Jack Bannon will star in EPIX’s ‘Pennyworth.’ (Photo Credit: Jennie Scott)
The backstory of Batman’s butler is being brought to life in the upcoming series, Pennyworth. The EPIX drama has cast Jack Bannon in the title role, with filming about to get underway on October 22, 2018 at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the United Kingdom.
Jack Bannon will play Alfred Pennyworth in his 20s in the series which is produced by Warner Horizon Scripted Television. Bannon’s credits include The Loch mini-series, Clique, Endeavour, and Ripper Street. He also appeared in The Imitation Game, The Giblet Boys, and Shadow Play.
Pennyworth is based on the DC Comics characters created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger. The series comes from executive producer/writer Bruno Heller (Gotham, The Mentalist, Rome) and executive producer/director Danny Cannon (Gotham, CSI series) and will air on EPIX. Season one will be composed of 10 one-hour episodes.
Gotham is set to wrap up its five season run on Fox in 2019. The series will finish up with an episode that’s set 10 years in the future, according to the cast and executive producer John Stephens at the 2018 New York Comic Con.
The Pennyworth Plot:
“It follows Bruce Wayne’s legendary butler, Alfred Pennyworth, a former British SAS soldier in his 20s, who forms a security company and goes to work with a young billionaire Thomas Wayne, who’s not yet Bruce’s father, in 1960s London.
Alfred Pennyworth is a boyishly handsome, cheerful, charming, clever young man from London. Honest, open-faced and witty; you’d never take him for an SAS killer. Alfred doesn’t know how to reconcile the kind-hearted boy he used to be with the cold, calculated killer he was forced to become. He’s a man on the make, who doesn’t know what to make of himself yet.”
The CW’s Riverdale returned on October 10, 2018 with an episode that ended with Archie being found guilty of murder. The episode also confirmed Alice has joined a cult and Betty and Jughead’s relationship is still going strong. Hiram refused to help Archie and Veronica declared she’s no longer his daughter.
Up next, season three episode two titled “Chapter Thirty-Seven: Fortune and Men’s Eyes” airing on October 17, 2018. The episode was directed by Jeff Woolnough from a script by Michael Grassi.
The cast of season three includes KJ Apa as Archie Andrews, Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper, Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge, and Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones. Madelaine Petsch is Cheryl Blossom, Marisol Nichols is Hermione Lodge, Mӓdchen Amick is Alice Cooper, and Luke Perry is Fred Andrews. The third season also stars Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy, Casey Cott as Kevin Keller, Mark Consuelos as Hiram Lodge, Skeet Ulrich as FP Jones, Charles Melton as Reggie Mantle, and Vanessa Morgan as Toni Topaz.
The “Chapter Thirty-Seven: Fortune and Men’s Eyes” Plot: FIRST DAY JITTERS — After a gruesome discovery is made in the forest, Jughead (Sprouse) and Betty (Reinhart) team up to investigate Riverdale’s latest mystery. As Archie (Apa) navigates his new surroundings, Veronica (Mendes) devises a plan to bring a bit of home to him. Elsewhere, when Moose (guest star Cody Kearsley) decides to join the RROTC, Kevin (Cott) worries he may be pulling away from him.
Martin Freeman returns to FX after leading the cast of network’s Fargo to star in the comedy series, Breeders. FX just gave the series a 10 episode season one order and announced Freeman and Daisy Haggard (Episodes, Black Mirror) are set to star.
Freeman earned Emmy, Golden Globe, and Critics’ Choice award nominations for his performance in the first season of FX’s critically acclaimed drama, Fargo.
Breeders was created by Oscar nominee/Emmy Award winner Simon Blackwell (In the Loop, Veep), BAFTA and Emmy winner Martin Freeman (Sherlock), and Emmy winner Chris Addison (Veep). Blackwell will be the showrunner and executive produce with Addison, Freeman, Richard Allen-Turner, Rob Aslett, David Martin, Jon Thoday, and Michael Wiggs.
The series is produced by FX Productions, Avalon Television and Sky Original Productions.
“Martin Freeman is an incredibly versatile artist who is perfectly paired with the wonderfully talented Daisy Haggard in Breeders,” said Nick Grad, Co-President of Original Programming for FX Networks and FX Productions. “We enjoyed working with Martin on the first installment of Fargo and are delighted that he is executive producing along with Simon Blackwell and Chris Addison. We also appreciate the chance to partner with Avalon Television and Sky Original Productions to bring this new comedy series to audiences worldwide.”
FX is targeting a 2020 premiere date for Breeders.
“I’m delighted to be making Breeders with a team that can make me laugh whilst we look at some of the less-discussed truths and challenges of being a parent,” said actor/executive producer Martin Freeman. “I really love this project and am delighted to be working with FX and Sky.”
