Smallville Alums, Jeffrey Dean Morgan...
Old news that was new to me.
*Allison Mack has booked a recurring role on F/X’s “Wilfred” as a love interest for Elijah Wood. I’m curious as to how she’ll be in a comedy. A real comedy, not the laugh riot that was everyone ignoring Chloe’s megalomaniacal ways of S7 and beyond.
Be careful Lij, she likes men in that position. It’s easier to fcuk them over.
*Pictures of Kristin Kreuk on set of “Beauty and the Beast” have surfaced.
The title isn’t lying
*Tom Welling is not at work but that doesn’t stop horny Ashley Tisdale from thinking of better days.
*Alan Ritchson has booked a pilot, one that to me seems to be a sure-shot at a pick up! Quick on the cancellation of “Blue Mountain State”, Alan booked one of the lead roles in CBS’ “Super Fun Night”. The pilot starring Rebel Wilson of “Bridesmaids” (who will also write and executive produce) is about “three female friends and their mission to have a successful and fun night, every Friday.” Alan will play the boyfriend of one of the ladies.
When Alan tweeted that he booked the part, his down low lovah friend Trevor Donovan tweeted that Alan has to treat him to dinner.
No, Alan didn’t take him to a corner store
Taking a shot at his and Trevor’s friend Lachlan Buchanan
*Trent Ford (Mxyzptlk) who recently appeared two episodes of “90210” has joined the cast of the JJ Abrams/Mark Schwahn pilot “Shelter”.
Trent will play a former rock star who is staying at the resort. The show’s premise is “Returning staffer Mitch, a mischievous young dreamer, comes home to Shelter for the summer in the hopes of reuniting with a former love interest, but instead, new romances and rivalries spark.”
Riveting stuff, that.
*Cassidy Freeman ends her arc (for now? Haven’t watched the episode yet so I don’t know if Sage has caught a case of the deads) on “The Vampire Diaries” this week as Sage, the woman who teaches Damon how to seduce his prey (and dancing embarrassingly with Damon) and who is in love with one of those ever growing Originals who is dominating the show. (Kol? Who is he and why are they still on?) Mama Cass(idy) recently did an interview w/ K-Site and says that she and Paul Wesley did discuss their SV connection (“Yeah, we’re technically related, which is funny,” Cassidy laughs, revealing that the subject did come up. “Ian also guest starred on Smallville, so it was kind of like an old Smallville reunion, even though I wasn’t on the show then.”) and gave some details about Tess’ death.
From K-Sitehttp://www.ksitetv.com/smallville/interview-cassidy-freeman-talks-about-tonights-vampire-diaries-tess-mercers-smallville-fate/12682: “It’s funny. She wasn’t actually supposed to die!” Cassidy reveals. “Until Michael Rosenbaum came along and it changed. We didn’t know with his schedule if he would be able to be in the finale. So once he agreed to be in the finale, they kind of said ‘well, they can’t both live,’ and he has to live. He’s Lex Luthor. So they made me into the awesome martyr where I erased his memory and whatnot.”
“I was warned prior to reading the script, not very much before, mind you. They were kind of hesitant. I was like ‘don’t be sorry! That’s a great way to end the series!’ I relished being able to be the martyr that I was,”
**Why couldn’t she just leave town, I don’t know. I don’t get the idea of that they both can’t occupy that space.
*Michael Rosenbaum is busy at work on his feature-film directing debut in his hometown. They’re so proud of their local boy made good that they’re keeping steady track of the production and posting pictures.
I appreciate his sartorial choices but we need more of this.
*Bryan Q. Miller discussed the upcoming Smallville S11 comic. It will be a weekly for .99 cents digital download. Beginning in June (IIRC) you can buy it in stores as a monthly. I’m not a believer in post show comics but I love Miller’s work so I will pick up the monthly for a while.
As long as the art stays excellent I’m there
*Laura Vandervoort tweeted that she auctioned off one of Tom Welling’s red jackets for charity.
The picture she posted though is in response to what souvenirs she has from the show. They framed the back of her chair and her Kryptonian family bracelet.
