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Vanessa Hudgens Interview on ‘Powerless,’ Superheroes, and Comedy

By
Fred Topel
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Vanessa Hudgens stars in Powerless
Christina Kirk, Alan Tudyk, Vanessa Hudgens and Danny Pudi star in ‘Powerless’ (Photo Credit: NBCUniversal)
Vanessa Hudgens says that when audiences tune in to check out the pilot episode of NBC’s Powerless set in the DC Comics universe, they’ll get to see superheroes Crimson Fox and Jack O’Lantern in action. But while superheroes will show up, the comedy series is actually about real people left to deal with the mess created after superheroes perform their heroic actions. Hudgens plays a claims adjuster who helps put the city back together in the aftermath of epic superhero battles.

The series marks the first DC Comics-inspired TV comedy and will air later this year or early 2017 on NBC.

Vanessa Hudgens Interview:

What was it about this show that drew you in?

Vanessa Hudgens: “I never really thought about doing TV. When I started entertaining the idea I was like I’d want to do something that was a comedy, something that’s lighthearted, makes people laugh because those are the type of shows that I love. My favorite shows are Parks and Recreation and The Office, which are both NBC workplace comedies. So, I knew that they know what they’re doing and the fact that this was falling under the same umbrella was like it’s going to be something that I would like to watch which means I should probably do it.”


When you get a call about being in a superhero universe show but find out you’re not going to be wearing a cape, what was your reaction?

Vanessa Hudgens: “Well, for me it was always pitched first as a work space comedy which I love. But the fact that it’s taking on a whole new perspective in the world of superheroes I thought was so smart because whenever you see superheroes in a film, all the spotlight is on them entirely. They have super epic battles in the middle of the city, and they just leave the city in rubble. Like, what happens afterwards? What is the aftermath of that? That’s what we get to explore. We get to be the people living in the world full of superheroes and villains, picking up after them because we work for an insurance company and trying to find our own strength as a person living in a world full of these people who are bigger than life, which makes you feel even smaller.”

How much mythology did you have to know about superheroes and special powers?

Vanessa Hudgens: “I mean, I definitely have a lot of work cut out ahead of me. My character is the head of claims so she is dealing with the superheroes on a daily basis – not them personally, but their actions and how it affects other people. I did not grow up a big comic book person. I was the girl in the dance studio doing ballet and not reading comics, so I definitely have some homework cut out for me.”

Can you tell what it was about your character that really caught your eye?

Vanessa Hudgens: “It’s really funny because when I first read the script my character was way more timid, very observant, kind of meek. We did our table read and I think they thought why are we making her play this character when she is like this other part of her that I don’t necessarily see personally but I guess is the feisty side, the side that’s got a bit more grit than balls, and so they wrote that in. It changed drastically from what it was originally to where it is now. I just love her because she’s kind of standing for the fact that you don’t need superpowers to be a powerful person. She’s figuring her way out through life, stumbling through but you get to see her do it with like a bunch of really funny people as well.”

So in claims, how tough is your character on the damage these people cause?

Vanessa Hudgens: “I like approving claims. I want to help people, that’s the thing. My character, Emily, she feels like she’s making her way in making the world a better place one claim at a time. When Alan Tudyk’s character comes in, the new boss, he tries to smush that down and to get us to approve less claims. We end up battling it out in a little office rivalry.”

How did you feel about going off script with these other comedians?

Vanessa Hudgens: “It’s very new for me. Comedy isn’t something that I’ve done a lot of, and all these guys are comedians. They’re so funny and so smart. So, I don’t know. I put my feet in the water. I dipped in there a little bit. I’m sure it’s going to continue to happen more and more. But it’s great when you have people who are so clever right there next to you.”

How much of the actual superhero action will audiences get to see?

Vanessa Hudgens: “The superheroes are definitely there. They’re not the focus. But, our pilot opens up with a super battle so you definitely get some action.”

Who makes you laugh the most on the set?

Vanessa Hudgens: “I don’t know. Danny [Pudi] cracks me up. He’s got twin boys but he himself is like a big kid.”

They’ve announced the High School Musical 4. Would you like to be involved to pass the torch?

Vanessa Hudgens: [Laughing] “I did my thing. Let them do theirs.”

Watch the Vanessa Hudgens interview:

(Interview by Fred Topel. Article written by Rebecca Murray.)




‘Preacher’: Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga, John Gilgun, and Graham McTavish Interview

By
Fred Topel
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Preacher Cast Joseph Gilgun, Dominic Cooper, and Ruth Negga
Joseph Gilgun as Cassidy, Dominic Cooper as Jesse Custer, and Ruth Negga as Tulip O’Hare in ‘Preacher’ (Photo Credit: Matthias Clamer/AMC)

AMC’s Preacher‘s first season is over and it appears as though season two will now move the story closer in line to the beginning of the comics. It seems this first season was pretty much a prequel to the source material, with the finale of season one literally clearing the story of all supporting characters so the series’ second season can focus on Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper), Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun), and Tulip’s (Ruth Negga) road trip to find God. Preacher‘s an acquired taste but for those who stuck around for the entire first season, the payoff – although a bit uneven – was huge as basically a reset button was pushed that forces the threesome to hit the road since Annville, Texas no longer exists.

