Interview: Michael O'Neill on Justice and Politics in Sundance Channel's Rectify
Character actor Michael O’Neill is one of those actors I just love to interview. While he certainly knows his way around Hollywood — he’s been in countless daytime and nighttime dramas, comedies and feature films — he still maintains such an affable and approachable manner that I felt like I was talking to an old friend from the moment we began our interview. I spoke with Michael about his latest project, the Sundance Channel’s original drama series called “Rectify,” which airs Monday nights at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The action takes place in a small town in Georgia, where one of its residents (Daniel Holden) has just been released from prison after spending 19 years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit. Michael plays Sen. Roland Faulkes, who was the prosecuting attorney at the time who sent Holden to prison. Celebrity Extra: What can you tell me about the show, in general? From what I’ve read, I really like the premise of the show.
Michael O’Neill: This is what happens to a community, particularly a small community, when prison comes to them. This young man has grown up in prison, and it’s all he’s known for the past 20 years. So when he comes out, it’s a huge stone on the water of this little community. You live in Florida, so you know the little towns of the South. The magnolias bloom, and the dogwoods are out at Easter, and the jonquils come up, but there is also this kind of decay underneath it all that we turn a blind eye to. But you just can’t; you simply can’t. I grew up in the South. I grew up in and among those towns, and there’s a real connectivity. There’s a sense that everybody knows your business. There’s a rhythm to it, and the rhythm of prison is very different. And it unsettles it.
CE: Tell me about your character, a man who basically made his career on a prosecution that ended up being unjust.
MO: Oh, yes, you know, it’s not uncommon. It’s interesting what ambition will do. It always has its own agenda. When I think about that character 20 years ago, I wonder if he realized where his ambition would take him or that he was even that ruthless. There’s always a gray area.
CE: What kind of a man is he? I’m guessing he started out thinking he was doing the right thing for his town.
MO: It’s funny, because what you’re talking about is sort of the same thing I’ve struggled with. On the one hand, it’s so delicious to play a guy who’s Machiavellian, and you want to make him more evil, more manipulative. But I don’t think that that’s true to his character. I do think that when opportunity arose 20 years earlier, it was compelling.
But I do think he feels like he’s been a public servant. He answers to the people. He felt the pulse of the town and what they wanted. They wanted a retribution for the act, so he went about making sure that they were satisfied.
There’s a certain hunger in him to be the top dog, to be able to do the things he wants to do. He knows how to glad-hand, and at the same time, I think there’s a little contempt in him about the fact that they aren’t quite up to his speed. Not unlike a lot of politicians today. They might intend one thing, but at the end of the day, there’s a certain self-serving that takes over.
CE: Just looking at the cast list of “Rectify,” you’ve got a bunch of heavy-hitters working with you: Hal Holbrook, Abigail Spencer and Aden Young, to name a few.
MO: Yeah, you’re talking about some pretty seasoned people there. Young or old, they’re seasoned. They’ve been around the block enough to know what gets them going. And they were all compelled by these characters. They felt like they were in opportunity land. They were getting to do something that just was very rare. Abigail and I had conversations about it — she’s as hot as a $2 pistol right now — and she adores her character, Amantha. She’s exploring something that she doesn’t usually get to explore. I’ve watched Aden work a lot, and as contained as he is, you feel like the fuse has been lit. Like there’s an explosion happening inside that’s been muffled underneath a can.
And Hal, of course, he’s incomparable. There’s nobody like Hal Holbrook. I’ve known him for a number of years, and he’s sort of the gold standard in the character-actor world. When people are around us, I say: “Just pay attention. You’ll see how to work from him.” Even when he’s not shooting, he’s continually exploring. He’s not on his cell phone texting anybody; he’s in that script. He’s in exploration.
CE: Let’s talk about your fan-favorite role on “West Wing.” You were originally supposed to be on for one episode, but they loved you so much, they stretched that role to six seasons.