Laura will appear in Seth MacFarlane (creator of “Family Guy”, “American Dad” and The Cleveland Show”) feature film directing debut “Ted”.
Starring Mark Wahlberg and Seth’s “Family Guy” star Mila Kunis, the film is about “John, a perfectly normal Boston native whose childhood wish for his teddy bear to come to life comes true. The bear (Ted) - voiced by MacFarlane himself - remains his best friend well into his adult years. Conflict emerges when Ted's irresponsible and vulgar slacker lifestyle comes in the way of John's attempt to embrace his adulthood and the woman of his dreams, Lori (Mila Kunis).
Laura’s also tweeting with new-to-Twitter Sam Witwer.
Sam clarified that it's a joke.
*Other Smallville alumni tweeting each other is Justin Hartley and Michael Shanks. Justin is in Vancouver shooting the pilot for “First Cut” which stars Jack Coleman (“Heroes”), Michael Rady (“Melrose Place” reboot) Kelly McCreary (“White Collar”)
and Mamie Gummer, daughter of Meryl Streep
First, let Justin describe the weather like up in the ‘couv?
Then he and Shanks traded tweets about dieting.
Michael is going to have to do more than diet to keep up with Justin.
You gotta work out, Carter Hall
I’m assuming Shanks is hard at work on “Saving Grace”, the show he costars with Erica Durance.
Erica at the premiere of “Tim and Eric’s Million Dollar Movie” earlier this month
*Looking good! She normally dresses like some Vegas casino barfly IMO.
At a pre-Golden Globes event
Back to Sam Witwer. He also tweeted Courtney Ford, the terrifically adorkable wife of Brandon Routh? Why was Doomsday reaching out to Mrs. Superman?
Because of some news from the Rouths.
Brandon has been planting more than trees.
~Jared and girl!Gen had their little bundle of joy.
It’s a boy. Thomas Colton Padalecki (named Thomas to surely spite Jensen after the little scene he made at the airport after he and Jared left the Burbank Con)
It’s all going to change. Nothing will ever be the same again. I’m getting me a damn cab. Taxi!”
“Jensen, you’re making a scene! Get back here!”
Things were fine at the con. They gang was all there.
Richard Spreight Jr., Rob Benedict, Matt Cohen and Misha
They celebrated Jensen's birthday that had taken place earlier in the month
"I thought we weren't going to do this anymore, Jared."
"Yeah, yeah. I just..this is just a hug."
C
Jensen tried the old stick your penis through the cake ruse.
Which is why Jensen has frosting all around his mouth
*Jared does too beause they're into swapping.
Then reality came crashing through once they left the airport. Jensen suddenly remembered Jared will go back to his pregnant wife and Jensen will be left alone with his wife and a freezer filled with Drumsticks (chicken and the ice-cream ones).
Jared will still irked when he was snapped at the airport a week or two later with Danneel.
That's right Jensen--women want equality, make them lug huge ass luggage around
*I think he's so used to rolling with strapping who goes alpha male when Jensen tries to grab something and says, "I got this, babe." that he forgot to ask Danneel if she wanted help.
He can't hear her labored breathing over the Jason Manns he's listening to.1
But Jensen should be proud of Jared and girl!Gen. They matched fans donations to a hospital in Thomas' name. All told they raised over 80k for the hospital..
*Misha's return to the show caused quite a stir online. And when I say quite a stir, I mean kerfluffle. The reactions online were more entertaining than the episode. There were those who were praising it from the rafters, those who were disappoint that Dean and Cas didn't have a real connecting moment then there were those who don't want him back because of what he did to their poor Sam and then there was me
It was lackluster IMO. But I can wank that Dean is just a big cauldron of emotions that he can't sort what Cas' return means. He's still reeling from Bobby's death. Sam is having a breakdown and he, himself, is half in the bag most times. Give a brother a moment to process all of this.
But while Cas was away Misha was never too far...from Twitter.
Posting pictures of son West
Daddy and son time
His official Guinness Book of World Records Certificate
Other posted pictures of Misha
On a volunteer endeavor
He, Vicki and West papped
Random Misha pic
~One SPN alum who will not be coming back anytime in the near future is Papa Winchester, Jeffrey Dean Morgan. JDM is starring in the upcoming Starz series "Magic City" (which has already been renewed for a second season). Asked if he'll return to SPN, this is what Sir had to say.
