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.
Follow “Outlander: Blood of my Blood” and the “Outlander” Universe on Social
Instagram: @Outlander_STARZ Facebook: @OutlanderTVSeries.starz TikTok: @STARZ YouTube: @STARZ Join the conversation with #BloodOfMyBlood, #Outlander and #STARZ
About STARZ STARZ (NASDAQ: STRZ) is the leading premium entertainment destination for women and underrepresented audiences, and home to some of the most popular franchises and series on television. STARZ offers a robust programming mix for discerning adult audiences, including boundary-breaking originals and an expansive lineup of blockbuster movies, and is embodied by its brand positioning “We’re All Adults Here.” Complementary to any platform or service, STARZ is available across a wide range of digital OTT platforms and multichannel video distributors and is a bundling partner of choice. STARZ is powered by an industry-leading advanced technology, data analytics and digital infrastructure and the highly rated and first-of-its-kind STARZ app.
About Sony Pictures Television
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**
Interview with Rebecca Romijn, Jess Bush, Martin Quinn, Celia Rose Gooding, Babs Olusanmokum and Melissa Navia of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” on Paramount+ by Suzanne 7/12/25
I was very excited to speak to these actors because I love this show. To be honest, I’ve been a “Star Trek” fan since I was a little girl in the 60’s, and I love the entire franchise, but this is the only current Trek show, as well as arguably the most popular one in a long time. Unfortunately, star Anson Mount (Pike) had a personal emergency, so we didn’t get to speak to him. I think Christina Chong (La’an) was also called away (both were originally listed for the press day). Still, it was great to speak to the wonderful actors on this show who play Number One, Christine Chapel, Scotty, Uhura, Dr. M’Benga, and Erica Ortegas. This was a roundtable, and there were quite a few journalists there. You’ll hear many voices on the interview, asking the stars questions. I hope you enjoy it, and the upcoming season, which begins July 17 on Paramount+. Hit it!
Rebecca Romijn
Jess Bush and Martin Quinn
Celia Rose Gooding, Babs Olusanmokum and Melissa Navia
STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS SETS COURSE FOR SEASON THREE PREMIERE ON THURSDAY, JULY 17 ON PARAMOUNT+
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Is Produced by CBS Studio
Paramount+ today announced season three of its hit original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS will premiere with two episodes on Thursday, July 17, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. The series will also stream on Paramount+ in international markets where the service is available. Following the premiere, new episodes will drop weekly on Thursdays, with the season finale on Thursday, September 11. Paramount+ previously announced the series has also been renewed for a fourth season, which is currently in production.
In season three, when we reconnect with the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, still under the command of Captain Pike, they face the conclusion of season two’s harrowing encounter with the Gorn. But new life and civilizations await, including a villain that will test our characters’ grit and resolve. An exciting twist on classic Star Trek, season three takes characters both new and beloved to new heights, and dives into thrilling adventures of faith, duty, romance, comedy and mystery, with varying genres never before seen on any other Star Trek.
The series is produced by CBS Studios, Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment and stars Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Melissa Navia, Babs Olusanmokun and Martin Quinn, along with guest stars Rhys Darby, Patton Oswalt, Cillian O’Sullivan, Melanie Scrofano and Carol Kane, plus special guest star Paul Wesley.
Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers serve as co-showrunners. Alex Kurtzman, Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Myers, Aaron Baiers, Dana Horgan, Davy Perez, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Chris Fisher, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth serve as executive producers.
STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS is available to stream exclusively on Paramount+ in the United States, the United Kingdom, Latin America, Australia, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Japan. The series is also available on Paramount+ in Canada. It streams on SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Central and Eastern Europe. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
The STAR TREK franchise on Paramount+ also includes STAR TREK: SECTION 31, the original movie with Oscar® winner Michelle Yeoh, and the new original series STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY. All seasons of the animated series STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS; theaward-winning original series STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, starring Sonequa Martin-Green andthe critically acclaimed original series STAR TREK: PICARD, starring Patrick Stewart reprising the iconic role of Jean-Luc Picard, are also available to stream.
@StarTrek
#StrangeNewWorlds
About Paramount+
Paramount+, part of Paramount’s (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA) global portfolio of multimedia entertainment and news brands, is a direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, combining live sports, breaking news and A Mountain of Entertainment™. The streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel. Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, the service’s cornerstone plan, is also home to SHOWTIME® content, including scripted hits and critically acclaimed nonfiction projects and films. This premium plan includes unmatched events and sports programming through the local live CBS stream, including golf, basketball and more. All Paramount+ subscribers have streaming access to CBS News Network for 24/7 news and CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis.
For more information about Paramount+, please visit www.paramountplus.com, and follow @ParamountPlus on social media.
About CBS Studios
CBS Studios is one of the world’s leading producers of entertainment programming, with dozens of globally popular series for broadcast and streaming. The Studio’s expansive portfolio includes a diverse slate of commercially successful and critically acclaimed programming which includes genre-defining franchises such as NCIS and the STAR TREK universe, fan-favorite comedies such as The Neighborhood and Ghosts, the newly reimagined Matlock, and buzzy international co-productions such as COLIN FROM ACCOUNTS and upcoming King & Conqueror.
@ParamountPlus
@PeakParamount
#ParamountPlus
Rebecca RomijnNumber One is an American actress and former fashion model, best known for her role as Mystique in the X-Men film series. She was born on November 6, 1972, in Berkeley, California. Romijn began her career as a model, appearing in Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition and hosting MTV’s House of Style. She transitioned to acting, gaining recognition for her portrayal of Mystique and also starring in films like The Punisher and Femme Fatale. Romijn has also had notable roles in television series like Ugly Betty, The Librarians, and Star Trek: Discovery. She is married to actor Jerry O’Connell and they have twin daughters.
Jess BushChristine (born 26 March 1992) is an Australian actor, model, reality television personality, and visual artist. Her television work includes competing on the seventh season of the reality television series Australia’s Next Top Model, and playing Nurse Christine Chapel on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Celia Rose GoodingUhura (born February 22, 2000) is an American actor and singer. They rose to prominence for their Broadway debut as Mary Frances “Frankie” Healy in the rock musical Jagged Little Pill for which they won a 2021 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and received a nomination for a 2020 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical, becoming one of the youngest nominees in the category at age 20. Gooding plays the role of Nyota Uhura in the Paramount+ original series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022–present).
