Scott's Spotlight

Maggie Grace Is Not A Tech Girl

Scott — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:15:58 +0000

Maggie Grace in her latest movie, "Taken"

Many entertainment personalities are using online platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to connect with their fans. That said, actress Maggie Grace prefers to keep her communication less high-tech.

“I don’t have any of these sites at the moment, and if there’s somebody on there under my name talking about sketchy stuff, its not me!” she jokes. “I know these technologies are a big part of a lot of my friends lives. I don’t want to malign it all, I’m just slow to catch on.”

She makes light of the fact that she likes to talk about the “good old days” even though she’s still in her twenties. “I’m one of those creepy people who is sentimental about a time they weren’t even a part of; railing that ‘people used to spend long winter nights whittling and reading by the fire and talking to each other! Honor lied in your personal reputation! The art of writing letters is gone!’ I’m so sorry, I know it’s horrifically embarrassing, but I’m still one of those. I mean, the short story became radio and then television and soon will be something else entirely, and I’ve certainly benefited there, so maybe I should be more technologically savvy!”

You can currently see Maggie on the big screen in “Taken.” For more about Maggie, check out my interview at The Trades.

Maggie’s iPod Playlist

Scott — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:05:07 +0000

Actress Maggie Grace tells me that Brett Dennen, Blonde Redhead, The Black Keys, Fleet Foxes, Deb Talan & Ray LaMontagne are just a few of the artists playing on her iPod.

What else satisfies Grace’s eclectic music palate? “Lovely old Tango my friend burned me in Argentina,” she says. “Alfred de Angelis, Nelly Omar and Maria Grana.”

Lindelof Reveals Lost Season 5 Details

Scott — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:56:16 +0000

If you’re like me, Wednesday, Jan. 21 cannot come soon enough. That’s when the much-anticipated season premiere of Lost airs on ABC. Last week, I had the chance to ask Executive Producer Damon Lindelof to define the central theme of the show’s fifth season. He promised that Lost will continue its tradition of audience engagement by leveraging the intersection of character and mythology.

“Season five’s defining focus is hopefully a marriage between mythology and character,” Lindelof told me. “Obviously, we’re moving into our end game, so there’s a lot of story to tell and a lot of mysteries to start unraveling, but it’s our hope that the center of the show remains our people.”

Photo Credit: ABC/CRAIG SJODIN

The Ravens Lose…Let’s Hope Stacy Keibler Wins

Scott — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:39:11 +0000

SAMURAI GIRL - Stacy Keibler as "Karen" in "Samurai Girl." (ABC FAMILY/EIKE SCHROTER)

Last summer, I interviewed Stacy Keibler for an article at The Trades. The former Ravens cheerleader pledged her fandom for Baltimore’s football franchise and told me she’s a season ticket holder. The boys in purple surely gave her a lot to cheer about this season, but the AFC Championship showdown belonged to the black and gold. I have to admire Stacy’s loyalty, even though my own allegiances lie with the steel city.

While she and I won’t be rooting for the same football team any time soon, I hope she enjoys continued success in front of the camera in 2009. She possesses the type of charisma and class that plays well in almost any genre. Last year, she appeared in ABC Family’s Samurai Girl. The Baltimore Sun reports she’ll now have a role in another ABC series titled In the Motherhood. The series should air sometime this spring.

On the Red Carpet with Will Smith

Scott — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:21:23 +0000

On Thursday, Nov. 20, Will Smith visited Cleveland to premiere his new movie, “Seven Pounds.” View my full report from the red carpet below.

Please periodically check out my You Tube channel. I’ll be adding more video reports, which will also appear on this blog.

Check out my article about Smith’s visit to Cleveland at The Trades.

Bond’s Torment – Scribe Robert Wade Talks “Quantum”

Scott — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:30:23 +0000

The talented writing duo of Robert Wade and Neal Purvis has become a staple of the Bond franchise. After penning “Casino Royale,” perhaps the best Bond movie in recent memory, they have high expectations to fulfill with Bond’s latest adventure.

With “Quantum of Solace” making its U.S. release today, I had a chance to ask Wade about the storytelling approach employed in this new release. He stressed that “Quantum of Solace” is a continuation of “Casino Royale” especially in terms of exploring Bond’s raw emotional state.

“There was no way [Bond] could just emerge from ‘Casino Royale’ and be smooth and unruffled off the bat in the next picture,” Wade commented. “Also, the concept of the next film being ‘part 2′ of ‘Casino’ was implicit early on in our development of ‘Casino Royale’ – both continuing Bond’s emotional journey, and learning more of the enemies ranged against him behind the scenes in ‘Casino Royale’.”

So, what was the ultimate goal from day one? “The hope was always that plot and character would develop hand in hand,” Wade said. “Ambitious, perhaps!”

