Q and A: Week of Dec. 29
A: “The Knick,” which is set in New York in 1900, centers on the Knickerbocker Hospital and its groundbreaking surgeons, nurses and staff, who push the boundaries of medicine in a time of astonishingly high mortality rates and no antibiotics. The series has been renewed for a 10-episode second season — in fact, the show was renewed before the first season even premiered. Such an action shows the much-deserved confidence Cinemax has in the show’s high-caliber star (Clive Owen) and director (Steven Soderbergh).
Q: When will “Portlandia” return? — Sue Y., via email
A: The hit IFC comedy returns for its fifth season on Jan. 8 at 10 p.m. ET, with Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein leading the goth charge in this fondly satiric showcase of Portland, Oregon’s most eccentric characters. To see a sneak peak of the new season, go to ifc.com/videos, and use the drop-down tab to search for “Portlandia.”
Q: Do you know if “Outlander” on Starz will be available as a DVD set for purchase at the end of the series year? — Rhonda B., via email
A: While as of yet there is no official DVD release date, I can say with confidence that the wildly popular fantasy/romance/time-travel series will be available on DVD once season one has concluded (at the end of May 2015). If I am wrong, may I be forced to time-travel through the Craigh na Dun stones without a protective gemstone somewhere on my person.
Q: I was thrilled to read in your column that “The Good Witch” was going to be a regular prime-time series on the Hallmark Channel. Can you give me some inside scoop about it? — Betty S., via email
A: I do have some news to share, the biggest of which is that “Desperate Housewives” hunk James Denton has been added to the cast of “The Good Witch,” which will have its two-hour season-one premiere on Feb. 28 at 8/7c, and is slated for a 10-episode run. James plays Cassie’s new next-door neighbor, a divorced doctor and single dad who stirs things up in Middleton when he discovers that Cassie’s (series star Catherine Bell) signature charm is more than just a magic touch.
Q: I’ve been waiting and waiting for a new “Celebrity Apprentice.” Can you tell me when or if it will be back? — Jeremy R., Harrisburg, Pa.
A: I’ve been anxious for my guilty pleasure’s return as well, and we don’t have too much longer to wait, Jeremy. Donald Trump and company will return to NBC on Jan. 4. This season, which is the show’s 14th, promises to bring us more fantastically fun feuding drama with such stars as Kate Gosselin, Ian Ziering, Kevin Jonas, Geraldo Rivera, Brandi Glanville, Shawn Johnson, Sig Hansen, Vivica Fox, Gilbert Gottfried, Lorenzo Lamas, Leeza Gibbons, Kenya Moore, Johnny Damon, Terrell Owens, Keshia Knight Pulliam and Jamie Anderson. Also, the late Joan Rivers, who took home top honors for season eight, filmed two episodes before her death earlier this year. In those episodes, she’ll be sitting in for Ivanka Trump as a judge. Donald Trump told “Today” show’s Matt Lauer that they had considered cutting Joan’s scenes, but ultimately, they decided, “in memoriam, we’re going do something to honor her during those two shows. She was so good, and I think she would have liked it that way.”
Q: Will “Cedar Cove” be back for another season? I miss it already! — Hannah F., via email
A: The Hallmark Channel has indeed renewed the Andie MacDowell-starring hit drama for a third season. Of the renewal, Andie said: “I am so very grateful to Hallmark Channel for a third season, and cannot wait to rejoin the cast and crew to continue making the kind of television of which we can all be proud.”
Q: I am a huge fan of “Graceland,” and am anxious to know if it’ll be back for another season. Can you give me any good news? — Dana F., via email
A: I love being the bearer of good news: The USA network has indeed renewed the crime thriller for a third season. As you probably know, fans were getting a bit antsy for some news, since it seemed to take a bit longer than usual for the network to decide on the pickup. But we can all breathe more easily now, knowing that we won’t be left hanging after that awesome season-two cliffhanger finale. There’s no word yet on a premiere date, but I’d look for it come summer 2015.
Q: I need my “Rizzoli and Isles”! — Gina D., Conyers, Ga.
A: Well, that wasn’t really a question, Gina, but I think I catch your meaning. You’re wondering when TNT’s hit procedural crime drama will return from its midseason hiatus to finish out its fifth season, right? You have just a little while longer to hang on. Our favorite cop and doctor team (Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander, respectively) will be back Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. And, hold onto your hat, it’s also been renewed for a sixth season!
Q: My husband and I are fans of “Bates Motel.” I would like to know if it’s coming back and when. — Gert B., Rochester, NY
A: A and E’s mesmerizing series adaptation of the Alfred Hitchcock classic movie will return for its third season this coming March. Expect 10 more spine-tingling episodes of the Vera Farmiga- and Freddie Highmore-starring thriller. Former “Sons of Anarchy” cast member Ryan Hurst joins the show for its third season, cast in the role of Chick Hogan, and ex-con who owns a bike shop and also runs an illegal firearms operation near Dylan’s new farm. He will butt heads with Dylan’s father, Caleb, who’s played by another “Sons,” alum Kenny Johnson.
Q: Can you tell me when “The Following” will return to TV? It did get picked up for another season, right? — Steve F., via email
A: The Kevin Bacon-starring suspense thriller will be back for a third season with 15 new episodes beginning Monday, March 2 at 8/7c with a two-hour season premiere (and picking up the following week in its 9/8c time slot). Also on tap for early 2015 premieres: “Bones” returns from it winter hiatus March 26 at 8/7c; “Glee” makes a movie to Fridays starting with its premiere on Jan. 9 (also a two-hour premiere); and “American Idol” returns for its 14th season, sans Randy Jackson, on Jan. 7 at 8/7c. Ryan Seacrest, Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. will be back, and Adam Lambert will be filling in for Keith as a guest judge during the New York auditions. Keith took time off from the show in order to be with his wife, Nicole Kidman, after the death of her father.
Q: I’ve gotta have my “Justified”! — Freddie F., via email
A: You’ll have it, Freddie, in just a few more weeks. The hit FX Western series will be back for its sixth and final season on Jan. 20 at 10 p.m., with Sam Elliott and Garret Dillahunt joining the cast. Get ready for that much-anticipated Raylan/Boyd final showdown!
Q: Two of my favorite shows, “Scandal’ and “How to Get Away with Murder” haven’t been on for weeks. What is going on, and when will they be back? — Frankie F., Biloxi, Miss.
A: Don’t worry, the two hit ABC dramas are merely on winter hiatus. Olivia and Annalise will be back on Jan. 29, at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET, respectively. “Murder” has its two-hour season finale on Feb. 26, and taking its time slot starting March 5 is “American Crime.” The 11-episode series — which stars Felicity Huffman, Timothy Hutton and Penelope Ann Miller — tells the story of young couple in Modesto, California, were brutally attacked in their home, leaving Matt Skokie, a war vet, murdered, and his wife, Gwen, unconscious, barely hanging on. The crime sends shock waves throughout the community, stirring up tensions across socioeconomic and racial lines in this gritty new drama from the points of view of all those involved. Another new ABC drama, premiering Sunday, March 1, is the 10-episode “Secrets and Lies.” The story focuses on Ben, played by Ryan Phillipe, who is a person of interest in the death of a neighborhood boy, which is being investigated by Det. Andrea Cornell, played by Juliette Lewis.
Q: I know season four just ended, but I have to know: Will my favorite show, “Hell on Wheels,” be back for another season? — Jane T., via email
A: The AMC Western period drama, which is about the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad across the United States, will be back for its fifth and final season of 14 episodes, which will be split in half for its airing. The first seven episodes will premiere in summer 2015, with the final seven airing summer 2016.
Readers: I have great news for all you “Longmire” fans! You guys asked, and Netflix listened. The streaming video website has picked up the former A and E series — which was canceled earlier this year after three seasons — for a 10-episode fourth season. The beloved Western crime drama will return sometime in 2015 — an exact date has not yet been announced. According to Netflix, season four picks up moments after season three’s exciting finale.
And in disturbing news: I reported a few months ago that NBC was developing a family sitcom starring Bill Cosby that was to possibly debut this summer. Well, in the midst of multiple rape allegations, the network has decided to pull the project, which was going to be a multigenerational family show with Bill as the patriarch of the family, dispensing wisdom on relationships and parenthood.
Q and A: Week of Nov. 24
A: “The Mentalist” will be back for a seventh and final season on CBS for 13 episodes. The series will premiere Sunday, Nov. 30, at 9:30 p.m. ET, and will air new episodes in that time slot for five weeks before moving to Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET beginning Jan. 7. And if you need to catch up on any episodes, seasons one through six are now available on DVD for your viewing pleasure.
