July 19, 2013…that’s when Summit Enterainment’s releasing the sequel to Red in theaters. The entire main cast is back for more over-the-top spy-type action in Red 2 directed by Dean Parisot from a script by Jon Hoeber and Erich Hoeber. The Red 2 cast is once again led by Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, and Mary-Louise Parker, and features Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Byung Hun Lee, Brian Cox, and Neal McDonough.
The Plot:
In Red 2, the high-octane action-comedy sequel to the worldwide sleeper hit, retired black-ops CIA agent Frank Moses reunites his unlikely team of elite operatives for a global quest to track down a missing, next-generation lethal device that can change the balance of world power. To succeed, they’ll need to survive an army of relentless assassins, ruthless terrorists and power-crazed government officials, all eager to get their hands on the technologically advanced super weapon.
The mission takes Frank and his motley crew to Paris, London and Moscow. Outgunned and outmanned, they have only their cunning wits, their old-school skills, and each other to rely on as they try to save the world-and stay alive in the process.
Krysten Ritter (Photo Courtesy of the Veronica Mars Production)
Pre-production’s over and it’s just about time to get the cameras rolling on the Veronica Mars movie featuring Kristen Bell back in the title role. And as filming approaches, the updates from creator/writer/director Rob Thomas have been coming fast and furiously. The latest confirms Krysten Ritter will be reprising her role as Gia Goodman in the film version of the TV series.
This news comes hot on the heels of last night’s message, which announced the return of Brandon Hillock as Deputy Sacks, Kevin Sheridan as Sean Friedrich, and Jonathan Chesner as Corny. And as with each casting update, those involved have messages for Kickstarter backers and fans of Veronica Mars:
A Message from Krysten Ritter
“G-G-G-Gia!!!! I’m thrilled to be reprising my role of Gia Goodman in the Veronica Mars movie!!! It’s gonna be very juicy Marshmallows!!!!! AAAHHHH!!!! Forgive my over-use of exclamation points. Since you can’t hear me squealing, I’m reduced to excessive punctuation. Ha!
Veronica Mars has a special place in my heart because it was my first big acting job (!!!!!!) and it was also one of the most lovely on-set experiences you could ever ask for. This will truly be an awesome shoot, not only because we all get to be reunited (can’t WAIT!) but because of the revolutionary way this all was able to come to life!
Thank you, thank you, thank you to Rob Thomas, Kristen Bell, Kickstarter, and most of all, to you, our AMAZING FANS, for making it happen. I’m honored to be a part of it!”
Message from Brandon Hillock
“Greetings, Mars fans!
I could NOT be more excited to return to Veronica Mars. I have to thank Rob for personally casting me in the show, and giving me my first big break ever. And now, again, for bringing me back! So thank you Rob, and Kristen, and most of all, the fans! I would not be here if it wasn’t for all of you.
As for Deputy Sacks: the last time we saw him, he had just made his first kill trying to save his partner and boss, Sheriff Lamb. Alas, he didn’t make it in time. I think that does something to a man. Will we see a different Sacks in this film? I can’t tell you that. But I can tell you one thing that won’t be different: the ‘stache. Sacks rocked a mustache before it was cool, and he sure as hell ain’t about to give it up now.
Thanks for giving me another round as Sacks. I can’t wait.”
Brandon”
Kevin Sheridan’s Message
“UNREAL!!! I feel so incredibly GRATEFUL to all the fans of VM and backers on Kickstarter. Rob, Kristen, Diane & Dan — my respect and admiration for you all is endless. What you all have accomplished so far is mind boggling. Truly a testament to your talents and character. If any of you ever need an organ donated or a bullet to be taken, preferably, in a non vital area — Kevin Sheridan is your man.
Before working on Veronica Mars I was like a wounded, motherless doe. Gangly legged, wide eyed, and full of fear. Then Rob Thomas et all took me in and thus began my maturation process. The nights were slow and painful — ‘Who am I?’ I would ask. ‘Why is this world so scary? Rob and Kristen sat and listened, not because they particularly cared, but because it was the only way they could get me to shut up.
