Goonies, Bond, Backlash & Belief: Robert Davi Takes On Tinseltown | Arroyo Grande

Hollywood legend Robert Davi has lived inside American culture for decades, and he isn’t shy about where he thinks it’s gone wrong.

In this episode of Arroyo Grande, Robert Davi joins Raymond Arroyo for a wide-ranging, deeply personal conversation spanning Hollywood, politics, faith, music, and legacy. From Die Hard and The Goonies to License to Kill, Davi reflects on iconic roles, the craft of acting, and the cultural forces reshaping film, awards culture, and storytelling.

Davi offers candid insight into the Academy Awards, Hollywood’s ideological pressures, and the quiet blacklist faced by outspoken conservatives. He discusses celebrity influence, cancel culture, artistic courage, and why he believes the arts should remain politically neutral. The conversation also explores the future of the James Bond franchise, including the surprising Frank Sinatra connection behind one of cinema’s most memorable Bond villains.

Drawing on his training with Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg, Davi explains how imagination, empathy, and moral grounding shape great performances. He shares extraordinary personal stories, including a miraculous healing, encounters with Frank Sinatra, and lessons from decades in film, music, and faith.

The episode also traces Davi’s musical journey, from Juilliard-trained opera singer to his acclaimed Sinatra recordings, and why he believes the Great American Songbook reflects the soul of America.

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0:00 – Introduction
0:52 – The Academy Awards
4:40 – Blacklisted in Hollywood?
6:23 – Ave Maria Mutual Funds Sponsorship
7:52 – Speaking Out in Hollywood
11:37 – Studying Music & Opera
15:06 – The Acting Craft
16:22 – Meeting Frank Sinatra
21:06 – Sinatra’s Scars
25:45 – Adler, Strasberg & Method
30:46 – The Goonies
36:17 – Goonies 2?
37:21 – James Bond Villain
45:41 – Die Hard
49:14 – Is Die Hard a Christmas Movie?
51:13 – Playing Dark Characters
53:37 – Davi Sings Sinatra
57:37 – The Kennedy Center
58:54 – Tulsa King
1:00:40 – Arroyo Grande Questionnaire