Bérénice Bejo on the The Artist, Sequel Futility and the Joys of Peppy Miller

Even Bérénice Bejo acknowledges there’s not a lot left to say about The Artist, the heavily acclaimed silent-film throwback that has been on the awards (and thus the media) warpath since debuting at Cannes last May. But the Argentine-born, French-raised actress also knows full well what a good problem that is to have — even it means wondering how to follow up the role of a lifetime. Written and directed by Bejo’s partner Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist features the 35-year-old actress as Peppy Miller, an upstart, unflappable young dancer whose chance encounter with silent-film icon George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) catapults her to the frontier of talkie stardom. As Peppy’s meteoric rise intersects with George’s precipitous collapse, the starlet invests herself increasingly in both the creative and romantic heritage of his fallen legend. Anchored in Peppy’s optimistic vision and resisted by George’s institutionalized vanity, their relationship mirrors the enduring conflict at the heart of Hollywood and sets up one of the more stirring screen climaxes of this or any year. It’s not what you’d call a breakout role — not for an actress who’s been working in film and TV since 1993 (including opposite Heath Ledger in 2001’s A Knight’s Tale) — but it is undoubtedly a milestone among milestones. Movieline spoke with Bejo about The Artist, struggling with perception, and how to move on from Peppy Miller. Am I the millionth journalist you’ve talked to since Cannes? Let’s get some balloons and confetti in here, maybe. Yeah, I don’t know how many it’s been. I should start counting. You know, I’ve asked both Michel and Jean if there’s anything they haven’t been asked about The Artist that they wish they had. Now it’s your turn: Does anything come to mind? I think I’ve said everything. I don’t know what to say anymore. I mean, there have been so many questions. I remember, at the beginning of the promotion, that I would go on for 15 minutes about Peppy Miller. I’m still very much in love with her, and I like so much being her that I could go on and go on. It was very weird: It was like she’s sitting next to you, or she’s your grandmother. She’s so alive. And they thought maybe I was crazy or something, which I’m totally not. I’m not one of those actors who, when they stop the movie, are still in character. But I really enjoyed being her, so I can talk about it. It’s OK! What was it that you loved so much about being her? She’s so cool! She’s always having so much fun with everything that’s happening, and she’s not calculating anything. She’s just grabbing everything that comes around her and turning everything into a positive. She trusts herself; she’s faithful. She’s great! You just want to go into the screen and say, “You’re so cool!” And it’s me! I’m acting this character. I felt very, very lucky. Knowing Michel as you do, what kind of influence did you have, if any, on shaping that character in the script or development phase — before you went in front of the camera? I remember reading the first script and saying to Michel, “I think there’s too much of her in newspapers and magazines and everything, and I think there’s one thing missing: Showing her differently.” That’s when he brought in the interview scene; before that there was no interview. And I think the interview scene is very important, because that’s the moment where Peppy could go the wrong way. She could just become a famous actress and forget that the most important thing is just to be a very good actor. And she’s going on and on, and she’s so sure of herself. And then George arrives, and she know she’s being dumb and arrogant, and she goes back to what she is really. This scene shapes her more — she’s not perfect, she’s like everybody. She has ups and downs. Sometimes you’re too arrogant, and that’s life. Sometimes you have to go back to who you are. I love this scene; it’s great to see her trying so hard to be this very famous actress. That was my first scene. The first scene you shot? Yeah. That was my audition, I felt: I had to be really good in that scene, because the crew and everybody might think I’m just the director’s wife. But I have to show them that I am an actor. I really needed to do it right so I am not the wife anymore. I am the lead girl. Did you sense that perception following you during production? No, I think I put the pressure on me. But at the same time I thought, “Hey, Jean didn’t do an audition either, and he’s there. So why would I?” It’s always a weird situation where people might think, “Oh — that’s the director’s wife.” But it’s such an ambitious film. Michel has to have people around him whom he’s comfortable with. That’s the best-case scenario for everyone, isn’t it? Yeah! But again: Nobody made me feel like that. I just thought about that myself. And I wanted to be so good for him because it was such an amazing movie. So I put myself in the position where I had to prove to everybody, “I’m good.” But after that, I forgot. He was the director, and I was the actress. And everything went very well. Did you have one moment in