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Donald Glover & Maya Erskine Take Lie Detector Tests

"Mr. & Mrs. Smith" stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine take Vanity Fair's infamous lie detector test. Is Donald part of the Beyhive? What are his feelings toward Timothée Chalamet? Were Maya's teenage years as awkward as she perceived in 'PEN15'? Does Maya think she's a better Jane Smith than Angelina Jolie?

Director: Funmi Sunmonu
Director of Photography: AJ Young
Editor: Cory Stevens
Talent: Donald Glover; Maya Erskine
Producer: Emebeit Beyene
Line Producer: Romeeka Powell
Production Manager: Andressa Pelachi; Kevin Balash
Production Coordinator: Elizabeth Hymes 
Talent Booker: Paige Garbarini; Meredith Judkins
Camera Operator: Lucas Vilicich
Sound: Paul Cornett
Production Assistant: Fernando Barajas; Shenelle Jones
Post Production Supervisor: Christian Olguin
Post Production Coordinator: Jovan James
Supervising Editor: Erica DeLeo
Assistant Editor: Fynn Lithgow

Released on 02/02/2024

Transcript

[Maya] What do you feel?

He looks great.

I'm not hiding any feelings.

Sorry to this man.

I don't know.

[Interviewer] Donald, Maya,

we've brought you here today

to take a lie detector test.

One of you will be hooked up to the machine

while the other will ask the questions.

And then you'll switch.

Who wants to be in the hot seat first?

[Donald and Maya chuckling]

You look great.

I look insane.

[Maya] You look amazing.

I look insane.

Donald.

Mm-hm.

[Maya] To calibrate the machine,

I'm gonna ask you a few questions

to get baseline.

Please, answer honestly.

Okay.

[Maya] Is your name

Donald McKinley Glover Jr.?

No.

Is it lying?

I'm still getting a baseline.

Okay.

Is your stage name Childish Gambino?

Yes.

[Maya] Were you raised

in Stone Mountain, Georgia?

Yes.

So you're not from Atlanta?

No, not really, no.

[Maya] Are you ready

to take this lie detector test?

Oh, yeah.

[Maya] Do you ever introduce yourself

as Donald Glover,

the multi-talented artist?

No.

Have you ever described me

using the word multi-talented?

Yeah.

Yeah, I have.

We're good.

Okay.

Do you think you're more talented

than this person?

Yeah.

Yeah, you know,

this is gonna start beef, but.

I actually like him.

I think he's a really nice guy.

But I'm just conceited.

[Maya] Were you insulted

when critics compared Dave to Atlanta?

Yeah.

I don't remember any critics.

I think it was just people.

But I definitely was insulted.

Not because I think that Dave is bad.

'Cause I actually really think

Dave is a good show.

I just don't think they have a lot in common.

That's true.

True. Okay.

So you said

that you find this person intimidating.

Did you create your series Swarm

so you could work through that?

No, I just thought it was a great-

I just feel like culturally,

she's just, like,

no one, to me, touches her.

Like, I have an obsession

with just cultural figures,

like Michael Jackson and stuff like that.

And I just feel like

she's the last of a dying breed.

So I just felt like she's culturally,

she's just had so many moments

and I really wanted to-

Are you only saying no

because you're scared of the BeyHive?

No.

But I guess I am scared of them

on some level.

Are you in the BeyHive?

I don't think

they would consider me part of it.

You know,

I don't think they would.

But I would consider me part of it.

[Maya] Okay.

Did you go to the Renaissance Tour?

I did.

Oh.

It was my kid's first concert.

Why didn't you bring me?

What?

[Maya] Why didn't you invite me?

I tried.

Did you?

[Donald] Yeah.

That's false.

[Donald laughing]

Oh, wow,

it just went like that.

It went crazy.

You had a cameo in Spider-Man:

Across the Spider-Verse.

Do you think that this was Sony's way

of apologizing for not casting you as Spider-Man?

No.

I don't think they even thought about it.

I think there's definitely probably gonna be

a Miles Morales live-action eventually.

And I think they're probably more concerned

with me being, like,

Prowler in that

or something like that.

I'm too old to be Spider-Man now.

A Spider-Man can't have, like,

you know?

I don't know.

That could be interesting.

Only if he dies or something like that.

It can't be like, you know-

I'm talking about, like,

I need to roll out my IT bands.

You know?

In some Spider-Man.

I don't think they care anymore.

You're doing great.

Okay.

Am I?

You are.

I feel like Frankenstein.

[Maya laughing]

During your Golden Globe acceptance speech

for your show Atlanta,

you thanked this group.

Did they ever thank you?

Yeah.

Actually Offset called me the next day.

He was so cool.

He was just like,

Yo, I want to thank you.

He's like, You need anything?