Maybe, but with the likes of Robert Wade, Neal Purvis and Paul Haggis holding the storytelling reigns, ambition is likely to translate into success.

Lizzy Caplan – A Bad Robot?

Scott — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:56:48 +0000

J.J. Abrams (left) and Lizzy Caplan (right) ©Paramount Pictures

I recently spoke with actress Lizzy Caplan about her upcoming role in HBO’s True Blood.

Being that Caplan is a self-professed and outspoken fan of Lost, I asked her if she would be interested in joining the show or guest starring on it at some point.

“That’s one that’s impossible to turn down,” she said of the ABC phenomenon. “Lost is one of the most innovative shows out right now.”

Yet, Caplan acknowledged that an even more enticing opportunity would be the chance to create her own show with the backing of Lost’s creative forces. “I’d prefer to make my own stuff with the Bad Robot people,” she said.

I’m sure countless other people in the entertainment industry would say the same thing. The difference is, Caplan already caught the eye of J.J. Abrams when she was cast in “Cloverfield.” In fact, she told me that she accepted the part without even reading the script given her respect for Abrams. “I think a lot of people would agree with that [decision],” she told me. “There are a handful of other directors that, without reading anything, I would just sign on blindly for them for sure. J.J. is definitely one of them.”

Nothing is planned, but who knows if Caplan may one day appear in another Bad Robot production.

Cloverfield Actress Lizzy Caplan Talks New Media

Scott — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:32:08 +0000

Lizzy Caplan is probably best known for her role in “Cloverfield,” which documented a group of people on the run from a monster in New York City through the lens of a handheld camera. When I spoke with her for an interview at The Trades, she credited the enormous popularity of the film partly to the way in which it appeals to the “You Tube generation” (a term which she admittedly hates). “It’s a very current film,” she said. “It’s drawing on all the stuff we deal with now.”

Caplan added, “Everybody has a camera, and it’s this generational thing where everybody thinks that their videos are worth showing to the public. A lot of times, there’s a million terrible You Tube videos that are pointless.”

More importantly, Caplan expressed her opinion that “Cloverfield” reflects the capacity of citizen journalism. “I think [the movie] struck a chord with people, because if there were to be some huge, terrible disaster – whether it be a real disaster or a monster attacking the city – there would be some excellent footage. We’re prepared to document anything that happens.”

As for Caplan personally, she said she limits her use of online communication tools. “I’m not on Facebook or My Space,” Caplan told me. “I can’t really commit to something like that. I grew up in Los Angeles, so I know most of the kids I grew up with. There’s probably a group of 20 or 30 of us who have been friends since we were little kids. There is not a whole bunch of people that I really wish I kept in contact with. So, I don’t really see the point of Facebook for me. Plus, I’m also very guarded with any personal information. I don’t want people to know what I’m up to every single day.”

Texting is the new communication medium Caplan seems most enamored with. “I’m a huge text message person. I can build and sustain meaningful relationships with people over text messaging.”

Plus, she added with a laugh, “And you get dirty looks from all the people you’re with, which happens to me everyday.”

James Lesure Ventures into the Jungle

Scott — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:41:06 +0000

Following James Caan’s departure from Las Vegas, James Lesure was probably the best pure actor on the show. Now, NBC is tapping Lesure for a new role on Lipstick Jungle that his publicist describes as a “welcomed change of pace with a few surprises for viewers.”

He’ll play blunt CEO, Griffin Bell, who makes his mark by terminating Brooke Shields’ character from her job.

Having interviewed Lesure on multiple occasions, I can attest to the fact that he is not only a skilled actor but also a truly nice guy. Most recently, I spoke with him last October for an article at The Trades. At that time, he stressed the importance of imparting realism to a role. “With every script, I’m going to try to bring an element of believability and quality to the story,” he told me. “I approach every episode like that.”

You can see James in action tonight on Lipstick Jungle at 10/9c on NBC.

Chuck’s Zachary Levi Discusses the Future of Television in the Era of New Media

Scott — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:38:02 +0000

During my recent chat with Chuck star Zachary Levi for an interview at The Trades, we had a chance to discuss the role of new media and the future of television. He said, “If I had a crystal ball, it would tell me that in the next 20 years, a lot of people are going to have one box, either made by Microsoft or Apple. That box is going to download every movie, every television show, every song, every videogame, everything. It’ll be your control center, and you’ll be able to do whatever you want from it.”

Levi speculated that if his prediction comes true, it will dramatically alter the content delivery methods employed by network television. He predicted, “Chuck and other network television shows aren’t going to air Monday nights at 8:00 p.m. They’re going to be available for download Monday nights at 8:00 p.m. That’s a very strange, brave new world, but that’s what it is.”

Levi told me he’s a fan of delivering shows in this manner. “I’m all about it,” he said. “Everybody likes on-demand. Why not?”

For more about Chuck and Zachary Levi, check out these sites: