Q and A: Week of Dec. 26
Q: Like you, I am an avid fan of “New Girl” on Fox. I was wondering what happened to Coach, the character played by Damon Wayans Jr., who was in the first episode and then suddenly left? — Giselle F., via e-mailA: When “New Girl” filmed its pilot episode in spring 2011, the original roommates were Coach (played by Damon), Schmidt (Max Greenfield) and Nick (Jake Johnson), with Jess (Zooey Deschanel) taking Winston’s room, since he was off playing basketball in Latvia. However, Damon also was co-starring on the ABC show “Happy Endings,” which at the time “New Girl” began production was looking like it wasn’t going to get renewed for another season. So, when “Happy Endings” did indeed get renewed, the producers at “New Girl” had to find a new fourth roommate and opted for Winston (Lamorne Morris) to return from Latvia to reclaim his old room.
Q: I was super-bummed when I found out that “Cougar Town” wasn’t going to air on ABC until January as a midseason replacement, and now I am hearing that that might not even happen! Please tell me it hasn’t been canceled. — Bridget D. in North Carolina
A: I have good news and bad news: The goods news is that “Cougar Town” will be back this season; the bad news is its return has been pushed back until March. More bad news: Instead of its planned 22-episode season, the order has been cut to 15 episodes. This news makes me super-bummed too, as I have been going through some serious withdrawals, and have been forced to drink wine out of Big Joe while reading Laurie Keller’s hilarious Twitter feed (twitter.com/TheLarmy) and throwing pennies in my Bobby Cobb Official Competition Penny Can as I wait with bated breath for new episodes from my favorite Pinot-swilling gals and their awesome sidekick fellas.
Q: A while back you mentioned that Fox was going to make an animated version of “Napoleon Dynamite.” Are those plans still going forward? — Jeremy G., via e-mail
A: It’s full-steam ahead on the weekly cartoon adaption of “Napoleon Dynamite,” which will be voiced by the movie’s stars, including John Heder, Efren Ramirez, Tina Majorino, Aaron Ruell, John Gries and the gang. The 13-episode series premieres on Sunday, Jan. 15, at 8:30 ET, right in the middle of Fox’s super-successful “animation block.” Read what series star Efren Ramirez told me about the show in our interview last year.
Q: I was watching “Robocop” over the weekend and wondered what its star, Peter Weller, can be seen in now? He was so good in that movie! — George T., Omaha, Neb.
A: Peter Weller, who very recently was a regular on “Dexter” playing Stan Liddy, is the latest big-name star to be cast in the newest “Star Trek” movie, which is yet untitled. The film’s details are being kept under wraps, but I can tell you that Peter is playing a principal character in the May 2013 sequel to the 2009 megablockbuster.
Interview: Alina Adams Brings Soaps Into the Digital Age
While you might not know Alina Adams by name (yet), you do know her by her body of work. She’s worn many hats in the soap-opera community, including writer, host, content producer, developer, etc. She’s authored soap-opera tie-in books “Oakdale Confidential,” “The Man From Oakdale” and “Jonathan’s Story,” and is also the woman behind the “Another World” website, which has carried the show on into the 21st century even though the NBC version was canceled in 1999. Alina is also the writer of Mindy Lewis Bauer’s Twitter feed (twitter.com/MindyLewisBauer), the writings of the popular “Guiding Light” character, who chronicles the ongoing drama that’s still happening in Springfield, after “Guiding Light’s” 2009 cancellation.Perhaps most forward-looking of all Alina’s projects is the development of enhanced electronic books which, in addition to standard text, features video, music, graphics and links relevant to the story. An enhanced e-book can be experienced on tablets, iPads, smartphones and computers — all you need is an Internet connection and a free Kindle app. I spoke with Alina recently about electronic innovations and the future of soaps.
Celebrity Extra: One of your first interactive projects in the genre was to bring “Another World” back via storytelling on AnotherWorldToday.com. How did you decide on the format in which to bring it back?
Alina Adams: TeleNext had put up reruns of “Another World” on hulu.com. It was 2009, exactly 10 years after the show had gone off the air. I suggested we do some out-of-the-box thinking. Instead of just telling people: “Here are some reruns. Watch these episodes,” we’ll update the story. Let’s work with the characters that were in the episodes that they were showing and use the episodes on Hulu as flashbacks, and combine text and video in a completely new multimedia format.
CE: And then when you incorporated Mindy with that by having her refer to “AW” on her Twitter feed, that was a great tie-in.
AA: Everybody loves a crossover! You could either pick up new readers — or in this case, new followers — or you won’t. It’s highly unlikely you would lose anyone as a result of it. So it’s a win-win situation.
CE: Mindy’s “Guiding Light” Twitter started as a promotion for the 25th high-school reunion of the Four Musketeers (Phillip, Beth, Rick and Mindy), and you guys decided to keep it going. Back then, it was affiliated with “Guiding Light,” but you’ve decided to continue it on your own since the show’s cancellation.
AA: TeleNext knows this is going on. They can’t officially sanction it, but they are not taking it down. It says right there on the profile: “This is no longer affiliated with TeleNext.”
CE: I also love the interactive quality of Mindy’s Twitter, where she asks her followers for advice on what to do in certain situations.
AA: Twitter is terrific that way. It creates immediacy and intimacy. And believe me, the fans definitely have their opinions on how things should be handled, and they aren’t afraid to voice it.
CE: Tell me about your enhanced electronic book “Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime’s Greatest Moments.” AA: I reached out to the fans on transmedia — Facebook, Twitter, fan clubs, soap sites — and I asked them to tell me their favorite, most memorable moment from the beginning of soaps until now. I received a wonderful avalanche of responses. Once I compiled those lists, I went to either the actor, writer or producer who was involved in the scene, and I got the story of how the scene came together.
For example, after Linda Dano tells you about what it was like to shoot the intervention scenes on “Another World,” there the scene is — you can click a button on your tablet and watch it. I developed the idea as a fan and as a consumer. If you’re reading a book that’s telling you about something great that happened, you want to see it right then, and we now have the technology to make that happen.
Read more about Alina Adams and her innovations for the future of soaps at alinaadams.com. And if you need a belated gift for the soap lover in your family, go to amazon.com and order “Soap Opera 451” for immediate download.
Q and A: Week of Dec. 19
Q: I really miss seeing Donald Faison on “Scrubs.” Can you tell me what I can see him in now? — Jeanette F., via e-mailA: You can see Donald, along with Wayne Knight (“Seinfeld”), Kristen Johnston (“3rd Rock from the Sun”) and David Alan Basche (“The Starter Wife”) on TV Land’s latest original comedy, “The Exes.” The show, which airs Wednesday nights, is a comedy about three divorced men (Donald, Wayne and David) sharing an apartment across the hall from their female divorce attorney (Kristen), who also is their landlord. Donald plays charming ladies’ man Phil Chase, and the first season of the show is scheduled to air 10 original episodes. The show airs directly after the TV Land hit “Hot in Cleveland.”
Q: It seems like forever since there’s been a new “Army Wives.” When will the show be returning? — Justine D. in Wyoming
A: While there has not been an exact date announced as of this writing, season six of “Army Wives” will return this spring with a 23-episode season. The show was scheduled for 13 episodes, but then Lifetime Television upped its order for the record-breaking drama. Because of the 10 additional episodes, season six most likely will be broken up into two parts, like many of cable’s original dramas have done in the past.
Word has it that season six will probably (not definitely) be the show’s final season, so it is the general consensus that the higher-ups wanted to get the most out of this season — and their contractually obligated actors — that they could. This move is kind of crappy for the actors, however, because instead of the production of the season ending in February — leaving them open to audition for the fall 2012 pilot season — it looks like they won’t be available for casting calls for new shows.
Q: Is my mind playing tricks on me, or did I see an ad that “Fear Factor” is back on NBC? — Mike R., West Palm Beach, Fla.
A: You are of sound mind, Mike. “Fear Factor” has returned to NBC (shows began airing Dec. 12) on Monday nights. Original host, comedian Joe Rogan, also has returned, as have the strenuous — and gross — stunts. Back in July, Joe Rogan told “TV Guide Magazine”: “It seems like some sort of bizarro dream world, but I’m looking forward to it. The idea of sitting at home and watching someone else host it would have driven me crazy.”
