Warren Christie is currently playing Cameron Hicks in Syfy’s “Alphas”.  The show is currently winding down its first season and is already green-lit for a second season.  This show is easily one of my favorite new shows.  Warren can also recently be seen in the spooky faux documentary “Apollo 18”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Warren about “Alphas” and what we can expect from the rest of season one.

Mike Gencarelli: In “Alphas”, your character starts off as a villain to now is a fan favorite, tell us what you like most about playing Cameron Hicks?
Warren Christie: One of the best parts is where he started from. It was a lot of fun the way he was brought into the team. It was not necessarily on his own will but now because of that we have this really great progression to where he is now with the team. He is starting to be trusted by the team and starting to trust them. It has been a nice arc to play throughout the season to pla and has been a lot of fun.

MG: Your character and Nina (Laura Mennell) are heating up, what can we expect from the your guys?
WC: As far as me and Nina go, after the last episode (referring to episode 9), it has been something we have been trying to stay away from a little bit. In the last two episodes of season one, we don’t dove into it much. A lot of crazy things are going happen in those episodes and they override everything. You have two damaged people that have found themselves in these heightened situations and formed a bit of a relationship. It definitely hasn’t gone smoothly and will not go smoothly from here on out.

MG: Sounds like the finale is going to be insane, can you give us a sneak peek?
WC: I think it is going to be incredible. I felt that episodes 9, 10 and 11 are just an incredible build up. I think it takes this world that we have created in season one and cracks it wide open. At the end of the season you are left, hopefully, with your mind blown and wondering how it is going to affect the world. It sets us up for a really exciting season two, which we were green-lit for already.

MG: What has been your favorite episode in season one to shoot?
WC: I think the finale is phenomenal. As far as one that have aired, I really enjoy “Blind Spot” and it’s the concept. The thing about our show is we have to be grounded in reality. I picture the writers room where someone proposes an alpha ability and then has to prove it with science. Even if the science is not necessarily proven. The invisible alpha we had in that episode played by Rebecca Mader, they prove it through science. Once you add that to the mix and I also thought that Brent Spiner was really incredible. I think 9, 10 and 11 are my absolute favorites.

MG: This show is very unique, why do you think it stands out amongst other sci-fi shows?
WC: When you have a show that comes along like ours, people want to try and compare it to other shows. I think what we tried to do is set ourselves apart. We are not reinventing the wheel or a specific genre but we are putting our twist on it. I think that people who give us a chance will find we are different in what we are trying to do. We created this world that is so rooted in reality, we have abilities but no one is flying or shooting lasers out of their nostrils [laughs]. I think that is why people are catching on so far and of course our fans are incredible.

MG: The character development in the show is show fantastic, what is your reflection on that?
WC: You got to tip your hat to the writers. They are never going to sacrifice a story or explosions for lack of character development. I think they have done a great job and giving us characters that are so rich and textured from the beginning. In just a short 11 episodes, they have all changed and their lives have intertwined, sometimes good and sometimes bad. It has been a lot of fun. We have done so much in season one and I think we are barely scratching the surface as to where we can do with things.

MG: Congrats on being green-lit for season two, when can we expect it?
WC: I think the plan at this point is to start shooting in the new year around February or March. Like I said, the beauty of this finale and the way it was written is that I think the writers have done an incredible job of creating a mythology and creating a world. They way we leave things in the final episode really just blows it wide open. It is going to leave open and give so many possibilities and options for the second season. They are able to bring in these new interesting abilities to the table, which is what I think people are enjoying. You also see our abilities and how they are growing and changing as we are learning how to use them. Then when you sprinkle every episode when a new ability is introduced there are so many ideas that they can play with. I think we are setup in a great place. It is great to know so early that we are set for season two, it gets us excited and ready to get at it.

Kevin Rankin is co-starring in ABC’s new series “Unforgettable”.  He has also appeared in shows like “Big Love” and “Justified”.  Media Mikes was able to chat with Kevin about his role on “Unforgettable” and what we can expect from it.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your role of Roe Saunders on “Unforgettable”?
Kevin Rankin: Attitude.  A LOT of attitude.  This dude has some swagger.  He questions everything, including Carrie’s ability.  Always trying to stump her or “figure” her out.  His curiosity makes him a great detective.  He also loves to make wisecracks and keep things light when it gets to dark.  He loves the streets that he protects and he knows Queens like the back of his hand.  He’s the guy who is always saying, “I gotta guy”, you know the ones who have the streets on lock, a “friend” in every corner of the city.  I’d want him on working on my case, that’s for sure.

MG: What drew you to the project and what do you feel makes it stand out?
KR: Initially the involvement of Niels, the director, made me very interested.  With pilots, the director they choose is setting the “look” and “culture” of the show.  It’s such an important part in the making of a series, you HAVE to get it right.  Once I met with John and Ed, the creators, Their excitement alone fueled me enough to jump on this ride.  I hope that we will stand out through more character.  I’d say they are letting me play a character that is a little more “out there” then most of your T.V cops.  Just being allowed to have some fun with it.

MG: Tell us about what we can expect from the first season?
KR: It’s gonna be UNFORGETTABLE!!  Gonna be hard to live up to that title.  Like naming your kid Legend.  And you known how tempting it is to every critic out there.  I say c’mon guys, too easy, be a little more creative with the headline huh?  This first season will probably consist of a lot of crimes being solved and some stuff that will be, well UNFORGETTABLE!!!

MG: This year has been a busy year for you with “Justified” and “Big Love”, are future plans for those shows as well?
KR: Well, “Big Love has passed on”.  It was a tremendous experience working on that show.  True artist.  Justified is alive and well.  They called me last week to see if I was interested in coming back and I didn’t hesitate to deliver a “Hell yeah!”  One thing stacked against this happening is that It shoots on the west coast while “Unforgettable” shoots in NYC.  At this point it’s up to both shows to see if this logistical nightmare can become a reality.  My fingers are crossed to be able to swing both, love playing Devil.