Then, under their tutelage and guidance, I blossomed. With their help I discovered my one and only talent — thievery. Stealing anything and everything. It’s a pretty good life I must say and I owe it all to VERONICA MARS.
But seriously… I am so thrilled to be working again with such wonderful people. Working on Veronica Mars was one of the highlights of my life. I am chomping at the bit to see everyone again and do whatever I can to make this film a success.
Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!!
Kevin”
Message from Jonathan Chesner
“I can’t tell you how excited I am to be able to come back and play Veronica Mars’ most striking, mysterious, and handsome male…CORNY! When I heard about this Kickstarter campaign, I was so excited. For years I’ve missed delivering pizzas, getting tasered, and being Neptune’s most loveable stoner.
Funny story: when I first went to audition for Veronica Mars, I accidentally downloaded the wrong script. So, I showed up ready to blow away the competition… for the role of Wallace Fennel. Apart from not being black and having no idea what the heck was going on – it was the scene where he gets duct taped to a flag pole – I figured I’d be perfect.
Unfortunately, my audition got off to a bad start. Before I even arrived, I spilled Chinese food all over myself, soiling my garments. But maybe that was supposed to happen, because things worked out pretty well, and now here we are.
I’m not sure what Corny has been doing since graduating from Neptune, but I’ve been busy. Among other exploits, I surfed a bunch, wrote the award-winning ADHD in HD: Brains Gone Wild! (seriously, it just won a Ben Franklin book award!), and came up with a cool invention for wheelchairs. Random, right?
I can’t wait to see some old faces and bring a new chapter to Veronica Mars history. Rob Thomas, you are l-e-g-i-t! Can’t wait to film.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go find my tuxedo t-shirt for the premiere.
Hi-fives!
Jonathan”
The cast is now confirmed at 15 and filming starts in 3 days!
Disney’s launching a new Diamond Edition Blu-ray combo pack edition of the popular animated movie The Little Mermaid and as part of the new release “Call Me Maybe” singer/songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen is doing a new version of “Part Of Your World.” The new Little Mermaid Blu-ray is hitting stores on October 1, 2013 and Jepsen’s version of “Part Of Your World” will be included as a music video on the Diamond Edition Blu-ray combo pack.
Singer/actress Jodi Benson originally recorded “Part Of Your World” for the movie’s theatrical release and voiced the role of Ariel. The song, which is described as a Broadway-style ballad, was written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman to portray Ariel’s longing to be a part of the world that exists on land rather than underwater.
Disney says The Little Mermaid Diamond Edition Blu-ray Combo Pack will also feature other new bonus material.
“Call Me Maybe” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for nine consecutive weeks, and the music video gathered more than 600 million views. Jepsen recently released “Tonight I’m Getting Over You,” The Remix ft. Nicki Minaj, from her album Kiss.
The Little Mermaid Plot: Ariel, a fun-loving mermaid, is off on the adventure of a lifetime with her best friend, the adorable Flounder, and the reggae-singing Caribbean crab Sebastian at her side. But it will take all of her courage and determination to make her dreams come true — and save her father’s beloved kingdom from the sneaky sea witch Ursula!
Amy Adams plays Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane in Warner Bros Pictures’ new Superman origin story, Man of Steel, opening in theaters on June 14, 2013. And in this video courtesy of WB, Adams talks about how Superman affects Lois and working with Henry Cavill who takes on the title role. She also discusses her Daily Planet scenes, how the Superman story is re-imagined in Man of Steel, and working with director Zack Snyder.
The Plot:
A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.
“He’ll be an outcast, they’ll kill him,” says Lara (Ayelet Zurer). “How? He’ll be a God to them,” replies Jor-El (Russell Crowe), chief scientist of the doomed planet Krypton as he sends his only son (Kal-El) into space and on a voyage to Earth in the re-telling of the origin story of Superman in the action film Man of Steel.
