Showing posts with label Hallmark Channel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hallmark Channel. Show all posts
Interview: Bree Williamson's Unexpected Journey
Celebrity Extra: What did you think when you first read the script and were considering the role of April?
Bree Williamson: I empathize with being at a crossroads in your life, where you’re doing really well and you’re feeling successful and everything’s great, but you’re not feeling completely fulfilled. She went on an unexpected journey. She goes to her hometown, and she’s swept away in the journey of finding love. She’s a really cool character; I thought it was written very well, and it is a really sweet love story that my son can watch.
CE: The chemistry between all of you onscreen was very good. Did you all get along well off-screen too?
BW: We did. It wasn’t acting. We really did all get along. I had a great time. It was really fun to work with everybody. It was a fun set, and we teased each other a lot. And Jason (Dohring, who plays Luke) really likes to work. He was available and really wanted to make it a great film and a great experience. Plus, he’s really a nice guy. And Frances Fisher is so cool. I love her so much. Caitlin Carmichael is just the sweetest little girl ever. I’m always fascinated with young actors and was impressed by how she was such a pro. I really enjoyed working with her.
CE: She really is phenomenal. She handled all the fun scenes well, and with her crying scene, she knocked it out of the park!
BW: I’ve seen grown-up actors who have to cry, and they’ll call for a clear set so they can cry, and be very high maintenance about it. But Caitlin was just such a pro about it. She was amazing.
CE: How was it working with Hallmark?
BW: Amazing. It’s a great network. They treated me so nicely. I can’t say enough. It was such a positive experience. I loved the entire crew, the hair and makeup, wardrobe. The director, Kristoffer Tabori, was amazing. He’s a classy guy. He was so open to talking about everything and the whole process. Plus, I was home every night at a regular time, and that’s a dream situation for an actor, especially for a mom. I can’t say enough good stuff about the experience. It was so wonderful.
CE: What do you hope viewers take away from the movie?
BW: I always hope that everybody just ends up feeling great after they watch something, that it brings some joy and happiness into their life. If it means more to them, that’s awesome, but that’s all I really want.
Interview: Eric Mabius Delivers in New Hallmark Channel Series
Celebrity Extra: Tell me about your decision to work with Hallmark again, this time in a regular capacity by starring in a series.
Eric Mabius: As you said, I’d worked with Hallmark before on a couple of movies, and I thought: ”Why not? Why not Hallmark? Why not do an original series?” I firmly believe, and I think Hallmark shares the same belief, that this show is going to change everyone’s opinion of Hallmark. It’s not your mother’s Hallmark anymore. It’s really taking on issues in a way that’s still family-friendly, but much more; it’s not just escapism.
I was blessed enough to have a great family of actors on “Ugly Betty” and a significant amount of success. Actors wait their whole careers to have one of those, and I didn’t have to wait that long. And I just didn’t think I’d necessarily find the same thing again. But I found something better now. Because I feel more in a place to appreciate there’s an evolution going on. Being an actor with two children now and finally in my 40s, I just feel like everything lined up in such a wonderful way.
CE: Tell me about Oliver.EM: Oliver has a very strong moral compass. He has a belief system, but he doesn’t shove it down people’s throats. He sees the greatness in people and tries to inspire them in the workplace. At different times, the audience gets to view this world through each of the character’s eyes, rather than just choosing one viewpoint as the audience filter. Martha keeps turning the content in on itself, so just when you think you know the road the show’s going to go down, it changes. She challenges us as actors, and I think the audience members as well.
CE: I know it’s early, but are you looking forward to a second season?
EM: I don’t think there are many forces on Earth that could stop this show from coming back next season. But networks have to go through their process. There’s already talk of a Christmas film for the show, just so the audience doesn’t have to go a whole year waiting for the second season. I am not trying to be boastful, I just mean that we’re aiming toward many seasons.
CE: Can you give me any clues as to what to expect this season?
EM: We’re moving toward a very big finale, and that is not set in stone yet. But we want to get it right. And we aren’t pouring everything into the finale. There are some episodes coming up that will feel like a type of finale, and that’s what’s great. Martha has so much left in her repertoire, there’s no end to how long this show could run. As these characters evolve and become more fully human, they help each other. There’s sort of a steady state that has been achieved when you start the series, in that Oliver has created this world of his own invention, and he fills it with people he can help mold. That falls by the wayside as we learn more about him, and Shane (McInerney, Oliver's newest protege, played by Kristin Booth) exposes his vulnerabilities. He addresses what will come to a head as this issue with his wife, and his belief that she’ll return one day. Shane challenges him on a daily basis with regard to his faith, and even though you can’t shake it, he’s learning how to justify it.
Interview: Mark Steines' Perfect App for Your Life
Now we get to see Mark in an environment that suits him for his — and his fans’ — changing life. Since October 2012, Mark has co-hosted, along with Cristina Ferrare, the Hallmark Channel’s hit daytime talk show “Home and Family.” I spoke with Mark recently, and he told me all about his new job at Hallmark, which, he says, truly is like family.
Celebrity Extra: You were a mainstay on “Entertainment Tonight” for 17 years; what made you decide to leave?
Mark Steines: I think it had to do with a variety of things, but mostly it was personal. Just to spend time with my family — my kids were growing, and I was gone so much on the road several times a week. I have over 3 million miles just on American Airlines alone. And when I was present, I was either tired or recuperating from things. Almost every vacation I took I was called away from early or was delayed taking off because of something that I felt was consequential. The older I got I went, “Really? My family is much more important to me than some of these things.”
But pop culture has to thrive, and you have to continue to stay on top of it. It’s ever-changing. And with TMZ and the Internet — I don’t want to give all the credit to TMZ, but they really came in and made a big splash with their website — things were breaking constantly. Trying to keep up with them and ahead of them doing a show every night at 7 or 7:30 — they’re breaking news around the clock on their website — was hard.
CE: What’s a big difference between working on “ET” versus “Home and Family”?
MS: The big difference is I used to have to go to the stars, now they come to me. And our show isn’t really “star” based in that regard. Typically when they come on, we try to unmask that celebrity, and we take them into the kitchen with us or we’ll do a DIY project with them. We’ll build something. We’ll make something. We’ll do a catch-water system. We’ll talk about gardening, if they are into that. What I always really wanted to do with celebrities is to see the other side of them. What really makes them tick? That’s what I like about this show. Plus I don’t have to go anywhere. Granted, it’s about an hour commute for me every day each way. So, that’s a pain in the butt, but it’s a lot better than having to go to LAX, sit at the terminal and wait for my plane.
CE: Was it difficult to adjust to your new work schedule and pace?
MS: It took a while for me to do a couple of things: With “ET,” the style of hosting — and this is an editorial on my part — it’s very sort of superficial, high energy, almost yelling, trying to make it look like you’re not. Just really ramped up. With “Home and Family,” I had to shed that skin, and know that taking the beats and letting them play was enough. We have a two-hour show. We have a lot of real estate to cover.
And the other thing was with “ET” it was very hard to show personality because there just wasn’t time for it. You could find a couple of moments here and there maybe, but it was just so edited. So, here, when it came time to really be me, I didn’t know which end was up. I thought, “Well, do I say that? Should I say that? We don’t have time for that. Does anybody really care about my opinion or my insights or my thoughts on this and how I feel about it?” But I learned to talk a little bit more and share a little bit more of my personal life on camera. It was tough at first. Cristina, my co-host, is very good at that. So, that part was quite a transition.
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| Mark and Cristina at "Home" |
CE: What are some of the things you really like about hosting “Home and Family”?
