Naomi Grossman played the role of Pepper in “American Horror Story: Asylum”.  She completely transformed for her role in the show.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Naomi about her role in “American Horror Story: Asylum” and her highlight from the show.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your audition for the role of Pepper in “American Horror Story: Asylum”?
Naomi Grossman: They didn’t let on as to who or what the character was… I just knew she was petite, given that I was one of the few non-little people in the waiting room (and well, I’m only 5′). There were two parts to the audition. First was an improv. They gave us a ball, and asked us to persuade the casting director to play with us, like a child. Now, in retrospect, we know that was early Pepper. Then, we did one of Jessica Lange’s monologues from Season One. Which obviously showcased the later, evolved Pepper. But none of this made sense to us at the time. I mean, why read scenes that had already been shot, much less by the star herself? But now we know they just wanted to see if we had range.

MG: Take us through your transformation to become Pepper?
NG: I went in for a good seven or so preliminary makeup-meetings. First, before I was even cast, they took a bunch of pictures of me, which they manipulated to see how I would look as the character. That, and of course Schlitzie from the 1930’s, were their models. Then they made casts of my head and hands– I had to sit very still while they poured silicone over me, which hardened and would later be cut out to make my various prosthetic pieces. There was a specialist brought in to punch in the hair for the eyebrows and arms, and another to create the teeth. I met with an optometrist to fit me for contact lenses. Once all these pieces were in place, they put them together in an initial makeup test. At first, they covered my hair with a bald cap. It looked fine for my money, but these guys are consummate professionals. They (and the camera) see things we non-makeup folks can’t. So it was decided that they would shave my head– which made their job each morning much easier. Not that they had an easy job! Every day they applied the various prosthetic pieces one-by-one with adhesive, then painted them with an airbrush. Then I’d go to hair to get my pony curled, and to my trailer to get into wardrobe. But this was just my physical transformation– becoming Pepper as an actress was a whole other process.

MG: At what point did you find out what the role entailed in terms of the look?
NG: The day I was cast. I went in for my initial makeup meeting and they showed me the pictures of me that they’d manipulated. They told me I would look like this “Freaks” character named Schlitzie, who from that point forward, I watched non-stop.

MG: What research, if any, did you do to get into character psyche?
NG: Obviously, watching “Freaks” was pivotal. I read a lot about microcephaly. I’d practice, emulating Schlitzie’s movements and expressions alone in my apartment. I worked with a coach, with whom I shaped a bit of a back story. Because even though Pepper didn’t say much at first, she needed to be a full character, with a past and dreams and needs like any other. And of course, I wanted to be sensitive since this is a real condition… I was deathly afraid of hate-mail. Especially given my comedy background where we’re encouraged to make fun. But this was obviously not the place.

MG: How was it working with the musical number in the episode “Name Game”?
NG: That was a blast. I was truly in my element. I remember the AD over a microphone saying, “Everyone can go bigger except Pepper.” There were a ton of us packed in that common room, dancing seemingly nonstop, while “The Name Game” played on a loop. We shot top to bottom, the entire song at a time. There was minimal blocking for the principles, and cameras on cranes swirling around. I remember worrying how (with my one working eyeball) I’d navigate through all those dancing extras, without bumping into a big, expensive, moving camera or worse yet, Jessica Lange. I danced up a sweat in that sweater and fat suit, so the makeup people were constantly running out to poke and fan me between takes. Needless to say, I was sore the next day– I hadn’t spent the day crouched over like that since Pepper went pee!

MG: Are you shocked with the fans reaction to your character?
NG: Of course. There’s just no way to anticipate these things. You don’t take a little co-star or guest-star part expecting to be tattooed on people’s limbs! Or made into street art, promoting you as President! I knew it was a cool character, but the cast was star-studded– who’s going to pay attention to me when there’s Chloe Sevigny and Marc Consuelos and Adam Levine? For all I knew I was just one of many pinheads. It wasn’t until my first day on set that I was able to look around and see that I was, in fact, the craziest one in the asylum.

MG: Looking back on the season, do you have a highlight?
NG: All of it. From the moment I was cast, to the season’s end– it was one big highlight. Having zero expectations. Then suddenly, becoming my own internet meme, and taking over Tumblr. Driving by the “Pepper for President” posters around town. Seeing my face tattooed on a fan’s leg and chiseled into pint glasses. Making front page of the “Huff Po,” and “Best of 2012” by Entertainment Weekly. Watching my IMDb star meter shoot from 93K to 3K, then 3K to 300, settling somewhere between Catherine Zeta Jones and J-Lo. Stepping onto the red carpet and feeling those cameras flash. Hearing a fan shout, “We love you, pinhead” from the audience at Paly Fest. Getting my very own chair. Being affiliated with such a high-profile show, nominated for 17 Emmys! Working so intimately with powerhouses like Jessica Lange and James Cromwell. Having such a fun, over-the-top character to play… then watching her evolve, basically getting two roles in one, as well as the chance to really use my acting chops. Singing and dancing and delivering babies and monologues. Never having to do my hair again. From the superficial to the profound, it was all a highlight.

MG: Since Ryan Murphy is good with returning actors, any word about season three?
NG: No word. But even at the height of the Peppermania, I never knew if or when I’d be back. We pinheads are used to being clueless!

Butch Hartman has created a bunch of great animated series including “The Fairly OddParents”, “Danny Phantom” and “T.U.F.F. Puppy”.  “The Fairly OddParents” is returning, thanks to fans requests, for its 9th season this month. Media Mikes had a chance to ask Butch a few questions about the new season and what fans can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: After over 10 years of “The Fairly OddParents”, why do you think that fans are still screaming for more?
Butch Hartman: I think it’s because, like any show with great characters and great writing – WE HAVE GREAT CHARACTERS AND GREAT WRITING! (Sorry, I just though since the fans were screaming I should scream, too!)

MG: How do you feel the series has evolved over the years?
BH: The main characters – Timmy, Cosmo and Wanda – have become more of a tight unit. They are definitely a family. Also, we’ve added so many other awesome characters to the show – Timmy’s Mom and Dad, Mr. Crocker, Mark Chang, Poof, Foop, etc. – that there’s a little something for everyone in there. I feel that’s the way every great show should be.

MG: Compared to all the other series you’ve created and worked on, what sets “The FairlyOddParents” apart?
BH: What sets it apart is the length of time it’s been on the air. The time we’ve had to really, really develop the show has really helped us make it better. Great character traits and performance can only be discovered once the writers and producers have really had time to explore each character’s personalities and quirks. That, and the fact we all have magic wands to stir our coffee.

MG: What can fans expect from the upcoming season?
BH: Fans will see more episodes involving Crocker, Timmy’s Dad, and Sparky, our newest character. He’s a fairy dog with magical ‘dog’ powers. Like the power to make chew toys out of thin air!

MG: The series is now produced in HD. Can you please tell us about the decision to produce it in HD? What production adjustments, if any, needed to be made to accommodate the shift?
BH: HD was just a natural decision. The world and all its technology is moving that way and we had to move along, too or get left behind.

