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Freddie Highmore Interview: ‘Bates Motel’ Season 5 and Norman’s Fragile Mental State

By
Rebecca Murray
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Bates Motel star Freddie Highmore
Freddie Highmore from ‘Bates Motel’ at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con (Photo © Richard Chavez)

Bates Motel star Freddie Highmore says that he watches the classic Hitchcock film Psycho before every season. A&E’s Bates Motel is a prequel to the 1960 thriller and explores how Highmore’s character Norman Bates became the killer portrayed by Anthony Perkins in the Oscar nominated feature film. Season four of Bates Motel found Norman killing Norma but then unwilling to actually accept the fact his beloved mother is dead. Season five, the show’s final season, will further explore Norman’s deteriorating mental state.

During our interview at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con, Highmore discussed what Norman will be dealing with moving into this final season of the critically acclaimed series.

Freddie Highmore Interview:

You get to be the only one who interacts with Vera Farmiga – you’ll have her all to yourself. How does it feel to be carrying that Norma and Norman storyline forward?

Freddie Highmore: “I know. I wonder how it will work. In many ways this whole turn of events will probably mean that I get to have many more scenes with Vera than I’ve had in the past. That’s obviously a brilliant opportunity. I love her and I love working with her so I can’t wait.”

Will we see him further descend into madness? Are you looking forward to playing that?

Freddie Highmore: “I certainly think he’ll be descending into madness, given the fact that Vera’s going to be such a huge part of the show and we know that she’s dead and Norman thinks otherwise. The sort of entire conceit of the last season is based around that subjective reality of Norman’s as opposed to anything objective. Certainly, he’ll be going a little madder as time goes by.”

When you first were cast as Norman were you excited to be able to build the character? In the movie we don’t get to see his backstory at all.

Freddie Highmore: “No, exactly. I think by bringing it into the contemporary setting that the writers did way back when, and this season this deciding to intersect the Bates Motel storyline with that of Psycho but not necessarily retelling it scene-by-scene or exactly how things happened in the past, that’s left us free to be able to come up with our own version of the characters that doesn’t need to necessarily be tied to what came before. I think I’ve tried to come up with a happy medium where certainly there’s inspiration in things that are taken from Anthony Perkins’ performance but it’s never felt like I have to mimic everything that he did.”

Have you been doing more research into mental illness to prepare for this next season?

Freddie Highmore: “I think this next season’s just so wacky and different I’m not sure what it would be to base anything on. This last season, certainly, though was more research-heavy in the scenes with Dr. Edwards and the more scientific approach, if you like, in terms of looking at Norman’s psychology. But now you sort of just have to live in his reality and what he thinks to be true and avoid any moments – or least I hope to do – of wink wink to the audience. Like, ‘Ah, but actually she’s not around.’ I think the whole premise works if you’re entirely committed, and Norman is entirely committed to that reality, to what he believes.”

In the first season one of the themes was exploring whether Norman Bates’ evilness is nurture or nature. What do you think now?

Freddie Highmore: “I think it’s still the mix. I don’t think you can put…what this season I believe has shown is that it’s not Norman’s fault, it’s not Norma’s fault, it’s not Romero’s fault. None of them are really to blame. I don’t think that Norman – he certainly didn’t try to manipulate the outcome that ended up happening. He tried to take them both with him and it was, I believe, very much this act of love of sending them both off to a better place, if you will, in his sort of deluded way. So I guess that in itself speaks to both. It’s that ultimate mixture. I’m not sure you can blame anyone or say that people couldn’t have done things to change the course of events.”

Watch the full Freddie Highmore interview:





Guillermo del Toro Starts Shooting ‘The Shape of Water’ with Sally Hawkins

By
Rebecca Murray
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Guillermo del Toro
Guillermo del Toro (Photo by Richard Chavez)

Filming just got underway on Guillermo del Toro’s new movie, The Shape of Water, starring Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Octavia Spencer. Described as “other-worldly,” the Fox Searchlight film was written by del Toro and Vanessa Taylor (Game of Thrones) and is produced by del Toro and J. Miles Dale. Commenting on the start of production, del Toro said, “I started working on The Shape of Water right around the time we moved to Toronto for Pacific Rim. Working with Fox Searchlight and being supported by this beautiful group of actors and artists, I feel extremely blessed and brave.”

