Q and A: Week of Aug. 19

Q: Can you tell me what Mary McCormack has been doing since “In Plain Sight” ended? — Paula S., via e-mail

A: You can catch Mary now in the independent film “Escape from Polygamy,” which premieres Saturday, Aug. 24 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime. Beginning Oct. 3, Mary returns to series television in the new NBC single-camera comedy “Welcome to the Family,” which also stars Mike O’Malley (“Glee”), Ella Rae Peck (“Deception”) and Ricardo Chavira (“Desperate Housewives”). “Family” gets a prime spot, airing after NBC comedy mainstay “Parks and Rec,” hopefully helping to fill the void that “The Office” has left in the network’s Thursday night comedy block.

Q: A while back you mentioned “Witches of East End” was going to be a series on Lifetime, and I wondered if you had any more information on it? I loved the book, so I am curious about the series. — Annette D. in Connecticut

A: Lifetime recently announced a premiere date for its newest drama, which features an all-star cast headlined by Emmy Award-winner Julia Ormond, Madchen Amick, Jenna Dewan Tatum and Rachel Boston as a family of witches living in the secluded seaside town of East Haven. “Witches of East End” will cast its spell beginning Sunday, Oct. 6, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Also set to star are Eric Winter, Daniel DiTomasso, Jason George and Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Virginia Madsen.

As you mentioned, the series is inspired by Melissa de la Cruz’s best-selling novel “Witches of East End,” and centers on the mysterious Beauchamp family: Joanna (Ormond) and her two grown daughters: Freya (Dewan Tatum) and Ingrid (Boston), both of whom are unaware that they are witches. Freya is recently engaged to the man of her dreams, wealthy playboy Dash Gardiner (Winter), but when she finds herself inexplicably drawn to Dash’s troubled, enigmatic brother, Killian (DiTomasso), bizarre occurrences begin to manifest in her life. Joanna’s long-estranged sister Wendy (Amick) shows up, forcing Joanna to reveal to her daughters they are immortal witches who possess great untapped powers.

Q: I thought Tom Cruise was passing the “Mission: Impossible” mantle to Jeremy Renner. Now I hear Tom will star in the fifth movie. Is that true? — Gerald L., via e-mail

A: Yes and no. Tom will star in “Mission: Impossible 5,” which is scheduled for a 2015 release (most likely summer). Jeremy will be his co-star, but he was never brought on to replace Tom; he was added to the roster to partner with him. And as long as Tom keeps drinking from the Fountain of Youth, I say they should keep him on as long as they can.

Q: Is “Poltergeist” being remade? — Linley J., Harrisburg, Pa.

A: Details are sketchy about the new project, but I can tell you that an updated “Poltergeist” is in production, with Sam Rockwell in talks to co-star with Rosemarie DeWitt, according to “Variety.”

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Interview: Nicole Forester Shows Us Who's Boss

As Starz’s political drama “Boss” enters its second season, I spoke with series co-star Nicole Forester about the new season and her character, Maggie Zajac. She gave me a few hints as to what viewers can expect when the series returns to its Friday-night timeslot on Aug. 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, with 13 all-new episodes of the Kelsey Grammer-starring political drama. She also told me what it was like working with Tom Cruise on his new movie, “Jack Reacher,” which is scheduled for a December premiere.

Celebrity Extra: When you were first approached about the role of Maggie on this gritty drama, what were your thoughts about the show?

Nicole Forester: My reaction was perhaps similar to a lot of people’s. I was really struck by the writing, and how smart it is and how intense it is. Every week — even though I’ve read the script and shot the episode — when I watch that episode on television, I’m blown away. It is so dark and it’s so intense. Kelsey’s character is written beautifully, and then the way he delivers it: He has such a presence, and his voice and his whole energy — there’s a weight and strength to it. The show is raw and really shocking.

CE: You and I know that Kelsey is a lot more than Frasier Crane, but I think a lot of people were blown away when they first got a glimpse of Mayor Tom Kane.

NF: It’s fun for me when people ask me about the show. It takes awhile for it to sink in. Even after I describe it, they ask, “Oh, it’s not a comedy?” I say: “No, it’s not a comedy. It’s a one-hour drama, and Kelsey’s really dark and really intense and really mean.” It takes awhile for people to wrap their brains around the fact that he’s not Frasier.

CE: Because the show is on cable, you get a lot more freedom and leeway as to what you can say and the subjects you can cover. That must be exciting for you as an actress.

NF: Yeah, it is exciting for me. All the series I’ve ever done before have been network television. I love them, too, but this was just a new frontier for me. I’m dropping the “F” bomb left and right. It allows the writers to be edgier and the scenes to be edgier. It feels like we’re shooting a one-hour movie every week.

CE: That’s what I think, too; like it feels bigger than a TV show.

NF: I like that. That’s a good way to put it. It does feel bigger than a TV show. I don’t understand how the writers have time to come up with this, because the schedule is very quick. But there are so many levels to the writing, and every character is complex — and there are so many intricacies and subtleties and details.

CE: What do you like about Maggie? She must be great fun to portray.

NF: I love Maggie because she’s smart. I think she’s smarter than I am. There’s the duality of her public face and her private face, which I suppose any political person could relate to, but in some way we all do. In season one, Maggie just appears to be the smiling, dutiful politician’s wife, but she’s a lot deeper than that. She has no problems stepping up and calling the shots with her husband. I think people were really surprised by Maggie at the end of the season. They did not see coming what her response was going to be when she discovered photos of her husband’s inappropriate behavior. My heart starts racing when I read these scripts, and I think: “I can’t believe I get to play that! I get to say all of those words!”

Nicole Forester

CE: Without getting yourself into trouble, can you give me any season two spoilers for “Boss”?

NF: I won’t get myself in trouble. No, I won’t do that. (Laughs.) I can just tell you that what you saw at the end of season one between Ben and Maggie is a good indicator of where they’re going, as far as Maggie taking the reins and doing whatever she has to do to keep her husband in a direction that will result in them going all the way to the Governor’s Mansion. She has no intention of stopping short of the Governor’s Mansion.

CE: As you read each episode’s script, does your mouth just drop by what happens each show?

NF: Absolutely! When I was at home watching season one, I’m thinking, “Holy crap, I can’t believe it.” And that’s only going to be more so in season two. Every episode is just loaded, and there are surprises, and it’s just intense all the way around — in a good way.

CE: Since Maggie is taking the reins, will you be in more episodes this season?

NF: Yes. There’s a lot more of Maggie in season two. You see her more frequently and — how do I say this? — a lot more of her as well. You see a lot more of Maggie. We’ll just put it simply like that.

CE: I won’t ask you to divulge any more, because as a fan of the show, I want to be surprised.

NF: I’m with you. I think you’ve got to watch and let it unfold. I think that’s the way you get the most out of it and enjoy it. When I was on the soaps, I never wanted to give away spoilers. People were always asking — not just the press, but family, too — and I’m thinking: “No, you’ve got to watch the show. If I tell you, then you ruin all the fun for yourself.” So, no, I wouldn’t want to give away any plotlines anyway, except to tell you that there’s certainly some surprises and some shocking moments. If you tune in, you’ll be entertained week after week.

CE: You’re in Tom Cruise’s movie, “Jack Reacher.” What was that experience like, and how was it to work with Tom?

NF: That was a thrill to do. To work with Tom Cruise was a blast, as you might imagine. He was an absolute gentleman. He went out of his way to be chivalrous toward me and everyone I saw him interact with on set. He was absolutely lovely. He tried to make everyone comfortable and was just an absolute pleasure on set. He did things like have the local doughnut shop come at 3 o’clock, when everybody’s ready for a nap, and here comes the local doughnut guy making freshly made doughnuts in front of you. Or he’d have the espresso guy come out. He was just very generous. It was directed by Christopher McQuarrie, who is an Academy Award winner for writing “The Usual Suspects,” which is a classic. The whole set was just tops.

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Q and A: Week of Oct. 4

Q: I love the Starz original series “Spartacus: Blood and Sand,” and I am eager to know if the series will return for a second season. I know that the show’s star, Andy Whitfield, has been battling cancer, but I heard he was on the mend. — Theresa F., Bowling Green, Ohio

A: Andy had been making terrific progress. His non-Hodgkin Lymphoma was in remission, he was back in training for “Spartacus,” and in an appearance at July’s San Diego Comic-Con, he said that he felt better than ever. However, Andy and Starz recently announced that the actor had to leave the series to immediately resume aggressive treatment for the recurrence of his cancer.


Andy said in a statement: “It’s with a deep sense of disappointment that I must step aside from such an exceptional project as ‘Spartacus’ and all the wonderful people involved. It seems that it is time for myself and my family to embark on another extraordinary journey.”


A representative for the network said the future of the series will be discussed at a later date. Starz still plans to air the show’s prequel, “Spartacus: Gods of the Arena,” in January 2011. It focuses on the House of Batiatus before Spartacus arrives in Capua, and stars returning cast members John Hannah and Lucy Lawless.

