‘Mountainhead’: Jason Schwartzman Talks Jesse Armstrong, Satirizing Billionaires, Working With Wes Anderson, & The Future Of Coconut Records [The Discourse Podcast]

Jason Schwartzman has built his career playing lovable weirdos, and in “Mountainhead,” HBO’s latest dark comedy from “Succession” creator Jesse Armstrong, he might’ve out-weirded himself. In a movie full of bizarre billionaires gathered in a glass mansion to decide the future of humanity, Schwartzman’s character—Souper, a.k.a. Hugo Van Yalk—is both the sweetest and the most hilariously clueless of the bunch.

In a new episode of The Discourse, Schwartzman joined the podcast to talk about working with Armstrong, filming in a surreal seven-story house, his thoughts on revisiting past characters, and the unexpected reason we haven’t heard a new Coconut Records album yet.

“Mountainhead” was shot almost entirely inside a massive glass estate that quickly felt like home to the cast. “It looks like a set… but it was real,” Schwartzman said. “There was stuff in the fridge. You could go anywhere. You could walk anywhere. You could open the fridge and take something out.” The house, he added, was wired for action: “You could be on camera at any moment.”

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That sense of spontaneity came from Armstrong’s crew—many of whom also worked on “Succession”—and a production style built for momentum. “There was no separation. The setups were quick, and you never knew when you were on camera. It kept things moving. You had to be in the moment.”

Despite Armstrong’s clear creative vision, Schwartzman emphasized how open he was to collaboration. “Everyone was throwing in ideas and somehow, they still came out through his lens,” he said. “That’s the ultimate trick.”

Asked whether Souper was a riff on real-life tech moguls like Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg, Schwartzman said comparisons weren’t the point—but acknowledged that his character’s gift was people. “Jesse said, ‘Of these four, Souper is the guy that makes the social situations work.’ He could be dropped in a bar or anywhere and smooth over the edges. He wants people to be happy—and that makes him happy. That’s his superpower.”

Reflecting on his long run of eccentric characters—Max Fischer, Gideon Graves, Jonathan Ames, Ash Fox—Schwartzman said he doesn’t spend much time thinking about where they’d be now. “These characters come from such a deep place in those writers’ and directors’ hearts,” he said. “I just take what’s given to me. When I’m reading it, this is what happened. This is the truth.”

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That said, he’s a fan of the concept. “I love the Antoine Doinel series,” he said. “And I love how Scott Pilgrim did this animated version. That’s something I really love—when people can revisit something or totally reimagine it.”

As for new music from Coconut Records? It almost happened. “I was about to start making a new album with Ben Kweller the night I got the email about this movie,” Schwartzman said. “We were literally in the studio. Ben even helped me with my audition tape.” With Kweller now prepping for a tour, Schwartzman’s hoping they’ll get back to the album once their schedules line up.

The Playlist Presents: Jason Schwartzman’s Film Recommendations:

• Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
• Dial M for Murder (1954)
• Simon (1980)

“Mountainhead” is now streaming on Max. You can listen to the full interview with Jason Schwartzman below:

The Discourse is part of The Playlist Podcast Network, which includes Deep Focus, Bingeworthy, and more. We can be heard on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud,  and most places where podcasts are found. Be sure to subscribe and leave a comment or rating—we greatly appreciate your support!

Mike DeAngelo

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Entertainment journalist, podcaster, and host of The Discourse and Bingeworthy podcasts, with bylines at Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and IndieWire.

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