Academy Award-winner, Nicolas Cage talks about his role in “Left Behind”

Academy Award-winner Nicolas Cage is a man that does not need any introduction. He is well-known worldwide for being one of the most versatile actors of all time, equally known for his poignant portrayals in both drama and comedy. Some of his more notable films include “The Rock,” “Con Air,” “Gone in 60 Seconds” and “National Treasure”. Coming up next, Cage stars in “Left Behind,” a Christian-themed apocalyptic action film based on the best-selling book series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. Additionally, Cage recently completed filming Paul Schrader’s “The Dying of the Light” with Anton Yelchin and is currently in production on “The Runner,” which also stars Sarah Paulson, Peter Fonda and Connie Nielsen. Media Mikes had a chance to attend a teleconference with the actor to chat about his role in “Left Behind” and what we can expect the film.

Can you give us a little background on your character Rayford Steele and his importance in the film?
Nicolas Cage: Well I mean Ray Steele is a captain of a jumbo jet, a transatlantic jumbo jet going to London, England. And he’s an important guy on that airplane and he has a flirtation and there’s a chemistry that’s happening with the flight attendant, so marvelously played by Nicky Whelan. He loses track of what’s really valuable to him in terms of his treasures within which is his love for his family. He’s kind of, not that he’s a bad guy but he’s making a mistake that many people make that are in powerful positions lose track of the importance of family. They’re drawn away, or they’re seduced from their true inner-values by something attractive, or something flirtatious, or something that has the call of the wild. Ray Steele gets back to his true need for family through this experience and through this extraordinary experience and understands the value of family and just wants to get back to that no matter what happens. Just to be able to get back on the phone with his daughter and say I’m sorry and “I love you”. And I think that’s as simple as that. I think that is heart-wrenching. And if you have a heart I don’t think it’s possible to see the movie and not get a little verklempt. I mean it, there’s some very poignant, emotional moments.

What was it about this script or what regarding the movie in general that drew you in?
NC: I really said “Yes” on the merits of the screenplay. And also to work with, to work with Vic again, the director. I think all artists, if you’re tapped in, if you’re tuned in, to the zeitgeist and they’re open to that then they’re going to pick up on that. I felt that the script was a challenge and it gave me a chance to really try to make the extraordinary, believable and to do something authentic within performance so that everything around me was going into chaos. People were just appearing on the airplane and how did I make that organic? And again, all the actors, Chad Michael Murray, Cassi Thomson, Nicky Whelan, they were all on-point. And I find that exciting. To me, it was, it was an exercise and I’m very happy with the results.

How familiar were you with the “Left Behind” series before getting on board?
NC: I was not familiar with the “Left Behind” series. I’m familiar with the rapture of course. My brother, Mark, is a Christian pastor, and he was very excited about this. And he said, “Nicky, you’ve really got to to do this”. I’d already wanted to make the movie because I thought it was such a great script and an opportunity again to do something challenging. But when I saw how passionate he was, I thought, “Well, yeah I want to make this movie for my brother too”.

What was it like working with director Vic Armstrong?
NC: Well actually I’m very comfortable working with Vic. I got to spend quite a bit of time with him on another movie that we made, called “Season of the Witch”. And it was a good experience and I thought that he directed me to a good performance and something that I was very proud of and wanted to work with him again. I knew that I would be able to relax with him and that I would be able to go within and just sort of exhale and be in the moment and be in the scene. That he would allow his actors to breathe and to be relaxed and to find the truth of their performances. And it really shows in the movie. I mean, across the board, of Chad Michael Murray, and Nicky and Cassi again just powerfully real performances. And I knew that that would happen working again with Vic.

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Bill Smitrovich talks about “The November Man” & “Ted 2”

Bill Smitrovich is best known for his role as Drew Thacher opposite Patti Lapone, Kellie Martin and Chris Burke in the acclaimed television series “Life Goes On.” He also has one of the most recognizable faces on television or the big screen. Roles in “Miami Vice” and “Crime Story” led to work in such films as “Independence Day,” “Air Force One” and “13 Days.” Recently he’s appeared on “The Event,” “CSI: New York” and has just begun a recurring role on “The Last Ship.” He also co-starred in “Ted” and will begin shooting the sequel shortly.

His most recent film is “The November Man,” opposite Pierce Brosnan. We spoke on the phone in conjunction with the film and I found him to be a kind, soft-spoken subject. When we said our goodbyes he asked me to be sure I included his fellow co-stars when I mentioned “Life Goes On.” A true gentleman.

Mike Smith: Can you give us an introduction to your character in “The November Man?”
Bill Smitrovich: He’s a high-level CIA agent who once worked with Peter Devereaux (Brosnan). Devereaux is now in seclusion…in retirement, and I go in and pull him out to help us with an operation that his ex-wife is involved with. And the fun ensues (laughs). He needs to get a name from his ex-wife to complete his investigation but he runs into a lot of things in-between that cause problems.

MS: The film has a great cast and a first class director (Roger Donaldson). Was that what drew you to the project or was there something else?
BS: Absolutely! A lot of things drew me to the project. The role. The script. And particularly Roger, who I had done “13 Days” with. I was delighted to be able to work with him again. He’s such a great director. And the script, which kept getting better, especially afterRoger took a pass through it. And, of course, working with the great Pierce Brosnan. I loved it! We found out that we had so much in common and we’ve remained good friends. We even have our birthday in common (May 16th). Which was also the day I started filming, which is kind of strange. It’s almost divine because this particular filming experience was one of the best I’ve ever been involved with.

MS: Working with Brosnan, did you ever feel like you were double-oh eight (008)? I mean, you were trading shots with James Bond.
BS: I was shaken, but not stirred (laughs). You know, wherever you go with Pierce…all over the world…it’s the same reaction. People just love him. He’s a terrific guy to hang out with, and he’s a terrific actor. Besides Bond he’s done some terrific work on screen. And he’s also a wonderful painter, which I’ll bet you didn’t know.

MS: I was not aware of that! It’s been 20 years since “Life Goes On” left the air. Do you still hear from fans of the show?
BS: Oh yes, from time to time. Thanks to Facebook and social media, you really can’t get away from that. Not that I want to. I run into fans all of the time. Recently I was at Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Falling Water” in Pennsylvania. When we got done with the tour this really nice man came up to me. He was probably in his 50s and he was with his wife. He said, “I didn’t want to bother you during the tour but I just wanted to say that we’ve been fans of yours since “Life Goes On.” It really meant a lot to our family and I hope I’m not bothering you.” I always tell “Life Goes On” fans that they are among the very best fans. They are usually very humble. Very polite. Super compassionate and sincere people. I tell them that they are very nice people. And that they have very good taste! (laughs). “Life Goes On” was a very, very satisfying experience for me in many ways. I would get fan mail from siblings of children with Downs Syndrome. It was very special. The show was groundbreaking and I’m so proud to be a part of that. It’s something I’ll always cherish in my career.