“It feels like we have an embarrassment of riches on this film. An ensemble of incredible actors who are working at the very top of their craft, a wildly original story from Guillermo’s one-of-a-kind mind, and the brilliant team at Fox Searchlight to shepherd us along. We’re all very excited to see how far we can take it,” stated producer J. Miles Dale.


Luis Sequeria (The Strain) is the film’s costume designer, Dan Laustsen (Crimson Peak) is on board as director of photography, and Paul Austerberry (Pompeii) is the producer designer. Dennis Berardi (Mama) is supervising the visual effects and Sidney Wolinsky (House of Cards) is attached as editor.

“We are thrilled to be working with Guillermo del Toro as he is the ultimate visionary director. He has brought together an amazingly talented cast to bring this brilliant and unique story to life,” added Fox Searchlight Pictures’ Presidents Stephen Gilula and Nancy Utley.

The very basic plot: “The Shape of Water is an other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1963. A mysterious and magical journey from Guillermo del Toro.”




Cody Michael Smith Interview: ‘Gotham’ Season 3 and What Separates The Riddler from Other Villains

By
Rebecca Murray
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Gotham star Cory Michael Smith
Cory Michael Smith stars in ‘Gotham’ season three (Photo by Mark Seliger © 2016 Fox Broadcasting Co)

Filming is underway on season three of Fox’s Gotham and Cory Michael Smith (Ed Nygma/The Riddler) says at this point Ed has figured out who he really is. Now, it’s all going to be about moving toward the ultimate destination of fully embracing The Riddler. Season three of Gotham will kick off on September 19, 2016 and in support of the upcoming season, Smith talked about the popular series during our roundtable interview at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con.

Cory Michael Smith Interview:

Will viewers be surprised by what’s happening with Ed this season?

Cory Michael Smith: “Yeah, I think so. I know pretty much the season trajectory; I’m pretty stoked about it. But, first things first. I’m still in Arkham and there’s a time jump. Time has passed and I’m still in Arkham and I have to figure out how to get out. Once that happens, then the fun begins.”

Your character has gone through one of the biggest evolutions on the show. Picking up from where you left him, what are you excited about?

Cory Michael Smith: “Well, you know he’s still certainly not The Riddler yet. We’re working there. I think he has an idea of who he is. I think he has the sort of confidence that he found, especially in Arkham. It’s just that now he’s been relegated to a cell for months and months and months and his spirit is down. But once he gets out, has a nice bath, gets his suits back… He’s able to make friends now he realizes at Arkham, so once he’s out he figures out his alliances and gets himself back going. The excitement and the joy that he was experiencing by finally embracing his true identity, we get to jump back on that track.

You know, he’s someone that now has decided though he may have friends and alliances, he doesn’t need anybody. His great lesson to Oswalt was, ‘If you don’t have any attachments, nothing can hurt you.’ I don’t know that Oswalt is actually capable of that, but I think Ed is capable of that. I think there’s a level of sociopathy to Ed that can disconnect. He thinks he likes people. Like, he thought he loved Crystal but it’s more obsession. I think he can actually shut down. So, that’s kind of what I’m excited for. Things are going to get pretty dark for Ed this year.”

Should his friends and allies be worried?

Cory Michael Smith: “No. I mean, as long as everyone is aware that Ed will always be smarter than them and not threaten him or knock him for that or question him, I think it’s fine. I think he can co-exist with people as long as they don’t get in his way.”

Are you looking forward to taking it even darker?

Cory Michael Smith: “Yeah, very much so. I mean, the thing that I love about him and I think what separates him from a lot of the other villains in the Batman universe but especially in our show, is his joy and his glee. That will never go away. It’s just the things that he is gleeful about are going to change. That’s what’s going to be so dark. I don’t need him to be like this brooding, angry, vicious person. There’s so much of that. For him, it’s going to be about finding the games and playing games on people. That’s the joy, you know? It’s messing with people in that way.”