Just a week prior to Preacher‘s season one finale, cast members Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga, Joseph Gilgun, and Graham McTavish (‘The Cowboy’) took part in a press conference at the San Diego Comic Con to talk about their characters and the series.

Dominic Cooper on who Jesse Custer is:

Dominic Cooper: “He wants to improve a place that he cares a lot about. He’s a man desperate to change himself, to make himself a better person. He feels guilty about what he did to his father and he thinks he’s the chosen one. And he’s coming around to that idea very quickly. At first he didn’t want anything to do with it but it seems like it’s absorbing into the very fabric of who he is. He thinks he can still do good things with it. The truth is power on that scale is very dangerous. The fact that he’s not yet realized it says a lot about him. The fact that he’s capable of having this entity inhabit him and remain there, most people who it’s happened to have exploded, the fact that he can harness it means to me that he’s half evil, half good.”

Ruth Negga on playing Tulip:

Ruth Negga: “I suppose what attracted me to her is what repels most people, these unapologetic tendencies. For me, they’re not really aggressive, or just for the sake of violence. I think it’s an armor of sorts to protect herself. But also she has really quite a pure sense of justice. I think that that’s quite evident throughout the series. When she says to the kids at the party, ‘He was a really bad man.’ It’s not just to excuse her behavior. I think she really believes that. And also she rehabilitates Cassidy. For her, she can’t bear the idea that there’s so much injustice in society. It obviously stems from her childhood, you see in the flashbacks. There’s a personal quest there.

In terms of women of color, it’s a relief to play someone like her but I also find when I’m watching, it’s a relief to see someone like her. So it’s very important for me because I think for so long, we’ve been complacent about there not being enough people of color, in fact, the whole world reflected in our arts and culture. That conversation needs to keep happening because I think there’s so much more we can do.”


Dominic on Jesse’s journey throughout season one:

Dominic Cooper: “Actually watching it, it’s quite different from how I imagined. I’m much less sympathetic towards [Eugene] and I wonder why these people stand by him. He’s vile, what he ends up doing. I think he is in a place of reflection and I think he has established that he’s no good with this power. He’s not the one who should harness it and use it. I think now he knows that the next part of the journey together with these people that he’s known and that he loves in search of answers, because actually he demands and thinks that God owes them all answers. That’s what he’s searching for by the end. He began as a quite heavy, depressed, stuck in his past and I think you start to see him come out of the fog of that. He has a purpose which he probably never had before.”

Ruth Negga: “What’s interesting is I think that in running away from his past and trying to find himself, I think he was actually running away from himself. I think that’s the kind of journey that he seems to have gone on is that he realizes that maybe you can’t outrun your true nature. Maybe that’s the battle. I think that’s how I see it unfolding.”

Joseph on Cassidy’s relationship with Jesse:

Joseph Gilgun: “I think Cassidy sees a little bit of himself in Jesse. Jesse’s someone who’s seeking redemption. I think all the characters are and I think Cassidy sees this guy, he’s an old vampire so how old is he? 190 I think he is? He’s probably sick of it but I think more than anything it’s just going to be interesting to watch that unfold. He’s got time. For the first time in a long while, this is his opportunity to settle and feel wanted and needed.

Graham McTavish on The Cowboy’s future:

Graham McTavish: “I’m a huge fan of the books so I knew everything about the books before I even started it. The idea of becoming this, it’s like an iconic character that I loved when I was reading them. So I do know, yes. I know his ultimate journey which is a very, very interesting one. I look forward to playing that but I have felt a little lonely, sad, and isolated in my 19th century world with my horse. And the horse doesn’t last. He’s dead in a few minutes. They asked, ‘Can he ride?’ Did I need to really ride because you kill my horse within five minutes? It was interesting, and in fact I’ve only just gotten to know these people. I’m in isolation, some strange quarantine out in the desert. I look forward to hopefully seeing more of them.

I think there’s an interesting theme for many of the characters, this struggling to suppress possibly their true natures, or certainly a great deal of their true natures. Trying to keep the darkness I suppose that we all carry around us, trying to keep that in check. It is very interesting to explore that.”

Graham on the most surprising thing about The Cowboy:

Graham McTavish: “I really love my guns, but I guess I was really surprised about how heavy they were. They’re actually a lot heavier than you think when you have to hold them, so that was a shock. But I got over that and continued. I love the fact that he’s trying to be a good family man. That’s really what I love at the beginning of that story. Why he becomes who he becomes, that’s what’s really interesting about him. Then the levels to which he goes to, there are some shocking things, shocking things. I think it’s interesting. It’s very rare that you read something – I have a very high tolerance for a lot of stuff – when you read something in a script and you’re shocked. You go, ‘I’ve got to do that.’ That’s what I find so interesting, the fine edge that the show walks and will continue to walk.”




Corey Hawkins Interview: ’24: Legacy’ and Stepping Into Big Shoes

By
Rebecca Murray
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24 Legacy star Corey Hawkins
Corey Hawkins from ’24: Legacy’ at Comic Con 2016 (Photo © Richard Chavez)

Fox is bringing back the 24 premise of 24 episodes representing one hour each in a day in the life of Jack Bauer (played in eight seasons by Kiefer Sutherland) with the upcoming limited series, 24: Legacy. However, instead of 24 one-hour episodes, the 24 sequel/spin-off will consist of 12 one-hour real-time episodes. Taking over the lead role in the new limited series is Corey Hawkins, with Jimmy Smits and Miranda Otto in supporting roles.

