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IN THEATERS: ‘Pitch Perfect 2,’ ‘Mad Max: Fury Road,’ ‘Good Kill’

Mad Max: Fury Road

In a post-apocalyptic world, Max is thrown into a society where people fight till the death. Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron star as the two team up in their fight for survival. George Miller returns as director. 120 min. Rated R.

Pitch Perfect 2

Shot in Baton Rouge, the second installment of Pitch Perfect goes global. The Bellas are back in this comedy to rule the world of a capella. 115 min. Rated PG-13.

Good Kill

Ethan Hawke stars as a drone pilot that begins to question his own decision making skills when it comes to his job. 102 min. Rated R.

Ian Anthony Dale is a veteran actor from St. Paul, Minnesota. His recent work includes Hawaii Five-0, The Event, Tekken and Mortal Kombat: Rebirth. His next project is the Steven Bochco drama Murder in the First, where he’ll star as Jim Koto.

What made you want to become an actor?

I think in a way I’ve always been an actor and can remember as far back as high school playing the part of this quite confident guy when in fact I was actually just a painfully shy chubby kid. I guess you could say that long before I ever discovered acting, I was already trying to outwardly convey something very different from what was happening on the inside. I would always look enviously upon my friends, who were the most gregarious, wanting desperately to know what it felt like to be that free and uninhibited. It was right around that time that I discovered the theater. Here was this place where I could be whoever I wanted to be and no one would judge me. A place where I could confront my fears and start to define who I was and what turned me on. The theater provided a safe environment for me to ultimately discover the person I wanted to be both inside and out. I’m not sure what the hell I would be doing today had I not wandered into the theater all those years ago. Might just be the best dumb luck that’s ever happened to me.

What was your biggest fear?

When I first started working consistently, even though I was training and learning as much as I could at the time, I still felt like I was doing a considerable amount of “faking it” and feared that at any moment, I would be labeled as a talentless hack and become unhireable. I think that fear, and never wanting to disappoint those who believe in me, has motivated me to work harder and place an emphasis on always trying to get better. Some people are just born with a God-given talent, while others have to work really hard at it. I’ve had to work really hard at it, but I believe that through hard work, anything is possible.

What was your lowest point?

I spent my first two years in LA working as a set builder. After saving a little bit of money, I hung up my tool belt and rededicated all my time to my acting pursuits. After booking a couple guest stars and a pilot, I was finally making just enough to live exclusively off of the money generated from acting. But before I knew it, that money had run dry and I was one charge away from being maxed out on all three of my credit cards. I needed a job, badly. And there was little room left in the world of construction for an actor/carpenter who hadn’t paid his union dues in over a year. I was desperate. A friend of mine told me of a new restaurant in Los Feliz called The Vermont that was hiring, so I swallowed my pride and went in for an interview. They were kind enough to offer me a job and my first shift was scheduled for a couple days later.

It made me remember my days as a waiter the summer before my senior year of college, working at two restaurants in Madison, Wisconsin. The first was at a mom and pop Italian restaurant called Portabella. The second was at the local Red Lobster. Yup, that’s right. I wore those short-sleeved button downs emblazoned with little colorful fish, and served cheddar bay biscuits and all-you-can-eat crab legs to eager bib-wearing patrons. I would always be the one waiter who conveniently disappeared whenever it was time for us to embarrass one of our customers (and ourselves) with a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday.” Needless to say, it wasn’t my favorite job, and at the end of that summer, I vowed never to work as a waiter ever again. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for people in the food and beverage service industry, I just didn’t love it myself. I remember feeling so defeated as I prepared to don an apron once again. Then the most amazing thing happened. Literally four hours before my shift was scheduled to begin, I get a call from my agent telling me that I booked a Disney film and would be on a plane to New Orleans in twenty-four hours. Amazing how quickly your luck can change in this business.

What kept you from walking away?

Before I left home and headed to LA in 2000 to pursue acting, my father told me, “Son, give it ten years.” He somehow understood just how challenging it could be and knew how long it might take. He wanted me to be able to really give it my very best effort. It was some of the greatest advice he could’ve given me. This helped me to learn patience, always take the time to prepare, never get ahead of myself, and develop a thick skin and become resilient. Too many people make the mistake of coming to town overly confident and end up dejected and discouraged when things don’t happen for them right away. With time on my side, I was able to take every small victory and trust that I was moving in the right direction. That ten-year benchmark came in 2010 while I was filming The Event for NBC. It’s now 2015 and I’m still here, still feeling extremely lucky to be part of this business and still loving what I do.

What did you walk away from?

I once walked away from an opportunity to work with JJ Abrams. It’s one of a few regrets I’ve had in my career. Back in 2004, I had the good fortune to get to choose between a pair of offers. One was for a guest star on Alias playing the bad guy of the week, and the other was for a potential recur on a short-lived UPM sitcom called Second Time Around playing a young father. I had just come off of playing a couple bad guys in a row and wanted to switch things up so I chose Second Time Around. Well, Second Time Around got canned after one season and we all know what amazing success JJ has gone on to have in his career. Hey, you win some, you lose some. I’m hopeful I’ll get another opportunity to work with JJ someday.

Who was your closest ally?

When it comes to the business, my closest ally has been my manager Charlton Blackburne. This is a tough, tough business, and it’s ever so difficult to find people you can trust. Charlton is one of those rare gems. He’s intelligent, savvy, genuine, honest, generous and he’ll stop at nothing to see me reach my full potential. We’ve worked together for almost eight years now. He’s my closest confidant and friend. My only complaint is that I didn’t meet him earlier in my career. There have been a number of other people who have contributed greatly to my success that I would be remiss if I didn’t mention including friends and collaborators Jeffery Reiner, Steven Bochco, Peter Lenkov, Brian Spicer and Kyle Harimoto. These guys are all studs and I owe them all a big thank you.

What were you doing the morning before the audition that changed your life?

I don’t recall what I did on the morning before my first big network pilot test but I definitely remember what happened afterwards. I had just finished with the test and hadn’t eaten in several hours, so I stopped at a café to grab a bite. There I am, sitting on the patio of this café eating my sandwich when all the sudden a bird decides to take a giant s*** all over me. I’m talking on my head, on my shoulders, even on my sandwich! I mean, I’m just covered! So as I’m cleaning myself up, I call my buddy and I’m like, “I’m definitely not getting this pilot.” He asks, “Why not?” I say, “Because a bird just s*** on my head, clearly it’s a bad omen!” After having a good laugh at my expense, he says to me, “Didn’t you know that when a bird s***s on you it’s good luck?” Before I even have a chance to respond, my agent rings in and tells me I got the job. Unbelievable! Who knew getting s*** on could feel so good.

What were the words that kept you going?

There have been so many moments throughout my life when someone I’ve looked up to shared a kind word of encouragement with me. I remember one time I was working opposite Anthony LaPaglia on Without A Trace and after the scene, as we’re sharing a smoke, he says to me, “Ian, you should be working every day.” That was the nicest complement he could’ve given me, and it definitely left an impression. It is amazing how powerful simple words of encouragement can be. They motivate you to believe in yourself and believe in the journey you are on. I try to pay it forward as much as I can, because I know what a positive impact it can have. In this business, you need as much of that as you can get.

How have you changed?

I’ve grown up. I’ve become less selfish, more responsible. I’ve learned that it’s not enough just to chase after self-satisfying endeavors. The richest sense of satisfaction comes from helping others. I realize now that there is a bigger picture for me to focus on, and I look forward to dedicating the next chapter of my life and career to being of service to those who are desperate to have a voice of their own.

What words do you have to inspire others?

Far too often in this business, we see people being rewarded for bad behavior. Don’t let that influence you. The path to success can be a lonely one if you step on everyone else along the way. Be a good person, work hard, be patient, be honest, be genuine and treat others with kindness and respect. Make the most of the opportunities you are given and don’t take anything for granted.

Made In Louisiana: On Set With ‘NCIS: New Orleans’

Watching the short video above it’s easy to see how impactful the film industry is to the entire state of Louisiana. Local crews take pride in coming home from New York, California or anywhere around the country to help work on a major project that reflects so positively on their home state. And both natives and new faces are buying houses and making Louisiana their home.

NCIS: New Orleans has grown to one of the biggest shows since Desperate Housewives. And because its distributed to over 150 international territories, millions across the world are reminded every week why they need to come visit Louisiana.

Please contact your local legislators and help keep the film industry thriving in Louisiana. Let your voice be heard here.

