Kevin Tancharoen is the mastermind behind the short “Mortal Kombat: Rebirth” and its follow-up web series “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”.  Kevin has rebooted the “MK” franchise and has excited the fans with his amazing vision for the web series.  Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Kevin about his web series and also his plans for the future.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you come up with the idea for “Mortal Kombat: Rebirth”?
Kevin Tancharoen: There were two sides of it. The first was I always wanted to make a “Mortal Kombat” movie.  The other side was I had only been known for doing things in the performing arts world.  I always and always will want to do genre films.  Ever since I was a kid that was always the goal.  I got thrust into the world of performing arts, staging directing and that sort of stuff. I thought I needed to prove to people that I can handle that kind of material or know one will ever give me those opportunities.  I saw “Mortal Kombat” as a double sided adventure there.   I could either get the movie made or become known as the genre guy.

MG: What gave you the idea to make “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” in a web series?
KT: It was never planned.  I had no idea anyone wanted to do such a thing.  Of course the original intention was to do a movie, which I would still love to do.  After the short film came out, it was perfect time for E3 and they were going to release the trailer for the new “Mortal Kombat”.  They had known the video game was coming out and my short film got a lot of traffic online.  They decided to make more short films to promote the game launch, do them all live action and I was totally on board with that.

What was your process for choosing what characters where going to be in the series?
KT: Looking at the broad scope of the project and its budget and other stuff.  I wanted to take all of the characters that made sense and we easy to accomplish with our goal.  Also I wanted to make sure I took care of the most iconic characters in the game franchise.  That is why I chose everyone I did.

MG: Do you have a favorite character
KT: I have a few one I love but Scorpion has always been my favorite.  One of the characters I did not get to do was Kabal. I love Kabal and I think he has a really cool back story.  I really like his whole mask and the fact he was burned and has a respirator.  There is a lot of influence there from the either Tusken raiders or Darth Vadar. It is all pretty cool.  I wish we were able to do that episode. Maybe next time.

MG: Since each character has only one or two episodes, do you feel you are still able to give their stories justice in 10-12 minutes?
KT: I think that for the origin type of stories, it is working.  But I think that any director likes more time to flesh out a character or do more fight scenes or have more action battles. I think for the most part that this 10-12 minute mark was good for this first round.

MG: What is your biggest challenge working on “MK: Legacy”?
KT: I think it always comes down to budget, which ends up affecting time.  It ends up affecting your schedule and how much time you have to shoot fight sequence or having enough time to shoot a good dialogue scene.  It also affects the way you want to complete an entire episode the way you completely planned it out. There are always some alterations you have to make and balance you have to define when dealing with budget for a digital series. That is always challenging and possibly frustrating, but at the end of the day you have to tell the story in the right way.  I say that would be the biggest challenge is you have to act really quick on your feet and make changes when you have to.

MG: How can you reflect on the censoring of the episodes?
KT: That through me completely of guard.  I did not anticipate that at all because there are much worse things on YouTube.  What I think ended up happening is that we ended up becoming so popular that parents started watching it. An enormous amount of parents probably started to flag it and they acted like they are suppose to.  That kind of trickled down to us and all of the sudden we had an age gate up on our second episode out of nowhere.  That was quite the morning, I was frantic.  I mean it is “Mortal Kombat”, you can’t censor it.

MG: Do you have plans for a second season of the series?
KT: Right now it is all speculation.  I think everyone wants to see how it does. Our last episode “Raiden” is a different take on “Mortal Kombat”, it is more in vain of the original short I did with “Rebirth”.  Fans of the original short will hopefully really catch on to that episode and support the rest of the series.

MG: What can the fans to do help this get made into a feature film?
KT: Well they can just really pump up the series as much as possible.  We kind of ran the gamut when it comes to telling the stories this time around.  You can see that it kind of spans from gray realism to fantasy world and anime.  I would say if they could pass around the version that they like the absolutely best.  Whether it is the realistic stuff or the fantasy stuff and what would be the best thing to do.

Jeri Ryan is know best for her role in “Star Trek: Voyager”. Jeri played the character Sonya Blade in the short “Mortal Kombat: Rebirth” and the web series “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”. She is also playing Kate Murphy Philadelphia’s first female Chief Medical Examiner in the hit TV series “Body of Proof”. Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Jeri about her new roles as well as her work on “Voyager”.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about working on your new show “Body of Proof”?
Jeri Ryan: It has been a lot of fun. The cast is really great. Dana (Delany), of course is such an amazing actress but she is also really cool. She is kind of a broad [laughs], so we have a good time laughing. It is just a fun set. You get some goofy things happening on the set also because you are working with supposedly dead bodies played by actors. So, we had a body fall asleep in the middle of a scene [laughs]. It has just been a lot of fun. Also I am really excited to hear that “Body of Proof” already got picked up for a second season. So I am looking forward to that.

MG: What do you like most about your character Kate Murphy?
JR: What I like about her is that she is tough character. She is the first female Chief Medical Examiner in Philadelphia’s History. She care about what happens in her work and also the victims in the families and what they are dealing with. But also the people that work for her. I like that we are peeling back different parts of her personality as we go.  We are finding out new things like she is a Texas Holdem player [laughs]. There is a lot more to her and that is what I like.

MG: How did you get involved with “Mortal Kombat: Rebirth”, playing Sonya Blade?
JR: “Rebirth”, I did as a favor to friend of a friend. Kevin (Tancharoen), the director, is the boyfriend of a friend of mine. We knew he was putting together a project to show Warner Bros. his vision and to sell them on doing a new “Mortal Kombat” project. So we all volunteered our time. I didn’t know him very well before, I knew he did “Fame” and I knew he has a lot of choreography in his background. When you meet him, he is the sweetest, quietest and nicest guy and looks like he is about 14. So at first, I did not expect the project to be anything special. When it came out it was just amazing…amazing! His vision is incredible. He is a really talented director. When they approached me that they were doing a web series, I jumped at it. Again, it is a web series, it is not like they are backing up the money truck for anyone on this. Everyone is doing this because it is so cool and his vision is so amazing. We are all very excited about working on it.

MG: You also appear in “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”, tell us what is it was like playing that character and working on that series?
JR: She is a real kick ass broad, right? It is great to get to play that kind of character. The one downside of doing a web series, compared to a feature or TV series, is the lead time to get ready for it. I think I had a grand total of four maybe five days from finding out the project was happening to being on a plane to Vancouver and shooting the next day. It was literally that fast. There was no time to train and do fight training and things like that. Hopefully it will go further and we will get a second season or something else. Now I am on to them though and I know I need to start training on my own [laughs].

MG: How does it differ between working on web series like “MK: Legacy” to series like “Body of Proof”?
JR: It was really all about prep time. Even though you are doing a short, you may even have more time to shoot it then you do a TV series because you have a week to shoot a much shorter episode. So really we can take our time shooting it and we can get the cool shots and action and things like that, that they wanted to. His vision is just very cinematic and what he has done with this is just crazy. That part of it is great, you don’t feel a web series budget doing that. Just everything is very quick leading up to it.

MG: Going back to “Star Trek: Voyager”, tell us that experience and the aftermath it has had on your career?
JR: Well “Voyager” really gave me a career, it really did. It was my second series, after “Dark Skies”. This was really my launching pad for my career. That is a gift as an actor to be given a character that is so rich to play, interesting and has so much growth. That arc of growth on that character was so huge over the four year period. I mean she started out human and there is a lot of ground to cover. Then to have that character become so iconic is a really rare gift to be given as an actor.

Darren Shahlavi is know for his recent role in “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” as Kano. Darren has also starred with many great action stars Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo in “Ip Man 2” and Steven Seagal in “Born to Raise Hell”. Darren is also in the upcoming SyFy original movie, “Aladdin: The Curse of the Jinn” this year and also has a role in “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”. Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Darren about his role in “MK: Legacy” to as working with his childhood heroes to what he has planning upcoming.

Mike Gencarelli: What made you pursue martial arts growing up?
Darren Shahlavi: I started training in judo when I was seven years old. When I was a kid my dad took my younger brother to class and I went along and I just enjoyed it. And after I saw my first Bruce Lee movie I was hooked. I wanted to be like Bruce Lee. So did a lot of kids. I wanted to kick so I moved away from judo to tae kwan do and karate…stuff like that. And since I was a little kid my dream was to be in movies. It was a combination of Bruce Lee films and “Star Wars.” I wanted to be Han Solo. I never dreamed of doing anything else in my life for my career. Actually, my judo classes took place in a drama theater. I’d get there early and see the actors performing… rehearsing their plays. So I kind of discovered both martial arts and acting together at the same time. It was the Hong Kong movies that really inspired me. I found the action in the American movies pretty boring compared to Hong Kong. I wanted to go to Hong Kong and train with the people that Bruce Lee worked with. Jackie Chan and Donnie and Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung. So I went off to Asia when I was 19 years old.

