Rych McCain Hollyhood Notes

Friday, December 20, 2013

Jacob Bertrand - TV

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Jacob Bertrand - TV

By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

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Jacob Bertrand

Disney’s Next Big Superstar?

Photos Courtesy Disney

Jacob Bertrand

You know something big is cooking when the Disney XD channel has cast you for two pilots to make it a can’t loose situation. That is exactly what has happened to thirteen year old Jacob Bertrand. Only one other child actor in Disney’s history has ever been cast in two pilots simultaneously when Selena Gomez was given the honor and the smash hit “Wizards Of Waverly Place” was the result which catapulted Gomez into a teen superstar. Bertrand may be young but he is a veteran actor with a long list of TV and film work including Voice over’s for “Rise of The Guardians,” “ParaNorman,” “Tom and Jerry’s Giant Adventure” to name some. Such high expectations from the brass at Disney to place Bertrand in position to become their next bread and butter star is an awful heavy weighted situation to place on a thirteen year-old.

How is he handling it? Bertrand is very upbeat and responds, “Yeah, the pressure can sometimes get to you but I don’t know. I look at it more as a fun time. I love acting so it’s not really that much like oh my gosh I have to turn in perfect. Deep thoughts like that do get to my head but it’s not so overwhelming that it’s kind of dyslexic. It’s a lot of fun.”

Halo Awards Red Carpet

Did the Disney execs give him some kind of guidelines of what they expected so he knew what he needed to do once he got in there? Bertrand explained, “The Disney Execs are all super-super awesome. They said just keep doing what you’ve been doing. We love how you play the characters. Just be who you are.” Bertrand has already shot both pilots and enjoyed them. He beams as he says, “They’re both so different and they’re both such great pilots. They are so well written. I love both of the characters and I’m excited for which ever one they pick up. I just cross my fingers. They were so much fun to film and the cast for each one was really, really cool.”

From Marvin Marvin

How does Bertrand’s family react to the Disney superstar talk? He laughs, “All of my siblings; my younger brother and my older sister have been acting for a long time. I’ve been with the Osbrink Agency for ten years. We all kind of have our own things going and they definitely don’t even see me as a (superstar).” Now we all know of the Disney child stars who became older and went off the deep end lifestyle wise for the worst. Is there a gameplan for that? Bertrand beams with pride saying, “Yeah, my parents, I would call them strict parents because I’m usually the one that almost doesn’t get to maybe go to the sleep over because I have a test the next day. They are super tight about my grades, the roles I play and their big things are focused on acting and school. They are just super, duper tight about that stuff and that’s kind of like all of my family is. We’re very outdoors. We love to go on hikes. It’s rare that we are inside with video games.”

Off set Bertrand love to go mountain biking with his brother and dad. He also plays basketball in a city sponsored league and loves soccer as well. His favorite color is blue and he loves brussel sprouts and broccoli with cheese, sushi, pizza and salmon. Hype or not, Bertrand is a young man who definitely on his way.

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Thursday, December 19, 2013

RJ2Goldie - Music

Posted by Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

RJ2 Goldie

Back by popular demand RJ2Goldie, Thee Rick James Tribute Show returns to House Of Blues for a Christmas Holiday Concert.

You are invited to a night of pure excitement as RJ2Goldie performs a Tribute to Thee Rick James on Friday, December 20^th 2013 9:30pm at House Of Blues Los Angeles Foundation Room. The House Of Blues Los Angeles is located at 8430 Sunset Blvd West Hollywood, California 90069. You must be 21 or older as well as follow House Of Blues Dress Code & Rules, please bring printed copy of ticket receipt to Will Call THANKS!

Enjoy the 12 piece band with musicians who’ve played & recorded with both Rick James & Teena Marie. Fans will also be celebrating the Holiday Season Friday, continuing the legacy of the King of Punk Funk’s contribution to Soul, R&B, Pop & Rock music. All Super Freaks will have another chance to dance. Please Forward To Friends. C U There!

10% To Be Donated To Philippines Typhoon Haiyan Relief

For Tickets: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=C579SGEUJP7LU

For More Information: http://www.rj2goldie.com/

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Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Palm Springs International Film Festival 2014 - Announcement

By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

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VARIETY TO HONOR JOHN LEE HANCOCK, JONAH HILL AND
“10 DIRECTORS TO WATCH” AT 2014 PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

John Lee Hancock Film Director

John Lee Hancock to Receive the Variety Creative Impact in Directing Award, presented by Mercedes-Benz.

Jonah Hill Actor

Jonah Hill to receive the Variety Creative Impact in Acting Award, presented by Mercedes-Benz.

Variety will present director John Lee Hancock with the Creative Impact in Directing Award, presented by Mercedes-Benz, which celebrates the filmmaker for his outstanding contributions to the art and business of cinema, notably his work in directing the upcoming “Saving Mr. Banks.” Additionally, Variety will honor Jonah Hill with the Creative Impact in Acting Award, presented by Mercedes-Benz for his scope of work ranging from his comedic performances and more dramatic fare such as his Academy Award^® nominated role in “Moneyball” to the upcoming highly-anticipated Scorsese film “The Wolf of Wall Street.” The event will take place on Sunday, January 5 during the Palm Springs International Film Festival on the Palm Court at the Parker Palm Springs.

“2013 will be remembered as one of American cinema’s most exciting years and contributing tremendously to that excitement are the contributions of “Saving Mr. Banks” director John Lee Hancock and “The Wolf of Wall Street” actor Jonah Hill. In addition to their successes this year, both Hancock and Hill have rich bodies of work to celebrate and both exemplify the continuing creative vitality and artistic risk-taking of American film at its best,” said Steve Gaydos, Executive Editor at Variety.