MS: Since it’s been 20 years, do you know of any plans for a reunion film or special?
BS: I don’t think so. I don’t think that’s going to happen, unfortunately. It would have been nice. But with everything, there are often too many obstacles to put it all together. I would have loved to have done it. At one point I thought it would be fun to have a little movie with just Chris and I playing private detectives? We’re both out of work so we come upon the idea of becoming investigators undercover. It would have been funny. Because we would just hire people with handicaps. People that are blind have increased hearing. People in wheelchairs. They would blend in and no one would suspect them of being detectives.

“The November Man,” What else do you have coming up?
BS: I start filming “Ted 2” in September. I’m really excited about that. And “The Last Ship” on TNT. My character just appeared last Sunday and I hope to be on it next season when it gets picked up. The finale’ is coming up. It’s a great one. I’m liking it and people are liking it. I’m glad it’s finding an audience. We have things to do. We’re going to save the world.

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Michael Biehn Takes on Different Kind of Role in This Latest Dark Thriller, “Treachery”, to Be Released on VOD September 1st.

LOS ANGELES- Talent Management, Production, Distribution and Marketing Company Traverse Media, announced today the North American release date for Blanc/Biehn Production’s latest Movie TREACHERY on Video on Demand (VOD).

TREACHERY stars Michael Biehn along with a fantastic ensemble cast that includes Jennifer Blanc Biehn (The Divide, Everly, Wrong Cops), Sarah Butler (I Spit on Your Grave remake), Caitlin Keats (Kill Bill Vol. 2, Broken English), Chris Meyer (Among Friends) and Matthew Ziff (Truck Stop, Altered Perception).

Bringing to life real family drama, TREACHERY dives into the deep roots that binds a family and the darker secrets that family can create. Travis Romero (TV’s “White Collar”, THE VICTIM) wrote and directed TREACHERY, which centers on a man (Biehn) who is reunited with his estranged son at a remote wedding party. When a storm strands the party, ugly truths are revealed.

Biehn is best known for his work in The Terminator and Aliens movies but has developed a niche for himself producing low-budget grindhouse-style productions. He is producing Treachery via his BlancBiehn Productions, which he runs with his wife and partner Jennifer Blanc Biehn.

“I always love playing humanitarian type characters and characters that are the real good guys,” says Michael Biehn, with a wink and a nod.

“With an incredible cast, Michael and I were excited to take this story and make it come to life,” Jennifer Blanc-Biehn

TREACHERY will be available from September 1st on:  iTunes, Amazon Prime, Amazon Instant Play, Google Play, VUDU, Vimeo on Demand and across Cable VOD.

About Traverse Media:

Traverse Media is a talent management, production and distribution marketing and distribution company for the independent filmmaker created by independent filmmakers. We provide distribution with active digital profiling and campaigning via the Internet’s best-known film sites. Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TraverseMedia and Follow us on Twitter @Traverse_Media

ABOUT BLANC/BIEHN PRODUCTIONS:

Blanc Biehn Productions is the partnership of famed actors Michael Biehn and Jennifer Blanc-Biehn. The pair decided to put their passion for acting and filmmaking together, creating their own production company. The duo produced and starred in Biehn’s directorial debut, THE VICTIM, a grindhouse film which co-stars scream queen, Danielle Harris.  The company recently finished post-production on TREACHERY and Jennifer Blanc-Biehn’s directorial debut THE NIGHT VISITOR. They are currently in post-production on HIDDEN IN THE WOODS REMAKE and THE GIRL, starring Biehn and Tia Carrere. Other films in development include ALTERED PERCEPTION, SHE RISES, starring Angus MacFadyen, THE NIGHT VISITOR 2, GET BACK JOE, and PYSCHOPHONIA with 2013 Nicholls Fellowship winner Barbara Stepanski, to be directed by award winning filmmaker Paticia Chica. Look out for more releases on their slate as well as festival screenings in the near future, as well as a new list of fabulous directors being added to the roster. For more information on upcoming BBP features, please go to www.TheBBBasement.com and sign up for news and updates. Many projects are currently in post-production with partner, executive Lony Ruhman.

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Mari Koda talks about her role in the “Step Up” series and the new film “Step Up: All In”

Mari Koda is known for her role as Jenny Kido in the “Step Up” film series. She has been in every “Step Up” film since “Step Up 2: The Streets”. She is returning this week in the the fifth film in the series “Step Up: All In”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Mari about the film and her challenges during filming.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get started with your background in dancing?
Mari Koda: I started listening to music before dancing. I just thought to myself, “Wow, I would love to do something with the music that I love”. So I started dancing and I just started moving. I do not think that I was even any good [laughs]. I never went to school or anything. I just went out there and starting dancing and that’s how I got I into it. You just catch the energy and go with it. I love it. After I started dancing, I wanted to know what the songs were actually about and after that I decided to learn English and move to New York. I love New York because it is so diverse and there are so many different kinds of people. I knew this is where I belong. In Japan, there are too many Japanese people [laughs].

MG: “Step Up All In” takes us to Las Vegas, what was that like going from the streets to the Sin City?
MK: It was just amazing. Just Wow! We came this far! We are in Las Vegas. There is a lot of surprise in this new film. Even working on the film, we were all impressed with what happens. I am just lucky to be in the film.

MG: How has Jenny Kido changed at all over the course of these four films?
MK: I have played Jenny in four films now. She has never had a love interest in the films. Does this girl never fall in love? Can I at least hold somebody’s hand? [laughs] In the movie, I quit my job and come to Vegas to support my friends but she never has a boyfriend. I told the producers about this and they asked me if they do a “Step Up 6”, who would I choose for a boyfriend? I told them “JT” and they asked “Who” and I said “JT…Justin Timberlake”. So I figured it can’t hurt to ask [laughs].

MG: This film brings back Briana Evigan and Ryan Guzman to lead roles along with others like Alyson Stoner; what do you enjoy most about the continuity of the cast in these films?
MK: We have grown up so much together. It is just so much fun to work together. We are laughing all the time. Rehearsals are just a blast and getting to catch up with everyone. With a normal movie series, there is usually a different cast but not with these films. Like with me and Moose, he and I are always coming back. So it is really great.

MG: When co-starring in “Step Up 2: The Streets”, did you ever think you would have been in three follow-up sequels for this franchise?
MK: No, not at all. I was surprised that there was even a “Step Up 2”. I had no idea what I was going to do in the movie. I knew I would be in it as either “Dancer 1” or “Dancer 2”. But I had no idea about my character and I was really excited. Everything I did in “Step Up 2” was all improv and I was just excited that I ended up staying in the movie. Jenny Kido stood out. I didn’t even know what would happen after that. I even went to the audition for “Step Up 3” and Jon Chu, the director, was like “What are you doing here? You are already in the film”. So that was so awesome!

MG: What was the most challenging aspect of this film compared to the others?
MK: Well I actually got hit by a car in this film for real. I was in the hospital for a while. It was very challenging for me. The doctors told me that I needed to stay in the hospital for at least two or three weeks and that I couldn’t do anything. I told them if they told the producers I’d punch them! [laughs]. So I carried around an ice pack with me wherever I went. Everyone was so supportive of me and I got a lot of positive energy. In the finale scene, I have this little solo and I struggled through it but I was able to nail it, which was great.