MS: There are so many, but I think what I enjoy most about the show is when people come on, there’s the same reaction — it doesn’t matter if they are a big celebrity or a doctor who’s come on to talk — they comment about how different this show feels from any other that they’ve been on. And it’s because we are in a real house. This isn’t a fake set with flaps and you think: “Oh, I see. That’s where the host goes, behind that flap.” This is a real house with real, working appliances, bathrooms, everything. It disarms people, because we don’t have high-end furniture, and it’s flatly lit. So, you come on and you feel like you’re just hanging at somebody’s house. Our guests become very comfortable very quickly.
Some people, when their segment is up, they don’t want to leave. We had singer Edwin McCain on the show, and it turned out that he and his wife had adopted a baby, and we were doing a segment with this doctor about swaddling babies. He was like, “Can I be in that? I’ve always wanted to know, because I have my little one, and I’m trying to learn to do this, and I’m not quite getting it right.” It was a very organic thing that happened, and people enjoy that.
CE: I love seeing celebrities just doing normal things like that: learning to swaddle, to garden, to cook.
MS: Yeah, people come on our show, and they’ll get a chance to go in the kitchen, if we are doing cooking, or are working on a grill. They share with us the things that they are into, and we try to incorporate that into the show. That is what I really like about it. There’s no other show like it on television, and that’s what made me want to be a part of it. This is something that I want to do. It’s home and it’s family. And that’s what I’m into.
This weekend at the Television Critics Association’s press tour, Cristina and I were reflecting on our show, and I said, “You know, you can’t have a home and a family, and not really be a family in a home and make it work.” The same thing is, you can’t fake two hours a day — pretend to be somebody you’re not two hours a day, five days a week. Over a period of time, the real jerk will come out if that is who you are. So, you have to be who you are and just trust that the audience is going to like it. You have to be authentic. And our viewers, I think, get a good dose of that.
CE: It sounds like you all really have become a family on the show.
MS: I worked with “ET” for 17 years, and I was never this close to people there; it’s just such a big operation, and you feel like you get lost in it. This is a small show with a big heart. And Hallmark believes in us. We’re the cornerstone of their daytime programming, and I love it. I watched the Golden Globes, and I was thinking that I just didn’t miss it at all. The red carpet is one of the worst assignments, in my opinion, that you can get because there’s so much pressure to get something, and you typically fall flat.
CE: What can we expect from “Home and Family” to come?
MS: We typically look at the different seasons like everybody. We want to live our lives, and we teach you how to live your life better. So, as we go through the different seasons — right now we are heading out of the holiday season, and we’re moving into Valentine’s Day and the Super Bowl stuff. I know we are going to have relationship experts on. I always find those segments fascinating, because we talk about body language, sleep positions that people are in. What does it say about your relationship?
We’re also moving into spring, so I know we’ll start doing more and more stuff with Shirley Bovshow, our gardening expert. How to take care of a good lawn to moving more outdoors, so we’ll have that sort of thing. And then we’ll move into cooking and barbecuing. I’m sure we’ll start moving into that direction once things start thawing out. Our show is the perfect app for your life.
Speaking of guests, I have to tell you about this. We had “The Amazing Kreskin,” the world-famous mentalist, on the show recently. That guy blew me away. I have no idea how he did his stuff. It was ridiculous. He put a locked container in our house and told us, “I’ll be back here next year, and we’ll open it.” He predicted what was going to happen in 2014 and wrote it down, and he put it inside the container. So, I think that’s a good sign because that means we’ll get picked up for season three if he knows he’s coming back next year.
Interview: Catherine Bell Is Making Magic
Celebrity Extra: When you first were approached to do the “The Good Witch” series, what was your initial reaction, and what tilted the scales in favor of taking the role?
Catherine Bell: It’s funny — I have been playing characters who are really different from “The Good Witch.” And when I saw the script, I thought, “Well, this character is more like me than any other character I’ve ever played.” So, that was appealing. And I thought it was funny that I was just offered the role; I didn’t have to audition for it, but I’d never played a role like it. Orly Adelson, one of the producers, had heard from a casting director that my personality is actually like this character. I thought it was sort of a risk to take. I mean, I’ve played kind of the tough girl on “J.A.G.” and an army wife, and so this is very different, but I love it.
CE: You say that you are a lot like Cassie; what are some similarities between you two, and what do you like about her?
CB: She’s just got a great sense of humor and a great enthusiasm, and just enjoys people and makes people happy. Those are all things I can certainly relate to. I find people interesting, and try to find the best in them or bring out the best.
CE: Cassie is very likable and seems like a really fun character to play.
CB: She’s very whimsical. Very rarely does anything get her down. Maybe for a moment, but then she finds a way to turn it around. She has such a great, positive spirit. That inspires me in real life to have fun. It’s like, OK, I’m feeling a little down. Maybe I could be a little bit more like Cassie. It’s a really fun role to step into. Every time I come back (to shoot another installment in the series), I put on the clothes and the dark nail polish, and I step right back into Cassie, and start making or turning anything into something good or fun.
CE: What I like about the series is that while each movie is a continuation of the previous movie, the individual movies also stand on their own, so anyone can enjoy them. Can you tell me about this latest offering, “The Good Witch’s Destiny”?
CB: Cassie’s birthday is coming up, and she wants all of her family and friends to get together, but some problems are brewing. Gwen, the grandfather’s wife, her son comes into town, and he’s trouble. There’s someone that is always trouble in this movie, you know, and he’s kind of creating some problems for them. Then Cassie’s stepdaughter, Lori, finds out about the Grey Lady. She’s a woman who looks a lot like Cassie — she’s actually one of her ancestors who brought her to this small town. She lived a hundred years ago, and she died in a mysterious way. There are all these parallels in her life and in my character’s life, and all of these weird things are happening that are kind of lining up a little too much like the Grey Lady.
And like you said, each movie kind of stands alone. So, in this one there’s a problem that’s brewing that might ruin her birthday celebration, and she’s got to figure out a way to bring everyone together. She’s got to make some magic happen.
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| (L to R) Hannah Endicott-Douglas, Matthew Knight, Catherine Bell, Chris Potter, Peter MacNeill, Libby Lennie |
CB: Entertainment can either be shocking, or it can make you think, or it can sort of make you question your purpose in life, or it can just either make you laugh or cry. This is one that makes you feel good. It makes you feel good about people and about family and relationships and life. That should be the purpose for me doing these, and for people watching — I hope that’s what they get out of them.
CE: It must make you feel good to be the purveyor of this feel-good karma!
CB: It’s crazy — of all the things I’ve done, I would say that I get equal, if not more, recognition for this role. If I’m at an airport or out somewhere, someone will walk up and say, “Oh my God, it’s a good witch!” I was on “Army Wives” and “J.A.G.” for a long time, so I find that really sweet and really endearing when I get some Cassie love. People love this show, and that makes me feel good. I don’t think there are a lot of shows on television you can watch that aren’t shocking, that aren’t dark or horrible, that you can watch with your kids, that they can get some sort of lesson out of it or have a good time. Me being a mom, that is important to me as well.
CE: You’re in Canada now filming the seventh “Good Witch” movie, correct?
CB: I am. I was in Toronto for the weekend, and I’m driving back to Hamilton, which is where we film. I’m back on set tomorrow for the last four days of shooting.
CE: Have you filmed the whole series up there in Hamilton?
CB: Yes, we’ve done all of them up here in this area just outside Toronto called Hamilton. There’s a cute little town called Dundas. It’s like a 100-year-old little town that has a cute main street where the shops are. Cassie’s original house was like a Victorian kind of haunted house that we found up here. We’ve been here with almost all the same crew — a lot of the same people, the same cast. The kids are the same, the grandparents and my hubby (played by Chris Potter) are all the same people. It’s a really great group. It actually feels like family. I’m back with the family and here we are doing another one. It’s fun. I really enjoy it.