Fox has given 24: Legacy the prime spot following the 2017 Super Bowl on Sunday, February 5, 2017 as the launch date for the limited series.

Hawkins, Smits, and Otto made the trek to San Diego for the sold-out 2016 Comic Con to take part in a Q&A with fans. They also sat down for interviews in which series star Hawkins told us how he became involved in 24: Legacy after being a fan of the original 24 series for years.

The Plot: The series chronicles an adrenaline-fueled race against the clock to stop a devastating terrorist attack on United States soil – in the same real-time format that has propelled this genre-defining series.

Corey Hawkins Interview:

How did you get involved in 24: Legacy?

Corey Hawkins: “To my knowledge, and they could just be lying, but it was offered to me. I was in Vietnam shooting King Kong and we got a call from the Fox camp. I remember Skyping with Howard [Gordon] and with Manny [Coto]. They had asked if I was interested in playing the character. I’m sitting there, and I’m like, ‘Am I being punked right now? What’s going on?’ You know what I mean? Because it felt surreal because I’m such a 24 fan and always was a 24 fan, grew up watching it and with the DVD box sets and all that stuff. Then I read the script. They sent me the script, and they were like, ‘Do you want to do it?’ They didn’t think I’d say yes for whatever reason.

I read the script and I started getting goosebumps because that first episode, his life just goes like this, it just gets turned on its head. It gave me goosebumps. It felt like the original 24 but just with new characters. It didn’t feel like a reboot. It felt like a new edition of it and it was cool. I had to say yes. I literally got off the plane from Vietnam and went straight into the read-through for it at Fox. Everybody, from the first line, ‘The following…’ it was great.”

Were you worried at all about taking on this project that is so beloved and filling those big shoes?

Corey Hawkins: “It is a huge franchise to step into, but I kind of like being an underdog, man. That’s kind of like when I said yes to playing Dr. Dre, it was kind of like should I do this? These are huge shoes to fill. But I like when people underestimate me a little bit so I can show what I can do, I guess. It’s definitely overwhelming, but I’m working with a great team, and I’m working with a great group of guys. It feels right.”

24 was great for diversity in the supporting characters, but did it mean a lot to you that they were going in a diverse direction for the protagonist of 24: Legacy?

Corey Hawkins: “Personally, obviously, it means a lot to me. Growing up, for me personally, I didn’t really get the opportunity to see an American hero that looked like me on screen, a full complex character with a beautiful family. I never got to see that, and a character with flaws. That’s the thing that meant a lot stepping into this because he’s such a well-rounded guy. It’s not all bad, it’s not all good. There’s so many things about this young man that will come to bear and come to light over the course of this season…his demons, his good qualities. Obviously being African-American and speaking to that was something that’s important to me.”

Watch the Corey Hawkins interview:





David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel Interview on Bones’ Final Season

By
Fred Topel
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Bones stars David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel
David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel from ‘Bones’ at Comic Con 2016 (Photo © Richard Chavez)

Unfortunately, Bones fans have to say goodbye to Booth and Brennan and the rest of the Bones gang. Fortunately, Fox gave the series a 12th and final season to wrap up storylines while providing viewers with a few more hours worth of entertainment. On what could be described as a farewell tour, the Bones cast appeared at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con where they thanked fans for their support while taking part in a Q&A. The stars of the series, including David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel, also participated in interviews to talk about what’s in store for the upcoming final season of the popular series.

David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel Interview:

How do you feel going into the last season? Is your heart beating faster than usual starting up your final season?

Emily Deschanel: “I’m directing the first episode so my heart is definitely beating a little bit more, and this is the first time I’m directing. So, I’m excited about that but I also have tasks to focus on which is helpful. But coming here, you can’t help but think how this is our last Comic-Con, at least for Bones – or at least in this incarnation of Bones. You never know what could happen. It’s hard not to look back a bit on the show and where we’ve come and what we’ve been through and what we’ve experienced in this amazing journey. I feel so lucky for our fans. So, yeah, it’s exciting. We’ll be sad; we’ll go through the gamut of emotions in the next few months when we film the 12 episodes.”

David directed the season 11 finale and you’re directing the season 12 premiere, so did you discuss how to make those episodes really connect?

Emily Deschanel: “We have only talked a little bit about that but I’ve been watching his episode which he did an amazing job of. I really hope they replay it. I don’t know what happened on the East Coast but on the West Coast, the [Republican National] Convention postponed it and then it didn’t start at the beginning of the episode, it started 40 minutes in…”


David Boreanaz: “That’s a confusing episode.”

Emily Deschanel: “Don’t get me started!”

David Boreanaz: “The type of episode that is, you don’t want to go 40 minutes into. All of a sudden you just see a bad dream. Like, ‘What the hell is that?’ It’s just like a horror film.”

Emily Deschanel: “I kept thinking, ‘What are people thinking of this episode when they just come into it?’ It will make no sense coming 40 minutes in.”

David Boreanaz: “None. Zero.”

Emily Deschanel: “David did an amazing job so I’ve been studying his episode like a very good student and I’ve talked to all the crew and our cinematographer and gaffer – we have a new gaffer – to make sure that the look is very similar to what David did. Obviously it’s a continuation of the same story, so the story is very cohesive.”

