Rich Tang and Jason Tobin in ‘Warrior’ (Photo Credit: Cinemax)
Cinemax’s new action drama Warrior is based on the writings of the legendary Bruce Lee and will premiere on April 5, 2019 at 10pm ET/PT. Warrior, created by Jonathan Tropper, will have a 10 episode first season.
The cast of season one is led by Andrew Koji (Fast & Furious 6) as martial arts prodigy Ah Sahm. Kieran Bew (The Street), Olivia Cheng (Marco Polo), Dianne Doan (Vikings), Dean Jagger (Game of Thrones), Langley Kirkwood (Invictus), Hoon Lee (Banshee), Christian McKay (Me and Orson Welles), Joe Taslim (Fast & Furious 6), Jason Tobin (The Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift), Joanna Vanderham (The Paradise), Tom Weston-Jones (Copper), and Perry Yung (The Knick) also star in Cinemax’s new addition to their Friday primetime lineup.
The series is a Perfect Storm Entertainment, Tropper Ink Productions, and Bruce Lee Entertainment production. Tropper, Justin Lin (director of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious, Fast Five, Furious 6), Danielle Woodrow, Shannon Lee, and Brad Kane executive produce.
What’s Warrior About?
Per Cinemax:
“Warrior is a gritty, action-packed crime drama set during the brutal Tong Wars of San Francisco’s Chinatown in the second half of the 19th century. The series follows Ah Sahm (Koji), a martial arts prodigy who emigrates from China to San Francisco under mysterious circumstances. After proving his worth as a fighter, Ah Sahm becomes a hatchet man for the Hope Wei, one of Chinatown’s most powerful tongs (Chinese organized crime family).
Befriended by Wang Chao (Lee), a fixer and profiteer in Chinatown, Ah Sahm is taken under the wing of Young Jun (Tobin), the hard-partying son of the Hop Wei’s leader, Father Jun (Yung), who is facing an imminent opium war with a rival tong. As he is indoctrinated in the rules of Chinatown gangs, Ah Sahm wins the confidence of a canny brothel madam, Ah Toy (Cheng), revealing to her the true intentions of his journey to America.
Over the course of the season, Ah Sahm crosses boundaries inside and outside Chinatown, bringing him into contact with tong rivals Mai Ling (Doan), a beautiful and ruthless Chinese woman who has achieved a position of power in one of the tongs, and Li Yong (Taslim), a tong lieutenant and Gung Fu master. As violence erupts, Sergeant “Big Bill” O’Hara (Bew) and Richard Henry Lee (Weston-Jones), a transplanted southerner and rookie cop, are tasked with forming a Chinatown squad.
Meanwhile, working-class leader and tough Irishman Dylan Leary (Jagger) is fighting for all Irish laborers by trying to inflict as much damage as possible on the Chinese immigrants he says are stealing their jobs. Amidst the strife, power-hungry San Francisco Mayor Samuel Blake (McKay) and Deputy Mayor Walter Buckley (Kirkwood), who has his own political aspirations, engage in widespread corruption, while the mayor’s young wife, Penny (Vanderham), finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage.”
Warrior April 2019 Episode Guide:
Episode 1: “The Itchy Onion”
Debut date: FRIDAY, APRIL 5 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
San Francisco, 1878. Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji), a newly arrived Chinese immigrant with serious fighting skills, is introduced to Chinatown’s most ruthless tong, the Hop Wei, by Chao (Hoon Lee), a fixer. After impressing Young Jun (Jason Tobin), son of tong leader Father Jun (Perry Yung), Ah Sahm is branded and taken to a brothel, where he befriends Ah Toy (Olivia Cheng), a courtesan with connections.
Later, in search of a woman who left China two years earlier, Ah Sahm crosses paths with Mai Ling (Dianne Doan) and Li Yong (Joe Taslim), followers of the rival tong leader Long Zii (Henry Yuk), who is trying to avoid an opium war with the Hop We – a war that Walter Buckley (Langley Kirkwood), deputy to San Francisco Mayor Samuel Blake (Christian McKay), actively promotes. Meanwhile, after two Chinese laborers are killed by white thugs, police sergeant “Big Bill” O’Hara (Kieran Bew) is tasked with creating a Chinatown squad. Enlisting southern-born cop Richard Henry Lee (Tom Weston-Jones), Bill soon finds that the hostility between the Chinese and white dock workers, whose unofficial leader is Irish tough Dylan Leary (Dean Jagger), is unlikely to end anytime soon.
Written by Jonathan Tropper; directed by Assaf Bernstein.
Episode 2: “There’s No China in the Bible”
Debut date: FRIDAY, APRIL 12 (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
Intercepting a shipment of opium at the docks, Young Jun (Jason Tobin), with Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji) and his Hop Wei lieutenant Bolo (Rich Ting) in tow, decides to send a message to Long Zii (Henry Yuk). Big Bill (Kieran Bew) and Lee (Tom Weston-Jones) investigate a grisly murder scene in an alley next to an Irish bar, The Banshee. Penny Blake (Joanna Vanderham), the young wife of San Francisco’s mayor (Christian McKay), finds herself in a bind while visiting the wharf with her Chinese manservant, Jacob (Kenneth Fok). Ah Sahm pays a steep price for playing the hero. The Long Zii clean up a mess, and brace for more bloodshed.
