Interview: Marisol Nichols' Heather "Works Her Butt Off"
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| Marisol Nichols, courtesy ABC |
I spoke with one of the “nicer” belles a few weeks back, Marisol Nichols, who plays Heather Cruz, the show's self-starting go-getter who's not as quick to judge as her (sometimes) hypocritical friends.
Celebrity Extra: When you first read the script for “GCB” last year, what were your initial thoughts?
Marisol Nichols: My first thoughts were, “This is so amazing and it's going to be a huge hit.” My second thought was, “I will never get hired, but I can't wait to see the show.” So, the fact that they hired me was kind of shocking, but I was very glad, obviously, that they did.
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| Marisol and Jennifer Aspen, courtesy ABC/Eric McCandless |
MN: I like the fact that out of all the girls, Heather was the most grounded out of anyone. I could understand what she had to do to survive in this community, and I felt like she was the most grounded out of everybody.
CE: While Cricket is a powerful businesswoman, most of what she has and has built on is thanks to her family, but Heather started from nothing and pulled herself up by her bootstraps.
MN: Yeah, she made her own money. She worked her butt off to get to where she is. She didn't inherit a business; she wasn't born into money; she didn't marry into money. She had to make it on her own, and that I can completely relate to. I've been working odd jobs since I was 12. I think I forged my ID when I was a kid so that I could work at 14. But I wanted to work; I wanted to make more money. I didn't want to have to ask people for money; I wanted to do it on my own. I have literally been working since I was 14 years old, so I can relate.
CE: These girls are all friends from high school and before, and it's funny, yet scary, that a few of them are still stuck in that high-school mentality. Have you seen that in your own life, or was this a new idea for you to relate to?
MN: I think that when I was in high school, I thought that that was it, and that those relationships and how I felt with other girls at that time were how everything was going to be for the rest of my life. Fortunately, I moved away, so I learned that it's a lot different. I think maybe if I would have stayed I would have maybe stayed stuck in the same viewpoint. I'd like to think that people grow out of it, but you never know. There are always a few who are stuck in the past.
What's funny to me about high school is that there is always that mean group of girls, and I can remember their first and last names to this day. It's something you always remember.
CE: For this first season, the entire series was shot before anyone got to see it. Do think that was helpful for your show, since you got to explore the writer's vision without having outside pressure to change this or adjust that?
MN: In some ways it was great, because you didn't have the pressure of ratings and the people liking it or anything like that, and in other ways you kind of really need that audience feedback. In some ways, I think we were sort of just winging it the first season, where the second season -- you know, I'm already saying that we're going to have a second season, but if we have a second season -- I think it will be based more on audience feedback.
Q and A: Week of April 30
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| Genie Francis |
A: Just in time for Mother’s Day, Genie Francis and Ted McGinley are back as newlyweds Peyton MacGruder and King Danville in “Notes from the Heart Healer,” premiering Saturday, May 13 at 8/7c, on the Hallmark Channel (and reairing throughout the weekend). The couple is celebrating their first anniversary when they are surprised by an abandoned baby on their doorstep.
I spoke with Genie recently, and she was excited to explore the mothering aspect of the character, since Peyton gave up a child for adoption 20-some years earlier. “What I love most about Peyton is that she gets involved and she brings everything up as if it were a spiritual question like, ’Why did I get this baby on my doorstep?’ She wants to help prevent the mother of this abandoned baby from ending up like her. Throughout this, there’s a healing for Peyton in that she knows that she’s got in her to be a good mother.”
Check back here next week to read my entire interview with Genie.
Q: While I don’t want “Desperate Housewives” to end, I am excited to see what’s in store for the series finale. Can you give me any hints? — Tina D., via e-mail
A: A familiar face will return to Wisteria Lane for the show’s finale on May 13 at 10 p.m. EDT on ABC. Dana Delany — who currently stars in her own hit ABC show “Body of Proof” — will reprise her role as Katherine Mayfair. The story behind her return has been kept hush-hush, so we’ll just have to wait and see what she’s up to.
