Interview with Gary Anthony Sturgis

TV Interview!

 

Gary Anthony Sturgis plays warlock Julius on "Wicked City" on ALLBLK

Interview with Gary Anthony Sturgis of “Wicked City” on ALLBLK by Suzanne 11/20/23

I had a blast chatting with Gary! He is so funny, smart and entertaining, and he loves to talk. We’ve been Facebook friends for 14 years, so it was great to finally “meet” face to face. He’s been in many great shows and movies. Not only is he a talented actor, he’s also an accomplished writer!

 

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Gary Anthony Sturgis plays warlock Julius on "Wicked City" on ALLBLKGary Anthony Sturgis is a New Orleans born actor/writer/director best-known for his portrayal of the villain in two of Tyler Perry’s biggest hit films, “Diary of A Mad Black Woman” (as Jamison Jackson) and “Daddy’s Little Girls” (as Joseph Woods). He also co-starred opposite Terrence Howard in “Pride”, as the charming yet sinister pimp/drug dealer Franklin Washington. Recently, he has stepped out the role of bad guy to co-star in the comedy “Chicago Pulaski Jones” with Kel Mitchell and Cedric the Entertainer.

Also a professional voice artist, Sturgis has voiced network promos for UPN, CBS, PBS and ABC, cartoons and video games (Static Shock, Batman, Scooby Doo and The Cyber Chase, Fairly Odd Parents, Spiderman) and is heard on countless commercials for radio and television. His raspy bass-baritone voice that the women find hard to resist has even been heard on national movie trailers and promotions for; “Bones”, “Two Can Play That Game”, “The Others”, “The Brothers” and “The Wood” to name a select few. In addition, he is also the voice for the History Channel’s “K-9 Cops”. For another surprise, Gary also produces and writes rap music and has a successful recording under the moniker Illuminati called Fahrenheit, which is still available on iTunes.

As a writer/producer, Gary is producing some of his own feature-length screenplays (he has written more than ten), and has packaged his works into three and four picture deals and commenced to shopping them around town for financing and distribution. We have only scratched the surface of this multi-faceted creative soul.

Since Sturgis had been writing for years, the next natural progression was to direct. After directing “Lend A Hand”, a 90-second short film for the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), Gary realized that directing was yet another feather he could stick in his talented cap.

Follow Gary on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

WICKED CITY Official Site

"Wicked City" season 2 streams on ALLBLK

A group of urban witches push their powers to new heights and uncover dark secrets that attract dangerous enemies their way. Explore other projects that were filmed in Atlanta, Georgia at https://www.exploregeorgia.org/film.

US RATING: TV-MA

Cast: Vanessa Bell Calloway, Taylor Polidore, Shaquita Smith, Rhonda Morman, Chantal Maurice, Mercedez McDowell, Chanel Mack

Director: Dale S. Lewis

PRESS RELEASE:

LIFE’S A WITCH IN THE ATL

ALLBLK RELEASES TRAILER FOR SEASON TWO OF  SUPERNATURAL DRAMA WICKED CITY  PREMIERING OCTOBER 19 

Cast Includes Vanessa Bell Calloway, Karon Joseph Riley, Taylor Polidore, Shaquita Smith, Mercedez McDowell, Chantal Maurice, Chanel Mack, and more

VIEW TRAILER

New York, NY – October 4, 2023 – Today, ALLBLK, the popular streaming service for Black television from AMC Networks, released the trailer for the sophomore season of supernatural drama, Wicked City. The 8-episode series premieres Thursday, October 19, with new episodes dropping every Thursday exclusively on ALLBLK 

In season one, we followed a coven of Black witches who pushed their supernatural powers to new heights after uncovering dark secrets and accidentally entering the world of the forbidden. This season, three months after failing to stop a magical slaver named The Handler (Karon Joseph Riley, Ambitions), the Atlanta coven find themselves broken and separated. Jordan (Shaquita Smith,The Couch) – who now runs The Mystic Haven – and Angela (Chantal Maurice, P-Valley) try and fail to find Sherise (Chanel Mack, The Harder They Fall) who’s being held captive by The Handler. Mona (Mercedez McDowell, The Resident) has moved away, and Camille (Taylor Polidore, Snowfall) is put in permanent hiding by her birth mother, Claudette (Rhonda Redette Morman, Hush). Unbeknownst to the coven, Tabitha (Vanessa Bell Calloway, Shameless) and Caden (Malika Blessing, The Perfect Man) are trapped inside a nightmare realm as Claudette exacts her revenge. Meanwhile, Sherise is forced to do The Handler’s bidding at his high-class magical supper club “Obsidian Dream.” 

Additional cast includes India Marie Cross (It Wasn’t Me),  Yandy Smith-Harris (Love and Hip Hop Atlanta), Gary Anthony Sturgis (Diary of a Mad Black Woman), Samantha James (Black and Blue), Kamilah Meek (Young Rock), Kurtis D. Glenn (The Assistant 3), Clover J. Adams (Taylor’s Diary), Maurice P. Kerry (Atlanta), Krystal Monique Mosley (Dhoom 3), Michael Silberblatt (Hawkeye), Marco Reese Maldonado (A Killer Romance), Carrie Anne Hunt (Magic Mike XXL), Michael M. Jones (P. Valley) and Sasha McKoon 

Tressa “Azarel” Smallwood (MegaMind Media) and Donte Lee executive produced the series created & written by Kristin Iris Johnson and Serena M. Lee. Head of Content, Brett Dismuke and SVP of Development & Original Production, Unscripted, Nikki Love, executive produce for ALLBLK.  

About ALLBLK 

ALLBLK is an invitation to a world of streaming entertainment that is inclusively, but unapologetically – Black. Featuring a diverse lineup of content that spans across genres and generations, the ALLBLK library includes exclusive original series such asA House DividedandDouble Cross; must-see independent films, nostalgic Black cinema, popular WE tv originals, lively stage plays, and so much more. ALLBLK is available everywhere streaming services are found – iOS, Android, Amazon Prime Video Channels, Apple TV and Apple TV Channels, Roku and Roku Channels, Amazon Fire TV,YouTube TV, Cox, DISH, Sling TV, Charter and more. Atwww.ALLBLK.tv, ALLBLK offers a free 7-day trialand thereafter is just $5.99/month or $59.99/year.Keep up with ALLBLK on Facebook atFacebook.com/WatchALLBLKand Twitter/Instagram @WatchALLBLK. 

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Gary Anthony Sturgis plays warlock Julius on "Wicked City" on ALLBLK

Interview with Bonnie Burroughs

TV Interview!

 

Bonnie Burroughs - Gladys on "General Hosp-tal" on ABC

Interview with Bonnie Burroughs  on “General Hospital” on ABC by Suzanne 11/15/23

This was a lot of fun! Bonnie and I are about the same age. She did such a fabulous job playing Gladys. I hope they bring her back sometime. She was so kind to let me ask as many questions as I wanted.

 

MORE INFO:

pisode: 0829 “08/29/23” Episodic BONNIE BURROUGHS 170020_0255 GENERAL HOSPITAL – Episode “15291” – “General Hospital” airs Monday – Friday, on ABC (check local listings). (ABC/Christine Bartolucci) BONNIE BURROUGHSBonnie Burroughs is an American film and television actress. She is recognized for playing the role of Gladys Corbin on the soap opera “General Hospital.” Burroughs was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Burroughs guest-starred in numerous television programs including Newhart, Boston Legal, Judging Amy, Suddenly Susan, Malcolm in the Middle, My Two Dads, Desperate Housewives, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Dallas, Jake and the Fatman, ER, Hunter and Matlock.[1] She was cast as Stacey Giordano on One Life to Live from 1987. Burroughs was then cast as Dr. Jamie Lawrence on Santa Barbara from 1990 to 1991. She was also cast as Gretchen Lindquist on Days of Our Lives. In 2009, Burroughs starred on the television series Rockville, CA, being cast as Shawn Peters.

GENERAL HOSPITAL – Key Art. (ABC)General Hospital: Season 59 Lead Sheet

Series Celebrates Its 60th Anniversary on April 1, 2023

ABC’s Emmy® Award-winning daytime drama, “General Hospital,” will celebrate its 60th anniversary on April 1, 2023. “GH” is both the longest-running scripted drama and the longest-running American soap opera currently in production. One of four remaining daytime dramas, “General Hospital” holds the record for the most Outstanding Daytime Drama award wins, taking home the prestigious Daytime Emmy Award a record 15 times. Filmed in Hollywood, California, the show aired its 15,000th episode on June 22, 2022.

“GH” continues its tradition of passion, intrigue and adventure that has depicted the ongoing lives of the diverse and evolving citizens of the fictional town of Port Charles set in upstate New York. The glamour and excitement of those who have come to find their destinies in this familiar seaport town intertwine with the lives, loves and fortunes of beloved, well-known faces. As always, love, danger and mind-blowing plot twists abound on “GH” with contemporary storylines and unforgettable characters.

Often ahead of its time, “General Hospital ” is known for elevating awareness for numerous health and social issues, in conjunction with storylines including HIV/AIDS; tolerance and understanding for the gay, lesbian and transgender community; bipolar disorder; spousal abuse; sexual assault; workplace sexual harassment in the #MeToo era; gentrification; war refugees; voting rights and voter suppression; the fight for civil rights and against environmental racism; drug and alcohol addiction; breast cancer awareness; surrogacy and adaption; organ donations;  autism; and Alzheimer’s-related stories are all topics “GH” has trailblazed.

Many popular actors are known for getting their start on “General Hospital” including Demi Moore, John Stamos, Jack Wagner, Mark Hamill, Rick Springfield, Ricky Martin, Amber Tamblin, Emma Samms, Kimberly McCullough, Jonathan Jackson and Richard Dean Anderson.

“General Hospital” was created by husband-and-wife soap writers, Frank and Doris Hursley, and premiered April 1, 1963. In 1978, Gloria Monty was brought in as executive producer and is credited with the creation of the first super-couple, Luke and Laura Spencer. Their 1981 wedding brought in 30 million viewers and remains the highest-rated hour in American soap opera history.

Frank Valentini serves as “GH”’s current executive producer. Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor are the show’s co-head writers.

“General Hospital” airs weekdays on ABC.

Follow “General Hospital” (#GeneralHospital) on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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Bonnie Burroughs - Gladys on "General Hosp-tal" on ABC

 

Interview with Dominic Monaghan

TV Interview!

 

Dominic Monaghan, star of "Moriarty" on Audible

Interview with Dominic Monaghan, star of “Moriarty” on Audible by Suzanne 11/8/23

It was wonderful to speak with Dominic, who seems just as nice as you might imagine he’d be from his many great roles. As a fan of “Lost,” “Lord of the Rings” and his other work (especially “Moonhaven”), I could have honestly spoken to him for hours. Normally, we only cover TV, and the occasional movie, but this project is so well written and acted, and stars many of my favorite actors, so I couldn’t pass up the chance to cover it here. “Moriarty: The Devil’s Game” premiered last year and was a huge hit. “Moriarty: The Silent Order” premieres Thursday, Nov. 9. You won’t want to miss it. Helen Mirren joins the great cast. If you only listen to ONE audio drama this year, make it this one….especially if you’re a fan of Sherlock Holmes stories.

 

MORE INFO:

Audible Original "Moriarty: The Silent Order" premieres Thursday, 11/9/23, only on Audible.

Audible and Treefort Media Announce Season 2 of Sherlock Holmes Mystery-Thriller Moriarty

Helen Mirren to Star In Moriarty: The Silent Order Alongside Returning Cast Dominic Monaghan, Phil LaMarr and More

Newark, NJ – August 30, 2023 – Audible, Inc., the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, in collaboration with Treefort Media, announced today the return of the hit scripted audio series Moriarty. The second season of Audible’s bold take on the Sherlock Holmes universe continues with Dominic Monaghan (The Lord of the Rings, Lost) in the title role, leading the reimagining of literature’s most captivating rivalries, with Helen Mirren (The QueenGolda)Anya Chalotra (The Witcher), Ross McCall (Green Street Hooligans) and Arielle Goldman (The Knick, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) joining the sensational returning cast including Phil LaMarr (Mad Men) and more. Available exclusively on Audible, Moriarty: The Silent Order was directed by Elliot Blake and written by Charles Kindinger. Moriarty: The Silent Order will debut November 9.

In the latest Moriarty installment, six months after surviving near death at Reichenbach Falls, Professor James Moriarty tracks down the woman he loves in New York City, where she is trapped in the web of The Order – an evil organization that stretches beyond Britain and the Crown. When his attempts to break her free lead to tragedy, Moriarty returns home, determined to bring down the entire global organization. But before he can strike, he makes another shocking discovery: Sherlock Holmes is alive and shares his goal. Moriarty and Holmes must set their animosity aside and join forces to stop the assassination of the American president and a devastating world war.

“Moriarty has always been such an enigmatic character to me and exploring his world through this medium fueled my imagination,” said Dominic Monaghan. “I’m delighted to continue telling his story with Treefort and Audible — and working with Helen Mirren, as his new nemesis in Season 2, was a treat. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed working on it.” Dominic Monaghan, star of "Moriarty" on Audible

“It was lovely to be part of the rich, beautifully realized world of MORIARTY,” said Helen Mirren. “It’s fun for me to take on a villainous role, and I particularly enjoyed delving into the different dimensions of Lady Milverton. This story was my first podcast drama and I couldn’t imagine a more exhilarating story as an entry into the format.”

Moriarty: The Silent Order is part of Audible and Treefort Media’s multi-project development deal to produce original scripted audio series. Season 2 of Moriarty joins Audible’s robust roster of Audible Original audio dramas, including Topic Studios’ The Space Within, Skybound’s Impact Winter Season 1 and Season 2; Kerry Washington’s The Prophecy; Jesse Eisenberg’s When You Finish Saving the WorldThe Miranda ObsessionArmored, from The New York Times bestselling author Mark Greaney; James Patterson’s The Coldest Case starring Aaron Paul; and Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, among many more.

Revisit Season 1 of Moriarty: The Devil’s Game now and listen to Season 2 exclusively on Audible beginning November 9.

ABOUT AUDIBLE, INC.

Audible, Inc., an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), is the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, offering global audiences a powerful way to enhance and enrich their lives through extraordinary content. Audible’s catalog includes more than 800,000 audio titles, including Audible Originals as well as audiobooks and podcasts from leading studios, print, audio and magazine publishers and world-renowned entertainers.

ABOUT TREEFORT MEDIA

TREEFORT MEDIA is an award-winning podcast company specializing in premium audio storytelling. The first season of Moriarty won Best Fiction Podcast at Banff World Media Festival and Killing Hollywood: The Cotton Club Murder won the Webby for Best Scripted Fiction Podcast. Other notable Treefort series include: the weekly true crime series Killer Psyche, investigative series Collapse: Disaster in Surfside with the Miami Herald’s Pulitzer Prize winning team, and Paul Giamatti’s weekly esoteric talkfest Chinwag.

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"Moriarty: The Devil's Game" key art

 

Interview with Stan Brooks

TV Interview!

 

Stan Brooks, director of "Bad Romance: The Vicky White Story" on Lifetime

Interview with Stan Brooks, director of “Bad Romance: The Vicky White Story” on Lifetime by Suzanne 9/15/23

This is an interesting movie, although sad. What makes it stand out from many other TV movies is how accurate it is to the original story. From what the director says here, they went to great pains to make it as close to the original as possible. I believe it because it really does feel real.  All the actors were outstanding in this, particularly the leads, Wendi McLendon-Covey (Vicky) and Rossif Sutherland (Casey).  If you’ve only seen Wendi in comedies, you’ll be surprised at how great she is in this.  I loved Rossif in last year’s “Three Pines” on Prime Video, so I was very happy to see him show up in this. He’s the son of Donald Sutherland and brother to Kiefer Sutherland. He’s definitely inherited the family’s talent and looks.

It was a joy to speak with director Stanley M. Brooks because he’s worked for years as a producer in movies and TV, such as “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” (ABC) and “The Lizzie Borden Chronicles” (Lifetime).  He has some amazing stories that you’ll love. I wish I could have picked his brain for hours.  Please watch this Lifetime movie because it’s worth watching. Enjoy our video interview!

 

MORE INFO: Trailer   Official Site

"Bad Romance: The Vicky White Story" key art

Based on a true story, the movie follows Vicky White (Wendi McLendon-Covey), a lonely corrections officer who falls
for a prisoner (Rossif Sutherland), but before she can ensure their happily ever after, she must first break him out of
prison.

Every day for divorced prison corrections officer Vicky White (McLendon-Covey) is like the movie Groundhog DayWendi McLendon-Covey and Rossif Sutherland star in "Bad Romance: The Vicky White Story" premiering Saturday, October 21 at 8p/7c. – mundane, and every day just like the previous. But when new prisoner Casey White (Sutherland) is brought to her facility, the two develop a secret infatuation. Vicky gives Casey special attention, believing he’s the only man to see her the way she wants to be seen. But when Casey’s inevitable transfer to a lengthy prison sentence approaches, Vicky decides to take desperate action. Risking everything, Vicky manages to break Casey out of jail and takes him on the run, eluding authorities on an eleven-day dash for freedom. For Vicky, even the probable tragedy ahead of them is worth the chance to live life fully once more.

Bad Romance: The Vicky White Story is executive produced for Lifetime by Wendi McLendon-Covey, Tom Patricia, Gladys Gonzalez of John Carrabino Management and Howard Braunstein with Stan Brooks directing from a script by Gregory Small and Richard Blaney with Juliette Hagoplan producing the movie. Wendi is repped by UTA manager, Gladys Gonzalez, and attorney David Krintzman.
Stanley M. Brooks is an American film and television producer. He has produced more than 60 productions for film and television as well as several critically acclaimed miniseries including Broken Trail and Prayers for Bobby.

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Stan Brooks with Judith Light and other woman (from his Instagram)

 

Interview with Joe Bob Briggs

TV Interview!

 

John Bloom and Joe Bob Briggs

Interview with John Bloom AKA Joe Bob Briggs of “The Last Drive-In With Joe Bob Briggs” on Shudder by Suzanne 10/18/23

I was very honored to speak to John AKA Joe Bob, whom I’ve admired for a long time. He is an amazingly-accomplished man: an investigative journalist and movie reviewer; a comedy writer and standup act; an actor and showman with three successful late night shows about drive-in movies (mostly horror); and an author nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, several of whose stories and books have been made into movies.  I’ve enjoyed his comedy writing since the early 90’s, and in the meantime, he’s become quite famous, and a hero to horror fans (his followers, which are lovely called “mutants”). I only wish I’d had more time to chat with him. I hope you enjoy our interview. Make sure to check out Joe Bob’s Spooky October shows this month on Shudder!

Rough transcript (we’ll fix it up better later)

Suzanne: We go to Little Rock a few times a year. my husband has meetings there and we love it. I know you grew up there…

Joe Bob: Oh yeah, yeah. No, I know every town in Arkansas because when I was 13 years old, I got a job at the Arkansas Democrat and, in the sports department and I was in charge of high school football. And so, so I learned, I learned every single town that has a high school football team and, And on Friday nights, I would have to, call up the coaches and, and get the info on the games. And so, so yeah, so I know all about Magnolia.

Suzanne: Yeah, I’m sure. Yeah, my husband’s had to drive all over Arkansas and didn’t know it before.

Suzanne: So, yeah, we’ve been all over. I’ve been up to Mountain Home and Fayetteville and all over the place. Yeah. So, well, thanks for being here today. Sure. Um, my husband and I are actually huge fans of yours since the 90s. Um. Wow. Yeah. I appreciate that. Well, you’re welcome. A friend of ours gave us one of your books, Joe Bob Goes Back to the Drive In.

Suzanne: Yeah. And then we subscribed to your newsletter, The Joe Bob Report. So,

Joe Bob: you know about that. That’s like, oh, that goes way back.

Suzanne: Yeah, I think we still have them. Uh, I put them in an album or something or what do you call it? You know, somewhere. Um, so we really love reading your writing and I actually didn’t watch your show because we didn’t have that channel.

Suzanne: Uh, so…

Joe Bob: You didn’t have you didn’t have, oh, the movie channel. Yeah.

Suzanne: Yeah. And do you remember you had a movie review club and you sent around VHS copies movies and then we would write review and then send the, the videotape to the next person on the list. I did that.

Joe Bob: Which, which committee were you on?

Suzanne: I don’t remember. It was a long time ago. I never get my reviews published in your newsletter, but that’s okay. I just because

Joe Bob: we had too many log jammers, they would get the, you would get the VHS and never review it, never look at it. And then the next person would, would, would, would be waiting and waiting and waiting on it. So, so the system eventually broke down from, from negligence.

Suzanne: But you know, it was pre Netflix, so it was great. I loved it. Great. So, congratulations on getting your, show picked up for season

Joe Bob: six. Yeah, I I thought we were going to be doing this one time in 2018. And here we are. Um, we’ve we’ve done something like 180 movies or something.

Joe Bob: We’ve we’ve gone over the top with this thing. So…

Suzanne: Is it still exciting, at this point in your career, to get your show renewed?

Joe Bob: Oh, it’s so much fun. It’s so much fun. I, I’ve been the luckiest guy in the world in TV because I’ve had, I’ve had three shows and none of my shows have ever had time limits. There’s nobody else. There’s nobody else that works in TV who can say that. That’s probably true, yeah. When I was at the movie channel, it was a premium channel. The movie channel was the fourth premium channel. And in terms of number of subscribers, there’s like, everybody had HBO and then most people had HBO and Showtime.

And then if you wanted a third channel, you bought Cinemax. And then if you really, really needed more movies in your life, if you just had to have a fourth premium channel, you bought the movie channel and that’s probably why it wasn’t, you know, available where you were. And so, um. Uh, I w I was always the late, the late night guy.

And so they didn’t, they didn’t care how long I talked, because it was the end of the, end of the day schedule. And then when I went to TNT, I was also the late night guy. And they just, they said to me, you know, it was usually a double feature. And it didn’t have a start time. It didn’t have an end time because it would come on after basketball or something, you know, or something that ended at a weird time.

And then they would just say, you know, as long as you’re done by 6 am, we don’t care. You can finish it for you can finish it. 5. we don’t care. We’ll just put 3 stages in up till 6. and so. And so I never had any time limits at either of those shows. And then I go to a streaming network and it’s like, Oh, well, no time limits.

Joe Bob: Okay. This is great.

