Q and A: Week of Feb. 18
Q: I know its season premiere is still a while away, but can you give me any “True Blood” scoops? — Susan M., Atlanta A: As you know, the folks at HBO’s “True Blood” are pretty tight-lipped about story lines, but they do occasionally throw us fans a bone or two. I have a few casting tidbits for you: Rutger Hauer (pictured left, of “Blade Runner” fame) joins the cast as the mysterious Macklyn. Speculation is that he had something to do with, or knows something about, the murder of Jason and Sookie’s parents.
Arliss Howard will play Louisiana Gov. Truman Burrell, whose wife left him for a vampire, so we can make a pretty good guess as to how he feels about vampire rights and such. In a recurring role, his daughter will be played by “90210” alum Amelia Rose Blaire, who doesn’t share her father’s views about vampires. Also, Jurnee Smollett (“Friday Night Lights”) has been cast as Nicole, who is described as a “naive do-gooder,” and will be a series regular.
I’ll be sure to share more info as I receive it, leading up to the summer premiere of season six.
Q: Is there any chance that “Inside the Actors Studio” will ever return to Bravo or any other network? — Alan C., Columbia, S.C.
A: While the past four seasons of the show have had fewer episodes with longer lag times between episodes, “Inside the Actors Studio” is still a Bravo mainstay, entering its 19th season with a wonderful interview with Liam Neeson this past October. As of this writing, I do not have a date for episode two, but in the meantime, Bravo has been re-airing popular episodes (Hugh Jackman!) from recent seasons to tide you over.
Q: Will “Dark Minds” be back for another season? — Joseph T., via e-mail
A: Investigation Discovery’s true-crime series, which follows the cases of real-life crime author M. William Phillips and criminal profiler John Kelly, returns for its eight-episode second season on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Our investigators revisit unsolved homicides believed to be the work of serial killers. The twist? They have an insider who intimately understands the disturbed mind of a murderer — because he is one, currently serving multiple life sentences in a maximum-security prison.
This unique source offers his expert opinion to profile the killers whose victims deserve justice and whose families deserve answers. Known to viewers as “Raven,” he uses his personal experience to formulate theories about the motives and practices of each murderer, providing unorthodox yet invaluable information to help provide law enforcement with critical leads to help solve these cases.
Q: What is Blair Underwood working on these days? — Greg W., via e-mail
A: Blair is close to signing on to star in the pilot of NBC’s remake of “Ironside,” which was a popular cop drama starring Raymond Burr as the wheelchair-bound detective Robert Ironside. The original series ran from 1967 to 1975.
Interview: Josh Henderson Is Having the Time of His Life
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| Josh Henderson, photo by Mark Seliger |
Celebrity Extra: Season one of “Dallas” premiered in summer 2012, so I was worried I’d have to wait until this summer for season two. I am so happy that you guys started back up at the end of January. You all must have been excited to be getting back to work so soon.
Josh Henderson: It’s a nice turnaround. Some of those cable shows, you have to wait for a year or more, and people don’t think it’s even on the air anymore, so it’s nice that we got to come back sooner. It’s been a crazy season so far, and we’re only halfway through shooting, and the excitement is definitely there, even worldwide. I see it through social networks — whether it’s the U.K. or now in the Asian markets and Central and Latin America — it’s like everyone all around the world is so excited, so it makes me feel pretty darn good.
CE: What did you think when you first heard they were doing this remake/continuation of “Dallas,” and what made you decide to go after the role of John Ross?
JH: I remember the show because I am from Dallas originally, so I knew of it, but I was young. It was a big deal in my family back in the day. So, when I heard it was coming back and I read the script, and I realized that not only Linda, Larry (Hagman) and Patrick (Duffy) were a part of this — which, if you were going to redo “Dallas,” you had to have them — but then I also read the script and realized that it was perfect. You’ve got the two kids (John Ross and Christopher) who are now grown up, and they’re trying to come into manhood, come into their own, and really impress their fathers and everything else. But they also have completely separate beliefs about where the Ewing family should go — whether it’s green energy or, obviously, sticking with oil. And it’s just the perfect time for the conflict and to pick up with the Ewings 20 years later.
