Interview with Dan Jeannotte and Jen Lilley of “A Royal Setting” on Hallmark by Suzanne 3/25/26
I was very exciting to speak to these two actors because I enjoyed this movie! Also, I’m a great admirer of Jen Lilley, who played Theresa so well on “Days of Our Lives” off and on for many years, as well as a short stint on “General Hospital.” Dan and Jen are truly great actors with wonderful chemistry. Check out this movie!
Ruby, a world-renowned gemologist, is hired by Prince Luca to restore the crown jewels and design his crown. This challenges tradition and complicates his relationship with his mother, the queen. Starring Jen Lilley and Dan Jeannotte.
Jen Lilley (born August 4, 1984) is an American actress, singer, and philanthropist best known for her roles as Maxie Jones on General Hospital and Theresa Donovan on Days of Our Lives, along with starring in numerous Hallmark Channel movies. A passionate advocate for foster care and adoption, she has fostered and adopted children.
Dan Jeannotte (born September 22, 1981) is a Canadian actor, voice artist, and writer from Montreal, known for TV roles as Brandon Russell in Good Witch, James Stuart in Reign, Ryan Decker in The Bold Type, and Sam Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. He also portrayed Arno Dorian in Assassin’s Creed Unity.
Interview with Jill Hennessy, Roan Curtis, Lachlan Quarmby, Bethany Joy Lenz, and Benjamin Ayres of “Hope Valley 1874” on Hallmark+ by Suzanne 3/18/26
These two interviews were a lot of fun. I hope you enjoy this prequel series that takes place in 1874, about 45 years before the current season of the popular Hallmark Channel series “When Calls the Heart”). I’ve seen a few episodes, and it’s very entertaining. It premieres exclusively on Hallmark+ Saturday, 3/21/26.
About HOPEVALLEY: 1874 Premieres: Saturday, March 21 exclusively on Hallmark+, with a new episode available every Thursday beginning March 26. Stars: Bethany Joy Lenz (A Biltmore Christmas), Benjamin Ayres (The Santa Class), Jill Hennessy (City on a Hill), Roan Curtis (Firefly Lane) and Lachlan Quarmby (Providence Falls), Jedidiah Goodacre (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Mila Morgan (The Holiday Sitter) Logline: Set in 1874, the series explores the earliest days of the frontier settlement that later became HopeValley, chronicling the courage, resilience and relationships that laid the foundation for the close-knit town viewers have come to love. Lenz portrays Rebecca Clarke, who travels from her home city of Chicago to the Western Canadian frontier with her 11-year-old-daughter Sarah (Morgan). But when her wagon breaks down, and she realizes the boardinghouse is not as advertised, Rebecca has no choice but to accept help from local rancher and confirmed bachelor, Tom Moore (Ayres). Despite her best intentions to remain unattached, Bella can’t help but slowly fall for Tom and develop a friendship with tenacious pioneer woman Hattie Quinn (Hennessy). Hattie’s daughter Olivia(Curtis) helps run their trading post and catches the eye of Constable Alexander Vaughn (Quarmby), much to the dismay of Clayton (Goodacre), who harbors feelings for her.
Interview with Chris McNally and Janel Parrish of “Two for Tee” on Hallmark by Suzanne 3/17/26
It was a lot of fun speaking to these two stars. The movie was enjoyable. It was not your typical Hallmark formula, as we discuss in the interview. I hope you enjoy it! Don’t miss it tomorrow, Saturday, 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Hallmark Channel and streams next day on Hallmark+.
Canadian actor Chris McNally has appeared in several critically acclaimed films and television series spanning his career of more than a decade. Since 2019, he has starred as Lucas Bouchard in Hallmark Channel’s hit drama series When Calls the Heart. He has made appearances on several hit television series, including FOX’s Lucifer and Killer Instinct, the Emmy®-nominated TNT series Falling Skies and The CW’s Supernatural and Riverdale. McNally has recurred in the Netflix series Altered Carbon and was most most recently seen with recurring arcs in both Netflix’ Firefly Lane and the Paramount+ series, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.
McNally has starred in numerous television movies, most recently Hallmark Channel’s 3 Bed, 2 Bath, 1 Ghost, A Tail of Love, A Winter Princess, Sailing into Love, and The Sweetest Heart. Others include the Hallmark Mystery originals Eat, Drink & Be Buried: A Gourmet Detective Mystery, PixL Entertainment’s Same Time Next Week and ABC’s Beauty and the Beast: A Dark Tale.
On the big screen, McNally starred in the critically acclaimed features John Apple Jack and The Orchard.
Actress and producer, Janel Parrish, was born in Hawaii and started in show business at the age of six playing ‘Little Cosette’ in Les Miserables. She later achieved international recognition playing Mona in Pretty Little Liars before starring in its spin-off series, The Perfectionists. Among her various film credits is playing Margot Covey in all three films of the Netflix franchise To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. Recent credits include the holiday comedy, “Christmas is Cancelled” for Lionsgate and the adrenaline fueled action film, “Run & Gun” for Paramount. She has previously starred in the Hallmark original movies, “Sugarplummed,” “Haunted Wedding,” “Never Been Chris’d,” “Family History Mysteries: Buried Past,” “Coyote Creek Christmas” and “Right in Front of Me.”
Most recently Parrish was a finalist on The Masked Singer where her performance as Gazelle garnered raves from the panelists, audience members, and television viewers alike.
Parrish will next be seen starring in the independent film, “Sydney vs Sean,” which she also produced.
When not working, Parrish supports various charities including Smile Train and American Humane. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Chris, and their adopted pets, Kleo and Moose.
Follow Janel Parrish on Instagram at only this official page.
For this remaining month of March, we’re thrilled to introduce two exciting new Spring into Love premieres with some of beloved Hallmark stars. These films promise to deliver the perfect spring vibes and leave you feeling joyful and hopeful for the rest of the year to come!
TWO FOR TEE – Premieres: Saturday, March 21 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Hallmark Channel and streams next day on Hallmark+ Stars: Janel Parrish, ChrisMcNally.
Tee is a Chinese American pottery artist who meets new community center handyman Will. As she learns about her family’s traditions through art, can she and Will save the center from closure?
A ROYAL SETTING – Premieres: Saturday, March 28 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Hallmark Channel and streams next day on Hallmark+ Stars: Jen Lilley, Dan Jeannotte
Ruby, a world-renowned gemologist, is hired by Prince Luca to restore the crown jewels and design his crown. This challenges tradition and complicates his relationship with his mother, the queen.
Interview with Megan Peta Hill of “56 Days” on Prime by Suzanne 3/16/26
It was so lovely speaking with Megan, who plays the sister of Ciara (Dove Cameron). She’s very sweet. We had a nice chat about the show. It’s a twisty thriller with some romantic/sexy overtones. Check it out!
56 Days follows Oliver and Ciara, who, after meeting randomly in a supermarket, fall for each other fast, and dangerously hard. Fifty-six days later, homicide investigators arrive at Oliver’s apartment to find an unidentified body—brutally murdered and intentionally decomposed. Did he kill her? Did she kill him? Intercutting between an intense single day in the present investigation and the twisted trajectory of the young lovers’ affair in the past, the series is both a unique crime story and a riveting, sexy, psychological thriller.
A NOTE FROM THE CREATORS:
Dear Viewer,
Thank you for watching 56 Days! Our sexy, propulsive thriller is closely based on the novel by Catherine Ryan Howard. However, our adaptation exchanges pandemic-era Dublin for present-day Boston. Please note, the series is not a COVID-related project and does not take place during the lockdown.
We hope you enjoy the show!
Karyn Usher & Lisa Zwerling
Megan Peta Hill is an Australian born, award-winning and Leo nominated actor who has trained and worked professionally in film, television, motion capture, voice over and theatre internationally. Megan has worked on numerous network series including Riverdale (The CW), The X-Files (Disney), The Flash (The CW), Big Sky (ABC), Kung Fu (The CW) and Supernatural (WB), along with the highly anticipated 56 Days (Amazon), to name a few. Megan also stars in the comic-book adaptation feature film, We Are Zombies (RKSS, Humanoids) which was awarded Audience Choice Award at Fantasia Film Festival, Wattpad feature Boot Camp, theatrically released Apex opposite Bruce Willis, Amazon’s Broil, and Lionsgate’s Open Water 3, amongst many others. Megan also has a prolific voice over, motion capture and performance capture career in video games, feature films, narration and commercials, most notably working on projects with Ubisoft on Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and EA Sports UFC 4 and Madden 21. Megan is also co-writer and co-director of the upcoming film, Echo, which premiered at the Whistler Film Festival. Megan is represented by Play Management, Characters Talent Agency and ADB Publicity. Megan has a Bachelor of Creative Arts and is a dual Australian and Canadian citizen.
Interview with Kandyse McClure of “Virgin River” on Netflix by Suzanne 3/13/26
It was so great to speak to Kandyse. She was very sweet and fun to talk to. We had a good time, as you can see from the video below. I hope you enjoy our chat! She plays a wonderful character on the show – a fire chief. She has a nice romance with chef Preacher (Colin Lawrence). Check out the show! Season 7 just dropped on Netflix.
Kandyse McClure (born March 22, 1980) is a South African-born Canadian actress recognized for her roles in science fiction and drama, most notably as Anastasia “Dee” Dualla on Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009) and Dr. Clementine Chasseur on Hemlock Grove. Raised in Canada, she began her career in the late 1990s and has appeared in Virgin River, Charmed, and numerous Stephen King adaptations.
Virgin River is an American romanticdrama television series, produced by Reel World Management, filmed in British Columbia, Canada, and based on the Virgin River novels by Robyn Carr. The first season premiered on Netflix on December 6, 2019.
Interview with Josh McKenzie of “The Hunting Party” on NBC by Suzanne 3/6/26
It’s always great to speak with Josh. He is very nice and laughs easily. I appreciate anyone who laughs at my jokes! 😆 Seriously, I love his role on this series because he’s always right in the thick of the action, but he’s also a good dramatic actor who can show all of the emotions needed for this part. He has a lot of story coming up, where we learn more about his past. Don’t miss it! It airs Thursdays on NBC or Peacock. This show is so fun to watch because the story moves fast, there are lots of killers and conspiracy, and the characters are riveting.
The Hunting Party is a high-concept crime procedural about a small team of investigators led by former FBI profiler Rebecca “Bex” Henderson (Melissa Roxburgh). They’ve been assembled to track down and capture the most dangerous killers the world has ever seen, all of whom have just escaped from “The Pit,” a top-secret government prison that’s not supposed to exist.
But as Bex races to catch these killers before it’s too late, she’ll discover that the one thing more twisted than the dangerous fugitives she’s chasing is the prison itself that they just escaped from…because “The Pit” wasn’t just a prison.
The cast also includes Nick Wechsler, Patrick Sabongui, Josh McKenzie and Sara Garcia.
Co-showrunners JJ Bailey (creator) and Jake Coburn are writers and executive producers. Thor Freudenthal is director and executive producer. Michael Jones Morales is writer and executive producer.
“The Hunting Party” is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.
Josh McKenzie is currently starring in NBC’s The Hunting Party alongside Melissa Roxburgh, renewed for a second season 2026.
He previously appeared in La Brea for three seasons and starred in the latest season of the acclaimed Australian anthology series The Twelve. Before that, he starred in the hit Australian drama Five Bedrooms.
His other notable credits include roles in the international series The Shannara Chronicles and Netflix’s The New Adventures of Monkey.
Josh first gained recognition in his native New Zealand with his breakout performance in the feature film Hopes & Dreams of Gazza Snell, earning the country’s top honor for Outstanding Feature Film Debut.
Interview with director/producers Charlie Sadoff, Gabriel London and debate coach Danielle Dupree on PBS by Suzanne 3/5/26
This is such an interesting documentary about Washington DC teens learning about debating and how it changes their lives. It’s very informative, uplifting and heart-tugging. I enjoyed speaking with the two men who made the film, as well as one of the woman that appears in it.
Directed by: Charlie Sadoff & Gabriel London
Produced by: Charlie Sadoff, Gabriel London, & Keith M. Brown
Immutable is a feature documentary that follows a group of students from the Washington Urban Debate League as they fight to find their voices in a world that too often tries to silence them. Against the backdrop of a city marked by inequality, these young debaters confront daily challenges that range from housing instability to neurodivergence. For some, debate is a path to college. For others, it’s a lifeline.
We meet them at a summer debate camp, where their journey begins—not just to win tournaments, but to sharpen arguments that reflect their own lives. One girl, autistic and fearless, demands the world see people with special needs as whole. Others argue for economic policy reforms while navigating poverty themselves. As multiple seasons unfold, Immutable captures the grit, intellect, and heart of students who are determined to not only become top-tier debaters but to change the course of their lives.
The film, which is airing on National Speech and Debate Day as part of the PBS America @ 250 commemoration of the country’s 250th anniversary, comes at a time of deep division in the United States. Debate, which emphasizes civil discourse and the ability to argue all sides of an issue, makes the film especially timely.
How to Watch Immutable
Immutable is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Charlie Sadoff is a producer, director and editor whose most recent film Against All Enemies premiered to critical acclaim at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival, went onto to win multiple best documentary awards and after its release in 2024 was the number one ranked doc on the Apple TV charts. His early work includes the Emmy Award winning Liquid Television and Peter Gabriel’s VMA and Grammy Award winning music video Steam. Documentaries he has produced include For Our Daughters, The Mind of Mark Defriest which premiered at Hot Docs and aired on Showtime, Dream Riders (Sheffield Doc Fest, Discovery), the 10 part series The Rites of Autumn for ESPN and multiple docs for History and CBS Sports. Charlie seeks projects that can help affect meaningful change and Cut Poison Burn (Mill Valley) and The Harvest (IDFA, Epix) from executive producers Eva Longoria and Academy Award winners Shine Global both screened on Capitol Hill as part of efforts to move legislation. The Definition of Insanity, which he wrote and produced for PBS in 2020 is currently being used to help cities around the world change the way people with mental illness interact with the criminal justice system. Charlie has served as a judge for the Emmy Awards and a guest lecturer at the graduate school of journalism at Columbia University. He has won multiple Golden Trailer, Cynopsis Social Good, Promax Gold, BDA and film festival awards.
Gabriel London is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose films have tackled major policy issues of the day from mass incarceration to climate change. Gabriel won the Albert R. Broccoli best film award for his first prison documentary, Turned Out, and went on to collaborate with Human Rights Watch on the first nationwide study of prison rape. The resulting films, No Escape: Prison Rape in America, received the Soros Criminal Justice Award and were instrumental in the passage of Prison Rape Elimination Act. Gabriel has made intimate documentaries with notable talent, including Drew Barrymore’s film on voting, The Best Place to Start, and Snoop Dogg’s autobiographical story, Youth Authority: California. Gabriel’s most recognized work, The Mind of Mark DeFriest, won a number of awards at film festivals and went on to help reduce the title subject’s sentence by over 70 years, before being aired on Showtime. In 2020, Gabriel directed The Definition of Insanity, which aired on PBS and has been used as a tool for mental health reforms nationwide.
Danielle Dupree is a full time debate coach for Washington Urban Debate League, as well as a former debate judge and high school debater. An alumna of Howard University from PG County, MD, she spent 4 years at Duval High School, where she became a debater. Now she uses her youth and experience to relate to students and help them grow in their own relationships with debate.
Interview with Daisy Head, Amethyst Davis, Hannah James, Rob Morrow, Robert Knepper, Christopher McDonald, Sam Trammell, and Keith David of “The Gray House” on Prime by Suzanne 2/4/26
I really enjoyed speaking with the actors from this entertaining miniseries. Head, Davis and James star in this story, which focuses on strong women in Richmond, Virginia, before the Civil War as they fight for freedom and against bigotry and misogyny of all kinds. Morrow plays a Jewish lawyer/senator; McDonald plays a Pinkerton spy; Trammell plays Jefferson Davids; and David is an eloquent pastor who travels around, inspiring blacks. It’s a large, talented cast.
I loved watching Rob Morrow in his previous roles, especially “Northern Exposure” and “Numb3rs.” Sam Trammel was one of my favorites in “True Blood.” Christopher McDonald and Keith David are TV/movie legends that I’ve interviewed a few times before. I’m very happy to interview with the women, who lead this action-packed miniseries. I wish I could have a longer interview with Daisy Head, but it would probably be embarrassing because her father is Anthony Head, whom I adored so much in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer!” 🙂 I hope you enjoy it! It begins today, Feb. 26, on Prime.
The Gray House reveals the extraordinary true story of the unsung women who helped turn the tide of the American Civil War in favor of the Union. At its center are a Virginia socialite, her indomitable mother, a formerly enslaved ally, and Richmond’s most infamous courtesan—four women operating at the heart of Confederate power. Together, they evolve their Underground Railroad operation into a daring and highly effective espionage network, risking their lives and freedom to help preserve the nation’s future and safeguard American Democracy.