Q: I am so distraught that “Parks and Recreation” hasn’t premiered its new season yet. I thought you said it had been renewed! — Kallie F., via email
A: NBC’s hit sitcom has been renewed. And, like “The Mentalist,” mentioned above, it will also be its seventh and final season, which will consist of 13 episodes and premiere midseason 2015. Leslie Knope and company have not left us dangling, and will be back in a few months to tie up any loose ends.
A: Governor Ventura is still in the public eye, but not on network TV. He has his own Internet show called “Off the Grid,” which can be seen on his YouTube channel and ora.tv, and is filmed from his home in Mexico. A big selling point for Jesse is that he can talk about whatever the heck he wants on his new show; he told me: “That’s one of the reasons I think ‘Conspiracy Theory’ got cancelled after only three seasons, because in many ways, we were going where they didn’t want us to go, and we were asking questions they didn’t want asked. I love the Internet because there are no FCC regulations. There’s no government hanging over my shoulder. If I want to say ‘bullsh!t,’ I can without getting fined or anything like that. For me it was like getting the handcuffs taken off and being able to speak freely. That’s what I love about ‘Off the Grid.’”
The governor hopes to help change the mindset of people who blindly follow what the government tells us, and to pick up where his generation failed, in his words. “I lived through the ’60s, through the hippie generation, and through Vietnam, when I truly thought change was in the wind and that we were the same way. Our generation was questioning authority, much like the New Millennium young people are doing today. I’m encouraging them to stay the course. Don’t drop the ball like my generation did. I’m hoping to help correct that with the New Millennium generation by keeping them on track. I want to be the Timothy Leary of this generation. I want to be the older guy that this generation turns to in order to learn the truth. That’s kind of what I’m working to do.”
Q: Please tell me that “Dallas” hasn’t been canceled! — Karolyn, Lubbock, Texas
Q: I understand “Dallas” has been canceled? Is that true, and has any other network pick it up? — Chuck B., via email
A: I hate to be the one to confirm those cancelation rumors, but it is true: TNT has canceled the nighttime drama after and explosive third season and shocking finale. In this day and age of lots of cable and Internet channels, and with so many other shows being saved from cancelation by other networks (i.e., “Cougar Town,” “The Killing,” “Community,” "Arrested Development" and more), all hope is not necessarily lost, but as of this writing, there is no talk of the show resurrecting somewhere else. But just because I haven’t heard anything yet, doesn’t mean it won’t happen. If there is a deal in the works, odds are it would have to be kept hush-hush while details were ironed out.
Another promising aspect of it possible being picked up by another outlet is that the show’s cast and fans very much support the resurrection of “Dallas” elsewhere. Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing) tweeted: “I for one am not done with Bobby Ewing! Let's see if some network wants the Ewings to live on!” And Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing) agreed, thanking fans for their support and tweeting, “Keep it coming so it can help get us back entertaining you!” You can help by writing/emailing TNT, and if you are on social media, use the #SaveDallas hashtag to show your support. Personally, I think “Dallas” would be a perfect fit for Netflix. What do y’all think?
A: “Covert Affairs” will be back for the second half of season five on Nov. 6 with eight more brand-new episodes. As of this writing, the USA network has yet to decide on its renewal or cancelation, probably waiting to see how the ratings for the rest of the season go. So keep watching, and encourage your friends to as well, and hopefully it will join “Satisfaction” in the renewed column, and not “Rush” in the canceled column.
Q: I read your column every week, and enjoy knowing what’s happening, coming and going. I am hooked on “The Americans.” Will it be returning? — Fran S., Rockford, Ill.
A: FX has renewed the Cold War-era espionage drama, which stars Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys, for a third season. Look for 13 new episodes starting on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 10 p.m. ET. In even-more awesome news, legendary actor Frank Langella will join the show, playing the role of Gabriel, Philip and Elizabeth’s former KGB handler who comes out of retirement to take back responsibility of overseeing them from their previous handler, Claudia (played by Margo Martindale).
Interview: Teri Wyble's Hush-Hush Projects
Celebrity Extra: I was very surprised by how much I liked “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.” It was wonderfully inventive and creative, and the writing and acting were superb. Tell me about your role, and how you got the part.
Teri Wyble: Back when I auditioned for that role, I still hadn’t had a good speaking part, so I was so excited. And then I found out I was going to have to kiss Dominic Cooper, and I was like: “What? OK, now we’re talking. I can handle that.”
We filmed it on a plantation — I forget the plantation’s name — but I think it was in the fall, and the weather was starting to cool off, and I was in this period-piece dress with a corset. I loved the costumes. I love period pieces. So, we’re on this plantation and I have this beautiful wardrobe, and the weather’s wonderful, and I have cute Dominic Cooper by my side. I just thought: “This is amazing. I want to do this forever.” So, it was a great first experience on set. Few things have lived up to that first nice little experience.
CE: Is it true that they expanded your part once they had you on the set?
TW: In the original script, they didn’t have my whole death scene. They didn’t have me getting killed and me getting bitten. It kind of just showed me dead or something. I forget. But (director) Timur (Bekmambetov) threw that on me on the day of. We had filmed my couple of lines, and then I thought that was it. I thought I was just going to work one day. And he was like, “Oh, you’ll be back tomorrow?” And I was like: “Oh, OK. I’ll take it.” So, we ended up of filming this whole scene, I think Timur called it “the death dance.”
CE: How was it working on “Nashville,” which just happens to be one of my favorite shows?
TW: That was great to work on. I hate to say, “Oh this is great to work on and this is awesome.” But I guess it’s just how I approach being on set. And I’m always so happy to be there. On “Nashville,” I played Chris Carmack’s (Will Lexington) girl on the side. I met him for the first time at the hotel that we were staying at, and he and I would go out and run every day. I was like, “Who is this hot, hot guy who keeps running and I keep seeing him?” he introduced himself to me, and we had drinks one evening before we even filmed together. It was nice to kind of get to know him before I hopped into bed with him on the show (laughs). It was great to be on a show that I knew so many people loved. “Nashville” is one of those shows where you can just sit back, get comfy and watch that show, and know you’ll be in for a good time.
CE: I have to imagine that it’s pretty fun to be an actor on “The Walking Dead” set, am I right?
TW: Oh yeah, you’ve got to have fun with all that stuff and all that gore. There comes a certain point where you’re like: “Oh my God. This is so ridiculous — and awesome.” I would see a lot of the Walkers just hanging out, eating a salad. I wanted to pull out my phone so many times and be like, I want to remember this picture of this Walker eating a salad. It’s just crazy.
CE: What can you tell me about your character, and how she fits into the schematics of the show?
TW: I play Officer Shepherd, who’s one of the survivors of the outbreak, obviously. I reside at Grady Hospital, along with some other police officers and survivors. Those other survivors were “saved” by us and have to repay us by working for us. So, yeah, some shadiness is going on. But you don’t really know what’s happening in Grady Hospital. You don’t know if it’s a good thing or what’s really happening here.
“The Walking Dead” as a whole was so incredibly amazing to work on. The cast and the crew — everybody was so welcoming and so nice. It really felt like a family. Andrew Lincoln (who plays Rick Grimes) — I call him Andy — for some reason, we would always get put in the makeup and hair trailer at the same time. And he was always so friendly — he’d come give me a kiss on the cheek or on the head. And he’d put some music on really loud and just lighten the mood and make everybody feel so comfortable. He was just so amazing and so sweet. I’m so thankful to have met him. I didn’t realize he was going to be so darn cool.
CE: I know you can’t say a lot, but what can you tell me about “Terminator: Genisys”?
TW: “Terminator: Genisys” is a reboot of the “Terminator” franchise. It begins with John Connor, who’s continuing the war against the machines. I play a soldier named Mariam, who’s in John Connor’s inner circle of the resistance. I definitely worked with Jason Clarke (who plays John Connor) a bunch. He had such a commanding presence, and I think he is so incredibly talented and so captivating.
CE: How is the rest of the cast to work with?
TW: I was able to meet pretty much everyone for the read-through. We did a table read, and so just reading the script with people like Jason Clark and Jai Courtney (Kyle Reese) and Emilia Clarke (Sarah Connor) and Arnold Schwarzenegger — just being in that room with these people was pretty darn cool. I hope I can just remember little moments like that, just being in that room when Arnold’s saying some of his famous lines.
CE: A lot of people, including myself, are very excited for this reboot.
TW: I’m so excited for it to come out. I had no idea what I was getting myself into working on “Terminator.” It was just insane. It’s such a big-budget film, and I don’t think I’ve ever been on a film set with that kind of power.