MG: Can you tell us about The Fairly OddParents documentary, “The Making of Sparky: A DOG-umentary”?
BH: Yeah! It’s a four minute documentary that shows you how we went about creating a brand new cartoon character. It’s free to download on iTunes! So…download it! It’s awesome!

MG: Both of The Fairly OddParents live-action movies were big successes. Are there any more movies in the cards for the future?
BH: Fans will have to stay tuned to find out!

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Brandon Auman is the writer of great TV shows like “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” and “Iron Man: Armored Adventures”. He also has done features like “Dead Space: Aftermath” and most recently “Iron Man: Rise of Technovore”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Brandon about “Iron Man: Rise of Technovore” and what we can expect next.

Mike Gencarelli: Since “Iron Man: Rise of Technovore” is animated, is the scale ever a concern when you are in the writing process?
Brandon Auman: Not really, the beauty of writing 2D is that you’re not as constrained as you are in live-action or CG animation. I really love 2D animation and I’m so glad that Japan is keeping it alive, they feel like the last bastion of hope on this front. TV Studios really want to move completely into CG and as it gets cheaper, they will. I fear 2D is a thing of the past. My favorite sections of the film are in 2D and it looks beautiful. Some may complain there is a lack of animation, but that’s very anime. Long pauses on beautiful drawings. If the paintings are cool, who cares?

MG: I loved that you incorporated The Punisher into the story; tell us about that decision?
BA: Everyone at Marvel loves the Punisher. I pushed for him early on, thinking the idea would get shot down, but everyone loved it. I was really excited; finally I get to write some Punisher action! He rarely makes appearances in TV animation, but when he does, he always comes off… well, not Punishing. More like the “Kinda” Punisher. Who can’t kill bad guys, but maybe shoot a billboard down on top of them.

MG: What do you enjoy most about working with superheroes and with the animation genre?
BA: I love everything about it. It’s just so much fun, it’s a total dream job. I haven’t really left the genre either, because now I’m story editing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for Nickelodeon. They’re sorta superheroes. Well they’re ninjas, and the stories are smaller… but it’s close.

MG: What other new projects do you have in the works for Marvel animation?
BA: I have a few things happening there. I wrote a bunch of episodes on “Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.” that I’m excited about. I get to work pretty closely with Henry Gilroy, Todd Casey and Jeph Loeb, three awesome creative guys at Marvel. I was always a big fan of Jeph’s work, so it’s really exciting, and I’ve worked with Henry many times in the past, he’s terrific.

Megyn Price is best known for her TV roles like Claudia Finnerty on “Grounded for Life” and currently Audrey Bingham on “Rules of Engagement”. “Rules of Engagement” is gearing up to end its seventh season and hit 100 episodes. Megyn is getting a chance to set behind the director’s chair this season to direct her first episode, “Timmy Quits”, which airs on April 29th. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Megyn about the episode and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: Let’s talk about the episode “Timmy Quits”, what made you step behind the director’s chair?
Megyn Price: It was something I have wanted to do for several years now. It started looking into it a few years ago to see if it would be possible with our show. The thing is with acting, you can get a little tiny acting job to start out. But there are NO tiny directing jobs [laughs]. It is the big kahuna or nada! So I was backed by CBS, Sony, my bosses and it was fantastic that I got this episode to direct. Not many people get their first directing gig on a prime-time sitcom on a major network. It was huge.

MG: What was your biggest challenge directing and starring in the episode?
MP: I had done a ton of homework on the directing side. I had shadowed a lot of different TV comedy directors. I had seen a lot of different styles and I felt like I needed to learn how to do it. After working on over 200 episodes of television throughout my career in front of the camera, it is just so comfortable to me, like being on a bicycle. It makes total sense in my brain since I have lived on a TV set for 20 years of my life. That part of it, I kept waiting to feel nervous about the directing but it didn’t happen. I never felt nervous or out of control. The thing that was very challenging though was not being a crappy actor, when I was directing. That was not the problem that I expected. I can act with one eye open and two hours of sleep [laughs]. I found myself thinking about the set and the way it was being shot and that the opposite way to think to be a good actress. You need to just stay in moment when you are acting. So when I was in my director’s head and then trying to rehearse as an actor, I was the worst [laughs]. So I talked with one of my friends, who is a director, and he gave me this tip to make up some move or sentence that clicks your brain over back to acting mode before you step onto the set. When we were getting ready to shoot, I put our hand on our assistant director’s shoulder and I said “Ok Carlos, you are calling action and cut”. Just saying that to him made it easy for me just to focus on acting. I didn’t want to ruin the one episode I was directing by with crappy acting [laughs].

MG: No pranks or hijacks from the cast and crew?
MP: You know what, they were all so sweet. I think they thought that I was nervous, so they were all really nice to me. I showed up the first day with a riding crop and acted all bossy on purpose [laughs]. So they thought that was funny.

MG: How did it come about for you to direct this specific episode this season?
MP: It is always the producers who chooses. I felt very fortunate though. A lot of the episodes of “Rules” are just about being funny. This was a script has something actually real happens in it. This was a little scary for me having to go serious there for a minute, then pop back to being funny. It was really interesting for me since I am much more interested in doing comedy that has reality in it. You want to care about these characters each week. So I felt really lucky that I got one of the scripts that really has some sincerity in it along with being very funny and well written. It was very interesting experience…which is such a boring word but it was! I was so excited getting up and going to work every day.

MG: Any plans to direct more in other projects as well?
MP: Absolutely! Hopefully someone will let me [laughs]. This experience has really lit this fire for me. I felt like a million bucks and felt very creative again doing this. I have been on a couple of shows that have gone on for many years and it is almost impossible not to get a little complacent in your job over that time. You have this steady job for seven years and are doing the same thing over and over. So doing this took me out of that comfortable position and made me inspired. I swear to God, I started writing again. It just woke me up. I wrote a TV project and I am in the middle of writing a feature. So it really energized me in my career and I have felt since. Also I feel like having lit this fire right when the series was ending was so beneficial for me with what is happening next, which I have no clue what that may be.

MG: After seven seasons, what is your secret for keeping straight against Patrick Warburton?
MP: I don’t know. We have such a great relationship outside of work. He and I both love that couple so much and we love their fights. We don’t laugh because we are so in love with what we are saying. The interactions between them are just great. Sometimes I also do laugh at him on-screen though, which is something I had to fight for. My point is that when your husband is being funny you can laugh at him! I laugh at my real husband when he is being an idiot during fights. Actually we can’t even have fights since we just start laughing at each other. So it makes it a little more real.

MG: How was it shooting the 100th episode of the series?
MP: If everyone looks like them have been crying…that is because they had been [laughs]. It was a little rough, since as a cast and human beings we have gone through a lot in seven years. Most of it all was great. There have been babies being born, marriages, divorces, and more marriages. There has been a lot of life that has happened in seven years. So as a cast, we became incredibly close on a deep level. Oliver (Hudson) and I had our first kids within a month of each other. I remember I was holding my one month old baby and his wife was in my dressing room asking me how she would know if she was in labor [laughs]. When you go through stuff like that with your friends it changes you. So we were looking back on the past seven years and it was hard.

