Interviews (3)

May 25, 2013

Exclusive: Carrie Preston talks ‘True Blood’ season finale

With the season four finale upon us, it’s a bittersweet day for True Blood fans. This has absolutely been the best season of the show so far and I can’t wait to see what Alan Ball and all the writers have in store for us tonight!

I had the pleasure to talk to Carrie Preston, who plays Merlotte’s resident red head Arlene Fowler on the HBO supernatural hit drama this week to gain a little insight as to what might be going down.

Things got right-down crazy for Arlene when she was confronted with her biggest fears, that her son Mikey (by ex-fiance and season 1′s serial killer Rene Lenier) would turn out to be just as his evil as his father. Her current husband Terry Bellefleur (Todd Lowe) is a down-right nice guy and won’t be as easily convinced……

……until weird things start happening in the Bellefleur household that freak everyone into believing that Arlene might have been on to something!

Rosy: “Things got crazy for Arlene this season, that storyline with the baby was bananas! Now that they Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) and Jesus (Kevin Alejandro) have helped the spirit cross over, will Arlene still be worried about Rene somehow affecting little Mikey?

Carrie: “I think that is something that she will always be concerned about, it’s not something that is easily fixed. It didn’t really get answered, she learned that her baby was not being possesed by him but the baby was being controlled by something so that was scary!

I feel like she is always going to have one eye out for Rene’s influence.”

Rosy: “Arlene has always had a distaste for the vampires and now with witches and werewolves in town, how has she been able to cope?”

Carrie: “She doesn’t really know about the werewolves and the shape shifters because they aren’t really out but as far as the witches she had her experience with Holly (Lauren Bowles) out in the woods in season three when she tried to help her “release” the baby.

I think that experience was probably be enough for her as far as witchcraft is concerned. Arelene is definitely someone who gets a little concerned when its something that she doesn’t understand.

Those kinds of things scare her, she’s a very practical woman.

With the vampires being so prevalent in society right now that she is starting to have come to terms with them and find a way to accept them and tolerate them. So let’s see how long that holds.”


Rosy: “There is a rumor floating around that you won’t be back next season. Is this true? If so, what will happen to Arlene?”

Carrie: “I can’t really answer to anything that happens beyond this season. I think you’ll have a better sense of who’s around and who’s not at the end of the finale of this season.

Rosy: In Sunday’s episode, Terry went back to look for Andy after their showdown. Now Andy is back but no sign of Terry. Is there something wrong?

Carrie: “Terry was out looking for Andy because he hadn’t come home yet. He was out making love to a fairy! He was out in the woods hooking up with that fairy.

Terry didn’t know what was going so he went out to look for him while Arlene was waiting at home.

When Andy came in it was a really wonderful scene I got to do with Chris Bauer, I was very happy about that. You got to see a little tender moment between Andy Bellefleur and Arlene Fowler which was not something anyone was expecting.

We were very pleased with that scene. That day was just full of ease and grace.”

Rosy: “Speaking of the Andy/Fairy hook-up, is there anything you can tell us about that?”

Carrie: “Your guess is as good as mine! We don’t really know where that is going to go but certainly his mind was opened and it seemed like some kind of opening to the fairy world as well.

Which we hadn’t really touched on since the premiere of this season.

 

Rosy: “Arlene was involved with the wiccans before. Will she have any more involvement with them?”

Carrie: “I think that for Arlene she’s most comfortable with things that she understands. Anything outside of her realm of understanding something that I think, she wants to avoid.

But it was interesting to see her in a scene when that spirit came out of Lafayette’s body and Arlene was there to witness it. I think that was an interesting moment for her to experience something outside of the practical world.

I’m curious to see if that will have any effect on her.”

Rosy: “What can you tease us about the overall finale? Will we lose any main characters?”

Carrie: “Well you’re definitely going to experience one of our biggest cliff hangers yet! But that’s no surprise, it’s True Blood.

You can’t have a season finale and not have a huge cliffhanger but this one is pretty extraordinary.

Rosy: “What other projects are you working on?”

Carrie: “I just shot a film in Nebraska called Vino Veritas and it was an independant film and it was just four actors. It was a lot of work but a lot of fun.

The movie I directed during last hiatus is now being submitted to festivals so I’m spending a lot of time and energy to get that out into the world. It’s called, “That’s What She Said” and it stars Anne Heche.

I’m also writing a web series and I’ve been shooting a little bit of that that I’m starring in. It’s called The Dody Show so I’m doing a lot of stuff with my production company Daisy 3 Pictures.

I’m a little worried that Arlene and Terry will be pretty sick of having all this supernatural drama going on around them that they might want to round up the kids and get out of dodge. Who wants to raise their children around all the madness that has taken over Bon Temps?

We can’t end a True Blood finale discussion without mentioning the Sookie (Anna Paquin), Eric (Alexander Skarsgard), and Bill (Stephen Moyer) love triangle!! I think you all know who I’m rooting for!! I’m just sad we didn’t get any Sookie/Alcide (Joe Manganiello) love going on but I think that might be a good set-up for next season.

Especially now with Debbie (Brit Morgan) out of the picture!

To stay up-to-date on all things Carrie Preston, make sure to follow her on Twitter via this link and check out her official website here and her production company Daisy 3 Pictures via this link.

Carrie also chatted with us about all the fun things she is doing during New York Fashion Week which we will feature with some of her looks over at CurvyChica.com later today.

Don’t forget to tune in to the season finale of True Blood tonight on HBO!

