Interview with Bailey Chase, Dawn Olivieri and Jesse Hutch

TV Interview!

 

Bailey Chase, Jesse Hutch and Dawn Olivieri of the movie and TV series "Homestead" on Angel Studios

Interview with Bailey Chase, Jesse Hutch and Dawn Olivieri of the movie and TV series “Homestead” on Angel Studios by Suzanne 12/11/24

This is a really good movie, and I look forward to seeing the TV series that comes next. I really enjoyed Bailey Chase’s work, ever since I saw him in “As The World Turns” years ago, but he has grown into an amazing actor. It was nice to speak with all three of these gifted performers after watching them in the movie. I was originally supposed to speak to the show’s creator/director/showrunner, Ben Smallbone, but he had to leave at the last minute. Dawn was a real trouper to answer what she could of my questions for him as well.

Don’t miss it! You can watch the movie in theaters now.

Bailey Chase and Jesse Hutch

Dawn Olivieri

 

MORE INFO: Official Site  Trailer

Key art for "Homestead"

Exclusively in theaters December 20th

Angel Studios Launches the companion HOMESTEAD: FAMILY SURVIVAL Series

Exclusively on Angel.com and the Angel App on December 20th.

Synopsis: A nuclear bomb is detonated in Los Angeles, and the nation devolves into unprecedented chaos. Ex-Green Beret Jeff Eriksson and his family escape to The Homestead, an eccentric prepper’s fortress nestled in the mountains. As violent threats and apocalyptic conditions creep toward their borders, the residents of The Homestead are left to wonder: how long can a group of people resist both the dangers of human nature and the bloodshed at their doorstep?

Directed by: Ben Smallbone (Documentaries: Stone Cold Country + Johnny CashThe Redemption of an American Icon)

Written by: Phillip Abraham, Leah Bateman, Ben Kasica
Produced by: Ben Kasica, Andrea Royer and Ben Smallbone
Starring: Neal McDonough (Minority Report), Dawn Olivieri (1883), Bailey Chase (Longmire)
Jesse Hutch (FBI: International), Currie Graham (Assault on Precinct 13), Olivia Sanabia (NCIS)

Bailey Chase (bio pic)Bailey Chase (Jeff Ericksson)

Bailey was born in Chicago but moved to Florida after his parents divorced at a young age. He attended Duke University on a football scholarship and majored in Psychology. After graduation, Bailey moved to LA to pursue his boyhood dream of acting which encompassed a training stint in London (LAMDA). His first film break came in Adam Shankman’s Cosmo’s Tale (1998), which screened at both Sundance and Cannes. Bailey’s career blossomed in television starting with Buffy, the Vampire Slayer then working with Oscar-winners in Saving Grace and Damages before his own critically acclaimed performance in Longmire. Bailey has starred in various projects since including Batman V Superman, Chicago PD, Grimm, 24: Legacy, Twin Peaks and Queen of the South. He was recently nominated for Best Lead Actor for his performance in Far Haven and is currently shooting Homestead (2024). Bailey resides in North Carolina with his wife and three children.

Bailey Chase in "Homestead"

Dawn Olivieri bio pic

Dawn Olivieri (Jenna Ross)

Dawn Orienne Olivieri is an American actress perhaps best known for her turn as Lydia in Heroes and Monica Talbot in House of Lies. She has appeared in the Showtime series House of Lies for 41 episodes, starting in 2012, playing the competitive management consultant and ex-wife of main character Marty Kaan and mother of their son, Roscoe Kaan. She acted as Janice Herveaux in the third season of the HBO series True Blood. She played a reporter and Damon Salvatore’s girlfriend Andie Star in the hit CW show The Vampire Diaries. Wrapping up the 4th season on Heroes, she has also completed parts on TBS’s My Boys, NBC’s Knight Rider, TNT’s Trust Me, and SyFy’s Stargate: Atlantis, and recurred on CBS’s How I Met Your Mother. Olivieri played a lead role in the SyFy movie Hydra, and she is the voice of Pepper Potts in the new Avengers animated series on Disney XD. She appeared in the October 2009 issue of Maxim. Olivieri appeared on HBO’s Entourage on September 13, 2009, and hosted a contest on Scripped. She voiced Lucy Kuo in a PlayStation 3 video game, Infamous 2, which was released in June 2011. As of March 2018, she has a recurring role in the CBS action-adventure series SEAL Team as Amy Nelson.

Dawn Olivieri in "Homestead"

Jesse Hutch bio picJesse Hutch (Evan Lee)

Jesse Hutch was born in the same geographical location as the Marvel hero Wolverine. This could be nothing more then a fun fact, however, it does not excuse why Mr. Hutch is immune to Tylenol and Novocaine(most commonly used in dental practice). He drowned when he was 19 years old. Fell from a 25 foot rock quarry while free climbing in middle school. Had his stomach cut open by a barbed wire fence when he was 10, and he moved across the country(solo) when he was 21 to pursue acting. Mr. Hutch says he’s still working on his: “24 year overnight success story”.

With over 100 professional Television and Film credits to his name, You may have seen him in cult classics such as “Freddy vs Jason” and “The Butterfly Effect”. Maybe you saw him in the 60’s as Jimmy Riley on Dick Clark’s ”American Dreams”. FBI International, Dark Angel, Kyle XY, Smallville, Arrow, Almost Human, Supernatural, Batwoman and Project Blue Book are but a few of his television roles.

Jesse’s upcoming theatrical releases include: “MEMEC” a dark thriller comedy where he plays the main antagonist. And “HOMESTEAD” a present day post apocalyptic series by Angel Studios. When asked what his best role has been to date, his response: “My best roles will always be that of husband and father. I believe that giving your life for others is one of the greatest gifts you can strive for. Turns out this is also the best acting class you will ever take…life”.

As for new Television in 2024: Jesse recently was a producer and actor on “A Little Women’s Christmas” where he acted alongside his daughter Charlize. He co-stars alongside Jill Wagner in their new Christmas Film which will also air on Great American Family.

Keep an eye out for Mr.Hutch. His performances range from Drama, to action, to comedy and back again. We are always in a state of mystery as to what his next role will be. His ability to be extremely grounded allow depth, yet he can be funny, charming, dangerous and unpredictable at times. He can play a large range of roles with believability. His stunt ability is backed by a consistent and regimented style of training. Hutch commands the screen regardless of wether he is speaking or listening.

Mr. Hutch is married to his beautiful Wife Loreili, and they have 3 wonderful children.

As a final note, His social media presence is fun, genuine and family friendly.

Jesse Hutch in "Homestead"

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Interview with Josh Lawson

TV Interview!

 

Josh Lawson, who plays Bruce on "St. Denis Medical" on NBC

Interview with Josh Lawson on “St. Denis Medical” on NBC by Suzanne 12/12/24

Josh couldn’t have been nicer in our short interview, and it was awesome to hear his wonderful Aussie accent. Don’t miss the latest episode, which you can watch on NBC Dec. 17 or later Peacock. It returns after the winter break Jan. 14. Both of these episodes are hilarious and feature Josh.

 

MORE INFO: Official Site  Sneak Peek

ST. DENIS MEDICAL -- Pictured: "St. Denis Medical" Key Art -- (Photo by: NBCUniversal)

St. Denis Medical

Tuesdays on NBC (8:00 p.m. ET/PT). Series Premiere on November 12

A mockumentary about an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity.

Wendi McLendon-Covey, David Alan Grier, Allison Tolman, Josh Lawson, Kahyun Kim, Mekki Leeper and Kaliko Kauahi star.

The series is co-created and executive produced by Eric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer. Simon Heuer, Ruben Fleischer (pilot director), Bridget Kyle and Vicky Luu also executive produce. Eric Ledgin serves as showrunner.

“St. Denis Medical” is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, and Spitzer Holding Company.

Credits

The cast includes:

Wendi McLendon-Covey

David Alan Grier

Allison Tolman

Josh Lawson

Kahyun Kim

Mekki Leeper

Kaliko Kauahi

ST. DENIS MEDICAL -- Season: 1 -- Pictured: Josh Lawson as Dr Bruce -- (Photo by: Danny Ventrella/NBC)Josh Lawson

Bruce, “St. Denis Medical”

Josh Lawson portrays Bruce on the new NBC comedy “St. Denis Medical.”

The Australian-born Lawson co-starred on Showtime’s “House of Lies” and also had a recurring role on NBC’s critically acclaimed comedy “Superstore.”

On the film side, Lawson was Oscar nominated for the short film “The Eleven O’Clock,” in which he wrote and co-starred. His other credits include “Mortal Kombat,” “Bombshell,” “Anchorman 2” and “Long Story Short,” which he also wrote and directed.

In 2014 Lawson made his directorial debut with “The Little Death,” which he wrote and starred in. The film was met with critical acclaim, winning the Audience Award and Narrative Spotlight at the 2015 SXSW Film Festival.

Lawson was born and raised in Brisbane and attended St. Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace. He graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art and studied in Los Josh Lawson, who plays Bruce on "St. Denis Medical" on NBCAngeles at the Second City, the Groundlings, ACME Comedy Theatre and I.O. West.

Lawson currently splits his time between Queensland and Los Angeles, and enjoys traveling the world with his dog, Moose.

Everything to Know About Josh Lawson

Josh on Wikipedia

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Primetime TV Review: Dexter: Original Sin

TV Review!

 

Key art for "Dexter: Original Sin"

“Dexter: Original Sin” on Showtime Review by Suzanne 12/16/24

I loved “Dexter” and its sequel, mostly because of Michael C. Hall and his devilish grin. He’s a fantastic actor, and he’s – let’s just say – sexy. He has a lot of charisma, no matter which role he’s playing.  The new actor playing the college-age Dexter, Patrick Gibson, doesn’t really look at all like Michael C. Hall. Moreover, he is not as good of an actor and is not as charismatic nor handsome. He’s handsome enough, I suppose, but he’s not going to make the female viewers swoon.  He reminds me of the actor who starred in “Ugly Betty,” Eric Mabius. Mabius looks kind of dopey (he’s great at comedy), and so does Gibson.  It doesn’t really work.

That would be bad enough, but the actors they chose to play Harry (Dexter’s adopted father) and Deb (his sister) don’t look or sound at all like the actors who played them in “Dexter.” Christian Slater plays Harry Morgan. He’s a great actor, no question, but he doesn’t look or act anything like James Remar (who played Harry).  Molly Brown plays Deborah, and she’s a beautiful woman.  She’s a good actress, but the original actress, Jennifer Carpenter was not beautiful. She is an amazing actress, but she has a big, pointy nose and is gangly, like she doesn’t know what to do with her arms and legs all of the time. For me, this part of the casting is terrible. I may get used to it, but I don’t know. It helps that Michael C. Hall narrates the show.  The other actors, who play Masuka, LaGuerta and Batista, look and act enough like their “Dexter” counterparts. There are three new characters, played by familiar actors: Sarah Michelle Gellar (of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” fame) plays Dexter’s new boss at the forensics lab, Tanya. Patrick Dempsey (“Grey’s Anatony”) plays the chief detective, Captain Aaron Spencer. Lastly, Reno Wilson (“Good Girls”) plays Detective Bobby Wyatt, who is partnered with Harry (and his best friend).

In the first episode, Dexter was still in college and about to graduate. He told Harry that hunting animals no longer satisfied his “urges.” Because of a situation, Dexter has to get his first kill, and it goes well.  Then he gets a job at the lab.  I don’t want to give you any spoilers. It’s a good show; very well written by the same people who wrote “Dexter” and “Dexter: New Blood.” Prequels are very popular now on TV. We’ve had many, such as “Bates Motel,” “Young Sheldon,” “Young Rock,” and the new “NCIS: Origins.” There’s also a new “Dexter” series, “Dexter: Resurrection.” I hope they’ll have a better ending than the last one.

Check it out because it does drag you into the story. If you can look past the different-looking characters, you should enjoy it.  It just started on Showtime with Paramount+.

MORE INFORMATION:  Official Site   Trailer

New Series Now Streaming
DEXTER: ORIGINAL SIN chronicles America’s favorite serial killer…in training.
Starring: Christian Slater, Patrick Gibson, Molly Brown, Patrick Dempsey, James Martinez
Dexter: Original Sin
Set in 1991 Miami, DEXTER: ORIGINAL SIN follows Dexter Morgan as he transitions from student to avenging serial killer. When his bloodthirsty urges can’t be ignored any longer, Dexter must learn to channel his inner darkness. With the guidance of his father, Harry, he adopts a Code designed to help him find and kill people who deserve to be eliminated from society without getting on law enforcements’ radar. This is a particular challenge for young Dexter as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.

Release

PARAMOUNT+ WITH SHOWTIME UNVEILS TEASER AND PREMIERE DATE FOR SHOWTIME ORIGINAL SERIES DEXTER: ORIGINAL SIN

PARAMOUNT+ WITH SHOWTIME® UNVEILS TEASER AND PREMIERE DATE FOR SHOWTIME ORIGINAL SERIES DEXTER®: ORIGINAL SIN 

Series Set to Premiere on Friday, December 13, Streaming on the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME Plan Ahead of its On-Air Debut on Sunday, December 15

Produced by SHOWTIME Studios and Counterpart Studios

Photo Credit: Patrick Wymore/Paramount+ with Showtime

Watch the New Teaser HERE 

September 12, 2024 – Paramount+ with SHOWTIME® today revealed the premiere date and new teaser for the highly anticipated prequel DEXTER: ORIGINAL SIN. The series will premiere Friday, December 13 on streaming and on demand for Paramount+ subscribers with the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME® plan, before making its on-air US debut on Sunday, December 15. The title will begin rolling out on Paramount+ internationally on December 13. Currently in production in Los Angeles, the 10-episode drama series chronicles America’s favorite serial killer in training. 

Set in 1991 Miami, DEXTER: ORIGINAL SIN follows Dexter (Patrick Gibson) as he transitions from student to avenging serial killer. When his bloodthirsty urges can’t be ignored any longer, Dexter must learn to channel his inner darkness. With the guidance of his father, Harry (Christian Slater), he adopts a Code designed to help him find and kill people who deserve to be eliminated from society without getting on law enforcement’s radar. This is a particular challenge for young Dexter as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department. 

DEXTER: ORIGINAL SIN also stars Patrick Dempsey, Molly Brown, James Martinez, Christina Milian, Alex Shimizu, Reno Wilson and special guest star, Sarah Michelle Gellar. Michael C. Hall returns to voice the iconic inner monologue in Dexter Morgan’s head. 

DEXTER: ORIGINAL SIN is executive produced by Clyde Phillips and produced by SHOWTIME Studios and Counterpart Studios. Executive producers also include Scott Reynolds (Jessica Jones), Michael C. Hall (DEXTER, Six Feet Under), Mary Leah Sutton (Resident Evil), Tony Hernandez (Emily in Paris) and Lilly Burns (Russian Doll), with the series being produced by Robert Lloyd Lewis (The Lincoln Lawyer). Michael Lehmann (Heathers) serves as directing executive producer. 

For Showtime Studios, the series is being creatively overseen by Gary Levine and Urooj Sharif with production supervised by Tara Power. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution outside of Paramount+ markets. 

For more information on Dexter: Original Sin, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and X and join the conversation using #DexterOriginalSin.