As an infant, Kal-El is taken in by the Kent family and raised as their son. His earth father, Jonathan (Kevin Costner), is convinced the world is not ready to know the truth about his adopted son and keeps teaching Clark as a young boy to hide all his special powers and try to stay under everyone’s radar. One day, however, when the school bus carrying Clark and his classmates crashes into the river, and it looks as if everyone is going to drown, Clark goes out the back door and uses his mighty strength to push the bus and all aboard to safety.
Later that same day, Jonathan talks to Clark and reveals to him the truth about how he came to live with him and his earth mom, Martha (Diane Lane). He tells Clark no matter how long it takes, he owes it to himself to find the truth about where he came from and why he’s here on earth.
When Clark becomes a young man, he leaves the family farm and works all kinds of odd jobs, travels north, somehow knowing the answers he’s searching for will be there in the ice and snow. There, he’s met by a hologram of his long-deceased father, Jor-El, and finally gets the answers he’s been yearning for. He also receives a new red and blue outfit. Knowing his purpose on earth is to provide hope and protect those in danger, Clark dons his new outfit emblazoned with an S for hope and looks up to the sun – a main source of energy and reason for his extraordinary powers – and for the first time soars up into the sky and becomes Superman.
His timing couldn’t be better because General Zod (Michael Shannon), the former head of Krypton’s defenses, became a traitor and was banished into outer space to be held in a prison called the Phantom Zone, has made his way to earth. He’s looking to take it over and rebuild his beloved lost planet with himself in complete command.
Overlong and heavy-handed, Man of Steel is an action, superhero, fantasy film which has a few decent performances and two memorable super-feat scenes but is nowhere near an improvement over the 1978 Richard Donner film Superman – The Movie starring Gene Hackman and Christopher Reeve. Henry Cavill delivers a solid performance as Clark Kent, a young man doing his best to help people when he can but still hide his powers from the world until he has the opportunity to discover what his true path is. The scene where he stops a creepy truck driver from hitting on and pawing at a cute waitress but then has to let the jerk hit him with drinks and cans so as not to let everyone in the diner see his powers is effective. Not to mention the next scene where the truck driver discovers that his truck…well…you’ll see.
As Superman, Cavill is effective but doesn’t seem to really own the role the way Christopher Reeve did in the 1978 Superman movie. Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner horribly overact as Jor-El and Jonathan Kent. Honestly, this might be Costner’s worst performance since Robin Hood.
Amy Adams is terribly miscast as the leggy, tough, and determined Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane. She never captures the tenacity of the character, and in half of her scenes with Cavill as Superman, she looks at him like a star-struck high school girl. Michael Shannon is wasted in the role of General Zod, a one-note villain who doesn’t do much more than scream at Jor-El and Superman when he’s not actually fighting them.
The action scenes and CGI special effects in the film are not impressive, especially during scenes in which Superman and General Zod are going back and forth fighting and tackling each other at great speed. It’s a blur and whoosh of blue, red, and black light. The 1940’s Max Fleischer Superman cartoons had better-looking super-feats than this film.
Diehard fans of Superman are sure to be more than upset with all the changes in the film involving some of the characters, backstory, and sub-plots. Big fans of the Donner film (like this critic) are sure to leave the theater respecting and appreciating Christopher Reeve’s Superman and just how great a movie that was even more. But for anyone looking for just under a two-and-a-half-hour escape from the real world and interested in a new take on Superman’s beginnings, Man of Steel might be the summer movie to see – but only at bargain price.
GRADE: C
Man of Steel opens in theaters on June 14, 2013 and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, and for some language.
Any day I can check out a new poster from a film starring Ryan Gosling is pretty much a good day in my book. Gosling’s featured on one of three new character posters for the dramatic thriller Only God Forgives directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (the two also worked together on Drive). The other posters that were just released feature Kristin Scott Thomas and Vithaya Pansringarm.