The eight-episode limited series features a standout ensemble cast led by Emmy winner Mary-Louise Parker, Daisy Head, Amethyst Davis, and Emmy nominee Ben Vereen, with original music from Lainey Wilson, Willie Nelson, Shania Twain, Killer Mike, Yolanda Adams, Jon Bon Jovi, and more. It is written by Emmy-nominated writer Leslie Greif, Darrell Fetty, and John Sayles, with all eight episodes helmed by Academy Award–nominated director Roland Joffé.
The Gray House also stars Paul Anderson, Ian Duff, Hannah James, Robert Knepper, Christopher McDonald, Colin Morgan, Rob Morrow, Colin O’Donoghue, and Sam Trammell, with Keith David. The Republic Pictures limited series is from Territory Pictures, Revelations Entertainment and Big Dreams Entertainment, and is executive produced by Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, Lori McCreary, Rod Lake, Howard Kaplan and Leslie Greif.
Directed by: Roland Joffé
Written by: Leslie Greif & Darrell Fetty and John Sayles
Executive Producers: Kevin Costner (Territory Pictures), Morgan Freeman (Revelations Entertainment), Lori McCreary (Revelations Entertainment), Rod Lake (Territory Pictures), Howard Kaplan (Territory Pictures), and Leslie Greif (Big Dreams Entertainment)
BIOS
Daisy May Head (born March 7, 1991) is an English actress known for her roles in Shadow and Bone (Genya Safin), Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Sofina), and Guilt (Grace). Born in Fulham, London, to actor Anthony Head, she established her own career in film and television starting in the early 2010s.
Amethyst Davisgrew up in Clemson, South Carolina, and attended Winthrop University in Rock Hill before relocating to Atlanta in 2017 to pursue acting professionally. She credits her upbringing, particularly her church community, with stripping away stage fright at an early age. She began her career with her break-out role in the 2016 web series Dick Kelly as Kelly Hopkins. Since then, she’s appeared in Fatal Attraction, Atlanta, and Kinfolk: The Series.
Robert Morrow is known for his portrayal of Dr. Joel Fleischman on Northern Exposure, a role that garnered him three Golden Globe and two Emmy nominations for Best Actor in a Dramatic Series, and later for his role as FBI agent Don Eppes on Numb3rs.
Robert Knepper is best known for playing villains, most notably Theodore “T-Bag” Bagwell on Prison Break. Born in Ohio, he began in theater before moving to TV/film in 1986. Other notable roles include Heroes, Twin Peaks, iZombie, Hitman, and The Hunger Games.
Christopher McDonald is a prolific American character actor known for playing arrogant or comedic antagonists, most notably Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore (1996) and Darryl Dickinson in Thelma & Louise (1991). With over 100 film credits, he has also starred in Requiem for a Dream, Quiz Show, and the series Hacks.
Hannah James is a British-American actress recognized for her breakout role as Emma Green in the PBS Civil War drama Mercy Street. Raised on a Virginia farm and trained at the Guildford School of Acting in England, she has appeared in Outlander, Supergirl, and Westworld. She splits her time between London and LA.
Keith David Williams is a prolific American actor, singer, and Emmy-winning voice artist known for his deep voice, commanding screen presence, and over 300 roles. Notable for roles in The Thing (1982), Platoon (1986), and Greenleaf, he is also famed for voicing Goliath in Gargoyles, The Arbiter in Halo, and Dr. Facilier in The Princess and the Frog.
Interview with actors Sandro Rosta, Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins, Bella Shepherd, Zoë Steiner, Karim Diané, Robert Picardo, and Gina Yashere, and showrunners/executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau of “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” on Paramount+ by Suzanne 1/7/26
I can’t tell you how much fun these interviews were. This is a very exciting Trek show, and I love these actors. I was especially excited to speak with Robert Picardo and Gina Yashere because of their previous work. The new series drops tomorrow, January 15, 2026 on Paramount+! If you loved “Star Trek: Discovery,” you should love this one as well.
STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY will premiere with two episodes on Thursday, January 15 on Paramount+ in the U.S. Following the premiere, new episodes of the 10-episode-long season will drop weekly on Thursdays, with the season finale on Thursday, March 12.
ABOUT SERIES
STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY introduces viewers to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.
The new series stars Academy Award winner Holly Hunter as Nahla Ake, the Chancellor of Starfleet Academy and Captain of the U.S.S. Athena, plus the cast of cadets played by Sandro Rosta, Karim Diané, Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins and Bella Shepard. Additional cast members include Zoë Steiner, Robert Picardo, Tig Notaro, Oded Fehr, Gina Yashere and Academy Award nominee Paul Giamatti, as the season’s villain.
Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau serve as co-showrunners and executive produce the series alongside executive producers Gaia Violo, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Jenny Lumet, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Frank Siracusa and John Weber. The series’ premiere episode is written by Gaia Violo and directed by Alex Kurtzman. STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY is produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment.
Interview with Tyler Hynes and Paul Campbell of “Three Wisest Men” on Hallmark by Suzanne 10/29/25
This was a very fun interview! “Three Wisest Men” is the third in the series of Hallmark movies that started with “Three Wise Men and a Baby” and “Three Wise Men and a Boy.” I didn’t realize before this interview that Campbell co-created and co-wrote the movies! He’s written and starred in many others as well. I’ve enjoyed them all, but this one is even funnier than the previous movies. I laughed all the way through. He also played Billy in “Battlestar Galactica,” so that was an added bonus, since I’m a huge fan of that show. He and Hynes have a great rapport both in the movies and in interviews. I hope you enjoy our video. Watch the movie Saturday night on Hallmark 8/7C and then streaming the next day on Hallmark+. The third of their trio, Andrew Walker, couldn’t make the interview, which is too bad. They’re great in this movie, along with Margaret Colin, Lochlyn Munro and others.
Stars: Paul Campbell (Christmas at the Catnip Café), Tyler Hynes (The Groomsmen trilogy), Andrew Walker (She’s Making a List) Logline: The Brenner family is back, and their lives are more chaotic than ever! As Luke (Walker) is expecting twins, Taylor (Hynes) is debating a monumental job opportunity out-of-state, and Stephan (Campbell) attempts to plan for his upcoming nuptials, everyone’s stress heightens when they learn their mom (Colin) has put their childhood home up for sale, marking their final Christmas in the Brenner house. With unexpected in-laws visiting, wild animals lurking in freshly cut Christmas trees and a hesitant mall Santa, the boys will have their work cut out for them as the holiday begins to loom. As they navigate adulting at a level they have yet to reach, they must learn to once again lean on one another to rise to the needs of their growing family, conquer the newest challenges in their lives and, most crucially, have the best Christmas EVER!
Paul Campbell is a Canadian actor born on June 22, 1979, known for his roles in the TV series Battlestar Galactica and Knight Rider, and numerous Hallmark Channel movies. After working as a carpenter, he pursued acting, making his debut in 2002. He is also a writer and producer, married to Lorie Campbell with whom he has a son named Kingston.
Tyler Hynes is a Canadian actor and filmmaker born on May 6, 1986. He began his professional acting career at age eight, appearing on stage before moving to television and film, and is known for his roles in the Hallmark Channel’s romantic movies as well as for recurring roles on shows like Letterkenny, The Firm, and Saving Hope. He is also an accomplished director, producer, and writer, with credits including music videos and short films.
Interview with Ginna Claire Mason and Wes Brown of the movie “A Newport Christmas” on Hallmark by Suzanne 10/29/25
I really enjoyed this Hallmark Christmas movie, which has time travel, history and a lot of other fun stuff. It airs Sunday, 11/2/25 on Hallmark, and streaming the next day on Hallmark+! They were both really nice. It’s always nice to talk to people with a lot of warmth and enthusiasm. These two are so good in this movie. I’m a longtime fan of scifi and fantasy, as well as Christmas movies, so I enjoy when they combine all these elements. Check out their new song, too! “Timeless!”
About A NEWPORT CHRISTMAS Premieres: Sunday, November 2
Stars: Ginna Claire Mason (A Holiday Spectacular), Wes Brown (Haul out the Holly: Lit Up)
Logline: Ella (Mason) is a charitable and spirited Newport socialite in 1905 who dreams of using her wealth to start a foundation to help others in town. After learning her father intends for her to become engaged to a man she’s never met at the upcoming Christmas Eve ball, Ella goes for a nighttime sail in her schooner to clear her head. Upon seeing a comet shoot across the sky, she wistfully wishes for a different life. Ella is shocked to suddenly find Nick (Brown), a sailor and local Newport historian, aboard her schooner and accuses him of being a stowaway. But Nick insists he owns the boat and a standoff ensues. Once on dry land, Ella realizes that somehow, she’s traveled from 1905 to 2025. As she spends time there and gets a glimpse at what her future in 1905 appears to be, she becomes reluctant to return, especially since she and Nick have grown close and she now knows how true love feels. But the legacy Ella built in her time – and the course of Newport’s history – risks being erased the longer she stays in the present, so the two plot a course for her trip back through time. But what awaits her at home is even more surprising that what she found in the future.
Wes Brown (born January 26, 1982) is an American actor known for his role as Luke McDonald in HBO’s True Blood and other TV and film roles, including Hallmark movies. He was born in Fort Worth, Texas, raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and attended Louisiana State University, initially intending to pursue business before switching to acting. His career also includes roles in series like Hart of Dixie and Private Practice, and films such as Glory Road and We Are Marshall.
Ginna Claire Mason is an American actress known for her role as Glinda in the Broadway musical Wicked and her starring roles in Hallmark Channel movies. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, she graduated from Elon University with a BFA in Music Theatre. Mason is married to pilot Eric Moffett, and they have two children.
Interview with Ramona Floyd of “Murdaugh: Death in the Family” on Hulu by Suzanne 10/28/25
It was great to speak with Ramona about her role in this TV miniseries, which airs Wednesdays on HULU. It premiered October 15th and finishes up November 19th for the finale. I can’t wait! She plays Lynn Goettee, Alex Murdagh’s sister. The miniseries is based on the real-life story of the Murdagh family murders from 2021 in South Carolina. We had a nice, in-depth discussion about the show and her role in it.
SeriesPremieres Oct. 15, 2025, on Hulu (Three Episodes at Launch, Then Weekly)
Maggie and Alex enjoy a lavish life of privilege as members of one of South Carolina’s most powerful legal dynasties. But when their son Paul is involved in a deadly boat crash, the family is faced with a test unlike any they’ve ever encountered. As details come to light and new challenges emerge, the family’s connections to several mysterious deaths raise questions which threaten everything Maggie and Alex hold dear.
The series stars Patricia Arquette as Maggie Murdaugh, Jason Clarke as Alex Murdaugh, Johnny Berchtold as Paul Murdaugh, Will Harrison as Buster Murdaugh, Brittany Snow as Mandy Matney, J. Smith-Cameron as Marian Proctor, Gerald McRaney as Randolph Murdaugh and Noah Emmerich as Randy Murdaugh.
Inspired by the popular “Murdaugh Murders Podcast,” the series hails from co-creator and showrunner Michael D. Fuller (“Quarry,” “Rectify” and “Locke & Key”) and co-creator Erin Lee Carr (“Britney vs Spears,” “I Love You, Now Die” and “Mommy Dead and Dearest”). Nick Antosca (“A Friend of the Family,” “The Act” and “Candy”) and Alex Hedlund for Eat the Cat are executive producers along with Mandy Matney, David Moses and Bill Johnson. Steven Piet executive produced and directed episodes 101, 102 and 108. Patricia Arquette and Jason Clarke also serve as executive producers. UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, is the studio.
Ramona Floyd is a versatile stage and screen actor whose work spans Off-Broadway, television, and film. She has appeared in a wide range of acclaimed New York productions, including Please Go Gentle Into That Good Night, The Monument, the title role in Medea, and standout performances in Pygmalion and The Maids with the Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre. Other stage credits include Gone in 60, Arms and the Man, and Fulana. On screen, Ramona has built a career portraying everything from tough bosses to compassionate caregivers in popular series such as The Blacklist, The Punisher, FBI, True Detective, Girls5Eva, Blue Bloods, Bull, and the upcoming Murdaugh Murders: Death in the Family for Hulu.
Interview with Jonathan Bennett, Melissa Peterman, Drake Kuyper, Marcus Brodie, Angel Garet and Robbie Simpson of “Finding Mr. Christmas” on Hallmark by Jamie 10/1/25
Finding Mr. Christmas is a reality competition on Hallmark premiering its second season on Monday, Oct. 27. I recently spoke with both the host, Jonathan Bennett and judge, Melissa Peterson, as well as four of the contestants: Robbie, Angel, Drake, and Marcus. Both Jonathan and Melissa were a delight, and they, as well as the contestants, seemed to have a lot of fun making the show, and the men made a lot of lasting friendships coming out of the competition.
I was only given the first episode to watch, but it was a lot of fun. The contestants take part in various Christmas-themed competitions, such as making a Santa costume to show who they are, as well as acting challenges where they get to perform alongside Hallmark stars. In the first episode, they had to ski over to actress Janelle Parris and act out a scene with her. That competition was hilarious, because most of the men didn’t know how to ski, and no one helped them with that. The four men spoke to me about acting out the scene with Janelle and which challenges they found difficult.
Jonathan and Melissa talked about advice they gave the contestants, many of whom were new to acting and the hoops they had them jump through. Both were really great conversations, and the series is worth a watch. Season 2 premieres 10/27 on Hallmark Channel and is available to stream the next day on Hallmark+.
Jonathan Bennett, Drake Kuyper and Marcus Brodie
Melissa Peterman, Angel Garet and Robbie Simpson
TRANSCRIPTS OF THE INTERVIEWS
JONATHAN BENNETT: Jamie’s coming to us from space! How’s the signal up there?
JAMIE RUBY: It’s hard to hear. [laughs] It’s nice to talk to you all. I enjoyed the first episode that we got to see. Jonathan, let me start with you. How do you feel that the show has evolved since last season?
JONATHAN BENNETT: You know, we took everything we learned from season one and, you know, expanded that into season two to make it even bigger and bolder than season one. I can’t believe I got away with what I got away with in season two. Like, when I said to the executives, “Hey, I want to hang them from a cable in a harness thirty feet and fly them through the air,” they were like, “Yeah, that’s a great idea.” And I’m like, “Are you sure?” They’re like, “Yeah.” I’m like, “Okay, great. I also want to put them on skis in the first episode and make them ski down a hill while having to memorize a scene and act with the biggest Hallmark star, Janelle Parrish, and they only get one take. They have to do it, and whatever happens, happens.” And they’re like, “Yeah, that’s a great idea.” And I’m like, “Great.” So, it’s just, you know, I think my sandbox has expanded, and I’ve been able to play with all the different things in it a lot bigger.
JAMIE RUBY: All right, that’s fair. Robbie and Angel, what made you both want to be a part of this?
ROBBIE: Oh, yeah. I’ve been watching Hallmark movies forever when I was on the couch with Hot Coco with my family members. So, to be able to be a part of the Hallmark universe and tell these stories that I have watched forever, I mean, Hallmark is the place for feel good entertainment. So, you know, when you click that on, you’re just going to feel good. And then also to do that with Jonathan Bennett and learning from him and also laughing with him was just a total blast and an easy yes for me.
JAMIE RUBY: What about you Angel?
ANGEL: I grew up in Venezuela, and I immigrated to this beautiful country, and every Christmas I would watch movies to enjoy it and learn English, and Hallmark was my go-to. Then, when the opportunity came to be part of a Hallmark on a scripted show, I was like, “I have to do this.” I’ve been doing this for years, every Christmas, and I’m excited that I’m part of it.
JAMIE RUBY: What did you two do to prepare? And did you go back and watch season one?
JONATHAN BENNETT: Yeah. What’d you do to prepare for this?
JAMIE RUBY: If anything.
JONATHAN BENNETT: If anything, they can’t really prepare what I put them through, because every day they’re like, “Why do we have to do [that]? What, Jonathan, what are we doing?”
ANGEL: I watched season one first. I researched who this awesome host was, and then just, a lot of self-talk. English is my second language, so I had to like, tell myself, “You’ve got this.” You just gotta be present, active, listening, cheer for others, let go of ego, let go of your past, enjoy the moment, pay attention and just take as much information from the hosts, your friends, and everybody else. And the Christmas movies help too.
JONATHAN BENNETT: That’s right.
ROBBIE: I love unscripted television. I love watching reality TV. So, this has been a total dream for me to get dropped into my ideal reality television show, you know, being an actor.