Source: The Credits

Stephen Lang will join Louisiana-shot series Into The Badlands, AMC’s newest kung-fu series. Lang will join Marton Csokas, Daniel Wu, Aramis Knight, Madeleine Mantock, Ally Ioannides, Emily Beecham, Sarah Bolger, Oliver Stark and Orla Brady.

Stephen Lang will play Waldo, who once held the title of the most sadistic Clippers in the Badlands. Waldo trained Sunny (Daniel Wu) to be a Clipper. In the six-episode series, Waldo will be bound to a wheelchair but the animalistic killer instinct still remains deep within his soul.

Lang will also be in North Louisiana as he is set for a resurrecting role in WGN’s Salem’s sophomore season. Lang’s character, Increase Mather, will literally rise from the dead this season. Stephen Lang is having a very busy year as James Cameron also announced that Lang’s character will be returning for the Avatar films in the future.

Directed by David Dobkin, Into the Badlands began shooting late last month in New Orleans. AMC’s newest show will premiere this Fall. Watch the teaser trailer here. If you want to apply for a job on Into The Badlands, look for contact information and more on jobScene.

Source: TheWrap

We let the news of Monty Williams’ exit sink in for a day before writing this post. I wanted to get the feelings and opinions around the league before diving into this topic. I have never been a hater of Monty Williams, but he has sometimes struggled in late-game situations and got swept in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs this season. However, I’m not entirely on board with the latest decision from the Pelicans organization. In this post, we’ll briefly cover the career Monty had in New Orleans, discuss this past season, how the organization’s been plagued with injuries and what the future holds for the birds from the Crescent City.

The move to fire Monty Williams came somewhat of a surprise around the league but it has always been a looming possibility around New Orleans. Monty brought the Pelicans to the playoffs for the first time since they drafted Anthony Davis four years ago. For the first time in its young franchise’s history, the Pelicans had made the postseason. You may be thinking that it was all Anthony Davis, and Monty had nothing to do with it, but you’d be wrong. Kinda.

Obviously, Anthony Davis had an absolute breakout season and is now widely regarded as the world of basketball’s next big thing but Monty had a lot to do with it. Pelicans went 45-37 this season, which is the best in franchise history, and they did it with guys missing games due to injuries (more on that later). The season ultimately ended after a 20 point deficit was quickly erased in Game 3 against the No. 1 seeded Golden State Warriors. It was a flat out embarrassment in front of a spirited New Orleans crowd. That game in particular could’ve been Monty’s undoing, and I think that is completely unfair. You cannot place blame on a coach for allowing 14 offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter alone. That’s on the toughness of the players on the court and just a pure lack of tenacity and postseason experience. I believe Monty’s future is bright wherever he goes because it seems that every ex-Hornet/Pelican sees greener pastures when they leave (cough cough Austin Rivers). Monty has coached with Team USA, San Antonio Spurs and will now be looking towards leading the Orlando Magic or Denver Nuggets this offseason.

Injuries have been the constant thorn in Monty’s tenure as the head coach. In five seasons, he has never truly had a lineup at full strength for the duration of the season. We all know the history of Eric Gordon. Recently we have seen Ryan Anderson and Jrue Holiday catch the injury bug and sidelined them for most of both last season and this season. This year alone, Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon missed a combined 98 games. Jrue missed 42 games this season. Injuries have been an unfortunate trend for the Pelicans and who knows how good this young squad could’ve been at full strength? I know that they wouldn’t have had to play the Warriors in the first round at least.

There are many coaches on the horizon and the youthful talent is abundant in the Big Easy. Offseason moves should only involve finding a new coaching staff because I truly believe that the Pelicans should build from within and try to form a nucleus of young talent and gain experience together. Staying healthy will ultimately bring success to this up-and-coming franchise and I’m very excited to see the progression of Anthony Davis unfold right before our eyes. First, we need to sign that man and get him the coach he wants.

Here are the possibilities:

Tom Thibodeau

This is the choice that makes the most sense to everyone around the league on paper. Thibodeau has coached Anthony Davis in the Team USA circuit and has brought great success to the Chicago Bulls. Thibodeau preaches toughness both offensively and defensively and will play his guys upwards of 40 minutes a game. He is currently down 3-2 against the LeBron James-led Cavs and I believe he sees the light at the end of the tunnel with the Bulls. He would be a good fit with the Pelicans and could bring valuable postseason experience to the young squad.

John Calipari

John Calipari has solidified himself as the greatest recruiter in college basketball history. He had the most talented Kentucky team maybe ever in the realm of college basketball and gathers talent annually. He has also coached Anthony Davis and Tyreke Evans during their college careers. Not sure if Cal has the X’s and O’s yet for the NBA but he would sure bring excitement and a completely new identity to New Orleans.

Mark Jackson

I think Mark Jackson is an exceptional players’ coach. What I mean by that is that he would be completely adored by the players and organization. He is a fun guy to be around on and off the court but is in the same ballpark as Monty when it comes to calling set plays and running a fluid offense.

Scott Brooks

Brooks did a fine job with the Oklahoma City Thunder. You can always tell that he had his players’ backs on and off the court. He struggled with injuries all year which ultimately cost him his job. The Thunder failed to make the postseason this year and it was simply because Kevin Durant was sidelined for most of the year. He falls into the same category as Mark Jackson. Brooks had exceptional talent but couldn’t exactly wrangle them in to play his style of ball.

Alvin Gentry

Alvin Gentry currently is being courted by the Chicago Bulls but that doesn’t mean anything at this point in time. Gentry is currently assisting under Steve Kerr with the Golden State Warriors and has seen tremendous success this season. He runs an uptempo style offensively which would go swimmingly for the New Orleans Pelicans. He has had some postseason success and has miles of coaching experience as he is nearing the age of 60. I believe Gentry is the dark-horse candidate for the New Orleans Pelicans and I think he would do wonders for the organization.

Whichever way the Pelicans decide to go, I hope it makes Anthony Davis happy. He is the true future of the franchise and management should make their decision based off his opinions.

But for now, farewell Monty. You are a classy man on and off the court and you will be sorely missed. Watch an interview from WWL below:

It would seem this party was so awesome kids were just dying to get in. The upcoming MTV horror series is shot in Baton Rouge and has blood, babes and laughs. Scream will have audiences tuning in every week to see their favorite characters getting the axe.

The trailer begins with a close-up shot of a girl sitting in a chair. The camera pulls back revealing her blood soaked slit throat. We continue around the room to see dead bodies displayed in an almost artistic form. The camera pulls back again unveiling the entire room showing ten dead bodies when the doorbell rings. The main Scream cast is seen standing in front of the door as Noah says, “It sounds dead in there.”

Newly added cast member Bryan Batt will play alongside Bella Thorne (The Duff), Willa Fitzgerald (Royal Pains), Bex Taylor-Klaus (Arrow), John Karna (Premature) and Carlson Young (Key and Peele).

Watch the previous Scream trailers here. Mark your calendars for June 30 at 10pm. Maybe you will throw the next killer party.

The official story description below:

After a cyber-bullying incident results in a brutal murder, the shocking violence stirs up memories of a killing spree from the past that has haunted some, intrigued others and maybe just inspired a new killer. A group of teens – with two old friends struggling to reconnect at its heart – become lovers, enemies, suspects, targets and victims of a killer who’s out for blood.

One conversation with the veteran actor reveals Sebastian Roché to be a polished raconteur, a welcomed throwback to the transatlantic affectations that permeated film in the early twentieth century. Although still a young man, Roché is a member of the old guard. Classically trained, he has shared the stage with Al Pacino in Salome and worked with director Julie Taymor on The Green Bird and Titus Andronicus.

In film, he has collaborated with director Steven Spielberg on The Adventures of Tintin, Michael Mann on The Last of the Mohicans and Robert Zemeckis on Beowulf. And on television, Roché has cultivated a large fanbase on Fringe as Thomas Jerome Newton, on the long-running Supernatural as Balthazar, on General Hospital as terrorist Jerry Jacks and on The Vampire Diaries as Mikael.

In 2013, a spinoff of The Vampire Diaries debuted set in the world of Mikael. Called The Originals, the new CW series focused on the original family of vampires that would eventually begat the biters at the center of the soapy Vampire Diaries. And Mikael is their patriarch, the powerful primogenitor of the world’s most beautiful brood.

Sebastian spoke with me over the phone from the set of The Originals, which is set in New Orleans and filmed on location in Georgia and Louisiana. The show’s second season finale aired on April 20.