Q: I really enjoyed the last “Super Bowl Halftime Show” performance by the Black-Eyed Peas. Any word on who is performing this time? — Denise M. via e-mail
A: Pop diva Madonna has been tapped to lend her superstar status to Super Bowl XLVI, which will air on Sunday, Feb. 5, on NBC. No word yet on what surprises she has in store, but I am counting her show to be a doozy!
Interview: Deidre Hall Knows Beauty
We all know Deidre Hall as the brilliant and gorgeous Dr. Marlena Evans on “Days of Our Lives,” who she’s played for the better part of 35 years (with a few years off here and there to work on different projects, including one of my favorite childhood shows, "Our House"). And in those 35 years, plus the time she spent as a model before that, you can bet she’s learned a trick or two about beauty. So she and longtime friend Lynne Parmiter Bowman have written all their beauty nuggets down for the masses in the book “How Does She Do It? A Beauty Book.” (Available at amazon.com. Or you can go to deidrehall.com for details on how you can order an autographed and/or personalized copy.)Celebrity Extra: What made you decide that now was the time to write a beauty book?
Deidre Hall: Lynne and I wrote “Kitchen Closeup,” and that was fun. But what I know is beauty. It seemed a little bit daunting at the time, writing up a beauty book, but then it just all really came together, and that was it. I figured, I’ve done 35 years in front of a camera, so, if I haven’t learned a thing or two about beauty, then I should just pack up my tent.
CE: You collaborated with Lynne to write this book — how did your partnership in writing come about?
DH: It doesn’t feel like working with her, and that’s the truth. We talked earlier about having spent so much time together [while working on “Kitchen Closeup”] sitting around the kitchen table and her stirring and me writing, or her writing and me stirring. We’ve shared these kinds of health issues and food issues for so long that it was natural to write that book.
And then it was natural to write the beauty book, because we also spent that amount of time in front of a mirror. “Oh, what’s that color? Where did you get that? I want one of those!” It’s what women do. Women share the wealth. And we’ve spent a lifetime doing that. And finally we thought, “You know what, we seem to know a lot about things that people don’t seem to really know about.” And so that’s what it was. It was fun, fun to put it down on paper, and it was a labor of love.
CE: One of the things I like about the book is that the advice and tips you give are good for twentysomethings, thirtysomethings, fortysomethings and beyond. Was that a goal of yours, to reach out to many age groups, or did you have a specific group in mind when you set out to write this book?
DH: Part of our conversation in writing the book was saying there’s nothing for women over 50 out there! They care! We all care! Why are there not beauty secrets for women who have sagging skin and lined skin and dry skin and that sort of thing? We wanted to make sure that that was also included in what we wrote.
CE: I know some people, myself not included, are critical of plastic surgery, saying that it’s “cheating” in some way. What are your thoughts on plastic surgery?
DH: I love it! I love that we have an option of changing the way we look if it makes us feel better. And it’s just as simple as that. There’s no judgment on it. There is no criticism of it. It’s a wonderful option for people who want to take it. The No. 1 surgery in this country is breast augmentation. Women spend more on that than any other surgery combined.
CE: While this is a beauty book, it’s also a good self-esteem booster for women, kind of empowering. Was that one of your intentions when you were writing it?
DH: We didn’t set out to change women. We just set out to sit down with them and say: “Honey, come here. I want to share something with you.” Wow, that’s a complicated question. We know that women at their very core like to share the neat stuff. So, that’s what we meant to do. Just share with women everywhere the things we’ve learned over many years.
69th Annual Golden Globe Award Nominations
MOTION PICTURES
— Picture, Drama: "The Descendants," ''The Help," ''Hugo," ''The Ides of March," ''Moneyball," ''War Horse."
— Picture, Musical or Comedy: "50/50," ''The Artist," ''Bridesmaids," ''Midnight in Paris," ''My Week with Marilyn."
— Actor, Drama: George Clooney, "The Descendants"; Leonardo DiCaprio, "J. Edgar"; Michael Fassbender, "Shame"; Ryan Gosling, "The Ides of March"; Brad Pitt, "Moneyball."
— Actress, Drama: Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"; Viola Davis, "The Help"; Rooney Mara, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"; Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"; Tilda Swinton, "We Need to Talk About Kevin."
— Director: Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"; George Clooney, "The Ides of March"; Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"; Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"; Martin Scorsese, "Hugo."
— Actor, Musical or Comedy: Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"; Brendan Gleeson, "The Guard"; Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "50/50"; Ryan Gosling, "Crazy, Stupid, Love"; Owen Wilson, "Midnight in Paris."
— Actress, Musical or Comedy: Jodie Foster, "Carnage"; Charlize Theron, "Young Adult"; Kristen Wiig, "Bridesmaids"; Michelle Williams, "My Week with Marilyn"; Kate Winslet, "Carnage."
— Supporting Actor: Kenneth Branagh, "My Week with Marilyn"; Albert Brooks, "Drive"; Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"; Viggo Mortensen, "A Dangerous Method"; Christopher Plummer, "Beginners."
— Supporting Actress: Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"; Jessica Chastain, "The Help"; Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"; Octavia Spencer, "The Help"; Shailene Woodley, "The Descendants."
— Foreign Language: "The Flowers of War," ''In the Land of Blood and Honey," ''The Kid with a Bike," ''A Separation," ''The Skin I Live In."
— Animated Film: "The Adventures of Tintin," ''Arthur Christmas," ''Cars 2," ''Puss in Boots," ''Rango."
— Screenplay: Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"; George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March"; Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"; Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, "The Descendants"; Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, "Moneyball."
— Original Score: Ludovic Bource, "The Artist"; Abel Korzeniowski, "W.E."; Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"; Howard Shore, "Hugo"; John Williams, "War Horse."
— Original Song: "Hello Hello" (music by Elton John, lyrics by Bernie Taupin), "Gnomeo & Juliet"; "The Keeper" (music and lyrics by Chris Cornell), "Machine Gun Preacher"; "Lay Your Head Down" (music by Brian Byrne, lyrics by Glenn Close), "Albert Nobbs"; "The Living Proof" (music by Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman, Harvey Mason Jr., lyrics by Mary J. Blige, Harvey Mason Jr., Damon Thomas), "The Help"; "Masterpiece" (music and lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry), "W.E."
TELEVISION
— Series, Drama: "American Horror Story," FX; "Boardwalk Empire," HBO; "Boss," Starz; "Game of Thrones," HBO; "Homeland," Showtime.
— Actor, Drama: Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"; Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"; Kelsey Grammer, "Boss"; Jeremy Irons, "The Borgias"; Damian Lewis, "Homeland."
— Actress, Drama: Claire Danes, "Homeland"; Mireille Enos, "The Killing"; Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"; Madeleine Stowe, "Revenge"; Callie Thorne, "Necessary Roughness."
— Series, Musical or Comedy: "Enlightened," HBO; "Episodes," Showtime; "Glee," Fox; "Modern Family," ABC; "New Girl," Fox.
— Actress, Musical or Comedy: Laura Dern, "Enlightened"; Zooey Deschanel, "New Girl"; Tina Fey, "30 Rock"; Laura Linney, "The Big C"; Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation."
— Actor, Musical or Comedy: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"; David Duchovny, "Californication"; Johnny Galecki, "The Big Bang Theory"; Thomas Jane, "Hung"; Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes."
— Miniseries or Movie: "Cinema Verite," HBO; "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," PBS; "The Hour," BBC America; "Mildred Pierce," HBO; "Too Big to Fail," HBO.
— Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Romola Garai, "The Hour"; Diane Lane, "Cinema Verite"; Elizabeth McGovern, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," Emily Watson, "Appropriate Adult"; Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce."
— Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Hugh Bonneville, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)"; Idris Elba, "Luther"; William Hurt, "Too Big to Fail"; Bill Nighy, "Page Eight (Masterpiece)"; Dominic West, "The Hour."
— Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"; Kelly Macdonald, "Boardwalk Empire; Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)"; Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"; Evan Rachel Wood, "Mildred Pierce."
— Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"; Paul Giamatti, "Too Big to Fail"; Guy Pierce, "Mildred Pierce"; Tim Robbins, "Cinema Verite"; Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family."
Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award: Morgan Freeman.
Q and A: Week of Dec. 12
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| Lucy Hale |
A: I love to be the bearer of good news. Your favorite bad girls, led by Aria Montgomery (played by Lucy Hale), will be back with new episodes on ABC Family on its new night starting Monday, Jan. 2. Watch as Aria, Emily, Hanna and Spencer take matters into their own hands to try to finally put a stop to their tormentor, the mysterious “A.”