So, I watched season one, probably like three times, just trying to figure out everything that was going on, but that helped to a certain extent. But as soon as I got there, Jonathan [was] switching it up on us constantly, so I just realized that like every day, it just was about saying “Yes, and.” What are we doing today? Getting excited about that. Then, also just having fun. Like at the end of the day, I think that’s the name of the game, and that was what helped me do well was enjoying the time together and enjoying the other guys. And it was a total blast.
ANGEL: I mean, this show lets us bring our inner child out. We were kids in a playground, and that was just the best experience ever.
JAMIE RUBY: And Jonathan, having been in Hallmark Christmas movies, did you find yourself trying to give them advice? Did you try not to??
JONATHAN BENNETT: The best way to learn how to do something is to just do it. And I’ve done, I think, twelve, thirteen Hallmark movies at this point. So, like, I’ve learned so much from doing that when I’m hosting and judging these guys. I’m able to like share all my knowledge with them. And I’m like, “Hey, when you do this, you know, you might want to think about this, because this is going to happen.” Like anytime I have a chance to coach them, you know, from what I can coach, because it is a competition. So, I kind of got to let them – I’ll give them advice, but I don’t want to see – I’ve got to let them see what they do on their own first, you know? But then the feedback after they do it is usually where I’m able to help them and say, “Okay, next time do this,” you know? And they soaked it up like sponges.
ROBBIE: I think the thing that sets this show about apart from other reality television is that every day we showed up to set and felt supported, and Jonathan, Melissa, and the judges wanted us to succeed. They were helping us through that, and that’s not something you see on a lot of reality television, but it’s definitely why I think Hallmark putting their specific stamp on this show is what makes this different and why people are going to love this.
JAMIE RUBY: Did you guys have more trouble with the acting challenges or with the other challenges?
JONATHAN BENNETT: Ooh, that’s a good question. What’d you have a harder time with? I mean, they both struggled in both of them in different ways. I’m not going to lie, but that’s part of – that’s the fun of the show.
ROBBIE: I think what was hard is that for this show, you’re doing both at the same time. So, like you’re acting, but then you’re also doing it. Do you know, like riding an animal of some sort? Do you know?
JONATHAN BENNETT: They’re on skis or hanging in the air or riding an animal while acting.
ROBBIE: Yeah. So, you know, you can take an acting class. You can go to acting school for as long as you want, but nothing is going to prepare you for some of the stuff that you’re doing on this show. But if you just focus and just remember, kind of who you are, what you’re there to do, and then act opposite the incredible celebrity Hallmark scene partners that we had, then you’re going to do great.
JONATHAN BENNETT: What about you, Angel?
ANGEL: I mean, just, it doesn’t matter how prepared you are. Just like Robbie was saying, it’s just surprise after surprise. This season brought so many twists that kept us on our toes. Yeah. So, it doesn’t matter if it was an acting challenge, a modeling challenge, or anything. Everything was out of the ordinary.
JAMIE RUBY: You say that though. What surprised you the most?
ANGEL: What surprised me the most? The skis, because I’ve never skied before in my life, and I remember Jonathan was like, “Are you ready?” “No. How do you break?” “Bye! Action!”
[laughter]
JAMIE RUBY: What about you, Robbie
JONATHAN BENNETT: Angel falls down on his skis. We’ll do a spoiler alert.
JAMIE RUBY: A lot of people fell down.
ROBBIE: Watching Angel fall was not surprising to me, but what was surprising to me was I thought that I was signing up for an unscripted competition reality show, and as soon as I got there, I realized that that’s not what this was going to be. I met the other guys, and it became a show about community, and it wasn’t about the competition. The only person you were competing with is yourself every single day, and the community and the brotherhood that was developed between all of us. I don’t even think it was something anyone was expecting on set, like crew or hosts or judges. It just was this natural melding of all these awesome guys. So, I came for a competition, but I left for the community.
ANGEL: I remember when I fell and came back to the group, the guys were already talking amongst themselves. “All right. Does anyone know how to break?” “Oh, yeah. Do this. Do that.” We’re already helping each other. Like, hey, if you have a hard time, try this or do this. So, in my head, I was like, this is a competition and people are already helping each other? Wow.
JONATHAN BENNETT: And that was day one. I don’t shine if you don’t shine. That’s something I tried to instill in them is like, it doesn’t matter how good you’re doing. If the people around you and your scene aren’t doing well, then you’re not doing well. So, it’s like, make everyone around you better, and if you do that, then you’re going to be lifted up.
JAMIE RUBY: Speaking of scene partners, what was kind of like your first reaction, I guess, to getting to do a scene with Janelle? Were you nervous? How did you feel? Both of you.
ROBBIE: I think it was twofold, because you’re so excited to be working with these incredible actors, especially Janelle, that you’ve watched in so many networks and so many television shows, legends of Hallmark. So, you’re so nervous, but then at the same time, I had to remember, like, wait, she’s the best at what she does. So, just like Jonathan said, if she is shining, I’m going to shine. So, I was just listening to her, and being able to talk to her beforehand was really helpful. And the better she was, the better I was going to do, and that’s what I was able to give over to, and it made me feel so much better.
JONATHAN BENNETT: Did any of them really intimidate you, Angel, like any of the stars?
ANGEL: Her beauty intimidated me.
[laughter]
JONATHAN BENNETT: Janell is intimidating. She’s beautiful.
ANGEL: She was easy to connect. I remember introducing myself to her, and she gave me a big smile. “Hi, nice to meet you.” And then, spoiler alert, I take her down with me, and I’m like, “What are you doing?” Time slows down. Get up. We finally get up. And it was so smooth after that. Like, we got that out of the way. We got that out of the way. So, now let’s just have fun and enjoy the scene.
JAMIE RUBY: Yeah, the skiing part was hilarious. Jonathan, I want to ask you really quick. One of your first roles was on a soap opera on All My Children. What did that teach you, that experience? And do you still find yourself using that?
JONATHAN BENNETT: Yeah, you know, I think soap operas are the best training camp. And now it’s kind of like what they call the verticals, like the candy jar and the real shorts and all that. Those verticals are great training ground for actors, because it’s low expectations and low stakes. Like I said earlier, the best training is just to do it. And so, every day, when you’re on a soap, you’re standing in front of a camera, and you’re acting every single day. Whether it’s good or not doesn’t matter, because they’re going to shoot the next scene in two minutes. So, whatever you said is what’s going on in the air, and that’s a real quick way to learn how to become an actor. So, with, you know, Finding Mr. Christmas, I think there’s a similarity there. It’s like, just go do it. And they’re like, “Well, how do we do it?” Well, you’ll figure it out.
And to watch their growth from the beginning of the episodes to the end of the episodes, you know, throughout the whole season, to watch these boys grow, each one of them grow in a different way, and they take that with them onto their auditions.
JAMIE RUBY: I know we’re almost out of time, but what are you two taking away the most?
JONATHAN BENNETT: Yeah, what are you guys taking from the show?
ANGEL: I’m taking so much. I’m taking joy, vulnerability, teamwork. And this experience has taught me and made me a better man. Like I’m putting everything that I learned on this show into my own life with my personal lifestyle, with my family, and I’m excited for what’s next.
ROBBIE: Yeah, thank you, Hallmark.
JONATHAN BENNETT: Yeah. This might be Mr. Christmas. You never know. Or this could be Mr. Christmas. What are you taking away possible, Mr. Christmas?
ROBBIE: I’m really taking away that being your authentic self is absolutely what is wanted in this industry and is wanted at Hallmark. All of the things that make us who we are, the community, the love, the family, all of those values that you hold dear, just letting those out and being the part of the scene, whether it’s in a conversation you’re having with someone on the crew. I mean, that’s what it takes to be a Hallmark leading man is not just who you are in front of the camera, is who you are off the camera. It’s how you live your life. And when you’re able to let out all of those things that make you an authentic person and let people in on that, that’s the joy. And I think that’s what they’re looking for on the show.
VIDEO #2 TRANSCRIPT
JAMIE RUBY: Let’s start with you, Melissa. How do you think the show’s evolved since season one? What do you feel is different this season?
MELISSA PETERMAN: You know, season one, I think we loved what happened there. So, we didn’t really change the sort of the foundation of that show, but, you know, Jonathan had more time to dream of bigger challenges. So, everything got a lot bigger. We asked a lot more of the guys in the acting challenges. We have, we brought in, I think, I don’t know if we even brought in more mentors. We just, everything’s just a little bit extra in season two as far as we know what worked here. So, let’s dial it up a notch. And I enjoyed watching that happen.
JAMIE RUBY: For both of you, what made you want to be a part of it? We’ll just go Drake, then Marcus.
DRAKE: Yeah, I would say what made me want to be a part of this is just really how wholesome Hallmark is. Like whenever I think Hallmark, I think Christmas. And I think that like, it’s in the background whenever we’re in Christmas, I just think of, you know, my mom making cookies and it’s in the background playing. It’s just like a happy memory of childhood. So, when I heard that Hallmark was interested, I’m like, “Absolutely, let’s do this. I’m so in, so excited to take on this role.”
MARCUS: And for me, when I first heard about the show, me and my girlfriend started watching the first season, and we were just, we were hooked. Like after the first episode, we were like, “Do you want to watch another one?” They’re like, “Yeah.” And we ended up binge watching like four or five episodes in a row. So, I knew. I was like, “Okay, this is something I probably want to do.” And my girlfriend really pushed me, like, this is going to be a great opportunity to see how much you’ve grown, seen how much you’ve learned and see what you can learn from the other people on the show, the other judges, other guys. And I learned so much. So, it was great to be able to be on the show.
JAMIE RUBY: Marcus, other than watching the show, what else did you do to prepare? Is there anything you can think of?
MARCUS: Oh man, I didn’t do much to prepare. I just really wanted to come into the show with an open mind, be ready to learn, ready to see how much I’ve grown, ready to open up about myself. And it took a lot for me to get to the point where I could just open up about myself and be myself. I feel like I kind of got to that point, and within a couple of days, like us guys, we’ve got so close. So, it made it easier to open up about myself because of how close and how much the other guys were opening up.
JAMIE RUBY: All right. Drake, what about you? Did you watch season one, and what did you do to prepare?
DRAKE: Yep. So, I watched all of season one, and that’s what I was hoping was my preparation. Little did I know they were about to crank up the heat, and then competitions were way, way more intense. So, pretty much watching that was a big deal. I also didn’t have any experience in actually speaking lines, so I was like in front of my camera trying to practice with my brother, trying to go back and forth and get a little more experience before this, because I knew this was going to be a pretty big jump and from my experience to, you know, being on TV.
MELISSA PETERMAN: See, that’s what I love about this show is that we’ve got guys that [are] from all different like levels and experience of acting and the reality is anyone could win, because if you’ve got that it factor, you know, you can teach them that other stuff, because otherwise, someone can take all the classes in the world, but if they don’t have that sort of special equality that doesn’t really matter. So, I love that there’s people from all different levels of acting experience.
JAMIE RUBY: That leads me into my next question. I was going to ask you, do you find yourself though trying to give them acting advice since you’ve been doing it a while, or do you feel like you have to restrain yourself somewhat since you’re a judge?
MELISSA PETERMAN: I’ve never restrained myself in anything whether it’s a buffet or being a judge. No, I think my job is to tell them stuff. I may not always be right. I can only speak from my experience as someone who’s auditioned a million times and worked with different people. So, I can only tell them, I think I’m supposed to tell them what I know, and I really took that seriously, because they’re going to hear no a lot. Actors are going to hear no. You’re going to be asked to get up the next day and go back in a room and maybe hear no again, and you have to really want it.
And what I loved about the show, is just like in real life, they’re going to be competing for jobs against friends or people they know, and they’re going to maybe watch their friend get the job, and they don’t. And what I try to say all the time is, “You’re going to need those friends.” If you’re going to be in this business, you’re going to want that support group.
And what I love seeing, is these guys really did create a brotherhood that I think will continue on long after the show is gone. And you [are] going to need that in this business, because I don’t think I would have gotten through my very – anytime in LA or auditioning without having someone I could call and go, “Oh, I had this audition and what do you think?” She’s like, “Oh, I went in on it yesterday, and here’s what I think.” And just to really build a community, because that’s what you really need to succeed, I think.
JAMIE RUBY: You say that, but for the two of you though, was that hard at all? I mean, you’re friends with each other but you also kind of want to beat each other too. So, how do you balance that?
MARCUS: It was definitely hard, because we grew so close so quick. Like, having to see anybody go home during that first elimination, it hurt. When we first walked into that first elimination, we all felt it. It hit us, because it was like, wow, this is real. Somebody really has to go home right now.
DRAKE: Yeah, definitely, the bonds we created so quickly. It reminded me of football. Like, all of us just spend hours together, you know, and then the next thing you know, you’re competing again at some an hour later. That was definitely super tough to kind of balance that, but what was great, is everyone was so supportive. It was one of those things where if you messed up, people were rallying behind you. Like, “Hey, you’ve got this next one.” And that was such a good feeling to just know that these guys had my back, you know?
MELISSA PETERMAN: I think if even, if any of the guys walked in thinking it was a competition, and I have to come in with my game face, I think the show and the format quickly strips that away. You know, they can come in thinking, “I’m not going to show I’m – game face. They’re not going to get to know me. I’m here to win.” It’s formulated that we really want to get rid of that quickly, and it sort of happens.
MARCUS: Oh yeah.
JAMIE RUBY: For the two of you, what did you find more difficult? The first challenges, or, I mean, obviously I’ve only seen the first episode, but the [other kinds of] challenges, or the acting challenges, because I think they both kind of cause other problems.
DRAKE: Yeah, I would say that the first challenges felt like less pressure, because like, you’re just getting that advantage and stuff, but then the acting challenges, that’s when you had to lock in. You’re like, “This is the part where I really need to focus.” So, I felt like a little bit less pressure from the challenges, even though it was fun and it was intense, it felt like the actual acting challenges when you really had to lock in.
MARCUS: And I would probably say the opposite. Maybe just because I have a little bit more of a background in acting, but obviously not a ton, but a little bit more, but the first ones were a little bit more about opening up about yourself, and that’s harder for me. It always has been. And the show helped me be able to do that a lot more, but I was a little bit more afraid that I was going to have to talk about myself more, and that’s almost more fearful for me than just acting or, you know, acting in somebody else’s shoes, almost.
MELISSA PETERMAN: It’s hard. I mean, it’s easy to play, you know, when they give you the words to say. It’s hard to –
MARCUS: Exactly, but then when you have to talk about yourself, that’s a whole ‘nother level. You have to really be vulnerable and show your real self.
MARCUS: That’s a good point.
JAMIE RUBY: I was going to say, Drake, is that something you struggled with?
DRAKE: Yes. I was going to say for any of the ones where it felt like, you know, you really had to open yourself up, that did feel tough. Like there’s obviously some walls that like, it’s kind of hard to just talk about yourself.nIt’s not a character you’re playing. This is actually you. It’s like when they’re actually learning who is Drake Kiper, like it definitely is a little bit more intense and it’s a lot harder to just open up and say everything, you know, it takes a little bit. It does help though having other guys do it as well. Like, you see these guys that you’re getting close with, and they’re also showing who they are. It makes it much, much easier to share yourself.
JAMIE RUBY: Melissa, obviously you’re on the other side of that, but is there anything that you found a challenge in this?
MELISSA PETERMAN: Eliminations. I hated them. I really hated to tell somebody that, you know, it was time; their time was over on the show, because I know what that feels like, and it doesn’t always feel great.
And that was really hard for me, because I was at that point very invested, and still am, in all of them and want them to succeed. So, I did not look forward to eliminations. And I want everyone to know, nobody walked in there without being so serious about it and thinking about it and talking about it. But also, I hope imparting on everybody that this isn’t over. This is just today, and like, that’s the life of an actor. Today is maybe not your day. Tomorrow might be your day. So yeah, eliminations were very difficult.
JAMIE RUBY: Yeah, I was going to say, I’m sure this will still give everybody more opportunities, regardless of the outcome.
MELISSA PETERMAN: People are going to watch and fall in love with all of these guys. And somebody is going to see something that, you know, their faces are going to be in front of a lot of people, and that’s the beauty. There’s a lot of – everyone wants something different. Some days, you know, they’re looking for a Drake. Someday they’re looking for a Marcus, and tomorrow they’re looking for a Marcus.bLike that’s what’s the beauty of the business. Things can change in an hour, truly.
MARCUS: I mean, come on, they’re always looking for a Drake.
DRAKE: Yes, man, no, don’t be humble.
MARCUS: And a Melissa, of course.
JAMIE RUBY: For you two, what was it like for the first time you acted against another Hallmark star?
MELISSA PETERMAN: Ooh, I want to hear.
MARCUS: Oh man. Well, acting for the first time with Janelle [Parrish] was amazing. I mean, I remember skiing up and then seeing her and being nervous. But then once she started saying her lines, it like relaxed me, and I was able to kind of fall into the scene. So, you could just tell she was a pro, and it made everything so much more relaxed and easy.
