Don Cheadle Enjoys Being Less Famous Than Brad Pitt | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

Don Cheadle appreciates his fans, but is comfortable to remain less famous than his former co-star Brad Pitt.
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ABOUT CONAN O’BRIEN NEEDS A FRIEND
Deeper, unboundedly playful, and free from FCC regulations, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend is a weekly opportunity for Conan to hang out with the people he enjoys most and perhaps find some real friendship along the way. Watch highlights of Conan, Sona Movsesian and Matt Gourley chatting with celebrities and meeting fans, along with special segments like “Review the Reviewers” and “Summer S’mores with Conan and the Chill Chums.”
ABOUT TEAM COCO
Team Coco features over a decade of comedy sketches, celebrity interviews and stand-up comedy sets from CONAN on TBS, as well as exclusive videos from Team Coco podcasts like Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, Why Won’t You Date Me? with Nicole Byer, The Three Questions with Andy Richter, Literally! With Rob Lowe, Where Everybody Knows Your Name with Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson (sometimes), and Scam Goddess with Laci Mosley.
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[@KATZFEY]

“paparazzi is an italian word” was a great way to explain why they had a floor to themselves lmfao

[@seagrass7125]

I enjoy being less famous than Brad Pitt too

[@user-yn7yo1co3k]

Don't we all.

[@franciscofarias6385]

I don't

[@kendallandrews8691]

I do too, but wouldn't mind having his bank account

[@PureSparkles22]

Brad Pitt is less famous now. This isn’t 2004 anymore

[@PureSparkles22]

@@user-yn7yo1co3kbrads not Taylor swift level famous

[@cristinagarza1068]

This has to be one of my favorite interviews in a long time! Don is so funny and quick! Love when the guest was play along and improvise. 😂

[@erikalesi7603]

I met Cheadle in line at a restaurant in Vegas back in 2007. I was like: Hey Mr. Cheadle I really admire your movies. He was like: Thanks man. And I was like: 🤓

[@frambojan]

How did I not know Don Cheadle was this cool, grounded, and funny?

[@neuvocastezero1838]

If you look at his body of work, it tracks.

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

​@@neuvocastezero1838Especially his cameo in that one Jackie Chan film. 😎 "How do you know twisting tiger?!" 😅

[@Rattenhoofd]

@@Novastar.SaberCombat YES, Rush Hour 2. "Do you still have the counterfeit bill?" Don: "I still got my lunch money from the third grade."

[@trousersnakemd]

because you haven’t seen him as Captain Planet

[@LooksTuk]

Check out the met gala episode of Dave. He is peak hilarious in his cameo.

[@yikemoo]

I used to run into Cheadle at Commerce Casino in LA a lot. He was the only celebrity type who would play in the smaller games, like $200 buy-in level. Super humble, never once did he try to big-shot anyone, just did his thing like a normal guy. Absolutely the most unaffected of any Hollywood actor type I ever ran across. He really did act semi-surprised and slightly embarrassed that people recognized him.

[@frambojan]

"It's got to be Carl Reiner" God damn, Matt is an assassin.

[@heee1000]

Please explain 🙏

[@cedarandsound]

@@heee1000 Matt travels the world assassinating people.

[@frambojan]

@@heee1000 He is a master of using a rare comedic interjection for maximum effect.

[@mattmays9063]

Gourley is a stud for letting the zingers fly. Sometimes he whiffs and it's hilarious then on occasion he lands an absolute banger and you could almost miss it if you weren't paying attention.

[@Rattenhoofd]

But what it is about Reiner that makes it funny? He's just such a nice guy?

[@Nikkithedog-t6b]

How does Cheadle not have piles of scripts to choose from. The dude is an actors actor.

[@MonkeyChessify]

I agree but for whatever reason I could see studios having some perception of him "not selling seats" or whatever. But I love seeing him in things

[@lancefisher8358]

Can't be a player if you don't play the game. Hollywood is a dark place

[@nicholasschmidt1156]

I can't believe Conan was able to get Captain Planet on the show.

[@gimmetreefiddy891]

Probably had to combine a lot of the team's powers.

[@kerryknight1903]

First time I saw Don Cheadle was in the theater at Boogie Nights and the part where he says "I'm an actor! I'm an actor!" After getting rejected by the bank made me tear up. I felt his pain. That's talent.

[@roberthevern6169]

He's a very good actor! I liked his work in 2004's Crash, directed by Paul Haggis, and of course PTA's Boogie Nights!

[@kerryknight1903]

@roberthevern6169 Crash was great, you have good taste

[@IWAC2013]

Crash was one of the worst movies of all time

[@Gringa_L]

I adore this man's acting. One of the most subtly powerful performances I've ever seen is his character Alan Johnson in Reign Over Me. Don Cheadle and Adam Sandler were everything to that movie.