MH: Whether it’s politics or bad movies, your Twitter feed is very bold, sir.
SR: Haha. Yes, it is!

MH: Is that your stream of consciousness or do you take to Twitter with a purpose?
SR: I believe in being opinionated. I like to engage in a discussion with the people that actually follow and maybe look up to you and maybe are interested. I don’t only want to post selfies of me or photos of my chest when I’m working out. To me, politics is something that I’m passionate about. It started in my early childhood in France, and I continue to be involved in politics and the things that I care about. The environment, women’s rights and how loathsome something like ISIS is. How dangerous ideologies are all over the world.

I like big ideas. And people can write me back and tell me that I’m an jerk and that’s fine. And actually, some of my followers get a bit of their news from my Twitter feed. Some people get their news from Jon Stewart. I’m not saying I’m Jon Stewart, but I like to have a little more consciousness in my little realm of social media.

MH: I think a lot of people in the entertainment industry stay away from politics for business purposes. But at the end of the day, I think most people who have a passion for politics really have a passion for people. That’s really their concern that is shining through.
SR: Yes, absolutely. And I just don’t believe in shutting your mouth. I can’t. It’s something that is just not in my DNA. I just don’t subscribe to that kind of thought. I’m not criticizing anyone for not doing it. I just think we love the art of debate. People hate to have an opinion, but I think that’s how we evolve as a human species. There’s nothing wrong with voicing your opinion. However bad it is!

MH: And how uninformed it is sometimes!
SR: Haha! And uninformed, yes!

MH: We’ve lost the ability to debate as gentlemen. Everybody goes for the jugular right from the beginning.
SR: I used to love that growing up as a child. The French loved to debate the Brits and there were really interesting conversation going on. People would sometimes scream at each other, and at the end of the night, they’d go, “Oh wonderful, that was a great discussion. Let’s go have a drink.” Now, it’s a much more divisive society, especially in American politics. I think Congress has contributed largely in doing that. The extreme sides of the parties contributed to a total lack of dialogue and a regressive mentality. Only eight percent of Americans like our elective body. We basically hate their guts and yet we continue to elect them. It’s a sad state of society, it really is.

MH: Well, we can’t give up what we enjoy complaining about everyday.
SR: Exactly! Ha! It would be nice to do a clean sweep and get the money out of politics. Then we’d start to see the people who actually do something, instead of worrying about their re-election and who’s going to fund and support them.

MH: Plus, we also must have good characters to parody on Saturday Night Live. That’s the thing we really need as Americans.
SR: That’s true! You’re right. But that will always be there. From the days of Punch and Judy to the great caricatures from the 19th century to now. It’s always easy to parody someone. I can parody most of my fellow actors so easily. I’m sure there’s someone out there parodying me! In fact, I know there is! My best friend. He basically makes fun of me on a daily basis.

MH: On the television series The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, you play a vampire. And vampire’s are, of course, immortal.
SR: Yes, I play one of the oldest vampires that exists.

MH: In real life, you really take great care of yourself. What is the key to looking thirty years old forever?
SR: Hahaha! The key is diet and exercise. If I was responding seriously, without humor, I would say living a very active lifestyle. Eating responsibly. Seeing the benefits of eating fresh food and limiting animal fat (although that’s for different reasons). If you eat too much processed foods you will get sick. It’s very important to lead a healthy life and get enough of sleep. Meditation. It’s not that easy. I live a blessed lifestyle. It’s not an easy thing to do at times. When you’re working eight-to-six and you’ve got five kids and you’re not making enough money, it’s very hard. Hopefully, we can bring consciousness to people and encourage them to live by these rules, and they’ll lead a much happier and healthier lifestyle.

MH: You’re in Georgia shooting The Originals right now. How was set today?
SR: It was really good. We finished doing this extremely intense episode. It is very rewarding when the roles are so well written. Huge stakes. There’s a lot of scenes with the stars, including Joseph Morgan. He’s a wonderful actor. He’s pretty fabulous.

MH: I can tell that you’re a very intellectually engaged actor.
SR: Yes, I am. I’m intellectually engaged. I’m also very passionately, emotionally engaged. Very much so. You fall in love with acting. You fall in love with it, and it’s a love story that will last until the day you die. There are two types of actors: those who want to be famous and those who are passionately in love with the craft.

MH: I can tell that you are engaged with the character you are playing and the character that others are playing. But there are also some actors who I feel are really unconcerned with the particular character. The fun for them is engaging purely with the other actor or purely with the director.
SR: That is also a lot of fun! Acting is reacting. Whatever your partner in the scene does will affect your performance. And also, the director can make your performance better. He can freeze you up, but most of the time they can make your performance better. They can say, “It’s too much, bring it down a bit.” It’s a very collaborative art form. That’s what makes it so fascinating.

MH: I love that The Vampire Diaries and now The Originals have come into this genre space that was already well trodden, and they have just done their own thing. They have their own mythology that’s really compelling.
SR: It really is. It really stands on its own. It’s very emotionally complex family dynamic. It’s a fascinating series. It takes place in New Orleans, actually, which is a really interesting place to set the series. With all its history and heritage with voodoo and magic. They are part of the cultural heritage.

MH: If vampires were real, they would definitely live in New Orleans.
SR: They would definitely live in New Orleans. I’m sure if it. But to tell you the truth, I have to admit I’ve never been to New Orleans. It’s a town that I’ve always wanted to go to, being of French origin. I’m a huge foodie. I’m half French. I should’ve gone to New Orleans, but I’ve still never been. I’m sure I’ll be there in the near future.

MH: It really is the only European city in America.
SR: I really would love to experience that. I know the amazing Jazz Festival that I might be coming to. I think I might be coming to Jazz Fest if my schedule can permit it.

MH: I’ve got some questions for the fans of The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. Mikael has a really messy history with his children. Klaus especially. Why has your hatred for him lasted so long?
SR: Knowing the history of the family, it started pretty early. Even before Mikael found out that he was a bastard son, I think there was something about the boy that rubbed Mikael wrong. There was maybe a degree of competition. Not with the other sons. There was something about Klaus that he instinctively knew that he was not of his own blood. And I think that was a very interesting point in the flashbacks. When he found out that he was a bastard son, then his suspicions were proven true. He truly took on a new dimension in hating his bastard son.

The crazy thing is that he taught him everything he knew. He was not the son that he expected because he was not as much of a warrior. As soon as he grew of age, I think Mikael taught him how to become the monster that he was himself. It’s funny because he’s not Mikael’s son but he’s the most like Mikael. And the dynamic of the show is interesting. The hatred grew even more when Klaus decided to kill his wife and make Mikael take the blame for it. Therefore, creating a thousand year old antagonistic relationship with the whole family. He lost basically everything. Not only did he lose his wife, he lost the rest of his brood, his bloodline.

For a thousand years, he was a hunter trying to hunt down Klaus. Over that period of revenge and hatred, he turned it into a true art form. It’s a fascinating hypothesis: how do you live for a thousand years with the knowledge that you accumulate and hatred that grows? You do not age and yet you “age.” You go through heartbreaks, you still have this vengeful hatred in your heart. Which comes from pain. I truly believe that Mikael’s bloodlust comes from pain. Deep within him.

MH: That reminds me of the saying, “Hate is injured love.”
SR: Absolutely. Before Klaus was born, Freya, the daughter that he loved before everything went awry, died at the age of three. And it created a true sadness within Mikael. She was the apple of his eye. His first daughter. His first child. He loved her and he felt responsible for her death. She was never found again. You’ll see what happens in the episodes to come. It’s really intense. It’s a pretty intense dynamic with what happens to her. He’s a wounded übermensch. He’s got a thousand years of experience within his tortured brain. A fascinating character, really.

MH: He’s a really unique guy. With some issues. Why do you think that Mikael drinks vampire blood?
SR: Mikael drinks from vampire blood because he has no respect for other vampires other than himself. I think that he considers himself above. I think it’s a way for him to gather the strength, experience and knowledge. Like warriors who would eat the brains of the enemy to gain their strength. There’s a bit of a medieval warrior, a Viking warrior, in Mikael. It’s a sense of domination. He is the alpha vampire. Therefore, anyone under him deserves to die. He’s a very ruthless character. A lot have died within his path.

MH: They’ve definitely got you doing some gruesome stuff on this show as Mikael!
SR: There’s more to come! It’s gruesome, but that’s his way of defending himself. It’s his life. That’s what he’s been living for a thousand years. He’s a warrior. He’s the alpha warrior-vampire of all. Nobody should stand in his way.