DRAKE: Yeah, to piggyback off what he said, it was really nice to have such a professional in there to where there’s a lot of crazy things going on with it, and you have to be able to like remember your lines and everything. And I feel like her confidence helped you gain confidence. Like, okay, this is where I’m supposed to be. This is what I’m doing. Like, let’s do it. I feel like that helped, because there’s some crazy elements in the acting scene. It’s not just, you know, two people standing there. We’re skiing, we’re doing – the weather’s crazy. Everything just comes together to become like a more difficult thing.
JAMIE RUBY: Who else were you guys looking forward to getting to work with during this season?
MARCUS: That’s a good question. You know, I was really hoping that Jonathan and Melissa would hop in a scene with us and maybe do something crazy.
DRAKE: That would have been so cool.
MELISSA PETERMAN: I don’t know how much they can spoil it.
[crosstalk]
MARCUS: I wish we could have done more scenes with Jonathan and Melissa, just because they’re so good at acting.
MELISSA PETERMAN: Jonathan’s not even sitting here. You can just say Melissa.
MARCUS: Melissa. I was gonna say Melissa first, because I mean, she’s so quick, so witty, so funny. She brings the best actor out of you. So, I mean, I would have wanted to do everything with Melissa. Of course.
MELISSA PETERMAN: I’m just gonna give you another lesson right here. When you’re sitting next to the person, say them.
MARCUS: Yes, say them, Melissa. Put down Jonathan. Got it.
[laughter]
MELISSA PETERMAN: Not put down, just say. Yeah, I don’t know how much we can, because I know that they, I think people know who we have coming on for mentors, but I’m not sure that they can spoil all of them. But I will say this, that I would tell every contestant, like when you have time with the Janelle Parris or an Ali Sweeney or any of the Chris Palaha, when you’ve got people there, take that time. That’s a gift. You’re getting somebody who’s been working. Ask questions, listen to what they say, watch what they do when they walk on a set, and what they ask a director. And I learned something every day. You’re not done learning ever, ever, ever, ever. Yeah.
JAMIE RUBY: I know we’re almost out of time, but really quick, what did you two take away the most? What did you learn in particular?
MARCUS: Just to be yourself and be vulnerable, be willing to open up and just be yourself, because at the end of the day, people are gonna judge you, whether you’re yourself or acting like you’re somebody else. So, you may as well be yourself and be as happy as possible.
DRAKE: I would say definitely being vulnerable. I mean, just watching these guys open up and you just can develop such a deeper relationship when you actually know the true person. Like, don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid to hide anything, like just be yourself and be vulnerable and you’ll end up making closer friends.
Synopsis: We’re back to find Hallmark’s next star! 10 men prove their passion for Christmas, with the goal of landing a role in a Hallmark Christmas movie.
FindingMr. Christmasfollows 10 aspiring actors who compete in a variety of outrageous Christmas-themed competitions to prove they have what it takes to land the next Hallmark leading role — from present wrapping, making gingerbread houses, dancing and even on-screen kissing. Joined by beloved Hallmark guest judges, each week, one contestant will be sent “home for the holidays,” while the winner lands a role of a lifetime in one of this year’s Countdown to Christmas movies.
Finding Mr. Christmas Renewed for Season 2!
Hallmark has renewed its first-ever hit reality competition series, Finding Mr. Christmas, for a second season! Hosted by Jonathan Bennett with lead judge Melissa Peterman(Reba, Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up), the reality series follows 10 aspiring actors who compete in festive challenges and learn how to become the best Hallmark leading man — from present wrapping and dancing to acting and on-screen kissing. Each week, one man is sent “home for the holidays,” while the winner lands a starring role in a Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas movie. Season 1 winner Ezra Moreland made his movie debut as the star of “Happy Howlidays” alongside Jessica Lowndes.
Finding Mr. Christmasseason 2 is part of Hallmark’s new slate of unscripted series, branded as “Reality TV with Heart”. This original programming brings together friendly competition series, community building, home and lifestyle enhancement shows, aligning with the company’s brand principles of joy, hope, warmth, connection, family and most definitely…love.
Interview with Christopher Gorham of “Sheriff Country” on CBS by Suzanne 10/13/25
Christopher Gorham is working hard right now. He’s on three different TV shows: “Tempest” on HULU/Disney+; “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” on CBS (continuing the role of Scott, Mandy’s ex-boyfriend, from last season); and the new series “Sheriff Country,” also on CBS (where he plays Mickey’s ex-husband, Travis). The last show is his main one, and it’s a spin-off from the popular Friday night show, “Fire Country.” Mickey (played by Morena Bacarin), is the sister of Sharon on “Fire Country,” and there will be more crossovers between the two shows.
Watch our interview and learn all about the three shows, and Christopher’s work on them. He’s very nice, and an amazing actor. I was thrilled to speak with him, frankly. Check out his shows – especially the new one, “Sheriff Country!” It premieres Friday, 10/17. “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” season 2 starts Thursday, 10/16 (both on CBS, but you can also watch them on Paramount+ the next day.) “Tempest” has already premiered on HULU. Two new episodes drop each Wednesday. Also, please watch the video below and enjoy!
SHERIFF COUNTRY stars Morena Baccarin as straight-shooting sheriff Mickey Fox, the stepsister of Cal Fire’s division chief Sharon Leone (Diane Farr of FIRE COUNTRY). She investigates criminal activity while she patrols the streets of small-town Edgewater, contending with her ex-con father, Wes (W. Earl Brown), who is an off-the-grid marijuana grower, and a mysterious incident involving her wayward daughter. SHERIFF COUNTRY is an expansion of the universe of the hit drama series FIRE COUNTRY.
Premieres Friday, Oct. 17 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
Max Thieriot, Tony Phelan, Joan Rater, Matt Lopez and Jerry Bruckheimer and KristieAnne Reed for JBTV
Christopher Gorham stars as Travis in SHERIFF COUNTRY. Also on the horizon for fall is Hulu’s Korean spy drama, “Tempest,” in which he stars alongside John Cho.
Recently, he starred as Bob Barnard in the original dark comedy series “Insatiable” and as Trevor Elliot in “The Lincoln Lawyer.” Also, Gorham starred in “Out of Practice” opposite Ty Burrell and Henry Winkler. He has also held roles in GEORGIE & MANDY’S FIRST MARRIAGE, MATLOCK, 2 BROKE GIRLS and HARPER’S ISLAND on the Network.
Gorham is known from his starring role on “Ugly Betty” as Betty’s accountant boyfriend, Henry. Also, Gorham starred as blind CIA operative Auggie Anderson in the hit series “Covert Affairs,” for which he was awarded the Seeing Beyond Vision Loss: Special Achievement Award from the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. He also directed four episodes of the series.
Gorham’s additional television credits include “Full Circle,” “The Magicians,” “Medical Investigation,” “Odyssey 5,” “Popular” and “Justice League.”
Gorham made his feature film directorial debut with the comedy “We Love You, Sally Carmichael!” in which he also starred alongside Jack McBrayer, Bitsie Tulloch and Paula Marshall.
Gorham made his film acting debut in Danny Boyle’s “A Life Less Ordinary” with Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz. Additionally, he starred opposite Anne Hathaway in the film “The Other Side of Heaven,” and more recently reprised his role in the long-anticipated sequel. Additional film roles include “The Ledge,” “Answer This,” “My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend” and “Somebody’s Hero.”
Gorham starred as the father of a child with autism in the independent film “A Boy Called Po,” directed by John Asher, which won Best Feature Film at the 2016 Palm Beach International Film Festival.
On the stage, Gorham guest starred in the off-Broadway production “Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell” at the Minetta Lane Theatre and performed in the play “The Water Children” at The Matrix Theatre.
Gorham is a Fresno native. While attending UCLA, he met his wife and they now have three sons and live in Los Angeles. His birthday is Aug. 14. Follow him on Instagram @chrisgorham.
Interview with author Neal E. Fischer of the book “LAW & ORDER SVU: CONFIDENTIAL – Everything We Love about the Show We Can’t Stop Watching” by Suzanne 9/25/25
This was such an interesting interview because Neal is a fellow TV and mystery fan, so we had a lot to chat about. His book is really fun. Every fan of “Law & Order: SVU” should buy it to add to their collection. I’m not kidding about how interesting it was because after I turned off the recording, we chatted away for a while more about TV mysteries! That almost never happens. I hope you enjoy it, and this book. Buy it here!
Coming October 14th, the new book LAW & ORDER SVU: CONFIDENTIAL – Everything We Love about the Show We Can’t Stop Watching, by Neal E. Fischer, is the ultimate investigation into the world of Law & Order: SVU.
With over 25 seasons and 570+ episodes, SVU has become more than a show—it’s a cultural ritual. Fischer’s deep dive explores what makes it so addictive, comforting, and cathartic, even as it tackles “especially heinous” crimes.
A map of SVU filming locations and their real world context
Full character arcs of beloved detectives like Olivia Benson and Fin Tutola
How true stories inspired some of SVUs most gripping episodes
The addictive formula behind every SVU case
Memorable celebrity guest stars and their roles
The ultimate book for Law & Order: SVU superfans, Fischer explores why the show remains so beloved—how, despite its focus on “especially heinous” crimes, it offers comfort, catharsis, and connection. More than just a TV drama, SVU has become a cultural phenomenon, a weekly ritual, and a binge-worthy obsession.
Whether you’re a long-time viewer or a recent binge-watcher, Law & Order SVU: Confidential is essential reading for anyone who’s ears perk-up at the sound of “dun dun.”
Publishing October 14, 2025 by Epic Ink, an imprint of The Quarto Group
Neal E. Fisher’s Website BIO: He’s an award-winning filmmaker, writer, podcaster, and pop culture fanatic who cut his teeth as a musician and performer on stage before ultimately transitioning behind the scenes. After a brief but rewarding stint directing children’s theater in Chicago’s South Loop, Neal moved on to a diverse slate of projects like the award-winning documentary 10 mountains 10 years (narrated by Anne Hathaway), #whokilledheather, an innovative branded web series, and many short films and features screened at festivals around the world.
When he’s not developing film/tv projects or directing commercial campaigns for brands such as Dunkin’, Heinz, and Cars.Com (an award-nominated Super Bowl campaign), you’ll find Neal in cute coffee shops furiously writing books on subjects like 80’s icon Patrick Wwayze, tv sitcoms, trivia, and pop culture history. If you want more Neal, you can hear him each week on his podcasts, Triviality and Curated By Chance.
Interview with Dani Deetté of “The Runarounds” on Prime Video by Suzanne 10/1/25
I had such a nice chat with Dani, and we bonded talking about TV shows and dogs. I love this show, “The Runarounds,” so much. I hope it gets another season because I’m hooked on it. I loved William Lipton on “General Hospital,” and he’s the star of this show. What makes it really cool is that this was a real-life band before they made the series (which is not based on real life), so all of them are really singing and playing.
Dani has been in many shows and movies, and she also had a whole other career before becoming an actress! She’s pretty amazing. Her dog is adorable, too. Hope you can watch the show and enjoy our video interview.
Dani Deetté was born and raised in Battle Creek, Michigan. She graduated from the Honors College at Michigan State University with a major in Criminal Justice after spending her senior year abroad at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. Dani got her start in law enforcement after deciding at age 15 that it was the path for her, but after several years in the field and having grown up performing she chose to pursue her creative side – making the transition into TV and film full-time.
Dani booked her first role on Greenleaf TV series after moving to Atlanta and dove into the industry full force. She is most known for her recurring roles as super soldier Gigi on Marvel’s The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Sheriff Kim Reddick on Netflix’s hit show Ozark, and Rori Barnhill in Season 3 of the USA Network show, The Sinner. She can also be seen in several guest star appearances including Tulsa King, Matlock, FBI: Most Wanted, and NCIS: New Orleans. Recently Dani was in On Swift Horses with Daisy Edgar Jones, in Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore 2 and her upcoming projects include Amazon’s The Runarounds, and For All Mankind on Apple TV.
Now she mentors and coaches other actors and travels bicoastally. Dani is also a passionate environmental and mental health advocate, and often pulls from real life experiences for her work. In her free time she loves spending time in nature with family, friends, and animals – especially her with her do,g Link.
The Runarounds follows a group of recent high school graduates from Wilmington, North Carolina, who come together the summer after graduation to form a rock band, united by their shared love of music and near-impossible dream of stardom. Over the course of one unforgettable summer, they throw themselves into the pursuit of their big break—falling in love, getting into trouble, and building the kind of bonds that feel like family along the way. With original music, romantic entanglements, and the raw highs and lows of coming-of-age, The Runarounds captures the rush of risking everything at the edge of adulthood to chase your dreams.
Executive Produced By
Jonas Pate, David Wilcox, Joon Yun, Josh Pate, Shannon Burke, Lisa Mae Fincannon, Scott Lambert, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Matt Thunell
Produced By
Amazon MGM Studios and Skydance Television
Cast
William Lipton, Axel Ellis, Jeremy Yun, Zendé Murdock, Jesse Golliher, Lilah Pate, Maximo Salas, Kelley Pereira, Marley Aliah, Mark Wystrach, Brooklyn Decker, Hayes MacArthur, and Shea Pritchard
Interview with Evan Oppenheimer, Amy Carlson and Kirrilee Berger of the movie “Peas and Carrots” by Suzanne 9/26 and 9/30/25
This is such an amazing movie! It has music, comedy, family drama and scifi… the writing is outstanding, and I love the characters. The family feeling in the movie dominates. I was happy to interview all three. I spoke with Evan a lot about music – perhaps more than the movie! Kirrilee is such a bundle of energy, full of youth, but with a great head on her shoulders and so much talent. I love Amy Carlson, who’s had a long career, including “Another World” and “Blue Bloods.” She was very sweet and funny. Don’t miss this indie movie because it’s a fun ride with amazing music. Jordan Bridges also stars in it – I loved him in “Rizzoli & Isles” and other shows. Go watch this show! It comes out in select theaters 10/3/25.
Laugh-Out-Loud Comedy Directed by Evan Oppenheimer
In Theaters This Friday October 3rd
***Opening Night Film – Dances With Films 2024***
Written & Directed by: Evan Oppenheimer
Known For The Magnificent Meyersons, Lost in Florence, A Little Game,
The Speed of Thought, Alchemy, Justice, and The Auteur Theory
Produced by: Edward Schmidt, Jay Zellman
Original Songs Written by: Marky Ramone (The Ramones),
Ryan Miller (Guster), Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth)
Starring:
Kirrilee Berger (Unsung Hero)
Amy Carlson (“Blue Bloods”)
Jordan Bridges (“Rizzoli & Isles”)
Talia Oppenheimer (The Magnificent Meyersons)
Callum Vinson (“Long Bright River”)
Andrew Polk(Armageddon Time)
Laurissa Romain (Top Five)
Dan Thompson(A New York Story)
Faith Gitchell
Gabriel Rush (MoonriseKingdom)
Angel Desai (“NCIS: New Orleans”)
Joey Wethersby is a typical 16-year-old New York girl — if your typical New Yorker had parents who were in a one-hit wonder band in the 90’s. And if your typical New Yorker found themselves traveling every night to a bizarre alternate reality, where everybody only says three words: “Peas and Carrots”. Joey finds herself navigating this weird new world, while also dealing with her changing family dynamic, after she suggests that she and her parents (and, to her chagrin, her siblings) form a new band and start rocking out together.
ABOUT DIRECTOR EVAN OPPENHEIMER
Peas and Carrots is the eighth film written and directed by Evan Oppenheimer. His previous films include The Magnificent Meyersons, Lost in Florence, A Little Game, The Speed of Thought, Alchemy, Justice, and The Auteur Theory.
A Little Game, Evan’s first family film, starring F. Murray Abraham, Ralph Macchio and Olympia Dukakis, was called “a classic in its own right” upon its release in 2014, and won Best Feature and Best Actor at the International Family Film Festival. In 2023, the film had an unexpected resurgence, blowing up on TikTok after clips were posted to the social media site, garnering up to 28M views per clip.
Evan’s first film, The Auteur Theory, starring Alan Cox and Natasha Lyonne, won numerous awards at festivals worldwide. Reviewers have called it “ingenious”, “among the best first features I have ever seen”, “one of the best independent films of the year”, and “easily the funniest indie film since Clerks”.
Alchemy was a New York Times Highlight, a Washington Post Best Bet, and an Us Weekly Pick. Justice was recognized as the first narrative film to deal with the after-effects of 9/11, and after premiering at the 2003 Tribeca Film Festival it was lauded in The New York Times (“A genuine surprise”), TV Guide (“Admirably subtle”),and The New York Daily News (“There’s no denying the film’s emotional core”). Lost in Florence, shot entirely in Italy, was released around the world in 2017by MGM and Orion Pictures.