David Boreanaz: “But there’s a lot of surprises though.”

Emily Deschanel: “There’s a lot of twists and turns.”

David Boreanaz: “Yeah, there are. It’s going to be good.”

It’s not like a two-parter, is it?

Emily Deschanel: “No, but it’s like a continuation of the season finale because it happens right after. Even in the way we talk about the days in this episode, we start on day three which is from his episode. It’s just a continuation of the same story. It’s a really fun episode I’m excited to direct. Lots of twists and turns.”

When you’re directing an episode and reading the script, do you look at your characters different than you do as an actor? Do you see different things in your character?

Emily Deschanel: “You’ve directed more than I have.”

David Boreanaz: “Yeah. I mean, given the circumstances of where the characters are in the story. You obviously kind of dive into it that way. For me, I just read the script over and over and over again, get a sense of where the characters are, and then relate it to if I can create a vision for them in order to see where my vision was going. So they kind of work hand-in-hand.”

Emily Deschanel: “It’s seeing the bigger picture more, too. I’ve experienced just prepping, you’re seeing things. You’re going to know the episode intimately so much more than we do when we film it because I’ll know all the scenes I’m not in as well as if I were doing everything with it. You just have to know every aspect of it and the broader picture of the story, so you think in that way. You think about it more, so you think about that in terms of your performance too. [Joking] But, then you have to work with difficult actors…”

What does Zack coming back mean for your characters?

David Boreanaz: “Booth’s relationship with Zack was always…he just kind of of bothered Booth. Booth kind of looked through that and didn’t want to deal with him. He’s a genius so they just came from two different worlds.”

Emily Deschanel: “But so did Booth and Brennan. He was even farther.”

David Boreanaz: “For Booth’s character, I think he’d be more interested in Brennan’s looks. I’m just saying, you had the whole package. That’s it. I do think that with Zack, we may see something in the first episode of this new season where maybe there’s a leap of faith from a character to give him some sense of identity. It’s kind of fun to see what happens with that. For me, for Booth’s character, I’ll see how that evolves. I don’t really feel like I have any with his character.”

Emily Deschanel: “There’s even dialogue about them not being friends before. It will be interesting how that goes. My character, he was my protege. I loved him and then he betrayed us, but at the same time we have such affection and such sadness. And then there’s betrayal again for what he’s done. He kidnaps me and is very likely killing these other people. So there’s a mix of emotions from the cast and the characters. It’s not just one emotion. There’s so many different things going on. It’s nice to see somebody that you care for and you haven’t seen for a long time, but at the same time there’s great betrayal and confusion so it’s a lot. Every emotion you can think of.”

Brennan is such a role model to young girls. What advice do you have for young women leaving college and getting started in the world?

Emily Deschanel: “Well, the best compliment that I have heard is young girls saying they want to become a scientist because of this show. There’s a lot of strong female intelligent characters on this show and that’s one reason why I wanted to do the show. I say keep studying and keep working hard. There’s no limit. Really, there isn’t a limit to what girls can achieve and I love that more girls and young women are going into sciences and math areas of study.”

Watch the Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz interview:





Tom Ellis and Tricia Helfer Interview on ‘Lucifer’ Season 2 and the Devil’s Mom

By
Rebecca Murray
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Lucifer stars Tom Ellis and Tricia Helfer
Tom Ellis and Tricia Helfer from ‘Lucifer’ at the 2016 Comic-Con (Photos © Richard Chavez)

How popular is Fox’s Lucifer? So popular that the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con press room for the supernatural action/comedy/drama was standing room only, with not a single empty chair to be found. In fact, when series star Tom Ellis (‘Lucifer Morningstar’) and series newcomer Tricia Helfer (who plays the Devil’s mom) came to our table to be interviewed, only one chair was available for the two stars. I now have the distinction of having given up my chair to the mother of the Devil, something not many people can claim.

Lucifer will return for a second season on September 19, 2016 and will introduce Helfer as the mother of Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside) and Lucifer who has just escaped from a cell in Hell. Paired up together to discuss the series, Ellis and Helfer talked about what viewers can expect from the new season and from the introduction of this pivotal character.

Tom Ellis and Tricia Helfer Interview:

How is the dynamic going to work between Lucifer and his mom?

Tom Ellis: “Well, I mean from the start even with our celestial characters in this show, we’ve tried to work under the notion of making it relatable, making it like a real family. There’s a lot of other things that go on within that family. But, so there’s some unresolved stuff between mom and her sons. But at the heart of it, she’s still their mom. We’ve not experienced that in the show yet where Lucifer experiences real love – unconditional love – which is a bit of a curveball for him.”

Tricia Helfer: “It definitely has, as mother’s do, has a tendency to bring out a side of their children that they don’t show sometimes to other people and how they relate to each other. There’s also going to be where you have a personal relationship, individual relationship with each one of your children as well. Meanwhile, still having a family one as well. So, it’s a fun dynamic to work with.

I worked with Tom first and I hadn’t even met D.B. because he wasn’t up there yet. I think it was good because the first time I had a scene with him was him alone – him and I. We had a scene alone together for the first time as opposed to, ‘Oh, it’s the family scene.’ Instead, we kind of got to work on our individual relationships first before we had a group scene.”

Tom Ellis: “Before group therapy.”

When do we first see Lucifer’s mom?