Necessary Awesome! Marc Blucas and Terrell Owens Talk Necessary Roughness Finale

I’m a firm believer that if I can get double the fun, I absolutely should. And since I’m a woman of my word, that’s what happened today, as I had the chance to talk with both the uber bright, funny and lively (and let’s not forget ridiculously handsome… sorry, that had to be said) Marc Blucas and the equally super charming football superstar Terrell Owens about the upcoming season finale of my new favorite show, USA Network’s “Necessary Roughness”. I know, it’s too much luck all at once. Though to be fair, Madame La Chance definitely owes me some more. But I can see your jealous faces and yes, I understand I deserve it. (Excuse me, my phone just rang. “Hello? Oh hi Madame La Chance. What, you’re saying you arranged for me to marry Henry Cavill next week? Well I guess we can call it even then.” THIS is how much Lady Luck owes me.)

Now, while I recover from batting eyelashes and swooning over how fantastically smart and funny Marc Blucas was and how charming Terrell Owens also was, let me sum up the basics for those who are not in the know. 1)There are going to be QUITE A FEW SPOILERS AHEAD. If you don’t want to be spoiled, DO NOT READ! (and you will miss out on Marc Blucas’s wit and on Terrell Owens’s determination to become a good actor, be warned). I’m also going to reference what happened in Wednesday’s episode, so if you haven’t watched yet and don’t want to know, go do those extra 200 pull-ups that will make you have a twelve-pack like Terrell Owens’s . Yes I said 12-pack. See below (as if I’d ever miss the chance to showcase a super fit, handsome athlete in one of my stories. Not to mention he is a majorly nice man).

More importantly, 2) if you have never watched “Necessary Roughness”, get on it now. I’m not one to recommend TV shows easily unless I really think they’re worth it, so here goes. This show may well be the first one I am so hopelessly in love with after Alias. Not that it has anything, and I mean literally anything, in common with Alias in terms of style or topic. It’s a completely different type of show and a far less dark and far less “dramatic” show than Alias. It’s your typical USA Network product (charm, wit, never over dramatic but always with great story developing) but with a bit more of an edge to it. Basically the sports-based cousin of the other new great show USA Network introduced this summer, “Suits”.

“Necessary Roughness” has the two things that matter the most in common with Alias: great writing and a fabulous cast. And I’ll give you that Blucas does remind me of my TV husband Michael Vartan when he plays Matthew Donnally on the show [Matt is the athletic trainer for the Hawks football team], so that clearly draws me in. Plus I just cannot resist the NUP_144617_0171.jpg very talented Mehcad Brooks (who plays the Hawks football star Terrence “TK” King on the show) and that smile of his. What, I never said I didn’t like handsome men.

So, without further delay, let’s see what Marc Blucas and Terrell Owens had to say about the upcoming sure-to-thrill-us finale of Necessary Roughness and about Matthew Donnally and All-Pro Safety/Cornerback Kevin “The Mine-field” Minnifield (Owens’s character in the finale, who is TK’s lifelong rival). Warning: some serious swooning will follow.

Previously on Necessary Roughness: Marc Blucas’s character Matt (or Matty D, as TK calls him) swept us all off our feet and then some when he went to Dr. Dani’s (the Necessary Roughness lead character and therapist for the Hawks, played by the superb Callie Thorne) house on the day of her first wedding anniversary as an ex-wife, and after cheering both her and her mother up over dinner, he told Dani good night, only to immediately make a detour, knock on the door, plant a wet one on Dr. D’s luscious lips and then whisper in her ear “I know what I want. You let me know if you’re in.” Cue irresistible little smile and him walking away. Then we all downed drinks to recover. Then we put our TiVos to good use. I must have re-watched that scene 20 times. It was bloody perfect. I know, I know, you wonder why these men never knock on your doors. They never knock on mine either so don’t complain, we’re all on the same boat.

Anyway, Matt laid down the law for Dr. D and he did so with such determination and sexiness to it, no sane woman would ever be able to say no. But, this being TV, we will have to wait for next week’s finale to see what conclusion Dani comes to. And meantime, there will be some major quantity of football drama to deal with, as the Hawks are in the playoffs and TK finds himself facing “the Mine-field”. That’ll be enough for TK to have a meltdown, and Matt and Dani to join forces to once again save TK from himself.

Alessandra: “There is an interesting parallel in the relationship between Matt and TK and the relationship between Matt and Dani. It seems like whenever Matt and Dani are closer, Matt and TK also manage to have a closer relationship. It happened throughout the season, it happened last episode, and it’s going to happen in the finale too, as it seems Matt and Dani once again join forces to “save” TK from himself. Can you tell us a bit (without spoiling too much of course, we know you can’t) about the parallel between the two relationships and how that has events unfold in the finale?

Marc Blucas: “Good question. I’m going to cover it in general first and then get specific. What I like so much about Matt and playing a trainer is that there are two aspects to his character that I can work with. He’s part of those who manage the team so he’s got to deal with that side of it BUT he’s the trainer so that deals with the most specific sports part of it – and it so often happens that the trainer ends up having good friends amongst the players. I played both sides, so Matt is part of some of the decisions at the administrative level and he gets to call the shots and then there’s this whole other aspect that involves the athletes more specifically, and in real life the trainers spend SO MUCH time listening to athletes and talking with them, so you could always get a chance to form a friendship with a player. And that is what happened between Matt and TK. It was a natural friendship between Matt and TK. Matt and Dani often have to join forces in order to help him. In the finale they will have to do that once again because as we go into the playoff game, he finds himself faced with his worst enemy. I think that we always have that person in our head and it always messes with you and someone reacts well and someone doesn’t. Matt and Dani in the finale have to do what they can to keep TK going.”