Babs OlusanmokunDr. M’Benga is a Nigerian-American actor best known for playing Dr. Joseph M’Benga in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022–present) and Jamis in Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024). He also appeared in the video game Max Payne 3 as Serrano, a role that he both voices and performs motion capture for.
Melissa NaviaErica Ortegas is a Colombian-American actor and writer. Born and raised in New York, she has portrayed a myriad of singular characters on both the stage and screen, including guest star appearances on Billions, Dietland, and Bull. Navia stars in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds as Lt. Erica Ortegas, helmsman of the USS Enterprise. She also plays the banjo and is trained in martial arts and sword fighting.
Martin QuinnScotty (born 1994; age ~31) is a Scottish actor joins the cast of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” as Montgomery Scott (the first Scottish actor to play Scotty). At 18, he won the lead role of Oskar in the National Theatre of Scotland’s production of Let The Right One In, adapted for the stage by Jack Thorne and directed by John Tiffany. The play opened at Dundee Rep in the summer of 2013 before transferring to the Royal Court Theatre in London the following December and then onto the Apollo Theatre in the West End in 2014, with Quinn reprising the lead role on both occasions. He then attended Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Since graduating he has performed in London’s National Theatre and Old Vic as well as various Scottish theaters including a national tour of “Oor Wullie”- The Musical, where he played the titular role.
Interview with Laurence Leboeuf of “Transplant” on NBC by Suzanne 6/9/25
It’s so nice to interview Laurence again. I just love this show, and she’s the lead female star. I’ve enjoyed getting to know her a little in these short chats, over the years. She’s an amazing actress. I will miss the show after this final season! Make sure to tune in on Thursdays on NBC. This week’s show, “Heart” is a pivotal episode. Next week’s episode, “Fever Dream” is a mind-bender.
Laurence Leboeuf is an award-winning actress from Montreal who stars as Dr. Magalie “Mags” Leblanc in NBC’s “Transplant.”
The bilingual actress (French and English) has been acting professionally since she was 10 and rose to stardom with multiple award nominations and wins. She won the 2024 ACTRA Montreal Award of Excellence and has continuously booked leading roles in both television and film of French-Canadian and English-Canadian productions.
On the film side, Leboeuf recently starred in Chloé Robichaud’s latest feature, “Two Women.” The film premiered at Sundance as part of the festival’s exclusive World Cinema Dramatic Competition and won the Special Jury Award for Writing.
Leboeuf won Best Drama Actress for her work in “Transplant” at the Canadian Screen Awards for 2022. Additional award wins include the Gemeaux Awards (French Canadian Emmys) for Best Actress in the series “Les Lavigueur,” Best Supporting Actress for her role in the series “Musee Eden” and Best Actress for her role in the series “Marche A. L’ombre,” which also won her the Best Leading Actress Award at the French Festival Séries Mania.
She also won Best Actress for “Human Trafficking” (featuring Mira Sorvino and Donald Sutherland) at the ACTRA Awards. For her film work, Leboeuf won at the Prix Iris Awards (previously Jutra Awards) for Best Supporting Actress in “My Daughter, My Angel.” Her indie action-comedy film “Turbo Kid” was widely received at the Sundance Film Festival.
Leboeuf was born to actor-parents and grew up surrounded by creative arts. Her dad owned a stage theater for 18 years, which allowed Leboeuf to explore the behind-the-scenes of the craft. She’s driven by the passion of acting and the need to be creative with plans to produce and write. Leboeuf enjoys reading and staying active with running, snowboarding and loves to travel.
NBC
Transplant
Transplant Season 4 Premieres Thursday, May 22 (8-10 p.m. ET/PT)
Season 4 of “Transplant” finds Bashir “Bash” Hamed on the precipice of finishing his residency at York Memorial and officially requalifying as a doctor. With his future uncertain once again, Bash and his sister, Amira, are Canadian citizens now, but are still trying, with everything they have, to build a life in their adopted country.
The series stars Hamza Haq, Laurence Leboeuf, Ayisha Issa, Jim Watson, Rekha Sharma, Sirena Gulamgaus, Torri Higginson, Kenny Wong.
Joseph Kay is the creator, showrunner and executive producer. Bruno Dubé, Jocelyn Deschênes, Josée Vallée, Rachel Langer, Stefan Pleszczynski, and Sarah Timmins also executive produce.
S4.E5 ∙ Heart
Thu, Jun 12, 2025
Mags shares personal news affecting Bash’s outlook. June treats a patient with a debilitating phobia. Theo faces obstacles from a concerned family doctor while caring for a returning patient. Claire asks Devi for guidance .
S4.E6 ∙ Fever Dream
Thu, Jun 19, 2025
The York Memorial team deals with the life changing-surgery of one of their own.
S4.E7 ∙ Torn
Sat, Nov 18, 2023
Bash passes on an opportunity and works cases where things are not as they appear; Mags returns to York Memorial; June navigates loss professionally and personally; Theo goes out on a limb again for a patient; Claire is confronted by Devi.
S4.E8 ∙ All I Have is How I Feel
Sat, Jan 6, 2024
Bash and Mags support each other as doctors through new challenges, treating an older couple who arrives hospital glued together. Liz Bergeron confronts Theo about his inability to follow hospital rules. June makes a surprise announcement.
S4.E9 ∙ Who Is Mags?
Fri, Jan 12, 2024
Bash treats a man injured in a car accident who was saved by the woman who hit him; a former member of the York Memorial team returns.
S4.E10 ∙ Never Too Late to Start Again
Fri, Jan 19, 2024
June and Novak are at odds. Theo jeopardizes his safety to help a patient and decides on a major change.Bash steps up when urgently needed and realizes his growth.