CE: Does that mean you’d be on board for even more “Good Witch” movies if Hallmark comes a-callin’?
CB: I’m sure I would. They seem to just keep going, don’t they? And they’re always fun. I really enjoy playing this part. It’s a nice refreshing change.
CE: But that’s not to say you don’t enjoy your share of daring and shocking shows as well, right?
CB: Yeah, absolutely. I’m just catching up now on season three of “Breaking Bad,” and I love those shows as well. There is a time and a place for everything, I guess. But Hallmark is just that feel-good channel. Like you watch it and you think, “Oh yeah, it’s not so bad. Life is good.” Now a lot of people tell me that this is their guilty pleasure, that they’ll just sometimes stay in bed all day on a Sunday and watch “The Good Witch” marathon. It’s kind of nice. It’s just light and it’s refreshing. So, that certainly makes me feel good.
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| (L to R) Wendy Davis, Brooke Shields, Elle McLemore, Torrey DeVitto, ALyssa Diaz, Ashanti, Kelli Williams and Catherine Bell |
CB: I’m looking at new options. “Army Wives” just finished up after seven seasons. We’re all done. I wish I would have known we weren’t coming back (for an eighth season), because I’m sure our writers would have wrapped up the show a little more definitively. We had some great story lines that were left hanging.
So, as soon as I get back from Canada, I’ve got meetings. I’m looking at new shows and new possibilities, which is kind of exciting. We’ll see which way the future goes, but I’m excited. I’m looking forward to something new and totally different.
CE: Lifetime is planning a two-hour retrospective “Army Wives” special with cast members, which is scheduled to air early next year. Do you know how you’ll be involved with that, or is it too early yet to know?
CB: I’m actually not sure. None of that has been worked out. I don’t know exactly what Lifetime has in mind or what’s happening there or how much of that I’ll be a part. It would be nice.
Q and A: Week of Oct. 14
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| Ed Weeks |
A: The slim and fit Ed Weeks did not have to pack on the pounds to play stress-eating Reed. The British actor wears padding to simulate his character’s weight gain. Since it’s a comedy, I suppose it’s OK that he didn’t get all Robert De Niro in “Raging Bull” on us for the role.
Q: I was reading somewhere that a cable network is planning to turn the movie “American Psycho” into a TV series. Is this true? If so, how is this even possible? — Tandy W., Bowling Green, Ohio
A: You heard correctly: FX is planning a series based on the violent, bloody, cult-classic comedy/drama that brilliantly spoke of the vanity and excess of the ’80s corporate cutthroat (literally and figuratively) culture. Word has it that the series will pick up in the present time, with crazy corporate killer Patrick Bateman now in his 50s, and he’s grooming an apprentice to be just like him.
Q: Whatever happened to the planned “CHiPs” movie? I’d heard a while back that the series was going to be remade into a feature film. — Danny A., via e-mail
A: Word about the production broke back in 2005, and even as recent as 2010, the project was in development with Warner Brothers to make a “CHiPs” movie, with Wilmer Valerrama attached to star as Ponch. However, the project stalled in the development phase, and no one has seen hide nor hair of it since.
In my opinion, the remake would need to be handled like Ben Stiller did with his “Starsky and Hutch” remake, or else I couldn’t see the concept working. This “CHiPs” stall-out seems to be catching: Seasons one and two of the original cop show have been released on DVD, but there’s no word yet on when season three will come out.
Q: I love “NCIS,” and was looking forward to the spinoff starring Kim Raver. It’s not anywhere on CBS’s schedule. Has it been scrapped? — Pauline F., Harrisburg, Pa.
A: Plans for “NCIS: Red,” which also would have starred John Corbett, have indeed been scrapped. But, don’t worry: If you need more “NCIS,” you’ll be happy to hear about plans for a spinoff set in New Orleans. This spring, CBS will air an episode of “NCIS” that will serve as the jumping-off point for the spinoff, and if all goes well, “NCIS: New Orleans” could very well appear on CBS’s 2014 fall schedule.
If you need more Kim Raver, she’s rumored to be reprising her role of Audrey Raines in this spring’s “24: Live Another Day” on Fox (along with Kiefer Sutherland and Mary Lynn Rajskub).
Q: I absolutely cannot wait until Nov. 22 when “Catching Fire” opens in theaters. Do you have any “Hunger Games” trilogy-related scoops for me? — Nina M., via email
A: I, too, am counting the days until “Catching Fire” opens. And now, with the knowledge of the casting news about the two-part “Mockingjay,” I am counting the days until those movies open, too. It seems that one of my favorite actresses, Julianne Moore, has been cast as President Alma Coin in the “Hunger Games Trilogy” finale. “Mockingjay, Part One” and “Part Two” are scheduled for release in November 2014 and 2015, respectively.
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| Catherine Bell |
A: I recently spoke with “The Good Witch’s Destiny” star Catherine Bell, and she told me all about this latest installment in the family-friendly series, which premieres Saturday, Oct. 26 at 9/8c and re-airs throughout the week. First, the reason she accepted the role: “I had been playing characters completely different from ’The Good Witch,’ and when I saw the script, I saw that this character was more like me than any I’d ever played. So that was appealing. And I was just offered the role; I didn’t have to audition for it. I’d never played anyone like her — I was the tough girl on ’Jag,’ and I was an Army wife, and I love it!”
Catherine gave me a little tease as to what this movie will bring for Cassie Nightingale: “Cassie’s been married for a little while. She’s got the two stepkids. Basically she’s got a birthday coming up, and she wants to get everyone together, but there are some problems brewing. Gwen’s son comes to town, and he’s trouble, and he’s creating some problems. One of my ancestors — who looks just like me and who lived in this small town 100 years ago — is the Gray Lady. She died in a mysterious way, and there are all these weird things happening that are lining up a little too much like the Gray Lady.”
Come back tomorrow to read my entire interview with Catherine.
Q: Is “Anderson Live” coming back? Please don’t tell me it’s been canceled. — Maryanne M., via e-mail
A: I am sorry to report that Anderson Cooper’s daytime talk show was canceled after airing for two seasons. The final show aired at the end of May.
READERS: In more Hallmark Channel news, I just received word that “Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove,” which stars Andie MacDowell, has been renewed for a second season, which will premiere some time in 2014. Hallmark Channel’s first-ever scripted primetime series has been smashing records for the channel since its debut this past July. Andie MacDowell, Dylan Neal, Teryl Rothery, Bruce Boxleitner and Barbara Niven will all return for the second season.
Q and A: Week of Sept. 9
If you read my review of “Eleanor and Park,” then you know that I love the book, and why. I spoke with Rainbow about her feelings while writing it, and she told me: “With this book, I do remember saying that I wanted people to feel in their stomach that feeling of being in love for the first time. When you’re at that age where even if you’re not actually in love, you feel those feelings so deeply. I honestly think you have the capacity to feel love and infatuation and all of those feelings to a much greater capacity when you’re that age — that intense first love, like every cell in your body is part of it.”
And if you want to explore more of Rainbow’s writings, her third book, “Fangirl,” was just released yesterday (check back here soon for my review, as well as my entire interview with Rainbow). And while I don’t like to play favorites, I think I might like “Fangirl” even more than “Eleanor and Park.”