RADiUS-TWC is set to release Only God Forgives in theaters on July 19, 2013.
The Plot: Julian (Gosling), an American fugitive from justice, runs a boxing club in Bangkok as a front for his drug business. His mother, the head of a vast criminal organization, arrives from the US to collect the body of her favorite son, Billy. Julian’s brother has just been killed after having savagely murdered a young prostitute. Crazy with rage and thirsty for vengeance she demands the heads of the murderers from Julian.
But first, Julian must confront Chang, a mysterious retired policeman – and figurehead of a divine justice – who has resolved to scourge the corrupt underworld of brothels and fight clubs.
Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace – prominently featured on the Passion poster – star in this thriller from writer/director Brian De Palma (The Black Dahlia, The Untouchables, Scarface). Available on demand on August 1, 2013 followed by a theatrical release on August 30th, Passion also features Paul Anderson and Karoline Herfurth.
The Plot:
Based on the 2010 French thriller Love Crime, Passion tells the enthralling story of a deadly power struggle between two women in the dog-eat-dog world of international business.
Robin Thicke’s sixth studio album, Blurred Lines, will be available on July 30, 2013. The first track off of the much-anticipated album has already scored a #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and has been downloaded more than 1 million times. This marks the first time Thicke has had a single hit the top spot on the Hot 100 chart and also marks his first song to reach the one million milestone.
“I am absolutely thrilled that ‘Blurred Lines’ has reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100,” stated Robin. “I am so grateful to all of my fans and am excited for them to check out the album when it drops in July. It is great that it is already being received so well.”
Blurred Lines Track List:
1. Blurred Lines ft. T.I. + Pharrell
2. Take It Easy On Me
3. Ooo La La
4. Ain’t No Hat 4 That
5. Get In My Way
6. Give It 2 U ft. Kendrick Lamar
7. Feel Good
8. Go Stupid 4 U
9. 4 The Rest Of My Life
10. Top Of The World
11. The Good Life
About Robin Thicke [Courtesy of Interscope Records]:
Robin Thicke has established himself as one of the most respected singer-songwriters in soul and R&B music today. The musician, composer and actor, released his critically acclaimed debut album, A Beautiful World in 2003 under the name “Thicke.” Soon after, he came out with his breakthrough second release, 2006’s The Evolution Of Robin Thicke. Now on the way to double platinum status, Evolution‘s mega hit “Lost Without U” became the #1 most played song in Urban Adult Contemporary BDS and topped four Billboard charts simultaneously.
The award-winning multiplatinum superstar returned to center stage in 2008 with Something Else, a joyful and modern tribute to the ’70s soul and pop records that have inspired an extraordinary career. Revered by critics as one of the best soul albums in years, this ’70s-inspired album dealt with racism, poverty, and love in the hits “Dreamworld,” “Magic,” and “The Sweetest Love.” In December of 2009 Robin released Sex Therapy. The title song was hailed by critics as “the sexiest song of the year.” Robin’s fifth studio album, Love After War, was released in December of 2011.
District 9 writer/director Neill Blomkamp follows up that hit sci-fi film with Elysium, his second movie with Sharlto Copley. Coming to theaters on August 9, 2013, Elysium also stars Matt Damon, Jodie Foster Alice Braga, and Diego Luna.
The Plot:
In the year 2154, two classes of people exist: the very wealthy, who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined planet. The people of Earth are desperate to escape the crime and poverty that is now rampant throughout the land. The only man with the chance to bring equality to these worlds is Max (Damon), an ordinary guy in desperate need to get to Elysium. With his life hanging in the balance, he reluctantly takes on a dangerous mission – one that pits him against Elysium’s Secretary Delacourt (Foster) and her hard-line forces – but if he succeeds, he could save not only his own life, but millions of people on Earth as well.