MO: Thanks; I appreciate your saying that. At that time, we were broke. I had three children. My wife had had twins a matter of weeks before, and I hadn’t worked in a while. I’m thinking: “This is a great show. I don’t want to burn it on one day.” But I went in and the script supervisor came over to me and said: “They like you upstairs. You’ll be back,” And I’m thinking: “Yeah, sure, right. Thanks a lot.” And then they did invite me back. They came up with some great stuff, particularly when Aaron Sorkin was there. I still have Secret Service guys who reach out from time to time. I think they appreciated that there was a little reveal about who they are and how they do what they do. I certainly have a great appreciation for them. They were very helpful to me through that journey.
CE: You played an integral multi-episode role on “Grey’s Anatomy” as distraught widower Gary Clark. Tell me about that experience.
MO: I think one of the reasons (creator/executive producer/writer) Shonda (Rhimes) offered me that role was probably because of that Butterfield character, that archetype of a man who solves problems. Because Gary Clark was the absolute end of the spectrum, just the inability to deal with the loss of his wife and becoming untethered from everyone. Working on “Grey’s” was an extraordinary period of time. It breaks my heart every time I see a similar situation come up in the news. I think one of the things Shonda was saying with that story line is that he wasn’t dealt with well. Somebody needed to help him process out if he could. But maybe he was incapable of it. That was probably the most difficult work I’ve ever had to do.
CE: Personally, I think you’d be a perfect fit for Shonda’s newer series, “Scandal.” We need to put that bug in her ear.
MO: That’s a great idea. Let’s get that thought out there. If I run into Shonda I’ll tell her: “Listen, I just spoke to Cindy, and she had the most remarkable idea. We need to do ‘Scandal’ together.”
Interview: Brooke Burns Exacts Her Revenge
You might be used to seeing Brooke Burns cast as, in her words, “the apple-pie, blond-haired, blue-eyed, all-American girl.” Her various roles on TV shows and movies like “Baywatch,” “Shallow Hal,” “Miss Guided” and “Pepper Dennis” showcased her sweetness; the more recent “Melrose Place” incarnation allowed her to explore her dark side. Well, get ready for a whole lotta dark-side exploration on Saturday, April 26 at 8 pm ET/PT, when Brooke’s new movie, “A Sister’s Revenge,” premieres on Lifetime. I caught up with Brooke recently, and she told me all about her fierce new role as a woman (named Suzanne Dell) seeking revenge on the man she feels is responsible for her sister’s suicide. Celebrity Extra: Since we are used to you as “the nice girl,” it was a shock to see you in this kind of role. Was that a big reason you wanted to do this movie?
Brooke Burns: There were a couple of things. Obviously, the longer you’re in this industry, certain roles start to recirculate through your life. And then certain ones are new and fresh, and it’s always fun to kind of sink your teeth into something a little more diverse than what you’re used to.
I love the thriller aspect of this movie, and at the same time, it’s always fun, especially in a bad-guy role, to find justification for a character. And I loved the fact that she has this deep love for her sister; I found a lot of truth in feeling sort of like her champion and being able to justify her being in a very dark place in the film. With a bad-guy role, you have to be able to find empathy for the character as well. She’s driven to madness because of the love that she has for her sister and feeling like somehow that her sister’s death will be avenged if she can pull this off.
CE: Obviously you aren’t a homicidal maniac, but in what ways can you relate to Suzanne?
BB: Her fierce loyalty to family. She lost her parents, and her sister is the only person that she has, that she feels connected to. My family is my most important thing, so I can’t even imagine if that were the last family member and she were taken from me in that kind of way. How those feelings of anger and sadness would be very potent, and could probably drive a person to some level of insanity — if you allow yourself to go there.
CE: Tell me about the filming process: Where did you film, and how was the cast to work with?