About Paramount+

Paramount+, part of Paramount’s (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA) global portfolio of multimedia entertainment and news brands, is a direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, combining live sports, breaking news and A Mountain of Entertainment™. The streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel. Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®, the service’s cornerstone plan, is also home to SHOWTIME® content, including scripted hits and critically acclaimed nonfiction projects and films. This premium plan includes unmatched events and sports programming through the local live CBS stream, including golf, basketball and more. All Paramount+ subscribers have streaming access to CBS News Network for 24/7 news and CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis.

For more information about Paramount+, please visit www.paramountplus.com, and follow @ParamountPlus on social media.

About SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks

SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks is a global network of media assets that reaches over one billion people in more than 180 countries featuring some of the most iconic brands in entertainment including SHOWTIME, MTV, Comedy Central and Paramount Network among others – and, its Studios arm which produces 120+ series annually, including some of today’s biggest hits such as Yellowstone, Yellowjackets, Emily in Paris, 1883, 1923, George & Tammy, South Park, Tulsa King, RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Challenge and Jersey Shore, to name a few.

 

Patrick Gibson as Dexter Morgan, Molly Brown as Debra Morgan and Christian Slater as Harry Morgan in "Dexter: Original Sin" (Frank Ockenfels 3/Paramount+ with Showtime)

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The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The TV MegaSite or its other volunteers.

Primetime TV Review: NCIS: Origins

TV Review!

 

NCIS: ORIGINS follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell) in 1991, years prior to the events of NCIS, and is narrated by Mark Harmon. In the series, Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid). NCIS: ORIGINS stars Austin Stowell as young Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Kyle Schmid as Mike Franks, Mariel Molino as Special Agent Lala Dominguez, Tyla Abercrumbie as Field Operation Support Officer Mary Jo Sullivan and Diany Rodriguez as Special Agent Vera Strickland. Flagship series star Mark Harmon will narrate and executive produce. In addition to Harmon, Sean Harmon, David J. North and Gina Lucita Monreal will executive produce, with North and Monreal co-writing the premiere episode and serving as co-showrunners. Niels Arden Oplev will executive produce and direct the pilot. The series is produced by CBS Studios. ©2024 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

“NCIS: Origins” on CBS Review by Suzanne 12/16/24

It took me a while to warm to this show, but I enjoy it. It’s been a slow burn.  At first, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like the actor who plays young Leroy Gibbs (Austin Stowell) because he looks nothing like Mark Harmon (who plays Gibbs in the present).  We all know what Mark Harmon looked like when he was young because he was on TV at age 22. He was much more handsome and has more charisma than Stowell. Stowell is good-looking but has a longer face, a pointier chin and a larger nose. His eyebrows and ears are different. Harmon has piercing blue eyes, and Stowell does not. He has green eyes and wears blue contacts over the green ones. In short, it doesn’t quite work.  However, he is a very good actor, and he has the same quiet intensity that Harmon has (especially as Gibbs). They have similar lips and are the same height. After a while of watching Stowell as Gibbs, it works.  The other cast members do a great job, too.  There are only two others playing characters we know from NCIS. One is Gibbs’ mentor and friend, Agent Mike Franks. He was originally played by Muse Watson, but now he’s played by Kyle Schmid, who is one of the best things about the show. The other is Special Agent Vera Strickland, played originally by Roma Maffia, now played by Diany Rodriguez. She appears to be a potential romantic interest for Gibbs.

Gibbs’ main story this season has been about grieving the murder of his wife and daughter, dealing with PTSD and injuries from the Gulf War, and fitting in with the new NIS squad in 1991 (they become NCIS in 1992).  These events take place a decade before the main “NCIS” show’s events.  Anyone who knows the history of the show will remember that Gibbs shot the cartel guy who killed his family, and all that he dealt with in the past, but we get to see it all again in this show.  Gibbs’ dad was played well by the late Ralph Waite. Now he’s played equally well by Robert Taylor (“Longmire”).  I hope we see more of him.

One of the main things that makes the show more interesting is that Mark Harmon narrates the series. It’s great to hear his voice again.

There have been many spinoffs from NCIS, but this prequel is worth watching. I think the stories are better and not as dull as some procedurals can be. One thing that’s fun about setting a show in the early 90’s is that the technology is different (no cell phones!), and the laws are also a little different.  The show is set in Camp Pendleton near Oceanside, CA (about 40 minutes north of San Diego). I grew up in San Diego and then moved to Carlsbad (one of the towns near Oceanside) for high school, so it makes me laugh when they mention that area.

It will be interesting to see how Gibbs changes going forward, as they make him into the Gibbs we know from “NCIS.” I look forward to it.

MORE INFORMATION: Official Site Trailer

NCIS: ORIGINS follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell) in 1991, years prior to the events of NCIS, and is narrated by Mark Harmon. In the series, Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office, where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid).

Premieres Monday, Oct. 14 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

ON AIR:

ORIGINATION:

Mondays (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT), beginning Oct. 21

Los Angeles

FORMAT:

Drama (Filmed in HD)

STARRING:

Austin Stowell

(Leroy Jethro Gibbs)

Mariel Molino

(Lala Dominguez)

Kyle Schmid

(Mike Franks)

Tyla Abercrumbie

(Mary Jo Hayes)

Diany Rodriguez

(Vera Strickland)

Caleb Foote

(Bernard “Randy” Randolf)

PRODUCED BY:

CBS Studios

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS:

David J. North, Gina Lucita Monreal, Mark Harmon and Sean Harmon

X: @ncisverse

Instagram: @ncisverse

CBS X: https://x.com/CBSTweet

Cast on social:

Instagram

Austin Stowell

@amstowell

Mariel Molino

@marielmolino

Kyle Schmid

@iamkyleschmid

Tyla Abercrumbie

@tylaabercrumbie

Diany Rodriguez

@dianysaurusrex

Caleb Foote

@calebfoote

 

NCIS: ORIGINS follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell) in 1991, years prior to the events of NCIS, and is narrated by Mark Harmon. In the series, Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid). NCIS: ORIGINS stars Austin Stowell as young Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Kyle Schmid as Mike Franks, Mariel Molino as Special Agent Lala Dominguez, Tyla Abercrumbie as Field Operation Support Officer Mary Jo Sullivan and Diany Rodriguez as Special Agent Vera Strickland. Flagship series star Mark Harmon will narrate and executive produce. In addition to Harmon, Sean Harmon, David J. North and Gina Lucita Monreal will executive produce, with North and Monreal co-writing the premiere episode and serving as co-showrunners. Niels Arden Oplev will executive produce and direct the pilot. The series is produced by CBS Studios. ©2024 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The TV MegaSite or its other volunteers.

Interview with Alix Villaret

TV Interview!

 

Alix Villaret of the movie "Utopia."

Interview with Alix Villaret of the movie “Utopia” by Suzanne 12/11/24

Alix seems very nice, and we had a pleasant chat.  She is a gifted young actress who did well with her part in this violent action flick. Available to Buy on Digital December 10, 2024

 

MORE INFO: Trailer

Key art for "Utopia"

Falco Ink. Republic Pictures, SP Media Groups Presents UTOPIA

RELEASE DATE:     Available to Buy on Digital December 10, 2024
DIRECTED BY: James Bamford
STORY BY: Steven Paul
SCEENPLAY BY: Ian Neligh
PRODUCED BY:                 Steven Paul
EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY: Scott Karol
STARRING: Moe Dunford, Charlotte Vega, Jason Flemyng, Daniel Bernhardt, Alix Villaret, Wanda Banda, Michael D. Xavier, Lucy Akhurst, Maddy Ambus, Jade Coatsworth, Sean Sutton, Joe Carmichael, Mercer Boffey, Philipp Boos
DISTRIBUTED BY:   Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label)
GENRE: Thriller, Sci/Fi, Action
RATING: R for strong violence, sexual content, graphic nudity and language.
SYNOPSIS:  A soldier searching for his missing wife breaks into a high-tech facility, believing she’s been caught in a human trafficking ring. But beyond its walls, he finds a surreal, futuristic fantasy park where reality and illusion blur. As he navigates this seductive and dangerous world, a shocking truth pulls him deeper into a deadly game where nothing is as it seems.
TRAILER:  https://paramnt.us/UtopiaTrailer
SOCIAL MEDIA: 

https://www.instagram.com/paramountmovies/
https://www.facebook.com/ParamountMovies/
https://twitter.com/ParamountMovies
#UtopiaMovie

Alix Villaret is an ingenue French actress of Japanese ancestry born in the heart of Paris. She is fluent in French and English. Alix has always been obsessed with Cinema since she was 6 years old, having attended the neighborhood movie theatre with her father seeing such classics as An American In Paris, Sabrina, Gigi. She has wanted to be an actress as far back as she can remember and started studying drama and finally be asked to do the leads in over 12 theatre productions in her neighborhood theatre. She is proficient in Krav Maga.

Alex Villaret with star Moe Dunford and co-star Wanda Banford in the movie "Utopia"

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Interview with Madison Wolfe and Brec Bassinger

TV Interview!

 

"The Man In The White Van" key art

Interview with actors Madison Wolfe, Brec Bassinger, Skai Jackson and Gavin Warren, and Director Warren Skeels of the film “The Man In The White Van” by Suzanne 12/2/24

This is a very suspenseful and chilling thriller, set in the early 1970’s.  You don’t want to miss it when it opens tomorrow, 12/13/24, in theaters.  Madison Wolfe stars as a young women, Annie, targeted by a serial killer. Brec Bassinger stars as her sister, Margaret. Skai Jackson plays Patty, Annie’s friend. Gavin Warren plays Annie and Margeret’s younger brother, Daniel. Sean Astin and Ali Larter play Margaret and Annie’s parents.  I hope you enjoy our video interviews! I was particularly glad to speak to Brec Bassinger, since I was a huge fan of her show, “Stargirl.”

 

Madison Wolfe (Annie)

Brec Bassinger (Margaret)

Skai Jackson (Patty) and Gavin Warren (Daniel)

Director Warren Skeels

"The Man In The White Van" key artMORE INFO: Official Site  Trailer

DIRECTED BY: Warren Skeels

WRITTEN BY: Warren Skeels & Sharon Y. Cobb

STARRING: Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Goonies), Ali Larter (Final Destination, upcoming Taylor Sheridan series, Landman), Madison Wolfe (The Conjuring 2, Malignant), Brec Bassinger (CW’s Stargirl, Final Destination: Bloodlines), Skai Jackson (Disney’s Jessie and spinoff Bunk’d), Gavin Warren (Night Swim)

SYNOPSIS: Based on true events. In 1975 Florida, a series of violent disappearances go unnoticed, and young Annie (Madison Wolfe) is targeted by an ominous white van that stalks her every move. As the menace escalates, her parents dismiss her fears, and Annie is soon plunged into a terrifying nightmare that shatters her world. Also starring Brec Bassinger, Skai Jackson, Ali Larter, and Sean Astin. Directed by Warren Skeels.

GENRE: Thriller

Madison Wolfe was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. She began acting at the age of seven, and made her debut alongside Kristen Stewart and Amy Adams in “On The Road.” In the years following, Wolfe landed many roles in various critically acclaimed films and television shows such as Jessica Brady in “The Campaign,” starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, Audrey Hart in “True Detective,” opposite Woody Harrelson and Matthew Mcconaughey, and Young Poppy in “Mr. Church,” starring Eddie Murphy. She can also be seen playing Bryan Cranston’s daughter in “Trumbo,” and acting alongside Robert DeNiro, Jennifer Lawrence, and Bradley Cooper in David O. Russell’s “Joy.”

Wolfe is best known for her lead role in James Wan’s “The Conjuring 2.” Starring opposite Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, she plays Janet Hodgson: a young girl from Enfield, England who is traumatized and haunted by the possession of demonic spirits. Wolfe is also well known from her lead role in Oscar winner Anders Walter’s “I Kill Giants.” Rotten Tomatoes names Madison’s “powerhouse performance” as troubled teen Barbra Thorson one of the highlights of the film.

Most recently, Wolfe can be seen playing Tessa Mayfair opposite Alexandra Daddario in AMC’s “The Mayfair Witches.” She has completed production for her next true crime thriller, Warren Skeel’s “Man in The White Van.” Set in 1974, Wolfe portrays the lead role of Annie Willains: a free spirited teen from a small town in Florida who becomes the obsession of a horrific stalker. Being a musician, Wolfe also wrote and recorded an original song for the film’s soundtrack to be released. The film is not yet rated.

Brec Bassinger, born May 25, 1999, is an American actress best known for her leading role as ‘Bella Dawson’ on the Nickelodeon series “Bella and the Bulldogs,” her role as ‘Catherine’ in the “47 Meters Down” sequel, her recurring roles in “School of Rock” and “The Goldbergs,” and her starring role in the DC Universe series “Stargirl” (2020).

Brec grew up in a small town in Texas, and first went to Los Angeles for acting when she was 13 years old. Growing up she enjoyed gymnastics, cheerleading, volleyball, and natural-beauty pageants. She was crowned the 2009 World’s Our Little Miss. Her acting career started with a recurring role on Nickelodeon’s “Haunted Hathaways.” She graduated high school at 16 and continues to expand her education. A Type-1 diabetic, she has become a huge advocate for diabetes research and is a national ambassador for JDRF. She had the leading role of Stargirl for the CW for two years, and then she plays the titular role in the miniseries “V.C. Andrews’ Dawn” on Lifetime..

 

Skai Jackson starred as the adorable “Zuri Ross” on the Disney Channel sitcoms Jessie (2011), with Debby Ryan, and Bunk’d (2015). Before that, we’ve seen her in small roles on Boardwalk Empire (2010) and Royal Pains (2009), and even in the film, The Smurfs (2011).

Gavin Warren is an American model and actor. As a child he played the piano and did gymnastics before, inspired by Adam Sandler, he decided he wanted to become an actor. In 2015, Warren won an acting and modeling competition, after which he was accepted into a local artist agency. This was followed by his first roles in the short film Two Wongs Make a White and in the film drama Back Roads, before Warren was seen in Damien Chazelle’s film biography Awakening to the Moon alongside Ryan Gosling in 2018.

In order to focus on his acting career, Warren switched from public school to home schooling. In subsequent years, he made guest appearances in the television series Daybreak and NCIS: New Orleans, while he took on supporting roles in the films Mack (2019), A Hard Problem (2021) and 12 Mighty Orphans (2021). In 2023 he appeared in the eighth season of the horror series Fear the Walking Dead before playing a leading role in the horror film Night Swim the following year.

His other announced film projects include the thrillers The Descendant and Geechee, the drama film Unbreakable Boy and the crime film The Man in the White Van.

Madison Wolfe, star of "The Man In The Whilte Van"

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Interview with Alexander Ludwig

TV Interview!

 

"Earth Abides" banner

Interview with Alexander Ludwig, Jessica Frances Dukes, Aaron Tveit, Todd Komarnicki and Kearie Peak of “Earth Abides” on MGM+ by Suzanne 11/20/24

This is a very exciting 6 part miniseries on MGM+. I hope you can watch it because it’s fascinating. Although it takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, it’s not too gross, gory or depressing. The acting is very good. Alexander Ludwig stars as “Ish,” a man who survives the pandemic that has destroyed most of the world’s population. Then he finds a wonderful woman, Emma (Jessica Frances Dukes), and they start their life together. Other people find them, and they start re-building the world. It’s got a very positive message about the future of the world, how people can adapt and get along, and about how the earth can heal. It was great to speak with the two stars, Ludwig and Dukes, as well as Aaron Tveit, who plays a pivotal character named Charlie, and the show’s creators and showrunners.  The series is based on an old scifi book but modernized. I think they did a great job.  We put up Tveit’s interview  later because there are spoilers in it.