MG: How do you compare working on those than “Unforgettable”?
KR: Those shows were about the characters and they were more serialized than “Unforgettable” is.  We are figuring out crimes each week.  On shows like “Big Love” you are “sinking” into these characters, marinating in their world.  The plan is to bring more of that aspect to “Unforgettable”.

MG: Tell us about your role of Alexander Berkman in “J. Edgar”?
KR: This is so exciting to me.  I got to work with DiCaprio AND Eastwood the same time!  My character was around in the beginning of J. Edgar’s career, as apart of the big “red scare”.  An anarchist writer who was involved with Emma Goldman and that movement.  Leo DiCaprio and Clint Eastwood are true gentlemen and amazing artists.

MG: How was your experience working on that film?
KR: Eastwood’s set is like no other.  You can hear a pin drop.  Yes, you should be able to hear a pin drop on all sets but people like to talk way to much when they are at work.  Makes the day longer and Eastwood knows it.  He brings along the same crew for every job.  I guess if your the guy talking, you won’t be invited to play on the next one so everyone abides so cool.

MG: What else do you have upcoming?
KR: I also have a film I just finished that will hopefully be ready for Sundance 2012.  It’s a film my buddy Brian Dietzen (“N.C.I.S”) wrote and we both star in.  It’s called “Congratulatons” and it captures the difficult transition into adulthood and trying to live up to societal expectations when it comes to love.  It’s actually a really funny film about just trying to get it right.  It is the first movie that I’ve helped produce and I couldn’t be more proud.  It also stars Debra Jo Rupp, Abby Miller and Jill Farley. Great cast.

UNFORGETTABLE stars Poppy Montgomery as Carrie Wells, an enigmatic former police detective with a rare condition that makes her memory so flawless that every place, every conversation, every moment of joy and every heartbreak is forever embedded in her mind. It’s not just that she doesn’t forget anything – she can’t; except for one thing: the details that would help solve her sister’s long-ago murder. Carrie has tried to put her past behind her, but she’s unexpectedly reunited with her ex-boyfriend and partner, NYPD Detective Al Burns (Dylan Walsh), when she consults on a homicide case. His squad includes Det. Mike Costello (Michael Gaston), Al’s right-hand man; Detective Roe Saunders (Kevin Rankin), the junior member of the team; and Detective Nina Inara (Daya Vaidya), a sassy, street-smart cop. Being back on the job after a break feels surprisingly right for Carrie. Despite her conflicted feelings for Al, she decides to permanently join his unit as a detective solving homicides – most notably, the unsolved murder of her sister. All she needs to do is remember. Ed Redlich, John Bellucci, Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly are executive producers for Sony Television Studios in association with CBS Television Studios.

UNFORTGETTABLE CAST INTERVIEWS:

Daya Vaidya is co-starring in this fall new series “Unforgettable” with Poppy Montgomery and Dylan Walsh.  Daya took time out from shooting to chat with Media Mikes about her character and what we can expect from the show.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you give us some background on your character Nina in “Unforgettable”
Daya Vaidya: Nina is a Queen’s native with some street smart sass. The other characters are a little cleaner cut. The cool thing about the character is she has this street appeal and made Detective really young. She goes undercover quite a bit and is used to solve lots of crimes. It’s really fun to play a character with such duality.

MG: Were you familiar with the short story that the show is based on?
DV:  Yes I was. I also was quite familiar with the story of Mary Lou Henner and the condition she has which causes an autobiographical memory. Poppy’s character in the show uses that ability to solve cases and it’s both a blessing and a curse for her.

MG: How do you feel the series branches out from other crime/mystery series?
DV: CBS really has the procedural element down. There is a bit of sterilization, however “Unforgettable” I think delves into the characters and their relationships a little more than other series in the crime genre. The other thing that differs is we have story lines that don’t just revolve around a specific crime, which is a different take as well.

MG: How was it working with Arden Oplev?
DV: That was one of the greatest experiences I think I have ever had career wise. He is a feature director and he is so detailed and talented and most the time on TV it doesn’t function like that. Arden spent so much time on the details of each character it was great. I think he knew more about everyone’s characters than they did as he is really smart. He has a great vision and he has stayed with us as an executive producer. It’s really great to have him.

MG: How many episodes have you shot so far?
DV: We just started our fourth episode including the pilot. We have been shooting mostly in Queens and Long Island City. We have done a lot of location shooting but a majority of the series is shot in Queens.

MG: How is it working with such a great cast?
DV: They are really great.  We never have to worry as we have a bunch of great character actors. Poppy Montgomery brings some really great things to the project. There are a lot of people involved with this show that know how to make a network show work. I feel everyone involved with this project knows what it takes and what they have to do. We have a lot of fun with each other and there is some really great chemistry.

MG: What do you usually look for when approaching a role?
DV: I like strong woman who are smart, so that’s something I am always drawn to. I like the combination someone who can flow between different worlds. I think people are complex and sometimes they are forced to stay in one box and I like to play the people who don’t fit in one of those boxes. I am always open to try different things.

Michael Gaston is appearing in two TV shows this fall, the new series “Unforgettable” and returning in “The Mentalist”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Michael about his TV work and what we can expect from his characters.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you tell us about your role in “Unforgettable”?
Michael Gaston: My character Mike is a veteran detective that has spent his whole life in Queens. He is a good guy trying to do a hard job well. When the Carrie character is introduced Mike, who is the old school guy, surprisingly is the most receptive to her unorthodox skill set. Mike is just trying to get justice for the people who have been killed.