Suzanne: Your show’s meant made for streaming. Really?

Joe Bob: I know. I mean, it’s like when we did the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I said to my producer, I said, you know, this is my favorite movie. And he says, yeah, that’s why we’re showing it. And I said, well, You know, I may have to talk like a long time, and he says, as long as you want to talk, so the, the, the, the interruptions, the time on the interruptions is longer than the movie, and I’m, I’m not proud of that, that’s, that’s not a good thing, but, but, enough people have continued to watch that thing and watch it and watch it and watch it over and over again that Um, I guess, you know, occasionally you can get away with that But that’s really the tail wagging the dog and so shutter let me do that and And i’m grateful for that

Suzanne: so you can go back and watch older episodes of your show and go watch the texas Chainsaw Massacre one on there.

Joe Bob: Oh, yeah. Yeah, they keep the library. I mean, sometimes they lose the rights to the movie. Um, but, but they have a, but most most of the movies are still on there. And then they have a section. If they do lose the rights, they have a section called just Joe Bob, where if you’re really nerdy, you can watch the watch the intro and the breaks.

And we tell you the time code. At the break. So if you wanted to sync it up with some you could it’s kind of like a rip tracks thing but but without without talking over the movie, you know, and and so that is that is available and people do watch those. Especially people. Well,

a lot of times, you know, shutter is available in Canada, England. Australia, New Zealand, but a lot of times we don’t have the, we don’t have the rights to the movie in those, in those countries, they still have the just Joe Bob’s and so the really hardcore fans will go in and sync it up with the just Joe Bob’s and, and watch it anyway, but so

Suzanne: that’s cool. I might have to watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I’ve never seen that.

Um, you’ve never seen it.

Yeah. You know, I’m actually not a horror fan. I like you. No, and I like low budget movies. I, I, I don’t li I, I don’t mind the showtime blood for Dexter here, but I don’t, you know, I’m sort of squeamish and I don’t like really gross things, so it’s terrible.

Suzanne: I know. I don’t mind spooky or scary, eh, not, not too keen on the. You know, splatter and gore and vomit. Okay.

Joe Bob: Well, we have horror for all, for all tastes. Every sub genre in the world is part of the Shudder library.

Suzanne: Cool. I have watched a few things on Shudder before. So, but anyway, so, October is a big month for you and for Shudder.

Um, you have a Halloween special in two days and the description says that you quote, Celebrate the spooky season in style. With a demonic double feature sure to get your blood pumping and one very scary special guest unquote. Can you tell me more about

Joe Bob: that? I can tell you everything except, the, the titles of the movies because we don’t, we don’t, reveal the titles of the movies in advance.

Okay. And, what I did is I turned over the, I turned over the planning for this year’s Halloween to Darcy, the male girl, because she complains every year that I screw up Halloween. I screw up the Halloween show. And so I said, okay, you do it. And so she’s planning the decorations and the, and the stunts.

And the guests, and I didn’t know who the guests was going to be until I noticed that Dan Housen, you know who that is, you know who Dan Housen is, Dan Housen is a wrestler for AEW who dresses up in, um. Monster makeup, and, and says he’s a demon. And so he’s a professional wrestler who says he’s a demon.

Uh, and so he’s kind of started tweeting about, or what do you call it? X ing about whatever, What he’s going to be doing this Friday night. And so I’ve kind of surmised that Dan housing may be the special spooky guest. So, that’s Darcy’s doing. Yeah. Um, I’ve, I’ve, I’ve met that Dan housing a couple of times.

Then he’s, he’s a, he’s a great, he’s a great guy. Very strange, very strange man. He’s his slogan is I’m very nice. And very evil.

Suzanne: That’s funny. How far in advance do you write and shoot the show?

Joe Bob: Um, I start, I try to. I, as soon as they’ll give me the titles, I start doing deep research on the movies because the fans demand it.

Joe Bob: I mean, if I don’t, if I don’t, by the time the movie airs, even if it’s a movie I’ve seen many times, I watch it again. And then I seek out, you know, additional information about it because, the fans want to know everything they want to know every single thing about the making of the movie, the, the, the box office of the movie, which is actually a hard thing to find because people lie so much about box office and, um.

Joe Bob: And, and, if it’s the fans love the eighties for some reason, they, they love the eighties and they especially love the eighties slashers, you know, so if it’s an 80 slasher, you gotta really know your stuff. Um, and, but, but we’ve shown a lot of, I mean, I think one of the most difficult. Research movies I’ve ever done is the Exorcist 3 because the guy who, William Peter Blatty, who, The exorcist stories, was, he was a Catholic intellectual and he had all these theories about life, religion, God, and the devil and, and exorcism.

Joe Bob: And so he just got lost in this morass of stuff about William. And why certain symbolism is in the movie and all that and I tried to explain it, you know I mean, I didn’t have I didn’t have time to explain all of it But tried to explain it when we when we presented the movie, but I just remember reading article after article about About what laddie may be trying to do in exorcist 3 plus it was a troubled movie it’s one of those movies where they screwed it up and they had to go back and do re shoots and And they, you know, brought in a new actor at the very end to do the actual exorcism.

Joe Bob: And then the special effects didn’t work and I had to reshoot those. And so there was all this stuff and, somehow we got it all in there, but, um.

Suzanne: It happens when they give you unlimited time and you can play as much as

Joe Bob: you want. I know, right? I know, right? You can’t, you can’t skimp on a movie like that.

Joe Bob: No. Um, I mean, The Prowler, no problem. You don’t really need that much time to research The Prowler. You know, but, but there, another one, another one we had, we kind of, We kind of rescued from obscurity, this movie called Demon Wind that was made really at the end of the slasher era. Um, and it’s just so weird that it was hard to find information on it.

Joe Bob: Um, but we showed it. It’s, it’s impossible to describe and really impossible to understand. I don’t really think anybody could summarize the plot accurately, but I noticed about six months after we showed it, it started turning up on midnight shows and theaters all across the country. And so I’m like, okay, well, we revived the fortunes of that guy.

Suzanne: That’s yeah, no, I know what you mean about doing research on trying to find the ratings and box office and stuff like that. I was yesterday. I was trying to find some ratings for some shows in the 70s and that wasn’t, you know, I mean, it was a long time ago, but you think you could find it. I couldn’t find just like certain years.

Suzanne: I mean, I was just like.

Joe Bob: And, and I, I kind of penalize myself because I don’t, I trust very little that’s on the internet, right? And so, so we tend to go for print, print magazines and books and, and, and actual interviews with people, because I just, as a last resort, you know, we. We use the internet as sort of a pointer.

Joe Bob: It points you in certain directions, but we don’t really trust anything on the internet because what will happen is the fans, somebody will Make up a fact or make up a fiction, a fiction that sounds plausible. It sounds plausible, you know, it’s something that might have happened, but it didn’t happen.

Joe Bob: And, and, and, and because it’s interesting, it’ll get, especially if it has to do with, you know, sex, drugs, rock and roll, you know, if it has to do with something spicy, it’ll get, it’ll get mentioned, and

Joe Bob: 100 times on various websites, and then it’ll become fact, even though it’s still not fact, but it’ll become fact because it’s been mentioned so many times on so many websites. Yeah. And so that’s why we don’t trust the internet. Well, I

Suzanne: don’t have unlimited time. Unfortunately, they’re telling me I need to wrap it up. So I really appreciate you talking to me today.

Joe Bob: Sure. Thank you for talking to me.

Suzanne: All right. And good luck with your October things and all the other things that you do. I know you do still do stand up and other you do shows and things.

MORE INFO: Watch the show on Shudder on their site, on YouTube, on Amazon Prime or on AMC+.

"The Last Drive-In With Joe Bob Briggs" Helloween on Shudder

SHUDDER RENEWS

THE LAST DRIVE-IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS

FOR A SUPERSIZED SIXTH SEASON

Joe Bob Briggs Signs on to Host More Titles Than Ever Providing a Consistent Presence

on Shudder Throughout the Year

NEW YORK – September 28, 2023 – Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thrillers and the supernatural, announced that it has renewed its hit original series The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs for a supersized sixth season. The expanded season will include a record number of more than 30 titles, starting with a series of seasonal specials then transitioning to a new schedule beginning in March 2024. The show concluded its fifth season on July 21st, with each new episode trending in the Top 10 nationally on Twitter every Friday night.

The sixth season kicked off this month with The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs: The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon special on September 15, featuring special guest Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead). This season will also feature two Halloween-themed specials in October, a Holiday special in December and a Valentine’s Day special in February. Then, beginning in March 2024, Shudder will roll-out the new schedule of Joe Bob’s signature movie watch parties every other Friday night, featuring single titles and surprises.

“As everyone knows, you should never invite me into your home, because I always show up. Shudder has graciously invited me to stick around for a sixth year, and I intend to use that kindness to haunt your phones, laptops and big-screen TVs with the most ghastly examples of perversity in the history of cinema,” said Joe Bob Briggs. “Plus a few old jokes and some celebrity guests who will still return our phone calls. Put it all together and it spells PARTAY.”

“We’re delighted to bring Joe Bob, Darcy and the rest of The Last Drive-In Team back for our biggest season yet of crazy, scary and crazy-scary movies and specials, with the most entertaining commentary on TV,” said AMC Networks’ Executive Vice President of Streaming Courtney Thomasma. “Joe Bob will be hosting more movie nights than any previous season and we can’t wait to continue the Friday night party with our Shudder family.”

On The Last Drive-In, Briggs, the world’s foremost drive-in movie critic hosts eclectic horror movies, talking about their merits, histories and significance to genre cinema.

Shudder and Briggs first teamed up in July 2018, for the 27-hour marathon intended to be Briggs’ final farewell to televised movie hosting. After the special turned out to be an unprecedented hit, Shudder brought The Last Drive-In back as a weekly series and for multiple holiday specials.

The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs is produced by Matt Manjourides and Justin Martell and directed by Austin Jennings.

  • The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs: Halloween (1978) (Shudder Original Special)

Premieres LIVE Tuesday, October 10 at 10pm on AMC, AMC+ TV and Shudder TV

Joe Bob celebrates the 45th anniversary of this iconic horror film.

  • Joe Bob’s Helloween (Shudder Original Special)

Premieres LIVE Friday, October 20 at 9pm on ShudderTV and AMC+ TV

Horror legend Joe Bob Briggs and his co-host Darcy the Mail Girl celebrate the spooky season in style – with a demonic double-feature sure to get your blood pumping and one very scary special guest.

About Shudder

AMC Networks’ Shudder is a premium streaming video service, super-serving members with the best selection in genre entertainment, covering horror, thrillers and the supernatural. Shudder’s expanding library of film, TV series, and originals is available on most streaming devices in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. For a 7-day, risk-free trial, visit www.shudder.com.

From https://www.texasmonthly.com: John Bloom wrote for Texas Monthly, as both a staff writer and a contributor, from 1978 to 2006. He is a successful investigative journalist, actor, and author who was born in Dallas and raised in Little Rock, and he attended Vanderbilt University on a sportswriting scholarship. His nine books include the true-crime classic Evidence of Love (1984), Profoundly Disturbing: The Shocking Movies That Changed History (2003), and Eccentric Orbits: The Iridium Story (2016). He has been a finalist for the National Magazine Award three times and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize by United Press International for his eyewitness coverage of 9/11. Bloom is best known as his alter ego, Joe Bob Briggs, a nationally syndicated “drive-in movie critic” whose wisecracking take on B movies was featured on two long-running late-night television shows, first on the Movie Channel and then on TNT. That tradition continues with his latest series, The Last Drive-In, currently featured on AMC’s Shudder streaming platform. During the course of his hosting career, Briggs has executive produced 20,000 hours of television and has become the leading authority on exploitation and genre films. In 2022, two true-crime articles he cowrote for Texas Monthly were adapted into the HBO series Love and Death.

Joe Bob’s Official Site

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John Bloom, AKA Joe Bob Briggs, on "The Last Drive-In With Joe Bob Briggs" on Shudder

 

Interview with Josh Berman

TV Interview!

Josh Berman, director of the film "Full Circle"

Interview with director Josh Berman of the film “Full Circle” by Thane 10/17/23

It was great to interview Josh Berman, who directed this movie. Many people will find it inspirational. The film demonstrates how people can continue to thrive, even if their life turns out completely different than what they expect.

We apologize for any confusion during the interview…due to circumstances beyond our control, we were given some wrong information about Josh and his experiences (not his fault).  Well, these things happen! We hope you can go see this movie, which comes out soon.

 

MORE INFO: Official Site  Trailer

Falco Ink, Abramorama Presents Full Circle "Full Circle" poster

Opening in NY October 20th
Opening in LA, Canada & Additional US Cities Beginning October 27th
*World Premiere – 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival*
*Feature Film Award Winner – 2023 Wasatch Mountain Film Festival*
*Official Selection – ​​2023 Telluride Mountainfilm*
Directed by: Josh Berman
Featuring: Trevor Kennison and Barry Corbet
Produced by: Conor Smith and Roy Tuscany
Executive Produced by: Andrew Tiner, Kevin McNeely, and Rosemary NcNeely

Faced with a traumatic injury that renders you permanently disabled; how would you reinvent yourself? In 2014, Trevor Kennison’s life was forever altered by a broken back – for worse and for better, in equal measures. Barry Corbet, an intrepid skier, mountaineer, explorer, filmmaker, and Jackson Hole legend, broke his back in a helicopter crash in 1968.  Frustrated by a pre-ADA culture that did not accept or support the disabled, Barry reinvented himself, becoming a seminal leader in the disability community. Full Circle follows Trevor on a path towards post-traumatic growth in parallel with Barry, 50 years later.  Their stories mirror each other, connected through time and space by common locations and motifs; injuries in the Colorado backcountry, rehab at Craig Hospital, fame in Jackson Hole; but also, through their shared resiliency and refusal to let their passion for life be limited by their injuries. Full Circle is an unblinking examination of the challenges of Spinal Cord Injury, and a celebration of the growth that such tragedy can catalyze.

Bringing the ethos of the film into practice Primetime Emmy-nominated composer Mark Crawford (“The Social Dilemma”) chose to work with musicians living with disabilities for the live instrumentation of the score. Mark assembled an all-star team, including Grammy-winning guitarist Eric Howk of Portugal. The Man, world-renowned jazz pianist Justin Kauflin, percussionist Jason Barnes, trumpet player Patrick Henry Hughes, virtuoso violinist Brian Krinke, and members of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, with orchestrator Jeff Kryka preparing the score. Additionally, Eric Howk wrote and recorded a custom song for the credits of the film, titled “What I Am.”  Very much autobiographical, the song brings Eric’s voice into the film in more ways than one, speaking directly to his life experience as a paraplegic confined to a wheelchair.

JOSH BERMAN

Director/DP – Josh Berman started his career in the New York City production scene while earning a degree in Film from Dartmouth College. Josh followed his passion for snow sports to Colorado and has been directing award winning outdoor and action sports films for the past two decades. His background in action sports uniquely equipped him to tackle the challenges of shooting with Trevor in complex and dangerous snow environments.

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Josh Berman, director of the film "Full Circle"

 

Interview with George Olson

TV Interview!

 

George R. Olson, creator/writer/producer/showrunner of "SurrealEstate" on Syfy

Interview with Showrunner/creator/writer/EP George R. Olson of “SurrealEstate” on Syfy by Suzanne 10/16/23

It was really fun to speak with George about such an entertaining show. I’ve enjoyed “SurrealEstate” since the first episode because it has interesting stories of drama and horror, with a lot of humor and a good cast. I tried hard to get him to tell me if a certain character dies this season, but he wouldn’t budge…not that I expected him to! But it was all in fun, anyway. You don’t want to miss this season, which started October 4th on Syfy. It airs Wednesdays on Syfy, but you can also watch it on their website for free and on HULU the next day. You can watch season one on HULU as well.

 

MORE INFO:

SURREALESTATE -- Pictured: "SurrealEstate" Key Art -- (Photo by: SYFY)

SYFY logo
SurrealEstate

Wednesdays on SYFY(10-11pm ET/PT); Season Premiere: October 4

“SurrealEstate” follows real estate agent Luke Roman and an elite team of specialists that handle the cases no one else can: haunted and possessed houses that literally scare would-be buyers away. Researching, investigating and “fixing” the things that go bump in the night, the team works to create closure – and closings – even as they struggle with demons of their own.

201 “TRUST THE PROCESS” (Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 10 p.m. ET/PT)
Without his special powers, Luke struggles to handle an engaged property by instinct alone. Susan falls in love at first sight with a mysterious home that has a special power over her.

202 “TRUTH IN ADVERTISING” (Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 10 p.m. ET/PT)
Luke deals with a TV ghost hunter and his crew filming at a client’s legendary property. Susan investigates a seaside B&B where strange, provocative noises are scaring guests away.

203 “THE BUTLER DIDN’T” (Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 10 p.m. ET/PT)
When a client is taken hostage by a vengeful ghost, the Roman Agency must solve a decades-old murder mystery to save him before it’s too late.

204 “I PUT A SPELL ON YOU” (Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT)
Luke sparks with a charming homeowner while negotiating a land deal. Zooey goes out on her first sales call as a newly minted real estate agent.

SurrealEstate” stars Tim Rozon, Sarah Levy, Adam Korson, Maurice Dean Wint, Savannah Basley and Elena Juatco.

The series was created by George R. Olson. Olson, Lance Samuels, Danishka Esterhazy, Armand Leo, Daniel Iron, Neil Tabatznik, Cosima Von Spreti and Kevin Anweiler executive produce.

George R. Olson

creator, showrunner, and executive producer

George Olson is a recovering advertising executive, having spent most of his career as creative director, partner and chief creative officer at one of Colorado’s largest advertising agencies. Several years ago, seeking the dangerous head rush of writing something longer than thirty seconds, George began writing for film.

One of his first efforts, a bio-pic of Nikola Tesla, won a screenwriting competition and attracted the attention of director Barry Sonnenfeld, who developed the script with him. He wrote a short film, KILLING KEVIN, which was an official selection at 18 international film festivals. Another one of his original screenplays, WHITEFISH, won another competition and he developed that script with actor/director John Turturro. Since then, George has written a number of features including MASTER RACE, the story of Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, with Anthony Mackie attached to star.

Along the way, George began writing for television and has developed a number of original pilots including BITTERROOT, which he sold as a pitch to USA Network. Several of George’s original spec pilots are in various stages of development around town, including POISON COUNTY which he is developing with Mark Burnett and MGM Television. MGM also hired him to create and write the pilot for GODSPEED, a one-hour drama set in the world of NASCAR.  He has adapted his one-hour pilot FIRST PERSON SHOOTER with e-One into a made-for-TV film for Crackle. George sold his original spec pilot THE NATURE OF YOUR EMERGENCY to Keshet Studios, and sold his pitch for RUTHLESS to CBS Studios and developed the pilot for the CW Network.  Most recently, George’s original pilot SURREAL ESTATE was ordered to series by SYFY, with George serving as Showrunner and Executive Producer.

Splitting his time between Colorado, Los Angeles, Canada, features and television, George has no outside interests that he is aware of.

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George R. Olson with "SurrealEstate" cast

 

Interview with Jeff Astrof

TV Interview!

 

Creator Jeff Astrof and star Gus Birney of "Shining Vale" on Starz

Interview with EP Jeff Astrof of “Shining Vale” on Starz by Suzanne 10/10/23

It was really fun to speak with Jeff. again.  He wears a lot of hats as no only Co-Creator of the show, but also Writer, Showrunner and Executive Producer. He’s very passionate about the show, and who can blame him? It’s a great series, with an amazing mixture of comedy, drama and humor. It also has a wonderful cast: Courtney Cox, Greg Kinnear, Mira Sorvino, Merrin Dungey, Judith Light, Sherilyn Fenn, Allison Tolman, Gus Birney and Dylan Gage. I love it because it’s horror, but it’s not gross like so many horror movies or shows are.

If you missed the first season, you can stream it now on the Starz site, Amazon or ROKU. It’s definitely worth watching, and Jeff is justifiably proud of all of their efforts. You don’t want to miss season two, which premieres “October 13 at midnight ET on the Starz app, all Starz streaming and on-demand platforms and on Lionsgate+ streaming platform in the U.K. and Ireland; on linear at 9 p.m. ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada. New episodes will drop weekly on Fridays at midnight” (from Deadline).

 

MORE INFO: Official Site Trailer

"Shining Vale" on Starz key art

JEFF ASTROF
Executive Producer; Co-Creator; Showrunner; Writer, Ep. 201, 208
Jeff Astrof is a writer/producer who has worked in television way longer than he ever
thought possible. Jeff came to prominence as one of the original writers of “Friends,”
where he co-wrote several notable episodes, including “The One After the Super Bowl”
which was seen by over 51 million viewers. Additionally, his background work on the
show as “hot guy at party”, “guy late for plane” and “disappointed hockey fan” remain
examples of overacting to this day. Jeff also wrote on all five seasons of “The New
Adventures of Old Christine,” where Julia Louis-Dreyfus won her first post-Seinfeld
Emmy, and he was co-creator of the critically-acclaimed “Trial & Error,” starring John
Lithgow and Kristin Chenoweth. “Shining Vale” reunites Jeff with fellow “Friends” alum
Courteney Cox. As EP/Showrunner of the show, Jeff has mandated that he is not
allowed to act in it.

About “Shining Vale”

Season one of “Shining Vale” introduced Pat and Terry Phelps, a dysfunctional family that tried to run from their problems by moving their kids into a Victorian mansion in small-town Connecticut. The only problem? It may be haunted. Once settled in, Pat encountered Rosemary, a demon who possessed her body and turned her life upside down. When the family steps in to “save” Pat, they commit her to a psychiatric hospital where she sees an old photo of a nurse who looks just like her demon Rosemary.

Season two kicks off four months later, when Pat’s insurance runs out and she is released from the psychiatric hospital early. Pat returns home, determined to pick up the pieces of her broken family, but she quickly finds out her children don’t need her, Terry doesn’t remember her and to make matters worse, Pat’s new neighbor Ruth looks exactly like Rosemary. Meanwhile, the house starts to reveal the shocking secrets of its dark past. Every mother feels like they live in an insane asylum, but Pat may be right!

