Friday, February 28, 2014

KRISTEN O'CONNOR VOWS TO CONTINUE MUSIC CAREER AFTER AMERICAN IDOL ELIMINATION

Last night on American Idol, contestant Kristen O'Connor was the first of the top 13 eliminated from the competition. O'Connor, who just received her nursing degree prior to becoming a contestant, told us after the show that while she has a nursing degree, that will be her backup plan, as she is going to continue to pursue her music career

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LIAM NEESON WANTED TO BRING REALISM TO NON-STOP

At the age of 61, Liam Neeson is considered an action star. Neeson, who in the past several years has starred in a few action films, including the Taken films, stars in the action thriller Non-Stop. Neeson plays an Air Marshall who is being extorted while being on a plane taken over by a terrorist who threatens to kill passengers unless he abides by his demands.  

Needless to say, Neeson does what he can to save the plane and fights the terrorist. The film contains a lot of action. In our recent interview with Neeson he told us that he actually trained with a special forces solider who trains real Air Marshall's, who worked with Neeson on being a realistic Air Marshall.

Non-Stop is in theaters now.

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Wednesday, February 26, 2014

ZOOEY DESCHANEL’S IN TUNE WITH HER MUSICAL PASSION

Zooey Deschanel is just bursting with creativity… so much so that it can’t be contained by her hit FOX comedy, “New Girl.”

She’s also an accomplished singer and songwriter.  As half of the indie duo “She & Him,” she’s released four albums.  (And, of course, she also sings the “New Girl” theme.) 

And as busy as she may be as an actress, Deschanel told us she’ll always find time to indulge her love of music. 

New Girl” airs Tuesday nights at 9/8 Central on FOX

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AARON PAUL: TRADING ‘BREAKING BAD’S’ METH FOR ‘SPEED’

Millions of fans are broken-hearted that “Breaking Bad” is gone for good.  The hit drama captivated both audience and critics, winning 10 Emmy Awards over the show’s five seasons.  Two of those statuettes went to Aaron Paul, who played drug dealer Jesse Pinkman on the show.  Now that he’s had a chance to look back at the entire series, he told us he realized there was something very, very special about the show from the beginning.

During the course of the show, Paul developed not only a deep rapport with his cast and crewmates, but also with fans of the show.  And because they meant so much for him, he decided to celebrate the series finale by doing something special for them.

Now that he’s done with “Breaking Bad,” Aaron Paul is shifting gears – literally – with a starring role in the movie “Need For Speed,” which opens in theaters on March 14.

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IT’S SHOW TIME FOR ‘IDOL’S’ TOP 13… HOW ARE THEY FEELING?

The preliminaries are over – it’s time for the main event!  America’s votes and the three “American Idol” judges have chosen this season’s Top 13 finalists, who will take the stage together and perform tomorrow night.  This year’s group is one of the most eclectic and diverse set of finalists yet, and it’s loaded with talent.  So how do they feel about making it this far on “Idol”?  We got a chance to talk to all 13 finalists to find out.

The lucky 13 “American Idol XIII” finalists will try to earn your votes as they perform Wednesday night, then will find out which one goes home on Thursday.  Catch “Idol” at 8/7 Central Wednesday and Thursday nights on FOX

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Monday, February 24, 2014

KEVIN BACON’S ‘FOLLOWING’ A NEW ACTING PATH

There’s a reason why the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game can be played so easily: In a career that’s now spanned more than three decades, Bacon has worked with pretty much everybody who’s anybody in Hollywood, and he’s tackled a wide variety of acting challenges.  But it wasn’t until last year that he took on the challenge of a weekly television series, FOX’s thriller “The Following.”

What’s so challenging about that?  Well, aside from the rigors of a television shooting schedule, there’s the fact that Bacon had never played a movie character more than once.  So after all this time acting, he feels like it’s been an education to play a character like Ryan Hardy, who is constantly evolving emotionally.

The Following” airs Monday nights at 9/8 Central on FOX.

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LEGEND OF LAUGHTER: A LOOK BACK AT HAROLD RAMIS

Hollywood lost one of its most versatile comedic talents today, as Harold Ramis passed away at the age of 69 from complications of autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis.

