Q and A: Week of Aug. 21

Jamie Gray Hyder

Q: Can you tell me about the actress who plays Lucia on “Graceland”? She looks familiar to me. What else has she been on? — Patrick J., via email

A: Jamie Gray Hyder is perhaps best known for playing Danielle, a werewolf in Alcide’s pack, last season on “True Blood.” After her “TB” stint ended, she went on to co-star on “Graceland” as Lucia Solano, who is just trying to live life on the straight and narrow — unlike her brother, Carlito, and the rest of her family. I spoke with Jamie recently about her new role, as well as what we can expect as “Graceland” wraps up its second season on the USA network.

“Lucia wants to get a real job and be independent and prosperous, in a legal way. She wants to be able to live a normal life and have normal relationships. She doesn’t get to have friends or lovers, because those relationships are constantly ruined by the antics of her brother and the rest of her family. She’s just striving for normalcy and is constantly being dragged through the mud.”

She did give me a little tease as to what to expect in the finale: “It’s a two-part finale, and it’s definitely designed to leave everyone wanting more. I just got done shooting it, and it’s all very fresh in my mind. I’ll tell you this, when I read the finale, I was shocked.”

Q: Is it true that there is going to be another “Terminator” movie? — Kalli R., Modesto, Calif.

A: Arnold Schwarzenegger will be back on July 1, 2015 as the aforementioned Terminator in “Terminator: Genisys.” The fifth installment of the futuristic action series also stars Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen of “Game of Thrones”) as Sarah Connor, Jason Clarke (no relation to Emilia) as John Connor, and Jai Courtney (Eric in the “Divergent” trilogy) as Kyle Reese. I am curious as to the timeline of this film, because Emilia and Jai are in their 20s, and Jason, who plays their son, John, is in his 40s. So, I’ll guess that some crisscrossing time-travel component definitely will play a part in this movie (as in all the “Terminator” films).

Q: What has Adrien Brody been doing lately? — Gina T., via email

A: Next up for Adrien is starring as the great magician-showman Henry Houdini in “Houdini,” the History Channel original miniseries, which airs Sept. 1 and 2 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The miniseries follows the epic tales of Harry Houdini as he emerges as America’s first bona-fide world-renowned superstar. “Houdini” delves deep behind the curtain into his life through his stunts, visions and mastery of illusion.

Q: Will my favorite summer series, “Suits,” be back for another season? — Fallon F., via email

A: USA’s hit legal dramedy, which had its midseason finale Aug. 20, has indeed been renewed for a 16-episode fifth season. Also, look for the second half of season four in spring 2015.

Q: Will my favorite show, “Fargo,” be back for another season? — Paul R., via email

A: You betcha! FX has renewed the critically acclaimed drama — which is based on the Coen brothers’ hit movie of the same name — for a second season, especially after it racked up 18 Emmy nominations! Season two, which will consist of 10 episodes, most likely will air in fall 2015, although no specific date has been set.

Adam Korson, photo by Diana Ragland

Q: I had been watching this new show on the CW network called “Seed,” and I really liked it. Now I can’t find it anywhere. Can you tell me what happened to it? — George S., via email

A: The Canadian comedy (to which the CW bought the rights) is about a 30-something ne’er-do-well — and previous sperm donor — who becomes acquainted with the offspring he never knew he had. It didn’t do so well in the ratings and was canceled after two shows. The CW has said it plans to air the remaining episodes online.

This truly is a shame for American audiences because I had the pleasure of interviewing series star Adam Korson about the show, and he’s truly one of the nicest people you could ever meet. In Adam’s words about the show: “This is a show for those who want a half-hour to laugh and escape from your everyday life. You’re going to watch it, and you’re going to relate to it. I remember as a kid I would tune into ‘Seinfeld’ because I knew for that half-hour, I was going to be laughing and be taken on a crazy journey. I think that’s good television, and that’s what our show is.”