Interview with co-creator, co-showrunner and executive producer Aaron B. Koontz of “Revival” on Syfy by Suzanne 5/29/25
It was fun to talk to Aaron about this show. He seems to really enjoy working on it. I’m sure it must be great to be involved with creating something like this and seeing your project come to life. He’s a very down-to-earth guy that grew up watching and reading about fantasy, scifi and horror, so he’s just a geek like me and most of my friends and family (which I hope he doesn’t mind my saying). This series grabs you right away, getting you invested in the characters and their town. You don’t want to miss it if you love horror. I will say that, although it has some gross scenes, it’s not as bad as any of the “Walking Dead” shows.
On one miraculous day in rural Wisconsin, the recently deceased suddenly rise from their graves. But this is no zombie story as the “revived” appear and act just like they once were. When local Officer and single mother Dana Cypress is unexpectedly thrown into the center of a brutal murder mystery of her own, she’s left to make sense of the chaos amidst a town gripped by fear and confusion where everyone, alive or undead, is a suspect.
The series stars Melanie Scrofano, Romy Weltman, David James Elliott, and Andy McQueen.
The series is created by Aaron B. Koontz and Luke Boyce, who serve as showrunners and executive producers. Lance Samuels, Daniel Iron, Samantha Levine, Neil Tabatznik, Daniel March, Melanie Scrofano, Greg Hemmings, Stephen Foster & Amanda Row also serve as executive producers.
“Revival” is produced by Blue Ice Pictures and Hemmings Films.
Aaron B. Koontz
Executive Producer, “Revival”
Aaron B. Koontz is the co-creator, co-showrunner and an executive producer on the new SYFY drama series “Revival.”
An Indie Spirit Award nominee, he’s the CEO and founder of the genre production company Paper Street Pictures.
Koontz has produced more than 20 feature films, including “Blood Relatives,” “Old Man,” “A Creature Was Stirring,” the SXSW-winning “The Artifice Girl” and the upcoming “Shelby Oaks,” which is scheduled for release in 2025.
Outside of producing, Koontz is also an award-winning writer and director, creating “The Pale Door,” “Camera Obscura” and is the creative force behind the “Scare Package” franchise for Shudder.
Koontz’s unprecedented output has led to him being named one of the 10 most influential horror filmmakers of 2023 by Horror News Network and Paper Street being named the Best Production House of 2022 by the Austin Chronicle. In 2025 Koontz was inducted into Full Sail University’s Hall of Fame.
Interview with Alan Tudyk, Chris Sheridan, Sara Tomko, Alice Wetterlund, Meredith Garretson, Corey Reynolds and Elizabeth Bowen of “Resident Alien” on Syfy by Suzanne 6/2/25
It’s always wonderful to speak to these actors, and showrunner Sheridan. They’re so gracious with their time. I’ve been lucky to speak with them many times in the past 4 years. I love this show, and I hope it gets another season. Joining me in these chats is my dear friend Jamie Ruby of Scifivision. We had a fun time picking the brains of the stars of the show. Please enjoy season 4, premiering June 6, 2025 on both USA Network and Syfy. We’ve only seen the first four episodes and can’t wait to see the rest!
Star Alan Tudyk and executive producer Chris Sheridan
Stars Sara Tomko, Alice Wetterlund and Meredith Garretson
Premieres Friday, June 6 on USA & SYFY (11 p.m. ET/PT)
Based on the Dark Horse comics, “Resident Alien” follows a crash-landed alien named Harry and his life on planet Earth. The fourth season starts with Harry (Alan Tudyk) and his baby Bridget stuck in prison on the Grey Moonbase, while a shape-shifting Alien called a Mantid (also Alan Tudyk) has taken over his body on Earth passing himself off as the real Harry Vanderspeigle. Harry manages to escape the Greys and arrives back on Earth for a showdown with the Mantid Alien, but soon finds he may not have what he needs to finish the job. Asta (Sara Tomko) and D’arcy (Alice Wetterlund) struggle to keep a secret from Ben (Levi Fiehler) and Kate (Meredith Garretson), who are both desperate to find answers to what has been happening to them. Sheriff Mike (Corey Reynolds) and Deputy Liv (Elizabeth Bowen) attempt to solve some mysterious deaths in Patience that Sheriff Mike is beginning to think aren’t caused by anything human.
From UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group in association with Amblin TV and Dark Horse Entertainment, “Resident Alien” was adapted to television by executive producer Chris Sheridan. Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg of Dark Horse Entertainment, Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank of Amblin TV, Robert Duncan McNeill and Nastaran Dibai also executive produce.
Alan Tudyk
Harry Vanderspeigle, “Resident Alien”; Devil, “Devil May Care”
Alan Tudyk stars in the SYFY drama “Resident Alien” as Harry Vanderspeigle, an alien who crash lands onto Earth and must pass himself off as a small-town human doctor.
He also recently voiced the role of Devil in “Devil May Care,” which also aired on SYFY. In addition, Tudyk voices the maniacal Joker in DC Universe’s “Harley Quinn” animated series on HBO Max. Tudyk also voiced Tuk-Tuk in the Oscar-nominated film “Raya and the Last Dragon” as well as Pico the Toucan in Disney’s hit film “Encanto.”
In 2016, Tudyk appeared in Lucasfilm’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” as the scene-stealing security droid, ‘K-2SO.’ Directed by Gareth Edwards, the film grossed over $1 billion at the global box office and was the first live action Star Wars spin-off. He also voiced characters in two Academy-Award nominated animated films, playing the ‘Duke of Weaselton’ in Disney’s “Zootopia” and the rooster ‘Hei Hei’ in Disney’s “Moana.”
Tudyk is also the creator, executive producer and star of the Emmy nominated series “Con Man,” which was funded via Indiegogo with a record-breaking $3.2 million donation from over 46,000 fans. “Con Man” debuted at Lionsgate’s Comic Con HQ in 2015 and later aired on SYFY. Loosely based on Tudyk and Nathan Fillion’s experiences starring in “Firefly,” “Con Man” centered on the post-show life of ‘Wray Nerely’ (Tudyk) after “Spectrum,” a sci-fi TV series canceled before its time that later became a cult classic. In 2016, Tudyk, along with Fillion, also launched “Con Man: The Game” based on the series which allowed players to build and host their own comic book conventions.