 

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Ashleigh Ball talks about film “A Brony Tale” and her role in “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic”

Ashleigh Ball is known best for voicing both Applejack and Rainbow Dash in the TV series “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic”. She is also narrating and starring in the similar themed documentary “A Brony Tale”, which focuses on the male fan-base surrounding the TV series “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Ashleigh about the documentary and the new season of “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic”

Mike Gencarelli: Being the voice of both voice Applejack and Rainbow Dash; give us your reaction on this enormous fandom surrounding “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic”?
Ashleigh Ball: It is something that I would have never anticipated. There is no way to prepare yourself for something like this. It is very cool to get recognition for doing voice work. It is also very cool that it is a totally unexpected group of people. So it is all weird and wonderful and I love it.

MG: How did you meet up with Brent Hodge to narrate and star in “A Brony Tale”?
AB: Brent and I have known each other for a while now going back to 2008/2009. We met through music. He used to work at CBC Radio 3 and did some interviews with my band Hey Ocean! and we got to know each other that way. We became close and he was always willing to help out with the band. So we were out to dinner one day and we had this discussion about Bronies. I told him he should come to BronyCon with me and start filming this because it would make a really cool documentary. So he agreed and followed me around and got a taste of the Brony life.

MG: Was BronyCon your first interactions with Bronies?
AB: My first interaction was actually caught on film. You can find it on YouTube. Brent also put the clip of me in the film as well. It was at a concert that I played in Vancouver. I was playing a show with my band and afterwards a group of guys came to the merchandise booth and asked me to sign their ponies. They were Bronies and they came all the way from Seattle. So that was the first time I met a Brony in person…and definitely not the last time!

MG: Do you think that this film will have an impact for these fans?
AB: Yeah. I think it is a great introduction into the world of Bronies. It explains who they are and what they stand for. It is way more of a community than the actual series. It is a good for someone who is not familiar with Bronies and think it is weird or perverted. It definitely clears up the whole Brony mystique.

MG: How did the film get support from Morgan Spurlock?
AB: Yeah, it was pretty crazy. Brent worked for a company in San Francisco and was at a Super Bowl party and Morgan was there. They told them about he was doing a documentary about Bronies. Morgan loved the idea, watched the film and called the next day and wanted to be involved. He is really excited about the film and the subject matter. I got to meet him in NY and he is a very cool guy.

MG: Season four of “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic” just ended but I am sure that fans are looking forward to season five already; any news from that?
AB: Yeah, we are in the process right now of recording season five. It is great. I can’t tell much about the episodes, but it is going to be very great. Lots of cool music and plot twist. Yeah, it is going to be great. It has such great writing and it is a wonderful show to be a part of.

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Matthew Modine reflects on his role in “Memphis Belle”

Memphis Belle is being released for the first-time ever on Blu-ray from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on May 6th, 2014. Matthew Modine, who plays Captain Dennis Dearborn in this nail-biting adventure that spectacularly recreates the spectacular mission filmed for a 1944 documentary. Matthew took out some time to look back at the making of the film nearly 25 years after its theatrical debut.

There’s an entire genre of World War II movies. What makes these films so universally appealing to global audiences?
MODINE: That’s a great question. Perhaps it’s because WWII was the first war that was so well documented. Portable sound and film equipment allowed reporters and documentarians to easily carry cameras into the battlefields. I’m sure it was also the enormous scope of the war. We look back now upon the bravery of the men and women who selflessly fought to save the lives and freedoms of others. War films, in general, provide great material for writers and directors to quarry through. There are so many examples of intense emotional journeys, the fight for survival, the human bonds that are formed in extreme circumstances. These elements make for great dramatic storytelling.

Copyright@ Warner Brothers Entertainment Inc.

As we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the start of World War II and the 70th anniversary of D-Day, what parallels can be drawn between the servicemen and women of yesterday and those defending their country today?
MODINE: The terrible cost of war. Sadly, there is evil in humankind. Ironic that “kind” is even a part of the word. We must, much more often than we do, look upon the young men and woman that go to battle and commend them for their service, their courage, and commitment. As we commemorate these anniversaries, it’s so important for each of us to acknowledge the sacrifice of our sons and daughters that are, all too often, called to duty.

How did you prepare for the role of Captain Dennis Dearborn in Memphis Belle?
MODINE: Before we began filming, the director, Michael Caton-Jones arranged for the actors to go to a “boot camp” in Southern England. The entire crew of actors were put through 10 days of rigorous training. The goal was to get the actors to learn to work together in a similar fashion that a B-17 crew that had been through 24 combat missions. Of course it is impossible to even approximate the actual horrors the Memphis Belle crew would have been witness to. But the British SAS team that put the actors through obstacle courses and physical training did a great job making the actors a cohesive team. It was tough at the time. But from the rearview mirror of time, it was fantastic!

When we finished our training, we traveled from Southern England to an airbase where we would film the exterior shots for the film. It was in Lincolnshire that we all had the amazing opportunity to meet the real men we were going to portray. Everyone had so many questions for the real servicemen. We wanted to hear from them about the challenges they faced. We all wanted to be as honest and as “real” as possible. To honor them. Hoping to convey the emotions they faced. Meeting Robert Morgan, the pilot of the Memphis Belle, and the role I was portraying, was a highlight of the entire process.

Perhaps the most emotional aspect of filming for me was having the opportunity to tell my Uncle Wylder that I was going to be in a film about him. Wylder was a Captain in the 8th Army Air Force and piloted a B-17. Now I would be doing the same in a film. I had so many questions for him and he shared stories the way men from that generation did. Very sparingly. Humbly. No bravado. I believe my Uncle and the others that have lived through the wars don’t speak colorfully about their experiences because they deeply understand the tremendous human cost of war.

Looking back, nearly 25 years since Memphis Belle debuted on the big screen, has the role of Captain Dennis Dearborn shaped your filmography?
MODINE: Yes. Of course. That sense of responsibility to people that fought, and to so many that died, stays with me. The terrible cost of war, not just the human cost, the loss of life, but what it does to the human soul. There are only a few surviving veterans of the Second World War right now. Special people of great character. I feel so fortunate when I meet with one of them, and incredibly honored when they recognize me from Memphis Belle and they say I “did good!”

 

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Martin Freeman talks about his role on FX’s new series “Fargo”

Martin Freeman is known best by some as Tim Canterbury in BBC’s “The Office”. Some know (and love) him from “Love Actually. He has also donned the hat of Dr. John Watson in BBC’s “Sherlock”. Or if none of those ring a bell, he is also in a (quite unknown, rather small) trilogy called “The Hobbit” where he plays a young Bilbo Baggins. Either way, Martin has had such a diverse and incredible career to date and though his latest role could also be his best. He is making his U.S. television debut with FX’s “Fargo” playing the role of Lester Nygaard”. The show is an adapation of the 1996 cult classic movie. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Martin about the show, working with Billy Bob Thornton and his character.