“I am very excited about making Breeders, to the point of being told to go to bed and stop showing off,” added Simon Blackwell.
“It’s a treat to be cooking up stuff with my old comrade Simon Blackwell and the peerless Martin Freeman,” said Chris Addison. “We’re very excited that FX and Sky have agreed to finance what is effectively us working through some of our own issues in the form of ten half-hour sitcom episodes. Usually you have to pay for your own therapy.”
The Breeders Plot:
“Breeders exposes the parental-paradox that it is possible, in the very same moment, to love your child to the horizon of the universe, while being apoplectically angry enough to want to send them there. Martin Freeman stars as a caring father discovering he’s not quite the man he thought he was.”
Zach McGowan as Justin and Norman Reedus as Daryl in ‘The Walking Dead’ season 9 episode 2 (Photo by Jackson Lee Davis/AMC)
Season nine episode two of AMC’s The Walking Dead begins with Rick (Andrew Lincoln) walking some unseen listener through the events of the day. He remarks that today was day 35 and that the community seems to be coming together. It’s no longer a daily fight to simply stay alive and instead the survivors are building toward the future, creating a new beginning. “We’re getting back a piece of who we used to be,” says Rick.
We quickly learn Rick’s describing the group that’s gathered together to fix the bridge. The remainder of the episode plots out the specific events of day 35.
Ezekiel (Khary Payton) believes the bridge is part of the lifeblood of civilization, connecting the different communities. Carol (Melissa McBride) arrives and makes Henry (Macsen Lintz), who’s definitely getting taller, give her a kiss before he heads off to help the bridge crew. She tells Ezekiel she has to head back to the Sanctuary because it still needs her, and Ezekiel insists he’s not giving up on the idea of the two having a fairy tale ending.
Eugene (Josh McDermitt) delivers a report to Rick, informing him the levee upstream has about six to nine more days before it fails. That’s about the same amount of time they’ll need to finish fixing the bridge. Fortunately, Eugene also believes they’re capable of picking up speed if they add extra shifts.
Next, Rosita (Christian Serratos) delivers her update which also needs immediate attention. A herd of 100+ aren’t that far away and if they blast the bridge, it will draw them. Rick doesn’t think they should hold off blasting because there are other herds out there. They’ve got a diversion (a massive rock slide) ready to go when they’re set to start the blasting.
After Rosita leaves, Eugene confesses the “walk-offs” are still happening and they just lost another Savior this morning.
Rick sends Siddiq (Avi Nash) back to Alexandria because there’s a bug going around, leaving Enid (Katelyn Nacon) to handle anything at the bridge camp. (Watching this exchange, it’s evident Rick’s decision will play into the storyline later in the episode.)
Eugene continues his report, explaining the pickings are slim over at the Sanctuary. Rick promises Michonne’s working on it.
And speaking of Michonne (Danai Gurira), she makes the trek to Hilltop to speak with Maggie (Lauren Cohan). The ethanol hasn’t been delivered from the Sanctuary (as promised), but Michonne says they told her it was sent last week. Maggie thinks they’re lying, but Michonne believes the delivery guys may have been attacked. Either way, the Sanctuary desperately needs food. She asks Maggie to send some to tide them over, and Jesus assures Maggie they do have a surplus right now. But, Maggie reminds them both that without fuel the tractor can’t work, and they can’t plow the fields.
Michonne suggests they use the plow from the museum, but Maggie says it needs a blacksmith’s attention. Their only blacksmith, Earl, is still locked up after attacking Maggie. Maggie hung Gregory but only placed Earl in custody, and she’s not sure how long she plans on keeping him in jail. Michonne suggests they need to make new rules, including laying out punishments for specific crimes.
Maggie’s not ready for this conversation and decides she will not send any food to the Sanctuary until the fuel shows up.
Back with the bridge crew, Aaron (Ross Marquand) and Daryl (Norman Reedus) talk about babies while Henry provides water to the bridge workers. Justin (Zach McGowan), a Savior, knocks Henry to his feet and steals the container. Justin claims he needs more water and doesn’t care that it’s supposed to be rationed to make sure there’s enough for all the workers.
Henry gets to his feet and uses his staff to knock Justin’s legs out from under him. Henry picks up the container and walks away, with Justin hot on his heels. Justin’s about to hit Henry when Daryl grabs him from behind. He tells Justin to get back to work, but Justin refuses to take orders from Daryl or his people. He takes a swing at Daryl and misses, but Daryl’s return punch lands hard on Justin’s face.
Justin fights dirty and flings sand into Daryl’s eyes, attacking Daryl while he can’t defend himself.
Back with Rick, Eugene continues to go down the list of dwindling supplies. They’re within sight of the bridge when Rick sees the fight going on, racing off to stop it.