MG: How did you get involved with playing Kano in “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”?
DS: I’d been in touch with the films fight choreographer for a couple of years. There was another movie he was doing that I was going to be a part of but I had something else come up. He let me know he was going to be in Vancouver doing “Mortal Kombat” and I told him if there was anything I could do to just let me know. He spoke with the director and suggested me for Kano. So I met with the director, read for him and he gave me the part straight away. Again, it’s the good fortune of having somebody who has seen your work think you’re good for a part and suggests you. My friend had seen “Ip Man 2” and loved it so I thank him for recommending me for the part of Kano. And I like what the director has done with this rebirth of the “Mortal Kombat” legacy. It’s going to be really exciting.

MG: Where you familiar with the character of Kano?
DS: Absolutely. When I moved to Hong Kong I went over with my best friend. We had met each other 20 years ago at the Donnie Yen seminar. We hadn’t seen each other for a long time but, since we both loved “Mortal Kombat,” whenever we would see each other we’d say “hello baby, did you miss me?” Seriously, what the director got out of the actor playing Kano in the first movie (Trevor Goddard)…there are a lot of good layers to the performance. It was good, it was funny…truly a great performance. So yes, I was well aware of “Mortal Kombat” and Kano. I used to listen to the music when I was working out all the time. The first movie I ever did…a Hong Kong movie called “Guns and Rose”…Robin Shou was the lead in that movie and five years after that went on to play Liu Kang in the “Mortal Kombat” movie. Once I found out that Robin was doing “Mortal Kombat” I was thrilled for him. I’d followed his career and I thought he was wonderful in “Mortal Kombat.” Now I’m doing “Mortal Kombat.” It means a lot to me because the first film was something that brought martial arts back to the main stream public in North America as well as around the world.

MG: Do you think that the success of the web series will cause “Mortal Kombat” to be turned into a feature film?
DS: We hope so. Somebody has put my name down on IMDB but we’ve really had no discussions. I think they’re interested in doing another season of the web series because there are still a lot of backgrounds from these characters that you can explore. You can get the audience up to speed with the characters and their motivations and their intentions and then you can go into the feature film where we can do the tournament. This way people are invested in the characters and it’s not just all fighting. I think it will be cool to do another season, explore the characters further, and by the end of the season they’re all entering the tournament. I believe there is some kind of legal situation that needs to be cleared up but I think there’s a very good possibility of doing a feature and I’d be very proud to be a part of it. The series has so many interesting characters. I mean you talk to anybody and they each have their favorite character so there is really a lot to explore. I just hope that if they do another film that we can release it uncensored. This whole “censoring” thing is really a problem right now.

MG: How do you feel about the recent episode that was taken down so quickly because of the censors?
DS: It’s a problem for a number of reasons. Number one, “Mortal Kombat” fans want to see MORTAL KOMBAT. They want to see it as it was intended. Number two, there’s also the intention of showing Warner Brothers that there is a big demand for this. Fans want to see a new “Mortal Kombat” movie or a second season but not censored. We put the first episode on YouTube and it got 8 million hits. The second episode got 2 million hits. But it should be at 6 or 7 million hits. But the problem is that people have downloaded the uncut version and when they watch it we’re unaware. They’re watching it but not on YouTube because it’s been censored. If we’re going to do another season it needs to be released somewhere so fans can see it uncut. They can put a little warning before it stating that it’s “R” rated or mature…whatever it is. Because that’s what “Mortal Kombat” is. The filmmaker’s vision is what got everybody excited and to kind of quash that is not really fair to the filmmakers or the fans.

MG: How was it working with your childhood heroes Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo in “Ip Man 2”?
DS: Sammo Hung and Yuen Woo Ping gave me my first lead role in a movie called “Tai Chi Boxer.” Yuen Woo Ping did all of the action in films like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Kill Bill” among others. “The Matrix,” of course. He and Sammo Hung have been the premiere fight choreographers in the world for so long. I met Donnie Yen 20 years ago. I was just a kid and I went down to London where Donnie Yen was doing a seminar teaching Hong Kong style film fighting. I lived in Hong Kong for awhile, then I came to North America and began doing films here. But unless you’re a name it’s not easy to get a good lead role in a movie. So I was doing a lot of supporting and smaller roles but not really getting the chance to use any of my abilities fight-wise. So I called a friend of mine who was a casting director asked him to please keep an eye out for me for anything in Asia. I hoped to get back there and really get to use my abilities as a marital artists. And very shortly after that he called me back and said they were getting ready to cast the main bad guy in “Ip Man 2.” Would I be interested in it? And, true story, I actually had “Ip Man” in my portable DVD player as I was on my way to the gym. I take my portable DVD player to the gym with me and I watch movies while I’m on the eliptical machine doing my cardio. So I watched the first “Ip Man” movie, called him back and said, “Listen man…anything I need to do to get on this movie let me know.” And they cast me pretty much right away. So it goes back to that first meeting with Donnie Yen. The first Bruce Lee movie I ever saw was “Enter the Dragon,” and the movie begins with Bruce Lee fighting Sammo Hung. I told Sammo that I’ve known who he was for most of my life. And to get to work on a film that’s about Bruce Lee’s teacher…with Bruce Lee being such an important part of my life…it was almost like going full circle. Getting to come back to Asia and work with two of my heroes in Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung on a movie about Bruce Lee’s master, Ip Man, it was really gratifying. I was thrilled to be a part of it. Not to mention the success of the film worldwide. It was the most successful Asian film of 2010.

MG: How did you get involved with working with Uwe Boll on his films?
DS: I had done a couple of films for a German filmmaker named Olaf Ittenbach, who is known for his splatter effects and quite hardcore depictions of physical violence. It’s very, very gruesome stuff but he’s very, very good at it. The first film I did for him was called “Legion of the Dead.” I’m sure the version you saw was the cut version that Artisan released here. Talking about censorship, when some of the more gruesome stuff was about to come up the screen would go black. So a lot of the stuff was actually taken out of the movie. The second film I did with him was called “Beyond the Limits.” It was censored almost every place it was released in. And I think the only uncensored versions you can find of it are in Germany and Austria. And Japan. So my agent let me know that Uwe was here and was looking to cast “House of the Dead.” So I went in and met with him. I don’t know what happened. He offered me a role but it wasn’t a big role so I went and did something else. Then “Alone in the Dark” came along and he asked me to do a part in “Alone in the Dark.” But what I understand is that I was going to be in a scene fighting with Christian Slater. But Stephen Dorff was going to be in a different scene and was willing to work for free to be in the movie more so my fight with Christian Slater got cut so I’m barely even in “Alone in the Dark.” Then there’s”Bloodrayne,” though I really didn’t get a chance to do alot in “Bloodrayne.” Then when “Dungeon Seige” came about Uwe gave me a script and told me he had a really good role for me. But when the time came to shoot the role he had already cast someone else in the part. Uwe was very insistent that he have “name” actors in all of his movies so that he could sell them. And if you look at “Dungeon Siege” you can see that those 10 big name actors got the movie $2 million opening weekend. So now he’s gone back to doing the movies he should be doing…smaller, personal films. Good actors don’t have to be movie stars if they can act. I like Uwe a lot. He’s really an intelligent guy. And he’s a good filmmaker. But I’ve done three projects and he’s never really used me properly…never gave me a good role. The stunt coordinator on “Dungeon Siege” said to me “if Uwe is not going to use you we can use you here” so I did stunts and ended up being Ray Liotta’s stunt double in the movie. In the end fight between Jason Statham and Ray Liotta that was me doubling Ray Liotta.