Q: My husband heard that Ryan O’Neal has cancer. Is that true? — Hannah F., via e-mail
A: Ryan, 70, recently announced that he is battling Stage 2 prostate cancer, and that he’s expected to make a full recovery. While he was “shocked and stunned” by the news, he is hopeful about his prognosis.
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| Marisol Nichols |
A: Marisol Nichols plays feisty and independent real-estate agent Heather Cruz. Marisol told me recently why she loves her character so much: “I could understand what she had to do to survive in this community, and I felt like she was the most grounded out of everybody. She worked her butt off to get to where she is: She didn’t inherit a business; she wasn’t born into money; she didn’t marry into it. She had to make it on her own, and that I can completely relate to. I’ve been working odd jobs since I was 12. I think I forged my ID when I was a kid so that I could work at 14. I wanted to work; I didn’t want to have to ask people for money.”
If you want to read my entire interview with Marisol — where we discuss "GCB," high school mean girls, and hardworking Heather Cruz — click here.
Interview: William B. Davis: Through the Smoke
I need to get this out of the way. To me first and foremost, William B. Davis will always be the Cigarette-Smoking Man from The X-Files. So, you can bet your sweet bippy I was thrilled to get the chance to interview him for my column. He's promoting his new autobiography, Where There's Smoke ... the Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man, and I am so glad I got the chance to read this book and to read about the man behind the smoke. And, of course, college-age Cindy is ecstatic to have had to chance to talk to the man who shaped a generation of TV viewers, who created a persona so powerful and ingrained that even people who haven't even seen The X-Files (who ARE these people??) know who Cancer Man, aka The Cigarette Smoking Man, is. We spoke recently about his new book, his part in the golden age of radio in Canada, his help in being the forefront of modern Canadian theater, and anything else that happened to be on our minds.Celebrity Extra: As a longtime fan, I am thrilled that you wrote this book, but what was the impetus that caused you to write it in the first place?
William B. Davis: It was, I guess, a series of things. It was first put in my mind by a university professor here in Canada. Because I had this kind of unique idiosyncratic background in the Canadian theater and around in the dying days of radio drama. I had lived in an interesting time. Obviously we knew The X Files experience was original, unlikely and of interest. I began to give it more and more thought, and as one began to look at the whole notion of examining one's past life to one's modern lens, it just became more and more interesting to do. Once I started I couldn’t stop. It was just so interesting to do.
CE: Did you ever worry about some of the things that you write about, since you do kind of kiss and tell on a lot of things...
WD: I was and still am nervous about some of the things that I wrote. You think, “Oh my, should I have really done that?” or “How can I phrase that a little more delicately?” or whatever. But when I was writing, I was determined I wasn’t going to write a whitewash memoir that says, “I’m a lovely person and I met lots of lovely people and I did lots of lovely things.” Who wants to read that? It’s not the true story and it’s not very interesting. So, I was determined that I was going to be candid within some kind of reason or some kind of limitations, I guess. There were people I didn’t want to embarrass, like my children. But you wonder once it’s out there whether you’ve gone a little too far.
CE: Have you had any feedback from your X-Files castmates?
WD: I’ve noticed that there was some talk about me doing a convention in Toronto in August, and I know Gillian (Anderson, who played Dana Scully) is going to be there and I thought, “Uh oh.” The chances that she’s read this book are not very high. I don’t know that it’s a problem.
CE: As I recall, you do mention that you suspect Gillian had some "work" done, although, as a woman, I like to think that she thinned out and grew into her looks, and the lighting and angles helped her ...
WD: And there’s truth to that — I give her credit, and sometimes when I think back about what I could have said or should have said, I mean, I know she was going to the gym at 6 o’clock in the morning before going to the set. That’s a dedication I can hardly imagine ... those long days on set that you would go to the gym before you go [to set]. I remember meeting her in the gym once or twice. But I personally suspect she had some work done, but why not? I’ve had some work done.
CE: When you started on The X-Files, you had actually quit smoking...