Q: My husband and I are big fans of the new cop show “The Good Guys.” It’s such a refreshing change from all the same old ones. Can you please tell us if it will be picked up for another season? — Linda M., via e-mail

A: The buddy cop show, which premiered in May on Fox, has been picked up for a second season, and has acquired fall-season status. You can catch it on Friday nights (rather than Mondays). I’m sure that its stars, Bradley Whitford and Colin Hanks, thank you for your support.




Q: I was so happy that Jane Lynch won an Emmy Award for her role as Sue Sylvestro on “Glee.” I know she is busy with that show, but does she have any other projects coming up? — Julian F., via e-mail

A: The in-demand actress — who previous to “Glee” was best known for her roles in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Best in Show” — just wrapped production on the film “Paul.” The movie is a comedy/sci-fi film that also stars Jason Bateman, Seth Rogen, Sigourney Weaver, Kristin Wiig and a ton of other megastars. Look for “Paul” in March 2011.

Q: I was flipping through channels the other afternoon, and I could have sworn I saw movie actress Sean Young on “The Young and The Restless.” Was that really her, and if so, why did she decide to do it? — Jill G., Albuquerque, N.M.

A: That was indeed the accomplished 50-year-old movie star. Sean played a featured role as Meggie McClain on the long-running hit soap opera opposite good friend Eric Braeden. She co-starred with him in the 2008 movie “The Man Who Came Back,” which also co-starred Eric’s “Titanic” co-star Billy Zane, along with Carol Alt, George Kennedy and Armand Assante. Of taking on the role of Meggie, Sean said: “Getting the chance to work with my dear friend Eric Braeden — one of the true gentlemen in entertainment — was certainly a deciding factor for me, as well as wanting to get back to work after taking a few years off to raise my kids.”

Q: David Cross is one of my favorite comedians. What has he been up to lately? — Paul F., via e-mail

A: The 46-year-old funnyman has brought his original comedy series, “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret,” to the Independent Film Channel, where it airs Friday nights. This hilarious show follows the entertaining misadventures of an American pathological liar (David) as he bluffs his way into a senior marketing job in the London office for an energy drink called ThunderMuscle. The always-hilarious Will Arnett plays his boss. To read my fun interview with David, go here.


Q: I love the HBO drama “In Treatment.” Please tell me it is coming back for a third season! — Peggy H., Columbus, Ohio

A: I’m happy to report that “In Treatment,” starring Gabriel Byrne and Dianne Wiest, will be back beginning Oct. 25. The third season also brings guest stars Debra Winger and Amy Ryan.

Q: I am so glad that TLC’s “Little People, Big World” is back on TV. However, I’ve heard that this is the final season. Is that true? I hope not — I absolutely love this show and the message of love and acceptance it provides. — David D., via e-mail

A: I am sorry to tell you, but TLC recently announced that this sixth season will be the show’s last. Stars Matt and Amy Roloff said: “The show has been an amazing and unforgettable experience for our entire family. Over the past five years we have shared the most rewarding journey that will forever be in our hearts. We will always be grateful to our TLC family, and most of all, our fans.” You can catch “Little People, Big World” Monday nights on TLC.

Q: Is there a new “Mission: Impossible” movie in the works? — Jerry F., Annapolis, Md.

A: There is, indeed. “Mission: Impossible IV” is currently in production, with an anticipated release date of Dec. 16, 2011. Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt, with “The Hurt Locker”’s Jeremy Renner on board as a young operative learning from Ethan, and Paula Patton (real-life wife of singer Robin Thicke) as Ethan’s love interest. The movie also features Jonathan Rhys Myers, Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames.

Q: A reader’s question in one of your previous columns made me want to rent “Witness,” with Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis and Lukas Haas. As I was watching it, I noticed an actor who played one of the young Amish men looked a lot like Viggo Mortensen. I couldn’t read the credits, the print was so small. — Trudy F., Hamilton, Ohio

A: That was indeed a young Viggo — his first role in a major Hollywood production. From there, he went on to land bit parts here and there, until he really made his presence known in a small but pivotal — and unforgettable — role as Lucifer in 1995’s “The Prophecy.” You know you’ve made your mark in a film when you share a scene with Christopher Walken, but all eyes are on you! He then went on to co-star in “G.I. Jane,” “28 Days” and “A Walk on the Moon” before hitting superstardom by landing the role of Aragorn in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Up next for Viggo, 51, is the role of Sigmund Freud in “A Dangerous Method.” He’s currently filming “On the Road,” the movie adaptation of the book of the same name by Jack Kerouac.

