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‘The Voice’ Q&A: Kaleigh Glanton on Team Blake Lessons & Crossfit Dreams

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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During “The Voice’s” Blind Rounds, Kaleigh Glanton received a four chair turn for her version of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Have You You Ever Seen The Rain.” It was an inspired performance, as Glanton proved she could take a well known track and through her own vocal stylings, make it her own.

During our brief chat, the Wichita, Kansas native talked about having Blake Shelton as her coach and having the unconditional support of her friends and family. She also expressed her dreams of one day opening up her own Crossfit gym! To follow Kaleigh Glanton on Twitter, go to @KaleighGlanton.

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What have you learned with your experience with Blake Shelton?

I was expecting to be super star struck and nervous, but when I got into the room with him, I kind of forgot how famous he was.  I don’t know if I’d call him a father figure, but more like a buddy. He’s just super welcoming and humble and a huge inspiration for me and who I want to be as an artist. All the advice he gives to us, I take it very seriously.

We have a lot in common. I don’t think that he necessarily knows the whole theory side behind music. I don’t either. I just sing and I don’t really know what I’m doing. I just know that I can do it. You don’t have to know the reasons why you put notes here and there, you don’t have to know that. It’s very nice to know that he’s the same way and he’s made it so far and I have the potential to make it that far too. Just to have that in common is good for me with my confidence. Having Blake as a coach, he’s really built my confidence up tremendously. He’s just a huge inspiration for me – not just as a musician but as a person in general.

So I checked out your Twitter page and you’re a crossfit and longboarding enthusiast?

(laughs) I literally bought my first longboard yesterday. So trust me, it’s going to be important here in the next few days. Crossfit is almost half of my life. It has been for about a year and a half. I do it every day. All of my friends have been coming over every day after work and doing a workout with me. One of my dreams is to open up a Crossfit gym in the future. Not for money, but to help people lead a healthier life. That’s just one of my passions. So yeah (with) Crossfit, I couldn’t go back to normal working out ever again. It’s almost as important to me as music.

 

Kaleigh Glanton (NBC, CR: Tyler Golden)

How important has your friends and family been through this experience?

Oh goodness, they have been so amazing. They’ve been so supportive and a lot of them have been going to my shows. My friends, ever since this has happened, I was worried that they would maybe start treating me differently. But they’ve been the type of friends that they know I go most days talking about “The Voice” and stuff like that. By the time the evening comes, I just want to relax and just be Kaleigh and have a good time. I can’t ask for better friends and family. They’re my #1 supporters and I love them all so much. They keep me sane, that’s for sure.

Another installment of “The Voice” airs tonight on NBC (8 pm et/pt).

“The Monuments Men” Are Ready for a May Blu-Ray Release

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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“The Monuments Men,” George Clooney’s WWII set directing feature, comes out on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital on May 20. The feature, based on the non-fiction book penned by Robert M. Edsel with Brett Witter, centers on the people who risked their lives to save thousands of art and treasures that were stolen by the Nazis. The all-star cast includes Clooney, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, John Goodman, and Bob Balaban.

Two featurettes are exclusive to the Blu-ray release. “George Clooney’s Mission” features interviews with the main actors involved for the project, and “Marshaling the Cast” has the cast talking about the real men and women who inspired the story.

“In Their Own Words” contains an interview with Harry Ettlinger, one of the surviving members of the group, and “A Woman Amongst the Monuments Men” has Cate Blanchett talking about the character she played in the project. Both featurettes are available on the Blu-ray and DVD versions.

Here’s the official boilerplate for the film:

Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, THE MONUMENTS MEN focuses on an unlikely World War II platoon, whose job it was to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves so they could be returned to their rightful owners.  In a seemingly impossible mission, the Monuments Men, as they were called, find themselves risking their lives in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1,000 years of culture.