Rick arrives and it’s not just Daryl and Justin going at it. Aaron is also fighting one of Justin’s Savior friends. Rick manages to break up the fight, but Daryl looks ready to kill someone.
After Rick sends everyone back to work, Daryl confronts him over his handling of Justin. Daryl believes Justin should be punished, and Rick begs Daryl to let it go so they can finish the work. Rick reminds Daryl the Saviors are the strongest men and more are deserting each day. “Yeah, because that’s who they are. Some of them ain’t ever gonna fall in line just because you say so,” responds Daryl.
Carol’s been listening and she agrees with Daryl. These people can’t all be expected just to live together peacefully after everything that’s happened. Rick reminds them it’s not about forgetting, it’s about moving ahead. He thinks eventually they’ll all realize they’re on the same side.
“Are we though? We on the same side, Rick?” asks Daryl. He doesn’t think Rick’s truly listening to anything he’s tried to tell him about the Saviors.
Over at Hilltop, Jesus tries to get Earl’s wife, Tammy, to understand why Earl is still locked up and why she can’t see him. Tammy claims she has rights and once again Jesus begs for patience given that Earl tried to kill Maggie. Tammy places a stool in front of the locked door and insists she won’t move until Earl’s freed.
Michonne asks if Jesus (Tom Payne) agrees with what Maggie’s doing. He admits he’s not against Tammy seeing her husband, but he trusts Maggie’s instincts.
After the encounter, Jesus speaks to Maggie about Tammy, reminding her it’s been a month since they locked Earl up. Maggie wonders if Jesus thinks she’s been wrong about Negan, Gregory, and Earl, and Jesus replies that he thinks she’s a good person.
Maggie takes Tammy down to see Earl and it’s an emotional reunion. Earl tells his wife they’ve been treating him fair, admitting that’s more than he deserves. After 20 years of sobriety, he brought shame to her. Tammy tells him she forgives him, but Earl doesn’t need her forgiveness. They miss their son horribly. Maggie listens to this and seems moved by their conversation.
Meanwhile near the bridge workers’ camp, Rosita and a Savior set off the diversion and a herd redirects itself.
Maggie returns to the cell which, apparently, Earl built. She asks about his drinking and he reluctantly opens up. He admits it’s always been bad, but he eventually joined AA. When his son, Ken, was two they were having a bad time financially. He stopped at a bar and then went to pick up his son from the sitter’s. The sitter knew he was drunk but Earl demanded his son anyway and drove off. He crashed and blacked out. Tammy rescued them and stood by him afterward, understanding alcoholism is a disease. He swore off alcohol after that and was sober up until a month ago when his son died and he tried to kill Maggie.
Maggie thanks him for the truth, and he wants to know why she didn’t hang him when she hung Gregory. She doesn’t provide an answer.
Tara (Alana Masterson) radios Rick, who she’s now decided should use the “Mother Goose” call sign, and tells him the nearby herd’s on the move. She then calls Jerry (Cooper Andrews) and instructs him to crank up the siren. He does and the herd turns.
Alden (Callan McAuliffe) is next up to give his report to Rick. He delivers the bad news that the Saviors who walked off the bridge job earlier still have not returned to the Sanctuary. Some of these guys had families and one even has a new baby so they wouldn’t have just left. Alden reminds Rick that if the Saviors are scared of working on the bridge, that means they’ll lose the biggest portion of the workforce. Rick swears he’ll protect them.
Tara frantically radios to the second siren which isn’t going off. If it doesn’t soon, the walkers will overtake the crew out working on gathering trees to be cut into lumber for the bridge.
Daryl is part of that crew and notices the mules getting antsy and then he spots a couple of walkers. He stakes a few and then sees a herd that is fast approaching. The Savior who had been fighting Aaron earlier deserts his position, causing a massive log to roll down the stack and pin Aaron’s arm to the ground.
Andrew Lincoln as Rick and Melissa McBride as Carol in ‘The Walking Dead’ season 9 episode 2 (Photo by Jackson Lee Davis/AMC)
Daryl orders the mules freed as the walkers approach. Daryl refuses to leave Aaron and along with the Savior responsible and one other crew member they manage to free him. They’re struggling to make it to safety when Rick and a large group that includes Carol, Alden, Gabriel, Dianne (Kerry Cahill), and Ann (aka Jadis) arrive to take on the herd. Ezekiel had left to return to the Kingdom but heard there was trouble, so he also shows up to take down the walkers.
Rick shoots the rope holding a stack of logs and sends them tumbling down a hill, knocking over walkers like bowling pins.
Aaron makes it back to the bridge camp but his arm’s smashed. He’s in a lot of pain and because Siddiq’s not there, it’s up to Enid to handle the emergency. She determines they have to amputate the arm and cauterize the wound. And, they have to do it without pain medication. Aaron screams and passes out.
