Q and A: Week of Dec. 10

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Q and A: Week of Dec. 10

Mark Deklin, photo by Angelo Kritikos

Q: Ever since “GCB” was canceled, I’ve scoured the networks to find some of my favorite actors on other series. I haven’t seen Mark Deklin on anything recently, so I wondered if you could tell me what he is up to. – Gigi W., via email

A: Mark recently filmed a guest spot on “Castle” (it is episode 10, which is set to air in early January), where he plays a man whose girlfriend is found dead. Later in 2013 (an exact date has not been set yet), you can see Mark on the big screen in a live-action version of “Tarzan.”

Mark told me about the film and his character, John Greystoke: “It’s not the Victorian ’Tarzan’ that we all grew up with. It’s a modern take on it. My character is almost like a Richard Branson type — a wealthy but well-intentioned adventurer and entrepreneur. He discovers there’s a serious energy source — a sort of meteorite, which crashed in Africa — and he wants to find it.

“He brings his family with him, which of course is a stupid decision, but I suppose in the moment it doesn’t seem stupid because he doesn’t go thinking he’s going to die. He ends up unleashing a mystical force that he never could have anticipated, and everything goes south.”

Q: When will “Merlin” return to Syfy? — Felix S., via e-mail

A: Season five of the popular fantasy series, which premieres Friday, Jan. 4, at 10 p.m. ET on Syfy, will be the final season of the show. Executive producers (Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy) promise fans that “Merlin” is “leading to a spectacular finale that draws on the best-known elements of this much-loved story, and brings to a conclusion the battle for Camelot.”

Q: I just rented “The Queen of Versailles” and was mesmerized by the story of David Siegel, his wife, Jackie, his family, and his struggle to save his time-share/real-estate business. Do you have any updates on how he is doing now? — George F., Naples, Fla.

A: David recently made national news when he sent a memo to his employees encouraging them to vote for Mitt Romney in the recent presidential elections. But, politics aside, David was quoted in a Reuters interview this past summer: “We’re the most profitable we’ve ever been.” He also is continuing work on his family’s new home, which is modeled on the Palace of Versailles in France. In fact, just before the movie’s premiere, David filed a defamation suit over the film’s portrayal of his business as failing, asserting that some of the film’s scenes were staged or exaggerated.

Q: Will there be an “Avengers” sequel? — Paul G., Tulsa, Okla.

A: After “The Avengers” smashed all sorts of box-office records this summer, you can bet there will be a sequel. “The Avengers 2” is set to premiere May 1, 2015, with the original cast, as well as some new faces.

Q and A: Week of Dec. 3

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Q and A: Week of Dec. 3

Rachel Boston

Q: I was an ardent fan of “In Plain Sight,” and I especially liked one of the series’ co-stars, Rachel Boston, who played Det. Chafee. Can you tell me what else I can see her in now that the show is no longer on the air? — Betty W., via e-mail

A: Rachel, 30, most recently starred in the Lifetime original movie “Holiday High School Reunion,” which aired in November (check your local listings for possible re-airings). As I type this, Rachel is shooting something else for Lifetime — this time it’s a pilot for a new show, which will air this summer if the network decides to pick it up for a full-season run. It’s called “Witches of East End,” and Rachel told me about the show when I spoke with her recently.

“I am working with such an amazing group of women! Julia Ormond plays my mom and Jenna Dewan-Tatum plays my sister. When we were born, our mom cast a spell so we wouldn’t know we are witches. Through a chain of events, we discover who we are and how we can help protect each other and our town.”

Go here to read my full interview with Rachel.

Q: Is there a new “Wizard of Oz” coming to theaters? I thought I saw a preview for it online — the special effects looked excellent. — Bret A., Pittsburgh

A: On March 8, 2013, “Oz: The Great and Powerful” will be coming to a theater near you. Here’s the official story line: “Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz. At first he thinks he’s hit the jackpot — fame and fortune are his for the taking. That all changes when he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who aren’t convinced he’s the great wizard everyone’s been expecting.”

Q: Do you have any news on “Downton Abbey”? I can’t wait for the new season! — Donna B., Oklahoma City, Okla.

A: While season three has already aired in the U.K., we’ll have to wait until Jan. 6 to see it here in the States. Also, I recently learned that the show’s creator, Julian Fellowes, plans to create a “Downton Abbey” prequel, which will focus on the courtship of Lord Grantham and Cora.

Q: In the 1960s there was a TV show whose characters and story line were similar to the upcoming flick “Django Unchained.” The main character went by the name of Jemal David. What was the show’s name? — Sid D., via e-mail

A: You are thinking of “The Outcasts,” which aired on ABC for one season from 1968-69. “The Outcasts” and “Django Unchained” both were inspired by Sergio Corbucci’s 1966 spaghetti Western, “Django.” “The Outcasts” co-starred Don Murray and Otis Young, and is most notable for being the first television Western with an black co-star, as well as featuring the first biracial Western action team.