Tricia Helfer: “In the first episode, yeah. But you definitely get to know…I mean, it’s not teased throughout the entire season who she is, is she there. We do get to meet her in the first episode and you really get to understand who she is and what she wants in the second episode.”

Tom Ellis: “Or so she says…”

The scripts are sharp. Do you just react that you can’t believe what you’re getting to say every single episode?

Tom Ellis: “Yeah. I mean, our writing team are amazing and I think one of the things I love about it is that they really love the show as well. I think certainly writing the character of Lucifer for them from the start was a bit of a muse as a writer. It’s like, ‘Oh my god, I’ve got this opportunity to have a character say what he wants to who he wants,’ and all of these gifts, basically. So, the standard of the writing on the show has been something that we wanted to keep from the pilot. The original pilot script, the original character that was realized by Tom Kapinos who writes these characters so brilliantly, we wanted to keep that voice heard. Our writers have just latched onto it and run with it, really. The show has really evolved.

When we’re at work, it’s not always as scripted. We throw stuff in when it feels right. It’s a very sort of collective sense of creativity.”

Can you talk about working with D.B. Woodside?

Tom Ellis: “Hate him! Hate him, hate him. [Laughing] No, he’s great. We have a lot of fun. We do love each other dearly off screen. It is fun to have spats with people when they’re your mates. But not just D.B. – the rest of the cast we are a bit of a family and we all really like each other and that really helps. We have a lot of fun doing the show. The show doesn’t take itself too seriously, which I think is a big saving grace. And as a group, and within the crew, we take our work seriously but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. It’s a great place to go and be creative.”

Tricia Helfer: “And coming in second season is sometimes very daunting to join a show because it’s already a well-oiled machine. You just don’t know how you’re going to fit in, but I was immediately embraced, immediately felt to feel comfortable. And then you’re past all that and you can just focus on the work. It was a real pleasure for me to come into the show.”

Tom Ellis: “It was a pleasure for us to have you.”

What do you think about the show’s big fan base?

Tom Ellis: “Obviously, when you do anything like this you want people to watch it. You want people to respond to it, and you hope they respond in a positive way because it doesn’t always happen like that. Believe me! I think there was a slightly nervous element, certainly from my side of things, about how it would be received because I knew the name of the show might get in the way of people’s feelings about it. But I think the nicest thing is that when people have watched it, they’ve gone, ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe it’s this funny.’ And it’s like, ‘I didn’t expect it to be that. I was expecting something that’s ominous and dark.’ And we have elements of that but, like I said, the humor was always the real attractive thing for me in the first place.

I wanted to do something that’s fun. We could tell a story that does resonant at times, but it’s still fun and it’s entertaining for everyone. That’s been our objective from the start. And so the fans catching on and going for that is just [great]. And coming to Comic Con last year was amazing. It was the first time I’d ever been and the show hadn’t aired and they screened the pilot and people were laughing in the right places!”

Watch the full Tom Ellis and Tricia Helfer interview:





Wentworth Miller Interview: ‘Prison Break,’ Tattoos, and Michael’s Son

By
Rebecca Murray
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Prison Break Star Wentworth Miller
Wentworth Miller from ‘Prison Break’ at Comic Con 2016 (Photo © Richard Chavez)

Fox’s much anticipated new Prison Break limited series reunites key cast members from the original series including Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, Sarah Wayne Callies, and Robert Knepper. The cast was on hand at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con to present a panel in which they answered questions from fans of show. They also participated in roundtable interviews to further discuss the new series which will air in 2017.

During our interview, Miller discussed getting back into his Prison Break character, Michael’s son, the new tattoos he’ll be sporting, the new prison, and why both he and Dominic Purcell agreed it was the right time to revisit the brothers in a series.

Wentworth Miller Interview:

Given the definitive ending you gave Michael Scofield in the wrap-up movie The Final Break, did you ever expect you’d play him again?

Wentworth Miller: “I hadn’t given it much thought, but when I was reunited with Dominic on the set of The Flash, playing two different characters completely, we had such a good time. It was out of that conversation that we started to wonder, is there more story to tell? How is that justified? Could we do it in a way that was cool and satisfying? Then went to Fox, and it turns out they’d been having a similar conversation on their end. The timing was right, as it turned out.”

Did the timing coincide with Captain Cold’s death on Legends of Tomorrow?

Wentworth Miller: [Laughing] “I’m not sure that the two were connected, but we did have to work with the Legends hiatus. That was our one window in which to crank out these episodes. So we did everything we could in the time allowed.”

How easy was it for you to get back into that character?

Wentworth Miller: “It was easy, thank goodness, because going right from Legends to Prison Break, I did not have time to go back and watch the original 81 episodes. I just had to trust that Michael Scofield was in me somewhere. My first day on set, there were a lot of extras, three different cameras swirling around, and there was a lot to distract but all I had to do was look through the bars and pay attention to Dominic. That was somewhere to anchor as he has been, as that relationship has been for a long time.”

Do you feel more of a sense of closure for Michael, or do you feel there’s still more story to tell in this case?

Wentworth Miller: “I feel like there could be more story. It really depends on is it worth telling? Is this something that can stand alongside the original, not feel like diminishing returns? I don’t think you can explore a character like Michael Scofield on the big screen. That can only be done on the TV. I have such love and respect for that character that when Paul Scheuring first came to me and said, ‘There’s more. Would you be interested?’ The answer is yes.”