Back Row: Jim, Wilson, Madeline, Lucky, Alicia, Bear Grylls, Jeff, Erika, Royce, Canden, Esmeralda; Front Row: Austin, Robin, Ryan, Louis, Spencer, Chris, Vanessa, Kyle, Donna, Dominic -- (Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBC)10 teams will be going all out in a competition to see who has the best survival skills and instincts on the new NBC adventure-reality series Get Out Alive with Bear Grylls. The contestants will be tasked with navigating their way around New Zealand on the new series which premieres on Monday, July 8, 2013 at 9pm.
Bear Grylls hosts the show and executive produced the series via his Bear Grylls Ventures company along with Electus.
Season One Get Out Alive with Bear Grylls Teams
RYAN GWIN & MADELINE MITCHELL
Ryan Gwin, 24
Hometown: Mobile, Ala.
Resides: Mobile, Ala.
Gwin’s father taught him to hunt and fish at a young age. He played football and ran track in high school and now works for Chevron, where he is a technical analyst. He thinks this experience will not only make him and his fiancé a stronger couple, but will also allow them to be tested beyond their limits.
Madeline Mitchell, 24
Hometown: Russellville, Ala.
Resides: Mobile, Ala.
Mitchell grew up in a small town and was an all-star cheerleader, competitive pageant queen and an avid athlete. In 2008, she was involved in a nearly fatal car accident and was in intensive care for 16 days. After being told she may never walk again and then using a wheelchair for three months, Mitchell was named Miss Alabama before taking second place in the Miss USA competition. She currently teaches third grade and believes that with both her and her fiancé’s abilities and different talents, they will be undefeated.
CANDEN BLISS JACKSON & DONNA NETTLES JACKSON
Canden Bliss Jackson, 23
Hometown: Fairhope, Ala.
Resides: Los Angeles, Calif.
Canden grew up in a small Alabama town where she soon discovered a passion for horses and softball. To appease her female family members, she agreed to compete in the Miss Alabama Teen USA pageant in 2007 and won. Soon after, she decided to travel and take a year to study in Italy. Canden craves adventure and believes she can do well on the show, considering her high-level athletic ability as well as strong will and character. She currently works as an on-air host and is looking forward to spending quality time with her mother and working as a team.
Donna Nettles Jackson, 51
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Resides: Fairhope, Ala.
Donna grew up in a family of four siblings and enjoyed a very privileged life. She eventually started modeling and in 1982 was crowned Miss Hemisphere. She hopes to push herself beyond what is comfortable, to grow along with her daughter, Canden Bliss, make her family proud and prove to the world that “50 can still kick ass!” Donna, a fashion consultant, lives with her husband, Steve, a former NFL player football player as well as her son, Grey. Adventure and relationship building are the reasons she looks forward to this wonderful opportunity.
AUSTIN VACH & JIM VACH
Austin Vach, 24
Hometown: Maple Valley, Wash.
Resides: Maple Valley, Wash.
Austin is the fourth of five children and grew up in a very active household. While in school, he started his own business and was able to graduate college debt free by building websites for local nonprofits. He is currently single, living at home with his parents and working full-time as a technical accounting manager at Microsoft, while saving up for a house of his own. Austin did not get the same interaction with his dad, Jim, that his older brothers received and he hopes this experience will help create more bonding opportunities.
Jim Vach, 61
Hometown: Fresno, Calif.
Resides: Maple Valley, Wash.
Jim and his wife have five children and seven grandchildren. He worked as a postal inspector for nearly 29 years where he investigated the largest sweepstakes fraud case in the U.S., the two largest mortgage frauds in the history of Washington, and served for seven years on the Seattle FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. He retired in 2007 and has since worked as a fraud analyst with the Postal Inspection Service. Jim feels that the experience and mental toughness that he and Austin share will give them an advantage in the competition.
WILSON & ROBIN SHEPPARD
Wilson Sheppard, 40
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Resides: Altadena, Calif.