Written by Jonathan Tropper; directed by Loni Peristere.
Episode 3: “John Chinaman”
Debut date: FRIDAY, APRIL 19 (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
Leary (Dean Jagger) pressures gentleman industrialist Byron Mercer (Graham Hopkins), who is Penny’s father, to hire his men for a cable-car track job – despite the fact that Mayor Blake (Christian McKay) hasn’t yet awarded Mercer the contract. Accused of assault and perhaps worse, Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji) gets a cold shoulder from the Hop Wei, with his fate in the hands of an unexpected ally. Buckley (Langley Kirkwood) urges Mai Ling (Dianne Doan) to eschew restraint and start a war with the Hop Wei.
Written by Adam Targum; directed by Loni Peristere.
Episode 4: “The White Mountain”
Debut date: FRIDAY, APRIL 26 (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
Big Bill (Kieran Bew) finds himself compromised by his gambling excesses, but discovers a possible solution after an opium-den raid. Penny (Joanna Vanderham) reveals the circumstances that prompted her to marry Mayor Blake (Christian McKay), who’s determined to show voters he won’t tolerate San Francisco’s “Yellow Peril.” After meeting with leaders of the Fung Hai tong, Mai Ling (Dianne Doan) offers Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji) a way out of a protracted – and bloody – tong war.
Written by Kenneth Lin; directed by David Petrarca.
Megan Boone as Elizabeth Keen and James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington in ‘The Blacklist’ season 6 (Photo by: Will Hart/NBC)
NBC has officially renewed the popular drama The Blacklist for a seventh season. The network made the announcement today as season six of the one-hour drama is currently airing on Friday nights at 9pm ET/PT.
“Congratulations to our amazing producers, cast and crew, all of whom continue to work at the top of their game and make The Blacklist one of NBC’s signature series,” stated Lisa Katz and Tracey Pakosta, Co-Presidents of Scripted Programming, NBC Entertainment.
The current season has been averaging 7.3 million viewers. The drama ranks as the 2018-2019 primetime season’s top-rated “most upscale drama” among the four major networks with adults between 18-49 years old and earning $100k.
The series stars James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington and Megan Boone as Elizabeth Keen. The cast of season six also includes Diego Klattenhoff as Donald Ressler, Amir Arison as Aram Mojtabai, Mozhan Marnò as Samar Navabi, Hisham Tawfiq as Dembe Zuma, and Harry Lennix as Harold Cooper.
The Davis Entertainment in association with Sony Pictures Television and Universal Television production is executive produced by John Eisendrath, Jon Bokenkamp, John Davis, John Fox, James Spader, Lukas Reiter, J.R. Orci, Carla Kettner and Laura A. Benson.
The Blacklist Plot:
“Following the startling revelation that Raymond “Red” Reddington (James Spader) isn’t who he says he is, Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone) is torn between the relationship she’s developed with the man assumed to be her father and her desire to get to the bottom of years of secrets and lies. Meanwhile, Red leads Liz and the FBI to some of the most strange and dangerous criminals yet, growing his empire and eliminating rivals in the process. All throughout, Liz and Red engage in an uneasy cat-and-mouse game in which lines will be crossed and the truth will be revealed.”
The March 15, 2019 episode (season six episode 11) is titled “Bastien Moreau.” The episode will find Liz and the Task Force making a play to uncover the truth about an international assassination in a last-ditch effort to save Red’s life. Christopher Lambert, Jennifer Ferrin and Benito Martinez guest star.
Get ready BTS fans…it was just announced BTS is set to release their much-anticipated upcoming album on Friday, April 12, 2019. With this album titled Map of the Soul: Persona comes a new chapter for the global pop sensation. Pre-orders will begin on March 13, 2019.
News about the group’s new album comes just days after tickets went on sale for their upcoming stadium tour. Dates for Pasadena, Chicago, New Jersey, London, Paris, Japan and Brazil are the only locations announced so far, and each of those concerts sold out immediately. After selling out, Live Nation announced second dates for Pasadena, Chicago, New Jersey, London, and France. London and France have sold out the second dates, but there are still tickets available for the Rose Bowl, Soldier Field, and MetLife stadiums for the recently added second shows.
The seven member Korean boy band broke records in 2018 when they became the first Korean act to have not one, but two number one albums on the Billboard 200 chart. They first appeared in the number one spot on the chart with their album Love Yourself: Tear which hit stores in May 2018. Just a few short months later they reappeared in the top spot on the Billboard 200 with Love Yourself: Answer which arrived in August.