“Yes, I would go back if they asked me. My stance always is I would love to come back. In fact, they have trashed John so f-king much on that show that I would like to come back just to set the record straight the real way,” he says. “I’m not that bad of a dad. I saved my kids. I went to hell to save my kids. How bad can I be, people? But there are a couple of story lines that I’d like to resolve and more importantly those people mean a lot to me. Jensen [Ackles] introduced me to [girlfriend and White Collar star Hilarie Burton] (dawnybee: Who is now his fiancee) and they’re family, so it’d be fun to go back. But I don’t think it will ever happen.”
So there you go. Don't hold your breath waiting for older!John to return...at least before Starz cancels his show.
*JDM also spoke to Zap2It
Most Crushworthy Dad
What's it like being Zap2It's Most Crushworthy TV Dad? No pressure at all, if you're Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zap2it's Most Crushworthy TV Dad thanks to his time as John Winchester on "Supernatural."
We chatted up Morgan Tuesday (March 20) at the premiere of his new Starz series, "Magic City."
"I only wish that the crushworthiness would be for more than just dad-dom," remarks the admittedly hot actor, who plays mobster Ike Evans in the new series, which premieres April 6 and has already been picked up for a second season.
We asked Morgan what it was like playing a gangster in the '50s, and what he learned through his character about the era when organized crime proliferated in Miami.
"The cars are cool," says Morgan. "I've [also] never dressed better in my life. It was a classy time. I always have memories of the '50s and I think of The Rat Pack. To step into those shoes is pretty great. It was sexy and glamorous. There was nothing sloppy about it."
As for comparisons to his supposed "Mad Men" doppelganger, Don Draper, Morgan sees few parallels.
"I think Jon Hamm is freaking awesome," says Morgan, "but the only similarities we have is we're both in the [same era] and wear the same skinny ties. That said, I can only hope we have same success as 'Mad Men.'"
Starz has ordered a second 10-episode season of its new period drama "Magic City" before the show's first season has even had its premiere (April 6th, 10pm).
The series is set in Miami Beach in 1959 and stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Ike Evans, head of the Miramar Playa Hotel and a man dealing with gangsters, racial tensions, family troubles, Castro and all the other issues a no-doubt fabulously dressed fellow of his era must face.
The series is the creation of Mitch Glazer, the writer of "Scrooged" and the filmmaker behind epic Mickey Rourke/Megan Fox flop "Passion Play." Danny Huston also stars as Evans' mob boss financier and Olga Kurylenko is Evans' former-showgirl wife and mother of his three children.
Is this show going to be the dreamy mix of "Mad Men" and "Boardwalk Empire" to which it appears to aspire? Or is it going to be more "The Playboy Club" with cable nudity? Starz, at least, has faith in it -- 20 episodes' worth.
The network has its sword-and-sandals success "Spartacus," which wraps its current season on March 30th, and the Kelsey Grammer series "Boss" presumably isn't coming back until fall, so it could use another attention-getter for its developing original programming slate.
*And also Backstage.com.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan Stars in 'Magic City'
By Jessica Gardner
March 29, 2012
Although he grew up pretending to be John Wayne in his backyard, Jeffrey Dean Morgan never considered becoming an actor. A star basketball player in high school, he went to college to play but was sidelined by a knee injury. He moved to downtown Seattle in the midst of the grunge movement, making a living by selling his paintings in bars and coffee shops. In the early '90s, an actor friend who was moving to Los Angeles asked Morgan if he would drive a U-Haul truck from Seattle as a favor. What was meant to be a weekend trip became a permanent move that would change Morgan's life.
On his second day in L.A., he met a casting director who told him he should audition while in town. He auditioned for a Roger Corman film, "Uncaged," and booked a part. "I didn't even know what a mark was," Morgan says. "But I fell in love with acting. Then the struggle began."
