Bitcoin Goes to Hollywood w/ Adrian Grenier, Henry Cejudo & Garrett Patten | Bitcoin 2026

All right. Hello, Bitcoin Conference. Hello, hello, hello. Hello, Jazz's Block in the middle of a gigantic warehouse of all these Bitcoiners. Uh, uh, welcome, welcome, welcome. My name is, uh, Mike Jaman. I'm the former president here at Bitcoin Magazine in Pub and now I call myself the chief marketing officer here at Bitcoin. I'm very excited because we have a panel to talk about Bitcoin going to Hollywood. Some of you might have just come from Michael Sailor, who's the man who brought Bitcoin really to uh uh Wall Street. And I'm excited to talk about the people going to bring Bitcoin over to Hollywood. Now, we have the stars of the short film Self Custody that recently came out and I have Garrett Patton who's the writer, producer, and star of the show. Correct. >> Director. >> Director. This is very important. And also what we have here is the great Olympic gold medalist, two division UFC champion, twice Joe Rogan interviewee, uh uh the king of cringe, HENRY >> who did an excellent job starring in his first film. So thank you very much. >> Did you mention Olympic gold medals, right? >> I did. Did I mention Olympic gold medalist? Yes. And also uh one of the stars of the film, Adrien Grineer. What you know who is in my wife's favorite movie, Devil Wears Prada. So, thank you for that. >> Was >> was all right. >> No. Yeah. >> Yes. And >> still bitter about that one >> and might know from the show Entourage, but once again, a great philanthropist person who has directed, written, and understood Hollywood better than he was and made a show about understanding Hollywood better than us. So, we thought who best to have on our Hollywood and of Bitcoin panel than you. So, thank you so much for uh being our surprise guest and showing up. >> Yeah, thanks for having me. >> Absolutely. So, before we get to all the secrets, I want to start. Why would you make a film about Bitcoin? I mean, tell us a little bit about self custody and how it was made. >> Yeah. Well, self custody was inspired off of several true true stories. And everybody here, you guys all have tremendous stories around Bitcoin. But if you watch self custody, you'll see that it was inspired off of true stories about one man's journey to save his family and recover his seed phrases and get access to his uh to his Bitcoin. It's a it's a thriller. Um you know, audiences are relating really well to it. A lot of people that didn't understand Bitcoin are now starting to to understand it, and that's that's one of our goals. >> Excellent. So, one of the things I think is important for us is that Hollywood happens to be the one place that hasn't told the Bitcoin story yet. A lot of Bitcoin out there. You made lots of documentary. We have 738,000 documentaries made by Bitcoiners. That's all. That's all great. But there's something different about when mainstream gets to see a TV series, gets to see a movie. Now, for those of you who don't know, there's two movies that are currently in production. One uh uh Netflix with John Cena and Jennifer Gardner. So I think that would be fun and wonderful. Uh there's also another movie uh that is uh in production that's being financed by I think Calvinire, a movie about himself and it was going to be called the death of Satoshi. Now it's called Bitcoin. So you know that has some rather large stars. Pete Pete Davidson is playing um Calvinire. That's great. Pete Davidson's a comedian. Calvin is a joke. So that's wonderful. Um and you know once again but the movie being called Bitcoin itself is really positioning it right now. This could be the year that Hollywood finally starts to think why the Bitcoin storyline's important. Bitcoin's not important. The people who are behind important. Why has Hollywood not looked into this story yet? So when you were making it, what wasn't there? >> Yeah. Well, I mean, first off, I think that Hollywood never fully understood Bitcoin till recently. Most of the comments I've gotten back from other producers and other people in Hollywood were, you know, they thought that Bitcoin was something in that somebody did in a basement somewhere and they were making Bitcoin and it was all they're starting to be educated on it. And that was our goal of making self custody is we are now in the works with a show that will be a major TV show all around Bitcoin with different plot lines uh meeting together and making it more mainline in society and that's what we're working on now. So Adrian, when you've seen great storylines being made in in Hollywood, what do you think about Bitcoin in the bit the Bitcoin that I think would would resonate with audiences? Well, as a Bitcoin maxi myself and >> There we go. There we go. There we go. You know, the learning curve can be steep especially for, you know, the the commoners. So there's something that is um fundamentally inaccessible about Bitcoin for the majority of the the the people. But what we're looking to do is really just start to tell the stories of the mis mystery behind it and the human stories, the characters that make up the world. If you know anything about Hollywood, it's all about the world and it's all about the drama and the conflicts that you find, all those the jewels of the stories that make up these conflicts. And so I wouldn't I wouldn't look at this as a story that tries to get you to understand what Bitcoin is. It's really about about telling your stories. It's about mining this culture and actually bringing those to the for and actually looking at the people and the humans that make up the passion, the excitement, the risktaking, the the sovereign um uh you know wild wild west thinking that