Tudyk has shown audiences wide versatility in numerous television shows and a plethora of feature films. Recently, he co-starred in the Jay Roach 2015 SAG Award nominated feature “Trumbo,” opposite Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren and John Goodman as well as 2014’s “Welcome to Me” with Kristin Wiig. In 2013, Tudyk co-starred in the well-received Jackie Robinson biopic, “42,” opposite Chadwick Boseman as former Philadelphia Phillies manager ‘Ben Chapman.’ He made his feature film debut in 1998, when he first appeared opposite Robin Williams in “Patch Adams.”
Tudyk’s role in the Disney animated feature, “Wreck-It Ralph,” garnered him an Annie Award for his role as ‘King Candy.” He can also be heard in its sequel, “Ralph Breaks the Internet” as ‘KnowsMore.” Tudyk has also loaned his voice to ‘The Duke of Weaselton’ in Disney’s Academy Award-winning film “Frozen,” ‘Alister Krei’ in “Big Hero 6” and ‘Ludo’ and ‘King Butterfly’ on the Disney Channel series, “Star vs. the Forces of Evil.”
His additional film credits also include: “28 Days,” “A Knight’s Tale,” “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story,” “Death at a Funeral” (the original UK version), “Knocked Up,” “Tucker and Dale vs Evil,” “3:10 to Yuma,” “Serenity,” “Premature,” “Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter” and “Transformers 3.” Additionally, Tudyk motion performed the lead robot, ‘Sonny,’ in “I, Robot” opposite Will Smith.
In television, Tudyk can currently be seen in DC Universe’s “Doom Patrol” and season three of Netflix’s “Santa Clarita Diet.” He was a series regular on the critically acclaimed ABC comedy, “Suburgatory” as well as on NBC’s workplace comedy “Powerless” and BBC America’s “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency. His work on Joss Whedon’s “Firefly,” has been highly lauded by fans and has gained him a strong cult following. Tudyk also appeared in “Strangers with Candy,” “Dollhouse,” “Frasier,” “Justified” and “Arrested Development.” He also was the host of “Newsreaders,” written and produced by Rob Corddry and David Wain, on Adult Swim.
Tudyk attended the prestigious Juilliard School in New York and has starred on Broadway opposite Kristin Chenoweth in “Epic Proportions,” played ‘Lancelot’ with the original cast in Monty Python’s “Spamalot,” as well as the lead role of ‘Peter’ in “Prelude to a Kiss” opposite John Mahoney.
Tudyk grew up in Plano, Texas and currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife.
He is represented by The Coronel Group and Gersh.
Chris Sheridan
Executive Producer, “Resident Alien”
Chris Sheridan serves as executive producer of SYFY’s “Resident Alien.”
Five-time Emmy nominee and BAFTA nominee, Sheridan has been a television writer and producer for 26 years. He has produced more than 400 episodes of television, including 17 seasons on the Fox Network animated hit, “Family Guy” where he acted as co-showrunner from 2004 to 2009. He remains a consulting producer on “Family Guy,” and has a feature film in development with Josephson Entertainment.
Sara Tomko
Asta Twelvetrees, “Resident Alien”
Sara Tomko stars in SYFY’s “Resident Alien” as Asta Twelvetrees. Strong and sarcastic, she works with Harry at the town’s health clinic.
Tomko is known for her recurring roles on “Sneaky Pete” and “Once Upon a Time,” as well as her appearances on “The Leftovers” and “The Son.”
She started her career in experimental theatre and musicals in Virginia, later moving to Los Angeles in 2007 to pursue film. Her first independent film roles aired on SYFY, and she is thrilled that her TV career has brought her full circle. She is an actor, singer, producer, poet an artist.
Tomko is represented by Bohemia Group and KMR Talent.
Alice Wetterlund
D’Arcy Bloom, “Resident Alien”
Alice Wetterlund stars in SYFY’s “Resident Alien” as “D’Arcy Bloom,” the charismatic bartender at the local pub who, as a former Olympic snowboarder, is also a part of the avalanche control team.
Wetterlund has performed her non-yelling brand of comedy nationally at colleges, clubs, and festivals such as Just for Laughs, Bridgetown, Moon Tower, Women in Comedy, SF Sketchfest, RIOT LA, Bonnaroo and more.
She is known for her character “Carla” on HBO’s “Silicon Valley” and played “Kelly Grady” on TBS’ “People of Earth.” She can also be seen in the movie “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” as “Cousin Terry.” She has performed her stand up on “Conan” and currently co-hosts the popular podcast “Treks and the City” with Veronica Osorio. She recently wrapped “Search & Destroy” for Hulu, produced by Carrie Brownstein. Wetterlund can currently be seen on the latest season of Netflix’s “Glow.” Her hourlong stand-up special premiered on Amazon in August.
Meredith Garretson
Kate Hawthorne, “Resident Alien”
is a theater, television and film actress based in New York and Los Angeles. She received her MFA from NYU’s prestigious Graduate Acting Program. She also trained for two years in Meisner Technique at the Maggie Flanigan Studio. In 2021, she starred as Ali MacGraw in the acclaimed limited series THE OFFER on Paramount Plus. She plays Kate Hawthorne in the hit series RESIDENT ALIEN on Syfy and Peacock. She is a founding member of SOCIETY Theatre Company in New York City.
Corey Reynolds
Sheriff Mike Thompson, “Resident Alien”
Corey Reynolds stars in the SYFY drama “Resident Alien” as Mike Thompson, the local sheriff who runs the town with a chip on his shoulder, a cowboy hat on his head and an iron fist.
Reynolds is best known for his role on “The Closer,” which he starred on for six seasons. He will next be seen as a guest star in Apple’s “The Afterparty.” He’s recurred on “All American,” “Red Line,” “Criminal Minds,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “Masters of Sex” and “Murder in the First.” He has guest starred on “Seal Team” and “Chicago P.D.”
On the film side, he was last seen on screen in “Straight Outta Compton” and also appeared in “Selma,” opposite David Oyelowo and Common.
Reynolds was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in Broadway’s production of “Hairspray.”
Elizabeth Bowen
Deputy Liv Baker, “Resident Alien”
Elizabeth Bowen plays Deputy Liv Baker on the hit SYFY series “Resident Alien.”