Watch the full Cory Michael Smith interview:





Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz Interview: ‘Once Upon a Time’ Season 6

By
Rebecca Murray
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Once Upon a Time Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, and Cast Season 6
Jared Gilmore, Adam Horowitz, Lana Parrilla, Emilie de Ravin, Colin O’Donoghue, Rebecca Mader, Josh Dallas and Edward Kitsis at Comic Con 2016 (Photos © Richard Chavez)

Once Upon a Time series creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz said Oncers can expect the sixth season to concentrate on our favorite Storybrooke characters, circling back to the style and tone of season two. Storybrooke is front and center this season as Emma (Jennifer Morrison), Hook (Colin O’Donoghue), Regina (Lana Parrilla), Henry (Jared Gilmore), Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin), Charming (Josh Dallas), and Belle (Emilie de Ravin) squaring off against the Evil Queen. Mr. Hyde, Aladdin, Jafar, Princess Jasmine, Morpheus, and the Count of Monte Cristo will also be involved in the fantasy series’ sixth season.

What else can Oncers expect? Here’s what Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz had to say during roundtable interviews at this year’s San Diego Comic Con:

What are the flashbacks going to be like this season now that we have the Land of Untold Stories?

Edward Kitsis: “Episode two we’re going to see the Count of Monte Cristo. We’ll have a tie-in where we’ll see to our beloved characters in the Enchanted Forest. Of course, you can’t introduce Jekyll and Hyde and not tell that story.”

Adam Horowitz: “I’ll say also it’s not all the Land of Untold Stories. There’s a mix and match of different things that we’re doing. Unlike the last couple of seasons, we’re not doing a, ‘We’re going to a new land and that’s where we’re going to be for the first half of the season.’ We’re kind of in Storybrooke, the Land of Untold Stories characters have arrived like we saw last year, and that is part of the story we’re telling. The arcs we’re doing this season kind of touch on a bunch of different things.”

Edward Kitsis: “I think what you’re going to see is the paradigm of the show is these characters from the Land of Untold Stories have run away because they don’t want their stories to play out. And so now that they’re back in Storybrooke, they’re going to play out. So once again you have Emma in the position of savior trying to help these people find their happiness. The villain is, of course, you know we met Hyde – but there’s another one out there that’s far scarier and her name is the Evil Queen. We may find ourselves in an Emma, Regina, Snow, Charmings against the Evil Queen trying to help people once again.”

Will we explore why she didn’t actually die when they crushed her heart?

Adam Horowitz: “Absolutely, yes, and what happened to her and why the Evil Queen was able to come back.”

Edward Kitsis: “Can she be destroyed? How do you cut off the darkness and that kind of philosophical (questions).”

Adam Horowitz: “Can we even really split the darkness out of yourself? All of those are questions that we intend to explore.”

We saw that Aladdin will be a savior. What does it take to be a savior?

Adam Horowitz: “Hard work.”

Edward Kitsis: “I think for us the very first thing we hope people realize is that Emma wasn’t the first. So, once you realize Emma wasn’t the first, then it makes you wonder, ‘Well, last year we learned about the Dark One mythology. Is this the year we learn about the savior mythology?’ And the answer would be yes.”

Adam Horowitz: “Maybe. (Laughing) Yes. The answer is yes.”

Will we find out who the original savior is?

Edward Kitsis: “That could be a perhaps. That is a possibility. But, one of the things that we’re really excited is to…last year we saw Emma say to Hook, ‘I love you,’ when there was no problem, when there was no doubt. So, she was able to let in those new emotions. One of the things we want to get into this year is Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan’s head is, ‘What is it like to finally find your parents? What is it like to have the pressure of being the savior? What is it like to fight all of those fights?’ And I think the Aladdin thing kind of showed you what happens to the savior. We saw Jafar kind of say, ‘All that’s left is the stump.’ And so for us we really want to explore for Emma to look at is, ‘Is my job just helping other people? Do I get my own happiness? Does this happen to all saviors? What do you mean I’m not the first?”

So we can expect to see some parallels between Aladdin in how things could go for Emma?

Adam Horowitz: “I would say that what we’re going to do with Aladdin we will slowly reveal, but it’s certainly I think from the get-go we might see that there will be some hints from that scene in the beginning to whatever we’ll be facing in the present.”

Are they going to meet at some point?

Edward Kitsis: “I hope so.”

With the new characters we’ll be exploring from the Land of Untold Stories, would you say there’s going to be more of a season two feel to season six?