BB: We shot in Ottawa, Canada, which has some of the most beautiful architecture I’ve ever seen. And the cast was fantastic. I worked mostly with Tim (Rozon) and Ashley (Jones), and we had a ball. Tim is such a gentleman, and he actually owns a couple of restaurants in Montreal. And Ashley and I have seen each other in passing through different stuff out here, but we had never actually worked together before. And we just had a great time.
CE: You’ve done dramas, comedies, hosting duties, etc. Is there a certain genre you prefer, or are you happy to dabble in lots of things to keep it interesting?
BB: I just like to work. I think from growing up as a ballerina, I have some incredible discipline and work ethic that was deeply ingrained in me, so whether it’s acting or hosting, I’m happy. I enjoy acting because you get to dip your toe into the fantasy of a role like Suzanne in “A Sister’s Revenge.” And I enjoy the hosting because I love people, and that’s a natural kind of medium for me that I enjoy as well. I don’t really have a preference. It’s never boring; it’s not a nine-to-five job.
CE: Lately I’ve seen you in a lot of dramas, but I love you in comedies too, especially that comedy series “Miss Guided” from a few years back. Would you like to get back to comedy?
BB: Oh, yeah. Comedy’s awesome. When you get to go to work and have fun and play and laugh, there’s nothing better. It’s some of the hardest work to do, but it’s also the most rewarding. It really depends on the people you are with, and what your chemistry is with them. I would say that “Miss Guided” and “Pepper Dennis” were my two favorite comedic roles that I’ve gotten to do, for sure.
CE: What else do you have in the pipeline that you can talk about with me?
BB: I just shot a pilot for the Game Show Network. It’s a dating show called “Where Have You Been All My Life?” It’s kind of a 2013 version of “The Dating Game,” which I was obsessed with. It is super fun, and they’re using a lot of social media as research, and using it in an onscreen format. It’s been a blast, and we’re waiting to see if it gets picked up. I really hope it does, because it’s just perfect. It fits my lifestyle because it’s in LA. It’s close to home. I get to be with my family. I like that stuff.
So that’s pretty much what’s going on right now, except for I’m planning my wedding. So that’s exciting. It’s a summertime wedding. And I’m trying to get my kids out of seventh grade with honors. I love little things in life.
Q and A: Week of April 22
A: The History Channel has picked up “Vikings” — its first scripted drama series — for a 10-episode second season. As of now, “Vikings” continues to be the No. 1 new cable series of 2013, and has launched History to No. 1 in cable in its Sunday 10 p.m. time period.
Dirk Hoogstra — executive vice president of development and programming — says of the show’s renewal: “Vikings is a win-win for us. As our first scripted series, ’Vikings’ has paid off in a big way, with critical acclaim, strong ratings and a passionate, loyal fan base. We could not be more proud of the entire cast and crew and everyone involved in the making of ’Vikings.’ Season two will begin production this summer to air in 2014.”
Q: Is it true they are making a “Finding Nemo” sequel? I really hope so because I really loved that movie. — Jane S., Tampa, Fla.
A: You heard correctly. In the new movie, Ellen Degeneres’ character, Dory, will be the focus, with the movie appropriately named “Finding Dory.” While it’s still super early in the production process, there is a little bit I can tell you about the movie. The new film picks up about a year after the action of “Finding Nemo,” with Ellen’s forgetful fish Dory on her own adventure to reunite with loved ones. According to Disney, the film will feature new characters along with familiar ones, including Nemo and his dad, Marlin.
Q: “Bates Motel” is gloriously and exquisitely creepy, and is one of my favorite shows of the season. There’s still lots more story that can be told, so please tell me that A and E will bring it back for another season. — Erica F., Birmingham, Ala.
A: The first season of “Bates Motel” premiered as the most-watched scripted drama in the history of the A and E Network, so you can bet that Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore will be back for more mouth-dropping drama. Production begins later this year on a 10-episode second season, which will air in 2014.