particular as the actress where it really hit you how well things were going? No. No. But wait… I knew the movie was going to be a good movie. You could feel it on set. You could feel everybody working. You could see it in the dailies: Everything was so right. You could see it in the costumes, the hair, the design, the frames… everything looked so beautiful. So I thought, “We’re doing something very good and very unique.” Then I saw the movie like six months later, and I was like, “Wow.” My mouth was open; I couldn’t believe what I was looking at. And I thought, “If people are sitting in the theater, I’m sure they’re going to enjoy it. But how are we going to make them come? How are we going to make them curious?” Because there are so many movies, and this is black and white and silent. So it was very important to promote the movie, and to talk about it. But I couldn’t expect anything like this, no. Viewing the film is definitely an unusual experience for a viewer. But how fundamentally different is it to act in a silent film? It’s the same. For me., it was exactly the same approach. I just had to find the character and embody the character and just be her. The challenge was more for Michel — to find a way of telling the story without the help of the dialogue. I can’t say, “I’m feeling really bad.” He has to show an image that says, “I’m feeling really bad.” Like when the picture of George Valentin is on the floor, and it’s raining, and people walk on his face, OK: You know he’s going down and nobody cares any more. That’s an image, and that’s Michel’s challenge. When people are stepping on your face, then you know you’re not a movie star anymore. People don’t care. Going back to your earlier comment about how fun it is to play Peppy, plus the way this film ends, I’m just going to throw this out there: A sequel. I don’t think so. Peppy could have a whole series of films — serialized, just like in the ’20s. We should— Yeah, I don’t think so. We would be disappointed anyway. This is a big surprise, and a sequel would just be a sequel. So no, I don’t think so. So you wouldn’t even want to do one? I don’t think it would be a good idea, no. I think we have to keep it at that. Just throwing it out there! I would love to do a sequel just for me, you know? But I don’t think it would be a good idea for the audience. I think everybody would be disappointed. Can you still dance? Yeah! It’s so phenomenal. And you hadn’t danced before? No. I started dancing in February 2010, and we shot the movie in September 2010. I still have the tapes of my very first days. I said to the dance teacher, Fabien Ruiz, “I’m going to tape that, because I don’t believe that one day I’ll be able to do something else. I just don’t think I’m going to make it; it’s impossible.” And you stand, and he’s like, “Shuffle… shuffle…” It’s so slow. And then suddenly it goes, “Do-do, do-do, do-do, do-do…” And it’s unbelievable how hard work just pays off. But it was really hard. Was that the hardest part of making The Artist? Yeah, I think so. It was the most challenging moment and the hardest part. I took dance lessons. I learned the Charleston. It was the hardest part — just to have an idea of how to really feel my body. The interview scene, when I go down the stairs and sit down, I remember Michel saying, “Just move your hips.” And that’s when I thought of my teacher, who taught me how to walk. I don’t know how to explain it, but she really gave me a sense of how important it is to feel really good with your body. And I think when you’re famous, and you walk into a room and everybody looks at you, it’s because of the way you are. And she taught me that, so I tried it in the restaurant. When you’re really sure of yourself, everybody notices. I had to learn that. Movement. Confidence. Posture. Exactly. That’s the word I want to use, but I don’t know it in English — the posture, the gesture. For Peppy, it was very important. Like at the very beginning, [the assistant choreographer] said, “Walk the room!” What? “Walk the room! Feel good! Walk as a model!” I was like, huh? I didn’t understand where she was going to. And then when I was on set, I said, “Thank you, Elodie Hec!” Because my body was right, and that’s something you can’t do with the director, and it’s something that I knew I needed to do. I called the producer and said, “I know I need a dance teacher.” My arms, my head… everything needs to be tight. It’s not just about tap dancing. What is next for you? I’m shooting a movie in France right now; I’m a little jet lagged. It’s a comedy. But I don’t know. It’s really hard after you do a film like The Artist to read other scripts and to feel curious and excited about a project, because this one is so unique. But then you say, “OK: This is my job, and I have to be curious. I have to give other people a chance to do something different.” Just because something is not as special as The Artist doesn’t mean it’s not going to be good. But I’m enjoying it. I’m pretty happy. Since The Artist, in France I have so many propositions — more than ever. I can really choose the best things. So for me it’s just happiness. All of it. Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