WD: I quit smoking before my brother died, before he was diagnosed with cancer. My other two brothers rapidly quit smoking once my older brother was diagnosed with cancer, but I had quit a few years before that. It was one of those things you always say you are going to do, and it’s a much harder thing to do than most people realize. In truth, my motivation was I was starting to get more concerned about maintaining my level of fitness, and I had started to run and I was sprinting all the way around the track, so it was more to solve my kind of immediate concerns than that distance sense in the future that it might cause cancer or that it might cause me to die younger than I would otherwise or whatever. It was almost more for what the immediate benefit would be that motivated me to really do it. I guess that says something about humans. We live in the present more than we should.
CE: On The X-Files, you smoked herbal cigarettes ...WD: I’m not sure herbal is that much better — who knows? We have no idea if there is a relationship between smoking herbal cigarettes and cancer, because nobody smokes that many herbal cigarettes. It’s never been tested.
CE: To back up a little — in your 20s, you left Canada and left for a job in England. That's a pretty big deal ... were you nervous, excited?
WD: I don’t recall being particularly nervous about it. I had visited a couple of years earlier so I had a little familiarity, but basically I left home when I went to University. I lived in residence, and while I had contact with home, I was really living on my own from the time I was 17. So when it came to the idea of going to England, I don’t recall being nervous about that. I recall being terrified about starting University. I guess that was leaving home. I recall being driven, because we lived in the country and I was driven to the city and was just really nervous about not knowing anybody. But I don’t recall any of that about going to England ... so whether I had just matured or got more focused, it’s hard to know now.
CE: You worked with such luminaries as Donald Sutherland and Maggie Smith and Albert Finney. Have you spoken with any of them about your book?
WD: No, no I haven’t. I have not with Maggie or with Albie — but Sutherland, yes, we connected relatively recently because we were both involved in donating money to Heart of Theatre at University of Toronto, where we had begun. So, we had some communication about that and we recently, within the last year or so, had a meeting here in Vancouver. We hadn’t talked in a really long time, so I really appreciated that. He marches to his drummer, but it was a delight to see him again.
CE: I absolutely LOVE that you still hold some world water-ski records. Do you still get out on the water and do some stunts?
WD: I still do water-ski tricks. I regret I can’t do all the tricks I used to be able to do. The body doesn’t quite turn the way it once did, but I still get out there on the skis. I haven’t skied yet this year. My new wife — who didn’t know anything about water skiing until she started hanging out with me — has now become a better than me.
CE: I think it's funny how people can't disassociate you with your X-Files character and are crushed to learn that you really don't believe in all this extra-terrestrial stuff.
WD: Yeah, they’re surprised at that, because certainly people don’t understand the acting profession very well, and they assume that one chooses to be in a particular project because one has a belief or a commitment about it. And the truth is, one is just delighted to have the work. It’s a great role and I’m happy to have done it. But I certainly didn’t choose it because it was science fiction, or because it was about the paranormal or about aliens. When you’re an actor, you try to live truthfully in imagined circumstances. So, it’s not difficult for an actor to imagine that there are aliens who are abducting people. But that’s a far cry from a person thinking that there are aliens among us abducting people.
There are people coming up to me and asking, “Why didn’t you get the new evidence about Area 51?” There was someone in Scotland who wanted to take me on a sky walk where they were going to see UFOs, and I finally had to say, “No, I don’t actually believe it.” The look of surprise is just astonishing.
What's funny is, with Gillian and David (Duchovny, who played Mulder), it was reverse. David was the skeptic and Gillian was a believer.
Q and A: Week of April 23
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| Wladimir Klitschko |
A: While it is true that the handsome Ukrainian has dipped his foot in the Hollywood pool a bit — the documentary “Klitschko,” which centers on his and his older brother Vitali’s rise in the boxing world, has been making quite an impression on festival-goers since premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival last year — Wladimir is keeping his eye firmly on his boxing career.
