Rych McCain Hollyhood Notes

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Luke Youngblood - TV

(C) 2015 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws.

Luke Youngblood - TV

By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist
www.twitter.com/rychmccain and Facebook (Like Me)
Photos by Bobby Quillard Photography and ABC-TV

Luke Youngblood

Stars In Musical Comedy Galavant

Luke Youngblood

ABC-TV has launched a new four part series titled “Galavant” It is a musical comedy featuring the music of Oscar winning composer Alan Menken. The series stared airing Sunday, January 4^th and will continue for the next three weeks. One of the principal cast members is Luke Youngblood a British actor who has made major strides in film, TV and stage on both sides of the pond. Youngblood trained and graduated from The Sylvia Young Theatre School in London and went on to book meaty film roles including playing Lee Jordan in the “Harry Potter” blockbusters film series and “Ladybird.” Youngblood has appeared on theater stages in London in productions of the musicals “Oliver” and “The Lion King.” Youngblood’s largest British popularity was spanned by his role as Ben in the CBBC's “The Story of Tracy Beaker,” which was nominated for "Best Children's Drama" at the Children's BAFTA's four years in a row. He is currently appearing in season five of the NBC-TV series “Community.”

By the looks of things over the past couple of years it seems like Youngblood has been having a pretty fun time of it so far. He responds to that comment saying, “You know what, I have been so blessed. This journey as an amazing career so far has just been enjoyable. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. I’ve been so lucky to be part of the privilege and yes it is enjoyment every moment.” Do Britt actors make it their goal to find success in American cinema, stage and TV or is that something that just comes with the territory? Youngblood laughs and says, “I think it’s a bit of both. Being a Black actor from the U.K., it can be quite limiting as to what is available to us. So coming to America there is a lot more opportunity between the different variety of TV shows and movies that we can potentially be involved with so I think it is kind of a fact of that dream really that everything is bigger. It’s not that the quality of work is not there back home, it’s just not enough of it.”

Karen David as Isabella Luke Youngblood as Sid

What are the differences between the American and British audiences according to Youngblood’s experiences? He explains, “The American audiences are a lot more kind of willing, wanting it to be amazing and are very responsive. If it is funny they are going to laugh as loud as they want to and when the film finishes, if it is a great movie they’re going to clap. In England I think people tend to be a lot more reserved. It doesn’t mean to say that they don’t enjoy the experience of going to the cinema or watching something on TV they are a bit more calm when it comes to that form of entertainment. If there is a concert now, that is a completely different story. The audiences out here (USA) really kind of get sucked into the weld of what they are being shown and that’s really great. That is refreshing because when you work on something for so long you want it to be well received.”

L-R Luke Youngblood, Joshua Sasse, Dan Fogelman (writer/creator), Timothy Omundson and Karen David

The series “Galavant” is a medieval musical comedy. If you are of African descent, the words “medieval comedy” doesn’t jibe because that time period wasn’t a good era if you were Black. So what did Youngblood think when he got the script? He laughs, “When I got the script, on the from page it said written by Dan Fogelman and knowing Dan’s work , it’s pretty much any actor’s dream for to be an addition of such a visionary creator so automatically I wanted to be a part of it.” As far as racial stereotypes etc., Youngblood praises Fogelman’s crafting of the script explaining, “Dan kind of seen beyond those i.e., the race thing doesn’t come into it. The cast is so diverse and I think that is something that not only America but the rest of the world needs to see because that is the type of world in which we live.”

(You DID Hear It From Me!)

Twitter@rychmccain and Facebook (Like Me)!

Thursday, December 25, 2014

DJ Young 1 - Stage

(C) 2014 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws.

DJ Young 1 - Stage

By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

www.twitter.com/rychmccain and Facebook (Like Me)

Photos by Catherine Plein

DJ Young 1

Smoking the 1’s And 2’s!

We have been able to present some very smart, talented and gifted children and teen performers in the business through this column over the years such as KeKe Palmer, Chloe Grace Moretz, Zendaya Coleman, China Anne McClain and Caroline Sunshine to name some and I never cease to be amazed when another one comes along. They are far and few between because most youngsters don’t have a clue what their life’s calling is or might be. Most adults have no clue either.

DJ Young 1 (Nhandi Craig)

Well 12 year-old Nhandi Craig PKA DJ Young 1 has never had a “What-Am-I-Going-To-Do” dilemma in her life. She knew almost from birth that she would be involved with music in some kind of way. Becoming a DJ proved to be that way. At age ten Craig became the youngest to graduate from The Scratch DJ Academy in Los Angeles which was founded by the late Jam Master Jay of Run DMC fame. She has gone on the work the wheels of steel at many parties, social and music industry functions.

DJ Young 1 on set with Queen Latifah (Ellen Craig photo)

Last spring Craig had the opportunity of a life time when she DJ’ed at The White House’s Annual Easter Egg Roll where she met President Barack Obama and family. She also appeared on The Queen Latifah Show as guest house DJ and was the in house DJ at The Grammys Gifting Suites. Other name events where she has plied her turntable skills include the annual NAMM Show, the Charivari Music Festival in Detroit and clubs too numerous to name. When asked about the uniqueness of her skills and how she navigates her way around the turntables Craig explains, “It’s all about the rhythm in your hands. You also need to know how to scratch, mix and be hyped. That’s all there is to it. Music is just in my blood and it is such a passion so I wanted to take it a different way. Actually I never, ever expected this until I was around nine that this would happen.”