Q: I’ve loved Portia de Rossi ever since “Ally McBeal,” and especially in “Arrested Development,” but I haven’t seen her in anything lately. What can I see her in next? — Kellie Y., Bowling Green, Ohio



A: The gorgeous and talented actress — and wife of Ellen DeGeneres — will be hitting the small screen this fall when she appears in a multi-episode arc of the hit ABC political drama “Scandal.” And what better way to announce your next project than by your wife “accidentally” letting it slip on Twitter? Ellen recently announced to her millions of Twitter followers: “So annoying when people brag on Twitter, and that’s why I’m not tweeting that Portia just signed on to do a top-secret arc on Scandal. Oops.” “Scandal” returns for its fourth season on Sept. 25 at 9/8c. (Note the time change from last season.)

Q: Can you tell me what Naomi Watts has coming up? She is always such a joy to watch. — Nathan H., Fresno, Calif.

A: The versatile and award-winning actress recently started work in a prominent role in ”Insurgent“ and ”Allegiant,“ movies two and three of the ”Divergent“ trilogy. Naomi plays Evelyn, mother of Four and leader of an insurgent rebel group, the Factionless. She’ll also give viewers more of a glimpse into the background of her son, Four (played by Theo James), the restrained and self-contained Dauntless leader. Shooting began this summer in Atlanta, and is scheduled for a March 20, 2015 premiere date.

Q: Is ”Boardwalk Empire“ returning for another season? — Gord, Mission, British Columbia

A: The Emmy Award-winning HBO drama will return for its fifth and final season on Sept. 7. This eight-episode season takes place during the depths of the Depression in 1931, wherein Enoch ”Nucky“ Thompson (played by Steve Buscemi) recalls his Atlantic City roots and plots a post-Prohibition future. Says series creator Terence Winter: ”We look forward to bringing it to a powerful and exciting conclusion.“

Katheryn Winnick

Q: Do you have any news about “Vikings”? — Bob L. in Minnesota

A: I do have some casting news: History announced that for season three of the hit historical drama, Lothaire Bluteau will portray Emperor Charles of France, a powerful man who views battling the Vikings as spiritual and earthly; Kevin Durand will play the Wanderer, a mysterious man who is not what he seems; Morgane Polanski has been cast as Princess Gisla, the elegant, self-possessed daughter of Emperor Charles; and Ben Robson will play Kalf, Lagertha’s (Katheryn Winnick) trusted second in command.

Q: I can’t seem to get enough of “Falling Skies”! Can you tell me if it will be back next summer? — Dean P., via email

A: “Falling Skies” will indeed return to TNT next summer to wrap up its epic story during its fifth (and final) season. Ten new episodes in summer 2015 will tie a pretty (or not-so-pretty) bow on the hit sci-fi drama, and I’m hoping that all of our questions will be answered. But, now that I think about it, I kind of hope all of our questions WON’T be answered so there will be a reason for a future big-screen version of the series (like “Star Trek” and “The X-Files”).

And speaking of hit dramas, TNT also has renewed two more of its chart-topping summer series: Freshman drama “The Last Ship” will be back for a 13-episode season two (up from a 10-episode first season). Courtroom/crime drama “Major Crimes” also has been renewed for a fourth season, with a 15-episode order.

Q: My mom told me that she heard my favorite book, “The Red Tent,” is being made into a movie. Is that true? If so, can you tell me what you know about it? — Jessica G., Reno, Nevada

A: Production began in May in Morocco on Lifetime’s major two-night miniseries “The Red Tent,” which is based on the best-selling novel by Anita Diamant. For those unfamiliar with the book, “The Red Tent” is the sweeping tale of Dinah, the daughter of Leah and Jacob, who was seen only in small glimpses in the Old Testament. The miniseries will air later this year, and stars Minnie Driver, Morena Baccarin, Rebecca Ferguson (as Dinah), Iain Glen, Will Tudor and Debra Winger.

The miniseries begins with Dinah’s happy childhood spent inside the red tent, where only the women of her tribe are allowed to gather and share the traditions and turmoil of ancient womanhood. Told through Dinah’s eyes, the film recounts the story of her mothers Leah (Minnie), Rachel (Morena), Zilpah and Bilhah — the four wives of Jacob (Iain) — and Jacob’s courtship of them. The saga continues as Dinah matures and experiences an intense love that subsequently leads to a devastating loss, changing her and her family’s lives forever. Debra portrays Rebecca, Jacob’s mother, while Will stars as Joseph, Dinah’s brother.