Also, I spoke with Annabeth Gish recently, who played/plays Dr. Sullivan on the show, and I asked her if she'd be back when the show returned. While she couldn't tell me much, she could say this: "I don’t know if I’m at liberty to say. You will see Dr. Sullivan again. In what way shape or form I cannot say." Don't miss Annabeth on A&E's "Bag of Bones," the second half of which airs tonight at 9/8c, and check out my interview with the talented actress here.
Q: I love watching one of my favorite “classic” TV shows, “Designing Women,” in reruns whenever I get the chance. I’ve decided to ask Santa for the boxed sets on DVD, but can only find seasons one through four. Will season five be out before the holidays? — Jeanne C., Conyers, Ga.
A: You, and the rest of us “Designing Women” fans, are in luck — season five was released on DVD Dec. 6, right in the nick of time for Jolly Ole St. Nick to place a copy in your stocking. Season five begins with Charlene enrolling in college, Suzanne accidentally bidding on a date with Anthony, Mary Jo deciding to want a baby, and Julia secretly moonlighting as a nightclub songstress. The four-disc set includes all 24 original episodes — with all the hairspray and shoulder pads that that entails. This season is also the last to include original cast members Jean Smart and Delta Burke, who left before season six to be replaced by Jan Hooks (who stayed for seasons six and seven) and Julia Duffy (who was in season six only).
Q: Can you tell me if one of my favorite shows on TV will return? “The Killing” on AMC was riveting, and the twist at the very end of the last show blindsided me! — Ann in Minnesota
A: I was just thinking about that show the other day, so thank you for reminding me. I too love “The Killing” and was glued to my seat for the entire 13-episode first season. The show will be back for a second season — thank goodness! — most likely in late spring, although an official date has not been set. If you’re not already following me on Twitter (twitter.com/celebrity_extra), you should, because I always post up-to-the-minute news on casting and returning series.
Q: “Downton Abbey” on PBS was one of my favorite shows of 2011. I remember reading in your column that it would be back for a second season. If so, when? — Donna B., Tulsa, Okla.
A: “Downton Abbey” season two returns to PBS’s Masterpiece Classic on Sunday nights beginning Jan. 9 and running through Feb. 19 at 9 p.m. ET. Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern and Dan Stevens headline the remarkable cast as World War I shakes Downton Abbey to its very foundations.
Interview: Annabeth Gish Gets Spooky
Annabeth Gish knows spooky. While she may have gotten her big break in the romantic comedy "Mystic Pizza," and has co-starred in "Wyatt Earp," "Double Jeopardy," "West Wing," "FlashForward" and "Pretty Little Liars," she also starred in the eighth and ninth seasons of "The X-Files" as Monica Reyes. So, yeah, Annabeth is familiar with strange and unexplained phenomena. This Sunday and Monday night at 9/8c on A&E, Annabeth is exploring the unknown again, this time starring in the television miniseries adaption of Stephen King's bestseller "Bag of Bones." This four-hour, two-day event stars Pierce Brosnan as bestselling novelist Mike Noonan, who is unable to stop grieving after the sudden death of his wife Jo (Annabeth). Suffering from writer’s block, a dream inspires him to return to the couple's lakeside retreat in western Maine. While there, Mike befriends an attractive young widow, Mattie (Melissa George) and her daughter Kyra (Caitlin Carmichael), and becomes involved in a custody battle with the child's enormously wealthy grandfather. Though his ability to write suddenly returns, Mike is plagued by ever-escalating nightmares and mysterious ghostly visitations from Sara Tidwell (Anika Rose), a blues singer whose spirit lingers in the house. As he is haunted by the many secrets at the lake, Mike comes to realize that his late wife still has something to tell him.
Celebrity Extra: I just watched the press screener, and I have to tell you, "Bag of Bones" scared the bejeezus out of me!
Annabeth Gish: That's great! It’s that good kind of spooky, isn't it? This is why Stephen King is so prolific and popular, because he gets at the root of horror where it’s not just horror for horror’s sake. It’s horror with heart. His work has real grit and feeling behind it, and particularly "Bag of Bones." That’s why it’s so scary, because there’s so much feeling invested.
My husband has said that he was a bit wary of watching it. He’s a stunt man, but he’s wary of watching horror films. He might be running in and out of the next room (as I watch it Sunday night).
CE: Had you read the book beforehand, or did you want to go into the movie without any preconceptions, since often things have to change from novel to screenplay?
AG: I had not read it and (director) Mick (Garris) said, “Don’t read it until afterward.” So when I finished my work on the movie, I met that tome of a novel.
CE: Did you get to meet Stephen King? Was he on the set at all during filming?
AG: No, and you know, I feel like he’s one of those people who — and I don’t have many — that I want to meet so badly that I almost don’t want to meet them. Do you know that paradox where you love their work so much and you respect them that it kind of exists in this other realm? I still would love to meet him, of course, but I also I kind of feel like I’m psychically linked to him because I’ve now worked in two of his projects (the other being "Desperation"), brought two of his characters to life. It’s been a pleasure to get involved in his universe.
CE: So you've got one degree of separation with Mr. King, his actual books!
AG: Right, exactly! And the best part was when we were shooting some of the promo stuff for "Bag of Bones," the fabulous Dark Score Stories website — oh my God, it’s a treat because it’s just so finely done. Part of the idea behind it was to lace a bunch of Stephen King clues from the entirety of his writings on this website. I got to do this photo shoot, and it’s just me and some crows, which I have a proclivity toward crows. I just respect them so much.
CE: Besides the fact that the material is just exceptional, what were some other reasons behind your wanting to take on the role of Jo Noonan?
AG: There are so many elements. The fact that Mick Garris was directing it — who I have worked with before and who I think is wonderful — he brings Stephen King’s books to the screen so well and so masterfully. He himself is a master of horror. So having known Mick and the chance to work with him again, that was an instant yes for me.
And Pierce Brosnan of course. The opportunity to work with Pierce, and also just the script. I felt like, especially with Jo — comprehensively it wasn’t that I just fell in love with Jo Noonan — I fell in love with the entire cast of characters. Sarah Tidwell and her mystery, and Mike Noonan and Mattie and Kyra — the script as a whole was one of the best things I’ve read in a long time.
To be honest, one of the highlights of this experience for me was working with Pierce, because he invested so much in this material that he raised it to an operatic level. He doesn’t play small, and he brought something new to every take. It was very inspiring. He might just be one of the most impeccable men I’ve ever worked with.
CE: He seems like he is such a gentleman as well.
AG: Yeah, a complete gentleman and yet this driven, hungry artist. It was definitely a highlight to work with and get to know him on a personal level.
CE: Have you been able to watch your character's death scene yet?
AG: What is so weird is that I couldn’t watch it. I don’t know what it is, I just, I’m afraid to watch that part. I think for Pierce that scene was really profound as well, because you’re dealing with death and loss and reliving all that, that scene was really emotional to shoot.
CE: Pierce dealing with your character's death was just so heart-wrenching to watch ...
AG: To be honest, those are the scenes that I watched. I don’t really like watching myself, so I kind of fast-forward through my stuff and watch everybody else’s scenes. But his scenes I definitely watched.
CE: Are you going to be watching on Sunday night with the rest of America?
AG: Yes, I will be. But I am also truly so very excited for people to watch this because I think they're going to be powerfully affected. It’s not just a horror movie; it’s not just a mystery. It’s like a horror show, a mystery and a deep love story, and that’s why I think it’s going to appeal to a lot of people.
CE: Another one of your roles that I really enjoyed watching was when you played Monica Reyes on "The X-Files," one of my all-time favorite television shows. What was that working experience like?
AG: It was superlative. I had such a great time on that show. I adore Robert Patrick, and Gillian (Anderson, Dana Scully), David (Duchovny, Fox Mulder), Chris (Carter) and Frank (Spotnitz), and the entire machinery that was "X-Files" was divine. I really look back with deep fondness on the entire experience, and with a bit of sadness too. Although we couldn’t ever reach the level of Mulder and Scully — they were legendary, so we couldn’t quite ascertain that level.
But I do miss Doggett and Reyes. I miss their storyline that I feel sort of had to abruptly end. But my gosh, I have nothing but deep fondness for that experience for two years. And I met my husband on that show, so I have wonderful, wonderful gratitude for that time. And for all the fans — no one was cruel toward me. I think there was just this loyalty to Mulder and Scully, which you could understand.
