Terry Gross

By which I think you mean it sounds like somebody reading their lines for the first time.

Well, your mother was behind you doing all of this.

And since you didn't find it acting very intriguing, did you feel – oh, and also because you became like the primary – Breadwinner.

Breadwinner, yeah.

Did you feel like you were being forced to do it?

So you supported the family for a while.

Did that put a lot of pressure on you?

Well, it is unusual.

And maybe drug problems, too, because it's so... I mean, I've not experienced it, but it seems to be very challenging to survive that as desirable as it might be to outsiders.

You were mauled by a lion at age nine.

I read that, but what happened?

Was this on a shoot?

Wow, he picked you up like in his mouth?

To get you help or to run away from the lion?

And then I guess- Wait, wait, are you saying you didn't know you were in the lion's mouth?

Did it make you think that acting was unsafe?

That's amazing resilience.

I think your mother sometimes exercised like such good judgment in terms of choosing roles for you.

Though some people might find that judgment very questionable when it comes to Taxi Driver.

But that's one of my very favorite films.