MH: Is that how they pitched the character to you? If I was an actor, and somebody gave me a pitch like that, I’d be like, “Where do I sign??”
SR: Oh yeah, believe me! They told me he was a vampire hunter. They did tell me that he was the father. And I thought, “What a great role to play!” We had gone into the Viking stuff. I knew about that. I thought, “What an extraordinary character to play.” He’s really a truly exhausting character to play, and I mean that in a good way. He carries with him so much energy. The fiery ruthlessness that he carries with him is exhausting to play. His potential is intensity. It’s like doing gymnastics for hours. Gymnastics of the mind. You feel that his eyes are on fire. He looks the part.

MH: He’s a really brutal guy. The rumors are that there will plenty of flashbacks with the family. In the near future, or maybe in the distant future, do you think we might get a glimpse of the softer side?
SR: You will! That’s all I can say, really. I don’t want to divulge too much. There will be a softer side. In his own way, of course! It’s always got to be in his own way.

MH: Are we gonna see a softer side of Sebastian when you play King Stephen in Once Upon a Time?
SR: Maybe. Ha!

MH: I think anything is softer than Mikael.
SR:Yes, anything is softer than Mikael. This is a character that is still evolving. I’m interested to see what will happen in the coming weeks.

MH: Are you familiar with the novels that the show is based on?
SR: I’m not, actually. The show is based on the Vampire Diaries novels.

MH: You should put in a bid to read the audio books. I think you’d be a pretty good read. It also makes so much sense because Mikael is the patriarch.
SR: I would love that. You know, you’re right. That’s actually a really good idea! Cause they did release the books. An Originals book. That’d be a good idea!

MH: You’re on this other show, Supernatural. The fan base is absolutely crazy with enthusiasm.
SR: It’s unbelievable. It’s the most formidable fan base I’ve ever seen. I’m sure Star Trek actors go through the same thing. But I think this is the closest to Trekkies there is. I think the fan base is actually even bigger now. I don’t know, exactly. But the Supernatural fan base is incredible, and it’s been such an amazing ride. And I was on season six or seven for six episodes. My character was actually one of these characters who they wrote so well. He was an angel who was sort of debonair and decadent. I think he left an indelible mark on the fandom.

MH: It’s huge! That show has legions and legions of fans. And has been on the air for eleven or twelve years now?
SR: Yeah for twelve years. They’re amazing. We love our Supernatural fans. I love my Originals and Vampire Diaries fans as well but there’s a lot of crossover. It’s fabulous. And doing those Supernatural conventions is a way of seeing those fans again. Seeing them and thanking them for supporting us. That’s why I love doing those events. Most of the Supernatural actors and guest actors have become gracious friends. We love just having this wonderful travelling theatrical troupe. It’s truly like a brotherhood on Supernatural. All these actors are really interesting people. Good people. It’s a great group. It’s been amazing. We’ve travelled the world spreading the Supernatural love. It’s been really fabulous. I’m still amazed to this day.

MH: Is there any chance that Balthazar will make a comeback on Supernatural?
SR: Aww, man I would love to. I’m gonna have to call the producers and say, “Hey, guys how bout it?” That would be phenomenal. I would do it in a second.

MH: The fans are really what are holding the show together.
SR: Absolutely. The show is going into its twelfth season!

MH: Daytime dramas shoot incredibly fast and are very demanding on the actor. How did your work on General Hospital pay dividends into your skillset as an actor?
SR: First, I didn’t do it at the beginning of my career. I did it a little

when I was younger, but I didn’t understand the process. I was too green at the time. When I had the second opportunity of doing it, I wasn’t sure about it. But I took the job and it was one of the best decisions I made in my life. It completely changed my life.

I was in New York and I was going through a difficult time. I went to do the job on General Hospital and they welcomed me with open arms and treated me so beautifully. They gave me basically carte blanche to play this pretty incredible character, who was a mastermind of evil. Because that’s what I do, it seems! Ha! But he was a great character who took the whole cast hostage. I did forty episodes and it went so well. I had so much fun on it.

It is extremely rigorous in the sense that you have to learn about thirty pages of dialogue. In this case, I had to shoot nearly all monologues. It was amazing in the sense that I felt very free. I thought to myself, I’m gonna use this to experiment. To relax as an actor. It was like doing theater because it was going so fast. And it does go very, very fast. You have to be very well prepared! It was an absolute joy.

It didn’t last very long, but it completely regenerated me as an actor. It’s funny and it’s really interesting: I had grown a little disillusioned and I started having so much fun again. They gave me so much license with my character. And they trusted me. I had so much fun and I explored. I overdid it at times. Then, I underdid it. I experimented and it was great!

So, I understand what Bryan Cranston says when you have to work fast, and you have to suss out a scene very quickly. You are basically working that acting muscle. Then you find something that shoots slower and it’s a luxury to you. It’s fantastic. It was a great experience. I couldn’t be more thankful. They’re so nice. Every year they bring me back for a tiny little stint and they’re so gracious to me. They’ve been really wonderful. I’m very thankful for that.

MH: There’s something good about the artistic mind being pushed to produce a great amount of volume. Who knows what Charles Dickens’ career would have looked like if he wasn’t pushed to stretch out his stories in the papers. If he had been too precious about his art form, he would have ended up only producing one or two books that weren’t as voluminous.
SR: It’s the same with Alexandre Dumas, the French author who wrote Three Musketeers and other truly wonderful masterpieces of literature. And they were not considered masterpieces at the time, but they are. He wrote volumes of books, too. It depends. I also think that in an actor’s career, there’s one defining role that will define you all your life. Well, maybe not always. Meryl Streep is a total genius and everything she does is flabbergastingly good. Art in great volume can be wonderful. It can be amazing. I mean, look at Van Gogh. He produced a tremendous amount of volume as well. Picasso, too.

MH: You had a role in one of my favorite movies of all time, The Last of the Mohicans. What are your memories of being on Michael Mann’s set?
SR: It was great. It was one of my first jobs. It was so amazing to me to be on such a massive movie set. I adored Michael Mann and I still adore him as a filmmaker. He’s one of these really honest, frank filmmakers and I think he’s a genius filmmaker. The Insider is one of my favorite films ever! For me, it’s one of the most perfect films ever made, along with Heat. It was an honor to be on that movie. I experienced it for six weeks but I was cut from the movie. I loved the way he worked with us.

He loves actors. He trusts them. He was very gracious with me even during the audition process. I love the man. The Last of the Mohicans was a massive enterprise, shooting in Asheville, North Carolina.

MH: In many ways, it was one of the last films that would shoot on that scale until CG came in and really changed the way movies are made.
SR: I love that about it! There’s no CG. There are movies where CG is used beautifully and you need it. But I’m excited that I heard that the new Star Wars will not use as much CG. It’ll go back to the classic Star Wars and I’m so happy about that. I think that CG can de-nature a movie. It turns into cartoon. I’m more of an indie type of viewer. Anything that’s independent, foreign. Gimme subtitles galore. I love it. My favorite movies of this year were Whiplash, Leviathan, the Russian movie. Ida, the Polish movie. There’s so much good stuff. I’m a huge movie buff. I’ve realized I’ve seen a lot of stuff. Some obscure stuff. But even Guardians of the Galaxy, I loved. One of the best superhero movies I’ve seen in a long time. It reminded me of the first time I saw Star Wars.

Sebastian Roché is a supporter of Room to Read, which works in collaboration with communities and local governments across Asia and Africa to develop literacy and other life skills. Find out more at roomtoread.org.

While the Louisiana Legislature debates the impact of the state’s tax incentive program, one of the biggest movies in the world is shooting right around the corner in Baton Rouge. And The Magnificent Seven, which stars Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Chris Pratt, Haley Bennett, Wagner Moura, Luke Grimes, Byung-hung Lee, Vincent D’Onofrio and Jason Momoa, is looking to hire some more cowboys. The western reboot is directed by Training Day helmer Antoine Fuqua.

The 1960 film Magnificent Seven starred Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson and Yul Brynner and was a remake of a Japanese film called Seven Samurai. The upcoming flick is written by True Detective penman Nic Pizzolatto and rewritten by The Blind Side’s John Lee Hancock. The Magnificent Seven reboot begins in a small war-torn town following the Civil War. Gold mining barons have taken over a town and ruthlessly kill a woman’s husband. She calls upon a bounty hunter (Washington) and he calls upon six other gunslingers to quell the gold mining tycoon and his henchmen.