MG: How was it working with Steven Seagal in “Born to Raise Hell”?
DS: I was in China doing “Ip Man 2” when I got a phone call from Lauro Chartrand, the director, who said “I’m heading to Romania to direct my first movie with Steven Seagal and I want you to play the bad guy in it.” And I told him “I’m in China right now…I don’t think it’s going to work out.” But thankfully they were able to finish with me on “Ip Man 2” so I got on a plane from China to Romania, got a little sleep and the next day went to wardrobe fitting and began shooting. It was a very low budget movie, which puts a lot of limitations on what you’re able to do. I was happy with the way everything went, filming wise, but unfortunately they left the end fight between me and Steven for the end of the day. They kept shooting other stuff. So when it came time to do the fight scene Steven had to go off somewhere so we really only had an hour or two to shoot it because Steven had to go. It was really a shame that we couldn’t get a good final fight scene shot at the time but that’s the problem with low budget stuff. Steven was great. I really enjoyed working with him. He invited me into his trailer before I left and we had a really good talk about a lot of stuff. He was really cool. I don’t think he was too happy with a lot of the films he’d been doing recently and as a result I don’t think he really gives as much as he should be on a lot of the films he’s been working on. He could certainly help the film making process go a lot smoother and easier if he was able to give more time and commitment. He really doesn’t seem to have his heart in it anymore. Which is a shame because I think the guy still…he’s still very fast. He’s very good in his fight scenes. And he’s still a really good actor. He’s underrated in what he does. And I think that comes out in his commitment to the film and his character. He doesn’t want to put too much into it. But when it comes to the process he’s very natural. But I liked the experience. It was a chance to work with Lauro Chartrand, whose a good friend of mine. And I think that, with what he had to work with, he did a very good job. Because, seriously, it was not easy shooting a movie that quickly in Romania.

MG: Does one project stand out at being the most challenging for you?
DS: Well, there’s most challenging in a good way and most challenging in a bad way. Most challenging in a good way was working on “Ip Man 2.” I had to be in the best shape I could be in. That was a 72 day shoot and I shot for about 23 days. Pretty much every day I was fighting. I worked with Donnie Yen for 10 days. Sammo Hung for 7 or 8 days. All of the other guys in the ring. So that was very challenging. I was getting up at 5 in the morning, going for a run, coming back, having my breakfast. The driver would pick me up and drive me to the set. It would be an hour’s drive every morning and close to three hours drive back because of the traffic. So I was filming for 12 hours. Add in another 4 hours for travel. An hour for working out. I was on a really strict diet. So I was working out twice a day, shooting 12 hours, traveling for 4 more. By the time I’d get back to the hotel and Skyped for a little bit I’d go to bed. So I was working on about 4 hours sleep every day for five weeks. Then there’s challenging in a bad way, when you don’t really get to do much. Like not getting able to fight Steven Seagal at the end of “Born to Raise Hell.” We had no time. It’s tough just shooting things so quickly. We had a little time for rehearsal…Steven and I rehearsed. It’s a pleasure to work with people you really admire. It’s a lot of hard work. And sometimes it’s not enough hard work because there’s not enough time.

MG: What is your involvement in the upcoming “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”?
DS: Here again it’s another unfortunate incident that happens in this business. The stunt coordinator called me up and said they wanted me to come in and do a fight scene with Tom Cruise. I said, “I get to fight Tom Cruise?” They said yes so I said, “fantastic…I’m there.” Then I get to the set and it’s Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner and they’re going to be fighting three guys. I was going to fight with Tom and the other two were going to fight with Renner. Then Tom wanted to fight two guys so he was going to fight the two guys and I was going to fight Jeremy Renner. But the whole point of this fight scene was to show how good Jeremy Renner’s character was at fighting so the fight we’re in is very quick. It’s a nice scene. I mean I got to hang out with Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner for three days and watch them work, which was a thrill. Renner was fantastic. He picks up the fighting really well. He’s such a great actor. He comes across really well. Very strong and very capable. Trust me in the new “Bourne” movie he’s going to be awesome! Seriously, he’s going to surprise a lot of people. So even though it’s really just a cameo…you get paid good money and you get to hang out for three days with two of your favorite actors. It’s a great gig!

MS: Anything else on the horizon?
DS: I just got my first lead role in an American film called “Aladdin: The Curse of the Jinn.” It’s a SyFy original movie. They’re just finishing up the visual effects and I think it will air at the end of summer, first on SyFy then on a Blu Ray DVD release. I play Aladdin and it’s a very adult version of the story. The genie here is a real evil genie. He’ll grant your wish but whatever it is, he’ll turn it around so that you ultimately get killed. So the object is to get the genie back into the lamp and toss him back to hell. It’s a pretty good film. And it’s going to look good because we shot it on 35mm film and they’re taking their time on the visual effects. I’ve also got a movie called “Hanger 14” with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Plus it was nice to work with Michael Jai White again. It should be out by the end of the year, though it might have a new title…keep an eye out. (According to IMDB the film is now
titled “Tactical Force”).

Johnson Phan is currently appearing the “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” playing the character Shang Tsung. Johnson is appearing in the TV series “True Justice” with Steven Seagal, and also in Syfy’s “Sanctuary”. Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Johnson about his role in the series, what he hardest stunt was and what we have planned upcoming.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you got involved with “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”?
Johnson Phan: The timing of everything was perfect. With what was going on in my life at the time and “MK: Legacy” coming to Vancouver. I seriously felt it was a combination of the universe and my energy aligning with one another and of course.  Also it was the fact that I did my homework as an actor and was able to fully commit myself and connect to the material during the audition process. Then a few days before they started shooting “MK” the opportunity landed into my lap and I was prepared to handle it.

MG: How was it playing such an iconic character such as Shang Tsung?
JP: Mike, it was a surreal feeling Dude! I grew up playing the video game all day at the arcades and watching the movies so basically, I almost pissed my pants when Maria, my agent, called me about booking the gig. How fuckin’ awesome is it to be playing Shang Tsung?…one of the most bad ass villains out there! Come on it doesn’t get any cooler than that.  Once I calmed down… fear and nervousness kicked in. Shang Tsung being such an iconic character and I wanted to make sure that I was able to be honest with what I was doing in the reality of the “MK: Legacy” world. I know how many people love this franchise, so I of course “at the end of the day” want to entertain everyone and deliver the goods. Thanks to Kevin for all his support was able to connect and stay grounded to what I was doing

MG: How was it working with Kevin Tancharoen?
JP: Kevin Tancharoen, is one cool cat! It was an incredible experience working with him and I’m not just saying that so I could be in his next project [laughs]. He was super easy to talk to and work with. He was also very specific and detailed with what he wanted. It was great to work with someone who was so hands on with every aspect of the project from the set decoration stuff, to one of the actors hair styles, to another actors gloves, to the movement and mannerisms of an actor’s delivery. Kevin did all of his homework and has lots of passion for what he is doing, so the positive energy on set was very infectious. He is a very personable dude with a hella creative mind so watch out for him world!

MG: You are no stranger to web series format, tell us about “Chasing Mood”?
JP: “Chasing Mood” is basically a web series that kinda feels like “Seinfeld” mashed together with “Entourage”. You have a bunch of interesting characters that share the trials and tribulations of life together, sometimes supporting each other and for the most part just creating awkward moments. The show was created by the very talented Mr Leslie Birch and Mr Curtis Lum. “Chasing Mood” is one of the funniest experiences that I’ve had on set. The director and writer Leslie Birch gave us actors the flexibility to do lots of improv and play around with the written material. The creation of the show is what got me interested on being part of the team. You’ve got a talented group of people looking to create their own opportunities in the film industry by investing their own money and taking control of their careers. How awesome is that? How can I not jump on board and support this? When you love and have passion for something… Don’t let others control when you are able to do it, take the steps necessary to make things happen for you and control your own career and destiny.