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Interview: Jamie Gray Hyder's Life-or-Death Stakes

With only a few episodes left in season six, and with the recent news of its season seven renewal, “True Blood” is ramping up for a spectacular cliffhanger (which airs Sunday, Aug. 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT). But, then again, as we die-hard fans know, it wouldn’t be “True Blood” if it didn’t. Last season’s newcomer to the Shreveport wolf pack, Danielle — played by Jamie Gray Hyder — is finding her footing in the wolf hierarchy, and is stepping on a few toes in the process. Namely, her packmaster’s No. 1 gal, Rikki (played by Kelly Overton). I spoke with Jamie recently about her supernatural role, and she’s excited for fans to see what the show has planned for us.

Celebrity Extra: First off, tell me how you got started in the business, and how that led to the role of Danielle on “True Blood.”

Jamie Gray Hyder: I’ve been performing since I was only 2 years old. I’ve been doing stage work since I was really young, and I’m a classically trained vocalist. I started off on stage and performed there, and then went to college and got my degree in theater and film studies. I stayed on the East Coast for a little while, and then I moved out to L.A. four and a half years ago to pursue film and television. I’d been in L.A. probably about three years and done upwards of a hundred auditions. And then “True Blood” came along, and I got the role. I’m super excited.

CE: Had you been a fan prior to landing the part?

JGH: Of course, I knew about the show. I had to watch four seasons of the show in a couple of days because I started working right away. I don’t have a TV, so I’d previously seen only a few episodes of the show with friends. After watching all four seasons, I thought, “Oh my God, what did I get myself into?” (Laughs.)

You know, everyone is so good at their jobs — from the acting to the writing and all the crew — that I thought that if it came down to doing nude scenes, I think that they’ll take care of me. And that’s what happened. I did that love scene with Joe (Manganiello, who plays Alcide) and Kelly, and they make you feel comfortable and make sure you have all the provisions necessary to help you shoot the scene.

CE: From all I’ve heard, it sounds like a really great set to work on.

JGH: It’s great. Everybody is so nice and has a great sense of humor. We’re working long hours in harsh conditions. The fact that everybody gets along and enjoys what they’re doing is huge. And when I first started on the show last season, I was the new person. I walked in and everybody introduced themselves and welcomed me into the club. It’s really a unique atmosphere.

CE: The ladies certainly love Joe Manganiello. How is it working with him?

JGH: Joe is great. He is the ultimate professional. He’s so disciplined both on his work as an actor and on his body. He’s a great example, I think. He was one of the first people to welcome me when I first came to the show. I’m very grateful for that.

CE: As the show kicks into high gear as we finish out the season, can you give me any scoop?

JGH: There are some pretty big things that are going to go on that I don’t even know much about. The few episodes that I’m not in, I don’t see the script for it. I get to watch along with everybody else. The tension is going to continue to be heightened as the season goes on, with the clash between the vampires and the government. And now you have this “Billith” creature. There’s potential for things to just completely implode.

CE: How is the Shreveport wolf pack handling the upheaval?

JGH: I think with the vampires being attacked, we don’t know who the next target is. We’re scrambling just to keep our pack as tight as possible and to look out for our people. I think that all of the supes are doing just that. Everyone is sort of banding together, bearing down for survival.

L to R: Sam Trammell as Sam, Joe Mangeniello as Alcide, Dale Dickey as Martha, Jamie Gray Hyder as Danielle

CE: What does the rest of the season hold for Danielle and the Shreveport pack?

JGH: With everyone struggling a bit throughout the pack and the season, it gets really interesting. I’m looking forward to watching all of that evolve. I’d love to see Danielle step up and be the No. 1 bitch in the pack, but I don’t know if she has it in her.

CE: Alcide’s current No. 1, Rikki, certainly has her opinions about how the pack should be run. In fact, she questions Alcide, your pack leader, a little too much. I think he’d be better with Danielle.

JGH: Yeah, Rikki definitely is stubborn, and definitely questions Alcide a lot. I think we’ll see that continue to play out throughout the season.

CE: How do you feel about the decision earlier in the season to kidnap Emma when Luna died because they wanted to keep Emma with the pack, with “her own kind”?