Wilson was introduced to hunting and fishing as a young boy, while also remaining an honors student. When Wilson and Robin started dating, she had never been boating or fishing. Together they joined a fishing club, regularly participating in club tournaments. In 2007, Wilson enrolled with the Mariner’s School to earn his boat captain’s license. Since then, he has operated a sport-fishing boat in Alaska, passenger ferries in Long Beach and private charter yachts in San Pedro. He sees this opportunity as a way to showcase their team skills and competitive nature.
Robin Sheppard, 36
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Resides: Altadena, Calif.
Robin was very active in band and cheerleading throughout high school and graduated as president of her high school. Both of Robin’s parents passed away right after retiring and never fulfilled their desire to travel, which inspired Robin and Wilson to travel as often as they could. Robin sees this opportunity as a way to increase her communication skills with Wilson and to sharpen her leadership and survival skills in corporate America. She currently serves as a district sales manager for a sales and marketing company.
ANDREW “LUCKY” & ANDREA “LOUIE” LARSON
Andrew “Lucky” Larson, 58
Hometown: Stillman Valley, Ill.
Resides: Stillman Valley, Ill.
Lucky was born on Friday the 13th, hence the nickname. Growing up in rural Illinois, much of his time was spent driving tractors, milking cows and riding horses. He is a carpenter who specializes in recycling old buildings and used materials. As a rugged outdoorsman, Lucky always assumed he’d have sons and treated his daughters as if they were boys. He hopes that the outcome of this experience will give his daughter Louie more confidence in herself.
Andrea “Louie” Larson, 24
Hometown: Stillman Valley, Ill.
Resides: Chicago, Ill.
Louie grew up on a goat dairy farm where she spent much of her time outside with her father. Her father taught her how to hunt, trap, fish, skin an animal and care for the environment. Louie feels lucky to have grown up to be capable and tough, yet still having a girly edge. Lucky and Louie have been on several outdoor adventures together and she hopes this experience will allow them to grow their mutual respect.
ALICIA BERKWITT & SPENCER HILL
Alicia Berkwitt, 28
Hometown: Phoenix, Ariz.
Resides: Marina del Rey, Calif.
Growing up was difficult for Berkwitt, whose parents divorced when she was 17. Berkwitt moved to Southern California when she was 20 and started building her hair extensions business. She met Spencer a year ago and is excited about their future together. She hopes this opportunity will let her see him in extreme situations because she wants to see how he reacts under pressure.
Spencer Hill, 35
Hometown: Emporia, Kan.
Resides: Los Angeles, Calif.
Growing up, Hill played tennis, basketball and football. He has lived in Los Angeles for 12 years, working as a bartender and recently started his own clothing line. As he gets older, he definitely wants to get married and have a family. Hill views Get Out Alive as an opportunity to test to his relationship with Alicia and as a chance for them to get to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
CHRIS WINTER & JEFF POWELL
Chris Winter, 28
Hometown: Rockwall, Texas
Resides: Dallas, Texas
Winter is athletic but claims to be a giant geek. He works as a telecommunications field technician and met his best friend and teammate, Jeff, through video games. In his spare time, Winter enjoys a variety of outdoor activities that include long-boarding, golfing, hiking and snowboarding. He says this endeavor will be something that he and Jeff can look back on and reminisce when they are older.
Jeff Powell, 29
Hometown: Garland, Texas
Resides: Dallas, Texas
Powell is a spontaneous adventurer who loves to travel and be challenged. Four months ago he was in a life-threatening motorcycle accident that left him hospitalized, with multiple broken bones and internal injuries. He has worked and trained diligently to recover his body back to normal, and one would never know that just short time ago he was unable to walk. Still not fully recovered from his accident, Powell believes he can do anything put before him. Powell is a natural leader and with this adventure, he hopes to put their teamwork to the test and accomplish something bigger than anything they have ever dreamed of.
ROYCE WADSWORTH & KYLE KRIEGER
Royce Wadsworth, 25
Hometown: Corcoran, Calif.