Mike Gencarelli: What attracted you to the role of Lester Nygaard in FX’s “Fargo”
Martin Freeman: Well, just the fact that it’s well written. The script itself is well written, the whole thing, the whole first episode, which is what I based my decision on. It was a lovely episode. And with Lester I just got the feeling that this was going to be a role where you could give rein to a lot of stuff, to play a lot of stuff. Even within that first episode the range that he goes between is really interesting and so I knew that was only going to grow and expand in the next nine episodes and so it proved to be. In all the 10 episodes I get to play as Lester pretty much the whole gamut of human existence and human feeling. He does the whole lot and that’s exactly what you want to do as an actor. Noah [Hawley] treads that line very well between drama and comedy and the light and dark. I like playing that stuff.

MG: Talk to us about your character’s relationship with Billy Bob Thornton’s character in the show and how it developed over the 10 episodes?
MF: Well, yeah, again it was those initial scenes with Billy that really, really attracted me to doing the role because I thought they were just mesmeric. I really loved that it was like little doing plays, little two-handed plays. It develops without kind of saying too much and a lot off-screen. There are moments of on-screen development, but throughout the series it’s sporadic. But Lorne Malvo, I suppose, is a constant presence in Lester’s life because of the change that Lester has undergone as a result of meeting him. So, everything that Lester does, every way that he develops as a character, for good and bad, you could say is kind of down to that initial meeting with Lorne Malvo. So, there is a development. We don’t get as much screen time as I would like. I think we both really, really loved sharing actual space together and doing work together and we don’t get to do as much of that as we would want, but there is more to come.

MG: Did you do anything specific research about Minnesota or Minnesotans in preparation to play Lester?
MF: Not specifically, no. Ideally, what I would have wanted to do was spend some time there pre-filming because what I wanted to do was not, definitely not do a caricature and definitely not do something that was just comic or a way of going, oh, aren’t these people funny kind of thing. So, in an ideal world I would have spent a couple of weeks hanging out in bars or just speaking to people. The ideal world doesn’t exist and I wasn’t able to do that. But I worked very hard on the accent because, as I said, I didn’t want it to be like a comedy sketch. I wasn’t playing an accent. I was playing a character who happened to speak like that and to be from that place. So, not specific research. I listened to a lot of Minnesotans, put it that way. I listened to a lot of actual Minnesotans in an audio sense, I mean a visual sense. That’s why I didn’t really go back and watch the initial film with Fargo, love it as I do, because I wanted to, for my research of accent-wise, I wanted it to be actual Minnesotans and not actors playing Minnesotans. Any more than I would expect an actor who wants to play a Minnesotan should study me. They shouldn’t study me, they should study a Minnesotan. So, that was the kind of extent of my homework on that. So, rather than thinking what is it that makes Minnesotans different or specific or whatever, I think Lester is pretty universal. There are “Lesters” everywhere in every race and walk of life and country. There are people who are sort of downtrodden and people who are under confident and all that, so that was more a case of tapping into that in myself really.

MG: You’re no stranger to shorter TV series formats, like “Sherlock”; so what did you enjoy most about having “Fargo” be a limited series of 10 episodes?
MF: Well, I think my general outlook on life is that things should be finite and things are finite. You know, we all die. Everything ends. And so for me the idea of things going on and on and on, I don’t always find very attractive. But if it’s a show that I love and it keeps going on and it retains its quality then I’m delighted to be a viewer of it. But I’ve never done things that have gone on and on. Again, like you say, “Sherlock” is a finite job. We spend a limited time of the year doing that. It’s not even every year. “The Office” was 14 episodes totally by design because precisely of what I’m talking about, the attitude of retaining quality and leaving people wanting more rather than leaving people wanting less. This 10 episodes was kind of a clincher for me. When my agent sent it to me it was with the understanding that she said, you know, “You don’t go out for American TV because you don’t want to sign on for something for six or seven years, but this is 10 episodes. See what you think”. So, that was a big attraction. And then I read it, of course, and thought, well, man, this is going to take up four or five months of my life rather than seven years and I’m in. I like moving on, I like going on to the next thing. I like having something else to look forward to as well. I do have a low boiling pressure. I just want to do other things. I think that’s basically why it is and I want to leave something, hopefully, leave something behind that people go, oh, that was great, as opposed to, oh, why did they carry on with this? It was good for the first three seasons and then it all went wrong. I’m well aware that some things don’t go wrong after three seasons. Some of my favorite things are fantastic for a long time. But, yeah, for me personally, I like the hit and run approach. I love doing this for a bit and then doing something else for a bit and then doing something else for a bit. That’s the way I’m hardwired I think.

Matthias Clamer/FX

MG: Lastly, was there anything about Lester that you added to this character that wasn’t originally scripted?
MF: I suppose, yeah, because I think there always is and I don’t even know what is specific, what I could answer to that. But my job I feel is to take a good script and somehow make it better. And that’ every department’s job. It’s the camera department and the design department, you know, to make this script, which is hopefully very good, to make it even better. So an actor’s job is to put flesh on the bones of the character because even though it’s fantastically written you don’t just see the script up on screen. You know, that would be quite boring if you just read the script. You have to flesh it out and just the physicality, the placement of the voice, yeah, I mean all of that stuff can only be done by an actor. Sp yes, the answer is I hope I would have brought a lot to it, but specifics, I don’t really know. But I mean everything that you see on screen, some of that’s Noah and some of it’s me.

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Brighid Fleming talks about role in “Labor Day”

Brighid Fleming is an up and coming teen actress who has appeared in television series and films ranging from “Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia” to “Gamer” with Gerard Butler. Brighid’s most recent film “Labor Day” stars Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet and was released to rave reviews. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Brighid recently about her work on the film as well as her work on the upcoming horror film “The Road Killer”.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us what first got you interested in acting?
Brighid Fleming: When I was younger we used to go to New York a lot to watch plays. Seeing all these made me fall in love with the idea of performing. My mom asked me after one time if I wanted to meet the characters after a performance and I told her no. I wanted to be the characters. She got me involved in Stage Theater and from there I just couldn’t stop.

AL: Can you tell us about your new film “Labor Day” and your character Eleanor?
BH: The film is about a convict that gets picked up by a mom and her son. The man ends up hiding out with a family and sort of takes care of them. It’s a love story that stars Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet. I play the role of Eleanor who is a very edgy and independent girl. She is very smart and knows what she wants. Things were pretty free with the character and I think I was able to add quite a bit to her. Eleanor is a pretty interesting character.

AL: What was it that interested you in the role?
BH: I was really drawn to how strong the character of Eleanor was. Finding a role this strong for someone my age is sort of rare. A friend suggested that I submit an audition tape so I did even though I thought no one would ever see it. A couple weeks later I got a call telling me about the call back. It was very surprising.