“Shining Vale” Online

Twitter: @ShiningVale | @STARZ

Instagram: @ShiningValeSTARZ  | @STARZ

Facebook: @ShiningValeSTARZ | @STARZ

Join the conversation with #ShiningVale and #STARZ

“Shining Vale” season two is set to premiere on Friday, October 13th, at midnight ET on the STARZ app, all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms and on LIONSGATE+ streaming platform in the U.K. and Ireland. On linear, it will debut on STARZ on Friday, October 13th, at 9PM ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada. New episodes will be available to stream weekly on Fridays at midnight on the STARZ app, all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms and will air weekly on the STARZ linear platform.

Our Interview with Jeff for Season One of “Shining Vale.”

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"Shining Vale" on Starz key art

 

Interview with Joseph Kay

TV Interview!

 

Joseph Kay, creator/showrunner of "Transplant" on CBC and NBC (photo from Twitter)

Interview with creator/producer Joseph Kay of “Transplant” on NBC by Suzanne 10/10/23

It was great to speak with the creator/writer/executive producer of such a good show as “Transplant,” which returns for season 3 October 12th! It’s a Canadian show, and they’re watching season 4 right now (which, unfortunately, is the last season). You don’t want to miss this one! If you haven’t watched the first two seasons, go watch them now on Peacock! You’ll be glad you caught up on some a unique show with interesting characters.

 

MORE INFO:  Official NBC Site Trailer

Transplant

New Season Premiering Thursday, October 12 on NBC (9 p.m. ET)

 

The new season of “Transplant” finds Bashir “Bash” Hamed (Hamza Haq, “My Salinger Year”) continuing his journey to start over, but with each new milestone comes a new challenge. While pursuing Canadian citizenship for himself and his younger sister, Amira (Sirena Gulamgaus, “Orphan Black), Bash closely examines who he’s becoming in his adopted country.

Bash, still being asked repeatedly to prove himself, works closely with his colleagues as they move forward following the dramatic conclusion of season two. Everyone continues to find themselves looking to adapt to change and understand how they fit in, both within and beyond the walls of York Memorial Hospital.

After Dr. Bishop’s shocking departure, the team gains a new boss with the forward-thinking Dr. Neeta Devi (Rekha Sharma, “Yellowjackets”). Dr. Devi has big ideas when it comes to overhauling the emergency department at York Memorial.

“Transplant” also stars Laurence Leboeuf as Dr. Magalie “Mags” LeBlanc, Ayisha Issa as Dr. June Curtis, Jim Watson as Dr. Theo Hunter, Torri Higginson as head nurse Claire Malone, Gord Rand as Dr. Mark Novak and Sirena Gulamgaus as Amira.

Creator Joseph Kay serves as showrunner and executive producer. Rachel Langer, Josée Vallée, Jocelyn Deschênes, Bruno Dubé, and Stefan Pleszczynski also executive produce.

“Transplant” is produced by Sphere Media in association with CTV and Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group.

 

Please visit the official show site at: https://www.nbc.com/transplant.

For the latest “Transplant” news, videos, and photos, please like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram:

https://www.facebook.com/NBCTransplant/
https://twitter.com/NBCTransplant #Transplant
https://www.instagram.com/nbctransplant/

Joseph Kay

Executive Producer, “Transplant”

Joseph Kay is creator, showrunner and executive producer on the NBC drama “Transplant.” He has served as showrunner, writer and executive producer for each of its seasons, winning four Canadian Screen Awards in his roles as writer and producer.

Prior to “Transplant,” he adapted and served as executive producer on the CBC drama “This Life.” Previous credits include the World War II drama “Bomb Girls” for Global TV and the CBC hit action/comedy “Republic of Doyle.”

Kay also co-created the single-camera comedy “Living in your Car” for HBO Canada.

Before becoming a screenwriter, he worked as a transactional lawyer at one of Canada’s foremost securities law firms.

Our previous “Transplant” interviews!

Hamza Haq (Bash) 7/12/22

Laurence Leboeuf (Mags) 3/29/22

 John Hannah and Hamza Haq (Bishop and Bash) 3/1/22

Laurence Leboeuf (Mags) 10/30/20

Hamza Haq (Bash) 10/9/20

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Joseph Kay, creator/showrunner of "Transplant" on CBC and NBC (photo from Facebook video).

 

Interview with Sharon Case

TV Interview!

 

Sharon Case from the CBS original daytime series THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS celebrating it’s Golden Anniversary of 50 years, airing on CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2022 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Brand CBS Entertainment

Interview with Sharon Case of “The Young and The Restless” on CBS by Suzanne 10/5/23

I so enjoyed speaking with Sharon! I’m a fan of hers, and of the show (which you’ll see below). It was great to meet her on Zoom, and it was really sweet of her to answer so many of our questions. We had a good time and laughed a lot.

Suzanne: Well, thanks for talking to me today.

Sharon: Yeah. Thanks for having me, Suzanne.

Suzanne: Yeah. You’ve been on Y&R next year for 30 years. How does that feel?

Sharon: It feels amazing. It’s wild. I guess you round off numbers when you speak about it. So for probably a few years now, I’d just round it off and say, Oh, you know, I’ve been here 30 years or, you know, so it’s not brand new, a brand new idea to me, but it will finally be official.

Suzanne: Yeah, that’s great. Do they give you a cake and things like that?

Sharon: I don’t know if they’re going to come up with a cake. Probably, they’ll offer a cake party. I think usually our anniversaries, we have a lot of anniversaries, a lot of casts have been here a long time. They usually do a cake party, yeah.

Suzanne: Okay, that’s cool.  I’ve been watching “The Young and The Restless” since 1986, and “General Hospital” since 1984. So I saw you on there as Dawn before you [played] Sharon.

Sharon: Right. I played Dawn, Monica Quartermaine’s daughter.

Suzanne: Yeah, no, that was great. I really liked Dawn, even though there were like five different actresses that played her.

Sharon: There were a lot of actresses that played Dawn. There were three who played Sharon.

Suzanne: Yeah, that’s right. That’s right. I forgot about that. And I was so upset when they, when they killed Dawn off. She was such a great character. But I’m glad that you got to go on and become Sharon for so long.

Sharon: But you know, dead is never dead in the soap either.

Suzanne: Yeah, but it was a long time ago. I don’t think she’s coming back now.

Sharon: Who knows? You know, she could.

Suzanne: That would be great, but… Has Sharon — I was trying to remember — has Sharon ever been dead or thought to be dead?

Sharon: She, well, let’s see, she fell off the cliff with Drusilla and she almost died. They thought maybe she was going to make it, but she made it. Okay, now I don’t think…Oh, and then when Sharon broke out of prison and went on the run, and she stayed with, Sam on the farm. Everyone in Genoa City thought Sharon was dead, they even had a funeral for her. And so, right, Sharon was meanwhile, living on a farm with Sam.

Suzanne: Yeah.

Sharon: She was thought to be dead then, too. Yeah, that, but not, not in the way that we were talking about somehow. Some characters do die — “die” — and they come back. It’s always fun to have to play that scene when a character comes back to life and you’re shocked. Like Diane recently.

Suzanne: Yeah, that’s right.

Sharon: It’s the best scene when your character runs into them, and you’re like, “Oh, my God!” What expression do you have from back from the dead, what would be the right expression? What is that?

[Both laughing]

Suzanne: I’m not so dead after all! That’s funny. Yeah. Yeah.

Suzanne: Well, it seems like Sharon has been through a lot on those 30 years, and [done] just about everything that a soap heroine can possibly do. I mean…

Sharon: Yeah, I’ve done a lot of really fun stuff…

Suzanne: Burning down Victor’s house, marrying Victor….That was weird!

Sharon: That was, yeah. Marrying. Yeah. But you know, that turned into some very good things that, I’ve been seeing a lot of, recently, people are tweeting or whatever, scenes where Sharon was having Victor’s funeral.

Suzanne: Mm-Hmm.  I remember that.

Sharon: It was the fake funeral. And that was just hilarious. And she was trying to marry Tucker at the same time. Those were some of the funniest scenes. And I had so much fun shooting them. And that was all part of the Sharon married Victor story.

Suzanne: Right.

Sharon: She then, you know, covered up his fake death, pretended he was dead, tried to take over Newman. It was a lot of fun.

Suzanne: Yeah, I’ll bet. And I remember a long time ago when Sharon was shoplifting.

Sharon: Yeah, that was great fun.

Suzanne: Yeah?

Sharon: That was the very beginning of her, kind of, her bipolar, I guess, is what they decided that was part of that, as well. I think her would-be behavior. yeah, it was really fun. And, I joke with Joshua Morrow sometimes when we’re just sitting in the Newman living room, doing scenes, you know, passing time when, you know, we have a lot of time sitting there in between scenes, and I say, I’m going to steal the coasters, Joshua. I’m going to have Sharon zip over first and steal the coasters. And I’ll just be doing that in the background while these people are talking. That would be hilarious. We always laugh about that. He laughs… He thinks, he’d like to start having his character only wear golf clothes all the time, to the office, everywhere, he’s just always in golf clothes.

Suzanne: He seems like he would be a lot of fun.

Sharon: He’s so much fun. I think that’s a genius idea.

Suzanne: Yeah, I remember, that was when, when, Sharon was stealing– shoplifting. That was when your character’s mom was still around.

Sharon: Yeah, we haven’t seen Sharon’s mom in a while. We still, we don’t know where her dad is yet.  So, there’s still things we have to find out.

Suzanne: Yeah, that’s great that they still have that story out there they could pull out anytime. And I’m glad to see that you’re doing something again, other than just pouring coffee and being a sounding board for your children and anyone else.

Sharon: Yeah…

Suzanne: After Rey died, then they didn’t do anything with Sharon for a very long time, besides that.

Sharon: I know, she had a very long mourning period. She had a long mourning. She really loved him. So she was paused for a while… but now she’s got this Kirsten Company, thanks to Cameron Kirsten. And, now she’s gonna go out on her own and build it into a great company, and, you know, take over the world.

Suzanne: Mm-hmm.  Yeah. That’s great. Judging from what I’ve seen on the show lately, it seems like Nick and Sharon may be headed back together. I know they don’t tell you much ahead of time, and you can’t really say spoilers, but would you be happy about that kind of reunion?

Sharon: Of course! I’m always happy when they reunite.  I– I love working with Joshua. Good news is, though, even when we’re not reunited, I get to work with him a lot anyway. We share children together. So, I mean, we always are doing scenes together in any case, either way.

Suzanne: Yeah, yeah. And do you think that they’re the next Victor and Nikki?

Sharon: Well, it seems so. I can see how people can compare the two.  They’ve been a couple on and off for, you know, like we just said, three decades now.

Suzanne: Yeah.

Sharon: And that does seem to parallel Victor and Nikki.

Suzanne: Right. And when you found out that Sharon was going to be running Cameron’s former company, what was your reaction to that?

Sharon: Oh, I was really happy. You know, to see Sharon back in the business world again is fun.  She did worka t Jabot and Newman back in the day for a while. And that’s fun because, you know, she gets to interact with a lot of other people while she’s at work.

Suzanne: Mm-hmm.

Sharon: Brad work there then, you know

Suzanne: Mm-hmm. I remember…

Sharon: That’s just fun. So I– I hope that Sharon being back in the business world again… that will give her cause to be at Jabot, or Newman or maybe employ several people at her office space.

Suzanne: Right. She was a psychologist, but they’ve kind of dropped that now, or….?

Sharon: Yeah, I think we’re getting less and less…going less and less with the psychology. And we did that for a few years.

Suzanne: Yeah.

Sharon: Well, you know, she’s changing careers, and going back to what she used to do.

Suzanne: Right, right, right. And, is there anything that Sharon hasn’t done on the show that you wish she would do?

Sharon: Let’s see…um…I don’t know, let’s see… I would like her to, uh…I can’t really think of anything, but you know, it would be fun if she were like a… I’ll come up with something.

Suzanne: Okay. You could be a stripper like Nikki!  I don’t know…

Sharon: Be a stripper like Nikki? No…. [Laughs]

Suzanne: Maybe she could get a split personality and become a stripper.

Sharon: Split personality would be phenomenal. I loved playing bipolar, that’s not quite the same, but a split personality would be a lot of fun, or a crazy twin sister.

Suzanne: I was gonna say evil twin would be the next thing.

Sharon: That would be great.

Suzanne: Well, and we know twins run in her family, so she had twins, so…

Sharon: That’s right, she did. She had Mariah and Cassie, and they were great.

Suzanne: Yeah, so she could have an evil twin out there she doesn’t even know about.

Sharon: That’s right.

Suzanne: And it would be a good way to bring her mom back, too.

Sharon: Yeah, or bring her mom back or her dad. Maybe she meets her dad, and her dad shows up in town with this child. This– well, not child anymore. You know. And Sharon is looking right at herself, she feels. It’s because it’s her twin sister.

Suzanne: Yeah, that would be great. You’d get to play evil for a while. That would be fun.

Sharon: Yeah, that would be good.

Suzanne: Yeah, or a vixen, what they used to call a vixen.

Sharon: Yeah, and she could be a real good vixen and real bad girl. She would do all kinds of bad things.

Suzanne: I could see– I could see that with Adam.

Sharon: Doing bad things?

Suzanne: Yeah. The twin– the evil twin with Adam.

Sharon: Oh, yeah, I see. Yeah. Yeah. I can see it, too.

Suzanne: So, I asked on Twitter and Facebook– Oh, (here’s a question I forgot to ask first) I know it’s not 2020 anymore, but are you still following a lot of COVID protocols on the set?

Sharon: You know, we do sometimes. Not, as regularly as we were… sometimes we’re masking, it’s sort of optional, and, the testing, we’re not doing it every single week, but we are still, at various intervals, doing testing.

Suzanne: Okay, did they ever have the thing that they had on GH for a while, where everyone had to get vaccinated?

Sharon: I think, no, I mean, they, they offered vaxxess here and they always have, not every year I guess, but there’s been a lot of years they’ve offered vaxxes here… flu vaxxess and things like that.

Suzanne: Right. But it wasn’t mandated or anything.

Sharon: Right.

Suzanne: Oh, okay. and so I went on Twitter and Facebook and asked fans if they had questions for you.

Sharon: Oh good! I hope they do!

Suzanne: They, oh yeah, there’s a lot. More than I can tell you in the time that we have. But, let’s see. Christine on Twitter, wanted to know who you would like to work with that you haven’t. A couple of other people asked the same thing.

Sharon: That I haven’t, um..

Suzanne: Or not much.

Sharon: You know, I haven’t a lot with, Trevor St. John, and we had a few coffee house scenes together. One day, that was it. It was so fun. I was hoping that we would– our characters would do more together.

Suzanne: Right, because you were kind of married for a while.

Sharon: We were kind of married for a while! Different actor, but I– you know, so it really works that this is someone from Sharon’s past. I find it, you know, interesting to play those scenes with that character because of that. And you know, working with Trevor is terrific.

Suzanne: I’m sure. Yeah. And, everybody hates him, so… his character (I mean), so that would be fun to see whether Sharon still didn’t like him, or liked him, felt that bad for him, or whatever. Yeah.

Sharon: You know, it’s a love-hate thing. I think, when you run into your ex-husband years ago, you get a zing from that.

Suzanne: Yeah. So, Heather wanted to know what your favorite storyline of all time was?

Sharon: Oh, my gosh. I have loved so many of  ’em. You know, the one we just mentioned: Sharon, posting Victor’s funeral. That was a really fun, if you haven’t seen that, hold that up somewhere on Twitter or on, I don’t know where else you can get it, but it

Suzanne: YouTube? YouTube, maybe?

Sharon: maybe. Yeah. On YouTube. Yeah. I’ve seen it on Twitter recently. That’s why I said that. But on YouTube, that is a really fun. And, you know, I have a lot of others [that] I’ve said many times are my favorites, like going into the sewer with Nikki and the rats, and Cassie’s death story. But I really want to start adding to it. I think my favorite scene was Sharon hosting Victor’s funeral.

Suzanne: And a different person named Christine, this one on Facebook, wanted to know your funniest blooper, either one you did or somebody else did.

Sharon: Oh, my gosh, there’s bloopers every day. There’s so many [scene ones?]. I just had a funny, almost-blooper, with Brytni [Sarpy] today, who plays Elena. We were doing a funny scene. She was supposed to exit and be gone. And then there’s the tag on Sharon watching a different character. And we were joking that Elena would, at the end, peek around the corner as if she has her eye on Sharon. And we just did a riff on this ridiculous that, Sharon and Elena, you know, she’s got her eye on her for some reason. And, we joked about it in rehearsal, so we did that in rehearsal. It’s not a blooper, necessarily. But it kind of is because it started out with Brytni actually making a mistake in her blocking!

Suzanne: Oh!

Sharon: That got us all laughing about this. There’s so many bloopers every day, you know?  Oh, I had one where I was– recently, I was in Society, and… I’m supposed to just put my purse, um, set it on my chair as I’m seated at Society, and the purse just kept falling.

Suzanne: Oh!

Sharon: Well, I’m trying to have a conversation in the scene, and I’m constantly fidgeting with my purse. I finally got that thing to stay. And, they didn’t have… they didn’t edit that into the show, so you won’t see that because it’s a blooper.

Suzanne: Ah.

Sharon: Another blooper is that when I finally got up to leave, I got up to grab the purse and go, and it was stuck. I couldn’t pull it out of the chair again. And I do wish that they would include these in the show.

Suzanne: Yeah, or [have] like a special blooper reel or something, or post it online… anything. Fans woul love to see those.

Sharon: Yeah, sure. I would love to see them, too. It’s fun.

Suzanne: Marilyn wants to know, what do you admire about your character? And what do you not admire about your character?

Sharon: You know what, I admire how brave she is, and what a go-getter she is now… You know, how positively she looks at life itself, and her life.  After everything she’s been through, she just keeps going, and has this positive energy and attitude that tomorrow’s another day, and she’s going to reinvent herself and become a businesswoman now, again, and a great mom, or she’s going to go crazy, but that’s okay. She’ll recover. She’s just got a great attitude.

Suzanne: Well, yeah, what’s great about being on the soap, especially for so long, it seems like you get to experience all these different things you don’t necessarily do in your real life.

Sharon: Right.

Suzanne: You get to go wild and crazy. You get to have kids, you know, married many times, all these different…

Sharon: You get to do a lot of fun stuff, but you know, she’s, I like her.. I don’t know, her optimism.

Suzanne: And is there anything you don’t admire about Sharon? You wish that she didn’t do?

Sharon: Let’s see. Hmm. I don’t think so. I think I’ve, I’ve pretty much really liked everything she’s done. Yeah.

Suzanne: Okay. And Faith says, “I really love some of the clothes and accessories you wear. Do you get a chance to decide what to wear and do you get a chance to purchase the clothing or accessories?”

Sharon: Well, that’s a good question. Wardrobe is very fun and very important. This, what I’m wearing right now is, from Sharon’s closet. I love Sharon’s clothes. I do get a say-so, somewhat, in what she’s going to wear. The costume department will buy a bunch of clothes, or they take them out from the store on, you know, I don’t know, they get to take them out temporarily.  Usually they give us the clothes for two or three days to try on so we have time to try these on. What they bring I try on, and I decide what I like, what I didn’t. And they do as well. They may have bought me some things from the store that once they see them on me, they don’t like them or anything. It’s just not right for the scene.  So we both decide, but yes, I do have a say-so as well, and if everything we don’t like gets sent back, and the things that we decide to keep, then the costumers decide which show, which episode, each costume might be right for.

Suzanne: Okay, and she said, do you get a chance to buy any of the clothes or accessories?

Sharon: Oh, no, no, no, I don’t get to buy them. I get to borrow them.

Suzanne: Oh.

Sharon: Yeah, they are… I don’t know why we just don’t really have a thing where we buy the clothes.. [from] CBS on some… We all borrow them and wear them to a function, you know, the anniversary party or, you know, like today I’m doing this interview, so I’m wearing Sharon’s clothes.

Suzanne: Nice. And, Teresa wanted to know if you’ve ever vacationed in Nashville. I assume she lives there.

Sharon: Oh, my gosh, I don’t think I have. I’ve been so many places. I have so many friends going to Nashville all the time, so I see a lot of it in photos. I don’t think that I have been in Nashville, but I’m gonna make it there one day, for sure.

Suzanne: You should. It’s a lot of fun. It’s a lot of fun.

Sharon: Seems like it.

Suzanne: And, Lori wants to know if you’re still designing your POMP jewelry.

Sharon: It was called pump, p-u-m-p, pump.

Suzanne: Oh, okay. Pump.

Sharon: P-O-M-P. Now I forgot that. While it’s been a while, it’s been a very long time. When did we close that? We closed it. I don’t– years ago, so no, we’re not still doing that.  It was me and my friend, Ella, who used to be the head of the costuming department here at Young and The Restless.

Suzanne: Okay.

Sharon: We’re good friends also in real life, so we designed and made this jewelry company together, but we closed it up quite a while ago. I’m not still doing it. I have some leftover spare pieces that I just kept that I like, that I wear. And, I think… you know, we have thought about bringing back just, not a whole line, but maybe like one or two pieces that were very popular. We’ll see.

Suzanne: Okay, and Marilyn again wants to know what made you want to be an actress.

Sharon: Gosh, I don’t think I did want to be one. I fell into it, and it ended up working out, and I eventually came to like it, so I stuck with it.  But I didn’t really plan to be. I was a dancer… I was a ballerina when I was a little girl, and I just thought I was always going to be a ballerina. But I started booking jobs as an actress because of that.

Suzanne: Oh, okay.

Sharon: Once I started working as a dancer, you start working as a model.  You start, you know, you just start branching out and getting… get offered a variety of things.

Suzanne: Mm-hmm.

Sharon: I’ve done hosting jobs for various shows in the past. You know,  I guess it’s just as a performer, you do a lot of different kinds of things, but I never did plan to be an actor. When I was in school, I didn’t go to acting school. I wasn’t in the drama class. I was in the play production class. I liked learning how to produce. And, I kind of thought, well, maybe I would do something in that regard.

Suzanne: Interesting. Do you have any pictures of yourself as a ballerina? If so, you should post them on Instagram.

Sharon: I know, I should. I do. I think I have some really, really bad ones. I did say, I just saved the ones that are most embarrassing. I have to take those out. I left them at my parents house.

Suzanne: Oh, those would be fun to see, though. I think everybody would enjoy seeing those.

Sharon: I know, it would be a good laugh, right?