MG: You’ve worked stunts on some big films, “Watchmen” & “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief”, what has been your hardest stunt to perform?
JP: Hmmmm, When I think about this question…there is one specific project that comes to mind, that I’m hesitant to you talk about [laughs]. One of the main reasons being that, as a “Stunt Performer” you never really talk about your injuries or wine about things and with this experience I’m going to share with you today, it will sound like a little bit of both the people who are close to me will understand and know my intentions. Just sharing an experience here! Not complaining or no wining here, so here we go… STORY TIME! It all took place on Season 5 of the TV show “Psych” and I was hired as a stunt actor, so I basically was one of the main villains of the episode the Episode “Romeo and Juliet and Juliet”. As a stunt actor you are required to ACT and do your own STUNTS, think of it kinda like an action actor (Jackie Chan). My character Teno Tan had two fight scenes, both incorporating lots of action and martial arts fighting normally this wouldn’t be difficult for me… so here’s why it was my ”hardest stunt”. A month before this “Psych” show, I injured my lower back training. When I got the gig not only was I not fully recovered, but my muscles were stiff and joints were tight and because of the injury and condition I was in, it made filming for me very difficult the action sequences demanded a lot from me. One of the fights was with another stunt performer, and it was an all-out hand to hand with flying kicks in the fight scene. The second fight scene was the final fight with the lead of the show himself Mr James Roday. I had to chase him around a martial arts dojo and fight him with a sword and of course doing a fight scene with the lead of a show you have to be so much more careful, so the pressure was on like a mother fucker! Here’s where things get interesting…because of my lower back injury, my body was very weak and had to adjust and compensate and because of all of the strain and compensation, it threw my whole body off balance which led me to tare my left quad and dislocate my right shoulder during rehearsal. So now I’m broken all over the place and we haven’t even started filming yet. It was a five day shoot and I was gimped and there was no way I was going to quit or be recast. The role itself was a great opportunity for me and I couldn’t let it slip. So I did a lot of praying and eventually got through it all and delivered the goods. I thank the universe that I was working with such a talented stunt team and was able to finish filming. These guys all helped support me, and not only made me look good but made my performance possible because of all the adjustments. Thanks you Dan Shea, Jeff Ong and Brian Ho you guys ROCK! That was my Hardest Stunt!

MG: What other projects do you currently how in the works?
JP: I got a TV show called “True Justice” with Steven Seagal, where I play “Chai” the Yakuza gangster and most recently the TV show “Sanctuary”.

Aleks Paunovic is currently appearing the “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” playing the character Shao Kahn. Aleks is also appearing in this fall’s “This Means War” and “In the Name of the King 2”.  Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Aleks about his roles in both projects and also what he  has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you became involved with “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”?
Aleks Paunovic: I was fortunate enough because I went out for a casting and I had a really good relationship with the casting director. Probably about a month after I got a call that I got the role.

MG: Where you familiar with character of Shao Kahn before this project?
AP: I was and I was apprehensive about doing that role.  I didn’t quite understand how I would fit in the mold. It was so great the route that Kevin took “Rebirth” and with “Legacy” opened where this project can go with his fresh vision. I was scared at first if the fans of “Mortal Kombat” would jump on board with me being Shao Kahn.   Once I understood the vision Kevin had I was very comfortable and confident playing him.

MG: What do you like most about the character?
AP: Kevin was one a shoe string budget and we were just trying to understand it. For me, just knowing the immense popularity of that role and basically the baddest bad guy.   In this we find in Kevin’s vision how bad Shao Kahn can be and how involved the character can do.  That to me was excited knowing that from the ground floor you can get some really good character development.

MG: You have worked with fellow “MK: Legacy” co-star, Tahmoh Penikett, a few times now with “Battlestar Gallactica” and “Riverworld”, tell us about that?
AP: I am pretty sure it was a coincidence but Tahmoh and I have been best friends for years, off screen.  We were just in Toronto to watch the biggest UFC in history.  We grapple around and hang out often.  Our biggest connection as friends is the fight games.  He is a phenomenal fighter.  So we train a lot together. He is one of my best friends.

MG: You have worked on a bunch of projects with SyFy, do you enjoy working in that genre?
AP: Oh man, I love the sci-fi genre!  It is an interesting world to be apart of because the fans are so dedicating and loving and they just want you to succeed.  When you get involved with the fan view of a project, I think that is the best thing as an actor to connect with fans.  They want these films to be good and they want to help your growth.  It has been awesome. I love that genre.

MG: What would you consider your most challenging project to date?
AP: Well there are two projects and they happened back to back. The first was a film called “Personal Effects” directed by David Hollander. Ashton Kutcher, Michelle Pfeiffer and Kathy Bates were in it. I played a mental challenged man, who ends up killer Ashton Kutcher’s sister.  In the film, I had to develop this different character.  I felt that the character I was playing was not suppose to work out, so I stopped. I didn’t even do a push up for a few months and ate as much as I could.  So I wanted to look really out of shape.  Besides that though the role was very dark and for me that was the hardest but it was also very rewarding. It was great getting to work with those actors and I was really proud of my role.  After that I did a project called “Fireball” and I had to switch it up and loose the weight and put on as much muscle as I could.  I was playing a steroid freak football player, who likes to set things on fire.  So both of those projects back to back were tough.  I find though that the most challenging projects I do are also the most rewarding.

MG: Tell us about your involvement with “In the Name of the King 2”?
AP: I got cast as the right hand man to the King played by Dolph Lundgren. I played a guy named Allard and I go on this mission with the King.  It was really cool experience.

MG: You appear with fellow “MK: Legacy” co-star Kevan Ohtsji in “This Means War” directed McG, tell us about working on this?
AP: That was so great. McG is quite a character with such immense energy. Tom Hardy, I am a huge fan of him.  I had a quick little cameo with him.  I want to get more involved with doing comedy.  I am 6’5 and 250lbs, so I get a lot of jobs kicking the crap out of people but I really love comedy.

Ruben Santiago-Hudson is know for his role of Captain Roy Montgomery in ABC hit show “Castle”, which is finished up its third season. Ruben is also a stage veteran and has performed in numerous shows including many of August Wilson’s plays. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Ruben about not only his love for working on “Castle” but also his love for the stage.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell about us how you got involved starring in “Castle” as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery?
Ruben Santiago-Hudson: After the writers strike, and being a writer things got tight. So, I decided to go out for some auditions, normally I do not audition for a lot of things that are not in New York. I am straight New Yorker and I love being here. At that point, I said I would be willing to do to California and relocate for a little while trying to get myself back on my feet. “Castle” was one of my auditions and actually as it turns out like three different shows were trying to book me also at same time. “Castle” fought for me very hard. They were in first position anyway, so they has the first shot. They made me an offer that showed me that they really wanted me there. Once I met Nathan (Fillion) though, it was over. I knew I had to be there.

MG: What is it like working with such a great cast on the show?
RSH: We have a real tight group and a real strong family. It extends even into our crew. It is not like the actors are one part and the crew is another. We are all in it together. It is a joy to come to work most days and have a good time. We are like any other family, we have our agreements and disagreements, but at the end of the day it is always cold beer time. We have enough energy to give each other person time and hang out. It is just such a great cast and crew and it is a real honor to be a part of it.

MG: Any cool behind the scenes stories?
RSH: Mike, that is everyday man! Everyday we end up pulling some some sort of high jinx and are having fun. They usually steer clear of me a lot of the times but then I will hit’em with a zinger. It is just too many stories to tell. I remember one time in an episode I put my badge out and said “What does it say on my badge? It says Captain and that means get your ass out there and solve the case”. What I did was I put a piece of gaffers tape and wrote “Superstar”. So I picked it up and said what does it say on my badge and Jon (Huertas) and Seamus (Dever) look at it and said “Superstar?” and I said “that is right, so get your ass out there…” [laughs]. That is one I really enjoyed. One day for an episode, I was telling Jon and Seamus that they were off a case or something. They went in and pulled their guns off and threw them on my desk, so I pulled my gun out and my badge and threw it on the desk too and we all walked out [laughs]. The crew was wondering what we were doing. We definitely have a lot of fun.

MG: What can you tell us about the upcoming episodes in season three?
RSH: I don’t want to give away anything. We just had a wonderful episode about a beauty pageant. Then we have the cliffhanger in the end, which our producers are going to decide which one of us or how many of us they are going to taken out of the show. I hope whatever they do it is for the best in the show. I believe it is important to keep this family together because it really it a special group. Taking anything out of that group, even to give the fans one great episode will damage the entire season. So I am hoping and praying we all stay together but knowing the powers that be, they might do something they shouldn’t do.

MG: We interviewed Denzel Washington during his work on August Wilson’s “Fences” on Broadway, what was it like working with him on “American Gangster”?
RSH: It is funny you asked that question about August Wilson because I won my Tony Award from his play. August Wilson wrote four plays for me. Denzel and I often discussed August. I really loved working with Denzel he is a confident professional. He is very decided to his craft. He always comes in extremely prepared and he is very intellectualized. He is always researched and ready to role. When you come to the table with Denzel, you know you are going to have a good time because he is coming to play. He is going to be ready and if you are not ready your day is not going to be so good. When you come ready with Denzel it will be a joyful day. Any opportunity I get to work with Denzel is a blessed day for me. Denzel and I go way back, we’ve been friends since 1983.