Edward Kitsis: “Absolutely. I think the construction, the paradigm, even just back to the small town stories. We’re very excited to see Archie come back and Leroy. We just really wanted to get back to Storybrooke and kind of tell those small town stories.

Adam Horowitz: “It felt like a natural progression which is after a couple of seasons of going to Neverland or Arendelle or Camelot that we wanted to be back in Storybrooke and really focusing on how all of these events cumulatively have really affected our characters. What does it mean for Snow and Charming after all of this now to see their daughter going through this. The characters from the Untold Stories are one piece of the character puzzle of what’s going on with all of our main characters.”

What themes are you exploring this season?

Edward Kitsis: “I think there’s a few different themes. The biggest them, of course, is can you really separate the good from the bad? Are we really able to say we’re all one thing or another? I think we’re going to see that going throughout. I think we’re also going to kind of question what is happiness and what is a happy ending. Is it just living your life or is it one final moment with a ‘The End?’ And I think that’s what we want to explore because we started the show off with Snow White being woken up with what was the end of her fairy tale, so we want to dive into a lot of maybe this is the happy ending and we have to actually start living it and stop fighting every monster that comes to town.”

How much do you work with the actors on their characters? How collaborative is it?

Adam Horowitz: (Laughing) “They do what we say!”

Edward Kitsis: “No. The thing with this cast is the cast of Once Upon a Time in our opinion is the true star. What’s so great is you write one thing but each one of those actors knows their role and their character so well that you really get this great combination where you collaborate. So, we have an idea, they have an idea, and we kind of get it together. Or, you know we’ll write something and an actor will start playing it a different way than we thought and then we’ll start writing to that. Then it becomes this thing. So, after six years we have such a shorthand. It’s like a basketball team where you can do the behind the back pass and you know where they are in the court. That’s how I think we are as a team.”

Adam Horowitz: “Our job in terms of writing the show and overseeing the mythology and storytelling and all that is so all encompassing it’s really great we have this cast that takes such ownership over each one of their roles. They all become kind of the guardians of who those characters are. So that when we write these stories and when we develop them, they have incredible insight after years of playing them to really help us to make it this one unified thing.”

Edward Kitsis: “Because when you write a script, the first time you write it you write it through the prospective of every character. And what’s great about these actors is there’s checks and balance. They really know their characters really well.”

Watch the full interview with Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz:





Box Office: ‘Suicide Squad’ Dives, ‘Sausage Party’ Serves Up Unexpected Numbers

By
Rebecca Murray
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Sausage Party Characters

Hell or High Water, currently sitting at 99% fresh on RottenTomatoes, had a terrific start in very limited theaters this weekend. The dramatic film starring Chris Pine, Ben Foster, and Jeff Bridges scored the best per theater average for the weekend with $18,500 from 32 theaters. And while Suicide Squad did manage to hang on to the top spot in its second weekend despite scathing reviews, newcomer Sausage Party gave it a run for its money. The R-rated animated comedy from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg performed better than expected, snagging an impressive $33 million. Not quite so impressive was the weekend’s other major studio wide release, Pete’s Dragon. Disney’s new version of the classic film had an estimated $65 million budget and pulled in just $21 million.

Box Office Top 10: August 12-14, 2016

  1. Suicide Squad – $43,770,000
  2. Sausage Party – $33,600,000
  3. Pete’s Dragon – $21,501,000
  4. Jason Bourne – $13,620,000
  5. Bad Moms – $11,450,000
  6. The Secret Life of Pets – $8,840,000
  7. Star Trek Beyond – $6,800,000
  8. Florence Foster Jenkins – $6,580,000
  9. Nine Lives – $3,500,000
  10. Lights Out – $3,220,000




Dominique Provost-Chalkley Interview: ‘Wynonna Earp’ and Waverly’s Coming Out

By
Rebecca Murray
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Wynonna Earp star Dominique Provost-Chalkley
Dominique Provost-Chalkley from ‘Wynonna Earp’ at Comic Con 2016 (Photo © Richard Chavez / Showbiz Junkies)

Dominique Provost-Chalkley believes that twist at the end of season one of Syfy’s Wynonna Earp was the absolute best way for her character – and for her as an actor – to finish up the first season. “I couldn’t have been left with a better storyline,” said Provost-Chalkley during our roundtable interview at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con. “Everything that I expected, it was 10 times better. I keep saying to Emily (Andras, writer/executive producer), ‘Thank you for Waverly.’

