Q and A: Week of Feb. 14

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Q and A: Week of Feb. 14

Q: I was so happy to see Jennie Garth starring in the new Hallmark Channel movie “Accidentally in Love,” and wondered what else she has been up to since leaving “90210.” — Isabella W., via e-mail

A: I recently caught up with Jennie, who was thrilled to star in a movie (“Accidentally in Love”) written by her husband, actor/writer Peter Facinelli. She gave me the scoop: “I do a lot of literacy campaigns for young kids. It’s something that is really important to me, which was passed on by my father. Also, I work a lot for the American Heart Association as a national spokesperson, and I enjoy that work a lot.


“I’m writing my first children’s book, which comes out in February 2012. I’m just creatively starting that ball rolling. I’m enjoying that very much. I’ve moved out of L.A. to give the girls a little bit more of a safer environment to be young in. So, whatever work comes to me or works around their schedule, I’m open to doing at this point, but if it doesn’t work for that, then forget it.”

Q: I heard that Will Ferrell is coming to “The Office.” Is that true? — Katrina E., via e-mail

A: You heard correctly! Hot on the heels of Ricky Gervais’ cameo on the Jan. 27 episode of “The Office” comes the news that Will Ferrell will guest-star over a four-episode arc on the hit NBC comedy (Thursdays, 9 p.m. ET). Will plays a branch manager who arrives from the home office and proves to be just as inappropriate as Michael Scott, Steve Carell’s character.



Q: With the financial trouble that MGM has been having, does this mean no more James Bond films? — Frankie R. in Florida

A: Bond’s future was looking pretty grim; however, it now seems that things are back on track for the as-yet-untitled Bond 23 film. Daniel Craig will return as 007, with rumors running rampant that Javier Bardem has been offered the role of “Bond Villain.” Shooting begins later this year with a release date of Nov. 9, 2012.

Q: Not much has been said about how Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg reacted to “The Social Network,” the movie based on the founding of Facebook. Is he mad about the movie, or did he like it? — Gigi R., Fresno, Calif.

A: “The Social Network” star Jesse Eisenberg recently told “Access Hollywood” that Mark congratulated him on his Oscar nomination when the two starred together in a recent “Saturday Night Live” skit. Jesse was relieved that Mark was so good-natured about everything, revealing: “He has such a wonderful sense of humor about the whole thing. The fact that he would agree to come on ‘Saturday Night Live’ was a testament to his good feelings about (it). We were both so thankful that the other one was so open to working in that way under very unique circumstances.”

Interview: Jennie Garth 'Accidentally' Finds Love

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Interview: Jennie Garth 'Accidentally' Finds Love

Jennie Garth will probably forever be known as Kelly Taylor from both incarnations of “90210,” as well as for her comedic turn on the sitcom “What I Like About You.” But she is also the mother of three adorable daughters and the wife of actor/writer Peter Facinelli, who is best known for his role of the compassionate vampire “dad” Carlisle Cullen in “The Twilight Saga” phenomenon.

Years ago, Peter got an idea for a screenplay, with the thought that it could be a project for himself and his wife. But “Twilight” and other responsibilities made it impossible for Peter to act in his movie, “Accidentally in Love,” but the project went full speed ahead with Jennie in the starring role of single mom Annie, who finds herself falling in love with an actor who’s hiding a secret identity. “Accidentally in Love” premieres Saturday, Feb. 12 at 9/8c, on Hallmark Channel and runs throughout the weekend (check your local listings).

Celebrity Extra: When your husband wrote this movie, he wrote it with both of you in mind, but it turned out he couldn’t be in it. Were you sad because you’d like to act with him, or were you a little relieved because you don’t want to mix business with pleasure?

Jennie Garth: No, I’d love to work with him, but it would have been a different movie if he’d have done it. It was funny because, like you said, he wanted to play the role of Eddie, and I told him, “You know, I don’t really think you’re right for it.” He said: “What? I’m not right for my own movie?”



CE: What are some aspects of Annie’s personality that you can relate to and empathize with?