At Howard Fine Acting Studio, Fine let Morgan take an introduction to acting and a scene-study class in return for "helping sweep up," and he kept auditioning. Over the next 15 years, he booked television guest star spots, TV movies, low-budget films, and even a series-regular role on the UPN sci-fi drama "The Burning Zone" but was written out after 11 episodes. "Those years were rough," he says. "Acting is a hard profession. More than anything it takes fortitude. You have to really stick with it. People don't like you all the time. You have to learn to sleep with yourself after people say no to you for years at a time. That's what I did. I stuck with it and by the time I was 35 I had no other options, no fallback plan. I was almost ready to call it quits - sick of doing a job and then being back on the unemployment line and trying to make ends meet. But I loved acting and didn't know what else to do. Then I lucked out all in one year."
In one month in 2005, Morgan booked three high-profile recurring roles: Judah Botwin, the deceased husband of Mary-Louise Parker on the pilot of "Weeds"; John Winchester, the father of Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles on the pilot of "Supernatural"; and Denny Duquette, Katherine Heigl's ill-fated love interest on Season 2 of "Grey's Anatomy."
"That year, I don't know, I've heard people say that I finally matured as an actor, which I didn't believe to be true, but maybe I matured in casting directors' eyes," Morgan says. "Shonda Rhimes, especially, saw something in me that no one had and then wrote to my strengths, for 'Grey's Anatomy.' That's the job I think really opened up a whole new world for me.
'Supernatural,' too, but I don't know if they were ever going to bring me back until Denny Duquette started blowing up on 'Grey's.' Then they were like, 'We need to bring that guy back! He might get us more viewers.' Then it just snowballed. The rest of Hollywood went 'Oh shit!' and wanted me at the same time. It was fantastic."
Now officially a successful leading man and the star of his own television series, "Magic City," Morgan is grateful to be where he is after 20 years of hard work. Looking back, Morgan wishes he had done some things differently. "Being humble and gracious goes a long fucking way," he says. "I was ego-driven and a bit of an ass. I think it hurt me. I think it hurts young actors today. It is a privilege to be in this business. If you are a part of this business, you are a lucky fucker. Respect it."
Morgan met writer-producer Mitch Glazer while starring alongside Uma Thurman in "The Accidental Husband," when Glazer was brought in to do a rewrite of the film's final scene. "He became a fan and always kept me in mind," says Morgan. He says he had no intention of doing a television series, but when he read the script Glazer sent him for "Magic City," a Starz drama series set in 1959, he fell in love with the idea and the character of Ike Evans-the handsome owner of a glamorous Miami Beach hotel who will do anything to keep his business and his family from falling apart.
With parentals and Hillarie
"I read and I was like, 'Fuck, this is better than the movies I'm seeing; it's better than the TV I'm seeing,' " he says. "I met Mitch for lunch and within 10 minutes I was like, 'I'm the guy. I'm in. Absolutely. Look no further.' We fell in love that day at lunch, and the love story continues."
Much like Morgan's character the Comedian in the film "Watchmen," Ike Evans doesn't have a lot of redeeming qualities as a person. However, Morgan has a way of making all his characters endearing, no matter their personalities, by finding their "human" side. "I try to find something people will be able to relate to, which doesn't make it OK for them to do bad things, but you can understand why they do them," he says. "I think that's the most important thing any actor can do - make your character human. I always try to make the audience understand why my characters make their choices. Hopefully that makes them a little bit likable and more real."
Magic City Pics
With costar Steven Strait
*Steven starred in "The Covenant" along with fellow twinks Chace Crawford, Taylor Kitsch and Sebastian Stan.
This clumsily leads me to Sebastian Stan.
*i loved him as the Mad Hatter on last week's "Once Upon a Time"! He's so good at being menacing. I think it's the dark circles under his eyes.
With Strait in "The Covenant"
Sebastian Stan bromancing it through the ages
*Rumor is that he's returning for at least another episode. One thing that's for sure? He's been cast as the brother of James Wolk in the new USA series "Political Animals".
He does look like a sexy beast in those pants
~I leave leave you with.
Tom trying to be totally casual while killing people dead with his looks
*Someone tweeted that Tom offered someone an extra jacket to keep warm. Shut up, Tom with your stupid gorgeous face and gentlemanly ways.