‘The Voice’ Q&A: Emily B. Sings Straight From (And To) The Soul

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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The saying that adversity builds as well as reveals character certainly applies to “The Voice” singer Emily B. Through her trials with VHL disease, she has undergone two brain and four eye surgeries. Many individuals would have crumbled throug the process, but a strong faith in God as well as a grateful and open attitude has served her well. She has flourished on “The Voice” as a member of Team Shakira, and during our conversation she gave wonderful insights on having a strong spirit and growing up with big Hollywood dreams. Though she was insightful and articulate during our chat, my favorite remark from her is as follows: “I feel like what I can’t say, I can sing.”

Check out the Q&A below:

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Have you been able to enjoy your success on The Voice? Or is it too surreal to actually process those feelings in the moment?

I actually feel like I’ve forced myself to, as surreal as it is, to live in the moment and really savor this moment. Because I don’t want to forget how this feels. It will be fine to look back on it (but) because of my mind set and from the experiences in my life, I’ve learned to savor each moment and just really relish in it. This is amazing. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I don’t want to forget in each circumstance.

Your own life’s adversity and triumphs must have added an extra resonance to your singing. Do you feel that’s the case?

Absolutely. I think that’s what attaches us to music and gets us interested. It’s what we can really feel the emotion of the singer and the songwriter. My experience of the ups and the downs all contributed to what I want to emote what I sing and what I want the listener to hear. Being on stage on such a big platform, it’s what I hope to portray whenever I get up there. I definitely know that with life experiences and what I’ve been through, that it all contributes to everything now, especially my singing.

Shakira is a great performer and seems to really be connected with her music. How has she influenced you as a coach?

 The thing I love most about her is her genuine-ness, if that’s a word! What you see is what you get. She’s passionate about life, she’s passionate about her career, she’s passionate about this show and her contribution to us. She connects with everything as a person so of course that will be seen in her music as well.

Emily B. & Cierra Mickens (NBC, CR: Tyler Golden)

What have you learned from performing on The Voice?

I think the biggest thing I’ve learned – being in a competition on such a widely known show with everyone watching and people judging you – it’s crazy. It’s just, again going back to living in that moment, you do the absolute best that you can.

Whenever we hit the stage, we’re faced with the chance that we’re going home. We have to really lay it out there at that time and really sing with abandonment and control. It’s really tough to stay mentally connected to that portion of it, but also have the freedom to really have fun and let the emotion come through. That’s something I’m learning how to do, but obviously I’m going to need more practice. (laughs)

You seem very fearless on stage. In life, when adversity occurs, some people will go into their shell, but you don’t seem like that type of individual. How do you keep moving forward?

For me, the number one key thing is my faith. I have a very strong relationship with God. That for me is always number one. Knowing that I’m connected to him, and feeling that he has a bigger purpose and plan for my life really helps me get through it.

With that, I feel family and a support system come with that. They’re the human form of what God wants to give us. Honestly, I feel like going through that, I feel like I’ve been given a second chance. Making it through that and being given a second chance at life per se – it occurs to me that I have to take this gift of singing and not keep it to myself.

In a way, I’m a little bit forced to not go hide away because I have this gift I can share with people and hopefully through the music it will help encourage and inspire them to tell them to keep going and keep their heads up.

Was there an advantage for you growing up in Idaho and moving to Hollywood? Does this give you more of a drive to make it?

There’s even more motivation behind it because I’m a small town girl and I don’t know it’s expected from someone (who grew up in Idaho). So for me it’s been more exciting to say, “I’m from Idaho, and I’m on The Voice.” You’re right. I work in the industry out here and you kind of become numb to it all. And so I appreciate getting back to my roots and realizing what a huge opportunity it is to work in the industry I work in but now be on the show.

It’s been a dream my whole life to make it in Hollywood and be a singer. This is finally happening. The hard work and the perseverance the big dreaming has finally paid of.

The short term goal is to win The Voice, but the real victory is to cultivate a fan base and family from the experience.

This has given me the chance to draw in a crowd and connect with fans and friends that I would never had the opportunity before. That’s more people to support me and hopefully I can have an impact on as well. It’s been amazing connecting with people who have the same medical disease I have, and to hear how being on The Voice and sharing my story has really inspired them. And that’s what it’s been about for me.