Central Casting is a casting company based in Burbank, California that specializes in background and body double actors. Central Casting has branched out to various regions in the US, including a branch in Louisiana. Check out Central Casting’s Facebook page here.

Here are the details for the casting call:

Filming Dates: May 18 – August 18
Shooting Locations: St. Francisville, Jackson, Clinton & Zachary

Casting Requirements

Looking for all ethnicities of MEN with facial hair and good western looks. WOMEN & KIDS with rugged, non-contemporary looks.

Submission Instructions

To be considered, you may submit a current picture, height, weight and contact info to: Western@centralcasting.com.

Please call with any questions at 504-684-2550.

All background and stand-in roles are paid, starting at $8/hr with guaranteed amazing catered meals.

For more information visit our jobScene page.

Aaron Williamson is a health advisor and fitness trainer to the film industry. He has helped craft the physical transformations of Jamie Foxx in Django Unchained, Zac Efron in Neighbors and Josh Brolin in Oldboy. He recently finished molding Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke into legendary action heroine Sarah Connor for Terminator: Genisys. Find out more at aaronwilliamson.net.

What is one of the biggest mistakes women make at the gym?

One of the biggest mistakes I see and I hear about on a consistent basis is the fear women have of doing weights and resistance training. It’s the misconception that they’ll become bulky and put mass on. And that’s just not true. Women naturally have a lot less testosterone in their body. Therefore, for a woman to put on mass, they would have to eat an excessive amount of food. There’s no way they’re going to eat that much food unless they’re training extremely hard. And when I say food I’m referring to good, wholesome, clean food. Not junk that’s full of empty calories. Of course that would make anyone big & soft…and fat. The reality is, when a woman lifts weights, they’re actually going to strengthen the muscle, maintain the muscle mass they currently have and that’s going to help them burn more fat. Cardio is a good addition to weight training, too. I tell all my clients to alternate it because you get the benefit of both worlds: you get the lean, toned look and you get the fat burning effects of cardio. And don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice on the equipment at the gym!

The next question ties into the fear that women are going to bulk up. How often should women train?

A good rule of thumb is thirty to forty-five minutes at a time, three to four times a week. Going forward, it ultimately depends on your lifestyle. Do you have five days a week to train or do you have three? Or is it better to try to fit in one or two days during the week and catch up on the weekends? What one person who works in an office all day would need to do for her health & fitness goals is going to be different from someone who is on their feet all day being active. Especially from a nutrition standpoint. The person who’s on their feet all day is going to need to eat more than somebody who is a little more sedentary behind a desk.

Another tip might be to alternate the intensity of each workout. You might go in the gym on some days and be wide open with energy. You’re going to have a better training session on those days. Then, there will be the days when you’re going to be a little tired so just do some low intensity cardio instead or something that still pushes you within the range of energy you have. Or do a little bit of abs or something that’s not going to be so taxing, but will still bring you heart rate up and help burn fat.

What if you are juggling kids, a significant other, a full time job and other responsibilities? What if you only have half the time needed and can only do twenty minutes?

If you have that amount of time, you’re probably not going to be able to get to a gym, so you’re going to have to do a workout at your house or somewhere convenient. You have two types of training: you have high intensity interval training (HIIT), or you have low-intensity, steady state (LISS), which is a light jog or walking on the treadmill, or similar. Mix those two up. High intensity interval training has been proven to burn fat at a very fast pace and brings the body to the threshold very quickly. Alternate some jump ropes or burpees or mountain climbers. Try full body movements that are going to get your heart rate up quickly and do them in little increments. Jump rope for thirty seconds and go as fast as you can. Then rest for thirty seconds, and then do it again. You’re going to get a full body workout and get your heart rate up so high that you can’t even breathe. That’s going to make you feel better, maybe not at the time but more in the long run post workout. You’ll get the endorphin rush and you’re going to bring your metabolism naturally to a higher point. And you can do that at your home with minimal equipment and just your body weight. I thought I was in shape until I started jump roping and that was a reality check for me!

What’s the best way to stay organized with your training each week?

If you can have a visual layout of what you’re doing, what you’ve done, what you need to do, it’s going to help a lot. You can see a blueprint. Hang a calendar on your fridge and start to write down what you’re doing for the week. You’ll know that on Monday you have twenty minutes before you pick up the kids. On Tuesday, maybe you can make it to the gym for 45 minutes after you drop them off at school. You’ll know in advance that on Monday you’ll do jump rope, sprints and burpees. And on Tuesday at the gym, you’ll lift some weights. It’s an accountability journal. From my experience, helping women get more creative and responsible with their planning helps them tremendously. It’s allowed them to really build it into their lifestyle. Even with only short periods of time. The key to success is to build fitness into your schedule & lifestyle. Otherwise, there will always be an excuse why you can’t get it in.

What are some easy pre-workout and post-workout snacks that women might find appealing?

Pre- and post-workout snacks are very important. Proteins are good, whether in the form of protein powder or something else. Yogurt, mixed nuts or some grapefruit. Good proteins, good fats and even some good carbs from brown rice or a brown rice cake; something light. Going into the gym ravenously hungry is not a good thing & can make you feel off negatively affecting your training. Similarly, you can’t drive anywhere if you’ve got no gas in the tank – same concept. These things will prime your body for training and then also help your body recover after you train. Your body naturally just wants to eat better when you train. When you give it food that your body should have and should want, the cravings are going to get cut down. You’re going to slowly want to eat better because you feel better. Eating (or drinking) greens post workout will also help put your body back into positive pH balance. That’s extremely important for people who have a very acidic body. I like to do the green smoothies or the green shakes with kale and spinach. Those are my main two that I mix together. And I eat a lot of broccoli. Find a place that has cold pressed juices that you can quickly pull from the fridge if you’re rushed on time. All these little things will add up over time making you feel so much healthier while boosting energy so you’re able to train effectively without feeling so sluggish.

What are some of the best exercises to do after having a baby?

Depending on how your pregnancy went and how your recovery is going, I think a lot of doctors will recommend women be careful with physical activity for the first six weeks until they go back for a check-up. What you can do during that time is try to get your body back into the rhythm of movement. Start going for walks. Just go at a pace that’s comfortable for you. When you begin to feel more comfortable, start to increase the pace a bit. Try to bring your heart rate up more. Yoga and pilates are both very good, too. Strengthening the core will be very important in getting back on track as quickly as possible; it’s the base of all movement.

Pregnancy is a tremendous physiological change to the body. And not everyone has a smooth pregnancy. Not everyone is able to go to the gym and train while being pregnant. A lot of women fall behind on their physical health because of that. Getting mobility, flexibility and stretching in will help realign your body post-pregnancy.

How do you recommend that women stay motivated?

I’m actually working with a client right now and she’s a little on the negative side. Very concerned all the time about everything and she was extremely intimidated to get back into the gym. She got out of shape and then felt bad about herself. She was worried about everybody looking at her. When you go into the gym, you have to get rid of any negative thoughts. You are going in there for yourself. You’re not going in there for anyone else. Go into the gym and think about your goal, why you’re there and what you want to accomplish. That should allow you to keep your head on with confidence. Maybe somebody’s looking at you, but it doesn’t matter.

Put a photo of inspiration on your fridge or in your car. Somewhere you’ll see it every day. Start to manifest positive thoughts about your goals. The more you can see it & think about it, the more likely you’ll be to succeed at making wise decisions when it comes to nutrition & pushing yourself. Fitness should be something that’s fun, not stressful. I look at the gym as a place of peace, a sanctuary. You can tune the whole world out & go into your own personal zone where nothing else exists but you & your thoughts. Now that’s motivation!

And the gym you choose should help your mindset, too, right?

Absolutely. Find the right gym that you feel comfortable in. Go gym shopping. Belong to a gym that’s a place where you can walk in and feel at home. If you’re not comfortable, chances are you’ll always find an excuse not to go. I love the feeling I get when I’m in the gym because it’s a release. You’re taking care of yourself and you’re making yourself feel better. It’s a great place to be and there’s no reason why you should feel intimidated or stressed by it

For more health and fitness tips, visit Aaron’s personal website at aaronwilliamson.net.

The Australian horror film The Babadook recently made its way to the Netflix streaming library and the space under your bed will never be the same. The movie follows Amelia as she tries to soothe her son’s constant night terrors. When a mysterious book appears in the boy’s room, the story’s monster becomes real. The titular creature haunts the boy, making him increasingly hard to pacify and the mother soon follows suit. What follows is proof of the horror genre’s ability to create a true piece of art, while maintaining genuine scares.