Interview: Josie Bissett on the Joy of Giving and Paper Angels
The movie is inspired by the hit country Christmas song featured in the movie, “Paper Angels,” by country music star Jimmy Wayne and the same-titled book by Jimmy (with Travis Thrasher). Jimmy also wrote and performed two new songs for the film. I spoke with Josie about the film, and she is thrilled to bring Jimmy’s story to life for her fans … and hopes they’ll open their hearts to those in need this holiday season.
Celebrity Extra: Tell me, what it was about this movie that made you want to be a part of it?
Josie Bissett: The first thing I ever look at in the script is the character, if it’s someone I want to play. And to me, the greatest part of making the decision was the character. That got me because I loved playing someone who was falling apart in the beginning, but then she really takes the reins of her life and her two kids, who were the same ages as my two kids in real life.
CE: So in some aspects, could you relate to her struggles?
JB: I’m a single mom, so yes, I really related to her struggles of being on her own, making a life for her and her kids, and the adjustments and changes that brings to her life. That part was really relatable. And I love the fact that she works hard. This character is not something I’ve ever played before, and I loved getting to play that. My characters are usually pretty put together. As far as the script goes, I really love playing a mom these days, and I just love working with kids. I feel like it brings so much joy to the set, because they are so happy to be there.
Also, I’m a big fan of Jimmy Wayne, and then hearing his story — what a phenomenal person! Knowing that it was loosely based on his life — he’s a country singer who had this absolutely horrific life and who is out there trying to help teenagers who are homeless, who are aging out of the foster-care system. It’s something you don’t really know about unless somebody tells you. And it’s tough. It’s sad.
JB: The biggest message that I know that I want to get out is the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program and all the Salvation Army does to help. (To learn more, go to salvationarmyusa.org.) When you realize how just one simple thing — like picking an angel off a tree and buying presents for a deserving child — can change that child’s life, you think: “Why aren’t these everywhere? Why aren’t we all helping?” Some of these families, they have nothing. As I get older, I really want to give back. I feel blessed to have all the wonderful experiences, health and all of that. I went through a really, really tough four years. Really tough. And I think that when you go through tough times, you truly learn compassion.
CE: “Paper Angels” is a really sweet movie that inspires people to assist those who might need a helping hand. Tell me about some of the charities you’re involved with.
JB: This month, I’m going on a Mission trip. My whole life I’ve been traveling, but I went straight from work to kids and, with kids, there’s not a lot of time for that. But now I’m older, and my kids are older. I’ve joined this incredible foundation; it’s called Starkey Hearing Foundation.
CE: I interviewed Justin Osmond a few years back, and he is very involved with Starkey. It’s such a great group.
JB: It’s a really incredible foundation. I’m going Sri Lanka right after my press for my movie, and I am just so excited. It’s the kind of the direction I want to go, to be able to do more of that, and more of these kinds of movies like “Paper Angels.” Just putting good stuff out there in the world as opposed to, you know — I watch the news every morning, and it’s just really scary.
CE: For those who can’t travel, or maybe can’t afford too much, how can we help others this holiday season?
JB: If you can’t afford to buy anything for anyone, the Salvation Army needs help packing the gifts. So that’s another option, helping with your time.
CE: What else do you have coming up?
JB: Aside from working with Starkey and my trip to Sri Lanka, I’m actually going to start my next book series. I’m going to start it while I’m in Sri Lanka, but I don’t know the name of it yet. So, let’s just say that I’m starting research on my next book series while I’m there.
Q and A: Week of Nov. 10
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A: I have some good news for you, Patrick. The USA network’s police drama, which was slated to return for its sixth and final season in early 2015, premiered on Nov. 6 instead. So you can enjoy these last six episodes a little bit earlier than expected, and also start the withdrawal/grieving process a little earlier as well. At least we’ll always have the DVDs: Seasons one through five are now available for purchase at all major DVD and entertainment outlets.
Q: I just got caught up on season one of HBO’s “True Detective,” and I wondered if you could give me any scoop about season two. — Kyle L., via email
A: I can tell you that Colin Ferrell and Vince Vaughn have signed on to star in the next season of the hit HBO series, which is rumored to be about the “bloody murder of a corrupt city businessman found dead the night before a major transportation deal,” and will involve three different police officers from different cities working together.
Q: Can you give me any info about the latest 007 movie? Is it still happening? — Paul T., via email
A: The 24th James Bond film is indeed happening, Paul, with actors Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, and director Sam Mendes returning. They start shooting in December, with an anticipated fall 2015 release date. Sam confirmed that the latest film will be the second of a two-part project, meaning it will be a continuation of “Skyfall.”
Q: Now that “Being Human” is over, what is Sam Huntington up to? I was so happy to see him turn up in the “Veronica Mars” movie. — Michelle G., via email
A: The former werewolf star of the supernatural Syfy-channel series is currently working on Jeremy Renner’s new project (Jeremy’s the executive producer) for the Crackle network. It’s a 90-minute, international cyber-spy movie called “The Throwaways,” which also stars the legendary James Caan, as well as Kevin Dillon (“Entourage,” “Platoon” and “The Doors”). The feature follows notorious hacker Drew Reynolds (played by Sam), who is captured by the CIA and given a proposition — work for them or spend the rest of his life in prison. Reynolds agrees to join on the condition that he gets to choose his own team. Instead of picking from the top agents the CIA recommends, Reynolds goes with a group of “throwaways,” those deemed expendable and seemingly the worst in the organization. Led by Lt. Col. Christopher Holden (James), and including gung-ho combat specialist Dan Fisher (Kevin), the throwaways have to track and take down a cyber-terrorist who is threatening mass destruction. Look for the film on Crackle this December.
Q: I am so addicted to “Outlander.” Can you tell me when the second half of season one will air? — Jeanne D., via email
A: “Outlander” returns from its winter hiatus with eight more episodes beginning April 4 on Starz. You, I and millions of other fans will have to wait patiently for almost six months to see Jamie rescue Claire from Black Jack Randall. I know — it’s going to seem like forever. Here’s to hoping they don’t split up season two like that, right?
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| Ben Stiller as Derek Zoolander |
A: Rumors have been swirling for years about a sequel, and Will Ferrell confirmed in September that “Zoolander 2” is happening, and that his character, Mugatu, will be a part of it. Justin Theroux is rumored to be directing the movie, which he also co-wrote with Ben Stiller, and Ben and Owen Wilson are set to co-star. The plot has Derek Zoolander (played by Ben) and Hansel (Owen) trying to compete against younger models as an opposing company tries to force them out of the business. I guess the Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can’t Read Good didn’t do so well, and Derek had to return to modeling to make ends meet.
Q: I really like the new series on Hallmark called “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.” Can you tell me when I can see a new season? — Adele T., Clyde, Ohio
A: The comedic drama by “Touched by an Angel” executive producer Martha Williamson, which follows the lives of a group of postal workers who transform themselves into a nontraditional team of detectives to track down intended recipients of undeliverable mail, is moving to Hallmark’s sister channel, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. It is also changing its format: It will return to TV as a movie franchise consisting of a series of two-hour original films.
Debuting on Nov. 23 at 9/8c, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered for Christmas” will be the first movie in the franchise, with three more slated for 2015. Returning as the “POstables” crew are Oliver O’Toole (Eric Mabius, “Ugly Betty”), Shane McInerney (Kristin Booth, “Orphan Black”), Rita Haywith (Crystal Lowe, “Smallville”) and Norman Dorman (Geoff Gustafson “Primeval: New World”). According to Michelle Vicary, executive vice president of programming and network publicity at Crown Media Family Networks, “At their core, the narratives on ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’ revolve around mystery and suspense, with compelling characters and dramatic storylines that will be enhanced by an extended format.”
Q: I was happy to hear that “Mistresses” has been renewed for a third season, but sad to hear that Alyssa Milano won’t return. Why did she leave the show? — Eric G., via email
A: Alyssa — who recently gave birth to daughter Elizabeth Dylan, joining big brother Milo Thomas — said in a recent statement: “After two wonderful seasons in Los Angeles, the studio has decided to shoot season three of ‘Mistresses’ in Vancouver, Canada, for financial reasons. It’s with a heavy heart that I have decided that I can’t relocate. I have two babies under 4. Being a mother and wife comes first, and I just cannot uproot my children and separate the family by moving away. I will miss this job desperately and wish everyone the absolute best.”
Q: Please tell me the rumors I’ve been hearing about a “Say Anything” TV series are not true! — Callie F., via email
A: I am thrilled to tell you that NBC’s planned “Say Anything” TV show has been canned. Less than 24 hours after news broke — practically breaking the entire Internet — that a comedy sequel based on the hit 1989 movie (directed by Cameron Crowe and starring John Cusack and Ione Skye) was being planned, NBC pulled the plug on the series. Apparently, Cameron called producer Aaron Kaplan (who was producing the series with writer Justin Adler) and voiced his objections to the project. Aaron and Justin were unaware that Cameron had not been contacted about or approved of the project, so they pulled out of the project. NBC and 20th Century Fox followed suit, and canceled the series.
READERS: I have some exciting book-to-series news for you. Hulu announced that it has ordered a nine-hour series adaptation of Stephen King’s 2011 bestseller “11/22/63,” a thriller in which high school English teacher Jake Epping travels back in time to prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The series is being developed by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions. Of this latest project, Stephen King said: “If I ever wrote a book that cries out for long-form, event-TV programming, ‘11/22/63’ is it. I’m excited that it’s going to happen, and am looking forward to working with J.J. Abrams and the whole Bad Robot team.”
Interview: Rena Sofer Talks Daytime Drama and Amorra Collagen Candle Skincare
Celebrity Extra: Since Quinn’s been in town, I’d say she’s been causing a wee bit of trouble.
Rena Sofer: Yes. Just a little bit though. Not TOO much (laughs).
CE: You have to be having an absolute ball portraying her.
RS: I can’t tell you how much fun it is. It’s really Brad (Bell, head writer and executive producer), though, who puts it upon himself to decide to take this woman — who nobody knew anything about and has no history of being a bad person that anyone knew of — and really slowly, behind everybody’s back, turn her into who we see now. However, I don’t think she’s crazy. I don’t think she’s mentally unsound; I think she’s just crazy in the sense of she does what she wants without the thought of how it’s going to really affect anyone else. She has this mental diarrhea.
CE: Did you have any idea where Brad was going to go with the character, or did you learn about it just before the rest of us did?
RS: I had no idea. I spent the first three months on the show wanting to keep Hope away from Wyatt. And then I really liked her because she hired us to do her jewelry line. I decided I wanted her to be with Wyatt, and Liam was in the way. I spent so much time not liking Liam, so I started doing little things, like locking him in the steam room when he was supposed to meet Hope. And turning the heat up to the point where he could have died and then letting him out. And I love the fact that she didn’t let him out and run away. She let him out, letting him see her and making it clear, “I’m the one who just locked you in there, and I’m the one who let you out.” To me, that’s gold.
CE: How was Brad able to lure you back to daytime television?
RS: There are so many great things about nighttime television and so many great things about daytime television. And then there are things that are not great about daytime and not great about nighttime. The one thing that daytime affords you is the ability to have a normal schedule, be home, and if you are a parent, like I am, it makes life incredibly easy. I got tired of the grind of not working, and then you’ve got a job that’s in Vancouver for eight days. And in those eight days, I wonder who’s going to take care of my kids. My husband is a director, and he’s out of town a lot.
Very little is shot here in L.A. now. So much is being shot in New Mexico and Atlanta and Vancouver and Toronto and Chicago. It closed the field for me. Then Brad Bell called and said: “Hey, I have this part. Will you come in and meet with me?” He told me about their schedule, which is four days a week, three weeks a month. I’m home usually before 3 or 4 o’clock in the afternoon. I can drive my daughter to school. I can drive her home. On top of all that, I got to create a character from scratch. That sealed the deal for me.
CE: What are some of your favorite things about playing Quinn and being on “The Bold and the Beautiful”?
RS: The great thing about this show, and probably my favorite thing about Brad Bell, is he didn’t have this iron hand about Quinn and who he wanted her to be and who she was. He was never like, “You’d better do this, and you’d better make it this.” None of that happened. This man basically invited me to his show because he trusted me, and then just said, “Here are the words.”
I started playing her lines a little bit off. I was just like, “I’m not a crier, so I don’t want to be crying every five seconds, so stop writing her that way.” I just had them stop writing that. I expressed to them that it’s not my cup of tea. Then they started writing it a little bit differently. And I started playing with their words. I didn’t change their words; I just took them in a different way than I think they expected. Brad saw what I was doing, took hold of those reins and said, “Hey, how about this?” Where do you get that kind of opportunity? In nighttime television, you are the lowest person on the totem pole as far as how you are going to play a character. They hire you to play what they want you to play, and pretty much everyone is replaceable. To be able to have the freedom to do what I do every single day is such a gift to me. It really is a gift.
CE: Hope and Wyatt are pretty fed up with Quinn, and Hope wants her out of their lives and nowhere near the baby she is expecting. How will Quinn deal with that?
RS: She’s definitely not going to give up. Clearly she sees Deacon (Hope’s father) as an asset. That is something that is helpful to her, even though she does kind of like him.
CE: Speaking of Deacon, Quinn used to be obsessed with getting Bill back, and now that that is fading, will she concentrate her efforts on Deacon?
RS: Yeah, she stopped caring about Bill a while ago. You know, when a story’s not going to work for whatever reason, it’s not going to work. You’ve just got to move on. You can’t keep forcing a situation that is not going to happen. So I’m really happy that Brad came up with the idea to have Deacon change his focus to Quinn. And I think it’s so funny that they’ve been living together all this time — since he’s been in town — and nobody knows. They’ve spent a lot of time together, but not romantically. So the fact that all of a sudden — boom! — something happened, it makes sense.
CE: Judging by the online feedback, the fans definitely approve of a Quinn/Deacon matchup.
RS: I definitely think we are going in the right direction. I don’t think I ever heard any feedback regarding Bill and Quinn, about anybody’s interest in that. This is something people are really interested in, and that’s exciting.
CE: Can you give me any clue as to what to expect regarding Quinn and Deacon’s burgeoning relationship in coming weeks?
RS: I can probably say that in upcoming weeks, their little secret relationship isn’t a secret anymore. But you will see how and when that happens.
CE: I’m sure Hope will love that!
RS: Well, she should love me, right? I mean, I love her father now. What’s wrong with that?
RS: Dino Morra has been my facialist for 15 years, and I’ve used his products for 15 years, including his candles. These candles are his baby; he made them for his clients. I told him they should be in every store in America. I told him, “I love your product as is, and I would love to be your partner and get them out there.” And what happened is we really collaborated. We worked on them together and perfected them.
We had three scents in the first place: peony, vanilla and blood orange. And then we’ve added four scents that we created together. But he’s the chemist. I say to him, “I love this smell and this smell.” And then he goes into the lab and he comes out with Nag Champa and Arabian Spice. Or I’ll say, “I want like a really clean, citrusy one like the blood orange but lighter.” And he comes in with his lemongrass scent, which is just incredible. We also have a tobacco, vanilla and cherry-wood scent, which is such a beautiful scent for men. We have this great scent for our recovery candle: It is eucalyptus, mint, amber, menthol, arnica and MSM, which is a sulfur extract. The menthol is healing in when it’s lit, or when you place it on your chest, it will help open up your nasal passages if you’re congested. The arnica is great for bruising, and then the MSM is for inflammation.
With all the candles, there’s no wax and no paraffin. You put them directly on your skin, and they just melt into your skin. And they are so wonderful smelling too. You smell like the candle that you love to have in your house. And they’re great products.
CE: How long does the candle last, especially if you do a combination of burning it for the smell and using it on your skin?
RS: It’s a regular candle with 60 hours of burn time. If you wear it all the time, it’s going to change how long the candle will burn. But then you’re still getting the benefits of it as well. It’s $35, which is a great price for either a skincare product or a candle. The scents offered are really strong. I have my blood orange candle in my dressing area — I just have it out, not burning — and my whole area smells like it.
CE: Are the candles in stores yet, or can they be bought online?
RS: We have our own website, amorrabeauty.com, and it’s just great. You go to the site, and you just pick which candle you want. It’s really easy. And once you get the candle, it’s so fun. You’ll really love it.
(Author’s Note: I tried the lemongrass collagen candle, and I have to say, I absolutely love it. The scent is heavenly, and the actual collagen candle made my skin feel so soft and supple. I’d definitely recommend this. And what do you know — the holidays just HAPPEN to be coming up!)
Interview: Apolo Ohno Pushes New Boundaries
Celebrity Extra: What was the impetus behind your decision to participate in Ironman?