So beware, a plate full of drama will hit our beloved TK again in the finale. And his two saviors Matt and Dani will once again work through it. Except, they will have their own personal decisions to make as well, after that scene on Dani’s doorstep that just about made me melt like butter on my warm toast. And, things may turn out to be very interesting for the two of them…

Marc Blucas: “I really try to play Matt as a straightforward type, and we all get to a point in life where we know exactly what we want and we know exactly what makes us happy. Matt is definitely at that point. He’s done playing games, both professionally and personally. And that’s exactly what happened with Matt and Dani. At the end of the day Matt and Dani only had a one night but Matt sees the potential there to develop something more and he wants to see what that will be, so he laid it out clearly for her.”

“I think the timing for Matt to tell Dani what he did last episode was right. I respect the fact that he has it very clear, “these are the things I want” and there is “this can be done and this can wait and this is not negotiable”. He’s been through that stage of  being on the road, going to hotels with the guys, having fun with the groupies (or lobby hos as I now call them, it’s my new favorite expression!) [he laughs], he’s done that already, and he’s met someone that has NUP_144617_0307.jpg created a spark in him that he wants to explore. That’s as far as we can go because in the end so far they’ve only had one night. I like that he has the courage to say (to her) “I have an opportunity and I want to give it a shot and jump full in, so if you’re ready to jump in the water, then let’s give it a shot”. I always say, if you’re not happy with where you wake up and where you go to bed then the rest of the day is going to get a lot more complicated. I am a big believer in “it always starts at home.” So I really like that Matt is trying to create that because he’s missing the home part in his life.”

“I don’t think Matt wants to be an athletic trainer for all his life, he wants to go to the front office and be the one calling the shots, he wants to be part of putting a team together. He doesn’t want to be stuck where he is all his life. Unlike other characters, Matt you don’t know much about, we’ve only seen little tidbits of where he wants to go so that’s going to be an interesting part to develop. He’s got both the professional side and the personal side going on. You have to have that duality. We all bring our home to work and we all bring our work to home so I’m excited to see where the writers are taking this.”

Well stick me with a fork, I’m done. Marc Blucas and the character he plays combined make up the perfect man. Can I order one to take away? Make that two, you never know. Ahem.

So, if things keep going in the direction of building a stable relationship between Matt and Dani, chances are he’ll finally meet both of “the chicklets”, of course. The chicklets being Dani’s teenage son and daughter, per TK’s own definition (hilarious as usual, but it works way better when Mehcad Brooks says it). Here is what Mr. Blucas had to say about Matt meeting Ray J (played by Patrick Johnson) and Lindsay (played by Hannah Marks). He has already met, and made quite an impression on, Dani’s mother, played by Concetta Tomei. Allow me to say, Mama Santino is possibly one of the most hilarious characters I’ve ever seen. She never fails to crack me up, even when I want to strangle her!

Marc Blucas: “It’s funny because we literally NEVER even meet on set! We’ve made that a joke. After we wrapped as we were hugging and celebrating we were saying “It was so nice working with you, congrats on YOUR show, because we’re not on the same show!” We NEVER have scenes together. So when I finally got to film at Dani’s house and meet her mother, it was literally the FIRST time I met Concetta.

Matt is a very fun, easy going type so I look forward to seeing what happens once he gets to meet the kids and be more of a presence in their life. The interest and fun would be exploring Matt being more of a disciplinarian figure toward the kids, because of him being so easy going and fun usually. It will be interesting and fun to explore all those natural emotions that come up when you introduce a new person in a home life. It’s gonna have to be a rollercoaster ride, because always happy relationships don’t make for good TV, so there will have to be that third side of the triangle, after they have been happy for a while, whether it is jealousy, tension or a conflict. So it’s gonna be interesting to see how the writers develop that for next season.”

Oh it’s gonna be very interesting for you and me both, Marc, you and me both! Speaking of, there is no official announcement from USA Network yet, but it’s pretty clear the show will be getting a second season, thanks to its excellent ratings this season. Get on it, USA Network executives, pretty please? I want to know if I am going to die a slow, painful death by having to wait a full year before Necessary Roughness is back or whether (like I think is most likely, and it better be if you have my life at heart, you hear me USA Network execs?) it will be back when Royal Pains and White Collar also resume, at the beginning of next year. Don’t think I’ll let it go, USA Network execs. I love you so much and all because you produce some of the most entertaining shows I’ve ever watched, but I won’t be happy if I’m not given an official announcement about “Necessary Roughness” ASAP! Especially since you’ve done so with all the other shows already. Put me out of this misery, please!

And now let me get back to the delicious Marc Blucas and his character. And promise, Terrell Owens is coming up, too!

Alessandra: “Matt has become the real “balance” center of the show. The theory is it’s Dani BUT truth is, while Dani can certainly help people with the bigger behavioral problems, Matt is the person who always has his feet firmly on the ground and he has the guts to give honest advice and tell people the truth when they ask him. He’s the one who most often can make some sense out of situations. Was it your idea to make him sound like the most “everyday people, common sense” character of them all?”

Marc Blucas: “It was a little bit of both. I have conversations with creators about it and about where I’d take the character on one side, and on the other I do get cast being the voice of reason often. If you ask my wife she says: “I don’t know why you’re cast as that!” [he laughs. So do I, his wife clearly knows better than casting directors? Ha!]

“I told the creators from the start I would really like to see his [Matt] character as someone who is very blunt, direct, honest and he’s done with games and all that goes with them both in his personal life and in his professional life. So it was a great opportunity to play the character exactly like that.”

“Dani is gonna go through a lot of obstacles and she’s gonna have her rollercoaster and TK is a human tornado, he’s always in trouble. So there has to be something in between there, a bridge between those two worlds so to speak, so it makes sense that Matt is that guy. It also gives Matt a fun place to go, if we’re so lucky as to get more seasons and as to have the opportunity to go on telling this story, you see a character that’s seemingly very put together and it’s fun for both the actor and the audience to see where he’ll go when faced with situations.”