MG: How do you feel this show stands out from others in the same genre?
M. Gaston: There are a handful of shows that are a version where they are part procedural and then have one member with a special skill set. From my own stand point our show is a little darker. It’s been fun for me. The creators and writers are trying very hard to build on all the characters nuances. Speaking for my character they are giving me really interesting things to do right away. We are a pretty smart bunch of characters which is something you don’t always see as generally the character with the special skills has all the knowledge. We are allowed to be smart and clever. While the show is primarily serving up Poppy Montgomery’s character the rest of us are allowed some real latitude to be strong and interesting.

MG: What do you like most about working on “The Mentalist”?
M. Gaston: I get to work with one of my long time friends Robin Tunney. There are some actors on that show that I have known for a long time and getting to work with them is great. When I work on that show I have travel so for it to be a pleasant place to work makes things a lot easier.

MG: What can we expect from the upcoming season?
M.Gaston: I can’t tell you anything! I can tell you that I didn’t even know who Red John was until he was exposed as Red John and I am not even sure that was actually Red John. I don’t know anything. The way my job works is I did a couple quick episodes before “Unforgettable” started and I am not sure if I am going to be able to do anymore than that due to the schedule and the fact that we shoot “Unforgettable” on the east coast and “The Mentalist” is shot on the west coast. I shot all my stuff for “The Mentalist” in two days before running back to NY. It’s something I can’t really maintain and it’s not something that either show wants to schedule around. I think I may have read the trade that my character was replaced by a younger good looking guy. I don’t really know.

MG: How was it working on “Inception”?
M.Gaston: It was a tiny part that was about a day’s worth of work. I really admire Chris Nolan as he is astonishing. Leonardo DiCaprio is a real gentleman and very good at what he does. It was great to see him again.

MG: Can you tell us about your upcoming film “Everybody Loves Whales”?
M.Gaston: The film is based on actual events. A family of whales was stuck under the polar ice and it’s reported by a green peace member in Alaska. The news makes its way onto the NBC national news and the story becomes not only nationwide news but worldwide news. Everyone from the National Guard to Ronald Reagan became involved with these events in an effort to promote themselves and look like great guys. The film is a really sweet romantic comedy that has some political satire going on in the background. I shot up in Anchorage for about 9 or 10 weeks with a great group of actors such as Christine Bell, Ted Danson and Drew Barrymore. Everywhere you went there were just great people coming in to do work on the film.

Taylor Spreitler plays Lennox Scanlon on ABC Family’s “Melissa & Joey”.  She stars along side Melissa Joan Hart and Joseph Lawrence.  The show just finished this its first season and is already in production for its second season.  Media Mikes had a chance to chance with Taylor about her role and the finale.

Mike Gencarelli: So what do you like best about working with Melissa Joan Hart and Joseph Lawrence on “Melissa & Joey”?
Taylor Spreitler: It’s very cool to work with people who know what it’s like to work in this industry at my age. Melissa was staring in her own series when she was my age so it’s very cool to have people there to help me out and understand what I’ve been through and they are very supportive. It’s very great to have both of them there.

MG: Give us a little background on your character; what do you like most about playing “Lennox” on your show?
TS: There’s not really anything I don’t like about her. She’s a really fun character to play because with the situations that she gets herself into there’s never really a dull moment with her. It’s always fun to play that out. She has cool style as well.

MG: When you first started, what did you like best about the character. Was there anything in particular you did to prepare for the playing her?
TS: Well when I read the breakdown of Lennox everybody who had already read it was calling me, including my manager, and telling me that is was basically me. There wasn’t really anything I had to do, it was kind of like playing myself just a more dramatic version. I think the thing to adjust to was just getting close to everyone and figuring out the whole family dynamic of the four of us.

MG: What has been your favorite episode so far in shooting season 1?
TS: There has been a few but the episode with Andy Lawrence where Melissa takes me in to the club, that was a lot of fun. I had just graduated right after we were done filming that episode and they threw a surprise graduation on set. That was really cool for me. Any episode this season, part of it was filmed in Maui, where I go to prom and it’s formal. I didn’t go to High School so I didn’t get to experience that so it was nice to dress up and have a date and all that stuff.

MG: How do you feel working on this show is different or similar to working on “Days of Our Lives”?
TS: They’re both completely different. My schedule now is a lot better. “Days of Our Lives” was a great thing for me to do, it was really good training and a lot of fun; I was really close to everyone there and it was hard leaving. But you know it’s such a big cast and you can get lost in the shuffle. So it’s definitely nice to be in a smaller cast. We are more like a family here. We only do one script a week, so that’s nice, and not like learning 60 pages at once. That’s definitely a lot easier.

MG: When do you expect to start working on Season 2?
TS: We actually have already been filming it. We are filming the 3rd Episode on Season 2 this week.

MG: How does it work when you get a script for a show? How far in advance do you have to prepare for each episode?
TS: Usually we get our scripts the Friday before we start on the next episode, after we finish the taping of whatever we are done with that week, so we have a weekend to look over it and that Monday we do our paper read and start our week of figuring everything out.

Ryan Cartwright is currently playing Gary Bell in Syfy’s hit show “Alphas”.  The show is a huge hit and already renewed for a second season.  With the show nearing the end of its first season Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Ryan about the show and how he prepared for his character.

Mike Gencarelli: Gary is not only a fun and interesting character but he is also very complex, what do you enjoy most about playing him?
Ryan Cartwright: I enjoy the fact he is not some kind of tokenistic character.  Everyone kind of got on board and helped give him a life behind the eyes.  It could have been one of those roles that was an embarrassment.  It is just really fun to have his sense of humor.  He is kind of knows he is cheeky and it is that knowingness behind the eyes that cracks up myself and the cast.  You can see them laughing a lot of the times and they keep it in the show. I do like to make Malik (Yoba) and Warren (Christie) laugh.  That is good fun.

