Celebrity Extra

Fans of Kelli Williams, who’s best known for “Army Wives,” “The Practice” and “Lie to Me,” can see her on her new series beginning Aug. 12 at 9 p.m. ET on the Up network. The show is the network’s first original series, and it’s called “Ties That Bind.” The 10-episode series centers on Kelli’s character, police detective Allison McLean, who is balancing a demanding and dangerous job and a family. When she must arrest her brother, Tim (special guest star Luke Perry), for aggravated assault, her world drastically changes as Tim is convicted and sent to prison, leaving his two teenagers teetering on the brink of foster care. Allison now feels compelled to do the right thing as a sister and aunt: She brings Tim’s two very unhappy teens into her home. I spoke with Kelli recently, and she is excited for fans to see this not-so-typical police drama.

Celebrity Extra: Tell me about the series: What did you think when you read the script, and what made you want to be a part of it?

Kelli Williams: My interest was immediately piqued to play this detective because I’ve never played a detective before. So I quickly said yes. I met with Barbara Fisher (senior vice president of original programming at Up) and Sheryl Anderson, our producer/writer extraordinaire. And Sheryl said something to me that was really sweet: She said that when she was writing this part, she had me in mind. She had my picture in her office hoping that I would play this part, which is so cool. How nice is that to be the inspiration for the writer? And then to get to play the part to boot was really, really great.

I was really curious about this whole hybrid cop drama/family drama and how the two would work in everyday terms of trying to kind of manage career and family. I know from experience — I have three kids and I have a job. We all try to do the best we can with being the best mom you can be and also doing the best in your work that you can do. Sometimes you have days where it’s like: “I got it. Good. This is teamwork.” And then there are days where it’s like: “Oh my God. This is not working.” So, I liked the idea of the family’s story throughout all of our episodes. It feels like a perfect show. That’s a funny thing to say, but you set out to do something and hopefully have the product work, and it really feels like it does.

CE: Tell me about your character, Allison McLean.

KW: Allison is a pretty tough lady, in a lot of ways. She’s certainly tougher than I am, in terms of the job. She has qualities that I aspire to. She calls it like it is and speaks her mind immediately. I’m not saying that I’m not strong, there’s just a quality about playing a detective like this and then having the softer side of her world. She has this really strong long-term relationship with her husband. They’ve worked hard at their marriage and raising their kids and becoming good people. They don’t always necessarily get it right, but they do their best. Those values are really nice things to show.

CE: Is the format of the show where you solve a case each episode, but the family drama is underlying throughout the season?

KW: Yes, exactly. The family part of it is a continuation, but each episode is a different case. And then her kids have their own stuff that happens, and then there’s the ongoing world of her niece and nephew moving in with them and what that does to their family dynamic. It happens pretty quickly.

CE: Tell me about the family dynamic between Allison and her brother, Tim, as well as what it means to bring his teens into her home.

KW: So, Luke Perry, who plays my brother, Tim, doesn’t want me to take the kids in, and I insist on it. He’d rather they just stay in the system than be with me. There’s this kind of tension that we get to play where he’s like, Why do I always have to be so right? Why do I always have to follow the rules? But I want the kids with me, and it’s a little bumpy at first because the kids have been raised in a different world.

CE: This has to be placing stress on her marriage and home life.

KW: We’re all trying to keep it intact. We definitely have a lot of plates spinning. And all of our lives are messy. We all try to keep everything going. You’ve just got to keep moving along, otherwise everything is just going to fall apart.

CE: How is the cast to work with?

KW: The cast is fantastic. Jonathan (Scarfe, who plays her husband) is a delight to work with. He’s great. We’re always having scenes, like, around the dinner table, and we’ll give each other a little nod like, “OK, we’re going to survive all the crazy kid action and energy.” And of course, the kids are great, and they’re all so talented. And then Jason Priestley comes in and he plays a pretty pivotal and important character from my past. That was a really fun night of filming. He’s a really nice guy, but he won’t come off that way onscreen. Things go down, but I can’t give you more information than that.

C. Thomas Howell came in for a guest role. I’ve never worked with him before. And that was really fun to do. And then Dion Johnstone, he plays my partner, Devin. He’s just great. I have to say, from Dion to Jonathan to the kids, it all really works. We’re not faking it on that set. We’re creating a new world, but we all get along really well. It’s a really good group.

CE: This is Up’s first original series; tell me what it’s like working with them and being a part of this inaugural event.

KW: The exciting thing about Up is that they’re rebranding the network, and this is a new frontier for them, their first scripted series. They have done movies and other more reality-based stuff, but this is the first scripted series. It’s a really exciting place to be, because the network wants to expand and be known as a place for good drama with good values. The whole family can watch it.

It’s been a really great process for me personally. They’ve been so welcoming. It’s a close group of people, and it’s so exciting, like we’re in on the ground floor of something new. I hope our show can bring in an audience and that they can build on that audience with other series. There’s a whole world that’s available. Hopefully we can make them proud.

Meagan Good

If you are like me, you were devastated when the thrillingly soapy nighttime drama “Deception” was canceled by NBC — with a humdinger of a cliffhanger. This was also the first time I had seen actress Meagan Good performing in anything, and I was impressed. So I was thrilled to hear that she has scored the role of the female lead (Lara Vega) on Fox’s new fall series “Minority Report,” which is based on the 2002 film of the same name. I spoke with Meagan recently, and she’s super excited for the sci-fi crime drama’s debut on Sept. 21. She told me a bit about the show when we caught up.

Celebrity Extra: You must have been thrilled when you landed the role of Lara Vega on Fox’s “Minority Report.”

Meagan Good: It’s a dream come true, really. For me, it’s a dream character. She’s everything that I want to be doing. We’re all fans of the movie, and we were like: “Oh my God. This show is getting produced by Steven Spielberg.” Who, you know, is taking even more of a role since he saw the pilot. We know that he’s happy, and even just knowing that Steven Spielberg had to sign off on you and that he thinks you are a good actress is a huge thing.

CE: “Minority Report,” like the movie, takes place in the near future, with all these awesome special effects and technology. Visually, is the show on par with the movie?

MG: Oh, yes, it definitely is. If you remember from the movie, what Tom Cruise does with his hands on that virtual-reality screen became what we do now on our computers and on our cellphones. It pioneered some of that stuff. It’s really cool because we have a lot of new stuff in the show, which is stuff that is actually being created. On the show, we have a selfie drone that comes off your arm as a watch and drones into the air and takes selfie pictures for you. And that’s something actually being made right now. It’s just like the world is very futuristic. It’s crazy, whatever your mind can think of, then it can be done. It’s exciting. But also for us when we’re filming, we have to imagine it because we do a lot of work with a green-screen. So, a lot of what we are reacting to is not really there.

CE: This kind of role must be so much fun to play.

MG: It is a lot of fun because it’s what all of us really want to be doing. And for me the action part of it is amazing. That has been my priority for the past couple of years: I just want to do action. And now I’m getting a chance to do that. We all get along; everyone loves each other, and we love spending time together. And we’re all in it together. It’s a really good set to be on.

CE: What else appealed to you about the show, and your character, that made you want to be a part of the production?

MG: Well, off the top, I get to be on “Minority Report,” and I’m getting paid to do it. I was thrilled to find out that Lara, the main cop character, is now a woman. She is tough and is willing to do whatever it takes to see justice is served. That was really appealing to me. Her father died when she was very young. He was a cop. He was a part of the Pre-Crime Unit. It’s what she’s always wanted to do. And it’s also her legacy and his legacy.

But now, Pre-Crime has been abolished, and Lara hasn’t had the chance to be a part of it, but she still is like: “OK, I’m going to use what I do have. And I’m going to be the best cop I can be.” That’s really what drives her purpose. But she’s also willing to go off-road and to go rogue and do whatever it takes. She ultimately teams up with Dash (played by Stark Sands), who’s a legendary Pre-Cog who’s completely illegal and shouldn’t even be in the city, and he has the ability to have some of that insight into what murders might be happening, when they’re going to be happening, and having the real chance to try to stop it before it happens. This is what she lives for. That’s what really drew me to her. Just her passion and the fact that she is living her purpose every day, and it drives her.

Meagan Good, courtesy Fox

CE: When “Minority Report” opens, where does it start? What’s going on?

MG: The Pre-Cogs — Agatha, Arthur and Dash — were sent away at the end of the movie to an undisclosed island where nobody has access to them. Nobody can abuse them or take advantage of them anymore. It’s 15 years later, and we meet Dash as he’s come back into the city because Arthur has come back into the city. Dash can’t find Arthur, and he is being plagued by the trauma of still seeing visions that he can’t stop, whether he’s a part of Pre-Crime or not. These are visions all of them are still having, but he is the most sensitive one where he actually physically feels the violent pain that the person is feeling when he is being murdered.

Dash wants to stop this, but he doesn’t have any police training. He has spent the majority of his life either being tested or in a milk bath half-unconscious. He is really learning this world for the first time. When he meets me and sees my passion and my desire, he wants to make the world a better place. He doesn’t fully come to me, but he tries to give me little hints and stuff. The second my character, Lara, realizes who he is, she’s on him. She’s like, “You’re going to help me.” At first he doesn’t want to because he doesn’t want to be taken advantage of again and potentially arrested or abused. We form an unlikely bond, and we go at it together just the two of us, because what we are doing is illegal.

CE: Tell me about the other characters and how they fit into the narrative.

MG: Wilmer Valderrama plays my boss, Will Blake. He’s not supposed to know what we are doing. And there’s this other relationship there: You’re not sure if Lara and Will might have been together in the past. And then you’ll get introduced to Arthur, who is more of the dark twin, who is completely unemotionally connected to what he sees. He tends to see a lot more than Dash does.

Li Jun Li plays my right-hand girl, Akeela. She pools all of the information, and she’s on top of everything. She’s the human encyclopedia. It’s a very cool world. What you can expect from the show is that something is happening, and we need to figure it out beforehand. Maybe we will, maybe we won’t. Maybe it’s a Minority Report. Maybe what’s happening isn’t what we think is happening, and we’ll make a mistake. You just never know. But the concept is fun and suspenseful. It’s a little bit dark, but the world is very bright. It’s not apocalyptic, where everybody is dying and it’s sad. It’s actually a very bright and happy 2065. But dark things are happening in it.

CE: What is the format of the show? Do you solve a crime at the end of each show, like close-ended episodes, or is it suspense from show to show?

MG: It is going to be suspense from show to show.

CE: What are your hopes for the show? You want it to be successful, of course, but what else?

MG: Yeah, we obviously want the show to do incredible. We want to see these characters continue to grow and for people to grow with them, for people to really fall in love with them. I guess that’s the biggest thing: We just want it to do well, and we want to live with these characters — because everyone is so happy with who they get to play — for as long as we can.

Q: A show on A+E called “Longmire” was on for several seasons. Will it be back? Thanks for any info you can give me. — Dave S., Gulf Breeze, Fla.

A: I’ll forgive you for missing my column where I let everyone know that “Longmire” was indeed renewed for a fourth season, however, it now airs on Netflix. In fact, the 10-episode season four just started streaming on Sept. 10, and you can also find seasons one through three there if you need to catch up, or just to refresh your memory. Returning cast regulars include Robert Taylor, Bailey Chase, Katee Sackhoff, Lou Diamond Phillips, Cassidy Freeman and Adam Bartley. Gerald McRaney also reprises his role as Barlow Connally for a story arc.

Executive producer Greer Shephard revealed this past summer at the Television Critics Association press tour that season four picks up moments after the finale, in which Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) found out who was behind his wife’s murder. Succumbing to his darker impulses, Walt takes off in pursuit of the killer with one thing on his mind: murder. “Now that Walt thinks he knows who his wife’s killer is, how does he go on?” executive producer Greer Shephard asks. As for the future of the show, executive producer John Coveny told reporters that he hopes to be talking to them at the press tour for seasons eight, nine and 10. Everyone involved, including series star Robert Taylor, are all on board for that possibility.

Q: Is it true there is going to be another “Harry Potter” film? — Patty T., via email

A: Sort of. There is a new film slated to open December 2016 that’s set in the world of Harry Potter, however it’s a spinoff of sorts. It’s called “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” — which was a textbook (featured in the films) written by Newt Scamander that the prospective wizards had to read at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry — which J.K. Rowling wrote as a tie-in to the Harry Potter books and made available for us Muggles to read. Starring in the feature film are a bunch of high-profile actors like Collin Farrell (who portrays the aforementioned Newt Scamander), recent Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller and Alison Sudol.

Q: I love CBS’s “Under the Dome,” especially the super-intense season finale! Will there be a season four? — Jack M., via email

A: The struggling summer thriller series, based on the Stephen King bestseller of the same name, will not be back for a fourth season. In a glass-half-full sentiment, “Dome” lasted two seasons longer than it should have. When the script was ordered to series, it was intended as a limited-run event series, however the producers figured out a way to keep the action and intrigue going when CBS ordered another season, and then another. However, the show has officially run out of steam and won’t return for a fourth season.