And when asked what made him pick this role and come back to TV, Mr. Blucas explained how he liked the idea of playing someone he could relate to instead of making the choice of playing someone who’s the opposite of who he is, always the favorite challenge for an actor. And he then summed it up hilariously as follows:

Marc Blucas: “Hey, in the world of actors I’m a phenomenal fucking athlete! It has been a nice thing for me to come out and have them write for something that was for me, about the first part of my life and first passion that I had.”

Speaking of phenomenal athletes, here comes the one and only Terrell Owens. And get ready, because he’s VERY serious about his acting career, and Marc Blucas promises he’s got a talent that people couldn’t see coming.

Terrell Owens: “I’ve done a lot of cameos here and there and as of lately I’ve done a lot of acting. I did a comedy last year that’s hopefully gonna be hitting the theaters this fall, I did an episode of “Single Ladies”, I also did an episode of “Good Christian Belles” that’s gonna air in the fall. I’ve known Marc Blucas for a while and I’m thankful to USA and everybody that brought me on board to play and participate in “Necessary Roughness”.

NUP_144619_0163.jpg I sat down with directors and executive producers and I didn’t really know what the character was gonna be like until I started reading through the script. And once I started reading through it, I started to understand his mental attitude and what he would be like. Everything is so new for me that I’m always sitting around, trying to take everything in, listen to directions and I really want to be serious about acting. When you have people like Marc and Mehcad and everyone that’s involved in “Necessary Roughness” it makes the environment that much better and it makes it so much easier doing your job. I’m trying to grasp everything that I can watching these guys act and perfect their craft. And at some point, I will be done with football, and I want to go on with acting, so USA Network gave me a big opportunity, so I thank them so much and I hope they will take me seriously going down the road.”

Alessandra: “I’ll start this by saying I’m a sports journalist and I’m European, so my experience is with professional sports here in Europe mainly, but there are many similarities in the various sports once you’re dealing with their professional level. I think Necessary Roughness does a great job at portraying athletes and their lives. Do you think this show, contrary to what many may believe because it’s TV, helps take down stereotypes about sports instead of furthering them?”

Terrell Owens: “I think it does, I think a character like TK really humanizes the person and the football player at the same time. These things go on throughout the course of a season and in people’s lives, and they never really get exposed to fans. I like where they take the show, if these things aren’t shown then people can’t have an idea what the everyday life of athletes actually is.

These are the types of things that players go through on a day-to-day basis that the fans normally don’t have a chance to see. I think that’s what’s so refreshing about the show. I can’t be more pleased with being a part of something that has been so great.

I like it, especially TK’s character, because I can empathize with some of the things he’s going through, and I know many players who have been through similar things. Football is all they have, and they eat, drink and breathe football… and that’s where TK is. I tried developing my character and the mindset of the character on the other side of TK for the finale.”

And as far as what happens to Kevin “the Mine-field” Minnifield in the season finale of “Necessary Roughness”, here’s what Terrell Owens himself had to say:

“I’ve been where TK is at so I can definitely understand what he’s going through in the finale, but I’ve seen the “Mine-field” type too, so while he’s the opposite of someone that I would play, it wasn’t too hard for me to try and get into this. I just tried to listen to the director and see where they wanted me to take the character. At the same time I tried to make the best of it.

You can’t stop me. You really can’t stop me on your best day! That’s the kind of mindset that I brought to the show [in terms of how the game was played and how “Mine-field” was behaving]. The attitude of Mine-field is that of making TK think this. You ain’t gonna do nothing today! I’m your worst nightmare! In the finale you’ll get to see me off the field too and in order not to give too much away you’ll have to tune in to watch.”

And hear this from Marc Blucas, about Terrell Owens’s acting skills:

Marc Blucas: “Some things can be taught. What you can’t teach is comedic timing and Terrell had some moments [while he was filming] when we were looking off camera and we really laughed out loud! So I think when you see it he’s gonna make you raise an eyebrow, because you won’t expect it from him.”

Well, I, for one, would never miss it! Sounds like it’s going to be one hell of a ride, and I’m always in when there’s a good story to watch unfold! And just when we thought we had heard the best that was to come, Marc Blucas cracked us all up with what was his favorite moment when they were filming the finale:

Marc Blucas: “This was our last episode and for us to be winding up the season, it feels like school is over and you’re ready for summer. And it’s nice when you have a curveball thrown at you, it’s exciting to have real athletes come and join our show that has athletics as a basis. As an athlete, for me to start my day in the Georgia Dome playing catch with Terrell Owens before I do my acting, well that’s a good day for me! [He laughs, and general hilarity ensues]. That’s the part that got me most excited.”

Well, the part that got me most excited was talking with these two super nice gentlemen today, but that doesn’t change the fact I will be glued to the TV screen next Wednesday to watch the “Necessary Roughness” season finale. And trust me, you all better do that, too. What’s not to like here? And don’t make me use Matt’s line to Dani in the pilot when she said she wasn’t interested in football! “Tight men’s asses in spandex?!” “THAT part’s tolerable!”. As is having your pinched nerve fixed by Matt, huh? Damn, I think that just happened to me, too. Oh lookie, the Hunchback of Notre Dame is coming to fix mine! Hey, we can’t all have Marc Blucas or Terrell Owens now, can we? That’ll do for me. Plus I love the soundtrack of the musical version.

And thus endeth this super long and super entertaining chat with the utterly charming Marc Blucas and Terrell Owens. Once again, do not forget to tune in for the “Necessary Roughness” season finale on Wednesday, September 14 at 10 p.m. on USA Network!