How is the new prison in this new season compared to the prison in season one?

Wentworth Miller: “The new prison makes the original prison look like the Hilton. It is kill or be killed, danger around every corner. That is part of the excitement of the new series is that we’ve upped the stakes in every sense. In the original, the U.S. was our canvas. Our canvas is now global. The threat is international.”

Tone-wise and production-wise, what has changed and what has remained the same about Prison Break?

Wentworth Miller: “I can’t speak to how it’s all been put together because I haven’t seen it, but Paul Scheuring who wrote the pilot and got the whole thing started, I think has a very edgy, topical feature sensibility. I trust that that would be infused in these new episodes, and it was. I think what fans can look forward to is more of the same, more of what they loved the first time. Themes of family, brotherhood, loyalty, sacrifice but with some interesting new twists and turns that feel very, very present day.”

What is it about Michael Scofield that you respect so much?

Wentworth Miller: “Well, he certainly challenges me as an actor, physically, mentally, emotionally. Michael Scofield is a demanding part. He’s always MacGyvering something, being throttled or scurrying through a drain pipe. It’s a very active and proactive character. I like the fact that his struggle is human. He’s a good man trying to do good and in the process does some not-so-great things. I think that’s what makes him identifiable and relatable on a human level, while still also having a slightly comic book/superhero quality where he can endure certain things that your average person could not. It’s one of the things that the fans enjoy watching on screen is him go through these trials.”

How has your relationship with Dominic evolved?

Wentworth Miller: “We have a natural rhythm and chemistry at this point that just shows up organically in whatever relationship we’re meant to be playing on screen. It’s one of the things that serves us Captain Cold and Heatwave on Legends and The Flash. It’s certainly one of the things at the heart of the Prison Break experience.”

Can you tease a little bit about the new tattoos? What’s Michael’s relationship with his son going to be?

Wentworth Miller: “I have a new set of tattoos. They’re central to the story. They’re used in a different way than they were the first time around. That much I can say. As far as the son that Michael has never met, it’s a source of ongoing pain and longing and angst for him to know that his child is out there somewhere and he’s never even held his son in his arms. We do tease in interesting ways how Michael Scofield’s son is definitely Michael Scofield’s son.”

Are the tattoos less intensive than the full body work done in previous seasons?

Wentworth Miller: “I didn’t think so going in. I thought it would be easier this time around because there are less of them, but we have to apply them every day as opposed to the original series, it was one application per episode. It actually worked out to be just as intensive as a process.”

Watch the Wentworth Miller interview:




Carly Chaikin Interview on ‘Mr. Robot’ Season 2 and Playing Darlene

By
Fred Topel
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Mr. Robot star Carly Chaikin
Carly Chaikin from ‘Mr. Robot’ at Comic Con 2016 (Photo © Richard Chavez)

Mr. Robot, the critically acclaimed USA Network series starring Rami Malek, Carly Chaikin, Christian Slater, and Portia Doubleday, airs on Wednesdays at 10pm ET/PT. With Mr. Robot currently airing its second season, the cast of the Emmy-nominated dramatic series turned up at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con to discuss the show, and during our interview with Carly Chaikin she said she’s excited for people to get to see a lot more of Darlene and learn more about her story. “It hasn’t been easy for everything to be so militant in that way and taking control, and kind of navigating and almost wanting to go back to old behaviors. And now that we finished filming and I watched season one, it’s crazy to see how different I was that I forgot. I just recently watched it and totally forgot how it used to be because I’ve been living in this new world for so long. It’s been the amazing role for any dramatic actor that you could want, just being able to play all these different layers and masking things,” said Chaikin.


“We get to see so many different layers to her that we didn’t last season. There’s a big vulnerability and fear going on in there, but trying to mask it with having the confidence of we did the right thing,” explained Chaikin. “We’re all wearing masks and what we are trying to portray is different than how we actually feel. So, it’s been great to have all those layers to play with.”

Most actors on television shows don’t necessarily know their character’s arc far in advance, but with Mr. Robot the actors are in on the secrets and know what will ultimately be revealed well in advance. “Last season before we even started I knew that Elliot was my brother. I knew about Christian…we knew all that stuff. But we did get each script right before we’d start filming, and so this season block shooting and doing them all at once we were able to get all 10 scripts at once. Which I now don’t know how we would have done it without having all of that information because it so impacts things you might find out later which impacts who you are,” explained Chaikin. “If we don’t know that, it changes a lot.”

Watch the full Carly Chaikin interview for more on Darlene, her motivations, becoming a leader, and how she feels about Elliot:

[Interview by Fred Topel. Article written by Rebecca Murray.]

‘Teen Wolf’ Final Season: Tyler Posey Interview on Scott’s Single Status and Ghosts

By
Fred Topel
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Teen Wolf's Tyler Posey and Cast at 2016 Comic Con
The ‘Teen Wolf’ cast at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con (Photo © Richard Chavez)

Teen Wolf cast members including series star Tyler Posey made their way to San Diego for Comic Con, answering questions from fans about what series creator Jeff Davis confirmed will be the final season of the MTV series. Season six will finish up the storylines of Scott, Stiles, and the rest of the gang, and is set to premiere this November and conclude in 2017 with the 100th episode.

