Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Inside Brentwood Theatre's Production of The TWITS

Last week, we learned that our fundraiser for Stephen Moyer's birthday to support his hometown theatre in Brentwood, England, raised $2,400. Because of the generosity of many of you, lots young students will be able to take a field trip to see Brentwood's holiday play, The TWITS. Preparations are now underway at the theatre with the arrival of the actors and rehearsals beginning soon. They will be doing 16 performances for the public and kids from local schools to enjoy. The people at Brentwood have shared with us some pictures from behind the scenes with the cast and crew. The characters have names like Mr. and Mrs. Mugglewump and the Roly Poly Bird. Based on all the colorful costumes, it looks sure to be a fun show!

Here The Roly Poly Bird, Jenanne Redman, met eight year old Tara who has designed her beautiful costume. Tara and her family will be coming along to the Opening Night and will meet The Deputy Mayor of Brentwood and see a very special performance by Ringmistress Natalie Verheagen. So far the tail feathers have been made. 100_4089 Mrs Twit needs to be ugly and grotesque so beautiful Kate Ankers will have her work cut out, but with the help of Joy Dunn, our costumier, the job will be easier. 100_4082 And here is Jessica Rose in one of her three mad, colourful costumes (wait until you see the one with birds all over it). (This is the only pic of Jessica - she had another job to go to, face painting). 100_4077 Director Vernon Keeble Watson keeps an eye on the proceedings 100_3882 Here we have Leigh Stevenson (Mr Mugglewump), Jennifer Skapeti (Mrs Mugglewump), Christopher Jefferies (Mr Twit) and Naomi Shields (Baby Mugglewump) 100_4066 And this is Kate Ankers (Mrs Twit), Jenanne Redman (the Roly Poly Bird) and Stephen Gunshon (last year, Fantastic Mr Fox and this year our Ringmaster) 100_3983 (Photo Credits: Mark Reed / Brentwood Theatre)

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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Anna Paquin Video Interview About True Blood

Anna-Paquin-Summer-InterviewAnna Paquin, who portrays Sookie Stackhouse on Alan Ball's hit HBO TV vampire series True Blood was interviewed by HollywoodTelevision.tv back in the summer where she discussed the show, her fame and how it has all affected her life.  A very nice interview with Anna as we see that with all the accolades and attention that she has received she has still managed to remain sweet and down-to-earth.

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Ask True Blood Writers Questions At Paley

alan-ball-Paley-QuestionsAlan Ball, the creative genius behind the hit HBO vampire series True Blood, along with Raelle Tucker, Alexander Woo, Nancy Oliver, Brian Buckner, Kate Barnow, and Elizabeth Finch will be at the Paley Center For Media for the "Inside the Writers Room: True Blood" panel discussion to be held tomorrow night, October 28 at 7 pm PT.  If you are unable to attend the event here is your chance to have any questions that you are dying to ask Alan Ball and the writers answered, by sending your questions to promo@hbo.com.  They state that they will do their best to have them answered.  So what are you waiting for, start typing away! SOURCE: @TrueBloodHBO (Photo credit:  insidesocial.com)

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Charlaine Harris Talks About Her Books And True Blood

Charlaine HarrisCharlaine Harris, the gifted author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels in which the hit HBO True Blood series is based upon, discussed her heroine Sookie, the real-life romance of Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, and watching her books come to life. When asked about the Sookie Stackhouse Mysteries, Charlaine Harris said she decided to write a book combining mystery, science fiction, and romance--clinched on not sticking to the rules. She also admitted that she shares certain traits with Sookie,
"Well, we're both loyal, but she's a lot braver than I am. She's pretty much like I wish I was. She's polite but direct. I like to think that's me, too."
And to top that, she feels a pleasant sense of obligation to the people who brought her stories to life, particularly Anna Paquin (Sookie) and Stephen Moyer (Bill) especially now that the duo are getting married which she felt strangely responsible for. As for the show itself, Charlaine felt proud and excited about seeing the town she created come to life, fondly exclaiming:
"I had lunch in Merlotte's in one of the booths. With Alan."
When asked for details about the third season, Charlaine simply said:
"The third season will be the third book, but the show may go off on its own at any point."
Though crossroads may be difficult in person's life, for Charlaine the crossroads she experienced helped create Sookie, Bill, Sam, and all the other characters we love in Bon Temps. Furthermore, the books have spawned a hit show on HBO, causing a new mass of fans for Charlaine's books and characters. If you are a fan and interested in Charlaine Harris, she will attend the Houston Chronicle Book and Author Dinner on November 1 at Hilton Americas-Houston, 1600 Lamar, Houston Texas.  If you wish to be at the 30th Book and Author Dinner, visit www.chron.com for more details and ticket information. SOURCE: chron.com (Photo credit: zimbio.com)


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Sneak Peek Videos Of True Blood On Tonight's 2009 SCREAM Awards