How did Craig get into DJ’ing so young? She says, “My mom encouraged me to do it. This all started based off of music. Like if you put DJ’ing on the side, you would still see me listening to music. It’s the number one thing that I do every day.” Before she became super serious about the craft of DJ’ing Craig was a master at the video game “DJ Hero” where she beat people several times her age who were veteran DJ’s. This caught her mom’s attention which led her to encourage her daughter to DJ on the for real side. Shortly after she enrolled and graduated from The Scratch Academy and began her journey into the real DJ world.

Craig broke it down how the experience of touching her first professional turntable at the academy affected her. She enthusiastically exclaims, “Every since I touched that record I’ve been inspired and it allowed me to change my personality. I actually opened myself and I can be myself around anybody no matter who it is. I was a really happy person. Before that I was really reserved and wasn’t into anything. You could say I was one of those average boring kids. I was just into music and video games which is unusual for a girl.”

With several major accomplishments under her belt, Craig and her mom has a wall in their apartment that displays both ladies achievements such as their degrees, certificates, plaques and photos, especially the one with Craig and the President. When it comes to questioning her age Craig is adamant stating, “Adults ask me aren’t you to young and I respond saying that nobody is ever too young to do what they want to do. That is what I want to say to people who want to be inspired.” Needless to say that this young lady has a boat load of confidence, assurance in her abilities and talents and is going for nothing less than the absolute top of her game.

(You DID Hear It From Me!)

Twitter@rychmccain and Facebook (Like Me)!

Rych McCain's 2014 Youth List - TV/Film

By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

www.twitter.com/rychmccain and Facebook (Like Me)

Rych McCain’s 2014

10th Annual

TOP TEN LIST OF HOLLYWOOD’S MOST TALENTED YOUTH!

It is that time of year again where I personally select favorites for my Rych McCain's TOP TEN LIST OF HOLLYWOOD’S MOST TALENTED YOUTH! The candidates (18 yrs and under) are selected strictly from the interviews that I have conducted with them, which intern ran in my Weekly Internationally/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Column as a photo-interview feature. If I didn’t interview you – you don’t qualify for my list! It’s that simple (hint publicists, young artists and anyone else who feels left out)!

As with every year, my hat goes off in a major salute to the parents of these exceptional young artists who have made untold sacrifices well beyond what many parents would be willing to make such as pulling up stakes and moving the entire family to LA or whatever else it took for their child or children to make it in the biz. The ten winners selected are without question the best of the best! They too have sacrificed, trained hard, done without and burned gallons of the midnight oil it took to get to where they are and they are just getting started! Rych McCain salutes all ten of you who are now a part of my media family and I wish that the best is yet to come for each of you! May continued success be yours!

This year is a first where I have included the entire youth principal cast of the smash hit ABC-TV show “Black-ish” and the Relativity Studios sci-fi movie “Earth To Echo.” The awardees are listed alphabetically starting with:

Brian "Astro" Bradley

1. Brian “Astro” Bradley (Age 18); Played Tuck Simms in “Earth To Echo;” made a memorable performance as TJ in “A Walk Among Tombstones” opposite Liam Neeson and got his break when he appeared on “The X Factor” as a rapper. Bradley also is a regular on the ABC-TV series “Red Band Society.”

Miles Brown

2. Miles Brown (Age 9); Is the second and youngest son as Jack Johnson on the hit ABC-TV comedy “Black-ish” This is his debut TV role.

DJ Young 1 (Nhandi Craig)

3. DJ Young 1 (Nhandi Craig) (Age11); She is the youngest at age 10 to graduate from the Scratch DJ Academy founded by the late Jam Master Jay. DJ Young 1 has spun the 1’s and 2’s on “The Queen Latifah Show” and for The Grammys gifting suites. She has even spun at the White House’s Annual Easter Egg Roll for First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative promoting healthy eating and exercising and met the President and first family.

Teo Halm

4. Teo Halm (Age 15); Played the role of Alex Nichols in the sci-fi movie “Earth To Echo.”

Reese Hartwig

5. Reese Hartwig (Age 16); Portrayed a fun and colorful Munch Barrett in “Echo To Earth.”

Marsai Martin

6. Marsai Martin (Age 9); She rounds out the Johnson family as the baby twin daughter Diane on the ABC-TV series “Black-ish” where she also make the TV debut.

Leroya Sanford

7. Leroya Sanford (Age 12); Up and coming stand-up comic who was the youngest to headline “The Comedy Store” in Hollywood at age 10. She has performed on ABC-TV’s “The View” and was the special guest opener for the forth coming 2^nd season of Bob Sumner’s Laff Mobb “We Got Next” for Magic Johnson’s ASPiRE Cable TV Network. This is Leroya’s second showing on this list.

Marcus Scribner

8. Marcus Scribner (Age 14); Is the big brother in charge as Andre Jr. of the Johnson Family on the smash hit ABC-TV sit-com “Black-ish.”

Yara Shahidi

9. Yara Shahidi (Age 14); Makes her second appearance on this list. Shahidi plays the Johnson family’s eldest daughter Zoey on the hit ABC-TV smash hit sit-com “Black-ish.” She definitely served notice when she portrayed the young Olivia Pope on “Scandal.” She was the daughter of two superstars on the big screen i.e., Eddie Murphy in “Imagine That” and Tyler Perry in “Alex Cross.”

Ella Wahlestedt

10. Ella Wahlestedt (Age 15); Plays the cutie-pie next door that all of the boys secretly have a crush on in “Echo To Earth.” Wahlestedt is also seen on the Lifetime Network’s “Army Wives” as Caroline Hall.

(You DID Hear It From Me!)

Twitter@rychmccain and Facebook (Like Me)!