Apolo Ohno: [Fellow “Dancing with the Stars” champion] Hines Ward completed his first Ironman challenge in Kona last year, and I was inspired by it. I had been thinking about doing it last year, but I was traveling so much, it didn’t make sense. But I needed a challenge. I needed to inspire other people. I needed to inspire myself. I needed something that wasn’t anything like speed skating. I was a 40-second athlete. I could sprint. I was ballistic. I was powerful. But then after 40 seconds, that’s when my laces came off. Hines said this is the complete opposite side of the spectrum. It’s endurance based. It’s a triathlon. It’s three sports in one.
CE: Personally, I can’t imagine myself ever being able to survive an Ironman, but if I were to try, how would I train? How have you been training?
AO: You know, you think you can’t, but you could. It just takes consistency. It takes dedication. It takes a lot of time. The businesses that I’m involved with require me to be up very late, and I’m traveling internationally. And so it’s all about scheduling. I need this in my life, but I also do it because I want to inspire other people. One of the things that I was really, really adamant about is, I said, “Look, if I’m going to do this, we’ve got to make sure that we chronicle all the steps of the way.” So, that’s what we’ve been doing.
You can see the episodes of my training on gotchocolatemilk.com. There will be eight specific webisodes total. We’re chronicling from when I first arrived in Kona and seeing the transformation process — seeing my mind, my body, my struggles, and the difficulty in training for something of this nature.
It also chronicles my training. It’s different every week. This week, on Thursday I had a very long bike ride, a seven-hour bike ride. I rode like 100 or 110 miles or something like that, solo. It’s going to be very interesting. And then I follow that with a T run — or a transition run — which is a 40-minute run right after I get off the bike. It’s wild. I mean, anytime you bike 100-something miles, it’s a pretty intense day.
CE: Since you are a world-renowned athlete, that has to give you some advantages, but since your previous training is so different, that must present some cons for you as well.
AO: The pros are that I know what training is like. I’ve suffered through difficulty and pain in my own sport. The cons are I’m not an endurance athlete. I’m based around power, explosiveness, speed. Like any sprinter who’s designed for that, we require lots of rest between intervals. I’m very good at doing intervals as long as I have a little bit of rest. But with Ironman training, there is no rest. You’re going nonstop for hours and hours and hours, and you have to complete the entire 2.4-mile open-water ocean swim to 112-mile bike ride followed by running a marathon (which is 26.2 miles). And you have to do that all in under 17 hours.
CE: Wow.
AO: I know. Whenever I say that, it blows my mind. Especially in the conditions that we compete in in Kona, Hawaii. You’re in an incredibly beautiful place, but make no mistake, the conditions are brutal: 100-degree weather; 100 percent humidity; 60-mile-an-hour crosswinds; black lava rocks in which you have to run through and bike through; ambient temperatures upwards of 120 to 130 degrees. It just sucks all of the energy, nutrients, and minerals out of your system, so you have to make sure that nutrition is a key component in that entire process.
CE: How are you preparing mentally for the competition?
AO: I do meditation, and I focus on my breathing, making sure that I have those goals in sight. Any time you have somebody in front of you, you have to make sure you are achieving those goals, whether it is on a daily basis, weekly basis, or monthly basis. And I have specific goals set up. That’s the best way to maximize performance, whether in business, life, relationships, or in sports.
CE: Did Hines give you any advice for the big day?
AO: The first thing Hines said to me was, “Brother, I’m praying for you.” He said to just enjoy it. He said to take my time. It’s once in a lifetime. It’s pretty incredible.
I’m in a whole new place now. I’m more confident; I’m stronger; I’m getting leaner; and I can’t wait to arrive in Kona. It’s a good feeling.
Cameron Mathison Goes Undercover in Along Came a Nanny
Celebrity Extra: What was it about the film, and the character of Mike, that appealed to you?
Cameron Mathison: The comedic aspect was a really big factor. It was one of the first things that hooked me. I also really like that he was this big kid who hadn’t grown up, and he has to take care of other kids. He’s not really taken that seriously at work, but he wants to make a serious change as far as progressing in his job. He wants to move up. In order to do that he has to step it up. It was a moment in his life where he knew he had to take that step into responsibility and learn to deal with kids. I've lived through that phase myself, and I can really relate to it.
CE: While it was a feel-good movie, it was very believable and didn’t come off as pat or saccharine.
CM: Good! I’m glad it came off like that, because that can be a challenge. These movies get shot really quickly. We don’t have a lot of luxuries as far as time goes. To me, it’s important in my life, in general, to be happy and to be a benefit to those around me. We all got along really well. I try to be happy; I try to make the set happy. Sometimes it’s challenging when things are stressed, but with that said, this was a feel-good set. We were just having a lot of fun, a lot of laughs, and there was a lot of silliness. It was probably one of my favorite jobs that I can remember doing. It was a lot of fun.
CE: How was your leading lady, Sarah Lancaster, to work with?
CM: She’s the best. She’s such a pro and so fun and so down-to-earth and genuine. It’s maybe a little intimidating knowing that she’s a big deal. I went in making sure I was as prepared as I could be so that I could just really relax and be spontaneous and listen and react and play off her. Right off the bat she was so sweet and kind and funny — she has a great sense of humor.
CE: This movie had a very “Castle” feel to it. I could see it being a semi-regular series for the channel.
CM: I’m a big fan of “Castle,” so I love that comparison. Let’s see … how do we make this into a series? I guess we have to keep on changing his name and undercover occupation, because I don’t think he could be a nanny in every episode. But if I were, that would be fun. I know that Hallmark loves their mysteries, and I love working for them, so let’s hope for more!
CE: What would you like people to come away with after watching this movie?
CM: That’s a good question. First, I want them to have fun watching it, because there’s lots of comedy in it. I want them to feel warm, because there’s love and there’s growth within the characters through the story. I’d like for them to be entertained by the comedy, warm from the love, and also surprised by the mystery. Those are the three biggies that I would like people to take away.
CE: I know you’re in Vancouver now filming a show. What is it?
CM: It’s called “Game of Homes,” and I’m hosting it. It’s a really fun renovation/reality show where they’re taking four dilapidated houses off their foundations, and moving these four houses to a really cool downtown location. The contestants make up four teams, and they each end up, through a series of events, getting a specific house. Every week they renovate a new room of the house and the aspect of the house. And every week there is a new challenge with prizes. You can win a trip to Paris or a week cruise in the Caribbean. The ultimate goal, if you win, is that you win your house and a piece of land to put it on. It’s a fun show, because it’s reality show-esque: You get to vicariously live with them; they sleep and live in their houses, even though they are being renovated. The stakes are super-high.
Another other aspect about it that I really like is that I graduated with an engineering degree like 700 years ago, and my dream was always to go into a design firm with my best friend, who’s an architect. I was going to be the engineer, and he was going to be the architect. That was always my dream. And then I bailed on him and went in the entertainment world. But since that time, this is the closest gig I’ve ever had that involves design, construction, engineering, load-bearing walls, header beams — all that kind of stuff. For me it’s kind of coming close to my original dream of what I wanted to do with my life.
CE: Do you know when it airs, and when we’ll get to see it?
CM: It’s a Canadian production. Initially, it’s going to air in Canada. But I have a feeling it’s going to appear elsewhere; it’s just one of those shows. I’ll definitely let you know when I know what channel it’s going to be on in the States.
Q and A: Week of Oct. 1
A: As we saw in the season-two finale, Gillian Anderson’s character, Dr. Bedelia du Maurier, was more than just Hannibal Lector’s psychologist — she’s his getaway buddy (possibly lover?). Executive producer Bryan Fuller confirmed that Gillian has been bumped up from a recurring character to series regular. He also teased that when the show returns in 2015, it will be one year after Hannibal and Bedelia jetted off to Europe (after the bloodbath that he caused at his house), and that the show will feel like “a pilot for a new series starring Mads Mikkelsen and Gillian Anderson.”
Bryan Fuller told TVLine.com: “The cast and crew of ‘Hannibal’ are positively giddy to be welcoming Gillian to season three as a series regular. A striking presence on stage and screen, she brings wit, grace and intelligence to every role she embodies. Screenwriting is so much easier when you’re inspired by a great actor, and Gillian has filled the ‘Hannibal’ writers room with wonderful inspiration. I can’t wait for audiences to see her make a bigger meal out of ‘the Cannibal’ than ever before.”
Q: “Banshee” is my all-time favorite TV series that airs on Cinemax. I’ve watched seasons one and two several times, and have bought the DVDs for both seasons. Can you please tell me when season three will return? — John F., Palm Springs, Calif.