When I heard about the show coming back, I just felt like I was supposed to be a part of it. It was one of those things where I was like, “I feel like this is supposed to be my role.” And I think I took that confidence in with me on my first audition, and it worked. Cynthia Cidre — our head writer and executive producer — said by the second line out of my mouth, she knew that I was John Ross. It was an amazing day for me. And here we are now in season two, and I’m just having the time of my life.
CE: Were you nervous at all, coming onto such a legendary, groundbreaking show?
JH: That was exactly it. It’s essentially the biggest TV show in history, and now I’m a part of it. Realizing that as I was shooting the pilot episode was the biggest moment of clarity I’ve ever had in my life, but also the most real moment. I kept thanking God and thinking, “How did this happen?” I’ve been in the business for 11 years, but this was the most comfortable and the most right I’ve ever felt in anything. So, I’m just so appreciative and just really enjoying it.
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| Josh, photo by Skip Bolen |
JH: We go to work every day, and everyone knows everyone’s name, and it is completely like a family. When Larry (Hagman) passed, it was a big blow — not just to Linda (Gray) or Patrick (Duffy) or to me or to the rest of the cast, but to everyone. Everyone goes to work on this show and just enjoys being together. I can’t think of one person out of our entire crew who sticks to himself. We really are family. I’ve been on a lot of sets and a lot of different shows and films, and it’s always different, but this just makes sense, and it feels right. I don’t think that happens too often. I also think that translates into a better show, because we trust each other as a cast, and we can take all of the walls down, and just really get deep into our characters.
CE: There are a lot of expectations for John Ross, being J.R. Ewing’s son. How will he handle that this season?
JH: Yeah, I knew there was going to be a lot of expectation on who is this, who’s going to be J.R.’s son, and what are they going to be like. He’s a very complex person; he’s got a lot of issues, and he grew up with not the best relationship with his parents. He has a lot of chips on his shoulders, and now, obviously, with what he’s gone through of trying to prove his worth, prove that he can make his father proud and be like his father in business and blackmail, and do all those things that J.R. was so good at. He’s going through so much emotionally in season two that we’re going to see many more colors to him. As an actor, this is just an amazing opportunity.
CE: John Ross definitely ended season one with a bang! What can we expect from him this season?
JH: He was on fire, wasn’t he? Season two picked up a month later, and he had cooled off a little bit. He knows that if he actually wants to achieve what he wants, then he’s going to have to fly under the radar. He has to keep his emotions and anger and everything else buried. But, he’s definitely on a mission, and he definitely wants to take down Christopher and Elena. And he also wants to take over Ewing Energies, which is a main goal of his. But he knows he’s going to have to be a little smarter about it and not just come in guns a’blazing.
CE: And he and his new ally/lover, Pamela Barnes, are certainly going to be a force to be reckoned with.
JH: The fun thing about that is the audience now knows that Pamela is Cliff’s daughter. And for them to work together … they are two people who know they are never supposed to be together. Their fathers are enemies, but they don’t care. They’re both after something, and they will try to help each other. It’s such a fun thing on and off camera. Julie (Gonzalo) and I get along so well. We have a ton of fun together. I really think it plays on screen, and it’s going to be a fun thing for people to watch throughout season two.
CE: Can you give me any clues about the rest of season two?
JH: Right now we’re only about halfway through shooting this season, so I don’t know what the second half brings. None of us do. With Larry passing, they’ve had to rewrite the second half of season two completely. I can tell you that season two is like season one on steroids. It’s everything that people re-fell in love with “Dallas” for. I really do think it’s going to take people, not only entertainment-wise, but on an emotional journey, because there are all kinds of things happening. I don’t think anyone will be disappointed.
Celeb Q and A: Week of Feb. 11
A: I spoke with series veteran Linda Gray recently, and while she is, of course, in mourning for her best friend, she shared some fond memories she had with Larry.
“From day one, it was magic to work with him, and it never stopped being magic,” Gray said. “He was a joy to watch, and looking into those baby-blue eyes and go, ‘You little rat, what are you doing now?’
“When Larry and I worked together, it was really like a ping-pong game. It wasn’t a tennis game; it was faster, like ping-pong. It was like, ‘I’m going to throw you something, and I don’t know what you are going to do, but you’re going to give it back to me, and it’s going to be fast and it’s going to be intense, but I’m going to hit it right back to you, so be careful.’