Beyond “The Voice” I’m hoping I can continue to cultivate that relationship with my fans so that we can help each other get to where we want to be.

Sharing your story with other people and having that immediate feedback and support. Is that really hard to put into words what that experience means to you?

Yeah. It always is. That’s the beautiful thing about music. I feel like what I can’t say I can sing. For me, that’s always been an easy way to translate my emotions. Even if I can’t say it. I also write, so whether it’s journaling or writing a poem or a song, I’m grateful for this outlet to try and somehow explain what I feel and the impact it has on me.

But I don’t think words or music can ever really capture what you feel when you hear these stories or when you think about what you’ve been through. It’s the closest we can get to understanding.

“The Voice” airs tonight on NBC (8 pm et/pt). To follow Emily B. on Twitter, go to @emilybemusic.

Blu-ray Review: ‘Kill Your Darlings’ Explores Allen Ginsberg’s Well Spent Youth

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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Kill Your Darlings (Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan)Now out on Blu-ray and DVD,  “Kill Your Darlings” (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 103 minutes) focuses on Allen Ginsberg’s (Daniel Radcliffe) close bond with fellow Columbia student Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan). Carr’s innate charisma enables him to start a new literary movement among his peers, which include William Burroughs (Ben Foster) and Jack Kerouac (“Boardwalk Empire’s” Jack Huston). Michael C. Hall is David Kammerer, a man who becomes jealous of Carr’s newfound friendship with Ginsberg.

The picture, a labor of love from writer/director John Krokidas, is not a by the numbers retelling of how the Beat Generation’s most famous scribes changed the world. Instead, the narrative focuses on Ginsberg’s attempts to challenge his own belief systems, even if it changes his own approach to his vocation. Whether it’s questioning a professor in class by defending Walt Whitman, or even discovering Carr’s fickle approach to writing, Ginsberg’s decision to sacrifice a few of his own “darlings” will eventually give his own words a deeper level of resonance.

Even on a miniscule budget, Krokidas manages to evoke the spirit of a 1940s New Y0rk while also delving into the complicated friendship between Ginsberg and Carr. With Kammerer’s killing at the hands of Carr, “Kill Your Darlings” could also have creatively drowned as a one-dimensional, somber tragedy.

Though Kammerer’s death is indeed pivotal to the friends’ eventual parting of ways, “Kill Your Darlings” mainly explores the themes that its moniker suggests. If one must push forth and progress, an individual must leave a few cherished loved ones behind.

Kill Your Darlings (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
Kill Your Darlings (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)

Special features on the Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack include:

  • “On the Red Carpet at the Toronto Film Festival”
  • Commentary with Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, John Krokidas and Austin Burns (co-writer)
  • “In Conversation with Daniel Radcliffe and Dane DeHaan” (this is a six minute talk during a screening of the film, with a moderator conducting the chat)
  • Q&A with Director/Co-writer John Krokidas and Austin Burns
  • Deleted Scenes

The deleted scenes are a total must if you’re a fan of “Kill Your Darlings,” since it gives more screen time to Jack Kerouac and his first wife Edie Parker (Elizabeth Olsen). There is also a congenial goodbye sequence between Kerouac and Ginsberg which is also worth checking out. Ginsberg’s homophobic roommate Luke (Zach Appelman), an understandable afterthought in the theatrical cut, is given two scenes in the movie. The sequences deal with Luke’s discovery of Ginsberg’s sexuality and his eventual bullying of his roommate.

During the press conference for “Kill Your Darlings,” Daniel Radcliffe talked about the joy of doing acting improvisation during the production of the film. It was a first for the actor, and click on the bar below to hear Radcliffe discuss the experience:

‘The Voice’ Q&A: Bria Kelly Is Always “At Home On Stage”

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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Bria Kelly’s take no prisoners approach to her music served her well with a barn burning rendition of the James Taylor tune “Steamroller Blues.” Last week, she and Tess Boyer formed a strong union with their take on the Janis Joplin classic “Piece of My Heart.” Usher chose Kelly to remain on his team, while Boyer was stolen by Blake Shelton.

