Scream Years, Hollywood Friendships, and Never Leaving L.A. with Jerry O'Connell | Ep 254 HTBITY

This week on Hate To Break It To Ya I sat down with Jerry O'Connell — actor, TV host, husband, dad, and one of my genuinely old friends from the Hollywood trenches — and we went for almost two hours without coming up for air. That's always a good sign. Jerry and I go way back to the Scream 2 days, and we've never really told this story in public before. So we did. All of it. Growing up as a child actor after Stand By Me, what it actually felt like to step into the Scream universe, how that cast became a real family, and why Hollywood friendships drift even when they shouldn't. We talk marriage, kids, L.A. loyalty, gender, social media, getting older, and what it means to still be working and still be standing after decades in this industry. Jerry's one of the most naturally funny, disarmingly honest guys I know. He's also not afraid to go there. This one's got some real moments. ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ About Jerry O'Connell: Jerry O'Connell is an actor, producer, and television host whose career spans four decades. He broke out as a child actor in Rob Reiner's Stand By Me alongside River Phoenix, went on to star in Scream 2, Sliders, and Kangaroo Jack, and has remained a working force in Hollywood ever since. He currently co-hosts The Talk on CBS and is married to model and actress Rebecca Romijn, with whom he has twin daughters. Follow Jerry O'Connell Instagram:   / mrjerryoc   X:https://x.com/MrJerryOC ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Reuniting after the Scream 2 years and how they bonded on set 00:10:00 – Growing up as a child actor, Stand By Me, and River Phoenix 00:20:00 – Stepping into the Scream franchise and trying to fit in with an established cast 00:35:00 – Scream 3, the sequels, and what the cast thinks of them now 00:45:00 – The Scream 7 premiere invite situation and Paramount years 00:55:00 – Hollywood friendships, dating in L.A., and the single years 01:05:00 – Rebecca Romijn, marriage, and life in the Valley 01:20:00 – Getting older, social media, and why Jerry doesn't post 01:32:00 – Stand By Me memories and being recognized by sanitation workers 01:37:00 – A debate on gender, speech, and saying what you think 01:45:00 – Never leaving Los Angeles and the state of the city 01:52:00 – Jerry's new movie Last Resort and the wrap-up ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ Support the Pod 💥 Patreon: patreon.com/thejamiekennedy 🎟️ Tour Dates: jamiekennedy.com 👕 Merch: jamiekennedy.com/merch 📺 Subscribe:    / @jamiekennedycomedy   Jerry O'Connell, Hate To Break It To Ya, Jamie Kennedy podcast, Scream 2 cast, Stand By Me, Hollywood friendships, The Talk CBS, child actors Hollywood, Rebecca Romijn, Los Angeles podcast, 90s actors, Jerry O'Connell interview 2025