Daryl races from the medical tent and into a tent where Carol’s yelling at Justin. Daryl demands to know who was supposed to turn the herd, and of course it was Justin. Justin claims the walkie wasn’t charged and he didn’t hear the order to use the siren.
Daryl’s done with Justin’s attitude and lays into him. He punches Justin with his fist and follows that with a smack from a metal pan. Daryl only stops when Carol makes him. She assures him they’ll deal with it and Daryl replies, “There’s only one way to deal with these assholes.”
In a slightly less tense environment, Michonne and Maggie have a talk back at Hilltop. Michonne truly believes Maggie’s done an amazing job. Maggie agrees they can talk about common laws, but she won’t give up the right to govern her people the way she sees fit. Maggie also reveals she had Jesus load up the extra food, as she initially promised. Plus, she’s let Earl free to work on the plow under supervision.
Michonne wonders what changed and Maggie admits her father drank. He received a second chance and so now she’s granting Earl a second chance. However, Gregory wasted multiple chances and always chose the wrong path. Gregory could not be redeemed and Maggie doesn’t regret hanging him.
That night, Justin passes by Rick and tells him to keep his dog on a leash. Rick, calmly, moves just inches from Justin’s face. He calls him a dipshit and reveals that as a cop he’d have to spend Saturday nights picking up people just like Justin. All of those people always blamed someone else for their problems.
Justin doesn’t want to continue the conversation, but Rick forces him to. Rick’s over giving Justin the benefit of the doubt, telling him to pack his stuff and head out in the morning. If Rick sees him again, stitches won’t be able to fix what he does to him.
Justin says he’s leaving that night.
Rick enters the medical tent and congratulates Enid on a job well done. Aaron will recover if they keep the wound from getting infected. Rick apologizes to Aaron for what happened, admitting Aaron paid the price for him putting the project first.
Aaron doesn’t believe it’s the end of the world; it’s the start of a new one. He’s glad he’s part of it and credits Rick with helping bring it about.
Elsewhere in the dark, Ann (Pollyanna McIntosh) and Gabriel share a quiet moment. They talk about frogs and the woods, and then Ann asks about the woman he had her draw during lunch. They’ve agreed not to talk about their secrets, but Ann believes it’s okay to ask about their pasts. Gabriel admits the woman was his organist at his church. He cared for her but didn’t do anything about it. He reminds her he’s Episcopalian, not Catholic.
They kiss, and then Gabriel reminds her he’s supposed to be on watch.
Back at camp, little groups have formed and they’re sitting by fires, relaxing. Carol asks if Ezekiel’s still got the ring, saying she wants to wear it for a while. Ezekiel’s disappointed when Carol won’t let him get down on his knee or read a speech he’s carefully prepared. She assures him he can read it to her later. They laugh and snuggle, as Rick watches over the group from a nearby tree.
And now we’re back with Rick recounting the events of the day to someone off-screen. He thinks that as bad as it was, at the end of the day most of them came together. “They chose to be together,” says Rick. He believes it’s human nature to come together.
Of course, the off-screen person is Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Negan’s in jail and Rick assures him he’ll die behind bars. He’ll never see the light of day. Negan tries to get under Rick’s skin by saying, “When this finally goes to shit – and it will – make sure you come back and you tell me about that day, too.”
Rick taunts Negan, telling him they’re thriving and building a future. Negan brings up Carl’s name and Rick’s voice turns icy when he warns him never to do that again.
“The bridge is not the future. It’s a monument to the dead,” says Negan. “You’re not saving the world, Rick. You’re just getting it ready for me.”
Ann’s on lookout duty when she hears a helicopter.
The episode ends with Justin walking alone in the dark, drinking. He realizes there’s someone off to the side but recognizes the person and relaxes his guard. The person attacks.
Jennifer Garner stars in ‘Camping’ (Photo: Anne Marie Fox / HBO)
Jennifer Garner told the Television Critics Association that she always expected to do another TV show, on a panel for her new HBO comedy Camping. After the panel she spoke with reporters a little more about the new show.
Garner plays Kathryn, a woman on a camping trip with her family that goes wrong. Hilarity ensues, HBO-style. Based on the British series, Camping premieres on October 14, 2018 at 10pm ET/PT on HBO.
What do your kids think about camping?
Jennifer Garner: “My kids? They’re at the age where they just make fun of me all the time so that’s what they think.”
Did they think it was realistic?
Jennifer Garner: “Well, they wouldn’t see it. It’s not appropriate for them.”
What was fun about digging into your organized side and blowing it up to find the comedy?
Jennifer Garner: “You know what was fun was figuring out how and why Catherine is hanging on and why she needs to be so controlled. I love the moments that Jenny (Konner) and Lena (Dunham) gave her, like in the hospital, where she says to her son, ‘You just don’t know.’ She is living in such a panicked place.