*Allison Mack has booked a recurring role on F/X’s “Wilfred” as a love interest for Elijah Wood. I’m curious as to how she’ll be in a comedy. A real comedy, not the laugh riot that was everyone ignoring Chloe’s megalomaniacal ways of S7 and beyond.
Be careful Lij, she likes men in that position. It’s easier to fcuk them over.
*Pictures of Kristin Kreuk on set of “Beauty and the Beast” have surfaced.
The title isn’t lying
*Tom Welling is not at work but that doesn’t stop horny Ashley Tisdale from thinking of better days.
*Alan Ritchson has booked a pilot, one that to me seems to be a sure-shot at a pick up! Quick on the cancellation of “Blue Mountain State”, Alan booked one of the lead roles in CBS’ “Super Fun Night”. The pilot starring Rebel Wilson of “Bridesmaids” (who will also write and executive produce) is about “three female friends and their mission to have a successful and fun night, every Friday.” Alan will play the boyfriend of one of the ladies.
When Alan tweeted that he booked the part, his down low lovah friend Trevor Donovan tweeted that Alan has to treat him to dinner.
No, Alan didn’t take him to a corner store
Taking a shot at his and Trevor’s friend Lachlan Buchanan
*Trent Ford (Mxyzptlk) who recently appeared two episodes of “90210” has joined the cast of the JJ Abrams/Mark Schwahn pilot “Shelter”.
Trent will play a former rock star who is staying at the resort. The show’s premise is “Returning staffer Mitch, a mischievous young dreamer, comes home to Shelter for the summer in the hopes of reuniting with a former love interest, but instead, new romances and rivalries spark.”
Riveting stuff, that.
*Cassidy Freeman ends her arc (for now? Haven’t watched the episode yet so I don’t know if Sage has caught a case of the deads) on “The Vampire Diaries” this week as Sage, the woman who teaches Damon how to seduce his prey (and dancing embarrassingly with Damon) and who is in love with one of those ever growing Originals who is dominating the show. (Kol? Who is he and why are they still on?) Mama Cass(idy) recently did an interview w/ K-Site and says that she and Paul Wesley did discuss their SV connection (“Yeah, we’re technically related, which is funny,” Cassidy laughs, revealing that the subject did come up. “Ian also guest starred on Smallville, so it was kind of like an old Smallville reunion, even though I wasn’t on the show then.”) and gave some details about Tess’ death.
From K-Sitehttp://www.ksitetv.com/smallville/interview-cassidy-freeman-talks-about-tonights-vampire-diaries-tess-mercers-smallville-fate/12682: “It’s funny. She wasn’t actually supposed to die!” Cassidy reveals. “Until Michael Rosenbaum came along and it changed. We didn’t know with his schedule if he would be able to be in the finale. So once he agreed to be in the finale, they kind of said ‘well, they can’t both live,’ and he has to live. He’s Lex Luthor. So they made me into the awesome martyr where I erased his memory and whatnot.”
“I was warned prior to reading the script, not very much before, mind you. They were kind of hesitant. I was like ‘don’t be sorry! That’s a great way to end the series!’ I relished being able to be the martyr that I was,”
**Why couldn’t she just leave town, I don’t know. I don’t get the idea of that they both can’t occupy that space.
*Michael Rosenbaum is busy at work on his feature-film directing debut in his hometown. They’re so proud of their local boy made good that they’re keeping steady track of the production and posting pictures.
I appreciate his sartorial choices but we need more of this.
*Bryan Q. Miller discussed the upcoming Smallville S11 comic. It will be a weekly for .99 cents digital download. Beginning in June (IIRC) you can buy it in stores as a monthly. I’m not a believer in post show comics but I love Miller’s work so I will pick up the monthly for a while.
As long as the art stays excellent I’m there
*Laura Vandervoort tweeted that she auctioned off one of Tom Welling’s red jackets for charity.
The picture she posted though is in response to what souvenirs she has from the show. They framed the back of her chair and her Kryptonian family bracelet.
Laura will appear in Seth MacFarlane (creator of “Family Guy”, “American Dad” and The Cleveland Show”) feature film directing debut “Ted”.