I spoke with him recently about the acting rumors, and he told me: “While I am asked often about being in movies — usually it’s a Russian mob character — it’s always the same thing. I did play myself in ‘Ocean’s Eleven,’ and I did two German comedies. But right now I’m playing the role called the Heavyweight Champion of the World, and it takes all of my time. I really like to play it, and I have to stay focused. So there’s no nonsense with any wannabe Hollywood stuff. If I lose my focus, then I’m going to lose the titles, and I don’t want to do that.”
You can watch Wladimir defend his title July 7 against Tony Thompson, and read my entire engaging interview with the charming heavyweight right here later this week.
Q: I am so excited to see “The Avengers,” starring all of my favorite comic-book heroes, especially Captain America. Because of “The Avengers,” does that mean there won’t be a “Captain America: The First Avenger” sequel for a while? — Fred D., via e-mail
A: Walt Disney Studios recently announced that Chris Evans will once again suit up in red, white and blue to save the world from the bad guys. You can expect the sequel to last summer’s blockbuster hit to arrive in theaters on April 4, 2014. While it’s still too early to camp out for tickets, at least there’s a release date in sight.
Q: I’m really sad about this being the final season of “Desperate Housewives.” How are the ladies of Wisteria Lane taking it? — Nina R., via e-mail
A: If one of Marcia Cross’ latest tweets is any indication, they are as sad as you are. Marcia recently lamented via Twitter: “How do you handle goodbyes? Me, not so well ... already feel so sad and vulnerable ... [I] will miss my ‘Desperate Housewives’ family terribly.”
Readers: Here’s an update on release dates of various HBO projects that have been mentioned in past columns. First, season five “True Blood” premieres on June 10 at 9 p.m. with 12 all-new episodes. Also, “Newsroom” — the Aaron Sorkin drama starring Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer and Sam Waterson — premieres its 10-episode first season on June 24 at 10 p.m.
Q and A: Week of April 16
Q: I’ve been rewatching episodes of “The X-Files,” and wondered what the actor who played my favorite character, the Cigarette-Smoking Man, has been doing lately. I love every episode he is in. — Summer F., via e-mailA: William B. Davis (but you can call him Bill) has guest-starred on countless TV series and movies since “The X-Files” ended, including “Damage,” “Smallville,” “HumanTarget,” “Stargate SG-1″ and tons more. His most recent accomplishment is the publication of his memoirs, “Where There’s Smoke … The Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man.” Fans will be surprised to learn that Bill quit smoking when he was 40. (He smoked herbal cigarettes on the show.) And unlike his character, Bill is not a believer in the paranormal, which confuses fans when they meet him.
“People sometimes assume that one chooses to be in a particular project because one has a belief or a commitment about it,” Bill told me. “It was a great role, and I was happy to do it, but I certainly didn’t choose it because it was about the paranormal. It’s not difficult for an actor to imagine there are aliens who are abducting people. But that’s a far cry from actually believing that as a person. With Gillian (Anderson, “Scully”) and David (Duchovny, “Mulder”), it was reverse too, because David was a skeptic and Gillian was a believer.”
Check back later this week to read my entire interview with this charming nonsmoker.
Q: Throughout the years, I’ve been hearing rumblings of an “Anchorman” sequel, but nothing has come to pass. The rumblings have started back up, so please tell me it’s gonna happen! — George G., Omaha, Neb.
A: Guess what, George? It’s gonna happen! Will Farrell announced — in his Ron Burgundy character — on “Conan” that Paramount has indeed signed off on a sequel to the hit 2004 comedy “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.” Director Judd Apatow is expected to return, as are Steve Carell and Paul Rudd.
Q: I was thrilled to see William Baldwin on “30 Rock,” portraying the actor who played Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin’s character) in the movie about Jack and Avery’s life together. What has William been up to lately? — Gennifer F., via e-mail
A: You can bet that William, 49, had a blast making fun of his big brother in that episode of “30 Rock” (called “Kidnapped by Danger”), but aside from this jaunt into the sitcom world, William’s been busy these past few years co-starring on “Parenthood,” “Hawaii Five-O” and “Gossip Girl.” He also recently completed a few feature films: “Remnants,” “The Stranger Inside” and “Garbage.”