Remaining Dates on the Previously Announced Love Yourself Tour:
March 20, 2019 in Hong Kong at Asiaworld-Expo Arena
March 21, 2019 in Hong Kong at Asiaworld-Expo Arena
March 23, 2019 in Hong Kong at Asiaworld-Expo Arena
March 24, 2019 in Hong Kong at Asiaworld-Expo Arena
April 6, 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand at Rajamangala National Stadium
April 7, 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand at Rajamangala National Stadium
The Speak Yourself Announced Dates:
May 4, 2019 in Los Angeles at Rose Bowl Stadium
May 5, 2019 in Los Angeles at Rose Bowl Stadium
May 11, 2019 in Chicago at Soldier Field
May 12, 2019 in Chicago at Soldier Field
May 18, 2019 in New Jersey at MetLife Stadium
May 19, 2019 in New Jersey at MetLife Stadium
May 25, 2019 in Sao Paulo, Brazil at Allianz Parque
June 1, 2019 in London at Wembley Stadium
June 2, 2019 in London at Wembley Stadium
June 7, 2019 in Paris at Stade de France
June 8, 2019 in Paris at Stade de France
July 6, 2019 in Osaka, Japan at Yanmar Stadium Nagai
July 7, 2019 in Osaka, Japan at Yanmar Stadium Nagai
Hozier just announced new 2019 North American tour dates, extending his current Wasteland, Baby! tour through the end of October. The new leg of the tour begins on October 17th in Portland, Oregon and include stops in Seattle, Los Angeles, and Vancouver. The just announced new leg will finish up on October 31st in El Paso, TX at Abraham Chavez Theatre.
Hozier’sWastleland, Baby! tour kicked off on March 10th in Buffalo, NY. Nearly all of the tour’s previously announced March through June dates are sold out. Tickets for the October dates will go on sale on Friday, March 15th at 10am local time. Each ticket purchased online comes with a Wasteland, Baby! CD.
Commenting on his latest album, Hozier said, “I am so thrilled with Wasteland, Baby! debuting as a Billboard No. 1. Thank you to my fans and listeners for their incredible support. This is handmade, homemade music, and I have to thank everyone who worked so hard to give it this opportunity and let it be heard. I’m so grateful and so thrilled.”
In November Hozier will embark on a five-night residency at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom, following the completion of his Wasteland, Baby! tour.
New Wasteland, Baby! Tour Dates
10/17 – Portland, OR at Rose Garden Theater of the Clouds
10/18 – Vancouver, BC at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
10/19 – Seattle, WA at WaMu Theater at CenturyLink Field Events Center
10/21 – Sacramento, CA at Memorial Auditorium
10/24 – Santa Barbara, CA at Santa Barbara Bowl
10/25 – Los Angeles, CA at Greek Theatre
10/26 – San Diego, CA at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
10/29 – Phoenix, AZ at Comerica Theatre
10/30 – Albuquerque, NM at Kiva Auditorium
10/31 – El Paso, TX at Abraham Chavez Theatre
New York Residency
11/21 – New York, NY at Hammerstein Ballroom (SOLD-OUT)
11/22 – New York, NY at Hammerstein Ballroom (SOLD-OUT)
11/23 – New York, NY at Hammerstein Ballroom (SOLD-OUT)
11/25 – New York, NY at Hammerstein Ballroom
11/26 – New York, NY at Hammerstein Ballroom
Disney’s debuted a new minute and a half behind-the-scenes video from Dumbo, the 2019 live-action feature film from director Tim Burton. The new video arrived with a reminder that tickets are now available ahead of the movie’s upcoming March 29, 2019 release.
The new live-action version of Disney’s classic orphan elephant tale finds Colin Farrell playing Holt Farrier, a former circus star who finds himself caring for an elephant who can fly. Danny DeVito is Max Medeci, the owner of the struggling Medici Bros. Circus who hopes a baby elephant will turn things around. Michael Keaton plays V.A. Vandevere, an entrepreneur and proprietor behind a state-of-the-art amusement utopia called Dreamland. Eva Green is Colette Marchant, an accomplished aerialist who never dreamed she’d one day be soaring with a flying elephant.
The cast also includes Alan Arkin, Finley Hobbins, Nico Parker, Roshan Seth, Deobia Oparei, Joseph Gatt, and Sharon Rooney.
Two-time Oscar nominee Tim Burton (Frankenweenie, Corpse Bride) directed from a screenplay by Ehren Kruger (Dream House, Ophelia). Justin Springer, Ehren Kruger, Katterli Frauenfelder, and Derek Frey produced, with Nigel Gostelow executive producing. Burton’s behind the scenes team includes cinematographer Ben Davis, editor Chris Lebenzon, production designer Rick Heinrichs, and costume designer Colleen Atwood. Burton’s frequent collaborator Danny Elfman wrote the film’s score.
The Plot:
“Circus owner Max Medici (DeVito) enlists former star Holt Farrier (Farrell) and his children Milly (Parker) and Joe (Hobbins) to care for a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughingstock in an already struggling circus. But when they discover that Dumbo can fly, the circus makes an incredible comeback, attracting persuasive entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Keaton), who recruits the peculiar pachyderm for his newest, larger-than-life entertainment venture, Dreamland.
Dumbo soars to new heights alongside a charming and spectacular aerial artist, Colette Marchant (Green), until Holt learns that beneath its shiny veneer, Dreamland is full of dark secrets.”
The full Santa Clarita Diet season three trailer’s arrived and in it Joel attempts to put a positive spin on what’s happening to his family. Joel tells his daughter, Abby, “Yesterday we were about to lose everything. Today things are good. Life’s getting back to normal.” Of course that’s when Sheila walks into the room and proclaims, “Our mutant spider ball is sick and the Nazi meat rotted.”