CE: What can you tell me about "Pretty Little Liars"? Will we be seeing Dr. Sullivan when the second part of the second season premieres on Jan. 2 on ABC Family?
AG: I don’t know if I’m at liberty to say ... You will see Dr. Sullivan again. In what way shape or form, I cannot say.
Q and A: Week of Dec. 5
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| Ricky Gervais |
A: That gig has gone to actor/comedian/writer/producer Ricky Gervais, who’s hosted the previous two Golden Globes ceremonies. Most of you know I wholeheartedly approve of this choice, as do many of the Hollywood royalty that Ricky teases. Liam Neeson has voiced his approval of Ricky, saying: “Hollywood needs a shake-up. He’ll be great.” Robert DeNiro showered Ricky with praise after last year’s controversial telecast, telling Ricky he’d be happy to set anyone straight who was offended. Johnny Depp guest-stars on Ricky’s new TV show, “Life’s Too Short,” poking fun of himself and Ricky in a hilarious sketch (Google it and see for yourself). The Golden Globes Awards telecast airs live Sunday, Jan. 15, on NBC.
Q: I really like “Grimm” on NBC. Can you tell me about the actress who plays the beautiful blond Reaper? — David S., via e-mail
A: Claire Coffee plays Reaper assassin Adalind Schade (who also happens to be a lawyer). Claire, 31, also is on TNT’s “Franklin and Bash,” playing Mark-Paul Gosselaar’s ex and James Van Der Beek’s current girlfriend. Claire and I joked about how she is living the fantasy of every girl who grew up watching James and Mark-Paul in the ’90s, including herself: “It’s too bad I didn’t get a job like this when I first came to town — or maybe it’s good thing, because I probably would have lost my mind.”
She’s thrilled about her role on “Grimm,” telling me: “I really wanted this one, because I’ve never gotten to play any sort of supernatural character before. I’ve never played an evil witch who has fight scenes and kills people. I got to put some new special skills on the resume through this job.”
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| Michael Cudlitz |
A: You don’t have to wait much longer for the season four premiere on Jan. 17. This season will feature returning stars Michael Cudlitz, Shawn Hatosy, Regina King and Ben McKenzie, and will guest-star Lucy Liu. This season will also reunite Regina King with her “227″ co-star Marla Gibbs, who guest-stars as a family member of a suspect that Detective Lydia Adams (Regina) is investigating for murder.
Q: How is Demi Moore doing? Will she divorce Ashton Kutcher for his alleged infidelity? — Renee R., Clearwater, Fla.
A: Demi recently announced her decision to file for divorce from Ashton, stating: “It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have decided to end my six-year marriage to Ashton. As a woman, a mother and a wife there are certain values and vows that I hold sacred, and it is in this spirit that I have chosen to move forward with my life.”
John Walsh: Making a Big Difference for 23 Years
Even if you don't watch the show America's Most Wanted, which I know everyone has at least once in his life, John Walsh is a household name. In 1981, his son Adam was kidnapped from a Sears at the Hollywood Mall in Hollywood, Florida, and murdered. His story became a two television movies, Adam and Adam: His Song Continues, and the Walshes' heartbreaking story became a life-saving message to children everywhere. Malls and stores across America adopted the Code Adam alert — a predecessor to the Amber Alert — where if a child were lost or missing, all doors to the store were locked and a store employee posted at every exit, while a description of the child was broadcast over the intercom system. In 1988, Fox secured a deal with John to begin the broadcast of America's Most Wanted, which became the longest-running crime-reality show in Fox's history and contributed to the capture of more than 1,100 fugitives. AMW stayed at Fox for 23 years, until June of this year, when the network announced it wanted to air four two-hour specials of the show throughout the year and forgo the weekly broadcast. John asked Fox if he could shop the show around to other networks, and Fox agreed. Although it might seem like a strange fit at first to some, Lifetime Television jumped at the chance to broadcast AMW, and tonight at 9/8c the show makes it's debut on its new night and network.
I am honored to have had the chance to speak with Mr. Walsh about the show, Lifetime Television, and the power of AMW.
Celebrity Extra: When you got the news that Fox wanted to not proceed with the weekly format of America's Most Wanted, you had to have been surprised. AMW had been a staple of Fox's Saturday night crime-show block for years, and its ratings were only getting better.
John Walsh: I was very surprised when Fox decided not to go forward. We had a really great year last year. We had our highest ratings in about 10 years; we were No. 1 in February sweeps, and you know how important February sweeps are. We had caught more guys last year in a single year than we’ve caught in any one of the previous years, and we’ve caught about 40 guys off the website (amw.com) in two years, so I was really kind of caught off-guard.
But, you know, it was 23 great years. Who would give the father of a murdered child a chance to host the first reality show? Fox told me they wanted to do four two-hour specials. I just did one a couple of weeks ago, which was very highly rated, but I thought that my job wasn’t finished. We needed to continue on a weekly basis. I thought as long as I can do it, as long as there is some interest, I asked Fox if I could try to shop it somewhere else. They were very gracious and agreed.
The ladies at Lifetime, Nancy Dubuc, the president of Lifetime said: “John, I get the show. I get the mission. I’m trying to make Lifetime a little bit edgier. We’re going toward more original programming, and we would love to have you. We would love to support the show and the website and everything that you do.” The website is so important. As a matter of fact, while we were off the air for July and August, we caught five guys from the website and the hotline. We never shut down the website or the hotline. I’m excited and very, very happy and very pleased to be working with the people at Lifetime. They get it, and I think it’s going to be a good opportunity for me.
CE: Back in 1996 when Fox canceled the show the first time, there was such an outcry from supporters and fans protesting the cancellation, including longtime viewers, law enforcement and government officials. That must have made you feel pretty darn good about what you are doing.
JW: It was so gratifying. That was humbling. If I remember right, 39 governors signed the petition — I mean, I don’t think 39 governors could agree on how many stars are on the flag. There was a big outcry this time as well, but Fox was right upfront in saying, “We’re going to continue with some specials, and John can go somewhere else with it is he wants.”
There were some wonderful editorials in The New York Times and in The Washington Post. Time Magazine had a big article saying that this is the show that needs to be on the air. This is quality television and people like you have been huge supporters. I just hope and pray that my solid, die-hard viewers go to Lifetime. I hope they will. I think they will.
CE: I've been watching since the show first started airing, and I've followed you when you changed nights from Friday to Tuesday to Saturday, etc. I really think your fans, the kind of people who watch this show and really want to help make a difference, will follow you to Lifetime.
JW: I couldn’t agree with you more. You know, one thing I could never understand was why Fox never reran the show. I would say, "You should rerun it on FX or Fox News," but they didn't. Lifetime will rerun it. After the season premiere airs (tonight), during the week they are going to air it before the original the following week, so I’ll have a two-hour block on Lifetime. It will put more eyeballs to these creeps. We’ve caught almost 1,200 guys all over the world in 35 countries, and I think the more they air them, our capture rate will go up.
CE: Will the show be the same format we are used to, or will you be changing things up a little for Lifetime?
JW: It’ll be the same format, same thing: fugitives who have chosen to run from the law, missing kids, etc. The people at Lifetime, in particularly Nancy, got AMW so well because we are a big forum for women and children. We’re often called the court of last resort, so Lifetime's philosophy is: The show isn’t broke, so don’t fix it.
We’ll have the same type of stories and we speak so loudly for people who can’t speak. What’s going on with all the Penn State stuff, it’s something I’ve been talking about for 30 years. Listen to children. Listen to women. A woman stopped me at the gas station last night and said, “I’ve watched you for years, and I was badly beaten and abused, and finally I had the courage to come forward.” That happens to me on a regular basis. With Lifetime, we’re not going to change things — we may do more cases involving women, but most of my cases already do involve children and women.
CE: Especially when you put it that way, AMW seems to be an excellent fit with Lifetime Television.
JW: I hope so. I think women are very sensitive to getting justice, and I do think it is a good fit. They want me to produce other television, which would be great. I’ve always had Walsh Productions, and I’ve produced lots of products for Fox. And now I’m going to do some things for Lifetime and expand. I’m working on the World’s Most Wanted with a production company in England. I’ve caught guys in 35 countries, caught the uncatchable.