Starring Mark Wahlberg and Seth’s “Family Guy” star Mila Kunis, the film is about “John, a perfectly normal Boston native whose childhood wish for his teddy bear to come to life comes true. The bear (Ted) - voiced by MacFarlane himself - remains his best friend well into his adult years. Conflict emerges when Ted's irresponsible and vulgar slacker lifestyle comes in the way of John's attempt to embrace his adulthood and the woman of his dreams, Lori (Mila Kunis).
Laura’s also tweeting with new-to-Twitter Sam Witwer.
Sam clarified that it's a joke.
*Other Smallville alumni tweeting each other is Justin Hartley and Michael Shanks. Justin is in Vancouver shooting the pilot for “First Cut” which stars Jack Coleman (“Heroes”), Michael Rady (“Melrose Place” reboot) Kelly McCreary (“White Collar”)
and Mamie Gummer, daughter of Meryl Streep
First, let Justin describe the weather like up in the ‘couv?
Then he and Shanks traded tweets about dieting.
Michael is going to have to do more than diet to keep up with Justin.
You gotta work out, Carter Hall
I’m assuming Shanks is hard at work on “Saving Grace”, the show he costars with Erica Durance.
Erica at the premiere of “Tim and Eric’s Million Dollar Movie” earlier this month
*Looking good! She normally dresses like some Vegas casino barfly IMO.
At a pre-Golden Globes event
Back to Sam Witwer. He also tweeted Courtney Ford, the terrifically adorkable wife of Brandon Routh? Why was Doomsday reaching out to Mrs. Superman?
Because of some news from the Rouths.
Brandon has been planting more than trees.
~Jared and girl!Gen had their little bundle of joy.
It’s a boy. Thomas Colton Padalecki (named Thomas to surely spite Jensen after the little scene he made at the airport after he and Jared left the Burbank Con)
It’s all going to change. Nothing will ever be the same again. I’m getting me a damn cab. Taxi!”
“Jensen, you’re making a scene! Get back here!”
Things were fine at the con. They gang was all there.
Richard Spreight Jr., Rob Benedict, Matt Cohen and Misha
They celebrated Jensen's birthday that had taken place earlier in the month
"I thought we weren't going to do this anymore, Jared."
"Yeah, yeah. I just..this is just a hug."
C
Jensen tried the old stick your penis through the cake ruse.
Which is why Jensen has frosting all around his mouth
*Jared does too beause they're into swapping.
Then reality came crashing through once they left the airport. Jensen suddenly remembered Jared will go back to his pregnant wife and Jensen will be left alone with his wife and a freezer filled with Drumsticks (chicken and the ice-cream ones).
Jared will still irked when he was snapped at the airport a week or two later with Danneel.
That's right Jensen--women want equality, make them lug huge ass luggage around
*I think he's so used to rolling with strapping who goes alpha male when Jensen tries to grab something and says, "I got this, babe." that he forgot to ask Danneel if she wanted help.
He can't hear her labored breathing over the Jason Manns he's listening to.1
But Jensen should be proud of Jared and girl!Gen. They matched fans donations to a hospital in Thomas' name. All told they raised over 80k for the hospital..
*Misha's return to the show caused quite a stir online. And when I say quite a stir, I mean kerfluffle. The reactions online were more entertaining than the episode. There were those who were praising it from the rafters, those who were disappoint that Dean and Cas didn't have a real connecting moment then there were those who don't want him back because of what he did to their poor Sam and then there was me
It was lackluster IMO. But I can wank that Dean is just a big cauldron of emotions that he can't sort what Cas' return means. He's still reeling from Bobby's death. Sam is having a breakdown and he, himself, is half in the bag most times. Give a brother a moment to process all of this.
But while Cas was away Misha was never too far...from Twitter.
Posting pictures of son West
Daddy and son time
His official Guinness Book of World Records Certificate
Other posted pictures of Misha
On a volunteer endeavor
He, Vicki and West papped
Random Misha pic
~One SPN alum who will not be coming back anytime in the near future is Papa Winchester, Jeffrey Dean Morgan. JDM is starring in the upcoming Starz series "Magic City" (which has already been renewed for a second season). Asked if he'll return to SPN, this is what Sir had to say.