Stephen-Moyer-SCREAM-2009 AwardsTonight is the night to watch the telecast of Spike TV's 2009 SCREAM Awards. You do not want to miss watching Stephen Moyer (Bill Compton), Anna Paquin (Sookie Stackhouse) Alexander Skarsgard (Eric Northman), Sam Trammell (Sam Merlotte), Alan Ball and the entire cast of True Blood onstage accepting their awards and hearing them thanking the fans!  So tune in to Spike TV at 10:00pm EDT/ 9:00pm CDT to watch True Blood get the recognition that it deserves!  As a little treat here are two sneak peek videos of tonight's show with a clip of Stephen Moyer accepting his award for Best Horror Actor, and the entire cast on stage and Alan Ball's uncensored acceptance speech. Enjoy the clips and don't miss the show tonight! SOURCE Spike TV 2009 SCREAM Awards

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True Blood Season 3 Spoiler News: Alan Ball Reveals a Little Fresh Blood

Alan-Ball-Stephen-Moyer-Anna-Paquin-PremiereAs we all know Alan Ball has done a phenomenal job creating the hit show we all love and adore, True Blood. Alan continues to win over the hearts of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transvestite) audiences as well. Alan recently spoke to Lesley Goldberg from Advocate.com about how he will be staying true to the source material, Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels, and why gay audiences are so attracted to his work. He even gave out some spoiler information and discusses about some new gay characters that will be joining True Blood in season 3. So you have been warned there is spoiler information in this post.  If you do not want to know do not read any further. Lesley began by asking Alan why he was so attracted to Charlaine's novels. Alan answered by saying:
"It was an impulse purchase and it was just so much fun. The minute I finished the first book, I wanted the second one; it was like crack. I got addicted. I guess it was somewhere around the third or fourth book where I thought, This just really holds up, I think this could be a great TV show."
True Blood has certainly proven to be just that! Lesley went on to ask Alan if the gay metaphors were something he envisioned right from the start, when he read the books. Alan agrees that there is a lot of that in the books due to the fact that the books contain numerous gay characters. Alan went on explain that we would be introduced to some of these characters in the upcoming season 3 of True Blood. Wait, new characters!! Lesley asked Alan which new characters would we see and Alan answered saying:
"We'll be meeting the vampire king of Mississippi and his long, long-term companion -- and by long-term I mean really long-term -- Talbot. I think Lafayette may meet a love interest, and certainly Pam, who works with Eric, she's certainly got a lesbian vibe -- I don't know that that's all she is, but she certainly does seem to appreciate the women."
Lesley also asked Alan what he thought it was about vampires that attracts so many LGBT fans. Alan responded by saying:
"I think it's certainly not a huge step for LGBT people to identify with any group of characters that are, as a group, outsiders, that mainstream society feels threatened by; that are fabulous and powerful and sexy and all of that stuff."
Lesley went on to discuss a possible storyline between the lesbian vampire queen, Sophie-Anne and Sookie. Since Sophie-Anne is romantically involved with Sookie's cousin, Hadley, is it possible the queen may want that same relationship with Sookie? Alan does see the queen taking an interest in Sookie, but not in a romantic way. Alan explains that he thinks Sophie-Anne's interest in Sookie is more about what makes Sookie so exceptional. Alan promises that we will learn more about that in season 3 as well. Lesley went on to ask Alan about the new vampire king, Russell Edgington, and if his character would remain gay, which is how he is portrayed in the novels. Alan answered:
"I think the kings and queens of the various states are aware of each other, and yes, he definitely knows who she is. Whether or not they end up in a scene together I can't really say; it depends on actors' availability and scheduling and those kinds of things. But they definitely are aware of each other."
Lesley then asked Alan about how true the True Blood writers remain to the original novels. Alan responded by saying:
"I think we try to stay very true to the spirit of the book series. We have made changes. The books are all narrated by Sookie, so the books are basically all Sookie's story. We definitely have -- in fleshing out the other characters -- been creative. I think where we may not stay true to the books entirely, we do try to stay very true to the spirit of them."
Lesley asked Alan if he discusses changes he plans on making with Charlaine. Alan said no, they don't discuss it, and that Charlaine said it best at Comic-con when she explained, "I don't tell Alan how to write his show and he doesn't tell me how to write my books." Alan goes on to say that him and Charlaine have a great working relationship and an admirable respect for each other. He feels the books have helped the show and the show has helped the books, but they are two completely different mediums. Lesley then brought up the fact that Alan had said a character would die in season 3, and asked if this storyline would follow the third book. Alan answered by simply saying:
"I'm a little leery to answer these questions because if I say yes it just gives it away. For people who read the books, some things will not come as a surprise. But for people who don't read the books, it will be a surprise."
Lesley ended their interview by asking Alan a huge fan question, will we see Jason Stackhouse scantily clad in season 3, since he was a bit modest last season? Alan said:
"Well, he was at church camp! [Laughs] There's no shortage of man candy on the show and Jason is back in Bon Temps and he may be up to his old ways. I can tell you that you'll definitely get to see a lot of Jason in the first few episodes, and by a lot, I mean a lot physically. [Laughs]."
Oh, I can hardly wait! Alan always knows how to leave us wanting more, and I definitely want more!! SOURCE: Advocate.com Photo Credit:  Albert L. Ortega/PR Photos via monstersandcritics.com