Q: I really enjoy MTV’s “Teen Wolf.” It seems like it has been off the air for a long while. When does it return? — Frankie, via email
A: You won’t have to wait much longer, Frankie. Season three begins June 3, with the show picking up four months after season two ended. It also will be a super-size season of 24 episodes, with lots of new cast members: twin alphas Ethan and Aiden (played by Charlie and Max Carver), alpha leader Deucalion (Gideon Emery), alpha wolf Kali (Felisha Terrell) and tough 17-year-old Cora (Adelaide Kane), who has her own ties to the werewolves.
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| Mary McDonnell |
A: As I reported in an earlier column, “Major Crimes,” which stars Mary McDonnell and is a spinoff of “The Closer,” will return for a 15-episode second season. But now I have a premiere date to give you: June 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. I have a few more premiere dates of TNT favorites to reveal.
Season three of “Falling Skies” begins June 9 at 9 p.m. ET/PT with a two-hour season premiere. Gloria Reuben (Noah Wyle’s fellow “ER” alum) and Robert Sean Leonard (“House”) are set to guest-star this season. Season four of “Rizzoli and Isles” will start up Tuesday, June 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, followed by the second-season premiere of “Perception” at 10 p.m. “Franklin and Bash” kicks off its third season on Wednesday, June 19 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, as Heather Locklear joins the cast as the firm’s newest partner.
Q: Since Jimmy Fallon will be taking over “The Tonight Show” when Jay Leno retires, does this mean Conan O’Brien could return to “Late Night”? — Debbi W., Akron, Ohio
A: Jimmy will be taking over “The Tonight Show” beginning in fall 2014. TBS recently announced that Conan’s show has been renewed through November 2015. In Hollywood, anything is possible, but if Conan were to return to NBC, it would have to be when his contract with TBS is up. If they need someone to host “Late Night” during the one-year interim, my vote is with Joel McHale.
Q: Will “The Great Gatsby” ever be released? I remember it was supposed to come out around Christmas, but I’ve heard nothing about it since. — Nina H., The Villages, Fla.
A: Leonardo DiCaprio again teams up with director Baz Luhrmann to star in this drama based on the book we all read in high school (and was one of my all-time favorites). “The Great Gatsby” will be making its way to theaters on May 10.
Interview: Elizabeth Perkins on How to Live with Your Parents, and Living with Diabetes
Celebrity Extra: First off, I have to tell you how much I love your new show, and especially your character, Elaine.
Elizabeth Perkins: I seem to really score good roles. I have to be honest: There’s nothing ordinary about Elaine, and I love it. I don’t take ordinary roles. I sort of gravitate toward the odd ducks, and she’s definitely an odd duck. It was really nice to do this after being on "Weeds" for as long as I was, and playing the character I did, because she was so mad and dark and angry and bitter, which was fun, but Elaine is just filled with positive energy and life. For her, the glass is always half-full. There’s always a positive outcome to everything, and she’s completely nuts — and it’s wonderful. I’m having a ball. She doesn’t sensor anything she feels or says. She puts her foot in her mouth, and she’s completely unaware that she has. That’s been a real treat for me.
CE: Like the scene where you're all eating dinner, and she tells the family what part of a male's anatomy tastes good with peanut butter on it?
EP: Yeah, and she doesn’t even think about the fact that her granddaughter is sitting right there. We already filmed all 13 episodes, and we had a lot of fun. I’m just crazy about Brad Garrett, who plays my husband. He and I work together so well. Sarah Chalke, who plays my daughter, it was one of those times where — usually when you do a show, there’s always one person that you kind of go, “Oh God, that’s the one.” And we didn’t have “the one.” We just had a great group of people, and it’s so rare that that happens. Everybody was really positive and really likes the show and was having a really good time. The time just flew by, and that’s very rare. Hopefully it transfers onto the screen.
