Shirley MacLaine - Movie

Shirley MacLaine

 The Acting Brilliance Continues!

 By Rych McCain, International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

Shirley MacLaine (Photo: Millennium Films)

     To the older generation of movie fans, she is a highly respected icon in show business. For the younger fans and fellow actors, she is one of the most respected models of how the game is played. Shirley MacLaine has the kind of track record and laurels that few actors achieve in a career. She has excelled on every level doing it all i.e., stage, film, TV and writing best selling books. MacLaine has been nominated five times for an Academy Award® and hit pay dirt snagging the “Best Actress Oscar® in 1983 for “Terms of Endearment.” With her latest role, MacLaine brilliantly portrays the real life, late 81 year-old, millionaire widower Marjorie Nugent in the movie “Bernie.” 

 

     “Bernie” is a film based on the true story of assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede in the small town of Carthage, Texas. Tiede befriended Nugent and became so close to her that he managed all of her business and banking affairs which included them taking expensive trips around the world together. Nugent’s late husband was the town’s most successful banker and left her a fortune after he died. However, Nugent was the most hated woman in town. Her own family refused to communicate with her so Tiede was all she had. Eventually, Nugent’s strangled hold, increasing demands on Tiede to wait on her hand and foot 24/7 overwhelmed him to the point that his dark side came out and he shot her in the back four times killing her in 1996. After Nugent went missing for several months, the police found her body in a freezer in her garage. Tiede who was homosexual confessed to the murder in 1997. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

     When asked about what she had heard about the real life Marjorie Nugent before playing her MacLaine states flatly, “I just heard from whomever I met during the filming, they truly hated her. Everybody thought she was the biggest bitch on the planet and were frankly so glad she went. Which is all the stuff that makes comedy for me. This included her nephew and sister. You would think the closer you got to the deceased it would get better but it got worst.” MacLaine paused then added a quick verbal jab, “Maybe because they were talking to me they weren’t sure she was dead.”  Did Marjorie know what Bernie was up to all along in terms of getting on her good side to tap her money? MacLaine analyzed with her opinion, “I think she did. I think she knew it and accepted it. Being so hated gives you some kind of a sophisticated outlook on human behavior and I think she knew he would do anything to be loved. But she had never felt that kind of emotion. Nobody had ever put it out like that to her. So I think she understood, accepted it and it puts her in control if she is financing it. So they went around the world having a good time long as he stayed within her clutches."

Shirley MacLaine & Jack Black (Millennium Films Photo)

     MacLaine also stresses, “To me it was as much about money than anything else and I think because she was financing him she felt she also owned every single sentence and hour of his time. And frankly, anybody would have killed her if she had acted like that and it didn’t have to be just him. But when you have that combined with a person who needs to be loved more and adored and celebrated as the adored one more than anything else, it’s a perfect combination for friendship.” What was her experience working opposite funnyman, master actor Jack Black? MacLaine lights up, “First, I loved getting up at 5 in the morning which I hate, to go and know I was going to speak and be with him all day. I think he should get a nomination, I really do. I thought he was going to be chew up the scenery and be all of that stuff no, he can really act. So I thought to myself hum, this is going to be interesting all day long to work with this guy who is really a mini genius.” When asked about why she chooses the roles of difficult women, MacLaine laughs, “I just love to be impossible.”

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Kenny Chesney - Music

Surprise-Filled Kick-Off For The 'Brothers of the Sun' Tour, With Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, in Tampa, FL

Rych McCain, International/Nationally Syndicated Entrainment  Columnist

Kenny Chesney on stage In Tampa

      With spirits high and the amps cranked up, a packed stadium of fans witnessed the momentous kick-off to the 'Brothers of the Sun' Tour, with Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, Saturday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. With a monstrous stage production, scorching takes on hits new and old, and an encore by Chesney and McGraw featuring classics from both superstars, the Tampa kick-off proved why the 'Brothers of the Sun' Tour has been dubbed "the 'Watch The Throne'...of country music concerts" (Chicago Tribune).

      Rising from an elevator midfield and floating to the stage on a swing, Chesney began his set with a trio of smash hits that mirrored the crowd's celebratory mood - "Beer in Mexico," "Keg in the Closet," and "Summertime." He continued with the live return of "What I Need To Do" and "On The Coast of Somewhere Beautiful" which did not appear on any setlists in 2011, and a stirring rendition of his latest single "Come Over," from his upcoming album 'Welcome To The Fishbowl' (June 19).
"I have to tell you what a fitting place Tampa is for us to start the Brothers of the Sun Tour!" Chesney said. "...here, it's always summertime."