MG: How did you prepare for the role and do you find the character challenging to play?
RC: Yeah, when I first read the role I needed to figure out the specifics for the character.  There are many different elements to him.  Filming-wise, my only challenge is that I have to do an American accent and that was like the easiest part of this show.  It was just fascinating going around and researching autism and general neuroscience.  It is still something that is not that well understood.  It is new and people are still learning about.  When early reviews came out for the pilot, I was amazed that, even when it wasn’t in a derogatory way, the only reference was to “Rain Man”.  It made me realize and reminded me exactly how little autistic people have been portrayed since then even.  It was fascinated and a fair bit of work.  I had about a month and a half though to research and figure out the character.  It was so well written anyway, so it was just finding that marriage between what was on the page and what I felt comfortable doing.  Once he was up and running, after the first few days filming, I got the feeling and he has just been super fun to play.

MG: What do you use for inspiration when you are “scrolling” through the information with your alphas ability?
RC: I have to figure out all those little mannerisms.  I think in the script it just said “he waves his hands through the air” and I was like “hold on, hold on”.  They were going to be putting in a graphic into this, so I had to figure out a whole system for what I would be visualizing and how my hands would be “controlling” these streams.  After I figured it all out, I spoke to the writers and the visual effects guys and made them a little video and drew up a little chart.  It was almost like a sign language chart with what the hand mannerisms meant.  It was really cool and everything matched.  It wasn’t just a random flurry of hands in the air.  It can get confusing sometimes when he is having to multitask but like I said it is fine now that he is up and running.

MG: Already just in season one, we have seen Gary change and grow more independent, what can you tell us about this?
RC: This is his first group of people that he has hung around with on a permanent basis that haven’t treated him as a second class citizen.  They realize that he has these abilities and it is the first time he is being proud of himself.  There is that childish pride and the self confidence is in full bloom.  As you can see in the first few episodes, he is kind of petulant. As the series is progressing though, he is maturing and realizing everyone has their own place in the group.  He is maturing just from being around these intense situations and seeing people die.  I think that he is realizes what a group actually is, which is something that they say with autistic people, they cannot realize the concept of other minds.  They know there is other bodies but it is hard for them to see the other people’s intentions, wants and needs.  I think he is getting a crash course in that just with his work with the group and it is progressing quite rapidly.  He has been through in the deep end.

MG: What can we expect from the upcoming finale of season one?
RC: It is crazy and pretty intense.  Gary will not be the same after the event of the finale unfold.  It is definitely a bit of a life changer for him in particular.

MG: What has been your favorite episode to shoot in this season and why?
RC: I really enjoyed the episode “Bill and Gary’s Excellent Adventure” with Malik.  It was that fun kind of buddy cop…like a bizarre kind of “48 Hours” [laughs].  It was really nice to play out that relationship  and we improvised a bit.  By that time as well it felt very organic for us to bounce off each other.  That one was definitely a fun episode.

MG: How does working on this show for you compare to your other television work i.e. “Bones” and “Mad Men”?
RC: I am super happy that it is of a high caliber because you never know.  With “Bones” and “Mad Men”, I was just like an actor for hire.  I signed on for one episode and I would be lucky when I got the call to come back.  Where as this was a commitment from day one for an extensive period of time.  It was more of a risk signing on.  I am just super happy that it is a cut above the rest and it is really good.  It is nice to be actually proud of the work you are doing and also enjoying being able to watch it.  With regards to the acting, I think it was a little bit more work upfront for me, but I do not feel like it is any different that the stuff I have done before in terms of quality.  I am very happy with it.

MG: The show was already picked up for a second season, any idea when you start filming?
RC: Oh crickey [laughs], it is weird because when we got the news that it has gone to series and we were bouncing off the wall.  It feels like we just got home from this grueling shoot and it is awesome news for sure.  But I am like “Wait, wait, let’s not go straight back…let me enjoy some sunshine and my Xbox for a little bit” [laughs].  I am super happy about the news, of course.  I am going to guess we are going back to shoot probably late March at the earliest.  They have to regroup and plan the new scripts and story lines.  I think because it isi also shot up in Toronto that people try there best to avoid the harsher weather up there.

Maxim Knight is currently co-starring as Matt Mason in TNT’s “Falling Skies”.  The show was a huge hit in season one and is gearing up for second season.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Maxim with about working on the show and playing his character.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you got the role of Matt Mason in TNT’s “Falling Skies”?
Maxim Knight: Well it was just like any other audition.  My agent told me where to go and who to see.  When I went in I didn’t even know that the project was…it was just “Untitled Alien Invasion Project”.  I didn’t know if it was a video game, a movie or what.  It was very interesting and secretive.

MG: How was it working with Noah Wyle & Drew Roy?
MK: It was really great.  Noah Wyle found ways to make the scene better and put the show in front of his personal needs, which was really impressive.  He is a very good actor also.  It was really fun working with Drew.  It was funny because he was always getting chased by girls on the set wanting autographs and pictures.

MG: With season one in the bag, what would you say was the highlight for you?
MK: I liked ripsticking scene, it was a lot of fun.  I got to go ripsticking and it was pretty cool.  The part when I eat a little bite of cake…it wasn’t just the one bite.  As you know, in TV shows they have many takes. I probably ate about 14 of those and then they served lunch and I was stuffed [laughs].

MG: What was the most challenging part about working on the show?
MK: Well having to wait for each script for the next episode.  I was always very excited to see what was planned next.  Also being up in Canada in the cold was my major issue.  Towards the end of the shooting, we were shooting in the winter and it was really cold.

MG: When do you start work on season two?
MK: In the second season we are shooting it from October to February in Vancouver, so it will be cold then again.  I can’t wait to see what happens to all of the characters. I am really excited.

MG: Tell us about your ADR work on some big films?
MK: Yeah, I did ADR on “The Smurfs” and “Happy Feet 2” recently.  I think “Happy Feet 2” looks really good.  I had a voice over coach that taught me the loops, his name is Tony Gonzalez.  He is the guy for voice over coach.  He taught me everything I know.