The film’s director, Jennifer Kent, made the look and feel of the film a major priority, originally wanting to shoot the entire thing in black and white. While the classic coloring was eventually scrapped, the film still manages to maintain that feeling with sets that are dramatic, claustrophobic and dark. The art department must have gotten a good share of the film’s small budget because their gothic beauty is essential to bringing the Babadook itself to life. The attention to atmosphere pays off with an eerie feel that adds to the story as well as the dread.

The movie’s monster could have walked straight out of the background of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. The surreal sight of this nightmare creature is made even more menacing by the fact that the audience might never get a clear look at it. Less is definitely more and I promise you’ll wonder whether the Babadook even exists, while simultaneously being terrified of it.

The titular ‘Babadook’ follows the mother son duo everywhere. Nowhere is safe – from the car, to the neighbor’s house to under the covers. Creeping into their lives and slowly gaining a hold of their sanity.

The Babadook also explores some of the dark depths of psychology, using the monster as a manifestation of grief, frustration and depression. Combined with a severe lack of sleep, the world of the characters becomes even more terrifying. As the mother’s desperation and frustration grow, so does the strength of the monster. With such a basis in the psychology of these characters, the audience is left to wonder, is this real or only a waking nightmare?

Whether searching for proof of horror’s artistic merit or looking to be genuinely creeped out, this is one to add to the Netflix queue.

Kate Hudson will join Kurt Russell, John Malkovich and Mark Wahlberg in New Orleans for Deepwater Horizon. Hudson will play the wife of the oil rig engineer (Wahlberg). This will also be the first time Penny Lane and her step-father, Kurt Russell, will play side by side in a feature.

Hudson will be returning to the Bayou State. She previously filmed 2011’s A Little Bit of Heaven in New Orleans and the 2005 thriller The Skeleton Key across South Louisiana.

A Most Violent Year’s JC Chandor was set to direct the film but has since been replaced by mammoth budget specialist Pete Berg. Berg and Wahlberg will be reuniting as the two worked on Lone Survivor, the true story of Marcus Luttrell.

The BP oil spill drama is written by Matthew Carnahan and is based on the New York Times article “Deepwater Horizon’s Final Hour,” written by David Barstow. The story chronicles the men who were caught in the intense flames that engulfed the oil rig killing eleven and injuring sixteen more. The courage these men displayed will be captured on film and will shed some light on one of the biggest man-made disasters in history.

Production is underway in New Orleans and the film is expected to be released in September 2016. If you’re interested in working on the film visit jobScene for more info.

Source: Deadline

NOVAC and HBO have partnered to present a paid internship program on the set of Quarry from June 5-26. Here’s the press release:

In a unique partnership opportunity between the film industry and the New Orleans community, NOVAC is pleased to announce that it will be partnering with the HBO/Cinemax production Quarry, which commenced filming in March, to create training and job opportunities that focus on serving local veterans. Based on a successful internship program partnership between NOVAC and HBO Productions during the filming of the series Treme, this new program will offer a group of locals paid internship opportunities in a variety of departments, as well as provide classroom training, resume and soft skills support and ongoing job placement support after the internship.

“Connecting with the community of job seekers and provide high-wage, low barrier to entry positions in the film industry is exactly what our film industry workforce training is designed to do,” says NOVAC Executive Director Darcy McKinnon, “and to have the content of Quarry be so relevant to local veterans makes this project a logical choice for the internship program.” NOVAC will be doing community outreach, collecting applications and interviewing candidates for the program, as well as providing the ongoing classroom and job support after the internship.

“HBO/Cinemax is proud to once again connect with the New Orleans community and partner with NOVAC to support this very important initiative,” says Kary Antholis, President, HBO Mini-Series and Cinemax Programming. “Our partnership allows us to engage with members of the city’s community by offering valuable production work experience and skills that are critical to success in our industry.”

Quarry is a dramatic series that follows a Marine who returns home to Memphis from Vietnam in 1972 and finds himself shunned by those he loves and demonized by the public. He is drawn into a network of crime and corruption as he struggles to cope with the lingering effects of his experiences at war at a time before most knew what PTSD was. The production is currently shooting in New Orleans and will offer many on-set experiences for local veterans interested in entering the film industry. The series will make its debut on Cinemax.

The Quarry internship will be paid positions for up to 15 participants, and will take place in late June 5 – June 26. Applications for the Quarry internship program will be available May 11, 2015 at www.novacvideo.org/quarry, final deadline for applications is May 22, 2015 at 5pm. The Quarr internship program is open to all interested candidates in the Greater New Orleans area; NOVAC will be conducting informational meetings with local veterans groups to recruit candidates, as well as targeting previous participants in NOVAC’s recent Production Assistant Boot Camp training programs, which have been sponsored by the City of New Orleans. For more information on the Quarry internship program or to apply, please visit www.novacvideo.org/quarry.

Thanks to The Hollywood Reporter, we get a glimpse at the New Orleans-shot film Beyond Deceit. The thriller is not only special because it was filmed on location in New Orleans but it also brings two legends of the film world together for the first time in their fabled careers.

Oscar winners Anthony Hopkins and Al Pacino will go head to head in this big screen legal thriller. This film also marks the directorial debut of Shintaro Shimosawa, an all around nice guy with lots of talent.

Alongside Hopkins and Pacino are Josh Duhamel, Malin Akerman, Alice Eve, Julia Styles and Byung-hun Lee. Beyond Deceit is one of three projects filmed in Louisiana that Byung-hun Lee has been involved with. Lee was in New Orleans to film GI Joe: Retaliation and Terminator: Genisys, and will now ship out to Baton Rouge to film The Magnificent Seven. Anthony Hopkins was also in the Crescent City recently to film Kidnapping Mr. Heineken.

Beyond Deceit is the story of an ambitious young lawyer (Duhamel) who goes toe to toe with a heartless pharmaceutical company executive (Hopkins), and his world is turned upside down as he becomes the prime suspect in a murder case. Al Pacino plays the role of Duhamel’s mentor throughout the film.

Lionsgate picked up North American rights to the film in early April and plans to release it in early 2016. Shimosawa rewrote the script created by Adam Mason and Simon Boyes (The Hangman). Barry Brooker, Stan Wertlieb and Chris Brown executive produced the film.

The D Train

Shot in Louisiana, this comedy stars Jack Black and James Marsden. Jack Black plays the president of the Reunion Committee as he tries his luck in pursuing the most popular guy from high school to attend. 97 min. Rated R.

Hot Pursuit

Sofia Vergara and Reese Witherspoon star in this comedy. An incompetent police officer tries to protect the widow of a drug dealer from the harms of criminals and dirty cops. This film was shot in Louisiana. 87 min. Rated PG-13.

Maggie

Shot in Louisiana, Maggie stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Abigail Breslin. This zombie film is like no other as Schwarzenegger watches disease slowly contaminates his own daughter. 95 min. Rated PG-13.

Micah and David review House of Cards Season 3, the Netflix Original series that stars Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright and Michael Kelly.

The SceneCast is the official podcast of Scene Magazine, the entertainment magazine. Find out more at Sceneent.com. Email us at scenecast@sceneent.com.

SHOW NOTES

0:50 – Intro
1:59 – A look back at seasons 1&2 of House of Cards
22:30 – House of Cards Season 3 review
31:15 – Spoilers for House of Cards Season 3

Music for this week’s show comes from the original soundtrack to House of Cards by Jeff Beal. You can find it in iTunes here.

SPONSOR:
This episode of The SceneCast is brought to you by Delaney and Robb, a premier New Orleans law firm focused on estate planning, family law and general practice. The only established firm in New Orleans dedicated to the LGBT community, Delaney and Robb greet each client with compassion and understanding, in addition to experienced legal expertise. Whether you are a member of the LGBT community or just need great legal representation, Delaney and Robb are there for you. Visit delaneyandrobb.com for more information.

Moments after Jason Momoa joined the cast of Magnificent Seven, the T-1000 cyborg from Terminator: Genisys joined the same posse. Byung-hun Lee’s addition is magnificent news for the upcoming reboot. The cast is getting better and better as production nears.