Regina King, photo by Ross Ferguson

Q: I got hooked on this show on HBO called “The Leftovers,” and I wondered when and if it was coming back. I hope so! — Kelly K., via email

A: The drama/fantasy/mystery series, season one of which was based on the book of the same title by Tom Perrotta (who also wrote “Little Children”), will be back for its 10-episode second season on Oct. 4. The second season — starring Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Liv Tyler, Regina King and Kevin Carroll — will be based on all-new material, and will take viewers to the little town of Jarden, Texas. I spoke with series newcomer and recent Emmy winner Regina King about season two, and she can’t wait for fans to see what executive producer/co-creator/writer Damon Lindelof has in store.

“One of the things that has remained since last season is how much Damon helps you through your character because there’s so much secrecy with the show. We don’t know what’s coming from episode to episode. We sign on based on this amazing first script and just the trust that Damon, being so talented, is going to continue with a season as impressive as that first script you read.”

She could tell me only a teeny bit about season two: “It takes place in Jarden, Texas, which is referred to as Miracle, Texas, because we are the one town that no one departed when ‘The Sudden Departure’ happened. All of these people are trying to get into our town so they can be touched with what’s special about it. You’ll discover all these weird things that have come to happen to Jarden, which has heightened to the third power.”

Q: My book club just finished “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” and I loved it. Is it true it’s being made into a movie? — Mallory F., via email

A: “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” which is based on the unpublished diary of Antonina Żabińska, recounts the true story of how she and her husband, Jan Żabiński, director of the Warsaw Zoo, saved the lives of 300 Jews who had been imprisoned in the Warsaw Ghetto following the German invasion of Poland on Sept. 1, 1939. Award-winning actress Jessica Chastain has signed on to play Antonina, and Daniel Brühl and Johan Heldenberg are set to co-star. The movie is scheduled to premiere sometime in 2016.

Q: What has William Hurt been up to lately? — Paul T., via Facebook

A: William Hurt will co-star opposite Billy Bob Thornton in the Amazon Studios series “Trial” from David E. Kelley. “Trial” follows Billy McBride (Thornton) a once-respectable lawyer who was ousted from the high-profile firm he co-founded. Billy now spends his days getting drunk, with the occasional case tossed his way by his ex-wife. His professional life is turned upside down when a young lawyer, who has just been fired from his old firm, brings a wrongful death case that pits him against the head of his former firm, attorney Donald Cooper, played by Hurt.

Regina King, photo by Ross Ferguson

Last season, the HBO hit drama/fantasy/mystery “The Leftovers” astounded viewers and left them all in suspense, patiently waiting for season two. While season one was based on the bestselling novel by Tom Perrotta, season two is all-new material, which promises to be equally enthralling. The show takes place three years after a global event in which many people disappeared, known as the “Sudden Departure,” which caused the inexplicable disappearance of 140 million people, 2 percent of the world’s population. The story focuses primarily on the Garvey family and their acquaintances in the fictional town of Mapleton, New York.

Season two takes us to Jarden, Texas, which is the only place in the world that was not affected by the Sudden Departure. Created by Tom Perrotta and Damon Lindelof, the series stars Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman and Liv Tyler, with new cast members Regina King and Kevin Carroll. I spoke with Regina (who just won an Emmy for Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for her work on ABC’s “American Crime”) recently about the new 10-episode season, which premieres on Oct. 4, and she can’t wait for fans to see what Damon and company have in store for us.

Celebrity Extra: Were you familiar with the book and/or the show before signing on to join the cast for season two?

Regina King: I knew of the show, but I hadn’t seen it yet. When I read the script I was like, “Oh my gosh!” I was really floored. I thought the writing was just amazing. It totally locked me in, which I’m sure for the cast members from the first season, that’s what grabbed them. So I went back and watched the show, and just like everybody else, I was filled with a bunch of questions. I don’t feel like the first episode of the second season necessarily answers all of those questions, but it stands on its own and creates even more questions. There are some things from the first season that will be answered in this season. But this season kind of stands on its own because it’s the life after the book. It’s its own journey.

CE: This is a fantastic show with loyal fans and great reviews. Were you excited for the opportunity to join its ranks?

RK: I was very excited. The thing about that is it’s hard to find work, or a subject, that is entertaining and also provocative. So often it’s either/or. It’s provocative and it’s entertaining for a minute, but it doesn’t keep you in it. When you have subject matter that challenges really big sects in our society, it’s pretty awesome to be a part of. I love the way they deal with religion in this show. Religion is always a touchy subject, and you always have people who have different beliefs or don’t believe in religion. This show challenges all of that.

CE: Tell me about those first few days of work, being the new actors on an already established set.

RK: It didn’t particularly feel like, “Oh, we’re the new kids at school, and we have to make that adjustment.” Some people I don’t ever get to work with; so far our story lines have not crossed. And that’s the case a lot of times on shows. But one of the things that everyone has shared, which has remained since last season, is how much Damon helps you through your character because there’s so much secrecy with the show. We don’t know what’s coming from episode to episode. We signed on based on this amazing first script and just trusted that Damon, being so talented, was going to continue with a season as impressive as that first script we read. He’s so good at giving you help, because sometimes you get into the place of, “I don’t know what my character is doing because I don’t know where I’m going.” He’s good at guiding you through that moment without revealing too much about where your character is going.

There’s a part of it, as an actor, that’s terrifying. I talked to Justin and Carrie (Coon) about it, and they mirror that same sentiment. They felt like this last season. They tell me, “Just go talk to Damon; it will calm your nerves.” It totally did. But as terrifying as it is to not know where your character is going, in a way it’s a bit liberating because it really forces you to just be an actor and explore and be vulnerable.

L to R; Kevin Carroll, Regina King, Carrie Coon, Justin Theroux
(Photo by Van Redin/HBO)

CE: What can you tell me about season two?

RK: Oh gosh. I’m trying to figure out what I can say without getting in trouble. Jarden, Texas, is the name of the town where we live. It’s referred to as Miracle, Texas, because we are the one town that no one departed when the Sudden Departure happened. And because of that, here you have this town of a little over 9,000 people, who prior to the departure probably didn’t feel like there was anything special about them. Like towns across the world that we have never heard of, and now the entire world has heard of Jarden, Texas, because of this lack of something happening in our town. All of these people are trying to get into our town so they can be touched with what’s special, and it’s made the property value in our town shoot up sky-high. And all these weird things that have come to happen in Jarden have been heightened to the third power.

CE: Tell me about your character, Erika Murphy, and her family.

RK: We’re a respected family in the town; I’m an urgent-care doctor, so everyone in the town has seen me at some point. And my husband has his certain views about the departure, things that came to be when the departure did not happen in our town — and this is the part that I can’t give up. You can imagine there are a lot of people who were trying to capitalize on that. So, my husband has his feelings about that, and he expresses those feelings. It’s so funny trying to talk about this show because you really have to dance around.

CE: What is the mood like on the set, and how are the others to work with?

RK: You know what? It’s funny because as dark as this show is, we keep it terribly light. We’re always joking, especially Carrie (Coon) and me. We always are just silly all the time. Kevin Carroll, who plays my husband, he’s fun and a light guy. Justin (Theroux), believe it or not, smiles quite often. I am probably telling a secret, but he’s not this dark person. I see him sometimes in photos and in interviews, and he’s always real serious. But he’s a real cool cat.

Shalita Grant is a relatively new face on the small screen. This Julliard graduate was nominated for a Tony Award in 2013 for her performance as Cassandra in Christopher Durang’s “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” which also happened to be her first Broadway gig, in a role that she originated. It’s hard to top that, but Shalita did, by being cast in last season’s No. 1 new drama, “NCIS: New Orleans.” While she played recurring character Sonja Percy last year, she was promoted to cast regular for the second season, which airs Tuesday nights at 9/8c on CBS. I caught up with the versatile and super-nice actress last week, and she’s thrilled to be a part of this wonderful ensemble cast.

Celebrity Extra: How thrilled were you when you first got the part on “NCIS: New Orleans,” knowing you were going to be a part of such a popular and well-loved franchise?

Shalita Grant: It’s my first serious, regular gig. It’s my first time having a parking spot that’s designated for me, having a big ol’ trailer, and all these things that are designated for me and my character. It’s something I’ve wanted for a really long time, and I’ve got it now. The transition itself was crazy, because after leaving New York, I thought the world was just going to open up for me in L.A. That was NOT what happened at all. I got there and people were like, “Who are you?” And in some instances it was like: “Well, yes. Broadway, yes. Tony, yes. Julliard … but can you act?” And it’s like: “Are you kidding me? What happened?”

CE: Tell me about your first season on “NCIS: New Orleans.”

SG: When I got the job, it was for three to five episodes, and we’ll see from there. And I was like, “OK, cool.” So, while I was shooting the last episode (of the first season) here in New Orleans, I sent in a tape and booked another job, for PBS: a miniseries called “Mercy Street.” So we’re done shooting and they call everyone in, and I’m like: “OK. This is it. This is over. Bye, everyone.” And James Hayman, the executive producer, is like: “This is not the last time we’re going to see you. You’ve earned a series regular.” And I was all smiles. They told me on the spot, and I called my manager and said: “They announced it. So, it’s going to happen.” It’s been really, really sweet. And everyone I work with, I have a deep sense of respect for, and we have a good time, which is really awesome.

CE: What do you love most about your job?

SG: I love my job specifically because I am so active in the show. Yesterday I got a call from Jeff Lieber, the show runner, and he had watched episode 203 and was like: “Oh look. You’re a real good runner. You run real good.” I’m like: “Yeah? That’s great.” They have me doing all kinds of stuff. I can’t tell you, but girl, it’s crazy. I do all of the stuff.

Every episode, when I’m reading the script, I’m like, “Oooo, what do I get to do this time?” It is so much fun. And it means a lot to me, as well, because I love Marvel; I love superhero movies. I love the action stuff. But it’s so unfair because there’s not a lot for women to do. So often in those stories, women take a backseat. They rarely have anything to say in those movies. So, it’s hard because it is a genre I really, really enjoy. But women are often not allowed to play. I work on a show where not only do I get to play, but it’s celebrated and it’s respected. It’s not like, “Oh, that’s a girl’s part,” but rather, it’s like, “No, let’s give this to Shalita to do.” They don’t make it a gender thing, which feels really great. And it’s really progressive as well.

CE: Gimme some scoop on what we can expect for this second season of “NCIS: New Orleans.”

SG: It’s explosive. I mean, we blow up a bridge — it’s insane. Scott Bakula’s character (Dwayne Pride) is all about giving the newbie, or “probe,” the business. So, I’m a probe, and they really give me the business. They’re not letting me in easy; it’s not going to be easy for Sonja Percy. At one point, I call them my “agent abusers” because that’s kind of how they are. But Sonja can take it. And throughout the series, she will be dishing it out. Sonja and LaSalle, Sonja and Brody, and even Sonja and Pride are getting closer, and those relationships are all unique. It’s not all the same at all between Sonja and Brody, Sonja and LaSalle, and Sonja and Sebastian. You get to see where Sonja is coming from in some of these cases.

CE: Now that you are a series regular, I’d assume that we’ll get to see different sides of Sonja this season and really get to know her.

SG: Yes, all of those things. You get so many sides. And that’s another credit to our bosses Gary Glasberg, Jeff Lieber, Jim Hayman, that she feels like a real person. And they let me be funny and they let me be serious — it’s great. It’s not all the same. It’s wonderful.

CE: What is it like working with this outstanding cast? You’ve got Scott Bakula, CCH Pounder … so many great people.

SG: It’s so boring on set in that we all get along. Sometimes in the middle of the workday, I’ll just think, It’s so great when you like the people you work with. It’s so great and it’s so easy to go to work. And you watch everybody as they’re filming, and it’s just so great.

We get a different director every episode, and I feel like we outnumber them. So we’ll be like, “Hey, next take, we should change this.” And Lucas (Black) is like 2 years old, and he’s always doing something. It’s so funny. And Zoe (McLellan) is so goofy. And Scott, he’s just fun and easygoing. I think everyone’s grateful to be working, and grateful to be working on something that means something to so many people. There isn’t a ton of ego. It’s just we like what we do. And it’s great to be included in that.

CE: And now you’re included every single episode.

SG: That’s right — every stinking episode!

Greg Nicotero
(Photo Credit: Jordin Althaus / AMC)

Q: I am so excited that “The Walking Dead” is back on AMC. I love the story, of course, but the special-effects makeup is awesome! Can you tell me who designs or created the zombie makeup? — David D., via email

A: Greg Nicotero is the talented man behind those awesome effects. He got his professional start back in 1985, when he worked on “Day of the Dead,” and has scores and scores of film special-effects makeup credit to his name. On “The Walking Dead,” he serves as co-executive producer, director and special makeup effects supervisor. He recently was in Orlando, Florida, for Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights 25 (which runs through Nov. 1) with director John Landis and “TWD” co-star Chandler Riggs, where the two directors discussed their respective haunted houses: “The Walking Dead” house and “An American Werewolf in London” house. And I have to report that “The Walking Dead” haunted-house maze was the scariest house again this year. It’s definitely a don’t-miss attraction.

One of the many things he loves about working on “TWD” is that most of the makeup effects are practical and not CGI. He said: “On ‘The Walking Dead,’ the most exciting thing for me is that it opens practical makeup effects for a younger generation. Growing up, I was really inspired by practical effects. … And it’s not easy. It’s a tremendous compliment that the work that I love, that I grew up wanting to do, is being celebrated more and more.”