MG: You made your stage directorial debut with August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean”, how did you find tacking such powerful play?
RSH: I didn’t really look at it as a daunting task because he is my favorite writer, a mentor, a brother and a friend…August Wilson. It was a play I had just completed doing on Broadway and I had different notions of how it should be done. I wanted to exercise my ideas on it. When I explained it to August, he was like “Please hurry up, when do you want to do it?” I responded to him “Whenever I get on the directors list” and he said “You are at the top of the list”. Within three months I was directing the place in Princeton, NJ at the McCarter Theater, which is an award winning theater. It was just such an amazing epiphany just to be in that work and let that work deliver me to another level as an artist, an actor and a human being.

MG: How do you prefer doing stage over film or TV?
RSH: Absolutely, I prefer being on stage. I want to be on stage every day of my life if I could. It is a certain trust that a writer and director have to let you to be the editor of that work. You are getting me deep now, we have to usually go to Columbia University to have this discussion [laughs]. They editor of that evening’s performance is you. It is not some guy you don’t know in a room taking your performance on film or digital and cutting and editing it around to make it a good performance. The editor is you. I absolutely cherish that trust because I know that is the way I prepared my whole life. I prepared not to go out and do my work with ego but with sincerity, trust and truth. So when you go out there and your trust your work with me as a writer, what you wrote is what you are going to get.

MG: Do you plan on returning to stage anytime soon?
RSH: Right now they are calling for me in a big way to direct. A big way. I am in negotiations to direct an August Wilson play, “Jitney” and hopefully get it to Broadway. Right now there are no plans. Just to be able to put it up and have people feel the magic of “Jitney” again. I am hoping it will create the buzz and get the producers talking about getting it to Broadway. In fact, it is the only August Wilson play that has hasn’t been to Broadway. I would love to get my energy behind it, a stellar cast and try and get it to Broadway. I am going to do it at the Two Rivers Theater in Red Bank, NJ, which is a beautiful new facility. Also I am going to direct a play from Fugard, they are celebrating his work in New York next season at The Signature. I am going to come in and direct one of Fugard’s play with him actually in house. In the meantime, I am also writing a pilot as we speak. I will be pitching it for the fall season. So just trying to keep busy and trying to share what talents I have with the world.

Susan Sullivan is known for her role of Martha Rogers on ABC’s hit show “Castle”. With the show approach its end of season three and is hotter than ever, Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Susan about her role and what we can expect for season four.

Mike Gencarelli: What do you like most about playing Martha Rogers on “Castle”?
Susan Sullivan: I think when you are cast well in something, the character sort of mirrors and crystallizes your own dynamics. It really brings out where you are in your life and also certain things you are experiencing. The whole aspect of aging, feeling a little marginalized, trying to stay alive and in the game and youthful.  All of those aspects are fun for me to explore because [laughs], I am exploring them in my own life.

MG: What has been your inspiration for her character?
SS: My real inspiration for this character is my own mother, who is 94 and still with us, God bless her.  She is someone that is always offering advise to people and who is very helpful.  She is like this wise old soul, plus she has a lot of energy and incite…that she readily shares. I think I try to incorporate parts of my mother into the character.  In fact Martha being a life coach was my mother’s idea.  We even put one of my mothers lines in the show, “You is who you is and if you ain’t who you is, who is you?”, which she says on a daily basis [laughs].  So that is my personal inspiration and of course as we grow older we sort of become our mothers, so there you go.

MG: The family dynamic that you have on the show is just great, how was it been working with Nathan Fillion and Molly Quinn?
SS: It is just great. Of course even if it wasn’t I would tell you it is but in this case it actually is [laughs].  I think it would be really hard to fake that.  We have this really connectedness.  I look at Nathan now and I said “Wow we are starting to even look a like, when did that happen?”  Of course Molly is completely delightful.  In relationships, it is always wonderful when you have something to learn from the person you are with.  I learn a lot from both of them in very different ways.  We have a really profound connection.

MG: Do you have a favorite episode from the series to date?
SS: Well on a personal level, yes.  I don’t know if it was necessarily one of the better episodes. When I find out that Chet has died and dealing with that loss and how one comes to terms with that.  That was really interesting for me as an actor and as a woman.

MG: You have worked on various TV series, how do you find this show differs from them?
SS: Each show has its own personality and style.  Of course “Dharma and Greg” was a sitcom, so that was completely different and also she was sort of an abrasive character.  Each character you play, you tend to bring the character home with you.  For Martha, I would have to say is that she has so much life force about her and she is wonderful to encounter.  I would have to say that she is probably one of my favorite characters, even though you don’t see a lot of her.  But that is sort of good too.

MG: Any sneak as to what we can expect for the end of this season?
SS: Well [laughs], I must tell you it is one of these shows where so much happens in one episode.  I read the script and said this should be a two-parter.  I think they even shot enough for a two-parter, so I know a lot of that episode will be left on the cutting room floor.  Well, it is going to be a complete surprise, with all the turns and angles. This is a show about turns that surprise and if the turns don’t surprise you in the storyline then it isn’t much fun. Hang on to your hat kid, because this is a whirlwind.  I can tell you that.

MG: Not sure what you can tell about next season but will Martha have new love interest?
SS: Oh, I am sure several [laughs].  I insist in fact, it is in my contact.

MG: What else are you currently working on?
SS: For the month of June, I will be doing a play called “Love, Loss and What I Wore”.  It is at the West Side Theater in New York.  It is with a rotating cast of actresses, five women. So if anyone is in New York and is a “Castle” fan…look it up!

Jay Ward has been with the company Pixar since 1998, when he started in as an art department production assistant on “Monsters, Inc”.  After that project, Jay worked on “Cars” and since then has become the go to guy for the world of “Cars”.  With the upcoming release of “Cars 2”, Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Jay about his role in Pixar as the “Cars” Franchise Guardian and got to chat about working on the film.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your role of “Cars” Franchise Guardian and how you got the job?
Jay Ward: I started at Pixar back in 1998 on “Monsters, Inc”. By 2001, I moved onto the film “Cars”. John (Lasseter) realized pretty quick I was a real car guy, actually into cars. I sort of became an unofficial consultant for him on the film for car related stuff. When “Cars” was over, the world of “Cars” kind of kept growing and growing and I went on to work on the film “Ratatouille”. John ended up telling me after that he wanted me back on the “Cars” world, since he said I was his eyes and ears on all “Cars” related things like video games, theme parks, publishing and consumer products. I became his full time “Cars” guy, so I wrote my own job description and that is how the “Cars” Franchise Guardian came to be.

MG: What is your involvement for “Cars” Masters Weekend in Walt Disney World?
JW: I am going to be speaking this weekend for the Pixar 25th anniversary. We are talking about “Cars 2” and about some of the vehicles we used for the movie. I am also doing a panel with Jonas Rivera, who I worked with on the first cars and Michael Giacchino, who did the score for “Cars 2”.

MG: Since you are a car expert, do you even consider this work or it is all play?
JW: It is work because you have to be so careful with all the details and getting all those things right on the vehicles. I thoroughly love my job but there is responsibly to it as well. John will come to me sometimes and say that he doesn’t have time to work on something and give it to me. Sometimes I have to write a bio or back story for some of the characters and you have to put a lot of thought and work into it. It is work but it is great work and I really love it.

MG: Did you enjoy playing many different roles on the production of “Cars”? Which did you enjoy the most?
JW: Absolutely. On the first film I was the character team manager, so I actually managed the process of them building the first characters for “Cars”. It was really fun and excited. On top of that, I was also the cars consultant and I also got to go background voices.

MG: Tell us about your role in “Cars 2”?
JW: In this film, I got to do a lot of research. I got to go on research trips to races and also anything automotive or automotive related I worked on. I had to help out finding the real cars for them to photograph and do reference on as well. On top of all that, I also do a car show at Pixar. We have an employee car show called “The Motorama” which I run and have run for the last 11 years. It has been really fun for me.

MG: How do you compare working on “Cars 2” from its predecessor?
JW: It is funny because when we worked on the first “Cars”, it was a long time, like five years. At that time, we had to go to these manufacturers and explain to them we are doing this movie and we want to use their cars. They were very skeptical at first. They had no idea what we were doing or what this was. It was a different thing. Now with “Cars 2″, people know the world of “Cars” and love it.  It is funny I remember going to manufacturers like Chrysler, Ford and GM and they weren’t sure at first about it. Now this time around, they are like “Hey we love it! What can we do to a part of it?” It is funny how things change.