Sibel Kekilli currently co-stars on HBO’s “Game of Thrones” as Shae, the concubine and lover of Peter Dinklage. She started as a guest star in the first season and has since become a series regular in season 3. Media Mikes had a chance to briefly ask Sibel a few questions about the show and her character.

Mike Gencarelli: What did you feel your biggest change/challenge for Shae was going into the third season of “Game of Thrones”?
Sibel Kekilli: To survive. Most of the time you don’t know whether your character will survive the episode or not. George, Dan and David are able to write you out easily out; they are the authors.

MG: How is it working with a cast of 28 characters? Do you find it hard to stand out?
SK: I am very fortunate that most of my scenes are with one of the leading actors, as to mention these wonderful actors like Peter, Lena or Sophie. And I do believe that Dan and David pay very much attention to each character’s individuality to ensure that everyone has their moment.

MG: Have you ever had the opportunity to chat with George R.R. Martin about your character?
SK: Yes, I did. And he was telling me, that the Shae on the screen is different but much better than his Shae in the books… well, actually, he was laughing. George R. R. Martin is a great author.

MG: Have you read ahead in the books to see where you character is going?
SK: As the scripts sometimes really differ from the books, I have not read them so far.

MG: How can you reflect on the fandom surrounding this show?
SK: It is crazy. The fans are very unique, with lots of passion about every little detail, and since it is a novel adaption, it is a really tough challenge for them, when something happens that differs from the books. Yet, that does not mean that they don’t like it.

MG: After being involved with the show during production, do you still watch each week during the season?
SK: Not every week. In Germany the show airs a bit delayed.

Kelly Hu is best known for her roles in films like “The Scorpion King” and “X2: X-Men United” and is currently guest starring on The CW’s “Arrow” and Syfy’s “Warehouse 13”. She also has done quite a bit of voice over work ranging from Stacy Hirano on “Phineas and Ferb” to Karai on Nick’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Kelly about her role on “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and what we can expect from Karai.

Mike Gencarelli: Your character on Nick’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”, Karai, has been around since the 1992 comics. How did you prepare for playing such a well-known character?
Kelly Hu: Fans are going to hate me when they find out that I was not familiar with the character when I auditioned [laughs]. I did do a lot of research online though. There are a bunch of great fan sites for her and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. From what I understand this Karai is written slightly different than past Karai’s have, which is great so then it is not so predictable and audiences  who grew up with her can still enjoy it.

MG: When you signed on to the role where you aware that you would be revealed as Shredder’s daughter?
KH: I had no idea what was going to happen [laughs]. All I knew was that she was going to beat up a lot on the Turtles and other boys and I was going to get to do a lot of punching and kicking noises [laughs]. I spend so much of my time in the recording booth just grunting, hitting and making all these effort sounds.

MG: I guess you didn’t know that you would also get a chance to get some workout during recording?
KH: I know right! I think it is so funny that since I do martial arts, I am constantly getting type-cast as a fighter or a tough girl. I don’t mind at all since I really love doing it. But I think it is funny that even in my voice over work I am a martial artist [laughs].

MG: I love your character design in this show and she has changed quite a bit from her first appearance. Did you see her design prior to finding her voice?
KH: I love the way she looks. I do not recall if I had a picture before I started. You know, it is really just my own voice though. I try pitching it up a bit to sound younger like more around 20. I think the reason why I got this role comes down to me doing all the grunt sounds [laughs]. I think that is the only reason why I got this job [laughs]. But I really do love it.

MG: I know you got a little something going on with Leonardo but if you had to choose what would be your favorite turtle?
KH: I like Mikey a lot. I love the way he sounds, it is so cute. When Greg (Cipes) does his voice, I just melt. You just want to pick him up and hug him. Greg really brings his inner child out. I don’t know if he will be embarrassed that I shared this secret – I don’t think so – but the first day we were all together in the booth, Greg proceeded to pull down this pants and show up his “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” underwear and then danced around a bit [laughs]. Greg really is a child trapped in a man’s body and he is great in the role.

MG: Are you always with the rest of the cast when recording?
KH: Sometimes we are. Lately, I have been alone since I have been traveling quite a bit. I was recently in Vancouver shooting a pilot (“The Hundred” for The CW). So the last two  sessions, I have been by myself. I really enjoy it much more when everyone is in the same room. The guys are just so much fun and we have a great time together.

MG: Tell us about your upcoming episode “Karai’s Vendetta” on April 27th?
KH: I am really looking forward to this episode. This one is going to be really action packed with a lot of twists and turns. Karai is at this point where she making a change in her life. She wants to join up with the guys and do good. I love that she is not just a bad girl. She wrestles with being good and being truthful. So she really has some great and fun layers to her.

MG: You are probably known best in the voice over world for your work playing Stacy Hirano on “Phineas and Ferb”. How does that role compare?
KH: I love doing “Phineas and Ferb”. I think they are a lot alike. Stacy doesn’t do martial arts but she is kind of sassy and fun. She is Candace’s sort of voice of reason, who is completely out there and crazy. Stacy is the one who gets to bring her back down to earth every once in a while. Stacy is also a little bit quirky and social out there sometimes [laughs].

MG: What else do you have in the cards?
KH: I am still waiting to hear about this pilot, so we have our fingers crossed for that. I am still reoccurring on The CW’s “Arrow”, they haven’t killed me off yet. So hopefully I will be back next season. I also have had a reoccurring on “Warehouse 13” and should have some new episodes coming up soon as well.

Aaron Abrams is co-starring as Brian Zeller in NBC’s “Hannibal.” He has appeared in various other TV shows including “NCIS: Los Angeles”, “Rookie Blue” and “Stargate: Atlantis.” He also wrote and co-executive produced “The L.A. Complex” for The CW. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Aaron about this new show and what we can expect from his character.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your character Brian Zeller in “Hannibal”?
Aaron Abrams: Zeller is an FBI agent who works with a team to catch serial killers. He’s a bit of a medical genius, that’s his specialty, so its fun because I get to dig around in dead bodies and perform autopsies. It’s also cool because I think on most shows this kind of character can be dorky but that’s not the case here, I wear a leather jacket and pull a gun and stuff. Zeller may use a lot of big words, but he’s a dude.

MG: In order to get in the zone for the show; did you revisit films like “Red Dragon” etc?
AA: I re-read all the books and watched the films again. I own a DVD of “Manhunter”, I was kinda obsessed with it as a kid, so I knew it by heart anyway. It was the first scary movie I ever saw that wasn’t like a monster killing naked teenagers or something. It was creepy and terrifying, you know, like “Silence of the Lambs” was too. Zeller pops up in “Manhunter”, he’s played by Chris Elliott of all people. So, I’m hoping to resurrect all of his roles one by one. Next, I’m going to try to star in a re-launching of “Cabin Boy”.

MG: How is it working along side Mads Mikkelsen, Hugh Dancy and Laurence Fishburne?
AA: It’s super great. My character is pretty cocky so I get to mix it up with Hugh and Laurence a bit. I’ve often got ideas about the cases that aren’t necessarily shared by the rest of the crew. And often I’m quite belligerent about that. Thank goodness I don’t have a ton of scenes with Mads, I’m sure Hannibal would take great issue with me. And by “issue,” I mean “eat my face.”