Two Comedies Land At ABC And NBC

ABC has bought The Cult Of Mac, a single-camera comedy from Australian playwright/TV writer Tony McNamara (Tangle), ABC Studios and studio-based Brillstein Entertainment. It centers on Ted Macfadden who casts back into his 1987 Chicago childhood with his iconoclastic/crazy dad Mac for inspiration in parenting his progressive modern San Francisco family. This marks the U.S. debut for top Australian showrunner McNamara, who is repped by UTA and Principal. NBC has bought Four Play, a half-hour comedy script created and written by actress Liz Vassey. The project, produced by Flody Suarez, Todd Holland and Karey Burke’s Dark Toy Entertainment and Universal TV, revolves around four people creating an unlikely family while raising a newly adopted child. CSI alumna Vassey has previously written 2 pilot scripts as as well as a 2010 episode of CSI with her co-star Wallace Langham.

Healthy Hollywood: Fab Food Friday Salma Hayeks Secret To De-Bloat After The Holiday!

First Published: November 25, 2011 11:57 AM EST Credit: Getty Images NY, N.Y. -- Caption Salma Hayek attends the Puss In Boots NY screening at The Hearst Tower on October 24, 2011Ah, the day after Thanksgiving feeling stuffed? Me too! After a high-calorie feast of turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie I could use a little help in the de-bloat zone. A good post-Thanksgiving sweat first thing in the morning is an excellent way to feel a tad lighter and set the stage for a healthier day of eating. Also, go for a veggie-packed juice it will help ease the over-consumption blues. A great way to de-bloat is to have an Essential Green juice in the morning, reveals juicing expert, Eric Helms, who co-founded the Cooler Cleanse with Salma Hayek. For years, Eric has been Salmas go-to guy to help her get red carpet ready or shed a few extra pounds. Eric shares with Healthy Hollywood the secrets to one of Salmas favorite de-bloat juices Cooler Cleanses Essential Green juice. It has dark green vegetables which contains essential vitamins and minerals crucial for the cleansing functions of the kidneys and liver. These greens are highly alkalizing to your cells this counters the damage done by the corrosive acidic waste products from all the meat, sugar, dairy and other common foods you had during Thanksgiving dinner, adds Eric. Green Leaf Juice Ingredients: Handful of spinach 3 stalks of celery Small handful of parsley 3 leaves of green kale 2 Barlett pears, seeded 1/4 lemon, peeled 1/2 cucumber, peeled Bunch up spinach, parsley, and kale, and push through juicer with celery, and pear. Follow with cucumber and lemon. Scrape off the foam and serve over ice. For variation, add dandelion greens or watercress. Try drinking a green juice for breakfast or breakfast and lunch and then eat well for the rest of day, such as lean proteins & lots of veggies. It helps your body run better, feel cleaner, and look brighter and younger because you ease the digestive process by replacing regular meals with delicious, fresh-pressed vegetables and fruit juices. You feel lighter and more energized, states Eric. For more information on Cooler Cleanse, head to www.thecoolers.com. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Mila Kunis Marine Corps Ball Date: Actress Was Lower To Earth

First Released: November 21, 2011 3:49 PM EST Credit: Cpl. Johnny Merkley Caption Mila Kunis attends the Marine Corps Ball in Greenville, N.C. with Sgt. Scott MooreLOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Like her Buddies with Benefits leading guy Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis your style along with the males and ladies in the Marine Corps Ball in Greenville, New York earlier this weekend. Following JTs appearance in a Ball in Washington D.C. a week ago, Mila adopted through together with her promise to Sgt. Scott Moore and also the lucky Marine made an appearance on Access Hollywood Survive Monday to talk about particulars from his exciting evening using the actress. She looked excellent, he told Billy Rose bush and Package Hoover. I believe all of the gentlemen and girls there have been outfitted to thrill and she or he was certainly right together with that crowd. She looked excellent. Based on Sgt. Moore, the 28-year-old actress made an appearance to become quite confident with he and the fellow Marine corps. [I had been surprised] precisely how lower to earth she was. Shes only a normal person, he stated. She was very thinking about exactly what the ball was about. Sgt. Moore, who stated there is some dancing and lots of introductions through the evening, wasnt confident that hed have the ability to take Mila out again. Shes really busy shooting a film at this time. Im pretty busy doing the Marine stuff, they keep me pretty busy, he told Billy and Package. I know well remain in touch. The Marine, who began the request-a-celebrity-to-the-Marine-Corps-Ball craze in This summer, has his buddies by way of thanking simply for landing Mila as his date. I type of spoken to my pals about carrying this out for some time and something day we'd an additional few minutes plus they known as by bluff, they stated, Set up for shut up! he remembered. So, I set up. See more from Sgt. Moore & Milas evening out, HERE! Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Tyler Perry on Kim Kardashian Movie Casting: 'What Better Person!'

Tyler Perry has a bit of the love-hate relationship with movie experts, but Perry fans have always was with the director. All this changed in October, when the filmmaker made a decision to cast actress, model, divorcee famous person Kim Kardashian within the approaching movie, 'The Counselor.A Fans were not happy. The other day, the director written a publish on TylerPerry.com, safeguarding his choice. I understood this message [from the movie] wasn't only for my maturity bracket, but also for all audiences, specially the youth... And not the youthful individuals who follow me, nevertheless the youthful those who are following other youthful people, too... About two several days ago, extended before I even discovered Kim's marriage or divorce, I used to be trying to complete from the casting. I mentioned to at least one of my producers, 'who else can be obtained that youthful people are trying to find to?' Among my producers shown me pictures that his daughter had taken of numerous hundred kids arranged nearby to find yourself in a Kardashian store. They preferred to satisfy Kim. I believed, selection person!... And lastly, because For me that my films speak internally, why wouldn't Kim Kardashian be requested in to a film about Belief, Forgiveness as well as the healing energy of God? Wrong with this particular?? So, there you have it. Perry preferred to offer the youth of America. Hence, Kim Kardashian. Browse the whole publish over on TylerPerry.com. [TylerPerry.com via Movieline] [Photo: WireImage] Kim Kardashian at America online/Huffington Publish Game Changers Honours See All Moviefone Galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