Alexander Ludwig (Ish) and Jessica Frances Dukes (Emma)

Aaron Tveit (Charlie)

Showrunner/EP Todd Komarnicki and EP Kearie Peak

 

MORE INFO: Official Site Trailer

Key art for "Earth Abides" on MGM+

About ‘Earth Abides’ 

In “Earth Abides,” when a plague of unprecedented virulence sweeps the globe, the human race is all but wiped out. In the aftermath, as the great machine of civilization slowly and inexorably breaks down, only a few shattered survivors remain to struggle against the slide into extinction. The series is based on George R. Stewart’s classic sci-fi novel of the same name.

A Note from Todd Komarnicki (Executive Producer/Writer/Showrunner) 

Earth Abides was ahead of its time. George Stewart’s novel, despite being written in 1949, has cohered brilliantly with our current moment. Long before nature began to suffer at the hands of man’s inability to live in harmony with her, Stewart knew that the Earth never needed us. We are more of a pestilence she has survived. As the world within the novel starts over, the earth has a chance to reassert herself. It is now man who must be the survivor. But what if those chosen to be humanity’s second chance aren’t suited for each other or the task at hand. They are a mixed blend of personalities, the kind that might have never joined forces prior to the apocalypse. But the life altering thing that they all discover…is that their differences might become the only thing enabling them to persevere. The story is a stark reminder that our differences should not separate us but unite us. A lesson we could all pay closer attention to in these times so riven by strife.Alexander Ludwig (Ish) and Jessica Frances Duke (Emma) in "Earth Abides" - photo from MGM+ press site

When adapting this novel for television, it was Stewart’s brilliant story that remains the infrastructure for keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. We shed new light through a deeper level of intimacy introduced in our show. While the intent of the original remains untouched, the tenderness and vulnerability of its characters and their journey over the years has been heightened in a fundamental way. Showing that journey of over twenty years together without losing the narrative thread and the audience’s connection to the characters was one of the biggest challenges we faced in the adaptation. Letting the series be guided by Ish’s own voice and the characters sharing their story not only kept the narrative intact but made them relatable and deeply human. That human aspect is what I hope audiences connect with most. The show lives in the shadow of a society torn down to cobblestone, but that is just the stage for a thrill ride that is utterly human. It is full of perseverance but also doubt, rage, addiction, murder and rebirth. No matter how dark the road gets for these characters, there is always a sliver of light calling them forward…love. What I hope audiences take away from our show is that love…really does win.

Aaron Tveit (Charlie) in "Earth Abides" on MGM+ - photo from MGM+ press siteAbout MGM+

MGM+, an Amazon company, is a premium linear channel and streaming service delivering a broad lineup of exclusive original series and docuseries, current movie releases, and classic film franchises—all available in the U.S. on TV, on-demand, online, and across devices. MGM+ is a destination for premium content, with original series including sci-fi horror series FROM, Emmy-winning Godfather of Harlem, the Western adventure Billy the Kid, suspense thriller Emperor of Ocean Park, crime drama Hotel Cocaine, and upcoming sci-fi drama Earth Abides and horror thriller The Institute, along with limited series A Spy Among Friends and cinematic dramatic series Rogue Heroes, Belgravia and War of the Worlds. The network is also the home of acclaimed docuseries, including the critically acclaimed In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, Emmy-nominated Laurel CanyonMy Life as a Rolling Stone, and NFL Icons, as well as the anticipated docuseries Hollywood Black and The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood. Premium movies are also available, including ChallengersIFMission Impossible – Dead ReckoningThe Beekeeper, The Boys in the Boat, American Fiction and Mean Girls. 

MGM+ is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite, digital distribution channels and the MGM+ app. For more information about the current MGM+ lineup, go to www.mgmplus.com or follow us on X, InstagramFacebookTikTok, and YouTube.

Alexander Ludwig (pic from MGM+ press site)Alexander Ludwig

Alexander Ludwig is a multi-talented performer who continues to make his mark in Hollywood and beyond.

Ludwig can next be seen in the leading role of the upcoming MGM+ limited series Earth Abides, premiering December 1. Helmed by acclaimed creator and showrunner Todd Komarnicki and based on George R. Stewart’s best-selling novel, the 6-episode limited series story follows Ish (Ludwig) through the aftermath of a global plague as he tries to set the survivors on the road back to civilization.

Additionally, on television, Ludwig starred as Ace Spade in the Starz series Heels, which ran for two seasons and was recently licensed to Netflix after popular demand for a third season. The show, set in the world of independent wrestling, focuses on two rival brothers battling over their late father’s legacy. He is also recognized for his portrayal of Bjorn in the History Channel’s popular series Vikings.

On the big screen, Ludwig most recently reprised his role in the box office hit franchise Bad Boys 4: Ride Or Die alongside Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, and Vanessa Hudgens.  Ludwig joined the franchise with Bad Boys for Life (2020), which stands as the most successful film in the franchise, breaking box office records.   Ludwig will next appear in Killing Castro, directed by Eif Rivera, alongside Al Pacino, and will soon begin production on the horror thriller Night Comes, marking the feature directorial debut of veteran actor Jay Hernandez, set for release next year.

His additional film credits include Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant with Jake Gyllenhaal, National Champions featuring Uzo Aduba and J.K. Simmons, and the war epic Midway alongside Woody Harrelson and Dennis Quaid. He also starred in Peter Berg’s acclaimed Lone Survivor, blockbuster hit The Hunger Games with Jennifer Lawrence, and the hugely succesful Race to Witch Mountain opposite Dwayne Johnson and Carla Gugino.

Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Ludwig began his acting career at nine, landing his first major role as Will Stanton in the action-adventure film The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising in 2007. His earlier credits include Grown Ups 2 and When The Game Stands Tall.

Following his passions outside of acting and filmmaking; he is a gifted musician who recently released his debut full-length Country album Highway 99 via Broken Bow Records. A mixture of amplified guitars, climactic choruses, and heartfelt hooks, the 16-track collection offers universal stories about small towns, wild nights, broken hearts, and big dreams. A follow up to his 2021 self-titled EP and career-launching 2020 single “Let Me Be Your Whiskey,” Highway 99 was produced by Nashville heavy-hitters Kurt Allison and Tully Kennedy and proves Ludwig is making a permanent mark on Country music.

Jessica Frances Duke, (pic from MGM+ press site)Jessica Frances Dukes

Jessica Frances Dukes is an accomplished actress set to star as the female lead in the upcoming MGM+ original limited series “Earth Abides,” alongside Alexander Ludwig. This imaginative adaptation of George R. Stewart’s classic sci-fi novel, created by showrunner Todd Komarnicki (Sully), explores a world ravaged by a deadly plague that nearly wipes out humanity. As civilization crumbles, a few survivors face the struggle for existence. In the series, Jessica plays Emma, a character who contrasts sharply with Ludwig’s character, Ish. The limited series, produced by Oscar winner Michael Phillips (The Sting) alongside Juliana Maio and Kearie Peak, is slated to premiere on December 1, 2024.

In addition to “Earth Abides,” Jessica is currently filming a recurring role in the third season of the Emmy-nominated series “The Gilded Age” on HBO.

Jessica is best known for her regular role as Special Agent Maya Miller in the multi-award-winning Netflix series “Ozark” (2020–2022). Her other notable credits include leading roles in HBO Max’s “Project Greenlight” (2023) and the award-winning film “Gray Matter” (2023).

A seasoned theater veteran, Jessica portrayed Millie Davis in the Tony Award-nominated “Trouble In Mind” on Broadway. She is an Obie Award winner for “Bootycandy” at Playwrights Horizons Off-Broadway and received an Audelco Award and a Drama League Awards Distinguished Performance nomination for her role as Vera in “By The Way, Meet Vera Stark” at the Signature Theatre.

Aaron Tveit (pic from his Instagram)Aaron Tveit

Aaron Kyle Tveit, born October 21, 1983) is an American actor and tenor singer. Tveit originated the lead role of Christian in the stage adaptation of Moulin Rouge! on Broadway, a performance for which he won the 2020 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical and received a 2020 Grammy Award nomination. His other work on the Broadway stage includes originating the roles of Gabe in Next to Normal and Frank Abagnale Jr. in Catch Me If You Can, as well as performing the roles of Fiyero Tigelaar in Wicked, Link Larkin in Hairspray, and the title role in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He also played John Wilkes Booth in an Off West End production of Assassins.

Tveit has also portrayed several musical theatre roles on screen, such as Enjolras in the film adaptation of Les Misérables (2012), as well as Danny Zuko in Fox’s Grease: Live (2016). Tveit is also known for his work in television, including the roles of Gareth Ritter on BrainDead, Tripp van der Bilt on Gossip Girl, Mike Warren on Graceland, and Danny Bailey/Topher in Schmigadoon!.

Todd Komarnicki (pic from MGM+ press site)Todd Komarnicki

Todd Komarnicki is a prolific writer, producer, and director of film and television aswell as an acclaimed novelist. Komarnicki’s screenplays include SULLY directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Tom Hanks, which opened at #1 in the box office to rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. The film went on to earn over $240 million worldwide, and was a 2016 AFI Top Ten Film. Komarnicki has also written an adaptation of the international bestseller, THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN, starring Mel Gibson and Sean Penn; and he wrote, produced, and directed, BONHOEFFER, the WW2 true story of legendary pastor turned assassin, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, which is being released theatrically worldwide November 22nd.

In television, Komarnicki has written EARTH ABIDES, for MGM+, an adaptation of the international sci-fi favorite, by George Stewart, the series premieres December 1st. In the literary world, his first novel, Free, was published by Doubleday in 1993 and his second novel, famine (Arcade 1997), received tremendous reviews and was subsequently translated into French, Italian, and German. His third novel, war, was published to exceptional reviews in July of 2008 by Arcade.Kearie Peak (pic from TMDB)

Komarnicki is the president & founder of the production company Guy Walks Into A Bar. Komarnicki and Guy Walks partner Jon Berg produced the Christmas blockbuster ELF, starring Will Ferrell and directed by Jon Favreau. The film has become a worldwide perennial favorite every Christmas season. All told, Komarnicki’s films have accounted for well over half a billion dollars at the box office.

Komarnicki lives in New York City with his wife, Jane, their daughter, Remy, 14, and son, Dashiell, 11.

Kearie Peak

Kearie Peak is known for Flyboys (2006), Chaos Theory (2007) and American History X (1998).

  • Credits

    Based on the novel by
    George R. Stewart

    Executive Produced by
    Todd Komarnicki, Kearie Peak, Michael Phillips, Juliana Maio

    Directed by
    Bronwen Hughes (101, 102), Rachel Leiterman (103,104), Stephen Campanelli (105, 106)

    Written by
    Todd Komarnicki

    Showrunner

    Todd Komarnicki

    Cast
    Alexander Ludwig as “Ish”
    Jessica Frances Dukes as “Emma”
    Aaron Tveit as “Charlie”
    Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll as “Jorge”
    Elyse Levesque as “Maurine”
    Hilary McCormack as “Jean”
    Luisa d’Oliveira as “Molly”
    Birkett Turton as “Ezra”
    Jenna Berman as “Evie”

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Interview with the cast of “Cruel Intentions”

TV Interview!

 

"Cruel Intentions" banner - photos from the Amazon press site.

Interview with actors Sara Silva, Sean Patrick Thomas, John Harlan Kim and Khobe Clarke; and writers/EP Sara Goodman and Phoebe Fisher of “Cruel Intentions” on Prime by Suzanne 11/13/24

I really enjoyed watching this show, and the actors I chatted with couldn’t have been nicer; it was the same with the two producers. You don’t want to miss this show! It’s not just any teen drama. The writing is top notch. Even if you never saw the movie(s) or book it’s based on, you should enjoy it; it dragged me into the drama!

Sara Silva (CeCe) and Sean Patrick Thomas (Hank)

John Harlan Kim (Blaise) and Khobe Clarke (Scott)

Sara Goodman and Phoebe Fisher (co-showrunners, writers, and executive producers)

 

MORE INFO: Official Site  Trailer

Key art for "Cruel Intentions" on PrimeABOUT THE SERIES

All eight episodes of Prime Video’s highly anticipated series, Cruel Intentions, will premiere November 21 in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. Twenty-five years after the iconic film captivated audiences with its provocative drama, sex, and scandal, this series introduces a new class of cruel characters who are ready to take their games and manipulation to a whole new level. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the film or new to the twisted tale, the series promises binge-worthy fun that audiences won’t want to miss.

In this new adaptation, Cruel Intentions follows the elite students of Manchester College, a Washington, D.C.-adjacent university, where reputation means everything, fraternities and sororities are the gold standard, and two ruthless step-siblings, Caroline Merteuil and Lucien Belmont, will do anything to stay on top of the cutthroat social hierarchy. After a brutal hazing incident threatens the entire Greek Life system, they’ll do whatever is necessary to preserve their power and reputation – even if that means seducing Annie Grover, the daughter of the Vice President of the United States. Hearts will be broken, loyalties will be tested, and secrets will be revealed in this modern-day royal court that is Manchester College.

Cruel Intentions stars Sarah Catherine Hook as “Caroline Merteuil”, Zac Burgess as “Lucien Belmont”, Savannah Lee Smith as “Annie Grover”, Sara Silva as “Cece Carroway”, John Harlan Kim as “Blaise Powell”, Khobe Clarke as “Scott Russell”, Sean Patrick Thomas as “Professor Hank Chadwick”, and Brooke Lena Johnson as “Beatrice Worth”.

The series is produced by Sony Pictures Television, Amazon MGM Studios, and Original Film. Sara Goodman and Phoebe Fisher serve as co-showrunners, writers, and executive producers. Neal H. Moritz and Pavun Shetty of Original Film also executive produce along with Roger Kumble. Moritz produced the original film, which was written and directed by Kumble. Bruce Mellon along with Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi of Iervolino & Bacardi Entertainment are producers.

Good Article About the Series

Sara Silva

CeCe Carroway

SARA SILVA is a Brazilian-American actress from the San Francisco Bay Area. She studied acting at UCLA’s School for Theater, Film and Television, where she starred as Medea in Euripides’ titular play and Maritza in Tanya Saracho’s Mala Hierba.

Sara will star as ‘CELESTE “CECE” CALLOWAY’ in the Prime Video SeriesCRUEL INTENTIONS written by Phoebe Fisher, and based on the 1999 film by the same name, which starred Selma Blair in the same role.

Sara also recently starred opposite Colson Baker (Machine Gun Kelly) in the feature TAURUS written and directed by Tim Sutton, which premiered domestically at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival.  You can also spot Sara in the recent season of FX’s anthology series AMERICAN HORROR STORIES in episode ‘Necro’.   Other recent television roles include the Freeform seriesGROWN-ISH, and Amazon’s THE BOYS.  Sara also recently played the Sorority leader ‘Hunter’ in the short ‘Scotty’s Vag’ written & directed by Chaconne Martin-Berkowicz, which was nominated for the Grand Jury Award at the 2023 SXSW film festival.

Sara is drawn to provocative stories and loves finding empathy for the twisted characters she plays. When she’s not acting, she’s writing plays, making music with her band “Dance Arts Center” and cuddling with her black cat, Pepita.

