Q and A: Week of July 4

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Q and A: Week of July 4

Poppy Montgomery, courtesy Lifetime Television

Q: I was a huge fan of CBS’ “Without a Trace,” so I was thrilled to see that Poppy Montgomery is coming back to TV this fall, starring in “Unforgettable.” What made her decide to return to television? — Darcy R., via e-mail

A: I spoke with Poppy recently, and I asked her just that, and it basically boiled down to many elements coming together at the perfect time. Poppy told me: “The script was amazing. I’m obsessed with Niels (Arden Oplav), the director, and had been long before I ever met him. I’ve seen ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ maybe 30 times.

“I’ve worked with CBS since I was a baby,” she said. “So it’s like coming home again. It’s such a great place for me to work, and I feel like they support their shows so wholly and completely. Everything about it lined up for me. And I want to see a strong female character leading an exciting show.”

Speaking of strong female characters, Poppy portrays “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling in Lifetime’s original movie, “Magic Beyond Words: The J.K. Rowling Story,” which airs Monday, July 18. Of playing the famously reclusive author, Poppy told me: “When they sent me the script I definitely had reservations, because I knew that J.K. Rowling wasn’t collaborating on it. But when I read the script, I found that it was a beautiful, inspiring story and a love letter to an extraordinary woman.”

Q: What has my favorite “Friend,” Lisa Kudrow, been up to lately? — Tina D., Seattle



A: Since “Friends” ended in 2004, Lisa — who turns 48 on July 30 — has starred in “Happy Endings,” “P.S. I Love You,” “Bandslam” and “Easy A.” She currently stars in “Web Therapy,” which initially was a Web-exclusive series where Lisa portrays a psychiatrist who dispenses not-so-great advice to an array of eclectic clients. The show was picked up by Showtime, and it premieres Tuesday, July 19, at 11 p.m. “Web Therapy” co-stars Victor Garber and Lily Tomlin, and guest stars include Courteney Cox, Meryl Streep, Alan Cumming, Selma Blair, Jane Lynch, Molly Shannon and many more.

Q: While I was on vacation last month, I got totally hooked on “Storage Wars” on A&E. When does a new season premiere? — Doug F., via e-mail

A: “Storage Wars” — which follows a group of auction hunters who bid on forfeited storage lockers in the hopes of finding hidden treasures that they can sell for profit — makes its second-season premiere on Wednesday night, July 20.

Q: Is it true that actor Sean Bean was stabbed in a bar fight in London? Is he OK? — Emily H. in Pennsylvania

A: The “Game of Thrones” star was superficially cut in the arm with broken glass after chasing down a rude bar-goer who made lewd comments to his girlfriend. After the incident, Sean returned to the bar, used its first-aid kit on his arm and had another drink.