Worried that you may have ‘seen it all’ on America’s Next Top Model? Well, put those fears to rest. Tyra Banks has reinvented the series for Cycle 14, delivering a lot more spunk, says Nigel Barker—tears, jeers and old-school counsel. “We’re not up there as judges to get along,” the noted photographer adds. “We’re there as experts in our own right, and there are a few head-to-head battles where the judges get at it. And there were tears this season.” Outspoken new panelist Andre Leon Talley is likely at the center of those squabbles. “I can be nice and harsh,” he tells E! Talley has no tolerance for models that deflect critique. “When we give them observations, whether personal or professional, I just don’t think they should make excuses. They should take notes and say ‘thank you.’ We are the teachers,” the Vogue editor-at-large explains to WSJ. Expect a greater emphasis on ‘life coaching,’ as opposed to all portfolio and catwalk skills. The 13 finalists are quite a handful, as you can see in their intro videos, and they’ll face the dreaded Ty-overs in this week’s extended premiere. Incidentally, casting has already begun for Cycle 15 which will air this fall. If you’re 5’7” or taller, between the ages of 18-27, and think you have fierce modeling potential, click here for application details and submit your tape by April 6. New this year, contestants can also easily apply online; however, the photo deadline is March 30.
You’re on the right track when the national media takes note of your diverse new projects, “all boasting a lot of star power,” both in front of and behind the cameras. THR reports two more familiar names have landed prominent roles in CW fall pilots, Shane West and Scott Porter. Best known for extended work on ER and Once and Again, Shane will costar opposite Maggie Q as a recruitment agent sent to bring in the rogue Nikita. Acting is only half of the career equation for Shane, who replaced lead singer Darby Crash in The Germs after playing him in the punk group’s 2007 film bio, What We Do Is Secret. Conversely, Scott gained a fanbase on Friday Night Lights and his all-American boy looks often place him in discussions to portray a big-screen superhero. He’s the first of three leads cast in Ridley Scott’s adrenaline-fueled Nomads—backpackers working undercover for the CIA. In a plot wrinkle, Scott’s character is also determined to find his missing brother. Together with top-shelf teams of producers—and Sean Faris inked for The Wyoming Project—AOL suggests “the crop of talent that The CW is amassing this pilot season is arguably the strongest it has had since the network’s inception.”
The funniest things happen when old friends get together. And that was undoubtedly true when Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe) asked former Friends pal Courteney Cox (Monica) to guest in several episodes of her gut-busting Web Therapy. The online series stars Kudrow as a self-absorbed shrink (with dubious credentials) who’s more interested in exploiting her webcam patients for profit rather than offering guidance. Two seasons have been produced, a total of 30 short therapy sessions featuring top comedic talent. Improv is encouraged and—as seen in the two gag reels—often leaves Lisa doubled-over in laughter. Courteney’s arc involves an alleged missing ‘gift’ and an off-camera fiasco on The Tyra Banks Show. Both actresses are nominated for the 2nd annual Streamy Awards, which honor the best in webisodes: Lisa for Best Actress in a Comedy Web Series, and Courteney for Best Guest Star. Click here to watch both seasons and outtake reels. Joining the Friends nominees is Tatyana Ali (Ashley on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), who’ll contend for Best Actress in a Drama for her ten episodes of Buppies.
In other award news, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne garnered four NAACP Image Awards this past weekend: Best Comedy Series, Best Actress (Cassi Davis), Supporting Actor (Lance Gross) and Supporting Actress (Keshia Knight Pulliam). In addition, Chris Rock (Everybody Hates Chris) won the Best Documentary nod for Good Hair; and The Office claimed honors for Best Writing in a Comedy Series.
Zuzanna Szadkowski delivered a recent keynote address that would make the Waldorf clan proud. Similar to surviving a break-up, losing a job can feel like there will never be another, she told her Barnard College sisters. But when the right one comes along, all other prospects fade away. Zuzanna speaks from experience, having transformed “Dorota” from a background servant into one of the most popular characters on Gossip Girl. “I didn’t know that bringing a tray of yogurt parfaits to ‘Mees Blair’ and the mean girls in the second episode of a new CW show would be my ‘in’ to building a career,” she marvels. But fans loved the subtle comic relief and were soon treated to her stunning backstory in six Chasing Dorota webisodes (click to watch)—where it’s revealed she is actually a Polish countess with a secret husband. Dorota eventually divorced him and is now involved with Vanya, the van der Woodsens’ Russian doorman, played by former Disney child star Aaron Schwartz. Blair’s confidante, in fact, is now pregnant, which should further enhance her storyline when the series returns with 10 new episodes beginning next week. Executive producer Stephanie Savage tweets that Monday also “kicks off a big emotional Chuck story that brings him and Blair closer than ever. Ed (Westwick) and Leighton (Meester) are at the top of their game in this arc.” No doubt, it involves the mystery woman Chuck saw at his father’s grave. There’s a maid with dark sunglasses and a trench coat who might be up for some more undercover work.