When you think about someone who’s lived with chronic pain and the misdiagnoses and people dismissing their pain, all the exploratory surgeries, you can see how you build layer after layer of defensiveness, to the point where her defensiveness has become aggressive, and she is out there attacking before anyone can accuse her of not having sex when they want or not being who she wants. That’s what was fascinating and so cool to me was to try to figure out the psychology that made her her.”
What moment or scene resonated with you the most while you were shooting?
Jennifer Garner: “Oh my gosh, there was so much. Gosh, the relationships with other women, the relationship with her sister. My sisters and I have zero contention. We fought as little kids but as adults we just don’t. I can’t even imagine arguing with my sisters. And yet there’s something so true and so deep about who you are to that other person in your life. For whatever reason, being in that place with Ione (Skye) was really easy. I found I could connect with her and she to me I think, (in a ) really just deep true way as if we had a lifetime of history.”
Was there really a bear there?
Jennifer Garner: “What do you think?”
Do you feel your funny side came out in your real life while playing her?
Jennifer Garner: “I felt light and happy. It was just a light, happy experience. It’s good for you to go and laugh for 12 hours a day. It’s a good thing, and I felt really ready for it and I felt light and funny. We did do that. We really were on the edge of getting ourselves in trouble all the time with breaking.”
13 Going on 30 is a favorite, do you have a favorite go to female-driven comedy?
Jennifer Garner: “Oh, yeah. So many but Overboard, Sweet Home Alabama.”
When you camp with your kids, what do you make?
Jennifer Garner: “The only thing that matters is Smores. You can make whatever you want but you’re going to have Smores and that’s all they’ll remember. You know, hot dogs, hamburgers, eggs over the fire.”
What are you binge-watching right now?
Jennifer Garner: “The Great British Bake-Off I love because they’re so kind to each other and so supportive of each other. That is one I watch with my girls at night. I really went on a big Cheers thing. I really went down sitcom alley. I went hard because I just like watching funny.”
In 1998, Charmed became a hit show about sister witches, and gave stars Alyssa Milano, Shannen Doherty and Holly Marie Combs new iconic roles after their previous stints on Who’s the Boss?, 90210, and Picket Fences. 20 years later, Charmed is back with an all new cast.
Now Melonie Diaz, Madeleine Mantock, and Sarah Jeffery are the sisters. We spoke with Jeffery after The CW’s Television Critics Association panel for the new Charmed, which premieres Sunday, October 14, 2018 at 9pm ET/PT on The CW.
Do you feel any similarities between a witch and the superpowers of The Descendants?
Sarah Jeffery: “Well, yes, I guess so. That’s the only other project I’ve done that was sort of supernatural. That’s not true. I did Wayward Pines on Fox and X-Files, but it is interesting seeing the parallel in technical ways. How that affects you as an actor, what’s done in post, and how to work with that as an actor.”
How have you coordinated with the visual effects artists to figure out what you’re going to do on set and what they’ll add?
Sarah Jeffery: “You know, they’re really great on set in just being informative at that time of what they’re going to do. They already have a plan. My job is basically to just go in there and do what they ask. We do have stunts in this so the whole stunt team is great as well.
With effects, you just have to trust that they’re going to put it in in post, I guess. They do and they made it look great, I think.”
You also played a pre-existing character in Daphne & Velma. Did you do research for that?
Sarah Jeffery: “I grew up watching Scooby-Doo. I was an avid fan of Daphne. She was my favorite and I named my first stuffed animal after her. So, I already had a grasp of what she was like as a character. I just wanted to bring more layers into her, so she wasn’t just the cute ditzy one. She was also smart and had heart and was curious and adventurous.”
Were you more concerned about playing that character than this one?
Sarah Jeffery: “There’s always a level of trepidation and nervousness when you’re bringing a pre-existing character back to life, but with Charmed it’s a little different because we are new characters. I think it’s just making sure you’re respectful of the foundation that was already laid, the mythology there. In terms of that, I don’t think I’m nervous because I think we’re doing a good job with paying homage to the original.”
Was Daphne & Velma supposed to continue as a series?
Sarah Jeffery: “Yes, I think that we’d like to do another one hopefully, but my schedule hasn’t really permitted that. So, we’ll see. Hopefully if I have a break in time and they want to do it, we can make it happen.”
So, it would be another movie, not episodic?
Sarah Jeffery: “Yeah, I believe so.”
Are doing another Descendants?
Sarah Jeffery: “I just finished filming that. It’s been great. I did the first Descendants and then I wasn’t able to do the second because I was on an NBC show. They had me come back for the third and I get to come into a large role. I can’t give away too much but it’s very different, the same and something happens. It was a lot of fun. It’s a blast.”
So a bigger role than the first one?