“Yes, I would go back if they asked me. My stance always is I would love to come back. In fact, they have trashed John so f-king much on that show that I would like to come back just to set the record straight the real way,” he says. “I’m not that bad of a dad. I saved my kids. I went to hell to save my kids. How bad can I be, people? But there are a couple of story lines that I’d like to resolve and more importantly those people mean a lot to me. Jensen [Ackles] introduced me to [girlfriend and White Collar star Hilarie Burton] (dawnybee: Who is now his fiancee) and they’re family, so it’d be fun to go back. But I don’t think it will ever happen.”
So there you go. Don't hold your breath waiting for older!John to return...at least before Starz cancels his show.
*JDM also spoke to Zap2It
Most Crushworthy Dad
What's it like being Zap2It's Most Crushworthy TV Dad? No pressure at all, if you're Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zap2it's Most Crushworthy TV Dad thanks to his time as John Winchester on "Supernatural."
We chatted up Morgan Tuesday (March 20) at the premiere of his new Starz series, "Magic City."
"I only wish that the crushworthiness would be for more than just dad-dom," remarks the admittedly hot actor, who plays mobster Ike Evans in the new series, which premieres April 6 and has already been picked up for a second season.
We asked Morgan what it was like playing a gangster in the '50s, and what he learned through his character about the era when organized crime proliferated in Miami.
"The cars are cool," says Morgan. "I've [also] never dressed better in my life. It was a classy time. I always have memories of the '50s and I think of The Rat Pack. To step into those shoes is pretty great. It was sexy and glamorous. There was nothing sloppy about it."
As for comparisons to his supposed "Mad Men" doppelganger, Don Draper, Morgan sees few parallels.
"I think Jon Hamm is freaking awesome," says Morgan, "but the only similarities we have is we're both in the [same era] and wear the same skinny ties. That said, I can only hope we have same success as 'Mad Men.'"
Starz has ordered a second 10-episode season of its new period drama "Magic City" before the show's first season has even had its premiere (April 6th, 10pm).
The series is set in Miami Beach in 1959 and stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Ike Evans, head of the Miramar Playa Hotel and a man dealing with gangsters, racial tensions, family troubles, Castro and all the other issues a no-doubt fabulously dressed fellow of his era must face.
The series is the creation of Mitch Glazer, the writer of "Scrooged" and the filmmaker behind epic Mickey Rourke/Megan Fox flop "Passion Play." Danny Huston also stars as Evans' mob boss financier and Olga Kurylenko is Evans' former-showgirl wife and mother of his three children.
Is this show going to be the dreamy mix of "Mad Men" and "Boardwalk Empire" to which it appears to aspire? Or is it going to be more "The Playboy Club" with cable nudity? Starz, at least, has faith in it -- 20 episodes' worth.
The network has its sword-and-sandals success "Spartacus," which wraps its current season on March 30th, and the Kelsey Grammer series "Boss" presumably isn't coming back until fall, so it could use another attention-getter for its developing original programming slate.
*And also Backstage.com.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan Stars in 'Magic City'
By Jessica Gardner
March 29, 2012
Although he grew up pretending to be John Wayne in his backyard, Jeffrey Dean Morgan never considered becoming an actor. A star basketball player in high school, he went to college to play but was sidelined by a knee injury. He moved to downtown Seattle in the midst of the grunge movement, making a living by selling his paintings in bars and coffee shops. In the early '90s, an actor friend who was moving to Los Angeles asked Morgan if he would drive a U-Haul truck from Seattle as a favor. What was meant to be a weekend trip became a permanent move that would change Morgan's life.
On his second day in L.A., he met a casting director who told him he should audition while in town. He auditioned for a Roger Corman film, "Uncaged," and booked a part. "I didn't even know what a mark was," Morgan says. "But I fell in love with acting. Then the struggle began."