AL: What was it like working with such a diverse cast and what was your best memory from the shoot?
BH: All of my scenes were with Gattlin Griffith who plays Henry however; I was able to me Kate Winslet. She was so great. Kate was very nice and level headed. It was great experience. Probably my favorite memory from the shoot was the day we were filming out on these big white rocks. Our scene was shot as we were walking across them. This was also the same day I had my first on screen kiss. That day was a lot of fun.

AL: Can you tell us about some of your other upcoming projects?
BH: I have a role in Shakespeare’s “A Mid-Summers Night Dream” which is being put on by the Inter-City Shakespeare Company. This program is really great as you get attend workshops put on by the professional artists from the company. This is a great opportunity for young actors and actresses and you can find more out about the program at www.innercityshakespearecompany.org. I also am working on a play written by Eric Ludnik titled “Day Trader” which runs through mid February. Besides those performances I am an associate producer on a horror film titled “The Road Killer” which stars Maria Olsen. I am a big horror film fan and while working with Maria on another project we became friends and are now working on this project together.

AL: Is producing something you see yourself doing more of as you get older?
BH: I have always been very interested in the production side of things. I have always been writing and actually wrote my first novel when I was 7 though, it may have not been very good. (Laughs) I like the idea of being behind the camera. I think there are a lot of interesting aspects to both being behind and in front of the camera. Producing and acting are things that I hope to be able to keep doing for a long time to come.

 

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AnnaLynne McCord talks about her role in “Scorned” and TV’s “Dallas”

Photo Credit: Anchor Bay Entertainment

AnnaLynne McCord is known best for her role in the CW series “90210”, playing the role of Naomi Clark. She is also known for the role of Eden Lord on the FX series “Nip/Tuck”. Last year she delivered a fantastic role in the terribly disturbing horror film “Excision”. This year, she returns to the horror/thriller genre again with the film “Scorned”, which co-stars Billy Zane. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with AnnaLynne about her roles and what we can expect from her in TNT’s “Dallas” this season.

Mike Gencarelli: After “Excision” last year and now “Scorned”, what do you enjoy most about playing these kinds of twisted characters?
AnnaLynne McCord: Doing “Excision” was a dream role for me. It was incredible in its own right. So when “Scorned” came down the pipeline and it sounded like a similar character but it had more of that campy Friday-night-fun-horror deal to it. It was one of those films that we didn’t think it was going to come together until the 11th hour. Literally, I was doing a film in Vegas and I was heading to the airport not knowing if I was going back to LA or heading to Ohio. When I got to Ohio, I was shocked at how much of a small town it was. I was wondering if I flew had overseas since there was no cell reception in the entire town. I had to drive over the bridge, which literally brought me into Kentucky in order to get service. Who can be without their cellphone these days, it’s terrifying. We need to make a horror movie about that [laughs].But it was a very fun film to shoot and we kept it light.

MG: How was getting to beat the shit out of Billy Zane?
AM: Yeah, I enjoyed that. I enjoyed that perhaps too much [laughs].

MG: The film is quite brutal; was it difficult performing the torture scenes?
AM: When we really went there with some of these scenes, I learned the difference between filming and reality. Even when I saw the first screener, when I go to hobble Billy’s ankle, it was crazy thinking that I did that. I know I hit a log underneath his foot. I know I didn’t actually hit him but watching it was tough. It was still fun though. The cool thing about being a crazy sadistic character is that you get to be a nice person in real life. I get all of my anger out on other people…and I get paid for it [laughs].

MG: How do you get inside of the head of characters like Sadie?
AM: It is a very interesting transition for me. Obviously, I don’t do around torturing or murdering people otherwise you would be talking to me from a prison cell right now [laughs]. So there is a bit of embellishment. The key for playing any role is you have to decide for yourself before the project begins that you have absolutely no judgment over that character. That way you are able to look back and understand their psyche. As an actor you have to put on their shoes and have full acceptance of what they are doing and think “If I was her, why does my entire environment depend on me doing this”. It is interesting to think about a character who is doing something that is evil and have to look at them with empathy and compassion in order to get inside of them and be who they are. So that is really the process for actors, if they are good actors [laughs], to prepare when playing a role like Sadie.

Photo Credit: Anchor Bay Entertainment

MG: What drew you to work on the TV show “Dallas”?
AM: I think it has to be the storytelling. I know one of the showrunners, Mike Robin, from my work on “Nip/Tuck”. He called and link up again for “Dallas”. The showrunners sat down with me and explained the arc for the character and told me that their focus on the show was to tell stories. They wanted to have real genuine storytelling. For me, I thought it was so nice to hear. It was a nice transition for me as well between films and getting to tip-toe back into TV. I really loved that the fact that writers were so committed to have great storytelling.

MG: What can we expect from your character Heather this season?
AM: It was cool because for once I get to play a nice girl. She is a strong female role. The dynamics between her character and Christopher is really fun. She comes on strong like a tornado and hurricane all wrapped into one. So her energy is definitely a force to be reckoned with. I think that that dynamic is something that Christopher really likes about her. He is in this family that lies to everyone all the time and he has this one “creature” that comes in saying [in Southern accent] “I am going to tell you so much of the truth; you won’t be able to handle it”. He finds a way to handle it and it really becomes this great dynamic. I just finished wrapping up the season with episode 10, so it has been great. I can’t wait for everyone to see it.

 

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PJ Byrne reflects on his role in “The Wolf of Wall Street” and his new show on CBS “Intelligence”

PJ Byrne is known best for his scene stealing roles in films like “Final Destination 5”, “Horrible Bosses” and most recently in Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street”. He is also the voice of Bolin in Nickelodeon’s hit animated show “The Legend of Korra”. PJ is not only a great actor but also a great personal friend and Media Mikes got to chat with him about about his role in “The Wolf of Wall Street” and his new show on CBS “Intelligence”, which premieres on January 7th.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you got involved with “The Wolf of Wall Street”?
PJ Byrne: Having gone to Boston College as finance major, this was one of those movies that I had been tracking for a while. I wanted to make sure that I got an audition for this film. Mr. Scorsese wasn’t going to be at the auditions and they would be held in New York not Los Angeles, so I decided to put myself on tape and improvise my own monologue. So I came up with this monologue with me calling up a guy and finding out that he passed away from his wife and I end up selling her like $100,000 dollars’ worth of stock, just to show how manipulative these guys where. Mr. Scorsese saw it, loved it and asked me to come out to New York to audition. So I went there and was freaking out but he is just the coolest guy there is man. He put me at ease, I improvised some more and next thing I know I am in the movie and for the part I wanted, which was even better.

MG: What was it like working a legendary director like Martin Scorsese?
PJB: It was a really special experience. He is this great iconic director that if you are lucky you get to work with as an actor. The thing with these iconic directors is that they are also great communicators. They give you the confidence to go out and do anything you want but at the same time they also prepare you so well during that process. At the end of the day, he realized that he wasn’t in from of the camera we were and he just let us do our thing. That was the greatest gift that he could give. The trust he gave me and confidence he gave me to sort of unleash because a lot of the things I did was improvised, which is a scary world in its own but I have been doing it for a while now. It is also scary in the sense that these guys are extremely unethical and crazy guys, so I have to leave PJ at the door and go in and become this character.