Q: A while back you mentioned that ABC Family had picked up a series based on “The Mortal Instruments” books. Is this still happening? I haven’t heard any updates in a while. — Pamela T., Wheeling, WV

A: ABC Family announced at New York Comic-Con in early October that its highly anticipated series “Shadowhunters” will premiere on Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. As you mentioned, the series is based on the bestselling young-adult fantasy book series “The Mortal Instruments” by Cassandra Clare, which follows 18-year-old Clary Fray (played by Katherine McNamara), who finds out on her birthday that she is not who she thinks she is but rather comes from a long line of shadowhunters — human-angel hybrids who hunt down demons.

Q: Is “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret” ever coming back? — Violet F., via email

A: IFC recently announced that the third season of its original comedy series “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret” starring David Cross will premiere on Thursday, Jan. 7, with the first three episodes of the six-episode series airing back to back beginning at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The remaining three episodes will premiere the following week on Jan. 14 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Says Jennifer Caserta, IFC’s president: “Since we last saw Todd Margaret”— SPOILER ALERT!— “which we thought was ACTUALLY the last time we’d see him, this show has become a favorite among comedy fans. Only David Cross could write his way around destroying the world to resurrect this character and story in a way that’s mind-blowing and completely hilarious.”

Q: I saw a preview for a movie with Leonardo DiCaprio where he has a beard, is all dirty, and is seeking revenge on Tom Hardy. Can you tell me about the movie? It looks really good! — Douglas C., Annapolis, Md.

A: You are referring to “The Revenant,” which will open on Christmas Day in select cities (to qualify for Oscar consideration), and opening wider on Jan. 8, 2016. Leo plays explorer Hugh Glass, who is left for dead by Tom’s John Fitzgerald, after Hugh is mauled by a bear. Set in 1823, the film is based on Michael Punke’s novel “The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge” and, of course, there is already Oscar buzz surrounding the film.

Q: You mentioned that the Ben Affleck/Matt Damon-produced show “Project Greenlight” would be back, but I haven’t heard anything about it. I watched it on Bravo a few years back, but it’s not there anymore. — Felicia F., via email

A: “Project Greenlight” moved back to its original home, HBO, for its fourth season, which premiered on Sept. 13 and has its season finale on Nov. 1, airing a total of eight episodes. The show made news recently not for the competition itself, but for Matt Damon trying to explain diversity in the film industry to an African-American producer, Effie Brown, who serves as a judge on the show.

Italia Ricci
(courtesy ABC Family)

Q: Please please please tell me it isn’t true that ABC Family canceled “Chasing Life”! That’s my favorite show on television today, and it always makes me count my blessings. — Layla F. in Georgia

A: I’m sorry to have to tell you, but the tear-jerking season-two finale from last month was indeed the series finale. ABC Family decided not to renew the one-hour drama, which centered on 24-year-old April, played by Italia Ricci, a journalist trying to work her way up the ladder at a Boston newspaper while balancing her career and family. Just as things start to come together for her, she gets the devastating news that she has leukemia. The series finale saw April take her best friend, Beth, and love interest, Dominic, to Italy, where she reveals to them she is not eligible for the clinical trials for her cancer treatment and has decided not to pursue a bone-marrow transplant. She just wants to live out her days in peace. She tells Beth: “It’s not giving up because I’ve already won. I could die happy here.”

Q: Is it true that Richie Sambora and Heather Locklear are back together? I saw pictures of them online frolicking on a beach together. — Nina H., via email

A: The former Bon Jovi guitarist and his gorgeous yet down-to-Earth ex-wife have not gotten back together. They are one of those rare Hollywood ex-couples who others could learn a lesson from: They have remained good friends since splitting up eight years ago, and they take the co-parenting of daughter Ava very seriously. Recently photos surfaced of the trio having fun in the sun and sand in Bora Bora, where the friendly exes were treating their daughter to a family vacation before she goes off to college.

Q: Can you tell me what Aaron Eckhart has been up to lately? — Rita C., via email

A: The handsome and versatile actor is currently shooting Clint Eastwood’s latest film, “Sully,” which chronicles the January 2009 real-life events where Capt. Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger safely landed his aircraft on the Hudson River after a flock of geese knocked out both engines. Aaron plays first officer and co-pilot Jeff Skiles opposite Tom Hanks’ Sully. The film is based on Sullenberger’s 2009 autobiography “Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters.” The film just started shooting, and as of this writing, a premiere date had not yet been set.

Q: Did they cancel “Person of Interest”? I’m getting nervous because I haven’t been able to find it on CBS’s fall schedule. — Paul T., via email

A: CBS did renew the crime drama for a fifth season — a 13-episode order of the series will premiere midseason. Although CBS hasn’t yet made its final decision, show runners are approaching this season as if it could be the final one, as executive producer Jonathan Nolan revealed during this summer’s Comic-Con.

Eden Sher got her start on nighttime dramas like “Weeds,” “The O.C.” and “Veronica Mars,” but these days she’s known as the dorky and lovable sister on “The Middle,” which airs Wednesday nights on ABC. She has been nominated for and has won countless acting awards for her work on the sitcom, garnering Sue Heck a place in everyone’s hearts. When I spoke with her, she told me how it all got started, as well as how much fun they all have on “The Middle.”

Celebrity Extra: Had you always know you wanted to be an actress, or was it something you came across and said, “Hey, I can do this!”?

Eden Sher: A little bit of both. I watched a documentary about Spalding Gray, and he has this part where he is saying his one monologue where he’s like: “Some people are trained to become actors and some people are just born acting out.” Constantly attention-seeking, I guess. And I think that’s more the route I took. It always felt natural, and I was just always performing.

When I was 8 or 9 is when I finally convinced my mom to let me try it professionally. I would just see TV shows and I was like: “I can do that! I can do that better! I can do that better than that person. Please let me try. Please.” Until finally she let me, and then when I was 15, I thought, “OK, this is not just something that I love to do — I think I can actually make money doing this.”

CE: “The Middle” has been going strong for six years now. That is always such a milestone, especially for a sitcom in these fickle times of short attention spans and whatnot.

ES: Oh, yeah, definitely. Everyone hopes that their show will go more than two episodes without getting canceled, but no one really expects it. But to go six years, and to be a universally liked show, you can’t possibly predict how it’s going to be received. And it is so gratifying when it is received well. It’s a really intense feeling of gratitude.

CE: I think it helps that “The Middle” isn’t your typical sitcom. It’s smart, sometimes outlandish, and always funny.

ES: Totally. I always think of it like, OK, our show was definitely consumer before realistic. My character especially is an exaggerated version of what is presented, but I try to play it with as much authenticity as possible. I think this person might exist in every city in every state, but on a smaller scale.

CE: Sue is ridiculously optimistic, even when she fails. How do you approach playing her?

ES: It’s so funny, because I get asked a similar version of that question a lot, and I sometimes don’t understand it, because I feel like she succeeds once an episode. Sue has these small victories throughout the episode, and I never feel like Sue’s been let down.

CE: What’s it like on the set of “The Middle”?

ES: I hate every single one of those people. I do not make eye contact. They address me as Mademoiselle Sher. (Laughs) Of course, I love them. When we’re not filming, I always hang out with Charlie (McDermott), and I lunch with Neil (Flynn) on the reg. And I see Patty (Patricia Heaton). I don’t see Atticus (Shaffer) that much outside the set, but he also doesn’t live in LA. When we all have scenes together, it’s super. There aren’t words to express the immense feeling of gratitude that I feel on a daily basis. It’s so unusual to get a work environment where you truly enjoy every person you work with.

CE: What are your fan interactions like? What’s their feedback been like?

ES: They are the best. I love seeing and reading what they think on Twitter. My favorite was on Halloween — I was shocked by how many people tweeted me pictures of themselves dressed up as Sue. Oh my God. It was amazing. It was awesome.

Olga Fonda, photo by Dorit Thies

Russian beauty Olga Fonda is perhaps best known to TV audiences for playing Nadia on “The Vampire Diaries.” She also wowed moviegoers — and Hugh Jackman — when she co-starred in the feature film “Real Steel.” Now she’s co-starring opposite Hollywood heavyweight Sharon Stone in the new TNT drama “Agent X,” which airs Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT. I spoke with her recently about her new role, and she can’t wait for fans to get drawn into the action and intrigue of this sure-to-be-hit action/spy drama.

Celebrity Extra: You came to the U.S. from Russia when you were 14. Tell me how this opportunity came about for you.

Olga Fonda: The United States was always known as a land of opportunities and dreams. So, when I got the opportunity to go to the United States as an exchange student, I happily grabbed it. I always wanted to get an experience of living in different countries, studying in different countries, learning the different cultures and, of course, learning English was such a plus because I knew having this experience that when I got back to Russia, I’d definitely have better opportunities. I’m very happy and grateful that my parents supported this, because I know it wasn’t very easy for them.

CE: What brought you back to the U.S. after the exchange program was over?

OF: I came back after two years to go to university. Within those two years, the exchange rate of dollars and rubles grew dramatically. If I’m not mistaken, when I went there the first time the dollar was about six rubles; two years later, the dollar grew to like 26 rubles. My parents just couldn’t afford it. I’d been trying to get a scholarship to college, and they called me and said, “We can give you half a scholarship,” and I said, “Unfortunately, I just can’t afford it.” So they called me back and said: “You have a presidential scholarship. Please come back.” So, I couldn’t let that opportunity go. It was beyond something that I could imagine.

CE: I know you’ve modeled and you’re an actress; how did you get involved in it in the first place? Was it something you’d always wanted to do?

OF: I’ve always been fascinated with the beautiful and glamorous world of the film industry. When I came here, I got discovered into modeling, and I started filming commercials, as well. So, I started taking acting classes to make myself a better actor and to work on the dialects and my accent. I just fell in love with it. One day a friend of mine called and said: “Listen, in my building they are casting this role for an independent movie and they can’t find a girl. They are looking for a Russian girl with a dancing background.” I said: “Yes, I have a dancing background, but I don’t have any credits. I don’t have a presentation theatrically. I’m just in commercials and taking acting classes.” She said: “Why don’t you try? Why don’t you call casting and go in?”

So I talked to casting. I was so nervous. I went into the room, and the director was there. Her name is Barra Grant. I read it once, and she had me read it again. It was the most terrifying experience ever. Before I left the room she goes: “Congratulations! You booked it.” I think I almost fainted. I was so shocked. Barra pretty much started my acting career. She was the first director who believed in me and gave me the opportunity before I had any credits or theatrical presentations. And then after that, I was able to get a presentation together.

CE: Tell me about your audition for “The Vampire Diaries.”

OF: To be honest, I was struggling with the audition. I went into the room, and it went so quickly. When I came out, I was so nervous because I didn’t know if I did well. When I got home, my manager called me and said: “You booked the role. Can you get on a plane in two hours?” I was like, “Wait ... what?” I had to drop everything. I went to Atlanta for one episode, and I ended up staying there for several more. They were great, the cast and crew. They were such a great team and very welcoming. And they are like one big family. I couldn’t have asked for a better first big TV series. It was the best.

CE: I am going to assume that it was wonderful working with Hugh Jackman in “Real Steel.”

OF: It was my first big film, and working with him was amazing. He is such a nice guy. Probably one of the nicest guys I’ve met, and he’s very professional. He has a beautiful and sweet family. He used to bring his kids on set a lot. One memory that I still have, it was so cute: His son, Oscar, at that time was fascinated with the Russian language and was studying Russian. I remember he says, “Come with me outside.” So Oscar takes me outside, and he spells my name and a few Russian words with chalk on the ground. I even took a picture of it. That was a beautiful moment.

CE: What was filming like? What was life like on the set?

OF: No matter what kind of role you had — big or small — on the set, everyone — directors, producers, main actors — they all treated everyone with such respect. They were so humble, and they were so professional. That experience became such a great lesson for me that I try to take with me on every set I go.

Olga Fonda at the Agent X premiere

CE: You have to be so excited to be co-starring in the highly anticipated TNT series “Agent X.”

OF: It’s a dream come true! I cannot express how excited and honored I am to be working with this cast and crew.

CE: What did you think about the show, as well as your character, Olga Petrovka, when you first read the script?

OF: The pilot is very well-written. It’s entertaining. It’s a great combination of drama and action. And (creator) Blake (Herron) did a fantastic job of creating an interesting story and strong characters. Of course, playing Olga Petrovka is a dream come true for me because I’ve always wanted to play an action character.

CE: That leads right to my next question, which is that it looks like such a fun and bad-ass role to play, you must be having a ball!

OF: When I read about Olga, that was the first thing that — besides her having colors and layers, and being an interesting, intriguing and fun character — she always had a lot of action. And that was something that originally drew me to her.

CE: What are some other things that will draw viewers to the show?

OF: It’s a great mix of different genders and different ages, and a great mix of action, mystery and drama. And it has a sense of humor. It’s a well-done show. As you know, it’s about a secret agent who works for the vice president. And you have beautiful Sharon Stone and Jeff Hephner, who is this really good-looking guy. And I think people would be drawn to the show because of them and because of big action sequences. But I think they will enjoy learning about the different characters within the show and what their real intentions are.