The trailer also shows Joel and Sheila finally figuring out Sheila will be sticking around on planet Earth for far longer than Joel…unless someone stakes her. They hadn’t previously considered Sheila’s condition in the long term, but now she’s ready to bite her hubby so they can share the next thousands years together. Joel will apparently spend the third season of the critically acclaimed comedy pondering the possibilities.
“It’s not that I don’t want to be with you. It’s about what I might become. Once I make that decision I can never go back,” explains Joel. Sheila considers that and replies, “Go back from feeling incredible every day for forever? No, you can’t.”
Joel, wisely, responds, “Every day with you is already incredible,” which was the only correct reply. “I hate that that worked,” says Sheila.
In addition to Drew Barrymore as Sheila Hammond and Timothy Olyphant as Joel Hammond, the cast includes Liv Hewson as Abby Hammond and Skyler Gisondo as Eric Bemis. Barrymore and Olyphant executive produce along with Victor Fresco, Aaron Kaplan, Tracy Katsky, Chris Miller and Ember Truesdell. Fresco is the showrunner and Nancy Juvonen is a producer.
Netflix is set to launch Santa Clarita Diet season three on Friday, March 29, 2019.
In Santa Clarita Diet, Joel (Olyphant) and Sheila (Barrymore) are husband and wife realtors leading vaguely discontented lives in the L.A. suburb of Santa Clarita with their teenaged daughter Abby (Hewson), until Sheila goes through a dramatic change sending their lives down a road of death and destruction…but in a good way.
Poster for season 3 of ‘Santa Clarita Diet’ (Photo Credit: Netflix)
Olivia Wilde makes her feature film directorial debut with the coming of age comedy Booksmart which is showing off a new restricted (not cool for kids or watching at work) trailer. Booksmart just had its premiere at the SXSW Film Festival and both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter critics approved of Wilde’s work behind the camera.
The Hollywood Reporter’s John DeFore says Wilde’s film rebuts the “idiotic refrain that ‘women aren’t funny.'” Variety’s Peter Debruge claims “not since Superbad has a high school comedy so perfectly nailed how exhilarating it feels to act out at that age, capturing the thrill of making a series of potentially irreversible mistakes with the person who’s always been there for you, even as it acknowledges the inevitability that said confidante can’t be your wing-woman forever.”
The cast of Booksmart is led by Kaitlyn Dever (Last Man Standing) and Beanie Feldstein (Lady Bird). Jessica Williams (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald), Lisa Kudrow (The Girl on the Train), Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth), Billie Lourd (American Horror Story), Skyler Gisondo (Santa Clarita Diet), and Jason Sudeikis (Permission) are also featured in Wilde’s directorial debut.
Megan Ellison, Jessica Elbaum, Chelsea Barnard, David Distenfeld, and Katie Silberman produced. Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Jillian Longnecker, Scott Robertson, and Alex G. Scott served as executive producers.
Wilde’s behind the scenes team includes director of photography Jason McCormick, editor Jamie Gross, production designer Katie Byron, casting director Allison Jones, and costume designer April Napier.
Annapurna Pictures is set to open Booksmart in theaters on May 24, 2019.
The Plot:
“Told from a wildly original, fresh and modern perspective, Booksmart is an unfiltered comedy about high school best friends and the bonds we create that last a lifetime. Capturing the spirit of our times, the film is a coming of age story for a new generation.”
Ricky Whittle in ‘American Gods’ season 2 episode 1 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Starz’s American Gods season one finale aired on June 18, 2017 and ended with Mr. Wednesday attempting to gather the Old Gods for a war against the New Gods. The action in season two episode one begins on a West Virginia golf course where a man about to tee off is run over by Technical Boy (Bruce Langley) who seems a bit irritated at his navigation system trying to lead him to his destination. Tech Boy’s driving a limo with an injured Mr. World (Crispin Glover) in the back. Mr. World appears to have pulled himself back together by the time they’re escorted into the Black Briar Country Club.
Technical Boy’s anxious to wipe out their enemies, but Mr. World warns they need to first gather their forces and prepare for war. He also can’t move forward without his best salesman, demanding Tech Boy immediately find Media.
The action then traces the path of Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle), Wednesday (Ian McShane), Laura Moon (Emily Browning), and Mad Sweeney (Pablo Schreiber) from Kentucky through Illinois to Wisconsin. The foursome travel mostly in uncomfortable silence. At one point Laura reaches for Shadow’s hand, and he jumps in response to her touch.
Laura asks Wednesday how he could possibly have so many enemies, and he claims it’s because everyone is jealous of what he has. He also explains their destination – the House on the Rock – is where people come to “look, play, and wonder.”
The talk turns to mermaids and Laura wonders if her hubby believes in them now. Shadow Moon confesses he’s not sure what he believes in anymore.
We’re provided a little history of the House on the Rock as the road trip companions near their destination. Alex Jordan built the House on the Rock 50 years ago, although he wasn’t sure why he felt compelled to create such a building. It became an instant tourist attraction. However, the tourists also were confused as to why they felt the desire to visit the House on the Rock.
As we’re informed by the narrator, Alex Jordan began charging people money to visit his creation. He then used that money to continue building and expanding the place. Tourists were drawn to Jordan’s House on the Rock and he filled the area under the house with bizarre items that were irresistible to visitors.