goes behind building this industry. >> That's great. And with that bearing lead, you said you're going to turn the you are currently in development of a TV series. >> We're currently in development of a TV series. uh some executive uh producers from some big shows are actually here with us tonight. We are we're going we're full steam ahead. We're making a show and it's we're very excited about it. So I'm having the first place that you're announcing you are making a show. >> We are making a show >> about the Bitcoin culture community is here at the Bitcoin conference. So that very excited about that. >> I mean you think of it like entourage, right? And this is like the culture and the lifestyle of Bitcoin, but it's instead of the Hollywood lifestyle, you're it's like the people. I mean, think about the ballers and the whales and how they live their lifestyles. And then think about the guys that lost their shirts on some shitcoins. Like we're telling those stories, but through the the device of this series. And look, I think why that's important, you know, look, I've been on the Bitcoin magazine media side, me side. I know how important stories are. Sometimes big winners just think that the code speaks for itself. But when you look at TV series, you know, uh, uh, The Bear came out and all of a sudden there was a peak in people trying to be chefs, not because it looked easy, because it looked rewarding, right? And Queen's Gambit comes out and they're selling out chess sets, you know, chess sets everywhere, right? Um, what this show can do by talking about the culture could be really inviting people in. I think that was what I was most excited about, you know, from hearing it, both good and bad, right? So, there's some, you know, some things you can influence for the negative, but it would be in the name self-custody, right? Not everybody's going to be good at taking care of their And so, those that, you know, are successful and and and, you know, understand the world, they're going to they're going to do well and they're going to be, you know, on top and they're going to be the the masters of the game. And then there's those that are coming in and trying to get into it and maybe, you know, they don't do so well and and there's a tragedy there as well. >> But that is the the beauty of self custody. I mean, you you are your own custodian and you're trusting yourself as opposed to an outside institution. >> And I think what's helpful is speaking of trusting in yourself, Henry. Not only were you, you know, taking the jump into acting, which I think you always done a great job acting, great job selling, um, but, you know, being at the top, being an Olympic champion, being a UFC champion, right? And I think understanding how to believe in yourself. A lot of Bitcoiners here, you know, we have to believe in ourselves when no one else does, you know. Where do you think maybe why a lot of fighters tend to be, you know, pro Bitcoin? >> Yeah, I think it's because, you know, I guess we're risktakers. I mean, when we go when we actually go out there, we fight, you know, we got to have that preparation, but sometimes injuries. So, right now, we're in a bare market, right? Like we're down like but at the same time, it's like even when we're injured or if it's a bare market, we still have to be have the ability to actually prepare to get ready for that next battle, that next wave that's about to come up. So, uh, as a fighter fighting in front of, you know, 25,000 people, it's, uh, you know, it's pretty nerve-wracking, but it's also what kind of motivates us and we look for that that that adrenaline. I think the biggest thing is even just for fighting in general, stay disciplined. I mean, can you stay in the discipline and also, you know, promote promote the brand? Like I I I remember I had to step outside of my box and uh and create a whole new character, you know, the king of cringe, the triple C, you know, being uh being not the most humble person. See, he's flexing over here. So, when you see things like that, it's like it's it works. So, if you're able to kind of put your if you're able to invest in yourself, it'll and be disciplined and and and study and prepare for that next wave like you will strike. I think you bring up a great point. You know, not the king of cringe, but you were talented. You know, you won, but you had to sell the tickets. You had to create that entertainment. You were Hollywood in the UFC, right? And that storyline is important to get people to want to care. So, one, can you tell us a little bit more about that? My second part of my question which I think is important is every Bitcoiner here knows that we are waiting for the moment that a Bitcoiner gets to go on Joe Rogan and they sit there and I hope it's not Michael Sailor for all of you who think Michael Sailor would be good on Joe Rogan. I don't think so. But you've been on Joe Rogan twice, right? So if you can give any advice to speak public any big of how they could even remotely get on Joe Rogan because that's that is our white whale. >> Um can you rephrase that first question and I can talk about that second. >> I think the first question doesn't matter. The second question is all I care about. But um no, I mean I I believe it all goes back to sales and branding. You know, sometimes I uh my wife and I, we're studying psych analysis and we've been studying like pride and humility. Like what is what is humility? Like real humility is not someone that's that bows or that looks at you and says, "Ah, that's very graceful." Real humility is someone that's willing to express her weaknesses and have the ability to ask for help. Like that's real humility and and uh and what is pride? Pride