MG: What do you have planned next?
MK: I am doing voice over upcoming for Mowgli from “The Jungle Book” in an upcoming Disney video game. That is pretty cool.  I have never done video game stuff before.  I was just in an episode “Wilfred” and that was pretty cool but very naughty though.  I am in the season premiere for “CSI: Miami”, it is also pretty awesome.  I am in an episode this upcoming season of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”. I am also recently did a short film called “Trigger” directed by Matt Sinnreich.

Check out below a new video interview containing an interview with Dee Bradley Baker (voice of all the clones) in the “Star Wars: Clone Wars’ animated series.

The next chapter of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” begins with a must-see two-part premiere, airing at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, September 16 on Cartoon Network.

Michael Steger is known best for his role of Navid Shirazi on The CW’s “90210”. The show is already entering its fourth season this Fall and Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Michael about what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: How do you feel your character has grown going now into the 4^th season of “90210”?
Michael Steger: I am so surprised as to where Navid has ended up. I had no idea he was going to end up running a huge production company. I thought he was going to be a journalist and be the next Anderson Cooper. A lot of the change has been good for Navid and I love what they are thinking.

MG: Are we going to see more music production between you and Dixon?
MS: You definitely are going to see a lot of the music side throughout the show. I do partner up with Dixon at one point as he is doing more of the producing. There is going to be a lot more behind the scenes stuff going on that Navid has to figure out in order to run a successful business.

MG: What can we expect to see relationship wise for Navid?
MS: There is still a friendship between Navid and Adrianna however it has been damaged. At the start of the season you will see Adrianna try and redeem herself however Navid is not having any of it. I think it will be a long time before those to reconcile their differences. As for Navid’s relationship with Silver they do move in together and I feel they are the best match for each other.

MG: How do you feel about the cast being trimmed back this season?
MS: We were all a little bummed to find out certain people weren’t going to be but at the same time we are excited because they are going to going other work outside of  “90210”.

MG: What do you think makes this season stand out prior to the previous three seasons?
MS: We are going to be exploring the world outside of high school. There are so many more story lines now that we aren’t confined to that one place. We are all out in the real world trying to be adults. Our audience has grown along with the cast over the four years as well so we want to keep everything in relation to where our viewers may be.

MG: How far in advance do you the scripts prior to shooting and how far are you into filming of season four?
MS: We have started to get the scripts a lot earlier than we have in the past. We have just started shooting the eight episode of this season.

MG: Any cool behind the scenes news you can share with us about the season?
MS: Navid and Silver end in parental roles this season. Neither one of them is quite sure how to handle it nor what to do so there’s a lot of chaos.  This season is going to be a lot of fun!

Ioan Gruffudd is known best for his role of Mr. Fantastic in the “Fantastic Four” series.  Ioan also starred this year in “Sanctum” and will be co-starring opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar in this Fall’s new show “Ringer” on The CW.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Ioan about his new show and what we can expect from his character.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you become attached to the new CW drama “Ringer”?
Ioan Gruffudd: I was going through pilot scripts as every actor sort of does and this one stood head and shoulders above the others that I was right for. Having Sarah Michelle Gellar already attached to the project was a massive attraction as this was going to be her return to television. I went and sat down with the creators and Sarah Michelle and they pitched me this wonderful arc for the character and for the show itself. It was sort of a no brainer really. There were some other bonus elements like the fact that we shoot in Los Angeles, which is great especially since I have a family now.

MG: What can you tell us about your role as Andrew on the show?
IG: Andrew Martin is a British guy who has done incredibly well at managing other people’s money. I don’t think he is the biggest player in town but he is certainly up there and lives quite comfortably. As far as his background goes other than what I have created I don’t really know anything concrete about him. There will be a lot of flashback throughout the show to explain the events prior to us meeting the characters in the park at the beginning of the pilot. I think we will learn more about the character relationships as the series progresses.

MG: How much time are you given to read over the scripts prior to shooting?
IG: Well for example the script we are preparing to shoot today I received it yesterday. It can be a very quick turnaround. I think the department heads usually are preparing a week prior to shooting so that set and things can be set up and the generally idea of each scene can be mapped out. I don’t mind getting the script that close to shooting as it keeps things exciting and fresh which is what we are trying to do with the series. Each week there will be a cliffhanger that keeps you coming back.

MG: What has it been like working with Sarah Michelle Gellar?
IG: It’s an absolute pleasure. I think she is the biggest star in that sense that I have ever worked with. She is a global superstar from her success with “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and the other films she has made. At the beginning I was a bit of a nerd and excited about the whole thing. I was able to get over that though fairly quick and what I love about her is that she is so tenacious and on top of everything. Besides being a brilliant actress Sarah is a brilliant producer as well. She is really involved in the day to day creative workings of the show. Sarah has a much wiser head on her shoulders than I.

MG: What genre do you feel the show best fits in to?
IG: The CW shows are pretty glamorous and serialized deliberately. The way I have tried to picture it in the past is it’s your favorite afternoon telenovela coupled with “Damages”, when it is at its best. It has a lot of twists and turns throughout the episodes.

MG: How do you feel about switching gears from big scale films to television?
IG: I love being a nomadic actor and traveling to different locations to shoot films. There is something very appealing about that nomadic kind of life style. However I have a daughter now and this series shoots in Los Angeles, where we live, so it would be lovely to get picked up for a whole season which would allow me to be home more. I have always approached things from the basis of the script. This was an opportunity for me to play a real adult part. This character is very ambiguous and we don’t know where his allegiances lay, so it will be fun to see how to unravels.

MG: What do you look for most in a character when you approach a project?
IG: As I evolve and grow older I see things differently and new things present themselves. The lead characters I have played in the past have been very heroic. I have always played the central figure. In this series Sarah Michelle is the central figure, so there are two of us which is a different dynamic and I am enjoying that. I am able to share the weight with someone else. I am just enjoying the evolution and getting to play a very manly character, so to speak.