The House on the Rock drew millions of visitors each year. It also drew the Old Gods.
Bilquis (Yetide Badaki) is one of the first to arrive for Wednesday’s meeting, although she wasn’t actually invited. The Jinn (Mousa Kraish) is there to greet the attendees and to his surprise, Salim (Omid Abtahi) shows up – also uninvited.
Meanwhile at Black Briar, Mr. World demands to see through the eyes of ARGUS. He’s informed only the President can use ARGUS, but he’s dismissive of that restriction. Mr. World claims he’s the man behind everything including the president, the Moon landing, and Roswell. Everyone works for him.
The news alerts us to the fact Easter’s destruction of the land surrounding her estate in Kentucky has wreaked havoc on farmers’ crops. The news is on television as a maid cleans room 208 at Motel America in Danville, Illinois. Finished with her cleaning, the maid (Mama-ji) scans the parking lot, on alert.
Wednesday and his group arrive outside the House, but Shadow has a difficult time opening the gate. He mutters, “You’re a god but you can’t open the f**king gate,” under his breath when Wednesday wants to know what’s the hold-up.
Shadow’s problem is solved when Mr. Nancy (Orlando Jones) arrives and opens the gate, sniffing the air in disgust. The smell, of course, is Laura who Mad Sweeney refers to as Roadkill Rhonda. Wednesday and Mr. Nancy immediately begin discussing which of the Old Gods will be attending this meeting. Easter’s out because Wednesday mowed over her rabbits. John Henry’s also not coming and neither is Whiskey Jack.
As Mr. Nancy, Shadow, and Mad Sweeney walk toward the House, Wednesday lags behind to make sure Laura knows she’s not invited. She explains she’s just there to keep an eye on Shadow, but Wednesday assures her Shadow’s doing just fine. He even has a new spring in his step.
Laura, of course, brings up her murder and Wednesday reveals she doesn’t have to be roadkill forever. “I’m sure we can come to an arrangement,” he teases. Laura replies, “F**k you and your glass eye.”
Inside the House on the Rock, Salim explains he’s simply following his heart. The Jinn reminds him what he is – just a mortal man. Salim knows The Jinn desires him but The Jinn denies it. He claims to be solely focused on the task at hand. He then, in a much kinder tone, warns Salim it’s not safe and that he should leave this place.
Salim doesn’t leave. In fact, he even introduces himself to Wednesday by saying he’s with The Jinn.
The Jinn informs Wednesday only a dozen have shown up for the meeting. And he points out that Bilquis is also in attendance although she wasn’t on the invitation list. Apparently, Mad Sweeney and Laura are also not on The Jinn’s list, and he refuses to allow them entry because they don’t have the required coin.
Mad Sweeney, angry to be left out of the action, doesn’t understand why Wednesday would specifically leave him off the list. Wednesday just shrugs as Mad Sweeney’s forced to wait on the sidelines with Salim and Laura.
Bilquis reminds Wednesday she’s one of the Old Gods and should be allowed a seat at the table. “The wit and wisdom of Queen Bilquis defeated King Solomon,” says Wednesday, inviting her to consult the fortune teller about her destiny. Bilquis retrieves the card from the fortune-telling machine, keeping its contents to herself. Wednesday does likewise, chuckling at what he reads but not disclosing its contents when Shadow asks what it says.
Shadow’s next. His card reads:
“Selina’s Prophecies
Every ending is a new beginning
Your lucky number is none
Your lucky color is dead
Motto: Like father, like son”
Wednesday confirms Shadow’s fortune is like all fortunes: opaque on arrival; inevitable in retrospect.
Mr. Nancy leads Bilquis and Shadow Moon through the House while Wednesday lags behind. He meets up with Zorya Vechernyaya (Cloris Leachman), the Evening Star. He flirts and she reminds them they’re both old. As they speak, Czernobog (Peter Stormare) arrives and Wednesday’s happy to see him. Czernobog says he’s only there because he lost a game of checkers to Shadow Moon.
Mr. Nancy and Bilquis admire Shadow’s physique. Mr. Nancy, however, doesn’t approve of Shadow’s posture. He hunches over too much, making himself small and less a man. When Mr. Nancy says Shadow reminds him of his own slow son, Shadow takes it as a compliment which puzzles Mr. Nancy. Shadow explains he took it as a compliment to be compared to a member of Mr. Nancy’s family.
Laura demands a coin from The Jinn but he refuses. Salim warns The Jinn he’s seen what Laura can do when she’s angry, but Laura advises Salim he hasn’t seen everything. Mad Sweeney also tells The Jinn to give the corpse a coin. He finally gives in.
Laura uses her coin and retrieves her fortune. But, it’s empty. Mad Sweeney decides to fill it in for her. “In the very near future, you give the f**king leprechaun his coin back and lie down and rot.”
Laura asks Mad Sweeney if he wants to try his luck, but he refuses because he doesn’t have any luck. She has all his.
Wednesday reunites with Shadow Moon, Bilquis, and Mr. Nancy and takes them to the carousel room. The door slams behind them as Mr. Wednesday says, “Time to ride.”