MG: How can you address the reactions about people saying that the film is glorifying these characters?
PJB: You want people in America to know how bad these guys are, so you want really get into these characters and portray them correctly. So if anyone ever calls you on the phone, be aware since these people are out to get your money. This is a great way to tell people to be very aware and to raise your radar and in this film, we do it in an interesting way. Removing the fact that this is an artistic movie, we really break down what these guys are doing and how they are taught to sell. Not saying that all guys that sell you stocks are bad but this movie is aimed to raise your awareness to watch and realize who is handling your money. If I learned anything in college is that, first, there is no such thing as a free lunch and second, no one cares more about your money than you do. I think it is important for people to watch this movie so it is seared into their brain.

MG: How does it feel to be called a “scene stealer” in your films?
PJB: I guess it is flattering to be called that but I do not go into a scene thinking that I am going to steal this scene. I think it is a lot of preparation, especially when you are improvising. I did all my work and I know my character. If you wanted me to sell a cupcake, I was so prepared for this guy and I could have sold anything in that moment, using “Wolf” as an example. So that is one thing, the other is coming armed with not necessarily jokes but different approaches to the role. Let’s say I prepared like twenty things and I only use two, I am still fully armed and ready. The third piece of preparing is being ready to roll with it and see where any of it goes. What you prepared might not be useful at all since the director and actors might be thinking about something else. But since you know the character so well, you are ready to go any which way. In the film, there is a bunch of stuff that I prepared for and then there are other parts we just went with. I had no idea that Jonah (Hill) was going to do the part of “Don’t look him in the eyes” and we ended up just riffing off that. I had that horrible line the first time that we see Margo (Robbie) and the line that came out of my mouth even scared me, which was “She is so hot, I would let her give me AIDS”. As horrible as that line is that is exactly who these guys were though. It is inappropriate because the time period is inappropriate with AIDS but is something that is going to stick in your head. This goes back to the idea of glorifying them; this was there to show that these are bad dudes and to be wary of them. So it is not just about scene stealer, it is about being prepared when going into a role.

MG: Let’s talk about your new TV show on CBS called “Intelligence”, tell us what we can expect?
PJB: After doing “The Wolf of Wall Street” and I have done a lot of comedies, you can’t plan this but I have always thought in the back of my head that I would love to do a drama. This came along and everything worked out and I feel just blessed to be a part of it. Everyone involved is really cool and I love the premise. This show is great mixture of “Homeland” meets “The Bourne Identity”. Being a guy that loved watching James Bond as a kid and in this I get to be the Q character a bit was very appealing. I also have this family relationship since Josh’s character who is considered a brother to me and having that conflict there was also interesting.

MG: Can you give us a run down about your character, Nelson Cassidy?
PJB: I am a computer genius in the show. I can do anything that Josh’s character can do on the computer…except he can do it 1.6 billion times faster because he has a microchip in his brain. So that is very annoying to me. My father created this chip and Josh’s character and he looks to him as his own son as he is a brother to me…except Josh is incredibly handsome and I am not as good looking, so that is a point of contention. I can get into fights but he is a trained Delta Force guy, so he can kick ass better than me…and that is annoying. So there is a lot of that brotherly jealously going on if you will [laughs]. But he is my brother and I have his back and we are always there for each other and that is a cool part of the show. When you have that family aspect when working on a show and you play a scene with a person you know or a co-worker you have to be more delicate. But when it involves your brother you can go from 0 to 10 right away and to me that is much more interesting. Another aspect of the character that I love is that I am not just behind a computer; I actually get to be put into the field. I had to shoot guns, save people and pull bombs out of bodies, so it is awesome from that perspective. The last aspect that I loved about the show is that I am like the person at home watching being thrown into this world where Josh’s character is the complete opposite and trained to be in this world. Meghan Ory’s character Riley is Secret Service, so she is also trained to be in this world. Same goes for the character Lillian, who is played by Marg Helgenberger. I just happen to be this super genius and by default I was just thrown into this world. So I do not know how to be a “super-agent” and I had to slowly transition into it and I found that to be a lot of fun to play out.

MG: What else do you have going on for 2014?
PJB: I’ve got this show right now. So this is the first time that I haven’t had to do pilot season, which is a little scary but still comforting. I get to go off now and go into the movie world. I got something brewing but I can’t say officially yet. I have a little window now to shoot something because if the show gets picked up then we go back to work in June. Then I still have “The Legend of Korra”, which is coming back for its third season and let me tell you…it is awesome! We are currently doing ADR and I have seen it all and fans are going to freak out since it’s that good. I am so proud to be a part of that show. So for now be sure to tune in to “Intelligence” on CBS and watch out for some other great projects in the works this year.

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Julie Adams reflects back on her role in “Creature from the Black Lagoon”

Julie Adams is known best as the bathing beauty Kay Lawrence in 1954’s “Creature from the Black Lagoon”. She also appeared in the musical comedy “Tickle Me” along side Elvis Presley in 1965. Recently, Adams has authored a book on her life and career called “The Lucky Southern Star: Reflections From The Black Lagoon”, which was published in 2011 and is currently available via her website. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Julie about her role in “Creature from the Black Lagoon” and discuss her outstanding career.

Mike Gencarelli: Why do you think that Creature has resonated with fans for all these years?
Julie Adams: I think it’s a good movie. The script was well-written by Harry Essex and Arthur A. Ross. Jack Arnold was a fine director; he did a beautiful job directing the film. Our ensemble cast helped to make a fantastic story believable. The Creature suit was unique and original, and still captures audiences’ imaginations today with how immaculately it was designed and realized on film. The music also accentuates the suspense and enhances the scary moments. Creature enthusiasts from back in the 1950s watched the movie with their children in the 1970s. Today, people who grew up in the 70s run the film with their kids, so we now have three generations of fans — it is truly remarkable to be a part of this kind of phenomenon.

MG: What was your initial reaction when you first saw the Gill Man costume? Was it on Ben Chapman or Ricou Browning?
JA: I was startled the first time I saw the Gill Man fully realized. I’ll never forget how believable the costume looked. I did the majority of my work in the film with Ben Chapman. Ricou primarily worked with my double, Ginger Stanley, in the underwater sequences that were shot in Wakulla Springs, Florida.

MG: Did shooting the film in 3D cause any issues during production?
JA: Have you seen the new 3D Bluray? Shooting in 3D had very little impact on me throughout the course of the production. That aspect of the filmmaking was left up to our fine camera crew and director. I have seen the new 3D Bluray. In fact, we screened it in Jacksonville, Florida in March at Sun-Ray Cinema with a sold out audience. The entire film has been digitally restored. It’s almost like a new movie. Like a crystal clear window into the past. It is absolutely spectacular!

MG: What was it like swimming knowing that “the creature” was underneath you?
JA: In actuality, it was all an illusion. Because I only did the swimming on the surface at Universal Studios in Hollywood, the Creature was never beneath me at the studio. That was the magic of editing. The stunning underwater photography in Florida was seamlessly cut together with the shots of me on the surface on the studio backlot, creating the effect for the audience that the Creature and I were actually in the Black Lagoon together. I’m still astonished at how well the underwater ballet with Kay and the Gill Man still captivates viewers to this day!