Bowen was raised on Vancouver Island in Nanaimo, British Columbia. She attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts – West before moving back to Canada to work on improv comedy while pursuing film and television roles.
Bowen credits her role in season two of FX’s “Fargo” as a career turning point. Bowen’s other credits include recurring roles on Amazon’s “Upload” and Hulu’s “Woke,” as well as the Freeform holiday movie “Angry Angel.”
Interview with Dean Devlin and Olivia Morris of “The Librarians: The Next Chapter” on TNT by Suzanne
I always enjoy chatting with Dean Devlin about his shows. This was a roundtable, so they didn’t give me video. It was a very fun one, but I’m not sure if that really comes over in the audio. Anyway, we had a great time. I made my own video, using the audio, so I hope you enjoy it! It was very nice to meet and chat with Olivia Morris, who plays Lysa on this new series. She is a busy and amazing actress. I hope the series runs for many years! I’ve enjoyed it so far. It begins Sunday, 5/25/25 on TNT. More info below!
April 10, 2025 – TNT will launch “The Librarians: The Next Chapter,” the spinoff of the acclaimed original television and film franchise which followed the adventures of the custodians of a magical repository of the world’s most powerful and dangerous supernatural artifacts, with a two-night premiere event starting on Sunday, May 25 following NBA Playoffs coverage. The next episode premieres on Monday, May 26 following NHL Playoffs coverage and subsequent episodes will continue to air on Monday nights.
Produced by Electric Entertainment, “The Librarians: The Next Chapter” centers on Vikram Chamberlain (Callum McGowan), a “Librarian” from the past who time traveled from 1847 and now finds himself stuck in the present. When Vikram returns to his castle in Belgrade, Serbia and discovers that it is now a museum, he inadvertently releases magic across the continent. With the help of a new team of eclectic heroes, including a savant in world history, a scientific genius, and a highly skilled Guardian, Vikram has only six months to clean up the mess he made.
Throughout the season, the team will embark on fantastical adventures, including a surprise reroute to a manor where Agatha Christie-styled murders take place, a time-travel back to the days of King Arthur at Camelot and even an encounter with the first-ever vampire.
“The original ‘Librarians’ was a top-rated series on TNT for four seasons and we are thrilled to bring ‘The Next Chapter’ home to our network, with all of the spellbinding adventures, legendary magic and mystique that fans love,” said Jason Sarlanis, President, Turner Networks. “This new entry in the beloved franchise reinforces our commitment to high quality scripted content that features the drama, adventure, and thrills our viewers expect from a TNT original.”
“The universe of The Librarians has expanded and we are so excited to present this exciting Season of The Next Chapter!” said Dean Devlin, Executive Producer and Director. “We’re confident the fans will fall in love with these new characters and that a whole new audience will be seduced into this wonderful and magical world.”
The 12-part series stars McGowan (Jamestown), Jessica Green (The Outpost), Olivia Morris (Hotel Portofino) and Bluey Robinson (Britannia). Caroline Loncq (Mammals) guest stars. Christian Kane will reprise his role as “Jacob Stone” in a Guest Starring role.
“The Librarians: The Next Chapter” is produced by Electric Entertainment. Dean Devlin serves as showrunner and executive producer alongside Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan-Wilson of Electric Entertainment. Noah Wyle serves as producer. Mark Franco of Electric Entertainment and Jonathan English of Balkanic Media also produce.
About TNT
TNT, a Warner Bros. Discovery brand, is watched by more people than any other cable network and known for big, lean-forward television that takes viewers on a thrill ride of electrifying stories, dynamic characters and premium events. TNT is home to some of television’s most popular sports franchises and scripted originals including “The Librarians: The Next Chapter.” TNT also presents primetime specials and sports coverage, including the NHL, NBA and NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championships. Website: www.tntdrama.com
About Electric Entertainment:
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Electric Entertainment is an independent film & TV studio headed by veteran producer Dean Devlin and his partners Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan-Wilson.
Electric is most known for the fan-favorite franchises “Leverage” and “Librarians,” as well as the hit TV series “The Ark,” “Almost Paradise,” and “The Outpost.” In addition to serving as a domestic distributor in partnership with Amazon, SYFY, TNT and more, Electric also operates a worldwide sales arm for their original and acquired content. The company’s newest feature film “One Big Happy Family,” starring Linda Lavin, will debut in theaters this Fall.
Electric also runs its own premium streaming app and FAST channel, ElectricNOW, which features Electric’s original content and over a thousand hours of third-party films and TV series. ElectricNOW is also the home of the exclusive live broadcast of the annual Saturn Awards. The channel is available on over 38 platforms and OTT devices including Roku, Amazon Prime, Samsung TV Plus, Plex, and Xumo.
Dean Devlin has produced and co-written some of the most successful feature films of all time — Independence Day, Stargate, and Godzilla — which collectively grossed more than 1.4 billion dollars worldwide. In May of 2001, he founded Electric Entertainment, where he serves as chairman and CEO. The full-service film, television and worldwide sales and distribution company also houses Electric Post, a state-of-the-art digital effect and postproduction facility.
Electric is rapidly expanding under Devlin’s leadership. The company recently launched its OTT app and FAST channel, ElectricNOW, which is a one-stop shop for fans to enjoy all their favorite shows free, also available in a 24/7 live streaming broadcast. ElectricNOW hosts Electric’s newly launched podcast network, Electric Surge, and is available on numerous platforms including The Roku Channel, Plex, STIRR, Local Now, Sling TV, TiVo Plus, IMDb TV, Redbox, XUMO, Distro TV, and Select TV.
Electric Entertainment is in production with several highly anticipated films and TV series. Devlin recently served as executive producer, writer, and director on the smash hit reboot of “Leverage”, “Leverage: Redemption”, which is now streaming on Amazon’s IMDb TV. He also serves as co-showrunner, co-creator, and writer for “Almost Paradise,” starring Christian Kane, which aired on WGNA spring 2020 and is available on IMDb TV. He is executive producer of “The Outpost”, which aired its fourth season on The CW in July 2021.