JGH: If one of us is threatened, then we’re all threatened. For her to be out and exposed like she was, then we’re all outed. To protect her is to protect ourselves. We need to have all of our ducks in a row; we want all of our people on our side.

CE: It seemed kind of desperate and out of character for Alcide to do that (however, he got back into my good graces when he gave Emma to her grandmother, Martha, and let Sam and Nicole escape).

JGH: Yeah, but the stakes are so high, I think that’s why you’re going to see more of these desperate acts. It’s life or death. And it’s causing some people to do some things that are extreme and unusual.

CE: Tell me about your latest project — starring in the PlayStation 4 videogame “Killzone: Shadow Fall,” which will be released in time for Christmas. What was that experience like?

JGH: I did weeks of motion capture and face and body scanning. The renderings of the character look just like me. It’s a new realm to apply my skills to. It was really fun, but it’s a really tedious process. You have to learn really quickly how it works. You’ve got a lot to shoot. We went down to San Diego to Sony Studios, and we shot a few weeks of motion capture. I did a day of voice-over in Los Angeles. We did additional face and body scanning. I had two weeks of fight and weapons training to prepare for all of my motion capture. I was trained in hand-to-hand combat techniques and tactical techniques, and working with handguns and rifles. It has been a really cool project, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it.

CE: A lot of actors are getting involved in these videogame projects. Why do you think that is?

JGH: It’s such a unique thing. I think these projects are starting to employ actors more now because videogames are becoming more cinematic, and they’ve got these really involved story lines. The fans are smarter, and they need more than just the action of the game to be involved in.

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Q and A: Week of July 29

Jamie Gray Hyder

Q: I was a little hesitant about watching season six of “True Blood” because, in my opinion, it really jumped the shark last season. But I can say now that I am happy I stuck with it, because this season has been really good so far. Will there be a seventh season? — Anna-Marie P., via e-mail

A: HBO just announced that the vampire/werewolf/shapeshifter/fairy/witch drama will be back for a seventh season, which will premiere summer 2014. I recently spoke with a member of the Shreveport wolf pack — Jamie Gray Hyder, who plays Alcide’s other girlfriend, Danielle — and she too is excited about what the rest of the season has to offer.

“There are some pretty big things that are going to go on that I don’t even know that much about,” Jamie told me. “If it’s a scene I’m not in, I don’t know what happens; I’m watching along with everyone else. But tensions are going to be heightened, and the stakes are going to continue to be raised. We’ve got the vampires versus the government, and now we have this ‘Billith’ creature, and the potential for things to completely implode is very real.

“With the vampires being attacked, we don’t know who’s going to be next … who’s going to be the next target. We’re scrambling just to keep our pack as tight as possible, and look out for our people. I think all of the supes are sort of banding together. It’s very important for all of our survival.”

There are a handful of episodes left of season six of “True Blood,” which airs Sunday nights at 9 ET/PT. And as we discovered last week, I’m sure we’ll all be surprised by who survives to see a seventh season — and who does not. And check back tomorrow for my full interview with this lovely and talented actress, where she also tells me all about starring in the new PS4 videogame "Killzone: Shadow Fall."

Q: With Joy Behar leaving “The View,” who will they get to replace her? — Tina F., Phoenix, Ariz.

A: Barbara Walters, who is the only original panelist left on the show and who plans to retire in 2014, announced that Jenny McCarthy will take over Joy’s empty chair when the show begins its 17th season on Sept. 9. Of Jenny’s hiring, Barbara said: “Jenny brings us intelligence as well as warmth and humor. She can be serious and outrageous. She has connected with our audience and offers a fresh point of view. Jenny will be a great addition to the show.” Sherri Shepherd and Whoopi Goldberg also are expected to return.

Q: Can you tell me what Mira Sorvino has been up to lately? She is one of my favorite actresses. — Heidi R., via e-mail

A: The USA Network just revealed that the Oscar winner has signed on to a multi-episode arc of “Psych,” beginning with the seventh episode of the eighth season (which is rumored to be the show’s final season). She will play the Santa Barbara PD’s newest head detective, Betsy Brannigan, who is being described by USA as “incredibly sweet, adorably reserved and yet certified badass.”

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