Shadow sees Mr. Nancy has already taken a seat on the carousel. He then notices a sign that warns no one is allowed to ride it. “You follow the signs, you never have any motherf**king fun,” says Mr. Nancy, laughing.
Wednesday and Bilquis invite him to join them on the carousel and, finally, Shadow hops on board. The carousel speeds up until it’s going so fast it’s impossible to make out any individual horse.
In the special effects equivalent of an LSD hallucination, the foursome fly through the universe. Wednesday cackles like a mad man.
The scene switches to Shadow Moon washed up on a beach at the feet of Bilquis. She reveals they’re “backstage,” which is actually Wednesday’s memories. When Shadow asks if they’re in Wednesday’s head, Bilquis replies, “More or less.”
Orlando Jones in ‘American Gods’ season 2 episode 1 (Photo Credit: Starz)
They arrive inside a building where the Old Gods have gathered. Shadow Moon is astounded by the sight as he sees Mr. Nancy, Wednesday, and the others in their God forms. Wednesday/Odin reminds his friends that when the people came to America, they brought the Old Gods with them. Eventually, the people abandoned the Old Gods and moved on. He speaks of the New Gods in America who’ve replaced them and who want to destroy Odin and the rest of his kind. Czernobog promises his hammer will swing when the time is right. Mama-ji does not believe war is coming and believes the New Gods will go away, as others have before them.
Bilquis addresses the group, advising her peers that the New Gods have more power than others have had. She reveals the New Gods have shown her their ways and how they can assist her in growing in power. “The choice is yours: evolve or die,” says Bilquis.
Shadow Moon speaks up, telling the Old Gods he believes in them. He lost everything, including his light, but Odin’s helping him regain who he was and be worthy of the unwavering faith his mother once had in him. He wonders why the Old Gods won’t help Odin remind the people who they are. He thinks they need to take the chance to be worthy of the people’s belief.
When Shadow concludes his speech, Wednesday returns the group to the real world. They’re now hanging out in a regular diner. Wine is poured, food is eaten, and the Old Gods – back in human form – enjoy each other’s company. Shadow spots Laura off to the side but doesn’t go to her. Instead, he sits near Mr. Nancy as Wednesday tells Shadow he believes the Old Gods are coming around to his way of thinking.
Shadow’s confused as to what’s real and what’s not, and Mr. Nancy doesn’t help when he laughs at the idea that they rode a carousel. Czernobog pulls up a seat and Shadow asks him if everyone in the diner’s a god. Czernobog and Mr. Nancy respond by laughing at the suggestion, with Czernobog referring to the assembled group as idiots.
Bilquis asks Laura for her story, flattering her by saying she’s the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen. She wonders if Laura’s the Goddess of Death, but Laura says she’s just from Indiana. Bilquis is surprised Laura’s the bodyguard’s wife, and Laura warns her if she hurts Shadow she’ll kill her.
Bilquis smiles and leans in for a kiss as Mad Sweeney watches from close by.
Mr. World and Technical Boy watch a live feed of Bilquis leaving the diner. Mr. World instructs someone on the other end of the phone to recover the package.
Shadow and Laura finally talk, and they acknowledge this is beyond weird. Shadow confesses he never expected to see Laura again. Laura says she always knows where he is and then asks about backstage. Shadow tells her these people don’t want to fight the war that Wednesday believes needs to be fought. Their conversation is interrupted when Wednesday calls out to Shadow to come meet Mama-ji, introducing her as a badass demon killer.
When Shadow walks away, Laura and Mad Sweeney debate whether Shadow’s still Laura’s or if he’s all Wednesday’s man now.
Mr. World sends in Mr. Town to strike the target, admitting the old ways are sometimes the best. “There’s nothing like a knife in the back,” says Mr. World, adding, “I need to put the fear of me into some Old Gods. Let them feel shock and awe. Pain and grief. Let them know what real sacrifice feels like.”
As Mr. World’s speaking, the diner is simultaneously being shot up. Bullets with “Deus Mortuorum” (god is dead) engraved on their sides fly as gods are hit. Blood flows as Shadow runs across the room and tackles Laura, removing her from danger. Mad Sweeney’s huddled under the counter, drink in hand. Wednesday stands in the middle of the carnage, a look of utter shock and despair on his face.
After making sure Laura’s safe, Shadow makes his way outside. He crosses the parking lot, eye on where the shooter’s positioned.
Mad Sweeney stands up but slips in some blood and falls just as a bullet whizzes by and hits Laura who’s now standing behind him. She doesn’t winch but appears exasperated to have yet another wound to sew up.
Shadow finds the shooter, grabs him away from his weapon, and the fists fly. The fight’s short-lived as a spotlight beams down and Shadow flies up into the light source.
Inside the café, the Old Gods assess the situation. Zorya has been hit and dies in Wednesday’s arms, with Czernobog clasping her hand. He curses whoever did this, saying whoever’s responsible will not be killed by anyone alive or in battle. “She will find you and you will die with a sweet kiss on your lips and eternal darkness in your soul,” promises Czernobog.
Wednesday, still holding Zorya, asks, “Is this what it takes?”
Laura races out of the diner looking for Shadow. She looks to the sky as she traces his light traveling across the heavens.