Devlin executive-produced five seasons of the action-packed TNT series, “Leverage,” three “The Librarian” movies of the week for TNT, starring Noah Wyle, which led to four seasons of “The Librarians” series starring Wyle, Rebecca Romijn and John Larroquette. In 2005, he executive produced, along with Bryan Singer, the Emmy-winning SyFy project, “The Triangle”.
Devlin directed and produced Bad Samaritan, which stars David Tennant and Robert Sheehan, and was released on 2,000 screens through Electric’s distribution arm. Also, under the Electric banner, Devlin produced the upcoming full-length feature, The Deal, the dystopian drama directed by Orsi Nagypál.
Prior to forming Electric Entertainment, Devlin produced the Mel Gibson period drama, The Patriot, which was nominated for three Academy Awards® and earned Gibson a People’s Choice Award for Best Actor.
Olivia is a London based actor born in Kingston-upon-Thames. She trained with National Youth Theatre and went on to complete a BA Hons in Acting at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama before landing her first professional job as the female lead in Oscar & Golden Globe-winning feature RRR for Netflix along side Alia Bhatt and Ray Stevenson. Olivia has since gone on to build a varied screen career.
Interview with Chris Maher of “Desert Dawn” and other movies by Suzanne 4/23/25
I had a fun chat with Chris, even though we had some technical difficulties. He’s got quite a few films coming out in the next few years and appears in TV series and commercials as well. “Desert Dawn” premieres this week, May 16th, in limited release. Chris has a small role in it. In the Fall, he begins work on “Nova,” which sounds very interesting. It’s a scifi thriller that he stars in, produces, etc. It was a successful short film, but now they’re turning it into a feature film. I can’t wait for that one. I hope you enjoy the interview!
Chris Maher is an American actor, producer, and writer from Iowa, known for his work in both film and television. He has appeared in and produced numerous projects, including Blowback (2021), Mojave Diamonds (2022), Project Legion (2022), Canyon of the Dead (2025) and Boardwalk Winter (2025) Beyond acting, Maher is an accomplished filmmaker whose projects have garnered recognition at prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Berlinale, and the American Film Market, among others.
As the co-founder of MC Films, LLC, Maher is dedicated to developing, producing, and starring in compelling stories that resonate with audiences worldwide. His films have received multiple accolades, reflecting his commitment to high-quality, impactful storytelling. With a passion for both artistry and entrepreneurship, he continues to expand his presence in the industry, bringing bold and exciting projects to life.
Premiere Entertainment Group has licensed rights to action crime-thriller Desert Dawnstarring Kellan Lutz and Cam Gigandet to Saban Films for North America and UK.
The movie follows a newly appointed small-town sheriff (Lutz) and his begrudging deputy (Gigandet) who get tangled up in a web of lies and corruption involving shady businessmen and the cartel while investigating the murder of a mysterious woman.
Chad Michael Collins, Helena Haro, Texas Battle, Guillermo Iván and Niko Foster round out the key cast.
Marty Murray directed the film from an original screenplay by Chad Law and Johnny Walters. The film is produced by Elias Axume for Premiere Entertainment and Al Bravo for Al Bravo Films alongside HemDee Kiwanuka.
Interview with Felix Wolfe of “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” on NBC by Suzanne 4/9/25
I really enjoyed speaking to Felix about his role as Ford on this fun show. He’s young, but he’s been working since he was 2 years old! Now, we’re only allowed to use the audio for this one, but I hope you can enjoy it, anyway. Near the end of our chat, I noticed that he had a large mannequin with a Robin suit (as in Batman and Robin!), so I had to ask him about that, too. You can see the photo below in the “video.” Don’t forget to watch the next episode of the series tonight! He has some juicy story in it.
Here’s the transcript, generated with Descript, but it hasn’t been fully proofread yet. I hope to do that soon.
Suzanne: How are you doing, Felix?
Felix: I’m wonderful. Suzanne, now that I’m with you, how are you?
Suzanne: Pretty good. Pretty good.
Felix: Good.
Suzanne: Suzanne: So, uh, I read on IMDB that you were born in San Diego. Did you grow up there too?
Felix: I, thanks for checking that out. That’s awesome. Uh, I did, I was born in San Diego. No, I, I really, all my fundamental years was, was la I moved to LA when I was like three.
Suzanne: Okay.
Felix: MFelix: y dad’s from la so, so it was like a. Cultural. It was an easy shift, but born and raised. SoCal? Yes, but not. ‘
Suzanne: okay. Well, I’m the opposite because I was born up in Northern California and grew up in San Diego, so that’s why I asked.
Oh, fantastic. Okay. Then you know how good the fish tacos are?
Suzanne: Oh yeah. Although actually they didn’t really have those back when I was growing up. Uh. It’s a more recent, like last 20, 30 years. I’m, I’m a lot older than I looked.
Felix: What you 23, 24?
Suzanne: Yeah. Right, exactly.
Felix: Yeah.
Suzanne: Yeah. Add about 40 years.
Felix: Good on you. You look fantastic.
Suzanne: Yeah. It’s funny. All the Mexican food, we didn’t have much Mexican food when I was growing up there. There weren’t like avocados everywhere, at least in my part of San Diego, but
Felix: Sure, sure. We, they shifted. They’re with us Up and up and up.
Suzanne: Yeah. So what’s it been like working on the show with Melissa Fumero and others?
Felix: I mean, it’s, it’s been fantastic. I mean, Melissa’s the a, a dream to work with. I don’t think it gets better than that. She’s just not only such a well-versed and extremely talented artist, that feels just so wonderful to get to, to play around with on screen. But, but, arguably in even more incredible human being and just such a wonderful, wonderful. I think personality to have on set. She makes everyone, you could just see it. She makes everyone feel so much better and smile and. She has this comforting warmth about her that I feel is so, nice, grateful to be around. So yeah, I feel very grateful. And obviously the rest of the cast is like, yeah.
Suzanne: But you worked with her more than, than anyone.
Felix: I did. Yeah. Yeah, I worked with her the most.
Suzanne: And you, uh, not to have any spoilers, but you have, in this upcoming episode, you have a very emotional scene with her. Was that, uh, challenging?