Suzanne: Aw, no, because you’re probably, you think they’re terrible, but we’d probably go, Oh, look how cute she looks.

Sharon: I’m probably universal, universally terrible. But we’ve all seen that before, you know, pictures of us when we’re young and in a silly costume. But that was fun. That’s what kids do.

Suzanne: So you didn’t like being an actress when you first started? Is that what you kind of said there?

Sharon: I didn’t really. You know, I wasn’t trained at first as an actress, so I didn’t really know what I was doing.  I found it difficult and, you know, it’s hard to enjoy doing something that you don’t feel you’re good at or you’re nervous about. But then I eventually did go to acting school. I, you know, I thought, wow, if I’m going to keep doing this and booking jobs, doing this, I’m, I better go to school for this, get training.  Maybe that’ll make a difference. And I think it did.

Suzanne: Okay, great. And, so, those are all my questions, but is there anything else… are you allowed to tell us anything, about the upcoming weeks or episodes?

Sharon: Well, I can’t give away story, you know, because I’m– I don’t know why they make us…

Suzanne: Spoilers.

Sharon: I wish we could. Yeah, that’s frowned on around here. Very unpopular.

Suzanne: Yeah.

Sharon: I can’t do that. But there is, you know, the stuff that’s aired already keeps going. We know that Sharon has this company, Kirsten, and that keeps rolling, as far as I know, for the time being. And Sharon and Chance and Summer are, you know, doing whatever they’re doing.  I will see what direction that heads in. But that is something that Sharon has going. And then also, Sharon is helpful and supportive with Mariah and Tessa and their baby and her medical situation with her hearing. So that that’s coming up here and there, too.

Suzanne: Okay, and, you mentioned Chance. Now, your characters had random sex back in July.

Sharon: I know!

Suzanne: And then that was kind of the end of it, right?

Sharon: And now we don’t have sex anymore, I guess. Well, at least not on camera. Right?

Suzanne: Yeah. At least as far as we know.

Sharon: We assume they must be doing that.

Suzanne: Yeah, I thought maybe they were putting him and Summer together…?

Sharon: Maybe, I don’t know.

Suzanne: Slowly. But now I’m thinking you and Nick, so I don’t know. Maybe it’s a quadrangle. I don’t know. .

Sharon: Well, that would be interesting. But, you know, that would be going, out, you know, into the future too far where I don’t even know… I haven’t asked.

Suzanne: Ah.

Sharon: And so I don’t know ultimately what’s gonna happen. Sharon and Chance, Sharon and Nick, or Summer and Chance. I, I don’t know. But  it’s been fun working with all of them.

Suzanne: Yeah, I’m sure.

Sharon: I’m having a nice time.

Suzanne: Yeah. Anything else you’d like to tell your fans?

Sharon: Let’s see. Well, thank you all so much for tuning in and staying with us all these years and for all of your comments, and thank you for asking me questions for this interview today.

Suzanne: Oh, my pleasure.

Sharon: The fans asked questions. You too, Suzanne. Thank you.

[Both laugh]

Suzanne: We’re all happy. We’re all fans, and we’re all happy to talk to you.

Sharon: I love when I get asked questions from the fans and they post a question for my interview. It means a lot to me that people were paying attention or wanted to participate or hear something from me.  It means a lot. Thank you all.

Suzanne: All right. Well, thanks so much for talking to me today. I really appreciate it. And I look forward to seeing what else Sharon gets up to, and I hope they give you one of those special standalone episodes for your 30th anniversary, like they’ve done before with Michael. And I don’t remember who else… Victor.

Sharon: That’s a great idea.  Yeah. We haven’t done one of those in a while. Yeah, that would be fun. That would be a lot of work, too.

Suzanne: Yeah. All right. Thank you so much.

Sharon: Thank you. All right. Bye.

Suzanne: Bye. Bye.

NOTE: This transcript was made by a program called Descript.

MORE INFO:

Sharon (Sharon Case) on "The Young and The Restless" (screenshot) on CBS.Sharon Case is an American actress and former model. At the age of 17, Case began working as a model, relocating briefly to Japan, before pursuing an acting career. She is best known for her roles on daytime television soap operas, scoring parts in the serials General Hospital and As the World Turns during the early stages of her career. In 1994, she stepped into the role of Sharon Newman on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless, which she still plays. Case, who is considered a leading actress in the series, won the 1999 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance.

Find Sharon on Instagram and Twitter

Wikipedia and IMdB

THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, the #1 daytime drama for 32 consecutive years, is a continuing drama revolving around the loves, enmities, hopes and fears of the residents of the fictional Midwestern town of Genoa City.

The series’ 50th season premiered Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, on the CBS Television Network, and is available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.
ON AIR: Weekdays (12:30-1:30 PM, ET; 11:30 AM-12:30 PM, PT)
ORIGINATION: Los Angeles
FORMAT: Daytime drama (HD)
ORIGINAL PREMIERE DATE: March 26, 1973

CAST (alphabetically):

Lauralee Bell (Christine Blair Williams)
Peter Bergman (Jack Abbott)
Eric Braeden (Victor Newman)
Tracey Bregman (Lauren Fenmore Baldwin)
Sharon Case (Sharon Newman)
Doug Davidson (Paul Williams)
Eileen Davidson (Ashley Abbott)
Sean Dominic (Dr. Nate Hastings)
Melissa Claire Egan (Chelsea Lawson)
Cait Fairbanks (Tessa Porter)
Conner Floyd (Phillip “Chance” Chancellor IV)
Rory Gibson (Noah Newman)
Camryn Grimes (Mariah Copeland)
Mark Grossman (Adam Newman)
Amelia Heinle (Victoria Newman)
Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe Mitchell)
Courtney Hope (Sally Spectra)
Bryton James (Devon Hamilton)
Christel Khalil (Lily Ashby)
Allison Lanier (Summer Newman)
Christian J. Le Blanc (Michael Baldwin)
Kate Linder (Esther Valentine)
Beth Maitland (Traci Abbott)
Michael Mealor (Kyle Abbott)
Mishael Morgan (Amanda Sinclair)
Joshua Morrow (Nicholas Newman)
Melissa Ordway (Abby Newman)
Greg Rikaart (Kevin Fisher)
Brytni Sarpy (Elena Dawson)
Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki Newman)
Zuleyka Silver (Audra Charles)
Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers)
Trevor St. John (Tucker McCall)
Jason Thompson (Billy Abbott)
Jess Walton (Jill Abbott)
Kelsey Wang (Allie Nguyen)
PRODUCED BY: Bell Dramatic Serial Company in association with Sony Pictures Television
CREATORS: William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell
CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/

HEAD WRITER:

 

Josh Griffith

SUPERVISING PRODUCERS: John Fisher
PRODUCERS: Matthew J. Olsen, Jonathan Fishman, Vivian Gundaker, and Elizabeth LeBrun

Proofread and Edited by Brenda

Back to The Young and The Restless Interviews Page

Back to the Young and The Restless Page

Pictured: Cait Fairbanks, Sharon Case, Tamara Clatterbuck, Camryn Grimes at “The Young and The Restless” 50th Anniversary celebration. Photo: Francis Specker/CBS ©2023 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Brand -CBS Entertainment

 

 

Interview with Deborah Pratt

TV Interview!

 

QUANTUM LEAP -- “Quantum Leap at WonderCon -- Producer Deborah Pratt; Saturday, March 25, 2023 from the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Calif.

Interview with producer Deborah Pratt of “Quantum Leap” on NBC by Suzanne 9/26/23

What makes this interview interesting is that Deborah worked on both the classic “Quantum Leap” as well as the new one. In fact, she was married to the creator of the show, Donald Bellasario. I’m sure she has many stories beyond what she revealed in our interview. I love both versions of the show, and I can’t wait to see what happens the rest of the season.

Suzanne: So, how many episodes are filmed already for the season?

Deborah: Eight. Are we lucky or what?

Suzanne: Oh, that’s good. Yeah, there’s so few scripted shows right now.

Deborah: Yeah, I think it was a great idea of NBC Universal, Martin, Dean, everybody said, “Let’s just keep moving forward.” And I’m really excited that we did.

Suzanne: Yeah. I just watched the first two episodes, I enjoyed them a lot.

Deborah: Oh, thank you.

Suzanne: I’m a big fan of the old Quantum Leap and the new Quantum Leap, and I know you’ve worked on both.

Deborah: I did. I was there from the beginning.

Suzanne: Wow. You should write a book about that?

Deborah: You know, I can’t tell you how many people have asked me to write a book about my experiences and how I got to where I got to, and when I brought Quantum Leap to Don and how it evolved the way it evolved. It’s exciting. I was very young and got to learn how to make a series.

Suzanne: And seems like now would be a good time to come out with a book since you‘ve got the new show.

Deborah: Yeah, yeah. Well, I have two new books coming out.

Suzanne: Oh, cool. That’s right.

Deborah: I’ve got Warrior One, and I’ve got the fifth book in my Vision Quest series. And truthfully, I started a Quantum Leap book, but it was not the history of. Matt Deal has that covered. I don’t know if you’ve ever read any of his books. He’s so good. He goes into all kinds of detail, and he just had a sequel come out. So, it’s really worth checking into. He’s from London.

Suzanne: It’s about Quantum Leap?

Deborah: There are things I read in those books that I either forgot.

Suzanne: So, he’s got a second book about the making of the original Quantum Leap, or is it about the new one?

Deborah: I don’t know if it’s come out yet. It’s called Beyond the Leap. And it’s the revival, so it gets into the new show.

Suzanne: Great. So, how have the strikes affected filming other than the obvious way?

Deborah: Well, yeah, of course, we shut down, which is the obvious way. In that sense, you know, how quickly will we be able to – knock on glass; I have a glass desk – How quickly will we be back up and running? And we’re standing by the the Screen Actors Guild, in that they have a lot to fight for…in the sense that creativity needs to be protected. But your voice, your face, your body are, are on the line here, and you need to have your rights to control them.

Suzanne: And now that they’ve got a tentative agreement with the Writers Guild, will the writers be returning to make more Quantum Leap scripts?

Deborah: Well, it’s got to go through the process of the legalese straightened out. The board of directors – I used to sit on the board of directors for the Writers Guild – will meet and vote on it, and then it goes out to the membership. All of that happens.

Suzanne: Does that take a few days, a few weeks, few months?

Deborah: It’s a process, it can be as short as, you know, this is, I think, my third strike that I’ve been involved with in my career. So, sometimes it happens quite quickly, and other times there are little snigs and snags. Right? I have great hope that the AMPTP is going to understand that they can’t make anything without us. Right. And truthfully, AI can build a streamer for you. [laughs] So, it’s not like it’s not in danger.

Suzanne: So, what can you tell us about what’s going on with Ben and the rest of them this season?

Deborah: Ben didn’t get home at the end of season one. I can tell you that. If he did get home, we wouldn’t have a series. Ben did not get home. You got to see Episode One and Episode Two you said. So, he’s got a real reality check. He’s been out there by himself. He hasn’t seen anybody. He’s still asking for Addison. So, he doesn’t realize or understand why. “Why am I alone on this on this leap?”

Suzanne: And would you say would you say things are ramped up more this season? Usually the second season is like more action, more this, more that, more twists and turns.

Deborah: Well, we certainly got a lot of that in in those first episodes. I know if you looked at the trailer, which is wonderful kudos to marketing at NBC Universal, we went to Egypt, literally got on a plane and went to Egypt. So, that’s really fun and exciting. We also went further back in time then the show has ever gone. I won’t tell you when. It’s further back.

Suzanne: Yeah, I think I saw that in the trailer. I don’t remember the date. But I remember seeing an old [unintelligible]

Deborah: 1692.

Suzanne: Yeah, that was it.

Deborah: I know. I’m supposed to remember all that stuff. [laughs]

Suzanne: That’s fine.

Deborah: I have to remember all that stuff. So, those things are really exciting and very adventurous, but the bigger things and what is Quantum Leap, is the heart of the show that the story’s really not just the the leaps. But the the stories with our main characters, Ben and [Addison], and Magic, Ian, and Jen. We get to know more about them, which is the fun thing. We get to know what’s at stake. You know, now that he’s been found, how did he get found? Those mysteries. Because we have the opportunity to solve those mysteries. And the first mystery, which was why he left in the first place, we solved it. We find out it’s to save his woman and ultimately, maybe even the world, and he gets to be a real hero in the first season. And Ben is so likable.

Suzanne: That’s true.

Deborah: Raymond Lee, I give huge props to him. Having worked with both Scott Bakula and Raymond Lee, I think the show will only accept exceptional people. It’s just how Quantum Leap is, you know.

Suzanne: And it was nice to go in a different direction then having to try to find a Scott Bakula clone, if you could even do that.

Deborah: If you could even do that. I don’t think you could even do that. But I think it, you know, it’s one of those things of time, space, Ziggy. I get to play a piece of artificial intelligence that, you know, needs more control than we know, that has more control than we know.

Suzanne: Right.

Deborah: So, all those things we get to play with, and we get to find out more of what happens to them when they go home at night. There’re two new characters. We know that Peter Gadiot, who’s now Tom Westfall is the United States officer, we meet him in the second episode and try to understand what magic had to give up to get the project going again, once they found him and then what Ian did to locate him and what Jen knows or doesn’t know. So, there’s all these arrays that are that are being set up to set the story threads for the tapestry that is Season Two.

Suzanne: Okay, and is there any chance – this is something that I’m sure all the fans have asked a million times, but is there any chance that we’ll get to see Sam Beckett again?

Deborah: There’s always a chance. You know, again, and I say this 100 times that, that I personally am working on this Quantum Leap movie. I think Sam could come back in a $100 million super star. I think that we have the opportunity to do what Star Trek has done. There are nine Star Trek spin offs and nine Star Trek movies. So, let’s expand the franchise to video games and motion pictures and rides. I always say, “Did you go to Comic-Con? Did you see the Quantum Leap ride?” I think the opportunity to really see what the show can do and let the imagination of not just the writers but also the fans write back and participate in it as they have always done, the stories that I’ve gotten, the letters that I’ve gotten, the important moments in history that teachers have used from the the original series to to teach history that is, in some cases, intentionally being forgotten. It is, I think, a great opportunity for conversation. And I think what the show has always done, and I so grateful for Martin and Dean is to give you both sides of the story. So, you have those two sides to figure out where do you stand on this emotional issue, this political issue, wherever we are in storytelling, right? And maybe you just stand in the middle as an observer. Maybe you’re just, you know, Addison now, and you are looking at what’s happening, but you’re looking at it from the perspective of a present day mind that knows some of this history. Then, there’s the fun of, you know, there’s a show, and it happened to be the year you were in high school. You get to hear the music and see the clothes, because it’s a little movie every week.

Suzanne: That’s true. There was an actor I recognized in the second episode we’ve just seen briefly. Vincent Irizarry. Will he be coming back? Do you know?

Deborah: The two characters that are coming back are Peter Gadiot, Who’s Tom Westfall, and Eliza Taylor comes into it. She’s Hannah in episode three. So, those are going to be our reoccur[ing] characters that are coming back. I don’t think Vince is –

Suzanne: He’s from the poker game. So, he’s not in the history part of it.

Deborah: Right. Right. Right. I remember him. And he’s wonderful, by the way. Are you a fan?

Suzanne: Yes

Deborah: He’s very, very good. You know, that’s the cool thing about the show. You never know. We can go back and find a character. That can be really fun to tell the story, because they have that recognition of time. So, it could happen.

Suzanne: Okay, I hope so. I hope so. You know, who would play poker with Jen? Do they not know what kind of brain she has?

Deborah: Thank you very much. Represent. Yeah, she’s smart. I love the women on this show. In that Addison and Jen and – And you want that opportunity. And then Sam gets to be a woman 50% of the time. I mean, that’s the other thing that is, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he leaps into, 50% of his characters are women.

Suzanne: Wow. I know he went often, but I didn’t know it was that high.

Producer Deborah Pratt of "Quantum Leap" on NBC (from her IMdB.com)Deborah: It was funny. They did the episode where he was the stewardess, episode 107. And I’ll never forget, they came down in these incredibly comfortable shoes. And I said, “Those weren’t the shoes those women had to wear in the 60s. They wore pointy toes, spike heels. And Genevieve who’s a wonderful costume designer, said, “Oh, I was just trying to be kind.” And they did a whole bit on it in one of the episodes, but, you know, we as women wore those shoes, and it’s fun to let men experience it, you know, vicariously, more than vicariously, he gets to do it for real, and that’s some of the fun stuff. And again, I go back to Raymond’s physical comedy is just delightful.

Suzanne: It’s great.

Deborah: He went to school and studied clowning…If you look at his physicality and how he can interpret some of those characters, it’s magical. That’s a lost art. You look at people like Robert Downey Jr. and people like that, who have great physicality in what they do, and I think that Raymond has that. He’s a real find. We’re very blessed to have him, besides being a really nice person.

Suzanne: That’s good to hear. That’s always good to hear. So, any outstanding guest stars that you can tell us about?

Deborah: Well, the pilot we’ve got, oh my gosh, Melissa Roxburgh from Manifest. François Arnaud from Midnight Texas and Aaron Abrams from Hannibal and Blind Spot, and [PJ] Byrne.

Suzanne: I was trying to remember where I knew him from; it’s from Blind Spot. I remember now.

Deborah: [PJ] Byrne from The Boys and Shazam. And Peter Gadiot from Yellowjackets and Eliza Taylor. You know, these are going to be our reoccurs, our regulars.

Suzanne: Well as as executive producer, do you have any control over the writing or the stories or anything like that?

Deborah: I give notes; I give my thoughts. And I say this with great humility, in the sense that I want Quantum Leap and the franchise of Quantum Leap to expand. I want the fact that Star Trek has nines spin offs, three concurrently, right now. It had nine major motion pictures, and I fought 30 years ago to have that and could not get the team to see the potential that’s there. This is very exciting to me. And it’s very important for me to keep the lore and the core of the show true to what Quantum Leap is about. But it’s very important for me to let someone create it into a new entity, to create [unintelligible] But but let’s see what it can be. And in my mind, I know multiple other directions that the show could go. So, this is just the beginning of what Quantum Leap’s comeback could be if the fans are there, if people like you love the show and support it. We’re very blessed to have the press, who had their own childhood experiences, growing up watching it with their parents and their grandparents and having the opportunity to talk about what happened in time. So, to come back and have those those little morality plays that Quantum Leap can do sometimes, and little glimpses of history from a whole new side experienced through Ben, where we the audience, or Ben, when he steps into someone’s shoes, whether they’re high heels or flats, we get to feel what it feels like for him to to experience being a white female or a black male or a woman. And those are the things that I think will carry us into great storytelling, and then the story threads that are being created and pulled through. They’re going to weave a beautiful tapestry of what this Quantum Leap is and can be. It’s a great time.

Suzanne: I hope that you get your wish, because that would be great to see Quantum Leap go on for quite a while.

Deborah: I’m hoping so too, as well. You know, I’m being very judicious about bringing Ziggy back, letting Ziggy come back, other than doing her job.

Suzanne: Right. All right. Well, it’s nice to talk to the voice of Ziggy.

Deborah: Thank you very much. Thank you. Yeah, it was it’s it was really fun to create it to, to write that dialogue that people hear and get chills, because it brings back so many natural memories.

Suzanne: Right, right. Well, I appreciate you talking to me today. And I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Deborah: Thank you so very much. I am grateful for you and what you’re doing.

Audio edited and transcribed by Jamie of SciFiVision

MORE INFO: Official Site  Trailer

Quantum Leap

Season Premiere Wednesday, October 4 (8-9pm ET/PT) on NBC. Streaming next day on Peacock.

It’s been nearly 30 years since Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished. Now, a new team, led by physicist Ben Song (Raymond Lee), has been assembled to restart the project in the hope of understanding the mysteries behind the machine and the man who created it.

Everything changes, however, when Ben makes an unauthorized leap into the past, leaving the team behind to solve the mystery of why he did it. At Ben’s side throughout his leaps is Addison (Caitlin Bassett), who appears in the form of a hologram only Ben can see and hear. She’s a decorated Army veteran who brings level-headed precision to her job.

At the helm of the highly confidential operation is Herbert “Magic” Williams (Ernie Hudson), a no-nonsense career military man who has to answer to his bosses who won’t be happy once they learn about the breach of protocol. The rest of the team at headquarters includes Ian Wright (Mason Alexander Park), who runs the Artificial Intelligence unit “Ziggy,” and Jenn Chu (Nanrisa Lee), who heads up digital security for the project.

As Ben leaps from life to life, putting right what once went wrong, it becomes clear that he and the team are on a thrilling journey. However, Addison, Magic, Ian and Jenn know that if they are going to solve the mystery of Ben’s leaps and bring him home, they must act fast or lose him forever.

Martin Gero and Dean Georgaris serve as executive producers along with Deborah Pratt, Chris Grismer, Alex Berger, Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt.

Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, produce in association with Quinn’s House Productions.

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QUANTUM LEAP -- “Quantum Leap at WonderCon -- Pictured: (l-r) Deborah Pratt, Executive Producer; Nanrisa Lee, Ernie Hudson, Caitlin Bassett, Mason Alexander Park, Raymond Lee, Dean Georgaris, Executive Producer -- (Photo by: David Yeh/NBC)

 

Interview with Rebecca Morris

TV Interview!

 

Author Rebecca Morris

Interview with Rebecca Morris, Executive Producer of “Amish Stud: The Eli Weaver Story” on Lifetime by Suzanne 9/20/23

This is an intriguing movie airing tomorrow, September 30 on Lifetime. Rebecca is not only one of the EPs – she co-wrote the book about this case on which the movie is based, “A Killing in Amish Country: Sex, Betrayal and a Cold-blooded Murder” (along with author Gregg Olsen). In fact, she’s a New York Times Bestselling Author! It was my privilege to speak with her about this movie and this case.

I apologize if my questions during this interview made it sound like I expected her to be more involved with the movie itself. I really wasn’t told ahead of time about the extent of her involvement (I probably should have asked, so that’s on me). I’m very glad we spoke, though, as it was educational as well as entertaining.

At any rate, I enjoyed speaking with her. I hope you enjoy this interview. You should definitely check it out. It has a good story and an amazing cast! Luke Macfarlane , Kirsten Vangsness, Miranda MacDougallClare Filipow and the others do a really great job. When you watch this movie, you will learn things you probably didn’t know about the modern Amish community. The ending of the movie is chilling, since it is about a real case. Lovers of true crime will no doubt really enjoy this movie. If you’re a fan of Luke Macfarlane, you will be shocked by his performance (he’s also an EP). It’s a very different role than the others you’ve seen him play.