Chesney rises from mid-field in RJ Stadium, Tampa Photo by Jill Trunnell

     Tim McGraw commanded the packed stadium with back-to-back hits including "Felt Good On My Lips," "Real Good Man," "I Like It, I Love It" and "Live Like You Were Dying." The GRAMMY winner also previewed several highly-anticipated new songs with the feel good "Mexicoma" and the high energy show-stopper "Truck Yeah." Backstage before the show, McGraw met and spent time with the first recipients of his Home Front program, which awards a mortgage free home to injured service members at each tour stop this summer.

      The nearly seven-hour show began with sets from rising stars Jake Owen and Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. Potter was welcomed to the stage during Chesney's set to perform an emotional version of their GRAMMY-nominated platinum duet "You & Tequila," followed by a birthday celebration for Nocturnals drummer Matt Burr. Sports fans in the crowd received a special surprise as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' new star tight end Dallas Clark joined Chesney onstage during the set-closing "The Boys of Fall." The party was up and running backstage, too, with sports-world superstars Jon Gruden, Steve Spurrier, Dallas Clark, and Kirk Herbstreit enjoying the perfect Florida sun.
  
     Excitement for the all-day party, that "some are calling...country music’s biggest tour ever" (AP), reached a fever pitch as McGraw joined Chesney onstage for an electrifying 30-minute encore that kicked off with their duet "Feel Like a Rock Star." The set continued with "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy," McGraw's "Indian Outlaw" and "Refried Dreams," and a cover of Jackson Browne's "Running On Empty," with Grace Potter and Jake Owen, that sent the crowd home feeling anything but.

      The 'Brothers of the Sun' Tour, with Chesney and McGraw visits the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA tonight. Next weekend, the "heartland rocking madness (Dallas Morning News)" will descend upon Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, TX and Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO.

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Michael Ealy - TV/Movie

Michael Ealy

Burning Up The Big And Little Screens!

By Rych McCain, International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

Michael Ealy (Photo Courtesy of Sony Pictures)

         Being a steady working actor in Hollywood is a feat in itself and trying to light a flame in one area be it television or film to establish oneself can also be a monumental task. When an actor can manage to set a brightly burning flame in both mediums i.e., TV & movie simultaneously; that is a delicious situation indeed. Michael Ealy has firmly managed to glide between the big and small screens in a fashion that keeps him on top of the game. He is currently starring in the run away, smash hit movie “Think Like A Man” as the aspiring chief Dominic who just can’t seem to get it all together and has a co-lead role as police officer Travis Marks on the USA Network cop drama “Common Law.” Ealy has several television series as a cast regular under his belt including “The Good wife,” “Sleeper Cell” and others. His big screen credits include “Barber Shop,” “Takers,” “For Colored Girls,” “Miracle At St. Anna” to name some.

     In his “Common Law” role as police officer Travis Marks who can’t stand his partner Wes Mitchell played by Warren Kole, Ealy explains, “It’s going to air over the summer on USA. Basically it is an action comedy about these two detectives who; while they do really well to solve crimes; they bicker and fight about a lot of little things at seven years into their relationship so their Captain forces them to go into to couples therapy which instantly creates a whole different layer to the cop show genre. All of a sudden the relationship is somewhat exposed and issues and demons come out and those themes run out like a chorus throughout every episode.”

     Of course, Ealy always puts the “Ealy” spin on everything he does. What was his impression when he first read the script? He laughs, “For me, my character Travis, I thought, was a nice blend of Axel Foley and John McClainYou know what I mean? Like he’s brave but reckless, a little bit of a con man, borderline criminal but so much fun to play. I was looking for a television show. I was looking to have some fun and not do something so heavy because it’s hard times and you just don’t want to go to work everyday and have the weight of the world on your shoulders. So this was a perfect opportunity for me to do that.”

     Ealy has compiled an impressive body of work with various themes so does this dictate a particular direction for his career to go? He ponders, “Yes and no. What has happened is that I’ve been pretty consistent with the drama. I’ve done a lot of drama. “Miracle” (reference to “Miracle At St. Anna”), started to break me out of that a little bit. Then I did a bunch of action in “Takers.” I just started wanting to get into comedy with this show. When I read this script I thought this would be good for me to start jumping into the comedy part of my career. Because I’ve never really been asked to do any comedy, people don’t think I’m funny. I had to audition three times to show people that I can make them laugh so it was just a next kind of logical step. At the end of the day I want to have a very diverse body of work. I really do and to me action, comedy, drama, I’m doing them all!”