Sarah Jeffery: “I think you’re going to see a little bit more of me screen time-wise, yes.”
What’s the vibe of sisterhood on the set of Charmed?
Sarah Jeffery: “Oh, it’s great. We get along so well. Automatically, we were just connected. It doesn’t feel forced at all. We hang out. We have wine nights. We watch Charmed clips together. It’s great. I think we’re very lucky. It was just like a natural connection.”
Do you have siblings?
Sarah Jeffery: “In real life, yes. I do have two full sisters, a half-sister and half-brother, all of whom I’m very close with. So, I definitely know about this sibling bond very well.”
And rivalry?
Sarah Jeffery: “Yeah, I mean, naturally. I have a sister who’s a year and nine days apart from me so there’s obviously naturally going to be some butting heads and some bickering but at the end of the day, it all dissipates and it’s just love.”
Are you the Vancouver tour guide?
Sarah Jeffery: “I’m glad to suggest. Rupert’s last show, Man in the High Castle, shot there for two or three years so he’s familiar with it too. Madeleine shot Tomorrow People there so they have a little idea, but I definitely want to take them on bike rides through Stanley Park and I know really good restaurants. It’s nice to be familiar with my surroundings for sure.”
How daunting do you think it would be to have this power in real life?
Sarah Jeffery: “It’s horrible. I think it would be a little bit of a burden. If you could control it and you didn’t have to read everyone’s mind always, I think it would be a cool tool to have, but it could be a bit of an annoyance.”
As an actor do you ever feel you have to read your co-stars’ minds?
Sarah Jeffery: “Definitely. I am a very empathetic person to begin with. I read into things and I’m an overthinker, so I already feel like I’m too close to people’s thoughts and my own thoughts, so I feel like it’s a very appropriate power to have. I definitely have a good experience with reading people in real life as well.”
How interesting was Wayward Pines to work on?
Sarah Jeffery: “It was bizarre but in the best way. Getting to work with that class of actors at a younger age was amazing. I was very grateful. I love my character so much. I met one of my very close friends on that, Charlie Tahan. We’re still close to this day so I’m grateful for any show that brings a new friend into my life.”
How young did you start performing?
Sarah Jeffery: “I started dancing at age three. I’ve been dancing all my life on stage, competing, 3 PM to 10PM through the years. I went to a performing arts school, so I danced there as well. So, I feel like it’s always been in my blood. I think this was kind of meant to happen. My dad acted and I just followed suit.”
Does the dance help with discipline and commitment?
Sarah Jeffery: “100%, it does. I feel completely and utterly blessed that I’ve danced before because I have this awareness of my body that a lot of people don’t. It helps for different roles and helps with being disciplined and showing up for your teammates and your cast. I owe a lot of that to my dance career.”
Did you only audition for this role or did you go out for the other sisters too?
Sarah Jeffery: “This is the one I auditioned for off the bat. They at first didn’t really want to see me because I was attached to another show. I was attached to Shades of Blue and we just finished our last season. They were like, ‘We don’t want to see her and like her and then have to battle for first position.’ They did see me and they did want me and it just ended up falling into place. Shades moved to second position and Charmed had me for first. Shades ended up getting cancelled after the third season anyway, so it just all worked out.”
What scenes did you audition with?
Sarah Jeffery: “I auditioned with the demon dog. There’s a demon dog scene, and there was one fight with my sister. I think those are the two scenes. They’re pretty lengthy but they showed the fun side of her and then they showed the emotional bond between the sisters.”
Did you do those scenes again with Melanie and Madeleine when they were cast?
Sarah Jeffery: “We never did any chemistry tests actually, but it’s I guess luck of the draw that we get along so well.”
There’s been both backlash and excitement for Charmed. How have you experienced it?
Sarah Jeffery: “It’s very interesting. Of course, it’s slightly disappointing to not have all the support but it’s totally understandable. I get it. It’s very dear to their hearts and it’s iconic for a reason. We definitely are paying more attention to the positive comments but then again respectful of any feelings or opinions that may be there.”
DC Universe’s Titans debuts on October 12, 2018, introducing the Titans team made up of Dick Grayson/Robin (Brenton Thwaites), Rachel/Raven (Teagan Croft), Koriand’r/Starfire (Anna Diop), and Gar Logan/Beast Boy (Ryan Potter). Prior to the premiere of Titans, the cast made their New York Comic Con debut to show off the new superhero series which serves as the launching pad for the DC Universe digital service.
Sitting down for interviews at NYCC, Teagan Croft talked about the appeal of playing Raven. She also described her reaction to the visual effects and what fans can look forward to in season one.
Did you have any favorite Raven stories from the comics that you were excited about playing?
Teagan Croft: “Oh my gosh. There was an issue of the original ‘80s Teen Titans where they all told their backstories. It was like Beast Boy’s, Robin’s… I remember reading that issue, and I have the volume of the comics, but I remember reading those issues and turning to my dad and being like, ‘I have the best character!’