Provost-Chalkley’s thrilled to be able to bring the character to life in the Syfy action/drama/sort of Western series. “There’s so many reasons. Not only her relationship with Wynonna (played by Melanie Scrofano), but then of course her relationship with Nicole (played by Katherine Barrell) and everything she’s gone through. She’s found some serious balls. She’s come out and she’s gone on a huge journey. And then to end it with this huge cliffhanger, who knows what’s going to happen?’ explained Provost-Chalkley. “I couldn’t be more grateful, really.”

Asked how it feels to play a character who has come out as bisexual, Provost-Chalkley replied, “I think it’s so important to be showing this on TV. It’s been really nice to see the fan reaction because it just shows that actually everyone is in agreement, which is really lovely. As I was doing it I had a sense that this was really special and a special thing to be showing on TV. But, I didn’t realize that everybody was going to react to it how they have. So, firstly I just feel so grateful that that has been the reaction. But, yeah, I think the whole story of her coming out was approached so well. Emily is so delicate with the way she deals with things. I just feel super proud. I just feel so proud that I get to represent Waverly’s journey of coming out because you know so many people that are watching it contacted me, saying, ‘Thank you so much for giving me the strength…’ – it makes me really emotional thinking about it – ‘Thank you for giving me the strength to address my feelings.'”

Provost-Chalkley recalled one fan encounter in particular that stuck with her. “One girl emailed me to say that she’d come out to her mom. I was like, ‘Oh my god! Are you kidding me?!’ The fact that I could have affected something like that, it’s really special,” said Provost-Chalkley, clearly emotional over the memory.

Watch the full Dominique Provost-Chalkley interview:





‘Anthropoid’ Movie Review

By
Kevin Finnerty
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Anthropoid star Jamie Dornan and Cillian Murphy
Jamie Dornan and Cillian Murphy in ‘Anthropoid’ (Photo Credit : James Lisle / Bleecker Street)

“We’re here to assassinate Reinhard Heydrich,” says Josef Gabcik (Cillian Murphy) to the leaders of the Czech Resistance in the World War II thriller, Anthropoid. It’s 1943 and in Prague two Czech soldiers, Jan Kubis (Jamie Dornan) and Josef Gabcik, parachute back into the country on a top secret mission. After almost getting caught and turned in to the Nazis, the two soldiers finally make contact with the Czech Resistance and seek assistance in carrying out their mission – ‘Operation Anthropoid’ – which is to assassinate the third in command of the Nazi Reich, SS General Reinhard Heydrich, the man who came up with the idea of “The Final Solution”.

Along with fake workman papers and IDs, Gabcik and Kubis’ cover involves socializing with local ladies Marie Kovárníková (Charlotte Le Bon) and Lenka Fafková (Anna Geislerová) who are part of the Resistance and who they eventually begin to have real feelings for. With their cover set, the two undercover soldiers and the Czech Resistance work to figure out the best way to accomplish their mission. After finding solutions to overcoming all the obstacles and security issues, the small band of assassins come up with a plan that just might work – even though it’s likely to cost them their lives.

Based on actual historical events, Anthropoid is a suspenseful and engaging war thriller with strong performances and sound direction by Sean Ellis. Cillian Murphy (Peaky Blinders, the Dark Knight trilogy) gives an impressive, intense, and at times emotional performance as Gabcik, the Czech patriot determined to accomplish their mission whatever the cost. Murphy has great chemistry with both Jamie Dornan and Anna Geislerova.


Jamie Dornan (the Fifty Shades franchise, The Fall) is solid as Jan Kubis, the Czech soldier who at times doesn’t seem to have what it takes to accomplish the mission. It’s clear he’s terrified of being caught and killed. The bond and friendship he has with Murphy’s Gabcik is what helps him find his inner strength to keep going. It’s really Murphy and Dornan’s performances that elevate the film.

The pacing and direction of the film is tight and tense, with a slow build toward the assassination attempt on Heydrich and the subsequent manhunt for those involved by the Nazis. The production design, costumes, and look of the film bring to life World War II Prague wonderfully.