I caught a guy in Brazil in July on our last show that everybody said, “You’ll never catch this guy.” He’s wanted for the molestation of boys in two states. He’s disappeared for 14 years. There were a few tips that he might be in one of the big ghettos, what they call favelas, above Rio de Janeiro. I went to Rio, teamed up with a local, very popular show called Fantastico, which has 60 million viewers in Brazil, and we caught the guy. He was in the ghetto, teaching kids English and molesting little boys. We live in this global society: Our garbage runs other places and other garbage comes to our country. So I’m working on expanding, and Lifetime’s going to help me do that. It’s very exciting for me.
CE: What can you tell me about some of the cases/fugitives you'll be highlighting this season?
JW: The first case, ironically, is a case of a woman from Texas who organized the murder of her husband. She hired a hit man, and he actually did kill her husband, and then she took off and left three children behind. It's a big case down there.
I’m going to profile a football star in Chicago. Wonderful, wonderful kid, award-winning kid. Great scholar, great athlete, he comes home and gets shot. Killed, senseless murder. Chicago has so many of those senseless murders. So much gun violence. And the ironic thing is when he died he was a kidney donor, and he donated his kidney, and it saved his grandmother’s life. It’s kind of a bitter, bittersweet story, but I’m going to find the guy that killed that boy. I know who he is, and I am going to find him.
CE: I am sure you have lots of fond memories of shooting the show, especially when it's a happy ending. What are some of your happiest memories from AMW?
JW: Several cases stick out. One that sticks out the most, for me, of course, is the recovery of Elizabeth Smart. We profiled Elizabeth Smart many times, and after eight months, I showed a composite that the police didn’t want me to show. They thought they had the guy that kidnapped her: the handyman that had died in the prison cell from an aneurysm before they charged him.
Elizabeth was found because people who watched the show recognized the guy from the composite we showed, and by wonderful fate and circumstance she was with him alive. The family said: "Come out. Fly out here and meet Elizabeth." I kept saying to her parents: “Don’t let her do any interviews. I don’t even have to meet her.” And they said: “No, no. She wants to meet you.” And that 14-year-old girl, after being brutalized for eight months, to see her walk down those stairs, I had tears in my eyes. I didn’t want to touch her — you don’t touch a victim — I just looked at her and I thought: “As hard as I tried to find Adam, I couldn’t do it. I failed.” But I’m going to tell you, this was the highlight. Every bit of torture we’ve been through, and as hard and long as the days are, here is this television show that gets a girl back alive. It was just unbelievable. There are so many rewarding aspects of hosting this show. It’s a life-changer and it’s a game-changer.
CE: Who's been at the top of your list of people you really wanted to capture?
JW: I’m just thinking off the top of my head ... Paul Marhige is a guy who murdered the family here last Thanksgiving. This is the one-year anniversary. He murdered five people in the house and murdered a 6-year-old girl who was close in age to my son. I caught him, but there are several guys who are on the top.
I have my own Dirty Dozen. Several of them are child killers and one of them is a guy that murdered a 5-year-old girl, raped her and burned her body. He was arrested several times, and his DNA never collected. He’s No. 2 on the FBI’s Top 10 list. There are three or four child killers. There’s a cop who murdered his wife and molested several children, and he’s on the run. I haven’t been able to catch him for years. I’m putting some of my dirty dozen on this show and on the successive shows, and try to focus in on the guys that I hate the most.
CE: Doing this show must bring you a kind of fulfillment that we viewers can only imagine ...
JW: Everybody says, “Aren’t you thrilled when you catch somebody?” and when we caught Paul Marhige — that horrible guy I was talking about — when we caught him I thought: “This is really the power of this show. This is incredible.” Catching these guys and getting some type of justice to end these people’s pain ...
You know, it took 27 years to solve Adam’s case. Twenty-seven long, painful years knowing that the Hollywood Police had made big mistakes, and when Chad Wagner — he’ll always be one of my heroes, the relatively new chief of Hollywood Police — opened the case back up, he said: “We’re going to admit we’ve made mistakes. John, all that you’ve done for law enforcement, we owe it to you.”
I know what families of victims go through, their pain — they don’t want vengeance. They’re not vigilantes. I’m not a vigilante. I don’t believe you take the law into your own hands, but you want to end that chapter of your life. There’s no closure. It’s a word that's been bantered about but doesn’t mean anything. It’s about justice.
CE: My husband and I watch the show every week, just hoping we'll know someone you are profiling so we can help bring him to justice, and we'll continue to do so now that the show is at Lifetime Television.
JW: People like you who watch the show, who make those calls, who call up and say, “John, we’re not only going to support you on the show, we’re going to support you in the legislation you’re working for.” The Adam Walsh Act would have never gotten passed if it weren’t for the American public. Nothing gets through Congress, but when citizens get mad and they call up, that’s how we got the Adam Walsh Act passed. When President Bush signed that in the Rose Garden several years ago — he signed it on the 25th anniversary of Adam’s abduction — it turned a horrible day into a great day. And that was because of the good people who support me and watch the show. It is good people like you who make a difference.
Interview: Bill Pullman Proclaims His Innocence
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| Bill Pullman, photo by James Dittiger |
Since the movie has been out for more than 20 years, I don't think a spoiler alert is needed to say that at the end of that movie, we learn that Barbara is the one who killed Rusty's mistress, Carolyn. “Scott Turow’s Innocent” opens with Rusty being accused of murdering Barbara, mirroring the accusation he was cleared of years before with Carolyn. I spoke with Bill recently about the movie, which premieres tonight on TNT at 9 ET/PT.
Celebrity Extra: How did you prepare for your role of Judge Rusty Sabich? Did you rewatch "Presumed Innocent," or did you want to go into it with a clear slate to develop the character your own way?
Bill Pullman: I was in the middle of other things and got sent the script, and I read it. I hadn’t seen "Presumed Innocent” all those years ago, and so I thought it was a remake of "Presumed Innocent." I knew it had been a successful movie with great actors and writing and all that. I didn’t want to do a remake of it and waste time and waste money. But I just kept thinking about the script and everything, and I thought, “This is a pretty good script; it’s too bad it's a remake.” But then I looked on IMDb about "Presumed Innocent," and then I realized that this is a whole other story. So I signed on without having seen "Presumed Innocent," but it was great to watch it when I did see it.
CE: Twenty years have passed, and we really have to wonder how Rusty continued on in his marriage to Barbara, who's a manic-depressive and who killed his mistress. How does he make it through each day?
BP: I think that the idea of what it would take to mask over that and to make a choice about how guarded you are as a person. I think if you lived inside of that for that long, you learn the secrets of how to keep a secret, which is a lot of compartmentalization partly. It’s sad, but the fact is a lot of marriages are held together with a lot of things that make for a compromised marriage, which you do for various reasons.
It’s an interesting moment to catch a character whose been so successful out there for 22 years and finds himself swept in an undertow, back into another jeopardizing circumstance, and then just trying to be again incredibly controlled with how he responds to it. He holds it together with this façade that’s come in to be ingrained in him from then on.
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| Bill Pullman and Mariana Klaveno, photo by James Dittiger |
BP: Good, I’m glad that you feel that way, because it's definitely difficult. There’s the age difference, there’s so many things that would make that them the least likely match, but I think it has a lot to do with Anna. She has a certain truthfulness about emotions. She has an emotional intelligence that’s ahead of him, she really does. He does understand the nature of emotion when she says that she loves him.
CE: What are some aspects of Rusty's character that you could relate to or empathize with?
BP: Being a judge with the court of appeals, there’s quite a bit of needing to uphold the law and needing to be careful to never make a mistake. He has an understanding of human behavior and a sense of humanity. I think that scene where he tips off that character in the beginning about the outcome of his case is a result of his humanity, and not because he’s a terribly flawed in a judicial sense. He is dealing with judgments about people constantly, and he’s still alive to the fact that human behavior is complicated. I like that part of him.
And I think there is a way where he has been very connected emotionally to his wife. As much as he can be erratic, there are times where he loves her very much, like that scene where she’s on the bed with the negligee on, that could have gone another way.
CE: What was life like on the set?
BP: There was a good simpatico feeling. Everybody was generous — I think they proved it with the real test of those of us in those courtroom scenes. Those take days and days to shoot because every angle has to be covered, and there’s a lot of technical details that have to be dealt with, doing them a thousand times from a thousand different angles. Those are long days, and I we kept it very fun all the way through.