Sean Patrick Thomas

Professor Hank Chadwick

Respected actor/producer, Sean Patrick Thomas, is continuing his hot streak. Recently wrapping production on the TV version of “Cruel Intentions,” Thomas is the only member of the original film to appear in the series. He is currently in production on the second season of fan favorite, “Gen V.” Previously he was seen in the critically acclaimed, award-winning feature, “The Tragedy of Macbeth” with Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand and the MGM/UA film “Till,” which tells the heartbreaking story of Emmett Till. Other projects include the Hulu limited series, “Reasonable Doubt,” reuniting him with Kerry Washington, who executive produced the series and directed its pilot episode along with a recurring role in “For All Mankind” on Apple+.

Previous film credits include “The Curse of La Llorona,” the ensemble hit franchise “Barbershop,” Darren Aronofsky’s “The Fountain,” John Sayles’ “Honeydripper,” “Cruel Intentions,” “Halloween: Resurrection” and the box office smash “Save The Last Dance,” for which Thomas won two MTV Movie Awards. On the small screen, Thomas starred in Kenny Leon’s “A Raisin in the Sun,” for which he earned a nomination from the NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actor in a TV Movie. And on Broadway he conquered a different character, that of Nigerian suitor Joseph Asagai, in “A Raisin in the Sun” once again opposite Denzel Washington. He starred on the CBS series “The District” and recurred on “The Good Fight” as well as voicing the character of Professor Macalester on the animated series “Vixen.” Additional television credits include “Insecure,” “Madam Secretary,” “American Horror Story,” “NCIS: New Orleans” and “NCIS.”

John Harlan Kim

Blaise Powell

John Harlan Kim will next star in a series regular role as ‘Blaise Powell’ on Prime Video’s “Cruel Intentions,” the highly anticipated television adaptation of the 1999 feature cult classic. The series will be released globally on the streaming platform in November 2024. Previously, John appeared as ‘Bobby’ in the hit Apple TV+ series, “The Last Thing He Told Me,” opposite Jennifer Garner and Angourie Rice. Previous television credits include: the Ryan Murphy Fox series “9-1-1,” the CW series, “Nancy Drew,” and the TNT series “The Librarians.” His film credits include: Netflix’s “Purple Hearts” opposite Sofia Carson and the Warner Brothers’ thriller written and directed by John Lee Hancock,“The Little Things,” opposite Denzel Washington, Jared Leto and Rami Malek.

Khobe Clarke

Scott Russell

Khobe Clarke was born and raised in Alberta, Canada. His childhood was filled with incredible outdoor experiences, including a motorcycle trip across Mongolia, and a trek to the base camp of Mt. Everest. But despite his love for climbing the world’s tallest mountains and exploring the Canadian wilderness, acting was his true passion, and the only thing he wanted to do.

After graduating high school he picked up and moved to Vancouver, BC to pursue a career in film and television. Things started to move quickly for Khobe. Within 2 short years, after signing with his Vancouver agent, he landed a number of great roles. Most notably a major recurring guest star role on Netflix’s popular series Firefly Lane (S2), a lead role in a 4-part movie event series V.C. Andrews Cutler Series for Lifetime, and also recurred on the Emmy-Nominated Showtime series Yellowjackets. Khobe is so excited to be part of the Cruel Intentions cast, and can’t wait to see what type of adventure this brings.

Sara Goodman

She was born 1973, in Toronto, Canada. She’s known for her work in I Know What You Did Last Summer, Gossip Girl (2007), Preacher, Outsiders, The Detail, Rake.

Phoebe Fisher

  • Credits

    Produced by
    Sony Pictures Television, Amazon MGM Studios, and Original Film

    Co-Showrunners, Writers, Executive Producers
    Sara Goodman and Phoebe Fisher

    Executive Producers
    Neal H. Moritz
    Pavun Shetty
    Roger Kumble

    Producers
    Bruce Mellon
    Andrea Iervolino
    Monika Bacardi

    Cast
    Caroline Merteuil played by Sarah Catherine Hook (First Kill; The White Lotus S3)
    Lucien Belmont played by Zac Burgess (Boy Swallows Universe; Totally Completely Fine)
    Annie Grover played by Savannah Lee Smith (Gossip Girl)
    Cece Carroway played by Sara Silva (American Horror Stories)
    Blaise Powell played by John Harlan Kim (The Last Thing He Told Me; 9-1-1)
    Scott Russell played by Khobe Clarke (Firefly Lane; Yellowjackets)
    Professor Hank Chadwick played by Sean Patrick Thomas (Till)
    Beatrice Worth played by Brooke Lena Johnson (You)

Cruel Intentions Los Angeles Red Carpet Premiere Credit: Anna Webber/Getty Images for Prime Video Copyright: 2024 Getty Images Description: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 19: (L-R) Sean Patrick Thomas, Khobe Clarke, Savannah Lee Smith, Sara Silva, Sarah Catherine Hook, Zac Burgess, Brooke Lena Johnson, and John Harlan Kim attend Cruel Intentions Los Angeles red carpet premiere at The Ebell Club of Los Angeles on November 19, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Anna Webber/Getty Images for Prime Video)

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Interview with Isaiah Mustafa and Ben Watkins

TV Interview!

Cross Global Premiere In Los Angeles Credit: Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Prime Video Copyright: 2024 Getty Images Description: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 29: (L-R) Ben Watkins, Alona Tal, Samantha Walkes, Aldis Hodge, Eloise Mumford, Isaiah Mustafa and Ryan Eggold attend the Cross Global Premiere at NYA WEST on October 29, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Prime Video)

Interview with Isaiah Mustafa and Ben Watkins  of “Cross” on Prime by Suzanne 10/29/24

I enjoyed speaking with one of the main actors, and the showrunner, of this great new series. I’ve spoken with the main star, Aldis Hodge, years ago (when he was in “Leverage”). Sadly, I did not get that chance this time.

Hodges stars as Alex Cross, the forensic psychiatrist and detective featured in James Patterson novels (and some movies). Aldis was one of my first one-on-one interviews, so it was memorable. He’s always very nice. I also spoke with him in 2011 and 2012.

Mustafa and Wakins, whom I interviewed recently, also were a joy to speak with. Mustafa is a former football player but has become quite a good actor. He plays John Sampson, Mustafa’s close friend and fellow detective. Ben Watkins created, wrote and executive produced the show. He’s worked on some of my favorites, including “Hand of God” and “Burn Notice”.

These are audio-only, even though I did speak with them on video. I didn’t realize that they were only going to send me the audio until yesterday (that was my mistake for not making sure). Oops!

You should definitely check out this series’ first season, which drops Nov. 14 and has already been renewed for season 2. It is a thrilling drama that everyone should enjoy. It also stars Ryan Eggold (“New Amsterdam”), Alona Tal, and Johnny Ray Gill.

Isaiah Mustafa “John”

Ben Watkins (showrunner)

 

MORE INFO: Official Site  Trailer

Cross Key Art - Horizontal Copyright: Amazon MGM StudiosStarring Aldis Hodge, Cross is a crime thriller series that follows ALEX CROSS, a decorated D.C. homicide detective and forensic psychologist who faces a sadistic serial killer leaving a string of bodies strewn around the city. As Alex and his partner, John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa), track this killer, a mysterious threat from Cross’ past appears, aiming to destroy what he’s done to keep his grieving family, career, and life together. Ryan Eggold, Alona Tal, and Johnny Ray Gill also star; Ben Watkins serves as showrunner.

  • Credits

    Produced by
    Amazon MGM Studios, Paramount Television Studios, Skydance Television

    Created by
    Ben Watkins

    Directed by
    Ben Watkins

    Executive Produced by
    Ben Watkins
    Sam Ernst
    Jim Dunn
    Craig Siebels
    James Patterson
    Bill Robinson
    Patrick Santa
    David Ellison
    Dana Goldberg
    Matt Thunell

    Cast
    Aldis Hodge
    Isaiah Mustafa
    Juanita Jennings
    Alona Tal
    Samantha Walkes
    Caleb Elijah
    Melody Hurd
    Jennifer Wigmore
    Eloise Mumford
    Ryan Eggold

Isaiah Amir Mustafa (born February 11, 1974)] is an American actor and former American football wide receiver. Mustafa is widely known as the main character in a series of Old Spice television commercials, “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like“. He is also known for portraying Luke Garroway on Freeform‘s fantasy series Shadowhunters and adult Mike Hanlon in It Chapter Two.

Ben Watkins was born on March 19, 1971 in San Francisco, California, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Cross (2024), Burn Notice (2007) and Quest to Ref (2002). He has been married to Kandi Ali since June 1992. They have four children.

Cross Global Premiere In Los Angeles Credit: Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Prime Video Copyright: 2024 Getty Images Description: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 29: (L-R) Ben Watkins, Alona Tal, Samantha Walkes, Aldis Hodge, Eloise Mumford, Isaiah Mustafa and Ryan Eggold attend the Cross Global Premiere at NYA WEST on October 29, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Prime Video)

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Interview with Molly Kunz

TV Interview!

 

Molly Kunz of "The Irrational," Tuesdays on NBC - photo from her Instagram

Interview with Molly Kunz of “The Irrational” on NBC by Suzanne 10/24/24

I really enjoyed speaking with Molly! I love her show, so it was very nice to speak with her about it, and about her character. Don’t miss the next episode, which airs Nov. 12!

 

THE IRRATIONAL-- Pictured: "The Irrational" Key Art -- (Photo by: NBCUniversal)The Irrational

Season 2 Premiering October 8 on NBC (10-11p.m. ET/PT)

“The Irrational” follows world-renowned professor of behavioral science Alec Mercer (Jesse L. Martin) as he lends his unique expertise to high-stakes cases and mysteries. His insight and unconventional approach to understanding human behavior lead him to work alongside varying clients ranging from the FBI to everyday people caught in perplexing situations desperate for answers. With the help of his trusted team and social-science experiments, Alec solves crimes and uncovers the truth to answer intriguing, and irrational, questions.

The cast also includes Maahra Hill, Travina Springer, Molly Kunz and Arash DeMaxi.

Arika Lisanne Mittman, Mark Goffman, Sam Baum, David Frankel and Robert Wolfe executive produce.

The show is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Next Episode: “Anatomy of a Fall” Simon’s mother asks Alec to help stop a suicide contagion when a third student death strikes the campus; Alec asks Marisa to help when he thinks there might be more to the case; Phoebe struggles with her next career move.

THE IRRATIONAL -- Season: 1 -- Pictured: Molly Kunz as Phoebe -- (Photo by: Brendan Meadows/NBC)Molly Kunz

Phoebe, “The Irrational”

Molly Kunz stars as Phoebe in the NBC drama “The Irrational.”

Kunz recurred on “Colony,” “Finding Carter” and Hulu’s original series “Battleground,” created by J.D. Walsh. She also co-starred in the Lifetime movie “The Marsh Sisters at Christmas.”

On the film side, Kunz will co-star in the thriller “Wild Eyed and Wicked” and was previously in “The Wolf and the Lion,” based on the French film “Mia and The White Lion.” Kunz also had a supporting role in Steve McQueen’s feature “Widows,” opposite Colin Farrell, as well as a role in the indie “The Wise Kids.”

Kunz is originally from Madison, Wisc., and began her career in regional theater. Productions include “The Nerd” (Memorial Theatre Company), “The Sound of Music” (Music Theater of Madison), “Carousel” (Madison Repertory Theater), “The Boxcar Children” (CTM Family Theater Company), “The Secret Garden” (University of Wisconsin Theater), “Annie” (Stagestruck Productions), “Tom Sawyer” (Madison Creative Arts Program), “Alice in Wonderland” (Shorewood Drama), “The Nutcracker Ballet” (Madison Ballet), and “Sleeping Beauty Ballet” (Performing Arts for Children).

THE IRRATIONAL -- "Formal Ties" Episode 204 -- Pictured: Molly Kunz as Phoebe -- (Photo by: Sergei Bachlakov/NBC)

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Interview with Tamera Mowry-Housley

TV Interview!

 

Tamera Mowry-Housley of "Scouting for Christmas" on Hallmark; photo from her Instagram

Interview with Tamera Mowry-Housley of “Scouting for Christmas” on Hallmark by Suzanne 10/18/24

Speaking with Tamera was a lot of fun! I hope you enjoy her new movie on Hallmark. It will definitely get you in the Christmas spirit.

 

Premieres Sunday, October 20, 8/7c - A single mom tries to make her daughter’s Christmas special since her dad is working overseas for the holidays. She partners with her daughter’s favorite baker for the Holiday Ball.MORE INFO: Official Site  Trailer

About Scouting for Christmas

Angela has been a busy realtor since her amicable divorce a couple of years ago to Dakota, a paleontologist whose adventures kept him anywhere but home. Now, she is a devoted if often harried, single mom to a smart and loving 10-year-old girl, Brooklyn. Angela’s busy schedule makes it hard for her to find time for much of anything…or anyone…else. As it is, she can barely get Brooklyn to her scout meetings on time, much to the disapproval of the other mothers. When Brooklyn gets the idea to have William, the owner of her favorite bakery, cater her scout troop’s posh annual holiday event, she asks Angela to work with him on pitching the idea to the moms in charge. Despite sensing that her daughter might be trying to play cupid, she agrees to help and finds herself enjoying time with him, but is reluctant to open her heart and life to someone new. When Dakota returns, missing her, Angela must decide what is best for her daughter and best for her heart. Starring Tamera Mowry-Housley and Carlo Marks.

Tamera Mowry-Housley is an Emmy award-winning host, actress, producer, and entrepreneur who has captivated audiences for over 20 years.Tamera Mowry-Housley of "Scouting for Christmas" on Hallmark

She started her career in Hollywood alongside her sister, Tia, on the hit show “Sister, Sister,” which aired over 100 episodes from 1994-1999 and has gone on to see a cultural revival over the past few years since it was released on Netflix. Mowry-Housley’s work on the show gained praise and recognition; she received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series and Kid’s Choice Award for Favorite Television Actress. She returned to the screen with Tia on the hit Style Network reality TV series “Tia and Tamera,” which chronicled her life as she balanced her acting career along with major life transformations of marriage and motherhood.

Mowry-Housely co-hosted the groundbreaking and Emmy-winning talk show, “The Real,” for six seasons. “The Real is the first syndicated talk show in years to be renewed for a sixth season. She worked alongside co-hosts Loni Love, Adrienne Bailon and Jeannie Mai. Together, the ladies won the Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host Emmy at the 45th Daytime Emmy Awards in April 2018.

In November 2020, it was announced that Mowry-Housley would be expanding her relationship with Crown Media Family Networks, parent company to Hallmark, in a new overall deal to star in and executive produce original films for the network. Her credits include the television movies “A Christmas Miracle” for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, which she also executive produced, as well as “Christmas Angel,” “Something to Sing About,” and “Seventeen Again.” She was a series regular on “Strong Medicine,” “Roommates” (ABC Family) and “Melissa & Joey” (ABC Family). Mowry-Housley has voiced characters in the FOX hit “Family Guy” and Cartoon Network’s “Superhero Squad Show.” She also produced and starred in the Lifetime movie “Double Wedding.” On the big screen, Mowry-Housley co-starred in the Rob Schneider comedy The Hot Chick. Most recently, she starred in the Hallmark original movie “Christmas Comes Twice,” which premiered during the network’s annual “Countdown to Christmas” programming event in 2020.Scouting for Christmas A single mom tries to make her daughter’s Christmas special since her dad is working overseas for the holidays. She partners with her daughter’s favorite baker for the Holiday Ball. Photo: Tamera Mowry-Housley, Carlo Marks Credit: ©2024 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Syd Wong

In addition to co-hosting “The Real,” she hosted season one of Facebook Watch’s “Help Us Get Married, a 12-episode reality web television series that followed three couples trying to plan their weddings with the help of the Facebook community. Mowry-Housley was also a frequent guest host on Hallmark Channel’s “Home & Family.” In 2021, she also competed in season five of “The Masked Singer” and wowed audiences nationwide with her singing abilities as the beloved Seashell.