 While his acting resume was impressive – including the two “Ghostbusters” movies, “Stripes,” “As Good As It Gets,” and the legendary “SCTV” sketch comedy series – Ramis was even more prolific behind the camera.  He wrote “Animal House,” “Meatballs,” “Stripes,” “Ghostbusters,” and Rodney Dangerfield’s “Back To School.”  He directed “National Lampoon’s Vacation.”  And he both scripted and directed classics like “Caddyshack” and “Groundhog Day.”


His final movie was the 2009 Jack Black/Michael Cera comedy “Year One,” which he wrote, directed, and also appeared in.  While promoting the movie, we had the chance to speak to him, and he explained why he looked at each of those jobs as a different challenge.

It’s a true testament to his talent that when the American Film Institute made a Top 100 list of the all-time funniest movies, “Ghostbusters,” “Groundhog Day,” and “Caddyshack” all made the cut.  We asked him to reflect on those classics, and why he thought they had such staying power.

Thanks to movies like those, we’re confident that Harold Ramis will be making people laugh for generations to come.  He will be missed. 

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JUST CALL JONAH HILL THE ‘ANTI-AFFLECK’

Ben Affleck began his career as an actor, then went on to receive his first Oscar nomination (and win) as a writer, for “Good Will Hunting.”  

Jonah Hill’s done exactly the opposite.  He started out strictly as a writer, then developed an interest in acting.  Now he’s gotten his second Oscar nomination as an actor for his work in “Wolf of Wall Street,” and when we spoke to him, he told us why he decided to try his luck in front of the camera.

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Wednesday, February 19, 2014

GREG KINNEAR: YOU’LL LOVE HIS ‘RAKE’ CHARACTER, EVEN IF YOU’LL HATE TO

One-time Oscar nominee Greg Kinnear has brought his considerable skills, charm, and charisma to the television screen, playing tough-luck lawyer Keegan Deane in the critically acclaimed FOX series “Rake.” 

While Deane might not be TV’s most loveable character, he’s certainly one of its most unique characters.  And Kinnear thinks that although he’s riddled with vices – drinking, womanizing, and gambling, just to name a few – at the end of the day (or the episode), you find yourself pulling for the guy. 

“Rake” airs Thursday nights at 9/8 Central, after “American Idol” on FOX.

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IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR, SANDRA BULLOCK’S SUPPORT OF ‘SPEED 2’ HAD ITS LIMITS

It’s the Hollywood equivalent of drunk texting.

You make a movie.  It seemed like a good idea at the time.  But then, when you see the finished product, it’s like the morning after, and a wave of dread hits you – “OMG, what have I done?!?!?”

You’d be hard pressed to find an actor who hasn’t made one of those movies – even Oscar winners have those skeletons in their closet.  For Sandra Bullock, who’s got a great shot at winning a second Academy Award for her performance in “Gravity,” that movie was “Speed 2” – a movie which is considered (and rightly so) one of the worst sequels in Hollywood history.

After that initial wave of dread (and possibly nausea) hit Bullock, she knew she still had a job to do.  Being the class act she is, she made the rounds promoting the movie.  And the entire time, she told us, she held her breath, hoping that nobody would ask her what she thought of the film.

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FROM JUDGE TO MENTOR: RANDY JACKSON’S NEW ‘AMERICAN IDOL’ JOURNEY

After judging “American Idol” contestants for 12 years, Randy Jackson has left the table.  While Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and Harry Connick Jr. give out the critiques, Jackson is taking on a new role: giving out advice.  In this 13th season of “Idol,” he’s taken on the role of mentor, working with the contestants to help give them a better chance of success, both on and off the “Idol” stage. 

While some people actively resist change, Jackson told us he’s embraced his new position, and he’s been impressed with the caliber of voices he’s heard from this season’s “Idol” finalists.”

Tonight, 10 of “Idol’s” top 15 boys will get to sing, trying to secure a spot in Season 13’s Top 13, which will be announced tomorrow night. 