MG: What is the vibe on the set?
AA: Well it’s a really dark show and my scenes can be particularly gruesome. So that’s sort of always lingering. But at the same time, Scott Thompson is there and he’s kind of an unstoppable tornado of hilarious. Hetty Park is too. Hugh is also a really funny guy. So there’s a lot lightening up the darkness around us.

MG:  I am a big fan of “Pushing Daisies”, did you get to hang with Bryan Fuller at all?
AA: Bryan is a great, great guy. He’s not just a showrunner, but a visionary. Like “Pushing Daisies” or “Wonderfalls” or any of his other work, he’s creating a whole world. People talk a certain way, there’s a very specific tone to everything, his use of color. He’s amazing to work with because not just because he makes super cool TV, but because he creates such a wonderful world to play in. Also, he’s always very well dressed. Which is nice.

MG:  How does working on this show compare from your other TV work?
AA: Well the simple answer I guess is that its very different because the show is unlike anything else I’ve ever seen on TV. There’s also a feeling on set that’s different, like everyone knows this is different then other FBI shows, or other serial killer shows, or really anything…so there’s this sense on set that you’re doing something very cool. As far as my character, I’ve played a lot of different kinds of belligerent douches. “LA Complex” was a Hollywood douche, Rookie Blue was a tough guy douche, “NCIS” was a nerd-douche. “Stargate Atlantis”…Alien douche. But Zeller is by far the smartest of them all. I’d even say that he’s so smart that he ceases to be a douche at all. He’s just a smart dude with strong opinions. But I dunno. I guess we’ll have our answer if I piss off Hannibal and he eats my face off.

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Sabrina Carpenter is a 13 years old actress and a very talented musician. She is a Hollywood Records artist and her song “Smile” was released on “Disney Fairies” CD. She was also recently cast in the series pilot for “Girl Meets World”, the sequel to “Boy Meets World”. In Disney Junior’s “Sofia The First”, she voices and also sings for the role of Princess Vivian. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Sabrina about her role in “Sofia The First” and her passion for music.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you land the role of Princess Vivian on “Sofia The First”?
Sabrina Carpenter: There were so many great roles that were sent over to audition for including Princess Chloe, Princess Hildegard, Princess Amber and of course Sofia. Then Princess Vivian came along and for my audition, I recorded a voice over in my studio and it just clicked. So we sent it in and a couple of weeks later, I got the call. I was just really surprised and excited. I really wanted to be a part of “Sofia The First”. It is such an adorable show and I knew it was going to be a hit for young girls (and boys). I am really glad I got the chance to be apart of it.

MG: What was it about Princess Vivian that you connected with?
SC: She is so different from me, which I think is very cool. I have never played a character that is very shy. So adjusting my voices to that was very fun. She also stutters and has confidence problems, so it was a great challenge for me to create these sounds and feelings that she makes. It was really fun for me.

MG: “All You Need” is one of my favorite songs from the show; where you aware of the song when you got the role?
SC: Yes I was, it was in the script. I was very excited that she had a song. Some of the characters on the show don’t sing and I was very fortunate that she did. Once I heard the song, I knew that little girls were going to love it. Since then I hear that a lot actually. I am told constantly how much people love the song and I am really glad about that. I think it sounds great for the duet with Sofia (played by Ariel Winter) and they match very well together.

MG: Can we expect to see more Princess Vivian in the coming episodes?
SC: I think you will definitely see more Princess Vivian. Right after “The Shy Princess”, the episode “Blue Ribbon Bunny” aired and Princess Vivian was in that one also. She had some cameos with her dragon, Crackle, who is a fabulous character. she is so fun and energetic and brings a lot of what Princess Vivian doesn’t have to reality. So I think in the upcoming months you should be seeing more of Princess Vivian. There will be another new song as well from Princess Vivian, so keep an eye out for that as well.

MG: You have a beautiful singing voice; tell us about what inspires you most about music?
SC: Wow, so many things inspire me. There are so many different great songs and artists in this world. I know that I am still very young but I have always loved singing older songs. When I sing, I just poor my heart and soul into it and hope that it comes out. I am very fortunate so far that a lot of people are supporting me on YouTube.

MG: You have released music on the “Disney Fairies” & “Sofia The First” CDs; can we expect a solo album in the future?
SC: I am actually working on my EP right now as we speak. I am very excited for everybody to hear the new music that we have been working on. “Smile” on the “Disney Fairies” CD was such a great experience for me. It was my first song released through Hollywood Records. Now we are just working to make new music for everybody and I hope that they are going to love it!

Megan Thomas Bradner is the director of development and production at Marvel Animation. She has worked on TV shows like “Iron Man: Armored Adventures”, the “Marvel Anime” series and also producing the new feature film “Iron Man: Rise of Technovore”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Megan about the film and also the Marvel Universe.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your role on the film “Iron Man: Rise of Technovore”?
Megan Thomas Bradner: I am the director of development and production at Marvel Animation. I have been with the Marvel Anime almost since the beginning. I came on after it was premiered at Comic-Con and I have worked on all of the TV series since then.

MG: Having produced “Iron Man: Armored Adventures” and the “Marvel Anime” TV series; how did this feature film differ?
MTB: I appreciate that we have a little more time with the feature than we did with the TV series shows. With the TV series, we were under the gun.  When we worked on the animes they were all around the same time as each other. “Iron Man” was done around the same time as “Wolverine” and X-Men” was done around the same
time as “Blade”. With the feature, we had time to sit down and talk about the story and which characters we wanted to use.

MG: Do you think we could expect more feature films based on the Marvel Animes?
MTB: We love the Marvel Universe. I am a big fan myself. I would love to return to the anime series. We are currently seeing what is going to happen with that. But we also would love to do another movie. We had such a great experience on “Technovore”, so I would love to do it again!

MG: I think we need more Norman Reedus as “The Punisher”?
MTB: He was great. We are all big “The Walking Dead” fans and we thought that we would never be able to get him. But luckily he is a fan himself, so that was a pretty cool opportunity. I was able to watch in the recording booth and get to see him turn into The Punisher right before our eyes. So that was super cool.

MG: What is your favorite aspect about working with the “Iron Man” franchise?
MTB: The aspect that is so attractive about Iron Man is that he is that human character that you can identity with. He is not perfect. He is this guy, who had to built this suit around him in order to protect him since he has this damaged heart. He recognized that he has done something wrong (in the beginning) and tries to change. I think we can all relate to that.

MG: In the world Marvel universe, who is your all-time favorite character?
MTB: I would have to go with Jean Grey from X-Men. In this film “Technovore”, I am a big Pepper Potts fan. I would love one day to get her in the armor…maybe in the future.

Lisa Hochstein is known best for her role in Bravo’s hit reality TV series “The Real Housewives of Miami”. She joined the show in its second season and has been a fan-favorite very quickly. Lisa is currently shooting the show’s third season but took out sometime to chat with Media Mikes about being on the show and shared some tips to exercising and staying in shape.