Q: I really like “The Forgotten.” There is suspense without gore, and I like the actors and characters. Will it be back? — Michael M., via e-mail

A: ABC has decided not to renew the drama starring Christian Slater due to the ever-popular reason of “low ratings.” Which is a shame, because I really liked it too.

Q: I’m a big fan of “Ice Road Truckers” on the History Channel. I am especially fascinated by Lisa, the young female driver who manages to keep up with the “big guys” and do her job as well as any of them. What can you tell me about this gal? — Bernard B., Palm Springs, Calif.

A: Lisa Kelly, 29, is in her second year of traveling on the dangerous, icy roads of “Ice Road Truckers.” The former motocross champion and pizza-delivery driver certainly can hold her own within this “good-ole-boy” occupation, but she does have to constantly prove herself to her peers. The self-proclaimed tomboy was born in Grand Rapids, Mich., and attended one semester of college at Cornerstone University until circumstances led her to driving the big rigs. She has been married to husband Traves since September 2008.

Q: I am so excited for the fall movie season to begin, as I am getting a little tired of all these high-action, shoot-’em-up summer blockbusters. Which fall movies are you most looking forward to? — Renee G., via e-mail

A: Without a doubt, No. 1 on my list is “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1,” which opens Nov. 19. I’m also looking forward to “Nowhere Boy” (Oct. 8), “RED” (Oct. 15), “The Company Men” (Oct. 22), “127 Hours” (Nov. 5), “Love and Other Drugs” (Nov. 24), “How Do You Know” (Dec. 17), “TRON: Legacy” (Dec. 17), “Somewhere” (Dec. 22) and “Blue Valentine” (Dec. 31). What movie(s) are you most looking forward to? Go to here and let your voice be heard!

Q: Has “Happy Town” been canceled on ABC? I got hooked on it with the first episode, but it has been replaced with “Castle” in the same time slot. — Josie H., via e-mail

A: Citing the reason of poor ratings, ABC canceled “Happy Town” at the beginning of the summer, despite a stellar cast that included Steven Webber and Sam Neill. ABC didn’t even let it stick around long enough to air all eight episodes on TV; the final two episodes can be watched online at ABC.com.

Q: My husband and I got hooked on “Criminal Minds” and have been watching the reruns all summer. Will the show be coming back in the fall? — Nancy G., Punta Gorda, Fla.

A: I love to be the bearer of good news, as so many of my readers’ favorite shows seem to be getting canceled these days. “Criminal Minds” is back on CBS on Wednesday nights. Also, if you just can’t get enough crime solving, midseason you can catch its spin-off, “Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior,” which is slated to star Forest Whitaker, Richard Schiff and Janeane Garofalo.

Q: I watched “The Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff” this past month on TV, and I was glad to see a lot of his old “Baywatch” co-stars there. I did notice a few absences, like David Charvet. Why didn’t he attend? — Mischa W. in Oregon

A: David and I talked about that when he was promoting his new movie, “The Perfect Teacher,” for the Lifetime Movie Network (check your local listings for days and times). He told me he was invited but chose not to attend. “I love David (Hasselhoff) and really respect him. I know these roasts can get pretty mean, and I just didn’t want to do that to him.” What a class act David is, huh?

 Q: When will my favorite show, “Grey’s Anatomy,” be back? And can you give me any teasers as to what’s going to happen? — Ingrid F., via e-mail

A: “Grey’s Anatomy” is back for its seventh season on ABC. When I recently spoke with Kim Raver, who plays Teddy Altman on the medical drama, she told me that her character gets a new love interest.


“I’m pretty sure that the triangle with Teddy, Owen and Kristina is done,” Kim explains. “And while I’m sad for Teddy, because it’s really hard for her, I’m just happy as a fan because the Owen and Kristina story has so much more to explore. I’m glad not to continue it, because otherwise it would have become redundant. It was a great way to establish Teddy. And so in the first couple of episodes you might actually see Teddy kind of having something romantic with a new person. She’s gonna try!”

Q: I have always enjoyed watching Michael J. Fox, and I wondered if he’ll be in something else soon? — Debbie K., via e-mail

A: While the actor certainly has limited the number of roles he accepts due to his Parkinson’s disease, Michael still acts here and there. Most recently he was seen as Dwight on “Rescue Me,” and he can be seen this fall in a guest appearance on CBS’ “The Good Wife.” According to CBS, he’ll play a “shrewd and cynical” lawyer who tackles Julianna Margulies’ character in a class-action lawsuit.

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