Q: I know Emily Deschanel’s character on “Bones” had a baby, but I was wondering if she was pregnant real life? — Audrey D., Jacksonville, Fla.
A: Emily, 35, did indeed give birth in September to son Henry. She told The Hollywood Reporter: “I’ll experience something in an episode, and I’m shocked because it’s exactly what I’m going through (in real life). It’s been fun to see how that unfolds.”
Interview: Courtney Thorne-Smith's Ideal Job
Courtney Thorne-Smith is no stranger to comedy. While she may have had her big break starring as Allison Parker on nighttime soap “Melrose Place,” she really honed her acting chops on shows like “Ally McBeal” and “According to Jim.” For the past few years, she’s co-starred on the CBS hit comedy “Two and a Half Men,” playing Jon Cryer’s on-again, off-again girlfriend, Lyndsey Mackelroy. I spoke with Courtney recently about being on a headline-making sitcom, and how the cast and crew are leading up to the show’s ninth season finale on May 14. Celebrity Extra: You’ve been working pretty much nonstop in Hollywood since 1986, and when “According to Jim” ended after eight seasons, I thought you would take a little breather from series television. What made you decide to jump back in with “Two and a Half Men”?
Courtney Thorne-Smith: It wasn’t really jumping back in — it was sort of like I put my little tiny toe in. The first season I was on, I did only two episodes, and then I did about 10 last year and about 10 this year, so it’s nice. When [my son] Jack complains about me working I say: “Sweetie, I work 10 weeks a year and most of those are half-days. So you really don’t get to complain.” This schedule is ideal for being a mom. I get to go to work and be this absolutely insane character and do these crazy things that I’ve never gotten the chance to do before, and then I come home and make Play-Doh and cookies.
CE: Tell me about your character, Lyndsey, and her relationship with Alan, played by Jon Cryer.
CTS: I said to somebody the other day who was asking me about Alan and Lyndsey, “I love their relationship so much because of their honesty.” They are two people who look at each other and say, “Seriously, we’re just not going to do any better.” They’re settling, and I just love the honesty. They’ve said it to each other several times: “Really? Do we have options? We’ll just stay together. Why not?” That just makes me laugh.
I also love the scene earlier in the season when Lyndsey is dating a younger man but decides she wants to be with Alan. She tells him: “I want to be with you because you’ll never leave me for a younger woman because you can’t get one.” But it was said with this joy and this love. How great is it? We don’t have any options, so let’s just be together.
CE: How did you feel about coming onto this established hit sitcom? Were you anxious, excited, scared?
CTS: Oh, terrified. When I signed on, it was only for two episodes. But I’ve known Jon for a long time, and I’ve been a fan of his too — he’s just the greatest guy. I thought, worst-case scenario, I get to watch Jon do his magic for a few weeks and then go on with my life. But I’m still on — and I’m lucky because I get to go in and work, and then I get to come home and be a mom. It’s been the most surprisingly wonderful career opportunity I’ve ever had.
CE: How was the transition from Charlie Sheen to Ashton Kutcher?
CTS: It was surprisingly smooth. Everybody wondered, “What’s going to happen?” The writers wrote a really good character for Ashton that he just stepped right into. The cast, crew and writers are all so solid that all they had to do was add another character to the mix. People miss Charlie as a person because he’s wonderful and funny and smart and sweet, but they got Ashton, so it’s a win/win. All the people here are such extraordinary pros that it was pretty seamless.
Q and A: Week of April 9
Q: Was “Terra Nova” canceled? — Mary D., via e-mail
A: Despite decent ratings and strong international sales of the sci-fi/fantasy series, Fox decided not to renew “Terra Nova” for a second season. However, 20th Century Fox, which produces the series, is shopping the show around to other networks, and hopefully it can be picked up in time for a fall premiere somewhere else (Syfy, are you listening?).