Mike Gencarelli: You joined “The Real Housewives of Miami” during its second season. What was your highlight of being on the show?
Lisa Hochstein: I would have say just having a new experience in my life. It has been a life-changer. My life is a lot different that it way the year before. It consumes you in your life being a part of this cast and the show. You are really being open and letting all of America and even the world into your life, your home, your personal struggles and your triumphs.  But is also really nice to be able to relate to a lot of different people. I have been told that I have touched people in different ways. That is what life is all about giving back, helping out and making a difference is someones life.

MG: You quickly became a fan favorite on the show, can you reflect on the fan base that you have developed?
LH: It is incredible. I am very flattered. I wasn’t sure how the world was going to take me. People either love you or hate you. People tend to judge me based on my appearance, how I look and the way I dress. But once they get to know me, they truly get to know who I am. I can only be who I am. I never pretend. I wear my heart on my sleeve. And people really took to that.

MG: Since it is a reality show; do you ever find it hard to deal with the drama it entails?
LH:  Yeah! Definitely working on a show like “The Real Housewives of Miami” there is always some kind of drama. That is a given. We aren’t always each others cup of tea and that is why we butt heads sometimes. Everyone’s personality is unique and different. When people have these strong personalities you are bound to butt heads.

MG: Were you ever a fan of any of the “The Real Housewife” show before and now after becoming one of the housewives?
LH: Yeah of course. I think that it is everyone’s guilty pleasure watching “The Real Housewife” shows. My understanding was that you want to watch it because of the glits and the glam and see how everyone is living. The luxury of it all is very appealing. Now I am a part of the franchise and it is a wonderful family to be apart of.

MG: How do you feel about your husband, Dr. Leonard Hochstein, being called the “Boob God”?
LH: He is the number #1 plastic surgeon in the country. No, I don’t mind. I think it is actually very accurate. He does more breast implants than any one surgeon in the entire country. He really truly is the boob god. Someone on Fox News has dubbed him that and since then everyone has followed the trend and it is who he has become. So for anyone in the country if they want to do their boobs, they immediately think “Hey I want to see the boob god”. It has been great for business and you can’t get a booking with him for a while in fact. So yes he does see many breasts but it doesn’t bother me. It is his job and it is what he does.

MG: Tell us about some the causes/charities you support?
LH: We love to support The Humane Society. We also love to support The Make-A-Wish Foundation, which is such a great one for children that have life threatening illness. We are able to raise money to get them the wish of their dreams. We will continue to always support these charities. The two things that I feel are the most innocent in life are animals and children, so I definitely have a soft spot for those two causes.

MG: Can you share with us your tips to exercising and staying in shape?
LH: Summer is coming up. So everyone is trying to get into top shape for the summer. In Miami, we have to be in shape all year round [laughs]. One of my favorite things to do right now is juicing. Vegetable juicing with a little touches of fruit to add that sweetness. It has transformed my skin and given me such energy. I don’t even need coffee anymore. It completely turns back the clock on your body. I have only been juicing for about two months now but it has been amazing. I do it in conjunction with my regular exercise and routine. I work out four times a week with circuit training and 45 minutes of cardio a day. Now that I am juicing, I find that I don’t have to do much cardio. The juicing is sort of like spring cleaning. So that is my number health tip for right now! I recommend it for everyone!

MG: What do you enjoy most about living in Miami?
LH: Oh my God! There is no question, we are in the best place to live in the world. We have the most beautiful beaches. We have some amazing nightlife. We have some of the best restaurants in the world and are only getting better. We have some of the best shopping. There is no store that you cannot find in Miami. Any major flag store that is worth going to is here. We have comedy, plays, concerts, sport games. It is one of these cities that you will always have something to do and never be bored.

Inga Cadranel is currently playing the role of Detective Angela Deangelis on BBC America’s “Orphan Black”. She is also know for her roles of Aoife in “Lost Girl”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Inga about her TV roles, her love of sci-fi and her turn to start producing movies.

Mike Gencarelli: What drew you to the role of Detective Angela Deangelis on BBC America’s “Orphan Black”?
Inga Cadranel: The thing that drew me to the project was the creators John Fawcett and Graeme Manson. I happened to work with both of them before on different series here in Canada. John Fawcett was the producer/director for another cop show I did called “The Bridge”. That was were I got my chops as the detective type actor and we did a lot of cool research for that show. So when this part of Angela Deangelis came up for this show, it seemed for me to be a perfect fit for me to work again with John. He was really stoked to have me reprise another hard-ass female detective, which is a role I love.

MG: Tell us about the character and what you like most about her?
IC: Well, I can say that she is not the most likable character. She is the one that never seems to get what she wants, which is Beth’s partner Art (played by Kevin Hanchard).  She is gunning for her partner because he is really high up in the precinct. She is a pit of a keener and very by the textbook. But soon enough this will change and she will get more out of it then she wants. I think she is a tight ass. She doesn’t have as many redeeming qualities than other characters I have played. She is good at what she does and is very tough. She is layered, which I was told they are going to explore more of those in the second season and that makes it more fun for me. At this point it is just about her drive to chase after the Beth/Sarah character. So I look forward to getting more into the nitty-gritty of her character.

MG: Compared to your other roles; what was your biggest challenge?
IC: It is really fun and it is hard to think of a challenge. It is a great set and awesome actors to work with. Maybe the challenge is that I have to play against myself in being a bit more of a kiss ass. Her choices wouldn’t necessarily be the ones that I would make. She is not as cool [laughs]. But otherwise, I wouldn’t say any major challenges. I had a great time on the set from every department. It was like a big family.

MG: How was it acting along side Tatiana Maslany?
IC: She is really great. She had such a wild challenge of doing different accents and voices. It was very impressive. The whole show is that actress, so thank God that they picked Tat because she is amazing and I have nothing but good things to say about her.

MG: Tell us about what you like most about playing Bo’s succubus mother, Aoife in “Lost Girl”?
IC: That is a whole other thing. That role is super fun for me. To play a bad guy that everyone hates. You don’t know what her motives are and she is just creepy. I have never played a part like that before. I can play her with more of a character aspect than in “Orphan Black”. It is a really fun part and great show.

MG: What do you like most about working in the sci-fi genre?
IC: I love sci-fi. I am a huge fan. It just gives you such freedom. I have always been fan of thrillers and mysteries as well and that really plays into the sci-fi aspect. The possibilities are endless since it is so broad and out of the realm. You can play out these great stories. Like the cloning in “Orphan Black”, it is not that far from what is happening right now. We are able to clone sheep. It is here. It is exciting, scary and to make to show that it can actually happen in real world is what makes sci-fi cool. My father-in-law, Michael Hogan, also worked in the sci-fi genre with “Battlestar Galactica”. It is funny we keep saying that we are going to run into each other at conventions.

MG: Besides acting you are also an accomplished musician ranging from Opera to touring with punk rock band, Battlestar; tell us about that side of Inga?
IC: It is really different but it was also more of mine passion before I became a mother. I have two kids now. I played in a punk band for many years and then I had my son, so it is just such a different lifestyle. I couldn’t do it anymore. But music is still a real passion of mine. I have been writing some stuff at home with my guitar still but I haven’t tried to do anything with it just yet. But I always see myself getting back to music.