CBS orders two more 'Survivor' cycles

'Survivor: South Pacific' is averaging 12.27 million viewers for CBS.CBS has ordered two more cycles of "Survivor." The long-running unscripted series is guaranteed to run through its 26th season while host-exec producer Jeff Probst has signed on for the coming seasons as well. The series continues to prove its resilience on the CBS sked, holding up well this season despite stiff competition from Fox's "The X Factor." "Survivor: South Pacific" is averaging 12.27 million viewers, a 3.8/11 in adults 18-49 and a 5.1/13 in adults 25-54. Jennifer Bresnan, exec VP of alternative programming at CBS, said "Survivor's" format "guarantees fresh characters, exotic places and fascinating social dynamics every season." The network also announced that the next cycle of "Survivor," its 24th, will premiere Feb. 15, airing Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Having launched in May 2000, "Survivor" is the longest-running competition series in primetime. Probst has been with the series since the beginning and will broaden his relationship with CBS Corp. next fall with the launch of his own daytime talkshow via CBS TV Distribution. "Survivor" is produced by SEG. Mark Burnett, Jeff Probst and David Burris are executive producers. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

Jeff Lipskys Adopt Films Picks Up Mighty Fine As Third Acquisition

Adopt Films has acquired the US theatrical rights to Debbie Goodsteins semi-autobiographical coming-of-age comedy-drama Mighty Fine, the distributor’s co-managing executive Jeff Lipsky announced.Set in the 1970s,Mighty Fine is the story of Joe Fine, a high-spirited man who relocates his family wife Stella, daughters Nathalie and Maddie from Brooklyn to New Orleans in search of a better life and palatial home, but his dreams and extravagance far exceed his means.Chazz Palminteri (Bullets Over Broadway, A Bronx Tale) and Andie MacDowell (sex lies and videotape, Groundhog Day) play the parents, and Jodelle Ferland (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Tideland) and Rainey Qualley (MacDowells daughter in her debut) play the daughters.Adopt plans a2012 Memorial Day weekend platform rollout. Goodstein helmed the 1988 Holocaust-themed documentary Voices from the Attic and wrote 1991s Emmy-nominated Saying Kaddish. Mighty Fine was produced by Ajae Clearway and Kathryn Wallack. Lipsky negotiated the deal with the movies co-executive producer Barbara Goodstein.Mighty Fine is the third title acquired by the newly formed Adopt Films. All were directed by women. The award-winning documentary The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye is slated to open in March, and Anne monds Toronto fest entry Nuit #1 is set for late summer 2012. Minnesota-based Tim Grady and Karen Sternal are Lipskys co-managing executive partners.

Netflix Makes Lionsgate U.K. Streaming Deal Official

TORONTO - Netflix will be streaming Lionsgate movie titles like Dirty Dancing and Blair Witch Project when it launches in the U.K. and Ireland early in 2012, the online video streaming giant confirmed Monday.our editor recommendsITV Plays Down Netflix Deal TalksMGM Signs With Netflix for Exclusive Streaming in U.K., Ireland But Netflix gave no indication of its pricing or schedule for its next international roll out after Canada, indicating only a "low" monthly fee for its upcoming U.K. and Ireland subscription service. The multi-year deal with Lionsgate U.K. will see Netflix stream movie titles from the Vancouver-based mini-studio on TV sets, tablets, game consoles and computers. Netflix announced in October that it expand to the U.K. and Ireland markets early next year, where it will meet competition from locals Lovefilm and Blinkbox. Related Topics International Lionsgate Netflix

VIDEO: Emma Stone Hosts British Invasion on Saturday Night Live

Emma Stone She's American, but Emma Stone played host to a British invasion when she hosted Saturday Night Live for the second time. Besides musical guest Coldplay, Andrew Garfield made an appearance during her monologue when Stone had to break the news to Andy Samberg that Garfield, a Brit, will be playing the role of Spider-Man in next year's The Amazing Spider-Man film. "America is suffering record unemployment and we outsource Spider-Man to England": "Weekend Update" (tried to) make light of the Penn State sex abuse scandal, but even the devil - previously unaware of what was going on because he gets his news from Ashton Kutcher's Twitter feed - was horrified by the details. "I'm the prince of darkness, but I'm not a monster. .... This is college football, not the Catholic Church." The details pushed the devil (played by Jason Sudeikis) to go back to his old job working customer service at Time Warner Cable because "evil isn't what it used to be": Watch more videos from Saturday Night Live Instead of a bridesmaid, Kristen Wiig played the bride-to-be in a skit about bridal shower gifts. Stone played her awkward office co-worker, Wallace, who had never been to a bridal shower and was just thankful to be invited: Stone also shared the stage with Wiig for the game show Secret Word, playing a dim (and scandalous) Miss America (she thinks the Georgia state bird is a peach) with an interesting helper in her British ventriloquist puppet, Mr. Pickles:

Broadway sales slip just a little

Tourist-draw musicals like 'Mamma Mia!,' above, dipped most likely probably the most at Broadway's box office the other day.Rialto beginners, like Kim Cattrall starrer Private Lives, aided to enliven a normally sluggish week laminator tl901 office. Broadway sales downshifted just a little the other day, although two more shows joining the choice aided keep the cume about on componen while using prior sesh.New Frank Wildhorn tuner "Bonnie and Clyde" attracted in $265,147 for five previews, and Kim Cattrall starrer "Private Lives" rang up $51,250 for starters perf also adding for the overall pot was previewing Alan Rickman starrer "Seminar" ($308,019), playing its first full frame of eight previews. Meanwhile, "Godspell" ($310,908) saw its box office rise despite requiring to support comps for your show's run of press perfs.None of people tallies repetition gangbuster biz, nevertheless the new gold gold coin used to be enough to help combat the largely minor downticks at numerous shows.Most (while not all) productions drenched slight downturns in contrast for the previous frame -- including new B.O. buster "Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway" ($1,173,785), although that the person's attributable the show carried out one less perf the other day laptop or computer had the final sesh. Finest falloffs were drenched inside the fluctuations of tourist-draw tuners "Mamma Mia!" (sliding greater than $175,000 to $666,325), "The Phantom in the Opera" ($754,279) and "Chicago" ($457,708).One cause of the Rialto's downtick could lie inside the November. 6 switchover from Daylight Not Spend Your Time -- but even though some legiters believe clock changes negatively impact B.O., others think this is a metropolitan legend. Also getting affected biz was tight hotel availability due to the NY Marathon, along with the marathon itself, annoying travelers and Gothamites from Broadway in the last weekend.Jostling near the top of the chart introduced "The Lion King" ($1,579,280) to push "Wicked" ($1,535,611) from the habitual chair within the mind in the class. The still-rising "It of Mormon" ($1,370,277) ongoing to log the finest average cost paid out per-ticket ($156.50) round the Rialto, with "Jackman" posting an in depth second at typically $149. Recently opened up up play "Chinglish" ($294,161), whose mixed reviews incorporated its share of thumbs-ups, remains fighting to tug in auds, playing to crowds at about 55% of capacity. Sales at fellow play "The Mountaintop" ($697,502), however, ongoing to become fairly robust, while "Relatively Speaking" ($742,893), another play that opened up up recently, was one of the handful of suggests that handled to climb the other day.Main Stem cume wound up, just, to $21.2 million for 30 shows round the boards, with attendance rising slightly. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

David Prepare Tour Diary: The 'American Idol' Champion Talks Existence on the road, Tv Program Stigma (Video)

our editor recommends'American Idol's' David Prepare, Gavin DeGraw Announce Fall TourKelly Clarkson on Making Peace Along With Her Label, New Album: 'It's About Putting Everything Garbage inside the Back'David Archuleta Describes Break From Jive, Management Company (Video)The Very Best 'American Idol' Alumni Twitter Directory Getting his guitar, David Prepare launches into Def Leppard's "Hysteria" exceeding a sign of irony. "I gotta know tonight, if you're alone tonight," he sings from center stage within the Fox Theater in Pomona, Calif., trying his best to get the emotional core in the 1987 hit (Prepare was five if the showed up in this area, his fairytale TV story still 21 years away). It doesn't take extended just before the The The American Idol Show Show season 7 champion, who clenched his victory largely by reimagining radio classics similar to that certain, breaks character and also the band reduces in quick succession. "It already sounds really cheesy," he laughs, unable to discover even tho it is a good cheese or perhaps the kind you'll regret if you comprehend it lives forever online. Indeed, Prepare would later reveal he's been cursing it site "for any very long time -- since i have fell singing 'Hot for Teacher' in Biloxi, Mississippi," he grouses. It is