Thanks for the read lovelies, see ya next time!

Gabriel Macht Spills “Suits” Season Finale and (gasp!) Harvey’s soft side

Well, color me charmed. Not that I wasn’t before having the opportunity to chat with the man who puts one of the most deliciously stylish badass lawyers on our TV screens each week — on USA Network’s “Suits” — but Gabriel Macht himself just makes it impossible not to love him. Very smart and attentive to questions and details in his answers, Gabriel Macht is a man after my own journalist heart. (I may blog too, but I’m still a journalist!) And boy, do I love good interviews. And no, it’s not just because Mr. Macht was so funny and cute when he heard our site’s name. (Thank you, by the way, and my eyes are heart-shaped.)

After about 45 minutes of Mr. Macht talking about what’s it like to play Harvey, what’s ahead on “Suits”, how some James Bond got on going there, and how he felt about taking on this role, I’m positively in love. I’m still team Mike and team (he who plays Mike) Patrick J. Adams, I just love Harvey that much more now. Hey, I’m a giving woman.

So, if you are dying to have a little insight into Harvey and what’s ahead on Suits, keep on reading at your own risk because…WARNING! Spoilers ahead! And they’ll cover the final episodes of “Suits”, plus a very intriguing discussion on Harvey’s past showing up (you heard it, Harvey’s, not Mike’s!).

Before we get started, I’d like to wave hi to Matt Mitovich, who was the first in line to ask spoiler-y questions of course, and who is way too awesome for me not to wave at him! Hi, Matt!

Yeah, yeah I get it, this is not entertainment hour (or, well, is it?) I must spill the goodies now. It’s back to work. On Gabriel Macht. Well that doesn’t exactly displease me. Here you go, from the man himself, the answers to your burning questions about Harvey and Suits!

Alessandra: “Is there going to be a flashback to when Harvey was working under Jessica’s wing in the next few episodes or next season? It’s been referenced many times on the show, how Harvey had to do this and that when he was working for Jessica, and it would be a great way of showing a possibly different side to Harvey. As in, showing Harvey before he was… Harvey.”

Gabriel Macht: “I don’t know if that will happen, as in an actual flashback. I do know that in tomorrow night’s episode AND in the finale you’re gonna see a few encounters with Harvey and Jessica. [Played by the ever-awesome Gina Torres. Why HELLO, Ana Espinoza! Killed anyone today? Kicked any ass to the curb for a blouse? If you didn't watch Alias, never mind, ignore this!]. Jessica sort of saw Harvey in many ways like Harvey sees Mike, so she helped him, she also put him with the district attorney played by Gary Cole to get him trial experience. She put him with the district attorney so that he could learn the ropes. You’ll see how that sort of reveals itself. I don’t know whether we’ll see a flashback, but you’ll see how they got to where they are now and you’ll see who Harvey was in essence, in some of the scenes with Gary Cole. And you’ll see guilt and it’s a situation where he rightly feels guilty.”

“Gary Cole plays a district attorney from Manhattan [Cameron Dennis is the name of Cole's character] and my SUITS -- Episode 111 -- Photo by: Christos Kalohoridis/USA Network relationship with him is that I was one of his assistants back in the day. I think, if I’m correct, Alicia [Coppola, also a guest star on the next episode of “Suits”] was also one of the assistants back with me, or anyway someone we ran into often, a colleague of some sort.

Cole’s character comes back to me to sort of try and keep a past wrongdoing behind closed doors because he is seeking re-election. He buries some evidence in regards to a certain character that you’ll meet as some point. And I (Harvey) was unaware that he was burying evidence. Gary Cole’s character was Harvey’s initial mentor, he’s Harvey’s Harvey. Like Harvey is to Mike.”

“Alicia plays someone who works at the attorney general’s office, so she’s trying to end his [Gary Cole's character] re-election and she’s trying to get me to open up about him.”

And if you thought this was all, think again, because the plot thickens as Chi McBride (another incredibly smart, funny actor I had the pleasure to talk to about HawthoRNe a few weeks ago, see the interview here) guest stars in the season finale of “Suits”.

Gabriel Macht: “Chi comes in in the last episode, he’s the interim district attorney because – not to give anything away – something happens to the present district attorney. Harvey wants to right a wrong that happened when he was with the district attorney many years ago. And the only way is to bring it up to Chi in order to make a deal. But Chi really doesn’t play by the book and makes it really difficult for Harvey to accomplish his goal. So Harvey sort of met his match there. Chi is a solid, solid guy, and a terrific actor, and I really enjoyed working with him. I think those scenes are really strong.”

Expanding on that subject, Mr. Macht revealed to all of us something that may come as a shock to a lot of viewers. Harvey DOES have a strong emotional side. Or at least he does in Macht’s mind. And, those emotions are going to show up at some point!

Gabriel Macht: “I think Harvey is very emotional. I think he’s been hurt and I think he’s been broken. So I think he just built this big armor. If you look at what he does, you’ll see that he does have emotions, but doesn’t show them. So, he stands up for people behind their back. He’ll stand up for Mike, but behind his back. He’ll stand up for Louis [Rick Hoffman's evil and yet hilarious character] even, behind his back. He thinks Jessica has had his back all along and she always will, and I think he’s able to show vulnerability with her. I don’t know if it’s something I wish more than the viewers want to see it. At some point we WILL see his emotions.”

