It’s been a few weeks since I last posted something here. Frankly, I’ve been really busy playing an inordinate amount of Rock Band 2 and working on the upcoming EclipseMagazine.com book, “Tell Us Who You Are – The EclipseMagazine.com Interviews.” The book will be out in time for your Holiday shopping pleasure. Enough with the cheap plug, I was invited to attend Sci-Fi Channel’s 2^nd annual Digital Press Tour last weekend. At first, I was a bit skeptical and didn’t particularly want to attend. I mean the shows they were promoting were pretty much all reality programming and Amanda Tapping’s new sci-fi show Sanctuary. So it wasn’t like I was actually visiting a set and I’m not a particular fan of reality television; I generally avoid them like the plague. The only reality show I watch on a semi-regular basis is American Idol. But I must say after this weekend, I’m going to be logging some serious time with all of Sci-Fi’s fall lineup – starting with Ghost Hunters and Sci-Fi’s newest game show The Chase.

Last weekend’s event was held in Denver Colorado at the historic Stanley Hotel. This hotel is rumored to be haunted and is the place that provided the inspiration for Steven King’s The Shining. He spent a few months in Room 217 writing the book and staring at ghosts. The Jack Nicolas film wasn’t shot here, but King’s TV Mini-Series was. It’s a weirdly old world hotel where walking in you can almost imagine that ghosts actually do make this place home. The place has this weird otherworldly vibe to it. When I was outside taking pictures (see the Gallery) it did feel freaky.

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“From what I’ve gleaned on the Internet, Castiel is the angel of Thursday. Thursday, as you know, is the day that supernatural airs on the CW. Castiel is supposed to help people on Thursdays and is supposed to be helpful in times of big changes.” - Misha Collins

Last Thursday night at 9PM EST, the hit Warner Bros/ CW Network series Supernatural - starring Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as ‘supernatural hunting’ brothers Sam and Dean Winchester - rolled out its fourth season premiere episode, Lazarus Rising. By the time the ending credits finished rolling and the preview for the next episode had ended, two things became very clear: Season four had come roaring out of the starter’s gate with a winning episode and viewers/fans had become enthralled with the new recurring guest character, the angel Castiel, played by handsome thirty-four year old Misha Collins.

The season three finale, No Rest for the Wicked, saw Dean Winchester having to make good on his deal to trade his soul into hell to save his brother Sam’s life.  The consumation of this deal found Dean being turned into ‘a hellhound’s chew toy’ and his soul dragged from his mutilated body and down into hell.  Four months later an angel named Castiel was sent by God to pull Dean out of the pit and restore him back to life and healed body.

Eclipse Magazine had an opportunity to catch up with Misha Collins and talk about his role as Castiel and his work on Supernatural, which he says he had only watched a couple of times. “I wasn’t an avid watcher of the show until I was cast in it though. Does that make me a narcissist,” he asks mischievously in response to my question.

Naw, just makes you another fan of a really terrific show.

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Jared Padalecki at the 2008 San Diego Comic Con/copyright 2008 M R Reed

Life gets complicated when your brother comes back from hell!

Jared Padalecki, one of the two hot young stars of the hit Warner Bros/ CW Network Series Supernatural comes striding into the press room of the 2008 San Diego Comic Con on the determined mission to make up for lost time after getting inexplicably hung up in traffic and running late for meetings with the press to promote the upcoming 4th season of Supernatural. Taking his place in the ‘hot seat’ to answer questions, the handsome 26-year-old actor is immediately handing out a heartfelt apology for keeping everyone waiting on him.

Traci Dinwiddie

“Whether she’s flirting with the boys or conjuring spirits, she works it unapologetically, with the bold fierceness of a total rocker chick!”
That was Traci Dinwiddie’s response to my question about what drew her to playing the role of psychic Pamela Barnes in the Supernatural season 4 opener ‘Lazarus Rising’ which will be airing on the CW Network Thursday September 18th at 9PM EST.

Supernatural, the hit Warner Bros/ CW Network series now entering its fourth season, stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as Sam and Dean Winchester – two brothers who have spent their lives being trained by their father to save people by hunting down and killing all manner of supernatural entities and creatures while at the same time tracking down the Yellow-Eyed demon that killed their mother when Sam was baby and Dean was four: a demon with plans for Sam, who seems to be endowed with mystical powers of his own, to become the leader of an army of demons released from hell.  (more…)

Years ago she became famous by dancing with Al Pacino, now she’s burning up the TV screen in USA’s hit spy series Burn Notice. I met her last month during a visit to the hot, Miami Set. Earlier we ran interviews with several folks from the show and with it quickly coming to a close it’s time to run the rest of these great interviews. Gabrielle was a lot of fun and she had this dog that was big as horse and just as cute. Participating in this roundtable was IGN, Fanbolt.com, Confessions of a tvwhore.com, and the TVAddict.com.

Do you enjoy working in Miami?

I actually love it. I would much rather be too hot than too cold. I’m perfectly happy melting all day long. Jeffrey has to wear full on suits and ties, poor thing, and Bruce too. Although he gets to wear Hawaiian shirts a lot too. He’s Mr. Tommy Bahama.

How do you handle doing the martial arts and hand to hand combat that Fiona does?