really an understandable insecurity as much dozen clips from Cook's current tour with Gavin Degraw and Carolina Liar live online, beginning in the fateful first show at Penn Condition, when "Dicklaration" increased being the most recent admittance to the Prepare lexicon. It means moment throughout that relate when the word nerd's brand-new pants ripped from "knee to crotch" (his words) much like he on the purpose of play "Declaration," the opening track to his self-titled debut album. "I'd just bought these new pants -- wax jeans, lace within the side, they weren't cheap which i had been into them -- which i simply heard and felt this rip," Prepare recalls with equal part glee and horror. "I desired to produce a split-second decision: am i going to go offstage and permit this guitar rock band meander? I mentioned, 'Screw it.' At this time around, a couple of 1000 people know -- I'm a pale guy you'll be able to tell and i'm wearing dark pants -- therefore i required to inform everybody, i rapidly went behind the lighting rig and gaffed the pants together. It absolutely was certainly probably the most mortifying items that have happened in my opinion onstage, however think I handled it correctly." ANALYSIS:'The X Factor' Versus. 'American Idol:' Who's Leading your dream for Talent Show Supremacy It absolutely was an audacious start to a nearly two-month trek that will take Prepare everywhere and convey him face-to-face together with his most devoted fans utilizing a daily meet-and-greet where, for $75, anybody will get a distinctive Private room pass signed and possess an image taken while using guy themselves. In Pomona, they arranged at the beginning of the mid-day but got to sit down lower in a few tunes throughout appear-check ("Declaration" and Nine Inch Nails' "Hands That Feeds") -- after Prepare worked out the kinks with another, a lot more ambitious cover: Introduced Zeppelin's "Stone.In . Earlier, guitar-bation ensued as Prepare and new band member Devon Bronson exchanged licks onstage and goofed off. Informed Prepare: "I am in a position to look like I'm drunk after i am sober." It is an apt description for the entire Prepare concert experience, which stressed fun most significantly for people inside the crowd, onstage, working the bar, selling T-t t shirts (it seems David's brother Andrew remains designated with this particular responsibility at choose shows) or handling the tools. The Fox Theater performance wasn't any exception. Beginning from the set with mood-setter "Circadian," Prepare gingerly experienced his catalog, mixing up tunes from his debut ("Light On," "Heroes," "Bar-ba-sol") and also the latest album, This Noisy Morning ("Paper Heart," "The Ultimate Goodbye," "We FeelInch). The night's cover: a perennial favorite, Muse's "Stockholm Syndrome." STORY:'X Factor': Just what the 'American Idol' Alums Consider Simon Cowell's New Show "For an additional hour and alter, you're associated with our moderately good-searching asses," Prepare cracked -- much less anybody was worrying. Indeed, outdoors in the recording studio, where he drenched plenty of overtime several hours while creating this Noisy Morning, the road might be Cook's most fundamental habitat. It's one reason he chose a mixture of live footage (culled from performances in Columbus, St. Louis and Tulsa) and highway travels for his latest video, "Fade Into Me" (below). Same goes with the it his "Faithfully?" we asked for. "I am unsure,Inch states Prepare. "Every live video -- 'Dead or Alive,' Faithfully,' 'Home Sweet Home,' 'Don't Speak' -- can be a high comparison." Round the Declaration tour, Prepare carried out a mind-dazzling 152 dates in just within year -- a lengthy tour by an Idol alum in those days. Is he searching to destroy accurate documentation using this trek? Type of. "I really like this," states Prepare, adding that additional dates with DeGraw are increasingly being taken proper care of plus a visit abroad next season -- to Europe and perhaps beyond. "I used to be this kind of studio nut now I like truly being on the road, so put me wherever. I'm inside it. CAA, book people shows!" See more out of your time with Prepare in THR's exclusive video above and search for "Fade Into Me" below. The The American Idol Show Show David Prepare Gavin DeGraw