We all had a great rapport, and we’ve all been keeping in touch through e-mail, which is kind of a rare thing. I think it’s a sign that we all really felt like we had done a play together or we had done something where we really lived in the zone. I enjoyed everybody’s company.
CE: What were your thoughts when you heard this was going to be on TNT, and not released as a feature film like its predecessor?
BP: I'm not a big television watcher, but I love the artistic opportunities it presents. I like the image of people on their sofas on a winter night just getting down with a good, compelling thriller. Makes me want to watch more television.
CE: You've had the opportunity to star in a lot of great television lately, most recently "Torchwood: Miracle Day."
BP: Yeah, I know. I’ve had some great experiences working on "Torchwood." It was a really unusual character. Yeah, definitely giving me permission to go into a zone on that one. Kind of shut me down. I thought that the whole allegory of a miracle day and the fact that nobody is dying anymore was so interesting, to think about the way our lives are with modern medicine and the perpetuation of life no matter what the quality is. It was a good ride.
But something like "Scott Turow's Innocent" — I know that features are hugely expensive, especially studio things. Sometimes stories don’t need all that much money. If you’ve got a good cast and a good script and somebody who can direct the thing, you can pull it together. It’s been good for television. You’re watching good stuff all the time on your sofa with your glass of wine.
CE: Lately you've been doing a lot of dramas, which I love, but do you ever think about going back to doing some goofy or dark comedies, like "Spaceballs" and "Mr. Wrong"?
BP: Oh yeah, yeah. I’m so glad you mentioned "Mr. Wrong," because I think that movie got a little buried.
CE: I saw that at the theater with a bunch of friends and could not stop laughing at the scene where you break your finger ...
BP: (Laughs) "How much do you think I love you? Enough to break my own thumb?" (More laughter)
CE: So, if you got the right script, you'd be game?
BP: I’d be game. Sign me up. Spread the word.
Q and A: Week of Nov. 28
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| Bill Pullman with Marcia Gay Harden, photo by James Dittiger |
A: Bill is headlining TNT’s Mystery Movie Night by starring in “Scott Turow’s Innocent,” which is the sequel to “Presumed Innocent,” picking up the lives of Rusty and Barbra Sabich two decades later. The movie opens with Rusty being accused of murdering his wife, mirroring the accusation he was cleared of years before with his mistress.
You can catch your favorite stars this winter in crime-novel adaptations of books by authors like Scott Turow, Mary Higgins Clark, Sandra Brown and more. While Bill himself is not a big television watcher, he loves the artistic opportunities it presents to actor and viewers, telling me: “I like the image of people on their sofas on a winter night just getting down with a good, compelling thriller. Makes me want to watch more television.” Check your local listings for the date and time of each movie’s airing during TNT’s Mystery Movie Night series ("Scott Turow's Innocent" premieres tomorrow night, Nov. 29, at 9 ET/PT). Come back here tomorrow to read my entire interview with Bill.
Q: I was reading that Universal is going to pull the “Harry Potter” movies from the shelves soon. Is this true? — Andrew R., via e-mail
A: On Dec. 29, Universal is indeed pulling “Harry Potter” movies from the shelves — right after the Christmas rush — and offer them only on a sporadic basis, like Disney has done with its animated classics. If you can, I’d hold off on buying the eight-disc boxed set featuring years one through seven. It contains only the movie discs with no special features or extras. At the end of 2012, Universal plans to release a more comprehensive boxed set of all eight movies, with the extras and special treats we’ve all been waiting for.
Q: What is the lovely Annabeth Gish up to lately? I loved her on “The X-Files.” — Gabrielle V., Portland, Ore.A: Annabeth is starring alongside Pierce Brosnan in A&E’s miniseries “Bag of Bones,” which is based on the Stephen King novel. In the miniseries, best-selling novelist Mike Noonan (Pierce) can’t stop grieving after the death of his wife, Jo (Annabeth). A dream inspires him to return to the couple’s lakeside retreat in western Maine. Of course, mysterious things are going to happen. Check back here next week to read my full interview with Annabeth about her role in this series, which premieres Dec. 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Q: I loved Sheldon’s “Soft Kitty Song” on “The Big Bang Theory.” My roommate told me I can buy the Soft Kitty stuffed animal. Please tell me this is true! — Paula F., Youngstown, Ohio
A: Just in time for Christmas, Stylin Online is offering the official Soft Kitty cat and T-shirt for all you “Big Bang” fans. From episode “Pancake Batter Anomaly” comes one of most memorable moments in the history of the show. An ill Sheldon explains to Penny that his mother used to sing him a song as a child whenever he became sick. The song goes: “Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur, happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr.” The stuffed cat will sing you the “Soft Kitty Song” from the show, and it’s available at stylinonline.com/softkitty
Interview: Claire Coffee Is a Killer Lawyer
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| Claire Coffee, Photo by Whit Anderson |
Celebrity Extra: “Grimm,” which is a modern-day retelling of “Grimm’s Fairy Tales,” is very inventive and super scary. What about the show caught your attention and made you really want the part of reaper/assassin/lawyer Adalind Schade?
Claire Coffee: I think the look of the show is so neat. They combined a lot of elements that people are familiar with, but it’s also kind of police procedural with fairy-tale elements. I just really like the whole idea of the show. I like the genre of television in terms of what I want to watch myself. As for my character, I really wanted this one because I’ve never gotten to play any sort of supernatural character before. I’ve played lawyers before, and she’s a lawyer, but I’ve never played an evil witch who has fight scenes and kills people. I got to put some new special skills on my resume through this job.
CE: What’s good about this concept is you have so many Grimm’s tales to choose from — conceivably, the show could go on for decades!
CC: That’s what’s so great. I’ve been reading a lot of the “Grimm’s Fairy Tales,” and I think the ones that we are all familiar with are certainly the best of the bunch, but there are hundreds. They are all very moralistic tales. In the morals of the stories, the characters die or get killed or eaten constantly. It’s not for the Disney Channel — that’s for sure.
CE: Can you give me some clues as to what is coming up later in the season?
CC: The show’s going to be exploring this new world that Nick (Burkhardt, played by David Giuntoli) is coming to and the politics of this magical realm — who’s good and who’s bad — and the unpredictability of not knowing where people stand.
CE: Now, what about “Franklin and Bash”? I know you recently started shooting for the second season.
CC: I do know a little bit about what’s going to happen. Fun times ahead; that’s all I can say.
CE: You play lawyer Janie Ross in “FB,” but I’d say she’s a different kind of lawyer altogether from your “Grimm” character.
CC: Oh yeah — I wear similar suits, but the bad guys are VERY different.
CE: It must be fun for you to get to play two completely different characters like this, at the same time.
CC: It’s really fun. It’s fun to have two jobs, first and foremost. I’m very grateful for that. I feel very lucky that both sets are so pleasant to work on, with people who are really cooperative and have a great sense of humor. That’s a plus.
CE: You are living the dream of almost every girl who grew up in the ’90s by starring with Mark-Paul Gosselaar and James Van Der Beek.
CC: Including myself! It’s too bad I didn’t get a job like this when I first came to town — or maybe it’s a good thing, because I probably would have lost my mind. Mark-Paul and James are similar in that they’re total pros. They know how to work, but they also know that it’s all about the team, and they are very good at being helpful. It’s funny, they get mistaken for each other a lot. We did a joke about that on one of the episodes.
CE: What are some funny moments on the set?
CC: There was one scene where my character and James’ character, who plays my boyfriend, get in a fight, and I run off and the camera holds on James. He says: “Can we please just not hold on this tight angle of me watching a girl walk away?” Because all of “Dawson’s Creek” you could make a montage of Dawson looking, weeping, watching a girl walk away. That was pretty funny.
Interview: Time Griffin Protects and Serves
Celebrity Extra: When you first heard that the British hit “Prime Suspect” was going to be remade for American audiences, were you a bit apprehensive about how fans would receive the new show?
Tim Griffin: It wasn’t really until we started doing the initial press work that I realized, “OK, this is a sacred institution,” because I was a huge fan of the British series, too. It’s almost like a trial by fire that you have to go through. Can it be envisioned, reimagined with an American voice? Our partners are the original producers of the original “Prime Suspect,” so we have that entire canon of scripts at our disposal, and we have Peter Berg [as the executive producer and director]. It’s like its own new animal.”