Resides: West Hollywood, Calif.
Wadsworth grew up as a competitive gymnast, and was very athletic in high school. An overachiever, Wadsworth was also the drum major of the marching band, class president and co-valedictorian. He graduated college from UCLA and now works in finance and human resources in the movie production industry. In his spare time he’s involved with beach volleyball, snowboarding, lifting weights and is currently training for a half-ironman triathlon.
Kyle Krieger, 29
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Resides: West Hollywood, Calif.
Krieger grew up playing soccer but as his sister’s athleticism began to shine, Krieger felt very alone. Struggling to feel comfortable with his sexuality and hanging out in his sister’s shadow, he turned to drugs and alcohol at a young age. During college, he came out to his friends and family as gay, allowing him to feel supported and tackle his addiction. Kyle has been clean and sober for six years and is a hairstylist at a top Beverly Hills salon. His newfound budding friendship with Royce will either flourish or break during this experience.
VANESSA VAZQUEZ & ERICA FRANKLIN
Vanessa Vazquez, 23
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Resides: Chicago, Ill.
Vazquez grew up in a low-income household where money was very tight, but the family bond was strong. She is the youngest of six children and being the only girl, knows how to hold her own among the boys. She is currently a college student studying biology and works as a waitress. She is ready to grow and evolve alongside her best friend, Erica, and is excited to test themselves as well as their friendship.
Erica Franklin, 24
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Resides: Chicago, Ill.
Franklin was constantly compared to her older sister growing up. She never felt like her own person until people took notice of her when she sang in her high school talent show. A vivacious and independent woman, she is always ready to surprise people. As a hairstylist, Franklin values and understands the importance of beauty, but can let her hair down when needed. She is ready to test her bond with Vanessa and, if they can make it, come out stronger on the other side.
ESMERALDA & DOMINIC DEPIERRO
Esmeralda Depierro, 25
Hometown: Wilmington, N.C.
Resides: Miami Beach, Fla.
Esmeralda was known as a military brat among her friends while growing up due to her father being in the U.S. Coast Guard. This girly yet tough Puerto Rican’s top passion in life has always been to become a successful business owner, and recently started her own online business called “Love Your Locks Extensions.” Esmeralda and her husband, Dominic, are currently trying to make the business a success. They have both been working so much that they have not taken any time to enjoy life and hope this opportunity will do the trick.
Dominic Depierro, 26
Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Resides: Miami Beach, Fla.
Dominic spent all his time in the kitchen with his parents carrying on Greek and Italian traditions and learned how to cook at a very early age. He picked up football in high school and quickly moved up to varsity. Dominic considers Esmeralda the love of his life. He hopes this opportunity will allow their relationship to get to the next level in a way that Esmeralda could finally trust Dominic to take care of her.
Get Out Alive with Bear Grylls Details:
Get Out Alive with Bear Grylls tests 10 two-person teams beyond their wildest imaginations in this non-stop extreme survival journey. Their mission is threefold: survive the wild, journey as a group and avoid elimination. Each week Grylls will send home another team. In the end, only one duo will remain — the team that he believes has shown the most heart, courage, initiative and resolve in their quest to “get out alive” and claim a life-changing grand prize of $500,000.
All along the way, Grylls — an ultimate adventure survival expert — will be observing the group, from either from vantage points or while traveling with them. If the situation requires, he will step in, but the duos must work together to overcome the cold, fatigue and hardships. At the end of each leg of the journey, there are difficult and emotional decisions to be made by Grylls as he chooses who should leave the expedition.
As the stakes get higher, the obstacles become more unyielding. As civilization gets closer, the journeys get harder, until ultimately only one duo remains. That team will have endured and survived the ultimate test of character and fortitude — walking away with the grand prize, along with the scars and pride that they proved themselves capable to “Get Out Alive with Bear Grylls.”
Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace – prominently featured on the 