MG: You are also currently producing two feature films and developing a 30-minute comedy series; tell us about those?
IC: My brother, my partner and myself wrote and are developing a 30-minute comedy series about a neighborhood here in Toronto called Kensington Market, the show is called “The Market”. I lived there for 10 years and wanted to do a series about it. Every city has a neighborhood like this. We are in the stage of trying to get our pitch package developed and start shopping it around to networks. The other two features are being optioned and we are in the process of attaching names to them right now and gathering funding. This is a whole new side of the business for me with producing. I see this as a great way to get behind the other side of the camera. I am going to start doing both and I see myself in 10 years focusing solely on producing and possibly directing.

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Photo by Todd Wawrychuk

Alex Hirsch is the creator/executive producer/star of “Gravity Falls”. The show is currently airing its first season on Disney Channel and has already developed a huge fanbase since it started airing. Alex and his creative team recently took a trip to Oregon to gain inspiration and to discover new hidden treasures including a few fun “tourist traps” for upcoming episodes of the show. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Alex and ask him his top five discoveries/hidden gems from his trip and how he may incorporate them in the show.

Mike Gencarelli: Let’s chat about why you took a recent trip to Oregon with your crew of “Gravity Falls”?
Alex Hirsch: Our art director, Ian (Worrel), is having a baby and I am keeping my fingers crossed for a second season, which is sort of like having a baby. So we both realized that our lives are basically going to be over soon and that we should do a fun trip with the crew while we still have the time. So we booked a big ‘ole van and got twelve of our “Gravity Falls” artists to pile in. We even went to Party City to get glow sticks, disco lights and did the whole thing up right. We basically went up US Route 101 and spent four days visiting this stretch of road between California and Oregon that is known for having some of the craziest tourist traps on this coast. We just went up to the Southern tip of Oregon and back down hitting every single one of those. We were staying in weird hotels, eating at “Twin Peaks” style diners, taking photos for reference and basically goofing off as much as possible!

MG: Tell us about your top five discoveries/hidden gems from the trip?
AH: I would have to say that the most amazing thing we saw on this trip was called Trees of Mystery in Klamath, CA. Everyone knows this due to the lumberjack and the big Babe the Blue Ox on the road. It is huge and can be seen from a mile away and most people think that that is all it is. But in fact, it is just a facade for this great and incredible redwood forest. It looks like the kind of thing that would dwarf even some dinosaurs. It is beautiful, strange and filled with lumberjack lore. There are these bizarre wooden sculptures with the faces of famous lumberjacks carved into them. It sounds like I am promoting it but literally, I want to have my wedding here. It was beautiful. That was probably my absolute favorite place that we visited.

We also visited two tourists traps, so this would be two and three: The Oregon Vortex, at the Southern tip of Oregon and Confusion Hill, at the tip of California. Both of them are of the Mystery Shack mold. Basically they show you a weird slanted shack where a ball will roll uphill and people look like they are growing or shrinking based on where they stand in the shack. Depending who the tour guide is they will tell you it is an unbelievable dimensional spot in the universe where the laws of gravity don’t work…or they say “Yeah, it’s an optical illusion…buy a keychain!” There are different takes on it. I would say that “The Oregon Vortex” is more for people that are hardcore into this stuff and want to believe. Confusion Hill is more for people with a sense of humor and more of Grunkle Stan-type scenario.

The fourth one is It’s a Burl, in Northern California. It was almost like a mirage. I almost don’t believe that it existed. There was this little old dude that wore a newsy baseball cap and drove a golf cart. It was this enormous campus of treehouses and wood carvings that him and his hippie commune had built themselves. It can’t really be described. It can really only been seen. I actually bought, and this is my favorite souvenir, this phone made out of wood. It is a trunk of tree cut in half with buttons coming out of it. It is something that a gnome king would use to wage war on another gnome king. It is sitting on my desk. I haven’t figured out how to use it but it is pretty amazing.

The fifth thing is that we stayed at this place called the Benbow Inn. It is this spooky hotel that looks like it is from “The Shining”. It is out in the middle of the woods. It is huge, very fancy and ornate. It also is said to have a lot of ghost legends. I asked the waiter where we were having dinner to talk to me about the ghosts and he sort of went white and said “You really don’t want to know”. But we had a lot of fun running around taking photos of ourselves re-enacting scenes from “The Shining” in that hotel.

MG: Are you able to tell us how these items from your trip will be incorporated into the show?
AH: I’ll say that it is highly likely that a very large inanimate lumberjack could come to life in the series. After visiting that attraction, it has sort of been haunting my dreams and the things in my nightmares usually make their way into the series. So that is entirely possible. One thing that surprised me greatly was that when we visited Confusion Hill was how many things that we didn’t know have already been put into the show. There were a lot of strange parallels. Grunkle Stan is sort of this old guy that is into Grandpa humor, like the kind of plaques and T-shirts you find at a bait and tackle store. There was this episode, [speaking in Grunkle Stan’s voice] “I’ve got the complaint department here” and he holds up a trash can. Sure enough at Confusion Hill, there was something that said “Press this button” and it was a mouse trap. There was also an episode where he says [speaking in Grunkle Stan’s voice] “Look behind this curtain to see the most terrifying monsters” and it was a mirror. They had they exact attraction at Confusion Hill. I was shocked at how well we managed to psychically pick up on this corny tourist trap humor that really exists. Just being up in those trees and seeing nature, I feel that it really reinvigorated our artists. We got a chance to see how beautiful the Pacific Northwest really is. We will probably explore the woods more as well in future episodes, since we were really inspired by them.

MG: You not only work as creator/executive producer but also voice Grunkle Stan, Soos, Old Man McGucke and various others. What is your biggest challenge?
AH: I would say the top five most challenging and important tasks for me on the show is writing, writing, writing, writing and writing. Then everything else sort of falls underneath that. My primary role is to make sure that the stories and the characters feel like they are from the same voice and each episode has something for the characters and also a piece of magic that we haven’t seen before. Beyond that there are so many things from working with the artists on the design to doing the voices to final mix and directing the actors. It is a huge responsible and a ridiculously difficult job. So it was nice to get to spend four days doing absolutely nothing on this trip. Our crew is really a big group of friends and we all have this great bond. It was just very fun to spend time with friends and we really bonded well. It is sort of this amazing culture that we have created at Disney of young talent like-minded weirdo crazy artists that like to have fun and then work really really hard on something.

MG: Are you surprised with the success and following of this show after only a few episodes into the first season?
AH: That blew me away. I had very humble expectations about what would happen with the series. It is an unusual kind of show and there really isn’t a model for it. Just the fact that it is a half-hour animated comedy in the kids show genre. I mean those do not exist. These kids shows are 11-minutes like “Adventure Time”, “Spongebob” and…you name it. Those are short formed shows. Doing a longer show and one with some continuity, each episode has a little bit left over with a broader story to be told, all those things are huge experiments. I tried them because they were hard and I wasn’t sure if I could do them. But I wanted to try and pull them off because that made it interesting. I have worked on other 11-minute shows and I respect those. But I have seen them already so I wanted to try something new. I have been really just humbled and grateful from the fan response to this show. I get fan letters everyday and I feel like Santa Claus when I come to my office and there is a stack of letters. I have been doing my best to write back to each physical letter that comes to my desk that someone has taken out the time to write. I just got one recently from Japan. People also send me some amazing stuff. I got a few sewed gnomes that someone made by hand. A kid built an actual Mystery Shack and it is the size of a TV. The kid and his father actually drove to the studio and left it for me. I was on vacation at the time and I returned to my desk to see an actual Mystery Shack on my desk. Our fans are just amazing. My theory was that if you fill the show with secrets and hidden stuff and gave people a reason to pay close attention, then they would. My theory turned out to be more right than I had ever imagined. I am very grateful for it.