is just you just being self-centered, egotistical. It's all about you, you know. So I think if you fall more into that fall more into that humility side of having the ability to actually go out there and go for it despite the outcome or have the ability to go out there and try to learn like you know everybody has a niche, everybody has different gifts. You know I'm 5'4. I'm a they call me the 5'4 giant. you know, I'm able to use my ability to to get into, you know, to use it on the persona side, on the marketing side, but also on the technical side. So, I think the more you understand you and the more you could you could be you, things will fall into place. I just want to take a moment to honor this gentleman right here since I've gotten to know Henry. He is such a a mature, wise elder. He is a sage Like this guy, he gives me so many little tidbits of wisdom while all the while rolling calls and making deals all day long. I'm like, who's he on a call with? He's he's making like million-dollar deals over here. So, you should get in with him and whatever he's invested in cuz uh he's up to something. Yeah. Then when you're hanging out with Henry, you forget that 4 months later he's going to go in the ring and he's going to battle to the death against some guy and you're like, geez, I I've known Henry for a long time and I I it almost seems unreal. Well, I thought the real reason was because in order to compete with the John Cena movie, we were going to pit you against John Cena. I thought that was the the original point. >> He So Cena who? >> Yeah, there we go. There we go. See, >> we had a couple of the best stunt coordinators in Texas for self-custody and Henry shows up and he made the fight scene 10x better and he was teaching these guys what to do. It was freaking amazing to watch. And look that the fact is you in order for the movie you use a real fighter for a fight scene, right? You're going to do a story about, you know, the community Bitcoin. How important is it to and why one of the reasons why I think you're all here is to understand meet other Bitcoiners. There's unbelievable Bitcoin stories, but how important is it if you're going to do that show to really kind of harness and understand the Bitcoin culture? >> Well, and you hire a Bitcoin maxi to play the Bitcoin guy. There we go. You know, I I I remember uh Garrett said, you know, I had this idea and I I think there's a character that might be right for you. and he sent it sent it to me and the and the monologue was basically like thoughts in my own head about self-custody and sovereignty and you know all that stuff and I was like bro like like you've really been paying attention haven't you like you're this guy he's like this silent assassin like he's always thinking always like mining and finding like the best stories and the best language to communicate so I was really I was like absolutely of course that this this character was built for me So, there's something to be said about typ casting on some level, right? You you want to have someone who's camera friendly, who can who can sell tickets, but then you want them to do the job that needs to be done for the character. So, I'm I'm We were actually talking about that backstage is I cannot wait to start casting this show just to like see are we going to hire an actor to play the guy or are we going to find one of you out here to come in and play the role because you actually embody you ready? You want to audition right now? >> Get him up here. Get him audition. Get Get him up here. >> We'll talk to you later. But look, we love the excitement. We love the energy. You're you're you're already hired in my book, bro. Don't worry. Okay. Uh good good. Okay. So, we've already hired someone. Now, we have our first actor. Perfect. Um you know, looking at uh uh when you first got involved in Bitcoin. I think you go through different stages. What's nice here, we have people who have maxis, people been in it for a while, people people who are new to it. You know, what part of this storyline for this Bitcoin community do you really think is most interesting? >> You can break it down to one because everyone has something different. Some people care about privacy. The show that we're creating actually has multiple story lines that all kind of come together at the end >> and it looks like it's going to be six story lines that all kind of merge together to one big organization. I think you got to think the show billions with a little bit of entourage in it. But that that's kind of the the feeling that we are going for and we got some of the best showrunners working on it now. Some of the best Hollywood producers working on it with us and you know it's going to be one wild ride. >> Can can I throw in my answer to that? You know, so in many ways, like America is a perfect place to tell the Bitcoin story because we were built on a culture of self-custody and sovereignty and imagination of what could be, what we could create, and to to take high risk and like push up against convention to build a new world. And that's what this culture is. That's what Bitcoin promises is an opportunity for you if you're willing to take responsibility for your destiny. You can build it and you can create it. So, in many ways, this is a this is a western. This is a a a wild wild western in a instead in a modern day. >> Well, we we we like we like that analogy. I like that analogy. I think >> welcome to predict. The world is a market. Everything is a market. Get a 100% cash back up to $100 on your first predict bet if it loses. Predict where everything is a market. Something you know you brought up and Henry brought up. It's exciting to hear how you're a Bitcoin