And Harvey’s emotions and his thinking about how he used to be, played right into that moment when Harvey decided to take Mike as his associate, according to Mr. Macht:

Gabriel Macht: “I think – besides from just saying the lines that they give me – that in many ways Mike (Patrick J. Adams) is, you know, a representation of what Harvey was when he was a kid. And he got a real shot from SUITS -- Episode 111 -- Photo by: Christos Kalohoridis/USA Network Jessica to break out of the world that he was in and get a second chance. I think there’s a huge thing to say about second chances and giving somebody a second shot. I think he’s seen Mike made a few bad decisions, but Mike’s truly a good person, he’s really bright and he deserved a second chance, and I think that’s sort of what happened with Harvey early on.

So when he saw this kid, as being a younger him, he thought this is one of the ways he can give back. I like seeing it that way, and it creates even more compassion that a lot of people feel like Harvey lacks. Thinking outside the box, the greater good, I think that’s what made Harvey do it. Not to mention he needed someone to help him and do some of his work, so he needs some kid so why not this guy? He’s tired of the Harvard graduates who come in and who are basically all like Louis, he wants someone more like him!”

Now, I’d like to introduce you all to my great question about the James Bond reference they had a couple of weeks ago on Suits (yes I’m a major James Bond fan. No, not a Daniel Craig as James Bond fan. Great guy, I just don’t like him as Bond. I’m sure you’ll all live with it.). Trouble is, we were only allowed one question each, so I didn’t get to ask it myself. But, Harvey is so Bondian in a lot of his moments on the show, and that reference to Bond girl Pussy Galore (from “Goldfinger”) just didn’t go unnoticed here! Luckily, someone else noticed and asked something similar, so I got my James Bond moment to share with all of you anyway. Isn’t that great? (What, you don’t like James Bond? Boo, hiss!). Here’s what Mr. Macht had to say when asked whether he’d play Bond if given the opportunity to do so, and how the Bond references worked on “Suits”.

Gabriel Macht: “Hey, of course! But being an American Bond, I just don’t know. There’s never been one. I worked with Daniel Craig on a BBC movie two years ago, great guy, I think he’s done a terrific job as Bond. And I also worked with Timothy Dalton many years ago. But I think that’s as close to James Bond as I will get.

I think there was a line two weeks ago where I got to put my James Bond on, and it was I think from a Roger Moore Bond and it was fun to play.”

Mr. Macht, I’d like to point out that no it wasn’t, the line was about Pussy Galore. Honor Blackman played the character in “Goldfinger”, possibly the best Bond movie ever and the one that established Sean Connery as THE James Bond! So yes, you got to work with the original James Bond’s material.

For those of you out there who are Bond mega fans like me, the dialogue was between Harvey and a woman helping him and she wanted to thank him, how can I say… that way? In public. Yeah, like that, in public.
To which Harvey said : “But then I don’t get to be James Bond”
And she countered: “What does that make me?”
Harvey replied: “Pussy Galore?”

HA! I fangirled right when it happened, because hey, that’s not as good as the original line when Sean Connery asked what the name of the woman was, but it’s still a major Bond reference and I can’t help but feel all satisfied about a show I enjoy so much having such a direct Bond reference. But, back to Mr. Macht’s reply:

“If I ever got the opportunity to play James Bond I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

I’m all for it because Mr. Macht on “Suits” really has that James Bond quality, but sorry, it has to be a Briton. And specifically, the next Bond absolutely needs to be (excuse me while I get my defibrillator, the mere mention is enough for me to just lose my senses) HENRY CAVILL. He’s the only one who is perfect for the part out there, so EON and Mr Wilson and Ms Broccoli better listen. YESTERDAY! Bond fan moment over, back to our regular programming. Swooning over Mr. Macht and wondering what Harvey is up to is now back in action.

So, what is it like to play Harvey and how did Gabriel Macht make the decision to take on a TV role after such a long time away from the small screen? Here’s what he had to say about it.

Gabriel Macht: “It’s been great to dig into Harvey’s character. I hadn’t done television for many, many years. The last series I did was “The Others” that lasted 13 epis on NBC and Steven Spielberg produced it. I just thought since he was producing “I don’t know, maybe I’ll just go and show my face.” I ended up getting it and working on it. I really liked the writing on the show, but it ended. And then I got a film, and then another film, I just started working in film and I always liked the idea of changing the character from movie to movie and I had a pretty good run with it. And then I just started to find that I was getting some great opportunities but not the best opportunities. So, I thought, there’s some terrific writing on TV so why not go back and try and do it.

Harvey is a terrific character, I love the banter, I love the wit that they’ve put into the writing. So I thought, why not seize the opportunity to really dig into a character really really deep. And I thought the idea of doing TV, and then taking a break from time to time and play another character in a film was great. And it really worked out like SUITS -- Episode 112 -- Photo by: Christos Kalohoridis/USA Network that.

I admire Harvey, I really think the way he’s developing is great. I had a really interesting conversation with [“Suits” executive producer and writer] Aaron Korsh and we were talking about characters in TV and film. I’ve always treated the characters in film as in the person starts out at A and ends up in D going through B and C. You gotta see the arc of that character in film. Some of the traps that I was coming into as far as playing Harvey on the show were that I was trying to “make” the character who he is too quickly in the first few episodes. So he [Aaron] explained that characters on TV grow slower in many ways. So I thought, well that’s interesting. I’m interested in seeing how that works over the next few seasons, if we’re all doing good work and people keep responding to us and USA Network keeps the show.”

“We love working with each other and we have found the right rhythm with each other. So we’re invested. There’s a difference being like “well let’s hope the show does well and this keeps going” when you shoot the pilot and what happens after that. Shooting the finale was like “Hey we’re all really proud of what we’ve done over the last few months.”