Previous recipients have included David O. Russell, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlize Theron and Mark Wahlberg.

“10 Directors to Watch”

“10 Directors to Watch” debuted in 1996 and the annual event moved to the Palm Springs International Film Festival in January 2011. “10 Directors to Watch” was the first of Variety’s “10 to Watch” series spotlighting the most exciting new talents in the fields of directing, writing, producing, acting, cinematography and comedy. This year’s “10 Directors to Watch” include: Amma Asante (“Belle”), Clio Barnard (“The Selfish Giant”), Anthony Chen (“Ilo, Ilo), Paul Duane (“Very Extremely Dangerous”), Ben Falcone (“Tammy”), Maya Forbes (“Infinitely Polar Bear”), Aron Gaudet & Gita Pullapilly (“Beneath the Harvest Sky”), Dome Karukoski (“Heart of a Lion”), Justin Simien (“Dear White People”), Gren Wells (“The Road Within”).

Past “10 Directors to Watch” honorees have included Ben Affleck (“Gone Baby Gone”), Wes Anderson (“Bottle Rocket”), Scott Cooper (“Crazy Heart”), Marc Webb (“500 Days of Summer”), Christopher Nolan (“Memento”), Sam Taylor Wood (“Nowhere Boy”) and Benh Zeitlin (“Beasts of the Southern Wild”), among others.

Palm Springs International Film Festival Director Darryl Macdonald stated, “Ten striking new talents with exceptional storytelling gifts, one consummately gifted established director with an adroit ability to evoke superb performances from his actors, and that rare thing: a fast-rising actor who's as adept at doing comedy as he is at handling drama. This is a heady combination, and one that I hope reflects the mix of emerging talent and masters of their craft that the Palm Springs Festival itself has come to represent. We're delighted to again be hosting Variety's ‘10 Directors to Watch’ event at the Festival, and congratulate all of the winners on being selected for these prestigious honors.”

“We are thrilled to be kicking off our 25^th Anniversary with Variety's ‘10 Directors to Watch’ event at the Parker on our opening weekend,” said Festival Artistic Director Helen Du Toit. “And we are doubly delighted by the synergy of our shared commitment to celebrating the best of international cinema and spotlighting exciting new talent from around the globe.”

The event will be presented by Mercedes-Benz with venue partner the Parker Palm Springs.

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Friday, November 29, 2013

Sydney Park - TV

By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

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Sydney Park

Adding The Razzle As Gabby On “Instant Mom!”

Photos Courtesy Of Nike At Nite


The Cast of "Instant Mom" L-R: Sydney Park, Michael Boatman, Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Damarr Calhoun, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Tylen Jacob Williams.

Entering show business at a very young age is a tricky proposition at best. Most children who do it are either pushed into it by one or both parents who believe their little adorable “poopsy-woopsy” is the cat’s meow and the world anxiously awaits their debut on the big or little screen with baited breath. The other kind is that special breed of child who actually has the talent that it takes and bothers mom and dad to get them in. They are the ones who basically make it while the former mentioned children generally fall by the way side because they didn’t have what it takes and their parents wanted it -- not them!

Sydney Parks as Gaabby

Philadelphia native Sydney Park got her start in the biz extremely early. She was born to a Korean American father and African American mother. The family relocated to Los Angeles and at the tender age of six, Park became the youngest comedian to grace the stage of the world famous Hollywood Improv. While auditioning for "America's Got Talent" at the age of seven, she was seen by Disney execs and asked to appear on its top rated sitcom That's So Raven where she did three episodes of the show's fourth and final season. As an eight year old in 2006, Park performed her comic standup routine on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Tom Joyner Show as comedian Syd The Kid. Park is currently a cast regular starring as the step daughter Gabby on the sitcom “Instant Mom” starring Tia Mowry Hardrict as her step mom Stephanie for the “Nick At Nite” Nickelodeon Channel.

It may be interesting to note that Park’s birthday is October 31^st AKA Halloween! What’s it like having Halloween for a birthday? Park has to think this one out and says, “You know, I have such a crazy, big personality so a lot of people that I meet say when is your birthday and I say Halloween and they say that makes sense. It’s a great birthday, it’s so cool, it’s fun.”

Scene in the kitchen w/Gabby on the right

Now we switch to the topic of her character Gabby. Park lights up; “She’s always very, very sassy and has a funky sense of style. She’s like 14 going on 20 so she’s super head strong and she is the oldest in the family with two younger brothers. The have their own little things but Gabby is the teenager and she gets the brunt of all the issues. It’s never in between with Gabby. Either she is really cool with you or she’s really upset. She’s a fun character because I feel every teenager can relate to her. She is also sophisticated and she gets really good grades in school but she is also goofy and fun.”

Does Park like the name Gabby? She smiles, “I think it’s a cute name and I really couldn’t picture another name for my character if that makes sense. It works for her because you have Gabrielle, the sophisticated side of her and you have Gabby the sassy, funky teenager so I think it works.” Parks is quick to add that she has a great relationship with her TV parents i.e, dad Charlie (Michael Boatman), mom Stephanie (Tia Mowry-Hardrict), grand mother (Cheryl Lee Ralph), younger brothers James (Tylen Jacob Williams) and Aaron Damarr Calhoun.

So how does a 16yr-old under the glare and lights of Hollywood keep grounded? Park explains, “It really falls on the parents because they have to make sure their child is grounded and have to make sure of who they hang out with. That is like the number one thing. The people who surround you can either get you into some trouble or really help you along the way and be supportive and positive influence in you life. It’s really about who you associate yourself with, who your friends are. I don’t have a whole lot of actor friends because I’ve been in school my whole life and it kind of keeps me grounded by keeping me in the middle.”