Kelly,who cites singer-songwriter ZZ Ward as an influence, is one of this season’s powerhouse vocalists, and her swagger is backed up by her first rate musicianship and performance prowess. During the interview, Kelly talked about her love for “Steamroller Blues,” what she’s learned from Usher, and how growing up in a small town didn’t stop her from pursuing a music career.

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You really knocked “Steamroller Blues” out of the park. How did you come to pick that song during the Blind rounds? (Kelly received a four chair turn from the coaches)

I used to perform with a guitarist in my area named Grant Austin Taylor and he suggested that we perform the song together in one of his shows when I was around 13 years old. Since then, it has been my favorite song to sing and I have been performing it for many, many years.

I just emotionally connect to that song and it’s a great song to perform. I thought it would be perfect to audition with.

What have you learned from your collaboration with Usher?

I’ve learned to basically become much more vulnerable on stage instead of just (having the image of) “I’m tough and I’m a badass and I have my guitar in front of me.” I definitely explored a softer side of singing. I’ve learned how to look more vulnerable and perform more vulnerably. It’s great to say I can do that now.

For the next stage of the Battle Rounds you competed against Madilyn Paige, who has a completely different style. Obviously, you really can’t say much about this match-up.

It’s going to be interesting to watch because we are so different, whereas me and Tess – we’re really similar. Yeah, that’s all I can say. (laughs)

Did your previous experience from America’s Got Talent help you prepare for The Voice or is performing, in general, always going to have its share of challenges?

I’ve been performing since 11. I’ve been on huge stages, small stages, bars, I’ve played in fields. It’s all the same to me as long as there is a crowd. I’m nervous every time, but it’s like a good type of nerves. It’s not to the point of where it’s going to mess up my performance. It’s just adrenaline. I’m always at home on stage no matter how big it is or how many lights there are.

What kind of rush do you get from performing?

It’s definitely a great feeling because people yell when I hit high notes. There’s some people who say that I scream too much. It’s all the same, and as long as people can feel something from my performance then I’ve done something right.

You’re a very confident singer. Is that quality something you’ve developed along the way?

Definitely not. I did not have that confidence when I was younger. It’s kind of grown and it’s definitely developed, as it should for any artist who’s been performing for seven years. It comes with time.

What was it like for you, as an artist, growing up in Smithfield, Virginia?

It’s a very small town and there’s not a whole bunch of places to play in my town so I kind of have to drive an hour away to Virginia Beach to be able to get to some shows that I can play. But it’s really cool to say that I come from a small town because it shows that people from tiny places can do big things. So it’s cool to be able to say that I’ve done that.

Bria, well thank you so much for your time.

Thank you.

To follow Bria Kelly on Twitter, go to @BriaKelly. Round two of the Battles begin tonight on The Voice(NBC, 8 pm et/pt).

 

‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ Debuts New TV Spot

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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X-Men Days of Future Past (20th Century Fox, Alan Markfield)

Sunday evening’s season finale of The Walking Dead featured the TV spot debut of X-Men: Days of Future Past. It’s great to see Bryan Singer back in the X-Men universe, since he hasn’t worked with Marvel’s favorite mutants since 2003’s X2. Over the past decade, Singer has directed three features (Superman Returns, Valkyrie, Jack the Giant Slayer) with varying success, and one wonders if Singer will bring a completely new vision to the latest film.

It’s a pretty brief clip, but it does bring the point home. Whether it’s the past or the present, these X-Men are fighting to save the world, and as Professor X sagely points out, “Is the future truly set?” I could be wrong, but seventeen seconds into the clip has Magneto leading a group of Sentinels!

Starring Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, and Jennifer Lawrence, X-Men: Days of Future Past opens May 23.  Check out the trailer below and tell us what you think!!

‘Draft Day’ Star Jennifer Garner Is Hooked On Baseball’s “Soap Opera”

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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Starring Kevin Costner, Draft Day is a sports comedy that centers on the NFL Draft, aka one of the most important days of the season. If a team doesn’t do well at building their roster through the draft, their squad is pretty much locked in for a miserable season.  Costner plays Sonny Weaver Jr., the general manager of the Cleveland Browns, a team that in reality has had way too many losing seasons to count.