MG: Any interesting stories from shooting in the water?
JA: Probably the most intriguing was from a scene near the end of the picture when I am being carried by Ben Chapman in the Creature’s underwater lair. Someone at the studio had forgotten to heat the tank that day. It was a chilly autumn morning, and the water was quite cold. So when Ben emerged with me in his arms I was trying desperately not to shiver. The goggles on Ben’s Creature mask fogged up and he couldn’t see very well. The cave set was made up of paper mache’ rocks that had a few jagged edges. While carrying me unconscious in his arms, Ben accidentally bumped my head against one of the rocks and my eyes suddenly opened and I raised my head. The director yelled “Cut,” and production was delayed momentarily while a small scrape on my forehead was tended to by a nurse. Of course, the studio made a publicity stunt out of it and pictures were taken of the mishap. I still love seeing the photo of Ben in his Creature suit looking over me solicitously as the nurse tends to my forehead. In the end, it was a very minor incident and production resumed about fifteen minutes later.

MG: Tell why did you decided to write your memoir “The Lucky Southern Star: Reflections From The Black Lagoon”?
JA: It was really the fans’ idea. Over the years a lot of folks who enjoy my work in movies and television asked me about writing a memoir. Finally in 2009, my son Mitch and I decided it was time to sit down and write one! It took us more than two years to complete. We have been delighted with the response to it, movie enthusiasts from all over world have read it, some have even sent nice notes telling me how much they have enjoyed it. There is an entire chapter about the making of Creature from the Black Lagoon, the book is also filled with numerous behind-the-scenes photos form Creature and other films and television shows that I appeared in through the years. It is available exclusively through my website at www.julieadams.biz.

MG: Any plans to release as audio book expanding the original small run?
JA: Due to the popularity of the print book, we released the audio book near the end of 2012. I read the entire story for the production, which was a lot of fun and brought back so many memories. I think my fans have enjoyed hearing me read the story on the audio book. Some even own both the print and audio book, which is wonderful!

MG: What was it like working with Elvis Presley?
JA: It was a dream. I’m from the South and Elvis was a true Southern gentleman. One example of this was how he sent all of the actresses in Tickle Me flowers on their first day on the set. I also marveled at how well he performed his singing numbers in the movie, lip-syncing them perfectly. Elvis was a phenomenon, and I cherished my time working with him!

MG: Looking back on your amazing career what were some of your favorite roles?
JA: Naturally, I loved the role of Kay Lawrence in Creature. It was nice playing an educated scientist who goes off on an adventure up the Amazon in search of the origin of a mysterious claw. I also enjoyed portraying Laura Baile in Bend of the River, opposite James Stewart, whom I consider to be one of the silver screen’s finest actors. Later in my career I had great fun as Eve Simpson, the realtor in Cabot Cove on Murder, She Wrote. She was an eccentric character who provided some funny moments on the show. And of course it was a great experience to play comedy with someone as skilled as Angela Lansbury. I also loved performing in the theatre. One of my favorite roles was as Mary Tyrone in Eugene O’Neill’s masterwork Long Day’s Journey into Night. I’ve been fortunate to play a lot of interesting women over the years, and feel blessed to have had so many opportunities in film, television, and on the stage to entertain audiences.

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Tiya Sircar talks about her role in “The Internship”

Texas-born actress Tiya Sircar is on a roll. After earning guest starring roles in such popular television shows as “House,” “The Vampire Diaries” and “NCIS” she graduated to film, co-starring alongside Zac Efron in “17 Again” and Justin Timberlake in “Friends With Benefits.” This past summer she shared the screen with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson in the comedy hit, “The Internship.” To celebrate this week’s DVD/Blu-ray release of “The Internship” Tiya sat down with MediaMikes to talk about improvising with Vince Vaughn, her current role in the new show “Witches of East End” and obeying non-disclosure agreements.

Mike Smith: How did you come to be cast in “The Internship?” What drew you to the project?
Tiya Sircar: First of all, what drew me to the project was that Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson were in it. That made it pretty much a no-brainer for me (laughs). I’m a huge fan of each of them individually and when you put them together…I think “Wedding Crashers” is one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. Those two alone were exciting for me. But I also really loved the character. I thought it would be fun to get to play a really smart, confident and accomplished female character in a comedy full of a bunch of dudes so that was exciting to me as well.

MS: Vince Vaughn co-wrote the film and Owen Wilson is also an established writer. Were you encouraged to improvise on set or did you have to stick to the script?
TS: Oh no, not at all. We were allowed to improvise 100%…if we could come up with our own stuff we were encouraged to do so. Even when I first met Vince in an audition setting…I had five or six pages to do for my audition. I think we stuck to maybe one page and the rest came about through Vince’s brilliant comedic mind. Anytime you’re in an acting situation with either of those two you have to be very prepared for a lot of improv.

MS: You’re currently appearing in the new television series, “The Witches of East End.” Is this going to be a recurring role?
TS: It is. I play the love interest of one of the lead guys.

MS: What else are you working on?
TS: I’m actually working on two animated projects. One’s an animated series and one’s an animated feature. However, I’ve been sworn to secrecy on both of them! (laughs). I’d love to talk about them but I can’t, which I know doesn’t help you at all. But hopefully I’ll be able to talk about them soon. I’m also about to start an indie comedy called “Miss India America” and I’m playing the lead in it. It’s got a great cast and a very funny script. I’m really thrilled to have gotten the lead in this movie.

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Neil Hopkins talks about his role in “Detour”

Neil Hopkins is known best for his role of Liam in ABC’s “Lost”, Neil takes on a basically one man show in the film “Detour”. The film features his character getting caught and captured in a mud slide and his struggle for survival. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Neil about the film and his role.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you got involved with the film “Detour”?
Neil Hopkins: I knew William Dickerson, the writer and director. We went to the same school, Holy Cross but at different times. He looked me up when he got to Los Angeles and said he wanted to work together. We worked together on this thesis project in his third year at AFI, a short film called “Shadowbox”. That turned out very well and I knew that he had been working on this film “Detour” for a long time. Him and his writing partner Dwight Moody wrote this going back to 2008. So it predated all of the other similar films like “Buried”, “127 Hours” and “Wrecked”. It just took a long time to get it made and then even longer to get it released. He wanted to have control over the film and decided to do it with a micro-budget. So he called me up and said he wanted to play this part and that was back in January of 2010. We had about six months before shooting and we got a chance to work together on the script. It was a very collaborative process. I think we came up with a really cool product. Even though it was a very grueling and difficult process it was still a lot of fun.

MG: Where you ever concerned having to carry this film mostly on your own?
NH:  Absolutely! I think any actor would be. But it was also very exciting to have the opportunity to do something like this. It was one of those opportunities that you just couldn’t say no to. I just threw myself into it and tried my damnedest and fortunately I think it turned out pretty well. It was nerve wrecking for me since if people didn’t like my performance then the film wouldn’t work at all. So that was very apparent to me but it has been very well received and has been a very exciting journey. It is also very cool to have a role like this under my belt.