CE: What is everyone like to work with?

OF: Everyone is amazing. When we first started filming the pilot, especially the first day of being on set and shooting with these guys, everyone was so excited to be there. It was such a magical day. For me personally, it’s a great experience just to watch them perform; I learn so much by just watching them. Sharon is beautiful and smart and a talented woman. And she is fun to be around. She is very supportive of her fellow actors. She’s a superstar.

And Jeff, I call Jeff a super action star. He’s this talented, nice good-looking guy with a great sense of humor. We have so much fun together. We have moments where we are filming a scene and laugh so hard that we’re crying. It’s nice to work with someone who you can share these laughs with.

Scott Michael Foster, courtesy ABC

Q: I love ABC’s new series “Blood and Oil.” The actor who plays Don Johnson’s son in the drama looks familiar. What else has he done? — Eric P., Lancaster, Pennsylvania

A: Scott Michael Foster is the fellow you’re thinking of. The 30-year-old actor was a regular cast member on “Greek,” spent a season on “Californication” as Becca’s boyfriend who Hank couldn’t stand, was on “Once Upon a Time,” and “Chasing Life.” Now he plays Hap Briggs’ (Don Johnson) ne’er-do-well son, Wick, on the nighttime sudster. He recently wrapped on the feature film “My Dead Boyfriend,” which was directed by Anthony Edwards and also stars Heather Graham, John Corbett and Gina Gershon.

Despite the star power of Don Johnson, Amber Valletta and Chace Crawford, ABC recently announced that it has cut back its original order of “Blood and Oil” from 13 episodes to 10, which could mean that this first season of “Blood and Oil” very well might be its last if there isn’t a drastic upturn in its ratings. Look for season one to air its finale in December.

Q: I just found “Mike and Molly” on reruns, and I love the show. Please tell me it has not been canceled. If not, when will it return for a new season? — Tony O. in Florida

A: The hit CBS sitcom starring Melissa McCarthy and Billy Gardell will be back for a sixth season. While the network (as of this writing) has not yet announced a premiere date, it will be toward the end of this year, so keep an eye on your local TV listings. For late-breaking news about this show — and many other shows, movies and celebrities — be sure to follow me on Twitter (twitter.com/Celebrity_Extra).

Q: Can you give me an update on Masterpiece Mystery’s “Sherlock”? I can’t wait for this series to start back up again! — Diana T., via email

A: While season four of the series doesn’t start shooting until spring 2016, we do have a TV special to tide us over. Called “Sherlock: The Abominable Bride,” Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman reprise their roles of Sherlock and Watson, respectively, to bring us this 90-minute movie. It will premiere on Jan. 1, 2016, in both the U.S. and U.K. — a first for this series, as the U.K. usually airs the series first — at 9 p.m. ET, as well as online at pbs.org/masterpiece.

Q: Where has Chris Vance and his series “Transporter” gone? Will TNT air season three? If he is not involved with the series, what is he doing now? — Laura B., via email

A: As of this writing, TNT has not announced whether “Transporter: The Series” will be back for a third season. However, if you need your Chris Vance fix now, he has a recurring role on CBS’s “Supergirl” as the villain Non. His first appearance is in episode eight, which airs Dec. 14.

Q: Can you tell me what the actress who plays Maeby on “Arrested Development” has been doing lately? — Linda R. in Virginia

A: Alia Shawkat stars in a new TBS dark-comedy series of her own, which is currently in development. It’s called “Search Party,” and it co-stars John Early, John Reynolds and Meredith Hagner. The show follows a group of four self-absorbed 20-somethings who come together when a former college acquaintance mysteriously disappears. The series will debut sometime in 2016.

Q: My wife heard that there is going to be a new “Star Trek” series. Is that true? — Paul T., via email

A: A new “Star Trek” series has indeed been greenlighted at CBS, with an expected debut in January 2017. Prolific writer and producer Alex Kurtzman (producer of the “Star Trek” feature-film reboots) is developing. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “The new ‘Star Trek’ will introduce new characters seeking imaginative new worlds and new civilizations, while exploring the dramatic contemporary themes that have been a signature of the franchise since its inception in 1966.” The latest in the “Star Trek” feature films won’t premiere until 2019, but die-hard Trekkies will have plenty to tide them over until then.

Gatlin Green, courtesy NBC

Q: I am so happy that “Heroes” is back! Will there be another season? — DeeDee T., via email

A: “Heroes Reborn,” which started airing in September on Thursday nights on NBC, has been billed as an “event miniseries,” although that’s not to say there can’t be another season of this event. I recently spoke with series co-star Gatlin Green, who plays Emily on the show, and she told me she’d be down for continuing her role on the show. Gatlin said: “I think with a show like ‘Heroes,’ or any of these shows that have such big followings, there’s always going to be talk about more seasons, spin-offs and stuff like that. Obviously, anything can happen, and I’d be super happy if something did happen. We’re all on our toes waiting to hear if anything will happen.”

Gatlin gave me some minor spoilers to get you through the rest of the run of this miniseries, which wraps in December: “There will be some romance between Emily and Tommy. And, like ‘Heroes’ always does, I think it’s really cool to see how we’ve started seeing the characters cross paths with each other. There’s obviously intense drama and more conflict in certain areas. I think it will be cool to see what happens with all the different characters and all the different storylines. But definitely look forward to plot twists and drama and romance.”

Check back later for my entire interview with Gatlin.

Q: A local boy was nominated for a Nickelodeon HALO Award for his service to the community, and I wondered where I can watch the ceremony? — Fred R., Miami

A: Hosted, created and executive- produced by Nick Cannon, the “2015 Nickelodeon HALO Awards” is a one-of-a-kind concert event that honors young leaders from across the country. Now in its seventh year, the awards show recognizes teens who are doing extraordinary things in their communities by Helping and Leading Others (HALO).

The ceremony will be simulcast Sunday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. (ET/PT) across Nickelodeon, TeenNick, Nicktoons, TV Land, CMT, Nick.com and the Nick App. Walk the Moon (“Shut Up and Dance”) will perform. The four award honorees are Ethan Cruikshank (16) of Mechanicsville, Virginia; Riley Gantt (15) of Sherman Oaks, California; Joshua Williams (14) of Miami Beach, Florida; and Ruchita Zaparde (18) of Plainsboro, New Jersey.

Q: Can you give me any “Nashville” news? — Eric P., Lancaster, Pennsylvania

A: Tony and Grammy Award-winning actor, singer and guitarist Steve Kazee will join the show as Riff in early 2016. His character is described as a country-music star at the top of his game 10 years ago; however, everything changed when he met Heidi, a Southern beauty with a budding musical career of her own. He fell in love and chose to leave fame and fortune behind for life with Heidi. But since he’s a new character on the nighttime sudster, I’ll assume it didn’t work out and he’s trying to make a musical comeback.

Most of us know Connor Jessup as Noah Wyle’s character’s son, Ben Mason, on “Falling Skies.” Now that that series has wrapped, Connor has moved on to a completely different character from the one we’re used to seeing. In season two of ABC’s “American Crime,” the story centers on Connor’s character, Taylor Blaine, who accuses two players on an elite private high school’s championship basketball team of drugging and assaulting him and then posting the pictures online. While the two schools at the center of the story are worlds apart in status, the lives of the students and teachers at both become inextricably linked. The 10-episode second season begins Jan. 6, but I have the scoop from Connor on what fans can expect now.

Celebrity Extra: Going from the sci-fi action of “Falling Skies” to the character of Taylor on “American Crime” really is a 180 for you. How excited were you to tackle this new character?

Connor Jessup: It’s hard not to slip into what sounds like hyperbole in talking about the experience of working on “Falling Skies,” just because it was so dominant in my life for such an important time of my life. I spent six months a year on that set from the age of 15 to 20. As anyone can tell you, those are pretty important years. It was such a massive experience. It changed who I am. I got to work with so many interesting actors. And I got to work with so many directors with so many different stories in so many different places. It was the best school I could possibly have had. We finished shooting this past January, so it’s been a while now since I’ve been on the ground in it, but it’s been interesting to think about it. It feels both immediate and incredibly far away.

Getting the part on “American Crime” was a mixture of luck, circumstance and experience. And it’s just like it really is just something that happened. I’ve never joined a TV show after it’s been going; here was a proven product. The first season stood head and shoulders above any network TV I’d seen recently. And that, honestly, was incredibly exciting. And then when I learned more about what this season in particular was about and what the character was about, and then as we’ve been shooting — as I’ve learned more and more and more — it’s something I’ve never experienced before. It’s been a real gift.

CE: Can you tell me a little about this new season?

CJ: Every season of the show is self-contained. The first season was its own story. They finished that, and the second season kicks off with a completely new story and completely new characters. This season is set in Indianapolis, and it focuses on a private school and a public school, and the inciting incident this year is that my character, who starts the season as kind of a financial-aid scholarship student at the private school, accuses a few of the other students, players on the basketball team at the private school, of sexually assaulting him at one of the school’s parties. So, that happens even before the series begins. The entire season is an exploration of the ramifications and the ripples that that accusation, that crime, has on the victims as well as on the accused, on the families, the community, the school administration. It’s really a mural of what a crime does in a community like this.

CE: Were you a little intimidated to take on such an incredible and horrific subject matter?

CJ: Yes, I was intimidated. I was terrified. I was terrified not just because of the heaviness of it, but because you are surrounded by people who are doing such incredible work that you feel a certain obligation to that, like if you don’t do everything in your physical power to play as close to their level as you can manage that you’re letting yourself down. It’s not coming from anyone else, and everyone here is lovely and supportive, but it’s a real self-imposed sense of dread. Or it was at the beginning. But that has kind of faded as we’ve gotten into it, and people have been so wonderful to work with and so supportive. But what was important to me — the main thing in terms of the heaviness of it — was that Taylor from the very beginning, and pretty much through the whole season, is ostensibly a victim. And it was really important to me that there was a little more to Taylor than that.

CE: When it comes to playing Taylor, how aware were you of really making sure you get it right and making it true to the circumstances? I know that’s hard when you’re in the moment of filming, but things like sexual assault, especially in kids so young, can be a difficult subject to navigate.

CJ: That’s a really hard question to answer because, like you said, you can’t really think about it in those terms when you’re doing it. You really have to keep thinking of the characters in as specific a way as possible. For me, Taylor is going through a lot of things that a lot of people have gone through, which are very pressing issues right now. But he’s going through them in his own way. He’s an individual and his circumstances are individual. So, my hope is just to capture that individual experience in a good way so hopefully that will speak to some broader experience.

To step back for a second, I find that not a lot of people in popular culture, certainly popular television, are talking about consent or fluid sexuality, or class and how class relates to sexuality, or the relationship between sports and masculinity. And those things are all kind of the focus of the season. So I’m very interested to see how it all comes together and how people respond.

CE: How is life on the set of “American Crime”? Can it get a bit tense because of the subject matter?

CJ: The show has such a large ensemble cast. It takes eight days to shoot an episode. Of those eight days, all of us only tend to work three days per episode. So, those are three tense days. But then you get a whole bunch of days off, so it really hasn’t been too hard to air it out. And the people are lovely. I’ve found that anytime I’ve done something that’s more dramatic, off set people tend to be especially friendly. People know how to balance these things.

Everyone is just so lovely. Everyone genuinely is incredibly decent, fun people. We’ve all been karaoking like six times. It’s a good group of people, and despite the subject matter, it’s been a fun time.

CE: Most of your scenes are with Lili Taylor, who plays your mom. She is always phenomenal. What was she like to work with?

CJ: Dear God, I couldn’t believe my luck. As anyone who has seen her in anything will tell you, she’s a genius. And she was amazing last season, but she was a supporting character then. This year, in my opinion, she is the star of the whole season. She is so — again it’s hard for me to sound like I’m not going insane when I talk about her — but she’s taught me more just with her acting and working with her than anyone else I’ve ever worked with. She spends the whole season on this quest for justice for me. And she does it with such a dignity and such a relentless, almost obsessive, beautiful passion in every scene — she never milks a moment. She never overplays anything. I think she’s really going to affect a lot of people. I know she affected me.

CE: So you’ve got Lili and the wonderful Felicity Huffman working off each other ...

CJ: She and Felicity together are a little slice of perfect.

CE: What sets “American Crime” apart from other police dramas out there — obviously aside from the many Emmy Awards it’s won?

CJ: The good thing about “American Crime” is the plot is obviously there, and the plot keeps things moving, but the core of the show is the human plot, so it’s not a procedural. There are procedural elements, but they are mostly happening in the background. The core of the show is how the ramifications of how all these cracks start to appear in the community and how it affects them.

Gatlin Green as Emily on HeroesReborn
Courtesy NBC

Young actress Gatlin Green is a rising star with many talents: The Nashville native is a singer, actress and model who’s starring in the juggernaut series “Heroes Reborn.” Ever since rumblings that the hit series was returning to NBC, fans around the world have rejoiced. This limited event series picks up from its winter hiatus tomorrow night at 8/7c for three more episodes, with the hopes that the show might return the following year with another event series. When I spoke with Gatlin recently, she was all for continuing the “Heroes” saga, and our fingers will be crossed that this hope comes to fruition.

Celebrity Extra: You’ve been singing professionally since you were a young child, and acting and modeling almost as long. Have you always known that you wanted to perform in some sort of capacity?