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KEVIN COSTNER DIDN’T WANT TO ‘KILL’ HIMSELF WITH STUNTS

In Kevin Costner’s new movie, “3 Days to Kill,” he takes on the role of a Secret Service agent who, before leaving the agency, wants to reconnect with his teenage daughter (Hailee Steinfeld) while pulling off one last job.

Whether he’s acting or directing, Costner is known for giving every movie his all.  But now that he’s 59 years old, he told us he had to approach the issue of stunt work a little bit differently on the new film.


“3 Days to Kill,” directed by McG (This Is War) and co-starring Amber Heard, opens on Friday.

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Monday, February 17, 2014

LUCKY NUMBER 13: KEITH URBAN SAYS IDOL’S HIT THE TALENT JACKPOT THIS SEASON

This has likely been one of the most competitive seasons of American Idol.  The show has some of the best contestants that this competition has seen in quite some time. Judge Keith Urban agrees, and tells us that so far this season, there have been great young singers.

American Idol XIII airs this week Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights 8/7 central on FOX.

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Wednesday, February 12, 2014

HOW GEORGE CLOONEY BUILT HIS MONUMENTAL CAREER


Before he was one of the biggest movie stars in the world, George Clooney spent years as a television actor on such shows as The Facts of Life, Roseanne, and most notably, ER. Along with those shows, Clooney was on a few shows that were not successful. 

Clooney, who currently stars in and directed the box office hit, The Monuments Men, knows the importance of “luck” in his acting career.  During his transition from TV actor to film star, and today, many years after his television career ended, Clooney knows that hard work and a down to earth attitude has made him one of the most beloved movie stars in the world.

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Tuesday, February 11, 2014

KEVIN BACON: ‘THE FOLLOWING’ DRAWS A FOLLOWING OF ITS OWN

“The Following” is certainly an appropriate name for FOX’s quirky thriller about a serial killer and the people who will do anything to help him fulfill his devious schemes. After all, the show’s story has its viewers captivated and, as Kevin Bacon points out, they have also become “followers” in a sense.

“The Following” airs Monday nights at 9/8 Central on FOX.

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SOMEBODY CALL A SHIA-CHIATRIST! LABEOUF’S GOING NUTS!

If you’ve got Shia LaBeouf in the wacko pool, you can go ahead and collect your winnings now.  LaBeouf showed up at the Berlin Film Festival with a look that could graciously be called “sanitarium chic,” while his bizarre answers to reporters’ questions reinforced the “mental patient” motif.  Later on, at the film’s premiere, LaBeouf one-upped himself by walking the red carpet wearing a paper bag that read, “I am not famous anymore.”  (Which sounds like it could be a self-fulfilling prophecy, if his strange behavior continues.) 

 We’ve had several colorful conversations with LaBeouf over the years; once, he shared the origin of his unique last name… and yes, it’s a little bit out there.

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‘BROOKLYN’S’ GOLDEN BOY, ANDY SAMBERG, REVEALS HIS ACTING SECRETS

Both Andy Samberg and the show he stars in, the FOX comedy “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” were winners at the Golden Globe Awards.  That meant Samberg got to make two trips to the podium, since he’s not just an actor, but a producer on the show as well.  

While some stars may get a little stressed out by taking on the additional duties of producing, Samberg told us he likes to keep things as laid-back as his acting style would suggest. 



Catch the award-winning comedy “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” Tuesday nights at 9:30/8:30 Central on FOX.

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Friday, February 7, 2014

PAUL MCCARTNEY: HOW I REMEMBER THE NIGHT THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

It wasn’t 20 years ago today… actually, it was 50 years ago yesterday.  Four young musicians from Liverpool walked onto the “Ed Sullivan Show” stage, and the rest was music and television history.  

That appearance catapulted The Beatles to instant superstardom and helped put the band on its course to the legendary status it still holds today. To Sir Paul McCartney, that night – when music and television history were made – stands out as a special one, a night that changed lives forever.