Just beyond the midway point of season two, Legend of the Seeker star Bridget Regan (Kahlan) ‘confesses’ that adding Tabrett Bethell (Cara) to the cast has been a quantum leap. “Tab was the missing piece of the puzzle,” she tells E! “That’s what made this season take off. She just came in and challenged all of us and our characters challenged her.” There’s no hint of rivalry between the two beauties. “It was such a boy’s club last year,” she muses. “Just having a woman on the set; we’re in it together, a bit of a team, which is great.” Bridget is also keen on Kahlan and Richard’s (Craig Horner) burgeoning affection: “I fight for that so much, and not just because Craig’s dreamy.” This weekend’s new episode combines elements of drama and humor the series is noted for, with Cara nervously masquerading as a polished princess to spare the Mother Confessor from execution—and Zedd (Bruce Spence) in drag as an ugly lady-in-waiting. Laughs aplenty! Watch for a rare TV guest appearance by former Hardy Boys teen idol Parker Stevenson. Legend of the Seeker recently teamed with pop-rockers Newmatic for a wondrous music video (below) which highlights the breathtaking scenery of New Zealand and the unforgettable moments from this season.
When The CW recently gave early 2010-11 renewals to five series, two dramas were conspicuously missing from the list—Monday favorites One Tree Hill and Life Unexpected. Last night reaffirmed why fans are lobbying hard for both to return this fall. Zap2it calls the Tree Hill winter finale “one of the best episodes the show has produced in years,” particularly the scenes involving Bethany Joy Galeotti (Haley) and Bess Armstrong (her dying mother). “They really have marvelous acting chemistry, and this story has given Galeotti a chance to shine.” After seven years, this cast—perhaps more than any other on the network—does feel like a part of the family, and it’s easy to relate to their emotional struggles. Later, Life Unexpected ramped up the friction with another strong outing. Whether it was Lux and Bug, or Cate and Ryan/Baze, simmering feuds boiled over to really shift the relationship dynamics…and the upcoming preview looks downright explosive. Even pitted against the Olympics juggernaut, the two series combined to draw nearly 20% more viewers than the prior week, The CW notes. Wednesday encores of Life Unexpected have also performed well; and with Gossip Girl returning in two weeks, Lux and Co. may find even more viewers in their new 8pm timeslot. One Tree Hill, meanwhile, will finish the season with four new episodes beginning April 26. The timeslot-sharing experiment has not only kept fresh episodes on the air, but also enabled a critically-acclaimed new show to find a place in the lineup. And with an overload of interesting fall pilots (a great problem to have), it wouldn’t be surprising if the CW Monday success story expands to other nights, as well.
How awesome does this sound:Sean Faris on a dude ranch with Gilmore Girls mastermind Amy Sherman-Palladino feeding him quirky dialogue? It’s happening, folks. The Parma native is the first male to score a lead role in one of The CW’s new series pilots. The Wyoming Project might be described as Party of Five on the Prairie—and there’s nothing wrong with that. Sean will play a 22-year-old horse trainer who becomes patriarch of the ranch when his parents are killed, leaving him suddenly responsible for his three younger sisters. As he again demonstrated in his recent three episodes as “Ben” on The Vampire Diaries, Sean is an actor who owns the small screen; while Amy is considered one of television’s premier writers. For Northeast Ohioans, this creative pairing elevates the family drama from “flying under the radar” to “much-anticipated.” Another film star is being recruited to head the network’s Nikita reboot.The pending hire of Maggie Q (MI:3, Live Free or Die Hard) “signifies the highest-profile role for an Asian actress on a broadcast drama series,” reports THR. James Frain (The Tudors, True Blood) is in rumored negotiations to join the Nikita cast, says KSiteTV. The CW has also ordered a pilot presentation from Ridley Scott (Alien, Gladiator) and David Zucker (Numb3rs, The Good Wife). Nomads centers on a group of nearly-broke young backpackers traveling the world—who agree to take on lucrative secret missions for the CIA. With TV’s annual Upfront announcements only 12 weeks away, all series pilots must be staffed, filmed, edited and evaluated for a spot in the Fall lineup. There’s a lot of work just ahead, and these fresh ideas and stars are only the beginning.