Evan is a graduate of Yale University and NYU Film School. He lives in New York with his wife and three daughters. His next film, Out on a Limb, is planned for 2026.
ABOUT ACTRESS AMY CARLSON (LAURIE)
Born in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Amy Carlson spent most of her early life in the Chicago area. But when Amy was in junior high, she and her family also lived in the Middle East where her parents, Bob and Barb, taught at the American School. Amy has three siblings, sisters Betsy and Lori and brother Joe. Amy has backpacked all over Europe with her family and on her own. Because her parents were teachers, they were able to spend every summer together traveling and camping all over the United States. In fact, they have camped in every state except Alaska. Amy also went to Rwanda after the war in 1994 to aid relief efforts. Early on, Amy showed artistic talent acting in school productions and winning contests for writing. In high school, she was a promising athlete who placed in the first ever 3200 meter relay in Illinois girls track. In college, after an injury, she returned to the theater with many roles on stage starting with Lanford Wilson’s “Fifth of July” and directing Wallace Shawn’s “Aunt Dan and Lemon”. Amy attended Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, where she graduated cum laude with a B.A. in East Asian history and a concentration in Theater. She moved to Chicago afterward and studied Improv at the Improv Olympic and acting at The Actor’s Center. A contract job on the now defunct soap opera Another World (1964) moved her to NYC soon after graduation. She has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in the category of “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series”. Her most memorable roles have been of strong women playing Alex Taylor in Third Watch (1999), Maggie Pistone in Falcone (2000), Katie Owen alongside Tom Berenger in Peacemakers (2003) and Linda Reagan in Blue Bloods. Carlson resides in New York City with husband Syd Butler, bassist of Les Savy Fav, where she also works in the independent music business as part-owner of the independent label “Frenchkiss Records”. Amy continues to write as well as seek out diverse and unique roles in the film industry.
ABOUT ACTRESS KIRRILEE BERGER (JOEY)
Kirrilee Berger, an actress from Teaneck, NJ, played the central role of Rebecca Smallbone in Lionsgate’s 2024 release, “Unsung Hero.” She also appeared in “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Country Comfort, and recently released her first album, Stories, Lies, Allegories and Fables. She’s also lived in Brisbane, Australia and Los Angeles, CA.
Interviews with Annabella Sciorra, Jay Will, Martin Starr, Garrett Hedlund and Bella Heathcote of “Tulsa King” on Paramount+ by Suzanne 9/15/25
This is a very good show, even though I’m not a big fan of mobster shows or movies. The actors are fantastic (including star Sylvester Stallone), and there’s a lot of superb writing for the stories and characters, as well as action. They do an outstanding job of showing the characters caught up in the criminal world and how it affects their lives.
The actors answered my questions very well last week, and I enjoyed speaking with them. It was an honor to speak with Annabella Sciorra and the rest….but of course, it would have been nice to speak to Sylvester Stallone again. Not all “stars” leave a noticeable absence in any room, but he always does. He’s the titular king as well as the main character and star. He’s a busy guy, though, so I’m not surprised I didn’t get to speak with him a second time. Don’t miss the premiere tomorrow, 9/21/25 on Paramount+!
TULSA KING follows New York mafia capo Dwight “The General” Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone), just after he is released from prison after 25 years and unceremoniously exiled by his boss to set up shop in Tulsa, Okla. Realizing that his mob family may not have his best interests in mind, Dwight slowly builds a “crew” from a group of unlikely characters, to help him establish a new criminal empire in a place that to him might as well be another planet.
Interview with Annabel Scholey, Aggy K. Adams and Sam Palladio of “The Couple Next Door” on STARZ by Suzanne 9/16/25
This anthology series on Starz is very sexy (and maybe a bit kinky – if anything is nowadays) and filled with drama and intrigue. It also has some very good writing and characters. If you enjoyed season 1, you should enjoy this season 2. Even if you never saw season 1, though, you can watch season 2 because it mostly different characters.
I was supposed to interview all 3 of these actors, plus Sendhil Ramamurthy. Unfortunately, the latter had a personal conflict, so I wasn’t able to speak with him. That was a real shame because he’s the one I most wanted to chat with! He’s always great, and I’ve enjoyed his work since “Heroes” on NBC (2006-2010) and that show’s reboot later on, as well as many other series I watched, like “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Flash” on The CW and “Doom Patrol” on MAX. It was wonderful to speak to the other three, though. We weren’t allowed to use the video this time, though, only audio, so here are the two transcripts below. They’ve been edited, but we’re not quite through proofreading them yet, so please do check back.
Sam Palladino
Suzanne: My name is Suzanne from TVMEG.COM. So, had you watched the first season of the series before you, started filming the second?
Sam: Well, I got the audition, and so I hadn’t seen it without any context. But, after getting the audition and reading the first script, I definitely did a little research and definitely watched a few, and actually was really…quite honestly, very captured and spellbound by this show. And it wouldn’t usually be my kind of show.
Suzanne: Mm-hmm.
Sam: But I was like, “This is really great. It’s beautifully shot, it’s well acted…. The story’s gripping.” And so, I think before I’d actually got the job, I was a fan. I was auditioning, going, “I hope I get this one ’cause it’s pretty good.”
Suzanne: That’s good. So, can you say, is the second season as crazy as the first?
Sam: oh, the second season of “The Couple Next Door” takes it to a whole new level, right? I mean, it really does. I think the writers and producers learned what worked in Series One, and it was pretty obvious that was the… I mean, it was the great writing, but it was the tension, it was the drama, it was the spicy sexual desire and the consequences of all that. All that hit home for sure. So with Series Wwo, we build on that and we go to even more bonkers places, to be honest. Yeah, it’s a real progression and I think, with this series… I got to work with just some fantastic actors and we all felt very much like a team. And even so much so with the directors, and producers, and the whole creative team. It was very collaborative. It wasn’t like, “Here’s your lines, you act, go stand over there.” It felt like we were all trying to make the show the best it could be.
Suzanne: That’s good. I think it works well when they let the actors have some input.
Sam: Mm-hmm. For sure.
Suzanne: And is there a lot of sex this season, like last season?
Sam: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. There’s way more sex. Oh, way more. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, we certainly, yeah. We take it to some new steamy places. There is a sequence in episode three that, when I read on the page, I thought, “How are we gonna do this? This feels like we’re put really pushing the boat out.” And so, yeah, like I said, I think that we build, and we take it to new levels, for sure.
Suzanne: Okay. And did they have someone on set to make you all feel comfortable during those scenes?
Sam: For sure. I mean, and that’s a brilliant thing that’s come into the industry now: the intimacy coordinator. I think it’s really important, particularly for us, our sequence — there’s a threesome sequence, you know, and so on the page you kind of go, “How do we handle this?” But yeah, Vanessa, our intimacy coordinator, they make it more like a choreographed dance sequence. And so that means that we had rehearsals prior, fully clothed, you know, where actually, you go through the protocols… it’s also contractual, you know, levels that you’re comfortable with. Everything’s open and discussed. And then it becomes very much… It’s choreographed. Gone are the days of like, “Okay, off you guys go, do your thing.” Which just means everybody feels comfortable and safe. And by that point, we’d saved a lot of those intimate scenes to… pretty much the last week in filming ’cause we were shooting for about three months or so. We’d all dubbed it “sex week.” Which was really quite funny because they just put it all together. So it was this very confusing week where we were all just went to the gym, you know, for weeks, trying to eat healthy and work towards “sex week.” But it just meant that we are all very comfortable with each other at that point. You know, Annabel, who plays my wife, Charlotte on the show… we’ve become like really great friends,, and so nothing felt awkward. And if it did, we were able to joke about it and have the intimacy coordinator there to just make sure everybody’s on our side, you know?
Suzanne: Right, right. And now this is an anthology series, so most of the characters are new, and the setting’s the same, and some of the characters are the same. So, is there anything that you can tell us about what’s new besides, you know, spoilers? No spoilers.
Sam: For sure, for sure. I mean, we have some, we have, Hugh Dennis, who returns as Alan. So he, he’s a brilliant actor. I love the character, Alan, actually, he goes on quite a redemptive arc.
Suzanne: He’s so pervy.
Sam: He’s so pervy. and that really sets the tone for Series One. And, and of course he goes on a different arc, this series. But, yeah, he’s a great. You know, he’s a catalyst to bring us back to this world. I think this series, just goes deeper into those desires and what happens when you explore that, and the consequences of that. And with some pretty, pretty drastic consequences. This series, you know, for my character Jacob, he goes on a crazy arc, you know? He’s a proud, jealous guy. His wife’s ex-partner, Leo, comes back into the mix, who Jacob has this real beef with from 20 years ago. And of course, Mia moves into the neighborhood, seduces me, seduces my wife. Suddenly, Jacob’s thrown into this world where he thought maybe this was gonna go somewhere and then realizes that Mia is after other things. So, you know, the, the layers are pretty varied for Jacob. And then he makes some terrible decisions late in the series that, I don’t think the viewers are expecting…based on the, the crazy circumstances they put themselves in.
Suzanne: Right. All right. Well thank you. I appreciate you talking to me today and I look forward to seeing the rest of the show.
Sam: Thanks. Thanks, Suzanne.
Annabel Scholey and Aggy K. Adams
Suzanne: Hi, I’m Suzanne from TVMEG.COM. How are you feeling?
Speaker 3: Good, thanks. Thank you. Good.
Suzanne: Had you both watched the first season of the series before you started shooting?
Annabel: Yes, I auditioned for series one. Yes. So I knew it pretty well. I actually read for Evie, and then I watched it ’cause I, I love the scripts. So I was very familiar.
Suzanne: Okay. How, how about you?
Aggy: Yes, me, too. I’ve seen season one, but only after I’ve gotten the job actually. So. yes, I’ve watched it sort of as we started filming. I was very curious once I’ve met the team, of how it was shot. So it was very fun. It’s great to see.
Suzanne: Mm-hmm. So, we know that it’s set in the same neighborhood (as the first season), and it has some of the same characters in the neighborhood, but the main cast is different. What else can you tell us about the differences this season… either of you, or both of you?
Annabel: This season has much more of a thriller element to it. There’s a lot more suspense… it’s not obvious where it’s headed. I mean, Aggie will talk about this more, but her character in particular is extremely mysterious and you don’t really ever find out until the end, really, the truth about what’s going on there. But, they wanted to shoot it more like a thriller. as well. And I think the director DRIs, who did both series one and series two, deliberately shot it more like that, so there’s more suspense, I’d say. I mean, it was very fast-paced, Series One, and gripping. So we keep that. But yeah, it definitely has a different tone.
Aggy: Yeah. Well, the plot is very different, and the tone as well. Series Two is maybe more sensuous in some way. There’s some art to it — it felt quite artistic to me. Some shots just feel slower… it is shot a bit differently. It takes place in the Autumn, as well, so it just has a different feel. It has a different mood — Series One was in the summer, so obviously, that, yeah. It sets the tone differently.
Annabel: And ours is a love story as well. It’s a love story between the two women. And I think Series One was more about sexual attraction and obsession, whereas this felt more like a psychological relationship drama.
Aggy: Definitely. It felt more psychological, yeah.
Suzanne: Okay. And, I read that the neighborhood that it takes place in is mostly shot in Leeds, right?
Annabel: No, we didn’t shoot anything in Leeds, actually.
Suzanne: Oh, yeah?
Annabel: It was shot in Antwerp and Holland. And I think… Maggie, you were in France, weren’t you?
Aggy: Exactly. We were just on the border of France and Belgium. Yeah, that’s where we shot Brussels, but we never shot in Leeds. Yeah, I think they shot Series One in Leeds.
Annabel: Yeah, they did.
Suzanne: That’s interesting that they changed it.
Aggy: Hmm.
Suzanne: The houses are a set, right?
Annabel: They are. So I actually grew up in, in Leeds, and the houses are definitely more attractive in our show. On the whole, they wanted to keep it set in Leeds, but because we didn’t really have any specific Leeds areas, right? They just shot everything elsewhere in Europe.
Suzanne: Interesting…I’ve been to the UK, but I grew up in the US. So, I’m thinking (while watching the first season), “How can a teacher, and a guy who’s working in a struggling newspaper, afford such a nice house — that comes with a Koi pond?”
Annabel: Mm-hmm.
Suzanne: But my husband just said, “It’s Europe.” I said, “I don’t know about that. It looked awfully nice.”
Annabel: No, I agree. That’s probably stretching into the realm of fantasy a little bit.
Suzanne: They had family money, maybe…. So, do either of you have any interesting or funny stories about shooting, or behind the scenes?
Annabel: Well, we both went into open heart surgeries as a research day, which was incredible.
Aggy: Mm-hmm.
Annabel: I mean, it definitely wasn’t funny. It was very moving, actually. And I was really worried I was gonna pass out ’cause I get a bit like that, but I just, it just blew my mind how incredible it was. It was a real it life-changing moment, actually. It was a real privilege.
Aggy: Yeah. Absolutely.. open heart surgeries, and that part of research was the best part for me, as well. Hmm. So interesting.
Suzanne: Had you ever played a doctor before, Annabelle?
Annabel: No, but I really wanted to, and I’m a huge “Grey’s Anatomy” fan, , and Christina Yang was my favorite, and I always thought, “Oh, God, how great….” Yeah, it was really good to delve into that. It was a real physical challenge, actually…not only to try and understand some of the science, and learn how to hold things, but to act with just your eyes. My eyes were behind the goggles, as well. So it was not only doing all of the technical stuff, but then trying to convey the relationship that was happening across the table between our two characters. It was a lot. It was a really interesting thing to have to try and learn how to do. It was thrilling.
Suzanne: Wow.
Annabel: Yeah.
Suzanne: What about you, Aggy? Have you played a nurse, or doctor, or any kind of medical professional before?
Aggy: No, I’ve never played a medical professional before. This was my first time. And, I’m very fascinated by it. It was like my dream, in a way. I’d love to play a heart surgeon next time ’cause obviously I’ve played a scrub nurse. So I hope it will happen again. And I’m a huge fan of medical shows, too. I really can’t wait to see “The Pitt,” also. And yes, I did watch “Grey’s Anatomy” in the past, growing up and, yeah, it was really fun.
Suzanne: Okay. Cool. Nice shout-out to “The Pitt.” That’s an awesome show.
Aggy: Yes, I, it’s on my list. I can’t wait to start.
Suzanne: Oh, you haven’t seen the first season yet?
Aggy: No, not yet. I’m new to it.
Suzanne: Yeah. It’s a bit intense. It’s a good show, though.
In this new chapter of the deliciously dark psychological drama, “The CoupleNextDoor,” we venture back into the claustrophobic world of the cul-de-sac and explore the fallout of taking your fantasies and making them reality. Brilliant heart surgeon, Charlotte Roberts (Annabel Scholey), and her husband, consultant anaesthetist Jacob (Sam Palladio) take centre stage, alongside their mysterious new colleague Mia (Aggy K Adams) and Charlotte’s old flame Leo (Sendhil Ramamurthy). Leo’s return sparks a change in Charlotte and Mia seizes the opportunity to work her way into Jacob and Charlotte’s confidence, their street, and eventually even their bed, befriending cul-de-sac outcast, Alan (Hugh Dennis) along the way. But it’s not long before Mia’s past comes back to haunt her, leading Charlotte and Jacob to question who she really is, especially when patients at the hospital start mysteriously dying. One thing is clear – giving in to their desires could have deadly consequences.
Annabel Scholey has performed extensively on stage and is known for her roles in the BBC supernatural drama Being Human in 2009 and as Anne-Marie Blake in the true crime drama miniseries The Sixth Commandment in 2023. She also played the leading role of Maddie in the musical feature film Walking on Sunshine (2014).
Aggy K. Adams is a British actress, born 19th May 1998. Her television roles have included The Witcher (2023). She had a lead role in the film Oh, Ramona! (2019). She was born in Warsaw, Poland, before later living in the United States and eventually settling down with her family in the UK as a child.