[@KingGrio]

Hey that's Master Kenny. He trained under Master Freddy Ching from Crenshaw.

[@HankAaronJoseph19]

Your a black man with a Chinese restaurant on Crenshaw

[@horacio-ho3bf]

That's Rocket....he went out like a real gangsta

[@TwoWrights]

A celebrity encounter is just meeting a stranger you already knew existed. It’s already weird, don’t make it weirder. Just be respectful and read the room. You saw them, you won’t die if you don’t meet them. But if you do, remember that they’re people too.

[@Nikkithedog-t6b]

My celebrity encounter is summed up by just saying hey thanks for the entertainment.

[@travisinthetrunk]

It’s just the popular kid at school, only on a much bigger level.

[@CapAnson12345]

He really is the complete opposite of Terrence Howard.

[@nicks8026]

Yes, he’s human.

[@emmakai2243]

@@nicks8026 😅😆

[@mermaidintherudder]

Whenever I’ve had the opportunity to meet an artist/celebrity I respect I decline because I think “what’s in it for them?” and the answer is always “nothing..” so I just try to radiate appreciation & leave them alone.

[@rickitynick4463]

Nobody can crack Sona up like Gourley. This is by far my favorite podcast team.

[@chriscueva1866]

Brad Pitt is a character actor trapped in a leading man’s body

[@Pruzzles]

My word - no truer words have been spoken on KZbin.

[@SamuraiShooter_]

@Pruzzles so true. And succinctly put too

[@henrikryan1606]

“There was one ticket sold”😂😂😂

[@roberthevern6169]

I respect the space of famous people, just as I would want to be respected by anyone.

[@Tusc9969]

First noticed Don Cheadle in the 80s in a small part in "Colors" with Sean Penn, Robert Duvall. Then became his fan when I saw him again in the 90s, "Devil in a Blue Dress" (1995) with Denzel Washington, his first starring role in the HBO movie "Rebound" (1996), "Boogie Nights" (1997) and another HBO film "The Rat Pack" (1998) with Ray Liotta.

[@oladeebiazazi4538]

First time I saw Don Cheadle was in Rush Hour 2 yes I’m young lol

[@mladyhazel]

Boundaries are a good thing. We need to all have them and practice them. Actors/Actresses have boundaries too, please be respectful. We love the work they do and the the inspiration they give, let's show them respect too 🙂

[@fwfulton]

I love Don, you were so marvelous as Sammy in the "Rat Pack"; not that your other work was lacking. You are one of the guys that I say "if he is in this I going to check it out".

[@6seasonsandamovie_]

It's already been said many times in the comments here about Don but man what a fun interview! I mean it's like hanging out with your friends and talking stupid stuff then talking serious for a minute then getting stupid again then chill again... I will definitely be watching "Camel Store" today.

[@jatilq]

I think it was Wil Smith who talks about going in or out of a restaurant and a fan picked up a nasty paper bag from the ground and wanted him to sign it. There has to be boundaries.

[@stevenbryant8160]

That insane

[@trtotally]

If you haven't listened to the full episode, you should! Don Cheadle is one of the best guests. I couldn't stop laughing the entire time.

[@luckyblank]

Loved Cheadle's Miles Davis biopic. So good.

[@rellenoz]

omg I didnt know this existed!

[@sclogse1]

I liked the elevator transition.

[@covalspace8191]

Conan and Don are the two best looking 60 year olds I think I've EVER seen

[@joetowers4804]

How about Brad Pitt himself?

[@DurkMcGerk]

@@joetowers4804Brad who now?

[@covalspace8191]

@@joetowers4804 no WAY this guy is 60 WHAT?! I genuinely had no idea. Wow anti-aging tech for these celebrities must be insane now. All the 60+ year olds I knew growing up barely looked better than they do now in their 80s.

[@thelochlord]

Oh man, Camel Store is my absolute favorite Don Cheadle movie. It's as relevant today as it was years ago.

[@chadwickerman]

I can't believe Conan has played Quarzal Sizzle and managed to get to level 9. Unbelievable!

[@Emarilys]

Can I just say I'm so glad Conan's getting these big company ads? He makes everything so freaking fun and funny lolll keep em coming!

[@AnilRamcharitar]

Don Cheadle to me is a funny, refined & classy actor. Loved him in Hotel Rwanda(2004), Brooklyn's Finest(2009)and of course the Ocean's. Absolutely underrated in many ways.