CE: I've always loved Sarah Chalke's comedic work, especially in "Roseanne" and "Scrubs."
EP: I know; I just love Sarah. She’s such a kind person. She’s very much like her character, Polly. We just get along great as mother and daughter. I’m a little bit too young to play her mother, but we sort of covered that in the show by saying I had her when I was a teenager, which would make sense. It’s just television, so I guess you can get away with it.
CE: What do you like about the show; what sets it apart from other comedies?
EP: What I love about this show is you’ve got three generations of people living in the same household, mostly because of the economy, which is happening all over the country. Children are moving back in with their parents because they can’t afford to live on their own. And what I love about that is it’s wacky in the way that real life is wacky. So many things happen in real life where you say, “Oh God, if you saw that on TV, you’d think ‘That could never happen.’” But it does happen. And it’s naturalistic. It’s not this big style of sitcom acting, which really bothers me too.
It’s funny in a character-y way without being so plot-driven. It’s more about the relationships of these people and what it’s like for the grandparents, the kids and their kids. Polly has a 6-year-old daughter, but she also has an ex-husband who’s always sniffing around, and he’s hysterical, played by the stand-up comedian John Dore. And it’s just very realistic and true to life, and it’s the situations that we find ourselves in that are funny, as opposed to setting up this whole big plot point.
CE: Off the top of your head, what's a funny situation on the show that really had you laughing?
EP: Well, there’s one episode where Brad Garrett accidentally eats something that has drugs in it, which has happened to a member of my family, not knowing that somebody had made a certain kind of brownie. We have a situation like that on one of our episodes, which is just hysterical to me. That’s what happens when you’ve got different generations in the house.
CE: On a personal note, you were diagnosed with diabetes only a few years ago. I know you are very active in getting the word out about diabetes, especially late-onset diabetes, like you had. What made you decide to become so active in promoting diabetes awareness?
EP: I was finally able to open up about it, starting with my family, and it was just a huge weight off my shoulders. Just being able to talk freely about it with the people closest to me really helped me to manage my own feelings about having it, and to learn to manage it better with that kind of support. Once I was able to do that, I realized how important it was to help educate other people.
What I love about this campaign is I’m partnering with Sanofi US on the Diabetes Co-Stars Campaign (diabetescostars.com). It raises awareness of diabetes and their co-stars, meaning, the people who help and support them on this journey, which can sometimes be really, really overwhelming. When I was first diagnosed, I learned pretty quickly that my husband — who I call my co-star — was vital in helping me to manage it successfully. It became a family effort, and it was a necessity for it to become a family effort. We had to learn to cook differently. I had to learn to exercise more, and to do the right kind of exercise. I have less stress.
I’m insulin-dependent. I had to learn how to manage insulin, to be aware of some of the few serious possible side effects. What I discovered was that it wasn’t something I could do alone. I really tried to do it. I’m a very strong woman and determined to do things on my own. Once I reached out and shared it with my co-workers and my friends, and said, “Hey, I’m struggling here,” I was able to manage it 10 times better.
That’s why joining the Sanofi US on the Diabetes Co-Stars Campaign was really important to me. We’re making a documentary, and we held a nationwide casting call to find other co-stars who are out there helping people with diabetes live better and manage their condition better. This is a celebration of those people. My husband is my co-star, and I’m very proud of him. He’s my best friend. There are 26,000,000 people who have been diagnosed with diabetes, and they need help. It’s not something you have to be doing on your own.
CE: Before your diagnosis, what made you realize something was wrong? What were you physically going through?
EP: Everybody’s symptoms are different; that’s the nature of diabetes. For me, I’d lost a lot of weight; I was fatigued; I was constantly thirsty; I was constantly hungry; I had blurry vision. For a long time, nobody could tell me what was wrong. I have Type 1 diabetes, which is sort of the lesser-known diabetes. It’s what they call Juvenile Diabetes, but I was late-onset, diagnosed in my mid-40s.