CAST AND PRODUCTION CREDITS
CHARLOTTE Annabel Scholey
JACOB Sam Palladio
MIA Aggy K. Adams
LEO Sendhil Ramamurthy
ALAN Hugh Dennis
GEMMA Maimie McCoy
BEN Adam James
YVONNE Tanya Moodie
PRODUCTION CREDITS
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER David Allison
Dries Vos
Walter Iuzzolino
Jo McGrath
DIRECTOR Dries Vos
WRITER David Allison
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Diego Dezuttere, SBC
EDITOR Gert Fimmers, Ep. 201, 203, 205, 206
David Verdurme, Ep. 202, 204, 206
PRODUCTION DESIGNER Max Van Essche
COSTUME DESIGNERS Katie Broome
Jutta Smeyers
HAIR & MAKE-UP DESIGNER Morgane Verhelst
ORIGINAL MUSIC BY Hannes De Maeyer
INTIMACY COORDINATOR Vanessa Coffey
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
CHARLOTTE Annabel Scholey
A consultant cardiothoracic surgeon, Charlotte is highly competitive and well-respected at work. Married to Jacob and happily child-free, Charlotte is starting to wonder what’s next – is 20 more years doing exactly what’s expected of her really that appealing? The pressure of her career and of caring for her elderly father sometimes overwhelm her, but it’s not until her ex, Leo, returns, and Mia crashes into her life, that she starts to entertain the thought of cutting loose from it all.JACOB Sam Palladio
Always charming, Jacob loves his wife, Charlotte, and enjoys their verbal sparring, as well as the fact that she is so proficient in the operating room. But buried deep within him are insecurities about his status. Jacob enjoys pushing boundaries and copes with the pressures of his high-octane job with the help of various illicit prescription drugs. Adored by half the junior staff at the hospital, Jacob has always been faithful to Charlotte. But when Mia arrives, it soon becomes clear she might be another drug he can’t quite resist.MIA Aggy K. Adams
New in town, with a very mysterious past, surgical nurse Mia is clearly trying to run from someone or something. With a very un-British attitude toward both work and sex, Mia has an uncanny ability to draw people in and make them desire her. But this can also make her a formidable enemy. When she sees Charlotte and Jacob for the first time, she’s immediately fascinated by them and determined to work her way into their seemingly perfect marriage
LEO Sendhil Ramamurthy
Having had a whirlwind romance with Charlotte during her med school years, Leo’s life has taken a very different path in the years since. He’s travelled the world, working for charities and eschewing the trappings and easy life his family’s wealth could have provided. But now, with his father, Viraj, seriously ill, Leo has returned home. When he sees Charlotte, the old feelings come flooding back. Will he try and win back the woman he’s always loved?
ALAN Hugh Dennis
Isolated and alone since Jean left him a year ago, Alan has had to suffer the scorn of the community, as his crimes towards Becka became more widely known. Now fully recovered from his stroke, he’s been sentenced to community service, completing menial tasks around the local area to repay his debt to society. But has Alan really mended his ways? And if he has, will his past prevent him from ever finding love again?
GEMMA Maimie McCoy
Senior manager at the hospital, and longtime best friend to Charlotte, Gemma’s still struggling to process the end of her marriage to Ben, who left her for a much younger woman. Once she meets the charming, suave Leo, life starts looking up. But with Leo still harboring feelings for Charlotte, can they ever be more than just good friends?
BEN Adam James
Medical director of the hospital, Ben is Jacob’s boss, friend and mentor. In the grip of a mid-life crisis, he has left his wife for Alyssa, the 20-something receptionist at his local gym. She’s beautiful and makes him feel young again, but do they really have anything in common? And, as he watches his ex-wife getting closer to Leo, will he start to feel the pangs of regret?
YVONNE Tanya Moodie
Mia’s closest ally amongst the nursing staff, Yvonne avoids being drawn into the gossip and drama of the hospital. She’s kind and caring, but unlucky in love. Mia thinks she might know the perfect man for her friend – Alan. But can Yvonne overlook Alan’s past? And, if so, will he be able to prove he’s a changed man?
EPISODE DESCRIPTIONSEPISODE 201 Airdate: September 19, 2025 Written by: David Allison Directed by: Dries Vos
When new surgical nurse Mia arrives at the hospital, she quickly turns her charm on married colleagues, Charlotte and Jacob, who can’t help but feel unsettled when she unexpectedly moves into the house next door.EPISODE 202 Airdate: September 26, 2025 Written by: David Allison Directed by: Dries Vos
After a wild night out, Charlotte tries to distance herself from Mia. Charlotte’s ex, Leo, returns to the hospital and at the fundraising ball, his and Jacob’s mutual dislike is palpable. Mia’s reaction to a death at the hospital raises eyebrows.
EPISODE 203 Airdate: October 3, 2025 Written by: David Allison Directed by: Dries Vos
To celebrate their 20-year anniversary, a guilt-ridden Jacob plans a surprise weekend trip to Antwerp for Charlotte.When an unexpected third person turns up, things take an erotic, but dangerous, turn. Back in town, cul-de-sac outcast Alan is forced to put his telescope back into action.
EPISODE 204 Airdate: October 10, 2025 Written by: David Allison Directed by: Dries Vos
Upon her return from Antwerp, Charlotte throws herself into her work. Gossip about the trip spreads through the hospital, leading to tension. Meanwhile, Mia tries to do a good deed for Alan.
EPISODE 205 Airdate: October 17, 2025 Written by: David Allison Directed by: Dries Vos
Jacob comes to a heartbreaking realization, while Mia’s past finally catches up to her leading to tumultuous events for everyone.
EPISODE 206 Airdate: October 24, 2025 Written by: David Allison Directed by: Dries Vos Relationships are imploding and the fallout seems to have deadly consequences. Leo is in a race against time to try and uncover who is really behind the deaths at the hospital, while Alan is forced to take drastic actions to protect Mia.
**mid-season usually means Winter or Spring, but it could be pushed back to Summer as well.
Click on the link of each show to watch, find more info or to double-check and see what dates the networks give. NOTE: Some shows don’t have pages yet….
Interview with Rory Alexander & Sadhbh Malin of “Outlander: Blood Of My Blood” on Starz by Suzanne 8/25/25
It was fun to speak with these two young actors. This was a roundtable, so there were 5-6 other press members asking questions, besides myself. They gave us about a half an hour, so everyone had a chance to ask at least one question, and some got two questions. I came in a little late due to a previous engagement, but I didn’t miss too much. I hope you enjoy this transcript below. We weren’t allowed to use video on this one. They were delightful, though, I have to say. They clearly enjoy their work.
Tony: Great to talk to you both. Rory again it was pleasure last time.
Rory: Nice to see you, Tony.
Tony: Yeah, I gotta say. Let’s go back to the first episode, because that we can talk about, because it’s already aired. For example, there was a scene right after the victorious boar hunt, and you’re washing your hands, and she comes on over. Jocasta comes over. So, talk about playing that scene, because I saw a little bit of a spark there. Maybe I’m wrong. We’ll start with the ladies, of course.
Sadhbh: Yeah, you’re definitely not wrong. There’s definitely a little spark there. I don’t know. I think it’s in that moment, so early on in their very long relationship, as we know. I think it’s just fancying and seeing something in someone that you really, really like, and it’s a crush and it’s young. I think he’s really kind to her, and I think it’s a really beautiful moment for Jocasta, who is not in her most ideal situation right now. We’ve seen her being quite stern, and there’s feelings of being misunderstood, but we see her in this light, beautiful, playful moment with a man that she’s crushing on. So, yeah, I think it’s young and relatable.
Tony: What do you say, Rory? You kind of glanced in another direction slightly there in that scene, if I recall.
Rory: Yeah, I definitely clock that there is chemistry between us. He is pretty focused on Ellen, but also, I think he’s on top of the world. He’s just been victorious in a boar hunt, and he kind of feels like things are going his way, and then Jocasta reads his eyes so quickly and kind of embarrasses him and goes, “I’m going to talk to my sister for you.” And I think he sort of suddenly spots that she does have this likeness and that they can actually have quite a serious conversation, but in quite a sort of gentle, playful way. And I mean, he’s only human. He is a young man, and the lovely Jocasta is in front of him.
So, although he has these feelings for Ellen, he’s like, oh, wow. I also I think it’s important that he does give her a compliment. That feeling of being overlooked is a really hard one, and Murtagh definitely feels that in his life and with his set up as well. So, the opportunity to be able to say to someone, “I see you,” is very special, and it’s a really good place for them to start, I think.
Joe: Hi, guys. Thanks for chatting with us today. People are different when they get older from their younger selves, right? I’m not the same guy today as I was 10 years ago, and 10 years ago, I wasn’t the same guy that I was 10 years before that.
You’re both playing characters that are established already in the Outlander universe. What’s the challenge of playing these new characters, playing these characters that people already know, but playing younger versions that they don’t know? Like Murtagh, for example. The younger Murtagh is more hopeful, less hopeful than he becomes later. What’s the challenge of taking little moments, though, of these actors’ performances from the original Outlander series and kind of saying, like, well, “I’m still that guy; part me is still there, but I’m creating a new version of this character or a younger version of this character.” Talk about that challenge.
Sadhbh: Yeah. Well, I guess, I mean, we all kind of, I think, spoke about this the whole way through filming. It wasn’t something that you were really able to obsess over, and like, I guess, for me, it was about finding the essence of of Jocasta and like small things like voice. Because I do think the way someone starts off their life as a baby and, you know, as a young person and the way they end, there’s often something really in their essence that’s very similar. So, for me, like the essence was quite important. Then, also like remembering how much Jocasta goes through in her life and all of those experiences are what make her the version that we meet in Outlander. So, I guess trusting that she’s going through all of those things episode by episode that are going to turn her into who she becomes. So, yeah, I guess trusting in that and trusting that, if that makes sense.
Rory: Yeah, I totally agree with that. You can’t play the character like you’ve been through those experiences, and that’s kind of the joy of getting to do it is you go, “Well, we are on one side of the veil, and then everyone has already seen on the other.” And there’re little things like, you know, Sadhbh’s and my like kind of chemistry on screen might be different to theirs. But the same thing is true, which is that they have an important and deep connection, and I don’t think there are certain organic things that you can just mimic. Otherwise, you fall into the realm of kind of being inauthentic. And also, there are similarities that come through just by dint of being in the same universe. You know, it’s the same family members and like they’re fighting the same – well, they’re not the same wars, but, you know, figuratively the same wars. So much of the similarities are kind of given to you by the world already, which is really, really useful.
Riju: So, both of your characters are kind of, I mean, if not for Ellen, we did mention that there was a spark between both of your characters. So, if not for Ellen, do you think that Jocasta and Murtagh would have made a good couple?
Sadhbh: I think in the world, if we weren’t in the world that they’re in potentially, but I think there’s so many reasons going against them. And Jocasta is married, and it was arranged for her. Yeah, I think there’s a lot of reasons bigger than them as to why they couldn’t, but I think in a simpler world, there’s definitely a spark there that could have been excavated.
Rory: Yeah, I mean, Murtagh doesn’t really have control of his life necessarily, because of his family ties and things and his kind of status and position. But yeah, you kind of hope that if you took away all the other elements, just at the core, they definitely have a spark in the chemistry. Yeah, it’s good. It’s like, it’s good writing, but it’s always sad that you don’t get to kind of do more of it. There is definitely something good to mine here. I guess that’s where the tension comes in.
John: Well, first off, you guys are doing amazing work this season. This episode, especially, there’s just so much power that comes from what you both go through when it comes to this longing for love. I’m just curious, as actors, how you found the essence of those emotions, because it felt so raw and so real.
Sadhbh: Yes. Well, I mean, together, I guess, trusting in each other and trusting in the writing. And I think what they go through is really real and relatable, and I think they go through like a very imperfect or the beginnings of a very imperfect love story. I think we all, anyone who’s human, knows kind of what that feels like. So, I guess, yeah, trusting in each other, and we’re friends, so I’m trusting in that too.
Rory: Yeah, trust is the key word. I think you can do as much work as you like, sort of answering all the questions and thinking about the context and the emotional history and how they’ve got to these places and what’s causing them to feel this way, and then you kind of just have to sit in a tent opposite Sadhbh and do the scene, and, you know, you’re not thinking about any of that stuff. You’re just there, and somehow that’s kind of all become ingrained in you. Then, you just go, “What happens if you if you touch my hand? How am I going to touch it back?” And it just happens when you’re doing it, because, yeah, you can’t kind of logistically plan emotions. You just kind of have to hope that something feels right as you’re doing it. Yeah, I think, because of our relationship and how Emer directed it and the script, it just went, “yeah, this clicks.”
John: Thank you guys. Appreciate it. Amazing, amazing work.
Rory: Thank you, John.
Genevieve: First of all, I want to let you know that I am loving Blood of My Blood. First, I was really just looking forward to a return to the Outlander universe, but you have all blown me away with your acting and the storytelling, and I can only imagine the great pressure of taking on established characters brought alive by other great characters, but you’re both handling your characters wonderfully, and I look forward to more of your versions of Murtagh and Jocasta. But my question is more about your acting, and it’s for both of you. What is the last thing you do, think, or say to yourself before you step on set to get into your characters?
Sadhbh: Very much the same.
Rory: Sometimes I’ll be like listening to music in my trailer to kind of get yourself into the right into the right headspace. Like some of like Bear’s music, who obviously does the music for the show. Sometimes it’s, yeah, listening to the Rolling Stones just to kind of get the right energy and feel for it. I don’t have like a line that I say to myself that like instantly makes me feel like Murtagh, I would say. And it’s hard, because sometimes you’re sat there having a coffee talking about what you did on the weekend, and they’re like, “Okay, and rolling,” and then you go, “Here we are,” which is maybe unprofessional. Maybe it means that we’re getting better at it. I don’t know where the line is. Sadhbh, any thoughts?
Sadhbh: It really depends on the day, I think. Yeah. There’s sometimes like where I like really, really, I don’t know, try to get into like create the thoughts that Jocasta is having, like really try to create a stream. I don’t know. It’s so hard to talk about that without sounding like a little, without sounding like a proper actor. Yeah, different things. Music is good. But I find sometimes as well, like sometimes I think if you have a scene, you like really, really care about it, and I think every scene you care about. But if there’s a scene that really feels huge for your character, and you go in with all these like massive, complicated thoughts and feelings and you’re, you know, doing movement in your trailer, not that I’ve done that, but, you know, you’re going to that extreme. Then, you get to doing it, and you’ve made the process towards the scene so complicated that actually you’ve kind of brought a bit too much to it. I think sometimes like understanding and connecting and being present is actually enough. Like you’ve done the work, and you just have to trust that it’s in there when you show up on the day.
Rory: Sometimes, just before the camera rolls, I sort of talk to myself. Like I’ll say, “Oh, I’m in this tent, because I made a stupid mistake, and Brian’s not here.” And then you can kind of kind of gee yourself up into it. But I totally agree with Sadhbh. You can outthink yourself and try and become way too prepared.
Sadhbh: I also don’t do movement in my trailer, by the way. Sorry, I just really had to clear that up. I promise.
Rory: It’s like, have you’ve ever played Mario Kart? Like if you rev the engine at the start of the Mario Kart race, if you do it, then your car just goes, and you don’t get a good start. Like you can’t overcook it. That is my academic analogy for today.
Genevieve: Thank you both. Thank you.
Rory: Thank you.
Suzanne: So, I’ve had actors say before that they love when they get into the costume and have the props and everything, because it gets them into the mood, so to speak, gives them the headspace, helps them with the character. But leaving that aside, your costumes look kind of uncomfortable. Would you say they’re uncomfortable or do they try to make them comfortable for either one of you both?
Rory: They definitely try and make them comfortable, but that doesn’t make them comfortable, especially if they get wet, and then they start to smell, and then everyone smells like wet sheep. Then, you’re doing a scene where you’re meant to be staring at each other thinking like you’re the hottest girl in the world, but we both stink of sheep. But it is very useful, because I get wrapped up like a burrito every day in my kilt, and after you’ve done that, you don’t really feel like yourself anymore. You’re 90% of the way to getting into character. So, it is very helpful. But yeah, when you’re doing long days in triple tweed, you finish, and you feel like you’ve been carrying a military backpack for the day. It’s quite a lot.
Sadhbh: Yeah, they’re heavy. They’re really heavy. So, that dance scene in Belton was like, I don’t know how much my costume weighed that day, because it felt like I was carrying a few kilos on my dress. So, prancing up and down was funny.
Suzanne: So, women’s costumes aren’t any lighter?
Sadhbh: Say that again, sorry.
Suzanne: I said, the women’s costumes aren’t any lighter?
Sadhbh: No, I mean, I don’t have facts on this, but I feel like they’re probably heavier.
Rory: I think they could well be heavier. Everyone always looks forward to a scene where they’re like, “Oh, you’re not wearing a jacket in this,” and two weeks off, you’re like, “I can’t wait to do that scene,” and then on the day, it’ll be snowing, and you’re like, “I wish I was wearing a jacket.” You can’t get it right.
Sadhbh: I think the discomfort helps. Thank you so much. Thank you.
Rory: Yeah, I agree. My corset is very comfortable, though.
Sadhbh: Do you have a corset?… Humiliating me.
Tony: All right, guys. Well, you both have relatives in this series that you’re close to. One’s a sister, and I think, Rory, he’s more of a cousin to you, isn’t he? Isn’t that right?
Rory: Yeah, he’s my cousin.
Tony: So, what’s it like? Kind of describe the relationship and how you get along, or maybe at times you don’t get along. What’s it like? Ladies First, of course.