Mike Ealy & Taraji P. Henson heat it up (Sony Pictures Photo)

 

     Of course Ealy has long been the object of the ladies admiration and affection. Is the sex symbol thing sill rearing its head every now and then? Ealy blushes a bit and says, “I’m sure it is but you know what, if I can keep working with it, then I will. Listen, I know who I am, I know where I’m from. If that’s what other people want to put on me, that’s a good title to have if you ask me.”

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Jennifer Lopez - Film

Jennifer Lopez

Explores Adoptive Motherhood In Latest Role!

By Rych McCain, International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

     In 1985, Heidi Murkoff wrote a book titled “What To Expect When You’re Expecting” that became a New York Times bestseller. It was named one of the USA Today’s most influential books of the past 25 years and is now the first book in a series that has sold 35 million copies Worldwide. It’s no small wonder that a book of that magnitude would end up on the big silver screen as a major feature film. The movie focuses on five couples who are experiencing the roller-coaster nuances of being expected parents in situations that are common in general.   It also begs the question that the cast would have to be young, sexy, interesting and exciting. The producers and casting personnel on this project hit the nail on the head by selecting a stellar cast. Amongst those actors leading the film to glory is showbiz vet Jennifer Lopez or “JLo” as her music fans like to refer to her.

Jennifer Lopez (Photo by Melissa Moseley for Liongate)

      In reference to the book, Lopez says, “The book is amazing, which is why it’s so popular. It tells you exactly, week to week, what’s happening to you in the moment. I think women, by nature, when we’re pregnant, are so worried that everything’s going to go okay. And here you have this book saying, ‘this is supposed to be happening, don’t worry, you’re supposed to feel like this.’ I think the movie does the exact same thing. It reassures you by telling five totally different stories about being pregnant and making you laugh.”  Lopez plays Holly who is married to Alex (played by Rodrigo Santoro. Having no children allows them the freedom to romp as they please. Lopez notes, “Holly and Alex have a lot of fun together. He’s into music and she’s into her professional photography. They’ve been married for a while but their relationship has been mostly based on having a good time. There needs to be a transition into growing up, becoming a family and really getting serious about their lives.” The only problem is that Holly can’t have children.

      Lopez enjoyed the role because she said, “As Holly, I was able to explore the intense pressure that many modern women, who have their own careers and tend to have children later in life, experience with regard to having a family. Holly lives with a tremendous guilt for not being able to do certain things and one of them is the fact that she can’t have a baby.” In the movie the couple ends up going to Ethiopia to adopt an orphan infant son. Did Lopez arrive at a different view of adoption as a result of her role? She smiles, “It’s funny, before the movie, I never really thought about adoption at all. Once I had my own baby, I was just so focused on that. It took me a while to have my own. But during the making of the film when I held those two little Ethiopian twins, you fall in love instantly and it really occurred to me. I can see how somebody can do this. How it is so easy to embrace a child who has nothing. It’s really a beautiful, selfless act of love. You go OK, I understand these feelings, I get this, I know how this happens.” 

     Did the movie mirror any aspects of Lopez’s life as a real mother? She laughs, “Fist, all you really do care about is not messing up the baby part. I just want them to be OK so that comes first for me and everything else just kind of falls in line after that..That’s kind of my philosophy. So long as that’s kind of working in the right way, then I can dedicate whatever time I need to dedicate to my career. I just take it one day at a time. I have a lot of help. I have a lot of great people in my life who help in all those areas at work and at home. I have a great family and all together we do it. It takes a village.”

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John Cusack - Film

John Cusack

Delivers An Oscar Worthy Portrait Of Poe!

By Rych McCain, International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

     Any middle or high school student who has taken American literature has at one time or another been made to read and decipher the short stories and poems of the early 19^th century poet/author Edgar Allan Poe. The new Relativity Media Films movie “The Raven” is titled after Poe’s most famous poem of the same title. Poe was born in Boston in 1809. After getting himself kicked out of West Point via court-martialed because he couldn’t relate to it, he spent most of his life barely making ends meet while drifting through a string of editorial jobs at various periodicals where he began to write poetry, articles, short stories and one novel. Except for the 1845 publishing of “The Raven,” which met with great success via The Evening Mirror for which Poe was paid a whopping $9 dollars; fame as a writer eluded him for most of his life and didn’t actually come until years after his death.