MG:  Your character becomes like MacGyver after he is trapped. Did you do any special research in preparing for the role?
NH: Will and Dwight has worked on the script for so long that they has already done so much of the research needed. It was a very detailed script in terms of action and the building of the gadgets. But there was also a lot of things in the script that we were able to work with in the moment. So certain things changed based on that aspect during shooting. In terms of how I prepared for the role, I just put myself in the situation of how I would react if I was thrust into the same situation. I asked myself “How would you keep from going nuts?” So the details in the script assist that as well in order to find the arc very well.

MG:  Tell us how it was the car scenes shot to accomplish that trapped feeling?
NH: It was actually quite simple. The film was shot in chronological sequence. We had to shoot it that way since we only had one car and we had to get it right on the first try. We couldn’t fill the car up with mud and then figure out that something was wrong and had to reshoot. It was a type of high-wire act since we knew we couldn’t go back once we started. The car itself was this jerry-rigged Jeep Cherokee. There is this garage that rigs cars specifically for movies and the car had the option to slide the doors off, the dashboard, the roof…whatever we needed. What they did for the mud, which I think worked very well, was that they used mud rugs. It is basically like a carpet sample and they put them against each window. On each rug there was a combination of latex painted to look like mud and then real mud on top of that. So 360 degrees around the car was covered in mud. So it really created this effect of being completely submerged. I thought that was really cool and I like simple solutions like that.

MG:  What you got coming up next?
NH: Will and Dwight are working on their next script. So we are looking to start shooting that in the Fall. I am very excited about that. It is very different film from “Detour”. It is going to be really cool but I can’t talk too much about it now.

 

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Kiara Muhammad talks about her role on Disney Junior’s “Doc McStuffins”

Photo Credit: DISNEY JUNIOR/TODD WAWRYCHUK

Kiara Muhammad is the voice actor, who gives live to the lovable Doc on Disney Junior’s hit series “Doc McStuffins”. The show recently completed its first season and has become a worldwide phenomenon from merchandise to phone apps. The series has already spawned a new short-form spin-off called “The Doc Files”, which starts airing on July 22nd. and recently released its first season soundtrack, “The Doc Is In”. Kiara took out some time to chat with Media Mikes about her work on the show, its new spin-off series and also what we can expect from season two this Fall.

Mike Gencarelli: How does it feel to have become such a big role model for kids?
Kiara Muhammad: It is pretty amazing. I didn’t realize that for some kids that “Doc McStuffins” is there favorite show on TV and they watch it every day. So I think it has just recently hit me that so many people like it.

MG: What do you enjoy most about voicing Doc McStuffins?
KM: I think that is it just really fun. I am able to have some freedom on the show. If there is a line that I change a little and they end up liking it better they will actually keep it that way. I think that is really cool and adds some nice freedom to the role. Also you don’t have to dress-up and wear make-up for the role. You can just go in your pajamas. So that is cool!

MG: When you record are you with the other actors?
KM: No actually, I am in the booth by myself. Chris (Nee), the creator and Maria (Estrada), the director are in the other room and they give me their direction while I am doing all of my lines.

MG: Do you get to see any animation while you are recording?
KM: Normally when I am doing a regular episode, there is not any animation. But if we were to go back and do a commercial they sometimes have the animation already done and I have to time my voice to the commercial.

MG: How does it feel to see all the show expanding from TV to the Disney Parks, stores and mobile apps?
KM:  It is pretty cool. I didn’t even know they had some of the stuff they do. I am at my grandmothers house right now and she has a Doc puzzle. I thought that was really cool.

MG: I love the songs in the show, do you enjoy singing on the show?
KM: I do love singing on this show. Michelle (Lewis) and Kay (Hanley) are really good. They wrote the songs and have done such a great job. My favorite was when we got to do a reggae song from the first season. It was a really diverse song and I loved it.

MG: Tell about about the new spin-off series “The Doc Files”?
KM: It is about Doc reviewing her day with the toys that she saw. It is really cool 2D animation. It looks different that the normal series. It is really cute.

MG: What can we expect from season two this Fall on Disney Junior?
KM: I think you just need to keep watching. Chris is just so great and has so many wonderful ideas about these toys and situations that can happen. There is going to be so many different things that you aren’t going to expect. So definitely stay tuned!

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: disney, doc, kiara, mcstuffins, muhammad, role, ...

Sarah Wright talks about her role in “21 and Over”

Kentucky born, actress Sarah Wright got her first taste of the spotlight traveling the country and Europe with the singing group The Kentucky Ambassadors of Music. After high school a career in modeling beckoned and she soon found herself in Chicago. Her work attracted the attention of Hollywood and soon she was appearing on television programs like “The Loop,” “Quintuplets” and “Seventh Heaven.” Film’s followed and she showcased her talents with roles in “The House Bunny,” “Celeste and Jesse Forever” and this past springs comedy “21 and Over.” She’s also had a recurring role on the popular comedy series “Parks and Recreation.”

While preparing for the release of “21 and Over” to home video DVD and Blu-ray, Ms. Wright sat down with Media Mikes to talk about the film, her own 21st birthday and her future on “Parks and Recreation.”

Mike Smith: For those readers that haven’t yet seen the film, give us an introduction to “21 and Over” and your character, Nicole.
Sarah Wright: “21 and Over” is the story of three friends. Two of them show up to take the third out to celebrate his 21st birthday. The third friend is scheduled for an important job interview the next morning so they agree to get him back home in plenty of time to rest. Of course they don’t and craziness ensues! My character is the love interest of the character played by Skylar Astin.

MS: Was making the film as much fun as the finished product?
SW: It was awesome! The guys had a blast because they were basically partying the entire time. I had fun being the only girl. It was like hanging out with three brothers. We hung out all night long every night we were shooting. It was great. It was fun and easy because the directors were fantastic and they had written a great script. It was a great script but they still allowed us to do some improv. It’s always great to be able to play around and do that.

MS: Can you recall the craziest thing you did when you turned 21?
SW: (laughs loudly) Actually my 21st birthday was not that crazy. I started younger. I was modeling and living in Japan when I was 16. I was living in Greece at 19. I had some really crazy party nights after concerts and at after-party places. I remember winding up somewhere in Japan and having to make my way back to my apartment at four o’clock in the morning. I think on my 21st birthday I kind of mellowed out.

MS: Are you going to be back on “Parks and Rec” next season?
SW: They’ve talked to me about it so there’s a possibility. It’s funny, when I started I figured that after my story with Rob Lowe was done I’d never be back on the show but they keep finding ways to bring me back. It’s a lot of fun. I love doing that show.

MS: What are you working on next?
SW: I just finished a film with Elizabeth Banks, James Marsden and Gillian Jacobs called “Walk of Shame.” It’s scheduled to come out next March.

 

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: 21, role, sarah, talks, wright
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