CE: That’s very smart to do it that way, rather than trying to remake the British series, verbatim, you create your own niche with the original as your guideline.
TG: Right. That’s when it’s successful. If you look at shows like “The Office.” You can’t get more beloved than Ricky Gervais and the original “Office.” But I’m a huge fan of the American “Office.” I did “Leatherheads” with John Krasinski for four months. I think he’s one of the funniest people on the planet, and he’s not even one of the funniest people on that show. It’s just like they’ve created this quirky animal that’s so them. I can’t imagine it not set in Scranton, Pa.
And it’s the same thing with our show. This thing was such a perfect fit for Manhattan Homicide, but I think it’s also brilliant as a fan of the show. It’s not like they just used the title “Prime Suspect” and threw away the entire canon. There was an episode where the remnants of a murder in a storage facility were discovered, which was registered to the killer’s mother. Well, that’s right out of the original “Prime Suspect,” where you had this crazy, Joan Crawford-type mother who’s protecting her son. The son seems completely normal on the outside, but he’s got something about him — both Helen Mirren’s character in the original and Maria Bello’s character in our show can see something is off with this guy. When I see that, I can tell as a fan of the original show that they used that plot device, but they retold it in such a way that it’s almost like you’re not even aware that you’re watching sort of a tribute to something that came before. I am very happy that they are our partners, and that we have access to those brilliant cases and scripts.
CE: Tell me about your character, Detective Blando.
TG: The funny thing is, this wasn’t even the part that I was originally read for. And now looking back on it, I can’t imagine playing any other character. He is sort of like the class clown of the squad. All of these people have a dark humorous streak to them, because there is no way to do this job without a sense of humor. It doesn’t mean I’m any less effective as a homicide detective, just the guy who will always employ my natural personality. As an actor, I am normally brought in to do the heavy dramatic lifting or just outright comedy, so it’s nice to do a nuanced character like this. I’ve rarely gotten to do something that really sort of blends both. I don’t know if it’s because they saw that character in me or they tailored the character to fit my personality. It’s probably a little bit of both. I originally read for Kirk Acevedo’s character, who was originally named Detective Carter, but I can’t imagine anybody else playing Detective Calderon.
CE: The entire cast that Peter Berg has assembled for “Prime Suspect” is really phenomenal. What is it like working with them? TG: We were amazed that they had assembled that cast, because normally you’ll get a couple of luminaries — you’ll get an Aidan Quinn and a Maria Bello, and they’ll populate the rest of the show with nonthreatening pretty people. But Pete was adamant that he wanted every single character to hearken back to shows like “Hill Street Blues” or “NYPD Blue,” where everybody has a distinct voice. So they went out and hired probably the most accomplished cast I’ve ever been a part of. Pete Berg and Alex Cunningham were given carte blanche to hire the best actors. Hopefully they’re not sitting there thinking, “We should have gotten more pretty people.”
CE: What is life on the set like?
TG: We had an episode that aired a few weeks ago where we’re trying to destroy the killer’s ironclad alibi. He checks in at this restaurant at, let’s say, 10 minutes past the hour. He makes a call from his phone, and then it’s surmised that he might have made it from the restaurant to the murder site where he dumps the body. Is it physically possible to do this with New York traffic? Maria speculates, what if he ran it? Then they have me, Kirk (Acevedo) and Maria all run the route. That was such a fun day. We were all just riffing on each other all day long, and then we go into a bar afterward and have a few cocktails.
CE: You’ve been fortunate to have had quite a varied acting career so far. Has that been your intention, or the luck of the audition?
TG: I will tell you, I didn’t go out to do it intentionally. I think it comes with the volume of work that I’ve done. I do strive to not be pigeonholed. But I’ll tell you, there are certain characters that if you are going to be known for something, you’d better be proud of it, and this is one of those characters. Hopefully in five years I won’t be like, “If one more person calls me Augie, I’m going to punch him in the face.”
You know who I love, who I feel is absolutely brilliant? Jared Leto. I am a huge fan of all of David Fincher’s films, and when I saw Jared in “Panic Room,” I was like, “This is the kid from ‘My So-Called Life’?” Can you imagine if that was the only thing he ever did, and everybody called him Jordan Catalano? When I saw the video for “The Kill” (by Jared’s band, Thirty Seconds to Mars), I was like, this better not be that pretty boy. Do you really have to be an amazing rock ‘n’ roll musician too? There are certain people who are just ridiculously talented, and God bless him, he’s one of them. Let him go conquer every arena in the world. I’m just going to stick to acting.
Q and A: Week of Nov. 21
Q: I have noticed the actress who plays Kensi on “NCIS: Los Angeles” appears to have two different colored eyes. Does she, or am I just seeing things? I think she plays a good strong female part and would like to see her in more shows or movies. — Mary B., Virginia Beach, Va.A: Daniela Ruah, who has played Kensi Blye since the show’s premiere in 2009, has a birthmark in her right eye, making it appear almost completely black, with her left eye being hazel. You’ll get to see more of Daniela soon, as she co-stars in the feature film “Red Tails” with Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Bryan Cranston. She also is rumored to be starring in the upcoming “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune” with Bruce Campbell.
Q: I am loving the second season of my favorite show, “The Walking Dead,” on AMC. I know this might be a little early, but will it return for another season? — Chad G., via e-mail
A: Normally, this would be a bit early for renewal news, but since the show’s return at the end of October, its ratings have been through the roof. Season two ratings have eclipsed the stellar ratings (especially by cable standards) of the first season, so AMC has already renewed it for a third season. “The Walking Dead” depicts the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse following a group of survivors outside Atlanta, starring Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal and Sarah Wayne Callies.
Q: I was sad to read in your column that “Spartacus” star Andy Whitfield had passed away. Will the production of the show continue after his death? — Hallie E., Akron, Ohio
A: In March 2010, Andy was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Production on season two was delayed so he could be treated. Unfortunately, his cancer returned, and he dropped out of the series and was replaced by Liam McIntyre. Andy passed away at age 39 this past September. Season two, with Liam as Spartacus, will return to Starz on Jan. 27, with the network already giving the green light for a third season to begin production in early 2012.
UPDATE: Hot on the heels of the news that Lifetime picked up “America’s Most Wanted” after it was canceled by Fox comes the news of its premiere date. The 20-episode 25th season of the crime-fighting reality show will premiere on Dec. 2 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The show’s passionate host, John Walsh, said of the return: “I am excited to be back in the saddle and working with Lifetime. We are the court of last resort, and with the show getting back to our weekly airing, we’ll have the capability of getting more fugitives off the streets and behind bars where they belong. We hope our observant fans continue the mission with us, on our new night — Friday — and keep our capture number climbing while helping those crime victims who need us.”
Q and A: Week of Nov. 14
Q: I really like “Prime Suspect,” especially the actor who plays Detective Blando. Can you tell me a little about him? He looks so familiar. — Gennifer F., Allentown, Pa.A: Tim Griffin, 42, has starred and guest-starred in countless TV series and big-screen movies, including “Party of Five,” “Charmed,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Bourne Supremacy,” “24,” “Iron Man,” “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” and most recently, “Super 8″ and “Abduction.”
I spoke with Tim about his role in the American version of the British cop drama and asked if he had any qualms about trying to “remake” such a popular series. Tim told me: “It wasn’t really until we started doing the initial press work that I realized, ‘OK, this is a sacred institution,’ because I was a huge fan of the British series too. It’s almost like a trial by fire that you have to go through. Can it be envisioned, reimagined with an American voice?
“Our partners are the original producers of the original ‘Prime Suspect,’ Tim said. “So we have that entire cannon of scripts at our disposal, and we have Peter Berg as the executive producer and director. It’s like its own new animal.”
Q: I am loving the new fall season so far — lots of good shows and only a few stinkers in the bunch. Which shows are you digging so far? — Clyde R., via e-mail
A: In the drama category, far and away my favorite show has to be ABC’s “Revenge,” which has injected a much-needed shot of campy, soapy, sexy drama into my Wednesday nights. (If you are on Twitter, you can follow my live-tweeting feeds at twitter.com/celebrity_extra every Wednesday starting at 10 p.m. ET, where all of us “Revenge” fans whoop and holler together.) I haven’t had this much fun watching a nighttime drama — nor have I talked to the TV screen so much — since “Melrose Place.”