[@pjmlegrande]

First appreciation of Don Cheadle … as Mouse in Devil with a Blue Dress. I’d read the book already and he was exactly the character I’d envisioned. Around the same time I saw him play ex-con Snoopy in Out of Sight, another really good flick. If he’s in the movie, I’m seeing it.

[@regina_filange2.0]

Excellent interview😊 He's so easy going and funny omg😅❤

[@samchen9951]

11:47 "That's how I know you" Anyone momentarily felt Gourley was referencing Creed in the Office? In the First Aid episode.

[@aminenacerddine]

Conan finally got that samsung collab

[@shannonmcstormy5021]

Don Cheadle is a chameleon and his acting career is overflowing with well-earned awards. IMO, he was one of the anchors to the....er.....3rd Oceans movie? The one where he is writing letters to their mentor who just had a massive heart attack, while operating the huge Chunnel drill? That emotionally-moving.....profound humanity story tucked into and through the light-hearted heist movie. Mr. Cheadle made me believe his character's profound love for their mentor, his letters to him, brought their mentor out of the paralyzing trauma he was in. His performance is nuanced, subtle, brilliant, and for Mr. Cheadle, entirely as expected.

[@marcusmcdowell7844]

Don is low-key hilarious

[@BenCarnes]

Team Coco needs to sign Don Cheadle, even if it means Conan taking a pay cut.

[@josuacastillo2551]

I got a recommendation for you Conan, when you have a sponsor like Samsung, you talking about OLED, well…. You know…. please bring Jordan to explain to us all the tech terms so we can all die inside with him on his explanation.

[@Pruzzles]

Man I imagine him explaining the tech like he would an espresso machine

[@lekoman]

Truly one of our greatest actors, but also just a man of really excellent taste; you just know it's gonna be good when you see Don said yes to a film.

[@justinwright7469]

I can vividly remember seeing Don Cheadle on a show called Picket Fences I used to watch when I was a kid. I remember thinking even then how great of an actor he was

[@Invictus1017]

Damn the man looks amazing for 59.

[@alex31245]

He's 59? Damn!

[@sclogse1]

He also directed the Miles Davis film, of which the elevator transition is my favorite scene. Funny thing, a fifties big yellow ashtray in the film is also in my living room. (We don't smoke) I get a little kick from that.

[@outlander234]

Movie actors are most recognizable because everyone watches the movies but not everyone watches every sport or show like Conan's. So if you are in bunch of movies chances are most people on the planet have seen you. Don Cheadle might not be as big in his career as Conan is in his but he is still substantially more recognizable across the world than Conan.

[@bobbyblazini]

With KZbin, talk shows have become extremely popular. He might be a global name now

[@colem6913]

​@@bobbyblaziniYeah Conan likes to underplay how famous he is. He's one of the most recognizable people alive.

[@bobbyblazini]

@@colem6913 I wanted to say so. Graham is famous in America

[@zenberimbau3085]

Don Cheadle is one of my favourite actors of all time, because of his roles as Rocket in Colors, the trigger happy sidekick friend in Devil in a blue dress and that role made me want to see him more and then he killed it in Traffic when he shoved the security at the drug dealers birthday party after his character planted the bug in the house. Such a great actor

[@EzEzEz369]

If you haven't seen Don in The Guard with Brendan Gleeson, do yourself a favor...

[@JonnM]

Totally agree. Some really hilarious moments in that movie.

[@ericwatts-et2nl]

I would definately buy a ticket for "Camel Store". Kudos to the amazingly quick brain power of this episode.

[@brandonmills9577]

Dudes a true A list star and hates the spotlight. Such a cool guy ❤

[@wyskass861]

Don made an interesting point about acting and the eventual output over which they don't have control. I've always wondered how they have to choose projects wisely so as to not have their reputation damaged through bad directing, editing or producing. There have been many terrible movies with good actors, which I'm sure was not their intent. The public tend to blame an actor for a bad result, as they are the ones on the screen. So ya, it kind of makes sense they get the big bucks, but also lots of career risks.

[@ptptpt123]

Can't believe they got the new Captain America!

[@58lukum]

I think you mean Captain Planet.

[@samm9184]

He's war machine. Not cap.

[@auslandermercury972]

Love Don Cheadle. Especially in ‘Traitor.’ That’s one of my favorite movies with him in it that doesn’t seem to get a lot of attention.

[@NeoDaOne]

4:10 the only way I would ever watch ads. Conan makes it worth it. lol

[@ilahjarvis]

The anxiety of offering a performance and then having to let it go. Screen actors have it especially hard because they have no power over the editing and post production, but there's a saying with writers that a book is never done, you just stop writing it, and it can be difficult to know when a painting is done, if it ever is.