MG: What is the most difficult task working on the “Cars” franchise”?
JW: The hardest part is protecting what it is. Everyone has these great ideas and they want to do all these things but sometimes they are not real to the world of “cars”. It is a good idea but the question is, “Is something that Mater or McQueen will do?” We have to be careful about something like that. They are cars but they are characters too. You can’t do something that that character will not do. Sometime we have to say no, if it is not something the characters would do.

MG: Since you start worked as art department production assistant on “Monsters, Inc.”, any plans to work in that department again?
JW: Yes I do. I really love working in the art department and working with artists. I do hope I get to do it again. I feel like that is almost like my home department. Like I said Jonas Rivera, who I worked with on “Monsters, Inc.”, he started out in art and was my manager on that project. The art department will always be my home.

Derrick Denicola stars in the upcoming independent film “Go For It” which opens in theaters Friday May 13^th. Derrick took time out of his busy schedule to talk with Movie Mikes about his career and his new film.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us how you first got into acting?
Derrick Denicola: I started acting in college. When I was going through the book of classes I really didn’t know what I wanted to do. There were some improvisational classes that sounded fun however you had to be a theater major to take them. I decided I would declare myself a theater major so I could take those classes and until I figured out what I wanted to do. Once I got started I really fell in love with it and never looked back.

AL: Was there something in particular that sparked that love?
DD: Yes. At LSU where I went they had a peer mentoring group where a senior would take around a freshman and show them the campus as well as some classes. While I was doing this I got to see a rehearsal for a play. I saw all the great work that the actors were putting into this play and I left with such a creative high that I knew from that moment that acting was what I wanted to do.

AL: Can you tell us what it was like working with Michael Ironsides in “Mutants”?
DD: I didn’t have any scenes with Michael but I did get to see him work as we were on set at the same time. He is extremely professional and very intimidating! He is a very big guy who knows exactly what he’s doing. You can really learn from him by just watching how he gives himself to the creative process. It was a joy to watch him work.

AL: What was it like showing up on set for your first film role?
DD: I had more anxiety sitting in a trailer or at home reading the script hoping that I would do a good job more than anything.  A strange thing happens when you walk on set though and you see everything lit up and the cameras ready. The nervousness starts to go away and your acting instincts start to kick in. You start to see the set as what it’s meant to be rather than a movie set.

AL: Can you tell us about your role as Sebastian in “Ben and Jakes Big Deal”?
DD: That was a small independent film that was in a way experimental. The actors had a chance to write the script for the film. We were each given four pages of guidelines for where the story was supposed to go. How we got there was up to us. I was surrounded by some really funny people during that project. Currently I don’t know what is happening with that film but I imagine the end result is going to be something completely disastrous or unique and genius.

AL: From all your projects do you have one that sticks out as a favorite?
DD: They all are special in their own ways. “Go For It” which comes out May 13^th has really stuck with me. Both the film and the people I have met along the way have been really great! Meeting Carmen Marron has been one of the most inspiring things that has ever happened to me. Just getting to hear how the movie got made is just as good as the movie itself. Carmen was a guidance counselor with no film experience and her and her husband saved up all the money themselves to make this film!

AL: Can you tell us a little more about “Go For It”
DD: “Go For It” is an inspirational dramedy which features a really great cast and I think the film will have something for everyone. Aimee Garcia from the George Lopez show is in the film as well as Gina Rodriguez. It’s really just a wonderful cast and we are all hoping to make some really positive role models for young people. I play Jared in the film that’s the love interest of the main character Carmen. During the film the character of Carmen has to make a choice as to what she loves more be it Jared or dancing.

AL: Do you have any other upcoming projects?
DD: You actually caught me on the best day! I just finished a meeting with a production company to shoot a pilot I wrote. I will also have a role in the project as well as being the director. The project is called “Unreal Estate Agents”. This will be my first time directing and production is scheduled to start in about a month. I am really excited for this project!

Michael Rogers currently appearing the “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” playing the character Quan Chi. Michael is also starring in the this years Tribeca favorite “Beyond the Black Rainbow”, which will be next showing at Cannes. Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Michael about his roles in both projects.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”?
Michael Rogers: I just auditioned for it.  Originally I had auditioned for the role of Kabal.  They ended up bringing me back for Quan Chi, which I was thrilled about because I absolutely loved the role. If had a pick of any of the roles that would be the role I would choose.  There is just so much juice in there.  So then I was cast and two weeks later we shot it.

MG: Where you familiar with the character Quan Chi?
MR: You know what, I wasn’t at all.  I wasn’t a gamer.  I have obviously heard of it but was not familiar with the characters.  Right away when I read it I was very attracted to the role since it was so rich.  Once I got the role I tried to actually stay away.  Of course I watched “Mortal Kombat: Rebirth”, which was phenomenal but outside of that I stayed away from looking at the game, the TV series or the movies.  I did not want any influences and wanted to come in with a fresh perspective.

MG: How do you compare working on web series to TV and film?
MR: My approach is always the same.  With this project, they obviously had to get it done fast.  I think that that environment spawns a lot of creativity.  You have to be very alive and spontaneous and that really allows for some great moments.

MG: Do you have a favorite genre to work in?
MR: I really don’t.  As long as the role has depth to it and it is interesting to me, I think it would be interesting to me no matter what genre it is.  Ironically, I have never been a huge fan of sci-fi, but I actually just a film called “Beyond the Black Rainbow” which just screened at Tribeca.  I have certainly gained a better appreciation for sci-fi from that.

MG: Tell us about working on “Hellraiser: Hellseeker”, one my favorite in the series?
MR: Thanks man, that is great to here.  It was a fantastic experience. Rick Bota, who directed it, was a great guy and was fantastic to work with.  Dean Winters was also phenomenal to work with and trade pushes with.  It was really just a great experience.

MG: Tell us about the film “Beyond the Black Rainbow” and your role?
MR: I play Barry Nyle, it is a primary lead role.  It takes place in a dystopian 1983 and it is a beautiful, stunning film.  It is fairly abstract and probably the most reward film that I have been a part of.  It was rewarding and challenging at the same time.  It was a pleasure to have it been received so well at Tribeca. As far as we know we have been picked up by distribution and from what I understand it is looking to be sold at Cannes.  So it is moving a long and hopefully it will be out later this year.  It is really a piece of art and I am super proud of that one.  It was a real labour of love.

MG: What do you consider is your favorite experience in your career?
MR: Definitely like I said, the most rewarding and challenging has to be “Beyond the Black Rainbow”.  Without giving too much away, I had to play two incarnations basically the same role.  It was such an abstract film and the preparation for it was really intense.  So far this one takes the cake.

Beatrice King is currently appearing the “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” playing the character Queen Sindel. Peter is also appearing in the Seth Rogan lead film titled, “50/50″ this Fall.  Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Beatrice about his roles in both projects and also whatshe  has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with the “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” web series?
Beatrice King: I originally auditioned for the role of Meleena in Vancouver and they really liked my audition. From there I was considered for the role of Queen Sindel. A short time later I was notified by the casting director that I got the role.

MG: Were you familiar with the Sindel character prior to your audition?
BK: I had been because my brother grew up playing “Mortal Kombat”. However I would have to say that some of the research I did on the character came into the role but, a large portion of it came from the script. I wanted to make sure everything was right because Kevin’s vision of the series is different from the video game.

MG: How was it working with Kevin?
BK: He is fantastic! I loved working with him. He’s a young guy with an incredible vision. He took the time to work with each actor one on one for each scene which is something he wanted. Personally I like a director who really communicates what they want. I think when a director does this it brings the project to a whole new level creatively.

MG: How was your experience working on a web series compared to television or a film?
BK: I thought that this project really felt like a feature film. I didn’t feel like a web series at all. Having such a great cast as well as Kevin and Warner Bros. involved really helped. Every person involved I think looked at this project as a labor of love and put everything they had into each of their parts.

MG: Can you tell us about the film you did recently with Seth Rogan titled “50/50”
BK: That film is scheduled to come out later this fall and is kind of a darker comedy. It was really interesting and I am very excited for it. I think when the audience thinks of Seth Rogan they think more about the projects he has done. This film is really different and I think it’s going to offer something really new in the way of Hollywood comedy.

MG: How was it working with “Glee” star Cory Monteith on “Sisters and Brothers”?
BK: It was great! I had actually worked with Cory before on the television series “Kaya”. I also am friends with Alie Liebert so it felt just like working with friends and really great people who are all incredibly talented. Everyone was really welcoming and making sure each other was comfortable on set and with the director.