In addition to participating in the Teen Wolf panel on Thursday, July 21st, Posey answered a few questions during roundtable interviews on Scott’s single status, humorous moments, and fighting the season’s new bad guys.

How does a werewolf fight a ghost?

“Oh, not easily. They’re like lightning ghosts. They’re not even normal ghosts. And, they’re also on horses so they’re like three times the size of us. So, they’re lightning ghosts on horses and it’s no easy task, my friend, let me tell you now. We need to be really, really creative with the ways that we defeat these guys. It’s not just a couple of punches or some spell, or something crazy. We have to really get creative and figure out how the hell we can defeat these dudes. They’re a lot different, them being ghosts. It’s a lot different than any villain we’ve ever dealt with before, so it adds a weird element to it.”

How do you feel about Scott being single this season?

“I think it’s a very nice thing. Everybody in their lives needs to experience that one way or the other, especially in the growing brain years of a young adult Scott. When I was his age and I was in a relationship, bouncing around from relationship to relationship, I didn’t know enough about myself. As soon as I kind of separated from the relationship world I really figured out kind of who I was and became more and more just sure of who I was and where I wanted to be and how to get to where I want to be. I was able to articulate thoughts better and easier. And so I think everybody just kind of needs that moment of clarity from life and Scott had never done that.

Since season one, he was in love with Allison and then broke up with Allison and immediately fell in love with Kira. This is our first time seeing Scott without Kira, so I think it’s an extremely necessary thing. He’s able to focus on the world more, and his friends and his pack without being so much distracted. Saving Kira’s life got him into a lot of sh*t, you know? So now that there’s no girls around he’s able to really focus on the pack and saving the world and his friends, and making sure that Beacon Hills survives without him if he ever has to leave.”


Jeff Davis said there’s some comedy this season. Do you get to do any?

“For Teen Wolf? I mean, every now and then. Scott’s been kind of the awkward, little naive, vulnerable kid kind of and as strong and as confident as he grows, he’s still a little naive and little awkward. There’s always time for comedy when it comes to that. So, yeah, yeah, absolutely. We always mess around with comedy and light-hearted moments in Teen Wolf. It’s one of the things I love the most about the show since day one is that good balance of horror, drama, action and comedy.”

What are you excited for fans to see you do in Yoga Hosers?

“Comedy. Outrageous, outrageous comedy. It’s a little dark too. I’m a huge fan of Kevin Smith and have been most of my life, so I’m really excited. Kevin Smith, I feel like when I was a kid there were a lot more fans of Kevin Smith. My fans, you know my generation, I’m sure don’t really know Kevin Smith that well. They’re kind of not his generation and this will be a good introduction to them to the Kevin Smith world. It’s a little different than most Kevin Smith films. I just saw a test and kind of have a better sense of what this movie’s going to be about. I think that the new kids, the new generation of these fans are going to have a good introduction to the Kevin Smith films with this one. It’s definitely a dark comedy, but it’s good. It’s great. I love it and the two chicks in it are Harley Quinn Smith and Lily-Rose Depp and they carry that film so damn well. I love it.”

Watch the Tyler Posey interview:

‘Vampire Diaries’ – Ian Somerhalder Interview on How the Show Should End

By
Rebecca Murray
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The Vampire Diaries star Ian Somerhalder Season 8
Ian Somerhalder from ‘The Vampire Diaries’ (Photo © Richard Chavez)

The CW’s The Vampire Diaries starring Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley will be ending with season eight, and series co-creator Julie Plec said she’d love to see Nina Dobrev return to the show during the final season. During the 2016 San Diego Comic Con, Ian Somerhalder (‘Damon Salvatore’) sat down for interviews and was asked if he’d like to see Damon’s story have a happy ending with Elena. Somerhalder actually has a completely different ending in mind for the series which will kick off its last season beginning on October 21, 2016.

Ian Somerhalder Interview:

How dark does Damon get this year compared to previous seasons?

Ian Somerhalder: “I mean it’s like this show is 50 Shades of Black. How many different shades…it’s dark. Listen, we go into some pretty dark spaces and the world’s in a pretty dark f**king place right now as well and we’re right there in with them. I think one of the reasons we fell in love with this character of Damon Salvatore initially was that he had the ability to be very dark, sadistic, but at the same time he was righteous. He had ill intent, but he had righteous reasons for having those ill intentions. And those are ultimately the most dangerous people in the world. Look what’s going on in the world right now. Look at Munich, look at Orlando. Look at anything we see around us. Ill intent with righteousness makes you very dangerous, and that’s what Damon always has been. Now, when we come into the season we see Damon and Enzo – we know these guys. We know them to be very cruel, calm, collected, super dark, funny characters who basically live with an immense amount of free will. Now, that free will has been stripped from them and now they’re forced to do things they don’t want to do. And so that conflict, that push and that pull is really fun as an actor to play and it’s really fun to watch. And so the level of darkness that comes out of it…Damon is doing the bidding of some other entity that’s really got his head locked in and it’s really karma. Damon’s just done that to so many people.

I mean, the dark sh*t that we did…like season one. I remember episode two of season one of the show, Damon you remember was compelling and seducing and effectively raping 17 year-old Caroline. I mean, that’s some dark sh*t but he was funny while he was doing it and he was righteous in his intent. It doesn’t get much darker than that. You know what I mean? And so going from that guy to now having to do what some other entity wants him to do it is a cool shift. It’s a cool transition.”