In June 2021, Hulu announced its upcoming baking competition series “Baker’s Dozen” with Mowry-Housley and former White House pastry chef Bill Yosses. Set to premiere in October, together, they’ll host the unscripted series which pits passionate amateur bakers against seasoned culinary experts. Contestants will compete in head-to-head challenges for a chance to win the golden rolling pin and a cash prize. Additionally, she will serve as a judge alongside Martha Stewart and Chris Hessney on HGTV’s new design competition show, “Table Wars.” In each episode, the competitors must deliver the ultimate themed party environment, including stunning tablescapes, lighting and displays in order to impress the judges and avoid elimination. The finalist who delivers the most over-the-top event space will win the Table Wars title and a $50,000 cash prize.

Born in Germany and raised in Southern California, Mowry-Housley graduated with honors from Pepperdine University with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with an emphasis on Abnormal Childhood Development. After meeting at Pepperdine, she married FOX News correspondent Adam Housley in May 2011. They welcomed their first child, Aden John Tanner Housley, in November 2012, and their second child, Ariah Talea Housley, in July 2015. They live in Napa Valley, where they oversee Century Oak Winery. They also opened their own celebrated tasting room in the heart of Downtown Napa where they both can frequently be seen pouring their family wines for fans and visitors. They have also opened up their own coffeehouse and coffee line called Barnhouse Napa Brews in Downtown Napa. They have six brews of coffee at the shop, all of which are locally brewed and sourced and grown sustainably from all over the world. Additionally, 90% of the food and products they have for sale are women and minority owned.

 

Scouting for Christmas A single mom tries to make her daughter’s Christmas special since her dad is working overseas for the holidays. She partners with her daughter’s favorite baker for the Holiday Ball. Photo: Jaycie Dotin Credit: ©2024 Hallmark Media/Photographer: David Strongman

 

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Interview with César Millán

TV Interview!

 

César Millán of "Cesar Millan: Better Human Better Dog" on Nat Geo Wild

Interview with César Millán of “Cesar Millan: Better Human Better Dog” on Nat Geo Wild and Disney+ by Suzanne 10/1/24

It was interesting speaking with Cesar Millan, the “Dog Whisperer.” I think he’s more comfortable talking about training dogs than about himself. I hope you enjoy our interview and his latest show, which just finished season 5.  Check out this electronic dog fence that he’s passionate about, Halo Collar 4! If you can’t find his show on your cable or satellite dish, you can find some episodes on the Nat Geo Wild YouTube Channel, or on these streamers.

 

Cesar Millan: Better Human, Better Dog key artMORE INFO: Trailer Official Site

Renowned dog behaviorist Cesar Millan comes back not only to rehabilitate dogs, but to train pet parents as well. With empty shelters and dog adoptions at a record high, his return to television gives new pet parents the tools they need to teach their dogs good habits and shed the bad ones. In addition, he helps pet parents better understand the connection that dogs have with their humans, and how people’s actions can influence just how well, or poorly, their dogs behave. From the yards of the pet owners to his newly updated Dog Psychology Center, Cesar demonstrates the skills needed to create happy homes with furry best friends while equipped with a can-do attitude.

about cesar millan

César Millán of "Cesar Millan: Better Human Better Dog" on Nat Geo WildCesar Millan is one of the most sought-after authorities in the field of dog behavior and rehabilitation. With more than 25 years of experience and with his new TV show, “Better Human Better Dog” now on National Geographic and Disney+; Millan is a household name, a New York Times best-selling author and 3x Emmy nominated acclaimed star with hit TV series broadcasted and streamed in over 120 countries.  Cesar has grown into a pop culture phenomenon and a go to for many of today’s celebrities, athletes, world leaders, and entrepreneurs. His work has been highlighted in flattering parodies on “South Park” and “Saturday Night Live”; references on popular shows including “Jeopardy!” and “The Colbert Report”; and appearances on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” “Dr. Oz,” “The Today Show,” “The View,” and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and others.

Cesar’s message continues to grow on his massive social media following of over 20 million people across the globe, adding new products under his belt, launching more content across various platforms, sharing his gift with The Cesar Millan Foundation and conducting trainings at his 43-acre paradise and Dog Psychology Center in Santa Clarita.  Earlier this year Cesar launched his new audio and visual Podcast “Better Humans Better Planet”.  In September 2023, Cesar was awarded the coveted Medal of Excellence from the Washington Hispanic Caucus in Washington D.C.  2024 will mark his anniversary of 20 consecutive years on U.S. television.

HALO COLLAR ANNOUNCES HALO COLLAR 4

The Safest and Most Advanced GPS Dog Fence Brings Your Backyard Everywhere

Now All Dogs 10 lbs and Up Can Experience the Safety of Halo Collar

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Sept. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Halo, the most advanced GPS dog fence ever created, is launching the Halo Collar 4, the first collar designed to fit big and small dogs, giving pet parents the ability to create a “backyard” everywhere they go. It is the first and only dual-frequency GPS dog fence for unrivaled accuracy that combines data from L1 and L5 GPS bands for the most accurate location that is not impacted by obstacles even in urban or bad signal areas. Halo Collar 4 also offers the perfect fit for big and small dogs with a tailoring system that lets you custom fit the collar to your dog’s exact neck size from 8 inches to 30.5 inches. The updated rendition includes 25% more battery life for 30+ hours between charges, a smaller and lighter all-day fit and comes in a new Midnight Blue color, as well as updated Graphite, Orchid and Sunburst colors.

The Halo Collar 4

With the launch of Halo Collar 4, Halo Collar has quadrupled its sales, three years since inception, to become the leader of the fast-growing $16B dog containment category, with that number continuing to grow. Halo caters to pet parents who value travel and experiences, but will not sacrifice their dog’s safety.

“We are thrilled to announce Halo Collar 4, our most advanced GPS dog fence yet, for both big and small dogs,” said Halo co-founder Ken Ehrman. “We are committed to delivering the safest and most accurate technology to provide dogs everywhere with a safe life off leash.”

Co-founded by world renowned dog behaviorist Cesar Millan, Halo Collar allows you to instantly create and store unlimited wireless dog fence perimeters at the touch of a finger in the Halo app so you can keep your dog safely inside the boundaries that you set. You can use the built-in training designed by Cesar Millan to teach dogs to respond quickly and consistently to customizable prevention and encouragement feedback, including a variety of sounds and vibrations meant as a timely touch. All feedback is customizable, so pet parents can find what works best to keep their dog comfortable and safe.

“Halo Collar 4 allows pet parents to set rules, boundaries and limitations while creating a backyard everywhere they go,” said Halo co-founder Cesar Millan. “You can now provide trust, respect and love to your dog knowing they are safe wherever they go.”

Halo Collar retails for $599 and can now be found on halocollar.com, Amazon.com, Chewy.com and Walmart.com for purchase.

About Halo Collar
The AI driven Halo Collar™ is the most advanced GPS dog fence ever created. Co-founded by Cesar Millan, this patented system utilizes technology & dog psychology to provide a wireless smart fence, smart training, real-time GPS tracker, and activity tracker combined into one easy-to-use smart collar. The Halo Collar™ utilizes proprietary GPS and GNSS location technology – keeping them safe and easy to locate should they ever wander too far. Halo protects over 200,000 dogs across the United States each day. For further information and to purchase, please visit: www.halocollar.com.

Forbes Article About Cesar and Halo Collar 4

 

César Millán of "Cesar Millan: Better Human Better Dog" on Nat Geo Wild

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Primetime TV Review: “Murder In a Small Town”

TV Review!

 

"Murder In A Small Town" on The CW key art

“Murder In A Small Town” on FOX Review by Suzanne 10/7/24

I love the actors in this show. I’m a huge fan of “Smallville,” and I’ve watched all of the shows Kristin Kreuk has starred in since.  I really enjoyed Rossif Sutherland’s work in the Prime show “Three Pines.”  It’s wonderful to see them paired together in this series. They have amazing chemistry together.

This series really reminds me of those Hallmark movies, or series of movies, which usually take place in a small town. The heroine falls for a guy, or her old boyfriend, and sometimes, like in several of the Hallmark movie series, they solve murders together. The heroines, such as Hannah Swensen, Aurora Teagarden, or Ruby Herring, are generally smarter than everyone around them, including the boyfriend.  Now, this series on FOX (based on the Alberg and Cassandra Mysteries, a series of B.C.-set crime novels by L.R. Wright.) is a Canadian show about a detective named Karl Alberg (Sutherland) who’s new to town, and he meets up with the town’s librarian, Cassandra (Kreuk).  The murders are the focus of the show, but their romance is what ties the show together and makes it worth watch.

The small town, in this case, is Gibsons, a small coastal town that most of us in the U.S. have no doubt never heard of. It’s in the area called the Sunshine Coast. It sets a moody tone that you may be familiar with from watching shows like “The Killing” or “True Detective.”  The romance between the two, and the quirky characters, keep the show from getting too dark.

Each episode has a different murder, and the murder is solved within the show’s 42 minutes.  Whether there will be many long-term stories (besides the romance) remains to be seen.  Alberg is aided in his detective work by stalwart policeman Sergeant Sid Sokolowski (Aaron Douglas of “The Watchful Eye”). Guest stars include James Cromwell, Erica Durance, Lucas Bryant, Greyston Holt, Nathan Witte, Stana Katic, and Paula Patton.

I think the stories and characters are worth watching.  Even if you don’t like the show, you may enjoy the beautiful British Columbia scenery.

MORE INFORMATION: Official Site  Trailer

Kristin Kreuk (Cassandra) and Rossif Sutherland (Karl) star in "Murder in a Small Town" (photo from trailer)All new murder mystery series Murder in a Small Town is based on the Edgar Award-winning, nine-book Karl Alberg series by acclaimed novelist L.R. Wright, and stars Rossif Sutherland (Reign, The Handmaid’s Tale) and Kristin Kreuk (Smallville, Beauty and the Beast). Murder in a Small Town follows Karl Alberg (Sutherland), who moves to a quiet, coastal town to soothe a psyche that has been battered by big-city police work. He’ll quickly learn that this gentle paradise has more than its share of secrets and will need to call upon all the skills that made him a world-class detective in solving the murders that, even in this seemingly idyllic setting, continue to wash up on his shore. Kreuk stars as Cassandra Lee, a local librarian who becomes Karl’s muse, foil and romantic interest.

Mya Lowe (My Life with the Walter Boys, Yellowjackets), Savonna Spracklin (Two-Spirit Odyssey, Wildhood), Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica, The Watchful Eye) and Fritzy-Klevans Destine (The Boys, Superman & Lois) recur in the series, which also features special guest stars James Cromwell (Babe, Succession), Stana Katic (Castle, Absentia), Paula Patton (The Perfect Match, Precious) and Noah Reid (Schitt’s Creek).

Murder in a Small Town is produced by Sepia Films in association with FOX Entertainment and Jeff Wachtel’s Future Shack Entertainment. The series is produced in British Columbia with Ian Weir (Arctic Air, Edgemont) serving as head writer/executive producer, Milan Cheylov (24, The Cleaning Lady) executive-producing and directing multiple episodes of the program, and Nick Orchard (Soapbox Productions), Morris Ruskin and Sharon Wisnia (Mojo Global Arts) and Jon Cotton also serving as executive producers.

 

Kristin Kreuk (Cassandra) and Rossif Sutherland (Karl) star in "Murder in a Small Town" (photo from Kreuk's Instagram)

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Primetime TV Review: “Matlock”

TV Review!

 

Kathy Bates as Mattie in "Matlock" on CBS (photo from IMDB)

“Matlock” on CBS Review by Suzanne 10/5/24

I wasn’t sure whether I would like this show or not because I didn’t really care for the original series, starring Andy Griffith. It was just another show, similar to “Diagnosis: Murder” or “Murder She Wrote,” where an older person helps solve crimes in their every-day life.  Of course, “Matlock” was more like “Perry Mason” in that he was a lawyer that would help find the real murderer (so that his client would go free).  It’s basically the same idea, though.

This version of “Matlock” is not really a reboot at all.  The main character is played by a woman (Kathy Bates), and she is not what she seems, which we find out at the end of the first episode. Bates is always fascinating to watch, and she really excels here because the writing is top-notch.  She mentions the original show “Matlock” many times, so we know that this is not set in the original show’s “universe.”  What they’ve done with it is very interesting, though, and anyone who stays through the end of the first episode will figure that out.

Besides the great lead actress, there is a wonderful cast of people, including Beau Bridges, Jason Ritter, Skye P. Marshall, David Del Rio and Leah Lewis. There are some fun guest stars each week as well. I can’t wait to see what else they do with this series. Do yourself a favor and tune in ASAP because this is already the best new show of the Fall season.

MORE INFORMATION: Official Site  Trailer

Kathy Bates, Jason Ritter, Leah Lewis, David Del Rio, and Skye P. Marshall of "Matlock" on CBS (key art)

MATLOCK stars Emmy and Academy Award winner Kathy Bates as Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a brilliant septuagenarian who achieved success in her younger years and decides to rejoin the work force at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases. Matty is assigned to Olympia (Skye P. Marshall), a senior attorney and key rainmaker with a thirst for justice, Olympia’s ex-husband, Julian (Jason Ritter), the son of the head of the firm, is intrigued by Matty and her clever skills. As Matty endeavors to establish herself in her new high-stakes world, she works alongside the firm’s younger associates – the charismatic Billy (David Del Rio) and the uber ambitious Sarah (Leah Lewis). MATLOCK is inspired by the classic television series of the same name.

Premieres Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

ON AIR:

ORIGINATION:

Thursdays (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT), beginning Oct. 17, 2024

Los Angeles

FORMAT:

Drama (Filmed in HD)

STARRING:

Kathy Bates

(Madeline “Matty” Matlock)

Skye P. Marshall

(Olympia)

Jason Ritter

(Julian)

David Del Rio

(Billy)

Leah Lewis

(Sarah)

PRODUCED BY:

CBS Studios

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS:

Jennie Snyder Urman, Joanna Klein, Eric Christian Olsen, John Will, Kat Coiro and Kathy Bates

Honored numerous times for her work, Kathy Bates is an undeniable force on stage, screen and television. Bates won an Academy Award® and a Golden Globe® for her portrayal of obsessed fan Annie Wilkes in Rob Reiner’s 1990 hit “Misery,” based on Stephen King’s novel. In 1995, Bates appeared in the title role of King’s “Dolores Claiborne.”

Currently, she can be seen in the Lionsgate feature adaption of Judy Blume’s classic novel “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” alongside Rachel McAdams.

Additionally, Bates will also star in the Netflix rom-com “A Family Affair” with Nicole Kidman, Joey King, Liza Koshy and Zac Efron. The film will release on the platform later this year. She is set to star in the independent feature film “Thelma,” which recounts the real-life story of the mother of John Kennedy Toole, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Confederacy of Dunces. Bates will star alongside John Malkovich and Lewis Pullman in the film, which is penned by Black List screenwriter Andrew Farotte and will be directed by Ken Kwapis.