MG: You also worked on “Strange Magic” by J.K. Rowling. Can you tell us about that?
BK: That was filmed in Victoria and I had to really work on my British accent for that which was an incredible process. I always have enjoyed working on new characters and accents. I find that very rewarding as an actor to be able to portray someone totally different. I feel really fortunate because this was another project that everyone was really supportive of one another. You really were made to feel part of the team. I played the secretary of a literary agency in that film and it felt very natural to work in that environment because I was an English major in school.

MG: Did you get the chance to meet J.K. Rowling during the filming process?
BK: No not during filming. But we were at the table read and the person who played J.K. in the film looked so much like her it was incredible. I think viewers are really going to find similarities to the real J.K. Rowling.

MG: If you could choose one actor to work with who would it be?
BK: I would have to say off hand probably Natalie Portman when I was studying acting at a young age her role in “Beautiful Girls” really inspired me. However before I did “50/50” I would have said Joseph Gordon-Levitt because I had followed his career and how he has branched out but it seems to be changing from time to time but for now it’s Natalie Portman.

Peter Shinkoda is currently appearing the “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” playing the character Sektor. Peter is also part of the ensemble cast of this summer’s highly anticipated “Falling Skies” on TNT. Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Peter about his roles in both projects and also what he has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with the series “Fallen Skies”?
Peter Shinkoda: I went through the usual channels after hearing about the part fairly late in the game. A very long audition process had already been held and at the last minute I locked down the job. I guess there were a few other actors that had been considered for the job as well but casting saw my audition tape and gave me a contract.

MG: Can you tell us about your role on the show?
PS: I play Dai who is like a lot of the characters on the show. He is a civilian turned resistance fighter fighting against the invading alien forces. Dai is often seen with Noah Wyle’s character, Tom Mason, who is History professor turned resistance leader. My character is his most trusted confidant and friend he is also the most effective fighter in the unit.

MG: How was it working with Noah Wyle and the rest of the cast?
PS: It was a complete pleasure. There wasn’t one minute where I did not like being on set. Working with Noah was an incredible experience and I hope it will be on going. As a person, he is very generous and sweet and probably one of the most intelligent people I have ever met. Craft wise, I am constantly in awe of his professionalism and how easy he makes acting look. Noah is just an all around great guy on and off camera.

MG: Did you get a chance to meet Steven Spielberg during production?
PS: I did! He made it to location a few times when we were shooting in Canada. The fortunate actors got to be directed and overseen by him while he was there which was really great. Even when he wasn’t there his input was being received via Skype or telephone. I was actually able to meet him one other time at Dreamworks when we did a screening of the pilot and it was really cool because we got to watch the show with him. That was an incredible pleasure.

MG: How do you feel this show differs from other sci-fi alien shows that are on television?
PS: I think a majority of the films out now dealing with similar subject matter start from the same point. A typical all American town is attacked by aliens and decimated and a military response follows. In the case of “Fallen Skies” the attack has already happened and we see the response from a civilian’s point of view and how they are dealing with being over powered.

MG: How did you become involved with “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”?
PS: Just like any other guy who is surfing the net looking for interesting content related to sci-fi and gaming. I saw some news clips about this “Mortal Kombat” thing that was going viral. I went and checked it out for myself and was blown away! It was so brilliant I almost fell out of my chair. It was just so dark. I watched it a bunch of times and then left it alone for a bit. Every once in awhile I would hear little bits about it trying to be developed. Early February I read an article that Warner Bros had green lit the project. I immediately called my agents who still hadn’t heard anything about the project and then in just 24hrs later the info for casting came out. Fortunately I was friends with one of the casting director Tiffany Mack. So between Tiffany and my agents I was able to get a meeting with the Kevin Tancharoen. We met at the studio and had a conversation about the direction they wanted to take “Mortal Kombat” and a few days later I got an offer to play Sektor.

MG: Were you familiar with the character prior to being cast?
PS: Yes. I was familiar with the core characters from the game and movies. I had seen Sektor however I didn’t know much about his back story.  I don’t think anybody really did other than he is a cyborg ninja. I think he is one of the more interesting characters and plus Sektor has some really cool weapons.

MG: How do you feel doing a web series differs from a television project?
PS: Production wise and shooting on location is all the same. The big difference is in the speed of which things are shot. Television works quite fast and this being my first web series I found this shoots even faster than television. The idea is to get as much production value in the can and to the screen as possible.

Ryan Robbins is currently appearing the “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” playing the character Raiden. Fraser is also know for his role of Henry Foss in SyFy’s “Sanctuary”. Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Ryan about his roles in both projects and also what he has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you become involved with “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”?
Ryan Robbins: I just got a phone call about it. Actually it was originally for another character but they didn’t end of using that character in the show. So I thought I missed my chance, but then I got a call that they want me to play Raiden. I told them of course I was interested. I got to be a kid again and got to play one of the coolest characters in video games. I didn’t even meet the director till the first day, but Kevin (Tancharoen) was such a cool guy. He is definitely a visionary. I know that word gets thrown around a lot but it is true.  He has this clear vision and talked about what our version was going to look like. To some degree you want to say true to the original but you want to make it a little more relatable and give the characters back stories and struggles to overcome. I think it turned out really great.

MG: So you where you familiar with video games series prior to working on it?
RR: I was familiar with the games, the films and the TV series. I have seen Kevin’s short film he did and it was really good. I really liked the edge it had. It is hard to adapt video games though. You always have visually elaborate costumes and everyone is always big and buff and sometimes these things are hard to identify with. I like his vision and he makes the characters feel like somewhat regular people for the most part and he gives them qualities to identify with.

MG: How was it working on a web series, compared to TV and movies?
RR: I have done a few now especially with “Sanctuary” starting off as a web series. Since they are kind of new, you have a bit of a broader parameter but the downfall is the budget is not there. These guys on “MK” have amazing production value, especially with the budget constraints they have. More people also have access to web series as well, for example episode one is well over 8 million views already. That is huge and it is bigger than some network shows.

MG: Tell us about working on SyFy’s “Sanctuary”?
RR: “Sanctuary” is an amazing show to work on. It is an incredible group of people to work with. We have no divas and no attitudes. It is almost like working on an independent film. We have all the best parts of that and even though it does not have a huge budget since it is independently financed, we love doing the show. We really are passionate about the show and its fans. It has been a great ride. We just started shooting season four now and like every other season, we hit the ground running. When we get some of the scripts, I look at them and wonder how are we going to do this? This is insane! But sure enough every time they make it work and it great.

MG: What do you like most about playing the character Henry Foss?
RR: I like that he is somewhat unpredictable. He has so many levels. At one end he seems like a funny smart ass but on the other end he is a very capable badass werewolf. He really has a lot of range in that character and it is really fun to play. He is really emotional and passionate. He also has secrets and it is always fun to play a character that has secrets.

MG: What can we expect from the last few episodes of season three and upcoming in season four?
RR: I do not think people are going to expect the ending they will get from season three. People are going to be pretty blown away by it and also then how season four begins. I think the last part of season three gets pretty epic and some of the stuff with the character Adam is just great, who is played by Ian Tracey. Ian is just such a great actor. It will definitely leave you jaw-dropped. I was really excited to see how the fans react to it.

MG: Tell us about what you have planned next?
RR: I recently just did three films. The first was called “Cold Blooded”, the next is called “Everything and Everyone” and then I did a short film I am really proud of called “Pleased to Meet You”. The short has a really great cast and it is fantastic. Lastly I am getting a final cut soon for a film I starred and produced with Allison Mack from “Smallville” and it called “Marilyn”. It has been a labor of love. We financed this feature film ourselves. It is in post production right now and we are hoping to get it out for the festival circuit soon. It is such a great film and it is inspired by a true story. I can’t wait for people to see it.

Dave Willis is the one of the men behind Adult Swim’s hit show “Aqua Teen Hunger Force”. Dave is the voice of Meatwad / Carl and also director/writer and producer on each episode. Besides “Aqua Teen”, David also is currently working on a new season of “Squidbillies” and has worked on various other series including, “Space Ghost: Coast to Coast”, “Sealab 2021” and “12 oz. Mouse”. Dave took out some time to chat with us at Movie Mikes to discuss “Aqua Teen” return for season 9 and also its recent name change to “Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1” and also the upcoming season of “Squidbillies”.