John Cusack  (Photo Courtesy of Relativity Media Films)

     The story of Poe and his most noted writings have been the subject of many books, articles, Films and TV shows. In this latest film version, actor extraordinaire, John Cusack brings Poe to life via a very convening portrayal. Cusack’s brilliant but haunting delivery of Poe’s personal conflicts coupled with his career and survival struggles that he dealt with all the way to the grave is without question one of the first film performances of this year truly worthy of an Oscar® nomination for “Best Actor” when the awards season returns for 2013! Even though Cusack is one of the few actors who totally shuns the Hollywood notoriety, he may be forced to duck and dodge the rays of its spotlight should the Oscar® talk whip up to frenzy level at year’s end.

     When asked about the dynamics of his getting a 19^th century figure down who was shrouded in so much mystery with many questions unanswered, Cusack responds, “I think the script was terrific. James (the director) and I went through it with the writers and some people and tried to pull as much of Poe’s own dialogue as we could from his letters and his novels. So that we put that cadence and idiom into the structure of this genre story which is basically kind of a Poe story where Poe becomes a character in one of his own story’s. So you have Poe deconstructing Poe. Even though it is fantasy, I was probably a little bit obsessed and drove James crazy saying yeah, Poe said this and Poe said that. I was always trying to use his own vernacular and his own words as much as I could in a fictional setting. We were trying to square that circle in a way. There are volumes and volumes of his thoughts on his writings. He wasn’t shy about his personal memoirs.

     What were the elements of this project that made it appealing other than the obvious things? Cusack lights up, “Working with James is a big deal for me because I think he is a talented film maker and he’s got a big mind with a great capacity and I really wanted to work with him. I thought as an actor playing Poe and trying to get under the skin of this very, very complex genius would be great challenge and opportunity. I think any actor would want to play him so I was just up for it 100 percent.” After the study, preparation and finally portrayal of the man, what was Cusack’s opinion of Poe? He reflects, “I think he was a perpetual orphan of the world. His feelings of abandonment and loneliness from losing his mother, step mother and wife I think made him feel like the orphan of the world. He was a genius, kind of a bastard, he was a rogue; he was all of the things that you think of him naturally like inward looking and melancholy. He was a wonderer and a blasted soul and I think everybody can relate to that.” 

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Kerry Washington - TV

Kerry Washington

Cracking The Clean Up Whip With Sass And Class!

By Rych McCain, International/Nationally Entertainment Columnist

Kerry Washington (Photo by Richard Cartwright for ABC-TV)

     The new ABC-TV Network Drama Series “Scandal” is based off of the real life exploits of Judy Smith, an African American attorney with a legal and public relations background. Smith has served as an Assistant United States Attorney and Special Counsel to the US Attorney of The District of Columbia as well as being appointed as Special Assistant and Deputy Press Secretary to President George H.W. Bush. Her distinguished professional track record and experience in both the legal and PR field equipped her to hone her God given talent to “fix” sticky political situations. She started Smith & Company, a Strategic and Crisis Communications Firm and has handled major clients, corporations and foreign governments who had messy situations that needed cleaning up. In “Scandal,” Smith is portrayed as Olivia Pope played by sexy, sassy and classy Kerry Washington.

     The show was created by another African American sistah, super writer/producer Shonda Rhimes who also wrote and created “Gray’s Anatomy” and “Private Practice.” The real life Judy Smith is an attractive, no-nonsense, sexy lady with brains, wit, class and style so it was a natural that Washington got the part because she personifies all of those same qualities. Washington is a native New Yorker from The Bronx and received her BA degree in Theater from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She has an impressive array of TV, Film and Broadway credits under her belt and is considered to be one of the sexiest, in-demand actresses in tinsel town. “Scandal” airs on ABC, Thursdays 10/9 C and is destine to be a major hit!

     How did Washington land the lead role of such an unusual show? She explains, “The script was sent to me by my agent but I really wasn’t looking to do a television show at the time but I fell in love with the writing and with the world of the show and with the complexity of the character.” How much has Washington conferred with the real Judy smith? She lights up, “I’ve actually spent quite of bit of time with her. She’s a producer on the show and she’s very hands-on. My research is really important to me when I’m developing a character and working on material. So I’ve spent a lot of time with Judy and talked with her about the brain of a crisis manager, how to think strategically and her perspective, her own ethical line and how she draws them. You know, all of that kind of stuff.”