“Maurissa Tancharoen Whedon is best known for co-writing the story for “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”. She also was a writer on “Dollhouse” and “Spartacus: Gods of the Arena”. Besides writing Maurissa is currently appearing in the web series “The Guild” and also just worked with her brother Kevin Tancharoen in “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”. Media Mikes had the privilege to chat with Maurissa on her various projects.

Mike Gencarelli: You have worked with your husband Jed Whedon on numerous projects, how is it always collaborating?
Maurissa Tancharoen Whedon: Fortunately it’s a very harmonious working relationship. We sort of balance each other out as far as our creative processes go. I tend to be very detail oriented and over think things at times. Jed is capable of thinking stuff up on the fly. He will often throw out some ideas and I will be the one to pick out which one works and then we massage it into something that we both feel comfortable with. It’s definitely a ying and yang situation. I’m glad it is because if it wasn’t we probably wouldn’t be working together. (Laughs)

MG: How do you feel about writing for such projects ranging from “Dollhouse” to “Spartacus: Gods of the Arena”?
MTW: We are very grateful to have the chance to work on all these great shows. Me personally, when I started to get into writing seriously I always imagined myself writing on “Sex in the City” or a CW show. I never thought I would be pulled into the sci-fi/fantasy genre. I love it and am happy that I have discovered it. Of course having Jed who has always liked those things worked out great. Going from “Dollhouse” to “Spartacus” is something I like because it allows us to change things up and we never get bored.

MG: What was it like working with your brother, Kevin Tancharoen, on “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”?
MTW: He is my younger brother but I have always looked up to him. He has just been incredible since he was born. I don’t understand. (Laughs) When we were kids he was always coming up to me wanting to show me what he had done on his computer. He hates when I talk about him being the little brother. Just seeing him on his set with the cast and crew and directing something that he also wrote was great. I was just happy to be a part of it. I would have been there bringing him his water just to get to see him working. Getting to work with him professionally was a great experience. That was the first time he directed me or told me what to do…in front of other people. (Laughs) I was happy to be in it saying lines my brother wrote.

MG: Can you tell us about your work on this season of “The Guild”?
MTW: I have been a fan of the show since season one. I had heard about it when we were looking at casting Felicia Day to play the Penny character for “Dr.Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”. Joss had worked with her on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and said she would be great and the part and that we should watch her series “The Guild”.  I checked out the show and fell in love with it. The characters and cast are just great. When she asked me this year if I would like to play a part on the series I couldn’t believe it. I was over the moon! This season is really great and it’s much bigger than anything in the past. I feel all the cast are just shining. I can’t wait for everyone to see what happens.

MG: Out of all the songs on “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”, what is your favorite?
MTW: That’s hard. I really love “Everything You Ever”. That song gives me the chills. We actually recently watched on tape for a stage production done during Comic-Con for “Dr.Horrible”. Seeing people take something we had done and interpret it themselves and then adapt it to stage was very cool. The way they did the last song “Everything You Ever” was really great. It warms my heart that people love that project so much. It’s very exciting that it’s still alive years later.

MG: I love your song with Jed called “Remains”, any plans to release more music?
MTW: Yes in fact. We have been working on an album which has been really cool. I am not exactly sure as to when it’s going to be done but I think we might do a five song EP initially. We currently have three songs done and we are working on two more. I don’t know what’s going to become of it but we are just going to do it! “Remains” was a song Jed and I did strictly just for “Dollhouse”. We had no idea people would love it so much. A friend of ours came to us wanting to direct a video for the song. We basically shot it on the fly and people really responded well to it. The song has been out for two years but some people are just now discovering it which is great.

MG: Any top secret information you would like to leak to MediaMikes.com?
MTW: (Laughs) “The Avengers” is going to be a really cool movie! I really feel it’s going to knock people’s socks off. We have been privy to a lot of the stuff going on with the film and from what I hear it’s going really smooth and is going to be great.

Mary Tyler Moore Honored With 2011 Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award

48th Annual Accolade to be Presented During the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® Simulcast Live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, January 29, 2012

LOS ANGELES (September 8, 2011) – Renowned actress, producer and humanitarian Mary Tyler Moore will receive Screen Actors Guild (SAG)’s most prestigious accolade – the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. Moore created a new paradigm for female leads in television, won top honors for her courageous performances in film, television and on stage, produced some of the most lauded television programs of all time, and for thirty years, has served as a tireless advocate giving hope to all those afflicted with Type 1 diabetes.

Moore will be presented the Award, given annually to an actor who fosters the “finest ideals of the acting profession,” at the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, which premieres live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, at 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CT, 6 p.m. MT and 5 p.m. PT.

In making today’s announcement, Screen Actors Guild National President Ken Howard said, “Mary Tyler Moore won our hearts as Laura Petrie and Mary Richards, our respect as her production company became synonymous with quality television, our awe as she tackled difficult subject matter in film and on Broadway, and our admiration she turned her public recognition into a catalyst to draw attention to critical and deeply personal health and social issues. She truly embodies the spirit behind SAG’s Life Achievement Award, and we are honored to proclaim her as its 48th recipient.”

Holder of seven Emmys®, a Tony® and an Academy Award® nomination, among numerous industry and philanthropic accolades, Mary Tyler Moore first rose to prominence when she was cast at 23 as Dick Van Dyke’s wife in his eponymous sitcom, based loosely on the experiences of comedy writer Carl Reiner. Smart, feisty and down-to-earth in capri pants and fashionable tops, Moore’s Laura Petrie was new kind of television wife and mother. The audiences loved her and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences awarded her two Emmys and a nomination during the show’s five-year run.

Following “The Dick Van Dyke Show’s” successful run, Moore combined her acting, singing and dancing talents in 1967 as Julie Andrew’s co-star in the 1920’s film musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” She was Elvis Presley’s final leading lady in 1969’s “Change of Habit” and the same year made her television movie debut in the drama “Run A Crooked Mile.”