Co-star Jennifer Garner is Ali, Sonny’s whip smart girlfriend who is also the Browns’ salary cap manager. To research the role, Garner picked the brain of Megan Rogers, the actual Browns capologist.

“I basically stole everything from her,” said Garner. “From what she carried in her arms. To the way she dressed. To how she comported herself. Megan is someone who never needs to show you that she knows everything. She just holds it inside and if necessary she brings down a hammer. That’s what I loved I loved about Alli.”

Garner has a valid theory on why women excel as high level sports executives. “What makes women so great in these high up positions in sports teams is (that) they can keep their emotions in check and their brains can do a lot of things at once,” adds the actress, who was seen last year in Dallas Buyers Club. “Because if you’re going to a capologist, you’re basically business affairs, plus you’re thinking about the art of football, plus (you’re thinking about) your team’s future, what’s been important in the past. You have to have so much going on in your brains at once and let’s face it, we’re just good at that.”

During the Draft Day press conference, Garner added that although she grew up in West Virginia as a football fan, her domicile is essentially a baseball house. The actress talked about why she loves America’s national pastime, which she describes as a “soap opera.” 

Directed by Ivan Reitman (Dave, Twins), Draft Day opens April 11.

‘The Voice’ Q&A: Deja Hall, With Feet Planted, Shows Her True Colors

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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Deja Hall is part of Team Shakira on The Voice, and along with a smooth, emotive voice, Hall is also blessed with a wonderful sense of graciousness and subtlety. If you’ve been following her journey on the show, you probably know that her talent is matched by her intense love for her family. During our Q&A, Hall talked about her parents, getting coached by Shakira and why, when in doubt, pressing your feet firmly on the ground can lead to wonderful results.

Where does your strength as a performer come from?

I feel like that would have to come from my family. Just because they’re very strong willed. They support me every step of the way and they are there for me with whatever I love to do. They just want me to go out there and just be myself and do what I want to do and just shine.

My mom and dad are the cheerleaders in our family and they like to encourage all of us to be the best that we can be. Not only that, they are always there for us, shouting our name out and giving us that extra boost in whatever we want to go out and do. I love my family so much and I really couldn’t imagine myself doing this without them.

Your battle round with Music Box could have been intimidating, but you didn’t crumble under the pressure. Can you talk about that experience?

 The only thing I was worried about was her experience, because she knew how to connect to the song more than I was able to. I admire her so much. Her voice is very distinctive. Singing with her gave me the opportunity to personally experience the approach and expression that she uses to convey the message in her songs.  She’s definitely a naturally gifted person and it was just great to be on stage with her. I grew so close to her and when she got stolen, I went crazy.

What have you learned from Shakira through your journey on The Voice?

 Working with Shakira was great. She knows so much about this business and she knows a lot about the art of singing. I was happy that she turned her chair for me and I personally got to choose her as my coach and mentor.

I’ve been a fan of hers since the beginning so it was great to have the opportunity to talk to her and have her give me advice. She told me that I had a soft, angelic voice and I need to project more so people don’t see me as (one-dimensional). Having her believe in me is amazing, since she’s big in everything and it warms my heart that she believes in me and she still wants to work with me.

What is it like to perform on the big stage?

When you go on stage, you really have to zone in to the moment and take everything in. I know one thing I have to do and one thing that I learned to do was just close my eyes and take a deep breath. I also take my feet, and I press them against the floor. It’s weird but it kind of releases my nerves a little bit.

When you’re actually in the moment, you really don’t know what’s happening because the adrenaline rush is just kicking in. It really hits you a couple of hours after or when you watch it back on TV.

The pressing your feet on the floor, did you come up with that idea? That seems like a great thing to do…

No, I actually didn’t make it up. I was backstage about to go on and they could tell I was extremely nervous because this is the biggest thing that I’ve ever done. So someone told me that something that helps them release their nerves is to take their feet and plant it against the ground as hard as you can. For some reason, I felt like a big rush go through me and it released most of my nerves. It was pretty crazy. It sounds weird but it really helps. I would recommend trying it sometime.

