After a break for the holidays, This Is Us returns tonight with brand-new episodes. With nine more episodes to go this season, there are plenty of stories yet to be told, and Mandy Moore will be watching along with you. Yes, she may know all the spoilers, since she’s read the scripts, but Moore told us there’s a lot of each episode she never gets to see until it’s on television. When she does watch, she says she can get pretty emotional, just like the rest of us. (Click on the media bar below to hear Mandy Moore)
With the Oscars hosting controversy, 2019 didn’t start well for Kevin Hart. But at least there’s an upside. Literally — he’s got a new movie called The Upside, and it’s a real departure for the comedian. Yes, the movie does have plenty of laughs, but there’s also a lot of drama — especially between Hart and his co-star, Bryan Cranston. And that’s no easy task, to act against Cranston, who has established himself as one of this generation’s elite actors. When we spoke to Cranston, though, he told us Hart definitely held his own on the set. (Click on the media bar below to hear Bryan Cranston)
Roswell, New Mexico takes its original source material — a series of young adult books — but goes in a different direction than the Roswell TV series that aired two decades ago. In the new show, Nathan Parsons plays Max, but when he signed on for the role, he barely even knew that first series existed. (Click on the media bar below to hear Nathan Parsons)
Roswell, NM airs Tuesday nights at 9/8c on The CW.
Taylor Kinney has been part of Chicago Fire since its 2012 inception, and although many an actor’s path leads to extended travels, Kinney has found a constant work environment in the Windy City.
“Each year, each season I become more and more a part of the community,” said Kinney. “I’ve come to love the city and want to live there. I’ll probably keep (a residence) after the show ends.”
That being said, Kinney has explored more places than just Chicago and Los Angeles. Click on the media bar below to hear Kinney discuss his time in San Francisco, Atlanta, Serbia (where he shot The Forest), and Israel (for Zero Dark Thirty).
Chicago Fireairs Wednesday nights on NBC (9 pm et/pt).
The tense trailer Little Woods has just been released and, upon first impression, this looks to be an excellent vehicle for Tessa Thompson (Creed II) and Lily James (Cinderella).
Set in Little Woods, North Dakota, the tale centers on Ollie (Thompson), a woman who’s on her final days of probation after illegally transporting prescription pills over the Canadian border. A tragedy leads Ollie to reconnect with her estranged sister Deb (James). Deb, who has an unplanned pregnancy, teams up with Ollie to find a way to make money and save their mother’s house from foreclosure.
Ollie’s return to selling pills, though filled with good intentions, will probably come at a price, and though the subject matter is grim the trailer ends on a subtle comedic note. The feature, directed by Nia DaCosta was a Best Narrative Feature nominee at the Tribeca Film Festival and received Honorable Mention at the Denver Film Festival for the American Independent Award. Check out the trailer and tell us what you think!
Little Woods, co-starring James Badge Dale, opens in theaters April 19,
While there may be a few viewers out there who weren’t aware that there was a Magnum P.I. series that aired prior to the current CBS incarnation of the show, most people are aware of the classic ’80s series featuring Tom Selleck as the aloha-shirted detective who was equally charming and clever. Jay Hernandez, who plays the “new” Thomas Magnum on the show, knows all about how Selleck played the role. While there was a lot he learned from Selleck’s version, Hernandez told us that he and the show’s producers are working hard to establish the new character as one that is hopefully separate but equal to the first. (Click on the media bar below to hear Jay Hernandez)
Later this month, the late, great Penny Marshall will be memorialized by a Hollywood-area theater with a 12-episode marathon of the show she was best known for, Laverne & Shirley. The Happy Days spin-off was the perfect vehicle for Marshall’s talents — the role required her to dance, sing, do plenty of physical (sometimes slapstick) comedy, and deliver plenty of jokes with perfect comedic timing. Laverne DeFazio’s partner in comedic crime was Shirley Feeney, played by Cindy Williams, who will be making an appearance to speak during the marathon event. If you’re going, though, you may not want to ask Williams about specific episodes because — believe it or not — there are many episodes of the show she still hasn’t seen yet! (Click on the media bar below to hear Cindy Williams)
The Laverne & Shirley marathon will take place January 27 at the Burbank theater named after Penny Marshall’s late brother, legendary director Garry Marshall.
Terry Crews now has two gigs on NBC. Not only is he back on the new season of the relocated Brooklyn Nine-Nine, he’s also hosting America’s Got Talent: The Champions. Most of the time, the host doesn’t get to weigh in with his thoughts about the talent. But this time, Crews has been given one of the coveted golden buzzers, which automatically sends a contestant into the next round, regardless of the judges’ votes. But as Crews told us, the buzzer comes with great power and an even greater responsibility. (Click on the media bar below to hear Terry Crews)
America’s Got Talent: The Champions airs Mondays at 8/7c on NBC.
Chiwetel Ejiofor’s directing debut The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind will kick off the New York International Children’s Film Festival. The 22nd annual fest runs from February 22nd through March 17 and will feature live action, documentary, VR, and experimental shorts from over 30 countries.
Based on William Kamkwamba’s memoir, the narrative centers on a determined young boy who saves his Malawian village from famine. Ejiofor, whose previous credits include 12 Years a Slaveand Secret In Their Eyes, also penned the screenplay and co-stars in the feature (the feature also debuts on Netflix on March 1).
Other films spotlighted in the fest includes the animated adventure Pachamamaand My Extraordinary Summer With Tess. For more information on the festival (tickets go on sale January 23), go to www.nyicff.org.
Liam Neeson has braved adversity in the snow with 2011’s The Grey, and now he’s back for a bit more frosty weather in the action thriller Cold Pursuit. The feature centers on a snowplow driver (Neeson) who is hunting down the drug dealers he believed killed his son (Micheål Richardson, who is Neeson’s actual son).
“It’s a good character driven revenge thriller with very sort of interesting bad guys,” said Neeson. “And there’s a very dark undercurrent element of humor that kinda runs through it too that is quite appealing.”
Click on the media bar to hear Neeson talk about working with his son in Cold Pursuit.
Cold Pursuit, co-starring Laura Dern and Emmy Rossum, hits theaters February 8.
After a break for the holidays, This Is Us returns tonight with brand-new episodes. With nine more episodes to go this season, there are plenty of stories yet to be told, and Mandy Moore will be watching along with you. Yes, she may know all the spoilers, since she’s read the scripts, but Moore told us there’s a lot of each episode she never gets to see until it’s on television. When she does watch, she says she can get pretty emotional, just like the rest of us. (Click on the media bar below to hear Mandy Moore)