When CBS beckoned with the offer to develop her own television series, Moore formed a production company, MTM, with her then husband Grant Tinker. Their groundbreaking comedy “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” premiered on September 19, 1970. While other comedies had been set in the workplace, Moore’s chronicled the career, friendships and dating life of a single, thirtyish, spunky, independent, career woman, in the unseen world of local TV news. With a brilliant cast, the character-driven series redefined the meaning of ensemble comedy and of family. In its seven-year run garnered 29 Emmys, including four for its star. Nearly 25 years later Moore was present as TV Land dedicated a statue in downtown Minneapolis depicting the iconic moment in the show’s opening credit’s when a hopeful Mary Richards tosses her hat in the air.

Moore and Tinker’s MTM Enterprises continued to produce an impressive list of landmark comedies and dramas including “The Bob Newhart Show”, “Newhart, “WKRP in Cincinnati,” “Hill Street Blues” “The White Shadow” (starring current SAG president Ken Howard) and “St. Elsewhere,” Characters from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” became the focus for several successful spin-offs in the 1970s: “Rhoda,” starring Valerie Harper; “Phyllis,” starring Cloris Leachman; and “Lou Grant,” starring Ed Asner (SAG’s 38th Life Achievement recipient), which significantly took Asner’s gruff but soft-hearted journalist from TV newsroom comedy into a hard-hitting newspaper-set drama.

Moore showcased her dramatic talent in her Emmy-nominated depiction of TV correspondent Betty Rollin’s battle with breast cancer in the 1978 CBS telefilm “First You Cry.” In 1980 Moore was nominated for an Oscar® for her riveting portrayal of Beth Jarrett, a bitter mother coping with the death of one son and the attempted suicide of another in the Robert Redford-directed drama “Ordinary People.” The same year she continued to explore painful subject matter onstage in the hit Broadway play “Whose Life Is It, Anyway?” which earned her a Tony for playing a quadriplegic sculptor fighting to determine her own destiny, a role originated by Tom Conti and rewritten for its female star in her Broadway debut.

Other feature films include: “Six Weeks,” opposite Dudley Moore; David O, Russell’s “Flirting with Disaster”; and Peter Calahan’s dark comedy Against The Current, opposite Joseph Fiennes and Justin Kirk, which premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

Moore’s success in telefilms has continued across decades: In 1984, she delivered an Emmy-nominated performance in the ABC television movie “Heartsounds” opposite James Garner (SAG’s 41st Life Achievement recipient),; received a Cable Ace nomination for HBO’s “Finnegan Begin Again” opposite Robert Preston and Sam Waterson; delivered a stunning portrayal of disturbed first lady Mary Todd Lincoln in the 1988 NBC miniseries “Gore Vidal’s Lincoln;” and won her seventh Emmy in 1993 for her performance as a spinster trafficking in illegal adoption in Lifetime’s “Stolen Babies.”

Other telefilm credits include TNT’s “Miss Lettie and Me” and the CBS television films “Like Mother, Like Son: The Strange Story of Sante and Kenny Kimes”; “Snow Wonder”; and “Blessings” based on the Anna Quindlan novel. She and Dick Van Dyke showcased their old spark in a PBS version of D. L. Coburn’s Pulitzer Prize-winning nursing home-set stage play “The Gin Game,” then reunited with a large number of their former cast mates in TV Land’s nostalgic “The Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited.”

Moore’s television guest roles include: a recurring run as Tea Leoni’s mother “The Naked Truth,” an appearance as Ellen DeGeneres’s Aunt Mary in a Christmas episode of “Ellen,” a recurring stint as a high-strung TV host on “That 70’s Show” and a multi-episode arc in NBC’s “Lipstick Jungle.” This year, on the season premiere of “Hot in Cleveland,” Moore reunited onscreen with Betty White for the first time since “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” sharing a jail cell with White’s character, Elka, who was arrested in the season one cliffhanger.
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Moore returned to the stage in 1987 to star opposite Lynn Redgrave in A. R. Gurney Jr.’s “Sweet Sue” and has performed numerous benefit readings of Gurney’s two-person “Love Letters,” starring opposite James Earl Jones to benefit, the Poughkeepsie Day School, Patrick Stewart to benefit the Ethical Culture School and Gene Wilder for the North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center Association, as well as opposite Gurney himself.

Moore’s first autobiography, “After All,” published in 1995, was a frank exploration of her childhood, personal challenges and career. Her second book, “Growing Up Again: Life, Loves, and Oh Yeah, Diabetes” is a candid, humorous and illuminating detailing of her battles with the disease since she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes (then called “juvenile diabetes” for its prevalence among children) in 1970 at age 33. The book includes conversations with remarkable people who live with the disease and those who work on the frontiers of medical research. Moore donated all her profits from “Growing Up Again” to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the world’s leading funder and advocate for Type 1 diabetes science.

Moore has been JDRF’s International Chairman since 1984. She has also chaired JDRF’s biennial Children’s Congress since its inception in 1999, leading up to 200 children with Type 1 diabetes to Washington, D.C. to meet face-to-face with congressional representatives. Moore has been at the vanguard of JDRF’s visit on Capitol Hill, testifying before the House and Senate on behalf of increased National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for Type 1 diabetes, which affects as many as 3 million children and adults. Moore and her husband, Dr. S Robert Levine, have been generous supporters of JDRF’s research programs and in 2003 established JDRF’s “Excellence in Clinical Research Award” in recognition of outstanding diabetes researchers. She herself was honored by JDRF in 2007 with its Humanitarian of the Year Award.

Among many other accolades, Moore received the 1984 Women in Film Crystal Award, was immortalized in 1992 with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was presented with the American Screenwriters Association first David Angell Humanitarian Award in 2002 and in 2009 was honored with the National Association of Broadcasters Distinguished Service Award.