The only drawback to Anthropoid is the heavy-handed cloak and dagger feel in the first 30 to 40 minutes which is a bit over-the-top. Fortunately, the rough parts smooth out, the tone falls into a groove, and overall Anthropoid is a very compelling thriller.

Gripping and intense, Anthropoid is a powerful and effective thriller that tells an important and significant story from World War II that should not be missed.

GRADE: B

MPAA Rating: R for violence and some disturbing images

Running Time: 120 minutes

Release Date: August 12, 2016





Carlton Cuse and Chuck Hogan Interviews: ‘The Strain’ Season 3

By
Rebecca Murray
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The Strain Season 3 at Comic Con
Ruta Gedmintas, Chuck Hogan, Richard Sammel, Miguel Gomez, Kevin Durand, and Carlton Cuse from ‘The Strain’ at Comic Con 2016 (Photo © Richard Chavez / Showbiz Junkies)

The Strain writer/executive producer Chuck Hogan says season three of the FX horror series isn’t necessarily darker in tone than the first two seasons, but it is much more expansive than seasons one and two. “It’s great to come here and say we’re getting better every season,” said Hogan during our interview at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con. “Season three is really good. I don’t know if it’s darker…there are dark things in it as there have been from the first minute of the show, so it’s hard to get darker. But I feel like actually in my mind there’s a little bit of looseness in this season. We’ve opened up the world a little more. You’re really going to hopefully get a sense of what it’s like to be living in this plague time.”

Hogan and showrunner Carlton Cuse provided a little insight into the upcoming season three, which is set to debut on FX on August 28, 2016, during our roundtable interview. Without giving away any real spoilers, Cuse did say he believes this third season is the show’s best season yet.

Carlton Cuse Interview:

What can you tease about the upcoming season and how it differs from the first two?

Carlton Cuse: “I think one of the big differences is we’re only doing 10 episodes this season by design, and so the narrative velocity is much faster. It just felt like in season two that it was hard to sustain 13 episodes as well as we wanted. I think moving to a 10 episode model is much better for this show. I think the show needs to be kinetic and this season is definitely kinetic. Season three there’s really no doubt that there’s Strigoi out there. There’s no doubt. There’s no denial anymore that it’s a threat. Sort of like smoking…everybody realizes now that smoking is bad. And the season’s really about full-tilt war. Can the humans fight the Strigoi out of New York? And as New York goes, so goes the world.

You know, I’m really excited about it. I directed the season finale. It was the first time I’ve ever directed. I was super engaged. It’s really cool. I’m really proud of the season. I think it’s the best season of the show and pretty engaging.”

Will this season differ from the books?

Carlton Cuse: “My style as a showrunner is a very organic one. I love the collaborative nature of television, so in concert with writers in the writers room you start working on stories and other ideas come up. You don’t want to be eliminating good ideas just because they’re not in the book. And also I’ve been writing the show with Chuck Hogan who is the co-author of the books and both Chuck and Guillermo (del Toro) have been very open about moving away from the books. The books exist; I think the story exists in one form and no one will ever be able to take that away or change that.

I think that just doing a straight up adaptation as a television show that doesn’t change things would not be very interesting and I actually don’t think it would be very fun to watch. I think it’s just you’d be doing the very expected. I feel like the virtue of all of us kind of re-thinking the material as a TV series has been to add this whole other layer of creative energy to the process. It’s been really fun. So, you can watch the TV show. It exists independent of the books and also if you’ve read the books, you won’t feel like, ‘Oh, I’ve seen this before.’ There’s a lot of really good, new stuff – new characters, new situations, and stuff in there. And also Guillermo and Chuck have been big contributors to the evolution of the show.”

There’s a couple of characters, Justine and Dutch, who don’t exist in the books and have huge roles this season. Justine is a character who’s trying to hold New York together while the Strigoi are gaining more and more power. Her position as a demagogue leader in a collapsing society doesn’t exist in the books and I think is a really great storyline. There’s some new romance in the show in season three that is really cool and we’re excited about. I think if things are dark in the show there’s lots of heart and humanity. That humor, we try to make sure that the show is not… I think if the show is just straight and bleak it would be not good.”

It seems like romance never ends well on this show.

Carlton Cuse: “Well, you know maybe not so far. You’ve got to hold out hope. I don’t want to say too much but you won’t feel like your legs have been cut out from under you if you invest in the romance this season.”