On the comedy side, it’s a tie between Zooey Deschanel’s “New Girl” on Fox and ABC’s “Suburgatory,” whose ensemble cast of Jeremy Sisto, Jane Levy, Cheryl Hines, Alan Tudyk and Ana Gasteyer has me wiping tears of laughter from my face every episode.
Q: I love watching “The Talk” every afternoon. What happened to two of the original hostesses, Holly Robinson Peete and Leah Remini? — Joanne M., Fairport, N.Y.
A: Holly’s and Leah’s contracts were not renewed by CBS after the first season. As of Sept. 6 and Oct. 23, respectively, CBS officially replaced them with Sheryl Underwood and Aisha Tyler.
Q: I read somewhere that James Van Der Beek’s wife recently had another baby. Didn’t they just have a daughter? — Barb D., via e-mail
A: You are halfway correct, Barb. James and wife Kimberly have a daughter, Olivia, who recently turned 1, and are expecting their second child next year. James tweeted: “Just when we thought we couldn’t feel any more blessed, it seems the universe has plans to give our daughter a sibling.”
Q and A: Week of Nov. 7
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| Kevin Dillon |
A: Everyone involved in a show is always hopeful that it will get picked up for another season, hence the wording of ‘season finale’ versus ‘series finale.’ After the second-season finale aired, Fox decided not to renew ‘Human Target’ for a third season. But hey, at least it got to have two seasons.
Even more of this fall’s new shows have been canceled after airing only a few episodes, including the CW’s ‘H8R,’ ABC’s ‘Charlie’s Angels’ (which will air its remaining produced episodes) and CBS’s ‘How to Be a Gentleman,’ starring ‘Entourage’ star Kevin Dillon.
On the critical list are NBC’s ‘Prime Suspect’ and ABC’s ‘Man Up!’ ABC’s ‘Pan Am’ started fairly well, but has been hemorrhaging viewers left and right. However, this seems to be ABC’s darling, so it might get the network support it needs to survive the season.
Q: When will ‘Merlin’ return for another season on Syfy? — Mary D., via Facebook
A: Syfy confirmed at this summer’s San Diego Comic-Con that ‘Merlin’ will return in early 2012 for its fourth season. However as of this writing, no firm date had been set. Also, BBC-One, which produces and airs the show first in the U.K., has approved a fifth season of the popular fantasy, and considering its good ratings on Syfy, there’s a great chance we’ll get a fifth season here as well.
Q: Is ‘Shark Tank’ gone from TV? I loved that show. Will it come back? —Anonymous, via e-mail
A: ‘Shark Tank’ will be back midseason 2012 on ABC for its third season, along with ‘Secret Millionaire,’ which returns for its second season. Producers for the hit entrepreneurial reality show have not yet announced an exact airdate for the season premiere of ‘Shark Tank,’ but if past seasons are any indication, expect it sometime between January and March 2012.
Q: What is going on with Netflix? Is it still going to be around, or is it going to be Qwikster? I am so confused. — Dee Dee T. in Georgia
A: Netflix recently reversed its decision — in a rare move of a big corporation actually listening to its customers! — of having two separate websites/companies for its DVD-mailing service (which was to be Qwikster) versus its streaming service (Netflix). Because customers did not want the hassle of having two separate accounts, movie queues and billing statements if they wanted both mail and streaming DVDs, they voiced their complaints, and Netflix listened. Look for everything at Netflix to remain the same — at least for the time being.
Q and A: Week of Oct. 31
Q: When will Tori Spelling’s reality show return to Oxygen? It’s one of my guilty pleasures, and I have to admit that I miss it! — Patty T., via e-mailA: Tori and husband Dean McDermott will return for the sixth season of “Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood” on Tuesday, Nov. 29. Originally named “Tori and Dean: Inn Love” — where the couple opened a B-and-B while Tori was eight months pregnant with their first child — the new season will welcome the couple’s third child together, Hattie Margaret, who was born in October. Hattie joins siblings Liam and Stella, as well as Dean’s son, Jack, from a previous marriage.
Q: Will “Swamp Wars” be back on Animal Planet anytime soon? — Fred R., Baton Rouge, La.
A: Animal Planet will be bringing back “Swamp Wars” for more drama as the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue’s Venom One unit carries on its battle against the lethal animals that threaten South Florida. A 12-episode second season begins on Sunday, Nov. 6, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, starting with six all-new episodes and another set of six episodes slated to air in 2012.
This season has our heroes facing a Tegu lizard outbreak as well as Nile monitors and Burmese pythons — you know, just the usual deadly invasive creatures. They also battle venomous lionfish, which are proliferating the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and have no known aquatic enemies.
Q: I read and enjoy your articles that appear in our newspaper every Sunday. I bet you can answer this: Will “Covert Affairs” on the USA channel be back? — Virginia G., Webster, N.Y.
A: “Covert Affairs” begins airing the second half of its second season on Nov. 1, with six episodes left to round out the season. And I have even more good news for you, Virginia: USA has renewed “Covert Affairs” for a 16-episode third season, to begin airing summer 2012. In fact, all of USA’s original summer programming has been renewed, including “Royal Pains” and “Necessary Roughness.”
USA co-presidents Chris McCumber and Jeff Wachtel said in a statement: “USA’s original programming blew through all expectations this summer. It’s a rare and wonderful thing to announce the pick-up of our entire summer of programming.”
Q: I remember reading in previous columns that you are a big fan of Syfy’s “Being Human,” so I figure you can tell me if/when it’ll be back for a second season? — Johnny T., via e-mail
A: I am, and I can. The werewolf/vampire/ghost paranormal drama will return for its second season on Monday, Jan. 16. As you’ll recall, last season saw the demise of Bishop at the hands of Aidan, with Aidan becoming the new leader of Boston’s vampires; Nora learned Josh is a werewolf, not revealing to him that he scratched her while he was in werewolf form; and Sally missed her window to the Great Beyond to help save Aidan.
Q and A: Week of Oct. 24
Q: Who was the actor who played the younger Riggins brother on “Friday Night Lights”? What is he doing now? — Sherry R., via e-mailA: Taylor Kitsch played Tim Riggins, the troubled, womanizing former fullback/running back of the Dillon Panthers who turned himself in to police for running a chop shop with his brother, Billy. Since “FNL” ended, Taylor, 30, has been super busy. He stars in a handful of movies coming out soon and/or in production, including playing the title character in “John Carter”; Alex Hopper in “Battleship,” a feature-film adaption of the popular kids’ board game; and “Savages,” a crime drama directed by Oliver Stone.
Q: I was really getting into “The Playboy Club” when it was suddenly dropped from the TV schedule. Is it on hiatus, or has it been canceled? — George F., Harrisburg, Pa.
A: It would seem that NBC’s much-ballyhooed crime drama couldn’t hold an audience’s attention as well as the Playboy Bunnies themselves could back in the time this show was set (1961). On Oct. 3, NBC aired the third and final episode of “The Playboy Club” (with two episodes going unaired), making it the first casualty of the fall 2011 TV season. Series creator Chad Hodge and Playboy Enterprises CCO Hugh Hefner are hoping to sell the series to Bravo, where it will air all five episodes and hopefully be called upon to make more.
If you’re keeping score, NBC’s “Free Agents,” starring Hank Azaria, was canceled soon after “Playboy.” As of Oct. 14, ABC's “Charlie’s Angels” has been canceled, along with the CW's "H8R."
Q: Can you tell me if two of my favorite comedies, IFC’s “Portlandia” and “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret” with be back for new seasons? Please say yes! — Jennifer G., via e-mail
A: Yes, both show will be back for their respective second season on IFC this January. Regarding “Portlandia,” stars Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein and Jonathan Krisel will be back, along with a slew of new characters and notable guest stars. And “Todd Margaret” will feature the return of David Cross, Will Arnett (who will be pulling double-duty, since his NBC show “Up All Night” has been picked up for a full season), Sharon Horgan and Blake Harrison, with Jon Hamm (“Mad Men”) making a guest-starring appearance.
Q: “Drop Dead Diva” just finished up the season, and the ending gives the impression that it’s over. Will it be returning? — Joan D., via e-mail
A: Don’t you worry. Nancy Dubuc, president and general manager of Lifetime Networks, announced recently that “DDD” would be back for a 13-episode fourth season in summer 2012, stating: “‘Drop Dead Diva’ is a signature series for Lifetime that continues to resonate with audiences with its heart and humor. We are thrilled to bring it back for another season.”
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