Q: I think I’ve read this question in your column before, but I can’t remember your answer. Will “China Beach” ever be released on DVD? I loved that series, and I wish I could watch it again. — Beverly W., via e-mail
A: I’ve gotten scores of letters asking that same question, and I finally have a definitive answer for you: On Oct. 1, fans can finally own the critically acclaimed, Dana Delany-starring hit series. For the show’s 25th anniversary, the complete series will be available in a 21-disc collector’s set in stores and online. You can also buy them one season at a time, if you prefer, but the collector’s set is way cool.
Q: With Halloween approaching, it got me to wondering if Catherine Bell will be in another “Good Witch” movie on the Hallmark Channel? Those are my favorite. — Betty S., Tulsa, Okla.
A: Catherine and company will return to the Hallmark Channel on Oct. 26 with “The Good Witch’s Destiny.” In this sixth installment of the series, all Cassie Nightingale (Catherine) wants for her birthday is for her family and friends to be together. As her special day approaches, Lori discovers signs of a curse looming over Cassie. Check back in October for my exclusive interview with Catherine where I'll get all the details!
Q: You mentioned a show set in the 1940s about the mafia that was supposed to air on TNT called “Lost Angels,” but I can’t find mention of it anywhere. Can you help? — Douglas B. in Ohio
A: The latest TNT drama has been renamed “Mob City” and is set to premiere Dec. 4. The show centers on the epic battle between a determined police chief and a dangerous mobster that inflames 1940s Los Angeles, and stars Jon Bernthal, Neal McDonough and Ed Burns.
Q: Can you tell me what to look forward to in the next season of “The Mindy Project”? Will she still be with Casey? — Deanna W., via e-mail
A: Well, it looks as if Mindy and Casey might be kaput after returning from their yearlong good-will trip to Haiti. “Justified” star Timothy Olyphant has signed on to guest star as a love interest of Mindy. Viewers will note that this isn’t Timothy’s first foray into sitcoms — he guest-starred on two episodes of “The Office” back in 2010.
Head over to Hulu to get a sneak peek at the entire first episode of the season, which returns to Fox on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 9:30/8:30c.
Q: You mentioned a while back that “Eastbound and Down” had been resurrected for a fourth season. Can you tell me when it’ll premiere? — Donnie R., via e-mail
A: Danny McBride and his glorious mullet will be back for eight new raucous episodes beginning Sept. 29 on HBO for its “epic final season.” Lindsay Lohan is set to make a cameo (as who, I won’t say, so as not to spoil it for you).
Q and A: Week of May 13
Q: I really enjoy “The Good Witch” movies with Catherine Bell. Are they planning to make more? — Roberta F., North Rose, N.Y. A: The Hallmark Channel’s “Good Witch” series will be a six-part series, with “The Good Witch’s Charm,” the fifth movie in the series, being the most recent, having aired in October 2012. The final installment, “The Good Witch’s Destiny,” is scheduled for release at some point this year, although an exact date has not been revealed.
Q: Can you tell me why these shows are no longer on the air: “All My Children” and “One Live to Live”? — Pat A., Columbia, S.C.
A: While I normally don’t cover daytime dramas in this column, what happened here is so miraculous in the TV world, I have to mention it. “All My Children” and “One Live to Live” — which ended in September 2011 and January 2012, respectively — were canceled due to low ratings and cost. However, after much negotiation and legal wrangling, on April 29, both shows came back to life (with many of the core cast members reprising their roles) as 30-minute webisodes via production company Prospect Park. Fans can view daily episodes on Hulu, Hulu Plus and iTunes. Prospect Park recently announced plans to resuscitate CBS’s “As the World Turns” and “Guiding Light” at a later date.
Q: The “Vikings” series on the History Channel reminded me of an article I read years ago about Mel Gibson making a Viking movie with Leonardo DiCaprio. Is this movie going to happen? — Lavourne, E., Willmar, Minn.
A: As recently as August 2012, Mel has said that “Berserkers” is still in the works; however, Leo is no longer attached to the project. Mel has been working on rewriting the script with his “Braveheart” writer, Randall Wallace. While there has been no word on “Berserkers” since the record-breaking success of the History Channel’s “Vikings,” considering the viewing public’s new love affair with all things savage and Nordic, I’m thinking Mel’s movie would fare well at the box office, if he decides to proceed.
Q: I heard that this will be the final season of “Merlin” on the Syfy channel. Is this true? I really enjoy this series and would miss it, along with the interesting and talented actors. Can its fans do anything to keep in on the air? — Carol C., Rochester, N.Y.
A: The 13-episode fifth season of “Merlin,” which began airing on Syfy here in the U.S. on May 5, is indeed the final season for the fantasy/adventure series. The show, which aired first in the U.K., is a production of BBC One that has been syndicated here in the States. So, we can complain all we want to Syfy, but unfortunately, it most likely won’t get the show back. The series already concluded in the U.K. over Christmas, and all five seasons are available on DVD.
Interview: Sherry Stringfield on Love and Priorities
She was my favorite Blake on “Guiding Light,” she played David Caruso’s ex-wife on “NYPD Blue,” and she saved lives and romanced Dr. Greene as Dr. Susan Lewis on “ER.” But this month we get to see a different, softer side of Sherry Stringfield when she stars in the Hallmark Channel original movie “Beverly Lewis’ The Confession,” which premieres Saturday, May 11 at 9/8c. This heartwarming, perfect-for-Mother’s-Day movie has Sherry reprising her role of Laura Mayfield-Bennett, a terminally ill wealthy heiress who is searching for the daughter she gave up for adoption many years ago. Katie Lapp, played by Katie Leclerc, is Laura’s long-lost daughter, who was adopted as an infant by an Amish family, who in the first movie of the “The Heritage of Lancaster County” series, “The Shunning,” has been “shunned” from the Amish community for her refusal to marry Bishop John.
Celebrity Extra: “The Shunning” ended with Laura looking for Katie, but they don’t end up finding each other. Was that loose end a reason you decided to return to this series in “The Confession,” and what were some other reasons you agreed to reprise your role?
Sherry Stringfield: Obviously I thought that this story is just so compelling. There’s a general fascination with the Amish, I think, so that was intriguing. And I just love a girl’s coming of age tale and what it’s like to have to leave home and to set your sights on the future for the first time as a young woman. I just don’t come across scripts like this too often that are positive and in depth about young women and relationships between mother and daughter.
There was a little more intrigue in the first movie, wondering if Laura and Katie will meet. The movie itself is just gorgeous. All the locations in the first one were rural and just so beautiful and refreshing. So yes, I was compelled to do the second one having done the first one.
CE: How was it for you to play this role of Laura, who’s desperate to find her daughter, and who also has a time limit, since Laura is dying of cancer?
SS: Oh God, it was hard. This second movie was so emotional because Laura was dealing with her illness and dying, and just trying to make sense of their life knowing that it is coming to an end. She so desperately wants to know that part of life and her daughter — the part that made her vulnerable to the machinations of her husband. She needed to have her life make sense before she died.
CE: Both movies were directed by Michael Landon Jr. How was he to work with, as well as the rest of the cast?
SS: Hilarious. He’s such a doll. He’s just a sweetheart. The cast was great — real fun. I also loved North Carolina, where we shot the movie. It’s funny too, because shooting in North Carolina, it felt healthy. It was like clean drinking water, everything about it. The air and the nature around us, and it was a nice vibe, and the actors were so nice and talented.
CE: What is it about the Hallmark Channel that made you want to work with them again?
SS: I like that the stories are straight-forward; they are a little more family-oriented. There’s no violence, which I hate. I’m so tired of violence. And now violence is really in our lives in a real way, and I just can’t go there. I just can’t. I like that things aren’t violent.
CE: After watching the movie, what message do you hope viewers take away with them?