maxi and we talked about that for a while. Henry Bob kind of this this not to have an ego and one of the things here it says you know Bitcoin you really check you really check your ego right and when you come into Bitcoin you say I'm willing to learn right a lot of Bitcoiners will tell you we've been surrounded you know when I was in the media space and I would try to orange pill people big big folks in media space they go I already knew I knew Bitcoiners a thousand they will check their ego and say hey look I'm willing to read up on this I'm willing to understand it and I think even you know hearing about you know your career of hey let me take a step back from Hollywood and try trying to get out outside of this. And it sounds like, you know, building that sovereign independent lifestyle. It sounds like you're the ideal person to sit there and say, "I'm willing to look into into Bitcoin." Cuz I I know from experience all the folks in media, my past lives at the high end of, you know, uh uh uh uh everything, they don't even want to look into Bitcoin. Well, we're storytelling creatures, and I am an apex predator in that business of storytelling. And when I look at Bitcoin, it is a tool of communicating new ideas and new stories as opposed to just taking down the the the the played out narratives that were told about how things have to be and how you need to be, you know, you know, your your your money needs to be confiscated in these ways and inflation needs to, you know, do this to you. And I really feel like there's a new horizon that we get to like be a part of that that that narrative and that story. And I'm not saying that it's going to be easy, but we get to tell that story. And if we're not adaptive and if we're not always looking to like re like rehash and like refigure out like what what the direction is, you don't just put a cruise control. You have to be paying attention. You have to be driving cuz you are in charge. So you're always adjusting, always, you know, making uh micro decisions about what we're going to be and how we're going to be. I think a lot of people, you know, in the Bitcoin space, we have a very decentralized independent mentality. So, we think we can just make something and then people will watch it. Just like maybe I think we look at the white paper, we're like, "Oh, they just wrote a white paper. Now 300 million people use Bitcoin." But there's so much that goes behind the scenes with that. Same for movies, you know, same for films. I think a lot of people make content, don't realize everything that goes into making a film, everything that goes into a TV series. Unfortunately, there are gatekeepers, but they're the gatekeepers to massive eyeballs. Can you tell us a little bit more why I think we're fortunate to have people who are in the industry that can help guide a story that hundreds of Bitcoiners wishes they could tell maybe self finance and no one ever saw it. Why this is going to be different? >> Well, yeah. I think I think we've done obviously Adrian has all done we've done a lot in the industry. I tend to look at this it's going to be just outside the gates of Hollywood. You know, the the a lot of the financing is already coming in from the Bitcoin world. And so it's it's it's Hollywood, but I I believe that we're going to tell a story that's going to be a main main story, but it's going to be just outside the gates of Hollywood. It's it's a bridge. You know, I'd say it's it's a it's a way to merge what Hollywood is so good at with, you know, it's a renaissance in many ways to not independent film, but sovereign independent film where this is a new like who who the hell knows but we have so much um ability to actually finance, create, produce, and then distribute. The the the gatekeepers are looking for new jobs in many ways. Good. And there has been um you know movie making is democratized by your your cell phone and anybody can make content. Now the distribution channels are democratized through the internet. Now with Bitcoin exchange of value is democrat democratized. So we can actually find our financeers, find our distributors, find our creators, and then actually do it in the most independent way, you know, more than they did back in the 80s and '9s when independent film was really, you know, at its peak, is a renaissance right now, and it's coming. Yeah. And so one of the past businesses I was involved with, I had 19 Harley-Davidson dealerships. And I look at like what the show Sons of Anarchy did for the Harley-Davidson world. The sales went up. It was dramatic. in a show like this for the Bitcoin community that's just outside the the gates of Hollywood like we said, but it's going to showcase the big game Bitcoin world and make it more mainstream. I I think is, you know, it's a brilliant idea. It's going to be something that we're excited about. >> And look, it's funny, right? Bitcoin going mainstream. Sometimes I feel Bitcoiners like this is their band and they don't want anyone to know about it or they only want the right people in. And I think that's very cringe. you know, we should be wanting to see as many Bitcoiners come in. But the truth is, not everyone just comes in because the white paper. They come in for different stories. Someone told them, a friend told them, they got excited about something that they read. So, the more ways that we can tell these personal stories, you know, uh uh I think the better. I think that's the biggest thing that is is lacking in our industry. Bitcoin is peer-to-peer. It's personal, right? Like that that is very personal. I know we love our privacy and want to keep everything, you know, uh uh uh as secret or or as private as we can, but allowing these stories