I’m so grateful and it’s so crazy to be this iconic character. So many cosplayers are dressed as Raven, so much fan art…I’m still trying to tell myself that it’s true.”
How much of a backstory will be revealed in the first season?
Teagan Croft: “So, the whole first season is about how Rachel doesn’t know who she is and what her backstory is. So, a lot of the season is figuring out where she comes from and who she is. And anyone who’s read the comics will know what her backstory is, and this series is based on the comics.”
Rachel’s having to deal with a lot and it’s stressful for her emotionally. Did you do any research with psychologists or anything to get into that part of the character?
Teagan Croft: “No. Actually no because a lot of her emotional issues are not from her actual mind, not actual mental issues but from the half-demon part of her which she sees in the mirror. It comes out when she gets really angry, so all this darkness that she hides in herself, it is very similar to some psychological and mental diseases but it’s not. It’s much more supernatural.”
What was your reaction when you saw the final effects for Raven?
Teagan Croft: “Oh, it was crazy! When I was doing it, it was just me. None of the eye stuff had happened. It was just me, screaming, because I did all my own screams. For real though – my throat hurt a lot. It was weird. All the voice stuff that happens because sometimes when her demon self starts talking to her, the voice goes funny – or when she is her demon self. So, I did all that in ADR. They told me to do it in different pitches, different levels, and seeing it all come together along with the special effects along with the stunts… I didn’t get to do any stunts but seeing Hawk and Dove and Robin do the stunts it was absolutely amazing. It was like seeing a comic come to life.”
Given the origins of her powers, what do you think it feels like to use the powers?
Teagan Croft: “I think it feels like a lot of pain being released. First it feels like a
build up of pain, but then as soon as the darkness comes out of her, it’s just a relief. It’s kind of like when you’ve got water stuck in your ear and you kind of bounce it out a bit. That’s a much smaller scale but similar to the feeling of relief.”
Which episode are you most excited for fans to see?
Teagan Croft: “I think episode three because that’s when they get to do a lot of the reflection stuff and a lot of the dark stuff, and the interaction between Rachel and her demon self which is a really interesting relationship because it’s with herself but at the same time they’re two different people.”
Netflix has released a full trailer for the comedy series The Kominsky Method. The 2018 series stars Oscar winners Michael Douglas (Wall Street) and Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine) as buddies, and has eight-time Emmy Award nominee Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory) behind the scenes.
Lorre created the half-hour comedy series which will debut at the AFI Fest on November 10, 2018. Netflix will then release the eight episode first season on November 16.
In addition to Arkin and Douglas, the cast includes Nancy Travis (Last Man Standing) and Sarah Baker (Big Little Lies). Guest starring in season one are Lisa Edelstein, Emily Osment, Graham Rogers, Danny Devito, Ann-Margret, Jay Leno, Patti LaBelle, and Ashleigh LaThorpe.
Chuck Lorre, David Javerbaum, and Al Higgins wrote the first season, and Lorre also directed the first episode. Lorre, Higgins, and Douglas executive produced.
Michael Douglas was recently seen reprising his role as Dr. Hank Pym in the comic book-inspired film Ant-Man and The Wasp. He also starred in the ensemble comedy Last Vegas and played Liberace in Behind the Candelabra. Alan Arkin recently wrapped up work in Disney’s much-anticipated Dumbo and is currently shooting Wonderland with Mark Wahlberg, directed by Peter Berg.
Chuck Lorre’s credits include Mom, Young Sheldon, Mike & Molly, Dharma and Greg, and Grace Under Fire.
The Kominsky Method Plot:
“The sun isn’t setting yet on the once famous Sandy Kominsky and his longtime agent Norman Newlander. Academy Award® Winners Michael Douglas (Kominsky) and Alan Arkin (Newlander) star as two friends tackling life’s inevitable curveballs as they navigate their later years in Los Angeles, a city that values youth and beauty.”
Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin star in Netflix’s ‘The Kominsky Method’
Anna Diop (Bosch, 24: Legacy) takes on the role of Starfire/Koriand’r in the DC Universe series, Titans. The series is based on the popular Teen Titans franchise and has the honor of being the first show to premiere on the newly formed DC Universe digital service.
At the 2018 New York Comic Con, Anna Diop took part in roundtable interviews to discuss the show’s first season. Diop explained how she approached playing Starfire, the comics, and the costume.
How did you come up with your take on Starfire?
Anna Diop: “I just love the idea of being alien, and that means so many things to me personally. I was born in Senegal, West Africa, and I moved to the States when I was six years old. When I first came I had to assimilate. I learned the language in two months and I was in school two months later, assimilating into this culture. And sometimes I just feel like an outsider too, right? I think a lot of people can relate to that.