SS: This is a reminder about what’s really important in life, and how life’s so fragile. We’re all just here. I hope the movie will make people think about what they’re doing with their life and what their priorities are, and do they have love in it.
Q and A: Week of May 6
A: You can see Sherry this Mother’s Day weekend when she stars in the Hallmark Channel original movie, “The Confession.” It’s a sequel to the top-rated “The Shunning,” both of which are based on the best-selling novels by Beverly Lewis, and both of which Sherry stars in. Sherry plays Laura Mayfield Bennett, a wealthy, terminally ill heiress who recently began searching for the daughter she gave up for adoption to a loving Amish couple.
When I spoke with Sherry recently, she told me why she wanted to work on this movie, and with the Hallmark Channel again: “I like that the stories are straightforward; they are a little more family-oriented. There’s no violence, which I hate. I’m so tired of violence. And now violence is really in our lives in a real way, and I just can’t go there. I just can’t.”
Instead, Sherry hopes people will take away a message of love and forgiveness when they watch this movie. “This is a reminder about what’s really important in life. And how life’s so fragile. We’re all just here. I hope the movie will make people think about what they’re doing with their life and what their priorities are, and do they have love in it?”
“The Confession” premieres Saturday, May 11, at 9/8c on the Hallmark Channel, and check back Wednesday for my full interview with Sherry.
Q: Ever since you mentioned “Devious Maids,” I can’t wait for it to start. Do you know when that will be? — Pamela L., Austin, Texas
A: The all-new drama, brought to you by Marc Cherry and Eva Longoria, premieres June 23 on Lifetime at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The 13-episode series stars Ana Ortiz, Roselyn Sanchez, Susan Lucci, Grant Show and Brett Cullen, and explores the lives of five maids with ambitions and dreams of their own while they work for the rich and famous in Beverly Hills.
Q: I saw a promo on TV for a series called “Cedar Cove,” which I’m hoping is based on Debbie Macomber’s books. Do you know when and where I can see this? — Joanne C., via e-mail
A: The Andie MacDowell-starring drama, which is indeed based on the book series of the same name by Debbie Macomber, premieres July 20 on the Hallmark Channel at 8/7c.
Q: I have been anxiously awaiting new episodes of “America’s Most Wanted.” Has it been canceled? — Peter J., Harrisburg, Pa.
A: I am sad to report that Lifetime has canceled the crime-fighting series, which was hosted by John Walsh. However, the network is developing a pilot with John; stay tuned for more info on that as it becomes available.
Q: Can you tell me when “Call of the Wildman” will be back? — James R., Bowling Green, Ohio
A: Turtleman and company will be back for a 20-episode second season on Animal Planet beginning Sunday, June 2, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. This season, “Turtleman” Ernie Brown Jr. hits the road and travels to Texas and Mexico to rescue wild critters in the hit reality series. Kentucky’s most famous backwoods animal-trapper acknowledges his strange appeal to audiences, saying, “People think I’m crazy, but they can’t help but like me.”
Q: I’m a big fan of MTV’s “Buckwild,” and I wondered if the show will continue after the death of Shain Gandee? — Gerry T., Bentonville, Ark.
A: MTV spokesman Jake Urbanski said that although it was not an easy decision, “given Shain’s tragic passing and essential presence on the show, we felt it was not appropriate to continue without him.”
“Buckwild” producer J.P. Williams of Parallel Entertainment announced last month that he has already sent out a casting call in Texas and Alaska, with plans to retool and recast the show in one of those states, with plans to shop the show around to other networks.
Interview: Kellie Martin Explores New Territory
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| Kellie Martin as Capt. Nicole Galassin (Photo courtesy Lifetime Television/ Army Wives) |
Celebrity Extra: Your role on “Army Wives” is definitely one your fans haven’t seen you play yet. How did the whole thing come about?
Kellie Martin: A friend of mine, a writer friend from “ER,” called me up and said: “Would you be open to playing a lesbian military intelligence officer? We’re going to explore the world after Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” And I thought: “Yeah! That sounds really interesting.” I have never played anyone in the military; I’ve never played a lesbian. That’s rare for me to say, since I’ve been doing this 30 years — I’ve played everything. But that is something I’ve never played.
I didn’t know that it was going to be as much of a story line as it turned out to be. I did eight episodes. I really feel like they hit the highlights of this woman’s life and how fast this couple’s world changed after the repeal. The way all of a sudden they were able to have more friends, they got married, they got a baby — it really hit all the high points.
CE: You sound like you really enjoyed playing this character.
KM: Oh yes, I was honored to play this woman. I thought she was so brave and so smart, yet in her personal life, she had to hide. It was really fun to play someone who comes out. And then to have Patti LuPone play my mom again was awesome. That’s the third time Patti’s played my mom on television. And it was just an honor.
I have so many people who tweet at me or who just come up to me and say, “You don’t know how this story line has changed my life.” Or, “This is me. This is exactly me. And I’ve been in the closet for years, and I’m in the Navy.” It’s nice to make people feel like they are not alone in this often-challenging world. I feel like Capt. Galassin is the girl next door. Everybody knows someone like her. I’m just very proud of “Army Wives” and Lifetime for following through with the story line like they did.
CE: Like with “ER,” you came onto an established show with established actors in place; did it make you a little nervous? How is the “Army Wives” cast to work with?
KM: It’s funny, because they’re both pretty big ensembles. I found on “ER” and on “Army Wives,” if you weren’t a part of someone else’s story line, you never saw them. The cast was very welcoming, and I was super nervous the first day. I had a ton of things to say. I had to put that uniform on for the first time, and I just fell into the character the second I put it on. So, that was a really big help to me. But the cast is lovely. I had a really, really good time. It wasn’t easy for me to be away on location so much. I was flying way more than I care to mention, because I don’t like to fly, but it was a really good experience.
CE: Do you think Nicole will be back for the seventh season?
KM: I don’t know if Nicole’s back. She was on a plane to Afghanistan at the end of the season, and there was a lot of turbulence …
CE: Yes, but turbulence can go away, and planes can go back the other way, too …
KM: Absolutely! I had a great time, and I never, ever know where my career’s going to head, so it’s always interesting for me to see what happens.
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| Kellie as Jordan (Photo: Copyright 2011 Crown Media Holdings, Inc./ Photographer: Alexx Henry) |
KM: I’ve been working with them since 2003 or 2004, and I’ve really just gotten to love the people over there. I knew the CEO when he wasn’t the CEO, and all the publicity people who’ve been there since I started working with them. It’s really the people who keep me coming back. They just are very good to me, and they let me have a bit of input into the work we do, which I really appreciate.
I really have liked doing romantic comedies — the past two movies that I’ve done for them have been really fun, upbeat and, best of all, I don’t have to cry. I love that, because I’ve spent so much time doing drama that this is a really nice way to lighten things up for me.
CE: What was it about this particular movie, especially the character of Jordan, that caught your attention?
KM: I love the arc she goes through. Jordan starts out as a very tightly wound real estate agent about to get married to a very tightly wound attorney. She has to face who she really is beyond being type A and totally under control. She unravels a bit, and it was really fun to play a character who was unraveling.
CE: How are you and Jordan alike?
KM: Well, unlike Jordan I like to drink. Jordan doesn’t drink. I’m Irish, and I do enjoy a good drink. I did marry an attorney, but unlike Peter (in the movie), my husband is a recovering attorney. Eight months after our daughter was born, he said: “You know what? I don’t think I want to do this anymore. I don’t really like this.” I do like to be in control. I like to know what’s going on. I like routines, especially having a child. I love the ritual, routine nature of a day, because my daughter has a very strict schedule. We have a very rigid schedule, and that’s very much like Jordan.