Gatlin Green: It all happened through my mom. She was a singer in a group called Sierra, and they toured for about 10 years. It was awesome. She did a photo shoot, and we (the kids) ended up showing up at the last minute. She pulled us on the stage and the photographer shot pictures of us, and he said that we took really good directions, and that we should think about getting an agent. So my mom did take us to an agency — she thought just for modeling — but when we got there, they asked us if we wanted to do acting. At 4 and 6 years old, my brother and I said: “Yeah! Absolutely!” From then on, we traveled back and forth from Nashville to L.A. We finally moved to L.A. about a year ago, and it’s been such an awesome experience and journey for us.

CE: Were you a fan of “Heroes” before being cast as Emily?

GG: I actually missed it on the first go-round because I was too young, but I definitely knew how huge it was and how much of a cult following it had of super-dedicated fans who absolutely loved it. I was excited that it would be coming back, and I knew the ginormous opportunity I had been given with the opportunity to audition for it.

CE: And this summer you got a taste of epic fandom of the “Heroes” crowd when you went to Comic-Con.

GG: That was my first full-on Comic-Con experience. I have to say it’s probably one of my favorite things we’ve done to this day, because it was so much fun. And I’m a nerd a little bit. I’m not an extremist nerd in that I can memorize all the facts about “Dr. Who” and every director of every episode and the writers and all of that, but I love “Dr. Who.” I love “Spider-Man.” And I will nerd out with you about that if we ever talk about it. So Comic-Con was super exciting for me.

CE: The “Heroes Reborn” cast must have been in high demand too, since it’s so popular.

GG: Oh my gosh, yeah. It was back-to-back tons of stuff. For us as a cast, it was different because we’re a brand-new show. Of course, we have the “Heroes” fan base, but nobody really knew what to expect with this new show. We were walking in blind because most of us had never been to Comic-Con. I think it was beyond any expectations that we might have had. We all had a blast.

CE: How did you go about preparing for and creating the character of Emily?

GG: It’s interesting because of the way that we shot the show. We’d get only a few scripts at a time, maybe one or two, because we’d usually film a set of two episodes at a time. So I never had the full story of who Emily was. We were figuring that out as we went along and seeing where the scripts would take her, and then trying to put my own twist on it and making it my own character. Thankfully she’s a pretty sweet and simple character, so there’s not a lot to make your own apart from that. But it was definitely cool to adapt to what each episode was with Emily, and it was exciting to get the new scripts to see what Emily was going to get into, what chaos or drama was going to happen around Emily. It was definitely fun having to be on my toes as Emily.

CE: What is it like working on the show? It seems like it would be a really fun cast and vibe.

GG: It’s really fun. It’s been a fun, easygoing show. It’s awesome to get to work with such amazing actors every day. That’s such an awesome opportunity. And they are pros at it. It’s really exciting to be able to work with them.

CE: What are some of your favorite things about working on the series?

GG: You show up, and it’s something different every day. There might be some crazy scene going on. And there may be stunts or explosions. It’s just really fun to be a part of.

CE: How is the cast to work with?

GG: An overall generalization is that it’s a hilarious cast. They’re all just funny people. You’ve got these super-dramatic scenes going on, and you call cut, and then we’re all making jokes and laughing. One of my favorite parts about filming is that we just get to have fun. It’s like a flip of a switch, and we’re all crying and screaming and shooting each other. And then flip the switch back, and we’re laughing and making jokes and super-lighthearted and fun.

I got to go to Paris for episode six, and that was so much fun. It was the first time I’d ever been to Paris. It was really fun to get to work in Paris and to get to see the sights and getting to work with a mostly French crew. That was a crazy experience. You have the everyday ins and outs of getting to laugh and joke around and be a family with the cast, and then you get to do stuff like traveling to Paris. It’s been super-fun.

CE: Can you give me any spoilers for what we can expect as the season rounds out?

GG: I think it’s fair to say that there will be some romance between Emily and Tommy. I think it’s really cool how we start seeing different characters cross paths with each other. I think that’s always super-cool, how “Heroes” does that. And then there’s obviously some intense drama and more conflict in certain areas. I think it will be really cool to see what happens with all the different characters and all the different storylines. But definitely look forward to some plot twists and drama and romance.

CE: Has there been talk of having another season of this event series? I have a feeling that 13 episodes just won’t be enough for fans!

GG: I think with any show like “Heroes,” or any of these shows that have such a big following, there’s always going to be talk about more seasons, spinoffs and stuff like that. With “Heroes Reborn” right now, it’s been set as a miniseries, and that’s all we know right now. Obviously, anything can happen. And I’d be super-happy if something did happen. We’re all on our toes waiting to hear if anything will happen. We’re all in this together.

Dayo Okeniyi, photo by Corey Nickols

Millions of “Hunger Games” fans remember Dayo Okeniyi as Thresh, the District 2 tribute who saved Katniss’ life when Clove was about to kill her (he overheard Clove admitting to Katniss that she was the one who killed Rue, Thresh’s fellow District 2 tribute, so he snapped Clove’s neck in a rage). And millions more moviegoers will recognize him as Danny Dyson from “Terminator Genisys” (with rumors of a sequel abounding). But millions of television watchers are now going to get to know him as Michael Loman, the newbie detective on NBC’s newest cop drama called “Shades of Blue,” which also stars none other than Jennifer Lopez and Ray Liotta. The series makes its debut tonight, Jan. 7 at 10/9c, and I spoke with Dayo recently so he could give me the scoop on this intense new drama, as well as a little “Hunger Games” scoop.

Celebrity Extra: With the long “Hunger Games” road coming to an end with the November release of “Mockingjay: Part Two,” how do you look back on your time filming that blockbuster hit?

Dayo Okeniyi: Because of “Mockingjay” being in theaters now, “The Hunger Games” has been on TV a lot lately. Last night I was just flipping through channels — I was watching the football game and they were at halftime — and I stopped on ABC Family, and they’re showing my big scene from the movie, and I got so fricking excited. That movie still fricking excites me. I can still feel the jitters from when I got the callback for the part. I still love that movie. Love, love, love, love, love.

CE: I know you’ve got plenty of movie experience, but tell me how the change to serial television has been.

DO: I love TV because I just love the idea of telling a longer story. I love the linear idea of being the character, and watching that person live over the course of a series or a couple of seasons. And as an actor, it’s just amazing because you get to play every facet of a human being. Usually with a movie, it’s two hours long, and so you have to come up with a crazy excuse for why somebody goes through a very dramatic arc within an hour and a half. Human beings aren’t like that. We grow and we live and we learn, and over the course of years we become the people who we are in the moment. It gives you the chance to stretch as an actor.

And then “Shades of Blue” came along, and I read the script and I was like: “Oh my God. This is amazing.” And then you hear Ray Liotta’s involved and Drea de Matteo’s involved — and Jennifer Lopez! I mean, come on!

CE: Tell me what sets this apart from other cop dramas on television today.

DO: NBC is pushing the envelope, and I think fans are going to be surprised to see a network studio making a show like this. I’m reading the script, and some of the things I’m reading, I’m like, “Can we do this on NBC? This is not HBO.” This is some risqué stuff. NBC picked the best people for the part and tried to assemble a cast that really reflects what America looks like today. Just the honesty and brutality and beauty and truth of the writing — I was very surprised.

The show is not a procedural show. It’s a serial type of show; it feels like a movie. That’s the type of television I love, whether it’s “Breaking Bad” or “Empire” or “The Sopranos” — serialized television where you get to live with these people. And the cool thing about our show is it has that high-stakes element to it all the time. And at the end of the day, you want to be a part of something that you would want to watch yourself.

CE: Tell me about your character, Michael Loman.

DO: This character is something that I have never played before. With Thresh in “The Hunger Games,” I was the strong, silent type, you know, still waters run deep. And I really wanted to play something different. There’s something about this character in that he wears his heart on his sleeve. And in this world that we live in, it’s very tough to be that person. He’s a new detective and fresh on the job with Ray Liotta’s crew, and he jumps into the deep end. When the show starts it’s his first day, and a lot of stuff goes down. Over the course of 13 episodes, we get to really learn the truth of what it’s like to be a detective in modern America. And I just love the script. When writers are that good, your job is very, very simple. I just feel blessed beyond description.

CE: I like this new trend of TV series running for fewer episodes, with those episodes packed full of action and storyline progression.

DO: Me too. I love the fact that a lot of shows nowadays are going in that direction of shorter orders of carefully put-together quality television. And the nature of our show is that it moves quickly. The immediacy of the situation is always at play with every episode, which is one thing I really like.

CE: Tell me about your character and how he fits into the fabric of the show.

DO: Michael Loman is the wild card. And I say that because when we start off the show, Ray Liotta’s crew — with Jennifer Lopez, Drea de Matteo, Hampton Fluker and Vincent Laresca — they’ve been together for a very long time. And they’ve developed a friendship and a bond and a lot of belief in what they do, although it is questionable. My character, Michael Loman, has just made detective, and he’s assigned to this task force; he was requested by Ray Liotta’s character, Lt. Wozniak.

So you have to think, why would Wozniak choose this character to join them? Is there something about Loman’s past we don’t know? Is Wozniak using him? Or does Wozniak see something in him? There are a lot of things with this character that we’re unsure of, and as the story starts to unravel, he finds himself in compromising situations and questions if he can remain the person that he came into this force as.

Jennifer Lopez and Dayo Okeniyi, courtesy NBC

CE: What is it like working with Ray Liotta?

DO: Ray is one of my top 10 favorite, most dynamic actors of all time. And “Goodfellas” is one of my favorite movies; I can quote it from beginning to end. I just try not to geek-out on set. But I’ll go home and call my buddies and be like, “Ray Liotta just told me in a scene, ‘Let’s go for a ride.’” Because if Ray Liotta tells you in a movie, ‘Let’s go for a ride,’ you’re going to die. So, I remember reading one of the drafts, and Wozniak comes up to Loman, and he’s like: “Loman, put down the phone. Let’s go for a ride.” And I was like: “Oh my God! Am I going to die?” I’m pretty sure I’m the first person to go for a ride with Ray Liotta and not die (laughs).

CE: Jennifer Lopez is an executive producer as well as the star of the series. How was she to work with?

DO: Awesome! To be honest, when I found out I was going to be part of the show, I was nervous about Jennifer because she’s never done television like this before. And she really is a musician at heart. But I’ll tell you, when we had the table read, as soon as she opened her mouth, everybody’s jaw dropped. She had such a handle on this character; it was incredible.

And like you said, she’s an executive producer on the show, and so she was integral in the development of it. She showed up on set and gave 100 percent every single day. She was so committed to the role and committed to keeping it gritty; there was no vanity involved. She was so awesome, so giving, and so loving as a person and character. It was a pleasure and an honor to work with her.

The 88th Annual Academy Award nomination were announced this morning. The awards will be presented Feb. 28 on ABC, with Chris Rock hosting.

Here's the list of nominees for the main categories (with my predictions in italics):

BEST PICTURE
• The Big Short
• Bridge of Spies
• Brooklyn
• Mad Max: Fury Road
• The Martian
• The Revenant
• Room
• Spotlight

BEST ACTOR
• Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
• Matt Damon, The Martian
• Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
• Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
• Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

BEST ACTRESS
• Cate Blanchett, Carol
• Brie Larson, Room
• Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
• Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
• Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
• Christian Bale, The Big Short
• Tom Hardy, The Revenant
• Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
• Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
• Sylvester Stallone, Creed

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
• Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
• Rooney Mara, Carol
• Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
• Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
• Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

DIRECTING
• Adam McKay - The Big Short
• George Miller - Mad Max: Fury Road
• Alejandro G. Iñárritu - The Revenant
• Lenny Abrahamson - Room
• Tom McCarthy - Spotlight

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
• Anomalisa
• Boy and the World
• Inside Out
• Shaun the Sheep Movie
• When Marnie Was There

ORIGINAL SONG
• "Earned It" - Fifty Shades of Grey
• "Manta Ray" - Racing Extinction
• "Simple Song #3" - Youth
• "Til It Happens to You" - The Hunting Ground
• "Writing's on the Wall" - Spectre

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
• The Big Short
• Brooklyn
• Carol
• The Martian
• Room

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
• Bridge of Spies
• Ex Machina
• Inside Out
• Spotlight
• Straight Outta Compton

Rachel Hunter, photo courtesy ImaginationTV

Supermodel Rachel Hunter has graced the cover of countless magazines, hosted numerous television shows and was married to a rock icon. Now she’s undertaking a different sort of role — that of detective and discoverer. On Ovation television’s “Rachel Hunter’s Tour of Beauty,” which premiered Jan. 17, Rachel is in search of beauty secrets from all cultures and walks of life: from France and Greece to China and Fiji. In each of these 13 hour-long episodes, Rachel will take viewers on her own tour of beauty, and she’s hoping we’ll want to come along for the ride.

Celebrity Extra: First of all, how did the idea for the series come together?