They're really sweet people.

Yeah.

I mean, yeah,

one of them is now no longer with us, but.

You said that you model your career

after Willy Wonka.

So does that mean

you've seen the new Wonka movie?

No, I have not.

[Maya] If no,

is that because you don't support

him and Kylie's relationship?

Ooh, no.

It's not that.

No.

This guy's dreamy.

What's happening over there?

Inconclusive.

I don't know what that means, but.

It's okay.

Just come clean.

What is it?

What do you feel?

I don't know.

[Maya] What do you feel?

What do you feel?

He looks great.

He looks great.

He looks like, you know,

he's very cool.

Sam?

That's true.

I'm not hiding any feelings.

Sorry to this man.

I don't know.

[Maya] Final question.

Did you lie at any point

during this lie detector test

and we didn't catch you?

No, no.

That's true.

Wow.

You're so good at this.

I'm not a good liar.

I told you.

[Maya] And you're just telling the truth.

You're gonna get it so bad.

I'm gonna get it so bad.

I'm nervous.

This is gonna go over your chest.

Okay.

Does it read sweat?

[Donald laughing]

I'm not kidding.

I'm so nervous.

[Donald] Hi, how are you?

I'm good, I think.

[Donald] Is that true?

Inconclusive.

Is your full name Maya Erkskin?

Erskine, yes.

[Donald and Maya laughing]

[Donald] Are you from

Los Angeles, California?

Yes.

[Donald] Are you nervous?

Yes.

[Donald] You and I

both studied acting at NYU.

Do you feel like it prepared you

for the real world?

Mm.

Yes and no.

I don't feel like the theater training

necessarily helped me get jobs.

But it did help me once I was working.

It did help, yeah.

So do you give donations

for them calling

and when they ask for money?

No.

[Donald] Okay.

There's a reason.

[Donald] What's the reason?

Well, I paid a lot in tuition.

That's true.

[Maya] That was a lot of money.

It was very expensive.

Would you give money if you had

like a bunch of money to give?

Yes.

[Donald] Okay.

That's true.

That's true.

Wow.

[Donald] Wow.

Okay.

I guess I have to now.

[Donald laughing]

[Donald] You were in class with this person.

Okay?

Were you a fan of his before meeting him?

I love this guy.

I wasn't actually in his class,

but we were in the same studio.

And I thought he was amazing

in Sixth Sense.

That's true.

It's true.

I mean, you gotta watch that movie.

[Donald] I mean, who didn't?

Who doesn't think he's amazing in that?

It's a fact.

It's a fact.

It's a classic movie.

One of the last real classics.

[Maya] Yeah.

[Donald] Do you think child stars

need to go to acting school?

No.

I don't think they need to.

I mean, if they want to.

[Donald] Okay.

This is personal, obviously,

on some level.

Oh, yeah.

I am married to-

[Donald] Someone who worked as a child.

And he didn't go to acting school

and he doesn't need to.

Do you believe in the saying

never meet your heroes?

No.

Am I a hero of yours?

Yes.

Inconclusive.

Okay.

All right.

You are.

She wasn't sure.

But that's because I was thinking about it

and then I came to the truth.

[Donald] Okay.

I'm nervous.

That's what you're picking up on.

You play a 13-year-old

in the Hulu series Pen15.

Were your teenage years

really as awkward as you portray them?

Yeah.

But it was different.

It was half based on my experiences,

half made up.

Like I didn't have a straight bowl cut.

[Donald] Oh.

But I did have a mustache.

[Donald] Can you guess

what I was like in high school?

Well-

From your wedding,

I remember your mom calling you a loser.

There we go.

Or what did she say?

A nerd.

[Donald] She said a nerd.

I was about to say,

She didn't say a loser.

Sorry, sorry.

[Donald] My loser son getting married.

She said nerd and it was very funny.

Because you are a nerd in the best way.

And that's why I think you're great.

[Donald] Yeah.

Did you say loser

because you think I'm a loser?

No, I just incorrectly remembered.

Okay.

Yeah.

Do you think you were cooler than me

in high school?

I know the answer to this.

Maybe in high school.

In middle school, no.

But I think in high school

I experienced more.

It doesn't make me cooler,

but I experienced more than you

in terms of drugs and stuff.

You mean cool stuff?

[everyone laughing]

Yeah, like that?

I got a little better at it

in high school.

[Donald] So you should probably just say yes.

Yes.

Just say, Okay, great.

You think you were cooler.

But I think you're cooler now.

[Donald] That's fine.

It's over.

You co-created the show with Anna.

Is it true that she's your college bestie?

Yes.

[Donald] Oh.

That's true.

Do you think people can have multiple besties?

Yeah.

Am I your bestie?

You're one of them.

You're becoming one of them

even though you call me a set friend only.