Do you want Damon to have a happy ending with Elena?

Ian Somerhalder: “Happy endings don’t happen in Mystic Falls. But for Mystic Falls’ sake because, you know Kevin (Williamson) explained to me…it was really funny. I don’t know if you guys remember this name: Marcos Siega. He directed our pilot. He was our supervising producer, our on the ground director/producer of season one going into season two. He and Julie (Plec) and Kevin established the look of the show, the feel of the show. He came right off of Dexter. He does all of Kevin’s stuff now. Everything that Kevin does, Marcos Siega directs and produces. All of it. I remember the first table read for this show. He slams down the script and he walks in and says, ‘Welcome back, everybody,’ because we got picked up for the show and the pilot was great. He says, ‘I just want you to read the title of the show. It’s called The Vampire Diaries, not The Elena Diaries, not The Stefan Diaries, not The Damon Diaries. It’s The Vampire Diaries. This is a story about a town and the diaries of any vampires that we want. None of you are safe. Any of you can be killed at any given moment. Show up on time, be nice, do good work, and you’ll stick around. And I thought, ‘Sh*t, man, this just happened to me three years ago on Lost!’

But, the happy ending I could see is that this girl gets to live her life never even knowing these two brothers exist. You know, talking about the most epic case of robbing the cradle. You have these guys who are like 160, 170 years-old dating an 18 year-old. Honestly, if this town could be rid of vampires and forget that they existed, I think it would be such an amazing moment for humans. Just to be able to go back and live their life. And as a human, as an audience member realizing that these supernatural beings came in and out of time to serve the purpose of the story but at the end of the day it’s about humanity. That’s what every story is about. It’s about humanity. So, Paul (Wesley) and I think that the boys – the Salvatore brothers – should go to some beautiful island in the Caribbean in their Speedos, sit on the beach all night looking up at the moon, bonding as brothers, drinking 60 year-old Barbados rum. And when the sun comes up they should have their final toast, give each other a hug, and throw their rings into the sea and just poof.'”

That’s a happy ending.

Ian Somerhalder: “That’s a happy ending. They’re in a great place. They had great lives.”

Watch the full Ian Somerhalder interview:

‘Supernatural’ Season 12: Jensen Ackles Interview

By
Rebecca Murray
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Supernatural Jensen Ackles Season 12
Jensen Ackles from ‘Supernatural’ at Comic Con 2016. (Photo © Richard Chavez)

The CW’s Supernatural will kick off its 12th season on Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 9pm ET/PT. The upcoming season finds Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) dealing with their mother, Mary (Samantha Smith), who has been resurrected 30 years after her murder. Sam and Dean will have to attempt to connect with a mom Sam never knew while she has to catch up on three decades of their lives as well as 30 years-worth of technological advances. During the 2016 San Diego Comic Con, Ackles provided a sneak peek into what fans can expect from season 12 and what Dean will be going through as he reconnects with Mary.

Are you looking forward to playing the relationship between Dean, Sam, and their mom?

Jensen Ackles: “I mean, yeah. Three’s company, right? Here we go. It will be an interesting dynamic for sure. It will lend itself to some cool things, but I also think it’s going to be very difficult because it’s going to be an adjustment not only on the brothers’ part but Mary as well. She’s adjusting to a whole new world with modern technology and all the things that have happened over the past 30 some odd years. But she’s also got to accept and deal with the fact that both of her now grown sons are hunters and have been since the day she died essentially, which was a life that she tried so desperately to get away from and protect them from. I think that’s going to be difficult for her to accept and I think it’s going to be difficult for the brothers to try to find a way to adapt to her presence. I think that she makes them vulnerable because now she’s essentially an asset that they have to protect and if something happens to her, then that kind of opens it up for anybody to kind of take a shot at the brothers.”


Will you be stepping into the director’s chair again?

Jensen Ackles: “Not this year. I took a little break to spend some more time at home, but I hope to at some point.”

How do you feel Dean’s story arc will change this season?

Jensen Ackles: “We’ve still got some things on the table. There’s still all the things that go bump in the night. They’re still out there. There’s still ghosts, there’s still vampires, there’s still people to save. So there will still be a lot of that. Dealing with mom’s presence I think is going to add to the storyline and that arc will be interesting. Then also finding Lucifer (to be played by Rick Springfield), trying to find a way to put a cap on that. What I do like is the fact that the brothers are together and will be kind of alongside each other trying to figure this out together, as opposed to one being infected with some sort of demon blood or one’s possessed by an angel – whatever it is. The brothers, Sam and Dean, are back together and they’re going to try and deal with all this stuff together.”

Do you feel there are two distinct relationships: one that Sam will have with Mary and one that Dean will have with Mary?

Jensen Ackles: “Possibly. I’ve only read a few scripts ahead and I don’t know if there is a massive difference. They’re all strangers…well, not the brothers. She’s a stranger to them and they’re strangers to her. And, I definitely think that Dean is definitely going to try and figure out how to relate to her and probably spend a little bit more time trying to navigate that than Sam. Sam’s just like, ‘I don’t know her. I don’t know who this is,’ you know? So, yeah, I think you’ll see a little bit more from Dean’s perspective on her presence than necessarily Sam’s.”

Supernatural Cast Photos from Comic Con

Watch the Jensen Ackles interview:

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