Q: I am a huge fan of HGTV. What happened to Sandra Rinomato from “Property Virgins”? — Cindy K., via e-mail
A: Sandra decided to leave the show after 130 successful episodes to start her new show, “Buy Herself,” which begins airing this month on HGTV Canada, and she hopes for a U.S. HGTV pickup soon. Rinomato stated on her Facebook page: “For the first time in history, a significant number of women are buying real estate on their own, taking charge of their financial situations. … Women buying real estate is not a fad; it’s history in the making, and I am very proud to be a part of i on TV.”
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| Paul Ben-Victor, photo by Fernando Escovar |
A: I do happen to have some “In Plain Sight” info for you, as I recently spoke with series co-star Paul Ben-Victor, who portrays chief inspector Stan McQueen. For Paul, the end of the series is bittersweet, as he explained: “There’s definitely a sense of loss and there’s a sadness there. We had become a family and have gotten even closer, especially over this past year. There’s a real warmth and love on the set. I’m really looking forward to this final season, because while playing Stan McQueen has been great, I’m looking forward to spreading my wings, and there are some very exciting opportunities out there.”
One of those opportunities is promoting his new movie, which he stars in and co-wrote, called “Should Have Been Romeo.” It was selected to the Newport Beach Film Festival in the featured slot the first weekend of the festival. “We’re real excited about that,” Paul enthused. “They’re focusing the whole event around our movie that first weekend. So, on the heels of this, there’s the last season of ‘In Plain Sight,’ which is something that’s going to be really extraordinary. Especially the last few episodes; they’re just phenomenal.”
Q: What has Christopher Judge been doing since playing Teal’c in the “Stargate” series? — Henry F., Miami
A: Christopher has been doing a lot of voice work in video games and animation, as well as a few guest-starring turns here and there on shows like “NCIS: Los Angeles.” This summer, he is set to appear in “The Dark Knight Rises,” which premieres July 20, and is sure to be summer 2012′s runaway blockbuster.
Interview: Eric Braeden and Titanic Get 3-D Treatment
By now you know that James Cameron and company have decided to rerelease their megablockbuster hit “Titanic” — it’s back on the big screen, but now it’s in 3-D. And, as many of you also know, “The Young and the Restless” star Eric Braeden portrayed American businessman John Jacob Astor IV in the 1997 film. I spoke with Eric recently about the rerelease of “Titanic,” as well as a few other topics that tickled our fancy. As always, Eric was perfectly frank and candid with me in his responses.Celebrity Extra: What did you think when you first heard that “Titanic” was going to be rereleased in 3-D?
Eric Braeden: My thoughts were they’re going to make more money, as if they needed it. There’s a saying in German: “The devil always sh*ts on the same heap.” (laughs)
CE: I know it was awhile ago, but what can you tell me about filming the movie? I read that you performed your own stunts.
EB: As you know, my character drowns. That was one of the scariest moments in this business for me, because you had all the water coming from the sides and 150 tons of water coming from the top. I had never rehearsed that before — you can’t rehearse it. Once the water reaches a certain level, then everything that is not bolted down crashes through the room. All the camera people were in diving outfits with oxygen masks, etc., but, of course, the actors weren’t. I must say it was one of the scariest moments I’ve spent in this business.
CE: That would scare the crap out of me, especially since I’m claustrophobic.
EB: Oh yes. Water rising and rising and rising, and then suddenly 150 tons comes on top.
CE: In a previous conversation, we spoke about your film “The Man Who Came Back.” Any chance you’ll make another Western like that, or maybe a sequel?
EB: No, I will never do a period piece like that again. It’s too expensive, and I would do it entirely differently. I will not deal with normal distribution companies. They are crooks, and the experience has been a very bitter one. I think a lot of independent filmmakers will now turn to the Internet to sell things directly. If you go through a distribution company, you are at their mercy.
The making of the film was wonderful. I loved it. I loved every moment of it. I would have done another film already, I enjoyed it so much, but it was such a bitter experience with the distribution. That is an experience that is shared by the majority of independent producers. Once you sign that contract with the distribution company, you may as well forget about it. It’s that bad.
CE: We are knee-deep in election coverage and debates for the 2012 presidential campaign. What are your thoughts on that?