Smoke and mirrors. Jeffrey’s actually incredibly advanced in martial arts. He’s like triple billion black belt or whatever, he’s pretty high up there. Although I don’t know who actually judges that stuff. But I have no idea what I’m doing. It’s basically just choreography. I did dance, so that comes in handy. But as far as hitting the right artery or chopping the right part of the body, I have no idea what I’m doing.  

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Last week I had a chance to participate in a Q and A with Josh Bernstein, the star of the Discovery Channel’s new adventure show Into The Unknown.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make the call, but our friends over at Media Boulevard and Deadbolt.com did the interview. Here’s the full transcript.

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Stars of THE SCORPION KING 2: RISE OF A WARRIOR, Karen David and Michael Copon are true rising performers in the entertainment business, with lucrative careers in TV, film and music. Filmed entirely on location in South Africa, this made for DVD (which debuts August 19, 2008) sequel was directed by renowned film and music video director Russell Mulcahy.

The story concerns a young warrior named Mathayus (Copon) and his love interest Layla (David) as they try to reclaim their kingdom from the black magic warlord Sargon (Randy Couture). During their adventures, they encounter a menacing Minotaur – half-man half-bull, travel across many lands — including Egypt, and are trapped in a cryptic underworld, presided over by the sinister vixen Astarte (Natalie Becker).

Both set to emerge as major stars, David and Copon worked tirelessly through the short intense production schedule for THE SCORPION KING 2. Here they reflect on their roles, their careers, shooting and training on location, and working with acclaimed director Mulcahy.

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Today I participated in a call with Battlestar Galactica’s iconic Six (Tricia Helfer) to talk about her role in the July 10 premiere of USA’s new hit show Burn Notice. Of course Galactica came up as well and we got some great tidbits from her. The transcript from the call will be coming later this week. To wet your appetite. Here are some little tidbits.

• Tricia will be in 7 Episodes of Burn Notice playing a mysterious spy. She’ll be in the first two episodes of the season, the season finale and a couple in 2009.
• Her character is the public face of the organization that burned Michael.
• She really liked the being on the set and said it was a real welcoming environment.
• She talks a bit about the difference between Vancouver and Miami, Fl. Said she had to get use to it being sunny in Fla.
• She has a list of DVD Sets that she wants to watch since she doesn’t watch much television. She likes quirky shows like Madmen and Weeds. Is currently watching Dexter, 24, and Arrested Development.
• When asked if she uses the word Frak in her every day life she no. Primarily because her character on Galactica rarely says it. But Frak has become part of other cast and crew’s vocabulary.
• She didn’t have to audition for the Burn Notice part. Matt called her up and said he had a part for her.
• She’s shooting a pilot for a new Fox Television show called Inseparable. She’s playing a Psychologist to the lead. It’s about a cop who was shot and paralyzed. He develops a split personality one that’s crippled and the other one who isn’t. She’s not in the Pilot episode that much because they are establishing the main character.
• She was great to talk to, wasn’t at all squeamish about talking about BSG and what her post BSG life will be like.
• She will be at Comic-Con as part of a Cylon/Human couple. Doesn’t know if the Burn Notice folks will be doing anything.
• She hasn’t been following the looming strike.

EM Interview Highlights

By Michelle Alexandria
Originally Posted 7.2.2008

So here’s the thing, a few weeks ago USA Network contacted me out of the blue and said hey, would you like to come down to Miami for a little Junket for Burn Notice. I was like hells yeah - even though I had no idea what Burn Notice was. But I’m always up for a free trip. Then after a few round of emails, I asked are they paying for it. Nope, had to pay for it out of my own pocket. But I was still going to go. After boning up a bit on the show (as much as I could - considering all the power outages in the last two weeks), I got even more excited. The show is just a really cool, fun riff on the "spy" genre. We had such a good time during the day and I got so much material that we’re launching a Burn Notice page later this week. And it’s been ages since there was a show set in Miami (that I watched.) So during the press day, we interviewed 10 different people and it was in the air. Jeffrey’s presence was felt throughout the day, he is the star of the show and everything is on his shoulders. The cast and crew spoke glowingly of him and when you meet him in person you can understand why. He’s drool worthy, funny, charming, and amazingly down to earth. Oh yeah, he even has a great dog.

Jeffrey Donovan: Alright, all of you should not be drinking any soda. No soda. No soda.

Panel: [laughs] Uh oh!

JD: How’s it going? Have you had a good day today, so far? You got to interview everybody exciting so far…

Panel: We’ve been waiting for you!

JD: It’s all downhill from me. All downhill.

Panel: Sharon Gless talked you up a lot.

JD: Oh, my mama. My mama. [laughter] Isn’t she amazing?

Panel: She said nothing but lovely things about you.

JD: She’s been like a mother to me down here. She is so great. Her and her husband, Barney – you know famous producer – they’re just so great. I wish they were my parents.

Panel: She seemed like she’s pretty much adopted you.

JD: Yeah, she has, she has. I’m filing papers next week.

Panel: Everyone said you don’t sweat, what’s the secret to that?

JD: [laughs] Who’s everyone?

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Our resident Studio Plant (who hates it when I call him that), has landed a plum interview for us at Eclipse. He sits down with the great Ridley Scott. I had a chance to watch him direct a scene for the Television show Numbers last year and it was pretty surreal watching him work. He’s the Executive Producer of the The Andromeda Strain. You can read Scott’s fabulous interview after the break. 

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