[@user-nt6ry3be4q]

Loved Don in House of Lies and Irish movie with the Gleeson actor. He's wonderful!

[@loricannon2988]

I have to admit, Don I’m a big fan of yours 😹😹😎💅💕

[@crazy_old_mike]

Don seems like a levelheaded, great guy.

[@Archemideez]

i always like the "making of" documentaries of movies. this podcast is like a grounded, hilarious version of that. 👍

[@billbruceguitar]

Why does the guest chair look like it's last owner had cats?

[@jamimurrahman9159]

I have a Samsung smart tv. I like it so far keeps up pretty well with the resolution even when I connect it to my laptop etc. But man I bought mine from a verified shop in BD and the filter inside the tv was soo dirty, you could see the first though the TV. Thank goodness we have the warranty, they repaired it.

[@keeshiabrie]

At this point, I hope CONAF gets more sponsors so we can get more of Conan and Sona riffing on the brief 😂

[@cedarandsound]

Matt with the zingers!

[@adinapiza]

"His name is Lee gaddammit!"

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

No one ever *wants* to yield shoddy work. I mean, if that IS the case, then they should reevaluate their priorities. But anyhow, I feel that everyone is shooting for the stars with production (acting, directing, music, sound, costuming, etc.), but sometimes, things like budget, deadlines, frustrations, conflicts, energy levels, etc. end up getting in the way.

[@corbelius6]

Hotel Rwanda was so powerful.

[@hardcoreep]

Great interview

[@joshuatickle6429]

My, favorite Captain Planet!!😂🙌

[@stevenhaas9622]

I love Don Cheadle. Definitely one of the most versatile and gifted actors of his generation. Having said that, his British accent in the oceans movies is pretty bad,.

[@user-vt3cw3gu9x]

Rocket 🚀 from Colors still doing it!

[@Whitesquall123]

Aren't we all less famous than Brad Pitt?

[@jrodriguez7531]

The best version of Captain Planet.

[@rajendranadarajan8931]

Don is my favourite Captain Planet 💪

[@dustin_yeg_]

a true gem

[@TechLantern]

I’ll try it out, first?

[@TastyBeverage]

get me the next Don Cheadle!

[@claudiusthegod]

What kind of headphones are they using?

[@tychosis]

Jesus, did Don just stop aging back in the 90s?

[@Infinitesimal-ho7it]

Oh, that camel chase scene! They don't make 'em like that, anymore.

[@Plusse]

Why is Colin Firth doing the ad reads?

[@BuildinWings]

Brad Pitt don't impress me much.

[@toddstreet1734]

Brad Pitt Doesn't Care.

[@renardfox328]

Shania Twain's burner account confirmed.

[@BuildinWings]

Whoosh, to both of you 😅😂🤣

[@globdrop]

I deleted my comment bc I had forgotten that part of the song. Here, take my like

[@Maialeen]

His children aren't impressed by him either. If he wasn't famous, he'd be just another aIcoholic dad whose family has had enough.

[@alex0589]

every time i go into a grocery store, im glad im less famous than brad too

[@gmaxim]

Rocket from Colors

[@rixvspinner]

I bet it's Elliott Gould Don refers to re difficult actor..

[@irodney47]

He was Capt Planet for gods sake!

[@dosesandmimoses]

Well said!

[@kenbiemac337]

Sazzle Busters, QueBix Ring, Mind Binders, & Quarzle Sizzle are great video game recommendations.

[@TheAfterglowProject]

That’s not Don Cheadle. That’s clearly Tiger Woods.

[@kirb943]

Captain Planet the movie, Don....

[@moscheto]

Conan was drinking during the podcast?

[@AWren-mh2zx]

Day 13 asking for another Clueless Gamer

[@diegocastrolizarazo2749]

Sona is the kind of beauty greeks would have gone to war for.

[@jasonmurray6055]

Cheadle is hot thriller

[@pdxjordan93]

Don Cheadle comes across as awkward to me these days. His comedy is always deadpan and it seems like he never knows how else to respond. I see that in this interview and Hart to Heart-he's a fantastic actor though!

[@nsostephanenyenti1755]

I chose to be less famous than brad Pitt 😂

[@basilperdikakis7627]

Do you really need to do Samsung ads bro? 🧐

[@billyfoster6449]

Bradley Pitts

[@deadeye723]

I wonder who the unpleasant one is on Ocean's that Don is referring to?

[@jarnobot]

Who's that Brad guy Don Cheadle is talking about?

[@petercook360]

I enjoy being less famous than Don Cheadle

[@alex31245]

That A.I. thumbnail is really creepy. Could you just...not do that anymore? Thanks.

[@michaelrafales2782]

So great