Jeff Goldblum on playing Zeus in Netflix's 'KAOS,' singing on set with 'Wicked' co-stars

Oh, to be a fly on the wall at the Met Gala. Or second best: to talk to Jeff Goldblum, who once played a fly in a movie, about attending his first Costume Institute benefit last May.

“Anna Wintour was so nice to meet and the whole event was great,” the actor, 71, tells USA TODAY. “Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande sang at it inside those halls. And the whole exhibition of these gowns and stuff was great.”

Goldblum says he wasn't tempted to join his fellow “Wicked” co-stars on stage at the gala, but he raved about their time together on set for the first of two planned “Wicked” movies starring the trio, which hits theaters in November.

“They could have been intimidating because they are gifted beyond belief. As you know, they're spectacular,” he says. “But you see how stupid I am and bushy-tailed for no reason. I went, ’Let's sing this song and let's sing that song.’ And we had a grand time.”

As our conversation weaved between his family, acting, daredevils and the Pittsburgh Steelers (Goldblum grew up in western Pennsylvania), the actor sounds as if he’s always having a grand time. Goldblum talks with equal enthusiasm about his early acting career in New York and his latest project, a Netflix show called “KAOS.” The eight-episode series is a modern reimagination of Greek mythology. Goldblum plays Zeus, father of the ancient Greek gods. Hugh Grant (“my pal,” as Goldblum calls him) was originally set for the role but dropped out because of a scheduling conflict.

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But if no one told you the role was intended for Grant, you’d have no idea it was made for anyone but Goldblum. The actor brings a unique swagger and vulnerability to the character. His tracksuits look as if they could’ve been taken from Goldblum’s own closet. In one scene, Zeus is so upset over losing a gold watch that he literally starts shooting his assistants. But in others, he realizes that maybe he isn’t as powerful as he once thought, and that sets off its own chain of events.

“He's in a position of authority, but he's all too human,” Goldblum says, explaining how “KAOS” portrays Zeus. “And in fact, (Zeus is) not the kind of human that has real power, which means you're connected to yourself and you're connected to your own honesty and ability to tell the truth and be authentic, and make beautiful things and contribute positively to others.

“That's real power. Sometimes, not the same as holding a position of authority, as we know from our current world.”