Felix: It was surprisingly easy, I think because we had spent so much time together and, and, and. Fo Foster. Such an honest, real, I think real life, uh, you know, kind of bond that I, I, I think it just, it translated so easily on screen it in so many ways. The words that I say in those scenes very much stem from a place of like imagining if I was really talking to just her and, um. You know? Yeah. How much I, I, I adore her. And so those sentiments, I think the emotions are stemming from a very real place and I think that makes it extremely easy just because she’s so wonderful.
Suzanne: Well, I’m sure her ears are burning. so your character’s been training to be a pitcher, and had you pitched or played baseball much before this?
Felix: Yeah, I grew up playing baseball. and it was something that when the writers found out, they were very excited about
Suzanne: Oh, good.
Felix: …Easily incorporated into the character. Yeah, I, I, I played baseball the way through high school and, uh, we were a pretty good team and I got to be captain and it was really fun. And Pitcher was one of the positions I, I primarily, primarily was shortstop and pitcher and, so pitching was, was something I grew up doing and, and
Suzanne: Oh, that’s nice.
Felix: It’s convenient. It worked out. It worked out.
Suzanne: Yeah. You didn’t have to work with somebody to look like you knew what you were doing or anything. You already did.
Felix: Yeah. Thank, thankfully, I was like, I don’t want to be on any of those, those edits. I please. So, no, that’s right. Tried my best. I don’t know how it turned out.
Suzanne: So you’re 23, but you’re playing a teen. Was that, uh, did that just come easily? ’cause you’ve been a teen or was, did you have to think about What was I like back then or,
Felix: Yeah. Uh, I mean, I. I mean, I’m, I’m 22 years old, but I feel very, I think I still feel very adolescent in so many ways. I think, I think I, I don’t feel understand people are disconnected from that. I wish I was like, oh, back then. But no, I think I’m in a lot of ways still very, very, rambunctious and, and very much, uh, but I think I’ve always just been a bit. Me, like, I don’t know. You know, I, I, even when I was little, I feel like the verse, whoever that kid was at, like eight years old, 17 years old now, 22, it’s kind of always been the same guy. Right? So same. Yeah.
Suzanne: So, but you’ve been in front of the camera since you were pretty young, right? Like five or six or something?
Felix: Uh, yeah. I, I booked my first part technically when I was two, and then I became. When I was six. and yeah, so I’ve been doing it a long, long time, that’s for sure. It’s been ingrained in my life.
Suzanne: That’s amazing.
Felix: Thank you.
Suzanne: I’m always surprised when I hear about some actor, actress that I’ve seen in the movies, and I go and I look at their, their history and go, oh my gosh, she’s been a child actor. Just like, I don’t know. It just always, it is like, why don’t I know that? It’s like I should all know that.
Felix: No, it’s, it’s, it’s totally understandable.
Suzanne: I’m always surprised if somebody does know that. I’m like, oh, wow.
Felix: Thanks.
Suzanne: So, anything, uh, that you can tell us about the, uh, upcoming episodes at all that you’re allowed to tell us?
Felix: Well, I’m very excited about it. I’ve heard great things, from, from people behind the curtain. They seem very excited about it. I remember when we shot it, it was, yeah, I think you kind of touched on it. It reaches some, some emotional places that I think are incredibly powerful. And I meant, I, when I first read it, and then obviously when we shot it, it meant so much for me as an actor to see that the, the creators and the writers were willing to let the character. go there. And I think let those, those relationships reach those kinds of places, for better or worse. So I, I, I’m extremely excited for fans to kind of see, the emotional depth that these characters will reach, especially forward. And I think it’s a big turning point. I think episode eight’s a, a big turning point for him, and, and I remember really enjoying,
Suzanne: And are you gonna, are you gonna have some emotional scenes with your, the foster parents as well?
Felix: Maybe who knows? Maybe can’t tell.
Suzanne: Okay. And, uh, do you have any other projects coming out or that you, or that you’re working on or anything you tell us about?
Felix: Nothing I can say right now. We, well, hopefully soon I can, but, but yeah, I’m, I’m, I will say this, I’m very excited for the future. I feel very honored. And this show is. It’s been wonderful to work on and, and, and, has introduced me to so many incredible new faces and new people. So I’m, I feel extremely fulfilled, uh, as an, as an artist and as a, as a human being. So, yeah, I’m, I’m excited to see what the rest of 2025,
Suzanne: yeah, I’m looking forward to it. I, I am just keeping my fingers crossed for season two. I don’t know if that’s a possibility or not, but. That’s your business. I know, but I’d like to think possibility.
Felix: If you believe in it. I believe in it.
Suzanne: Okay. Okay. Okay. Uh, I just wanna see some kind of closure for the characters if, if it doesn’t have a season two, and I don’t think I want to get that.
Felix: So maybe, I mean, I feel satisfied with, with the, the ending of season one, but that does not mean that I’m not exci incredibly eager for season two.
Suzanne: Right. Right, right. Well, it’s been a good dramatic show for you. You’ve done a lot of sitcoms and things. I know you’ve done some drama, but would you say this was more drama than you normally deal with in new shows?
Felix: Yeah, I would say that it’s, it’s the, the prolonged, I think the overarching storyline, you know, for, for a character. Uh, my characters had a substantial amount of time to really grow within a dramatic space. So I feel very, um. Grateful for that. Yeah. ’cause usually the more dramatic stuff has been more, you know, episodic or, or, you know, momentary kind of wrapped up in an hour or 30 minutes or less kind of a thing.
Suzanne: Right.
Felix: So this opportunity has, has allowed, you know, for me, for months to perform and then obviously over an entire season I character to really grow and reach a lot of different places within, within himself. And that’s been really fun to, to kind of get, to dig deeper within that. So yeah, it’s been, it’s been great.
Suzanne: Okay. Well, thank you for talking to me. I appreciate it.
Felix: Thank you, Susanna. I really appreciate it.
Suzanne: Which Superhero, is that behind you? Is that Robin?
Felix: That, that’s Robin, yeah. It gray. Okay. Yeah, I wanna be, uh, I’m, I’m aiming for, I know James Gunn’s cooking something up at d dc in the DCU, so I want be Dick Rayon, so we’ll see.