Daly takes diva to London

LONDON -- Tyne Daly could make her London debut within the month of the month of january 2012 reprising her turn as Maria Callas within the civilized world Finish transfer of "Master Class."Produced london by Max Cooper, Maberry Theatricals, the Marks-Moore-Turnbull Group, Ted Snowdon and Sonia Friedman Prods. in colaboration with Manhattan Theater Club, the expansion runs Jan. 21 - Apr. 28 within the Vaudeville theater getting a Feb. 7 press evening.Terrence McNally's drama about legendary diva Maria Callas initially opened up up at Washington's Kennedy Center before opening at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theater in Gotham this year. The creative team for Stephen Wadsworth's production remains intact. Additional London casting will probably be introduced shortly. Contact David Benedict at benedictdavid@mac.com

Hell on Wheels: TV Review

For Hell on Wheels, AMC's ambitious Western, there's a lot of trouble to deal with right from the start -- present, past and future.our editor recommendsAMC Revs Up 'Hell on Wheels' With Full Season OrderAMCs 'Hell on Wheels' Leads TV's Wild For Western TrendFirst Look at AMC's New Drama 'Hell on Wheels' (Video) In the present, the pilot isn't very good. It's flat, has flashes of action, then ends with a thud. Which, in turn, brings up the past. If you're going to make a Western, you're going to be compared to Deadwood, the HBO gem, no matter what you do. What Hell on Wheels doesn't need, at this point, are comparisons to such greatness. It's not even close to Deadwood. Period. But for the series to avoid worrying about the troubles of the future -- when a staggering influx of Westerns are coming around the bend -- it needs to establish itself in a hurry and be a compelling drama in a crowded field. STORY: AMC's 'Hell on Wheels' Leads TV's Wild for Western Trend Having watched the first four episodes, achieving that goal could prove problematic. There are elements to Hell on Wheels that are compelling. There's potential galore -- as there should be when you're doing a genre series with so many iconic elements to choose from. But there's a nagging suspicion that Hell on Wheels, created by Tony and Joe Gayton, doesn't quite know what it wants to be, which may explain why after four hours it seems like a collection of ideas that haven't quite gelled. The series is set post-Civil War and centers on the building of the transcontinental railroad. Early on the producers started callingHell on Wheels an "Eastern" instead of a Western, because it focuses on moving East to West (hence, no Chinese laborers -- just a collection of former slaves, ex-soldiers and Irish immigrants). No matter what they're calling it, the bulk of the pilot looks like it wants to be part Clint Eastwood Western (just pick one) and, well, Deadwood. That's because it gives viewers a giant dose of Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount), a former Rebel soldier hell-bent on revenge for the murder of his wife. Bohannon's got the squinty eyes, the beard, the hat and the sidearm that suggests "troubled loner willing to kill you." But the series then shifts to Thomas Durant (Colm Meaney), the greedy public face of Union Pacific Railroad, who simultaneously wants to get rich off of government subsidies and land grants for the railroad and, less enthusiastically, to complete the dream of coast-to-coast travel. VIDEO: First Look at AMC's New Drama 'Hell on Wheels' The two come together in the moving tent city known as Hell on Wheels, a sort of base camp for the railroad workers as it inches westward. Hell on Wheels, the town, looks like a less realized version of Deadwood, the town in, well, Deadwood. You've got the mud and the whores and the drinking, but not the layered nuance of characters. That's partly because Hell on Wheels has trouble, as mentioned above, figuring out exactly what it wants to be. For example, we learn, as Bohannon seeks a job on the railroad, that he was a former slave owner who married a girl from the North, gave his slaves independence a year before the Emancipation Proclamation, and -- what? Wants revenge? Once he starts to get it, by picking off the men involved, the Bohannon character starts to empty out. We want to know more about him, but he just seems one-dimensionally focused on revenge. Any other time we meet him, there's not enough to either love him or loathe him, so he becomes a caricature of Clint. The pilot also introduces Elam (Common), an ex-slave none too happy to be taking orders from Bohannon while working as a free man on the railroad. Elam and the rest of the former slaves are evidence that the Gaytons want to tackle the race issue. We also meet Lilly Bell (Dominique McElligott), the only woman who's not a prostitute. So maybe there's an angle to tackle about the hardships of women, too. We also meet lots of Indians, though the producers have said they won't really tackle that aspect until Season 2. In the meantime, there's Joseph Black Moon (Eddie Spears) who converts to Christianity under the guidance of Reverend Cole (the wonderful Tom Noonan). So you've got the Indian angle kind of addressed, plus religion. Sean and Mickey McGinnes (Ben Esler and Phil Burke) are the young Irish hustlers in the camp, so check off the immigrant box, too. STORY: E1, Endemol to Produce 'Wheels' Pilot But none of these characters really comes to life, even through four episodes. They exist, they hint at an ability to be made into something, but they don't stick with you. That's because Hell on Wheels wants to be so many parts (or, if you want to be cynical about it, checked off boxes) but there's no whole. In fact, the best character appears in the second episode but isn't mentioned in the voluminous press materials or episode synopsis (!). It's Christopher Heyerdahl, playing a character named The Swede. How is it that in one hour -- Episode 2 -- the Swede seems fully formed and the lead, Bohannon, seems to be an intentionally murky mix of good and bad that is more theoretical than evident? Of course, to get far enough to worry about that issue, viewers will need to get past the pilot. In short, it just doesn't pop. And having Meaney's railroad boss deliver some ridiculously colorful exposition to no one in particular (telling us, not showing us, what the series is supposed to be about) raises real concerns. Perhaps some of the issues here can be traced to the fact that Joe and Tony Gayton admitted to TV critics in July that they pitched AMC on a completely different project (which AMC didn't get, according to the brothers) and were later talked into the idea of a Western because that's what AMC was looking for as a way to link the channel back to its Broken Trail roots. That doesn't exactly scream passion project, does it? And it stands in stark contrast to David Milch's all-in approach to launching Deadwood. But there's still hope for Hell on Wheels if viewers decide to be patient (not a given for any show). The elements of a good series are here. There are stories to tell. But something needs to happen in a real hurry (like, say, Episode 5?), to keep the faith. Perhaps there's a bonding agent that will make this series more than the sum of its parts. If not, it won't be long before more Westerns appear on the TV horizon -- and one of them is bound to get it right. Email: Tim.Goodman@THR.com AMC Hell on Wheels Common

'The Mentalist' Co-Star Michael Rady Talks Simon Baker's Directing Style, First Day Jitters and Two Upcoming Projects