Moore co-founded Broadway Barks with Bernadette Peters in 1999. The annual event held in Broadway’s Shubert Alley promotes the adoption of shelter animals, seeks to end euthanasia of dogs and cats in New York City and fosters a spirit of community among the number shelters and rescue groups working throughout the city. New York Major Michael Bloomberg proclaimed this year’s July 9, 2011, event as “Broadway Barks Day.”

The Brooklyn-born daughter of George Tyler Moore and Marjorie Hackett, Moore, Moore had moved with her family to California at 8 and aspired to be a dancer. After graduating Immaculate Heart High School, she broke into commercials, then gained acting credentials in television, first as the only partially-glimpsed switchboard operator on “Richard Diamond, Private Eye” and in guest roles in more than a dozen popular series, such as ““Hawaiian Eye,” “77 Sunset Strip,” and “Wanted: Dead or Alive.”

The 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be produced by Jeff Margolis Productions in association with Screen Actors Guild Awards®, LLC. Jeff Margolis is the executive producer and director. Kathy Connell is the producer. JoBeth Williams, Daryl Anderson, Scott Bakula, Shelley Fabares and Paul Napier are producers for SAG. Gloria Fujita O’Brien and Mick McCullough are supervising producers. Benn Fleishman is executive in charge of production. Rosalind Jarrett is the Executive in Charge of Publicity. Jon Brockett is the Awards Coordinating Producer.

Screen Actors Guild is the nation’s largest labor union representing working actors. Established in 1933, SAG has a rich history in the American labor movement, from standing up to studios to break long-term engagement contracts in the 1940s to fighting for artists’ rights amid the digital revolution sweeping the entertainment industry in the 21st century. With 20 branches nationwide, SAG represents more than 125,000 actors who work in film and digital theatrical motion pictures and television programs, commercials, video games, corporate/educational, Internet and all new media formats. The Guild exists to enhance actors’ working conditions, compensation and benefits and to be a powerful, unified voice on behalf of artists’ rights. Headquartered in Los Angeles, SAG is a proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO.

TNT, one of cable’s top-rated networks, is television’s destination for drama. Seen in 100.5 million households, the network is home to such original series as The Closer, starring Emmy® winner Kyra Sedgwick; Rizzoli & Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander; Falling Skies, starring Noah Wyle; Franklin & Bash, with Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; Southland, from Emmy-winning producer John Wells; and Memphis Beat, starring Jason Lee and Alfre Woodard, as well as the upcoming series Major Crimes, Dallas and Perception. TNT also presents compelling original movies, including a slate of thrillers set to premiere this fall in The TNT Mystery Movie Night showcase. TNT is the cable home to powerful dramas like The Mentalist, Bones, Supernatural, Las Vegas, Law & Order, CSI: NY, Cold Case and, starting next year, Castle; primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards®; blockbuster movies; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR, the NBA and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. TNT is available in high-definition.

TBS, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is television’s top-rated comedy network and is available in 100.8 million households. It serves as home to such original comedy series as “Are We There Yet?” Tyler Perry’s “House of Payne,” Tyler Perry’s “Meet the Browns” and the upcoming Tyler Perry’s “For Better or Worse; the Emmy®-nominated late-night series “CONAN,” starring Conan O’Brien; hot contemporary comedies like “Family Guy,” “The Office,” and “The Big Bang Theory,” which begins later this year; special events, including star-studded comedy festivals in Chicago; blockbuster movies; hosted movie showcases and championship sports.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

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Colin Egglesfield recently co-starred in “Something Borrowed” with Kate Hudson, John Krasinski and Ginnifer Goodwin.  He also currently guest starring as Tommy in TNT’s hit show “Rizzoli & Isles”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Colin about his working on “Rizzoli & Isles” and “Something Borrowed”.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you give us some background about your work on TNT’s “Rizzoli & Isles”?
Colin Egglesfield: My first episode was called ““Don’t Hate the Player” and my character Tommy is just getting out of prison after hitting a priest with his car while drinking and driving. My mom played by Lorraine Bracco and my sister played by Angie Harmon were attempting to have a welcome home party for me. However prior to my release my character gets into a fight and has to stay a few weeks longer. When I finally get out I don’t tell anyone that I am coming. Dr. Isles lets me stay at her place as I had no other place to live. This comes as a shock to my sister and makes her a little suspicious of what I am up to. We see very quickly in the vet’s office as I am screaming about Dr. Isle’s dog needing to put on Prozac. My character is a bit of a loose cannon. The next episode I will be in is called “Gone Daddy Gone” and it airs Sept. 5th and we start see some sexual chemistry begin between my character and Dr. Isles. My third episode will air this winter and we might be seeing Tommy getting into some more trouble.

MG: Have you enjoyed the role so far?
CE: The role has been a lot of fun! To play someone who is kind of unpredictable and mischievous has been a lot of fun.

MG: How has it been working with such a great cast?
CE: It’s has been one of the best shows I have worked on. There is never a dull moment as Angie Harmon is like a cheer leader always clapping and hyping everyone up. She is like a big cheerleader! Sasha Alexander is also great as the two kind of balance each other out. When Angie gets too amped up Sasha is there to calm everything down. To also work with Lorraine Bracco and to play her son has been awesome and funny. It’s almost hard to work sometimes because prior to takes we are always sitting around cracking jokes. Jordan Bridges is another person that is a lot of fun to be around.

MG: How was your experience working on “Something Borrowed”?
CE: It was awesome and such an amazing experience. It is one of those dream roles that when I started acting 12 years ago you would dream about having one day. Working with people like Kate Hudson, John Krasinski and Ginnifer Goodwin was just an absolute dream come true. It’s definitely helped me with getting some other jobs. I just finished a movie with Andy Garcia and Juliette Lewis called “Open Road” which we hope to submit to Sundance.