Rachel Hunter: I was working with Bettina [Hollings], who’s the executive producer, and we were working on “New Zealand’s Got Talent.” And my background, as a child, I was very exposed to different religions, different cultures. I was brought up on natural, organic foods. Always had an intrigue with health because I was a dancer. And New Zealand is very much that kind of feel. We sat around and threw out some ideas together. And we came up with this one other show, which didn’t work. And then we thought, “How do other cultures live?” It kind of came from us just sitting around and talking. At that point I really thought I’d traveled around the world and seen things from being a model as well as being married and going to different places.

To be honest, my appreciation of the world in different cultures has deepened incredibly after going to these 13 different countries, because I really got to see the underbelly, and see women and men and cultures, see why some of them live so long, why some of them are so healthy, why some of them are so spiritual and have a sense of peace. The people that I met who have eaten these superfoods or have different ways of life, they are the superstars of the show. I am merely the conduit; I loved what I was doing. I got a lot from this journey, but I hope everybody else has a better and bigger understanding that inspires people to really look and feel and appreciate other different cultures, ideas, beauty, longevity and wellness. This show really means a lot to me.

CE: So you basically go to these different countries and just seek out these different ways of life, of living, of eating, etc., and bring it to us?

RH: Yeah, there’s no script. I go from eating bullfrogs to tea to emus to burqas to gurus to different types of superfoods to understanding why the French have this incredible style and they don’t get fat. I also look at the entirety of the pressures in different societies, and take the human side of them and really look at that.

CE: What are some other things viewers can expect to experience?

RH: We get a broad view of the world and have a look at the different cultures. And clearly in different cultures there’s different religions, different ways of life. And I think to involve that gives us a really good sense of the people, and it was a good idea for what the concept for the show was. We made the decision to go to all those places so our experiences could be extremely spread out. India has a wealth of ancient ways. China has a wealth of ancient ways and knowledge. Australia is full of incredible scientific information for me, with the DNA testing, which is very helpful information that I needed to learn about myself. We hear about coconut water, we hear about chia seeds, but what the heck do they do? Everyone is on this bandwagon of longevity wellness, thinking, “Yeah, let’s sit down and crank out some juice and get some chia seeds, and we’re all going to be great.” Well, what do they actually do? So we explain some of those superfoods and what they actually do, how they can actually help us. And for how long have they been helping us. We cover all of that kind of stuff.

(photo courtesy ImaginationTV/Ovation)

CE: It’s not all just about diet and physical health, but you also delve into emotional and spiritual well-being.

RH: Yes. We met with an amazing guru, and his concept of beauty is everything that I believe in and that’s how he feels. When we go through struggles in life, we reach out, usually, to spiritual or religious places because we really need to understand ourselves — what’s our purpose, where are we going in our lives, what is God, what is the universe? We have all these big questions, which, basically, never really get answered. But I think that when you go to some of these spiritual places that they give you great ideas and great clues to settle that down and give you critical tools, really amazing tools to live with.

CE: What are some of the things you learned in your travels for the show?

RH: On my journey going around these places, I think that the biggest thing that I learned is that until you walk in someone else’s shoes you can’t judge them. If we feel comfortable with ourselves, then how can I possibly say to someone who isn’t happy with herself, “Well, you need to learn to fall in love with yourself and do this and do that”? I mean, who am I to talk when I spent 20 years of my life on magazine covers? Until you walk in somebody else’s shoes and become involved in their culture, and when you kind of get in there, you can understand why. I’ve always kind of said, “You can look in the mirror and you can look beautiful, but you actually want to love the person looking back at you.”

CE: Tell me about some of the uplifting moments we’ll see in the series.

RH: Oh my God! There are so many uplifting moments. We were in Greece during the moon harvest, and we got drunk on this really, really raw wine with a high percentage of alcohol. We danced all day long and laughed. I’d say that Greece and the Full Moon Harvest that we filmed and dancing and singing and laughing was a huge bright spot for me. And France was eating cheese. And you just eat and eat. You also dance in Brazil. There was a lot of dancing in Brazil. What an amazing place! The melting pot of all these incredible, different places. There’s a lot of laughing and there’s a real funny side to the show. There are serious moments, but I think you have to have a laugh too.

CE: A lot of places you visit, you are really roughing it, aren’t you?

RH: We all love a five-star hotel, or whatever floats your boat, but I think to actually go into places and live with people, like we lived with Elaine and George on their winery and woke up with them and ate their food. She cooked and we sat in their kitchen while she was cooking. New Zealanders travel a bit young, and you know when you start traveling, you have this awestruck look on your face. Like, I can’t wait to investigate the world. For me, this series, it is like, how do we get that vibe back again? To have this opportunity to go and see different cultures deeper — going on to the farm, going and living with people — that was so different from the life that I led. It wasn’t magazines or concerts or all that kind of stuff. It was more about hanging out on the farm and how are we going to put this turmeric into a facial.

CE: Was there a time when you didn’t think you were going to be surprised by something, but then you were?

RH: The France episode was like, oh my God, it’s Paris, which is about beauty at the time. This is going to be a no-brainer. And I fell in love with France all over again. The grape is a very amazing little piece of fruit. It has resveratrol, which is important to anti-aging, and just incredible for our system. And the French just know how to do everything in moderation. A little bit of everything is what works for them.

Josie Bissett (photo courtesy josiebissett.com)

We all know and love Josie Bissett from “Melrose Place,” where she played Jane Mancini off and on for about a decade. In February, you can catch Josie in the Lifetime original movie “Pregnant at 17,” where she plays a wife named Sonia, who realizes her husband (“Days of Our Lives” and “Pretty Little Liars” alum Roark Critchlow) has had an affair with a 17-year-old girl … and has gotten her pregnant. I spoke with Josie recently about this heart-wrenching role, and she is excited for fans to see her exploration of this character. “Pregnant at 17” premieres Saturday, Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Celebrity Extra: Tell me a bit about the premise of the movie, and about your character, Sonia.

Josie Bissett: I play Sonia, who is a veterinarian and is married to Jeff. She’s unable to have children and has had a miscarriage. Roark plays my husband, who is a really great actor. I’d never worked with him before. Sonia finds out that he’s having an affair, and of course that’s devastating. She becomes obsessed about finding out who she is, but a lot of it is that feeling that anyone would get when someone is being betrayed. She figures out where the girl works, and she goes in and gets a sorbet. She ends up chatting with her, and she realizes that Chelsea is just this really sweet, innocent, young girl who’s only 17 and pregnant. She also realizes that the girl has no clue about Jeff being married. She finds out through Sonia and ends up not wanting to have anything to do with Jeff.

CE: How does Sonia feel about Jeff after learning all of this?

JB: I just love what my character does with the situation. There’s nothing in her that wants to salvage the marriage after what has happened. And she develops a friendship with this young girl, Chelsea, and can’t help but want to help her and help take care of her and the baby. The relationship is just beautiful between Sonia and Chelsea. It’s just a really sweet relationship that develops, and they both grow throughout the film.

CE: What about Roark — how is his portrayal of Jeff?

JB: He really does a great job of making you want to punch him. Jeff is just awful. And he is one of those guys where there are no redeeming qualities in him. What I love is that there’s not even an ounce of Sonia that wants to forgive him or wants it to work out. We all make mistakes in life, and he realizes he made one, but there’s just no chance for him. You really see the torture and the pain in him for what he did. You see it in his eyes. The dialog that is coming out of him might not be what Sonia wants to hear, but inside, the way he plays it, you can just see this tortured soul. Roark does a great job.

CE: The viewers will find out pretty early on that Sonia doesn’t go all revenge-y and postal on Chelsea — I love that twist, that they put the blame where it belongs and they don’t get into some big catfight over a cheating man.

JB: I really love that twist. I’ve never seen it in a cheating movie where the one who’s hurt the most ends up just really rising above the situation. But, of course, there’s a bunch of drama that comes about — someone from Chelsea’s past comes back into her life, and Sonia and Chelsea have to save themselves and the baby. There are scenes where we’re fighting in the woods and trying to escape people trying to kill us. I got to do all my own stunts. They weren’t big stunts, just fighting and running through the woods, but it was fun. And it was like, “Hey, I got a workout today.” It was a pretty intense 14-day shoot.

CE: Tell me about working with Zoe De Grand Maison, who plays Chelsea.

JB: She’s got this look that is a mixture of stunning but then haunting but then sweet. It’s all these different emotions. It’s hard to explain unless you work with her, but she just has this incredible way about her. She’s just very good, and she takes her time, and she’s unique. I think she’s going to do really well. She can just look at you, and you see everything in her eyes. And she’s also an incredible singer and plays guitar. She’s really talented.

CE: Tell me your big news!

JB: I’m so excited. I’m playing Liam Neeson’s wife in this movie called “Operation Chromite,” which is about the Korean War. It’s going to be fun, and I get to bring my daughter. I love shooting in places like that, where it’s a foreign crew and it’s such a different experience. It’s only one scene, but I’m just so grateful to go over there and to be a part of this.

CE: When we spoke before, you touched on the book series that you had written. Tell me about that, and if you have plans to write more.

JB: What happened with my first book was I was five months pregnant with Mason, who is now 16, and “Melrose Place” had ended, so the timing was perfect for me. And when I had him, I didn’t want to go back onto another show, especially in those infant years. So that’s when I decided to write children’s books. It wasn’t a purposeful, “Oh, I’m going to start writing.” It just was a natural process of, “I have all this stuff I want to share and how do I go about it?” And I always had something going on creatively. The first two books I did, “Making Memories” and “Little Bits of Wisdom,” were parenting stories and advice from parents around the world.

Then the children’s books came after. And all of these books come from the kids — listening to them play and listening to their words. They have such incredible imaginations, things we could never make up on our own. “The Tickle Monster” came from that. Mason and I were tickling one night. I wrote the book in a night, and then it took six to seven years to get it finished because lots of things were happening at the time, and then I had Maya. I’m working on another series right now, but I don’t know the title yet, until we secure the trademark. I really love writing. I love the process of it. It’s something that I can control and do in my own time, and see it through from beginning to end.

CE: I must ask the obligatory question of whether you still keep in touch with any of your former “Melrose” castmates.

JB: I haven’t seen anyone since the shoot we did for “Entertainment Weekly” (in fall 2012). I don’t keep in touch regularly with anyone except for Laura Leighton. But I will see what everyone’s up to now that we have this wonderful thing called social media. I can see what everyone is doing, and we’ll have a little bit of communication through that. But living in Seattle, I’m a bit away from all of that.

CE: Did you see that not-so-great TV movie about “Melrose Place” on Lifetime called “The Unauthorized Melrose Place Story”?

JB: I didn’t see it, and I actually didn’t hear anything about it. Like, I didn’t hear if it was good; I didn’t hear if it was bad. I didn’t even know it was airing.

CE: Yeah, it wasn’t so good, so be glad you didn’t see it.

JB: (Laughs) I bet they had Jane crying all the time.

Photo courtesy Disney Junior

PRESS RELEASE

Inspired by a real life little girl, Kate + Mim-Mim follows the fantastical adventures of 5-year-old Kate, who, together with her toy rabbit Mim-Mim, travels to the fantasy world of Mimiloo, where Mim-Mim comes alive as a larger-than-life playmate. In each episode, Kate and Mim-Mim and their group of lovable friends discover exciting new places and set off on adventures, all in the hope of solving a puzzling problem Kate has encountered in the real world.

In this special Easter event — airing March 18 and 25 at 7 p.m. EST — on Disney Junior, Mim-Mim’s Eggscellent Easter, it’s Easter morning and Kate wakes up super early. She and Mim-Mim twirl away to Mimiloo while they wait to search for chocolate. Upon arrival, however, they discover that Boomer, the youngest of the Mimiloo gang, along with his mini dinosaur buddies, the Tee-Hee Rexes, have already collected all the Easter eggs, leaving none for everyone else! It’s up to Kate, Mim-Mim and the rest of their Mimiloo friends to hop to it and help the Easter Bunny save Easter before the rest of Mimiloo wakes up!

Kate + Mim-Mim, now in its second season on Disney Junior, was developed by the husband and wife creative team of Scott and Julie Stewart who based the character of Kate on their real life daughter. In another added bonus, the real Kate, now 8 years old, voices the character of the Easter Bunny on Mim-Mim’s Eggscellent Easter.

Fiona Gubelmann, photo courtesy Lifetime

Fiona Gubelmann is best-known for her work on the hilarious and surprising FX comedy series “Wilfred,” which starred Elijah Wood as a man who saw his neighbor’s dog as a grown man in a dog suit, and all the high jinks that ensued from that. She’s also made numerous television and feature-film appearances, including “Blades of Glory,” “Castle,” “Parenthood,” “New Girl” and “Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23.” Now fans can see her in a completely different role: that of a young mother who is raising a murderous child.

Touted as a modern-day “Bad Seed,” “Mommy’s Little Girl” — which premieres on Lifetime Saturday, March 19 at 8 p.m. ET/PT — centers on Theresa, a young mother who lost her husband shortly after they were married. Feeling ill-equipped to care for an infant, she left her daughter, Sadie, in the care of her paternal grandmother, unaware that the bitter, resentful woman isolated the girl, home-schooled her, and never allowed her to socialize with other children. When the two are finally reunited, 10-year-old Sadie is thrilled to leave behind the life she hated to begin a new life with her mother and soon-to-be stepfather, Aaron (James Gallanders). Although her intentions are good, Sadie’s skewed perception of the world and her inability to distinguish right from wrong will ultimately prevent her from having the life she so badly desires.