What were the challenges and what were some of the things you loved about directing?

Carlton Cuse: “It was awesome. I love my job as a writer and showrunner and feel like I have all the creative responsibility I want in that job, but I felt like it was time to do it. It was physically arduous. I mean, we’re in Toronto, there were three snow storms, I shot all night for four nights, but it was also energizing. It was really fun to really collaborate with the actors on a moment-by-moment basis as opposed to the bigger picture which is what I do as a showrunner.”

Chuck Hogan Interview:

This season is supposedly very different from the book. Why did you decide to change things up?

Chuck Hogan: “The story needs to go where the story’s going to go. We were never beholden to the book, ever. For me, it’s more fun to go far afield but that’s not the goal either. It’s to sort of use the books, take what we can, take whatever input we’re getting from the actors, for example the talent and stuff, and see what’s working and just build on that.”

Did you always know that it was going to expand beyond the books? It’s been mentioned that the aim was five seasons.

Chuck Hogan: “There’s never been a set number of seasons nor will it ever be like one book equals one season. We always thought there would be some overlap and some expansion. So, no, I wouldn’t look for the books to line up with the seasons at all. I guess what I’m saying is there is a story plan but there is no scheduling season plan.”


Are there any characters who, as the show progresses, you actually have come to like more than you did when you were writing the books?

Chuck Hogan: “It’s hard to say. I always liked Quinlan (played by Rupert Penry-Jones), but in season three Quinlan is…it’s not like he’s my favorite character but he is such a unique character in the show, obviously. There’s something that I feel like is even popping more than it even did in the books. Rupert is fantastic and he brings a lot to it. It’s a great sort of treat having been there way back before the beginning, to see it now really flourishing, to see an actor take on a part I thought was great and make it greater.”

Have you found you’re writing more for the actors than the characters now, as opposed to season one?

Chuck Hogan: “A little bit of both. We definitely get a lot of input from the actors, which is great. They’re all really involved and really committed to their characters. (Laughing) Now, if they come in with really horrible ideas that can be a bad situation! Luckily, everyone’s really contributing. We want to play to people’s strengths; we also want to challenge them and take them out of their comfort zones too. They rise to those challenges too.”

What can you say about where we’ll pick up with Palmer in season 3?

Chuck Hogan: “As season three starts he’s been dealt a serious blow for sure, and he’s really knocked on his heels. I think you’re going to see him strike up a very surprising, unexpected alliance with other characters. And then there’s a back and forth too about how far it’s going to go, but it has been really great. Jonathan (Hyde’s) really fantastic and he really rises to the occasion in season three.”

Watch the full Carlton Cuse and Chuck Hogan interviews:





Eddie Kaye Thomas and Jadyn Wong Interview: ‘Scorpion’ Season 3 and ‘Quintis’

By
Rebecca Murray
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Scorpion stars Eddie Kaye Thomas and Jadyn Wong
Eddie Kaye Thomas and Jadyn Wong from ‘Scorpion’ at the Comic Con 2016 (Photos © Richard Chavez)

Season three of the CBS drama Scorpion will premiere on October 3, 2016 and, hopefully, will quickly let viewers in on the mystery left dangling at the end of season two: who is Happy married to? Neither Eddie Kaye Thomas (‘Toby’) or Jadyn Wong (‘Happy’) would provide any clues as to Happy’s husband’s identity, but they did tell us during our interview at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con that they both know the answer. Eddie Kaye Thomas also explained why he believes Scorpion has such a passionate fan base. “As heightened as our reality is, I think the show works because there’s a baseline of truth to the whole thing. And, the truth comes from the characters,” said Thomas.

Eddie Kaye Thomas and Jadyn Wong Interview:

What can we expect from season three?

Eddie Kaye Thomas: “Well, season two ended with Toby proposing marriage, singing a beautiful song – which was a first, and I feel great about my singing – and then we find out that this one right here is already married. So, we might or might not find out who she’s married to and we will find out how strong this love really is.”

How did you feel about that marriage twist?

Jadyn Wong: “I think for me as an actor and just reading the script it’s like, ‘Oh…okay,’ because it was so unexpected. And I think it creates that obstacle between Toby and Happy, and again that’s something that’s cool to play and explore.”