So you were raised in very different environments growing up.

It’s very difficult because I grew up in the military and we moved a lot. I would have to say I was mostly raised in Okinawa, Japan, but I was also raised in San Antonio. When people ask where I’m from, it’s kind of hard to tell them. I say San Antonio, since I’ve lived there the most.

I feel like it influenced in showing my true colors because they are two different places and cultures. It’s kind of hard to explain, but that kind of helped me show my true colors and show how I really am.

What have you taken through your journey on The Voice?

One thing I want to take from this whole experience is the exposure. It’s a great opportunity to get my name out there. I am still humble through this whole experience. I tend to be shy at times, so this whole experience makes me come out of my shell a little bit more. It’s made me open up and express myself.

**The second round of the Battles starts tonight The Voice (NBC, 8 pm et/pt). If you want to follow Deja Hall on Twitter, go to @DejaHallMusic.

Actress Stevie Lynn Jones Relishes ‘Crisis’ Life in Chicago

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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0

Up and coming actress Stevie Lynn Jones landed her biggest role to date on the NBC series Crisis. As Beth Ann Gibson, Jones is the daughter of a highly complex (and cerebral) guy (Dermot Mulroney) who is bent on bringing down various power players in the Washington D.C. area.

Beth Ann Gibson is one of the teenagers kidnapped by the organization headed by Thomas Gibson, and as of the first two episodes she has no idea that dear old dad is a criminal mastermind.

For Jones, growing up in Southern California enabled her to see the entertainment industry sans all the starry-eyed wonder. Having a family who’s worked in the business and spending a bit of time behind the camera herself, the actress has a practical and passionate view of her job. During our conversation, the actress talked about what makes Dermot Mulroney a wonderful co-star and why, even with her success on Crisis, she won’t rest on her laurels. If you’re a Twitter enthusiast (I’m still stuck on the MySpace era), Jones’ handle is  @stevielynnjones.

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Chicago has great architecture, wonderful people, amazing food, and harsh winters. Since it was your home base during the Crisis shoot, what is your overall impression of the city?

Amazing. That sums up everything. It’s a fantastic city. Like you said it’s beautiful. And the food is glorious! The people are amazing. I lived through the polar vortex. I’m a SoCal native – 65 degrees was winter to me. And I experienced negative 40 with wind chill so that was interesting. I also refused to wear pants the entire time, so that was a whole other crisis in itself. But it was totally great and I did get to experience the summer and the fall. The changing of the colors is really beautiful.

Speaking of change, can you talk about your character and the challenge of playing someone who has so many complex issues to deal with?

I honestly think the hostage situation was eye-opening for her. She opened up to the other students in her class and realized that she had more in common with them. So she comes out having a stronger support network than when she went into it. Yes, they’ve been traumatized by this kidnapping but it’s brought a lot of them closer. She’s also opened up her heart up to her dad a little bit more and tried to forgive him. She’s definitely growing and trying to open her eyes.

Growing up in California, and also working behind the camera, did that help you ease into the business as an actress. Not just seeing acting as a dream but as a day to day job and craft that one has to hone?

 Yeah, I certainly think it does. My mom is an executive producer. She doesn’t do anything scripted or anything like that – she does clips and live shows. But I was always aware of it. I think growing up here you look at it so much differently than a girl growing up somewhere else.

To me, it’s all very real and natural, which has made it easier to transition into it for sure. It is also readily available. I can go to acting classes and find the best people to work with, wherein if I was living somewhere else it would be so much harder. I would have to move across the country and adjust. But it’s all here.

Does working with Dermot Mulroney enhance your own acting skill sets?

Dermot is really the only adult actor I interact with. Working with him has been absolutely phenomenal. He gives so much to another actor in a scene. It’s an absolute dream. Because you can get scenes where you’re stuck and you’re trying to interact with someone and they’re not giving you anything. They’re kind of in their own world. But Dermot immediately connects and engages with you. There’s so much chemistry that he creates himself and It’s really been such a learning process and so amazing.