They weren’t looking for diabetes. I’d always had fasting blood tests in the morning, so my numbers weren’t high. And it wasn’t until I went in for a late-afternoon blood test after I had eaten my lunch that I presented with very high blood-glucose numbers. So people should get regular blood tests to check for it, because there are close to 7,000,000 people, they estimate, who have undiagnosed diabetes. It’s a silent killer. If you don’t feel well, get a blood test. Like now I think, why didn’t I check for diabetes first, but a lot of doctors will say, “Oh it doesn’t run in your family.” It doesn’t run in mine either. So, it’s something to watch out for, particularly right now with the kind of numbers we’re seeing.
CE: Of course, you want to raise awareness with your campaign and the website (diabetescostars.com); what else do you hope to accomplish?
EP: Well, I think to raise awareness about the amount of numbers we’re seeing of people coming down with diabetes and to educate people about the power of support. Maybe you educate others about diabetes. Or you support a family member or friend who has diabetes. Or you’re living with diabetes and want to thank someone for helping you stay active. For me, the documentary is really about what it’s like living with diabetes, the power of support, and how that can really change your life. It’s not something that you have to be in alone. It’s amazing how many people will reach out once you open that door. Once you say, “I have diabetes, and these are my struggles,” it’s amazing how many people it can touch. That’s really why I became involved.
Q and A: Week of April 1
Q: A while back you mentioned that Tyler Perry had a new movie coming out, but I’ve seen neither hide nor hair of it. Is it still being released? — Sherri W., via e-mail A: May 10 is the day that “Peeples” will see the light of day. The movie stars Craig Robinson (“The Office”), Kerry Washington (“Scandal”) and Kali Hawk (“Bridesmaids” and “New Girl”) among many others in this large ensemble cast.
I spoke with Kali about the movie, and she told me a bit about it: “It’s about a family, and our last name is Peeples. It’s kind of like ’Meet the Parents.’ Kerry Washington, who plays my sister, is dating Craig Robinson, and she brings him home to meet the family. Our family is very uppity, very wealthy and very strict. We have our certain way of doing things, with our dad at the helm — played by David Alan Grier — who rules with an iron fist.
“It’s not really clear if Craig’s character can ever fit in with the Peeples family. But he definitely gets an A-plus for effort throughout the film. He shows us a few things about ourselves that we needed to take a look at. That’s where a lot of the comedy comes in: Whenever you try to pinpoint people with a little bit of truth, if they’re not prepared for it, look out.”
As it gets closer to May 10, be on the lookout for my full interview with Kali right here at celebrityextraonline.com.
Q: I heard that one of my favorite TV shows, “Veronica Mars,” is coming back to television. Is that true? — Elaine Y., Mobile, Ala.
A: “Veronica Mars” has indeed been resurrected, but as a feature film. In an unprecedented Kickstarter campaign (kickstarter.com is a fundraising website where you can set up a “cause” for which you need money, and people can donate to help you raise the funds), “Veronica Mars” creator Rob Thomas raised the $2 million needed for the film in approximately 11 hours! Because of the loyalty and passion of fans of the show, Kristen Bell and company will return to the big screen, as Veronica comes back to town for her 10-year high-school reunion.
Q: When will “Awkward” be back on MTV? — Janie G., via e-mail
A: Both of the previous seasons of the hit MTV teen comedy began in summer, but because of season three’s extended season, Jenna, Matty, Jake, Tamara and the rest of the crew will return a little earlier this year. “Awkward” premieres Tuesday, April 16, at 10 p.m. ET/PT with two back-to-back new episodes.
READERS: In concert with the recent trend of uncanceling previously canceled television shows, Lifetime has decided to renew “Drop Dead Diva” for a fifth season after all. The show’s producers had to do some “creative financing” with the network to make this next season happen, but creator Josh Berman insists viewers will not be cheated on content, story or characters because of this.
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