Roxane Mesquida stars in ‘Now Apocalypse’ (Photo Credit: Starz)
Roxane Mesquida gets quite an introduction on Starz’s Now Apocalypse. When Ulysses (Avan Jogia) walks in on Severine (Mesquida) having sex, she just casually waves hello and continues with her lover. When asked about nudity waivers and intimacy coaches by the TCA, Mesquida said, “That’s such an American question. We don’t have that in France.”
Severine is also a brilliant scientist, and science, sci-fi and sex all come together in Starz’s new apocalyptic comedy. Would you expect any less from Gregg Araki? Showbiz Junkies spoke with Mesquida at Starz’s TCA party.
Now Apocalypse premieres on March 10, 2019 on Starz.
What was it like to play a brilliant scientist?
Roxane Mesquida: “That was actually pretty cool. I liked it, except that it was a big challenge for me because I speak a lot of very complicated things and I have an accent and it’s TV. So I was very stressed. I wanted people to understand what I was saying. So that was my stress about it, so I worked really hard on my lines. Nudity was not really scary to me, but more the lines.”
I loved what you said on the panel because I agree Americans are maybe too squeamish about sex.
Roxane Mesquida: “I feel like people misunderstood what I was trying to say. I was saying in France it’s not in the contract. It’s more like a conversation with the director and the actors. It just always felt weird to me that you have to put everything in a contract and you have all these men and lawyers and all these people speaking about your own body.”
I think the reason we have to do that here is unfortunately Americans aren’t as respectful about sex and nudity as Europeans are, so a lot of actresses have to protect themselves.
Roxane Mesquida: “Really? You think so? I don’t know. I feel like Americans are more prudish than French people so I feel like they would be too scared to ask for anything.”
Until they get into a position of power. Then they ask and abuse it.
Roxane Mesquida: “Yeah, but you can always say no as an actor. What are they going to do? They’re not going to force you to be naked. We have more power than we think. That’s the thing. We are women but we’re not victims. We’re strong and we can say no.”
Fortunately a lot of women do say no.
Roxane Mesquida: “That’s a good thing. Every woman should say no when they want to say no. That’s where we need to teach our girls I guess to be strong. If you don’t want to do something, just say no and that’s it.”
Did you like that your introduction was very casual?
Roxane Mesquida: “Yeah, it’s funny. It’s really funny because in real life I’m not like [that]. For example, in France you can show your breasts on the beach. That’s something I’ve never done. I have no problem with nudity when it’s for an artistic project. Not with every director. I trust Gregg and I love his work. That’s why I’m fine and I’m not stressed about it, but I would never be as comfortable personally in real life.
I think it’s really funny and works with the character. She’s carefree. She has nothing to apologize for.”
Does Severine know the apocalypse is coming?
Roxane Mesquida: “She has a few lines. She says, ‘All we can be certain of is the here and now.’ She says there are so many uncertainties, we don’t know what’s going to happen. I think she knows a lot and she has a secret, but we’re going to need to watch more episodes and maybe more seasons to know exactly what’s going on. It’s true that my character is what brings us a few answers about the alien conspiracy.”
She’s researching something so that’s probably important.
Roxane Mesquida: “Yeah, and she works for the government and it’s super top secret and she doesn’t want to say anything.”
You’ve done movies with Gregg before.
Roxane Mesquida: “Kaboom!, my first American movie. I moved to L.A. because of him and I never left. It’s been almost 10 years.”
Welcome. Do you like it here?
Roxane Mesquida: “Love it. I became American, actually. I’m a U.S. citizen now.”
LA felt like home to me immediately.
Roxane Mesquida: “Me too, and I traveled everywhere. I worked with this French director. Her movies made me travel everywhere in the world to promote it. I never felt at home like the first day I arrived on the plane in L.A. and drove from LAX to Hollywood, which is not the brainiest part of L.A., I was like, ‘Oh my God, it feels like home.’ Also, I’m from the Southeast of France, Marseilles, and it’s pretty similar, the landscape and the weather.”
So was doing a TV show with Gregg any different than a movie?
Roxane Mesquida: “No, I didn’t see any difference. It was exactly the same thing. I really felt like, because usually on a TV show, you have different directors coming in for every episode, so because we shot the TV show in 40 days and Gregg directed all of them and wrote them all, he created the show; it’s his baby. I almost felt like it was not even a TV show but like a very long movie.”
What was the experience showing it at Sundance?
Roxane Mesquida: “It was so much fun. It was my first time at Sundance.”
You weren’t there for Kaboom!?
Roxane Mesquida: “No, I couldn’t go. I was shooting a movie in New Zealand at the time. So I was very excited to show the show there and it was fun. I hope I’ll go to Cannes now. That would be awesome.”
You don’t usually get to see TV shows with an audience so was it interesting to see what people reacted to?
Roxane Mesquida: “I didn’t realize that my character was that funny until I was in the room with everyone. I’m just saying a couple lines. I’m not trying anything. I’m just saying the lines and it just turns out to be funny, but I’m not trying to be funny.”