Oh, you and us both, trust me on this one. And since this depends on us, too, we better get on it. Because we do NOT want to miss our weekly dose of Harvey and Mike now, do we? So while this is the end of our chat with Mr. Macht, whom we deeply thank for his incredible charm, intelligence and wit, and for bearing with us for almost an hour of his precious time, this better be the start of a bright and long future for “Suits”. Which means? Don’t forget to tune in for the final episodes of “Suits” on USA Network on Thursday nights at 10 p.m.! The Suits finale will air Sept. 8 on USA Network at 10 p.m.!


Photo Cred: Christos Kalohoridis/USA Network

Zoe Saldana targeted by Luc Besson for Colombiana

Zoe Saldana is stealing another red carpet as she arrived looking beautiful to a special screening for Colombiana at Soho House on Wednesday, August 24th, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. Saldana wore a red Valentino dress which she paired with light tan heels and matching clutch.

Joining her at the event was fiance Keith Britton & hunky co-stars Michael Vartan and Jordi Molla.

Earlier this week, Zoe made a special appearance in Miami for the South Florida premiere of Colombiana where we had the pleasure to ask her a couple of questions. Sadly I had like five questions I wanted to ask her but due to time constraints I was only able to get two in!

As she was rushed into the theater however, I managed to ask her in passing about what she wants to see happen in Star Trek 2 and she said, “Action and Love.” This falls in with what co-star and big screen love interest Zachary Quinto recently said he hoped to see happen in the sequel during a recent interview.

The 33-year-old Latina plays the role of Cataleya Restrepo, a young woman who after witnessing her parents’ murder as a child in Bogota, grows up to be a stone-cold assassin in the action drama. The film was written and produced by Luc Besson, and directed by fellow Frenchman, Olivier Megaton.

Run to theaters this Friday to see the action-packed Colombiana!


Photo Cred: Wire Image

INTERVIEW: Erica Cerra chats new season of Eureka

If you aren’t already a fan of Eureka, after seeing and hearing about Erica Cerra will make you turn your dial to the Syfy Channel! (Even though we recently found out the show wasn’t returning for another season!!)

The breathtakingly beautiful Cerra stars as Deputy Jo Lupo in the science fiction television series about a fictional town called Eureka, Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest. What makes this city unique is that it happens to be inhabited almost entirely by geniuses and scientists!

Our friend Charles Briede from FellowshipofFools.com spoke to Erica this week on our behalf about the upcoming season.

C. Briede: Going into each new season, do you know the direction of the show and your character or do you find out week to week as the scripts come in?

E. Cerra: “Sort of both, we have an idea, we get an outline as to where the season is starting off and deputy-jo-lupo where that would like to see it end. They can leave things open-ended for themselves and come up with different ideas or something that might happen in the show and inspire them.

C. Briede: What can fans expect for the current season?

E. Cerra: Lots of cool stuff will be happening and that Jo will be doing? More surprises and twists and turns, throughout the entire season.

C. Briede: Do you work a lot with the green screen on Eureka?

E. Cerra: It is only used for the really big explosions or inventions. Generally we don’t use a lot of green screen since a lot of what you see is built. We have a lot of props and a lot of things that are built. That being said, I actually really enjoy working with a green screen because it gives you the opportunity to use your imagination.

C. Briede: There have been a lot of guest stars on and I am curious if you have had any favorites?

E. Cerra: Yes, my favorites would be when people who used to be on the show come back on. Like when Jordan Hinson or Matt Frewer come back on because I miss them. It is always nice to have them come back on, it’s like the family is back together. Every single guest star we have had has been a lot of fun. It’s the new ideas and new energy; I think it’s a lot of fun to have anyone new on. It is always a positive experience for me.

erica4 C. Briede: Did your role require any special training?

E. Cerra: I don’t know that it did. There is no substantial training but we have an idea of what we are supposed to be doing and what will make it look the best. I picked up some books before we started the show and read up on women in the military. I familiarized myself with what that would be and ask a lot of questions about guns and how they work and so forth. I myself have had martial arts training when I was younger. That was something I have continued to do and loved to do. It is sort of a yes and no answer but nothing extensive.

C. Briede: Are you able to do your own stunts or does the network prefer to limit it due to the risk of injury?

E. Cerra: A little bit of both. I try to do as many as I can. I do stuff I like to do, I like to punch and kick. I want to make sure it can look as good as I can make it. That’s not to say that our stunt girls aren’t great. A lot of the really big stunts our stunt girls get involved.

C. Briede: Do you have a favorite episode?

E. Cerra: I don’t know if I have a favorite one. Collectively last season and this season have been my favorites. I have enjoyed every script for different reasons.

Our Christmas episode this year will probably be my favorite, but I can’t tell you what it’s about. I think it is going to be really really neat. I think the fans are going to really enjoy it.

Make sure to tune in to watch Eureka’s fourth season, Monday nights on the Syfy Network.

Photo Cred: David Fierro

Comic Con Exclusive: Twilight stars prepare for release of Breaking Dawn Part 1

No matter how many years you attend San Diego Comic Con, I don’t think you are ever truly prepared for the whirlwind that it is! I had the pleasure to team up with Telemundo and LatinoReview.com this year to maximize our coverage and bring you some great things like this interview reel from the The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 press line on day 1 of the con.

But before I delve into my experience in covering this specific movie I want to let you guys know how privileged I felt to be able to take part in one of the hottest tickets in San Diego. Fans wanting to participate in the official panel had been lined up for at least two days outside of Hall H!

So the mere fact that I had face time with the likes of Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Elizabeth Reaser, Nikki Reed, Boo Boo Stewart and famed director Bill Condon was a huge highlight.

The first thing that needs to be said is how lovely each and everyone of the talent were and not so much the way they are perceived by some media. There have been stories about Kristen specifically about how she is with the press so I was a little nervous to talk to her.

But after our interaction I have become a huge fan of hers for being so humble and sweet….which I think people begun translating as awkward at some point. I will be the first to say that I have been at fault for such a thing but never again!