to be told and more importantly now we don't have to put names and faces to it. You can dramatize it a little bit how you write it. I mean, I think why Silicon Valley did well was because they told all the dirty secrets, you know, in Silicon Valley without naming names. So, I think that's an exciting part here. and you know wondering what are some Bitcoin stories that you've already heard that you think would you know that that you find interesting or or even weird >> some of the Bitcoin stories >> yeah Bitcoin people >> I mean ATX is so old man Samman Fre's texting from jail now he's he's going to quote tweet us on this >> look there's thousands of them >> we're going to cast him if you go watch self custody that is inspired off three stories that were pretty close to me. Watch self custody. That's that's one story out of thousands of stories that we we've been having brought to us and we've been working with the showrunners. Bitcoin is exciting. It's thrilling. There's so much there's so much in this space and there are so many interesting stories, not just like the the big ones of the, you know, the guy that lost the 700 million at the at the landfill. I mean, there's tons of other ones that affect individual people from a a good level, a bad level, the risk, the the rewards. Um, so watch self custody. You'll see one example of a story of many, many more things that you you all live every day. And and by the way, we'd love to know more of the we don't know all the stories, so we'd love to know your stories. And in fact, seriously, if you want to be cast and you want to audition or if you want to help finance it, where where should we send them? >> Well, they can reach me at TBK Productions. That's my Instagram. >> TBK TBK Productions or mine Adrien Griier on Instagram. Reach out like be a part of it. We want to try and bring everybody in and give you all an opportunity to participate. We want the Bitcoin community heavily involved in this >> and if you want to yes finance that film just send the money to me. So Mike Jano please just send the money to me. Um well what once again Henry someone now new to this acting I want to bring up you know first off we're excited you're here. Uh uh uh you know new to acting. What got you I think the most excited to want to continue that and continue that with this team? >> First of all I've been a big fan. I've known I' I've known Garrett for quite some time now, but then uh obviously what you said, you know, talked about Benny Chase from Entourage and I was like really I get a chance to be a part of a film with him like you know cuz Entourage was pretty much practically my favorite show for a lot of you guys show hands but uh it's exciting. I mean obviously I think the preparation of uh create creating a character prior to starting acting you know of I was your typical fighter that would just you know meat facing the stare off. always a guy that was always a chester. You know, I was throw I was pulling things out the back, whipping snakes, kicking pillows, you know, talking smack, doing the whole thing kind of draw attention. So, I feel like a lot of my career has already prepared me for acting. So, I think I've been acting my whole damn life. >> There you go. >> There you go. Excellent. Well, you know, I think you bring up an important point, which is uh uh uh a lot of people who are fans of the show Entourage, I have no idea what it's like to have to hear people tell you about that all the time. But when you think about making a a Bitcoin series, I think what's interesting is there's 200 million people that own Bitcoin. These are people are so passionate about it. With a major mainstream series like that, what do you how do you think people react? will react to something like this. And is that good or bad? But I mean, as you see this room here now, what's out looking at everyone here as this is in development? Nothing is is is made yet. I can't see in a couple years when this show is, you know, I think one of the biggest shows out there. What it's going to look like. Well, I yeah, I've been very blessed uh being on a hit television show called Entourage that defined an era that was an iconic character that captured the hearts and minds of a whole generation and corrupted a few while we did it. Um I have the I had the luxury of of taking a healthy hiatus building a family and I've been very picky about what I want to do next. And it wasn't until this that I was like that's what I want to do next. that's exactly what I want to do next. So, for me, uh I'm just happy to get back in there and make something awesome. And uh you know, that's that's pretty much it. I'm just humbly excited. >> Awesome. >> Well, we all wait. By the way, in many ways, Vegas was the spawning ground for the show. I don't know if you know the story, but when we first started the show, Mark Wahlberg took the cast to Vegas for a crash course in being being Mark Wahlberg and the Entourage. So, we cut our teeth in these halls, so to speak. So, I can't wait to get back back out there because this is my demographic in many ways. Well, we're happy to bring you home and hopefully to learn for this, we're not going to bring you to a a a basement with a bunch of cyber punks. We'll come up with a different way to kind of embrace the ethos here. Thank you everyone once again, stars of the film, Self Custody. Check it out on Amazon Prime. And thank you everybody. Have a nice day. Every year, this community comes together to celebrate, to debate, to build what comes next. And every year, the stage gets bigger. Sound money, center stage. So, where do you go to celebrate the next chapter in Bitcoin history? You come home. Nashville, July 2027.