EB: I just think it’s amazing how the public is still buying some of this crap. It is so apparently dishonest. I guess it is the best system that we have, so we live with it, but the obscene amounts of money spent on listening to the same nonsense over and over again, it’s stunning. And then people win based on having unleashed more personal attacks on someone. There’s so much dishonesty in all this. When they have these debates, there’s no one to follow up and say: “Wait a minute. What did you just say? What proof do you have of this or that?” People cannot allow them to get away with making statements that are blatantly untrue. It is all so staged and so phony. It’s disappointing. There’s not a real debate in that sense, because there are very few follow-up questions by the news anchors who conduct these debates.
Q and A: Week of April 2
Q: I was a little apprehensive at first about how “Two and a Half Men” would be with Charlie Sheen gone, but I have to say it is still must-watch TV for me. I especially like the recurring character of Lyndsey, who plays Alan’s sometimes girlfriend. Will they stay together? — Kelly T., via e-mailA: If Courtney Thorne-Smith has any say, they will stay together, but not for any big romantic reasons. As Courtney told me: “I love their relationship so much because of their honesty. They are two people who looked at each other and said, ’Seriously, we’re just not going to do any better.’ They’re settling; there’s none of the fantasy. It works for them. I think they are really authentic with each other, and it just makes me laugh so hard.”
Go here to read my entire interview with Courtney, where she talks about the joy of watching Jon Cryer “do his magic,” the transition from Charlie Sheen to Ashton Kutcher, and Lyndsey and Alan’s future.
Q: I am wondering what has happened to “CSI: New York,” which aired at 9 p.m. on Friday nights. Also wondering when/if “Covert Affairs” will back on the USA network for its next season? I really like all the things Annie gets into on this program. — Mary Lee C., Port Charlotte, Fla.
A: As you might have already noticed, “CSI: NY” has returned to its Friday night home (since March 30) on CBS, with five more first-run episodes left to broadcast of its eighth season. Also, the USA network has renewed “Covert Affairs” for a 16-episode third season, which is scheduled to air this summer. While an exact premiere date has not been released, I can tell you that cast and crew are back at work on the new season. Christopher Gorham, who plays Auggie, tweeted to his fans that he’s read two episodes so far of the third season, and that we need to “Get ready!”
Q: Is “Steel Magnolias” being remade? — Charlene F., via e-mail
A: Lifetime Television has snagged Queen Latifah to star in and executive produce the television adaptation of “Steel Magnolias.” While Latifah takes on the role of M’Lynn, Alfre Woodard joins her as Ouiser, with Phylicia Rashad as Clairee, Jill Scott as Truvy, Adepero Oduye as Annelle and Condola Rashad as Shelby. Production begins this month, with the premiere scheduled for later this year.
Q: Is it true that the HBO series “Luck” has been canceled because three horses died? — Rosalind R., Fort Worth, Texas
A: Unfortunately, that is true. While a second season had been ordered, producers David Milch and Michael Mann decided to pull the plug on the Dustin Hoffman-starring series, stating: “Safety is always of paramount concern. … While we maintained the highest safety standards possible, accidents unfortunately happen, and it is impossible to guarantee they won’t in the future. Accordingly, we have reached this difficult decision.”
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To most of her fans, Rachel Fine is known as the co-host of the weekly comedy news series “The Bonus Show” for Howard TV on Demand, the cab... -
Marshall Hilliard If you’ve tuned in to “General Hospital,” “Days of Our Lives” or “The Young and the Restless” recently, then you’ve seen a... -
For those of you who know Lacey Chabert only from her role of the young and sweet Claudia Salinger from the 1990s hit nighttime drama “Part... -
Courtney Thorne-Smith is no stranger to comedy. While she may have had her big break starring as Allison Parker on nighttime soap “Melrose ... -
Maura Tierney is returning to television in 2011, after successfully battling breast cancer since August 2009. Maura was originally cast in... -
Jim Carrey , 48, and Jenny McCarthy , 37, (pictured left, at Jim's Yes Man premiere) have taken to Twitter to announce their breakup. T...