Upcoming, Bates will star in the highly anticipated, reimagined CBS series MATLOCK as a new incarnation of the Andy Griffith character from the original hit series. She also serves as an executive producer on the show. Additionally, Bates recently wrapped production on Castille Landon’s comedy “Summer Camp” opposite Diane Keaton and Alfre Woodard.

Bates recently received the National Board of Review Award as well as an Oscar® and Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal as Bobi Jewell in Clint Eastwood’s “Richard Jewell.” Starring alongside Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde and Jon Hamm, the WB film is based on Marie Brenner’s 1997 Vanity Fair article “American Nightmare: The Ballad of Richard Jewell.”

In 1999, Bates received Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations and won a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award® and a Critics Choice Award for her performance in Mike Nichols’ “Primary Colors.” Bates earned her third Oscar nomination for her role in Alexander Payne’s “About Schmidt,” for which she won a National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress and garnered Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations.

Her film work has also been recognized with Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations for Jon Avnet’s film adaptation of Fanny Flagg’s “Fried Green Tomatoes,” and she also shared a SAG Award nomination with the ensemble cast of James Cameron’s blockbuster “Titanic,” as well as a nomination for the ensemble of Woody Allen’s biggest success, “Midnight in Paris.”

Bates received her star on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame on Sept. 20, 2016.

Her additional film credits include: “The Blind Side” with Sandra Bullock; Stephen Frears’ period drama “Cheri,” in which she starred with Michelle Pfeiffer; Sam Mendes’ drama “Revolutionary Road,” which reunited her with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet; Adam Sandler’s “The Waterboy”; Robert Altman’s “Come Back to the Five & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean”; “Straight Time” with Dustin Hoffman; and Milos Forman’s “Taking Off.”

On television, Bates has received 14 Emmy® nominations, winning her first award in 2003 playing the ghost of Charlie Harper in Chuck Lorre’s TWO AND A HALF MEN. Bates won rave reviews and her second Emmy as the deliciously evil Madame LaLaurie in Ryan Murphy’s “American Horror Story: Coven” on FX. She received two more Emmy nods for her respective performances in “American Horror Story: Freak Show” and “American Horror Story: Hotel.”

For the 1996 HBO film “The Late Shift,” Bates won a Golden Globe and a SAG Award and earned an Emmy nomination. Her television honors also include Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations for her performance as Miss Hannigan in The Wonderful World of Disney musical “Annie.”

Bates has also been honored for her work behind the camera as a director. She helmed the A&E telefilm “Dash and Lily,” starring Sam Shepard and Judy Davis, which earned nine Emmy nominations, including one for Bates as Best Director. She also directed five episodes of the acclaimed HBO series “Six Feet Under,” earning a Directors Guild of America Award® nomination for the episode “Twilight.” Her directing credits also include episodes of “Oz,” “Homicide: Life on the Street” and PBS’ “Great Performances.”

Bates first gained the attention of critics and audiences on the New York stage starring as Joanne in Jack Heifner’s “Vanities” – one of the longest-running plays in Off-Broadway history. She was nominated for a Tony Award® for her portrayal of the suicidal daughter in the original Broadway production of Marsha Norman’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “‘night, Mother.” She has been honored with an Obie Award® for her performance as Frankie in the original Off-Broadway production of Terrence McNally’s “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune.” She portrayed Elsa Barlow in Athol Fugard’s “The Road to Mecca” alongside Fugard and Yvonne Bryceland.

For the past several years, Bates has served as the national spokesperson for the Lymphatic Education and Research Network (LE&RN). LE&RN is an internationally recognized non-profit organization founded in 1998 to fight lymphatic diseases and lymphedema through education, research and advocacy. With chapters throughout the world, LE&RN seeks to accelerate the prevention, treatment and cure of these diseases while bringing patients and medical professionals together to address the unmet needs surrounding lymphatic diseases, which include lymphedema and lipedema.

Bates currently resides in Los Angeles, Calif.

 

Jason Ritter, Kathy Bates and Skye P. Marshall star in "Matlock" on CBS.

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Interview with Arlen Escarpeta

TV Interview!

 

Arlen Escarpeta as Zeke Wallace on "Found" on NBC -- (Photo from Arlen's Instagram)

Interview with Arlen Scarpeta of “Found” on NBC by Suzanne 9/10/24

This was such an enjoyable interview with Arlen, who plays Zeke on “Found” and seems like a great guy. If you aren’t that familiar with the show, Zeke is the one that has agoraphobia (is afraid to leave his place).  He has some great scenes at the beginning of this season. No spoilers here! I hope you enjoy our video. Don’t miss the season premiere October 3rd on NBC!

 

MORE INFO: Official Site  Trailer

Arlen Escarpeta

Zeke Wallace, “Found”

FOUND -- Season: 2 -- Pictured: Arlen Escarpeta as Zeke Wallace -- (Photo by: Kwaku Alston/NBC)

Arlen Escarpeta stars as Zeke on the NBC drama “Found.”

Escarpeta is best known for co-starring in the OWN series “David Makes Man,” from executive producers Oprah Winfrey and Michael B. Jordan. Previous TV credits include “Grimm,” “Extant,” “American Dreams,” “Boston Public,” “House,” “Law & Order: SVU” and the Lifetime film “Whitney.”

On the film side, Escarpeta earned critical acclaim for his breakout role in the IFC drama “American Gun,” making its premiere at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival and starring Forest Whitaker, Marcia Gay Harden and Donald Sutherland. Earlier film roles include Carl Franklin’s courtroom thriller “High Crimes,” opposite Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd.

He has also appeared in “High Crimes,” “Brotherhood,” “Friday the 13th,” “We Are Marshall,” “Final Destination 5” and “The Ten.”

Escarpeta moved to Los Angeles from his native country of Belize.

FOUND -- Pictured: "Found" Key Art -- (Photo by: NBCUniversal)Found

Season 2 Premiering Oct 3 on NBC (10-11p.m. ET/PT)

In any given year, more than 600,000 people are reported missing in the U.S. More than half that number are people of color that the country seems to forget about. Public relations specialist Gabi Mosely (series star and producer Shanola Hampton), who was once herself one of those forgotten ones, and her crisis management team make sure there is always someone looking out for the missing. Gabi, however, has a chilling secret: In the midst of grief, she imprisoned her childhood kidnapper, Sir (Mark-Paul Gosselaar). Now Sir has escaped and is on the loose, and her biggest secret is now her biggest threat.

The cast includes Shanola Hampton, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Kelli Williams, Brett Dalton, Gabrielle Walsh, Arlen Escarpeta and Karan Oberoi.

In addition to Nkechi Okoro Carroll, Sonay Hoffman serves as executive producer, along with Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman and Lindsay Dunn.

The series is produced by Berlanti Productions and Rock My Soul Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

In any given year, more than 600,000 people are reported missing in the U.S. More than half that number are people of color that the country seems to forget about. Public relations specialist Gabi Mosely (series star and producer Shanola Hampton), who was once herself one of those forgotten ones, and her crisis management team make sure there is always someone looking out for the missing. Gabi, however, has a chilling secret: In the midst of grief, she imprisoned her childhood kidnapper, Sir (Mark-Paul Gosselaar). Now Sir has escaped and is on the loose, and her biggest secret is now her biggest threat.

 

The cast includes Shanola Hampton, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Kelli Williams, Brett Dalton, Gabrielle Walsh, Arlen Escarpeta and Karan Oberoi.

In addition to Nkechi Okoro Carroll, Sonay Hoffman serves as executive producer, along with Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman and Lindsay Dunn.

The series is produced by Berlanti Productions and Rock My Soul Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Arlen Escarpeta as Zeke Wallace -- (Photo by: Fernando Decillis/NBC)

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Interview with Bárbara Mori and Fernando Rovzar

TV Interview!

 

Bárbara Mori and Fernando Rovzar of "Women in Blue" on Apple TV+

Interview with Bárbara Mori and Fernando Rovzar of “Women in Blue” AKA “Las Azules” on Apple TV+ by Suzanne 9/18/24

This is such a wonderful series, and everyone should watch it. It takes places in 1970, when women were encouraged to join the police department in Mexico City, only to find that they’re being used for political reasons. The women then have to prove themselves in the search for a serial killer targeting young women. María, Valentina, Gabina and Ángeles are the focus of the show as we learn about each of them and how they work together. It’s intriguing both as a look back on how women were treated then, and as a riveting police drama.  Mori starts as María, so I was delighted to speak with her and Rovzar. He created and wrote the show, as well as directed some of the episodes. I didn’t know (until María mentioned it in this interview) that the two of them are married.  I was fascinated to learn more about the creation and filming of show after watching many of the episodes. I hope you enjoy our interview as well! Tomorrow is the series finale, so don’t miss it! It’s worth binge-watching.  If you don’t like to read subtitles, and you don’t know Spanish, you can watch it in English (dubbed). They have all of those options for you on Apple TV+, which is great. I prefer dubbed, myself.

 

MORE INFO: Official Site  Trailer

"Women in Blue" key art

Apple TV+ shares first-look at “Women in Blue” (“Las Azules”), new Spanish-language crime drama from International Emmy Award winner Fernando Rovzar

Set to debut globally July 31, 2024 on Apple TV+, new series featuring Ariel Award nominee Bárbara Mori is inspired by the thrilling true stories of Mexico’s first female police force and stars Ximena Sariñana, Natalia Téllez and Amorita Rasgado 

Apple TV+ today unveiled the premiere date and a first-look at “Women in Blue” (“Las Azules”), its upcoming ten episode Spanish-language crime drama featuring an entirely Hispanic cast and crew led by Ariel Award nominee Bárbara Mori (“Perdidos en La Noche,” “La Negociadora,” “La Mujer De Mi Hermano”). Created by International Emmy Award-winning showrunner and director Fernando Rovzar (“Monarca,” “Sr. Ávila”) and Pablo Aramendi (“Tijuana,” “Los Elegidos”), “Women in Blue” will make its global debut with the first two episodes on Wednesday, July 31, 2024 on Apple TV+, followed by one episode weekly through September 25.

Set in 1970 and inspired by true events, “Women in Blue” tells the story of four women who defy the ultra-conservative norms of the time and join Mexico’s first female police force, only to discover that their squad is a publicity stunt to distract the media from a brutal serial killer. As the body count grows, María (Mori), whose determination to catch the killer becomes an obsession, Gabina (Amorita Rasgado), whose father is a renowned cop, Ángeles (Ximena Sariñana), a brilliant fingerprint analyst, and Valentina (Natalia Téllez), a young rebel, set up a secret investigation to achieve what no male officer has been able to do and bring the serial killer to justice.

The series stars Mori, Sariñana, Téllez, Rasgado, Miguel Rodarte, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Christian Tappan, and Horacio García Rojas.

Rovzar, Emmy Award nominee Wendy Riss (“Yellowstone,” “Genius,” “The Killing”), Erica Sanchez Su (“Monarca,” “La Venganza de Las Juanas,” “Paramédicos”), Sandra Solares ( “Point Break,” “Y Tú Mamá También,” “Instructions Not Included”) and International Emmy Award winner Billy Rovzar (“Monarca,” “Control Z,” “Sr. Ávila”) serve as executive producers. The series is produced for Apple TV+ by Lemon Studios.

Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have earned 488 wins and 2,143 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy “Ted Lasso” and historic Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”

Natalia Téllez, Amorita Rasgado, Ximena Sariñana and Bárbara Mori in "Women in Blue (Las Azules)," now streaming on Apple TV+.

About Apple TV+

Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.*

*Special offer is good for three months after the first activation of the eligible device. One offer per Family Sharing group. Plans automatically renew until canceled. Other restrictions and terms apply; visit apple.com/promo for more information.

Cast & Crew

  • Bárbara Mori
  • Ximena Sariñana
  • Natalia Téllez
  • Amorita Rasgado
  • Miguel Rodarte
  • Leonardo Sbaraglia
  • Christian Tappán
  • Horacio García Rojas

Executive Producers

  • Fernando Rovzar
  • Wendy Riss
  • Erica Sánchez Su
  • Sandra Solares
  • Billy Rovzar

Natalia Téllez, Bárbara Mori, Fernando Rovzar, Amorita Rasgado and Ximena Sariñana at the premiere of "Women in Blue (Las Azules)," now streaming on Apple TV+.

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Interview with Tim Rozon, Melanie Scrofano and Emily Andras

TV Interview!

 

Tim Rozon, Melanie Scrofano and Emily Andras of "Wyatt Earp: Vengeance" on Tubi - San Diego Comic-Con 2024 (screengrab from Andras' video on Instagram)

Interview with Tim Rozon, Melanie Scrofano and Emily Andras of “Wyatt Earp: Vengeance” on Tubi by Suzanne 9/5 and 9/10/24

I just love chatting with these actors, which I’ve done several times now; it was great to also meet Emily (the creator/writer).  They’re all extremely nice and fun. Emily has an amazing enthusiasm that I’ve rarely seen in anyone I’ve talked to, let alone a writer, producer or showrunner.  Don’t miss Tim and Mel’s return to this delightful universe that Emily created. I hope this special is very successful, so that they can do another special, movie or TV series.  You should be able to enjoy it even if you’ve never seen it before, I’m told.  I apologize that the videos are on speaker mode and not gallery like usual… This was some glitch with the PR and not with me! I always prefer gallery mode. Enjoy!

Tim Rozon and Melanie Scrofano

Tim Rozon and Melanie Scrofano of "Wyatt Earp: Vengeance" on Tubi (photo from Scrofano's Instagram)

Emily Andras

Melanie Scrofano and Emily Andras of "Wynonna Earp: Vengeance" on Tubi (from Andras' Instagram)

 

MORE INFO: Official Site  Trailer

Wynonna Earp key art

Wynonna Earp – spicy, hard-living, demon-slaying anti-heroine and great-great-granddaughter of legendary lawman Wyatt Earp – must return, once again, to her hometown of Purgatory to battle her greatest foe yet: a psychotic villainess hellbent on revenge against Wynonna… and everyone she loves.

VENGEANCE features original cast members, Melanie Scrofano (Wynonna Earp), Tim Rozon (Doc Holliday), Dominique Provost-Chalkley (Waverly Earp) and Katherine Barrell (Nicole Haught).

WYNONNA EARP – VENGEANCE  is produced by SEVEN24 Films in association withCineflix Studios, written, created and executive produced by Emily Andras and directed by Paolo Barzman. SEVEN24’s Jordy Randall and Tom Cox with Cineflix’s Peter Emerson and Brett Burlock serve as Executive Producers along with Todd Berger and Rick Jacobs. “Wynonna Earp” is based on the IDW Tim Rozon and Melanie Scrofano of "Wyatt Earp: Vengeance" on Tubi (photo from Tubi press site)Publishing graphic novel created and written by Beau Smith.

Follow all WYNONNA EARP: VENGEANCE news on social here:

Twitter: @Tubi  

Instagram: @Tubi 

TikTok: @Tubi

Facebook: @TubiTV

#Vengeance

 

Tim Rozon and Melanie Scrofano of "Wyatt Earp: Vengeance" on Tubi (photo from Rozon's Instagram)

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Tim Rozon, Melanie Scrofano and Emily Andras of "Wyatt Earp: Vengeance" on Tubi (Fan Art)

Interview with Lea Thompson and Wendie Malick

TV Interview!