Sadhbh: Yeah. I think there’s, as we saw at the end, or at the start of episode five, I think there’s the beginnings of a change in Jocasta and Ellen’s relationship. But I think Ellen and Ellen’s position, Ellen’s relationship with her late father is a real outlet for Jocasta’s kind of frustration and discomfort in her own life. I think it’s much easier to get angry at your sister, but I think there’s the beginnings of a change, and I think their trip to Belton is a real step in the right direction. So, I have hope for them.
Rory: Yeah, similarly, I think, I hope, but knowing that there’s definitely going to be some family feuds along the way, which is nice, because it means it’s realistic. I have lots of siblings, and we’re not always having picnics. So, Murtagh is Brian’s cousin, but they really are best friends. So, sometimes it feels like there’s a family duty, and sometimes it feels like they’re actively making a choice. And that works both ways, where if you betray one another, it kind of cuts double deep. But also, if you’re looking out for each other, you’re not just doing it because you have to, you’re doing it because you choose to, because you can’t choose your family, but you can choose your friends. And in this instance, he kind of does both. So, yeah, it makes everything doubly powered, in both the positive and the negative.
Tony: That’s what it’s like being a sibling.
Rory: There it is.
Tony: All right, thank you guys.
Joe: Guys, the show’s a very physical show, right? A lot of it’s set outside. I’m sure, I don’t know what the weather’s like, if it’s too hot when you’re filming, or maybe too cold. You’ve got animals. I’m sure there’s a lot of mud and dirt and bugs. Ben, can you pick out maybe one of the most challenging or uncomfortable days or scenes that you experienced during season one of Outlander: Blood of My Blood? And on the opposite end of the spectrum, maybe what was a pleasant surprise? Something that you’re like, “You know what? If I wasn’t on this show, I never would have got to experience this moment or this day.”
Rory: Well, we’ve had some very uncomfortable ones on season two already, and we’ve only just started. So, that’s not a good sign. I had an incident with a horse, where I was stood on the mark for too long, and the horse, like the Mario Kart, actually, it got too charged up. And I was meant to just – it’s actually in the start of episode five. I come in, and I tell Brian, “Come on, let’s go to the festival,” but the horses galloped full speed into this courtyard, and there were 200 crew and a crane and all the lights and stuff. And I was riding over the cobbles. And as I came around, Jamie looked up, and apparently, I was just manically giggling. And Jamie was like, “Why is he going to this scene hysterical?” I was like, “I didn’t choose to do this. It was just my pure fear pouring out of me.” So yeah, that was a pretty sticky day, I think. I got it in the end, just.
Sadhbh: We had one day at the funeral scene at the very start of episode one. It was actually an amazing day. But we went, I think it was in Crieff in Scotland. We travelled up there to shoot the scene. They had this amazing place down, all these windy, windy roads. If you imagine the most rural, undiscovered Scottish land down. It was wild. It was amazing. It was so beautiful. So, many of us there and so many essays and crew. I have never seen rain like it in my life, and I’m from Ireland. It was rain that you could see. It was like bullets and just went and went and went all day. I just felt for, yeah, it was like bullets. But they did it, and it actually looks amazing. So, it was worth it.
Rory: I think that shot of you guys on the road, the really far, [it’s] unbelievable.
Sadhbh: Yeah, it’s fabulous. Fabulous shot.
Rory: Fabulous.
Sadhbh: Fabulous. But it was one of those days where everyone just laughed so much, and we had so much fun, and we were all together, but no one had any signal. We’re like, “God, if something happens, we’re doomed.”
Joe: Opposite end of the spectrum, what was a pleasant day or a pleasant moment, big surprise?
Rory: There were loads. Sometimes it’s just about doing a really, really good scene. Like our scene in episode five, I just loved doing, and I knew as soon as I read that script, I knew that that was the scene that was kind of make or break. Like if we did it badly, I would have thought about it for weeks. So, yeah, when things like that go well, or it felt like it went well, that’s like really special.
I think my first day filming was a scene that’s, I think it’s cut, because it probably wasn’t very good. And it was Brian and Murtagh by a fire before they go to the gathering. And I just couldn’t really get my head around the fact that it was just two people and a fire, and yet we were in the middle of the forest. The cranes had lit up the sky so that it was starlight and there was a fake moon. And Philippe, the chef, had been preparing an actual rabbit for us to cook over the fire, and he’d been seasoning it with like thyme and tarragon. Then, there was a van that was giving us hot gyoza in the middle of the night, and we’re literally in the middle of nowhere. And I just thought, they’ve just created an entire world just so that me and this lad can sit by this fire and say three lines, and it blew my mind.
Sadhbh: Yeah, that’s a really good one, I think. Yeah, I think there were so many days. I mean, there [were] amazing days where loads of us were in and sitting in the [unintelligible]. And it’s just like – not to sound, yeah. It was just like laughing, just so much laughing. So much laughing that you go home with a headache. I know probably every cast says this. Like,”Oh, we’re all genuinely friends,” but like, we’re genuinely really good friends, and it’s like so lovely and cool that you get to go to for like people that you genuinely think are class. But yeah, I think those days where there’s loads of people in, and it’s like you kind of get so giddy and hyper, and you go home, and your head hurts, and people are like, “Do you want to go for dinner?” And you’re like, “I have to go sit in a quiet room for the night, I think.” I think those days are really special, because you’re like, “This is work. This is mad.”
Rory: Big time. Doing the Belton festivals like that, I had the giggles at Belton for four days, and everyone was there, and then you kept forgetting that like certain characters don’t know other characters. So, I kept giggling with Conor who plays Ned. And I thought, actually, Murtagh doesn’t know who Ned is, but he just, you go, “Right, come on, professional. Be professional.” Yeah, I think we are very lucky, not to sound trite.
Sadhbh: Yeah.
Lauren: Yeah. Thank you all so much. Really appreciate your time.
“Outlander: Blood of my Blood” is a romantic saga that unfolds across time. From the battlefields of World War I to the rugged Highlands of 18th century Scotland, two fated couples must defy the forces that seek to tear them apart, intersecting in surprising and unforeseen ways.
After 11 years of epic romance on the groundbreaking series “Outlander,” the timeless tale continues — or rather begins — on the eve of an earlier Jacobite rebellion. A prequel to “Outlander,” the series explores the lives and relationships of two couples as they fight against all odds to be together: the parents of “Outlander’s” Claire Beauchamp — Julia Moriston (Hermione Corfield) and Henry Beauchamp (Jeremy Irvine); and those of “Outlander’s” Jamie Fraser — Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater) and Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy). In addition to Corfield, Irvine, Slater, and Roy, “Outlander: Blood of my Blood” stars Tony Curran as Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat, Séamus McLean Ross as Colum MacKenzie, Sam Retford as Dougal MacKenzie, Rory Alexander as Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser, and Conor MacNeill as Ned Gowan.
The stand-alone prequel series features new cast, characters and stories welcoming viewers unfamiliar with the “Outlander” universe, while also providing origin stories of fan-favorite characters from early seasons of “Outlander,” and offering new perspectives that will change what viewers of the original series think they know.
New episodes of “Outlander: Blood of my Blood” will air weekly on Fridays at 8:00 pm ET/PT on STARZ in the U.S. and at 9:00 pm ET/PT in Canada.
Matthew B. Roberts serves as showrunner and executive producer on “Outlander: Blood of my Blood,” with Ronald D. Moore, Maril Davis and Jim Kohlberg also serving as executive producers. “Outlander: Blood of my Blood” is produced by Sony Pictures Television.
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Sony Pictures Television (SPT) is one of the television industry’s leading content providers, producing, distributing and carrying programming worldwide in every genre and for every platform. In addition to managing one of the industry’s largest libraries of award-winning feature films, television shows and formats, SPT is home to a thriving global content business, operating a robust portfolio of wholly-owned and joint-venture production companies across the U.S., Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific, as well as linear and digital channels around the world. SPT is a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation.
Rory Alexander is a British actor, also known for his work as a voice actor and content creator. His acting credits include roles in the TV series Alex Rider, Pistol, and Outlander: Blood of My Blood, and the film Inland. He is also a sim racing content creator on YouTube, known as EERIEISSSS.
Sadhbh Malin is a graduate from The Lir Academy’s BA Acting. Her play “In Heat” debuted at this year’s Dublin Fringe Festival, produced by Philomena Productions. Recent theatre credits include “Portia Coughlan” (Almeida Theatre); “Lights Out” (Four Rivers Theatre); “Steward of Christendom” (Gate Theatre, Dublin) and “Dubliners” (Corn Exchange). She made her feature film debut in Love Rosie with Lily Collins, Sam Claflin, Jaime Winston and Suki Waterhouse in 2014. She was recently seen in “Conversations with Friends,” the TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel.
Interview with Brandon Routh and director Joseph Kahn of the movie “ICK” Suzanne 7/22/25
I’m not exaggerating when I say that I was ecstatic to interview Brandon because I’ve been a fan of his since 2001 when he started on “One Life to Live” as Seth! Then he soared to great heights with “Superman Returns”, and showed us what he was really capable of with the character of Ray Palmer (AKA The Atom) in all of the CW superhero shows (especially “Arrow” and “Legends of Tomorrow“). I grew up with 3 older comic-book loving brothers, and Superman was always my favorite superhero, so you can imagine how thrilling it was to also meet one of the few actors to have portrayed him on screen.
I also enjoyed speaking to Joseph, who co-wrote and directed the film. I always love interviewing directors and writers because I can ask them more interesting questions about the development of the movie itself. He has done quite a few films already, but I think we will see him go on to even bigger and better films in the future. Both of them were very kind and down-to-earth in our interview.
Routh stars in this film, which is a comedy-horror movie. It’s funny, surprising, scary and a little gross (but not TOO gross) and just fun to watch and laugh with. Anyone who’s a horror or comedy fan should love it! They do a great spoof of many different horror films, as well as make some humorous commentary on America. Go see it for yourself!
It premieres in local Los Angeles theaters today, July 24th, and it can be seen in theaters nationwide starting July 27th. It also has a great soundtrack of songs from the early part of this century. Enjoy this video and don’t miss this movie!
From acclaimed director Joseph Kahn (Torque, Bodied) comes his latest film, ICK, the pulpy horror comedy bursting with splatterly bedlam starring Brandon Routh (Superman Returns, Scott Pilgrim), Malina Weissman (Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events), and Mena Suvari (American Beauty, American Pie).
For almost two decades, a viscous vine-like growth known colloquially as “The Ick” has benignly crept into every nook and cranny of American life while the residents of small town Eastbrook remain blasé about its existence. The exceptions are former high school football star-turned-hapless science teacher Hank (Routh) and his sardonically perceptive student Grace (Weissman) who are thrown together by Grace’s mom Staci’s (Suvari) closely-guarded secret and a mutual suspicion that the Ick is about to unleash some monstrous mayhem. A wild ride driven by a power punk spirit, ICK is a dizzyingly fun and hilariously grotesque homage to throwback PG horror flicks, as well as an ode to Millennial nostalgia manifested in soundtrack needle drops by American Rejects, Paramore, and Blink 182.
Director: Joseph Kahn
Starring: Brandon Routh, Malina Weissman, Harrison Cone, Debra Wilson, Taia Sophia, Zeke Donovan Jones, with Jeffrey Fahey and Mena Suvari
Screenwriters: Samuel Laskey, Joseph Kahn, Dan Koontz
Producers: Steven Schneider, Joseph Kahn, Peter Trinh, Joe Heath, David Kang, Adi Shankar
Cinematography: David C. Weldon Jr.
Editor: Chancler Haynes
ComposesS: Brain Mantia, Melissa Reese
Music Supervisor: Budd Carr
Rating Not rated by the MPA
Run Time: 87 minutes
Brandon James Routh (pronounced like “south”) was born in Des Moines, Iowa, and grew up in nearby Norwalk. He is the son of Catherine (Lear), a teacher, and Ronald Routh, a carpenter. He has English, Scottish, and German ancestry. Brandon attended the University of Iowa and starred in many productions at the Norwalk Theater of Performing Arts. His first professional acting role was in the ABC television series Odd Man Out (1999), and he went on to guest star in the series Gilmore Girls (2000) and Undressed (1999). He came to fame with Superman Returns (2006) and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (2016). In his spare time, Routh enjoys playing soccerand basketball, swimming, biking and reading. (from IMdB) More at Wikipedia
Joseph Kahn was born on October 12, 1972. He is a director and cinematographer, known for Bodied (2017), Detention (2011) and Torque (2004).
One of the biggest and most respected music video directors working today. Has directed dozens of videos for such varied top artists such as U2, Sisqo, Moby, DMX, Backstreet Boys, Brandy, Monica, Destiny’s Child, Enrique Iglesias, Foxxy Brown, Ice Cube, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Eminem. – from IMdB. More at his official site
Interview with Jackie Dallas of “The Hunting Wives” on Netflix by Suzanne 7/10/25
It was great to speak to Jackie! She’s had an interesting life and has acted in a lot of TV shows that I’ve seen. She has a small part in the upcoming Netflix series, where she plays the campaign manager for Jed Banks (Dermot Mulroney). I saw a few of the upcoming episodes of “The Hunting Wives,” and it’s trashy fun as well as being a good whodunnit. She’s a good addition to the cast, which features Brittany Snow, Chrissy Metz, Jaime Ray Newman, Malin Akerman and more. Jackie also has a recurring role as a doctor on “The Bold and The Beautiful” weekdays on CBS. Enjoy the video and don’t forget to watch the show, which premieres Monday, 7/21 on Netflix!
Brittany Snow will co-lead the upcoming drama series “TheHuntingWives,” alongside previously announced co-lead Malin Åkerman. STARZ ordered eight episodes of the addictive, twisty thriller, which will begin production this Spring in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Following the spin-off of Starz Inc. into an independent company separate from Lionsgate Studios, Lionsgate Television acquired rights to The Hunting Wives back from Starz. In June 2025, Netflix licensed U.S. rights to the series for a year, with the series scheduled to premiere on the platform on July 21.
Snow will portray Sophie O’Neil in the series based on the novel by May Cobb, which tells the story of Sophie and her family’s move from the East Coast to deep East Texas, where she succumbs to socialite Margo Bank’s (Malin Åkerman) irresistible charms – and finds her life consumed by obsession, seduction, and murder.
Snow can currently be seen in the 2024 Academy Award®-nominated live-action short film Red White & Blue. She also debuted her directorial feature debut film Parachute at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival and earned two awards including the Thunderbird Rising Special Award. Parachute is set for a 2024 release. Snow will also be seen in the upcoming feature The Good Half which debuted at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.
“TheHuntingWives” is executive produced by Rebecca Cutter (“Hightown”), who will write and serve as showrunner, Erwin Stoff (“The Serpent Queen,” The Matrix, Edge of Tomorrow, Julia) for 3 Arts Entertainment and Cobb. The series is produced by Lionsgate Television and 3 Arts Entertainment.
About Netflix
Netflix is one of the world’s leading entertainment services, with over 300 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films and games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.
About 3 Arts Entertainment
3 Arts Entertainment is a talent/literary management and production company, with 33 years of experience. We have offices in Beverly Hills and New York and have clients in the TV and Film Lit world, acting world, hosting world, branded areas, digital media and more. 3 Arts has produced hit films such as The Matrix, Austin Powers: Thy Spy Who Shagged Me, The Devil’s Advocate, Edge of Tomorrow and 13 Hours and more. We currently executive produce over 30 shows on the air. Some of our series include: “Julia,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Master of None,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” “Insecure,” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.”
About Lionsgate
Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) encompasses world-class motion picture and television studio operations aligned with the STARZ premium subscription platform to bring a unique and varied portfolio of entertainment to consumers around the world. The Company’s film, television, subscription and location-based entertainment businesses are backed by a 20,000+ title library and a valuable collection of iconic film and television franchises. A digital age company driven by its entrepreneurial culture and commitment to innovation, the Lionsgate brand is synonymous with bold, original, relatable entertainment for audiences worldwide.
Jackie Dallas stars in Netflix’s “The Hunting Wives” (July 2025) and is known for her sharp, grounded performances across television and film—from her breakout role in Netflix’s “Stranger Things” to action thrillers alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme and Juliette Binoche.
Raised in Florida in a family of doctors, Jackie initially pursued a medical career, studying microbiology at the University of Florida and attending medical school with a focus on surgery and pathology. However, her passion for performing began early, sparked by a childhood role as a dancing forest nymph in a summer theater camp production of “The Chronicles of Narnia”—a spark that never faded.
After meeting her husband during residency, Jackie relocated to Northern California and made the bold decision to leave medicine behind and pursue acting full-time. She immersed herself in the San Francisco indie film scene before moving to Atlanta, where she landed a role in the first season of “Stranger Things” as ‘Jen,’ the science teacher’s girlfriend—kickstarting her on-screen career.