JG: Of course, the mother aspect — the love for your child and protecting your child. I like that she’s a hard worker, and she works as a waitress and has a real life. I gravitate toward real people in general, real American working people. I really have a fondness for that life, and so I loved playing someone like that. My life, as real as it is for me, is probably not what some people would consider to be normal. So I loved that sort of “Everywoman” aspect to her.

CE: Of course you are a professional, but was it weird for you to be kissing another man, ironically because of something your husband wrote?

JG: It’s always weird. There is never a time when it’s not weird doing love scenes or being romantic with a stranger, especially when you are married and your kids are going to be seeing it. Peter wasn’t on set during that scene. I was on the phone with him going: “Oh, I don’t want to do it. It’s weird.” It is NOT my favorite thing to do.

CE: At least your co-star, Ethan Erickson, ain’t too bad-looking, and is quite the charmer, so that must have made it easier.

JG: He’s a doll, and just so respectful of me and my husband and our family. I couldn’t have asked for a better co-star.

CE: Speaking of co-stars, your other co-stars were wonderful — Marilu Henner, Fred Willard and Dannika Northcott.

JG: Weren’t they great? I was shocked that Marilu was going to be my mom, because she’s so young and foxy. But we have so much in common. I had an instant fondness for her and just wanted to hear all of her stories — and she has a lot of stories. And also having Fred Willard there, I was like: “Are you kidding me? Fred Willard’s going to come in and play this?” That was so exciting for me working with him. Dannika, who played my daughter, is a sweet friend of my family now. She is such a gifted, very natural actress.

CE: What do you hope the audience takes away from this movie?

JG: The message from Eddie’s character is pretty profound: You can have money and all the accolades and success, but until you have someone to share it with, you’re really nothing. And for Annie to let her guard down and be lovable, to try to move forward and find love again was a challenge for her.

Q and A: Week of Feb. 7

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Q and A: Week of Feb. 7

Q: What can you tell me about my favorite new TV couple: Detective Esposito and Dr. Parrish on “Castle”? I’ve been wanting them together forever, and now that it’s happened, I can hardly believe it! — Suzie W., Conyers, Ga.

A: Well, believe it, Suzie! The fans spoke, and the higher-ups actually listened! I chatted recently with Tamala Jones, who portrays the beautiful and slightly sassy medical examiner Dr. Lanie Parrish, and this is what she told me about how it all came about: “Jon (Huertas, Detective Esposito) started campaigning for this last season. He got all of the Twitter fans to join him and get this thing going. And the producers decided: ‘OK, let’s do it. If it’s what they want to see, let’s give it to them.’ That’s the one thing that our producers definitely pay attention to — Twitter and e-mails they receive about what people want to see.”

Q: Can you tell me if “Sanctuary” will be back on TV for another season? I really hope so, because it is one of the most original and interesting dramas on television today. — Jamie J., via e-mail



A: You’re in luck — Syfy has greenlighted a fourth season of “Sanctuary,” which is scheduled to begin production on a 13-episode season this spring in Vancouver, B.C., with an eye toward a fall 2011 premiere. “Sanctuary” follows brilliant scientist Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping) and her team, who use their unique combination of instinct, medicine and cutting-edge science to find and aid a clandestine population of beings that the world refuses to believe exists.

Q: Did Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have another baby? When did this happen? I’ve seen her at premieres and on awards shows, and she never looked pregnant to me! — Fred D., Tacoma, Wash.

A: Nicole has had a history of difficult pregnancies and miscarriages, so for this baby, the couple decided to use a gestational surrogate. This means that the egg came from Nicole and the sperm from Keith; however, they used a surrogate to carry the baby to term for them. Daughter Faith Margaret was born Dec. 28 in Nashville.

READERS: With the Academy Awards coming up, many readers are asking for my Oscar picks. I’ll give it a go, but let me warn you, I haven’t batted over .500 since the year “Titanic” swept the awards. Here are my main-category picks: Best Picture: “The Social Network”; Best Director: David Fincher (“The Social Network”); Best Actor: Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”); Best Actress: Natalie Portman (“Black Swan”); Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale (“The Fighter”); Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld (“True Grit”); and Best Animated Feature: “Toy Story 3.” Tune into the awards ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 27, to see how many I got right.