MG: Well, the first season is amazing and I can’t wait to see what you guys come up with next.
AH: I appreciate that. I will say that there are four episodes left in this first season. I would say that this series has some mystery, continuity and there is this broader underlying story. They found this mysterious journal…who wrote it? Grunkle Stan has secrets of his own. Gideon is up to something. A lot of those big questions, those series mysteries, will finally be addressed in the final episodes leading to the end of the first season. I think fans are going to be pretty excited to see the answers to those questions and also some of the new questions that arise out of those. So keep watching!

Photo Trevor Brady

Canadian born, Kavan Smith took to athletics as a young man, excelling in football and martial arts. As a teenager he and a friend began writing skits and performing them everywhere, from the city bus to the neighborhood shopping mall. After high school he began working on an Economics degree but left school after a year and a half. He later enrolled in the Performing Arts Program at Mount Royal University. After graduating he landed a lead role in the Canadian television series “Destiny Ridge” and hasn’t looked back.

Sci-fi/fantasy fans will recognize him from roles on such shows as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Smallville,” “The Twilight Zone” and two different “Stargate” series. He also appeared opposite Tim Robbins and Gary Sinese in Brian de Palma’s “Mission to Mars.”

Premiering this week, you can catch Smith with co-star Thandie Newton in DirecTV’s new original series “Rogue,” While relaxing at home in the Great White North, Smith took time out to speak with Media Mikes about the new show, dancing to Dick Clark and what his next project might be.

Mike Smith: Give us a quick introduction to “Rogue” and your character, Tom Travis.
Kavan Smith: “Rogue” is a visceral, raw, sexy kind of gangster cop show. Thandie Newton plays the lead…the show takes a female perspective of a usually male dominated role. I play her husband. She gets her family into trouble…there are some consequences to her actions…and she has to go out and seek justice. Her husband, Travis…my character…spends the bulk of the series trying to hold their family together. It’s a very complicated endeavor because she is doing a lot of things that he is unaware of. He has no idea of the consequences or the stakes. He doesn’t understand why she’s not “stepping up” at home. It’s very emotional. For me it’s a very redemptive character. As an actor…it’s all I’ve ever done…all I’ve ever wanted to do…I’ve had to take some jobs that maybe I didn’t want to take. So for me this role is very redemptive. It’s a great character to play.

MS: What drew you to the project?
KS: There’s a scene in the third episode….he doesn’t understand why she can’t meet him halfway on…
SPOILER ALERT
…Dealing with the death of their son…I’m not giving anything away, it happens in the first episode…and they have a really massive blow-out, ending in a three page monologue for my character. That was the audition piece and when I saw it…it was the meatiest thing I had seen in a long time. You could be as melodramatic as you wanted to but it played so well understated. When I read it…I have kids of my own and the idea of losing one is unimaginably painful. My kids are still young and ever since I had them the idea of anything happening…it’s so raw for me that I can channel that. So I saw this piece and I knew immediately that I could do this. Of course I had no idea at all if I would be what they wanted. When they did the call back audition it was basically a screen test. Thandie had a lot of input over who would be chosen and we were on fire! We went places with that scene that I had no idea we were going to go. When I walked out of that room I knew I wanted that job desperately.

MS: You’ve been on shows like “Blade,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “Stargate,” “Outer Limits.” A lot of very genre-specific roles. Was that something you intended or just the luck of the draw?
KS: I think it’s really just the luck of the draw. Most of the work I’ve done in the states…I spend a lot of time here in Canada. My wife is Canadian. My kids were both born here. So I’ve tried to stay up here as best I can while continuing to read for roles and it just so happens that in Canada in the past…in the 1990s and early 2000s, they really catered to a sci-fi type of genre. I’ve enjoyed all the jobs that I’ve had but it really wasn’t by choice. My resume’ is a little “sci-fi heavy,” but I think that’s more about where I live then my own personal taste.

MS: In one of your early roles you played the young Dick Clark in the Annette Funicello television bio “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes.” Did you have the opportunity to meet Dick Clark and, if so, did he give you any advice? (NOTE: Clark, known as “America’s Oldest Teenager,” passed away almost a year ago, April 18, 2012).
KS: Wow! That’s going way back…I’m so surprised you picked that one out of the hat! (laughs). No, I didn’t get the chance to meet him but the role was a lot of fun. When I was a kid my parents were really into “American Bandstand.” My brother and I would watch it with them and, even though we had no musical training whatsoever we were convinced that we were dancers. So I certainly danced a lot to Dick Clark.

MS: Your bio states that while in college you developed a love for writing. Have you written any scripts that you’d like to produce some day?
KS: Yes, as a matter of fact. I’ve taken several steps at writing a novel. When I was a kid I got caught in that loop where you think you’re a lot smarter then you are. I wanted to write a ground breaking novel and I made several attempts at it, but they were ALL less than I expected. Screenwriting is less of an art form but I thought I would get familiar with it. I’ve always read like crazy but I never took Literature when I was at University. I started writing screenplays for myself. I’ve gotten really fantastic at writing the first 80% of a great story…and then the ending falls. Because I’m committed to “Rogue” and they own my contract and have the right to keep me on hold for quite a while, over the past year I’ve written a series. I’ve already got ten episodes done that I want to try and pitch. I’m taking my time with it. I’ve got the first five episodes completely finished and the following five basically laid out. So in the meantime while I’m waiting to hear what’s happening with “Rogue” I’m toiling away on those stories. I think there’s nothing quite like it out there right now and I’m hoping I can garner some interest. Maybe “Rogue” will open a few doors for me. So keep your fingers crossed.

MS: Last question, though you may have just answered it. Besides “Rogue” do you have anything else in the fire?
KS: Unfortunately I don’t. Contractually I can’t take anything that would establish me on another series. There were a couple of feature films scheduled to be made here that I was the first choice for but one moved production to Australia and I didn’t want to be away from my kids. The other went to Europe so same thing. I let both of those go. I’ve narrated some documentaries when I’ve had time. But in the mean time I’m waiting to hear from “Rogue” and playing Mr. Mom – which is the greatest role ever…as cheesy as that sounds. And I hope to finish up this series of my own and see if I can garner any interest in that. Being on hold buys my the freedom of time, which is very rare in this business. I’m really hoping the show gets picked up so I can afford to do this again next year. (laughs)

Hannibal Lecter. The one man you never want to see at the dinner table. Named the #1 Villain in film history by the American Film Institute. Since first appearing in author Thomas Harris’ novel, “Red Dragon,” the cannibal with the PhD has appeared in five feature films, including the Oscar winning Best Picture, “Silence of the Lambs.” Now, thanks to Executive Producer Bryan Fuller, Dr. Lecter makes his television debut in the new original series, “Hannibal.” The show features Mads Mikkelsen as the good doctor, Hugh Dancy as FBI agent Will Graham and Laurence Fishburne as Graham’s superior, Jack Crawford. The show debuts tonight (April 4) at 10:00 pm EST on NBC.