Celebrity Extra: I was just catching up on “Castle” before our interview, and I was so happy to see you guest-starring on the last episode I just saw!

Fiona Gubbelman: That’s so nice to hear. It was a great experience. You never know it when you step onto a drama set, and you’re wondering if everyone is going to be serious or dramatic but, no, everyone was so much fun. Most of my scenes were with Stana (Katic, who plays Capt. Kate Beckett), and she is so silly and sweet. And also, she is really talented, and so it was great getting to work opposite her because it was just so natural.

CE: And you also guest-starred on one of my favorite comedies, “Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23.”

FG: That was such a great show. Getting to do it was just so much fun. I loved my character on it. She was kind of a bitchy girl, which is fun because I don’t often get to do that. And James Van Der Beek, he is so funny. That is one of my favorite things I’ve seen him in. And I ended up getting to be on another comedy he was on, “Friends with Better Lives,” maybe a year or two ago. I’m a huge fan of his work and his work ethic, and he’s just great in comedy.

CE: You’ve had the chance to work on a lot of great comedies.

FG: It’s really wonderful when you get to work on a show that you also watch. A lot of the comedies that I’ve gotten to work on — “Modern Family,” “New Girl,” “Key and Peele” — these are all shows that I watch. And then getting to be a part of it is just great.

CE: Your latest project, “Mommy’s Little Girl,” definitely would not fall into the comedy category. Tell me a little about the story and your role in it.

FG: My character, Theresa, is finally taking her daughter, Sadie, home to live with her. She’s finally getting married. She’s finally doing well in work, so she’s finally going to raise her own daughter. Sadie had been living with the paternal grandmother. And the paternal grandmother did not do the best job raising Sadie; she is akin to the mother in “Carrie,” to give you an idea. She’s been messing with Sadie’s head all these years. It’s sad too because this poor, sweet girl, all she wants to do is be with her mother, so because of the fear that has been created in her by her grandmother, she will stop at nothing to make sure she stays with her mother and that no one gets in the way.

CE: What kinds of things will Sadie resort to?

FG: It might include some murder and some foul play.

CE: This is being compared to the cult-classic “The Bad Seed,” which was known for its sometimes-unrealistic melodrama. How would you say that “Mommy’s Little Girl” differs from it?

FG: What’s so great about the film is that it could be just silly, and you could be like, “Oh, yeah, would a kid really do this?” But what the writers did so brilliantly — as well as under the direction of Curtis Crawford and producer Pierre David — is that they made sure the story was motivated by true feelings and emotions of this little girl just wanting to be close to her mom. It’s really psychological, and you actually feel bad for the little girl — even though she’s scary — and at the same time, it’s a sad story. I think they did a really great job of balancing the fun and popcorn-movie aspect of that.

CE: So Sadie isn’t evil for evil’s sake; there is an underlying need to be loved there.

FG: Exactly. She’s just trying to please her mother. She’s just trying to be mommy’s little girl, and she just doesn’t quite know how to. But she’s definitely not doing it the right way.

Fiona Gubelmann and Emma Hentschel,
courtesy Lifetime

CE: Tell me about the shoot. What were the cast and crew like to work with?

FG: We shot for a month up in Canada. It was great. And what’s really neat about Pierre, the producer, is he has you shoot for four days on and then you take two days off. So instead of doing five days in a row, you actually do only four, which gives you a chance to recuperate on those two days off. And then the crew and cast and everyone have way more energy. Pierre found that his sets were more productive that way. Our days were long, probably about 15 hours. Since Emma (Hentschel, who played Sadie) is a minor, that definitely affected the hours and shooting schedule. I was pretty much there every day as first up and then the last to leave because we had to make sure that we were getting Emma in her eligible hours. It was fun — the whole cast and crew were such a great group of fun, kind, talented, hardworking people that the shoot just flew by. I still keep in touch with them, even here on the West Coast. I feel like Emma is my little sister now. We still send each other funny videos and text messages.

CE: Since this kind of movie is such a departure for you, what did you take away from the shoot?

FG: I am just so grateful that I was able to work on this. Right before filming this, I shot another film for Lifetime called “911 Nightmare.” I played the lead in that as well, and I was a cop. It was so great to play that because, again, I never get to play cops, and I never get to play tough characters. Like you said, it’s generally more the comedic roles, even in dramas. The producers of that film were talking, and somehow word got around and Pierre heard about that, and so gave me the opportunity to do this film. I am so appreciative of him for taking the chance on me and letting me play this type of character because it’s not every day that people are willing to do that. It was so much fun getting to play Theresa. I had a really great time. Also, I have to say, working across from Emma, she’s so talented naturally that when we would act together, it just felt completely natural. I never had to work hard to get emotional or to find anything like that because when she and I would speak, the emotions just came naturally. We had such great chemistry and such a great bond.

CE: What do you hope viewers take away from the movie?

FG: I just hope they have a really fun time. It’s a wild ride, and there are a lot of twists and turns. And the relationship between all of us, I think, is really beautiful. I really hope that they see the heart in the movie as well as the suspense.

Joe Morton
(photo by Bobby Quillard)

If you watch “Scandal,” then you know that Rowan/Eli Pope strikes fear in the heart of everyone who crosses him — and even if they don’t cross him, but only accidentally get in the way. His portrayer, Joe Morton, is nothing like his character. In fact, aside from the dulcet tones of his mesmerizing baritone voice, you’d be hard-pressed to find any similarities … thank God. When I spoke with Joe recently, he gave me the rundown on all things “Scandal,” as well as his new one-man show in New York City called “Turn Me Loose,” which opens in May.

Celebrity Extra: Did you know how huge “Scandal” was, and was going to be, when you signed on to play Rowan, Olivia Pope’s father, in season two?

Joe Morton: It’s interesting, I think, because the first season that it was on, I certainly had heard of it, but I didn’t really know a lot about it. I knew about Kerry Washington and that she was involved. I didn’t really sit down and pay close attention to the show until the second season. I had come out to L.A. for pilot season, and I sat down with my computer and started streaming “Scandal” on Netflix and just fell in love with it. It was an amazing show, beautifully written, beautifully shot; I loved the cast, loved what was going on. I said to myself, “I wonder if there is a way I can sort of wrangle my way into one episode of the show as a guest artist?”

Even before I had the opportunity to talk to my agents about it, I got a call from them saying that in fact “Scandal” wanted to talk to me about coming onto the show. They said they wanted me to come on as a guest artist, and I had to keep it a secret. And the secret was that in the last episode of season two, the last two lines belonged to Kerry and me, and they would reveal that I was her father. So I said, “You’ve got me.” So, I took it up and here I am.

CE: Because of the type of character you play, I have to assume that it is immensely fun for you as an actor.

JM: It’s a huge amount of fun. I mean, it’s very intense, obviously, and the scenes that they write for Kerry and me, in particular, are just wonderful. So it’s a real joy.

I’ve spent most of my career playing good guys for very deliberate reasons. When I started in this business, a lot of the opportunities for black actors, male actors in particular, were centered on playing drug addicts or drug dealers or pimps or some kind of gangster. And I just thought, that’s not how I want to begin my career. I wanted to try to put together a portfolio of diversified black male characters who didn’t necessarily go around hurting people. But when I came out to L.A. at the end of season two for “Scandal,” I was looking for a very smart, very intelligent, very devious bad guy, and this just fell into my lap. So, it’s secondary how much fun it is.

CE: So much of what Rowan does and says just makes my jaw drop. What are some scenes for you where you couldn’t believe what you were saying or doing?

JM: It was a couple of seasons ago, the scene between Tony Goldwyn (who plays President Grant) and me where I called him a boy. I mean, that was unbelievable that they created this incredible monologue where a black man in chains sitting in a captive sort of situation is telling off a Southern, white Republican president of the United States, telling him that he’s a boy. I just thought, if my father were alive and he were able to witness my doing this speech, he would be shaking his head in disbelief. How did this ever happen?

CE: After having spoken with Tony Goldwyn (who plays President Grant) a few years back, as well as Bellamy Young (Mellie Grant), I get the impression that this is a great environment, a great set to work on.

JM: It really is. Without any exaggeration, they’re the kind of group where you go to work every day looking forward to seeing your friends and doing whatever it is you have to do that day. It’s a real joy. It’s really relaxed. A lot of my scenes are very intense. But a lot of the Olivia Pope and Associates scenes, from what I gather, are a lot of talk and a lot of joking and a lot of standing around, but it really is a family. We are a group of people who are there to watch each other’s back and then to serve the material, to really get in there and do the best we can with what Shonda has given us. And so it makes it just very comfortable and a lot of fun.

CE: Now that Olivia knows the kind of man Rowan is, we haven’t had a lot of scenes with only them, just being father and daughter, with no hidden agendas. Do you miss that?

JM: I think he’s always, generally, I don’t know what the word is — nice? But he’s always loving toward her in one way or another. Even if he’s scolding her. Even if he’s in some way disappointed with some specific thing she might have done. I think that what holds all that together is this very odd and clearly unhealthy relationship between father and daughter. But there it is. It’s still there, and it’s very present, and it’s very powerful, and it’s unbreakable so far.

CE: My impression of Rowan is that he truly believes that no matter what he does or who he kills or who he ruins, that he is doing it to protect the country and that it makes it all OK. What do you think?

JM: I think you are absolutely right. I think his job is to protect the republic by any means necessary. Whatever it takes to make sure that the Republic of the United States’ protection is maintained. So, he will do whatever it takes. There’s no boundary to that. I think he’s even said that. There’s no one above him to say, “Don’t do it that way.” It’s his job to figure out how to make sure XYZ gets done, and gets done quickly and efficiently, and the result is that the country is protected.

CE: Even if that means killing the president’s son …

JM: That’s Rowan in terms of his own view of revenge. His view was you have dishonored and hurt my daughter, so this is what I do in return.

CE: And it didn’t hurt that it helped Grant get re-elected.

JM: Right. If he can do two things at once, fine. But I think there is a strain that is very personal and very dangerous.

Joe Morton (photo courtesy ABC)

CE: What scoop can you give me about “Scandal” as we start to close out the fifth season?

JM: The only thing I can tell you is that it is an election year. So, since this is Fitz’s last term in office, I think there are going to be lots of people affected by his moving out of that office and trying to determine who’s going to take his place. But, if you want to know anything else, you’re just going to have to wait and see it.

CE: Prior to researching Dick Gregory for this interview, shame on me that I had not heard of him. What an influential man he was, and still is! What had you known about him before taking on this role, and what made you decide to play him?

JM: I’d met him many years ago, so I knew who he was and I knew what he’d done. I knew about his activism in terms of the civil-rights movement. I knew about his work in terms of nutrition. He had the Bohemian diet that came out in the ’70s, I believe. I’ve seen and heard his stand-up routine. And it was all of that that attracted me to want to do the part. We are talking about things today in politics and in nutrition that he was talking about 30 and 40 years ago. So he definitely was a trendsetter. He was definitely someone enormously ahead of his time and someone who had great courage to do the kinds of things that he did.

CE: How did he get involved in the civil-rights movement?

JM: Medgar Evers was the big pull for him into the civil-rights movement. He and Medgar Evers became the best of friends. They rode the buses together, they did fundraisers together, etc. In fact, the name of the play, “Turn Me Loose,” is the last three words that Medgar Evers spoke before he died. Medgar was his idol in a lot of ways, and he felt pressed to make sure that he came up to Medgar’s measure in terms of what needed to be done with the civil-rights movement. And he continues to do it today. He still goes out on speeches and he goes to college campuses. I was just talking to him recently at BB King’s in New York, but he also goes from campus to campus talking to students and whomever wants to listen about what’s going on in the world and his point of view.

CE: What do you hope comes from this play when audiences see it; how would you like the audience to react to it, or what do you hope they take from it?

JM: I hope it reaches as many people as humanly possible. That’s the point of the play, in many ways, is that it is in some ways a call to action. A lot of what he did, a lot of what he speaks about, a lot of his humor really was basically telling the audience or asking the audience to take stock of their own situation individually and as groups, and do something about it. The woes that we find ourselves facing as individuals or as groups — whether it’s black people or Hispanics or women or whatever — it might be you need to take stock in these situations and act on it and do something to make it better. That’s on all of us. That is our obligation. And that is what he preaches, even if he’s doing a stand-up comedy routine.

CE: What is the time frame in Dick Gregory’s life that the play covers?

JM: It flips back and forth between the ’60s and present day. It’s just me on stage, playing him at different ages. When he was younger, when he broke the color line on the Jack Paar show, and then when he’s older and talking directly to the audience that’s in front of him.

CE: What else should audiences know about the play?

JM: Just that John Legend is also involved. He is one of our producers. It will be “Turn Me Loose, presented by John Legend.” So that will hopefully be really helpful. And I believe he’s, if not writing at the moment, has written a song for the play that will be introduced at the end of the play opening night.

Eugene Kim / Photo by Teren Oddo

Eugene Kim isn’t a household name — yet. He’s a stand-up comedian who got his big-screen break in an indie film called “Sake-Bomb,” which took the film-festival circuit by storm. He’s also got a film coming out soon called “Car Dogs,” which is an ensemble piece co-starring the likes of George Lopez, Nia Vardalos, Josh Hopkins and Octavia Spencer, to name just a few. But first, let’s talk about Andrew Dice Clay. Eugene’s guest-starring role on Showtime’s “Dice” has everyone talking. I spoke with him about it recently, and he gave me the scoop on working with the legendary showman.