     The on screen Olivia Pope is tough as nails. Is the real Judy as mean in real life? Washington laughs, “Judy is not but it’s debatable whether Olivia is. If you really look at every moment that she’s been very firm with somebody, it’s been for their own best interest. She hasn’t been cool. She’s been honest with people about the consequences that are possible if they don’t approach a situation in a way that she thinks is best and smartest. She’s not a cool person.” It is indeed a rare occasion when an African American stars in their own major network show and it is NOT a comedy! Does Washington feel like a TV historical pioneer or trailblazer breaking this kind of ground? She is very modest and replies, “You know me. I just really just try to stay focused on the work of it and not think too much of that kind of stuff. I really don’t have control over any of those kinds of details. I just try to stay focus on what I can have an impact on which is the work itself.”

     “Scandal” is on course to make Olivia Pope very popular. Is Washington prepared to be known as Olivia for life? She laughs again, “I’ve really been blessed. I’ve had a great career. I just want to be able to play lots of different roles and lots of different people. I’m happy to play Olivia Pope for as long as the public will let me, for as long as the people support the show. But I’m also thrilled that this opportunity to play her comes after a career where I’ve already had the honor and privilege to establish myself in a range of roles already. So I’m really thrilled to add this character to my resume and to my life experience.”

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Cierra Ramirez - Film

Cierra Ramirez

Hollywood Teen In Progress To Succeed!

By Rych McCain, International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

Cierra Ramirez (Photo Courtesy of Lionsgate Films)

      Starting young in show business is a daunting task. The chase for success is formidable enough for an adult, let alone a child. But there are those exceptions that have the metal it takes to weather the game’s challenges. Seventeen year-old, Houston native Cierra Ramirez has been at it since she was seven. Ramirez wowed the crowd as a ten year-old on “Live At The Apollo” belting the Jennifer Holiday tune “I Am Changing.” And as expected, Ramirez made her way to Hollywood landing appearances on TV in “Desperate Housewives,” “Zoey 101” and “CSI: Miami.” She played the lead role as Stella in the Nickelodeon TV movie “Star and Stella Save The World” and made her feature film debut in “All In” opposite Dominique Swain and Michael Madsen. Remirez may best be known as Jasmine on the Disney Channel’s “The Sweet Life of Zack and Cody.” As a singer, she has opened for “Earth, Wind and Fire,” “Chicago,” “ American Idol” alums Ruben Studdard, Kimberly Coldwell and Ace Young. 

(L) Eva Mendez (R) Cierra Ramirez (Lionsgate Films Photo)

     With her latest role in the new movie “Girl In Progress,” Ramirez stars as Ansiedad, the disgruntled only child of Grace played by Eva Mendes. This role not only allows Remirez to showcase her wide acting range but will also establish her as a legit lead actress contender. Her cutie-pie looks also place her in the teen superstar class with her peers Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift and others. What were the drawing points of the Ansiedad character for Ramirez? She smiles, “What drew me into this character was definitely the transition that she goes through all the way from good girl to bad girl. She goes through everything in between. I thought that was a lot of fun because you don’t come across many roles like that. And the fact that through all of it over everything, it was all just for the love of her mother. I think that was very important.”

     In the movie Ansiedad maps out an entire, organized life experience gameplan on a wall stick-up board in her bedroom. Would Ramirez do something like that in real life? She giggles at the prospect saying, “I’m not as intelligent as her like in that sense. I would never think about mapping out a whole coming of age story I couldn’t just bring it down to a couple of oh I need to change this, oh I need to change that, I just kind of ride the wave of growing up. I’m not in a rush to grow up.” Being a co-lead in a major movie will definitely catch the attention of girls her age and younger which may draw the attention of the role model spotlight being pointed her way. How does Ramirez react to the prospect of being placed in that position? She reflects seriously on this one; “I’ve never been looked to I think as a role model or at least this far into my career. But I don’t know how I feel about that because I don’t think I’m in any position to guide someone on how to grow up because I’m still learning myself.”

     Does her philosophical views even at such a young age influence the type of roles that she favors? Ramirez lights up, “I really like stories with messages and making people aware of certain things no matter what. I booked a series “The Secret Life Of The American Teenager” and the character is 15 and pregnant. It’s something that not many people would approve of but it’s something that is a big problem here and it’s common. So I think it’s great to spread awareness.” 

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