 

MORE INFO: Trailer Lifetime Site

"Amish Stud: The Eli Weaver Story" key art

About Rebecca Morris

New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Morris is a veteran journalist who worked in radio and television news in New York City; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington and was a free-lance writer for The Seattle Times, The Oregonian, People, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Daily News, The New York Post, and many other publications.

Her newest book, Boy Missing: The Search for Kyron Horman, is the only book about the
seven year old boy who vanished from his Portland, Oregon school on June 4, 2010. She spent three years interviewing his family and friends and trying to answer two questions: Where is Kyron, and why hasn’t the woman believed responsible for his disappearance been charged? The book helps make the case that no-body cases can be prosecuted.

Her first book, Ted and Ann, continues to be a bestseller on Amazon (and is also available as an e-book and audio book), and her e-book, Bad Apples – Inside the Teacher/Student Sex Scandal Epidemic, is the only book to look at the trend of female teachers having sex with underage students.

She is also the author of a true crime memoir, A Murder in My Hometown (2018), as well as
A Killing in Amish Country – Sex Betrayal and a Cold-Blooded Murder (St. Martin’s, 2016) and If I Can’t Have You – Susan Powell, Her Mysterious Disappearance and the Murder of Her Children (St. Martin’s 2014). She and Gregg Olsen are the authors of the Notorious USA series, including The Boy Who Fired the First Shot, The Girl and the Horrors of Howard Avenue, and The Stranger and the World’s Bravest Little Girl.

Rebecca attended Oregon State University, received a B.A. in Journalism from Seattle
University, and has an M.F.A. in Playwriting from Brown University. She speaks about her work at libraries, schools, and writers’ conferences. She has taught writing, journalism, and playwriting at colleges and universities across the country. She currently teaches at Seattle’s Hugo House and at North Seattle College.

She appears frequently on network and cable television as a crime expert.

Lifetime Announces “Truly Unbelievable Movies” A Ripped From the Headlines Event – New Movies Every Saturday Beginning September 16

LIFETIME ANNOUNCES “TRULY UNBELIEVABLE MOVIES” 
A RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES EVENT WITH NEW ORIGINALS 
EVERY SATURDAY BEGINNING THIS SEPTEMBER  

BILL PULLMAN TO HEADLINE LIFETIME’S MILESTONE
500TH ORIGINAL MOVIE
MURDAUGH MURDERS: THE MOVIE
DEBUTING OCTOBER 14 AND 15 AS A TWO-NIGHT EVENT

SARAH DREW EXECUTIVE PRODUCES AND STARS
ALONGSIDE DELILAH HAMLIN IN
HOW SHE CAUGHT A KILLER
ON SEPTEMBER 16

EMILY OSMENT AND ANNA HOPKINS HEADLINE
STOLEN BABY: THE MURDER OF HEIDI BROUSSARD PREMIERING SEPTEMBER 23 

LUKE MACFARLANE EXECUTIVE PRODUCES AND STARS
WITH KIRSTEN VANGSNESS IN
AMISH STUD: THE ELI WEAVER STORY
SET FOR SEPTEMBER 30 

MEAGAN GOOD EXECUTIVE PRODUCES AND STARS ALONGSIDE
ARIANA MADIX IN BUYING BACK MY DAUGHTER DEBUTING OCTOBER 7

WENDI MCLENDON-COVEY EXECUTIVE PRODUCES AND STARS IN
BAD ROMANCE: THE VICKY WHITE STORY PREMIERING OCTOBER 21 

MELISSA JOAN HART EXECUTIVE PRODUCES AND STARS IN
WOULD YOU KILL FOR ME? THE MARY BAILEY STORY DEBUTING OCTOBER 28

LOS ANGELES, CA (September 6, 2023) – This fall, Lifetime unveils “Truly Unbelievable Movies,” a Ripped from the Headlines Event , a slate of seven new original movies featuring top talent. All produced earlier this year, the lineup includes Lifetime’s milestone 500th original movie, the two-night event Murdaugh Murders: The Movie starring Bill Pullman as Alex Murdaugh who, on the surface is a prominent and respected South Carolina lawyer, loving husband and father but behind closed doors, lived a drug-filled secret life that ultimately led to murder. The two-part movie will premiere as the tent-pole of fall slate, premiering on October 14th and 15th at 8p/7c. New original movies will all debut Saturdays at 8p/7c from September 16 – October 28.

AMISH STUD: THE ELI WEAVER STORY – Premieres September 30
Devoted to her husband, kids and faith, Barbara Weaver (Miranda MacDougall, The Flash) was content leading a traditional life in her conservative Ohio Amish community—with no modern conveniences.  Her husband Eli (EP, Luke Macfarlane, Bros), however, wanted the things that were forbidden to him as an Amish man. He gave into the temptations of women and technology, leading a secret life with the online alias “Amish Stud” to meet with women outside of his marriage bed.  Eli found his pick of curious women fascinated by the Amish lifestyle, and often spoke to his mistresses about his desire to kill his wife.  When Barbara is found dead from a shotgun wound, all eyes turn to Eli. But with his rock solid alibi, investigators had nowhere to turn, until they discover Eli had a secret cell phone. Their investigations led them to Barb Raber (Kirsten Vangsness, Criminal Minds), a married Conservative Mennonite who had been having an affair with Eli and who was plotting with him to murder his wife. Ultimately, it is up to the detectives investigating the crime to find justice for Barbara Weaver. Amish Stud is based on the book, “A Killing in Amish Country: Sex, Betrayal and a Cold-Blooded Murder” by bestselling authors Gregg Olsen and Rebecca Morris.

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Luke Macfarlane and Miranda MacDougall as Eli and Barbara Weaver in "Amish Stud: The Eli Weaver Story" on Lifetime

 

Interview with Jamie Berard

TV Interview!

 

Jamie Berard of "LEGO Masters" on FOX

Interview with Jamie Berard of “LEGO Masters” on FOX by Suzanne 9/27/23

This was a fun interview. I didn’t know what to expect when I agreed to this because I don’t normally watch any reality or game shows, and I’ve never played with LEGOs before. I watched the season 4 premiere and found that it really drew me in. It was entertaining. I hope you enjoy the new season and this chat with judge Jamie.

 

MORE INFO: Interview

LEGO Masters key art

Hosted by actor and producer Will Arnett, LEGO® MASTERS brings imagination, design and creativity to life when teams of LEGO enthusiasts go head-to-head, with infinite possibilities and an unlimited supply of LEGO bricks. Once again, teams of two will compete against each other in even more ambitious brick-building challenges – including an earthquake tower challenge, a demolition derby, a LEGO fashion show and more – to be crowned the country’s most talented amateur LEGO builders. In each episode, Arnett, alongside expert Brickmasters and LEGO employees Amy Corbett and Jamie Berard, will encourage the builders, introduce incredible challenges and put their creativity and skills to the test. The competing pairs who impress the judges the most will progress to the next round, until the finale, during which the top teams will face off for a $100,000 cash prize, the ultimate LEGO trophy and the grand title of LEGO MASTERS.

Endemol Shine North America, Tuesday’s Child and Plan B Entertainment produce LEGO Masters, under license from The LEGO Group. Showrunner Anthony Dominici executive-produces with Arnett; Sharon Levy, DJ Nurre and Michael Heyerman from Endemol Shine North America; Karen Smith and Steph Harris from Tuesday’s Child; Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Christina Oh from Plan B; and Jill Wilfert and Robert May from The LEGO Group.

Meet the contestants!  LEGO Masters Renewed!

Jamie Berard is Senior Design Manager and Creative Lead at The LEGO Company, where he is responsible for working on the LEGO Architecture and LEGO Ideas lines, as well as a variety of products for adults, teens and super fans. He is a life-long LEGO fan and has been an employee of The LEGO Company for more than 14 years.

Before joining LEGO, Berard was part of the local group New England LEGO Users Group (NELUG), where he worked on several larger-than-life projects, including a 100,000-piece LEGO mosaic of the Boston skyline. He served as a foreman on the Millyard Project, which, at its completion, was the largest permanent minifigure scale display in the world.

In 2004, Berard was a finalist to become the next Master Model Builder for LEGOLAND California and served as a Technical Judge for the FIRST LEGO League World Finals in Atlanta, GA. He was hired to work for the company in 2005, after displaying functional amusement park rides at a LEGO fan event in Washington, D.C.

Since joining LEGO, he has been responsible for designing dozens of complex LEGO models, including the 4,000+ piece Big Ben and the 4,000+ piece Assembly Square Modular Building sets, which are available for purchase to fans worldwide.

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LEGO MASTERS: L-R: Judges Amy Corbett and Jamie Berard with Host Will Arnett on Season Three of LEGO MASTERS, premiering Wednesday, Sept. 21 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. ©2021 Fox Media LLC Cr: Tom Griscom/FOX

 

Interview with Stephen Gyllenhaal

TV Interview!

 

Director Stephen Gyllenhaal of the film "Uncharitable"

Interview with director Stephen Gyllenhaal of the film “Uncharitable” by Suzanne 9/20/23

This is a fascinating movie, and I enjoyed chatting with this master filmmaker. As you will see, he is very passionate about this movie and its subject. I don’t usually interview directors, nor do I usually cover movies. However, between the SAG and WGA strikes, and the fact that he’s directed many TV shows and movie, and the worthy subject of this documentary, I felt I had to do this. I’m very glad I did.  Don’t miss this wonderful film because it really opens your eyes as to what charities can do and what nonprofit organizations have to go through to even exist. Here’s how you can get involved, too!

 

MORE INFO: Official Web Site for Uncharitable  Trailer

      
PresentsUNCHARITABLE

Opening In New York Theaters September 22
and Los Angeles Theaters September 29

Based on the book “Uncharitable” by
DAN PALLOTTA

Directed and Produced by Stephen Gyllenhaal (Losing Isaiah, A Dangerous Woman)

Featuring Interviews with Dan PallottaChris Anderson (CEO of TED), Steve Nardizzi (Former CEO and Co-Founder of Wounded Warrior Project), Darren Walker (President of the Ford Foundation), Edward Norton (Actor and Founder of Crowdrise) and more

Director Stephen Gyllenhaal and Subject Dan Pallotta Available for Select Interviews

After three of the most dynamic and successful U.S. charities were shut down by conservative charity watchdogs, destroying lives and cutting off precious resources, many of the top influencers in the field knew something had to be done to overhaul the nonprofit sector.

Beginning with Dan Pallotta, whose record-breaking Ted Talk on the subject has inspired top philanthropists and changemakers, this feature documentary exposes the dark side of philanthropy and introduces a radical new way of giving. In an emotional call to action, Uncharitable demands that charities be freed from the traditional sackcloth-and-ashes constraints, so that they can truly change the world.

No topic is more crucial and timelier as we confront an increasingly unstable world with the growing revelation that we are all interconnected and that our fate lies in how much we are willing to invest in positive change.

Stephen Gyllenhaal’s Website

Film and television director, writer and producer. His feature directing credits include Paris Trout, for which he received a Director’s Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials, as well as the theatrical films Waterland, A Dangerous Woman, Losing Isaiah and Homegrown. In 2012, he received a DGA nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television for Girl Fight. He co-wrote and directed the indie film Grassroots, which made its theatrical debut in Summer 2012, and he recently directed the indie film So B. It, based on the best-selling young adult novel. He directed the Peabody award-winning dramatic series “Rectify” for the Sundance Channel, “Billions” for Showtime, and “Bosch” for Amazon. His producing credits include the TV movies Living with the Dead, The Patron Saint of Liars, A Shattered Mind, and the feature documentary IN UTERO. Stephen is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post and Thrive Global.(From https://www.inuterofilm.com)

Wikipedia IMDb Instagram

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From his Instagram: Here’s Dan Pallotta and me working in Boston. All the equipment around is run by the guy in the middle - doing what we call ADR (additional dialogue replacement), which means cleaning up what Dan says in the movie.

 

Interview with Karen Lam

TV Interview!

 

Writer/Director/Producer Karen Lam; Photo by Tallulah Photography - © opiatepix

Interview with Karen Lam of the movie “The Curse of Willow Song” by Thane 9/9/23

It was great to talk to award-winning filmmaker Karen Lam about her upcoming horror movie, “The Curse Of Willow Song.” This movie won multiple awards, but I found her very humble about it. I can tell that she’s in it for the love of art, and she loves working with people.  Make sure to check out the trailer because it’s really cool.

 

MORE INFO: VIEW AND SHARE THE TRAILER!

Director/producer/writer Karen Lam (from her cats' Instagram)Canadian writer, director, and producer KAREN LAM is promoting her upcoming film THE CURSE OF WILLOW SONG, on digital and DVD September 26.

Lam grew up in Brandon, Manitoba. Lam‘s father, a professor, would show his daughter horror films that she cites as an influence for her work. Lam also lists Gothic literature and Asian horror films as influences. After receiving a law degree from the University of British Columbia, Lam began working at BC Film.

Lam‘s first featured-length film was Stained (2010), a thriller starring Tinsel Korey. A year later the horror revenge short Doll Parts (2011) was released and distributed, which Lam credits for paving the way for Stained to get viewership in the United States. She landed on Hollywood’s map with the starry horror Evangeline in 2013.

KAREN LAM‘S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED COMES TO DIGITAL SEPTEMBER 26

THE CURSE OF WILLOW SONG

Key art for the film, "The Curse of Willow Song"

STARRING VALERIE TIAN FROM “THE MAGICIANS”, “ARROW” AND JENNIFER’S BODY

Karen Lam‘s highly-anticipated The Curse of Willow Song, starring Jennifer Body’s Valerie Tian, has been picked up by Uncork’d Entertainment. The horror pic, receiving great early buzz thanks to its strong special effects, will release on both digital and DVD formats in the fall.

“The Curse of Willow Song has so much to offer. It will appeal for the genre audience but also the Asian community – as represented in front of and behind camera”, said Keith Leopard, President Uncork’d Entertainment. “Karen Lam is truly one of the most exceptional filmmakers out there, and The Curse of Willow Song reiterates that.”

Willow Song, a recovering addict and parolee, struggles to start over. Willow finds herself in a concrete wasteland. Facing isolation and displacement, shadows creep into Willow’s mind and her nightmares become too real.

The Curse of Willow Song will release on Digital and DVD September 26, 2023.

About Uncork’d Entertainment

Uncork’d Entertainment was founded in July, 2012 by Keith Leopard, a Home Entertainment industry veteran with more than 23 years of experience in purchasing, acquisitions, merchandising, marketing and analysis of major studio and independent supplier to the home entertainment market.

The Company focuses on distribution in six areas: Digital Media, Physical Home Entertainment, Aggregation, Theatrical and Television, Foreign Sales, and has secured relationships across all platforms to ensure your film reaches the widest audience possible.

Keith and his team are committed to maximizing revenue, controlling costs, and assuring their Content Partners the highest quality of service, a commitment to market and merchandise their film and a rewarding experience by partnering with Uncork’d Entertainment.

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Writer/Director/Producer Karen Lam; Photo by Tallulah Photography - © opiatepix
Writer/Director/Producer Karen Lam; Photo by Tallulah Photography – © opiatepix

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Interview with the creators of “The Inventor”

TV Interview!

 

Writer/co-director Jim Capobiano, co-director Pierrce-Luc Granjon and composer Alex Mandel of "The Inventor"

Interview with writer/co-director Jim Capobianco, co-director Pierrce-Luc Granjon and composer Alex Mandel of the movie “The Inventor” by Suzanne 8/10/23

This is a cute stop-motion animated movie about Leonardo da Vinci and his quest to find out the secret of life. It’s great for kids, families, or anyone. The music is very good, too.

The first interview was with the show’s directors, Jim Capobianco and Pierre-Luc Granjon; Capobianco was also the writer. The second interview was with Alex Mandel, who wrote the music. Both interviews were very enjoyable. I hope you can go see this film, which comes out September 15.

Writer/co-director Jim Capobiano and composer Alex Mandel of "The Inventor"

 

 

 

MORE INFO:

"The Inventor" key art

THE INVENTOR

WATCH THE OFFICIAL TRAILER HERE

SYNOPSIS

Directed and written by Jim Capobianco (the Academy Award®-nominated screenwriter of “Ratatouille”) and co-directed by Pierre-Luc GranjonTHE INVENTOR is a stop-motion adventure film about the life of Leonardo da Vinci featuring the voices of Stephen Fry, Daisy Ridley, Marion Cotillard, Gauthier Battoue, and Matt Berry.

The insatiably curious and headstrong inventor/artist Leonardo da Vinci (Fry) leaves Italy to join the French court where he can freely experiment, invent flying contraptions and incredible machines, and study the human body. Joined in his adventure by the audacious Princess Marguerite (Ridley), Leonardo attempts to uncover the answer to the ultimate question: “What is the meaning of life?”

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Leonardo di Vinci of "The Inventor"

 

Days of Our Lives Q&A

DOOL Interviews

 

DAYS OF OUR LIVES -- Season: 55 -- Fifty Fifth Anniversary Portrait -- Pictured: Cady McClain as Jennifer Deveraux -- (Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC)

By Suzanne

by Thane

Ciera Payton (ex-Officer Kent, 2012) 4/5/19 by Krista

Ryan Scott (Harold) By Justin

Check out our other Interviews!

 

DAYS OF OUR LIVES -- Season: 55 -- Fifty Fifth Anniversary Portrait -- Pictured: Ken Corday, Executive Producer -- (Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC)
DAYS OF OUR LIVES — Season: 55 — Fifty Fifth Anniversary Portrait — Pictured: Ken Corday, Executive Producer — (Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC)

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Interview with Monique T. Parent

TV/Movie Interview!

 

Monique T. Parent (from her Instagram)

Interview with Monique T. Parent of “That’s a Wrap!” by Suzanne 8/9/23

It was nice to speak to Monique. We had a great chat. I even asked her about some makeup things after our “official” chat here. She’s had a long and interesting career. I’m not a big fan of horror movies…especially “slasher flicks” like this one, but it has quite a lot of comedy and art to it that was fascinating to see.  Monique did a great job in it.

 

"Blood Scarab" poster starring Monique T. ParentMORE INFO: Trailer

Known as ”The Thinking Man’s Sex Symbol”,  the sci-fi and horror vet also runs a YouTube channel offering makeup and hair tips for women over 40 as well as sharing her life as an actress. She is an advocate for celebrating natural beauty and graceful aging. She lives in L.A with her two cats.

Instagram

"That's a Wrap" key art

THAT’S A WRAP

STARRING Cerina Vincent, Monique T.Parent, Sarah French, Gigi Gustin, Dave Sheridan

DIRECTED BY Marcel Walz

ON DIGITAL AUGUST 25

Award winning director Marcel Walz’s upcoming horror/thriller THAT’S A WRAP is scheduled to release on digital platforms on August 25th, 2023 from Quiver Distribution.  Cerina Vincent (Cabin Fever), Monique T. Parent (Jurassic City), Sarah French (Space Wars : The Quest for Deepstar), Gigi Gustin (The Retaliators) and Dave Sheridan (The Devil’s Rejects) star in a film written by Joe Knetter and Robert L. Lucas.

The cast of a film arrive to a wrap party, but someone has dressed up as the slasher in the film, and begins to stage their own kill scenes. One by one, the cast disappear until the true nature of the evening is revealed.

Joe Knetter, Marcel Walz and Sarah French produce, with BJ Mezek, Andreas Tremmel, Justus Heinz, Yazid Benfeghoul,  Tina Limbeck , Robert L. Lucas and Kai E. Bogatzki executive producing.

Says director Walz (Blind, Pretty Boy), “I’m so excited to have a colorful Giallo slasher as the first movie from our own production company, Neon Noir. Everyone involved in this project brought so much love and talent to the table and made the whole process from start to finish something special. I know the audience will see the love in the end product. My favorite film of all time is Wes Craven’s Scream. That’s a Wrap is a fun meta slasher that showcases my love for that series of films combined with my love of Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story. As a gay director I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to have LGBTQ characters represented in the film. One even plays a key part in a scene that will no doubt get people talking about how that kill is something they’ve never seen before. It’s so ridiculous. I love it.”

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Monique T. Parent in "That's a Wrap" (from her Instagram)

 

Interview with Hudson West

TV Interview!

 

Hudson West - Jake Spencer of "General Hospital" on ABC. Photo by Cathryn Farnsworth

Interview with Hudson West of “General Hospital” on ABC by Suzanne 8/10/23

It was so great to speak to this young man! I’m glad he’s coming back on GH. It sounds like he’s going to have a good storyline. If you’ve been watching the show for years, you know what an amazing actor he is.  Even more importantly, he seems to be very grounded and to have a good head on his shoulders.

 

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Scene on "General Hospital" with Hudson West (Jake), Michael Easton (Finn), Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth) and Jason David (Aiden) on ABC (screencap).

Born in Dayton, Ohio, Hudson West booked his first commercial at the age of six. Currently, he can be seen as Jake Webber in ABC’s General Hospital. Shortly after relocating to Los Angeles, he was cast as Andy in Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 and also appeared in True North, directed by Tom Nittoli, as well as Roads, Trees & Honey Bees. His other television credits include the recurring role of Jesse on Showtime’s I’m Dying Up Here as well as the recurring role of Marcia Clark’s son Travis on Fox’s American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson. He can also be seen on Netflix’s Grace and Frankie, Nickelodeon’s Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn, Cartoon Network’s Clarence, TV Land’s Teachers, TNT’s Major Crimes and ABC’s Modern Family and Grey’s Anatomy, NCIS LA and 9-1-1.

The ABC daytime soap opera has depicted the ongoing lives of the diverse and evolving citizens of Port Charles, New York. While delivering romance and the high-flying adventure for which soaps are often known, “GH” has regularly capitalized on its setting to present stories that speak to and enrich viewers’ lived experiences around the country.

In 2022, “General Hospital” won five Daytime Emmy Awards including the marquee Outstanding Drama Series, marking the show’s 15th win for this honor as well as the record for most wins in the category, a truly incredible fete and testament to the impact and resonance that the series has had with viewers to this day.