Sonja Flemming/CBS"The Mentalist" A new investigation into a serial killer may be hitting a little close to home for Patrick Jane on The Mentalist.our editor recommends'House of Lies': 'Melrose Place's' Michael Rady and 'Carnivale's' Nick Stahl Join Showtime ComedyShowtime's 'House of Lies' Full Trailer Debuts (Video) The latest case of the week, featured in Thursday's episode "Blinking Red Light," centers on a serial killer who gains notoriety in the media. It's not just any episode; it marks series star Simon Baker's second stint behind the camera on the CBS procedural. (Baker, who portrays the unconventional investigator, directed his first Mentalist episode in its third season.) But things aren't hunky dory at the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI). PHOTOS: CBS' New Season TV Shows: 'Person of Interest,' 'A Gifted Man' and More As the young boss of the CBI Luther Wainwright, co-star Michael Rady, who was a regular on the one-and-done Melrose Place reboot on the CW, told The Hollywood Reporter that "the pressure's on" to make the team "look good." "He tells his crew, 'Look, let's not screw this up,' " he said. Rady, who has a small role in the Clint Eastwood film J. Edgar and appears in the upcoming Showtime comedy House of Lies, spoke to THR about playing a young boss, being directed by Baker and those two anticipated projects. PHOTOS: Fall TV Preview: The Returning Shows The Hollywood Reporter: You're in the thick of things on The Mentalist. When is your next episode? Michael Rady: The next episode for me, shooting-wise, is in another week and a half. I like going back there and going, "What happened? What happened while I was gone?" THR: Can you talk about where Luther Wainwright is at, at this point in the fourth season? Rady: This week, you'll see Wainwright trying to walk the line and jostle for position over the FBI for control over this new investigation centered on the San Joaquin serial killer, who has been out and about for a few months. It's getting national coverage now so Luther sees part of his job as getting CBI to look good again and putting its foot forward in the media as well. He believes in the CBI and wants them to be right up there [with the other agencies]. He tells his crew, "Look, let's not screw this one up." The pressure's on. Like a good parent, "OK, you can do what you want to do but we also have to do what I want to do. And hopefully we can make this work." There's some chasing in and around all that. THR: And Wainwright's a young boss. How has his presence affected the team? Is there an awkward, uncomfortable tension there? Rady: That's inherent in him being the new guy, thrust into this world of this well-oiled machine. On top of that, he has these ideas of trust and transparency, completely foreign ideas based on their recent history. He's so young, they can't help but wonder, "Is this guy for real? Is he serious?" He doesn't even look old enough to drive. For me, I was trying to -- given the inherent nature of that -- give them respect so I can get respect back. Listening to them and listening to Patrick's wild ideas and his crazy antics and let him have his say and then speak. Listening first and going from there. I saw that as his key to survival in this Patrick Jane world. THR: Were there any challenges as an actor jumping into an established show? Rady: The first thing we shot was actually the scene where I meet everyone for the first time so that was rather appropriate. Of course, I didn't know anyone. I couldn't help being a little nervous because they've had about a thousand bosses; OK, I'm just the next boss. When I was introduced the first day, it was, "Oh you're the new boss. Gotcha. We're not even going to bother learning your name because you're going to be gone in a week." [Laughs] They didn't say that but I didn't know how long I was going to be around. The language is chock full of gigantic SAT words and tongue-twisters. Everything you say is a mouthful. The first couple days I was getting a little overwhelmed by it and then I realized it happens to every single cast member. They have their moments of, "Wait! What the hell am I saying? I don't even know what I'm saying anymore." That put me at ease. I was able to relax. THR: How is Simon as a director? Rady: I was taking the Luther Wainwright approach of listening, watching and learning because he's been doing this forever. He has a vision and he knows what he wants. I was happy where I could see him do exactly how he wanted it. He's got a discerning eye. He shoots from the hip, he thinks in the moment and he's like, "Here, try this. You know what, let's do this, lets try this." If something isn't working, he throws it out. "That's not working it at all, it's crap." That's invigorating. Doing television, that can be helpful. You can get in the zone. THR: Is directing something that you're interested in tackling? Rady: I don't necessarily know. At this point, I'm still just fascinated by it because it seems like such a massive job. I'm anticipating that at some point I'll want to direct just because of observing and watching, trying to wrap around my head around all the things we as actors don't even know a director does. I'm still wrapping my head around all that. THR: You'll also be appearing in Showtime's House of Lies, about a group of management consultants. Was that a different experience from The Mentalist? Rady: It's a different style of show in general. I can't liken it to anything, which is something I love about it. It creates its own fingerprint, style-wise. It's not like The Office or Entourage. It has its own look, writing style, humor. The producers from the start told everyone, "You can do whatever you want to do. Everyone was allowed to stretch their wings and explore their creativity and their ideas." I'm playing Kristen Bell's fiance Wes. Don Cheadle is the Simon Baker of the management consultants team essentially. Kristen Bell's character is leading a double life and I'm the other half of her life, where she actually has a soul and might want to be normal, but no one knows about this. THR: Last but not least, you're in J. Edgar. Rady: The movie is told through J. Edgar dictating his life story to special agents in the bureau. There's three or four of us. (Rady plays Agent Jones.) J. Edgar goes through a few of these agents who are taking his dictations. I got to do a few scenes with Leo[nardo DiCaprio]. That was pretty wild. [Laughs] One of those experiences that I won't soon forget. The Mentalist airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. on CBS. Email: Philiana.Ng@thr.com The Mentalist J. Edgar

Project X Trailer Crashes In

An event will get beyond control...A celebration featuring several buddies that will get rapidly beyond control. Sexy women, offbeat men and police participation. Given Todd Phillips' title within the credits, you may be pardoned for convinced that this can be a stealth trailer for that Hangover 3, but in fact it is a promo for any new comedy Phillips signed onto produce with Joel Silver known as Project X. You are able to have a look at Apple.With Phillips and Silver gathering a cast of youthful up-and-comers including Thomas Mann, Jonathan Daniel Brown, Oliver Cooper and Nichole O'Connor, together with advertisements director Nima Nourizadeh, the goal here seems to possess visited apply the found footage genre to some madcap senior high school comedy. So, in lots of ways, it's kind of The Hangover meets American Cake by means of Paranormal Activity. So... Parahormonal Activity, then?The plot finds three teens tossing the things they hope is a awesome birthday celebration, using the goal of creating themselves among their peers or simply getting women really see them. However in this contemporary era, it's even simpler than ever before for word of the party such as this to spread, and shortly situations are escaping . of control...There is no word of the United kingdom release date yet, though we'd anticipate seeing it not lengthy following the US release on March 2, 2012.