I love being able to embody what being alien feels like, if that makes sense. I think that’s something I do understand.”
Did you find yourself drawing inspiration from the comics at all?
Anna Diop: “100%. I watched Teen Titans Go just to kind of see. I think what people really love about Starfire is she has this really innocent, naïve, pure, fun, curious thing about her and I tried to bring as much of that into her as I could. I know the producers wanted a really badass, strong character, but I really, really did want to bring aspects of that bubbly (personality).”
Does the fact Starfire’s an alien give her a harder hill to overcome when relating to the rest of the team?
Anna Diop: “I think it does because I think Starfire’s already naturally a little perplexed by humans sometimes. Added to the fact that she doesn’t remember anything is very confusing.
I don’t know. All four of us struggle with finding ourselves and connecting with each other as characters. So, I wouldn’t say any more than the other.”
Who among the team does she really lean on? Who will she have the biggest connection with?
Anna Diop: “That’s a great question. I think it varies. Sometimes it’s Robin and then sometimes she has to call Robin out on his stuff. She’s very protective over Raven. And she just finds Beast Boy completely quirky and hilarious. She’s just tickled by him. It just depends.
Starfire’s kind of the one who gets leaned on, I find in our season. But, yeah, I think a little bit of Raven. There’s definitely some moments when she opens up and is very vulnerable to her.”
There’s a lot of mystery surrounding Starfire’s origins at the beginning of the show. How much of her arc did they map out for you when you got the role?
Anna Diop: “So, we only got the pilot episode when we first got it and that was enough for me. It was only 12 pages but it was so well written. She was just so interesting to me that I was hooked. She was my favorite part of that.”
Anna Diop: (Laughing) “You tell me! I did my best and then they added lines on the day. I’m like, ‘Don’t do this to me!’ No, that was fun. I actually kind of fell in love with the language after learning it a bit. It’s a lot more beautiful than I realized.”
Do you speak any other languages besides German in the show?
Anna Diop: “Yes, I do, and it’s the best language because it’s made up. It’s really awesome. It’s so good.”
Having read the comics do you have any favorite Starfire storylines or versions of Starfire?
Anna Diop: “There’s this one quote that I read that was so sweet and I’m totally going to butcher it. She’s basically talking about how our purpose here on Earth is to love one another and include everyone. She doesn’t understand why people fight and why they do this, that, and the other. Yeah, she’s just such a warrior for inclusion and justice. That just in general throughout the comics that I read stood out to me most.”
What went through your mind when you saw yourself in the costume for the very first time?
Anna Diop: “I was like, ‘Who is this chick?!’ I didn’t think the costuming was going to go there and the hair. I had ideas that I did introduce, and it ended up being something different but something that I think is really out of this world kind of. It’s Starfire’s way of trying to fit in. This is what that looks like to her. I thought that was really funny and cool. That helped me too with the character just being like, ‘Okay, this is how I would dress. Okay.’ That kind of fed into how I walked in her world.”
The culmination of the stories laid out in M. Night Shyamalan’s 2000 Unbreakable and 2016’s Split arrives with 2019’s Glass. Universal Pictures’ second full trailer for Glass shows Elijah Price (played by Samuel L Jackson) asking Kevin Crumb (played by James McAvoy) to unleash The Beast in order to free them from jail and reveal to the world their incredible powers. The trailer also reveals new footage from the film showing The Beast wreaking havoc.
M. Night Shyamalan wrote, directed, and produced Glass. Jason Blum and Blumhouse Production also produced the film along with Ashwin Rajan and Marc Bienstock. Steven Schneider, Kevin Frakes, Gary Barber, and Roger Birnbaum served as executive producers.
Universal Pictures is set to release Glass in North America on January 18, 2019. Buena Vista International is handling the international distribution.
The Glass Plot:
M. Night Shyamalan brings together the narratives of two of his standout originals — 2000’s Unbreakable, from Touchstone, and 2016’s Split, from Universal — in one explosive, all-new comic-book thriller: Glass. From Unbreakable, Bruce Willis returns as David Dunn as does Samuel L. Jackson as Elijah Price, known also by his pseudonym Mr. Glass.
Joining from Split are James McAvoy, reprising his role as Kevin Wendell Crumb and the multiple identities who reside within, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Casey Cooke, the only captive to survive an encounter with The Beast. Following the conclusion of Split, Glass finds Dunn pursuing Crumb’s superhuman figure of The Beast in a series of escalating encounters, while the shadowy presence of Price emerges as an orchestrator who holds secrets critical to both men.
Joining the all-star cast are Unbreakable’s Spencer Treat Clark and Charlayne Woodard, who reprise their roles as Dunn’s son and Price’s mother, as well as Golden Globe Award winner Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story series).