I don’t interact with the other adults, but I can sit and watch them on set and learn so much. They integrate so much into the lines that they have and they bring so much life to it. It’s inspiring and really fantastic.

Even after landing Crisis, what are your goals as an actress?

I definitely want to work in movies, so I’m auditioning for that now. Fingers crossed. And I do think it’s important to stay in classes. I do scene study and I don’t think you can ever stop working on your craft. There are always different things you can hone in and sharpen. There’s certain things that come natural to you, because that’s (part of) your personality. There are other things that don’t come as naturally and you need to work equally on both. So I am constantly working on trying to grow and strengthen my craft. Definitely.

 

Stevie Lynn Jones (NBC, CR: Vivian Zink)
Stevie Lynn Jones (NBC, CR: Vivian Zink)

What are your strengths as an actress?

 Well, I keep being cast as the mean girl, apparently I can do that, and I don’t think I’m very mean (laughs)! I’m really a nice person, I promise! So I guess I can do that. But I really do try to listen and engage. I try to make it as natural and conversational as possible with the other person.

There’s nothing more awkward than watching a scene with two actors that are in two completely different places. So I try to be in the same place as the other person and connect with them. If you can believe that we are having a real conversation and we’re engaged with each other. The writing and everything else will fade away, because you’re engage in our relationship. That’s what I try and focus on.

To make it as an actor, does it take a level of perseverance to survive?

You definitely do. Completely. You cannot stop moving. You cannot stop working. You have to push yourself to get into the rooms. To meet people. To work harder. It’s one of the hardest businesses to work in because there is so much competition and you can never ever really stop working. Every single day you have to do something for your craft and for the business side of things, because that is such a big part of it.

I started auditioning when I was 12 and I got into commercials. It was just something fun for me to do. It was only a year or two after that when I realized that this was a career and something I wanted to do. And then I started taking it seriously and I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. It never really was a childhood dream or anything. I was lucky enough to discover something that I love to do.

Tonight’s Crisis episode, titled “What Was Done To You,” airs on NBC at 10 pm et/pt.

‘Rob The Mob’ Director & Composer Team For Close Knit Collaboration

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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Rob The Mob (Michael Pitt, Nina Ariande)The intimate atmosphere of Rob the Mob, which is another first rate comedy/drama from filmmaker Raymond De Felitta’s (Two Family House, City Island), is conveyed through a selection of creative avenues. Whether it’s the firecracker banter between Tommy and Rosemarie Uva (Michael Pitt and Nina Arianda or the world weariness of the story’s crime boss (Andy Garcia, who worked with De Felitta in City Island), Rob the Mob is like an old shoe you can’t replace. It’s comfortable, you know exactly how it makes you feel, and even if it’s not as flashy as the other kicks in your closet, your feet are where they want to be.

Penned by Jonathan Fernandez, the movie consistently (and effectively) changes tones, as we are treated to the Uvas’ foolhardy decision to steal from gangsters, a horrible miscalculation which eventually cost them their lives. Although their demise is obviously nothing to laugh at, they’re a passionate couple from Queens who love to shoot from the hip, even if it gets them in hot water. Somewhere in that mix lies a bit of comedy, and Fernandez effectively captures those moments.

The screenwriting isn’t the only golden aspect of Rob the Mob. Part of its natural, homemade touch to Rob the Mob also comes from De Felitta’s close collaboration with composer Stephen Endelman. The musician previously scored De Felitta’s Two Family House, and their working shorthand led to the filmmaker actually setting up shop at the composer’s studio. 

Ray Romano in Rob The MobMany directors cut their films with a temp score, and a composer is later brought in to flesh out the process. With Rob the Mob,De Felitta was editing his film while Endelman created his own pieces for the narrative. 

Click on the media bar below to hear De Felitta break down his collaboration with Endelman:

Rob the Mob, which co-stars Ray Romano as a newspaper columnist who covers Tommy and Rosemarie’s ultimately tragic story, is now playing in select theaters.

 

 

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