Kristen, Robert and Taylor are three of the biggest stars in the WORLD right now and it was quite surprising to see how “normal” they were. It can’t be easy to have been thrust into such fame so fast but I think they do quite well in handling it all.

So without further ado, here is my interview with (most of) the cast of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 and don’t forget to catch it on the big screen, November 18th, 2011.

Chi McBride talks “HawthoRNe” role, discusses Chance of “House” Comeback

We had the great opportunity to chat with actor Chi McBride over the phone today, and we’re here to bring you the goodies! Never shy of witty remarks, McBride had to take a break from the green (literally, since he was enjoying a nice round of golfing) to talk to us today, and he gave some very interesting insight and perspective on his role as temporary Hospital Administrator Garland Bryce on TNT’s medical drama “HawthoRNe” (Tuesday nights at 10/9 c. Starring Jada Pinkett Smith, Michael Vartan and Marc Anthony as well this season).

Since we’re not about to miss the opportunity to dig up some spoilerish dirt, we followed up on this Michael Ausiello report from yesterday about possible shocking comebacks on “House” and we asked Mr McBride about the chances for his character Edward Vogler to return to stir up the pot at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital.

Interestingly, both Bryce on “HawthoRNe” and Vogler on “House” are hospital administrators who arrive and completely throw the professional lives of people on the show upside down, but the similarities between the two characters end there, according to McBride.

Alessandra: How does it feel to play these very serious roles and come to a show and throw everything upside down? This character on HawthoRNe, Garland Bryce, is similar to your House character Edward Vogler in that sense.

Chi McBride: “I knew someone was going to make that comparison sooner or later, I guess then that it’ll be you”

“I’ll say right away that the similarities between them end at being involved in the administration of a hospital, and I’ll explain.

There’s a big difference between the two guys, in that whereas one guy (Vogler) just threw his wallet around, this guy (Bryce) is a different animal. This one throws his intellect around, in terms of challenging people by throwing them off balance mentally and challenging them to do their job. He comes and shakes things up but he’s not like Vogler who just came in and threw money around in order to take over the hospital. He will always try and challenge you but he does that operating in a very different way from Vogler’s. He will push you to the limit mentally but he does that because his objective is to find the best possible solution.”

Alessandra: “There was an interesting scene in this sense in last week’s episode, when Bryce literally walked into a fountain and offered Christina water to heal, to challenge her and see if she was actually ready to go back to work, to see if she would take it, which would have meant she was ready for the job (note: Christina didn’t accept the healing water offer). That’s something Vogler would never have done, and it was a very interesting, different way of approaching the matter.”

Chi McBride: “Yes, it was and like I said this guy has a different approach. So the two characters are very different from that point of view, and you see Bryce talking to Christina or Bobbie and challenging them but like you said it’s a different way of handling things.”

Alessandra: “Without giving too much away, what are we to expect from your character in the upcoming episodes? Is Bryce going to still try and find a solution by digging into the characters’ problems, by challenging Christina and asking her questions to see if she can actually can come back and work again?”

Chi McBride “Yes.” “You said not to give too much away!” (laughs) “Ok, you want more..”

“It’s going to be very interesting… nothing is as it appears, so you can take that and think it over. You’re not going to understand how things actually end up until the very last minute of the final episode.”

Alessandra: “Well, that’s enough to get people wondering and talking, which is what we want! Seen as your character is going to be on HawthoRNe until the end of the season, is he going to interact with the male characters of the show or will he still be dealing mostly with the women?”

Chi McBride: “No, he does get to interact with the men as well. At some point there’s also a scene with the guy who is the (ex) hospital administrator in last week’s episode, so that was one, but there are more interactions coming up.

It was great to work with all of them, really. I was able to join in in the creative project and it was wonderful to work with them… great people, very professional, it was a great experience.

Alessandra: “Is there a chance we will see you back on House anytime soon?”

Chi McBride: “I don’t know what those guys are cooking up, so I couldn’t tell you right now because I don’t know but I would certainly be glad to come back if I was asked to.”

Alessandra: “I’m asking because there were reports this week that a bunch of characters may possibly be returning or have a different capacity on House because of Cuddy’s departure, and your character Vogler was one of them.”

Chi McBride: “Really? When I did that part on the show a lot of people liked it because they hated the guts of my character, it was the character people loved to hate. He was putting the main character of the show at risk, I mean the name of the show IS “House” so of course everyone hated him, and there’s only so far that you can take that.. but who knows it may be interesting to bring him back and explore the dynamic the two characters had some more. That was an interesting dynamic that they had so yeah, who knows…”

Alessandra: “Are we going to see Bryce delve more into the personal lives of the characters on HawthoRNe? Is he going to be involved in the personal part of the matter more? All of what’s happening to Christina is a consequence of her aggression, is that going to be something Bryce deals with more in episodes to come?”

Chi McBride: “He doesn’t get into their personal affairs and you won’t really get to know this guy, he’s there for one reason and one reason only. Information is power so he cares about what goes on in these people’s personal lives in terms of how that affects their jobs and nothing else.”

Sadly I didn’t have a chance to ask him about how perfect Michael Vartan is in person but stay tuned, because I will, well, uhm… ask Vartan himself soon enough how he stays so perfect and how it is to finally be back at threatening people with guns by sneaking up on them in their cars! Ah, the awesome Alias days! About time those came back! And the full kickass Vartan mode with them! Yeah I know you’re all jealous. I’m even jealous of myself right now. But I’ll get over it in time for the chat.

And don’t forget to check out a new episode of HawthoRNe starring Chi McBride as guest star tonight at 10/9 c on TNT!