“It was just extraordinary to work with him. And he was a great, generous actor. I remember in 1978, I was coming at him (in a scene between Sue Ellen and J.R.) and just yelling at him or something, and he gently took my shoulders and moved me; I didn’t realize it, but I had gotten out of my light. Now another actor would have thought, ‘Let her bury herself. She’ll be in the dark; I’ll be in the light. Perfect.’ But he wasn’t like that. He was gentle like that. He was gentle with me. It was absolutely an unspoken chemistry that happens so rarely in life, and I was blessed.”
Q: When will “Army Wives” be back? — Bea W., Fort Worth, Texas
A: It’s almost time! The seventh season of Lifetime’s hit drama will return with 13 all-new episodes, beginning Sunday, March 10, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. This season brings new challenges, including a heartfelt and final goodbye to one of the wives in what is being billed as “one of the series’ most dramatic and pivotal moments.”
Q: I need my Don Draper fix! When will “Mad Men” return? — Diana W. in Tennessee
A: AMC has confirmed that the sixth season of “Mad Men” will premiere April 7 with a two-hour episode, which has been written by series creator Matthew Weiner. Series stars Jon Hamm, January Jones, Elisabeth Moss, John Slattery and Christina Hendricks are all set to return.
Q: Is “Grimm” returning to TV? Most of the other shows have returned from winter hiatus, but “Grimm” has not. I hope it did not get canceled. — Don R., via e-mail
A: Never fear, Don. “Grimm” is just taking a slightly longer break, and will return with all-new episodes on Friday, March 8.
Interview: Linda Gray, "It's a Joy to Play Sue Ellen"
The second season of TNT’s reboot of “Dallas” (which airs Monday nights at 9/8c) has started with a bang. While the new season will be bittersweet — with the recent death of series star and legendary actor Larry Hagman — the cast is eager for fans to see what the Ewings are up to now. I recently spoke with longtime “Dallas” star Linda Gray, and she can’t wait for viewers to experience the new season. Celebrity Extra: First and foremost, I must tell you how sorry I am about the passing of your dear friend and castmate Larry Hagman. What will you remember most about him, and about working with him?
Linda Gray: Thank you very much. From day one, he was magic to work with, and it never stopped being magic. He was a joy to watch, and looking into those baby-blue eyes and going, “You little rat, what are you doing now?” When Larry and I worked together, it was really like a Ping-Pong game. It wasn’t a tennis game; it was faster, like Ping-Pong.
He was a great, generous actor. I remember in 1978, I was coming at him (in a scene between Sue Ellen and J.R.) and just yelling at him or something, and he gently took my shoulders and moved me; I didn’t realize it, but I had gotten out of my light. Another actor would have thought: “Let her bury herself. She’ll be in the dark; I’ll be in the light. Perfect.” But he wasn’t like that. He was gentle like that. It was an unspoken chemistry that happens so rarely in life, and I was blessed to know him.
CE: When TNT first approached you about the resurrection of “Dallas,” what did you think about coming back to the show, and to the character of Sue Ellen Ewing?
LG: That was just beyond fabulous. It was a big surprise for Patrick (Duffy, who plays Bobby Ewing), Larry and I. We called each other immediately, shouting: “Oh my God! We get to work together in the same characters that we love.” And that wouldn’t have happened before, because we are too recognizable. We never, ever get to work together in anything (other than “Dallas”), so this was a win-win situation. I am loving every second of it.
CE: How has Sue Ellen changed in the 20-year interim between the series?
LG: I really did some wonderful homework for this. That’s the fun part of being an actor. She was born and raised in Texas. She was Miss Texas. She knew everybody in Texas. She knew all the oil deals that J.R. had done — good, bad or indifferent. She knew all those politicians; she knew all the oil men; she knew everything and everybody.
It’s 20 years later, and she’s now sober. Lots of things went on in her life prior to coming back. She’s no longer the victim; she’s a survivor. Life is different for her. I didn’t want her to be the same. She couldn’t have been the same. Bobby could still be the good guy, J.R. could still be the bad guy — but adored by fans with that cute little smile — but Sue Ellen had to be different.
