, it's been such a pleasure to talk with you and thank you so much.

This is Fresh Air.

I'm Tanya Mosley.

And my guest today, award-winning actor Oscar Isaac, was still deep inside one of the most consuming roles of his career, playing Victor Frankenstein, when director Lee Sung-jin came calling for him to star in the second season of his Netflix series Beef.

In Beef, Oscar plays Josh, the manager of an upscale Los Angeles country club.

He's polished and charming, but underneath that smooth exterior, his life is falling apart because he's stealing from the club, and underneath the facade, his marriage is also falling apart.

Oscar said at first he had a hard time connecting to this character.