We now have six riders including Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Chris Pratt, Vincent D’Onofrio, Wagner Moura and Luke Grimes. Byung-hun Lee and Moura add an international flair to the cast as Lee hails from South Korea and Moura from Brazil. Moura is already on board to play Vasquez, one of the seven riders. Byung-hun Lee will play a character named Billy Rocks – a character that I’m sure will in fact rock – but we are unsure whether he’ll be a hero or a henchmen to the gold mining tycoon.

Terminator: Genisys was shot in New Orleans and is set to be released this summer July 1. Check out photos and the trailer here.

Magnificent Seven is directed by Antoine Fuqua and is expected to starting production in mid May. Visit our jobScene page if you’re interested in working on this film or any of the many films currently in production.

Source: Deadline

The cast of the The Magnificent Seven reboot has gotten one shade more magnificent. Game of Thrones alum Jason Momoa, who is a mega beast, will ride into Baton Rouge for The Magnificent Seven. Momoa will join the already marvelous cast that includes Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Chris Pratt, Vincent D’Onofrio, Wagner Moura, Luke Grimes and Haley Bennett.

Jason Momoa’s frightening figure will most likely have him playing on the villain side of this remake. Vincent D’Onofrio was earlier reported to play the villain but clarified that he will be one of the seven riders. Momoa will saddle up and play one of the robbers/barons who run a small town after the Civil War.

Jason Momoa has been red hot lately and has landed Vincent Chase’s role in the upcoming DC Comic Aquaman. More news on that later.

Training Day’s Antoine Fuqua will direct. Production on Magnificent Seven begins this month and will be released January 13, 2017.

Source: /Film

Brothers from the Bottom will commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and star Tony Award winner Wendell Pierce in a limited engagement. Here’s the press release:

Following their acclaimed Brooklyn run, the award-winning Billie Holiday Theater (BHT) at Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) Stage Company join forces to present the Post-Katrina play set in New Orleans, Brothers from the Bottom, starring Wendell Pierce who also joins this team, as a producer. The limited engagement, in commemoration of the 10th year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, will run from June 5 – 28, 2015 at the Lupin Hall at NOCCA.

Brothers from the Bottom, written and directed by BHT Artistic Director, Jackie Alexander, deals with the hot button topic of gentrification. In the play, a real estate project threatens the fabric of a New Orleans neighborhood, and unravels the bond between brothers. In this “naturalistic play,” “the acting stands way above the flood line.” With a “terrific” performance by Mr. Pierce and a “particularly exuberant” performance by Kevin Mambo, the play is “ground[ed] by the actor’s sensitivity and verve. The neighborhood may need renewal and repair. These performances don’t.” – New York Times

Wendell Pierce, an accomplished Julliard trained actor, has conquered all realms of media with critically praised performances in theater, film, television and broadcast radio. The TONY, Emmy, Obie and Peabody winning actor and producer is best known for his portrayals on HBO’s ground breaking television series’ The Wire and Treme. Pierce was also in this year’s Oscar nominee for Best Picture, SELMA. Pierce will also soon be releasing a personal memoir, THE WIND IN THE REEDS, an insightful and poignant portrait of family, New Orleans and the transforming power of art (RIVERHEAD BOOKS / Sept. 8th, 2015). Pierce states, “The 10th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina is a significant moment in the recent history of our country. Brothers from the Bottom does what art does best: challenge, elevate and illuminate the conversation.”

The cast includes two-time Emmy Award winner Kevin Mambo, who played the title role in Fela! on Broadway, as well as Toccarra Cash, Thaddeus Daniels, Wendell Franklin andMegan Robinson.

Brothers from the Bottom, writer and director, Alexander, is a prolific award winning actor, writer, producer and director for theater and film.

With: Original Music: Edward Anderson and Darrell Lavigne (Bleu Orleans); Set Design: Felix Cochren (Broadway credits: Amen Corner, Inacent Black, Home); Assistant Set Designer: Patrice Davidson; Costume Design: Helen Simmons-Collen; Lighting Design: Joyce Liao; Sound Design: Douglas Forbes; Stage Manager: Norman Smalls

NOCCA Stage Company is excited to provide this once in a lifetime chance for NOCCA students to work directly with these incredible artists that are part of Brothers from the Bottom. Work on set building and staging, masterclass rehearsals begins in mid-May which provides the perfect big picture insight to the students in the Theatre Arts Department at NOCCA. NOCCA is proud to be part of this incredible moment that will shape the local theatre scene for many years to come.

Tickets and Showtimes

The Billie Holiday Theatre at Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, NOCCA Stage Company and Wendell Pierce present

BROTHERS FROM THE BOTTOM

Hurricane Katrina 10th Anniversary: Commemorative Performances

Written and directed by Jackie Alexander

Starring Wendell Pierce* and featuring Kevin Mambo*, Toccarra Cash*, Thaddeus Daniels, Wendell Franklin* and Megan Robinson*

Show Times: June 5 – 28, 2015; Fridays at 8 pm | Saturdays at 3 & 8 pm | Sundays at 2 & 7pm

Lupin Hall at NOCCA, 2800 Chartres St., New Orleans, Louisiana

TICKETS: General Admission: $30.00 / Seniors and Students with ID: $25.00

Buy tickets online at www.thebillieholiday.org or call: 504.940.2800

Perennial villain Marton Csokas will come to Louisiana to join the cast of AMC’s Into The Badlands. The cast already includes Aramis Knight, Madeleine Mantock, Ally Ioannides, Daniel Wu, Emily Beecham, Sarah Bolger, Oliver Stark and Orla Brady.

Set to premiere with a six-episode series in the fall, Into The Badlands is loosely based on the Chinese tale Journey To The West. Into The Badlands tracks a young boy, MK (Aramis Knight) and a devoted warrior named Sunny (Daniel Wu) as they traverse across land controlled by feudal barons in hopes of finding enlightenment. Marton Csokas will play Quinn, the most powerful baron in the Badlands. He was once a great fighter who spent his youth in the Badlands killing for sport. No one crosses him and lives to tell the tale.

Source: Deadline

The teaser for Zoo is finally upon us. The New Orleans-shot CBS series is based on the novel of the same title by James Patterson. Zoo is a thrill ride that puts the extinction of mankind under the spotlight and watches as animals rampage without remorse. Jackson Oz, played by James Wolk, is a young scientist who studies the increasingly abnormal and threatening behaviors of animals around the world.

The cast includes Nonso Anozie (Game of Thrones), Nora Arnezeder (Safehouse), Billy Burke (Twilight), Kristen Connolly (House of Cards) and James Wolk (The Crazy Ones). Zoo also has looked for local actors who have been in town filming various other current productions such as Yvonne Angulo (Jurassic World), Tony Beard (Joe Dirt 2, Elvis & Nixon), Michael Scott and Billy Slaughter (Homefront).

Zoo is a six-episode thriller that will premiere on Tuesday, June 30 on CBS. The CBS series will have five different directors over the span of the season including David Solomon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Steven A. Adelson, Brad Anderson (The Machinist), Michael Katleman (Rizzoli & Isles) and Chris Long.

As the weeks inch closer to the release date of Zoo, we’ll know more. For spoilers, read James Patterson’s novel. But for now, stay tuned as this CBS summer series is sure to make you drop out of veterinary school.

Micah talks about the New Orleans Film Festival with executive director Jolene Pinder of the New Orleans Film Society, which just honored Matthew McConaughey at its annual gala. We also talk about the spring film fest Film-O-Rama and how the New Orleans Film Festival has just been named an Oscar-qualifying festival for documentary short films.

The SceneCast is the official podcast of Scene Magazine, the entertainment magazine. Find out more at Sceneent.com. Email us at scenecast@sceneent.com.

SHOW NOTES

0:50 – Intro
2:13 – The New Orleans Film Festival is now an Oscar-qualifying festival for documentary short films
12:22 – Matthew McConaughey at the New Orleans Film Society Gala
15:38 – NOFF’s Recent Trip to Los Angeles
19:35 – ***Support NOFF Today at GiveNOLA.com***
21:49 – Film-O-Rama, the Spring Festival
27:00 – Micah and Jolene Discuss the films While We’re Young, A Most Violent Year, Blood Ties, Ex Machina, ROAR

SPONSOR:

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We received news last week that Amirah Vann joining the cast of Underground for WGN America. And we already know that Devon Gummersall, Mykelti Williamson and Kanye West have all joined the project, although Mr. West won’t be on camera. Today, we find out that Gummersall is leaving the show. His character John Hawkes will now be played by Marc Blucas (Buffy The Vampire Slayer).