Soap Stars Storm the Castle Set

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Soap Stars Storm the Castle Set

Corbin Bernsen (“The Young and the Restless,” “Psyche”), Rebecca Budig (“All My Children”), Cameron Mathison (“All My Children”) and Jane Seymour (“Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”) will guest star on “Castle” for a soap opera-themed storyline to air in March (date TBA). “Castle” airs Mondays (10:001-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

In the episode, entitled “One Life to Lose” (series star Nathan Fillion was on the daytime series “One Life to Live” as Joey Buchanan from 1994-1997 and on two episodes in 2007), a murder has been committed on the set of “Temptation Lane,” one of New York’s longest running soap operas. Sarah Cutler, the head writer on the soap, has been killed with a fire axe. Castle and Beckett quickly discover that the behind the scenes drama at “Temptation Lane” is just as scandalous as the fictitious storylines, and just about everyone would kill to get ahead. Ultimately, Castle’s unique skill set as a writer leads to a discovery about the killer and the secret he or she would do anything to protect.

Character teasers: Lance Buchanan (Bernsen), a rugged, self-assured, veteran actor on “Temptation Lane,” has a romantic history with Castle’s mother, Martha Rodgers; Mandy Bronson (Budig) is the young and gorgeous diva lead actress on the soap opera who is very aware of her sexuality and uses it to her advantage any chance she gets; Vince Bowers (Mathison) is the devastated husband of the victim, and as a director on “Temptation Lane” is very involved in the backstage drama; and Gloria Chambers (Seymour), the grieving mother of the murder victim, is revealed in a shocking twist to have a deep, dark secret that she’s desperate to keep.

Interview: Kellie Martin Is Ready for Anything in Smooch

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Interview: Kellie Martin Is Ready for Anything in Smooch

While Kellie Martin might be best known for her roles on "Life Goes On" and "ER," it is rare that fans get to see her in a lighthearted romantic comedy. Well, we will all get that chance tomorrow night when Kellie's original Hallmark Channel movie, "Smooch" premieres at 9/8c. I caught up with Kellie recently to talk about her role in her latest movie.

Celebrity Extra: What were some factors that drew you to this movie, and to the character of Gwen specifically?

Kellie Martin: I really don’t get to do too many romantic comedies, and I love romantic comedies. I feel that this script is as good as the (end-product) film. It really carried through. I just thought it was a little piece of candy when I read it. It made me laugh, it made me tear up a little bit. And I liked that Gwen had some very funny stuff to do. I don’t often get to do funny stuff, I’m just usually having to cry. So it was a nice opportunity for me to do a little comedy. 

I just loved the relationship between Gwen and Zoe. I have a 4-year-old daughter, and it was so easy to slip into that role because I think I have a similar relationship with my daughter. Very, very close. Very good friends. And I also just liked the idea of getting to fall in love. I’ve been married almost 12 years now, so it’s kind of fun to pretend to fall in love.



CE: Are there ways that you and Gwen are similar, ways that you can empathize with her?

KM: I think we both push ourselves very hard. Gwen, having lost her husband, is trying to be the mom and the dad to her daughter. She’s the breadwinner, and I think she has a lot of guilt about not having to spend enough time with her daughter. I’m exactly the same way. I push myself much harder than I should. I often catch myself and go, "Wait a minute — try to appreciate these moments.” And I was away shooting this. I was away for almost a month. I came home twice to see my daughter. But I had a lot of guilt of being away from my daughter. So, it was very easy to relate Gwen. And to lose your soulmate so young too, I had such empathy for her. It was really easy to love her as a character before I started playing her.

CE: I think it’s good for your fans to see you in a new type of role. Because I don’t think we’ve gotten to see you that way. And being a mom in real life, was it fun to get to play that type of role?

KM: It was really fun because I am a mom now, and I find that I always put so much of myself into the parts I play. And I like being able to bring that part of me to it. Because I love being a mom, it certainly opened up a lot of new emotional passageways that didn’t exist before for me. I really feel like I appreciate life’s little moments so much more now that I’m a mother, and I don’t rush through things as quickly. And I think I bring that to my work now. 