 

“General Hospital” stars Genie Francis, Maurice Benard, Finola Hughes, Kristina Wagner, Nancy Lee Grahn, Rebecca Herbst, Kelly Monaco, Laura Wright, Kirsten Storms, Dominic Zamprogna, Maura West, Chad Duell, Roger Howarth, Donnell Turner, Michael Easton, Eden McCoy, Cynthia Watros, Josh Swickard, Katelyn MacMullen, Sofia Mattsson, Amanda Setton, Brook Kerr, Nicholas Chavez, Avery Kristen Pohl, Cameron Mathison, Charles Shaughnessy, Tajh Bellow, Tanisha Harper, Tabyana Ali, Robert Gossett, Josh Kelly, Gregory Harrison and Evan Hofer.

“General Hospital” was created by husband-and-wife soap writers, Frank and Doris Hursley. Frank Valentini is the executive producer and showrunner. Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor are co-head writers. The series is produced by ABC.

About General Hospital
ABC’s Emmy® Award-winning daytime drama, “General Hospital,” is both the longest-running scripted drama and the longest-running American soap opera currently in production. One of four remaining daytime dramas, “General Hospital” holds the record for the most Outstanding Daytime Drama award wins, taking home the prestigious Emmy Award a record 15 times. Filmed in Hollywood, California, the show aired its 15,000th episode on June 22, 2022.

“GH” continues its tradition of passion, intrigue and adventure that has depicted the ongoing lives of the diverse and evolving citizens of the fictional town of Port Charles set in upstate New York. The glamour and excitement of those who have come to find their destinies in this familiar seaport town intertwine with the lives, loves and fortunes of beloved, well-known faces. As always, love, danger and mind-blowing plot twists abound on “GH” with contemporary storylines and unforgettable characters.

“General Hospital” is known for elevating awareness for numerous health and social issues, often ahead of its time, in conjunction with storylines including HIV/AIDS; tolerance and understanding for the gay, lesbian and transgender community; bipolar disorder, spousal abuse, sexual assault, workplace sexual harassment in the #MeToo era, gentrification, war refugees, voting rights and voter suppression, the fight for civil rights and against environmental racism, drug and alcohol addiction; breast cancer awareness; surrogacy and adoption; organ donations, autism and Alzheimer’s-related stories are all topics “GH” has trailblazed.

Many actors got their start on “General Hospital” including Demi Moore, John Stamos, Jack Wagner, Mark Hamill, Rick Springfield, Ricky Martin, Amber Tamblin, Emma Samms, Kimberly McCullough, Jonathan Jackson and Richard Dean Anderson.

“General Hospital” was created by husband-and-wife soap writers, Frank and Doris Hursley, and premiered on April 1, 1963. In 1978, Gloria Monty was brought in as executive producer and is credited with the creation of the first super-couple, Luke and Laura Spencer. Their 1981 wedding brought in 30 million viewers and remains the highest-rated hour in American soap opera history. Frank Valentini serves as “GH”’s current executive producer. Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor are the show’s co-head writers.

“General Hospital” airs weekdays on ABC (check local listings).

Follow “General Hospital” (#GeneralHospital #GH60) on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

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Hudson West - Jake Spencer of "General Hospital" on ABC. Photo by Cathryn Farnsworth

 

Interview with Jessica Matten and Kiowa Gordon

TV Interview!

 

Jessica Matten as Sgt. Bernadette Manuelito - Dark Winds _ Season 1, Episode 3 - Photo Credit: Michael Moriatis/AMCKiowa Gordon of "Dark Winds" on AMC+ Screenshot from the trailer.

Interview with Jessica Matten and Kiowa Gordon of “Dark Winds” on AMC+ by Suzanne 7/10/23

This is such an excellent show, and was really nice to speak with these two.  I spoke with Jessica on 7/10 and Kiowa on 7/11. Although they were both via Zoom video, it was requested that I only use the audio for Kiowa’s interview. I put both up on YouTube, so I made a slideshow for Kiowa’s audio. This new season is spectacular, with lots of action, drama, more developing story, and great guest stars.

First, the video with Jessica! I hope you enjoy it.

Jessica Matten of "Dark Winds" on AMC+

Here’s the audio interview with Kiowa, and my slideshow. I’m not great with video editing. I use a free program called Clideo.

Kiowa Gordon of "Dark Winds" on AMC+ At the TIFF Premiere of Through Black Spruce. Photo from his Instagram.

 

MORE INFO:

Season 2 of the Noir Thriller Returns to AMC on Sunday, July 30. Available to Stream Early on AMC+ on Thursday, July 27.

"Dark Winds" season 2 on AMC and AMC+ key art

“Perhaps the most ambitious Native-led TV show ever made.” – The Hollywood Reporter 

“Gripping, gorgeously shot…” – TIME

Watch Official Trailer

NEW YORK – June 15, 2023 – The highly anticipated return of AMC’s lauded hit series, Dark Winds, starring Zahn McClarnon (The Son, Westworld, Fargo), Kiowa Gordon (The Red Road, Roswell, New Mexico) and Jessica Matten (Tribal, Burden of Truth), is set for Sunday, July 30 at 9pm ET/PT on AMC, with new episodes airing weekly on Sundays. Episodes will be available early on AMC+ starting Thursday, July 27, with new episodes every Thursday. Produced by AMC Studios, the second season is comprised of six episodes.Jessica Matten as Sgt. Bernadette Manuelito - Dark Winds _ Season 1, Episode 4 - Photo Credit: Michael Moriatis/Stalwart Productions/AMC

A Martinez (Longmire, Days of Our Lives) joins this season as Valencia County Sheriff Gordo Sena, while Joseph Runningfox (The Politician, Valley of the Gods) will portray Henry Leaphorn, Lt. Joe Leaphorn’s father. This season also sees the return of series regulars Deanna Allison (Accused, Edge of America) as Emma Leaphorn and Elva Guerra (Reservation Dogs, Rutherford Falls) as Sally Growing Thunder. All join previously announced Jeri Ryan (Star Trek: Picard, Bosch) who plays Rosemary Vines, and Nicholas Logan (Dopesick, Creepshow), who plays Colton Wolf.

Season one premiered to glowing reviews, earning a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Ahead of the second season, viewers can get caught up on the captivating series on AMC+. Episode 101 is also available to watch for free on the AMC+ YouTube channel.

This season, Lt. Joe Leaphorn (McClarnon), reunites with Jim Chee (Gordon), his former deputy turned private eye, when their separate cases bring them together in pursuit of the same suspect. They find themselves in the high desert of Navajo Country chasing a killer who’s turned his sights on them to protect a secret that rips open old wounds and challenges Leaphorn’s moral and professional code. With the help of Sgt. Manuelito (Matten) and Valencia County Sheriff Gordo Sena (Martinez), Leaphorn and Chee must thwart their would-be assassin and restore balance not only to their own lives, but to the reservation that depends on them.

Based on the iconic Leaphorn & Chee book series by Tony Hillerman, Dark Winds is created by Graham Roland (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Returned, Almost Human, Fringe). John Wirth (Hell on Wheels, Hap and Leonard) serves as showrunner. The series is executive produced by Roland, Wirth, McClarnon, Robert Redford, George R.R. Martin, Anne Hillerman, Chris Eyre, Vince Gerardis and Tina Elmo.

"Dark Winds" season 2 on AMC and AMC+ key art

NOTE TO EDITORS

If you have any questions or would like to arrange cast or crew interviews, please contact those listed below. We appreciate your support and coverage of Dark Winds.

 About AMC

AMC is home to some of the most popular and acclaimed original programs on television. AMC was the first basic cable network to ever win the Emmy® Award for Outstanding Drama Series with Mad Men in 2008, which then went on to win the coveted award four years in a row, before Breaking Bad won it in 2013 and 2014, and the network’s series The Walking Dead is the highest-rated series in cable television history. AMC’s current original series include Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches, Fear the Walking Dead, Dark Winds, Lucky Hank and the forthcoming series The Walking Dead: Dead City and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, among others. AMC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc. and is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand, mobile, and on AMC+, the company’s premium streaming bundle featuring content from across AMC and sister networks BBC America, IFC, and SundanceTV as well as streaming services Shudder, Sundance Now and IFC Films Unlimited.

About AMC+

AMC+ is the company’s new premium streaming bundle featuring an extensive lineup of popular and critically acclaimed original programming from AMC, BBC America, IFC, and SundanceTV and full access to targeted streaming services Shudder, Sundance Now and IFC Films Unlimited, which feature content such as A Discovery of Witches, Creepshow, and Boyhood. The service features a continually refreshed library of commercial-free content, with iconic series from the AMC Networks portfolio including Mad Men, Halt & Catch Fire, Hell on Wheels, Turn: Washington’s Spies, Rectify, Portlandia, and series from The Walking Dead Universe, among many others. The service also offers a growing slate of original and exclusive series including Gangs of London, This is Going to Hurt, Dark Winds, and the first two series in a new Anne Rice universe, Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire and Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches. With new movies released every Friday, AMC+ is the newest destination for exclusive film premieres direct from theaters all year long. AMC+ is available in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Korea, and Spain and is available in the U.S. through AMCPlus.com, the AMC+ app, and a number of digital and cable partners.

 

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Kiowa Gordon and young boy in "Dark Winds" season 2 on AMC+

 

Interview with actors from “Heels”

TV Interview!

 

Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig in "Heels" on Starz

Interview with Stephen Amell, Alexander Ludwig and Mary McCormack of “Heels” on Starz by Suzanne 6/21/23

This was a fun press day for the great family wrestling drama. First, there was a roundtable with Amell and Ludwig (and other members of the press). There’s a transcript below for that.  Then I had a short, one-on-one video interview with Mary McCormack. I really love the actors in this show. They’re not only incredibly talented, and in great shape, but they couldn’t have been nicer.  Check out the show because it’s worth watching.

Mary McCormack “Willie Day”

 

Stephen Amell “Jack Spade” and Alexander Ludwig “Ace Spade”

Question:   Both your characters go on quite emotional journeys this season, so can you sort of maybe tease where they’re at, relationship-wise, as brothers, what that’s like this season for the two of you?

Stephen:   Okay, I think, I was gonna say this in a previous interview, and then I we ran out of time, but, for Jack, I think it’s become a little bit less about worrying about Ace or worrying about Staci or worrying about Thomas or the DWL. He’s more focusing on handling his own business and taking accountability for his actions and the way that he’s behaved since his father killed himself, which has been, I think, well intentioned, but misguided, and has hurt people. So, this is very much about him, just not trying to wave a magic wand and make everything better with everyone all at once, but just taking accountability for his actions, specifically with Ace and Staci, and just saying, “Look, this, this is me; this is what happened. Here I am, hat in hand. I’m sorry. What do I do?” which is a fun thing to play, humility. You know, who knew?

Alexander:   Ace is trying to pick up the pieces, you know, he’s still a complete mess after what happened. There’s a huge rift between the brothers. This show has been so much about, it’s not just a wrestling show. It’s about family, and it’s about identity, and Ace is trying to find his identity in the ring and outside of the ring. What I love about this season so much is not only do the women lead the charge, and you get to see that on a whole other front, which is, I think, really exciting with this backdrop, but you get to see the inklings of what this could be with Jack and Ace. You know, how big this actually could be, and a road has finally caved to the kind of national sensation or promotion this actually could be, which it is exactly.

Question:   Alexander, you kind of spoke on it a little bit, but Ace really goes through a real revelation this season. Can you talk about how his view and aspect on the situations pertaining to the DWL and the FWD change and lead him towards a different path, I think, one of clarity this season?

Alexander:   Yeah, that’s a really well said. Thanks for the question. I think that, you know, again, this show has also been about mental health, and that’s becoming a big conversation in sports in general. And Ace is dealing with his own version of that. He’s been traumatized for years, and I think that his outlook needs to change on his life and on himself, because he feels abandoned by his father. And this is the first time you see Ace fully step into a role that he never, ever wanted to step into, both as a as a performer, but also as a human being, a role that he never thought that he could step into. I think towards the end of this season, you really start to see him, perhaps, become more of the man he was always destined to become. To me, what’s always been excited about this show is where it could go. In success, I think, I always had the feeling as an actor, that Ace and Jack have, you know, as these small town wrestling promotion guys, like, this could build out to something really beautiful, and that’s the hope for both of them.

Suzanne:   I enjoyed the screeners I saw…  I thought the show’s even better this season than last season. Everything’s all very exciting. Since you two are the stars of the show (if there’s such a thing as stars in an ensemble show), do you have any input into the writing of your characters or the show as it’s going on? Do they let you do that?

Stephen:   I’d say that Mike O’Malley and Michael Waldron are both very, very collaborative, collaborative people. That being said, you know, Mike will come to me for some general questions about like, you know, what would be a cool idea, but it’s very much the macro of it all, the micro, all the details. Boy, when we get a script, and we sit down for a table read, what gets said at that table read or what ends up on television are pretty much the exact same thing.

Alexander:   Which is quite rare. I’ve been lucky. I’ve only got to work with really collaborative people in general, and Mike is certainly one of those people, but there isn’t much that you would change. They, of course, they talk to you about your characters, but it’s like, it’s also beautifully on the page. I’m just like, this just seems the way it should be. Of course, when scenes come up, things happen, and you go, “I want to say this instead of that,” or whatever, of course. You know, that’s a day by day basis. But we have an incredible team with us on this show, and I’m grateful for it.

Question:   It’s obvious that this is a labor of love from every cast member in this show. What does it mean, each of you personally, to be back for a second season?

Stephen:   Second season is the toughest season to get. Well, I guess, like actually getting something off the ground and getting to shoot it in the first place, probably, technically is more challenging, but bridging that gap from a first to a second season. You know, I don’t know, it just it seems to always be where the show takes off, where you you have some time under your belt to see what works. You also have the real benefit of audience interaction and seeing what pops for people and what doesn’t. So, you know, I’ve been very fortunate. This is the second time I’ve gotten a second season, and I hope that very shortly [for] the second time that I get a third.

Alexander:   Yeah, I mean, it’s very humbling. When I first read this script, and I think I speak for Stephen as well, like, there’s not a lot of shows like this, and there’s not a lot of shows that are made like this, and that’s what drew us to it. We’re like, “When will we ever get a chance to do something like this and tell this kind of a story,” for hopefully, you know, six years plus. And it’s so far and few between. You know, back in the day, this would have been the kind of movie that would have made me want to be an actor, and now it’s TV shows, right? And I just, I love everything about this. I love that it’s flawed characters. I love that it’s a world I’m not super familiar with and that I’ve fallen in love with simultaneously.

Question:   I was wondering how Ace and Jack feel about Crystal this season, and how her actions in the finale move the story forward?

Stephen:   Well, I mean, for Jack, we’re dealing with the immediate aftermath of this. And it’s like, is it a big sea-change? Or have we just, you know, do we just call an audible and we’re gonna put everything back to where it was the next day? I think what we discover for Jack, is that while you appreciate what Crystal did, he may not see it as the big sea-change that audience members or fans or she might have seen it as. So, that’s a point of contention in the early part of the season.

Alexander:   I think, for Ace, it was the nail in his in his coffin of what used to be. So, for him, he’s just constantly taking punches, and he’s and he’s throwing them wildly, but kind of not really focusing on on what the next step should be. And I think that the second season, you see Ace kind of come to terms with who he’s always been destined to become.

Question:   So, you mentioned that they’re flawed characters, and this is for both of you, but you made me think, what has your character taught you about yourself since you’ve been on this journey?

Alexander:   I have to say, you know, I’ve gone through my own demons, and I think that’s probably why I loved Ace so much is that I wouldn’t say I’ve learned a lot from him, but I would say that I’ve had to go on my own journey that he’s had to go on before him. So, actually, I would say, Ace can probably learn a lot from me. So that, to me, was something I loved about that character, was that I’ve dealt with my own versions of substance abuse and whatnot. And, you know, when you go to rehab, for example, you’re doing three years of therapy in fifty days, right? And you get really, really into why there are certain things that are driving you to become the human being you’re becoming. So, it wasn’t that I’m learning from Ace, it’s that I’m understanding Ace, and that’s why I loved him, is that I understood that underneath these child like temper tantrums that he throws and these irrational outbursts, there is a child crying for help. And the saddest thing about it is that only he can save himself from it. There’s nobody else who can do it for him. He’s looking for all this external validation, when in actuality, the only thing that is ever going to save him is himself and coming to terms with himself and his father’s suicide. So, to me, I thought Ace was such a beautiful character, because you love to love him, and you love to hate him.

 

Question:   What about you, Stephen?

Stephen:   It’s really, really simple. Pride comes before the fall. I’m dealing with this situation in my own life personally, right now, where a good friend of mine that I trust a lot is saying to me, “You have to take the emotion out of it.” Like, that’s impossible. He’s like, “No, it’s not. You have to take the emotion out of it, because the goal should be the outcome.” And that’s something that, you know, Jack is put in this position right now, where throughout the course of this season, he has to eat shit, multiple times. Not get shit on, like, Alexander, but each shit. And it’s like, well, listen, you have to eat it one way or the other. So, do you want to do with a smile on your face, or do you want to kick and scream the entire way? And that’s just been because he lets his emotions get in the way, and he’s prideful. So, I’m trying to learn that lesson to just not be that way personally, and I’m learning a lot watching how how things mess up for Jack. Yeah, it’s proven to be the right way to go about things.

Question:   For Stephen, so, I know we’ve kind of talked about Jack and Ace’s dynamic, but I want to talk about Jack and Staci’s relationship, because at the end of season one, it’s very strained, as Jack continues to put the DWL over his family. What can we expect throughout season two? Will we get to see Jack put the real work into that relationship and winning her back, or will that sort of fall on the back-burner and happen off scene?

Stephen:   No, we come to a resolution with Jack and Staci in the early part of the season. Then, I think their relationship gets into a great place, which I was very happy about, because I think that the the troubled marriage or, you know, the conceit of like the nagging spouse, be the husband or the wife, it’s not tired – well, it’s a little tired, I think, personally. So, I thought it’d be fun, and I think Mike thought it’d be fun too, to examine, like, a relationship where, look, these guys love each other, but life isn’t perfect, but here’s what they’re gonna do. And this is the important thing, is they’re going to show up one another, and they’re going to be honest with one another about everything, about the big things, the little things, not just the Kleenex and trying to destroy Ace’s life, but like, you know, were you on time for work today? Or were you five minutes late? You could say you’re on time, but no, you say you’re five minutes late, honestly, about everything. And, in that sense, too, I’ve been learning from Jack, because that’s an important thing, being honest, just even about little things, especially about the little things.

Suzanne:   I know that you guys were both really fit before you did this show, but did you have to add on extra workouts in order to play people who are basically running around in their underwear quite often?

Alexander:   It wasn’t as much of an aesthetic thing, just like looking good and tight as opposed to literally being able to withstand what’s asked of us physically. So like, when we weren’t filming, we were literally in the gym with our stunt team, training specific ways to be able to withstand what we had to do. And I’m talking like, you know, it’s nothing compared to what these actual guys do in real life, but it is really, really tough on your body, and it’s something that Stephen and I can’t fake. It’s like, we have to do it. So, when you see somebody doing a backflip off the top turnbuckle that’s something I have to be able to do. Or you see Stephen doing a suplex it’s something he has to be able to do, and they don’t want us to get injured. So, that’s the most important thing.

Stephen:   Yeah, like, there’s no way around it. It’s not like taking a flat back bump gets easier in the same way that like if you start weight training a bunch, the pads of your hands, like you’re gonna get all these blisters. The blisters don’t go away, they callus. And when you learning how to bump in the ring and stuff like that, it doesn’t get easier. You just get used to it. It’s like a cold plunge; it doesn’t get easier. You just get used to it. And I wouldn’t say that we added anything, but what we did and what the production did, which was very, very helpful, is we just said, “Listen, if we’re going to be playing wrestlers on TV, then we need to look like wrestlers on TV, and in order to do that, we need to be in wrestler shape and have wrestler bodies, which come in many shapes and forms and sizes.” But they did a great job of building us a gymnasium, building us a program, and then enforcing it and making it part of our schedules, so that it’s not our responsibility to find the motivation on a Thursday when we’re not working to get to the gym at 10 o’clock. No, it’s on the schedule. We have to go. We’re contractually obligated. But we just go.

Transcribed by Jamie of SciFiVision

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"Heels" season 2 premieres on Starz July 28!