 

Lea Thompson, Schuyler Fisk, Genevieve Angelson and Wendie Malick (from Instagram)

Interview with Lea Thompson, Schuyler Fisk, Genevieve Angelson and Wendie Malick of “The Chicken Sisters” on Hallmark+ by Suzanne 8/19/24

These were two fun interviews! I was so glad to speak to the legendary actresses, Wendie and Lea, whose work I’ve enjoyed so much over the years. The other two young actresses also do a great job in the show.  Everyone was very nice. Fun fact: Schuyler Fisk is the daughter of movie star Sissy Spacek!  Anyway, the show is not only funny but heart-warming. However, it’s not sappy or saccharine. I enjoyed the episodes I’ve seen so far.  Hallmark is starting their first streaming channel, Hallmark+, and this is one of their first original series on it. You can only watch this series on Hallmark+. It begins Tuesday, Sept. 10, and new episodes will premiere every Thursday beginning on September 12. I hope you enjoy the series as much I do! It’s worth adding another streaming service for this. You can always try it with the free trial and see if you like it.

Schuyler Fisk & Lea Thompson

Genevieve Angelson & Wendie Malick

 

MORE INFO: Official Site  Trailer

"The Chicken Sisters" key art - Sisters Amanda and Mae reunite when reality show “Kitchen Clash” comes to their town of Merinac, heating up the competition between their feuding fried chicken restaurants – and families. Based on the NY Times bestseller and Reese’s Book Club selection of the same name.

Sisters Amanda and Mae are reunited when reality show KITCHEN CLASH comes to their town, and the competition between their two feuding restaurants heats up. Starring Schuyler Fisk, Genevieve Angelson, Lea Thompson and Wendie Malick.

Now Streaming Exclusively on Hallmark+

About THE CHICKEN SISTERS

The Chicken Sisters is a new original series based on the NY Times Bestseller of the same name and Reese’s Book Club selection penned by KJ Dell’Antonia. Coming home to roost on Hallmark in September, the eight-episode series from Showrunner and Executive Producer Annie Mebane stars Schuyler Fisk (Sam & Kate, Orange County), Genevieve Angelson (The Handmaid’s Tale, Good Girls Revolt), Lea Thompson (Switched at Birth, Back to the Future) and Wendie Malick (Young Sheldon, Shrinking, Just Shoot Me!).

The Chicken Sisters is a family drama dipped in southern charm and served up with a saucy side of romance. The setting is the fictional town of Merinac, where a generations-old rift between dueling fried chicken restaurants – Mimi’s and Frannie’s – has left the founders’ families fractured and the locals taking sides. When popular cooking competition show Kitchen Clash comes to town, this could be the recipe for ending this feud once and for all. But things are fixing to heat up both inside and outside of the kitchen as the reality show spotlight causes sparks to fly as secrets are spilled and feathers get ruffled.

The series will premiere in September on Hallmark’s recently announced streaming service and membership rewards program, Hallmark+.

THE CHICKEN SISTERS

Cast Bios

Schuyler Fisk of "The Chicken Sisters" on Hallmark+SCHUYLER FISK (Amanda Moore Hillier) – Schuyler Fisk’s long and respected acting career began at the age of 11 years old when she starred in (the now cult-favorite film) The Baby-sitter’s Club. Most recently, Fisk starred in the titular role of Kate in the well-received indie film (and Austin Film Festival audience award winner), Sam & Kate. Deadline film reviewer Pete Hammond said, “Fisk is just terrific here, and like her real-life mom seems incapable of a false note.” Other feature films of note include, include Orange County with Jack Black and Colin Hanks, I’m Reed Fish with Jay Baruchel, Gus Van Sant’s film Restless and The Best of Me.

With her vibrant voice and honest songwriting, Fisk also draws legions of fans to her music, both onstage and online, where she enjoys an active grassroots following as a top indie artist. After a decade of touring, songwriting and collaborating with other artists, she came onto the scene with a bang in 2009, when her first album The Good Stuff debuted on Billboard’s Heatseekers Chart and at #1 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter Chart. She then went on to release a number of records and singles under her own moniker as well as a few with side-projects, including her duo FM Radio, with whom she performed as a musical guest on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Fisk’s latest album, We Could Be Alright, produced by Colin Killalea, was released at the end of 2022. Fisk has performed and toured with artists including Sheryl Crow, Rachael Yamagata, Cary Brothers, Joshua Radin and Ben Taylor. She has numerous collaborations and a songwriter and a singer, including the immensely popular song “Paperweight,” written and performed with Joshua Radin for the film The Last Kiss. Fisk continues to contribute original songs to many other film and television projects, including, most recently, “Life After” in Sam & Kate.

Genevieve Angelson of "The Chicken Sisters" on Hallmark+ (photo from the Hallmark press site or Instagram)GENEVIEVE ANGELSON (Mae Moore) – Actress Genevieve Angelson has built a strong reputation for starring in a diverse array of memorable roles across film, television and theater.

Angelson is most-well known for her starring role as Patti Robinson on Amazon’s critically-acclaimed series Good Girls Revolt. The series followed a group of women at a 1960s magazine who pushed back against gender boundaries.

This past year, Angelson has starred in a number of memorable roles, and can currently be seen as Alanis Wheeler on the fifth season of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Additionally, she starred as Indigo on Apple TV+’s The Afterparty with Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barenholtz, as well as Dr. Mia Castries on NBC’s New Amsterdam and Sally on This is Us.

Other past television roles include Anna Paquin’s sister Ruth on Flack, Detective Nicole Gravely, opposite Rainn Wilson on Backstrom, House of Lies, Titans, The Good Wife and Blue Bloods.

In film, Angelson recently co-starred in the romantic comedy, Which Brings Me to You opposite Lucy Hale and Nat Wolff, for BCDF Pictures.

Angelson originated the role of Nina in the Broadway production of NinaVanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike on Broadway opposite Sigourney Weaver, which won the Tony Award for Best Play. She also starred in the Off-Broadway production of The Cake at the Manhattan Theater Club.

Angelson is a published writer and has been featured in outlets including Elle, Town & Country and

Refinery29.

Angelson is a Graduate of the Tisch School Graduate Acting Program.

Lea Thompson in "The Chicken Sisters" on Hallmark+LEA THOMPSON (Nancy Hillier) – Lea Thompson has had a remarkable career as an artist of many colors over the last four decades. She is probably best known for Back to the Future and Switched at Birth, but her career has encompassed acting, directing, singing, dancing in ballet, theatre, films and television.

Thompson started in ballet at the Minnesota Dance Theater and the Pennsylvania Ballet. She moved into acting an has amassed more that 50 feature films to her credit such as Red Dawn, Back to the Future, Some Kind of Wonderful, Howard the Duck, Little Rascals, Dennis the Menace, Beverly Hillbillies, All the Right Moves, J Edgar, Little Women and The Trouble with the Truth. In television series, highlights are starring in Caroline in the City, Jane Doe and Switched at Birth along with many guest star spots in series such as Friends, Tales from the Crypt and Scorpion. Now a veteran director now in television, Thompson has helmed Jane Doe, Switched at Birth, The Goldbergs, Star Girl, Star Trek: Picard, Resident Alien and Will Trent. She made her feature film directorial debut with The Year of Spectacular Men on which she collaborated with her daughters Madelyn and Zoey Deutch. Stage singing and acting credits include I love My Wife and as Sally Bowles in Cabaret on Broadway.

Lea often performs at events for the Alzheimer’s Association, Michael J Fox Foundation and breast cancer charities. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband of 35 years, Howard Deutch, and a menagerie of dogs, fish, horses and chickens.

Wendie Malick in "The Chicken Sisters" on Hallmark+WENDIE MALICK (Augusta “Gus” Moore) – Wendie Malick has graced screens with an illustrious film and television career for decades. She received four Cable Ace awards for her role in HBO’s groundbreaking comedy, Dream On and garnered a Golden Globe and two Emmy Nominations for her iconic role, Nina Van Horn, in Just Shoot Me! Malick also starred in Hot In Cleveland, for which she and her cast mates earned a People’s Choice Award, and a SAG nomination for Best Ensemble. Other series included Frasier, Big Day, Good Company, and Rush Hour, as well as recurring roles on The Ranch, American Housewife, This Is Us, Pitch, Darrow & Darrow and NYPD Blue.

Malick recently recurred on Physical, Young Sheldon, and opposite Harrison Ford on the Apple TV+ series, Shrinking and also appeared in the last season of Dear White People. She’s made guest appearances on Billions, Mom, Seinfeld, Grace and Frankie, CSI, L.A. Law, The X Files, and many

more. Animated television credits include “Jimmy Neutron,” SpongeBob SquarePants, Bojack Horseman (Annie nomination), Rugrats and the Peabody award winning show, The Owl House.

Big screen credits include: Endings, Beginnings, Adventureland, Fifty-Nothing, Jerome, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Waiting, Racing Stripes, The American President, Trojan Wars, Raising Genius, Mr. Mikes Mondo Video, A Little Sex, The Goods, Bugsy, The Emperor’s New Groove, Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel, The Surrogate, Mack and Rita, About Fate, The Re-Education of Molly Singer, 7000 Miles and Mother of All Shows.

On stage, Malick’s work included BURLEIGH GRIMES, NORTH SHORE FISH (Off-Broadway), Big Night (Kirk Douglas Theater),The Engagement Party and The Underpants (Geffen), Don’t Blame Me, I Voted For Helen Gahagan Douglas (Wooly Mammoth), Santaland Diaries (Coast Playhouse), Love Letters (Laguna Playhouse), The Guys (Studio Arena), Blithe Spirit and What is The Cause of Thunder (Williamstown) and Closure (New Jersey Rep).

Malick is on the Board of the Environmental Media Association, and the Advisory Board of Return To Freedom, a wild horse sanctuary and advocacy group. Through their charitable gift fund, A Drop in the Bucket, she and her husband, Richard Erickson, support a medical center in Congo. They live on a ranch in the Santa Monica mountains, with two dogs, three horses and a miniature donkey.

Lea Thompson, Schuyler Fisk, Genevieve Angelson and Wendie Malick of "The Chicken Sisters" on Hallmark+

Interview with Arkie Kandola of “How to Die Alone” and “Chicken Sisters” 8/27/24

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Interview with Doug Jones and Elias Toufexis

TV Interview!

 

Doug Jones and Elias Toufexis of "Star Trek: Discovery" on Paramount+

Interview with Doug Jones and Elias Toufexis of “Star Trek: Discovery” on Paramount+ by Suzanne 8/15 and 8/21/24

I’m a lifelong Trekkie, so I’m always happy to speak with anyone from the franchise. I’ve spoken with Doug (who played Saru) before, but he’s just such a nice and fun guy to chat with, that I was happy to speak with him again about the release of the show’s final season, as well as the complete series, on DVD, Blu-Ray™ and Limited Edition Blu-Ray™ Steelbook. We had a great chat. Then, the following week, I spoke at length with Elias, who played the last season’s villain, L’ak (along with Moll).  Both actors have been in many great scifi, fantasy and horror movies, TV shows and video games. They’re both amazing actors. Honestly, I could have spokne with them both for hours.  I hope you enjoy our video interviews!

Win a free copy of “Star Trek Discovery: The Final Season” Blu-ray (Season 5) – we have 2 to give away…
Email us with the subject line “Let’s Fly!” to enter! Ends 9/6/24.

Doug Jones

Elias Toufexis

 

"Star Trek: The Final Season" Blu-Ray Cover artMORE INFO: Trailer

Buy the Final Season DVD, Blu-Ray or Limited Edition Blu-Ray Steelbook or Complete Series DVD or Blu-Ray

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY™ THE FINAL SEASON ARRIVES AUGUST 27
ON DVD, BLU-RAY™ AND LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY™ STEELBOOK

With Nearly 2 Hours of Special Features, Including Featurettes, Audio Commentary, a Gag Reel, and More!

LOS ANGELES – June 10, 2024 – Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery return when STAR TREK: DISCOVERY™ THE FINAL SEASON arrives with even more “incredible action sequences and truly breathtaking visuals” – Collider (Samantha Coley) August 27 on DVD, Blu-ray™ and Limited Edition Blu-ray™ Steelbook from Paramount Home Entertainment.

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY™ THE FINAL SEASON cast members include Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland “Book” Booker), Blu del Barrio (Adira), and Callum Keith Rennie (Rayner). The final season also features recurring guest stars Elias Toufexis (L’ak) and Eve Harlow (Moll).

These 4-disc DVD and Blu-ray™ collections include every adventure-filled episode and nearly 2 hours of special features, including featurettes, audio commentary, a gag reel, and more!

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY™ THE FINAL SEASON is also available on Digital August 26*

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY™: THE COMPLETE SERIES will also be available on August 27 on Blu-ray and DVD, featuring all 65 episodes and over 15 hours of special features including a BONUS DISC that takes you on a never-before-seen journey through all five seasons with the cast and crew.

SYNOPSIS

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY™ follows the voyages of Starfleet on their missions to discover new worlds and new life forms. The fifth and final season will find Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well… dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it.

FINAL SEASON SPECIAL FEATURES

  • Audio Commentary (Exclusive to Home Entertainment)

  • Deleted Scene (Exclusive to Home Entertainment)

  • Being Michael Burnham (Exclusive to Home Entertainment)

  • Character Development (Exclusive to Home Entertainment)

  • Gag Reel (Exclusive to Home Entertainment)

  • Star Trek: Discovery™: The Voyage of Season 5

  • A Team Effort

  • Discovery‘s Creative Force

 

The series is produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. Alex Kurtzman, Michelle Paradise, Heather Kadin, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Sonequa Martin-Green, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth serve as executive producers. Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise serve as co-showrunners.

*Special features available at select digital retailers with the purchase of full season

About CBS Studios:

CBS Studios is one of the world’s leading suppliers of entertainment programming with development and production for broadcast, cable networks, streaming services, and other emerging platforms. The Studio’s expansive portfolio spans a diverse slate of commercially successful and critically acclaimed scripted programming, which includes genre-defining franchises such as NCIS and the ever-growing Star Trek universe, award-winning late night and daytime talk shows, as well as an extensive library of iconic intellectual property. The Studio also develops and produces local language and international content originating outside of the US for viewers around the world.

Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.  PPC is a unit of Paramount (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA), a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide.  The PHE division oversees PPC’s home entertainment and transactional digital distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television Studios, Paramount Players, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and applicable licensing and servicing of certain DreamWorks Animation titles.  PHE additionally manages global licensing of studio content and transactional distribution across worldwide digital distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.

Final Season Specifications:

Blu-ray™ Specifications:

Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French (Parisian) 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3, German 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3, Italian 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3, Japanese 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3, Spanish (Castilian) 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3

Subtitles: English SDH, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French (Parisian), German, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Spanish (Castilian), Swedish

Blu-ray™ Steelbook:

Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French (Parisian) 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3, German 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3, Italian 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3, Japanese 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3, Spanish (Castilian) 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3

Subtitles: English SDH, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French (Parisian), German, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Spanish (Castilian), Swedish

DVD Specifications:

Audio: English 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3, French 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3,

Subtitles:English SDH, French (Parisian)

U.S. Rating:

Not Rated

Canadian Rating:

PG – Violence, Mature Theme

Run Times:

9:36:40 (Final Season)

54:50:39 (Complete Series)

Actor Doug Jones (Saru) of "Star Trek: Discovery" on Paramount+Doug Jones

October 2020

While famous for working under prosthetics in iconic feature film roles, Doug Jones is also a versatile character actor who has performed as himself in guest star roles on shows like “Arrow,” “The Flash,” “Teen Wolf,” “Z-Nation,” “The Neighbors,” “Criminal Minds,” “C.S.I.” and NBC’s horror anthology “Fear Itself.” A veteran of over 100 commercials, Doug was Mac Tonight, the moon-headed piano player in the long-running 1990s McDonald’s campaign. He also starred as the lead villain in “Hush,” an Emmy-winning episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” long considered a fan favorite. Doug was also a semi-regular guest judge on the hit SyFy Net reality series “Face Off.”