Underground tracks a group of runaway slaves from a Georgia plantation to trek six hundred miles to freedom. These slaves are helped by secret revolutionary advocates through the Underground Railroad as they run under constant fear of being brought back to the plantation dead or alive. Blucas’ John Hawkes is an abolitionist lawyer who will go against the law he should abide by to do human nature a great service.

Shooting is now underway in Baton Rouge. Cast and crew will travel to Georgia to film as well. Underground will premiere on WGN America next spring. If you’re interested in working on the set of Underground, then visit jobScene for more information.

Source: Deadline

New Orleans’ own Bryan Batt will call Baton Rouge home while on the set of MTV’s Scream. Batt is known for his role on AMC’s hit television series Mad Men. Batt famously played Salvatore Romano, the art director at Sterling Cooper. His time away from Mad Men has been fruitful. You can see him in 12 Years a Slave and he has also written two novels.

The show will star Bella Thorne (The Duff), Willa Fitzgerald (Royal Pains), Bex Taylor-Klaus (Arrow), John Karna (Premature) and Carlson Young (Key and Peele). Willa Fitzgerald’s character is the popular teenager Emma Duvall. Taylor-Klaus will play preacher’s daughter Aubrey Jensen. John Karna will play Noah Foster, the logistical student. The beautiful Carlson Young will play the adorable mastermind Brooke Maddox.

In Scream, Batt will play Quinn Maddox, the town’s mayor and father of Carlson Young’s Brooke Maddox. Bryan Batt knows that no one is safe in this slasher series. “I hope I don’t die the first season, but it is a slasher series,” he says. “Some people have already gone.” At least Batt has a great attitude and has high hopes for a future demise. “I hope it’s bloody, gory and memorable,” he says.

Watch the Scream trailers here. Scream stars Bella Thorne, Willa Fitzgerald, Bex Taylor-Klaus, John Karna and Carlson Young. Wes Craven’s slasher dynasty will take on the screens in your living room opposed to the box office. Directed by Jamie Travis, Scream comes into your homes on Tuesday, June 30 at 10pm.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

The New Orleans Saints didn’t turn any heads with their first two picks on Thursday night of the NFL Draft, but they did do their best to fill necessary holes in their roster. They drafted the offensive tackle from Stanford Andrus Peat with the thirteenth overall pick, then landed the inside linebacker from Clemson Stephone Anthony with the thirty-first pick. Throughout the next six rounds, the Saints used seven picks to solidify their 2015 roster.

Hau’oli Kikaha

Picked No. 44 overall and the twelfth pick in the second round, the defensive end from Washington University is now a New Orleans Saint. Hau’oli Kikaha led the nation in sacks last year and his intriguing streak of thirteen games with at least one sack was snapped when he came up short against Arizona University. Kikaha has had some medical issues, tearing his ACL twice, but has the heart and relentlessness to become a great pass rusher in Rob Ryan’s system. Kikaha also has judo and wrestling in his repertoire including winning a championship in judo. This guy is tough. He is hard nosed and can get to the quarterback with the best of them. Good pick to rush from the end and get to the quarterback.

Garrett Grayson

Picked No. 75 and the eleventh pick in the third round, here cometh the potential incumbent for Drew Brees. Garrett Grayson hails from Colorado State and was the third quarterback taken in the 2015 draft. He is 6’2″ and scouts say that he throws with anticipation and can throw his receivers open. He lacks a large frame for a pocket passing quarterback but has sneaky athleticism and has the ability to shock defenses with his feet. I believe this guy will be the future under Drew Brees and Sean Payton. I like this pick a lot. Grayson’s deep ball accuracy is probably the best in the entire draft. One big weakness, though, is his long windup throwing motion. This can be fixed and he won’t be rushed to hit the field but his release must be shortened if he ever wants to start in the NFL. This is the earliest the Saints have drafted a quarterback since Archie Manning was taken second overall in the 1971 NFL Draft.

PJ Williams

Picked No. 78 and the fourteenth pick in the third round comes another corner back from Florida State University. He has swagger, speed and ball skills to be effective in the NFL one day. I question his discipline and his cocky-natured playing style and how it will translate into the pros. He has enough swagger to compete and make plays and avoid falling down a hole. He was a Under Armour All-American in high school and played in all of Florida State’s fourteen games as a freshman. He was the Defensive MVP of the BCS National Championship Game against Auburn in 2013 and will likely help the Saints down the line as a safety or a lock down corner.

Davis Tull

Picked No. 148 and the twelfth pick in the fifth round is the outside linebacker from Tennessee-Chattanooga University. I had never heard of Davis Tull but with his 6’2 and his high motor and physical prowess he became a player that can bring energy to defensive and special teams schemes for the Saints. He is the three-time Southern Conference Defensive Player of the year and a two-time FCS All-American. He also boasts a 4.0 GPA which shows discipline and football IQ. Tull can come in and bring high energy to special teams and come in the occasional 3rd down situations. He has football experience being a four-year starter but lacks NFL athleticism.

Tyeler Davidson

Picked No. 154 and the eighteenth pick in the fifth round is the 316 pound defensive tackle out of Fresno State. Davidson is a handful in the defensive trenches and runs downhill rather quickly. He uses his brute force to block holes and bullies his way into the opposing backfield. Davidson has high character and wrestled in high school which will translate well with his hands and angles of attack. This is a great late round project pick for the Saints as they are always in need to guys getting to the quarterback.

Damian Swann

Picked No. 167 and the thirty-first pick in the fifth round is Georgia University’s Damian Swann. Swann is the 6’0 corner back who played on a struggling SEC secondary. His upside is his ability to play anywhere on the field but lacks speed and discipline to guard downfield with superior receivers. Look to see Swann contribute in the special teams and possibly down the line defensively.

Marcus Murphy

Picked No. 230 and the thirteenth pick in the seventh round is another SEC native, Marcus Murphy. Murphy is the punt and kick return specialist for the Missouri Tigers. He will likely fit the mold of a Brandon Cooks type regarding the special teams realm for the Saints. I don’t see him getting many touches in the loaded backfield for the Saints but you never know with Sean Payton. Hopefully Ingram will get the bulk of the carries but only time will tell when this speedy runner will get touches in the New Orleans backfield.

Micky Loomis and Sean Payton still have a lot of work to do this offseason after a disappointing 7-9 season last year. They have made enormous strides parting ways with Jimmy Graham, Curtis Lofton, Pierre Thomas, Ben Grubbs and others. Some have wondered what direction those strides were in. Now, they now have entered the most exciting (or boring) TV fan fare of all, the NFL Draft.

The Saints have countless holes to fill on the roster, including major craters in the defense and on the offensive line. The Saints had two first round picks last night, the thirteenth and the thirty-first pick. I’m glad to see they went with an offensive lineman from Stanford (pictured above) and an inside linebacker from Clemson.

With the thirteenth pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints drafted Andrus Peat, the 6’7″ offensive tackle from Stanford. This is an intelligent pick for the Boys in Black and Gold. They sorely needed another big body to help protect the Messiah, Drew Brees. Drew is still incredibly effective and still a top five quarterback in my very biased opinion, but his time in the NFL is dwindling. The window to win is now and now only.

Coming from Standford, Andrus Peat is well versed in football IQ and is only twenty-one years young. He is quick on his feet for a 6’7″ 300+ pound monstrosity. He has a knack for catching wild blitzes and has an exceptional understanding of pass protections. He does have some weaknesses: those include stopping speed coming off of the edge and trouble getting to the second level of the defense quickly. These can all be fixed with experience, coaching and a little bit of rookie hazing.

With the thirty-first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints drafted Stephone Anthony, the 6’3″ linebacker from Clemson. Anthony was first team All-ACC and led Clemson in tackles, finishing the year with 90. Anthony brings energy, toughness and speed to a battered and bruised defense. He is the type of guy that can thrive in the Rob Ryan exciting blitz package defense. Anthony can play inside linebacker and utilize his speed to block gaps and make impact plays both through the air and on the ground. Sean Payton and Rob Ryan are both very excited with their late first round draft pick complimenting Anthony’s leadership and bursts of speed. It’ll be the first time Stephone Anthony will step foot in New Orleans.

The New Orleans Saints currently have the oldest roster in the NFL with the average age of twenty-eight. This means two things: one, they won’t have the spring in their step as they’ve had in the past, and two, experience usually reigns supreme over youth. The Saints have seven picks remaining including No. 44, No. 75 and No. 78. You can watch those live tonight.

I’ll recap the remaining picks on Monday at sceneent.com.

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