To get the word out about the show, Executive Producer Bryan Fuller and co-star Hugh Dancy sat down with Media Mikes to talk about the new show, fans of the films and exactly how much is TOO much?

Media Mikes: In going deeper into Hannibal Lecter, how much new territory did you feel there was to explore given what’s already been written?
Bryan Fuller: Well given what’s already been written, I thought there was a lot that existed that hadn’t been explored yet. So I was really excited at the opportunity to really explore things that didn’t make it to any of the movies. They’ve made a handful of films and because of the limited real estate that you have in doing a movie that we’re doing a television series that gets you 13 hours a season, we were able to get into much more specifics with the character, particularly Will Graham’s character who Hugh Dancy plays so magnificently and wonderfully neurotically. He was traditionally played as a stoic leading man. And what we get because of the really complex psychology of the character that’s in the literature, we get to explore that in a way that nobody has before. So that was very exciting.

MM: Hugh, since Will was already established in the books, what was the biggest challenge for you to make him unique to you?
Hugh Dancy: Well I think the challenge laid is just in the fact that Thomas Harris created, and then Bryan interpreted, such a complicated character. I wasn’t worried about the fact that he already existed on the page. If anything I think that’s helpful to have a blueprint for your performance written by a great writer. You have something to turn to. And I certainly went to the first place after I met with Bryan and we spoke, the first place I went to is back to the novel and really tried to use that as a launch pad.

MM: Bryan, can you talk a little bit about the casting and finding the perfect cast? Why you felt that Hugh was perfect for Will and especially why Mads was perfect for Hannibal?
BF: One of the reasons that Hugh was so ideal for the role is that Will Graham, who is kind of burdened by his own neuroses and personality disorders, could come off as unlikable unless you have an actor who kind of invites you into his vulnerability with those neuroses and with those personality disorders that actually gives you permission to care for them as opposed to being pushed away. And Will Graham is a character who pushes people away and has barriers that he throws up as social defenses. So we needed somebody who had a vulnerability that kind of transcends any sort of barriers that he throws up and takes you into the world and allows you to care for him even though he is so buttoned up and damaged. That was the main reason. And Hugh was unanimous. When we all sat down and we talked about who was our Will Graham. Hugh Dancy’s name came up and it was very easy for all of us to say like “oh yeah, he’s the one. Let’s meet with him and see if we can hook him.”

MM: As far as being visually graphic, is there anything that NBC has told you that you can’t do?
BF: Oh yeah. There’s lots. What’s been really great about working with NBC on this project is that they recognize that they are doing a horror show and the show is called “Hannibal Lecter.” And they have, you know, put us on at 10 o’clock for a reason – so we can maximize what we can show to honor the genre and also provide fans of the genre certain ingredients that they are expecting to see. But there’s absolutely places where they won’t allow us to go. And that’s too far and you need to come back from that. It’s always a push/pull because it’s like “ooh, can we do this” and we show it to them and they’re like “ooh, not that one.” So it’s definitely collaboration and they’re taking it very seriously. They’re aware that they are presenting a horror show and they have to honor that audience. But we’re not necessarily – I would love to be going a lot further. But NBC keeps on reminding me where the line is. And that’s the responsibility as a broadcast network. But they have been very, very supportive in terms of what we can do and going as far as we can without being X rated.

MM: Can you give an example or two? What are some of the things that they said no to?
BF: Arterial spray. There are some episodes where going back through I was like “ooh, you know, I hope we get to release the DVD version of the “Unsuitable for Broadcast Television” collection of the show.” So eye gouging, seeing people’s intestines being removed from their bodies in great, you know, noodly clumps. Those types of things they tend to say, ummm… no.” Which they should because I think, as an artist in the role of executive producing the show, I want to please the core audience more than anyone and it’s NBC’s responsibility that we don’t go so far that we alienate members of the audience who are willing to stick through some of the horror elements but we can’t, you know, drop a bucket of blood on them and expect them to have a good time.

Richard Harmon is known best for his roles in television shows like “The Killing” and “Continuum”. He also starred in the horror movie “Grave Encounters 2” last year. This year Richard is co-starring in shows like “Bates Motel”, “DirecTV’s “Rogue” and recently shot a pilot for The CW’s “The Hundred”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Richard about his role on “Bates Motel” and his upcoming roles.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your role of Richard Slymore in “Bates Motel”?
Richard Harmon: Playing Richard is a nice change of pace for me. He is pretty much just a normal guy, which is one of the coolest things for me. It is rare that I get a chance to play someone who is just a regular human being. He is a nice person, even though he can come off as a bit aggressive with Norman. But I feel that is due to his protection over his girlfriend. But he is just a normal high school guy.

MG: What drew you to the role?
RH: This was just one of those special projects that you walk on the set and you know how good the show is going to be. I felt very lucky to be apart of it in just any way shape or form.

MG: How was it working with Freddie Highmore & Vera Farmiga?
RH: I unfortunately never got to work with Vera. I really wanted too because I am a big fan and she is just terrific. Even now watching the show, I am an even better fan than I used to be. Freddie though, if he was any representation of both of our leads…oh my God! He is such a pro and just such a nice human being. He works the correct way that I feel that actors should work. He is so focused yet at the same time he is incredibly nice and poliet. I cannot say enough good things.

MG: You are no stranger to TV, how does this show differ than your other television work?
RH: I think they are all different. I don’t just mean because they are different stories. Each set offers its unique vibe. On “Bates Motel” everyone is so experienced and they know what they are doing. They each have a job to do and do it incredibly well. I have been very lucky in that sense since it also applies to the other shows I have worked on. I think with “Bates”, it really has this very unique vibe.

MG: After this show and “The Killing”, what do you enjoy the most about playing the bad guy?
RH: [laughs] I don’t know. It’s what they seem to like casting me for. I do not think I am quite that mean in real life. I would like to think I am a relatively nice person. For a while, I was wondering why I only got bad guy roles. Now I am just I relish in it. They are just so much fun to play. There is so much you can do with them and change all the time.

MG: Tell us about the other TV show you are involved with “Rogue”?
RH:It was a great show to work on. I only got to do two episodes on it in the beginning of the series. It premieres on Wednesday, April 3. The two scripts I got to read were terrific. Plus how could you not love Thandie Newton. I actually didn’t get to work with her either, so there is another one after Vera Farmiga. I really wanted to work with her too. A ton of my friends from Vancouver are also regulars on it like Jarod Joseph. He is just someone that I really respect. I think they hired the actors very well on that show.

MG: What else do you have in the cards for this year?
RH: I just finished filming a pilot. It is called “The Hundred” and it is for The CW. The scripts are insanely good. The summary of the show is set 97 years after a nuclear war has destroyed civilization. A spaceship housing the lone human survivors sends 100 juvenile delinquents back to Earth to investigate the possibility of re-colonizing the planet. So it about us trying to survive down there. It is a really fun show.