Kelli Berglund as Carly and Avan Jogia as Ulysses in ‘Now Apocalypse’ (Photo Credit: Starz)
Most movies or shows about the apocalypse have badass survivors like Will Smith or Andrew Lincoln. In Gregg Araki’s apocalypse it’s a stoner who hooks up on Grindr and a webcam girl. Avan Jogia is the stoner Ulysses who starts having apocalyptic alien visions. Carly is his friend who works as a webcam girl while going on auditions in Starz’s Now Apocalypse.
Kelli Berglund plays Carly on Now Apocalypse. She has scenes as outrageous as anyone in Araki’s stories, including a spanking scene, and getting a webcam client to read lines with her. We met Berglund at Starz’s party for the Television Critics Association in support of Now Apocalypse which premieres March 10, 2019 on Starz.
Did you audition for this?
Kelli Berglund: “I did. I went through the whole audition process, started with a bunch of other girls. We narrowed it down. I eventually did a chemistry read with the guy who plays my boyfriend, ‘cause he already had the job and booked it. Here I am now.”
What was the audition scene?
Kelli Berglund: “It was actually the scene where I’m spanking Jethro and then episode five, we go to Palm Springs. Avan and I are sitting by the pool where we spot RJ Mitte’s character and we’re like, ‘Oh, he’s hot.’ That was one of the scenes as well. There was one more but I can’t remember what it was. They were fun, funny scenes to do.”
Did you research webcam girls?
Kelli Berglund: “I did. I know a little bit about them but I did especially also reading Karley [Sciortino], the writer, her book dives into that whole world. My character Carly is loosely based on her. So definitely wanted to do my research on Karley at least. She’s had lots of different experiences in this sex world. So got a little bit of an insight there, did my own research definitely. I tried my best. All of my stuff is very lighthearted and funny. It’s not too serious but definitely didn’t know much about it before so I felt like I needed to.”
Is the spanking incident from Karley’s experience?
Kelli Berglund: “I think it is. She talks about in her book, I think she was working under a dominatrix for a little bit or something along those lines. That definitely, I think, comes from Karley’s world.”
Does your Carly believe the apocalypse is coming?
Kelli Berglund: “Honestly, every moment that it’s been brought up to her is Uly trying to convince her of these alien creatures and I’m having these weird, bizarre premonitions. I pretty much just shut him down every time. I’m like the anchor to bring him back to earth sort of. I was trying to remember earlier, I don’t think there’s a moment where I personally encounter any sort of alien lizard thing, at least in season one. So I think I’m still very much in doubt about it but I’m curious to see if I’ll be exposed to it eventually.”
What other fun stuff is coming up?
Kelli Berglund: “I think it’s episode eight, we go to a sex dungeon. That’s a crazy episode. I bring my boyfriend there to try to spice up our relationship. My character decides after being an actress in L.A. and it not working out so well, she starts writing her own web series, films it and actually gets some traction. In the very last episode, she has a meeting with Starz about her web series and potentially picking it up. I won’t give away what happens but there’s some really weird twists that come in that are pretty funny.”
Have you ever had people read lines with you over webcam?
Kelli Berglund: “I definitely Facetime friends for self tapes which is very hard, because normally you have another person there. I literally set up my laptop and have them on Skype while my phone was filming me doing my lines. Oh my gosh, I’ve read lines in crazy places, in the car a million times, on planes. The self tape over Facetime was an interesting one.”
Were you better at the audition grind than Carly is?
Kelli Berglund: “I mean, we all have our struggles. It’s so funny. She’s really hard on herself about being a struggling actress and I’ve totally been there. There were so many moments where I’m like, ‘Why am I not booking anything? Do I suck? Am I just the worst?’ I think a lot of actors have gone through that.
It’s crazy. You can have success and be on a show or a really successful film, and then it’s done and I’ve gotta search for my next job. It’s ironic, I guess, that I’m playing a struggling actress in a show while being a successful actress and booking a job, but I don’t know. I think I maybe had a little more luck in my life in terms of acting than Carly has. Potentially. I’m not on some crazy level yet but I’m trying.”
What was your experience at Sundance?
Kelli Berglund: “Oh, that was my first time ever going to Sundance. I didn’t really know what to expect. I’ve heard a lot obviously over the years about what Sundance is. Just as an actress, I’m excited there’s so much hype behind it. Everyone’s like, ‘Well, there’s just a lot of interviews and it’s freezing,’ and yet, it was cold and there were a lot of interviews but we did most things all together as a cast.
I have such a fun cast that I’m surrounded by that it was so fun and it didn’t feel like work. The way it was all set up at Sundance, they make it entertaining for people. You’re not just going into a room. It’s a whole setup event type of thing so I had an amazing first time at Sundance. It really didn’t feel like work. We got to premiere the first two episodes there which was surreal and weird because that was my first time watching it in a room full of strangers and seeing their reactions and being like, ‘Oh God.’ It was fun though. It was wild.”
What did they react to?
Kelli Berglund: “I think with this show there’s definitely going to be a mixed reaction. After Sundance, the initial audience that was in the room seemed to really respond to it well and the questions that people were asking and praising Gregg for his work and what it meant to them which was cool. Reading stuff online too, the show is so outrageous that not everyone’s gonna get it which is fine. We’re expecting that but we’ve had a lot of good reviews about it being positive and lighthearted.
You’re never going to please everyone but the majority has been really great feedback. So that’s all I can really ask for.”