STARZ RELEASES EMOTIONAL TRAILER FOR SEASON TWO OF CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED SPORTS DRAMA “HEELS” AIRING JULY 28
THE NEW TRAILER LEAPS FROM THE TOP ROPE AND BEGS THE QUESTION: WHO’S IN YOUR CORNER?
Santa Monica, Calif. – June 29, 2023 – STARZ released today the trailer and key art for season two of the critically-acclaimed drama Heels,” which returns to the ring for season two on Friday, July 28 at midnight (ET) on the STARZ app. Starring Stephen Amell (“Arrow”) and Alexander Ludwig(“Vikings”), the small-town sports drama series based on a wrestling league in rural Georgia will also debut via linear tv on STARZ at 10:00 PM ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada on Friday, July 28, 2023.
Heels” is aptly named after the wrestling term for a villain or antagonist. Most stories center around heroes vs. villains, but in wrestling, it’s faces vs. heels. Season two brings fans back to the family-owned wrestling organization, Duffy Wrestling League (DWL), where brothers and rivals, Jack (Amell) and Ace Spade (Ludwig), continue to fightover their late father’s legacy and their individual versions of success, while also working to find their own identity as a “face” or a “heel.” The show invokes feelings of nostalgia akin to  “Friday Night Lights,” while covering topics like the effects of trauma on communities, finding personal identity, and women taking the lead in every facet. It is centered around a small-town community where everyone knows each other and everyone in town follows the saga of the Heels and Faces in the DWL.    
Season two also stars Alison Luff (“New Amsterdam”) as Staci Spade, Mary McCormack (“Deep Impact,” “The L Word”) as Willie Day, Kelli Berglund (“The Goldbergs,” “The Animal Kingdom”) as Crystal Tyler, Allen Maldonado (House Party, “The Wonder Years,” “The Last O.G.”) as Rooster Robbins, Chris Bauer (“Gaslit,” “Survivor’s Remorse,” “True Blood”) as Wild Bill Hancock, Trey Tucker (“The Outpost”) as Bobby Pin, Robby Ramos (“Chicago P.D.”) as Diego Cottonmouth,Alice Barrett Mitchell (“The Thing About Pam,” “Billions”) as Carol Spade, Roxton Garcia(“Reminensce”) as Thomas Spade, David James Elliott (Trumbo, “JAG”) as Tom Spade, Joel Murray(“Mad Men,” “Shameless”) as Eddie Earl, CM Punk(“Mayans,” “AEW Dynamite”) as Ricky Rabies, AJ Mendez (“Women of Wrestling,” “WWE”) as Elle Dorado, Josh Segarra (Scream VI, “Arrow,” “The Other Two”) as Brooks Rizzo, and Emmy Raver-Lampman as Jen Lussier.
Heels” showrunner and executive producer Mike O’Malley (“Survivor’s Remorse,” “Shameless”) also portrays Charlie Gully on the series. Michael Waldron (“Loki,” Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, “Rick and Morty”) is the show creator.Christopher Donnelly (By Sidney Lumet), Pete Segal (Get Smart, 50 First Dates, Tommy Boy,“Shameless”), Patrick Walmsley (JT LeRoy), and Julie Yorn (Hell or High WaterWhite Boy Rick) also serve as executive producers on the series. “Heels” is produced through O’Malley Ink and LBI Entertainment in association with Lionsgate Television for STARZ. 
Follow “HEELS” on Social
Twitter: @HeelsSTARZ
Instagram: @HeelsSTARZ
Facebook: @HeelsSTARZ
Join the conversation with #HeelsSTARZ

About “Heels” Season Two
Heels” is a drama that follows Jack (Stephen Amell) and Ace Spade (Alexander Ludwig), two brothers and rivals who war over their late father’s wrestling promotion, vying for national attention in small-town Georgia. In the ring, one is a villain, or “heel,”; the other a hero, or “face.” Season two begins after a spectacular showing at the South Georgia State Fair, the Duffy Wrestling League’s popularity is suddenly on the upswing. Hoping to seize the opportunity, Jack and his cohorts prepare for a possible business deal with a new streaming service that may propel them onto a national stage. But the past and its tragedies threaten to upset everything when Ace leaves Duffy and the Dome in his rearview, and rival promotion Florida Wrestling Dystopia’s vengeful frontman Gully comes calling.”
About STARZ 
STARZ (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate company, is a leading global media streaming platform committed to delivering premium content that amplifies narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences. STARZ is home to the highly rated and first-of-its-kind STARZ app that offers the ability to stream or download STARZ premium content, as well as the flagship domestic STARZ® service, including STARZ ENCORE, 17 premium pay TV channels, and the associated on-demand and online services. In 2018, STARZ launched its international premium streaming platform STARZPLAY, now LIONSGATE+, to provide subscribers access to bold, curated storytelling. LIONSGATE+, coupled with the STARZPLAY ARABIA joint venture in MENA and Lionsgate Play in South and Southeast Asia, has a footprint that extends across the globe. STARZ and LIONSGATE+ are available across digital OTT platforms and multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies around the world. In February 2021, STARZ launched #TakeTheLead, a multi-faceted and innovative inclusion initiative expanding its existing efforts to improve representation on screen, behind the camera and throughout the company. 
 
About Lionsgate 
Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) encompasses world-class motion picture and television studio operations aligned with the STARZ premium global subscription platform to bring a unique and varied portfolio of entertainment to consumers around the world. The Company’s film, television, subscription and location-based entertainment businesses are backed by an 18,000-title library and a valuable collection of iconic film and television franchises. A digital age company driven by its entrepreneurial culture and commitment to innovation, the Lionsgate brand is synonymous with bold, original, relatable entertainment for audiences worldwide.

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Mary McCormack stars as Willie Day in "Heels" on Starz

 

Interview with Alyson Levy and Alissa Nutting

TV Interview!

 

Alyson Levy and Alissa Nutting, creators of "Teenage Euthanasia" on Adult Swim

Interview with Alyson Levy and Alissa Nutting, creators of “Teenage Euthanasia” on Adult Swim by Suzanne 7/18/23

I enjoyed speaking with these two women. They’re very funny and talented. If you like funny animated cartoons, check out their show. It starts today!

 

MORE INFO: TRAILER OFFICIAL SITE

Teenage Euthanasia Season 2 key art

About Teenage Euthanasia:

Adult Swim returns to the Tender Endings Funeral Home when season two of the adult animated comedy Teenage Euthanasia debuts Wednesday, July 26 at Midnight ET/PT and streams the next day on Max. Set in near-future inland Florida, this series follows the latest undead adventures of the Fantasy family voiced by Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite), Emmy® Award-winner Bebe Neuwirth (Cheers), Jo Firestone (Joe Pera Talks With You) and Emmy® Award-winner Tim Robinson (I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson).

Returning with ten all-new episodes, the second season of Teenage Euthanasia features a massive lineup of guest voices including:

  • Ann Dowd (Garden State, The Manchurian Candidate)
  • Chris Redd (Saturday Night Live)
  • H. Jon Benjamin (Archer, Bob’s Burgers)
  • J. Smith Cameron (Succession)
  • Janelle James (Abbott Elementary)
  • Jinkx Monsoon (RuPaul’s Drag Race)
  • Joe Pera (Joe Pera Talks With You)
  • Kieran Culkin (Succession)
  • Lori Tan Chinn (Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, Orange is the New Black)
  • Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill)
  • Tim Heidecker (Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Office Hours, Killing It)
  • Ziwe Fumudoh (Ziwe)
  • and more.

Teenage Euthanasia centers on the Fantasy Family: Grandma Baba, her adult children Uncle Pete and Trophy, and Trophy’s teenage daughter, Euthanasia (“Annie”), a name accidentally given to her during the time of Trophy’s own unbearable suffering. The half-hour animated series is co-created by Nutting, a novelist and screenwriter/showrunner (Made for Love), and Emmy® Award-nominated producer Levy (The Shivering Truth, Xavier Renegade Angel). Teenage Euthanasia is produced by PFFR and animated by Atomic Cartoons. Executive producers include creators Nutting and Levy as well as Lisa M. Thomas, Vernon Chatman, and John Lee, with Scott Adsit as co-executive producer and Jo Firestone as producer.

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"Teenage Euthanasia" Season 2 key art

 

Interview with “Shark Week” hosts

TV Interview!

banner for "Shark Week" on Discovery

Interview with hosts of “Shark Week” on Discovery by Suzanne 7/17/23

This was very enjoyable! I don’t normally watch non-fiction shows, but they definitely make these shows fun as well as educational. “Shark Week” is celebrating it’s 35th year and the popular actor Jason Momoa is hosting it. Tune in starting today, 7/23/23.  Here’s the schedule of shows. I watched quite a few of them. I was pleased to speak to these hosts, who all share a great love for the ocean, its creatures and for our planet (and for the future of all of those things). Below are the videos for my interviews. Enjoy!

Click on the names of the hosts to see more about them!

Dr. Austin Gallagher – “Belly of the Beast” and “Monster Mako: Fresh Blood”’

 

Tom Hird – “Cocaine Sharks” and “Great White Fight Club”

 

Forrest Galante – “Alien Sharks: Strange New Worlds”

 

MORE INFO:

"Shark Week" promo pic

Click Here to view Shark Week 2023 Promo

More Shark Week Clips!

Shark Week 2023 Lineup:

Sunday, July 23

“Belly of the Beast: Feeding Frenzy” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery

In a Shark Week first, researchers with cameras brave a great white shark feeding frenzy from inside a life-size whale decoy. Their findings could be the key to finding the biggest great white shark in South African history.

“Jaws vs The Meg” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery

The MEG, a massive shark measuring 50 feet and weighing 60 tons, was once feared as the most fearsome predator. It could devour a killer whale effortlessly, but new evidence suggests that its cousin, the great white shark, may have caused its extinction.

“Serial Killer: Red Sea Attacks” premieres at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery

Shark attack investigator Brandon McMillan and cinematographer Fo Zayed travel to solve the mystery of what’s behind three recent deadly shark attacks off of the posh beaches of Egypt’s Red Sea.

“Shark Week: Off the Hook” premieres at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery

Dive into the biggest thrills and most terrifying moments from 35 years of Shark Week, celebrating behind the scenes of iconic moments and revealing never-before-seen footage of the fearless adventurers who get up close with the world’s scariest creatures.

Monday, July 24

“Great White Fight Club” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery

A team of experts venture into the treacherous waters of New Zealand to provide groundbreaking evidence that female white sharks unequivocally dominate the ocean, reigning as the ultimate controllers of its fierce battlegrounds.

“Monster of Bermuda Triangle” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery

A healthy, 10-foot pregnant Porbeagle shark vanishes in the Bermuda Triangle. The evidence suggests an unknown, monstrous predator could be to blame. Dr. James Sulikowski and a team of scientists dive into the most mysterious part of the ocean to uncover the truth behind the attack.

“Alien Sharks: Strange New Worlds” premieres at 10PM on Discovery

The tip of South Africa is a hotspot for unusual sharks that exhibit bizarre behaviors and unusual, otherworldly appearances. Wildlife biologist Forrest Galante explores stunning kelp forests and ocean depths never-before-seen by humans to study these extraordinary creatures.

Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery

Tuesday, July 25

“Mako Mania: Battle for California” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery

​​Off the coast of Los Angeles, a new population of super makos challenge great whites for their hunting territories. Dr. Craig O’Connell, Fo Zayed, and Kendyl Berna deploy state-of-the-art technology to reveal their dominance and unveil the mysteries that have transformed these makos into some of the fiercest predators in the oceans.

“Raiders of the Lost Shark” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery

Shark expert Matt Dicken and Shark Week legend Dickie Chivell embark on a relentless quest to locate an elusive and colossal shark named Dutchess, who mysteriously vanished from Gansbaai, South Africa years ago. 

“Monster Hammerheads: Killer Instinct” premieres 10PM ET/PT on Discovery

Dr. Tristan Guttridge believes Hammerhead sharks can reach monster sizes by hunting other species of sharks. The only way to prove his theory is to obtain tissue samples from some of the largest sharks on the planet.

Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery

Wednesday, July 26

“Air Jaws: Final Frontier” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery

Shark filmmakers hunt for “Air Jaws” in New Zealand’s hidden launch pad. Andy Casagrande and Jeff Kurr seek the second-ever breaching great white in these waters to uncover history-making secrets. 

“Florida Shark: Blood in the Water” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery

Paul de Gelder dives into the Shark Attack Capital of the World to conduct experiments that will confirm what makes up these dangerous waters and determine methods to mitigate the risk.

“Cocaine Sharks” premieres at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery

For decades, rumors of cocaine-fueled sharks have spread throughout the fishing community. Shark expert Tom Hird travels to the Florida Keys to investigate what happens when the sharks come in contact with the most notorious drug on the planet.

Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery

Thursday, July 27

“Jaws in the Shallows” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery

Shark Week veteran Dr. Riley Elliott has traveled all over to study great whites, which are now terrorizing the beaches of New Zealand. He sets out alongside his wife Amber Jones to find answers to protect his loved ones from the apex predators before it’s too late.

“Monster Mako: Fresh Blood” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery

Twelve-foot-long monster mako sharks compete head-to-head with great whites for prey off the coast of California. Using a custom clear, acrylic diving bell, Dr. Austin Gallagher and legendary free diver Andre Musgrove get up close with both predators and track makos breaching eight feet out of the ocean.

“Shark vs Snake: Battle of the Bites” premieres at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery

Tiger sharks are washing up dead on the beaches of Western Australia with no sign of attack. Forrest Galante has a theory that deadly sea snakes are turning these apex predators to prey. In the battle of shark against snake, are snakes winning?

Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery

Friday, July 28

“Tropic Jaws” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery

When a 16-foot great white invades Indonesia’s warm coast of Bali, it sparks fears that they are adapting to hunt the tropical beaches where millions of people swim every day. Dr. Craig O’Connell and Madison Stewart are on a mission to find Tropic Jaws and discover why they left the cold water environment that they have called home for thousands of years.

“Deadly Sharks of Paradise” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery

Scientists in South America are studying the shark species thought to be responsible for a spike in deadly attacks since 1990. Marine biologist Danni Washington and shark conservationist Paul de Gelder join a team tracking tiger sharks off a pristine tropical archipelago in Brazil.  

“Haunting at Shark Tower” premieres at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery

News of a harrowing shark encounter at North Carolina’s Frying Pan Tower sends underwater cinematographer Andy Casagrande and shark expert Kori Burkhardt on a dangerous quest to discover whether great white sharks are moving into the state’s waters.

Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery

Saturday, July 29

“Dawn of the Monster Mako” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery

A 14-foot giant mako shark is spotted in the waters of Portugal’s Azores region. Underwater cinematographer Joe Romeiro and his marine biologist wife, Lauren, search the teeming depths around the ancient islands to capture the beast on film.

“Mega Sharks of Dangerous Reef” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery

The remote islands off the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia are believed to harbor some of the biggest white sharks on the planet. While local fishing reports suggest these giant sharks are still around, they are rarely seen.

Encores run at 10PM & 11PM ET/PT on Discovery

About Discovery: 

Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 88.3 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 224 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.

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"Shark Week" on Discovery starting July 23, 2023

 

Interview with Christian Kane

TV Interview!

 

Christian Kane in "Almost Paradise" season 2 on Freevee

Interview with Christian Kane of “Almost Paradise” on Freevee by Suzanne 6/28/23

It’s always nice to speak with Christian! Unfortunately, he was having technical difficulties, so we had to do an audio interview instead of a video one. He was very sweet about it and offered to do another one any time. I hope you enjoy the little slideshow video I made from the audio below! Don’t miss season 2 of “Almost Paradise.” It’s a really fun show on Freevee. That’s the Prime Video streaming service that’s free! Lots of other enjoyable shows on there.

 

Suzanne: My first zoom call ever was with you and Dean (Devlin) back in April 2020.

Christian: Oh my gosh, what were we doing – “Almost Paradise?”

Suzanne: Yeah. First season.

Christian: Yeah, that’s Right. Exactly. Oh my gosh. That’s so crazy.

Suzanne: It seems like a long time ago now.

Christian: That might have been my first Zoom call as well. I gotta be honest with you.

Suzanne: Yeah. And I think we had a few difficulties with the sound on that one. So, I guess now we’re even.

Christian: Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate you taking the time to talk to us and talk to me about this. I appreciate your help, man. I’m really proud of the show. So, the more people that can know about it, I just love it.

Suzanne: Oh, yeah. I love it, too. It’s great. I’ve only watched two episodes so far of the new one, but I’m enjoying it.

Christian: Oh, fantastic. That’s fantastic. Yeah.

Suzanne: So, what are some new challenges that Alex faces this season?

Christian: Well, the fun thing about Alex is that, you know, he always thinks he’s right. When the season opens up, you see that he’s pretty proud of himself. He’s walking around with a little pep in his step that he didn’t have first season, because he was sick, you know what I mean? And he thought it was physical. But when you actually think about it, it was more mental than anything else. So, now he feels like he’s overcome that. So, I mean, he’s back in business. He’s the Alex of old. And then, you know, it doesn’t take very long for him to get right back into trouble where he was. And that’s the funnest part about watching this show and more or less watching Alex Walker, is that he always thinks he’s got everything under control. He never has anything under control. And I’ve sort of said this before, but, you know, it’s really fun, and I think this makes good television. There aren’t a lot of shows out there like that. I’m very fortunate with the writing they give me, but it is so much fun to root for someone to do well, at the same time really rooting for the fact that he messes up so he’s in a pickle, you know? And that’s just the beauty of this show, that you want him to do well, because you’re a fan. But, man, isn’t it a better show when when everything goes wrong and he messed it up? It’s just so great.

Suzanne: Yeah, I think similar to Eliot, on the other show, is it. They’re both at their best when they’re fighting, because they have a little trouble handling everything else.

Christian: That’s exactly what it is. That’s exactly when they shine, is in situations like that. That’s funny that you picked that up. Yeah. And it’s really crazy, because I’ve tried to differentiate between both of those characters in the fights, and I think we’ve done a pretty good job. I mean, Alex is more of a bar brawler, and Eliot’s a precision fighter. But once I get into it, and these guys move fast, especially in the Philippines. They’re really good at what they do. And when they start moving so fast that I’ve just got to move fast, and I turn right back into Eliot, but I don’t think anybody cares about that as long as you can tell the difference between the two characters, which you can.

Suzanne: Right, right. And are you still doing your own stunts?

Christian: I’m still doing my own stunts. Yeah. I’m doing my own stunts. I’ve let a little bit of the choreography go. A guy I worked with for a long time on Leverage, Lex Damis, has come out as the stunt coordinator. I just didn’t have time on Leverage to really be involved that much. I’ll change some things, but he’s really good at what he does. And he’s one of my best friends and has been for over 10 years. He’s my golf partner. I trust him with what he’s doing, which is why I brought him in on Almost Paradise. I’ve got no time at all. I literally worked six months straight. I didn’t have one day off, and it’s not “Woe is me.” I prefer that. Idle hands are not good for me, and I love to work, because I really feel like I’m on vacation when I’m at work, no matter where I’m at. And I just did not have time to do it. So, we had Rodney – Rodney Cook came in, and Julian, and you know, these are ex military guys. They’re really good at what they do. And I’ve kind of realized at this point in my life, I’m still doing my own stunts, nobody fights for me. Nobody does stunts for me ever, but I just I don’t have time to fight anymore, and it just takes up too much of my soul. So, I would rather just go and learn the fight and fight and I think that helps out a lot as well, because I’m starting to listen to some other ideas other than stupid Christian Kane being Eliot Spencer.

Suzanne: And did you get injured at all this season?

Christian: Which season? Season of Leverage or season of – no not on Almost Paradise. I mean everything hurts. You know what I mean? This is bone to bone. I mean this is not jumping off a building onto a mat. This is going literally bone to bone with people. So, everything always hurts, but I don’t mind it. I don’t mind it. You know me, I’m a Steve McQueen fan and a big Tom Cruise fan, and as long as they let me keep doing my own stuff, man, it just is exhilarating for me. I love to say to people, “Slow it down, and see if you can catch me not on there,” because they can’t.

Suzanne: And you say it took six months to film the season?

Christian: Six months, yeah. It was six months in New Orleans for Leverage. And then I had one day in Los Angeles, literally one day to pack my bag and get on the plane for another six months in the Philippines. And like I said, I’m not complaining, I’m blessed. I would not trade it for the world.

Suzanne: So, overall on the show, are there any big changes in the second season? You know how sometimes on TV shows they they change things from season to season?

Christian Kane and Samantha Richelle in "Almost Paradise" season 2 on Freevee!Christian: You know, some people do. I mean, there’s no big changes. We love the storylines. The storylines are all new. The stakes are a little bit higher, which is great. As long as your stakes get higher every season, that’s the show that you’re doing. That means you’ve got a successful show. And we did that this year. You know, I’m coming [from] Dean Devlin school, you know what I mean? Which is, you know, how many seasons did I do Leverage? How many seasons of The Librarians were [there]? We’re on season two of Almost Paradise. You know, if it’s not broke, he doesn’t try to fix it. The shows that we do, you know, it’s not a comedy; it’s not a drama; it’s not an action movie. It’s all three of them rolled into one. That’s why, you know, we’re never going to be up for an award where it’s the best drama or the best – you know what I mean? The only awards we win are when we win the People’s Choice Award, because people love the show, you know? So, he doesn’t change it that much, because there’s kids watching it. There’s adults watching it; there’s families that watch the show. So, he does a really good job of not changing it too much to where you’re just blown out of it.

Suzanne: Yeah. Okay. I don’t mean to put you on the spot, but can you name any of the fun guest stars this season?

Christian: Well, I’ll tell you what we did. We did an episode where Lisa Brenner, who is Dean Devlin’s wife, she comes into play my wife, my ex-wife, which was a lot of fun, because I’ve known her as long as I’ve known Dean, 2007. And all we do is argue, and then when they say cut, we start laughing at each other. And we didn’t have to shake hands and introduce ourselves and go, “Hey, I’m playing Alex Walker…[unintelligible] it was like, first scene up was in a car, we had a huge argument scene, and we did it, and then we started laughing. It was fun not to have to learn who somebody is. You already know who they are. So, that was a lot of fun coming in. Let’s see. I don’t know. I mean, I just don’t know when this is coming out. I’m not sure if I’m gonna get in trouble.

Suzanne: Well, I’m not gonna put it in until like the day before the show starts.

Christian: Okay. I mean, we’ve got a good guy coming in. I don’t see how it’s not going to be seen, but I mean, Dante Bosco comes in. He was on Hook, everybody’s favorite kid on Hook. It’s fun to see him in the light that he’s playing. That was a lot of fun to to have him coming in. And then the cat’s already out of the bag on this guy. John Story comes back and does such a spectacular job on a couple of episodes. And he played Lockhart first season and became a fan favorite. And so to have him back this year, was just tremendous.

Suzanne: Right? And I know Reese Richie is going to be in the first episode as the priest.

Christian: Yeah, Reese was so great, man. He did such a good job. My friend Maureen comes in as for a little role, who’s Asia’s Next Top Model. She did such a great job. Yeah. She was a friend that I invited in, and she said “yes,” which I thought was very nice. You know, it’s the usual suspects, man. Some of us are a little older, but we all still play just like a family, man. It’s been really incredible.

Suzanne: So nobody from Leverage.

Christian: Christian Kane comes in from Leverage.

Suzanne: Nobody else.

Christian: No, no, nobody else, man. But I tell you what, you know, after the time that we took off we had – Well, John Story was on Leverage, but it was awhile back, and Lisa Brenner was on Leverage. Pretty much Dean regurgitates people all the time. But it’s funny, because we had so much downtime because of COVID, because of the pandemic. And I love talking about this. When we went back to Leverage, it was like a second didn’t go by. I mean, Dean Devlin was very smart. He put all of us a huge scene with all of us in in the same room, and it just took two seconds to go back into character. We all knew our characters, and we all knew our dynamic with each other. And I didn’t know if that was gonna work on Almost Paradise, because I don’t know them as well, but it absolutely worked. We touched down. Everybody got into character. And we did the first scene and it was like, “Wow, we’re back.” And that, just normally, it takes a little bit on a television series, well, just entertainment in general, and it didn’t at all. I was so proud of these guys. It made job so much easier, and I think it comes off on screen too. You can see it.

 

Suzanne: Yeah, watching season two is just like… it just took off from season one, and there was no break at all. Are there a lot of differences between filming in the Philippines and in the US?