Celebrity Extra: What were your thoughts about the project when you decided to audition for “Dice”?

Eugene Kim: I got a call from my agent, the same day of the audition, at 10 in the morning, and my agent said: “Hey, you have an audition today at 2. It’s for Andrew Dice Clay’s new show.” And I love Andrew Dice Clay. As a person who has done stand-up, I can tell you that he’s one of those iconic comedians that you look up to and hope to meet. I had seen him at The Comedy Store, and he just brings this power when he walks into a room; he just has that star quality, that charisma.

So when they told me the audition was for his show, I was immediately excited and terrified at the same time, just because I had only so much time to prepare for this audition. At that point, you just have to be as on as possible in every moment. They wanted somebody that could work with someone as big as Dice. So, I just worked on the passion of the character of David, who marries into Dice’s family.

CE: Tell me about David.

EK: David is a gay man who gets married to the brother of Dice’s girlfriend (played by Natasha Leggero). It’s the first episode — it actually was supposed to be the fourth episode, but they made it the first one. It makes sense because it establishes what the show’s about, which is the misunderstanding of the character of the Dice Man versus Andrew Dice Clay. And my character is somebody who hates him in the beginning of the episode because of his stand-up act.

Andrew has gotten a lot of flak because of his act. People don’t realize that’s actually not who he is; it’s a character. Once you realize that you actually see how brilliant Andrew is as an artist. It’s almost Kaufman-esque, you know, because he is so committed to this character. But you don’t realize he’s actually a loyal friend, a loving father and a sensitive soul who’s got a lot of depth.

And so my character goes through an arc from hating him to loving him. And it kind of clears up any misunderstanding people might have about him as a misogynist or a homophobe. Because Andrew himself in real life is none of that.

CE: What are some other misconceptions people have about Andrew, things they would be surprised to learn about him?

EK: First and foremost, when it comes to the Dice Man, it’s just a character. In a way it’s almost a compliment, because if you can convince somebody that you are this character, then you are doing a pretty damn good job.

And as an actor, he’s extremely nurturing. All of our scenes, he was just so available and so nurturing. That is something that I appreciate as an artist, because you want to feel safe in your environment. And somebody who is a legend like Andrew could have easily been a jerk, but he was a really great person to work with.

CE: Tell me about “Car Dogs.”

EK: It’s an indie film that we filmed a couple of years ago in Scottsdale, Arizona, at an abandoned car dealership. The film happens over the course of one day. The main character, Mark Chamberlain — who is played by Patrick Adams, who is in “Suits” — has a quota of 35 cars to sell by the end of the day. And he needs us, his car salesmen, to meet that quota. He’s the sales manager, and his father, Malcolm, is the owner. The question is will he do whatever it takes to make that happen, as far as ethics go.

It was a fun project to film. It felt like camp. We were out there for a month in dry, dry Arizona, where I used a lot of Visine because I had no idea how dry it would be out there. I worked with George Lopez and Cory Hardrict and all these stellar actors. It was just so much fun. It’s been going around the festival circuits; it’s making the rounds. Hopefully we’ll get a release sometime in the next year. This whole business is a waiting game.

CE: That’s true, because you filmed it a few years ago, yet it’s just now making its tour.

EK: I know. And sometimes you do a project like a project I did three years ago. It was my first lead in a film, and it went to South by Southwest (SXSW), and it was accepted on the rough cut. It was the fastest turnover. They had a month or two to do the editing and the sound correcting because they had to get it ready for SXSW.

CE: Are you talking about your debut film, “Sake-Bomb”?

EK: Yeah. I’m very proud of it. It was definitely a challenging film to film, but it was something I will never forget, especially for it being the first real big film that I did.

CE: In your bio it says that you studied child psychology at Pepperdine. I would think that would be very helpful to you as an actor in dissecting the characters that you portray.

EK: You’re absolutely right. I basically put each of my characters through a therapy session. I ask a lot of questions to get down to the core of who a person is. For instance, in “Sake-Bomb,” I play a jerk. I play a really horrible human being. But as an actor, I have to be extremely nonjudgmental and not play him as a jerk or a horrible human being. I have to play him as a person who is hurting. Why is he a jerk? Where is that coming from? And that brings you a lot more depth than just playing the result of a jerk. My studying psychology took things to that. I definitely still use it.

I’d still like to work with kids in the future. I used to work in special education in high school, and that was the catalyst of why I wanted to study psychology. I still think that’s something that I will do in the future, but I’ll be doing it from a different place. I’ll be doing it in a different way.

CE: What else do you have in the works?

EK: A lot of things are pending that I probably can’t talk about. But I did an audiobook. It’s a novel by Ryan Graudin called “The Walled City.” It’s a beautiful book. I never thought I’d do an audiobook, but my voiceover agent said I would be right for it, so I auditioned for it. It’s extremely challenging. It was one of the most amazing experiences, because when you do an audiobook, you have to bring life to all of the characters in the book. There were 10 or 12 different characters I had to play. That was something I was really proud of. You can find that on iTunes right now.

Rebecca Wisocky
(photo by Glen Campbell)

When we last saw the ladies (and gents) of “Devious Maids” this past summer on Lifetime television, it was explosive. Sebastien blew up the Powells’ house — accidentally taking out himself and Michael in the process — leaving the fates of several of our favorite characters up in the air, so to speak. I recently chatted with the always delightful and insightful Rebecca Wisocky (who plays Evelyn Powell) about this upcoming 10-episode fourth season of “Devious Maids,” which premieres June 6 at 9/8c, and she and the rest of the cast are “pretty excited” for fans to see what they have in store.

Celebrity Extra: Last we saw Evelyn Powell, she was flying through the air from the explosion of her house.

Rebecca Wisocky: Yes, and I did my own stunt, thank you very much (laughs). That was a fun night. That’s the kind of thing we all geeked out on. The house, Powell Mansion, literally ends — it exploded. And I think it’s a great metaphor for what happens to Evelyn. The world she is used to is gone; you’ll watch her go on a very surprising and new journey this season.

CE: Jog my memory for me: Adrian’s fate is up in the air — literally and figuratively, yes?

RW: Yes, Adrian went back into the house after I told him in no uncertain terms that I wanted a divorce. And then all of this happened with Sebastien. So he goes back in to get a prized family portrait of Adrian, Evelyn and Barrett. And his fate remains unknown. Dun, dun, dun. I’ll tell you this, whether he’s dead or whether he’s alive, Adrian Powell looms large in season four.

CE: For my own sake, I have to believe that Adrian is still alive.

RW: Well, you’ll find out in the very beginning of the season. And it’s worth tuning in for, for sure.

CE: Another surprise from the end of last season, this one being an awesome surprise, was the reappearance of Peri at Spence’s bedside.

RW: I know. I love Peri. I love Mariana (Klaveno, who plays Peri) so much. We’ve become good friends. I can’t get enough of her. It’s a shame, though, that Evelyn and Peri never cross paths. Although I don’t know if that much evil can exist in the same room.

CE: I know you are saying “evil” in the context of a joke, but one of the things I really love about Evelyn is that she isn’t merely evil. In these past few seasons, we’ve really seen her grow. She’s complicated and vulnerable, and she has a reason for her sharp tongue, but she’s not your two-dimensional “evil” character.

RW: She will always have that edge and that defense and that wit. But I do feel that not only has she filled in and become more dimensional — so thank you for saying that — but she’s actually downright adorable in some ways now. Because she’s not afraid of being foolish. Well, she doesn’t necessarily realize she’s being foolish, but she’s softened. I think the journey that you saw last year with (Evelyn trying to adopt) Dion, that’s who she really is. That’s who she wants to be. She’s just had to defend herself from the onslaught of her marriage and the loss of her child and everything else. But she’s pretty lovable.

CE: Exactly. And we really saw that this past season, as you said, with Dion. I loved seeing that side of her.

RW: And, as is often the way with Evelyn Powell, she often gets it wrong. But her intentions are good. And so she’ll find new ways to muck it all up this year, I’m sure. But the hair will be down, so to speak. Yeah, she has every privilege afforded to her, and she still manages to be tortured and miserable. But she’s trying. She’s just blind to the obvious in many ways.

CE: It’s been such a delight to watch Evelyn grow and develop over these past three years. How much fun is she to portray?

RW: I’ve enjoyed playing this character immensely, and I’ve felt so lucky to have a real family develop with this cast and with this crew. I couldn’t be happier. I could play this character for years. And I hope we get the opportunity.

Rebecca as "Evelyn Powell"
(photo by Danny Feld)

DD: Me too! Tell me about how Evelyn develops in the fourth season.

RW: You will definitely see a new side of Evelyn. There will be some struggles of identity, and she will go on a journey this year that you wouldn’t have expected. The very things that define her will be taken away. Evelyn is going to get a little taste of — you know how we explore the upstairs-downstairs motif? Well Evelyn is going to get a little taste of downstairs this year.

And she’ll develop a friendship with Marisol. You’ll see a lot more of that this year, which is delightful. I love working with Ana (Ortiz) so much. And I think people really enjoy Evelyn and Marisol together. And there will be a new man for Evelyn before the end of the season. I think the overarching theme continues to be that Evelyn has and gets precisely what she wants, and it still manages to make her miserable.

CE: I’m glad you mentioned Evelyn and Marisol, because I love watching them together.

RW: You actually feel a real relationship and friendship develop between Marisol and Evelyn. They become compatible in ways that make perfect sense that I think people will find enjoyable to watch.

CE: Please, I just can’t imagine a world without Adrian, especially Adrian with Evelyn. Tell me that he survives the explosion.

RW: I’ll just say, dead or alive, once again, he looms large.

CE: You just finished up shooting for this season. Tell me what this year’s shoot was like.

RW: It’s a little bit shorter this year — we have 10 episodes instead of 13. But we’re escaping the state of Georgia before the year is rained out. We’re very happy about that. But it’s been wonderful. Most of the whole of our crew has returned — and I’m not just saying something pat when I say that they’ve become family, but we’re all very tight. And that’s lovely. It’s really wonderful to enjoy your job so much and to be surrounded by people who are this talented and this committed. It’s a fantastic place to work. And it just keeps getting better — this year in particular. We’re having a blast. Couldn’t be better.

CE: Will we see more random, ridiculous moments for Evelyn, like last year when she found a body part in her garden?

RW: Evelyn continues to get herself in completely ridiculous situations. I won’t tell you why or how, but Evelyn ends up in jail at a certain point. There is lots of ridiculousness happening. And the cliffhanger this year will knock your socks off, for sure. It’s our most shocking. It’s not as explosive as last year’s, but it is definitely our most shocking. I wish I could say more, because there are so many more juicy things that happen.

CE: I was thrilled a few months back to see you guest-starring on an episode of “The X-Files.”

RW: How much fun was that? I was so excited to be asked to do that. I was so, so, so excited. They are legends and, yeah, I was thrilled. I was happy that people responded well to it.

CE: I know I would probably fangirl out a bit, if even for a moment, on that iconic set. Did you have a little moment of awe?

RW: Oh, I had a little fangirl moment. I definitely asked for a selfie. How could you not? I mean, that show is iconic. That show changed everything. I was thrilled to have a tiny part in that. And they were both lovely and gracious.

I think Gillian (Anderson) ended up tweeting about this, but when my character threw that apple at the cat — and in my defense, the window was very, very small, and there was a camera right there in between Gillian and David (Duchovny) — I really nailed Gillian in the chest with that apple once. But to her credit, she dissolved into a pile of giggles on the floor. Because it was a ridiculous situation. But that was a lot of fun.

CE: The character you played was just so tortured — I really felt for her.

RW: I would imagine you certainly would quite literally lose your mind at the loss of a child in that way. But then also to be conspired against to the degree where you are in such a heightened place of grief, and you’re told by everyone around you that you are crazy and are going to be locked up for the rest of your life. She’s a shattered woman. And very different from Evelyn Powell. To get any chance to play a role that is painting with a different palette than Evelyn Powell’s, I’ll do it. It adds to all the fun.

CE: I read that you’re also going to guest-star in a series called “Graves.” What can you tell me about that?

RW: I think it’s going to air on Epix in the fall. I’m not sure exactly when. I had a great time. It’s an incredible script, and they got an amazing cast together. I look forward to watching the show. I’m only in one episode — episode six. I think it’s a 10-episode season. I had a great time. I mean, it’s Nick Nolte! Nick Nolte plays the former president of the United States (named Richard Graves) and is working out a lot of demons. His wife (played by Sela Ward) is contemplating getting involved in politics and having a life of her own. And they have children who have suffered the consequences of having been in the public eye. The writing is incredibly sharp and funny. I think people will really love that show. Again, I have a really small part in it — I’m in one episode — but I was so happy to go play with them.

CE: What else do you have going on?

RW: I don’t know if it’s still in the theaters (it premiered April 1), but people should go see “Hello, My Name Is Doris.” It stars Sally Field. Again, I play a small part in that, but I was so excited to get to play with those people.

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