CE: You had great chemistry with your co-stars, but I especially loved your scenes with Adrienne Frantz. Her character is hilarious, and she did such a great job!
KM: Can you tell we had fun? She’s so much fun.
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| L to R: Daphnee Duplaix, Adrienne Frantz and Kellie Martin (Photo: Copyright 2011 Crown Media Holdings, Inc./Photographer: Alexx Henry) |
KM: I frequently didn’t. There’s one scene I could see how they had to cut around our giggling. When we’re eating pizza, and Adrianne and I are hysterically laughing, and they had to find the little moments where we weren’t laughing because we were total goofballs. But it’s so nice to work with someone like her because she is a pro. She’s so much a pro that she can let loose, and you can allow for those little surprises to happen. It’s just lovely to be in a scene with someone who’s so good at what they do that we know we are going to say our lines and hit our marks, but we’re going to have fun and allow surprises to happen. And that’s what we did. I would love to do a series with that girl. We would have so much fun.
CE: What do you hope viewers take away from the movie after watching it?
KM: I really think it’s good to shake up your life every once in a while. I’m not saying to marry someone who’s not your fiance, but I think it’s good to step back every once in a while and get perspective on your life. Maybe step back and say: “You know what? Let’s do something crazy. Let’s go to Paris next summer,” or “Let’s take off school today and go to the park.
Just shake up your life every once in a while and realize you only live once.
Q and A: Week of Oct. 8
Q: I am so happy to hear that “Army Wives” has been renewed for another season. Will all the stars be back for the new season? — Fiona W., via e-mail A: Lifetime has indeed ordered 13 more episodes of the hit military drama for a 2013 seventh season. However, not all the details of who will be returning have been worked out. Catherine Bell appears to be a yes, while Kim Delany is most likely a no. Kelli Wilson, who plays Jackie Clark, seems a likely candidate to slip into a more prominent role. And don’t count out newcomer Kellie Martin, who plays Capt. Nicole Galassini. She told me recently that she’d be up for another tour of duty with “Wives.”
“I was honored to play this woman,” Kellie said. “I thought she was so brave and so smart, yet in her personal life she had to hide, and it was really fun to play someone who comes out. I feel like Capt. Galassin is the girl next door. Everybody knows someone like her. I’m just very proud of “Army Wives” and Lifetime for following through with the storyline that they did.
“Last we saw Nicole, she was on a plane to Afghanistan at the season end, and there was a lot of turbulence … but I had a great time and I never ever know where my career’s going to head, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens.”
In the meantime, you can catch Kellie in the Hallmark Channel original movie “I Married Who?” airing Saturday, Oct. 20, at 9/8c. Check back here for my full interview with Kellie next week.
Q: What has happened to “CSI: Miami”? Has it been canceled? — Bill V., via e-mail
A: CBS opted back in May not to renew the David Caruso-starring crime drama after 10 seasons and 232 episodes. However, you can still whet your “CSI” appetite with the original “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” on Wednesday nights with Ted Danson and Elisabeth Shue, and “CSI: NY” with Gary Sinise and Sela Ward on Friday nights.
Q: Will “Finding Bigfoot” be back? It’s one of my favorite shows. — Eddie S. in Oregon
A: As one of Animal Planet’s top-performing series ever, you can bet your sweet bippy that it’ll be back for a third season. Prepare yourself for 20 informative and somewhat-scary episodes beginning Sunday, Nov. 11, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. This season the team of investigators will travel worldwide in search of the ever-elusive sasquatch, heading to Australia to investigate the phenomenon known as “yowies” and to Indonesia to scout out the “orang-pendek” creature.
Q: I was wondering if two of my favorite reality shows will be back: “L.A. Ink” and “Gene Simmons Family Jewels.” — N.P. in Kentucky
A: I hate to have to deliver this double-whammy of bad news for you, but neither “L.A. Ink” nor “Family Jewels” has been renewed for a new season, and therefore won’t be returning to TLC and A and E, respectively.
Interview: Eric Mabius Shows His Fans Another Side
Eric Mabius has put in his time on shows like “Party of Five,” “The O.C.” and “Popular,” moving on to co-starring roles on “Eyes” and “The L Word” before landing the role for which he is perhaps most famous (for now), that of playboy Daniel Meade on “Ugly Betty.” But now Eric wants to show his fans another side, that of the shy, slightly geeky Harold White in the Hallmark Channel original movie “How to Fall in Love,” which premieres Saturday night, July 21 at 9/8c. (Also, head to the Hallmark Channel’s Facebook fan page an hour earlier at 8/9c for a live, one-hour Q-and-A with Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider, co-authors of “The Rules,” where they’ll give advice on dating and falling in love.) When I spoke with Eric recently, he told me how much fun it was to play this against-type role and working with Brooke D’Orsay and Kathy Najimy. He also told me all about his new, the Sundance Film Festival hit “Price Check” with indie queen Parker Posey, as well as a few other projects.
Celebrity Extra: I loved watching you as Harold — geeky, shy and not at all like Daniel Meade. Was playing a character like this one of the things that made you want to do this movie?
Eric Mabius: Definitely, that’s part of the reason why I said yes to the project. I am excited because people will be like, “Yeah, Daniel, the playboy from ‘Ugly Betty’ is going to play a geek.” But I think we all have our own inner geek, and it doesn’t take that much to bring it out.
I know we all may have seen a movie about the guy who’s geeky and needs direction in life, a sort of ugly duckling story. I felt like Bart Fisher had written something that was quirky enough and that I could spin it a little bit differently and still be real, just kind of drown it in reality. It may seem like an unlikely occurrence, Harold getting dating lessons from the woman who caused his dysfunction in the first place, but it’s entirely in the realm of possibility. I believe it especially because I fell in love with someone from high school, and I have two sons with her. It definitely was close to home for me. I didn’t date my wife in high school, but she was definitely by far the coolest woman there. She was definitely the most beautiful, but she also marched to the beat of her own drummer. I was in New Orleans 10 years after high school, and my friend played matchmaker with us, and that’s kind of how we got together.
CE: Do you have any awkward high-school stories to rival Harold’s homecoming dance experience?
EM: I don’t have very many of those stories because I moved around a lot. So I knew how to negotiate awkward situations because I had to learn how to adapt very early on. I chose the position of being more of a loner, and from that position it always kept people guessing, which had a certain amount of power. I was an athlete in high school as well, so I used to travel and compete and train with the Junior National Luge team, and I got to see the world. Also, I went to the prom with a friend of mine to avoid all of those potentially awkward moments. I had a little bit of foresight.
CE: I think this is a really good story to let people know that there is life after high school — much more — and what happens to you then isn’t the be-all, end-all of your life.
EM: I think that when you’ve only lived 17 years, you don’t have, you haven’t had a full canon of experiences, so every moment that you have here feels like the last moment in the world, because you’ve only had a handful of whatever those moments are. Your first love, your first dance, your first intensely awkward moments. And they’re supposed to be intense because it’s the first time we’re experiencing a lot of those things.
You do have to follow your heart, otherwise you’re living a false life. Maybe I’m naive or maybe I’m idealistic, but I fell in love with someone from high school, which is insane. If someone told me that I was going to marry someone from high school, I would tell him he needs to have his head checked. But you need to remain open to anything, because you never know where lightning’s going to strike, where you’re going to fall in love. You fall in love in the most unlikely times and places. People try to be very calculated about affairs of the heart, but it’s never going to work. You’ll end up with a sterile relationship, I’d think.