Christian: Oh, my God. It’s night and day. You know, we were filming “Leverage” through the pandemic. I mean, we filmed it through the pandemic, and you couldn’t even go back to the Philippines at that point. They would not let you in. Right before we were getting ready to shoot, a typhoon came in and leveled the Philippines. I feel bad about talking about us when it actually took lives and homes, but it completely took our stages out. So, we had to build stages miles away, just to be able to go. The heat is something that’s unlike anything. But I’ll tell you, half of the people that got stuck there during COVID, the first time they were there for three to four months after the first season. Not one of them didn’t come back. They all wanted to come back. We have such a good family. And I tell you, it seems easier to film in the United States, but there’s a family out there that I have that made it so incredibly easy to film in the Philippines, because we all just absolutely love each other. It’s a different vibe out there, man. These people have really become become part of my family. So, there’s a camaraderie there that that sometimes you don’t get in the United States. Everybody just wants to go home. These guys just want to hang out. And you know, we’re all giving each other hugs and celebrating and laughing and it’s so much fun.

Suzanne: That’s nice. And the food is great there.

Christian: Well, the food’s great. Not only that, but the fact is that we have breakfast together. We have lunch together; we have dinner together. We don’t go home; we all sit around. When we wrap, we all sit down and have another meal. We don’t do that in America. It just builds camaraderie like you’ve never seen. So, the food is great. The food is plentiful. There’s always a lot of food.

Suzanne: Yeah, I have a friend who’s married to a Filipino lady, and also I lived in Hawaii for a few years and there’s a lot of Philippine people. They throw great parties.

Christian: Yeah, I mean, it’s just it’s incredible. When we throw a party we – and the great thing about it is in the Philippines, when we film a party, we actually cater it, and as soon as we’re done filming that scene, we all go through and eat whatever we had onset, which is fantastic. So, we have parties once every two weeks.

Suzanne: That’s great you got to do all that, all those fights and all that training, because otherwise you’d be 200 pounds, right?

Christian: Listen, man, I gained 15 pounds in New Orleans just because, I mean, well with COVID you couldn’t go to the gym and everything there was fried. I went to the Philippines, I ate whatever I wanted, and I lost 10 pounds. I mean, pig, I’m eating rice. I’m you’re eating rice at every meal. It’s just crazy. You’re eating – it was spam. They call it something else, but it’s basically spam. You know? Hawaiin/Filipino, and I lost weight, man, because you’re just sweating all day. You’re doing fights. And so it was paradise for me – almost.

Suzanne: I see what you did there.

Christian: You like that? Yeah. It’s just been a blast, and I’m so excited about this season. And I really would encourage people – we come out on Freevee on the 21st of July. I really hope that even if you’ve seen it, you go back through and take a gander at it, the first seaso. Freevee’s also been nice enough that now Almost Paradise the first season’s on Freevee. So, you can watch that and then gear up for the show. And I just really don’t know if I’ve ever been this proud of something coming out. I really enjoy what we did on this thing.

Suzanne: I have two questions for you that you probably don’t know the answer, or if you do, you can’t say, but let me ask them anyway. One is, do you know anything about what’s going to happen on Friday as far as the actors?

Christian: I don’t know what’s going to happen with that. It’s a little discerning, because the writers strike is not over yet. So, I figured that if the writers sort of made some leeway there, that there might not be something that we have to do. So, I really honestly don’t know, and I don’t honestly know where I stand on it either. I wish that I was more informed of actually everything that the writers or the the actors are trying to shoot for. But I feel like now watching what the writers are going through, there’s a possibility that the actors could strike.

Suzanne: Okay, and the second question is, have you heard anything about Leverage: Redemption season three?

Christian: I have not, because of the writers strike. I mean, everybody, like everyone just had to hang everything up. You know what I mean? I’ve heard ideas. I’ve heard some really good ideas about a season three. Dean went over some storylines with me, and it’s just fantastic. It’s really honestly, like, fantastic. It’s where Leverage needs to go. And it’s very exciting to the point where it could be our best season yet, just because of where we’re starting and where we have to go. But you know, then of course, it’s over, and they can’t talk about it, and they can’t even get together. I mean, they can’t call each other and say, you know, “What about this?” So, we’re sort of in a holding pattern right now as well as everybody else.

Suzanne: Yeah. Okay. Well, thank you. Those are better answers than I thought you might have. Better than saying, “I don’t know.”

Christian: Yeah, exactly.

Suzanne: And you own a chain of sushi restaurants called Sunda?

Christian: Sunda, Sunday without the y. Yeah, there’s one in Chicago, which I don’t own. My buddy Billy Deck owns [it]. Billy was the security guard I fought. I gave him a little roll. He was a security guard I fought a couple of times. It was a brutal fight on Leverage last season. Billy owns it. He’s really good friends with David Schwimmer. He was on Friends, you know, stuff like that. But he owns the restaurant. I’m an investor, but I get to say that I own it, because I do own some of it. And it’s one. There’s a Sunda in the Gulch in Nashville. I just got back from there. It’s so beautiful. We just won number one restaurant there, number one in Chicago. We’re opening another one on Chicago. I’m not familiar with – I love Chicago. I’m not familiar where the A train [is], but it’s somewhere like A train ish, I don’t know. But next week one opens up in Tampa, Florida. So, we’re really, really excited about that. And I do have a piece in all those.

Suzanne: Oh, great. Yeah, I think I’ve been to Tampa once or twice. They have some great restaurants there.

Christian: They do. Look up Sunda when you get there, because I think you’ll be really, really impressed. I’m biased, but the food is incredible. And Billy’s half Filipino. So, it’s this Asian fusion. So, it’s really Japanese. There’s some Chinese, but it’s really Japanese. But there’re like six or seven things on the restaurant that are completely Filipino, and people don’t know what it is, because they’re not familiar with Filipino food. So, he snuck them in, and people are absolutely loving it now.

Suzanne: So, it’s not just sushi.

Christian: It’s Asian fusion.

Suzanne: Okay, good. Good.

Christian: You can get noodles. You can get – He brought in one of the best guys out of Japan for Chicago, and he came to Nashville for two years to instruct their guy. So, you can get straight up sushi, and you get your Filipino food.

Suzanne: Wonderful. Sounds wonderful. We’ll have to try it.

Christian: Please do.

Suzanne: If nothing else, next time we’re in Chicago… because we usually go there in April every year.

Christian: Yes, absolutely. I mean, he literally just won the number one restaurant in Chicago.

Suzanne: Oh, nice. Wow. Okay. Well, thank you. I appreciate you talking to me today. And I hope we get to where I can see your handsome face next time.

Christian: Let’s do that. Let me know when you need me.

Suzanne: Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

Christian: You got it.

Transcript by Jamie

Our other interviews with Christian Kane:

MORE INFO:

Here’s an exclusive video clip of the season!

Video clip from Episode 206 – Episode description: Ernesto tries to convince Alex that death is not the end.

"Almost Paradise" season 2 key art

Almost Paradise Season Two With Christian Kane Premieres July 21 on Amazon Freevee

Jun 12, 2023

Art Acuña and Samantha Richelle return as series regulars

REVIEWS AND SENTIMENT EMBARGOED UNTIL MONDAY, JULY 17
Watch the Official Trailer
HERE
View Key Art
HERE
Episodic Photos
HERE
The Full Season Now Available on Screeners.com

CULVER CITY, California—June 12, 2023— Amazon Freevee has released the official trailer for the second season of Almost Paradise and announced it will premiere July 21. All 10 episodes from the season will be available on premiere day exclusively on Freevee in the U.S. and UK. Christian Kane returns to star along with returning executive producers and co-showrunners, Dean Devlin and Gary Rosen.

Kane is Alex Walker, a former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent forced into early retirement. The combination of his partner’s betrayal and a life-threatening battle with hypertension has sent him as far from the madness as he can get—to a small tropical island in the Philippine archipelago. He now runs the gift shop in the island’s luxury resort hotel, which attracts the rich, powerful, and sometimes criminal elite from around the world. Despite his best efforts to transition from Jason Bourne to Jimmy Buffett, Alex is pulled back into a world of dangerous people and deadly situations—either through his friends in the local police, Kai Mendoza (Samantha Richelle) and Ernesto Alamares (Art Acuña), or encounters with people from his old life. And the problem is that he likes it.

Almost Paradise was shot entirely in the Philippines. Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan-Wilson of Electric Entertainment executive produce alongside co-showrunners Devlin and Rosen. Mark Franco co-produces.

The first season of Almost Paradise is available now on Freevee for viewers looking to catch up on Alex’s adventures.

About Electric Entertainment
Headquartered in Los AngelesCalifornia, Electric Entertainment is an independent studio headed by veteran producer Dean Devlin along with his partners Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan-Wilson. Electric Entertainment also houses acquisitions and sales divisions, with domestic sales headed up by Steve Saltman and the international division headed by Sonia Mehandjiyska. Electric also has a satellite office located in Vancouver, Canada.

Among Electric’s hit television series are “Leverage: Redemption” the spin-off continuation of “Leverage,” which ran for five seasons on TNT.  Both series are currently streaming in the U.S. and the U.K. on Amazon Freevee.  “Leverage: Redemption” premiered its second season in November 2022. “Almost Paradise” is currently streaming on Amazon Freevee after having premiered on WGN America. Season 2 of “Almost Paradise” will premiere July 21 on Amazon Freevee in the U.S and UK. Electric’s new series “The Ark” premiered February 1, 2023 on SYFY and has been green-lit for a second season. Other Electric series include “The Librarians” which ran for four seasons on TNT, and “The Outpost,” which premiered its 4th season on The CW in 2021, and is now streaming on Amazon Freevee. 

Electric’s Feature Films have included “Bad Samaritan starring David Tennant and Robert Sheehan, the award-winning film “Say My Name starring Lisa Brenner and Nick Blood, the critically acclaimed documentary “Who Killed the Electric Car?,” and most recently “The Deal” starring Sumalee Montano and Emma Fischer. Electric also acquires, distributes and sells worldwide rights to Electric’s produced and acquired content, as well as theatrical films from around the world, including “Blood On The Crown,” starring Harvey Keitel and Malcolm McDowell, “Heavy,” starring Sophie Turner and Daniel Zovatto, Rob Reiner’s historical biopic “LBJ,” starring Woody Harrelson, and “Book Of Love,” starring Jessica Biel and Jason Sudeikis. The company’s domestic distribution division, headed by Steve Saltman, is a full-service operation serving all significant outlets with various rights to films and series including: TVOD, EST, AVOD, SVOD, PTV, Linear Basic Cable and Broadcast. 

About Amazon Freevee
Amazon Freevee is a streaming video service with thousands of premium movies and TV shows, including Originals and free ad-supported (FAST) channels, available anytime, for free.

  • Expansive Catalog: Amazon Freevee offers viewers ambitious Originals, including Bosch: Legacy; Emmy-winning court program Judy Justice; coming-of-age drama High School; docu-comedy series Jury Duty; performance special Monumental: Ellie Goulding at Kew Gardens; reality design series Hollywood Houselift with Jeff Lewis; comedy series Sprung; music documentary Post Malone: Runaway; heist drama Leverage: Redemption; spy thriller Alex Rider; and the sports docu-series UNINTERRUPTED’s Top Class: The Life and Times of the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers. Combined with an always updating library of broadly appealing hit movies and TV shows across a wide selection of genres, and a catalog of more than 250 FAST channels, including Judy Justice and Crime 360, Amazon Freevee delivers customers the content they would expect to see on a paid service.
  • The entire catalog of content on the service is free. No paid subscriptions necessary.
  • Limited Ads: Amazon Freevee provides customers highly sought content supported by limited advertising.
  • Instant Access: Amazon Freevee is available as an app on Fire TV, Fire Tablets, and within the Prime Video app. Amazon Freevee is available as an app on third party devices including Roku, Samsung smart TVs (2017-2021 models), Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD, Comcast’s Xfinity Flex, Xfinity X1, Chromecast with Google TV, NVIDIA SHIELD and other Android TV devices, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles, as well as LG Smart TVs (2018-2021 models). The app is also available on iPhone, iPad, and Android mobile devices.

To learn more about Amazon Freevee, visit www.amazon.com/freevee and follow @AmazonFreevee.

Proofread and Edited by Brenda

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Arthur Acuña, Christian Kane and Samantha Richelle in "Almost Paradise" season 2 on Freevee!

 

Interview with Jordan Canning

TV Interview!

 

Jordan Canning of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" on Paramount+ Photo by Kristina Ruddick

Interview with director Jordan Canning of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” on Paramount+ by Suzanne 7/14/23

This was a fun interview. Jordan directed the most recent episode of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” Charades, where Spock and Chapel are in a shuttle accident and rescued by some aliens. When they fix up Spock, they leave out his Vulcan DNA, so he’s suddenly human.  He has to deal with all of the human emotions. Making it more difficult for him is that he has an important dinner with his fiancée, T’Pring, and her judgmental family. While Pike, Amanda (Spock’s mother) and the rest of the crew try to help Spock pretend to be Vulcan and get through the dinner, Chapel frantically searches for a way to reverse what the aliens did. It’s a fun episode and really showcases the talents of Ethan Peck (Spock) and Jess Bush (Chapel). I’ve been a Trekkie as long as I can remember, so it was awesome to speak to the episode’s director.Jordan Canning - Director and Anson Mount as Capt. Pike in episode 205 “Charades” of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Cr: Michael Gibson/Paramount+

Suzanne: Were you a fan of the show, or of the Star Trek franchise, before you started on this?

Jordan: Yeah, I was a big “[Star Trek: The] Next Generation” fan when I was a kid, and I probably watched, “[Star Trek IV] The Voyage Home” movie two dozen times. I loved that movie so much. And then, when I got the job, season one hadn’t aired yet, but I got to watch cuts of it. I had [seen] the season of “[Star Trek] Discovery” that had Spock in it… I think it’s season two. And then I got to watch season one [of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” before it was fully finished, and I was like, “Oh my God, this show is so good!” I loved it because it really reminded me of NextGen. It had that same playfulness to it, and the episodic alien- or planet-of-the-week vibe. And yeah, I got even more excited about the job once I’d seen it.

Suzanne: Well, that’s cool. Now, please forgive my ignorant question here because I’ve mostly interviewed actors, but… as a director, how are you chosen, for a TV episode? Is there anything similar to an audition process?

Jordan: You know, often there’s an interview. Sometimes– usually, your agent would put you up for something. I think with this one, They had reached out to my agent about it. Because of my comedy work and because this was a comedic episode, they wanted a director who was good at comedy. And so, yeah, memory serves that when I got the call from Chris, I was like, “Okay, this is an interview.” And then he was like, “Yeah, you’re great. You got the job.” And I was like, “I did. Oh, okay. Great. Love it.”

Suzanne: It takes the pressure off.

Jordan: Yeah. I called my agent. I was like, “Oh, I think I got the job.”

Suzanne: So, when you direct an episode (I know it’s not like directing a movie), are you in charge, more or less, or is it more of a collaborative process with everybody?

Jordan: Well, I will say, always in TV… you’re sort of working towards the vision of the showrunner, who has the whole show in their head and knows how all the pieces fit together. And there’s usually already a style and tone of the show that’s been set since the pilot, or since at least the first first season that you’re trying to slot yourself into. But what’s really unique about “[Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” is [in reference to what you just said]: It is more like directing a movie. This was more like doing a movie than any TV episode I’ve done before because the episodes are more standalone. They approach them kind of like standalone movies of the week in terms of the tone and the style. And they really work hard to match a director with a script that works with them in terms of the style of the director or their strengths. So I was overjoyed by how much creative freedom I had on this episode. They sort of say, “Okay, you do a big sort of tone download with Henry, the showrunner.” And he’s like, “Okay, here’s the tone meeting.” And then they’re like, “Okay, how do you want to shoot it? How do you want to block it?” There aren’t these rigid rules about, [for example] “This is the way we shoot the closeups, this is when we use handheld, we don’t use handheld at all…” Yada, yada. You can use all of the sort of creative tools in your toolbox that serve the script and serve the story. So it was a real joy to be able to work on this and shape it so much.

Suzanne: That’s great. And, did you encounter any problems or glitches, or was it all smooth sailing?

Jordan: Well, we did… Ethan and I were talking yesterday, and both of us remembered at the same time that we had a COVID shutdown in the middle of our episode… but both of us had forgotten this, but he and Jess both got COVID in the middle of us shooting it. So we had to. There were no other scenes we could shoot because they were in everything. So we had to go down for a couple of weeks. I think the episodes are around 12 days? We’d probably shot maybe seven days, and then they got covid, so we had to go down for a couple of weeks. I think they started shooting the [next] episode and then we picked it back up once they were clear again. So that was kind of the only real, you know, problem.

Suzanne: That’s a pretty major one!

Jordan: Yeah, it was… it was great timing. But, yeah, you know, it happens. It happens so much.

Suzanne: Well, they shoot them pretty far in advance though, right?

Jordan: Oh yeah. Well, it’s such a long VFX post-production process.

Suzanne: Yeah.

Jordan: We were shooting, over a year ago. I shot my episode last May and June. So it was more than a year of [post-production].

Jordan Canning and Ethan Peck filming the episode Charades of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" on Paramount+.

Suzanne: Were you worried at all about dealing with such an iconic part of Star Trek history (Spock and the Vulcans), and how fans might react to that?

Jordan: I wanted to treat it with real respect and reverence because I knew that Spock being human for an episode is something that I think has been daydreamed about for many, many years– and decades even. So I knew that this was a very important, iconic thing that we were delivering. I wasn’t nervous about it. No, I just really wanted to be prepared. Ethan and I had so many conversations about how to do it properly and exactly how to fine tune his performance, so that it never felt untethered to the real Spock (who was there, you know, still inside this human Spock). And, you know, making sure that it never went too kind of broad. With comedy, it’s just about anchoring it in reality and not hitting the jokes over the head… playing everything like it’s real. And I think that’s why I find it so fun in this episode is: everybody gets a moment or more to show how great they are at comedy, you know? Everybody gets a fun moment…some great lines, [and] some great reactions. It’s a real showpiece, I think, for just how versatile all of these actors are. And in particular, Ethan and Jess. They really worked so hard on this episode and did such a beautiful job.

Suzanne: And it had such a great ending for the fans, too.

Jordan: And for me! I mean, that’s the end. I was like, “I love it.” I love a big smooch, you know…

Suzanne: And the nice thing about this episode, is that it took you back. If you were a fan of the original show, it took you back all the episodes where they split Kirk into two characters –one good, one bad…things like that.

Jordan: Yeah. Nice. Yeah. I mean, the canon of this is so fun to play in, and there, they take such care and consideration in writing all of these scripts.

Suzanne: Well, I really appreciate you talking to me and I enjoyed it. It was a good episode. Thank you very much.

Jordan: Thank you.

Jordan Canning, Ethan Peck and other bridge crew in the Charades episode of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" on Paramount+MORE INFO:

ABOUT JORDAN CANNING

Jordan Canning has directed more than a dozen short films which have played at festivals all over the world, including the Tribeca Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival and Interfilm Berlin. Among them, COUNTDOWN won a number of awards including a Golden Sheaf for Best Director; NOT OVER EASY swept all three awards at the National Screen Institute Film Festival; and SECONDS won the 2012 TIFF RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition and the Shaw Media Fearless Female Director Award. Jordan directed all 23 episodes of the CTV digital series SPACE RIDERS: DIVISION EARTH. The show won the 2014 Canadian Screen Award for Best Digital Series and four Canadian Comedy Awards, including Best Director.

Her first feature, WE WERE WOLVES, premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. Her second feature, SUCK IT UP, premiered at Slamdance 2017 and won Best Feature Film at the B3 Frankfurt Biennale. Her third feature, an omnibus film called ORDINARY DAYS, won Best Director at the 2018 Canadian Film Festival.

Her television credits include two seasons of the Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning SCHITT’S CREEK, as well as hour-long dramas – SAVING HOPE (CTV), PRETTY HARD CASES (CBC), BURDEN OF TRUTH (CW), FAMILY LAW (CW), ASTRID AND LILLY SAVE THE WORLD (SYFY) – and half-hour comedies – BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW (IFC), THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES (CBC), THE LAKE (Amazon) and FRAGGLE ROCK and THE BIG DOOR PRIZE for Apple TV. Most recently she directed for season 2 of STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS for CBS and Paramount+. She has won two Canadian Screen Awards and a DGC Award for directing.

Jordan is a 2010 graduate of the Director’s Lab at the Canadian Film Centre and an alumnus of TIFF Talent Lab, TIFF Pitch This!, and Women in the Director’s Chair.

Key Art for season 2 of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" on Paramount+“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” Episode 205: “Charades” – Available to stream Thursday, July 13

Directed by Jordan Canning

Written by Kathryn Lyn & Henry Alonso Myers

Logline: A shuttle accident leads to Spock’s Vulcan DNA being removed by aliens, making him fully human and completely unprepared to face T’Pring’s family during an important ceremonial dinner.

In season two of STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, under the command of Captain Christopher Pike, confronts increasingly dangerous stakes, explores uncharted territories and encounters new life and civilizations. The crew will embark on personal journeys that will continue to test their resolve and redefine their destinies. Facing friends and enemies both new and familiar, their adventures will unfold in surprising ways never seen before on any “Star Trek” series.

The series stars Anson Mount as Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley, Ethan Peck as Spock, Jess Bush as Christine Chapel, Christina Chong as La’An Noonien-Singh, Celia Rose Gooding as Nyota Uhura, Melissa Navia as Erica Ortegas and Babs Olusanmokun as Joseph M’Benga. Season two also features the return of special guest star Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk and new addition Carol Kane in a recurring role as Pelia.

Season two of STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS is produced by CBS Studios, Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers serve as co-showrunners. Alex Kurtzman, Akiva Goldsman, Jenny Lumet, Henry Alonso Myers, Aaron Baiers, Heather Kadin, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth serve as executive producers.

Season two of STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS will stream exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. It will also be available to stream on Paramount+ in South Korea, with the premiere date to be announced at a later time. In addition, season two will air on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and stream on Crave in Canada and on SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Central and Eastern Europe.The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Season one is currently available to stream exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the U.K., Latin America, Australia, South Korea, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. It airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave in Canada and on SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Central and Eastern Europe. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

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Director Jordan Canning on the transporter in "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" (from her Instagram)