Mike Gencarelli: When “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” started over 10 years ago, did you ever think you would be crossing the 100 episode mark with the series?
Dave Willis: Yes I did. I thought we thought we would be doing it in season 3 though not season 9. Yeah, there was no doubt in my mind and we are only a third of the way there. Let’s reconnect in 10 years when we are celebrating episode 250.

MG: Tell us about change of the name for the series starting season 9?
DW: It was more than a name change. We changed the show on a molecular level, everything about it is different. The only thing that is the same is that it is still 11 minutes long and we still use the characters names too. Other than that it is all about action, sex, mystery and intrigue [laughs].

MG: Since the series is going in a new direction, can we still expect cameos from some of favorite characters?
DW: There are new adventures and new villains also. In the opening, it has a number cameos of previous villains. It would be a fun thing to see if you could spot them all. Some of them are blatant. Frylok has a switchblade fight with Hand Banana [laughs]. Tonight….YOU! There are other characters that you see for a split second and then they are gone. I think it would be a fun game to see how many you can spot.

MG: You voice many characters but primarily Carl and Meatwad, do you find it difficult voicing them at same time?
DW: I don’t, no I really don’t. By that time anyway we have written the script and I have an idea how it is going to sound. I always do Meatwad before Carl because by the end of the Carl script he is either exploded or screaming at someone or just crying in agony. That just blows out my voice. I think Carl over the years has seriously dropped my voice like an octave and a half. There is always like shredded pieces of skin that I end of coughing up after doing Carl. So yeah, Meatwad is always first.

MG: What was the most bizarre plot you came up with for an episode that never was made?
DW: We wrote an outline for one episode that I thought was really funny and we couldn’t make it due to union issues. We know Seth Green through “Robot Chicken” and the premise was where Seth moved next door to the Aqua Teens and Shake was constantly trying to hang with him. We find out he moved next door to Aqua Teens to study Meatwad because he is going to be playing Meatwad in the live-action movie. It would have been great but it wouldn’t be as funny if we couldn’t actually get Seth to do it. We are not SAG, so that is why we couldn’t do it.

MG: Do you have a favorite episode that you have worked on?
DW: It is tough to say, they are all like my children. I think I read that Glenn Frey said when being interviewed about The Eagles “Well Tequila Sunrise…Desperado…there are so many of them, they are all like children to me”. I like Broodwich. I like Dickosode, due to the absurdity and the ridiculousness. I love the original Mooninites and of course Mc Pee Pants. The third episode this season is called “Intervention” and I think that is just as funny as anything we have ever done. There are a few in this batch that I think really stand up against the best stuff we done. I am really excited about the new season and the new episodes. They are really strong.

MG: Whatever ever happened to “Spacecataz” series?
DW: I don’t know. I think it would have been a good show, I think. The way we made it was using it as opens for “Aqua Teen”. We had to make them work as opens but also as a whole. I think it was a fun idea and I think it could have had a good life. We got too busy with other stuff and it never happened. But I always liked it.

MG: What can we expect from the new season of “Squidbillies” this year?
DW: We got 10 episodes coming out and they are all great. I feel that they are really strong. We just wrote an episode called “The Return of Ga Ga Pee Pap”, bringing that character back. I am not sure about guest starts yet. We have been slowly getting new theme songs. There has been talk of us get to record with George Jones to do a theme song. It hasn’t happened yet so I don’t want to jinx it. Rusty and Early compete over a woman [laughs]. Rusty gets his first girlfriend and Early wants her for his own. So their is an episode of that. Early gets a rare form of head cancer from wearing a hat made by the American Asbestos Association.

MG: Besides the narrator, you don’t led you voice to the show, why not?
DW: It is not really a calculated thing. I will go in there if they need an extra or something. I feel like we have such a strong cast of potential characters. I do occasionally play Early’s office co-worker Glen. We are trying to make ‘Have a good one’ a catch phrase, since he says it in every episode. Let’s see if America catches on like we have.

MG: Comparing the two shows “ATHF” and “Squidbillies”, which is more fun to work on?
DW: They are both fun in their own way. It is a little more difficult with “Squidbillies” in respects just because, we are a little more story based in those and go back and do extensive rewrites. The animation is much more involved and is closer to a fully animated show that “Aqua Teen”. But “Aqua Teen” is still challenging and we are very much engaged. It is interesting since when we started with “Aqua Teen”, we had a core group of people who were all at the same place in their careers…just starting out. All these people have grown together and we tend to fill in the blanks for each other. We just have a great group of editors and After Effects artists and the same few animators from the beginning. So everybody knows their role a little bit more. We are still using the same animation from the year 2000 [laughs]. We add stuff obviously but we still go back to those same backgrounds and same shots. With “Squidbillies”, writer/producer Jim Fortier, and I came from the same home town and we can relate to the same sort of backwards dumb-ass redneck stories from our lives. “Aqua Teen” is maybe not as deep in that reality. It is though in another one, meaning whatever tends to be pissing me or Matt (Maiellaro) off that week will somehow find to make its way into the show.

MG: Anything you can tell us about the second “Aqua Teen” movie, “Death Fighter”?
DW: It is a mystery…surrounded in secrecy…surrounded by a cloud of intrigue. Let’s get this show reboot out of the way. We are going to change the title again after we are done with these 10 episodes. Then we will talk “Death Fighter”.

Shane Warren Jones is playing Cyrax and Hydro in the new web series “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”.  Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Shane about working on the series and find out what else he has planned upcoming.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved working with “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”?
Shane Warren Jones: (laughs) This is always an awkward question to be asked, but I guess I would have to say my agent Danielle at Kirk Talent sent me an email one Friday saying…”Hey, how about this project?” I looked at the title, it said Mortal Kombat and I said “I’m down.” The following Monday she had an audition for me that had to be in by the end of the day [laughs].

MG: Are you a fan of the game series?
SWJ: Absolutely, I remember playing the game in the arcade. Back when arcades were the only thing keeping me from going insane in a mall where I couldn’t buy anything. I was a kid and it didn’t cost that much to play a few rounds.

MG: Did you do any research on your character Cyrax/Hydro before working on the series?
SWJ: Yes, I did. Luckily I already knew quite a bit of Cyrax’s background story from his introduction in MK3 but it was nice to dive back into the history and get a refresher as well as see how the character evolved since I had stopped playing the game all those years ago. It was like visiting an old friend…a very, very, violent, old friend. Playing Hyrdo was a bit tougher because he’s a character that only exists in the comic book mythology. So there wasn’t much info on him.

MG: How was it playing both characters in the show?
SWJ: I had a blast playing both characters in the show. I got to spend two weeks in Vancouver pretending to be a ninja. Which is pretty much what I do in my regular life anyway except it’s not just in my head this time (laughs). It was like being a kid on Halloween again, minus the cheap grocery store bought costume. After I read the script and then went back to do the research on Cyrax’s character I got really excited because Kevin had incorporated an emotional component that runs through Cyrax’s story line from his introduction in MK3 right to MK9. I got to play both the light and dark side of things relatively. As far as good and evil go, Cyrax is actually a very grey character and I hope that is evident through my performance.

Do you think we will be seeing Cyrax in full armor for the series?
SWJ: (Laughs) Did you not see the trailer? I think fans would wage war on Kevin if we didn’t’ show up in full armor at some point. So to answer your question, “Yes.”

MG: Since you have a background in martial arts and gymnastics, was the series difficult to shoot?
SWJ: I think shooting action, regardless of how much training you have is always a challenge. When you practice or train you’re hardly ever training in full costume. As an actor, when you perform in a costume it makes you feel different. Your walk changes. your posture changes, your attitude and the way you feel changes. The same thing goes for when you are doing a physically demanding roll. Depending on how restricting or loose the costume is, you may not be able to move as smoothly and precise as you originally had hoped or rehearsed for that matter.

MG: How was it working with Kevin Tancharoen?
SWJ: Working with Kevin was a pleasure. He’s kind of quiet and unsuspecting when you meet him. Not because he’s shy but because the gears in his head are turning, it took a little getting used to at first but you have a few beers with him and you can tell he’s a genuinely cool cat. The dude is just on his grind like the rest of us. In regards to how he was on set? He gave Peter and I plenty of room to play during our coverage but he wasn’t afraid to pull us back whenever either of us got a little too far on the “campy” side with the dialogue, because he knew exactly what kind of feel he was going for.

MG: What do you have planned next?
SWJ: I just finished doing a little work on an MTV series called “Death Valley” that comes out later this year and I plan on being back in Vancouver to work in the very, very near future.