Suzanne: That would be great. I would love to see that.
Felix: I built, I built that. That’s mine.
Suzanne: Oh, wow. What is, I mean. Suit.
Felix: It’s a suit that you built.
Suzanne: Okay. Yeah.
Felix: Yeah. It’s like an armored suit. It’s like all the pieces are separate and everything. Wow. So, yeah. Yeah, yeah. I, I designed that and then I hired some people to be like, can we put this together? And then we’re that
Suzanne: neat. I like that. Do you go to Comic-Con.
Felix: I’ve been once once. Isn’t that crazy? Yeah. And I dress with Spider-Man ’cause he is my favorite.
Suzanne: Oh, okay.
Felix: Yeah, I haven’t busted this one out yet.
Suzanne: I have three older brothers and they were on the first San Diego Comic-Con, uh, committee, so I used to go a lot when I was a kid. I haven’t been in a long time though, because I don’t live there any more.. That’s Well, hopefully. Hopefully I’ll, hopefully I’ll be there. Honestly, I’d love to go for like. Roll if I’m doing, you know?
Felix: Yeah, that’d be great. Thank, hopefully I see you.
Suzanne: Thank you so much, and I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you to play, Robin.
Felix: Oh, thank you, Suzanne. I appreciate it.
Suzanne: And from season two of this show.
Felix: Thanks
Suzanne: both of them.
Felix: Let’s do it. I appreciate, I hope to see you at the Comic-Con.
Felix Wolfe plays Ford on the new NBC drama “Grosse Pointe Garden Society.”
Wolfe booked his first role at the age of 2 with a gradual climb up the talent pool of young Hollywood. Since then he has honed his craft with roles in Ridley Scott and Michael Fassbender’s “Zero” as well as Disney’s “Gamer’s Guide to Pretty Much Everything” and “Raven’s Home.”
Other TV roles on Wolfe’s resume include “Bones,” “The Mentalist” and “House” as well as voiceover for “The Land Before Time – Journey of the Brave” and the Emmy Award-winning children’s series “Pete the Cat” on Amazon Prime.
Grosse Pointe Garden Society
Series Premiere Feb 23 on NBC (10pm ET/PT)
“Grosse Pointe Garden Society” follows four members of a suburban garden club who find their lives intertwined by scandal, mischief and a shared secret – a murder no one wants to talk about. As dark truths begin to rot their lives under the surface, they struggle to remain as perfect as the flowers blooming in their garden above.
The cast includes Melissa Fumero, Aja Naomi King, Ben Rappaport, AnnaSophia Robb, Matthew Davis, Alexander Hodge, Nancy Travis and Felix Wolfe.
Grosse Pointe Garden Society is written and created by Jenna Bans and Bill Krebs. They serve co-showrunners and executive producers alongside Casey Kyber.
This week:
The garden clubbers wake to a perilous frost. Catherine hosts an unexpected guest. Alice vies with Patty for Doug’s favor. Connor’s support of Brett’s car business comes with strings. Birdie backs Ford’s baseball dreams, but faces heat from his mom.
Interview with Melissa Roxburgh of “The Hunting Party” on NBC by Suzanne 4/3/25
I loved speaking to Melissa, even though it was only for about 6 minutes. We had a nice chat, and she answered all of my questions in a very thoughtful way. All of the cast and crew I’ve interviewed this season have been fun to interview. I really hope this show gets a second season because I so enjoy its many twists and turns. The finale is quite shocking, with tons of cliffhangers. I hope we get to see them resolved!
A high-concept crime procedural about a small team of investigators who are assembled to track down and capture the most dangerous killers our country has ever seen, all of whom have just escaped from a top-secret prison that’s not supposed to exist.
The cast includes Melissa Roxburgh, 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. Keto Shimizu is writer and executive producer.
“The Hunting Party” is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.
Melissa Roxburgh
Rebecca ‘Bex’ Henderson, “The Hunting Party”
Melissa Roxburgh stars as Rebecca ‘Bex’ Henderson, a shrewd ex-FBI agent and savvy profiler on the NBC drama “The Hunting Party.”
She’s best known for her starring role on the NBC and Netflix hit series “Manifest.”
Among her film credits, Roxburgh recently co-starred in “Mindcage,” opposite John Malkovich and Martin Lawrence. She also starred in “I Still Believe,” which featured KJ Apa, Britt Robertson and Shania Twain.
Contains information related to marketing campaigns of the user. These are shared with Google AdWords / Google Ads when the Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts are linked together.
90 days
__utma
ID used to identify users and sessions
2 years after last activity
__utmt
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests
10 minutes
__utmb
Used to distinguish new sessions and visits. This cookie is set when the GA.js javascript library is loaded and there is no existing __utmb cookie. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
30 minutes after last activity
__utmc
Used only with old Urchin versions of Google Analytics and not with GA.js. Was used to distinguish between new sessions and visits at the end of a session.
End of session (browser)
__utmz
Contains information about the traffic source or campaign that directed user to the website. The cookie is set when the GA.js javascript is loaded and updated when data is sent to the Google Anaytics server
6 months after last activity
__utmv
Contains custom information set by the web developer via the _setCustomVar method in Google Analytics. This cookie is updated every time new data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
2 years after last activity
__utmx
Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test.
18 months
_ga
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gali
Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked
30 seconds
_ga_
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gid
ID used to identify users for 24 hours after last activity
24 hours
_gat
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests when using Google Tag Manager
MORE INFO: Official Site Trailer
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.
MORE INFO: 
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.
MORE INFO: 
MORE INFO: Official Sites for: 
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!
MORE INFO: 
MORE INFO: 
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 
MORE INFO: 
MORE INFO: 
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 
MORE INFO: 
NBC
MORE INFO: 
Outside of producing, Koontz is also an award-winning writer and director, creating “The Pale Door,” “Camera Obscura” and is the creative force behind the “Scare Package” franchise for Shudder.
MORE INFO: 
Tudyk grew up in Plano, Texas and currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife.
She is a founding member of SOCIETY Theatre Company in New York City.
MORE INFO: 
MORE INFO: 
MORE INFO: 
Garden Society.”
MORE INFO: 
Melissa Roxburgh