In 2005 he played the title role of Pan (as well as the nightmare character known as The Pale Man) in Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar-winning Spanish language fantasy/horror feature “Pan’s Labyrinth.” But it was his sensitive and elegant performance as Abe Sapien in del Toro’s 2004 box office hit “Hellboy” that brought Doug’s unique work to a wider audience. He went on to voice that same character for the Emmy-nominated Cartoon Network animations “Hellboy: Sword of Storms” and “Hellboy: Blood and Iron.” In 2007 Doug’s title role performance in “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” was hailed by fans and critics alike. 2008 saw Doug reprise his starring role (as well as two other characters) in “Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” once more under the direction of del Toro. He also starred in “Gainsbourg,” a stylized biopic of the famous French poet/singer/composer Serge Gainsbourg, in which he plays Gainsbourg’s dark alter ego. The film has won three Cesar Awards. Doug has also had prominent creature roles in “Crimson Peak,” “The Watch,” “The Bye Bye Man,” “Legion,” “Hocus Pocus” and many others.

Jones was a series regular on three seasons of TNT’s Spielberg-produced sci-fi series “Falling Skies” and recurred on Guillermo del Toro’s FX series “The Strain.” Upcoming, Jones will star opposite Sally Hawkins in del Toro’s “The Shape of Water.

Follow him on Instagram!

Elias Toufexis (L'ak) of "Star Trek: Discovery" on Paramount+ Photo from Toufexis' Twitter/X accountElias Toufexis is a Canadian actor. He has played characters on television and in video games, mostly in science fiction and fantasy genres.

He has played dozens of major characters on television in shows like: Star Trek: Discovery, FBI, FBI Most Wanted, Shadowhunters, Criminal Minds, Bitten, Lost Girl, Alphas, Stargate: Atlantis and particularly memorable characters on: Supernatural and The Expanse.

He is one of the busiest Performance Capture actors in the world, with characters in video games, films, and television. Variety has called him “The Canadian Andy Serkis”

In the video-game world, he’s played leading characters in many multi-million dollar projects. The Assassin’s Creed Series, The Deus Ex Series, Gotham Knights, The Call Of Duty Series, The Fortnite Series, The Splinter Cell Series, The Far Cry Series, The Immortals Fenyx Rising series, and dozens more. He has a cult following around the world for his work in Performance Capture and Voice in Videogames.

Forbes Magazine called him a “voice-acting heavyweight”. In Animation, you can hear Elias is multiple animated series and films. Most recently in the Netflix Animated series Blood Of Zeus and in Adult Swim’s Blade Runner Black Lotus. You can also hear him as the voice of Yellow Pages, McDonald’s, Lexus Cars, Taco Bell, and many many more radio and TV voice-over commercials.

Visit his website

Doug Jones (Saru) and Elias Toufexis (L'ak) of "Star Trek: Discovery" on Paramount+ Photo from Toufexis' Instagram

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Interview with David Arquette

TV Interview!

 

Robert Schwartzman and David Arquette of "The Good Half," out in theaters now (photos from their Instagrams)

Interview with director Robert Schwartzman and actor David Arquette for the film,”The Good Half” by Suzanne 8/6 and 8/8/24

This movie is one that everyone should watch. It does deal with family drama and grief, but it’s also heartwarming and funny, and it has some romance. To my mind, it’s not morbid, nor is it overly sentimental. It’s out in theaters now, and you shouldn’t miss it. Nick Jonas stars and shows us that he is a fine actor (and not just the great singer he has proven many times over).  There are many lovely performances in the movie. It has a great cast. David Arquette has a small but important role as Nick’s stepfather. He plays it masterfully.  It was so interesting to speak with these two about this movie. Don’t miss it!

Robert Schwartzman

Key art for film "The Good Half" with David Arquette

David Arquette

 

MORE INFO: Official Site  Trailer

"The Good Half" key art

UTOPIA Presents logo

THE GOOD HALF

In Theaters August 16th

**LA Premiere Screening on August 13th**

Starring Nick Jonas, Brittany Snow, David Arquette,
Alexandra Shipp, Matt Walsh and Elisabeth Shue
Directed by Robert Schwartzman 

**Official Selection – 2023 Tribeca Festival**

Directed by: Robert Schwartzman (The Unicorn)

Written by: Brett Ryland
Produced by: Russell Wayne Groves, Robert Schwartzman, and Brett Ryland
"The Good Half" star Nick Jonas with director Robert Schwartzman
Starring:
Nick Jonas
Brittany Snow (Pitch Perfect)
David Arquette (Scream)
Alexandra Shipp (Anyone But You)
Matt Walsh (“Veep”)
Elisabeth Shue (Leaving Las Vegas)

Renn Wheeland returns home to Cleveland for his mother’s funeral. Once there, he forges new relationships while healing old ones, before confronting his problems and trying to face his grief.

RT: 100 Minutes

 

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Interview with Tim Reid

TV Interview!

 

Actor/Director/Producer Tim Reid (from his Facebook page)

Interview with Tim Reid of “Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall” on Lifetime by Suzanne 8/6/24

This is my second one-on-one interview with actor/director/producer Tim Reid; he’s always so fun and interesting to speak with. He knows a lot about history, black history, and more, as well as the entertainment industry.  He directs this movie, so it was great to get his perspective on it, and on Miss Cleo herself. If you remember her, or even if you just like to watch biopics, you should definitely watch it because it’s fascinating, and you’ll probably learn a lot.

 

MORE INFO:  Official Site  Trailer

Key art for "Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall" on Lifetime

Lifetime Announces Biopic “Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall” Starring Robin “The Lady of Rage” Allen Premiering 8/10

LIFETIME CHANNELS ICONIC TELEVISION PSYCHIC IN NEW BIOPIC
MISS CLEO: HER RISE AND FALL
PREMIERING SATURDAY AUGUST 10

 STARRING ROBIN “THE LADY OF RAGE” ALLEN,
SHANE JOHNSON AND IAN BOHEN
DIRECTED BY TIM REID

WATCH TRAILER NOW

LIFETIME WILL ALSO AIR THE DOC CALL ME MISS CLEO
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE MOVIE

LOS ANGELES, CA (July 15, 2024) – Lifetime expands the network’s summer movie slate with all-new biopic about beloved television personality and cult icon, Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall, premiering on Lifetime Saturday, August 10 at 8/7c, followed by the documentary Call Me Miss Cleo at 10/9c. Starring Robin “The Lady of Rage” Allen (On Ten, Tha Dogg Pound & Snoop Dogg: Who da Hardest) along with Shane Johnson (Power) and Ian Bohen (Yellowstone) and directed by Tim Reid (Sister, Sister) the epic journey picks up in the late 90s’ when, single mom Youree Dell Harris finds herself desperate to take care of her family and takes a job at the Psychic Readers Network — only to become one of the networks most beloved personalities, Miss Cleo. But her challenges don’t end there and when the network faces allegations of fraud and deception, they turn their sights on Miss Cleo.  For the first time ever, Miss Cleo’s side of the story will finally be told.

Known for her work during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s with the Psychic Readers Network, this professional telephone and television psychic Youree Dell Harris (Allen) was launched into the pop culture zeitgeist when the network’s infomercials took off, making her a cult icon as the TV persona Miss Cleo.  Fondly remembered for donning a colorful turban in a candlelit room, Miss Cleo dutifully listened to callers detailing the most intimate details of their lives. Miss Cleo ultimately became the face of the Psychic Readers Network, earning the trust and loyalty for those that called her.  Years later, Harris’ world was turned upside down with complaints that the Psychic Readers Network was fraudulent and spread false advertising. Facing angry fans, Harris was forced to defend her reputation to clear her name and escape financial devastation.

Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall also stars Daphne Maxwell Reid, Cocoa Brown, Dwayne Boyd, Towanda Braxton, Jaida Standberry, Marley Taylor, Amelia Young, Stevie Baggs Jr., and Leslie Black.  Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall is produced by Hillionaire Productions for Lifetime and produced by Jami McCoy-Lankford and Samone Norsworthy, Anthony Standberry, Ahmed Hussain and Jami McCoy-Lankford serve as executive producers and William J. Cone serves as consulting producer. Tim Reid directs a screenplay by Camara Davis.

Call Me Miss Cleo the documentary chronicles the icons rise, fall, and reinvention of the ’90s TV psychic Miss Cleo.  Known for her larger-than-life persona and memorable accent, Miss Cleo, born Youree Dell Harris, garnered a nationwide cult following on the Psychic Readers Network, a popular telephone hotline that later came under fire for its alleged deceptive practices. Featuring interviews with celebrities and those closest to the self-proclaimed voodoo priestess, the film explores the many layers behind a complicated and charismatic figure. Call Me Miss Actor/Director/Producer Tim Reid (from his Facebook page)Cleo was produced by Gunpowder & Sky for HBO Max.  Van Toffler, Floris Bauer, Barry Barclay, Anne Loder, Jennifer O’Connell, and Lizzie Fox serve as executive producers.  The documentary is directed by Celia Aniskovich and Jennifer Brea.

Timothy Lee Reid Sr. is an American actor, comedian and film director best known for his roles in prime time American television programs, such as Venus Flytrap on WKRP in Cincinnati, Marcel “Downtown” Brown on Simon & Simon, Ray Campbell on Sister, Sister and William Barnett on That ’70s Show.

Previous interview with Tim Reid

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Interview with Trent Dawson

TV Interview!

 

Trent Dawson of As The World Turns, Katonah Classic Stage and more!

Interview with Trent Dawson of “As The World Turns” on CBS by Suzanne 8/5/24

I really enjoyed this interview with Trent. I just loved his character on “As The World Turns,” where he played Henry Coleman. You may have also seen him in “The Marvelous Miss Maisel,” “General Hospital,” or in one of his guest-starring roles. He’s an amazing actor, and now he’s also a producer, director and so much more with his Katonah Classic Stage (NY regional theater). Besides producing two plays a year, his group also puts on a film festival in the summer; this year’s is tomorrow, August 10 in Katonah (in Westchester, near New York).  This season’s play, “A Case for the Existence of God” premieres in October.

If you can make it to his film festival or his plays, you can buy tickets here. Otherwise, if you can support the upcoming theater season by donating to his theater, please do so. I hope you enjoy our chat!

 

Trent Dawson (photo from IMDB)MORE INFO: Katonah Classic Stage  – Film Festival  – Donations

Trent Dawson is an actor, director and writer based in New York. His acting highlights include Broadway (The Herbal Bed), Off Broadway (Playwrights Horizons, Theatre Row) and at countless regional theatres across the country. He has also starred in film and television, including Homeland, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, NCIS, The Good Wife, NCIS: LA, Castle, and more. He received three Emmy Nominations for his 11-year run as Henry Coleman on As the World Turns.Trent Dawson (photo from IMDB)

Trent is the Founding Artistic Director of Katonah Classic Stage, a non profit, professional theatre company in Katonah, NY: https://www.katonahclassicstage.com

Trent’s plays have been performed at Manhattan Rep. and The Barrow Group. He has directed both plays and films in and around NYC.

See Trent’s Donations Appeal!

Trent’s Web Site  IMDB Wikipedia

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Interview with David Caspe, Matthew Libman and Daniel Libman

TV Interview!

 

David Caspe, Matthew Libman and Daniel Libman of "Mr. Throwback" on Peacock

Interview with David Caspe, Matthew Libman and Daniel Libman of “Mr. Throwback” on Peacock by Suzanne 8/5/24

It was great fun to speak to a few of the writers and producers for this show. It’s a very funny series that you should watch! Even though it involves Steph Curry, who plays himself, it’s not really about basketball.  Don’t miss it! We need a second season, for sure.

 

MORE INFO: Official Site  Trailer

Mr. Throwback

Streaming Thursday, August 8 on PEACOCK

“Mr. Throwback” follows a down-on-his-luck memorabilia dealer who looks for redemption by reuniting with his sixth-grade teammate, NBA legend Stephen Curry.

SERIES DETAILS

Synopsis: A down-on-his-luck memorabilia dealer looks for redemption by reuniting with his sixth-grade teammate, NBA legend Steph Curry.

Writer / Executive Producer: David Caspe (Happy Endings, Black Monday)

Writers / Executive Producers: Matthew Libman and Daniel Libman (Happy Endings, Champaign ILL)

Executive Producer / Star: Stephen Curry

Executive Producer / Star: Adam Pally (Knuckles, Happy Endings)

Executive Producer: Erick Peyton (Unanimous Media)

Executive Producer/ Director (101-106): David Wain (Wet Hot American Summer)

Series Regulars: Stephen Curry, Adam Pally, Ego Nwodim and Ayden Mayeri

Recurring Guest Stars: Tracy Letts, Layla Scalisi, Tien Tran and Rich Sommer

Production company: Unanimous Media

Studio: Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group

Format: Comedy, 6 x 30 min episodes

"Mr. Throwback" Episode 101 -- Pictured: (l-r) Stephen Curry as himself, Ego Nwodim as Kimberly, Adam Pally as Danny -- (Photo by: David Moir/Peacock)

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Interview with Gloria Hampton

TV Interview!

 

Gloria Hampton of "Dance Moms: A New Era" on HULU.

Interview with Gloria Hampton of “Dance Moms: A New Era” on HULU by Suzanne 8/1/24

If you enjoyed episodes of the original “Dance Moms,” you should love this one as well.  Gloria seems very nice, and the kids are great to watch. It was great to speak with her! Don’t miss the show, premiering now on HULU.

 

MORE INFO: Official Site  Trailer

"Dance Moms: a New Era" key artGloria Hampton is known for Dance Moms: A New Era (2024), Dance Moms (2011) and Tyler: A Real Hero (1994).

Glo has a long history in the dance world, and she currently leads the Bleu Junior Elites from Studio Bleu in Ashburn, Virginia. Over the course of her career, she has helped guide students to dance professionally on Broadway, in music videos, on tours and in movies.

Additionally, Glo has served as a national judge for Dance One.

PREMIERE DATE: August 7th, 2024

EPISODES: 10

SYNOPSIS: Dance Moms: A New Era is a reboot of the ever so popular Dance Moms. This time, with a new coach, new dancers and new mama drama. Introducing beloved dance coach, Glo Hampton, who wants to take her students and prestigious dance school Studio Bleu to the next level – competing nationally every week. But the road to glory won’t be an easy one. Coach Glo must juggle her tiny but mighty dancers, their scheming moms, and ensuing meltdowns, all while ruling with a tender but tough iron fist. Will Glo and her dance team persevere amidst the dramatics?

CREDITS: “Dance Moms: A New Era” is produced by the A+E Factual Studios™ group for Hulu and Lifetime. The project is helmed by original series Executive Producer Bryan Stinson, alongside Sharon Scott, Steve Ascher, Kristy Sabat, Allie Breslin and Natalie Feldman who serve as executive producers from A+E Factual Studios.™ Kimberly Chessler and Brie Miranda Bryant executive produce from Lifetime.

Social:

Twitter: @Hulu

Instagram: @Hulu

Facebook: @Hulu

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Gloria Hampton of "Dance Moms: A New Era" on HULU.