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| Kathy Najimy and Brooke D'Orsay |
EM: You’re correct — she’s absolutely adorable. So much fun and just so sweet. Oddly enough, as personality types, our own personalities as actors were the opposite of the characters we were playing. I think I’m a fairly calm, even person, and she’s slightly more neurotic, so as people we kind of balance each other out. It was fun because of the characters we were playing; we were kind of doing the opposite. When you’re thrown together in a situation like that to try to manufacture that attraction, you never know if it’s going to work. Fortunately, Brooke is just so sweet and gracious and honest, and that’s why I loved working with her. She doesn’t hide much, which makes it easy and a lot more fun to play.
CE: And Kathy Najimy was just wonderful, and so hilarious!
EM: She absolutely is, and I was so happy to see her again. She was so good on “Ugly Betty,” and she’s just like this ball of lightning. She’s got so much energy, and she’s always on — she’s another person who comes to play, and you’d better bring your A game. She’s a delight, and she’s just a quality woman.
CE: Tell me about your feature film that you did with Parker Posey, “Price Check.”
EM: Oh my god, you’re going to laugh your ass off. I think IFC bought the film. It’s a dark comedy centering on this guy I play (Pete Cozy), who gives up his dreams of being a music A&R guy. He moves to the suburbs of Long Island and accepts a marketing job at a small chain of grocery stores. He has a wife and a child, and is trying to pursue the “American Dream.” Parker Posey’s character, Susan, is put in charge of this section of grocery stores. Nobody in the office cares about his job. They’re basically just punching the clock and biding their time. Susan comes in and shakes everyone’s universe up. She is so quintessential Parker Posey. She is brilliant, and she’s so funny. It’s a lot of fun.
CE: You’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of strong female leads … Vanessa Williams from “Ugly Betty” comes to mind. And it’s so nice to know that in real life she is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever interviewed.
EM: I just saw Vanessa last week. She was being honored by the Covenant House for all of her charity work for them, and she invited us to her table. She just grows more beautiful and graceful with time. In the six or seven years I’ve known her, I have to say she is one of my favorite people in the world, and she is just one of the classiest women I know — next to, of course, my mother and my wife — but she’s just infinitely gracious and kind and giving. I don’t see that very often in any kind of business, but you certainly see it a lot less in entertainment — she’s a rare gem.
CE: What about the new USA series “Political Animals”?
EM: I’m really excited about it — excited about guest-starring on it. You have to keep an eye out for that show. Separate of me having to do anything with it, just the writing and acting in it alone is just out of this world. It stars Sigourney Weaver as the secretary of state, and it also has Ellen Burstyn and Carla Gugino. It’s just unreal. It’s a political drama, and another show for me with strong female role models. It’s just so good.
Q and A: Week of June 25
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| Timothy Hutton |
A: The premiere of season five of the hit TNT show will be Sunday, July 15, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. This year brings 10 all-new episodes starring your favorite gang of thieves, grifters and con artists led by Academy Award-winner Timothy Hutton, along with Gina Bellman, Christian Kane, Beth Riesgraf and Aldis Hodge. This season promises to deliver high action and intrigue — and maybe some more romance — as well as big-name guest stars, such as Cary Elwes and Treat Williams.
Q: Is it true that Matthew McConaughey finally tied the knot? — Tina R., via e-mail
A: Lustful ladies all over the world had to give up the dream of becoming Mrs. M. in early June, when Matthew married longtime girlfriend — and mother of son Levi, 3, and daughter Vida, 2 — Camilla Alves in an intimate ceremony at the couple’s home in Austin, Texas.
Q: What’s next for the beautiful Andie MacDowell? It seems I see her only on hair color/make-up commercials anymore, and I really miss seeing her in movies. — Britta, Fairview, Mich.
A: Andie just started production in mid-June on the new Hallmark Channel original series “Cedar Cove,” which is based on the best-selling book series of the same name by Debbie Macomber. Andie will star as Judge Olivia Lockhart, whose Cedar Cove Municipal Court is the professional milieu and social microcosm of issues the judge will face in her own day-to-day life with family and friends. The series kicks off with a two-hour pilot, scheduled to air at the end of the year, with a weekly one-hour series to follow in early 2013.
Readers: For your summertime reading pleasure, I want to give one lucky reader a copy of Rebecca Bloom’s “Eat, Drink, and Be Married.” Simply e-mail me at letters@cindyelavsky.com by July 31, and tell me your favorite beach read. This contest isn’t just for the ladies, although many beach books are classified as “chick lit.” I asked Rebecca if it bothered her to have books pigeonholed as “chick lit.” She told me: “I was offended by it before, but because I thought, ‘Why does it have to be classified?’ But now I’m much more of a realist than when I started writing, and you have to do whatever you can to market your book. It’s a way to classify and sell, and ultimately, that’s what any writer should want. So, I’m not as against it. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with celebrating women with your writing. ‘The Help’ was awesome, and that was a chick flick and chick lit, so if my book is classified as chick lit, that’s fine with me.”
Q and A: Week of April 30
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| Genie Francis |
A: Just in time for Mother’s Day, Genie Francis and Ted McGinley are back as newlyweds Peyton MacGruder and King Danville in “Notes from the Heart Healer,” premiering Saturday, May 13 at 8/7c, on the Hallmark Channel (and reairing throughout the weekend). The couple is celebrating their first anniversary when they are surprised by an abandoned baby on their doorstep.
I spoke with Genie recently, and she was excited to explore the mothering aspect of the character, since Peyton gave up a child for adoption 20-some years earlier. “What I love most about Peyton is that she gets involved and she brings everything up as if it were a spiritual question like, ’Why did I get this baby on my doorstep?’ She wants to help prevent the mother of this abandoned baby from ending up like her. Throughout this, there’s a healing for Peyton in that she knows that she’s got in her to be a good mother.”
Check back here next week to read my entire interview with Genie.
Q: While I don’t want “Desperate Housewives” to end, I am excited to see what’s in store for the series finale. Can you give me any hints? — Tina D., via e-mail
A: A familiar face will return to Wisteria Lane for the show’s finale on May 13 at 10 p.m. EDT on ABC. Dana Delany — who currently stars in her own hit ABC show “Body of Proof” — will reprise her role as Katherine Mayfair. The story behind her return has been kept hush-hush, so we’ll just have to wait and see what she’s up to.
Q: My husband heard that Ryan O’Neal has cancer. Is that true? — Hannah F., via e-mail
A: Ryan, 70, recently announced that he is battling Stage 2 prostate cancer, and that he’s expected to make a full recovery. While he was “shocked and stunned” by the news, he is hopeful about his prognosis.
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| Marisol Nichols |
A: Marisol Nichols plays feisty and independent real-estate agent Heather Cruz. Marisol told me recently why she loves her character so much: “I could understand what she had to do to survive in this community, and I felt like she was the most grounded out of everybody. She worked her butt off to get to where she is: She didn’t inherit a business; she wasn’t born into money; she didn’t marry into it. She had to make it on her own, and that I can completely relate to. I’ve been working odd jobs since I was 12. I think I forged my ID when I was a kid so that I could work at 14. I wanted to work; I didn’t want to have to ask people for money.”
If you want to read my entire interview with Marisol — where we discuss "GCB," high school mean girls, and hardworking Heather Cruz — click here.
Q and A: Week of March 5
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| Annie Potts, Leslie Bibb (photo by Karen Neal/ABC) |
A: For her role of Gigi Stopper, Annie found inspiration from a dear friend, the late Dixie Carter, whom she starred with on “Designing Women.” I spoke with Annie recently about “GCB” — which I agree is a must-see — and she told me how she formed the character of Gigi: “I have lovingly borrowed from Dixie Carter. Were she still alive, the role would have been hers and should have been, but since she took early leave, I just decided to play it like her. I think that she would approve.