It’s difficult to contain talent and passion. Bethany Joy Galeotti discovered that with her newest project. “I thought, ‘This is either going to be terrible, or it’s going to be great,’” she reveals in a One Tree Hill podcast. “I don’t know what it’s going to be, but I’ve gotta get this out.” The result will very likely be a hit Broadway musical. You see, Bethany was so inspired by the romantic tearjerker film The Notebook, she began writing songs based on the characters. Nicholas Sparks, who authored the beloved novel (his first) in 1996, embraced her ideas and gave his blessing for the musical stage adaptation. Teaming with record producer Ron Aniello, the pair held auditions for the various roles and hosted a workshop presentation in Wilmington, NC, for Broadway producers and investors—who loved the dialogue, story, and especially the music (“Don’t touch it,” they advised). The process now involves refining the play and previewing it in front of still more industry heads in New York. But realize, The Notebook spent over a year on the best-sellers list, and the movie is considered by many to be the definitive Hollywood love story. How can this music original notbe a success? Interestingly, Bethany herself once aspired to be a Broadway musical theatre actress. Now, of course, she has a singer/songwriter lead storyline as “Haley” on One Tree Hill, as well as an off-screen career as a soloist and member of Everly. Monday night, she and her TV sisters share the spotlight with their mother in an emotional midseason finale episode, The Last Day of Our Acquaintance.
Allison Mack has been surrounded by so many costumed costars on Smallville, who could blame her for wanting to slip into a cool disguise? She’s joined the second season of Riese, a sci-fi/fantasy web series so impressive it may soon find a home on television. The story involves a kingdom overthrown by a shadowy, terrifying group called The Sect, which drives the people to near-feral behavior. Their only beacon is a mysterious wanderer, Riese, and her wolf. Allison plays Marlise, an ambitious member of The Sect feigning innocence to mask a manipulative mind and thirst for power. The series is on brief hiatus while new distribution paths are hammered out, but you can click here to preview the upcoming episodes. Allison’s longtime boyfriend, Chad Krowchuk, is in charge of the production design; go behind-the-scenes with him here. The two also star in a unique short film, Frog, which is currently traveling the festival circuit. It unfolds across five blocks in one single camera shot, examining “the fragile nature of human dependence and the difficulty of saying goodbye to a person we still have so much of ourselves stored inside,” the synopsis notes. You can enjoy the trailer below. These are just two of the side projects Allison is involved in. Once a supporting star, she is now one of The CW’s most beloved leading ladies, and we look forward to Chloe’s evolution in the Justice League watchtower.
So many questions, so little time. That’s the view of anxious fans concerning Lost, a phenomenon The New York Times extols as “the most compelling continuing storyline in television history.” Beginning tomorrow night, WBNX kicks off Season 5—the sixteen astounding episodes which commence immediately after Ben moves the island. Brain bleeding from memory-loop? Hold tight for highlights that include the stunning return of the Oceanic 6, Eloise Hawkins and the Dharma Lamppost, castaways skipping through time, Sawyer and Juliette’s covert lives in the Initiative, the root of Widmore vs. Linus, Ajira 318 landing with other Others, Jacob’s first appearance and off-island contact with survivors, startling events inside the foot of the statue, and the plan to H-bomb the group back to reality. Unthinkable drama surfaced to lead us into the series’ final stretch-run. To many, the man responsible for this worldwide sensation is Lloyd Braun, the network programming exec who championed the idea from J.J. Abrams’ outline and commissioned the most expensive TV pilot ever—between $10 and $14 million. That decision, however, earned Braun a pink slip before Lost even premiered, New York magazine reports. Soon after, “J.J. called me up and said he wanted to use my voice on the show every single week to open the show and say, ‘Previously, on Lost…,’” Braun recalls. “It was important to him and Damon (Lindelof) that I was somehow forever a part of the show.” It remained their secret for years. Braun’s colleagues thought the concept was “crazy” and a “waste of time,” reports The Telegraph. Eighteen million viewers thought differently. Lostquickly won the Emmy Award for Best Drama Series and has emerged as a timeless jewel in television and pop-culture history.
Worried that you may have ‘seen it all’ on America’s Next Top Model? Well, put those fears to rest. Tyra Banks has reinvented the series for Cycle 14, delivering a lot more spunk, says Nigel Barker—tears, jeers and old-school counsel. “We’re not up there as judges to get along,” the noted photographer adds. “We’re there as experts in our own right, and there are a few head-to-head battles where the judges get at it. And there were tears this season.” Outspoken new panelist Andre Leon Talley is likely at the center of those squabbles. “I can be nice and harsh,” he tells E! Talley has no tolerance for models that deflect critique. “When we give them observations, whether personal or professional, I just don’t think they should make excuses. They should take notes and say ‘thank you.’ We are the teachers,” the Vogue editor-at-large explains to WSJ. Expect a greater emphasis on ‘life coaching,’ as opposed to all portfolio and catwalk skills. The 13 finalists are quite a handful, as you can see in their intro videos, and they’ll face the dreaded Ty-overs in this week’s extended premiere. Incidentally, casting has already begun for Cycle 15 which will air this fall. If you’re 5’7” or taller, between the ages of 18-27, and think you have fierce modeling potential, click here for application details and submit your tape by April 6. New this year, contestants can also easily apply online; however, the photo deadline is March 30.