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Alexander Skarsgard Discusses Fame, Generation Kill, and True Blood

Alexander-Skarsg-rd-alexander-skarsgard-7963366-384-576With his role as Eric Northman on True Blood, Swedish heartthrob Alexander Skarsgard has been catapulted into the spotlight, with a passionate group of fans to rival any other. On the show, he plays an 1,000-year old Viking vampire with a bad boy edge, a cool sense of humor, and a whole lot of hotness. In an extensive interview with the UK blog Unreality Primetime, Alex discusses his acting pedigree and his work on two major HBO projects, True Blood and Generation Kill. The oldest son of renowned actor Stellan Skarsgard, Alex began working in Swedish films and television at age 7. Uncomfortable with the recognition he received, he gave up acting until he was 20. Feeling more prepared for fame, he began studying theatre in New York and got hooked on the profession. In addition to his father, two of his brothers are also actors in Sweden, so it seems to run in the family! Like some of his True Blood costars, Alex didn't know what to expect from a vampire show, but he was very interested to work with a talented storyteller like creator Alan Ball. He probably had no idea what he was getting himself into when he took on the role of Area 5 Sheriff and Fangtasia owner, Eric Northman. With it, he inherited an entire team of shippers from the books who want Eric to be with Sookie and bring to life some favorite scenes from Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire series. Alex has read the first few books and intends to finish the rest during the break from filming. Alex explains how Eric's 1,000 years as a vampire have made him very confident and somewhat bored with humanity:
"I think he's got huge confidence, and also he doesn't waste time. He's been around for that long, so he cuts to the chase and gets down to business. And it's hard to impress a guy like that, because he's seen it all. That's why he's intrigued by Sookie because there's something new here, something interesting and different about her that he can't really put his finger on."
From his point of view, Alex thinks that vampires are so fascinating to people because of their complex natures--they are beautiful and eternal, while dangerous at the same time:
"Immortality and eternal youth are so attractive, yet the fact that vampires are also lethal predators who could kill you in an instant creates great platforms for drama, I think. You have that duality. An encounter with a vampire could let you live forever, or you could become vampire food."
Alex also talked about getting immersed in his Marine character, Sgt. Brad Colbert, in the HBO miniseries Generation Kill. He had some personal experience to inform him about the role, having been in the Swedish Marines to fulfill his country's mandatory service requirement. The goal in making Generation Kill was to have it be as true-to-life as possible, with Marines consulting and involved in the process every step of the way:
"One of the actors is a real Marine, and plays himself on the show. We had two other guys from First Reconnaissance with us for the duration of the shoot, which was seven months in Africa. They were behind the camera for every single take every single day, making sure that everything was legit and was real, and what we say and what we do on the show happened for real. It was very important to us to show exactly what happened, and not make it into a Hollywood series or movie where everything is dramatised, and things are added or removed. We just wanted to tell it exactly as it was, and I hope we succeeded in doing that."
Alex did not have the opportunity to visit with the real-life Brad Colbert before filming to gain insights, but that actually enabled him to create his own unique portrayal. When they returned from Africa, a fellow soldier of Colbert's arranged a meeting for them. Alex calls it an amazing experience:
"I was with that character for a year. It's his life. All the quotes and things I say on the show are his life. When I talk about my ex-girlfriend, and hookers in Australia, these are things that he actually said. And he never asked for this to become a huge HBO series, so I didn't know how he would react when I met him. But I have a tremendous amount of respect and love for the man, so it was very important for me that he would be proud of what we did and how I portrayed him. And he didn't kill me, so I guess I did okay."
The camaraderie between the actors helped create that group dynamic crucial to true Marine life. Spending so much time with those guys and working together translated into the finished product of Generation Kill. It probably contributed to the miniseries going on to receive great critical acclaim and award nominations. Alex seems very proud of what they accomplished with the show, and is pleased by how the Marine community embraced it for its gritty realism. The decision to portray such distinctly separate people like Sgt. Colbert and Eric Northman was intentional on Alex's part. The challenge of a new character makes him excited and helps his creativity. Hopefully, after his recent work on Straw Dogs which he spent the last couple of months filming in Shreveport, LA, he will be ready to return to True Blood next month and throw himself back into Eric. Alan Ball will surely have many new challenges in store for him! SOURCE: primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk (Photo credit: fanpop.com)

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