But wouldn’t it also be nice just to have a happy ending?

Eddie Kaye Thomas: “We want the show to last a little while, you know what I mean?”

A relationship ending.

Eddie Kaye Thomas: “Yeah, but I think even the best relationships in the world take a lot of work and a lot of challenge. This show does such a great job of showing the very human realistic side of relationships. These characters are heightened versions of genius and having trouble fitting in the world. Something I love about the whole Toby/Happy thing is these are people navigating completely unknown waters. I think, I assume that’s what people are relating to with the show and why we’ve been able to stay on the air is it’s not just the action and excitement and the mysteries of the week. These are very real people we can relate to.”

Toby went through a lot of emotional turmoil at the end of last season. How did you handle that?

Eddie Kaye Thomas: “I mean I’ve never before gotten on my knees and proposed marriage and had someone say no. So, you know, when you’re playing a scene like that, you just kind of go with it. I mean, god, doing Scorpion is like going to the gym for an actor because we get to do everything. We don’t have much time to think about it. ‘You’re doing a scene where he gets rejected by marriage, go!’ ‘You’re doing a scene where you’re about to die, go!’ Comedy, drama, action, suspense…and I think as an actor it’s nice to not have to think too much about it and just kind of go, go, go, go, go.”

Jadyn Wong: “I think that’s really where the spontaneity comes up and just the nuances and stuff. I feel like that’s what the editors actually kind of use is the surprises.”

Eddie Kaye Thomas: “Most of the stuff that you wind up seeing is stuff that just happened on the spot. Not in lines or stuff, but just acting-wise.”

Is there any aspect of the show you particularly enjoy, be it the comedy, action, or romance?

Jadyn Wong: “It depends. I think that’s, again, what’s so great is that because of the action, the relationship stuff, it changes all the time and so it doesn’t feel like a routine.”

Eddie Kaye Thomas: “I’m lucky to be on a TV show, but to be on a TV show where we’re not doing the same thing every week… Look, there’s some things that are procedural-like but we’ll do some action. In the middle of the action there’s romance moments. In the middle of the suspense, I’m going to make some wise-ass joke. It gets very emotional, the stuff between Happy and her dad, the stuff amongst the group itself. We’re not just doing a sitcom and doing comedy all the time. We’re not doing a really dark show where it’s really serious all the time. We really cover all of our bases. I’m not just saying it; it’s really lucky as an actor to get to do all these things.”

The characters feel like a family. Is there a lot of bonding off-set?

Eddie Kaye Thomas: “We don’t have time. We’re shooting every day all day and we just making the show bonds us. We go through so much and we work incredibly long, difficult hours and sometimes we get annoyed with each other, sometimes we’ll lean on each other. You can’t help but just get very intimate and close on the show.”

Can you tease anything about season three?

Jadyn Wong: “It’s hard because we left off on season two where there’s these cliffhangers. I know that Happy’s married to someone else. That’s all I can say.”

Eddie Kaye Thomas: “We can tell you that we know. When we found out what it was, our jaws hit the floor. It’s really exciting. What I do know that I can tell you about the season is you’re going to see a lot of characters interacting in ways that you haven’t before. There’s different combinations. And, some really exciting storylines. You know what’s really not fair? The writers come up with all of this stuff and then tell us about it, and then they go back and hide in their room and send us out and have to tell you guys that we can’t talk about it!”

Watch the full Eddie Kaye Thomas and Jadyn Wong interview:





‘Allied’ Teaser Trailer with Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard

By
Rebecca Murray
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Allliedstar Marion Cotillard and Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt plays Max Vatan and Marion Cotillard plays Marianne Beausejour in ‘Allied’ (Photo credit: Daniel Smith
© 2016 Paramount Pictures)

Paramount Pictures has just released the teaser trailer for one of their Oscar hopefuls, Allied. The dramatic film is directed by Robert Zemeckis (The Walk, Flight) and stars Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Lizzy Caplan, and Matthew Goode. Allied will open in theaters on November 23, 2016.

The Plot: Allied is the story of intelligence officer Max Vatan (Pitt), who in 1942 North Africa encounters French Resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour (Cotillard) on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Reunited in London, their relationship is threatened by the extreme pressures of the war.

Watch the Allied trailer:





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