CE: I am bummed that she lost the election to become Texas’ new governor.
LG: This is a little tidbit that I like to tell people: The governor lives in Austin, so if she had won, she would have had to live in Austin. The show’s called “Dallas,” so we didn’t need that. (Laughs.) We need her in Dallas. It’s OK she lost. She can move on to what’s next. This is the fun part, the absolute joy. You don’t ever know where Sue Ellen is going. That’s why I love this character.
CE: Can you give me any clues as to what the rest of the season has in store for us?
LG: Not a clue. You have to stay tuned. I can’t tell you anything, and I won’t, because I don’t want to spoil the surprise for you. It’s a surprise for us each week when we get our scripts, so for me to take away that surprise for you would be very bad for me to do.
Q and A: Week of Feb. 4
A: I agree with you, Trudy. Scott Foley is one of those underrated, underutilized actors who we need to see much more of. So, you can imagine my happiness upon discovering that he is set to guest-star on one of my favorite shows, ABC’s “Scandal.” His character is said to be a part of a major story arc that will play out toward the end of the current season. Creator and head writer Shonda Rhimes was eager to work with Scott again after his run on “Grey’s,” so one show’s loss is another’s gain!
Q: I’ve always really liked Anthony Michael Hall, especially his recent sci-fi series, “Warehouse 13.” However, I do miss seeing him in comedies: His guest-starring turn on “Community” a few seasons back was hilarious. Can you tell me if he’ll be on a comedy soon? — Audrey W., via e-mail
A: When “Awkward” returns to MTV this summer for its super-size third season, Anthony Michael Hall will join the hit series as a teacher at Jenna’s high school. According to those in the know, Anthony will play a sadistic creative-writing teacher who insists on pushing his students beyond their academic limits. Anthony also co-stars in the feature-film comedy, “Sexy Evil Genius,” along with Michelle Trachtenberg, Seth Green and William Baldwin.
Q: A while back you wrote that “Unforgettable” had belatedly been renewed for a second season; however, I’ve seen neither hide nor hair of it yet. Please tell me that the suits didn’t change their minds again! — Hilary S., Portland, Maine
A: Don’t worry, Hilary, the Poppy Montgomery-starring police procedural will indeed have its second season on CBS. And we now have a premiere date, which is Sunday, July 28 at 9/8c. As I reported previously, season two will comprise 13 episodes, with Dylan Walsh, Jane Curtin and most other cast members returning.
Also, a few months ago, I was disheartened to report that AMC had decided not to renew “The Killing” for a third season. In another rare reversal — along the lines of CBS’s renewal of “Unforgettable” — AMC recently announced that the crime drama WILL be back for a third season.
Season three takes place a year after the Rosie Larson case was solved, as Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman) searches for a runaway girl and uncovers a string of murders connected to Sarah Linden’s (Mireille Enos) previous murder investigation. Linden, no longer a detective, must return to both a career and a case she had put behind her.
All this renewal reversal has given me new hope for ABC’s “GCB” to return, whether with ABC or another network. Let’s make this happen —TNT, I’m lookin’ at you!
Q: I remember a few months back you wrote that Shooter Jennings would be releasing an album in the new year. I’ve been looking for it but haven’t been able to find it. — Jesse W., Nashville
A: You’ll have to wait just a little longer to get your hands on Shooter’s latest album, which is a quick follow-up to “Family Man.” I spoke with Shooter about “The Other Life,” which drops on March 12, and he can’t wait for his fans to hear it. Shooter told me: “We cut 17 songs and scrapped two of them. And 10 of them ended up on ‘Family Man’ and five ended up on ‘The Other Life.’ And then over the past year, we recorded the rest of the songs.
“I’m really excited about ‘The Other Life’ because it’s a darker kind of country record, but then there’s a taste of like all the other (stuff) that I’ve done. Like a little bit of ‘Black Ribbon,’ a little bit of this and that sprinkled on the record. Like where ‘Family Man’ was a pretty traditional country record for the most part, this one definitely branches out into some really out-there territory. It’s cool — some of the songs that were on this record that we held from ‘Family Man’ are my favorite songs from the session. It was just kind of clear which songs fit on which album.”
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