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‘BONES’ RENEWAL MAKES THE SHOW A PERFECT 10 FOR FANS

“Bones” fans got an early Valentine’s Day present from FOX last week, when it was announced that the show they love had been renewed for a 10th season.  By making it to the decade mark, “Bones” will join “Beverly Hills 90210” as the longest-running drama in FOX history!  Just as “90210” became a pop culture staple, so has “Bones.”  Between the new episodes on FOX and reruns airing elsewhere, the show is on TV every day.  Executive Producer Stephen Nathan, who takes over as showrunner for Season 10, credits the constant airings for helping the show grow a large, loyal fan base. 

There’s been speculation that the 10th season of “Bones” may be its last, but Nathan says you shouldn’t believe the rumors.  As long as there’s a strong demand for more Booth and Brennan, he thinks the show will go on.

“Bones,” which currently airs Friday nights at 8/7 Central on FOX, moves back to Mondays starting March 10.

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Monday, February 3, 2014

‘RAKE’-ING & ENTERING: WHY GREG KINNEAR TOOK HIS FIRST TV STARRING ROLE

After getting his start on TV with “Talk Soup” and “Later,” Greg Kinnear made a very successful jump to the big screen, earning an Oscar nomination for his role in “As Good As It Gets.”  But now he’s back on television, starring in the critically acclaimed FOX drama “Rake.”  There once was a time when it was considered a backwards career move for a film actor to take a TV gig, but Kinnear told us that these days, there are a lot of quality shows being produced, and a great role is a great role.  That, he said, is why he decided to sign on for “Rake.”

“Rake” airs Thursday nights at 9/8 Central after “American Idol” on FOX.

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MATT DAMON: THE PAPARAZZI LIKES BEN AFFLECK MORE THAN ME

Since their first big collaboration on the Academy Award winning film, Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have had both their professional and personal lives in the spotlight. The paparazzi, gossip web sites and magazines chronicled their personal lives when they were single, and after getting married and starting families. 

Over the years, it seems that the tabloids and paparazzi have hounded Affleck far more than Damon. We spoke to Damon about why he thinks he has gotten off lighter than Affleck, and he told us that he believes some of it has to do with Affleck’s past, dating high profile stars.   

Matt Damon costars with George Clooney in The Monuments Men, opening in theaters this Friday. 

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JAMES PUREFOY’S ‘FOLLOWING’ FANS SHOW NO FEAR

Debonair – and deadly. That would be one way to describe Joe Carroll, the character played to perfection on “The Following” by James Purefoy. That contradiction extends to the actor himself – while Carroll is diabolical and violent, Purefoy is both cheerful and approachable in real life. But he does such a great job of portraying a creepy serial killer, you would expect some fans to be a bit intimidated when they encounter him in real life. Purefoy insists that’s not the case, though.

“The Following” airs Monday nights at 9/8 Central on FOX. 

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Saturday, February 1, 2014

MARK WAHLBERG DOESN’T MIND SPENDING A NIGHT WITH… MARK WAHLBERG

It seems a bit surprising when actors claim they rarely watch their movies more than once. A modicum of vanity and a strong sense of ego are traits that are usually affixed to the acting profession, and the claim that thespians don’t study their performances like a basketball coach watches game tape just doesn’t add up.

Mark Wahlberg, star of the drams Lone Survivor was asked if he watches his own work. Wahlberg has starred in his share of grade A projects (The Fighter, Three Kings, Boogie Nights), so maybe he’s one of the few guys who watches his own stuff at home. 

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YOU WANT YOUR POST GAME CRAZY? HOW ABOUT PRINCE ON ‘NEW GIRL’?

While the Seattle Seahawks’ Richard Sherman may have taken the idea of “let’s go crazy” to a new level following the NFC Championship two weeks ago, FOX is ready to one-up him after the Seahawks play the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.  Following the game, an all-new episode of “New Girl” will feature a very special guest star: music legend Prince.  Zooey Deschanel told us that working with the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer was an electrifying experience, one that was made possible because he’s a big fan of the show. 

Don’t miss Prince on a brand-new episode of “New Girl,” airing Sunday night, immediately after FOX Sports' coverage of Super Bowl XLVIII.

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