At Howard Fine Acting Studio, Fine let Morgan take an introduction to acting and a scene-study class in return for "helping sweep up," and he kept auditioning. Over the next 15 years, he booked television guest star spots, TV movies, low-budget films, and even a series-regular role on the UPN sci-fi drama "The Burning Zone" but was written out after 11 episodes. "Those years were rough," he says. "Acting is a hard profession. More than anything it takes fortitude. You have to really stick with it. People don't like you all the time. You have to learn to sleep with yourself after people say no to you for years at a time. That's what I did. I stuck with it and by the time I was 35 I had no other options, no fallback plan. I was almost ready to call it quits - sick of doing a job and then being back on the unemployment line and trying to make ends meet. But I loved acting and didn't know what else to do. Then I lucked out all in one year."
In one month in 2005, Morgan booked three high-profile recurring roles: Judah Botwin, the deceased husband of Mary-Louise Parker on the pilot of "Weeds"; John Winchester, the father of Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles on the pilot of "Supernatural"; and Denny Duquette, Katherine Heigl's ill-fated love interest on Season 2 of "Grey's Anatomy."
"That year, I don't know, I've heard people say that I finally matured as an actor, which I didn't believe to be true, but maybe I matured in casting directors' eyes," Morgan says. "Shonda Rhimes, especially, saw something in me that no one had and then wrote to my strengths, for 'Grey's Anatomy.' That's the job I think really opened up a whole new world for me.
'Supernatural,' too, but I don't know if they were ever going to bring me back until Denny Duquette started blowing up on 'Grey's.' Then they were like, 'We need to bring that guy back! He might get us more viewers.' Then it just snowballed. The rest of Hollywood went 'Oh shit!' and wanted me at the same time. It was fantastic."
Now officially a successful leading man and the star of his own television series, "Magic City," Morgan is grateful to be where he is after 20 years of hard work. Looking back, Morgan wishes he had done some things differently. "Being humble and gracious goes a long fucking way," he says. "I was ego-driven and a bit of an ass. I think it hurt me. I think it hurts young actors today. It is a privilege to be in this business. If you are a part of this business, you are a lucky fucker. Respect it."
Morgan met writer-producer Mitch Glazer while starring alongside Uma Thurman in "The Accidental Husband," when Glazer was brought in to do a rewrite of the film's final scene. "He became a fan and always kept me in mind," says Morgan. He says he had no intention of doing a television series, but when he read the script Glazer sent him for "Magic City," a Starz drama series set in 1959, he fell in love with the idea and the character of Ike Evans-the handsome owner of a glamorous Miami Beach hotel who will do anything to keep his business and his family from falling apart.
With parentals and Hillarie
"I read and I was like, 'Fuck, this is better than the movies I'm seeing; it's better than the TV I'm seeing,' " he says. "I met Mitch for lunch and within 10 minutes I was like, 'I'm the guy. I'm in. Absolutely. Look no further.' We fell in love that day at lunch, and the love story continues."
Much like Morgan's character the Comedian in the film "Watchmen," Ike Evans doesn't have a lot of redeeming qualities as a person. However, Morgan has a way of making all his characters endearing, no matter their personalities, by finding their "human" side. "I try to find something people will be able to relate to, which doesn't make it OK for them to do bad things, but you can understand why they do them," he says. "I think that's the most important thing any actor can do - make your character human. I always try to make the audience understand why my characters make their choices. Hopefully that makes them a little bit likable and more real."
Magic City Pics
With costar Steven Strait
*Steven starred in "The Covenant" along with fellow twinks Chace Crawford, Taylor Kitsch and Sebastian Stan.
This clumsily leads me to Sebastian Stan.
*i loved him as the Mad Hatter on last week's "Once Upon a Time"! He's so good at being menacing. I think it's the dark circles under his eyes.
With Strait in "The Covenant"
Click to viewSebastian Stan bromancing it through the ages
*Rumor is that he's returning for at least another episode. One thing that's for sure? He's been cast as the brother of James Wolk in the new USA series "Political Animals".
He does look like a sexy beast in those pants
~I leave leave you with.
Tom trying to be totally casual while killing people dead with his looks
*Someone tweeted that Tom offered someone an extra jacket to keep warm. Shut up, Tom with your stupid gorgeous face and gentlemanly ways.