A: “Banshee” will return for a new season in early 2015. The series — which is executive-produced by one of my favorite authors, Jonathan Tropper, and one of my favorite screenwriters, Alan Ball — centers on Lucas Hood, an ex-con and master thief who tracks down Carrie Hopewell, his former lover and partner in crime, who is now the wife of the Banshee, Pa., prosecutor. Lucas becomes Banshee’s sheriff and continues his criminal activities, even though he’s being hunted by the criminals he betrayed years earlier.
A bit of a spoiler for you: Jonathan Tropper revealed that while Proctor still will be an important nemesis for Lucas, Chayton will be back in a big way. Also, Dennis O’Hare, whom I loved on “True Blood,” will guest-star on one episode.
Q: Will “Cougar Town” be back for another season? — Carly T., via email
A: The Cul-de-Sac Crew will return to TBS for its sixth and final season in early 2015. SPOILER ALERT: Brian Van Holt, who plays the hilariously dim-witted Bobby Cobb, will be leaving the series early, with his final appearance in the season-six opener.
Q: I was happy to read in your column that “Beauty and the Beast” would be returning, but I haven’t seen it on the CW’s fall schedule. — Tina R., via email
A: The cop drama/romance/fantasy series will return for a third season as a midseason show, which means sometime in early to spring 2015.
A: It has indeed been made into a movie, now retitled “The Wedding Planner Mystery,” and it will premiere on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries Channel on Sunday, Oct. 19, at 9/8c. The show stars Erica Durance (“Smallville”), Brandon Beemer (“Days of Our Lives”) and Andrew Walker (“When Calls the Heart”). I spoke with Brandon recently, and he told me about working on the film and with Hallmark and with the lovely and talented Erica Durance.
“I’ve always heard that Hallmark was a great, great network to work for. They run a tight ship. They know exactly what they want, and they know exactly what they are doing. I read the script, and I thought it was pretty fun, and it was good. I also loved the fact that I’d be working in Vancouver. I’ve never been to Vancouver. I was very grateful. So I went to Vancouver and had one of the best times shooting a project that I’ve probably ever had. The people were so great. And Vancouver was so awesome.”
Q: I just got caught up on season one of HBO’s “True Detective,” and I wondered if you could give me any scoop about season two. — Kyle L., via email
A: I can tell you that Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn have signed on to star in next season’s hit HBO series, which is rumored to be about the “bloody murder of a corrupt city businessman found dead the night before a major transportation deal.” It will involve three police officers from different cities working together. There is no casting news yet on who will play the third police officer, who is said to be a female character.
Q: Can you give me any info about the latest 007 movie? Is it still happening? — Paul T., via email
A: The 24th James Bond film is indeed happening, Paul, with actors Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris returning, along with director Sam Mendes. They start shooting in December, with an anticipated fall 2015 release date. Sam confirmed that the latest film with be the second of a two-part project, meaning it will be a continuation of “Skyfall.”
READERS: I have some exciting book-to-series news for you. Hulu announced that it has ordered a nine-hour series adaptation of Stephen King’s 2011 bestseller “11/22/63,” a thriller in which high-school English teacher Jake Epping travels back in time to prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The series is being developed by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions. Of this latest project, Stephen King said: “If I ever wrote a book that cries out for long-form, event-TV programming, ’11/22/63’ is it. I’m excited that it’s going to happen, and am looking forward to working with J.J. Abrams and the whole Bad Robot team.”
Interview: CCH Pounder of NCIS: New Orleans Lets the Good Times Roll in the Big Easy
Veteran actress CCH Pounder has starred or co-starred in practically every great American TV series since the 1980s, including “Cagney and Lacey,” “Hill Street Blues,” “Miami Vice,” “The X-Files,” “E.R.” “Sons of Anarchy” and many more. Not to mention the fact that she’s starred on the big screen in feature films like “Avatar,” “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones” and “End of Days,” to name a few. Next up for this talented and versatile actress is playing Dr. Loretta Wade on “NCIS: New Orleans,” which has its series premiere tonight at 9/8c on CBS. The show also brings her back to co-starring with former “Quantum Leap” star Scott Bakula, who stars in the new “NCIS” spinoff. Celebrity Extra: You have such a prolific acting resume that you’re bound to work with some of the same people more than once — back in 1990, you co-starred on an episode of “Quantum Leap,” and now you and Scott are both on “NCIS: New Orleans.”
CCH Pounder: Oh, we were babies back then! How fabulous. It was ironic that we remembered each other so very well over the years, so it’s really great.
CE: What’s also great is the fact that your series premieres right after the season premiere of the original “NCIS.”
CCH: We’ve got a very sweet time slot. Quite honestly, if it fails you’d probably just have to go in the bathroom and shoot yourself. Everybody loves “NCIS.” People want to see more of it. Ignoring all of that, the point is that you get to be an actor, and you are reading scripts all the time, and hopefully your talent will find the sweet spot for it. I’m working on my third episode, and so far I’m feeling pretty damn confident.
CE: One of the things that works so well for the original “NCIS” is the chemistry between everyone. How’s your cast coming together so far?
CCH: My and Scott’s chemistry from working together has fallen into place very, very quickly. And I am really tickled with Rob Kerkovich, who just joined the cast. He’s very funny; he’s like a big geek god for everybody. We’ve had really good chemistry as well — those are basically the two main people who I work with.
CE: Tell me about filming on location in the Big Easy.
CCH: I think it’s becoming sort of like the next big place to film, besides Toronto. I saw at least five or six other location guides scouting areas. Are we all playing up in the swamp this year?
CE: I haven’t visited New Orleans since before Hurricane Katrina. How is the city coming along?
CCH: Where I am is a slightly touristy area, so everything is exceedingly optimistic. There is construction everywhere; it’s like Beijing. They are building like crazy; they are knocking down like crazy; they are repurposing. I am in the Art District, and every warehouse is being turned into living spaces — it’s just surreal.
There are areas where you still see the houses with the quadrants and the marks on them. There are places where the houses have giant holes in the roof, and they are abandoned. And there are also neighborhoods where people just didn’t come back. There might be two or three people living on that block.
CE: While the show does follow the “NCIS” format, it is indeed its own show, with a different feel and attitude compared with its predecessor.
CCH: Yes, absolutely. First of all, the place has its own character. It is a different kind of temperature, certainly, and atmosphere, absolutely, but also the pace of it is not as uptight as it would be in, say, Washington. It covers a wide swath of the Southern Belt, from New Orleans all the way up to Alabama. It deals with Navy Criminal Investigation — the framework is the same — but the people and the contents and the pacing are quite different.
CE: Tell me about your character, Dr. Wade.
CCH: Originally, the medical examiner was described as a British, intellectual, well-read personality, but I really wanted to go completely the opposite and be a much more emotional personality, one who has a lot of concern about the families of the deceased. And I really tried to make her kind of a sassy gal. Also, I wanted her brightness to be intuitive. She’s got the medical chops, but I didn’t want her to give medical legalese to the people who are not in that profession. She speaks to them in a plain and simple way about what happened. When speaking with other medical people, then she can be versatile within her medical language. I think we found a really nice balance.
CE: What about character/actor crossovers from “NCIS” to “NCIS: New Orleans”?
CCH: Everyone wants to come to New Orleans. Joe Spano was here last week; Meredith Eaton was here; Michael Weatherly is here now. So the food and the laissez les bons temps rouler (“let the good times roll”) attitude have enticed a lot of them to come on down.
CE: Last time we spoke, there was talk of an “Avatar” sequel. Is that still in the works?
CCH: Every time I begin to doubt, thinking, “Oh gosh, I guess it’s not happening,” they call and check in with: “Hey, how you doing? How’s your availability?” Well, it’s here. So, I guess whatever time is needed to finish writing or whatever preproduction is needed — whatever the new machinery is, the new cameras, the new technology. The technology was racing so quickly when we were doing the first “Avatar” that by now I am pretty sure that they have come up with a whole other set of things to be worked out. So, I will say that it is somewhere on the back burner.
CE: And knowing how brilliant the first one was, I’d venture to guess it’ll be worth the wait.
CCH: Oh yes, it’s always worth the wait. It really doesn’t matter how you look, as long as you still have the acting voice, because the Avatar will do the visual part for you.
Q and A: Week of Sept. 18
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| CCH Pounder (photo by Geneva Morgan) |
A: “NCIS: New Orleans” is definitely happening. In fact, it premieres on CBS Sept. 23 at 9/8c, right after the season 12 premiere of “NCIS.” The crime-procedural drama stars Scott Bakula, CCH Pounder, Lucas Black, Zoe McLellan, Rob Kerkovich and Paige Turco.