Also, playing Kiernan's (Shipka, who plays daughter Zoe) mom was the easiest thing in the world. She reminds me so much of my daughter, and I’m a huge fan of hers. I love watching her on "Mad Men." I got to be her mom for a whole month, and it was great.

CE: She is just excellent in this movie. I wouldn't even call her a "child actor" — she is an actor!

KM: Yeah, she’s an old soul. I’ve worked with some child actors, and you know the ones who are going to do really well, and she’s already done really well. But you know the ones who are going to last, because they are old souls, they take it in stride and they are not too impressed with themselves — and they have a really good Mom. Her mom is fantastic. Kiernan will be doing this until she’s 80, and she’ll be really, really good at it.

CE: Another thing I really liked is it was a really sweet throwback to movies from when you and I were little: the fairy tales with knights and princesses. Were you attracted to the sweetness and the innocence of this movie?

KM: Definitely, and one of my daughters favorite movies right now is the “Princess and the Frog.” So when I read the script I was like, “Oh my God!” First of all my kid is actually going to be able to watch this. Which is very exciting to me because I don’t usually get to show Maggie the things I do. And I get to play a Princess in the beginning (during a fantasy sequence), which was so cool. She gets to tell all her friends that her mom is a princess. 

It was just really fun to play that little bit of whimsy and romance, and it made it fun to shoot. There was just no angst. It was really lighthearted, and it’s not always like that. I’m usually playing someone who’s had something horrible happen to her. And granted, Gwen has had something horrible happen to her, but it happened a few years ago and she’s moved on with her life. I just had a blast doing it.

CE: As a Mom you must really appreciate the family fare that the Hallmark Channel constantly churns out.

KM: I do appreciate that. But I’m always shocked at what does scare my daughter. The witch at the beginning of the movie who turns the knight into a frog — she found that witch terrifying!! She ran out of the room screaming, and I was like, “Oh my gosh. That’s scary?” So you never know what they are going to be scared about. 

But it’s true, the Hallmark Channel does programming for everybody. It doesn’t matter how old you are or how young you are, you can pretty much watch anything on the channel, which is really, really nice. Even with the radio, I constantly find myself diving for the dial to turn it off because they’ve used an inappropriate word in a song. And she’s 4, so she picks up everything. She does not miss a thing right now.

CE: Being a graduate of Yale, so you must be thrilled that this film really promotes reading. I was like, “Yay! A child reading on TV!”

KM: You’re absolutely right. She’s reading. She’s not playing a video game. She’s not plugged into something. I totally love that. When I was Kiernan's age, I went through a Nancy Drew book a day. I hung out in my room and I ready my Nancy Drew. In the same way she’s obsessed with the Frog Prince, I was obsessed with Nancy Drew. And I feel like I don’t want to lose that. Parents need to make a choice when kids are little, that they are not going to let them plug into something — to the iPad or to a video game — I really feel it is so important that they go back to books. It forms the rest of their life. I am a lifelong lover of books. 

Nothing against the iPad; I think all this technology is awesome, and it's making our world a pretty interesting place to live in. There is so much knowledge at our fingertips for research. That’s great. But to teach kids that books are important, that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. 

CE: How was Simon Kassianides to work with?

KM: He’s awesome! He’s from London and has done a ton of stage, so I feel that he brings a whole different aspect to it than I do, because I’ve just done television my whole life. I feel like I learned a lot from him. He really kept me on my toes as an actor. And he was just so willing to go there. He took risks, which was just so fun to work with. And he was very, very easy to fall in love with.

CE: I could tell he had done stage work especially how he works with props — twirling the umbrella and flipping the hat on his head …

KM: I’m so glad that they hired someone like Simon to do this part, because so often in these movies they just get “namey” people — you know, people whose names you’ve seen before or someone who was on your favorite old series. But Simon has done a bunch of features, but he’s not someone who people in America have been really exposed to. I love that they cast him in this. The guy that cast this is actually John Jackson, who cast all of Alexander Payne's ("Sideways") movies. We had the most amazing casting director.

CE: In your own words, what is the central message of the movie?

KM: I think for me the overall message is that you should always allow yourself to wait for the unexpected. Be ready for anything unexpected to come your way, because you never know what life is going to bring you, and you should keep an open heart.