Since then, Jackie has become a familiar face in some of television’s most-watched series. She delivered a memorable guest performance as ‘Nancy,’ a flight attendant caught in a human trafficking conspiracy, in a gripping episode of “Magnum P.I.” Her additional credits include “Criminal Minds,” “The Resident,” “NCIS: New Orleans,” “13 Reasons Why,” “Fear the Walking Dead,” “NCIS: Hawai’i,” and more.
Her feature film work includes starring opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme and Kristanna Loken in James Cullen Bressack’s action thriller “Darkness of Man,” and Anna Gutto’s crime drama “Paradise Highway” with Juliette Binoche, Morgan Freeman, and Frank Grillo. She also played ‘Ivy,’ the straight-talking best friend of ‘Armeka’ (Jennifer Sears), in Booker T. Mattison’s thriller “Twisted Marriage Therapist.” Additional film credits include “Hunting Season,” “The Pining,” “Devil’s Revenge,” and “The Free Fall.”
Her passion for performing is rooted in a deep love of storytelling and a fascination with the human experience. Throughout her life, she’s held a variety of jobs that placed her alongside people during some of their best and most challenging moments—experiences that deepened her interest in the human condition and make it especially meaningful for her to bring those stories to life on screen.
Outside of acting, Jackie remains connected to her medical background as a philanthropic patient advocate for women’s health. She collaborates with a female urogynecologist to improve access to educational content around pelvic floor health and related disorders, while also advocating for increased research, funding, and awareness. Her dedication to this work stems from her time in residency, where she published 20 clinical research papers focused on surgical outcomes, including disparities in race and age.
Interviews with Kendyl Berna, Paul de Gelder and Kinga Philips of “Shark Week” on Discovery by Suzanne 7/16/25
I don’t watch too many non-fiction shows, but I enjoy “Shark Week” every year. They do a good job of keeping a balance between entertainment and education. The programs this year are really fun. I interviewed some of the “Shark Week” stars about their programs. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Don’t miss “Shark Week” starting Sunday, 7/20/25.
Summer’s most-anticipated television programming event, Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week,” returns for its historic 37th year on Sunday, July 20 at 8PM ET/PT. The network previously announced the upcoming Shark Week special Dancing with Sharks and today released the first official promo clip for the 2025 celebration.
Kendyl Berna studied Environmental Science with an emphasis in Ecology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. While in college, she took a semester off to work at Discovery Channel and realized that she loved the media side of environmental science and the outreach that it could have. From here, she began her career in documentary filmmaking, particularly specializing in nature, marine, adventure and wildlife and producing shows for networks such as Netflix, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, A&E and others.
While producing a marine-based show for Travel Channel in the British Virgin Islands she met Chris Juredin and his team at Commercial Dive Services. Two years and two Category-5 hurricanes later, they teamed up to create Beyond The Reef. Kendyl handles the creative side while Chris handles the logistics and engineering of actually building and sinking a ship.
Kendyl’s Shark Week 2025 Show: “Black Mako of the Abyss” premieres Tuesday, July 22nd at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery When Shark Tagger Keith Poe saw the shark for the first time, he knew it was different. It was aggressive, 13-feet long and had very dark skin. Now, a group of experts lure the beast up from the abyss to determine if the creature is a mako, or mutant, or possibly, a mako and great white hybrid.
Paul de Gelder, a former Australian Navy diver, is a shark conservation advocate and motivational speaker recognized for surviving a 2009 bull shark attack in Sydney Harbour, which led to the amputation of his right leg and part of his right arm. He educates the public about sharks and advocates for their conservation, primarily regarding overfishing and shark finning. Since 2013, de Gelder has frequently appeared in Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” specials , engages in motivational speaking, and authored the book “Shark: Why We Need to Save the World’s Most Misunderstood Predator”. More at https://www.pauldegelder.com
Kinga Philips In 2021 Kinga became the first female host in 33 years of her own show on Discovery’s SHARK WEEK with Tiger Queen. Filmed in Turks and Caicos Kinga investigated a mysterious population of never before studied tiger sharks coming face to face with these magnificent apex predators. In 2022 Kinga created, hosted and executive produced Sharks in Paradise, one of Shark Week’s first shows to ever be filmed in Tahiti. Both shows rated among Shark Weeks top shows. Kinga is currently in production on three upcoming 2025 Shark Week shows.
In her free time, Kinga explores a singular fascination with the ocean, free diving (see below), scuba diving (she is advanced open water, nitrox and dry suit certified), surfing, spearfishing to harvest her own food, exotic travel and sharks (those are her two friends from Guadalupe Island, MX swimming up top)… followed just slightly by a love of solo adventure travel, charity work, exotic foods and action sports.
“Dancing with Sharks” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
Hosted by Emmy® Award-winning television personality Tom Bergeron, Dancing with Sharks is a competition show unlike any other. For the first time ever, five divers compete to put together an amazing underwater routine with their toothy partners. From hammerheads to tigers and nurse sharks, each shark has its own signature dance moves. At the end of the show, a winner is crowned – if all the competitors make it that far.
“Air Jaws: The Hunt for Colossus” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
A 20-foot great white breaches in New Zealand, sparking a hunt for Colossus – the legendary flying shark who went missing 10 years ago from South Africa’s waters. Could he still be alive and lead researchers to a secret colony of lost great whites?
“Great White Assassins” premieres at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery
Shark expert Alison Towner teams up with Shark Week legend Dickie Chivell to decode how killer whales take down great whites with ease. To get answers, the team travels to New Zealand and goes to the extreme, sending Dickie underwater posed as an orca to see how the great whites react.
Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery.
Monday, July 21
“Great White Sex Battle” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
In a Shark Week first, male and female great white sharks compete in a series of challenges to determine which sex is the superior predator in the waters off the coast of New Zealand.
“Jaws vs Mega Croc” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
Using data gathered in new experiments, Tristan Guttridge, Rosie Moore and Dr. Sora Kim construct a CGI fight to the death between two of the biggest and baddest apex predators in the water – the Great White Shark and Nile Crocodile.
“In the Eye of the Storm: Shark Storm” premieres at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery
In the summer of 2024, dozens of cameras capture a rare outbreak of shark attacks along America’s gulf coast. Told exclusively through first-hand accounts of victims and eyewitnesses, nobody has seen all these perspectives unfold in real time until now.
Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery.
Tuesday, July 22
“Great White Northern Invasion” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
Great white sharks have found a new home off the shores of Nova Scotia, Canada. With the waters now frothing with great whites, interactions with humans are on the rise. A team of scientists tracks down and tags the biggest sharks to uncover the sharkiest locations before there’s a fatal attack.
“How to Survive a Shark Attack” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
Shark attack survivor Paul de Gelder attempts the unthinkable – getting attacked by a shark, again. Under the supervision of experts, Paul provokes sharks to attack him in multiple scenarios, where they bite and tear off prosthetic limbs to teach life-saving tactics for surviving an encounter with nature’s deadliest predators.
“Black Mako of the Abyss” premieres at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery
When Shark Tagger Keith Poe saw the shark for the first time, he knew it was different. It was aggressive, 13-feet long and had very dark skin. Now, a group of experts lure the beast up from the abyss to determine if the creature is a mako, or mutant, or possibly, a mako and great white hybrid.
Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery.
Wednesday, July 23
“Expedition Unknown: Shark Files” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
Global adventurer Josh Gates solves some of the strangest and most disturbing shark mysteries of all-time, including the real-life bloody inspiration for the movie Jaws and the gruesome case of the Tiger Shark who vomited an arm while living in captivity and ultimately helped police solve a murder mystery.
“Expedition X: Malpelo Monster Shark” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
Josh Gates sends Phil Torres and Heather Amaro on their most perilous mission yet – tracking a legendary monster shark that lurks in the eerie waters of Malpelo Island, 300 miles off Colombia’s coast. After terrifying footage of this monster is brought to Josh, he sends his fearless team deep into the ocean to unmask the true identity of this 20-foot-long predator.
“Alien Sharks: Death Down Under” premieres at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery
Wildlife biologist Forrest Galante injects himself with shark venom after diving down under into Australia’s dangerous waters, home to some of the weirdest, alien-like and deadly sharks. He hopes this risky and potentially lethal experiment will bypass years of red tape to finally discover the potency of the venomous Port Jackson Shark and Ghost Shark.
Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery.
Thursday, July 24
“Surviving Jaws” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
Fifty years ago, Jaws changed the beachgoing experience forever – striking fear into millions of Americans who vowed to never go in the water again. Now, marine biologist Tom “Blowfish” Hird and predator ecologist Michelle Jewell re-examine the movie and dive with Great Whites to separate fact from fiction, answering questions like: does skinny dipping really attract great white sharks? Could a monster shark chew through a boat’s hull?
“Caught! Sharks Strike Back” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
This year has set a record for shark encounters captured on camera, from a hilarious moment when a shark slaps a fisherman in the face to the intense 10-minutes a great white stalked a kayaker… these are craziest moments of when sharks strike back.
“Frankenshark” premieres at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery
Shark expert Tristan Guttridge and his team use CGI to create the ultimate apex predator. Pulling from a variety of shark species, they build the deadliest, weirdest shark on the planet and put it to the test in a high-stakes showdown against a killer orca.
Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery.
Friday, July 25
“Great White Reign of Terror” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
In South Africa, two people are killed by great whites near the eastern cape, an area that hasn’t seen an attack in decades. Scientists worry it could be the start of a series of attacks eerily similar to Black December in 1957, when six people lost their lives. Ryan Johnson, Gibbs Kuguru and Andy Casagrande head out to investigate the cause behind the spike in attacks before there’s another fatality.
“Florida’s Death Beach” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
The numbers are in, and once again, Florida – specifically New Smyrna Beach – has earned the title of “The Shark Attack Capital of the World,” accounting for 30% of global shark attacks. But why has the popular spring break, party beach become so deadly? Forrest Galante and his team investigate before even more blood ends up in the water.
“Bull Shark Showdown” premieres at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery
The most vicious and insane populations of bull sharks from Australia and America faceoff in a no-holds-barred showdown beneath the water. Bull Shark-attack survivor Paul de Gelder contends that his Aussie sharks are the toughest, while American shark biologist Dr. Craig O’Connell attempts to find the meanest sharks Florida has to offer to take the crown.
Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery.
Saturday, July 26
“Attack of the Devil Shark” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
A rogue Tiger Shark attacks and kills a person in St. Martin. Weeks later, it strikes again. Locals fear it could be the work of the legendary Devil Shark – a massive and ruthless tiger shark who’s haunted their shores for decades. When a team sets out to track down the shark responsible for the attacks, they uncover a seismic force that may be triggering aggression in sharks.
“Battle for Shark Mountain” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
Off Mozambique’s coast, sharks swarm a hidden peak, hunting Giant Trevally in a once-a-year feeding frenzy. But when 5,000 Trevally fight back, the hunters become the hunted in one of the ocean’s wildest showdowns.
Encores run at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery.
Dive into Shark Week across Social:
Follow @sharkweek on Facebook, X, Instagram, and Threads and follow @Discovery on TikTok and YouTube to keep up with the latest. Be sure to use the hashtag #sharkweek to join the conversation. To learn more, please visit www.sharkweek.com.
**Shark Week 2025 starts Sunday July 20th on Discovery**
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MORE INFO: Hallmark Official Site Trailer
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to love. Lenz portrays Rebecca Clarke, who travels from her home city of Chicago to the Western Canadian frontier with her 11-year-old-daughter Sarah (Morgan). But when her wagon breaks down, and she realizes the boardinghouse is not as advertised, Rebecca has no choice but to accept help from local rancher and confirmed bachelor, Tom Moore (Ayres). Despite her best intentions to remain unattached, Bella can’t help but slowly fall for Tom and develop a friendship with tenacious pioneer woman Hattie Quinn (Hennessy). Hattie’s daughter Olivia(Curtis) helps run their trading post and catches the eye of Constable Alexander Vaughn (Quarmby), much to the dismay of Clayton (Goodacre), who harbors feelings for her.
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professionally in film, television, motion capture, voice over and theatre internationally. Megan has worked on numerous network series including Riverdale (The CW), The X-Files (Disney), The Flash (The CW), Big Sky (ABC), Kung Fu (The CW) and Supernatural (WB), along with the highly anticipated 56 Days (Amazon), to name a few. Megan also stars in the comic-book adaptation feature film, We Are Zombies (RKSS, Humanoids) which was awarded Audience Choice Award at Fantasia Film Festival, Wattpad feature Boot Camp, theatrically released Apex opposite Bruce Willis, Amazon’s Broil, and Lionsgate’s Open Water 3, amongst many others. Megan also has a prolific voice over, motion capture and performance capture career in video games, feature films, narration and commercials, most notably working on projects with Ubisoft on Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and EA Sports UFC 4 and Madden 21. Megan is also co-writer and co-director of the upcoming film, Echo, which premiered at the Whistler Film Festival. Megan is represented by Play Management, Characters Talent Agency and ADB Publicity. Megan has a Bachelor of Creative Arts and is a dual Australian and Canadian citizen.
hit Australian drama Five Bedrooms.
and Knight Rider, and numerous Hallmark Channel movies. After working as a carpenter, he pursued acting, making his debut in 2002. He is also a writer and producer, married to Lorie Campbell with whom he has a son named Kingston.
Wes Brown (born January 26, 1982) is an American actor known for his role as Luke McDonald in HBO’s True Blood and other TV and film roles, including Hallmark movies. He was born in Fort Worth, Texas, raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and attended Louisiana State University, initially intending to pursue business before switching to acting. His career also includes roles in series like Hart of Dixie and Private Practice, and films such as Glory Road and We Are Marshall.
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Fuller (“Quarry,” “Rectify” and “Locke & Key”) and co-creator Erin Lee Carr (“Britney vs Spears,” “I Love You, Now Die” and “Mommy Dead and Dearest”). Nick Antosca (“A Friend of the Family,” “The Act” and “Candy”) and Alex Hedlund for Eat the Cat are executive producers along with Mandy Matney, David Moses and Bill Johnson. Steven Piet executive produced and directed episodes 101, 102 and 108. Patricia Arquette and Jason Clarke also serve as executive producers. UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, is the studio.
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Christopher Gorham stars as Travis in SHERIFF COUNTRY. Also on the horizon for fall is Hulu’s Korean spy drama, “Tempest,” in which he stars alongside John Cho.
Gorham made his feature film directorial debut with the comedy “We Love You, Sally Carmichael!” in which he also starred alongside Jack McBrayer, Bitsie Tulloch and Paula Marshall.
theater in Chicago’s South Loop, Neal moved on to a diverse slate of projects like the award-winning documentary 10 mountains 10 years (narrated by Anne Hathaway), #whokilledheather, an innovative branded web series, and many short films and features screened at festivals around the world.
Reddick on Netflix’s hit show Ozark, and Rori Barnhill in Season 3 of the USA Network show, The Sinner. She can also be seen in several guest star appearances including Tulsa King, Matlock, FBI: Most Wanted, and NCIS: New Orleans. Recently Dani was in On Swift Horses with Daisy Edgar Jones, in Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore 2 and her upcoming projects include Amazon’s The Runarounds, and For All Mankind on Apple TV.
ABOUT ACTRESS AMY CARLSON (LAURIE)
Third Watch (1999), Maggie Pistone in Falcone (2000), Katie Owen alongside Tom Berenger in Peacemakers (2003) and Linda Reagan in Blue Bloods. Carlson resides in New York City with husband Syd Butler, bassist of Les Savy Fav, where she also works in the independent music business as part-owner of the independent label “Frenchkiss Records”. Amy continues to write as well as seek out diverse and unique roles in the film industry.
next to the title – click on it to see our page for the show!
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Brandon James Routh (pronounced like “south”) was born in Des Moines, Iowa, and grew up in nearby Norwalk. He is the son of Catherine (Lear), a teacher, and Ronald Routh, a carpenter. He has English, Scottish, and German ancestry. Brandon attended the University of Iowa and starred in many productions at the Norwalk Theater of Performing Arts. His first professional acting role was in the ABC television series 
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Kendyl Berna studied Environmental Science with an emphasis in Ecology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. While in college, she took a semester off to work at Discovery Channel and realized that she loved the media side of environmental science and the outreach that it could have. From here, she began her career in documentary filmmaking, particularly specializing in nature, marine, adventure and wildlife and producing shows for networks such as Netflix, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, A&E and others.
Paul de Gelder, a former Australian Navy diver, is a shark conservation advocate and motivational speaker recognized for surviving a 2009 bull shark attack in Sydney Harbour, which led to the amputation of his right leg and part of his right arm. He educates the public about sharks and advocates for their conservation, primarily regarding overfishing and shark finning. Since 2013, de Gelder has frequently appeared in Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” specials , engages in motivational speaking, and authored the book “Shark: Why We Need to Save the World’s Most Misunderstood Predator”. 
with