As the title would suggest, the series is set and filmed in the Big Easy, and while it follows the “NCIS” formula, the show definitely has a feel all its own. Series star CCH Pounder told me recently: “The pacing is definitely different. It’s a different kind of temperature and atmosphere, certainly, but also, the pace of it is not as uptight as it would be in, say, Washington. It covers a wide swath of the Southern belt from New Orleans up through Alabama. The framework is the same, but the people and the content will be quite different.”
But just because the people are different, it doesn’t mean that familiar faces won’t be showing up now and again. CCH explained: “Everyone wants to come to New Orleans. Joe Spano was here last week; Meredith Eaton was here; Michael Weatherly is here now. So the food and the ’laissez les bons temps rouler’ (’let the good times roll’) attitude have enticed a lot of them to come on down.”
Q: Now that Jennifer Esposito has reappeared on “Taxi Brooklyn,” why did she ever leave “Blue Bloods”? I thought that it was reported she was ill? — Tony via email
A: Back in 2012, Jennifer collapsed on the “Blue Bloods” set due to complications from celiac disease and missed a week of work. Her doctor advised her that she needed to cut back her work schedule. Rather than work around her schedule, CBS put her on an unpaid leave of absence (and even implied that her collapse was a stunt to get a raise), and refused to let her obtain limited work in the meantime. When her contract with the show expired, she was able to look for work elsewhere.
Jennifer currently is co-starring in the action-drama “Taxi Brooklyn,” which is based on Luc Besson’s feature film called “Taxi.” Luc is best known for “Leon: The Professional,” the “Taken” films, the “Transporter” series, “The Fifth Element” and much, much more. “Taxi Brooklyn” wrapped its first season on NBC Sept. 10; there is no word as of this writing of a second season.
Q: I love Bill Cosby’s comedy. Does he have plans to return to TV? — Robert M., via email
A: NBC announced at the Television Critics Association tour this summer that it was developing a comedy for Bill Cosby, which could premiere as early as summer 2015. The series is described as a “multi-camera, classic extended-family sitcom,” with Bill as the patriarch.
A: Breeana’s new book, which is slated to be released in late September or early October, is called “Rumplestiltskin’s Daughter.” As of now, it is planned to be a stand-alone book, not a series, but as Breeana told me, you never know.
“So far as I know it’s a single story. You know, my brain does strange things. I thought ‘Dusk Gate’ was done after ‘Blooms of Consequence,’ so I don’t know for sure. But probably if it did turn into a series, it would branch off from a few different characters. Like maybe a same world and same storyline, but focus on different people.”
So, what is her new book about? Breeana summed it up for me: “The story is basically a what-if retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin tale. The idea behind it is that tales are told by the most powerful, so the stories that get passed down are from one point of view. And so ‘Rumpelstiltskin’s Daughter’ is, what if Rumpelstiltskin isn’t a bad guy after all? In the real story, the heroes are not nice people. A king and queen get married because he forces her to spin gold for him, and yet Rumpelstiltskin is portrayed as the bad guy. So, my story is more an examination of that.”
Q: When will “Gone Girl” be released at the theater? Seems like I’ve been waiting forever! — Deanna R., via email
A: The long-awaited Ben Affleck-starring thriller — which is based on the best-selling novel by Gillian Flynn, who also wrote the movie’s screenplay — will be in theaters on Oct. 3. Save me a seat and some popcorn, because you can bet I’ll be there!
A: Alexander Ludwig, who played newbie Navy SEAL Shane Patton, is perhaps best known for playing Cato, the career tribute from District 2 in “The Hunger Games.” He’ll also play Bjorn (Ironside) Lothbrok — Ragnar and Lagertha’s now-grown son — in the upcoming season of the History channel’s “Vikings,” which likely will air in spring 2015.
Q: I can’t get enough “Outlander”! Please tell me it will be back for another season. — Eleanor W., The Villages, Fla.
A: I am thrilled to tell you that after its record-shattering opening weekend, Starz did indeed renew the time-traveling/fantasy/historical-drama/romance series for a second season. Early reports say that the second season will be at least 13 episodes (but I'm thinking it'll end up being at least 16, like this season), and it will be based on Diana Gabaldon’s second book in the “Outlander” series, “Dragonfly in Amber.”
Q: Like the rest of the world, I was shocked and heartbroken to hear about Robin Williams’ suicide. I know he was working on some movies before his death. Will any be released posthumously? — Kelli F., via email
A: The consummate funnyman with a heart as big as his funny bone left this world way too soon, as I’m sure we all can agree. He did leave behind four movies that have yet to be released: “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb,” “Merry Friggin’ Christmas,” “Boulevard” and “Absolutely Anything.”
Interview: Everything's Zen with Satisfaction's Tzi Ma
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| Tzi Ma as Satisfaction's Zen Master |
Celebrity Extra: You were working on “24: Live Another Day” when you got the call to come in to work for “Satisfaction.” How did you work that out?
Tzi Ma: It truly was a logistical nightmare. But thank goodness it all worked out, because I tell you, “Satisfaction” was on the brink of replacing me. I was supposed to be in Atlanta by the middle of May, and I was still in England (for “24”). I flew straight from London to Atlanta, and I was still on hold for “24,” just in case we needed to reshoot anything.
I had shot the first episode of “Satisfaction,” but by the time I was done with “24,” they were on the fifth episode. I went and did four episodes in a row. They waited for me. Sean Jablonski, the creator of the show, is so nice. He’s just so generous and so supportive and trusting. It worked out good. I’m so thankful that they waited.
CE: Tell me about the Zen Master.
TM: The one thing I liked about what Sean was, when we talked about the character, we didn’t want this guy to be your stereotypical Zen master who just sits quietly. We’re playing him as a pretty normal guy. And that’s what I appreciate. It’s hard to do these things. Once they say you are the Zen master, you can get stuck. It’s hard to break out of that controlled, stately idea of the character.
You’re supposed to be wise, and you’re supposed to be able to talk in metaphors, and everybody will just say, “Oh my God, this is so crazy and so wonderful.” That’s not how we approached this guy. We approached him as a true practitioner of Zen in that everything’s in the moment. He has no premeditated thoughts about why this guy is coming to him. That’s how we approached the relationship between Neil and the Zen Master. If it were just a regular Zen master, I may not have wanted to play the role.
CE: When you prepared for the role, how did you approach it?
TM: The one thing I asked from our directors was, “If there’s any time that you feel that I’m just reading a line, please let me know, because that’s what I don’t want.” We have wonderful writers on the show, so you don’t want to mess that up. They get paid the big bucks for a reason.
CE: We don’t get to see a lot of the Zen Master, but when we do, his scenes are always important. Will we get to see more of him?
TM: No, I’m never featured heavily. It wouldn’t work that way. It has to be that he’s the guy who comes in and transitions himself out. But there are some little twists in an upcoming episode where it comes out that he is not really using the “Zen” philosophy to talk to Neil about certain things.
TM: I was excited. (Writers) Evan (Katz) and Manny (Coto) called, and they talked to me about it. They said, “We’re thinking about doing this, but it’s going to be really intense. And we don’t want to tell you too much. We really want everyone to be surprised.” We didn’t know what the ending was going to be. But given what they told me, I really felt that this character was almost like a new character. The stakes were much higher because he had nobody to answer to, just like Jack Bauer. That parallel is very exciting.
CE: What was the reaction from “24” viewers concerning your return?
TM: The reaction has been great. The one thing about the fans that’s so cool is that they don’t come up to me and spit in my face, like: “Oh, I hate you! You’re against Jack Bauer!” It’s a love/hate relationship. It’s like: “I hate you. Can I take a picture?” I’m a character actor. I try not to be so visible out in public. To be recognized that way in such a consistent manner because of this show, it’s scary for a character actor. But the fans have been great. They’re writing stuff online like: “Oh my God, I can’t believe it! He’s back! Cheng is back!” I’m really enjoying it.
CE: What are your thoughts on Freddie Prinze Jr.’s statement that during his time on “24,” Kiefer Sutherland was unprofessional and difficult to work with?
TM: Look at what Kiefer’s done for “24.” He’s been in practically every scene, from beginning to end, for nine seasons. That should tell you something about this guy’s work ethic. I don’t know any actor who comes to the set more prepared than him. You can’t carry a show like this being an asshole. Everyone has his moments, even me. The fact is, he doesn’t compromise because he is trying to achieve excellence.
CE: Tell me about your new movie, “Million Dollar Arm.”
TM: It’s a simple movie about an American sports agent (played by Jon Hamm) who’s trying to revive his career because it’s going down the toilet. He wants to create a game show; it’s like “American Idol” but with baseball. He travels to India to find his athletes.