“Dixie was sensationally beautiful, religious, Republican, conservative and had two daughters whom she worshipped. She always had stockings on, and she was immaculately groomed all the time. Even if I went over there to her house early in the morning, she always looked good. And she was always in the pew on Sunday. I think that’s the way Gigi is.” See for yourself, and check out “GCB” on ABC Sundays at 10 p.m. ET.
Q: Will Noah Wylie’s new show, “Falling Skies,” be back for another season? It was my favorite new show of last season. — Frankie A., Charlotte, N.C.
A: “Falling Skies” will return to TNT this summer as part of its exciting original summer-programming lineup. “Lost” alumnus Terry O’Quinn will join Noah for at least two episodes, playing a mentor of sorts for Tom Mason.
Q: I loved “Wedding Crashers.” Will Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn make another movie soon? They are so good together. — Alec. D., via e-mail
A: A lot of people agree with you, including the dynamic comedy duo themselves: Owen and Vince have signed on to co-star together in the new big-screen comedy “Interns,” where they’ll play two middle-aged men forced to re-evaluate their careers after being laid off. It follows their resulting struggle to reclimb the corporate ladder.
Dear Readers: Because I get tons of letters asking about “The Waltons,” I wanted to share this programming information with you. The Hallmark Channel will air “A Walton Easter” on Saturday, March 31, at 6 p.m. ET/PT, 5 p.m. CT. The television movie, which originally aired in 1997, takes place in 1969, where John-Boy (Richard Thomas) is now a married New York TV news anchor and is writing a new book. When John-Boy and his very pregnant wife, Janet (Kate McNeil), join his family for the celebration of his parent’s 40th wedding anniversary, John-Boy yearns to move back to the mountain, which conflicts with Janet’s wishes to stay in New York.
Immediately following, enjoy “A Decade of the Waltons,” a family special that highlights the greatest moments from “The Waltons,” and is hosted by Earl Hammer Jr., creator and narrator of the original show.
Interview: Nancy McKeon Steps Into the Past
Nancy McKeon might be best known for her role of Jo Polniaczek on “The Facts of Life,” where she donned a ponytail and plenty of attitude on the hit ’80s sitcom. Since then she has appeared in a number of movies, as well as starred in the drama series, "The Division" and the sitcom "Can't Hurry Love." Now Nancy's fans can watch her this weekend on “Love Begins” on the Hallmark Channel (premieres Sat. Sept. 17 at 9/8c; see local listings for more days and times). I spoke with Nancy about her new movie, as well as her “Facts” family.Celebrity Extra: What was it about the movie and the role of Millie that caught your fancy and made you want to be a part of the production?
Nancy McKeon: I have two little girls, and my primary job is here with them, so when I choose to step away, the timing has to be right, and this was. It was summer, so they could come with me. They don’t really know Mom’s “other” job. They just know my cooking, cleaning and carpooling.
And I love the Hallmark Channel. I’ve done some other things for them, too. I love the stories they tell and this group of people; they were pretty terrific. Right now it is more important, because this way my girls can actually watch the work. There have been some things that I have done that are just too grown up for them to see for a while. So this was a chance for them to make fun of me in funny costumes and funny shoes and funny hair.
CE: There was a real chance that the role of Millie could be seen as a busybody instead of helpful, but she really is a kind and generous soul. Was it written like that, or was it something you brought to the role?
NM: I think a lot of it was there. You could very easily become Mrs. Kravitz if you want to, but it really wasn’t that kind of movie. In my life, I’ve had some really lovely people — teachers, my own mom — who I was able to go to and talk to if I needed a sounding board of any kind. Seeing that and being able to come be in that particular role is just really lovely.
It’s different when you go back and do a period piece. You are able to remember times when people really talked instead of texted or emailed real quickly. You really kind of got to sit down and have a cup of coffee or tea, and talk about life and your desires or expectations and fears. It was interesting being around that group of people, because all of a sudden I find myself the older one on the set. I’ve always been usually the younger one on the set, but now I’ve transitioned into having been around so long.
CE: How was everyone to work with?
NM: They all were great. We had lots of chats about work and school and things that they are interested in. Everybody was just fantastic.
CE: What do you hope viewers take away from the movie?
NM: It’s just nice to be able to sit with the family and watch a story, and maybe remember that talking is worthwhile and sometimes taking a chance is worth it. You do have to be a little fearless, a little vulnerable, but it’s worth it in the end.
CE: Do you still keep in touch with the gals from “The Facts of Life”?
NM: I talk with Lisa (Whelchel, “Blair”) and Charlotte (Rae, “Mrs. Garrett) all the time. Lisa doesn’t live too far from me, so she comes down to the ranch all the time and hangs out. Charlotte has been here. Her sister lives in Dallas, so Texas is a middle point for us all. The others are usually working here, there and everywhere. We just got the award from TV Land, and we all got together for Charlotte because she is an incredible lady. She was an incredible teacher, and I’m very grateful that I had the opportunity to work with and learn from her.
I’m privileged and proud to call them my friends. We had a great time when doing that show. It was really great for all of us. We’ve been very lucky and very blessed. It’s nice to be able to be adult friends and enjoy each other’s company.
Q and A: Week of Sept. 5
Q: I saw Nancy McKeon a while back on Disney Channel’s “Sonny With a Chance” playing Demi Lovato’s mom, and I wondered what else she has been doing lately. — Sally T., via e-mailA: Nancy currently co-stars in the Hallmark Channel original movie “Love Begins,” which airs Saturday, Sept. 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Nancy plays Millie, a local restaurant owner and the heart and soul of the town of Anderson’s Corner. Nancy told me a main reason she took the role: her daughters.
“There are projects I’ve done that are just too grown-up for them to see. This was a chance for them to make fun of me in funny costumes and funny shoes and funny hair. They had a great time. Plus, I love the stories Hallmark tells, and this group of people were pretty terrific to work with.”
Q: I love classic Westerns, especially “The Rifleman.” Can you tell me if series stars Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford are still living, and if so, what they are doing? — Rhonda H., Bountiful, Utah
A: Chuck Connors passed away in 1992 at the age of 71 of pneumonia stemming from lung cancer. His 40-year career spanned sports (basketball and baseball), film and TV; however, he was best known as Lucas McCain of “The Rifleman.” Johnny Crawford, 65, slowly stepped away from acting and headed toward music. He leads the Johnny Crawford Orchestra. See what he’s been up to, and if he’s coming to your area, at crawfordmusic.com.
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| (photo credit Geno Nicholas) |
A: “90210″ returns for its fourth season on Tuesday, Sept. 13. I spoke with Michael Steger, who plays Navid Shirazi, and he gave me the scoop (but not enough to get him in trouble).
“Navid’s going to be working with Dixon, but Dixon’s no longer working FOR Navid. Max and Naomi and the whole pregnancy bomb at the finale, they address that in the first episode. Also, Navid’s family flies to Switzerland to be with his father, but his sister doesn’t get on the plane. Navid does see Adrianna again, and it’s a very awkward situation, but they do talk in the first two episodes. Also, we’re doing a lot more location stuff. I’m excited because there’s a lot more action going on.”
Q: As a history buff, I was excited to read in your column that the History Channel is making a miniseries about the Hatfields and McCoys, starring Kevin Costner as Anse Hatfield. Who will play Randall McCoy? — Darnell R., via e-mail
A: I, too, am eager for this miniseries, which is slated to air next year. I’m happy to report that Bill Paxton — of “Big Love,” “Apollo 13″ and “Twister” fame — is set to play Randall McCoy, the famed arch nemesis of “Devil” Anse Hatfield.
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