A set friend?

What does that mean?

Oh, you mean, like,

we just play-?

You said on set.

I'd be like, Donald,

I think we're really close.

Oh, right.

And you were like,

Maya, we're just set friends.

That's a lie.

I'm not linked up to that,

but it's okay.

It's okay I'm exposing it.

But it doesn't matter

because I think you were joking.

Here's what I said.

I just wanna make sure

it's very clear to everybody.

[Maya] Let's make it clear right now.

[Donald] I said,

If I see you outside of this,

I will pretend I don't know you.

It means we're friends,

but I can't-

[Maya] You can't acknowledge that in public.

Exactly.

Which is not the same thing.

He said that.

He did say that.

[Donald] It's not the same.

It's not.

Okay.

[Donald] Your real mom played in Pen15.

Be honest.

Do you think she did a good job?

Yes.

Are you saying that

because you wanna be a good daughter?

Hmm.

No.

I do think she, objectively,

did a great job.

She did a really good job.

Started off rough,

but then got there.

[Donald] Yeah.

Really influenced me

in putting my mom in this show.

Yeah.

And your mom was great.

Did you do it because you wanted

to boss her around for a change?

[Maya laughing]

Um.

That's not why I did it.

I did it because she was the only one

who could play that part that well.

But it was nice for her

to see me in a leadership position.

Would you consider her a nepo mommy?

I guess.

[Donald and Maya laughing]

Do you think nepo babies are talented?

Depends on who,

but yes, of course.

I think-

Here's the thing about nepo.

I think that,

sure, they have a door

that's open for them

that might not be open for others.

But once they're through that door,

it's all on them.

Like, they have to prove themselves.

That's how they're gonna have a career.

So I think people

who don't like nepo babies are jealous.

Hmm.

Would you want to be called a nepo baby?

No.

[Donald] No.

Interesting.

I mean-

[Donald] But you just said-

I care too much what people think about me.

Yeah. Okay.

[Maya] Yeah.

[Donald] You said in an interview

that you'd make the worst wing man.

Is it because you have main character energy?

No.

[Donald] No?

I don't know why I said that.

I think I said that

probably 'cause I have no game.

You ever turned down a role

because it was too small?

Yes.

[Donald] I know the answer to that.

Yeah.

[Donald] Yeah.

What was it?

I'm not saying.

I want to,

but I'm not gonna say it.

I know.

We were both in Star Wars projects.

You had a small role in Obi-Wan Kenobi

and I had a big role as Lando in Star Wars.

Did you think I made a good Lando?

I do.

I didn't see it

because I haven't seen it.

But I know-

So how do you know?

Because my brother,

who's a really tough critic,

was like,

He's an amazing Lando.

[Donald] You play Jane in our series,

Mr. & Mrs. Smith,

do you think you are a better Jane

than this person?

Wow.

She's so beautiful.

[Donald] Yeah, she's pretty.

No, I'm different.

[Donald] Oh, you're different.

Different.

She's an incredible Jane.

Are you trying to be humble?

No, I'm just-

A little gobsmacked

just looking at that.

[Donald] Oh, yeah.

Wow.

I see why people are upset.

You really put the heat on me

when I looked at Timothée Chalamet

the same way.

I mean,

they're stunning in these images.

Wow.

[Donald] Do you think I was a better John

than this person?

These images.

Get to the question.

This image, though,

with his tongue out.

You had to pick this one.

My God.

I think you are a different,

better John.

Answer the question,

yes or no.

No.

I like your John a lot.

And I liked his.

It's just different.

That is true.

Okay.

You worked with Maya Rudolph,

love her,

on the movie Wine Country.

Do you think going to Wine Country

is rich bitch behavior?

Is it?

Yeah, I guess?

Can you answer for me?

I don't know what the answer is.

Yes, I guess.

[Donald] Okay.

So you consider yourself, like,

rich bitch?

No.

I mean, I wanted to be.

I am a wannabe rich bitch.

I tried to be as a kid.

Do you feel like

if all your dreams come true,

you'll live life as a rich bitch?

I like luxury, yeah.

Yeah, I do like luxury.

[Donald] Okay.

Do you buy smoothies from Erewhon?

Yeah.

[Donald] Do you order, like,

the Hailey Bieber?

I have once or twice.

Have you tried the Olivia Rodrigo?

I haven't.

[Donald] You haven't?

Okay.

I generally do the energy elixir,

add collagen protein.

Wow.

Mrs. Money Bags over here.

This is really humiliating.

This is the last question.

Did you lie at any point

during this lie detector test

and we didn't catch it?

No.

Hm.

That's true.

[Donald] Great.

You killed that.

Thank you.

That was not as bad

as I thought it would be.

[Donald] Yeah.

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