CE: You did a few episodes of “Nash Bridges” back in the day, with one of my favorite actors, Don Johnson. What was that experience like?
TM: I shot the 99th and 100th episodes of the show, so it was a big deal. Don is so generous. He took the entire cast and crew to Vegas for the shoot. We shot at the Mirage, the Bellagio — it was a ball. Don came straight up and said, “Brother, I’m so glad you’re on the show.” He’s another guy who’s really intense. Some people think he’s a diva, but he’s not. The guy is serious about what he’s doing. It’s a bum rap that guys like Don and Kiefer get in terms of being divas or being difficult. They’re not; they’re passionate and professional.
Q and A: Week of Aug. 21
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| Jamie Gray Hyder |
A: Jamie Gray Hyder is perhaps best known for playing Danielle, a werewolf in Alcide’s pack, last season on “True Blood.” After her “TB” stint ended, she went on to co-star on “Graceland” as Lucia Solano, who is just trying to live life on the straight and narrow — unlike her brother, Carlito, and the rest of her family. I spoke with Jamie recently about her new role, as well as what we can expect as “Graceland” wraps up its second season on the USA network.
“Lucia wants to get a real job and be independent and prosperous, in a legal way. She wants to be able to live a normal life and have normal relationships. She doesn’t get to have friends or lovers, because those relationships are constantly ruined by the antics of her brother and the rest of her family. She’s just striving for normalcy and is constantly being dragged through the mud.”
She did give me a little tease as to what to expect in the finale: “It’s a two-part finale, and it’s definitely designed to leave everyone wanting more. I just got done shooting it, and it’s all very fresh in my mind. I’ll tell you this, when I read the finale, I was shocked.”
Q: Is it true that there is going to be another “Terminator” movie? — Kalli R., Modesto, Calif.
A: Arnold Schwarzenegger will be back on July 1, 2015 as the aforementioned Terminator in “Terminator: Genisys.” The fifth installment of the futuristic action series also stars Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen of “Game of Thrones”) as Sarah Connor, Jason Clarke (no relation to Emilia) as John Connor, and Jai Courtney (Eric in the “Divergent” trilogy) as Kyle Reese. I am curious as to the timeline of this film, because Emilia and Jai are in their 20s, and Jason, who plays their son, John, is in his 40s. So, I’ll guess that some crisscrossing time-travel component definitely will play a part in this movie (as in all the “Terminator” films).
Q: What has Adrien Brody been doing lately? — Gina T., via email
A: Next up for Adrien is starring as the great magician-showman Henry Houdini in “Houdini,” the History Channel original miniseries, which airs Sept. 1 and 2 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The miniseries follows the epic tales of Harry Houdini as he emerges as America’s first bona-fide world-renowned superstar. “Houdini” delves deep behind the curtain into his life through his stunts, visions and mastery of illusion.
Q: Will my favorite summer series, “Suits,” be back for another season? — Fallon F., via email
A: USA’s hit legal dramedy, which had its midseason finale Aug. 20, has indeed been renewed for a 16-episode fifth season. Also, look for the second half of season four in spring 2015.
Q: Will my favorite show, “Fargo,” be back for another season? — Paul R., via email
A: You betcha! FX has renewed the critically acclaimed drama — which is based on the Coen brothers’ hit movie of the same name — for a second season, especially after it racked up 18 Emmy nominations! Season two, which will consist of 10 episodes, most likely will air in fall 2015, although no specific date has been set.
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| Adam Korson, photo by Diana Ragland |
A: The Canadian comedy (to which the CW bought the rights) is about a 30-something ne’er-do-well — and previous sperm donor — who becomes acquainted with the offspring he never knew he had. It didn’t do so well in the ratings and was canceled after two shows. The CW has said it plans to air the remaining episodes online.
This truly is a shame for American audiences because I had the pleasure of interviewing series star Adam Korson about the show, and he’s truly one of the nicest people you could ever meet. In Adam’s words about the show: “This is a show for those who want a half-hour to laugh and escape from your everyday life. You’re going to watch it, and you’re going to relate to it. I remember as a kid I would tune into ‘Seinfeld’ because I knew for that half-hour, I was going to be laughing and be taken on a crazy journey. I think that’s good television, and that’s what our show is.”
Q: I’ve loved Portia de Rossi ever since “Ally McBeal,” and especially in “Arrested Development,” but I haven’t seen her in anything lately. What can I see her in next? — Kellie Y., Bowling Green, Ohio
A: The gorgeous and talented actress — and wife of Ellen DeGeneres — will be hitting the small screen this fall when she appears in a multi-episode arc of the hit ABC political drama “Scandal.” And what better way to announce your next project than by your wife “accidentally” letting it slip on Twitter? Ellen recently announced to her millions of Twitter followers: “So annoying when people brag on Twitter, and that’s why I’m not tweeting that Portia just signed on to do a top-secret arc on Scandal. Oops.” “Scandal” returns for its fourth season on Sept. 25 at 9/8c. (Note the time change from last season.)
Q: Can you tell me what Naomi Watts has coming up? She is always such a joy to watch. — Nathan H., Fresno, Calif.
A: The versatile and award-winning actress recently started work in a prominent role in ”Insurgent“ and ”Allegiant,“ movies two and three of the ”Divergent“ trilogy. Naomi plays Evelyn, mother of Four and leader of an insurgent rebel group, the Factionless. She’ll also give viewers more of a glimpse into the background of her son, Four (played by Theo James), the restrained and self-contained Dauntless leader. Shooting began this summer in Atlanta, and is scheduled for a March 20, 2015 premiere date.
Q: Is ”Boardwalk Empire“ returning for another season? — Gord, Mission, British Columbia
A: The Emmy Award-winning HBO drama will return for its fifth and final season on Sept. 7. This eight-episode season takes place during the depths of the Depression in 1931, wherein Enoch ”Nucky“ Thompson (played by Steve Buscemi) recalls his Atlantic City roots and plots a post-Prohibition future. Says series creator Terence Winter: ”We look forward to bringing it to a powerful and exciting conclusion.“
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| Katheryn Winnick |
A: I do have some casting news: History announced that for season three of the hit historical drama, Lothaire Bluteau will portray Emperor Charles of France, a powerful man who views battling the Vikings as spiritual and earthly; Kevin Durand will play the Wanderer, a mysterious man who is not what he seems; Morgane Polanski has been cast as Princess Gisla, the elegant, self-possessed daughter of Emperor Charles; and Ben Robson will play Kalf, Lagertha’s (Katheryn Winnick) trusted second in command.
Q: I can’t seem to get enough of “Falling Skies”! Can you tell me if it will be back next summer? — Dean P., via email
A: “Falling Skies” will indeed return to TNT next summer to wrap up its epic story during its fifth (and final) season. Ten new episodes in summer 2015 will tie a pretty (or not-so-pretty) bow on the hit sci-fi drama, and I’m hoping that all of our questions will be answered. But, now that I think about it, I kind of hope all of our questions WON’T be answered so there will be a reason for a future big-screen version of the series (like “Star Trek” and “The X-Files”).
And speaking of hit dramas, TNT also has renewed two more of its chart-topping summer series: Freshman drama “The Last Ship” will be back for a 13-episode season two (up from a 10-episode first season). Courtroom/crime drama “Major Crimes” also has been renewed for a fourth season, with a 15-episode order.
Q: My mom told me that she heard my favorite book, “The Red Tent,” is being made into a movie. Is that true? If so, can you tell me what you know about it? — Jessica G., Reno, Nevada
A: Production began in May in Morocco on Lifetime’s major two-night miniseries “The Red Tent,” which is based on the best-selling novel by Anita Diamant. For those unfamiliar with the book, “The Red Tent” is the sweeping tale of Dinah, the daughter of Leah and Jacob, who was seen only in small glimpses in the Old Testament. The miniseries will air later this year, and stars Minnie Driver, Morena Baccarin, Rebecca Ferguson (as Dinah), Iain Glen, Will Tudor and Debra Winger.
The miniseries begins with Dinah’s happy childhood spent inside the red tent, where only the women of her tribe are allowed to gather and share the traditions and turmoil of ancient womanhood. Told through Dinah’s eyes, the film recounts the story of her mothers Leah (Minnie), Rachel (Morena), Zilpah and Bilhah — the four wives of Jacob (Iain) — and Jacob’s courtship of them. The saga continues as Dinah matures and experiences an intense love that subsequently leads to a devastating loss, changing her and her family’s lives forever. Debra portrays Rebecca, Jacob’s mother, while Will stars as Joseph, Dinah’s brother.
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